Daniel Harrington built another saw and grist mill on the site of Parker’s mills, probably before 1790. He ran [sic run] these mills for several years; was reputed a very straightforward man, fair in his dealings, plain and downright in expressing his opinion.

Amos Bronson, familiarly known as "Elder Bronson," ran a saw mill near the corner of Union street and the road connecting this street with Eagle, past the Eagle mill, prior to 1790. The only road to this was from Eagle street, up the north fork of the river, and is to-day a very passable highway, making a short cut out between Eagle and Union streets. Mr. Bronson lived in an old house at the corner of River and Eagle streets, which was torn, down in 1858 to make room for the store now occupying that site. Elder Bronson was a remarkable man in many respects. He was a very ingenious mechanic, a millwright, a carpenter, and, in fact, handy at anything. He worked by the day at almost any jobs. He was a sort of doctor and a preacher of the Baptist denomination. He labored in the latter capacity for many years. Though plain and rough-cast in his speech and manners, he was a man of sterling honesty and sincere piety. He removed West before 1815 and died there at a very advanced age.

In 1792 or ’93 David Estes came to this town from Rhode Island. In 1795 he bought settling lot No. 25, embracing all the land north of Centre street almost to Liberty, and extending eastward to the site of the Freeman Print Works. This lot was formerly owned by Murray & Jones, who were among, the original grantees of the towidhip. Murray fled in the Revolutionary struggle, being a Tory, and his share of the lot was confiscated. Eli Persons bought it of the Commonwealth and sold it to Burrall Sutton and Burrall Wells. These parties sold it to Jencks Ruttenfur, and he in turn sold it to David Estes for £150, or about $500 of our money at that time. This lot was in those days a complete wilderness, and valuable only for its mill privileges. The garden plats did not thrive.

David Estes was a man of great industry and economy, and had a keen eye for practical utility. He commenced making cut nails by manual labor in 1793 or ’94, having procured the tools in Rhode Island, and brought the nail rods from Salisbury, Conn., in a one-horse cart. The nails were cut of proper length by heavy shears, and headed cold in dies brought together by pressure of the foot on a spring. Most of the early buildings after Mr. Estes came were put up with his nails. They were tough, and would clinch like wrought iron — differing from the deceitful cut nails of modern times. Many of these nails, taken out of old buildings, would last another century, and many yet remain in buildings. Shingle nails sold for 17 cents per pound, or 50 cents per 1000; larger nails at from 12 ½ to 15 cents per pound. Saddle nails were also made by Mr. Estes, and sold in Brattleboro, Greenfield and many other places. The nail business was continued until about the year 1810, when Mr. Estes became absorbed in more extensive enterprises.

In February, 1794, Jere. Colgrove, Sr., with his brother-in-law, Elisha Brown of North Providence, R. I., bought Giles Barnes’ property, heretofore mentioned as doubtless the first mill in North Adams. The estate included an old saw and grist, mill, the mill privilege and about 80 acres of land, 5 acres being west of the river and a part of the confiscated lot No. 26. The remaining 75 acres were east of the river, and is now the most thickly settled part of the village. It included a 1½ story frame house, standing near the corner of Main and Marshall streets, having a large garden. The price paid Mr. Barnes was about $1200. Most of the pine timber had been cut off. The mills, being probably forty years old, were much dilapidated. The grist mill was never run by Mr. Colgrove and the saw mill was only run to prepare lumber for building new mills. The following year he built a new dam where the present dam of M. D. & A. W. Hodge now is, and a grist mill on the present site of their grist mill, thus obtaining a greater head of water than Barnes’ mills enjoyed. The new saw mill was directly opposite, on the west side of the river. These mills stood until about the year 1820. They enjoyed a steady run of custom. Wheat was a staple crop on new land, one farmer in the notch raising nearly 700 bushels in one year. Lumber for building purposes was also furnished on contracts by Mr. Colgrove. After the first year he operated the mills alone, having purchased the interest of Mr. Brown.

About the year 1800 Jeremiah Colgrove built an oil-mill on the west side of the river. The process of manufacturing oil by him was quite simple. Flax seed was crushed between iron rollers and under mill stones; it was then mixed with water, heated and steamed in all iron barrel, then pressed with a screw-press of great power, operated by a horizontal wheel that would turn the screw up or down as might be desired. The arms of this press consisted of two oaken logs of the utmost solidity and strength that could be obtained. They squeezed out the oil in a pure state. It was sold in Troy, Albany and elsewhere. The oil cake being an excellent article of food for cattle and sheep, met with a quick sale in the vicinity of the mill. Flax being extensively raised in this section and made into domestic linen, the seed was plentifully obtained and the oil business paid well. The introduction of cotton cloth,