USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume III > Part 64
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JAMES H. GRAHAM
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his present important position. While he is yet a young man, his opinions are received with great deference by business men in all ranks. He has surrounded himself with a corps of able lieutenants and is constantly in touch with all branches and with all details of the manufacturing end of the business. The Torrington Company manufactures in its various plants a wide variety of products, including needles, wire spokes for bicycle and automobile wheels, nipples, pedals, spark plugs, vacuum cleaners, carpet sweepers and many other useful and necessary products.
On the 25th of October, 1899, Mr. Graham was married to Miss Catherine Agnes McCann, who was born at Sharon, Connecticut, and they have two children: James H., born March 17, 1903; and Margaret Agnes, August 7, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Graham are members of St. Francis Roman Catholic church. Mr. Graham is a republican and fraternally he is con- nected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He belongs to the Torrington Club and the Greenwoods Country Club and he is fond of golf and of fishing. His rise to his present position in the business world should serve as an inspiring example to the youths of the land. One could not hope to reach such a pinnacle without thorough study, close application and indefatigable energy, and Mr. Graham has bent every effort to the end accom- plished. He is a fine type of the keen eycd, clean cut, well informed, high grade business man, always courteous and affable and one with whom it is a pleasure to meet. A close student of economic questions, he has displayed the results of research and thought in the relation between employer and employe, bringing his theories to bear in practical applica- tion in the various factories of the Torrington Company. His record is indeed noteworthy and commendable and is indicative of the strength of his character, his capability and his honorable purpose.
ARTHUR DUTTON NOBLE.
Arthur Dutton Noble, deceased, who for some years was a citizen of Waterbury, where he was well known and highly respected, was born in Watertown in 1865, a son of Charles M. and Hannah (Beach) Noble. He was reared to manhood at the place of his nativity and there acquired his education. In young manhood he came to Waterbury and accepted a position with the Waterbury American as bookkeeper, remaining in that connection for a short period. He afterward became associated with the Waterbury Manufacturing Com- pany as a traveling salesman, covering territory as far west as the Pacific coast, and he proved most capable and efficient in that connection, ably representing the company and promoting its business through his ability as a salesman. His life, however, was cut off while he was still in early young manhood as he passed away on the 23d of May, 1909, at the age of forty-four years and was laid to rest in Evergreen cemetery.
Mr. Noble had been married in Watertown to Miss Bertha Scovill Partree, who was there born and was a daughter of Frederick J. Partree. The Partree family, of which she is a representative, is one of the old French Huguenot families, founded in America by John Partree, who was a native of Nova Scotia and came to Connecticut in 1790, settling at Milford, where he followed farming throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in 1825, when he had reached the age of seventy-five years. He married Abigail Platt, a descendant of one of the oldest Connecticut families, and she was seventy-five years of age at the time of her demise. John Partree, son of John and Abigail Partree, was born in Milford, Connecticut, where he was reared to manhood, and took up the occupation of farming as a life work. He always remained upon the farm and there passed away at the age of sixty-six. He married Menarcy Welton, a daughter of Johnson F. Welton, of Watertown, and they became the parents of seven children. Of this family Frederick J. Partree was born in Watertown, March 25, 1827, and there pursued a public school education, after which he attended the Watertown Academy and then took up the profession of teaching, which he followed for six years in Watertown and adjoining districts. He then concentrated his energies upon agricultural pursuits, to which he devoted his time and attention throughout his remaining days, owning a tract of one hundred and fifteen acres of rich and valuable land. This he further improved and developed and continued there to reside until called to his final rest June 26, 1899, when his remains were interred in Evergreen cemetery in Watertown. He was a stalwart supporter of the republican party and was called upon to fill a number of public offices, serving as selectman of Watertown, as assessor and as a member of the board of relief. He was a loyal and consistent member of the Congregational church and took an active and helpful part in all lines of church work, serving for some time as deacon and also as Sunday school superintendent. The integrity of his character and his
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high purposes won for him the respect, confidence and goodwill of all who knew him. In 1857 he married Elizabeth Scovill, a daughter of Seabury Scovill. She passed away February 16, 1883. and was also laid to rest in Evergreen cemetery. In their family were three daughters: Cora, who died in 1891; Ella Marie, who resides in Waterbury with her sister; and Bertha, who became the wife of Arthur Dutton Noble. Mrs. Noble makes her home on Willow street in Waterbury, her home being shared with her sister, Miss Ella M. Partree. They are ladies of culture and refinement and of artistic tastes and they are numbered among the valued members of the Episcopal church. In early womanhood Mrs. Noble was a capable teacher in the schools of Waterbury.
Mr. Noble held membership in the Trinity Episcopal church, of which he was clerk. He was most faithful to every duty, was strictly domestic in his tastes, temperate in his habits, and in every relation of life a citizen of worth. He gave his political allegiance to the republican party but never sought or desired the honors and emoluments of public office. His genuine worth and his upright character were acknowledged by all and his death came as a great blow to his widow and to his many associates, the circle of his friends being almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance.
F. I. ROBERTS.
F. I. Roberts, who has been cashier of the Thomaston National Bank since its organization in 1888, was called to that position when a young man of twenty-four years. His birth occurred on the 27th of November, 1863, in the state of Michigan, his parents being Edwin and Jane A. (Isbell) Roberts, the former a native of England and the latter of Woodbury, Connecticut. After living for a time in Michigan the parents returned to Woodbury during the boyhood of F. I. Roberts, who there acquired a public school education and afterward attended the Parker Academy, a private school. In young manhood he entered upon his business career as bookkeeper in a knife factory at Woodbury and in 1887 he came to Thomaston, where in connection with Seth E. Thomas he aided in organizing a bank which was converted into a national bank in 1888 under the name of the Thomaston National Bank, with A. J. Hine as president, A. P. Bradstreet as vice president and F. I. Roberts as cashier. In that position Mr. Roberts has served continuously, the growth, development and success of the bank being largely attributable to his broad experience, his close application and his indefatigable energy.
In 1893 Mr. Roberts was married to Miss Hattie R. Harrison, of Cornwall, Connecticut. They are members of the Congregational church, and Mr. Roberts belongs also to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. His political endorsement is given to the republican party, and while not an office seeker. he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day and gives active support to all measures which are calculated to advance public progress and improvement.
COLONEL WELLINGTON B. SMITHI.
Colonel Wellington B. Smith, of Winsted, passed away October 26, 1915. He had at that time traveled life's journey for fifty-nine years, his birth having occurred in New Hartford, Connecticut, June 3, 1856, his parents being Darius and Eliza M. Smith. He pursued his education in the public schools of New Hartford and in the Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, from which in due time he was graduated. He then entered Yale University to study law but the death of a brother necessitated his return home. However, he later resumed his law studies in the office of Judge Jared B. Foster of New Hartford and con- tinued his reading with Judge F. D. Fyler of Winsted. Being admitted to the bar he immediately afterward opened an office in Winsted, where he entered upon the practice of his profession. Advancement at the bar is proverbially slow and yet it was not long before Mr. Smith had won some clients who bore testimony to his ability and the care and thoroughness with which he prepared his cases. Gradually his practice therefore grew and in 1902 he entered into partnership with Frank B. Munn, who had previously studied in his office, thus forming the firm of Smith & Munn. This partnership was maintained until the death of Colonel Smith's brother, State Senator George B. Smith, at New Hartford in 1913. After that much of Colonel W. B. Smith's time was required in the care of the affairs of the D. B. Smith Sons' Company, cotton duck manufacturers at Pine Meadow. of
COLONEL WELLINGTON B. SMITH
.
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which firm he was later made vice president. However, he continued as much as possible in the practice of law and at the time of his demise had practiced in Winsted for thirty-eight years and was at that time vice president of the Litchfield County Bar Association. He won distinction as a member of the constitutional convention of 1902. His comprehensive knowledge of law made him a valuable member of the convention and he did much in framing the organic law of the state. At one time he was prosecuting agent of Litchfield county and in 1895 he represented the town of Winchester in the general assembly and was made house chairman of the committee on railroads, a very important committee. He took a most active part in politics, doing everything in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of republican principles, for he was a firm believer in the party platform. In 1902 he was appointed by Governor Abiram Chamberlain as judge advocate general on the governor's staff with the rank of colonel.
On the 17th of September, 1913, Colonel Smith was united in marriage to Mrs. Sarah Jane Cosgrove, who yet survives him. Colonel Smith belonged to the Winsted Lodge, B. P. O. E., and to Amos Beecher Lodge, F. & A. M., of New Hartford. He had many sterling qualities of heart and mind, possessed a kindly, genial nature, was hearty and sincere in manner and his word was as good as his bond. He was accounted one of the brightest lawyers and strongest pleaders at the bar of Connecticut and his devotion to his clients' interests was proverbial. At the height of his powers he stood among the leaders of his profession and he had not passed beyond the zenith of his powers when death took him. His course reflected credit and honor upon a profession which has ever been regarded as the safeguard of individual rights, liberties and life and which is the foundation of public stability.
E. J. MANVILLE MACHINE COMPANY.
The E. J. Manville Machine Company had its inception in the establishment of the business by E. J. Manville, September 15, 1878. On the 6th of October, 1886, the interests were incorporated under the present name and effort was concentrated on the production of special automatic machinery for working wire and metal and also other light machinery, together with dies, tools, etc. The original factory was 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. 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 with a sprinkler system, thus minimizing the chance of fire. It is equipped with electric and steam power and has two hundred and fifty horse power available. The company issues fifty different kinds of bulletins and in the conduct of all the branches of the business has followed most progressive lines. For a time the officers of the company were: R. C. Manville, president ; W. W. Manville, treasurer and superintendent; and Martin H. Brennan, secretary and manager. 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. As is generally known in the history of cold-heading machinery, the earliest rivet machines were of the single-stroke, solid-die type. In these machines. the blank, previously cut to the proper length, is forced into a die the required depth against an adjustable stock pin: the wire left projecting beyond the face of the die is then upset and formed into a head by a single blow of the punch, after which the finished blank is ejected by the knockout or stock pin. Since the maximum length of blank which can be successfully knocked out of a solid die is about eight or ten diameters, the necessity of an open-die machine is at once apparent. Like the solid-dic machines, the earliest open-die headers were of the single blow type. About two and one- half diameters of wire is all that can be compressed into a head by a single blow, which amount of wire is sufficient for most common rivets and such headings as wood screw blanks: but, owing to the perfection required in some work and the necessity of making
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heads containing more than two and one-half diameters of wire, the trade demanded a direct-acting, double-blow, open-die header, and in 1905 the company designed, built and introduced to the trade the first "Manville" direct-acting, two-blow, open-die header. 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 class by itself for the rapid and efficient production of coach, lag, machine, and wood screw blanks, carriage and plow bolt blanks. It is particularly adapted for the latter type of work because the quick blow, resulting from the use of the direct acting crank motion for operating the heading slide effectually fills out the squares, which is the most difficult feature of this class of work. Back in the early '90s, when the firm brought out their first cold-heading machinery, they entered a field in which there was room for many improvements, and while it was not their purpose to revolutionize the art of cold heading, they did aim to place on the market a line of machinery which would produce rivets, bolts and various types of special headings rapidly and economically and at the same time with the least amount of expense for repairs. To accomplish this aim and because of their wide experience as designers and builders of high grade automatic machinery they brought. out a simple and - rigidly constructed machine embodying in that construction a convenient arrangement of adjustments which made the machine easy to operate at a rapid rate of speed. However, their one great departure from that of the other types of headers was the direct acting crank motion, a principle from which they have never deviated since their first machine and which has given such universal satisfaction that today other manufacturers have been complimentary enough to adopt this principle, thus adding to their prestige. It was, indeed, a new departure from the employment of toggles, which were always objectionable on aecount of the enormous amount of friction and continuous heating and wearing out of the bearings, and to eliminate these features they substituted a plain crank and connection of ample proportions for actuating the movement of the gate with balance wheel, making one complete revolution for each head compressed. The impact due to the combination of wheel velocity, effectually delivered through a plain crank motion, developed an upset or head on the wire with less strain on the machine and without heating the bearings, and as a result they have been able to carry this principle out on the largest headers as well as the smallest with even a greater degree of success and at the same time the upkeep of maintenance has been reduced to a minimum. Therefore, it is no longer a theory but a fact that the direct-acting header has come to stay and that ultimately it will be the only header on the market. With the development of machines that would make bolts cold and many times larger than ever used before, the business was completely revolutionized. The company then brought forth a line of wood screw automatic machinery, utilizing the same patents for heading the screws. They are now extensively engaged in the manufacture of the direct-acting, double-stroke, solid-die cold heading and bolt machines, the bold-head trimming machines, the thread rolling machines, the automatic Duplex bolt cutting machine, which is the only one in existence, and, moreover, they designed all the automatic machinery for the Ford automobile plant.
EDWARD R. HARVEY, M. D.
Dr. Edward R. Harvey, who is engaged in the practice of medieine in Seymour, was born in Meriden, Connecticut, October 21, 1885, a son of Frank and Catherine (Connolly) Harvey, the former a native of England, while the latter was born in Meriden. The father was superintendent for Simpson, Hall & Miller, brass manufacturers of Walling- ford, Connecticut, and also owned an interest in the business. He died in the year 1885 and is yet survived by his wife, who has since become the wife of George McDermott, of Meriden.
Dr. Harvey pursued his early education in St. Rose's parochial school and continued his studies at St. Bonaventure College at Allegany, New York. He prepared for his pro- fessional career in the Baltimore Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1909, and he put his theoretical training to practical test by serving as interne in the Maryland General Hospital. He was also connected with St. Vincent's Orphanage Hospital at Balti- more and afterward with St. Mary's Hospital of Waterbury. He practiced for six months in connection with Dr. Charles Monogan of Waterbury, and in November, 1910, came to Seymour, where he has since followed his profession, having the major part of the surgical
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cases of Seymour. He is surgeon for all of the mills and factories here and also for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. He ranks very high in his profession, displaying pronounced skill and ability, especially in the field of surgery. He has studied broadly along that line and his proficiency is marked. He holds membership in the New Haven County and Connecticut State Medical Societies and the American Medical Asso- ciation.
On the 22d of October, 1913, Dr. Harvey was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth C. Burke, of Seymour, a daughter of Thomas F. and Catherine Burke, the former now deceased. Dr. and Mrs. Harvey have one child, Edward R., who is two and a half years of age.
The religious faith of the family is indicated in their membership in St. Augustine's Catholic church and Dr. Harvey has membership with the Knights of Columbus, also with the Heptasophs and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His political endorsement is given to the republican party, for he is a firm believer in the efficacy of its principles as factors in good government. He never seeks office, however, but concentrates his time and energies upon his professional interests, which have constantly grown in volume and importance. His ability has brought him to the front as a most capable physician and his professional duties make constant demand upon his time and energies.
SAMUEL A. CHAPMAN.
In the death of this gentleman, February 13, 1896, the city of Waterbury lost one of her best citizens, and his family a most indulgent head.
The coming of the Chapmans (one of the early New England families) to Connecticut dates back to a period beyond two and a quarter centuries ago, and to the territory of the present town of Tolland to approximately one and three-quarters centuries; the various members have been cminently distinguished in both civil and military life.
Edward Chapman, the first American ancestor of one branch of the Tolland Chapmans, came about 1660 to Windsor from England, where he married Elizabeth Fox. He settled in Simsbury (then a part of Windsor), and lost his life at the storming of Narragansett Fort in December, 1675.
Simon Chapman, a son of Edward, born in 1669, lived in Windsor, but held lands in Tolland, of which town he was one of the great proprietors. He married about 1692, and his son, Captain Samuel Chapman, born in 1696, married, in 1717, Hannah Strong, and became the progenitor of all the Chapmans in the western part of the town of Tolland, which town began to be settled about 1725. He was the only justice of the peace in Tolland for nine years, and was selectman for eleven years. He died in the service of his country during the French war. Captain Samuel Chapman's several sons and daughters all married and also settled in Tolland, where the sons became the wealthiest men in the town and were among the most active, public-spirited and influential.
Colonel Samuel Chapman, son of Captain Samuel Chapman, born in Windsor a few years prior to his father's settling in Tolland, married, in 1750, Sarah White, of Bolton, Connecti- cut. He was a very remarkable man, and a very eminent citizen of Tolland. He served as captain in the French and Indian war, and as colonel of the Twenty-second Connecticut Militia during the entire war of the Revolution. His was the master spirit that brought the citizens of Tolland into unanimous and energetic action in the Revolutionary contest. His personal courage and astonishing hardihood were proverbial among his soldiers. Few men could be found so unflinching in moments of danger, and his firmness and energy never fal- tered under any circumstances. He was rather under middle stature, had blue eyes, and his voice was remarkable for its loudness and energy. He was a great reader, taciturn and of studious habits. He never laughed, and it is said a smile seldom lighted his counte- nance. Colonel Chapman was clected to the general assembly from Tolland forty-three times, when the election was held twice a year, and attended fifteen special sessions, of that body. He was a member of the convention in 1788, and voted for the adoption of the present constitution of the United States. He was several years a selectman, and for twenty-six years (1772-1797) served as justice of the peace.
Among other prominent men of the name in Tolland were: Deacon Elijah Chapman, elected several terms to the general assembly, and who also served as selectman; General Elijah Chapman, who several times was a member of the general assembly, and for twenty- three years served as sheriff of Tolland County; and Captain Ashbel, who was also several times in the general assembly, and a member of the convention, in 1818, which framed the constitution of the state. Of the five children of Colonel Samuel Chapman, Samuel. born in
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1757, settled in Ellington, Connecticut. On October 24, 1782, he married Mary Carlton, and became the father of ten children, among whom was Chester, the father of our subject.
Chester Chapman grew to manhood and in March, 1832, married Abigail Loomis, who bore him four children: Samuel A., our subject; Mary Carlton, born December 19, 1834; John Melvin, born December 23, 1836; and Emily Elizabeth, born January 17, 1839. On December 29, 1840, Chester Chapman wedded Elizabeth Bull, of Ellington, Connecticut, and five children came to this second marriage: Eustace Chester, born September 30, 1841; Florence Alicia, October 25, 1842; Leslie Clarence, February 16, 1845; Randolph Butler, November 16, 1848; and Edwin Dayton, July 15, 1851.
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