Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....CASWELL, Edwin C. 1838 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com August 6, 2005, 4:11 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Co. EDWIN C. CASWELL, the senior member of E. C. Caswell & Company, one of the largest industries of the vicinity of Bloomsburg, is a son of Whipple and Olive Houghton (Blackmar) Caswell, and was born in the town of Thompson, Windham County, Conn., July 16, 1838. Whipple Caswell was born in Douglas, Mass., in 1808, and during his younger days followed farming there. In 1852 he located at Burrillville, R. I., where he followed farming for some time, but spent the latter years of his life in retirement. He was united in marriage to Olive Houghton Black-mar, who was born in Abington, Conn., in 1812. They reared the following children: Alonzo W., of Worcester, Mass.; S. Alphonso, who was born in Douglas, Mass., March 8, 1836, and at twelve years of age entered an apprenticeship in the cotton mills at Southbridge, Mass. At nineteen years of age he became overseer in the woolen mills at Burrillville, R. I., and in 1874 entered into partnership with our subject and George and William Youngman. They leased the Nippenose Mills at Antes Fort, Lycoming County, Pa., and ran them for eight years. Alphonso and Edwin C. Caswell then established the Bloomsburg Woolen Miiis. They took in their brother, Marcus, who died one year later. Alphonso continued with the firm until his death, July 6, 1887; the remainder of the family were: Edwin C., the subject of this personal history; Whipple, Jr., of Adams, Mass., who died in January, 1898; Jerome, of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Osborne, of Dayville, Conn.; Everett, deceased; Marcus, deceased, who left a wife, Mary (Antes), and a son, Carlton A., who has charge of the second floor of our subject's plant; and Emma, who lives with her brother. Carlton A., a son of Marcus and Mary (Antes) Caswell, after graduating from the Bloomsburg High School attended the Textile School of Philadelphia, graduating at the head of his class and winning first prize, a gold medal, for the general excellency of his work. He later took a thorough course in Palm's Business College of Philadelphia, graduating in December, 1897, and has since had charge of the weaving and designing department for E. C. Caswell & Company. Mr. Whipple Caswell, the father of our subject, was called to his final resting place at the age of eighty-two years, his wife having preceded him many years, dying at the age of sixty-nine. Edwin C. Caswell attended the common schools until he was nine years of age, when he received his first instructions in the cotton mills at Woodstock, Conn., as a mule boy. At the age of fourteen years he began work in the woolen mills of Burrillville, R. I., where he learned the art of weaving fancy cassimeres and later became designer, in the meantime attending school at intervals until he was sixteen years old. He followed his trade in Massachusetts and Rhode Island until 1868 when he accepted a position as boss weaver and designer at Johnstown, Pa., being the most skillful workman in that line in the state. He again returned to Massachusetts where he held several prominent positions until 1874, when he and his brother formed a partnership and established a factory at Antes Fort, Pa., continuing until 1882 when they moved to Bloomsburgh and established the plant of which Mr. Caswell is at the head. They erected a structure, 54 by 124 feet, three stories high, with a boiler and engine-room 26 by 36 feet, at a cost of $15,000. The mill was fitted with the latest machinery for the manufacture of fancy dress goods, at a cost of $30,000. Forty skilled laborers are employed the year round, and XX merino wool is all that is used. After the death of our subject's brother, the present firm of E. C. Caswell & Co. was organized, E. C. Caswell and J. M. Staver, being the members. There are three sets of cards, 1,260 spindles, and fourteen looms. September 30, 1896, at 1 a. m., the third floor of the building was carried away by a tornado, completely destroying the machinery and causing a loss of $8,000. Ten days previously 1,000 of the window lights had been broken by a hail storm, but in spite of all misfortune, only two months' work were lost. The business is now in a prosperous condition. The mill employs sixty hands. In 1888 the firm began to manufacture all-wool cassimeres which are shipped directly to their wholesale house in New York City, from whence they are shipped to all points in the United States. Mr. Caswell resides in a beautiful residence at the corner of West and Fifth streets, which he built a short time ago. Socially he was a Mason while in Massachusetts, and is now a member of La Belle Valley Lodge No. 232, F. & A. M. of Jersey Shore, Pa. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District Published by Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899) This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/pafiles/ File size: 5.3 Kb