Today the Queset brook wanders, abandoned, easterly across Washington Street and north of Depot Street pausing at Dean’s Pond on its way to Bridgewater. At one time the Queset was very busy supplying mills with waterpower near the junction of Washington and Depot Streets. This was Easton Green, where the first settlers gathered. And while North Easton has been high on the list for historic preservation, and it should be, the first settlers in Easton were in the part of town we call Eastondale. The first mill in Easton was built here and others followed. The mill site grew to be a larger complex that served many purposes and employed many workers over the years. Clement Briggs, Easton’s first settler, lived near the head of Pine Street on Depot Street and was part-owner, along with Thomas Randall (his father-in-law), of the first mill, a sawmill, located on the Queset. This first mill, built by Thomas Randall and his son along with Nathanial Packard, was built prior to 1703. Briggs himself built a gristmill nearby. Both of these early mills were later torn down, but the original gristmill was replaced by Robert Ripley and that mill, later significantly changed, milled grain until 1926 and some of the buildings were in use for decades after. Ownership of the grist mill cycled through Easton families with names like Randall, Macomber, Alger, Cooper, Guild, and Keith.  In 1809 Elijah Howard & Co added a forge at the location. Howard & Co manufactured cut nails and during the War of 1812 also manufactured cotton yarn and cloth. Captain Barzilla Dean bought the grist mill and the textile business in 1840 and he, and later his sons, operated the business, eventually discontinuing the manufacturing of cloth but turning to manufacturing shoe heels under the name Ross Heal Co. The gristmill building was altered in 1872 and again ca 1900, creating additional space. After the death of J.O. Dean (Barzilla’s son) his daughter took over the grain business; the Heel Co. was bought out. Mary Dean Howard and her husband added a coal business on site and later home heating oil. In 1926 the mill ceased to run and the building stored bagged grain and animal feed purchased from elsewhere for the J.O. Dean feed business. The next owner, Ross Henderson, ran a nursery and landscaping business. Later that business was bought by Fernando Camara who added a pet supply and a building supply business. This business was known as Fernando’s. |
