A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II, Part 96

Author: Hill, Everett Gleason, 1867- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 986

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II > Part 96

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On the 25th of June, 1889, in Wallingford, Mr. Judd was united in marriage to Miss Cornelia Julia Martin, a daughter of Henry Martin, of Wallingford, and they have become parents of three children: Alice Lucile, Katherine Linsley and Philip Sedgwick.

In politics Mr. Judd is a stanch republican, giving unswerving allegiance to the party, and he is a charter member of Meriden lodge of the Order of United American Mechanics. He belongs to the First Congregational church of Wallingford and was the first secretary of its Benevolent Society, in which position he served for five years. He is greatly interested in all branches of the church work and does everything in his power to promote the growth and extend the influence of the congregation. In a word, his aid is given on the side of right, progress, reform and truth, and Wallingford numbers him among her valued citizens.

GEORGE EDWARD DICKERMAN.

George Edward Dickerman, an enterprising merchant of Wallingford, where he is en- gaged in the hardware trade, was born at Hamden, now known as Mount Carmel, September 18, 1842. His father, Jonathan Dickerman, was a native of Wallingford and spent his entire life as a farmer at Mount Carmel, where he passed away in 1870, when about seventy years of age. He was a son of Jonathan Dickerman, a native of Hamden, who in young manhood removed to Wallingford and gave his attention thereafter to general agricultural pursuits. Jonathan Dickerman, Jr., was united in marriage to Angeline Todd, a native of Mount Carmel and a daughter of Simeon and Mehitabel (Perkins) Todd. The death of Mrs. Dickerman occurred in 1897, when she had reached the notable old age of ninety- three years.

In the family were three sons and two daughters, but the brothers and sisters of George E. Dickerman have passed away. They were: Caroline. the wife of Charles Tuttle, of North Haven; Winslow. who settled in Minnesota and married Laura Ann Wilson, of Vermont; John, who married Angusta Gorham and followed farming in Mount Carmel; and Mary, who was the wife of Dr. Charles Parker, of Dansville, New York.

George E. Dickerman pursued his education in the public schools of Hamden and in the Guilford Institute and later he spent one year in attending medical lectures in New York and also studied in the hospital clinics there. Ile then returned to the home farm, upon which he remained until 1870, when he removed to Wallingford and devoted six or eight years to carpenter work. He gradually entered the contracting field, in which he continued until 1897, doing a large amount of building in and near Wallingford. As there was no hardware store in the town, he established a small store of that character in 1889, forming a partnership with Michael Simons. Upon the death of the latter in 1897 it became necessary

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for Mr. Dickerman to give up the contracting business in order to devote his entire attention to the store, for the trade gradually developed, outgrowing one location after another, until in 1902 Mr. Dickerman built the present business block on Main street, a two-story structure of brick with a frontage of sixty-two feet. He carries a general line of light and heavy hard- ware, also builders' hardware and tools, farm implements and automobile accessories. His business has assumed extensive and gratifying proportions and the trade is growing year by year. Mr. Dickerman has ever recognized the fact that satisfied patrons are the best ad- vertisement and he has therefore put forth every effort to please his customers. He also figures in banking circles, having for many years been a director of the First National Bank, while for several years he was a director of the Dime Savings Bank.

On the 9th of June, 1874, in North Haven, Mr. Dickerman was united in marriage to Miss Harriett Elizabeth Buckingham, a daughter of Wales and Julia (Morgan) Bucking- ham, of North Haven, and they have become the parents of three sons, Winslow B., Harry E. and Morgan P., all associated with their father in business.

For many years Mr. Dickerman has been a consistent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he also attends the Congregational church. In politics he has ever given his support to the democratic party and for many years was actively and prominently con- nected with public affairs as a burgess and a warden, occupying the latter position for three years. For twelve years he served as a member of the school board and he was one of the organizers of the fire department, acting as foreman of the Ilook & Ladder Company for ten years. He was one of the early members of the board of directors of the Wallingford Water- works and continued to serve in that capacity for many years. From the start he has taken a very active and helpful part in promoting public interests and cooperates in all well defined plans and purposes for the general good. He and his family reside at No. 104 South Main street, Wallingford, in a fine old colonial home, which was built in 1712 and was occupied by the pastors of the Congregational church until 1890, when it was purchased by Mr. Diek- erman.

ELIAS OEFINGER.

Elias Oefinger, a tuning pipe manufacturer of Meriden, conducting business at No. 82 Britannia street, was born in Germany, October 16, 1857, his parents being John and Anna Oefinger, but the latter died during the infancy of their son Elias. The father passed away in the old country.

Elias Oefinger attended the public schools and at an early age began work in a harmonica factory, gaining expert knowledge of the business. In 1876, when a youth of nineteen years, he bade adieu to friends and native land and sailed for the new world, establishing his home at Sherburn Falls, Massachusetts, while subsequently he removed to North Adams, Massachusetts, working in factories in those two places. In 1883 he arrived in Meriden and entered the employ of the Miller Brothers Cutlery Company, with which he was connected until 1889. He and his brother John then established a manufactory for tuning pipes, beginning in a small shop on Hicks street with no employes, doing all of the work themselves. Not long afterward his brother was killed on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and Elias Oefinger has since been sole proprietor of the busi-

ness. He now has the oldest tuning pipe manufacturing plant in the United States. His factory contains about three thousand square feet of floor space and he has eight employes engaged in the making of tuning pipes for every kind of stringed instrument, also for school use and for the human voice. The entire output of his factory is sold to one concern in Brooklyn and the pipes are manufactured under his own patents.

On the 16th of June, 1883, at Millers Falls, Massachusetts, Mr. Oefinger was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary Stark, by whom he has thirteen living children, as follows: John, of Meriden; Mrs. Mary Rahally, who also resides in Meriden; Louis, who lives in Meriden and married Miss Sarah Flanagan, by whom he has two children, John and Ellen; Annie, a resident of Meriden; Minnie, the wife of Fred Andrews, of Meriden, by whom she has three children -- Florence, Raymond and Edna; Fred, of Port Chester, Connecticut; Ida and Louise, who are living in Meriden; George, who is now a member of the United States

ELIAS OEFINGER

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army; and Harold, Herbert, Lydia and Mildred, all of Meriden. One son, Elias, died in 1900, when three years of age.

Mr. and Mrs. Oefinger are members of the First Congregational church of Meriden and Mr. Oefinger is connected with the Workmen's Sick and the Death Benefit Society, also with the Turners and with the Lyra Singing Society. He is very fond of music and greatly enjoys his association with the organizations which promote musical taste and culture. In politics he is a republican but has never been an office seeker, preferring to concentrate his energies and attention upon his business affairs. He has made steady progress since coming to the new world and in its business conditions found opportunities which were superior to those that he could obtain in his native country. In the utilization of these opportunities he has steadily progressed and is now at the head of a growing and profitable business.

RALPH BEERS.

Ralph Beers is a retired merchant living in North Branford, where he spent most of his life. For a long period he was closely connected with its commercial interests but at length turned over his business to the management of his son and is now enjoying a well earned rest. He was born in North Branford, August 29, 1843, his parents being Frederick W. and Amelia (Palmer) Beers. The former was born in North Branford, as was his father, Samuel Beers, and his grandfather, Pitman Beers. The latter was a son of Wheeler Beers and the ancestral line is traced on back to Westcliff, County Kent, England, where the family flourished at a place called Bere's Court. William deBere, of Bere's Court, was bailiff of Dover about 1275. Nicholas deBere held the manor of Bere's Court in the twentieth year of the reign of Henry III. The first ancestor of the American branch of the family was Martin deBere, of Rochester, Kent, who was living in 1486. He married a daughter of Thomas Nyssell, of Wrotham, Eng- land, and among the descendants of this couple in the fifth generation was Captain Richard Bere, who was born in 1607 and was a son of John and Mary (Selby) Bere, the former of Gravesend and the latter of Yorkshire. Captain Bere came to America in 1635, making his home in Watertown, Massachusetts. He represented that town in the general court for thirteen years and during the trouble with the Pequot Indians he commanded a company in several hattles and was killed by the Indians near Northfield, Massachusetts, in 1675. He was accompanied to America by his nephew, James deBere, who was the father of Wheeler Beers, the line of descent coming on down through Pitman and Samuel to Frederick W. Beers. The last named was a joiner and carpenter and to some extent engaged in farming, spending his entire life in North Branford. He died in 1860, when his son Ralph was seven- teen years of age. His father, Samuel, and his grandfather, Pitman Beers, had also been farmers, while Wheeler Beers was a cloth weaver. Pitman Beers served as tax collector and constable in his home town. Frederick W. Beers married Amelia Palmer, who was also a native of North Branford, and they became the parents of two children, the daughter being Adelaide, who was the wife of James Patterson, of North Branford.

The only son, Ralph Beers of this review, acquired a district school education in North Branford and there learned the blacksmith's trade. On the 21st of May, 1866, he became a clerk in the store of Russell Clark at North Branford, there remaining for a few years, after which he was in another store for the same employer at Branford. At a subsequent period he engaged in clerking for Duncan & Bradley at Branford and for F. F. Andrews, a eigar and tobacco merchant of New Haven, with whom he continued for ten years. In 1883 he returned to North Branford and entered into partnership with his former employer, Charles Bradley, becoming half owner of the general mercantile store where seventeen years before he had served as a clerk. This partnership was maintained only a few months, when in the fall of 1883 Mr. Beers bought out the interest of Mr. Bradley and carried on the store under his own name until the fall of 1910, when he turned over the business to his son, Ralph Earle Beers, since which time he has lived retired, enjoying well earned rest.

On the 2d of June, 1880, Mr. Beers was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Smith, of Northford, Connecticut. who was there born and is a daughter of George Smith, a native of Northford, where he followed the occupation of farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Beers have been Vcl II-35

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born two children: Florence, the wife of Virgil M. Rose, of North Branford, by whom she has one daughter, Helen C .; and Ralph Earle, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work.

In his political views Mr. Beers has always been a stalwart republican since attaining his majority. He represented his district in the state legislature in 1897 and was made a member of the finance committee. He has also served as a member of the school board. Fra- ternally he is connected with the Widows Sons Lodge, No. 66, A. F. & A. M., also has mem- bership in Totoket Grange and was secretary of the Congregational Society of North Bran- ford for nine years. His has been the creditable record of a well spent life, in which he has ever recognized the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship and in which he has been loyal to every trust reposed in him, whether of a public or private nature. His business integrity has ever been unassailable and his enterprise won for him the measure of success that now enables him to live retired.

RALPH EARLE BEERS.

Ralph Earle Beers is one of the enterprising young merchants of New Haven county, conducting a store in North Branford, where he was born on the 6th of October, 1891, a son of Ralph Beers, who was his predecessor in the business in which he is now engaged. After acquiring his early education in the schools of North Branford and pursuing a course in the Branford high school he entered his father's store and under his father's direction received his business training, acquiring experience that has been of great value to him since he took over the business in the fall of 1910, when his father retired. He has since conducted the store and made of it a growing and profitable commercial enterprise. He put new life into the old establishment, applying modern methods, and his progressive spirit is manifest in the results that have been attained. He now has a liberal and growing patronage and he carries a large and carefully selected line of goods, always closely studying the public needs and demands.

On the 24th of July, 1910, in North Branford, Mr. Beers was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Judson, a native of North Woodbridge, Connecticut, and a daughter of Charles and Marie (Staude) Judson. Her father was engaged in the meat business as a member of the firm of Judson & Judson of New Haven for a number of years but is now a farmer of Foxon. The mother has passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Beers has been born one child, Ralph Jud- son, whose birth occurred in North Branford, May 25, 1911.

In his political views Mr. Beers is a republican, having supported the party since reach- ing adult age, and he belongs to Totoket Grange. He is yet a young man who has not reached the zenith of his powers and the future holds out to him alluring promises, for he has the determination, the energy and ability which feature largely in success.

JUDGE JOHN GARVIN PHELAN.

Judge John Garvin Phelan is one of the most popular residents of Wallingford, where he has made his home since 1881. There are various reasons for this popularity. In the first place, he is an enterprising business man, and also because he has figured prominently in political and in military circles here for many years and because through all the relations of life a genial nature and cordial disposition have made him personally well liked.

Judge Phelan was born in New York city, April 1, 1848, and was the only son in a family of five children born to Thomas and Mary (Garvin) Phelan. The former was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland. His father was a political refugee who came to America about 1825, when Thomas Phelan was a lad of twelve years. The latter spent his early life in New York city and in Halifax, where he learned and followed the trade of a pump boot maker and enjoyed the distinction of being one of the two best workmen in that field in New York and in Boston. At the outbreak of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for aid in pre- serving the Union, enlisting as a member of Battery M of the First Connecticut Artillery, with which he served for three years. During the last year of the war he was with the Twenty-

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fourth Regiment of the Veteran Reserve and was on duty in or near Washington. He had become a resident of Connectieut in 1849, at which time he took up his abode in New Haven, where he resided until 1857, when he removed to Northford, where his remaining days were passed, his death oceurring in 1886, when he had reached the age of seventy-two years. He was a man of very liberal education, constantly promoting his knowledge by wide reading, and he possessed a remarkable memory. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Garvin, was a daughter of James and Ann Garvin, who came from County Fermanagh, Ire- land, on the banks of the Lough Erne. The death of Mrs. Phelan occurred in Northford about 1902.

Judge Phelan was brought to Connecticut during his infancy, being little more than a year old at the time the family home was established in New Haven. He began his education in the old school that stood at the corner of Putnam and Liberty street> in New Haven and continued his education in the old South District school. When his father enlisted for service in the Civil war in 1862, the Judge, being the eldest of five children, was obliged to assume the responsibilities of the family and secured employment in a grocery and general store in New Haven, where he remained for a year and a half. Because of the fact that liquor was sold there he left his position and returned to his old home at Northford, the family having some years before removed from New Haven to Northford. Judge Phelan then entered the employ of the Northford Manufacturing Company under Judge Bartholomae, working at a salary of fifty cents per day. He remained with that company for fourteen years and won rapid promotion with constant advancement in salary. The company was engaged in the man- ufacture of tinware and japanned goods. Upon the introduction of stamped ware, which revolutionized the tinware business, he established a mail order business in card printing and in the manufacture and importation of colored and embossed eards. In this business he eon- tinned successfully for a deeade. In the meantime he had done considerable writing for news- papers and during the next few years he was a contributor of special articles for the North- western Newspaper Syndicate. In 1894 he entered into a contract with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of New York to assume duty at Wallingford, to which place he had pre- viously removed. He has been offered promotions but has declined, as they would necessitate the establishment of his home elsewhere and he prefers Wallingford a> a place of residence. He is today the oldest insurance man of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in his district.

Aside from business connections Judge Phelan is known by reason of his active public service and his military record. He has never voted any other than the democratic ticket but is popular with people of all parties and, as he humorously expresses it, is fond of his repub- lican friends on every other day than election day. For four years he was chairman of the demoeratie town committee and he has put forth every effort in his power to promote demo- eratie successes. For a decade he filled the office of justice of the peace and for two years he was deputy judge.

Since 1916 be has been secretary of the park commission and he puts forth the most earnest and helpful efforts for the benefit of the eity along various lines of publie progress and improvement. He is now one of the finance committee of the Red Cross, of which the Rev. A. P. Greenleaf is the head.

His interest and activity in military affairs eover a most extended period. He was a member of Company A. at Durham, two years before his removal to Wallingford. For sixteen years he was a member of Company K and served on the regimental color guard and on the rifle team for several years. He has held the rank of major in the camp of the Sons of Vet- erans and he has done everything in his power to promote a military spirit and advance the high standards of the National Guard organizations in this section of the state. His cooper- ation with plans and movements for the publie good is further indicated by his membership in the chamber of commerce, of which he is a director and the treasurer of its building fund. Judge Phelan belongs to the Wallingford Chub and is a charter member of Court Robert Wallace of the Knights of Columbus-a fact which is indicative of his connection with the Catholic church, being a communicant of Holy Trinity church. He was president of the T. A. B. Society for a number of years and was a member of the building committee that erected the present building in 1885. For ten years he was also secretary of that society. Mr. Phelan is an ardent advocate of woman suffrage and says that he feels satisfied the great moral questions will be decided rightly when woman takes her place before the ballot box

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with the right to vote as her conscience dictates. He was one of the faithful and able work- ers through several months on the various committees connected with the celebration of Ly- man Hall day in Wallingford. It was through his efforts that Lucien Knight, the southern orator, was prevailed upon to come to Wallingford and dedieate the memorial boulder to the memory of Wallingford's illustrious son. It was also Judge Phelan who suggested that the new high school be named the Lyman Hall school.

On the 5th of June, 1876, in the old Catholic church in Wallingford, Judge Phelan was united in marriage by the Rev. Father Hugh Maeham to Miss Margaret Coffey. a daughter of Mrs. Ellen Coffey, who was the first Catholic married in Wallingford. Mrs. Phelan passed away in 1881. The three surviving children of that marriage are: Evangeline, who is the wife of Victor Valenti, of West Haven; James, who is a tool maker with the R. Wallace & Sons Manufacturing Company; and Agnes, who is in Milton, Massachusetts. For his second wife Judge Phelan chose Emma Genevieve Hine, of North Haven, who passed away two and a half years later. His third wife was Annie Murphy, of Wallingford, and they have become the parents of eight children: Maud; John T., who is employed by the Federal Line, sailing between New York and European ports; Alice, at home; Paul, who is a member of the Naval Reserve; Celestin, who is in charge of the sheet music department in the store of MI. Stein- ert of New Haven; Madeline, who is in high school; Dorothy, in the grammar school; and Russell, a student in the parochial school. All of the children with the exception of the three youngest. who are yet students, have graduated from the Wallingford high school.

The family residence is at No. 472 North Main street. Judge Phelan is devoted to the welfare of his wife and children and counts no effort or personal sacrifice on his part too great if it will enhance their comfort or aid in their character building. He takes the keenest inter- est in local history and is considered the best posted man in Wallingford on that subject. He has ever been a wide reader and an able writer. Some of his most pleasant hours are spent in his library in association with the men of master minds of all ages and at the same time he keeps in touch with the trend of modern thought and upon the great political, so- ciological and economic questions of the day is abreast with the best thinking men of the age.

ROBERT AUGUSTUS BROWN.

Robert Augustus Brown, deceased, figured prominently in banking circles of New Haven for many years and was one of its honored citizens whose activities had much to do with shaping business development.

He was born in New Haven. November 30, 1835, and was descended from Francis Brown. who was one of the original settlers of the New Haven colony. The line of descent comes down to Captain Robert Brown, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, who won official rank and who married Miss Mary Law, a granddaughter of Governor Law. Captain Robert Brown was the father of Robert Brown, Jr., and he in turn the father of Andrew Law Brown, who was born in New Haven and became a ship chandler and manufacturer of soap and tallow candles. He was a partner in the firm of C. & A. L. Brown, which business was established in 1789 on George street by Captain Robert Brown. Andrew L. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Beebe, of an old New London family of that name.

Robert A. Brown, eldest son of Andrew L. Brown, after attending the public schools of New Haven, entered in 1855 the employ of the New Haven Manufacturing Company in the capacity of bookkeeper and remained in active connection with that concern for fifty-two years, occupying the presidency from 1876 until his death. About 1877 he became one of the incorporators of the New Haven Savings Bank, becoming vice president in 1889. treas- urer in 1893, and was the active manager for the remainder of his life. A new bank building was erected under his administration. He was from 1877 on one of the directors of the Tradesmen's National Bank and its vice president from 1901 until his demise. He died September 22, 1907.

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A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II, Part 96

Author: Hill, Everett Gleason, 1867- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1918 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 986

Author: Hill, Everett Gleason, 1867- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 986