After his service in the Revolutionary War, Colonel Paul Whitin served as an apprentice in an iron forge in the small community of South Northbridge. James Fletcher owned the forge along the Mumford River. Paul married Fletcher’s daughter, Betsy, with whom he had five sons and a daughter. The Whitin-Fletcher alliance was solidified in 1809 with the establishment of the Northbridge Cotton Mill. By 1948, over 5,600 people worked for the Whitins. To house these workers, the Whitins built nearly 1,000 worker dwellings between the 1820s and 1920s. The Whitins also built or subsidized the town’s schools, churches, town hall, library, and recreational facilities. The Whitins constructed grand homes in the community. From these homes they dictated many aspects of the town’s political and social life. They utilized a system of benevolent paternalism. They provided job security and an orderly environment in exchange for worker loyalty. People, Places and Stories
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Last updated: December 14, 2021