USA > Connecticut > Illustrated popular biography of Connecticut > Part 15
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" At the age of sixteen I left home and went to live with John Graves in the fall, and did chores for my board and went to school. Perhaps some of the sixteen-year-old boys of the present day would like to know what chores I had to do. Well, the first was to get out of bed at four o'clock A. M., dress and go to the barn and milk six cows, feed forty cows, two oxen, and five horses, then go to another barn and feed twenty calves and forty sheep; then go to a haystack half a mile away and feed five colts, shovel away the snow and cut a hole in the ice for them to drink, feed six hogs,-all of which must be done before daylight. Who can guess how much hay has been handled? Now breakfast is ready. After eating in a hurry the cows are all turned out to water, and put back if stormy, horses led out to water, and all of the stables cleaned out; now comes wood-sawing and filling the woodbox in the kitchen, and then I am now ready for school. At twelve I must hurry home and feed all the cattle, and get back to school for the afternoon. As soon as it is closed I am seen running home to do the chores, which are not fin- ished until about eight o'clock; then when supper is over I am soon between the sheets. This is repeated every day until spring arrives. I then go to work for seven dollars per month. This is followed up for five years; the last summer the wages reach ten dollars per month. My father takes all of my wages for the five years. I then arrive at the age of twenty-one. During my boy- hood, when at home, my father gave me a small patch of ground on which I raised watermelons and sold them at general trainings and picked up a little money of my own. I enlisted into the artillery company, Twenty-sixth regiment, N. Y. S. artillery under David Joy. Dr. Walter Booth commanded the company afterward, and our general trainings were held at Herkimer. F. E. Spinner was colonel, he who was afterwards United States treasurer. On the 26th of July, 1830, I was appointed corporal of the company and received my warrant from Colonel Spinner on that day. Our uniform was blue, trimmed with gilt braid, bell-crowned caps made of patent leather and brass trimmed, with tall red feather, sword, and belt. I enlisted when I was seventeen. When I became twenty-one I was sick
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of farming and decided to look for some other busi- ness. Father said ' If you will stay here and take care of me and mother, when we get through you shall have all that is left.' I thanked him for his very kind and generous offer, and said to him, ' You have worked all of your life so far and got to- gether a farm of fifty acres, and it is well-stocked and worth about $1,500. Now I shall decline the offer for two reasons: first, I have brothers and sisters, and would not take it all; second, I think I can do better.' I was then twenty-one and had thirty dollars in my pocket. I left Russia about the 4th of April, 1833, for New Haven, by stage; could not get work, and my thirty dollars was re- duced to one dollar and seventy-five cents. Left New Haven at eight A.M., arrived in Hartford at four p.M., having walked thirty-six miles; applied at the Retreat for work without success; went to Mr. Johnson's house near by and staid over night; told him my situation, and he gave me my supper, lodging, and breakfast, and it was valued higher than any gift that I ever received. Next morning went over to the Retreat and obtained a situa- tion. Was employed in the house for six months; then went outside and drove the team seven and one-half years. My stay there was very pleasant and agreeable. I had fifteen dollars per month for two years and twenty dollars per month for six years. The managers made me a present of fifty dollars when I left. Dr. Todd was superintendent and Phineas Talcott steward when I went there, and Dr. Brigham was superintendent and Virgil Cornish steward when I left. The boys there wanted to use their money faster than they earned it, and I lent them money every month at a large interest. I saved my money and the big interest helped me out. I spent but very little. I attended dancing school two winters. The first thousand dollars that I earned I put into the grocery trade with a partner, who managed the business two years and then left with all of the funds. I left the Retreat in the spring of 1841, and manufactured root beer for five months; cleared $875. Then I formed a copartnership with Frederick F. Taylor. We bought out Solomon Smith's livery stable, price $2,500. I had $2,200, and Mr. Taylor had $300. We were located on Front street. Mr. Smith still owned the office, which we afterwards bought for $700. Then we bought of Christopher Colt a barn for $1,200; then bought of Griffin Sted- man a house ou Talcott street for $1,500; then sold the whole to Daniel Buck for an advance of $500. We then bought of Wm. Kellogg a barn corner of Front and Talcott streets for $4,000. On this ground I built my first house; it was a neat little house of four rooms. August 18, 1844, I was mar- ried to Nancy B. Miller; she was from East Hamp- ton, N. Y .; she was six years younger than myself.
We were married at the Methodist Church. I
played the bass viol there five years. I think Nancy was the best housekeeper in the wide world. We lived together thirty-nine years; she died August 31, 1883. Mr. Taylor and myself bought, in the spring of 1847, the old Goodwin livery stable in rear of the Exchange Bank, State street, for $13,200. Mr. Taylor's health failed in 1850 and I bought him out and paid him $8,000. I continued the business until 1859. I had ten hacks and twenty-five single teams, and generally kept fifty horses and attended to most of the funerals. I em- ployed fifteen men and had a large run of business. Kept my own books. My hacks cost generally from $1,200 to $1,500; I had one that cost $2,000, and Mrs. Sigourney had the first ride in it. I lost over fifty horses, the value of which was at least $10,000, and bad debts on my books $10,000. My barn was burned and the loss, over the insurance, was $8,000. I gave Geo. K. Reed $5,000, Mrs. Sharp's family $2,300, Geo. W. Loveland $3,100, Frederick S. Sperry $300, Philena Fithian $250, Polla Osborn $250, and many other smaller gifts, also S. A. L. $2,200. Lost by endorsements and otherwise over $20,000. The aggregate amount of losses and gifts $70,000. The interest added, this amount would, at this time, make the whole amount considerably over $100,000.
"I bought ten hacks here, three in New Haven, thirty-five in Bridgeport. My livery property would generally inventory about $30,000. When I commenced the business, our capital being but $2,500, I was obliged to have some credits. I got Robert Buell to endorse for me. He was on my paper most of the time. I gave him what riding he wanted, which amounted to about one hundred dollars per year. I have been interested in the hack business outside of my own business with James Givin, Mr. Boyington, Mr. Briggs, John White, E. P. Cottrell, James Tehan, C. B. Board- man, Geo. Goyt, I. A. Chamberlain, and Merrick Freeman. I finally wound up by selling out to Freeman. I took a house of him on Pleasant street and lived there one year; changed that for a farm on Windsor avenue. In the spring of 1860 I bought my house on Ann street. During 1859 and 1860 I was out of business, and it was the two hardest years' work that I have ever done. At that time Hewett & Rogers failed in the livery business, and theirs was the first estate that I ever settled; but I have followed the business ever since, and my list numbers now 175. My fees will amount to about $17,000.
" When I first started out to take care of myself the main object was to provide for myself a good home. I have denied myself many things in my youth that would have been pleasant to enjoy, but by so doing 1 have accomplished my object. I
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have got my long-desired good home, although in getting it I have passed through many storms; but the storms are over and the sun shines bright."
Since the above sketch was prepared, Mr. Sperry has married, May 6, 1891, Mrs. Emily J. House of Hartford.
FREDERICK S. STEVENS, BRIDGEPORT: Whole- sale and Retail Druggist.
Frederick S. Stevens comes of a long and illustri- ous line of Connecticut ancestry, being of the sev- enth generation from Thomas Stevens, who died in Stamford in 1658; a great- grandson of Lieutenant Ezra Stevens of Revolu- tionary fame; and grand- son of Zadoc Stevens, an honored representative of his native town of Dan- bury in the legislature of 1824-5. Oliver Wol- cott was then governor and Ralph I. Ingersoll speaker of the House. The men who were sought F. S. STEVENS. for legislative honors in those days were the lead- ing men of Connecticut; and of the gentlemen who served with Zadoc Stevens one became a United States senator, six became governors of Connecti- cut, six members of congress, one United States minister to the court of Russia, and thirty-four oth- ers obtained high places in the administration of state affairs. Israel Coe of Waterbury is to-day the only surviving member of the distinguished legisla- ture of 1824-5.
F. S. Stevens was born in Danbury, 1848, and removed to Knoxville, Illinois, when quite young. The public schools of Knoxville and two years in Knox College, Galesburg, Ill., completed his edu- cational advantages. For about twenty years he has been engaged in the drug trade in Bridge- port, which city has honored him with various positions of trust. He was one of the twenty-five originators of the Connecticut State Pharmaceuti- cal association. He was five years on Colonel Wat- son's staff, C. N. G. 4th Regt. He was elected last fall to represent Bridgeport in the general assem- bly, as a democrat. He is secretary and a director of the Masonic Temple Association of Bridgeport, a past master of Corinthian Lodge, No. 104, F. & A. M., a prominent member of the board of trade, the Seaside Club, and of Christ Protestant Episcopal church. He was married in 1876 to Anna May, only daughter of Edward L. Gaylord, ex-president of the Eagle Lock Company of Terryville. His family consists of four children. Mr. Stevens is a quiet, genial gentleman, and a thorough business
man, whose sound sense, sterling integrity, and good judgment, have always forced him into the front rank of his fellow-citizens and his party.
WILLIAM I. LEWIS, GROVE BEACH, WESTBROOK.
Mr. Lewis was born at New Canaan, in this state, in 1840, the son of Isaac Hayes Lewis, and nephew of John Lewis, for whom the town of Lewisboro, Westchester county, N. Y., is named. He is de- scended from the old French Huguenot family of Hayes, who settled New Rochelle, N. Y., and from the old Connecticut family of Lewis. He was solidly educated at the New York public schools and free academy. He studied law three years in the office of Lawyer Sherman in New York city, and two years at the W. I. LEWIS. Columbian University, Washington, D. C. His life has been a varied and busy one : in the army, in manufacturing and mercantile pursuits, and at times holding several important offices of trust under the government. In the early part of the war he enlisted as a private in the 20th Connecticut volunteers, and being a rapid and fine penman, he was soon placed on detailed service with Captain John P. Green, now vice-president of the Pennsyl- vania railroad, and in the field with the fearless General Thomas L. Kane, brother of the famous Arctic explorer, and while on this duty was with the general day and night, of whom it was said "He never slept." Mr. Lewis was captured by the famous guerilla chief Mosby and incarcerated in Castle Thunder and Libby prisons. Before the close of the war he was made the general account- ant of the military railroads, U. S., which was organized by Thomas A. Scott, the great president of the Pennsylvania railroad, and he undertook and successfully accomplished the work of classifying, arranging, and tabulating the multifarious reports of the thirty-five railroads operated by the govern- ment throughout the rebellious states into one volume or tabulated statement, comprising over 200 folios, which is on file in the archives of the state department at Washington, D. C., and it is said to be the finest and most elaborate and com- plete statistical report of its kind in existence. He was for three years in the office of the secretary of the treasury, and while there originated and estab- lished the system of accounting and rules now in use, governing the expenses of collecting the revenue from customs throughout the United States, whereby the secretary of the treasury controls these
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expenditures, and which has resulted in saving millions of dollars to the government. His knowl- edge of public men is large, having been connected with the treasury and for the past seven years associated with the sergeant-at-arms of the U. S. senate at Washington. Mr. Lewis has always risen in the estimation of those with whom he has been associated by simple force of his ability and charac- ter. Shortly after the war he married Isadora, daughter of Mr. William D. Winship of George- town, D. C. Three sons and three daughters are the fruit of this union. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and with his good wife founded a mission church of that denomination, while sojourning in Washington. He is also a free mason and in politics has always been a pronounced republican. He believes in progression and takes great interest in everything pertaining to the wel- fare of Connecticut; especially is he interested in all improvements in his own locality. He is an enter- prising citizen of the town of Westbrook. He has resided at Grove Beach, between the villages of Clinton and Westbrook, with his family since 1872. He is a very nervy, tireless worker at whatever he undertakes, as shown by his energy in causing the opening of the new and beautiful shore highway running through Grove Beach and connecting the towns of Clinton and Westbrook, and in his un- tiring and persistent work for the breakwater im- provement at Duek Island Harbor on the sea front of these towns. He is the founder of Grove Beach, and the improvements and wonderful growth of this place in the past few years is due to him more than to any other person for his enterprise and push in developing this charming summer resort.
JOSEPH PIERPONT, NORTH HAVEN, Merchant.
Joseph Pierpont was born in North Haven March II, 1853, and was educated in the common schools and at Cheshire academy, providing him with a thorough equipment for business. He is engaged in mercantile pursuits and is a careful and judicious manager. Mr. Pierpont is a member of St. John's Episcopal church at North Haven, occupying the position of junior warden. In politics he is a republican. He is a member of the board of school visitors, his present term expiring in 1892. JOSEPH PIERPONT. Mr. Pierpont has a wife and three children. The former was Miss Hattie B. Brockett prior to her marriage.
HON. W. W. EATON, HARTFORD: Ex-Congress- man.
William W. Eaton was born at Tolland, October II, 1816, and received a public school education there, preparing him for business life. His father, Hon. Luther Eaton, was a man of notable honesty and integrity, possessing the fullest confidence and respect of the community in which he resided. He was also a man of politi- cal influence and control, at one time representing the old twentieth district in the state senate. Mr. Eaton inherited the strict probity and independence of conviction of his father, and from the earliest pe- W. W. EATON. riod of his life his course has been one of fearless adherence to what he has believed to be right. On arriving at his majority he engaged in mercantile pursuits at Columbia, S. C., and spent three or four years there in business. The strong individual views which characterized his subsequent course in public affairs were established in part at least by his residence at the South. At the conclusion of his commercial career, which lasted upwards of four years, he returned North and commenced the study of law at his old home in Tolland, and was admitted to the bar in Tolland county. In 1847 he was elected a member of the Connecticut house of representatives from Tolland, and was returned the following year from that town. From that time until now he has been a prominent figure in Con- necticut politics. In 1850 he was elected to the state senate from the old twentieth district. At the end of the session of the general assembly that year Mr. Eaton removed to Hartford, and has since been a resident here. He received the appointment of clerk of the Hartford county court, and proved himself a thoroughly competent official. I11 1853 he was elected a member of the house from Hart- ford and was chosen speaker, a position for which he was amply qualified both by reason of ability and experience. Mr. Eaton was also a member of the house from Hartford during the sessions of 1863, '68, '70, '71, '73, and '74. In 1873 he was elected speaker for the second time, and discharged the duties of the position with characteristic effi- ciency and success. Mr. Eaton possesses special adaptation for the legislative function, and his career in the general assembly was marked by the highest personal integrity and uprightness. During the session of 1874 he was elected United States senator from Connecticut, succeeding Hon. William A. Buckingham, whose term expired March 4, 1875.
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Upon the death of Senator Buckingham in February, 1875, Mr. Eaton was appointed United States sena- tor, filling the vacancy caused by Mr. Bucking- ham's death, and assumed the duties of the office February 13, 1875. Commencing his full term on the 4th of March following, he remained in Wash- ington during the succeeding six years, establish- ing for himself a record in which the state might experience a just sense of pride. During the con- cluding years of his senatorial life he was senate chairman of the committee on foreign relations, one of the most important in congress. He was opposed to the appointment of the electoral commission by which, in 1876, the election of President Hayes was ratificd, and was the only democrat in the senate who voted against the measure. Mr. Eaton was one of the strongest advocates of tariff reform dur- ing his term in congress, and was the author of an important measure providing for the appointment of a tariff commission. His term expired March 3, 1881, before his bill could be made a law, but the subsequent congress enacted a measure covering the main provisions of Mr. Eaton's act. He was a hard-money democrat, and held positive views with regard to the greenback controversy which agitated the country a few years ago. In the fall of 1882 he received the democratic nomination for congress from the first district, and was elected by a hand- some majority. At the close of his term he retired from active political life, though his voice is still heard and his influence felt in the councils of his party.
HARVY GODARD, NORTH GRANBY: Farmer and Miller.
Harvy Godard was born in North Granby, March 15, 1823, and was educated in the common schools, preparing him for a useful and successful life. In 1873 he was a member of the general assembly from the town of Granby, and was mas- ter of the state grange from 1875 until 1879. He has held most of the of- fices within the gift of his town, and is an active and influential citizen of Granby. He is a demo- crat in politics. Mr. God- ard has devoted his life to HARVY GODARD. agricultural pursuits. He is a member of St. Mark's Lodge, No. 36, F. and A. M., of Tariffville. He has always lived in North Granby, where, in addi- tion to his farming occupations, he has carried on a sawmill and gristmill. One of his yearly pastimes is to distill a small quantity of cider brandy in the
old-fashioned way. Mr. Godard has a wife and five sons. The former was Miss Sabra L. Beach prior to her marriage. His only daughter, Grace M., died in 1878, aged three years.
NORMAN C. STILES, MIDDLETOWN: Manufac- turer of Machinery.
The subject of this sketch, like very many other persons who have risen to prominence, and who have been largely instrumental in building up great enterprises, was a poor boy, but possessed with energy and push, and succeeded in establishing one of the most import- ant industries in the coun- try, from which he retired in December last, leaving his son, E. S. Stiles, in his place. He was born at Feeding Hills, a village of Agawam, Mass., June 18, 1834. Through mis- fortunes to the father, the subject of this sketch was N. C. STILES. deprived of the educational advantages enjoyed by most boys of his age. He early developed invent- ive genius and remarkable mechanical ability, and various devices were constructed by him, previous to the age of sixteen, when he removed to Meriden and engaged with his brother, Doras A. Stiles, in the manufacture of tinware; but this gave him no opportunity to develop his mechanical tastes, and he soon after became connected with the American Machine Works, at Springfield, Mass., where he remained until he attained his majority. Soon after he returned to Meriden, Conn., and entered the employ of Messrs. Snow, Brooks & Co., now known as Messrs. Parker Brothers. He was em- ployed in making dies and other small work, requiring great skill and ingenuity. He subse- quently entered the employ of Messrs. Edward Miller & Co. of Meriden, where he remained until I857, when he concluded to " paddle his own canoe," and began the manufacture of presses and dies. His business increased at a rapid rate and required additional facilities, and Mr. Stiles selected Middletown as a good place for wider operations, removed there, and has remained there ever since. Previous to removing to Middletown, Mr. Stiles made several improvements in his punching press, among others an eccentric adjustment, which was a great improvement on other punching presses then in use, and far superior to what was known as the Fowler press. This device he patented in 1864. Parker Bros. of Meriden, who were engaged in manufacturing the Fowler press, adopted Mr.
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Stiles' eccentric adjustment, which involved a long and expensive litigation, resulting finally in a com- promise and the organization of the Stiles & Parker Press Co., in which Mr. Stiles held the controlling interest. In 1873 Mr. Stiles attended the Vienna exposition, through which he obtained a foreign market for his goods. His presses are used in the armories and navy yards of the United States, as well as those of Germany, Austria, Prussia, Sweden, Turkey, Egypt, France, and Mexico. He has interested himself in the public affairs of Middletown, and served several years as a member of the boards of councilmen and aldermen. He married, March 23, 1864, Sarah M., daughter of Henry Smith of Middletown. They have three children, Doctor Henry R., Edmund S., secretary and superintendent of the Stiles & Parker Press Company, and Milly B. Mr. Stiles is a member of the church of the Holy Trinity (Episcopal), of Middletown ; of the society of Mechanical Engi- ineers and Engineer's Club of New York, and of. the Knights Templar of Middletown. In politics he is a republican. .
GEORGE E. JONES, LITCHFIELD: Cashier First National Bank.
George Eaton Jones was born in Litchfield, March 31, 1849, and received a thorough common school and business education. He is engaged in banking and farming, being the cashier of the First National Bank of Litchfield for
sixteen years and one of the best- known breeders and im- porters of Jersey stock in the state. He is the vice- president and one of the directors of the Connecti- cut Jersey cattle breeders association, treasurer of the Litchfield county ag- ricultural society, treasu- G. E. JONES. rer of Litchfield county, founder and director of the Litchfield Water Co., and the treasurer of Darius Chapter, No. 16, R. A. M. He is also past master of St. Paul's Lodge of Litchfield and member of Buell Council, M. E. M. Mr. Jones is a member of the Reform Club of New York city and a staunch democrat in politics. He has held the positions of burgess and warden of the borough of Litchfield. He belongs to St. Michael's Episcopal church in Litchfield. The wife of Mr. Jones, who was Eva Freelon Colvocoresses prior to her marriage, died in 1875. There is one daugh- ter, the fruit of this union. Mr. Jones formerly rc- sided in Hartford, spending six years in this city.
WILLIAM HENRY WATROUS, HARTFORD: President, Treasurer, and General Manager of the Wm. Rogers Manufacturing Company.
William H. Watrous was born July 18, 1841, in Hartford; received his education under Mrs. M. M. Perry in the Arsenal school; attended the Hartford Public High school one year; and in 1855, at the age of 14 years, began to learn the trade of electro- plating in the factory of his uncles, Rogers Broth- ers, who built the shop foot of Trumbull street, now occupied by Jewell Belting Company. In 1859 he was engaged with Rogers, Smith & Co. on Mechanics street. In 1861 he was among the first to W. H. WATROUS. enlist in Rifle Company
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