History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 81

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 81
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 81

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In 1847 he went to Birmingham, where he became a foreman in the foundry of Colburn & Bassett, prominent iron workers in that day. The following year he first began working for Almon Far- rel, and superintended the starting of his original foundry and ma- chine shop at Ansonia, from which has grown one of the largest and most successful concerns of the kind in this country. In this Mr. Lewis, also, in later years, secured a pecuniary interest. In 1849 he returned to the Bridgeport Iron Works where he was about a year, when for a short time he had charge of the Birmingham Iron Foun- dry, but, in 1852, he removed to Waterbury, where he became the foreman of the Waterbury Foundry Company, controlled by the Messrs. Farrel, of Ansonia. Here he soon demonstrated his thorough fitness for his position, evincing, also, such fine executive ability in managing the business that his employers soon recognized his work. By the simple force of his skill and character, he secured an interest in the business, becoming in a short time the active manager and head of the concern in Waterbury. Mr. Lewis also became and is at present the treasurer of the Farrel Foundry & Machine Company, at Ansonia, and has been a director since 1857. He has been asso- ciated with the company 40 years and in all that period no act was done or unkind word spoken by any of the principals of that cor- poration, which in the least marred the pleasant relations which have ever existed between them. In these times of self-assertion and in- tense rivalry such a condition is so unusual that the record of it by Mr. Lewis is a fine testimony to the excellent worth and noble char- acter of the Messrs. Farrel-father, son and grandson.

The interests of the Ansonia and Waterbury Farrel Works were united until 1880, when Mr. Lewis wishing to stamp the business of the latter with more of his individuality, purchased the stock of his as- sociates and reorganized the Waterbury company. He thus became the controlling owner and president of the company, a relation since

6. O. Lewis

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

sustained. At that time he took in as stockholders and directors, William E. Fulton, George B. Lamb and H. W. Curtiss, energetic and industrious young men, upon whom the cares of the concern have to a large extent fallen. Mr. Fulton is the secretary and treasurer of the company and has much of the oversight of its vast business. Besides his large interests in this company, Mr. Lewis is connected with many other manufacturing corporations in this and other towns and is also a director of several financial institutions. He is the president of the Oakville Pin Company; president of the Capewell Horse Nail Company, of Hartford; and director of the Manufacturers' National and Dime Savings Banks, of Waterbury. His interests are yearly becoming more numerous and he is regarded as one of the ablest and most suc- cessful business men of this part of the county.

Although Mr. Lewis is in all essentials a self-made man, whose educational privileges were very limited, his habits have been observ- ant and studious, so that he has become a person of more than ordi- nary intelligence, and he has accumulated a vast fund of practical business knowledge. He has a kind disposition and many good social qualities, which cause hin to be much esteemed. He is liberal, pro- gressive, public spirited and deservedly popular among all classes of the town's citizens, who have several times persuaded him to serve them in public capacities. He has been a pronounced republican since the organization of that party, but in 1883 he was elected a rep- resentative to the state legislature from democratic Waterbury, over an able political opponent. In 1888 he was the republican nominee for congress in the Second Connecticut district, but was defeated by Carlos French, a popular democrat, also of the Naugatuck valley.

Mr. Lewis was married, October 29th, 1850, to Harriet M. Phip- peny, of Hartford, and of the seven children born to them four are now living, namely, two sons: Edward F., born August 10th, 1862, and Truman S., born September 15th, 1866, both connected with the Waterbury Machine Works; and two daughters: Ida E., married to William E. Fulton; Mary S., married to William J. Schlegel, both be- ing active young business men of Waterbury.

John J. McCarthy and William C. Moore are soda water manufac- turers. The business was established by John J. McCarthy, who bought out Vandover Brothers in April, 1887. He carried on the bus- iness alone until March 1st, 1889, when William C. Moore entered the business, which has since been conducted under the firm name, Mc- Carthy & Moore. John J. McCarthy was born in Waterbury April 3d, 1858, and was educated in the common schools. William C. Moore was born August 2d, 1858, in Waterbury, was educated in the common schools, and from the time he left school until he started in business was in the employ of Benedict & Burnham, and a number of years foreman of the foundry department.

John W. McDonald was born in 1847 in Ireland, and came with his

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

mother to this country when one year old, locating in Waterbury. He was educated in the public schools, and was the first to work for the Waterbury Clock Company as errand boy. Afterward he was em- ployed with Steel & Johnson, and later with the Scovill Manufactur- ing Company. He spent some six or seven years in New York city, returning to Waterbury in 1867. He joined the Phoenix Fire Com- pany in 1868, and is one of the oldest members of the organization. He was a member of Company D, 2d Connecticut Regiment, under Captain Cook, served two years on the police force, and was elected city sheriff in October, 1879, which office he still holds.

James J. Madden was born in Ireland June 4th, 1859, came to this country with his parents in 1867, locating in New York city, and in 1875 moved to Albany, N. Y. He came to Waterbury in 1879, was engaged with the Scovill Manufacturing Company, and afterward with the Waterbury Manufacturing Company. He was elected town clerk in 1889, 1890 and 1891.

John Moriarty was born in 1851, in England, of Irish parents, came to this country when a boy and located in New York, remaining there two years. He then moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., remained there nine years and came to Waterbury in 1866. After working a year in the factories he learned the stone cutting trade, and followed the granite and monumental business about 10 years. He worked four years on the war and navy department buildings, at Washington, D. C., and on the New York post office, custom house and Western Union Tele- graph Building, New York. He then started in the grocery business in Waterbury, which he carried on about one year, after which he ran the City Hotel for five years, and in 1883 established the Waterbury Furniture & Undertaking Company with John M. Mulville, under the firm name of Mulville & Moriarty. In 1885 he bought out Mr. Mulville's interest, and has since conducted the business alone. He was the first in Waterbury to do away with the ice box and start embalming.

HENRY H. PECK, son of Selden and Lucy (Hart) Peck, was born in Berlin, Conn., December 25th, 1838. His father was a farmer in that town, and was a son of Lemuel Peck, also of Hartford county, who descended from one of the early settlers of New England. The boy- hood of Henry H. Peck was spent on his father's farm until he was 17 years of age, when he entered the high school at Meriden, and later attended Kellogg's Institute, in which he obtained a good rudimentary education. He now resolved to pay his attention to merchandising,

and for that purpose accepted, in 1857, a clerkship in the store of I). & N. G. Miller, of New Britain, where he remained three years, acquir- ing in that time a good knowledge of the dry goods trade. In March, 1860, he came to Waterbury, where, with Charles Miller, of Middle- town, as an associate partner, they established the dry goods firm of Miller & Peck, which is now one of the oldest in the city of Water-

TV. TV. Peel

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

bury. For more than a quarter of a century the same business house on Exchange place has been occupied. The relations of the firm were profitably continued until February 1st, 1887, when Mr. Peck retired from the management of the business, which is still continued by Mr. Miller, under the firm name.

When these young men here began trade they were both strangers to the citizens of this part of the country, and their capital was very limited, but by industry and intelligent application to their business they prospered. until they ranked among the most successful mer- chants of New Haven county. In the meantime Mr. Peck had become interested in other enterprises which were benefitted by his judgment and business experience. Always loyally devoted to the best interests of his adopted city, he has encouraged such measures as have had in view the promotion of its welfare, and helped to organize the Water- bury Board of Trade. This purpose also led him to identify himself with some of the leading industries of the city as a stockholder, and he became a director of several corporations. For a number of years he has been a trustee of the Dime Savings Bank, and since 1886 has been the president of that successful institution, thus being brought into prominence as one of the leading business men of the city.

From boyhood Mr. Peck has been an uncompromising advocate and adherent of the principles of the republican party, and he was elected by that organization and others of his fellow citizens as one of the representatives of Waterbury in the legislature of 1886. His asso- ciate was Henry C. Griggs, and he was given a place on several im- portant committees, serving as chairman of the committee on fisheries, which recommended some valuable legislation.

Not long after coming to Waterbury Mr. Peck became a Mason, and later was a charter member of Continental Lodge. No. 76. He also belongs to Clark Commandery, No. 7, and has taken the thirty- two degrees of the order, whose mysteries and teachings have made him a devoted member. He is also a vestryman of St. John's parish of the Epscopal church, and generously supports not only the measures of that organization, but freely honors other demands made upon him as a public-spirited citizen.

In the past ten years Mr. Peck has travelled extensively in this and foreign countries, and being an intelligent observer, has greatly profitted by that diversion. In 1883-4, in company with three con- genial friends, he made the trip around the world, traveling west- ward from San Francisco to China, India, Ceylon, and thence by the Isthmus of Suez and the Mediterranean to the Continent of Europe and home across the Atlantic. The entire journey was prolific with pleasures. Mr. Peck has resided at the Scovill House 32 years, is widely known and much esteemed by a large circle of friends.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

E. W. Pinney was born in Hartford, in 1847, and was educated in the public schools of Hartford and Wilbraham Academy, Mass. He followed farming and road contracting for many years, was superin- tendent of almshouse at Hamden, Conn., five years, and in 1886 came to Waterbury as superintendent of the almshouse there, which position he held for two years. He was elected first selectman in 1890, and re- ëlected in 1891.

ALFRED LEGRAND PLATT .- This well-known business man of Waterbury, is a lineal descendent of Deacon Richard Platt, who came to America from England in 1638, landing at New Haven. In that plantation he was allotted 84 acres of land, but in the fall of the fol- lowing year he joined the Wepawaug settlement, being made a free planter of Milford in 1646, and thenceforth took an active part in the affairs of that town. In 1669 he was elected a deacon of the Milford church. He died in 1684, leaving, for those times, a large estate, the value being 600 pounds, sterling money. Of his family, two sons, Joseph and Josiah, remained in Milford, and from the family of the latter has descended the subject of this sketch. His grandsou, Josiah, whose father was also named Josiah, became a resident of Newtown, Conn., where he was married November 13th, 1758, to Sarah Sanford, and their first son, Nathan, born March 3d, 1761, was the grandfather of A. L. Platt, whose portrait here appears.

After serving as a soldier in the revolution, Nathan Platt mar- ried Ruby Smith, of Newtown, and later became a citizen of Water- bury, settling in the locality which became known as Platt's Mills, and which has since been in the possession of his family. He died in Wallingford in 1845, but was buried at Waterbury. His second son, Alfred, born April 2d, 1789, was married to Irene Blackman, of Brookfield, in 1814, and, locating at the home of his father, founded the hamlet which now bears the name of Plattsville. Here he was active in the milling business and other pursuits.

His death oc- curred December 29th, 1872. That of his wife was earlier, Novem- ber 2d, 1863, at the age of 72 years. They reared a family of six sons, all of whom became successful business men, namely: Niram B., born in 1818, died in the city of Waterbury, October 14th, 1863; Charles S., born July 30th, 1820, removed to West Stockbridge, Mass., where he built the Rockdale mills; William S., born January 27th, 1822, who, with his next younger brother, became an extensive man- ufacturer at Plattsville, and died March 27th, 1886; Clark M., born January 1st, 1824, engaged as above, but now living in the city of Waterbury; Alfred Legrand, born June 1st, 1825; Seabury B., born October 5th, 1828, and after being an attorney at Birmingham, is now now a resident of Lakeville, Fla.

The fifth of these sons, Alfred L., was married July 28th, 1847, to Sarah A. Sherman, of Danbury, Conn., and they reared a family of two children: Sarah Jane, born January 8th, 1849, married May 10th,

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1870, to Jared P. King. of Waterbury, and has one son, Rupert Vivian, born October 17th, 1882; and Alfred S., born November 12th, 1854, married Eugenie A. Nettleton December 18th, 1876, and has one daughter, Alice E., born October 7th, 1877. This son also resides at Plattsville, and he is associated with his father in business.

The boyhood of Alfred L. Platt was spent at Platt's Mills, where he early gave evidence of those traits of industry and frugality which have brought him business success. Desirous of earning his own livelihood, he received his father's consent, at the age of .15 years, to work for a neighboring farmer, so that he might obtain means to attend school. The season's work netted him $45, with which, after spending one-fifth for clothing, he entered Amos Smith's school, at New Haven. He remained three years, supporting himself by working out of school hours and teaching a few months, leaving the school with a balance of $9 in his purse. He now worked in a button factory at Plattsville until he was 21 years of age, obtaining a knowl- edge of that business, when he entered the grist mill to learn that trade. But after three years he concluded to remove to Newtown and manufacture horn buttons. He there carried on that industry six years, when he went to Leominster, Mass., where he operated in the same business a like period of time, after which he returned to Platts- ville, where he has since resided.

He was first engaged with his father in carrying on Platt's Mills. In 1863 he assumed charge of the distribution of the mill products and worked up a large demand for them. To better carry on this increased business he organized the Platt Mill Company in 1876, and of that body, in its reorganized form, he is the principal owner and directing head. In 1882 he erected an elevator in Waterbury, with a capacity for 60,000 bushels of grain, which has remained the only building of that kind in the city. A store house is also maintained in Naugatuck. The business of the mill company at the three points named has, through the energetic efforts of Mr. Platt, become very extensive, and in its management he has shown qualities of a high order, which have properly given him a place among the representative inen of the county.

Mr. Platt is a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 42, of the Masonic Order, in Waterbury, and belongs to Clark Commandery, of the same city, taking an active interest in the affairs of both of these bodies.

Floyd B. Smith was born September 9th, 1842, in Middlebury, Conn., and was educated in the public schools. He came to Waterbnry to learn his trade in the spring of 1859 with Captain Chester Curtis, and worked for him until the spring of 1865, then went to work for John Dutton, and in 1871 formed a partnership with Mr. Dutton, who died in 1874. With the exception of two years that J. K. Smith was a partner, he lias carried on the business of contracting and building alone.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTV.

John C. Thompson was born in Ireland, in 1852, and came to this country in 1869, and located in Waterbury. He was first employed with the Waterbury Clock Company for a short time, afterward with Benedict & Burnham, then with the American Suspender Company, and later, for 12 years, with Plume & Atwood. He was appointed superintendent of the almshouse in 1889. He served one year in the council.

George Tracy was born January 6th, 1847, in Morris, Litchfield county, Conn., and was educated at the public schools and at the Gun- nery, Washington, Conn. He learned the carpenter trade in Torring- ton with Hotchkiss & Son, now Hotchkiss & Bro. In 1869 he came to Waterbury to work for John Dutton. In 1871 he established business under the firm name of Tracy & Eldridge, which continued about five years, after which he conducted the business alone until 1886, when his brother, who was in the lumber business, became a member of the firm, now Tracy Brothers. They burned out first in May, 1885, re- built and again burned out in December, 1891, and are now rebuild- ing. They built the state armories at New London, Bridgeport and South Norwalk, and many other large buildings, including the White Dental Works at Staten Island.

Cornelius Tracy was born April 21st, 1853, in Morris, Litchfield county, Conn., and was educated at the public schools. He learned the carpenter trade with his brother, George, followed the business for six years in Torrington, Conn., then established the lumber busi- ness in Waterbury, which he carried on three years, and in 1886 formed a partnership with his brother in the building and lumber business, since carried on under the firm name of Tracy Brothers.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE TOWN OF NAUGATUCK.

Location and Description .- Allotment of Lands and Settlement .- Civil Organization .- Town Officers .- Probate Court .- Town Ilall .- Town Farm .- Roads and Bridges .- Manufacturing Interests .- Straitsville .- Naugatuck Village .- Savings Bank and Building Association .- Naugatuck National Bank .- Electric Light Company .- Gas Company .- Water Company .- Fire Department .- Telephone Company .- The Peri- odical Press .- Post Office .- Innsand Hotels .- Stores and Merchants .- Physicians .- Secret and Social Orders .- Schools .- Libraries .- Congregational Church .- St. Michael's (Protestant Episcopal) .- Methodist Episcopal Church .- Union City Mis- sion Chapel .- Swedish Lutheran Chapel .- Baptists .- St. Francis (R. C.) Church .- Soldiers' Monument .- Cemeteries .- Biographical Sketches.

N AUGATUCK* lies south of Waterbury and north of Bethany and Oxford. The latter town and Middlebury are on the south- west, west and the northwest; on the east is the town of Pros- pect. Its shape is irregular, the boundary lines being made to con- form to the outlying hill ranges, but it is about five miles long from east to west and about four miles from north to south. The Nauga- tuck river divides it into nearly equal parts and along it are tracts of level, fertile lands, which are hemmed in by high hills. The highest and most prominent of these is Beacon hill, in the southeast, which clearly overtops the surrounding country. It took its name from the early settlers, as a place where beacon fires were kindled, in a system of communication at that time prevalent.

Hopkins' hill is along the Prospect line, and Great hill is on the Waterbury border in the northeastern part. On the west is Hunting- ton hill, and the so-called Strait's mountain is in the southwestern part. There are a number of hills of lesser height and the general surface is much broken by these local elevations. The arable lands are limited, and are confined mainly to the river valley and to the intervales formed by the tributary streams.

The principal affluents are Hop brook, in the northern part, flow- ing from Middlebury; Fulling Mill brook, in the northeastern part, flowing from Prospect; Beacon Hill brook, in the southeastern part and south of Hopkins' hill; Spruce brook, in the southwest; and a large brook, flowing from the southern part of Middlebury, bisecting the western half of the town and emptying into the Naugatuck river

*Much of the matter in this account of Naugatuck is from data furnished by William Ward, of whom an extended biographical sketch appears in this chapter.

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at the village of Naugatuck. This bears various names, as Long Meadow, Towantic and Scott brook, the latter name being derived from an early landholder, on this stream. Nearly all these brooks descend from the high lands of the adjacent towns and afford powers whose improvement has materially increased the wealth of the town.

The town was organized in 1844 and took its name from the valley in which it lies. Doctor Anderson says that the term "Naugatuck was originally attached not to the river, but to a place on the river;" and that there was plenty of evidence to show that Naugatuck, or the fishing place, was at Rimmon Falls, where Seymour now stands. The name being applied to the river, at that particular place, was soon given to the entire length, then to the valley and finally to the town.

Of the northern section the Indian title was extinguished by pur- chase from the Farmington Tribe in February, 1657. The southern part was claimed by the Milford Tribe and its lands were conveyed to Thomas Judd and John Stanley February 28th, 1685. In all there were 20 parcels, 9 on the east side and 11 on the west of the river. The former comprised the lands lying north of Beacon Hill brook and to the north end of Judd's Meadow, called by the name of Sqonk. Eastward these lands extended from the river to the Wallingford and New Haven bounds, in what are now Prospect and Bethany. The lands west of the river extended to the Cedar swamp and the Quassepaug pond. The rich meadows in the southeastern part of this purchase early attracted the attention of a number of settlers of Waterbury, who were moved with a desire to possess them. Accordingly a divi- sion of lands, by allotment, was sought and made as early as 1686. In this division Edmund Scott and others received lands along Towantic brook, many years before settlement was made. At the mouth of the brook and extending northward along the river was the first allotment to Deacon Thomas Judd. It consisted of eight acres of very superior level land and for more than 100 years it was known as Judd's Meadow. As a later allotment Judd received lands north of what is now Maple street, at Naugatuck. On the east side of the river, below the mouth of Fulling Mill brook, ten acres were set aside to Doctor Daniel Porter, in 1686.

South of Deacon Judd's meadow lands were granted to Abraham Andrus, in 1687, 6 acres; to Isaac Bronson, S acres; to Thomas Porter, 83 acres; to Edmund Scott, 4} acres, all before 1696. Other lands were allotted to Joseph Gaylord, John Scovill, Thomas Richardson, John Hopkins, etc. About the same time allotments were made on what was later called Gunn hill, to Edmund Scott, 60 acres, on the east side; and to John Judd, on the west side. Timothy Stanley was given six acres on the brook. . Allotments were here made as late as 1720, when land was laid out for Samuel Warner.

In 1687 an allotment was made on the east side of the river, John Warner being given a tract north of what is now Maple street. Next

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

below, Samuel Hickox, Sr., was given five acres, part of which was an island. About where is now the Naugatuck Hotel, Thomas Judd, Jr., was given four acres and also three acres north of the Pine Hill grave yard. On Hop brook, Joseph Gaylord, Robert Porter, Abraham An- drus and Edmund Scott were given lands before 1697. At Union City and in other parts of the town, lands were taken up by Thomas Hickox, John Hickox, Jeremiah and John Peck, Samuel Tolles, the Warners and others.

All the first allotments were of small areas, but embraced the best lands, selected without reference to shape. The later allotments com- prised from 20 to 60 acres each, and the land was taken without refer- ence to quality, the ability to secure a large quantity often determin- ing the selection.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 81

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138