Dexter-Russell 31
Hamilton Woolen Mills, Southbridge
RUSSELL & HARRINGTON JOIN FORCES
In 1933, on the brink of extinction, fate stepped in to rescue the John Russell Cutlery
Company. e company lacked capital, but had the capacity to mass produce knives
since it had a workforce of 250. At the same time, Harrington Cutlery in Southbridge
had capital but lacked significant manpower; the company employed only 50 men,
a situation that prevented large-scale production. Additionally, Harrington catered
to "the fine kitchen and table cutlery market," which was disappearing at that time.
e Southbridge Investment Company, which had purchased Harrington Cutlery
in 1924, hoped to form a larger cutlery company that combined the resources from
several existing cutlery businesses. ey invited the John Russell Cutlery Company,
Lamson & Goodnow Company, the Northampton Cutlery Company and the
Antrim New Hampshire Cutlery Company to engage in discussions around merging
with Harrington. Russell was the only company to respond.
On May 1, 1933 the two companies signed a merger agreement, becoming Russell-
Harrington Cutlery Company of Southbridge and Turners Falls. e John Russell
Company agreed to transfer its business and assets in exchange for shares of stock in
the new corporation and Harrington sold all of its assets. J. C. Wells, then president
of Harrington Cutlery, signed the agreement. e new company was managed largely
by the Southbridge Investment Company, which included Charles O. Cozzens; John
Dickinson; Charles E. Hazelton; William J. Morgan; Ira Mosher; Harry C. Ray;
Irving L. Rich; Elmer L. Schumacher; Channing M. Wells; and J. Cheney Wells.
