ALLERTON ROAD
By Sandy Clark

Allerton Road begins at the lower end of Field Street and winds its way down to the Middlebury line where it is named Allerton Farms Road.

Allerton Road is in all probability named for George Milton Allerton. Though he was not a Naugatuck native, Allerton became one of Naugatuck’s most prominent and admired citizens. He was born in Duchess County, New York, on December 1, 1831, and was the son of Milton B. Allerton, a descendant of Isaac Allerton, one of the Pilgrim Fathers of 1620 Plymouth.

George M. Allerton married Lois Mabbett of Dover, New York, on October 5, 1858 and had three sons. Lois died in February, 1865, and George married for the second time to Mary Alida in Naugatuck, January 24, 1877. Their two children were born in Naugatuck.

George M. Allerton began his career as a clerk in a dry goods store, but the sale of rubber goods peeked his interest and he started a business for himself. With little or no capital, his energy, prudence, pluck and perseverance brought him much success. He soon became in charge of the Goodyear India Rubber Glove Store in New York in 1856 and assumed its business management.

The capital of the Goodyear Rubber Glove Co was small and the production of goods (in Naugatuck) was limited by the Goodyear patent. During the Civil War the company was making hospital and surgeons supplies for the Union Army. When the war ended, the Glove Co. was left with a large work force making unneeded goods. Allerton was quick to foresee new uses or improvements of rubber articles and found a ready market for them.

Because of the ever growing business, Allerton came to Naugatuck in 1867 from New York. He soon became one of Naugatuck’s favorite citizens and was involved in all matters of public interest. He organized the Naugatuck Telephone Co. in 1879 to build a telephone line from Waterbury to Naugatuck.

He built his home on Terrace Avenue (then a private street). An 1883 map of Naugatuck shows he owned property extending form the end of Meadow Street to what is now North Church Street.

Allerton was such an active Mason that the Allerton Chapter No.39 of the Royal Arch Masons was instituted on September 4, 1876 and named in his honor. A Mason member, Judge S. W. Kellogg said this of George Allerton, “He had not one element of meanness or malice in his nature. He took no pleasure in speaking of the faults of others. He was full of generous charity wherever it was deserving... The humblest man in his employment could go to him in trouble and find a friend.”

Mr. Allerton died December 2, 1882 in Naugatuck. He was 51 years old and was buried in Dover Plains, New York. The Masonic Fraternity of which he was a member performed the last rites.

Source - Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter, Spring–Summer 2006 issue