Day 09  Arthur Scholfield (It says Day 8 but the Eagle screwed up!)  Arthur Scholfield

More info from the web:  Arthur Scholfield, an Englishman, was determined to make America his home. He was a machinist. England was building up her system of manufactures, starting out upon her great career as a manufacturing
nation determined to manufacture goods for the civilized world, and especially for the United States. Parliament had enacted a law prohibiting the carrying of machinist's tools out of Great Britain.
The young mechanic was compelled to leave his tools behind. He had a retentive memory and active mind; he settled in Pittsfield,Massachusetts, inn 1800 and set himself to work to construct a machine for the carding of wool, which at that time was done wholly by hand. The Pittsfield Sun of November 2, 1801, contained an advertisement of the first carding machine constructed in the United States. Thus it read:

 'Arthur Scholfield respectfully informs the inhabitants of Pittsfield
 and the neighboring towns that he has a carding machine, half a mile
 west of the meeting-house, where they may have their wool carded into
 rolls for twelve and a half cents per pound; mixed, fifteen cents per
 pound. If they find the grease and pick the grease in it will be ten
 cents per pound, and twelve and a half mixed.'

The first broadcloth manufactured in the United States was by Scholfield
in 1804, the wool being carded in his machine and woven by hand.

In 1808 Scholfield manufactured thirteen yards of black broadcloth,
which was presented to James Madison, and from which his inaugural suit
was made. A few Merino sheep had been imported from France, and
Scholfield, obtaining the wool, and mixing it with the coarse wool of
the native sheep, produced what at that time was regarded as cloth of
superior fineness. The spinning was wholly by hand.

The time had come for a new departure in household economies. Up to 1809
all spinning was done by women and girls. This same obscure county
paper, the Pittsfield  Sun, of January 4, 1809, contained an
account of a meeting of the citizens of that town to take measures for
the advancement of manufactures. The following resolution was passed:
'Resolved that the introduction of spinning-jennies, as is practiced in
England, into private families is strongly recommended, since one person
can manage by hand the operation of a crank that turns twenty-four
spindles.'

This was the beginning of spinning by machinery in this country.
Posted By: Administrator - 01-09-2011
Views: 1726