USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II > Part 2
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Bridgeport.
August 1, 1848. The contract price was two and a quarter millions of dollars, payable as follows : " cash, in installments, as work is completed, $1,350,000; and $900,000 in stock." The contractors were each to receive, also, a free pass for the term of their natural lives.
The civil engineer, Roswell B. Mason from New Jersey, made the final surveys of the Housatonic Railroad, and of the Berkshire to the Boston and Albany Railroad, and was Superintendent of the Housatonic from 1840 to 1845. He then served as engineer in the construction of the New Haven and New York, and the Naugatuck roads. In 1850 he went to Chicago and for a number of years was connected with the land department of the Illinois Central Railroad. He was Mayor of Chicago at the time of the great fire in that city.
Trains commenced running from Bridgeport to Fairfield September 2, 1848, but though finished from New Haven to Westport in October, 1848, it was not until January 1, 1849, that the road was fully open for travel over its entire length. This was on only a single track. In May, 1851, an additional track was laid, and the capital stock was increased to three million dollars.
Two severe disasters have occurred in its history : the first was the terrible accident and loss of life at Norwalk bridge, May 9, 1853, and the second the fraudulent overissue of stock by its first president, Robert Schuyler, which came to light in July, 1854; but with these exceptions, it has had a career of almost uninterrupted prosperity. Much of this suc- cess is due to the ability of the Hon. William D. Bishop, of Bridgeport, who was its president from May 17, 1867, to March I, 1879, when ill health compelled him to resign. He is still a member of the board of directors. Hon. Nathaniel Wheeler has also been a director from May 19, 1870, to the present time. Mr. John T. Moody and Mr. William H. Stevenson, of this city, are connected with the road-the foriner as superintend- ent a number of years, and the latter is now the superintendent of the New York and New Haven division, having been, pre- viously, superintendent of the Shore Line division.
In the summer of 1872 the New York and New Haven road was consolidated with the Hartford and New Haven
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road, and in June of the following year the work of equipping it throughout was completed. The consolidated road now leases the Boston and New York Air Line and the Shore Line. The capital stock of the consolidated road is $15,500,- 000, and its debt a little over $400,000.
The Parallel Railroad .- Efforts to obtain a charter to build a railroad from New York to New Haven had been defeated in the legislature by the New York and New Haven Railroad, while the latter was seeking to consolidate with the New Haven, Hartford and Springfield road. Not being able to obtain the legislation necessary without the aid of the friends of the Parallel, a compromise, the general railroad law, was passed in 1871.
Under that law the New York and Eastern Railroad company was organized in February, 1874. In their efforts before the legislature the same year to obtain permission to bridge the Housatonic river, they were defeated, and the fact was demonstrated that it was impossible, if there was any opposition, to build a railroad under that law. The present New York and Connecticut Air Line Railway company was organized in October, 1881. During the interval of the legis- lature the friends of the enterprise were not idle, but steadily laying the foundation, through public sentiment and other- wise, for certain amendments to the law that would remove the difficulty, which was accomplished in 1882. Immediately following this action of the legislature this company located its road and presented the plan to the railroad commissioners, which was accepted by them in November, 1883. On the 24th of January, 1884, the work of construction was com- menced within the limits of the city of Bridgeport, by Mr. Henry R. Parrott, who threw out the first shovelful of gravel in the cut at Lindley street. Mr. Parrott is president of the board of directors, has devoted more time to the enterprise than any other member, and to him is due, in a large degree, the present favorable position of the company.
The following persons constitute the board of directors :.
S. E. Olmstead, deceased, E. R. Lockwood and George R. Cowles, of Norwalk; A. L. Winton, H. R. Parrott, of Bridgeport; W. T. Minor, of Stamford; Ira G. Briggs, of
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Voluntown; Sheldon Collins, C. V. Sidell, Wm. T. Black, H. C. Hepburn, and C. D. Ingersoll, of New York; W. W. Douglas, of Providence.
Manufacturing Enterprises in Bridgeport.
The industries of this city are many, and some of them are of large proportions as to money expended and income received. A general, historical outline of these various en- terprises is here given as accurately as it was possible to obtain information in the short time at command, for no consideration whatever than that of a historical record, and this record is set forth as showing the cause of the rapid growth of the city. A large proportion of the mercantile business of the place, aside from manufacturing, came here, not so much to build a city, as to meet the wants of the people already here.
Hat Manufacturing was among the earliest enter- prises of Bridgeport. Thomas Gouge came here in 1792 and commenced business in a shop on the corner of Middle and Beaver streets. Reuben Tweedy came from Danbury in 1793 and followed the same business, and was soon joined by his brother, Smith Tweedy .. Their shops were on Middle street, north of Beaver.
In the earlier stages of the business most of the hats were made of fur bodies, for the New York market, but subse- quently machinery was introduced for manufacturing wool bodies, which were napped with fur, and called napped hats.
Mr. Gouge employed five or six men and several appren- tices. R. and S. Tweedy did a larger business, employing twelve to fifteen men and five or six apprentices. They opened a house in Pittsburgh, Pa., and another at Charleston, S. C., but the latter was soon relinquished.
Samuel Hawley, Jr., who learned his trade of his uncle, Nathan Seeley, of Bethel, conducted the business a short time on Main street, near Gold. He died young, in 1826.
George Wade, a former apprentice, bought out Smith
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History of Stratford.
Furniture for home use, consisting at first of plain bedsteads, chairs, tables, and sometimes a chest of drawers, constituting the "setting out" of almost every young lady, was made in the vicinity of Bridgeport from the earliest settlement of the place, the same as in other parts of the country. High-post bedsteads, and high-back, ornamented chairs were indulged in by the more well-to-do families-a few enjoyed elegant chairs and court cupboards, brought from England.
This furniture was produced, at first, by the village cabinet and chair maker, to which was added, as occasion demanded, the invariably one shaped coffin, made of cherry, or of white wood, stained red, with a rude plate bearing the initials and date, or the same put on the lid in brass headed nails.
A writing desk is still preserved, which was made for Lieut. David Sherman. An apple tree was cut, taken to the saw-mill, made into boards, and the cabinet maker trans- formed it into a desk of great beauty and strength, for the period, and it appears to be good for another hundred years.
So far as remembered, William H. Peabody was the first cabinet maker in Bridgeport. Lemuel Hubbell was the sole cabinet maker here for some years, and he had a wind-mill for producing power to drive a turning lathe, located on Beaver street. Mr. F. W. Parrott learned this trade of Mr. Hubbell, and made the first sofa in Bridgeport.
About sixty years ago, a shop of considerable size was built on the west side of Main street, a little south of State, and occupied as a chair manufactory, by a New York party by the name of Finch, but it was continued only a few years. About the same period, William B. Thomas was in the same business on Bank street, near the North Church Chapel, and the veteran Fenelon Hubbell was his apprentice. Mr. Hub- bell, afterwards, joined Mr. F. W. Parrott, and they established a shop and salesroom on Main street, where Cannon street now enters it. During this time Carlos Curtis had purchased the establishment of Mr. Thomas-who removed to Savannah, Ga .- and enlarged the business on Bank street. After a time Mr. Parrott started anew near his residence on North Wash-
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Nathan Buckingham
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Bridgeport.
ington avenue, and Mr. Hubbell soon united with Mr. Carlos Curtis, and both establishments led in the manufacture of newer styles of goods. Mr. Parrott changed his business, some years after, to the making of varnish, and Hubbell and Curtis are still a leading firm in the cabinet making business.
Messrs. Frederick Lockwood and Nathan Buckingham commenced business together in 1838, which has grown and continues to be a large and important business among the enterprises of Bridgeport.
Nathan Buckingham was born in Milford, Ct., Dec. 29, 1813, and learned the trade of a joiner and builder in New Haven. He came to Bridgeport in 1834 to follow his trade, with Jerah Stowe, also of Milford; and their business was located on Water street until 1840 or '41. At this time, Mr. Frederick Lockwood and Nichols Northrop were man- ufacturing chairs and light furniture in Mr. Roswell Lewis' large store on the wharf, nearly opposite Union street. In 1842, Mr. Buckingham took the place of Mr. Northrop, and the business was continued under the old name. In 1843, they established a wareroom on State street, where they were burned out in 1845. The next year F. Lockwood and Co. put up the brick building on Water street, the upper stories of which have been used for the furniture business ever since, by that company and its successors. In 1853, Mr. Lockwood sold his interest to Mr. Burr Curtis, when the firm name was changed to Buckingham and Curtis. They continued thus until 1857, when the former took the whole business, conduct- ing it until 1872, when he took Mr. David Stowe and Mr. Chas. B. Buckingham as partners. They gave prominence to undertaking, and, associating with them Mr. W. F. Bishop, opened a store on Wall street, devoted to this specialty, the first of the kind in Bridgeport. A branch house was also established in South Norwalk, which, in 1878, was taken by Mr. Stowe, and the other partners kept the Bridgeport house, which has been continued with great success until the present time, under the name of N. Buckingham and Company. Mr. Nathan Buckingham died June 16, 1885. He was a member of the Common Council in 1860 and '61, and was an active
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member of the Board of Trade. At his decease he was pres- ident of the Bridgeport Coach Lace Company, also a trustee of the City Savings Bank, and a member of the Universalist Society. In 1840, he married Mary A., daughter of Abel Booth, of Stratford, who survives him with the following children : Charles B. Buckingham, Mrs. M. M. Downer, and Mrs. J. O. Green, of Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Charles B. Buck- ingham and his brother-in-law, Mr. M. M. Downer, continue the business at the store on Water street.
A Furniture Manufacturing Company was formed as a joint stock concern in 1852, which was run with varying suc- cesses for several years, when it came under the control of the present enterprising proprietor, Mr. Jacob Kiefer, who has made it one of the leading enterprises of the city.
The work of the undertaker, now frequently a separate business from all others, grew out of the trade of cabinet making, and has become a very essential part in the fulfillment of the first stipulation made in nearly all the wills for two hundred years, -"a decent burial." Mr. Frederick W. Par- rott built the first hearse that was used in Bridgeport, upon the suggestion of his wife, Mrs. Lucelia A. Parrott. He built the body with his own hands, purchased the running part of a neighboring wagon maker, and Mrs. Parrott made the cloth trimmings.
Messrs. George E. Northnagle and Son, furniture makers and merchants. They were engaged some years with the Hubbell and Curtis Co., until January 1, 1886, when they purchased the stand of Kiefer and Company, at 425 Main street. They manufacture a general assortment and do a retail business, doing their own upholstering, occupying the four upper stories of the building. They are practical work- men themselves, and propose to keep up with all the demands and enterprises of their line of business.
Carriage Making became prominent early in the busi- ness enterprises of Bridgeport. Previous to 1833, it was confined to the modest establishment of Messrs. Carier and Porter on Middle street, and Mott and Burr, on Clinton, near the corner of North avenue. The late Stephen Tomlinson,
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who had been identified with the Middle street establishment, and David Augustus Wood, both excellent mechanics, were joined by the late Jeremiah Judson, who contributed both capital and enterprise to the firm of Tomlinson, Wood and Co. They erected a factory on Broad, at what was the head of Cannon street, and entered upon what proved to be a very successful business. The house maintained a preeminence in New York City for many years.
About 1834, the first steam power was introduced in con- nection with the carriage business. David and Ebenezer Wheeler set up a James engine, a sugar-loaf boiler, in two parts, the top conical in shape, set in a knuckle joint, kept in place by its own weight. The power was used for sawing, drilling, turning axles and grinding springs, the engine being located in the blacksmith shop on the south side of Cannon street. This engine also furnished steam for a bathing estab- lishment on the north side of Cannon street.
About the same time, Mott and Burr removed to the locality on State street, since occupied by Messrs. Mott and Company, enlarged their business, where, with some changes of proprietors, they maintained a prominent position to a very recent period.
Several firms of longer or shorter continuance have some- time since discontinued or removed, such as : Haight; Hurd, Fairchild and Co., North Main street; Burr and Haight; George Keeler, on Harrison street ; the Union Carriage Co., in the pioneer factory in East Bridgeport; and after them in the same building, Brewster and Co., who became very cele- brated in the sale of fine carriages in Broome street, New York; also Haight and Hubbell, in East Bridgeport. Also the Messrs. Nichols, veteran manufacturers of light wagons at Nichols Farms, in Trumbull, have a few years since located in John street.
Nichols, Peck and Co.'s carriage manufactory was established at Nos. 97 and 99 John street. George K. Nichols and his brother David S. Nichols were successors to James K. Nichols, in manufacturing carriages at Nichols Farms. They made coaches and light carriages, chiefly for the South- ern States and Texas, making also a specialty in Mexican
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History of Stratford.
to Bridgeport and commenced the saddlery business, in the second story of the new block, corner of State and Main sts. He was joined by Lemuel Coleman and perhaps others, and Mr. Coleman soon followed Mr. Wright to Charleston, S. C. More capital was needed, and the Fairchild Brothers, of Trumbull, who were successful manufacturers of saddle trees, joined Mr. Lyon. The Fairchilds owned two stores on the east side of Water street near the foot of Wall, and into one of these the firm of Fairchild, Lyon and Co. re- moved,‘ and under this firm name in Charleston made a vig- orous fight against Smith and Wright for the business of that market .*
In this opposition neither firm made money and, there- fore, on March 20, 1821, a compromise was effected by which Smith and Wright were to remove their manufactory to Newark, N. J., taking Savannah and Augusta, Ga., Mobile and New Orleans as their market, while Fairchild, Lyon and Co. were to remain at Bridgeport, and hold Charleston as their market, which was ample for all the goods they could produce.
Some attention was given to local trade, as seen from the following fac-simile cut and copied advertisement, taken from . the " Republican Farmer" of September 25, 1822 :
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"Fairchild, Lyon and Co., Have for sale, cheap for cash or short approved credit, a general assortment of Saddles, Bridles, Harnesses, Trunks, Valieces, Port- manteaus, Whips, Spurs, Holsters, Caps, Saddlery Ware, &c. They also manufacture Cotton Web ; and will furnish saddles with that arti- cle very low.
4 In the summer of 1818 Barak T. Nichols, a native of Greenfield, engaged as an apprentice to Fairchild, Lyon and Co., doing chores in the old store now standing just below the south line of Wall street. Mr. Nichols, while in his prime, just before the late war, filled a large place in the saddlery business in Augusta, Ga., and at Newark, N. J. He is still living in North Bridgeport.
5 In 1820 Mr. Southmayd, of Middletown, failed, and quite a number of jour- neymen and apprentices came from that manufactory to Bridgeport, among whom were Chauncey Ward, James F. Banks, and William Wright, Jr.
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"Cash paid for common Bark and Hemlock Tanned Sheep- skins, and Cattle's Hair, at the store, west end the Bridge. Bridge- port, May 21, 1822."
About 1828 the Fairchilds retired from the saddlery busi- ness and the firm was changed to Lyon, Wright and Co., at Bridgeport, and Coleman, Wright and Co., at Charleston ; Mr. Wright retaining only a fractional interest, which was represented by Mr. H. K. Harral, who subsequently acquired Mr. Wright's interest and more, but Mr. Wright's name was retained for its prestige until 1837, when Smith and Wright, though financially sound, were forced to suspend payment temporarily, and the name of Harral was substituted for Wright. A short time brought in remittances, which set the Newark house right and their prosperity was scarcely checked by their suspension.
Henry K. Harral, at the age of fourteen, left the house of his father, Doct. George Harral, in Rochester, N. Y., to seek his fortune in New York City, where he obtained em- ployment and developed a noticeable business talent, which chanced to meet the quick eye of William Wright, who pro- posed to him to go out to Charleston and learn his business. To this Mr. Harral consented and proved a very valuable acquisition. 'He is said to have been one of the most success- ful salesmen and collectors ever engaged in the southern trade. He subsequently married Sarah Ann, the youngest daughter of William Peet, and was prominent in the finan- cial, municipal, political, and social circles of Bridgeport and Connecticut. In 1840 he purchased the home of the Rev. John Blatchford, D.D., on Golden Hill, and the native walnut grove adjoining, and in 1848 and 9 removed the old dwelling house, improved the grounds, and erected the large dwelling now owned and occupied by the Hon. Nathaniel Wheeler. He possessed an active and nervous temperament, and appar- ently a strong constitution, but in 1853 a chronic bronchial trouble became strongly developed, which he sought to alleviate by a winter's residence at Aiken, S. C. In this he and his friends were disappointed, for he died at Augusta, Ga., in the spring of 1854, aged 46 years.
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History of Stratford.
Philo C. Calhoun, a native of Danbury, Conn., was apprenticed to Lyon, Wright and Company in 1826. The workman's ledger of the firm shows an entry of ten dollars credit to B. T. Nichols for instructing Philo C. Calhoun on harness. This used to be referred to as a curiosity when these gentlemen were at the head of their respective firms and filling a large place in business circles. He was of rather delicate health and the exposures in his work threatened to permanently impair his health. On this account and good qualities he was placed in the store at Charleston, where he spent a number of years associated with H. K. Harral, who had become the leading manager of that house. In 1835 or 6 Mr. Lyon called Mr. Calhoun to his aid in Bridgeport, giving him a small interest in the profits.
In 1838 changes were made and the firm became Lyon, Calhoun and Company, consisting of Hanford Lyon, P. C. Calhoun, H. K. Harral, and Willys Lyon, a relative of Han- ford Lyon, who for a number of years had been bookkeeper for the firm. In Charleston, Mr. Coleman having retired, the firm became Harral, Hare and Co., Robert W. Hare, a native of Philadelphia, and William Harral, brother of H. K. Harral, becoming associated. In June, 1843, H. K. Harral purchased the entire interest of Hanford Lyon and the latter retired from active business with a handsome fortune, which by skill- ful management was further augmented, and at his decease he was the largest tax payer in Bridgeport.
Hanford Lyon was born in the town of Easton, Conn., in Rock House district, and was the son of Nathaniel Webb Lyon. His family was noted for its longevity. His father attained nearly 101 years; his brother David 96 years; Sam- uel, 93; Levi, 90; and Walker, 81. His youngest brother, Jarvis, died at the age of 56. Hanford was the youngest but one in the family of nine children. He worked on his father's farm, attended the public school in winter, until he was four- teen years of age, when he was apprenticed at Danbury, and then passed through the business career as represented in the preceding pages concerning the saddlery business.
Mr. Lyon was twice married. His first wife was Hettie
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Hanford Lyon
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Ann Thompson, of Stratford, sister of the late Joseph and John M. Thompson. Their children were two sons: Freder- ick H., who married Bessie Hawley; William, who is unmar- ried; and three daughters: Sarah J., who married Judge Edward I. Sanford, of New Haven; Josie, married Henry T. Shelton ; and Adelaide.
His second wife was Annie Mackey Frye, daughter of Daniel M. and Ann Butler Frye, of New York City, and sister of the late Major Frederick Frye. Mr. Lyon left the following children by this marriage, who, with their mother, survive him: Edward H., who married Jessie, daughter of Doct. D. H. Porter; Frank C., who married Ida, daughter of Mrs. C. M. Mitchell, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Charles G .; and Alice C., who married Col. Thomas L. Watson, of Bridgeport and New York.
Mr. Lyon was a member of the first Congregational society from his early manhood, and united with the church in 1858, in which he was held in high esteem. Self-educated and thoroughly furnished by a large and active business experience, with capabilities equal to almost any position, he was yet unassuming and did not seek public office or distinc- tion. He belonged to the old whig party during its day, but afterwards became a strong republican and supporter of the union cause in the late war. He was a member of the Com- mon Council of the city in the years 1837, '42, '44, '45 and '48, a portion of the time as alderman. He was a director of the Connecticut Bank; director and president of the old Bridge- port Bank; director of the Pequonnock Bank ; first president of the City Savings Bank ; director and president of the City Gas Light Company ; and was also a valued member of other important public and private institutions. He died Decem- ber 21, 1879.
In 1843 Mr. Harral retired from the management of the Charleston house, making Bridgeport his only residence, and with P. C. Calhoun devoted himself to the Bridgeport busi- ness. Before the first year of the new firm had passed addi- tional help was needed and they employed Mr. Rowland B. Lacey, whose successful management of the business of the Housatonic Railroad at Bridgeport - which at that time
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meant a large part of the business of the road-in close prox- imity to their saddlery, secured an assuring business acquaint- ance, and he entered their establishment in March, 1844. The firm of Harral and Calhoun was continued ten years, until June 1, 1853, when Mr. Lacey became a partner, and it was made Harral, Calhoun and Company.
Railroads, at this time, began to add to the facilities of transportation and prosperity in business enterprises. In 1845 the company opened a salesroom at 309 Pearl street, New York, with Francis Harral, the youngest brother of H. K. Harral, as manager, and in 1847-8 an arrangement was made with Samuel E. Sproulls, who had much experience in the southern trade in the firm of Rankin, Sproulls and Co., hatters, of Charleston, S. C., to join the company, and the business was removed to the fine store numbers 119, 121' William street, under the name of Harral, Sproulls and Co. In 1852 the business was removed to 24 Chambers street.
In 1847 occurred the Mexican War, in which the United States acquired the territory of Texas, which opened a new market and called for new styles of goods.
In 1845 Isaac Sherman, Jr., was furnished with a stock of saddlery goods by this company to try the St. Louis market. These he readily disposed of, and the next year an arrange- ment was made, under the firm name of Harral, Sherman and Co., for the sale of saddlery in St. Louis, Mo. In 1847 the cholera appeared in St. Louis and Mr. Sherman started for home, but died with that disease at Rockford, Ill. The vacancy was filled by Edward J. Sterling, a brother-in-law of Mr. Calhoun. The firm later manufactured extensively in St. Louis, as some kinds of stock and labor were cheaper there. In 1858 their connection with the Bridgeport house ceased.
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