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 33
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On April 20, 1857, he married Caroline A., daughter of Alex- ander Pond of Terryville.
CALEB ALONZO GRANNISS, son of Simeon Granniss, was born at Sidney Plains, N. Y., February 3, 1827. He came to Waterbury in 1842, obtained a situation with Benedict & Burnham, and continued in the employ of the company until July, 1866. While residing in Waterbury, he was for three years a member of the Common Coun- cil, and during that time served on the committee on streets. In 1866 he removed to Bridgeport.
On August 13, 1848, he married Mary Jane, daughter of Amos Westly Bronson of this town. She died in California, leaving a son, Charles Foote, and a daughter, May Warner, who is the wife of Frederick Strong of Bridgeport. Mrs. Granniss's mother, Mrs. Amanda Warner Bronson, celebrated her ninetieth birthday at the home of her son-in-law on November 19, 1894.
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CHARLES S. MORSE.
Charles Seydam Morse, son of Riley M. and Hannah Morse, was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., September 1, 1853. When he was a year old the family removed to Litchfield, where he lived until nearly seventeen years of age, receiving his education in the Litchfield common schools. After a brief residence in Bristol, he removed to Ansonia and entered the employ of Wallace & Sons, where he remained for nine years, working at all branches of the brass busi- ness. In March, 1882, he came to Waterbury to take the position of superintendent of the rolling mill and the wire mill in the Scovill Manufacturing company. At the end of six years he went to Bridgeport, and was connected with the Aluminum, Brass and Bronze company of that city, but in April, 1891, returned to Water- bury, and entered the employ of the Benedict & Burnham Manu- facturing company as superintendent of their mills. During the twenty-two years of his connection with the brass industry, Mr. Morse has made some important inventions, and has introduced many improvements in the manufacture of sheet brass and brass wire. Although his early education was very limited, he cherishes a deep interest in scientific and literary subjects, and is known as a lover of books and a student.
On September 29, 1891, he married Ida, the daughter of George L. Thomas, of Derby. They have one daughter, Muriel.
CHAPTER XIX.
SHEET BRASS FOR THE MARKET-A FIRM TO MANUFACTURE IT IN 1830 -CHANGES IN THE FIRM-NAME-ENLARGEMENTS OF THE BUSINESS -COPPER AND BRASS TUBING-BRASS WIRE AND PINS-PIN MAKING IN WATERBURY-THE SERVICES AND INFLUENCE OF ISRAEL HOLMES -HORACE HOTCHKISS-J. P. ELTON -- DEACON CARTER.
T HE origin of the firm of Brown & Elton, who were for more than twenty years leading manufacturers in the borough of Waterbury, may safely be ascribed to the foresight and energy of Israel Holmes. He had been in the employ of J. M. L. & W. H. Scovill for some time, and had achieved the difficult task of importing from England a considerable number of skilled work- men and a supply of tools for the firm he represented, when he began to see that the manufacture of brass buttons was only an insignificant branch of what might prove to be a great industry, if properly developed-namely, the manufacture of brass itself. The Scovills and the Benedicts were already manufacturing brass after a rude fashion for their own use, but a demand for brass in the sheet had begun to develop, and Mr. Holmes was so impressed by the promise of the new industry thus indicated that he declined a flattering invitation from the Scovills to become a member of their firm, and proceeded to organize a new company.
The partnership was formed in 1830. It consisted of Israel Holmes, Horace Hotchkiss, Philo Brown, and J. P. Somers, with P. W. Carter, S. B. Minor, Colonel James Brown and Dr. Edward Field as special partners. Each of these men furnished $1000, and the firm took the name of Holmes & Hotchkiss. In 1832, John P. Elton of Watertown became an active partner, adding $1000 to the capital stock, and making the whole amount invested in the busi- ness $9000. The site selected for a factory was on Mad river, where the establishment of Rogers & Brother now stands. Here, in January, 1830, the new firm began the manufacture of sheet brass for the market, and thus became pioneers in an industry that has grown to vast dimensions.
During the first ten years of its existence, the firm passed through various changes, indicated in part by the changes in the name. On January 30, 1833, Philo Brown and J. P. Elton, who up to this time had been special partners, were received as general partners, and the style of the firm was changed to Holmes, Hotch-
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kiss, Brown & Elton. Not long afterwards, Mr. Holmes sold out his interest, and in January, 1837, the firm became Hotchkiss, Brown & Elton. One year later, Mr. Hotchkiss having in the meantime withdrawn, the firm name was changed to Brown & Elton, and so remained until the dissolution of the partnership. At this date the capital was $40,000, all of which except $12,000 had been derived from the earnings of the concern. In February, 1838, the partnership became a "limited partnership," and the capital stock was made $75,000, which was afterward increased to $100,000. The company was never incorporated.
Some of the obstacles, by which the establishment of a new industry was beset at the time when the firm of Holmes & Hotch- kiss was organized are indicated in the letter of Mr. Holmes to his partners, already given on page 262. There were other difficulties .to be overcome, such as the transportation of heavy materials to and from New Haven over more than twenty miles of hilly and often muddy roads. There was also a serious lack of skilled work- men. But when Mr. Holmes returned from his second raid upon English manufacturers with caster, roller, wire-drawer and tube- maker, the business was at once placed on a broader basis, and to the manufacture of sheet brass the making of brass wire and of brass and copper tubing was added; so that this firm may be con- sidered the pioneer of the brass wire industry in the United States. The manufacture of tubing, although attended at first with many difficulties, became also a very important and profitable branch of the business.
In April, 1842, a new departure was made. An interest amount- ing to one-third of the whole was purchased in the firm of Slocumn, Jillson & Co., who were engaged in the manufacture of pins at Poughkeepsie, N. Y .- the first makers, by the way, of solid-headed pins in the United States. In September of the same year they bought also the business of M. Fowler & Sons of Northford, thus becoming the owners of the Fowler pin machine, which had nearly superseded all others. The machinery of this concern was trans- ferred to the Waterbury mill. Three years later-in 1846-arrange- ments were made between certain members of Brown & Elton and stockholders of the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing com- pany to organize a new concern for pin making, one-half of the stock to be owned by members of each firm. The American Pin company was organized, with a capital stock of $50,000. The property and business of the Poughkeepsie firm were purchased, and the machinery was removed from there and also from the Brown & Elton factory and set up in a new establishment.
Isauce Holmes
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HOLMES, HOTCHIKISS, BROWN & ELTON.
In 1850 Mr. Elton, on account of impaired health, terminated his active connection with the firm of Brown & Elton. In 1851, Mr. Brown, in connection with his brothers, William, Augustus and James, organized the firm of Brown & Brothers. Brown & Elton however, continued until 1856, when the firm was dissolved, one half of the business going to Brown & Brothers, and one half to Holmes, Booth & Haydens.
Although the men who gave this firm its name were afterward connected with other important companies, this seems to be the place in which to present the more detailed record of their personal careers. Philo Brown was so long identified, subsequently, with Brown & Brothers, that the brief sketch of his life has been placed in connection with the history of that concern; but the biographies of the others-Israel Holmes, Horace Hotchkiss and J. P. Elton- follow here. We add also, in this chapter, the biography of Deacon P. W. Carter, one of the special partners, and for many years a valued employee of the firm .*
ISRAEL HOLMES.
Israel Holmes, third son of Israel Holmes (who was the first of the name in Waterbury) and Sarah (Judd) Holmes, was born December 19, 1800. His father died when he was only two years old, and he was brought up by his grandfather, Captain Samuel Judd, with whom he lived and on whose farm he worked until near his majority. He inherited many of Captain Judd's characteristics, among which were promptness, energy, enterprise and the faculty of discipline. He received only the common school education of the day, but he had a bright, active mind, and was accounted a good scholar. At the age of sixteen he commenced teaching in the West Centre district, then the most important in the town, and per- sons are still living in Waterbury who remember and speak of the excellence of his school.
As his first business venture he entered into partnership with Horace Hotchkiss in the manufacture of hats, and took charge of a store for their sale in Augusta, Ga. After about two years he returned to Waterbury and entered the employ of J. M. L. & W. H. Scovill, who put him in charge of their store. At this time the Scovills were engaged in the manufacture of metallic buttons, and after some years of crude and not altogether successful experiment they came to the conclusion that for the proper development of
* Sketches of other special partners are given elsewhere. See especially the sketch of S. B. Minor, and the document relating to Brown & Elton therein reproduced (p. 243).
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their business they needed skilled workmen and a knowledge of methods and materials not to be found in this country. They fixed upon Mr. Holmes as a suitable person to go to England in quest of the necessary skill and assistance, and he accepted the commission.
Arriving at Birmingham, he found that tools and machinery as well as men were necessary for the successful prosecution of the business at the Scovills', and determined, if possible, to secure both. This, however, was a matter of no ordinary difficulty. The rulers and manufacturing monopolists of England were fully determined that the colonies, which had so lately achieved their political inde- pendence, should still be held in industrial vassalage, dependent upon them and tributary to them for all the products of skilled industry. Severe laws had been enacted, prohibiting any attempt, under penalty of heavy fine and imprisonment, at exporting models or machinery or enticing workmen from their employers. The first could be done only by special permission from the government; for the second there could be no permission at all, and no one could venture upon it except at the risk of arrest and imprisonment.
Mr. Holmes was to undertake both. He was willing to risk something in the interest of private enterprise and for the indus- trial independence of his country, and he proved himself equal to the emergency. First, through the influence of those who were to manufacture the machinery at a large profit, he secured permission to export it, the fact that he intended to export skilled workmen also, not being made known. Then, while the machinery was being prepared, he proceeded cautiously and through second parties to secure the necessary workmen. These with their wives and child- dren made a company of about twenty persons, and he managed to get them started for America by the time the machinery was ready. So large a company, however, could not move away without excit- ing the notice of the manufacturers. Finding that Mr. Holmes had also ordered machinery, and concluding that their craft was in danger, they at once made a remonstrance to the government against allowing the machinery to be exported. The remonstrance was too late. Mr. Holmes had already received his permission to export, which could not easily or speedily be revoked, and he lost no time in availing himself of it. Fearing, however, that he might himself be detained on a charge of enticing workmen from their employers, he determined not to return by way of Liverpool, but proceeded quietly across the country through Wales, and embarked from Holyhead. In due time he arrived in Waterbury with the company of workmen he had engaged in Birmingham, including a
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competent die-sinker, gilder and burnisher, and from this time the work at the Scovills' began to assume a more complete and finished form.
Mr. Holmes had accomplished his difficult mission successfully, but more of the same kind of work remained for him to do. The next stage in his career-the establishment of a firm for the manu- facture of sheet brass for market-has already been recorded. As soon as the new enterprise was well under way he sailed again. for England, to look for workmen skilled in the manufacture of brass. Knowing the ground, and with the benefit of his previous experi- ence, he seems to have had less difficulty in his second visit than at the first. As before, he found the men he wanted in Birmingham, and in due time he returned to Waterbury with caster, roller, wire- drawer and tube-maker.
On the whole the success of the enterprise was encouraging. But in the winter and spring of 1833, or within two years after Holmes & Hotchkiss had commenced operations, a serious danger threatened. This was the tariff legislation of what was known as the Clay compromise, which provided that all unmanufactured articles might enter the country duty free; and the Secretary of the Treasury had decided that sheet brass and wire were to be classed as unmanufactured articles. Such a ruling at this time meant the destruction of what has since become the leading indus- try of Waterbury. In the crisis, Mr. Holmes and Israel Coe, of the firm of Benedict & Coe (afterwards the Benedict & Burnham Manu- facturing company), were sent to Washington by the manufacturers of Waterbury to see what could be done to avert the danger so seri- ously threatening them. Through the kindly mediation of Repre- sentative Huntington and Senator Tomlinson of Connecticut, they were introduced to Mr. Clay, who listened attentively and courte- ously to what they had to say and was convinced of the importance of the claims they presented. In reply he told them that the original bill could not be changed, but proposed instead that an additional bill should be introduced instructing the Secretary of the Treas- ury that sheet brass and brass wire should be classed as manufac- tured articles. This was satisfactory to Messrs. Holmes and Coe, and the proposed bill was hurried through both houses of Congress. It reached a final vote at almost the last minute before the Congress expired, and within an hour afterwards was signed by President Jackson. By so narrow a chance as this were the "infant indus- tries " of Waterbury saved from the ruin that threatened.
While Mr. Holmes was absent on this mission, his house, the old Captain Judd tavern, was burned to the ground, and two of his
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children perished in the flames. (See page III.) It need scarcely be said that this dreadful event was a great blow to Mr. Holmes. It cast a gloom over his life, and was perhaps the chief influence in leading him to change the scene of his industrial activities. At any rate, within the year following he sold out his interest in Holmes & Hotchkiss, and went to Wolcottville to establish there a factory for the manufacture of brass and brass kettles. The manu- facture of kettles was a new industry, and was the occasion of Mr. Holmes' third voyage to England in quest of experienced work- men.
But by this time the English manufacturers as well as the authorities of the government had become sufficiently aware of the nature and objects of his repeated visits, and were prepared to look with scant favor upon the man who was so actively engaged in transferring the arts and industries of England to the rising republic of the west. Mr. Holmes, always vigilant, became aware of the feeling against him and put himself as much as possible on guard. Among other precautions he instructed the landlady of his inn to be sure to come to him and report visitors before introduc- ing them. One day when a visitor who had called in his absence was again reported, Mr. Holmes, not knowing whether the effort against him would not be violent rather than under form of law, laid his pistols within reach of his hand before admitting him. The visitor represented that he was a workman skilled in the Bir- mingham manufactures and would be glad to go to America if he could be sure of an engagement there. Mr. Holmes, however, was not to be easily entrapped. He noticed that the man's hands did not look like those of a worker in brass, and told him that he could give him no encouragement about finding work in America. He afterwards learned that the man was a detective in the employ of the manufacturers or the government, trying to obtain evidence upon which he could be held. When he had succeeded in engaging the men he wanted and had got them started for Liverpool, the author- ities, supposing that they had sufficient evidence against him, deter- mined to arrest him. But his landlady was loyal, and kept him apprised of all threatening movements, while he made arrange- ments for his departure as quietly and speedily as possible. He had, however, a very narrow escape, for just as he left his lodgings by a rear exit, an officer of English law entered in front. He reached Liverpool in safety, but was obliged to lie in concealment for several days while a watch was kept on all outgoing vessels. At last he effected his escape through collusion with the captain of the ship that was to take his men to America. The ship sailed
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without him, but was overtaken by a light craft, engaged at a great price for the service, which sailed from a different dock with Mr. Holmes concealed on board.
With the help of the men brought with him on this last voyage Mr. Holmes began the manufacture of brass and brass kettles in Torrington. He remained in charge of this business for eleven years, or until the Waterbury Brass company was organized in 1845. Being elected president of this new organization, he returned to Waterbury to take charge of the enterprise, and the east mill of the Brass company was erected under his supervision. The brass kettle business soon followed him to Waterbury, where having been greatly improved by the invention of H. W. Hayden, it is still an important branch of work at the east mill.
Mr. Holmes held the presidency of the Waterbury Brass com- pany until 1853, when he resigned, and with J. C. Booth and H. W. Hayden organized a new company under the name of Holmes, Booth & Haydens, thus adding another great brass mill to the list of Waterbury concerns. Mr. Holmes, however, resigned the presi- dency of it early in 1869, and in company with Mr. Booth and L. J. Atwood bought out the Thomas Brass company of Thomaston, and established a Waterbury branch, the new concern taking the name of Holmes, Booth & Atwood. The name was afterward changed, under compulsion, to Plume & Atwood on account of the similarity of the first name to that of Holmes, Booth & Haydens, but Mr. Holmes presided over its affairs until his death, July 15, 1874.
In forming our estimate of the influence of Mr. Holmes's life upon the fortunes of his native town we are reminded of the say- ing of Augustus, that he "found Rome brick and left it marble." Of Israel Holmes it is almost literally true that he found the manufac- tures of Waterbury wood and left them brass. It is due to him more than to any other man that the industrial activities of the place were directed into the prosperous course of brass manufac- ture. He was the original projector of the first "brass mill " proper that was ever established in the town; at his own risk and peril he brought over from England in three successive voyages the first skilled workmen for this and connected branches of industry (including the manufacture of German silver for spoons, forks, etc.), and of the five great brass mills now existing in the town he was the first president of three. He devoted nearly thirty consecu- tive years to the development of Waterbury's brass industries. Among the industrial heroes-true knights of labor-who have won for the town its prosperity and given employment to its thou-
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sands of inhabitants, Israel Holmes should unquestionably be awarded a place in the first rank.
But notwithstanding the largeness and the far-sighted scope of his business enterprises, he never became so absorbed in business as to dwarf his intellectual and spiritual faculties. He took an active interest in all public enterprises and in all questions of the day ; and moreover (a thing altogether unusual among business men) he occasionally found time to indulge a faculty for verse-mak- ing with which he was endowed. His compositions were mostly of an ephemeral character, being called forth by some passing event; but among them are passages which reveal the poetic spirit.
Mr. Holmes was a man of medium stature, somewhat stout, of light, ruddy complexion, and earnest, impressive face, his expres- sion and whole physique revealing a force of personality which always made itself felt, so that his word of command in directing his business never needed to be repeated. He was modest, how- ever, and unobtrusive in manner and disposition, and those not intimately acquainted with him little knew the force of thought and fire of feeling that glowed beneath the quiet, serious and sometimes melancholy exterior which, in his later years, succeeded the sprightliness and vivacity of his youth and early manhood.
When he was twenty-five years of age Mr. Holmes married Ardelia Crode, daughter of Daniel Hayden. Among his children who attained their majority was a son, Charles Edward Latimer (for whom see the military chapter). Three daughters, Eliza (Mrs. E. J. Holmes), Margaret (Mrs. M. J. Francisco) and Ardelia (Mrs. G. C. Edwards) still survive.
HORACE HOTCHKISS.
Horace Hotchkiss, the second son of Deacon Elijah Hotchkiss, was born in Waterbury, July 11, 1799. He was educated chiefly in the schools of the town, and learned the trade of a hatter from his father.
About 1831, as above related, he united with Israel Holmes (who also learned the hatter's trade of Deacon Hotchkiss) in establish- ing a brass mill, at the place now occupied by the factory of Rogers & Brother. Mr. Hotchkiss left the firm about 1838, and joined his brother, Clark B. Hotchkiss, in Auburn, N. Y., where for some years he car- ried on very successfully the manufacture of fine carpets, having large contracts for prison labor. About 1852, reverses consequent upon a disastrous fire brought bim back to Waterbury for a short time. While here, he invented and patented a file-cutting machine, which was purchased by the Messrs. Butcher, the well-known file
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makers of Sheffield, England, and at their request Mr. Hotchkiss went to Sheffield to superintend its introduction. While in England he spent much time in examining the industrial establish- ments in the large manufacturing towns, being led thereto by his interest in all mechanical inventions. After his return to this country, consideration for the health of an invalid daughter induced him to make his residence in Plainfield, N. J., where he remained until his death, March 9, 1879.
On June 1, 1826, he married Lucy, daughter of Thomas Dutton of Watertown, a sister of Professor Matthew Rice Dutton of Yale College and of Governor Henry Dutton. She died in 1839, and he married, September 6, 1841, Mary B. Squier of Bennington, Vt., who died February 17, 1881. He has one daughter, Mary, who resides in Plainfield, the child of his first wife.
Mr. Hotchkiss was a man of quick observation and much intelli- gence and energy. He was fond of reading, and in the leisure of his later years took a deep interest in historical, genealogical and scientific subjects. He wrote well and vigorously, whenever he had occasion to use his pen. Soon after the organization of the Mattatuck Historical society, in July, 1878, Mr. Hotchkiss sent to the secretary of the society a manuscript containing interesting reminiscences of the Waterbury of his earlier years. In addition to extracts published elsewhere in this volume, we give here the closing paragraphs of his paper:
While writing these reminiscences I have lived in the past. The old familiar town of my boyhood, shut in by the circuit of her environing hills, has been before me, bathed in " the light that never was on sea or land," the inexpressible charm that attaches to the place to which the heart's first and fullest affections are given. I have again waded her streams, loitered by her quiet pools, climbed her hills and threaded her woods with the zest of boyhood; I have once more traversed her streets and communed with her people, with the pleasure of ardent manhood; and how can I express my feelings better than to breathe forth the psalmist's impas- sioned address to the city of his love, "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth."
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