In the early 1800's, the name Farwell was synonymous with scythes. John and Joseph Farwell opened the first scythe shop in Fitchburg, Farwell's Scythe Manufactory, and quickly established Fitchburg scythes as the finest tools available. John Farwell's son John Thurston joined with Alpheus Kimball to open Kimball & Farwell Scythe Makers. Kimball and Farwell had an apprentice named Abel Simonds, who seemed quite ambitious!
Abel Simonds followed J. T. Farwell to his new shop in West Chelmsford, Massachusetts for two years, only to return to Fitchburg. In 1827, Abel married Elizabeth Farwell, J. T. Farwell's sister, and they had a son, Joseph Farwell Simonds. Elizabeth died in 1829.
John Thurston Farwell saw a spark in his brother-in-law that intrigued him. A few years after Abel's return to Fitchburg, Farwell joined with him to start a new scythe manufactory along the banks of the Nashua River in West Fitchburg - J. T. Farwell & Company. The business used the Farwell name to help it get established, but it was Abel Simonds' vision and drive that led the shop forward.
As the small business grew, Farwell's attentions turned elsewhere. While in Chelmsford, he had become involved in town politics, a passion he would pursue upon his return to Fitchburg, as well. He served as Fitchburg town clerk for several years, and he served as deacon of the Congregational church. He became very involved in the struggle to prevent the spread of slavery into the Kansas and Nebraska territories, to the point where he led a party of 157 members of the New England Emigrant Aid Society to Lawrence, Kansas in 1855, to settle.
With Farwell becoming less involved in the business, Abel Simonds bought out his partner in 1851 and continued the business on his own, under the name A. Simonds & Company. Abel brought his son Joseph into the 18-employee business, and would continue to run the company until his retirement in 1864, when the company was passed over to two other sons - George and Alvan.
Abel Simonds passed away in 1874, pleased with the knowledge that all 8 of his sons at one time or another had worked in the business he established, and pleased with the fact that the company was still going strong, 42 years after its founding.