USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > History of Bridgeport and vicinity > Part 30
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Arthur T. Granger acquired a public school education in his native city, and when sixteen years of age went to Vermillion, Kansas, where he was associated with a brother in the general merchandise business. In 1903 he returned to his native city and entered the
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employ of the E. A. Perkins Electrical Company with which he continued for a year. He was afterward with the New England Engineering Company for several years and in February, 1914, he entered the employ of D. W. Flint of New Haven, Connecticut, in the sale of Ford cars. On the 1st of January, 1917, he removed to Bridgeport and purchased an interest in the Gale Electric Company, so that he is now actively connected with the business, contributing to its growth and success.
On the 16th of April, 1907, Mr. Granger was united in marriage to Miss Lena May MeClary. He is well known in connection with Masonie interests, belonging to the lodge and council and also to the Masonic Club of New Haven. He is likewise connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows as a member of the lodge and encampment. Politically he maintains an independent course, supporting men and measures rather than party. He has sought business advancement along the lines of legitimate activity, basing his success upon industry and unfaltering determination.
EDSON W. HALL.
Edson W. Hall, a coal dealer of Stratford who has developed a business that is a leader in its line, has his office at No. 555 Broad street and his residence, which he erected in 1915, is at No. 1536 South Main street. He was born in Easton, Connecticut, in 1854, a son of Philo and Delia (Blakeman) Hall, both now deceased. They came of old American families who were early residents of Easton. They had six children, of whom Henry, Emeline A., Austin A. and August A. are now deceased. The second of the family, Frances E., is living in Easton at the age of eighty-one years. The only other survivor is Edson W., who bas spent each Sunday with his sister for the past fourteen years.
After attending the Easton public schools and the Easton Academy, Edson W. Hall started out to provide for his own support and made a contract with the government for carying the mail between Easton and Bridgeport for four years. On the expiration of that period he began to learn the butcher's trade in Bridgeport, where he spent a year, after which he engaged in farming for a time. Returning to Bridgeport, he was for a while in a grocery store and later spent seventeen years in the employ of the Adams Express Company. For almost three decades he has lived in Stratford, having taken up his abode here in 1889, at which time he purchased the coal business of Robert Wheeler and has since been actively connected with the trade. He is recognized as a thoroughly reliable and enter- prising business man and his straightforward methods and close application have made his business a very substantial one.
Mr. Hall has been married twice. On the 30th of December, 1892, he wedded Miss Caroline Roberts, who passed away February 27, 1914, leaving one daughter, Charlotte Elwood. In April, 1915, Mr. Hall married Miss Gertrude E. Black. Mr. Hall devotes his entire time to his home outside of business hours. He has no club nor fraternal relations. There have been no spectacular phases in his life work, but in the faithful performance of each day's duties he has proven himself a substantial citizen.
WILLIAM F. DOWLING.
William F. Dowling is the president of the Dowling & Bottomly Company of Bridgeport and is giving the major part of his time and attention to the direction of the important business interests which this firm now controls. He was born in England in 1881, a son of William S. and Harriet Dowling, the former now deceased, while the latter is still living. They
EDSON W. HALL
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left England, their native land, when their son William was but a year old and, establishing their home in Bridgeport, he here pursued his education as a public and grammar school student, also attending the St. Augustine School. He was employed for a time in a factory and then took his initial step toward entering the contracting business, starting out as a bricklayer. The Dowling & Bottomly Company was organized in 1885 and thus for almost a third of a century the company has been actively and prominently identified with con- tracting interests here. In 1907 the business was incorporated with William S. Dowling as president, Charles A. Bottomly as secretary, and James T. Quinn as treasurer. In the intervening period of ten years they have controlled a growing and extensive contracting business which has given tbem prominent place in the promotion of the building activities of the city. Upon the death of William S. Dowling, March 25, 1915, William F. Dowling became president.
In 1904 William F. Dowling was married to Miss Grace E. Bailey and they have one child, Frances Evelyn. The parents hold membership in St. Augustine's Roman Catholic church and Mr. Dowling also belongs to the Sons of St. George.
M. JOSEPH DOWLING.
M. Joseph Dowling was elected secretary of the Dowling & Bottomly Company in January, 1916. He is accounted one of the enterprising, alert and active young business men of Bridgeport, in which city he was horn October 26. 1894. He completed his education by graduation from the St. Augustine School of Bridgeport and entered the employ of the present company as office boy, working for the first week for a wage of a dollar and a half. He afterward left the company and was employed elsewhere, but later started again and has since been identified with the business. He has thoroughly acquainted himself with every phase of contracting and building and in January, 1916, he was made secretary of the company and is thus taking an active part in its management and the furtherance of its interests. He, too, holds membership in St. Augustine's church and in the sons of St. George. He was married May 2, 1917, to Grace Evelyn Bromley, of Bridgeport.
CHARLES ANDERSON BOTTOMLY.
Charles Anderson Bottomly, a native son of Bridgeport, was born December 6, 1886, a son of Charles and Sophia Bottomly, the former now deceased. After completing the work taught in the public schools Mr. Bottomly spent a brief period as a high school pupil but when seventeen years of age put aside his textbooks in order to go to work. On attain- ing his majority he became an officer in the present company. He was married in 1909 to Glena Potter, and their children are Charles, Elizabeth, Lucy May and Susan. Mr. Bottomly belongs to St. John's Episcopal church and is a member of its choir, having sung in this and other churches of the city for seventeen years, so that he is prominently known in musical eireles in Bridgeport.
William F. and M. Joseph Dowling and Charles A. Bottomly constitute the Dowling & Bottomly Company. Since the organization of the business they have done much important work. They erected the south wing of the plant of the Locomobile Company, the winter quarters for the Barnum & Bailey circus, the monuments for Elias Howe and P. T. Barnum, the First National Bank, the boiler plant of the Salts' Textile Manufacturing Company and the G. B. Clark warehouse. They were also the builders of the residences of Frank T. Staples, Charles A. Edwards, Frank P. Bell, W. R. Webster, H. O. Canfield, A. H. Canfield,
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G. F. Drouve. They were also the builders of the Lincoln, Staples, Wheeler, Mckinley. St. Mary's and St. Charles schools, the county courthouse, the telephone building, the Meigs building and the Wakeman Memorial Library. They have also done work on almost all of the theaters of Bridgeport and their name has become a recognized synonym for high standards and efficiency. The partners are men of enterprise, wide-awake and alert, mani- festing as well persistency of purpose and the indefatigable energy which accomplishes results.
PERRY FAMILY.
The Perry family of Fairfield, of which the late Burr Perry was a descendant, is one of the oldest and best known families of the state. Its founder in Connecticut was Richard Perry. a lawyer by profession, who came from England prior to 1633 and settled in the New Haven colony. He was a man of influence and held the office of secretary to the court at New Haven. He came to Fairfield in 1649. His son, Nathaniel Perry, was a clothier and died in 1682. He was the father of Joseph Perry, who was born in 1677 and was a wheel- wright by trade. His death occurred in 1753. His son, Joseph Perry, Jr., was born in 1713 and was a miller by occupation, operating a mill at Mill Plain, in Fairfield, which had been in the family since 1705. The mill and home have been owned by the Perrys for over two hundred and twelve years.
Peter Perry, son of Joseph Perry, Jr., was born in 1739 and lived on the place at Mill Plain and operated the mill there. remaining until his death in the year 1804. His son, Job Perry, bought the interest of the other heirs in the mill and placed his son, Alfred, in charge at the mill. Job Perry resided at Easton, becoming a well known citizen of that section. He wedded Sarah Sturges. who was a daughter of Joseph Sturges, who died on the prison ship Jersey during the Revolutionary war. He and his wife passed away at their home in Easton and were laid to rest in the Easton cemetery. Their son, Monson Perry, was born at Easton and there grew up to manhood He removed to Westchester county, New York, locating at Somers, where he made his home throughout his remaining days and followed milling and farming. He wedded Arity Godfrey, a daughter of Silliman Godfrey.
Burr Perry, son of Monson and Arity Perry, was born at Somers, Westchester county, New York, August 3, 1822, and there acquired his early education. He also attended the Peekskill Academy and took up the study of civil engineering and surveying but never fol- lowed that profession. He was actively engaged in the grain business with his brother during the Civil war and was quite successful in the undertaking. In 1866 he came to the home of his ancestors at Mill Plain and settled at the old homestead which was owned by his uncle, Alfred Perry. There Burr Perry continued to reside throughout the remainder of his life and made various improvements on the old home. He was a man of quiet tastes and domestic in his habits and was a good citizen. His political allegiance was given to the republican party. He passed away April 1, 1901, and was laid to rest in Oaklawn cemetery of Fairfield.
For his first wife he marrried Lanra H. Gildersleeve, a daughter of Dr. Thomas Gilder- sleeve, of New York, on the 3d of July, 1865. She passed away in 1869, and their only child, Laura Gildersleeve, died in infancy. For his second wife Mr. Perry chose Kate E. Peet, who was born February 1, 1842, at Pound Ridge, Westchester county, New York, a daughter of Milo and Harriet Nash (Saunders) Peet. She was educated in the public schools and in the Housatonic Institute at New Milford, Connecticut. She taught school for some years and became principal of the Croton River Institute at Somers, Westchester county, New York, where she spent eight years teaching the classics and fitting pupils for higher education. She was a lady of superior culture and had marked taste for literature. She was also a
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writer of considerable note and was a woman of progressive ideas and thoroughly artistic. She took a deep interest in her adopted home, Fairfield, and did much for the cause of education there. For several years she was correspondent for that town to the Bridgeport Standard as well as other papers and her gifted pen was used in the interests of progress and against evil in every form. She did much to preserve neglected cemeteries and graves and in 1882 had compiled and published, after years of labor, a book entitled "The Old Burying Ground of Fairfield, Connecticut," which also contains an account of the rebuilding of the tombs. She also wrote the chapter on Fairfield for Hurd's "History of Fairfield County" in 1881. She was one of the organizers of a public circulating library at Mill Plain which was kept in existence until 1901. She was active in the religious and charitable interests of the town and was a member of the Congregational church, while in her own home she conducted a Sunday school class. She was a most devoted wife and mother and possessed many virtues. She passed away August 22, 1882, and was laid to rest in the Oaklawn cemetery at Fairfield. Mrs. Perry was the mother of several children, five of whom reached adult age, including Loretta Brundige, to whom we are indebted for a history of the family. A son, Francis Burr, educated in the Yonkers Military School, operates the Perry mill and is residing on the old homestead at Mill Plain. He wedded Mary Grace Leigh and they have five children, Kate Leigh, Eliza Brundige, Burr, Francis Monson and Mary Grace. Alfred Silliman Perry, a graduate of the Yale Law School, resides at Elkton, Maryland. He married Frances Gertrude Mills and has four children, Dorothy, John, Alfred S., Jr., and Charles Godfrey. Susan Derby, educated at the Rye (N. Y.) Seminary, is the wife of Rev. John Maurice Deyo, who was graduated from Yale College and Theologi- cal Seminary and is now a minister of the Congregational church at Ridgefield, Connecticut. Sarah Josephine, who was also graduated from the Rye Seminary, is the wife of Dr. Joseph M. Klein, a well known physician of Colchester, New London county, Connecticut, and they have one child, Robert. On the 9th of December, 1885, Burr Perry was a third time married, Miss Loretta Brundige becoming his wife. She was a daughter of Joseph and Thirza (Mead) Brundige and died February 17, 1899, her grave being made in the Oaklawn cemetery at Fairfield.
The eldest daughter of Burr Perry is Loretta Brundige Perry, who was educated at a select school and in the Golden Hill Seminary, under Miss Nelson. She now resides on Eliot road, in Fairfield, where she built a home. She is a lady of liberal culture and has traveled extensively over the American continent, going as far as Alaska, and has also made several trips to Europe. She is an active member of the Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Fairfield and has served as a delegate to several conventions of the society in Washington and other places. She has given instruction in domestic science to several classes of girls in Fairfield and is much interested in the work. She is also active in church and missionary work and holds membership in the Congregational church. She likewise belongs to the Art League of Bridgeport and her aid and influence are always given in support of those interests which tend to uplift the individual and promote moral progress.
F. A. CANTWELL.
F. A. Cantwell is the efficient and popular manager of the Stratfield Hotel of Bridgeport. He did not come inexperienced to his present responsible position-in fact he has for twenty years been actively connected with hotel management, having started in the Crocker House at New London, Connecticut, in 1897. After remaining there for a year he went to Hotel Green in Danbury, Connecticut, where he continued for seven years, and later he spent one year at the Waldorf in New York. For three years he has been connected with the Stratfield
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as manager and under his direction has two hundred employes, with six assistants who act as heads of departments.
The Stratfield is the only strictly fireproof hotel of Bridgeport. It contains two hundred and ninety rooms, of which two hundred and seventy-five are with bath. It is thoroughly modern-a beautiful hotel which would be a credit to any metropolis of the country. The hotel is eight stories in height, with a lobby one hundred by sixty feet. One of the attractive features of the hostelry is the park which surrounds it, with wide lawns and well kept gardens. The dining room is back one hundred and fifty feet from the hotel proper and there is a most excellent cuisine. The hotel is heated throughout by steam, there is perfect ventilation and a vacuum cleaning system has been installed. Turkish haths may be had at the hotel and in fact there is no convenience or comfort of modern hotel life that cannot be secured at the Stratfield, and Mr. Cantwell is continually studying the public wishes and demands in this connection.
Mr. Cantwell holds membership in the Congregational church and is identified with various Masonic bodies, having attained the Knights Templar degree of the York Rite and belonging to Pyramid Temple of the Order of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Elks, the Odd Fellows and the Red Men.
A. J. SMITH, M. D.
Dr. A. J. Smith, who for more than a half century was one of Bridgeport's noted physicians, continuing in practice here until his demise, was born at Pond Ridge, New York, October 6, 1839, and was a son of Reuben and Maria (Holly) Smith, who were well known residents of that part of the Empire state. His early education was acquired in his native town and at New Canaan, Connecticut, where he fitted himself for teaching. He followed that profession for a time and in that way accumulated a sufficient sum to meet the expenses of a college course, Desiring to become a representative of the medical profession, he perfected his plans whereby he became a student in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York and upon the completion of the regular course he won his M. D. degree. A few years were devoted to hospital practice, whereby most broad and liberal experience and training are gained. During the Civil war he was in the Davids Island Hospital, where he performed a number of notable operations, one of which was fully described in Harper's Weekly of that period. In 1868 he came to Bridgeport and at the time of his death he and Dr. Porter were the oldest practicing physicians of the city. Dr. Smith located on the east side and through his widely recognized skill and his close application to professional duties he built up an extensive and successful practice. He was one of the best known and most beloved physicians in his section of the city. He had the deepest interest in his profession and while he possessed notable skill in surgery, he preferred rather the practice of medicine. He was one of the founders of the Bridgeport Medical Society, was much interested in its activities and was elected its president in 1894. He also held membership in the Connecticut Medical Society and his broad reading kept him in touch with all the ideas that were advanced or the methods promulgated in connection with medical and surgical practice. Aside from his profession he was a trustee of the Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank.
On June 12, 1889, Dr. Smith was married in Bridgeport to Miss Jennie Barnes Andrus, who was born at Plainville, Connecticut, a daughter of Erskine and Jane Rebecca (Barnes) Andrus. Her father was a brass worker, long connected with the Bridgeport Brass Foundry Company, becoming foreman of its casting department. He also served as a member of the common council of Bridgeport and was a well known citizen. He passed away in Bridgeport, August 2, 1914, while his wife survived only until August 3, 1915. His fraternal connection was with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His family numbered two daughters, the
DR. A. J. SMITH
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sister of Mrs. Smith being Mrs. Frederick W. Jaynes, who has two children, Harold Andrus and Winifred, and resides in Orange, Connecticut.
The death of Dr. Smith occurred at his home in Bridgeport on the 20th of December, 1914, and he was laid to rest in the Mountain Grove cemetery. He attended the Congrega- tional church and was clerk of the Ecclesiastical Society for forty years. He took a deep interest in the city of his adoption, in its welfare, its people and its institutions. While a republican, he never sought office but was never neglectful of his public duties and cooperated in many plans and measures for the general good. Mrs. Smith still resides on Barnum avenue. She was educated in the public and high schools of Bridgeport and engaged in teaching until her marriage. She is a lady of liberal culture and of recognized ability, while the circle of her friends is almost coextensive with the circle of her acquain- tance.
HERMAN K. BEACH.
Herman K. Beach, secretary-treasurer of the Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Company, was born September 21, 1881, in the city in which he still makes his home, a son of Nelson M. and Jennie (Fairchild) Beach. The father's birth occurred in West Haven, Connecti- cut, while the mother was a native of Kansas. Nelson M. Beach was for thirty-five years connected with the Bridgeport Brass Company of which he became the treasurer, and he ranked high in business circles up to the time of his demise.
Herman K. Beach acquired a public school education, passing through consecutive grades to his graduation from the high school. For seven years he was connected with the Bridge- port Brass Company, and for two years was a representative of the New Haven Railroad. In 1909 he aided in organizing the Bridgeport Metal Goods Manufacturing Company, of which he is the secretary and treasurer, and in the intervening years he has contributed much to its success by reason of his sound business judgment and the enterprise which he has displayed along that line.
On the 7th of June, 1911, Mr. Beach was married to Miss Hertha Lynge, of Bridgeport, and they have two children, Herman and William. Fraternally Mr. Beach is a Mason, belonging to Hamilton Commandery, No. 5, K. T., La Fayette Consistory, A. & A. S. R., and the Mystic Shrine. He is a past master of St. John's Lodge, No. 3, A. F. & A. M., and past thrice illustrious master of Jerusalem Council, and is at all times an exemplary representative of the craft. He is also a member of the board of governors of the Seaside Club. Politically he maintains an independent course. He takes, however, a decided stand in support of all those interests which contribute to civic welfare, and he cooperates in promoting the moral progress of the com- munity as a member of the Park Street Congregational church.
SAMUEL MIDDLETON GARLICK, M. D.
Dr. Samuel Middleton Garliek, a Bridgeport physician and surgeon who has been honored by the presidency of the Connecticut State Medical Society, is, by his colleagues and con- temporaries, accorded a position of distinction in professional circles in New England. In his practice he has ever held to the highest ideals and his study, research and investigations are continually advancing his efficiency. Dr. Garlick was born in Derbyshire, England, the youngest in a family of four children whose parents were John and Hannah (Beard) Garlick, both representatives of old families of Derbyshire whose ancestry can be traced back through many generations. The father was one of a family of four sons and two daughters. Samuel Vol. II-13
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Garlick, his brother, was a lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards and saw service at Gibraltar. Thomas Garlick, another brother, went to Canada and served as a member of the Canadian parliament. He also engaged in military duty in Canada and in recognition of his gallantry Queen Victoria presented him with a sword and pair of spurs, the latter being now in the possession of Dr. Garlick.
John Garlick started with his family for the United States when his son, Samuel Middleton, was but three years of age. His wife died during the voyage and the father passed away three weeks after landing in Boston. Dr. Garlick was thus left an orphan when still but a babe. He was reared in the home of his uncle and aunt, James Small and Esther Ann Middle- ton of Salem, New Hampshire, the latter a sister of John Garlick. There he remained to the age of eighteen years and obtained his early education in the schools of that place. In 1860 he was graduated from the state normal school at Westfield, Massachusetts, and for several years thereafter he engaged in teaching at Kingston, New York, at New Canaan and at Fair- field, Connecticut, and finally at Salem, New Hampshire, his boyhood home. It was through teaching that he earned the money that enabled him to pursue a college course in preparation for his professional career. He entered the Dartmouth Medical College and completed bis course in 1874. Prior to this he was appointed assistant physician of the Northampton Hos- pital for the Insane, there remaining for two years. He took a post-graduate course in Harvard Medical College in 1877 and received the M. D. degree from both Dartmouth and Harvard. After his course at Harvard he took for a year the practice of Dr. Frank Bingham, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. In 1879 he located for the practice of medicine in Fairfield, where he remained until 1886 when he opened his office in Bridgeport. He was associated with the late Dr. Robert Hubbard and Dr. Charles C. Godfrey for ten years, under the firm name of Hubbard, Garlick & Godfrey. For twenty years he has practiced alone and his developing powers have placed him in the front rank among the physicians not only of Bridgeport but of the state. For twenty years he was gynecologist at the Bridgeport Hospital and is now a member of the staff of consulting surgeons of that institution. He is an ex-president of the Bridgeport Medical Association and was honored with election to the Connecticut State Medical Society in 1916 and helongs to the American Medical Association and to the New York Academy of Medicine. For fifteen years he was a member of the state board of medical examiners. There are few physicians of Bridgeport who have practiced in the city longer than he, and throughout the entire period he has been accorded a most liberal patronage in recognition of his superior ability, manifest ever in the conscientious performance of his duties. 1
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