USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 33
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J. JOHNSON & SONS.
One of the well equipped men's clothing stores of Waterbury is that conducted under the name of J. Johnson & Sons. It was opened October 8, 1913. The business was orig- inally founded by Jacob Johnson many years ago but eventually he sold out to Mayer Kaiser and went to New Haven, where he opened a men's clothing store. Subsequently he was out of business for a few years on account of ill health. When his son, J. C. Johnson, reached manhood the father bought out the Oak Hall Clothing Company and organized the J. Johnson & Son Company at New Haven, there remaining actively in the trade until his death in the fall of 1903. He was always known as a progressive and thoroughly re- liable merchant. Establishing business in Waterbury more than a half century ago, he was known and loved by all. He made his name a synonym for honorable dealing and he possessed social qualities which endeared him to those with whom he came in contact.
The present Waterbury establishment, situated at Nos. 116 to 120 Bank street, is forty-two by one hundred and ten feet, occupying the first floor and basement. They carry the Kuppenheimer clothes, the Leopold Morse garments of Boston and a full line of haberdashery and men's furnishings of all kinds. They employ seven clerks in addition to three tailors; manager is Walter W. Wood.
EDWARD R. BECKLEY.
Edward R. Beckley, first selectman of Winsted and well known in business circles as a contractor and builder, was born in the town of Salisbury, Litchfield county, Con- necticut, April 14. 1865, and about the moment when President Lincoln was shot. His parents were Reuben and Hulda Ann (Prindle) Beckley, both of whom were natives of Litchfield county. The father, who was a machinist by trade and followed that pursuit in order to provide for his family, passed away April 24, 1897, while the mother survived until May 14, 1901. In the family were three sons, the two brothers of E. R. Beckley being Ernest Ingersol and Joseph B. Beckley. He also has one half sister and a half brother, namely, Mrs. Emma Andrews and Clarence Bissell.
Edward R. Beckley was reared in the village of Lime Rock until he reached the age of twelve years, after which he spent more than a decade upon a farm in the town of Cornwall, where he was employed as a farm hand. During the first two years of his service he received only his board and clothes in compensation for his labor. At the age of twenty-four years, or in the spring of 1889, he came to Winsted, where he learned the carpenter's trade and he has since devoted his attention to carpentering, building and gen- eral contracting. He has prospered as the years have gone by and is now well situated financially. Not only has he enjoyed a liberal patronage but as the years have gone on he has made judicious investment in real estate and he and his wife now own several good properties and also a farm. Thoroughness, faithfulness and reliability have char- acterized him in all of his work and as the years have passed he has steadily progressed, winning a very substantial position among the leading contractors and builders of his city.
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Mr. and Mrs. Beekley have one living ehild, Esther Charlotte, who is now the wife of Harry Tueker Smith, of Birmingham, Alabama.
Mr. Beckley has ever been deeply and helpfully interested in eommunity affairs and is now serving as one of the directors of the Winsted Chamber of Commerce. In polities he has always been a stalwart republican, was ehosen a member of the board of seleetmen and by his colleagues on that board was elected first seleetman on the 1st of October, 1917, to succeed P. J. Darcey, who retired. He is a member of the board for the third term and his public record is one over which there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, for he has been most loyal in his devotion to the general good. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal ehureh and fraternally he is a Royal Areh and Couneil Mason, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the eneampment and the Rebekah degree, is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and a member and one of the trustees of the New England Order of Protection His life, honorable in purpose and straightforward in action, has gained for him the esteem and confidenee of all with whom he has been associated and his activities have been of a nature that have contributed to publie progress and improvement. At the same time he has earefully and wisely managed his business interests, winning that legitimate sucecss which is the goal of all honorable endeavor.
CHARLES W. S. FROST, M. D.
Dr. Charles W. S. Frost, who through the years of his connection with the medical profession at Waterbury has enjoyed an extensive practice of important character, came to the outset of his eareer well equipped by thorough college training and has since remained a student of professional prineiples, keeping in touch with the trend of modern scientific research and investigation.
The Doetor was born in Waterbury, December 22, 1857, and is a deseendant in the fifth generation of Samuel Frost, a native of England, who in the year 1700 eame to the new world. He was married Mareh 21, 1733, to Naomi Fenn, of Wallingford, and they became parents of David Frost, who was born September 16, 1743. On the 6th of November, 1761, he wedded Mary Beaeh, a daughter of Joseph Beach, a prominent eitizen of that period. Following the outbreak of hostilities with the mother country David Frost joined the Continental army in the war for independenee. He lived to enjoy Ameriean liberty for many years, passing away Deeember 15, 1812. His son, Enoch Frost, born in Southington, Con- nectieut, January 8, 1765, devoted his entire life to farming and passed away May 27, 1822. He married Anna Culver and they had a family of six children: Anna, Stephen C., Selah, Nancy, Enoeh W. and Euniee. The second son of this family was born in Waterbury, February 2, 1798, and for many years engaged in merchandising in Torrington. His death oeeurred in 1848. His wife bore the maiden name of Ursula Brooker and they were parents of two children: Mary, the deceased wife of George Mason; and Warren S. The latter was born in Torrington, January 19, 1827, and was married to Miss Edna J. Spring, of Collins- ville, Conneetieut, whose father, Thomas Spring, a farmer and wheelwright, was born at Granby, Conneetieut. The Springs are of English lineage, the family being founded in Ameriea about 1680. Mrs. Frost, who was a devoted wife and mother and a lady of many admirable gifts and attractive social qualities, passed away September 20, 1897, while Mr. Frost survived only until April 20, 1899. He and his family were all connected with the Congregational ehureh and in polities he was a republican. For many years he served as a member of the Waterbury common eouneil and exereised his official prerogatives in support of many measures for the publie good.
Dr. Frost, son of Warren S. and Edna J. Frost, attended the public schools of Waterbury and also the English and Classical School and thus prepared for a college eourse. In 1876 he matrieulated at Yale, where he entered upon preparation for the medical profession, and in 1880 he was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York eity. His vaeation periods had been spent in hospital work in New York and with his graduation he returned to Waterbury for active praetiee. . Through the intervening years, now numbering thirty-seven, he has enjoyed a very gratifying praetiee, the public recog- nizing his superior ability to eope with the intrieate and complex problems that con- tinually eonfront the physician. In 1887 he was made a member of the board of health of Waterbury and for two years served as its president. He has been both eity and town health officer, holding the position for ten years, and he is a member of the staff of the Waterbury Hospital and of St. Mary's Hospital. For eleven years he was the secretary
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DR. CHARLES W. S. FROST
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of the Waterbury Medical Society and has also been honored with the presidency of that organization. He belongs to the New Haven County, the Connecticut State and the American Medical Associations and through the proceedings of those organizations as they meet in convention he learns much of value to his practice and is always ready to adopt any new method or principle which his judgment sanctions as of worth in his professional work. In 1906-7 he pursued post graduate courses in the New York Polyclinic, in which he specialized in dermatology. Since 1896 he has been secretary of the United States pension examining board at Waterbury.
On the 5th of February, 1880, Dr. Frost was united in marriage to Miss Jennie G. Davis and they became the parents of a daughter, Edna J., who is now the wife of Charles D. Goodale, of Torrington, Connecticut, and has two children, Nathan Warren and Arline. On the 31st of December, 1891, Dr. Frost was married to Mrs. Minnie L. Ryder, a daughter of Leander Wright, of West Ashford, Connecticut. There are two children of this mar- riage: Barbara, who is a graduate of St. Margaret's school of Waterbury; and Sela, now a junior in that school. The mother is a practicing dentist of Waterbury who has been active in the profession here since 1888. She is also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Waterbury Woman's Club and is prominent both socially and professionally.
Dr. Frost has membership with the Masons, the Red Men, the Royal Arcanum, the Heptasophs, the Elks, the Sons of the American Revolution and several social organizations. He also belongs to the First Congregational church and his life is actuated by high and hon- orable principles and he stands as a splendid type of American manhood and chivalry.
PAUL D. HAMILTON.
Paul D. Hamilton, president and treasurer of the Hamilton Hardware Corporation, is thus widely known as one of the leading and representative business men of Waterbury, where his entire life has been passed and where he has so directed his efforts as to win not only success but the high and merited regard of his fellowmen. He was born on the 1st of September, 1873, a son of David B. Hamilton and a descendant in the seventh generation of Sir William Hamilton, who was a son of Gallatin Hamilton, of Glasgow. Scotland, and became the founder of the family in the new world. He settled with his family on Cape Cod, where he captured a whale that had been driven on the beach during a storm. For this he was accused of witchcraft and of being an emissary of the devil. In consequence he fled to Rhode Island and afterward became a resident of Danbury, Connecticut, establishing his home on Bear mountain, where remains of the old house were seen as late as 1835. He had a family of six children, including Joseph Hamilton, who married and had three sons, Silas, Benjamin and Joseph, all of whom were born at Bear mountain and died in Danbury. Of these Silas was the direct ancestor of Paul D. Hamilton in the third generation. He had a family of five sons, the second being Paul, who was born November 19, 1752, and who was the great-grandfather of his namesake, Paul D. Hamilton. His birth occurred November 19, 1752, and he passed away May 31, 1830. His wife, Anna (Stevens) Hamilton, who was born in 1757 and died in 1829, was a daughter of Lieutenant Ezra Stevens, who served as an officer in the war for inde- pendence and who married Abigail Barnum, who was the first white child born in Danbury, Connecticut. Paul and Anna (Stevens) Hamilton became the parents of six sons and four daughters, including David Hamilton, who was born in 1791 and departed this life in 1834. He married Deborah Knapp Boughton, whose birth occurred in 1790 and who died in 1864. Their children were: Julia Ann, who was born in 1812, became the wife of William G. Ellis and passed away in Hartford in . 1850; Clarissa Mariette, who was born in 1815, married Hiram Wildman and died in Hartford in 1889; Lorenzo, who was born in 1818, wedded Lavinia Delliver and died in California in 1869; Orville, who was born in 1821, married Elizabeth Lyon and died in Texas in 1888; David Boughton, born in Danbury, October 19, 1824; and Elizabeth, who was born in 1827 and became the wife of Henry Champlin.
Of this family David B. Hamilton, father of Paul D. Hamilton, was reared in Danbury and supplemented his public school training there received by study in a select school in Hartford. In early youth he began preparation for the ministry and later he studied law for a time but found that his tendency was toward commercial rather than pro- fessional pursuits and in time entered that field. In early manhood, however, he taught school for two years and in 1851 became a clerk in the postoffice at Hartford. In 1853
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he became a salesman for Rogers & Brothers, who in that year entered upon the manu- facture of silver plated ware, and in 1858 he became a member of the firm of Rogers & Brothers, after which he remained in the silver plating business for forty-two years, save for a brief period in 1856 which he spent in California for the benefit of his health, and again during the period of his service in the Union army in the Civil war. He enlisted in 1861, being in Baltimore on the memorable 19th of April when the Union soldiers were attacked by Rebel forces in that city. The next day he was in Washington and joined a company of volunteers raised by Colonel Cassius M. Clay for the defense of the capital. A few days later he returned to Connecticut and enlisted in the Fifth Connecticut Volun- teer Infantry, of which he was commissioned a first lieutenant. In 1862 he was promoted to a captaincy and on the 10th of January, 1863, was honorably discharged because of dis- ability. He then resumed his connection with the silver plating business and was secretary of the firm of Rogers & Brothers from its incorporation until 1868, when he was elected treasurer. In 1878 he became president and filled both positions in a most capable manner, making the business one of the foremost enterprises of the kind in the country. Upon the incorporation of the Manufacturers National Bank in 1881 he was chosen its president and upon the reorganization of the Waterbury Lumber & Coal Company in 1883 he was called to the same office. He served as president of the Connecticut Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company from 1891 until 1894 and was extensively interested in various other important business enterprises of Connecticut, including the William Rogers Manu- facturing Company of Hartford, the Meriden Britannia Company and the Bridgeport Brass Company, being a member of the directorate of all of these. Captain Hamilton was a republican and was called upon to fill various offices. He served as councilman and alderman of Waterbury and as one of the water commissioners from 1885 to 1893. He was also elected to the state senate in 1881 to fill a vacancy. He belonged to Wadhams Post, G. A. R., and was one of a committee of three appointed by that organization to raise money for a soldiers' monument. He held membership in the New York Com- mandery of the Loyal Legion, was a Knight Templar Mason and an Odd Fellow. He stood as one of the most prominent citizens of Waterbury, not only in his business con- nections, but in all other relations and was a recognized leader of public thought and action.
On the 6th of May, 1847, Captain Hamilton wedded Mary Rogers, a daughter of S. Rogers, of Hartford. She passed away May 22, 1859, leaving a son, Charles Alfred, born May 3, 1849. On the 9th of June, 1863, Captain Hamilton married Miss Mary Elizabeth Birely, a daughter of William Birely, of Frederick, Maryland. Her death occurred August 27, 1870. Her son, Lewis Birely, born in 1864, was graduated from Yale in 1886 and is a civil engineer by profession. The daughter is Katherine Hamilton. On the 1st of September, 1871, Captain Hamilton was united in marriage to Isabel L. Ely, a daughter of John Griswold Ely, of Lyme, a descendant in the eighth generation of Richard Ely, who came from Plymouth, England, in 1660 and settled in Boston. His grandfather, Leonard Ely, elder of Wouston, who died in 1615, was the grandson of John Ely, who was born about 1492 and was the warden of the palace of the bishops of Winchester in 1540. When Richard Ely came to the new world he was accompanied by his two sons, William and Richard, his wife having previously passed away. In 1664 he married Mrs. Cullick, a widow and a sister of Colonel Fenwick. He settled at Lyme, where he and his sons owned four thousand acres of land. He died in 1690 and was laid to rest in the Ely burying ground at Lyme. His son, William Ely, born in 1647, died in 1717. He married Elizabeth Strong, a daughter of Simon Strong, who with twenty-eight others took up all the land between Haddam and Saybrook except Six Mile island, whereon William Ely made his home. His son, William Ely, Jr., was married in 1715 to Hannah Thompson, of Ipswich, Massa- chusetts, and for his second wife chose Mary Noyes. His family numbered ten children, seven born of the first marriage. James Ely, of that family, was born in 1718 and passed away in 1766. He wedded Dorcas Andrews, of Ipswich, in 1742 and they had ten children. All six of their sons served in the Revolution and Aaron was killed at the battle of Kings Bridge in 1776. James Ely, the second son of James and Dorcas (Andrews) Ely, was born in 1743 and in 1768 married Catherine Hayes, while later Prudence Hewitt became his wife. Of the nine children of the first marriage, John Ely was born in 1781 and died in 1817. He wedded Lucy Miller, who passed away in 1859 at the age of eighty-two. Their family of six children included John Griswold Ely, who was born in 1810 and died in 1863. In 1830 he wedded Sally Pratt Williams, who was born in 1812 and died in Lymne in May, 1901. They had eleven children, the sixth of whom was Isabel L., who became the wife of Captain Hamilton.
The only child of this marriage was Paul D. Hamilton, who was graduated from Yale
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with the class of 1894 and received his initial business training with the firm of Rogers & Brothers. In 1895 he went to Providence, Rhode Island, to become secretary of the E. C. Church Company, dealers in heavy hardware. He remained in Providence until 1902, when he opened a branch establishment for that concern on Grand street in Waterbury and he took charge in this city. In 1903 he organized the Hamilton Hardware Corporation, of which he became the president and treasurer, with G. A. Gove as the secretary and W. U. Harris as a director. A year later Mr. Gove retired and two years afterward Mr. Harris withdrew from connection with the business. Mr. Hamilton remains as the president and treasurer of the company, with R. J. Boland as vice president and general manager and J. W. Littlejohn as secretary. The plant is now located at Nos. 90-94 Bank street, in a building thirty by one hundred and fifty feet and four stories in height with basement. In the rear is a large warehouse. They conduct both a wholesale and retail business and are represented on the road by two traveling salesmen, while in the Waterbury estab- lishment they have twenty-five employes. Their trade covers the Naugatuck valley, including a radius of about twenty-five miles.
On the 8th of January, 1902, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Mary Peters, of West Newton, Massachusetts, and their children are Katherine, David B. and Lawrence M. Mr. Hamilton has an interesting military chapter in his life record, having served for three years as a member of the Rhode Island State Militia, while during the Spanish-American war he enlisted for active duty with the First Rhode Island Infantry and saw hospital service. He belongs to the York Hall Society of New Haven and is a member of the Graduates Club of New Haven, of the Waterbury Club, of the Waterbury Country Club, the Sons of Veterans, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In politics he is a republican and lie belongs to the Connecticut Civil Service Reform League. He is interested in all those questions which are of vital moment to the community or have significance in relation to its development and progress. He represents two of the oldest families of the state and their splendid record of patriotism, loyalty and progressiveness is upheld by him.
JAMES E. DEAN.
James E. Dean is a retired coal merchant of Winsted still actively connected with real estate interests. Enterprise and determination have been crowning points in his career and his salient characteristics have ever been such as to have commended him to the confidence and goodwill of business colleagues and contemporaries. He removed to Winsted- in 1869 from the town of Canaan, Connecticut, and he is numbered among the native sons of the state, his birth having occurred in Sharon, Connecticut, January 8, 1842. His parents were William and Charlotte (Richardson) Dean. The father was a farmer by occupation and upon the old homestead farm in the town of Sharon, Litchfield county, James E. Dean was reared with the usual experiences of a farm-bred boy. He had perhaps better educational opportunities than eome to some, for he supplemented his district school education with instruction in the best select schools in town. At the age of twenty he was examined for service in the Civil war but on account of his frail health was rejected. At his present age of seventy-five, however, he is quite strong and vigorous. He came to Winsted in 1869 and purchased a farm in the suburbs of the eity. He entered into business relations with the late Edward Manchester and was for many years actively and successfully engaged in the dairy and creamery business. It was Messrs. Manchester and Dean who started the first creamery in Winsted. He finally sold his interest in the business to his partner after his activities had brought him a substantial measure of success. For the past twelve years he has been active as a real estate dealer and broker and handles his own property and also buys and sells for others on commission. Years ago he was connected with a confectionery business, owning a plant in which he hired others to do the manufacturing, while he attended to the sales end of the business. He continued successfully in that field for several years and in fact it has always been characteristic of Mr. Dean that he carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes, for he has never allowed difficulties nor obstacles to brook his path if they could be overcome by persistent, earnest effort. After retiring from the confectionery business he spent about twelve years as a prosperous coal merchant and finally sold out his coal yard to the Tiffany & Pickett Company.
In 1861, Mr. Dean was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. White, then a young maiden of eighteen. They celebrated their golden wedding on the 26th of September, 1911. On the occasion of both their twenty-fifth and fiftieth anniversaries their friends
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he became a salesman for Rogers & Brothers, who in that year entered upon the manu- facture of silver plated ware, and in 1858 he became a member of the firm of Rogers & Brothers, after which he remained in the silver plating business for forty-two years, save for a brief period in 1856 which he spent in California for the benefit of his health, and again during the period of his service in the Union army in the Civil war. He enlisted in 1861, being in Baltimore on the memorable 19th of April when the Union soldiers were attacked by Rebel forces in that city. The next day he was in Washington and joined a company of volunteers raised by Colonel Cassius M. Clay for the defense of the capital. A few days later he returned to Connecticut and enlisted in the Fifth Connecticut Volun- teer Infantry, of which he was commissioned a first lieutenant. In 1862 he was promoted to a captaincy and on the 10th of January, 1863, was honorably discharged because of dis- ability. He then resumed his connection with the silver plating business and was secretary of the firm of Rogers & Brothers from its incorporation until 1868, when he was elected treasurer. In 1878 he became president and filled both positions in a most capable manner, making the business one of the foremost enterprises of the kind in the country. Upon the incorporation of the Manufacturers National Bank in 1881 he was chosen its president and upon the reorganization of the Waterbury Lumber & Coal Company in 1883 he was called to the same office. He served as president of the Connecticut Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company from 1891 until 1894 and was extensively interested in various other important business enterprises of Connecticut, including the William Rogers Manu- facturing Company of Hartford, the Meriden Britannia Company and the Bridgeport Brass Company, being a member of the directorate of all of these. Captain Hamilton was a republican and was called upon to fill various offices. He served as councilman and alderman of Waterbury and as one of the water commissioners from 1885 to 1893. He was also elected to the state senate in 1881 to fill a vacancy. He belonged to Wadhams Post, G. A. R., and was one of a committee of three appointed by that organization to raise money for a soldiers' monument. He held membership in the New York Com- mandery of the Loyal Legion, was a Knight Templar Mason and an Odd Fellow. He stood as one of the most prominent citizens of Waterbury, not only- in his business con- nections, but in all other relations and was a recognized leader of public thought and action.
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