OCCUPATIONS AND TRADES
While the citizens were primarily farmers, there were also representatives of other industries. In the ''horse and buggy'' days, both the horse and the buggy sometimes needed the attention of a blacksmith, so his indispensable shop was a necessity. The he earliest one of which we can find record was maintained by Henry Russell, at the northeast corner of the Derby Turnpike and Race Brook Road. After he returned from the Civil War, Stephen Russell opened a blacksmith's shop on the Derby Turnpike, just east of Race Brook Road. He continued this business for many years; he also made wagons. His property was later sold to Howard Stevens, who was a building contractor.
On the Milford Turnpike, Shaw's blacksmith shop took care of the needs of the horses in that part of the town. Another blacksmith shop was on Orange Center Road, directly back of Mr. Miller's Grocery Store, where the abandoned building still stands. Fred Wheeler, living in the house now occupied by George T. Hine, was a carpenter and building contractor. Another carpenter and builder was Lyman Nettleton, whose place later be- came the home of Wilson H. Lee. Mr. Nettleton was a dreamer. He used to say that someday people would fly through the air, and that the day would come when people could make daily trips to Europe. His ideas were so fantastic that his contemporaries considered him a bit unbalanced. They did not realize that he was a prophet.
Eli Elvington was an expert mason, whose services were in great demand. His former home was demolished to make room for the Wilbur Cross Parkway.
Another very necessary trade was that of shoemaker, and there were several who followed this trade. Some of them went around to the homes, outfitting the whole family while there. Usually, however, they had a little shop at their homes. Some of the men who made shoes were William Ell Russell, on Race Brook Road; William Grant, who lived at the Green; Ellsworth Foote, who
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