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ANDREW JACKSON McCORMICK BIOGRAPHY AS RECORDED IN: COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 1021 ANDREW JACKSON McCORMICK, of Tolland, was born in Phillipsburg, N.J., and is a son of David McCormick, who was a native of the North of Ireland. The father was a contractor and builder,
and an extensive lumber dealer, who came to this country in 1824, at the
age of sixteen years. Settling in Luzerne county, Pa., he presently became
very wealthy, and bought a tract of 1,000 acres of timbered land, building
a steam saw-mill and calling into existence a village of some twenty-five
houses in which he kept his help. An energetic and pushing man, he had a
large and growing business until a fire swept through the woods, destroying
his mills and houses, and everything within a radius of fifteen miles.
He lost over $80,000, and died shortly after the fire, in which his health
was greatly broken. The Morris canal, running from Easton, Pa., was built
by him, the work extending through several years and employing over 400
men. It is said that he built the first brick house in Phillipsburg. A
Republican, and earnest for the party welfare, he was not a politician or
an office seeker, his business Mr. McCormick was married about 1830
to Mary Lockwood, who was born March 15, 1813, in New Jersey and died May
20, 1900, in Pennsylvania. The children, besides Andrew J., whose name
heads these lines, were: William C., of Lehighton, Pa., the general manager
of the Lehigh Valley Emery Wheel Company, who holds a prominent position
in the city, is at present a member of the city council and has been three
times married; George W., who is married, and is living in Laurel Run,
Pa., where he holds a position with Andrew Jackson McCormick was born in Phillipsburg, N.J., and had his education very largely in the public schools of Easton, Pa. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to the cabinet maker’s trade to a man who did not treat him well, and he ran away after working about a year, and made his way to his widowed mother, who was living at that time in Brooklyn, N.Y. His father died when he was but five years of age, shortly after the great fire, and the vast changes of the family fortunes indicated the greatness of that disaster. In Brooklyn the stout young lad worked
for a stair-builder some six months and then clerked in a hardware and cutlery
store for about twelve years. At the expiration of that period he began
a business in hardware and painters’ supplies, with a partner; the
firm was known as A.J. McCormick & Co., located at 914-916 and 977 Fulton
street. The firm conducted a very successful business from 1874 until 1880,
when Mr. McCormick sold out to his partner on account of ill-health, and
removed to Coventry, Conn., where he went on a farm in hopes of regaining
his health. In 1883 he came to Tolland and settled on a farm belonging
to his wife’s mother. It consists of ninety-four acres, and there
he still resides, carrying on a considerable Mr. McCormick is a staunch Republican,
and has served on the board of selectmen for a number of years, and at the
present is its chairman. He was one of the special assessors of the town
in 1893, having served as assessor for several years. Mr. McCormick has
also filled the office of justice of the peace with satisfaction to the
community and credit to himself. He was also a corporator of the Savings
Bank of Tolland, and a director in the public library. Mr. McCormick was
married Sept. 6, 1871, to Lizzie Naomi, the daughter of Mr. McCormick is an ideal citizen, well liked, and highly esteemed in the community. Reproduced by: Linda D. Pingel – great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct. Biographies of Tolland County |
