USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 27
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"We, the trustees of the Connecticut Agricultural College, in this minute, desire to express our appreciation, not only of the service which Mr. Pierpont rendered to the college as a trustee and as the manager of the Gilbert farm, but more especially of the greater serv- ice which he has rendered to the state at large by his example of the successful application of education, courage and skill to the problems of our Connecticut agriculture. With our appreciation of his services and our sense of public loss in his untimely death we also desire to express our deep sympathy with his family.
Charles A. Capen, Secretary."
On the 31st of December, 1900, Mr. Pierpont was married in Wolcott, Connecticut, to Miss Beatrice B. Garrigus, who was born in that place, a daughter of Jacob Henry and Sophronia Elizabeth (Upson) Garrigus. Her father was born March 25, 1838, in Morristown, Morris county, New Jersey, and represented an old family long connected with Pennsylvania and New Jersey and of French Huguenot lineage. The first of the name in the new world was David Garrigus, who came as an exile from France during the religious persecutions in that country. He settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and died leaving a large family, most of whom had adopted the Quaker faith. His son, Jacob Garrigus, became a resident of Hanover township, Morris county, New Jersey, where he owned land and followed farming. He had nine children, four of whom-David, Isaac, Jacob and John-participated in the Revo- lutionary war, John being with Washington at the time of the surrender of Cornwallis. He was born in Hanover township, Morris county, New Jersey, and there followed the occupation of farming. His wife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Shipman and their children were John, Isaac, Samuel, Mary, Ruth and Lydia.
Of these Isaac Garrigus was born in Hanover township, Morris county, New Jersey, in 1798. He became a smelter and charcoal burner and won a substantial measure of success, his death occurring in August, 1865, in his native township. He was a member of the Presby- terian church and his political belief was that of the whig party. In 1822 he had married Sarah Sheppard, a daughter of John Sheppard, and their family numbered fourteen children. The mother passed away in 1883, at the home of her son, Jacob Henry, and in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which she was long a devoted member.
Jacob Henry Garrigus acquired a liberal education in the schools of his native township and also continued his education at Greenwich, Rhode Island, and in the Providence Confer- ence Seminary, it being his intention to prepare for the ministry, but his plans were changed through the outbreak of the Civil war and in September. 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company E, Eighth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Martin B. Smith. On the 1st of July, 1862, he was promoted to corporal and afterward became sergeant. On the 9th of February, 1864, he veteranized and served until December, 1865, when he was honorably discharged with a most creditable military record, having participated in a number of hotly contested engagements and also doing detached service in connection with recruiting and drafting. He was military postmaster of Lynchburg, Virginia, for two months and was a teacher in the freedman schools at the same place for three months. With his return to the north he established his home in the town of Wolcott and there devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. His home had previously been in Waterbury, where he erected several dwellings.
On the 24th of December, 1865, Mr. Garrigus was united in marriage to Miss Sophronia Elizabeth Upson, who was born in the town of Wolcott, a daughter of Lueian and Lois A. (Johnson) Upson. To this marriage were born the following named: Ella A., who died in infancy ; Walter H., a salesman with the Waterbury Lumber Company, who married Miss Flora J. Sears, of Waterbury; Fanny Elizabeth, who became the wife of Edwin D. Mall- waring; William Leroy, who married Frances A. Hitchcock and resides in Waterbury ; Harry L., who married Bertha May Patterson; Beatrice B., who became the wife of Arthur J. Pierpont; Annie Belle and Minnie Belle, twins, who were students in the State Agricultural Vol. III-9
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College; and Jessie Adella. Both Mr. and Mrs. Garrigus were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he gave his political support to the republican party, which in 1889 called upon him to represent the town of Wolcott in the state legislature. He was also justice of the peace, health officer for twenty-five years and registrar of voters and thus' he took an active and prominent part in the public life of the community. He also belonged to Wadhams Post, No. 49, G. A. R., and to Mad River Grange, of which he served for several terms as captain.
The Upson family, from which Mrs. Pierpont is descended in the maternal line, was established at a very early day in New Haven county. The first of the name in New England was Thomas Upson, who settled in Hartford and afterward removed to Farmington, Con- necticut. In 1646 he wedded Elizabeth Fuller and their children were: Thomas, who died in Saybrook; Stephen; Mary; Hannah; and Elizabeth, who died July 20, 1655. The father died July 19, 1655, after which his widow became the wife of Edmund Scott. The direct ancestor of Mrs. Pierpont in the second generation of the Upson family was Stephen Upson, who died in 1735. He was married December 27, 1682, to Mary, daughter of John Lee, of Farmington, and her death occurred September 15, 1715. It was prior to his marriage that he removed to Waterbury on the 29th of December, 1679, and there he reared his family. He served as surveyor, also as a member of the school committee and as grand juror and was deputy to the general court three times. He also served as sergeant from 1715 to 1729 and he had a seat among the veterans in the new meeting house. His son, Thomas Upson, was born March 1, 1692, in Waterbury, and in 1732 removed to South Farmington and afterward to Southington, later a part of Wolcott. There he passed away September 29, 1761, while his wife died July 13, 1750. He had married Rachel Judd, a daughter of Thomas Judd, and their children were: Thomas, born December 20, 1719; John and Mary (twins), January 21, 1721 (of whom John died in 1741, and Mary married Josiah Newell, of Southington) ; Josiah, January 28, 1726; Asa, November 30, 1728; Timothy, October 8, 1731; Amos, March 17, 1734; Samuel, March 8, 1737; and Freeman, July 24, 1739 (died, 1750).
Captain Samuel Upson, born March 8, 1737, married Ruth Cowles April 5, 1759, and settled in what is now the town of Wolcott, where he was interested in the turnpike. He died February 25, 1816, the father of the following named children: May, born in February, 1760, married Joseph Minor; Archibald, born April 26, 1761, who died in 1782; Isaac, born December 22, 1763; Obed, born January 2, 1767; Harvey, born November 11, 1769; Samuel and Ruth (twins), born August 16, 1772 (Ruth married Joseph Byington) ; Jerusha, born June 27, 1775, who died in 1779; Manly, born March 12, 1777; and Betsey, born August 10, 1779, who married Lyman Higgins.
Deacon Harvey Upson, born November 11, 1769, married November 28, 1796, Rachel . Wheeler, who was born August 25, 1775. He was a deacon of the church for twenty-five years and was a good man, faithful and sincere in all the relations of life. He held the rank of captain in the state militia. The children born to him and his wife Rachel were: Samuel Wheeler, born October 8, 1798; Jerry, November 16, 1800; Marshall, February 22, 1803; Lois Melissa, August 27, 1805 (married Lucas Sutliff) ; Marcus, August 20, 1807; Harvey Woodward, November 22, 1810; and Lucian and Lucius (twins), February 13, 1815.
Lucian Upson, the father of Mrs. J. Henry Garrigus, was engaged in farming all his life on the family homestead situated in the southern part of the town of Wolcott. He served fourteen months during the Civil was in Company E, Eighth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged on account of disability. He married Lois A. Johnson, who was born in Wolcott, a daughter of Levi and Ruth (Judd) Johnson, the former of whom was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, although but a lad of fifteen summers at the time he enlisted. Mr. Upson died in 1895, and his widow died in August, 1900, at the age of eighty- two years, at the home of Mr. Garrigus. She was the only real "Daughter of the Revolution" in the Naugatuck valley, and was the recipient of many handsome presents at the hands of the D. A. R. The following children were born to Lucian and Lois A. Upson: Leroy, January 14, 1840; Sophronia E., Jannary 30, 1842 (married Jacob Henry Garrigus) ; and Lucella, November 13, 1853. The last named was married October 29, 1874, to James A. Todd, of LaGrange, Illinois. who died in Kansas.
Thus is traced the ancestry of Mrs. Pierpont, who by her marriage became the mother of three children, Hazel, Helen and Marion, all attending school. Since the death of hier husband Mrs. Pierpont has been condueting Maple Hill Farm and displays marked business ability in its management and control, being deeply interested in the work of which her husband was so proud. She is a lady of keen diseernment and notable business judgment and besides carefully conducting her business interests she is most devoted to her home and children.
The untimely death of Mr. Pierpont was eaused by the bursting of a steam pipe on his
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farm, whereby he was severely burned-so much so that death resulted September 20, 1912, after which he was laid to rest in Mill Plain cemetery. He was a member of the Cheshire lodge of Masons and of Nosahogan Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Waterbury. He also held member- ship in the Trinity Episcopal church of Waterbury and was superintendent of the Mill Plain Sunday school. His life was actuated by the highest and most honorable principles. His devotion to his family was largely ideal and he was ever faithful in citizenship, reliable in business and honorable in every relation. In politics he was a stanch republican and he took especially deep interest in the cause of education, serving as a trustee of the schools for a number of years. All who knew him spoke of him in terms of the highest regard and his memory is yet enshrined in the hearts of all with whom he was brought in contact. He left a comfortable competence to his family but more than that he left to them the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.
A. ETTKINS.
A. Ettkins, proprietor of the Snowflake Laundry, was born in Russia in August, 1881. He attended a private school in that country and came to the United States in 1905, when a young man of twenty-four years. For two years he remained a resident of New York and in 1907 came to Waterbury, where he has sinee made his home. He was employed in various ways, scorning no opportunity that would yield him an honest living, and at different periods followed laundry work, carpenter work, painting and other busi- ness activities. He was actuated by the laudable ambition to succeed and utilized every opportunity to work his way upward. He saved his earnings until through economy and diligence he had secured sufficient capital to enable him to engage in business for himself and in April, 1909, he established the Snowflake Laundry at No. 150 East Main street. From the beginning the undertaking grew and prospered and in October of the same year he established a second place at No. 249 North Main street. The continued development of the business led to the opening of a third place at No. 49 Cherry street in 1916. He does all kinds of laundry work and makes a specialty of hand work. He has the latest equip- ment for a modern steam laundry and employs nine hands in the conduct of the business, which is steadily growing and brings him a good profit.
In 1906 Mr. Ettkins was united in marriage to Miss Tillie Baumstone, of New York, and they have two children, David and Irving. Mr. Ettkins has never had occasion to regret his emigration to the new world, for here he has found the opportunities which he sought, and in their utilization has become well established as a business man of Waterbury.
GARDNER G. RIGGS.
Among the enterprises which have come into being through the developing processes of business and as the result of modern needs and demands is that conducted under the name of the Equipoise Rivet Company, of which Gardner G. Riggs is the president and treasurer. He was born in Laporte, Pennsylvania, in 1871, and is a son of Francis A. and Sarah (Lee) Maltby, who were of Bristol, Connectieut. The mother died when her son was but four years of age and he was afterward adopted by Horace Riggs. He be- came a public school pupil and when his textbooks were put aside and he had reached an age where he should start in the business world he sought congenial employment and became connected with the Winchester Arms Company at the age of twenty years. He spent two years at their plant, after which he learned the building business, with which he was associated for twenty years. In 1894 he removed to Waterbury, where he con- tinued actively in the building business until 1914.
Since that time Mr. Riggs has given his entire attention to the interests of the Equipoise Rivet Company, of which he had been one of the organizers on the 22d of March, 1906. He became the president and treasurer at that date, with Louis Platt as the secre- tary, and both have retained their offices to the present time. The factory was originally located in Wallingford but a removal was made to Platts Mills in 1908 and in 1910 it was established at the foot of Manhan street in Waterbury, where they have a building forty by eighty feet, containing thirty-two hundred square feet of floor space. The company engages in the manufacture of small rivets and screws and light stampings in sheet.
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Their product is sold direct to manufacturers and they make a specialty of artieles for other manufacturing concerns. Their plant is thoroughly equipped with automatic machinery sup- plied with electrie power with the group drive and the building is fireproof. Mr. Riggs purchased the present building in 1910. It is of mill construction and is three stories in height, the two upper floors being rented. They employ twelve people and their establish- ment is conducted according to the most modern methods.
Mr. Riggs has developed ninety per eent of the automatie processes now used. He produced a special metal tag to put on the Smiths Island oysters. These are of aluminum and the company manufactures eleven million of these per year.
On the 24th of June, 1891, Mr. Riggs was united in marriage to Miss Julia Bannell, of New Haven, a daughter of Samuel and Jennie (Vought) Bannell. Their children are five in number: Sterling B., who is associated with his father in business; Bessie, the wife of Stanley Blackman, a resident of Hartford; and Mildred, Laura and Marion, all at home.
The parents are members of Trinity Episcopal church, and in politics Mr. Riggs is a republican, but the honors and emoluments of office have no attraction for him as he lias always preferred to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his individual interests. Gradually he has advanced and has made for himself a creditable namne and place in both building and manufacturing circles, his efforts being a contributing force to the develop- ment of the business now carried on under the name of the Equipoise Rivet Company.
HON. JAMES P. GLYNN.
The career of no one represented in this volume perhaps indicates in more definite manner the opportunities that lie before the American youth than that of Hon. James P. Glynn, now serving for the second term as a member of congress from the fifth congressional dis- trict. He is recognized as a leading lawyer of Winsted and in the national halls of legisla- tion he is leaving his impress for good upon the history of the country. All this is in sharp contrast to his position in youth, for at the early age of eleven years he started out to pro- vide for his own support and through a considerable period was employed as a factory hand. Ambition, one of his dominant qualities, however, caused him to prepare for other things and eventuaily he took up the study of law. He was born in Winsted, where he yet makes his home, November 12, 1867, and is the eldest son of the late Dennis Glynn and of Mary Jane (Geraghty) Glynn, both of whom have now passed away. The parents were natives of Ireland, the father having been born in County Clare and the mother in County West- meath. They, however, became acquainted in Winsted, Connecticut, where they were mar- ried December 25, 1864. The father had previously served for three years and three months in the Union army. He was a mechanic by trade and throughout his life turned to me- chanical pursuits in order to provide for his family. His birth occurred December 25, 1838, and he passed away November 14, 1881. His wife, who was born November 17, 1843, died only a few years ago. Mr. Glynn of this review is the eldest son in a family of six children. as follows: Nellie, who is the wife of James L. Cummings, of Torrington; James P .; William P., who is a resident of Winsted; Jennie L., also living in Winsted; Dr. Dennis L., who was a practicing physician of Portland, Connecticut, and passed away at the age of thirty-eight years; and Dr. Thomas H., who is a dentist of Winsted.
James P. Glynn was reared in Winsted and acquired his education in the public schools and in St. Anthony's parochial school. His father was not a rich man by any means and at the early age of eleven years the son James began to work for wages in a local factory. After he reached the age of fourteen, his father having died in the meantime, it became necessary for him as the eldest son to work in order to aid in earning a living for his inother, brothers and sisters. Not content to be a factory hand throughout his entire life, however, at the age of twenty years he bought a shorthand textbook and mastered stenog- raphy. He did factory work by day and studied by night, and having gained a thorough working knowledge of stenography, he secured a position as court and legislative stenographer. This interested him in law and he took up the study of the science of jurisprudence in the office and under the direction of Samuel A. Herman in 1891. The following year he was elected town clerk and held the office continuously for more than a decade, when he resigned. He was admitted to the bar in 1895 and in 1899 was appointed prosecuting attorney of the town court of Winchester, occupying that position as well as that of town clerk until May 1, 1902, when he resigned both offices to accept the appointment of postmaster of Winsted. He acted continuously in that position from the 1st of May, 1902, until September 30, 1914, when he resigned to accept the nomination for congress. In the fall of that year he was
T.
HON. JAMES P. GLYNN
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elected by a good majority and was reelected in 1916, so that he is now serving for the second term, thus becoming a member of the national legislative body during a most impor- tant epoch in the country's history. He was responsible for securing an amendment that authorized the survey for the proposed large canal from Waterbury to Derby. In politics he has always been a stalwart republican and has served as chairman of the republican town committee for four years.
On the 14th of October, 1903, Mr. Glynn was married to Miss Katherine J. Meade, of Brookline, Massachusetts. They are members of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church and Mr. Glynn is prominent in the Knights of Columbus, being a past grand knight. He also is a past exalted ruler of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he belongs to the Fraternal Benefit League of New Haven, of which he was supreme counsellor for fourteen years. His public career is one over which there falls no shadow of wrong nor suspicion of evil. He has been most loyal to the trust reposed in him and recognizes fully the important obligations which devolve upon him, especially at the present hour. His knowledge of the law is of value to him in his legislative work and at the local bar he occupies a position as one whose knowledge of jurisprudence well qualifies him for the onerous and responsible work that comes to him.
RICHARD ALBERT MUELLER, M. D.
Dr. Richard Albert Mueller, engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in the city of Waterbury, was born in Germany, May 10, 1878, but has been a resident of the United States since 1885, when he was brought to the new world by his parents, Bruno and Hedwig (Domsch) Mueller. The father died in Unionville, Connecticut, in 1889, and the mother is still living there, having remained a widow all these years. In the family are four sons: Reinhold, a resident of Hartford, Connecticut; Richard A., of this review; and Kurt and Carl, who are living in Unionville, where the family has been residing since 1885. The father came to the new world in 1883 and prepared a place for his wife and children, whom he brought to the United States two years later. All of the children were born in Germany save Carl, whose birth occurred in Unionville.
In the public schools of that city Dr. Mueller pursued his education until he became an honor graduate of the class of 1896. When his textbooks were put aside he secured a clerkship in a drug store and devoted six years to that business, which he thoroughly mastered, becoming a licensed pharmacist. He was employed as drug clerk in Union- ville and later in New Britain, Connecticut, and in the summer of 1902 he came to Water- bury, where for a few months he acted as prescription clerk for the Apothecaries Hall Company. In the meantime, in 1899, while still engaged in clerking, he took up the study of medicine and in the fall of that year entered the Hahnemann Medical College of Phila- delphia, where he pursued the four years course and was graduated in 1903, there receiv- ing his professional degree. He had spent his summer vacations as a drug clerk and in 1902 came to Waterbury in that capacity. Following his graduation he was for one year an interne in the hospital of the Hahnemann Medical College. He practiced in Water- town from 1904 until 1906 and from the latter date has been located in Waterbury, where he enjoys an extensive practice of a high class. He belongs to the Connecticut State Homeopathic Medical Society. The founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, was born in Germany only a few miles from the birth place of Dr. Mueller.
On the 16th of September, 1908, Dr. Mueller was united in marriage to Miss Alice Blaine King of Waterbury, and they have two children: Robert Karl, born December 19, 1909; and Richard Albert, born May 1, 1914. The parents attend the Second Congrega- tional church and Dr. Mueller is a Mason, loyal to the teachings of the craft, the beneficent spirit of which he exemplifies in his life.
CHARLES B. EVERITT.
Charles B. Everitt, secretary and treasurer of the Waterbury Ice Company and thus active in the control of the most important enterprise of this character in his city, was born at Port Jervis, New York, on the 8th of August, 1863, a son of Martin C. and Louise (Armstrong) Everitt. The father, now deceased, was president of the Port Jervis National Bank.
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While spending his boyhood and youth in his native city, Charles B. Everitt acquired a public school education there and afterward entered the bank with his father, receiving six months' training in that institution. In 1880 he came to Waterbury, where for more than a third of a century he has now made his home. He was continuously connected with the Plume & Atwood Manufacturing Company until 1897, when desirous of engaging in business on his own account, he purchased the interest of John Castle in the City Ice Company, of which he became the secretary and manager. Upon the organization of the Waterbury Ice Corporation, which took over the business of the City Ice Company and of several other companies, he became secretary and treasurer of the new organization and has so continued. The company has large facilities for handling the ice trade and its business now covers three-fourths of the entire trade of the city.
On the 5th of October, 1888, Mr. Everitt was united in marriage to Susie Howell Quick, of Port Jervis, and they now have two children. Their son, Charles Martin, was an honor student at Culver Military Academy and married Edith Goff. He is now a cap- tain in the United States army, stationed at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. Hazel, at home, is a graduate of St. Margaret's school of Waterbury and also of the National Park Seminary at Washington, D. C.
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