Willow Glen Factory at Unadilla Forks, NY

(Transcribed by Jerry Jones from Henry Dwight Bassett’s Notes)

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http://home.roadrunner.com/~Unadillaforks

At The Glen, in 1850, the R. E. Clark Company was founded. The owners were George Ray Bassett, Ruben Clark and Erastus Clark, who, supposedly, were equal partners. George Ray Bassett was at the head of the company and looked after the financial end and was general manager. The factory, which was put up as a cotton wicking factory, was a three story frame building, about 80’ long by 40’ wide, without basement. The first floor contained the factory, the second floor was used as the finishing and packing room and the third floor was occupied by the Odd Fellows Lodge and used as storage. The building was equipped with a hand elevator, which was operated from the first to third floor. The R. E. Clark Company originally made old fashioned steel hoes, with wrought shanks, riveted to the blades and later made all sorts of forks, rakes and hoes. They also made all their own handles for their tools. These products were marketed all through the east. The products were labeled with the manufacturer’s label. The factory employed l 5 or 16 men. The handles were made with a cathead lathe which was made by Babcock and St. John of Leonardsville, New York. Other machinery consisted of three trip hammers for drawing the fork tines, all being run by water power which came from the west branch of the Unadilla River. Coal oil lamps were used for lighting purposes. Some of the employees were Charles Burns, “Boxie” Pat Burns, Holden Campbell, who draw fork tines and Henry Dwight Bassett (brother of George Ray Bassett), who riveted shanks onto the hoes. The Burns brothers were fork polishers.

Later, the R. E. Clark Company became Bassett, Dwelle and Company, then Bassett, Gates, and Company, and still later, G.R. Bassett and Company, the “company” being William Lewis Bassett. Later the firm name was changed to Leonardsville Manufacturing Company. About 1869 the factory burned down, but was rebuilt promptly on the same site and was larger, being regarded as a regular handle and tool factory. Five or six hammers and more machinery in proportion were installed and they continued to make forks, rakes and hoes. These products were taken by wagon to Utica and Ilion, New York, were they were sold to retailers. The new factory employed about forty men, some of them being Holden Campbell, Superintendent, Jim Jordan, straw boss and Samuel Brand. The building housing this factory was about 125’ long by 45’ wide. In the assembling, the handle was driven on to the shank or tang.

Later, the factory burned down again, but was not rebuilt. Henry Dwight Bassett and George Ray Bassett bought the machinery that was left after the fire and moved it to Utica, this being in 1870. The machinery consisted of two presses for cutting out corn cutter or corn knife blades and two polishing lathes. After being taken to Utica, the machinery was moved into the Culver Building on Charlotte Street near the canal and it is thought it may still be there. Henry Dwight Bassett and George Ray Bassett operated the machinery there for two years. Before Henry Dwight Bassett left Utica, he sold his interest in the machinery do Mr. Dwelle, the father of the former partner of George Ray Bassett. The new partner continued the business for a few years and then George Ray Bassett moved to Piqua, Ohio, and. vicinity and engaged in the handle business. Later, his son, Herbert Hoxie Bassett joined him and they operated the Piqua Handle Company.

During one winter Henry Dwight Bassett took a hand sled with him from The Glen to Unadilla Forks and returned with 100 pounds of rivets, walking on the snow crust over the tops of the fences, without the use of snow shoes. There was a hoe factory at Unadilla forks, as well as at The Glen.

Herbert H. Bassett worked in the fork and hoe factory at The Glen and then worked under his father, George Ray Bassett and Henry Dwight Bassett in the fork and hoe factory at Utica.