The Hampton Paper Company concluded its short two-year operation in August 1873. At that time, Jared Beebe and George B. Holbrook purchased the company and formed a partnership known as the Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company.
The Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company produced high-grade white and tinted wedding folios, linen papers, and flat and ruled writing papers.
Jared Beebe, a native of Wilbraham, left school at a young age and worked in a woolen mill in Monson, Massachusetts. He was recognized by his employers, Holmes & Reynolds, as a talented worker. When the company opened a mill in Somersville, Connecticut, in the 1850s. Mr. Beebe was placed in charge.
He soon after moved to Willimansett, where he opened his own mill, and then to Holyoke, where he was a part of Webber and Beebe woolens. He also owned another woolen mill in North Monson. Additionally, he was a large shareholder and President of the Farr-Alpaca Company.
George Benson Holbrook served as a second lieutenant during the Civil War. He opened a clothing store in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1867 and sold it four years later. He joined Mr. Beebe at the Hampton Paper Company, and then the two formed the Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company.
In 1874, the Connecticut River Railroad built a spur from Race Street over the canal to the Beebe & Holbrook and Massasoit Paper companies.
On July 31, 1876, Jared Beebe died while at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire. He was 61 years old. In acknowledging his passing, the Webber & Beebe Woolen Mill, Farr-Alpaca, Massasoit Paper Company, and Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company all shut down. Until his death, Mr. Beebe was president and a large shareholder of Farr-Alpaca and was a director and one of the largest shareholders of the Massasoit Paper Company.
In 1877, Beebe & Holbrook added a floor to its paper machinery building, and in 1878, added a 30-by-90-foot, four-story rag room.
The partnership ended on Mr. Beebe's passing, and on January 1, 1878, a corporation was formed, with G. B. Holbrook as the president and treasurer.
Also in 1878, both the Beebe & Holbrook and Massasoit mills, finding the canal water too acidic from the pulp mill, decided to build a reservoir. It would be situated opposite Parsons Hall and would run 100 feet along Race Street. It would be 36 feet wide at the top and 15 feet at the bottom. The well would be brick-lined, and the water would be pumped over the Second Level Canal by pumps. The Newtons would bear the expense of carting the water.
On February 25, 1884, a large fire broke out in the machine room. Initially, some of the 115 employees attempted to put out the fire to no avail. The fire caused $15,000 in damages, including a 76-foot machine that produced 3 tons of paper daily. Repairs were underway immediately. In the meantime, the company sold off its 125 tons of ragstock, along with smoke and water-damaged finished paper goods.
In 1884, Henry Beebe was shown as working for the company.
By mid-October 1884, Daniel Dull had drilled 195 feet below the surface in attempting to build an artesian well. Drilling advanced at a rate of one foot per hour. By November 11, 1884, the project was abandoned because no water was found after 500 feet of drilling.
In 1885, Watson Ely was awarded the contract to build a significant plant addition. The company deferred on the work, which was to extend the building to the former Connecticut River Pulp Mill site.
The story of the Beebe & Holbrook Paper Company through the 19th century continues in the next installment. A significant conglomerate was formed in 1899, which ended the independent ownership of many of Holyoke's paper mills.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
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