Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 38

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y. > Part 38

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

ITHAMAR DU BOIS, well and widely known as manufacturer of and dealer in gentlemen's fine shirts and furnishing goods, at No 328 Fulton street, Brooklyn, is of French Huguenot extraction, and successive generations of his family have lived in America during the past two hundred years. Three brothers of the family were the emigrants, and their descend- ants are now numerous throughout the Union, and especially so on Long Island, up the Hudson river and in New Jersey. Mr. Du Bois's father, the Rev. A. C. Du Bois, was formerly well known in western New York, where he was instrumental in planting and building up Presbyterian churches, which yet remain as monuments to his zeal in the Christian cause, and is now living at an advanced age in California, where one of his sons is a distinguished physician, and another is in the United States government employ. His mother, who was Mehitabel Suinner, a native of North Adams, Mass., died in 1875.

Mr. Du Bois was born in Allegany county, N. Y., where his father was then laboring in the ministry. in 1830. In 1844, the family removed to the Western Reserve, in Ohio, following westward the course of the Star of Empire. The youth was a student in such public schools as that section of the country then afforded, and later at the old Milan academy at Milan, Ohio. At the age of seventeen he became a school teacher, an avocation in which he was remarkably success- ful, instructing many scholars much older than himself. Three years he was thus employed, and that they were three years of mental discipline and advancement is evidenced by the fact that during the third year he was principal of a union school at Tiffin, Ohio. Relinquishing the text-book and the ferrule, Mr. Du Bois embarked in the book and sta- tionery trade at Plymonth, Ohio, in 1850, in which he con- tinued until 1857, when he disposed of his business and re- moved to Brooklyn, N. Y., to become manager of the store of Charles H. Little, a dealer in paints and artists' supplies, on Atlantic street, a position which he hekl until his func- tions were assumed by a gentleman who bought an interest in the business of Mr. Little, about the time of the outbreak of the Rebellion.

In partnership with Mr. N. L. Huntington, Mr. Du Bois established a factory and store on Fulton street, within two doors of his present location, for the manufacture and sale

of fine shirts and furnishing goods. It may be interesting to note that these gentlemen were the pioneers in their line in Brooklyn, there having been previous to that time, no stores in the city where such goods were handled, and a market for them having yet to be, in a great measure, created. In January, 1866, Mr. Huntington withdrew from the business, and since that time Mr. Du Bois has been proprietor. Under the latter's management it was more than doubled during the three years succeeding the former's retirement, and it has been gradually augmented to its present proportions as the leading enterprise of its class in the city, the sign of the gold shirt having become familiar to Brooklynites as one of the landmarks on Fulton street. Mr. Du Bois's specialty is fine custom shirts, in which department he has no superior, either in New York or Brooklyn. His store is the centre of a large local trade, his customers living on either side of the East river, and he supplies many regular purchasers through- out the Union, especially in New York and Pennsylvania.

Mr. Du Bois has long been identified with the Presby- terian church, under the influences of which he was born and reared, and very prominent in all measures calculated to advance the general interests of that denoniination, as well as of those of congregations of which he has from time to time been a member, as an instance of which may be mentioned the fact that he was prominently connected with the Memorial Presbyterian church of this city since its or- ganization, having for many years served as one of its rnling elders. His earnest devotion to this church has been fur- ther proven by the fact that he has materially contributed to its establishment and growth, and his prominence in con- nection with its Sunday school and mission work, and his performance of the duties of its organist and musical con- ductor, until recently, during a period of eleven years. Ife is president of the Bryant Literary Society, and all measures toward pubhe enlightenment and the dissemination of gen- eral knowledge have a staunch supporter in him.

The political history of Mr. Du Bois has been one un- marked by any changes of party affiliations. He was one of the pioneer Republicans, and he points with pride to the fact that his first vote cast in a presidential election was for John P. IIale, and his second for John C. Fremont, and that he has voted for each successive Republican candidate for the presidency, including the last. While taking an earn- est and intelligent interest in public affairs, he is not, and has never been, an active politician.

In 1852, Mr. Du Bois married Miss Adaline P. Brink, of Plymouth, Ohio, and has a son and three daughters. The son, Mr. William S. Du Bois, was for several years in busi- ness with his father, but latterly has resided in California, where he is interested in the manufacture of plows and wagons. Viola C., Mr. Du Bois's eldest daughter, is the wife of J. Freeman Atwood, M. I)., of Brooklyn. Lillian Alice, and Edith Louise, his younger daughters, reside at his home, adding to the peace and comfort of his declining years.

Other custom manufacturers of good reputation are: Ira Perego, 629 Atlantic avenue; Henry Smeaton, of 114 Atlantic avenue; William P. Johnston, 397 Fulton street; Walter A. Phelan, 103 Broadway, E. D. ; and Henry Jarvis, 168 Fourth street, E. D., etc., etc. As nearly as we can ascertain, the present condition of the shirt mann- facture in Kings county is about as follows: Establish- ments, 30; wholesale, 22; custom, 8; number of hands, abont 450; wages paid, $160,000; total out-put, $520,000.

793

THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

The grand total of the clothing and shirt manufac- ture is, then, about 7,850 hands, and very nearly $10,- 000,000 of annual production.

SECTION XXXII. Measuring Tapes and other Instruments of Precision.

The first thought of the reader of this work will probably be, " Measuring Tapes ! What a small and trifling article to make a special section of, in an account of the manufactures of Kings county." But the reader would be wrong, for measuring tapes, and the other in- struments of precision belonging to this manufacture, are really articles of great importance and extensive use, requiring a large manufactory and the use of a very considerable capital for their production.

Mr. George M. Eddy, whose portrait and biography appear in connection with this article, is the only manu- facturer of these goods in Kings county, and, perhaps, the only manufacturer of them on a large scale in the United States.

As his biography states, he came to New York, from Massachusetts, in 1845, and commenced this manufac- ture under circumstances of great difficulty. He had no acquaintance, and very little capital, and but scanty knowledge of the business which he had undertaken. The instruments of measurement, whichi had been de- rived from Great Britain, were many of them inaccu- rate; and these, such as they were, were mostly imported; skilled mechanics, such as were required for this work, were few in number, and not easily induced to enter into the employ of a new beginner in a new enterprise. Then, also of the materials to be used, the tape had to be specially woven for the purpose, the leather prepared especially for this use; and the services of the brass founder and finisher, of the metal spinner, the saddler and leather stitcher, the painter, and above all the printer, must be called into requisition to produce the goods. Special machinery of new designs was required and built for some of the processes of the manufacture; of these machines, the continuous cylinder printing ma- chine, which now prints the tapes in continuous lengths of 400 feet per minute, was the most important and valuable.

The first of these printing machines was constructed in the shops of the Messrs. Hoe & Co., and the principle involved in it was subsequently developed into the great cylinder printing presses of that famous firm, which throw off their 30,000 newspapers per hour.

At that time there was but one wholesale hardware store, Messrs. Clark & Wilson, of Platt street, New York city, through which the American manufacturer could dispose of his goods; the other houses dealing exclusively in imported and mostly English hardware, which they claimed was very far superior to any which could be made herc. What are now our great cities, were mostly provincial towns, and the markets were

GEO M.EDDY&CP.

MEASURING TAPES

GEO.M.EDDY&CO.

ITT

MEASURING TAPES.

OFFICE

GEO. M. EDDY & CO.'S MANUFACTORY.

limited. There were comparatively few railroads, and transportation was slow and difficult.

But, notwithstanding all these difficulties, Mr. Eddy pressed forward resolutely, determined to achieve suc- cess. He established his business at first in New York city, in very contracted quarters, but in 1851 removed to larger premises, at 45 Gold street, N. Y., where, for some years he did a thriving business. The panic of 1857, and the commencement of war in 1861, reduced the business to a low ebb. In 1862, it was removed to Terryville, Conn., and in 1865 to Brooklyn, and the next year to its present spacious location, 345 to 353 Classon avenue, built expressly for its purpose, which occupies, with the dwelling-houses of the proprietor and his sons, eight full city lots of 25 by 100 feet, or 20,000 square feet.

In this large establishment are manufactured every variety of measures for which there is a demand, from the one-foot pocket spring tape to the 500-feet steel tape. The pocket spring tapes are of many varieties, styles and designs. There are also measures specially adapted to the use of tailors, shoe-makers, dress-makers, etc., etc., as well as those adapted to the use of survey- ors, engineers, iron-workers, bridge-builders, farmers, plumbers, carpenters, and mechanics generally.

There is a large and increasing demand for stecl tapes for accurate measurement. A woven tape, low- ever carefully made and protected, is liable to many variations; but a steel tape, if carefully graduated, is subject only to variations of temperature which are easily adjusted. These steel tapes have become indis- pensable to the surveyor, engineeer, architect, dock and bridge builders, iron and pipe manufacturers, etc., etc.

794

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

The business has grown and increased with the growth and prosperity of the country, until the goods made by George M. Eddy & Co. are widely and favor- ably known in our own and foreign lands.

During the nearly forty years of his business life in New York, Brooklyn and Terryville, Mr. Eddy has had several different associates in business, the firms having been successively, G. M. &T.W. Eddy, from 1846 to 1851; Eddy & Wells, 1851-1854; Eddy & Hinchman, 1854-1858: Eddy & Wellington, 1858-1861; 1862-1865, the Eddy Manufacturing Company, at Terryville, Ct., Messrs. Ives & Upson being the partners; from 1865 to 1870, Geo. M. Eddy alone; his brother, W. P. Eddy, became a partner in 1870; and the firm now consists of the two brothers, G. M. & W. P., and Messrs. John G. & W. H. Eddy, sons of Geo. M. Eddy. The firm have a capital of $100,000; employ 50 hands; pay out an- nnally about $25,000 wages, and their average annual product is about $80,000.

GEO. M. EDDY was born in the town of Dudley, Worcester couuty, Mass., October 4th, 1818. He was the son of John Eddy, Jr., a native and life-long resident of that town ; and was the eldest of eight children; all of whom lived to ma- turity.

His father was a farmer and a man of much prominence in town, county and state affairs, holding office more than fifty years, as colonel of militia, representative to the Legis- lature for years, justice of the peace, chairman of the board of selectmen of the town ; of the board of trustees of Nichols Academy; and of the board of assessors.

His grandfather, a native of Gloucester, Rhode Island, and one of the earliest settlers of the town, was a man of enterprise, who, from a wilderness, turned the forest into productive fields, built houses, barns and mills: planted or- chards and mulberry trees, and was the first to introduce the culture of silk worms and the production of silk in that section of country. During the first invasion of Rhode Island by the British, in 1776, he raised a company of 100 men for the defence of Newport.

He married Deborah Winsor, daughter of John Winsor, a distinguished Baptist clergymau, whose grandmother was the youngest daughter of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, and whose grandfather was one of the twenty associates of Roger Williams in the purchase of Providence from the native Indians.

The Eddy family are of Saxon origin, and trace their genealogy to John and Samuel Eddy, who came from Eng- land in the ship Handmaid, and arrived at Plymouth, Mass., October 29th, 1630; an account of the voyage being given in Winthrop's History of New England. They were the sons of William Eddie, the curate of the church of Saint Dunstan, Cranbrook, county of Kent, England, from 1591 to 1616. Samuel was one of the original purchasers of Middleboro, Mass., where some of his descendants still reside.

Jonathan Eddy, his grandson, held a military commission under the Governor of Massachusetts, raised men, and served in the French war in Canada, and afterwards resided in Nova Scotia, until the breaking out of the Revohition, when he joined the American army at Cambridge, March 27, 1976 (see Washington's letter to Congress of that date). He hekl a commission as colonel, and commanded at the battle of Machias, Province of Maine Massachusetts granted hun

lands on the Penobscot river after the war-township No. 10, afterwards named Eddington-in recognition of his military services. In 1800, Congress granted him 1,280 acres of land in the Chillicothe district, Ohio, for distinguished military service.

John Eddy. Jr., the father of George M., married Nancy Merritt, a descendant from Henry Merritt, one of the first settlers of Seituate, Mass., as early as 1626. Savage's N. E. Genealogical Dictionary says : " Henry Merritt lived in Sci- tuate, where his wife joined the church in April, 1637. He died the last of March, 1653."

Thus, on both the paternal and maternal side, he traces his ancestory to the earliest settlers of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. John Eddy, Jr., died in December, 1867.

Geo. M. Eddy received the rudiments of education at the district school and afterwards at Nichols Academy in his native town. He was an apt scholar, foremost in his classes, and received the commendation of his instructors. While at the Academy, he walked daily three miles to and from his father's residence. Ile early developed a taste for mathema- tics and mechanics; and in his boyhood. all the leisure time spared from his books and studies was spent iu his father's workshop, constructing various mechanical devices, among which was a complete water-mill, which was placed in a neighboring brook, for the amusement of the boys of the neighborhood. Although he never learned any mechanical trade, this experience gave him a knowledge of the use of tools, which, as Benjamin Franklin wrote of himself, has been of service to him throughout his business career, and a stimulus to invention and construction of machines, useful in his business.

In 1834, at the age of 16. he entered the store and post office of the Hon. William Hancock, in his native town, as clerk, where he remained for three years. The contrast be- tween the postal facilities in those days and at present, is re- markable. There were then four rates of postage, based on the old Spanish silver currency, from 6} to 25 cents, according to distance, and while a letter is now sent throughout the United States for two cents, the postage was then 25 cents for more than 500 miles. The mails were conveyed in post coaches and the through mail, from New York to Boston by way of Hartford, was carried through the town. The liour of arrival of the southern mail was three o'clock in the morn- ing, and it became a part of his duty to be up, and receive and assort the mail, which, in the winter, was a cold task, while the driver of the coach sat shivering on his box, and the impatient passengers were scolding at the delay, inside. The President's message, at the opening of Congress iu 1836, was carried through the town by express riders on horseback and the town's people assembled at the post office to see them pass. For two winters he had exclusive charge of the post office, Mr. Hancock being a member of the Legislature at Boston.

In 1837, he went to the adjoining town of Thompson, Conn .. where he remained but a few months before he was prostrated by a fever, taken home, and for a time given up as past hope, but finally recovered.

During the next year and a half, he taught school in the neighboring towns, and, in 1839, entered the employment of Samuel Slater & Sons, extensive manufacturers of cotton and woollen goods, in the neighboring town of Webster, as book- keeper.

In 1840, he made his first journey, visiting New York city. thence to Albauy, and by stage through the state, visiting the principal towns to Buffalo, then the largest city west of New York, returning home by way of the Erie Canal. travelling the whole length of it in a line boat, occupying a whole week from Buffalo to Albany, a leisurely and delight-

705

THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

ful way of travelling. Returning home, he engaged in can- vassing for various publications, and afterwards was em- ployed by a publishing house in Boston, as canvasser and collector, travelling throughout the New England states for three years in that capacity.

In the spring of 1844, he came to New York and engaged to travel for a New York publisher; went to Maryland, Virginia, and western Pennsylvania, but finding the business unremunerative, returned to Philadelphia.

There from the 6th to the 10th of May he witnessed the native American and Irish riots, in which thirty houses and three churches were burned, fourteen persons killed, and many wounded. The veteran General Cadwalader finally took command of the military, declared the city under mar- tial law, dispersed all crowds, established a patrol of all the principal streets, and put down the mob. The year 1844 was one of great political excitement, there being three parties, Whig, Democratic, and Native Americans. In June of that year he went to the Whig National Convention at Baltimore, which nominated Clay and Frelinghuysen for President and Vice-President, and there for the first time saw Daniel Webster, and heard him make a speech supporting the nom- ination, although he was, undoubtedly, disappointed and chagrined (as he expected to receive the nomination); he

made a powerful impression never to be forgotten by those who heard him.

Returning to New York in the fall of 1844, he engaged as a traveler and canvasser for the then celebrated publisher of fashions, Genio C. Scott. In that capacity he was engaged for a year, and in traveling among the tailors, his attention was called to the want of correct measures (which were then all imported), and the question occurred to him, why not make them in this country ? and with very little means he set about devising and constructing machines to produce them, and the question was soon answered with an encour- aging affirmative.

From that small beginning, encountering many discour- agements and difficulties during the earlier years, but prose- cuted with determination and perseverance, the business has grown and expanded to dimensions undreamed of at that time, until every kind of measure, demanded by all classes and occupations, under the English metre, and other systems of the countries of Europe, is made by the firm of Geo. M. Eddy & Co. From that time he found the occupation of his life, and it bids fair to be that of his successors for genera- tions to come. At his manufactory, the largest variety and probably the largest quantity of measures are produced, to be found in any establishment in the world, with, perhaps,

796

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

one exception. For a description of the business, see page 793 of this history.

In December. 1845. he married Mary E. Tenney, of New York, who has borne him six children, three of whom sur- vive, and two of whom, viz .. John G. and Wm. H., together with his brother. Wm P., constitute the firm. His sons re- ceived a business education previously to entering the firm, and are favorably known in social and military circles in Brooklyn, and hold commissions as officers of the 47th regi- ment.

In politics, he has always been identified with the Repub- lican party, from its formation, but has never been active as a politician, nor aspired to or held political office. In re- ligion, he has always been an attendant at the Presbyterian church, although not a member, but has been identified with the Classon avenue Presbyterian church (formerly Dr. Duryea's), from its establishment. His social connections have been with the business men of the large cities, and he is as well known among the elder merchants of Philadel- phia and Boston, as among those of New York and Brooklyn.

SECTION XXXIII. Lumber-Packing and other Wood Boxes.

" Lumber in the rough," as sawed boards, slabs and plank, not planed, or in any way changed from its original condition, is not an article of manufacture, so far as Kings county is concerned, since it is all brought here in that condition from Canada, Michigan, Maine, Minnesota or elsewhere. The men who only sell it in this condition, are lumber dealers, not lumber manufac- turers, and should be assigned a place among our largest dealers or merchants.

But our larger himber dealers, ahnost withont ex- ception, have saw and planing mills connected with their lumber yards, and prepare matched and planed boards, and tongued and grooved plank, mortised tim- bers, doors, monldings, and other wood-work, ready for the carpenter's use, while some of them make a specialty of wood boxes for packing and other purposes; and others work up the hard woods into various forms. It is only in these connections that we can here regard Inmber as a manufacturing industry, though, if we were writing of any of the great lumber States, we must number the products of their great saw mills among the manufactures of the State,

The census takes the same view of this subject which we have done, giving these two items-aside from " sash, doors and blinds," which we have already treated: " Limber, planed," 12 establishments, $676,500 capital, 530 hands, $230,827 wages, $1,271,317 material-that is, lmuber; $1,707,821 annual product ; and "Boxes, wooden, packing," 7 establishments, $998,500 capital, 602 hands, $243,812 wages, 81,286,630 material, and $1,767,640 ammal product. The two items, it will be seen, are very nearly equal, and together amount to $3,475,461 of ammal product.

The Directory does not give us much assistance of value in regard to this matter. The lumber dealers, the saw and planing mills, the packing box makers, and the sash, door and blind manufacturers, are mingled

in hopeless confusion. Visits to many of the leading lumber establishments have cleared up some of the difficulties. Of the himber dealers, Charles E. Rogers «. Co. are the largest in the wholesale trade, and Cross, Austin & Co. the largest in the retail trade. Jacob T. E. Litchfield && Co., Julian Ross & Co., Sonthard & Co., Frederick W. Start, Beers & Ressiguie, Hulstel Brothers, etc., etc., are also very large lumber dealers. Nearly all of these have saw and planing mills, and manufacture their lumber, in part, for builders' use. Some of them have moulding mills, sash, door and blind factories, or hard wood trinmings departments in connection with their lumber yards. Of these, we have already spoken, under " Furniture." There are also moulding mills, saw and planing mills, some of them with hard wood trimmings departments, and one large box maker, who are dealers in lunnber to a considerable extent. Among these may be named John S. Loomis, White, Potter & Paige Manufacturing Company, Goodwin, Cross & Co., Charles A. Rogers & Co., Charles II. Reynolds, II. E. Pickett, Alexander &. Ellis, South Brooklyn Saw Mill Co., Long Island Saw and Planing Mill Co., and Oscar F. Huwley. The last named, while he is the largest box maker, also sells about 6,000,000 feet of himber.

Among the packing box makers, Mr. Oscar F. Hawc- ley, of whose large establishment we give a view, is un- doubtedly chief, and his works are probably more ex- tensive than any other in the country.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the County of Kings and the City of Brooklyn, N. Y., Part 38

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : Munsell Number of Pages: 1360

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : Munsell
Number of Pages: 1360