History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

1789.] FEDERAL CONSTITUTION—MANUFACTURES. 527
owner, E. E. Wood, wlio is now running a profitable cut-
lery establisliment on the old site.
Duck Manufactory.
Within two Or three years after the establishment
of the paper-mill, a factory for
the manufacture of Duck, or canvas cloth, was commenced
by Levi Shephard. He came to this town in 1765, and
opened a store for the sale of drugs and medicines, and from
that fact was called Dr., though he was not a physician.
He continued this business, adding groceries and dry goods
and many other things that are found in a well equipped
country store, till his death in 1805. ^ He began the manufacture
of Duck in 1789. The year previous he advertised
in the Hampshire Gazette for proposals for making the
material. " It is the opinion," he says, " of the best judges
that this useful article may be manufactured in this part
of the country to great advantage to the people, and in a
short time become a most valuable article of commerce,
as our county is so well suited to the raising of flax."
About the same time he also advertised for 1000 lbs. of
water-rotted flax, to be paid for, one half in dry goods, and
one half in cash. Probably he failed to receive satisfactory
proposals for the manufacture, for he built a factory on the
rear of his home lot at the north corner of what are now
River and Pleasant Streets. It was a large building of con-
siderable length, and was located near the site of the liverystable
of the late E. T. Wood. Many of its foundation
stones may still be seen in that vicinitj^ Weaving was
carried on in a portion of the building, and spinning in
another, though much of the flax was spun in private fam-
ilies. The machinery was operated by hand power, either
a boy or girl turning the wheel. The distaff with the flax
for the warp was fastened to the side of the spinner, and
the tow or filling spinners held the carded tow in their
hands while walking up and down. Government offered a
bounty of 8s. per bolt for Duck. He carried on the business
until his death, and in the year 1800, supplied government
with this cloth.
1 In a short time he formed a partnership with Dr. Ebenezer Hunt, which continued
under the firm name of Shephard & Huut, fourteen years. A new firm, Breek,
Shephard & Clark, soon followed, which was dissolved in the fall of 1787. He remained
alone in business for a number of years, then associated with himself his two
sons, Levi and Thomas.