History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 74

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317

USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 74

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The Merchants' Bank of Norwich was organized in July, 1823, with the following as officers and directors : Directors, F. A. Perkins, William Wil- liams, Jr., Walter Lester, John Lathrop, N. K. Fitch, Charles F. Lester, Elisha Tracy, Stephen Fitch, James L. Ripley, Charles Coit, Samuel Kellogg, Sherwood Raymond, Epaphras Porter, Lewis Hyde, Joseph H. Doane; William Williams, Jr., president ; Joseph Williams, cashier. Presidents since, Henry B. Tracy, John Brewster; cashiers since, Joel W. White, James M. Meech. Capital stock, $300,000 ; surplus and profit and loss, $19,158. Changed to national bank, June, 1865. Present board of direc- tors, John Brewster, William C. Osgood, Enoch F. Chapman, Lucius Brown, David T. Ruby, and John D. Brewster.

The Norwich Savings Society was incorporated in May, 1824, with the following incorporators : Ben- jamin Coit, Charles Rockwell, Newcomb Kinney, Charles P. Huntington, Eber Backus, John Lathrop, Joseph Williams, Russell Hubbard, Jabez Hunting- ton, Amos H. Hubbard, Bela Peck, John L. Buswell, John Breed, Dwight Ripley, Isaac Story, Nathaniel Shipman, Francis A. Perkins, Lyman Brewer, George 'L. Perkins, and William C. Gilman.

The officers have been as follows: Presidents,

Charles Rockwell, Jabez Huntington, F. A. Perkins, Charles W. Rockwell, Wm. Williams, Henry Strong, Hon. L. F. S. Foster, Joseph Williams, Charles John- son, Franklin Nichols (present incumbent); Secre- taries and Treasurers, Joseph Williams, F. A. Per- kins, Jabez Huntington, F. A. Perkins, Benjamin Huntington, Costello Lippitt (present incumbent). Present Board of Directors: President, Franklin Nichols ; Vice-Presidents, Lucius W. Carroll, Amos W. Prentice, David Gallup, John A. Morgan ; Direc- tors, John Brewster, John Mitchell, Hezekiah F. Rudd, Henry Larrabee, Charles Webb, Lucius Brown, Bela P. Learned, Frank Johnson, George R. Hyde; Secretary and Treasurer, Costello Lippitt; Attorney, Jeremiah Halsey.

The first banking-room was in the rear of the pres- ent Norwich National Bank. From here, erected the present Dime Savings-Bank Building on Main Street, to whom it was sold after building the pres- ent imposing banking-house on Shetucket Street, the old building becoming inadequate. The first deposit was made by Dorcas Mansfield, $200, July 23, 1824. The bank had but two business days per month, first and third Mondays. It was several years before it opened daily. The first treasurer was voted, after two years' services, one hundred dollars, and the sec- retary allowed for office-room, fuel, stationery, lights, etc., to June, 1828, fifteen dollars. The first dividend declared was two and half per cent., July 1, 1825. The bank was organized with forty trustees, holding to the same at present, from which number are chosen its officers and directors, Jeremiah Halsey being its present attorney. The amount of deposits Jan. 1, 1881, $7,522,744.67.

The Chelsea Savings-Bank was incorporated in 1858, with the following incorporators :

Erastus Williams, John Dunham, Henry B. Norton, I. M. Buckingham, Lorenzo Blackstone, Jolın T. Wait, David Smith, Elijah A. Bill, James M. Huntington, Gurdon Chapman, Augustus Brewster, Moses Pierce, John W. Stedman, Henry Bill, John S. Lester, Edward H. Learned, Learned Hebard, Henry H. Starkweather, Ralph Hurlbutt, William W. Backus, Comfort D. Fillmore, S. T. Holbrook, James A. Hovey, Samuel H. Grosvenor, Timothy P. Norton, O. J. Lamb, John P. Barstow, Wil- liam P. Nash, Alfred A. Young, Dwight Bailey, William Smith, W. R Wood, Henry Hallett, N. B. Williams, William E. Baker, Jephtha Geer, Thomas A. Clark, Dudley R. Wheeler, and Walter Peck.

At a meeting of the corporators held June 28, 1858, the following officers were elected : President, Lorenzo Blackstone; Vice-Presidents, David Smith, Learned Hebard, Henry Bill; Directors, I. M. Buckingham, Elijah A.' Bill, Comfort D. Fillmore, John T. Wait, Gurdon Chapman, S. T. Holbrook, and Erastus Wil- liams; Secretary and Treasurer, John Dunham; At- torney, James A. Hovey.

Mr. Blackstone still remains the honored president, having been annually re-elected without dissent. To his sound judgment, large experience, and unflagging interest is largely due the continued prosperity of the bank.

The Hon. Henry Bill has always occupied the office of vice-president. He was largely instrumental in

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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the starting of the bank, and is now as ever one of the most honored and valued members of the board of direction.

Hon. James A. Hovey was continued as attorney until his election to the bench of the Superior Court, a few years since, when he was succeeded by his partner, John M. Thayer, who still holds the office. Judge Hovey still retains a position on the board of directors.

In May, 1859, less than a year after the bank com- menced business, Mr. Dunham resigning, Charles M. Coit was made secretary and treasurer. Mr. Coit, though a young man barely twenty-one, so won the confidence and estecm of the bank and the commu- nity that on his resignation, September, 1861, to enter the Union army, the trustees, in highly compliment- ary resolutions, declared that the position should be kept open for him, his successor being elected to serve only during his absence.

John B. Ward succeeded to the office, serving until July, 1865. On his resignation Col. Coit was again elected to his former position by a unanimous vote, and filled the office to the entire satisfaction of the bank until his sudden death, July 3, 1878.1

He was followed by his brother, George D. Coit, then treasurer of the Dime Savings-Bank, who is still in office.

The present officers of the bank are as follows : President, Lorenzo Blackstone; Vice- Presidents, Henry Bill, John F. Slater, John T. Wait; Directors, James A. Hovey, John P. Barstow, O. J. Lamb, Oli- ver P. Avery, Edward Harland, George D. Coit, Henry H. Gallup, David A. Billings, Charles J. Richards; Counsel, Jeremiah Halsey; Attorney, Jolın M. Thayer ; Secretary and Treasurer, George D. Coit ; Assistant Treasurer, Charles B. Chapman.

The first deposit in the bank was made July 1, 1858, in the name of Julia O. Bill, and to the amount of $100. The amount of deposits Sept. 1, 1881, is $3,300,000, in addition to which is a surplus fund of about $100,000.

The ample assets of the bank are invested with a view first to unquestioned security, then to the yield- ing of a fair income, and the ease and rapidity of conversion into cash in case of need.

Thus we find the bank holds over a million and a half dollars of real estate and collateral loans, over half a million governments at par, and over a million other choice municipal and railroad bonds, bank stocks, and other cash assets. If necessary, the bank could in a week's time convert one-half their securi- ties into ready cash.

1 Resolution passed by directors of the bank :

" Resolved, That in the recent sudden death of Col. Charles M. Coit, our secretary and treasurer, this bank has suffered the greatest loss which it has ever been called upon to bear. We have lost one who has been iden- tified with the bank for nearly twenty years, in whose sound judgment and business capacity we have always had the greatest confidence; one whose integrity, both in thought and deed, was such that it seems im. possible to replace him."

This institution is noticeable for the spirit of har- mony which has pervaded its management. Personal interests and feelings have been largely subordinated to the welfare of the bank, and its abundant pros- perity has been a source of honest pride to all who have had a hand in achieving it.

Such an institution is a blessing to the community in which it is located. It operates in both directions, offering the opportunity and inducement to thousands of frugal investors to accumulate their savings in a safe and profitable repository, and with these same accumulations provide the necessary capital to render possible a large part of our pleasant homesteads and busy manufactories.

The Dime Savings-Bank .- This bank was incor- porated in May, 1809, with the following incorpora- tors : Amasa C. Hall, Edward N. Gibbs, Francis J. Leavens, Gurdon A. Jones, Jr., N. T. Adams, E. R. Thompson, Albert S. Bolles, Hugh H. Osgood, Julius Webb, P. S. M. Andrews, Charles T. Palmer, Elijah Kinney, Willis R. Austin, Charles L. Richards, James Burnett, Curtis Jillson, Horace Whitaker, John E. Ward, William C. Osgood, and E. B. Trumbull.

The first president was E. R. Thompson, who has since held the office.

The secretaries and treasurers have been as fol- lows: George D. Coit, William G. Abbot, and J. Hunt Smith. The present trustees are E. R. Thomp- son, E. N. Gibbs, Francis J. Leavens, N. T. Adams, A. S. Bolles, H. H. Osgood, Chas. T. Palmer, W. R. Austin, C. D. Browning, James Burnet, Curtis Jill- son, Horace Whitaker, Azel W. Gibbs, Wm. C. Os- good, Frank Johnson, A. E. Wyman, George D. Spencer, W. R. Burnham, Thomas Clarke, C. E. Griggs, Chas. H. Rogers, H. E. Bowers, Chas. W. Carey, Wm. G. Abbot, Fred. S. Camp, S. B. Meech, Gardiner Greene, Jr., and J. Hunt Smith.

The first deposit was made Sept. 27, 1869, by Chas. P. Cosgrove, Jr .; amount, five dollars. The deposits, May 1, 1881, amounted to $1,145,868.96.

The Thames Loan and Trust Company .- This company was incorporated June 4, 1869, with the following members: Lorenzo Blackstone, Ebenezer Learned, Franklin Nichols, George Pratt, James L. Hubbard, Hugh H. Osgood, William A. Aiken, Ed- ward N. Gibbs, F. A. Dorrance, John Mitchell, and Charles Bard.

The presidents have been Franklin Nichols, L. F. S. Foster, and Charles Bard; secretaries and treas- urers, Charles F. Setchel, Edward N. Gibbs, Charles Bard, and J. Hunt Smith.

The present trustees are Franklin Nichols; Ebene- zer Learned, James L. Hubbard, Lorenzo Blackstone, Charles Bard, Gardiner Greene, Hugh H. Osgood, John Mitchell, Edward N. Gibbs, James O. Sweet, and J. Hunt Smith.

Is a depository for trust and estate funds, and does a general business in stocks, bonds, and securities.

The New London County Mutual Fire Insur-

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ance Company was incorporated in July, 1840, with the following incorporators : Joseph Backus, Henry B. Norton, William P. Eaton, Newcomb Kinney, and F. Prentice.

Presidents since incorporation, Joseph Backus, Joel W. White, John G. Huntington, Elijah A. Bill, and Ebenezer F. Parker.

Secretaries since incorporation, John De Witt, John L. Devotion, C. J. Fillmore, and William Roath. Surplus, Jan. 1, 1881, $57,883.93.

Present board of directors, E. F. Parker, P. St. M. Andrews, John A. Morgan, H. H. Roath, William L. Brewer, D. P. Coon, Charles Webb, William Roath, Jedediah Huntington, and Charles L. Richards.

The Norwich Mutual Assurance Company was chartered in 1794, and the first meeting was held at the old court-house in Norwich Town, Dec. 29, 1794. Joshua Lathrop was one of the incorporators. Zach- ariah Huntington was the first secretary. Since 1844 Henry B. Tracy and Asa Backus have held the office of secretary and treasurer.

The Norwich Marine Insurance Company was chartered in 1803; capital, $50,000. Joseph How- land, president; Shubael Breed, cashier.

The Fire Insurance Company was organized in 1813. Ebenezer Huntington, treasurer; Joseph Wil- liams, secretary.

These two companies were consolidated by act of the Legislature in October, 1818, and incorporated as the Norwich Fire Insurance Company. Capital, $100,000; increased to $200,000.

First president, Charles P. Huntington. Joseph Williams, secretary, from 1818 to 1855. Obsolete.

Thames Fire Insurance. Incorporated 1859; capi- tal, $200,000. Amos W. Prentice, president; B. B. Whittemore, secretary. Assets, Jan. 1, 1866, $249,- 747.97.

Steamboat Companies .- The communication with New York by steamers was inaugurated in 1817, and with but little interruption has been continued to the present time. The merchants of Norwich and New London were mutually interested in the earlier boats, and united in forming the first incorporated compa- nies.

The Norwich and New London Steamboat Company was organized in 1848, with a capital of $200,000; Henry B. Norton, president. This line ran their boats in connection with the Norwich and Worcester Railroad, the terminus being at Allyn's Point. Among the boats employed were the " Cleopatra," " Norwich, " Worcester," and "Connecticut." The " Common- wealth" was built for them in 1855, and sold in 1860, about which time the company discontinued their operations, wound up their affairs, and was dissolved.

The Norwich and New York Transportation Company was organized under the general act in 1860. The present capital is $500,000. The presidents have been as follows : Capt. Joseph J. Comstock, David Smith, Alba F. Smith, and Moses Pierce, all of Norwich

except Capt. Comstock. Augustus Brewster was the first treasurer. The present treasurer is O. L. John- son, Jr. P. St. M. Andrews has been secretary from the beginning.

This company was formed for the purpose of facili- tating the operations of the Norwich and Worcester Railroad Company by furnishing an advantageous connection with New York. It was indebted for its origin, organization, and subsequent success chiefly to the president of the railroad, Mr. Brewster, who, as treasurer of the company, was the general agent and efficient manager of the business from that time to March, 1866, when he resigned the office.

This company have four fine steamers. The "City of Boston" made her first trip from New York July 4, 1861 ; the "City of New York" eighteen days later, July 22d. The first trip of the "City of Norwich" was July 19, 1862; of the "City of New London,"1 May 22, 1863 ; of the "City of Lawrence," Feb. 28, 1869; and the "City of Worcester," Sept. 26, 1881. This palatial steamer was built in Wilmington, Del., at an expense of about $1,000,000, and is one of the finest steamers plying on American waters.

The present board of directors of the company is as follows : Moses Pierce, Francis H. Deney, William T. Hart, James H. Wilson, W. Bayard Cutting, Chas. W. Copeland, G. W. Gill, G. W. Phillips, and Oliver Woodworth.

CHAPTER XXV.2

NORWICH -- (Continued).

THE PRESS, ETC.

The Pioneer Newspaper, the Norwich Packet and the Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island Weekly Advertiser -The Connecticut Centinel-The Weekly Register-The Chelsea Courier-The Courier-The Norwich Courier-The Daily Courier- The Norwich Evening Courier-The Morning Bulletin-The True Re- publican-The Native American-The Norwich Republican-The Canal of Intelligence-The Norwich Spectator-The Norwich Free Press-The Religious Intelligencer-Total Abstinence-The Gleaner -The Norwich News-Paixhan Gun, Needle-American Patriot-The Weekly Reporter-The Norwich Tribune-The Examiner-The Weekly Reveille-The Aurora-Daily Aurora-Daily Advertiser- Cooley's Weekly-The Vim-The No License Advocate-The Ameri- can Conflict-The Observer-The Evening Star-The Norwich Daily News.

The Pioneer Newspaper. - The Norwich Packet and the Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island Weekly Advertiser. This was the ambitious title of the first newspaper which appeared at Norwich. It bore the date, " From Thursday, Oct. 1, to Thursday, Oct. 7, 1773."

At this time the population of the entire "nine miles square"-Norwich, Franklin, Lisbon, Bozrah, Sprague, Jewett City, and a part of Preston-was 7321, and the population of the area now included in the limits of the town of Norwich only 2997.

1 Burned at Walden's Island Nov. 22, 1871. 2 By A. P. Hitchcock.

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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

The Packet was a small four-page sheet, varying somewhat in size and typography with the unequal fortunes of the colonists during the exciting years of its issne, but the pages were generally about nine by fifteen inches in size. Sometimes the title included the rude cut of a ship under full sail. At other times the cut was omitted. The name was sometimes set in highly ornate Old English type, sometimes in an un- gainly, sprawling script, sometimes in plain Roman capitals. It was printed on paper made at Lefling- well's mill on the Yantic, and this also varied greatly in quality. Generally it was fairly strong and heavy, but there were weeks during the Revolution when paper was evidently hard to procure, and anything was seized by the printer which was clean enough to receive an impression and show the ink, and of suffi- cient consistency to go through the press nntorn.

The Packet was issued at first by a firm composed of Alexander Robertson, James Robertson, and John Trumbull. They were editors, compositors, pressmen, mailing clerks, business managers, publishers, and news-boys, all in themselves. The Robertsons were brothers,-"Scotch interlopers" the Sons of Liberty were accustomed to call them,-and Tories in politics. There was so little political discussion in the papers of the time that this fact did not operate against them till the Revolution had fairly begun. A refer- ence to the rare files of the Packet shows that its editors allowed the partisans of liberty as ample scope in its columns as the loyalists. Nevertheless feeling ran so high during the Revolution that the Robertsons found it wise to leave Norwich, where it had been their manifest intention to make themselves a home. They put the paper into Mr. Trumbull's hands and fled to New York, where, in 1768, they had begun their journalistic carcers, setting up a royalist press there on their return.

The Packet was first issued from an office "at the foot of the Green, near the Court-house." In 1775 it was removed to a building " near the meeting-house," whence it was issued up to the time of its discontin- nance. Its price was 6s. 8d. per annum.

Mr. Trumbull continued to edit and publish the paper from the summer or early fall of 1776, when the Robertsons left Norwich, until his own death, Aug. 14, 1802. Not long before his death the name of the paper was changed to The Connecticut Centinel, and was issued under that name for several years by his widow, Mrs. Lucy Trumbull, and his sons, Charles E. Trumbull and Henry Trumbull. The course of busi- ness, however, was already towards " Chelsea," or "the Landing," as the present city was then called, and the publication of a paper at the old town doubtless soon became unprofitable. It was discontinued, and had no lineal successor.

The task of preparing and issuing a newspaper in those days was utterly unlike that which now con- fronts the journalist. There was little news from abroad, and that weeks or months old, no editorial

comment, and no reproduction of the local news and gossip of the town in the form now demanded. A very long diplomatic document, "elegant extracts" from standard authors, letters and messages from . generals, governors, and presidents,-sometimes so long that one ran in serial fashion through four weeks, -these made up the bulk of the reading matter ; now and then an account of some important affair was given, other than the official and governmental report ; occasionally a " local item" appeared, showing a distant family resemblance to the columns of such paragraphs which are now issned every day. But in the main the Packet could not be called a newsy sheet.

Not the least curious feature of the newspapers of that day is the character of their advertisements. Many of them consist of the briefest possible an- nouncement of something wanted to buy or sell, and the conclusion " inquire of the printer." The printer was the general factotum, the repository of all news in the social or business world. He was expected to carry in his head a full description of all the cows for sale in town, with their prices and whereabouts ; to know all about the morals and manners of the last new dancing-master, what his terms were, and where he lodged ; to have at his tongue's end an inventory of all the goods to be sold at the next auction, and to be always ready to be "inquired of" on these and all other topics.

The story is told that an old neighbor of Mr. Trum- bull, known as Barney, lay dying somewhere near the close of the last century. He had passed into a comatose state, and was near his end when Mr. Trum- bull came to call on him. "He is beyond knowing any one; he will not recognize you," said the watch- ers. Mr. Trumbull persisted in seeing his old friend, and was admitted to the sick room. "Don't you know me, Barney ?" he asked, lifting the dying man's hand, and holding it in his own. Barney opened his eyes feebly and uttered his last words : " If I don't, I can 'inquire of the printer.'" There was no doubt that the old man knew his visitor.

Register, Courier, Bulletin. - Nov. 29, 1790, appeared the first number of The Weekly Register. It was "published by Ebenezer Bushnell, 24 rods (the first number says '34 rods,' but this was a mistake of the printer, corrected in the next issue) west of the meeting-house." This was also a four-page sheet, eighteen by eleven inches, and competed vigorously for patronage with the Packet. June 17, 1791, Thomas Hubbard, Mr. Bushnell's brother-in-law, joined the firm, and in October, 1793, Mr. Bushnell retired, and he assumed full control. Mr. Hubbard continued to publish the Register at the old town till 1796, when the growth of business at " the Landing" led him to change his base. He opened a new office there, re- moved his type and presses, and on Nov. 30, 1796, issued his paper under a new name, but with no other change as regards character, appearance, or " make- up."

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No. 1, vol. i., of this paper bore the title " Chelsea Courier, Norwich (Chelsea Society), printed and pub- lished by Thomas Hubbard." Although it was really only a continuation of the Register, the fact that this number was the first to bear the name Courier, which has been steadily retained up to the present time through a flourishing existence of eighty-five years, makes a reference to its appearance and contents of especial interest.

It displayed under the local heading "the Propo- sals of Thomas Hubbard for printing a weekly paper to be entitled the Chelsea Courier," in the following form :

"1. The Courier will be published in Chelsea on Wednesday, and delivered to city subscribers in the forenoon.

" 2. It shall be printed on good paper of royal size (about eighteen by eleven inches).

"3. It shall contain the most important Foreign and Domestic Intelligence, together with such orig- inal productions, etc., as shall be thought worthy of public attention.

" 4. The price to subscribers will be one dollar and sixty-seven cents per annum, exclusive of postage.

"5. One-half of the subscription will be expected on delivery of the first number."

The first and second pages contained a paper on "Cruelty to Inferior Animals," by Soame Jenyns ; a proclamation by George Washington, President of the United States ; foreign letters and news under dates from September 18th to October 7th, and news from Philadelphia up to November 16th. The matter under the "Norwich" head, corresponding to the present local items, consisted of an address by the New York Legislature to Governor Jay regarding Washington's refusal to accept another election as President, Gov- ernor Jay's response, a letter from Demerara, and " Pool's Marine List." A poem, several miscellaneous clippings, and a few columns of advertisements made up the paper. Not a very sensational table of con- tents !

Some of the advertisements in the early Couriers read strangely these days. Here is one from the edi- tion of June 21, 1798 :

" Ran away from the subscriber, a negro Boy named Polledore, about fourteen years of age, four feet high, thick set; wore away a short drab- colored jacket and tow-cloth trowsers. Whoever will take up said boy and return him shall have ten cents reward and no charges paid.

"GILES L'HOMMEDIEU."

Another, of a somewhat ealier date, is written in a style that would hardly be considered business-like nowadays :

" Attention !

" Young ladies of Norwich, awake from your sleep; it is high time to rise and trim the lamp of life; it is now past daylight, and the morning school at the Landing has begun. Look at the prize before you ; it is no less than a Silver or Gold medal for the best Scholar in Reading or Speak- ing-those young misses who wish to run the race in this field of Cice- ronian honor will please to make application in season before this female society is filled. Methinks one single consideration will animate the rising Fair to excel and obtain this immortal prize-the very thought

that this golden prize will be more durable than your natural life-will inspire you with redoubled ardor to gain the prize in view ; yea, your Children and your Children's Children shall rise up with blessings on their lips and say: this gold medal was an honorary prize which my Grandmother won at school when she was but a very child.

"N.B. Application may be made to the master at his lodgings at Mr. Snow's-the hours of evening school are from half-past six to half-past eight o'clock.

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History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 74

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1317

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317