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 47
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* About this time various efforts were made in different parts of the country to utilize peat for fuel, but they were not successful.
444
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
CITY BAKING CO. October I.
Capital, $10,000. President, Philander Hine; secretary and treasurer, W. H. Warner. Bread, crackers, cake, pies, etc. Business discontinued. Annulled, ISSO.
AMERICAN HOSIERY CO. October 12.
" Letters patent, bearing date June 17, 1851, and granted by the United States to William M. Chase for improvements in knitting machines, were estimated at $285,000 of the capital stock." (Town Records.) Business dis- continued.
1854.
WATERBURY BRICK CO. January 7.
Capital, $4200. President, C. B. Merriman; secretary, George Gilbert. Brick, lime, cement, etc. Yard near the Plymouth line. Business discon- tinued.
E. BROWN & CO. April 7.
Capital, $25,000. President, E. Brown; secretary, C. F. Jones. To manu- facture and sell " Dr. Brown's medicines." Annulled, 1880.
UNION SASH AND BLIND CO. June I.
Capital, $10,000. President, H. J. Johnson; secretary, Orrin H. Bronson. Business discontinued.
WATERBURY GASLIGHT CO.
Capital, $100,000. President, C. B. Merriman; secretary, H. B. Field. See pp. 144, 145, 152.
1855.
UNION KNITTING CO. May 31.
Capital, $41,050. President, J. R. Crampton. Woollen wrappers, drawers, etc. Business discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
1857.
AMERICAN SUSPENDER CO. January 8. Capital, $180,000. President, Alanson Warren. See p. 419.
1864.
HOADLEY, BEECHER & CO. March 28.
Capital, $4000. President, William H. Brown. Baskets and wooden ware. Business discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
UNION SPECTACLE WORKS. October 13.
Capital, $6500. President, Edwin Blakeslee. Business discontinued. Annulled, IS80.
1865.
WATERBURY BUILDING CO. November 25.
Capital, $30,000. President, B. P. Chatfield. Business discontinued. An- nulled, 1880.
1866.
WATERBURY LOOKING-GLASS AND PICTURE FRAME CO. January 3. Capital, $4000. President, F. A. Warner. Business discontinued. Annulled, I880.
445
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
GREAT BROOK CO. December 6.
Capital, $200,000. President, J. W. Whittal. Woollen goods. The firm of Whittal, Lefevre & Co. bought out the property of the Waterbury Knitting Co., and became merged in this corporation. Annulled, 1880.
1868.
AMERICAN PRINTING CO. June 2.
Capital, 15,000. President, E. B. Cooke. See the history of the Waterbury American in a subsequent chapter. I869.
PLYMOUTH GRANITE CO. April 10.
Capital, $100,000. President, B. P. Chatfield. Monuments and building granite. Organized in Bridgeport; removed to Waterbury, September 27, 1869. Discontinued.
1872.
REVERSIBLE HAT CO .* October 9.
Capital, $100,000. President, John C. Booth. Annulled, 1880.
1873.
WATERBURY MANUFACTURING CO. August 4.
Capital, $20,000. President, D. B. Hamilton. India rubber, straw and cloth goods. Discontinued. See pp. 431, 397. 1875.
WATERBURY PAPER AND BOX CO. See p. 399.
BURCEY CHEMICAL CO. May 24.
Capital, $10,000. President, John C. Booth. Business discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
1876.
PLATT MILL CO. May 19.
Capital, $24,000. President, Wilson N. Osborn. Lumber, feed, grain, flour, etc.
1877
UNION BRICK CO. June 2.
Capital, $12,000. President, Dr. Gideon L. Platt. Business discontinued.
1879.
CITIZENS' GASLIGHT CO. See p. 144.
188I.
CLELAND CIGAR MANUFACTURING CO. November 2. Capital, $5000. Discontinued.
AMERICAN MILLS CO. November.
See p. 419.
I882.
GARRIGUS MANUFACTURING CO. June.
Capital, $10,000. Blinds, doors, mantels, organs and other musical instru- ments, etc. Business discontinued.
* In the "Public Acts," 1880, p. 593, this concern appears as the "Riverside Hat Co."
446
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
WATERBURY PRINTING CO. August 3.
Capital, $10,000. President, C. S. Treadway; secretary, C. F. Chapin. Fine book and job printing.
1883.
NEW ENGLAND BOX CO. June.
Capital, $10,000. President, L. C. White. Discontinued.
1884.
BIG RAPIDS DOOR AND BLIND MANUFACTURING CO. April.
Capital, $12,000. Directors, Austin L. Peck, C. P. Fontaine, H. M. Andrews.
1885.
"NEW ENGLAND WOCHENBLATT" CO. October. Capital, $2000. Publishers of a German newspaper. Discontinued. SLEEMAN GAS SAVING CO. August.
Capital, $100,000. Discontinued.
1887.
CONNECTICUT RUBBER MANUFACTURING CO. March 23.
Capital, $20,000. Directors, C. M. Platt, S. B. Lane, H. L. Wade, J. W. Gaffney, S. P. Williams. Removed to Norwich; since discontinued.
PEARL LAKE MANUFACTURING CO. June.
Capital, $2000. Horse blankets, harness, and harness trimmings. Dis- continued.
HARTFORD HEEL PLATE CO.
Organized in Hartford; removed to Waterbury in 1889. Discontinued.
WATERBURY BLANK BOOK MANUFACTURING CO. October 12.
Capital, $10,000. President, Porter L. Wood.
1888.
"WATERBURY HERALD" PUBLISHING CO. April.
Capital, $10,000. Directors, F. R. Swift, G. M. Simonson, H. C. Upson.
REPUBLICAN PRINTING CO. August.
Capital, $25,000. Directors, D. S. Plume, E. L. Bronson, D. F. Webster. Ceased business; merged in the American Printing Co.
1889.
JERICHO GRANITE CO. July. Capital, $6000. Discontinued.
1890.
THE H. L. WELCH HOSIERY CO. January.
Capital, $80,000. President, H. L. Welch; secretary, F. B. Buck. Factory at Waterville.
BRADLEY & HYLAN CARRIAGE CO. September 30.
Capital, $1000. Discontinued.
447
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
1891.
NAUGATUCK GRANITE CO. April 24.
Capital, $10,000. Directors, C. R. Baldwin, H. W. Beardsley, L. F. Burpee. Discontinued.
JOSEPH BINNS CHEMICAL CO.
President, Joseph Binns. Factory at Riverside Park.
TROTT BAKING CO. July.
Established about 1852 as C. A. & D. T. Meigs. Five years later the firm became Meigs & Trott (C. A. Meigs and J. T. Trott). Since July, 1891, the establishment has been managed by Mr. Trott.
PLYMOUTH GRANITE CO. November.
Capital, $5000. Directors, C. R. Baldwin, J. B. Doherty, L. F. Burpee. Discontinued.
1892.
WATERBURY SPOKE AND HANDLE CO. December 21. Capital, $5000. President, F. D. Banks. Factory burned. Business dis- continued.
JACKSON QUICK PRINTING CO. December.
Capital, $5000. President and Manager, W. H. Jackson ; secretary, W. R. Mattison.
1893.
"'GLOBE " PUBLISHING CO. May. Capital, $10,000. President, Edward F. Cole. Publishers of the Sunday Globe.
III MERCANTILE CORPORATIONS.
1849.
WATERBURY LUMBER AND COAL CO. April.
Capital, $20,000. President, W. B. Dickerman. See p. 51.
1851.
BENEDICT & SCOVILL CO. December 31.
Capital, $50,000. President, Darwin Warner; secretary, A. F. Abbott. Mer- chants. Business discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
1852.
BROWN, HOLMES & CO. January 27.
Capital, $12,000. President, Augustus Brown. Merchants. Business dis- continued. Annulled, 1880.
APOTHECARIES' HALL CO. March 8. Capital, $12,500. President, Dr. Gideon L. Platt. See the history of the drug business in a subsequent chapter.
448
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
HENRY MERRIMAN & CO. April I.
Capital, $30,000. President, C. B. Merriman. Merchants. Business dis- continued. Annulled, 1880.
PICKETT, TURRELL & CO. June 15.
Capital, $8000. President, George B. Turrell. Merchants at Waterville. Business discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
1854.
CITY LUMBER CO. January 23.
Capital, $20,000. President, Chester Curtiss; secretary, A. E. Rice. To deal in coal as well as lumber. Absorbed by the Waterbury Lumber and Coal Co. See p. 51. Annulled, 1880.
1858.
BENEDICT, MERRIMAN & CO. March I.
Capital, $30,000. President, Aaron Benedict. Merchants and dealers in real estate. Business discontinued.
I868.
THE A. BURRITT HARDWARE CO. June 30.
Capital, $30,000. President, Albert Burritt. Pipe and plumbers' materials. Business discontinued.
1870.
CURTISS LUMBER CO. March 28.
Capital, $30,000, President, Chester Curtiss. Business discontinued. Property sold to the City Lumber and Coal Co. Annulled, 1880.
1875.
EXCELSIOR TRADING CO. February 8.
Capital, $3000. President, Willis Johnson. Merchants. Business discon- tinued. Annulled, 1880.
CITY LUMBER AND COAL CO. February 26.
Capital, $20,000. President, H. B. Strong, New Britain.
1876.
PEOPLE'S COAL AND ICE CO. March 10. Capital, $20,000. President, Alfred L. Platt. Discontinued.
1881.
HALL & UPSON CO. February.
Capital, $15,000. Dealers in ice, wood and coal.
1883.
CHADWICK BUTTER CO. December 10. Capital, $3000. Directors, H. A. Steele, A. E. Chadwick, E. W. Ely. Grocers. Business discontinued.
449
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
1884.
WATERBURY ONE PRICE CLOTHING CO. April.
Capital, $7500. President, Christian Hauser; secretary, James A. Hynes. DRIGGS & SMITH CO. April I.
Capital, $14,000. Manufacturers and dealers in musical instruments. At first the Driggs, Coe & Smith Co .; name changed, March 15, 1886.
1887.
CITY DRUG STORE CO. April.
Capital, $2500. Directors, George D. Robbins, James M. Abbott, trustee. Discontinued.
GUADALUPE CATTLE CO. September 12.
Capital, $30,000. Directors, D. E. Sprague, S. B. Munn, William Moore, F. E. Downes, and others. To carry on the cattle business in New Mexico.
I888.
UPSON, SINGLETON & CO. February.
Capital, $25,000. Directors, C. M. Upson, J. V. Singleton, W. H. Hylan. Clothing, men's furnishings, etc.
UPSON JEWELRY CO. June 15. Capital, $2000. Directors, F. G. Thornbury, C. E. Hall, W. D. Upson. THE C. E. CONOVER CO. June. Capital, $10,000. Merchants. Removed to Ansonia, August 7, 1891.
1890.
THE B. BALL MILK CO.
Capital, $2500. President, Argus B. Ball; secretary and treasurer, B. F. Ball. The business was started at the Bennet Ball farm, Oakville, 1881.
CHATFIELD JEWELRY CO. October 18.
Capital, $20,000. Manager, A. I. Chatfield.
1891.
WATERBURY DRUG CO. January.
Capital, $6000. Directors, William W. Dikeman, Frederick Seymour, Charles H. Adams. Discontinued.
WATERBURY SUPPLY CO. January.
Capital, $20,000. Directors, C. R. Baldwin, H. W. Beardsley, L. F. Burpee. Marine supplies. Business discontinued.
LANG BROTHERS CO. March 18.
Capital, $5000. Merchants. Business discontinued.
BARLOW BROTHERS CO. April.
Capital, $5000. President, S. J. Barlow; treasurer, T. D. Barlow; secretary, J. A. Peck. Plumbers, gas fitters, etc.
CITY DRUG CO. May.
Capital, $1000. Directors, I. G. Platt, S. P. Williams, E. A. Pierpont. Dis- continued.
WATERBURY GROCERY CO. June 5. Capital, $10,000. Secretary and treasurer, E. P. Merriam.
29
450
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
1892.
WATERBURY BEEF AND PROVISION CO. February. Manager, Michael Guilfoile.
CHARLES THATCHER CO. May.
Capital, $4000. Plumbers and dealers in stoves.
1893.
BONNER-PRESTON CO. January 10.
Capital, $40,000. President, J. D. Bonner; treasurer, M. B. Preston; Water- bury manager, O. A. Ziglatzki. House painters, paper hangers, dealers in paints and oils. Incorporated in Hartford.
THE L. F. HAASE CO. January.
Capital, $5000. President and treasurer, Louis F. Haase; secretary, R. W. Hampson. Painters, decorators, dealers in carpets, etc.
LEAVENWORTH & DIKEMAN CO. June 26.
Capital, $3000. President, George C. Curtis; secretary and treasurer, George S. Harvey. Chemicals and drugs. Established in 1770. See the history of the drug business in a subsequent chapter.
1894.
THE H. W. KEELER CO. January I.
Capital, $2000. President, H. W. Keeler; secretary, Frank L. Wentworth. Plumbers, roofers, dealers in ranges, etc.
MILLER & PECK CO. March.
Capital, $10,000. President, Charles Miller; secretary and treasurer, Charles E. Hall. Dry goods, carpets, etc.
CITY GROCERY CO. September.
Capital, $Soo. President, Charles Thatcher; manager, O. J. Hart.
WATERBURY WOMEN'S EXCHANGE CO. April.
Capital $1,000. See the following chapter.
IV
OTHER CORPORATIONS.
1848.
WATERBURY BANK. August.
See pp. 175, 176.
WATERBURY WATER POWER CO. November 17.
Capital, $18,000. President, C. B. Merriman. "To construct a canal, making the waters of the Naugatuck tributary to the propelling of machinery." The work was done in connection with the construction of the Naugatuck rail- road. Eventually purchased by the Waterbury Brass Co. Annulled, act of March 25, 1880. (The enterprise was begun in 1836, but the reverses of 1837 led to its abandonment for eleven years.)
45 I
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
1850.
RIVERSIDE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION. March 6.
See the history of the cemetery in a subsequent chapter; also, " Book of the Riverside Cemetery," published by the association in 1889.
WATERBURY SAVINGS BANK.
See p. 177.
1853.
WATERVILLE HOTEL CO. April I.
Capital, $4000. President, George B. Turrell. Annulled, 1880.
CITIZENS' BANK. April 15. See p. 178.
NATIONAL DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL ASSOCIATION. November 14. Capital, $20,000. President, Charles E. Moss. Discontinued. Annulled, 1880.
1854.
AMERICAN MUSICAL AND DRAMATIC ASSOCIATION. May 6. Capital, $500,000. A " bogus " concern. Annulled, 1880.
1855
MATTATUCK BANK. See p. 178.
1865.
ELTON BANKING CO. January 7.
Capital, $100,000. President, Nelson Hall. See p. 178. Annulled, 1880. WATERBURY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION. May 17.
Capital, $26,500. President, F. J. Kingsbury. See the history of St. Marga- ret's school, in a subsequent chapter. Annulled, 1880.
1870.
DIME SAVINGS BANK. See p. 178.
1878.
WATERBURY AUTOMATIC SIGNAL TELEGRAPH CO. May 2. Capital, $7500. See pp. 149, 150.
EAST FARMS CEMETERY CORPORATION. September 25.
Without capital. President, Enos A. Pierpont.
1880.
MANUFACTURERS' NATIONAL BANK.
See p. 178.
188I.
WATERBURY CLUB CORPORATION. September 20. See the following chapter.
WATERBURY CONTRACTING CO. December.
Capital, $20,000. Business discontinued.
1882.
WATERBURY HORSE RAILWAY CO. Afterwards, the Waterbury Traction Co. See pp. 147, 148.
452
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
1883.
WATERBURY DISTRICT TELEGRAPH CO. July 6. See pp. 148, 149.
CONNECTICUT INDEMNITY ASSOCIATION. October 30. See pp. 184-187.
CONNECTICUT DISTRICT TELEGRAPH AND ELECTRIC CO. Nov. 26. Purchased by the Waterbury Traction Co. See pp. 146, 147.
1885.
WATERBURY TURNVEREIN CORPORATION. January.
" To cultivate all branches of German gymnastics."
WATERBURY BASEBALL CO. October 16.
Capital, $5000. Discontinued.
1886.
CONNECTICUT MUTUAL STEAM BOILER INSURANCE CO. June. See pp. 187, 188.
WATERBURY ELECTRIC CO. July.
Capital, $2000. Directors, E. S. Hayden, J. C. Francis, L. F. Burpee. Dis- continued.
WATERBURY STEAM CARPET-BEATING CO.
Manager, F. N. Perry.
1887.
WATERBURY TOBOGGAN CO. January.
Capital, $2000. To deal in toboggans, sleighs, etc., and to operate tobog- gan slides. Discontinued.
FOURTH NATIONAL BANK.
See p. 178.
1888.
HILLSIDE SCHOOL CORPORATION. February 21. Capital, $10,000. Has ceased to act.
MARSHALL LAKE CLUB CORPORATION. June 8.
Without capital. "To promote an interest in the sport of angling, and to afford its members a place to indulge in the same." They have a club house, reservoir, etc , in the town of Torrington.
1889.
WATERBURY DRIVING CO. March.
Capital, $3000. "To build a driving and racing track; to lay out a ground suitable for baseball and other games."
WESTSIDE SAVINGS BANK.
See p. 178.
1890.
AGUDAS ACHIM. March.
Without capital. President, S. Friedman. A Jewish society for religious instruction.
WATERBURY IMPROVEMENT CO. July.
Capital, $10,000. (See Waterbury Land Improvement Co., 1893.)
453
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
NEW ENGLAND ENGINEERING CO. September II.
Capital, $40,000. President, A. M. Young; treasurer, A. O. Shepardson; sec- retary, E. S. Breed. "To engage in the business of building, equipping, sup- plying and operating works or plants for electric lighting and motive power; to build and equip telegraph and telephone lines, and to organize and equip companies for carrying on the aforesaid kinds of business."
1891.
WATERBURY YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. February. See the history of the Association in a subsequent chapter.
WATERBURY AMUSEMENT CO. April 27. Capital, $1000. " To promote athletic sports."
ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS. July 28.
Without capital. This is Division No. 2. See its history elsewhere.
WATERBURY CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION. August 4.
Capital, $2000. President, Thomas Morris. Grocers.
1892.
SOCIETY VICTOR EMANUEL II. September. Without capital. President, Luigi Bertoli.
1893.
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF WATERBURY. April 5. Without capital.
YOUNG WOMEN'S FRIENDLY LEAGUE. April 14. See the history of the League in a subsequent chapter.
WATERBURY LAND IMPROVEMENT CO. May 20.
Capital, $30,000. President, C. A. Ward; secretary and treasurer, S. P. Williams.
WATERBURY TRUST AND SAFE DEPOSIT CO. May 26. Capital, $100,000.
AMERICAN BRASS CO. May 26.
Capital, $500,000. Providing for a consolidation (for mutual protection) of the large brass manufactories of the Naugatuck valley.
MAD RIVER RAPID TRANSIT CO. June.
Capital, $100,000. To build a railroad to Wolcott and Woodtick.
ODD FELLOWS' HALL ASSOCIATION.
Capital, $30,000.
1894.
WATERBURY HOTEL CO. January 9. Capital, $6500. President, F. B. Rice.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. October.
Incorporated under the law of 1893, with reference to holding real estate for philanthropic uses. The deed of a house and lot, to be known as the Southmayd Home, was received by the church, December 7, 1894.
454
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHIES.
In the preceding chapters the record of the men who have been active in the various manufactories of the city has been given as part of the history of the concerns with which they have been most fully identified. In some cases, however, it has been impossible to carry out this arrangement, and a considerable number of biograph- ical sketches remain, which are here brought together in a miscel- laneous group. Some of these men have filled quite as large a place as others whose biographies have already been given, but they have not been so closely connected with any one corporation or any one kind of business. A few of the half-century employees of the Scovill Manufacturing company are included, and a few men whose business life was not associated with manufacturing concerns.
AZARIAH WOOLWORTH.
Azariah Woolworth was born at Longmeadow, Mass., Septem- ber 25, 1779. His father and grandfather were farmers and shoe- makers. He learned the joiner's trade, and worked at ship-joinery at Saybrook, and at various kinds of wood work in New Haven and other places. He came to Waterbury in 1808, and it is thought that he worked on the house known as the John Kingsbury home- stead on the corner of West Main and South Willow streets. Soon afterward he became interested in clock making, and was sub- sequently employed by Harrison & Son, makers of shoe lasts. Mr. Woolworth invented a machine, which was in use as early as 1818, for forming a shoe last at one operation. This was the first machine of its kind, but as Mr. Woolworth, like many other in- ventors, was not of a practical turn, he neglected to procure a. patent on his invention, and so failed to reap the benefits which were rightly his. At a later date he designed a machine for turn- ing irregular forms by means of tools guided by a model of the same shape. The principle embodied in this machine is of universal application, and the invention was one of great value. Upon this he procured a patent.
On April 5, 1812, he married Rebekah Allen of Woodbridge. For the record of their children, see Vol. I, Ap. p. 156.
MICAH GUILFORD.
Micah Guilford, son of Timothy and Sally (Hayden) Guilford, was born in Williamsburg, Mass., August 17, 1785. He came to Waterbury in 1804 and lived here until 1812. After an absence of
455
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
twelve years he returned, and resided here for the remainder of his life. He was a jeweler and gilder, and invented some articles in the line of his trade. He married Annie, daughter of Moses Hall. Their children were: Jane, married to Charles Goodwin; Charlotte, married to Allen Clark; Sarah; Ralph Hall, who married Martha Tolles; Timothy, who married Harriet J. Taylor; William Oscar, who married Harriet E. Hitchcock, and four who died in childhood. Mr. Guilford died in Hartford, January 27, 1854.
JOHN D. JOHNSON.
John Davis Johnson was born at Woodumwater, near London, England, November 5, 1793. The family came to this country in 1795, and settled in Middletown, where John grew up to manhood. During the war of 1812, he and his brother Robert were engaged in making muskets for the government. Afterward he became interested in the hat trade in New York city, and finally turned his attention to trade with Mexico. His venture in that direction proved unsuccessful, and in 1835 he came to Waterbury, and with his brothers William and Robert, and Samuel Russell of Middle- town, established a manufacturing company, for the making of satinets. He next became interested in a rolling mill, and after- ward, with Charles Benedict, Luther C. White and G. H. Pendleton, organized the City Manufacturing company, which was subsequently merged in the Benedict & Burnham Manufacturing company.
Mr. Johnson was three times married. His daughter Cornelia became the wife of Charles Benedict (see page 307). His son, John Edward, was born in Middletown, November 8, 1821, spent his life in Waterbury, and died February 13, 1895.
Mr. Johnson died in Hartford, September 5, 1887, in the ninety- fourth year of his age.
WILLIAM H. JONES.
William Henry Jones, son of William Jones, was born in Bir- mingham, England, June 8, 1802. He came to America in 1824 and settled in Attleborough, Mass., where he began the manufacture of buttons under the firm name of Robinson, Jones & Co. After ten years he removed to Waterbury, and continued to reside here, except during 1840 and 1841, when he was in Philadelphia. He carried on the button business in Waterbury under the name of William Jones & Co., in the "green shop " formerly owned by E. E. Prichard; but the concern failed in 1837.
On October 25, 1825, Mr. Jones married Mary Steele of Seymour. Their children are: Norman, deceased; Sarah Stafford, married to
456
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Peter Turner, United States Navy; Caroline Ann; William Henry, who married Amy J. Johnson; and John Edwin, who married Eva Murdoch.
Mr. Jones died January 23, 1881.
SILAS B. TERRY.
Silas Burnham Terry was born in Plymouth, February 1, 1807. He was a descendant of Samuel Terry, who settled in Springfield, Mass., in 1654, and whose children settled in Enfield, and was the son of Eli and Eunice (Warner) Terry .* He attended the district school in his native town and the academy at Harwinton, and for a time attended the lectures of Professor Olmstead, at Yale College.
His father, Eli Terry (see pages 258, 259), began business in Plymouth (then Northbury) in 1793, having removed from South Windsor about that time. He had had experience in clock-making under the tuition of the best English clock-makers. In 1823 he received his sons Eli and Henry into partnership, and Silas was admitted to the firm (Eli Terry & Sons) in 1828. In 1831 he went into business for himself at Terryville. He had not been trained in making wooden clocks-a business which had attained its height and had begun to wane-but under the immediate direction of his father had learned to construct more costly time-pieces. This was the business he began in Terryville, where he erected a factory. His brother, Henry Terry, in an obituary notice in the Waterbury American (May 30, 1876), spoke of this period of his life as follows:
After prosecuting the business many years, and struggling through the financial troubles of 1837 and 1839, when most men not firmly established were broken down, he, too, became a sufferer; yet he struggled on, until he found no way of emanci- pation from the burden of debt fastened upon him but to relinquish a business not only not remunerative, but disastrous. He had, however, during these years of business adversity adopted new machinery, from which others derived more benefit than he, and had introduced newly arranged clocks, which have since proved the best clocks in the market. The clock known as the Seth Thomas regulator (Nos. I and 2) is one. It is a very perfect time-keeper, and is as reliable even for astro- nomical purposes as the more showy clocks costing ten times as much.
In 1852 he procured a valuable patent for a marine clock, and formed a partnership for its manufacture, consisting of himself, James Terry, and William E. McKee. On May 1, 1853, this firm (S. B. Terry & Co.) sold out to the Terryville Manufacturing com- pany, consisting of the same persons, with Theodore Terry of An-
* He was one of eleven children, nine of whom were children of the first wife. His step-brother, Stephen Terry, was the compiler of "Notes of the Terry Families in the United States of America " (Hartford, 1887), in which may be found additional genealogical data.
457
JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES, PAST AND PRESENT.
sonia; and in 1854 the business was removed to Pequabuck, where a new factory had been built. In the autumn of that year, S. B. Terry sold out his interest in the company, and purchased the old factory at Terryville. In 1859, "it became needful, for the mainte- nance of himself and family, to labor under a salary." He re- moved to Winsted, and became superintendent of the clock factory of William B. Gilbert & Co. In 1861 he went back to Terryville, and in August of that year came to Waterbury, and became super- intendent of the movement department in the Waterbury Clock company. In the meantime he had acquired some property, and he now decided to begin business again for himself. The Terry Clock company was organized (see page 439), and Mr. Terry took an active part in its management during the remainder of his life. In 1880-four years after his death-the affairs of the company were wound up. A reorganization under the same name took place at Pittsfield, Mass., where the business was carried on for some years, but it is now discontinued.
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