USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The town and city of Waterbury, Connecticut, from the aboriginal period to the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five. Volume II > Part 24
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A neighbor who asked the loan of a horse to carry a grist to mill was a little offended at being refused. A day or two afterward Captain Judd accosted him and asked whose horse he had borrowed. "Nobody's," was the answer. "Have you taken your grist to mill?" "Yes." "How did you get it there?" "On my back," said the man, as he turned away. "See here, sir, see here," the repentant captain called after him; "go to the stable and get my horse." "But I don't want your horse." "Go to the stable, I say, and get my horse. Take your wife out to ride, or go somewhere with him."
1
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TAVERNS, HOTELS, OLD TIME LANDLORDS.
Captain Judd died September 11, 1825, in his ninety-first year. He was the last of the Waterbury Judds who kept the prominence of the family name up to the original standard, although the pecu- liar characteristics of the family have been abundantly perpetuated under other names. His children who grew up were with one exception daughters, and his son had no sons. Through his eldest daughter, Mercy, who married Timon Miles, he was the ancestor of the Stockings, and through his third daughter, Sarah, who married the first Israel Holmes, he was the ancestor of the Holmeses and the Carters.
JOSEPH BURTON.
Joseph Burton was the son of Deacon Benjamin Burton of Trum- bull, and was born in that town in 1779. He came to Waterbury about 1800, and established a mercantile business with Philo De Forest, who came from the same part of the state, under the name of Burton & De Forest. Their store was on Exchange place, corner of Harrison alley, and was built for them by Captain Ben- jamin Upson. Mr. De Forest did not remain long in Waterbury, and Mr. Burton subsequently formed a partnership with Aaron Benedict, and still later with Mark Leavenworth.
On June 23, 1805, he married Susanna, daughter of Deacon Stephen and Sarah (Humiston) Bronson, and through his wife and by pur- chase became a large landholder. On March 14, 1826, he purchased the hotel kept just before then by Israel Coe. This hotel, together with extensive farming operations, Mr. Burton conducted success- fully until about 1836, when he sold the hotel to Edward Chitten- den and removed to the house which had belonged to his wife's father, Deacon Bronson (which stood on the ground now occupied by the Dime Savings bank). Two years later-on April 6, 1838-he died there.
His first wife died July 14, 1811, and on January 2, 1815, he mar- ried Ann Eliza, daughter of Captain Uzziel Clark, of Sheffield, Mass. She died November 20, 1836. (For the record of the children of both wives, see Vol. I, Ap. pp. 31, 32.)
Mr. Burton occupied a prominent place in Waterbury for many years. He was an accomplished business man, but it was as a land- lord that he was most widely known. The position of landlord of a good hotel was one of no small social importance. Mr. Burton was a man of fine presence, of an easy but dignified bearing, a cour- teous and almost courtly manner; uniformly kind to his guests, but with a fine sense of differences. He considered that nothing could show greater attention on his part to a guest whom he especially
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
desired to honor than an introduction to his own family circle. This consisted of his wife and his wife's mother-both of them ladies of much social experience-and his three children, Marcia, the daughter of his first wife (afterwards Mrs. Willard Spencer), Elizabeth (afterwards the first wife of Augustus Brown), and his son Charles (of whom an account is given elsewhere). The two latter were children of the second wife .*
THE DIME SAVINGS BANK (REFERRED TO ON THE PRECEDING PAGE). ALSO THE OFFICE OF HOLMES & PARSONS, BANKERS. (SEE FURTHER, PAGE 178.)
* Captain Clark, the father of Mr. Burton's second wife, was in early life a sea captain, sailing from the Connecticut river to the West Indies and various other ports of the world. It happened that he was in one of the West India islands at the time of a negro insurrection and massacre, and succeeded in saving the lives of a family that took refuge on his vessel. They were brought by him to this country, together with some of their effects. Among these was a picture of the Death of Antony, painted by Pompeo Battoni, an Italian artist of repute. This picture its owner presented to Captain Clark, and after his death it was brought to Waterbury. Hezekiah Huntington of Hartford saw it here, and finally bought it. Some years later it was taken to Europe, and was there recognized by connoisseurs as a well known picture of Battoni's, the disappearance of which had been noticed, but of which all trace was lost. Before it disappeared it had been engraved by the eminent John George Wille in his strongest and most masterly style. Its reappearance excited much interest in art circles. The picture, which still belongs to Mr. Huntington's family, is or recently was in the Atheneum at Hartford.
CHAPTER XV.
THE DAY OF SMALL SHOPS- LARGE ASSORTMENTS, "SPIRITS" INCLUDED- SPECIALIZATION-THE FIRST DRUG STORE-DRY GOODS, HARDWARE, ETC. - BIOGRAPHIES - WILLIAM LEAVENWORTH, ABNER JOHNSON, JAMES SCOVIL, W. K. LAMSON, DR. FREDERICK LEAVENWORTH, C. D. KINGSBURY - REPRESENTATIVE MERCHANTS OF THE LATER TIME, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
T HERE were probably small shops for supplying local wants in Waterbury from a very early period in its history, as Farm- ington and New Haven and, a little later, Derby were the nearest points for obtaining supplies. No record of them, however, has been discovered, and neither in the early years nor for a long time afterward were any large commercial enterprises undertaken here, such as were carried on successfully in a number of inland towns of no greater population.
The object of these early merchants was to supply as far as prac- ticable all the ordinary wants of the people; consequently, although the stock of goods was small, the assortment was great. I have before me a merchant's account book of 1791, and I see on its pages frequent charges of rum, intermingled with tow-cloth, spelling- books, sugar, wire, linen check, green tea, shirting, German steel, indigo, sewing silk, veal, buttons, butter, ashes, tobacco, pipes, sherry, alspice, mull, whalebone, etc., etc. Money was scarce, and a great deal of trade was exchange or barter. Grain of all kinds, beef, pork, poultry, cheese, butter, eggs, nuts, berries, hides, tallow, candles, lard, domestic flannels, feathers, quills, braided straw hats, potatoes, apples and other fruits, both green and dried, home-made brooms, flax and flax seed, cider and domestic wines, were some of the articles which the country merchant was expected to be always ready to receive in exchange for his goods. Some of these would be disposed of to local customers and the remainder would be sent from time to time to larger markets, mostly to New Haven. All or nearly all dealt in spirits. Nobody imagined anything wrong in that. They were sold by the glass or the bottle, as required. A clerk usually slept in the store, and he was expected to be up by four o'clock in summer mornings, to serve those who thought they needed a drink on their way to the field. Dr. Abner Johnson sold only drugs, and after 1827 Frederick Leavenworth sold no dry goods. It was not until 1846 that a store for the sale of dry goods
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
only, was opened by Elisha Turner, and it was ten years later before the hardware trade justified keeping a stock of that kind exclusively.
We give in this chapter biographical sketches of the early and some of the later merchants of the town. Even for the period before 1840 the list is incomplete, but the important names are included. Some of the early merchants-for instance, Aaron Benedict, Mark Leavenworth, Israel Coe and Green Kendrick-who later became prominent as manufacturers, and therefore properly belong to another department of the history, have been purposely omitted. Horace Porter, Jeremiah Camp, Ezra Stiles, George Warner, Lyman Chipman and Sherman Chipman are also remem- bered as having been engaged in mercantile trade here for longer or shorter periods, between 1825 and 1860, and probably the list might be considerably extended.
Thomas Clark, who was a weaver and a tavern-keeper, had a stock of goods here during some portion of his life. He was the adopted son and heir of his uncle Timothy Stanley, who died in 1728, and as Clark succeeded his uncle in the business of cloth weaving and tavern keeping it is quite likely that the mercantile business was a part of the inheritance. His house stood where the City hall now stands .*
Captain George Nichols had a store here about 1740 and for some years .afterward. He was a son of Joseph Nichols and came here with his father from Derby, some time prior to 1731. The father, Joseph, was born at Stratford, but was taken to Long Island by his mother, then a widow, when he was quite young. His son George and several other children were born on Long Island, whence they removed to Derby and later to Waterbury, where he died. Joseph was, I think, the progenitor of all of the name who have lived in Waterbury, unless in recent years.
George Nichols was born in 1714. He became a large landholder in Waterbury and was a prominent and active business man for many years; but his mercantile business does not seem to have been extensive. He built, about 1760, the house on East Main street lately occupied by Dr. James Brown, and before him by his father Colonel James Brown. George Nichols died in November, 1788.
* See Bronson's History, p. 144, and note. One of the entries in his book of "accounts " is as follows :
" Reckoned with John Ponderson, June 12, 1720 :
2 ounces of pepper,
O
0 IO
An Almanack,
0
O
4
4 yards of tape,
0
8
3 yards of calico,
0 I2
O
By rumb and 6 pipes,
By rumb,
C
I
.
I
4
235
MERCHANTS, EARLY AND LATER.
WILLIAM LEAVENWORTH.
William Leavenworth was the son of the Rev. Mark and Sarah (Hull) Leavenworth, and was born in Waterbury, February 23, 1759. He married Hannah, daughter of Ezra Bronson, Esq., May 1, 1781. He was an energetic man of many plans, and probably did a much larger mercantile business than any one else in Waterbury prior to 1830. He dealt extensively in domestic produce, cheese, butter, grain, beef and pork. He owned a mill and a distillery. He contracted with the town for procuring soldiers in 1782. He con- tracted with the colony to furnish copper coins. He contracted with the First Ecclesiastical society, in 1795, to build a meeting house for them. He represented the town several times in the leg- islature. He was its first postmaster, in 1803, and doubtless it was mainly due to his influence that a post office was established at that time. He was town clerk, colonel of the militia, and was engaged in the manufacture of clocks. He built the house-then the finest in the town-which is occupied by H. W. Scovill. His store was on the same lot and quite near the house.
In some of his later undertakings he was unsuccessful, and about 1823 he went with his son to Albany, and afterwards with his daughter to Bridgeport, where he died November 24, 1836. For nearly forty years he was one of the most prominent citizens of the place. (See Vol. I, Ap. p. 83.)
JAMES WHITNEY.
James Whitney was a merchant here for several years, about 1790. He died here in 1794. He came from Derby. An old gentle- man long since dead, a contemporary of Whitney, told the writer that Whitney assured him confidentially that his sales exceeded $2000 in one year, and he was much pleased with his success. I suppose him to have been a son of Stephen Whitney, of Derby, born March 23, 1764, but of this I am not sure .*
DAVID TAYLOR.
David Taylor was the son of John Taylor, of Wethersfield, where he was born in 1737. On July 14, 1760, he married Jemima, daugh- ter of Lieutenant John Judd, of Waterbury. He probably began business here as a merchant a year or two earlier. His wife died May 12, 1761, and on June 24, 1762, he married Mrs. Huldah Fair- child, widow of Joseph Fairchild, and daughter of Dr. James Por- ter of Middlebury. He died August 19, 1801. His residence was
* See Orcutt's "Derby," pp. 163, 248, 600.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
on the southeast corner of West Main and Willow streets (the prop- erty now owned and occupied by Robert K. Brown). He was a prom- inent man in the town, and combined farming and perhaps other pursuits with his mercantile business, as was the habit of the time.
DAVID TAYLOR, Jr., son of the above, was born October 8, 1771. He was a man of ability and of good education, and an accom- plished merchant. After being for a while with his father he became a partner with Colonel William Leavenworth, at a time when the latter was engaged somewhat extensively in the produce business. About 1800 Mr. Taylor removed to Canaan and became connected in business with the Hunts, who were extensive iron makers there. About 1807 he removed to New York city and there became a partner of Aaron and David Smith, brothers of Junius Smith, afterwards famous as the promoter of ocean steamship navi- gation. These men were among the leading merchants of New York, but they met with reverses, and Mr. Taylor died poor at the home of his old friend and partner, Colonel Leavenworth, in Albany. He married on June 13, 1791, Millicent, daughter of Isaac Lewis and step-daughter of Colonel Phineas Porter. He had five children: Lewis and Lucius, who grew up and engaged in business, but never married; Chloe, who married her cousin David Taylor, the son of her uncle John; Sophia, who married Washington M. Haxtun, and became the mother of Captain Milton Haxtun, U. S. N .; and David, who resided for a while in Waterbury, but died in Ply- mouth some years since.
ABNER JOHNSON.
Abner Johnson, son of Abner and Charity (Dayton) Johnson, was born at Wallingford (where his father was a merchant) August 26, 1738. He graduated at Yale College in 1759, and studied the- ology. He was licensed to preach, and supplied pulpits in different parts of the state, among others those at Franklin and at Middle- bury. Owing to poor health he was obliged to abandon his profession. On June 30, 1773, he married Lydia, daughter of Ebenezer Bunnel of Cheshire. (The tradition is that they were married under an apple tree in the house yard.) About the same time he bought the place on Willow street which has long been known by his name, and established an apothecary's shop,-there being at that time none nearer than Hartford and New Haven. He seems, from the record, to have carried on the business before this for a while in a building on the corner of Willow and West Main streets.
Dr. Johnson (as he was always called) must have been some- thing of a chemist. He manufactured many medicines which are
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MERCHANTS, EARLY AND LATER.
now never made outside of laboratories, and distilled essential oils from plants. In all his business he was much aided by his wife, who was fully competent to assist him by her intelligence, while in physical strength and energy she was his superior.
He sometimes went to Boston on horseback to procure medi- cines, and brought them home in saddle-bags, or at any rate some portion of them. As it is recorded that in 1780 he asked permis- sion of the legislature to transport to Boston a ton of wheat flour and three barrels of pork, to procure medicines that could not be otherwise obtained (although the legislature denied his request, the carrying of provisions out of the state being forbidden by law), it is probable that he contrived in some way to make the necessary purchases; but this indicates too much in quantity to be trans- ported in saddle-bags.
He was one of the leading men of the town. He represented it several times in the legislature,-was town clerk and town treas- urer, and held sundry other offices of local importance. Yet he was always an invalid, and suffered much from nervous troubles which at times were very depressing. He died June 21, 1817. His daughter Fanny married Dr. Frederick Leavenworth, and the drug business after Dr. Johnson's death passed into his hands, and later into those of his son Elisha Leavenworth, the senior member of the late firm of Leavenworth & Dikeman. Some of the imple- ments used by Dr. Johnson in his business are still in existence.
JAMES SCOVIL.
James Scovil was the eldest son of the Rev. James and Amy (Nichols) Scovil, and was born in Waterbury March 19, 1764. He married Alathea, daughter of Mitchell Lamson, a merchant of Woodbury, on November 16, 1788. When, after the Revolution, his father removed with his family to New Brunswick, he was the only one of the children who remained here. He was a prominent citi- zen of the town, was a large landholder, acted as trying justice, and was always known as Esquire Scovil. During the war of 1812, he established, in company with others, a woolen factory on East Main street, at the place now known as the "old leather factory " site. When peace was declared, and the markets were opened to foreign goods, domestic manufactures could not compete with them, and the owners retired from business with considerable loss. Mr. Scovil's place of business, as also his place of residence and that of his father before him, was at the corner of North and East Main streets, his homestead including the ground now occupied by Irving
238
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
block and the neighboring buildings from Phoenix alley on East Main street to the Dime Savings bank on North Main. He was a man of fine presence and much dignity of manner and character. He died November 26, 1825.
The business of a country merchant in those days was small and somewhat irregular. The merchant was frequently a farmer also, or had other avocations, and during his absence his wife or some other member of the family looked after the store and served cus- tomers. Mrs. Scovil was one of these merchant-women, and for many years was regarded as the merchant quite as much as her husband. In later years she spoke with pride of the days when, carrying a child on one arm, she had served customers with the other. Such were the ambitions of the women of those times.
R. F. WELTON.
Richard F. Welton was the son of John and Dorcas (Hickox) Welton, and was born in the Bucks Hill district, April 17, 1767. On reaching manhood he removed to the centre of the town, and lived on East Main street, near the west end of the lot on which the church of the Immaculate Conception stands. His lot was bounded on the west by James Scovil's, the division line being about where the west line of Phoenix alley now is. About 1803 he commenced merchandising in a store which he owned on the corner of East and South Main streets. About 1810, his health failing, he gave up his business and, returning to Bucks Hill, purchased a small farm (that now owned by William Tyler). In 1817 he sold this and removed to a farm near the present residence of Hiram E. Welton, where he died, May 9, 1829.
His first wife was Sarah Anna, daughter of John Hickox; their children were Ephraim W., Richard F., and Lydia A. Welton. His second wife was Anna, daughter of Dr. Timothy Porter; their child- ren, Caroline, George W., and Joseph C. Welton.
To show the increase in the value of land in Waterbury, I will mention a fact which appears on record, that on June 4, 1821, Mr. Welton sold the lot and store on the corner of East and South Main streets-about three-eighths of an acre-for $250. He also sold all his property on the north side of East Main street previous to 1821 for about $650.
W. K. LAMSON.
William K. Lamson was the son of Mitchell and Thankful (King) Lamson of Woodbury. His elder sister married James Scovil, Esq., of Waterbury, which was probably the reason for his coming here.
239
MERCHANTS, EARLY AND LATER.
He came about 1800 and was a prominent man in the town. He was its second postmaster, in 1813. He also represented the town in the May session of the legislature in 1815, having temporarily resigned the office of postmaster that he might do so. He occupied the store of Colonel Leavenworth, and was for a while partner with his brother-in-law, James Scovil. About 1820 he removed to Berwick, Penn., and became a merchant there. His name was King William Lamson, he having been named for his mother's family, and in the early years of his residence here it so appears on our records. He soon changed it, however, to William K. Lamson, perhaps because in the other form it had a formidable sound to republican ears.
SHERMAN CLARK, was first a clerk and afterwards partner with William K. Lamson. He held the office of postmaster for a short time, when Mr. Lamson resigned the office in order to become a member of the legislature. He probably went to Berwick with Mr. Lamson, but later settled at Cincinnati, where he was successful in business and where some members of his family still reside. At one time I supposed him to be the son of John Clark who married a daughter of Herman Munson; but this view must be abandoned.
DR. FREDERICK LEAVENWORTH.
Frederick Leavenworth was the second son of Jesse and Catha- rine (Conklin) Leavenworth, and was born in Waterbury, Sep- tember 14, 1766. When he was quite young his parents removed to New Haven, and his boyhood was spent there. When about seventeen years of age, he made several voyages as supercargo and mate to the West Indies and neighboring South American islands, and on the last voyage remained some months on the island of Trin- idad. On his return home he studied medicine with Dr. Isaac Bald- win, the husband of his aunt Sarah Leavenworth. After marry- ing the daughter of Dr. Abner Johnson (see above), he settled in West Stockbridge, Mass. Dr. Baldwin wishing to visit Europe, Dr. Leavenworth returned here to take his practice, and purchased his house, which stood on Grand street, where the Baptist church now is. After several years of practice he became interested in business enterprises and for some years spent his winters in the South, near Augusta, Ga., where his elder brother, Melines C. Leaven- worth, resided.
In 18II, he engaged in manufacturing in Waterbury, and subse- quently in mercantile business, first as a member of the firm of Leavenworth, Hayden & Scovil, afterwards with his son-in-law Charles D. Kingsbury, and still later with his son Elisha Leaven-
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
worth. He was postmaster of Waterbury for more than twenty years prior to his death. He was also extensively engaged in agri- culture, which he carried on successfully. He frequently had large stocks of cattle, and bred superior cattle, horses and sheep. One of his barns was on Union street, where the Roman Catholic convent now is, the farm connected with it extending below Clay street. Another barn stood where Johnson street is, and the farm con- nected with this extended up Willow street for a mile or more, to the property now occupied by Frederick Nuhn. His residence dur- ing the latter part of his life was on West Main street, next west of the present house of worship of the First church, which stands partly on his lot. He was a man of extensive and varied knowl- edge, and was possessed of a quick insight into men and things. He was independent, resolute and courageous, ingenious and versa- tile. He died May 7, 1840.
CHARLES D. KINGSBURY.
Charles Denison Kingsbury was the eldest son of Judge John and Marcia (Bronson) Kingsbury, and was born in Waterbury, December 7, 1795. He was educated in the schools of the town and in the Rev. Daniel Parker's school at Ellsworth in Sharon. Among his schoolmates there were Charles A. Goodyear, the inventor, and Henry G. Ludlow, afterwards a prominent clergyman in New York. He remembered among his teachers here, Ashley Scott, Miss Hotch- kiss, a sister of Deacon Elijah Hotchkiss, Miss Rosetta Fenn of Plymouth, Miss Battle of Torrington, Orrin Porter, Mr. Williams, Rev. Virgil H. Barber and a Mr. Leavenworth; and among the places where he attended school, the West Centre district schoolhouse, the ball room in David Hayden's house, where the church of the Immaculate Conception now stands, and a house next south of St. John's church. When seventeen years of age, he became a clerk for Benedict & Burton at the store on the west side of Exchange place, corner of Harrison alley. In 1814 he had a serious affection of the lungs, but recovered from it, and made a journey on horse- back to New London, riding all day in sight of Hardy's fleet which was then lying in the Sound, and which afterwards attacked Ston- ington. About this time he studied medicine with Dr. Edward Field, and thus acquired the title of Doctor, which among his early acquaintances he retained during his life. In the fall of this year he entered the employ of Burton & Leavenworth, and during the winter following travelled with Mr. Leavenworth in the Southern states, selling clocks. A journal of a portion of this journey still exists. They went from Waterbury to Litchfield, crossed the Hud-
ISTOF DP WATERBURY.
worth. He sus postimaster of Waterbury for more than twenty years ppoy to lie death He was also extensively engaged in agri- coHun's witch hex tried on successfully. He frequently had large sto Www cattle, and bred superior cattle, horses and sheep. One of All borna www wi Union street, where the Roman Catholic convent tum ly, the farmi cufinceted with it extending below Clay street. Lowther Went stood where Johnson street is, and the farm con- weeted with this extended up Willow street for a mile or more, to the property now occupied by Frederick Nuhn. His residence dur- ing the latter part of h's lo- wir on West Main street, next west of the present house of worship of the First church, which stands partly on his lot. He was a an of extensive and varied knowl- edge and was proused as a quick mehr ihits men and things. He was independent, menly mol bergennik, ingenious and versa- tile Ile diod May 7. 15491
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