The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-01-03
4 BIT OF HISTORY.
Interesting to Many in New Haven :
 Old New Haven Firms Recalled.

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 Boston, Mass, Jan. 1.-Way back in 1860 and during the war of the rebellion the great house of Dyer, Rice & Co.,, of Boston, Mass, dealers in and manufac- turers of hats, furs, robes, blankets, fur coats and caps, was established. MT. Rice, or better known by the trade in those days as Jim" Rice,. represented the firm in Connecticut, and the older merchants will recall the old firms then in business who bought largely of Dyer, Rice & Co.-Crofut & Thomas, now F. P. Brooks; Brod'ey & Pratt now Brooks & Co.,; John L. Disbrow, then on State street opposite Bradley & Pratt's s side entrance, now The J. L. Disbrow Co.,, Church street; Mansfield & Kim berly, Cutler corner. Church and Chap el streets, where J. P. Earl is at present engaged in the furnishing line; F. S.. Osborn, the Church street natter, suc- ceeded H. w. Mansfield, of Mansfield 6 Kimberly, MT. Kimberly retiring from the firm of Mansfield & Kimberly on January 1, 1870. Last night, December S1, the old firm of Dyer, Rice & Co., closed it's doors, went out of business
 
 store at 36, 3S and 40 Chauncy street, foot of Avon, has been one of "the old landmarks" in Boston for years, and will be greatly missed by the country merchants, who have been accustomed to go to the Hub for their hats, gloves, robes and blankets. After Mr. Rice retired from the road MT. N. C.. Jameson succeeded him and continued to represent Dyer, Rice & Go. in Con necticut until January 1, 1876, when he retired and joined the firm of wholesale straw hat merchants, Tenny, Dupee & Jameson, of New York city where he Is still member. On January 1, 1876, MT. L. A. Kimberly succeeded MT. Jameson on the road, and has the past twenty two years represented the house of Dyer. Rice & Go. in Connecticut and made his home in New Haven, where he has been a resident since 1861 coming from his native town, Guilford, in the spring of 1861 and engaged as clerk for H. w. Mansfield corner of Church and Chapel streets, where he remained un- til he became member of the firm of Mansfield & Kimberly. MT. Kimberly is we'll known all about Connecticut and his friends are legion. For the past two weeks he has been seriously ill at his home, 17 sylvan avenue, and not able to leave the house-a severe attack of grip and blliousness. At present he is able to sit up and be about the house. MT Kimberly Is a charter member of Whitfield Council, Royal Arcanum, of Guilford, and at present a member of Davenport Council of this city; also a charter member of AnsantawGe Tribe, No. 34, I. o. of Red Men, of New Ha- ven. MT. Kimberly has made an en- gagement with Spaulding & Co.,, 250 De- vonshire street, Boston, to represent them in Connecticut Spaulding & Co., are at present the largest hat glove blanket, fur coat and cap house in America, and employ a company of road salesmen, as well as full comp1e- ment of store statesmen. The breaking up of the firm of Dyer, Rice x Co., means to about twenty-five salesmen severance of almost lifelong connec- tion, and to most of them last night at closing time it was a sad parting indeed. Those who have been associated in bus mess ten, twenty and thirty years feel such separations deeply. Mir. Dyer and MT. Rice are both kind-hearted and honorable men, and have always con- flee man, MT. R. N. Wilde, has been with them twenty-nine years, and to him the breaking up of the firm means more than can be expressed in cold type. But such is life; changes, disap- pointments and sorrows on all sides.
 MORE ANON"