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 73
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Mr. Saleski was for many years a member of the Knights of Columbus, and a past grand knight of that or- ganization, and also of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and St. Boniface society and others, but re- tired from them all in order to devote his time to his business and home. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the building commit- tee of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church. He is also a man who has never meddled with politics and is deeply devoted to his business, his family and his home. He resides in his own house on Liberty street.
C. A. GRAEBER.
Rev. Charles Augustus Graeber, born in St. Louis, Mo., June 27, 1841, son of Carl August Graeber and Car- olina Reissner, entered the parochial school of the Trinity Lutheran church when five years of age, then the Concordia College of the Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states April 4, 1853. On account of ill health he took up the practical side of the apothecary's trade with Dr.
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Tschirpe. In 1858 he re-entered the college and graduated in April, 1861. He clerked with Druggist Buenger for six months and then entered the theological seminary of Concordia in St. Louis. He graduated on March II, 1864, was ordained March 20, and accepted the missionary board's call to go to southeast Missouri, locating at Pilotknob, Iron Co., Mo., preach-
DR. CHARLES A. GRAEBER.
ing and teaching there and at Farm- ington, Sainte Genevieve, Mine La- motte, and other places. His voice failing, he accepted a call to Rock- ville, Tolland Co., Conn., being in- stalled there December 16, 1866, sup- plying also at Broad Brook. August 1869, he accepted a call to the St. I John's Lutheran church of Meriden
and was installed August 22 by the Rev. F. W. Fochlinger, of New York city. He supplied Southington's St. Matthew society and New Britain mission, starting also a mission at New Haven, Conn. He accepted a call to the Wartburg Home and Luth- eran hospital in East New York in April, 1886. He resigned in April, 1888, and returned to Meriden, devot- ing himself to the practice of medi- cine.
He was married Aug. 7, 1864, to Miss Christina Elizabeth Haeppler, of St. Louis, Mo. This union was blessed with six sons and five daugh- ters. His wife dying in January, 1902, he married July 4, 1904, Mrs. Crescentia Wilhelm, of Durham,. Conn. He has several children in Meriden now grown to maturity.
ALBERT A. MAY.
Albert A. May is one of Meriden's leading business men and has been a resident of this city for the past ten years. He was born in Northfield, Vt., on March 17, 1844, and was the eldest son of Hustin and Nufflet (Du- pheney) May. He spent his early years and was educated in the town of Ludlow, Vt., graduating from the Black River academy in 1860.
Always intensely patriotic, he re- sponded to the first call for troops at the outbreak of the Civil War, enlist- ing as a private April 20, 1861, as a member of Co. I, Second Vermont Vol. Infantry. He saw much active service, participating in twenty-seven
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battles. He was wounded six times, and suffers to this day from the ef- fects of a badly shattered leg received in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 4, 1864. He was honorably dis- charged July 15, 1865, ranking as second lieutenant.
After the close of the war and his .. recovery, to some extent, from his injuries, he established himself in bus-
Photo by Akers & Pigeon. ALBERT A. MAY.
iness in Massachusetts, where he re- sided until the spring of 1896, when he came to Meriden and founded the Pequod Business College, which is to- day one of the valued educational in- stitutions of the city. For several years he has been engaged in the un- dertaking business in which he has met with marked success.
Mr. May is a past post commander of Merriam Post, G. A. R., and a past master in the Masonic fraternity. He has also been at the head of many other patriotic, fraternal and social organizations. In June, 1905, he was chosen department commander of the G. A. R. of the state of Connecticut, and served his term in that office most acceptably to the comrades in the state. He is also an earnest church and Sunday school worker.
HUBERT LITTLE.
One of the best known merchants in Meriden is Hubert Little, a mem- ber of the corporation of The Little, Somers & Hyatt., and for over thirty years has been a valued resident of the town. He comes of distinguished ancestry on both sides, and is of the eighth generation in de- scent from Thomas Little, who came to Plymouth, Mass., from Devonshire, England, in 1630, and, in 1633 married Ann Warren, daughter of Richard Warren, who came over in the Mayflower, and was followed in 1623 by his wife and five children, who crossed the Atlantic in the good ship "Fortune." He is also descend- ed, through the line of Warrens, from one of the oldest families in England, and his descent may be traced directly to William de Warren. Earl of Normandy, who died in 1088, and married Gundred, youngest daughter of William the Conqueror.
Hubert Little is the son of William Buckingham and Harriet N. (Palmer)
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Little, and was born at Columbia, Conn., November 14, 1843, where his father was also born and was one of the more prominent men of that town. Hubert Little was brought up on his father's farm, and after attending the district school, finished his education at the Willimantic High school. He afterwards assisted in the work on the home farm.
Photo by Akers & Pigeon. .
HUBERT LITTLE.
He came to Meriden to learn the trade of a painter under his cousin, Charles L. Little, but finally formed a partnership with his brother, Elbert C. Little, and buying out his cousin, established himself in the paint, wall- paper and interior decorating busi- ness, under the firm style of H. Little & Co. After several years of success-
ful business, John E. Somers bought out the interest of the junior partner. The firm of which he has always been a member became Little, Somers & Hyatt in 1886, when Isaac B. Hyatt, the present chief of the Meriden Fire Department, bought an interest in the business, and which in 1904 be- came incorporated with a capital of $20,000. The concern of which Mr. Little is the head, is now one of the leading business houses of Meriden, and he is known as one of the most reliable in local circles.
He has for many years resided in one of the most comely residences in that part of the town known as Wash- ington Heights. Mr. Little is a member of several fraternal organi- zations, including Pacific Lodge, I. O. O. F., and Pilgrims' Harbor Coun- cil, Royal Arcanum.
He is a Republican in politics, but has never aspired to public office.
He was married November 14, 1871, to Alice L., daughter of Egbert Brown, of Columbia, Conn .; she died May 20, 1877, and to her three chil- dren were born: Flora L., November 18, 1872, died January 14, 1875 ; Clay- ton E., born December 19, 1874, died March 27, 1875 ; and Clinton E., born May 8, 1877, a successful traveling salesman. Mr. Little has been again married to Martha L., daughter of William Williams, of Westfield, Conn., and they had these children : Edna M., born January 28, 1879, died April 9, 1883 ; Thomas Saxton, born Novem- ber 27, 1882, died May 12, 1883 ; Har- old Saxton, born July 7, 1884, and
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Burton Elbert, born May 4, 1890, died October 31, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Lit- tle are both influential members of the Trinity M. E. church in Meriden.
JULIUS HOBART YALE.
Julius Hobart Yale, a prominent agriculturist of Meriden, who resides in the house built by his ancestor, Noah Yale, in 1761, was born in the house next to his present residence, July 3, 1863. He is a son of Julius Wilcox and Mary (Cooley) Yale and a descendant in the fifth generation from Noah Yale.
He was educated in the public schools and since then he has con- ducted his present well cultivated farm of 115 acres which has been in the possession of his family for so many generations.
His residence, although one of the oldest houses in Meriden, has been fitted by him with all modern im- provements. The water is supplied from an artesian well built in 1905 and operated by a windmill. The sit- uation of his residence is most pic- turesque and delightful views are fur- nished from the windows. His fruit cellar, for he raises a large amount, is kept well ventilated by a system of his own invention which keeps his apple and vegetable bins at the proper tem- perature. His barns contain all mod- ern farming implements and the farm shows the result of careful cultivation. He is the possessor of a large herd of cattle and is also a dairyman of note.
Mr. Yale has contributed much to
the press and was for three years a correspondent for the Connecticut Farmer and a like term for the New England Homestead. He has also taken a prominent part in the town meetings of Meriden, and is known as a good speaker, well versed in the topics of the day.
Since 1885 he has been actively connected with the Grange and in that
JULIUS HOBART YALE.
year was one of a committee of five to secure the charter members for the organization of the Meriden Grange, in which he has served as chorister for eleven years and two years each as lec- turer, overseer and master. He has for many years also been a member of the Center Congregational church. which society he has served in various capacities.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
He was married February 7, 1889, to Emma Louise Norton, of Guilford, Connecticut, a daughter of Geo. B. and Maria (Chalker) Norton, who before her marriage was for nine years a teacher in the schools of Guil- ford. Five children have been born to this marriage, three of whom are now living.
SERENO D. SMITH.
The subject of this sketch was born in Cheshire in the Cheshire Street district, receiving his education there and at the Lewis Academy, South- ington. He engaged with his father, Loyal Smith, in the carpenter and joiner business until 1858, when, up- on advice of Horace Greeley to young men to "go west," he went to Illinois and with a partner engaged in house building near the city of Ottawa. There he heard one of the great de- bates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. After his re- turn he was employed by Deacon Ly- man Clark at whose sash and blind factory he made blinds by contract. This factory, located where the Ar- mour building now stands on South Colony street, was burned in the spring of 1865. That year he formed a partnership with C. L. Little in the manufacture of sash doors, and blinds, which was continued for about a year, when they sold out to Pin- ney & Clark. In 1876 Mr. Smith opened a store at 167 State street, for the sale of windows, doors, blinds,
paints, oils, etc., which he continued until April, 1901, with fairly good success, disposing of his stock at that time to the Meriden Lumber Co., and since which he has not been engaged in active business.
Although not a member of any church organization he has for many years taken quite an interest in the Main Street Baptist church, con-
Photo by Akers & Pigeon. SERENO D. SMITH.
tributing according to his means to the construction of the edifice and its maintenance.
On January 1, 1863, he was married to Fannie E., daughter of the late J. C. Beach, of South Col- ony street. She died in November the same year; and in November, 1866, he was again married to Anna
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M. Hanly, who died March 12, 1905.
In politics Mr. Smith may be classed as an independent, believing it his duty to support the best man for office without regard to party. He voted for Grover Cleveland three different times ; in 1896 and 1900 as a gold Democrat supported William McKinley. Mr. Smith, at this writ- ing, is a great admirer of Theodore Roosevelt. He now lives in retire- ment at his home, I Olive street, Mer- iden.
GEORGE M. CLARK.
George M. Clark, president of the Meriden National Bank and since 1865 an active resident of Meriden, was born at Willimantic, Conn., Oc- tober 5, 1844. His ancestors include men of standing and influence in the early history of this country and he is descended from Lieut. William Clark, one of the first settlers of Dorchester, Mass., and who came to this country from England in 1636, but in 1639, removed to Northampton, Mass. He served as a soldier in the King Philip's War and for fourteen years was a representative from Northamp- ton in the general court. George M. Clark's forefathers afterwards became prominent in Connecticut, and as far back as 1784, Jonathan Clark, son of David, was born in Tolland where he grew to manhood and became a land owner and a prosperous farmer. Silas Fuller Clark, son of Jonathan and the father of the subject of this sketch, was also a native of Tolland,
but spent the last five years of his life in Meriden, where he died in August, 1900, and was buried in the Willi- mantic cemetery. He married at Wil- limantic, Elizabeth L. Woodworth, a daughter of Asa Woodworth, of Heb- ron, Conn.
George M. Clark was the only child of his parents to grow to manhood, his twin brother having died in child- hood. He was educated in the public schools and also private schools of Willimantic where he prepared for col- lege, but his close application to stud- ies caused his health to break down and he had to give up the college life which he had looked forward to with much pleasure and ambition.
He, therefore, began his business life at the age of sixteen, as a clerk in the Willimantic post office, but a year later entered the bank at Wind- ham, as teller, ever since which time he has been continuously associated with the banking business. In 1865 he was invited by the late O. B. Ar- nold, then its cashier, to enter the Mer- iden National Bank and become its teller, which position he filled with faithful attention to his duties until 1891, when he was elected cashier. This office he held until the death of Mr. Levi E. Coe, president, when he was chosen president and since that date has been at the head of the insti- tution. Mr. Clark, from his long con- nection with banking, is properly re- garded as one whose conservative ideas and sound judgment have al- ways held the confidence of his di- rectors and the public in general.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
Fotoklack
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BIOGRAPHIES.
Since becoming a resident of Meri- den, he has entered heart and soul in- to all matters where the welfare and good name of the town were at stake and is particularly active in church circles. He has for many years been a prominent member and one of the trustees of the First Methodist church of Meriden, in the affairs of which he has been a valued participant.
He was married in Mansfield to Lovisa Maria, daughter of Perry and Lois (Fenton) Holly, and two chil- dren have been born to them as fol- lows: George S. Clark, teller of the Meriden National Bank, who married Carrie Capen, of Norwich, Conn., and who have one child, Rolland B. Clark ; and Elizabeth Louise, assistant libra- rian at the Curtis Memorial Library, of Meriden.
GEO. VAN NOSTRAND.
Ex-chief of Police of the City of Meriden, Geo. Van Nostrand, un- der whom the department has been brought to a high state of efficiency, was born in New York City, March 25, 1841. He comes from an old Knickerbocker family and his fore- fathers were among the Holland Dutch settlers of Manhattan Island, who were afterwards Quakers. He is a son of Ansell and Mary Van Nos- trand, of New York City, and his grandparents were George and Fanny Van Nostrand, who resided at Far- mingdale, Long Island. He is also a nephew of Walt. Whitman. His boy-
hood days were spent largely with his grandparents and while he attended school in New York City, the- great- er part of his education was obtained at Farmingdale.
In 1857 he started to learn the trade of a ship carpenter, but soon after be- came employed as brakeman on the Long Island railroad. He was pro-
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GEORGE VAN NOSTRAND.
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moted to baggage master and later be- came a conductor on a freight train on the New Jersey Central railroad, which controlled the Long Island railroad. Afterwards he secured a more lucrative and responsible posi- tion and became express messenger for Hope's Express Co., his service being on the trains between New York and Reading, Pa.
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A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.
He came to Meriden in the fall of 1867 and was for a short time em- ployed in the Britannia shop. When the Meriden Police Department was organized he was the first man ap- pointed a patrolman and for several years was No. I of the department of which he is now chief. During his long service he has been promoted ser- geant, captain, and April 30, 1898, was appointed chief, succeeding Roger M. Ford in that office. Chief Van Nos- trand is known as one of the most capable and trustworthy officers in the state ; and to his ideas of discipline and ripe experience in the business, has the police department of Meriden been brought to its present high standard of excellence. He has also become highly esteemed as a resident of the town and has shown an interest in everything that pertains to its wel- fare.
He resides on Windsor avenue where in 1891 he built one of the comely residences of Meriden. In fraternal life, Mr. Van Nostrand is a Knight Templar Mason, being a mem- ber of Meridian Lodge, 77, and St. Elmo Commandery, 9, of Meriden, but is affiliated with no other organiza- tions.
During the Centennial celebration Chief Van Nostrand served as a mem- ber of the committee on public safety.
In 1866 he was married to Sarah Kellam, of Glastonbury, Conn., a lady of gentle manners, but with a keen sense of business methods. They have no children.
AUGUST SCHMELZER.
August Schmelzer, a leading Ger- man resident, manufacturer, merchant and president and treasurer of the Au- gust Schmelzer Co., was born in Wer- dau, Saxony, Germany, in 1841, and came to this country in 1870. In 1873 he began business in this city, opening a stationery store at the corner of Pratt and East Main streets. In 1884 he purchased the trucking business of James H. Chapman, which he has con- tinued ever since with growing suc- cess.
He went into the coal and wood bus- iness in 1889 when he purchased the business and property of George C. Beadle, which he afterwards enlarged materially ; and in 1893 purchased the land on South Colony and Cooper streets where he had constructed for him coal pockets adjoining the tracks of the Consolidated railroad of 2,000 tons capacity and where 350 tons can be unloaded daily. At the coal yards is all modern machinery for cutting and splitting wood; and in the con- ducting of his coal business as well as other enterprises he has been assisted by his son, Edgar E., now secretary and treasurer. In 1895 he removed his stationery and periodical store to Morse & Cook's block where he added cigars and tobacco ; and in 1896 began the manufacture of cigars which he now conducts on a large scale, his fac- tory adjoining the coal pockets.
Mr. Schmelzer was one of the pion- eers of the German-American school
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august Schmelzer
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association, and since its organization, he has been one of the prominent mem- bers of the school board. He is also a member of Teutonia lodge, I. O. O. F., Meriden lodge, D. O. H., Meriden Turn Verein, Cosmopolitan club and the Meriden Saengerbund. And not alone as a prosperous and an energetic business man is Mr. Schmelzer well known to the public, for, with his man- ifold responsibilities, he has found time to devote eight years in the faith- ful service of the city government, six years of which he was a member of the common council. On committee work and in the council his honesty of purpose was never questioned; for it was always his aim to exercise the same business care with the city's in- terests that he did in conducting his own private affairs.
He serves on the committee of re- ception and entertainment of the com- ing Centennial celebration.
JAMES F. GILL.
James Frederick Gill, who since 1872 has been associated with the mu- sic store on West Main street, Meri- den, is one of the best known resi- dents of the town, and a business man of high standing in local circles. He is a son of George Gill, of Meriden, who for many years was a con- tractor at the works of the Meriden Cutlery Company. His mother was Emma Mitton, and his parents, of English birth, settled in Meriden, his father in 1858, and his mother in 1860.
The latter brought with her the subject of this sketch, who has since lived here continuously and grown up with the town. He was educated at the Hanover district school, and as a youth showed a talent for music, which was duly encouraged by his pa- rents. He took lessons from the late T. T. Mansfield, who was at that time organist of the old Corner church,
Photo by Akers & Pigeon. JAMES F. GILL.
then located where the Meriden Opera house now stands, and afterwards be- came his assistant. . Mr. Mansfield was also proprietor of the music store where Mr. Gill was first employed and to whose business and good will he finally succeeded and which he has maintained successfully since 1881. Mr. Gill became a music teacher un-
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der the instruction of Mr. Mansfield and in years gone by has also taken part in numberless concerts and musi- cales, showing a deep interest in all musical matters. His music store contains a large stock of pianos and other musical instruments, sheet mu- sic, and musical merchandise of every description ; and having been estab- lished for so many years has become a most natural rendezvous for people musically inclined. Mr. Gill enjoys the confidence of his fellow townsmen in the fullest degree.
He is the present secretary, and was for several years treasurer, of the Sec- ond Building & Loan Association of Meriden, the meetings of which or- ganization are held in his store. He is also a well known member of the different Masonic bodies, including Meridian Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Key- stone Chapter; Hamilton Council, and St. Elmo Commandery, Knights Templar. Mr. Gill, with his family, is a communicant of All Saints' Epis- copal church.
He was married January II, 1882, to Mary E., daughter of Mrs. Lucy E. Hitchcock, of New Haven, and they reside at 195 Cook avenue, with their children, as follows: Emma A., Flora E. and Margaret M. Gill.
A. H. GARDNER.
Arthur Hugh Gardner, senior mem- ber of the insurance and real estate firm of A. H. & I. I. Gardner, was born August 3, 1853, in Charlotte,
Washington county, Maine. He comes from early colonial ancestry. His great-great-grandfather, Stephen Gardner, was born in Hingham, Mass., in 1727, and his son, War- ren Gardner, removed to Pembroke, Me., where the family have remained through several generations and con- tinued in agricultural pursuits. Isaac J. Gardner, father of Arthur Hugh and Irving I. Gardner, was also a well- to-do farmer. His wife was Annie L., daughter of Hugh Potter. He was also a farmer of Pembroke, and was born in Scotland.
A. H. Gardner was one of a family of nine children, eight of whom are now living and from the fact that the soil at the place of their birth is not sufficiently fertile for successful farming, four of the five boys are now in Meriden or vicinity.
A. H. Gardner came to Meriden at the age of nineteen and first secured employment in the greenhouses on the farm of the late Randolph Linsley, through which now extends Linsley avenue, where in later years Mr. Gardner built a comfortable res- idence for himself. Mr. Gardner af- terwards worked two years in the market of S. C. Paddock and later in the store of Augur & Gardner where he continued as a clerk for a number of years until he opened a first class restaurant in the then new Pacific lodge building on State street and continued until he engaged in the in- surance business, afterwards taking in as a partner his brother, Irving I. Gardner.
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Mr. Gardner is a prominent mem- ber of the Main street Baptist church and has taken a deep interest in all its affairs, having filled the offices of deacon, trustee, collector, usher and superintendent of the Sunday school. He has also served as a di- rector of the Meriden Y. M. C. A., is a member of Center lodge, A. F. & A. M. and the Royal Arcanum. He
Photo by Akers & Pigeon.
A. H. GARDNER.
is known as one of the influential and public spirited men of Meriden.
He was married. in 1879 to Julia Pearce, daughter of Captain Marion Small, of Eastport, Me., and they have one child. Mr. Gardner re- sides on West Main street, and with his brother also occupies their summer home at Westfield.
I. I. GARDNER.
Irving Isaac Gardner, who since 1891 has been a member of the real estate and insurance firm of A. H. & I. I. Gardner was born in Charlotte, Washington county, Me., August 3, 1860. His early progenitors are re- corded in the sketch of his brother, A. H. Gardner, immediately preceding. He attended the district school of his native town winters, until he was sev- enteen years old, following the pur- suits of his father summers.
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