Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

mobile and carriage tops produced in the
United States. In 1916 The Fairfield
Rubber Company was sold to E. I. Du-
Pont DeNemours & Company, of Wilmingfton,
Delaware.
Besides managing and developing these
manufacturing interests, these three
brothers were largely instrumental in the
present development of Main Street, the
principle business section of Bridgeport,
as it stands to-day. In 1905 they constructed
The Security Building at No.
1 1 15 Main Street, and gave Bridgeport
its first eight-story, all fire-proof, steel
structure. Soon thereafter, Samuel H.
Wheeler constructed the Stratfield Hotel
and gave Bridgeport its first modern fire-
proof hotel.
About this time Archer Crissy and William
Bishop erected at No. 1140 Main
Street the fire-proof department store now
occupied by Rockwell & Company. The
Wheeler Block, for many years occupied
by the D. M. Read Company, has be-
longed to the family for more than fifty
years, and the real estate holdings and
developments of the Estate of Nathaniel
Wheeler, which have been managed by
Archer Crissy Wheeler, as sole surviving
executor of his father's will, since the
death of Samuel H. Wheeler, are located
in nearly every section of the city of
Bridgeport.
The beautiful companionship existing
between these twin brothers has perhaps
rarely obtained, and was known and noted
by and among all their friends and ac-
quaintances. They lived inseparable lives
and hardly ever were they to be seen
apart. In business matters their combined
judgment was brought to bear with
unusual foresight, precision and success,
and their integrity and fidelity were rec-
ognized by all with whom they came in
contact. They were unfailingly courte-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
87
ous and their friendships were strong and
lasting. Their acquaintances were many
and nearly every acquaintance could be
said to be a friend. They were members
and liberal supporters of St. John's Protestant
Episcopal Church, and were more
than usually interested in the various
charities and institutions of their city.
Moreover, their private charities were
large and many. With them, the worthy
who were in need could always find not
only an audience but sympathy and substantial
assistance as well. They were
fond of outdoor life and derived much
pleasure from the study of its trees and
shrubs and birds and flowers. They were
also much interested and took part in
sports of various kinds, especially outdoor
sports, and were members of nearly all of
the clubs of Bridgeport, and of clubs of
other cities besides.
William Bishop Wheeler died Febru-
ary 20, 1920, and Samuel H. Wheeler died
November 14, 1920, leaving Ellen B. Har-
ral and Archer Crissy Wheeler as the sole
surviving children of Nathaniel Wheeler.
For the Genealogy of Archer Crissy and
William Bishop Wheeler, see Orcutt's
"History of Stratford and Bridgeport,"
published in 1886 by the Fairfield County
Historical Society.
WHEELER, Samuel Hickox,
Manufacturer, Developer of Real Estate.
Samuel Hickox Wheeler was born in
Watertown, Connecticut, September 16,
1845. He died in Chicago, Illinois, November
14, 1920. He died quite suddenly
of heart trouble. He was the son of Nathaniel
and Huldah Ruth Bradley, who
had three other children. His father was
the organizer of the Wheeler & Wilson
Manufacturing Company, makers of sewinsf
machines, at first located in Water-