This mill was erected in 1831 by Edward Richmond and Gen. Jabez Hall. The water power and three acres of land cost $300. The factory building and three dwelling houses cost $7000. At first, twenty looms were put in with a complement of machinery. Print cloths were manufactured. Loring Darby was for a time one of the partners of the concern. Since 1842, when the property was sold to Joseph -Marshall, it has passed through the same hands and constituted a part of the same property is that now owned by the Freeman Manufacturing Company.

That portion of our village lying north of River street, and known as Brooklyn, was until 1833 a dense forest of Valuable pine and oak timber, being a reserve lot of about seventy acres retained by the heirs of the original owner, Elisha Brown of North Providence, R. I. It was the only pine lot left in this section. About the year mentioned above Joel P. Cada purchased, in connection with his brother, the entire seventy acres of timber land for the low price of $2000. Mr. Cada eventually became sole owner, cut and sawed the timber, and sold the same for building, shafts, etc., of water wheels. About 1846, Mr. Cada began selling building lots at from $50 to $100 or more per acre. Messrs. Leonards erected the first house and also a turning shop. Liberty street was laid out about the year 1852. Some portions of the land along the line of this street were sold to a Mr. Myers at $42 per acre. In 1868 Mr. A. C. Houghton purchased the entire property of what is now Houghtonville proper, there then being, only a few houses on the hill north of North street. He immediately commenced clearing off brush and laying out the streets. The building of houses was soon after begun by Mr. Houghton, and were sold at considerable profit to the owner. Although he has sold a large share of the land and houses, he still retains quite a farm and a number of dwellings in this district.

The manufacturing establishment known as Braytonville is located one mile west of this village on the road to Williamstown. The water power is one of the most extensive and valuable in town, comprising both branches of the Hoosac. In 1831 William E. and Thomas A. Brayton formed a partnership under the firm name of T. A. Brayton & Co., and purchased of Luke Brown the water power and two and a half acres of land for the sum of $520. The building of a dam, and the excavation of a canal for bringing water to the wheels were expensive. In 1832 this Company erected a stone mill 40x74 feet, three stories high, with an attic. The stone for building was drawn from near the summit of the mountain north of the premises. The first set of machinery was built by Captain Giles Tinker, consisting of twenty looms and preparation. Print cloths were manufactured, 52 by 52. Most other mills made 44 by 44 at that time. The firm added more land to their first purchase soon after starting. In 1853 William E. sold his interest to Thomas A. Brayton. In 1851, an addition of wood 46 feet long, was built at the west end of the mill, and in 1859 a further addition of 24 feet. About 1863 a stock company was formed, with S. Blackinton as president and Daniel Dewey treasurer. The large brick mill was built by this company. Mr. Dewey was the prime mover in the forming of this company, and for a time the name of the factory village was changed to Deweyville. After his retirement, from the concern, however, the name was changed back to Braytonville. Upon the retirement of Mr. Dewey, in 1868, Mr. William Blackinton became the active business manager, and held it until his death in 1810. After this Mr. 0. A. Archer was appointed treasurer, Mr. Sanford Blackinton still continuing as president of the concern. In 1878 the company was reorganized, with H. G. B. Fisher president and E. B. Penniman treasurer and agent. The works now have fifty looms, employ 275 hands, and turn out about 20,000 yards of six-quarter fancy cassimeres per month.

These works dates from the year 1828 and are probably the oldest works of the kind in this section. In that year Caleb B. Turner purchased the land of Otis Hodge, Jr., erected a small building and in the next year commenced the printing of cotton goods. In 1830, part of his works and a large lot of goods were destroyed by fire, causing him a serious loss. In 1831 he took in as a partner Walter Laflin, and this firm erected the main brick building