LEWIS GARDINER RICHARDSON

     Lewis Gardiner Richardson, secretary and general manager of the New Haven Screw Company, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, September 3, 1878, and his parents, James W. and Nancy (Logan) Richardson, were also natives of this state, representing prominent families that through generations have been connected with New England. The father was of English descent and the mother of Scotch lineage, the former born in Coventry, Connecticut and the latter in Thompsonville, Connecticut. James W. Richardson became well known as a carpenter and joiner and for many years was identified with the building interests of Hartford, where he passed away in 1896, at the age of sixty-five. His wife was reared and educated in Hartford and there their marriage was celebrated. She passed away in 1880.
     Lewis G. Richardson, the youngest of their seven children, entered the schools of Hartford, where he passed through consecutive grades, and in his youth he manifested a tendency toward mechanics and read and studied greatly along that line, gaining knowledge which has been of the utmost value to him in later years. Following out his natural inclination toward mechanics, he took up a correspondence course to qualify him for work of that character and later secured employment in a small factory in Hartford devoted to the manufacture of brass and plumbing hardware. After completing his apprenticeship he resigned his position and went to New York city, where he entered the office of the Western Electric Manufacturing Company at the munificent salary of four dollars per week. He remained with the company, however, for three and one-half years and advancement within that period brought him a salary of fourteen dollars per week. He afterward entered the employ of the Manhattan Brass Company as foreman's clerk, spending a year there, and later he returned to Hartford, where he became shipping clerk for the Universal Screw Company, with which he mained until the business was sold out to the American Hardware Company, in the meantime being advanced from the humble position of shipping clerk to that of manager. After the transfer he continued with the American Hardware Company for a year. When the New Haven Machine Screw Company of New Haven went into receivership and Hon. Rollin S. Woodruff was appointed receiver in July, 1914, Mr. Richardson was selected to take charge of the plant and was made secretary and general manager of the company. In July, 1914, therefore, he came to New Haven to look after the interests of the business. The assets of the company were assumed by the new organization and at the end of two years Mr. Richardson had made a very creditable showing. He had disposed of some of the old machinery, rebuilt considerable, as well as installing new and improved machinery to replace it, and he added to the stock from time to time, building up a business of very satisfactory proportions. The New Haven Screw Company now employs between sixty and sixty-five expert workmen and has a large surplus stock of material on hand, with orders sufficient to keep the plant in constant operation for years to come. They manufacture nothing but the highest grade of goods in their line, consisting of safety steel set screws, special screws and screw machine products. Several automobile specialties companies have orders in for several million spark plugs, in addition to which they manufacture other lines and the nature, the growth and development of the business have been brought about through the efforts of Mr. Richardson, who combines excellent administrative and executive force with comprehensive knowledge of mechanical principles.
     On the 2d of July, 1913, Mr. Richardson was married to Miss Bertha Prior, of Hartford, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Prior. In politics he is an independent republican but without desire or time for public office. He belongs to the Automobile Club and is not unappreciative of the social amenities of life, but his business has constantly made great demands upon his time and energies and through close application, determined purpose and laudable ambition he has advanced until he now ranks with the prominent and repre-sentative manufacturers of New Haven.

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