Did you know that the village of Hilden has strong historical connections with with the city of Paterson, New Jersey? The connection lies with the Barbour family who owned successful businesses in both locations.
The Barbour family came to Hilden in 1823, when William Barbour (1797-1875) purchased a site for his linen thread-making business. The Barbour brand was a huge success and continued to grow in the decades that followed. Two of William’s sons, Thomas (1832-1885) and Robert (1825-1892), expanded the family’s linen thread business in the United States, settling in the industrial city of Paterson, New Jersey in the 1860s. The American side of the business continued to thrive well into the 20th-century. The Barbour name can still be found in Paterson today, in Barbour Street, and in nearby Barbour Pond, which was originally used for suppressing fires at the Barbour-owned mills in the city.
