Taunton Iron Works facts for kids
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The Taunton Iron Works was a very old factory that made iron. It was also known as Leonard Iron Works. This important place was built next to the Forge River in what is now Raynham, Massachusetts. It was the first iron factory in the Plymouth Colony. It was only the third one ever built in all of New England. This factory was much more successful than earlier ones in Saugus and Braintree. It worked for an amazing 220 years, from 1656 until 1876!
Building the Iron Works
In 1652, people in Taunton found a lot of "bog ore" nearby. Bog ore is a type of iron ore found in swamps. Because of this discovery, the town decided to build an iron factory. They invited two brothers, Henry and James Leonard, and another expert named Ralph Russell. These men knew a lot about making iron. They had worked at another iron factory in Braintree.
The Leonard brothers came from a place called Pontypool, Wales. They had first worked at the iron factory in Lynn (which is now Saugus). The town of Taunton offered them land if they would help start the new factory. Only James Leonard stayed in Taunton to help. His brother Henry and Ralph Russell moved on to other places.
To pay for the factory, the town created a "joint-stock company." This meant people could buy shares, or small parts, of the company. Many people in the community bought shares. James Leonard owned half a share of the factory.
How the Iron Works Operated
The Taunton Iron Works started making iron in 1656. It had a "bloomery," which was a type of furnace. This bloomery used water power to work its two hearths, or fire pits. It made "bar iron" directly from the ore. Each year, it produced about 20 to 30 tons of iron bars.
George Hall was the first manager of the factory. He worked there until 1669. After him, other people from important families managed the works. These included John Hall, Henry Andrews, and Israel Dean. Later, Captain Thomas Leonard took over in 1683. He managed the factory until 1713. Deacon Samuel Leonard then ran it until 1745.
In 1731, the area where the factory stood became part of a new town called Raynham, Massachusetts. This happened when Raynham separated from Taunton. In 1771, a man named Josiah Dean bought the iron works. He changed it to make nails and roll iron into sheets. When Josiah Dean passed away in 1818, his son Eliab B. Dean took over. In 1825, the factory was changed again to make anchors for ships. Theodore Dean, Eliab's son, was the last person to run the factory. It finally closed in 1876.
Legacy of the Iron Works
The Taunton Iron Works was very important. James Leonard, who helped start it, later built another iron factory in Taunton in 1670. This one was on the Mill River. His sons and grandsons kept this factory running for over 100 years. Today, the Whittenton Mills stands where that factory used to be.
In 1698, James Leonard's sons also built another factory in Chartley. This area is now part of Norton, Massachusetts. Another person from James's family, Job M. Leonard, later started iron factories in nearby East Bridgewater and Somerset.
Today, you can visit a small park where the original Taunton Iron Works once stood. This park was opened in 1950 by the family of Theodore Dean, the last owner. The United States Navy even donated a large anchor to mark the spot where the forge used to be. The river that was once called the Two Mile River is now known as the Forge River, named after the old iron works.
