History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 128

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 128

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In about 1852, Milo Barnum retired from active participation in the business, and the firm-name was at that time changed to Richardson, Barnum & Co., and the business rapidly increased. In 1858 they obtained possession of the Beckley furnace, at East Canaan, and in 1862 purchased the Forbes furnace, at the same place. They also, about this time, pur- chased the foundry at 64 South Jefferson Street, Chi- cago, and organized a joint-stock company, under the name of the Barnum & Richardson Manufacturing Company, for the continuance of the foundry business at that place. Leonard Richardson died in January, 1864, and in the May following the Barnum-Richard- son Company, a joint-stock company, was organized, with William H. Barnum as president and general manager, the heirs of Leonard Richardson retaining their interest in the business. The new company succeeded to all the iron interest of Richardson, Bar- num & Co., and since that time have largely increased their works by building, and have from time to time, as occasion afforded, acquired further interest in mining companies and in furnace companies already established. They built a third furnace at East Canaan in 1872, with many improvements upon the old method of construction, and in 1870 built a second

foundry at Lime Rock. A new wheel-foundry was built in Chicago in 1873 by the company there. The foundries at Chicago use the Salisbury iron, and have a capacity in the two shops of three hundred wheels per day. The company use at their Lime Rock works Salisbury iron also, and have a capacity of two hun- dred wheels per day.

In 1840 there were in this vicinity four blast-fur- naces in operation, using an average of six hundred bushels of charcoal and producing three tons of pig iron per day to each furnace. There are now eight blast-furnaces, of which Wm. H. Barnum is president and general manager, using an average of twelve hundred bushels of charcoal and producing eleven tons of iron to each furnace per day. The new fur- nace at East Canaan at its last blast ran one hundred and four consecutive weeks, making an average of eighty tons of iron per week, this being the most advantageous blast known to have been made in a charcoal furnace.

The eight furnaces are located within a radius of eight miles from Lime Rock, and are situated as fol- lows: three at East Canaan, one at Lime Rock, one at Millerton, one at Sharon Valley, one at Cornwall Bridge, and one at Huntsville, in connection with which latter furnace is a car-wheel foundry at Jersey City, having a capacity of one hundred and fifty wheels per day, and using the iron exclusively from this furnace. The Salisbury iron shows a tensile strength of about thirty thousand pounds to the square inch, and besides being valuable for ordnance and railroad purposes is extensively supplied for mal- leable and machinery uses. The wheels made from these works have been largely used in the United States, Canada, and foreign countries, particularly in South America, and have the hearty indorsement of competent engineers and practical railroad men as to their superior quality. They are not affected by extremes of heat or cold, as is instanced by their large use in Sonth America and Canada, while the chilling of the tread gives a wearing surface about as durable as steel. A test was made of the strength of the wheels before a number of prominent English engineers and railway officials in August, 1875, at the machine-works of Mr. Horn, Millbank Row, West- minster. The wheel was struck with two sledges, weighing twenty-eight pounds and thirty-one pounds respectively, and it was not until the three hundred and sixty-seventh blow that the iron partially gave way. The opening of the Connecticut Western Rail- road has brought these mines and furnaces within easier access of each other, and has also enabled the furnace companies to procure a portion of their supply of charcoal from a distance, most of it being brought from Vermont, and the companies own the ore- and coal-cars used for this business.

In the various departments of this business, from the mining of the ore'and so on, including the labor of colliers, teamsters, furnace-men, foundry-men, and

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common laborers, the companies, of course, furnish work for a great number of men and horses.

The different companies are as follows :

Barnum-Richardson Company, owners of three fur- naces at East Canaan and foundry at Lime Rock. President, Hon. William H. Barnum; Treasurer, Hon. William H. Barnum ; Assistant Treasurer, Milo B. Richardson ; Secretary, Charles W. Barnum; Agent at East Canaan furnaces, Nathaniel C. Ward.

Lime Rock Iron Company, owners of furnace at Lime Rock. President, Samuel S. Robbins; Treasurer, Wm. H. Barnum ; Secretary, Milo B. Richardson.

Huuts-Lyman Iron Company, owners of furnace at Huntsville. President, George Church ; Treasurer, Wm. H. Barnum; Secretary, Samuel W. Bradley.

Sharon Valley Iron Company, owners of furnace at Sharon Valley. President, Wn. H. Barnum, Treas- urer, Charles W. Barnum ; Secretary, Milo B. Rich- ardson.

Cornwall Bridge Iron Company, owners of furnace at Cornwall Bridge. President, Wm. H. Barnum ; Sec- retary and Treasurer, James A. Bierer.

Millerton Iron Company, owners of furnace at Mil- lerton, N. Y. President, Wm. H. Barnum ; Secretary and Treasurer, George S. Frink.

Old Hill Ore-Bed .- Owners, proprietors of the ore- bed in Salisbury; Miners, Brook Pit Mining Com- pany.

Davis Ore-Bed .- Owners, Forbes Ore-Bed Company ; Miners, Davis Digging Company.

Star Pit .- Owners, heirs of John M. Holley and John C. Coffing ; Miners, Davis Digging Company.

Chatfield Ore-Bed .- Owners, Barnum-Richardson Company, Cornwall Bridge Iron Company, Adams- Chatfield Company, heirs of John M. Holley and John C. Coffing, heirs of Hon. John H. Hubbard, heirs of Josiah M. and Chauncey Reed; Miners, Chatfield Mining Company.

CHAPTER LIII. SALISBURY (Continued).

HISTORICAL ADDRESS OF EX-GOV. A. H. HOLLEY."

"MR. MODERATOR AND FELLOW-CITIZENS,-We have gathered here to-day with patriotic hearts, I doubt not, warmed with a deepening devotion to the interest and honor of our beloved country. We meet under the influence of the better impulses of our na- tures, with broader charities towards each other, and towards our fellow-men everywhere, and with a full purpose to fraternize cordially in celebrating another anniversary of the nation's birth.

" With deep thankfulness for the innumerable

blessings which have been so abundantly bestowed upon us as a people, we would acknowledge with un- feigned gratitude our obligations to the Giver of all good.

" We have met on similar occasions in years past to celebrate the day which gave us liberty as well as birth and national life. We met then, as we meet now, to revive our recollections of the noble men and the glorious deeds through which our independence was achieved,-to reinvigorate our own hearts with a truer appreciation of the perils which were encouu- tered and overcome to accomplish our emancipation from one of the mightiest nations of the earth. A just appreciation of these events should now lead us to a firmer purpose of maintaining in its integrity this glorious inheritance bequeathed to us by an hon- ored ancestry.

" Fellow-citizens, it is good for us to be here. It is wise for communities, as well as nations, to commem- orate peculiar events in their history by some appro- priate demonstration that shall fix in the minds of men the eras which mark their progress through the centuries, and which shall serve as landmarks from which to date subsequent history. Such events are the birthdays of nations, the founding of states, the incorporation of towns, the organization of churches and schools, the establishment of hospitals and kin- dred institutions. A due consideration of such acts will enable us to determine whether we are discharg- ing our whole duty to those who are to come after us.

"It is eminently appropriate, therefore, that we should, on this more than ordinarily interesting occa- sion, renew and perpetuate the history of our own town; revive our recollections of those heretofore among us, native-born or long resident, who have oc- cupied prominent positions in our own or other com- munitics ; to refer briefly to the progress of our fel- low-citizens in the arts and improvements of civilized life ; to recur to some of the reasons which have given us an honorable position among surrounding commu- nities, and to leave such data as will enable the future historian to make up the record of the century through which we are passing, and at the close of which so few of us will be able to present personal reminiscences.

" More than a third of a century and an entire gen- eration of our race have passed from the earth sinee those of us who are still living, together with multi- tudes of others who have gone down to honored graves, assembled under the ancient roof of yonder Congregational church to celebrate the first centen- niał anniversary of our existence as an incorporated community. Your venerated predecessor, Mr. Mod- erator,-the two honorable gentlemen who addressed us on that occasion,-the reverend father and his younger legal friend, who together composed the hymns that were sung on that day, and four of the committee who made the arrangements for the cele- bration, all now sleep in the dust.

* Bly general request, the publishers reproduce the following address, which was delivered July 4, 1876. It Is an Invaluable addition to the historic literature of this section. The closing remarks, which are not strictly lilstoricol, aro omitted.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

"To those of us who remember the high social en- joyments of our own citizens, and the kindly meet- ings and greetings of friends and kindred whom we welcomed from far-off homes to their native town on that hallowed day, pleasant memories come to warm our hearts anew ; yet they are shadowed by the con- sciousness that most of those friends have passed from our midst, and from all the cares and enjoyments of earth to the purer enjoyments, as we hope, of a higher life. We may turn, however, from thoughts saddened by their departure to brighter scenes and incidents, that should cheer and encourage us as we move along in our progress through our second century.

" The historical sermon which was delivered by the Rev. Joseph W. Crossman on the fiftieth, and the one subsequently delivered by Judge Church on the one hundredth anniversary of the organization of the town, leave but a comparatively brief history to be added since 1841.

" Referring first, then, to individuals, as indicated above, I may, I think, appropriately speak more at length of those to whom allusion has already been made, as our record commences with that notable day.

" The venerable and much-respected chairman of that meeting, Lot Norton, Esq., was a native-born citizen, who, after a useful and honorable life, in which he served the town in various public capaci- ties, as its records will show, died in 1847, on the es- tate long occupied by his ancestor. The historian of the day, Hon. Samuel Church, also native born, con- tinued to reside among us a loved and honored citizen until, in the course of the practice of his pro- fession, he was elected a judge of the Supreme Court, when his duties called him to the county-seat in 1847, where he made his residence for the remainder of his life. Judge Church was for eleven years judge of probate for this district,-from 1821 to 1832,-and State's attorney for Litchfield County from 1823 to 1832. In 1847 he was elected chief justice of the State, which office he filled acceptably until his decease in 1854. Judge Church also delivered a county centen- nial address in 1851. Having recently looked over both of these addresses, I commend them most earn- estly to the men now conducting our public affairs, not only on account of their historical reminiscences, but for the suggestions they contain of the best meth- ods of perpetuating an honorable history, and also of maintaining our good name and standing in the State. The gentleman who supplemented with a short ad- dress that of Judge Church, in relation to his native town, and on behalf of the emigrant friends who were then our guests, Hon. John M. Holley, died in Flor- ida in 1848, while a member of Congress from a west- ern district in New York. He had also represented the district of his residence in the State Legislature. The Rev. Jonathan Lee (already referred to) com- posed two of the hymns that were sung on that anni- niversary, as did Churchill Coffing, Esq., two others, which were also sung on the same occasion. Mr. Lee

died in Salisbury in September, 1866, and Mr. Cof- fing in Chicago in 1873. Both of these gentlemen were writers of considerable ability, and both were native-born, educated, and cultivated gentlemen.

"Of the committee of arrangements for that day, six in number, Eliphalet Whittlesey, Esq., died in 1859, John C. Coffing in 1847, Jared S. Harrison in 1864, and Samuel C. Scoville in 1865. These four gentle- tlemen all died in their respective homes, Mr. Whit- tlesey and Mr. Coffing in this village, Mr. Scoville on his farm in the northeast part of the town, and Col. Harrison at his pleasant home in Lakeville, on the old home of the Chittendens. All of them had served the town acceptably in various public capacities, having honorable records, as will subsequently ap- pear; their descendants still dwell among us. Of the two living members, it does not become me to speak, only to state the historical fact that both of them became Lieutenant-Governors of the State, and one of them Governor also. Mr. Coffing be- queathed to the town by his will a fund designed to promote the comfort and the welfare of all such as may become inmates of the town asylum, as well as in aid of our religious societies, and some minor ob- jects. It may be proper to mention in this connec- tion that Messrs. Moore and Timothy Chittenden each left funds in aid of the Congregational society worshiping in this village. It gives me pleasure, also, to state that our esteemed young friend, Henry Clark, who died in 1872, left funds in aid of the Episcopal society worshiping here. Mr. Clark's bequest to that society, making such a provision for the support of religion while engaged in the active duties of middle life, does honor both to his judgment and his memory.

" Of the gentlemen of the legal profession who have deceased since 1841, or who have gone out from among us into other communities, I may mention the Hon. Thomas G. Waterman, son of David Water- man, who lived in town, and was once associated with Ethan Allen in.the ownership of the furnace at Lake- ville, many years ago. Thomas G. taught school in Lakeville, studied law with the late Gen. Elisha Ster- ling, and left town more than half a century since. He delivered, it is said, the first Fourth of July ora- tion ever delivered in this town. He became a prom- inent member of the bar in Binghamton, N. Y., and was twice elected to the senate of that State. He died in Binghamton in 1861.

" Hon. Peter B. Porter, alluded to in Judge Church's address, was born in Lakeville, and died at his home at Niagara Falls in 1844. He was in Congress in 1810, and also Secretary of War under President J. Q. Adams.

" Campbell Bushnell studied law in Hudson, N. Y., practiced there several years, and then removed to New York City, where he continued to practice until his death, which occurred in 1839.

" Orsamus Bushnell practiced in New York City during the whole of his professional life, and died

(' HOLLEY WOOD" RESIDENCE OF EX. GOV. A. H. HOLLEY, LAKEVILLE, CONN .

ERECTED BY HER FATHER JOHN MILTON HOLLEY IN 1807. RESIDENCE OF MRS. M.H. WILLIAMS, LAKEVILLE CONN.

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there in 1868. Both of these gentlemen were born in town, near the New York State line, and were promi- nent lawyers.

"I cannot refrain from giving an extract from a letter recently received from Pope Bushnell, Esq., the oldest of the many brothers of this Bushnell family, in which he says, 'I am now in my eighty-eighth year, and think I am devoutly grateful for a com- fortable measure of health. Bruised and battered in a conflict of more than four and a quarter score of years, I am in almost childlike feebleness, Icaning on my staff, patiently waiting for those better days to come.'

Hon. Theron R. Strong, son of Hon. Martin Strong, was born in town, 1802, practiced law in Palmyra and Rochester, N. Y., was elected to Congress for one ses- sion in 1839, and also to the Supreme Court of that State for seven years from January 1, 1851, and was one year in the Court of Appeals. He died in New York City in 1873, leaving an honorable record.

" Hon. Graham H. Chapin was born in Chapinville in 1800, studied law in Canandaigua with John C. Spencer, removed to and practiced law in Lyons, Wayne Co., N. Y., was elected to Congress from that district in 1836, and served one term, and died at Mount Morris in 1843. Mr. Chapin was for some years surrogate of Wayne County. He, with other respected members of that family, were born on the estate now owned by Horace Landon, Esq.

" Orville L. Holley, Esq., lawyer, editor, and author, was born in Lakeville in 1791, and died in Albany in 1861. He was for several years surveyor-general of the State of New York.

" Hon. Norton J. Buel and his brother, Theodore, were both born in the Harrison District, both prac- ticed law in Waterbury, and both died there, the former in March, 1864, and the latter in 1872. Nor- ton J.'s professional career was one of considerable eminence. His practice was chiefly in New Haven County. He represented Waterbury, the place of his residence, in the General Assembly in 1856, and was, during one session, a member of the State senate ; also a judge of probate for five years.

Hon. John M. Holley was born in Lakeville in 1802. He died in Florida while a member of Con- gress from the Twenty-seventh Congressional Dis- trict of New York. He has already been alluded to.

"IIon. George Bartlett, son of the late Loring Bartlett, was born near the Twin Lakes, practiced law in Binghamton, N. Y., and died there. Mr. Bartlett represented his district in the New York Legislature.

" Hon. John II. IInbbard was born on Town Hill, practiced law in Lakeville for several years, was a member of the State senate from this Seventeenth District in 1847 and 1850, removed to Litchfield in 1855, where he died in July, 1872. Mr. Hubbard was elected to Congress in 1863 and 1865. He was also States' attorney from 1849 to 1854. His record

testifies to his ability and standing among his fellow- men.

"Churchill Coffing, Esq., son of the late John C. Coffing, was born in the Centre District, practiced law in Peru, Ill., and died in Chicago in 1873.

"Luther T. Ball, son of the late Robert Ball, was born in the Chapinville District, studied law with D. J. Warner, Esq., and subsequently at Ballston, N. Y., and was admitted to the bar in this State in 1854. Mr. Ball removed quite early from town, and finally located in Keithsburg, Ill., where he took a high stand, both as a lawyer and a citizen. At the com- mencement of hostilities on the part of the South, Mr. Ball and his partner raised a company of volun- teers, of which he was chosen first lieutenant. This company was attached to the Eighty-fourth Illinois Regiment. He fell in the defense of his country at the battle of Murfreesboro', in December, 1862, and, in obedience to a previous arrangement, was buried on the field hallowed by his blood.

"John H. Russell, Esq., was born in Canaan, prac- ticed law in this town, and died on his farm in Lake- ville in 1871. Mr. Russell represented the town in the Legislature, as will appear from the record, in 1853 and 1854.

"Charles Whittlesey, Esq., was born in the Whit- tlesey District, graduated at Williams College in 1840, practiced law in Middletown and Hartford, and from the latter city went into the war in 1862 as captain of Co. I, Twenty-second Regiment of Infantry, and was honorably discharged in 1863. He died in Alex- andria, Va., in 1874, while in the practice of his pro- fession there.

"John G. Mitchell and Philander Wheeler, Esqs., both practiced law in Lakeville, but neither of them were born in town. The former died in Chicago in 1863, and the latter in town in 1852.

" All the above professional gentlemen to whom I have alluded are in their graves.

"John M. Sterling was born at Lakeville in 1800, graduated at Yale College in 1821, practiced law in Lakeville several years, and then removed to Cleve- land, Ohio. I believe Mr. Sterling gave less attention to the law than to land speculations in Ohio, where he acquired a considerable fortune, and is still living.

"The attorneys at present practicing in town are Donald J. Warner, Esq., and his son Donald T., both located at the Centre, and Hubert Williams, at Lake- ville. Donald J. represented this town in the Legis- ture in 1848 and 1866.

" William G. Sterling, son of W. C. Sterling, Esq., was born in Lakeville, commenced the practice of his profession in New York City in 1841, is still in practice there, and is, or has been, a judge of one of the city courts.

" Among the living lawyers who had their birth or education in town, and who are now practicing else- where, I recall readily the names of Hon. Roger Averill, who was born in the Wetang District, prac-

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

ticed law in this town some twelve years, during which period he held several important positions, and in 1843 represented the town in the Legislature. Mr. Averill removed to Danbury about 1850, held the office of probate judge for that district three years, was elected Lieutenant-Governor four consecutive years, from 1862 to 1866, and represented that town in the General Assembly in 1868.

" Lyman D. Brewster is a graduate of Yale College, is now practicing law in Danbury, has held the office of judge of probate there several years, was judge of the Court of Common Pleas for that county four years, in 1870 was representative in the General As- sembly, and is now a member of the State Senate.

"Charles B. Dutcher, born in Wetaug District, practiced law in Spencertown, N. Y., from whence he removed to New York City, and is now a resident of White Plains, N. Y.

"Jared F. Harrison, Esq., son of the late Jared S. Harrison, of Lakeville, was born in the Harrison Dis- triet, studied law with Hon. J. H. Hubbard, at Lake- ville, and subsequently with Hon. T. R. Strong, in Palmyra, where he commenced practice, but is now a practitioner in New York City.

" Charles C. Barton, Esq., son of Hon. Pliny L. Barton, was born in Salisbury, gradnated at Trinity College, and is now practicing in Boston, Mass.

" George W. Peet, Esq., born in the house now oc- cupied by Hon. P. L. Barton, in 1825, commenced practice with the Hon. William M. Burrall, of Canaan, and represented that town in the Legislature four ses- sions, was elected president of the Iron Bank in 1864, and now resides in North Canaan.

"Judson S. Landon was born in the Lime Rock District in 1832, received his education chiefly in the State of New York, was employed as a teacher of mathematics and natural sciences at Princetown, N. Y., for two years ; subsequently attended the law- school at Yale College, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice at Schenectady in 1856. The same year he was elected district attorney of that county, which office he held six years; he also held the office of county judge for that county two terms. In 1874 he was elected justice of the Supreme Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of New York, which office he now holds.

" Charles B. Landon, brother of Judson S., was also educated in the State of New York, commenced the study of law with D. J. Warner, Esq., of this town, in 1859, was admitted to the bar in 1862; the same year entered the army as a chaplain in the Twenty- eighth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers; returning from the army late in 1863, he commenced the prac- tice of law in Columbia County, N. Y. In 1867 he entered the ministry in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is still a member of the New York Con- ference.

" It will appear from our history thus far that the legal profession has been numerously, and often with

eminent ability, represented both at home and abroad, and chiefly by native-born citizens.

" Of clergymen,* whose history is more or less con- nected with our own, but who now sleep in their graves, having died since 1841, I may repeat the name of Jonathan Lee, who has already been alluded to.

" Rev. Leonard E. Lathrop, who preached thirteen years in the Congregational church in this village, removed to, and preached in Auburn, N. Y., several years, returned in July, 1854, to Connecticut, was set- tled in Sharon, and died there in 1857. Dr. Lathrop was an able and eloquent divine.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 128

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532