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 70
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Mr. Carter, after retaining his fine hold on Meriden interests for forty- three years, died September 28, 1893, before old age had really claimed him. He was buried in West cemetery.
J. T. POMEROY.
The ancestry of the late James Tib- bals Pomeroy embraces Connecticut families who helped to lay a solid foundation for the Nutmeg state's greatness. Many of the men were rugged tillers of the soil who derived their physical endurance and mental firmness among the rocks and loam where they labored as in God's vine- yard.
The Pomeroy name is as old al- most as the hills and its bearers have no cause to feel ashamed of their forebears.
His father, Noah Pomeroy, was by turns a farmer and an itinerant tin peddler in those days when this oc- cupation was lucrative, highly honor- able and full of the charm and spice of life. He was likewise a manufac- turer of tin and again a farmer. That he was held in the highest re- spect by his townsmen is evidenced by the public offices he filled, all that were in the gift of the people. The Universalist church of this city was
organized in his house and Mr. Pom- eroy was one of its most able sup- porters. The greater a man's mental caliber, the greater the duties that are borne by him ; it is quite natural, there- fore, to find Mr. Pomeroy one of the first directors of the Meriden bank, and later its president.
James Pomeroy was born in this city and turned naturally to agricul-
JAMES TIBBALS POMEROY.
ture, owning and operating his fath- er's large stock estate in East Meri- den. His knowledge of rural meth- ods and his comprehension of a sit- uation which called for unity of thought, purpose and action among the farming element led him to or- ganize the Meriden Grange, a society to which he gave largely of his time
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and experience. He was also con- nected with Meriden Center Lodge, 69, I. O. O. F.
As a loyal- son who subscribed to the sentiment of his father, Mr. Pom- eroy adopted the faith of the church whose foundation his father had laid in Meriden and was a devout believer in Universalism until his death.
Delila F. Guild, a daughter of Wil- liam H. Guild, of Middletown, Conn., became Mr. Pomeroy's wife. Their children were : Lenora E., who married Joseph Beckett, of Meriden ; Nellie J., wife of Richard J. Molloy, of Meri- den ; Carrie F., deceased, wife of Da- vid Flansburgh; Charles L. and Wil- liam Harrison, who married Lura Booth. Mr. Pomeroy died Decem- ber 21, 1891, and was buried in the East cemetery ; his wife residing on Broad street, Meriden, still survives and is a staunch adherent of the Uni- versalist church, and a member of Meriden Grange.
RUSSELL HALL.
Russell Hall, one of the many sub- stantial citizens of Meriden, a large dealer in grocery store supplies and woodenware, and a manufacturer of tinware, as well as a large property owner, was born in Meriden, July 26, 1835. He is lineally descended from that John Hall, who was born in Eng- land, 1605, and died in Wallingford, Conn., 1676, one of the proprietors of Hartford. Russell Hall is also de- scended from Rev. Samuel Hall, and Anne Law, whose father, Jonathan 28
Law, was governor of Connecticut. He is the son of Orrin Hall and Anna G. Hall, a daughter of Brenton Hall, of Meriden. His father, like several men of the town, who afterwards be- came prominent in the manufacturing and business life of the locality, during the past century, in early life drove a peddler's team and supplied the peo- ple in portions of the southern states with the product of Meriden factories. He spent the last years of his life on his farm at East Meriden.
Russell Hall, as a boy, worked on the home farm during his spare time and was educated in the district school, under the veteran teacher, James Atkins. Inheriting a taste for trading from his father, at the age of eighteen, with a small sum of money which he had saved from his previous earnings, he engaged in the making of tinware and supplied peddlers with the then small product of his industry. At the end of eight years, his business had increased to such an extent that he was warranted in adding grocery store supplies and established himself in his present business, which has in- creased to that of the largest in his line, in this part of the state. His rep- utation for dealing in honest goods at the lowest jobbing prices, together with his energy and popularity among the trade, have been prominent factors in his success. With the aid of trav- eling men, he looks carefully after the wants of his wholesale trade and from his long and successful business career, is one of the best known of Connecticut wholesalers.
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Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
Russell Hall
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He has ever been known as an en- thusiastic man of business, and he has made many profitable investments in real estate ; and property which he has purchased in different parts of the city has invariably shown the result of the ownership of a fair minded landlord. His residence on East Main street is one of the handsomest in Meriden and is one of the most thoroughly built domiciles in this vicinity. In 1905 he erected near it, the construction of which was also under his personal su- pervision, another handsome residence for his son. Mr. Hall is known as one of the thoroughly upright men of Mer- iden, and is highly esteemed in the community. His generosity has been oftentimes demonstrated to his fellow citizens and within a year of the present writing, he donated $1,000 to the Curtis Memorial Library. His in- terest in the affairs of his native town seems to be unbounded. Mr. Hall is interested in the First Baptist church, and in politics is a Democrat.
He has been twice married : First to Emily Preston, daughter of Ira Pres- ton, deceased. He was again married June 28, 1866, to Mary E., daughter of Ransom and Sarah (Twiss) Bald- win, and six children have been born to them: Howard Baldwin, who was recently married to Gertrude B. Wet- more, of Wallingford, Conn., being the only one surviving.
A. L. STEVENS.
This veteran real estate dealer and resident of South Meriden, was born
in Naugatuck, January 30, 1829. At the age of six years he moved to Oneida, N. Y., with his parents, and in that town he first attended school. At the age of fifteen he returned to Naugatuck and lived with his old uncle, completing his education at the Waterbury High school.
In 1854 he married Julia E. Beech- er, of Naugatuck, and in 1865 he
A. L. STEVENS.
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moved his family to South Meriden and entered the Meriden Cutlery fac- tory where he worked four or five years at his trade as die sinker.
It has been happily said that there is a divinity which shapes our ends rough hew them as we will. Mr. Stevens began as a mechanic and probably had not the slightest idea
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that any other ship was sailing into his port, but when Albert Otis was made chief of police in Meriden an impulse to enter a new field became a chance and Mr. Stevens bought out the interests of the new city official in the firm of Frank and Albert Otis, from which date he has been contin- uously engaged in the fire insurance and real estate business. Two years later in 1872, he bought out the re- maining interests of Frank Otis.
Mr. Stevens' first office was in a small one-story building which stood on the present site of the Byxbee block, but for the past thirty years his offices have been in the Wilcox block. Up to 1897 he had a steam- ship and money draft agency and for many years he was the only steam- ship agent in Meriden.
Mr. Stevens' business career has been an honorable one, and no man in Meriden enjoys to a greater extent the confidence of the community.
Mr. Stevens' political sympathies are Democratic, and, while he has never sought office, he served one year on the board of selectmen. He belongs to Hancock lodge, I. O. O. F., and the A. O. U. W. For many years he has been a member of the First Methodist church of which he is steward.
At his residence in South Meriden comfort and plenty are in evidence and here Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are enjoying marital relations that have extended over a period of fifty-one years. They have one daughter, Mrs. Albert Rice, of Cheshire.
FRANCIS ATWATER.
Francis Atwater, one of the more prominent figures of Meriden busi- ness life and president of the Jour- nal Publishing Company, was born in Plymouth, Litchfield county, Con- necticut, in 1858. He comes from distinguished ancestry and is de- scended from David Atwater, the first signer of the planters' agreement of the New Haven colony in 1638. On the maternal side he is a direct de- scendant of Benjamin Fenn, the first magistrate of New Haven colony.
As a boy he came to Meriden and became associated with the printing and publishing business and after he had learned the trade of a printer, at the youthful age of sixteen, he was given charge of the mechanical de- partment of the Meriden Recorder, which at that time was the leading paper of the town. At twenty years of age, he established the Winder- mere Weekly Forum, in Wallingford, which he published for one year until it was sold. He afterwards went to Hartford and became assistant fore- man of the composing room of the Hartford Courant. Later going west on account of ill health, he lo- cated in California and became man- ager of the Red Bluff Sentinel, which paper he carried on for a time. Re- turning to Meriden with renewed health he established a job printing office on Perkins street and founded the Meriden Sunday News, but in 1886 when the Meriden Evening Press ceased publication, Mr. At-
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water embraced the opportunity, and with Frank E. Sands, Lew Allen and Thomas L. Reilly, launched the Meri- den Daily Journal which has ever since thoroughly covered the evening field, each year gaining in circulation, ad- vertising patronage and influence, until it has become one of the best paying publications in Connecticut. It occupies its own fire-proof build- ing, in which The Journal Publish- ing Company now possesses one of the most complete printing plants in all New England as is stated at some length elsewhere in this volume. Since its incorporation April 2, 1886, Mr. Atwater has been the head; and to his able leadership is the success of the now large business consider- ably due.
Mr. Atwater has been a prime mov- er in many other large enterprises, in all of which he has been eminently successful. He was one of the or- ganizers of the Meriden, Southington & Compounce Tramway Company, the capital for which was raised largely through his effort and to the construc- tion of the road he also gave his per- sonal supervision.
After the close of the Spanish- American war, he became financial agent of Clara Barton of Red Cross fame and honor, who had known him from childhood. At her request he accompanied her to Cuba whither she went to establish asylums for the un- fortunate reconcentrados. While in Havana, Mr. Atwater saw an oppor- tunity to start the first American newspaper, the Havana Journal, and
of this newspaper, which became an organ wielding an immense influence, he retained the control until he re- ceived an offer from a syndicate to dispose of it most advantageously. He afterwards and without relin- quishing his interests in Meriden, purchased the Daily News of New Britain which he carried on for a time. He then bought the Waterbury Daily Republican, the only morning newspaper in the Naugatuck Valley, which he conducted until he placed it on a paying basis and then sold it at a handsome profit.
In 1905 he was chosen a director and president of the Washington State Colonization Company, exten- sive owners and buyers of lands in the state of Washington and which has within the past year established a large colony in that delightful resi- dential state.
Mr. Atwater is also the sole owner of the T. H. Hubbard Paper Co., of Boston, Mass., extensive wholesale dealers of book and writing papers and cardboards.
In local affairs Mr. Atwater is par- ticularly active and influential. He was one of the organizers and for several years president of the Meri- den Board of Trade, which organiza- tion has succeeded in bringing several industries to Meriden, and in which Mr. Atwater has always been a lead- ing spirit. Of the Centennial cele- bration of Meriden he was not only one of the originators, but as corre- sponding secretary of the committee of 400 or more citizens, has been in-
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FRANCIS ATWATER.
RESIDENCE OF FRANCIS ATWATER.
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strumental in bringing about the no- table celebration of 1906. In 1904 after having persistently refused to be- come a candidate for any public office, he entered the senatorial contest of that year and the Democratic party which honored him with the nomina- tion, suffered its usual defeat of a presidential year; but Mr. Atwater was far in the lead of the rest of the ticket. Mr. Atwater is a member of the 'Home Club, and occupies comfortable residence which he pur- chased some years ago of William A. Kelsey and which is located on the site of the historic old Central Tavern, corner Broad and East Main streets.
Mr. Atwater, whose life has been more than active as people generally live, has found time by burning the midnight oil to do considerable lit- erary work, and has compiled the History of Plymouth, Conn., History of Kent, Conn., and the History and Genealogy of the Atwater Family from 1638 to the present time.
Mr. Atwater was married in 1879 to Helena J. Sellew, to whom was born May 10, 1880, a son, Dorence Keith Atwater, who died August 23, 1900.
O. H. PLATT.
Orville Hitchcock Platt, LL.D., Meriden's greatest public man, was born July 19, 1827, at Washington, Conn., and died April 21, 1905. Edu- cated in the district schools of Wash- ington and later at the academy
known as the "Gunnery," he remained on the home farm until twenty years of age when he began the study of law and was afterwards admitted to the bar in 1849. He then went to To- wanda, Pa., where he remained six months in a law office, coming to Mer- iden in 1851 and up to the time of his death was thereafter identified with the town and made his home here.
Mr. Platt's early law practice in Meriden was beset with the usual dif- ficulties of the young lawyer strug- gling for position in the world and in his early life he gave no perceptible promise of becoming a man of na- tional repute. Shortly after coming to Meriden he became associate edi- tor of the "Whig," the revenue from which made up for his lack of fees. In 1853 he was elected judge of pro- bate, which office he held for three years and in 1855 and 1856 was chos- en clerk of the Connecticut Senate. He was one of the original members. of the Republican party and from 1856 " took an active part in politics, his influence in that party increasing every year. In 1857 he was elected secretary of state, which office he filled for one term. In 1861 and 1862 he served in the state sen- ate and in 1864 was elected to the state legislature, when he was ap- pointed chairman of the judiciary committee. In 1869 he again served in the legislature from Meriden and was then elected speaker of the house, after which service it was his desire to retire permanently to private life and resume his neglected law practice
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ORVILLE H. PLATT. .
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which, however, he was not permitted to do. In 1877 he was appointed state's attorney of New Haven coun- ty, which office he held for two years.
In 1879 he was first elected by the state legislature to fill the vacancy in the United States Senate caused by the death of Senator Orris S. Ferry, Republican, his election, however, be- ing a surprise, for he was chosen on the thirty-eighth ballot, through the successful work of Senator H. Wales Lines and others who took advantage of the situation when a compromise candidate had to be found. His ca- reer in the United States Senate, from the time when he first took his seat, was most remarkable, and he was al- ways his own successor, being re- elected at the expiration of every suc- ceeding term until his regretted de- cease. For many years before his death he was counted as one of the most influential figures at the Nation- al capital, whose counsel was much sought and relied upon by the pres- ident and members of the cabinet. Without resorting to the tactics of the politician he became the dean of the senate and attained the highest legis- lative rank in the Union. Always a man of rare example, he developed in- to a statesman in every sense and was an orator who could adapt himself in- stantly to every occasion. He was a perfect master of diction and his ir- resistible logic and sound reasoning made him a strong power in the high- est legislative body in the land. His loyalty to the government and to the Republican party was never ques-
tioned and his honesty of purpose, coupled with the remarkable ability which he developed in the latter part of his life, won him the respect, con- fidence and love of the nation. He was one of the great men of the United States who was never puffed up by public praise but treated every man whether he were great or small with the same consideration and def- erence. His modest bearing under all circumstances made it always appar- ent that he was a true gentleman.
In Meriden, where he resided, he never became greater than his fellow- townsmen by whom he was greatly beloved for his many good traits as a citizen. Without show or ostentation he was the promoter of more chris- tian and philanthropic work than was ever generally known.
During the last years of his life he occupied a summer place at Washing- ton, Conn., his native town, and there his funeral services were held and which were attended almost unani- mously by the leading citizens of Mer- iden as well as many prominent in na- tional affairs.
ABIRAM CHAMBERLAIN.
Meriden is proud to number among her citizens a governor of Connecticut, Abiram Chamberlain, who held that office for two years, having been elected in November, 1903.
He is descended from sturdy New England stock, and was born December 7, 1837, at Cole- brook, Conn. He is a son of Abiram
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Photo by H. T. Shaw.
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and Sophronia (Burt) Chamberlain and has been a resident of Meriden for thirty-eight years. After obtaining his education, he began his business career in the New Britain National bank in 1867, there resigning the po- sition of teller to become cashier of the Home National bank of Meriden, and he has been president of the lat- ter financial institution since 1881, hav- ing been elected to that office upon the death of Eli Butler, the former pres- ident. His efficiency as its executive head, has earned for him an enviable reputation, not only in the business and financial circles of Meriden, but throughout the state.
For many years he has been iden- tified with other enterprises. He was one of the promoters and directors of the Meriden & Waterbury railroad ; president of the Meriden Fire Insur- ance company ; one of the promoters and president of the Winthrop Hotel company ; a director of the Meriden hospital ; for many years a vice presi- dent of the Meriden Savings bank ; a director also of the Meriden Cutlery Co., Edward Miller & Co., of Meri- den, and the Stanley works of New Britain. He is also president of the Connecticut Bankers' association and a vice-president of the American Bank- ers' association. He is affiliated with several social and fraternal organiza -. tions, including the Home and Col- onial clubs and has long been identi- fied with the First Congregational church of Meriden.
He has always been known as a staunch Republican and has held many
important public offices in the dis- charge of the duties of which he has proved his ability and trustworthi- ness. In 1877 he represented the Town of Meriden in the state legis- lature ; he was nominated by acclama- tion for state comptroller at the Re- publican convention, held at New Ha- ven, September 5 and 6, 1900, and served in that office for two years. He has also rendered Meriden valua- ble service as a member of the city government.
As governor, Mr. Chamberlain added to his host of friends through- out the state; his administration was one which reflects credit upon Con- necticut, and is justly regarded with pride by the citizens of Meriden. His wide knowledge of affairs of state en- abled him to transact the duties of the office most acceptably. The de- gree of LL.D. conferred upon him by Wesleyan University in 1903 was but one of the many tokens of appre- ciation he has received in recognition of his service as governor.
He was married November 21, 1872, to Miss Charlotte E. Roberts, who has been active in philanthropic matters in Meriden, and her connection with the city hospital will not be forgot- ten by the people. Their sons are Albert Roberts and Harold Burt Chamberlain. The elder son is a graduate of the Sheffield Scientific school of Yale University and Yale Law school and now engaged in the practice of law in Meriden. He was also Governor Chamberlain's secre- tary during his administration.
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HENRY DRYHURST.
Henry Dryhurst, postmaster, has lived nearly all his life in Meriden. He came here in 1865 from Taunton, Mass., and he had previously resided in Providence, R. I. He is the son of Henry Dryhurst and Eleanor (Lewis) Dryhurst, and he has broth- ers and sisters living as follows : Louisa E., wife of Montgomery R. Budd; Rowland L., of Rockford, Ill .; Hugh, of Hartford; Eleanor, of New York City; Laura A., of Meriden, and Emma, wife of Edwin W. Hall, of Wallingford.
Mr. Dryhurst attended the district schools until his fourteenth year, when, being employed days by the late George R. Willmot, he began at- tending the evening school kept by the Rev. and Mrs. J. T. Pettee, and later received instruction in the high- er studies from Alfred E. Ives and Emily J. Leonard.
In 1877 Mr. Dryhurst secured a partial clerkship in the post-office (there being in those days no civil service), under Postmaster Erwin D. Hall. Being thus employed but a few hours a day Mr. Dryhurst decid- ed, in connection with his duties in the post office, to take up the study of the law.
He read law in the offices of Rat- cliffe Hicks, George A. Fay and of the late Orville H. Platt, and was ad- nitted to the New Haven county bar n 1884.
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In 1890 Mr. Dryhurst was appoint- ed postmaster of Meriden by Presi-
dent Benjamin Harrison. When his term as postmaster expired a change in the national administration obliged Mr. Dryhurst to resume the practice of law. Four years later, however, he was reappointed postmaster by President Mckinley and in 1898 his third appointment was signed by President Roosevelt.
In early manhood Mr. Dryhurst gave attention to politics, has served several years as chairman of the Re- publican town committee, and has at- tended as delegate, state, congression- al, senatorial and city conventions of his party. From its organization Mr. Dryhurst has been chairman of the First Meriden Building and Loan as- sociation, and he was chairman of the committee which invited President Roosevelt to visit Meriden and enter- tained him August 22, 1902.
When Mr. Dryhurst first assumed the duties of postmaster the Meriden office was in the second class and had six carriers and six clerks. The office entered the first class during Mr. Dryhurst's first term of service, and has now seventeen regular clerks, twenty regular carriers, and seven stations.
It was Mr. Dryhurst who first con- ceived the idea of having a federal building for the Meriden post office. He interested the late Senator O. H. Platt in the project, who obtained an appropriation of $100,000 from the Congress for that purpose. The site at the corner of Colony and Brooks streets was selected for the building, which will be erected as soon as an
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Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
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additional appropriation is available to enlarge the present plans.
Mr. Dryhurst married Miss Mar- garet C. Dutcher, of Sag Harbor, and they have the following children : Jennie E., wife of Guy A. Palmer ; Henry Jr. ; and Orville J.
He is a member of the First Bap- tist church and of the Home and Col- onial Clubs.
THOMAS L. REILLY.
Thomas Lawrence Reilly, mayor of Meriden in 1906, was born in New Britain, September 20, 1858, and re- ceived his early education there in the town schools. Later he attended the State Normal school, from which he graduated in 1876, but instead of teaching he took the position of town clerk's assistant, which he held for a year. Soon after, he engaged as a reporter on the Hartford Sunday Globe. In the fall of 1877 he came to Meriden with his parents and en- tered the law office of Judge D. J. Donahoe, now of Middletown, re- maining a student there for one year. Disturbed by the death of his mother and the removal of Judge Donahoe to Middletown, Mr. Reilly found circum- stances unfavorable to the continuance of his legal studies and took a posi- tion as book-keeper with J. F. Butler, continuing with him until 1880, when he became the Meriden correspondent of the New Haven Union. Later Mr. Reilly became connected with the Meriden Penny Press, under J. H. Mabbett, filling a reportorial position,
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