Short answers, pulled from the story.
Thomas Somers and James Leonard arrived in Beverly to build the first cotton mill in America. They recruited a group of investors including Capt. John Cabot, George Cabot, Andrew Cabot, Deborah Higginson Cabot, Henry Higginson, Dr. Joshua Fisher, Moses Brown, Israel Thorndike, and Isaac Chapman.
The plant officially opened for business on the 1st of November 1787 after construction began in the summer of that year. Port records show shipments of cotton being imported as early as March 1785 before the building existed.
The mill may have stopped operations during the Embargo of 1807 when commerce in Salem and Beverly became paralyzed. Business had ceased prior to this 1813 deed with part of the machinery sold.
Today a memorial stone marks the location at coordinates 42°34'21.52N, 70°53'35.46W. The factory stood at Baker's Corner which is the corner of Cabot and Dodge streets.
The old brick factory burned on the 13th of October 1828 after years of decline. Since the mill was based on horsepower it could not compete against future water-driven mills.