J. E. Ashworth & Sons

Ashworth's blanket factory

Race Ashworth's blanket mill

J. E. Ashworth & Sons was a company that operated blanket mills in Hartland, Vermont, Westbrookville, New York and Whippany, New Jersey. They manufactured United States Army blankets, horse blankets, and bed blankets. They also performed custom wool carding.

History

It was established by James Edward Ashworth (1831-1910) and his two sons, Albert P. Ashworth (1872-1934) and Daniel Gunner Ashworth (1876-1949).^[1][2][3] In 1880 James was working at a mill in Greenwich, New York and learning the trade.^[4] By 1883-1884 he was operating a mill in Hartland, Vermont where he was listed as a "manufacturer and wholesale dealer in heavy Army and horse blankets, bed blankets, and custom wool carding".^[5][1] The Vermont blanket factory, was originally the Sturtevant woolen-mills, it was operated by water-power, had five looms, it employed twelve men and made 10,000 blankets per year.^[6] J. E. Ashworth & Sons had a "reputation of turning out some of the finest blankets in the country."^[7] United States Trade Reports of Cincinnati, Ohio wrote on December 16, 1904: "The products of this establishment not only equal those offered by any other manufacturer, but in points of workmanship and finish cannot be surpassed, and no house in the country is more fully equipped to meet modern demands in this line. They are firm believers in quality and zealously guard the quality of their products at all times by using only the best materials and employing experienced workmen."^[8] Their fawn colored horse blankets were used by the Wells Fargo, American Express and Adams Express Company companies, and the Standard Oil and Atlantic Petroleum companies.^[9] The Westbrookville, New York mill burned down and was rebuilt, but closed permanently in 1961.^[7]

External links

• James Edward Ashworth at Wikia genealogy
• James Edward Ashworth at Findagrave
• Albert P. Ashworth at Findagrave
• Daniel Gunner Ashworth at Findagrave

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Albert P. Ashworth". Times Herald-Record. 1934. "He was born in East Salem, New York, August 29, 1872, a son of the late James E. Ashworth and Ellen Ramsbottom Ashworth. He was married March 26, 1898, to Luella Griffin, of Westbrookville, who died August 4, 1906, in Shushan, New York On December 8, 1908, he was married in Wurtsboro to Jessie C. Patterson, also of Westbrookville. Mr. Ashworth was a member of the firm of J. E. Ashworth's Sons who have been in the blanket business in the place for forty-four years coming here with his parents from Hartland, Vermont." 
2. ^ "Daniel Gunner Ashworth". Times Herald-Record. 1949. "Daniel G. Ashworth, president of the J. E. Ashworth and Sons, Inc., textile manufacturers, died at his home here yesterday afternoon. Mr. Ashworth was the last surviving senior member of the firm. He was born in East Salem, N. Y., June fifteenth, 1876, a son of James E. and Ellen Ramsbottom Ashworth. When eleven years old he moved to Westbrookville." 
3. ^ "James E. Ashworth". possibly Times Herald-Record. 1910. "... came to United States as a young man. Manufactured horse blankets in Vermont. Came to this place (Westbrookville, New York) had a heavy loss due to fire. After the fire he went to Whippany, New Jersey. Later he returned to this place, engaged in the saw mill business and later rebuilt the mill and conducted a large blanket manufacturing business." 
4. ^ 1880 US Census
5. ^ Hartland, Vermont Directory 1883-1884
6. ^ "Hartland". Rootsweb. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vermont/WindsorHartland.html. Retrieved 2008-10-15. "J. E. Ashworth's blanket factory, formerly the Sturtevant woolen-mills, located on Road 26, is operated by water-power, has five looms, one set of carriages and jacks, and all necessary machinery for manufacturing horse and army blankets. Mr. Ashworth employs twelve men and manufactures 10,000 blankets per annum." 
7. ^ ^{a b} Roosa, Monica (2007). Mamakating. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738554715. http://books.google.com/books?id=MHTmOcglE90C&pg=PA13&dq=Ashworth+westbrookville&ei=2qz1SL6WEI6OzQSJiPHUCA&sig=ACfU3U23K97XrREW5RIb-Kcz0lJrP72geg#PPA13,M1. "The Ashworth Blanket Mill of Westbrookville had a reputation of turning out some of the finest blankets in the country. During World War I ..." 
8. ^ "Quality". United States Trade Reports. http://genealogy.wikia.com/wiki/Image:Ashworth_1904_tradereports.jpg. Retrieved 2008-10-17. "The products of this establishment not only equal those offered by any other manufacturer, but in points of workmanship and finish cannot be surpassed, and no house in the country is more fully equipped to meet modern demands in this line. They are firm believers in quality and zealously guard the quality of their products at all times by using only the best materials and employing experienced workmen." 
9. ^ "James E. Ashworth". Middletown Daily Times-Press. November 1, 1910. http://genealogy.wikia.com/wiki/Image:Ashworth-JamesEdward_1910.gif. Retrieved 2008-10-17. "A well known business man of Westbrookville, died at his home there on Saturday from a complication of diseases, at the age of 80 years. Mr. Ashworth was a member of the firm of J. E. Ashworth & Sons, who manufacture the fawn colored blankets used by the Wells Fargo, American and Adams Express Companies, and the Standard and Atlantic Oil Companies, in Port Jervis and other cities In this vicinity."