USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 18
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ALEXANDER C. MINTIE.
Alexander C. Mintie, deceased, was for over sixty years a resident of Waterbury and one of its well known and highly respected citizens. His birth occurred at Thompsonville, Hartford county, Connecticut, January 4, 1851. The Mintie family is of Scotch lineage. The father, James Mintie, was a native of Glasgow, Scotland, where he was reared to manhood and learned the trade of weaving. When a young man he crossed the Atlantie and loeated in Thompsonville. where he secured work at his trade in the carpet mills. While there he wedded Mary McWhinnie, who was also a native of Scotland and who came to America in her girlhood days. In 1854 Mr. Mintie removed with his family to Waterbury, where he spent the remainder of his life. Both he and his wife passed away in Waterbury and were laid to rest in Riverside cemetery. They were devoted members of the Baptist church and in that faith reared their family, which numbered the following named: Barbara, who became the wife of Richard Perkins: Elizabeth, who married Frederick Schalk and now resides in Bristol, Connecticut: Robert, who died in Chicago; Martha, the deceased wife of Rev. W. A. Mackey; James, who died in Waterbury; Mary, the widow of George W. Fenn and a resident of Waterbury; Isabelle, who became the wife of Elbridge H. Lane, of Meriden, Connecticut, and both of whom are now deceased; and Alexander C.
The last named was but three years of age when his parents removed to Waterbury, where he was reared to manhood and attended the public schools, while later he studied at Wilbraham Academy of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. His first employment was as clerk in a
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book store in Waterbury and subsequently he filled a clerical position in the postoffice, . there remaining until 1873, when he became connected with the Waterbury Button Company in the capacity of bookkeeper. He there contimed as an officer of the company for more than forty-three years. In 1908 he was appointed assistant treasurer of that corporation. which position of trust and responsibility he was filling at the time of his death. He died at his home on Buckingham street in Waterbury, January 22, 1916, when sixty-five years of age, and was laid to rest in Riverside cemetery.
It was on the 19th of December, 1876, that Mr. Mintie was united in marriage to Miss Emma L. White. a daughter of LeRoy S. and Sarah J. White. The children of this marriage. who all reside in Waterbury, are: JJ. LeRoy, who is married and has a daughter, Dorothy ( .; Mrs. William K. Pendleton, who has one child, Eleanor K .; Mrs. Carl E. Richmond, who has one child, Barbara de Lancy : and Kenneth, who has oue child. Esther.
Mr. Mintie stood as a splendid type of the Christian gentleman. His religious faith actuated him in all that he did and in every relation of life he attempted to follow in the footsteps of the Master. He was a consistent member of the Congregational church, having been baptized by the late Rev. Dr. Anderson, both he and his wife being immersed on that occasion, which was the first ceremony of the kind performed by Dr. Anderson. Mr. Mintie served as deacon of the First Congregational church from 1890 until his demise. He was also a member of the society committee during the building of the present parsonage and he served on the building committee. He was active in Sunday school work and was always present at his place in prayer meetings. He was deeply interested in the rescue work and with the aid of Aaron Benediet did much toward the upbuilding of the Union Rescue Mission, of which he was treasurer. One of his greatest works in the interests of Christianity was in connection with the founding of the Italian Congregational church of Waterbury. He gave much time, thought and attention to that noble task and did much to place the church upon a firm foundation, making it a strong influencing factor in moral upbuilding in the com- munity. He did his full duty as he saw it regardless of opposition and, like Paul of old, he fought a true fight and kept the faith. Mr. Mintie was a member of the Waterbury Button Company Aid Association, of which he was one of the organizers, and at the time of his death the association sent the following testimonial to J. LeRoy Mintie:
"Waterbury, Conn., March 23, 1916.
Dear Mr. Mintie :
We are sending this set of resolutions to you with the request that you give it to your mother. We had the pleasure of having your father in our society for quite a number of years and he was always ready to give us good advice when we needed it; and he was always ready to help out in other ways. On this account we wanted to show some appreciation for what he has done for us.
Yours sincerely, The Waterbury Button Company Aid Association, Jos. A. Brenneis, Secretary."
Perhaps the best tribute that was paid to Mr. Mintie was published by the Waterbury American under the title:
"Death of a Christian.
"Alexander C. Mintie, who died today, was a Christian. There are many Christians by profession. Mr. Mintie was a Christian by practice. If Christ should come to Waterbury he would have found Mr. Mintie doing his work in such a way that he could join right in without disturbing things or requiring any rearrangement. He gave unsparingly of his time, labor and means for others. He was a good citizen and a good factory office man. He will be missed most in the Boys Club and in his home. Both had his heart interest and his mind's attention. Those who filled these two places knew him as an affectionate, efficient. abiding presence who gave all that he had to their service."
Mr. Mintie's Christian charity was unbounded. He was deeply interested in the Boys Club of Waterbury and did much for its welfare and growth. In 1895 he was elected its secretary, which office he filled until his death. The youth of today and the men of tomorrow will always remember Alexander C. Mintie for his noble Christian life and his devotion to every good cause. He lived a Christian life: he died a Christian death; and many beautiful tributes were paid him in the public press of Waterbury by his many friends, including one from the Hon. Cornelius Tracy, who knew him and admired his sterling qualities.
Upon the death of Mr. Mintie the Waterbury Boys Club passed the following resolution at the annual meeting of the incorporators and directors of the elub, held March 14, 1916.
"Resolved. that in the death of our beloved secretary. Mr. A. C. Mintie. the Waterbury
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Boys Club has suffered an irreparable loss. He was the one individual that was most responsible for its inception, its growth and development from its first meeting, when in 1890 Mr. Mintie with one or two interested friends and a score of unruly, boisterous boys, in a little vaeant store on South Main street, organized the Waterbury Boys Club and almost to the week of his death he carried the largest part of its work himself. Energetic, unselfish, sympathetic and lovable, he was a man among men-the finest type of a Christian gentleman. He sought out the poor, the sick, the unfortunate, and he gave in ample measure of time, money, sympathy and advice. The amount of good he accomplished, the hearts he made glad, will never be known except to his Maker. To his family we offer sincere gratitude for the noble, unselfish work done for the Waterbury Boys Club. We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to them in their great loss. That they may be comforted and sustained in their great bereavement is the wish of all the members of this corporation.
"Further be it resolved that a copy of this resolution be placed on the records of our Association and that a copy be forwarded to the members of Mr. Mintie's family. (Signed) Cornelius Tracy, Frederick S. Chase, Nicholas Combellack."
THE RANDOLPH-CLOWES COMPANY.
Waterbury has long been a manufacturing center but by leaps and bounds its manu- facturing interests have gone forward within the last two or three decades. The Randolph- Clowes Company was organized in July, 1899, succeeding to the finn of Randolph & Clowes, who had established business in 1885. They were successors to Brown & Brothers, who had begun business in 1830, since which date the plant has been maintained at No. 384 Bank street. When the business was originally started there the district was scarcely more than a swamp. From 1899 Charles Miller was the principal stockholder and president of the company, so continuing until his death, which occurred in February, 1917. The company has eight acres of land now in the heart of the city. Their plant consists of a tube mill, rolling mill, rod mill, kettle and boiler shop, storehouse and shipping rooms. in all more than twenty buildings. These are of mill construction and supplied with sprinkler system. They are mostly one story in height. The plant is equipped with steam and electric power and individual motors are used in part, with gear and drive elsewhere. The fact that the company employs six hundred people, of whom fifty per cent are skilled workmen, is an indication that this is one of the large and important industries of the city and has contributed in substantial measure to making Waterbury a great center of brass manufacturing in America. The company manufactures seamless brass, copper and bronze tubing, rolling and rod mill products, which are sold to other manufacturers, and their output amounts to one million, five hundred thousand pounds per month. They have kept pace with the latest improvements in machinery and in processes of mannfacture as well and their plant is an expression of the last word in brass making. The present officers are: Ralph HI. Smith, vice president, and H. I. Farnum, secretary.
HERBERT I. SMITH.
With the rapid development of the automobile industry, men of enterprise have come to the front in this connection, controlling extensive business interests of this character. Prominent in this field in Waterbury is Herbert I. Smith, who is now the president and treasurer of the H. I. Smith Motor Car Company, one of the newly organized concerns of the city, incorporated in June. 1916. Mr. Smith is yet a young man but marked enterprise and determination have brought him to the front in commercial circles.
He was born in Bethlehem, Connecticut, February 7, 1882, a son of J. W. and Emma Smith, who were farming people. The son acquired a public school education and divided his time in boyhood between the duties of the schoolroom, the work of the fields and the pleasures of the playground. He continued to work upon the home farm until 1906, after which he was connected with hotel business in New York until he organized the H. 1. Smith Motor Car Company of Waterbury in 1914. He became the president and treasurer of the company, with Bertha M. Smith as secretary, and his brothers, J. E. and W. R. Smith as
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directors. The business was begun under his own name November 2, 1914, his location being at Abbott street and Phoenix avenne. In April, 1915, he removed to Grand street and in April, 1916, to 483 Meadow street, where he oceupies a new building with one hundred and two feet frontage and containing forty-six thousand square feet of floor space. He has storage for two hundred and fifty cars and in connection with the sales and garage equipment lias a complete paint and repair shop. He handles the Overland, the National and the Willys- Knight cars and the Republic, Garford and Lippard-Stewart trucks. His showroom, sixty by ninety feet, is finished in mahogany and white. Something of the marvelous growth of his business is indicated in the fact that in 1915 he had a twenty-five car contract and now has a five hundred car annual contract. In handling the National car his territory covers Litchfield and New Haven counties, while in the sale of the Overland his territory includes Waterbury and near-by districts. He employs twenty-five people and has a business of most gratifying proportions. His trade has not been marked by any slow stages of progress. It has grown by leaps and bounds and has become one of the important commercial interests of the eity.
In 1904 Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Bertha May Dresser, of Bristol. He is neither a lodge man nor a club man, but is preeminently a business man and possesses in large measure that quality which for want of a better term has been called commercial sense. His judgment is sound, his sagaeity keen, and whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion.
WILLIAM H. MORRISON.
William H. Morrison is one of Torrington's leading merchants, having established his present business in 1890. He has sinee conducted his store, covering a period of more than a quarter of a century of close and prominent connection with commercial interests of the borough. He was born in Thompsonville, Connecticut, November 9, 1866, and is a son of William T. and Mary J. (Hood) Morrison. The father died when his son was but eleven months old, after which the mother became the wife of George E. Roswell, of Woodbury, Connectieut, where they still reside. The latter is a veteran of the Civil war.
William H. Morrison was nine years of age at the time of his mother's second marriage, after which he lived at Woodbury, Connecticut, until he attained his majority and there attended the Parker Academy. When a youth of eighteen, however, he left school and entered upon a three years' apprenticeship at the plumber's and tinner's trade, also becoming familiar with steamfitting. He was an apprentiee of F. F. Hitchcock of Woodbury who is still in business there. and remained with Mr. Hitchcock for three years after completing his term of indenture or for six years in all. At the age of twenty-three he went to Waterbury and secured a position with the plumbing firm of Barlow Brothers, with which he continued for a year. In 1889 he eame to Torrington and after working for another firm for a few months he embarked in the plumbing business on his own account in 1890. For six years he concentrated his energies upon the plumbing business and in 1896 he erected his present business block, a three story brick structure twenty-nine by one hundred and twenty-three feet, with basement under all, at 63 Water street, and known as the Morrison block. As soon as the building was completed he added to his plumbing business by securing a stock of general hardware and from that time to the present Mr. Morrison has owned and conducted in the Morrison block one of the best mercantile houses of Torrington and the largest hardware store of the borough. He carries a very complete line, ineluding everything in the way of kitchen utensils, hollow ware, stoves, ranges, hardware, tools and plumbers' and piper's materials. He has done excellent work in sanitary engineering, also in roofing and tin and sheet iron work, and he has had the contract for installing and repairing many steam, hot water and hot air heating plants. His operations cover a wide territory and he has received important plumbing contracts from the Turner & Seymour Manufacturing Company and many other large and important concerns as well as in local public and private buildings, besides many large factories in various parts of New England, including the heating and automatic sprinkling in Clnett-Peabody's new plant at Waterford, New York. and the Slater mills at Webster, Massachusetts. He also laid thirteen miles of the original water mains of Torrington. In addition to his business block he owns the Burmor apartment house at the corner of Main and Alvord streets in Torrington, an excellent building fifty by sixty- five feet, three stories and basement, built of brick, stone and marble and containing seven apartments of five rooms each. The building was begun in 1913 and completed the following
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year. It was called Burmor, a name coined from the first syllable of his wife's name and his own.
On the 16th of June. 1892, Mr. Morrison was united in marriage to Miss Ina M. Burton, a native of Woodbury and a daughter of Nathan B. and Jeannette (Tyler) Burton, both now deceased. In both the paternal and maternal lines Mrs. Morrison comes of Revolutionary war ancestry and she is a member of the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She has become the mother of two children: Burton Hood, born March 25, 1895; and Franklyn Tyler, born May 19, 1897. The former is a graduate of the Torrington high school.
Fraternally Mr. Morrison is a Knight Templar and Consistory Mason, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine and a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He is also identified with the Torrington Club and he and his wife hold membership in the Center Congregational church, while in the social circles of the city they occupy an enviable position. Mr. Morrison deserves much credit for what he has accomplished in a business way, for he started out in life with little assistance and has worked his way upward through persistency of purpose and well defined plans, becoming the leading hardware merchant of Torrington.
AUGUSTUS NEWTON WOOLSON.
The record of Augustus Newton Woolson is that of one whose life work was well done and whose life battles were nobly fought and won For seventy years he remained an active factor in the world's work. He was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, May 1, 1833 and passed away July 20, 1903. He was a son of James Rix Woolson and a deseendant of an early colonial family, prominently and actively associated with the history of Con- necticut in the upbuilding of its material, intellectual and moral interests. Financial conditions in the family rendered it imperative that economical habits be maintained and his training was such as well prepared him for the struggle that must precede ascendency. He attended the schools of his native town but was ambitious to acquire a broader education and therefore entered the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, where he completed his course. When his textbooks were put aside he made his initial step in the business world, seeking and obtaining employment in a mercantile establishment in the city of Boston, but after a brief period there passed he removed to the west and for a time engaged in farming in Illinois. It was while residing in that state that he formed the acquaintance of Miss Sarah Jane Davis, a daughter of Anthony G. Davis. Their marriage followed and they entered together upon a life of notable usefulness, congeniality and happiness. After a few years devoted to agricultural pursuits in the middle west Mr. Woolson returned to New England and established his home in Watertown in 1864. at which time he purchased an interest in the Everett & Davis Manufacturing Company, succeeding A. B. Everett in the firm. The business had been organized in 1831 by Abram B. Everett and Anthony G. Davis and in 1850 was reorganized under the name of the Watertown Manufacturing Company. In 1861, however, the old name of Everett & Davis was assumed and in 1865 the firm style was changed to Davis & Woolson. Following the death of the senior member of the firm eight years later Mr. Woolson became sole pro- prietor and conducted the enterprise under his own name to the time of his demise. since which time the business has been carried on by his son, James B. Woolson. While for thirty-eight years Mr. Woolson remained a most prominent and active factor in the manu- facturing circles of the city and contributed much to its material development, he was equally prominent in other relations and perhaps in other ways will be best remembered. He was active in securing a waterworks system, in advancing the schools and in organizing a fire department and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, ealled him to a number of positions of public honor and trust. He served as representative of his district in the state legislature and was a member of the constitutional convention in 1902 which framed the organic law of Connecticut. He stood as a high type of American man- hood and chivalry. being loyal in citizenship, generous where aid was needed and devoted at all times to the church in which he held membership. No better testimonial to his character can be given than the words of Rev. Walter Wesley Winans, who in his funeral service said: "When Mr. Woolson became identified with the industry to which he gave the best years of his life, it was not in a prosperous condition and the future seemed prob- lematical. He brought to the business indomitable energy, unwavering courage and rare sagacity. It soon became evident that under the new management a new era of prosperity would dawn. And the prophecy was fulfilled. Steadily the business increased in volume,
ANHtoolsons
THE WOOLSON RESIDENCE
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steadily the reputation of the house rose in the respect and confidence of the commercial world, and we all know that throughout this entire region and wherever he had financial relations, the name of A. N. Woolson is recognized as a synonym for fairness, sincerity and unquestioned honesty. Just at this time in many quarters the relations between capital and labor are greatly strained, when men are cursing those who have furnished them employ- ment, and in some instances are endeavoring to destroy their property, I delight to call attention to the relations sustained between this employer and his employes. A. N. Woolson has demonstrated that it is possible for a manufacturer and his men to work together in perfect harmony and to realize that they have mutual interests. By a life of personal purity and probity, and by the manifestation of a very real interest in their own welfare and that of their families, this man has compelled the confidence, the admiration and the affection of the men who receive from him their daily wage. And today there are no more sincere mourners than the men who sit at his desks, work at his benches and drive his teams. They feel they have lost not only an employer but also a friend.
"As a citizen he was foremost in every good work. Watertown has the reputation of being a community that is well-nigh ideal. No public haunts of vice curse us with their foul breath. The moral tone is exceedingly high. Many excellent men and women have contributed of their energy and their money to prevent the introduction of evil influences and to conserve the best interests of the town. I know I shall not be accused of extravagant assertion when I declare that no one has done more in behalf of morality and good order than A. N. Woolson. When wicked men undertook to defy the expressed will of our citizens, and by the illicit introduction of intoxicants sought to corrupt our youths, he was always the first one to raise his voice in protest and to invoke the strong arm of the law in self-defense; and he was always ready to pay the expenses incident to the detection and prosecution of the criminal. That Watertown is so free from those influences that corrupt and debauch and destroy is due in no small measure to the energy, courage and generosity of this good man. Every public enterprise that promised to promote the comfort, happiness and prosperity of our people found in him an ardent supporter. Deeply interested in the cause of education and anxious that the children should have the best possible advantages, he lent his influence to the erection of the new school building Believing that a better town hall was needed, he did much toward making the present struc- ture a reality. Realizing that the congregation of the Methodist Episcopal church had outgrown their house of worship and knowing that enlarged facilities were imperatively demanded, by his enthusiasm and generosity he made possible the erection of such an edifice as would meet the needs of the worshipers and be an ornament to the town. Indeed, it may be truthfully said that during the past quarter of a century, there has been no movement looking toward the moral or material advancement of Watertown in which he has not had a prominent, if not, indeed, a leading part. Hence it is not strange that his fellow townsmen sought to honor him by calling him to fill responsible positions.
"In 1882 he represented Watertown in the legislature. When it became necessary two years ago to select a delegate to the constitutional convention, by common consent there was no one quite so well qualified for the difficult duties of the position. And though he had reached the time in life when most men feel they ought not to be asked to assume additional responsibilities, he responded to the call and discharged the onerous duties that came to him with characteristic fidelity.
"But it is not as a successful business man, nor as a progressive citizen, that Augustus N. Woolson will be longest remembered, but rather as a philanthropist. I have no hesita- tion in applying this term to him, for he was truly a lover of his fellowmen, and his love for them was constantly finding practical expression. There is hardly a home in all this neighborhood that has not at some time and in some way been made happier by his benevolence. During the receut coal famine, when the opportunity came to him to greatly increase his bank account by taking advantage of the crisis, he scorned the opportunity, and subjecting his own family to considerable inconvenience, at actual loss to himself, he distributed the coal in his bins in such a way as to relieve the largest number of families possible from distress. And in many a humble home today there is grief that so useful a citizen and so good a friend has been removed. No worthy cause appealed to him in vain. His benefactions were large, how large none but he and his Maker know. His pastor, by chance, learned the fact that in various parts of our country there are poor widows and wornout ministers and other indigent persons, whose Christmas cheer each year is greatly increased by a substantial gift of money from this faithful steward of the Lord's funds. Not only in Watertown, but in places far away, tears have been shed and hearts have been made sad by the news that Augustus N. Woolson is dead.
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