Included in the Alphabetical Index for this blog series are a number of paper mills that were located east of the county bridge, linking Holyoke with South Hadley, during the second half of the 19th century. These include the Crocker Manufacturing Co., Hampden Paper Co., Nonotuck Paper Co., Syms and Dudley Paper Co., and Winona Paper Company. Today's topic tells the story of the Dickinson & Clark Paper Company, also located along this stretch of the Second Level Canal.
John E. Clark was born in Ashland, MA, in 1848 and educated in the Worcester public schools. At the age of 16, he moved to New Haven, CT, to work for R.C. Dickinson & Co. in the wholesale rag-and-paper stock business. The company also manufactured tin and ironware. Mr. Clark became a partner in the business at age 21.
George R. Dickinson was born in Readsboro, Vermont, on December 15, 1832. His father, Caleb Dickinson, was a native of Amherst, Massachusetts. At the age of 21, he left his home and worked briefly as a tin peddler in North Adams, MA. He later relocated and performed the same work for four years in Templeton, MA.
In 1857, he moved to Springfield, MA, and partnered with Henry Smith, making tinware and handling paper stock. Ten years later, he bought out his partner and formed a new partnership with A.N. Mayo. A branch office was opened in Norwich, NH, with his brother A. N. Dickinson.
A major turning point in business occurred in 1874 when Dickinson & Mayo, along with R.C. Dickinson, purchased the Excelsior Paper Mill in Holyoke. Annual sales for this business grew to $1 million between 1857 and 1878.
In 1880, George R. Dickinson, along with John E. Clark, purchased the Crocker Manufacturing Co., formerly the original Hampden paper mill, and later known as the First Albion. When the mill was acquired, it was producing a little over 2 tons of paper daily. By 1886, the Dickinson & Clark's production had reached capacity, manufacturing 4 tons of machine-finished super-calender and envelope paper daily. The company employed between 40 and 50 workers.
On December 26, 1887, tragedy struck when George R. Dickinson fell through an open trap door at Ball's Harness Shop in Springfield and suffered a traumatic brain injury. 3 days later, he died at his home in Springfield.
In February 1888, D. M. Dickinson sold his interest in the company to John E. Clark, who became sole owner. One month later, in March 1888, Mr. Clark purchased the real estate of the Excelsior Paper Co. and became sole owner of that company. Mr. Clark also served on the Board of Aldermen in the mid 1880s.
In October 1888, Mr. Clark purchased the Perkins estate house at the corner of Hampden Street and Brooks Ave. (now entirely O'Connor Ave.). He had lived there for the past 9 years.
On October 16, 1890, Mr. Clark sold the Dickinson & Clark business and real estate back to the Crocker Manufacturing Company. The purchaser planned to demolish the mill buildings and construct a new brick factory. The sales price, including machinery and equipment, was $62,000. The Crocker concern planned to invest another $60,000 in improvements.
Mr. Clark went on to operate the George R. Dickinson Paper Company until the American Writing Paper Company combine was formed in 1899. He also later served as President of Peoples Savings Bank.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Holyoke, Hampden County, Massachusetts, 1884, Sanborn Map Co., October 1884
