USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 51
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This being done, a meeting was called "of the inhabitants of Wolcottville, at Capt. Uri Taylor's, December 3. 1829, to take into consideration the expediency of forming an ecclesiastical society." This meeting voted, "That ve whose names are hereafter annexed do consider ourselves as formed into an ecclesiastical so- ciety to be known by the name of 'The Village Society of Torrintgon.'" Those to become members of the society soon numbered thirty-two. Their names fol- low : Lyman Wetmore, John Hungerford, Jr., William Leach, Joel Hall, Daniel S. Rogers, George P. Bissell, Harmon Cook, George D. Wadhams, Luther Bissell, Lauren Wetmore, Elijah Phelps, Samuel Beach, Amasa Scoville, Leverett Scott, Elizur Barber, John W. Scoville, David Baldwin, Samuel Brooker, William Olcott, Amos Wilson, John Cook, Israel Coe, Anson Stocking, Asa G. Adams, Charles S. Church, Arvid Dayton, Joseph Barrett, Linus Dunbar, George P. Roberts, Russell C. Abernethy, and William S. Hungerford.
Shortly after the forming of the society at this meeting an arrangement was made with the Rev. William R. Gould, then pastor of the First church,
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whereby he was to preach in the Wolcottville meeting-house two-fifths of the Sabbaths for one year, the other three-fifths of the Sabbaths to be given to the Torrington church. Mr. Gould was dismissed from the Torrington church in February, 1832, and the Wolcottville worshippers at the meeting-house were obliged to get their preaching from other quarters until the church was organ- ized on June 11, 1832, which was done after the order of the denomination by a committee of the Litchfield North consociation. The charter membership num- bered twenty-nine, twenty-one being received by letter and eight by profession of faith, as follows: David Baldwin, Mrs. Sarah Baldwin, Sarah Ann Baldwin, Elizur Barber, Mrs. Polly Barber, Mrs. Lucy Bissell, Ruth Brooks, Rebecca Good- man, Sarah Hungerford, Mrs. Charlotte Hungerford, Mrs. Elizabeth Eno, Mrs. Ursula Frost, Nancy S. Goodman, John Hungerford, Abigail Taylor, Lyman Wetmore, Mrs. Betsey Wetmore, Lauren Wetmore, Louisa Wetmore, Leverett Scott, Mrs. Leverett Scott, Sarah Wilcox, Lydia Kimberly, Maria S. North, Ruhama Smith, George D. Wadhams, and Mrs. Lucy Wadhams-twenty-two women and seven men.
The church being thus organized, the "Village Society," at a meeting held August 30, 1832, voted unanimously to call the Rev. Hiram P. Arms, D. D., to become the pastor of the church and society. He accepted the call and was installed February 7, 1833, serving until July 6, 1836.
The Sunday school, which now numbers on its rolls over five hundred scholars, had its beginning in 1827, while the first meeting house was yet unfinished. It was started by Mrs. Charlotte Hungerford, who used to meet a handful of scholars in the gallery of the unfinished building, and has grown steadily to its present pro- portions.
The meeting-house given to the society through the generosity of Captain Taylor was made to do service for about thirty-seven years. Its interior was so remodeled in 1844 as to practically make it a second meeting-house.
The agitation for a new church edifice took on practical form in 1864, when a committee reported $4,375 subscribed for that purpose. This subscription was increased to $5,000, of which $3,500 was to be used for reconstruction and $1,500 for a conference room. Lauren Wetmore was empowered to contract for the work. "This," says Doctor Perrin in his memorial sermon, delivered July 9, 1876, "was the opening wedge of the protracted, perplexing, and nobly sustained effort of the society, which gave us finally, after long continued struggles, this solid, chaste, and truly beautiful granite edifice as a Sabbath home."
The population of Torrington in those days did not exceed 2,500 and while the Congregational communion had outgrown its first church home the member- ship was still a comparatively very poor one to what it is today. It included few men of large means, in fact none, as wealth is now regarded. But the indebted- ness was paid and the church continued to grow until the need of still larger quarters was felt. This want was met by the noble efforts of the consecrated women, who, in 1880, built a frame chapel or parish house on the south of the church, at a cost of $3,000.
The first practical steps were taken during the spring and summer of 1897. At the annual meeting of the society, held April 12th, of that year, the question of enlarging was discussed and the society's committee was authorized and in- structed to make investigation looking to the improvement of the church property, the providing of additional room, to prepare plans for the same, to make such recommendation as it might deem desirable, and to report to some future meeting.
The contract as finally let provided that the parish house should be built first and finished so that it could be used for the regular services of the church while
ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, TORRINGTON
MONUMENT AT TORRINGFORD TO MARK THE SITE OF FIRST MEETING HOUSE
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the church proper was being rebuilt. This, of course, required more time than would ordinarily be taken to do the work. The old chapel was moved down to the walk, where it continued to be used for Sunday school and society purposes until the new building was finished. In 1899 it was removed to Pearl Street by the French Congregationalists, to whom it had been donated, and now, after being remodeled, serves them as a neat and comfortable house of worship.
The new parish house was occupied early in May, 1900. It is a unique and commodious building. On the first or main floor is located the parlor, with a bay window looking out upon the lawn and street. Sliding doors connect it on the west with the Sunday school room, which is also divided by sliding doors into two rooms to accommodate the primary and kindergarten departments. The larger room is used for prayer meeting and other weekly services. For social purposes the whole floor is thrown into one large room.
On the second floor are located the pastor's study and a large room fronting on Main Street.
The seating capacity of the church before it was reconstructed was 353. Today there are in round numbers, sitting accommodations for 700 people, besides the 353 seats that may, when occasion demands, be secured by opening the sliding doors on the first and second floors of the parish house. These extra available seats command almost as good a view of the chancel, choir and organ as is to be obtained from any point of the nave.
The church now has about seven hundred members.
The officers of the Congregational churches in 1917 are as follows :
First Congregational Church, pastor, Rev. E. H. Burt; clerk, Levi Hodges; treasurer, Willard A. Cowles.
Second Congregational Church, at Torringford, pastor, Rev. Wesley E. Page ; clerk and treasurer, Wm. L. Durand.
Center Congregational Church, pastor, Rev. Charles T. Patchell; clerk, Frank M. Jeffrey.
The French Congregational Church was organized in 1897, located at 49 E. Pearl Street.
John F. Alvord has erected a beautiful small chapel in Hillside Cemetery in memory of his parents, Charles and Almira Burtis Alvord. It was dedicated in 1913.
Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church Parish was organized in 1843, and a building was erected at the corner of Prospect and Water streets the following year. Rev. Henry Zell became first pastor, in January, 1845. The present edifice was built in 1898. The church property has been added to by gift and purchase until it is now one of the most valuable in the county. The parish house was built in 1910. This structure served as a temporary hospital during the typhoid fever epidemic of 1911. The parish has over eight hundred com- municants. Rev. J. Chauncey Linsley has been rector since July, 1895.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1810, in Newfield. The congregation met in the old meeting house there, which was also used by other denominations. The first house of worship was built in Wolcottville, in 1843. The Methodists had held services in Wolcottville during fifty-three years pre- ceding that date, but there was no real church home. The structure built in 1843 was later used as a town hall. The present building was erected in 1865.
The membership is now about four hundred and fifty. The president of the board of trustees is F. L. Braman. The Rev. Fred F. Voorhees is pastor.
The first service of Calvary Baptist Congregation was held in a temporary church, December 8, 1895, but the organization was not perfected until April
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13, 1896. The new church was dedicated October 27, 1897. It has today a mem- bership of about two hundred, and a new pastor (Rev. W. T. Aiken) is to begin his services sometime in the fall. The clerk is W. E. Bennett, and the treasurer, Benjamin B. Phillips.
The Advent Church meets at 44 Barker Street. Its pastor is Rev. Jefferson H. Batson.
The Sons of Jacob, a Jewish organization, hold services in their synagogue at 227 E. Main Street. The rabbi is Rev. Harry Radetsky. It was organized two years ago.
The African M. E. Zion Congregation meets at 60 Brightwood Avenue. Its pastor is Edward A. Carroll.
About thirty-seven years ago the German residents formed St. Paul's Ger- man Lutheran Church, holding services first in the Center Congregational Church and later in the Methodist Church. On January 6, 1895, the first service was held by Rev. E. Zwinger.
In 1900, Rev. Mr. Zwinger was succeeded by Rev. Otto Seidenstuecker, the present pastor, who came from Collinsville, where he had been pastor of St. Matthew's German Lutheran Church.
During these years the congregation was continually increasing. In 1903 a bell was installed in the belfry of the church, and the following year a pipe organ, which is still used, was bought from Trinity Church.
In 1908 it was found necessary to enlarge the interior of the church and install a gallery, the latter seating over two hundred people.
The first Roman Catholic service in Torrington was held in 1835, in the building now known as the O'Brien Block, on South Main Street. This first service was held by Rev. James Fitten. Then, until 1842, no services are known to have been held, but in that year Rev. John Brady, of Hartford, began to hold services once a year in the house of Richard Hennessey, in the western part of the village. In 1848, Rev. Michael O'Neile, of Waterbury, was appointed to administer to the spiritual wants of the Catholics of the village. Father O'Neile purchased a lot on the east side of Main Street, in 1851, and this was the nucleus of the present site of St. Francis Church, the parochial residence, the convent and the parochial school. The first church building was built in 1859-60. Another plot of land was purchased in 1884, and September 13, 1886, the corner- stone of the present structure was laid. It was finished in 1888, and the parochial residence was erected in 1888. The convent and school buildings, with the excep- tion of the newest, were built in 1891. The first resident pastor was Rev. Father Isaiah, O. S. F., appointed in 1874. He was succeeded by Rev. John H. Duggan, in 1877, who served for two years, and was succeeded by Rev. Patrick Duggan, who was pastor until 1911. He was succeeded by Rev. Arthur O'Keefe, the present pastor. The church has nearly two thousand communicants. In 1914 a new $5.000 pipe organ was installed.
St. Peter's Italian Roman Catholic Church was partially erected in 1908 on Center Street. At present services are held in the stone basement. The pastor is Rev. Salvatore Bonforti. Its membership is 2,000.
The Sacred Heart ( Slovak Roman Catholic) Church has recently been organ- ized. It has its church at 110 Grove Street. The pastor is Rev. Stephen J. Panik.
TORRINGTON'S BANKS
The Brooks Bank & Trust Company is the successor of the Brooks National Bank, which became a state financial institution early in 1917. It was founded
EPISCOPAL CHURCH, TORRINGTON
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in 1872 as Brooks Brothers, Bankers, the organizers being Isaac W. and John W. Brooks. The institution became a national bank in 1899. Its capital stock is $100,000. Its surplus and profits are $115,000. The deposits are over one million dollars.
The officers are: John N. Brooks, president ; Charles L. McNeil, vice presi- dent ; H. E. Munson, treasurer; A. F. Austin, assistant treasurer.
The Torrington Savings Bank was founded as The Wolcottville Savings Bank, in 1868, Francis M. Holley being its first president. Isaac M. Brooks took the bank over soon after. Its deposits July 1, 1917, were $2,521,289.45. Its total assets, $2,632,436.07. The president is John N. Brooks ; treasurer, John M. Wadhams.
The Torrington National Bank was founded in 1899 by its present stock- holders. In July, 1916, it increased its capital from $100,000 to $200,000. Its surplus and profits are $160,000. Deposits are about three millions. On June 1, 1917, it moved into its fine new building which it had erected at a cost of $75,000.
The Torrington Trust Company was founded December 18, 1916. Its savings depositors number 1,650, with deposits of $200,000. It has $100,000 on deposit in checking accounts. Its officers are: President, Harry J. Wylie; treasurer, Frank M. Baldwin.
TORRINGTON'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Torrington's Chamber of Commerce has been in existence for over twenty- five years, starting as a business men's association. It has within the past few years erected a fine three-story building, on North Main Street, at a cost, includ- ing site, of $82,000. Its president is James E. Mallette; secretary, Frank M. Jeffrey ; treasurer, John H. Seaton.
The Employers' Association of Litchfield County also have offices in the Chamber of Commerce Building. Its president is L. G. Kibbe ; secretary, George H. Atkins ; treasurer, F. M. Travis.
THE TORRINGTON LIBRARY
The Torrington Library was founded on October 22, 1864, by a group of what were then Wolcottville residents, each supplying a quantity of books. It was known as the Wolcottville Library Association.
Early in 1865 the library and reading room were opened to the public. During its first fifteen years it occupied rooms in the Granite Block. In 1880 it was removed to larger quarters, in the Wetmore Building, on the corner of Church and Prospect streets, subsequently called the Library Building. In 1881 it became known as the Torrington Library Association, and in 1899 it was offi- cially incorporated as the "Torrington Library."
The library owes its present equipment to two Torrington benefactors, Lauren Wetmore and Elisha Turner. The former, who died in 1890, gave to the public for "the establishment of a free public library and reading room," the income from the Wetmore Building and personal property to the value of $20,000. Elisha Turner, in 1899, gave the site and present magnificent library structure to Torrington. Mr. Turner died in 1900 and willed a total, including his previous gift, of $100,000 to the association.
The dedication took place in 1901. The building is of white marble in a sim- ple treatment of the Neo-Greek style of architecture. It has a stack capacity of 42,000 volumes. Including the late Mr. Turner's collection of rare volumes,
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a further gift, the library now has on its shelves 14,000 volumes. G. H. Welch is president of the association and Miss L. T. Mason is librarian.
TORRINGTON'S Y. M. C. A.
Torrington's Y. M. C. A. was organized on April 7, 1890, its principal sup- porters being Isaac Brooks, Charles Alvord, Lyman Coe and Elisha Turner. Mr. Turner gave the site for the building and in 1891 this was erected. In 1897 the debt on the building was paid. The Y. M. C. A. has now purchased the lot next to its present site, and hopes to have its new fund large enough to build a magnificent structure next year. It has at present a membership of 250.
Its officers are: Harry J. Wylie, president ; W. A. Cowles, vice president ; John M. Wadhams, treasurer; recording secretary, Mason Turner; general sec- retary, L. H. Avery.
The Women's Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. has as officers: President, Mrs. Anne Klein ; secretary, Jessie F. Capell ; treasurer, Mrs. G. H. Wilcox.
THE CHARLOTTE HUNGERFORD HOSPITAL
The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, the gift of U. T. Hungerford as a memorial to his mother, was dedicated October 4, 1916, and gives Torrington one of the finest institutions of this kind in the country. During the first few months of its occupancy it has given such service to the borough and town that a further enlargement will be only a matter of a few years.
The hospital is situated in the southwestern part of the borough, near the summit of Four-Story Hill, to the north of the old road to Litchfield, a continu- ation of Old Litchfield Street. A driveway of easy grade winds up from Old Litchfield Street to the crest of the shoulder of the hill upon which the hospital stands. From this site there is one of the most picturesque views to be had in the Naugatuck Valley, and from it the eye sweeps over the eastern hills of Torringford, far up the valley toward Winchester, and even discerns the hills of Norfolk. The rocks and bushes have been cleared away around the hospital and there will be eventually a finely developed park.
The building is entirely fireproof, three-story and basement administration building, with a two-story extension containing the principal wards. The prin- cipal entrance is in the middle of the east front of the administration building, a little below the first floor level, and marble steps lead to the entrance hall on the first floor. From this hall, which has a marble floor and marble pillars support- ing ornamental ceiling beams, open the offices, the reception and waiting rooms and the elevator, as well as the corridors leading to other parts of the building. On the west is the ambulance entrance with a well equipped accident or admit- ting room.
At the south, on the first and second floors, are the large wards with enclosed sun parlor at the end. Adjoining them on each floor are the patients' dining room, the serving room equipped with refrigerator, steam table, sink and cup- boards, and connected with the kitchen by dumb waiter; the isolation ward, the linen room and patients' bath rooms.
On the second floor, besides the large ward and the room adjoining it, there are six one-bed wards, two two-bed wards, and one four-bed ward. Four of the small wards have private baths. In a recess from the hall, on both first and second floors; is a nurses' station with a desk and medicine cupboard, and tele- phone and nurses' call signals.
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THE CHARLOTTE HUNGERFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, TORRINGTON
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The third floor is divided and the northerly section is the operation suite. The operating room has a large window towards the north; the walls are wain- scoted with large slabs of white opaque glass and the floor is of white tiles. Nearby is the anesthetizing room, the sterilizing room, the instrument room, the doctors' lavatory with bath room and lockers, and the nurses' lavatory with bath. The remainder of the third floor is occupied by two rooms which will be used for X-ray equipment, and four-bed and one-bed maternity wards, and the neces- sary service rooms in connection with them.
From the third floor hall, wide glass doors open out on the roof over the two- story extension which is paved with tile and affords a large, airy promenade with a shelter roof at the end against the building.
In the basement are the kitchen and serving room with store rooms, refrigera- tors, etc., dining rooms for nurses, and for the help, laboratory, and some bed- rooms for the help. There are two wide, easy staircases enclosed with fireproof wall and fireproof doors and with outside doors at the bottom of each. There is also another staircase at the extreme end of the large ward so that the building is unusually well provided with means of egress.
TORRINGTON'S NEWSPAPERS-THE REGISTER
The Torrington Register is one of the leading papers in the Naugatuck valley and its weekly edition is the oldest newspaper in the borough. Its first issue appeared August 8, 1874 with Harry Bolton as editor. He disposed of it in 1877 to Charles James, of the Millerton (New York) Telegram and he in 1880 sold it to E. A. Hayes, of the Southington (Connecticut ) Phoenix. In 1882 Henry M. White, of Northampton, Massachusetts, bought a half interest, later taking over the entire property. Until 1889 it was conducted as a weekly and as the town had grown by leaps there was a general demand for a daily, and this was then started, the weekly also continuing to appear regularly. In 1889 Mr. White erected a two story building on Water Street and the papers were issued from this location until 1905 when its present large and splendidly-equipped building was put up. On July 8, 1898 the present corporation was formed and a small daily called the Item which had been run for a few months was merged with the Register which then became the property of its present stockholders. In 1913 and 1914 the building was enlarged, and the company now owns one of the best newspaper equipments in the State. The Register is issued as an eight to sixteen page paper. In politics it is independent. The officers of the company are : Edward H. Hotchkiss, president; Thomas W. Bryant, vice president ; James A. Doughty, secretary and treasurer ; directors, Geo. W. Peterson; Frederick W. Fuessenich ; John W. Alvard and Elisha Steele.
TORRINGTON NEWS
The Torrington News, published by the News Publishing Company, Inc., issued its first number containing eight pages on April 17, 1916. That there was a demand for the paper is evident from the fact that fifteen hundred paid-in-advance subscriptions were secured before the machinery was installed. Since July, 1916, the paper has made a remarkable advance in regard to its appearance, its adver- tisers' list and its circulation. On May 22, 1917, the News removed to the new Weston block, No. 120 Water Street. It began as a one cent paper, but changed its price on June II, 1917, to two cents. Its present officers are : president, S. Carl Fischer ; secretary, Mrs. James W. Connell; treasurer, James W. Connell. Vol. I-26
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TORRINGTON'S ELKS CLUB HOUSE
Torrington, on March 1, 1916, opened its new Elks Club House. The build- ing is two stories high with mezzanine floor and basement. The exterior is of red tapestry brick with steps, copings and other trimmings of marble. The scheme of ornamentation is Colonial. Over the central opening on the second story entablature is "B. P. O. Elks 372." The cornice is of old Doric style and the parapet above has an ornamented clock face indicating II o'clock. The win- dows are in keeping with the Colonial style and have small panes.
The basement extends under the entire main part of the building and in it are the grill room, buffet, three bowling alleys, kitchen, toilet and dressing rooms with lockers, and baths with shower attachments.
On the first floor the front doors open into a lobby extending to the main staircase. To the right of the entrance is the secretary's office with vault for the storage of valuables, and to the left is a reception room. The entrances to the smoking and billiard rooms are on each side of the staircase.
On the second floor are social and writing rooms, a ladies' parlor and the lodge room. The latter occupies the entire rear part of this floor. On the mez- zanine floor are seven excellently arranged bedrooms, with hot and cold running water in each one. Baths and the entrance to the gallery of the lodge room are also on this floor.
TORRINGTON'S PARKS
Coe Memorial Park, which was the homestead of Lyman Wetmore Coe and his wife, Eliza Seymour Coe, has been given in the memory of their parents, by their children, to the Town of Torrington. The artistic, rough-hewn boulder which bears a suitable inscription of the gift was unveiled June 1, 1909. It is in the heart of the borough and is one of the most beautiful of the smaller parks of New England.
John F. Alvord has just given the town forty-five acres as the site for a park. This is 11/2 miles north of Torrington, on the trolley line. It is yet to be laid out.
IIISTORY OF TORRINGTON'S CEMETERIES
Hillside Cemetery, in which the Alvord Memorial Mortuary Chapel has been erected, is situated on a hill in the southwestern part of the town. The cemetery is sixty-four acres in area.
This cemetery came into being eleven years ago, and was intended to sup- plant the old Center Cemetery as a future burial place for the dead. Center Cemetery had become full, or practically so ; leading men of the town foresaw a time when another burial place would be absolutely necessary, and they began to plan for such an eventuality with the result that Hillside Cemetery was provided.
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