"Sketches of Lynn
Or The
Changes Of Fifty Years"
by David N. Johnson

Transcribed and submitted
by Shaun Cook

To help transcribe or submit information, please e-mail Shaun Cook.

THE EARLY MOROCCO BUSINESS IN LYNN, pgs. 320-331

     For the following facts relating to the early morocco business of Lynn the writer is chiefly indebted to a paper prepared by the late Joseph Moulton, twenty years ago. Mr. Moulton's intimate knowledge of the business for more than fifty years - being himself a pioneer in this branch of trade and his intelligent appreciation of everything pertaining to the history of his native town, give a permanent value to his sketch.

     For many of the facts of a later date the writer is indebted to John T. Moulton, son of the foregoing, who is now engaged in the same business, and known in the community as an intelligent inquirer into the history and traditions of his native place.

     The manufacture of morocco was begun in Lynn about the year 1800. It may be well to give a few words in explanation of the origin of this term. The original Morocco leather was from the Barbary States - as its name might suggest - and the Levant. The English had learned the art of manufacturing it, and small quantities found their way to this country, probably, quite early in the last century. Felt, in his "Customs of New England," makes mention of Morocco shoes as charged in the account book of a Boston merchant as early as 1740. From the advent of Dagyr, in 1750, down to 1800, a few Morocco goat skins, some English kid skins, and other skins "of all kinds," were imported. At this early period the dresser of morocco was looked upon as one possessing a secret too valuable to divulge. The business was regarded as an art rather than a trade; and the work was carried on behind darkened windows, so that none might steal a knowledge of the mysterious processes that transformed the unsightly pelt into a thing of beauty, fit to adorn the foot of princess or queen.

     William Rose, an Englishman who had served a seven-years' apprenticeship in London, was the first to set up the business in Lynn. He purchased the estate between what is now Blossom and Shepard streets, comprising the site where now stands the fine mansion of Stephen Oliver, Jr. The factory of Mr. Rose - the first one established in Lynn - occupied, in part, this land. Mr. Rose did a very profitable business here for about eight years; as he had a monopoly of the business, the profits were large. But he gained no fortune. He belonged to that class - a numerous one - who do n't seem to understand that if the out-go is greater than the income - no matter how large the income - bankruptcy comes sooner or later. This is what happened to Mr. Rose. His convivial habits and great generosity brought the balance on the wrong side of the ledger; and about the year 1809 he left Lynn, and made an unsuccessful attempt to establish himself in business in Charlestown. While Mr. Rose was in Lynn, Capt. Edward Carroll, father in-law of the late Philip P. Tapley, worked with him as an apprentice. Joshua R. Gore was the first to take up the morocco business in Lynn after the departure of Mr. Rose; but not succeeding in his attempt, he left and settled in New Haven. Francis Moore, a preceptor of the Lynn Academy, left his profession, and associating himself with Henry Healey, next made an unsuccessful attempt as a morocco dresser.

     The next - probably - who took up the business were William B. and Joshua Whitney. They, too, were unsuccessful. Carter & Tarbell next established a very extensive business, but in the end accumulated no fortune. Samuel Mulliken, Major Daniel R. Witt and Joseph Mansfield now took up the business. As they left it soon after, it is presumed they found it unprofitable. This brings the business down to the close of the second war with Great Britain. The business from this time rapidly increased. Soon after, Capt. John Lovejoy, father of the late Elbridge Lovejoy, entered the business with a Mr. Stockwell, under the name of Lovejoy & Stockwell. The brothers Brackett - Rufus, Newell and George - also engaged in this business. Then followed in the same line various firms and establishments by men whose names will at once be recognized by our old citizens - Breed & Damon, Nathan Reed, Peter Hay, Samuel Vial, Francis S. and Henry Newhall, Levi Robinson,William Gibson, Edward Carroll and Joseph Moulton.

     In 1818 Francis S. Newhall entered the morocco business; and in 1822 formed a partnership with his brother Henry. From 1830 to 1834 this firm did a large part of the business then carried on in the town. Edward Carroll was their foreman at this time. They were the first to finish in fancy colors, and carried on business until 1849.

     This was a time when profits were small and old-fashioned methods prevailed, both in the mechanical part of this handicraft, as well as in the general conduct of the trade. Those were the days of long credits; when future contingencies entered too largely into mercantile transactions to enable a man to strike a balance in his ledger with any degree of certainty.

     From this time (nearly half a century ago) forward, this business increased rapidly in Lynn, and spread, to some extent, to the neighboring towns. The following record will show the date when the leading firms, as well as some establishments of less note, began operations in Lynn: Joseph Moulton began business in 1835. His operations were confined to the tanning branch of the trade. Darius Barry began business in 1836, on Commercial street, and continued there for two years. He then went to Boston, and remained until 1840. He then returned to Lynn, and in 1842 set up business near the corner of Washington and Munroe streets. Mr. Barry taught the mysteries of this art to several of our citizens, who afterward became prominent as manufacturers - Charles G. Clark, Nathan Clark, Horace Clark, Patrick Lennox, John and James Williams, and some thirty others.

     Philip P. Tapley and Andrew Kelty, under the firm of Kelty & Tapley, began business in 1843. This continued three years. About a year after - 1847 - Mr. Tapley formed a connection with Hon. John B. Alley and Abner S. Moore, under the firm of Alley, Tapley & Co., for the purpose of manufacturing shoes and morocco. They had a store in Boston for the sale of leather, and shoe stock generally. In 1850 the firm dissolved, and Mr. Tapley conducted the morocco business in his own name. In November, 1850, Mr. Tapley introduced steam power into his factory - the first used in Lynn in this business. The factory stood on Broad street, near the foot of Union street. In 1858 he removed to his spacious new factory, now standing near the corner of Broad and Beach streets. One of the newspapers of the day stated "that this was believed to be the largest and most complete of any in the United States, or the world."

     Jacob S . Wentworth began business as a partner in the firm of Souther, Blaney & Co., in 1845, in Harrison Court. Mr. W. also finished in fancy colors. Thomas Roberts, George K. and Henry Pevear began business in 1847 on Munroe street. Mr. Roberts soon retired, the Messrs. Pevear continuing the business. Next to Mr. Tapley they were the largest manufacturers in the city some twenty years ago; and to-day they are probably the largest manufacturers in this section of the country. In 1844 John W. Blaney and John B. Souther established the "skiver'' business under the firm of Souther & Blaney. This was the beginning of the tanning and finishing of skivers in Lynn. This firm gained a high repute as finishers in fancy colors, a branch - as was stated in the paper already quoted - "in which Mr. Blaney has become distinguished, and has no superior in the country." In 1849 Joseph Souther, Jr., entered the firm. In, the summer of 1859 they set up a steam engine of ten-horse power, and run machines known as Green's patent for finishing kid and morocco.

     In 1846 Mr. Kelty formed a partnership with Richard Drown, under the firm of Kelty & Drown. This continued until the death of Mr. Kelty, in 1868 . Horace Clark began business in 1851, as a partner in the firm of Perry, Smith & Co., located on Market street. In 1853 Smith and Clark took the business, and carried it on until 1857, when Mr. Clark purchased Mr. Smith's interest, and removed his business to the old stand of P. P. Tapley, on Broad street - foot of Union street. Shortly after his removal he formed a partnership with his brother Nathan. Charles G. and Nathan Clark began business in 1851, on Market street. The next year they removed to Munroe street, to the factory formerly occupied by Darius Barry. In 1857 they built their new factory - then one of the finest in the city - on the same street, and removed their business into it. After Nathan's retirement from the firm, his brother conducted the business, and has carried it on up to the present time.

     In 1852 William A. Kelly began business on Market street. He remained there until 1859, when he built a new factory on Munroe street. This, also, was spoken of as one of the "best in the city." Mr. Kelly has likewise continued business at the old stand up to the present time.

     In 1852 John B. Souther and David Burns formed a partnership, and located themselves on Market street, in the building formerly occupied by John Lovejoy. Thomas Roberts began business under the firm of Roberts & York. This firm dissolved in 1856, and Mr. Roberts continued the business at the old stand on Munroe street. Patrick Lennox began business in 1853, on Broad street. He afterward removed to Harrison court. Being a firstclass mechanic, his trade rapidly increased, and in 1858 he removed his business to Market street, near his present location. He soon after introduced steam and machinery for finishing morocco. In 1871 he built his fine brick factory on the corner of Market street and Harrison court, where he is still doing a very extensive business.

     John Williams began business in 1854, on Broad street. His brother James succeeded him, and continued the business for several years. A. B. Martin began business in 1855, in company with Moses Norris, on Broad street. He soon after removed to Market street, and in 1864 he removed his factory buildings, and added a new extension of some sixty feet. In 1866 he still further enlarged it by an addition of eighty feet in length, making it one of the most extensive factories at that time in Lynn. During the present year (1879) he has made another large addition to his factory, and it is now, doubtless, the largest building devoted to this purpose north of New York city. Mr. Martin's business has increased rapidly, and at present he is probably one of the largest manufacturers of morocco in New England.

     Charles Carroll- son of Edward, above mentioned - began business in 1856, on Broad street, in company with his brother Edward, Jr. The firm was dissolved in 1859 by the death of Edward, and Charles continued the business until 1862. In 1858 William S. Post, John Donallan and Isaac S. French began business under the firm of Post, Donallan & Co. Their factory was on Boston street, and they had a salesroom on South Common street. Robert M. Coffee began business in 1858, on Spring street. He afterward removed to Market street. The firm of Oliver & Smith was established in 1858, on Market street. Mr. Smith began the tannery business in 1839, with Mr. Perry, already mentioned.

     Benjamin F. Clements began business in 1858, and continued until 1864, when he entered the firm of P. P. Tapley & Co. Andrew Caraher began business in 1859, at No. 9 Broad street. C. F. Winchester began business in 1849, at Dye-House Village, now Wyoma. His branch was the "pulling" and tanning of sheep skins. William Lummus succeeded Mr. Winchester in this branch of the business.

     The amount of business done by the six largest firms in the morocco business in 1860 was as follows: P. P. Tapley, $100,000; Pevear & Co., $96,000; J. Souther, Jr., & Co., $75,000; C. G. & N. Clark, $50,000; Souther & Burns, $46,000 ; Oliver & Smith, $40,000. The whole amount of business for 1859 was $695,000.

THE MOROCCO BUSINESS SINCE 1860.

     Since 1859 the morocco trade, like the shoe business upon which it depends, has experienced a revolution. The civil war brought about conditions that stimulated every branch of industry to an extent never before known, and few received a greater impetus than the shoe business, and all the industries dependent upon it. The increased purchasing power of the buyer made such a demand for all these products that new methods were required to meet the growing wants of the people. The morocco manufacturers found it necessary to call to their aid machinery and new methods, and these necessitated more extensive factories, more hands, and larger capital.

     The aggregate amount of business done, is, therefore, very much greater than it was in 1860, and is constantly increasing; the firms who were in the business having multiplied their facilities for manufacture with the increasing demands of the trade.

     It is a singular fact that, with a few exceptions, the business is still carried on by those who were engaged in it more than twenty years ago, or by their successors educated in their employ.

     The introduction of machinery to supersede many of the old hand processes, has lessened the cost of production, so that, with the raw material still very much higher in price than twenty years ago, the manufactured article is as low, or lower, than at that time. All the varieties of kid and morocco skins were then sold by the dozen; now they are surveyed, and the measurement of each skin in square feet marked upon its flesh side. Once, that shoe manufacturer was the best buyer who could judge best of the measure of a lot of skins by examination, now no exercise of judgment in that direction is at all requisite.

     The workmen have always received a fair remuneration for their labor; and, since the introduction of machinery into the shoe business, very much steadier employment than those engaged in that trade; for the reason that, in the manufacture of morocco, the use of machinery can hasten, only to a certain extent, those natural methods and chemical combinations employed for the production of tanned leather. Time is needed for the depilatory process, that is, for removing the hair from the skin without injury to its texture, and further time is needed for the tanning process after the hair is properly removed. Therefore, only a limited amount of business can be done in a certain length of time. This makes it necessary that the business should be prosecuted during the entire year, that the manufacturer may be prepared or the seasons of activity in the shoe trade.

     As the vats, and other appliances, are partially in the earth, and the buildings must be constructed with regard to their adaptability to this particular craft, and as it, therefore, requires considerable capital to be invested in these fixtures, which, unused, are comparatively worthless, those who engage in the trade do it with the calculation of making it a settled business. This has, undoubtedly, deterred many from undertaking it, who would do so, provided they could leave it as easily as they might enter it. Another requisite to success in this business is that which commands success in any business - an education in the trade, a personal acquaintance with the details of the processes employed, and the exercise of proper judgment in each.

     From the best information that can be obtained the whole amount of business now done (1880) is about $2,000,000, or nearly three times the amount carried on twenty years ago.

     There are at the present time twenty-three establishments engaged in this business; but a few of these are, for the most part, dealers rather than manufacturers.

     Some eight of the largest firms do four-fifths of this entire amount, and three of the largest reach an aggregate of about $1,000,000.