History of Bridgeport and vicinity, Part 48

Author: Waldo, George Curtis, Jr., ed
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: New York, Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing
Number of Pages: 872

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On the 31st of January, 1895, Dr. O'Hara was married to Catherine A. Colgan, a native of Bridgeport and a daughter of Dennis Colgan. In religious faith they are connected with the Roman Catholic church and Dr. O'Hara belongs to the Knights of Columbus and to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He was formerly a member of the board of charities of Bridgeport and he is interested in many projects having to do with the public welfare. Moreover. he is fond of golf, motoring, fishing and hunting and along those lines finds needed rest and recreation from onerous professional duties.

LOUIS E. RICHARDS.

Louis E. Richards, one of Bridgeport's most prominent citizens of Italian birth, is a well known undertaker, conducting business at No. 46 Elm street, and he has won for himself a position of high standing both as a business man and citizen. He was born July 21, 1868, in the sunny land of Italy. where he was reared to the age of about thirteen years, during which period he attended school between the ages of six and eleven years. He was but a boy in his teens when in, 1881 he came to America, where he was first employed as water boy on the Erie Railroad at Paterson, New Jersey. Later years found him in more remunerative positions and ultimately with his savings he was able to enter business on his own account. At one time he conducted a shoe shining parlor in Bridgeport and in 1887 was made the official court interpreter in New Haven. In 1892 he entered the employ of the Canfield Rubber Company of Bridgeport and subsequently was appointed timekeeper for the Bridgeport Board of Public Works, which position he capably filled for three years. He afterward acted in a similar capacity for the city trolley lines for two years and next was appointed deputy sheriff, which position he filled for some time. Mr. Richards had rapidly familiarized himself with American customs and business methods so that he was as competent to fill important positions as most American-born men and proved both capable and efficient in the various capacities in which he had served. In taking up the undertaking business he further demonstrated his adaptability and his success is just what might have been expected of him had be turned his attention in other directions. In a word, he accom- plishes what he undertakes. He has ever realized that success is not to be won in a day or without effort and each day with him has marked off a full faithed attempt to grow more and to know more. His enterprise and capabilities therefore have brought him to a creditable position in the business circles of his adopted city.

In New Haven, in 1891, Mr. Richards was married to Miss Louise Smith and to them have been born five children, Louisa, Rosina, Margarita, Celesta and Louis, Jr. The family

LOUIS E. RICHARDS

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are members of the Holy Rosary Catholic church and Mr. Richards belongs to all the leading Italian clubs of the city. In 1895, through his instrumentality, a bill was introduced and passed by the Connecticut legislature doing away with the unsanitary shanty housing of laborers in Connecticut and providing proper living quarters for them as well as giving those persons liberty to purchase merchandise wherever they pleased and not being restricted, as formerly, to company stores. This legislation has proven of great benefit to Italian laboring people. Mr. Richards was president of the committee responsible for the great success of the big Columbus Day celebration in 1908 at Bridgeport. On this occasion the Italian government sent its cruiser Ettore Fieramosca in honor of the day, while the United States battleship New Hampshire was sent by the government, and for the first time in the nation's history the Marines of both the United States and Italy marched side by side. The first agitation for making Columbus Day a holiday in Connecticut was started by Mr. Richards, who personally appeared before the Connecticut legislature in support of such a measure, which was finally passed, and Connecticut was the first state in the Union to so designate the 12th of October.

Mr. Richards was the first Italian in the United States to start an English paper when in May, 1910, he began publication of the Sunday Sun in Bridgeport. At this time a con- temporary paper spoke of Mr. Richards' paper as giving to Bridgeport "a Sunday paper that can be read." While this newspaper project was not a financial success and cost Mr. Richards a small fortune, it displayed the spirit of doing things that has always been characteristic of the man. At the inauguration of President Roosevelt in 1905 Mr. Richards was made a colonel of the ceremonies and his commission was signed by Theodore Roosevelt.

Mr. Richards' acquaintance throughout Bridgeport is extensive by reason of the many positions of a semi-public character which he has filled, among them being that of manager of the charity bazaar. His political support is given to the principles and candidates of the republican party. He is indeed a self-made man, having been both the architect and the builder of his own fortunes. Progress is a cumulative process and it is a recognized fact that where there has been no progress there has been no effort. Mr. Richards has put forth every possible effort toward winning advancement and steadily has progressed until his worth in business circles is now widely acknowledged.

CHARLES SCHROEDER.

Charles Schroeder, as vice president of the W. P. Kirk Company is an important factor in industrial circles of Bridgeport and is rated among the able and successful men of the city. He was born in Germany, February 22, 1870, of the marriage of Frederick and Mary Schroeder. He received his education in his native land and under his father learned the plumber's and sheet metal worker's trades. In 1887, when seventeen years old, he emigrated to America and for about three years lived in New York city, where he did journeyman work. At the end of that time he came to Bridgeport and worked for the Drouvé Company here until 1892, when he went to Brooklyn, where he followed his trades until 1898. In that year he returned to Bridgeport and again entered the employ of the Drouvé Company, with which he continued until the incorporation of the W. P. Kirk Com- pany. He has since been vice president of that concern, in charge of all sheet metal work. They have a large and representative trade as plumbing and heating contractors and have done work in their lines for the Huntington Road, the Newfield Avenue, the Ashland Avenue and Black Rock schools, two schools on Boston avenue, the Union Metallie Cartridge factory of the Remington Arms Company, the store building occupied by the D. M. Read Company, the Bridgeport Almshouse, the Bridgeport Hospital, St. Vincents Hospital, the plants of the Locomobile Company, the Bridgeport City Hall and the Ashcroft Company

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and among others the following out of town contracts: the Fiat Automobile Company at Poughkeepsie, New York; the Providence Retreat at Buffalo, New York; and the Simplex factory at New Brunswick. New Jersey; the Bradford Dyeing Company at Bradford, Rhode Island; the Ross Rifle factory, Quebec, Canada; City Hall at Stamford, Connecticut; City Hall at Greenwich, Connecticut; the Slates residence at Westport, Connecticut; the Lapham residence at New Canaan, Connecticut; and the Scovill mansion in the Berkshires. They have also filled a great many smaller contraets and the name of the company is recognized as standing for the faithful fulfillment of all obligations and the greatest possible efficiency.

Mr. Schroeder was married while living in Brooklyn to Miss Elizabeth Rensch, of that city, and they have become the parents of five children, namely: Elsa, twenty-three years old, who was educated in the Bridgeport schools and is now at home; Irene, nineteen years old, and Frederick, eighteen years old, both of whom were educated in the local schools and are at home; William, sixteen years old, who has likewise completed his education and is now in the employ of the Wolverine Motor Company at Bridgeport; and Carl, six years old, who is attending kindergarten.

Mr. Schroeder is not bound by political allegiance to any party, selecting man rather than political party, but has confined his public activity to the exercise of his right of franchise. He helongs to the German Singing Society, possessing in large measure the deep love of music characteristic of his race, and fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a communicant of the Lutheran church and in the teachings of that denomination are found the principles which govern his life. He has worked his way up unaided from a journeyman plumber and sheet metal worker to the vice presidency of a large corporation and is therefore entitled to that American term of honor, a self-made man.

FRANK CHARLES BUCHMILLER, M. D.

It was not the original intention of Frank Charles Buchmiller to become a physician, but time has proven that the change in his plans was wisely made, for he is now a success- ful practitioner of Bridgeport, although one of the younger representatives of the pro- fession in this city. He practices both medicine and surgery and is physician in charge of the Manufacturers Liability Insurance Hospital of Bridgeport.

He was born in Cologne, Germany, July 16, 1888, a son of Adolph and Julia (Schmidt) Buchmiller, the latter now deceased. In the year 1892 the parents came to the new world with their family and first settled at Seymour, Connecticut. They afterward removed to Naugatuck, where Dr. Buchmiller spent the greater part of his boyhood. He became a pupil in the public schools but at the age of fourteen years put aside his textbooks to become a wage earner. At that time he had finished his freshman year in the high school. He had three brothers and four sisters and it was necessary that he aid in the support of the family. For four years after leaving school he was employed in a rubber factory at Naugatuck and then, realizing the value of further education, he spent one year in Villanova College near Philadelphia, where he pursued special subjects preparatory to taking up a course in electrical engineering. He devoted a year to that line in the Uni- versity of Vermont and then changed to the medical department of the same school, in which he spent five years, being graduated in June, 1914, with the M. D. degree. It was his purpose then to go abroad and continue his studies, but the outbreak of the war caused him to change his plans and he came to Bridgeport, where for two years he was connected with the Bridgeport Hospital. He then entered upon the private practice of medicine at No. 529 East Main street on the 10th of August, 1916, and on the 10th of November following be removed to his present location at No. 1119 Stratford avenne. His practice is steadily growing and has already become a lucrative one. He is called upon

DR. FRANK C. BUCHMILLER

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for professional service in many of the best homes of the city, while also acting as physi- cian in charge of the Manufacturers Liability Insurance Hospital.

Dr. Buehmiller is of the Roman Catholic faith and he holds membership with the Foresters and also with the Elks. While at the University of Vermont he became a member of the fraternities, Delta Sigma and Alpha Kappa Kappa, and also took a promi- nent part in athleties. He was for four years a member of the varsity football team and was eaptain in the season of 1912. He was also a member of the varsity base ball team, playing the position of catcher. He deserves much eredit for what he has accom- plished. Thrown upon his own resources at an early age, he has since been dependent upon his effort for advancement, and individual merit and ability have brought him to the cred- itable position which he now occupies.

CARL W. CARLSON.

Carl W. Carlson is the senior partner in the plumbing firm of Carlson & Benson. He was born in Sweden, December 2, 1877, a son of C. J. and Christina (Adams) Carlson, the former a machinist by trade. The son aequired a publie school education and in 1896 eame to Bridge- port, where he was employed by others until February, 1906, when he established business on his own account at No. 554 East Main street, there remaining for four years or until 1910, when he removed to his present location at No. 219 Ann street. The firm conducts a general plumbing, tinning and heating business, the partners being C. W. Carlson and C. A. Benson. They employ from fifteen to twenty-five people and their patronage has steadily increased. They have had the plumbing contracts for the Laeey Blackman residence, the residence of Henry Bishop and the Charles D. Davis residence at Brooklawn, and the plumbing and heating contracts for some of the leading stores and factories of the city. They carry a full line of plumbing, tinning and heating goods and have the agency for the Glenwood hot air furnaces.

Mr. Carlson was married in 1900 to Miss Anne Linquist, who was born in Sweden and came to Bridgeport in 1897. They have one ehild, Marguerite. Mr. Carlson belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his life is guided in its various relations by the teachings of the First Swedish Baptist church, in which he holds membership. In politics he maintains an independent eourse, voting for men and measures rather than party.

EDWIN B. WELDON, M. D.

Dr. Edwin B. Weldon, a physician and surgeon at No. 327 Broad street in Bridge- port, was born within a stone's throw of his present office, his birthplace being at No. 305 Broad street, while his natal day was December 31, 1890. He is thus one of the younger representatives of the medieal profession but already has attained a position which many an older practitioner might well envy. He is a son of Edward Weldon, formerly a business man of this eity but now retired. For more than thirty years he eondueted a grocery store here and was prominently known in commercial circles. His birth occurred in Bridgeport in 1856 and he belongs to the well known Fifty-Six Club, all of whose members were born in 1856. His father came from Ireland and took up his abode in Bridgeport, after which he followed the occupation of farming. On the maternal side Dr. Weldon is also of Irish lineage. His mother, Ann Callahan, was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1863 and is a daughter of Bernard Callahan, who came from the Emerald isle and engaged in busi- ness as a merchant tailor and haberdasher of New Brunswick. By her marriage Mis.

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Weldon became the mother of five children, of whom the Doctor is the eldest. His three brothers and sister are: Jane V .. now a teacher of Fairfield; Vincent J .; Russell H .; and Leo Richard.

Dr. Weldon has been a lifelong resident of Bridgeport, his present home being just opposite the house in which he was born. He was graduated from the University School with the class of 1909 and in 1913 he won his M. D. degree upon graduation from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Maryland, where he had studied for four years. He was afterward interne for a year in St. Michael's Hospital at Newark, New Jersey, after which he began practice in Bridgeport on the 1st of July, 1914. In the inter- vening period, covering but three years, he has built up a good practice which is constantly growing and is most gratifying. He is also serving on the medical staff of St. Vincent's Hospital and for two years he was night ambulance surgeon for the board of charities but resigned that position in August, 1916.

On the 17th of June, 1916, Dr. Weldon was married to Miss Helen L. Abberton, of Bridgeport, the only daughter of James G. and Mina (Koehler) Abberton, the former assistant superintendent of the Crane Company of Bridgeport. Dr. and Mrs. Weldon are communicants of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic church and he belongs also to the Knights of Columbus, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Order of Owls and Court Pequonnock, Order of Foresters. He is fond of golf and football, which indicates the nature of his recreation. Professionally he has membership with the Fairfield County, the Connecticut State and the American Medical Associations and thus keeps abreast with the trend of modern professional thought and activity.

CHARLES A. BENSON.

Charles A. Benson, junior partner in the firm of Carlson & Benson, conducting a plumb- ing, tinning and heating establishment at Bridgeport, is one of the substantial citizens that Sweden has furnished to Bridgeport. He was born in that country in 1874 and was a youth of fourteen years when his parents removed with their family to the United States, settling first in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He learned the plumber's trade in Boston and in 1906 removed to Bridgeport, since which time he has been identified with its industrial interests. Here he opened a plumbing business in connection with Charles Linquist, who later sold his interest in the business to C. W. Carlson, thus forming the present firm of Carlson & Benson.

Mr. Benson was united in marriage to Miss Frida Selma Lovisa Poulson and has one daughter, Mabel. His political endorsement is given to the republican party but he never seeks nor desires office as a reward for party fealty. Fraternally he is connected with the Elks, the Foresters and the Odd Fellows and he belongs also to the Singing Society of Norden, which indicates something of the nature of his recreation and his tastes outside of business.

WILLIAM JOSEPH DOUGHERTY.

The success of the W. P. Kirk Company, plumbing and heating contractors of Bridge- port. is due in no small measure to its secretary, William Joseph Dougherty, who has charge of all construction work. He was born in Bridgeport, March 12, 1876, of the marriage of William H. and Johanna Dougherty, both of whom were for many years residents of Bridge- port but are now deceased.

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William J. Dougherty received his education in the public and high schools of this city and on going to work was first employed by Hatheway Brothers, with whom he remained for a year. He was next for three years in the employ of John Kearns and during that time became a journeyman plumber. He followed his trade here for a time, but in 1896 went west and spent some time at Butte and Anaconda, Montana, and at Denver and Cripple Creek, Colorado, hunting and prospecting with W. P. Kirk, president of the W. P. Kirk Company. While in Colorado, Mr. Dougherty met with quite a serious accident and returned to Bridgeport. After recovering he again worked at his trade and was con- nected with a number of different businesses, including that conducted by Mr. Kirk, in whose employ he remained for a year and a half. When the W. P. Kirk Company was incorporated, Mr. Dougherty became secretary, which office he has since filled. He has charge of the con- struction end of the business and has proved an excellent man for the place. The extent of the business of the company is indicated by the important contracts which they have filled, including work on the Huntington Road, the Newfield Avenue, the Waterville Street, the Ashland Avenue and Black Rock schools, two schools on Boston avenue, the Union Metallic Cartridge factory of the Remington Arms Company, the store building occupied by the D. M. Read Company, the Bridgeport Almshouse, the Bridgeport Hospital, St. Vin- cent's Hospital, the plants of the Locomobile Company and the Ashcroft Company and the following out of town contracts; the Fiat Automobile Company at Poughkeepsie, New York; the Providence Retreat at Buffalo, New York; the Simplex factory at New Bruns- wick. New Jersey; the Ross Rifle factory, Quebec, Canada; City Hall at Stamford, Con- necticut ; City Hall at Greenwich, Connecticut; City Hall at Bridgeport, Connecticut; the Slates residence at Westport, Connecticut ; the Lapham residence at New Canaan, Connecticut; the Scoville mansion in the Berkshires.

Mr. Dougherty was married April 17, 1907, to Miss Katherine Mary Farrell, who was born in New York city and came to Bridgeport when a child. She is a daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Gates) Farrell. Mr. and Mrs. Dougherty have two children, Elizabeth Agnes and William Joseph. Mr. Dougherty is a communicant of the St. Augustine Roman Catholic church and fraternally he is connected with the Order of Foresters, while in club circles he is known as a member of the Bridgeport Club and was one of the founders and a charter member of the Plumbers' Union in Bridgeport. His success is but the natural result of his thorough technical knowledge, his enterprise, personal force and executive ability.

EDGAR D. CHITTENDEN.

Edgar D. Chittenden, with comprehensive knowledge of agriculture and of chemistry to serve as the foundation for his present success, is now extensively engaged in the manufacture of fertilizers as president of the E. D. Chittenden Company of Bridgeport. He was born in Massachusetts in 1859, a son of Luther O. and Maria E. (Davis) Chittenden, the former a farmer by occupation. Reared on the homestead farm, Edgar D. Chittenden early gained practical experience concerning the work of the fields, while at the same time he was mastering those branches of learning taught in the public schools of the neighborhood. He afterward attended the Massachusetts Agricultural College and took a special course in chemistry, while later he worked in the chemical department of the college for seven years. He made a specialty of the study of fertilizers and became expert in that field for the state. For some time he was associated with Dr. C. A. Goessmann, one of the world's greatest chemists and one of the founders and originators of the agricultural experiment stations. Mr. Chittenden worked with Dr. Goessmann in his private laboratory and had the benefit of close connection with that eminent scientist.

In the fall of 1881 he began the manufacture of fertilizers on his own account, removing

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to Bridgeport, where he established his business. In 1883 he organized the National Fertilizer Company, of which he became the president and thus carried on business successfully for more than two decades but sold his interest in 1904. He resigned from the company in 1909 to organize the E. D. Chittenden Company, which was formed in 1910. The business was incorporated with E. D. Chittenden as the president and H. F. Stratton as secretary and treasurer. They manufacture a general line of fertilizers for various crops and their product is sold over New England and New York. They keep five salesmen upon the road and their business is constantly increasing.

In October, 1906, Mr. Chittenden was united in marriage to Miss Belle C. Stone, of Bridgeport. Fraternally he is connected with the Masons and has passed up through both routes, becoming a Knight Templar and Consistory Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He belongs to the Algonquin Club but in politics maintains an independent course, regarding the capability of the candidate rather than his party affiliations. While he is public-spirited and loyal in matters of citizenship, he has ever preferred that his undivided attention should be given to business rather than to politics and his broad study along the line to which he has devoted his life has made him an expert in his field.

GEORGE STAPLETON.

For sixty-four years a resident of Bridgeport, George Stapleton, who is now living retired. having turned the management of his large trucking business over to his son-in-law, remembers well the time when the present city of one hundred and fifty thousand was only a good sized town with a population of ten thousand. He was born in Castletown- roche, County Limerick, Ireland, in 1836, and was early left an orphan, his parents, George and Bridget Stapleton, both dying during his infancy. He is the youngest of a family of eleven children, the others being: John, who died at the age of eighty-five years; Catharine, who died in infancy; Dennis, who died at the age of eighty-three years; William, who died in infancy; Mary, who died at the age of eighty-three years; Margaret, who died at the age of seventy-five years; Bridget, who died at the age of eighty-two years; Walter, who passed away when eighty years old; James, deceased; and William. the second of the name, also deceased. It is evident from the above record that the family is charac- terized by longevity.

George Stapleton for five years attended a school in which the pupils paid a certain sum for the instruction received, and so thorough were its methods of instruction that in those five years he was well grounded in the fundamental branches of learning. When fifteen years old he left Ireland and came to the United States and in 1853 hecame a resi- dent of Bridgeport. At that time the population was almost entirely native born, the only residents of foreign birth being one hundred and five Irish families, nineteen German and seven Hebrew families. For two years he resided in Black Rock, which was then a suburb, and the small city of ten thousand population gave little promise of developing into the present important manufacturing town with a population of one hundred and fifty thousand. In 1853 he began teaming and for sixty-one years was engaged in that business in Bridgeport. his interests increasing in importance as the city grew in size. For the past two years he has lived practically retired and has left the management of his business to his son-in-law, Thomas Henry Devitt. Ten or twelve men are employed and twelve horses are used in conducting the business, which is one of the largest of the kind in the city. Among the large contracts which Mr. Stapleton filled was that for hauling all of the material used in the construction of the famous Barnum villa, Iranistan. At that time Mr. Barnum controlled all of the bridges in the city and collected toll from those passing over them. Mr. Stapleton's first residence was located on Hall street, which was

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History of Bridgeport and vicinity, Part 48

Author: Waldo, George Curtis, Jr., ed Publication date: 1917 Publisher: New York, Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Number of Pages: 872

Author: Waldo, George Curtis, Jr., ed
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: New York, Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing
Number of Pages: 872