USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 47
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ST. AUGUSTINE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, SEYMOUR
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A legacy of $5,000 was left to the church by Mrs. Cynthia Treat Merrill, of New Haven, who died in 1887, the money to be paid over to the society at the end of ten years from her death. She also left $2,000 to the society on condition that an evening school be maintained several months every year, and $2,000 more for literary purposes.
These funds are now available and the school is successfully conducted.
TIIE SCHOOLS
In 1851 the Humphreysville High School Association was incorporated, and the shares were to be $25 each, and the management was invested in a board of five trustees, and the teachers were Professor Gay and Frederick Durand. In accordance with the new state law, in October, 1864, the town authorized a new Union High School to be established by the following committee, who were also to superintend the same, independent of the school society: Burton W. Smith, Harvey Hotchkiss, and George W. Divine. The old Glendenning Building on Broad Street was leased for the old school, and the first teacher was Miss Hermance. Besides the high school, there were two intermediate grades.
The consolidated district was established by the town in October, 1868, in- cluding all the schools in the town and the following school committee was elected: Eli Gillett, C. W. Storrs, J. W. Bassett, Joshua Kendall, C. W. James, Harpin Riggs, Joel R. Chatfield, Peter Worth and Henry Davis. The work for the new high school house began in June, 1884. The architect was L. W. Robinson of New Haven.
The building is of brick, with white stone trimmings, and a handsome tower adds grace and beauty ; the building is 65 by 72 feet, and has nine commodious rooms with ample dressing rooms and seating accommodations, including the annex recently added.
The Second Street School grew out of a select school which was held in 1847, in a building a little south of the pin shop, on the bank of the river and on the old road extending from the Bristol Street Bridge to a point a little west of the engine house. This building was taken for the district school, and was moved to a lot west of the engine house. At the time of the building of the car shops, the schoolhouse suffered two other movings, until it finally reached its present location at the upper end of Second Street.
As early as 1769, Joseph Johnson deeded a piece of land on the east side of Pearl Street near the Smith Tyrrell place, or nearly opposite Grand Street, for a schoolhouse. This building was occupied for forty years, and was known as the Sixth District.
About 1814-16 a school building was erected on the site of the present Bell Schoolhouse, a building of two stories, also having a tower and bell.
The district was divided in 1837, the north part being called the Seventh District, which is known in recent years as Cedar Ridge. Between 1840-43 the town made arrangements to cut down the Bell Schoolhouse to one story, making a neat, attractive building, located on the rocks on High Street, near Pearl.
Cedar Ridge School became a district in 1837, then the Seventh District. In 1868 the town built a new schoolhouse, which in the last two decades was first enlarged and later completely rebuilt.
There was a district formed on the west side of the river as early as Decem- ber 27, 1779, called the Shrub Oak District. This school is referred to in the Old Landmarks. The schoolhouse was located on West Street, by the path leading to Swan's upper shops, where Mrs. Ann Stephens spent the first of her
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school days. Later the building was moved to the lot in the fork of the roads opposite Trinity Cemetery ; and still later, a new building was erected on Cedar Street, on the rocks west of the Congregational Church. This district included a portion of Great Hill region at first, but in the course of time there was a demand for a school on the crown of the hill on Bungay Road, which was called the Bungay School, the center of a new district.
Great Hill School was the eighth district of the Town of Derby and the first district of the Town of Seymour. A new house was erected in 1832, and the present schoolhouse was built on a new location, and was finished at the beginning of the year 1878. The school on Great Hill has been one of the prosperous schools of the town. It has recently been enlarged and its accommodations nearly doubled.
The Maple Street School, a model, two-story, eight-room, brick building, was opened in 1915.
The superintendent of schools in 1917 is Ridgely C. Clark.
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY
The Seymour Free Public Library was established in 1892. Since its organ- ization, it has become one of Seymour's popular institutions, for a long time occupying the second floor of the Town building on Second Street.
The new building, a beautiful, modern library building, was completed in 1915. The gift of $30,000 by Henry P. and Edmund Day for the building and books, and of $55,000 by Charles P. Wooster, formerly of Seymour, now of New Haven, for maintenance, created not alone a building and equipment, but an endowment fund as well. There are over 7,000 volumes in the library. The librarian is Miss Roetta Danbury. The officers are : William L. Ward, president ; Mrs. E. A. Klatte, secretary ; W. C. Sharpe, treasurer.
SEYMOUR'S BANK
The Valley National Bank was granted its charter July 16, 1900, and the bank was opened for the transaction of business August 14, 1900. The bank is located on the corner of Main and Bank streets, in the building erected for bank- ing purposes nearly a half century ago. In June, 1901, it was incorporated for $70,000 as the Seymour Trust Company. Its officers are: President, George E. Matthies ; secretary and treasurer, Clayton S. Boies. In November, 1917, it had on deposit $716,882.00 in savings. Its surplus and undivided profits on November 20, 1917, were $50,695.75.
ITS MANUFACTURING INTERESTS
In 1785 John Wooster and Bradford Steele leased for 999 years for fifteen pounds, "a certain spot or privilege at a place called Rimmon Falls upon the east side of the Naugatuck River" for the purpose of building a blacksmith shop, and erecting a hammer to go by water. They manufactured scythes and did other blacksmith work, setting up a grindstone and other machinery necessary for conducting the business. The deed states that the land had a front of fifty feet on the flume and was next to the river.
Gen. David Humphreys, who was to be so closely identified with the interests of the place, came and purchased the Falls property December 13, 1803.
General Humphreys had, while minister to Spain in 1802, imported 100 merino sheep and he chose this place for the headquarters of the sheep-raising business,
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SWAN MEMORIAL, SEYMOUR
TRINITY PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SEYMOUR
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as well as for the manufacture of woolen cloth. The great superiority of the wool of the merino sheep being immediately manifest, farmers were everywhere glad to avail themselves of the opportunity to improve their stock. General Hum- phreys did not encourage speculation but distributed his sheep judiciously among the farmers at $100 each, a price said to be less than the original cost. When the price rose to $400 he refused to sell, saying that he believed such sales would lead to ruinous speculation. But soon the price of merino bucks went up to $1,500 and a few were even sold as high as $3,000, and ewes sold from $1,000 to $1,500. John Bassett was offered $1,000 by Philo Bassett for a full-blooded merino ewe lamb eight days old and refused to take less than $1,500. A few days after it was killed by a fox. Two young farmers united in buying a buck at $1,500 and the same day it died by being choked with an apple. But such mishaps checked the speculation but little, and it rapidly extended throughout New England, Vermont people in particular being quickly supplied with some of the merinos.
General Humphreys considered it of great importance to the interests of the country that manufactures, especially that of woolen cloths, should be introduced, and went to England, investigated the manufacture of woolen cloths there and made the acquaintance of John Winterbotham, who was thoroughly informed in every branch of the business. General Humphreys persuaded Mr. Winterbotham to sell his business there and come to this country to establish the business here. General Humphreys associated with him in business, also Capt. Thomas Vose of Derby, the business being conducted under the name of T. Vose & Company.
The name "Chusetown," after the Indian Chief Chuse, appears on the Derby records as late as 1804, but was changed by the legislature in that year to Hum- phreysville in honor of General Humphreys and this name was retained until 1850.
In 1810 the company was re-organized and the name was changed from T. Vose & Company to the Humphreysville Manufacturing Company.
Furniture making was also one of the early industries in Seymour. One man, the ancestor of some of the present people of Seymour, built a dam and a little mill, fitted up with a saw and lathe, and some other labor saving machinery, made bureaus and bedsteads, tables, chairs, cradles and coffins, for his neigh- bors, and then, to fill in the spare time, made up stock for great numbers of chairs and sent them "knockdown" to New York. They were drawn by an ox team to Derby and taken thence by a sailing vessel to New York. A young man who had been an assistant in the "cabinetmaker's" little shop went to New York with the cargo, put the chairs together and sold them, and remained there as agent for this cabinetmaker and others, and became wealthy. This was George Tomlinson, who died in Seymour only a few years ago.
For over a century Seymour has been noted for the manufacture of augers and bits. Walter French came there from Mansfield, Conn., about 1810, and commenced the manufacture of screw augers by hand. He built a shop near Little River, about half a mile from its mouth, on land now owned by the James Swan Company. The first double twist screw augers ever offered for sale in New York City were made in Seymour by Walter French.
The James Swan Company is the leading representative of one of the oldest manufacturing industries in the town, the manufacture of mechanics tools. The Douglass Manufacturing Company's auger and bit works at the mouth of Little River were established in 1856. There were then two factories, one in Seymour for the manufacture of augers, auger bits, etc., the other at Arlington. \t., for the manufacture of edge tools.
The works were purchased in 1860 by Mr. F. L. Ames, of the firm of Oliver Vol. I-24
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Ames & Sons, who also purchased the exclusive right to manufacture Cook's patent boring implements. Mr. Ames found the factory in Seymour insufficient for the purpose and built a second large factory above the old one, on the same stream. The property was controlled by Mr. Ames until 1873, when it was sold to Thomas Douglass and Richard P. Bruff. Under their management still further enlargement was made, a third factory further up the stream being hired from Mr. James Swan who had been identified with the business as superin- tendent and manager since June, 1865.
In 1874 the property passed into the hands of Mr. James Flint and the Russell & Erwin Manufacturing Company of New York, and was incorporated in that year. In 1876, the auger and bit business was concentrated in the upper shops, and the edge tool work at Arlington was brought to Seymour and carried on in the middle shops.
The works were purchased by Mr. Swan in 1877, and The James Swan Company has since had the entire control. The president of the company in 1917 is William B. Swan, succeeding to the place after the death of James Swan. The secretary is John Swan. Its capital is $125,000.
The Humphreysville Manufacturing Company had an unbroken existence from 1806 until 1915. The principal line of manufacture by the company for more than half a century was augers and bits, and the business was carried on in the buildings erected for that purpose in 1845, although other buildings were later added.
The company was finally re-incorporated in 1910, but ran only a few years. The east half of the old factory has recently been used as an armory, the west half being used by the New Haven Copper Company.
The Fowler Nail Company was organized and incorporated in 1866, with a capital of $60,000, for the manufacture of Vulcan horseshoe nails, the ma- chinery and process being the invention of Thaddeus Fowler, from whom the company was named. These nails, which were the first satisfactory machine- pointed horseshoe nails, have won a reputation for reliability under the most difficult tests, which has made a demand for them throughout the United States and in foreign countries. The business was first begun in the Humphreys mill, but soon increased to such an extent that a larger building was necessary and the property now occupied was purchased. The main building had been erected for the manufacture of wire, but had not been occupied for that purpose. Addi- tional buildings have been erected, and for fifty years the company has given employment to a large number of people. Large additions were built in 1905 and 1906. The officers of the company in 1902 were Carlos French, president and treasurer ; Louis H. Bristol, secretary, and Raymond T. French, assistant treasurer. Raymond T. French succeeded to the presidency on the death of Carlos French. Its officers in 1917 are: President E. G. Stoddard of New Haven ; secretary, John W. Bristol of New Hampshire. Its capital is now $190,000.
The Tingue Manufacturing Company was organized in 1880 by John H. Tingue, who purchased the brick mill and other buildings at the Falls. The company in 1902 had a capital of $200,000, now increased to $300 000. It began with John H. Tingue as president and treasurer, and Charles Coupland as general manager. On the death of the former W. J. Tingue succeeded to the presidency of the corporation. The principal product of the mill for many years was mohair plush, which was manufactured by machinery and processes made possible by the ingenuity of the late Charles Coupland, who in 1880 invented a new and very speedy way of weaving mohair pile goods by a process which
THE NEW HAVEN COPPER COMPANY, SEYMOUR
SEYMOUR TRUST COMPANY, SEYMOUR
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was a radical departure from all previous methods. Until the business was established in Seymour, this line of goods was manufactured only in Europe. The mohair consists of the fleece of the Angora goat, whose home is in Asia Minor. It has since been imported and bred in this country.
The company now manufactures plush, brocatelle and yarn.
The officers of the company in 1900 were Wm. G. Tingue, Greenwich, pres- ident ; David Torrance, Derby, secretary; Howard Tingue, Greenwich, vice president.
Today the officers are: President, Howard Tingue, New York; treasurer, Wm. G. Tingue, Jr., New York.
The H. A. Matthews Manufacturing Company, capital $85,000, was organ- ized in 1890 for the manufacture of stove trimmings and other hardware, and in 1895 added the making of bicycle parts. Their works at the mouth of Little River have been enlarged, and greatly improved, and now include the main building 36 by 125, an annex 24 by 89, an office and stock room, and a boiler house, and two buildings 60 by 120 and 60 by 60 erected in 1910. The machinery is of the most improved pattern and includes mammoth presses. The works turn out numerous specialties in brass, steel and composition metal. Since 1914, the works have been occupied largely with munition orders.
The officers of the company in 1902 were James Swan, president; Carlos French, vice president ; Geo. E. Matthies, secretary, and F. H. Beecher, treasurer and manager.
The present officials are: President and treasurer, George E. Matthies; vice president, W. H. H. Wooster ; secretary and assistant treasurer, A. L. Clark. Its capital is now $90,000.
The New Haven Copper Company, manufacturers of braziers and sheathing copper, was organized in 1848 and the large stone building now in use was then erected on land which a century before was every spring planted with corn by Mauwehu, better known as Joe Chuse, the old Indian chief after whom the town was first named. For many years before the building of the mill, Bennett Wooster's blacksmith shop stood where the flume now is. When the wheelpit was dug, large springs were struck which so flooded the pit that it was with difficulty that the water could be lowered sufficiently to permit laying the foun- dations for the walls.
In 1860 this became the property of W. W. Goddard of Boston, who, knowing that in order to make the business a success he must have a man to direct it who was master of the work in all its branches, employed for this responsible position Mr. Thomas James, who had learned the trade in Wales, where his ancestors for several generations had been engaged in the manufacture of copper.
In 1864, Mr. Goddard, who had other large interests which required his atten- tion, sold the business here to Hendricks & Lissberger, and it was conducted by them until March 13, 1872, when it was reorganized with the following stock- holders: Samuel Holmes, Thomas James, Franklin Farrell and Lazarus Liss- berger. Mr. Lissberger was elected president ; Samuel Holmes, secretary and treasurer, and Thomas James superintendent and manager. From the com- mencement of Mr. James' management until his death it was a success in every way, giving employment to a large number of men who held him in high respect and esteem.
The process adopted by the company for the finishing of their polished copper was the invention of Thomas James, patented September 12, 1876. By means of it, the gloss on the polished copper remains permanent, whereas, by the old
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method of polishing, it was liable to become tarnished in a short time. It has proved highly satisfactory and has gained for this product of the company an enviable reputation.
The buildings of the company arc extensive. The dimensions of the principal ones are as follows: Main rolling mill, 100 by 20 feet, containing ten sets of rollers. The power used in this building is supplied by a steam engine and boilers of 250 horse power and four turbine water wheels aggregating 250 horse power, making altogether 500 horse power for the rolling mill. The stamping shop covers an area of 50 by 70 feet ; the polished copper depart- ment, 50 by 90 feet.
The capital stock is $200,000. The officers in 1900 were Thomas L. James, president ; Lewis A. Camp, secretary; Frederick A. Rugg, treasurer; George A. James, superintendent. They now are Thomas L. James, president; Henry J. Richards, secretary and treasurer, and G. Walter James, superintendent.
W. R. Brixey, of the Kerite Insulated Wire and Cable Works and manu- facturer of Kerite insulated wire and cables, was connected with the works for more than two decades and in 1892 became sole owner. The works were first established by Austin G. Day, who in 1854 purchased the property and fitted up machinery for the manufacture of hard rubber goods and insulated electric wires. Mr. Day was the inventor of many improvements in the manufacture of rubber and in making submarine telegraph cable took the lead of all competitors. . W. R. Brixey largely increased the plant and added to the facilities for the speedy execution of large orders. At the World's Fair, his exhibit, which was located near the head of the main stairway of the Electrical Building, was one of the finest, and after the most thorough tests and trials, and upon thorough examination, the only medals and awards given to high grade insulated wires and cables were awarded to W. R. Brixey for excellence of material and con- struction, high insulation, and reliability and durability demonstrated by pro- longed service under exacting conditions.
Mr. Brixey was the manufacturer of submarine, aerial, and underground electric cables for the Western Union Telegraph Company, Postal Telegraph Company, New York Telephone Company, and other large corporations, and for the United States Government, furnishing a number of cables for the Philippines and for Alaska.
He constructed and placed in position for the New York Central Railroad for their block signal system the longest aerial cable ever made in this country, extending from Albany to Buffalo, a distance of three hundred miles. He also furnished the underground cable for the Havana Street Railway Company, this contract alone amounting to $200,000. Ten years ago, on the death of W. R. Brixey, his sons succeeded to the business.
In 1910 large additions were made to the plant, and in 1913 and 1914 the following : 65 by 150, four stories in height, and 60 by 70, one story. Its capital today is $200,000 and its officers are : President and treasurer, Richard P. Brixey : secretary, Austin D. Brixey.
The Seymour Manufacturing Company was organized in 1878 and incor- porated in 1880. The capital is now $500,000. The officers in 1902 were : President, Charles H. Pine; secretary and treasurer, W. H. H. Wooster ; super- intendent, L. T. Wooster; assistant treasurer, G. E. Matthies. In 1917 they are: President, W. H. H. Wooster ; secretary and treasurer, George E. Matthies ; assistant secretary, O. F. G. Baeker ; assistant treasurer, A. L. Clark.
The company manufactures sheet brass, wires, rods and tubing for various uses, and copper wire for telephone and telegraph purposes, electric roads, etc.
E
ELET CO.
THE RIMMON EYELET COMPANY, SEYMOUR
SEYMOUR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, SEYMOUR
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A specialty is made of German silver for table ware and many other purposes. The company employs about 1,400 men and does a large business.
In 1904, 1906, 1909, 1911 and 1916 and 1917, it added buildings costing over $500,000 to its plant. It has been employed on munition contracts for the past few years.
Paper making has been an important industry for nearly a century. The first to establish the manufacture of paper in Seymour was General Humphreys, who built the first paper mill in 1805. The journal of the mill from October, 1805, to June, 1825, was long preserved. Five names appeared on the time account for October in that year, Thomas Hudson, Chester Jones, Elbridge G. Ware, John Canfield and Philo Smith. This list was soon largely increased, including Maj. A. A. Stone, Wm. Lewis, Wm. Ball, James Bowman, and many others. Four or five reams of paper a day was the average for the first few years.
At this time the paper was made by hand. An engine for preparing the pulp was in use, but from this it was dipped out into fine sieves of the size the sheet of paper was to be made, shaken about to pack the fiber, a felt or flannel laid on, and the paper tipped out on it. One hundred and twenty-five sheets were so piled up, making, with the felts a pile about fifteen inches high. This was pressed in a screw press, then taken out of the felts and hung on poles to dry, then pressed in one and a quarter ream bunches. The next day the sheets were "stripped" or separated and pressed in the dry press. Writing paper was laid sheet by sheet between press boards with occasional iron plates and pressed again.
In 1866 W. W. Smith took charge of the mill and his father retired from the business, and in May, 1870, the mill was sold to W. W. Smith.
The S. Y. Beach Paper Company's works is a continuation of this one estab- lished at the Falls in 1805, S. Y. Beach having been identified with it from 1843 until his death in 1899. The S. Y. Beach Paper Company was organized in 1880, with a capital of $10,000, the stockholders being George W. Beach of Waterbury, and Andrew Y. Beach, Sharon D. Beach, and Theodore B. Beach of Seymour, all sons of the late S. Y. Beach. In 1902 G. W. Beach was presi- dent; T. B. Beach, secretary, and S. D. Beach, treasurer and manager. Its present officers are: President, Andrew Y. Beach ; treasurer and manager, S. M. Beach.
It now manufactures pin paper almost exclusively.
The H. P. and E. Day Company, incorporated in 1902 for $200,000, are the manufacturers of the Waterman fountain pen and employ at present 200 hands, working shifts three nights a week. The rubber business had been carried on in the present location for seventy years, during which time have been made most of the inventions by the aid of which the goods and processes of manu- facture now in use have been perfected. A large force of skilled workmen is employed largely in producing a great variety of hard rubber goods but par- ticularly the Waterman fountain pen.
The present officers of the company are: President Edmund Day, secretary. Walter Randall; treasurer, Julius G. Day.
The Rimmon Manufacturing Company was organized January 10, 1900, with a capital of $30,000 paid in, now increased to $200,000. The plant of the company covers over an acre of ground and is situated on Main and Day streets. It has a good location, being but a short distance from the depot, and has a good water power. The main building is 48 by 72 with an addition 22 by 44. The muffle building is 36 by 36 feet and the Japan building 20 by 32 feet. This com- pany manufactures brass and other metal goods, eyelets for shoes, corsets and
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