Page 33 - May1954

Nray, 1954 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN

I,.{rir.,NFRorr;"?Jl?:_y#'Jff"'""i:'i;_","o*oucH
By John Daggett (1a94 Edition)
(pp. Brt0-353)
The first actual rnanufacture of rnr:tal buttons in torvn \\ras beEun
on a small scale by Ethvarcl lrricc'. an c'miglant from Birmiugham, Eng-
lancl, rr'ho caine here arrtl- s,,ttlcd in.l 79;J. IIe had been c,nga"gecl in this
busrrrcss previous to his ernigration ancl br.ought machinei-1'- rvith him
to this count.y. rle carried o' the rvorh alo'e for a number of years,
mtrking Plincipall;- the large outsit.le buttons in fasliion at that time.
rle occupied a small shop rrear tlie prescnt resiclence of John 'I'. Bates,
and contirruerl irr thc east part of the tol'ir until 1E00, when he removed.
to North Attleborough. I{e continuecl the business there for a number
of I'ears 'r,vith sorne success.
The secorrd rnarrufactu'c of metal butto's was commencecl in 1812
b-v colonc'l obed and otis liobirrson. ru the estabrishmeirt of their busi-
ness thel's,cre aitlecl b;- the skill alcl expc'r,ie1ce of Mr. Price. This I'as
the first colnllalr)' fomretl for this manufaeture in the unitecl states.
The manufacture of glass buttons was commenced in 1823 by
RrcrrAriD ROBINSoN & a'o., the firrn corisisting of Richard Robinson,
\rirgil Blacliinton, ancl \\rillard Ilobinso', the i'genious machi'ery the;,:
used- being chiefly of thei' o*'n invention. The or.iginal company-began
the busirress orr a small scale a.cl rnet rvith rnanylmbarrasiments ind
discouragements in its eallr. stagcs, but after becorning thoroughly estab-
lished it begair to incrcase, g'atlually at first, ancl finaily became very
extensive. Iticharcl Robinson appeals for a time to have had sole chargi
of thc business, but whetlier the otht'r partners hacl retired or rvhat rvis
the cause is not knog-n. rrr 1ti26 a ,,ew company was formetl under the
same style of RrcrlARD RorlrNSoN & co. for the term of five vears
rrhich expired in May, 1831.
At that time the firm of ROBINSON, JONES & CO. was formecl,
.consi*qting of Richar.d a'd Willarcl Robinson, lArilliarn II. Jones, and
H. M. Draper. The.v commencecl business in a small shon about 35 br.
22 feet in sizc. An additiorr to this builcli''s had l.reer- riracle in thl
.srlmmer of 1826, ancl its machinery u,as carriecl b1- horse-pou'er.
rt rr'as in the latter part of the year 1826 that the firm then conduct-
ing the business began to rvork on the gilt buttons, theirs beinq the first
manufactory of that button in the countn'. In 1El7 the rompany erected
a lrick factory trvo stories high, 60 fi:ei long by 2b feet wicle, and in
1828 thc business requirecl an addition of 25 feet in leneth. The ma-
chinery rvas carried by rvater po\ver from the Ten llilc Rio"", and the
improvements in it rvere largely the result of willard Robi'sor's inven-
tive skill. The rolling mill connected ivith the establishment u,as 60
feet by' 25 feet. In 1832 the nerv compalt)r built another shop of wood,
orte storl'lrigh. arrd 60 feet bv 25. The numbnr of harrds omplol'ed about
that time u'as sevent;r-fir'e, of I'hom thirty were females, and the number