Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

the local public schools until he had
reached the age of twelve, when his par-
ents removed to Winsted, Connecticut,
where the youth attended the high school.
It \v;is in Waterbury that he entered upon
the business career which was to make
ftiim a prominent figure in the Connecti-
cut financial world. The first few years
of this career were marked by a number
of beginnings in several different lines,
sUCCessivel) made, and each leading to
something of greater promise. I laving
completed his schooling at the age of fif-
teen years, he entered the employment of
the Waterbury Clock Company, with
[which his father was connected, to learn
the trade of clockmaker. He did not remain
there more than a few months, leav-
ing to accept an offer of a clerical position
In the Waterbury post office. It was due
[to A. S. Chase, at that time president of
the Waterbury National Bank, that Mr.
Treadway finally entered the business
which, more than any other, was to form
his life work. This gentleman on his
Visits to the post office had observed the
youth and been impressed with his air of
alert industry. It is reported that ap-
proaching him one day, he asked him if
lie would like to learn the banking busi-
ness. The young man replied promptly
hat he would, whereupon the offer of
position of office boy in Mr. Chase's in-
stitution was made and at once accepted.
And now, as before, his keen intellect and
.villingness to work hard impressed Mr.
phase, and he was rapidly promoted,
:hrough a number of intermediate posi-
:ions, to that of teller, he being at the
;ime of his appointment one of the young-
est men to hold that responsible position
n the State of Connecticut. Mr. Tread-
.vay had in the meantime made the ac-
quaintance of the late Andrew Terry,
ounder of the Andrew Terry Company,
F.\' CYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
19
of Terryvillc, Connecticut, manufacturers
of malleable iron. Mr. Terry was impressed
with the young man's ability and
invited him to join him in a western en-
terprise which he had under considera-
tion. Mr. Treadway at once agreed to
the proposition and together with Mr.
Terry went to the town of Lawrence,
Kansas, which was at that time feeling
the effects of the great boom enjoyed in
that section of the country. In this prom-
ising environment a bank was opened of
which Mr. Terry was the president and
Mr. Treadway the secretary and teller.
The enterprise prospered and Mr. Treadway
remained in the Kansas town for
four years in the capacity mentioned
above. in the year 1875 the Bristol
National Bank was organized by John
Humphrey Sessions and a number of his
associates. To these gentlemen the name
of Mr. Treadway was mentioned as that
of one eminently fitted to take charge of
the cashier's department of the new institution,
and they accordingly wrote him
in the West and made him the offer of
the position of cashier. Mr. Treadway at
once accepted and returned to his native
place to assume his new duties after an
absence of about thirteen years. Though
he thus renewed his residence and asso-
ciations with Bristol, he never forgot his
friendships in Waterbury, nor lost his
affection for the place itself, and that the
converse of this is also true may be seen
in the notices which appeared in the
Waterbury papers on the occasion of his
death. Mr. Treadway continued to act as
cashier of the Bristol bank until the year
1899, when, upon the death of Mr. Ses-
sions, he was elected president, an office
which he held until his own demise sixteen
years later. Under his capable man-
agement, the bank continued its succ<
ful development until it became one of