The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-02
IAN OLD TIME RIVER MAGNATE
Charles H. Northam, Owner of Sound
 Line of teamers.


 An oil painting of Charles H. Nor tham, once one of the leading citizens pf Hartford and widely known through the state, was brought into the office of the Hartford Times Tuesday afternoon, by his nephew, Charles H. Northam, who secured the portrait from the hull of the old sound steamer Charles H. Northam." built in 1873, by the Fall River line for traffic between New Ha- ven and New York. It ran for many years between New Haven and New York, and in it's day was regarded as a floating palace. The painting is a good likeness and well preserved, notwith- standing it has rested for more than a quarter of a century in a panel in the saloon of the old vessel which has seen, perhaps, a greater variety of life than any other coast steamer in New Eng land. The Northam was used for years
 
 rious furnishings were far beyond those of any other vessel of the time plying in these parts, and although she was not so fast as later vessels, the Nor than continued for years in popular favor. After she was supplanted by modern steamers she was relegated to more vulgar work, even being submit ted to the indignity of serving as a home for strike breakers on sundry oc- casions when the New Haven road, which had taken over the New Eng land Navigation company, found it de- sirable to establish convenient and movable quarters for its imported la bor. Recently the announcement came that the old hulk would be broken up for junk, but later adviees have it that the vessel restored to her former glory, will be seen on Chesapeake bay this summer in connection with the Jamestown exposition, probably as one of the steamers plying on the short ex- cursion routes to points of historic in- terest along the bay
 Colonel Charles H. Northam, after whom the vessel was named and whose picture has been rescued and returned to his nephew through the kindness of D. L. Somers, freight traffic manager of the New York, New Haven and Hart ford railroad and of Captain J. w. Mill Ter, vice-president of the New England Navigation company, is remembered as a pioneer in the steamboat traffic along 1 the Sound. He was born in Colchester ! in 1TS7 and came to Hartford in TIP as | a clerk for Nathan Morgan, with whom he later entered into partnership in the | West India trade. Until 1862 he contin- uei in the coast shipping business, and in the latter year was chosen president of the Mercantile National bank, which position he held until his death. Dur- ing his shipping career he was presl- dent of Connecticut River Steamboat company, owning several boats bong 1 since gone to pieces. He was also ao- tive in the militia service and ad- vanced through the various ranks un- | til he became lieutenant-eolonel of the Second regiment first brigade of the Connecticut militia. He was active also in civic affairs and served tive terms in the general assembly, He ac- cumulated considerable fortune through his various activities, and dur ing his life gave largely of 1t for edu- cational, religious and philanthropic in terests. The Northam Memorial chape and the Northam Towers of Trinity college of Hartford stand as monu- ment of his generosity. In 1881, the year of his death, he gave fifty thou sand dollars, which made possible the establishment of the old Peoples Home. Tn all, his benefactions, with those of his widow, amounted to fully a quarter of million dollars.