tensive trade as dealers in coal and wood, handling
about 4,000 tons of coal per year. In 1896 they
added trucking to their business, and since 1897
have also engaged in contracting, such as grading,
road building, etc. They are now doing a very ex-
tensive and profitable business, having by fair and
honorable dealing gained the public confidence and
a liberal share of the public patronage.

On June 12, 1894, Mr. P'agan married Miss
Lillian Sykes, of ISridgeport. a daughter of Martin
Sykes. an old resident of that place who is of Irish
e.xtraction. The two children born of this union
both died in infancy. In politics Mr. Fagan is a
Democrat, but at local elections supports the men
whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices re-
gardless of party lines. He is a member of the
Board of Trade, and since eighteen years of age has
been connected with the R. X. Bassett Fire Com-
pany, of which he was treasurer for many years,
and is now foreman. Religiouslv he is a member of



St. Mary's Catholic Church ; and fraternally is a
member of the Knights of St. Patrick, of Xew Ha-
ven ; the Knights of Columbus ; and the Catholic
Benevolent Legion.

MICHAEL E. KEELEY, of the Waierbury
Scrap iron Co., with yard and office at the foot of
Field street, is a native of W'aterburv, born Dec. 29,
1862.

Michael Keeley, father of Michael E., was born
in Rilkenny, Ireland, April 3, 1839, one of the six
children of i'eter Keeley, a black.smith, and his wife,
Mary Lahey. The other five children were: Mary;
Mary (2), who is married and lives in Australia;
Patrick, who lives in Liverpool, England ; John,
who is also in Liverpool ; and Richard, who died in
that city. Peter Keelev and his wife never left
their native land.

Michael Keeley, father of our subject, was but
eight years of age when he landed in Xew York,
where he was ajjprenticed to a blacksmith^ and he
followed the trade in that city until 1861, when he
came to Waterbury, Conn. Again he went to Xew
York and after working about nine years, returned
to Waterbury and worked three years, when he
went to Hartford, remaining two years, thence to
Xew Haven for one year, and he finally settled in
Waterbury. Here he worked as a journeyman for
some time, and then opened a shop of his own near
the present Xew England depot, where he carried
on business ten years. His next enterprise was the
purchase of some property at the corner of
Chatfield and Meadow streets, when; he erected a
brick structure, greatly enlarged his trade, and won
the reputation of being the best forge blacksmith in
Connecticut. In 1885 Michael Keeley began the
scrap iron business, and Aug. i, 1887, he united
with him his son, Michael E., and the firm name
for two years was M. Keeley & Son. The father
then withdrew, and the son continued alone for a
short time, when the father resumed the business and
now has a jjlant valued at $35,000 or $40,000. On
Sept. 17, 1859. Michael Keeley was joined in mat-
rimony with Miss Catherine Egan, a native of
Kings county, Ireland, and this union was blessed
with six childdren, viz. : Mary, who died at the
age of four years; Michael E., whose name opens
this article ; Elizabeth, who was married to Eugene
Grant, of Waterbury, and died when thirty-three
years old; John, a blacksmith in Xew York; Peter,
a veterinary surgeon and city and town milk In-
spector; and ^lary (2), who married Thomas
Keefe, a resident of Waterbury.

Michael E. Keeley, the subject proper of this
sketch, was graduated from the Waterbury high
school with the class of 1880. For the two years
following he acted as bookkeeper for his father, and
then opened a gynmasium in Xew Haven, where he
had about forty pupils, and gave instruction in all
kinds of athletics for alxjut si.x years. He then re-
turned to Waterbury and embarked in the scrap-



1520



COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.



iron business, in wliich he has since continued, with
the exception of three years which he passed en-
gaged in the same line in the West. Some little
time after returning he was joined by his father, and
together they formed the present finii. For this
company Michael E. is the purchasing agent, and all
profits are divided equally between the two. The
volume of business transacted by the firm reaches
$100,000 per annum.

On June 28, 1892, ^Michael E. Keeley was joined
in marriage with Miss Sophia Deagan. who was
born in Redding, Fairfield Co., Conn., a daughter of
John Deagan, who was formerly a school teacher,
but is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Keeley no
children have been born, but they have adopted a
daughter, Jennie M., who is yet in school. In poli-
tics Mr. Keeley is a Democrat; fraternally he is a
member of New Haven Lodge, No. 25, B. P. O. E.
He has mingled with the world sufficiently to be a
fine judge of human nature, and in his business
transactions is strictly upright and conscientious.

CH.-\RLES F. BR.ADLEY. dealer in geroral
merchandise, Branford, New Haven county, Con-
necticut.

CHARLES E. ROWAN, a leading grocer and
representative business man of Derby, Conn., was
born in that place. July 4, 1868, a son of William
Rowan, who was born in Roden, Canada,. in 1831.
Grandfather Rowan, who was engaged in the lum-
ber business in Canada, was also born in that coun-
try of Irish parentage.

In his native land William Rowan grew to man-
hood and married Philomen Brisebois, also a native
of Canada, and a daughter of Ezra Brisebois, who
was born there of French parentage. Shortly after
their marriage, the parents of our subject came to
Derby, Conn., in 1865, and here they have since
made their home. For many years the father was
an employe in the Howe Pin factory, but is at
present engaged in the grocery business. In his
family are si.x children, namely: Mary Ann, at
home ; William, a barber, of Boston, Mass. ; Lillian,
wife of John J. GalYncy, of Derby ; Sophia, at home :
Charles E., our subject; and Charlotte, widow of
John D. Whelan, of Derby.

During his boyhood, Charles E. Rowan attended
the public schools of Derby, and when his education
was completed, he began his business career as a
clerk in the grocery store of A. E. Burke, of Derby,
with whom he remained two years. For one year
he clerked for C. A. Pratt, a clothier, and was with
George H. Crook, a grocer, for three years and a
half, after which he clerked in his father's grocery
store until he embarked in the same line of business
for himself in 1896. He has already built up a
large and constantly increasing trade, and is recog-
nized as one of the foremost 'business men of the
place.

Mr. Rowan was married, Sept. 3, 1890, to Miss



Anna Bohan, of Derby, a daughter of Thomas
Bohan, of Irish descent. In politics our subject is
a stalwart Democrat, and on his party ticket was
elected alderman of Derby from the Second ward
in December, 1898^ which office he filled with credit
to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his con-
stitutents. Religiously he is a member of the Cath-
olic Church.

CHARLES B. E\'ERITT was born in Port
Jervis, N. Y., Aug. 8, 1863, and is a son of Martin
Cole Everitt, of German and Dutch extraction. The
family was founded in America prior to the Revolu-
tion by Dr. Everitt, who came from Germany and
settled in Hunterdon Co., N. J. He was the
author of a medical work used by the profession in
his native land. Isaac Everitt, son of the emigrant,
engaged in farming.

John D. Everitt, son of Isaac, was a teacher by
profession, but in later life followed merchandising
and farming. In politics he was an old line Whig,
and he served as justice of the peace, also as asso-
ciate judge. He died at the age of seventy-nine.
His wife, Roanna Decker, was a daughter of Daniel
Decker, and she died at the age of seventy-six. Of
their six children Martin Cole is fourth in order of
birth; the youngest son died in 1851, at the age of
twenty-one; Daniel D. resides in Montague, N. J.;
and Robert lives in Centerville, N. J.

Martin Cole Everitt, the father of Charles B.,
was born in Montague, N. J., Feb. 4, 1828, and died
in Port Jervis, Dec. 23, 1899. He remained on the
home farm until he reached the age of sixteen, when
he began clerking in a country store. In connec-
tion with a brother-in-law he went into business
with a cash capital of three hundred dollars, carry-
ing on a little store at Centerville, N. J. In 185 1
Mr. Everitt sold out to his partner and went to
Port Jervis to take a position as clerk with St. John
& Birdsall, and also clerked for Charles St. John for
one year, when he became a partner and for ten
years he was engaged in business under the finn
name of St. John & Everitt. In 1861 Mr. Everitt
dis|X)sed of his mercantile interests, which had be-
come very extensive, and in company with Henry
Nooney started a store which they conducted for
nearly three years with gratifving success. In 1864
Mr. Everitt took a contract to supply the Erie Rail-
road with from five thousand to ten thousand cords
of wood a year. He bought wooded land, hired
men to cut down the timber, leaving very valuable
farm land, and several hundred acres became part of
the family patrimony. He carried on this business
five years, and made his home at Port Jervis. In
1868 Mr. Everitt entered the drygoods business, and
in 1870 a stock company was formed to purchase
the First National Bank'of Delhi, N. Y., and by a
special permit from Congress it was moved to Port
Jervis, N. Y., and the name changed to the First
National Bank, with a capital stock of $100,000.
Mr. Everitt became its First Vice-President. In



COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.



1521



January, 1871, he was elected cashier and took
charge of its ati'airs ; in 1874 he was elected presi-
dent, and continued as such until his resignation.
He was widely known as a capable and honorable
man. Mr. Evcritt and Miss Louisa Armstrong
were married Uct. 9, i8to. She was born in
Montague, X. J., and died leaving a family of three
children: John E., who is a conductor on the Erie
Railroad ; Charles B. ; and George, who died in
April, 1892, at the age of twenty-seven years. Mr.
Everitt was a Republican in politics, and a Pres-
byterian in religious belief. He was a ]3rominent
Freemason.

Charles B. Evcritt grew to manhood under the
parental roof in I'ort Jervis, N. Y., where he at-
tended the public school until he attained the age
of sixteen. He then entered the bank with his
father, but this business did not prove entirely satis-
factory to him, and after one year clerking in a
dry goods store, he came in 1881 to Waterbury,
and was employed 'by The Plume & At wood Mfg.
Co., with whom he wa.^ connected for si.xteen years,
rising to inijx)rtant positions. On Jan. I, 1897, he
purchased an interest in the City Ice Co., and since
that date he has been engaged in its business, filling
the positions of president and treasurer.

Charles B. Everitt and Miss Susie H. Quick
w-ere married Oct. 5, 1887. Mrs. Everitt w'as born
in Port Jervis, N. Y., Feb. 26, 1867, a daughter of
Thomas J. and Margaret £. (Bonnell) Quick.
Thomas J. Quick was born March 17, 1838, in New
York, and lived there until twenty-one years of age.
During the Civil war, he served three months from
New York, and hearing that troops were being en-
listed at Port Jervis, went there, and joined the
army, serving until the close of the war; he was
twice wounded. When the war was over he re-
turned to Port Jervis, and clerked in a furniture
store. Since 1874 he has l)een engaged there in the
furniture business on his own account. Thomas J.
Quick married Margaret E. Bonnell, who was born
in Montague, N. J., daughter of LaP'orge Bonnell,
a merchant of Port Jervis, and granddaughter of
Hon. Isaac Bonnell, a prominent man in that part of
the State. Capt. James P>onnell, the father of Isaac,
served in the Revolutionary war. Lawrence Quick,
the father of Thomas J. Quick, came from England
with his wife and family, and died in Xyack, N. Y.
Mr. and Mrs. Quick w-ere the parents of three chil-
dren : Susie H., Mrs. Everitt; Edwin, born Jan.
28, 1870, who lives in Port Jervis ; and Grace, born
Aug. 28, 1874. who died at the age of twenty-
three. Air. Quick is a Republican, and has always
taken an active part in [xjlitical matters. He has
been president of bis town, and is now president of
the Republican Club. He is a member of the Epis-
copal Church. Mrs. Quick died in November, 1877,
in the faith of the Congregational Church.

Charles B. Everitt and his wife are the parents
of two children : Charles M., who was born in
Port Jervis, Aug. 4, 1888 ; and Hazel, who was born

96



in Waterbury June 19, 1890. They have a beautiful
home in Columbia Heights. Socially Mr. Evcritt
belongs to the Ancient Order of Heptasophs. For
a time he was su|)erintendent of the First Congre-
gational Church Sunday-school, and he is counted
among the most vahu-(l citizens of the day.

J. W. NETTLETON, in his lifetime a prom-
inent agriculturist of the town of Milford, was born
in the northern part of that town, Feb. 17, 1824, son
of William and Nancy (Rogers) Nettleton.

The family has been identified with the town for
several generations. Ik'najah Nettleton, our sub-
ject's grandfather, was born there and became a
leading farmer of the locality. He married Com-
fort Beard, of .Milford townshi]^, and had eight
children, viz: William, our subject's father: Heze-
kiah, a farmer, who died in early manhood : Ed-
ward, a shoe dealer in Fulton, N. Y. ; Leaman, a
shoemaker, and later a farmer in New York State ;
Joseph, a farmer: Charles, a contractor and builder
in New Haven : Anna, wife of Joseph Rogers, a
farmer of Milford ; and Abigail, who died un-
married. -•■^

William Nettleton was born in the town of Mil-
ford, Sept. 20, 1790, and learned the builder's trade,
which he followed there and in the South. Later
he settled upon a farm in Milford. where his death
occurred. In politics he was first a ^\'hig, and after-
ward a Republican. His wife. Nancy Rogers, was
a native of Milford, and a daughter of Joseph Rog-
ers, an influential citizen and the owner of about
500 acres of land in the town. Our subject was the
first of a family of three children, the others being:
Julia A., deceased wife of Treat I. Ford, the latter
an architect now residing in Columbus. Ohio : and
Garry, an architect and builder, who died in Janes-
ville, Wisconsin.

J. W. Nettleton gained an education in the
schools of Milford, attending until he reached the
age of seventeen years. From early manhood he
engaged in general farming, and his homestead,
which contained 100 acres of land, showed the value
of careful management. As a citizen he was much'
esteemed, and he attended the Congregational
Church of Milford. Politically he was always af-
filiated with the Republican party. On Mav i,
1847, 'ic married Miss Elizabeth Ann Ford, daugh-
ter of Stephen B. Ford, of Milford. She died leav-
ing no children, and Mr. Nettleton passed away
in 1900.

HENRY L. FOWLER was born in Guilford,
Conn., Aug. 5, 1835, son of Reuben L. Fowler,
who was born in Madison, Conn. The Fowlers
were an old New England family, and were de-
scended from John Fowler, who came into this
country from England at an early day. Reuben
P'owlcr. the grandfather of Henry L., was a resident
of Madison, and a soldier in the Revolution.

Reuben L. Fowler, the father of Henrv L., in



1522



COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.



early life was a farmer in Guilford, Conn., and then
followed the sea until about forty years of age.
After that time until very recently he has been en-
gaged in manufacturing "Manhaden" oil. He mar-
ried Sarah M. liishop, a native of Guilford, and a
daughter of I'hilo Bishop, of an old settled family in
this part of the country; she died Jan. 4, 1892.
Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fowler:
SaVah J., Ellen, Clara N., Henry L., Frank E.,
Hattie E., Frederick A. and Fannie L. Of these,
Sarah married Charles Kimberly, of Guilford, and
died in Xew Haven ; Ellen married Charles Black-
man, of Caledonia, Xew York, a manufacturer
of agricultural implements, and at one time post-
master; Clara married George S. Benton, and lives
in Xew Haven ; Hattie married Robert Hawley,
and lives in Unionvillc, Conn., where her husband
is in business as a lumber dealer ; Frank E. is of the
finn of F. E. Fowler, of Xew Haven, Conn ; Fred-
erick is a tool maker in Meriden ; and Fannie mar-
ried Burton Brewer, and lives in Guilford, Conn.,
where her husband is engaged in farming.

Henry L. Fowler spent his boyhood days in
Guilford, where he went to school until he reached
the age of seventeen, when he spent a year working
with his father. In 1873 he came to Waterbury,
and entering the foundry of the Farrell Foundry
Co., learned the machinist trade, working at it with
that firm for three and a half years. For about the
same time he was with Cross & Spears, two years
was with the Waterbury Watch Co., five years with
the Scovill Manufacturing Co., and two and a half
years with the Plume & Atwood Manufacturing Co.
Mr. Fowler then returned to the Scovill Company,
and has been with them to the present time, having
special charge of the drafting and making of new
machinery.

Henry L. Fowler and Miss Jennie M. Pickett
were married Sept. 18, 1878. Mrs. Fowler was
born in Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of John
Pickett. To this union were bom eight children :
Edith, born April 3, 1880, and died July 7, 1880;
Clifford, bom July 12, 1881 ; Ralph L., born Aug.
29, 1883; Lewis A., bom May 30, 1887; Alfred P.,
horn Xov. 13, 1888; Earl F., born April 27, 1891 ;
Dorathy E., born Dec. 23, 1894, and died April 16,
1896; and Frederick J., born July 3, 1897. Mr.
Fowler lives on Wolcott street, and has a handsome
residence which overlooks the city. In politics he
is a Republican, and in religion the family are asso-
ciated with the Baptist church. Mr. Fowler be-
longs to Court .'Vmerica, Xo. 98, of the Foresters of
America, and has passed through all the chairs
of the lodge. He is a good citizen and commands
the respect of all who know him.

IRVIXG WHITIXG, a leading citizen of An-
sonia, was V>rn Xov. 16, 1859, in Forestville. Conn.,
a son of Hcnrv P.. and Sarah (Reynolds) Whiting.

Hawley Whiting, his paternal grandfather, was
born in Xew York State, and settled in Plainville



at the time of the construction of the canal, being
employed upon the masonry. He followed his trade
there many years, but afterward went to Ansonia,
where he died aged eighty-three. In politics he was
a Democrat. His wife, Candace Hotchkiss, of
Plainville, died aged sixty-seven years, and of their
seven children, only two are now living, viz: Will-
iam, a resident of Bridgepwrt, and J. H., publisher
of the Gardner Nim-s, at Gardner, Massachusetts.

Henry B. Whiting, our subject's father, was
born and reared in Plainville, and first learned the
tailor's trade, but soon afterward became a clock
maker in Forestville, where he followed that trade
twenty years. Later he went to Ansonia, and spent
ten years in the employ of a clock company there,
and for a time he was engaged in the manufacture
of fishing rods, until a flood swept away his shop.
He then went to Xew Haven, where he was em-
ployed by A. B. Hendrick, as a fishing reel maker,
until the time came for retirement from active work.
In 1896 he removed to Ansonia. where he died Xov.
13, 1899, aged sixty-seven. He was a man who
commanded respect wherever he was known and
was exceptionally well informed upon the topics of
his time, his library being unusually large and his
general reading extensive. In religious faith he
was a Congregationalist, and politically he affiliated
with the Democratic party. At one time he was a
representative from Forestville, and later he served
as clerk of that borough and warden of Ansonia.
His wife, Sarah Reynolds, who is still living, was
born in Pawtucket, R. I. Our subject was one of
a family of five children, of whom four are living :
Bela R., a resident of Ansonia ; Irving, our subject ;
Adna, a resident of Bridgeport ; and Ruby, who
married Clifford Cook, of Xew Haven.

Irving Whiting was educated in the public
schools of Forestville and Ansonia. and his first
regular employment was in the making of fishing
rods with his father. After five years in that busi-
ness he spent four years in the wire mill of the
A. B. C. Co., and in 1887 he entered the employ
of the Farrell Foundry Co., taking a position in the
rule room, where he is still engaged. At different
times he has invested in land and built houses, and
he now owns three houses which are rented to seven
families. In 1886 he married Miss Annie L. Vine,
a native of Xorwalk. Her father, George Vine, is
the present chief engineer of the Farrell Foundry
Co., a most responsible position, and she has a
younger sister, Sadie. In politics Mr. Whiting is a
Republican, and in 1899 the people of his ward
elected him alderman by a majority of 172, to serve
until 1901. He is especially interested in the social
and industrial problems of the day, and was one
of the chief promoters of the Rule Workers L'nion
in Ansonia. of which he has been president. He be-
longs to the order of the Golden Cross, and is
an active worker in the Congregational Church,
having served on the prudential committee for sev-
eral vears and held other offices. At one time he was



COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.



1523



assistant superintendent of the Sunday school and
he and his wife have both taught classes for years.
]Mrs. Whiting is an Episcopalian, but attends church
with her husband, and her tine musical gifts are
devoted to the service of the church and Sunday
school. Air. Whiting is also prominent in the work
of the Y. P. S. C. E., and has held various offices,
including that of president, to which he has been
elected a number of times.

GEORGE J. ALEXANDER, a leading dairy-
man and farmer of Waterbury, New Haven Co.,
Conn., residing on the Meriden road, was born in
Paterson, N. J., April 2, i8^o. His father, John
Alexander, was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland,
where, in early life, he received a good education,
and also learned the blacksmiths' trade. Subse-
quently he traveled through England, France and
other European countries, working at his trade, and
in 1844 came to America. The voyage was made
on a sailing vessel, and on landing in New York,
he proceeded at once to Paterson, N. J., where he
followed his trade until the gold fever took him to
California in 1849. The trip overland was attended
with many dangers, but, arriving on the Pacific
coast, he spent three years among the mines, meet-
ing with fair success in the venture. Upon return-
ing to the east by way of the Panama route, he
continued to make his home in Paterson, N. J.,
until coming to Waterbury, Conn., in 1853. For
several years he owned and conducted a blacksmith
shop on the present site of the Poll Theatre, East
Main street, but finally sold out and entered the
employ of Brown Brothers. Later he spent sixteen
years with Benedict & Co., as blacksmith, and at
the end of that time retired from business and pur-
chased a small farm on the Meriden road, Water-
bury. Here he spent the remainder of his life in
■ease and quiet, dying Dec. 4, 1895, and was interred
in Riverside cemetery. A stanch Republican in
politics, he was a strong Abolitionist during the
Civil war, and a great admirer of Horace Greeley
and Henry Ward Beecher. In religious views he
was a Presbyterian. Fraternally he was a member
of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Paterson, N. J., and
he had many other interests, to all of which he gave
■devoted service and won the respect and esteem of
. all who knew him.

In Paterson, John Alexander married Agnes
Gillespie, who was born in Johnson, near Glasgow,
Scotland, and is still living on the home farm in
"Waterbury. She is a Christian \\x>nian, and a faith-
ful member of the Congregational Church. To Mr.
and Mrs. Alexander were born five children, name-
ly: Ellen, wife of George B. Hitchcock: George
J.; Mary I., at home with her mother; John, de-
ceased; and Jessie M., wife of M. J. Fogg, of
AVaterbury.

During his boyhood George J. Alexander pur-
sued his studies in the public schools of the East
Farms district, ^^'aterburv, and was reared to agri-



cultural pursuits upon the home farm. Since at-
taining man's estate he has engaged quite extensive-
ly in the wood business and in general farming, and
has made many improvements uixin his place, in-
cluding the erection of a fine residence, good barns
and other outbuildings.