While the Museum of Discovery and Innovation predominantly takes its inspiration from Paul Revere, he was far from the only entrepreneur and visionary to take up residence in Canton. Two things made Canton, and before it Stoughton, ideally placed for early American industry: One, the Neponset River and its tributaries, like the East River and Pequit River, were the only waterways in the area with strong enough currents to run a water wheel off of. (Water wheels, used to power machinery, were an absolutely essential part of manufacturing before the invention of steam power.) And two, Canton is close to the Post Road (today Route 1) – the main thoroughfare between Boston and all points south. By the mid 1700s a number of businesses had taken advantage of this prime location. Below are just a few of the many and varied companies that took up residence in the Canton area.
The Leonard and Kinsley Iron Works
Before Revere built his copper company on the site along the East River (sometimes referred to as the east branch of the Neponset River) it was part of the extensive holdings of the Leonard and Kinsley Iron Works. The company was created by Jonathan Leonard, a descendant of the founders of America’s first iron works which had been built in Saugus in 1646, and Lyman Kinsley, a prominent Canton blacksmith. They formed a partnership in the 1760s that would become one of the most prominent iron works in Massachusetts. A significant portion of what is now downtown Canton was once part of their iron works. There they manufactured farm implements, saws, and other tools, as well as rolled iron. While they sold part of their property to Revere in 1801, they continued to operate. Into the 19th century they adapted to the time and turned to focusing on the manufacture of train parts, They stayed in Canton until the early 1900s (as the Kinsley Iron & Machine Works). The last of their Canton property was sold in 1906 to Plymouth Rubber in the same auction in which they bought the Revere Copper land.
Rising Sun Stove Polish
Elijah Morse founded the Rising Sun Stove Polish Company in 1864. After renting a few different locations he built a factory on Washington Street in Canton around 1880. Throughout the 19th and into the early 20th century many homes centered around a cast iron stove, essential for both cooking and heat. Stove polish (usually made of a combination of charcoal, graphite, and linseed oil) was the best way of keeping this prominent appliance presentable. In addition to running a successful business that he was able to pass on to his children, Morse was heavily involved in politics, representing Massachusetts in the US House for four terms (1889-1897). Morse died in 1898. Under his sons, Rising Sun continued operations until 1914 – as the cast iron stove became obsolete, so too did the means to polish them.
Gay Cotton
Sadly, not every company can be as successful as the likes of the Revere Copper Company. In 1814 Lemuel Gay established the Gay Cotton Manufacturing Company on Mill St in Stoughton, near the Canton line. As The War of 1812 and the ensuing English embargo cut off most of the trade routes into New England people had to rely on local goods. This lead to a number of new businesses springing up, seemingly overnight, to meet the demand. Gay’s Cotton factory, the first of its kind in the area, employed a large number of people, including many women, to produce cotton thread. The expansive site included housing for many of the workers and a company store. Unfortunately, as trade returned to normal, interest in locally made cotton dropped off quickly. (Massachusetts has far from the ideal growing conditions for cotton which lead to an significantly inferior product.) Just six years after opening, the Gay Cotton Manufacturing Company declared bankruptcy.
Draper Knitting
Draper Knitting
A far more successful fabric company was founded in Canton by brothers James and Thomas Draper in 1856 at the corner of Washington and Pleasant St (though Thomas died shortly thereafter). They produced a number of products out of wool, keeping up with both industry advancements and fashion, finding particular success with women’s scarves and hoods. James later acquired the holdings of his nephew, Charles Draper and moved to his site at the corner of Washington and Dedham St where the company still operates today. They supplied the US military during both World Wars, earning an Army “E” award for their efforts. Over 150 years and six generations after their founding the Draper Knitting Company is still a family business and continues to manufacture a variety of fabrics – selling predominantly to other companies that in turn make finished goods. They are now recognized as one of the oldest businesses still operating in Canton.
