John Souther was well established in his family’s shipbuilding business in Hingham when he moved to Quincy in 1815 and built the handsome home still standing at 356 Washington Street. He and his son, John L[incoln] Souther, operated an active shipyard on Town River for nearly fifty years, building many important vessels.

In addition to the shipyard, the Southers operated the two tide mills, a grist mill, and a sawmill. Mill Street and Pond Street still commemorate this activity. The original grist mill burned and was replaced in 1854 by the building still standing over its old raceway as part of the Quincy Lumber Company yard. The machinery has long been removed but the rugged mill building construction survives.