Pitkin Glass Works

William Pitkin, Elisha Pitkin and Samuel Bishop received a monopoly on the glass manufacturing business from the Connecticut General Assembly on 28 January 1783. Their glassworks had been built by 1787 in East Hartford (becoming Manchester in 1823). Over the subsequent years ownership changed, although a member of the Pitkin family was always one of the owners. In 1810 a J. P. Foster became active manager of the works, perhaps renting them. Between May 1815 and into 1817 the firm was known as Pitkin, Woodbridge & Company (Richard and Horace Pitkin and Dudley Woodbridge). The firm also ran a general store in East Hartford. The Pitkin glass works are known for producing bottles, window glass, and figured flasks, and perhaps other items in smaller amounts. According to family tradition, glassmaking continued until about 1830 when the lack or cost of wood for fuel caused the works to close.