When, however, he was quite young, his
father secured an interest in a patent for the manufacture of ivory
buttons, and looking for a convenient location for a small mill,
settled at Naugatuck, Conn., where he made use of the valuable water
power that is there. Aside from his manufacturing, the elder Goodyear
ran a farm, and between the two lines of industry kept young Charles
pretty busy.
In 1816, Charles left his home and went to Philadelphia to learn the
hardware business. He worked at this very industriously until he was
twenty-one years old, and then, returning to Connecticut, entered into
partnership with his father at the old stand in Naugatuck, where they
manufactured not only ivory and metal buttons, but a variety of
agricultural implements, which were just beginning to be appreciated
by the farmers. In August of 1824 he was united in marriage with
Clarissa Beecher, a woman of remarkable strength of character and
kindness of disposition, and one who in after years was of the
greatest assistance to the impulsive inventor. Two years later he
removed again to Philadelphia, and there opened a hardware store. His
specialties were the valuable agricultural implements that his firm
had been manufacturing, and after the first distrust of home made
goods had worn away--for all agricultural implements were imported
from England at that time--he found himself established at the head of
a successful business.
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