USA > New York > Orange County > Newburgh > Newburgh; her institutions, industries and leading citizens, historical, descriptive and biographical > Part 50
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The Beveridge Brewing Company manufacture present use (cream) and stock ales of unexcelled fineness. By the exclusive use of spring water and carefully selected materials of barley, malt and hops they
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have always succeeded in maintaining a standard of excellence which has made their ales prized, not alone as a tonic beverage, but as well by the convalescing for their medicinal properties. Until the year 1889 they manufactured on the old Scotch puncheon plan, but during the past year, at a large expenditure, the plant has been entirely changed to the modern Jedd vacuum process, with highly gratifying results to the management in the better keeping, milder flavored and more brilliant qualities of the product. The capacity of the brewery is 50,000 barrels. The New York City warehouse is at No. 121 Warren Street.
THE BROKAW MANUFACTURING COMPANY was estab- lished in 1880 by William B. Brokaw, and has been one of the most
public, and the demand for them increased so rapidly that in a very few years the Brokaw manufactory became a large concern.
The first manufacturing was done with but three or fonr sewing machines over Smith's book-store in Water Street. From there the factory was moved to the Stern building, thence into the Scharps building, and finally into the large Bigler building at the corner of Smith and Third Streets, each change being for the purpose of ac- quiring more room. In 1890 the company was incorporated with Mr. Brokaw and George P. Ide & Co., of Troy-the latter the largest white-shirt and collar manufacturers in the country-as stockholders and officers of the company. Recently the Brokaw Company added to their facilities by purchasing the plant of the Laurel Manufactur- ing Company, at Nos. 127, 129 and 131 Broadway, and removing the
BROKAW MFG. CO. THE RELIABLE' FLAMEL SHIRTS & OUTING GOODS,
BROKAW MANUFACTURING COMPANY'S FACTORY.
successful manufacturing concerns in the city. At the time the man- nfactory was started Mr. Brokaw was the leading dealer in men's furnishing goods in Newburgh. He commenced manufacturing flan- nel shirts and outing garments, under the trademark of "Reliable," in connection with his retail business, and gradually to manufacture for the retail trade generally, selling them at wholesale through trav- eling salesmen, under the firm name of the Brokaw Manufacturing Company. These negligé garments quickly found favor with the
fixtures to their down-town factory. But even with these large facilities they cannot keep pace with the demand for their popular goods, and have a standing advertisement for female help.
They manufacture flannel, madras, cheviot, percale, silk and fancy fabric shirts and outing garments, and bath-robes in Turkish and and wool materials, under the well-known trademarks of " Reliable " and " Durable." They employ a great many hands, and sell their production in connection with the Trojan Shirt and Collar Co.'s
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well known and popular brands, with over twenty-five salesmen on the road, covering the United States, with salesrooms in New York City, Chicago, St. Louis, and other large cities.
WILLIAM B. BROKAW, of the Brokaw Manufacturing Com- pany, was born in New Jersey, in 1846, and educated in New York City. In 1861, at the age of fifteen, he enlisted as a drummer-boy in Colonel Fairman's 96th New York Volunteers, of which Judge Edgar M. Cullen was latterly Colonel. He rose successively to the
M.Nico
PHOTO. BY WHIDDIT.
WILLIAM B. BROKAW.
ranks of Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant, and was a Captain at the age of eighteen. He was breveted Major for gallant service at the capture of Fort Harrison in 1864, where he was wounded severely in the breast. At Cold Harbor his cap was shot off his head. He served over four years in the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the James, and when the war was over entered business in New York City as a clerk and salesman.
In 1869 he came to Newburgh and engaged in the retail men's furnishing trade, in which he continued till 1882, since when his business interests have been exclusively with the Brokaw Manufac- turing Company. It may justly be said of Mr. Brokaw that he has been a useful member of the community. His energy and enterprise have not been expended solely upon his own private affairs, but in more channels than one has he been helpful to the place. He started the movement which organized the Board of Trade, and has ever since been one of its mainstays, sharing in all its work. He was one of the organizers and a lieutenant of the Independent Light Guards. At the formation of Company E, 17th Battalion, he was elected First Lieutenant, and filled that office for a number of years. In religious and benevolent work he has been Superintendent of the Bethel Mission, President of the Young Men's Christian Association (and is now a Director of that Association), a Director of the Associated Charities, and Treasurer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was also the first to suggest the formation of the present Young Women's Christian Association. He married, in 1872, Mary Alice Hall, of New York City.
HORATIO B. BECKMAN has been for many years superinten- dent of the Newburgh Steam Mills. These large works were com- pleted and the manufacture of print cloths commenced in 1845, since which time they have never been idle. They were built by New- burgh capitalists, but are now owned by the Garner estate. Mr. Beckman was born in Sanbornton, N. H., in 1831, and received a high-school education. Graduated when sixteen years of age, in the following year he was elected a trustee, and placed in charge of the school. While attending school he learned in his father's shop the trade of a general machinist, and added to that, by regular appren- ticeship to his brother at Amesbury, Mass., the trade of pattern- maker. His first manhood employmentwas as a machinist at New- buryport, and a year later he received a certificate as a qualified engineer, and ran the steamer Silver Star between Portsmouth and the Shoals. He was next employed as a machinist in the Bartlett Cotton Mills at Newburyport, and was soon raised to the post of en- gineer-in-charge. Having saved some money he then went into a partnership in cabinetmaking, with the specialty of ship furniture, but soon accepted a lucrative offer from Carr, Brown & Co., comb makers, as an inventor and builder of comb machinery, and in this capacity introduced machinery which revolutionized the entire comb trade. His services were then secured by Corliss & Nightingale, steam engine builders, of Providence, R. I., where he remained four years, when he came to Newburgh, under special employ by Mr. Whitehill, superintendent of the Newburgh Steam Mills, as an expert in engines and boilers, and placed in charge of the machinery of the mills as master mechanic. He was promoted to be assistant super- intendent, and, in 1869, superintendent and agent. He has made many valuable improvements, resulting in largely increased efficiency. In 1879-80 the mills were enlarged, and the capacity nearly doubled; a 700-horse power Corliss engine was put in at that time. The mills
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HORATIO B. BECKMAN.
now employ about 380 hands. Mr. Beckman pursues with tireless in- terest the study and inquiry of scientific subjects, and particularly in engineering he has invented and patented a number of valuable ideas, some of them in partnership with Prof. J. W. Doughty, of this city.
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He was one of the organizers of the Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Newburgh, is one of the largest stockholders and presi- dent and electrician of the company. As a citizen Mr. Beckman has taken a deep interest in local affairs; has served one term as Water Commissioner, and was an Alderman of the Fourth Ward from 1887 to 1891. He is one of the trustees of the steam mills; a member of Leon- ard Steamer Com- pany, and served for some years as its representative in the Fire Depart- ment fund; is a member of the lo- cal board of Civil Service Examiners; one of the stock- holders and a trus- tee of the New- burgh Academy of Music; is a member of the Orange Lake Club, and ex-president of the Newburgh Democratic Association. He was made a Master Mason in St. Mark's Lodge, Newburyport, in 1857; affiliated with Newburgh Lodge in 1866, and is a member of Hudson River Commandery and Highland Chapter, and also of the Ancient Scottish Rite of Northern Jurisdiction, in which he has received the 32d degree. He married, in 1850, Susan C. Dow, of Newburyport, Mass., and has eight children.
The productions of the house comprise a general line of fine carriages for pleasure and family use, sleighs of new and original designs, and buggies of every description. Carriages are shown in many styles, shapes and designs, from an ordinary no-top road wagon to at elegantly finished coach; while car- riages of all kinds are built to order from original de- signs, and a spec- ialty is made of fine repairing.
NEWBURGH STEAM MILLS.
LEWIS J. BAZZONI was born in New York City in 1822. His father was an Italian, who came to New York in early manhood, mar- ried there, and followed the trade of a looking-glass maker. Lewis received an education in the private schools of the city. He was fifteen years old when his father went to Italy to visit his early home, and died there of cholera. Lewis was apprenticed in one of the best carriage- making establishments of that period; ac- quired a thorough practical knowledge of his life-work and went out to its pursuit fully equipped in its details. In 1850 he came to Newburgh and entered into a labor combination (without copartnership) under the name of DeForest, LaTour & Bazzoni, in the manufacture of carriages, road wagons, etc. In this combination D. R. DeForest was the blacksmith, A. W. La- Tour the painter and trimmer, and Mr. Bazzoni the wood-worker.
The combination lasted six years, when Mr. Bazzoni purchased the business of his co-workers and developed the undertaking which had heen founded into one of the largest and finest establishments of its class in the country, with a market for its products not wholly confined to his native State. From 1850 to the Spring of 1883 his busi- ness was conducted on South Water Street, near First, from whence he removed to the spacious repository which he erected in 1882 and now occupies on Broadway. The fine building contains four floors and a basement, 84x52 feet in dimen- sions, and steady employment is given to eighteen skilled hands.
In his younger days Mr. Bazzoni was a man of more activity than now after a long life of labor, but while physical changes have whitened his brow and etfee- bled his step, he has lost none of the characteristics which won for him respect and confi- dence in his earlier years. Said the late Thomas Powell to him, as he drove up to his shop one day in a wagon which showed no little usage, " Young man, is this wagon worth mending?" "Yes," said Mr. Bazzoni, " I think it is." "If mended, would it sell at auction for the cost of the re- pairs?" "I think it would, Mr. Powell." " How much will it cost ?" "Six or seven dollars, I think, will put it in pretty good shape." " Well, you will repair it? You are the first man who has talked that way. I have asked half a dozen wagon-makers and they have all been so anxious to sell me a new wagon that they have said that this was worthless. You will have my business hereafter." Here was the key to his success-the simple truth without grasping for gain. For many years Mr. Bazzoni was assisted in his business by his sons James C. and Frank W., gentlemen highly esteemed by many acquaintances. Both are dead, and the youngest son, Charles L., is now superintendent of the establishment. [See Illustration of Bazzoni Building on Page 269]
LEWIS J. BAZZONI.
S. G. KIMBALL'S SON, iron founder and machinist. This establishment was erected in 1851-52 by Samuel G. Kimball and Edson H. Clark. These gentlemen had been partners in the firm of Stanton, Clark C & Co., who had a foundry and machine- shop at the corner of Front and South Streets, styled the Highland Furnace. The business was continued at the Highland Furnace till April 1, 1851, when, their lease having expired, they vacated the property and dissolved the partnership. The new works of Clark & Kimball were successful from the beginning, and did a large busi- ness. Both were men of influence in public affairs and filled various offices under the municipal government. In 1875 Mr. Clark retired with a competency, and Mr. Kimball admitted his two sons, William G. and Charles H. Kimball into partnership with himself, under the firm name of S. G. Kim- ball & Sons. In 1877, after the death of the PHOTO, BY ATKINSON. senior member of the firm, William G. and Charles H. Kimball carried on the works as S. G. Kimball's Sons. In 1890, on the death of his brother, William G. Kimball became the
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sole proprietor, and now operates the works under the business name of S. G. Kimball's Son-still retaining the name of his honored father. The establish- ment mannfactures no special line of machinery or iron work, but does all kinds of iron and brass casting and steam - pipe work. Its specialty is re- pairing and job- bing, which it does for a large number of factories in this vicinity. Mr. Kim- ball also mannfac- tures a brim press for hatters that does excellent work.
WILLIAM G. KIMBALL.
William G. Kim- ball was born in Newburgh, August 7, 1839. He learned his trade with his father, and is mas- ter of every detail of the business. He was elected an eld- er in Calvary Pres-
byterian Church in 1876; he has long been an efficient worker in the Sabbath School, and for several years was the Superintendent.
SAMUEL G. KIMBALL was the second son of Moses Kimball, who came to Newburgh from Massachusetts in 1812 with Thomas Kimball, Daniel Farrington and several others. Here Samnel was born January 10, 1815. After leaving school he learned the carpenter trade with his father, and followed that business until the Spring of 1846, when he entered the firm of Stanton, Clark & Co., then con- ducting a foundry and machine-shop at the foot of Sonth Street. He remained there until 1851, when he withdrew from the firm and went as far west as Chicago in search of a site to establish a business, but finding no place offering better ad- vantages than his native IRON & BRASS FOUNDRY. city he, in company with E. H. Clark, bonght the property Nos. 125-131 Washington Street, and built this foundry and S.G.KIMBALL'S SON. machine-shop, where he continued to do business until his death, which oc- curred March 17, 1877. He was an active fireman for many years, serving his time in the Hook and Ladder Company.
He served for some time as a member of the Board of Health and was elected a member of the Board of Water Commissioners in the charter election of 1873. On account of ill health he resigned his office in the Spring of 1877, a short time previous to his death. He was an elder in the Associate Reformed Church and afterward in Calvary Presbyterian Church, to
which he transferred his letter. Mr. Kimball was one who was al- ways ready to respond to the call of the needy, and he gave liberally
SAMUEL G. KIMBALL.
to the establishment and maintenance of any institution which had for its object the elevation and relief of his fellow creatures.
It has been said by one who for many years held business relations with Mr. Kimball: "He was a man of noble and generous nature, as well as an able one. While he held strong convictions and firmly
asserted among his as- sociates opinions formed after mature deliberation, yet such was his court- eous manner and his sense of justice that even those who differed with him never entertained any feelings but those of respectful regard. His sterling integrity, his prudence and zeal were joined in him by those graces of character which mark the Christian gen- tleman, and which en- deared him personally to all who were in any way associated with him." He was married in 1836 to Mary Ann Updegrove, of Newburgh. They had five children: Mary Eliza- beth, wife of Rev. J. I. Grimley, of Marlborongh; William Goodhue, who now carries on the old established business on Washington Street; Sarah Frances, of Newburgh; Eliphalet Bootman, who died in the army during the Rebellion; and Charles Henry, deceased.
IRON AND BRASS FOUNDRY OF S. G. KIMBALL'S SON.
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WALTER W. GEARN is the son of William Gearn, who was born in Scotland and emigrated to America in 1810. Walter W. was born in the Town of Wilton, Saratoga County, N. Y., seven miles north of Saratoga Springs, August 24, 1824. He resided on the home farm until of the age of twenty-three, when he came to the village of
WALTER W, GEARN,
Newburgh and engaged in the floor oil-cloth manufacturing business with his uncle, George Gearn, whose factory was in the southern part of the village on the river front, the site now being occupied by the West Shore Railroad switch yard. Soon afterward the extensive property bounded by Western Avenue, Robinson Avenue and First Street was purchased and the erection of the first of the large build- ings which compose the works was commenced. In 1851 Mr. Gearn succeeded his uncle in the business. He enlarged the original fac- tory to its present dimensions, which are 76 feet front by 200 in depth, and approximating three stories in height; the building on First Street, with ground dimensions of 76 feet by 200, and the three large storehouses, together with the handsome residence which he occupies, and cottages for his workmen, were all erected by Mr. Gearn. He carried on the business successfully for twenty years, and then (in 1870) sold it to D. Powers & Sons, who were, and still are, engaged in the same line of manufacturing at Lansingburgh, N. Y. The firm secured Mr. Gearn as superintendent of the works in this city, in which relation he has ever since remained. He employs between forty and fifty men, and manufactures annually about three hundred thousand yards of oil-cloth.
Mr. Gearn has seen Newburgh grow from a village of about eight thousand population to a city of nearly twenty-four thousand. With the exception of Homer Ramsdell, he is the only one left in active business of those who were in business when he came to Newburgh in 1847. Mr. Gearn was elected a Trustee of the common schools in 1876, and served four years. In early life he united with the First Associate Reformed Church, and was chosen an elder. After Dr. Mc- Carrell's death he joined Union Presbyterian Church, in whose fel- lowship he still continues. In recognition of his services in aid of Grace M. E. Church, he was elected several years ago a trustee of
that society, though not a member of it. Mr. Gearn married first, Mary C., daughter of Dr. John Fowler, of Newburgh, and, second, Sarah, daughter of Edward Mapes, of Newburgh. He has had seven sons and one daughter: John H., Gloriana, Walter R., George F., Fred A., Frank F., Charles and Henry. The daughter, Gloriana, and John H. and Henry died in infancy.
THOMAS COLDWELL, inventor, and President of the Coldwell Lawn Mower Company, was born at Stalybridge, England, in 1838. His father brought him to America in 1841, and settled at Matteawan, N. Y. He was not allowed to spend many years at school, and when only eleven years old he learned to cut files in Rothery's file shops where his father was employed. At fifteen he learned to grind files with his father, and at eighteen was bound as an apprentice to Mr. Rothery to learn how to forge files. So much for his start in life.
Thomas Coldwell has earned success mainly through his genius for invention; and as an inventor, rather than as a manufacturer merely, he will best be remembered. Early in life his mind turned in that direction, and evolved contrivances of various kinds. His first real invention was a file-cutting machine, which he patented in 1863. He was at that time employed at the Washington Iron Works in this city, where he had a contract under the iron works company to finish gun carriages for the government. This was one of the first machines made for this purpose, and was his first practical accom- plishment as a machinist. The following year he was hired by the company to do machine work on a car contract they had. Such was his natural aptitude for machanics, that in six weeks the work was given into his charge, and a few weeks later he took the work by contract.
In the meantime he had been perfecting his invention, at consider- able expense, and had sold an interest in it to Homer Ramsdell and
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THOMAS COLDWELL.
George M. Clapp. In 1864 Messrs. Ramsdell and Clapp sold their interest in the machine to the Eagle File Works at Middletown, N. Y., and Mr. Coldwell moved there to perfect the invention.
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But file blanks were very imperfectly made at that period, and the file-cutting machine was not a great success. Then Mr. Coldwell invented a file-stripping machine, which was very successful, and is still in use. He sold it to the Eagle File Works. In later years this invention became a bone of contention among several of the largest file-makers of the country, one of whom informed Mr. Coldwell he would have given ten thousand dollars for the ownership.
In 1865 he abandoned the file cutting-machine, left Middletown, and returned to Matteawan, where he entered the employ of H. N. Swift, then the only lawn-mower manufacturer in the United States. Mr. Coldwell invented several useful tools for Mr. Swift's factory, and also a machine for making felt, which other persons patented, and yet the entire invention was the work of Mr. Coldwell and a fellow work- man. In 1868 Mr. Coldwell, with the assistance of George L. Chad- born, invented a new lawn-mower, and in January, 1869, formed a part- nership with Lewis M. Smith, of Newburgh, to manufacture mowers, under the firm name of Chadborn, Coldwell & Co. The following year the Chadborn & Coldwell Manufacturing Company was organ- ized with Mr. Coldwell as president.
Mr. Coldwell continued as president of the Chadborn & Coldwell Manufacturing Company until September, 1891, when he withdrew from that company and organized the Coldwell Lawn Mower Com- pany, which began its legal existence October 5, 1891, with the following of- ficers: Thomas Cold- well, President; Al- bert W. Mapes, Treasurer; William H. Coldwell, Secre- tary. Directors- Thomas Coldwell, Albert W. Mapes, J. Howard Sweetser, William Wright, and J. V. Jordan. The company is charter- ed to manufacture lawn-mowers, agri- cultural and horti- cultural machines and implements, and general machinery. It has a paid-up cap- ital of $60,000, which is ample for the present requirements. A factory is being erected expressly for the business on the block bounded by South William, Lander and Spring Streets. Its capacity will be from 150 to 200 mowers each day.
GEORGE C. WENZEL-Late Proprietor of the Newburgh Paper-Box Factory.
Mr. Coldwell in partnership with his son William H. has recently obtained several patents, covering over twenty-five new inventions on lawn-mowers, beef-cutters and other implements. In all he has taken out over twenty patents on various machines. His brush-trim- mer is the only successful one in the market, and is used in almost every large brush factory in this country and England.
Mr. Coldwell is a man of varied attainments, not alone in mechan- ics. He has worked in the capacity of machinist, draughtsman, pat- tern-maker, traveller, and president of lawn-mower companies. He is a fluent writer, and his occasional letters from abroad to the press at home are always interesting. Likewise his public addresses never fail to entertain or instruct. He has seen a great deal of the world, for he keeps his eyes open when he travels. He has been to Europe nine times, to California three times, and has introduced lawn-mowers into every large city and in every country from San Francisco, Cal., to Vienna, Austria. He attended the two great Paris expositions of 1878 and 1889, and at the international lawn-mower trial at Liverpool in 1886 he took both first premiums from the Royal show for his mowers.
Mr. Coldwell was also the founder of the Coldwell-Wilcox Com- pany (iron founders and machinists), and altogether has filled an im-
portant place in the business life of the city. Apart from his business, his time has mainly been given to religious and benevolent work. He has been an officer of the First Baptist Church for fifteen years, and a mainstay of the Y. M. C. A. for many years. Of the latter he was President for two years. In the great revivals led by Graves, Doutney and Moody in this city he had a prominent part. In 1861 Mr. Coldwell married Josephine Terwilliger, of Stormville, N. Y., and has two sons and one daughter.
GEORGE C. WENZEL, late President of the Common Coun- cil and Alderman-at-Large, was born at Goettingen, Hanover, Ger- many, and came to this country with his parents when a year and a half old. They settled in New York, and George attended the day school of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch Church. His father, a pa- per-box manufacturer, was in business on Broadway, opposite Trinity Church, but was burned out in 1857 and retired from the trade. George C. Wenzel first learned paper-box making in his father's factory, and afterwards served an apprenticeship as a carriage-trimmer. During the war he left his trade and worked for the Government at Water- town (Mass.) Arsenal, then in charge of Captain Rodman, the inventor of the Rodman gun; many of that style were built at the arsenal dur- ing the two years Mr. Wenzel was there. For five years thereafter he made paper boxes for a New York confec- tioner. In 1869 he came to Newburgh as the foreman of the paper - box de- partment of Jesse Oakley's large soap works in this city. He made himself a very useful man there. He built up their trade in fancy boxes of soap, by inventing many new designs and execut- ing a high grade of work. He also while there invented a ma- chine for moulding soap. It was built at the Jackson foundry in New York at an expense of eight thousand dollars and used with great success in the factory. It is now in use by the Oakley Soap and Perfumery Company at Jersey City. He also invented and patented an apparatus for variegating soap. When the firm of Jesse Oakley & Co. ceased business, in 1883, Mr. Wenzel started a paper-box manufactory at No. 19 Water Street, and a few years later moved to Nos. 87 and 89 Water St. He employed about twenty-five or thirty hands. The business is now conducted by his widow. He was twice elected Alderman-at-Large, and at the annual meeting of the Common Council in March, 1891, he was elected Presi- dent. For three years he was a member of the Board of Excise. In his social relations he was prominent in the Turn Verein, the Mæn- nerchor, Knights of Honor, a Past Master of Newburgh Lodge, F. and A. M., and a member of the Chapter and Commandery. He married Elizabeth A. Ruhle, of New York, and had three sons and three daughters. He died Saturday, April 4, IS91, and was buried Tues- day, April 7, from St. George's Church. The Mayor and Common Council and other municipal Boards, and the societies to which he belonged, escorted the remains to St. George's Cemetery.
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