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 45
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423
OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS.
his own behalf and as the representative of John W. Hill and George E. Judd, procured a license from Mr. Warner to use his pat- ents, and organized the Electric Time company. The stockholders were J. W. Hill, G. M. Chapman, C. S. Chapman, F. N. Perry and E. D. Welton. But in January, 1887, the Standard Electric Time com- pany was organized, controlling the patents of C. D. Warner for the United States. This new organization bought out Mr. Warner's business in Ansonia and also the Electric Time company of Water- bury. The main office was in Waterbury, but a general manager's office was established in New Haven, as well as a manufactory of electric clocks, switch-boards, etc. In 1891, New Haven being regarded as the most advantageous field, the main office was also transferred to that city.
In June, 1894, however, the stock of the company passed into the hands of Waterbury men, and the office was again established here. The entire plant was also removed to this city, where it has been enlarged in various directions. Less attention is given than at first to the developing of city systems, but the establishment of isolated plants with which all the clocks in a large concern shall be con- nected has grown to be an important feature of the business. For example, the new offices of the New York, New Haven and Hart- ford Railroad company in New Haven are furnished with sixty clocks, and all these are connected with a central regulator.
In 1892 the company began manufacturing a self-winding clock, wound by two cells of battery. They have also introduced electric tower clocks, in which a pendulum and heavy weights are dispensed with, and accurate time secured for the several dials through con- nection with a regulator below. One of these tower clocks was placed in the tower of the Arlington mills, Lawrence, Mass., in July, 1892, another in the station of the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad. The battery by which a tower clock is propelled has to be charged not oftener than once in two years.
At the annual meeting of the Standard Electric Time company, January, 1895, Henry L. Wade was elected president and George E. Judd treasurer. Leroy Upson was made secretary and general manager, and Charles D. Warner mechanical superintendent.
THE WHITE & WELLS COMPANY.
Considered as a joint-stock company, this concern must rank as the youngest in our list. Yet it may be said to have originated more than forty years ago. It had its origin in the paper and paper-box business started by the brothers Henry S. and J. Watson
424
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
White in January, 1851 .* J. Watson White engaged in this busi- ness soon after his coming to Waterbury, and conducted it during the remainder of his life. He died in July, 1865, and the business was managed by his executors until February, 1866, when it was pur- chased by his brother, L. C. White. Mr. White associated with him Captain Alfred Wells (a brother-in-law of his deceased brother), who had recently returned from active service in the war for the Union. Under the firm-name of White & Wells they built up a large trade in paper and straw board, and paper-boxes. A factory for the accommodation of their business was erected on Bank street in 1868; but this, which was of wood, was destroyed by fire in the winter of the same year, and was succeeded by the large brick building which the company now occupies.
Messrs. White and Wells were closely associated in the manage- ment of the business for twenty years. Captain Wells died in July, 1886, and on March 21, 1887, his interest in the concern was pur- chased by Mr. White, whose nephew, E. L. White (a son of J. Wat- son White) succeeded Captain Wells in the management of the con- cern. As this firm was the first to manufacture pulp-lined straw board, their trade in these goods reached large proportions and extended into all parts of the country.
Toward the end of 1881, the Southford Paper company, newly organized, with L. C. White as president, bought out the Southford Manufacturing company, with its paper mill which had been estab- lished since 1853, erected new buildings and entered upon the man- ufacture of straw board and manilla paper on a large scale. In June, 1887, this company went into the hands of a receiver, and after the mill had stood idle for five years, it was started again by White & Wells, a few weeks before Mr. White's death. The firm had a large interest not only in the paper mill at Southford, but in another at Piqua, O. They also established the Bridgeport Paper- Box company in 1887, and a paper-box factory in Naugatuck in 1890. In January, 1892, E. L. White withdrew from the manage- ment of the business, and was succeeded by George L. White, who has continued in that position until now.
On January 28, 1895, the White & Wells company was organ- ized, with a capital stock of $50,000, to carry on the business here-
* The pioneer paper-box manufacturer of Waterbury was E. B. Cooke, afterward editor of the Water- bury American, who began making paper-boxes at his hoine on Grove street about 1839. He removed from there to the " old Adams place," where he employed a number of hands. In 1846 he occupied part of the basement of Gothic hall, which then fronted on North Main street. The next year he disposed of the business to his brother Nathan Cooke, who after a year or two removed to the third story of the factory of the American Pin company. The Messrs. White opened their box shop in the third story of the Porter building, on the corner of Exchange place and East Main street, and afterward removed to Washington hall, nearly opposite their original location.
Luther liWhite
425
OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS.
tofore conducted by the firm of White & Wells, that is, to manu- facture, buy and sell all kinds of paper and paper stock, straw boards, twines, and paper-boxes made by hand or machinery. The new organization owns and manages the various factories above mentioned. George L. White was made president and treasurer, and William E. Norris secretary.
L. C. WHITE.
Luther Chapin White, the third son of Jacob and Susan (Sage) White, was born in Sandisfield, Mass., December 25, 1821, and died at Waterbury, April 5, 1893. His ancestors were among the first settlers of Middletown, about 1650. His paternal ancestor, Captain Nathaniel White, who came from England in 1632, represented Middletown in the General Court for a consecutive period of fifty years. David Sage, from whom Mr. White's mother was descended, came from Wales and settled in "Upper Middletown " (now Crom- well) at about the same time. His father was a tanner and removed, in 1819, to Sandisfield, where he conducted a prosperous business for twelve years. He returned to Cromwell, in 1831, and there resided until his death in 1849.
Mr. White's early boyhood was spent in Cromwell, where he attended the district school and assisted in working his father's farm. At the age of seventeen, he was apprenticed to his eldest brother, William S. White, who was a builder in Middletown, but, owing to an injury caused by a fall, he was obliged to abandon this business. On his recovery, he commenced his career as a manufac- turer in the factory of L. E. Hicks of Cromwell.
In December, 1841, at the age of twenty, he came to Waterbury and found employment for a short time with Elizur E. Prichard and Hiram J. White, manufacturers of umbrella trimmings and small brass goods. He spent the summer of 1842 on the farm of his uncle, Orrin Sage, in Geneva county, N. Y. Returning to Water- bury in December, he found a position in the Scovill Manufactur- ing company, where he was employed for about two years. In 1845 he again left Waterbury and became foreman for J. S. Norton, a manufacturer of door trimmings, and was connected with him for about six years, in New Haven, Middletown and Meriden. In 1851, having invented and patented a valuable improvement in the con- struction of burners for " fluid " lamps, he formed a co-partnership with Frank Smith of Meriden, under the firm-name of White & Smith, for the manufacture of these goods. In 1853, through the efforts of Charles Benedict and John Bailey, they were led to remove their business to Waterbury, and on September 3 of that
426
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
year, organized the City Manufacturing company, of which Mr. White was made president. Mr. Smith died about a year after- ward, and his interest in the concern was purchased by Mr. White. He continued in the management of this business for fifteen years, although the introduction of coal oil, and afterwards kerosene, led to an entire change in the character of the articles made by them. He was a pioneer in this important field, having been the maker of the first burners ever manufactured in this country for utilizing these oils. He was largely interested in the numerous improve- ments in the making of lamp burners which were invented during this period. Their business developed so rapidly, that the capacity of their factory was more than quadrupled.
The purchase by Mr. White of the paper and paper-box business begun by his brother in 1851, and the establishment of the firm of White & Wells, are related above. Not long after the formation of White & Wells, that is, on July 1, 1868, Mr. White sold to the Bene- dict & Burnham Manufacturing company his interest in the City Manufacturing company, retaining only the button-back manufac- ture, which he transferred to the building on Bank street, where his paper-box business was located. After conducting this as his personal business for twenty years, he sold it to the L. C. White company, which was organized July 1, 1888, with L. C. White as president, F. J. Ludington vice-president, and George L. White secretary and treasurer. At the time of his death Mr. White owned and operated the paper-box factories above mentioned and the paper mill in Southford, and was largely interested in Western straw-board mills, besides being the principal owner of the Leland type distributing machine, in the development of which he spent much money and time.
Mr. White was a member of the First church (which he joined in 1843), and a liberal contributor to its funds. From his twentieth year he was quite deaf, and was thereby unfitted for public life, but he was an ardent Republican in politics and took great interest in local and national affairs. His personal characteristics were a happy temperament, marked geniality, and a strong affection. He believed in the legitimate pleasures of life as well as in hard work, and sought entertainment and profit in travel. He was a close observer of men and things, and gave his friends much pleasure by his accounts of adventure and descriptions of what he had seen in distant places.
On November 28, 1844, he married Jane Amelia, daughter of Joseph Moses of Waterbury. Their eldest child, William Henry, was born May 7, 1847, and died August 22, 1873. The other chil-
427
OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS.
dren are George Luther, and Harriet Sage, who, on September 30, 1886, was married to the Hon. Lynde Harrison of New Haven, and has one daughter, Katherine White.
GEORGE LUTHER WHITE was born in Meriden, July 15, 1852. He was brought to Waterbury when about a year old, and received his early education at H. F. Bassett's school and the high school. He also attended the "Gunnery " at Washington, Conn., but was -com- pelled to discontinue his studies at the age of sixteen by a serious hemorrhage of the lungs. After this he spent much time in travel for the benefit of his health, and took up his residence temporarily in Minnesota, where he became the state agent of the Victor Sew- ing Machine company from 1872 to 1874. After his marriage he spent the winter of 1874 and '75 in California, and returned to Waterbury in 1876.
By 1880 his health was sufficiently restored to allow him to devote himself to business, and he became secretary of the Southford Paper company. He remained in this position until 1885, after which he was engaged for some time in closing up the affairs of William S. White & Co. of Hartford. In 1888 he became connected with the firm of White & Wells, and also took an active part in building up the L. C. White company, of which he was made secretary and treasurer. On January 1, 1892, on the retirement of E. L. White, he assumed the active management of the business of White & Wells, and on the organization of the White & Wells company, as already indi- cated, was made its president and treasurer. In 1889 he was a member of the Common Council.
Notwithstanding his years of conflict with ill health, Mr. White has attained to success as a man of business, and at the same time has found opportunity for the cultivation of his artistic and literary tastes.
On April 15, 1874, he married Julia Phelps, daughter of James Demorest Haring of New York city. Their children are: Caroline Haring, William Henry and George Luther, Jr.
J. WATSON WHITE.
Jacob Watson White, the youngest of the four sons of Jacob and Susan (Sage) White, was born in Sandisfield, Mass., September 19, 1827. In 1831 the family returned to Cromwell, their former home, where J. W. White continued to reside (with the exception of a brief period spent in the West) until his removal to Waterbury, in 1850. His connection with the establishment of the paper-box industry in this city is indicated above. He was one of the original
428
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
members of the Second Congregational church, and although a suf- ferer from feeble health took a deep interest in ecclesiastical and municipal affairs.
On September 19, 1850, he married Anna Eliza, daughter of Chauncey Wells of Hartford. She died in May, 1862, leaving four children : Edward Luther, Chauncey Howard, who was born March 24, 1856, was educated at the Williston seminary, Easthamp- ton, Mass., and is in the employ of the White & Wells company; Anna Sophia, and Mary Wells.
On September 18, 1863, Mr. White married Mrs. Nancy M. Moses, a daughter of Ashbel Wells of Wethersfield. He died July 5, 1865.
EDWARD LUTHER WHITE was born in Waterbury, December 12, 1853 .. He prepared for Yale at Williston seminary, and graduated from the Sheffield Scientific school in 1875. He entered the employ of White & Wells, and was appointed manager of their business in Bridgeport. On the death of Captain Wells in 1886, he returned to Waterbury and became manager of the business in its various departments, a position which he held until January, 1892, when he was appointed secretary of the Waterbury Watch com- pany (see page 401).
In January, 1876, he married Laura Virginia, daughter of Judge James L. Ogden of Jersey City, N. J. Their children are: Odgen Watson, Howard Sage, and Edward Luther, Jr. Mr. White died August 5, 1893.
CAPTAIN ALFRED WELLS.
Alfred Wells, son of Chauncey and Hannah K. Wells, was born in Hartford, December 21, 1834. He was a direct descendant of Thomas Wells, who was the first treasurer of Connecticut (1639) and afterward, in 1665, governor of the colony. He spent the first sixteen years of his life in his native town, and obtained his educa- tion at the Hartford high school. He came to Waterbury in 1851, and in 1857 married Jeanette Caswell of Phoenixville, Penn., by whom he had two children, Charles Nevins and Martha Caswell.
On November 14, 1862, Mr. Wells enlisted as a soldier in the war for the Union. He entered the service as Lieutenant of Company A in the Twenty-third regiment of Connecticut volunteers, was promoted to the rank of Captain and went with his regiment to reinforce the army of General Banks in Louisiana. During the siege of Port Hudson the Twenty-third regiment was sent to guard the New Orleans and Opelousas railroad, and Captain Wells was stationed at Bayou Boeuf in charge of a large quantity of govern- ment stores. When General Richard Taylor surrounded the place
HE WATERBURY
Congregational chun h, and although a suf Wewith took a deep rolrest in ecclesiastical and
thor 19, 1858, he xoart ) Anna Eliza, daughter of V Wells of Hartford So fied iny May, 180g, leaving four Edward Luther La ibevy Howard, who was born EN +4 1856, was cduggine uit the Wijliston seminary, Easthamp- . Muss,, and is in the -wow of the White & Wells company: Nos Sophia, and Mars 6.95
On September 18, cok Mh White married Mis. Nancy M. Moses, a dangbin of Willel Wells of Wethersfield. He died July 5, 1865.
BowaRo Lins Wenns gos tioni in Waterlwry, December 12, Val ar Williston seminary, and graduated
Sponblic school in 18 ;: He entered the Wells, and was appointed manager of their
binetto porr. On the death of Capimuy Wenty in 1886, he retur 1Waterbury and became manager of the business in its Varios piments, a position which he held onil Tonnarv. 1802. when was appointed secretary of the Waterbury Watch com- puny (ge 401).
Int J www. 1876 he married Laura Virginia, daughter of Judge Timeslegion of Jersey City . J. Their children are: Odgen War and Sage, and Ferd Luther, jr. Mr. White died
CAFTAN LESEN WELLS
w Cheque . Hannah K. Wells, was born 4) FAME I was a direct descendant o! Thonins M . As the lives freawgzur of Connecticut (1639) and afterwas 1 gniveroor of the salony, Ho spent the first sixteen yer Ho in his ative town and bbcsined hie educa- Lion at the Hurt Bab school He came lo Wo voury in 1851. dette Caswell of Themistville, Pozn., box amf in 1857 -
whom he had is In. Charte . Nevins and Martha Caswell.
Un Norember & ms Mr. Well molisted as a soldier in the war the urgice we Lieutenant of Company W in the Twenty aus regiment of Connecticut volunteers, was promoted to the pour C ptain and went with bis regiment to
reinforce the army of Igeral Bawks in Louisiana. During the Siege of Port Hilsen & Twenty-third regiment was sent to guard the New Orleans and Oplicas railroad, am Captain Wells wa- Auctioned At Baywo Boeuf In charge of & Tarse waitity of geyerb- mwitstores. When General Richard Taylor surrounded the place
Alfred Neces
429
OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS.
with a superior force of Confederate troops, and its capture was inevitable, Captain Wells rendered effective service in destroying the supplies to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. He was captured on June 24, 1863, and taken to the Confederate prison at Tyler, Texas, where he was confined for thirteen months.
On being released Captain Wells returned to Waterbury, and soon afterward the firm of White & Wells was established. . It was due largely to his ability, activity and close attention to business that this firm grew to the proportions it had attained at his death.
Mr. Wells took a deep interest in national politics, and also in whatever pertained to the prosperity of Waterbury. He was for a time president of the board of councilmen. He was by nature a conservative-careful in forming opinions and cautious in express- ing them-but exerted a positive influence in the community in behalf of all that was manly and good. He died July 11, 1886.
GEORGE H. PENDLETON.
George H. Pendleton was born at Stow, Ohio, August 2, 1836. He resided in Waterbury from June, 1862, to April, 1869, and during this time was identified with its manufacturing industries. In 1867 he was elected a member of the Common Council. Having pur- chased an interest in the City Manufacturing company he became its secretary and treasurer. These positions he retained until the company became merged in the Benedict & Burnham Manufactur- ing company, after which he removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., where he had previously lived, and became engaged in the real estate busi- ness. He died August 4, 1894.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE " JOINT-STOCK CORPORATION " LAW OF 1837-THE FIRST WATERBURY COMPANY-INCREASE OF FIFTY YEARS-THE MOST PROLIFIC DECADE -CORPORATIONS ANNULLED IN 1880-INDUSTRIAL GROWTH ILLUS- TRATED BY COMPARISONS ; 1845 AND 1890-THE CLASSIFIED LIST- CORPORATIONS WORKING IN METALS-OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS-MERCANTILE AND MISCELLANEOUS COMPANIES-AN ADDITIONAL GROUP OF BUSY MEN.
P ROBABLY no single legislative act has contributed so much to the prosperity of Connecticut as its "joint-stock corporation " law. It was the first of its kind in this country, and still remains one of the best, if not the very best. It has been several times recast, but its essential features are unchanged, details only having been modified. It has been adopted, or adapted, or imitated by nearly all the English-speaking legislatures of the world. It pro- vided legally and efficiently for the working out of the theory of co-operation, that theory which has in later years turned loose upon us such a flood of words.
Nearly twenty years ago the Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale, in a Phi Beta Kappa oration at Harvard, said :
There is our modern system of associated work, organized in our several states under what we call general corporation acts; in England, limited liability acts. It came to life in the state of Connecticut in 1837. It was copied here; it was copied there. It is now in force in some form or other in almost every state of the Union. "I never heard who got it up" (this is the answer made me by an accomplished writer in Connecticut, when I asked him), "or anything about its origin."
This statement was published in the Hartford Courant, and a few days later the following appeared :
The Hon. Abijah Catlin, of Harwinton, called at the Courant office yesterday, and furnished us the information which Mr. Hale was unable to obtain. He was a member of the legislature of 1837, at which the act was passed, and says it was drawn up, written out and introduced by Theodore Hinsdale of Winchester, a member of the house, and was carried through successfully in the face of consid- erable opposition, although Mr. Hinsdale's party (whig) was that year in the minority.
Mr. Hinsdale was a native of Winchester and a graduate of Yale in the class of 1821. He studied both law and theology, and then went into business. He died greatly lamented, in 1841, at the out-
43I
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
set of what was believed to be a career of great usefulness and distinction .*
On page 267 of this volume "the passage in 1837 of the general manufacturing law of Connecticut" is said to have been "due, in part at least," to the influence of the Hon. Green Kendrick. At that date Mr. Kendrick had been a resident of Connecticut (and of Waterbury) for eight years, but he was not a member of the legis- lature until 1845; so that whatever influence he exerted in behalf of the joint-stock law must have been unofficial and private. It is said, on the same page, that "the passage of this law gave a stimulus to all the manufacturing industries of Connecticut, and especially to those of Waterbury and the Naugatuck valley." It was not, however, until six years had passed-that is, in 1843-that a joint-stock company was organized in Waterbury. A concern known as the Waterbury Manufacturing company (for the manu- facture of cloths and other fabrics of wool and cotton) had been incorporated by a special act of the legislature in October, 1814,t and the "Naugatuc Manufacturing company," afterward the Beecher Manufacturing company (for the manufacture of fine broadcloths), had received a special charter in 1833, but had ceased to do business in 1839. In 1836 a special partnership, under the name of Jones, Beecher & Co., had been organized for the manufacture of gilt buttons, and in February, 1838, the firm of Brown & Elton had become a limited partnership. But on Jan- uary 14, 1843, the firm of Benedict & Burnham, which had been in existence under one name or another since 1812, became organized as the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing company (see page 297), and this was the first of the long series of joint-stock corpora- tions organized in Waterbury during the half-century extending from 1843 to 1893. Two other companies were organized the same year, and two in 1845, and the number between that date and the present (the spring of 1895) is about 250. The following table shows the number of corporations organized in each period of five years, between 1846 and the present time:
YEARS.
NO. COS.
YEARS.
NO. COS.
1846-1850
15
1871-1875
8
1851-1855
45
1876-1880
I7
1856-1860
7
1881-1885
26
1861-1865
.
II
1886-1890
33
1866-1870
17
1891-1895
48
* The Hon. Abijah Catlin, the responsible author of this information in regard to the joint-stock law, was frequently a member of the legislature, had been state comptroller and a judge of the Litchfield county court, and indeed had spent all his life in public business. The facts here stated were also well known to many other persons, although not with the same accuracy of detail. See also Johnston's "Connecticut," p. 367. + See Volume I of the Private Acts of Connecticut.
432
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
The total number of corporations whose organization is men- tioned in the town records is 225. Adding to this number twenty- seven companies of which the data have been found elsewhere, we have a total (for the half century, 1844-1894) of 252. One hundred of these are companies working in metals; the rest may be divided into three classes: (1) manufacturing corporations not working in metals; (2) mercantile corporations; (3) all others, con stituting a very miscellaneous group of forty-five or fifty organiza- tions.
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