USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 61
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JOHN. H. ROPER
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rolling and straightening machinery have always been protected through the different companies by which he has been employed.
On the 10th of October, 1887, Mr. Roper was united in marriage to Miss Helen Frances Flaherty, of Ansonia, a sister of Morgan J. Flaherty, a well known newspaper man, and a daughter of John Flaherty. She is a graduate of the Birmingham high school of Derby and was a capable teacher in the West Side school in Ansonia. Mr. and Mrs. Roper have a son, Charles Lloyd, born October 10, 1895, who was graduated from the Waterbury high school, has spent three years at the Cheshire Academy and then entered Yale. In 1917, however, he enlisted in the American Ordnance Department for overseas duty in France and is now stationed at Fort Slocum.
In politics Mr. Roper is an independent democrat. He is a member of the Country Club. He was one of the first members of the American Metric Association. He belongs to the Immaculate Conception Catholic church and he finds his chief recreation in his Stearns-Knight, making the run to New Haven once or twice a week. He maintains a home in the Taft annex in New Haven and resides at Hotel Kingsbury in Waterbury. He is the owner of ten acres of land which is now being developed and planted free of rental by fifteen employes of the Scovill Company. He has always taken a deep interest in training young men in the production of brass and this attitude of helpfulness toward the man who is willing to help himself is one of his strong characteristics.
MARTIN H. BRENNAN.
Martin H. Brennan is the president and manager of the E. J. Manville Company, manu- facturers of automatic machinery. He entered into active relations with the company when the business was a comparatively small one. Today several hundred people are employed and the trade relations of the house cover every section of the country. Besides, the company has invented and manufactures the direct-acting, double-stroke, solid-die cold headers, which have largely revolutionized trade in that direction. Mr. Brennan was born in Cheshire, Con- necticut, his parents being Hugh and Katherine Brennan, both of whom were natives of Ire- land but came to the new world, where they were married. The father followed business as a coal merchant and farmer.
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Liberal educational advantages were accorded Martin Henry Brennan, wlio after attend- ing the Episcopal Academy of Cheshire devoted four years to study under the direction of Professor A. W. Phillips of Yale University, now deceased. At the same time he was engaged in teaching, for three years occupying the position of principal of the center district school of Cheshire. In 1884, however, he removed to Waterbury and accepted the position of bookkeeper with E. J. Manville, who at that time was employing about fiftcen people. He had established business September 15, 1878, and on the 6th of October, 1886, incorporated his interests under the name of the E. J. Manville Machine Company. They concentrated on the production of special automatic machinery for working wire and metal, also other light machinery and dies, tools, etc. When Mr. Brennan accepted his position with the Manville Company he did so at the advice of Professor Phillips, who recognized that there was no great future in teaching, and although Mr. Brennan was well adapted for that profession, Professor Phillips urged him to discontinue in that field and become associated with some good company, where in time he could make himself valuable so that promotion would be a certainty. Following the suggestion, Mr. Brennan became bookkeeper for the Manville Company at a salary of ten dollars per week, giving up a position in which he was carning several times that amount. He applied himself to the work at hand, thoroughly acquainted himself with every phase of the business, showing adaptation and thus working his way upward until he became the secretary and manager of the company, with R. C. Manville as president and W. W. Manville as treasurer and superintendent. In 1896, however, the Manvilles sold out and Mr. Brennan became president and manager, with Daniel T. Hart as treasurer. His brother, Charles T. Brennan, is now the secretary and superintendent. Under the control of the Brennans the business has shown remarkable growth not only in the extent of the trade but also in the processes of manufacture. They have perfected and improved a design of A. C. Campbell resulting in the patenting of the Manville direct-acting, double-stroke, solid-die cold headers, new machinery for making bolts and putting heads on cold. This machine was a distinct departure from other machines used for two-blow open-die work, and after a short trial by the leading bolt and screw manufacturers of this and foreign countries its merits and superiority were recognized, and today it stands in a
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class by itself for the rapid and efficient production of coach, lag, machine and wood serew blanks, carriage and plow belt blanks. The original factory of the Manville Company was established on Benedict street but in 1886 a removal was made to Meadow street and in 1904 to the present location, where they have a frontage of three hundred feet on East Main street, with a depth of three hundred and twenty-five feet on Hamilton avenue. Their buildings are in part two and one-half stories in height and are partially of saw-tooth construction. All are new and modern and here they turn out some of the largest machinery in existence, manufacturing cold-heading machines that weigh from one to twenty-five tons. The factory has about two acres of floor space and they employ about three hundred and fifty people, mostly skilled labor. The factory is supplied throughout with a sprinkler system, thus minimizing the chance of fire. It is equipped with electric and steam power and has three hundred and fifty horse power available. The company issues fifty different kinds of bulle- tins and in the conduct of all the branches of the business has followed most progressive lines. To Mr. Brennan is due the credit for having perfected and improved the invention of A. C. Campbell, who for sixteen years was superintendent of the company, and it was the development of this invention, the direct-acting, double-stroke, solid-die eold header, that brought the company to the rank of leadership, many other machines having since been built along similar lines. When the Manville people wished to sell out Mr. Brennan saw the opportunity and with courage strong enough to hazard his future on the purchase of the business, he has won as few have.
Martin H. Brennan was married on the 4th of October, 1888, to Miss Katherine A. Hart, a daughter of John Hart, of Waterbury, and they now have a son and a daughter: Reginald Hart, who is with his father in business; and Helen K.
The family attends St. Margaret's Catholic church and Mr. Brennan is a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. His political allegiance is given to the republican party but his interest in politics is only that of a progressive American citizen. He today occupies a commanding position in manufacturing circles and is numbered among those who have pushed forward the wheels of the world's progress through his individual efforts. It is an acknowledged fact that hard thinking always results in easier ways, and Mr. Brennan has ever been a close student of everything relating to his chosen activities. Progressing step by step, he has at length been able to advance beyond the point that others have reached and stands in a position of leadership in his line of manufacture. He is an extremely modest man, taking little credit to himself for what he has accomplished, but one who has a wide acquaintance among the business men of Waterbury said: "He has helped materially to make this town what it is today and it is doubtful if the next twenty-five years will produce many more worthy of representation in a work of this character. He is beloved and respected by his employes and his only fault is that he keeps his splendid qualities too largely hidden."
E. SIDNEY BRONSON.
E. Sidney Bronson, conducting one of the well equipped photographic studios of Water- bury, is well trained in the art and his efficiency has increased with the passing years. He was born in Bristol, Connecticut, in 1875, a son of Elliott and Margaret (Sanford) Bronson. The father was born in Wolcott and the mother is a native of Thomaston. They are now living in Wolcott and Elliott Bronson has devoted his life to general agri- cultural pursuits.
E. Sidney Bronson acquired a public school education in New Haven and afterward learned the toolmaker's trade, which he followed for fifteen years. He came to Waterbury in 1892 and, continuing in that line, was employed by the E. J. Manville Company. Later he occupied a position with the Scovill Manufacturing Company and was afterward with the Waterbury Brass Company and with Blake & Johnson, these being among the leading industrial establishments of the city. Becoming interested in photography, he made a study of the art, pursuing a course in the Illinois College of Photography. This plan displayed his unusual thoroughness and indicates one of the features of his growing success. On com- pleting his course he returned to New England and for a time was employed by Mr. Albee, a photographer of Torrington, Connecticut. He afterward went to Peekskill, New York, where he opened a studio which he conducted for two years and then sought a more advan- tageous field in Waterbury, where he located in 1905, opening a studio at Nos. 11-27 East Main street. He today has the finest establishment of the kind in Waterbury. He makes a specialty of child photography and his ability is displayed in lifelike expressions and
E. SIDNEY BRONSON
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poses which present the child almost as a living, breathing image to the beholder. He received medals of award at the New England convention in Boston in 1909 and he is a member of the New York Photographers Association. He has been very successful in photo- graphing men and has made the photographs of the majority of those represented in this work. Steadily he has advanced in his chosen field and now stands as a most efficient repre- sentative of this art.
On the 5th of October, 1899, Mr. Bronson was married to Miss Clara Tracy, a daughter of Cornelius Tracy, and they have one son, Lester, twelve years of age. Mr. Bronson votes with the republican party and he belongs to the Second Congregational church, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the lodge and chapter in Masonry, these associations indicating the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his conduct.
FREDERICK W. HOLCOMB.
Frederick W. Holcomb, who for fifteen years has been connected with the Scovill Manu- facturing Company and is acting as assistant to C. P. Goss, Jr., is of South American nativity, his birth having occurred in Chile in 1883, his parents being Henry A. and Mary (Wainwright) Holcomb, who were natives of Branford, Connecticut, and of Philadelphia re- spectively. The father pursued his education in the schools of New Haven and when a young man went to China, being engaged in the export business. Early in the '70s he took up his abode in South America, where he was connected with water projects, and both he and his wife died on the southern continent.
Frederick W. Holcomb came to New Haven, Connecticut, when a boy of nine years to live with his uncle, George F. Holcomb, who at one time was mayor of the city. He passed through consecutive grades in the public schools until he became a high school pupil of New Haven. Removing to Waterbury in 1902, when a youth of nineteen years, he entered the employ of the Scovill Manufacturing Company in connection with the work of the casting shops and he has been steadily advanced as his skill and efficiency have increased through industry and experience. He is now acting as assistant to C. P. Goss, Jr., who is in charge of the casting shops and mills, and there is no phase of this department of the business with which Mr. Holcomb is not thoroughly familiar and in which he is not thor- oughly efficient.
In 1911 occurred the marriage of Mr. Holcomb and Miss Dorothy Doolittle, daughter of E. J. Doolittle, president of the Home Bank of Meriden, Connecticut, and a former mayor of that city. They are now the parents of three daughters, Jane, Martha and Nancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Holcomb hold membership in St. John's Episcopal church and he belongs also to the Waterbury Country Club, the Waterbury Club and to the Highland Country Club of Meriden. In politics he is a republican.
Since coming north on a sailing vessel when nine years of age and landing on United States soil after a voyage of three and a half months he has continuously been a resident of Connecticut and along the lines of persistent effort, with no spectacular phases in his career, he has reached a creditable position in the manufacturing circles of his adopted city.
THE TORRINGTON NEWS.
On April 17, 1916, The Torrington News, published by The News Publishing Company, Inc., issued its first number. It contained eight pages, fifty-six columns, and the advertising space covered a fraction over thirteen columns, less than two pages. One not shrewd at figures should without difficulty be able to ascertain that at the outset The News was not a paying venture.
There was, however, a demand for the paper as was evidenced by the fact that one thousand, five hundred paid-in-advance subscribers were secured before machinery was installed. When the eight-page paper stock was exhausted The News went into six pages, but the publishers quickly realized that, notwithstanding the price per copy-one cent- and the fact that it well covered the field newswise it could not successfully compete unless it returned to eight pages. The change was made in July, 1916, and since the paper has constantly grown.
If ever a paper was born under the most disheartening conditions that paper was The
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News. The business office and editorial rooms were located on the second floor of the Lilley block, No. 79 Main street, while the mechanical work was done in a one-story brick and wood structure on the edge of the Naugatuck river in the rear of 15 Water street. Separated as the departments were efficiency was at a minimum. Newspaper patrons seemed un- willing to climb stairs to the office or to walk through a dirty driveway to the plant. Busi- ness did not come to the paper; its offieers had to go after it.
In September, 1916, all departments were assembled at the plant where the congestion was so great that a fair-sized order of print paper could not be stored. But the News im- proved steadily, thanks to the business men of the town and the faithful employes who threw themselves wholeheartedly into their tasks and never complained.
An interesting sidelight is that owing to a defective chimney, coal stoves could not be used for heating and the combined heat of eleven large oil stoves, one gas stove and the heat from the linotype machines was not sufficient to prevent actual suffering in extreme weather.
Another interesting fact is that The News started in business with a trifle over one hun- dred dollars in the bank and with seven on the payroll including S. Carl Fischer, and James W. Connell, officers of the company. Torrington subscriptions to the capital stock of the com- pany did not come in until after the paper was actually issued.
On May 22, 1917, The News began publication in the new Weston block, No. 120 Water street, and on June 11, 1917, became a two-cent paper. Its growth has been remarkable.
The officers of the company are: President, S. Carl Fischer; secretary, Mrs. James W. Connell; treasurer, James W. Connell.
EDWARD GREGORY BOBBIN.
A member of the Connecticut bar since 1907, coming to Waterbury from his native state of Pennsylvania, Edward Gregory Bobbin has won honorable standing as a lawyer, firmly established himself as a citizen and has formed many warmn friendships in this locality. He is of Polish parentage, his father, John J. Bobbin, having come to the United States from that far away land when a youth of eighteen years, unaccompanied and friendless, trusting to his own powers of body and mind to win a livelihood. That he did not over- rate his own abilities nor the opportunities America offers to the intelligent, worthy emi- grant, the result amply proved. The friendless boy of eighteen became an honored and prosperous banker and merchant, an extensive landowner, a trusted bank director and a prominent citizen of the town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, his seven children young men and women of education and good standing in their communities. He passed away October 8, 1917. On coming to the United States, John J. Bobbin went to the coal mines at Mahanoy Plane, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he worked for a number of years as a miner. He was both thrifty and industrious, careful in his expenditures, ambitious to rise and will- ing to make any personal sacrifice in order to reach his goal. In course of time he accumu- lated sufficient capital to engage in mercantile business, his first venture being made at Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, whither he had removed some time before. His start as a grocer was a modest one but successful and as business increased he enlarged his quarters and extended his lines of trade. The years brought riehly deserved and well earned pros- perity and at the time of his death he was one of the honored men of Shenandoah, with large interests as a banker and grocer. He brought to the United States all the foreigner's love of land and ownership and in the investment of surplus revenue always sought out a piece of land to purchase and in that way finally acquired large real estate holdings. He was also a stockholder and director of the Merchants National Bank of Shenandoah and was interested in civic affairs, becoming one of the public-spirited men of his town. John J. Bobbin had married Miss Mary Jane Janasky, who was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, and they had nine children: Edward Gregory, of this review; Blanche B., the wife of Maximilian J. Spotanski, a druggist of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania; Adolph, formerly. a hard- ware merchant of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who passed away November 25, 1917; Clara M., the wife of Anthony G. Rogers, cashier of the Bank of Shenandoah; Isabel H., at home; Clayton, deceased; Raymond D., a student of Lehigh University and at this writing a pri- vate in the United States Artillery; Alberta, who has also passed away; and Mary V., at home.
Edward Gregory Bobbin, the eldest son, was born in Shenandoah, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, March 12, 1882. He passed through all grades of the public schools and was graduated from the high school with the class of 1899. He then entered the famous Wyoming Valley institution of learning at Kingston-the Wyoming Seminary, there completing his
EDWARD G. BOBBIN
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classical studies, after which he was graduated with the class of 1901. He was then nineteen years of age, and had he elected a business career he could have associated himself with his honored father, but he decided upon a professional career, choosing the law. Entering the law department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, he there pursued a full course and was graduated LL. B. with the class of 1906. He spent nine months in Philadelphia after his graduation, being employed by the city in special investigation work for one of the important departments of the city government. In August, 1907, he located in Waterbury, where he has practiced alone and most successfully until the present time. He is a member of the New Haven County and the Connecticut State Bar Associations.
Mr. Bobbin is a past grand knight of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Benevo- lent Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He belongs to St. Thomas Roman Catholic church and to the Holy Name Society. He is also a member of a number of other church and beneficial societies in this city.
Mr. Bobbin was married in Waterbury, April 25, 1911, to Mary Cruse Fay, who was born in Waterbury and is a graduate of the Convent of Notre Dame. She is a daughter of the late John S. Fay, who was a prosperous merchant in this city, and his wife, Catherine Louise (Cruse) Fay. John S. Fay was born in Pawling, New York, and Mrs. Fay in New York city. The latter is now a resident of Waterbury. Mr. and Mrs. Bobbin have had only one child, Mary Rita, who was born December 4, 1914, and died on the 8th of that month.
Mr. Bobbin is highly regarded in the city of his adoption, his law practice attesting the approval of the public he serves. He is well qualified for the profession which he has chosen and is a linguist of marked ability, speaking the Lithuanian, Russian, Polish and Slavic tongues. If the progress made in the few years in which he has practiced in Water- bury is an indication of his future, coming years have in store for him nothing but success.
LUCIAN F. WOLFF.
Lucian F. Wolff, connected with the Scovill Manufacturing Company at Waterbury, was born in France in 1851, a son of Francis F. Wolff, who came to the United States with his family in 1861. Lucian F. Wolff was at that time a little lad of ten years and in the public schools of Waterbury he pursued his education. He started in the business world as an employe of the Waterbury Farrel Foundry Company in 1866, there learning the machinist's trade. He afterward became foreman with that company, having steadily worked his way upward through various promotions until he came to a position of marked responsibility. He has been identified with the Scovill Manufacturing Company as a machinist since 1882 and is therefore one of the oldest employes of the company, his connection with the establishment covering thirty-five years-a fact which is indicative of his thorough trustworthiness and capability as no great corporation retains in its services an employe of inefficiency.
Mr. Wolff was united in marriage to Miss Georgiana Murphy, of New York city, a daughter of Dr. Dennis Murphy, and they have become the parents of thirteen children.
JOHN S. P. CASTLE.
John S. P. Castle, chief engineer of the Benedict & Burnham branch of the American Brass Company, his pronounced ability in that line bringing him to his present responsible position, has been a lifelong resident of Waterbury, his birth having here occurred on the 20th of May, 1875. His parents were John Sherman and Amelia M. (Parsons) Castle, who were natives of Watertown and of Plymouth, Connecticut, respectively, the latter being a daughter of Charles Parsons, of both Plymouth and Waterbury, where he conducted carriage manufacturing establishments. Both the Castle and Parsons families have long been represented in this state and the latter was from Massachusetts. The paternal grandfather, Allan C. Castle, followed farming near Watertown and his son, John Sherman Castle, started out in the business world in a country store but later came to Waterbury and entered the employ of the Benedict & Burnham Company in connection with their store. Later he conducted business as a dealer in groceries and soft drinks and after successfully operating along that line for a period he organized the Peoples Coal & Ice Company about 1870. His business in that connection was successfully carried on for several years and was then reorganized as the City Ice Company, with which Mr. Castle remained as secretary and
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treasurer to the time of his death, which occurred in 1896. His widow still survives and is now a resident of Waterbury.
John S. P. Castle, having passed the preparatory training of the public schools of Waterbury, started in the business world with the Benedict & Burnham Company on the 6th of March, 1892, and thus for a quarter of a century has been associated with that corporation. He has studied mechanical engineering, working at night while thus engaged, and through practical experience has greatly broadened his knowledge and promoted his efficiency. He passed through various departments, gaining added knowledge, and was made chief engineer of the Benedict & Burnham branch of the American Brass Company about 1905, at which time the Waterbury establishment was merged into the larger corporation. His position as master mechanic enables him to say the final word upon many important problems of the business, a word which he is well fitted to pronounce.
In 1905 Mr. Castle was united in marriage to Miss S. Alena Northrop, a daughter of Wesley B. and Susan (Haverfield) Northrop. They attend the Episcopal church and Mr. Castle is also identified in membership relations with the Masonic fraternity as a Knight Templar, a Consistory Mason, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and also a "Tall Cedar." The teachings of this order make a strong appeal to him, for he recognizes that its basic elements call forth the best qualities of manhood and of citizenship.
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