Eureka Silk Mill¹

The Eureka Silk Manufacturing Company has its roots in Virgil J. Messinger's 1839 silk business, which was resumed five years later under the name of Messinger and Brother. In 1863, the Messinger brothers sold their building and equipment to Charles Foster and J. W. C. Seavey, two employees of the firm, at which point the company was renamed to J. W. C. Seavey and Company. Six years laterm the company became Seavey, Foster & Bowman. In 1881, the proprietors formed a joint stock company, named the Eureka Silk Manufacturing Company. A year later, the Canton Citizen announced that the mill was to be lit by electricity.

In 1895, a workers strike occurred when wages were cut from $1 per day to as low as 65 cents per day, and the company attempted to move the pay to piecework. Over 325 employees went on strike; 175 stayed at the company. In the end, the state intervened, and the workers resumed work.

In 1903, following the American Net and Twine Company's move to Alabama, the Eureka Silk Manufacturing Company moved the majority of its operations into the newly-vacant mill. The company remained there until December 1906, at which point operations were moved to Connecticut, and the buildings were sold to the Electric Goods Manufacturing Company of Boston.

Resources¹

Canton by George T. Comeau, 33. 

Canton Comes of Age, 1797-1997 by Canton Bicentennial Committee, 40, 42-43.  

History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts by D.H. Hurd, 950.