An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 85

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252

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 85

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

of J. Wilcox & Co., woolen manufac- turers, had been destroyed by fire during the year and the brick build- ing now occupied by the Meriden Woolen Co. on the north side of Pratt street had been recently erected. The Wilcox Britannia Co. immediately af- ter its organization, proceeded to erect a wooden building on the site of the

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

burned factory at the corner of Pratt and Myrtle streets, and were soon busily engaged in manufacturing sil- ver plated ware. During the year 1867 the name of the company was changed to the Wilcox Silver Plate Co., and the capital stock was in- creased to $200,000, and at the same time Mr. Wilcox, finding that his wool- en business gave him little time to at- tend to the affairs of the new com- pany, resigned its presidency and A. L. Collins was elected as his suc- cessor. The capital was again in- creased, this time to $250,000. In 1869 quite a change in the list of di- rectors took place and we find the following board was elected: A. L. Collins, I. C. Lewis, Charles Parker, H. C. Wilcox, E. A. Mitchell, George W. Lyon and George R. Curtis and the capital stock was increased to $370,000. In 1868 a company had been formed called the Parker & Cas- per Co., which built and occupied what is now the larger half of the western part of Manning, Bowman & Co.'s factory. Samuel Dodd, who for more than ten years had been the cashier of the Home National bank, had, when the Parker & Casper Co. was formed, become its financial manager. But its period of existence was short ; for it was absorbed in 1869 by the Wilcox Silver Plate Co. and Mr. Dodd was elected secretary and treasurer of the consolidated com- pany and really its manager ; for Mr. Collins, while still holding the office of president, gradually withdrew from active management. The com-

pany soon entered on a period of great prosperity. Its wares became well and favorably known all over this and many foreign countries. The man- agement was conservative and yet en- terprising. The wares made were confined mostly to what is known as- plated hollow ware although quite a business was done in cut glass as well. The beauty of design was a marked feature of the goods made by this company. Mr. Dodd had drawn around him a corps of well trained and efficient helpers, notably P. S. Pelton, for many years superinten- dent, succeeded some years later by Lewis Hall; also Henry B. Beach as a salesman, and C. E. Breck- enridge first as a salesman and then as manager of the New York salesroom. In 1882 the large brick addition to the northeast wing was added to accommodate the rapidly growing business, while during other years there were various other addi- tions of minor importance added. There were scarcely any changes among officers or directors during the last thirty years of the company's ex- istence except as caused by death. At the time the company was absorbed by the International Silver Co., in 1899, the officers were as follows: A. L. Collins, president ; Samuel Dodd, secretary and treasurer ; George E. Flint, assistant treasurer ; Lewis Hall, superintendent. The directors were: A. L. Collins, Charles Parker, George H. Wilcox, Samuel Dodd, George M. Curtis, H. B. Beach, Geo. W. Lyon, Lewis Hall and George E. Flint.

MANUFACTORIES.

MERIDEN SILVER PLATE CO.

When the Parker & Casper Co. was bought out by the Wilcox Silver Plate Co. in 1869 Charles Cas- per immediately organized the Meri- den Silver Plate Co., under the joint stock laws of the state of Connecti- cut. The organization papers bear the date of January 3, 1879, and Mr. Casper's associates were Isaac H. Cornwall, William E. A. Bird and William R. Mackay. The capital stock was $30,000 and the directors were Charles Casper, William R. Mackay and Isaac H. Cornwall, who were elected president, secretary and treasurer, respectively. The com- pany bought the old factory property of J. H. Canfield & Co. at the cor- ner of Colony and Cross streets, and running through to South George street, on January 24, 1870, and pro- ceeded at once to the manufacture of silver plated ware. From the start the company was prosperous and the following year it was found necessary to increase the capital stock to $40,- 000. This increase was taken by A. C. Markham, who was elected a di- rector in 1872. Subsequently H. Wales Lines became connected with the company and was for a short time its secretary and treasurer. In 1873 Robert H. Curtis was elected to the position of secretary and treasurer. About the same time the Meriden Britannia Co. acquired a block of the stock and thenceforth there were two or three representatives from that company on the board of directors. In the year 1880 the brick addition

containing the office and large addi- tional factory room on Colony street was erected to accommodate the ex- panding business of the company. In 1887 Charles Casper disposed of his stock and resigned from the com- pany and George R. Curtis was elected president as his successor in 1888, but was not actively connected with the company, and at his death in 1893, Robert H. Curtis was elect- ed to fill the position, but resigned from the board in 1895. The direct- ors at the time the company was merged with the International Silver Co., were: Benjamin Page, George H. Wilcox, William R. Mackay, W. W. Mosher, George M. Curtis, F. H. Cushing and the officers : George M. Curtis, president ; F. H. Cushing, sec- retary and treasurer ; William R. . Mackay, superintendent and assistant treasurer.

C. ROGERS & BROS.

The firm of C. Rogers & Bros. was formed in 1866 and located on But- ler street, south of Main street, where a factory was built and the manufac- ture of casket hardware, shrouds, etc., was carried on. Some years later the firm began the making of plated forks, spoons, knives, etc., and quite a flour- ishing business was built up. In 1899 the business was incorporated with the name of C. Rogers & Bros. of Meriden, Conn., under the laws of the state of New Jersey and later un- der the laws of Connecticut. In 1902 the capital stock was purchased by the United States Silver Corporation and when the International Silver Co. pur-

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

chased this company they, of course, obtained control of C. Rogers & Bros. of Meriden. The old officers were: C. B. Rogers, president ; N. B. Rog- ers, vice-president ; Gilbert Rogers, treasurer ; Wilbur F. Rogers, secre- tary; Dan Fellows Platt, assistant treasurer. The directors were: Ar- thur Baldwin, N. B. Rogers, Gilbert

bits, S. L. Barbour and G. M. Curtis. This board of directors subsequent- ly elected George H. Wilcox, presi- dent, and George M. Curtis, secretary and treasurer.

The factory was then leased to the International Silver Co., and this com- pany then installed in it the business of Wm. Rogers Mfg. Co., and Rog-

FACTORY H, INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. (FORMERLY C. ROGERS & BROS.)

Rogers, Dan Fellows Platt, Cephas B. ers Cutlery Co., of Hartford, as has Rogers, Wilbur F. Rogers and George already been stated. F. Rogers.

As soon as the International Silver Co. obtained control these officers and directors all resigned and a new board was elected consisting of Samuel Dodd, George H. Wilcox, George D. Munson, George Rockwell, C. H. Tib-

THE CHARLES PARKER CO.

The history of this large and diver- sified manufacturing concern up to within a comparatively few years was the history of its founder, Charles

MANUFACTORIES.

Parker, a pioneer hardware manu- facturer of the country, and whose death, as stated elsewhere, occurred when he had attained the remarkable age of ninety-three. For some years previous to his death, however, the business was conducted by his two sons, Dexter W. and Charles E., and by his son-in-law, W. H. Lyon. The business which was established in 1832 has added materially to the welfare of the town of Meriden; for almost entirely within the borders of the town has the industry always been carried on.

The product has always added fame to Meriden, for the articles made are used in all the four quarters of the globe ; and the name of Charles Parker has become recognized throughout the world as a synonym for the most pop- ular goods, having best values not only in one line but applying also to every article produced by the company.

On a portion of the land between Elm and High streets, where the main factory buildings and office headquar- ters of the concern are now situated, Charles Parker built a stone shop and in 1832 began the manufacture of cof- fee mills.

His motive power was a blind horse, who propelled a pole sweep, which, hour after hour, and day after day, plodded around in a circle in the rear of the east end of what is now the vise shop; which was the only power of the factory until 1844, when the steam power introduced at the fac- tory by Mr. Parker was the first used in Meriden.

With the previous experience in the manufacture of coffee mills as a con- tractor for Lewis & Holt, and with a very limited capital which he had saved from his previous small earn- ings, Mr. Parker laid the foundation of the industry which now covers over fifteen acres and requires four engines of combined capacity of 500 horse power and twenty boilers aggregating about 2,000 horse-power ; and in addi- tion to that a liberal supply of water power at the factories at East Meriden and Yalesville.

At first Mr. Parker not only made but sold his own goods ; and it was his wont to make up stock, then wait up- on the trade in person until he had disposed of it. The practice of first receiving advance orders did not come into vogue until some years later.

In the early days traveling great dis- tances was a slow proceeding and the stage coach and canal boat were neces- sarily patronized by him. He made extended trips twice a year and upon one occasion he received an order which took two years for the factory to make up.

For a few years, beginning 1833, his brother, Edmund Parker, and He- man White were associated with him as partners, and the firm was known as Parker & White. During this part- nership the business had many trials and reverses ; but none ever affected the financial standing of Charles Par- ker, for never during the history of the business was his credit compromised. His brother retired in 1843 and Mr. White the year following.

19 93 19 99 99 91 51 51

11 11 19 55 13.53 33 35

MAIN WORKS OF THE CHARLES PARKER CO.

MANUFACTORIES.

Mr. Parker, a few years after, add- ed to his product that of plated spoons and forks, and was the first manufac- turer in Meriden of plated hollow ware, at what is known by Meriden- ites as the Parker "Spoon Shop," which has always been operated by water power supplied from Black pond, which body of water the company still controls. The output of this branch factory now comprises a portion of the company's lamp prod- uct, and steel spoons, forks, knives, etc. The capacity of the factory is very large and the goods are in great demand in the South and West and are also exported to a considerable extent.

Although the manufacture of the Parker spectacles, which were exten- sively used years ago, has been dis- continued, practically every other ar- ticle which was ever added to the large product is still being made, and the variety and volume of the output is added to every year.

The Parker coffee mills, made in fully one hundred sizes and styles, have now been on the market for prac- tically three-quarters of a century ; and the demand for them is greater than ever. These mills have been, and doubtless always will be in demand by the trade, the only difference being that when they were first made they were sold by the small peddler and now are shipped in carload lots to the large jobbers of this and foreign coun- tries.

In the early days, in a factory which stood on the opposite side of the road, but some distance farther west than

that now known as the Parker Clock factory, where a full line of nickel alarm clocks is produced, the making of locks and builders' hardware was pursued. This old factory, which has long since been torn down, once stood on land which was given to the city by the Parker Company and now com- prises eight acres of Hubbard Park. This branch of the industry was dis- continued some years ago.

The factory where the "Parker" guns are made is situated some distance from the main factory of the Charles Parker Company and employs neces- sarily the highest skilled workmen. The Parker shot gun, which for many years has been recognized all over the world as the best made and most ac- curate on the market, has since the time of the Civil war, been made un- der the name of Parker Bros.

The first improved gun which has since won unstinted praise from true sportsmen, cost a sum equal to a large fortune ; but Mr. Parker ac- complished what he had determined to do and which Parker Brothers still continue to do, that of making in large quantities the celebrated Par- ker shot gun, which proved to be all that the founder of the company could most fondly desire.

For more than sixty years the Par- ker vise, originally patented in 1854, has been made at the main factory and the demand for the same has been in- creasing ever since that date. The vise, like many of the other products of this company, is made from the raw material in large quantities.

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

1 1

PARKER BROTHERS OFFICE

GUN WORKS OF PARKER BROTHERS,

MANUFACTORIES.

The Parker vise occupies the high- est place, not only in the minds of the dealers, but is known in all trades as the best tool of its kind procurable. The line comprises about one hundred and fifty sizes and kinds, which are adapted for the uses of locomotive works, car builders, machinists, guns, sewing machines, automobile and car- riage manufacturers, jewelers and ar- tisans generally.

The Charles Parker Company are the oldest and largest manufacturers of these vises and also of coffee mills in the country. At the main factory are also produced miscellaneous goods including a complete line of brass, bronze and steel wood screws; also lamps in all varieties and of the highest grade and most pleasing design ; gas and electric portables and a complete line of lavatory and bath room fittings.

There, too, the piano stools and coffee mills are assembled and finished, the wood work of which is carried on at the factory at Yalesville.

It is a fact that The Charles Parker Co. manufacture more piano stools, benches, music racks and cabinets than any other one concern in the world. In conjunction with this department the company also manufacture a line of piano scarfs and covers of infinite variety.

Until 1905 the Charles Parker Com- pany also owned and operated the plant known as the Meriden Curtain Fixture Company, the largest factory of its kind in the world and employ- ing 500 hands, the product of which

comprises window shades, shade roll- ers and fringes. This business is now consolidated with other manufactur- ers of similar goods and is known as the Columbia Shade Cloth Co.

The Charles Parker Company be- came incorporated in 1876 with a cap- ital stock of $500,000, and like the Parker Clock Company, which it con- trols, is a close corporation. The first officers were Charles Parker, presi- dent ; Dexter W. Parker, secretary and treasurer, and Charles E. Parker, vice president. Since the death of Charles Parker, his son, Dexter W., has served as president; Wilbur F. Parker, vice-president, and William H. Lyon, secretary and treasurer.

The Parker Clock Company, which was incorporated June 12, 1893, has the following officers: William H. Lyon, president and treasurer, and James F. Allen, secretary.

The several industries carried on by the Charles Parker Company give steady employment to about fifteen hundred well-paid hands ; and its bus- iness for three-quarters of a century has added greatly to the prosperity of the town.

Many of the men in the employ of the company have grown up in the business and achieved prominence in the community. Fortunate, indeed, are those in its employ ; for they who have shown a disposition to give their best services to the concern have had their efforts recognized and re- warded in every reasonable degree. Especially is this true of the traveling salesmen, about a score in number,

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

who cover every state in the union, calling upon the large jobbers of the country and remaining away from the factory many weeks at a time on their trips in the interest of the con- cern. The New York salesrooms are at 32 Warren street.

Since the death of Charles Parker the general management of the bus- iness has devolved upon his son-in- law, William H. Lyon, who has been associated with the concern for many years. He, like the other officers of the company, is a kind and consider- ate employer and a man of rare bus- iness attainments and great energy.

THE MERIDEN CURTAIN FIX- TURE CO.

An industry grown from a small be- ginning to one of magnitude is that of The Meriden Curtain Fixture Co., the works of which cover several acres and furnish employment at the pres- ent day to several hundred hands. The product, window shades and shade cloth of all grades, sold through the Columbia Shade Cloth Company at New York, contrasts strongly with the modest output when the business was first started in a portion of the old Methodist church on Broad street.

At that time shade rollers only were made, and but a few hands were em- ployed. The business increased and the quarters were enlarged by utiliz- ing the whole of the old church and by the addition of another building. About 1891 it was found necessary to further enlarge the factory, and the

company did so by occupying a por- tion of the present large plant on Charles street. This enabled the com- pany to engage in the manufacture of fringes for their shades, the cloth for which was bought prepared to be made up. Later the company desir- ing to go into the manufacture of cloths, as well as rollers and fringes, decided to make another addition to the plant, and at that time the present five-story brick structure, 40 x 258 feet in dimensions, was built. Still later another grade was added to the out- put, and a second building, 52 x 182 feet, and three stories in height was erected on the company's property.

The goods made by the company are highly creditable to Meriden and the business always has been conduct- ed largely with Meriden capital. The plant is equipped with modern ma- chinery ; an artesian well furnishes an abundant water supply for various purposes, and four mammoth steam boilers furnish not only motive power but also sufficient for generating elec- tricity for lighting the factory.

The company is capitalized at $400,- 000. Its officers are Wilbur F. Par- ker, president; W. H. Lyon, vice- president ; S. G. Wilkins, secretary ; W. R. Hees, treasurer ; T. D. McChes- ney, general manager ; and Irving G. Cooley, manager. The president, vice-president and manager are all well known residents of Meriden. Mr. Parker was manager for a period of seven years, prior to associating himself exclusively with the Chas. Parker Co., of which he is now vice-

MANUFACTORIES.

1 3

11110

was

anv and toct-

icct ater

IS2

The

ma- s an ous eam wer lec-

00,- Par- ice-

ATT: nes- G. ent, all den. iod

ing has ice-

FACTORY OF THE MERIDEN CURTAIN FIXTURE CO.

: :

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

president. Mr. Lyon, the vice-pres- ident is also the treasurer and general manager of the Chas. Parker Co. Mr. Cooley, who became manager January I, 1906, has been engaged with the Curtain Fixture Co. since 1895.

THE MILLER BROTHERS CUT- LERY CO.

Conspicuous among the products which have made Meriden famous the world over is cutlery, and for nearly half a century The Miller Brothers Cutlery Company has been recognized as one of the important factors in the manufacturing life of the city. The business was established soon after the close of the Civil war; and for a few years the factory was located in Yales- ville. It soon became necessary to seek larger and more accessible quar- ters, and the site of the present fac- tory in Meriden was purchased from Pratt, Read & Company, comb manu- facturers. This site has been longer used for manufacturing purposes than any other in the town, dating back to the firm of Howard, Pratt & Co., in 1822.

In 1878, the present Miller Brothers Cutlery Company was organized by Messrs. Lemuel J. Curtis, Isaac C. Lewis, William F. Rockwell, Charles . Rockwell and George W. Lyon. This new company took over the en- tire business of the old company of the same name. Mr. Curtis was the first president, with William F. Rockwell as treasurer and general manager. On the death of Mr. Curtis, Mr. Lew-

is became president and served until his own death in 1893, being succeeded by William F. Rockwell as president and treasurer.

In its early days, the American pocket knife industry had a hard road to travel. Apart from the keen do- mestic competition, it was ground be- tween the flood of the cheap German commodity on the one hand, and the English product with its reputation of centuries on the other. One concern after another was forced to the wall, and hundreds of thousands of dollars were lost in the struggle. The ulti- mate success, not only of his own company, but of the industry itself, was very largely due to the great abil- ity and untiring energy of William F. Rockwell. His absolute knowledge of the business and exceptional mathe- matical ability made it possible for him to demonstrate to the framers of suc- cessive tariff legislation the imperative necessity of protection to the indus- try ; and it was this protection that made it possible for the American manufacturer to produce to-day a pocket knife that is the equal if not the superior of any other knife made.

In 1882, the manufacture of Miller Bros. steel pens was begun. The first makers of pens in this coun- try were Harrison & Bradford, their factory being located in Mount Ver- non, New York. The Miller Broth- ers Cutlery Company bought the me- chanical equipment of their plant and engaged Mr. Bradford as superinten- dent of the new department. In the manufacture of these delicate articles,

From a drawing by Douglas.

FACTORY OF THE MILLER BROS. CUTLERY CO.

A CENTURY OF MERIDEN.

CHARLES F. ROCKWELL.

MANUFACTORIES.

Miller Bros. have been as successful as with their cutlery, and both lines are large factors in advertising their home city.

From a small factory with few em- ployees to the large, modern plant giv- ing daily employment to three hundred or more people, is the best indication of the wisdom with which the affairs of the company have been managed. The entire energy of the management is concentrated on the three lines man- ufactured (pocket cutlery, steel ink erasers and steel pens) and every de- tail is given the most careful consider- ation.

On the death of William F. Rock- well in 1901, Charles L. Rockwell became president. and Charles F. Rockwell treasurer and general man- ager, succeeding his father in the ac- tive administration of the company. Harry A. Stevens is secretarv,

CONNECTICUT TRAP ROCK QUARRIES, INC.

Meriden is the center of the crushed stone industry of the state of Connec- ticut and here the business of quar- rying and crushing stone for ship- ment by rail was inaugurated.

In 1879 Carpenter Bros., of Port Chester, N. Y., secured a contract from the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., to quarry and crush trap rock for bal- lasting its road bed. This was the first railroad crushing plant in New England and was operated by the Carpenters for several years solely on

ballast, the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Co. taking the entire product.

In 1890 John S Lane, then of Hart- ford, conceived the idea of . estab- lishing a crushing plant to supply a small but growing demand for trap rock for macadam and concrete in the cities and towns reached by the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Carpenter Bros. had completed their contract and abandoned their quarry and Mr. Lane's attention was naturally drawn to the opportunities offered here for such a business. Early in 1890 he leased from Bartholomew & Coe the land adjoining the Carpenter quarry, opened another quarry and erected suitable machinery for crushing. This was the foundation, and to John S. Lane is the credit due, of the first commercial stone crushing plant in the New England states, although similar plants had been established on the Hudson river some years pre- vious. The business grew rapidly from the' start, not only along the lines which Mr. Lane originally had in view, but the four tracking of the New York division of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. about 1893 made a demand for immense quantities of railroad ballast also. This called for frequent additions to the plant and eventually the acquirement of the quarry Carpenter Bros. had formerly used.

In 1891 Arthur S. Lane was taken into partnership and the firm of John S. Lane & Son was established. In the course of a. few years similar plants, all within a radius of fifteen

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

An historic record and pictorial description of the town of Meriden, Connecticut and men who have made it, Part 85

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co. Number of Pages: 1252

Author: Gillespie, Charles Bancroft, 1865-1915; Curtis, George Munson
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Meriden, Conn. Journal publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1252