100 Years of Devine History

The Devine family is proud to announce they were the winners of the 2017 FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS AWARD given by the Fairfield and Westchester County Business Journal. They are also proud to announce they have been in business since 1918, preparing to celebrate their 100th YEAR in business.

The Devine family came to the U.S. in the 1840’s and settled in Norwalk, Connecticut, where they established a dairy farm. In the early 1900’s John Devine’s 5 sons and 2 daughters created a feed and building supply business that developed on First Street in East Norwalk. In 1935, Bishop and Lynes, Inc. came to the Devine’s and asked them to buy its concrete business on 38 Commerce Street in Norwalk. The brothers bought the company and eventually, they relocated the whole business to 38 Commerce Street. The business quickly developed into a coal, ready-mix concrete and building supply company. As demand for coal waned and demand for heating oil increased the Devine’s launched a heating oil division and in the early 1970’s a full-service heating and air-conditioning division was started to serve their customer base.

DEVINE BROTHERS – DEVINE EMPLOYEE FAMILY TREE

The original 5 brothers and their families are:
William J. 1880-1940.
John F. 1881 – 1950.
Eugene J. 1884-1967.
Charles E. 1887-1940.
Maurice J. 1893 – 1946.

Their Families Are:

1. William J. 1880-1940
   Had one daughter Helen Devine who had no children and passed in 1996.
2. John Francis 1881-1950
   Had two sons: John (Jack), who never married and, Robert (Bob) and wife Ellie had 6 children: D’Arcy, Peter, John (Jay), Cathy (Bing), Francis (Cissy), Timothy (Tex) (generation 3), who passed away in 1999. Tim worked at Devine Bros from 1976 – 1999. In 1997, he was Co-VP. Tim’s wife Sheila and the rest of Bob and Ellie’s children still hold interest in the company.
3. Eugene James 1884-1967 – 3rd President from 1946-1967
   Had six children: Eugene James JR., Claire, Alice, Eleanor, Elaine, and William J. (Bill) (generation 2), who came to Devine Brother’s in 1961 and retired in 1998 as corp. secretary.
   • William J. (Bill) married Marie Fortune, and had 4 children. Gregory J., Thomas E. (generation 3), Sean F. (generation 3), and Annie M. Thomas E. joined Devine Brothers in 1985, became corp. secretary in 1998 and the 7th and current president of the company in 2009. Sean F. joined the company in 1992 and currently manages the concrete operations.
     • Thomas E. and wife Maribeth have 3 children who are part of the 4th generation. Claire, Jonathan (Jack), and William (Charlie).
     • Sean F. and wife Elizabeth have 3 children: Zachary (generation 4), currently exploring a position at Devine Bros since 2016. Patrick (generation 4), currently working part-time at the company and majoring in Business Administration at Merrimack College in MA. and Benjamin.
4. Charles Edward 1887-1940 – 1st Devine Bros President 1918-1940
   Never married.
5. Maurice Joseph 1893-1946 – 2nd Devine Bros President 1940-1946
   Had 4 children with wife Mary Riordan. Two daughters, Anne D. Lane and Margaret McElroy, and two sons, Maurice (Mo) (generation 2), who became the 4th president of Devine Bros from 1967-1997 and Roger Charles (generation 2), who became the 5th president of Devine Bros after the passing of his brother Mo.
   • Maurice (Mo) and wife Alice had 3 children. Michael (generation 3), joined Devine Bros in 1985, Co-VP 1997-2005 and was 6th president 2005-2009, Richard (generation 3), joined Devine Bros in 1991 and was treasurer 1997 – 2013 and daughter Maura McShane.
   • Roger Charles and wife Sonia Silva had 3 children, Bryan, Sonia Donovan (generation 3), joined the company in 1999 and in 2009 became corp. secretary & in 2013 also became corp. treasurer to present time. Stephen (generation 3), joined the concrete division in 1991 and became vice-president in 2008 to present time.
     • Sonia and husband William (Aki), have 3 children whom would be considered the 4th generation. Edward, Dale and Jake. Edward (Eddie) joined Devine Brothers part-time in 2016. He is attending Saint Bonaventure University in NY where he is majoring in accounting and minoring in family-business. Dale did an internship in May 2018 at Devine Brothers. Currently, he is attending Massachusetts Maritime Academy where he is majoring in facility engineering.
     • Stephen and wife Sarah DeCarlo have 2 children whom would be the 4th generation too. Madison and Stephen.

Today, Devine Brothers continues with a strong ready-mix, building supply, home heating fuel, diesel, propane and a 24/7 heating/cooling service department. Our heating division is considered to be a pioneer in the oil industry as we are among the first companies in New England to blend biodiesel, a renewable fuel made on American soil from soy bean waste or yellow grease. This low sulfur heating oil makes a clean-burning product called “Bioheat.”

Devine Brothers is managed by the grandchildren, Sonia, Steve, Sean and Tom. This family of grandchildren is setting goals for the future with the hope that someday their children will witness the type of honor bestowed on Devine Bros. Inc. by the Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journals.

Devine Brothers INC circa 1920s