HISTORY OF SOMERSET

by

Mary Ann McDonald

Author of:
Somerset, Massachusetts: Portrait of a
N e w E n g l a n d To w n

Taunton River (view from New Veterans Memorial Bridge)

Giovanni de Verrazano

Edward
Winslow

Separa8st
traveled on the
Mayower
in 1620 (journeyed
through Shawomet
Lands/ Somerset on way
to visit Massasoit at Mt.
Hope).

Books wriBen by Edward Winslow

King Philip/Metacomet

King Philips War

Shawomet Purchase- 1677

Shawomet Purchase- Shawomet Lands divided into 3 secHons: the LiBle

Neck (Brayton Point), the Great Neck (north to Read St) and the Outlet Lands
(Read St. towards Dighton)

William Slade Homestead- site of Slades Ferry

William Slade was the rst of the family to come to Shawomet
Land.

Edward Slade Homestead

Samuel Lee homestead- 1730 (Lee established the rst local shipyard on
the Lee River between 1707-1712, hence the name Lees River)

Preserved Brayton Homestead, 159 Brayton Ave

One of Somersets 10 oldest homes

Historic American Buildings Survey Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer April, 1934

Friends Mee8ng House, 1701, ministered by PaHence Brayton

Jonathan Bowers House - 1694

Henry Bowers House 1742 with 1860 addi8ons

Riverside at Marble Street: remains of docks from 18th century

Jerathmael Bowers House, 1760- Corner of South and Main St.

(demolished
1956)

Historic American Buildings Survey Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer April, 1934

Jerathmael Bowers interior house- now preserved at Winterthur

Museum, Delaware.

Historic American Buildings Survey Arthur C. Haskell, Photographer April, 1934

Pe88on to the Legislature

Jerathmael Bowers wife- (Mary Sherburne Bowers)

Portrait hangs in Metropolitan
Museum of Art.
Painted by John Singleton Copley,
1763.

Poaersville

John Bourne House- one of the earliest houses in PoBersville, 1720

2457 Riverside

Joseph Brown House Egypt - 1801

Somerset Poaers Works- 1705-1918

Somerset Poaers Works Building- 1815-1910: located on the Taunton River at the
BoBom of Center Street. It produced redware, stoneware and bricks- some which
Line the walls of South StaHon in Boston.

RevoluHonary War begins April 19, 1775

Slades Ferry became an important post to guard Taunton River and shoreline.
Aber BriHsh aBack on Fall River burning down a gristmill and sawmill, France
joins war as American ally. Slades Ferry became the staging area for troops
crossing the Taunton River on their way to Ft. Barton in Tiverton.

IllustraHons by Paul Hitchen

RevoluHonary War
Enemy soldiers come up Mt. Hope Bay and invade Brayton Point. They kidnap
Obadiah Slade and Theophilis Luther. Both die prisoners of war on prison ship
Jersy kept o coast of Long Island.

IllustraHon by Paul Hitchen

RevoluHonary War
Captain Philip Bowers was an important part of the RevoluHon. He is buried
In the Bowers cemetery on South Street.

IllustraHon by Paul Hitchen

RevoluHonary War
Captain Peleg Sherman

IllustraHon by Paul Hitchen

Industries of Somerset:

Stoneware/poBery
Shipping
Iron manufacturing
Coal port- 1872
Cannery (Hathaway Cannery)
Stove Foundry
Power GeneraHon

Coastal Trade and Shipping

Aber the war of 1812, Somerset became one of
the chief distribu8on points in New England for
foreign goods with trade to China, the West
Indies, Europe and the Atlan8c coast. By 1847,
138 vessels were built and registered in the
town with many engaged in the coastal trade.

Clipper Governer Morton, November 21, 1851

James M. Hood Shipyard; 5000 spectators cheered her launch as she sailed
around Cape Horn to San Francisco.

Clipper Ship Archer, December 29, 1852

James M. Hood Shipyard; rounded Cape Horn eleven Hmes, oben making a
135 day trip in 118.

The Schooner Governer Ames, 1888

The rst 5 masted schooner in the world.

Somerset Iron Works/Mt. Hope Iron Works- The Upper Works

1855 Job Leonard begins producHon with nails, tack and shovel plate. They also made
anchors.

Mt. Hope Iron Works- Lower Works

Shovels produced here were used to construct the Union Pacic Railroad, connecHng
East and West coast

Mt. Hope Iron Works- Oce (1900)

Job Leonard is next to tree.

Railroads: 1866

Railroad staHon at the foot of Old Colony Avenue, a stop on the Old Colony Line.
From the 1870s to 1890s, two coal trains leb daily for Boston. Each spring, 200
tons of strawberries were sent north, from farms in Somerset!

Now Mallard Park

Slades Ferry Bridge built 1875, taken down in 1970

The Providence, Warren and Fall River Railroad, also known as the Consolidated Line
started in 1865, and in 1875 carried passengers across the bridge to Fall River.

Somerset Pallas range at Somerset Stove Foundry 1900

Foundry in operaHon under 1920.

Power Genera8on- Montaup 1923 (Herald News Photo)

Power Genera8on- Montaup 1923

Seining for herring, 1910

Somerset, MassachuseBs, 1890

There are many market gardens, and strawberries are largely
culHvated. The crop of these in 1885 was reported in the recent census
as 234,384 quarts, worth $26,042. The aggregate product of the 128
farms was $139,441. The chief manufacturing establishments are the
Mount Hope Iron Works, the Somerset Co-opera8ve Stove Foundery,
and the Somerset Po>er's Works, -- the last making re-brick, Hles,
retorts, etc. In 1885, 313 nailmakers found employment here. Other
manufactures were vessels and boats, boots and shoes, and food
prepara8ons. The value of all goods made was $649,795. The sheries
consisHng almost enHrely of oysters yielded $4,169. Seven
schooners, having a total tonnage of 1,398, and owned here, were
engaged in the carrying trade.

-Nason and Varney's MassachuseBs GazeBeer, 1890

1885
High school constructed at current Pierce Beach.

Herald News photo

*NoHce how main streets and shape of the town on this map (1940) are
the same as those in 1680!

Main Street at School Street

Riverside Street

Center Street and Riverside