Smith & Dove Co. facts for kids

The Smith & Dove Co. was a company that made thread and twine from flax (a plant fiber). They used these threads for things like shoes, sails for boats, and carpets. Their factories were in Andover, Massachusetts. The company operated from 1864 until 1927, when it was sold to another company called Ludlow Manufacturing.

The company's founders, brothers Peter and John Smith, were known for being very generous. John Smith was a strong supporter of ending slavery. He was part of a group that started Andover’s Free Christian Church, which believed in "biblical justice" and freedom for everyone.

How It Started (Before 1864)

John Smith came to the United States on December 15, 1816, arriving through Halifax, Nova Scotia. He worked as a machinist (someone who builds and fixes machines) in Watertown and Medway. In 1822, he started his own business, John Smith & Co., in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

In 1824, John Smith and his first business partners, Joseph Faulkner and Warren Richardson, moved their company to Andover. They built a factory on the east side of the Shawsheen River. Here, they made machines for the cotton industry. Faulkner and Richardson passed away in 1829.

In 1835, John Smith teamed up with his brother, Peter, and Peter’s friend, John Dove. Peter Smith and John Dove had met in Brechin, Scotland. Both of them worked in flax factories owned by John Dove’s father. John Smith convinced his brother Peter to join him in the U.S.

The first factory owned by John and Peter Smith and John Dove was in Andover’s Frye Village. This area was later called Shawsheen Village. In 1843, the company moved its operations further up the Shawsheen River to the old Abbot Mill.

Becoming Smith & Dove Co.

The business officially became Smith & Dove Co. in 1864. During the Civil War, the company provided linen thread for the boots worn by Union soldiers.

The company's main offices were located across the Boston & Maine Railroad tracks from the Andover train station.

Smith & Dove Co. encouraged people from their founders’ hometown of Brechin, Scotland, to come work for them. They offered affordable homes and fun activities. By 1896, the company employed 300 people. The factory area was surrounded by a lively village. This village had apartment buildings, sports fields, small shops, and a school. Most workers could walk to their jobs.

Peter Smith passed away on July 6, 1880, at age 77. John Smith passed away on February 25, 1886, at age 89. Both brothers are buried in West Parish Garden Cemetery in Andover.

Peter Dove Smith, who was the son of founder Peter Smith, later became the company's president. He also served as an Andover town leader. The younger Smith was a veteran of the Civil War. He joined the Andover Company in 1861 when he was 19. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He was wounded during the Battle of Spottsylvania. After the war, Peter Dove Smith lived in Gloucester for 10 years, where he owned a business selling fish. He returned to Andover after his father died in 1880.

Peter Dove Smith passed away on January 16, 1911, at age 69. He is also buried in West Parish Garden Cemetery.

In 1912, the company started a pension plan for its employees. This meant workers would receive money after they retired.

Later Years

In 1926, the company owned more than 100 houses. They charged their employees 25 percent less for rent than they charged people who didn't work for the company. Smith & Dove also ran "The Hillside," a boarding house for women workers. It had a housekeeper and a nurse to care for the residents.

The company proudly advertised itself as “the first factory in America for the manufacture of linen threads.” A company brochure from 1926 highlighted founders John and Peter Smith, and John Dove, as “founders of the first flax mill in America.” At that time, the company made flaxen thread, yarn, and twine.

In 1926, the company noted that there had been "few changes in the firm name and in the organization" in the 90 years since John Smith partnered with his brother Peter and John Dove. The original families still had a large role in owning and managing the company.

Smith & Dove was sold to Ludlow Manufacturing in 1927. The factories closed the following year.

The old factory complex was later turned into an office and business area. Today, it is known as Dundee Park.