Silk thread in Winsted

The opening of Far East ports increased the availability of raw silk and America was one of the largest consumers of manufactured silk. In 1747, Jonathan Law, Connecticut’s then governor, reportedly wore the first coat and stockings made from New England silk, and three years later his daughter wore the first dress made from domestic silk.  Beginning in 1874, Winsted was widely recognized in the silk industry. 

Winsted Silk was established in 1874 by Eugene Potter and James J. Lawler. Potter and Lawler had formerly conducted a small silk thread mill, in Sandisfield, Mass., so they brought their combined experience to the industry. They located their business on the corner of Meadow and Munro streets, in a wooden building that was 26 x 100 feet long. 

Winsted Silk was incorporated in 1883, with the substantial capital of $100,000. With Potter serving as president and treasurer and Lawler as superintendent, the successful company was said to have produced the best grade of spool and embroidery silk in the country — in at least 800 different shades. 

Eugene Potter was a son-in-law of Elliot and Delia Rockwell Beardsley, and Lawler was reportedly one of the youngest Connecticut veterans of the Civil War. Potter built Shadowlawn, an impressive 24-room mansion that once graced the corner of Munro Place and Main Street. Potter’s home was directly opposite the library and within short walking distance of his plant. The mansion was torn down in 1944, but the brick carriage house that faced Hinsdale Avenue was left standing. 

The Belding Brother’s Company acquired Winsted Silk, in 1917, and then merged with the Belding-Hemingway Company in 1925. Though originally planning to remain in Winsted, the plant closed in 1926. The building was vacant for a year, before being sold to Mason Silk, in 1927, which manufactured silk thread, silk embroidery, quilting thread, and fishing line. 

Salter Silk of New Jersey was incorporated in 1894, as a constituent of Winsted Silk Company. The two companies also shared the Winsted Silk plant, on the corner of Meadow and Munro. The 175 operatives that Salter Silk employed were mostly women and girls. The company also employed a large number of traveling salesmen and office workers. 

Salter’s product line included silk thread of all kind, including machine twists, embroidery silks, knitting silks, and purse silks. In addition, Salter Silk manufactured waxed and un-waxed dental floss, supplying 80 percent of the domestic and European market. Their dental floss was available on spools or small discs that conveniently fit in the user’s pocket or purse.  

Mason Silk was another company that emerged from Winsted Silk.  It too was located at the Meadow and Munro Street plant. Mason Silk changed owners several times over the years, but it ran steadily from the time it was established. The company manufactured thread made from raw silk, but it was unique in that it only sold to other manufacturers. In 1927, Mason Silk was incorporated for $100,000, after which it converted from steam to electric power and installed modern equipment. At that time, Harry T. Mason served as the company’s president.  

During World War II, Mason Silk was the only thread company to receive the Army-Navy “E” for excellence award. Its nylon was used in the production of parachutes for the war effort. As time went on, Mason Silk replaced its silk thread with synthetic thread. Indian Head, Inc., manufacturers of metal and auto products, information technology, glass containers, and textiles, purchased Mason Silk in 1967.  

Taken from “Brains, Money & Pluck: Profiles of Early Industries” by Verna Gilson, genealogy and local history research assistant, Beardsley and  Memorial Library, Winsted.