The South River Cutlery Company of Conway, Massachusetts, took its name from the river that gave the water power needed for the town’s industry. The cutlery company opened in 1851, in Burkeville, to the east of Conway center, and it eventually employed 135 workers. However, it was operating in an intensely competitive environment, with major rivals such as the John Russell Company and Lamson & Goodnow close by. In 1858, the South River company went bankrupt.