Need information on The Bartlett Brothers Gunsmith or Gunmakers out of Binghamton New York in the 1800s?

Answer 1

The Bartlett family in Binghamton, so well known in county, village

and city history for a period of nearly three-quarters of a century, were

the descendants of Captain Isaac and Col. Loring Bartlett, natives of

Salisbury, Conn. In 1813, according to well authenticated Tioga

county records, Capt. Bartlett and his family settled in Owego. The

pioneer himself was a blacksmith and wagon maker, while his sons

Joseph and Robert S. were gunsmiths. The children in the family

were Eliza, Joseph, Alvin, Robert S., Abigail, Isaac L., Jerusha, Will-

iam B. and Charles Bartlett, not all of whom, however, settled in

Binghamton, nor did all of them come with the pioneer to Owego.

The representatives of Col. Loring Bartlett's family in Broome county

were Dorcas, George and Phebe Bartlett, all of whom lived and died

in this city. Loring Bartlett never lived in this state. Isaac and Lor-

ing Bartlett were sons of Sylvanus Bartlett, and grandsons of Sylvaniis

Bartlett, sr. , the latter a patriot of the Revolution. The family in

America was descended from Robert Bartlett, who came to Plymouth

on the ship Ann in 16"23, and was of Puritan stock. Some of the de-

scendants of Robert afterward settled in Salisbury, Conn., and from

them sprung the branch of the family that came into southern New

York.

In 1829 Capt. Isaac Bartlett and his family removed from Owego to

Binghamton, and with the best interests and history of the latter muni-

cipality his sons and their children were afterward identified. Joseph

and Robert S. were gunsmiths and started a shop on the north side of

Court street, between the site of the present Sisson building and the

corner next east. Their property was taken by the State in the con-

struction of the canal, after which they purchased land on the west side

of Franklin street (now Washington), where for a period of about fifteen

years they carried on an extensive gun making business, employing at

times as many as twenty- five workmen. Isaac L. Bartlett was prob-

ably associated with his older brothers in gun making, and in the same

building he also made plows. Soon after 1850 the manufacture of guns

by machinery in the large cities seriously interfered with the success

of the Bartlett factory in this village, therefore the business was closed

and the building was sold to Mr. Tichenor. In the meantime, while

their business was yielding good results, Joseph and Robert S. Bartlett

purchased a large farm east of the village, and placed it in charge of

their father. After selling out in the village Joseph Bartlett moved to

the farm and afterward lived there nearly his whole life time. Joseph

Bartlett was for many years closely identified with Broome county his-

tory, and was, withal, one of the most prominent men in this locality.

He filled various public offices, the most important of which, perhaps,

was that of sheriff, from 184i to 1847. He was at one time superin-

tendent of this division of the Chenango canal, and in many other ways

associated with the history of this region. His wife was Deborah Caf-

ferty, of an old and highly respected family in Union. They raised to

maturity a large and interesting family of children, several of whom in

later years occupied positions of distinction. in business, professional

and political life.

These children were William Alvin, the noted divine of Chicago and

Washington, but now living in New York; Joseph J., who became a

major-general in the Union army during the war of 18G1-65, and was

afterward appointed U. S. minister to Norway and Sweden; Frederick,

who was a sea captain many years and who with his vessel was lost and

never afterward heard of; Robert, Frank, L. Chester, a major on his

brother's military staff, once sheriff of Broome county and also mem-

ber of assembly; Benjamin, Henry, Edward, Julia, and one other

child who died young.

Robert S. Bartlett lived in Binghamton from 1829 to the time of

his death, July 33, 18S1. He is remembered as a man of quiet and

conservative habits, whose chief aim in life was the comfort of his

family and the welfare of the village and city. He was connected

with the village government in various capacities, such as collector,

highway commissioner, school district trustee and assessor. He was

deputy sheriff under his brother and also deputy under the latter in

the canal superintendency. He was appointed railway mail agent

in 1853 and served in that capacity until about five years before his

death. His wife was Dorcas M., daughter of Col. Loring Bartlett.

Their children were Eliza, who married Oilman L. Sessions; John S.,

of Buffalo, for more than twenty years northwestern passenger agent of

the Erie railroad ; James H. Bartlett, deputy postmaster at Bingham-

ton; George, now of Binghamton but formerly freight agent of the

Northern Central railroad at Elmira; and Anna Bartlett, who married

Oliver W. Sears and now lives in the old homestead on Court street.

Isaac L. Bartlett, for many years one of our most prominent business

men, was born in Salisbury, Conn., June 20, 1813. He came with his

father's family to Binghamton in 1829, and soon associated with his

brother in their gun factory. In their Franklin street shop he added a

plow making branch to the business, which he carried on several years.

He afterward started a yard on the canal bank and dealt extensively in

hard and soft lumber. In 1864 the firm of Blanchard & Bartlett was

formed, and purchased the old Collier mill on the corner of Hawley

street and the canal. Later on the firm purchased the Kenyon & New-

ton mill, which stood on the north bank of the Susquehanna, below the

Rockbottom dam. This plant was destroyed by fire, after which the

firm operated the Collier mill, doing a general lumber manufacturing

business, until 1867, when the Evans warehouse property on the east

side of the "basin " was purchased, rebuilt and made into a large sash,

blind and door factory and planing mill. The buildings were subse-

quently enlarged until the factory became one of the largest in south-

ern New York. John W. Rowlingson came into the firm about 1873,

but two years later, through business misfortunes, the entire property

passed into the hands of Bartlett Bros. (Arthur S. & Charles J. Bart-

lett.) The junior partner died in September, 1886, upon which the

firm name was changed to Bartlett & Co., as since known in business

circles. Isaac L. Bartlett, the founder in fact of this leading industry,

died December 20, 1888, after almost sixty years of active business life

and of residence in Binghamton. He was much respected in social and

business circles, and is remembered especially for his exemplary habits

and correct life. His wife, with whom he married in May, 1846, was

Emily Banks of Bridgeport, Conn. Their children were Arthur S. ,

now senior partner in the firm of Bartlett & Co. ; Laura B. , who mar-

ried Herbert E. Smith; Isaac L., jr., now dead; Charles J., now dead;

and Emily B., who became the wife of Sidney T. Clark.