Hats off to businessman J. Milton Tenney!

Editor’s note: This is the third of a three-part series on the Tenney brothers of Methuen. Read the earlier columns at MethuenLife.com.

In 1867, brothers Charles H. and John M. Tenney opened the C.H. Tenney hat factory on Broadway. Charles moved soon after to New York City to open a sales office, later becoming the largest commissioned hat merchant in the world. Meanwhile, John stayed in Methuen to run the factory, soon becoming one of the town’s top hat manufacturers.

John M. (commonly known as J. Milton) was born in 1839, the third of four sons born to John F. and Hannah (Woodbury) Tenney of Salem, N.H. He grew up on the family farm in Salem with his three brothers: Daniel W., George W., and Charles H. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, graduating in 1858.

He married Frances A. “Fannie” Dana of Londonderry, N.H., in 1864. The couple moved to Methuen by the end of the decade with their only child, Ada. They lived in a fine home at 5 Charles St.

Hat manufacturing was one of Methuen’s leading industries throughout the 19th century. In 1870, four Methuen hat manufacturers produced a combined 850,800 hats, while employing about 261 workers. The Tenney factory alone produced 201,600 hats. At one point in 1876, the company produced 2,100 hats per day.

The sprawling Tenney hat factory was located at the present site of the Espaillat Building, 225 Broadway. John also had a successful wholesale house for ladies’ hats in New York City. Meanwhile, brothers Daniel and George were prospering with their Tenney & Co. shoe factory in Methuen at 2 Charles St.

Charles sold his interest in the Methuen factory to John in 1883. The business remained strong through the early 1890s, but the local hat manufacturers faced daunting challenges from changing fashions and competition from cheaper manufacturers in other parts of the country. John survived by accepting contracts for large and short-notice orders that other manufacturers were unable to fill. His only remaining competitor in Methuen, James Ingalls, closed his factory in 1893. John remained in the business until 1903, when he retired and sold the factory. No hats were manufactured in Methuen after 1904. The former Tenney factory was torn down in 1906.

In addition to his business responsibilities, John was an active participant in town affairs for many years. He and his brothers were instrumental in establishing a public water supply system for the town in 1893. He served as a member of the town’s school committee and the playground committee. He was also a director of the National Bank of Methuen.

Upon his retirement, John bought out his brothers’ shares of their late parents’ home on Pleasant Street. He also purchased the property next to it and built a stately mansion across the two lots. That house is currently addressed as 10-12-14 Pleasant St.

John and Fannie lived in the massive house for the remainder of their lives. Like many wealthy citizens of that era, their household included live-in servants. In their later years, they spent the winters in California and Florida. Both died in 1923. John was 83; Fannie was 85. They were buried in the Tenney section of the Walnut Grove Cemetery.

Ada and her husband, Congregational Reverend Robert MacDonald, moved into the home after Fannie’s death. Their son and his family also lived with them for several years. Robert died in 1937, followed by Ada in 1945.

The MacDonald children sold the property in 1947 to Charles C. and Mabel Giles. Charles was a building contractor. He converted the house into apartments around this time. The property has changed owners several times since, but it remains a residential apartment building today.

The beautiful and well-maintained house still retains the grandeur of its original design. The only exterior changes appear to be modern windows throughout and an enclosed porch on the left front.

Ken Doherty is a lifelong resident of Methuen. He served on the Methuen Fire Department from 1980 to 2010. He is the Fire Department historian and a former member of the Methuen Historical Commission. He wrote “Á History of Methuen and its Fire Department” in 1996. He is retired and still living in Methuen with his wife, Paula.