USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Winchester > Annals and family records of Winchester, Conn.: with exercises of the centennial celebration, on the 16th and 17th days of August, 1871 > Part 40
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By this time the nomination of postmasters within a congressional dis- trict had, by usage, become the unquestioned prerogative-not to say per- qui-ite-of the sitting members. Our member acted honestly and wisely by obtaining the establishment of a new office in the West Village, and leaving the old office where it then happened to be, and appointing two new postmasters. With this arrangement the land had rest for some years ; but, in the mean time, each village had encroached on the inter- mediate vacant space. The Naugatuck Railroad was opened in 1849, and the two villages became one. But this one village had three sections in- stead of two-the East, the West, and the Flat. The Flat, being the central point and the railroad terminus, naturally looked to a speedy pre- ponderance over the other sections. A consolidated post office seemed easy of attainment. Senator Dixon, like Barkis, " was willing " and ready to help by " ways that are dark and tricks that are vain," and represen-
*
433
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
tative Hubbard was befogged ; and like a thunder clap in a clear sky the announcement came that the West office was defunct, and the East office was transferred to the Flat! Fearful was the indignation of the outlying East and West enders. Their reciprocal heart burnings, the growth of a half century, dissolved into thin air. The whilom combatants became loving friends and turned their combined batteries upon the new victor. The Department, finding itself in a quandary, sent another political seer, named Nehemiah D. Sperry, to look into the matter, and see what was expedient to be done in the premises. Nehemiah heard the parties pub- licly and privately, by daylight and with a dark lantern. He too got into a quandary, and betook himself to secret negotiations and quack nostrums. The result was, a restoration of the two offices, a very imperfect healing of the new sore, and a general impression that Nehemiah was a wonderful negotiator. The two offices remained as they were until a new muddle grew out of the manipulations of a defeated candidate for congress in the fourth district, who got the Republican nomination, but could not get votes enough to elect him. His successful Republican colleagues, sorrowing for his defeat, conceded to him the bestowment of the post-offices in the dist- rict. Our people were not suited with his nominations for the twin post- offices, and some twenty-five or thirty of them went to Washington, and had a boisterous hearing before the gentlemanly P. M. G. Cresswell, who appointed two meritorious soldiers to the places, which they now hold.
It would be a wrong conclusion to draw from this detail of sectional squabbles, that our community is wholly given up to them, or that the feel- ings engendered are very deep or bitter. The question at issue once set- tled, general good feeling is soon restored, and the combatants return to their business, and with accustomed energy and cordiality unite in pro- moting unsectional measures of improvement or benevolence.
In 1833 the old Jenkins & Boyd scythe shop was torn down, and a new establishment was erected by parties, soon after incorporated as the Win- sted Manufacturing Company. This concern, under the able and efficient agency of the late John Camp, Esq., until his death in 1862, has prose- cuted the business of scythe-making to the present time with uninter- rupted success, making large dividends and sustaining a high reputation for good workmanship and upright dealing. Mr. Camp died of a hemor- rhage of the lungs, August 19, 1862, aged sixty-one years, leaving a name honored for integrity, public spirit, and private benevolence.
GEORGE DUDLEY, a native of Bloomfield, after a residence of several years in the east part of Winsted, purchased the Loomis tannery on Main street in 1832, and soon after went into tanning skivers or split sheep skins, imported from England, and prepared for book-binding and other pur- poses, a branch of the business which has proved highly remunerative to
55
434
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
those prosecuting it with skill and energy. Mr. Dudley, after various enlargements of his works, erected his present main building about 1856, having, two or three years earlier, put up his two large drying houses on Meadow street.
The present Methodist Episcopal church on Main street was erected in 1833, under the supervision of nine trustees, of better capacity for man- aging dairy farms than for contracting and supervising the building of a church edifice. Many repairs and improvements of the building have, from time to time, been made, the last of which was the taking down of the insignificant spire, and replacing it with one of symmetrical propor- tions, creditable to the society, to the village, and to Rev. Mr. Simonson, who supervised the work.
During the latter part of this decade, from 1837 to 1840, one of our periodic business revulsions occurred, which, in a great measure, checked the growth of the place for the time being. The accession of inhabitants and of new dwellings had been rapid during the five preceding years.
Among the more permanent inhabitants of the society not already named, who came in during this decade, were Orentus Bronson, James Birdsall, Elliot Beardsley, George Taylor, Doctor James Welch, James Humphrey, Asa Parke, Alvin Gilbert, Ambrose Whiting, Horatio L. Wet- more, Anson Foskett, David N. Beardsley, Elisha Kilborn, William G. Batcheller, Caleb J. Camp, Seth L. Wilder, Normand Adams, Willard S. Wetmore, John G. Wetmore, and Chester Wentworth.
The assessment list of 1840 comprises the following items:
176 Houses,
$79,850
Land, 127,026
19 Factories,
24,500
4 Grist and Saw Mills,
3,425
7 Stoves,
3,600
Clocks and Watches,
1,134
104 Horses,
4,869
838 Neat Cattle,
11,392
4 Carriages,
325
Bank Stock,
2,500
Money at interest,
14,053
152 Taxable Polls, -
3,040
TOTAL,
275,714
CHAPTER XXX.
NEW STREETS AND FACTORIES-WINSTED BANK-HURLBUT BANK-NAUGATUCK RAIL- ROAD-EPISCOPAL CHURCH-NEW BURYING-GROUND.
1841 To 1851.
In the year 1840 the meadow land between the two villages, north of Mad River, and the upland around the Naugatuck Railroad station and eastward, came into the hands of a new owner, and was opened to sale for building purposes. On the meadow between the west line of the Clarke house property and the tier line near Clifton Mill Bridge, and extending northward so as to embrace Elm street, High street, Wheeler street, most of the Green Woods Agricultural Park, the whole of Center street, and the part of Main street between the points first indicated, was used solely for farming purposes, with only one dwelling on the whole area. On the south side of the river, a road, since named Willow street, turned easterly, along the rear of the Clifton Mill property, and joined the Burrville road, on which but three houses had, as yet, been erected. Opposite the Clarke house, between the road and river, stood an ancient forge with its large coal houses, and a small forgeman's house, and across the river, a dilapi- dated saw-mill and three forgemen's houses on and near the site of the New England Pin Company's factory.
The lots on the north side of Main street were laid out and mainly taken up in 1841 and soon after built upon by new comers, who here found eligible openings, not before obtainable, at moderate prices. A new life and energy became apparent. New enterprises were projected and prosecuted, and old ones were stimulated to new vigor. Old indebted- nesses were paid off, and the system of doing business with accommoda- tion paper discounted at the Hartford banks and renewed at maturity, which had long prevailed, was gradually abandoned.
About 1845 the Methodist parsonage and the house now owned by Rufus E. Holmes were erected by Charles B. Weed, on the north line of High street. The line of the street had been agreed on by the proprietors
436
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
of the lands through which it ran, but no action was had by the town until August 22, 1846, when, on report of the Selectmen, a survey of the pro- posed road along the line of High street to Elm street, and thence south- erly to Main street at the Clarke House, was accepted and approved by the town ; but on the 26th of October following the town voted to dis- continue it, and a resort to the County Court became necessary to estab- lish it. The lots were speedily taken up, and it has proved a favorite section of the borough.
In 1845 the new burying-ground, south of the east village, was pur- chased and opened. It had been laid out in lots some years earlier. The grave of a daughter of Harmon Munson, who died June 28, 1831, was the first that was opened in it. It was enlarged to its present dimensions in 1871.
In 1846 " the Home Company," a joint stock concern, now extinct, erected the factory building now owned by the New England Pin Com- pany and went into the manufacture of doeskin cloths. The company had no previous experience in this line of manufacture; their successive foremen proved incompetent, and the enterprise shared the fate of all previous attempts at woolen manufacture in Winsted. The property was subsequently purchased by Anson G. Phelps, who, in 1855, sold it to the New England Pin Company, its present owners.
The Winsted Bank, with a capital of $100,000, was chartered in 1848. The bill for its charter was in the first instance rejected by the Assembly at the instance of the Hartford bankers ; but it was at once discovered that the rejection was operating a change of views of Litchfield County members on the Air Line Bridge question, then before the Asssembly ; the Hartford members obtained a reconsideration of the adverse vote ; and in six hours after its rejection the charter had passed both houses.
The location and control of this institution was a matter of deep inter- est to the two outside sections of Winsted. Plotting and counter-plotting were resorted to. The commissioners distributed the stock in the interest of the east section, which secured five of the directors and allowed to the west section only two. Then came the presidential question. Unfortu- nately, the dominant party were not agreed as to which of their directors should control the institution. One of them controlled directly or indi- rectly six hundred out of the one thousand shares of the stock, yet he failed of an election by reason of two eastern votes being cast for a west- ern candidate. This result was followed in a few days by the transfer of six hundred shares of stock to western parties, and soon afterwards by other transfers, which vacated the seats of two of the eastern directors, whose places were filled by directors in the western interest.
Soon after this, the banking. office was opened in a room of the Beards- ley House, with George Dudley as President, and E. S. Hamilton as Cashier.
437
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
The banking house, now the property of the Winsted Savings Bank, was erected in 1851. The profits of the first six months' business were swallowed up by the failure of one customer residing out of the State. By experience and caution, the bank thereafter in a great measure escaped similar losses, and did a prosperous business until Nov. 9, 1861, when its vault was broken open by burglars, who carried off cash assets to the amount of $60,100, only about $18,000 of which were finally re- covered, at a cost of over $2,000. This calamity, by impairing its capi- tal, prevented its reception as a National Bank ; in consequence of which, and the heavy tax on circulation of State banks, its business was there- after prosecuted at great disadvantage, and it was closed and the charter surrendered Sept. 1, 1867.
Notwithstanding this loss, and disadvantage, the institution had been so carefully and judiciously managed that the stock-holders received on the final liquidation $113 on each $100 of their stock .*
The Huilbut Bank was organized in June, 1857, under the provisions of the General Banking Law of 1852, and under the presidency of Wil- liam H. Phelps, Esq., its organizer, who controlled its operations until his death on the 25th day of August, 1864, at the age of about 46.
The directors of the bank, by vote on record, Resolved " that we are fully sensible of the loss to this institution of an able financier, whose faithfulness and diligence in managing the affairs of the bank are fully ap- parent in its success, and the character it has sustained at home and abroad for its soundness and prosperity. We also feel deeply his loss in common with this community, as an honest and capable adviser, a genial companion, and highly esteemed citizen."
The bank was organized with a capital of $130,000, which was in- creased in 1854 to $200,000; to which has since been added a subscrip- tion of stock to the amount of $5,000 by the American Deaf and Dumb Asylum.
It was reorganized as a National Bank immediately after the passage by Congress of the National Banking Law ; and since the death of Mr. Phelps has been successfully and profitably managed by officers trained by him.
The Naugatuck Railroad, from Derby to Plymouth, was chartered in 1845. In 1847 the company was allowed an extension of one year for commencing its road and expending thereon the sum of fifty thousand dollars ; and were authorized to extend its line to Winsted. Prior to the awarding of the contracts and extending the line to Winsted, it had been transferred to Alfred Bishop, of Bridgeport, and his associates, who in
* It should have been noted that the capital stock of the bank was enlarged in 1854 to $300,000.
438
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
consideration of a bonus of thirty thousand dollars and payment of the land damages along its line to Waterbury, by the citizens interested in its completion, contracted to build the road and open it to that point in 1849. Soon after the extension to Winsted was authorized, Mr. Bishop pro- posed to so extend it, on being secured another eash bonus of $30,000, and a right of way from Waterbury northward. The proposition was unlooked for, but was promptly responded to. A meeting of citizens in- terested along the line was immediately called, and a division of responsi- bility was agreed upon, by which the citizens of Winsted assumed half the bonus and the securing the whole right of way and depot grounds within the town of Winchester; and the citizens of Wolcottville and Plymouth agreed to assume the other half of the bonus and the whole ex- pense of the remaining land title.
A spirit of liberality, before unprecedented, prevailed. Men gave their thousands who had never before given a hundred for any public ob- ject. The subscription was speedily filled up, - when the chronic sec- tional disease of our community broke out on the question of locating the terminus , - whether it should be on the East village green, on the Flat, or in the West village. There was a backing down of a portion of sub- scriptions, which rendered a new subscription necessary on the basis of locating the terminus on the Flat where the depot now stands. A re- assessment of the adhering subscribers was proposed and speedily adopted. About five thousand dollars was assumed by adhering sub- scribers to make good the withdrawn subscriptions, and the contract with Mr. Bishop was thereupon perfected.
The iron horse paid his first visit to the Winsted depot, Sept. 21, 1849. The first passenger train came up on Saturday the 22d, and returned on the following Monday. The population of the whole town at that period was less than 2,100. In 1860 it was 3,550. As the population of the Old Society remained stationary, or decreased during the intervening period, we may safely estimate the increase of Winsted population during the eleven years after the opening of the railroad at 1450, - or 65 per cent.
The number of taxable polls in the town in 1849 was, -
438
In 1860, it had increased to - 853
Showing a gain in eleven years of 942 per cent.
This increased value of property is not to be wholly assigned to Win- sted Society, as it results partly from the greatly increased valuation of wood lands throughout the whole town.
Mr. Bishop, the projector and builder of the road, died before its com- pletion. He was a man of far seeing and comprehensive views, -- of quiet energy, and liberal spirit. He looked to ultimate results rather
439
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
than to immediate gains, and believed in a policy of promoting the growth of manufacturing and commercial business along the whole line of the road, to be affected by low freights on raw materials going from tide- water to the interior, and thereby increasing the return freights of manu- factured articles. His successors entertained more conservative views. They looked to immediate results, not by fostering the interests of the business sections remote from tide-water, but by imposing high fares and indiscriminating tariffs of freights, - so high as to discourage new manu- facturing enterprises. This policy was peculiarly unfavorable to Winsted by reason of her manufactures being mainly of heavy iron hardware, requiring iron, steel, coal, grind-stones, etc., to be brought from tide- water ..
The result was, for several years, a most unsatisfactory income to the company from the northern section of the road. The main cause of this did not so impress itself upon the comprehension of the directors of the road as to induce any change of policy. Nevertheless, our business, though sadly retarded, could not but be benefited by a small reduction of freights and fares below the cost of transportation by teams to and from Hartford on the east, and the Housatonic Railroad on the west.
The unprofitableness of the road until a recent period, grew in part out of its cheap original construction. A large portion of the stone masonry and bridges have required rebuilding not only once, but in not a few cases, oftener. The track has had to be raised or changed in many places, and no inconsiderable damages have been paid for accidents grow- ing out of imperfect construction and repairs. To the stockholders, it has eventually become a profitable pecuniary investment ; - whether more or less so by reason of its enormous freight charges and penurious manage- ment, is a question on which there may be a diversity of opinion.
The first stated worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Win- sted was begun in 1847, by Rev. H. Frisbie, and some funds were then raised for a church edifice. During the following year arrangements were made for building a church and a location was agreed on. The present Episcopal Church was soon after contracted for and was completed in October, 1848 ; and on the 27th day of that month the parish of St. James was legally organized by choice of Rev. Jonathan Coe, Jr., Rector, James R. Coe and Uriel Spencer, Jr., Wardens ; and Dr. John L. Wake- field, Hon. Wm. S. Holabird, and Alexander Durgin, Vestrymen. The church was consecrated. the same autumn. Rev. Jonathan Coe, Jr., was succeeded in 1854 by Rev. James W. Coe, who officiated for one year. In 1856 Rev. James R. Coe, brother of the first Rector, was chosen Rec- * tor, and officiated as such until 1860, when he was succeeded by Rev. David H. Short, who remained about two years, after which the parish
440
ANNALS OF WINCHESTER,
was for some time supplied by Rev. J. D. Berry, D.D., of Litchfield. In 1866 Rev. Wm. H. Williams was chosen Rector, and served two years ; and was succeeded by Rev. Wm. H. Lewis, Jr., who remained until May, 1870, when Rev. D. P. Sanford, the present Rector, took charge of the parish. The location of the church, influenced by the liberal subscrip- tions of individuals in its immediate vicinity, has been deemed ill-judged, and is supposed to have essentially retarded its growth. Endeavors have been made to obtain its removal to a more central point, intermediate be- tween the east and west sections, but as yet without success.
Meadow street was laid out in the fall of 1849 by Col. Hosea Hinsdale and Samuel Boyd, who owned the adjoining lands and laid them out in building lots of five rods front and eight rods depth. The northern por- tion of the land had been the home meadow of Col. Hinsdale, and the southern, the home meadow of James Boyd, then recently deceased. Buildings began at once to be erected on these lots, and they were nearly all taken up and improved within five years. Monroe street was also laid out and opened by Mr. Boyd the same year.
We note, among our prominent citizens who died during this decade, the following :
Capt. Zebina Smith, February 4, 1842, aged 82. Capt. Grinnell Spencer, March 5, 1843, aged 74. Theodore Hinsdale, Esq., Nov. 27, 1841, aged 40. Rev. Daniel Coe, Jan. 12, 1847, aged 64. James Boyd, Feb. 28, 1849, aged 78. Rev. James Beach, June 10, 1850, aged 70. Jonathan Coe, May 31, 1849, aged 79. Luman Hubbell, Oct. 1846. Gideon Hall, Sr., Feb. 23, 1850, aged 75. Dr. Luman Wakefield, March 20, 1850, aged 63. Nath. B. Gaylord, 1849.
441
AND FAMILY RECORDS.
We compile abstracts of the Assessment Lists of 1840 and 1850, show- ing the increased quantity and amount of property during the decade as follows:
List of 1840.
List of 1850.
Increase.
Dwelling houses,
176
$79,850
311 $161,880
135|
82,030
Acres of land,
8,168
127,026
8,477
184,103
309
57,077
Mills, factories, and stores,
30
31,525
39
65,605
9 34,080
Horses,
104
4,869
177
9,135
73
4,266
Neat cattle,
838
11,392 1,201
15,397
363
4,005
Investments in trade and mannfactures,
8,225
76,790
68,565
Bank stocks,
ยท 2,500
71,430
68,930
Railroad bonds,
5,400
5,400
Money at interest,
14,053
74,294
60,241
Taxable polls,
152
383
231
Total amount of taxable property on the two assessment lists, .
209,350
Population of town,
459,649 1,667
669,999 2,179
512
It will be seen by the foregoing abstracts that the dwellings had nearly doubled. in number, and more than doubled in value during the ten years ; - that the value of factories, stores, etc., had more than doubled ; that the bank stocks had increased more than twenty-fold, and money at interest more than five-fold.
The population of the Old Society remained stationary or decreased during the decade, so that the gain was altogether in Winsted.
56
CHAPTER XXXI.
1841 TO 1851.
MECHANICS AND LABORERS .- ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH .- SAVINGS AND BUILDING ASSOCIATION .- NEW STREETS.
THE elements of the steady and prosperous growth of Winsted have been, first of all, business men not only of energy, but of sound moral and religious principle ; second, the manufacture of such articles of prime necessity as require skillful and hard-working artizans ; third, a variety of moderately-sized establishments, conducted by actual resident owners ; fourth, a mutual sympathy of employers and employed, combined with a desire on all hands for the moral improvement of the community.
The original iron workers - forgemen, as they were termed - came from Ancram, N. Y., and from the Jerseys. They were mainly of Low Dutch descent, working hard at irregular hours, blowing up their fires at from two to four o'clock in the morning, completing their day's work soon after noon, and spending the rest of the day in fishing and drinking. This was the general characteristic, but there were some of them who broke loose from these habits, and became thrifty men and good citizens.
The iron masters discovered the evils of rum selling and rum drinking years before the general temperance movement began, and applied the remedy in part, abandoning the sale of liquors, and getting rid of their most intemperate workmen.
The early scythe makers were mainly Down Easters, of industrious, thrifty habits, and good morals. Their successors have maintained their characteristics, and constitute a large class of our most respectable citizens and property owners. The same qualities characterize our tanners, clockmakers, hoemakers, machinists, and other handicraftsmen. In no other manufacturing place in the state are as large a portion of the mechanics owners of comfortable homesteads, to say nothing of savings bank deposits and ten per cent. bonds, as in Winsted. We are most fortunately exempt from overshadowing cotton mills, print works, paper mills, and other establishments mainly sustained by the bone and muscle of poor children, imported - with their degraded parents - in box cars from the cities, and uncared for by their absentee employer,
443
FAMILY RECORDS.
save in securing from them the largest amount of labor, at the lowest cost.
The diversity of our manufactures is a special source of prosperity. The depression of one or two branches does not paralyze the community nor crowd the poor house.
Prior to the opening of the Naugatuck Railroad, the number of resi- dents of foreign birth was very limited. Some of the railroad laborers remained after the road was finished, and their friends and relations joined thiem. Others followed them by the new channel of access to this before secluded region. All of them found ready employment in a sober and temperate community, as yet uncontaminated by a vicious class.
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