History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 28

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 28

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The Russell Library was incorporated by an act of the Legislature approved July 13th 1875. By this act it is provided:

" That Samuel Russell, Joseph W. Alsop, Jr., M.D., Henry G. Hub- bard, Melvin B. Copeland, Henry D. A. Ward, Robert G. Pike, O. Vin- cent Coffin, John M. Van Vleck, Richard L. De Zeng, Ernest Deming, Rev. Frederic Gardiner, the Mayor of Middletown, the town Clerk of Middletown, the President of Wesleyan University of Middletown, the Dean of the Berkeley Divinity School of Middletown, the Rector of the Society of the Church of the Holy Trinity, of Middletown, the Minister of the First Ecclesiastical Society of Middletown (the last six for the time being and ex-officio) be and they are hereby created and consti- tuted a body politic and corporate by the name of 'The Russell Library Company;' and they, and such others as may be duly elected members of said Company * * * * shall be, and remain a body politic and corporate by the same name and style forever."

The library was transferred to the Board of Trustees and dedicated on Wednesday, November 17th 1875.

The officers are: Robert G. Pike, president; Frederic Gardiner, secretary; M. B. Copeland, treasurer. Exe- cutive committee: Robert G. Pike, chairman; Joseph W. Alsop jr., M. D., secretary; Samuel Russell, J. M. Van Vleck, and Frederic Gardiner.

The memory of Samuel Russell and that of his noble wife will ever be associated with this benefaction the worthy influence if which is incalculable.

Samuel Russell was born August 25th 1789. He re- ceived a good education for the time and place, and

OLO- GAYLORD HOUSE.

RUSSELL : LIBRARY.

MIDDLETOWN-SOLDIERS MONUMENT.

early in life entered upon a business career in Middle- town. He removed thence to Providence, and entered the service of Carrington & Hoffin and while in there employ he went to China. After the lapse of five years at the earnest solicitation of Hongua, the head of the Chinese Hong, he commenced trade on his own account and founded the famous commercial house of Russell & Co. In 1827 he returned for a short time, when he was married to the noble woman, who, together with the subject of this brief sketch, has conferred upon the in- habitants of Middletown this noble institution.

THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.

The subject of erecting a monument to the memory of her fallen sons began to be agitated by the people of Middletown so early as the spring of 1865, but no de- cisive steps in that direction were taken until the spring of 1870, when the project was again brought before the public in an address delivered by the Hon. R. G. Pike on the occasion of decorating the soldiers' graves, before the Grand Army of the Republic and the citizens of the town. In response to the appeal made by Mr. Pike, a meeting of the inhabitants of Middletown was held at the court house on Wednesday evening, June 15th 1870, to consider the matter of erecting a soldiers' monument. It was then and there agreed to call a second meeting at the McDonough Hall on Tuesday evening, the 21st of June 1870, for the purpose of organizing a Monumental Association. The call for this meeting was signed by many ladies and gentlemen, and the meeting held in compliance therewith was largely attended. An associa- tion was formed, consisting of 40 members, from whom an executive committee was chosen composed of the following named gentlemen: Samuel C. Hubbard, Ben- jamin Douglas, Joseph W. Alsop, jr., Robert G. Pike, Cyrus W. Fay, Charles C. Hubbard, John M. Douglas, Gaston T. Hubbard, George S. Hubbard, Arthur W. Douglas, Bartlett Bent, Samuel Babcock, Joseph W. Douglas, James E. Bidwell, O. V. Coffin, William S. Camp, Cyrus C. Clark, Joseph Cummings, John C. Broatch, Samuel J. Starr, A. Newton, E. B. Chaffee, Daniel W. Raymond, John Johnston, and F. B. Com- stock. Of this committee, Benjamin Douglas was the president, and Daniel W. Raymond, secretary.

Many designs submitted to the committee for their ex- amination were carefully considered, the final choice be- ing in favor of that of M. H. Mosman, of Chicopee, Mass.

A petition, signed by 124 of the leading citizens of Middletown, praying for a special town meeting, was presented to the selectmen, who, in compliance therewith, warned a meeting, which was held January 3d 1874. At that meeting it was voted:

" That the sum of eleven thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated from the treasury of the town, and the selectmen are hereby authorized and di- rected to raise the amount, by special tax or otherwise, for the erection of a monument to the memory of the soldiers and seamen who were resident of, or enlisted

fromn, this town, and who have died in the military or naval service of the United States in the late war, or from wounds received in such service; said monument to be located on the site as designated by the plurality of bal- lots cast at this meeting in a box provided for that pur- pose, and that Benjamin Douglas, Charles C. Hubbard. and Cyrus W. Fay be a committee under whose direction and supervision the money appropriated for the aforesaid monument shall be expended, and by whom all orders on the treasury shall be drawn, and who shall have and ex- ercise all the duties of a building committee agreeable to this matter."

The vote on the question of location was well nigh unanimous and. in favor of Union Park. January 9th 1878, the town committee entered into an agreement with M. H. Mosman, whereby the latter contracted to build the monument in consideration of $11,000.

The Monument .- The pedestal was hewn from the best Quincy granite and is composed of four solid blocks. The base-stone is 8 feet 8 inches square and 2 feet 2 inches high; the plinth, 6 feet 2 inches square and 2 feet 9 inches high; the die, 4 feet 8 inches square and 3 feet Io inches high; the capital, 5 feet 2 inches square and 2 feet 4 inches high. The total height of the granite portion is II feet and 2 inches, and its weight 3272 tons. The pedestal is surmounted by a bronze statue-the ideal volunteer infantry soldier, clothed in regulation uniform and overcoat, in a position of repose and dignity, as he is supposed to stand contemplating the struggle that awaits him on the field of warfare, while the traces of service are seen in the drapery of his apparel and the upturned corners of his cartridge box, and the general expression being that of the veteran, whom the artist's figure sym- bolizes so admirably. The statue is 8 feet in altitude and stands on a plinth of bronze 6 inches in height. The bronze portion of the monument weighs 1605 pounds. The combined altitude of bronze and granite is 19 feet and 8 inches, and if to this there be added the elevation of the base of Portland stone (covered with earth, 4 feet above the level of the surrounding grounds) the result, 23 feet and 8 inches, will represent the entire altitude of the colossal structure.

In the front of the granite die a panel in bas-relief in bronze is symbolic of infancy, childhood, youth, mater- nity, and manhood-a lovely picture of peace as secured by the soldier, with a scroll bearing the motto:

" THEIR HEROIC VALOR INSURES OUR LASTING PEACE."

On three sides of the die are tablets of bronze, on which are inscribed the names of 110 soldiers from Mid- dletown, who were either killed in the service or died from wounds received therein. The circular panel on the north contains a head of Washington, in bas-relief, in bronze, and the southern panel, that of Lincoln, while on the front panel, in cap of raised bronze letters, are the words,

" HONOR TO THE BRAVE,"

and in the rear panel, in bronze,

" WE CHERISH THEIR MEMORY."

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

The granite plinth bears on its front face, in polished raised letters, the inscription: "Erected by the Town of Middletown in memory of her fallen Sons, 1874."

Dedication .- The monument was formally dedicated on Tuesday, June 23d 1874. The presentation speech was made by Hon. Benjamin Douglas. The orator of the day was the Rev. Dr. Cummings; the poet of the oc- casion, Rev. Walter Mitchell.

At the instance of Hon. Stephen W. Kellogg. a resolu- tion was passed by Congress, contributing four twelve- pounder bronze cannons, taken from the Confederate army, and sixteen cannon balls, all of which are artistic- ally arranged about the monument.

INDUSTRIES OF THE TOWN AND CITY, PAST AND PRESENT.

With the close of the Revolutionary war, a new era commenced in the history of Middletown. From being a place of the greatest commercial importance on the banks of the Connecticut River, and the center of the great West India trade (which added so much to the wealth of the town) it was soon to become the great manufactur- ing center of the State. The busy scenes of long ago- when the shout of the mule driver was heard along the streets, trying to force the obstinate brutes on the decks of the West Indiamen, and the rattle of the drayman's cart, delivering his loads of sugar, molasses, and rum to the great warehouses-were soon to cease, and in place of this would be heard the busy hum of machinery; the drayman, instead of carting his loads of sugar, etc., would be occupied in conveying the loads of wool, iron, and other raw materials to the manufactories, and return loaded with heavy cases of manufactured goods.

The last relic of former days was a rum distillery, started in 1791, near the present depot of the Air Line Railroad, by one Hall. This distilled annually, 600 hogs- heads of rum; a contemporaneous writer adds " were it driven steadily through the winter it might distil 1,000." Whether the local consumption of the article was equal to the production " deponent saith not."

The manufacture of cotton and woollen cloth was the first branch of home industry to which capitalists turned their attention.

The Revolutionary fathers remembered the old adage, "in time of peace prepare for war," and the manufacture of frearms became the most important branch of indus- try in the State, and several hundred thousand dollars of government money found its way annually into the old Middletown Bank and United States Branch Bank.

Large quantities of powder were also manufactured annually. With the close of the war of 1812-15 capital- ists turned their attention to other articles of manufac- ture, and the inventive genius of America kept pace with the increased demand for home productions. The man- ufacture of ivory combs, gold spectacles, pewter goods, plated ware, and an almost endless variety of small hard- ware followed the decline of the manufacture of war ma- terials.

WOOLLEN MANUFACTORIES .- Said Oliver Ellsworth, in the convention called at Hartford, in January 1788, to ratify the Constitution: "Connecticut is a manufac- turing State; it already manufactures its implements of husbandry, and half its clothing." He referred to the house loom and clothiers' shops. There was not, at this time, a woollen factory in the United States. Whether or not this declaration had the effect of stimu- lating efforts in this direction is not known: but within four months of that time a company was or- ganized, with a capital of £1,250 ($4,166.662/3), to estab- lish a manufactory of woollen cloth in Hartford. Among the subscribers to the stock were Nehemiah Hubbard and George Starr, of Middletown. It is a noteworthy fact, that the birth of this industry commenced with the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, and when the first Congress assembled, at Federal Hall, New York, on the 4th of March 1789, the president and vice- president of the United States were clad in suits manu- factured by the " Hartford Woollen Manufactory." Great difficulty was experienced, at first, in collecting sufficient raw material to keep the factory in operation; but it was presumed that the farmers would be careful " to rear up their lambs and increase the number and improve the breed of their sheep." In 1794, the company declared a dividend of 50 per cent. on the original shares, "to be paid in the finished goods of the company."

In 1810, a woollen mill was established on Washing- ton street by the Middletown Manufacturing Company. The officers were Alexander Wolcott and Arthur Magill. This was one of the first, if not the first manufactory that ever used steam as a motive power, in this country. The large brick building which stood near the foot and in the rear of Washington street, on the present site of the " deep hollow," was built originally for a sugar house. It was 40 by 36 feet, five stories high, with an extension 40 by 20 feet, which was used as a dye house. The building was fitted up with a 25-horse power engine, and wood was the only fuel that could be obtained at this time. The company employed from 60 to 80 hands, with a capacity for 100. About 40 yards per day of fine broadcloth were produced, which yielded an income of upwards of $70,000 per year. Although the cost of fuel was a serious drawback, the company must have made large profits at first, for the Washington Hotel, corner of Main and Washington streets, now the Divinity School and the large brick hotel, subsequently used by Mr. Chase as a school, were the outgrowth of this enterprise. The sudden fall in goods at the close of the war of 1812, caused a serious embarassment, and not long after, this company ceased to do business.

In 1814, another woollen manufactory was started, by John R. Watkinson, on the Pameacha River, where there was an abundant supply of water for power. The building was of brick, 64 by 34 feet, three stories high. About 40 hands were employed, and upwards of 20,000 pounds of Merino wool were annually manufactured into blue broadcloth. The business was successful until the death of Mr. Watkinson, which occurred in 1836. It was

MIDDLETOWN-MANUFACTORIES.

continued for two years longer by the Pameacha Manu- facturing Company, when the manufacture of woolens in this locality ceased for many years.

THE ROCKFALL WOOLLEN COMPANY .- In July 1882, a company known as the Rockfall Woollen Company, for the manufacture of woollen blankets etc., was organized The old brick building at Staddle Hill, formerly owned and used by Colonel North as a pistol factory, was pur- chased by the company. The building is 35 by 85 feet, three stories high, with a dye house 55 by 53 feet, two stories high. About 600 pounds of wool are used daily in the-manufacture of these goods, giving employment to about 30 hands. The machinery is of the latest and most improved pattern, and requires about 40 horse power to run it. The incorporators of the company were Jonathan A. Lane, Fred. D. Allen, Joseph Merriam, William J. Mitchell, John J. Bocker, and Allen Lane & Company. The officers are Jonathan A. Lane, president; Joseph Merriam, secretary and treasurer.

THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE ARMS, ETC .- The spirit of the Revolution was kept alive for many years after peace was declared, and the militia regiments of the country constituted a standing army ready for any emergency. This created a great demand for fire arms and other implements of war. The time had not arrived when "the swords should be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks," for several manufactories of these weapons sprung up just before and during the war of 1812-15. Among the first of these was the manu- factory of Oliver Bidwell, on the Upper Pameacha, near the present location of the bone mill. He had a govern- ment contract for making guns. He commenced about 1810. Everything at this time was hand made.

About the same time, Colonel North started a pistol manufactory at Staddle Hill, on the West River. He is said to have been the first manufacturer of government pistols in this country. He was at work on his second contract for the government when the war of 1812 broke out. The secretary of war came to Middletown and offered Colonel North a very large contract, if he would enlarge his factory so as to supply the government demand. In order to raise the money, he offered his note for discount at the Middlesex County Bank, but it was refused; when Mr. Samuel Russell, who had urged the directors to discount it, at once indorsed the note him- self. Colonel North continued for some years to receive large government contracts. His first contract was for 20,000 horseman's or cavalry pistols. He subsequently made carbines, and other weapons. His contract was continued down to a short time previous to the last war. For many years the production was about 10,000 pistols a year. These were all made for the government.

machinery for the manufacture of government swords. The building was 81 by 33 feet, three stories high, with an extension, 35 feet square. The government contracts extended through several years, and the annual produc- tion was about 5,000 swords; some of these of the finest workmanship and pattern; equal in quality and temper to the best imported goods. Two elegant presentation swords were made here for the State of Tennessee, one of which was presented to General Jackson, and the other to Colonel Richard M. Johnson. Another elegant sword was made here for General Edmond P. Gaines, the hero of the Florida war.

Muskets and rifles were subsequently made at this establishment. This manufactory was continued for some years, but government agents were sent to inspect the machinery, and after obtaining the information the government made use of it in fitting up the extensive armories at Springfield, Massachusetts, and Harper's Ferry, Va.

Every available spot in and around Middletown was selected during the war of 1812-15 for the erection of factories to supply the government demand, and Middle- town was the chief and almost the only source from whence the government obtained these supplies. About this time John R. and J. D. Johnson built a factory on Lower Pameacha, about fifty rods below the present manu- factory of Wilcox, Crittenden & Co., for the manufacture of rifles for the government. They employed from 25 to 30 hands, and made from 1,000 to 1,200 rifles a year. They did a successful business until 1825 when the gov- ernment contracts were discontinued.

A powder mill was established, in 1793, on the West River, and for many years it produced, annually, some 5,coo casks. It is still continued by the Rand Powder Company, a large portion of the powder being consumed by the Portland quarries for blasting purposes.

THE SAVAGE REVOLVING FIRE ARMS COMPANY was organized August 17th 1859, with a capital of $30,000, for the manufacture of revolving pistols. This company did a large business during the war, and increased their capital to $45,000; but the business was finally given up, and the company disbanded in 1866. The building used by this company is now occupied by the Goodyear Rub- ber Company.

THE SAGE AMMUNITION WORKS were organized Octo- ber 29th 1864, with a capital of $75,000, which was subse- quently increased to $100,000. The business fell off after the close of the war, and the company ceased to do business about 1866-7. The building used by the com- pany is now occupied by the Middletown Hardware Company.

COMBS .- The manufacture of bone and ivory combs, which some wag denominated " down-east cultivators," was commenced by Ulysses and Julius Pratt, in Pota- paug (now Essex) about 1812 or 1814. It was evidently a profitable business, for other factories sprung up in other parts of the country; among these was the factory

About half a mile northeast of Colonel North's factory, and on the opposite side of the river, was the factory of Colonel Nathan Starr jr. (father of General E. W. N. Starr, the present town clerk). Colonel Starr, after an absence of some years from his native place returned in 1812, and erected a factory with stone taken from the of Hinsdale & Pratt, established on Miller's Brook, South West River at Staddle Hill. This was fitted up for the Farms, in 1817. At a later period another factory was

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

started at Staddle Hill, by Mr. Horace Clark, on the site of what is known as the Arrowanna Mills.

SHIP BUILDING .- Dr. Field says (in 1819): "In the winter of 1669-70, a shipwright was allowed to build vessels at this place, and shipbuilding has probably been carried on most of the time since that period. Two yards were formerly occupied; one only is improved at the present time."

This immense industry, which was at one time so im- portant an industry, has dwindled down to almost nothing, the only representative at the present time being Mr. Elmer Ely, who is engaged in building pleasure boats, yachts, etc. He uses a portion of the building occupied by Como & Miller.

THE SANSEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY .- This com. pany was incorporated in 1823, with a capital of $20,000. For many years an extensive business was carried on. This business consisted principally of the building of various kinds of machinery. One of the first, if not the first back-geared lathe, was made by the Sanseer Com. pany. In February 1845, the old factory was burned. The stock and charter were purchased by Lewis, Prior & Co., who rebuilt the factory and continued the business, which at that time included the manufacture of wooden screws. The foundry was built in the spring of 1856. In 1871 the stock and charter were sold to George S. Hubbard, who, with his sons, carried on the business for a few years and then sold out to Ira C. Flagg, John Mil- ler, and Samuel North. These men remained but a short time, and the property again came into the posses- sion of Mr. Hubbard. It was recently sold to the Rus- sell Manufacturing Company.

INDUSTRIES OF MIDDLETOWN IN 1850 .- In an article on "Middletown, as it is," by E. M. Gorham Esq., pub- lished in the New York Journal of Commerce in 1850, the following account of the manufactories in Middle- town at that time is given:

"Commencing with the factories on the Pameacha, a narrow stream which finds its way along the outskirts of the city, over a rocky bed buried between high and rugged banks, we find, first, in one factory, H. L. Bald- win and F. Baldwin, the first making bank and store locks, and night latches, employing twelve hands; and the latter plate and closet locks, with eight hands, each turning out their appropriate quantum of work.

" Following up the stream, next comes the factory of William Wilcox & Co., who make a superior article of plate lock, together with a more common lock of the same pattern, employ twenty hands, and turn off $10,000 worth of locks per year. In another part of the same building, L D. Vansands makes improved blind fasten- ers and saw strainers to the amount of $10,ooo annually, and gives employment to fifteen hands.

juncture of this and the Sanseer Stream, are the works of William Stroud, where machinery castings, iron dirt scrapers, corn shellers, plows, &c., &c., are made, em- ploying in the different branches twenty hands. In the same buildings Nelson & Hubbard make rules, squares, and bevels, and employ fifteen hands; A. H. Derby has also his apartments for the manufacture of Brittania ware; and F. W. Atkins for making blind fasteners-each and all of whom, judging by the prevailing activity in their several departments, find a ready sale for their labor.

"Crossing froin the last named works to South Farms, a village about fifteen minutes' walk from the post office, we find located on the Sanseer stream the three factories of the Russell Manufacturing Company, who have an in- vested capital of $100,000, and employ about 200 opera- tives in the manufacture of india rubber suspenders, cot- ton and worsted webbing, of which they make at the present time the amount of from $150,000 to $200,000 a year. On the same stream stands the machine shop of the Sanseer Manufacturing Company, where are made various kinds of machinery, by some 16 workmen. This company have considerable repute for the excellence and cheapness of their work; more particularly is this true of their machinery for making fine ivory combs.

" Leaving the more eastern suburbs, and retracing our steps back to the city, we are attracted when near its center by the commingled sounds of the ponderous ma- chinery performing its part of the labor in the heavy es- tablishment of W. & B. Douglas, who employ about 80 workmen, and are sending into all parts of the country their highly celebrated 'Patent Metallic Pumps, and Hydraulic Rams '-articles that have gained a widely ex- tended name for their superiority over any kind of pumps, or water elevator, now in use. In connection with these, they are making ' Patent Wrought Iron Butts and Hinges," which, like their pumps and rams, are fast superseding in market other and less approved styles. These gentlemen use, of the raw material, of iron some six hundred tons, twenty tons of brass, and in working it up, three hundred tons of anthracite coal. Besides the articles above named they also make of hardware, 'wrought iron washers, well wheels, friction rolls, &c.,' and a new article of 'chain pumps.' Their entire ma- chinery is driven by a powerful and skilfully perfected engine of their own manufacture.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 28

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818