USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 60
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There the son was reared and educated, completing a high school course by graduation with the class of 1887. Throughout his entire business career he has been identified with manufacturing interests. In 1890 he entered the silk mill of Belding Brothers, there remaining until 1893, when he went to the west, traveling from Chicago to the Pacific coast for the silk mill in which he had formerly been employed. The year 1896 witnessed his arrival in Waterbury and on the 5th of April, 1897, he entered the employ of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company. His close application and indefatigable energy here won recognition. Many claim that chances for advancement at the present age are few, but there are hundreds, yes thousands of cases, that stand in refutation of this statement. Mr. Kellogg worked his way upward through the manufacturing departments and later through the office department. He was from time to time assigned to duty as foreman of various departments and thus was gaining intimate and accurate knowledge of the business from many viewpoints. His developing powers and increasing ability brought him at length to the front and in 1910 he was made assistant superintendent of the Benedict & Burnham branch of the American Brass Company and has since occupied that position.
On the 6th of October, 1903, Mr. Kellogg was married to Miss Emily B. Field, of Waterbury, a daughter of Francis B. and Ella (Cooke) Field. His political endorsement is given to the republican party and he and his wife attend St. John's Episcopal church. In club circles he is well known as a member of the Waterbury and the Waterbury Country Clubs, two of the leading social organizations of the city.
JULIUS MALTBY.
Julius Maltby is the secretary of the Waterbury Buckle Company, one of the old manufacturing concerns of the city, having been in existence here for almost sixty-five years. In fact the business was established four years before the birth of the present secretary, who is a native son of Waterbury, born on the 20th of January, 1857. His parents were Douglas F. and Mary S. (Somers) Maltby. The student of Connecticut's early history learns that the Maltby family was established in this state during the period of colonization. The grandparents, Julius and Melinda (Fowler) Maltby, were farm- ing people of the town of North Branford and there Douglas F. Maltby was born May 7, 1820. His preparatory training was received in Bacon Academy at Colchester, which he
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entered in 1838, and in 1840 he became a student at Yale, but ill health obliged him to discontinue his studies in 1842. Through the succeeding winter he was assistant teacher in the Waterbury Academy and in 1846 he entered the employ of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company, of which he became one of the stockholders and was elected a director. From that time forward he was closely identified with the manufacturing interests of the city and in 1855 became treasurer and manager of the Waterbury Button Company. In 1861 he became president and treasurer of Maltby, Morgan & Company, which was organized for the manufacture of buttons and capitalized for twenty-four thousand dollars. In 1865 their plant was practically destroyed by fire. The Scovill Manufacturing Company purchased all that remained of the property and business and Mr. Maltby became a stock- holder and director of that concern. In 1873 he formed a partnership with Eli Curtiss, of Watertown, and L. J. Atwood and under the style of Maltby, Curtiss & Company established business in New York, Mr. Maltby becoming the financial manager and manufacturer at Waterbury. In 1885 a new company was formed under the firm name of Maltby, Henley & Company, and from 1886 Mr. Maltby spent most of his time in New York. He also became president and treasurer of the Maltby, Stevens & Curtiss Company, formed for the manufacture of German silver, flat and hollow ware at Wallingford. He was married twice. On the 26th of February, 1851, Miss Mary Ann Somers became his second wife and they had a family of eight children, the fourth in order of birth being Julius Maltby whose name introduces this review.
After attending public and private schools Julius Maltby started out in the business world at the age of seventeen. He went to the New York store of the Scovill Manufacturing Company and was with the store of that corporation in New York city for five years. He was afterward a traveling salesman with the firm of Maltby, Curtiss & Company of New York, remaining upon the road for about eight years. He next joined the firm of Maltby, Curtiss & Company of New York as one of the partners and fifteen years later took charge of the interests of Maltby, Stevens & Curtiss at Wallingford. He remained there for a few years, but returned to Waterbury about 1897 and became secretary of the Waterbury Buckle Company, with which he has since been actively identified. This company was organized April 7, 1853. Its present officers are: Archer J. Smith, president and treasurer; and Julius Maltby, secretary. The factory includes a three story building six hundred by four hundred feet and new buildings which have been added are five stories in height. The factory is of mill construction and supplied with sprinkler system and one hundred and seventy horse power is used in furnishing the electric current. There is a group drive motor system and four hundred employes, mostly skilled operatives, are used in the manufacture of all kinds of buckles and brass and steel specialties, their product being sold widely to other manufacturers.
In 1882 Mr. Maltby was married to Miss Harriet Fowler, of Poughkeepsie, New York. Their first child died in infancy. Their daughter, Olive Douglas, is now the wife of A. Livingston Kelley, of Providence, Rhode Island, and they have three children, Jean, Doris and Harriet.
Mr. Maltby attends St. John's Episcopal church and his political endorsement is given to the republican party. He is a well known club man, being identified with the Home, Water- bury, Waterbury Country and Madison Country Clubs. His different activities have brought him into relation with some of the largest and most important manufacturing interests of Waterbury. His experience has been broad and varied and he is recognized as a forceful and resourceful man to whom opportunity is ever a call to action.
DENIS J. GRIFFIN.
Denis J. Griffin, a real estate dealer with office and residence at No. 47 Cooke street in Waterbury, became a resident of this city thirty-seven years ago and has occupied his present home since 1915, when he acquired it by purchase. It was formerly the Frisbie home and was built eighty-five years ago, being one of the oldest residences on one of the oldest streets of Waterbury. It is a two-story frame house of twelve rooms, in a splendid state of preservation and has been modernized by Mr. Griffin, although it retains much of the general outline of nearly a century ago.
Mr. Griffin was born in Ireland, September 14, 1865. His father, grandfather and great- grandfather were all named Denis Griffin and in fact as far back as there is any record of the family the eldest son has been called by the name of Denis. The father was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and upon coming to the United States settled in Hartford, Connecticut. The family removed in 1880 to Waterbury, where the father died in the
DENIS J. GRIFFIN
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year 1891. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Huggard, died in 1910. She too was born in County Kerry, Ireland, where their marriage was celebrated before they started to the new world. Their four eldest ehildren, Elizabeth, Ellen, Mary and Denis, were born in Ireland. The first two are now deceased, while Mary resides in New Haven, the wife of Thomas J. Dwyer. Two other children, sons, were born in the United States and are living. These are James H. and Alfred H., the latter being a resident of New York state, while James H. is living in Texas.
Denis J. Griffin is the only son residing in Waterbury, whither he came with his parents when a youth of fifteen years. He attended parochial schools in Hartford until he reached the age of ten, after which he spent five years as a student in a private school in Spring- field, Massachusetts, during which period he resided in the home of an aunt in that eity. While yet a young lad he obtained a position in the old Waterbury watch factory and was there employed in various capacities of increasing importance for many years. He finally resigned his position in 1902 to engage in the real estate business on his own account and has since devoted his entire time to that work. He has developed several important tracts of land in Waterbury, notably the Boughton traet on South Main street, on which he laid out sixty lots with streets and alleys. Over forty three-family houses and several six-family houses have been erected on that tract, adding to the taxable valuation of Waterbury property worth about a quarter of a million dollars. Mr. Griffin has recently sold the last of the lots in that tract.
In 1885 Mr. Griffin was married to Miss Mary Jane Byrnes of Waterbury, who was born in Westchester county, New York, and they have four children: Helen, now the wife of Albert E. Bluett of Bridgeport; Mary E., the wife of Clarence A. Cowles of South- ington, Connecticut; Julia Margaret, at home; and Denis, a young man of sixteen years, in school.
The family are communicants of the Immaculate Conception Catholic church. In politics Mr. Griffin is a democrat and in the '90s served for one term in the city council, during which time he was clerk of the council. His political activity consists only in exer- cising his right of franchise, and he often casts a ballot independent of party ties. He finds recreation in fishing and chess, and he is fond of reading, possessing a splendid library of his own.
GORDON W. BURNHAM.
The name of Gordon W. Burnham is listed high among those who are most active and successful in controlling the mammoth manufacturing interests of Waterbury, for he is treasurer and manager of the Waterbury Brass Goods Corporation and secretary of the American Brass Company. Acquainted with every phase of the business, he is bending his energies to administrative direction and executive control and is a contributing factor to the growth and consequent prosperity of the interests with which he is identified. He was born in New York, November 15, 1870. and comes of a family that from pioneer times has been identified with the brass industry in this city. He is a son of Douglass W. Burnham and a grandson of Gordon Webster Burnham, while the ancestry is traced back through eight generations to John Burnham, of Ipswich, Massachusetts, who was the eldest of three brothers who came to America in 1635.
Gordon W. Burnham, the grandfather, was reared upon his father's farm and when eighteen began the business of "trunk peddling," which was a common method of sale in that day. However, he returned to Hampton, his native city, and there entered into partnership with Mason Cleaveland. In the course of his business he displayed marked ability as a salesman and was engaged by Edwin R. Yale of Meriden to sell tinware. Eventually he removed to Waterbury in 1834 and entered into partnership with Aaron Benedict, who some years before had engaged in the manufacture of gilt buttons. This was said to be the initial step in the development of Waterbury's manufacturing interests and consequent prosperity. The business had been continued with changing partnerships until February 10, 1834, when Mr. Burnham joined Mr. Benedict and the firm of Benedict & Burnham was formed with a capital stock of forty thousand dollars. This was increased March 16, 1838, to seventy-one thousand dollars and March 11, 1840, to one hundred thousand dollars. The business was organized as the first joint stock corporation of Waterbury, January 14, 1843, under the name of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company, and at that time capitalized for one hundred thousand dollars. Its history has been one of steady growth and develop- ment since and at various times other joint stoek companies have been formed as branch concerns to take over some special department of the business. Thus came into existence the American Pin Company, the Waterbury Button Company, the Benedict & Scovill Com- Vol. III-20
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pany, the Waterbury Cloek Company and the Waterbury Watch Company. Gordon W. Burnham, after a year's connection with the business, removed to New York to take eare of the company's sales and thereafter continued his residenee in the metropolis. He was for twenty years a director in several of the Waterbury concerns and from 1879 was the president of Holmes, Booth & Haydens. Following the death of Charles Benedict he became president of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company and of its auxiliary companies and during his residence in New York, covering a half century, he became a director of various banks, insurance and railroad companies.
Gordon W. Burnham was a man of marked publie spirit, was a generous contributor to St. John's and Trinity churches of New York and presented to the city the statue of Daniel Webster now seen in Central park. He was married June 19, 1831, to Mrs. Ann (Plumb) Ives, of Meriden, who died in 1847, while the death of Mr. Burnham occurred March 18, 1885. Their only child was Douglass William Burnham, who was born in 1843 and died in 1892. He had become the associate of his father in business and was active in the manage- ment of the important Benedict & Burnham interests at Waterbury, although retaining his residence in New York city.
Gordon W. Burnham, our subject, acquiring his education in private schools, became connected with the brass business in 1889 as a representative of the Benedict & Burnham Company in the New York office at No. 13 Murray street. He removed to Waterbury in 1890 to assume the duties of assistant treasurer of the company but returned to New York in 1897. When the American Brass Company took over the Benedict & Burnham Manu- facturing Company he returned to Waterbury to assume active direction of the business at this point but still retains his residence in New York. He was made secretary of the American Brass Company and has been a member of its board of directors since the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company was merged into the American Brass Company. He is also treasurer and manager of the Waterbury Brass Goods Corporation, which employs between five and six hundred people, most of whom are skilled workmen, engaged in the manufacture of general brass goods and finished goods, which they largely sell to other manufacturers. They specialize mostly in the manufacture of parts and their plant at No. 160 Washington avenue covers an area of four hundred feet square. Their four-story building is of mill construction, supplied with sprinkler system and equipped with steam and electric power.
In January, 1901, Gordon W. Burnham was married to Isabelle J. Oswald, of Montreal, and they have two children, Gordon W. and Douglass Oswald. Mr. Burnham is a member of the Waterbury, the Waterbury Country and the St. James Clubs.
ADRIAN F. WOLFF.
Adrian F. Wolff, master mechanic with the Scovill Manufacturing Company and thus a prominent figure in industrial circles of the city, was born in Grandfontaine, department of Vosges, France, July 1, 1853, and is a son of Francis F. and Celestine Wolff. The father came to the United States in 1861 and made preparations for the arrival of the family. The mother then came in 1865 with her three sons: Lucian F., who was born June 13, 1851, and died November, 1917; Adrian F .; and Captain Alfred J. Wolff, who was born Mareh 11, 1856. Settling at Waterbury, Francis F. Wolff was employed by the Waterbury Farrel Foundry & Machine Company and later he was at Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was in the employ of the Naugatuck Railroad Company. On the 15th of January, 1866, he returned to Waterbury and was again with the Farrel foundry until 1869. He passed away February 1, 1870, while his widow, long surviving him, died in 1897.
Adrian F. Wolff is indebted to the public school systems of Waterbury and of Bridge- port for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. He was a youth of fourteen when he began providing for his own support by entering the employ of the Scovill Manufacturing Company, with which he learned the machinist's and tool maker's trade. He continued thus active in business until 1883, when he was made assistant foreman of the tool and machine department in recognition of his increasing efficiency along his chosen line of labor. The year 1890 won him a second promotion, at which time he became fore- man of the tool and machine department. Later he was advanced to the position of master mechanic and mechanical superintendent, with seven hundred tool makers and machinists under his direction. He has few equals and no superiors in his line and his ability is proven by the fact that he has been with the Scovill Company for a half century-one of its most trusted and capable representatives, His position is one of large responsibility. Upon the
ADRIAN F. WOLFF
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work of the tool makers depends the success of the business in no small measure and this work is under the immediate supervision of Mr. Wolff.
On the 13th of June, 1882, Mr. Wolff was married to Miss Elizabeth Lavin, who was born in Ansonia, a daughter of Terrence and Elizabeth Lavin, who were natives of Ireland and came to the United States in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Wolff have become parents of two sons and a daughter: Adrian L., who was born in 1886 and is employed by the Scovill Manufacturing Company as foreman of the fuse testing room; Victor A., who was attending the Sheffield Scientific School and now is a second lieutenant, United States Artillery; and Grace Elizabeth, who died in infancy. The parents are members of St. Ann's Catholic church and Mr. Wolff has membership with the Woodmen of the World. In polities he is a republican, usually voting for the party yet not hesitating to cast an independent ballot if his judgment so dictates. America is a self-made country, the product of self-made men. Among those who have won for themselves substantial positions in the business world in Waterbury is Adrian F. Wolff, whose marked ability and substantial worth have gained him his present important position with Waterbury's largest industry.
JOSEPH FREDERICK WALKER.
Joseph Frederick Walker, superintendent for the American Brass Company of the Benedict & Burnham branch at Waterbury, has for a quarter of a century been connected with this business. He worked his way upward through the mills, eventually becoming foreman of the rolling mills, and the ability which he displayed later led to his being called to executive position. A native of Woodbury, Connecticut, he was born on the 4th of September. 1876, a son of Frederick A. and Fannie (Thompson) Walker, the latter a native of Huntsville, Alabama. The former, who was born in New Preston, Connecticut, became a druggist of Woodbury, where he carried on business for a number of years and in 1881 he came to Waterbury, where for ten years he was connected with the hardware trade. In later life he lived retired, enjoying the fruits of his former toil up to the time of his death.
Joseph Frederick Walker was a high school pupil of Waterbury to the age of sixteen years, when, desirous of providing for his own support, he entered the employ of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company on the 17th of May, 1892. He secured a position in the mills and was employed in various capacities in connection with the opera- tion of the plant. His loyalty and unflagging industry led to his advancement from time to time until after ten years' experience in connection with the manufacturing end of the business he was made foreman of the rolling mills in 1902. In 1905, when the company was taken over by the American Brass Company, he became assistant superintendent under Frank L. Weaver and in 1910 he was made superintendent of the Benedict & Burnham branch at Waterbury and now has direct supervision over the operations of this extensive plant, a position for which he is well qualified owing to the thorough training which he had in his practical experience. He watches closely every feature of the business and its possi- bilities for development and improvement and his carefully defined plans are a valuable contributing factor to the success of the undertaking.
In 1910 Mr. Walker was married to Miss Birdina Hayes, of Waterbury. They hold membership in St. John's Episcopal church and are well known in this city. Mr. Walker also holds membership in the Waterbury Club, while in Masonic circles he has attained high rank, having passed through the York and Scottish Rite degrees, thus becoming a Knight Templar and a Consistory Mason. He is also a Noble of the Mystic Shrine and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In polities he is a republican and, being well versed on the questions and issues of the day, is able to support his position by intelligent argument, but he does not seek nor desire office, preferring to concentrate his entire attention upon his business interests.
HON. FRANCIS P. BRETT.
Hon. Francis P. Brett, attorney, who at one time represented Waterbury in the state legislature and now, in addition to his law practice, is giving considerable attention to real estate investments representing both business and residence property, was born in Waterbury, December 13. 1869, and is the only living child of Patrick and Elizabeth
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(Slater) Brett, both of whom are deceased. The father, who was born in County Sligo, Ireland, became secretary of the Waterbury Buekle Company and died in 1871. His wife, . a native of Vermont, passed away in 1896. They were married in Waterbury in 1866 and had two sons, the elder of whom, William H., died at the age of twenty-three years.
The younger, Francis P. Brett, was graduated from the Waterbury high school with the class of 1888 and in preparation for a professional career entered Yale, being graduated from the law school in 1892. He at once entered upon the practice of law in Waterbury, where he has since continued for twenty-five years. From time to time making investment in property, he has become the owner of large realty holdings in Waterbury, which inelude store and residence properties on South Main street and Chapman avenue, a three-family house on Chestnut avenue and a one-family house on the same street. On South Main street he owns a large amount of valuable property, consisting of business blocks and tenement houses. A major share of his attention is now given to the management of his extensive realty interests. Mr. Brett resides at No. 26 Chapman avenue, in the beautiful home built a few years ago by the late George S. Chatfield, having purchased the property from the Chatfield estate about two years ago. It is one of the most attractive homes in the northwestern seetion of Waterbury.
Mr. Brett is a member of the Waterbury and the Connecticut State Bar Associations. In politics he is a stalwart democrat and has served as town clerk for eight years, as treasurer of the democratic town committee for several years and for one term, in 1899, as a member of the general assembly. He was also for several years on the board of school visitors. He belongs to St. Margaret's Roman Catholic church, is a Knight of Columbus and has membership with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Foresters of America. He is likewise a member of the Brooklyn Athletic Club, of the Concordia Singing Society and of the German Turnverein. He is an associate member of Wadhams Post. G. A. R. He is fond of music and is a skilled pianist, turning to the art for much of his recreation.
JOHN H. ROPER.
For sixty-five years the name of Roper has been closely associated with copper and brass manufacturing interests in Waterbury and, following in the footsteps of his father in this connection, John H. Roper has become superintendent of the wire and rod mill of the Scovill Manufacturing Company. He was born in Waterbury, March 29, 1864, a son of Charles and Mary Elizabeth (Hogan) Roper, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. He was graduated from the public schools and also attended the Waterbury English and Classical School.
Mr. Roper crossed the threshold of the business world as an employe of Holmes, Booth & Haydens and in that connection learned the brass manufacturing business. He was afterward employed by the Ansonia Brass & Copper Company for about a year and in 1887 entered the employ of the Scovill Manufacturing Company. In 1889, however, he went to Bridgeport, where he was connected with the Aluminum Brass & Bronze Com- pany, being made superintendent of the wire and rod mill. He also looked after the Waterbury interests of the company in several capacities. The company liquidated in 1892 and Mr. Roper returned to Benedict & Burnham as superintendent of their wire mill at Waterbury. There he continued for a decade, when he became connected with the Scovill Manufacturing Company, and when the rolling mill was enlarged he was made superintendent of the wire and rod mill, which has been developed into one of the largest and best in the United States. Something of the extent of the business conducted in this department is indicated in the fact that Mr. Roper has about five hundred men, all skilled labor, under his immediate direction. He has contributed much to the success of this department of the business through his inventions. He produced the self-contained seven die tandem wire drawing machine, now in use for drawing wire from a quarter of an inch to No. 10 Brown & Sharpes gauge. This was built by the Farrel foundry for Benedict & Burnham in the early '90s. He also perfected the method of drawing tubing from five-eighths inch to smaller sizes on wire blocks and straightening after finishing the same as a rod. This did away with the slow operation on a draw bench of drawing tubing in small sizes and was carried out at Benedict & Burnham's in the late '90s. He also carried out the idea in 1890 of taking copper wire from the hot rod mill and drawing down to any size hard without annealing. This work was done at the Aluminum Brass & Bronze Company. His ideas, improvements and inventions on wire drawing and rod
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