Oxford Historical Society

Stephen B. Church, engaged in engineering and contracting for suburban water supply and fire protection with pneumatic, electric, and special pumping machinery, artesian wells, windmills, engines, tanks, towers, and all appurtenances, has developed one of the largest and most important business enterprises of this character in New England. His home office is at Seymour, Connecticut, in addition to which he has an extensive establishment at 64 and 66 Pearl Street, Boston, Massachusetts. He was born in Oxford, Connecticut, near Seymour, a son of John and Sarah M. (Whiting) Church. The former was the son of Sheldon CHurch and in turn of John Church and all were born in the vicinity of Seymour, the family being established here in colonial days. The father and grandfather of Stephen B. Church were engaged in farming and the timber business. The great-grandfather was a civil engineer, following his profession in New York city. He dug out Canal street there man years ago and was identified with many important engineering projects of that early day.

It is the old family homestead upon which Stephen B. Church of this review still resides. He acquired a public school education, and starting out in the business world, turned his attention to the agricultural machinery business. He studied engineering, became deeply interested along that line, and in 1886 began taking contracts for engineering work. He opened his Boston office in 1900., He engineers and contracts for complete water systems for country estates, institutions and manufacturing establishments. He has had some of the most important engineering projects in his line in the country. Mr. Church engineered and contracted for the water supply for the Hamilton Hotel in Bermuda island bad he has received contracts for some of the most eminent men of the country. His business, however, is principally confined to New England, New YOrk and New Jersey. He maintains a competent force of Salesmen, engineers and expert mechanics, some of whom have been in his employ for over a quarter of a century. He makes a specialty of deep well pumping machinery of his own design and manufacture. For a long period his brother Lewis W. Church was associated with him in the business, until his death which occurred in 1916.

Mr. Church is a trustee of the Seymour Trust Company. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, in which he is serving as vestryman, and he belongs to the Machinery Club of New York. His acquaintance is very wide and includes some of the most prominent men of the country.

Source: HISTORY OF WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY, Volume III (page 369-71)

S. J. Clark Publishing Company, 1918
Chicago,New York.