History of Manchester, (Hartford County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

Ward Cheney, manufacturer. was born in Connecticut in 1813; son of George and Electa (Woodbridge) Cheney. He began his business career in Providence, R.I., and became interested in the culture of silk in Burlington, N. J., which led to his establishing, with several of his brothers, in 1836, a silk manufactory at Manchester, Conn. Later they built mills at Hartford also, their chief productions being sewing silks, and silk fabrics woven by power looms, both plain-dyed and printed. He was a benevolent and progressive man, and afforded assistance to many young men entering business life. The relations of the firm of Cheney Brothers with their employees were exceptionally kind and cordial; upon the family homestead they built a model village of homes for their operatives, a school and library, boarding-houses, with pleasure grounds, and a spacious hall and theatre. The firm eventually was incorporated, and Ward Cheney became its president. He died at Manchester, Conn., March 22, 1876.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Cheney, manufacturer, was born in what was then called East Hartford Woods, Conn., in 1804; son of George and Electa (Woodbridge) Cheney. He established himself in business in Providence, R.I., before he had attained his majority, and there remained until 1837, when he removed to Ohio, and engaged in farming until 1847. He then joined his brothers in the manufacture of silk at South Manchester and Hartford, Conn. He was an abolitionist, and served in the state legislature. He died at South Manchester, Conn., June 20, 1874.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Cyrus Buckland, inventor, was born in Manchester, Conn., Aug. 10, 1799. In 1828 he was employed at the national armory at Springfield, Mass., as a pattern-maker, and to his inventive and executive ability are due many of the effective improvements in arms, adopted by the national government. He devised a machine which made possible the interchange of parts in small arms, and also machines for turning the upper barrels of muskets, for finishing the cone, for milling screws, for boring and turning gun barrels, and for rifling muskets. He invented a set of stocking machines, thirteen in number, which carry the gun stocks from the crude state in which they come from the mill to an advanced degree of finish. These stocking machines were introduced into the national armory of England?men from the Springfield armory being employed to operate them. Several other European governments adopted not only these machines but also various other of Mr. Buckland's time and money-saving inventions. Upon his retirement, in 1859, the United States government voted him a grant of seventy thousand dollars, in recognition of its indebtedness, Mr. Buckland having previously received no compensation beyond his daily wages for his many inventions. He died in Springfield, Mass., Feb. 26, 1891.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Chester Smith Lyman, physicist, was born in Manchester, Conn., Jan. 13, 1814. He was a student of astronomy while a boy, constructing apparatus, computing almanacs and making tables of eclipses without a teacher, 1830-31. He graduated from Yale in 1837, taught school in Ellington, Conn., 1838-39; and studied theology at the Union Theological seminary. New York, 1839-40 and at Yale Theological seminary, 1840-42. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry, Feb. 15, 1843, and was pastor at New Britain. Conn., 1843-45. He visited the Sandwich Islands in 1846, had charge of the Royal school at Honolulu for four months and made explorations to the volcano Kilauea, and established new theories as to the cause of volcanic eruptions. He engaged in surveying in California, 1847-50, during which time he furnished early authentic reports of the discovery of gold. He removed to New Haven, Conn., in 1850, where he had charge of the scientific terms in the revision of "Webster's Dictionary," 1850-58. He was professor of industrial mechanics and physics and instructor in theoretical and practical astronomy in the Sheffield scientific school of Yale college, 1859-71; professor of astronomy and physics, 1871-84; professor of astronomy, 1884-89, and emeritus professor, 1889-90. He invented a combined zenith telescope and transit for latitude, longitude and time in 1852; an apparatus for illustrating the dynamics of ocean waves in 1867 and an apparatus for describing acoustic curves in 1871. He was the first to observe the planet Venus as a delicate luminous ring when seen in close proximity to the sun near inferior conjunction. He was president of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1857-77, and an honorary member of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The honorary degree of M.A. was conferred on him by Beloit college, Wis., in 1864. He is the author of numerous papers for the leading scientific magazines. He died in New Haven, Conn., Jan. 29, 1890.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor