John Russell made his fortune in the cotton industry, but saw new opportunities up north in the field of cutlery. In March of 1834, he established “Green River Works” in Greenfield, Massachusetts. In 1870, he moved his water-powered factory to Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and renamed it the “John Russell Cutlery Works.” It initially employed local craftsmen, but as business expanded and workers became scarcer, Russell brought in artisans from Germany, Ireland, Eastern Europe, and England. Having the railroad come right to the factory helped in distributing Russell’s cutlery throughout the United States.
The Rotograph Company, photographer. John Russell Cutlery Works, Turners Falls, Mass. Photograph. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1997-31-23/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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