The Newtown bee., 1897-03-19
BETHEL.
DAYS WHEN SILK BATTING WAS BOOM
 ING.

DAYS WHEN SILK RAFTING WAS BOOM
 ING.
 Silk hats were first manufactured in Bethel in lS49. c. A. Hickock hired Cornelius Mackenzie, New York silk natter, for foreman, who instructed few fur hat fnishers and several apprentice boys into the way of making a silk hat body. About one and 8 half ounces of up in the make shop. The body makers then stiffened with shalac cut with 95 per cent grain alcohol (which sthen cost about 75 cents per galloD) and then pulled it onto block and shaped it. It was then taken off and dried and after ward ironed on 8 fashionable shape block. Then the body was covered with sizing of glue and chen with coat of yarnish, composition made of shalac for holding the plush. The covers as they were called, were cut in proper shape and then sewed by the ladies. The tinishers then blocked and covered the body. A good workman could join a seam on the side of the crown so nicely it could hardly be detected when fiL- ished. At the present time bodies are made of cloth instead of fur and are called gossamer bodies; otherwise the work is nearly the same. Silk hats are now all made in the cities. Bethel for many years was busy, thriving village HinHnnIz & g. rin Benedict, Judd & Keeler, Judson & Judd and Reuben Taylor all manufrc- tured silk hats. Norton 6 Stapleton built large factory where now stands Johnson & Morrison's grain elevator, and did a large business. The factory was called the Shanghai The sys- tenn of weekly payment was adopted by this firm. The demand for workmen was so great that journeyman had no trouble to get money at any time. Board with boarders. New houses were built to make room for tenants. The Dan. bury and NOrwalk railroad was char tered in 1849 and the Bethel Hatters' Bank was chartered in 1851. Very little silk hating was done aftei 1853. Soft hats took the place of the fashionable silk and mapped fur hats and before 1857 came in, the hating business was down flat and the journeyman natter, unless he had saved in good times, was poor. Nearly half century has passed and we find but few of the number of apprentice boys left, who are all over 63 years of age, most of them gray haired grandfathers and some of them old vets of the late war and walk with the aid of good stout cane. But seven of the old silk matters are still working at the bench, and these working at the curling branch of the trade. The following list of silk matters are living and most of them citizens of the town: Ammon Green, William H. Judson, Nathan Gil- bert, Herman Talor, Henry Gilbert, F. W. Smith, s. s. Dunning, Frederic Mac Kenzie, Charles Bailey, Truman F. Judd, K. B. Barnum, H. c. Judd, Oscar Hib bard, Hiram Crofut, John McGregor, E Starr Judd, James K Durand, Thomas Kyle, L0renzo DuranG, Albert Edwards. A. T. Noxon learned his trade in New York. The old manufacturers living are Horace E. Hickock and his partner, Matthew N. Starr, who lives in Nor walk. Both are over 80 years of age Orrin Benedict, 79 William H. Judson, ex-probate judge, and Samuel c. Keeler are both over 70 years of age. MT Kee- Ter prepared himself for Methodist minister and is now presiding elder in the Concord district, New Hampshire. We are all jogging along on the down hill side of life, but not too old to enjoy a chat of our apprentice boy days. the day when silk hating was booming in Bethel.