Ironstone, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Ironstone is an historic village in Uxbridge
, Massachusetts
, United States
. It derived its name from plentiful bog
iron
found here which helped Uxbridge to become a center for three iron forges in the town's earliest settlement. Ironstone today is known as South Uxbridge. South Uxbridge has historic sites, picturesque weddings, hospitality, industrial and distribution centers, and the new Uxbridge High school. This community borders North Smithfield, and Burrillville, Rhode Island
, and Millville, Massachusetts
. The Village receives municipal services from Uxbridge, for fire, police, EMS, School district, public works, and other services. There is a South Uxbridge fire station of the Uxbridge fire department. Worcester County, Massachusetts
Sheriff
, Lewis Evangelidis
runs corrections, and court services from West Boylston, and Worcester District is the regional judicial jurisdiction. The Uxbridge district court serves surrounding towns.
Ironstone appears on the Blackstone U.S. Geological Survey Map. Worcester County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5) and observes DST.
industry of Uxbridge. A national historic site marks the "Ironstone Mill and Cellar Hole", one of several examples of Mill worker housing and a mill village in the upper Blackstone Valley
. The site, at 136 Ironstone Street, is just north of exit 1 on Massachusetts Route 146, the principal limited access highway between Worcester
, and Providence, Rhode Island
, also located off Massachusetts Route 146A, the "Lydia Taft Highway". For a complete listing of the National Historic Register listings in Uxbridge, see the link below. The original Mill, built in 1814 by William Arnold, later burned and was rebuilt by David and Seth Southwick in the 1850s. It burned again, and all that remains is the cellar hole. Historic photos remain and are published in a book "Uxbridge, Images of America", by Mae Edwards Wrona, published in 2000, by Arcadia, Tempus Publishing Inc, p56. The mill is a forerunner of America's Industrial Revolution
which began here in the Blackstone Valley
in 1793 with Samuel Slater
and his mill, at Pawtucket, Rhode Island
. Pawtucket is about 17 miles (27.4 km) to the SE of Ironstone. Slatersville, Rhode Island
, the next community south of Ironstone, was established by Samuel Slater
and his brother John Slater (industrialist)
in 1806, and became the template for mill villages throughout the Blackstone Valley later known as "The Rhode Island System
".
wagon wheels in his blacksmith
shop in nearby south Uxbridge and Ironstone, which were used by pioneers traveling west. The mill, was finally lost after it burnt down in 1875 after two earlier fires had led to rebuilding the mill.
, started an early iron forge, bog iron mine here, and later Caleb Handy added a triphammer operation for making tools, guns and scythes at this site. The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
served the Ironstone area in the 1860s for shipping goods to the markets west and east. Captain James Buxton (1745–1817),
served in the 11th Massachusetts Regiment
(American Revolution) at Valley Forge
and Saratoga
, lived in the border area in the 18th century, in what is North Smithfield, Rhode Island at the Uxbridge line. Buxton Street in South Uxbridge, and the Captain James Buxton (Uxbridge) fife and drum corps, are both named for him. Buxton's commission as Captain was signed by John Hancock
, and he was given 300 acres (121.4 ha) of land in Worcester County, Massachusetts
, in Uxbridge for service in the American Revolution
. He died of paralysis in 1817 and is buried in his family's cemetery just off route 146A. Richard Mowry
, a Quaker from Quaker City, adjacent to and just North of Ironstone, developed some of the first machines for manufacturing textiles in America, around the time of the American Revolution. A nearby small lake, Ironstone pond, extends into Burrillville, Rhode Island
. The northernmost Rhode Island road in Burrillville is "Ironstone Road".
of the National Park Service
. The Blackstone Valley
is the oldest industrialized region of the United States
. The Ironstone section of the Town of Uxbridge has other alternate names and dispersed villages which include: Chockalog, south Uxbridge, Albee, Scadden and historically indluded Quaker City, and Aldrich village. Aldrich village was the original home base to the Aldrich famiiy, the Aldrich family cemetery, and the origins of an American family dynasty that included Senator
Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island
, and his son in law, Vice President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
.
Nearby is a very historic "Friends Meetinghouse" (see also listed below). Abby Kelley Foster, a notable American abolitionist, belonged to Friends Meetinghouse, and worked with the Underground railroad at Ironstone, and in the Blackstone Valley. With the relocation of Route 146 in 1984, a unique historic find emerged from a local cemetery in the Ironstone area near the state border. An almshouse cemetery nearby was relocated with the Route 146 construction between 1981–1984 and resulted in historic archeology findings published by Boston University
researchers. The findings revealed complex religious mortuary practices used for the poor during the "Second Great Awakening
."
The Second Great Awakening
resulted in social reform in America including the Abolition movement, prison reforms and other social reforms. Abby Kelley Foster, the Quakers, and, Reverend Willard Preston DD had prominent roles in the Second Great Awakening, and roles at or near Ironstone, in Providence, Worcester, and Uxbridge. Abby Kelley led Susan B. Anthony
to abolitionism. Preston served in Uxbridge, and as President of the University of Vermont
, and became a well known preacher at Savannah, GA just prior to the American Civil War
with published sermons at the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah.
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It derived its name from plentiful bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
found here which helped Uxbridge to become a center for three iron forges in the town's earliest settlement. Ironstone today is known as South Uxbridge. South Uxbridge has historic sites, picturesque weddings, hospitality, industrial and distribution centers, and the new Uxbridge High school. This community borders North Smithfield, and Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the residents of then North Glocester to elect its own officers. The population was 15,955 at the 2010...
, and Millville, Massachusetts
Millville, Massachusetts
Millville is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Providence metropolitan area.- History :...
. The Village receives municipal services from Uxbridge, for fire, police, EMS, School district, public works, and other services. There is a South Uxbridge fire station of the Uxbridge fire department. Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, Lewis Evangelidis
Lewis Evangelidis
Lewis George Evangelidis is the sheriff of Worcester County, Massachusetts. Prior to his being sheriff Evangelidis was a Republican member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.-Early life and education:...
runs corrections, and court services from West Boylston, and Worcester District is the regional judicial jurisdiction. The Uxbridge district court serves surrounding towns.
Ironstone appears on the Blackstone U.S. Geological Survey Map. Worcester County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5) and observes DST.
"Ironstone Mill Housing and Cellar Hole Historic Site"
In the early beginnings of America's industrial revolution, a mill, mill village and housing developed at Ironstone significant to the textileTextile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
industry of Uxbridge. A national historic site marks the "Ironstone Mill and Cellar Hole", one of several examples of Mill worker housing and a mill village in the upper Blackstone Valley
Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution...
. The site, at 136 Ironstone Street, is just north of exit 1 on Massachusetts Route 146, the principal limited access highway between Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, and Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, also located off Massachusetts Route 146A, the "Lydia Taft Highway". For a complete listing of the National Historic Register listings in Uxbridge, see the link below. The original Mill, built in 1814 by William Arnold, later burned and was rebuilt by David and Seth Southwick in the 1850s. It burned again, and all that remains is the cellar hole. Historic photos remain and are published in a book "Uxbridge, Images of America", by Mae Edwards Wrona, published in 2000, by Arcadia, Tempus Publishing Inc, p56. The mill is a forerunner of America's Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
which began here in the Blackstone Valley
Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution...
in 1793 with Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution", or the "Father of the American Factory System" because he brought British textile technology to America. He learned textile machinery as an apprentice to a pioneer in the British...
and his mill, at Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
. Pawtucket is about 17 miles (27.4 km) to the SE of Ironstone. Slatersville, Rhode Island
Slatersville, Rhode Island
Slatersville is a village on the Branch River in the town of North Smithfield, Rhode Island, United States. It includes the Slatersville Historic District, a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, the next community south of Ironstone, was established by Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater
Samuel Slater was an early English-American industrialist known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution", or the "Father of the American Factory System" because he brought British textile technology to America. He learned textile machinery as an apprentice to a pioneer in the British...
and his brother John Slater (industrialist)
John Slater (industrialist)
John Slater was an early American industrialist, founder of Slatersville, Rhode Island and younger brother of Samuel Slater, father of the American Industrial Revolution.-Biography:...
in 1806, and became the template for mill villages throughout the Blackstone Valley later known as "The Rhode Island System
The Rhode Island System
The Rhode Island System refers to a system of mills, complete with small villages and farms, ponds, dams, and spillways first developed by Samuel Slater and his brother John Slater. The first Rhode Island Mill village planned was at Slatersville, RI in 1806...
".
Ironstone mill housing and history
The Ironstone mill housing at 135 Ironstone Street was built by the Ironstone Cotton Manufacturing Company which produced cotton yarns. William Arnold built this mill in 1814 to make yarn from raw cotton which was then woven into fabric by area families operating as cottage industries. Around 1820, Arnold added this housing when he increased the factory production by increasing water power and installing power looms. The earliest power looms in America included those used in Uxbridge. Due to goods needing transport, Ironstone became an important stopover for various transportation carriers - the stagecoach and the train. A post office and store were quickly established on the mill property. In the 1850s this mill under management by Seth and Daniel Southwick, made denim fabric for Kentucky Blue Jeans. In the 1870s, David Southwick created ConestogaConestoga
Conestoga originally referred to the Conestoga , an English name for the Susquehannock people of Pennsylvania.It may also refer to: simply people from the Pennsylvania in 1856 Year, refereed to this named and eventually they scattered in different area of North America in Canada and USA and then...
wagon wheels in his blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop in nearby south Uxbridge and Ironstone, which were used by pioneers traveling west. The mill, was finally lost after it burnt down in 1875 after two earlier fires had led to rebuilding the mill.
History of Ironstone Village and the area
The village of Ironstone was one of the first settements of Uxbridge, in the early 1730s. The Blackstone Valley Daily describes the influence that Ironstone had in the life of this community. The Ironstone School' is an historic building that was used as recently as 1948 as a traditional one room schoolhouse. The original building dated from 1797 and had eight grades and one teacher. Ironstone was influential in Uxbridge's transformation from agriculture to manufacturing. Circa 1734, Benjamin Taft, a member of the American Taft familyTaft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
, started an early iron forge, bog iron mine here, and later Caleb Handy added a triphammer operation for making tools, guns and scythes at this site. The Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
New York and New England Railroad
The New York and New England Railroad was a major railroad connecting southern New York state with Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts. It operated from 1873 to 1893. Prior to 1873 it was known as the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad, which had been formed by...
served the Ironstone area in the 1860s for shipping goods to the markets west and east. Captain James Buxton (1745–1817),
served in the 11th Massachusetts Regiment
11th Massachusetts Regiment
The 11th Massachusetts Regiment was raised on September 16, 1776 under Colonel Ebenezer Francis at Boston, Massachusetts. The 11th Mass. would see action at the Battle of Hubbardton, Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Monmouth...
(American Revolution) at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
and Saratoga
Saratoga
-United States::*Saratoga, California, city in Santa Clara County*Saratoga, former name of Yeomet, California*Saratoga, Indiana, town in Randolph County*Saratoga, Minnesota*Saratoga, Nebraska Territory, boom and bust town now inside of Omaha, Nebraska...
, lived in the border area in the 18th century, in what is North Smithfield, Rhode Island at the Uxbridge line. Buxton Street in South Uxbridge, and the Captain James Buxton (Uxbridge) fife and drum corps, are both named for him. Buxton's commission as Captain was signed by John Hancock
John Hancock
John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
, and he was given 300 acres (121.4 ha) of land in Worcester County, Massachusetts
Worcester County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density...
, in Uxbridge for service in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He died of paralysis in 1817 and is buried in his family's cemetery just off route 146A. Richard Mowry
Richard Mowry
Richard Mowry, 1748–1835, was born in Providence County, Rhode Island Colony, and became an Uxbridge farmer, in Worcester County, Massachusetts, who 'successfully built and marketed equipment to manufacture woolen, linen or cotton cloth', from around the time of the Revolution.,-Family :Richard...
, a Quaker from Quaker City, adjacent to and just North of Ironstone, developed some of the first machines for manufacturing textiles in America, around the time of the American Revolution. A nearby small lake, Ironstone pond, extends into Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville, Rhode Island
Burrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the residents of then North Glocester to elect its own officers. The population was 15,955 at the 2010...
. The northernmost Rhode Island road in Burrillville is "Ironstone Road".
Other features and historic sites
There is a one room schoolhouse here which is now a historic building, and is known as the Ironstone School. Today it is the home of the South Uxbridge Community Association. Ironstone and South Uxbridge are part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorBlackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor
The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
of the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
. The Blackstone Valley
Blackstone Valley
The Blackstone Valley or Blackstone River Valley is a region of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution...
is the oldest industrialized region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Ironstone section of the Town of Uxbridge has other alternate names and dispersed villages which include: Chockalog, south Uxbridge, Albee, Scadden and historically indluded Quaker City, and Aldrich village. Aldrich village was the original home base to the Aldrich famiiy, the Aldrich family cemetery, and the origins of an American family dynasty that included Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, and his son in law, Vice President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
.
Nearby is a very historic "Friends Meetinghouse" (see also listed below). Abby Kelley Foster, a notable American abolitionist, belonged to Friends Meetinghouse, and worked with the Underground railroad at Ironstone, and in the Blackstone Valley. With the relocation of Route 146 in 1984, a unique historic find emerged from a local cemetery in the Ironstone area near the state border. An almshouse cemetery nearby was relocated with the Route 146 construction between 1981–1984 and resulted in historic archeology findings published by Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
researchers. The findings revealed complex religious mortuary practices used for the poor during the "Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
."
The Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
resulted in social reform in America including the Abolition movement, prison reforms and other social reforms. Abby Kelley Foster, the Quakers, and, Reverend Willard Preston DD had prominent roles in the Second Great Awakening, and roles at or near Ironstone, in Providence, Worcester, and Uxbridge. Abby Kelley led Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony
Susan Brownell Anthony was a prominent American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century women's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States. She was co-founder of the first Women's Temperance Movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as President...
to abolitionism. Preston served in Uxbridge, and as President of the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, and became a well known preacher at Savannah, GA just prior to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
with published sermons at the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah.
Government
See Uxbridge for local Government and Town website uxbridge-ma.govSee also
- Uxbridge, MassachusettsUxbridge, MassachusettsUxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of...
- Official Town Website of Uxbridge, Massachusetts
- List of Registered Historic Places in Uxbridge, Massachusetts
- Friends Meetinghouse (Uxbridge, Massachusetts)Friends Meetinghouse (Uxbridge, Massachusetts)The ' is an historic Friends Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends located at the junction of Routes 146A and 98 in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On January 24, 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.-History:The Friends Meeting House is one of the last crude brick...
- Blackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorBlackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorThe John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a National Heritage Corridor dedicated to the history of the early American Industrial Revolution, including mill towns stretching across 24 cities and towns near the river's course in Worcester County, Massachusetts and...
- Uxbridge- its history of schools; lists photos of Ironstone School and description of history