Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

nickname of some progenitor, just as our
titles major and deacon are sometimes
given. Other names like Pope are of
this class, numerous examples of which
may easily be called by anyone to mind.
Bishop was in common use in England
as a surname many centuries ago and no
less than eleven immigrants came to this
country from there and settled in Massa-
chusetts with their families prior to the
year 1650. Various branches of the Eng-
lish house are entitled to armorial bear-
ings and many men of the name have held
titles and dignities of various kinds. The
Bishop family is one of the oldest in
Connecticut.
Fred L. Bishop, secretary, treasurer
and general manager of the Hartford Fai-
ence Company, was born June 16, 1869,
in the city of Hartford, Connecticut, a
son of Seth W. and Ann L. (Hart)
Bishop. His father was a native of West
Hartford, where he died in 1895, at the
age of seventy-three. The elder man had
been educated in the public school of his
native community, and learned the trade
of machinist, which he followed in the
machine shops of New Britain, Connec-
ticut, until 1849, when he joined the
great group of men who went to Cal-
ifornia when the news of the discoveries
of gold in that State had spread abroad.
His voyage to the Western State was
made by ship around Cape Horn and he
remained in California about ten years,
engaged in gold mining. He then re-
turned to Hartford, where for twelve
years he was engaged successfully in the
tobacco business and became a member
of the firm of Pratt & Whitney, an asso-
ciation which continued for more than
fifty years and was only terminated within
a short time before the death of Mr.
Bishop. He retired in 1894 and spent the
last year of his life in well-earned retire-
ment. Details of the business of Pratt
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
106
& Whitney will be found in the sketch
of Amos Whitney, who is the subject of
extended mention elsewhere in this work.
Mr. Bishop had charge of the company's
foundry and his efforts contributed large-
ly to the high degree of success enjoyed
by the concern. Mr. Bishop was a member
of the Masonic fraternity, having
joined that order while residing in Cal-
ifornia. He was also a director of the
Gray Telephone Pay Station Company,
being one of those who recognized the
possibilities of this pioneer invention and
had the courage to stand by it, until it
became a financial success. He and his
family attended the Park Congregational
church. On April 26. 1866, he married
Ann L. Hart, of Avon, Connecticut, a
daughter of Luther Woodford Hart, an
old and highly respected resident of that
place. Three children were born to them,
as follows : Benjamin Seth, born Septem-
ber 10, 1867, now deceased; Fred L., of
whom further ; and Gertrude, deceased.
Mr. Bishop's grandfather was Benjamin
Bishop, who lived most of his life at West
Hartford and Avon, Connecticut, and died
at the venerable age of eighty-nine years.
He was a farmer by occupation. He married
Betsy Woodford.
Fred L. Bishop received his education
in the public schools of Hartford, attend-
ing both the grammar and high school
there, and upon completing his studies in
the latter institution, became associated
with the firm of Chaffee & Company ; not
long afterwards, in the year 1894, he withdrew
from this connection and with Clar-
ence Whitney and Eugene Atwood or-
ganized the present important business
house which at that time was known as
the Atwood Faience Company. Upon the
withdrawal of Mr. Atwood from the firm,
however, the present name of Hartford
Faience Company was adopted. Mr.
Bishop has been secretary and treasurer