USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Winsted > The Winsted tercentenarian > Part 4
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The Winsted Evening Citizen. the town's first daily newspaper. was launched as a six-column folio AApril 30. 1888. and the Litchfield County Leader as a weekly democratic news- paper with Mr. Stevens, a former state
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
senator, as editor. The company had purchased the Winsted Press. founded July 5, 1873. by Henry A. Bills. a well- known politician. and Incien V. Pin- ney, a "Greenbacker" and known as the wickedest editor in Connecticut." who after three months published it alone until it was sold fifteen years later.
Mr. Van Keuren ("Van" to every- one) continued as editor until his health failed him in 1896 and was sie- ceeded for a year by Walter L. Bovins of Meriden, who later became an at- torney and Spanish - American War veteran. Mr. Bevins was in turn ste- ceeded in May. 1897. by Irving E. Man- chester, who continued as editor for twenty-three years except for a year and a half in 1904-05, when he was editor of the Commercial Bulletin of Hartford, returning to Winsted and purchasing the control of the company upon the death of Mr. Stevens and be- coming the president and treasurer De- cember 6, 1905. Up to that time hand compositors had been employed. Lino- type machines and new presses and other equipment were introduced and in March, 1910, the office was moved from the New England Pin Co.'s build- ing at 419 Main Street to a new office erected by Mr. Manchester at 466 Main Street. Meantime. telegraph service was introduced, first by the United Press and later the International News. Mr. Manchester Imilt the business up on a sound financial basis and. passing through the trying period of the World War, sold his interests in Angust. 1920. to thirty-three new stockholders.
In the meantime. Lonis T. Stone had been connected with The Citizen from the time it was organized except for a few months' interim when he was employed at the Boston Store by James P. Davidson, who, by the way. was one of the first stockholders and suggested the name for the newspaper. having known a Citizen in his beloved Scot- land. Mr. Stone, who became national- ly famous as a nature story writer, had risen from office boy to city and tele- graph editor and, in 1926. upon the death of Robert S. Ihulbert, who sie- ceeded Mr. Manchester. became the managing editor and treasurer. Dudley Vaill being the president and Thomas A. Haggerty, formerly of the North Adams Herald, the editor.
During Mr. Stone's management the company built its present fine printing plant at 448 Main Street, having pre- viously installed a leased wire and automatic printer machines and had greatly enlarged its equipment in both its news department and its job plant which has become an important branch' of the business, doing all kinds of spe cial job and factory printing. color and magazine work, including several coun- ty publications. There are now five
modern linotype machines in constant 11se.
After Mr. Stone's death. March 13. 1933, Theodore Vaill was appointed manager aud treasurer of the company. May 8, 1933. and Mr. Haggerty man- aging editor of The Citizen.
The present officers are: Dudley L. Vaill, president : Frank D. Hallett. vice-president ; Theodore Vaill. secre- tary, treasurer and manager: Edward B. Gaylord. Dwight B. Tiffany. Dud- ley L. Vaill, Frank D. Hallett. Joseph A. Norton, Edward R. Holmes. Luther L. Chase, Thomas A. Haggerty. direc- tors: John van A. Duyser, foreman ; William Simmers, foreman of the job printing department.
Clark & Vaill Insurance Agency
Established in 1877 by Irving Gris- wold-Lloyd W. Whitney, Manager
THERE have been so many changes
in Winsted that people who lived here back in the days of President Rutherford B. Hayes would find little. of that time they recognize, but down near the Winsted Park over the drug store is an insurance office where they have been writing insurance policies
Lloyd W. Whitney, Manager
and paying losses since the first year of Hayes' administration and in all the fifty-eight years this insurance office. now the Clark & Vaill Insurance Ageney, Inc .. with a score of reliable companies behind it, has stood the test
and served the public, and there have been hundreds of fires to test it.
It is a great satisfaction to know that when loss and trouble comes there is a big strong insurance company ready to step in and make good.
It was in 1879 that Midian N. Gris- wold bought the insurance agency, es- tablished two years before by Irving R. Griswoldl. hired office room in what was then known as Baird's block, with the newly established First National Bank. and a Winsted architect occupying the same room. About ten years later, Mfr. Griswold gave the lot on Case Avenue and Center Street for the Baptist church, was elected its first clerk and treasurer and bequeathed the rest of the lot running through to Main Street and his residence on Wheeler Street to the Baptist Society.
January, 1, 1887, Henry J. Pierre bought a half interest in the agency and acquired it in 1891. Mr. Pierre was a typical nimrod and hunter and when he was not busy writing insurance poli- cies or adjusting fire losses, loved to be ont on the streams or in the woods with his rod or gun. In 1913, he took his son, Reid V. Peer, into partnership with him under the name of H. J. Pierre & Co., and, after the senior Mr. Pierre's death in October, 1925, Reid Peer's wife became a partner under the name of R. V. Peer & Co.
Hallett Clark and Theodore Vaill purchased the agency August 10, 1928, and the name was changed to the Clark & Vaill Insurance Agency, Inc., Mr. Vaill becoming the manager and Mr. Clark establishing his real estate busi- ness in the same office. With these young men in charge, the ageney broad- ened ont its field of activity. In 1933, Mr. Vaill was appointed manager of the Citizen Printing Co. and, on July 1st of that year, Lloyd W. Whitney, with nine years' experience in writing life insurance for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. in this district, succeed- ed as manager. The agency has also been very fortunate in having Mrs. Doris Sisson, an experienced account- ant, as clerk.
The ageney represents some of the oldest and most reliable insurance com- panies, stock and mutual, in the world. It writes all forms of insurance, in- eluding live stock, steam boiler, casu- alty and compensation insurance.
The officers of the corporation are : President, Hallett Clark; secretary, Dudley H. Manchester, treasurer and manager, Lloyd W. Whitney : assistant treasurer, Theodore Vaill. Mr. Whit- ney is a past master of St. Andrew's Lodge, No. 64. of Masons, and high priest of Meridian Chapter, No. 15, Royal Arch Masons.
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
The Winsted Furniture Company
The Largest Furniture Store in Litchfield County
O NE of Winsted's finest stores which has helped to make this a trading center for a large area and has built up an enviable reputation for itself is the Winsted Furniture Company at TOO Main Street, of which William F. Ramsay and George W. Adams are proprietors. This is the largest furul- ture house in Litchfield County, oreu- pying three floors filled with a great variety of home furnishings of stand- ard make from dependable firms of national reputation. The large show windows in this attractive store make a strong appeal to home owners look- ing for the newest and smartest ideas in furnishing houses. This company's trade extends into several states.
Among the new ideas which are being featured is the furnishing of "Maple House," in which five complete rooms are furnished throughout with modern maple furniture of authentic 17th century colonial design, selected especially by factory representatives of the manufacturers, the HI. T. Cushman Company of North Bennington, Vt .. one of the largest concerns producing "Colonial creations" in the country. There is a real comfortable and homey atmosphere about them. Some of the modern pieces also have a distinct Swedish influence and some were orig- inated from ideas found in old black- smith and butcher shops of New Eng- land. There are no square corners and there are many outstanding features which make this line much admired and prized.
William F. Ramsay
·
Winsted Furniture Co.'s Store
The Winsted Furniture Company has the newest and best in floor cov- erings It carries the Bigelow-Sanford hooked rugs, the Floyd-Wells dual Bengal kitchen ranges. The company is the authorized dealer for the Flor- ence oil ranges, and for beds recom- mends the popular Sinnons mattresses. It is a pleasure to trade in a modern store of this type where the personality of the proprietors is reflected in ns many departments and the aim is to please. The Winsted Furniture Com- pany was established May 31, 1927. on Elm Street. A year later it moved to new quarters in the Isaacson building at 530 Main Street and in September. 1930, bought the property where it is now located and became the successor of the oldest furniture house in town, established by S. B. Forbes & Com- pany about seventy years ago which was succeeded by E. W. Jones & Com- pany, moving from Lake Street to the Main Street store about 1900).
Mr. Ramsay. the manager of the Winsted Furniture Company. is a di- rector and chairman of the Merchants' Committee of the Winsted Chamber of Commerce
The Nutmeg Filling Station
THE NUTMEG FILLING STA- TION. Inc .. at 457-459 Main Street. has the distinction of being the first jobber of gasoline in Winsted and vicinity. having erected a storage plant on Rowley Street in connection with the filling station on Main Street in 1920, the firm at that time being a
partnership consisting of Joseph W. and James II. Darcey and Frank Whalen. It was incorporated seven years later with Joseph W. Darcey as president, James II. Darcey, vice-presi- dent and John E. Coffey, secretary and treasurer.
A branch of the business. Darcey". garage, was begun in the carriage ironing department of Darcey's black. smith shop. A brick front was built onto the building and later. with the demand for more room. the adjoining building where there had been many a hard fought basketball game was purchased of the St. Francis T. A. & B. Society. and the first floor converted into a garage and office so that now there is heated storage for thirty-five cars. with facilities for lubrication. The corporation sells at wholesale and retail Socony gasoline, lubricating. range and fuel oils and Mohawk tires.
Darcey's is the only firm on Main
Joseph W. Darcey, Second Selectman
Street which has been in business over fifty years, covering three generations of the family. The Darcey brothers. John and Walter. had a blacksmith shop abont sixty-five years ago in the Indge Ralph II. Moore building. now Toplitz's block, moving about 1880 to the new shop on Lake Street. Then John Darcey moved to the Tatro shop where the New England knitting mill stands, soon afterward. building the present shop. After John Darcey - death in 1906. the son. Patrick JJ. Dar- sey. who for twelve years was warden and first selectman under the present charter. continued the business until his death in November. 1926, and was suc- reeded by his son. John. Joseph Dar- cey. formerly the star forward on the volden Rods basketball team, is com- pleting three years as a selectman, be- ing chairman of the road committee and a member of the charity conimit- tee.
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
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The Winsted Savings Bank
The Winsted Savings Bank
Organized in 1860 - Has More Than $6,000,000 in Assets-The Largest in Its Class in Litchfield County
IT has been said that the success o. the idea upon which mutual savings banks are based has been "more vital to the progress of the individual and the community than the recorded his-
Dudley L. Yaill. President
tory of any single institution." Con- necticut is one of the comparatively few states in which this idea has been developed and the importance of this fact, in reviewing its progress in the past 100 years, it would be difficult to over-estimate.
With assets of more than $6.000.000. the Winsted Savings Bank (which in 1935 has reached the age of seventy-five Years) ranks as the largest in-titution of its class in Litchfield County. and has long been recognized as a factor of the first importance to the welfare of the community.
It was organized in 1860 and began its business in a modest way, reaching in a few years a growth that required permanent quarters, and becoming in 186S the successor of the old Winsted Bank as owner and occupant of the brick bank building at 690 Main Street (now the office of the Moore & Alvord Insurance Agency).
This remained its home until. in Jannarv. 1925. it removed to its pres- ent building at 654 Main Street, which is. architecturally and otherwise, one of the town's notable structures.
Throughout its life the bank has had as its officers and directors repre- sentative men of the town. whose guid- anee of its affairs has proved success- ful in promoting a healthy growth, and at the same time has given an example of that disinterested public service which is the underlying principle of the mutual savings bank. Under the stress of the conditions that have had to be faced in recent years their prob- lems have been many and difficult. but except for the "banking holiday." enforced throughout the country in March, 1933. no situation has develop- ed which could not be met in the or- , dinary course of operation, and except when at that critical time it was de- creed by the state, no "notice of with-
drawal"-that indispensible but seldom nsed safeguard which all savings banks hold in reserve-has been required of the depositors of the Winsted Savings Bank.
During its existence the bank has been a factor of great importance in the progress and development of the town. and it has been able to distribute as dividends to its depositors the im- pressive total of $5.750.342.43.
July 1. 1935, its statement showed 7.877 depositors' accounts : deposits. S .- 721.345.59; total assets. $6.146.767.76. Among those officially connected with the bank since its beginning have been almost all the active and leading men of the community. The presidents have been. successively. Warren Phelps. Moses Camp, John T. Rockwell, John
J. Albert Smith, Treasurer
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
Hinsdale, Gov. Lorrin A. Cooke and Arthur L. Clark.
The treasurers have been Lyman Baldwin, Lorenzo M. Blake and George S. Rowe.
The present officers are Dudley L. Vaill, president : Dwight B. Tiffany. vice-president : J. Albert Smith, treas- urer; Wallace W. Taylor, assistant treasurer; directors. Dudley L. Vaill. Ralph W. Holmes. Dwight B. Tiffany. J. Albert Smith, Daniel Colt. Ilallett F. Clark, C. Wesley Winslow.
Isaacson's New York Store
Thirty-seven Years Selling Dry Goods, Shoes and Men's Furnishings
''HELLO, operator, give me 800, please."
"Hello, this is Isaacson's New York store."
"Is Mr. Joseph Isaacson, the man- ager. there ?"
"Yes, speaking."
"Mr. Isaacson. this is Walter Jones. I have just bought a summer place up in Colebrook and am driving to town in a few minutes. I want to clean up around my place here, and I was wondering if you had some good work clothes ?"
"Yes, we have two very good lines we have carried for a number of years. the Sweet-Orr and the Lee work clothes. They are very serviceable and just the thing you want. I imagine."
"Well, that's fine. I'll be down and drop in your store within a short time."
"All right, thank you."
For thirty-seven years Isaacson's New York store at 540-544 Main Street has been answering 'phone calls just. like that. Number 800 in the telephone directory is a busy number and Num- bers 540-544 Main Street is a busy place.
·
It was in 1898 that two brothers. Hyman and Harris Isaacson, who had been in business in New York for a time. came up to Winsted and estab- lished Isaacson's New York store. a modest little clothing and dry goods store at 560 Main street. which they rented of Frank E. Capewell. a jeweler and piano dealer who condensed his business, moving into an adjoining building. These brothers were wide- awake tradesmen who knew that they must have what the people wanted at reasonable prices and. what is more. they were prepared to clothe the whole family. It was not long before the store became well known and more and inore people began trading there.
Soon they had to have more room and carry a larger stock. They took the whole of the Capewell building. then erected a two-story bnikling. then bought the adjoining house and used it for a stock room, and after that they
bought the Bannon block. the White block, the Sackett block, a part of the Odd Fellows' lot and a number of cther properties, and became among the largest taxpayers in town. Mean- time Harris Isaacson retired from the business and returned to New York to enter the wholesale trade and Hymen. with Mrs. Isaacson and one or more of their sons, conducted the Winsted store which had built up a large trade.
Then they built the present big store, on what is known as the Bannon and adjoining properties, with modern city fronts and a row of plate glas- windows that would attraet attention in any metropolitan area. The store now occupies 6,000 feet of floor space.
Joseph Isaacson, Manager Isaacson's, Inc.
4.000 feet of which is selling space. They installed the open display sys- tem of counters so that the customer conld examine each article with the least trouble and the greatest satisfac- tion.
Hyman Isaacson died in August. 1928. and the business was later in- corporated under the name of Isaac- son's. Incorporated. Joseph Isaacson being the manager.
The principal lines are men's fur- nishings, ladies' shoes and hosiery. dry goods, notions. curtains. etc. They carry standard lines which include the Fnna-Jettick shoes for women and the W. L. Douglas shoes for men. ball Band rubber footwear and tennis shoes. the Arrow line in men's furnishings. etc. This store has always catered to country and summer trade as well as that in the city. The large growth of the business means that Isaacson's gives real satisfaction.
Sidney E. Isaacson is manager of the shoe department at 528-532 Main Street. The clerical force at Isaacson's is worthy of special mention.
Harold S. Case, Printer
Office is on Site of Famous Higley Tavern Built in 1798 by Isaac Wheeler
THE first frame building ereeted on Main Street from Lake Street to Still River bridge was a tavern at 665 Main Street. now the site of Harold S. Case's print shop. built by Isaac Wheeler in 1798 in anticipation of the opening of the Green Woods turnpike through Winsted in 1799. That year he sold his property which extended down Main Street from his tavern to Hotel Clifton. east of Case Avenue. and included High. Center. parts of Elm and Willow Streets. to Horace Higley, a Federalist, "model farmer and tavern keeper of the old school."
The foundation stones of the old tavern which was conducted by Mr. Higley for twenty-nine years and was known by his name long afterward. later the Union House, are still to be seen in the basement of Mr. Case's print shop. Boyd's Annals says of Mr. Higley : "His lands were thorough- ly cleared and skillfully tilled. No tip- ler ever haunted his barroom. His table fare was suited to the taste of an epi- enre ; his beds were ever cleaned and well aired: and his guests found him a social, dignified and gentlemanly host. The travel on the new road was so abundant he could choose his guests : and his choice of customers gave him an aristocratic reputation. which was by no means lessened by the sight of the unchained lion on his signboard. indicative of his strong federal pro- pensities. He was a public-spirited and influential man in the community. largely employed in public business- was postmaster from 1806 to 1830. and six times a representative of the town in the General Assembly."
The hotel was not removed until the seventies to make room for a wood- en store building which was burned at the time of the Camp block fire in 188S. after which King T. Sheldon. photographer, erected Mr. Case's build- ing on a part of the lot. the latter hav- ing purchased it in 1918 of Mr. Shel- don's heirs.
Since 1916 Mr. Case has been turn- ing out good printing and name tapes which are sent all over the world.
He was captain of the Home Guards for five years, 1917 to 1922. and has been secretary of the Winsted Rotary Club for thirteen years. not having missed a meeting during that time.
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THE WINSTED TERCENTENARIAN
7
1
Benjamin's Garage, Elm and Center Streets
Roscoe Benjamin, Oldest Dealer
Litchfield County Distributor of Dodge, Plymouth, Cadillac and La Salle Automobiles
ROSCOE BENJAMIN, the Litch- field County distributor of the popular lines of Dodge, Plymouth, Cadillac and LaSalle ears. is the pio- neer automobile dealer of northwest- ern Connecticut and through all these years, which cover the history of the automobile industry. Mr. Benjamin has maintained his leadership by following a business policy he adopted at the be- ginning, of doing whatever he does a little better than his competitors. Mr. Benjamin is the oldest dealer of the Dodge and Cadillac cars in Connecti- cut. Back in 1911. twenty-four years ago, he had the record of selling more automobiles than all the other dealers in Litchfield County together and he has kept in front by choosing the best models and devoting his whole atten- tion to sales and service.
Mr. Benjamin was trained in busi- ness from his boyhood days when he established the Diamond Stamp Co. before he had finished school and had agents in many parts of the United States. With his keen and alert mind. he developed business ideas which have been useful ever since.
Forty-three years ago he started in the tailoring business with John Maher, the venerable father of the Mayor, but, being a great lover of horses and driver of a fine pair him- self, he became interested in his equip- ment and soon took up the carriage and wagon business. Ilis first order Was for a half dozen carriages from the Watertown Carriage Co., and his first sale was to Edward P. JJones. ITis
success in selling these gave him the impetus which resulted in his building up a very large business throughout this section.
Having started business in his neighbor's, M. G. Wheeler's barn on Union Street, in 1898 he bought the Joe Lincoln Carriage Shop on Ehn and Center Streets, famous for its fine wagons and carriages which had been built there in previous generations. and remodelled it with a large showroom and it was not long before Benjamin's Carriage repository was the trade mart for horse owners far beyond the bonn- daries of the County. A little later he took down the old blacksmith shop and erected a large three-story addition and packed it full to the roof with acces- sories for horses and enjoyed the high- ost class of trade.
He was quick to realize in the early days of the automobile, however, that this new method of transportation would soon displace the horse, nich as he regretted it at the time, and so took the agency for the Oldsmobile. thirty-five years ago, selling his first car to George E. Dudley. the Winsted tanner. Later, as new cars were de- veloped, Mr. Benjamin represented the Stevens-Duryea, the Pope- Hart ford. the Locomobile. the Hupmobile and the Maxwell. It was an event in the history of automobiling in Winsted when Mr. Benjamin went to New York with a erew of men. among whom was Ray Barnes, and brought back over the rough country roads a fleet of two- cylinder Maxwells, the first of which he sold to Earl Baxter, February 29, 1908.
Mr. Benjamin was given the agency for the Cadillac in 1910. He was the agent for the Ford three years. 1913- 1915, and in 1915 of the Dodge Broth- ers cars. the twentieth anniversary of which was celebrated a few months ago in Boston.
The marvelous development of the automobile industry within a genera- tion is well known. Mr. Benjamin has kept pace with it. He built another large addition to his garage and final- ly, about fifteen years ago, bought the adjoining property and erected the large brick and steel salesroom on Center Street. About the same time he bought his large salesroom at, South Prospect and Hungerford Streets in Torrington and soon established sales agencies throughout the County. He has sales branches in Woodbury, New" Preston, New Milford and Canaan,
The Dodge Brothers cars are the first in their field-outselling all but the three lowest priced makes. In the first fourteen weeks of 1935, 87,013 Dodge ears were delivered by Dodge dealers, representing the greatest sales in its history. The new Dodge Airglide ride has revolutionized car comfort and its new synchromatie control and other features have made it a leader for pow- er, speed and economy. There are eight models to choose from and a complete line of trucks from a half ton to ten tons, comprising about fifty models. The Dodge and the Cadillac were the first cars bought by the government at the time of the World War and are still the two highest grade ears made.
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