USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 2 > Part 66
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HON. EDWARD E. BRADLEY. For upward of two and a half centuries the ancestors of our sub- ject have been associated with New Haven's his- tory, and for fifty years past several of the name, notably Isaac Bradley and sons, William H. and Edward E., in turn have been largely identified with the manufacture of coaches, carriages and carriage wheels of all kinds-an industry that has given New Haven note and fame throughout the world as a carriage center and home of a superior made ve- hicle.
Edward E. Bradley, president of the New Eng- land Dairy Corporation, and for many years one of the city's prominent public men and leading citizens; was born Jan. 5, 1845, in New Haven, a city whichi has been the scene of his active, busy and successful career and one in which he has been highly honored by his fellow men. Mr. Bradley is the son of Isaac and Abigail Knowles ( Hervey) Bradley, the for- mer for years a carriage manufacturer in New Ha- ven who engaged in business first on the corner of Church and Wall streets and later on Trumbull street, near State, until 1854, in which year he re- moved to a farm in West Haven, upon which he re- sided until his death, in November. 1858, when nearly sixty-four years of age. Mrs. Bradley passed away in January, 1891, at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. She was a great-granddaugh- ter of Rev. Dr. Dibblee, a noted missionary of the Church of England to New York and Connecticut a century and a half ago.
The emigrant ancestor of this branch of the Bradley family was Captain William Bradley, who took the oath of allegiance in New Haven in 1644, being therefore among the very early settlers of New Haven. William Bradley was one of several of a family which tradition, confirmed by careful research, tells us descended from a family in the market town of Bingley, on the River Aire, in the West of Yorkshire, England. The emigrants, six or seven in number, were all Cromwell men and stanch Dissenters.
Edward E. Bradley attended the old Lancas- terian public school in New Haven and later the public school and Brown's Academy in West Ha- ven, and for one year, 1859. Robbin's Commercial School in New Haven. In April. 1860, he began his business career as shipping clerk in the New Ha- ven Wheel Company's works. Several months later he was made the bookkeeper of the same. sustaining such relations until 1865. He resigned his position in that year to accept one with Lawrence, Bradley & Pardee, then considered one of the largest and best carriage manufacturing firms in the United States. He remained with this concern for a short
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time only, leaving it to go into the hardware house of John English & Co., but remained only a few months when, owing to failing health from over- work, he dropped out of business for three months rest. On recovering his health, he in 1865 again en- tered the employ of the New Haven Wheel Com- pany, the outline of the history of which is here given from the fact that Mr. Bradley has played so conspicuous a part in its affairs for so long a time. The business of this company was started in 1845 by Henry Stow and finally through several changes became, in 1853, a corporation under the name of the New Haven Wheel Company with a capital of $60,000. The business for some years was not very flourishing, owing mainly to a prejudice against machine made wheels, as they were then called in contradistinction to liand made ; then came the panic of 1857, and later the Civil war, so that until the close of the latter the affairs of the company were not such as its promoters had anticipated. In 1865- 66 the stock of the company was bought in by Will- iam H. and Edward E. Bradley, William and Henry G. Lewis and Frederick Ives, new buildings were erected and the business greatly enlarged, with the result that from a small beginning, perhaps a dozen sets of wheels per week in 1845, fifty in 1853, and one hundred in 1865, the capacity of the concern ran up to three hundred sets per week in 1874. In Sep- tember of that year the greater parts of the works were destroyed by fire, entailing a great loss, but such was the enterprise of the company that within a few months still larger works were erected, and its capacity again increased until it ranked for many years as the largest in its line in New England. The works occupied a frontage of over four hundred feet on York, Grove and Ashmun streets.
Jan. 1, 1902; president and member of the Execu- tive committee of the New Haven Chamber of Com- merce; director of the New Haven Colony Histori- cal Society and vice-president and a director of the Young Men's Institute of New Haven. Mr. Brad- ley is actively engaged at present as the president. of the New England Dairy Corporation, capitalize:1 at $175,000, and engaged in the business of distrib)- uting from their main establishment on Hazel street. milk, cream, butter and other dairy products to. the citizens of New Haven. They also have a. branch house on Commerce street, where they man- ufacture ice cream, ices, frozen puddings, mousse,. etc., in a large way, also fancy cakes from small macaroons and lady fingers up to large decorated wedding loaves. The business is an extensive and. important one, requiring the services of a number of experts and a large force of workmen.
Mr. Bradley has been prominent in military af- fairs both in city and State. In 1861 he joined the famous military company known as the New Ha- ven Grays and rapidly rose through all the grades of command to the captaincy in 1865, and held the same until June, 1868. when he was chosen lieuten- ant colonel of the Second Connecticut Regiment,. and in 1869 was made its colonel. He was devoted and faithful in his various military positions, and especially efficient in devising legal measures for the general improvement of the State Military service, fostering and maintaining the excellent mil- itary spirit that remained after the Civil war. While in command Col. Bradley, under the orders of Ad- jutant General Merwin, was engaged in the capture. April 30, 1870. of a gang of New York roughs who- liad come to Charles Island in the town of Milford to hold a prize fight. The gang numbered some one hundred strong and the adroit manner in which they were captured reflected great credit upon the. ready tactics of Col. Bradley and his officers and men, all of whom were the subjects of favorable comment by the press of the day. After ten years of service, owing to pressure of business upon his time, Col. Bradley resigned the colonelcy of the regiment. During these years Col. Bradley was the recipient of many testimonials of esteem from the men of his command and frequent ovations were- tendered him on interesting occasions by the various. associations with which he was connected. Col. Bradley served as paymaster-general in 1877-78. under Gov. Hubbard. ranking as a brigadier-gen- eral, and by his promptness in the performance of his. duty, gave great satisfaction to the soldiery of the State. In 1884 the General took an active and effi- cient part in the ordering of the exercises at the Cen- tennial celebration of the city of New Haven, held July 3 and 4, and commanded, as one of the officers. of the day, the Fourth Division, which included the Governor of the State and his staff. In 1893 he- was appointed Adjutant-General of the State, with rank of brigadier-general, on the staff of Gov. Luzon
In 1866 Edward E. Bradley was made secretary and treasurer of the company, succeeding Henry G. Lewis, who was chosen president. Mr. Bradley most efficiently filled such positions until 1887 when, on July I, he was elected president and remained in that position until 1898 when, his old partners having all deceased, he desired to enter into other and different business relations, and accordingly he closed out the business and retired from wheel man- ufacturing. He has been president of the Boston Buckboard and Carriage Co., one of New Haven's fine carriage making establishments, since 1886. He was also president for a number of years of tlie Charles W. Scranton Co., of New Haven, investment brokers, and of the News Publishing Co., of New Haven, publishers of the Daily Morning News. He was a director and the treasurer of the Fort Bascom Cattle Raising Co., and is now a director and treas- urer of its successor, the Red River Valley Co., which owns a ranch of 718.000 acres of land with a herd of 30,000 head of cattle, in New Mexico: is a director in the New Haven County National Bank; for upwards of twenty years was a member of the Connecticut Local Board of the New York Life Insurance Company, retiring from that board . B. Morris and served ably and acceptably in that.
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-the highest military position in the State-until the end of Gov. Morris' administration.
Gen. Bradley, when a resident of the Borough of West Haven, from 1876 to 1886, served as a member of its board of burgesses and also as a mem- ber of the Union School District committee of the town of Orange for several years. He has been twice elected a member of the State House of Rep- resentatives, in 1882 and 1883, and his popularity was here shown from the fact that the town was a Republican stronghold, no Democrat having been elected for nearly a generation previous. In the Lower House he served on the committee on Banks and as House chairman of the joint standing com- mittee on Roads and Bridges, also as clerk of joint committee on Cities and Boroughs. He introduced the biennial session amendment to the State Con- stitution, which is now a part of the fundamental law of the State, and ably advocated its first adoption before the House. He was also prominent in the debates on matters in general, and especially on those reported from his committees and on legis- lation regarding the shell fisheries of the coast towns. He presided over the House at the closing hours of the session of 1883 and was chosen to make the farewell address to the Speaker, which he did in a graceful and eloquent manner. In 1886 he was elected a member of the State Senate and bore a leading part in that body. being especially active in legislation regarding education and sani- tary laws. As chairman of the joint select committee on New Counties and County Seats he was promi- nently engaged in the most exciting controversy of the session-the struggle between Bridgeport and Norwalk for the possession of the county seat of Fairfield county. His arguments in that matter were successful in securing the adoption by the Sen- ate of the report of his committee in favor of Bridgeport.
For more than a decade preceding Jan. 1, 1902. Gen. Bradley was one of the New Haven public park commissioners, a board which has charge of the city's splendid park system. He was the Demo- cratic candidate for lieutenant-governor in 1886, and though he had about 2,000 more votes than his leading opponent, vet was debarred from taking the office by the Constitution of the State, which re- quires a majority over all opposing candidates. He was also the candidate of the Gold Democrats of New Haven for mayor in 1896, but was defeated because the party split on the gold and silver question, though he ran 1,600 votes ahead of his ticket.
Gen. Bradley's religious connections are with St. Paul's Episcopal Church at New Haven, of which for many years he has been a vestryman. He is a director of the Missionary Society of Connecti- cut and a trustee of the Episcopal Academy of Con- necticut, at Cheshire, founded in 1794. In all the varied positions which Gen. Bradley has held, many requiring ability and tact, he has shown high execu-
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tive ability and skill, and as a man in contact with men has gained a wide popularity. Starting out for himself at the age of fifteen, with no capital but brains, energy and good health he has made a de- served success and won a position in the front rank of the progressive men of New England.
On April 26, 1871, Gen. Bradley was married to Mary Elizabeth, only child of Mary (Jones) and the late Nathaniel Kimberly, of West Haven, and their three children are: Edith Mary, Bertha Kim- berly and Mabel Louise.
FREDERICK PERRY OWEN, the efficient bookkeeper at the Connecticut School for Boys, lo- cated in Meriden, was born in Buxton, York Co, Maine, July 18, 1859, the family being a well-known one in that great State.
John Owen came to this country from England, and in 1770 married Sarah Bradbury, who bore him five children, namely: Abigail, Betsey, William, Elijah and John. Jr. John Owen served through one winter's campaign in New York during the war of the Revolution.
John Owen. Jr .. was born in Buxton, Maine, June 9, 1789. He married May 26, 1816, Ruth Hill, daughter of Daniel Hill, an ensign in the Revolu- tion under his brother. Capt. Jeremiah Hill, of Biddeford, Maine. John Owen, Jr., died March 5, 1868, and his wife, Ruth, passed away. Nov. 18, 1859.
Melville C. Owen, son of John, Jr., was born Nov. 8, 1832, in York Co., Maine, where he is a farmer of prominence and a large land holder. In his locality he has been selectman. is a stanch ad- herent of the Republican party and a leading mem- ber of the Methodist Church. He married Martha W. Davis, daughter of Simeon Davis, who has been a most estimable wife and mother, beloved in her family and neighborhood. Their children are: Os- car, who resides in Boston, Mass. ; Frederick P., of Meriden, Conn. ; Lincoln, a resident of Boston : and Mary Louise, who married Frederick Sanborn, of Standish, Maine. In the Davis line Thomas Davis was an early settler of Buxton, and he served in the war of the Revolution. Simeon Davis, his son, and the father of Martha W. Davis, was born in Buxton May 31, 1790, and married Jane Mclellan, daughter of William. a Revolutionary soldier, and granddaughter of James and Abagail Mclellan. Abagail was a daughter of Sir Hugh Mclellan and his wife, Elizabeth, early settlers of Gorham, Maine, and they were of Scotch-Irish blood : he was a car- penter and made himself so useful on shipboard that his passage money was returned to him.
Fre:lerick Perry Owen grew up on a farm. in his boyhood attending the district schools of his locality, graduating later from the Western Normal School, at Gorham, Maine, in the spring class of 18So. For two years he taught school in his own locality, and in 1882 accepted the position of overseer at the Re- form School at Cape Elizabeth where he remained
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two years, coming to Meriden. Conn., and entering upon his duties as supervisor of the North Division in the Connecticut School for Boys in January, 1884. After filling this position five years he became su- pervisor of Cottage D for a period of ten years. After fifteen years of faithful performance of the duties assigned him Mr. Owen was appointed book- keeper of the institution and these duties also have been performed with efficiency and to the satisfac- tion of the trustees. He has proved a valuable as- sistant to the superintendent and continues to give the same careful, patient attention to all details which has marked him ever since his first connection with this State institution.
Mr. Owen was married in 1886 to Emily G. Hurd, a most estimable lady who, as assistant ma- tron in the school, attends to a very important branch of the work. Mrs. Owen is a faithful mem- ber of the First Methodist Church, and both she and her husband are highly esteemed in social life. In politics Mr. Owen is a Republican and is an excellent representative citizen.
FRIEND E. BROOKS. Even as America is distinctively the home of the typically self-made man, so is it the glory of the nation that here are afforded the opportunities which enable one to so profit by his own industry and powers as to attain a success worthy of the name.
Among the native sons of Connecticut who have beett the architects of their own fortunes, and whose business careers have been characterized by the high- est integrity and honor. is Mr. Brooks, who is one of the representative citizens of New Haven, where he is engaged in the men's furnishings and fur busi- ness at Nos. 791-795 Chapel street, having an estab- lishment of distinctively metropolitan equipment and accessories, and a trade of representative order. For more than three decades Mr. Brooks has been iden- tified with the mercantile activities of New Haven, and within this period he has become well known and has gained unqualified confidence and esteem as one whose straightforward course and observance of the highest ethics of commercial life have made him a worthy factor in the community. He is a man of keen discrimination and sound judgment, and his excellent management and sound judgment have brought to his mercantile enterprise a inarked degree of success. The safely conservative policy which he inaugurated at the inception of the business commends itself to the judgment of all patrons and has made the volume of business transacted one of importance and no slight magnitude. In any work purporting to touch upon the lives and deeds oi those who stand among the leading business men of the fair city of New Haven it is consonant that definite consideration be accorded to the gentleman whose name initiates this review, for he conducts the leading enterprise in his line in that city and richly merits the prestige which he has attained.
of the nation, Mr. Brooks was reared under the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the farm, where he waxed strong in both mental and physical vigor. contributing his quota to its work and imbibing co- pions draughts from the springs of independence and activity which are always accessible to those who thus live close to nature's heart. Here also were formed the habits of industry and consecutive application and that high regard for the dignity of honest endeavor, which have been dominating char- acteristics in his career, while the varied occupations of his more youthful years proved a valuable experi- ence. Mr. Brooks was born Nov. 3, 1840, at Beth- any, Conn., son of Isaac Richard Brooks, who was born in the Nutmeg State, son of Isaac Brooks. who was also born in Connecticut; father and grandfather were farmers by vocation. Among the children of Isaac Brooks, were the following: Mary. wife of George Aldrich, of Waterbury, Conn. ; Sarah, wife of Eben Hoadly, of the same place : Elizabeth, wife of John Mullings, also of Water- bury; Cynthia, wife of George Osborn, of Beacon Falls ; and Isaac Richard, the father of our subject. The last mentioned married Miss Laura Baldwin and they became the parents of two sons, Edwin A. and Friend E. Edwin A. Brooks died in Ne. Ha- ven in 1890. His politeness and courtesy to a wealthy lady when a young man were so appreci- ated by her that he was enabled to engage in busi- ness in New Haven under favorable circumstances and he became one of the city's successful and hon- ored merchants. At the time when the integrity of the nation was menaced by armed rebellion he went to the front as a valiant soldier of the Union army and made an enviable military record. The father of our subject passed away in 1848 and was in- terred in the Pines Bridge cemetery at Seymour, Conn. His wife, who survives at the age of sev- enty-six years, resides in New Haven.
Friend E. Brooks, to whom this review is dedi- cated, was but two years of age at the time of his father's death, and thereafter he remained with his mother until he attained the age of fourteen. His early scholastic advantages were meager in scope, being principally such as were afforded in the district schools in the vicinity of his farm home. As a boy he lived in different towns, Durhanı. Cheshire, Ansonia and others, and in each of these he also attended school in a somewhat desultory way, while the only institution of higher learning where he pursued his studies was the Cheshire Academy. At the age of fourteen years he left home and went to Wallingford where he secured work on a farm, his original remuneration consisting of his board and clothing, with the privilege of three months' schooling in the year. Of this period he utilized in the pursuit of his education only ten days. He was of an exceedingly modest and re- tring disposition, reticent almost to the point of bashfulness, and thus he endured so much discom-
Like many of the most successful business men j fort in the school room that after the ten days he
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indicated his preference for staying at home and chopping wood in place of attending school, doubt- less to the satisfaction of his employer. Later he entered the employ of his uncle, Eben Hoadly, who held a contract for the delivering of barytes from the mines in Cheshire to the railway depot ; this mineral was in that period largely and profitably produced in that section of the State. Still later he was employed by Andrew Bradley, of the same town, receiving his board and schooling for doing chores and he also worked for his uncle, Thomas Brooks, who was one of the prominent business men of Cheshire in the early days. Subsequently he en- tered upon an apprenticeship at the kegmaker's trade in Cheshire, this industry being at that time one of no little scope and importance in that town, where many thousand kegs were annually produced and were used by the shippers of oysters. Thus it will be seen that the youth early learned the lessons of consecutive application and that his experiences were along divers lines. He had also worked in a clock shop in Ansonia; had been employed in an establishment where were turned out the old-time hoopskirts then, in the early sixties, in demand by every woman of any social pretensions ; and he was thus ever ready to take advantage of any opportunity which presented itself and to make the best possi- ble use of his time. While attending school he em- ployed his leisure time in trapping, in which line he was exceptionally successful, often earning very substantial sums from his operations. While still a young man he also served as a clerk in the gen- eral merchandise establishment of E. R. Brown, of Cheshire.
The year 1868 marked the advent of Mr. Brooks in the city of New Haven, and here he secured a clerkship in the mercantile establishment of the firm of Crofut & Co., whose headquarters were what is now the west half of his own finely equipped busi- ness place. His brother, Edwin A. Brooks, was at that time the silent member of the firm, and there our subject was retained in a clerical capacity for the period of three years, when his brother severed his connection with the business and the brothers be- came associated in the same line of enterprise in a different location. This alliance continued about five years. For the past quarter of a century our subject has been located at his present headquarters. where for seven years he had as a business coad- jutor, Samuel A. Stevens, while since 1886 he lias conducted the business individually under his own name. In 1899 he added to his headquarters the store at No. 791, adjoining his former place in Chapel street, and in the new section installed his fur department, which proves a valuable and well patronized complement to his men's furnishing store, which has gained the highest reputation in the long years during which he has conducted business in that line. The two stores are connected by an arch- way and in every respect the establishment is metro- politan, having a large and select stock and catering
to a most discriminating patronage, firmly held by reason of many years of honorable and courteous dealing.
The position which Mr. Brooks holds in the business community is in a measure indicated by the fact that he retains membership in the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Men's Association. while fraternally he is identified with Hiram Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M., the Union League and the Pe -: quot Clubs. Mindful of the duties of citizenship. he exercises his franchise in support of men and measures, maintaining an independent attitude rather than being guided, by strict partisan lines. He has never sought or desired the honors or emoluments of public office, being essentially a busi- ness man and believing that his legitimate line of enterprise is worthy of his undivided attention. As a result, in connection with his unvarying courtesy and honorable dealing, he has built up a large and profitable business and an enviable reputation for commercial integrity, his standing in the commun- ity being indicated by the uniform confidence and esteem in which he is held as one of its pioneer busi- ness men. His success is the natural sequel of his own efforts and entitles him to a foremost position among the self-made men of New Haven.
In 1891 Mr. Brooks completed his fine residence at No. 591 Whitney avenue, where he has since maintained his home and where a gracious hospital- ity is extended to the wide circle of friends gained during his long residence in the city. Signally true and steadfast in all the relations of life. he richly merits the high regard in which he is held in New Haven, and the biographer may review his career with a feeling of distinct respect and satisfaction.
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