USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 83
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 83
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
and carried on the manufacture of metal buttons. Sometime about 1812, Amasa Goodyear, who had been with the above company, took the shops and manufactured round-tined forks, cast buttons, molasses gates, etc. He was very ingenious and a splendid mechanic, but not a practical business man, hence this venture did not continue many years. He was the father of Charles Goodyear, the inventor of vul- canized rubber. About this time, the grist mill was given up, and the other buildings were devoted to other uses.
About 1842, Lampson Isbell and Clark Warner removed to this place from Naugatuck village, and engaged in the manufacturing of wool carding machinery, being succeeded, in 1852, by the Naugatuck Machine Company, a corporation which embraced Warner and Isbell. In the same period, Samuel and Nelson Newell used part of the build- ing in the manufacture of light, rubber goods, but removed to Spring- field, Mass. The Machine Company was last engaged on general work, under the management of Mr. Isbell, and suffered the loss of its building by fire. The site was last occupied by the Shepard Manu- facturing Company, formed in 1886, to build engines, pumps, etc. But after a year's operation the machinery was removed and the first im- proved power in town has since been idle.
The second improvement was at Gunntown, now Millville, soon after the revolution, when Jobamah Gunn there put up mills and a small iron furnace, getting his ore from the western part of the state. He also forged blooms but did not operate long, as he got into financial straits. The mill, however, was kept up, and the power was used, later, for other purposes. In 1854, the Naugatuck Wheel Company was established here, and in 1867, some of the buildings were burned down. Since that time small lumber mills and wood working shops have been carried on in this locality.
Near the same time, about 1786. Samuel Scott built a mill on the brook at its lowest power, which, after the location of the highway by it, in 1788, became an important interest, for those times, in what is now the village of Naugatuck. Jesse Wooster was a later owner, and in 1825 he made an exchange of it with William De Forest, who owned the next power above, for that site. The latter had been improved, after 1810, by Enos C. Candee, for small clothing works, which were later carried on by Leverett Candee, his son, but became the property of William De Forest in 1820, who had Silas Grilly as his associate, in 1822. Upon the removal of his woolen machinery, the buildings were converted into shops for the manufacture of eight-day clocks, by Jesse Wooster, Francis Spencer, Giles Hotchkiss and others. Later the rubber works were here located and the power was much improved.
William De Forest also improved the lower power and enlarged the building for his clothing works, in which woolen and satinet goods were made. Becoming embarrassed De Forest sold to Thomas Lewis,
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
who built a new mill in place of the burned one, which, in turn, was also destroyed by fire. The stone part of the present plant was now built by Lewis and others, and other improvements were later added by them.
In the summer of 1880 the plant passed to the Dunham Hosiery Company, organized for the manufacture of hosiery, stockinet, worsted and woolen goods. The corporators were Austin C. Dunham and seven others, all living in Hartford except Dwight P. Mills, the resi- dent manager. The company has since operated the mills and is giv- ing employment to many persons.
On the Great or Fulling Mill brook have been many industries, some very important in their day. At its head, at Russell's pond, in Prospect, the Russell family made bone buttons, and the next power below, in Naugatuck, was used in the same way, by Amos Ellis. Later cloth covered buttons were made there by Harris and Robert Isbell, but both shops have long been closed.
The next power below was utilized by William S. Keely and others as the Union Suspender & Scrof Company, organized in 1867. A large stone factory was built, which has long since been idle, as the indus- try flourished but a short time.
At the next lower power many industries were carried on, one of the first being wire drawing, in a shop where were Wooster & Judd. Later there was here the button factory of Horace Smith and Edwin Hopkins, which became the Smith & Hopkins Manufacturing Com- pany, in 1848, and had, as later owners, Eldridge Smith, Enos Hop- kins and E. S. Wheeler. They made cloth covered buttons and em- ployed from 50 to 80 hands. In 1861 they removed to Westport, when a man by the name of Kirk occupied the building in web making. Later James Bird here made a patent pulley and in 1890 the plant was used by John Bird and the Connecticut Button Works.
The power next below was also improved to operate a button shop, by David Hopkins and Rufus Russell, bone buttons being made. Later silk twist was there spun, and afterward Matthew Anderson made stockinet goods. J. K. Godfrey used the building in making brass and German silver thimbles, in which industry he was succeeded by the present proprietors, David and Herbert Pratt. They are Eng. lish manufacturers of experience and employ automatic machinery in the production of many grades of fine thimbles.
Going lower down the stream the works of E. F. Smith & Son are approached. They are manufacturers of vegetable and ivory buttons and small brass goods. Clark Scott was an early occupant of this site and made tin buttons. John Bronson was there later, adding the making of brass buttons. Asahel Smith succeeded, in 1838, in here making bone buttons, by using a new process. Later he made vege- table ivory buttons, in a small way. In 1861, he was followed by his son, E. F., who built a new factory in 1866, 30 by 100 feet and several
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
stories high. Steam has been added to the water motor, and there is a power of more than 50 horses. From 30 to 40 hands are employed.
Still another button shop was established, at the next lower power, where Harry Smith made composition buttons, some time about 1825, but later turned them out of real ivory. The shop burned down, when E. C. Tuttle bought the property and improved the power by putting in a 40 foot overshot wheel, for use in his hoe shop, which he removed to this place from Prospect. He made a fine quality of goods and in 1851 he increased his capacity by forming the Tuttle Manufacturing Company, composed of himself, George Benedict, Thomas Lewis and others. This corporation in 1877 had a capital of $100,000 and real estate valued at $38,000. At that time Calvin H. Carter was the presi- dent and George D. Bissell the secretary. A large business was done for many years in the manufacture of farming tools and implements.
After a time, E. C. Tuttle withdrew and formed a new company, which had among its members E. C. Tuttle, L. S. Hinman, Stephen Warner, Enos Hopkins, Frank Howard and J. H. Whittemore. Warner was a practical malleable iron maker, coming to Naugatuck from Straitsville. The goods of the new company were also of a superior make, and the Tuttle brand everywhere commended them. The works were on the raceway in the village of Naugatuck, on the site of the lower rubber works. From that enterprise have sprung the extensive malleable iron works at Union City, embracing a number of very large and well arranged brick buildings and machin- ery moved by powerful steam engines. Many varieties of malleable goods are made, and hundreds of men are employed.
The Tuttle & Whittemore Company was incorporated in 1871. Nine years later the capital was increased from $30,000 to $60,000, and in 1887 to $100,000. The principal directors for years have been J. H. Whittemore, B. B. Tuttle and Willard Hopkins.
The old plant of E. C. Tuttle, on Fulling Mill brook, having been unused some time, was occupied by the Connecticut Cutlery Company, formed in 1866 of B. B. Tuttle, J. H. Whittemore, L. D. Warner, Homer Twitchell and others, the two last named being the manager and superintendent. Pocket cutlery and shears were manufactured and from this time on, for a number of years, Naugatuck was a great cutlery center. In 1869 the interest of L. B. Taylor, of Chicopee, was merged with that of the company, and Taylor became the manager. In 1877 the principal stockholders were Whittemore, Tuttle, Warner and George A. Lewis. At one time 150 cutlers were employed. The company discontinued about 1880, and the plant was soon after occu- pied by the Gifford Manufacturing Company, organized to manufac- ture shears and edged tools. After several years operation the busi- ness was suspended and the works have since been idle.
Below this place, on the same brook, were the works of the Union Knife Company, organized in 1851. At that time Enos Hopkins was
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
the principal owner, but John A. Peck later held a majority part of the stock and was the president. In 1877 F. H. Harris became a mem- ber and was elected president. Andrew Hills was the superintendent many years. Pocket cutlery only was made. In February, 1885, the works burned down and have not been rebuilt.
In addition to the foregoing interests, on Fulling Mill brook were, as early as 1807, the button shops of Samuel Grilly, on the South branch. Here, later, Horace Smith had a button shop in which a dozen men were employed. Near the lower end of the main stream George Smith was the last occupant of another button shop; and at the lowest power, Letson Terrell had another button and thimble shop. He removed the latter interest to the Pratt shops and in 1876 Homer Twitchell became the owner of the property, which he im- proved for the manufacture of umbrella and parasol trimmings. In 1880 the manufacture of the Linsley Safety Pin-an all wire pin --- was added and large quantities are produced. Recently Frank M. Twitchell has been associated, the firm becoming H. Twitchell & Son. Fifty persons are employed.
The power of the Naugatuck was not so early utilized. In 1824 Daniel Beecher sold the privilege to Chauncey Lewis and Silas Grilley, and a dam was built whose power was used by them in the manufacture of gilt buttons. Milo Lewis was later interested. Syl- vester Clark purchased the place and made clocks on a large scale. He sold out to John Tatlow. a machinist, who here manufactured weaving and carding machinery and later that interest was taken by the Naugatuck Machine Company at Union City. Lyman Bradley oc- cupied the site, later, in making pocket cutlery. Other interests occu- pied the powers before they were finally taken by the Rubber Works. Among these were carriage works and the Naugatuck Wheel Com- pany, incorporated in 1878, and which moved to Wallingford in 1879. The Allerton Iron Works Manufacturing Company, organized in 1868, after a few years operation, removed to Norwalk, Conn.
The lower power on the river was improved by Richard Ward, who built a small dam and fitted up a barn for a clock factory. In 1832 it was burned. He now built a small shop, higher up the stream, and made eight day brass clocks, having as an associate Sylvester Clark, a very skillful clock maker. They were succeeded by Lauren Ward, who invented pin and tack making machinery. In 1866 an- other son, William, was associated and the firm has since been L. & W. Ward, manufacturers of novelty goods.
The Naugatuck Cutlery Company was organized in 1872 and a well ordered plant was established at Cotton Hollow, on Beacon Hill brook, where operations have since been carried on. In 1877 the company was composed of G. B. Twitchell, E. B. Mallette, John H. Twitchell, Isaac G. and Elton E. Hotchkiss. The capital was $16,000 and the company had real estate valued at $12,000. Large quantities of fine
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
pocket cutlery were made, the product some years reaching 40,000 knives. In 1886 the property passed to Joseph Schofield, who has since operated the factory, which has a yearly output of $20,000 worth of goods.
In March, 1886, I. L. Trowbridge established a paper box factory, at Smith's Lane, Union City, which has been moved to the village of Naugatuck. In the winter of 1888 it was sold to White & Wells, the proprietors in 1890. Thirty employees are given occupation.
The Diamond Laboratory Company was organized in 1888 and com- menced operations in connection with the Diamond Bottling Works, of J. O. May, established in 1881. A large building near Hop brook is occupied and a full line of marshmallow preparations are made. J. O. May is the manager of the company, which employs a score of persons.
But the main industry of the town for many years has been the manufacture of rubber goods, under license of the Goodyear patents. The leading companies operating here have been very successful and have established plants which cover many acres, and in which are em- ployed thousands of men. In the main part of the village much of the area has been given up to that line of manufacture.
The Naugatuck India Rubber Company, incorporated in 1844, was the pioneer organization ; and the present Goodyear Metallic Rubber Shoe Company has become one of the largest corporations of the kind in the country. Its first organization was effected in the month of January, 1845, and the original capital was $30,000. In 1882 it was reported ten fold that amount, and there was real estate valued at $50,000. In 1890 the capital stock was $1,000,000. Samuel J. Lewis was president of the company until his death, in 1858, when he was succeeded by James E. English, who held that office until his death, in March, 1890. After that time the directory was composed of George A. Lewis, E. A. Lewis, Bronson B. Tuttle and Henry F. English.
The company's original works were on Scott brook, in the western part of the village, but it has expanded until three separate plants are occupied, two in that locality and the third near the center of Nauga- tuck village. This fine plant was erected in 1886. Water power has been supplemented by steam, there being in 1890, a combined power equal to 2,000 horses. Most of the buildings are of brick, and afford a working capacity for 2,000 hands. When fully operated, the daily product is 25,000 pairs of boots and shoes.
The Goodyear India Rubber Glove Company was established at Litchfield, in 1844, but removed to Naugatuck in 1847, where it be- came a corporate body with the above name. Brazilla Arntz, the founder of the company, was chosen president and Gustavus and Francis Spencer were also interested. The capital was but $5,000 and the company did not prosper much. For the first two years the oper- ations were carried on in a building on Rubber avenue, when a small
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
shop was secured on the south side of Maple street. Gloves, mittens and finger cots were the principal products. In 1852 the foregoing sold out to L. T. Bergen and others, whose capital was $25,000. In 1856 George M. Allerton became the president of the company and B. M. Hotchkiss the superintendent, and under their direction the cor- poration attained most of its large proportions. The former died in De- cember, 1882, when J D. Vermeule, the present president, was elected, and also serves as treasurer, succeeding, in the latter office, R. G. Al- lerton, the treasurer from 1860 until his death in 1877. Since January, 1883, B. M. Hotchkiss has been the vice-president, and George M. Al- lerton, Jr., the secretary. F. F. Schaffer is the superintendent, serv- ing since 1885. The capital of the company has been increased to $300,000.
In 1882 the Goodyear Rubber Manufacturing Company was organ- ized with an authorized capital of $100,000, and having substantially the same directory as the foregoing company, its interests have been identical. In the same year these corporations purchased the plant on the north side of Maple street, where had been the Union Rubber Company, composed of Charles B. Hotchkiss, Thomas Lewis, Milo Lewis and others. The products were mostly rubber clothing. In 1859 the works were burned and the interest was transferred to Har- lem, N. Y. The site next passed into the hands of the Phoenix Rub- ber Company, organized in 1862, with Warren Ackerman president, and John Sweet superintendent, and that company erected a part of the brick buildings now used. During the war operations were suc- cessfully carried on in the manufacture of army goods, but, later, bus- iness was suspended. The plant then lay idle until it passed to the present ownership. The buildings have been much enlarged and the entire plant has been well equipped for its various uses. Steam and water power, to an aggregate of 690 horse power, are used.
To the original products were added the manufacture of many varieties of goods-blankets in 1862, horse goods in 1865, boots and shoes in 1878 and many specialties later. These are manufactured in three departments, devoted to boots and shoes, clothing, general and druggists' goods. The number of hands employed approximates one thousand.
The Beacon Valley Rubber Company was incorporated in July, 1885, to manufacture India rubber clothing. The capital was $20,000. E. H. Carrington was the president and R. M. Smith the secretary of the company. A building on Beacon Hill brook was occupied until business was suspended.
Straitsville is a hamlet in the southwestern part of the town, on the Beacon Hill brook, where the Straitsville turnpike passes along its course. Near by the load passes through a gap in the hills, barely wide enough for a passageway for the brook and the road. The cliffs on both sides are lofty and one point projects in a conspicuous man-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
ner. Fifty years ago the hamlet was a lively place of business, and on the brook, to its confluence with the Naugatuck, were many industries, nearly all of which have passed away. The Collins tavern at Straits- ville was a favorite stopping place for travelers along the turnpike. About 1825 Collins built a store near his tavern, and in it the Straits- ville post office was opened. The office has been discontinued, and the store was destroyed by fire. About 1874 a Union chapel was built in the hamlet, which has since been used by various denominations. There are also some mechanic shops and a school house.
The Collins family put up a grist mill on Beacon Hill brook about 1824, in which Edward Benham manufactured plumbago at a later pe- riod, and subsequently the building was used by the Renz Brothers, skillful workers in steel, as their shear works. It was burned in 1875, the loss being $10,000. Also, about 1825, Milo Hine operated a trip- hammer on hoes and forks, employing from six to ten men. About 1840 Eben Tuttle here forged the iron for his hoes, which he finished at his shop in Prospect, so operating until his removal to Union City.
In 1839 Colonel Alvin Sperry and others started small malleable iron works at Straitsville, which were burned in 1845. At that place were engaged in that industry Stephen Warner and others, skilled in that art, whose labors were later inade more effective in the malleable works at Union City.
In the cooperage of Asa Hine many persons were employed, and there was also a small carriage spring factory. Collins, Hine & Brad- ley had a clock factory prior to 1828, and F. B. Hine had a wood carv- ing shop to prepare clock cases; but the former was discontinued about 1835.
On the old county road, toward Naugatuck, Elihu Benham had a tannery about 1812, and in 1828 Benham & Brown opened a store near the same place. Not far from this place Matthew Baldwin had a pio- neer linseed oil mill; and later, near the same place, Richard Ward, James Sherman and Marshall Baldwin put up another oil mill, about 1820, but it was not long operated. After other uses Robert Renz im- proved the privilege after his shear works had been burned at Straits- ville, in 1875, and here carried on that industry until his death, about 1880. Five years later the Beacon Valley Rubber Company occupied the place, but after a few years the buildings were burned and the power was not again used. Lower down the brook, in 1819, Josiah Culver used an old school house as a novelty factory, but that power is also abandoned.
At Cotton Hollow, the lowest power on Beacon Hill brook, a paper mill was built and operated by Charles Goodyear and Burr Benham. In 1833 Milo Lewis converted it into a cotton warp factory, and as such it was later operated by Thomas Lewis. The building was de- stroyed by fire, but the power is now utilized by the Naugatuck Cut- lery Company.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Naugatuck Village, the principal business center of the town, is an important station on the Naugatuck railroad. It is pleasantly located on both sides of the Naugatuck river, and with Union City, a mile further up the stream, forms one of the most thriving manufacturing places in the state. Its growth and general improvement, the past few years especially, have added much to its beauty and prosperity. There are many fine streets, good sidewalks, handsome public buildings, sub- stantial business blocks, a number of elegant residences and hundreds of more humble homes, built in modern styles of architecture. The population is several thousand and is steadily increasing. Most of the growth has been since the era of manufactures, and since the place bears the name of Naugatuck. For a hundred years prior to that time the locality bore the name of Salem Bridge. The following are the chief interests, aside from the manufactories before named:
The Naugatuck Savings Bank and Building Association was organ- ized in 1853. Its officers were David Smith, president; Enos Hopkins, vice-president: Gustavus Spencer, secretary and treasurer; Homer Twitchell, William F. Goulding, Stephen W. Kellogg, Hiel S. Stevens, Eli Nichols, Timothy Langdon and George H. Hoadley, directors. Quite a fair amount of business was transacted, when the legislature annulled the charter in 1858, and the affairs of the association were closed up by George Hine and John A. Peck, as commissioners.
The Naugatuck Savings Bank was next organized under a charter granted in 1870, with J. L. Isbell, president; Francis Spencer, vice- president: A. J. Pickett, secretary and treasurer; J. H. Whittemore, John A. Peck, A. J. Pickett, Luther S. Platt and David Smith, trustees; 1. D. Warner and George A. Lewis, auditors. Luther S. Platt suc- ceeded Pickett as treasurer, and the bank was kept at his office. In July, 1885, A. H. Dayton was elected secretary and treasurer, and the bank was removed to its present office in the town hall. April 1st, 1890, the total assets of the bank were $409,822.38, of which amount more than $15,000 was in the surplus and undivided profits. The offi- cers of the bank in 1890 were: President, Hiel S. Stevens; vice-presi- dents, Willard Hopkins and L. S. Beardsley; treasurer, A. H. Dayton; trustees, Homer Twitchell, J. H. Whittemore, William Ward, D. P. Mills, L. D. Warner.
The Naugatuck National Bank was organized September 10th, 1883, with a capital of $100,000. An office was opened in the Town Hall, where this institution has since maintained a prosperous exist- ence. At the end of the year 1889 the bank had a total resource of more than half a million of dollars, and its surplus fund amounted to $24,000. Its affairs were ably managed in 1890 by a board of directors, composed of George A. Lewis, president: F. W. Tolles, vice-president; A. H. Dayton, cashier; Homer Twitchell, F. B. Tuttle, E. H. Carring- ton and D. P. Mills.
The Naugatuck Electric Light Company was chartered April 16th,
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
1887, with a capital of $15,000 and the following directors: L. D. Warner, president; A. H. Dayton, treasurer; A. M. Young, B. B. Tut- tle, E. H. Carrington and F. W. Tolles. A plant of the Thomson- Houston system was established in the rear of Meadow street and, June 1st, 1887, the first arc light was successfully illuminated. Since January, 1888, L. S. Beardsley has been the secretary and manager of the company, which had, in the summer of 1890, real estate of the value of $20,000 and lighted 20 arc and 450 incandescent lamps.
An earlier attempt at public lighting was made by the Naugatuck Gas Company, which was organized in 1862 and whose works were established on the east side of the river. After some changes the property passed to Frank Longfellow, but the enterprise did not prove satisfactory or profitable. Mains were laid on the principal streets, one of them crossing the river. The gas was of poor quality, and after a few years the works were damaged to such an extent by a flood in the river, that they were not restored.
The Naugatuck Water Company was organized in 1887, with an authorized capital of $50,000. The first president of the company was Homer Twitchell, who was succeeded, in 1889, by L. D. Warner. S. S. Scott has been the secretary and treasurer of the company since its organization. In June, 1890, the company had improvements and property valued at $83,157.85, and was successfully operating a system of water works which embraced eleven miles of 10-inch distributing mains, on which were 56 public hydrants, and supply pipes for several hundred services. The first flow of water was in September, 1889.
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