In 1811, Roswell Merrick erected the North factory and engaged in the manufacture of cotton yarn, in company with Artemas Witherill and a man named Pierce. In 1863 the property came into the possession of Albert Norcross, who received it from Andrew W. Porter. The latter had engaged in the manufacture of cloth. Mr. Norcross sold the concern to Jared Beebe about 1870, who carried on the business of woolen manufacturing until his death, in 1877. It is now being run by his heirs and personal representatives.

Cushman's or Lyon's Mill was erected about 1813, by the Monson Woolen Company. The commodities at first manufactured were satinets and broadcloth. The business then passed successively into the hands of Joel Norcross, Chas. P. Fay, Horatio Lyon, and John Wyles, and the Hampden Cotton Manufacturing Company. It is owned by Solomon S. Cushman, and is used in the manufacture of fancy cassimeres.

The Hampden Cotton-Manufacturing Company erected the Reynolds Mill in 1813, and engaged in the manufacture of cotton cloth for a long time. Afterward satinets, cassimeres, and doeskins were manufactured in town. The property was purchased by Joseph L. Reynolds, who had long superintended the business for the company, in 1871. Mr. Reynolds has since remodeled it several times. The mill is a three-set mill, furnishes employment to about 35 persons, and manufactures about 600 yards of fancy cassimeres and doeskins per day.

The same company erected the Ellis mill in 1829. It was destroyed by fire in November, 1839, but was rebuilt. It came into the possession of C. W. Holmes & Sons, in 1869, and was again burned. In the spring of 1871, Dwight W. Ellis purchased of C. W. Holmes & Sons the middle mill-privilege and the tenements connected therewith, and immediately proceeded to erect a new mill, and fitted it up with new machinery, at an aggregate cost of $50,000, and began the manufacture of fancy cassimeres, which business is still continued. The mill gives employment to about 75 hands, and the monthly pay-roll is about $2100. The mill is what is known as a "four-set" mill. The amount of raw stock used annually is 250,000 pounds, and about 250,000 yards of goods -are produced. The firm consists of Dwight W. Ellis and Arthur D. Ellis, under the firm-name of D. W. Ellis & Son.

The West Branch mill was erected by Joseph L. Reynolds in 1837. C. W. Holmes became associated with him in business, and the firm of Reynolds, Holmes & Co. engaged in the manufacture of satinet. The business was then sold to the Hampden Cotton Company. In 1868-69 the company sold it to C. W. Holmes & Sons. It afterward became the property of Holmes & Ellis, and latterly of C. W. Holmes, Jr.

In 1872 it was changed from a satinet-mill to the manufacture of fancy cassimeres, to which purpose it is at present devoted. It is a two-set mill, and employs about 35 persons. About 400 yards of fancy cassimeres are daily manufactured.

About 1857, Joseph L. Reynolds erected a two-set steam-mill on the present site of his store-house. It was destroyed by fire in about six months, and proved a heavy loss.