Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

BLAND, Thomas,
Contractor, Builder.
In a city like Stamford, rich in old tra-
ditions, yet ever looking forward into a
bright and prosperous future, the con-
structive workers build not only their
own lives and their own successes, but
they build in the broadest sense the city
itself. Their material handiwork not only
stands and endures for use and beauty,
but it embodies the ideals of the build-
ers, their standard of workmanship, their
constant forward and upward reaching
toward that which is best, highest and
most worthy. Thomas Bland is such a
builder. He holds a foremost place among
Stamford's self-made men, for he has literally
built his own success. The amount
of cash and capital with which he started
was so small as to be negligible, but he
had ambition, energy, character, intelli-
gence, qualities and attributes which are
the foundation of all success. Who can
estimate the incentive such a career gives
to youth and mediocrity toward higher,
nobler effort?
The surname of Bland is undoubtedly
an Anglo-Saxon personal name with the
suffix dropped, as was a very common
custom. It is from the Old English
blandan, meaning to blend, and the com-
pound, blanden-feax, "having mixed colored
or grey hair," is also derived from
this source, thereby making the name
both descriptive and occupational.
(I) Moses Bland, grandfather of Thomas
Bland, like so many of our most
substantial citizens, came from England.
He was a resident of the city of Man-
chester, where for some years he was engaged
in the butchering business. Having
passed his youth and reached the age
when most men feel that they have settled
down for life, he broke the ties which
bound him to the mother country and
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
379
came to America to begin life over again.
He settled in Stamford, Connecticut, and
became a captain of a coasting vessel.
He was drowned in Long Island Sound
during a storm. He married Sarah E.
(II) Charles Bland, son of Moses and
Sarah E. Bland, was born in Manchester,
England, where he received a common
school education. He then became asso-
ciated with his father in the butchering
business. Not long after his marriage,
he joined his father's party and came to
America, bringing his bride to the new
country, where they established a home.
He came to Stamford, Connecticut, and
there became connected with the Stamford
Manufacturing Company, remaining
in their employ for thirty-five years as a
cooper. He died about 1877. Mr. Bland
was a quiet, studious man, and supplemented
his somewhat meager education
with wide reading on well chosen sub-
jects until he was really a man of excellent
education. He married Margaret
. Charles and Margaret Bland
were the parents of three children : Sarah
E., who married D Waterbury,
and was left a widow ; Thomas, of whom
further; and Charles J., deceased.
(III) Thomas Bland, son of Charles
and Margaret Bland, was born in Stamford,
Connecticut, April 4, 1852. He was
a real boy, taking the keenest interest in
every phase of the town and harbor life,
but giving his school work earnest attention
because it could be disposed of most
promptly in that way and gave him more
freedom for out-of-door life. After he
had finished the public school course, he
completed his education at the private
school of G. B. Glendining. When eight-
een years of age, he was bound out to
work for Kirk & Schofield for the term of
three years to learn the carpenter's trade.
He worked at this trade for a year after