USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 30
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The youthful experiences of D. E. Carroll were those of the farm bred boy. He acquired a public school education and when not busy with the duties of the schoolroom he worked in the fields. Later his entire time was concentrated upon farm work, in which he engaged until he reached the age of twenty-five, and then started in his present line of business, organizing the firm of D. E. Carroll & Company. This was in 1891, at which time he became a wholesale dealer in produce, flour, grain, feed, fruit, vegetables, hay and straw. His original location was where the Union depot now stands and in 1907 he removed to No. 176 Meadow street. The business was reorganized and incorporated in January, 1913, and today they occupy three floors and the cellar of a building thirty-five by one hundred and twenty feet. They employ from thirty-five to forty people, are represented on the road by seven traveling salesmen and sell in surrounding towns as well as enjoy a large local patronage. The officers of the company. are: D. E. Carroll, president and treasurer; George Carroll, assistant treasurer; and Charles H. Davis, secretary.
Mr. Carroll ma ried Miss Amanda Adelaide O'Connor, of Boston in 1911. By a previous marriage he became the father of three children, the son already mentioned who
D. E. CARROLL
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is assistant treasurer of the company, and two daughters: Maude, the wife of Anthony Manion, who is in business with her father; and Elizabeth, the wife of Lew Krantz, a druggist of Oakville, Connecticut.
Mr. Carroll is a member of St. Margaret's Catholic church. Politically he maintains an independent course, voting for men and measures rather than party. He belongs to the Waterbury Country Club and is appreciative of the social amenities of life. His interests are well balanced, for he is never too busy to be courteous nor too courteous to be busy. In a word, he has wisely directed his activities and displayed marked judgment in the utilization of his time and opportunities and thus he has made steady and substantial progress.
E. W. WHEELER.
E. W. Wheeler, the efficient business manager of the Taft School, is a native of Massachusetts. After acquiring a public and high school education he entered upon railway work and went to Waterbury in 1886 in the employ of the Naugatuck Railway Company under George W. Beach. In 1889 he removed to Watertown, where he was agent for the railway for nineteen years. In 1909 he became connected with the Taft School as business manager.
In 1889 Mr. Wheeler was married to Miss Mabel Florence Paige, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and their children are: Dorothy Ann; S. Harry, who is with the officers' training camp in Texas in preparation for active service in the United States army; Zelda, the wife of Harold E. Bassford, of Watertown; and Ruth, at home.
Mr. Wheeler belongs to the Masonic lodge, chapter and commandery and has served as master of Federal Lodge, No. 12, F. & A. M. He also has membership with the Knights . of Pythias and the Foresters and is a member of the Waterbury Club. For eighteen years he acted as manager of the town waterworks and has given earnest support to all well directed movements for the public good.
GEORGE W. GAGE.
George W. Gage, proprietor of a large department store in Winsted and manifesting in his business career the spirit of modern commercial progressiveness and enterprise, was born in Canton, Connecticut, March 25, 1862. His father, George S. Gage, was a carriage trimmer by trade but at the time of the Civil war put aside all business and personal considerations to serve in the Union army as a member of the Twenty-fifth Connecticut Regiment, going to the front under General Banks. He did active duty under that com- mander in Louisiana and at the close of the war returned home to resume the duties of private life. He died in 1904 at the age of seventy-one years and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Helen A. Noble, survived until 1916. In their family were two sons and a daughter: George W .; Nellie, the wife of John McAlpine; and Charles N. All are still residents of Winsted. The brother is manager of the grocery department of the George W. Gage department store.
When George W. Gage was four years of age his parents removed to Bloomfield, Con- necticut, where he spent his youthful days and acquired his early education. In 1880 he came to Winsted, then a youth of seventeen years, and has since made this city his home. He entered the store which he now owns as a clerk at that time and has since been connected with the establishment, covering a period of thirty-seven years. He became pro- prietor of the business on the 1st of January, 1902, purchasing it from Edward H. Persons. The George W. Gage department store is one of the most important mercantile houses in Winsted. The firm carries attractive lines of goods of great variety and while it was established as a plain general store, it has developed into a most modern and up-to-date department store with splendidly equipped dry goods', groceries', wall paper and carpet departments. Other lines are also handled and the stock is kept as complete as possible. The store has been at its present location in the Opera House block since 1872 and is a prominent feature in the mercantile life of Winsted.
On the 28th of September, 1887, Mr. Gage was united in marriage to Miss Alice A. Brouette, a lady of French descent, who was at the time of her marriage a resident of Winsted but is a native of Pleasant Valley, Connecticut.
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Mr. Gage belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and was one of the organizers of the old Winsted Business Men's Association. He likewise has membership with the Winsted Club and is an Elk and a Red Man. His political allegianee is given to the republican party but he has never been a politician of the office seeking kind, preferring to coneentrate his time and attention upon his business affairs. Yet he stands for all that is progressive in citizenship and eooperates heartily in all movements looking to the welfare and upbuilding of Winsted. He is aetuated in all that he does by a progressiveness that takes reeognition of conditions and sees possibilities, which he wisely utilizes and thus he aeeomplishes his purposes.
THOMAS H. GLYNN, D. D. S.
Dr. Thomas H. Glynn has made for himself a ereditable place among the capable dentists of Winsted, where he was born June 23, 1878. He is the youngest son of Dennis and Mary J. (Geraghty) Glynn, both of whom have passed away. They were natives of Ireland, the former having been born in County Clare and the latter in County Westmeath. At the time of the Civil war the father responded to the country's call for troops and did valiant service in behalf of the Union. He died when his son Thomas was but three years of age and was long survived by his widow, who departed this life in 1911. Dr. Glynn is the youngest of a family of six children, namely: Mrs. James Cummings, who is a resident of Torrington, Conneetieut; Hon. James P., an attorney of Winsted who is at present a member of congress; William P., living in Winsted; Jennie L., also a resident of Winsted; Dennis L., who was a physician by profession and passed away at Portland, Connectieut, in 1914; and Thomas H., of this review.
Enjoying the educational opportunities offered in Winsted, Dr. Thomas H. Glynn was graduated from the West Winsted high school with the class of 1895, when a youth of seventeen years. He determined upon a professional career as a life work, and thinking to find the practice of dentistry eongenial, he prepared for that ealling and was graduated from the dental department of the University of Pennsylvania with the elass of 1905. He then returned to Winsted and opened an office, sinee which time he has here followed his profession and in the intervening period he has been aeeorded a liberal and well deserved practiee. He belongs to the State Dental Association and he has other im- portant eonneetions which show the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his eonduet, for he is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic ehureh, is identified with the Knights of Columbus and is also a member of the Greenwoods Country Club.
FRANK W. FULLER.
Frank W. Fuller, a contractor and builder, who for nearly thirty years has resided in Torrington and has been engaged in the building business for about a quarter of a eentury, was born in Warren, Massachusetts, January 20, 1867, a son of William F. Fuller, who is still living at the age of seventy-eight years. He was born at Lee, Massachusetts, his parents being Ackley and Mary (Keith) Fuller. At the time of the Civil war William F. Fuller responded to the country's eall for troops, enlisting in the Forty-ninth Massachusetts Regiment in defense of the Union. In former years he had been actively identified with farming in Massachusetts and at the present time he resides in Torrington. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Fidelia Kroh, was born in Lee, Massachusetts, a daughter of Joseph and Amelia (Hart) Kroh, the former of German deseent. Fidelia Kroh and William F. Fuller were married at Lee, Massachusetts, after the elose of the war and they became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have now passed away, while three sons and three daughters are yet living, four of these being residents of Torrington, namely: Frank W .; Joseph C .; George A .; and Nettie, the wife of George Rivera. The other two members of the family are: Mrs. George, of Austerlitz, New York; and Mrs. Charles Manchester, of Stratford, Connectieut.
Frank W. Fuller eame to Torrington in 1887, when twenty years of age, up to which time he had been reared on a Massachusetts farm. Here he at once served a three years' apprenticeship to the mason's trade, after which he was employed as a journeyman for four or five years. In the early '90s he took up contracting and building on his own
FRANK W. FULLER
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account and has sinee oceupied a leading position in that field of labor in Torrington, largely giving his attention to brick and stone construction. Among the more important buildings he has erected in Torrington either as a contractor or as a subcontractor are the United States government postoffice, the old Torrington National Bank, the city hall, the fire department headquarters, the Argard block, the North school, three of the Lilley buildings and numerous factory additions. He also ereeted the Burmor apartments and other important structures, employing from thirty to fifty workmen the entire time. He is now erecting on East Main street the Allen Company Building and the. Denezzo & Graziani store on South Main street. He has likewise done considerable building in Win- sted, including the Young Men's Christian Association building and factory additions. He has been called upon to execute contracts at various other points and ranks high as a contractor and builder in this section of the state.
On the 20th of December, 1892, Mr. Fuller was united in marriage to Miss Lulu Ashley, of Torrington, where she was born and reared. She passed away June 10, 1915. In politics Mr. Fuller has long been a stalwart republican but has never been an office seeker. Fraternally he is an Elk, also a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow, and he belongs to the Sons of Veterans. These interests, however, are made side issues, being given relative importance to his business affairs, which, wisely and systematically directed, have brought him substantial and gratifying success.
ANDREW C. BRENNAN.
Andrew C. Brennan, the treasurer of the Union City Coal Company at Naugatuck, was born in Union City, November 7, 1863, a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Martin) Brennan. The father was born in County Kildare, Ireland, December 15, 1833, his parents being William and Mary (Lackey) Brennan, the former a farmer of that country. Andrew Brennan remained on the Emerald isle until he had attained his majority and in 1854 came to the new world, while ten years later his father also crossed the Atlantic and established his home in Naugatuck, Connecticut, where he was employed for two years as a foundryman. There he passed away April 18, 1866, while his wife survived for eight years, her death occurring in 1874.
Andrew Brennan was one of a family of ten children. After coming to the new world he spent one year in Stanhope, New Jersey, where he was employed at railroad work, and in 1855 he became a resident of Hamden, Connecticut, where he served an apprenticeship to the iron molder's trade in what was then known as the Hamden Foun- dry. On the 7th of June, 1857, he became a journeyman in Union City and for twenty years was employed in one establishment, resigning his position on the 7th of June, 1877. On the 1st of January, 1880, he organized the Union City Coal Company in connection with F. G. Platt, Peter Schadden, Fred G. Humphrey and W. F. Arnold, Mr. Platt and Mr. Humphrey becoming trustees of the company. In 1886 Mr. Brennan began buying out the interests of his associates in the undertaking and on the 1st of January, 1888, became sole proprietor. He then conducted the business alone until 1902, when he admitted his sons to a partnership, Frank J. Brennan becoming the president of the company, with A. C. Brennan as the treasurer and T. W. Ahern the secretary. When the sons took over the management of the business the father practically retired and passed away in Nauga- tuck, May, 1908. His widow still survives and is yet a resident of Naugatuck. It was on the 16th of May, 1858, that Andrew Brennan wedded Elizabeth Martin, who was born in Kings county, Ireland, and they became the parents of ten children. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church and Mr. Brennan was a communicant of St. Francis church of Naugatuck.
Andrew C. Brennan whose name introduces this review has spent his entire life in the Naugatuck valley. He acquired a public school education and received his initial business training with his father, with whom he remained for a short time. He after- ward turned his attention to the bottling business in Naugatuck, in which he engaged for about eighteen years. He then became associated with his father in the coal business in 1900 and has since been active in that field. In 1902 the following officers were elected: Andrew Brennan, president of the company; A. C. Brennan, treasurer; T. W. Ahern, seere- tary and Frank J. Brennan, a director. Their plant is one hundred and eighty-six by three hundred feet. They carry a large amount of coal on hand and the business has reached extensive and gratifying proportions.
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In 1889 A. C. Brennan was nnited in marriage to Miss Nellie Mooney, of New Haven, and to them were born the following children: Mary A., a clerk in the Naugatuck postoffice; Andrew, who was drowned at the age of twelve years; Carleton W., a clerk in the employ of the Standard Oil Company at Waterbury; Helen, at home; and Loretta, deceased.
The family are communicants of St. Francis Catholic church and Mr. Brennan is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He gives his political support to the democratic party and is now serving for the second term of three years each as a member of the board of education. He served on the board of wardens and burgesses for one term in 1895 and has ever exercised his official prerogatives in support of well defined plans and measures for the general good. At the same time he has so con- centrated his efforts and attention upon his business affairs that his well defined enter- prise has brought him to a creditable position in the commercial circles of his city.
FRANK J. BRENNAN.
Frank J. Brennan, president of the Union City Coal Company, was born July 17, 1878, a son of Andrew Brennan, mentioned above. He, too, was a pupil in the public schools, after which he started in the business world in connection with the bottling trade as a partner of his brother, A. C. Brennan. He afterward became connected with the Union City Coal Company and was elected to its presidency. This business was estab- lished by his father in 1880 in connection with several partners, but after a few years he became sole proprietor and continued as such until he admitted his sons to a part- nership. For a number of years Frank Brennan has been the president of the company and takes active part in promoting the successful management of the business.
On the 4th of June, 1902, Mr. Brennan was married to Miss Elizabeth Conran, of Naugatuck, a daughter of Edward and Bridget (Hughes) Conran. The children of this marriage are Flavian, Donald, Bernice, Elinor, Arline and Lois. The family are communi- cants of St. Francis Catholic church and Mr. Brennan is identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In politics he maintains an independent course, for he does not care to be bound by party ties. He resides at No. 239 Maple street, in Naugatuck, and he and his family occupy an enviable position in social circles.
WILLIAM HENRY BLODGETT.
William Henry Blodgett, lawyer, is engaged in the practice of his profession in Winsted. He was born at Amesville in the town of Salisbury. Litchfield county, Connecticut, October 2. 1874, the younger of the two sons of William Henry (who died April 29, 1916) and Alice Elizabeth (Berry) Blodgett (who died March 8, 1909). The father was born in Salisbury. Litchfield county, and was a son of William Harvey and Mary Ann (Wright) Blodgett, the latter of whom is still living and will be ninety-eight years of age in March, 1918. Her home is at Falls Village in the town of Canaan. The father, William H. Blodgett, Sr .. enlisted early as a volunteer for service in the Civil war for a period of three years joining Company E, Fourth Regiment, New York Cavalry. He was discharged from service at Hunters Chapel, Virginia, March 1, 1863. owing to disability resulting from typhoid fever. The ancestry of the family is traced back to Thomas Blodgett who sailed from London, England, in the ship "Increase," April 18, 1635, for Boston, Massachusetts. The lineage is established as follows: William Henry (9), the subject of this sketch, William Henry (8), William Harvey (7), David (6), Dr. Benjamin (5), Dr. William (4), Samuel (3), Samuel (2), Thomas (1). The mother, Alice Elizabeth (Berry) Blodgett was born in Ellsworth, Maine. a daughter of Sabin J. and Isabelle Berry. Sabin J. Berry was a sailor in his younger days and while shipping on a merchant vessel from the West India islands during the Civil war he was captured by the Confederate warship "Alabama" and taken to England. Returning to America he settled at Cissna Park, Iroquois county, Illinois, where he conducted a farm. William H. Blodgett, of this review has one brother, Miles L. Blodgett, whose home is at Falls Village, in the town of Canaan, Litchfield county.
William Henry Blodgett was reared as a farm boy in the town of Canaan where he attended the district school until abont ten years of age. His mother. being in ill health, removed to Tullahoma, Coffee county, Tennessee, where she resided until he reached the age
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of seventeen years. Going to Illinois he worked on the farm during the summer seasons and prepared himself for teaching school at the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dixon in that state. He taught for a period of four years in La Salle and Tazewell counties and subsequently took up the study of law at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, being graduated from the law department with the class of June, 1902. While pursuing his college work he returned to Connecticut and retained his home at Falls Village, in Canaan, Connecticut, and in November, following his graduation, was elected to the Connecticut general assembly for the session commencing in January, 1903. In April, 1903, he entered upon the practice of law in Winsted, having been admitted to the Connecticut bar in January of that year.
Mr. Blodgett has taken an active interest in matters of public concern. In politics he is a republican. He served for many years as prosecuting attorney of the town court of Winchester, was attorney of the borough of Winsted for eight years, and was succes- sively assistant clerk of the house of representatives, chief clerk of the same body, clerk of the state senate, clerk of bills for a period of four years and at the date of this writing he is clerk of engrossed bills of the general assembly. His work in connection with the general assembly has been important and generally satisfactory. He has a wide acquaintance among the business and public men of the state among whom he is a recognized authority on legislative work and procedure.
On October 20, 1909, Mr. Blodgett was married to Miss Beatrice Lucella Moore of Winsted, a daughter of the late Alfred E. Moore, who was a prominent manufacturer of Winsted. To this union has been born a daughter, Serena Harriet, whose birth occurred July 12, 1912.
WALTER W. WOOD.
Walter W. Wood, manager of the clothing house of J. Johnson & Sons and well known in the business circles of Waterbury, was born in Jewett City, Connecticut, Feb- ruary 18, 1869, a son of Ezra H. and Harriet I. Wood. They removed to New Haven in 1872 and the father engaged in business as a builder and contractor to the time of his death. His widow survives and is now residing in Waterbury.
Walter W. Wood, after acquiring a public school education. started upon his business career as an employe of Besse-Brigham & Company, with whom he continued for three years in the capacity of clerk. He then established the chair manufacturing plant for the Eastern Chair Company at the New Haven county jail and acted as superintendent of the business for eight years. On the 1st of September, 1900, he became associated with J. John- son, a clothing merchant of New Haven, who advanced him to the position of confidential assistant. On the 8th of October, 1913, he came to Waterbury and opened the present store. More than half a century before, however, Mr. Johnson had been connected with the clothing trade at Waterbury and continued in, the business for many years but at length sold out to Mayer Kaiser and removed to New Haven, where he began dealing in men's clothing. Later he was forced to retire from business for a few years on account of ill health, but after his son, J. C. Johnson, had reached adult age the father purchased the Oak Hall Clothing Company and reentered trade as a partner of the J. Johnson & Son Company, remaining in active business in New Haven till the time of his death in the fall of 1903. On the 8th of October, 1913, the business was established in Waterbury as a branch of the New Haven house by Mr. Wood, who secured a store at Nos. 116 to 120 Bank street, where he occupies a building forty-two by one hundred and ten feet, first floor and basement. He carries an attractive line, including the Kuppenheimer clothes and the garments manufactured by Leopold Morse of Boston. He also carries a full line of haberdashery and men's furnishings of all kinds and employs three tailors and seven clerks. Long connection with the trade has made Mr. Wood thoroughly familiar with the business and he has made the Waterbury store a very substantial and valuable asset to J. Johnson & Sons.
On the 20th of May, 1892, Mr. Wood was married to Miss Emma Louise, Green, a native of England. and they have one son, Brent Hall, who is with the Scovill Manufacturing Company in Waterbury and is a high school graduate. Mr. Wood has attained high rank in Masonry, being a Knight Templar, a Scottish Rite Mason of the thirty-second degree and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine. He also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias lodge, in which he is a past chancellor, with the Elks and with the Woodmen of the World. He belongs to the First Baptist church and his political allegiance is given to the republican
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party. He served as councilman of the tenth ward of New Haven for one term but has never been ambitions to hold office, preferring to do his public duties as a private citizen. He is a member of the Union League Club of New Haven and is well known in business circles in the Naugatuck valley, being numbered with those who through personal effort and prompted by laudable ambition have reached the goal of success.
JAMES B. WOOLSON.
James B. Woolson, engaged in the manufacture of small novelties and metal specialties, was born in Watertown, August 26, 1867, his parents being Augustus N. and Sarah Jane (Davis) Woolson, who were married in 1861. The mother was also a native of Watertown, while the father was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. He was a son of James Rix Woolson, while his wife was a daughter of Anthony G. Davis, a representative of one of the oldest families of Watertown. In fact James B. Woolson is descended on both sides from early colonial families prominently and actively associated with the history of the state in the upbuilding of its material, intellectual and moral interests. After mastering the branches of learning taught in the public schools he attended the Wesleyan Academy and also had the benefit of instruction in Eastman's Business College at Pough- keepsie, New York. He then went to work in his father's factory and succeeded to the ownership of the business upon his father's death in 1903. In the '50s the plant was devoted to the manufacture of silks and various lines of business have been conducted there. In 1850 the present mill was built. Since 1873 the company has manufactured umbrellas and hardware furniture and small metal specialties. About thirty-five people are now employed and the business is a profitable onc.
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