Yantic Cemetery Biographies

In the early 1800s, the area around the Norwich Falls became the center of manufacturing. Four astute businessmen moved into Norwich at this time and transformed the Falls area: Calvin Goddard, William Williams, William C. Gilman, and, later, his friend William P. Greene. As a direct result of their efforts, by 1833, the Falls area was booming with a large cotton mill, two paper mills, an iron factory, a nail factory, and a rolling mill. Their early success paved the way for others as capital was reinvested in the Norwich area. By the mid-1800s, Norwich excelled in transportation systems. Earlier turnpikes and steamship lines were joined by railroads, which linked Norwich factories and their products to New England states and western markets. The entire Norwich area continued to prosper and grow as more mills and factories came online. By 1862, Norwich-based companies produced cotton, woolen, and silk products to an extent never seen before.

Norwich was also well-represented on the state and national scenes during the Civil War. Three residents held positions of great prominence. William A. Buckingham was the Governor of Connecticut, Lafayette S. Foster was the acting Vice President following Lincoln’s death, and David Wells was in charge of financing the Civil War. Many residents of Norwich became wealthy as a result of the Civil War. The Two Hundred Fiftieth anniversary booklet issued by the Norwich Board of Trade lists the names of “Sixty leading men on point of wealth in 1865.”

John Fox Slater led the list with an annual income of $104,269, a substantial sum, especially considering that this was a time before income taxes and the average worker earned $200 a year. Lorenzo Blackstone was second with $41,246, and Governor Buckingham was third with an annual income of $39,968. Prosperity and growth continued for Norwich well into the 1900s as companies diversified their product lines and found new markets.