Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

George W. Hills, president of the Post Pub- lishing Company, and general manager of both the Post and Telegram, when a lad sold papers for the Brookly)i Eagle. It is presumed that here he gained the true newspaper instinct, for from that time on he gazed longingly at the pon- derous presses, and gradually became filled with the determination that bore fruit in later years. He came to Bridgeport in 1870, and in 1875, while attending school, embarked in the visiting- card business, printing cards for the school chil- dren. His ofifice was a very primitive one, and the capital invested was small, indeed, but the venture was a success from the start. It was not long before he had card agents in all the princi- pal factories in the city, which brought him orders that compelled him to work from the closing of school until late at night. The money derived from i.he work was put into new stock and a varied assortment of type. Young Hills finally left school and went to work in the Howe Sew- ing Machine factory, later on, for several years, working in the Wheeler & Wilson factory. He continued of evenings his printing business until in the fall of 1881 he left the factory to devote his whole attention to the printing business, and he then rented the small building that was located on East Main street, which little wooden struct- ure was the birthplace of the Post. The history of the paper as told in the foregoing is practically the history of its founder. Very seldom is a paper started with a paid-up capital of only six dollars, but that was the exact status; such was the reso- lute character of the proprietor. If ever he looks back on those early years of toil, and thinks of the many struggles when it seemed the little paper would totter and fall, Mr. Hills can breathe a great sigh of relief and behold the legitimate re- sults of his labors. The Post first circulated in East Bridgeport, but by dint of hard work its scope was broadened until it moved over to the center of the city. Six years ago it moved into its present building at No. 49 Cannon street. All that pulled the paper through in its early days was the dogged will, hard work and grim de- termination of the founder. During those pioneer years he acquired an experience and familiarity with surmounting the most stubborn obstacles that have proven a valuable heritage, and steadied his hand in solving the difficult problems which continually arise in the management of an aggres- sive newspaper. During the past three years Mr. Hills has given special attention to placing the Morning Telegram on a secure footing. It now has a circulation of upward of four thou- sand, is served by the Associated Press, and in brief space of time has taken a prominent place with the newspapers of the city. Frank W. Bolande, managing editor of the Post, has been well known in newspaper work in Bridgeport for the past fourteen years. In 18S4 he joined the city staff of the Bridgeport Parmer. He was later local editor of the Meriden Repub- lican, and for several years reporter and then city editor of the Bridgeport Standard. Besides this he corresponded for a number of papers, and did special work for various publications. In 1 89 1 he cast his fortunes with the newly-formed Post Publishing Company, as secretary, and has been the editor of the Post ever since. Mr. Bolande is a firm believer in special enterprise and attractive features, and the Post is first in all matters of public enterprise. Its mammoth bicy- cle parades on July 4, 1896 and 1897; Sound Money bicycle parade in 1896; Good Koads parade October 27, 1898; the celebrated "red wagon" collections for the poor in 1897, are only a few of the demonstrations which the Post and Telegram have undertaken with success and credit. Mr. Bolande endeavors to maintain a clean, healthy tone in the columns of the Post, and, to make the paper bright with illustrations, telling cartoons and various features of enter- prise that are out of the usual rut. The Post strives to handle news matter originally, and in a way that attracts attention. An instance of this is the Boinay trial, when some of the most promi- nent clergymen in the city were induced to write their impressions of the day's scenes in court as an introduction to the newspaper report of the trial. From his knowledge of Bridgeport poli- tics, public men and newspaper opportunities Mr. Bolande is able to direct the editorial department of the Post with an appreciative idea of the pub- lic's wishes and demands. Robert N. Blakeslee, the assistant general manager of the Post Publishing Company, en- tered the employ of the counting room of the Bridgeport Parmer in 1890. At one time he COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 2G1 was connected with the Post as bookkeeper. He resigned from the Fanner to become treasurer of the Post Publishing Company. When Mr. Blakeslee entered the Post Pub- lishing Company as treasurer, the Uridi^cport Fanner took occasion to publicly comment upon the fact that he was not required to give a bond, which it considered a splendid tribute to his hon- esty and integrity. Mr. Blakeslee handles many thousand dollars during a year, all of the moneys in the business of both the Post and Tclcgnnii going through his hands. In the eight years dur- ing which he has been connected with the com- pany every dollar has been properly accounted for. Mr. Blakeslee also has had much success in securing new business for both papers, and in his dealings among the business men with whom he comes in contact he endeavors to be fair and square, never promising anything but what he can perform. The remarkably prosperous con- ditions of the advertising columns of these papers is due in some degree to the energy and alertness of the subject of this sketch. Thomas W. Wood has been editor of the Bridgeport Alorning Telegram for the past two years. He has had a newspaper experience in Bridgeport extending over a number of years; he was once night editor of the Morning Ah'ios ; has been city editor of the J'ost and connected with the h'anner. He is an industrious, hardworking newspaper man, thoroughly faithful to the inter- ests which he represents. The Telegram has progressed steadily since it was launched three years ago, and has a large residential circulation. It is credited with being one of the neatest and most enterprising papers in the city. ^ rON. LYMAN SHELDON CATLIN. Rising JfX. above the masses are many men of sterling worth and v^ilue, who by sheer perseverance and pluck have conquered fortune, and by their own unaided efforts have risen from the ranks of com- paratively common place to eminence and posi- tions of respect and trust. Prominent among these is the gentleman whose name here appears. He has been a leader in thought and action in Fairfield county, and is also one of the represent- ative and leading business men of Bridgeport, where he is the able and efficient secretary and treasurer of the Mechanics and Farmers Savings Bank of that borough. Mr. Catlin is a representative of one of the families of that name of Harvvinton, Litchfield county, where he was born January 21, 1840. Going back to the Mother country, we find the family name is frequent at Newington, Rochi- lan, County of Rent, England. They have held property in that county since the Norman Con- quest. " I^. de Catlin was one of the followers of William the Conqueror, and is mentioned in ' Domesday Book' as possessing two Rnight's fees of land at the time of his succession in the County of Kent, and several individuals of the same name appear in England as honorably employed in the King's service. Sir Robert Catlin was knighted for honorable services at the battle of Agincourt under Edward the Black Prince, and the Catlin coat of arms is that granted to him. " [Hinman's "Puritan Settlers," p. 869.] The ylrms are: Per chevron Or and Azure. Three lions passant guardant in pal, counter charged in chief Argent. Crest: A leopard's head couped at the neck Argent, ducally collared and lined Or reguardant. Motto: Semper Fides. [" English Annals. "] The first Catlin who appears to have come to this country was a boy. Thomas Catlin came to Hartford, Conn., in 1632. Later he left his master and went to Saybrook, Conn. He re- turned to Hartford about 1645-46, where he settled. He acquired a good deal of property, and took great pains with the education of his only son John. It is stated in the "Memorial History of Hartford County," edited by the late J. Hammond Trumbull, LL. D., that Thomas Catlin was born about 161 2, was first mentioned in the Colonial Records in 1644; was chimney viewer 1647-48 and '53; surveyor of highways in 1655; townsman in 1659; constable in 1662- 74. "an office at that time one of the most hon- orable and trustworthy in the colony;" that he married (first) Mary, and (second) Mary, widow of Edward Elmer, and died in 1690. [Elsewhere it is stated that Thomas Catlin was living in 1687, when testified in court that he was eighty- seven years old. Savage says that "he died in 1690, aged about seventy-eight."] Lyman Sheldon Catlin, our subject, son of Sheldon Catlin, is in the seventh generation on his father's side from Thomas Catlin, the Ameri- can ancestor, the line of his descent being through John, Benjamin, Jacob, Benjamin (2) and Sheldon. II. John Catlin (son of Thomas Catlin) mar- ried, July 27, 1665, Mary, daughter of Capt. Samuel Marshall, of Windsor. She died in Hartford, October 20, 17 16. Their children were: Mary, Samuel, John, Thomas and Benjamin. III. Benjamin Catlin (son of John Catlin), born February i, 1680, died in 1767. He mar- ried. May 6, 17 14, Margaret Kellogg, born in 1689, in Hartford, Conn., and died in Harvvin- ton, Conn., in 1786, aged ninety-seven. Their ]o r 262 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. children were: Jonathan, Daniel, Sarah, Abra- ham, Joel, Benjamin, Jacob, Amos and George.