EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an expanded and updated version of a Niagara Discoveries entry published in 2017.
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The red brick house at 215 Niagara St., Lockport, which is now home to the Niagara History Center, was built by a man who has the distinction of having two streets in that city named for him.
Windsor Trowbridge was born on May 29, 1825 in Ogden, Monroe County, the seventh child and oldest surviving son of Windsor Stone and Rebecca Willey Trowbridge. His younger brother, John Townsend Trowbridge, later became a well-known author of boys’ books in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When Windsor Trowbridge, Sr. died in 1844 at the age of 55, he left his property in Ogden to his eldest son and namesake. Windsor, Jr. took over the farm and the care of his mother. In 1846, he married Emily Heath of Cambria and the couple returned to Ogden to live. At that time, one of Windsor’s older sisters, Fidelia Phelps, was living in Lockport with her husband Edward, and Trowbridge may have met his wife through her. Phelps Street is named for Edward Phelps.
In 1852, Windsor, Emily, their three young daughters, and his mother, moved to Lockport to start a new life and business. In the 1855, 1860 and 1865 censuses, Trowbridge is listed as “brick maker.” The 1862-63 Directory lists him as “brick maker, h. Niagara st., west of village.” From the records at the Niagara History Center, Trowbridge built this house at about that time. It does not say where the brickyard was but there had been a brickyard in the vicinity of Aaron Mossell Junior High School (formerly North Park School) since the 1850s. Trowbridge Street, which was the western boundary of the brickyard, was named for him.
Trowbridge is mentioned in several newspapers as being paid for building and repairing sidewalks, as well as making repairs, in 1863, to several buildings on Main Street “below” the offices of the Lockport Daily Journal. The paper stated, “Mr. W. Trowbridge has on hand a large supply of as fine brick as was ever offered in this market.” Trowbridge sold the brickyard to Aaron Mossell sometime in 1867 or 1868. A February, 1868 newspaper “brief” stated that there was “excellent skating [on] the Trowbridge “rink”…” This may have been the pond associated with the brickyard and was still associated with the Trowbridge name.
Why Trowbridge gave up the brickyard is unknown, but he may have been contemplating this for a while since he had been advertising his new brick house on Niagara Street for sale since early 1866. The house was described as “a valuable residence …on one of the finest streets in the city…the house is built in the best manner and the place has all of the required fixtures and conveniences.” It was purchased in 1867 by Barnett and Eliza Jane Mackey. (The Mackeys’ daughter Mary was married to David Scott. They were the parents of Luella Scott who married Dr. Samuel Outwater who bequeathed the property to the Niagara County Historical Society).
At this time (1867), Trowbridge was a county agent for the Howe Sewing Machine Company. Later that same year, he went into business with Joseph Duquette. They bought five acres of land at the corner of Prospect and Stevens streets where they operated a large fruit, vegetable and nursery business. Duquette, Trowbridge & Co. was particularly known for its “pie plant” (rhubarb). A fire in December of 1868 destroyed a portion of the greenhouse property. Following the fire, Trowbridge bought out Duquette and operated the business on his own.
The nursery was very successful and became one of the largest of what were called “truck farms” in the area. Trowbridge built a new house on his property and a street was later cut through and named “Windsor” in his honor.
Trowbridge was also involved in politics, serving as assessor in Lockport’s Fourth Ward in the 1870s and 1880s, as well as a Republican election inspector in that same district for many years. Earlier in his life Trowbridge had been a staunch abolitionist and was a long-time member of the First Congregational Church.
In 1896, Windsor and Emily celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In the last few months of 1897, Trowbridge’s health began to fail and he passed away at his home on Dec. 11, 1897, at the age of 72. At the time of his death, his truck farm was reported as “highly improved garden land, green houses and appurtenances, hotbeds, barns, sheds and three houses in good repair.” Emily continued to live in their house and run the business until her death in 1903. Both are buried in Cold Spring Cemetery.