USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > History of Bridgeport and vicinity > Part 74
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Mr. Hyde is numbered among those capable business men who constitute Massachusetts' contribution to the citizenship of Connecticut. He was horn in West Chesterfield, Massa- chusetts, March 19, 1851, a son of Rufus and Catherine (Olds) Hyde. In early colonial days
ELWIN R. HYDE
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the Hyde family was established in Norwich, Connecticut, and prior to the Revolutionary war representatives of the name went to Massachusetts, in which state Rufus Hyde was born and reared. He became a manufacturer of saw and plane handles and other wood- working products and after carrying on the business for a time in Massachusetts removed to Wilmington, Vermont, where he resided a few years then returned to Massachusetts, where he had a mill on the Little river at Rowe, in 1869, and both he and his wife were caught in the flood of that year and were drowned. They left a family of four sons: Elwin R .; C. L., who is now residing in Evanston, Illinois, and is the Chicago representative of the Safety Emery Wheel Company of Springfield, Ohio; David B., who died in 1914; and Oscar H .. living in St. Louis and extensively interested in the Safety Emery Wheel Com- pany. of Springfield, Ohio.
Elwin R. Hyde acquired a public school education and afterward spent a year in the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, meeting the expenses of that course through his own labor, for the flood had wiped out all of the family property and left the boys destitute. For a short time he was employed in a wood-working shop and then started out upon the road in 1874. He is one of the oldest representatives of the emery wheel busi- ness. having been for forty-three years connected therewith. He started out with the Northampton Emery Wheel Company of Leeds. Massachusetts, in 1874, as a traveling sales- man and later began business on his own account with his three brothers and Daniel T. Homan. They opened a plant at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1880, under the name of the Springfield Glue & Emery Wheel Company, and in 1890 a removal was made to Bridgeport, at which time the name was changed to the Springfield Emery Wheel Manufacturing Com- pany. They erected a factory building on Howard avenne. Mr. Hyde left that company about 1892 and for a decade condueted a private business in the same line, establishing a factory in that line at 82 Knowlton street. where the plant has ever since been located. In 1903, however, he organized the business as the Bridgeport Safety Emery Wheel Com- pany, Incorporated, of which he became the treasurer and manager, with D. T. Homan as president and M. P. Hyde as secretary. In 1916. to meet the demands of the business, the company's capitalization was increased and Elwin R. Hyde became president ; D. T. Homan, vice president ; A. H. Kean, treasurer; and M. P. Hyde, secretary. They manufacture direct current motor-driven dry grinders in seven sizes, alternating current motor-driven grinders in seven sizes, structural iron grinders, belt-driven dry grinders, edge and surface grinders, belt-driven and motor-driven tool grinders, belt and motor-driven combination wet and dry grinders, cup wheel knife grinders, belt and motor-driven, motor-driven buffing lathes, twist drill and plain grinders, swing-frame grinders and special grinders-in fact, almost every- thing in grinding wheels machinery and polishing machinery, both belt and motor-driven. They employ about fifty people and their product is sold direct to consumers mostly but also to dealers in all parts of the country, the output being used by various kinds of factories. Mr. Homan travels on the road all of the time, selling the product, while Mr. Hyde has direct management of the business in Bridgeport. The company occupies a two- story and basement building one hundred by thirty-five feet. with a one-story L ninety by thirty feet, and another one-story building one hundred and sixty by sixty feet. Their plant is equipped with electric power group driven machinery. In addition to the buildings men- tioned the company has a plot of ground with a frontage of four hundred and twenty-five feet on the New Haven Railway, where they have erected one building for the emery wheel department that is one hundred and forty by sixty feet. This is of steel and concrete construction, with the side walls practically all windows, to furnish an abundance of light.
In 1879 Mr. Hyde was married to Miss Marion P. Mitchell, of Dalton, Massachusetts, a daughter of Priestly and Harriett Newell ( Allen) Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. Hyde have five children: Catherine, the wife of George Hoyt, of Bridgeport: Harriett, at home; Ruth, the wife of Gustave Olson, of St. Paul, Minnesota: Helen, at home; and Winthrop, who is in business with his father. They also lost a son, Elwin, Jr., who died at the age of three
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years. The family attends the Park Street Congregational church. Mr. Hyde votes with the republican party and keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day but does not seek nor desire public office. He has ever concentrated his energies along a single line and there is no point bearing upon emery wheel manufacture with which he does not seem to be familiar. having expert knowledge of the trade in all of its departments and thus meriting the success which has come to him in the organization and development of the present company.
S. D. LOCKE.
The history of a city is the story of the aggregate endeavor of many, but each successful industry or legitimate undertaking is a vital force and the representative men are those who control important interests. In this connection mention should be made . of S. D. Locke, who is the vice president and treasurer of the Locke Steel Belt Company, sole manu- facturers of tempered steel detachable sprocket chain and attachments.
Born at Hoosick Falls. New York, in 1875, he is a son of S. D. and Ellen J. (Parker) Locke. The father, who was born at Richfield, Otsego county, New York, acquired a public school education and became a teacher but later in life took up the practice of law. He possessed mechanical skill and ingenuity, however, and became the inventor of a grain-binder, steel sprocket chain and other products of worth. Two of his binders were sold in 1872, four years ahead of all others that were placed upon the market, and he received high awards at the exposition in Vienna, Austria, in 1873. He was the inventor of the old Wood binder. so called from the fact that Mr. Wood manufactured it, but from his invention Mr. Locke received a large royalty. He continued his experiments and inventive work and took out over two hundred patents. He possessed notable energy as well as keen mentality and became recognized as an expert with world-wide reputation. A supreme court decision chang- ing the patent procedure cost him the full benefit of his many binder patents, but those who are acquainted with the real history know that he was the pioneer inventor of the grain binder. He died in 1896, while his wife still survives.
S. D. Locke, Jr., the youngest of their four children, acquired a public school education and did preparatory work at the Hudson River Institute, a military school, after which he spent three years at Cornell in the mechanical engineering department. He left college in order to assist his father with his business affairs and subsequently was employed for a year by the New York Central Railroad. Upon his father's death he took charge of the business, which he has conducted since 1896. The Locke Steel Belt Company was organized in 1897 by S. D. Locke and James O. Clephane. At the time of the father's death the chain was not on the market and Mr. Locke of this review developed the equipment to make it and has built up the business. With the organization of the company they located first in New York but in May, 1899, removed to Bridgeport, where they rented space of the American Tube & Stamping Company for factory purposes. In May, 1903, they removed to South avenue and Water street and in September, 1914, became established in their own plant on Connecticut avenne at the corner of Freeman street. The factory has frontage on Freeman street and also on Bishop and Connecticut avenues and has about five hundred feet on the railroad. The plant includes four buildings. al one story structures of reinforced concrete which are fireproof. There is about thirty thousand square feet of floor space and they employ fifty skilled mechanics in the production of sheet or stamped metal, sprocket chains, the chain having been invented by S. D. Locke, Sr., in 1887. The automatic machines now used in manufacture were developed by S. D. Locke, Jr., who has also improved the chain from time to time and who in 1914 secured five new patents. The chain is sold to implement manu- facturers and replaces the malleable iron link belt. The father was the first to develop
S. D. LOCKE
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the malleable iron link belt, as he was also the inventor of the first self binder. Later, how- ever. there has been developed the lighter and stronger chain, which is also more durable. being hardened and tempered. and the new plant has a capacity of ten million feet of chain annually. This is sold in carload lots to implement manufacturers and the product is dis- tributed all over the United States and Australia. The officers of the company are: C. L. Inslee. president : S. D. Locke, vice president and treasurer: D. W. Haggerty, general man- ager : and F. S. McDaniel, secretary.
Mr. Locke belongs to the Young Men's Christian Association and to the Masonie fra- ternity. associations which indicate much of the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his life. His name is also on the membership rolls of the Country Club, the Algonquin Club. the Automobile Club and the Comedy Club, in which organizations he is well known, having gained many friends among their membership, while in business eireles he has made for himself a most ereditable position.
WALTER B. UNDERHILL.
Walter B. Underhill, who is superintendent for the Wood Manufacturing Company of Fairfield, makers of electric light specialties, was born in the state of New York, December 23, 1883, and received his education in the graded and high schools of that place. Later he there learned the die and tool making trade, which he followed in the Empire state for fourteen years. In 1916, however, he became a resident of Fairfield, Connecticut, and now holds the responsible position of superintendent for the Wood Manufacturing Company, which makes a complete line of electric light specialties. His long experience in similar lines of work and his ability as an executive fit him unusually well for the discharge of his duties and he has been very successful as superintendent.
In 1905 Mr. Underhill was married to Miss Anna Burke, who was born in Connecticut, and they have two children, Catherine B. and Russell P. The parents are communicants of the Roman Catholic church, in whose work they take a commendable interest, and in politics Mr. Underhill is a stanch democrat. Although he has lived in Fairfield only a short time he has already established his right to rank among its leading citizens and has gained the personal friendship of many.
VICTOR A. VORES, D. D. S.
Within a few months Dr. Victor A. Vores has become well established in dental practice in Bridgeport, where he took up his abode in November, 1916. He brought to his new field of labor, however, the broad knowledge gained from many years of practical experience, fol- lowing three years of comprehensive collegiate training. He is numbered among the native sons of New York, his birth having occurred at Goldenbridge, Westchester county. September 8. 1878. He is the only living child of Millard F. and Hattie (Quick) Vores, who now reside in Danbury, Connecticut, where the father is engaged in business as a contractor and builder. He was born in New York city in 1856 and is of Holland-Dutch descent, the Vores family having been established in New Jersey in the seventeenth century by ancestors who came direct from the land of the dikes. For many generations, however, the family has been represented in New York. The name was originally Van Vorhees. The mother of Dr. Vores was born in Putnam county, New York, in 1858 and is of French lineage on the maternal side. Mr. and Mrs. Millard F. Vores removed to Danbury, Connecticut, when their son Victor was but five years of age, and he was there reared, acquiring his early education
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in the schools of that city. He passed through consecutive grades to his graduation from the high school in 1897 and in the fall of that year he entered the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, where he studied for three years, being graduated in 1900 with the D. D. S. degree.
Dr. Vores located for practice in Philadelphia, where he remained until 1903, when he removed to Pawling, Dutchess county, New York, where he remained for thirteen years or until November, 1916, when he sought the broader field offered in the larger city of Bridge- port. Here he opened an office at 1116 Main street and he has since become a member of the Bridgeport Dental Society. Already he has gained a liberal patronage and his practice is steadily growing.
On the 20th of September, 1905. Dr. Vores was united in marriage to Miss Caroline L. Pearce, of Pawling, a daughter of Captain Jerry S. Pearce, formerly a prominent and well known citizen of Dutchess county. New York, where he held various official positions of honor and trust, including those of sheriff, supervisor and others. He was also a veteran of the Civil war, having loyally defended the country during the days when the Union was threatened. He died in 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Vores have become the parents of two children: Adelaide Pearce, born February 26. 1907: and J. Paul, born May 3. 1912.
Dr. Vores is a Master Mason. belonging to Harlem Valley Lodge, No. 827. F. & A. M .. of Pawling. His chief diversions are fishing and golf, both of which he greatly enjoy -. He holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and his life is actuated by high and honorable principles. He has ever been interested in public progress and civic affairs and for several years, while residing in Pawling, served as a valued member of the board of education. He advocates every project that tends to promote material. intellectual, social and moral progress.
JOHN R. WRIGLEY.
John R. Wrigley, manager of the Bridgeport Box Company, is thus active in control of one of the important productive industries of the city and the close application and unfaltering enterprise which he displays are valuable contributing factors to the success of the undertaking. Mr. Wrigley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1888 and is a son of C. E. and Kate (Delaney) Wrigley, who in 1889 removed with their family to Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania. There John R. Wrigley attended the public schools until graduated from the high school, when in 1907 he turned his attention to the paper box manufacturing business in Pittsburgh. Mastering the business, he worked his way upward in that connection until he became foreman of the John H. Lofink, Jr., Box Company. He afterward filled the position of manager of the paper box department of the Wichert & Gardiner Shoe Company and was later with the Heppe-Schoen Paper Box Company of New York city in the capacity of superintendent.
In 1913 Mr. Wrigley accepted the position of manager of the Bridgeport Paper Box Company, which was organized by Edward White, its first location being over the Windsor Hotel. A removal was subsequently made to Kossuth and Nichols streets and the next move for the enlargement of the plant was the erection of the present building at 304 Kos- suth street. This building is a one-story and basement. structure, one hundred and ten by one hundred and eleven feet, and they also own a vacant lot adjoining, thus providing space for still further enlargement of their plant. They manufacture all grades of set-up paper boxes, which are sold all over Connectient. These are largely used in connection with the corset trade and the textile trades of this section of the country. They have skilled labor, employing about one hundred girls, and their plant is turning out about eighty-five thousand boxes per day. They largely use automatic machinery and the plant is well
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equipped, so that the output finds favor with the purchasing public. The present officers of the company are: William H. White. president : and W. E. Treat, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Wrigley bas active control of the operation of the plant and his efforts add much to the success of the undertaking.
On the 23d of June. 1917, Mr. Wrigley was married in South Norwalk, Connecticut, to Miss Ethel Louise Becker, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Conrad Becker of that city. In his fraternal connections Mr. Wrigley is an Elk and he belongs also to the Algonquin and Kiwanis Clubs. He is likewise a member of the Chamber of Commerce of Bridgeport but he casts an independent political ballot, voting according to the exigencies of the case and with recognition of the capability of the candidates.
THE BRIDGEPORT TRUST COMPANY.
The Bridgeport Trust Company was organized in 1901 and succeeded to the private bank conducted under the name of Marsh, Merwin & Lemon. With the organization of the present company the capital stock was one hundred thousand dollars but this was increased in 1905 to two hundred thousand dollars and at the present writing the com- pany is capitalized for five hundred thousand dollars. The first officers were F. W. Marsh, president. Orange Merwin. vice president. Edmund H. Judson, treasurer, and Egbert Marsh. secretary. L'pon the death of Mr. Merwin Mr. Marsh was also elected to the position of vice president and still continues in that capacity. Charles G. Sanford succeeded F. W. Marsh as president and in turn was succeeded by C. Barnum Seeley. Horace Merwin has heen elected secretary of the bank and now ocenpies that position.
In February. 1916, they moved into the beautiful new bank building which they had erected which is one of the most modern and attractive in New England. Its safety deposit vault is one of the largest outside of New York city and the bank is equipped with every modern convenience for the use of its customers and is supplied with every modern safe- guard.
CHARLES R. HUTCHINSON.
Charles R. Hutchinson, treasurer of the Barmm & Bailey shows, was born in Racine, Ohio, and acquired a public school education. In young manhood he became identified with railway work in connection with a general passenger office. He has been identified with the show business since 1890, when he became ticket seller for Adam Forepaugh. He re- mained with that organization until 1894 and later was connected with the Buffalo Bill Company, 'which he represented in 1895 and 1896 as treasurer in the interests of Mr. Bailey. In 1897 be became connected with the Barnum & Bailey Company as treasurer, succeeding Merritt Young, who had occupied that position for a quarter of a century. For twenty years Mr. Hutchinson has remained in that position and travels with the company each summer. He has traveled with the show all over Europe, Canada and the United States and as one of its officers is determined to maintain the high standard which has ever held Barnum & Bailey's in the front ranks of the show organizations of the world.
In 1894 Mr. Hutchinson removed his family to Bridgeport and resides at No. 66 Elm- wood avenue. He has a wife and four children: Anna Louise, Charles. Fred and Harry. His eldest son traveled with him in 1916, selling tickets. The daughter is a graduate of the Bridgeport high school and was one of the councilors at Arcadia, the Eleanor Cleveland Girls'
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summer camp. Fraternally Mr. Hutchinson is connected with the Bridgeport lodge of Elks. Ever a courteous, genial gentleman, he is popular wherever known and he possesses, too, that executive ability and spirit of enterprise which has made him a leading figure in busi- ness circles.
JOSEPH O'NEILL.
Joseph O'Neill, engaged in wire manufacturing at Southport, began operations in that line on a small scale but has now developed a business of considerable proportions with trade relations that not only cover all points in America but extend into the orient as well. Mr. O'Neill comes from Glasgow, Scotland, where he was born on the 27th of January, 1869, a son of Patrick and Janet (Taylor) O'Neill. The father, a native of County Armagh, Ireland, went to Scotland when a youth of seventeen years and there took up the business of shoe manufacturing, ultimately winning a position as foreman of the large plant of the R. J. Dicks Shoe Manufacturing Company of Glasgow. His last years were spent in honorable and well earned retirement from business, and his death occurred in Glasgow, while his wife, who was born in Ayr, Scotland, passed away in Glasgow in 1879.
Joseph O'Neill began his education in the schools of his native city but after reaching the age of eight years attended school in Jersey City. New Jersey. Removing to Spring- field, Massachusetts, he there learned the trade of wire weaving and engaged in the manu- facture of Fourdrinier wire. After many years' training and experience in the wire factories he began manufacturing on his own account at Springfield, but the venture there proved a failure and was discontinued after two years. He was afterward in charge of the plant of the Wright Wire Company at Palmer, Massachusetts, where he remained until 1904, when he removed to Southport, Connecticut, and again began the manufacture of Fourdrinier wire and paper makers' wires, establishing a small plant hut developing his facilities until his business has reached such proportions that he now employs from twenty to twenty-five workmen. The wire which he makes is used in the manufacture of paper and paper pulp. In 1914, recognizing that the present international war would shut off the supply of wire made in Germany and France, he prepared to be in a position to supply the demands of other countries that formerly looked to France and Germany for Fourdrinier wire. Not having room to expand his factory at Southport. Connecticut, he established a second factory at Harrison, New Jersey, where he employs twenty people. He ships his product all over the world, sending to India, Japan and other countries, and he now does a large export business as well as selling to the American paper and pulp mills.
On the 10th of September, 1892, in Springfield, Massachusetts, Mr. O'Neill was married to Miss Annie Holian, a native of Granville, Massachusetts, and a daughter of Jeremiah and Catherine Holian, who were born on the Emerald isle, in which country the father followed farming and again took up that occupation in Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill have become the parents of four children: William Joseph, a graduate of the Worcester Institute of Technology at Worcester. Massachusetts, of the class of '17; Paul H., a student in the l'niversity of Pennsylvania; Phillip John, who is engaged in the glassware business at Springfield, Massachusetts; and Donald Taylor, a high school pupil in Springfield, where the family home is maintained.
The religious faith of the family is that of the Roman Catholic church, and Mr. ()'Neill is a member of Home City Council, K. C., at Springfield. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party. but he has neither time nor inclination to seek publie office, preferring to concentrate his efforts upon his business, which is growing rapidly along substantial lines. He had the foresight to recognize what present day conditions would bring forth and, acting according to the dictates of his faith and judgment. he is now reaping
JOSEPH O'NEILL
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the harvest thereof. Moreover, he has displayed marked persistency of purpose and, not allowing himself to become discouraged, he has worked his way upward and is today a well known factor in manufacturing circles of the east.
THOMAS W. JOYCE.
Thomas W. Joyce is a member of The Joyce Press, Incorporated, conducting a printing and binding bu-iness at Bridgeport, in which connection he has developed a business that ranks with the leading enterprises of the character in this city. He is a son of Henry E. and Rachel A. Joyce and was born in Stepney, Connecticut, December 7, 1871. He there acquired a public school education and afterward went to Seymour, Connecticut, where he attended high school. Later he removed to Bridgeport, where he became connected with the Daily Standard, spending four years as an apprentice in the job printing department. He then went to the Bridgeport Farmer, and for fifteen years was in the composing room. He afterwards spent eighteen months ax an employe in the composing room of the Telegram, which had just been started, and was employed on the Hartford Post and Saturday Globe. Returning, however, to Bridgeport, he started in business in 1899 at 158 Fairfield avenue, and the following year his interests were incorporated under the name of The Joyce & Sperry Co. In 1901 a removal was made to a new location, at 82 Cannon street, and Mr. Joyce purchased the Sperry interests, at which time the name was changed to The Joyce & Sherwood Co., Inc. There the business was carried on until 1911, when on account of the illness of his wife Mr. Joyce was obliged to seek a higher altitude. He then sold out to Mr. Sherwood and removed to Rutland, Vermont, where he remained for two years. He afterward became connected with The Jersey City Printing C'o. at Jersey City, New Jersey, having charge of the plant there for one year. He was next superintendent of The Miller Press in New York city for a year, after which he returned to Bridgeport, where he established The Joyce Press in connection with his cousin, Allan L. Joyce, but after a year he purchased his partner's interest and has since conducted the business alone. He now has a well equipped and appointed printing and binding establishment and the work turned out is of a high quality.
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