Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

the enterprise. Three years later the
Cornwall & Patterson Company purchased
the Knapp & Cowles Company,
and Mr. Nilson again engaged in busi-
ness on his own account. Among other
things he became interested in the ma-
chinery for manufacturing corsets and in-
vented several corset machines, and these
inventions are still in use throughout the
United States. He also organized the
Automatic Machine Company, of which
he was president for two years. In 1898
the business was divided between the two
stockholders, and the Automatic Machine
Company moved to new quarters. Then
Mr. Nilson established the A. H. Nilson
Machine Company in the Knapp & Cowles
building, and in 1904 he erected the build-
ing at the corner of Railroad and Bostwick
avenues, to which he has since added
several other buildings, until the group
is an impressive token of his success. Mr.
Nilson is the inventor of many machine
devices in use all over the country. Among
his other interests he is a director and
one of the founders of the West Side Bank
of Bridgeport. In April, 1917, the Elliott-Cornwall
Manufacturing Company
was purchased, and the General Machine
and Manufacturing Company was organ-
ized, of which Mr. Nilson is president.
Mr. Nilson is a Republican in politics,
and in 1907-1908 he served the city of
Bridgeport as Health Commissioner. He
is treasurer of the Elm Park Home, a
trustee and deacon of the First Swedish
Baptist Church, to which he is a liberal
contributor. March 21, 1875, Mr. Nilson
was married in Sweden to Augusta S.
Peterson. They are the parents of three
children : Ifvar, who died in infancy, in
Sweden ; William, who died in 1907 at the
age of thirty-three ; and Jacob, who is vice-
president of the A. H. Nilson Machine
Company and treasurer of the General
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Machine and Manufacturing Company of
Bridgeport.
SMITH, Edward Arthur,
Manufacturer.
As responsible manager of the J. O.
Smith Manufacturing Company, Mr.
Smith has built up and extended the business
beyond any previous record. His
great-grandfather, John Smith, lived at
Belston, a suburb of Birmingham, Eng-
land, and was a jappaner by trade. In
1825 he removed with his family to New
York City, where he engaged in business
and was the first japanner in America.
This gave him some distinction, and he
was accustomed to sign himself "John
Smith, Japanner." In 1826 he purchased
from Nathaniel Bacon an apple brandy
distillery in Westfield (Middletown), and
this was soon turned into a japan factory.
It is still standing on the property occupied
by his descendants. He was born
July 28, 1791, and died in Westfield, November
20, 1859. His body was the first
interred in the Miner Cemetery. He married
Ann, a daughter of John Owen, who
accompanied him to America. They had
one son and three daughters.
James Owen Smith, only son of John
and Ann, was born May i, 1813, at Birmingham,
England, and was twelve years
old when he came to America. When
eight years old he left school and began
to assist his father, with whom he continued
until attaining his majority. By
attending night school in New York, he
extended his knowledge, and was known
as a most intelligent and well-informed
man, skillful in his work and successful
in business. When about forty years old
he purchased his father's business in New
York and soon after, the plant in Westfield,
and conducted both. For some time