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 69
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REV. JOEL S. IVES.
Congregational church. Being dis- missed in 1883, he was immediately installed pastor at Stratford where he remained for sixteen years. Novem- ber, 1899, he became secretary of The Missionary Society of Connecticut, and moved to his wife's home, 430 Colony street, although the office is at 426 Asylum street, Hartford.
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BIOGRAPHIES.
Mr. Ives was on the school boards both in East Hampton and Stratford ; president of the Stratford Library association, 1885-1899, during which time the elegant library building was constructed ; president of the John Stone Association; registrar of the Fairfield East Consociation for ten years; director of The Missionary Society 1894-1899 ; registrar and sta- tistical secretary of the general con- ference of the Congregational churches of Connecticut since 1898; moderator of the General Association in 1895 and its registrar and treasurer since 1899; registrar of the National Council of Congregational Churches of the United States since 1900. He has published several sermons and historical addresses and numerous pa- pers relative to the missionary work, giving particular attention to the problems of immigration and has been a frequent contributor to various publications.
July 15, 1874, he married Emma Sarah, the daughter of Joel Ives But- ler, who was the grandson of Com- fort and Dolly Ives Butler. Father and daughter were born in the Lieut. Comfort Butler house on Kensing- ton avenue, which house, one of the oldest domiciles of this locality, is shown elsewhere. Dolly Ives was descended from John, the son of William Ives, who took up land in New Haven village, now Walling- ford. They have had five children, three of whom are living, Anne Em- ma, Joel Butler and Dwight Stone Ives.
ASAHEL H. CURTIS.
Asahel Harrison Curtis was a resi- dent of Meriden and connected with the Curtis family which has been so noticeably prominent in the history of the town during the past century.
He took a most active part in its business and political affairs until his
ASAHEL H. CURTIS.
death which occurred July 23, 1877. He was born in Meriden and was a son of Enos H. Curtis. He attende !! the common schools of the town and began his business career in part- nership with a son of Julius Yale with whom he conducted the grocery bus- iness for a number of years. In 1840 he was married to Juliet Yale who, at an advanced age, still survives han.
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and who, at this writing, is the only surviving descendant of Charles Yale, the founder of Yalesville.
Mr. Curtis was a man whose scrup- ulous honesty won the united confi- dence of his fellow townsmen and his financial ability brought him a high position in the community.
At the time of his death he had been for eleven years the treasurer of the
ENOS H. CURTIS.
Meriden Savings Bank, having pre- viously enjoyed the distinction of hav- ing been the first treasurer of the City of Meriden, to which office he was chosen in 1867.
Mr. Curtis was also postmaster of Meriden for a number of years and was appointed to that office by Pres- ident Millard Fillmore. He was a man
whose character was above reproach but was not a member of any church society. He was, however, a Master Mason and also a member of Center Lodge, I. O. O. F. His death was se- verely felt by the people of Meriden. He is survived by no children.
DAVID BLOOMFIELD.
David Bloomfield, oldest architect of Meriden, was born in Cromwell, Conn., November 6, 1851. He is de- scended from Welsh ancestry and his grandfather, David Bloomfield, was a native of Woodbridge, N. J., who spent his life in agricultural pursuits. His mother was Elizabeth (Butler) Bloomfield, a native of Staten Island, a woman of strong religious inclina- tions. His father, Nathan Bloom- field, was a ship builder and some three or four years before David was born engaged in ship carpentering at Crom- well and still later formed a partner- ship with Andrew F. Parker and con- ducted a ship building business at Middle Haddam, where he died in I86I.
Young David obtained his early ed- ucation at Middle Haddam and when . he became old enough to handle car- penters' tools, industriously assisted his father in his spare time until the age of seventeen. .
He came to Meriden in 1869 and continuing to work at carpentering, being ambitious, he took up the study of architecture and mechanical draw- ing. During his young manhood he worked a portion of the time in Massa-
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BIOGRAPHIES.
David Bevorfuld
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chusetts where he made the fortunate acquaintance of H. C. Shute, who took an interest in him.
In 1886 he felt warranted from his previous successes to open an office in Meriden and engage in the profession of architecture which he has success- fully carried on to the present time.
Among the many structures de- signed and their construction super- intended by Mr. Bloomfield may be named the following: Franklin street, Columbia street, Liberty street and St. Laurent's school houses; St. Mary's Roman Catholic and German Luth- eran churches, the C. W. Cahill block, the Beuchler block, the Schwander block, Fox's block, the Record build- ing, the Journal building, Pacific Lodge building, the residence of the late W. F. Rockwell, First Congre- gational Church parsonage, and the residences of the late Edward J. Col- lins, I. B. Miller, A. S. Thomas, Mrs. Mary Wilson, George Rockwell, W. L. Squire, and of many others in this city.
When the office of plumbing in- spector was created in 1894 he was made the first incumbent ; and the du- ties of that office he has performed ef- ficiently and satisfactorily to the pub- lic up to the present time.
He was appointed fire marshall by Mayor Ives in 1893, a position which his knowledge of building construc- tion admirably fits him to serve the interests of the citizens. He has also served two years as a member of the Common Council and was a member of that body from the Fifth ward in
1893 and 1894. He was one of the directors of the Pacific Real Estate Association and during the difficulties of Pacific Lodge, I. O. O. F., after the construction of the building, was one of the first to put his shoulder to the wheel and guide the enterprise to success.
He is a member of the Meriden Board of Trade, Business Men's Asso- ciation, Montowese Tribe, I. O. R. M., and Colonial Club. In 1884 he was married to Miss Clara R. Richards, of Bristol, Conn.
WILLIAM L. BRADLEY.
Perhaps no resident of Meriden during the century of its existence as an incorporated town, ever won to a higher degree the admiration and es- teem of his fellow townsmen than did the late William L. Bradley. His life furnishes not only a conspicuous ex- ample of perseverance and ability worthy to be chronicled in the pages of history but one which may well be emulated by generations following him.
Born in Cheshire, Conn., May 25, 1826, he was a son of Levi and Abi- gail A. (Atwater) Bradley, and his progenitors on both sides are traced directly to the first settlers of New Haven county. His early ancestor, William Bradley, was a major in Oli- ver Cromwell's army, and he immi- grated to this country and settled in North Haven as far back as 1643. William L. Bradley was also de- scended from David Atwater, one of
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the first planters of New Haven, who the records show, settled there in 1639.
William L. Bradley, as a boy, at- tended the district school of his native town, following which he further pur- sued his education at the academies of Southington and Cheshire, con- cluding his schooling at the Lancas- terian School at New Haven.
At the age of thirteen he began his remarkable business career as a clerk in a New Haven dry goods store, and at seventeen he became a member of the firm of one of the largest dry goods houses in that city. The busi- ness not being entirely congenial to his tastes he withdrew his interest in the store and entered the employ of Charles Parker as traveling salesman. That he adapted himself to his new circumstances with unusual versatil- ity seems to be proven by his success in largely increasing the sales of his employer.
With the consent of Mr. Parker, he also became interested with a friend in the manufacture of portemonnaies, and later in the manufacture of clocks and small metal wares with his brother, Nathaniel L. Bradley, and Walter Hubbard, which afterward de- veloped into the Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing Co., the largest indus- try of its kind in the world.
During this period he purchased four acres of land in West Meriden and erected a fine residence thereon, which is still standing. He improved and beautified this property to a no- ticeable extent, and gradually added more land to the estate until it com-
prised over two hundred acres. In this house his two sons, Peter B. and Robert S., and one daughter, Abby A. Bradley, who now survive him, were born, and with his family he occupied the house for many years. Although it is now over forty years since he removed with his family from the city, the estate now occupied by the Meriden Golf Club, is still well kept and almost intact, although as stated elsewhere in this book, is ere long to be cut up into house lots.
It was in 1861 that Mr. Bradley saw the future possibilities of chemi- cal fertilizers and it was he who first embraced the opportunity in this country to make a success of that in- dustry.
With his notes endorsed for a lim- ited amount by Oakes Ames, of Bos- ton, whom he had interested in his project, he began the manufacture of fertilizers in a factory situated on the banks of the old South Bay, Boston. The business soon outgrew this small plant and later another and larger fac- tory was built at North Weymouth, which eventually became the largest of its kind in the world.
Greater and greater became the de- mand for Bradley's fertilizers until their use became general among the farmers in the east and south.
In 1872 the business was incorpo- rated under the name of the Bradley Fertilizer Company and branch offices were established at Rochester, N. Y., Cleveland, O., Baltimore, Md., and Augusta, Ga., Mr. Bradley continuing at the head of the corporation as pres-
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Photo by R. S. Godfrey.
VIEWS OF MERIDEN GOLF CLUB COURSE, LOCATED ON WILLIAM BRADLEY ESTATE.
The Third Green. Bradley Avenue, near Club House.
The Home Green. The Club House.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
ident and manager. Later he became largely interested in other fertilizer works at Carteret, N. J., Cleveland, O., Baltimore, Md., and Charleston, S. C., besides operating extensive phos- phate mines in South Carolina and Florida.
His early struggles and constant cares so impaired his health that he retired from active business some years before his death, and was re- lieved from the management of his various large enterprises by his sons, Peter B. and Robert S. Bradley, who had been associated with him for many years. During the last years of his life he devoted much of his time to the care of his beautiful country es- tate at Hingham, Mass., where he died after a short illness December 15, 1894. He had attained the age of sixty-eight years, and his active life, kind disposition and benevolence will ever be remembered by those who knew him.
Mr. Bradley was married in 1848 to Frances Martina Coe, the daughter of Calvin and Harriet (Rice) Coe, who before her marriage lived with her parents on the celebrated Coe farm in the Hanover district. Two sons and one daughter, as stated above, sur- vive him.
THE WM. L. BRADLEY ESTATE.
This old estate, comprising over 200 acres, and one of the grandest in all Connecticut, is soon to be invaded by streets and gradually portioned off into residence lots. The history of
this estate, every square foot of which furnishes delightful views of the cel- ebrated Meriden Hanging Hills and other charming scenery of woodland, hill and dale, recalls pleasant mem- ories to the people of Meriden, both of present and past generations.
The original estate, purchased from Hezekiah Rice in 1851 by the late William L. Bradley, comprised but four acres upon which Mr. Brad- ley erected a fine house and spent a large amount of money in beautifying the grounds. To this small acreage he continually added by subsequent purchases of adjoining property until the estate embraced over two hundred acres of the most beautiful lands in this part of Connecticut.
The name of the so-called "Old Road" was changed to Bradley ave- nue; and Hanover street was put through on the other side of the prop- erty. The introduction of street cars has now brought the whole estate within ten minutes of the heart of Meriden.
A section of the estate, years ago, was converted into a fair grounds and in those days the "Meriden Fair" was held successfully every year. The marks of the old race track over which noted races were run, although now merged into the giant velvety lawn, are still discernable on close inspec- tion. Within the past few years the estate, with the old homestead for a club house, has been leased by the Meriden Golf Club and used exclt- sively by the members. The grounds have been admirably laid out for the
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purpose and comprise as desirable an area for the game as is to be found in New England.
The present owners of this proper- ty, Peter B. and Robert S. Brad- ley, sons of the late William L. Brad- ley, both of whom were born in the Bradley homestead, but for many years have been prominent in business circles of Boston, have planned to al- low the entire estate to be sold into house lots, stipulating only that houses to be built thereon shall be of a cer- tain value. With this aim in view the property has been placed in the hands of the well known real estate agents of Meriden, Holt & Stevens. The owners will furnish capital to build houses on the property if de- sired by purchasers of land. It bids fair, therefore, to assume that ere Meriden begins her second century as an incorporated town the picturesque Bradley estate will have assumed the appearances and evidences of a fashionable residence section.
ANTHONY S. THOMAS.
Anthony S. Thomas, a prominent merchant of Meriden, was born at Newburgh, N. Y., July 14, 1845. He is the son of John W. and Mahala Thomas, his father being a native of Leeds, N. Y., and was an iron mould- er by trade. His mother died when he was but five and a half years old and he was but thirteen when he was left an orphan. He received his early education in the common schools of his native town but later entered the
public schools of Napanoch and af- terwards continuing his schooling at Port Jervis, N. Y .; but finally re- turned and finished his education at Newburgh.
After the death of his father he se- cured employment in a general store at Cameron Mills, N. Y., where he se- cured his first insight into mercantile life. After some years' service in stores elsewhere he was engaged as salesman by John Hinchman & Co., a whole- sale hosiery concern of New York City. After Mr. Thomas had ac- quired a large trade he became later associated with the wholesale depart- ment of Jordan, Marsh & Co., of Bos- ton, for whom he continued represen- tative until 1881 when he established himself in business in Meriden in the present location, and since which time the store has been noticeably enlarged at two different periods.
The store as first started gave em- ployment to but a dozen clerks. The increase in the business has been both steady and rapid and the store, now re- quiring fifty clerks, and, with the sev- eral different departments, all little stores in themselves, furnishes a most desirable establishment for patronage. Mr. Thomas is a thorough business man in every sense and gives his per- sonal supervision over the large es- tablishment he conducts and has a most competent staff of assistants.
Although never prevailed upon to accept the nomination for public of- fice, Mr. Thomas has proven a deep interest in the affairs of the town where he has now resided and done
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Anthony's Thomas
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BIOGRAPHIES.
RESIDENCE OF A. S. THOMAS.
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business for nearly a quarter of a cen- tury. He is known as a kind and con- siderate employer, standing high in both business and social circles. He is a member of the Meriden Board of Trade, the Business Men's Association and of the Home Club of Meriden. He is also a member of the Center Congregational society and of that society's committee served for several years as its chairman.
He was married in 1870 to Emma J., daughter of Edmund and Jane Rus- sell. In 1891 he erected his present handsome residence on Broad street, where with his family he has since re- sided.
JOHN SUTLIFF.
John Sutliff, one of the deceased capitalists of Meriden, who followed Nelson Merriam as president of Fos- ter, Merriam & Co., was born in Wol- cott, Conn., August 2, 1802, and died June 22, 1897, at the remarkable age of ninety-five years. When sixteen years of age he bought his time from his father, to whom he gave a two years' note to the amount of $100 in payment. Going to Northford he first found work on a farm at $7.00 a month. He was industrious and eco- nomical from necessity and his steady habits and thrift enabled him, at the end of fifteen years, to engage in the manufacture of ivory combs at South- ington with three other partners. Af- ter a successful start had been made by him and his partners, Albert Fos- ter, one of the firm of Foster, Merriam
& Co., who had confidence in Mr. Sut- liff, invited him to purchase an inter- est in the concern and take charge of one of the departments, which he did ; and he continued to work in the fac- tory, in which he became still more ex- tensively interested, devoting himself unceasingly to the interests of the manufacture of the goods; and from the time he entered the concern until his death, he never ceased to take an active part in the development of the business. At the time he entered the firm but five or six hands were em- ployed and the rapid growth of the company's business was in no small measure due to his ability, energy anl management.
He was for many years a director of the First National bank, and at the time of his death was a trustee of the City Savings bank. During the lat- ter years of his life he became known as one of the larger investors of the town and many of his profitable ven- tures were in the West.
Mr. Sutliff was twice married, first to Mary Ann Dayton of North Ha- ven, to whom were born the follow- ing children : Mary Ann, who married Frederick A. Higby and died Decem- ber 22, 1859; John A. and James R., the latter who at the time of his death had long since succeeded his father as president of Foster, Merriam & Co. On November 9, 1842, he was again married to Rebecca Miles, of Chesh- ire, to whom were born Abbie R. and Edgar M. Sutliff, both of whom died in infancy. Mr. Sutliff left a large estate. .
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BIOGRAPHIES.
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John Suttiff
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CHARLES L. FLOTO.
Charles L. Floto (deceased) was a well known German citizen, whose residence of half a century in the Sil- ver City was marked by that indus- try which is a prominent characteris- tic of his nation. He was born in Germany in 1838, and ten years later he came to America with his mother who located at Warehouse Point. Not long after they removed to Broad Brook, then to Rockville, and during this time the boy was earning money for his mother and himself in the woolen mills. Before coming to Mer- iden Mr. Floto resided in Hotchkiss- ville four years and subsequently in South Britain and Waterbury. In 1857 he was attracted by the indus- trial situation in this city and entered the employ of the Bradley & Hubbard Manufacturing Company where his capable workmanship was recognized and his connection with the shade and lamp department as its overseer con- tinued for seventeen years.
A short period now passed when Mr. Floto left the shop to become a clerk in a shoe store, an occupation which he abandoned to take a position with Edward Miller & Co., but an op- portunity to buy out John A. Par- ker's shoe business presented itself, and for twelve years Mr. Floto was a prosperous shoe merchant in the city.
But as time passed his health failed and he was forced to sell. A desire to visit his fatherland and the hope that a lengthy voyage would bring
restoration to health, induced him to go abroad. He enjoyed an extended period of leisure traveling in Europe until 1884 when he returned to Meri- den, only to plan a new itinerary for a southern trip in the winter of 1885.
In the meantime Mr. Floto's real estate transactions had been highly satisfactory and upon his return to Meriden he devoted his time to the improvement of his property at the corner of Gold and Crown streets where he had erected a residence in 1864. A number of other dwellings were built by Mr. Floto.
He decided to visit Europe again in 1888 and enjoyed revisiting places which. had interested him before and in 1889 he took a pleasure trip to the south and west. From that time tn- til Mr. Floto's death, which occurred January 7, 1901, he developed his real estate interests and became an active element in that portion of his adopted city where his property was located. It is to such citizens as Mr. Floto that Meriden owes her growth. They are the units which make the grand whole.
Mr. Floto's mother, who had lived to see her son a prosperous merchant and a retired land-owner, died in Mer- iden at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife was Marie U. Usch- nig, a native of Klagenfurt, Austria, who was born May 24, 1837. She survived her husband four years, her death occurring September 1, 1905. They had no children of their own but left an adopted daughter, Marie. Mr. Floto had one brother, Frederick, a prominent resident of Rockville.
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BIOGRAPHIES.
CHARLES L. FLOTO.
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BELA CARTER.
It is true of many citizens that the esteem in which they are held is due to their conscientious discharge of du- ties whether of a civic or business character. Of such a type was Bela Carter, a descendant in the sixth gen- eration of Rev. Thomas Carter, the first pastor of the church of Woburn, Mass. This clergyman, who was born in England and laid the foundation for his future career at St. John's col- lege, University of Cambridge, where he received the degrees of B. A. and M. D., emigrated to America in 1635 in the ship "Planter." He went to Dedham, thence to Watertown and in 1642 was ordained at Woburn. A further study of Mr. Carter's ances- try reveals interesting characters, men who inherited from the pioneer his zeal, his honesty of purpose, his con- scientiousness.
Bela Carter, son of Silas Johnson and Ruth (Vining) Carter, was born Febuary 6, 1828, in Hardwick, Mass., where he received a common school education. His natural ability mani- fested itself at the early age of six- teen when he began teaching pen- manship. Not long after his atten- tion was directed to the trade of paint- ing and interior decorating, which he followed in Palmer, Mass., and Springfield, Mass., directly after, lo- cating in Meriden in 1850, where he established himself in business two years later. He soon became inter- ested in real estate in which he dealt extensively up to the time of his death
and was considered to be an expert on Meriden realty, one of his larg- est transactions being the sale of the property known as "The Flats," upon a part of which stand the buildings now known as Factory E of the In- ternational Silver Company. He also acted as agent for several out of town savings banks for the placing of loans and incidental business. For twenty years he was a director in the First National bank of Meriden. In early life he was a Whig, but later became identified with the Republican party.
The qualities which he displayed in his business relations gained for him the esteem and confidence of his fel- lowmen so that during the Civil war, in 1862, he was elected first selectman of Meriden and was re-elected twice thereafter. For four years he was treasurer of the military fund. He sat for three terms in the Court of. Com- mon Council as councilman or alder- man and served for six years as chair- man of the Corner School District committee. For several years he was a member of the Boad of Assessors. He undoubtedly could have had high- er political honors had he evinced a willingness to accept them.
In 1850 Mr. Carter married Mary J., daughter of Captain Butler and Polly (Converse) Barrett, of Bel- chertown, Mass., who survives her husband and is a loved and honored resident of Meriden. Of their eight children, Henry Johnson, Agnes Smith and Wilbur Barrett, died with- in one week of diphtheria. The oth- ers are: Elmer Bela, a sheep ranch-
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Bela Carter
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man in Montana, who married Laura M. Edwards, of Billings, Mont .; Mary C., widow of the late Edward H. White, of Meriden; Bertha C., wife of Frederick E. Bemis, of Meri- den ; Robert William and Annie Z., both of Meriden.
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