Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 153

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795

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S TEPHEN C. OSBORNE. One of the most notable features of modern American life is the rapid development of the business man of large affairs. With a back ground of sterling an- cestry, brimming, it is true, with latent capabil- ity, but without experience in wide business affairs, it has needed only the occasion or the opportunity to convert a young American into a

merchant or manufacturer of influence and posi- tion. One of the successes in this line has been signalized in the career of Stephen C. Osborne, a prominent manufacturer of No. 651 State street, Bridgeport, Conn. He is yet a young man, but has won his way quietly from an hon- ored heritage of agricultural pursuits to a proud position in an important manufacturing center.

Mr. Osborne's paternal ancestry is of English extraction, which has been grounded in the woof of American life from an early date. His great- grandfather. Oliver Osborne, was one of the largest landholders in New Milford, Litchfield Co., Conn. His grandfather, John Osborne, fol- lowed agricultural pursuits in the same locality. His father. Stephen Osborne, was born in New Milford, May 6, 1826, and followed in his earlier life the occupation of his ancestors. Later, he. added carpentering and building to farming, and became in time an extensive contractor. Stephen Osborne married Mary Elizabeth Cruise, daugh- ter of Sir John Cruise. an Irish nobleman, and granddaughter of Sir Edward Cruise, of Cruise- land, now one of the wealthy estates of Ireland. Lord Athenray, of the English House of Lords. is a cousin of Mrs. Osborne. To Stephen and Mary Elizabeth Osborne were born six children -five sons and one daughter-all living, as fol- lows: Stephen C., Daniel J., Henry S., David Francis, John Cruise and Lillian C. The father died May 16, 1890, aged sixty-four years. His widow survived him until November 21, 1895.

Stephen Cruise Osborne, the subject of this sketch, and the eldest child of his father's family. was born in New Milford, September 19, 1863. He was educated in the public schools of his na- tive town, completing the course of instruction at a very early age. He at once entered mer- cantile life as a young clerk in a grocery store, and later was in a clothing store at New Milford. Then in 1880, at the age of seventeen years, he sought a wider field and removed to Bridge- port. There for two years and a half he was employed by A. W. Wallace, grocer, and by the Village Store Company, having charge of a store for the latter. He returned to New Milford in 1884 to accept a position as general agent for W. B. Bostwick, of Bostwick Brothers, button manu- facturers, and with him a little later again took up his residence in Bridgeport, becoming assist- ant superintendent and shipping clerk. That position he retained for three and one-half years. or until July, 1887, when the factory was sold to Wilison Knight & Co., and with the new firm he remained until January 1, 1888.

Mr. Osborne was now twenty-five years of age, experienced in commercial affairs. The question

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of entering business for himself he seriously con- sidered, and made the resolution to devote his energies and capabilities, whatever they were, in some line which he could himself control. He began by opening an office for rent collecting, insurance and real estate at his present location, No. 651 State street, Bridgeport, and has fol- lowed it ever since. He branched out a little in 1889. and started a shoe store. The same year he purchased what is now known as the West End Livery Stable. retaining possession of the former six months and of the latter two and one- half years. Becoming impressed in the fall of 1890 with the idea that there was a market for cheap plated silverware, he established with Smith P. Glover, of Newtown, and William H. Ohara. of Bridgeport. the firm of S. C. Osborne & Co. They started a jobbing business in silverware. The two remaining partners, in July, 1892, pur- chased the interest of Mr. Glover. Trade flour- ished, and goods could not be procured to fill orders. To supply the demand, a plant employ- ing one hundred hands was erected by the firm in Wallingford, New Haven Co., Conn., in the spring of 1894. This was disposed of later when an advantageous offer was made, the firm agree- ing to take most of the output. The firm, S. C. Osborne & Co., was dissolved January 3, 1896, and since then Mr. Osborne has been sole owner of the business. In September, 1895, the New England Silver Plate Company was organized under the laws of Connecticut for the purpose of jobbing silverware, with principal offices at Bridgeport. Mr. Osborne is president and treas- urer. In business he has been very successful, and his prosperous career is all the more notable because of the comparative youth at which it was realized.

Nor has Mr. Osborne confined his talents ex- clusively to business. In April, 1892, he was ap- pointed, by Mayor Merigold, a meinber of the board of assessors for a two-year term, re-ap- pointed in 1894 by Mayor Bostwick, and again by Mayor Clark. On this board Mr. Osborne effected a substantial reform in the methods of taxation, by insisting upon and securing a more just and uniform method of assessments. In 1893 he was elected president of the board, and successively re-elected each year thereafter dur- ing his term of office, and by his devotion to the public work to which he has been assigned he has become one of the potent and positive forces of the city he makes his home. He is justly re- garded as one of the ablest of the younger Demo- cratic leaders in the State. His advice is fre- quently sought by men prominent in political af- fairs, and his success as an organizer has been so

repeatedly and successfully demonstrated that it has come to be regarded in the councils of the local Democratic party, that without Mr. Osborne at the helm much that is desirable is unobtain- able. Prior to the recent municipal campaign he was besieged by representative Democrats to allow his name to go before the convention for the nom- ination for mayor, but his rapidly growing busi- ness interests influenced him in opposing the de- sire of his friends. His decision is all the more regrettable because it lost to the municipality a mayor who, besides being a man of the highest probity, would have given the city a business man's administration the like of which it never had before. Mr. Osborne belongs not to that class of politicians that are in politics simply and solely because there is something in it for them. His time, and it has proven to be very valuable in the past, has always been placed at the disposal of his party gratis. Being a man of independent means, courageous and loyal to whatever he pro- fesses, he has won the respect of those who dif- fer with him on the tenets of political economy. Mr. Osborne is destined, unless he himself should decree it otherwise, to shine in the local political firmament.

Mr. Osborne was married in 1891 to Miss Edna L. Bissell, daughter of George S. Bissell, of Bridgeport, and their family consists of three children: Margerie, and Stephen Roy and George Robert, twins. Socially, our subject belongs to the Sea Side Club and Algonquin Club, and fra- ternally, to Pequonnock Lodge No. 4, I. O. O. F.

J TOHN RADY, whose place in the mechanical world of the town of Redding is but the debt the world owes to inventive genius, was born in that town in 1853, of Irish descent.

John Rady, Sr., his father, was born in Ireland, whence he came to this country at an early day. The common schools of " old Erin " afforded him his education. He left school when quite young, and not having been trained to any trade has found work of varied descriptions in the different concerns near his home. He married Miss Catharine Walsh, in Ireland, and their children were: Michael; Mary, who died in Ireland; Pat- rick, who died at sea; Frank, who died in in- fancy; John, our subject; James; Mary (2). who died young; and Ellen, who married Charles Witherstrom.

John Rady, our subject, was educated in the public schools at Redding. and at the age of twelve years began to work for Gilbert & Bennett Company also learned his trade of them, and is now an expert in his line. His

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interest in his work absorbs all his time, and he has invented some improved machinery that has revolutionized the business.

He has been in Chicago, where he superin- tended the setting up of the machines and watched the test. From the time his appren- ticeship was ended he has continued his connec- tion with Gilbert & Bennett Company, which in itself speaks well for his expert workmanship, and his regard for his employers' interests. As an evidence that he is well thought of outside of the circles that know him best as an experi- enced mechanic, we may mention that at the time of the strike in Georgetown he-was appointed one of the deputy sheriffs.

Mr. Rady was married to Miss Ellen Shay, daughter of Michael and Mary (Gannon) Shay, the former of whom, a prosperous farmer of the town of Monroe, was born in Ireland, in 1836, and early came to America. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Rady has been blessed with ten children. whose names, with dates of births, are as follows: Agnes, June 30, 1879; William (deceased), May 12, 1880; James M., May 16, 1881; Edward T. (de- ceased). September 19, 1883; Mary E., December 23. 1884; Elizabeth, October 30, 1887; Edward T. (2). July 24, 1889; Ellen G., December 24. 1891; Katie, July 10. 1893; and Ethel I., Novem- ber 1, 1896. Mrs. Ellen (Shay) Rady was born in the town of Monroe, Fairfield county, and ac- quired her education in the public schools. Her people were loyal, patriotic citizens, and her mother's brother, John Gannon, fought for the preservation of the Union in the days of the Re- bellion, sacrificing an arm on the altar of the country, and now is pensioned by the govern- ment.

Our subject and wife are devout members of the Roman Catholic Church, and are educating their children in that faith. Highly respected and genial, they occupy a prominent social posi- tion.

G EORGE A. KINNER, one of Danbury's representative citizens. commands the re- spect of the community as a substantial and prosperous business man. and a gallant soldier of the Civil war, in which he served when a mere youth.

The name suggests Scottish descent, but at a very early period our subject's ancestors settled in western New York and engaged in the lumber business. David L. Kinner, the father of our subject, who was born in New York State May 19, 1817, was robbed and murdered, in 1850, and left a widow and two sons. Mrs. Kinner, whose

maiden name was Anna Abbott, was born in Danbury. August 8, 1821, and died October 5, 1881. Our subject's brother, David Augustus Kinner, who is four years older than he, is now a resident of New Haven, Conn., and has for years been in the employ of the New York & New Haven Railroad Company.

Mr. Kinner was born May 21, 1849, at Penn Yan, N. Y., and was but one year old when his father met his death. He was educated in the public schools of Danbury, but his ardent patriot- ism did not permit him to complete the course, as he left school in 1864. at the age of fifteen, to enlist as a recruit in Company B, 17th Conn. V. 1., for three years or during the war. He remained with the regiment until the close of the war. most of the time being passed in Florida, in the vicinity of Jacksonville and St. Augustine. After returning to Danbury, he was employed by his uncle, Amos Stone, with whom he stayed several years, leaving then to start in business in Bethel, Conn., in which he was engaged until 1882. when he formed a partnership with W. B. Curtis and George A. Porter, both of Bethel, for the purpose of manufacturing hat wires from round steel wire, Mr. Curtis being the inventor of both the wire and the machine for making same. Mr. Porter disposing of his interest to Mr. Cur- tis in 1885, the business was continued success- fully by the remaining partners until 1892, when Mr. Curtis, wishing to engage in other enter- prises; sold his interest' to Mr. Kinner, who has since that time been sole owner of all patents and machinery connected with the business. In ad- dition to this business he is also the proprietor of the City Hall Pharmacy, now conducted by his son, and the "New England House," a well- known hostelry, at New Milford.

As might be supposed Mr. Kinner is too much occupied with his extensive and varied business enterprises to give much attention to practical politics, but his influence and his vote are always given to the Republican party. He was brought up in the Baptist Church, and he is an active member of Putnam Lodge No. 36, K. of P., at Bethel, also a member of the G. A. R. He and his family are prominent in social circles. He has a charming home in Bethel, the three-mile ride to his business in Danbury being easily made on the electric railway or behind some of his celebrated horses. He is a good judge of a horse, and ever since he could afford to gratify his taste in this respect his stable has not been without several fine specimens.

On December 28, 1870, Mr. Kinner married Miss Sarah C. Kinner, whose father, Hudson Kinner, had a stand in the New York City market

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for many years prior to his death. His wife, Melinda Lusk, was connected with a prominent Orange county (N. Y.) family. Mr. and Mrs. Kinner have one son. Herbert, now a promising young business man of Danbury.

G EORGE W. TAYLOR. Descended from Revolutionary stock, George W. Taylor stands to-day a representative citizen of the county where his family have lived for genera- tions. He was born in Newtown. Fairfield Co., Conn., April 18. 1841, a son of Charles and Mary Ann (Tomlinson) Taylor.

Charles Taylor, father of our subject, was a native of Newtown, a son of Levi Taylor and the grandson of Joshua Taylor. the latter of whom was a soldier in the Continental army. Charles learned the hatter's trade, and followed it until his early death at the age of thirty-one years. He married Mary Ann Tomlinson, a daughter of Timothy Tomlinson, of Woodbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., and to them were born five chil- dren: Ambrose, a resident of Bridgeport. Conn .; Mary F., deceased wife of Frank Cross, of New Jersey; George W., our subject; William. who was drowned at the age of eleven; and Andrew, deceased. Mr. Taylor died in 1848. followed three years later by his wife. Timothy Tomlin- son. the maternal grandfather of our subject. was a farmer of Litchfield county, and was of English extraction. His wife was, in her maiden- hood. Miss Nancy Hibbard, and they became the parents of four children: Mary Ann (Mrs. Taylor); Julia (Mrs. Farnam Peck); Horace, of Bethel, Conn .; and Nelson, who went west, and nothing has ever been heard of him since.

George W. Taylor enjoyed the same privi- leges, in the way of school and work, that fall to the lot of the average farmer's son, though his educational training did extend over a little longer period than was usually allotted to boys at that time. At the age of sixteen he began to learn the hatter's trade, and worked at same steadily for six years. He then began to deal in leaf tobacco, and ever since has been more or less extensively engaged in the tobacco business.

In 1866. Mr. Taylor was married to Miss Mary Dibble, of Bethel. a daughter of Samuel Dibble. For about fifteen years after his mar- riage he and his young wife lived at Bethel. later removing to Danbury. They have become the parents of four children: Addie B., Martha, Bertha and Sarah, all at home except Addie B., who is now the wife of Lee Hallock, of Danbury.

Mr. Taylor has been exceedingly prosperous in his various enterprises, and has become one of

the largest real-estate holders in Danbury. He is the owner of about fifteen houses which he rents, also two hat factories. It is in his polit- ical relations that Mr. Taylor is best known. His active work in behalf of the Democratic party continually kept him before the public. but in 1892 he became convinced that his views more nearly coincided with the principles of the Repub- lican platform, and accordingly he has since cast his ballot in the interest of the "G. O. P." He has served the public in various official positions; during his residence in Bethel he was justice of the peace; in 1891 was alderman of the Third ward in Danbury, when he served on the com- mittee on streets; he was then elected councilman from the same ward by the Republicans in 1895. In 1896 he resigned the office of alderman to be- come superintendent of public works. That his services have given satisfaction to the people as well as to the party he has served, is proven by the fact that he has been chosen to represent both parties with which he has identified him- self. His political life has been free from blemish, and he holds the highest esteem and good will of those whom he represents. He is a representa- tive, self-made man, and has only himself to thank for the position he now holds. His family was an old one, but bequeathed him naught save an untarnished name. Socially, he is a member of the Masonic Fraternity.

W WILLIAM KRUER, foreman of the spinning and turning departments of the Derby Silver Plate Company at Derby, is a prominent resident at Shelton village, where he owns an at- tractive home. He has been connected with the company for about twenty years, and his long term of service is in itself a convincing evidence of ability and worth.

The Kruer family originated in Germany. and August Kruer, the father of our subject, was a native of the Province of Hanover. In early manhood he practiced law in the Fatherland, and in 1847 he came to America, locating first in New York City, where he continued his profes- sional work for some time. Later he engaged in editorial work at Madison, Wis., and at St. Louis, Mo., and at the time of his death, in 1862, he was editor of the Anzeiger Des Westens, a well-known German paper of St. Louis. He took keen interest in all that affected the welfare of his adopted country, and on the organization of the Republican party he gave it hearty support. He took a prominent and active part in support of the Union during the early days of the Civil war, making many loyal speeches to his German

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countrymen, exhorting them to stand by the Union, and it may be said that it was men like August Kruer who helped so well to save the State of Missouri for the Union. He also wrote a book entitled " The Insurrection in Missouri," in the German language, which gives a clear ac- count of the early days of the war in that State. He was a member of the Evangelical Church, to which his wife also belonged. Shortly before coming to America he married Miss Georgenia Bode, daughter of William Bode, and she sur- vived him many years, passing away in 1894. Our subject is the youngest of four sons who lived to maturity, the others being : Mazzini, who has ·charge of the glove department of William Baar .& Co., merchants in St. Louis; Andrew, a drafts- iman and engraver in St. Louis: and Arthur, a traveling salesman for Schultz & Co., a St. Louis house.

William Kruer was born January 3, 1856, at | died in 1890, deeply mourned by a large circle of 1

Madison, Wis .. and was about two years old when his parents removed to St. Louis, where he obtained his education. On leaving school he learned the art of turning and spinning with Pelton Brothers, of St. Louis, remaining with them four years. He then spent two years with the Meriden Silver Plate Company, at Meriden, Conn .. also two years with the Wilcox Silver Plate Company, of Meriden, and in 1878 he en- tered the employ of the Derby Silver Company, with which he has since been connected. While he is not a politician. he is a believer in the prin- ciples of the Republican party. He and his fam- ily attend the Episcopal Church at Shelton, and are prominent in the social life of the place. Mr. Kruer is a member of several societies, including the D. O. H., a German order, the New Eng- land Order of Protection, and the Fraternal Or- der of Connecticut, an insurance society. He was elected burgess of Shelton for the years 1889-90. and the last year (1890) was appointed senior burgess by the board. In 1881 he mar- ried Miss Emma L. Martin, who is of German descent, and was born in New Britain, Conn .. the daughter of Charles Martin, a well-known citizen of Meriden. Five children brighten our subject's home: Bertha, Josephine, Arthur Will- iam, Norman Charles and Elise.

HARLES W. HOYT. a prominent resident C of Norwalk, is a member of the well-known | lieve that marriage is a failure in all cases, he is firm of Scofield & Hoyt. merchants, whose estab- lishments at Norwalk and South Norwalk com- 1 mand an extensive and profitable custom. He is a man of much intelligence, and as a citizen is | held in high esteem, being active in various lines

of work which tend to promote the welfare of the community.

Mr. Hoyt was born in New York City Octo- ber 30, 1844, but his family has been identified with this county for many years, his grandfather, Elihu Hoyt, having probably been a native of Stamford. Charles E. Hoyt, our subject's fa- ther, was born in Stamford, and although his early manhood was spent at Trenton, N. J., in connection with a rolling-mill, he returned to his native place to pass his declining years, and for a half century has resided on a farm in that local- ity. Notwithstanding his advanced age he takes an interest in the questions of the day, and is a strong supporter of the principles of the Repub- lican party. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Slawson, was born at Pound Ridge, Westchester Co., N. Y., but was residing in Stamford at the time of their marriage. She friends. Throughout her life she was an earnest Christian, and she and her husband both united many years ago with the Methodist Church. They had seven children, two of whom who died in infancy. Of the others, Ellen T. married Simon Ingersoll. the famous inventor, who died in 1.894; Charles W., our subject, is mentioned more fully below; Anna A. married James J. Scofield, the senior member of the firm of Sco- field & Hoyt; George W., a resident of New Canaan, this county, is a mason by occupation; and William H., who died in California in 1892. was a carpenter and builder.

The first two years of our subject's life were spent in New York City, but his youth was mainly passed in Stamford, his education being obtained in the public schools of that place. After com- pleting a high-school course, he turned his atten- tion to business, and at the age of twenty-one went to Port Chester, N. Y., where from 1865 10 1875 he was engaged in mercantile business with his present partner, making a specialty of dry goods, carpets, and similar commodities. In 1875 they bought a store in Norwalk, where they have since carried a fine stock of furniture, car- pets, crockery, oil cloths, and other house-fur- nishing goods, and in 1887 they opened a branch store at South Norwalk. There they conduct a similiar business, in addition to the lines named carrying a stock of dry goods.

While Mr. Hoyt does not by any means be- still in a state of single blessedness, which may possibly be accounted for by the fact that he has a very pleasant home with his sister, Mrs. Sco- field. In politics he is a Republican, and for about thirty-five years he has been an active

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member of the Methodist Church. in which he has held numerous offices including those of stew- ard and secretary of the official board.

G EORGE W. ADAMS. of the town of New Fairfield, is one of the oldest and most highly esteemed residents of that locality. . He represents a family which has long been identi- fied with the best interests of this county, and his own life gives an example of well-directed in- dustry that is worthy of emulation.

The ancestors of our subject settled at an early period in the town of Westport, this county, and his grandfather. Stephen Adams, was born there August 8, 1763. Stephen Adams received a common-school education and became a farmer by occupation. his permanent home being made in the town of Pawling, Dutchess Co .. N. Y., where he was a prominent citizen and a leading worker in the Methodist Church. He married Abigail Gorham, who was born April 15. 1767, and they had four sons: Stephen, who married Abbie J. Steadwell; Charles, who married Nancy Hungerford; Samuel, who married a Miss Corbin; and Peter. our subject's father.

Peter Adams was born December 15, 1784. in the town of Pawling. Dutchess Co., N. Y .. where he enjoyed the educational opportunities that were usually provided for country lads of his day. He always followed farming, and the business seemed to agree with him as he was sel- dom or never ill, and his life was prolonged to the good old age of ninety-six years. He took keen interest in political questions. never failing to cast his vote at election time. His wife, Elizabeth (Steadwell). was born September 8. 1784. in Salem, N. Y., a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Brundage) Steadwell. Our subject was the youngest in a family of nine children, the others being Jane, who did not marry; Al- mira, wife of John Baldwin; Joseph, who died in infancy; Samantha, who remained single; John, who married Elizabeth Peffer; David, who mar- ried Esther Newberry: Emily, wife of Milton C. Haviland; and Elizabeth, wife of Samuel A. Barnum. Peter Adams and his wife owned and lived on one farm for sixty-six continuous years.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 153

Author: H. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1795

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795