New Britain herald., 1916-08-19
R. ". HADLEY DEAD
 AT THE AGE OF 73
Hotel Proprietor Expires After
 Illness Of Only Few Weeks
IN BUSINESS MANY YEARS

Former Mayor Beatty-Original
 StockhoIder of Burritt Savings Bank
 -Selectman in Old Government.
 Reuben w. Hadley, one of New Britain's oldest and most enterprising business men, died at 6.3O o'clock this morning at the Park hotel, at the ago of 73 Although MT. Eadley had been in failing health for some time his condition was not considered seri- ous until early this week. Monday evening he was forced to his bed and sank rapidly until yesterday when all hope for his recovery was given up by the family and attending physi- clans. MT. Hadley was borr March 22, 1843, at Dudley, Worcestershire, England, the son of George Hadley and grandson of Samuel Iiadley, both natives of the same town. His grand father, Samuel Hadley was an inn keeper and proprietor of the hOstelry known as the Shakespeare" famous for it's fine old English ale, brewed under the personal supervision of the innkeeper.
 Father Came to U. s. in '4S.
 George HadIey, father of Reuben Hadley, was an iron worker and learned the trade at the Burntree shop at Dudley and emigrated 10 American in 1848. For a time he obtained temporary employment in New York but the following year, 1S49, moved to Winsted, this state, and worked for the B. & E. Woodhall company, manufacturers of fire irons and soon became a stockholder in the Winsted Shovel ana Tong com- pany, becoming superintendent of that company.
 In the spring of 1858 he removed to New Britain where he became con- nected with the Russell &7 Erwin com sted concern. His son Reuben Hadley came to this city with his parents in 1858 at the age of fifteen and went to work at Russell & Erwins where his father had engaged in contract to fire irons. Early in the Civil war he and his brother George, entered into a contract with the gov ernment to manufacture cavalry buckles. After the completion of this contract he returned to Russell x Err wins where he stayed until 1863, then going to Yonkers, N. Y., where he se- cured a contract polishing army car pines. In this venture he was very successful the profits secured from the contract furnishing the nucleus of the capital which gave him his financial success in life.
 His contract completed he returned to Russell & Erwins and not long after formed a partnership with Am prose Beatty, afterwards mayor of New Britain, the object of the joint enterprise being a grocery business under the firm name of Beatty & Had ley. From this business sprang the cooperative business afterwards known as the Sovereigns Trading company.
 The firm of Beatty & TIadley ceased to exist in 1876 and MT. Hadley sub sequently disposed of his interest to his partner. Three months later he again entered the grocery business on Main street in the building now occu- pied by Emmons. cafe, but four or five years later moved into the struc- ture to the south, occupying the store adjoining the A. H. & F.. w. Abbe Hardware company. For many years
 MT. Hadley conducted this business
 and was regarded as one of the most successful business men of that period. He remained there until 1895 when a
 disastrous fire occurred and the store
 was burned out. MT. Hadley then
 retired from the grocery business. Takes Over Park Hotel Shortly afterwards he acquired possession of the Park Hotel, form er1y known as the Humphrey House, one of New Britain's pioneer hostelries. 1 This structure was remodeled under 1 his direction ad stores were con- 1 structed on the street level. The ho- | tel he has since conducted. MT. Had | ley was also connected with other l business enterprises and for many | years was associated in the coal and | wood business the firm being known
 as Hadley & Martin. Their yard
 stood on property now owned by | North & Judd on Stanley street op- | posite the end of Franklin street He 1 was one of the original stockholders | and 1ncorporatOrs of the Burritt Saw 1 ings bank.
 1 Tn politics MT. Hadley was a | staunch republican and In former | years took active interest in ad-
 vancing his party's success. He served i one term as selectman under the old l town government, but aside from this i never sought political honors. He also 1 served as captain of light artillery | and held the same rank in Company
 D, First Regiment, of the state mill l itia. He was connected for many years with the Odd Fellows and Red 1 Men. A full recitation of MT, Had ley's activities since becoming a resi- 1 dent of this city would fill many col 1 unns, but to the older genera ton l urha Lna1u he