Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Mr. P'arist was born June 27, 1832, in Shef- field, England, a son of Joseph Farist, who was also a native of Sheffield. He came to America in 1844 to follow the trade of a steel-forging man, being one of the first workers in that line in this country, and after spending some years in Cov- ington, Ky., in an iron mill, he removed to Pitts- burg, and later to Jersey City, where he helped to organize the Adirondack Steel Company. He died at Windsor Locks, Conn., in 1861, his wife, Grace (Wolstenholm), passing away six days later. Our subject was educated in the schools of his native city, and was also employed for a time in a rolling-mill there. In 1845 he joined his father in Covington, afterward accompanying him to Pittsburg, being employed in rolling-mills in both places. On going to Jersey City he entered upon an apprenticeship to the blacksmith's trade, receiving for one year and a half nine dollars per month for board, and three dollars per month for clothing. Four years he then spent in work at the rolling-mills of the Adirondack Steel Com- pany, in the capacity of blacksmith and roller, and for a year and a half he held a similar posi- tion with the Rockaway Steel Manufacturing Company, at Rockaway, N. J. The firm failing, and Mr. Farist desiring to engage in the business for himself, he formed a partnership with two other workmen, and leased a portion of the plant of the Rockaway Manufacturing Company, the capital of the new partners being $130, $90 and $230 respectively. They continued on a part of the old plant for six months, and so successful ^a~iyl (y^^:^LJiMiJ'' COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 313 was their venture that they decided in the early part of 1857 to lease for three years the Pompton Rolling Mill, near Paterson, N. J., which they operated throuj^h the financial panic of 1857. In I S60 Mr. Farist removed to Windsor Locks, Conn., where he again engaged just at the begin- ing of the war of the Rebellion, in the manu- facture of cast steel under the firm name of Joel P'arist & Co., manufacturing gun barrel and bayonet steel for the United States Government arsenal at Springfield, Mass., and in 1863 he organized The Farist Steel Company. In 1872 the present plant in Bridgeport (then called the American Silver Steel Company) was purchased and put into operation under the firm name of Farist & Windsor. In 1874 The Farist Steel Company, which had in the meantime continued the business in Windsor Locks, sold to the nevv company, and the entire business was consoli- dated at Bridgeport under the special charter of "The Farist Steel Company." Mr. Farist is president of the company, George Windsor being treasurer. They manufacture steel forgings and shapes of all kinds; they also manufacture and roll their own steel for spiral and elliptical car springs for market, having agencies in Chicago, St. Louis and New York. Mr. Farist organized and was president of the Bridgeport Crucible Company, in which he is still the largest stock- holder, and he has more or less been directly interested in other manufacturing concerns too numerous to mention. For fifteen years past he has served as direct- or in the Peciuonnock National Bank at Bridge- port, and he was chief promoter and first presi- dent of the Bridgeport Electric Light Company, continuing in office until he sold his shares in the enterprise. He has also been an active member of the Bridgeport Board of Trade since its organi- zation. He is one of the charter members of the Sea Side Club. As a citizen he is progressive and public spirited, and his interest in educational affairs is shown by nine years of effective work as a member of the Bridgeport Board of Educa- tion, and as vice-president of the Bridgeport Hospital, since its organization. For thirty-five years he has been a member of the M. E. Church, and for twenty-eight jears he has served on the board of trustees. Socially, he and his family are much esteemed, and he is an active member of the Masonic Fraternity. In 1855 Mr. Farist was married in Rockaway, N. J., to Miss Eliza Estelle, who died in 1866 in Windsor Locks. In 1867, at Warwick, N. Y., he married Miss Martha A. Wood. By the first marriage he had four children: Stephen ami Maggie, deceased; Annie, the wife of Arthur K. Penfield, secretary and treasurer of "The Baird, Untiedt and Penfield Company," hatters, of Bethel, this county; and one that died in infancy. By the second union there were three children: J. Windsor Farist, secretary for The Farist Steel Company; Charles S. Farist, who died Decem- ber 3, 1898; and Lulu E. Farist. Mr. Farist is recognized atTiong cast-steel workers as being the oldest living representative of the manufact- urers of cast steel in this country. He is actively engaged at the works every day, super- intending, and working each day as he has done during the past forty-five years. WILLIAM H. SAXTON, now retired from active business, and residing in one of the many elegant homes of Fairfield county, is one of the prominent citizens of Saugatuck, town of Westport. Born in New York City, May i, 1842, Mr. Saxton is the son of Stephen R. Saxton, a native of Long Island, born in 1813, of English extrac- tion on his father's side. He was reared in Long Island, and when a young man went into busi- ness in New York, becoming a merchant and im- porter of goods, and a manufacturer. He was a young man of intelligence and business tact, which was soon evidenced in the large business he developed and the success which attended his efforts. He became a man of means and influ- ence, and left his impression upon the commu- nity in which he lived. He married Samantha Porter, who was born near Danbury, Conn., a daughter of Menander Porter, a native of Bridge- water, Litchfield county. After their marriage they settled in a home in New York. In about 1850 he purchased the property in Saugatuck and built the elegant home in which our subject, his only child, now resides, and where the father died in 1886. His widow survives. Both were identified with the Congregational Church. In his political views he was a Republican. William H. Saxton passed the first fourteen years of his life in New York, but since that time, with the exception of when abroad, he has re- sided at Saugatuck. In boyhood he attended the Green's Farms Academy, then under the prin- cipalship of Ebenezer Adams, and after com- pleting the course of study there, he went to New York, where he began his business career as a clerk in his father's business, subsequently be- coming a partner. For some eight or ten years he represented the firm in Paris, France. He possessed that tact and business acumen evi- denced in his father, and has been successful in his undertakings, which has enabled him to have 814 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. such of this world's comforts and luxuries that are enjoyable and elevating. His elegant home and beautiful grounds on the bank of the Saugatuck, overlooking that stream, bespeak the taste and refinement of its occupaflts. On August 21, 1867, Mr. Saxton was married to Miss Emily F. Sherwood, a daughter of Fred- erick Sherwood, of Westport, Fairfield county. After their marriage they resided in Saugatuck one year; thence went to Paris, France, where they made their home for a period, then returned, and have since occupied their present home. This marriage was blessed with four children, namely: Clara H. (Mrs. Rev. H. M. Burr), of Spring- field, Mass. ; Angle L. (now Mrs. B. L. Wood- worth); Emily F. (died in Paris, France); and Edward K. (now in Yale College). Socially, the family move in the best circles, and at their home is dispensed a generous hospi- tality. In politics Mr. Sa.xton is a Republican. He is at the present writing vice-president of the First National Bank of Westport, and also chair- man of the board of school visitors of the town. HON. WILLIAM A. BRAUN, who has twice represented his district in the State Assem- bly, is one of Danbury's [nost successful and en- terprising business men. Few have entered upon a career under less promising circumstan- ces than those which surrounded Mr. Braun when he came to Danbury, in 1879, without capital, to take a place in a tailor shop, and his rapid progress has been due to hard work and judicious management. Mr. Braun was born April 22, 1855, in New York City, and is of German blood. His father, William Braun, was a native of Pots- dam, Germany, and at the age of twenty-one, while a University student, he became involved in the Revolutionary struggles of 1848. Hav- ing incurred the displeasure of the authorities by his ardent efforts in the cause of the people, he was obliged to flee from the country and naturally sought a refuge in America. On land- ing in New York City he turned his attention to the necessary task of earning a livelihood, so learned the tailor's trade, which he has ever since followed. In i860 he removed to Hartford, Conn., and still resides there. He takes a keen interest in public questions, his sympathies being with the Democratic party on national issues. His wife, Elizabeth (Christman), who died in 1 891, was a native of Bavaria, Germany. Of their seven children four are living, our subject being the eldest of the survivors. Louis C. is now employed in our subject's establishment at Danbury; August is a machinist at Hartford; and Robert C. is now in the employ of our subject. Mr. Braun was five years old when the fam- ily removed to Hartford, where he grew to man- hood, his education being obtained in the public schools. He learned the tailor's trade under his father's instructions, and in March, 1879, loca- ted in Danbury, securing employment with F. T. Haldin. After si.x months he purchased his employer's business, giving notes for the amount, as he had no funds at hand, and by industry and thrift he has succeeded in making his way to wealth and prosperity.