HAYDEN, Hiram Washington (1820-1904) engraver, buttonmaker,
manufacturer metal objects, inventor.
Born Haydenville, near Williamsburg, Massachusetts,
10 February 1820. Hired by Scovill, Waterbury, as a teenage
chaser and engraver of button dies. For brief time (1838-41)
he worked for Wadhams & Company, button-makers, but
returned to Scovill where he prepared the firm's dies for
buttons and medals until 1852. Prepared several "portrait
medal dies" for Scovill (only Pierce and Scott medals
documented) and signed: H.W.H.
In 1853 he joined with Israel Holmes, John C. Booth and
his brother, Henry H. Hayden, to form Holmes, Booth &
Haydens. This firm manufactured metal objects, which
rose to considerable prominence and made the partners
wealthy.
Hayden invented many items, receiving 58 patents (1851- 89),
including firearms, consumer products like lamp parts and
tableware, plus the machinery for making them (which his
factories manufactured). Yet his patent for making solid metal
tubing – perhaps his most important invention – he sold
outright. He invented numerous processes for daguerreotype
photography, developed method of preparing suitable brass
sheet for this field, and modeled cases to contain daguerreotype
prints.
An amateur artist, he did wax modeling for relaxation
and prepared an entry for new U.S. silver dollar design,
1892. Died Waterbury, Connecticut, 18 July 1904.
Named to Waterbury Hall of Fame 16 September 1997.
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1852 Pierce (Franklin) Brigidar General
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt FP 1852-3
1852 Scott (Winfield) Major General Medal . DeWitt WS 1852-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 54:204
1852 Scott (Winfield) Lundy's Lane Medal (signed by
Hayden). . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saterlee 231, DeWitt WS 1852-12,
Fonrobert 81, Storer 6274
Auctions:. . . . . . . .PCA 61:962, PCA 63:523, PCA 66:1042,
PCA 67:682, PCA 69:1319, PCA 70:1119, PCA 71:982,
PCA 72:1371-1372, PCA 84:872
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1]0000.999.40040
M E D A L S
n.d. United States Mail "SS" Medal. . . . . . . . . . . .
1841ca Spering, Good & Company Wholesale Dry Goods
Storecard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low 356, Rulau HT 419
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 65:110
B U T T O N S
n.d. United States Military Academy Cadet Buttons (perhaps
before 1852 when he left Scovill). . . . . . . . . .
n.d. Michigan Staff Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
Mss {1893+} Scovill Die Journal, U.S.M.A. Cadet Coat, Jacket & Vest dies (page 47);
Michigan Staff Coat & Vest dies (page 65). Scovill Archives, Baker Library,
Harvard.
Mss {undated} List of Historical Dies in Archives Vault (December 1962), in Scovill
archives, (case 57), Baker Library, Harvard.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
101 {1896} Anderson (Joseph) The Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut, From the
Aboriginal Period to the Price & Lee Co. 1896. 3 vols. 2:355-358. Portrait p 2:354.
101 {1918} Pape (William J.) History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley
Connecticut. Chicago, New York: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1918. 3 vols.
3:498-501. Portrait p 3:499.
101 {1926} Lathrop (William G.) The Brass Industry in the United States. Mt Carmel, CT. p 16.
101 {1941} Downs (Winfield Scott) Men of New England. New York: American Historical Co.
p 113-115. Portrait p 112.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
O1 {1878} Fonrobert (Julius) 81.
S11 {1959} DeWitt FP 1852-3, p 142; WS 1852-10 147; WS 1852-12 147-148.
E18 {1985} McSorley. Unpublished manuscript.
R9 {1986} McGuinn and Bazelon, p 45, 47.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 479.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15, 142; HT 419 107.
Price & Lee Co. 1896. 3 vols. 2:355-358. Portrait p 2:354.
101 {1918} Pape (William J.) History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley Connecticut. Chicago, New York: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1918. 3 vols. 3:498-501. Portrait p 3:499.
101 {1926} Lathrop (William G.) The Brass Industry in the United States. Mt Carmel, CT. p 16.
101 {1941} Downs (Winfield Scott) Men of New England. New York: American Historical Co. p 113-115. Portrait p 112.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
O1 {1878} Fonrobert (Julius) 81.
S11 {1959} DeWitt FP 1852-3, p 142; WS 1852-10 147; WS 1852-12 147-148.
E18 {1985} McSorley. Unpublished manuscript.
R9 {1986} McGuinn and Bazelon, p 45, 47.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 479.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15, 142; HT 419 107.
manufacturer metal objects, inventor.
Born Haydenville, near Williamsburg, Massachusetts,
10 February 1820. Hired by Scovill, Waterbury, as a teenage
chaser and engraver of button dies. For brief time (1838-41)
he worked for Wadhams & Company, button-makers, but
returned to Scovill where he prepared the firm's dies for
buttons and medals until 1852. Prepared several "portrait
medal dies" for Scovill (only Pierce and Scott medals
documented) and signed: H.W.H.
In 1853 he joined with Israel Holmes, John C. Booth and
his brother, Henry H. Hayden, to form Holmes, Booth &
Haydens. This firm manufactured metal objects, which
rose to considerable prominence and made the partners
wealthy.
Hayden invented many items, receiving 58 patents (1851- 89),
including firearms, consumer products like lamp parts and
tableware, plus the machinery for making them (which his
factories manufactured). Yet his patent for making solid metal
tubing – perhaps his most important invention – he sold
outright. He invented numerous processes for daguerreotype
photography, developed method of preparing suitable brass
sheet for this field, and modeled cases to contain daguerreotype
prints.
An amateur artist, he did wax modeling for relaxation
and prepared an entry for new U.S. silver dollar design,
1892. Died Waterbury, Connecticut, 18 July 1904.
Named to Waterbury Hall of Fame 16 September 1997.
C A M P A I G N I T E M S
1852 Pierce (Franklin) Brigidar General
Medal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DeWitt FP 1852-3
1852 Scott (Winfield) Major General Medal . DeWitt WS 1852-10
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 54:204
1852 Scott (Winfield) Lundy's Lane Medal (signed by
Hayden). . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saterlee 231, DeWitt WS 1852-12,
Fonrobert 81, Storer 6274
Auctions:. . . . . . . .PCA 61:962, PCA 63:523, PCA 66:1042,
PCA 67:682, PCA 69:1319, PCA 70:1119, PCA 71:982,
PCA 72:1371-1372, PCA 84:872
Collection: American Numismatic Soc [>1]0000.999.40040
M E D A L S
n.d. United States Mail "SS" Medal. . . . . . . . . . . .
1841ca Spering, Good & Company Wholesale Dry Goods
Storecard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Low 356, Rulau HT 419
Auctions:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PCA 65:110
B U T T O N S
n.d. United States Military Academy Cadet Buttons (perhaps
before 1852 when he left Scovill). . . . . . . . . .
n.d. Michigan Staff Button. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A R C H I V E S
Mss {1893+} Scovill Die Journal, U.S.M.A. Cadet Coat, Jacket & Vest dies (page 47);
Michigan Staff Coat & Vest dies (page 65). Scovill Archives, Baker Library,
Harvard.
Mss {undated} List of Historical Dies in Archives Vault (December 1962), in Scovill
archives, (case 57), Baker Library, Harvard.
Mss Smith (Pete) Private Mints in North America.
B I O G R A P H I C A L R E F E R E N C E S
101 {1896} Anderson (Joseph) The Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut, From the
Aboriginal Period to the Price & Lee Co. 1896. 3 vols. 2:355-358. Portrait p 2:354.
101 {1918} Pape (William J.) History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley
Connecticut. Chicago, New York: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1918. 3 vols.
3:498-501. Portrait p 3:499.
101 {1926} Lathrop (William G.) The Brass Industry in the United States. Mt Carmel, CT. p 16.
101 {1941} Downs (Winfield Scott) Men of New England. New York: American Historical Co.
p 113-115. Portrait p 112.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
O1 {1878} Fonrobert (Julius) 81.
S11 {1959} DeWitt FP 1852-3, p 142; WS 1852-10 147; WS 1852-12 147-148.
E18 {1985} McSorley. Unpublished manuscript.
R9 {1986} McGuinn and Bazelon, p 45, 47.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 479.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15, 142; HT 419 107.
Price & Lee Co. 1896. 3 vols. 2:355-358. Portrait p 2:354.
101 {1918} Pape (William J.) History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley Connecticut. Chicago, New York: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1918. 3 vols. 3:498-501. Portrait p 3:499.
101 {1926} Lathrop (William G.) The Brass Industry in the United States. Mt Carmel, CT. p 16.
101 {1941} Downs (Winfield Scott) Men of New England. New York: American Historical Co. p 113-115. Portrait p 112.
N U M I S M A T I C R E F E R E N C E S
O1 {1878} Fonrobert (Julius) 81.
S11 {1959} DeWitt FP 1852-3, p 142; WS 1852-10 147; WS 1852-12 147-148.
E18 {1985} McSorley. Unpublished manuscript.
R9 {1986} McGuinn and Bazelon, p 45, 47.
S58 {1999} Rulau. Standard Catalog U.S. Tokens, p 192, 479.
S60 {2001} Rulau. Hard Times Tokens, p 15, 142; HT 419 107.