Luke Taft
Luke Taft | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 3, 1783 Uxbridge, Massachusetts, USA |
| Died | April 7, 1863 (aged 79) |
| Occupation | Established two early water powered woolen mills at Uxbridge |
| Spouse | Mercy (Day) Taft |
| Children | Moses Taft, James, Joseph, Robert, and Irene |
| Parent(s) | Esther and James Taft |
Luke Taft (born 3 June 1783, died at age 79 on 7 April 1863 at Uxbridge, Massachusetts.[1]) was an industrial pioneer in the manufacture of woolens[2] in 19th century New England.
Family
Luke Taft was a 5th generation descendent of Robert Taft I, [1] of the American Taft family. Robert Taft I had settled from England in the western section of Mendon in 1679, (which later became Uxbridge in 1727). Luke was the son of Esther and James Taft of Uxbridge, and born into a family of eight other siblings. [1] Luke Taft married Daniel Day and Sylvia (Wheelock) Day's daughter, Mercy Day, and they had four children, including a son, Moses, who was born in Uxbridge in January of 1812, as well as three other children born successively, James, Joseph, and Robert.[1] A daughter Irene Taft may have been born from a later marriage. [1]
Pioneered Two Textile mills
Luke became an early American industrial pioneer and the builder of two early textile mills. Luke Taft built a dam, and his first textile mill on the West River (Massachusetts), in 1824. This was the third woolen mill in Uxbridge, a very early US industrial center.[3] Luke Taft was the son-in-law of Daniel Day, who had earlier established the first woolen mill in the Blackstone Valley, at Uxbridge, circa 1810. Luke Taft's first textile mill was located near the site of the the now former Waucantuck Mill Complex site, a national historic site.[3]
Luke Taft later built a second textile mill in 1833, on the Blackstone River at the site of the present day Stanley Woolen Mill. This mill was also known as the "Luke Taft Mill". Luke's son, Moses Taft, built a larger mill at this same site in 1852.
A 200 year family enterprise
These mills, together with the Daniel Day Mill, and family connections to the Taft and Wheelock family, became the longest running family owned textile mills in the Northeastern US, (perhaps in the US). Daniel Day was also a member of the Taft family as his mother was Deborah (Taft) Day. Daniel Day's wife was Sylvia (Wheelock) Day. The Wheelock family ownership of this local family owned textile dynasty continues today under the name of Berroco Inc., a yarn distribution company, headquartered at the site of Daniel's orignial carding mill.
Historic Context
Uxbridge is in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, a major contributor to the earliest industrializaiton of the U.S. [4] Luke Taft was a member of the famous Taft family which has its roots in Mendon and Uxbridge. The Waucantuck mill, in later years, became the first manufacturer of "wash and wear" fabric in the U.S. [3] The historic mill town of Uxbridge was noted for leading with many advancements in the textile industry in America including power looms for woolens, complete vertical integration of textiles to clothing lines, blended fabrics and "satinets".[4]
See also
- The Tafts of Mendon and Uxbridge,
- Taft family,
- Uxbridge, Massachusetts
- List of Registered Historic Places in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.
Notes
- ^ a b c d e ""Taft descendents"". Rootsweb. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ Crane, Ellery Bicknell (1907). "Historic Homes and Genealogies; Worcester, Massachusetts". The Lewis Publishing Company. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ a b c ""Uxbridge, A Walking Tour"". Blackstone Daily. 1999. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
- ^ a b ""MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Uxbridge; Report Date: 1984 Associated Regional Report: Central Massachusetts;"" (PDF). Massachusetts Historical Commission;. 1984. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2007-11-20.
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- People from Massachusetts
- People from Worcester County, Massachusetts
- People from Uxbridge, Massachusetts
- Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
- People of the Industrial Revolution
- History of the textile industry
- 1783 births
- 1863 deaths
- Buildings and structures in Uxbridge, Massachusetts