Morin brothers visit Belknap Mill

LACONIA — On Aug. 23, Roger and Rene Morin, grandsons of Joseph P. Morin, visited the Belknap Mill. Their father was Alphonse Morin who, along with brother Frank Morin, followed in the footsteps of Joseph. Roger and Rene worked at the mill from their earliest memories. Joseph, or J.P., was a Franco-American immigrant from Quebec in 1870. Through hard work he rose to become owner of the mill in 1913.

J.P. and his extended family had an effect on both the Belknap Mill and the greater Laconia community. As noted in the 'Belknap Mill Historic Building Assessment' by Mae Williams and Misiazek Turpin, “Joseph P. Morin is remembered as having been a compassionate leader for the company. He cared deeply about those who worked for him, and he always considered their families as an extension of his own. The operatives at Morin’s Mill, as they called it, never experienced what workers at much larger, big-city mills experienced: cold, uncaring mill owners who were never present at the facility. Morin had worked alongside the nearly 150 people he employed, listening to them and catering to their needs.”

The Belknap Mill was hit by the depression and the family lost control of the mill in 1938. During their more than 25 years of ownership, the Morin family provided livelihoods for thousands of Laconians and supported the Sacred Heart Church. It was J.P. who first provided the mill and Laconia with hydroelectric power, allowing the mill to operate 24 hours a day. The Mill was a major contributor to World War I by making wool socks for the doughboys.

Roger and Rene visited the mill for the first time in more than 70 years. Roger and Rene, along with family members Susan, Stephen and Alison, toured the mill. The historic exhibits and photos in the knitting room and powerhouse helped jog their memories. Mill volunteer David Stamps was tour guide for the afternoon. Their grandson, Spencer, helped set up the visit, though he was no there. One of Spencer’s memories was from the award-winning fourth grade program, A Day in the Life of a Millworker, an experiential tour now in its 24th year.