The Bordens owned the water rights to the section of the Quequechan river that was in Massachusetts The family originally came to Portsmouth, RI and some descendents migrated to the Falls River in what is now Fall River. Similarly, the Durfee and Brayton families originally settled in Portsmouth, RI. Andrew Robeson represented Quaker investors from New Bedford, but that declined towards the end of the century as New Bedford concentrated on its own cotton industry.

The seven prominent mill owning families were: the Bordens, the Durfees, the Braytons, the Davols, the Slades, the Osborns and the Chaces. These families plus their relatives, in-laws and retainers constituted the elite of Fall River society. The bankruptcies and defalcations (read, embezzlements) in the Borden and Durfee families in the late 1870s shifted the balance of power to the Brayton family.

The treasurer was the most powerful man in the Fall River mills. He controlled the buying of raw material, cotton fiber, and the selling of the finished product, cotton cloth. The difference in price between the two determined the mill profits. The agent or superintendent looked after the day to day mill operations.

Colonel Richard (1795-1874) - Married to Abby Durfee. Helped found the Fall River Iron Works, Fall River Manufactory, Richard Borden mill, Fall River Line, Fall River Railroad. Director of 7 mills, Treasurer of 2, President of 1.
Matthew Chaloner Durfee (1842-1912) - Son of Colonel Richard Borden. Married one of Dr. Nathan Durfee's daughters. The greatest of the Fall River mill men. Built seven mills between 1890 and 1905. Also owned the American Print Works - the largest of its kind for a number of years.
Jefferson (1801-1887) - Brother of Colonel Richard Borden. Director of 5 mills, Treasurer of 1, President of 3. Declared bankruptcy in 1879.
Holder - (1799-1837) Nephew of Colonel Richard Borden, step son of Major Bradford Durfee. Entrepreneur. Died young at age 37. His three sisters married two Durfee brothers and a Durfee first cousin. These marriages formed the basis for much of the wealth generated by the mills in the next two generations. Director of 7 mills, Treasurer of 2, President of 1.
Phoebe (1779-1841) - Older sister of Colonel Richard Borden. Mother of Holder, Delana, Sylvia and Fedelia by her first husband, George Borden. Major Bradford Durfee was her second husband. The marriage of her three daughters to Durfees further solidified the Borden/Durfee alliance.
Richard B. (1834-1906) - Son of Colonel Richard Borden. Treasurer of Richard Borden mill.
Nathaniel Briggs (1801-1865) - Congressman, mayor, helped found the Pocasset mill.
Andrew Jackson (1822-1892) - Director of mills and banks. Started as undertaker, then furniture and rental housing. His wife and he died at the hands of person or persons unknown. The murders were never solved.
Thomas James (1832-1902) - Son of Colonel Richard Borden. Director of 5 mills, Treasurer of 3, President of 2.
Spencer (1849-1921) - Son of Jefferson, established the Fall River Bleachery in 1872.

Colonel Joseph (1750-1842) - Established first cotton mill in Fall River area in 1811. Authentic hero of the Revolutionary War. Commanded Americans in the Battle of Fall River. Charter member of the First Congregational Church, January 9, 1816.
Major Bradford (1788-1843) - Partner and third cousin of Colonel Richard Borden. Phoebe Borden was his first wife. Mary Brayton was his second wife. Helped found the Fall River Iron Works in 1821, Fall River Manufactory.
Bradford Matthew Chaloner (1843-1872) - Son of Major Bradford Durfee, nephew of John and David Brayton. Money from his inheritance financed the Durfee mills. First President of the mills. Died in 1872.
Dr. Nathan (1799-1876) Third cousin to Bradford Durfee, married sister of Holder Borden. Controlled a flour mill and the "Doctor's Mill", a cotton mill. Director of 7 mills, President of 3. Estate was found to be insolvent after his death.
Matthew Chaloner (1803-1841) - Brother of Dr. Nathan Durfee - married sister of Holder Borden.
Joseph - (1800-1847) - First cousin to Dr. Nathan and Matthew C. Durfee - married sister of Holder Borden.
Walter Chaloner (1816-1901) - Treasurer of 2 mills, Director of
George Borden (1832-1917) - Son of Matthew Chaloner Durfee. Treasurer of two mills. Speculated in cotton futures. Ruined his mother financially when she paid off his debts.

Augustus ( ) - President of 1.
Oliver (1769-1852) - Helped found the Pocasset mill. Only person with mill experience in the venture.
Oliver Junior ( ) - Built Chace mill
S(amuel). Angier (1820-1900) - Married one of Dr. Nathan Durfee's daughters. Director of 6 mills, Treasurer of 2, President of 1. Sentenced to 12 years in jail for defalcations.

John D. (1826-1907) -

David (1786-1867)- Founded Fall River Manufactory with Dexter Wheeler in 1813. Worked in Slater Mill. Married Mary Borden, sister of Colonel Richard Borden. Founded Fall River Bank. Partner with Hale Remington in founding the Union Mill using new methods of financing in 1850s. Uncle to Mary Brayton and her three brothers.
John Brayton (-1909) - Son of David Anthony. President of Providence Tool Company during its near bankruptcy in the 1870s. Succeeded Colonel Richard Borden in that position.

Mary Brayton (1814-1889) - Second wife of Major Bradford Durfee. Widowed after only a year of married life. Her position as guardian of her son, M.B.C. Durfee, and his estate gave her a great deal of influence on mill affairs. Her younger brothers, David Anthony, John Summerfield and Hezekiah, gained control of mill affairs because of their older sister's control of Major Bradford and his son's estates.
David Anthony (1824-1881) - Uncle to B.M.C. Durfee. Ran the Durfee Mills until his death.
John Summerfield (1826-1904) I Uncle to B.M.C. Durfee. Director of 7 mills, Treasurer of 2, President of 1.
John Summerfield (1895 - 1961)III - Handled the Brayton business interests with skill during the decline of the Fall River Mills. Combined banks and mills and sold the mill real estate.
Hezekiah A. (1832-1908) - Uncle to B.M.C. Durfee. Treasurer of the Sagamore mills and President of the Fall River First National bank
Thomas E. (1843-1939) - Treasurer of the Union and Pocasset mills. Second cousin to the other Braytons.
Alice (1878 - 1972) - A certified character. A grande dame in manner and a writer of distinctive prose on Fall River and Newport history.

John P. (1824-1903) - Director of 6 mills, President of 1.
William L. (1817-1895)

Stephen (1807-1888)- Director of 7 mills, Treasurer of 2, President of 1. Mother was a Durfee, sister to Major Bradford Durfee. Improved mill setup for better transmission of power.
William C. (1806-1892)- brother of Stephen Davol. Bankrupt in 1879 on notes of his son-in-law, Charles P. Stickney.
William C. Junior (1841-....) Treasurer of the Davol Mills for fifteen years; Chief of Fall River Fire Department for twenty years.
Bradford Durfee (1841-1923)

Stickney

Charles P. (1824-....) Married to daughter of William C. Davol. Director of 9 mills, President of 1. President of Fall River Gas Company. Jailed for defalcations.

Osborn

Weaver (1815-1894) Co-founded Osborn mill, director. Mother was a Durfee; grandmother was a Borden
James Monroe (1822-1898) -brother of Weaver Osborn. treasurer of Slade mill, invested in Merchant Manufacturing Mill and Osborn mills.