George S. Bond, a manufacturer of Charlestown, was born in that town, March 2, 1837, son of Silas and Alice (Abbot) Bond. His grandfather, William Bond, who was born in Watertown, Mass., at the age of twenty years came to Charlestown, and thereafter carried on general farming during the remainder of his active life. One of his six children was Silas Bond, who married Alice Abbot, and also was the father of six children, including the subject of this sketch.
George S. Bond was educated in the district schools of the town. At the age of seven years his father died. When about nine years old he went to Fall River, where he worked for two years. After his return to Charlestown he worked on various farms in Charlestown and Acworth for about five years. He subsequently went to Brockton, Mass., learned the shoe finishing business, and remained there until he was eighteen years of age. He then went to Syracuse, N.Y., where he worked at bis trade for two years. In 1856 he returned to Charlestown and took up the tinsmith trade. He then went to Putney, Vt., where he worked for four years. In 1865 he bought out the tin store of W. B. Downer, and afterward carried it on for fifteen years. On retiring from that business, he bought out the violin case manufactory that had been established in Charlestown. There was but little work done here at first, and he employed but one man. Subsequently he had to enlarge the place, and in 1893 he had forty hands in his employment and was using a fifty horsepower engine. In that year the factory was burned. Eleven weeks later his substantial new factory was ready for business. He has now a sixty horse-power engine, and he employs from twenty-five to thirty-five hands. The factory is said to be the best equipped establishment of its kind in the world, having a capacity of twenty-four dozen violin cases per day. Mr. Bond has dealings with some of the largest firms in this country. He is also interested in the Charlestown National Bank, of which he is the President. The community has had the advantage of his services on the School Board for several years. He went as delegate to Concord in the Constitutional Convention in 1889. A prominent Mason of Faithful Lodge, No. 12, he was its Master for a period of eight years. In 1860 he married Mary M. Way; and they have one son, Herbert. That he is now one of the solid men of Charlestown is almost entirely the result of his perseverance and industry.