USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Meriden > An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it > Part 59
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ICE CREAM
Photo by R. S. Godfrey. PARKER BLOCK.
is also a member of Myrtle Lodge, 4, Knights of Pythias, and was once for many years treasurer of the Pa- triot Order of the Sons of America. He is also a member and one of the executive committee of the Colonial Club. He is a member of the First Congregational Church.
On November 23, 1880, he was married to Mary E. Balcom of New York City, to whom two daughters
and one son have been born as fol- lows. Marion Conant, born in 1881, married Edward C Waterman of Troy, N. Y., and to whom one son, John Parker Waterman, was born February 8, 1906; Laura Albertina Parker, born in 1884; and Robert Lane Parker, born 1890. The par- ents of Mr. Parker are still living in Meriden.
S. C. PIERSON.
Stephen Condit Pierson was born at Orange, N. J., Nov. 18, 1841, son of Aaron and Mary C. (Ogden) Pier- son.
Ancestry: Thomas Pierson of Yorkshire, England, who with his brother, Rev. Abraham Pierson, (father of the first president of Yale College) was a founder of South- ampton, L. I., Branford, Conn., and Newark, N. J .; John Odgen, born 1610 at Corfe Castle, Dorset County, England, built the first church in New York City (within the old Dutch fort) in 1643, named on Royal Charter 1662, as assistant to Gover- nor Winthrop, the founder of Eliza- beth, N. J., and "Schout" of the Eng- lish towns in New Jersey; Edward Howell, (gent.) born 1584, Marsh Gibbon, Bucks County, England, purchased east end of Long Island for his colony, and for the hon- or of being the first English set- tler of New York state, his (Howell) coat of arms was carved on the stair- way of the present capitol at Al-
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bany; Richard Treat, born London 1584, named in Connecticut charter 1662 as assistant to Governor Win- throp; Robert Treat (son of Rich- ard), born London 1622, commander- in-chief Connecticut troops in King Philip's War, magistrate New Haven Colony 1661-65, governor of Connecticut 1672, governor or depu-
Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
S. C. PIERSON.
ty-governor for thirty years, a founder of Newark, N. J .: Jasper Crane, a founder of New Haven and Branford, also a founder and chief magistrate of Newark, N. J. His son married Mary, daughter of Gov- ernor Robert Treat. Richard Har- rison, a founder of New Haven and Branford ; Joseph Baldwin, a
founder of Milford; Rev. Peter Prudden, the leader of Milford and a founder of New Haven; Daniel Dod, a founder of Branford ; Henry Botsford, a founder of Milford.
Mr. Pierson resided in Hartford 1850-65, graduated at Yale in the class of 1864, and took post-gradu- ate course of one year at Sheffield Scientific School; then was member of N. Y. C. R. R. engineer corps and thereafter in the employ of the N. H., H. & S. R. R., and engaged in railroad surveys, for the most part, until coming to Meriden. Since 1888 has been, and still is, actively engaged as civil engineeer and sur- veyor.
He was city engineer and sur- veyor from the organization of the city to 1888, with the exception of four years. During this time the more important streets laid out, and for the most part graded and side- walked, were as follows .- Crown, Camp, Bunker Avenue, North Colo- ny, South Colony, West Main, East Main, Pratt, Center, Britannia, Gris- wold, Hicks, Warren, Sherman Ave- nue, Franklin, Lewis Avenue, Lins- ley Avenue, Hanover to end of New City, Maple, Grove, Columbia, Lin- coln, Miller, Liberty. Cook Avenue from West Main to Harrington Hill, Veteran, Willow, Pleasant, Elm. High, Cooper, Hobart, Olive, Oak, School, Cottage, Newton, Broad and Curtis. Harbor Brook froin Miller Street was laid out and graded, and the dams removed.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
Married at Simsbury, Sept. 23, 1868, Hannah Pettibone Lati- mer, who was ever diligent in minis- tries and good works, and died Sept. 22, 1883.
Married Mrs. Mindwell Hastings Glazier Sept. 18, 1890.
Children. I Guy Rowland Phelps, died young.
II Decius Latimer, died 1897 at age of twenty-five years.
III Mary Caroline Ogden who married June 7, 1898, Horace Bushnell Cheney of South Manches- ter. They have children, Horace Bushnell, Antoinette Phelps and Stephen Pierson.
IV Antoinette Randolph Phelps, died 1903, aged twenty-seven years.
V Lucy Wilcox, who
married April 6, 1904, George Francis Dominick of New York. They have one child, Antoinette Pierson.
A. E. AUSTIN.
Abner Ellsworth Austin for many years prominent in the business life of the community, was born in North Haven, September 13, 1839. He was educated in the common schools of his native town and brought up on his father's farm, where from early boyhood he was taught the value of industrious habits. His father, Joseph Austin, died when Abner was fourteen years old and a portion of the property
was thereafter managed by him for agriculture until April, 1905.
At the age of sixteen, in addition to carrying on the share of the farm which he had inherited, and also his mother's portion, he engaged in the meat business, first on a small scale, driving a meat cart and doing his own butchering. At twenty he married Ruth B., daughter of Eben
Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
A. E. AUSTIN.
J. Coe, of Stony Creek, who died in Meriden in 1895, and to that union was born one daughter, Sarah Flor- ence, who married Dr. H. A. Meeks of Meriden. Mr. Austin continued with growing success in the meat business until 1867 when he came to Meriden and engaged in business with his brother-in-law as a member
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of the firm of Coe & Austin, and the firm during the four years ensuing carried on the largest retail market business in Meriden, also doing their own butchering, which was common in that period. In 1871 they sold out their successful business to Charles Grether.
The following March, Mr. Austin engaged in the livery stable busi- ness by buying out the Meriden House stables, which were then conducted by Orrin Carpenter, and where he became one of the best known horsemen in the state. He conducted the Meriden House sta- bles until 1890 when he built the present four story brick stable at the corner of High School avenue and Church street where he became pos- sessed of better facilities and more room and did a larger business than before until March 15, 1903, when he disposed of the livery business, still retaining his ownership of the build- ing, which is the largest livery sta- ble in the city and one of the most desirable in the state. During Mr. Austin's career in the livery stable business, he not only' provided fine driving equipages and furnished carriages for every occasion, but his stables always contained fine speci- men of the equine race, and he be- came famous as a dealer in well bred horses of which he is a connoisseur.
Mr. Austin has done much in im- proving local real estate and with others showed keen foresight in ac- quiring land in the once unde- veloped section of Lewis and
Springdale avenues which he later disposed of advantageously. He built his own comfortable residence on East Main street in 1874; the contractor whom he employed being the late George Gay.
Mr. Austin was one of the founders of the Meriden Trotting Park Association, and is a member of Meridian Lodge, 77, A. F. & A. M., but is not affiliated with any other organization. He was mar- ried the second time in 1899 to Mary Gilbert of North Haven.
H. L. MOREHOUSE.
Henry L. Morehouse, Meriden's: leading carpenter and builder, was born in New Milford, Conn. He comes from one of the oldest families in the state and is a son of the late Cyrus A. and Cornelia (Canfield) Morehouse, and is directly descended® from Thomas Morehouse who came to. Wethersfield in 1640, but the follow- ing year settled in Stamford where he received a grant of seven acres of land which was his portion. Besides tilling the soil and clearing the for- est he conducted a gristmill later in life at Fairfield.
His father was a marble worker and lived and died at New Milford.
Henry L. Morehouse received a common school education which was. supplemented by attendance at the. Eastman Business College at Pough- keepsie, from which he graduated in 1866. After learning the trade of a carpenter and builder at the shops of
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
Mr. Dykeman at Bridgeport, he made his start in business for himself in that city.
In 1869 he removed his business to New Haven and in 1872 came to Mer- iden where he has since resided and done business, achieving a high repu- tation as a contractor and an esteemed citizen. His business grew with his reputation and for some years Mr. Morehouse has possessed a large plant for the storage, dressing and matching of lumber. For some years the office and entrance to the plant were on State street but since 1901 both the business of Mr. Morehouse and that of the Morehouse Bros. Company have been brought under cover and the office re- moved to 24 Miller street, and the plant is now one of the most complete, best equipped and ably managed in New England.
Being one of the leading carpenters and builders of this part of the state, Mr. Morehouse has naturally con- structed several of the imposing build- ings of Meriden and vicinity which stand as monuments to his thorough and conscientious work.
Among these could be mentioned the Meriden High School and the St. Laurent's Roman Catholic Church, many factories and business blocks.
Mr. Morehouse has always taken an active interest in everything that pertains to the welfare of his adopted city. He has never sought nor held a public office and is a man of domestic tastes and habits. He is always to be counted upon in matters where local pride is concerned.
Mr. Morehouse has four children as follows: Allison F., with the A. L. Robinson Co., of New York City, sec- retary of the Morehouse Bros. Com- pany ; Andrew C., of Meriden, treas- urer of that company ; Mattie C. and Franklin L. Morehouse.
NOAH POMEROY.
Noah Pomeroy, a man who took an active part in the affairs of Meriden, was a worthy descendant of honorable ancestry. One of his ancestors, Elt- weed Pomeroy, came from England in the ship John and Mary, it is under- stood, landing in Dorchester, Mass., now a part of Boston, March, 1630. He descended from Ralph de Pom- eroi, who went to England from Nor- mandy with William the Conqueror, (IIth century) taking active part in the conquest for which he was knighted.
Eltweed settled in Dorchester where he was prominent in organizing the provisional government. In 1637 he removed to Windsor, Conn., for per- manent settlement. Like many of his descendants he was a blacksmith, which trade meant more than now that machinery is superseding handi- craft. In the settlement of Massachu- setts and Connecticut they were wel- come artisans, being granted large tracts of land to induce them to settle and carry on business. They were the gunsmiths of their locations, wild beasts and savages making the gun a necessity. In the French and Indian wars the Pomeroy gun was in great
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BIOGRAPHIES.
Noah Pomeroy
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
demand and in the Revolution, indis- pensable. Before the United States had an armory the private armories of the Pomeroys were famous. These men were of liberal and independent minds, determined to preserve their civil and religious liberties. Among their descendants were successful mer- chants, civil engineers, lawyers and ministers, one of the last named pro- fession was Samuel Pomeroy, a grad- uate of Yale College in 1705.
Noah Pomeroy was born in Say- brook, Conn., March 1, 1786, the youngest of five children. His father, Charles Pomeroy, a merchant of that place, who died shortly before Noah's birth, was a soldier of the Revolution, who enlisted July 8, 1775, as ser- geant and served in the Sixth com- pany, Col. Charles Webb's regiment. In 1776, he joined Lieutenant-Colonel Seymour's light horse cavalry as pay- master and in 1777 was appointed re- ceiver of the 400 pounds of powder granted Saybrook. At the age of ten Noah began to earn his living, work- ing summers, saving his meager earn- ings, thereby enabling him to attend school winters. At fifteen he com- menced peddling tin, of which he eventually became a manufacturer, not only of plain, but japanned and orna- mented ware, which industry he car- ried on in several, locations, finally moving it to Meriden in 1818 where he bought a farm and spent the rest of a useful life. He retired, nomi- nally, from business in 1839, leaving it to his sons, but continuing to exercise an oversight of the finances, suggest-
ing improvements and inventing ma- chinery that made the establishment a leading one. For pastime, when not engaged in official duties, for he held every office within the gift of his townsmen, he devoted his still un- abated energies to the improvement of his farm.
He filled the office of justice of the peace by appointment of the legisla- ture as long as it possessed the power to appoint. His knowledge of law and impartial judgment were such that an appeal was never taken from his decisions. He was an ardent ad- vocate of progression and reform con- tending for the broadest religious and political liberty. He earnestly urged the calling of the convention which re- modeled the state constitution and ex- punged many of those statutes known as "blue laws." In 1832 he was elected to the legislature and in 1837 was chosen senator from the Sixth dis- trict.
When the Meriden Bank was organ- ized in 1833 he was made a director and in 1849 its president. From 1851 he was a charter member and a trus- tee of the Meriden Savings Bank.
Mr. Pomeroy was a lifelong Uni- versalist and an ardent supporter of that faith. In his house the Universa- lists of Meriden held their first meet- ings. There also in 1821 the first ser- mon in Meriden by a Universalist min- ister was preached.
He took a deep interest in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery which he lived to see accomplished. He cast his last vote for General Grant for
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president, dying November 23, 1868. He was twice married ; first to Nancy Merriman, a descendant of Lieutenant Nathaniel Merriman, a first settler of Wallingford, Conn., by whom he had ten children : Cornelia, Eliphalet, Angelina (Mrs. Eli Ives), Eliza (Mrs. John S. Blake), Harriet (Mrs. Isaac C. Lewis), Norman, Eugenia (Mrs. James P. Stow), Nancy, Charles and James T., none of whom are living. His second wife was Hattie Hasen, also deceased, by whom he had two daughters, Hattie (Mrs. George B. Foote) and Cornelia, the former of whom is now living.
HENRY JAMES LEWIS.
Henry James Lewis was born at Meriden, Connecticut, on October 21, 1841. He was the son of Isaac C. and Harriet (Pomeroy) Lewis. His father was one of Meriden's most prominent citizens and one-time mayor, a worthy descendant of William Lewis, who came to this country from England on the ship "Lion," landing in Boston, Mass., in 1632, and settling in Cam- bridge. Four years later, William Lewis became one of the Rev. Thomas Hooker Company that settled in Hart- ford, and still later he removed to Farmington, where was built the homestead that is yet standing as a part of the "Elm Tree Inn." known now and for many years as a famous hostelry. The land, a tract sixteen miles square, he, together with Samuel Steele, bought from the Indians on
behalf of the Farmington Company. Henry J. Lewis was also descended from Jared Lewis, a patriot of the Revolutionary War, who served in the Continental Army in the regiment commanded by Col. Canfield and on the maternal side from Sergeant Charles Pomeroy, also a soldier of the Revolution. By virtue of this ances- try, Mr. Lewis was a member of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He was educated in the common schools of Meriden, later attending the Meriden Academy, finishing his schooling at Eaton's Commercial Col- lege, Worcester, Mass. He began his business career by entering the office of the Meriden Britannia Company, of which his father was one of the found- ers. Some years after this he went into the hardware business as a part- ner of N. F. Griswold, under the style of Griswold & Lewis. About 1880 he disposed of his interest to John L. Richmond. Always a lover of outdoor life, he removed to Stony Creek, where he could engage in a business that should satisfy his desire. Here he had from boyhood owned one of the Thimble Islands, charted as "Lewis Island." The business of his choice was that of oyster cultivation, and he was one of the first men in the state to realize the importance this in- dustry was to attain. It was not long before he made his headquarters, first, at Bridgeport and later at Stratford. From now on he rapidly built up a business of huge proportions until his
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Henry & Lewis
4
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BIOGRAPHIES.
holdings extended from Norwalk Margery, Kate May and Isaac Chaun- eastward along the Sound as far as cey. Guilford and Madison, with wharves, Never a seeker after publicity or popularity, Mr. Lewis devoted himself to his business and his home, and dis- liked nothing more than a parade of his virtues. Yet a biographical sketch omitting all mention of character and characteristics could hardly be re- garded as satisfactory. shops and offices at various places, and additional oyster-beds off the south shore of Long Island and in the waters of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. In 1895 the Connecticut business was organized as the H. J. Lewis Oyster Company. Under the name of this corporation Mr. Lewis became pos- sessed of a title to more than 10,000 acres of territory in Connecticut wa- ters alone, thus being at the time of his death the largest holder of oyster grounds in the state. His Long Isl- and branch was incorporated as the Lewis Blue Point Oyster Cultivation Company, with headquarters at Say- ville, L. I.
Mr. Lewis was also interested as a stockholder and director in a number of banks, trust companies, and indus- trial enterprises. Some of the Meri- den concerns were the International Silver Company, of which he was one of the large stockholders, the Meriden National Bank, and the Meriden Trust & Safe Deposit Company ; he was pres- ident of the Horton Printing Company and a director of Edward Miller & Company and the Miller Brothers Cut- lery Company. These varied interests kept him vigorously active up to the day of his death.
On August 7, 1884, Mr. Lewis married Mary E. Stringer, daughter of William C. and Mary Stringer, of Cold Spring, Long Island, N. Y. They had four children, Henry Leroy, Helen
His ability to see, and quickness to grasp opportunities, prove him to have been possessed of the two prime essentials of business success-good judgment combined with courage. Indeed, of business sagacity he had a generous endowment both by nature and by heritage. This, however, was but one phase of a singularly well-bal- anced temperament. Even more dom- inant traits were the equity which earned him the hearty good-will of his business associates, the sympathy and generosity that made of his force of employes a little army devoted to his interests, and the philanthropy whose manifestations were known only to those institutions and individuals that stood in the position of beneficiaries. The town of Stratford, which he made his place of residence for a score of years, has known no man that ever did more for the town and its people than did he. To talk with him, no matter on what subject, was to be impressed with the sanity of his outlook ; to ap- peal to him in behalf of a worthy cause was to be convinced of the gen- uine spirit of kindness and sympathy that ruled his life.
18
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
He died at his home in Stratford, on the IIth day of January, 1902.
AARON L. COLLINS.
A sturdy son of Meriden was Aaron Lyman Collins who, during a long and useful life, was an influential figure in the town and city. He was one of the sons of Lyman and Elizabeth (Carter) Collins and was born in the house on East Main street hill owned and occupied by his father and grand- father before him. His father carried on a large farm and was an extensive owner of land which he acquired when property valuation was many times less than at the present day.
Aaron L. Collins was reared among healthful surroundings and he at- tended the common schools of the town. He began a long and success- ful business career by starting in the grocery business on Broad street with his brother, the late Charles Collins. The venture was successful and the Collins brothers built up a large trade and established a reputation for busi- ness acumen maintained by them through life. In 1854 the partnership was dissolved and Mr. Collins became associated with Pratt, Ropes, Webb & Co., who conducted the manufacture of cutlery in the location at South Meriden now occupied by the Meriden Cutlery Company. Of this firm he became a traveling salesman, each year becoming a more important fac- tor in the business until 1878, when he was elected president of the Meri- den Cutlery Company, which through
his wise and conservative management was kept on a solid business basis as long as he lived, continuing to carry out his duties as the head of that large concern for about forty years and until within a short time previous to his death which occurred March 25, 1903.
Mr. Collins had interests in other Meriden factories, and was a large stockholder in various other Meriden industries, and for a number of years, until it was absorbed by the Interna- tional Silver Company, he was pres- ident of the Wilcox Silver Plate Com- pany. He was also a director of the Home National Bank, a trustee of the City Savings Bank and was president of the Meriden Grain & Feed Com- pany. During his long and useful life Mr. Collins maintained a large farm of sixty acres situated on what is now Williams avenue, and in his early life owned many acres on East Main street hill ; a portion of the latter, however, he cut up into house lots, and the once extensive property is now invaded by many streets, upon which substantial residences stand.
Mr. Collins was a man who held the entire respect of the people of the town and city of which he was privileged to take an important part in its growth from a small village. He was emi- nently successful as a business man and his loss to the community is one not easily filled, especially at the Cen- ter Congregational church, of which he was a valued member and gener- ous contributor.
He was married to Sylvia, daughter of Rev. Mr. White, of Middlefield,
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BIOGRAPHIES.
AL. Collins
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CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
Conn., and three sons survived him : Charles Lyman, of Clinton, Edward John, since deceased, and Benjamin White Collins.
EDWARD J. COLLINS.
Edward J. Collins, a lifelong resi- dent, whose life was cut short in his prime through the wisdom of the Al- mighty, was one of the most lovable personal characters in Meriden. At the time of his death he was man- ager of the Boston office of the Meri- den Cutlery Company. He was born in the old Collins homestead on East Main street on March 31, 1856 and was the second son of the late Aaron Lyman Collins, a leading and influential citizen of the town and for forty years president of the Meriden Cutlery Company. His ancestors in this town date back to Robert Collins, who came to Meri- den in 1727 and became a large land owner, since which time the family name has held an honored place in the history of the town.
Edward J. Collins with his bro- thers, Charles L., and Benjamin W. Collins, a sketch of the latter of whom immediately follows this, was reared on his father's large farm in East Meriden. He was possessed of strong mental and physical vigor and although he was given an oppor- tunity to prove himself in business by his father, his success was due to his ability to make the most of his opportunities. In 1879 after securing a good, practical education he en-
tered the Meriden Cutlery Company as a foreman of the stock depart- ment, where he became familiar with the methods of manufacture and the product of the company. In 1894 he was promoted to traveling salesman, his territory comprising New Eng- land and New York, and in 1898 he took charge of the Boston office of the company. During this long period he became one of the best known and most popular traveling men in the hardware trade, his sun- ny disposition, even temperament, and proverbial good nature under all circumstances making him a general favorite with all. He had the facul- ty not only of making but of holding friends to whom he was always loy- al. He was a man who could be counted upon whether in business, social or private life.
After the death of his father he became one of the directors of the Meriden Cutlery Company, and was also one of the directors of the Meri- den Grain & Feed Company. Mr. Collins was a thirty-second degree member of the Masonic fraternity, being affiliated with all the different branches of the order in Connecticut including Center Lodge, 97, A. F. & A. M., Meriden ; LaFayette Consist- Fory at Bridgeport, and Pyramid Temple, Mystic Shrine.
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