ISAAC NEWTON BARTRAM
SHARON: Architect and Builder
Isaac N. Bartram is of Scotch descent. His father, Isaac Bartram, was a son of Isaac Hamilton Bartram, who, with three brothers, served through the revolutionary war from the town of Redding. His mother was Lydia Platt, daughter of Isaac Platt, who was an artificer from that town during the same trying period in the conntry’s history. Isaac N. Bartram, the subject of this biography, was born in Redding, March 25, 1838, where, and in the town of Sharon, his whole life has been spent, and of which latter town he has been since 1864 a prominent and influential citizen. He received a common school and academic education, the latter having been acquired at Redding Ridge Academy. His marriage was with Miss Helen D. Winans, which union has been blessed by two daughters. Mr. Bartram’s business connections have been as an iron founder, architect, builder, and contractor. He is now superintendent of the Sharon Water Company. His religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is an ardent democrat. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the "Old Put Club" association, and the Connecticut Sons of the Revolution, and was elected last May one of its directors. He has held numerous public offices, having served his town as selectman, treasurer, and in several minor capacities. His legislative record is one of long, important, and almost continuous service for more than a score of years. He represented Sharon in the general assembly in 1868, 1872, 1876, 1886, 1887, and 1890, and is again serving as a member of the house the present year. He represented the nineteenth district in the state senate in 1889, when he was chairman of the committee on roads and bridges, and took an active part in making the old Hartford bridge a free avenue of public travel. He presented the bill for making all bridges dependent upon the counties in which located for their support and maintenance. The towns on the Housatonic River arc indebted to him for the bill making their bridges free, under support by their respective counties. He is a strong believer in and advocate of the farmers’ rights, and was the only democratic senator in the session of 1889 that voted to pass the farmers’ bill over the governor’s veto. In the house he served on various committees, including the state prison committee of 1876, originating the plan of extensive improvements on the state prison buildings, which was subsequently carried into effect. He also originated and introduced the resolution respecting the Putnam encampment that secured to the state the gift of land and erection of the monument near his old home in the town of Redding. Mr. Bartram was appointed by Governor Lounsbury one of the commissioners to take charge of the encampment and erect the monument. He carried out the plans with great satisfaction, and was again appointed by Governor Bulkeley as chairman of the commission; was subsequently elected superintendent of the encampment, taking an active charge of the same, and devoting much time and careful attention to improving and beautifying the grounds and approaches.
Mr. Bartram’s distinguished service at the state capitol has given his name prominence at all caucuses and nominating conventions of his party; and at the senatorial convention in Falls Village last October, he was unanimously nominated for senator from the nineteenth district, which honor, however, he thought best to firmly but respectfully decline, although realizing that his election would follow his acceptance beyond the shadow of a doubt. But his townsmen felt that his services were needed in the legislature the present year, and insisted on his representing them in the house, which he consented to do. Mr. Bartram is a man of positive opinions, frank and outspoken sometimes almost to the point of abruptness; but he intends always to be right, and very properly holds that firmness is an important factor in the effective advocacy of a righteous cause.
Source: Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut - 1891, Compiled and Published by J. A. Spalding, Hartford Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Company, 1891
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