USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The history of Waterbury, Connecticut; the original township embracing present Watertown and Plymouth, and parts of Oxford, Wolcott, Middlebury, Prospect and Naugatuck. With an appendix of biography, genealogy and statistics > Part 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
DEA. AARON BENEDICT,
The son of Aaron and Esther (Trowbridge) Benedict, was born in that part of Waterbury which is now Middlebury, Aug. 9, 1785. At an early age he became a member of Yale College, but after_eighteen months was obliged to leave on account of ill health. He removed to Wa- terbury (first society) in 1804, and became a partner of Joseph Burton in mercantile business, which they carried on, without much profit, till 1812. He then commenced the manufacture of bone and ivory but- tons ; but this business, after several years' trial, not proving satisfactory, he became connected in 1823, with Bennet Bronson of Waterbury, and Nathan Smith, William Bristol and David C. DeForest of New Haven, in the gilt button business, under the partnership name of " A. Benedict." He was the general partner and had the exclusive manage- ment of the concern. The prosperity of Waterbury, as a manufactur- ing town, may be said to date from the formation of this company ; though the gilt button business had been established, and carried on to a limited extent for many years. The capital was $6,500. Many dis- couragements, at first, embarrassed the enterprise ; but perseverance finally secured success. Skillful artisans were obtained from England. It was the first aim to make a good article, and the second, to obtain good prices. Buttons, gilded with something better than "dandelion water," were first sent to market in the spring of 1824. Goods of the value of about $5,000 were made during this year. Soon after the for- mation of the company, Benjamin DeForest of Watertown and Alfred Platt of Waterbury became members by purchase. The partnership was renewed in 1827, and the capital increased to $13,000.
The second partnership expired Feb. 2d, 1829, when a new one was formed under the name of "Benedict & Coe," with a capital of $20,000. Mr. Benedict's partners were Israel Coe, Bennet Bronson, Benjamin De- Forest, Alfred Platt and James Croft. In addition to their old business, they dealt in merchandise, and rolled brass for market. They had pre- viously, as early as 1825, made brass for their own use and sold some, but this was not then considered an important branch of their business. Thenceforth it became so.
On the 10th day of February, 1834, the copartnership of Benedict & Coe expired, and a new one, with a capital of $40,000, was enter- ed into, with the name of Benedict & Burnham. The partners_were Aaron Benedict, Gordon W. Burnham, Bennet Bronson, Alfred Platt, Henry Bronson, Samuel S. DeForest and John DeForest. The two
449
APPENDIX.
first were the general partners and agents of the company. Mr. Bene_ diet continued to have charge of the business at home, which was pros- ecuted with great energy and success for the next three years. By his prudence and skill, the company was carried through the financial crisis of 1837, without dishonor or serious loss. The copartnership was renewed March 16, 1838, with a capital of $71,000, and again, March 11, 1840, with a capital of $100,000. Previous to this last date, or in 1839, the second financial crisis came on, which was followed by a pro- longed depression in business. The company made nothing for three years.
On the 14th day of Jan. 1843, the company of Benedict & Burn- ham gave place to the " Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Com- pany," a joint stock corporation, the first formed in the town, under which name the business is still carried on. The capital was $100,000. Mr. Benedict was chosen president, which office he has held ever since. In 1848, the capital was augmented to 8200,000, and in 1856, to $400,000. The business has been regularly and constantly increas- ing, (with slight exceptions,) from 1824 to the present time. The mak- ing of German silver became an important branch of it, at an early period. So did the drawing of brass and copper wire. The company now manufactures almost exclusively, sheet brass, German silver, brass and copper wire, and brass and copper tubing. A business which was started thirty-two years ago, on a most diminutive scale, has now be- come the most important in the place, employing six first class mills and over $1,500,000 capital.
The Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing Company has from time to time become the parent of several other joint stock companies. Whenever a branch of its business could be better carried on by itself, the property necessary for its prosecution was detached, and distributed as a dividend to its stockholders, in the form of stock in a new com- pany. Thus originated, in 1846, the American Pin Company, with $50,000 capital,* (afterwards increased to $100,000;) in 1849, the Waterbury Button Company, with a capital of $30,000, (afterwards in- creased to $45,000 ;) in 1852, the Benedict & Scovill Company,t (a mercantile corporation,) with a capital of $50,000, (now, 60,000;) and in 1857, the Waterbury Clock Company, with $60,000 capital.
Mr. Benedict has twice represented the town in the General Assembly, and in the spring of the present year, (1857,) was a candidate for State
* The partners in the firm of Brown & Elton took one half the stock in this company. They had previously been interested in the business.
t The stockholders of the Scovill Manufacturing Co, took one third of the stock.
29
450
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
senator ; but, as a common thing, he has peremptorily declined political office. For many years, he has been a deacon of the 1st Congregational church of Waterbury. He is widely known for integrity, soundness of judgment and strong common sense ; for his matured opinions and wise, considerate action, under all circumstances. Though now over seventy years of age, he is still vigorous, and attends to his business duties with as much regularity as he did thirty years ago.
BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR OF ALVAN BRONSON ;
PREPARED BY HIMSELF.
I am the second son of Josiah and Tabitha (Tuttle) Bronson, and was born in Waterbury, (since Middlebury,) May 19, 1783. As soon as I could be made useful, I worked on the farm in the summer, attending a district school in the winter. When thirteen years old, I spent twelve months in the family of Capt. Isaac Bronson, being engaged as shop or errand boy in a small country store. About this time, I became inter- ested in a small juvenile library, and contracted a fondness for books. I was kindly treated by Capt. Bronson, who by the way, though in hum- ble life, was no ordinary man. He had a strong mind, well cultivated for his station; was benevolent, ardent, eloquent. In politics, he was a warm Federalist. I recollect hearing him say, with hands clenched, his massive, bony figure drawn up to its full height, his musical, bell- toned voice pitched to its highest key, "I solemnly declare I would rather be taxed a yoke of fat oxen every year than see the nation dis- graced by this paltry gun-boat system." Hammond, in his Political History of New York, has alluded to my Federal propensities. Per- haps they may be traced partly to this good old man.
For the greatest part of the next two or three years, I was employed as youngest clerk in the store of Mr. Terrell, of Salem. Afterwards, for one quarter, I attended the select school of Esquire Morris, of Litchfield, South Farms, and completed my education by spending a year with our clergyman, the Rev. Ira Hart. Thus qualified, and be- fore I was seventeen, I taught a district school in Woodbridge three months.
About this time, I accepted a clerkship in the store of Reuben Rice, of New Haven, who had been the head clerk of Tyrrel, where I re- mained about eighteen months. At the end of this period, I and Jo- sepl N. Clark formed a connection with Isaac & Kneeland Townsend, merchant tailors, and Gilbert & Townsend, West India shippers, and
451
APPENDIX.
went into business on Long Wharf. Clark managed the sailors' cloth- ing department, while I was the merchant. The other partners fur- nished the capital. The business was extensive, arduous and prosper- ous ; but after three or four years, Mr. Clark and I declined to go on with it, on the original footing.
In connection with Mr. Clark and our former patrons, Gilbert & Townsend, I then undertook an adventure for the winter. I proceeded to Charleston, S. C., with Gilbert & Townsend's schooner, the Ante- lope, chartered and loaded on joint account, with northern products. We encountered a three days' gale, and were wrecked on Portsmonth Beach, between capes Fear and Hatteras. Having paid salvage to the wreckers and observed all the forms due to the underwriters, I purchased at the sale of the wreck, and that of three others resulting from the same gale, a large amount of materials, obtained a master builder, and con- structed a brig and schooner suited to the West India trade. The en- terprise consumed two years. The schooner made several voyages. The brig was completed and loaded just in season to be overtaken by Mr. Jefferson's embargo, which changed her destination from a West India to a Connecticut voyage. The adventure was then closed. Mr. Clark and myself took the schooner, and Gilbert & Townsend the brig.
After the embargo was repealed, I made a voyage to the West Indies, as supercargo of the brig Julius Caesar. On my return, I brought home the first intelligence of the capture by the French of my schooner (Philander) under Bonaparte's Berlin and Milan decrees, for having been bound to a British port. She was condemned, sold and bought in by the captain ; and afterwards captured, under the British orders in council, for having been to a French port, and again condemned !
Jacob Townsend, of the house of Gilbert & Townsend, now proposed to me to unite with him in the coasting trade of the lakes. I assented, and with Shelden Thompson, shipmaster, and our ship-carpenters, pro- ceeded to Oswego River. At the falls, we cut the frame for a schooner of one hundred and odd tons, on the ground now occupied by the thriving village of Fulton. I then visited, for the first time, the hamlet of Oswego, my future home, which has swelled from 300 to a city of 16,000 inhabitants. Thompson proceeded to Lake Erie to provide mate- rials for another vessel on the Niagara River.
With our joint capital of $14,000, we built two vessels, established a store at Oswego and another at Lewiston, and in connexion with Gene- ral and Judge Porter and Major Barton, (who held from the State a lease of the Niagara portage,) we conducted a major part of the com- merce of the lakes for the two years preceding the war with Great Brit- ain. In 1812, we found we had escaped Bonaparte's decrees and the
452
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
British orders in council, to be involved in a vindictive and desolating war. Our business was broken up; our homes were invaded, plundered and burned.
I was appointed military and naval store keeper at Oswego. When the port was threatened in 1814, the entire disposition of the public stores was committed to my discretion ; and after the capture, I received the thanks of the quarter-master's department for the skill and success with which I had discharged the trust. I was myself captured with the remnant of stores on hand, nor was the manner over-gracious. Com- modore Sir James Yeo asked me to furnish pilots to conduct his boats out of the harbor to the fleet when laden with salt and military stores. I stated that our inhabitants had left the village and I had no one un- der my command. He replied with an oath, "Then go yourself, and if you get the boats aground, I'll shoot you," putting his hand on my shoulder and conducting me to a boat. Col. Harvey, on the bank above, called out to Sir James, "that is the public-store keeper, and may be useful to us," when he called me back. Subsequently, he said to me, " You are our prisoner. I shall expect you to inform me what public stores are on hand, what have been secreted in the neighborhood, if any, and what have been deposited in the rear of the port." I re- plied I could not give the information, my books and papers having been sent away for safety ; nor would it be proper, if I could. He re- joined that he had nothing to say about my duty ; that if I gave him this information correctly, he should allow me to remain; if not, he should send me to Quebec. He gave me leave to take my trunk, and ordered me on board his flag-ship, the Prince Regent, a fine frigate. I found my wardrobe and books plundered to the lastarticle. After secur- ing their plunder, and burning the barracks, the officers came on board, about midnight, when Lt. General Drummond enquired for the store keeper. When pointed out to him, he lavished upon me a profusion of vulgar epithets, and concluded by saying, " d-n you, you ought to be strung up to the yard arm. You said there were no stores secreted, and we found sunk in the river, at your wharf, three or four cannon and as many ships' anchors." Col. Harvey was evidently mortified by the rudeness and vulgarity of his superiors, and in a walk on the quarter- deck next day, apologized for them by saying their loss was severe, and among the killed and wounded were some of their best officers. Col. Harvey was a gentleman in manners, and a brilliant officer.
In 1815, I married the youngest daughter of Capt. Edward O'Con- ner, a Revolutionary soldier.
After the war, our business was resumed and extended by a branch at
453
APPENDIX.
Black Rock, conducted on the part of Townsend, Bronson & Co., by Thompson, and on the part of Porter, Barton & Co., by Nathaniel Sill, under the firm of Sill, Thompson & Co. Our connexion was closed in 1822.
In 1822 my neighbors procured my nomination to the State Senate, without consulting or even confiding to me the secret. Being duly elected under the new constitution, I drew two years, during which time the principle service rendered mny constituents was to procure a law authorizing the construction of the Oswego Canal ; a small appropri- ation for the improvement of the Oswego River having been extorted from the Legislature before, and this partly through my agency.
Identified early with the Oswego Canal, I became its advocate and de- fender through a stormy conflict of twenty-five years. During all this period, it had to meet and counteract the hostility of Western New York, headed by the jealous and sharp rival interest of Buffalo. So much was I connected with this work in public estimation, that when I repaired to Albany with a remonstrance against the resolution of Mr. Hickox of Buffalo, to repeal the Oswego Canal law, while little progress had yet been made, in its construction, meeting Aaron Burr in the hall of the capitol, he saluted me by saying, "Ah ! you are here to de- fend your canal," and added, " I am with you ;" I said I believed all sensi- ble men were with us; to which he replied characteristically, " Ah, my young friend, if that's all, you have a vast majority against you." If this protracted warfare did not improve my temper, it sharpened my pen, as I was charged with all the memorials, remonstrances, and newspaper battles incident to the conflict for these twenty-five years, and down to the last half dozen years, when I resigned in favor of younger heads and stronger hands.
The other events which signalized my two years' service were a report I wrote for the chairman of the committee on manufactures, and my connexion with the famous seventeen who defeated the Electoral law. Gen. McClure of Steuben introduced the annual resolutions call- ing on Congress to encourage and protect manufactures. They con- tained the usual fallacies and appeals to public prejudice, alledging that importations impoverished the people, that England monopolized our public securities, loaded us with debt, robbed us of our specie, and degraded us to a tributary, &c. Mallory, chairman of the commit- tee in the Senate, to whom these resolutions were referred, (which had passed the Assembly almost by acclamation,) entertained doubts as to the soundnesss of this popular theory, and proposed to me to try my hand at a report, which, if approved, he would offer to his committee. I pre-
454
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
pared the report with care. He approved it, and one of his committee, Wooster of Herkimer, applauded the work, but said popular prejudice would not tolerate such doctrines, which were out and out free trade. His committee, therefore, reported the resolutions from the Assembly, and Mallory offered his substitute and defended it ably, with such aid as I could afford him. It received one vote, that of Wheeler of White Hall, a merchant, in addition to those of Mallory and myself. Mallory frankly disclaimed the authorship. It was published and applauded by the city press. Indeed, it was well received by some of the senators, and among them Gen. Root, our president.
In 1829, I was returned to the Senate again; took my seat in 1830, and was placed at the head of the finance committee. The sub- ject which occupied the largest share of my time, was the usury ques- tion. John C. Spencer introduced a bill to enforce the usury laws by new and additional penalties. This bill passed the Assembly, and was referred by the Senate to my committee. It had some able oppo- nents in the Senate, foremost among whom were Maynard of Utica and Tracey of Buffalo. There were others opposed in principle to the bill, but unwilling to act, believing the measure popular. The policy adopt- ed therefore was to procrastinate, and enlist friends by arguments and reports. I therefore had occasion to report more or less elaborately against the usury penalties during each of these four winters.
In my second winter the Senate by resolution instructed my com- mittee to report to the next Legislature the history of the usury laws and their penalties as modified from time to time. Aided by Senator May- nard and Cashier A. B. Johnson of Utica, circulars were addressed to prominent men throughout the Union, which brought a valuable amount of information, together with the opinions of the writers. All the parties addressed, with a single exception, favored repeal or amelioration. Among them were John Quincey Adams, Gen. Cass, Gov. Burnett of Ohio, Saml. A. Foot of Connecticut, Professor MeVickar of New York and Saml. Smith of Baltimore. The latter, an old merchant and Uni- ted States senator, was the exception.
In my third senatorial year, the important question was agitated whether the general fund should be preserved and fortified by a small tax; or exhausted and the government be thrown upon the canal reve- nues for support thereafter. Hammond says, (Political History of New York, Vol. 2, p. 411,) " Mr. Bronson, in accordance with the views of the governor and comptroller, on the 28th February, 1832, brought in a bill to levy a tax of one mill on the dollar for three years." He adds, "For myself, I think the general fund ought to have been replen-
455
APPENDIX.
ished by a temporary tax, [&c.] This immensely important question was elaborately debated, and with great ability, in the Senate. Beards- ley, Maynard, Seward and others opposed, and Bronson and Tracey supported the bill. On the final vote a very large majority were opposed to the tax, five members only, Bronson, Fisk, Fuller, Halsey and Tracey voting in favor."
Near the close of my last session, a bill came from the Assembly re- ducing the legal rate of interest to 6 per cent. and bank discount to 53 per cent., guarding these rates by the existing usury penalties. Against this bill, were presented remonstrances from New York, Hudson, Alba- ny, and the County cf St. Lawrence. All were referred to the finance committee, on which I made an elaborate report, "Senate document No. 106, 12th April, 1833." This report embraced the subjects of CAPITAL, CURRENCY, BANKING and INTEREST. It received, from the city press particularly, liberal commendation ; but was pronounced by some rather ambitious. I learned that Mr. Gallatin said it was an able and well reasoned document-an opinion that might well gratify any one of much more pretension than the chairman of the finance com- mittee.
My political and public life closed with my second term in the Sen- ate, when I resumed my mercantile pursuits, giving some thought and labor to public measures connected with my pursuits ; particularly to the debenture or drawback law of Congress, and the Treaty of Reci- procity with Great Britain and her American Provinces. The former measure originated at Oswego, and simply provided for refunding duties paid on importations at the sea-board, on proof of exportation over land or by canal to Canada and New Mexico.
In 1834, Gen. Cass, Secretary of War, on the nomination of Silas Wright, appointed me one of the visitors of the West Point Academy. Subsequently the State of New York commissioned me, with two others, to settle for Otsego an exciting court-house question. With these slight interruptions, my last twenty years have been devoted assiduously to commerce. Indeed, this pursuit has never been wholly intermitted since I became a merchant.
HENRY DUTTON, LL. D.
Is the son of Thomas and a younger brother of Rev. Matthew R. Dutton, (see page 389,) and was born in Plymouth, Feb. 12, 1796. He was grad- uated at Yale College in 1818, and made a tutor in 1821. He has since been a representative and senator in the State Legislature, a judge of the County Court of New Haven, and governor of the State. In 1847, he was appointed a professor in the law department of Yale College,
456
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
which office he still holds. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him in 1854.
SAMUEL ALFRED FOOTE
Was the youngest child of John and Mary Foote. He was born in Watertown, Dec. 17, 1790, and resided with his parents till Sept. 1805, when he went to live with his elder brother, Ebenezer, (see page 390,) then residing in Troy. After a little more than a year spent in the law office of his brother, the latter sent him to the Grammar School connected with Union College. He entered this school in Dec. 1806, and the Freshman Class of Union College in Sept. 1807. He left college in Dec. 1810, and graduated in July, 1811. After leaving col- lege, he read law nearly a year with James Thomson, Esq. of Milton, Saratoga Co., and then entered the office of his brother in Albany, to which place the latter had removed. He took charge of the business of the office after Feb. 1812, when his brother's partner, Samuel North, Esq., was disabled by sickness. Mr. North died in Jan. 1813, when a partnership was entered into by the brothers. Samuel A. had then not studied law the required time. His brother made for him a special ap- plication to the Court; and in consideration, in part, of the time he had spent in the study while a youth and before entering college, the rule was dispensed with, an examination permitted, and a license to practice as an attorney in the Supreme Court of the State was granted in Jan. 1813. He was admitted counselor in Jan. 1816. While con- nected with his brother, he attended to the business of the office. The partnership was prosperous, but of short duration, on account of the early death of the senior brother. The survivor, however, continued the prac- tice of law in Albany.
Mr. Foote was appointed district attorney of the City and County of Albany, under the administration of Gov. Clinton, in July, 1819, and held the office till Feb. 1821, when he was removed and Benjamin F. Butler appointed in his place. He continued in Albany till May, 1828, when he removed to the City of New York .- (See The Foote Genealogy.)
DAVID HOADLEY, (2D,)
A son of David Hoadley, (see page 396,)was born in Waterbury, Feb. 13, 1806. While still a minor, he was a clerk in the drug store of Hotchkiss & Durand, and afterwards, of Lewis Hotchkiss, in New Ha- ven. In April, 1827, he commenced business on his own account in New York, and was engaged exclusively in the wholesale drug trade till 1848. At this time, on account of impaired health, he relinquished active business. He was chosen vice president of the American Ex-
457
APPENDIX.
change Bank, and as his health improved, consented to take an active part in the management of the business. While connected with that prosper- ous institution, he became widely known for his prudence and skill.
Resigning his place in the American Exchange Bank, Mr. Hoadley accepted the office of president of the Panama Railroad Company, and entered upon his duties, Nov. 1, 1853. He still occupies that responsi- ble and difficult position. Few men in the financial circles of New York have a higher reputation for ability, integrity and successful enterprise.
ISRAEL HOLMES
Is a younger brother of Capt. Reuben Holmes, (see page 396,) is a descendant of Lieut. Thomas Judd, and was born Dec. 19, 1800. IIe received an ordinary common school education, and was himself a teacher of the school in the West Centre district in Waterbury when he was quite young. Afterwards, he became principal clerk in the store of J. M. L. & W. H. Scovill, and while engaged in the business of these gentlemen, was sent by them to England, in 1829, to procure workmen for their button factory and the brass business.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.