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ENCYCLOPEDIA 

OF 

CONNECTICUT  BIOGRAPHY 

GENEALOGICAL— MEMORIAL 


REPRESENTATIVE  CITIZENS 


Compiled  with  assistance  of  the  following 

ADVISORY  COMMITTEE 


SAMUEL  HART,  D.D.,  D.C.L. 

Dean  of  Berkeley  Divinity  Scliool;  President  of 
Connecticut   Historical   Society. 

THOMAS  SNELL  WEAVER 

Superintendent  of  City  Schools,  Hartford; 
Journalist,  former  Editor  Willimantic  Jour- 
nal, and  associated  witli  New  Haven  Register, 
Boston  Globe.  Hartford  Post  and  Hartford 
Courant.  Member  of  Library  Committee  Con- 
necticut Historical  Society. 

JOSEPH    ANDERSON,   D.D. 

President  of  Mattatuck  Historical  Society; 
forty  years  pastor  of  First  Congregational 
Church,  Waterbury;  Editor  Anderson's  His- 
tory of  Waterbury. 

WALTER  RALPH  STEINER,  M.D. 

Member  of  .State  Historical  Society;  Member 
of  State  Medical  Society;  Fellow  of  American 
Medical  Association;  Secretary  Congress  of 
American  Physicians  and  Surgeons;  Librarian 
Hartford  Medical  Society. 

HADLAI   AUSTIN   HULL,  LL.B. 

Attorney,  New  London;  Major  in  Spanish- 
American  War. 

STORKS  OZIAS  SEYMOUR,  D.D. 

President  of  Litchfield  Historical  Society; 
President  of  Wolcott  and  Litchfield  Library 
Association;  Rector  Emeritus  of  St.  Michael's 
(P.  E. )  Church,  Litchfield  (23  years  active 
rector). 


JOHN  GAYLORD  DAVENPORT,  D.D. 

Pastor  Emeritus  Second  Church  of  Waterbury 
(30  years  active);  Member  of  Connecticut  His- 
torical Society;  Member  of  Mattatuck  Histori- 
cal Society;  ex-Governor  and  Chaplain  of  Con- 
necticut Society,  Sons  of  Founders  and  Pa- 
triots; ex-Deputy  (Governor  National  Society, 
same  order. 

GEORGE  CURTIS  WALDO,  A.M.,  LITT.D. 

Editor  of  Bridgeport  Standard  49  years;  one 
of  Founders  of  Bridgeport  Scientific  Society; 
ex-Vice-President  of  Fairfield  County  Histori- 
cal  Society;   Author  of  History   of   Bridgeport. 

FREDERICK  BOSTWICK 

Librarian  New  Haven  Colony  Historical  Soci- 
ety; Register  S.  A.  R.,  Connecticat;  Honorary 
Member  of  National  Genealogical  Society; 
Member  of  Connecticut  Historical  Society, 
Connecticut  Library  Association,  Mississippi 
Valley  Historical  Association;  Associate  Edi- 
tor Genealogical  History  of  Connecticut;  ex- 
President   New    Haven-Chautauqua    Union. 

GUILFORD  SMITH 

President  of  Windham  National  Bank;  Mem- 
ber of  Connecticut  Society,  Mayflower  De- 
scendants. 

LEWIS  ELIOT  STANTON,  A.B. 

(Yale.  1855).  Member  of  American  Bar  .Asso- 
ciation and  State  Bar  Association;  Assistant 
United  States  Attorney  1870-1885;  United 
States  Attorney  District  of  Connecticut  1885- 
1888  (resigned);  Representative  Hartford,  1880. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  AMERICAN  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

I.NCORPO  RATED 
BOSTON  NEW  YORK  CHICAGO 

1917 


T'!"   ;E^V  YORK 
PliBL:C  LIBRARY 

ASTOR     LENOX  AND 

TILDEN   FOUNDATIONS 

R  I9!8  L 


Joreuiorb 


•  ACH  one  of  us  is  "the  heir  of  all  the 
ages,  in  the  foremost  files  of  time.'' 
\\'e  build  upon  the  solid  foundations 
laid  by  the  strenuous  eiiforts  of  the  fathers 
who  have  gone  before  us.  Nothing  is 
more  fitting,  and  indeed  more  important, 
than  that  we  should  familiarize  ourselves 
with  their  work  and  personality :  for  it  is 
they  who  have  lifted  us  up  to  the  lofty 
positions  from  which  we  are  working  out 
our  separate  careers.  "Lest  we  forget," 
it  is  important  that  we  gather  up  the 
fleeting  memories  of  the  past  and  give 
them  permanent  record  in  well-chosen 
words  of  biography,  and  in  such  repro- 
duction of  the  long  lost  faces  as  modern 
science    makes    possible. 

Samuel  Hart. 


BIOGRAPHICAL 


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library] 


'  tJR,    LENOX 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


EGGLESTON,  Jere  Dewey, 

Physician. 

From  various  ancestors,  among  the 
earliest  in  Connecticut  and  elsewhere  in 
New  England,  Dr.  Eggleston  has  derived 
those  characteristics  which  made  useful, 
popular  and  successful  citizens.  The 
Eggleston  coat-of-arms  is  as  follows : 
Arms :  Quarterly,  i  and  4  argent,  a  cross 
sable,  in  first  quarter  a  fleur-de-lis  of  the 
second.  2  and  3  vert,  a  chevron  between 
three  bucks  trippant  or,  in  the  middle 
chief  point  a  bezant,  on  a  chief  per  fess 
gules  and  argent  an  eagle  displayed 
counterchanged.  Crest :  A  magpie  proper. 
Motto:  Spcro  Mcliora  ("I  hope  for  better 

things"). 

The  progenitor  of  the  family  in  this 
country  was  Begat  Eggleston,  born  in 
1590.  or  earlier,  in  England.  He  made  a 
deposition,  June  5,  1645,  giving  his  age  as 
forty-five  years,  but  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  September  i,  1674,  in  Windsor, 
Connecticut,  he  was  called  "near  one 
hundred  years  old."  The  family  name  of 
his  first  wife,  Mary,  is  unknown.  She 
died  in  Windsor,  December  8,  1657.  They 
came  to  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  in 
1630,  and  Mr.  Eggleston  was  admitted  a 
freeman  in  1631,  was  one  of  the  original 
members  of  Rev.  Mr.  Warham's  church, 
with  which  he  removed  to  Windsor  in 
1635.  ^^  married  (second)  Mary  Tal- 
cott,  of  Hartford,  who  was  one  of  the 
contributors  to  the  fund  for  the  relief  of 
the  poor  of  the  colonies  in  1676. 

The  third  son  of  Begat  and  Mary 
Eggleston  was  James  Eggleston,  born 
about  1640.  He  had  a  grant  of  fifty  acres 
of  land  in  Windsor  in  1671,  as  a  reward 


for  services  in  the  Pequot  War,  and  sub- 
sequently purchased  other  land.  He  died 
December  i,  1679.  He  married  Hester 
Williams,  said  to  have  been  the  first  white 
female  born  at  Hartford.  She  married 
(second)  in  1680,  James  Eno. 

Nathaniel  Eggleston,  fourth  son  of 
James  and  Hester  (Williams)  Eggleston. 
was  born  August  15, 1666,  in  Windsor,  and 
settled  in  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  where 
he  died.  He  married,  September  13,  1694, 
Hannah  Ashley,  born  December  26,  1675, 
daughter  of  David  and  Hannah  (Glover) 
Ashley,  of  W'estfield. 

Nathaniel  (2)  Eggleston,  second  son  of 
Nathaniel  (i)  and  Hannah  (Ashley) 
Eggleston,  was  born  in  Westfield,  April 
3,  1712,  where  he  made  his  home,  and  died 
March  7,  1790.  He  married,  August  13, 
1 741,  Esther  Wait,  of  Northampton,  Mas- 
sachusetts. 

Eber  Eggleston,  eldest  son  of  Nathaniel 
(2)  and  Esther  (Wait)  Eggleston,  born 
about  1750,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, lost  three  fingers  in  battle,  was  a 
United  States  pensioner  in  his  old  age, 
and  died  December  25,  1818.  He  married 
Submit  Judd,  of  Southampton,  who  died 
July  4,   1821. 

Eli  Eggleston.  eldest  son  of  Eber  and 
Submit  (Judd)  Eggleston,  born  in  1784, 
in  Westfield,  was  a  farmer,  honest  and  in- 
dustrious, a  Biblical  student.  He  married, 
October  i,  1805,  Zeruiah  Searle,  born  in 
August,  1789,  in  Southampton,  died  in 
Westfield,  October  3,  1826. 

Jere  Dewey  Eggleston,  second  son  of 
Eli  and  Zeruiah  (Searle)  Eggleston,  was 
born  July  11,  1812,  in  Westfield,  lived  for 
some  time  at  Broad  Brook,  in  East  Wind- 
sor,   Connecticut,    and    subsequently    in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Enfield,  same  State,  where  he  died  March 
lo,  1855.  He  was  a  miller  by  occupation, 
a  man  of  generous  impulses,  decided 
opinions,  and  strict  integrity.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1831,  Louisa  Carew,  who  survived 
him  several  years. 

Dr.  Jere  Dewey  (2)  Eggleston,  fourth 
son  of  Jere  Dewey  (i)  and  Louisa  (Carew) 
Eggleston,  and  namesake  of  his  father, 
was  born  October  28,  1853,  in  Long 
Meadow,  iMassachusetts,  and  was  bereft  of 
his  father  in  his  second  year.  The  death  of 
his  mother  within  a  few  years  thereafter 
left  him  without  any  parental  guidance, 
and  he  early  developed  a  spirit  of  inde- 
pendence and  self-reliance  which  has  car- 
ried him  forward  through  life.  At  the 
early  age  of  thirteen  years  he  began  work- 
ing on  a  farm.  He  was  always  studious, 
and  made  the  most  of  every  educational 
opportunity  within  his  reach.  He  early 
fitted  himself  for  teaching,  and  by  means 
of  his  earnings  as  a  teacher  was  enabled 
to  prepare  at  Williams  College,  and  in 
1879  he  graduated  from  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  New  York 
City.  For  a  brief  time  he  engaged  in 
practice  at  Windsor  Locks,  Connecticut, 
and  about  1880  located  in  the  city  of  Meri- 
den,  Connecticut,  where  he  soon  gained 
rank  as  a  physician  of  ability  and  char- 
acter. Always  a  student,  he  has  ever  kept 
himself  informed  in  the  progress  of  medi- 
cal science,  and  his  fine  personality  and 
agreeable  manners  quickly  gained  the 
confidence  and  good  will  of  the  commu- 
nity. For  many  years  he  conducted  a 
very  large  practice,  and  in  recent  years 
has  somewhat  retired  from  the  burdens 
incident  to  that  condition.  A  conserva- 
tive and  safe  practitioner,  he  has  been 
especially  successful  in  his  life  work.  Al- 
ways energetic,  he  has  kept  abreast  of  the 
world's  progress,  and  is  as  well  known 
outside  as  in  his  chosen  profession.  His 
success  has  been  entirely  the  result  of  his 
own    efforts,    and    his    popularity    in    the 


community  is  due  to  his  high  character 
and  effort  to  fulfill  the  duties  of  a  good 
citizen.  For  several  years  he  served  as 
an  alderman  of  the  municipality,  and  has 
been  ever  ready  to  support  any  movement 
calculated  to  promote  the  general  welfare. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Home  National 
Bank,  director  and  trustee  of  the  Meriden 
Savings  Bank,  trustee  of  the  State  School 
for  Boys  of  Meriden,  member  of  the  board 
of  Aleriden  City  Hospital.  Politically  he 
is  a  Republican,  and  he  is  prominently 
identified  with  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fel- 
lows orders,  and  holds  membership  in  the 
State  and  County  Medical  societies,  the 
American  Medical  Association,  and  in  the 
Home,  Highland  Country  and  Colonial 
clubs. 

Dr.  Eggleston  married,  May  18,  1881, 
Elizabeth  C.  Duncan,  descendant  of  an  an- 
cient Scotch  family.  Thomas  Duncan  was 
an  expert  paper  manufacturer,  and  was 
many  years  identified  with  that  industry 
in  Poquonock  and  elsewhere  in  the  State. 
Before  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  century 
he  removed  to  New  York  City.  His  wife, 
the  mother  of  Mrs.  Eggleston,  was  Grace 
(Yule)  Duncan,  born  June  14,  1834,  died 
February  15,  1867.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Eggles- 
ton were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Robert  D.,  born  March  7,  1882 ; 
Ralph  B.,  November  9,  1884,  died  March 
19,  1886;  Jeanette  L.,  April  18,  1887; 
Arthur  F.,  November  19,  1890;  Jere  Dud- 
ley, May  29,  1894. 


SEYMOUR,  Storrs  Ozias, 

Clergyman. 

The  Rev.  Storrs  Ozias  Seymour,  rector 
emeritus  of  St.  Michael's  Church  at 
Litchfield,  Connecticut,  was  born  in 
Litchfield,  January  24,  1836,  the  son  of 
Origen  Storrs  and  Lucy  Morris  (Wood- 
rulf)  Seymour,  being  eighth  in  direct 
descent  from  Richard  Seymour,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Hartford.     The  Sey- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


mour  family  is  one  of  great  antiquity  in 
England.    The  seal  on  the  will  of  Thomas 
Seymour,  eldest  son  of  Richard  Seymour, 
the  first  settler  of  the  name  in  this  coun- 
try, bears  the  impress  of  two  wings  con- 
joined in  lure,  the  device  of  the  English 
Seymours  from  the  time  of  William  de  St. 
Maur  of   Penhow.     A   "Bishop's   Bible," 
printed  in   1584,  in  the  possession  of  the 
Hon.     Morris     Woodruff     Seymour,     of 
Litchfield,  a  descendant  of  Richard  Sey- 
mour, has  on  one  of  the  fly-leaves  a  draw- 
ing of  the  arms  of  the  Seymours  of  Bury 
Pomeroy,   viz.,    two   wings   conjoined   in 
lure,  quartered  with  the  Royal  Arms  as 
granted  by  Henry  VIII.  to  Edward  Sey- 
mour, Duke  of  Somerset,  and  the  legend : 
"Richard  Seymor,  of  Berry  Pomery,  hey- 
tor  hund.  in  ye  Com.  Devon,  his  Booke, 
Hartford,  in  ye  Collony  of  Connecticut  in 
Newe  England,  Annoque  Domini   1640." 
On  another  page  of  this  Bible  there  is  a 
memorandum  relating  to  some   business 
transaction,  and  the  name.  "John  Seimor, 
Hartford,  1666." 

Dr.  Storrs  O.  Seymour  received  his 
early  education  at  Litchfield  schools  and 
at  Phillips  (Andover)  Academy;  gradu- 
ated from  Yale  in  1857,  and  after  a  year 
spent  in  Germany  studied  theology  at  the 
Berkeley  Divinity  School  at  Middletown, 
Connecticut.  He  was  ordained  May  22, 
1861,  and  immediately  took  charge  of  St. 
Peter's  Church  at  Milford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  remained  until  1864.  He  was 
rector  of  St.  Thomas's  Church,  of  Bethel, 
during  the  following  four  years,  and  from 
1868  until  1874  was  rector  of  Trinity 
Church  at  Pawtucket,  Rhode  Island.  In 
the  latter  year  he  was  called  to  Trinity 
Church  at  Norwich,  Connecticut,  and 
after  a  residence  of  nearly  four  and  a 
half  years  in  that  town  was  chosen  rector 
of  St.  Michael's  Church  at  Litchfield, 
Connecticut.  In  October,  1883,  he  be- 
came rector  of  Trinity  Church  at  Hart- 


ford, and  after  a  service  of  ten  years  in 
that  charge  returned  to  Litchfield  and 
again  became  rector  of  St.  Michael's, 
which  position  he  held  until  Easter,  191 1, 
when  he  retired  from  the  rectorship,  hav- 
ing reached  the  age  of  eighty  years.  This 
church  carries  on  a  great  and  practically 
neverceasing  work,  and  its  influence  upon 
the  spiritual  upbuilding  of  Litchfield  has 
been  most  marked.  Dr.  Seymour  is  a 
man  of  clear  and  logical  ideas  of  what  the 
work  of  a  church  in  a  community  should 
be,  and  these  ideas  he  carefully  put  into 
practice,  and  he  was  a  preacher  of  force- 
fulness  and  clearness. 

Dr.    Seymour   received   the   degrees   of 
A.  B.  and  A.  M.  from  Yale  in   1857  and 
i860,  and  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divin- 
ity from  Trinity  College  in  1898.    During 
his  residence  in  Rhode  Island  he  served 
as    chaplain     in     the    Pawtucket     Horse 
Guards  of  the  Rhode  Island  Militia.     He 
was  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  State 
Board   of   Education   from    1880  to   1884, 
and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Free  Pub- 
lic   Library    Committee    for    Connecticut 
since  its  organization  in  1893.    I"  1876  he 
was   elected   a   member   of   the   standing 
committee  of  the  Diocese  of  Connecticut, 
and  since  1895  has  been  its  president.    He 
is  also  president  of  the  Litchfield  Histor- 
ical Society,  a  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Historical   Society,  and  a  trustee  of  the 
Berkeley  Divinity  School.     He  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat in  politics. 

Dr.  Seymour  married,  June  20,  1861, 
Mary  Harrison  Browne,  of  Hastings-on- 
the-Hudson,  New  York.  They  are  the 
parents  of  one  son,  Edwin  WoodruflF  Sey- 
mour. 


MILLER,   Edward, 

Head  of  Edward  Miller  &  Company, 
Meriden. 

The    creation,    development    and    man- 
agement of  the  mammoth  business  known 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


as  Edward  Miller  &  Company,  one  of 
Meriden's  great  industrial  corporations. 
Edward  Miller  made  his  life  work.  His 
motto,  "whatever  you  undertake  as  a  life 
work,  do  it  thoroughly  and  stick  to  it," 
was  strictly  adhered  to  in  his  own  life, 
and  from  the  time  he  began  working  in  a 
factory  at  the  age  of  fifteen  until  his  death 
at  the  age  of  eighty-two  he  knew  but  one 
business,  the  manufacture  of  lamps  and 
lighting  accessories.  He  was  a  pioneer  in 
the  manufacture  of  kerosone  lamp  burn- 
ers in  the  country,  placed  the  famous 
Rochester  lamp  upon  the  market  in  1884, 
and  when  its  world-wide  reputation 
brought  imitations  upon  the  market  he 
brought  out  that  highest  achievement  in 
kerosene  illumination,  The  Miller  Eamp. 
When  other  illuminants  appeared,  which 
in  a  degree  destroyed  the  market  for 
lamps,  he  added  gas  and  electric  fixtures 
to  the  list  of  goods  manufactured  by  Ed- 
ward Miller  &  Company,  and  in  that  field 
became  preeminent.  Just  what  the  loca- 
tion of  this  company  has  meant  to  Mer- 
iden  and  its  plan  of  operation  is  best  told 
in  a  descriptive  article  which  is  as  true 
now  under  the  executive  management  of 
Edward  (2)  Miller,  son  of  the  founder, 
as  when  it  was  written.  "The  company's 
prosperity  is  such  that  it  knows  no  dull 
periods  or  its  workmen  want  of  employ- 
ment. The  departments  are  fully  equip- 
ped with  all  the  most  modern  machinery 
that  can  aid  in  the  rapid  and  perfect  pro- 
duction of  goods.  It  is  the  rule  in  the 
manufacture  of  their  goods  that  excel- 
lence is  the  grand  thing  to  be  attained, 
and  the  high  esteem  in  which  their 
products  are  held  by  the  dealers  and  con- 
sumers warrants  the  assertion  that  they 
realize  the  end  sought.  Their  products 
are  largely  exported  to  foreign  lands,  and 
immense  as  this  business  is,  it  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  It  would  be  an  im- 
possibility to  enumerate  the  great  assort- 


ment of  articles  made  by  this  company. 
Prominent  among  them  are  lamp  trim- 
mings of  every  variety,  tinners'  hardware, 
together  with  brass  and  bronze  goods. 
Their  designs  are  thoroughly  their  own 
and  are  selected  by  those  appreciative  of 
the  superiority  of  American  styles  over 
those  of  foreign  lands.  Yet  the  company 
keeps  a  sharp  eye  on  the  centres  of  artis- 
tic productions  with  a  view  that  none 
shall  excel  them.  The  result  is  that  not 
only  are  the  designs  of  the  art  centres 
equalled,  but  in  most  cases  excelled  by 
the  addition  of  the  American  artist." 

Edward  Miller  was  of  the  eighth  gen- 
eration of  the  family  founded  in  New 
England  by  John  Miller,  who  came  from 
Maidstone,  Kent,  England,  to  Lynn, 
Massachusetts,  lived  also  in  Salem,  and 
in  1649  settled  at  Easthampton,  Long 
Island.  His  wife  Mary  bore  him  five 
sons,  among  them  George  Miller,  born  in 
Easthampton,  who  died  October  12,  1712, 
leaving  a  son,  Hezekiah  Miller,  born 
about  1680.  Hezekiah  Miller  married, 
December  11,  1706,  Elizabeth  Sherry,  the 
line  of  descent  following  through  their 
youngest  son,  Jacob  Miller,  who  moved 
from  Easthampton  to  Huntington,  Long 
Island.  He  married,  May  24,  1738,  Su- 
sanna Weeks  (or  Wickes).  Their  young- 
est son,  Jacob  (2)  Miller,  was  baptized  in 
Huntington,  April  24,  1754,  followed  the 
sea  and  was  the  owner  of  a  whaling  ves- 
sel. During  the  Revolution  he  moved  to 
Wallingford,  Connecticut,  and  is  believed 
to  have  been  the  Jacob  Miller  who  served 
in  the  Second  Regiment,  Connecticut 
Line,  September  to  December,  1779.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Filer  and  among  his 
children  were  two  ministers,  Rev.  Samuel 
and  Rev.  Thomas  Miller. 

Rev.  Samuel  Miller  was  born  on  Long 
Island,  April  15,  1773,  died  November 
14,  1829.  He  was  an  ordained  minister 
of  the  Baptist  Church,  was  the  first  min- 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ister  of  that  faith  in  Meriden,  and  was 
pastor  of  the  church  there  for  twenty-six 
years.  He  married,  April  7,  1796.  Vincy 
Blakeslee,  born  June  2g,  1775,  died  No- 
vember 18,  1829,  daughter  of  Joseph  and 
Lois  (Ives)  Blakeslee.  Their  son  Joel 
was  third  of  a  family  of  nine. 

Joel  Miller,  son  of  Rev.  Samuel  and 
Vincy  (Blakeslee)  Miller,  was  born  at 
Meriden,  Connecticut,  October  24,  1801, 
died  August  25,  1864.  After  his  marriage 
he  moved  to  Canastota,  Madison  county, 
New  York,  but  after  residing  there  eight 
years  returned  to  Meriden.  The  farm,  he 
owned  in  Meriden  is  yet  resided  upon  by 
the  family,  although  Broad  street  now 
runs  through  the  old  homestead.  He 
married,  March  13,  1823,  Clarissa  Plum, 
born  January  23,  1805,  died  March  4, 
1879,  daughter  of  Seth  Doud  and  Eliza- 
beth (Hall)  Plum,  her  father  a  prominent 
man  of  his  day. 

Edward  Miller,  son  of  Joel  and  Clarissa 
(Plum)  Miller,  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Wallingford,  Connecticut,  August  10, 
1827,  died  in  Meriden,  June  11,  1909.  He 
attended  public  school  and  Post  Academy 
until  fifteen,  then  entered  the  factory 
employ  of  Horatio  N.  Howard,  of  Mer- 
iden, a  manufacturer  of  lamp  screws, 
hoops  and  candlestick  springs.  He  also 
was  employed  for  two  years  with  Sted- 
man  &  Clark  in  the  same  line  of  manu- 
facture, but  while  still  a  minor  began 
business  for  himself,  having  his  father 
for  a  partner,  continuing  the  same  busi- 
ness with  which  he  had  become  familiar. 
The  firm  was  originally  Joel  Miller  & 
Son,  but  after  arriving  at  legal  age  the 
son  bought  his  father's  interest  in  the 
business  giving  his  note  for  $800.  The 
following  year  that  note  was  paid  from 
the  profits  of  the  business  and  expansion 
begun.  The  wooden  factory  built  on  the 
site  of  the  present  works  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1856 ;  the  financial  panic  of  1857 


played  havoc  in  the  business  world,  but 
Edward  Miller  survived  both  disasters, 
and  in  1858  added  to  his  little  line  the 
manufacture  of  burners  for  kerosene 
lamps,  a  class  of  goods  which  had  hith- 
erto been  imported.  Bronzes,  sheet  brass 
and  brass  utensils  followed,  and  in  1866 
the  business  had  increased  beyond  his 
financial  ability  to  carry  it,  and  Edward 
Miller  &  Company,  a  stock  company,  was 
organized  with  a  capital  of  $200,000,  Ed- 
ward Miller,  president  and  manager. 
With  this  influx  of  capital  and  assistants, 
the  great  growth  of  the  business  began 
and  continued  until  perhaps  one  thousand 
hands  are  employed.  Mr.  Miller  contin- 
ued the  efficient  executive  head  of  the 
company  until  his  death,  although  in  his 
later  years  his  capable  son  took  from  his 
shoulders  the  heavier  burdens  of  manage- 
ment. He  was  an  honored  member  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Meriden,  and 
in  1869  gave  to  the  church  a  handsome 
pipe  organ.  He  also  generously  aided  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  and 
the  Connecticut  Literary  Institute,  and 
for  years  was  treasurer  of  the  Connecticut 
Baptist  Educational  Society.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  Common  Council  for 
twelve  years  as  a  matter  of  public  duty, 
but  otherwise  refused  all  offers  of  public 
office. 

Edward  Miller  married,  August  30, 
1848,  Caroline  M.  Neal,  born  April  14, 
1830,  died  August  29,  1906,  daughter  of 
Joseph  and  Matilda  (Barnes)  Neal,  of 
Southington,  Connecticut.  She  was  a 
woman  of  strong  character,  and  to  her 
counsel  and  encouragement  her  husband 
attributed  much  of  his  success.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miller  were  the  parents  of  Edward 
(2),  of  whom  further;  Layette  Alena, 
born  January  10,  1853,  married  Charles 
A.  Kendrick ;  Arthur  Eugene,  born  Sep- 
tember 12,  1863,  died  December  31,  1914; 
was  educated  in  private  school,  Hartford 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


High  School,  class  of  "83,"  and  Brown 
University ;  he  was  his  father's  associate 
in  business,  and  from  1901  superintendent 
and  director  of  Edward  Miller  &  Com- 
pany, and  at  the  time  of  his  death  vice- 
president;  he  gathered  his  knowledge  of 
the  business  from  personal,  practical  con- 
tact with  the  factory  department  and  was 
a  most  capable  official.  He  was  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Masonic  order,  a 
past  master  of  Meriden  Lodge,  No.  JJ, 
past  eminent  commander  of  St.  Elmo 
Commandery,  and  a  thirty-second  degree 
Mason  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  Two  other 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller,  Carrie 
M.  and  Emma  E.,  died  young. 


MILLER,  Edward, 

Hanafactnrer. 

Second  in  Meriden's  business  world  to 
bear  the  name,  Edward  (2)  Miller,  after 
a  long  association  with  his  honored 
father,  was  called  to  succeed  him  as  presi- 
dent of  Edward  Miller  &  Company,  a 
corporation  with  which  he  has  been  iden- 
tified ever  since  his  University  gradua- 
tion in  1874.  He  came  upon  the  scene  of 
action  prior  to  the  great  expansion  of  the 
company,  and  has  been  a  potent  factor  in 
the  development  and  prosperity  of  the 
great  business  of  which  he  is  the  execu- 
tive head. 

Edward  Miller,  of  the  ninth  American 
generation  of  his  family,  eldest  son  of 
Edward  and  Caroline  M.  (Neal)  Miller, 
was  born  in  Meriden,  Connecticut,  Feb- 
ruary I,  1851.  After  completing  grade 
and  high  school  study  in  Meriden,  he 
fitted  for  college  at  the  Preparatory  Acad- 
emy, Suffield,  Connecticut,  class  of  1870, 
then  entered  Brown  University,  whence 
he  was  graduated  with  honors,  class  of 
"74."  The  same  year  he  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  Edward  Miller  &  Company,  mas- 
tering first  the  details  of  factory  manage- 


ment, then  as  secretary-treasurer,  becom- 
ing a  part  of  the  executive  staflf,  an  office 
he  filled  most  efficiently  from  1882  until 
1909,  when  upon  the  death  of  Edward 
(i)  Miller  he  succeeded  him  in  executive 
control.  The  successful  career  of  the 
company  is  the  best  comment  upon  the 
strength  of  the  management,  and  under 
the  guidance  of  this  twentieth  century 
representative  of  an  honored  family  its 
magnitude  increases  and  its  fame  extends 
to  many  lands.  He,  like  Edward  (i) 
Miller,  has  a  few  outside  business  inter- 
ests, but  having  chosen  his  life  work 
bends  every  energy  to  its  successful  pros- 
ecution. He,  however,  serves  as  a  trustee 
of  the  City  Savings  Bank,  director  of  the 
Home  National  Bank,  Meriden  Safe, 
Trust  and  Deposit  Company,  and  Mer- 
iden Gas  Light  Company. 

A  student  by  nature,  Mr.  Miller  has  de- 
voted a  great  deal  of  time  to  literature 
and  to  the  collection  of  a  private  library, 
one  of  the  finest  in  the  State.  He  main- 
tains a  deep  interest  in  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  has  been  in  charge  of  its  music, 
and  with  his  brother,  Arthur  Eugene, 
gave  as  a  memorial  to  his  parents  a  mag- 
nificent pipe  organ  to  replace  the  one 
donated  by  his  father  in  1869.  He  is  a 
director  of  Meriden  Hospital,  is  a  most 
liberal  friend  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  and  a  generous  sup- 
porter of  all  good  causes.  His  clubs  are 
the  Colonial,  Home  and  Highland  Coun- 
trv.     He  is  unmarried. 


HOLCOMB,  Marcus  Hensey, 

Governor  of  Connecticnt. 

When  in  1914  the  law  of  the  State  of 
Connecticut  automatically  removed  Judge 
Marcus  H.  Holcomb  from  the  Supreme 
Bench,  through  the  operation  of  its  "age 
limitation"  clause,  the  people  of  the  State 
at  once  availing  themselves  of  his  ripened 


8 


THE  MLV^    ''^nX 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,   LENOX- 
TILDEN    FOUNDATIONS  J 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


judgment,  wide  experience  and  well 
proven  ability,  elected  him  their  chief 
executive,  and  he  now  sits  at  Hartford 
sixty-sixth  in  the  list  of  Governors  of  the 
State  of  Connecticut. 

For  forty  years  Governor  Holcomb  has 
been  honored  with  the  favor  of  his  people, 
and  his  faithfulness  in  the  administration 
of  every  trust  committed  to  his  care  has 
won  their  unlimited  confidence,  that  con- 
fidence being  expressed  at  the  polls  by 
elevation  to  offices  in  an  ascending  scale 
of  importance.  The  call  to  "come  up 
higher"  has  been  insistent  and  continuous, 
and  his  present  office  is  proof  that  in  no 
instance  has  that  confidence  been  be- 
trayed or  misplaced. 

Governor  Holcomb  is  a  man  of  com- 
manding presence  and  engaging  person- 
ality, generous  in  all  things  and  most  un- 
ostentatious. His  powers  of  observation 
are  keen,  he  is  an  able  analyst  and  synthe- 
sist,  goes  quickly  to  the  root  of  a  problem, 
possessing  that  executive  quality  that  en- 
ables him  to  dispatch  a  large  volume  of 
business  without  waste  of  time.  He  has 
a  deeply  artistic  nature,  is  a  lover  of  the 
best  in  poetry  and  literature,  is  fond  of 
the  great  "out-of-doors"  and  finds  pleasure 
with  gun  and  rod  in  the  woods,  by  lake- 
side or  stream.  As  a  lawyer  and  jurist 
he  proved  his  learning  and  wisdom,  his 
love  of  justice,  his  sense  of  fairness,  his 
conscientious  regard  for  the  sacred  rights 
of  others.  He  is  now  past  the  period  al- 
lotted to  man  by  the  Scripture,  but  in 
thought,  heart,  action  and  deed  he  is  but 
in  his  prime. 

Governor  Holcomb  prides  himself  upon 
his  New  England  ancestry,  tracing  it  to 
Thomas  Holcomb,  born  in  Wales  in  1601, 
who  came  to  Massachusetts  in  1629,  set- 
tling at  Dorchester.  He  was  made  a 
freeman  in  1634,  locating  at  Windsor, 
Hartford  county,  Connecticut,  where  he 
cleared  and  tilled  until  his  death  at  Po- 


quanock,  September  7,  1657.  He  repre- 
sented Windsor  and  Hartford  at  the 
framing  of  the  constitution  of  Connec- 
ticut Colony  in  1639,  and  it  is  fitting  that 
now,  two  and  three-quarter  centuries 
later,  a  lineal  descendant  should  be 
charged  with  the  enforcement  of  the  pro- 
visions of  the  constitution  of  the  State, 
born  of  the  colonial  constitution  Thomas 
Holcomb  helped  to  frame  down  through 
the  intervening  generations.  Holcombs 
have  been  men  of  public  spirit,  repre- 
sentatives of  the  best  thought,  prominent 
in  public,  professional  and  business  life. 

Governor  Holcomb's  father,  Carlos 
Holcomb,  was  a  farmer,  strong  of  in- 
tellect, sound  in  judgment,  taking  more 
than  a  passing  interest  in  public  affairs. 
He  served  in  the  local  offices  of  select- 
men, assessor  and  on  the  board  of  relief. 
His  sterling  character  was  greatly  appre- 
ciated in  his  community,  and  many  were 
the  estates  he  was  selected  to  settle  as 
executor  and  administrator.  He  was 
noted  for  the  scrupulous  care  he  exercised 
in  administering  such  trusts,  and  for  the 
way  in  which  he  safeguarded  the  interests 
of  the  heirs,  particularly  the  children  of 
tender  years.  Carlos  Holcomb  married 
Adah  Bushnell,  a  women  of  splendid 
mental  powers,  noble  womanly  character 
and  charm,  whose  influence  was  always 
exerted  for  good,  not  only  for  the  good  of 
her  own  household  but  for  the  good  of  her 
community. 

Their  son,  Marcus  H.  Holcomb,  was 
born  at  New  Hartford,  Litchfield  county, 
Connecticut,  November  28,  1844,  conse- 
quently he  is  now  (1917)  in  his  seventy- 
third  year.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were 
spent  in  attendance  at  public  school  and 
as  his  father's  farm  assistant,  thus  far 
there  being  little  to  distinguish  his  life 
from  that  of  the  other  farmer  boys  of  the 
country.  But  he  was  ambitious  to  secure 
a    college    education    and    made    suitable 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


preparation  at  Wesleyan  Academy  at 
Wilbraham.  This  ambition,  however,  was 
not  to  be  realized,  as  he  unduly  exposed  him- 
self on  a  very  hot  day  and  suffered  a  sun- 
stroke that  so  affected  his  health  that  col- 
lege study  would  have  been  most  unwise. 
But  he  had  laid  a  good  foundation,  and 
for  a  number  of  years  he  taught  school, 
in  time  regaining  full  health  and  strength. 

During  that  period  of  his  life  he  studied 
law,  under  the  direction  of  Judge  Jared  B. 
Foster,  an  eminent  member  of  the  Con- 
necticut bar.  In  1871  he  had  so  far  pro- 
gressed in  his  studies  that  he  applied  for 
admission  to  the  bar,  passed  the  required 
examination  and  was  licensed  to  practice. 
He  located  at  Southington.  there  begin- 
ning practice,  winning  in  a  comparatively 
short  time  honorable  rank  among  the 
leaders  of  the  county  bar.  His  naturally 
sympathetic  nature  responded  to  a  recital 
of  a  client's  woes,  and  he  made  that 
client's  cause  his  own  and  prepared  it  for 
presentation  with  greatest  care,  omitting 
no  detail.  Learned  in  the  law  and  skill- 
ful in  its  application,  his  ability  to  analyze 
a  case  and  marshal  his  facts  and  argu- 
ments in  a  logical  forceful  form  rendered 
him  most  effective  as  an  advocate  before  a 
jury. 

In  1876  he  was  elected  probate  judge 
for  the  Southington  district,  and  was  also 
judge  of  the  Southington  town  court  from 
the  time  the  court  was  instituted  until  his 
election  as  attorney  general.  In  1893  he 
was  elected  treasurer  of  the  Hartford 
Company,  serving  until  1908,  also  serving 
as  State  Senator,  elected  from  the  Second 
District.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Consti- 
tutional Convention  of  1902,  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  in  1905  and  speaker  of 
the  House,  also  serving  on  many  State 
commissions  at  different  times.  In  1907 
he  was  elected  attorney  general  of  the 
State,  his  plurality  being  21,000  votes.  He 
served  in  that  office  until  loio,  then  was 


appointed  a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 
In  1914,  having  reached  the  age  limit  of 
seventy  years  fixed  by  law,  he  was  re- 
tired. In  November,  1914,  he  was  elected 
Governor  of  the  State,  and  in  1916  was  re- 
elected as  Governor,  an  office  that  he  is 
eminently  qualified  for  and  most  honor- 
ably tills,  his  long  experience  in  public 
aft'airs,  added  to  executive  ability  of  the 
highest  order,  giving  him  perfect  control 
over  every  detail  of  his  high  office.  Digni- 
fied, imposing  and  courtly,  he  is  the  ideal 
of  a  chief  executive,  impressing  all  with 
whom  he  comes  in  contact  as  perfectly 
fitted  for  the  office  he  holds.  Of  all  the 
Governors  Connecticut  has  had  in  recent 
years  no  man  has  been  so  absolutely  in- 
dependent of  the  machine  in  making  his 
selections  for  office  as  Governor  Holcomb. 
\\'orthy  Democrats  have  faired  as  well  as 
Republicans,  which  fact  made  some  of 
the  latter  discontented,  but  the  State  did 
not  suffer  and  practical  civil  service  has 
been  maintained  despite  the  sorrows  of 
those  who  fret  over  the  halt  given  to  a 
brand  too  often  theoretic. 

It  is  significant  that  during  the  last 
weeks  of  January,  1916,  attention  was 
called  to  Governor  Holcomb's  attitude 
towards  a  renomination,  as  defined  by 
Governor  Holcomb  himself,  and  not  as 
an  inference  from  his  language  by  others 
who  cannot  be  considered  as  entirely  dis- 
interested. It  will  be  remembered  that 
Governor  Holcomb  said  two  years  previ- 
ous that  he  had  no  ambition  to  be  Gov- 
ernor and  that  as  between  retirement  to 
private  life,  when  he  left  the  bench  on 
his  reaching  the  age  limit  of  seventy 
years,  and  election  to  the  office  of  Gov- 
ernor, he  preferred  the  home  life.  But  in 
spite  of  that  declaration  he  was  nomi- 
nated in  the  belief  that  he  could  do  more 
than  any  other  candidate  to  save  the  party 
from  defeat.  History,  including  political 
history,   has   a   habit  of   repeating  itself. 


10 


:rL<u^l    >J    ^ 


ExNCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Judge  Holcomb  was  nominated  against 
his  expressed  wishes  and  he  yielded  his 
wishes  to  the  call  of  his  party  when  he 
accepted  the  nomination.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  leaders  of  the  Republican 
party  gave  an  unwilling  assent  to  the 
proposition  to  nominate  him.  He  was 
not  their  choice  and  he  is  not  their  choice 
for  another  term.  He  was  in  political 
sympathy  with  the  Republican  party,  but 
not  in  partisan  accord  with  the  managers. 
The  fact  is  the  machine  permitted  the 
nomination  of  Governor  Holcomb  in  1914 
because  he  was  the  most  available  man 
and  not  because  they  preferred  him  to 
others  whose  candidacies  appealed  with 
greater  force  to  their  sympathies.  The 
people  of  Connecticut  always  show  their 
inherent  regard  for  law  by  confidence  in 
the  administrators  of  it.  Judge  Holcomb 
was  on  the  bench  giving  satisfaction  as 
judge,  and  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of 
the  State  in  his  integrity.  It  was  to 
secure  for  their  party  the  advantage  of 
this  popular  confidence  that  the  Republi- 
can leaders  nominated  him.  Fear  of  de- 
feat prevented  the  selection  of  the  ma- 
chine favorite.  Until  1888  Governor  Hol- 
comb was  identified  with  the  Democratic 
party,  but  in  that  j-ear  he  transferred  his 
allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  be- 
lieving it  more  in  accord  with  economic 
principles  which  he  deems  better  for  the 
interests  of  the  nation,  since  that  year  he 
has  stood  squarely  with  the  party  and  is 
one  of  its  strongest  advocates. 

He  has  not  confined  his  activities  to 
strictly  professional  or  political  lines,  but 
his  capacity  for  large  afifairs  has  been 
recognized  in  the  management  of  corpo- 
rations, financial  and  commercial.  Among 
such  the  more  important  are:  The  South- 
ington  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  is  presi- 
dent;  the  Southington  National  Bank, 
Southington  Hardware  Company,  the 
Peck  Slow  and  Wilcox  Company,  and  the 


Aetna  Nut  Company,  all  of  which  he 
serves  as  director. 

He  is  past  master  of  Northern  Star 
Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons ;  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  of 
the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  a 
Noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  a  Knight  of 
Pythias,  an  Elk,  a  Red  Man,  an  American 
Alechanic  and  a  Forester.  He  has  been 
chairman  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  of  Southington,  and 
for  thirty  years  was  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school.  His  religion  is  of 
the  practical  kind  that  finds  its  expression 
in  the  practice  of  the  Golden  Rule  rather 
than  in  creed  distinctions. 

He  married,  in  1872,  Sarah  Carpenter 
Bennett,  who  died  in  1901. 

So  a  long  life  has  been  passed,  that 
since  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  1871  has 
been  lived  in  the  public  eye.  There  is 
nothing  in  his  official  life  as  it  is  reviewed 
by  his  constituents  that  causes  them  to 
regret  the  trust  they  have  reposed  in  him, 
on  the  contrary  the  last  public  expression 
of  their  approval  is  of  such  recent  occur- 
rence that  it  leads  to  the  belief  that  did 
not  the  law  forbid  they  would  gladly  re- 
tain his  services.  On  his  part  Governor 
Holcomb  can  indulge  in  a  retrospective 
view  with  great  satisfaction,  knowing  he 
has  been  true  to  his  obligations,  faithful 
in  the  performance  of  every  duty,  true  to 
his  own  conscience  and  true  to  those  who 
have  trusted  him. 


SMITH,  Edward  Wier,  M.  D., 
Physician,  Snrgeon. 

For  thirty-five  years  Dr.  Smith  has 
practiced  his  profession  in  the  city  of 
Meriden,  Connecticut,  and  there  has  again 
disproved  the  old  saying  that  "a  prophet 
is  not  without  honor  save  in  his  own 
country,"  for  he  has  risen  in  his  native 
city  to  the  highest  professional  standing. 


II 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Next  to  his  affection  for  Meriden,  a  city 
sacred  in  its  associations,  is  his  deep  in- 
terest in  Yale,  an  institution  which  was 
long  the  goal  of  his  ho{)es  and  which  later 
became  his  alma  mater.  Circumstance  de- 
creed that  his  professional  education 
should  be  obtained  elsewhere,  but  Yale 
Medical  School  was  his  choice  and  one 
year  was  spent  there.  His  A.  B.  came 
from  Yale,  and  in  the  athletic  records 
of  the  university  his  name  appears  as  a 
member  of  the  varsity  baseball  team  of 
1876-77-78-79. 

Dr.  Smith  is  a  descendant  of  James 
Smith,  born  in  England,  who  came  to  the 
Massachusetts  Bay  Colony  before  1639, 
as  in  that  year  he  was  a  proprietor  of 
Weymouth.  The  line  of  descent  is 
through  his  son,  Nathaniel  Smith,  born 
in  Weymouth  in  1639;  his  son,  Nathaniel 
(2)  Smith,  who  moved  to  Hartford.  Con- 
necticut, and  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
of  Litchfield;  his  son,  Jacob  Smith,  a 
lieutenant  of  the  Revolution ;  his  son, 
David  Smith,  born  at  the  Litchfield  home- 
stead ;  his  son,  David  (2)  Smith,  father 
of  Dr.  Edward  Wier  Smith. 

David  (2)  Smith  was  born  in  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  April  16,  1822,  died  in  Meri- 
den.  May  28,  1902.  He  learned  the  stone- 
mason's trade,  and  lived  at  Litchfield  un- 
til 1854,  when  he  moved  to  Meriden, 
which  city  was  his  home  for  half  a  cen- 
tury. He  conducted  a  successful  con- 
tracting business  until  the  years  grew 
heavy,  then  retired  after  a  long,  active 
and  honorable  life.  He  was  a  Republican 
in  politics,  a  member  of  the  First  Con- 
gregational Church,  and  an  ardent  sup- 
porter of  the  temperance  cause.  He  mar- 
ried, November  22,  1848,  Fidelia  Parker, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Ruth  (Hull) 
Parker,  of  Meriden,  granddaughter  of 
Jesse  Hull,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and 
his  wife.  Hannah  (Preston)  Hull,  daugh- 
ter  of    Sergeant   Jehiel     Preston,    also   a 


Revolutionary  soldier.  On  November  22, 
1898,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  celebrated  the 
golden  anniversary  of  their  wedding  day 
and  four  years  more  they  journeyed  life's 
pathway  together  ere  the  bond  was 
broken  by  the  death  of  her  husband. 
Mrs.  Smith  survived  him  until  December 
6,  1905.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
daughters  and  two  sons :  Nettie,  married 
Julius  Augur,  of  Meriden ;  Frank  D.,  of 
Meriden ;  Edward  Wier,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Ella  Isabel,  of  Meriden ;  Jennie  I., 
of  Meriden ;  Frances  E.,  died  October  27. 
1898. 

Dr.  Edward  Wier  Smith  was  born  in 
Meriden,  October  17.  1854,  and  there  yet 
resides.  After  completing  public  school 
courses  in  Meriden,  he  prepared  at  Hop- 
kins' Grammar  School  in  New  Haven, 
and  in  1874  entered  Yale  University, 
whence  he  was  graduated  A.  B.,  class  of 
'78,  a  member  of  that  class  being  William 
H.  Taft.  later  President  of  the  United 
States.  He  attained  class  distinction  at 
Yale,  took  a  lively  interest  in  athletics, 
was  a  member  of  the  varsity  baseball 
team  and  prominent  in  other  phases  of 
university  life.  Having  decided  upon  the 
medical  profession,  he  again  chose  Yale 
and  for  a  year  was  a  student  in  the  medi- 
cal department.  His  study  was  inter- 
rupted by  circumstances  beyond  his  con- 
trol, and  another  year  was  spent  in  teach- 
ing. He  then  resumed  study  in  the  medi- 
cal department  of  McGill  University, 
Montreal,  Canada,  and  two  years  later,  in 
1882,  was  graduated  wtih  the  degree  of 
M.  D.  Ten  years  later  he  supplemented 
his  study  by  a  course  at  the  Post-Gradu- 
ate Medical  School,  New  York  City.  After 
graduating  from  McGill  University  in 
1882,  Dr.  Smith  located  in  Meriden,  be- 
gan practice,  and  has  won  high  standing 
as  an  honorable,  skillful  physician  and 
surgeon,  his  clientele  large  and  influential. 
He  is  senior  member  of  the  medical  and 


12 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


surgical  staffs  of  Meriden  Hospital,  is  an 
honored  fellow  of  the  American  College 
of  Surgeons,  member  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Medicine,  the  American 
Medical  Association,  Connecticut  State 
Medical  Society,  and  ex-president  of  the 
New  Haven  County  Medical  Society.  His 
interest  is  deep  in  all  that  pertains  to  his 
profession,  and  no  advance  in  treatment 
or  method  is  allowed  to  pass  without  its 
virtues  being  closely  tested.  He  is  held 
in  high  regard  by  his  professional  brethren 
and  is  constantly  sought  in  consultation. 
In  the  medical  societies  named  he  holds 
honorable  rank,  his  election  as  a  fellow 
of  the  American  College  of  Surgeons 
coming  as  well  deserved  appreciation 
from  that  distinguished  body  of  surgeons. 
In  Free  Masonry  Dr.  Smith  holds  all  de- 
grees of  the  York  and  Scottish  rites  up 
to  and  including  the  thirty-second.  He  is 
a  master  mason  of  Meriden  Lodge.  No. 
JJ,  a  Companion  of  Keystone  Chapter, 
a  Sir  Knight  of  St.  Elmo  Commandery, 
of  the  York  Rite,  and  belongs  to  all  bodies 
of  Lafayette  Consistory,  Ancient  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite.  Through  his  Revo- 
lutionary ancestors  he  has  gained  admis- 
sion to  the  patriotic  order,  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution ;  is  a  Republican 
in  politics,  and  a  member  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church. 

Dr.  Smith  married,  October  14,  1885, 
Helen  B.  Caldwell  Rice,  of  Meriden, 
daughter  of  Oliver  and  Abbie  C.  (Cald- 
well) Rice,  her  mother  a  daughter  of  Cap- 
tain John  Caldwell,  of  Ipswich,  Massa- 
chusetts, of  Welsh  ancestry,  and  his  wife, 
Eunice  (Stanwood)  Caldwell,  daughter  of 
Isaac  and  Eunice  (Hodgkins)  Stanwood. 
Oliver  Rice  was  a  descendant  of  Robert 
Royce,  who  was  made  a  freeman  of  Bos- 
ton in  1634,  but  later  came  to  Connecticut, 
living  in  Stratford  and  Ne.w  London.  His 
son,  Samuel  Royce,  settled  with  his  sons 
at  Wallingford,  where  he  died  in  171 1. 
He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Samuel  (2) 


Royce,  and  he  by  his  son,  Ezekiel  Royce, 
a  farmer,  large  landowner  and  officer  in 
the  French  and  Indian  War.  His  com- 
mission as  lieutenant  was  derived  from 
King  George  II.  and  is  one  of  the  oldest 
documents  preserved  in  the  State.  He 
died  September  4,  1765,  aged  sixty-six. 
His  son,  Ezekiel  (2)  Royce,  was  born  on 
the  homestead  in  Wallingford,  October 
15,  1739,  became  a  large  landed  proprietor 
and  a  well  known  citizen.  He  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  fought  at  Lex- 
ington, Bunker  Hill  and  Long  Island,  and 
all  through  the  struggle  for  liberty  bore 
an  active  part.  He  died  September  3, 
1808.  He  married  Lydia  Hough,  and  was 
succeeded  on  the  homestead  by  his  son, 
Ezekiel  (3)  Rice  (modern  spelling),  born 
October  8,  1777,  died  September  14,  1849, 
a  farmer  all  his  life.  He  married  (second) 
Bethiah,  widow  of  Dr.  Theophilus  Hall. 
Oliver  Rice,  son  of  Ezekiel  (3)  Rice,  was 
born  in  the  Rice  homestead  in  the  Han- 
over district  of  Windsor,  November  17, 
1819,  died  February  26,  1886.  After  a 
brief  period  spent  in  Ohio,  he  returned  to 
the  old  home  and  there  spent  his  life,  a 
farmer  and  a  citizen  highly  esteemed.  He 
married,  August  27,  1846,  Abbie  C.  Cald- 
well, a  lady  of  rare  culture  and  refinement. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and 
two  daughters,  the  younger,  Helen  B. 
Caldwell  Rice,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Edward 
W.  Smith. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  a  daughter, 
Marion  Rice  Smith,  and  a  son.  David 
Parker  Smith,  born  May  7,  1889,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Yale,  A.  B.,  class  of  1910,  Yale 
Medical  School,  M.  D.,  1912,  married 
Evelyn  Lewis,  and  has  a  son,  Edward 
Rice  Smith. 


SMITH,  Frank  Daniel, 

Merchant,   Financier. 

The  ancestry  of   Frank  D.  Smith   ap- 
pears   in    the    preceding    sketch    of     his 


13 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


brother,  Dr.  E.  W.  Smith.  It  is  sufficient 
to  say  here  that  the  promise  of  a  worthy 
ancestry  has  been  fulfilled  in  the  life  of 
Mr.  Smith,  who  has  been  a  useful  and 
successful  citizen  of  Meriden  throughout 
his  active  life. 

He  was  born  July  22,  1852,  at  Litch- 
field, Connecticut,  son  of  David  and  Fi- 
delia (Parker)  Smith,  and  was  about  two 
years  of  age  when  his  parents  removed  to 
Meriden,  where  they  settled,  and  where 
the  son  has  made  his  home  and  achieved 
a  high  standing  while  gaining  success  in 
business.  The  public  schools  of  his  day 
furnished  him  with  a  meagre  education, 
and  when  sixteen  years  of  age  he  set  out 
to  make  his  way  in  the  great  commercial 
world.  His  first  employment  was  with 
the  firm  of  Bowditch  &  Company,  furni- 
ture dealers  of  Meriden,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained nearly  ten  years,  during  which 
time,  by  diligent  attention  and  industry, 
he  was  enabled  to  master  all  the  details  of 
the  business  as  conducted  by  that  firm. 
In  1878  the  firm  was  dissolved,  and  Mr. 
Smith  associated  with  himself  Mr.  J.  C. 
Twitchell,  and  they  took  over  the  busi- 
ness, under  the  firm  name  of  F.  D.  Smith 
&  Company.  After  some  years  of  very 
successful  trade,  the  name  of  the  firm  was 
changed  to  Smith  &  Twitchell,  and  the 
partnership  continued  twenty  years.  At 
the  end  of  that  time,  in  1898,  Mr.  Smith 
purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner,  and 
continued  the  business  under  his  own 
name  until  his  retirement  from  active  life 
in  1913,  the  business  now  being  conducted 
by  his  son-in-law,  William  E.  Graham. 
Besides  building  up  a  large  business  in 
Meriden,  Mr.  Smith  extended  his  interests 
by  investment  elsewhere,  and  is  now 
president  of  the  Smith,  Tompkins  Com- 
pany, house  furnishers  of  Torrington, 
Connecticut.  He  is  also  a  director  of  the 
Puritan  Trust  Company,  and  trustee  of 
the   Meriden   Savings   Bank   of  Meriden. 


Mr.  Smith  has  ever  been  active  in  pro- 
moting the  social  life  of  the  community, 
and  has  been  very  active  in  the  fraternity 
of  Free  Masons,  in  which  he  has  acquired 
all  the  degrees  of  the  York  and  Scottish 
rites  up  to  and  including  the  thirty-sec- 
ond degree.  He  is  a  master  Mason  of 
Meriden  Lodge,  No.  ~j,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons ;  a  companion  of  Key- 
stone Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  a 
sir  knight  of  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  of 
the  York  Rite ;  and  is  affiliated  with  all 
the  bodies  of  Lafayette  Consistory,  An- 
cient Accepted  Scottish  Rite.  Through 
his  Revolutionary  ancestors  he  has  gained 
admission  to  the  patriotic  order.  Sons  of 
the  American  Revolution,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Colonial  Club  of  Meriden.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  of  Meriden,  and  is  one  of  the 
active  and  progressive  supporters  of  the 
Republican  party  in  political  matters.  He 
is  popular  among  his  associates,  and  en- 
joys the  friendship  of  a  wide  sphere  of 
acquaintances. 

Mr.  Smith  married  (first)  October  12, 
1875,  Florence  J.  Powers,  born  October 
31,  1856,  daughter  of  Luther  A.  and  Libbie 
J.  (Clark)  Powers,  of  Meriden.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Smith  are  the  parents  of  a  daughter. 
Edna  W.,  now  the  wife  of  William  E. 
Graham,  and  the  mother  of  a  daughter, 
Lorraine  S.  Graham.  Mrs.  Florence  J. 
Smith  died  September  29,  1909.  Mr. 
Smith  married  (second)  June  25,  1911, 
Mrs.  Ida  Booth  Wilcox,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam M.  and  Lois  W.  (Hall)  Booth. 


OAKEY,  Peter  Davis, 

Congressman, 

The  career  of  the  Hon.  Peter  Davis 
Oakey,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  has 
been  a  most  varied  and  successful  one, 
and  exhibits  a  noteworthy  union  of  char- 
acteristics and  abilities,  the  factors  in  a 


14 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


personality  at  present  exerting  a  marked 
influence  upon  tlie  public  life  of  the  com- 
munity. Although  not  a  native  of  Hart- 
ford, Mr.  Oakey  has  resided  in  that  city 
for  upwards  of  thirty  years  and  identified 
himself  most  closely  with  every  depart- 
ment of  its  life. 

The  Oakey  family  is  of  Huguenot  ori- 
gin, and  was  founded  in  this  country  by 
two  brothers  who  came  to  the  American 
colonies,  as  did  thousands  of  their  co-re- 
ligionists, to  escape  the  oppression  which 
they  suffered  at  home  following  the  revo- 
cation of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  by  Louis 
XIV.  The  name  was  spelled  differently 
in  those  days,  the  form  used  by  the 
brothers  being  Oukey,  apparently.  The 
records  of  these  progenitors  of  the  Ameri- 
can Oakeys  are  very  meagre,  their  first 
names  even  being  unknown.  It  is  known, 
however,  that  one  of  them  settled  on 
Long  Island  and  that  he  was  the  ancestor 
of  Oakey  Hall,  while  the  other  made  his 
way  to  Albany,  New  York,  and  from 
there  to  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey. 
This  brother  was  the  great-grandfather 
of  Peter  D.  Oakey  and  it  has  come  down 
as  a  tradition  that  he  served  for  six 
months  in  the  Revolutionary  army  as  a 
drummer  boy.  This  the  present  genera- 
tion has  from  Philip  Oakey,  a  son  of  the 
gentleman  in  question,  who  told  it  di- 
rectly to  his  grandson,  Peter  Davis 
Oakey.  An  exhaustive  search  of  the 
records  of  that  time,  however,  fails  to  dis- 
close anything  of  the  sort  but  it  is  be- 
lieved that  this  may  be  explained  by  the 
fact  that  he  was  so  young  at  the  time  of 
service  that  his  enlistment  was  somewhat 
irregular  and  that  no  entry  of  any  sort 
was  made  of  it.  However  this  may  be, 
there  is  no  doubt  that  he  lived  most  of 
his  life  in  the  New  Jersey  town  of  New 
Brunswick,  and  was  prominent  in  the  life 
of  the  community.  With  the  next  gener- 
ation all  the  uncertainty  vanishes,  how- 


ever, and  the  life  and  career  of  Philip 
Oakey  is  recorded  in  detail. 

He  was  born  in  Albany,  New  York, 
but  accompanied  his  father  when  a  mere 
child  to  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  and 
there  grew  to  manhood.  He  learned  the 
trade  of  cabinet  maker  and  followed  that 
occupation  for  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
He  was  married  to  a  Miss  DeMott,  and 
died  about  1864. 

His  son,  John  L.  Oakey,  was  a  native 
of  New  Brunswick,  New  Jedsey,  where 
he  was  born  about  1837,  and  lived  to  the 
age  of  sixty-three  years.  He  was  a  man 
of  considerable  enterprise  and  carried  on 
a  number  of  separate  occupations,  rising 
to  a  position  of  prominence  in  the  com- 
munity. He  was  educated  in  the  local 
public  schools,  and  later  in  life  became  a 
farmer.  He  also  engaged  in  a  mercantile 
venture  and  owned  a  mill  which  he  oper- 
ated successfully.  He  entered  politics 
while  still  a  young  man,  and  eventually 
became  a  power  in  local  affairs  and  repre- 
sented his  district  in  the  New  Jersey  Leg- 
islature, in  1880.  He  was  married  to 
Sarah  E.  Wilson,  of  Millstone,  New  Jer- 
sey, a  daughter  of  John  Wilson,  of  that 
place,  and  to  them  were  born  three  chil- 
dren as  follows :  John  W.,  now  deceased ; 
Peter  Davis,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  : 
and  Ella  C,  now  Mrs.  John  Remsen,  of 
Millstone. 

Peter  Davis  Oakey  was  born  February 
25,  i860,  at  Millstone,  Somerset  county, 
New  Jersey.  He  received  his  name  from 
his  paternal  uncle,  the  Rev.  Peter  Davis 
Oakey,  a  graduate  of  Rutgers  College, 
and  a  Presbyterian  clergyman  who  was 
located  for  some  thirty  years  at  Jamaica, 
Long  Island.  His  nephew,  the  Mr.  Oakey 
with  whom  we  are  concerned,  passed  the 
early  years  of  his  life  in  his  native  place, 
engaged  in  the  characteristic  occupations 
and  pastimes  of  childhood,  chief  among 
the  former  being  the  acquirement  of  an 


15 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


education.  This  he  obtained  at  the  local 
public  schools,  and  upon  completing  it 
engaged  in  the  milling  business  with  his 
father  until  the  year  1882.  He  was  then 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  about  the 
same  time  his  father  purchased  a  large 
farm  in  the  eastern  part  of  Maryland  on 
the  coast.  This  the  young  man  and  his 
brother  were  put  in  charge  of  and  re- 
mained upon  it  for  about  two  years,  bring- 
ing it  to  a  state  of  cultivation.  Mr.  Oakey 
then  returned  to  New  Jersey  and  there 
occupied  himself  upon  the  family  farm 
until  the  year  1886.  The  young  man, 
however,  was  ambitious  to  take  part  in 
the  affairs  of  a  larger  community  than 
that  of  the  rural  region  of  his  birth,  and 
accordingly  sought  a  connection  with 
some  mercantile  concern.  In  this  he  was 
successful,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-six 
years  was  given  charge  of  the  New  Eng- 
land branch  of  the  Mapes  Fertilizer  Com- 
pany, coming  to  Hartford  to  establish  his 
headquarters.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
his  long  and  close  association  with  that 
city  in  business  and  politics,  and  from 
that  time  it  became  his  permanent  home. 
The  post  was  a  most  responsible  one  for 
a  man  of  Mr.  Oakey's  years,  the  Mapes 
concern  being  one  of  the  largest  in  that 
line  of  business  in  the  country,  but  he 
proved  himself  fully  equal  to  the  task  and 
remained  in  charge  for  five  years,  de- 
veloping the  business  in  his  territory  to 
great  proportions.  So  successful  was  he 
that  the  attention  of  other  mercantile 
concerns  were  drawn  to  him,  and  in  1891 
he  was  offered  the  managership  of  the 
Hartford  Lavine  Company,  which  he  ac- 
cepted and  continued  to  hold  until  that 
large  business  was  sold  four  years  later. 
It  was  at  this  time  that  Mr.  Oakey  en- 
tered an  entirely  different  line  of  busi- 
ness, which  eventually  proved  the  door 
through  which  he  entered  politics.  He 
had  considerable  ability  as  a  writer  and 


secured  a  position  with  the  Hartforc 
"Courant,"  which  he  held  four  years.  This 
work  threw  him  into  contact  with  gov- 
ernment circles  to  a  great  extent,  and  iii 
1895  he  was  appointed  city  collector.  He 
held  this  position  for  three  years,  until 
1898,  when  he  became  city  assessor. 

In  taking  the  step  from  business  mto 
politics,  Mr.  Oakey  may  be  said  to  have 
found  the  proper  department  for  his 
talents.  Successful  as  he  was  in  his 
former  field,  it  was  here  that  he  really 
was  at  home.  From  early  youth  he  had 
always  had  a  keen  interest  in  the  conduct 
of  public  affairs,  and  was  a  staunch  sup- 
porter of  the  principles  and  policies  of  the 
Republican  party.  His  activity  and  ability 
soon  made  him  a  leader  in  the  local  coun- 
cils of  his  party,  and  in  1914  he  became 
the  candidate  for  Congress  from  the  First 
District  of  Connecticut.  In  the  campaign 
which  followed  he  was  a  most  effective 
exponent  of  the  issues  that  his  party  stood 
for  and  was  successfully  elected.  On  the 
fourth  of  March  he  resigned  from  the 
assessorship  of  Hartford,  an  office  he  had 
held  for  seventeen  years,  to  take  his  seat 
in  the  august  body  to  which  he  had  been 
elected.  Mr.  Oakey's  record  in  Congress 
is  a  most  creditable  one,  and  he  is  even 
now  performing  an  invaluable  service  to 
his  constituency,  to  his  party,  and  to  the 
community-at-large.  His  first  speech  in 
the  House  was  well  received  by  membtrs 
of  his  own  party,  who  called  for  an  x- 
tension  of  his  time  when  the  limit  fixed 
for  that  occasion  (four  minutes)  had  "x- 
pired.  The  speech  was  on  the  ShacHe- 
ford  federal  highway  bill,  which  was  op- 
posed by  Mr.  Oakey  on  the  general 
ground  that  those  who  have  already  s.ip- 
plied  themselves  with  good  roads  at  tleir 
own  cost  should  not  be  compelled  to 
build  roads  for  others  who  have  neglected, 
or  been  unable,  to  do  the  same.  Perh  'ps 
he  did  not  make  sufficient  distinction    )e- 


16 


THE  NE\v  YORK 

PUBLIC  library! 

ASTOR.    LENOX 
TILDEN    fCJi.DAT... 


^^s^..,^^?-^^'.:^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tween  neglect  and  inability,  but  he  made 
plain  the  progress  that  had  been  accom- 
plished in  his  own  State  in  road  building. 
The  following  are  extracts  therefrom:  "I 
am  not  particularly  concerned  that  this 
bill  is  reputed  to  be  a  plank  in  the  Balti- 
more platform,  for  that  somewhat  re- 
markable document  has  already  been  rele- 
gated to  the  realm  of  political  action  by 
executive  order."  He  declared  himself 
little  interested  in  the  constitutionality  of 
the  proposition,  because,  in  his  own 
words :  "In  the  first  place  I  do  not  know 
whether  it  is  constitutional  or  not,  and  in 
the  second  place,  that  ancient  document 
has  become  irrelevant  among  friends."  "I 
do  not  believe  that  her  (Connecticut's) 
taxpayers  who  now  feel  in  some  sense  the 
burden  of  home,  State  or  local  road  im- 
provements will  feel  kindly  in  being  taxed 
for  the  rural  highways  of  those  which  have 
not  taken,  or  do  not  seem  inclined  to  take, 
the  initiative  in  this  great  improvement." 
Besides  his  more  special  activities  Mr. 
Oakey  has  been  a  conspicuous  participant 
in  the  general  life  of  the  community,  espe- 
cially in  social  and  club  circles.  He  is  a 
member  of  Lafayette  Lodge,  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut ;      Consistory,     Knights 

Templar;  and  the  Sphinx  Temple,  An- 
cient Arabic  Order  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks 
and  an  ex-ruler  of  Hartford  Lodge  there- 
of, also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  For- 
esters. Besides  these  orders,  Mr.  Oakey 
is  a  member  of  many  prominent  clubs, 
among  which  should  be  mentioned  the 
Hartford  Club,  the  Republican  Club  of 
Hartford,  the  Thames  Club  and  the  Union 
League  Club  of  New  Haven,  and  the  Na- 
tional Press  Club  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
He  is  a  Presbyterian  in  religion,  and  a 
prominent  member  of  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Hartford. 

Conn— S~2  jy 


Mr.  Oakey  married  Mrs.  Ada  H.  Garde, 
the  widow  of  William  H.  Garde. 

A  career  as  brilliant  as  that  of  Mr. 
Oakey,  which  has  resulted  in  his  reach- 
ing a  place  so  high  in  the  trust  of  the 
people  at  an  age  when  his  powers  are  at 
their  zenith,  certainly  holds  forth  a  most 
tempting  prospect  to  him  for  the  future, 
and  to  the  community  the  promise  of 
faithful  and  effective  service  in  ever 
higher   and   more    responsible   capacities. 


BILL,  William  Coe, 

Manufacturer  and  Importer. 

The  Bill  family  of  England  has  an  an- 
cient and  honorable  record,  extending 
back  almost  to  the  beginning  of  the  use 
of  surnames  in  that  country.  The  name 
means  a  kind  of  weapon,  and  the  progeni- 
tor doubtless  took  his  surname  from  his 
occupation  in  war,  a  bill-man.  A  bill  was 
a  kind  of  battle-ax.  The  family  came 
originally  from  Denmark,  according  to 
the  best  authority  and  located  in  Shrop- 
shire, England,  where  for  some  five  cen- 
turies it  has  been  numerous  and  promi- 
nent, and  also  in  Wiltshire  and  Stafford- 
shire. Dr.  Thomas  Bill,  born  1490,  a 
prominent  physician,  was  an  attendant  of 
Princess  Elizabeth.  John  Bill,  born  1576, 
was  a  well-known  publisher  of  London, 
"publisher  to  King  James  I.,  Alost  Ex- 
cellent Majestic"  in  1613,  and  one  of  the 
first  books  that  he  published  was  written 
by  the  king.  After  he  received  his  royal 
license  his  place  of  business  became 
known  as  Printing  House  Square,  by 
which  it  is  still  known.  John  Bill  mar- 
ried Anne  Mountford,  authoress  of  a  book 
entitled  "Mirror  of  Modestie,"  published 
in  1621.  She  died  May  3,  1621,  aged  thir- 
ty-three years.  He  married  (second)  Joan 
Franklin,  of  Throwley,  County  Kent.  He 
made  his  will  in  1630;  was  buried  at  St. 
Anne's,  Blackfriars,  London.  He  left  a 
legacy  to  the  parish  of  Much  Wenlock, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


where  he  was  born.  Children  by  first 
wife :  John,  mentioned  below ;  Anne ; 
Charles,  who  succeeded  his  father  as  pub- 
lisher ;   Henry ;    Mary. 

The  Bill  coat-of-arms  is  described:  Er- 
mine two  wood-bills  (battle-axes)  sable 
with  long  handles  proper  in  saltire  a  chief 
azure,  a  pale  or,  charged  with  a  rose  gfules 
between  two  pelicans'  heads  erased  at  the 
neck,  argent.  There  was  a  William  Bill 
buried  at  Westminster  Abby  and  the 
coat-of-arms   are   engraved  on  his  tomb. 

(II)  John  (2)  Bill,  son  of  John  (i)  Bill, 
was  the  immigrant  ancestor,  according  to 
the  researches  of  the  author  of  the  Bill 
genealogy.  With  his  wife  Dorothy  he 
came  to  this  country  before  1635.  Their 
children,  John,  aged  thirteen,  and  Marie, 
aged  eleven  years,  came  to  Boston  in  1635, 
John  in  the  ship  "Hopewell'  and  Marie  in 
the  ship  "Planter."  John  Bill  died  in  1638, 
and  a  month  later  Richard  Tuttle  became 
responsible  to  the  town  for  Dorothy  Bill, 
widow,  "sojourner  at  his  house"  and  "for 
anything  about  her."  It  is  believed  that 
she  was  Tuttle's  sister.  From  John  Bill 
all  of  the  surname  in  this  country  are  de- 
scended. Children :  James,  born  in  Eng- 
land in  1615;  Thomas,  born  about  1618; 
Philip,  mentioned  below  ;  John,  born  1622  ; 
Mary,  1624. 

(III)  Philip  Bill,  son  of  John  (2)  Bill, 
■was  born  in  England  about  1620.  He 
lived  at  Pulling  Point  in  Boston,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  his  mother  Dorothy  and 
brother  James  also  settled.  He  moved 
to  Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  and  in  1667 
or  1668  to  New  London,  Connecticut, 
after  spending  some  months  visiting  rela- 
tives at  Pulling  Point.  He  settled  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Thames  river  in  that  part 
of  the  town  that  was  incorporated  as 
Groton,  in  1705,  and  became  the  owner 
of  a  large  amount  of  real  estate.  He  died 
July  8,  1689,  of  throat  distemper,  and  his 
daughter   Margaret   died   the   same   day. 


His  widow  Hannah  married  (second) 
Samuel  Buckland,  of  New  London,  and 
died  in  1709.  Children:  Philip,  born 
about  1659;  Mary,  about  1661 ;  Margaret, 
about  1663 ;  Samuel,  about  1665 ;  John, 
mentioned  below  ;  Elizabeth  ;  Jonathan, 
baptized  November  5,  1671  ;  Joshua,  born 
October  16,  1675. 

(IV)  John  (3)  Bill,  son  of  Philip  Bill, 
was  born  about  1667.  He  went  with  his 
father  to  New  London.  He  married  (first) 
Mercy  Fowler;  (second)  Hannah  Rust. 
He  finally  located  in  Lebanon,  and  was 
highway  surveyor  there.  He  died  in  1739. 
His  will  was  dated  April  21,  1736,  proved 
January  28,  1739.  Children:  John,  bap- 
tized December  16,  1696;  Abigail,  No- 
vember I,  1702;  born  at  Lebanon:  James, 
mentioned  below  ;   Laurana  ;   Benajah. 

(V)  Lieutenant  James  Bill,  son  of  John 
(3)  Bill,  was  born  at  Lebanon,  Connec- 
ticut, September  20,  1703,  and  died  No- 
vember 9,  1781  (gravestone).  He  mar- 
ried, in  1727,  Kezia  French,  daughter  of 
John  French.  He  resided  in  the  village 
of  Goshen,  part  of  Lebanon ;  was  high- 
way surveyor,  grand  juror.  He  and  his 
wife  quitclaimed  their  rights  in  land  of 
John  French  at  Norwich.  His  will  was 
dated  March  20,  1781,  proved  November 
27,  1781.  Her  will  was  dated  May  20, 
1783,  proved  March  13,  1786.  They  lived 
in  later  life  in  Exeter,  part  of  Lebanon. 
Their  gravestones  are  standing  in  the  old 
burial  ground  there.  Children :  Lurania, 
bom  August  29,  1728;  Amos;  Peleg, 
mentioned  below ;  James,  born  February 
20,  1736;  Oliver,  October  27,  1737;  Lucy; 
Kezia,  March  14,  1741-42;  Betty,  Septem- 
ber 5,  1746. 

(VI)  Peleg  Bill,  son  of  Lieutenant 
James  Bill,  was  born  in  Lebanon,  Con- 
necticut, January  8,  1733.  He  lived  in 
Colchester,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the 
French  and  Indian  War  in  the  campaign 
near  Lake  George,  and  presumably  died 


18 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  the  service.  His  widow  Jerusha  mar- 
ried Lemuel  Clark,  of  Mansfield,  Connec- 
ticut, March  9,  1763.  Children:  Jerusha, 
baptized  July  25,  1756;  Abiel,  mentioned 
below. 

(VII)  Abiel  Bill,  son  of  Peleg  Bill,  was 
born  at  Colchester,  Connecticut,  June  18, 
1758.  He  owned  land  in  Lebanon  and 
probably  lived  in  the  village  of  Exeter. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution  and 
in  1832  was  a  pensioner  on  account  of  his 
service.  (Page  655,  "Revolutionary  Rolls 
of  Connecticut.")  He  was  then  living  in 
New  London  county.  Children:  Chester; 
Peleg,  gave  deeds  of  land  to  William  Bliss 
in  1820;  Hosea,  mentioned  below;  daugh- 
ter. (See  p.  202,  "Bill  Genealogy"  for 
part  of  the  family.) 

(VIII)  Hosea  Bill,  son  of  Abiel  Bill, 
was  born  in  Exeter,  Connecticut,  part  of 
Lebanon.  He  was  a  scythe  manufacturer. 
He  married  Clarissa  Lyman,  who  died  at 
Colchester,  April  2,  1869,  aged  seventy- 
two  years.  Children :  William  H.,  men- 
tioned below  ;   Lydia  ;   Ruth. 

(IX)  William  H.  Bill,  son  of  Hosea 
Bill,  was  born  in  Exeter,  Connecticut,  a 
small  hamlet,  half-way  between  Columbia 
and  Hebron,  in  1826.  W^hen  a  young  man 
he  removed  to  New  London.  He  learned 
the  mason's  trade  and  followed  it  for 
many  years,  taking  contracts  and  making 
a  specialty  of  fancy  plastering  and  all 
kinds  of  brick-work,  both  interior  and  ex- 
terior, and  employing  a  number  of  men. 
About  1852  he  removed  to  Norwich,  and 
afterward  to  Hebron,  where  he  continued 
in  the  same  line  of  business.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Democrat ;  in  religion  a  Metho- 
dist. He  married  Elizabeth  Foote.  Chil- 
dren :  Erastus  F.,  born  at  New  London, 
September  3,  185 1  ;  Edward  Willis,  men- 
tioned below. 

(X)  Edward  Willis  Bill,  son  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Bill,  was  born  at  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut, June  16,  1854.     He  attended  the 


public  schools  in  Hebron  and  Bacon 
Academy  at  Colchester.  When  he  was 
about  eighteen  years  old,  he  left  home  and 
found  employment  as  clerk  in  a  hat  store 
in  Hartford.  Afterward  he  was  traveling 
salesman  for  George  H.  Clark  &  Com- 
pany, dealers  in  hats,  and  a  few  years 
later  was  admitted  a  partner  in  that  firm. 
The  firm  at  that  time  did  a  large  whole- 
sale and  jobbing  business  in  hats.  He 
finally  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  in  1884  he  removed  to  New  York 
City.  The  firm  of  Bill  &  Caldwell  was 
formed  November  15,  1886,  and  succeeded 
to  the  business  of  George  H.  Clark  & 
Company.  Mr.  Caldwell  died  January 
18,  1908,  and  a  year  later  Mr.  Bill  became 
the  sole  proprietor,  but  the  old  name  is 
retained.  Bill  &  Caldwell  are  importers 
of  men's  stiff,  soft  and  straw  hats,  with 
stores  at  Nos.  743-45  Broadway,  New 
York  City.  In  addition  to  the  importing 
business,  the  firm  has  in  recent  years 
manufactured  a  large  variety  of  hats.  The 
salesmen  of  the  firm  cover  the  entire 
country,  and  the  firm  is  the  largest  im- 
porters of  men's  hats  in  this  country.  Mr. 
Rill  is  a  Republican  in  politics.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Republican  Club  of  New 
York;  the  New  York  Athletic  Club,  the 
Merchants'  Association,  the  New  York 
Credit  Clearing  House,  and  of  various 
other  commercial  and  social  organiza- 
tions. He  is  a  communicant  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  church.  He  married, 
January  25,  1878,  Minnie  Agnes  Coe, 
daughter  of  William  Gilmore  and  Jeanette 
Todd  (Lee)  Coe  (see  Coe  XVII).  They 
had  one  son,  William  Coe,  mentioned  be- 
low. Minnie  Agnes  Coe  died  April  13, 
1917. 

(XI)  William  Coe  Bill,  son  of  Edward 
Willis  Bill,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, July  14,  1880.  He  was  educated 
in  Columbia  Institute,  New  York  City. 
After  leaving  school  he  was  for  one  year 


19 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGR.A.PHY 


a  clerk  in  a  retail  store  in  Winsted,  Con- 
necticut. He  then  entered  the  employ  of 
his  father's  firm,  as  traveling  salesman, 
and  continued  for  a  period  of  four  years. 
In  1903  he  started  in  business  on  his  own 
account  with  a  retail  hat  store  in  Hart- 
ford, and  has  conducted  it  with  great  suc- 
cess to  the  present  time.  In  1913  he 
opened  another  hat  store  at  Springfield, 
Massachusetts.  Besides  these  two  stores, 
he  has  an  interest  in  his  father's  business 
in  New  York,  the  firm  of  Bill  &  Caldwell. 
Mr.  Bill  served  for  twelve  years  in  the 
Governor's  Foot  Guard  and  retired  with 
the  rank  of  sergeant.  He  was  appointed 
by  the  mayor  of  Hartford  to  represent  the 
city  at  the  San  Francisco  Exposition  on 
Hartford  Day.  He  is  a  thirty-second  de- 
gree Mason,  having  taken  all  the  degrees 
in  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  is  a  member  of 
St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Alasons ;  of  Pythagoras 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Wolcott 
Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters ; 
Washington  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar ;  Sphinx  Temple,  Order  of  the  Mystic 

Shrine ;     Consistory,     Sovereign 

Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret.  He  is  also 
a  member  and  past  exalted  ruler  of  Hart- 
ford Lodge.  No.  19,  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks;  of  the  Hartford 
Club ;  the  Rotary  Club ;  the  Kinwanis 
Club ;  the  Nyassett  Club  of  Springfield ; 
the  Thames  Club  of  New  London ;  the 
New  York  Athletic  Club ;  Founders  and 
Patriots  Society,  and  Sons  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution. 

He  married,  August  5,  1913,  Marion 
Shirley,  daughter  of  Francis  B.  Cum- 
mings,  of  Hartford. 

(The  Coe  Line). 

The  English  ancestry  of  the  Coe  family 
has  been  traced  in  the  "Coe  Genealogy" 
by  J.  Gardner  Bartlett.  The  coat-of-arms 
is  described:  Argent,  three  piles  wavy 
meeting    near    the    base    gules,    between 


twelve  martlets  sable.  The  family  in  Eng- 
land descends  from  John  Coe,  of  Gesting- 
thorpe,  County  Essex,  who  was  probably 
born  in  Essex  about  1340,  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  III.,  a  prominent  man.  In  1412, 
then  about  seventy  years  old,  he  settled 
his  affairs,  leaving  a  large  part  of  his 
estate  to  found  the  Hawkwood  chantries. 
He  died  about  1415. 

(II)   John  (2)  Coe  or  Coo,  as  the  name 

was  spelled,  married  Eleanor .     He 

was  born  about  1375,  and  died  about  1425. 

(HI)  John  (3)  Coe,  son  of  John  (2) 
Coe  or  Coo,  was  born  about  1400,  and 
died  after  1448.  He  was  also  of  Gesting- 
thorpe. 

(IV)  Thomas  Coe,  son  of  John  (3) 
Coe,  was  born  about  1430,  and  died  about 

1507- 

(V)  John  (4)  Coe,  son  of  Thomas  Coe, 
was  born  about  1460;  his  will  was  proved 
in  1520.  He  was  of  Gestingthorpe ;  mar- 
ried Joane  Gelding,  daughter  of  Thomas 
Golding.  Children :  John,  the  elder,  of 
Gestinsjthorpe  ;  John,  the  younger  ;  Thom- 
as, of  Halstead,  County  Essex. 

(VI)  John  (5)  Coe,  the  younger,  son 
of  John  (4)  Coe,  was  of  Gestingthorpe, 
born  about   1495.  died  in   1533;    married 

Margaret  ,  who  married   (second) 

Richard  Garrard.  Children:  John,  the 
elder;  John,  the  younger. 

(VII)  John  (6)  Coe,  the  elder,  son  of 
John  (5)  Coe,  was  born  in  1523,  died  in 
1558;    lived  in   Maplestead  and  Wiston ; 

married     Dorothy   ,    who    married 

(second)  Robert  Turner,  and  (third) 
Oliver  Dixon.  Children  of  John  Coe: 
John,  Robert,  William,  Thomas,  Henry, 
mentioned  below. 

(VIII)  Henry  Coe,  son  of  John  (6) 
Coe,  was  born  in  1565,  and  died  in  1631. 
He    lived    at    Thorpe-Morieux ;    married 

Mary ,  who  died  in  1631.  Children: 

Robert,  mentioned  below ;  William,  born 
1598;  Thomas,  born  1601. 

(IX)  Robert  Coe,  the  American  immi- 


20 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


grant,  son  of  Henry  Coe,  was  born  at 
Thorpe-Morieux,  County  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land, and  baptized  there,  October  26,  1596. 
In  1625  he  was  living  at  Boxford,  County 
Suffolk,  whence  he  came  to  this  country 
in  1634.  He  was  elected  overseer  of  cloth 
at  Boxford,  April  18,  1625,  and  was  quest- 
man of  the  Boxford  church  in  1629.  He 
sailed  from  Ipswich,  County  Suffolk,  Eng- 
land, in  1634,  in  the  ship  "Francis"  with 
his  wife  and  children,  and  settled  at 
Watertown,  Massachusetts.  He  was  ad- 
mitted a  freeman,  September  3,  1634.  In 
June,  1635,  he  went  with  others  to  settle 
Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  being  dis- 
missed from  the  Watertown  church.  May 
29.  1635,  and  remained  there  about  five 
years.  In  November,  1640,  he  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  Stamford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  became  a  leading  citizen  ;  magis- 
trate ;  deputy  to  the  General  Court.  Later 
he  went  to  Hempstead,  Long  Island, 
where  he  was  elder  of  the  church,  living 
there  eight  years  ;  magistrate  there  under 
the  Dutch  government.  In  1652  he  lo- 
cated in  Newtown,  Long  Island,  and 
again  was  elder  of  the  church.  In  1653 
he  went  to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  as 
deputy  to  get  protection  from  the  In- 
dians, and  in  the  same  year  for  the  same 
purpose  to  New  Amsterdam.  In  1656  he 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  Jamaica,  Long 
Island,  and  in  1658  was  appointed  magis- 
trate there  by  the  Dutch  and  he  held  this 
office  until  1664.  In  1663  the  town  trans- 
ferred allegiance  from  the  Dutch  to  Con- 
necticut, and  in  May,  1664,  he  was  deputy 
to  the  General  Court  at  Hartford.  When 
the  English  captured  New  Amsterdam 
and  Jamaica  again  came  under  the  juris- 
diction of  that  colony,  Robert  Coe  was 
made  judge  of  the  Courts  of  Oyer  and 
Terminer,  1669,  and  high  sheriff  of  York- 
shire. He  died  about  1689,  aged  about 
ninety-two  years. 

He  married  (first)   in  England,  about 


1623,  Mary 


-,  mother  of  his  children, 


who  was  buried  October  27,  1628,  in  Box- 
ford, England.  He  married  (second)  April 
29.  1630,  in  Assington,  County  Suffolk, 
Hannah  Dearsley,  who  came  hither  with 
him.  He  married  (third)  (license  dated 
February  15,  1674-75)  Jane  Rouse,  widow 
of  Edward  Rouse,  and  formerly  widow  of 
John  Smith,  of  Taunton.  Children,  born 
in  Boxford :  John,  born  1625 ;  Robert, 
mentioned  below ;  Mary,  1627  ;  Benjamin, 
1628. 

(X)  Robert  (2)  Coe,  son  of  Robert  (i) 
Coe,  was  born  at  Boxford,  baptized  there 
September  19,  1626.  He  remained  in  Con- 
necticut when  the  remainder  of  the  family 
went  to  Long  Island  in  1644,  and  lived  at 
Stratford.  He  died  intestate  about  Sep- 
tember, 1659,  aged  thirty-three  years.  He 
married,  about  1650,  Hannah  Mitchell, 
who  was  baptized  at  Halifax,  Yorkshire, 
England,  June  26.  163 1,  daughter  of  Mat- 
thew and  Susan  (Butterfield)  Mitchell. 
She  came  to  this  country  with  her 
parents,  who  located  in  Wethersfield. 
She  married  (second)  Nicholas  Elsey.  of 
New  Haven,  and  died  there,  April  2,  1702. 
Children,  born  at  Stratford:  Hannah,  De- 
cember 14,  1651,  probably  died  young; 
Susanna,  August  16,  1653;  Sarah,  about 
April,  1656;  John,  mentioned  below. 

(XI)  Captain  John  (7)  Coe,  son  of 
Robert  (2)  Coe,  was  born  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  May  10,  1658.  He  lived  in 
New  Haven  with  his  mother  and  step- 
father until  he  came  of  age.  His  mother 
deeded  to  him  his  father's  estate  at  Strat- 
ford, and  in  1685  he  exchanged  the  home- 
stead for  another  lot  on  which  he  built  a 
house  and  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
The  house  has  been  in  the  family  for 
six  generations.  He  was  well-to-do  and 
prominent ;  a  farmer,  land  speculator,  mer- 
chant, miller  and  innkeeper.  He  held 
various  town  offices ;  commissioned  en- 
sign. May  25,  1698;    was  deputy  to  the 


21 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


General  Assembly  in  1701  and  1715;  lieu- 
tenant, May  20,  1706,  and  captain,  Octo- 
ber 13,  1709;  served  in  the  French  and 
Indian  War  in  1708.  His  will  was  dated 
January  29,  1740,  and  proved  May  5,  1741. 
He  married,  December  20,  1682,  Mary 
Hawley,  born  at  Stratford,  July  10,  1663, 
died  there  September  9,  1731,  daughter 
of  Lieutenant  Joseph  and  Catherine 
(Birdsey)  Hawley.  He  died  April  19, 
1 741.  Children,  born  at  Stratford:  Rob- 
ert, mentioned  below ;  Joseph,  February 
2,  1686-87;  Hannah,  April  14,  1689;  Mary, 
August  II,  1691  ;  John,  December  5,  1693; 
Sarah,  March  26,  1695 !  Ephraim,  Decem- 
ber 18,  1698:  Catherine,  September  23, 
17CO;  Abigail,  November  11,  1702;  Eben- 
ezer,  August  18,  1704. 

(XII)  Ensign  Robert  (3)  Coe,son  of  Cap- 
tain John  (7)  Coe,  was  born  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  September  21,  1684.  When 
he  came  of  age  his  father  gave  him  a 
tract  of  land  in  Durham,  of  which  he  was 
a  pioneer,  and  was  chosen  lister  of  the 
first  town  meeting;  commissioned  ensign, 
October,  1718.  In  1721  he  moved  to  what 
is  now  Middlefield,  Connecticut,  where  he 
lived  the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  died 
there,  February  2,  1762.  His  will  was 
dated  February  21,  1761.  proved  February 

20,  1762.  He  married,  December  21,  1708, 
Barbara  Parmalee,  born  in  Guilford.  June 
23,  1689.  daughter  of  Sergeant  John  and 
Mary  (Mason)  Parmalee.  She  died  in 
Bristol.  Connecticut,  September  26,  1774, 
aged  eighty-five  years.  Children,  second 
to  seventh  born  at  Durham,  eighth  to 
thirteenth  at  Middlefield :  John ;  Jona- 
than, mentioned  below ;    Martha,   March 

21,  1712-13:  Ebenezer,  August  21,  1715; 
Mary,  April  4  or  11,  171 7;  Robert,  June 
II,  1719;  Hannah,  April  12,  1721  ;  Robert, 
baptized  June  17,  1723;  Jedediah,  August 
4,  1725;  Thomas,  May  18,  1727;  Reuben, 
November  17,  1728;  William,  April  29, 
1730;  Rachel,  September  6,  1732. 


(XIII)  Jonathan  Coe,  son  of  Ensign 
Robert  (3)  Coe,  was  born  in  Durham. 
Connecticut,  about  February,  1710-11.  He 
bought  land  in  the  wilderness  in  what  is 
now  Torrington,  Connecticut,  and  became 
the  first  permanent  settler  there,  remain- 
ing until  1784,  when  he  went  to  Winches- 
ter, Connecticut,  where  he  spent  his  last 
jears,  and  died  April  23,  1795.  He  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  the  Torrington 
church  ;  deputy  to  the  Connecticut  As- 
sembly in  1762,  1764  and  1765.  He  mar- 
ried, September  23,  1737,  Elizabeth  Elmer, 
born  17x0,  died  June  28,  1794,  daughter  of 
Deacon  Jonathan  and  Mary  Elmer,  of 
Windsor.  Children,  born  at  Torrington : 
Oliver,  born  September  3,  1738;  Robert, 
March  28,  1740;  Jonathan,  mentioned  be- 
low; Elizabeth,  September  15,  1743;  Jeru- 
sha,  March  2"],  1746;  Martha,  January  15, 
1749;  Ebenezer,  December  2,  1750;  Lu- 
cretia,  June  9,   1755. 

(XIV)  Ensign  Jonathan  (2)  Coe,  son 
of  Jonathan  (i)  Coe,  was  born  at  Tor- 
rington, Connecticut,  August  20,  1742. 
He  bought  of  his  brother  Robert  a  farm 
at  Winchester,  whither  he  removed  and 
lived  until  1796.  when  he  settled  in  that 
part  of  the  town  now  Winsted.  and  died 
there  August  i,  1824.  He  was  the  founder 
of  Methodism  in  W^inchester.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolution,  ensign  in  Cap- 
tain John  Hill's  company,  in  New  York, 
1778  ;  also  on  a  committee  of  army  supply. 
He  married  (first)  April  15,  1767,  Eunice 
Cook,  born  March  5,  1746,  died  April  12, 
1818,  daughter  of  Deacon  John  and  Rachel 
(Wilson)  Cook,  of  Torrington.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  Sarah  (Cook)  Hurlburt, 
born  October  31,  1750,  sister  of  his  first 
wife.  Children  by  first  wife,  the  first  born 
at  Torrington.  the  others  in  Winchester: 
Lavinia,  February  11,  1768;  Jonathan, 
mentioned  below  ;  Eunice,  March  23, 1772  ; 
Roger,  July  27,  1774;  Rhoda.  March  27, 
1777;    Huldah,  January  3.   1779;    David. 


22 


T!;E   lilY 


Yi 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


February  ii,  1781 ;    Daniel,  February  2, 
1783;  Eben,  July  9,  1785. 

(XV)  Jonathan  (3)  Coe,  son  of  Ensign 
Jonathan  (2)  Coe,  was  born  in  Winches- 
ter, Connecticut,  March  23,  1770.  He  set- 
tled on  a  farm  in  Winsted  in  that  town, 
where  he  built  a  brick  house  on  what  is 
known  as  Meadowbrook  Farm,  and  lived 
there  to  the  end  of  his  life.  He  was  select- 
man, 1819  to  1825;  representative  in  the 
Legislature,  1822-23-25-28,  and  was  justice 
of  the  peace.  He  died  at  Winsted,  May 
31,  1849.  He  married  (first)  October  3, 
1792,  Charlotte  Spencer,  born  at  Say- 
brook,  April  4,  1773,  died  July  15,  1842, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Phebe  (Grin- 
nell)  Spencer,  and  a  descendant  of  John 
and  Priscilla  (Mullins)  Alden,  who  came 
in  the  "Mayflower."  He  married  (third) 
November  30,  1848,  Betsey  (Miller)  Wet- 
more,  of  Wolcottville,  Connecticut,  born 
a-t  Torrington,  November  8,  1770,  daugh- 
ter of  Ebenezer  and  Thankful  (Allin) 
Miller,  and  widow  of  Ebenezer  L.  Wet- 
inore.  She  died  September  18,  1850,  aged 
eighty  years.  Children,  born  at  Winches- 
ter: Jehiel,  mentioned  below  ;  Chloe,  born 
February  24,  1797;  Wealthy,  March  i, 
3799;  Charlotte,  August  24,  1801 ;  Asahel, 
April  4,  1804;  Sylvia,  August  12,  1806; 
Huldah,  April  6,  1809;  Jane,  August  14, 
;8i2;   Ruth,  April  5,  1814. 

(XVI)  Jehiel  Coe,  son  of  Jonathan  (3) 
(3oe,  was  born  at  Winsted,  in  Winchester, 
Connecticut,  October  5,  1794.  He  suc- 
ceeded to  his  father's  homestead.  Meadow- 
brook  Farm,  and  lived  there  all  his  active 
life.  He  died  April  15,  1875.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  September  4,  1816,  Amanda 
Betsey  Case,  born  in  Simsbury,  Connecti- 
cut, April  28.  1797,  daughter  of  Luke  and 
Betsey  (Adams)  Case.  She  died  in  Win- 
sted, February  18,  1855.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) September  25,  1856,  Harriet  E.  Sage, 
widow  of  Hiram  Sage.  Children  by  first 
wife,   born    at   Winsted :    Charlotte,    De- 


cember 21,  1817;  Luke  Case,  June  13, 
1821  ;  Spencer  Wallace,  October  15,  1827; 
William  Gilmore,  mentioned  below  ;  Mary 
Jane,  June  20,  1831. 

(XVII)  William  Gilmore  Coe,  son  of 
Jehiel  Coe,  was  born  at  Winsted,  Connec- 
ticut, September  10,  1829.  He  studied 
law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  185 1  ; 
after  a  few  years  of  practice  in  New 
Britain,  Connecticut,  he  returned  to  Win- 
sted in  1857  and  practiced  there.  He  was 
an  organizer  and  officer  of  the  Western 
Connecticut  Railroad ;  served  two  terms 
in  the  Assembly  ;  was  postmaster  of  Win- 
sted from  1858  to  1872;  active  in  the 
church.  He  was  president  of  the  com- 
mittee in  charge  of  the  Centennial  in  1871. 
He  died  at  Winsted,  May  31,  1872.  He 
married  (first)  September  15,  1852,  Mar- 
tha Amelia  Williams,  born  at  Ballston, 
New  York,  daughter  of  Uriah  and  Jane 
(Scribner)  Williams;  She  died  October 
6,  1854,  at  Jonesville,  New  York.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  May  27,  1856,  Jeanette  Todd 
Lee,  born  at  New  Britain,  March  9,  1834, 
died  February  4,  1910,  daughter  of  Lo- 
renzo P.  and  Jeanette  Todd  (Hills)  Lee; 
a  talented  woman,  especially  in  music  and 
art.  Child  by  first  wife:  Martha  Jane, 
born  at  Jonesville,  September  17,  1854, 
married  Pliny  Garnsey  Brooks.  By  sec- 
ond wife :  Minnie  Agnes,  at  Winsted,  Oc- 
tober 31,  1857,  married  Edward  W.  Bill 
(see  Bill  X)  ;  Alice  Lee,  at  Winsted,  Au- 
gust 12,  1859. 


COLLINS,  Benjamin  White, 
Bnsiness  Man. 

The  Collins  coat-of-arms  is  as  follows : 
Vert,  a  grififin  segreant  or,  beaked,  legged 
and  ducally  gorged  argent.  Crest:  A 
demi  griffin  or,  beaked,  legged  and  ducally 
gorged  argent.  Since  1663  descendants  of 
John  Collins,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
have    been    identified   with    the    State    of 


23 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Connecticut,  John  (2)  Collins,  son  of  the 
founder,  settling  in  Middletovvn,  in  that 
year.  Meriden  soon  became  the  family 
seat  of  this  branch,  and  they  have  been 
important  factors  in  business  and  civic 
life.  Benjamin  White  Collins,  a  twentieth 
century  representative,  has  long  been  an 
important  factor  in  corporative  enter- 
prises in  association  with  his  honored 
father,  Aaron  L.  Collins,  in  agriculture 
and  business,  and  his  successor  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Meriden  Grain  &  Feed  Com- 
pany. The  name  is  an  honored  one  in 
Connecticut,  and  in  the  present,  as  in  the 
past,  is  borne  by  men  of  public  spirit  and 
enterprise.  John  Collins,  of  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, brother  of  Deacon  Edward 
Collins,  probably  came  from  England  a 
few  years  earlier  than  his  brother.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  church  at  Boston, 
April  4,  1646,  and  took  the  freeman's  oath 
the  following  May  6.  Like  his  brother 
he  led  an  active  life,  was  a  shoemaker  and 
tanner,  and  in  1640  had  a  grant  of  land  at 
Braintree.  He  was  a  member  of  the  An- 
cient and  Honorable  Artillery  Company  of 
Boston.  He  died  March  29,  1670.  By  his 
wife  Hannah  he  had  sons,  John  (2)  and 
Thomas;  daughters,  Susannah  and  Eliza- 
beth. 

John  (2)  Collins  may  have  been  born 
in  England,  and  come  to  New  England 
with  his  parents.  This,  however,  is  con- 
jecture. In  Boston  he  learned  his  father's 
trade,  tanner  and  shoemaker,  and  worked 
with  him  until  1663  when  he  went  to 
Middletown,  Connecticut,  at  about  the 
same  time  as  did  his  cousins,  Samuel  and 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Collins.  In  1664  he  moved 
to  Saybrook  with  Samuel  Collins,  signed 
the  New  Plantation  Covenant  of  Bran- 
ford,  and  in  December,  1669,  was  at  Guil- 
ford, Connecticut.  In  1682  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  teach  the  grammar  school  for 
a  quarter  of  the  year  on  trial.  This  serv- 
ice must  have  proved  satisfactory,  as  he 


taught  the  school  for  several  years  there- 
after. His  will  was  proved  January  i, 
1704-05.  His  first  wife  Mary  died  in  1667. 
He  married  (second)  June  2,  1669,  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Stevens,  and  widow  of 
Henry  Kingsworth.  He  married  (third) 
March  6,  1699,  Dorcas,  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel Swain,  and  widow  of  John  Taintor, 
who  survived  him  and  married  a  third 
husband,  William  Wheeler.  By  his  first 
wife  he  had  a  daughter,  Mary,  and  sons, 
John  and  Robert. 

Robert  Collins  was  born  in  1667,  died 
August  20,  1745.  He  resided  in  Middle- 
town  and  Meriden,  Connecticut,  had  a 
house  and  listed  in  Guilford  in  1690, 
joined  the  church  in  Meriden,  October 
22,  1729,  and  was  in  Wallingford  in  1735 
and  1740.  His  will,  dated  January  2,  1741, 
was  proved  September  2,  1745.  His  first 
wife,  Lois  (Bennett)  Collins,  of  South- 
ampton, Long  Island,  died  in  1704.  He 
married  (second)  June  3,  1707,  Eunice, 
daughter  of  Edward  and  Elizabeth  Foster. 
By  his  second  wife  he  had  a  daughter, 
Mary,  and  sons,  Robert  and  Edward.  Ed- 
ward Collins,  son  of  Robert  Collins  and 
his  second  wife,  Eunice  (Foster)  Collins, 
was  born  at  Meriden,  Connecticut,  August 
7,  171 1,  died  there.  January  2,  1802.  He 
married,  August  29,  1738,  Susanna  Peck, 
and  had  a  daughter,  Molly,  and  sons, 
Daniel  and  Samuel. 

Daniel  Collins,  eldest  son  of  Edward 
and  Susanna  (Peck)  Collins,  was  born  in 
Meriden,  February  16.  1741,  and  there 
died  November  10,  1819.  He  was  a  soldier 
of  the  Revolution,  always  known  as  Cap- 
tain Dan  Collins.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Second  Company,  Captain  Havens, 
serving  as  sergeant  from  May  6  to  June 
10,  1775.  He  reenlisted  in  1777  and  re- 
signed in  1778.  He  again  was  in  the  serv- 
ice in  1779,  was  a  captain  in  1780.  and  in 
1818  was  granted  a  pension.  He  married, 
May  17.  1774,  Susanna  Lyman,  daughter 


24 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  Captain  Aaron  Lyman,  of  Wallingford. 
Children:  Molly,  married  Benjamin  Cur- 
tis ;  Susanna,  married  Jonathan  Edwards  ; 
Lucy,  married  a  Mr.  Moran  ;  Aaron  ;  Ly- 
man, of  further  mention;  Betsey,  married 
Colonel  Stephen  Seymour. 

Lyman  Collins,  son  of  Edward  and  Su- 
sanna (Lyman)  Collins,  was  a  soldier  of 
the  War  of  1812.  He  married  Elizabeth 
(Betsey)  Carter,  daughter  of  Salmon  Car- 
ter, of  Wallingford,  and  had  children: 
Aaron  Lyman,  of  further  mention  ;  Charles 
H.,  a  manufacturer  and  merchant,  mar- 
ried Sarah  C.  Brooks ;  Lucy  A.,  married 
N.  P.  Ives. 

Aaron  Lyman  Collins,  son  of  Lyman 
and  Elizabeth  (Carter)  Collins,  was  born 
at  the  Collins  homestead.  East  Main  street, 
Meriden,  December  20,  1820,  and  there  re- 
sided until  his  death,  March  28,  1903.  He 
attended  the  public  school,  and  remained 
his  father's  farm  assistant  until  coming  of 
legal  age,  then  with  his  brother,  Charles 
H.  Collins,  started  a  grocery  business  in 
Meriden  "Center."  This  partnership  was 
dissolved  in  1856,  and  then  he  became  an 
employee  of  the  cutlery  firm  of  Pratt, 
Ropes  &  Webb,  a  business  established  in 
Meriden  in  1846.  The  same  year  the  busi- 
ness was  incorporated  as  the  Meriden 
Cutlery  Company,  Mr.  Collins  continu- 
ing in  constantly  increasing  positions  of 
responsibility  until  1878,  when  he  was 
elected  president  of  the  company,  a  posi- 
tion he  held  until  his  death.  He  also  held 
official  relation  with  other  important  busi- 
ness enterprises  of  Meriden ;  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Wilcox  Silver  Plate  Company 
until  its  absorption  by  the  International 
Silver  Company;  president  of  the  Meri- 
den Grain  &  Feed  Company ;  director  of 
the  Home  National  Bank  and  trustee  of 
the  City  Savings  Bank.  He  was  a  man  of 
high  business  quality  and  sterling  char- 
acter, a  natural  leader,  a  loyal  friend  and 
neighbor.       He    married    Sylvia    White, 


daughter  of  the  Rev.  Benjamin  White,  of 
Middlefield,  Connecticut.  Sons:  Charles 
Lyman,  Edward  John  and  Benjamin 
White   Collins. 

Benjamin  White  Collins,  son  of  Aaron 
Lyman  and  Sylvia  (White)  Collins,  was 
born  at  the  Collins  homestead.  East  Main 
street,  Meriden,  Connecticut,  May  i,  1859. 
He  attended  the  old  Center  street  school, 
and  until  1895  was  associated  with  his 
father  in  the  cultivation  of  the  home  farm 
and  in  the  raising  of  blooded  horses  and 
cattle.  In  1895,  still  in  association,  they 
assumed  the  ownership  and  management 
of  the  hay,  grain  and  feed  business  of  A. 
S.  Russell,  located  on  South  Colony  street, 
Meriden.  They  conducted  that  business 
as  a  firm  until  December,  1897,  then  in- 
corporated it  as  the  Meriden  Grain  & 
Feed  Company,  Aaron  L.  Collins,  presi- 
dent; Benjamin  W.  Collins,  manager,  and 
since  his  father's  death  he  has  been  presi- 
dent and  treasurer.  Thanks  to  his  early 
training  and  association  with  his  honored 
father,  he  has  continued  business  enter- 
prises along  both  agricultural  and  manu- 
facturing lines,  and  in  addition  to  his  in- 
terests in  the  Meriden  Grain  &  Feed  Com- 
pany is  an  important  stockholder  in  one 
of  the  largest  potato  dealing  companies 
in  all  New  England,  and  a  large  owner  of 
real  estate.  He  is  an  excellent  business 
man,  a  good  friend  and  neighbor,  genial 
and  friendly,  highly  esteemed  in  his  com- 
munity. He  is  a  member  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Society  (ex-secretary)  ;  Meri- 
den Agricultural  Society  (ex-president)  ; 
ex-treasurer  of  the  Cattle  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation, and  a  member  of  the  Boston 
Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  has,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  interests  named,  acquired 
important  holdings  in  Meriden  corpora- 
tions and  is  closely  identified  with  their 
management.  He  is  president  of  the  Meri- 
den Braid  Company ;  director  of  the 
Meriden  Cutlery  Company ;   and  a  direc- 


25 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tor  of  the  Home  National  Bank.  Hardly 
yet  in  the  prime  of  life  he  has  accom- 
plished much,  but  with  his  broad  vision 
and  business  ability  he  may  aspire  to  any 
position  in  the  business  world.  In  the 
Masonic  order  he  is  popular  and  promi- 
nent, holding  the  thirty-second  degree  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite, 
and  all  the  degrees  of  Center  Eodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  ;  Keystone  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Hamilton  Council, 
Royal  and  Select  Masters ;  and  St.  Elmo 
Commandery,  Knights  Templar.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  Pyramid  Temple,  Nobles 
of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  In  political  faith  he 
is  a  Republican,  and  served  for  years  on 
the  Meriden  School  Board.  His  clubs  are 
the  Masonic,  Home,  and  Highland  Coun- 
try. 

Mr.  Collins  married,  March  5,  1895, 
Sophy  Lowell  Northrop,  daughter  of  Lu- 
cius Northrop.  They  are  the  parents  of 
a  daughter  Betsey,  born  October  9,  1901. 


COWLES,  Walter  Goodman, 

Laxryer,  Insnrance. 

John  Cowles,  immigrant  ancestor,  was 
born  in  the  west  of  England,  it  is  thought, 
about  1598.  He  came  from  there  to  this 
country  in  1635,  locating  in  Massachu- 
setts. He  came  to  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
1635-39,  in  1640  he  removed  to  Farming- 
ton,  Connecticut,  and  in  1652  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  church  there.  He 
purchased  land  at  the  north  end  of  Farm- 
ington  village,  which  he  later  sold,  and 
purchased  three  lots  just  south  of  the 
present  meeting  house  and  erected  a 
house  there.  He  was  deputy  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  in  1653-54.  He  removed 
to  Hadley,  Massachusetts,  about  1663,  but 
was  probably  not  among  the  first  settlers. 
His  remains  were  interred  in  the  cemetery 
at  South  Hadley.  He  was  one  of  the  com- 
mittee that  laid  out  a  burying  place  for 


the  town,  February  14,  1669,  and  there 
was  no  other  cemetery  there  until  1848. 
He  spelled  his  name  Cowles  in  order  to 
distinguish  himself  from  another  man 
named  Cole  of  the  same  town ;  and  from 
that  time  to  the  present  the  descendants 
of  his  eldest  son  Samuel  have  spelled  the 
name  Cowles  and  those  of  the  youngest 
son  John,  until  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  favored  the  spelling  Cowls. 
His  widow,  Hannah  Cowles,  went  to  live 
with  her  son-in-law,  Caleb  Stanley,  of 
Hartford,  where  she  died,  March  16,  1683, 
and  was  buried  there.  Her  will  was  dated 
October  27,  1680,  and  in  it  she  states  that 
her  husband's  last  will  was  dated  Decem- 
ber 11, 1674.  Children:  Samuel,  mentioned 
below ;  John,  born  1641  ;  Hannah,  1644, 
married  Caleb  Stanley,  of  Hartford  ;  Sarah, 
1646.  married  Nathaniel  Goodwin  ;  Esther, 
1649,  married  Thomas  Bull;  Elizabeth, 
1651,  married  Edward  Lyman;  Mary, 
June  24,  1654,  married  Nehemiah  Dickin- 
son. 

(II)  Samuel  Cowles,  eldest  son  of  John 
and  Hannah  Cowles,  was  born  in  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  in  1639,  and  died  in 
Farmington,  Connecticut,  April  17,  1691. 
He  resided  at  Farmington  practically  all 
his  life,  his  parents  removing  there  in 
1640,  and  was  one  of  the  eighty-four  pro- 
prietors of  the  town  in  1672.  He  became 
the  progenitor  of  the  Connecticut  branch 
of  the  family,  his  brother  John  being  the 
ancestor  of  the  Massachusetts  branch. 
He  married,  February  14,  1660,  Abigail, 
daughter  of  Timothy  Stanley,  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  Hartford,  who  came  from 
County  Kent,  England,  in  1634,  and  was 
a  member  of  the  Rev.  Hooker's  company 
that  went  from  Cambridge  to  settle  Hart- 
ford in  1636.  Children,  born  at  Farming- 
ton :  Samuel,  March  17,  1661  ;  Abigail, 
January,  1663,  married  Thomas  Porter; 
Hannah,  December  10,  1664;  Timothy. 
November  4,  1666;    Sarah,  December  25, 


26 


Ti'"   T'EV  "Cr.K 
PUBUC  LIBi.ARY 


ASTOR,  LErrox. 
TII-D-EN   tOUyP'ATtOlStS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1668,  married  Stephen  Hart ;  John,  Janu- 
ary 28,  1670;  Nathaniel,  February  15, 
1673;  Isaac,  March  23,  1674-75;  Joseph, 
January  18,  1677-78;  Elizabeth,  March  17, 
1680;   Caleb,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Caleb  Cowles,  youngest  son  of 
Samuel  and  Abigail  (Stanley)  Cowles, 
was  born  at  Farmington,  Connecticut, 
June  20,  1682,  and  died  November  15, 
1725.  He  settled  in  Kensington,  then 
called  the  "Great  Swamp,"  and  was  one 
of  the  original  "seven  pillars"  of  the 
church  formed  there,  December  10,  1712. 
He  married,  August  8,  1710,  Abigail, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Woodford.  She  died 
in  1736.  Children:  Hezekiah,  born  1711, 
died  1736;  Daniel,  mentioned  below; 
Caleb,  Jr.,  born   1719,  died  1753. 

(IV)  Daniel  Cowles,  son  of  Caleb  and 
Abigail  (Woodford)  Cowles,  was  born  at 
Kensington,  Connecticut,  December  14, 
1717,  and  died  in  1798.  Previously  he  had 
disposed  by  sale  of  his  property  in  Ken- 
sington and  removed  to  Worthington,  lo- 
cating on  Lovely  street  (now  West  Avon), 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
He  married  Martha  Powell,  who  died  in 
1810,  aged  ninety  years.  Children:  Dan- 
iel, mentioned  below;  Selah,  died  1821  : 
Ziba. 

(V)  Daniel  (2)  Cowles.  son  of  Daniel 
(i)  and  Martha  (Powell)  Cowles,  was 
born  in  1741,  and  died  in  Worthington 
(West  Avon)  in  1809.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolution.  He  removed  from 
Kensington  to  Lovely  street,  Worthing- 
ton (West  Avon),  in  1779,  and  there  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  married, 
April  25,  1765-66,  Esther  Rhodes,  daugh- 
ter of  Joseph  Rhodes.  She  died  in  1815. 
aged  seventy-three  years.  Children:  Dan- 
iel, born  1767;  Lemuel,  mentioned  below; 
W^illiam,  born  1781. 

(VI)  Lemuel  Cowles,  son  of  Daniel 
(2)  and  Esther  (Rhodes)  Cowles,  was 
born  in  1776,  and  died  in  181 5.     He  mar- 


ried Esther  Gridley,  daughter  of  Seth 
Gridley,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. Children:  Walter  H.,  born  in  1802, 
died  same  year;  Walter  Hamilton,  men- 
tioned below ;   Edward,  born  in  1806. 

(VII)  Walter  Hamilton  Cowles,  son  of 
Lemuel  and  Esther  (Gridley)  Cowles,  was 
born  at  the  old  homestead  on  Lovely 
street,  West  Avon,  Connecticut,  Decem- 
ber 15,  1803.  When  he  was  twelve  years 
of  age  his  father  died.  He  had  an  invalid 
mother  and  one  brother,  then  nine  years 
of  age.  After  the  death  of  his  mother, 
the  home  farm  was  divided  between  the 
brothers,  and  Walter  H.  sold  his  part  and 
opened  a  country  tavern.  At  one  of  the 
country  fairs  he  exhibited  a  working 
model  of  a  railroad  train,  then  a  most 
decided  curiosity,  and  this  demonstrated 
that  he  possessed  inventive  genius.  Later 
he  occupied  and  conducted  a  large  farm 
known  as  the  Gridley  Farm  in  Unionville 
(a  village  in  Farmington).  About  1850 
he,  with  his  son  Samuel,  began  the  manu- 
facture of  soap.  The  start  was  made  with 
a  rough  iron  kettle  bought  at  a  junk  shop 
for  thirty-five  cents  and  some  wood  ashes 
and  "soap  grease"  picked  up  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. The  sole  product  was  "soft 
soap,"  so  common  in  those  days.  The 
soap  was  traded  for  more  ashes  and 
grease,  also  for  the  necessities  of  life,  and 
rarely  was  there  any  sold  for  money.  The 
father  was  the  practical  soap  maker  and 
the  son  was  the  salesman.  He  made  long 
wagon  trips  and  rapidly  increased  the 
volume  of  business.  A  factory  became 
necessary  and  was  built  in  Unionville  on 
what  is  now  called  Water  street.  The  old 
factory,  altered  and  divided  into  two  tene- 
ment houses,  is  still  standing.  Here  the 
father  developed  the  process  of  making 
"bar  soap,"  and  a  little  later  the  manu- 
facture of  candles  was  added.  In  1859 
they  removed  their  factory  to  Hartford, 
locating   at    the    foot    of   Talcott    street, 


27 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


vhere  the  factory  still  stands.  A  Mr. 
Gridley  was  admitted  as  a  partner  and 
the  firm  name  was  then  Cowles  &  Grid- 
ley.  In  1864  the  Cowles  interest  was 
bought  by  Lemuel  T.  Frisbie,  who  after- 
wards acquired  the  Gridley  interest. 
Walter  H.  Cowles  was  considered  an  ex- 
pert practical  soap  maker  and  was  paid 
a  large  sum  by  Mr.  Williams,  the  now 
famous  soap  manufacturer  of  Glaston- 
bury, Connecticut,  for  some  of  his  formu- 
lae and  personal  instruction  in  the  soap 
maker's  art.  After  this  he  was  engaged 
in  a  general  and  successful  real  estate 
business  in  Hartford.  The  partnership 
between  father  and  son  was  strictly  gen- 
eral. There  was  never  a  balance  sheet  or 
a  division.  They  always  lived  together 
and  all  earnings  or  profits  of  either  from 
any  source  were  put  into  a  common  fund. 
Walter  H.  Cowles  was  one  of  the  founders 
and  ardent  supporters  of  the  Windsor 
Avenue  Congregational  Church  and  was 
one  of  its  deacons  for  many  years.  Mr. 
Cowles  married,  July  10,  1822,  after  the 
death  of  his  mother,  Azuba  Steadman, 
a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth 
(Watts)  Steadman,  the  latter  named  a 
relative  of  Isaac  Watts,  the  well  known 
hymn  writer.  Mrs.  Cowles  was  a  tailoress 
of  much  skill.  Their  children  were  :  Lem- 
uel W.,  born  1823,  died  1878;  James  P., 
born  1825,  died  1895  ;  Samuel  W.,  men- 
tioned below:  Marietta,  born  1828,  died 
1831.  Walter  H.  Cowles  died  February 
7,  1888,  and  his  wife  died  October  22,  1872, 
aged  seventy-eight  years.  Both  are  buried 
at  Hartford. 

(VIII)  Samuel  W.  Cowles,  son  of 
Walter  Hamilton  and  Azuba  (Steadman) 
Cowles,  was  born  in  Avon,  Hartford 
county,  Connecticut,  November  10,  1826, 
and  died  at  his  home  on  Windsor  avenue, 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  February  14,  1900. 
He  engaged  in  business  with  his  father, 
as  aforementioned,  and  in  1864,  when  the 


business  was  disposed  of  by  sale,  he  be- 
came identified  with  life  insurance  in- 
terests, and  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  was  also  prominently  connected 
with  the  material  growth  and  prosperity 
of  his  adopted  city.  He  was  a  well  in- 
formed man.  being  especially  interested 
in  historical  research,  and  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society 
from  April.  1891,  until  his  decease.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Windsor 
Avenue  Congregational  Church  of  Hart- 
ford, in  which  he  took  a  keen  interest,  and 
was  a  member  of  St.  John's  Lodge,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons ;  the  Connecticut 
Society,  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion ;  and  the  Putnam  Phalanx,  of  which 
he  was  an  honorary  member.  He  was  the 
owner  of  the  Peregrine  White  Bible.  He 
was  highly  regarded  in  commercial  circles 
as  a  man  of  the  strictest  honor  and  in- 
tegrity, and  his  demise  was  sincerely 
mourned  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends  and 
acquaintances.  He  married.  December  31, 
1851,  Harriet  Sophia  Goodman,  born  in 
West  Hartford,  June  20,  1829,  died  April 
24.  1896,  daughter  of  Childs  and  Sarah 
(Porter)  Goodman  (see  Goodman  line). 
They  were  the  parents  of  two  children : 
Walter  Goodman,  mentioned  below  ;  and 
Arthur  James,  born  October  31,  1861,  died 
January  29,  1904;  he  was  the  senior  part- 
ner of  the  firm  of  Cowles  vt  Howard, 
grocers,  of  Hartford. 

(IX)  Walter  Goodman  Cowles,  son  of 
Samuel  W.  and  Harriet  Sophia  (Good- 
man) Cowles,  was  born  in  Farmington, 
Connecticut,  April  4,  1857.  Two  years 
after  his  birth  his  parents  removed  to 
Hartford.  Connecticut,  and  from  that  date 
to  the  present  time  (1917)  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  that  city  save  as  the  require- 
ments of  his  business  have  made  other 
residence  temporarily  necessary.  His  edu- 
cation, begun  in  the  public  schools  of 
Hartford,  was  continued  at  the  Connecti- 


28 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


cut  Literary  Institute,  located  at  Suffield, 
where  he  completed  preparatory  study. 
He  prepared  for  the  profession  of  law  at 
Yale  Law  School,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B.,  class 
of  1879,  and  the  same  year  was  admitted 
to  the  Connecticut  bar.  He  began  prac- 
tice in  Hartford  and  in  Bristol,  but  in  1882 
withdrew  from  private  practice  to  become 
private  secretary  to  J.  G.  Batterson,  of 
the  Travelers'  Insurance  Company.  On 
July  I,  1884,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
company  to  look  after  the  company's  land 
titles  and  legal  matters,  having  previous 
to  that  date  performed  this  work  in  the 
evenings  during  his  tenure  of  the  office  of 
private  secretary  to  Mr.  Batterson,  and 
thereafter  devoted  his  entire  time  to  that 
branch  of  the  business  for  many  years. 
There  was  trouble  in  Kansas,  through  a 
land  agent,  and  in  May,  1885,  Mr.  Cowles 
went  to  that  State,  expecting  to  remain 
only  a  short  period  of  time,  but  he  re- 
mained nearly  ten  years  in  that  State  and 
in  Colorado  looking  after  the  company's 
interests,  investments  and  litigation.  In 
December,  1894,  he  returned  to  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  was  made  attorney  of 
the  liability  department,  in  charge  of  the 
adjustments.  On  January  2,  1904,  he  was 
elected  secretary  of  the  company,  and  on 
January  24,  1912,  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  company,  still  retaining  charge 
of  the  liability  department.  He  was  the 
organizer  of  the  liability  claim  depart- 
ment of  this  company.  He  has  specialized 
liability  and  workmen's  compensation  in- 
surance lines,  has  originated  many  of  the 
current  practices,  has  written  extensively, 
and  is  an  interesting  and  forceful  public 
speaker,  his  services  of  this  sort  being 
much  in  demand.  Mr.  Cowles  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society; 
Casualty,  Acturial  and  Statistical  Society  ; 
St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons ;  Pythagoras  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons;    Washington  Com- 


mandery,  Knights  Templar  ;  Connecticut 
Consistory,  Sovereign  Princes  of  the  Royal 
Secret;  Sphinx  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine ;  is 
past  master,  past  high  priest  and  past 
eminent  commander  of  Masonic  lodges  in 
the  West ;  member  of  the  Hartford  Club, 
Hartford  Golf  Club,  and  Country  Club  of 
Farmington.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Windsor  Avenue  Congregational  Church, 
and  was  chairman  of  the  committee  for 
many  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Vet- 
eran Corps,  Governor's  Foot  Guard.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Mr.  Cowles  married  (first)  June  9,  1886, 
in  Cambridge,  Illinois,  Nellie  Francis, 
born  in  Cambridge,  April  10,  1862,  died 
October  12,  1905,  daughter  of  Morrison 
and  Mary  C.  (Moor)  Francis,  the  former 
named,  now  deceased,  having  been  a 
farmer,  stock  raiser  and  miller.  Mary  C. 
(Moor)  Francis  was  a  descendant  of  John 
Moor  (1683-1774)  and  his  wife,  Janet 
Moor  (1687-1786);  through  their  son. 
Elder  William  Moor  (1717-1784),  and  his 
wife,  Mollie  (Jack)  Moor  ;  their  son,  John 
Moor  (1746-1839),  and  his  wife,  Betsey 
(Miller)  Moor;  their  son,  Captain  John 
IMoor  (1790),  and  his  wife,  Deborah 
(Sherman)  Moor,  the»latter  named  daugh- 
ter of  Reuben  Sherman,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Mary  C.  Moor,  aforementioned. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cowles  were  the  parents  of 
three  children :  Francis  Walter,  born  Oc- 
tober 28,  1888,  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Hartford,  entered  the  Naval 
-Academy  at  Annapolis,  Maryland,  now 
engaged  in  business ;  Donald  Buford, 
born  July  26,  1895,  educated  in  the  Hart- 
ford public  school,  Holderness  School, 
Plymouth,  New  Hampshire,  and  the  New 
York  Military  Academy  at  Cornwall-on- 
the  Hudson,  from  which  he  was  gradu- 
ated in  June,  1915 ;  and  Richard  Good- 
man, born  June  18,  1900,  died  October  7, 

1905- 

Mr.  Cowles  married  (second)   Novem- 


29 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ber  2,  1907,  Mrs.  Elgitha  (Wyckoff)  Mills, 
widow  of  Hiram  R.  Mills,  of  Hartford. 
Mrs.  Cowles  had  one  son  by  her  first  mar- 
riage, Hiram  WyckoiT  Mills,  who  graduated 
from  Harvard  College.  Mrs.  Cowles  was 
born  in  Bloomfield,  Connecticut,  at  the 
summer  home  of  her  parents,  June  11, 
1859.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Amos 
Dayton  Wyckoff,  a  large  and  successful 
importer  of  rubber  in  New  York  City, 
and  Julia  (Davis)  Wyckoff.  Mr.  Wyckoff 
died  in  New  York  City,  August  5,  1871, 
and  Mrs.  Wyckoff  died  in  Hartford,  June 
12,  1913.     Both  are  buried  in  Bloomfield. 

(The   Goodman   Line). 

(I)  Deacon  Richard  Goodman,  born  in 
England,  1609,  settled  at  Cambridge,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1632,  removed  to  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  in  1639,  where  he  was  one  of 
the  original  proprietors.  He  owned  "a  lot 
on  Main  street  north  of  the  meeting  house 
yard."  He  was  a  builder  and  constructed 
several  buildings  in  Hartford  including 
the  jail.  He  was  elected  a  constable,  per- 
haps the  first  in  Hartford.  He  was  con- 
cerned in  the  church  dissensions  and  left 
with  a  large  party  of  dissenters.  He  set- 
tled in  Hadley,  Massachusetts.  He  was 
made  captain  of  a  militia  company  organ- 
ized to  protect  the  town  from  the  Indians. 
On  April  3,  1676,  while  walking  alone  in 
a  field  near  town,  he  was  shot  by  the  In- 
dians from  ambush.  On  December  8, 
1659,  he  married  Mary  Terry,  daughter  ot 
Stephen  Terry,  of  Windsor.  She  was 
born  December  31,  1635.  died  in  1692,  and 
buried  at  Deerfield,  ^Massachusetts.  Chil- 
dren: John,  born  1661,  died  1725;  Rich- 
ard, mentioned  below ;  Stephen,  born 
1664;  Mary,  born  1665;  Thomas,  born 
1668,  died  1670;  Elizabeth,  born  1671  ; 
Thomas,  born  1673,  died  1748;  Samuel, 
born  1675. 

(II)  Lieutenant  Richard  (2)  Goodman, 
son    of   Deacon    Richard    (i)    and    Mary 


(Terry)  Goodman,  was  born  March  23, 
1663,  and  some  time  after  1678  he  re- 
turned to  Hartford,  where  he  became 
a  wealthy,  influential  citizen,  his  death 
occurring  May  14.  1730.  He  married 
Abigail  Pantry,  born  January  11,  1679, 
daughter  of  John  Pantry  (1650-1736)  and 
his  wife,  Abigail  (Mix)  Pantry,  of  W^est 
Hartford,  and  granddaughter  of  John 
Pantry  and  his  wife,  Hannah  (Tuttle) 
Pantry  (1632-1683),  and  of  Thomas  and 
Rebecca  (Turner)  Mix.    Six  children. 

(III)  Timothy  Goodman,  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant Richard  (2)  and  Abigail  (Pantry) 
Goodman,  was  born  September  22,  1706, 
died  March   12,   1786.     He  married.  May 

7.  1735,  Joanna  Wadsworth,  born  in  1715, 
died  March  10,  1768.  daughter  of  Joseph 
Wadsworth  (born  1682,  died  1778)  and 
his  wife,  Joanna  (Hovey)  Wadsworth, 
granddaughter  of  Captain  Joseph  Wads- 
worth (1650-1729).  of  Connecticut  Char- 
ter memory,  he  having  stolen  the  charter 
and  hid  it  in  the  Charter  Oak,  and  his 
wife,  Elizabeth  (Barnard)  \\'adsworth, 
daughter  of  Bartholomew  Barnard, 
and  great-granddaughter  of  William 
Wadsworth  (1632-1675)  and  his  wife, 
Eliza  (Stone)  Wadsworth.  Joanna  (Ho- 
vey) Wadsworth  was  a  daughter  of  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Hovey  (1648-1739)  and 
his  wife.  Sarah  (Cooke)  Hovey  (1662), 
and  granddaughter  of  Daniel  Hovey. 
Sarah  (Cooke)  Hovey  was  a  daughter  of 
Captain  Avery  Cooke  (1640-1746)  and  his 
wife,  Sarah  (Westwood)  Cooke  (1644- 
1730).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodman  had  nine 
children. 

(IV)  Richard  (3)  Goodman,  son  of 
Timothy  and  Joanna  (Wadsworth)  Good- 
man, was  born  April  14,  1748,  died  April 

8,  1834,  a  resident  of  West  Hartford.  He 
married,  in  1771,  Nancy  Seymour,  born 
February  16,  1751,  died  January  27,  1792, 
daughter  of  Timothy  and  Lydia  (Kel- 
logg)  Seymour.     They  were  the  parents 


30 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  Childs  was 
the  youngest ;  there  were  two  pairs  of 
twins. 

(V)  Captain  Childs  Goodman,  son  of 
Richard  (3)  and  Nancy  (Seymour)  Good- 
man, was  born  November  7,  1791.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  miller  of  West  Hart- 
ford. He  married,  April  10,  1822,  Sarah 
Porter,  born  April  10,  1796,  daughter  of 
Jesse  Porter  (1758-1823)  and  his  wife, 
Sibyl  (Steele)  Porter  (1763-1814),  daugh- 
ter of  Samuel  and  Martha  Steele,  grand- 
daughter of  John  and  Chlorinda  (Whit- 
man) Porter,  and  great-granddaughter  of 
William  and  Mary  (Smith)  Porter.  Chlo- 
rinda (Whitman)  Porter  was  a  daughter 
of  Solomon  and  Susannah  (Cole)  Whit- 
man, granddaughter  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
(Stoddard)  Whitman,  and  great-grand- 
daughter of  Zachariah  and  Sarah  (Al- 
vord)  Whitman,  the  former  named  the 
son  of  John  Whitman,  the  latter  named 
the  daughter  of  Dr.  John  Alvord.  Sarah 
(Stoddard)  Whitman  was  a  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  Solomon  and  Esther  (Warham) 
Stoddard.  Captain  Childs  and  Sarah 
(Porter)  Goodman  lived  in  the  old  home- 
stead on  West  Hartford  street,  and  their 
granddaughter  resides  there  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  Children  of  Captain  and  Mrs. 
Goodman:  Amelia  S.,  born  September  14, 
1824,  married,  April  10,  1843,  Noadiah  F. 
Emmons,  whom  she  survived  until  1910; 
Chester,  born  February  16,  1827,  died 
June  12,  1885,  married  Maria  Flagg;  Har- 
riet Sophia,  who  became  the  wife  of  Sam- 
uel W.  Cowles  (see  Cowles  VIII)  ;  and 
Jennie  L.,  born  October  18,  1831,  living  at 
the  present  time  (1917),  married,  June  28, 
i860,  Henry  C.  Andrus. 


BRADLEY,  Nathaniel  Lyman, 

Mannfactnrer,  Enterprising  Citizen. 

The  year  1852  marked  the  inception  of 
a    great     Meriden    enterprise,    one    with 


which  the  Bradley  name  has  been  inti- 
mately connected  until  the  present  day, 
although  the  humble  Bradley  Hatch  & 
Company  of  1852,  with  a  capital  of  five 
thousand  dollars,  bore  little  relation  to 
the  great  Bradley  &  Hubbard  Manufac- 
turing Company,  now  enploying  in  their 
Meriden  works  over  one  thousand  hands. 
In  1854  the  Hatch  Brothers  withdrew, 
Walter  Hubbard  purchasing  their  stock, 
and  from  that  time  the  business  has  been 
a  Bradley  and  Hubbard  concern,  no  stock 
having  been  sold  out  of  that  name  since  the 
incorporation  of  the  Bradley  &  Hubbard 
Manufacturing  Company  in  1875,  when  C. 
P.  Linsley  acquired  his  interest.  As  treas- 
urer of  the  company  since  its  organization 
and  as  a  member  of  the  original  firm  for 
twenty-three  previous  years,  Mr.  Bradley 
may  justly  be  called  its  founder,  a  fact  rec- 
ognized in  the  prominence  given  his  name 
from  the  beginning.  But  the  develop- 
ment of  the  immense  business  which 
bears  his  name  is  but  one  of  the  many 
activities  of  a  long  and  busy  life,  as  in 
many  corporations,  in  civic  life,  church 
and  society,  he  proved  the  depth  of  his 
interest  and  the  generosity  of  his  nature. 
He  was  a  grandson  of  Daniel  Bradley 
who,  driven  from  his  farm  in  Vermont  by 
the  British  operations  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  settled  first  in  Hamden,  New 
Haven  county,  Connecticut,  and  later  in 
Cheshire,  where  he  died,  leaving  a  son 
Levi. 

Levi  Bradley  was  born  in  Cheshire,  No- 
vember II,  1792,  died  in  Meriden,  Con- 
necticut, March  18,  1877.  His  early  life 
was  spent  on  the  home  farm,  but  in  his 
eighteenth  year  he  purchased  the  right 
from  his  father  to  go  where  he  liked.  He 
loaded  a  one-horse  wagon  with  tinware 
bought  on  credit,  and  started  south,  not 
offering  his  stock  for  sale  until  reaching 
Atlanta,  Georgia.  There  he  sold  out  to 
such  good  advantage  that  on  his  return 


31 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


home  eight  months  later  he  was  able  to 
pay  for  the  goods  he  had  sold,  repay  to  his 
father  the  sum  agreed  upon,  and  to  finance 
a  second  trip  the  following  winter.  For 
nine  years  he  made  a  similar  business 
journey  through  the  south  each  winter, 
but  after  his  marriage  he  settled  perma- 
nently on  his  farm  in  Cheshire,  there  be- 
ing known  as  one  of  the  thriftiest  and 
best  of  farmers.  He  was  the  first  man  in 
his  day  to  attempt  to  raise  wheat  in 
Cheshire,  bringing  the  seed  from  New 
York.  His  crop  of  growing  wheat  was  a 
great  curiosity  in  the  town  and  attracted 
many  visitors.  His  farm  was  a  model  of 
neatness,  his  products  invariably  winning 
premiums  wherever  entered.  He  was  the 
discoverer  of  the  fact  that  Cheshire  was 
rich  in  barytes,  and  the  first  to  open  a 
mine  to  take  out  that  mineral.  He  ob- 
tained an  option  on  the  farm  on  which  he 
found  his  first  specimen,  later  completed 
the  purchase,  and  after  mining  for  a  time 
sold  out  at  a  handsome  profit.  The  pur- 
chasers worked  the  mine  for  years  very 
profitably,  retaining  Mr.  Bradley  as  man- 
ager, but  after  two  years  he  resigned  and 
again  gave  his  sole  attention  to  his  farm. 
He  was  a  representative  in  the  State  Leg- 
islature from  Cheshire,  and  was  a  man 
highly  regarded  for  uprightness  of  life 
and  sound  judgment. 

Levi  Bradley  married,  September  30, 
1819,  Abigail  Ann  Atwater,  born  October 
17,  1800,  died  May  25,  1897,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Patience  (Peck)  Atwater,  of 
Cheshire,  a  descendant  of  David  Atwater, 
the  founder  of  the  family  in  America. 
Daniel  Atwater  came  from  London,  Eng- 
land, in  1638,  and  was  one  of  the  signers 
of  the  New  Haven  Covenant  in  1639. 
The  line  of  descent  to  Mrs.  Bradley  was 
through  the  founder's  son  Jonathan,  a 
prominent  merchant  of  New  Haven,  who 
married  Ruth  Peck,  daughter  of  Rev 
Jeremiah    and    Joanna    (Kitchel)     Peck: 


their  son,  Jonathan  Atwater,  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier,  and  his  wife,  Abigail 
Bradley ;  their  son,  Abraham  Atwater  (a 
drummer  boy  in  the  American  army  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  ye?irs,  with  his  father 
and  brother  Isaac),  and  his  wife,  Patience 
Peck ;  Abigail  Ann,  their  eighth  child,  and 
her  husband,  Levi  Bradley.  Mrs.  Levi  Brad- 
ley was  a  well  informed  woman,  a  wide 
reader,  and  until  her  death  at  the  age 
of  ninety-seven  read  without  the  aid  of 
glasses.  After  their  children  had  settled 
in  Meriden,  she  and  her  husband  left  the 
farm  and  made  that  city  their  home,  she 
continuing  her  residence  there  until  her 
death  twenty  years  after  being  left  a 
widow.  She  was  a  member  of  Susan  Car- 
rington  Clarke  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution.  Levi  and  Abigail 
A.  Bradley  were  the  parents  of:  Em- 
meline  Amelia;  Samuel  Atwater;  Wil- 
liam Lambert ;  Nathaniel  Lyman,  to 
whose  memory  this  tribute  of  respect  is 
offered  ;  Abby  Ann,  married  Walter  Hub- 
bard. 

Nathaniel  Lyman  Bradley  was  born  at 
the  home  farm  in  Cheshire,  Connecticut, 
December  zj,  1829.  He  was  reared  to 
habits  of  industry  and  right  living  by  his 
religious  parents,  attended  public  school, 
and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  was  graduated 
from  old  Meriden  Academy.  For  one  year 
after  graduation  he  was  clerk  in  a  New 
Haven  hardware  store,  then  returned 
home  and  remained  his  father's  assistant 
until  twenty-one.  He  then  placed  his 
little  capital  in  a  Southington  clock  fac- 
tory, and  himself  worked  in  the  factory 
at  a  daily  wage  of  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
five  cents.  Later  he  was  awarded  a  con- 
tract for  making  clocks,  but  clocks  not 
selling  as  rapidly  as  they  were  being 
made,  the  works  were  shut  down,  and  Mr. 
Bradley  set  out  to  find  customers.  He 
visited  New  York.  Philadelphia,  Balti- 
more and  Washington,  meeting  with  such 


32 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGEAPHY 


success  that  upon  his  return  he  was  made 
a  director  of  the  company  and  placed  in 
charge  of  the  sales  department. 

In  1852,  with  the  Hatch  Brothers,  his 
own  brother,  William  Lambert  Bradley, 
and  his  brother-in-law,  Walter  Hubbard, 
Mr.  Bradley  organized  the  firm  of  Brad- 
ley, Hatch  &  Company,  with  five  thou- 
sand dollars  joint  capital.  Two  years 
later,  more  capital  was  a  necessity,  but 
Hatch  Brothers  not  being  able  to  supply 
their  share,  Walter  Hubbard  sold  his  dry 
goods  business,  bought  the  Hatch  in- 
terest, and  with  the  Bradleys  reorganized 
as  Bradley  &  Hubbard,  and  took  over  the 
interests  of  Bradley,  Hatch  &  Company, 
establishing  on  the  site  of  the  present 
plant.  In  1862  William  L.  Bradley  re- 
tired, N.  L.  Bradley  and  Walter  Hubbard 
continuing  the  partnership  most  success- 
fully until  1875.  The  business  was  then 
incorporated  as  the  Bradley  &  Hubbard 
Manufacturing  Company,  the  two  part- 
ners selling  an  interest  to  C.  L.  Linsley, 
and  later  shares  were  sold  to  Clarence 
Peck  Bradley,  the  four  men  long  continu- 
ing the  only  stockholders  and  officials  of 
the  company  —  Walter  Hubbard,  presi- 
dent; Nathaniel  L.  Bradley,  treasurer; 
C.  L.  Linsley,  secretary;  Clarence  P. 
Bradley,  his  father's  private  secretary  and 
assistant  treasurer. 

The  history  of  this  business  has  been 
one  of  rapid  development,  due  to  the  great 
energy  and  ability  of  Nathaniel  L.  Brad- 
ley and  Walter  Hubbard,  the  original 
founders.  In  1852  they  started  in  a  small 
two-story  wooden  building  and  a  small 
foundry.  In  1870  the  first  large  brick  fac- 
tory was  built,  and  in  1900  the  plant 
covered  eleven  acres  and  employed  one 
thousand  hands,  the  subsequent  growth 
having  been  in  proportion.  The  company 
are  the  leaders  in  the  manufacture  of 
chandeliers,  gas  fixtures,  lamps,  electric 
fixtures,  fancy  hardware,  bronzes,  sta- 
tioner's supplies  and  architectural  metal 

Coon— 3— 3  ?2 


work,  the  last  named  a  department  started 
in  1895.  Artists,  designers,  modelers  and 
skilled  artisans  are  employed,  artistic 
beauty  being  as  earnestly  striven  for  as 
excellence  of  quality,  and  New  England, 
that  home  of  manufacturing  wonders,  has 
few  corporations  which  for  so  long  have 
remained  under  the  control  of  their 
founders. 

Mr.  Bradley  was  also  a  director  of  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Aleriden;  of  the 
City  Savings  Bank;  of  the  Meriden  Fire 
Insurance  Company  (vice-president)  ;  of  J. 
D.  Bergen  &  Company,  manufacturers  of 
the  finest  grade  of  cut  glass ;  of  the  Meri- 
den Trust  and  Safe  Deposit  Company;  of 
the  Meriden  Horse  Railroad  Company ; 
of  the  Republican  Publishing  Company, 
and  had  many  other  important  business 
interests.  He  was  a  liberal  supporter  of 
every  good  cause,  but  was  particularly 
generous  to  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  and  the  First  Congregational 
Church, his  contributions  toward  the  build- 
ing funds  of  both  virtually  insuring  their 
success.  For  many  years  he  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  of  the  Congregational  So- 
ciety,and  a  strong  pillar  of  support.  He  was 
a  trustee  of  the  State  School  for  Boys,  and 
president  of  the  board  of  managers  of 
Meriden  Hospital  for  several  years.  His 
first  presidential  vote  was  cast  in  1852  in 
the  basement  of  the  Cheshire  Congrega- 
tional Church  for  the  Whig  candidates, 
but  in  1856  and  ever  thereafter  he  voted 
the  Republican  ticket.  He  served  Meri- 
den as  alderman,  and  acting  mayor,  and 
gave  especial  attention  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  physical  features  of  his  city 
— streets,  parks,  and  cemeteries — and  as 
president  of  the  Meriden  Park  Company 
accomplished  a  great  deal.  He  traveled 
extensively  in  Europe  and  America,  and 
many  of  his  ideas  on  city  beautifying 
came  from  his  travels  to  the  cities  of  the 
old  and  new  world. 

Mr.  Bradley  married,  October  25,  1859, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Harriet  Peck,  daughter  of  Selden  and 
Lucy  Hooker  (Hart)  Peck,  of  Kensing- 
ton, Connecticut.  They  were  the  parents 
of  a  son,  Clarence  Peck  Bradley,  his 
father's  business  associate  and  successor. 


ATWOOD,  Henry  Stanwood, 

Agriculturist,    Public    Official. 

While  in  point  of  ancestry  Henry  S.  At- 
wood  has  been  singularly  blessed,  his  own 
achievement  has  been  such  that  he  can 
well  stand  upon  his  own  merits.  He  be- 
gan his  business  life  with  a  huge  in- 
debtedness incurred  by  the  purchase  of 
the  homestead  farm,  but  his  energy  and 
thrift  soon  dissipated  that  black  cloud, 
and  in  a  few  years  he  was  rated  among 
the  substantial  men  of  his  community. 
The  story  of  such  lives  cannot  too  often 
be  told,  and  aside  from  their  interest  are 
to  the  young  men  both  a  lesson  and  an  in- 
spiration. Self  made  in  the  truest  sense,  he 
has  attained  his  success  through  energy, 
enterprise  and  integrity.  He  has  ever  been 
keenly  alive  to  the  responsibilities  of  citi- 
zenship, and  as  his  sires  aided  to  erect,  so 
he  has  labored  to  maintain  that  political 
division  known  to  all  men  as  the  United 
States  of  America,  but  to  those  born  with- 
in its  border  as  "My  Country." 

His  ancestry  in  the  paternal  line  traces 
to  Dr.  Thomas  Atwood,  a  captain  of 
horse,  under  Cromwell  "the  Protector." 
He  fought  in  the  four  great  battles  of  the 
"First  Civil  War,"  including  the  memo- 
rable engagement  at  "Marston  Moor," 
July  2,  1644.  After  retiring  from  the 
army.  Dr.  Atwood  came  to  Massachu- 
setts, settling  at  Plymouth,  in  1647,  later 
moving  to  Wethersfield,  Connecticut, 
where  he  died  in  1682.  He  married  late 
in  life,  his  wife  one  whom  he  had  first 
seen  in  the  cradle  at  the  first  home  he 
entered  after  landing  in  the  New  World. 
The  marriage  occurred  in  1667,  he  then 


being  fifty-nine  years  of  age.  He  settled 
in  Wethersfield,  in  1663,  and  after  his 
marriage  built  a  brick  house,  to  which  he 
took  his  bride,  Abigail,  a  girl  of  seven- 
teen. As  a  doctor  he  rode  a  wide  circuit 
from  Saybrook  on  the  east,  to  Woodbury 
on  the  west,  also  engaging  in  business  as 
a  trader  with  the  West  Indies.  Dr.  Thom- 
as and  Abigail  Atwood  were  the  parents 
of  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  the  line 
of  descent  being  through  Josiah,  the 
youngest  son,  born  October  4,  1678,  died 

1753- 

Josiah  Atwood  inherited  the  brick  manor 
house  built  by  his  father,  and  also  en- 
gaged in  the  West  India  trade.  He  pros- 
pered for  a  time,  but  the  loss  of  a  ship  and 
valuable  cargo  so  affected  his  fortune  that 
he  was  obliged  to  surrender  the  manor 
house  to  his  creditors.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  son,  Ashur  Atwood,  born  Decem- 
ber 27,  1729,  died  April  21,  1808,  who  left 
a  son,  Ezekiel  Atwood,  born  August  19, 
1764,  who  married  Hannah  Francis,  born 
March  22,  1770.  Their  youngest  son. 
Francis  Atwood,  married  Eunice  E. 
White,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
Henry  Stanwood  Atwood,  to  whom  this 
review  is  dedicated.  Francis  Atwood  was 
born  August  27,  1803.  He  married,  Janu- 
ary 14,  1840,  Eunice  E.  White,  born  Janu- 
ary 18,  1805,  eldest  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Abigail  (Day)  White,  of  Granby, 
Massachusetts,  further  mention  below. 
Francis  and  Eunice  E.  (White)  Atwood 
had  three  sons :  Herman  W.,  born  No- 
vember 22,  1840,  a  prominent  druggist  of 
New  York  City,  died  October  22,  1897 ; 
Oliver  E.,  born  September  14,  1843,  died 
in  Chicago,  Illinois,  February  11,  1888; 
Henry  Stanwood. 

Henry  Stanwood  Atwood  was  born 
June  I,  1847,  in  Hartford.  After  complet- 
ing courses  of  study  in  the  public  schools, 
he  attended  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Com- 
mercial Business  College  at  Hartford.  He 


34 


'-^-^^^"-^^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


began  business  life  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
first  connecting  with  a  mercantile  house 
in  New  York  City,  where  he  remained  one 
year.  His  father,  then  in  faihng  health, 
needed  him  at  home,  and  in  response  to 
that  need  he  resigned  his  position,  re- 
turned home  in  1867,  and  assumed  the 
management  of  the  paternal  acres,  then 
numbering  one  hundred  and  fifty.  In  1868 
he  attained  his  majority,  and  became  the 
owner  of  the  homestead  farm  by  pur- 
chase, the  transaction  leaving  him  in  debt 
to  the  extent  of  twenty-one  thousand 
dollars.  But  he  had  carefully  calculated 
the  extent  of  the  farm's  producing  ca- 
pacity, and  with  perfect  confidence  in 
himself  he  shouldered  that  burden,  with 
a  courage  equal  to  that  of  his  Revolu- 
tionary sires.  He  was  blessed  with  a 
strong  physical  body,  a  stout  heart  and 
a  strong  mentality,  qualities  in  combina- 
tion with  industry  and  definite  plan  which 
carried  him  to  success.  He  operated  his 
farm  as  a  dairy  and  stock  proposition, 
dealt  as  a  wholesaler  in  milk  for  five  years, 
and  for  fifteen  years  dealt  heavily  in  cattle, 
purchasing  in  Connecticut  and  New  York, 
killing  them  for  market,  when  necessary, 
at  his  own  farm.  His  sales  of  milk  reached 
five  thousand  dollars  annually,  while  his 
cattle  purchases  often  reached  in  a  single 
day  eighty  head.  He  also  dealt  in  fine 
horses,  and  to  some  extent  was  a  breeder, 
but  his  principal  business  was  buying  and 
selling.  The  debt  on  the  farm  was  lessened 
each  year,  and  within  an  incredibly  short 
time  was  totally  extinguished.  From  time 
to  time,  as  was  profitable,  he  disposed  of 
portions  of  his  farm  until  but  half  of  the 
original  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  re- 
mained in  his  possession.  But  they  were 
the  most  valuable  and  sufficient  for  his 
purposes. 

Mr.  Atwood  has  taken  a  lively  interest 
in  public  affairs,  and  although  averse  to 
political  ofTice  holding,  he  met  the  wishes 


of  his  many  friends,  consenting  in  1899  to 
become  a  candidate  for  Common  Council 
from  the  Eighth  Ward  of  Hartford.  At 
llie  ensuing  election  he  received  most 
gratifying  evidence  of  the  high  esteem  in 
which  he  was  held,  his  vote  being  the 
largest  ever  cast  for  a  candidate  running 
for  that  office,  his  majority,  five  hundred 
and  fifty-three,  being  considered  a  re- 
markable expression  of  public  confidence. 
He  also  served  as  treasurer  of  the  South- 
western School  District  for  several  years, 
and  since  1912  has  held  the  office  of  street 
commissioner.  He  has  a  deep  and  abid- 
ing interest  in  all  good  causes,  the  public 
school  system  in  particular.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican;  is  a  member  of  the 
South  Congregational  Church,  of  Wylleys 
Lodge,  No.  99,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  West  Hartford,  and  of  the  Re- 
publican Club. 

Mr.  Atwood  married  Hattie  M.  Brewer, 
born  in  Unionville,  Connecticut,  daughter 
of  Joshua  B.  Brewer.  Children:  Louise 
E.,  born  July  27,  1887;  Florence,  born 
November  25,  1892,  died  March  19.  1895; 
Shirley,  born  March  31,  1896. 

(The  White  Line). 

The  White  family  from  which  Mr.  At- 
wood is  descended  was  very  early  estab- 
lished in  Connecticut  by  Elder  John  White, 
born  about  1600,  in  England,  died  Janu- 
ary I,  1684,  in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  He 
sailed,  about  June  22,  1632,  in  the  ship 
"Lion.''  and  landed  at  Boston,  September 
16.  of  that  year,  accompanied  by  his  wife 
Mary,  and  at  least  two  children.  Settling 
in  Cambridge  across  the  Charles  river 
from  Boston,  he  was  allotted  a  home  lot 
of  about  three-quarters  of  an  acre,  on  a 
street  then  called  Cow  Yard  Row,  and 
about  thirty  acres  of  outlying  farmland. 
Another  three-quarters  of  an  acre  near  his 
home  lot  was  granted  August  5.  1633.  for 
a  cow  yard.     Harvard  Library  is  located 


35 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


on  or  near  this  piece  of  land.  John  White 
was  a  prominent  man  in  the  settlement, 
was  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  select- 
men of  Cambridge,  but  soon  joined  the 
company  which  formed  a  new  settlement 
at  Hartford.  His  home  lot  in  Hartford 
consisted  of  about  two  acres  on  the  east 
side  of  Governors  street,  some  ten  rods 
south  of  Little  river,  and  his  outlying 
farm  land  consisted  of  two  hundred  and 
thirty  acres.  In  Hartford  he  was  promi- 
nent in  town  affairs,  and  was  again  in- 
strumental in  forming  a  new  settlement 
on  account  of  the  dissensions  in  the  Hart- 
ford church.  A  party  of  sixty  persons 
left  Hartford,  April  i8,  1659,  John  White 
being  one  of  the  leaders,  and  located  at 
Hadley,  Massachusetts.  Here  John  White 
had  a  house  lot  of  some  eighty  acres  on 
the  east  side  of  Hadley  street,  and  a  large 
area  of  outlying  land.  About  1670  he  re- 
turned to  Hartford,  and  was  soon  after 
elected  an  elder  in  the  South  Church, 
which  had  shortly  before  been  formed  by 
seceders  from  the  first  church.  His  eldest 
son  was  Captain  Nathaniel  White,  born 
about  1629,  in  England,  one  of  the  origi- 
nal proprietors  and  first  settlers  of  Mid- 
dletown,  Connecticut,  where  he  died,  Au- 
gust 27,  171 1.  In  this  new  community  he 
took  a  very  prominent  position,  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature  many  times, 
being  eighty-one  years  of  age  when  last 
chosen.  His  first  wife,  Elizabeth,  was 
the  mother  of  Deacon  Nathaniel  White, 
born  July  7,  1652,  in  Middletown,  who 
settled  on  the  homestead  of  his  grand- 
father. Elder  John  White,  in  Hadley, 
about  1678.  There  he  died  February  15, 
1742.  He  was  a  large  landowner,  promi- 
nent in  both  church  and  town  affairs,  took 
the  oath  of  allegiance  in  February,  1679, 
and  served  on  the  committee  to  seat  the 
meeting  house.  He  married,  March  28, 
1678.  Elizabeth  Savage,  born  June  3,  1655, 
died  January  30,  1742,  daughter  of  John 


Savage.  Their  sixth  son  and  youngest 
child  was  William  White,  born  August 
15,  1698,  in  Hadley,  where  he  was  select- 
man in  1750,  and  died  May  30,  1774.  He 
married,  March  22,  1728,  Mary,  widow  of 
John  Taylor,  and  daughter  of  John  and 
Sarah  (Harrison)  Selden,  born  September 
27-  1703,  died  August  10,  1735.  Their 
eldest  son,  William  White,  was  born  Oc- 
tober 4,  1732,  and  was  something  of  a 
rover,  residing  successively  in  Hinsdale, 
New  Hampshire ;  Bernardston,  North- 
field  and  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
died  at  Hadley  in  December,  1810.  He 
married,  in  April,  1757,  Lydia  Patterson, 
born  September  2,  1737,  in  Northfield, 
Massachusetts,  daughter  of  Eleazer  and 
Lydia  (Moore)  Patterson,  died  before 
1765.  Samuel  White,  son  of  William  and 
Lydia  (Patterson)  White,  was  born  about 
1758-63.  The  traditions  and  Revolution- 
ary military  rolls  dififer  widely  about  this. 
According  to  the  family  tradition  he  was 
but  fifteen  years  old  when  he  entered  the 
Revolutionary  army.  One  record  of  his 
service  makes  him  twenty  years  old  at 
enlistment,  and  other  records  place  his 
age  differently.  It  is  probable  that  he 
exaggerated  his  age  on  the  first  enlist- 
ment in  order  to  secure  admission  to  the 
ranks.  All  records  of  his  Revolutionary 
service  agree  in  this  that  his  stature  was 
five  feet,  six  inches,  and  most  of  them 
that  his  complexion  was  dark.  His  first 
enlistment  was  at  Salem,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  credited  to  Chester,  New 
Hampshire.  He  was  a  member  of  a  com- 
pany raised  in  Salem  to  serve  in  the  Con- 
tinental army  on  the  resolve  of  April  20, 
1778,  is  described  age  twenty ;  stature  five 
feet,  six  inches ;  complexion  dark,  eyes 
light.  His  enlistment  was  for  nine 
months,  from  arrival  at  Fishkill,  and  this 
date  was  June  it,.  He  lived  for  a  time 
in  Chester,  Massachusetts,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Belchertown,  in  the  same  colo- 


3t 


TRE  ^^EW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ny,  and  there  again  entered  the  Revolu- 
tionary army.  He  marched  to  camp  at 
Springfield,  August  i6,  1780,  in  a  com- 
pany raised  to  reinforce  the  Continental 
army  for  six  months,  agreeable  to  the 
resolve  of  May  5,  1780,  and  the  return 
was  dated  at  Springfield,  August  16,  of 
that  year.  He  is  described  as  five  feet, 
six  inches  in  stature,  with  dark  com- 
plexion, no  age  given.  He  was  also  a 
private  in  Lieutenant-Colonel  William 
Hull's  company.  Colonel  John  Greaton's 
(Third)  regiment,  as  shown  by  muster 
roll  of  November,  1780,  was  discharged 
February  16,  1781,  after  service  of  six 
months  and  nineteen  days,  including  eight 
days'  (one  hundred  and  fifty  miles)  travel 
home.  After  this  service  he  seems  to 
have  removed  to  Granby,  Connecticut, 
which  was  then  a  part  of  Massachusetts, 
and  there  enlisted,  April  24,  1781,  for 
three  months'  service.  He  is  described 
as  aged  twenty-one  years,  stature  five 
feet,  six  inches,  complexion  fresh,  a 
farmer.  He  was  a  private  in  Captain 
David  Holbrook's  company,  Colonel  Wil- 
liam Shepard's  (Fourth)  regiment  rolls 
of  August  and  September,  1781 ;  was  re- 
ported on  horse  guard  in  September,  1781, 
dated  York  Hutts ;  was  reported  on 
fatigue  duty  in  October  and  November, 
1781  ;  was  transferred  to  Captain  Webb's 
company,  December  i,  1781,  and  was  also 
in  Captain  George  Webb's  company  of  light 
infantry.  Colonel  Shepard's  regiment,  in 
December,  1781,  and  January  and  Febru- 
ary, 1782,  roll  sworn  to  at  West  Point. 
Samuel  White  continued  to  reside  in 
Granby  until  his  death.  Family  tradition 
says  that  he  was  twice  married,  but  rec- 
ord of  only  one  marriage  has  been  found. 
This  occurred  March  12,  1801,  the  bride 
being  Abigail  Day,  born  August  24,  1763, 
daughter  of  John  (3)  and  Rhoda  (Chapin) 
Day,  of  Ireland  Parish,  West  Springfield, 
granddaughter  of   Tohn    (2)    and   Abigail 


(Bragg)  Day,  great-granddaughter  of 
John  (i)  and  Mary  (Smith)  Day.  John 
( I )  Day  was  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Sarah 
(Cooper)  Day,  grandson  of  Robert  Day, 
born  1604,  who  came  to  America  from 
Ipswich,  England,  in  April,  1634,  arriving 
at  Boston,  and  settled  early  at  Hartford. 
Nothing  is  known  of  his  first  wife.  He 
married  (second)  Editha  Stebbins.  sister 
of  Deacon  Edward  Stebbins,  of  Hartford, 
and  she  was  the  mother  of  Thomas  Day, 
above  noted.  There  is.  a  record  in  Ches- 
ter, Massachusetts,  of  the  death  of  Cap- 
tain Samuel  White,  September  6,  1830, 
at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  If  this  is 
the  Samuel  White  who  lived  in  Chester, 
and  whose  Revolutionary  record  is  given 
above,  it  would  indicate  that  his  birth 
took  place  in  1760.  His  daughter,  Eunice 
E.  White,  became  the  wife  of  Francis  At- 
wood,  as  above  related. 


EGAN,  Thomas  Francis, 

Superintendent    of   State    Police. 

Thomas  Francis  Egan,  one  of  Connec- 
ticut's leading  citizens,  who  is  now  serv- 
ing as  superintendent  of  State  police, 
was  born  January  10,  1854,  in  Southing- 
ton,  son  of  William  E.  and  Catherine 
(Gorry)  Egan,  both  natives  of  Kings 
county,  Ireland.  The  father  came  to 
America  in  1849,  locating  in  southeastern 
Southington,  where  he  was  at  first  em- 
ployed as  a  farm  hand.  The  following 
year  his  parents,  Thomas  F.  and  Cather- 
ine (Tracy)  Egan,  also  crossed  the  At- 
lantic, and  took  up  their  residence  in 
Southington.  Connecticut,  Thomas  F. 
Egan  being  engaged  in  farming  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  town.  His  chil- 
dren were  :  Michael ;  Ann,  wife  of  Thom- 
as Mahon ;  William  E.,  Thomas,  James, 
Patrick  and  John.  The  maternal  grand- 
parents of  Thomas  Francis  Egan  were 
Daniel  and  Mary  (Kelly)  Gorry,  of  Kings 


37 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


county,  Ireland.  During  the  Civil  War, 
William  E.  Egan,  father  of  Thomas  P". 
Egan,  enlisted  in  Company  G,  Ninth  Con- 
necticut Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service 
as  a  private  in  October,  1861.  He  died  at 
New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  in  August,  1862, 
from  disease  contracted  in  the  army.  In 
his  family  were  five  children  who  reached 
maturity:  Thomas  F.,  Daniel  D.,  Joseph 
A.,  James  C,  and  William  E. 

The  early  life  of  Mr.  Egan  was  passed 
in  Southington,  and  he  received  a  common 
school  education.  On  attaining  his  ma- 
jority he  began  an  apprenticeship  to  the 
culter"s  trade,  serving  three  years,  and 
later  he  worked  as  a  journeyman  at  that 
trade  for  four  years.  He  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Peck,  Stow  &  Wilcox  Company 
in  1881,  in  the  box  department  of  their 
works,  and  has  continued  his  connection 
with  them  up  to  the  present  time.  In 
1884  he  was  elected  constable  of  South- 
ington. which  office  he  held  continuously 
until  June,  1895,  when  he  was  appointed 
deputy  sheriff,  from  which  position  he 
resigned  in  1904.  He  held  that  office  con- 
currently with  his  present  office,  to  which 
he  was  appointed  July  13.  1903,  at  which 
time  the  department  was  established.  Sub- 
ject to  call  by  the  Governor,  any  State's 
attorney,  coroner  or  any  regularly  ap- 
pointed prosecuting  officer  in  all  criminal 
matters  throughout  the  State  have  the 
same  authority  as  sheriffs,  but  the  activity 
of  the  department  is  confined  to  criminal 
matters.  Under  the  supervision  of  the 
State  police  commissioner  and  direction 
of  Mr.  Egan,  the  department  has  been 
built  up  and  a  high  degree  of  efficiency 
developed.  He  has  been  connected  with 
many  of  the  important  criminal  cases  in 
the  State  since  his  office  was  created.  In 
July,  1905,  the  State  fire  department  hav- 
ing been  abolished,  Mr.  Egan  became 
State   fire    marshal   by   legislative   enact- 


ment. In  191 1  the  Legislature  established 
the  office  of  State  Superintendent  of 
Weights  and  Measures,  and  provided  that 
it  should  be  held  by  the  superintendent 
of  State  police.  In  this  department  the 
equipment  is  complete  and  up-to-date. 
Mr.  Egan  and  his  family  are  members  of 
the  Cathedral  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Columbus ;  Ancient  Order  of  Hiberni- 
ans ;  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  ; 
Trumbull  Camp,  Sons  of  Veterans,  and  of 
the  .Southington  Fire  Department,  Hook 
&  Ladder  Company  No.  i,  of  which  he  was 
foreman  from  1897  until  October,  1899. 

Mr.  Egan  married.  February  18,  1878, 
Ellen  M.  White,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Fox)  White,  of  Ireland.  Their 
children,  all  born  in  Southington.  are: 
\\'illiam  Edward,  whose  sketch  follows  ; 
Catherine,  born  1881,  married  Michael  J. 
Sullivan,  of  New  London,  Connecticut ; 
Thomas  F.,  born  September  i,  1882,  mar- 
ried Annie  Sullivan,  of  Hartford ;  Anna 
T..  born  September  22,  1884;  John  B., 
born  April  20,  1889,  of  Hartford ;  Joseph 
P.,  born  June  13,  1893,  a  student  in 
Georgetown  Law  School,  class  of  191 7. 


EGAN,  William  Edvrard, 

Sncceisfnl  Lavryer. 

William  Edward  Egan.  whose  profes- 
sional ability  and  personal  energy  have 
won  him  an  acknowledged  standing  at 
the  Connecticut  bar,  is  a  representative 
citizen  of  Hartford,  and  he  wields  a  force- 
ful mastery  by  the  sheer  force  of  his  firm 
and  decided  character. 

William  Edward  Egan  was  born  in 
Southington,  Connecticut.  May  6,  1880. 
He  was  educated  in  the  Lewis  High 
School,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1897.  He  began  preparation  for  an  active 
career  by  apprenticing  himself  to  learn 
the  trade  of  tool  maker  in  the  factorv  of 


38 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Peck,  Stow  &  Wilcox,  after  which  he 
worked  in  various  large  plants  in  Hart- 
ford, among  them  Pratt  &  Whitneys, 
Pope  Manufacturing  Company,  also  in 
the  Corbin  Motor  Vehicle  Company  of 
New  Britain  and  the  International  Paper 
Company,  of  Bellows  Falls,  Vermont. 
Having  a  decided  preference  for  a  profes- 
sional career,  he  began  his  preparation 
by  becoming  a  student  in  the  Yale  Law 
School,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
1908.  After  successfully  passing  a  com- 
petitive examination,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  of  his  native  State  in  June,  1908, 
and  has  been  engaged  in  active  practice 
since  that  time,  gaining  the  esteem  of  the 
members  of  the  bar  and  laymen  alike. 
His  practice,  which  has  steadily  grown  to 
large  and  important  proportions,  is  gen- 
eral in  character,  he  gaining  the  confi- 
dence of  his  patrons  by  the  care  which 
he  exercises  in  handling  the  cases  en- 
trusted to  him,  and  the  litigation  with 
which  he  has  been  identified  has  been 
handled  with  a  skill  and  effectiveness  that 
have  won  him  enviable  prestige.  He  is 
a  man  of  marked  intellectual  strength  and 
congenial  nature,  is  public-spirited,  and 
he  can  be  depended  upon  to  contribute 
and  heartily  cooperate  in  any  movement 
tending  to  advance  the  general  interests 
or  promote  the  material  welfare  of  his 
adopted  city.  Hartford.  He  held  mem- 
bership in  the  Governor's  Foot  Guard  for 
four  years,  and  at  the  present  time  (1917) 
is  a  member  of  Putnam  Phalanx,  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
Knights  of  Columbus,  Automobile  Club 
of  Hartford  and  member  of  its  board  of 
governers;  the  Eyelet  Club,  Phi  Delta 
Phi.  Kau  Tau  Kappa  of  Yale. 

Mr.  Egan  married.  September  16,  1909, 
May  G.  Noonan.  daughter  of  James  J. 
Noonan,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Chil- 
dren :  William  Edward,  Jr.,  born  April  4. 
1912;  James  N.,  born  January  11,  1916. 


WINSLOW,  Fred  Gideon, 

Business  Man. 

When  John  Winslow  came  from  Eng- 
land, about  1846,  he  brought  with  him  his 
infant  son,  Gideon  D.  Winslow,  who  be- 
came a  prominent  man  in  the  State  of 
Connecticut,  and  was  a  long  time  resident 
of  Hartford.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he 
was  president  of  the  Spring  Brook  Ice 
Company,  a  position  now  held  by  his  son, 
Fred  Gideon  Winslow,  a  native  son  and 
rising  young  business  man  of  Hartford. 
When  the  family  first  came  from  England 
settlement  was  made  at  Broad  Brook, 
Hartford  county,  Connecticut,  and  there 
the  boy,  Gideon  D.  Winslow,  attended  the 
public  schools,  supplementing  that  study 
by  a  course  at  Eastman's  Business  Col- 
lege, Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  After 
completing  that  course  he  established  in 
business  in  Hartford,  eventually  owning 
a  prosperous  grocery  business  located  at 
the  corner  of  Front  and  State  streets. 
There  he  continued  until  appointed  State 
dairy  commissioner  by  Governor  Bulke- 
ley.  an  office  he  held  until  1897.  He  then 
became  president  and  treasurer  of  the 
Spring  Brook  Ice  Company,  continuing 
as  head  of  that  company  until  his  death  in 
September,  1914.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  old  board  of  Hartford  fire  commis- 
sioners for  about  ten  years :  member  of 
the  Board  of  Aldermen,  member  of  Com- 
pany F,  old  City  Guard,  affiliated  with 
St.  John's  Lodge.  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, a  man  of  high  character  and  ability. 
He  married  Clara  J.  Charter,  daughter  of 
William  M.  Charter,  of  Hartford.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Winslow  were  the  parents  of 
two  daughters  and  a  son :  Florence,  mar- 
ried A.  Hayden  Arnold,  and  resides  in 
New  York  City ;  Fred  Gideon,  of  further 
mention :  Elsie  W.,  widow  of  George  W. 
Rowley,  of  Hartford. 

Fred    Gideon    Winslow,    onlv    son    of 


39 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Gideon  D.  and  Clara  J.  (Charter)  Wins- 
low,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
January  20,  1879.  Until  eighteen  years 
of  age  he  attended  the  grade  and  high 
schools  of  Hartford,  beginning  his  busi- 
ness career  in  1897  as  an  office  employee 
of  the  ^Etna  Life  Insurance  Company. 
Twenty  years  have  since  elapsed  and  the 
association  still  continues,  many  different 
positions,  each  one  of  greater  importance, 
having  been  held  before  reaching  his 
present  post,  cashier.  Upon  the  death  of 
his  father,  Mr.  Winslow  succeeded  him  as 
president  of  the  Spring  Brook  Ice  Com- 
pany, one  of  the  most  important  ice  com- 
panies in  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He 
fills  his  dual  positions  with  satisfaction 
to  those  concerned  and  neither  suffers 
through  his  connection  with  the  other. 

Through  his  maternal  ancestry,  Mr. 
Winslow  has  gained  membership  in  the 
patriotic  order.  Sons  of  the  Revolution  ; 
is  a  Republican  in  politics,  representing 
his  ward  in  Common  Council ;  member 
of  Hartford  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the 
Hartford  City,  Republican,  Automobile 
and  Yacht  clubs  of  Hartford,  popular  so- 
cially and  highly  esteemed  as  a  business 
man.  He  married  Katherine,  daughter  of 
Henry  C.  Forbes,  of  Manchester,  Ver- 
mont. 

Mr.  W^inslow,  through  his  mother.  Clara 
J.  (Charter)  Winslow.  traces  descent  to  an 
ancient  English  family  and  to  the  "May- 
flower" passenger  and  signer  of  the  Com- 
pact, Edward  Fuller.  Through  his  ances- 
try he  is  eligible  to  membership  in  the 
Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants,  the 
Society  of  Colonial  Wars  and  the  Sons 
of  the  Revolution. 

A  pedigree  of  the  Robinson  family  in 
the  British  Museum  (Harleian  H.  S.  S. 
No.  1350)  goes  back  to  the  year  1208,  and 
names  as  the  founder,  John  Robinson,  of 
Domington,  a  market  town  in  Lincoln- 
shire, seven  miles  southwest  of  Boston, 


who  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  Paule. 
Two  pedigrees  are  recorded  in  the  "Vis- 
itations of  Lincolnshire,  1502-04,"  by 
Robert  Cooke,  Cestor  Herald  at  Arms  and 
may  be  found  at  pages  104-05  of  the 
edition   1881. 

I.  Nicholas  Robinson,  born  at  Boston 
in  Lincolnshire,  in  1480.  He  was  the  first 
mayor  appointed  in  1545  by  King  Henry 
VIII.     II.  Nicholas  Robinson,  born  1520. 

III.  Rev.  John  Robinson,  born  1610,  came 
to  America  in  the  ship  "Lyon"  in  1631. 

IV.  Lieutenant  Peter  Robinson. born  1655. 

V.  Lieutenant  Peter  Robinson,  born  1697, 
married  Ruth  Fuller  (see  No.  5  "May- 
flower" record).  VI.  Captain  Abner  Rob- 
inson, married  Mehitable  Palmer.  VII. 
Mehitable  Robinson,  their  daughter,  mar- 
ried Elizer  Smith.  VIII.  Abner  Smith, 
their  son,  married  Clara  Tracy.  IX.  Char- 
lotte A.  Smith,  their  daughter,  married 
^^'illiam  M.  Charter.  X.  Clara  Josephine 
Charter,  their  daughter,  married  Gideon 
D.  Winslow.  XI.  Fred  Gideon  Winslow. 
their  son,  married  Katherine  May  Forbes. 

Abner  Robinson  (VI.)  was  ensign  of 
the  Fourth  Company  of  a  regiment  raised 
at  the  first  call  for  troops  by  the  Connec- 
ticut Legislature  at  special  session  in 
April-May,  1775.  It  was  recruited  in 
Windham  county:  He  was  commissioned. 
May,  1775.  This  regiment  was  stationed 
in  camp  near  Boston  during  the  siege,  in 
Putnam  Center  Division  at  Cambridge 
until  expiration  of  service,  December  10, 
1775.  He  reentered  the  service  in  1776 
and  served  as  second  lieutenant  in  Colo- 
nel Mott  and  Swift's  battalion,  to  reen- 
force  the  Continental  forces  at  Fort  Ti- 
conderoga.  and  served  under  General 
Gates.  He  afterward  was  captain  for  one 
year  in  Colonel  McClellan's  regiment,  re- 
cruited March.  1778,  served  in  Tyler's 
brigade  under  General  Sullivan  in  Rhode 
Island  in  August-September,  1778. 


40 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(Mayflower  Line). 

I.  Edward  Fuller,  of  the  "Mayflower," 

married  Ann .    II.  Matthew  Fuller, 

born  about  1610,  their  son,  lieutenant  in 
Captain  Miles  Standish's  company  and 
surgeon-general.  III.  Captain  Samuel 
Fuller,   their   son,   died   March   25,    1676; 

married  Mary .    IV.  Samuel  Fuller, 

born  1678,  their  son,  married  Elizabeth 
Thatcher,  October  8,  1700;  their  daugh- 
ter: V.  Ruth  Fuller,  born  April  12,  1706, 
died  January  8,  1795  ;  married  Peter  Rob- 
inson, June  30,  1735  ;  their  son :  VI.  Cap- 
tain Abner  Robinson,  of  the  Revolution, 
born  February  22,  1738,  died  November 
24,  181 5  ;  married  Mehitable  Palmer,  April 
7,  1763;  their  daughter:  VII.  Mehitable 
Robinson,  born  January  29,  1768,  died  Oc- 
tober 31,  1856;  married  Elizer  Smith,  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1790  (see  Robinson  VII). 


ATKINS,  Frederic  Cunningham, 

Manufacturer. 

The  success  that  has  attended  Mr.  At- 
kins, of  the  Taylor  &  Atkins  Paper  Com- 
pany, is  most  gratifying  to  him,  not  more 
for  the  personal  benefit  that  he  has  de- 
rived than  for  the  opportunity  it  gives 
him  to  carry  out  the  theories  of  coopera- 
tion between  employer  and  employee, 
which  he  believes  should  exist.  It  was 
in  1916  that  the  Taylor  &  Atkins  Paper 
Company  was  put  among  the  profit  shar- 
ing companies  of  New  England,  and  men 
long  identified  with  the  company  had  the 
opportunity  to  acquire  an  interest,  par- 
ticipate in  profits  and  reap  more  than 
weekly  reward,  which  comes  to  them 
through  the  medium  of  the  pay  envelope. 
This  spirit  of  cooperation  and  mutuality 
of  interest  now  permeates  every  depart- 
ment, and  is  the  fruition  of  a  hope  long 
cherished  by  Mr.  Atkins,  president  and 
treasurer  of  the  Taylor  &  Atkins  Paper 
Company  of  East  Hartford,  Connecticut. 


Mr.  Atkins  descends  from  Josiah  At- 
kins, who  early  came  from  England  to 
New  England,  but  did  not  appear  in 
Middletown.  Connecticut,  until  1650.  In 
March  of  that  year  he  was  a  member  of 
a  committee  to  explore  lands  in  Connec- 
ticut, and  in  Middletown  he  remained  un- 
til his  death,  September  12,  1690.  He  was 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Solomon  Atkins, 
born  in  Middletown,  in  1678,  died  there  in 
1748.  Solomon  Atkins  married  Phoebe 
Edwards  and  had  a  large  family.  He  was 
a  man  of  influence  in  Middletown,  serv- 
ing for  many  years  as  deacon  of  the 
church. 

Solomon  (2)  Atkins,  son  of  Deacon 
Solomon  (i)  and  Phoebe  (Edwards)  At- 
kins, was  born  at  Middletown,  August 
II,  1720,  died  February  26,  1804,  at 
Whately,  Massachusetts,  having  moved 
to  Whately  about  1778.  He  married,  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1748,  Thankful  Lee,  born  1727, 
died  April  7,  1806.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of:  Thankful,  born  January  14,  1749, 
married,  April  29,  1786,  John  Crafts; 
Sybil,  born  February  19,  1750;  Chloe, 
March  16,  1752;  Abia,  March  30,  1756, 
married  William  Cone;  Solomon  (3),  of 
further  mention ;  Giles,  born  April  4, 
1765;    Elijah,  January  26,  1769. 

Solomon  (3)  Atkins,  fifth  child  of  Solo- 
mon (2)  and  Thankful  (Lee)  Atkins,  was 
born  at  Middletown,  May  4,  1762.  In 
1778  the  family  moved  to  Whately,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  there  resided  until  1825, 
when  he  moved  to  New  York  State,  where 
he  died.  The  house  he  built  in  Whately 
was  later  used  as  a  parsonage,  and  near 
there  he  built  a  shop  in  which  he  con- 
ducted a  shoe  manufacturing  business. 
He  built  a  tannery  on  Gutter  Brook  and 
long  continued  business  there,  being  a 
man  of  forty-seven  years  when  he  sold 
his  properties  and  moved  to  New  York. 
He  married,  March  9,  1787,  Electa  Graves, 
born  December  27,  1764,  daughter  of  Dea- 


41 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


con  Oliver  Graves.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children :  Enoch,  born  Au- 
gust 28,  1788;  Henry,  June  16,  1789; 
Electa,  November  20,  1793,  died  young; 
Chloe,  April  18,  1798,  married  John  El- 
well;  Joel,  September  7,  1800;  Hannah, 
July  14,  1803,  married  a  Mr.  Talmadge; 
Solomon  (4),  of  further  mention. 

Solomon  (4)  Atkins,  youngest  child  of 
Solomon  (3)  and  Electa  (Graves)  Atkins, 
was  born  at  Whately,  Massachusetts,  Oc- 
tober 8,  1805,  died  in  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  is  buried  in  South  Deerfield. 
He  learned  the  tanning  and  shoe  manu- 
facturing business  with  his  father,  and 
while  still  a  young  man  joined  his  brother 
in  Columbus,  Georgia,  the  brother  having 
established  there  a  factory  for  the  manu- 
facture of  boots  and  harness  sold  to  the 
planters  thereabout,  tanning  the  leather 
in  his  own  tannery.  Solomon  Atkins  was 
soon  made  manager  of  the  business, 
and  there  remained  twelve  years,  losing 
his  money  once  through  a  bank  failure, 
but  having  won  the  confidence  of  the 
planters  by  his  straightforward,  honorable 
methods,  was  able  to  make  a  fresh  start 
and  eventually  rebuild  his  fortunes.  Upon 
his  return  North  he  located  in  Conway, 
Massachusetts,  established  the  tannery 
business  of  Clapp  &  Atkins  and  there  con- 
tinued for  several  years.  In  1850  he  re- 
tired from  the  firm  and  moved  to  South 
Deerfield,  Massachusetts,  where  most  of 
his  later  years  were  passed.  He  was  an 
active  Whig,  later  a  Republican,  and  he 
and  his  wife  and  daughters  were  active 
members  of  the  Congregational  church. 
Solomon  (4)  Atkins  married,  June  16, 
1833,  Wealthy  Arms,  born  January  23, 
1804,  died  March  17,  1870,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Hannah  (F>oyden)  Arms,  ot 
South  Deerfield,  Massachusetts.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children:  i. 
Mary  Jane,  born  September  8,  1835  ;  mar- 
ried. October   16,   i860,  Andrew   Dutton. 


2.  Fidelia  R.,  born  August  25,  1839,  died 
July  26,  1905;  married,  May  19,  1864. 
Eurotas  Morton,  born  at  Whately,  July 
6,  1S28,  died  August  27,  1905;  they  had 
two  sons:  Gilbert  E.  and  William  A. 
Morton,  the  latter  killed  in  a  railway  ac- 
cident, September  18,  1891,  aged  seven 
teen  years.  3.  Frederic  Cunningham,  ol 
further  mention. 

Frederic  Cunningham  Atkins,  only 
son  of  Solomon  (4)  and  Wealthy  (Arms) 
Atkins,  was  born  in  Conway,  Massachu- 
setts, January  23,  1849.  He  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  South  Deerfield 
and  old  Deerfield  Academy,  being  em- 
ployed during  vacations  and  out  of  school 
hours  by  Charles  Arms,  a  manufacturer 
of  pocket  books.  The  manufacture  of 
pocket  books  was  rather  an  inherited 
taste  with  the  young  man,  as  his  grand- 
father, Thomas  Arms,  and  his  brother, 
Dennis  Arms,  were  both  engaged  in  that 
line,  being  pioneers  in  the  pocket  book 
manufacture  in  South  Deerfield.  Mr.  At- 
kins became  manager  for  Houghton  & 
Clarke,  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  con- 
tinuing as  such  until  about  1870,  when  he 
purchased  the  business.  He  bought  out 
the  Cobb  &  Johnson  business  of  Lan- 
caster. Massachusetts,  and  added  to  his 
line  of  pocket  books  their  line  of  old 
fashioned  farmers'  wallets.  He  moved  his 
plant  to  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  and 
prospered  until  the  panic  of  1873  caused 
severe  losses  which  resulted  in  his  clos- 
ing out  and  retiring  from  the  manufactur- 
ing field  for  a  time. 

About  1886,  Mr.  Atkins  reentered  the 
business  field  as  a  paper  broker  in  New 
York  City.  At  his  ofifice  on  Broadway  he 
handled  the  output  of  five  mills  on  a  com- 
mission basis,  the  product  of  the  mills 
varying  in  grade  and  purpose.  He  trans- 
acted a  large  and  prosperous  wholesale 
business  for  thirteen  years,  then  came  to 
East  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  in  1897 


42 


r 


THE  KEW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,   LEITOX 

ILDEiJ    FCJKDATIONS 


ei^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  Taylor  &  Atkins  Paper  Company  was 
organized  for  the  manufacture  of  writing 
papers,  tablets,  papeteries,  envelopes  and 
stationery  supplies.  A  feature  of  the  busi- 
ness is  that  the  paper  is  made  on  the 
premises  from  raw  material,  the  printing 
is  all  done  in  their  own  shops  from  their 
own  forms,  and  this  is  probably  the  only 
plant  in  the  country  where  from  pulp  to 
finished  product  every  operation  is  per- 
formed. The  product  goes  through 
jobbers  to  every  part  of  the  country. 
Mr.  Atkins  was  president  of  the  com- 
pany until  1916,  when  the  death  of  his 
partner  occurred.  He  then  purchased  that 
interest  from  the  estate  and  added  to  his 
duties  the  office  of  treasurer.  His  life 
from  boyhood  until  the  present  has  been 
spent  in  these  two  lines  of  manufacture. 
leather  goods  and  paper,  excepting  the 
thirteen  years  as  a  commission  paper  mer- 
chant in  New  York  which  gave  him  ex- 
perience in  the  selling  field  that  has  been 
of  great  value  to  him.  His  knowledge  of 
the  business  covers  every  phase  of  mill 
and  ofifice,  and  he  is  thoroughly  qualified 
for  the  management  of  his  important  busi- 
ness. He  is  a  man  of  broad,  liberal  mind, 
conducts  his  business  along  the  line  of 
mutuality,  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  those  who  labor  with  him. 
Integrity  and  uprightness  distinguish 
him,  and  he  has  the  highest  esteem  of 
his  community. 

The  social  side  of  life  and  the  obliga- 
tions of  religion  are  not  neglected.  He  is 
a  member  of  Orient  Lodge,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  of  West  Hartford;  Wyllis 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Wolcott 
Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters  ;  Wash- 
ington Commandery,  Knights  Templar; 
Sphinx  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  and  of  Connecticut  Consistory, 
Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  in  which 
he  has  attained  the  thirty-second  degree. 

Mr.  Atkins  married  Cora  Isabelle  Par- 


sons, daughter  of  Charles  Theodore  Par- 
sons, of  Northampton,  Massachusetts,  of 
Revolutionary  ancestry.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Atkins  are  the  parents  of  three  daughters  : 

Florence  S. ;  Perle,  married Blom- 

quist ;   Ruth. 


BILL,  Frederick  Roswell, 

Enterprising  Business  Man. 

Frederick  Roswell  Bill,  president  of 
The  Bill  Brothers  Company,  of  Hartford, 
is  in  the  ninth  generation  of  direct  lineal 
descent  from  John  Bill,  who  in  1635,  or  at 
some  time  earlier,  became  a  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Colony,  and  was  pro- 
genitor of  American  branches  of  a  family 
which  has  held  prominent  place  in  the 
records  of  many  states  since  Colonial 
days,  and  has  in  the  branch  to  which 
Frederick  Roswell  Bill,  of  Hartford,  be- 
longs, been  identified  with  Connecticut 
history  for  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
years. 

The  patronymic.  Bill,  is  of  ancient  ori- 
gin, and  although  of  early  English  asso- 
ciation, it  is  asserted  to  have  been  un- 
questionably of  Norman  origin.  In  the 
time  of  the  Norman  Conquest,  the  Nor- 
man soldiers  were  of  three  distinct  classes, 
as  are  our  own ;  we  have  artillery,  cavalry 
and  infantry  ;  they  had  knights,  who  were 
all  clad  in  full  armor  and  mounted ;  then, 
battle-axe,  or  bill,  men  ;  then,  the  archers  ; 
these  classes  ranking  in  the  order  given. 
Milton  uses  the  word  as  meaning  a  sword, 
or  a  battle-axe.  Hall  says :  "There  were 
sent  into  France  hundreds,  and  some  not 
able  to  draw  a  bow  or  carry  a  bill"  (axe). 
The  name  was  also  carried  into  Denmark. 

In  the  county  of  Shropshire,  England, 
the  name  of  Bill  has  been  traced  for  five 
hundred  years.  Dr.  Thomas  Bill,  the  first 
of  the  name  of  whom  any  especial  ac- 
count has  been  preserved,  was  born  about 
1490,  in  Bedfordshire.     He  was  a  learned 


43 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


physician,  and  an  attendant  of  the  Prin- 
cess Elizabeth  in  1549.  Much  genealogi- 
cal data  is  extant  of  the  Bill  family  of 
England,  but  authentic  records  of  the  di- 
rect antecedents  of  the  immediate  ances- 
tors of  John  Bill,  immigrant  ancestor  of 
the  American  branches  of  the  family,  are 
not  at  the  present  ascertainable.  The 
American  records,  however,  authenticate 
the  arrival  in  Boston,  of  a  boy  named  John 
Bill,  aged  thirteen,  who  disembarked  from 
the  ship  "Hopewell"  in  1635 ;  also  that 
one  Mary  Bill,  aged  eleven,  came  in  the 
ship  "Planter"  about  the  same  time. 
There  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  these 
children  were  the  children  of  John  and 
Dorothy  Bill  (who  were  already  of  the 
colony  and  must  have  arrived  in  Boston 
prior  to  1635),  for  we  find  the  girl,  Mary 
Bill,  apparently  a  member  of  the  Tuttle 
household,  her  name  following  theirs  on 
the  list  of  passengers.  On  Januarj'  21, 
1638-39,  Richard  Tuttell  became  respon- 
sible to  the  town  of  Boston  for  "one 
Dorothie  Bill,  widdowe,  a  sojourner  in 
his  house."  It  is  presumed  that  she  was 
his  sister,  the  widow  of  John  Bill.  The 
name  of  Bill  is  first  mentioned  in  the 
records  of  the  town  of  Boston,  the  refer- 
ence being:  "John  Bill  died,  tenth  month, 
1638."  No  record  has  been  preserved  of 
the  death  of  his  widow.  They  had  a  num- 
ber of  children,  and  Philip  Bill  is  believed 
to  have  been  their  third  child  and  son. 
He  was  born  in  England,  about  1620.  In 
1660,  there  is  trace  of  him  as  a  debtor  to 
the  estate  of  William  Burnell,  of  Pulling 
Point,  then  a  part  of  Boston.  On  May  11, 
1663,  he  was  a  resident  of  Ipswich.  Miss 
Caulkins,  in  her  "History  of  New  Lon- 
don," places  him  among  the  arrivals  in 
that  town  at  "about  1668."  He  settled  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Thames  river,  in  that 
portion  of  the  town  of  New  London  in- 
corporated in  1705  as  the  town  of  Groton. 
His   near  neighbors   were   Robert   Allvn 


and  George  Greer,  and  eventually  he  be- 
came possessed  of  considerable  land.  He 
died  on  July  6,  1683,  and  his  widow,  Han- 
nah, later  married  Samuel  Bucknall,  of 
New  London.     She  died  in  1709. 

Samuel  Bill,  their  son,  was  born  about 
1665,  and  came  with  his  father  to  New 
London.  His  first  wife  was  Mercy, 
daughter  of  Richard  Haughton,  of  New 
London,  and  both  Samuel  Bill  and  his 
wife  were  admitted  to  the  church  in  New 
London  on  the  same  date,  September  3, 

1693- 

James  Bill,  fourth  child  of  Samuel  and 
Mercy  (Haughton)  Bill,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Connecticut,  about  1694,  and  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  William  Swodel, 
of  Groton.  It  is  supposed  that  soon  after 
his  marriage  he  removed  to  Lebanon, 
where  his  father  and  several  other  rela- 
tives had  already  settled.  In  1719  he 
bought  a  farm  in  the  adjoining  town  of 
Hebron,  and  resided  there  twelve  or  four- 
teen years.  In  1743  he  returned  to  Leb- 
anon,  where   he   remained   until   at   least 

1751- 

Jonathan  Bill,  the  youngest  of  the  six 
children  born  to  James  and  Mary  (Swodel) 
Bill,  was  born  August  3,  1731,  in  Hebron ; 
married  Esther  Owen,  August  i,  1749. 
After  a  brief  residence  in  Lebanon,  he  re- 
moved to  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  where 
he  died. 

Captain  Roswell  Bill  was  the  younger 
of  their  two  children.  He  was  born  De- 
cember 29,  1753,  in  Salisbury;  married, 
November  20,  1777,  Rebecca,  daughter  of 
William  and  Eunice  (Putnam)  Burgess, 
and  cousin  of  General  Putnam.  Early  in 
life,  he  settled  in  that  part  of  Hampton, 
Connecticut,  now  known  as  Chaplin.  He 
served  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
afterwards  was  commissioned  captain  of 
the  State  militia.  He  died  October  13, 
1830,  and  his  widow  died  in  Braintree, 
Vermont.  January  17,  1834. 


44 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Roswell  Bill,  youngest  of  seven  chil- 
dren ot  Captain  Roswell  and  Rebecca 
(Burgess)  Bill,  was  born  May  25,  1797, 
in  Chaplin,  and  married  Olive  Ross,  De- 
cember 31,  1820.  She  was  born  in  1800, 
and  died  June  13,  1870.  As  an  educator, 
Roswell  Bill  was  esteemed  in  the  district 
where,  for  thirty-two  winters  consecu- 
tively, he  taught  school,  going  from  one 
school  to  another  in  Chaplin  and  towns  of 
the  vicinity.  And  his  personality  and  in- 
tegrity also  brought  him  into  judicial 
ottice  as  justice  of  the  peace.  He  died 
October  17,  1866.  Of  his  nine  children 
(seven  sons  and  two  daughters)  six  in 
later  years  located  in  Hartford,  and  three 
of  the  sons  established  the  firm  of  Bill 
Brothers,  in  1850,  the  senior  partner  being 
the  eldest  son,  Francis  Putnam  Bill, 
father  of  Frederick  Roswell  Bill. 

Francis  Putnam  Bill,  first-born  of  Ros- 
well and  Olive  (Ross)  Bill,  was  born  in 
Chaplin,  April  15,  1823.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Windham  county,  and 
when  he  had  attained  his  majority,  went 
tc  Hartford  where  for  a  short  time  he 
took  employment  as  team-driver.  Soon, 
however,  he  was  in  a  position  to  purchase 
a  team  and  establish  himself  in  Hartford 
as  an  independent  drayman.  Later,  he 
joined  the  firm  of  Smith,  Blodgett  &  Com- 
pany, carmen,  but  the  partnership  was 
not  of  long  duration,  and  when  Mr.  Bill 
withdrew  his  proportion  of  the  assets  of 
the  firm,  he  again  entered  independently 
into  the  drayage  business.  Expansion  of 
the  business  caused  him  to  call  to  his 
assistance  his  younger  brother,  George, 
who  in  1850  was  admitted  into  partner- 
ship, thus  establishing  the  firm  of  Bill 
Brothers.  Another  brother  came  into  the 
business,  and  in  1856  Francis  Putnam 
Bill,  the  eldest,  went  into  Illinois,  the 
drayage  business  being  continued,  in  his 
absence,  by  his  brothers,  who  acquired 
his  interest.     In   Illinois,  in  which   State 


he  remained  for  seven  years,  Francis  Put- 
nam Bill  took  up  a  homestead  and  en- 
gaged in  farming.  During  that  period  his 
son,  F'rederick  Roswell,  was  born  the  ex- 
act date  and  place  being  September  15, 
1863,  in  Amboy,  Illinois.  About  two  years 
later  the  family  returned  to  Hartford,  and 
Francis  Putnam  Bill  repurchased  an  in- 
terest in  the  Bill  Brothers  business.  In 
1872  he  again  disposed  of  his  interest  to 
his  brothers,  and  having  purchased  a  farm 
in  Enfield,  again  took  to  farming  pursuits. 
Later,  after  his  two  sons  had  grown  to 
manhood,  and  were  in  business  in  Hart- 
ford, Francis  Putnam  Bill  again  returned 
to  Hartford,  and  again  purchased  an  in- 
terest in  the  drayage  business,  connected 
with  which  he  remained  until  his  death, 
in  June,  1894. 

He  married  Sarah  A.,  born  September 
12,  1830,  the  daughter  of  John  North,  of 
Portland,  Connecticut,  of  a  family  long 
resident  in  Connecticut.  They  had  five 
children,  only  two  of  whom  however 
reached  adult  age :  Frederick  Roswell,  of 
whom  further;  and  Dwight  H.,  now  de- 
ceased. Mrs.  Sarah  A.  (North)  Bill  died 
October  10,  1906,  aged  seventy-six  years. 

Frederick  Roswell  Bill,  son  of  Francis 
Putnam  and  Sarah  A.  (North)  Bill,  re- 
ceived most  of  his  schooling  in  Enfield, 
eventually  graduating  from  the  Enfield 
High  School.  After  the  lapse  of  a  year, 
young  Frederick  R.  Bill  went  to  Hart- 
ford, to  continue  his  schooling.  He  at- 
tended the  high  school  there,  but  ex- 
hibited much  interest  in  the  drayage  busi- 
ness of  Bill  Brothers,  which  was  at  that 
time  under  the  direction  of  his  uncles. 
Frederick  R.  Bill  was  wont  to  pass  his 
noon  hours,  during  the  school  period,  in 
his  uncles'  office,  where  he  usually  ate  his 
luncheon,  and  where,  during  the  two  hour 
interval  between  morning  and  afternoon 
sessions  of  school,  he  would  render  some 
clerical  assistance  to  his  uncle.     In  that 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


way  ne  became  conversant  with  the  rou- 
tine of  the  business,  and  when,  during  one 
school  vacation,  one  of  his  uncles'  clerks 
became  ill,  Frederick  R.  spent  his  vacation 
in  energetic  usefulness  in  his  uncles'  office, 
manifesting  such  promise  that  his  father 
was  prevailed  upon  to  allow  him  to  close 
his  schooling  and  enter  his  uncles'  em- 
ploy. He  has  been  connected  with  the 
business  ever  since.  A  few  years  later, 
his  younger  brother,  Dwight  H.,  having 
closed  his  schooling,  wished  to  come  to 
the  city,  therefore  his  father  returned  to 
Hartford  and,  as  before  stated,  purchased 
an  interest  in  the  drayage  business.  After 
a  period  of  salaried  service,  Frederick  R. 
was  admitted  a  member  of  the  firm,  and 
on  the  death  of  his  father  he  became  pos- 
sessed of  a  larger  interest,  so  that  when, 
in  1908,  the  company  was  incorporated, 
Frederick  R.  Bill  was  elected  its  president 
and  treasurer,  which  executive  capacities 
he  has  since  held.  At  the  present  the 
business  of  the  company  is  of  consider- 
able volume,  and  while  the  firm  under- 
takes some  heavy  erecting  contracts,  its 
main  business  is  that  of  hauling  goods  for 
Hartford  manufacturers  and  merchants. 
To  what  extent  may  be  estimated  from 
the  fact  that  the  company  employs  about 
one  hundred  men,  and  owns  sixty  horses. 

In  December,  1884,  Frederick  R.  Bill 
became  a  member  of  the  Governor's  Foot 
Guard,  and  passed  through  the  several 
grades  until  he  became  major  command- 
ing, on  March  16, 1903.  He  is  still  a  mem- 
ber of  the  honorary  staff  of  the  Foot 
Guard,  and  is  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees.  He  also  is  a  member  of  St. 
John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons. 

He  married  Minnie,  daughter  of  Alonzo 
"Warner,  of  Hartford,  descendant  of  a 
family  prominent  in  central  Massachu- 
setts in  Colonial  days.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Frederick  R.  Bill  were  born  five  children : 


I.  Francis  Putnam,  born  May  22,  1894, 
whose  tragic  end,  through  contact  with 
sixty-six  thousand  volts  of  electricity, 
while  he  was  engaged  with  three  other 
students  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute 
of  Technology  in  doing  certain  revaluing 
work  for  the  Charles  H.  Tenney  Company 
of  Boston,  was  an  almost  overwhelming 
blow  to  the  parents,  and  brought  to  a 
sudden  end,  August  12,  1916,  a  career 
which  promised  well,  the  young  man  hav- 
ing ably  aided  the  desire  of  his  parents  to 
afiford  him  a  superior  education ;  he  was 
a  student  within  a  year  of  graduation  at 
the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technol- 
ogy, Boston,  and  of  the  class  of  1917;  he 
was  a  young  man  of  much  promise  and  of 
unusual  character,  bound  to  win  a  high 
place  in  the  profession  for  which  he  was 
fitting  himself;  he  was  a  great  favorite 
with  his  college  associates,  and  well 
spoken  of  by  the  faculty ;  interment  was 
in  Cedar  Hill  Cemetery,  and  the  pall 
bearers  were  his  classmates  at  the  Massa- 
chusetts Institute  of  Technology.  2.  Mar- 
jorie,  died  in  infancy.  3.  Ruth  Almeda. 
4.  Dorothy.     5.  Roswell  Warner. 


WISE,  John, 


Contractor. 


John  Wise,  respected  and  responsible 
citizen  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
senior  partner  of  the  Hartford  firm  of 
Wise  &  Upson,  general  contractors,  was 
born  in  Cheshire,  England,  June  20,  1869, 
the  son  of  Lundie  and  Isabella  (Graham) 
Wise. 

The  Wise  family  is  of  Scottish  origin, 
and  both  father  and  paternal  grandfather 
of  John  Wise  were  shipwrights  in  Scot- 
land. Lundie  Wise  was  born  in  Dun- 
barton,  Scotland,  in  1839,  and  followed 
his  father  into  the  shipbuilding  business 
there,  and  subsequently,  until  his  mar- 
riage, in  different  shipbuilding  centres  of 


46 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


England.  In  i86g,  he  crossed  to  Amer- 
ica, locating  soon  afterwards  in  Chicago, 
where  he  remained  for  three  years.  Then, 
following  the  decease  of  his  wife,  he  re- 
turned to  England,  where  he  has  re- 
mained ever  since.  His  years  of  man- 
hood have  been  passed  in  honest  labor, 
well-directed  and  remunerative,  so  that 
he  now  is  able  to  enjoy  comfortable 
leisure  in  his  retirement  from  active 
work.  He  resides  in  Birkenhead, 
Cheshire,    England. 

His  son,  John  Wise,  the  Hartford  resi- 
dent respecting  whom  this  article  is 
chiefly  written,  received  the  customary 
good  education  provided  in  the  public 
schools  of  England,  and  when  old  enough 
was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  cabinet- 
making.  His  apprenticeship  was  to  be  of 
seven  years'  duration,  but  after  serving 
five  years,  John  Wise  resolved  to  come  to 
America.  Arriving  in  New  York  City,  he 
soon  found  employment  as  journeyman 
carpenter.  He  followed  carpentry  for 
many  years,  but  had  been  in  the  country 
only  a  short  time  when  he  became  fore- 
man, and  in  that  position  of  responsibility 
was  busily  occupied  superintending  the 
execution  of  contracts,  which  brought 
him  at  different  times  into  temporary  res- 


building  constructions.  Note  may  herein 
be  made  of  the  following  structures 
erected  during  recent  years  by  the  firm  of 
Wise  &  Upson :  Deep  River  High  School ; 
Federal  Hill  School,  Bristol,  Connecticut; 
Wooster  Memorial  Building,  Deep  River; 
Jacques  Memorial  Building,  Buckland, 
Connecticut;  Weathersfield  Avenue  Par- 
ish House,  Hartford ;  the  Joseph  Kirth 
Apartment  House,  Hartford;  Fleisch- 
mann  Office  Building ;  Hartford  Apron 
and  Towel  Supply  Building;  three  build- 
ings for  Dr.  C.  G.  F.  Williams ;  the 
F.  Manross  Garage  and  Service  Station, 
Forestville,  Connecticut ;  Havey  Building, 
Southington,  Connecticut ;  Rye  Street 
School,  South  Windsor,  Connecticut. 
Much  credit  is  due  these  two  enterprising 
and  alert  residents  of  Hartford  for  the 
manner  in  which  they  have  developed 
their  business  in  the  brief  period  of  their 
association.  It  may  be  stated  that  the 
firm  now  finds  regular  employment  for  an 
average  of  about  forty  men,  pressure  of 
work  sometimes  also  requiring  them  to 
greatly  exceed  this  number.  This  meas- 
ure of  expansion  within  five  or  six  years 
gives  one  an  indication  of  the  personality 
and  initiative  of  the  members  of  the  firm. 
In  1916  Mr.  Wise  was  appointed  by 
Mayor  Hagarty,  of  Hartford,  as  one  of 


idence  in  many  widely  separated  sections     a  commission  to  draft  a  suitable  building 


of  the  country.  Thus  employed,  he  con- 
tinued to  extensively  travel  until  1896, 
since  which  time  the  city  of  Hartford  has 
been  his  main  place  of  abode.  As  fore- 
man and  superintendent  for  different 
Hartford  firms  he  remained  in  service 
there  until  191 1,  when  he  ventured  into 
independent  business,  establishing  in  his 
own  nam,e  a  contracting  business  which 
soon  assumed  substantial  proportions. 
Later,  he  formed  business  association 
with  Warren  W.  Upson,  the  firm  name 
then  becoming  Wise  &  Upson.  As  such 
they  have  undertaken  many  important 
contracts    in    the    various    branches    of 


code  for  the  city  of  Hartford.  Mr.  Wise 
applies  himself  very  closely  to  his  busi- 
ness, but  for  two  years  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  Putnam  Phalanx,  and  he  also  be- 
longs to  St.  John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  An- 
cient Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Wash- 
ington Commandery,  Knights  Templar ; 
Sphinx  Temple,   Mystic   Shrine. 

In  October,  1896,  Mr.  Wise  married 
Nellie  Cornelia  Jerdo,  the  daughter  of 
Joseph  Jerdo,  of  Essex  county.  New 
York.  They  have  one  son,  Allan  Lundie. 
The  family  attends  Christ  Episcopal 
Church,  of  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W^ise  are 
members. 


47 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


FULLER,  Alfred  C, 

Manufacturer. 

It  is  always  a  satisfaction  to  peruse  the 
life  stories  of  such  men  as  have  led  the 
way  in  some  special  path  to  greater  effi- 
ciency and  comfort  in  life,  who  have 
devised  new  customs  or  invented  new 
mechanical  contrivances  for  our  comfort 
and  convenience.  Of  such  original  men 
New  England  has  had  its  full  share,  and 
from  the  very  dawn  of  its  existence  has 
upheld  her  sons  as  pioneers,  breaking  a 
way,  first  into  the  heart  of  the  physical 
wilderness,  then  the  promised  land  of 
political  freedom,  independence,  and  then 
the  descendants  of  these,  with  undimin- 
ished enterprise,  showing  the  way  to  a 
new  industrial  era  which  should  one  day 
render  the  region  as  rich  as  it  was  inde- 
pendent and  give  it  a  place  among  the 
greatest  peoples  of  the  world.  The  names 
of  these  leaders  is  legion  and  there  is  a 
satisfaction  in  noting  the  records  of  those 
families  which  have  throughout  the  en- 
tire history  of  the  region  taken  an  active 
part  in  the  development  of  the  general 
life.  Such  a  family  is  that  of  Fuller, 
which,  from  the  very  earliest  period  of 
Colonial  history,  has  made  its  home  in 
New  England,  its  members  distinguish- 
ing themselves  throughout  the  centuries 
to  the  present  time.  The  Fuller  family 
was  one  of  high  standing  in  the  mother 
countrj',  as  is  proved  by  its  possession  of 
a  coat-of-arms  with  the  motto  semper  pra- 
tus. 

The  founder  of  the  name  in  this  coun- 
try, one  Edward  Fuller,  was  among  that 
splendid  band  of  men  who,  placing  their 
religious  convictions  and  love  of  freedom 
before  security  and  comfort  or  the  love 
of  home,  left  England  at  the  time  of  per- 
secution. He  was  a  Puritan  and  pos- 
sessed all  the  stern  virtues  of  that  won- 
derful sect.     He  was  born  September  4, 


1571,  in  the  Reddenhall  Parish,  Norfolk- 
shire,  England,  and  appears  to  have  been 
a  son  of  Robert  Fuller,  a  butcher  in  that 
locality.  The  probability  is  that  Edward 
Fuller  joined  the  Holland  Pilgrims  on  the 
"Speedwell's"  arrival  in  England.  He  was 
one  of  those  who  signed  the  "compact" 
which  was  drawn  up  in  the  cabin  of  the 
"Mayflower"  immediately  before  the  land- 
ing of  the  Pilgrims  at  Cape  Cod  in  No- 
vember, 1620.  It  is  not  known  positively 
whom  he  married,  but  according  to  Gov- 
ernor Bradford,  Edward  Fuller  and  his 
wife  died  shortly  after  they  came  on 
shore,  probably  between  January  11,  and 
April  ID,  1621. 

Their  son  and  only  child,  Samuel  Ful- 
ler, was  also  a  native  of  England  and 
came  over  during  his  childhood  with  his 
father  in  the  "Mayflower."  There  has 
been  found  no  record  of  his  birth  or  bap- 
tism, our  only  information  concerning  it 
being  that  it  was  some  time  in  1612  and 
somewhere  in  England.  After  the  death 
of  his  parents,  Samuel  Fuller  was  placed 
in  charge  of  an  uncle,  another  Samuel 
Fuller,  at  Plymouth.  At  the  time  of  the 
division  of  lands  between  the  settlers  in 
1623,  he  was  allotted  three  acres,  and 
about  1640,  shortly  after  the  town  of 
Barnstable  was  founded  by  the  Rev.  John 
Lathrop  and  members  of  his  church,  he 
and  his  family  went  to  live  in  that  place. 
His  wife  was  the  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lathrop.  Samuel  Fuller  was  a  con- 
stable at  Scituate,  Massachusetts,  in  1641, 
and  the  records  show  that  he  served  as 
juryman  on  the  committee  to  settle  In- 
dian difficulties.  Of  the  "Mayflower's" 
passengers,  Samuel  Fuller  was  the  only 
one  to  permanently  settle  in  Barnstable 
and  he  was  also  among  the  late  survivors 
of  that  company.  There  is  no  gravestone 
to  mark  his  burial  place  which  is  believed 
to  be  in  the  old  burial  ground  at  Lathrop's 
Hill,   Barnstable.     He  died  between  Oc- 


4« 


(2jf7U.^^, 


THE  i:lv/  -'jr'K 


T;LD/;J  ; 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tober  31,  and  November  10,  1683.  Sam- 
uel Fuller  was  married,  April  8,  1635,  to 
Jane,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Lath- 
rop,  of  Scituate,  and  it  is  of  interest  to 
note  that  the  wedding  was  performed  by 
Captain  Miles  Standish.  Jane  (Lathrop) 
Fuller  survived  until  the  year  1683,  but 
the  exact  date  of  her  death  is  unknown. 

Their  son,  John  Fuller,  was  born  about 
1656,  at  Barnstable,  and  was  known  as 
"little  John"  in  order  to  distinguish  him 
from  a  cousin,  Dr.  John  Fuller.  He  re- 
sided on  his  father's  estate  until  1694, 
when  he  removed  to  East  Haddam.  By 
all  accounts  John  Fuller  prospered  in  his 
new  home,  for  in  1721  he  gave  to  his 
seven  sons  large  tracts  of  land,  together 
with  all  the  implements  for  working  them. 
His  death  occurred  at  East  Haddam,  be- 
tween February  28  and  May  20,  1726. 
John  Fuller  married,  about  1678,  Mehit- 
able  Rowley,  who  was  born  at  Barnsta- 
ble, January  11,  1660-61,  and  died  at  East 
Haddam  about  1732. 

Their  son,  Thomas  Fuller,  was  born 
about  1679,  in  Barnstable,  and  died  at 
East  Haddam,  April  9,  1772.    He  married 

Elizabeth  ,  born   about   1689,   and 

died  November  5,  1784,  at  East  Haddam. 

Their  son,  Nathan  Fuller,  was  born  at 
East  Haddam,  Connecticut,  April  20, 
1719,  and  there  is  an  old  date  on  record 
at  Middletown  which  shows  that  Nathan 
Fuller  was  the  son  of  Thomas  Fuller  and 
lived  near  the  Haddam  line  at  Middle- 
town.    He  was  married  to  Abigail , 

who  died  in  1750,  and  in  1756  Nathan 
Fuller  was  appointed  guardian  of  the  old- 
est seven  children.  He  went  to  Nova 
Scotia  not  long  after  this  date. 

For  a  number  of  generations  the  Fuller 
family  has  resided  in  Nova  Scotia,  and 
some  time  about  the  middle  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  we  find  living  there  Lean- 
der  Joseph  Fuller,  a  son  of  William  Ful- 
ler and   his  wife,  Jane    (Collins)    Fuller. 

Conn— 3 — 4 


The  date  of  Leander  Fuller's  birth  in 
Welsford,  near  Berwick,  King  county. 
Nova  Scotia,  was  November  26,  1841. 
He  died  November  12,  1914,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three.  He  was  a  farmer  all  his 
life  in  this  region.  His  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  Robert  Collins,  of  Berwick. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Robert,  of  Somerville,  Massa- 
chusetts ;  Bessie,  twin  of  Robert,  who 
married  Alfred  C.  Adler,  of  Los  Angeles, 
California ;  Annie  Rebecca,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Frank  Adler,  a  brother  of  Al- 
fred Adler,  and  of  Walter  L.  Gleason,  of 
West  Somerville,  Massachusetts ;  Wil- 
liam, of  Tunnel  City,  Wisconsin  ;  Dwight, 
deceased ;  Harvey  R.,  of  West  Somer- 
ville, Massachusetts;  Douglas  B.,  who 
lives  on  the  homestead  at  Welsford ; 
Georgie  B.,  who  married  Charles  R.  Cal- 
kin, of  Welsford;  Jennie  M.,  twin  of 
Georgie  B.,  who  married  Ashley  W.  Pa- 
tridge,  of  West  Somerville,  Massachu- 
setts ;  Chester  G.,  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut ;  Alfred  C,  the  subject  of  this  sketch ; 
and  Harry  L.,  of  Dilley,  Oregon.  Wil- 
liam Fuller,  the  grandfather  of  these  chil- 
dren, went  to  the  western  States  at  the 
time  when  Leander  J.  Fuller,  his  only 
son,  was  three  years  of  age,  and  was 
never  heard  of  again. 

Alfred  C.  Fuller  was  born  January  13, 
1885,  at  Welsford,  Kings  county,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  lived  in  his  native  region  for 
the  first  eighteen  years  of  his  life.  He 
received  his  education  at  the  public 
schools  of  Welsford,  and  after  complet- 
ing his  studies  there  came  to  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 
He  remained  in  Boston  for  about  three 
years,  and  worked  for  some  eighteen 
months  of  this  time  on  the  elevated  rail- 
road there.  He  then  secured  a  position 
as  salesman  for  the  Somerville  Brush 
Company,  and  thus  became  interested  in 
an  industry    with    which    he    was    later 

49 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


destined  to  become  associated  on  so  large 
a  scale.  For  nearly  two  years  he  re- 
mained with  the  Somerville  concern,  and 
in  April,  1907,  established  his  own  busi- 
ness at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  whither  he 
had  moved  and  was  making  his  home. 
The  beginnings  of  the  company  were 
small  and  Mr.  Fuller  employed  for  a  time 
about  three  or  four  hands,  but  there  are 
now  one  hundred  employees  and  his  busi- 
ness is  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind  in 
New  England.  The  Fuller  Brush  Com- 
pany is  a  very  well  known  concern  and  is 
the  manufacturer  of  a  type  of  brush  de- 
vised by  Mr.  Fuller,  which  is  very  largely 
capturing  the  market,  as  it  possesses 
many  obvious  advantages  over  the  older 
types.  The  company  at  present  manu- 
factures a  brush  for  practically  every 
household  purpose,  and  they  are  all  cal- 
culated to  give  the  maximum,  of  service, 
because  instead  of  the  bristles  or  wire 
being  held  in  by  some  adhesive,  they  are 
twisted  into  a  metal  frame  which  holds 
them  in  complete  permanency.  Another 
great  advantage  due  to  this  character  is 
the  fact  that  they  may  be  cleansed  as 
often  and  as  thoroughly  as  is  desired 
without  any  danger  of  loosening  the  bris- 
tles, which  is  highly  beneficial  from  the 
hygienic  standpoint.  Another  advantage 
which  the  Fuller  Brush  Company  pos- 
sesses is  that  this  form  of  manufacture  is 
very  much  cheaper  than  the  old  and  they 
can  thus  put  a  superior  brush  on  the  mar- 
ket at  a  lower  fignre.  It  is  no  wonder, 
therefore,  that  it  has  already  developed 
to  large  proportions  and  that  there  seems 
a  still  more  brilliant  future  in  store  for  it. 
Mr.  Fuller's  management  has  been  of  the 
most  capable  kind,  and  he  combines  great 
conservatism  with  a  progressive  willing- 
ness to  adopt  new  methods  and  styles,  as 
is  proved  by  his  own  invention.  He  never 
departs  from  the  use  of  the  very  best  ma- 
terials which  the  trade  offers  in  the  manu- 
facture of  his  brushes,  and  the  firm  has 


the  reputation  of  being  absolutely  depend- 
able in  all  its  transactions. 

Mr.  Fuller  is  very  active  in  the  general 
life  of  the  city  of  Hartford,  particularly  in 
connection  with  its  general  business  de- 
velopment, and  has  done  much  to  encour- 
age industrial  enterprise  there  in  his 
capacity  as  member  of  the  Hartford 
Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  is  also  active 
in  fraternal  and  club  circles  there  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Charter  Oak  Club,  Rotary 
Club,  City  Club,  Automobile  Club,  Put- 
nam Phalanx  and  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Emanuel  Congregational  Church,  and 
takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  work  of  the 
congregation. 

Mr.  Fuller  was  married  to  Evelyn  W. 
Ells,  a  daughter  of  Rupert  Ells,  of  Corn- 
wallis.  Nova  Scotia.  To  them  have  been 
born  two  children :  Alfred  Howard, 
March  zj,  1913,  and  Avard  Ells,  March 
17,  1916. 

The  conditions  which  surrounded  the 
beginnings  of  New  England's  industrial 
growth  were  of  such  a  kind  as  to  reflect 
a  sort  of  double  glory  upon  the  names  of 
the  men  whose  efforts  were  responsible 
for  its  success.  Not  only  were  the  un- 
usual obstacles  which  beset  the  paths  of 
all  originators  and  innovators  there  in 
full  force  to  be  overcome,  but  a  very  espe- 
cial difficulty  existed  in  the  undeveloped 
financial  condition  of  the  country,  and  the 
comparative  poverty  of  the  communities, 
which  were  largely  self-dependent,  win- 
ning what  was  needful  for  their  own  sup- 
port by  their  own  efforts,  but  setting 
little  aside,  so  that  capital  was  extremely 
hard  to  come  by.  Yet,  against  all  these 
difficulties,  did  such  men  as  Mr.  Fuller 
struggle,  cheerfully  accepting  conditions 
as  they  found  them,  and  patiently  devis- 
ing means  for  their  overcoming.  The 
question  of  capital  was  unanswerable  in 
any  direct  sense,  but  these  men  solved  it 
by  the  simple  quality  of  patience,  making 


l^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


their  beginnings  on  a  scale  so  small  that 
practically  no  capital  was  needed,  and 
then  through  years  of  toil  and  effort 
gradually  fostered  them  sometimes  to 
gigantic  proportions.  Tall  indeed  were 
the  oaks  which  sprang  from  the  acorns 
sowed  by  their  hands.  However  huge  and 
lofty  the  structures  which  our  modern 
financiers  build  at  such  great  pains,  they 
are  only  possible  because  the  foundations 
were  so  laboriously  and  successfully  con- 
structed by  those  who  came  before,  who 
were  the  real  architects,  the  real  designers 
of  our  modern  industrial  system.  Their 
works  and  their  tasks  would  have  dis- 
couraged many  of  the  most  conspicuous 
figures  in  finance  to-day,  who  would  have 
been  incapable  of  the  slow  perseverance 
which  they  of  necessity  must  exercise,  for 
those  who  made  haste  to  get  rich  in  those 
days  inevitably  met  with  disaster.  A 
combination  of  qualities  was  thus  re- 
quired for  success,  a  combination  well 
illustrated  in  the  character  of  Mr.  Fuller, 
and  typical  of  a  large  class  of  New  Eng- 
landers,  though  in  a  less  degree,  where 
may  be  seen  united  a  high  class  of  ideal- 
ism, strong,  imaginative  powers,  with  a 
curious  knack  for  detail  and  a  perfectly 
unlimited  capacity  for  work.  Along  with 
these  invaluable  qualities,  Mr.  Fuller  also 
possesses  a  keen  insight  into  the  work- 
ings of  the  human  mind  and  a  deep  under- 
standing of  its  motives.  There  are,  in- 
deed, but  few  needs  of  the  community 
which  Mr.  Fuller  does  not  consider  with 
the  deepest  attention  and  concern,  and 
which  he  does  not  give  generously  of  his 
means  and  efforts  to  supply.  Hartford 
has  every  reason  to  honor  his  name. 


FAULKNER,  Thomas  David, 

Real  Estate,  Insurance. 

Among  the  varied  and  diverse  elements 
which  go  to  make  up  the  complex  fabric 
•of  our  American   citizenship   and   which 


are  drawn  from  wellnigh  ever}'  quarter  of 
the  globe,  there  are  few  larger  and  none 
more  important  and  valuable  in  propor- 
tion to  its  size  than  that  formed  by  the 
great  Irish  population  in  our  midst.  There 
are  many  of  that  race  conspicuous  among 
the  earliest  Colonial  settlers  here,  and 
from  that  time  down  to  the  present  a 
steady  tide  has  set  from  their  oppressed 
land  to  this  region  and  comparative  free- 
dom and  opportunity.  From  first  to  last 
they  have  brought  with  them  those  vir- 
tues peculiar  to  the  race  and  engrafted 
upon  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock  the  more 
brilliant  Celtic  qualities  of  ready  wit, 
imagination  and  a  remarkable  blend  of 
the  keenest  practical  sense  with  a  vivid 
appreciation  of  the  most  subtle  and  illu- 
sive forms  of  beauty.  When  that  hypo- 
thetical thing,  the  future  American  race, 
is  at  least  accomplished  and  rises  new  and 
glorious  from  this  great  witches'  cauldron 
where  it  is  now  brewing,  it  will  owe  many 
of  its  best  qualities  to  the  Irish  blood 
within  its  veins.  A  fine  example  of  the 
best  Irish  type  in  this  country  is  Thomas 
David  Faulkner,  who  is  descended  from 
Irish  parents,  and  who  is  one  of  the  most 
successful  dealers  in  real  estate  and  in- 
surance, and  a  citizen  of  energy  and  pub- 
lic spirit. 

Born  July  i8,  1887,  at  South  Manches- 
ter, Connecticut,  Thomas  David  Faulk- 
ner is  a  son  of  Samuel  J.  and  Annie 
(Weir)  Faulkner.  His  father  was  born 
in  County  Armagh,  Ireland,  and  came  as 
a  boy  to  America,  locating  at  South  Man- 
chester, Connecticut,  where  he  found  em- 
ployment in  the  Cheney  Mills.  He  mar- 
ried Annie  Weir,  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Sarah  Weir,  who,  like  himself,  was  a 
native  of  County  Armagh,  Ireland.  They 
were  the  parents  of  five  children,  three  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity  as  follows : 
Thomas  David,  with  whose  career  this 
sketch  is  principally  concerned  ;  Alice  and 
George. 


51 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Thomas    David    Faulkner  received   his     began  a  real  estate  and  insurance  agency 


education  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  town  of  South  Manchester,  Con- 
necticut. Although  his  youthful  advan- 
tages in  this  direction  were  somewhat 
meager,  Mr.  Faulkner  has  supplemented 
them  since  that  time  in  every  way  possi- 
ble, not  only  by  extensive  reading  in  a 
wide  field  of  subjects,  which  he  has  con- 
ducted independently,  but  also  by  means 
of  correspondence  instruction  which  he 
has  carried  on  with  several  institutions  of 
this  kind.  After  completing  his  formal 
instruction,  he  entered  the  furniture  store 
of  Ezekiel  Benson,  of  South  Manchester, 
for  whom  he  had  already  done  som.e  work 
while  still  at  school.  The  death  of  his 
father  was  the  event  which  rendered  it 
necessary  for  him  to  abandon  his  studies 
and  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  task  of 
earning  his  livelihood,  and  it  was  then 
that  he  secured  a  permanent  position  m 
the  furniture  store.  Here  he  remained  for 
about  three  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
period  Mr.  Benson's  business  was  closed, 
and  young  Mr.  Faulkner  found  it  neces- 
sary to  seek  employment  elsewhere.  The 
three  years  following  were  spent  as  the 
driver  of  a  laundry  wagon  in  South  Man- 
chester. In  the  meantime,  however,  both 
as  a  clerk  in  the  furniture  store  and  as 
driver,  Mr.  Faulkner  had  been  consist- 
ently laying  by  a  portion  of  his  earnings, 
being  only  enabled  to  do  so  by  the  exer- 
cise of  the  most  praiseworthy  thrift.  By 
this  means  he  had  accumulated  a  small 
capital  which  enabled  him  to  start  in  busi- 
ness for  himself,  his  initial  enterprise 
being  as  a  dealer  in  tea  and  coffee.  He 
continued  in  this  occupation  for  three 
years,  during  which  time  he  met  with  so 
considerable  a  success  that  he  felt  justi- 
fied in  adding  other  lines  to  them  and 
establishing  a  regular  grocery  store  at 
South  Alanchester.  For  two  years  he  re- 
mained in  this  line  of  business,  and  then 


at  South  Manchester.  In  this  he  was  ex- 
tremely successful,  and  in  1914  he  sold 
out  his  business  there ;  he  came  to  Hart- 
ford and  established  in  that  city  his  pres- 
ent business.  From  that  time  up  to  the 
present  he  has  met  with  an  enviable  and 
well-deserved  success,  and  is  now  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  rising  young  busi- 
ness men  of  the  city.  Mr.  Faulkner  is 
prominently  connected  with  many  clubs 
and  other  organizations  of  a  similar 
nature,  and  is  a  member  of  Charter  Oak 
Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows :  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  the  City 
Club,  the  Charter  Oak  Ad  Club,  and  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He 
has  always  been  interested  in  military 
matters,  and  since  1916  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Governor's  Foot  Guard.  He 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  St.  Mary's 
Episcopal  Church,  of  South  Manchester, 
and  are  active  in  the  work  of  the  parish, 
while  Mr.  Faulkner  has  been  an  officer  of 
the  Sunday  school  about  twelve  years. 
One  of  the  strongest  tastes  possessed  by 
Mr.  Faulkner  is  that  for  the  art  of  music, 
and  he  is  a  musician  of  no  small  accom- 
plishments. For  about  twelve  years  he 
has  acted  as  soloist  in  the  choir  of  St. 
Mary's  Church. 

Mr.  Faulkner  married,  September  16, 
1914,  Zella  Lillian  Bunce,  a  daughter  of 
Charles  Edwin  and  Ina  (Chafifee)  Bunce, 
old  and  well  known  residents  of  South 
Manchester.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Faulkner 
two  children  have  been  born :  Ina  Anna, 
June  15,  1915,  and  Thomas  David.  Jr., 
September  15,  1916.  Mrs.  Faulkner  at- 
tended the  Manchester  schools  and  grad- 
uated from  the  South  Manchester  High 
School  in  1908.  She  then  entered  the 
New  Britain  Normal  School  and  after 
graduating,  in  1910,  taught  school  for  four 
years. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(The  Bunce  Line). 

The  Bunce  family,  of  which  Mrs.  Faulk- 
ner was  a  member,  has  for  long  been  asso- 
ciated with  industrial  and  business  enter- 
prise in  the  State  of  Connecticut,  her 
father,  Charles  Edwin  Bunce,  having  been 
one  of  the  most  prominent  and  successful 
farmers  of  Hartford  county.  He  was  born 
August  6,  1851,  in  his  father's  house,  and 
continued  to  live  there  during  his  entire 
life.  He  secured  his  education  at  the  local 
district  schools  and  later  at  the  high 
schools  of  Manchester  and  Hartford.  On 
completing  his  studies,  he  returned  to  his 
home,  where  he  continued  to  live  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life  and  where  he  de- 
voted himself  to  farming  during  a  similar 
period.  His  farm  became  one  of  the  larg- 
est and  best  cultivated  in  Hartford  county 
and  he  was  known  far  and  wide  as  a 
strong  and  attractive  personality,  a 
straightforward  man  in  all  his  business 
dealings  and  a  true  friend.  He  married, 
June  8,  1882,  Ina  Chaffee,  a  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Hannah  Chaffee,  of  East  Wood- 
stock, where  her  father  and  brothers  car- 
ried on  business  as  wagonmakers.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: Myrtis,  born  April  15,  1883,  died 
July  30,  1883 ;  a  child,  born  April  19,  1884, 
who  died  in  infancy;  Gertrude  M.,  born 
May  29,  1885  ;  Edwin  C,  born  August  15, 
1887;  Zella  Lillian,  born  August  5,  1889, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Faulkner; 
Rena,  born  February  5,  1891  ;  Florence, 
born  September  15,  1893;  Louis,  born 
July  19,  1897;  Lawrence,  born  March  10, 
1902. 

Charles  Edwin  Bunce's  father  was  Ed- 
win Bunce,  a  native  of  South  Manchester, 
where  he  received  his  early  education  at 
the  local  public  schools,  and  then  attend- 
ed Wilbraham  Academy.  Upon  complet- 
ing his  education  he  began  his  life's  work 
in  a  paper  mill,  his  father  having  been 
closely  identified  with  the  development  of 
this  industry  in  the  region,  and  continued 


actively  engaged  in  this  business  until 
near  the  close  of  his  life,  when  he  retired 
to  the  farm  of  his  son,  Charles  Edwin 
Bunce,  where  he  finally  died  at  the  early 
age  of  fifty-four  years.  In  the  year  1843 
he  was  married  to  Lucinda  Tryon,  a 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Strick- 
land) Tryon,  of  East  Glastonbury.  Mrs. 
Bunce  died  November  20,  1891. 


HEALEY,  Patrick, 

Lavryer. 

Born  in  Waterbury,  August  23,  1887, 
son  of  John  and  Catherine  (Slavin) 
Healey,  whose  other  children  are :  Fran- 
cis, born  July  8,  1897;  Catherine,  born 
May  27,  1900;  and  Helen,  born  January 
24,  1903. 

He  graduated  from  Waterbury  High 
School,  1905 ;  Yale  College,  Bachelor  of 
Arts,  1909;  Yale  Law  School,  Bachelor 
of  Laws,  191 1 ;  admitted  to  practice  of 
law  in  Connecticut,  June,  191 1. 

Married  to  Kathleen  Coughlan,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Lucy  (Loughlin)  Cough- 
lan, of  Waterbury,  September  16,  1913. 
Two  children :  Patricia,  born  June  26, 
1914;  and  Robert,  born  October  22,  1915. 

His  father,  eldest  son  of  Patrick  (died 
at  Waterbury,  1893)  and  Mary  (Breen) 
Healey  (died  at  Waterbury,  1892),  was 
born  in  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  1857,  and 
came  to  Waterbury  in  1859.  He  is  a 
machinist  by  trade. 

His  mother,  daughter  of  John  (died  at 
Waterbury,  1902)  and  Bridget  (Bergen) 
Slavin  (died  at  Waterbury,  1887),  was 
born  in  Waterbury,   1861. 

Religion,  Roman  Catholic.  Politics, 
Democrat.  Societies  :  Elks'  Club,  Knights 
of  Columbus,  Chi  Tau  Kappa.  Public 
office :  Representative  from  Waterbury 
to  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut,  1917, 
wherein  he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
committee  on  cities  and  boroughs  and  as 
house  chairman  of  the  committee  on  un- 
finished business. 


S3 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


COOGAN,  John  William, 

Attorney-at-I/aw. 

One  of  the  oldest  practicing  lawyers  in 
the  city  of  Hartford,  where  he  has  been 
in  continuous  practice  since  1879,  Mr. 
Coogan  has  so  kept  abreast  of  the  times 
that  he  was  choice  of  the  last  mayor  of 
Hartford,  Joseph  H.  Lawler,  for  corpora- 
tion counsel,  retiring  from  that  office  with 
that  official  in  April,  1916.  His  pubHc 
service  has  been  of  a  high  order,  extend- 
ing to  legislative  halls,  while  his  practice 
has  included  some  of  the  most  celebrated 
cases  tried  at  the  Hartford  bar.  He  is  of 
the  first  American  born  generation  of  the 
family,  the  Coogans  being  an  ancient  fam- 
ily of  Ireland,  from  whence  came  the 
grandfather,  Daniel  Coogan,  bringing 
with  him  his  son,  James  Coogan,  father 
of  John  W.  Coogan,  of  this  review. 

Daniel  Coogan,  grandfather,  was  a 
paper  maker  by  trade,  and  upon  his 
arrival  in  this  country  located  at  Lee, 
Massachusetts.  His  death  occurred  in 
the  town  of  Windsor  Locks,  Connecti- 
cut, at  the  great  age  of  ninety-six  years. 
Among  the  many  children  of  Daniel  Coo- 
gan was  James  Coogan,  born  in  Ireland, 
a  paper  maker  by  trade,  who  later  became 
superintendent  of  a  paper  mill  in  Windsor 
Locks,  Connecticut,  and  for  many  years 
prior  to  his  death  successfully  conducted 
a  store.  He  was  active  in  civic  matters 
and  held  various  town  offices,  serving  as 
member  of  the  Legislature  in  1865  (first 
Catholic  to  fill  position  in  Connecticut), 
and  member  of  Board  of  Selectmen  at 
Windsor  Locks  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  married  Eliza  Byrne,  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, who  died  at  Windsor  Locks,  in  1867, 
aged  forty-nine  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eight  children :  Edward  D ; 
James  T. ;  Timothy  C. ;  Joseph  A. ;  Eliza- 
beth, became  the  wife  of  James  B.  Ben- 
son, of  Windsor  Locks ;  John  William,  of 


whom  further  ;  Mary  J.,  a  Sister  of  Mercy 
known  as  Sister  M.  Laurentia ;  and  one 
child,  deceased.  The  sons  of  James  Coo- 
gan all  became  men  of  prominence  in  their 
community ;  Dr.  Joseph  A.  Coogan  was 
the  only  male  member  of  the  family  who 
did  not  sit  in  the  State  Legislature  as  a 
duly  elected  member,  and  he  could  have 
borne  the  same  distinction  but  his  pro- 
fession was  to  him  a  higher  obligation 
and  he  steadily  devoted  himself  to  its 
duties  in  Hartford  and  Windsor  Locks. 
Timothy  C,  an  eminent  member  of  the 
bar,  served  three  times  as  State  senator 
in  Connecticut  and  later  moved  to  San 
Francisco,  California,  where  he  was 
equally  prominent  in  the  law.  As  his 
father  in  the  Lower  House  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  so 
Timothy  C.  Coogan  was  the  first  adherent 
of  the  Catholic  faith  to  serve  as  State 
Senator  in  Connecticut. 

John  William  Coogan,  fifth  son  of 
James  and  Eliza  (Byrne)  Coogan,  was 
born  in  Windsor  Locks,  Connecticut, 
June  3,  1855.  After  public  school  courses 
at  Windsor  Locks,  where  his  early  years 
were  passed,  he  entered  Fordham  Univer- 
sity, New  York,  where  he  pursued  a  full 
course,  terminating  with  his  graduation 
in  the  class  of  1876  with  the  degree  of 
A.  B.  The  brother,  Timothy  C.  Coogan, 
then  in  successful  law  practice  at  Thomp- 
sonville,  admitted  him  as  a  law  student, 
and  he  afterwards  entered  the  law  office 
of  Hon.  William  C.  Case  at  New  Haven 
and  while  there  entered  the  Yale  Law 
School.  In  1878  Fordham  University  con- 
ferred on  him  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts,  and  in  1912  the  degree  of  L.  L.  D. 
In  1879  he  was  graduated  from  the  Yale 
Law  School  with  the  degree  of  LL.  B. 
He  was  at  once  admitted  to  the  Hartford 
county  bar,  and  from  that  time  has  been 
continuously  in  practice  in  the  city  of 
Hartford,  transacting  a  large  business  in 


54 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


all  State  and  Federal  courts  of  the  dis- 
trict. He  has  gained  an  enviable  promi- 
nence in  his  profession  and  has  ably  and 
successfully  conducted  some  of  the  most 
celebrated  cases  recorded  in  the  annals  of 
the  bar  with  which  he  is  connected.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  various  bar  associ- 
ations, and  is  highly  regarded  by  his  pro- 
fessional brethren,  while  the  public-at- 
large  regard  him  with  particular  favor. 
His  law  library  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 
most  extensive  in  the  State.  Always  a 
student,  he  has  surrounded  himself  with 
the  best  of  law  authorities,  references  and 
histories.  Genial  and  courteous  in  man- 
ner, he  has  a  host  of  friends,  his  person- 
ality and  his  ability  combining  to  produce 
a  strong  and  lovable  character. 

Mr.  Coogan  inherited  the  family  taste 
for  participating  in  political  affairs,  and 
from  youthful  manhood  has  borne  a  lead- 
ing part  in  party  and  city  affairs.  For 
two  years  he  was  prosecuting  attorney 
for  the  city  of  Hartford  ;  for  many  years 
was  a  grand  juror;  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Legislature  in  1882,  serving  on  the 
committee  of  cities  and  boroughs ;  was  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Street  Commis- 
sioners, 1900-03  and  1903-06,  and  during 
the  administration  of  Mayor  Lawler  was 
corporation  counsel  for  the  city  of  Hart- 
ford. A  Democrat  in  his  political  faith, 
he  has  ever  been  potent  in  party  councils, 
and  was  a  delegate  to  innumerable  city, 
county  and  State  conventions.  In  1900 
he  was  a  candidate  on  the  Democratic 
ticket  for  presidential  elector.  He  is  a 
past  grand  knight  of  Charter  Oak  Coun- 
cil, Knights  of  Columbus;  past  exalted 
ruler  of  Hartford  Lodge,  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  past  grand 
trustee  of  the  National  Order.  He  holds 
membership  in  several  other  organiza- 
tions, fraternal,  social  and  religious.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  attending  the  services  of  St.  Jo- 


seph's Cathedral,  this  being  the  faith  of 
his  forefathers. 

Mr.  Coogan  married,  December  28, 
1898,  Susan  O.  Nolan,  born  in  Albany, 
New  York,  daughter  of  Murtha  T.  Nolan, 
an  old  resident  of  that  city.  Children, 
born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut :  John  Wil- 
liam, born  October  23,  1899,  ^"d  Murtha 
T.,  born  February  28,  1902. 


KING,  Joseph  Harrington, 

Financier. 

Joseph  Harrington  King,  president  of 
the  American  Industrial  Bank  and  Trust 
Company,  has  attained  his  position  in  the 
financial  world  entirely  as  a  result  of  his 
own  industry  and  well  directed  efforts. 
He  has  been  advanced  step  by  step  in 
recognition  of  service  well  performed  and 
his  mastery  of  the  details  of  the  banking 
business.  He  is  one  of  Connecticut's  na- 
tive sons,  having  been  born  in  East  Hart- 
ford, July  28,  1855.  His  father  was  George 
Walter  King,  a  well  known  business  man 
of  Hartford ;  and  his  mother,  before  her 
m-arriage,  was  Julia  Burnham. 

Mr.  King's  paternal  grandfather,  Walter 
King,  was  a  native  of  Glasgow,  Scotland, 
born  September  11,  1780.  In  early  man- 
hood he  served  as  aide  to  Sir  John  Moore, 
in  the  British  army,  and  later  resided  in 
Lancashire.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
from  there  in  1818.  He  remained  here  for 
a  short  time,  then  returned  to  England, 
but  came  back  again  to  the  United  States 
in  1822.  After  being  for  a  brief  period  in 
New  York  City,  he  removed  to  Paterson, 
but  died  in  New  York  City  in  1863.  Mr. 
King  was  married  three  times.  His  first 
wife  was  a  young  widow.  Mrs.  Ann  (Hes- 
keth)  McCandlish,  whom  he  married  in 
1807.     She  died  in  1819  or  1820. 

Their  son,  George  W.  King,  was  born 
in  Lancashire,  England,  February  16, 
1817.      He    was    educated    in    the    public 


5S 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


schools  of  Paterson  and  New  York,  and 
then  acquired  the  trade  of  jeweler  with 
Wilmot,  Moffit  &  Curtis.  After  this  he 
passed  some  time  in  Virginia,  and  then 
came  to  East  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  found  employment  with  W.  & 
O.  Pitkin,  silversmiths.  After  a  time  he 
started  in  business  for  himself  on  State 
street,  Hartford,  and  continued  success- 
fully until  his  death  in  1881.  He  married 
Julia  Burnham,  daughter  of  George  and 
Nabby  (Hills)  Burnham,  and  they  had 
the  following  children :  Mary  Jane,  de- 
ceased :  James  Walter,  of  East  Hartford : 
Alice  C.  Burnham,  deceased ;  Emma 
Louisa,  married  John  N.  Bidwell,  of  East 
Hartford ;  George  Burnham,  deceased ; 
Joseph  Harrington,  of  further  mention ; 
Annie  Kate,  of  East  Hartford ;  and  Ed- 
ward Everett,  of  East  Hartford.  The 
mother  of  these  children  passed  away  in 
1893,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years. 

Joseph  Harrington  King,  the  sixth  child 
in  this  family,  was  graduated  from  the 
Hartford  High  School  in  1873,  after  which 
he  became  a  clerk  in  the  American  Na- 
tional Bank.  He  soon  gave  evidence  of 
possessing  those  qualities  that  mark  the 
successful  banker,  dependability,  indus- 
try, intelligent  initiative,  diplomacy  and 
courtesy.  He  was  advanced  rapidly,  and 
in  1883  became  cashier,  Mr.  John  G.  Root 
resigning,  and  he  was  at  that  time  the 
youngest  bank  officer  in  Hartford.  Upon 
the  death  of  Mr.  Rowland  Swift,  the  first 
president,  he  was  elected  president  of  the 
bank,  holding  that  position  when  it  was 
consolidated  with  the  Phoenix  National 
Bank,  in  May,  1912.  Mr.  King  soon  set 
about  organizing  the  new  institution  of 
which  he  is  now  the  executive  head,  the 
American  Industrial  Bank  and  Trust 
Company,  being  elected  its  president, 
September  i,  1913. 

He  is  a  man  of  strong  character,  pro- 


gressive without  being  visionary ;  and 
cautious,  but  having  the  courage  of  his 
convictions  when  his  mature  judgment 
approves  a  given  course  of  action.  He 
takes  a  very  keen  interest  in  those  move- 
ments and  measures  that  promise  to  en- 
hance the  general  welfare ;  and  is  a  direc- 
tor of  the  Hartford  Morris  Plan  Com- 
pany, an  institution  which  is  doing  a 
splendid  work  among  those  worthy  citi- 
zens who  find  themselves  temporarily  em- 
barassed  in  financial  matters,  and  not  so 
circumstanced  that  they  can  be  helped 
by  regular  banks.  Mr.  King  is  also  presi- 
dent of  the  Allen  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, of  Hartford ;  vice-president  of  the 
Henry  &  Wright  Manufacturing  Comr 
pany :  and  a  director  in  the  Austin  Organ 
Company. 

On  the  8th  of  October,  1878,  Mr.  King 
was  married  to  Mary  E.  Loomis,  daugh- 
ter of  Walter  A.  Loomis,  of  East  Hart- 
ford. Mrs.  King's  father,  Walter  Adams 
Loomis,  was  born  May  24,  1823,  in  East 
Hartford,  and  was  married,  October  8, 
1845,  to  Margaret  E.  Clark.  Mrs.  King  is 
the  ninth  generation  by  direct  descent 
from  Joseph  Loomis,  a  woolen  draper  of 
Braintree,  Essex  county,  England.  He 
was  born  about  the  year  1530,  and  sailed 
from  London  in  the  ship  "Susan  and 
Ellen,"  April  11,  1638,  arriving  in  Boston 
July  17th  of  the  same  year.  He  came  to 
Windsor,  Connecticut,  with  five  sons  and 
three  daughters,  in  1639,  and  became  the 
owner  of  several  tracts  of  land.  His  home 
was  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Farm- 
ington  river,  or  thereabouts.  He  died 
November  25,  1658.  and  his  wife  died 
August  23,  1652.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph 
H.  King  are  the  parents  of  three  children : 
Edwin  Loomis,  born  August  18,  1880; 
George  Walter,  born  February  8,  1886; 
and  Lester  Hazen,  born  March  11,  1887. 


56 


THE  IIE'vV  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


AvrO.T,   LENOX 
TILDLN    rC  JiND    TiONS; 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


HALL,  Eugene  Ashley, 

Banker,  Merchant. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  inherits 
from  many  generations  of  sturdy  New 
England  ancestry  the  sound  mind,  body 
and  principles  necessary  to  usefulness  in 
the  world.  The  name  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  America,  and  was  established  at  sev- 
eral points  in  New  England  at  almost 
simultaneous  dates. 

John  Hall  (styled,  "ist.,  of  Walling- 
ford")  lived  with  his  family  in  New 
Haven  about  thirty  years,  and  in  Walling- 
ford  about  six  or  seven.  He  came  from 
England  to  Boston,  1633,  thence  to  Hart- 
ford, where  he  received  a  grant  of  land 
from  the  town,  which  he  forfeited  by  re- 
moval. He  served  in  the  Pequot  war  in 
1637.  In  1639  he  was  one  of  the  free- 
planters  of  New  Haven  and  signed  "The 
foundamentall  agreement."  In  1670,  with 
three  of  his  sons,  John,  Samuel  and  Ser- 
geant Thomas,  he  joined  the  company  that 
settled  Wallingford.  becoming  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  and  was  a  signer  of 
the  original  "Covernant"  as  were  two  of 
his  sons.  He  was  born  in  England,  in 
1605,  and  died  at  Wallingford,  in  1676. 
Dr.  Lyman  Hall,  Governor  of  Georgia 
and  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, was  a  descendant  of  this  John 
Hall.  In  1641  he  married  Jeanne  Wollen, 
who  died  November  14,  1690.  Their  fifth 
son  was  Thomas  Hall,  born  March  23, 
1649,  in  New  Haven,  and  lived  in  Wall- 
ingford, Connecticut,  where  he  died  Sep- 
tember 17,  1731.  His  marriage,  June  5, 
1673,  to  Grace  Watson,  was  the  first  cel- 
ebrated in  Wallingford.  She  was  born 
1653,  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Grace 
(Walker)  Watson,  and  died  May  i,  1731. 
Their  third  son  was  Joseph  Hall,  born 
July  8,  1681,  died  November  3,  1748.  He 
married,  November  13,  1706,  Bertha  Ter- 
rell, who  died  December  28,  1753.  They 
were  the  parents  of  Ephraim  Hall,  who 


was  born  April  25,  1723,  and  made  his 
home  in  the  section  of  Wallingford  known 
as  North  Farms,  his  house  standing  on 
the  east  side  of  the  road  in  the  present 
meadow,  and  the  well  on  his  farm  is  still 
in  use.  He  married,  October  13,  1763, 
Chloe  Moss,  born  December  6,  1739, 
daughter  of  David  and  Mindwell  (Doolit- 
tle)  Moss.  They  were  the  parents  of 
Comfort  Hall,  who  was  born  February 
25,  1773,  and  lived  in  Wallingford  until 
about  1797,  when  he  removed  to  the  town 
of  Middletown,  in  the  Westfield  section, 
and  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land,  on 
which  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  was 
one  of  the  early  Methodists  of  the  sec- 
tion, and  one  of  the  original  trustees  of 
the  Methodist  church  at  Middlefield,  Con- 
necticut, an  earnest,  zealous  and  devoted 
Christian,  his  home  always  open  for  the 
entertainment  of  Methodist  preachers. 
Like  most  men  of  his  time,  he  was  a  Dem- 
ocrat in  political  principle.  He  died  No- 
vember 20,  1855,  in  Westfield.  He  mar- 
ried, February  i.  1796,  Jemima  Bacon, 
born  February  2,  1775,  daughter  of 
Phineas  and  Sarah  (Atkins)  Bacon,  and 
died  February  24,  1847.  Their  second 
son  was  Harley  Hall,  born  March  21, 
1799,  in  Westfield,  and  lived  in  Middle- 
field,  where  he  died  April  24,  1874,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five  years.  He  married, 
June  8,  1828,  Martha  Cone  Hall,  born 
April  3,  1805,  in  East  Haddam,  Connec- 
ticut, died  in  Meriden,  April  20.  1880.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  William  Hall,  a  direct 
descendant  of  John  Hall,  "of  Middle- 
town,"  born  in  county  of  Kent,  England. 
1584,  came  to  Boston,  1633,  Hartford, 
1635,  original  proprietor  of  Middletown, 
1650.  Her  mother,  Martha  (Cone)  Hall, 
was  a  daughter  of  Sylvanus  Cone,  of  East 
Haddam,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and  a 
direct  descendant  of  Daniel  Cone,  who 
was  an  original  proprietor  of  Haddam  in 
1662. 

Rufus  Hall,  second  son  of  Harley  and 


57 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Martha  Cone  (Hall)  Hall,  was  born  Oc- 
tober 3,  1839,  in  Middlefield,  and  grew  up 
on  the  paternal  homestead,  assisting  from 
a  very  early  age  in  the  labors  of  the  farm. 
He  acquired  habits  of  industry  and 
thrift,  and  received  from  his  parents  a 
high  moral  training.  His  education  was 
supplied  by  the  district  schools,  and  at 
the  early  age  of  nineteen  years  he  set  out 
to  make  himself  independent  in  the  world. 
For  some  years  he  dealt  in  meats  in  Port- 
land, Middlefield  and  Wallingford,  and 
in  i860  moved  to  Meriden,  Connecticut, 
where  he  continued  to  be  one  of  the  most 
active  citizens  during  his  life.  In  1861, 
in  association  w-ith  his  brother,  the  late 
Norman  C.  Hall,  he  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business,  the  name  of  the  firm  being 
Norman  C.  Hall  &  Company.  After  nine 
years  he  sold  out  his  interest  to  his 
brother,  and  in  association  with  Charles 
Grether  established  a  meat  market  under 
the  name  of  Grether  &  Hall.  After  a  few 
years,  Mr.  Hall  became  sole  proprietor  of 
the  business,  which  he  conducted  several 
years,  after  which  he  sold  it  to  his  former 
partner,  and  engaged  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness with  his  brother.  In  1884  he  again 
engaged  in  the  meat  business,  and  the 
establishment  which  he  then  founded  is 
still  conducted  by  his  son,  the  business 
being  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
The  Hall's  Market  Company  in  1909.  Mr. 
Hall  continued  to  conduct  this  establish- 
ment until  his  death,  from  pneumonia, 
February  3,  1901.  His  body  was  laid  to 
rest  in  Indian  Hill  Cemetery,  Middle- 
town.  Air.  Hall  did  not  aspire  to  partici- 
pate in  political  afifairs,  but  was  ever  a 
model  citizen,  industrious  and  straight- 
forward in  business  methods. 

He  married,  at  Middletown,  April  25, 
1859,  Esther  Asenath  Grover,  a  direct 
descendant  of  Thomas  Grover,  of  Charles- 
town,  Massachusetts,  1642  ;  she  was  born 
in  Middletown,  January  2.   1837,  died  in 


Meriden,  December  18,  1891.  She  is 
buried  beside  her  husband  in  Indian  Hill 
Cemetery.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Arden 
and  Sarah  Maria  (Clark)  Grover,  a  grand- 
daughter of  Oliver  and  Asenath  (Eaton) 
Grover,  great-granddaughter  of  John  and 
Abigail  (Flint)  Grover.  Asenath  Eaton 
was  a  descendant  of  William  Eaton,  who 
was  in  Watertown.  Massachusetts,  in 
1642,  and  Abigail  Flint  was  descended 
from  Thomas  Flint,  of  Salem,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1650.  Sarah  Maria  (Clark) 
Grover,  mother  of  Mrs.  Hall,  was  a 
daughter  of  Daniel  Clark,  a  Revolution- 
ary soldier.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hall  were  the 
parents  of  two  children :  Effie  Maria, 
born  March  13,  i860,  died  March  i,  1862, 
and  Eugene  Ashley,  of  further  mention. 
Eugene  Ashley  Hall  was  born  August 
7,  1865.  in  Meriden,  where  he  has  con- 
tinued to  be  identified  with  business  and 
social  life  to  the  present  day,  prominent 
among  financiers  and  business  men.  He 
attended  the  district  schools  until  he  had 
attained  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  and  leav- 
ing school  he  was  employed  by  the  firm  of 
J.  Cook  (S;  Company,  manufacturers  of 
printing  presses,  the  Bradley  &  Hubbard 
Manufacturing  Company,  The  IMeriden 
Britannia  Company  and  in  the  stationery 
and  toy  store  of  William  Hagadon,  enter- 
ing the  employ  of  the  Meriden  Savings 
Bank,  May,  1883,  as  office  boy,  he  won 
rapid  promotion  in  that  institution  by  his 
industry  and  business  aptitude.  At  the 
time  of  his  father's  death  he  was  teller 
of  the  bank,  and  resigned  his  position  in 
order  to  take  care  of  the  business  estab- 
lished by  his  father.  He  continued  to 
serve  the  Meriden  Savings  Bank  as  trus- 
tee, director  and  auditor,  and  in  1914 
was  elected  its  president,  in  which  posi- 
tion he  has  continued  to  the  present  time. 
He  is  president  and  treasurer  of  The 
Hall's  Market  Company.  From  1899  to 
1907    he    was    treasurer   of    the    town    of 


58 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Meriden,  and  has  been  actively  interested 
in  the  Meriden  Board  of  Trade  and  the 
Meriden  Chamber  of  Commerce.  For 
several  years  he  served  as  trustee,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  Connecticut 
School  for  Boys,  and  was  also  treasurer 
of  the  Connecticut  State  and  Meriden 
Agricultural  societies. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Hall  has  been 
prominently  identified  with  Free  Masonry 
in  Connecticut,  presiding  over  Meriden 
Lodge,  Keystone  Chapter,  Hamilton 
Council,  St.  Elmo  Commandery  of  Meri- 
den, the  Grand  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Ma- 
sons, and  Grand  Comanandery.  Knights 
Templar,  of  Connecticut;  is  a  member 
of  the  Scottish  Rite  bodies  of  New  Haven. 
LaFayette  Consistory,  Scottish  Rite,  and 
Pyramid  Temple,  Mystic  Shrine,  of 
Bridgeport,  and  the  Masonic  Charity 
Foundation  of  Connecticut.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Connecticut  Society  and  Cap- 
tain John  Couch  Branch,  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution,  a  member  of  St. 
Andrew's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
Home  Club  and  Colonial  Club  of  Meriden. 
In  political  principle  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  is  always  active  in  promoting  the 
best  government  for  the  city  and  State. 

Mr.  Hall  married,  December  15,  1897, 
Edna  Adele  Mix,  daughter  of  ex-Senator 
John  Walter  and  Kate  Urana  (Wallace) 
Mix,  of  (Yalesville)  Wallingford,  Con- 
necticut, a  direct  descendant  of  Thomas 
Mix,  who  was  in  New  Haven  as  early  as 
1643,  granddaughter  of  John  and  Eliza 
(Merriman)  Mix,  the  last  named  a  daugh- 
ter of  Albert  Merriman.  a  Revolutionary 
soldier.  Mrs.  Hall's  mother  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Franklin  and  Fanny  (Hall)  Wal- 
lace, of  Cheshire,  Connecticut,  the  latter 
a  daughter  of  Lyman  and  Milla  Hall,  both 
direct  descendants  of  John  Hall,  of  Wall- 
ingford. Benjamin  Hall,  father  of  Lyman 
Hall,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eugene  A.  Hall  are  the  par- 


ents of  three  children :  Fanny,  born  No- 
vember 15,  1898;  Edna,  February  3,  1900, 
and  Eugene  Mix,  June  27,  1903. 


WILLIAMS,  Charles  Merriam, 

Superintendent    of    Connecticut    School   for 
Boys. 

In  1874,  Mr.  Williams,  then  a  young 
man  of  twenty-three,  entered  the  teaching 
profession,  as  principal  of  the  Railroad 
District  School  in  Meriden.  Twenty-one 
years  later  the  boys  and  girls  who  had 
sat  under  his  instructions  during  those 
years  had  become  the  voters  and  custo- 
dians of  the  city  interests,  including  the 
oversight  and  management  of  the  public 
schools.  When  it  was  deemed  the  part 
of  wisdom  that  the  schools  be  consoli- 
dated and  placed  under  the  care  of  a  gen- 
eral superintendent,  their  thoughts  with 
one  accord  turned  to  their  former  prin- 
cipal, and  Mr.  Williams  was  chosen  for 
the  post.  A  few  years  later,  in  1898,  per- 
haps some  of  his  former  pupils  were 
members  of  the  board  of  trustees  on 
whom  devolved  the  duty  of  choosing  a 
superintendent  for  the  Connecticut  Boys 
Home,  but  whether  or  not,  the  reputation 
won  during  a  quarter  of  a  century  was 
well  known  to  the  board  and  Mr.  Wil- 
liams was  declared  the  choice  of  the 
board.  Nineteen  years  have  elapsed  since 
he  first  assumed  the  duties  of  his  ofifice, 
but  he  is  still  the  honored  head  of  the 
institution,  a  longer  term  than  any  pre- 
vious superintendent  ever  served.  Length 
of  service  implies  peculiar  fitness  for  the 
position  filled,  and  this  holds  true  of  the 
veteran  educator,  who  had  not  only  the 
problems  of  the  teacher  to  solve  but  those 
of  the  reformer,  the  philanthropist  and 
the  humanitarian.  How  well  he  has 
solved  those  problems  the  records  of  the 
School  for  Boys  show.  Minds  have  been 
trained,  talents  developed,  genius  encour- 


59 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


aged  and  lives  of  usefulness  opened  to 
boys  whose  mornings  were  darkened  by 
error.  As  the  guiding  head  of  the  insti- 
tution, Mr.  Williams  has  been  placed  in 
the  most  responsible  position  to  which  a 
man  can  be  called,  and  to  his  credit  is 
placed  the  fact  that  he  has  shirked  no 
issue,  evaded  no  responsibility,  but  with 
an  eye  single  to  the  best  interests  of  those 
placed  under  his  care  has  labored  untir- 
ingly and  intelligently.  Thousands  of 
boys  have  passed  out  into  the  world  from 
under  his  guidance,  from  both  the  public 
school  and  the  School  for  Boys,  and  thou- 
sands testify  to  the  influence  for  good  he 
has  been  in  their  lives. 

Mr.  Williams  is  a  descendant  of  Thomas 
Williams,  who  bought  land  in  Wethers- 
field,  Connecticut,  in  1661,  and  in  the 
same  year  was  granted  river  lands  at 
Rocky  Hill.  His  son,  Jacob  Williams, 
born  in  1664,  a  sea  captain,  died  at  Rocky 
Hill  in  1712.  He  married  Sarah  Gilbert, 
and  their  son,  Ephraim  Williams,  was  a 
merchant  of  Wethersfield,  trading  with 
New  York  and  the  West  Indies  until  his 
death  in  1761,  aged  seventy-one.  He  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  Russell,  a  great-grand- 
daughter of  John  Russell,  founder  of  his 
line  in  New  England,  and  of  Stephen 
Terry,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Wind- 
sor, Connecticut. 

Captain  Ephraim  W^illiams  had  a  son. 
Captain  Elias  Williams,  born  in  Wethers- 
field, in  1719,  who  was  a  man  of  promi- 
nence there  and  in  Stepney  Parish  both 
before  and  during  the  Revolution.  He 
served  on  various  committees  in  aid  of 
the  Colonial  cause,  and  in  1777  was  a 
captain  in  the  Sixth  Connecticut  Militia. 
He  died  in  1798.  He  married  Prudence 
Robbins,  a  great-granddaughter  of  John 
Robbins.  the  early  settler,  son  of  John 
Robbins,  who  is  believed  to  have  come  to 
Wethersfield  with  his  son  and  died  soon 
after  coming. 


Captain  Elias  Williams  was  the  father 
of  Corporal  Eliel  Williams,  born  in  Step- 
ney Parish,  January  30,  1746,  died  there 
August  2,  1819.  He  was  one  of  the  four 
corporals  enrolled  under  Captain  John 
Chester,  and  sent  from  Wethersfield  on 
the  Lexington  Alarm  and  fought  at 
Bunker  Hill.  He  married  Comfort  Mor- 
ton, a  maternal  descendant  of  Governor 
Thomas  Welles,  and  her  great-great-pa- 
ternal grandmother.  Honor  Treat,  was  a 
sister  of  Governor  Robert  Treat,  and  wife 
of  John  Deming,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Wethersfield. 

Merriam  Williams,  son  of  Corporal 
Eliel  Williams,  was  born  in  Stepney 
Parish,  July  3,  1785,  and  died  May  10, 
1857.  He  was  a  tanner  and  currier  and 
shoe  manufacturer  of  Rocky  Hill,  also  a 
landowner  and  farmer.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Danforth,  daughter  of  Thomas  Dan- 
forth,  a  manufacturer  and  merchant  of 
Rocky  Hill. 

Thomas  Danforth  Williams,  son  of 
Merriam  \\'illiams,  was  born  at  Rocky 
Hill,  Connecticut,  December  4,  1819,  died 
there  December  4,  1881.  He  was  a  farmer 
all  his  life,  a  deacon  of  the  Congregational 
church  for  thirty  years,  and  for  twenty 
years  (not  consecutively)  town  assessor. 
He  married,  April  6,  1842,  Mary  Jane 
Boardman,  born  at  Rocky  Hill,  March  20, 
1820,  died  August  7,  1888,  the  last  sur- 
vivor in  the  town  of  the  twelve  children 
of  Captain  Jason  Boardman.  who  for  fifty 
years  was  a  shipbuilder,  owner  and  cap- 
tain of  vessels.  Her  father.  Captain  John 
Boardman,  owned  vessels  sailing  and 
trading  with  the  West  Indies  and  was 
lost  at  sea.  Captain  John  Boardman  was 
a  son  of  Jonathan  Boardman,  son  of  Na- 
thaniel Boardman,  son  of  Samuel  Bore- 
man  (the  original  spelling),  who  came  to 
New  England  in  1638,  and  settled  at 
Wethersfield  about  1641.  Thomas  Dan- 
forth  and   Mary  Jane    (Boardman)    Wil- 


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THE  KEV/  VQRK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,    LENOX 
TILDEN    fOlJt;DATIONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hams  were  the  parents  of  two  sons  and 
two  daughters :  Luther  Boardman,  a 
prominent  agriculturist  of  Rocky  Hill  and 
an  ex-member  of  the  Legislature ;  Caro- 
line Elizabeth,  of  Rocky  Hill ;  Charles 
Merriam,  of  further  mention;  Anna  Jane, 
died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years. 

Charles  Merriam  Williams  was  born  at 
Rocky  Hill,  Connecticut,  November  13, 
185 1.  His  youth  was  spent  at  the  home 
farm  and  in  attendance  at  the  public 
school,  after  which  he  completed  his 
studies  at  Williston  Seminary,  Easthamp- 
ton,  Massachusetts.  Choosing  the  profes- 
sion of  teaching  he  became  principal  of 
the  Railroad  District  School  in  Meriden 
in  1874,  he  establishing  so  good  a  reputa- 
tion that  he  was  advanced  later  to  the 
principalship  of  the  Center  School  and 
finally  to  the  same  post  in  the  West  Dis- 
trict School  which  included  the  Lewis 
Avenue  School  and  the  control  of  about 
five  hundred  pupils.  In  these  three  schools 
twenty-one  years  were  passed,  years  of 
wonderful  expansion  and  improvement  in 
the  schools  and  equal  development  in  the 
educator.  As  principal  he  won  the  loyal 
support  of  his  teaching  staff,  and  the  full 
confidence  of  his  pupils  who,  as  they 
passed  on  into  high  school,  bore  testi- 
mony to  the  thoroughness  of  their  prepa- 
ration. In  1895  the  schools  of  the  city 
were  consolidated  and  brought  under  the 
general  management  of  a  superintendent 
appointed  by  the  Board  of  Education. 
Kis  long  experience  and  the  high  reputa- 
tion ]\Ir.  Williams  held  as  an  educator 
eminently  fitted  him  for  the  position,  a 
fact  recognized  by  the  board  by  his  ap- 
pointment. He  retained  the  office  of 
superintendent  until  1898,  when  he  with- 
drew to  accept  the  appointment  of  super- 
intendent of  the  Connecticut  School  for 
Boys,  a  State  institution.  This  office  he 
has  new  (1917)  held  for  nineteen  years 
with  great  acceptability. 


In  the  profession  he  adopted  when  a 
young  man,  he  has  attained  prominent 
position  and  is  numbered  with  the  strong, 
capable  and  devoted  men  of  that  profes- 
sion. He  is  a  member  of  several  societies 
dealing  with  the  problems  which  are  his 
and  also  is  interested  in  fraternity  and 
social  organizations.  He  is  a  member  of 
Meriden  Lodge,  No.  ']'],  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted   Masons ;    Chapter,   Royal 

Arch  Masons ;  Hamilton  Council,  Royal 
and  Select  Masters ;  St.  Elmo  Com- 
mandery.  Knights  Templar;  the  Sons  of 
the  Revolution ;  and  the  Home  and  High- 
land Country  clubs.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

Mr.  Williams  married,  June  17,  1881, 
Emeline  McFarland,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Emeline  (Bulkeley)  McFarland.  They 
are  the  parents  of  a  son,  Stanley  Thomas 
\\'illiams.  born  October  25.  1888,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Yale  University,  A.  B.,  191 1  ;  A.  M., 
1912;  Ph.  D.,  1914;  now  an  instructor  at 
Yale. 


WHEELER,  Frederick  James, 

Merchant. 

As  the  oldest  merchant  in  Meriden,  not 
only  in  years,  but  in  the  period  engaged 
in  business,  and  as  a  citizen  of  highest 
integrity,  great  industry  and  commercial 
success,  Mr.  Wheeler  has  earned  a  place 
in  the  annals  of  the  people  in  the  State. 
His  ancestors,  both  paternal  and  maternal, 
have  been  long  established  in  the  State, 
and  have  borne  no  mean  part  in  promot- 
ing its  development  and  progress.  The 
founder  of  the  Wheeler  family  in  Connec- 
ticut was  Moses  Wheeler,  born  1597-98, 
in  Kent,  England,  who  came,  with  others, 
from  London,  England,  and  settled  in 
New  Haven  in  1638.  There  is  a  tradition 
that  he  lived  in  London  during  the  prev- 
alence of  the  plague  in  that  city,  which 
caused   many  people  to  flee.     According 


61 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  this  tale,  Moses  Wheeler  was  stricken 
and,  supposing  he  was  about  to  die,  dug 
his  own  grave  and  lay  down  in  it.  His 
neighbors,  believing  him  to  be  dead,  were 
about  to  bury  him  but,  discovering  evi- 
dences of  lite,  desisted.  After  this  narrow 
escape  from  being  buried  alive,  he  de- 
cided to  leave  the  country,  and  thus  be- 
came a  pioneer  of  Connecticut.  At  New 
Haven  he  was  granted  an  allotment  of 
land  in  1643.  Subsequently  he  removed 
to  Stratford,  where  the  family  has  been 
prominent  for  many  generations,  ranking 
among  the  most  influential  citizens  of 
the  town.  In  1648  Moses  Wheeler  was 
granted  the  ferry  across  the  Housatonic 
river,  in  Stratford,  and  in  1670  he  received 
a  lease  of  the  ferry  and  lands  adjoining, 
for  a  period  of  twenty-one  years,  at  a 
rental  of  six  pence  per  year.  This  indi- 
cates the  great  confidence  felt  in  him  by 
the  citizens  of  the  town,  and  the  impor- 
tance of  maintaining  a  reliable  ferry.  He 
gave  most  of  his  property  to  his  children 
ten  years  before  his  death.  His  will  was 
made  February  16,  1690,  and  he  probably 
died  very  soon  thereafter.  His  descend- 
ants have  occupied  conspicuous  places  for 
two  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  in  the 
territory  now  comprising  the  counties  of 
Fairfield,  New  Haven  and  Litchfield.  He 
married  Miriam  Hawley.  a  sister  of  Jo- 
seph Hawley,  and  their  second  son  was 
Moses  W^heeler,  born  July  5,  1651,  in 
Stratford,  died  there  January  30,  1725. 
He  was  one  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  of 
the  town,  and  the  inventory  of  his  estate 
amounted  to  £1463  5s.  and  6d.  He  mar- 
ried, October  20,  1674,  in  Stratford,  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Caleb  and  Anne  (Ward) 
Nichols,  born  December  i,  1651,  in  Strat- 
ford. Their  son,  Elnathan  Wheeler 
(known  as  Nathan),  was  born  January 
31,  1681,  in  Stratford,  where  he  was  a 
large  landowner,  and  died  1765-66.  By 
his  will  each  of  his  four  sons  received  a 


tract  of  land.  His  third  wife,  Elizabeth, 
surname  unrecorded,  was  born  1688,  and 
died  1739.  Their  youngest  child  was 
Ephraim  Wheeler,  baptized  in  July,  1723, 
and  resided  in  Stratford.  He  married, 
]\Iarch  7,  1743,  Sarah  Wilcoxson,  born 
June  6,  1719,  daughter  of  William  and 
Hester  (Brinsmade)  Wilcoxson.  Samuel 
Wheeler,  third  son  of  Ephraim  and  Hester 
(Wilcoxson)  Wheeler,  was  born  October 
4  1757,  in  Stratford,  and  lived  there.  He 
married  (second)  November  26,  1781, 
Hannah  Hawley,  daughter  of  Matthew, 
Jr.,  and  Bethiah  Hawley.  Her  eighth 
child  and  his  sixth  son  and  eleventh  child 
was  Everett  Wheeler,  born  in  September, 
1796.  His  home  was  in  Stratford,  where 
he  was  a  large  farmer  and  prominent  citi- 
zen, and  died  February  22.  1878.  In  1847 
he  was  elected  on  the  W'hig  ticket  as  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  and  acquitted 
himself  well  in  that  body.  He  married,  in 
December,  1825,  Mary  Curtis,  born  about 
1796-97,  daughter  of  Dr.  Ezra  and  Anna 
(L^fiford)  Curtis.  Their  children  were: 
Henry  Gould,  born  January  21,  1827,  re- 
sided in  Stratford ;  Caroline,  August  4, 
1829,  married  Curtis  W^ells ;  Frederick 
James,  of  further  mention;  Thomas  Ever- 
ett, born  October  18,  1836,  died  1857. 

The  Curtis  family,  from  which  Mary 
(Curtis)  Wheeler  was  descended,  was 
founded  by  William  Curtis,  who  lived  in 
England  and  probably  died  there.  His 
widow  Elizabeth  and  sons  John  and  W^il- 
liam  settled  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  in 
1639.  The  Curtis  family  was  a  prolific 
one  in  England,  and  had  many  repre- 
sentatives in  Kent,  where  several  were 
mayors  of  Tenterden,  and  in  County  Sus- 
sex, England.  The  ancient  coat-of-arms 
is  thus  described :  Argent,  a  chevron 
sable,  between  three  bulls'  heads  ca- 
boshed,  gules.  Crest:  A  unicorn  passant, 
or,  between  four  trees  proper.  John  Cur- 
tis, son  of  William  and  Elizabeth  Curtis, 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  1613,  came  to  Stratford,  and  died 
there  December  2,  1707,  aged  ninety-four 
years.  His  wife  Elizabeth  died  in  March, 
1682.  His  eldest  son  and  namesake  set- 
tled in  Newark,  New  Jersey.  The  fourth 
son,  Joseph  Curtis,  was  born  November 
12,  1650.  He  married,  November  9,  1676, 
Bethiah,  daughter  of  Richard  Booth,  and 
their  eldest  son  was  Ephraim  Curtis,  born 
December  31,  1684,  in  Stratford,  died  in 
1776.  He  married,  June  26,  1706,  Eliza- 
beth, daughter  of  Ephraim  Stiles.  She 
died  in  October,  1775.  Their  eldest  child 
was  Stiles  Curtis,  born  March  18,  1707,  in 
Stratford,  during  the  lifetime  of  his  great- 
grandfather. He  married,  November  7, 
1730,  Rebecca  Judson.  Their  fourth  son 
was  Silas  Curtis,  baptized  June  14,  1743, 
in  Stratford,  lived  at  Oronoke,  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  town  of  Stratford, 
where  he  died  January  15,  1816.  He  mar- 
ried, February  17,  1765,  Hannah  Birdsey, 
born  December  15,  1746,  died  November 
25,  181 1,  daughter  of  Rev.  Nathan  and 
Dorothy  (Hawley)  Birdsey,  of  Stratford. 
Their  eldest  child  was  Ezra  Curtis,  born 
August  26,  1765,  in  Stratford,  was  edu- 
cated as  a  physician,  engaged  in  practice, 
and  died  at  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  No- 
\'ember  17,  1797,  in  his  thirty-eighth  year. 
He  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Abigail  (Gold)  Ufford,  of  Stratford, 
born  October  24,  1772.  After  the  death 
of  Dr.  Curtis  she  married  (second)  John 
Wells.  Mary,  daughter  of  Dr.  Ezra  and 
Anna  (Ufford)  Curtis,  born  about  1796- 
97,  became  the  wife  of  Everett  Wheeler, 
as  previously  noted. 

Frederick  James  Wheeler,  second  son 
of  Everett  and  Mary  (Curtis)  Wheeler, 
was  born  March  4,  1834,  in  Stratford,  and 
was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm,  sharing 
in  its  labors,  and  receiving  his  education 
in  the  neighboring  district  school.  While 
his  educational  opportunities  were  some- 
what limited,  he  was  always  of  an  observ- 


ant nature,  and  by  study  and  experience 
was  fitted  for  the  contest  in  which  every 
man  must  work  out  his  own  destiny. 
When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  went  to 
Seymour,  Connecticut,  where  he  learned 
the  trade  of  tinsmith,  and  following  this 
was  employed  for  seven  years  as  a  jour- 
neyman in  Waterbury.  As  a  young  man. 
Mr.  Wheeler  did  not  fritter  away  his  time 
or  his  earnings  in  dissipation,  and  he  was 
soon  enabled  to  establish  himself  in  busi- 
ness. In  1862  he  located  in  Meriden, 
where  he  established  himself  as  a  tin- 
smith, and  in  time  added  to  his  industries 
those  of  plumbing,  heating  and  ventila- 
tion. He  was  a  skillful  workman,  honest 
and  persevering,  and  rapidly  built  up  a 
profitable  business.  In  time  his  store  in- 
cluded general  hardware,  cutlery,  stoves, 
crockery  and  woodenware,  and  for  many 
years  he  has  operated  one  of  the  largest 
and  best  stocked  establishments  in  the 
city.  He  has  ever  been  a  conscientious 
and  upright  dealer,  has  enjoyed  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  his  neighbors,  and 
has  gained  a  competence  by  his  own 
energy,  industry  and  courteous  consider- 
ation for  the  welfare  of  his  patrons.  Mr. 
Wheeler  is  a  member  of  the  First  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Meriden,  and  is 
ever  ready  to  further  any  good  work  or 
any  undertaking  calculated  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  community  and  of  the 
world  at  large. 

Mr.  Wheeler  married,  July  17,  1866, 
Mary  Elizabeth  Bennett,  born  October 
27,  1838,  died  December  24,  1907,  daugh- 
ter of  William  Lewis  and  Mary  A.  (Ben- 
jamin) Bennett,  of  Huntington,  Connec- 
ticut, and  they  were  the  parents  of  one 
son,  William  Bennett,  born  September  15, 
1868,  died  September  10,  1882. 

Isaac  Bennett,  the  progenitor  of  the 
branch  of  the  Bennett  family  of  which 
Mrs.  Wheeler  was  a  member,  was  a  na- 
tive of  England,  from  whence  he  came  to 


63 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


this  country  in  1650,  and  settled  in  Strat- 
ford, Connecticut.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Rose.  The  line  is  descended  through  their 
son,  Captain  Nathan  Bennett,  who  mar- 
ried Deborah  Curtis.  Their  son,  Nathan 
^2)  Bennett,  married  Elizabeth  Lewis. 
Their  son,  Nathan  (3)  Bennett,  a  farmer 
of  Huntington,  Connecticut,  married 
Nancy  Beard.  Their  son,  William  Lewis 
Bennett,  born  in  Huntington,  Connecti- 
cut, July  3,  181 1,  died  there,  September  25, 
1871.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm, 
attended  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
town  and  the  high  school  at  Huntington 
Center,  and  followed  agricultural  pursuits 
for  a  number  of  years,  first  with  his 
father,  and  on  his  marriage  purchased  a 
farm  adjoining  his  father's  farm,  and  there 
resided  for  the  remainder  of  his  days, 
achieving  a  large  degree  of  success  in  his 
undertaking.  He  was  active  in  public 
affairs,  served  as  selectman  of  his  town, 
as  a  member  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives one  term,  as  senator  from  the  Tenth 
Connecticut  Senatorial  District  in  1863- 
64,  and  again  served  as  representative  in 
1866-67.  He  was  a  man  of  singular  ability 
and  merit,  possessed  a  clear  head,  honest 
heart  and  sound  judgment,  also  of  un- 
bending integrity  and  Roman  firmness, 
and  was  an  off-hand  debater,  having  no 
equal  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 
He  married,  November  16,  1837,  Mary  A. 
Benjamin,  born  May  8,  1810,  in  Derby, 
Connecticut,  died  September  30,  1881,  in 
Huntington,  Connecticut.  Children  :  Mary 
Elizabeth,  aforementioned  as  the  wife  of 
Frederick  J.  Wheeler,  and  Frances  Sarah, 
born  February  2,  1845,  at  present  residing 
in  ]\Ieriden,  Connecticut. 


SEELEY,  George  Simeon, 

Public   Official,    Real   Estate   Dealer. 

The  late  George  S.  Seeley,  of  Aleriden, 
held  a   high   place   in   the   esteem   of  the 


people  as  an  upright  and  incorruptible 
official,  a  faithful  and  earnest  worker  in 
promoting  the  welfare  of  his  home  city. 
He  was  descended  from  good  ancestry. 
The  first  authentic  record  of  this  name, 
which  has  been  variously  spelled  Seely, 
Sealy,  Sealey,  Seelye,  Seeley,  appears  in 
Froude's  "History  of  England,''  vol.  viii, 
p.  452,  as  follows:  ''In  the  year  1563  the 
following  petition  was  addressed  to  the 
Lords  of  Elizabeth's  Council:  'In  most 
lamentable  wise  showeth  unto  your  hon- 
ors, 3-our  humble  Orator  Dorothy  Seeley 
of  the  City  of  Bristol,  wife  of  Thomas  See- 
ley of  the  Queen's  Majesty's  guard,  that 
where  her  said  husband  upon  most  vile, 
slanderous,  spiteful,  malicious,  and  most 
villainous  words  spoken  against  the 
Queen's  Majesty's  own  person  by  a  cer- 
tain subject  of  the  King  of  Spain,  here 
not  to  be  uttered  ;  not  being  able  to  suffer 
same,  did  flee  upon  the  same  slanderous 
person  and  gave  him  a  blow.  So  it  is 
most  honorable  Lords  that  hereupon  my 
said  husband,  no  other  offense  in  respect 
of  their  religion  then  committed,  was 
secretly  accused  to  the  inquistion  of  the 
Holy  House,  and  so  committed  to  most 
vile  prison,  and  there  hath  remained  now 
three  whole  years  in  miserable  state  with 
cruel  torments." 

A  son  of  the  aforesaid  Thomas  Seeley 
is  mentioned  as  captain  in  command  of 
the  "Minion,"  accompanying  Drake  in  his 
famous  voyage  to  the  West  Indies  in 
1685-86.  The  name  Seeley  is  associated 
with  the  early  history  of  England,  Shakes- 
peare, in  his  play  "Richard  II.,"  represent- 
ing Sir  Bennet  Seeley  as  having  been  be- 
headed by  the  followers  of  Bolingbroke 
for  his  loyalty  to  Richard,  who  was  de- 
throned in  1399. 

Robert  Seeley  came  to  America  with 
Governor  Winthrop,  landing  at  Salem, 
June,  1630,  and  bringing  with  him  his  wife 
Marv  and  sons.  Nathaniel  and  Obadiah. 


64 


^yM-CA^a^^T^ 


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TK?:  i-':'  "■^'^'■'^    ' 
PUBL'CLIBFARY 


A=TO^.    L''    O- 


TILD^iJ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


From  thence  he  proceeded  with  Sir  Rich- 
ard Saltonstall,  Rev.  George  Phillips  and 
others  up  the  Charles  river  four  miles 
from  Charlestown,  commencing  a  settle- 
ment, which  was  called  Sir  Richard  Sal- 
tonstall's  plantation,  and  afterward  named 
Watertown.  Homesteads  averaging  five 
or  six  acres  were  assigned,  Robert  Seeley 
receiving  the  maximum  allotment  of  six- 
teen acres,  near  the  north  bank  of  the 
Charles  river.  This  homestead  was  later 
sold  to  Simon  Erie,  and  is  easily  located 
at  the  present  day  by  reference  to  "Bond's 
Map  of  Ancient  Watertown.''  In  July, 
1630,  upon  the  formation  of  the  Water- 
.town  Church,  which  was  the  second 
church  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony, 
the  first  being  that  at  Salem,  Robert  See- 
ley was  one  of  the  forty  who  entered  into 
covenant;  in  1631  he  was  one  of  the  first 
twenty-five,  together  with  Rev.  George 
Phillips,  R.  Saltonstall,  Jr.,  and  Captain 
Patrick,  to  be  made  freemen.  In  1635 
Robert  Seeley,  with  Rev.  John  Sherman 
and  others,  removed  from  Watertown  and 
formed  a  settlement  in  Connecticut,  which 
they  also  named  Watertown,  this  name 
being  later  changed  to  Wethersfield. 
There  he  was  made  sergeant  in  command 
of  the  military  organization,  and  when 
war  was  declared  against  the  Pequots  in 
1637,  Captain  John  Mason  and  Lieutenant 
Robert  Seeley  led  the  combined  forces  of 
Hartford,  Windsor  and  Wethersfield  in 
an  expedition  which  resulted  in  the  anni- 
hilation of  Fort  Mistick  and  three  hun- 
dred Indians,  and  eighteen  days  later  in 
the  complete  overthrow  of  the  Pequot 
tribe  in  the  swamp  of  Unguowa,  subse- 
quently called  Fairfield.  Captain  John 
Mason's  "A  Brief  History  of  the  Pequot 
War"  says:  "Lieutenant  Seeley  was  shot 
in  the  eyebrow  with  a  flatheaded  arrow, 
the  point  turning  downward.  I  pulled  it 
out  myself."  At  the  close  of  the  Pequot 
War    Captain    Robert    Seeley    withdrew 

Conn— 3— 5 


from  Wethersfield,  and  with  John  Daven- 
port, pastor;  Theophilus  Eaton,  subse- 
quently governor  for  twenty  years,  and 
others,  held  their  first  meeting,  April  18, 
1638,  under  a  branching  oak,  and  entered 
into  a  covenant  by  which  the  New  Haven 
Colony  was  formed  and  its  first  form  of 
government  constituted  and  established, 
being  made  permanent  in  1639.  Captain 
Seeley  was  a  prominent  and  respected 
member  of  the  New  Haven  Colony,  occu- 
pying the  fourth  seat  in  church  (seats  be- 
ing arranged  in  order  of  prominence,  the 
governor  occupying  the  first).  He  was 
marshal  of  the  colony,  commander  of  the 
militia,  on  the  committee  of  the  General 
Court  and  other  judicial  committees,  rep- 
resenting the  colony  in  times  of  peace, 
leading  its  forces  in  times  of  war,  at  all 
times  a  wise  counsellor  and  an  efficient 
public  servant.  In  addition  to  Water- 
town,  Wethersfield  and  New  Haven,  he 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  Fairfield  and 
Stamford,  Connecticut ;  Huntington,  Long 
Island,  and  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey. 
He  died  October  19,  1667,  leaving  a  wife 
and  one  son,  Nathaniel,  his  other  son, 
Obadiah,  being  then  deceased. 

Obadiah  Seeley,  son  of  Robert  Seeley, 
died  in  Stamford  in  1657.  He  married  the 
widow  of  John  Miller,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Obadiah  Seeley,  who  had  chil- 
dren :  John,  Nathaniel,  Mercy,  Obadiah 
and  Susanna.  The  eldest  of  these,  John 
Seeley,  born  August  25,  1693,  lived  in 
Stamford  with  his  wife  Abigail.  Their 
eldest  son,  John  Seeley,  born  June  i,  1727, 
resided  in  Stamford  with  his  wife  Ann. 
Their  eldest  son  was  John  Seeley,  born 
May  16,  1756,  and  married,  March  31, 
1783,  Rhoda  Scofield,  perhaps  a  daughter 
of  Jonah  and  Mary  (Smith)  Scofield,  of 
Stamford.  Their  eldest  son  was  William 
Seeley,  born  November  15,  1790.  He 
lived  with  his  wife  Patty  in  Waterbury, 
Connecticut.     They  were  the  parents  of 


65 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Charles  Seeley,  born  1821,  whose  earher 
years  were  passed  in  farming  in  Water- 
bury.  Subsequently  he  became  a  stone 
mason  contractor,  located  in  Meriden, 
Connecticut,  as  early  as  1858,  and  died 
there,  November  25,  1890,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-nine  years.  He  married,  December 
25,  1843,  in  Waterbury,  Amy  Pritchard, 
who  was  born  in  that  town,  daughter  of 
Roger  and  Chloe  (Nichols)  Pritchard. 
Roger  Pritchard  was  a  soldier  of  the  War 
of  1812,  a  son  of  Roger  Pritchard,  born 
March  7,  1782,  in  Waterbury,  who  was  a 
son  of  Amos  Pritchard,  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  who  died  in  that  town,  July 
25,  1813.  Amos  Pritchard  was  born  Au- 
gust 27,  1739,  in  Waterbury,  and  married 
there,  August  20,  1777,  Mary,  widow  of 
Samuel  Adams,  born  March  11,  1743,  in 
Waterbury,  daughter  of  Edward  and  Han- 
nah Tompkins.  Roger  Pritchard,  father 
of  Mrs.  Seeley,  lived  in  the  town  of 
Waterbury,  where  he  was  a  farmer. 
Charles  Seeley  had  six  children,  of  whom 
five  lived  to  reach  maturity.  The  second 
of  these  receives  further  mention  below. 

George  Simeon  Seeley  was  born  Febru- 
ary 2,  1846,  in  Waterbury,  where  he  re- 
mained until  twelve  years  old,  removing 
then  with  his  parents  to  Meriden.  His 
education  was  supplied  by  the  common 
schools,  and  when  nineteen  years  of  age 
he  set  out  to  maintain  himself.  He  im- 
mediately began  an  apprenticeship  at  the 
metal  turner's  trade,  and  this  continued 
to  be  his  occupation  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  He  was  industrious  and  saved 
his  earnings,  and  in  time  was  able  to  en- 
gage in  business  on  his  own  account.  He 
established  a  real  estate  and  rent  col- 
lecting agency,  in  which  he  was  more 
than  usually  successful  because  of  his 
industry,  faithfulness  and  high  rectitude. 
The  confidence  in  which  he  was  held  by 
the  people  of  the  city  is  shown  by  his  re- 
peated elections  to  the  Board  of  Select- 
men  of   the   town,   and   to   the   office   of 


mayor  of  the  city,  in  which  position  he 
served  two  terms.  Mr.  Seeley  was  a  man 
of  very  pleasing  manners,  and  his  candor 
and  sincerity  were  at  once  made  apparent 
to  any  who  came  in  contact  with  him.  He 
was  very  active  in  many  organizations 
calculated  to  benefit  society.  With  his 
family  he  was  affiliated  with  St.  Andrew's 
Episcopal  Church,  of  which  he  was  fifteen 
years  a  vestryman,  and  served  as  treas- 
urer from  April  4,  1899,  until  his  death, 
November  11,  1914,  and  was  highly 
esteemed  by  his  associates  in  that  body. 
He  held  membership  in  several  fraternal 
orders,  was  a  Mason  and  Knight  Tem- 
plar, a  member  of  Silver  City  Lodge,  No. 
3,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen, 
and  Meriden  Center  Lodge,  No.  68,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  which 
he  was  treasurer  from  March  17,  1888.  A 
sincere  and  consistent  adherent  of  Repub- 
lican principles,  he  was  one  of  the  workers 
of  his  party  in  the  city,  was  chairman  of 
the  Republican  town  committee  from 
May,  1900,  and  served  as  alderman  and 
councilman  from  the  Third  Ward.  In 
December,  1901,  he  was  elected  mayor  of 
the  city,  was  installed  in  that  office  in 
January,  1902,  and  continued  in  its  in- 
cumbency for  two  terms. 

Mr.  Seeley  married,  November  24,  1867, 
Anna  G.  Lee,  daughter  of  Melvin  C.  and 
Esther  (Guy)  Lee,  of  Meriden,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  three  children:  i. 
Frank  Guy,  married,  November  20,  1890, 
Nettie  M.  Pendexter  and  they  have  two 
sons :  Guy  Pendexter  and  Lee  Stevens 
Seeley ;  they  reside  in  Mt.  Vernon,  New 
York.  2.  Candora  Anna,  became  the  wife 
of  James  H.  Guernsey,  of  Ansonia ;  they 
have  one  son,  James  Seeley  Guernsey.  3. 
Arthur  Deshon,  married,  April  24,  1913, 
Jennie  Pauline  Miller,  daughter  of  Charles 
B.  and  Emily  (Downing)  Miller,  of  Meri- 
den ;  they  are  the  parents  of  two  children  : 
Warren  Miller  and  Anna  Downing  See- 
ley. 


66 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ROCKWELL,  Charles  Francis, 

Business  Man,  Financier. 

The  family  of  Rockwell  is  one  of  the 
oldest  in  Connecticut  and  has  furnished 
many  distinguished  and  useful  citizens, 
people  in  every  walk  of  worthy  endeavor, 
and  several  representatives  have  been 
prominently  identified  with  the  business 
interests  of  the  city  of  Meriden.  Savage 
says  the  family  is  descended  from  Wil- 
liam Rockwell,  who  was  one  of  the  dea- 
cons of  the  church  formed  at  Plymouth, 
England,  March  20,  1630,  and  sailed  on 
the  ship  "Mary  and  John,"  May  30,  of 
that  year.  He  was  one  of  the  first  select- 
men of  the  town  of  Dorchester,  where  he 
had  land  grants,  and  moved,  in  1636,  to 
Windsor,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  dea- 
con of  the  First  Church,  and  a  leading 
man  until  his  death,  May  15,  1640.  Re- 
cent investigation,  however,  would  seem 
to  indicate  that  Savage  is  in  error,  as  the 
John  Rockwell,  son  of  William  Rockwell, 
does  not  seem  to  be  identical  with  the 
pioneer  of  this  family  in  Connecticut. 

John  Rockwell,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Stamford,  Connecticut,  was  there  De- 
cember 7,  1641,  and  resided  there  until 
1669,  when  he  sold  his  property  and  re- 
moved to  Rye,  New  York,  where  he  died 
in  1676.  By  vote  of  the  town  of  Stamford, 
February  19,  1668,  he  had  liberty  to  mow 
Norton  Island.  He  married  Elizabeth 
Weed,  and  their  eldest  child  was  John 
Rockwell,  who  died  in  Stamford  in  1673. 
The  inventory  of  his  estate  was  made 
March  10  of  the  following  year.  His  sec- 
ond son,  Thomas  Rockwell,  born  about 
1667,  in  Stamford,  died  in  June,  1712.  He 
married,  at  Norwalk,  December  9,  1703, 
Sarah,  daughter  of  John  Resco.  Their 
son,  Thomas  Rockwell,  born  December 
13,  1708,  in  Norwalk,  settled  in  Ridge- 
field,  Connecticut,  where  he  died  Novemr 
ber  4,  1789.     He  married,  May  18,  1732, 


Ruth  Benedict,  born  December  3,  171 1, 
died  June  22,  1807.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  James  Rockwell,  born  June  9,  1750, 
in  Ridgefield.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Revolutionary  army,  and  his  commission, 
signed  by  Jonathan  Trumbull,  is  now  pre- 
served by  his  descendant,  Charles  Lee 
Rockwell,  of  Meriden.  He  lived  in  Ridge- 
field, and  married,  October  17,  1769,  Abi- 
gail Hawley,  born  October  24,  1749,  died 
January  6,  1821.  Their  eldest  son  and 
fourth  child,  Thomas  Hawley  Rockwell, 
was  born  May  21,  1776,  and  was  a  cabi- 
netmaker, residing  in  Ridgefield,  where 
he  died  September  25,  1865,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-nine  years.  He  married,  July  20, 
1800,  Polly  Smith,  born  October  i,  1783, 
died  February  27,  1869.  Their  eighth 
child  and  seventh  son,  Francis  A.  Rock- 
well, was  born  April  12,  1818,  in  Ridge- 
field, where  he  was  a  manufacturer,  and 
died  September  24,  1881.  He  married, 
October  6,  1840,  Mary  Lee,  born  October 
7,  1816,  daughter  of  Captain  Aaron  and 
Lucy  (Smith)  Lee,  of  Ridgefield.  Cap- 
tain Aaron  Lee  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revo- 
lution. 

William  Francis  Rockwell,  second  son 
of  Francis  A.  and  Mary  (Lee)  Rockwell, 
was  born  January  12,  1845.  i"  Ridgefield, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  president 
of  the  Miller  Brothers  Cutlery  Company 
of  Meriden,  one  of  the  leading  establish- 
ments of  its  kind  in  this  country.  His 
education  was  supplied  by  private  schools 
and  the  Fort  Edward  Collegiate  Institute 
of  Fort  Edward,  New  York.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  years  he  embarked  upon  a 
business  career,  in  the  office  of  the  for- 
warding and  commission  house  of  Miller 
Brothers,  in  New  York,  and  subsequently, 
during  the  Civil  War,  held  an  important 
position  as  a  representative  of  that  firm 
at  Norfolk,  Virginia.  In  1868  he  located 
at  Washington,  New  Jersey,  and  in  asso- 
ciation with  a  partner  engaged  in  the  mer- 


67 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BICGR.-\PHY 


cantile  business,  under  the  style  of  Cum- 
mings,  Rockwell  &  Company.  Six  years 
later  he  returned  to  his  native  State,  and 
became  treasurer  of  the  United  States 
Shear  Company.  In  1876  Mr.  Rockwell 
participated  in  the  reorganization  of  the 
Miller  Brothers  Cutlery  Company  of  Meri- 
den,  and  became  treasurer  and  general 
manager.  Mr.  L.  J.  Curtis  was  the  first 
president  of  this  company,  and  at  his 
death,  in  1893,  was  succeeded  by  Isaac  C. 
Lewis,  one  of  the  foremost  business  men 
of  Meriden.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Lewis, 
Mr.  Rockwell  became  president  of  the 
company,  which  position  he  retained  until 
his  death,  January  5,  1901.  He  was  one 
of  the  organizers  and  first  president  of 
the  American  Pocket  Cutlery  Manufac- 
turers' Association,  an  organization 
formed  to  further  the  interests  of  the 
trade  in  the  matter  of  tariffs.  Mr.  Rock- 
well was  a  forceful  and  energetic  busi- 
ness man,  as  evidenced  by  his  business 
success,  and  was  highly  esteemed  among 
his  associates  in  ]Meriden.  He  was  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  Republican 
party  in  both  State  and  National  affairs ; 
was  a  personal  friend  of  President  Mc- 
Kinley,  and  closely  associated  with  Sena- 
tor O.  H.  Piatt,  in  State  politics.  He  was 
a  Knights  Templar  Mason,  and  a  member 
of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution. 
He  married,  September  26,  1876,  Louise 
Taylor,  of  Washington,  New  Jersey, 
daughter  of  James  Davidson  and  Sarah 
(Bird)  Taylor,  of  Washington,  New  Jer- 
sey. They  were  the  parents  of  one  child, 
Charles  Francis,  of  further  mention  in  the 
next  paragraph. 

Charles  Francis  Rockwell  was  born 
April  26,  1878,  in  Meriden.  He  has  proved 
himself  one  of  the  most  progressive  and 
successful  business  men  of  his  native 
town.  After  passing  through  the  public 
schools  of  that  town,  he  entered  Wesle- 
yan  University  in  the  class  of  1899,  and 
after  graduation  entered  the  office  of  the 


Miller  Brothers  Cutlery  Company  as  pay- 
master. He  did  not  cease  his  effort  at 
self-improvement  on  leaving  college,  and 
gave  close  attention  to  the  business  with 
which  he  was  associated.  Becoming 
gradually  familiar  with  its  details,  he  was 
made  secretary,  treasurer  and  general 
manager  of  the  concern,  and  following  the 
death  of  his  father  in  1901  he  took  entire 
charge  of  the  plant.  Under  his  adminis- 
tration the  business  was  highly  success- 
ful, and  in  1912  Mr.  Rockwell  was  made 
president  of  the  company,  which  position 
he  still  retains.  Like  his  honored  father 
he  occupies  a  high  position  in  the  com- 
munity, and  is  active  in  its  social  and 
political  life.  He  is  an  earnest  Republi- 
can in  principle,  and  for  seven  years,  from 
1902  to  1909,  was  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Aldermen  in  Meriden.  From  1912  to 
1917  he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Public  Works,  and  is  at  present  president 
of  the  Board  of  Education.  He  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Meriden  Industrial  Company, 
and  a  trustee  of  the  Meriden  Savings 
Bank.  He  is  actively  affiliated  with  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  member  of 
St.  Elmo  Commandery,  Knights  Temp- 
lar; is  a  member  of  the  Alpha  Delta  Phi 
of  New  York  City,  of  the  Home  and  High- 
land Country  clubs  of  Meriden.  and  of 
the  Connecticut  Chapter,  Sons  of  the 
American  Revolution. 

Mr.  Rockwell  married,  October  7,  1903, 
Ada  Louise  Coe,  daughter  of  John  W.  and 
Sarah  (Williams)  Coe,  of  Meriden.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Rockwell  are  the  parents  of 
three  children :  William  F.,  born  Septem- 
ber 28,  1904;  Bradley  T.,  died  in  infancy, 
and  Louise  West,  born  September  20,  1912. 


SOMERS,  George  Edwin, 

Captain   of   Industry. 

The  life  work  of  George  E.  Somers  is 
a  record  of  achievement  as  a  captain  of 
industry,  of  a  life  devoted  to  upbuilding 


68 


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retains.     I- 


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irinciple,  an' 
1909,  was  a 
.rmen  in  M- 
■  7 -he  was  a 
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the  Board  o; 
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d   a   trustee    of 
ink.     He  is  acti^ 
Masonic  fraternitv 


.ege,  and 

aess  with 

Becoming 

lis,  he;  wah 

■:  1    general 

owing  the 

ook  entire 

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SOMERS,  George  Edwin, 

Captain  at  Indnsti-y. 

The  life  work  of  George  E.  Soiners  is 
a  record  of  achievement  as  a 
ir;di,stiv.  of  a  life  devoted  to 


59^^£  7_J 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  development.  A  young  man  of  nine- 
teen when  he  entered  the  industrial  world, 
at  his  death  the  veteran  of  many  years, 
there  was  never  a  time  when  he  was  not 
one  of  the  world's  workers,  either  as  an 
employer,  superintendent  or  executive  of 
great  corporations.  When  from  the 
serene  heights  of  old  age  and  competence, 
this  self-made  man  reviewed  a  life  of  use- 
fulness, it  was  in  a  world  that  was  the 
better  for  his  having  lived  in  it.  He  gave 
to  young  men  this  word :  "Good  regular 
habits  are  the  first  essential  to  success," 
and  "Don't  expect  complete  success  on 
eight  hours  a  day,  and  remember  that 
good  things  cost  much  labor  of  hand  and 
head."  , 

Mr.  Somers  traced  his  descent  in  the 
paternal  line  through  six  generations  to 
Henry  Somers,  who  is  recorded  as  a  land- 
owner in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  March 
27,  1668.  The  line  is  traced  through  the 
founder's  son,  "Sergeant"  Samuel  Somers  ; 
his  son,  "Ensign"  Samuel  (2)  Somers ; 
'his  son,  John  Somers:  his  son,  David 
Somers ;  his  son,  Rufus  Somers ;  his  son, 
George  Edwin  Somers,  the  octogenarian 
of  Bridgeport.  Through  his  mother, 
Esther  (Peck)  Somers,  Mr.  Somers  de- 
scended from  Joseph  Peck,  who  came 
from  England  and  located  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  as  early  as  1643,  later  mov- 
ing to  Milford.  The  line  follows  through 
his  son,  Joseph  (2)  Peck ;  his  son,  Joseph 
(3)  Peck ;  his  son,  Moses  Peck ;  his  son, 
Enos  Peck ;  his  son,  Abraham  Peck ;  his 
daughter,  Esther  Peck,  married  Rufus 
Somers. 

George  Edwin  Somers,  third  child  and 
second  son  of  Rufus  and  Esther  (Peck) 
Somers,  was  born  in  Newton,  Fairfield 
county,  Connecticut,  January  21,  1833, 
died  in  Bridgeport,  December  18,  1915. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools. 
He  left  home  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and 
after   service    in    Naugatuck,    Waterbury 


and  Ansonia  shops  as  a  skilled  mechanic 
spent  four  years  in  the  shops  of  the  Gor- 
ham  Manufacturing  Company  at  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  his  particular  serv- 
ices there  being  as  a  maker  of  tools  re- 
quired by  that  well  known  manufacturing 
firm  of  silversmiths.  He  then  returned  to 
Ansonia,  where  he  had  formerly  been  em- 
ployed by  the  brass  manufacturing  firm 
of  Wallace  &  Sons,  and  remained  with 
them  another  year.  He  removed  to 
Waterbury  in  January,  1865,  was  for  one 
year  in  the  employ  of  the  Army  and  Navy 
Button  Company,  later  and  until  1881 
being  master  mechanic  and  superintend- 
ent for  the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Com- 
pany, of  Waterbury.  While  in  the  em- 
ploy of  Benedict  &  Burnham  he  was  sent 
to  Europe  in  the  interest  of  the  company, 
and  upon  his  return  possessed  the  knowl- 
edge upon  which  the  manufacture  of 
seamless  brass  and  copper  tubing  and 
copper  wire  in  the  Naugatuck  Valley  be- 
came an  assured  success.  One  or  two 
other  concerns  in  New  England  were 
making  the  same  materials,  but  not  in  a 
satisfactory  manner,  and  their  manufac- 
ture did  not  become  a  genuine  success, 
until  Mr.  Somers  first  introduced  the 
m,ethods  that  made  them  so.  The  busi- 
ness he  there  introduced  is  now  a  most 
important  line  of  manufacture. 

In  1881  Mr.  Somers  came  to  Bridge- 
port as  superintendent  of  the  plant  of  the 
Bridgeport  Brass  Company,  and  from 
that  year  his  connection  with  the  com- 
pany continued  as  superintendent,  direc- 
tor and  executive.  He  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  company,  and  under  his  wise 
management  the  company,  ever  a  prosper- 
ous one,  has  advanced  to  still  greater 
heights  and  has  become  one  of  the  lead- 
ing industrial  corporations  of  Bridgeport, 
employing  over  a  thousand  hands  in  the 
manufacture  of  brass  and  copper  wire, 
tubing    and    sheets,    seamless    brass    and 


69 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


copper  tubing  and  a  great  variety  of  brass 
and  copper  goods.  The  company  was  the 
first  to  manufacture  "Hard  Drawn"  cop- 
per wire  now  in  general  use  by  telegraph, 
telephone  and  railway  companies.  His 
connection  with  the  upbuilding  of  so  vast 
an  enterprise  and  its  executive  manage- 
ment would  be  the  worthy  achievement  of 
a  lifetime,  but  President  Somers  comes 
by  this  title  in  other  ways.  He  was  long 
connected  as  director  and  president  with 
the  Bridgeport  Electrical  Manufacturing 
Company,  the  Bridgeport  Crucible  Com- 
pany, and  the  James  M.  Somers  Com- 
pany, and  also  served  the  First  National 
Bank  as  a  director.  The  years  he  carried 
granted  him  exemption  from  the  heavier 
burdens  of  business  life,  but  until  the  last 
he  was  the  able,  wise  man  of  affairs,  hon- 
ored, respected  and  referred  to. 

He  was  a  Republican  in  politics,  and 
served  well  both  cities  in  which  his  resi- 
dence was  permanent,  Waterbury  and 
Bridgeport.  In  Waterbury  he  served  sev- 
eral years  as  fire  commissioner  and  in 
Bridgeport  as  a  member  of  the  board  of 
public  works  gave  valued  service.  In 
1896  he  was  elected  by  a  very  large  ma- 
jority to  represent  Bridgeport  in  the  Con- 
necticut House  of  Representatives  and 
served  faithfully  on  the  committee  on 
manufactures.  He  was  a  member  of  Park 
Street  Congregational  Church,  the  Sea- 
side, Bridgeport  Outing  and  Boys  clubs, 
the  last  named  one  of  Bridgeport's  most 
commendable  institutions  of  helpfulness 
to  the  boys  of  the  city.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order  of  long  and 
honorable  standing,  took  all  degrees  of 
lodge,  chapter,  council  and  commandery, 
held  many  of  their  offices,  and  as  a  char- 
ter member  of  Clark  Commandery  of 
Waterbury  aided  in  the  organization  of 
that  body  of  Knights  Templar,  and  served 
as  its  eminent  commander.  In  Scottish 
Rite  Masonry  he  attained  the  thirty- 
second  degree. 


Mr.  Somers  married  (first)  in  Novem- 
ber, 1858,  Sarah  J.  Noble,  who  died  in 
August,  1863,  daughter  of  David  Noble, 
of  South  Britain,  Connecticut.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  December  6,  1865,  Mrs. 
Fannie  Elizabeth  (French)  Clark,  born 
January  21,  1840,  daughter  of  Miles  and 
Elizabeth  (Sperry)  French,  of  Bethany, 
Connecticut.  Mrs.  Somers  is  of  the  eighth 
generation  of  the  family  founded  in  Amer- 
ica by  William  French,  who  came  from 
England  to  America  in  the  ship  "De- 
fense" in  1635.  The  line  is  traced  from 
William  French  through  his  son,  Fran- 
cis French  ;  his  son,  Francis  (2)  French  ; 
his  son,  Israel  French ;  his  son,  David 
French,  a  Revolutionary  soldier ;  his  son, 
Adonijah  French  ;  his  son,  "Squire"  Miles 
French ;  his  daughter,  Fannie  Elizabeth, 
married  George  Edwin  Somers.  Air.  and 
Airs.  Somers  were  the  parents  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Jennie  S.,  wife  of  William  T.  Rawlins, 
of  English  descent,  a  leading  lawyer  of 
Honolulu,  Hawaii.  They  twice  traversed 
the  wide  expanse  of  land  and  sea  that 
separated  them,  from  their  daughter  and 
granddaughter,  Elizabeth  French  Raw- 
lins, making  the  last  visit  in  1909.  Mrs. 
Somers  survives  her  husband  and  con- 
tinues her  residence  at  No.  365  East 
Washington  street,  Bridgeport. 


WILCOX,  George  Horace, 

President  of  International  Silver  Company. 

It  has  been  the  privilege  of  two  genera- 
tions of  the  Wilcox  family,  Horace  C.  and 
George  H.  Wilcox,  father  and  son,  to 
have  an  intimate  relation  with  a  great 
business,  one  that  has  fastened  upon 
Meriden,  Connecticut,  the  name  Silver 
City.  It  was  the  work  of  the  father  to 
found,  organize  and  develop  this  great 
business  through  the  medium  of  difTer- 
erent  companies,  a  task  he  grandly  per- 
formed, and  it  has  been  the  work  of  the 
son  to  gather  these  conflicting  silver  pro- 


70 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ducing  companies  into  one,  and  first  as 
vice-president  and  then  as  president  of 
the  International  Silver  Company  he  has 
welded  into  one  great  corporation  former 
business  rivals  with  beneficent  results  to 
all. 

The  Wilcox  family  is  of  Saxon  origin, 
and  v^^as  seated  at  Bury  St.  Edmunds, 
County  Suffolk,  England,  before  the  Nor- 
man Conquest.  Sir  John  Dugdale,  in  the 
visitation  of  the  county  of  Suffolk,  men- 
tioned fifteen  generations  of  this  family 
previous  to  the  year  1600.  This  traces 
the  lineage  back  to  the  year  1200,  when 
the  surname  came  into  use  as  an  inherited 
family  name.  On  old  records  the  spell- 
ings Wilcox,  Wilcocks,  Wilcoxson  and 
Willcox  are  used  interchangeably.  Coat- 
of-arms :  Argent,  a  lion  rampant  gules,  on 
a  chief  azure,  the  front  elevation  of  a 
fortification  or.  Crest :  An  eagle  dis- 
played proper  accompanied  on  the  dexter 
side  by  a  rose,  and  on  the  sinister  side 
by  a  fleur-de-lis  argent.  Motto:  Fidiis  ct 
audax  ("Faithful  and  bold"'). 

John  Wilcox  lived  in  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, was  chosen  surveyor  in  1643-44, 
and  surveyor  of  the  jury  in  1645.  He 
served  first  as  selectman  in  1640,  and  died 
in  1651,  his  will  being  dated  July  24,  1651. 
He  was  buried  in  the  Center  Church 
burying  ground  in  Hartford,  and  his  name 
is  on  the  monument  with  that  of  the  other 
first  proprietors.  His  wife  died  about 
1668.  His  son,  John  Wilcox,  was  born 
in  England,  and  came  to  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, with  his  father,  where  he  was 
one  of  the  first  proprietors  in  1639.  In 
1655  he  removed  to  Middletown  Upper 
House,  where  he  died  May  24,  1776.  He 
had  agreed  to  settle  in  Middletown,  but 
failing  to  do  so  promptly,  the  General 
Court  voted  in  1653  to  compel  him  to 
occupy  his  grant  or  to  find  a  substitute. 
On  March  10,  1657,  he  bought  the  home- 
steads   of    Joseph    Smith    and    Matthias 


Treat  and  afterwards  sold  them  to  his 
cousin,  Samuel  Hall.  In  1659  he  was  a 
member  of  the  committee  on  roads,  and 
June  30,  1660,  he  was  granted  lands  at 
Wongunk.  It  has  been  claimed  that  he 
removed  to  Dorchester,  where  he  resided 
for  a  few  years.  He  purchased  land  and 
built  a  house  pridr  to  November  i,  1665, 
on  land  occupied  by  the  Beaumont-Ham- 
mer House.  He  married,  as  his  fourth  wife, 
Esther  Cornwall,  born  May,  1650,  died 
May  2,  1733,  daughter  of  William  Corn- 
wall, and  their  son,  Ephraim  Wilcox, 
born  July  9,  1672,  in  Middletown,  removed 
to  East  Middletown,  where  h^  died  Janu- 
ary 4,  1713.  He  married,  August  23,  1698, 
Silence,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Hand,  who 
had  moved  from  Guilford  to  Middletown. 
John  W'ilcox,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Silence 
(Hand)  Wilcox,  was  born  August  8,  1712, 
in  Cromwell,  where  he  made  his  home, 
and  died  October  21,  1795.  He  married, 
July  6,  1738,  Hannah  Wilcox,  probably  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  W'ilcox,  of  Crom- 
well. Their  son,  Joseph  Wilcox,  was 
born  March  29,  1746,  in  Cromwell,  lived 
in  Westfield  Parish  of  Middletown,  and 
died  October  23,  1838.  He  married,  No- 
vember 30,  1785,  Miriam  Bacon,  born  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1762,  died  March  19,  1825,  daugh- 
ter of  Josiah  and  Sybil  Bacon.  Elisha 
Bacon  Wilcox,  son  of  Joseph  and  Miriam 
(Bacon)  Wilcox,  was  born  June  29,  1795, 
in  Westfield  Parish  of  Middletown,  and 
made  his  home  there.  He  married,  Janu- 
ary 26.  1818,  Hepsebah  Cornwell,  daugh- 
ter of  Daniel  and  Lucy  (Hamlin)  Corn- 
well,  of  Middletown,  later  of  Charlestown, 
New  Hampshire,  and  they  were  the  par- 
ents of  the  late  Horace  C.  Wilcox,  of 
Meriden. 

Horace  C.  Wilcox  was  born  in  West- 
field  Parish.  Middletown,  Connecticut, 
January  24!  1824,  died  August  29,  1890. 
His  first  important  business  connection 
was    as    traveling    salesman    for    James 


71 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Frary,  a  manufacturer  of  Britannia  ware, 
an  association  which  began  in  1850,  but 
in  1852  Mr.  Wilcox  with  others  formed 
the  Meriden  Britannia  Company,  he  be- 
coming the  first  secretary-treasurer  of 
that  company  and  succeeding  to  the  presi- 
dency in  1866,  a  position  he  filled  with 
great  ability  until  his  death.  The  com- 
pany soon  ceased  the  manufacture  of  Bri- 
tannia ware  and  began  making  plated  sil- 
verware, becoming  the  leading  concern 
of  its  kind  in  the  world,  a  position  yet 
maintained.  The  world  became  its  mar- 
ket and  large  factories  to  supply  the  de- 
mand were  built  in  Meriden,  Connecticut, 
and  Hamilton,  Canada.  The  executive 
management  of  so  vast  an  enterprise  was 
but  one  of  the  tasks  to  which  Horace  C. 
Wilcox  addressed  himself  with  marvelous 
energy  and  success.  He  was  the  founder 
and  president  of  the  Wilcox  &  White 
Organ  Company ;  a  director  of  the  Meri- 
den Silver  Plate  Company.  Manning, 
Bowman  &  Company,  ^olian  Organ  & 
Music  Com.pany,  Meriden  Street  Railroad 
Company,  Rogers  Brothers  of  Waterbury, 
R.  Wallace  &  Sons  Company  of  Walling- 
ford,  William  Rogers  Manufacturing 
Company  of  Hartford,  Meriden  Fire  In- 
surance Company,  Home  National  Bank, 
Republican  Publishing  Company,  Wal- 
nut Grove  Cemeter}-  Association,  and  a 
trustee  of  the  City  Savings  Bank.  He 
organized  the  Meriden,  Waterbury  & 
Connecticut  River  Railroad  Company,  in- 
vesting in  that  enterprise  a  vast  sum 
from  his  private  fortune,  although  at  the 
time  there  was  little  hope  of  an  adequate 
return. 

To  these  vast  business  engagements  he 
added  public  service  of  a  high  order.  He 
was  an  alderman  from  the  time  of  the 
incorporation  of  Meriden  as  a  city ;  was 
fifth  mayor  of  the  city,  1875-76 ;  State 
Senator  in  1877,  and  but  for  his  refusal  to 
accept  could  have  had  other  and  higher 


elective  offices.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  committee  in  charge  of  the 
erection  of  the  present  church  edifice  and 
until  1884  served  upon  various  commit- 
tees of  the  church.  Thus  his  life  was 
passed,  and  countless  monuments  to  his 
tireless  energy  and  business  sagacity  arise 
on  every  hand.  He  brought  prosperity  to 
his  city  and  to  the  individual  worker,  but 
above  all  he  left  an  honored  name. 

Mr.  Wilcox  married  (first)  August  3, 
1849,    Charlotte    A.    Smith,   who   died   in 

1864,  daughter  of  Jabez  Smith,  of  Middle- 
town.      He    married    (second)    May    31, 

1865,  Ellen  M.,  daughter  of  Edmund 
Parker. 

George  Horace  Wilcox,  son  of  Horace 
C.  Wilcox  and  his  first  wife,  Charlotte  A. 
(Smith)  Wilcox,  was  born  in  Meriden, 
Connecticut,  August  22,  1856.  After 
courses  of  study  at  Washington,  Connec- 
ticut, a  private  preparatory  school  at 
Ithaca,  New  York,  and  at  Hopkins  Gram- 
mar School  at  New  Haven,  he  entered 
Sheffield  Scientific  School,  Yale  Univer- 
sity, whence  he  was  graduated  Bachelor 
of  Philosophy,  class  of  '75.  He  at  once 
began  business  life  with  the  Meriden 
Britannia  Company,  advanced  to  higher 
position,  and  in  1893  became  its  presi- 
dent. W^hen  in  1898  the  Meriden  Britan- 
nia Company  and  several  other  com- 
panies engaged  in  the  silver  business  con- 
solidated as  the  International  Silver  Com- 
pany, Mr.  Wilcox  was  chosen  vice-presi- 
dent, and  in  1907  was  elected  president, 
an  important  office  he  now  holds.  The 
interests  founded  by  his  honored  father 
have  been  conserved  and  developed  by 
the  son,  and  the  same  spirit  of  fairness  to 
all  and  consideration  for  even  the  hum- 
blest employee  marks  his  administration. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Meriden  National 
Bank,  Wilcox  &  W'hite  Company,  Meri- 
den Trust  &  Safe  Deposit  Company,  trus- 


72 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tee  of  the  City  Savings  Bank,  and  is  a 
business  man  of  the  highest  quality.  His 
interest  in  all  that  concerns  the  welfare 
of  his  city  is  visible  on  every  hand.  He 
is  president  of  the  Curtiss  Memorial  Li- 
brary, a  member  of  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church,  lodge,  chapter,  council, 
commandery  of  the  Masonic  order  and 
also  is  a  noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  executive  committee 
of  the  National  Civic  Federation,  and  in 
political  faith  a  Republican.  His  clubs 
are  the  Home,  Colonial  and  Highland 
Country  of  Meriden. 

Mr.  Wilcox  married,  January  24,  1884, 
Nettie  B.  Curtis,  of  New  Britain,  Connec- 
ticut, daughter  of  Lucius  W.  and  Olive 
(Hotchkiss)  Curtis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
cox are  the  parents  of  three  sons,  all  now 
associated  in  business  with  their  father : 
Harold  Curtis,  born  January  7,  1889,  Yale, 
1912;  Roy  Cornwell,  born  December  24, 
1891,  Yale,  1916;  Horace,  born  October  7, 
1893,  Yale,  1916. 


BLISS,  William  Edgerton, 

Jeirelry  Manufacturer. 

One  of  the  oldest  and  most  notable 
families  of  New  England  is  that  of  Bliss, 
which  seems  to  be  descended  from  the 
Norman  family  of  Blois,  gradually  modi- 
fied to  Bloys,  Blyse,  Blysse,  Blisse,  and 
in  America  finally  to  Bliss,  dated  back  to 
the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest.  The 
name  is  not  common  in  England.  The 
coat-of-arms  borne  by  the  Bliss  and  Bloys 
families  is  the  same :  Sable,  a  bend  vaire. 
between  two  fleur-de-lis  or.  Crest :  A 
hand  holding  a  bundle  of  arrows.  Motto: 
Semper  suruni.  The  ancient  traditions  of  the 
Bliss  family  represent  them  as  living  in  the 
south  of  England  and  belonging  to  the  class 
known  as  English  yeomanry  or  farmers, 
though  at  various  times  some  of  the  fam- 
ily were  knights  or  gentry.    They  owned 


the  houses  and  lands  they  occupied,  were 
freeholders  and  entitled  to  vote  for  mem- 
bers of  Parliament.  In  the  early  days,  of 
course,  they  were  faithful  Roman  Catho- 
lics, but  later,  after  England  had  become 
Protestant,  they  became  Puritans  and  be- 
came involved  in  the  contentions  between 
Charles  I.  and  Parliament.  The  Blisses 
who  settled  in  New  England  in  1636  had 
dwelt  in  Daventry,  Northamptonshire, 
England,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years 
before  the  emigration.  Daventry  is 
twelve  miles  from  Ecton.  from  which 
came  the  ancestors  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 
and  twenty-five  miles  from  Stratford-on- 
Avon,  where  Shakespeare  was  born,  and 
close  by  the  battlefield  of  Naseby,  where 
the  forces  of  Cromwell  crushed  the  army 
of  Charles  I.  The  early  Daventry  ances- 
tors of  the  Bliss  emigrants  were  mercers 
or  linen  drapers,  and  since  1475  they  were 
blacksmiths.  The  religious  controversies 
of  the  times  leading  up  to  the  overthrow 
of  King  Charles  were  partly  responsible 
for  the  departure  of  the  Blisses,  who  were 
non-conformists,  but  the  hunger  for  land 
had  probably  more  to  do  with  the  emigra- 
tion. 

Thomas  Bliss,  the  progenitor,  lived  in 
Belstone  parish,  Devonshire,  England. 
Very  little  is  known  of  him  except  that 
he  was  a  wealthy  landowner,  that  he  be- 
longed to  the  class  stigmatized  as  Puri- 
tans on  account  of  the  purity  and  simplic- 
ity of  their  forms  of  worship,  that  he  was 
persecuted  by  the  civil  and  religious  au- 
thorities under  the  direction  of  Arch- 
bishop Laud,  and  that  he  was  maltreated, 
impoverished  and  imprisoned  and  finally 
ruined  in  health,  as  well  as  financially,  by 
the  many  indignities  and  hardships  forced 
on  him  by  the  intolerant  church  party  in 
power.  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  born 
about  1550  or  1560.  The  date  of  his  death 
was  1635  or  about  that  year.  When  the 
Parliament  of    1628  assembled,   Puritans 


73 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


or  Roundheads,  as  the  Cavaliers  called 
them,  accompanied  the  members  to  Lon- 
don. Two  of  the  sons  of  Thomas  Bliss, 
Jonathan  and  Thomas,  rode  from  Devon- 
shire on  iron  grey  horses,  and  remain- 
ed for  some  time  in  the  city  —  long 
enough  at  least  for  the  king's  officers  and 
spies  to  learn  their  names  and  condition, 
and  whence  they  came ;  and  from  that 
time  forth,  with  others  who  had  gone  to 
London  on  the  same  errand,  they  were 
marked  for  destruction.  They  were  soon 
fined  a  thousand  pounds  for  non-conform- 
ity and  thrown  into  prison,  where  they 
remained  many  weeks.  Even  old  Mr. 
Thomas  Bliss,  their  father,  was  dragged 
through  the  streets  with  the  greatest  in- 
dignity. On  another  occasion  the  officer? 
of  the  high  commission  seized  all  their 
horses  and  sheep,  except  one  poor  ewe 
that  in  its  fright  ran  into  the  house  and 
took  refuge  under  a  bed.  At  another  time 
the  three  brothers,  with  twelve  other 
Puritans,  were  led  through  the  market- 
place in  Okehampton  with  ropes  around 
their  necks,  and  fined  heavily,  and  Jona- 
than and  his  father  were  thrown  into 
prison,  where  the  sufferings  of  the  son 
eventually  caused  his  death.  The  family 
was  unable  to  secure  the  release  of  both 
Jonathan  and  his  father,  so  the  younger 
man  had  to  remain  in  prison  and  at  Exe- 
ter he  suffered  thirty-five  lashes  with  a 
three-corded  whip,  which  tore  his  back 
in  a  cruel  manner.  Before  Jonathan  was 
released  the  estate  had  to  be  sold.  The 
father  and  mother  went  to  live  with  their 
daughter  who  had  married  a  man  of  the 
Established  Church,  Sir  John  Calcliffe. 
The  remnant  of  the  estate  was  divided 
among  the  three  sons,  who  were  advised 
to  go  to  America,  where  they  might 
escape  persecution.  Thomas  and  George 
feared  to  wait  for  Jonathan,  who  was  still 
very  ill,  and  left  England  in  the  fall  of 
1635  with  their  families.    Thomas,  son  of 


Jonathan  and  grandson  of  Thomas  (i), 
remained  with  his  father,  who  finally  died, 
and  the  son  then  came  to  join  his  uncles 
and  settled  near  Thomas.  At  various 
times  their  sister  sent  from  England 
boxes  of  shoes,  clothing  and  articles  that 
could  not  be  procured  in  the  colonies,  and 
it  is  through  her  letters,  long  preserved, 
but  now  lost,  that  knowledge  of  the 
Devonshire  family  was  preserved.  Chil- 
dren :  Jonathan,  mentioned  below  ;  Thom- 
as, born  in  England,  about  1585,  at  Bel- 
stone  ;  Elizabeth,  married  Sir  John  Cal- 
cliffe,  of  Belstone;  George,  born  1591, 
settled  at  Lynn  and  Sandwich,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  Newport,  Rhode  Island ; 
Mary  or  Polly. 

Jonathan  Bliss,  son  of  Thomas  Bliss,  of 
Belstone,  was  born  about  1580,  at  Bel- 
stone,  died  in  England,  1635-36.  On  ac- 
count of  his  non-conformitv  he  was  per- 
secuted, and  sulTered  heavy  fines,  eventu- 
ally dying  at  an  early  age  from  a  fever 
contracted  in  prison.  Four  children  are 
said  to  have  died  in  infancy,  and  two  grew 
up:  Thomas  and  Mary.  Thomas  (2) 
Bliss,  son  of  Jonathan  Bliss,  of  Belstone, 
F'ngland,  was  born  there,  and  on  the 
death  of  his  father,  in  1636,  he  went  to 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  from  there 
to  Braintree.  same  State.  He  next  went  to 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  finally  to 
Weymouth,  Massachusetts,  whence,  in 
1643,  he  joined  in  making  a  settlement 
at  Rehoboth.  He  was  made  freeman  at 
Cambridge,  May  18,  1642,  and  in  Plym- 
outh Colony,  January  4,  1645.  ^^  June, 
1645,  he  drew  land  at  the  Great  Plain, 
Seekonk;  in  1646  he  was  fence  viewer; 
surveyor  of  highways  in  1647.  He  died 
at  Rehoboth,  in  June,  1649,  and  is  buried 
in  the  graveyard  at  Seekonk,  Massachu- 
setts, now  Rumford.  East  Providence, 
Rhode  Island.  His  will  was  proved  June 
8.  1649.  His  wife's  family  name  was  Ide. 
Jonathan    (2)    Bliss,   son  of  Thomas    (2) 


74 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Bliss,  was  born  about  1625,  in  England, 
and  in  1655  ^^as  made  freeman  of  the 
Plymouth  Colony.  He  was  "way  wardon" 
at  the  town  meeting  in  Rehoboth,  May 
24,  1652,  and  May  17,  1655,  was  on  the 
grand  jury.  He  was  a  blacksmith,  was 
made  a  freeman  in  Rehoboth,  February 
22,  1658,  drew  land  June  22,  1658,  and  was 
one  of  the  eighty  who  made  what  is 
known  as  the  North  Purchase.  He  mar- 
ried, 1648-49,  Miriam  Harmon,  probably 
a  daughter  of  Francis  Harmon,  born 
1592,  and  came  to  Boston  in  the  ship 
"Love"  in  1635.  Jonathan  Bliss  died  in 
1687.  The  inventory  of  his  estate  was 
sworn  to  May  23,  1687;  the  magistrate 
was  the  famous  governor.  Sir  Edmund 
Andros.  Jonathan  (3)  Bliss,  fourth  son 
of  Jonathan  (2)  and  Miriam  (Harmon) 
Bliss,  was  born  September  17,  1666,  and 
died  October  16,  1719.  His  name  was 
sometimes  recorded  Timothy.  He  was  a 
man  of  standing  and  influence  in  Reho- 
both and  held  various  town  offices.  It  is 
said  that  he  gave  the  land  for  the  old 
cemetery  about  two  miles  south  of  Reho- 
both Village,  whereon  a  church  was 
built.  He  married,  June  23,  1691,  Miriam 
Carpenter,  born  October  26,  1674,  died 
May  21,  1706,  daughter  of  William  and 
Miriam  (Searles)  Carpenter.  Daniel  Bliss, 
son  of  Jonathan  (3)  and  Miriam  (Car- 
penter) Bliss,  was  born  January  21,  1702, 
ill  Rehoboth,  died  August  25,  1782.  He 
married,  January  26,  1726,  Rev.  David 
Turner  officiating,  Dorothy  Fuller,  of  Re- 
hoboth. born  July  12,  1706,  in  Rehoboth, 
died  there  January  7,  1778,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Dorothy  (Wilmarth)  Fuller. 
Daniel  (2)  Bliss,  son  of  Daniel  (i)  and 
Dorothy  (Fuller)  Bliss,  was  born  No- 
vember 16,  1726,  in  Rehoboth,  died  June 
30,  1815,  in  Leyden,  Massachusetts.  He 
married,  November  16,  1752,  Sarah  Allen, 
of  Warren,  Rhode  Island,  born  June  2, 
1734,  in  that  town. 


Peter  Bliss,  fifth  son  of  Daniel  (2)  and 
Sarah  (Allen)  Bliss,  was  born  August  2, 
1765,  in  Rehoboth,  lived  for  some  time 
in  Leyden,  Massachusetts,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Truxton,  Cortland  county.  New 
York,  and  died  there  February  17,  1853. 
He  married,  December  7,  1787,  Molly 
Perry,  born  April,  1772,  in  Rehoboth, 
daughter  of  Ezra  and  Jemima  Perry,  of 
that  town.  Their  third  son  was  George 
Bliss,  born  September  11,  1799,  in  Ley- 
den, Massachusetts,  died  May  11,  1871, 
in  that  town.  He  was  a  farmer  and  en- 
ergetic business  man,  who  was  successful 
and  respected  as  a  citizen.  He  married, 
in  Leyden,  September,  1821,  Charlotte 
Charity  Ames. 

Their  ninth  and  youngest  child,  Edger- 
ton  Ames  Bliss,  was  born  October  25, 
1846,  in  Hornellsville,  New  York,  and  for 
several  years  conducted  a  jewelry  store 
at  No.  182  Broadway,  New  York  City, 
making  his  home  at  Jersey  City  Heights. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
Cortland,  New  York,  and  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  went  to  New  York  City, 
where  he  became  identified  with  the 
jewelry  business,  and  in  time  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  jewelry  in  association 
with  his  uncle,  Eliakim  Rice.  This  asso- 
ciation continued  until  1878,  when  Mr. 
Bliss  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  busi- 
ness, which  was  conducted  under  the 
name  of  the  E.  A.  Bliss  Company.  Manu- 
facturing was  carried  on  in  North  Attle- 
boro,  Massachusetts,  and  the  main  office 
maintained  in  New  York  City  until  1890, 
when  the  entire  plant  was  transferred  to 
Meriden,  Connecticut,  and  some  forty 
families  of  the  employes  removed  with 
it.  The  business  has  experienced  a  re- 
markable growth,  and  its  output,  com- 
prising novelties  for  personal  adornment, 
made  in  nickel,  silver,  gold  and  silver 
plate,  combined  with  enamel,  leather  and 
comb-making    material,    is    very    widely 


/3 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


used.  The  Meriden  establishment  is 
known  as  the  "Tiffany  of  the  Plated 
Novelty  Trade,"  a  sobriquet  justly  ap- 
plied, as  it  leads  in  that  trade  in  the 
United  States.  Mr.  Bliss  was  an  exten- 
sive traveler,  and  was  known  to  the  trade 
everywhere.  He  died  suddenly  at  Mag- 
iiolia  Beach,  Massachusetts,  July  26,  191 1. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Home  and  High- 
land Country  clubs  of  Meriden.  While 
in  New  York  he  was  a  member  of  Com- 
pany A,  Seventh  Regiment,  National 
Guard,  State  of  New  York,  and  for  thirty 
years  was  a  trustee  and  vestryman  of  St. 
John's  Episcopal  Church  of  Jersey  City. 
He  married.  June  27,  1871.  in  Jersey  City, 
Margaret  Emma  Jones,  daughter  of  John 
and  Phebe  (Morgan)  Jones,  of  Jersey 
City.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bliss  were  the  par- 
ents of  ten  children,  four  of  whom  are 
now  living:  William  Edgerton,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Florence  Jones,  born  July 
12,  1875,  married  Samuel  Van  Dusen 
White,  of  New  York;  Adeline  Burdett, 
wife  of  Dr.  Alexander  Nicoll,  a  member 
of  the  staff  of  Fordham  Hospital  in  New 
York :  and  Hazel  Y.  Bliss. 

William  Edgerton  Bliss  was  born  May 
19'  1873,  in  Jersey  City,  and  received  his 
education  in  the  schools  of  that  city,  in- 
cluding the  high  school.  On  the  comple- 
tion of  his  studies  he  became  associated 
with  his  father  in  the  jewelry  business 
at  Meriden,  where  he  gradually  advanced 
by  promotion  until  1906,  when  he  was 
made  vice-president  of  the  company.  On 
the  death  of  his  father,  in  191 1,  he  became 
president  of  the  company,  and  under  his 
management  it  has  continued  to  grow  and 
prosper.  The  output  has  been  largely  in- 
creased, new  lines  of  manufacture  de- 
veloped, and  Mr.  Bliss  has  earned  a  place 
among  the  leading  business  men  of  the 
United  States.  Besides  being  a  compe- 
tent business  man,  he  is  well  known  as 
a  citizen,  active  in  promoting  the  social 


and  moral  interests  of  the  community, 
and  is  reckoned  among  the  most  progres- 
sive citizens  of  the  thriving  city  of  Meri- 
den. He  is  a  member  of  the  Home  and 
Highland  Country  clubs  of  that  city,  and 
has  passed  through  the  various  grada- 
tions in  Free  Masonry,  attaining  the  thir- 
ty-second degree.  He  is  a  member  of  St. 
Andrew's  Episcopal  Church  of  Meriden, 
and  of  the  Republican  Club  of  New  York 
City.  For  ten  years  he  was  a  member  of 
Company  G,  Seventh  Regiment,  National 
Guard  of  the  State  of  New  York,  for  three 
years  a  member  of  the  First  Artillery  of 
that  body,  and  was  subsequently  captain 
of  Company  I,  Second  Regiment,  Connec- 
ticut National  Guard,  of  Meriden.  Mr. 
Bliss  was  married,  June  6,  1902,  to  Eliza- 
beth B.  Cochran,  daughter  of  Richard 
Ellis  and  Annie  (Bockius)  Cochran,  of 
Englewood,  New  Jersey,  and  they  have 
two  children :  Elsa  Anne  and  Richard 
Ames    Bliss. 


MILLER,  Isaac  Burton, 

Mannfactnrer. 

In  his  rise  from  office  boy  to  that  of 
vice-president  of  a  great  corporation,  Mr. 
Miller  illustrates  the  possibilities  of  the 
American  nation.  While  few  achieve 
these  results,  it  is  not  for  lack  of  opportu- 
nity, and  it  is  only  the  individual  with 
force  of  character  and  perseverance  who 
succeeds  in  overcoming  obstacles  and  ob- 
taining a  position  of  importance  in  the 
world. 

The  Miller  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  Connecticut,  having  been  founded  in 
America  by  Thomas  Miller,  of  Birming- 
ham, England,  who  came  to  Rowley,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  was  made  a  freeman 
in  1639,  removing  thence  to  Middletown, 
Connecticut,  where  his  name  appears  in 
the  records  as  early  as  1654.  He  was  a 
carpenter    by    trade,    was    in    Rowley   as 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


late  as  165 1,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
church  in  Middletown  through  letter 
from  Rowley  after  1654.  He  built  the 
first  grist  mill  in  Middletown  on  Miller's 
Brook,  where  one  of  the  factories  of  the 
Russell  ^Manufacturing  Company  now 
stands,  at  the  "Farms."  His  first  wife, 
Isabel,  was  the  mother  of  one  child,  Ann, 
who  became  the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Bacon, 
in  1653.  At  the  age  of  fifty-six  years 
Thomas  Miller  married  (second)  Sarah, 
aaughter  of  Samuel  Nettleton,  of  Bran- 
ford,  Connecticut.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  of  whom  the  fourth 
son  was  Benjamin. 

Benjamin  Miller,  born  July  20,  1672, 
was  one  of  the  first  three  to  settle  in 
what  is  now  Aliddlefield,  and  located  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  town,  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Coginchaug  or  West 
river,  not  far  from  the  Durham  line.  Tra- 
dition has  it  that  the  title  of  "governor" 
was  conferred  upon  him,  partly  because 
of  his  influence  with  the  Indians,  partly 
on  account  of  his  being  a  large  land- 
owner, and  partly  on  account  of  his  domi- 
lant  disposition.  He  was  not,  however, 
exempt  from  the  action  of  the  law,  as 
will  be  seen.  He  was  greatly  annoyed 
at  the  frequent  loss  of  his  pigs,  and  sus- 
pected that  they  were  devoured  by  bears ; 
he  accordingly  kept  watch,  and  one  Sun- 
day morning  caught  Bruin  m  the  act,  and 
shot  and  killed  the  animal.  For  this  he 
was  arrested  on  the  charge  of  desecrating 
the  Sabbath.  He  married  (first)  Septem- 
ber 18,  1695,  in  Woodstock  Connecticut, 
Mary  Johnson,  born  in  1676,  daughter  of 
John  and  Margaret  Johnson,  of  that  town. 
His  first  child,  Rebecca,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 5,  1698,  in  Woodstock.  He  married 
(second)  Mercy  Bassett,  of  North  Haven, 
born  1677,  presumably  a  daughter  of  John 
and  Mercy  (Todd)  Bassett,  of  that  town. 
There  were  seven  children  of  the  first 
marriage,  and  eight  of  the  second. 


The  eldest  child  of  the  second  wife  was 
Ichabod  Miller,  born  December  15,  1709, 
in  Middlefield,  where  he  passed  his  life, 
and  died  August  9,  1788.  He  married 
(first)  a  Miss  Stow,  of  Middletown,  prob- 
ably a  daughter  of  John  Stow,  and  (sec- 
ond) Elizabeth,  widow  of  Jeremiah  Ba- 
con, daughter  of  Captain  Joseph  and  Abi- 
gail (Harris)  Cornwall,  of  ^vliddletown, 
born  March  7,  1716,  died  August  22,  1787. 
He  had  sons,  Ichabod,  Jesse  and  Jere- 
miah. 

Lieutenant  Ichabod  Miller,  son  of  Icha- 
bod Miller,  died  in  Middlefield,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1794.  He  married  Elizabeth  Ba- 
con, of  Newfield,  probably  a  daughter  of 
John  Bacon,  of  Westfield.  She  survived 
him. 

They  were  the  parents  of  Captain  Icha- 
bod Miller,  born  January  25,  1771,  in  Mid- 
dlefield, resided  in  the  northern  district 
of  that  town,  where  he  died  in  November, 
1829,  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight  years.  He 
was  a  vigorous,  active  man,  always  at 
work,  and  probably  shortened  his  life  by 
his  severe  exertion.  He  married  Sarah 
E.  Birdsey,  born  January  18,  1776,  sup- 
posed daughter  of  John  (5)  Birdsey,  of 
Middletown,  son  of  John  (4)  Birdsey, 
grandson  of  Abel  Birdsey.  The  Birdsey 
family  is  among  the  earliest,  planted  in 
Connecticut  by  John  Birdsey,  a  native  of 
Reading,  Berkshire,  England,  who  came 
to  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1636.  with 
his  adult  sons,  settled  at  Milford,  Connec- 
ticut, in  1639,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
there,  and  died  in  1649.  His  son,  John 
Birdsey,  born  in  1616,  died  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  April  4,  1690.  His  wife, 
Philippa,  was  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Henry 
Smith,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  John 
(3)  Birdsey,  born  March  28,  1641,  died 
July  9,  1697.  He  married,  December  11, 
1669,  Phebe  Wilcoxson,  and  they  were 
the  parents  of  Abel  Birdsey,  born  No- 
vember 20,  1679,  in  Stratford,  died  June 


17 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


8,  1704,  in  that  town.  He  married  Com- 
fort, a  daughter  of  John  Wells,  grand- 
daughter of  John  Wells,  and  great-grand- 
daughter of  Thomas  W^ells.  who  was  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Connecticut  Colony  during 
the  years  1655  and  1658,  whose  ancestors 
included  Simon  de  Welles,  one  of  the  cru- 
saders in  Palestine,  who  was  in  the  siege 
of  St.  Jean  d'Acre  during  the  year  1191, 
with  Richard  Couer  de  Lion.  A  copy  of 
the  arms  granted  to  him  by  the  king  i.'? 
now  preserved  by  his  descendant  in  Meri- 
den.  John  (4)  Birdsey.  son  of  Abel 
Birdsey,  of  Stratford,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 26,  1712,  and  lived  in  Middletown, 
Connecticut,  where  he  died  June  5,  1798. 
Middletown  records  give  the  name  of  his 
wife  as  Sarah.  Their  second  son  was 
John  (5)  Birdsey,  born  March  16,  1736, 
lived  in  Middletown. 

The  eldest  son  of  Captain  Ichabod 
Miller  and  his  wife,  Sarah  (Birdsey) 
Miller,  was  David  B.  Miller,  born  ^larch 
5,  1805,  in  Middlefield,  where  he  was  a 
farmer,  and  died.  He  was  twice  married, 
one  of  his  wives  bearing  the  family  name 
of  Bowe,  and  the  other  of  Hale.  His 
wife,  Cornelia  (Hale)  Miller,  died  in  Sep- 
tember, 1844.  The  death  of  one  child  is 
recorded  in  Middlefield :  Nancy,  died  Oc- 
tober I,  1835. 

Hezekiah  H.  Miller,  known  to  be  a 
son  of  David  B.  Miller,  was  born  Octo- 
ber 22,  1829.  in  Middlefield,  was  reared 
on  the  paternal  farm  there,  where  he  re- 
mained until  he  attained  his  majority. 
Subsequently  he  became  one  of  the  most 
prominent  citizens  of  Meriden,  where  he 
located,  January  13,  1815,  having  traveled 
over  the  mountains  intervening  through 
the  snow.  His  first  employment  was  with 
Jedediah  Wilcox,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  making  carpet  bags.  He  was  industri- 
ous and  saved  his  earnings,  so  that  when 
his  year's  contract  was  ended  he  was 
ready  to  engage  in  business  on  his  own 


account.  He  entered  into  partnership 
with  his  uncle,  \Villiam  Hale,  and  for  a 
period  of  four  years  they  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  carpet  bags.  In  1856  Mr. 
Aliller  accepted  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
\\'ilcox,  his  former  employer,  and  con- 
tinued in  this  association  a  period  of 
seventeen  years,  until  1873.  ■  They  built 
a  large  plant,  their  products  were  steadily 
increased,  and  included  leather  belts, 
hoop  skirts  and  corsets.  Looms  were  set 
up  for  weaving  tape  for  hoop  skirts  and 
for  the  general  trade.  They  also  manu- 
factured balmoral  skirts,  and  in  one  year 
their  profits  on  this  single  line  of  goods 
amounted  to  seventy-five  thousand  dol- 
lars. The  tape  mill  was  burned  in  1865. 
In  July  of  that  year  the  foundations  were 
laid  for  the  J.Wilcox  &  Company  Woolen 
Mill,  then  one  of  the  finest  structures  of 
the  kind  in  the  State.  The  mill  was  of 
brick  and  stone,  four  hundred  feet  in 
length  and  five  stories  in  height,  and  fully 
equipped  with  machinery.  In  1873  this 
establishment  passed  into  new  hands,  and 
Mr.  Miller  formed  a  partnership  with 
Charles  H.  Collins,  and  established  a 
grocery  store  on  Colony  street,  where  the 
Byxbee  Block  now  stands,  opposite  the 
railroad  station.  They  began  business, 
February  4,  1874,  and  after  a  few  years 
removed  to  the  Palace  Block.  In  1887 
Messrs.  Collins  and  Miller  built  a  store 
for  their  own  use,  at  the  corner  of  Colony 
and  Brooks  streets,  where  they  continued 
to  conduct  a  very  prosperous  trade  until 
May  30,  1905,  when  Mr.  Collins  died.  His 
partner  then  wound  up  the  business  and 
retired  from  active  life.  He  died  Octo- 
ber 22,  191 1,  at  his  home  in  Meriden.  Mr. 
Miller  was  active  in  promoting  the  in- 
terests of  the  community,  and  served  as 
a  member  of  the  first  City  Council  in 
Meriden  under  Mayor  Charles  Parker. 
He  was  a  regular  attendant  of  the  First 
Baptist   Church,  and   was  ever  ready  to 


78 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


support  any  proposition  calculated  to  be 
of  value  to  the  community.  He  married, 
November  27,  1861,  Harriet  Atwood,  of 
Meriden,  who  died  October  18,  1905. 
They  were  the  parents  of  three  children : 
Charles  B.  and  Isaac  Burton  Miller,  of 
Meriden,  and  Nettie  M.,  wife  of  Edwin 
W.  Kirschner,  of  New  Haven.- 

Isaac  Burton  Miller,  second  son  of 
Hezekiah  H.  and  Harriet  (Atwood) 
iMiller,  was  born  April  24,  1868,  in  Aleri- 
den.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  city,  graduating 
from  the  high  school.  When  a  youth  of 
some  eighteen  years  he  began  his  busi- 
ness career  as  an  employee  of  the  Wilcox 
Silver  Plate  Company  of  Meriden.  In 
1887  he  became  office  boy  of  the  Edward 
I^Iiller  Company,  one  of  the  largest  manu- 
facturers of  lamps  and  lighting  fixtures 
in  the  United  States.  As  a  wide-awake 
youth  he  was  attentive  to  everything  go- 
ing on  about  him,  and  gradually  mastered 
the  details  of  the  business,  rising  through 
successive  promotions  until,  in  1915,  he 
was  made  vice-president  of  the  company. 
For  some  time  previous  he  had  been  a 
director.  To-day  Mr.  Miller  is  esteemed 
among  the  business  men  of  his  native 
State  as  one  of  its  most  reliable,  progres- 
sive and  capable  citizens,  whose  success 
in  life  is  fully  due  to  his  own  industry, 
capacity  and  upright  conduct.  He  is 
active  in  promoting  the  various  social 
and  moral  influences  of  the  city ;  is  a 
member  and  past  president  of  the  Home 
Club ;  one  of  the  board  of  governors  of 
the  Highland  Country  Club,  and  a  trus- 
tee of  the  ^leriden  Savings  Bank.  Under 
its  present  management,  the  Edward 
Miller  Company  fully  maintains  the  pres- 
tige gained  many  years  ago,  and  no  small 
part  of  its  success  is  due  to  the  energetic 
efTorts  of  Isaac  Burton  Miller.  He  mar- 
ried, September  25,  1894,  Effie  Spencer 
Hotchkiss,  daughter  of  Frederick  M.  and 


Nellie  (Spencer)  Hotchkiss,  of  Meriden. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller  are  the  parents  of 
two  sons :  Spencer  Hotchkiss,  born  April 
21,  1901,  and  Atwood  Hale,  March  19, 
1908. 


NETH,  David  B., 

Electrical  Engineer. 

There  is  doubtless  much  to  be  said  in 
favor  of  Carh'le's  opinion  that  the  man 
of  ability  can  find  expression  for  himself, 
for  his  talents  and  powers,  in  almost  any 
direction,  and  that  the  fact  of  his  doing 
so  in  this  or  that  medium  is  largely  de- 
termined by  circumstances  and  that 
whether  he  be  a  poet  or  a  politician,  a 
scientist  or  a  soldier,  is  of  comparatively 
little  significance,  so  the  genius  lies  be- 
hind. He  goes  on  to  say  that  it  is  inter- 
esting to  consider  how  supremely  great 
a  man  Shakespeare,  for  instance,  might 
have  been  in  any  one  of  many  callings 
had  only  fate  called  his  attention  or 
moulded  his  early  tastes  in  that  way  in- 
stead of  towards  the  writing  of  plays.  But 
this  idea,  although  it  be  correct  in  a  cer- 
tain degree  and  in  certain  instances,  may 
easily  be  carried  too  far,  for  certainly  we 
can  all  call  to  mind  cases  within  our  own 
experience  of  men  whose  thoughts  seemed 
to  lie  so  exclusively  in  certain  channels, 
that  however  brilliant  might  be  their 
achievement  therein  we  felt  doubtful  if 
they  might  even  rival  the  average  man  in 
other  directions.  Of  course  these  are  both 
extremes  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  we  find 
the  vast  majority  of  unusually  able  men 
to  lie  somewhere  between  the  two,  able, 
that  is,  to  do  one  thing  better  than  any- 
thing else,  but  able  also  to  do  all  things 
better  than  their  neighbors.  Nevertheless 
we  find  that  they  lean  towards  one  or  the 
other  extreme  and  so  it  is  in  the  case  we 
are  particularly  considering. 

David  B.  Neth,  the  distinguished  citi- 


79 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


zen  of  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  whose 
name  heads  this  brief  sketch,  is  undoubt- 
edly a  man  of  very  broad  abilities,  a  man 
who  by  turning  his  efforts  consistently  in 
any  one  of  many  directions  could  excel 
in  what  he  took  up,  yet  it  is  equally  un- 
deniable that  he  has  one  talent  which 
overbalances  all  the  rest  and  that  would 
probably  make  work  of  any  other  kind 
more  or  less  burdensome  to  him.  This 
particular  talent  lies  in  the  direction  of 
mechanics,  and  into  this  line  he  has  forced 
himself  against  many  obstacles,  the  re- 
sult amply  justifying  the  wisdom  of  his 
choice.  Mr.  Neth  comes  of  a  race  noted 
for  its  scientific  and  mechanical  triumphs, 
his  father  having  been  a  native  of  W^ur- 
temburg,  Germany,  in  which  part  of  the 
world  his  ancestors  have  resided  from  re- 
mote times. 

The  father,  John  Neth,  was  a  son  of 
parents  who  both  lived  and  died  in  the 
ancient  city,  but  he  came  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  The 
disturbances  and  distresses  incident  to 
the  unsuccessful  revolution  of  1848  and 
the  following  year  were  the  main  impulse 
of  the  youth  in  coming  to  this  country, 
but  his  enterprising  nature  felt  strongly 
the  lure  which  new  and  growing  commu- 
nities exert  upon  the  peoples  of  a  more 
settled  social  status,  and  it  was  for  more 
freedom  and  more  opportunity  that  he 
made  the  voyage.  For  a  time  he  made 
the  city  of  Troy,  New  York,  his  home, 
but  after  a  few  years  went  on  to  Win- 
chester, Connecticut,  where  he  purchased 
a  fine  farm  and  followed  farming  as  an 
occupation  during  practically  his  entire 
remaining  life.  He  was  successful  and 
finally  retired,  going  to  Torrington.  Con- 
necticut, where  he  died  at  the  advanced 
age  of  eighty-three  years.  He  married 
Hannah  Bidwell,  a  native  of  Winchester, 
and  they  had  four  children,  all  living, 
born  to  them  of  whom  the  Mr.  Neth  of 


this  sketch  is  the  eldest.  The  others  are 
John,  a  resident  of  Tarrytown,  New  York, 
who  holds  the  position  of  superintendent 
of  the  gas  works  there ;  George,  a  resident 
of  Chicago,  an  electrician  and  represents 
the  Electric  Storage  Battery  Company  of 
America  there,  as  its  western  manager ; 
Annie,  the  wife  of  Frederick  E.  Lattimer, 
of  Torrington,  Connecticut. 

David  B.  Neth  was  born  August  8, 
1868,  in  Winchester,  Connecticut,  where 
his  father  was  farming  at  that  time,  and 
the  first  eleven  years  of  his  life  were 
spent  in  his  native  township.  His  child- 
ish associations  were  thus  formed  with 
the  charming  old  Connecticut  town  and 
with  that  rural  life  that  has  bred  so  many 
of  our  strongest  men.  There,  also,  he 
gained  the  rudiments  of  education  at  the 
local  schools,  from  the  first  showing  him- 
self to  be  a  quick  and  responsive  pupil. 
When  he  was  eleven  years  of  age,  his 
parents  took  him  with  them  and  removed 
to  the  city  of  Hartford,  and  there  he  en- 
joyed the  advantage  of  the  unusually  fine 
schools  for  two  years,  and  then,  at  the 
age  of  thirteen,  began  on  the  business 
career  that  has  not  even  yet  reached  the 
zenith  of  its  achievement.  His  talent  for 
all  things  mechanical  had  already  mani- 
fested itself  with  no  uncertainty,  and  it 
became  his  task  to  seek  for  some  occupa- 
tion which  might  involve  his  beloved  me- 
chanics. His  first  position  was  distinctly 
a  success,  viewed  from  this  standpoint, 
and  the  thirteen  year  old  youth  found 
himself  installed  as  a  hand  in  the  Hart- 
ford Machine  Screw  Works.  But  al- 
though the  work  led  him  in  somewhat 
the  direction  he  desired,  it  was,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  much  too  heavy  for  him  at  that 
period  of  his  life,  and  his  health  gradually 
broke  down  imder  the  strain.  It  was  a 
great  hardship  for  the  young  man  to  be 
obliged  to  give  up,  for  his  heart  was  set 
on  winning  success  in  this  particular  de- 


80 


j  "  THE  I'EV/  ■  .IK 

'public  library 

ASTOR,   LENOX 
i  TILDEN    FOUND 


1 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


partment,  but  the  necessity  was  impera- 
tive and  he  was  obliged  to  resign  his  posi- 
tion and  return  to  Winchester  to  the  home 
farm  and  work  there.  He  was  nineteen 
years  of  age  at  the  time  and  with  his 
characteristic  philosophy  took  the  matter 
calmly  enough  and  proceeded  to  perform 
a  task  to  the  best  of  his  ability  for  which 
he  had  no  real  love.  This  obstacle,  that 
looked  so  unsurmountable  at  first  sight, 
did  not  prove  to  be  permanent,  and  he 
was  not  finally  debarred  from  carrying 
out  his  wishes.  For  his  health,  although 
much  impaired,  had  the  happy  elasticity 
of  youth  and  quickly  responded  to  the 
more  wholesome  out-of-doors  life  which 
he  led  on  the  farm.  Two  years  saw  his 
health  and  strength  rewon,  nor  from  that 
time  to  this  has  it  ever  deserted  him  to 
the  same  extent,  nor  forced  him  to  aban- 
don his  business.  It  was  in  1888  that  he 
came  to  the  city  of  Waterbury  and  there 
once  more  began  work,  this  time  in  the 
employ  of  the  Standard  Electric  Time 
Company.  This  was  in  1888  when  he 
was  but  just  of  age,  so  that,  as  it  was,  he 
was  rebeginning  at  an  age  when  most 
young  men  start  their  careers  for  the 
first  time.  The  work,  too,  was  much  more 
in  line  with  his  desires  and  inclination 
than  even  the  first,  and  he  rapidly  ad- 
vanced both  in  knowledge  and  in  position 
with  the  firm.  In  1900,  however,  he  had 
an  offer  from  the  United  Electric  Light 
and  Water  Company  to  accept  a  position 
in  the  concern  as  superintendent,  an  offer 
which  he  promptly  accepted  and  which 
well  illustrated  how  remarkable  had  been 
his  achievement,  since  he  had  come  off 
the  farm  but  twelve  years  before,  strong 
and  healthy,  but  with  little  expert  knowl- 
edge of  the  work  he  was  now  called  upon 
to  superintend.  From  June,  1900,  until 
May,  1914,  he  held  this  responsible  post 
and  was  then  appointed  chief  electrical 
engineer  of  the  concern.  He  is  well  known 

Conn— 3— 6 


as  an  authority  on  electrical  engineering, 
both  theoretical  and  practical,  and  now 
enjoys  what  he  had  so  great  a  desire  in 
the  past  for,  the  opportunity  to  express 
his  mechanical  and  scientific  faculties  in 
work. 

Air.  Neth  is  active  in  many  aspects  of 
the  community's  life  quite  outside  of  his 
business  interests.  Socially  and  frater- 
nelly  he  is  prominent  and  he  belongs  to 
many  orders  and  clubs  in  the  city  among 
which  should  be  mentioned  the  local 
lodges  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
and  the  Waterbury  Country  Club,  the 
first  for  twenty-five  years  and  the  second 
since  its  organization.  In  his  religious 
belief,  Mr.  Neth  is  a  Congregationalist 
and  for  some  years  has  been  a  singer  in 
the  choir  of  the  First  Church,  and  attends 
the  First  Church  of  that  denomination  in 
Waterbury.  He  is  markedly  philanthrop- 
ic and  liberally  supports  the  activities  of 
the  congregation  of  which  he  is  a  mem- 
ber. 

At  Waterbury,  on  February  5,  1902, 
Mr.  Neth  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Elizabeth  Mallory  Blair,  a  native  of  that 
city,  and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
Winchester  (Butcher)  Blair,  the  latter  a 
native  of  Baltimore,  Maryland.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Neth  have  been  born  three  chil- 
dren :  Marshall  Winchester,  born  July  18, 
1904;  Paul,  died  at  age  of  four  months; 
and  Katherine  Blair,  born  November  13, 

1913- 


KILMARTIN,  Thomas  Joseph,  M.  D., 

Eminent  Physician. 

There  is  something  that  appeals  to  the 
popular  imagination  as  intrinsically  noble 
about  the  adoption  of  a  profession  the 
object  of  which  is  the  alleviation  of 
human  suffering,  such,  for  instance,  as 
medicine,  especially  where,  as  in  this  case. 


81 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  sacrifice  of  so  many  of  the  comforts 
and  pleasures  of  life  which  men  count  so 
highly  is  involved.  When,  in  addition  to 
this,  the  task  is  not  merely  voluntarily 
chosen,  but  is  carried  out  in  a  spirit  of 
altruism  worthy  of  the  profession,  the 
sincerest  admiration  of  all  is  claimed. 
Such,  in  a  high  degree,  is  the  case  in  the 
career  of  Dr.  Thomas  Joseph  Kilmartin, 
of  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  who  is  ren- 
dering to  his  fellow  citizens  and  to  the 
community  an  invaluable  service,  not 
only  in  the  carrying  out  of  his  private 
practice  on  a  high  ethical  plane,  but  as  a 
public  officer  who  has  in  his  charge  the 
safeguarding  of  the  public  health. 

The  family  of  which  Dr.  Kilmartin  is  a 
member  had  its  origin  in  County  Tipper- 
ary,  Ireland,  where  in  the  early  part  of 
the  nineteenth  century  Thomas  Kilmar- 
tin, his  grandfather,  was  living.  He  was 
a  man  of  influence  and  prominent  in  the 
community  where  he  resided,  conducting 
the  county  store  and  the  postoffice  there. 
His  son,  Thomas  Kilmartin,  Jr.,  father  of 
Dr.  Kilmartin,  was  born  in  County  Lim- 
erick, Ireland,  but  came  to  the  United 
States  as  a  young  man  to  seek  the  greater 
freedom  and  opportunity  to  be  found 
here.  He  came  alone  and  located  in 
Waterbury,  Connecticut,  where  he  had 
no  friends  to  lend  assistance,  yet  with  the 
courage  and  enterprise  that  is  so  marked 
a  characteristic  of  his  race,  he  set  to  work 
to  make  his  way  in  this  strange  land  and 
succeeded  so  admirably  that  he  soon  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  a  small  grocery 
establishment  and  conducting  an  inde- 
pendent business,  which  was  successful, 
and  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  or  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  he  continued  so  en- 
gaged. He  married,  in  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, Margaret  Hennesy,  a  native  of 
County  Limerick,  Ireland,  now  deceased. 
They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children, 
as  follows :  Thomas  Joseph,  of  whom  fur- 


ther; two  daughters,  both  bearing  the 
name  of  Mary,  who  died  in  infancy ;  Mar- 
garet, deceased,  who  was  the  wife  of 
James  Courtney,  of  Waterbury ;  Kather- 
ine,  a  teacher  in  the  Driggs  School  in 
Waterbury ;  James,  an  assistant  steward 
at  the  Elks  Club  ;  and  Ella,  who  resides 
in  the  old  Kilmartin  home  in  Waterbury. 
Dr.  Thomas  Joseph  Kilmartin  was  born 
in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  November  3, 
1872,  and  has  made  that  city  his  home  up 
to  the  present  time  (1916)  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  brief  period  when  he  was  away 
at  college.  The  preliminary  portion  of 
his  education  was  gained  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city  and  he  gradu- 
ated from  the  high  school  in  1889.  He  en- 
tered Niagara  University  at  Niagara 
Falls,  New  York,  in  the  same  year,  and 
by  his  marked  talents  as  a  scholar  secured 
for  himself  the  favorable  regard  of  his  in- 
structors and  masters.  It  was  during  his 
course  at  Niagara  University  that  he  defi- 
nitely decided  to  take  up  as  a  career  the 
profession  toward  which  he  had  felt  im- 
pelled from  early  youth,  and  upon  his 
graduation  with  the  class  of  1892,  he  en- 
tered the  medical  school  of  the  University 
of  New  York,  where  he  pursued  his  stud- 
ies with  distinction  until  the  year  1895 
and  then  graduated  with  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine.  A  year  and  six 
months  spent  at  the  hospital  on  Black- 
well's  Island,  New  York,  and  at  Ford- 
ham  Hospital,  gave  him  the  necessary 
practical  experience.  He  then  returned 
to  Waterbury,  and  in  the  autumn  of  1896 
began  the  active  practice  of  his  profes- 
sion. For  the  first  twelve  years  or  more 
Dr.  Kilmartin  confined  himself  to  his  pri- 
vate practice  and  in  that  time  built  up  a 
very  extensive  and  lucrative  one  and  es- 
tablished an  enviable  reputation  as  a  most 
able  physician  and  a  man  of  the  highest 
ideals.  His  greatest  interest  was  in  sur- 
gery, however,  and  in  that  he  specialized 


82 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


as  far  as  his  practice  permitted.  He  has 
had  a  wide  experience  with  that  dread  dis- 
ease, small-pox,  having  on  three  or  four 
occasions  been  highly  successful  in  his 
treatment  of  patients  during  epidemics  of 
the  scourge,  having  made  a  careful  study 
of  it,  and  is  recognized  as  an  expert  and 
an  authority  on  the  subject,  not  only  in 
his  own  State  but  throughout  the  entire 
country,  and  his  services  have  been  called 
into  requisition  many  times  by  the  State 
Board  of  Health,  to  whom  he  has  ren- 
dered valuable  service  which  is  highly 
appreciated.  At  the  time  of  the  founding 
of  St.  Mary's  Hospital  in  Waterbury  in 
1909,  Dr.  Kilmartin  was  requested  to  be- 
come its  attendant  surgeon,  a  position 
that  he  more  willingly  accepted  as  it 
offered  him  greater  opportunities  for  his 
specialty,  surgery.  He  has  fully  availed 
himself  of  these  advantages  and  now 
stands  very  high  in  that  branch  of  his 
profession.  He  is  now  serving  in  the 
capacity  of  State  examiner  for  the  John 
Hancock  Life  Insurance  Company  and 
the  Phoenix  Life  Insurance  Company.  He 
was  appointed  president  of  the  Water- 
bury  Medical  Society  in  191 1,  is  president 
of  his  Alumni  Class  of  New  York  Univer- 
sity Riedical  School,  and  holds  member- 
ship in  the  State  and  County  Medical  soci- 
eties. 

But  Dr.  Kilmartin  has  not  confined  his 
services  even  to  the  semi-public  type  of 
work  which  he  performs  at  St.  Mary's  : 
he  has  turned  his  attention  to  the  large 
and  intricate  problem  of  conserving  the 
public  health.  For  the  proper  handling 
of  this  problem  two  qualifications  are 
essential,  neither  of  them  any  too  com- 
mon. The  first  and  most  obvious  being 
that  of  a  large  experience  and  high  techni- 
cal skill  in  medical  things.  The  second, 
scarcely,  if  any,  less  important  is  a  clear 
grasp  of  democratic  principles  and  a  pro- 
found   sympathy    with    them.      Both    of 


these  it  is  the  good  fortune  of  Dr.  Kil- 
martin to  possess,  and  not  alone  his  good 
fortune,  but  that  of  the  community  over 
whose  hygeia  he  presides,  for  he  pos- 
sesses that  most  rare  of  combinations,  the 
definite  knowledge  of  the  specialist  and 
the  tolerance  of  the  average  man.  It  is 
thus  that  he  knows  both  what  are  the  best 
regulations  to  enforce  and  the  place  where 
personal  liberty  should  properly  begin 
and  regulations  should  not  be  enforced  at 
all.  Dr.  Kilmartin's  experience  in  public 
life  began  as  early  as  1898,  only  two  years 
after  he  had  returned  from  his  studies  and 
taken  up  practice  in  Waterbury.  He  was 
then  elected  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  and  served  two  years.  His 
service  in  that  office  was  of  so  high  a 
quality,  both  for  ability  and  disinterested- 
ness, that  the  following  year  he  was  ap- 
pointed city  health  officer  and  from  that 
time  to  the  present,  with  a  single  break 
of  two  years,  he  has  continued  to  hold 
that  office.  The  satisfaction  he  has  given 
and  is  still  giving  his  fellow-citizens  is 
indeed  great,  and  their  best  interests  in 
this  important  province  demands  that  he 
be  continued  therein.  For  nearly  twelve 
years  Dr.  Kilmartin  was  a  member  of  the 
State  Militia,  having  joined  the  Second 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  Connecticut  Na- 
tional Guard,  as  a  private.  He  gradually 
worked  his  way  into  a  higher  rank  and 
finally  resigned,  as  regimental  surgeon 
with  the  rank  of  captain  of  the  Seventh 
Connecticut  Regiment.  In  social  and  club 
circles  Dr.  Kilmartin  is  as  active  as  one 
with  such  exacting  demands  upon  his 
time  can  be,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks 
and  of  the  Waterbury  Country  Club.  In 
his  religious  belief  he  is  a  Catholic,  as 
hare  been  his  forebears  from  the  begin- 
ning, and  he  is  a  member  of  the  Church 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception  in  Water- 
bury. 


83 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Dr.  Kilmartin  was  married  in  Water- 
bury,  November  5,  igoo,  to  Mary  C. 
Coughlan,  a  native  of  Waterbury,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Lucy  (Loughlin)  Cough- 
lan, life-long  residents  there.  To  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Kilmartin  six  children  have  been 
born  as  follows :  Thomas,  now  a  student 
in  the  Waterbury  High  School;  Lucy,  a 
student  in  the  Grammar  School;  James, 
also  a  student  there  ;  Rosemary,  Margaret 
and  Katherine. 


LAWLOR,  James  Richard, 

Lawyer,    Pnblic    Official. 

Among  the  active,  public-spirited  citi- 
zens, so  many  of  which  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, can  boast  among  her  sons,  there 
is  none  more  worthy  of  comment  and  re- 
spect than  James  Richard  Lawlor,  whose 
name  is  already,  and  is  becoming  more, 
closely  identified  with  the  various  activ- 
ities of  the  city.  There  is  scarcely  an 
aspect  of  the  life  of  the  community  in 
which  he  is  not  a  conspicuous  figure,  al- 
though, of  course,  it  is  in  the  direction 
of  his  own  profession  and  in  the  political 
situation  that  his  influence  is  most  potent- 
ly felt.  Although  himself  a  native  of  this 
country,  having  been  born  in  Waterbury, 
Connecticut,  September  17,  1875,  ^^r. 
Lawlor  is  of  Irish  descent  on  both  sides 
of  the  house  and  inherits  those  marked 
qualities  of  his  race  which  seem  to  fit 
its  members  particularly  for  professional 
callings,  wheresoever  they  may  go  or 
under  whatsoever  conditions  they  may 
live  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

His  family  originated  in  Queens  coun- 
ty, Ireland,  and  there,  in  the  first  half  of 
the  century  just  past,  lived  Peter  Lawlor, 
the  grandfather  of  the  Mr.  Lawlor  of  this 
sketch.  This  worthy  gentleman  lived  and 
died  in  his  native  place  and  there  reared 
a  family  of  eleven  children,  all  of  them, 
like  himself,  deceased.    One  of  them,  who 


bore  the  same  name  of  Peter,  was  born 
in  County  Queens,  Ireland,  but  came  to 
this  country  while  still  a  ver>'  young  man, 
his  enterprise  and  energy  making  a  way 
for  him  in  this  land  of  strangers  until  he 
reached  a  good  position,  both  in  his  busi- 
ness and  in  the  regard  of  his  neighbors 
and  fellow  citizens.  Upon  first  arriving 
in  this  country  he  went  to  Farmington, 
near  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  he 
made  his  home  for  a  short  period.  He 
then  removed  to  Waterbury  and  this  city 
remained  his  home  until  the  time  of  his 
death  in  1902,  his  residence  there  cover- 
ing a  period  of  about  forty  years.  During 
most  of  this  time  he  was  employed  by  the 
Waterbury  Brass  Company  and  was  one 
of  their  most  trusted  men.  He  was  mar- 
ried, in  \\'aterbury,  to  Mary  Kilbride,  like 
himself  a  native  of  County  Queens,  Ire- 
land, who  survives  him  and  still  resides 
in  Waterbury  at  the  age  of  seventy-five 
years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawlor,  Sr.,  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children  as  follows: 
John,  now  a  resident  of  Troy,  New  York ; 
Lawrence,  now  connected  with  the  police 
force  of  Waterbury  ;  Joseph  W.,  a  resident 
of  Bridgeport,  Connecticut;  Bridget,  de- 
ceased, who  married  Thomas  J.  Dough- 
erty, of  Waterbury;  Mary,  now  Mrs. 
Thomas  G.  Smith,  of  Waterbury ;  Anna 
C,  now  Mrs.  Joseph  E.  Smith,  of  Water- 
bury ;  Catherine  F.,  now  Mrs.  M.  F.  Mc- 
Grath,  of  Waterbury ;  and  James  Rich- 
ard, who  forms  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 
James  Richard  Lawlor,  the  youngest 
son  of  Peter  and  Mary  (Kilbride)  Law- 
lor, was  brought  up  in  his  native  city  of 
\\'aterbury,  which  has  remained  his  home 
up  to  the  present  day  and  has  been  the 
scene  of  all  his  busy  activities.  He  was 
educated  in  the  excellent  public  schools 
of  the  place  and  also  attended  night 
school,  as  he  was  of  an  extremely  am- 
bitious nature  even  while  still  a  mere  lad. 
The    circumstances    of    his    family    were 


84 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


such  that  he  was  not  able  to  attend  the 
regular  schools  as  long  as  most  boys,  but 
had  to  turn  to  aid  with  the  support  of  the 
family.  He  was  only  fourteen  years  of 
age  when  this  became  necessary,  and  in 
order  to  supplement  his  somewhat  scanty 
advantages  in  this  direction  he  attended 
night  school  for  a  considerable  period, 
notwithstanding  the  great  additions  to  his 
work  this  involved.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  left  school  and  sought  and  found 
employment  among  the  great  industrial 
concerns  that  play  so  prominent  a  part  in 
the  business  life  of  Waterbury.  His  first 
position  was  with  Rogers  &  Hamilton, 
the  great  silverware  manufacturing  con- 
cern. The  lad  remained  no  very  great 
time  with  the  Rogers  people,  but  it  was 
long  enough  to  win  the  friendship  and 
regard  of  his  superiors  on  account  of  his 
intelligence  and  willingness  to  do  hard 
work.  He  then  secured  a  better  position 
with  the  Waterbury  Watch  Company  and 
there  remained  for  six  years,  rising  rapid- 
ly until  he  held  a  post  of  responsibility 
in  those  great  works.  During  this  time, 
however,  his  ambitions  were  wide  awake 
and  urged  him  into  an  entirely  different 
Ime  of  work,  for  which  he  found  himself 
possessed  of  a  much  stronger  inclination. 
He  desired,  in  short,  to  follow  some  pro- 
fessional calling  and  finally  settled  upon 
the  law  as  that  to  which  he  felt  the 
strongest  impulse.  In  pursuance  of  this 
intention,  he  gave  up  his  position  with 
the  Waterbury  Watch  Company  and  en- 
tered the  Law  School  of  the  South  West- 
ern Baptist  University  at  Jackson,  Ten- 
nessee. He  graduated  there  in  1902  with 
the  degree  of  LL.  B.  and  then  went  to 
the  Catholic  University  of  America  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  there  took  an- 
other year  of  work  at  the  splendid  law 
school  of  that  institution,  winning  the 
degree  of  LL.  M..  and  the  same  year  was 
admitted  to  the  Connecticut  bar  and  be- 


gan his  active  practice.  He  chose  his  na- 
tive city  as  the  scene  of  this  new  activity 
and  the  result  since  has  well  justified  the 
choice.  Right  from  the  outset  he  made 
his  personality  felt  in  the  life  of  the  com- 
munity and  in  the  autumn  following  the 
opening  of  his  office  he  was  elected  to 
the  Board  of  Education.  For  two  years 
he  served  most  adequately  in  this  ca- 
pacity and  then  received  the  appointment 
to  the  office  of  assistant  city  clerk.  This 
was  in  the  year  1906  and  he  continued  to 
hold  this  position  until  191 1  when  he  was 
elected  tax  collector  of  the  city,  a  post  in 
which  he  is  still  serving  his  fellow  towns- 
folk. In  the  meantime  his  legal  practice 
has  kept  full  pace  with  his  political  pre- 
ferment, and  he  is  already  regarded  as 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  bar  in  the  county. 
Much  important  litigation  is  entrusted  to 
him  and  he  handles  it  with  an  ability  and 
sense  of  the  highest  standards  of  legal 
ethics  that  at  once  give  great  satisfaction 
to  his  clients,  and  prove  how  well  founded 
were  his  hopes  and  expectations  as  to  his 
success  in  this  profession. 

In  other  directions,  also,  Mr.  Lawlor  is 
a  force  in  the  city's  affairs.  He  is  espe- 
cially prominent  in  social  and  fraternal 
circles  and  is  a  member  of  a  number  of 
important  orders  and  other  organizations 
of  the  same  kind.  Among  these  should 
be  mentioned  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose, 
the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
and  the  Foresters  of  America.  In  his  re- 
ligious belief  Mr.  Lawlor  is  a  Catholic,  as 
have  been  his  ancestors  before  him  for 
unnumbered  generations,  and  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Church  of  St.  Patrick  in 
^^^aterbury,  where  he  is  a  prominent 
figure  in  the  work  of  the  parish. 

It  was  on  November  14,  1907,  that  Mr. 
Lawlor  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary 
A.  Farrell,  of  Waterbury,  a  daughter  of 
Terrence    and    Ellen    (Delaney)    Farrell, 


85 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


eld  and  highly  honored  residents  of  that 
place.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawlor  have 
been  born  three  children  as  follows : 
Mary  Kilbride,  July  30,  1909 ;  Rosalind 
Farrell,  October  18,  1910:  and  Richard 
James,  Jr.,  October  20,  1915. 


STURGES,  Everett  Judson, 

Banker,  State  0£BciaI. 

A  faithful  public  servant,  a  capable  and 
efficient  business  man,  Mr.  Sturges  has 
earned  a  place  among  the  leading  men  of 
his  State.  He  is  a  descendant  in  the 
eighth  generation  of  one  of  the  oldest 
families  of  the  Commonwealth,  a  family 
that  did  its  share  in  winning  our  coun- 
try's independence,  that  has  given  the 
State  public  officials,  able  and  incorrupti- 
ble, and  whose  members  in  the  quieter 
walks  of  private  life  have  contributed  to 
its  upbuilding  as  successful  and  honor- 
able business  men.  From  this  worthy 
ancestry  Mr.  Sturges  has  inherited  those 
qualities  which  make  men  preeminent 
among  their  fellows.  He  was  born  No- 
vember 30,  1866,  in  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  son  of  Everett  and  Emeline  P. 
(Beers)  Sturges.  The  first  mention  of 
the  name  Sturges  was  in  a  French  volume 
published  by  Abbe  MacGroghegan,  which 
reads:  "About  the  year  815,  during  the 
reign  of  Conor,  who  reigned  fourteen 
years,  Turgesius,  a  son  of  a  king  of  Nor- 
v/ay,  landed  a  formidable  fleet  on  the 
north  coast  of  Ireland :  and  again,  about 
the  year  835,  a  fleet  commanded  by  the 
same  man  landed  on  the  west  side  of 
Lough  Lea,  where  he  fortified  himself, 
and  laid  waste  Connaught,  Meath  and 
Leinster,  and  the  greater  part  of  Ulster, 
and  was  declared  king.  He  reigned  about 
thirty  years.  Finally  the  people  revolted, 
and  under  the  lead  of  Malarlin,  Prince  of 
Meath,  he  was  defeated  by  a  strategem 
and  put  to  death."     The  first  authentic 


mention  in  English  history  shows  that 
William  de  Turges  had  grants  of  land 
from  Edward  I.,  in  the  village  of  Turges, 
county  of  Northampton,  afterwards  called 
Northfield.  The  coat-of-arms :  Azure,  a 
chevron  fitchee  or,  a  border  engrailed  of 
the  last.  Crest :  A  talbot's  head  or,  eared 
sable.  Motto:  Esse quanividcrc.  ("To be, 
rather  than  to  seem"). 

In  1650  there  were  at  least  three  dis- 
tinct branches  of  the  Sturges  family  in 
England.  The  antecedents  of  the  Con- 
necticut family  of  that  name  have  not 
been  traced.  The  progenitors  of  the 
Sturges  family  in  New  England  were 
Edward  Sturgis,  of  Yarmouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  John  Sturges,  of  Fairfield, 
Connecticut.  There  have  been  many  con- 
jectures as  to  the  relationship  between 
these  immigrants,  but  whether  or  not 
they  were  related  has  never  been  deter- 
mined. The  same  Christian  names  were 
kept  in  both  families  for  many  genera- 
tions. There  are  many  variations  in  the 
early  spelling  of  the  name,  but  this  holds 
true  of  the  spelling  of  most  family  names 
of  that  day. 

John  Sturges  was  born  1623,  in  Eng- 
land, and  came  to  Fairfield,  Connecticut, 
in  1660,  in  his  thirty-seventh  year.  His 
name  is  often  spelled  Sturge  and  Sturgee. 
He  bought  Richard  Fowles'  homestead  and 
various  other  property  from  time  to  time 
until  he  became  one  of  the  large  property 
holders  there,  was  admitted  a  freeman, 
May  14,  1669.  and  was  a  selectman  the 
same  year.  His  will,  dated  March  4,  1697, 
bequeathed  to  his  son  Jonathan  the  home- 
stead, his  sword  and  various  parcels  of 
land  ;  to  Joseph  his  fowling  piece,  long 
gun  and  land  ;  to  John  his  little  gun  ;  to  De- 
borah, wife  of  James  Redfield,  several  lots 
of  land  and  his  negro  woman  Jenny  ;  to  his 
grandson  Christopher,  son-in-law,  Rich- 
ard Stratton,  and  children  by  his  daughter 
Sarah  ;  to  daughter  Abigail,  wife  of  Simon 


86 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Couch,  his  negro  boy  Jack ;  the  remainder 
of  his  movables  to  be  divided  between  his 
daughters  Deborah  and  Abigail ;  to  his 
absent  son  Thomas.  His  home  was  on 
the  northwest  side  of  the  highway  to  Mill 
Plain.  He  married  Deborah,  daughter  of 
John  Barlow,  Puritan.  Joseph  Sturges, 
their  second  son,  was  born  1653,  ^"^  died 
May  9,  1728.  On  September  15,  1692,  one 
Mercy  Disborow  was  tried  for  witchcraft, 
and  a  manuscript  account  of  the  trial 
states  that  Joseph  Sturges  and  another 
young  man  labored  mercifully  to  press 
the  poor  woman  under  the  water  when 
she,  bound  hand  and  foot,  was  being 
tested  in  Edward's  pond,  and  "swam  like 
a  cork,"  a  sure  evidence  of  guilt.  His 
gravestone  and  that  of  his  widow  are 
among  the  oldest  in  Burial  Hill  Cemetery, 
Fairfield.     He  married  (first)  Sarah  Jud- 

son.  and  (second)  Mary .   Solomon 

Sturges,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Jud- 
son)  Sturges,  was  born  1698,  and  was 
killed  at  the  burning  of  Fairfield  by  the 
British  in  July,  1779.  He  married  Abigail 
Bradley  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
three  sons:  Hezekiah,  Joseph  and  Judson, 
all  of  whom  were  Revolutionary  soldiers. 
Hezekiah,  of  further  mention,  survived 
the  war,  but  lost  all  his  possessions  dur- 
ing the  burning  of  Fairfield  by  the  British 
in  July,  1779;  Joseph,  the  grandfather  of 
Captain  Judson  Sturges,  died  on  a  prison 
ship  in  New  York  harbor ;  Judson  was 
wounded  and  taken  aboard  a  British  ship 
on  Long  Island  Sound  and  died  there. 
Hezekiah  Sturges,  born  1725,  married 
Abigail  Dimon.  Their  daughter,  Mary 
Sturges,  born  1771,  became  the  wife 
of  Barnabas  Lothrop  Sturges,  who  was 
a  direct  descendant  of  John  and  De- 
borah (Barlow)  Sturges.  aforementioned, 
through  their  son,  Jonathan  Sturges,  born 
1650,  married  Susanna  Banks,  daughter 
of  John  Banks.  Their  son,  Peter  Sturges. 
born  1685, married  Hannah  Jennings.  Their 


son,  Samuel  Sturges,  born  1712,  married 
Ann  Burr,  daughter  of  Colonel  Andrew 
Burr.  Their  son,  Jonathan  Sturges,  born 
1740;  a  graduate  of  Yale  College;  judge  of 
the  Supreme  Court ;  a  member  of  Congress 
of  the  Confederation  of  the  United  States 
and  served  for  two  years;  in  1776  was 
elected  a  member  of  one  of  the  Upper 
Houses  of  the  State  Legislature  and 
served  until  1789,  when  he  was  again  sent 
to  Congress,  the  first  congress  of  the 
United  States ;  was  presidential  elector  in 
1797  and  in  1805;  received  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  Yale  Col- 
lege in  1806;  married  Deborah  Lewis 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  Barnabas 
Lothrop  Sturges,  aforementioned,  who 
married  Mary  Sturges.  Their  daughter, 
Abigail  Dimon  Sturges,  born  1805,  a  rep- 
resentative of  an  old  Fairfield  family,  be- 
came the  wife  of  Captain  Judson  Sturges, 
born  in  Fairfield,  Connecticut,  March  31, 
1796.  Among  their  children  was  Everett, 
of  whom  further. 

Captain  Everett  Sturges  was  born  in 
Fairfield,  Connecticut,  in  July,  1838,  and 
died  in  January,  1894.  After  completing 
the  public  school  course  in  his  native 
town,  he  went  to  sea  and  gradually 
worked  his  way  upward  until  he  became 
commander.  He  possessed  business  in- 
stinct, was  thrifty  and  prudent,  and  in 
association  with  his  brother.  Captain 
David  Judson  Sturges,  became  the  owner 
of  vessels  engaged  in  freight  traffic.  In 
1869  he  retired  from  the  sea,  and  pur- 
chased the  interest  of  William  J.  Whiting 
in  the  firm  of  Allen  &  Whiting,  of  New 
Milford,  dealers  in  dry  goods,  clothing 
and  groceries.  The  firm  name  was 
changed  to  Allen  &  Sturges,  and  Mr. 
Sturges  remained  a  member  until  1876, 
when  he  retired  from  active  business  to 
enjoy  a  well  earned  relaxation  and  free- 
dom from  business  cares.  Captain  Sturges 
was  a  radical  Republican,  and  an  earnest 


87 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


worker  in  the  ranks  of  the  party,  but  was 
never  an  aspirant  for  political  honors. 
However,  as  the  duty  of  a  good  citizen,  he 
filled  several  local  offices  in  the  town.  He 
married,  October  26,  1865,  Emeline  Perry 
Beers,  daughter  of  David  and  Mabel 
(Perry)  Beers,  and  granddaughter  of 
Levi  and  Mabel  (Gold)  Perry,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  Major  Nathan  Gold,  Hon. 
Nathan  Gould,  Onesimus  Gold  and  David 
Gold.  Captain  and  Mrs.  Sturges  were  the 
parents  of  one  child,  Everett  Judson,  of 
whom  further. 

Everett  Judson  Sturges  was  born  in 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  in  1866.  He 
was  reared  in  New  Milford,  Connecticut, 
receiving  his  primary  education  in  the 
public  schools  of  that  town.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen  years  he  laid  aside  his  formal 
studies  to  begin  a  business  career  as  sales- 
man in  a  clothing  establishment  in  South 
Norwalk.  He  has  throughout  his  life 
been  a  reader  and  student  of  men  and 
events,  and  is  among  the  best  informed 
citizens  of  the  State.  In  1885  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  New  Milford  Savings 
Bank  in  the  capacity  of  bookkeeper  and 
teller.  The  banking  business  proved  con- 
genial, and  young  Sturges  determined  to 
make  it  his  life's  work.  He  was  no  time- 
server,  but  took  an  eager  interest  in  per- 
forming his  various  tasks  to  the  best  of 
his  ability.  He  was  diligent,  observing 
and  studied  the  principles  and  details  of 
the  business.  In  1891  he  became  book- 
keeper and  teller  in  the  First  National 
Bank  of  New  Milford,  and  was  promoted 
successively  to  the  positions  of  assistant 
cashier  and  cashier.  After  thirty  years  of 
continuous  connection  with  that  bank  he 
resigned  to  become  bank  commissioner. 
On  April  i,  1915,  he  was  appointed  to  this 
office  to  complete  the  three  months  re- 
maining of  the  term  of  Fred  P.  Holt,  who 
had  resigned.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
period  Mr.  Sturges  was  appointed  for  a 


full  term  of  four  years.  Thoroughness 
and  carefulness  have  ever  characterized 
his  work,  and  these  qualities,  combined 
with  an  habitual  adherence  to  the  highest 
ethical  ideals,  gave  him  a  special  fitness 
for  the  work  in  which  he  is  engaged. 
While  actively  devoted  to  business  for  a 
long  period,  Mr.  Sturges  has  not  neglected 
the  social  side  of  life  and  those  interests 
which  tend  to  broaden  one's  sympathies 
and  usefulness.  He  is  a  past  master  of 
St.  Peter's  Lodge,  No.  21,  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  of  New  Milford ; 
a  member  of  Ousatonic  Chapter,  No.  33, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  and  is  a  member  of 
numerous  commercial  clubs.  He  has  al- 
v.ays  been  an  active  worker  in  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  his  encouragement  and 
support  can  be  counted  on  for  every 
movement  or  cause  that  will  promote  the 
common  good.  Mr.  Sturges  and  his  fam- 
ily are  identified  with  St.  Jo'nn's  Episcopal 
Church  of  New  Milford,  of  which  his  par- 
ents were  also  members. 

Mr.  Sturges  married.  September  8,  1890, 
Florence  Canfield,  daughter  of  Charles  F. 
Canfield,  of  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  who 
was  also  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  pio- 
neer settlers  of  Connecticut.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sturges  are  the  parents  of  a  daughter, 
Ethel  P. 


CUSHMAN,  Eugene  L., 

Business  Man. 

Eugene  L.  Cushman,  president  of  the 
Cushman  Chuck  Company,  is  a  worthy 
representative  of  one  of  New  England's 
oldest  and  most  illustrious  families.  It  is 
more  than  half  a  century  since  the  busi- 
ness was  established  and  its  success  has 
contributed  materially  to  the  industrial 
prosperity  of  the  city.  Eugene  L.  Cush- 
man was  born  December  9,  1854,  son  of 
Austin  F.  and  Harriet  (Fairman)  Cush- 
man. 


88 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Robert  Cushman,  the  ancestor  of  all  the 
Cushmans  in  the  United  States,  was  born 
in  England  between  the  years  1580  and 
1585.     He  was  a  Puritan,  and  a  member 


the  "Mayflower"  could  not  carry  the  en- 
tire party.  In  London,  Robert  Cushman 
acted  as  agent  of  the  Pilgrims  who  had 
emigrated  and  as  leader  of  those  who  were 


of  the  church  of  Rev.  John  Robinson,  who     compelled  to  remain  behind.    The  follow- 


emigrated  to  Holland  during  the  years 
1607  and  1608.  After  residing  in  Amster- 
dam about  a  year  they  removed  to  Ley- 
den,  where  during  the  succeeding  years 
the  congregation  grew  to  about  three 
hundred  communicants.  In  1617  Robert 
Cushman  and  Deacon  John  Carver  were 
selected  to  go  to  London  and  open  nego- 
tiations with  the  Virginia  Company  for 
liberty  to  settle  in  North  America,  and 
"to  see  if  the  King  would  give  them  liberty 
of  conscience  there."  The  history  of  those 
negotiations  is  familiar  to  all.  They  found 
their  mission  a  difficult  one :  but  after 
great  procrastination  and  long  and  tedi- 
ous negotiation,  a  patent  was  finally  ob- 
tained by  which  they  were  permitted  to 
settle  in  America.  .\s  it  finally  turned 
out,  this  patent  was  never  used ;  but  the 
Pilgrims  were  determined  to  emigrate  to 
America.  Friends  finally  supplied  the 
financial  aid  necessary.  Deacon  Carver 
and  Robert  Cushman  were  sent  to  Eng- 
land to  receive  the  money  and  provide  for 
the  voyage.  Again  the  delays  were  many 
and  vexatious.  The  "Speedwell'  was  ob- 
tained in  Holland,  a  ship,  of  only  sixty 


ing  year  Robert  Cushman  secured  the 
"Fortune,"  a  small  vessel  of  fifty-five  tons, 
and  a  party  of  thirty-six,  including  the 
Cushmans,  set  sail  for  America,  arriv- 
ing of?  Cape  Cod,  November  g,  1621. 
Robert  Cushman  remained  in  the  colony 
only  about  a  month,  it  being  necessary 
for  him  to  return  to  England  to  look  after 
business  affairs  of  the  colony.  He  was 
allotted  an  acre  of  land  in  the  first  allot- 
ment which  was  made  in  1623,  but  at  that 
time  was  in  England  and  was  destined 
not  to  return  to  America.  In  1623,  in  con- 
nection with  Edward  Winslow,  Robert 
Cushman  negotiated  the  charter  for  the 
settlement  of  what  is  now  Gloucester, 
Massachusetts.  Robert  Cushman  died  in 
January  or  February,  1625.  He  "was  one 
of  the  most  distinguished  characters 
among  the  collection  of  worthies  who 
quitted  England  on  account  of  their  re- 
ligious difficulties."  "He  was  one  of  the 
first  movers  and  main  instruments  of  the 
Puritan  dissent  of  England,  their  pil- 
grimage to  Holland,  and  their  final  set- 
tlement in  America,"  and  history  has 
given  him  a  high  place  among  the  leaders 


tons,    smaller    than    the    average    fishing     of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers. 


smack  that  goes  to  the  Grand  Bank.  In 
the  meantime,  Robert  Cushman  had  hired 
in  London  a  larger  vessel,  the  "May- 
flower," of  about  one  hundred  and  eighty 
tons,  and  had  sent  her  to  Southampton  to 
meet  his  comrades  from  Holland.  When 
the  two  vessels  sailed  from  Southampton 
on  August  5,  1620,  Robert  Cushman  and 
his  family  were  among  the  passengers, 
but  when  it  was  decided  that  the  "Speed- 
well" should  be  abandoned,  the  Cush- 
mans, greatly  disappointed,  were  among 
the  number  returned  to  London  because 


Elder  Thomas  Cushman,  born  in  Eng- 
land in  February,  1608,  accompanied  his 
father  to  America.  He  was  left  in  the 
care  of  Governor  Bradford  when  his 
father  returned  to  England.  On  January 
I,  1633,  Thomas  Cushman  was  admitted 
to  the  freedom  of  the  society.  He  served 
as  juryman  in  1635,  and  in  that  year,  or 
1636,  he  married  Mary,  the  third  child  of 
Isaac  Allerton,  who  came  in  the  "May- 
flower." In  1637  he  received  a  grant  of 
land,  and  later  he  removed  to  what  is  now 
Kingston,  where  he  spent  the  remainder 


89 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  his  life.  In  1645  he  purchased  Prince's 
farm.  In  1649  he  was  appointed  ruling 
elder  of  the  church  at  Plymouth,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  office  until  his  death.  He 
was  the  principal  witness  to  Governor 
Bradford's  will,  and  inventoried  his  estate. 
Thomas  Cushman  died  December  10  or 
II,  1691.  From  the  records  of  the  First 
Church  at  Plymouth  the  following  quota- 
tion is  made:  "*  *  *  he  was  grave, 
sober,  holy  and  temperate,  very  studious 
and  solicitous  for  the  peace  and  prosperity 
of  the  church  and  to  prevent  and  heale  all 
breaches."  He  left  quite  an  estate  for 
those  days,  indicating  that  he  was  pros- 
perous and  thrifty.  After  the  dismissal  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Rayner,  in  1654,  and  until  the 


Austin  F.  Cushman,  son  of  William 
Cushman,  was  born  June  18.  1830,  in  Bel- 
chertown,  and  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  his  native  town. 
When  a  young  man  he  went  to  Stafford, 
I'olland  county,  Connecticut,  where,  in 
1850,  he  married  Harriet  Fairman,  of  that 
place.  He  learned  the  trade  of  carriage 
maker,  and  soon  changed  from  that  to 
the  occupation  of  pattern  maker,  as  he 
was  of  a  mechanical  turn  of  mind.  With 
his  wife  he  came  to  Hartford,  in  1859,  and 
in  1862  started  in  business  for  himself  in 
a  small  way,  having  no  one  in  business 
but  himself.  After  the  troubles  incident 
to  the  launching  of  a  new  enterprise  in  a 
practically  strange  city,  the  business  be- 


settlement   of   Rev,   Mr.   Cotton   in   1757,     gan  to  prosper,  and  in  1885  it  was  incor- 


he  conducted  the  religious  services  twice 
on  every  Sunday,  and  during  that  time 
was  the  only  preacher  the  church  had. 
He  was  a  participant  in  the  making  of 
the  first  treaty  with  Alassachusetts  and 
Samoset.  Alary  Allerton,  his  wife,  was 
about  eleven  years  of  age  when  she  came 
over  in  the  "Mayflower."  She  was  the 
last  survivor  of  that  Pilgrim  band,  dying 
seven  or  eight  years  after  her  husband,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety.  They  reared 
a  family  of  seven  children,  all  of  whom 
married.  Their  son,  Eleazer  Cushman, 
born  February  20,  1657,  married,  January 
12,  1688.  Elizabeth  Combes,  and  lived  in 
Plympton,  Massachusetts.  Their  son, 
William  Cushman,  was  born  October  27, 
1710,  in  Plymouth,  lived  in  Mansfield, 
Connecticut,  and  died  at  Willington,  same 
State,  December  27,  1777.  He  married 
Abigail  Lee,  born  April  9,  1713,  died  1803. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children. 
Their  son,  William  Cushman,  born  June 
24,  1738,  lived  in  Stafford,  Connecticut, 
and  died  in  1820.  His  son,  William  Cush- 
man, was  born  in  Stafford,  but  later  be- 
came a  resident  of  Belchertown,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  followed  the  trade  of 
carriage  maker. 


porated  as  the  Cushman  Chuck  Company. 
In  1870  his  son,  Eugene  L.  Cushman,  was 
taken  into  the  business.  The  first  loca- 
tion was  in  the  old  O.  D.  Case  Building 
on  Trumbull  street.  It  was  later  moved 
to  the  Howard  Building  on  Asylum  street, 
and  the  building  on  Cushman  street  was 
erected  in  1872,  the  street  being  named 
after  the  firm.  In  January,  1915,  they 
purchased  the  plant  formerly  owned  by 
the  L^niversal  Machine  Screw  Company, 
which  covers  about  seventy-five  thousand 
square  feet  of  land.  They  handle  on  an 
average  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  people, 
and  their  product  is  sold  all  over  the 
world.  Mr.  Cushman  was  also  an  in- 
ventor and  took  out  many  patents.  About 
fifteen  years  prior  to  his  decease,  Mr. 
Cushman's  eyes  began  to  fail,  and  from 
that  time  he  was  practically  blind,  so  that 
while  he  was  still  interested  in  the  busi- 
ness he  was  unable  to  give  his  personal 
attention  to  most  of  the  details.  In  politi- 
cal principle  he  was  a  Republican.  Mr. 
Cushman  died  of  troubles  incident  to  old 
age,  November  29,  1914,  at  St.  Francis' 
Hospital,  where  he  had  been  confined  sev- 
eral months.  He  was  eighty-four  years 
of  age,  and  left  a  wife  and  son. 


90 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Eugene  L.  Cushman  was  reared  in  Hart- 
ford and  received  his  education  in  the  pub- 
he  schools  of  that  city.  In  1870  he  be- 
came associated  with  his  father  in  busi- 
ness, which  he  learned  in  a  practical  way, 
in  both  the  shop  and  office.  He  is  a  direc- 
tor of  the  American  Industrial  Trust  & 
Banking  Company;  treasurer  and  direc- 
tor of  the  Cushman  Music  Shop,  and  a 
member  of  Charter  Oak  Lodge,  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  City 
Club  of  Hartford.  While  a  Republican  in 
politics,  he  has  neither  sought  nor  held 
office.  At  one  time  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Governor's  Foot  Guard.  He  married, 
1S82,  Mary,  daughter  of  Robert  and  Ann 
Wilson.  They  are  the  parents  of  two 
sons:  I.  Arthur  E.,  born  November  4, 
1885,  is  president  of  the  Cushman  Music 
Shop;  a  director  in  the  Cushman  Chuck 
Company,  Cushman  Music  Shop ;  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Club,  the  Rotary  Club  and 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks;  he  married,  1909,  Mary  Bradley,  of 
Baltimore,  and  they  have  three  children : 
Henry  Bradley,  born  1910;  Eugene  L., 
born  1914;  Arthur  Bernard,  born  1915. 
2.  Richard,  born  October  9,  1888;  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Hart- 
ford and  a  private  school  in  New  York 
City,  on  completing  his  education  he 
started  to  learn  the  chuck  business  in  the 
Cushman  Chuck  Company's  plant,  where 
he  worked  in  the  shipping  room,  factory 
and  office  ;  he  was  made  treasurer  in  1913  : 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Hartford  Golf  Club, 
City  Club  of  Hartford ;  associate  member 
of  Troop  B,  and  a  director  of  Cushman 
Chuck  Company;  he  married  Louise, 
daughter  of  Henry  James  Cogswell,  of 
Hartford ;    she  was  born  there. 


SWETT,  Paul  Plummer,  M.  D., 

Orthopedic  Surgeon. 

From  time  immemorial  the  professions 
have  appealed  to  the  cultured  instincts  of 


the  descendants  of  John  Swett,  the  Amer- 
ican ancestor  of  Paul  Plummer  Swett,  M. 
D.,  orthopedic  surgeon  of  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut. John  Swett  was  one  of  the  nine- 
ty-one grantees  of  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1642.  The  line  of  descent  is 
through  the  founder's  son,  Benjamin,  his 
son  John,  his  son  Joseph,  his  son  Samuel, 
Harvard,  1800;  his  son.  Dr.  John  B. ;  his 
son  Samuel ;  his  son.  Rev.  Josiah ;  his 
son.  Dr.  Josiah ;  his  son.  Dr.  Paul  Plum- 
mer Swett,  of  the  tenth  American  genera- 
tion. The  family  is  of  English  origin,  and 
bore  arms :  Gules,  two  chevrons  between 
as  many  mullets  in  chief  and  a  rose  in 
base  argent,  seeded  or  and  barbed  vert. 
Crest :  A  mullet  or,  pierced  azure  between 
two  gilly  flowers  proper. 

Rev.  Josiah  Swett,  D.  D.,  was  an  emi- 
nent minister  of  the  Gospel,  a  man  of 
high  intellectual  attainment,  the  author  of 
many  books,  and  at  one  time  acting  presi- 
dent of  Norwich  University.  He  was  pas- 
tor over  several  Vermont  churches  during 
his  earlier  career,  and  at  the  time  of  the 
birth  of  his  son.  Dr.  Josiah  Swett,  was 
located  at  Bethel.  He  also  taught  private 
schools  at  some  of  the  towns  in  which  he 
was  stationed  and  prepared  young  men 
for  college. 

Dr.  Josiah  Swett  was  born  in  Bethel, 
Vermont,  died  in  New  Hartford,  Connec- 
ticut, January  13,  1916.  He  prepared  for 
the  medical  profession  at  the  University 
of  Vermont  whence  he  was  graduated  M. 
D.,  class  of  1877,  also  did  post-graduate 
work  in  Bellevue  Hospital,  New  York, 
and  for  a  time  practiced  in  that  city.  He 
then  located  at  Granville,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  practiced  successfully  ten  years 
prior  to  his  coming  to  New  Hartford, 
where  he  continued  until  his  death.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Hampden  County, 
Connecticut  State  and  American  Medical 
associations,  and  was  highly  regarded  as 
a  physician  of  skill  and  honor.  He  was  a 
Democrat  in  politics,  and  while  in  Gran- 


91 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ville  was  clerk  of  the  town  and  filled  other 
offices.  He  married  Bertha  Huddleston, 
born   in   Granby,   Connecticut. 

Dr.  Paul  Plummer  Swett,  son  of  Dr. 
Josiah  and  Bertha  (Huddleston)  Swett, 
was  born  at  Granville,  Massachusetts,  Au- 
gust 23,  1882,  and  there  attended  public 
school  until  the  removal  to  New  Hartford, 
where  his  studies  were  resumed.  He 
finished  preparation  in  the  Gilbert  School, 
Winsted,  Connecticut,  then  entered  Belle- 
vue  Hospital  Medical  College,  New  York 
City.  He  received  his  M.  D.  from  Belle- 
vue,  class  of  1904,  having  during  his 
course  served  a  term  of  six  months  as 
interne  in  Hartford  Hospital.  After  be- 
ing awarded  his  degree,  Dr.  Swett  prac- 
ticed for  a  year  with  his  honored  father 
in  New  Hartford,  after  which  until  1910 
he  was  associated  as  assistant  with  Dr. 
Ansel  G.  Cook,  of  Hartford.  In  1910  he 
began  practice  alone  in  Hartford  and  has 
advanced  to  honorable  position  among 
the  professional  men  of  the  city.  He  has 
specialized  on  children's  deformities  and 
since  1909  has  been  orthopedic  surgeon  to 
the  Hartford  Hospital,  is  orthopedic  sur- 
geon to  the  Hartford  Dispensary  and  con- 
sulting surgeon  to  the  New  Britain  Gen- 
eral Hospital.  His  standing  is  high  in 
this  branch  of  surgical  practice,  and  upon 
the  organization  of  the  American  College 
of  Surgeons  in  1914  he  was  elected  a  fel- 
low. He  is  a  member  of  the  Hartford 
City.  Hartford  County,  Connecticut  State 
and  American  Medical  associations,  mem- 
ber of  the  Eastern  States  Orthopedic 
Club,  and  in  all  takes  an  active  interest. 
He  has  won  the  respect  and  regard  of  the 
members  of  his  profession,  is  called  fre- 
quently in  consultation  and  is  one  of  the 
rising  young  surgeons  of  the  State.  His 
fraternity  is  Upsilon  Phi ;   his  clubs,  the 


Anna  Howard  Poole,  daughter  of  George 
Poole.  They  are  the  parents  of  three  sons, 
Paul  Plummer  (2),  Josiah  Dodge  and 
Norris    Poole   Swett. 


JACKSON,  Thomas  Francis, 

Business  Man,   Public   Official. 

Thomas  Francis  Jackson,  a  prominent 
business  man  of  Waterbury,  born  in 
Waterbury,  Connecticut,  September  29, 
1858,  is  of  Irish  ancestry.  The  earliest 
ancestors  of  which  there  is  record  came 
to  the  North  of  Ireland  from  Dumfries, 
Scotland,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eight- 
eenth century.  His  paternal  grandfather 
was  Timothy  Jackson,  who  married  Cath- 
erine Curry,  and  they  were  the  parents 
of  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  now 
deceased.  Among  their  children  was 
Charles  Jackson,  father  of  Thomas  F. 
Jackson,  who  was  born  near  Tipperary, 
Ireland,  October  17,  1835.  His  parents 
died  when  he  was  a  mere  youth  and  he 
was  but  sixteen  years  of  age  when  he 
emigrated  to  the  United  States.  His  first 
home  in  the  new  land  was  in  the  city  of 
Albany,  New  York,  where  he  learned  the 
trade  of  stone  cutting  and  carving,  and 
later  continued  his  apprenticeship  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  in  which  city  he  at- 
tended the  Evening  School  of  Art  at  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  and  several  capi- 
tals in  the  present  Senate  room  of  the 
capitol  were  carved  by  him.  In  1857  he 
took  up  his  residence  in  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, and  there,  in  1859,  established 
the  business  that  has  been  enlarged  and 
continued  by  his  son  down  to  the  present 
time.  He  married,  August  17,  1857,  Brid- 
get Walsh,  a  native  of  Ireland  and  one  of 
the  eight  children  of  Michael  and  Alice 
(Hennessy)  Walsh,  of  Ireland.  Mrs. 
Harvard  Golf  and  Twentieth  Century ;  his  Jackson  is  residing  in  Hartford,  Connec- 
church,  Trinity  Episcopal.  ticut,  at  the  present  time,  aged  eighty-five 

Dr.    Swett    married,    October    3,    1906,      years.     To  Charles  and  Bridget  (Walsh) 

92 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Jackson  were  born  eight  children,  six  of 
whom  are  as  follows :  Thomas  Francis, 
of  whom  further ;  Joseph  A.,  an  architect 
in  New  York  City ;  Jerome  A.,  engaged  in 
a  stone  contracting  business  in  New  York 
City;  Charles  A.,  who  conducts  a  stone 
business  in  W'aterbury,  Connecticut ;  Wil- 
liam H.,  a  graduate  of  the  Yale  Law 
School  and  now  in  the  publishing  busi- 
ness in  New  York  City ;  and  Frederick 
S.,  graduated  in  the  academic  course  at 
Yale  University  with  the  class  of  1896, 
and  from  Yale  Law  School  in  1899,  and 
now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  New  York  City. 

Thomas  Francis  Jackson  passed  the 
years  of  his  life  in  his  native  city,  attend- 
ing the  local  schools,  including  the  high 
school.  He  abandoned  his  studies,  how- 
ever, when  he  was  but  fifteen  years  old 
and  began  work  in  his  father's  stone  cut- 
ting establishment,  where  he  learned  the 
trade.  He  managed  the  business  of  the 
Plymouth  Granite  Company  at  Thomas- 
ton,  Connecticut,  until  the  year  1887  and 
then,  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  partner  in  the  business  which 
was  then  conducted  under  the  name  of 
Charles  Jackson  &  Son.  Mr.  Jackson  at 
once  entered  with  energy  into  the  conduct 
of  affairs,  and  the  name  of  the  business 
was  changed  in  1901,  when  he  became  the 
sole  owner,  to  Thomas  F.  Jackson.  The 
concern  has  enjoyed  a  steady  increase  in 
size  and  importance  and  gradually  in- 
cluded all  kinds  of  stone  contracting 
work,  exterior  and  interior  construction, 
slate  and  tiling  work.  The  business  at 
length  became  of  such  size  that  in  1912 
Mr.  Jackson  incorporated  it  and  it  now 
bears  the  name  of  the  Thomas  F.  Jackson 
Company,  with  offices  in  the  Lilley  Build- 
ing, No.  Ill  West  Main  street,  Water- 
bury,  and  extensive  works  at  Nos.  215  to 
271  South  Leonard  street.  But  the  promi- 
nence that  Mr.  Jackson  holds  in  the  busi- 


ness world  of  Waterbury  does  not  depend 
alone  upon  his  connection  with  this  con- 
cern. He  has  become  associated  with  a 
number  of  the  most  important  financial 
institutions  in  the  neighborhood  and  is 
now  a  director  in  the  Citizens'  National 
Bank  and  the  West  Side  Savings  Bank  of 
Waterbury.  He  has  been  a  director  of 
St.  Mary's  Hospital  since  its  organization. 

Air.  Jackson"s  influence  is  not  confined 
to  the  realm  of  business  and  finance,  how- 
ever, and  he  is  a  well  known  figure  in 
many  other  departments  of  the  city's 
life.  His  service  in  the  conduct  of  public 
affairs,  for  instance,  has  been  consider- 
able and  he  has  held  several  appointive 
positions  in  W'aterbury.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Public  Works  during 
the  administration  of  Mayor  Elton,  and 
on  Mayor  Hotchkiss  taking  office  he  was 
appointed  to  the  Board  of  Finance  and 
has  continued  on  that  board  with  Alayors 
Reeves  and  Scully.  In  the  social  world 
Mr.  Jackson  is  a  member  of  the  Water- 
bury and  Country  clubs.  The  faith  of  Mr. 
Jackson  is  that  of  the  Catholic  church 
and  he  attends  St.  Margaret's  Church, 
Waterbury. 

Mr.  Jackson  married,  June  9,  1885,  Alary 
Elizabeth  Balfe,  of  Waterbury,  a  daughter 
of  Alichael  A.  and  Catherine  (Gallagher) 
Balfe,  both  deceased.  Airs.  Jackson  died 
December  29,  1909,  at  the  age  of  forty-six 
years,  after  having  borne  her  husband  six 
children,  as  follows:  i.  Charles  Balfe,  a 
graduate  of  Yale  University  in  1907,  and 
now  vice-president  and  assistant  treasurer 
of  the  Thomas  F.  Jackson  Company.  2. 
Andrew  Jerome,  attended  the  Sheffield 
Scientific  School  at  Yale  University,  and 
now  secretary  and  superintendent  of  the 
Thomas  F.  Jackson  Company.  3.  Kath- 
arine Alice,  a  graduate  of  Trinity  College, 
\\'ashington,  D.  C,  in  1915.  4.  Cecelia 
Elizabeth,  now  a  student  at  Trinity  Col- 
lege, Washington,  D.  C,  class  of  1918.    5. 


93 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Wilfrid  Anthony,  now  a  student  in  the 
Crosby  High  School  at  Waterbury.  6. 
Pauline  Agnes,  now  at  the  Convent  of 
Notre  Dame. 


GUILFOILE,  Joseph  Clement, 
Lawyer. 

There  is  always  something  of  interest 
in  the  phenomenon  of  a  family  in  which, 
from  generation  to  generation,  there  is 
handed  down  certain  virtues  and  abilities, 
so  that  the  qualities  that  distinguish  the 
father  reappear  in  the  sons  and  but  few  of 
its  members  do  not  win  places  for  them- 
selves in  the  community.  It  is  interesting 
for  one  reason  because  it  throws  so  much 
light  upon  the  reasons  that  must  have 
induced  our  ancestors  to  establish  and 
perpetuate  some  of  the  institutions  of 
aristocracy  such  as  the  descent  of  titles 
and  estates,  believing  as  they  felt  they 
had  good  reason  to  that  the  chief's 
son  would  inherit  the  strength  and 
talent  of  the  chief.  But  although  it  was 
doubtless  from  some  such  cause  as  this 
that  these  institutions  arose,  it  is  only  in 
the  midst  of  a  democracy  that  the  thing 
may  be  seen  to  the  best  advantage,  when 
men  of  talent,  without  respect  to  what 
their  ancestors  may  have  been,  rise  to  just 
the  height  that  their  abilities  warrant 
and  no  more.  A  better  example  of  such  a 
family  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  than 
that  furnished  by  the  Guilfoiles  of  Mount- 
rath,  Ireland,  and  Waterbury.  Connecticut. 
The  beginning  of  this  capable  line  of  men 
was  in  that  charming  district  of  "Erin" 
to  the  southeast  of  the  Slieve  Bloom 
Mountains  in  Queens  county.  Here 
Mountrath  lies  and  here  during  the  first 
half  of  the  nineteenth  century  William 
Guilfoile  lived  and  prospered.  He  was 
engaged  in  farming  and  was  sufficiently 
enterprising  to  undertake  the  marketing 
of  his  fellow  farmers'  produce  as  well  as 


his  own  and  in  course  of  time  built  up  a 
large  commission  business.  It  was  in  the 
person  of  his  son,  Michael  Guilfoile,  that 
the  family  found  its  way  to  the  "New 
World"  and  the  United  States. 

Michael  Guilfoile,  the  father  of  Joseph 
Clement  Guilfoile,  with  whose  career  this 
sketch  is  chiefly  concerned,  was  born  at 
Mountrath  about  the  year  1840  and  re- 
ceived the  training  of  the  average  boy  of 
the  better  class  whose  father  is  possessed 
of  means.  There  was  one  factor  in  his 
training,  however,  that  was  not  enjoyed  by 
most  of  his  comrades  and  that  was  the 
experience  gained  by  him  while  still  a 
mere  youth  in  his  father's  commission 
brokerage  house  which  stood  him  in  good 
stead  when  a  few  years  later  he  left  the 
parental  roof  and  sought  his  fortune  in 
the  great  republic  across  the  sea.  Mr. 
Guilfoile,  Sr.,  was  two  and  twenty  years 
of  age  when  he  took  his  momentous  step 
in  1862,  a  step  which  he  never  had  cause 
to  regret.  He  came  at  once  to  the  State 
of  Connecticut  and  made  his  way  first  to 
Norwalk,  from  there  to  Hartford  and 
finally  to  Waterbury,  which  became  his 
permanent  home  thenceforth.  He  had 
found  employment  in  a  woolen  house  in 
Norwalk  and  in  the  great  plant  of  the 
Colt  people  in  Hartford.  His  arrival  in 
Waterbury,  however,  was  marked  by  his 
engaging  in  business  on  his  own  account, 
a  business  for  which  his  training  in  his 
native  land  had  well  prepared  him.  This 
was  in  the  line  of  beef  and  provisions  in 
which  he  was  highly  successful  and  in 
which  he  continued  until  about  191 5  when 
he  withdrew  altogether  from  active  life. 
His  wife,  Kate  (Lawlor)  Guilfoile,  was  like 
himself  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  in  that 
country  in  1847.  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Peter  and  Mary  (Little)  Lawlor.  and  with 
them  came  to  this  country  in  1848,  when 
but  a  year  old.  Her  father  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  woolen  goods  in  Water- 


94 


^^Jlf^yjLoo 


Ipubj:  -ID 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


bury  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  here 
and  was  highly  successful.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Guilfoile  eleven  children  were  born, 
and  of  this  large  family  eight  are  now 
alive  as  follows  :  Francis  Patrick,  a  sketch 
of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work ; 
Louis  Peter,  now  a  resident  of  Dayton, 
Ohio ;  Mary  Frances  and  Sarah  Louise, 
who  reside  in  Waterbury;  Margaret  Ce- 
celia, now  Sister  Mary  Catherine,  in  con- 
vent at  Providence,  Rhode  Island;  Ger- 
trude, now  Mrs.  McEvoy ;  Joseph  Clem- 
ent, the  subject  of  this  sketch  ;  and  Vin- 
cent G. 

Joseph  Clement  Guilfoile,  son  of  Michael 
and  Kate  (Lawlor)  Guilfoile,  was  born 
November  22,  1885,  at  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, where  with  the  exception  of  brief 
periods  spent  away  at  various  institutions 
of  learning,  he  has  made  his  home  ever 
since.  For  the  early  portion  of  his  edu- 
cation he  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Waterbury  and  he  then  matriculated  at 
St.  Louis  College  in  Montreal,  Canada, 
where  he  graduated  with  the  class  of  1907. 
It  had  been  Mr.  Guilfoile's  intention  to 
follow  the  law  as  a  profession  and  in  pur- 
suance of  this  purpose  he  entered  the  law 
school  in  connection  with  Georgetown 
L^niversity,  Washington,  D.  C.  In  1910 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  District 
of  Columbia.  He  graduated  from  the  uni- 
versity in  191 1,  passed  his  bar  examina- 
tions and  was  admitted  to  the  Connecti- 
cut bar  in  the  same  year.  He  now  has  a 
law  office  in  the  Guilfoile  Building,  Water- 
bury, and  has,  in  spite  of  his  youth,  al- 
ready established  a  practice  to  say  nothing 
of  a  reputation  as  one  of  the  most  capable 
of  the  rising  young  lawyers  in  that  city. 
In  religious  faith  Mr.  Guilfoile  is,  like  his 
ancestors  before  him,  a  Catholic.  He  at- 
tends the  Church  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment in  Waterbury  and  is  an  active 
worker  for  the  advancement  of  the  in- 
terests of  the  parish.     He  is  a  member  of 


the  Order  of  Eagles  and  the  Order  of 
Moose  and  is  prominent  in  the  social  life 
of  the  city  generally. 

On  April  15,  1915,  in  New  York  City, 
Mr.  Guilfoile  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Louise  Peloso,  a  native  of  that  city,  born 
August  5,  1892,  a  daughter  of  Dominick 
and  Mary  (Leroy)  Peloso,  both  natives 
of  Italy.  Mr.  Peloso  is  a  successful  con- 
tractor in  New  York. 


BOBBIN,  Edward  Gregory, 

La^pyer. 

A  member  of  the  Connecticut  bar  since 
1907,  coming  to  Waterbury  from  his  na- 
tive State,  Pennsylvania,  Mr.  Bobbin  has 
won  honorable  standing  as  a  lawyer,  firm- 
ly established  himself  as  a  citizen  and 
formed  many  warm  friendships.  He  is  of 
Polish  parentage,  his  father,  John  J.  Bob- 
bin, having  come  to  the  United  States 
from  that  far-away  land,  a  youth  of 
eighteen  years,  unaccompanied  and  friend- 
less, trusting  to  his  own  powers  of  body 
and  mind  to  win  a  livelihood.  That  he 
did  not  overrate  his  own  abilities  nor  the 
opportunities  America  offers  to  the  in- 
telligent worthy  emigrant,  the  result  has 
amply  proved.  The  friendless  boy  of 
eighteen  is  now  the  honored  prosperous 
banker  and  merchant,  the  extensive  land- 
owner, the  trusted  bank  director  and 
prominent  citizen  of  the  town  of  Shenan- 
doah, Pennsylvania,  his  seven  children 
young  men  and  women  of  education  and 
good  standing  in  their  communities. 

On  coming  to  the  United  States,  John 
J.  Bobbin  went  to  the  coal  mines  at  Ma- 
hanoy  Plane,  Schuylkill  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  worked  as  a  miner  for 
several  years.  He  was  both  industrious 
and  thrifty,  careful  in  his  expenditures, 
ambitious  to  rise  and  willing  to  make  any 
personal  sacrifice  in  order  to  sooner  reach 
his  goal.     In  course  of  time  he  accumu- 


95 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


lated  sufficient  capital  to  engage  in  mer- 
cantile business,  his  first  venture  being 
made  at  Shenandoah,  Schuylkill  county, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  had  moved  some 
time  before.  Plis  first  start  as  a  grocer 
was  a  modest  but  successful  one  and  as 
business  increased  he  enlarged  his  quar- 
ters and  extended  his  lines.  The  years 
brought  richly  deserved  and  earned  pros- 
perity and  to-day  he  is  one  of  the  honored 
men  of  Shenandoah,  still  in  business  as  a 
banker  and  grocer  but  with  other  large 
interests.  He  brought  to  the  United 
States  all  the  foreigners'  love  of  land 
ownership  and  in  the  investment  of  sur- 
plus revenue  always  sought  out  a  piece  of 
land  to  purchase,  in  that  way  finally  ac- 
quiring a  large  real  estate  holding.  He  is 
also  a  stockholder  and  a  director  of  the 
Merchant's  National  Bank  of  Shenandoah, 
is  interested  in  civic  afYairs  and  one  of  the 
public-spirited  men  of  his  town. 

John  J.  Bobbin  married  Mary  Jane 
Janasky,  born  in  Shamokin,  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  to  them  nine  children  have  been 
born :  Edward  Gregory,  of  further  men- 
tion ;  Blanche  B.,  wife  of  Maximilian  J. 
Spotanski,  a  druggist,  residing  in  Nanti- 
coke,  Pennsylvania;  Adolph  C,  a  hard- 
ware merchant,  located  at  New  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania  ;  Clara  M.,  wife  of  An- 
thony Rogers,  a  bank  cashier  of  Shenan- 
doah;  Isabel  H.,  residing  at  home;  Clay- 
ton, deceased ;  Raymond  D.,  a  student  at 
Lehigh  University ;  Alberta,  deceased ; 
Mary  V.,  residing  at  home. 

Edward  Gregory  Bobbin,  eldest  son  of 
John  J.  and  Mary  Jane  (Janasky)  Bobbin, 
was  born  at  Shenandoah,  Schuylkill  coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania,  March  12,  1882.  He 
passed  through  all  grades  of  the  Shenan- 
doah public  schools  and  after  graduation 
from  high  school,  class  of  1899,  entered 
the  famous  Wyoming  Valley  institution 
of  learning  at  Kingston,  Wyoming  Semi- 
nary, there  completing  his  classical  studies 


and  graduating,  class  of  1901.  He  had 
now  arrived  at  that  critical  point  in  a 
young  man's  life  when  he  must  decide 
upon  a  career.  He  was  then  nineteen 
years  of  age,  and  had  he  elected  a  busi- 
ness career  could  have  at  once  associated 
with  his  honored  father  in  his  prosperous 
mercantile  enterprise.  But  the  }'Oung  man 
decided  upon  a  professional  career,  choos- 
ing the  law.  He  entered  the  law  depart- 
ment of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
at  Philadelphia,  there  pursued  a  full 
course  and  was  graduated  LL.  B.,  class 
of  1906.  He  spent  nine  months  in  Phila- 
delphia after  graduation,  during  which 
time  he  was  employed  by  the  city  of  Phil- 
adelphia doing  special  investigating  for 
one  of  the  important  departments  in  the 
city  government.  In  August,  1907,  he 
located  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  where 
he  has  practiced  without  a  partner  and 
most  successfully  until  the  present  time. 
Mr.  Bobbin  is  a  member  of  the  New 
Haven  County  and  Connecticut  State  Bar 
associations,  is  a  past  grand  knight  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus,  member  of  the  Be- 
iievolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and 
the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  He  is  a 
member  of  St.  Thomas'  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  belonging  to  the  Holy  Name  So- 
ciety. He  is  also  a  member  of  a  number 
of  church  and  beneficial  societies  through- 
cut  the  city. 

Air.  Bobbin  married,  in  Waterbury, 
April  25,  191 1,  Mary  Cruse  Fay,  born  in 
Waterbury,  a  graduate  of  the  Convent  of 
Notre  Dame,  daughter  of  the  late  John  S. 
Fay,  who  was  a  prosperous  tea  merchant 
in  this  city,  and  his  wife,  Catherine  Louise 
(Cruse)  Fay.  John  S.  Fay  was  born  in 
Pawling,  New  York.,  while  Mrs.  Fay  was 
born  in  New  York  City.  Mrs.  Fay  now 
resides  in  Waterbtiry. 

Air.  Bobbin  is  highly  regarded  in  his 
adopted  city,  his  business  as  a  lawyer  at- 
testing  the    approval    of    the    public    he 


96 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


serves.  If  the  progress  made  in  the  few 
years  he  has  practiced  at  the  Connecticut 
bar  is  indicative  of  his  future,  coming 
years  have  in  store  for  him  nothing  but 
success.  Temperamentally  he  is  well 
fitted  for  the  profession  he  has  chosen, 
while  his  manly  personality  assures  him  a 
wide  circle  of  friends. 


SMITH,  Rev.  Terence  Bernard, 

Clergyman. 

It  is  a  mistaken  corollary  from  the 
great  and  true  proposition  that  the  world 
is  growing  more  virtuous,  to  suppose  that 
therefore  of  any  two  epochs  the  later 
must  be  the  better.  It  is  true  that  we  are 
moving,  however  slowly,  towards  what 
we  believe  shall  prove  to  be  the  Millen- 
nium, but  we  move  as  do  the  waves  of  the 
sea  and  trough  must  follow  crest  as  well 
as  the  contrary.  It  would  probably  be  a 
difficult  matter,  however,  to  persuade 
anyone  that  the  present  time  occupies 
any  such  ignominious  position  as  that  of 
trough  between  two  crests  of  develop- 
ment, and  doubtless  most  men  would 
point  indignantly  to  the  marvelous  m,e- 
chanical  achievements  of  to-day  and  ask 
when  the  world  has  approached  them  in 
the  past.  But  there  are  other  and  surer 
ways  of  judging  of  the  worth  of  a  period 
than  by  its  mechanical  inventions,  nota- 
bly by  the  amount  of  religious  enthusi- 
asm existing,  and  it  is  a  fact  that  to  call  a 
period  in  history  at  once  the  "Dark  Ages" 
and  the  "Ages  of  Faith"  is  a  contradiction 
in  terms.  That  to-day  there  is  less  of  re- 
ligious belief  than  in  the  times  that  have 
preceded  it  is  hardly  susceptible  of  denial 
and  this,  according  to  the  above  criterion, 
marks  it  as  in  some  degree  a  retrogres- 
sion. To  carry  us  through  such  times  of 
disbelief,  however,  there  are  several  great 
factors  to  which  men  of  more  faithful  in- 
stincts may  turn  for  support  and  refuge. 

Conn— J~7  y/ 


One  of  the  greatest  of  these  is  undeniably 
the  Roman  Catholic  church,  in  the  shelter 
of  whose  institutions  so  many  find  secur- 
ity. It  is  among  the  priests  and  more  de- 
voted members  of  the  church  that  we 
shall  still  find  something  that  approxi- 
mates the  simple  faith  of  those  old  times, 
a  faith  which  approached  the  moving  of 
mountains.  Typical  of  those  who  thus 
seem  to  perpetuate  in  their  own  persons 
the  splendid  tradition  of  the  past  is  Father 
Terence  Bernard  Smith,  rector  of  the 
Church  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in 
Waterbury,  Connecticut,  he  having  estab- 
lished and  built  up  the  parish  to  its  pres- 
ent size  and  importance  and  made  it  the 
factor  that  it  is  in  the  religious  life  of  the 
community.  Father  Smith  comes  of  a 
family  such  as  he  might  have  been  ex- 
pected to  have  been  a  scion  of,  his  fore- 
bears having  been  members  of  the  simple, 
yet  capable  Irish  country  folk.  County 
Cavan,  Ireland,  was  their  home  from  the 
time  that  the  records  of  them  extend,  and 
although  Father  Smith  was  himself  born 
in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  he  inherits 
the  simple,  sterling  qualities  of  his  ances- 
try. 

County  Cavan  during  the  early  part  of 
the  past  century  was  the  home  of  Terence 
Smith,  the  grandfather  of  Father  Smith, 
who  was  himself  a  man  of  parts  and  a 
well-known  figure  in  the  community.  To 
him  and  his  wife,  who  was  Nancy  Tor- 
mey,  also  of  that  region,  were  born  ten 
children,  now  all  deceased.  Their  par- 
ents came  to  America  rather  late  in  life 
and  their  deaths  occurred  in  New  Haven. 
One  of  the  children,  Bernard  Peter 
Smith,  was  the  father  of  Father  Smith, 
and  was  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
members  of  his  family.  He  was  born 
March  31,  1836,  in  County  Cavan,  Ireland, 
but  came  to  this  country  alone  at  the  age 
of  thirteen.  In  spite  of  the  terrible  handi- 
cap of  his  extreme  youth  and  the  strange 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


environment,  he  made  his  way  onward 
and  upward  until  he  found  a  very  con- 
siderable business  success  and  a  high 
place  in  the  regard  of  his  fellow  citizens. 
He  was  a  surveyor  of  lumber  for  above 
thirty-five  years,  and  he  also  was  elected 
as  a  councilman  of  his  ward  in  New 
Haven.  His  death  occurred  August  5, 
1912,  he  being  the  last  to  die  of  his  nine 
brothers  and  sisters.  He  married  Cath- 
erine E.  McGinn,  a  native  of  the  city  of 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York,  and  she  sur- 
vives him,  still  residing  in  New  Haven 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  Eleven 
children  were  born  to  them  and  of  these 
seven  are  still  living  as  follows :  Terence 
Bernard,  with  whose  career  this  sketch 
is  particularly  concerned:  James,  a  resi- 
dent of  New  Haven,  where  he  is  em- 
ployed as  a  foreman  in  the  great  Win- 
chester Arms  Company ;  Edward,  who  is 
employed  in  the  New  York  office  of  the 
New  York  Central  Railroad  Company; 
Walter,  who  resides  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
where  he  represents  the  Atlas  Cement 
Company ;  Mary,  now  the  wife  of  John 
T.  Smith,  of  New  York  City ;  Lucy,  who 
lives  with  her  mother  in  New  Haven ; 
Sister  Mary,  of  St.  Bernard's  Convent  of 
the  Sisters  of  the  Good  Shepherd. 

Terence  Bernard  Smith  was  born  April 
25,  1863,  at  New  Haven,  and  it  was  there 
in  his  native  town  that  the  years  of  his 
childhood  were  spent.  At  a  very  early 
age  he  showed  a  keen  religious  nature,  his 
thoughts  turning  spontaneously  to  re- 
ligious things,  and  he  also  showed  him- 
self an  intelligent  and  industrious  student 
and  one  with  a  strong  ambition  to  excel. 
His  first  studies  were  pursued  at  the  ex- 
cellent public  schools  of  New  Haven  and 
in  1880,  having  completed  his  studies 
there,  although  he  was  only  seventeen 
years  of  age,  he  matriculated  at  St. 
Charles'  College  at  Ellicott  City,  Mary- 
land.    Here  amid  the  traditions  of  piety 


and  learning  which  form  so  marked  an 
atmosphere  at  this  venerable  institution, 
he  remained  a  couple  of  years,  his  re- 
ligious feelings  crystallizing  and  becom- 
ing definite  and  his  half  formed  desire  to 
enter  the  priesthood  taking  shape  until  it 
had  become  a  firm  conviction  of  his  call. 
He  then  went  to  St.  Bonaventure  College 
at  Allegany.  New  York,  and  there  spent 
eight  years  in  pursuance  of  the  arduous 
studies  that  the  Catholic  church  pre- 
scribes for  her  votaries.  On  June  20,  1889, 
Father  Smith  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood by  Bishop  Ryan,  of  Buffalo.  He  was 
ordained  for  the  Hartford  diocese.  His 
first  appointment  was  as  assistant  to  St. 
Joseph's  Church  at  Bristol,  Connecticut. 
Here  his  ministry  began,  but  here  he  did 
not  remain  more  than  two  years,  and  he 
was  then  transferred  to  Bridgeport,  East 
Hartford  and  Newtown,  Connecticut,  suc- 
cessively. In  each  of  these  he  was  assist- 
ant, but  in  1905  he  was  given  his  first 
pastorate  in  the  parish  of  St.  Bernard,  at 
Sharon,  Connecticut,  and  here  he  re- 
mained six  years  until  191 1,  greatly  im- 
proving the  general  condition  of  the  par- 
ish there.  His  organizing  and  managing 
ability  being  very  obvious,  he  was  chosen 
to  be  the  priest  to  take  charge  of  the  for- 
mation of  a  new  parish  in  Waterbury,  and 
it  was  thus  that  he  first  became  associ- 
ated with  the  parish  of  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment in  Waterbury.  He  was  exceptiona- 
bly  successful  in  doing  the  difficult  work 
attendant  upon  the  bringing  into  being  of 
the  new  parish  and  from  that  time  to  this 
has  tended  and  developed  it  in  every  way 
possible  and  made  himself  very  well  be- 
loved by  his  congregation.  Among  his 
parishioners  his  work  has  been  most  note- 
worthy and  of  such  a  character  in  reliev- 
ing distress  and  comforting  sorrow  that 
few  men  in  the  city  are  equally  beloved. 
The  condition  of  the  parish  itself  has 
always  been  prosperous  and  besides  the 


98 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


handsome  church  structure  a  new  paro- 
chial residence  is  now  in  process  of  erec- 
tion. 

Besides  his  immediate  priestly  duties, 
Father  Smith  takes  an  active  part  in  the 
lives  of  his  parishioners  and  especially 
interests  himself  in  the  aflfairs  of  the 
young-  men.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  of 
the  Knights  of  Columbus  and  of  the  An- 
cient Order  of  Hibernians. 

Father  Smith  has  had  two  assistants 
since  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  this 
parish,  the  first  being  Father  Thomas 
Molloy,  who  came  there  in  September, 
1914,  and  died  there  January  i,  1916. 
Eighteen  days  afterwards  the  present  as- 
sistant. Father  John  H.  Landry,  was  as- 
signed to  the  post.  Father  Landry  was 
born  at  Bristol,  Connecticut,  a  son  of 
Joseph  N.  and  Annie  Agnes  Landry,  the 
former  born  in  Canada  and  the  latter  in 
Bristol,  where  they  both  reside  at  present. 


THOMPSON,  John  Henry, 

Insurance   OfScer. 

John  Henry  Thompson,  the  capable 
and  successful  general  agent  of  the  Con- 
necticut Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company 
at  Hartford,  is  a  member  of  an  old  New 
Jersey  family,  but  was  himself  born  in 
the  west,  at  Pella,  Iowa,  February  20, 
1873.  He  is  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Abraham 
and  Anna  (Westfall)  Thompson,  his 
father  having  been  a  native  of  Reading- 
ton,  New  Jersey,  born  in  December,  1833. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  was  graduated 
from  Rutgers  College,  New  Brunswick, 
New  Jersey,  and  then  from  the  New 
Brunswick  Theological  Seminary.  He 
was  ordained  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel, 
and  in  his  young  manhood  went  west  to 
Iowa,  where  he  was  pastor  of  a  church  in 
Pella  for  a  few  years.  He  then  returned 
to  the  east  and  took  charge  of  the  Rut- 
gers Preparatory  School  at  New  Bruns- 


wick, in  the  capacity  of  head  master.  In 
the  year  1876  he  became  pastor  of  the 
Knox  Memorial  Church,  in  New  York 
City,  and  held  that  important  post  until 
his  death  in  1886.  He  married  Anna 
Westfall,  a  daughter  of  Simon  Van  Etten 
Westfall,  a  native  of  New  York  State, 
born  in  the  neighborhood  of  Schenectady. 
They  were  the  parents  of  four  sons,  as 
follows :  Maurice  J.,  deceased ;  James 
Westfall,  A.  M.,  Ph.  D.,  now  professor  of 
history  at  the  University  of  Chicago; 
John  Henry,  with  whose  career  this 
sketch  is  particularly  concerned ;  and 
Wayne  H.,  who  makes  his  home  in  Chi- 
cago. 

Mr.  Thompson's  grandfather  was  Judge 
Joseph  Thompson,  of  Readington,  New 
Jersey,  a  prominent  man  in  the  commu- 
nity, where  he  was  occupied  as  a  farmer, 
a  staunch  Republican  and  judge  of  the 
County  Court  of  Hunterdon  county.  His 
wife  before  her  marriage  was  Ann  Post, 
a  native  of  the  same  region  in  New  Jer- 
sey. Judge  Thompson's  grandfather  was 
possibly  the  original  John  Thompson, 
who  came  from  the  North  of  Ireland  some 
time  early  in  the  eighteenth  century  and 
settled  in  this  country.  Although  of  this 
fact  we  cannot  be  positive,  the  balance  of 
evidence   seems   to   be   in   favor   thereof. 

John  Henry  Thompson  did  not  remain 
in  his  native  town  or  State  for  many 
years,  but  accompanied  his  parents  to 
New  Jersey  when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son became  head  master  of  the  Rutgers 
Preparatory  School  at  New  Brunswick 
in  that  State.  Here  it  was  that  the  lad 
received  his  education,  and  after  prepar- 
ing for  college  he  matriculated  at  Rutgers 
College  in  1890.  Here  he  took  the  custo- 
mary academic  courses  and  was  gradu- 
ated therefrom  in  1894  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts.  It  was  Mr.  Thomp- 
son's intention  at  that  time  to  follow  in 
his  father's  footsteps  and  enter  the  minis- 
try, and  with  this  end  in  view  he  entered 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  Union  Theological  Seminary  of  New 
York  City,  from  which  he  was  graduated. 
He  did  not,  however,  enter  the  ministry, 
his  taste  impelling  him  to  a  business 
career,  and  upon  graduation  he  at  once 
became  identified  with  the  Connecticut 
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company,  being 
employed  in  New  York  City  as  a  solicitor 
for  three  years.  On  January  i,  1901,  how- 
ever, he  was  appointed  general  agent  of 
the  company  for  the  city  of  New  Haven 
and  remained  in  that  post  for  nearly  four 
years.  In  1904  he  went  to  Detroit,  Michi- 
gan, as  agent  for  the  same  company,  being 
later  made  general  agent  for  Western 
Michigan.  On  January  i,  1909,  however, 
he  returned  to  the  east  and  received  the 
appointment  to  the  general  agency  for 
Southern  and  Western  Connecticut.  On 
January  i,  1913,  he  came  to  Hartford  and 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  present 
position,  in  which  he  has  met  with  the 
highest  degree  of  success.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son is  at  the  present  time  regarded  as  one 
of  the  conspicuous  figures  in  the  insur- 
ance world  of  Hartford,  and  is  a  man  well 
known  in  business  circles  generally 
throughout  the  region.  He  is  also  promi- 
nent in  other  aspects  of  the  city's  life,  is  a 
member  of  the  University  Club,  Hartford 
Golf  Club  of  Hartford,  and  of  the  Grad- 
uate Club  of  New  Haven. 

John  Henry  Thompson  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Katharine  E.  Stone,  a 
daughter  of  M.  H.  and  Mary  (Gilmour) 
Stone,  of  Burlington,  Vermont.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Thompson  one  child  has  been 
born,  a  son.  Hay  ward  S.,  March  i,  1902. 
Mr.  Thompson  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Center  Congregational  Church 
of  Hartford. 


TWITCHELL,  Walter  Henry, 

Business  Man. 

Robert  Twitchell,  of  ancient  Connecti- 
cut family,  came  to  Naugatuck,  Connec- 


ticut, in  early  life  and  there  resided  until 
his  death,  attaining  distinction  as  a  pub- 
lic official.  His  son,  Walter  Henry 
Twitchell,  is  a  native  son  of  Naugatuck, 
and  there  has  spent  his  entire  life.  For 
twenty-three  years  he  gave  his  individual 
interests  to  an  employer,  then  began  busi- 
ness for  himself,  and  is  one  of  Nauga- 
tuck's  honored  merchants,  well  known, 
prosperous  and  highly  esteemed.  Robert 
Twitchell  was  born  in  Oxford,  Connecti- 
cut, but  early  in  life  located  in  Nauga- 
tuck. He  was  collector  of  taxes  for  many 
years  and  also  served  as  sheriff  of  New 
Haven  county.  He  married  Jeanette 
Clark,  born  at  Prospect,  Connecticut.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Twitchell  were  the  parents  of 
three  children :  Edward,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  fifty  years,  proprietor  of  the  Union 
City  market ;  Walter  Henry,  of  further 
mention ;  Robert  C,  deceased. 

Walter  Henry  Twitchell,  son  of  Rob- 
ert and  Jeanette  (Clark)  Twitchell,  was 
born  in  Naugatuck,  Connecticut,  October 
17,  1858,  and  there  still  resides.  He  ob- 
tained his  education  in  the  public  schools, 
and  when  his  school  years  were  over,  en- 
tered the  employ  of  Colonel  F.  W.  Tolles, 
with  whom  he  remained  for  twenty-three 
years,  leaving  with  the  proud  record  of 
not  having  been  absent  from  his  work 
even  one  day  during  that  entire  period. 
After  that  long  term  of  service  with  an- 
other he  decided  to  enter  business  for 
himself  and  purchased  the  business  of  F. 
W.  Tolles.  He  conducts  a  very  success- 
ful business  in  furniture,  carpets,  paper 
hangings,  stoves,  ranges,  trunks  and  bags, 
also  carries  a  line  of  undertaker's  supplies 
and  has  an  undertaking  establishment. 
He  operates  this  under  his  own  name, 
Walter  H.  Twitchell,  and  requires  the 
services  of  eight  men  to  transact  the  busi- 
ness which  has  more  than  trebled  under 
his  able  management.  Mr.  Twitchell  has 
attained  all  the  degrees  of  Scottish  Rite 
Masonry,   for   eighteen   years    has    been 


100 


THE  NEW  YORK     j 
PUBLIC  library! 

I 

ASTOR,   LENOX  \ 

TILDEN    FOUiNDATIONsj 


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&1^<U.??7.^. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


treasurer  of  Sheperd's  Lodge,  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  and  for  five  years  has 
held  the  office  in  Alton  Chapter,  Royal 
Arch  Masons.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  and  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
Lodge  No.  967,  of  Naugatuck.  In  politi- 
cal faith  he  is  a  Republican. 

Mr.  Twitchell  married,  in  Naugatuck, 
Adelaide  M.  Richards,  born  in  South 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  who  died  in  1913, 
without  issue. 


ENGELKE,  Charles,  M.  D., 

Physician. 

There  is  something  intrinsically  ad- 
mirable in  the  profession  of  medicine  that 
illumines  by  reflected  light  all  those  who 
practice  it.  Something  that  is  concerned 
with  its  prime  object,  the  alleviation  of 
human  suffering,  something  about  the 
self-sacrifice  that  it  must  necessarily  in- 
volve that  makes  us  regard,  and  rightly 
so,  all  those  who  choose  to  follow  its  diffi- 
cult way  and  devote  themselves  to  its 
great  aims  with  a  certain  amount  of  re- 
spect and  reverence.  It  is  true  that  at 
the  present  time  there  has  been  a  certain 
lowering  on  the  average  of  the  standards 
and  traditions  of  the  profession,  and  that 
there  are  many  within  its  ranks  who  have 
proposed  to  themselves  selfish  or  un- 
worthy objects  instead  of  those  identified 
with  the  profession  itself,  whose  eyes 
are  centered  on  the  rewards  rather  than 
the  services,  yet  there  are  others  also  who 
have  preserved  the  purest  and  best  ideals 
of  the  calling  and  whose  self-sacrifice  is 
as  disinterested  as  that  of  any  who  have 
preceded  them.  A  man  of  this  type  is 
Dr.  Charles  Engelke,  of  Waterbury, 
whose  work  in  that  city  in  the  interests  of 
its  health,  both  as  a  private  practitioner 
and  in  his  capacity  as  health  officer,  has 
done  the  public  an  invaluable  service. 
Henry    Engelke,    grandfather    of    Dr. 


Charles  Engelke,  and  a  soj  oi  Conrad  and 
Sophia  Engelke,  was  bom  in  Meutzen, 
Germany,  April  4,  1812,  and  died  Decern^ 
ber  10,  1894.  He  married,  in  Bremen, 
Germany,  June  24,  1836,  Christine  Ber- 
nadina  Von  Eckle,  born  in  Elsflath,  Ger- 
many, February  5,  181 5,  died  January  20, 
1882.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Christian 
Bernhardt  and  Katrina  (Schultze)  Von 
Eckle,  the  former  named  born  in  Ovel- 
germe,  Germany,  and  the  latter  named  in 
Elsflath,  Germany.  Henry  and  Christine 
B.  Engelke  sailed  from  Bremenhaven, 
Germany,  to  the  United  States,  October 
17,  1836,  and  settled  at  first  in  New  York 
City,  where  they  resided  for  two  years, 
then  removed  to  Pine  Plains,  New  York. 
Their  children  were:  i.  Frederick,  born 
in  New  York  City,  1837,  died  in  infancy. 
2.  Bernhardt  Henry,  born  in  Pine  Plains, 
August  24,  1839,  died  1909  ;  married  (first) 
Susan  Newcomb,  and  (second)  Elizabeth 
Lovejoy  Brandt.  3.  Sophia  Marie,  born 
1841,  died  in  infancy.  4.  Niles  Justus,  of 
whom  further.  5.  Angelina  Davis,  born 
August  2.  1845,  now  the  widow  of  Miller 
Pulver,  residing  in  Pine  Plains,  New 
York.  6.  Stephen  Vail,  born  April  2, 
1847  ;  married  Harriet  Harrison  ;  divorced  ; 
now  residing  in  Pine  Plains,  New  York. 

7.  Henry,  born  July  10,  1849,  died  in  1893. 

8.  Milton,  born  1851,  died  in  infancy.  9. 
Dorathea.  born  April  18,  1853 ;  became 
the  wife  of  Joseph  B.  Holmes,  residing  in 
New  York.  10.  Theodore  Hegaman,  born 
March  29,  1855  ;  residing  in  Pine  Plains, 
New  York.  11.  Marie  Elise,  born  April 
30,  1857;  widow  of  William  M.  Sayres ; 
residing  in  Red  Hook,  New  York.  12. 
Clara  Amelia,  born  April  27,  1859:  be- 
came the  wife  of  Charles  Wilson  Mastin ; 
residing  in  Millbrook,  New  York.  Chris- 
tian B.  Von  Eckle,  father  of  Mrs.  Engelke, 
was  disowned  by  his  father,  Baron  Von 
Eckle,  for  marrying  beneath  him  in  social 
position. 

Niles   Justus    Engelke,    father    of    Dr. 

I  CM 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Charles  Engelke,  was  born  October  7, 
1843,  ^^  Pine  Plains,  New  York.  He  en- 
listed, before  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
in  the  Forty-seventh  New  York  Volun- 
teers and  served  over  four  years  to  the 
end  of  the  war;  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  second  lieutenant.  He  married, 
October  7,  1868,  Elizabeth  Brusie,  born 
in  Copake,  New  York,  1849,  now  residing 
in  Waterbury,  Connecticut.  She  is  a  de- 
scendant of  Francis  Bruzee,  born  in  Hol- 
land, April  2,  1714,  and  of  Fitie  (Halin- 
beck)  Bruzee,  his  wife,  born  in  1729. 
Their  son,  Andreas  Bruzee,  was  born 
January  24,  1752,  married  Elshe  Bruisie, 
born  March  14,  1754.  Their  son,  Francis 
Brusie,  was  born  at  Copake,  New  York, 
January  23,  1779,  one  of  six  children.  He 
married  his  cousin,  Caroline  Bruzee,  and 
their  son,  Jeremiah  Brusie,  born  Novem- 
ber 28,  1813,  married  Samantha  Lester, 
born  November  3,  1822,  a  granddaughter 
of  Jacob  F.  and  Phemia  Decker,  of  Co- 
pake,  New  York.  They  were  the  parents 
of  five  children:  Warren,  born  1842,  re- 
siding at  Copake ;  Mariette,  born  1846, 
widow  of  Lyman  Loomis,  residing  at  Co- 
pake ;  Elizabeth,  born  1849,  aforemen- 
tioned as  the  wife  of  Niles  Justus  En- 
gelke, residing  at  Waterbury ;  Frank,  de- 
ceased ;  Abbie,  deceased.  Descendants  of 
Andreas  Bruzee  are  among  the  prosper- 
ous agriculturists  of  Columbia  and  Dutch- 
ess counties,  New  York.  Two  children 
were  born  to  Niles  J.  and  Elizabeth 
(Brusie)  Engelke:  Charles,  of  whom  fur- 
ther ;  Clay,  who  died  in  1876,  aged  five 
years. 

Dr.  Charles  Engelke  was  born  at  Copake, 
New  York,  July  20,  1869.  At  a  very  early 
age  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Pine 
Plains,  New  York,  so  that  the  greater  part 
of  his  youthful  associations  were  with  the 
latter  place,  and  it  was  there  that  he  also 
began  his  schooling.  After  a  residence 
of  ten   years  at   Pine   Plains  his  parents 


moved  to  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  and 
this  city  has  remained  his  home  ever 
since  with  the  exception  of  the  time 
spent  in  the  study  of  his  profession.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of  Water- 
bury, graduating  from  the  high  school  in 
1888.  He  then  secured  employment  with 
the  "Waterbury  Republican,"  a  paper  of 
standing  and  influence  in  that  region.  He 
did  not  remain  with  this  paper  long,  how- 
ever, but  secured  a  position  in  the  mills 
of  the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufactur- 
ing Company  and  remained  in  this  em- 
ploy for  some  time.  His  youthful  am- 
bition was  to  study  medicine  and  he  did 
not  forget  this  as  the  years  advanced,  but 
was  always  seeking  a  way  whereby  he 
could  gratify  his  ambition.  In  1898,  ten 
years  after  leaving  school,  having  accu- 
mulated some  capital  by  dint  of  persever- 
ance and  economy,  he  matriculated  at  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  con- 
nected with  Columbia  University  of  New 
York,  pursued  the  regular  course  and  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  the 
class  of  1902.  The  following  two  3'ears 
and  over  he  spent  as  an  interne  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Hospital  in  New 
York  City,  thus  gaining  the  requisite  ex- 
perience for  his  responsible  calling.  In 
1904  he  returned  to  Waterbury,  and  there 
established  himself  in  a  practice  that  has 
continued  to  grow  rapidly  ever  since  that 
time.  His  reputation  has  spread  outside 
the  city  limits  and  he  has  become  well 
known  in  the  surrounding  region.  In  1910 
he  was  appointed  city  health  officer  by 
the  mayor  of  Waterbury  and  served  most 
efficiently  in  that  office  for  two  years.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  W^aterbury  Medical 
Society,  the  State  Medical  Society,  the 
American  Medical  Association  and  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Dr. 
Engelke  is  a  Baptist  in  his  religious  belief 
and  attends  the  church  of  that  denomina- 
tion in  Waterbury. 
02 


THE  KEW  YORK 
T^IIBLIC  LIBRARY 


.  or.  Lmox 

.D_iJ    fCJt^DATlONSj 


^t(^-ff^jfci^i^v&t-€^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Dr.  Engelke  married,  in  Waterbury, 
October  19,  1912,  Bertha  Murray  Hart, 
born  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  October 
II,  1876,  daughter  of  Jay  Hiscox  and  Ber- 
tha Louise  (Piatt)  Hart,  of  Waterbury, 
Connecticut.  Jay  Hiscox  Hart  was  born 
in  Berkshire  county,  Massachusetts,  De- 
cember II,  1847,  son  of  Jay  Hiscox  Hart. 
He  engaged  in  business  in  Great  Barring- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  and  New  Haven, 
Bridgeport  and  Waterbury,  Connecticut. 
He  was  secretary  of  the  Patent  Button 
Company  and  treasurer  of  Piatt  Brothers 
&  Company.  He  was  tax  collector  of  the 
city  of  Waterbury,  and  member  of  the 
Board  of  Fire  Commissioners  and  of  the 
Common  Council.  Bertha  L.  (Piatt) 
Hart  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Connecti- 
cut, and  traced  her  ancestry  to  Deacon 
Richard  Piatt,  who  settled  at  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  in  1638,  and  was  one  of  a 
party  of  sixty-one  who  formed  a  church 
settlement  at  Milford,  November  20,  1639. 
He  was  chosen  deacon  at  Milford  in  1669 
and  bequeathed  a  Bible  to  each  of  his 
nineteen  grandsons.  In  August,  1889,  a 
memorial  stone,  suitably  inscribed,  was 
placed  to  his  memory  in  the  new  bridge 
over  the  Mapawaug.  The  line  of  descent 
is  traced  through  his  son,  Josiah  Piatt, 
born  in  Milford,  1645,  married,  at  Alilford, 
December  2,  1669,  Sarah  Camfield.  Their 
son,  Josiah  (2)  Piatt,  born  in  Milford, 
January  12,  1679,  married,  January  8, 
1707,  Sarah  Burwell.  Their  son,  Josiah 
(3)  Piatt,  born  October  13,  1707,  married 

Sarah    .      Their    son,    Josiah     (4) 

Piatt,  born  1730-35,  married,  November 
13,  1758.  Sarah  Sanford.  Their  son,  Na- 
than Piatt,  born  at  Newtown,  March  3, 
1761,  died  at  Wallingford,  1845,  and  was 
buried  in  Waterbury ;  he  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Revolution ;  he  married  Ruby  Smith. 
Their  son.  Alfred  Piatt,  was  born  in  New- 
town. April  2,  1789,  died  December  29, 
1872 ;  he  was  one  of  the  earliest  members 


of  the  firm  known  as  A.  Benedict,  after- 
ward the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufac- 
turing Company,  and  he  was  the  first  to 
manufacture  brass  and  copper  wire  in 
Waterbury;  he  married,  June  8,  1814. 
Irene  Blackman,  daughter  of  Nimrod 
Blackman,  of  Brookfield,  Connecticut. 
Their  son.  Clark  Murray  Piatt,  was  born 
at  Waterbury,  January  i,  1824,  died  De- 
cember 20.  1900;  he  devoted  his  attention 
to  the  manufacture  of  buttons,  etc.,  in  the 
firm  of  Piatt  Brothers  &  Company,  and  he 
invented  many  useful  and  valuable  de- 
vices and  machines  used  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  buttons  ;  he  married,  May  20,  1849. 
Amelia  Maria  Lewis,  daughter  of  Sel- 
den  Lewis,  of  Naugatuck,  Connecticut. 
Among  their  children  was  Bertha  Louise, 
mother  of  Mrs.  Charles  Engelke.  Chil- 
dren of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Engelke:  Christine, 
born  December  i,  1914;  Jean,  born  July 
II,  1916. 


HAVILAND,  William  Thorn, 

Lavryer,  Clerk  of  Superior  Conrt. 

With  Isaac  Haviland,  son  of  Jacob  and 
Amy  (Gilbert)  Haviland,  the  Bridgeport 
history  of  this  branch  of  the  family  be- 
gins, William  Thorn  Haviland,  clerk  of 
the  Superior  Court  of  Fairfield  county, 
being  a  prominent  twentieth  century  rep- 
resentative of  the  family,  son  of  Isaac 
Haviland,  and  grandson  of  Jacob  Havi- 
land. Isaac  Haviland,  born  October  20, 
1820,  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in 
Fairfield  county.  Connecticut,  although 
for  several  years  he  was  engaged  in  busi- 
ness in  New  York  City  as  a  manufacturer 
of  tobacco.  In  1866  he  retired  to  a  com- 
fortable home  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut, 
where  he  ended  his  useful  life  at  a  well 
advanced  age.  He  married  Mary  Augusta 
Thorn,  born  May  20,  1831,  died  January 
8,  1881,  daughter  of  Walker  W.  and  Em- 
meline  (Fanton)  Thorn.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
103 


EX'CYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Isaac  Haviland  were  the  parents  of  three 
sons:  Isaac  F.,  William  Thorn,  of  fur- 
ther mention,  and  Ernest  Clififord  Havi- 
land. 

William  Thorn  Haviland,  second  son  of 
Isaac  and  Mary  Augusta  (Thorn)  Havi- 
land, was  born  at  Ridgefield,  Fairfield 
county,  Connecticut,  March  29,  1856,  but 
in  boyhood  his  parents  moved  to  Brook- 
lyn, New  York,  where  his  education  be- 
gan. Later  they  returned  to  Connecticut, 
purchased  a  fine  farm  in  the  Pembroke 
district  of  the  town  of  Danbury,  Fairfield 
county,  their  residence  until  1868,  when 
the  family  moved  to  Bridgeport  where 
William  T.  Haviland  completed  his 
studies.  Mr.  Haviland  graduated  from 
Yale  College  in  1880,  and  at  the  Yale  Law 
School  in  1882.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  at  New  Haven,  June  28,  1882,  and 
practiced  at  Bridgeport.  He  was  asso- 
ciated with  Goodwin  Stoddatd  and  Wil- 
liam D.  Bishop,  Jr.,  until  May  11,  1891, 
when  he  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  of  Fairfield  county,  and 
assistant  clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  in 
said  county,  and  in  June,  igo8,  he  was 
appointed  clerk  of  the  Superior  Court, 
which  position  he  still  holds. 

Mr.  Haviland  married  Mrs.  Pauline 
Swords  Stevenson,  of  South  Xorwalk, 
June  4,  1902.  Children :  Tallmadge 
Downs,  born  June  14,  1903,  died  August 
26,  1913;  Paul,  born  September  6,  1905; 
Louise,  born  March  17,  1907. 


MORGAN,  William  D.,  M.  A.,  M.  D., 

Physician. 

William  D.  Morgan,  M.  A.,  M.  D., 
highly  regarded  physician  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  graduate  of  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  (which  is  the 
medical  department  of  Columbia  Univer- 
sity) and  a  medical  scientist  who  in  the 
early    years    of    his    professional    efTort 


undertook  much  research  in  European 
universities  and  centres  of  medicine,  to 
the  subsequent  material  benefit  of  those 
who  became  his  patients,  is  in  direct  lineal 
descent  from  one  of  the  old  Colonial  fam- 
ilies of  Connecticut,  the  family  having 
been  prominent  in  the  community  of  New 
London,  Connecticut,  almost  from  its 
earliest  days  of  settlement. 

Celtic  in  origin,  the  name  Morgan,  Mor- 
ganwg,  Ap  Morgan,  and  various  other 
variations  of  the  root,  is  frequently  en- 
countered in  British  history,  of  early 
times  especially.  In  the  principality  of 
Wales,  to  which  part  a  considerable  por- 
tion of  the  Britons  retired  before  the  in- 
roads of  the  Saxons  and  Anglos,  the  name 
holds  honored  place.  The  derivation  has 
not  been  conclusively  determined,  but 
Dixon,  an  English  authority  on  surnames, 
says  that  it  signifies  "by  sea,  or  by  the 
sea."  This,  to  an  extent,  is  substantiated 
by  the  allied  Scotch  (also  Celtic)  words 
"ceann  mor,"  meaning  "big  head,''  or, 
perhaps,  "big  headland."  Another  feas- 
ible derivation  is  from  the  Welsh  "more 
can,"  which,  translated,  is  "sea  burn,"  and 
therefore  essentially  ranges  with  the 
former  interpretation,  "by  the  sea."  At 
the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest  (1066), 
the  Morgan  family,  or  clan,  was  appar- 
ently great  in  numbers,  as  the  name  ap- 
pears prominently  in  the  Domesday 
Book,  and  in  the  Battle  Abbey  Roll. 
Records  trace  the  name  to  very  early 
Welsh  history,  several  sovereign  princes 
and  other  potentates  of  the  Morgan  pa- 
tronymic appearing  in  the  archives  of  so 
far  back  as  A.  D.  300  or  400.  Of  this  line 
of  princes  was  Morgan,  or  Ap  Morgan,  of 
Gla  Morgan,  through  instrumentality 
trial  by  jury  was  established,  as  the  prac- 
ticed procedure  of  the  dominion,  he  under- 
standing it  as  "the  apostolic  law,"  which 
demanded  that  "as  Christ  and  the  twelve 
apostles  will  finally  judge  the  world,  so 


104 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


therefore  should  human  tribunals  be  com- 
posed of  the  king  and  twelve  wise  men." 

The  progenitor  of  the  American 
branches  of  the  Morgan  family,  which 
now  reach  into  every  State  of  the  Union, 
was  James  Morgan,  who  was  born  in 
Wales  in  1607.  The  exact  locality  of  his 
nativity  cannot  be  stated  with  authentic 
assurance,  but  has  been  stated  to  have 
probably  been  the  city  of  Llandafif,  Gla- 
morganshire. Since  the  coming  of  the 
Normans,  Cardiff,  or  Caerdydd,  has  been 
the  principal  governmental  centre  of 
South  Wales,  but  the  importance  of 
LlandafT  (which  adjoins  Cardiff  and  now 
is  one  of  the  smallest  cities  of  Britain) 
to  the  native  Welsh,  or  Britons,  arose 
from  its  holy  associations.  It  is  claimed 
for  Llandafif  that  within  its  confines  was 
established,  in  the  fourth  century,  the 
first  Christian  church  organized  in  Great 
Britain,  and  that  to  it  St.  Augustine  once 
came.  And  among  the  Lord  Bishops  of 
Llandaff,  the  name  Morgan  appears.  In 
further  support  of  the  presumption  that 
James  Morgan  was  born  in  Llandaff,  is 
that  one  of  the  early  American  branches 
of  the  family  held  the  tradition,  corrobo- 
rated by  a  small  volume,  the  property  of 
James  Morgan,  and  dated  before  1600,  in 
which  book  was  inscribed  the  name  of 
William  Morgan,  of  Llandaff.  The  con- 
nection of  William  Morgan  with  the 
James  Morgan  family  is  also  authenti- 
cated by  some  antique  gold  sleeve-buttons 
stamped  "W.  M.,"  which  finally  came,  as 
a  family  heirloom,  into  the  custody  of  the 
late  James  Morgan,  and  other  instru- 
ments state  these  buttons  to  have  be- 
longed to  William  Morgan,  of  Llandaff. 

In  1636  James  Morgan,  with  two 
younger  brothers.  Miles  and  Thomas  (?), 
left  the  port  of  Bristol,  England,  and  in 
April,  1637,  reached  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts. His  name  does  not  come  into  Colo- 
nial records  until  1640,  when  he  married 


Margery  Hill,  of  Roxbury,  Massachusetts. 
Three  years  later,  he  was  made  a  freeman 
in  Roxbury,  and  was  a  freeholder  there 
until  1650,  when  he  removed  to  what  is 
now  New  London,  Connecticut,  and 
there  was  assigned  a  house-lot,  the  record 
stating  that  "James  Morgan  hath  given 
him  about  six  acres  of  upland."  He  ac- 
quired land  where  now  is  the  third  burial 
ground,  in  the  western  suburbs  of  the  city 
of  New  London,  but  sold  it  in  1656,  and 
later  took  up  land  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  settlement,  now  the  southern  part  of 
Groton.  He  was  an  extensive  land- 
owner, "distinguished  in  public  enter- 
prise," and  of  marked  administrative 
ability,  his  adjudication  of  civil  and  ec- 
clesiastical differences  and  difficulties 
bringing  him  general  esteem.  "He  was 
a  good  neighbor,  and  a  Christian  in  whom 
all  appear  to  have  reposed  a  marked  de- 
gree of  confidence  and  trust."  He  was 
for  several  years  a  selectman  of  New 
London,  and  was  one  of  the  first  deputies 
sent  to  the  General  Court  at  Hartford,  in 
1657.  He  was  eight  times  reelected,  his 
last  term  being  in  1670.  Named  by  New 
London  and  accepted  by  the  General 
Court,  his  decision,  as  arbitrator,  deter- 
mining the  controversy  between  the  two 
bodies,  regarding  the  delineation  of  boun- 
daries and  jurisdiction,  was  deemed  "to 
have  satisfied  all  parties."  In  1661,  he 
was  of  the  committee  which,  at  the  behest 
of  the  General  Court,  surveyed  and  de- 
lineated the  true  boundaries  of  New  Lon- 
don, "on  the  east  side  of  the  Great  River." 
He  died  in  1685,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 
His  son,  Captain  John  Morgan,  who 
was  born  March  30,  1645,  married,  for  his 
second  wife,  Elizabeth  Williams,  a  widow, 
daughter  of  Lieutenant-Governor  William 
Jones,  and  granddaughter  of  Governor 
Theophilus  Eaton.  About  1692  he  re- 
moved to  Preston,  and  died  in  1712.  He 
took  prominent  part  in  public  affairs  ;  was 


105 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Indian  commissioner  and  adviser,  deputy 
to  the  General  Court  in  1690  from  New 
London,  and  in  1693-94  from  Preston. 

His  son,  William  Morgan,  was  born  in 
1693 ;  married,  July  3,  1716,  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  James  Avery,  Jr.,  of  Gro- 
ton  ;  died  October,  1729.  His  widow's  de- 
mise did  not,  however,  occur  until  1780, 
fifty-one  years  after  his  death. 

Their  son,  William  Morgan,  was  born 
June  17,  1723;  married,  July  4,  1744, 
Temperance,  daughter  of  Colonel  Chris- 
topher Avery,  of  Groton.  Captain  Wil- 
liam Morgan  resided  in  Groton,  and  there 
died  April  11,  1777.  His  widow  survived 
him  until  October  7,  1801. 

Their  son.  Captain  William  Avery 
Morgan,  was  born  November  24,  1754. 
He  married  (first)  Lydia,  daughter  of 
Nathan  Smith,  of  Groton,  May  4,  1776. 
She  died  January  4,  1804.  He  settled 
first  in  Groton,  but  later  removed  to  Col- 
chester (now  Salem),  where  he  resided 
from  1796  until  March,  1814,  then  taking 
up  his  residence  in  Lebanon,  Connecticut, 
where  he  died  on  March  22,  1842.  He 
held  the  military  rank  of  sergeant  during 
the  Revolutionary  W'ar,  and  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  is  re- 
puted to  have  been  a  man  "of  good 
natural  ability  and  of  some  reading." 

His  son  by  his  first  wife,  Denison 
Morgan,  was  born  October  29,  1790;  mar- 
ried, October  10,  1815,  Ursula,  daughter 
of  John  Brainard,  of  Haddam ;  died  in 
1854.  He  was  a  successful  wholesale 
merchant  of  Hartford,  and  was  a  con- 
scientious church  worker.  Mrs.  Ursula 
(Brainard)  Morgan  was  born  May  22, 
1793,  and  died  July  13,  1866. 

Their  son,  Henry  Kirke  Morgan,  was 
born  December  15,  1819.  His  primary 
education  was  obtained  in  the  public 
schools  of  Hartford,  from  which  he 
graduated  to  a  boarding  school  in  Ell- 
ington, and  later  he  entered  his  father's 


business  as  a  member  of  the  firm,  which 
was  known  as  D.  Morgan  &  Company, 
wholesale  grocers,  of  No.  35  State  street, 
Hartford.  After  his  father's  demise  in 
1854,  he  continued  in  business  until  i860, 
when  he  retired,  handing  over  the  direc- 
tion of  the  business  to  his  associate,  S.  G. 
Farnham.  Henry  Kirke  Morgan  sought 
not  political  office,  but  was  much  inter- 
ested in  public  affairs,  and  undertook 
some  public  offices.  He  was  on  the  Board 
of  Relief  for  many  years,  and  was  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Governor's  Foot  Guard. 
He  passed  away  on  March  5,  191 1,  his 
remains  being  interred  in  Spring  Grove 
Cemetery,  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

On  April  14,  1846,  he  married  Emily 
AI.,  daughter  of  George  Brinley,  of  Hart- 
ford. George  Brinley  was  a  native  of 
Boston,  in  which  city  his  daughter,  the 
mother  of  Dr.  William  D.  Morgan,  was 
born,  and  in  that  city  his  business  was 
that  of  glass  manufacturer.  Succeeding 
well,  he  retired  in  middle  life,  spending 
his  leisure  years  in  Hartford,  where  he 
died.  His  wife  was  Catherine,  daughter 
of  Colonel  Putnam,  and  granddaughter 
of  Israel  Putnam.  To  Henry  Kirke  and 
Emily  M.  (Brinley)  Morgan  were  born 
the  following  children :  George  Brinley, 
a  doctor  of  divinity,  deceased :  William 
D.,  of  whom  further;  Henry  K.,  now  of 
Morristown,  New  York;  Edward  B.,  who 
died  in  February,  1874;  Emily  M.,  of 
Brooklyn,  Connecticut. 

William  D.  Morgan,  son  of  Henry 
Kirke  and  Emily  M.  (Brinley)  Morgan, 
was  born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  No- 
vember 20,  1850.  Educated  at  the  Hart- 
ford public  schools,  and  at  Hopkins 
Grammar  School,  New  Haven,  he  subse- 
quently entered  the  Episcopal  Academy 
in  Cheshire,  in  which  collegiate  institu- 
tion he  remained  for  more  than  three 
years,  and  supplemented  his  extensive 
classical  knowledge  by  instruction  from 


106 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


private  tutors,  but  when  he  applied,  well 
qualified  in  knowledge,  for  admittance  to 
Trinity  College,  he  was  not  allowed  to 
matriculate,  being  about  one  year  younger 
than  the  minimum  fixed  by  the  college  as 
requisite  for  entrance.  Consequently,  his 
parents  sent  him  to  St.  Paul's  School, 
Concord,  New  Hampshire.  There  ill- 
health  pursued  him,  and  he  was  forced  to 
temporarily  relinquish  his  studies,  and  on 
the  advice  of  the  family  physician  was 
sent  to  join  his  uncle,  George  D.  Morgan, 
who  was  at  that  time  travelling  in  Europe, 
with  his  family.  William  D.  Morgan 
joined  his  relatives  in  London,  and  their 
travels  took  them  through  France,  Swit- 
zerland, Italy,  Egypt,  to  Palestine;  thence 
to  Beirut,  Isle  of  Rhodes,  Smyrna,  Con- 
stantinople, Palermo,  Naples  and  various 
cities  of  Italy  back  to  Paris  and  London, 
returning  home  by  the  packet,  "American 
Congress." 

With  regained  strength,  he  then  re- 
sumed his  studies,  entering  Trinity  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  graduated  in  1872, 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  sub- 
sequently gaining  the  major  degree.  De- 
termined to  enter  medicine,  he,  after 
gaining  his  minor  letters,  registered  as  a 
student  with  Dr.  Sands,  of  New  York 
City,  and  concurrently  attended  the  lec- 
tures at  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  graduating  as  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine with  the  class  of  1876.  During  his 
studentship,  however,  he  made  another 
trip  to  Europe,  in  1874,  accompanying 
his  father,  who  was  ill.  After  becoming 
entitled  to  enter  practice,  he  wisely  deter- 
mined to  first  obtain  considerable  prac- 
tical knowledge,  and  for  that  purpose 
passed  a  year  of  keen  observation  i 
various  New  York  City  clinics,  after 
which  he  received,  by  competitive  exam- 
ination, appointment  to  the  house  staff 
of  New  Haven  Hospital.  One  year  later 
he   went  to   Germany,   for  post-graduate 


research,  taking  a  year's  course  at  the 
University  of  Leipzig,  where  he  devoted 
himself  to  special  research  work  in  dis- 
eases of  the  ear.  Returning  to  America, 
and  to  his  native  town,  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, in  1878,  he  decided  to  there 
enter  general  practice,  where  he  has  since 
almost  continuously  practiced,  internal 
medicine  occupying  him  mainly. 

He  has  held  many  appointments;  in 
1888  he  became  medical  examiner  for  the 
Phoenix  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany ;  in  1893  was  appointed  associate 
medical  director;  on  January  i,  1896,  he 
became  medical  director ;  for  about  ten 
years  he  held  the  position  of  trustee  for 
Hartford  county,  of  the  Connecticut  Hos- 
pital for  the  Insane,  Middletown ;  has 
been  chairman  of  the  executive  committee 
of  the  Hartford  Hospital,  and  has  been  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees  for  many 
years  ;  he  is  a  member  of  the  City,  County 
and  State  Medical  societies,  the  American 
Medical  Association,  the  Medical  Direc- 
tors' Association,  and  for  many  years  was 
a  physician  of  the  Orphan  Asylum  and 
Church  Home.  His  appointments  and  so- 
ciety memberships  indicate  his  profes- 
sional standing  adequately,  and  his  social 
connections  may  be  inferred  by  the  read- 
ing of  the  list  of  social  clubs,  etc.,  to 
which  he  belongs.  They  are :  Hartford 
Club,  Hartford  Golf  Club,  Country  Club 
of  Farmington,  Union  League  Club  of 
New  York  City,  Hatchett's  Reef  Club  and 
Iota  Kappa  Alpha. 

Dr.  Morgan  married  Gabriella,  daugh- 
ter of  Theodore  Sengstak,  of  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  to  them  has  been  born  a 
daughter,  Gabriella,  July  28,  1914. 


HINMAN,  George  Elijah, 

Journalist,   Ijaxryer. 

Few  of  the  old  New  England  families 
can  claim,  an  earlier  advent  or  a  longer 


107 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


term  of  residence  in  this  country  than  that 
of  Hinman,  which  was  founded  here, 
probably  about  1649,  '^ut  possibly  even 
earlier,  by  Sergeant  Edward  Hinman,  the 
first  immigrant  of  that  name  in  the  coun- 
try. The  family  was  already  prominent 
in  England,  where  it  was  entitled  to  the 
following  coat-of-arms :  Vert  on  a  chev- 
ron or,  three  roses  gules,  slipped  and 
leaved  of  the  first ;  crest,  on  a  mount  a 
wivern  proper  ducally  gorged  and  lined 
or. 

There  is  a  tradition,  which  originated 
with  Sergeant  Edward  Hinman  himself, 
that  he,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  Amer- 
ica, had  been  a  member  of  the  bodyguard  of 
King  Charles  I.  of  England,  and  that  he 
had  held  the  office  of  sergeant-at-arms 
therein ;  that  after  the  deposition  of  his 
royal  master  and  the  coming  into  power 
of  the  Parliamentary  forces  under  Oliver 
Cromwell,  he  fled  from  his  native  land  to 
escape  the  vengeance  which  was  meted  out 
against  royalist  sjmpathizers  and  sought 
a  haven  in  the  new  world.  If  this  tradi- 
tion is  true,  and  there  is  no  reason  to 
doubt  it,  it  is  quite  ample  proof  that  Ser- 
geant Edward  Hinman  was  a  man  of  dis- 
tinction and  position  in  England  before 
his  migration  here,  for  only  men  of  this 
quality  were  admitted  to  the  king's  life- 
guard, to  which  position  also  the  most 
assured  loyalty  was  necessary.  Upon  his 
arrival  in  America,  Edward  Hinman  ap- 
pears to  have  gone  directly  to  Stratford, 
where  he  is  recorded  to  have  received 
land  about  1650.  Unfortunately  the  early 
records  of  Stratford,  covering  the  first  ten 
years  of  its  existence  as  a  community, 
were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1649,  so  that 
there  is  no  way  of  knowing  definitely 
whether  he  had  settled  there  before  this 
date.  It  is  recorded  in  the  early  records 
that  his  house  stood  on  the  west  side  of 
Main  street,  Stratford,  not  far  from  the 
old   Episcopal   church,  an   edifice   which, 


on  account  of  its  dignity  and  the  simpli- 
city of  its  design,  has  been  held  up  as  a 
type  of  the  best  Colonial  architecture. 
Sergeant  Edward  Hinman  was  also  the 
recipient  of  other  grants  of  land  and  be- 
cam,e  in  course  of  time  the  owner  of  an 
extensive  tract  in  and  about  Stratford. 
Here  he  carried  on  the  occupation  of 
farming  and  milling  and  was  indeed  the 
first  owner  of  the  old  Tide  Mill,  between 
Stratford  and  the  site  of  what  is  now 
Bridgeport.  In  the  year  1681  he  sold  his 
homestead  at  Stratford  to  Richard  Bryan, 
of  Milford,  and  evidently  planned  to  re- 
move to  Woodbury,  as  he  drew  a  will 
about  this  time  in  which  he  speaks  of 
himself  as  of  that  place.  It  appears, 
however,  that  his  death  must  have  oc- 
curred before  he  was  able  to  make  the 
move  contemplated  as  it  is  not  recorded 
at  Woodbury  and  is  at  Stratford,  and  his 
will  was  proved  in  Fairfield.  His  death 
occurred  November  26,  1681.  Sergeant 
Edward  Hinman  was  a  man  of  parts,  very 
intelligent  and  essentially  loyal,  pos- 
sessed of  all  the  essential  qualities  of  the 
best  soldier,  a  trait  which  has  been  in- 
herited from  him  by  many  of  his  descend- 
ants. 

Sergeant  Edward  Hinman  married 
Hannah  Stiles,  a  daughter  of  Francis  and 
Sarah  Stiles,  of  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children :  Sarah,  born  September  10, 
1653,  who  became  the  wife  of  William 
Roberts,  of  Stratford ;  Titus,  born  June, 
1635,  and  resided  in  Woodbury;  Samuel, 
born  in  1658,  also  of  Woodbury;  Benja- 
min, born  February,  1662-63,  of  Wood- 
bury: Hannah,  born  July  15,  1666;  Mary, 
born  1668  ;  Patience,  born  in  1670,  married 
John  Burroughs,  January  10,  1694 ;  and 
Edward,  Jr.,  mentioned  below. 

Edward  (2)  Hinman,  son  of  Sergeant 
Edward  (i)  Hinman,  was  born  at  Strat- 
ford, Connecticut,  in  1672.    According  to 


108 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  provision  in  his  father's  will,  he  was 
apprenticed  to  one  Jehial  Preston,  and 
was  brought  up  to  a  trade  by  that  gentle- 
man, remaining  with  him  until  he  had 
attained  his  majority.  At  that  time  he 
drew  an  allotment  of  eighteen  acres  at 
Woodbury,  but  it  seems  improbable  that 
he  ever  lived  there  and  it  is  quite  certain 
that  most  of  his  life  was  spent  at  Strat- 
ford, where  his  children  were  born,  and 
his  death  occurred,  and  where  some  of  his 
descendants  are  living  at  the  present  day. 
Others  of  his  descendants  have,  in  the 
intervening  time,  wandered  far  and  wide 
and  are  now  found  all  over  the  United 
States.  Edward  Hinman,  Jr.,  was  mar- 
ried to  Hannah  Jennings,  a  daughter  of 
Joshua,  Jr.  and  Mary  (Lyon)  Jennings. 
They  were  the  parents  of  twelve  children, 
as  follows :  Jonah  or  Jonas,  born  No- 
vember 5,  1700,  settled  at  Newark,  New 
Jersey ;  Hannah,  born  March  3,  1702 ; 
Zachariah,  born  January  27,  1704;  Samuel, 
mentioned  below;  Justus,  born  December 
28,  1707;  Ebenezer,  born  August  16,  1709, 
died  in  infancy ;  Sarah,  born  October, 
171 1  ;  John,  born  November,  1713  ;  Rachel, 
born  December  4,  1715;  Ebenezer,  born 
August  16,  1717;  Amos,  born  October  18, 
1720;  and  Charity,  born  June  6,  1723. 

Samuel  Hinman,  better  known  as  Cap- 
tain Samuel  Hinman,  son  of  Edward  (2) 
Hinman,  was  born  in  Stratford,  Connec- 
ticut, in  the  year  1705.  He  was  by  pro- 
fession a  surveyor,  and  removed  while  a 
young  man  to  Litchfield,  Connecticut,  and 
there  became  one  of  the  first  proprietors 
of  Goshen.  He  served  this  community  in 
a  number  of  dififerent  capacities,  and  was 
one  of  the  proprietors  there  who  was 
commissioned  for  laying  out  most  of  the 
early  divisions  of  land.  He  surveyed  a 
large  part  of  the  surrounding  country,  and 
we  have  an  interesting  document  in  his 
first  bill  for  service  as  a  surveyor  to  the 
community,  which  is  dated  December  7, 


1738.  Captain  Samuel  Hinman  was  sev- 
enty years  of  age  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Revolution,  yet  he  enlisted  and  served  as 
a  soldier  in  the  Continental  army  during 
that  momentous  struggle.  His  death  oc- 
curred at  Goshen,  in  the  year  1784.  We 
are  not  acquainted  with  the  name  of  the 
wife  of  Captain  Samuel  Hinman,  but  we 
have  records  of  their  ten  children,  who 
were  as  follows :    Lois,  who  became  the 

wife  of Norton ;  Sarah,  born  July 

5,  1731 ;  Wilkinson,  born  June  8,  1733; 
Samuel  and  Mary,  twins,  born  July  26, 
1736;  Joseph,  mentioned  below;  Phineas, 
born  March  21,  1740;  Ascher,  born  March 
13,  1742;  Lewis,  and  Wait,  born  in  1748, 
married  Mary  Howe. 

Joseph  Hinman,  son  of  Samuel  Hin- 
man, was  born  March  7,  1738,  at  Goshen, 
Connecticut,  but  eventually  removed  to 
Canaan,  that  State.  Not  a  great  deal  is 
known  regarding  his  career,  but  it  was  in 
the  latter  place  of  abode  that  his  children 
were  born. 

Samuel  (2)  Hinman,  son  of  Joseph 
Hinman,  was  born  at  Canaan,  Connecti- 
cut, and  made  that  place  his  home  during 
his  entire  life.  He  appears  to  have  been 
very  active  in  the  community,  and  played 
a  considerable  part  in  the  life  thereof. 

Henry  L.  Hinman,  son  of  Samuel  (2) 
Hinman,  was  born  April  24,  1817,  at 
Canaan,  Connecticut.  Early  in  life  he  be- 
came associated  with  the  marble  indus- 
try in  that  region.  He  spent  about  a  year 
in  California,  in  1851  and  1852,  but  re- 
turned to  the  East  and  continued  to  en- 
gage in  the  marble  business,  devoting 
most  of  his  time  and  energy  to  taking 
charge  of  the  great  marble  quarries  at 
Canaan,  Connecticut,  and  Sheffield,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Henry  L.  Hinman  married 
Nancy  A.  Loomis,  a  native  of  Sheffield, 
Massachusetts,  born  July  27,  1823.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Phileder  Loomis,  who 
was  born   at    Egremont,   Massachusetts, 

09 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  a  granddaughter  of  Andrew  Loomis, 
a  native  of  the  same  place.  Phileder 
Loomis  married  Eunice  Boardman,  a  na- 
tive of  Shefifield,  born  June  26,  1802,  and 
died  May  10,  1880.  Eunice  (Boardman) 
Loomis  was  a  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Ruth  (Noble)  Boardman,  her  father  hav- 
ing been  born  at  Sheffield,  May  22,  1770, 
removed  to  Indiana  in  1830,  and  died 
there  December  4,  1851,  and  her  mother, 
born  December  7,  1777,  and  died  in  Shef- 
field, May  28,  1862.  Nancy  A.  (Loomis) 
Hinman  survived  her  husband  many 
years ;  his  death  occurred  September  25, 
1867,  while  she  lived  until  September  12, 
1910. 

William  C.  Hinman,  son  of  Henry  L. 
Hinman,  was  born  at  Sheffield,  Massachu- 
setts, November  10,  1846.  He  was  edu- 
cated at  the  "Little  Red  School  House" 
of  his  time.  Upon  completing  his  studies 
there,  he  removed  from  Sheffield  to  Al- 
ford  in  1866,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
occupation  of  farming  and  continued  con- 
sistently thereat  until  the  year  1889.  In 
the  latter  year  he  removed  to  Great  Bar- 
rington,  where  he  now  resides.  William 
C.  Hinman  has  been  very  prominent  in 
the  life  of  the  community,  and  has  held 
a  number  of  local  offices.  He  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  of  Great  Barrington 
on  October  i,  1892,  and  served  continu- 
ously until  February  i,  1914.  He  married 
Mary  A.  Gates,  a  native  of  Louisa,  Vir- 
ginia, born  January  28,  1846.  She  is  a 
daughter  of  Elijah  M.  Gates,  of  New  Leb- 
anon, New  York,  where  he  was  born  De- 
cember 4,  1817,  and  died  October  8,  1887, 
at  Alford.  He  was  in  turn  a  son  of  Eli- 
jah Gates,  Sr.,  and  a  grandson  of  Ezra 
Gates,  who  was  born  near  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut. Ezra  Gates  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  arm}-,  and  in  early  life  he 
and  his  young  wife  went  on  horseback 
from  Connecticut  to  Deerfield,  Massachu- 
setts, and   thence   over  the   now  famous 


"Mohawk  Trail"  to  New  Lebanon,  New 
York,  where  they  established  a  home  and 
spent  their  lives.  Elijah  M.  Gates,  Jr., 
the  grandfather  of  George  E.  Hinman, 
removed  the  year  following  his  marriage 
to  Louisa,  Virginia,  where  he  spent 
eighteen  years.  He  returned  to  Alford 
in  1859,  where  he  purchased  the  farm 
upon  which  his  wife  had  been  born  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  there.  Wil- 
liam C.  Hinman  was,  during  the  first 
three  years  of  his  residence  at  Great  Bar- 
rington, prominently  associated  with  the 
"Berkshire  Courier,"  and  for  a  time  was 
its  editor.  He  has  been  a  prominent  Re- 
publican in  the  district  and  has  served 
several  years  on  the  board  of  selectmen. 
George  Elijah  Hinman,  only  son  of 
William  C.  and  Mary  A.  (Gates)  Hin- 
man, was  born  May  7,  1870,  at  Alford, 
Massachusetts.  He  attended  the  district 
school  in  Alford,  and  was  graduated  from 
the  Great  Barrington  High  School  with 
the  class  of  1888.  He  then  began  work 
for  the  "Berkshire  Courier,"  remaining 
for  about  three  years,  and  in  September, 
1891,  removed  to  Middletown,  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  became  connected  with  the 
"Middletown  Herald."  In  October  of  the 
same  year  he  came  to  Willimantic,  where 
he  has  ever  since  resided,  and  there  en- 
gaged as  editor  of  the  "Willimantic  Her- 
ald." About  one  year  later  he  became 
editor  of  the  "Willimantic  Journal,"  in 
which  position  he  served  with  success  for 
three  years.  In  December,  1895,  having 
determined  to  take  up  the  law  as  his 
career  in  life,  he  entered  the  law  office  of 
William  A.  King,  one  of  the  prominent 
members  of  the  Willimantic  bar,  and  who 
suljsequently  became  attorney-general  of 
the  State  of  Connecticut.  Under  his  able 
preceptorship  and  later  in  Yale  Law 
School,  Mr.  Hinman  obtained  his  legal 
education.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Con- 
necticut bar  in  March,  1899,  and  engaged 


110 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  the  general  practice  of  his  profession 
at  Willimantic.  In  the  same  year  he  be- 
came assistant  clerk  of  the  Connecticut 
House  of  Representatives,  and  two  years 
later  was  made  clerk  of  the  House.  In 
igo2  he  was  appointed  assistant  clerk  of 
the  Constitutional  Convention,  in  1903 
became  clerk  of  the  Connecticut  State 
Senate,  was  clerk  of  bills  in  1905  and 
1907,  engrossing  clerk  in  1909,  and  clerk 
of  bills  in  191 1.  In  politics  he  has  always 
been  a  consistent  and  active  Republican, 
was  elected  secretary  of  the  Republican 
State  Central  Committee  in  1902  and 
served  continuously  and  efficiently  in 
that  capacity  until  1914,  in  November  of 
which  year  he  was  elected  attorney-gen- 
eral of  the  State  of  Connecticut  for  a 
term  of  four  years,  expiring  in  January, 
1919. 

Mr.  Hinman  has  also  been  active  and 
prominent  in  the  life  of  the  community 
in  which  he  resides.  He  was  for  several 
years  a  member  and  secretary  of  the  town 
school  committee,  and  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Common  Council.  He  was  also, 
from  January,  1903,  until  January,  1915, 
county  health  officer  for  Windham  coun- 
ty. He  is  a  member  and  former  presi- 
dent of  the  Willimantic  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce, a  director  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  and  a  member  of 
the  State  Bar  Association.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Cincinnatus  Lodge,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  of  Great  Barrington ; 
Trinity  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ; 
Olive  Branch  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters ;  and  St.  John's  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Willimantic,  and  an 
officer  of  the  Grand  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Connecticut,  also  a 
member  of  Sphinx  Temple,  Ancient  Ara- 
bic Order  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine, 
and  the  Consistory  of  Norwich,  Scottish 
Rite  Masons.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
Natchaug  Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias,  of 
Willimantic. 


On  September  26,  1899,  Mr.  Hinman 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Nettie  P. 
Williams,  a  native  of  Pomfret,  who  later 
resided  at  Willimantic,  a  daughter  of 
Ralph  J.  Williams,  of  the  latter  place.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hinman  two  children  have 
been  born :  Russell  William,  January  30, 
1907,  and  Virginia  Gates,  August  23,  1909. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hinman  are  members  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Willi- 
mantic ;  Mr.  Hinman  has  served  as  a  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday  school  and 
president  of  the  Church  Brotherhood,  and 
Mrs.  Hinman  is  a  member  of  various 
women's  organizations  connected  with 
the  church,  and  of  the  Willimantic 
Woman's  Club. 


SMITH,  Guilford, 

Financier,    Public    Official. 

The  branch  of  the  Smith  family,  repre- 
sented in  the  present  generation  by  Guil- 
ford Smith,  a  leading  citizen  of  South 
Windham,  traces  to  Jacob  Smith,  of  Had- 
dam  and  Colchester,  Connecticut,  who 
was  a  resident  of  the  latter  town  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  and  his  remains  were 
interred  in  a  cemetery  there.  It  is  sup- 
posed that  he  w^as  an  organ  builder  by 
trade.  He  married,  and  was  the  father 
of  three  sons :  Simon ;  Frederick ;  and 
Joshua,  mentioned  below. 

Joshua  Smith,  son  of  Jacob  Smith,  was 
born  in  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  near  the 
Windham  line,  and  became  a  resident  of 
the  latter  town  in  early  manhood.  He 
was  a  weaver  by  trade,  and  also  a  farmer. 
During  the  War  of  1812  he  made  cloth 
for  soldiers'  uniforms.  In  1818  he  was  a 
representative  from  Windham  in  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  He  married  (first)  Laura 
Allen,  daughter  of  Amos  and  Anna  (Bab- 
cock)  Allen.  He  married  (second)  Anna 
Barodell  Allen,  sister  of  his  first  wife. 
The  Allen  lineage  is  traced  to  William 
Allen,  of  Salem,  Massachusetts,  who  died 

u 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  i665.  Amos  Allen  was  the  son  of  Amos 
and  Anna  (Dennison)  Allen,  both  of 
whom  died  in  1770.  He  served  three 
years  as  a  corporal  in  the  Revolution,  and 
died  in  1778.  His  mother,  Anna  (Denni- 
son) Allen,  was  a  direct  descendant  of 
Colonel  George  Dennison,  who  served  in 
Cromwell's  army,  and  was  afterwards  a 
noted  Indian  fighter  in  Stonington.  Colo- 
nel Dennison's  second  wife  was  Anna, 
daughter  of  John  Barodell,  who  nursed 
him  back  to  health  after  he  had  been 
severely  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Naseby. 
Child  of  the  first  wife  of  Joshua  Smith : 
Myra,  became  the  wife  of  Colonel  George 
SpafJord ;  children :  Marvin,  Charles, 
Laura,  Lora,  died  in  youth.  Children  of 
second  wife :  Mary,  became  the  wife  of 
Alfred  Kinne,  child,  Alfred,  who  settled 
in  Spafifordville,  now  South  Windham ; 
Emily,  became  the  wife  of  Harvey  Win- 
chester, children :  Arthur  S.,  Edgar  C., 
both  now  in  the  Smith  &  Winchester 
Company,  of  South  Windham ;  Charles, 
mentioned  below ;  Lydia,  died  unmarried, 
at  the  age  of  eighty ;  Chandler,  married 
Jane  Robinson,  child,  George,  resided  in 
South  Windham. 

Charles  Smith,  son  of  Joshua  Smith, 
was  born  in  South  Windham,  Connecti- 
cut, September  14,  1807,  and  died  April 
6,  1896.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
district  school  in  South  Windham.  At 
the  age  of  thirteen  he  was  left  an  orphan, 
and  for  the  following  three  years  lived 
with  his  uncle,  Frederick  Smith,  of  Col- 
chester, who  was  an  expert  mathema- 
tician and  became  his  instructor.  He 
learned  the  trades  of  wheelwright  and 
millwright  in  Windham  with  George 
Spafford,  and  in  1835  was  placed  in  charge 
of  a  force  of  men  employed  at  Stafford  in 
building  a  machine  for  making  paper. 
This  was  the  duplicate  of  a  machine  im- 
ported for  papermaking  and  set  up  at 
North  Windham,  and  was  built  by  Mr. 


Spafford  and  Mr.  James  Phelps.  The 
machine  proved  a  success  and  was  sold  to 
Amos  Hubbard,  of  Norwich.  Phelps  & 
Spafford  then  established  a  factory  at 
South  Windham,  and  retained  Mr.  Smith 
as  superintendent.  The  panic  of  1837 
crippled  the  owners,  and  the  business  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  Smith  and  Hervey 
Winchester,  and  continued  under  the 
name  of  Smith,  Winchester  &  Company 
until  the  death  of  Air.  Smith.  Since  that 
time  it  has  been  operated  by  the  incor- 
porated concern  known  as  the  Smith  & 
Winchester  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr. 
Smith  was  always  a  very  active  and  ener- 
getic business  man,  and  continued  in  per- 
sonal charge  of  his  affairs  and  the  works 
until  a  few  years  before  his  death.  He 
was  then  succeeded  by  his  son,  Guilford 
Smith.  He  was  a  leading  citizen  in  every 
way,  and  was  universally  respected  for  his 
industry,  sound  judgment  and  upright 
character.  Upon  the  formation  of  the 
Republican  party  he  became  one  of  its 
members,  and  continued  so  throughout 
his  life.  He  served  as  first  selectman  of 
the  town,  represented  it  in  the  General 
Assembly,  and  was  always  ready  to  ful- 
fill every  duty  of  a  patriotic  citizen.  He 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Wind- 
ham National  Bank,  and  continued  to  be 
a  director  until  his  death.  He  attended 
the  Episcopal  church  at  Windham  Centre. 
He  married,  November  3,  1835,  at  North 
Windham,  Marietta  Abbe,  born  August 
14,  1816,  died  April  10,  1901.  Children: 
Guilford,  born  May  12,  1839,  mentioned 
below ;  Mary,  became  the  wife  of  P.  H. 
Woodward,  of  Hartford,  child,  Helen,  be- 
came the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Stephen  Henry 
Cranberry,  rector  of  St.  Barnabas'  Epis- 
copal Church,  Newark,  New  Jersey,  and 
had  children:  Helen  and  Mary  Emeline. 
Guilford  Smith,  son  of  Charles  and 
Marietta  (Abbe)  Smith,  was  born  May 
12,  1839,  in  South  Windham,  Connecticut. 


112 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  received  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town  and  in  Hall's 
School  at  Ellington,  Connecticut.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  entered  the  of¥ice  of 
Smith,  Winchester  &  Company  as  a  clerk, 
and  passed  through  all  the  departments. 
Upon  the  death  of  his  father  he  succeeded 
to  his  position  as  treasurer  and  secretary 
of  Smith,  Winchester  &  Company,  and 
has  always  manifested  good  business  abil- 
ity. He  is  president  of  the  present  cor- 
poration, the  Smith  &  Winchester  Manu- 
facturing Company.  He  is  also  president 
of  the  Windham  National  Bank  of  Willi- 
mantic,  and  has  been  since  1900,  and  the 
successor  of  his  wife's  father  as  director 
of  the  New  London  &  Northern  railway. 
He  is  a  leading  citizen  of  South  Wind- 
ham, is  active  in  civil  and  church  affairs, 
and  represented  his  town  in  the  General 
Assembly  in  1883,  1907-11,  in  addition  to 
filling  various  local  offices.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Ecclesiastical 
Society  of  the  Congregational  Church  of 
South  Windham,  and  have  contributed 
largely  to  the  support  of  the  church. 

Mr.  Smith  married,  December  16,  1863, 
Mary  Ramsdell,  born  September  5,  1837, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Elizabeth 
(Lathrop)  Ramsdell,  granddaughter  of 
Isaiah  and  Clarissa  (Collins)  Ramsdell, 
and  great-granddaughter  of  Abijah  Rams- 
dell, of  Salem,  Massachusetts.  Thomas 
Ramsdell  was  an  active  business  man, 
president  of  the  Windham  National  Bank, 
director  of  several  enterprises,  and  died 
at  the  great  age  of  ninety-one  years.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ramsdell  were  the  parents  of 
two  daughters :  Anna,  born  May  18,  1834, 
became  the  wife  of  Richard  Goodwin 
Watrous,  and  Mary,  aforementioned  as 
the  wife  of  Mr.  Smith.  Mary  Elizabeth 
(Lathrop)  Ramsdell  was  the  daughter  of 
John  and  Sybil  (Backus)  Lathrop.  John 
Lathrop  was  the  son  of  the  Rev.  Benja- 

Conn— 3-«  I 


min  Lathrop,  a  Baptist  minister,  who 
located  early  in  Windham  and  was  noted 
for  his  kindness  and  charity.  He  pur- 
chased the  house  erected  by  John  Gates, 
the  first  settler  of  Windham,  and  resided 
in  it  for  many  years.  He  was  a  descend- 
ant of  John  Lathrop,  who  was  the  second 
pastor  of  the  first  Congregational  church 
in  England,  and  was  imprisoned  for  seced- 
ing from  the  Established  Church.  The 
church  edifice  in  which  he  and  his  fol- 
lowers worshipped  is  still  standing  in  Low- 
throppe,  county  of  Kent,  England.  He 
came  to  New  England  in  1634,  and  was 
the  first  minister  of  Scituate,  Massachu- 
setts. He  was  the  common  ancestor  of  all 
of  the  name  in  this  country,  and  among 
his  descendants  are  many  noted  clergy- 
men of  New  England.  Sybil  (Backus) 
Lathrop  was  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Sybil  (Whiting)  Backus.  John  Backus 
was  the  son  of  John  Backus,  who  with  his 
brother  William  was  among  the  first  six- 
teen settlers  of  Windham,  coming  from 
Norwich.  John  Backus,  Jr.,  was  a  brother 
of  Mary  Backus,  through  whom  Mrs. 
Guilford  Smith  traces  her  ancestry  to 
Governor  Bradford.  Mary  Backus  mar- 
ried, December,  1712,  Joshua  Ripley,  born 
May  13,  1688,  in  Windham,  son  of  Joshua 
and  Hannah  (Bradford)  Ripley,  of  Wind- 
ham, and  the  latter  named  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  William  Bradford,  second  deputy 
governor,  who  was  a  son  of  Governor 
William  Bradford.  Sybil  (Whiting) 
Backus  was  the  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Whiting,  first  pastor  at  Wind- 
ham, and  a  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Whit- 
ing, a  pastor  of  the  first  church  at  Hart- 
ford. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  are  members 
of  the  Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants, 
and  the  latter  is  identified  with  the 
Daughters  of  Colonial  Governors  and 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 

13 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


CHASE,  Charles  Edward, 

ActiTe   Factor  in   Insurance   Circles. 

The  Chase  family,  of  which  Charles 
Edward  Chase,  chairman  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  Hartford  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  and  a  prominent  public  offi- 
cial, is  a  worthy  representative,  is  of  Eng- 
lish origin,  being  among  the  ancient  and 
highly  honored  families  of  England,  the 
name  being  derived  undoubtedly  from 
the  French  word,  Chasser,  to  hunt.  They 
are  one  of  the  families  entitled  to  bear  a 
coat-of-arms,  described  as  follows:  Gules 
four  crosses  patence  argent  (two  and 
two),  on  a  canton  azure  a  lion  rampant  or. 

(I)  Thomas  Chase,  a  resident  of  Ches- 
ham,  Buckinghamshire,  England,  the  an- 
cestral seat  of  the  family  from  which  de- 
scends the  line  herein  followed,  was  active 
in  community  afifairs,  married  and  among 
his  children  was  a  son,  John,  through 
whom  the  descent  is  traced. 

(II)  John  Chase,  son  of  Thomas  Chase, 
was  also  a  resident  of  Chesham,  there 
spent  his  entire  active  career,  married  and 
among  his  children  was  a  son,  Matthew, 
of  whom  further. 

(III)  Matthew  Chase,  son  of  John 
Chase,  also  spent  his  life  in  Chesham, 
honored  and  respected  by  his  fellow-citi- 
zens. He  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Richard  Bould,  and  they  were  the  par- 
ents of  eight  children,  as  follows:  Rich- 
ard, married  Mary  Roberts;  Francis, 
John,  Matthew,  Thomas,  of  whom  fur- 
ther; Ralph,  William,  Bridget. 

(IV)  Thomas  (2)  Chase,  fifth  son  of 
Matthew  and  Elizabeth  (Bould)  Chase, 
was  of  Hundrich,  in  Parish  Chesham. 
where  his  active  and  useful  life  was  spent. 
He  married  and  was  the  father  of  five  chil- 
dren, born  at  Hundrich :  John,  baptized 
November  30,  1540;  Richard,  of  whom 
further;  Agnes,  baptized  January  9,  1551 ; 
William ;  Christian. 

(V)  Richard    Chase,    second    son     of 


Thomas  (2)  Chase,  was  born  in  Hundrich, 
Parish  Chesham,  England,  and  baptized 
there,  August  3,  1542.  He  was  one  of  the 
prominent  men  of  that  community,  active 
and  public-spirited,  performing  well  the 
duties  that  fell  to  his  lot.  He  married, 
April  16,  1564,  Joan  Bishop,  who  bore 
him  nine  children,  born  at  Hundrich,  bap- 
tismal dates  given :  Robert,  September  2, 
1565  ;  Henry,  August  10,  1567;  Lydia,  Oc- 
tober 4,  1573  ;  Ezekiel,  April  2,  1575  ;  Dor- 
cas, March  2,  1578;  Aquila,  of  whom  fur- 
ther; Jason,  January  13,  1585;  Thomas, 
July  18,  1586;  Abigail.  January  12,  1588; 
Mordecai,  July  31,  1591. 

(VI)  Aquila  Chase,  fourth  son  of  Rich- 
ard and  Joan  (Bishop)  Chase,  was  born  at 
Hundrich,  Parish  Chesham,  England,  and 
baptized  there.  August  14.  1580.  He  was 
prominent  in  community  affairs,  and 
was  highly  regarded  by  all  with  whom 
he  was  brought  in  contact.  He  married 
and  was  the  father  of  two  children : 
Thomas  ;  Aquila,  of  further  mention. 

(VII)  Aquila  (2)  Chase,  youngest  son 
of  Aquila  (i )  Chase,  was  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, born  in  1618,  and  died  in  Newbury, 
Massachusetts,  December  27,  1670.  He 
was  the  emigrant  ancestor  of  the  family, 
but  the  date  of  his  coming  to  the  New 
World  is  not  here  recorded ;  he  was  a 
resident  of  Hampton,  New  Hampshire, 
in  1640,  from  whence  he  removed  to  New- 
bury, Massachusetts,  in  1646,  where  he 
was  granted  four  acres  for  a  house  lot, 
and  six  acres  of  marsh  on  condition  that 
he  go  to  sea  and  do  service  in  the  town 
with  a  boat  for  four  years.  He  was  a 
mariner,  and  shipmaster,  and  the  supposi- 
tion is  that  he  was  employed  by  his  uncle 
or  brother,  Thomas  Chase,  who  in  1626 
was  part  owner  of  the  ship,  "John  and 
Francis."  He  married  Anne,  daughter  of 
John  Wheeler,  and  she  bore  him  nine 
children,  as  follows :  Sarah,  became  the 
wife  of  Charles  Annis;  Anna,  born  July 
6,  1647;  Priscilla,  March  14,  1649;  Mary, 

14 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


February  3,  165 1  ;  Thomas,  July  25,  1654; 
John,  November  2,  1655  ;  Elizabeth,  Sep- 
tember 13,  1657;  Ruth,  March  18,  1660; 
Daniel,  December  9,  1661 ;  Moses,  of 
whom  further.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband,  Mrs.  Chase  married  (second) 
June  14,  1672,  Daniel  Mussiloway.  Her 
death  occurred  in  May,  1688. 

(VIII)  Moses  Chase,  youngest  son  of 
Aquila  (2)  and  Anne  (Wheeler)  Chase, 
was  born  in  Newbury,  Massachusetts, 
December  24,  1663.  He  was  a  man  of 
thrift  and  enterprise,  and  provided  well 
for  the  necessities  of  his  family.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  November  10,  1684,  Ann  Fol- 
lansbee,  and  (second)  December  13,  1713, 
Sarah  Jacobs.  Children,  all  of  first  mar- 
riage :  Moses,  born  September  20,  1685, 
died  young ;  Daniel,  twin  of  Moses,  of 
whom  further;  Moses,  January  20,  1688; 
Samuel,  May  13,  1690;  Elizabeth,  Septem- 
ber 25,  1693;  Stephen,  August  29,  1696; 
Hannah,  September  13,  1699;  Joseph, 
September  9,  1703  ;  Nenoni. 

(IX)  Daniel  Chase,  one  of  the  twin 
sons  of  Moses  and  Ann  (Follansbee) 
Chase,  was  born  in  Newbury,  Massachu- 
setts, September  20,  1685,  and  died  May 
28,  1769.  Prior  to  March  26,  1733,  he 
removed  to  Sutton,  same  State,  his  corn 
mill  being  mentioned  in  the  town  records 
then,  and  he  is  credited  with  having  built 
the  first  corn  mill  at  Pleasant  Falls,  and 
was  known  as  "Miller"  Chase.  His  home- 
stead was  on  the  present  site  of  the  Sut- 
ton Manufacturing  Company  property. 
He  married  Sarah  March,  whose  death 
occurred  in  December,  1771,  aged  eighty- 
eight  years.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chase  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  church  in  1736  by  letter 
from  the  Littleton  church,  and  in  175 1  he 
and  his  wife  were  among  the  Separatists 
from  the  Sutton  church.  Children  :  Sam- 
uel, born  September  28,  1707,  married 
Mary  Dudley ;  Daniel,  of  whom  further ; 
Joshua,  born  November  9,  171 1 ;  Ann,  No- 


vember 13,  1713,  became  the  wife  of  David 
Lilley,  May  25,  1736;  Sarah,  April  22, 
1716;  Nehemiah,  June  27,  1718;  Judith, 
September  7,  1720,  became  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Hall,  September  15,  1737;  Valeb, 
November  29,  1722,  died  October  2,  1808; 
Moody,  September  3,  1723,  married,  Jan- 
uary 17,  1749,  Elizabeth  Hall;  Moses, 
March,  1726,  married  Hannah,  daughter 
of  Jonas  Brown. 

(X)  Daniel  (2)  Chase,  second  son  of 
Daniel  (i)  and  Sarah  (March)  Chase,  was 
born  September  18,  1709,  in  Newbury, 
Massachusetts,  and  died  in  Sutton,  Massa- 
chusetts, in  May,  1799.  He  accompanied 
his  parents  to  Sutton  upon  their  removal 
thither,  and  there  spent  his  active  and 
useful  life.  He  married  (first)  Hannah 
Tuttle,  of  Littleton,  Massachusetts,  and 
(second)  January  24,  1782,  Martha 
Fletcher,  of  Grafton.  Children  of  first 
wife,  born  at  Sutton :  Hannah,  October 
15,  1733,  died  December  11,  1733:  Paul, 
of  whom  further ;  Hannah,  born  January 
II,  1737,  became  the  wife  of  Eliakim  Gar- 
field, July  3,  1759;  Lucy,  January  30,  1739, 
became  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Garfield, 
November  15,  1764;  Anne  and  Judith, 
twins,  May  i,  1741,  Anne  died  November 

I.   1745- 

(XI)  Paul  Chase,  eldest  son  of  Daniel 

(2)  and  Hannah  (Tuttle)  Chase,  was 
born  in  Sutton,  Massachusetts,  March  13, 
1735,  and  died  there  in  1789.  He  spent 
his  entire  lifetime  in  his  native  town,  and 
was  honored  and  respected  in  the  commu- 
nity. He  married,  at  Sutton,  April  17, 
1758,  Lucy  Richardson,  who  bore  him 
three  children,  whose  births  occurred  in 
Sutton,  namely :  Joshua,  of  whom  fur- 
ther;  Thaddeus,  born  February  10,  1763; 
Lucy,  born  May  18,  1766,  became  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Greenwood,  Jr. 

(XII)  Joshua  Chase,  eldest  son  of  Paul 
and  Lucy  (Richardson)  Chase,  was  born 
in  Sutton,  Massachusetts,  November  26, 


115 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1760,  and  he  there  spent  his  entire  life- 
time. He  married,  August  23,  1787,  Lydia 
Prentice,  a  resident  of  Sutton,  and  their 
children,  born  at  Sutton,  were  as  follows : 
Nancy,  February  15,  1789;  Paul  Cushing, 
of  whom  further;  Betty,  born  February 
22,  1792;  Hannah  Prentice,  March  27, 
1795.  He  died  at  Sutton,  Massachusetts, 
January  6,  1842. 

(XIII)  Paul  Cushing  Chase,  only  son 
of  Joshua  and  Lydia  (Prentice)  Chase, 
was  born  at  Sutton,  Massachusetts, 
March  6,  1790,  and  died  in  Millbury,  for- 
merly part  of  Sutton.  In  addition  to  the 
duties  of  his  daily  occupation,  he  was 
chosen  by  his  fellow  townsmen  to  serve 
in  the  offices  of  highway  surveyor,  as- 
sessor and  selectman,  and  he  frequently 
served  as  chairman  of  the  Board  of  Se- 
lectmen. He  married,  at  Millbury,  De- 
cember 9,  1819,  Sally,  daughter  of  Aaron 
and  Hannah  Pierce,  and  their  children, 
born  at  Millbury,  were  as  follows:  Leon- 
ard Pierce,  September  5,  1820;  George 
Cushing,  September  18,  1824,  died  August 
3,  1827;  Lewis  Stow,  August  6,  1826; 
George  Lewis,  of  whom  further ;  Daniel 
Moody,  July  25,  1832.  He  died  at  Mill- 
bury, Massachusetts,  June  26,  1871. 

(XIV)  George  Lewis  Chase,  fourth  of 
the  five  sons  of  Paul  Cushing  and  Sally 
(Pierce)  Chase,  was  born  in  Millbury, 
Massachusetts,  January  13,  1828,  and 
died  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  January 
7,  1908.  He  attended  the  Millbury  Acad- 
emy and  thus  acquired  a  practical  educa- 
tion. His  first  experience  in  business  life 
was  as  agent  of  the  Farmers'  Mutual  Fire 
Insurance  Company  of  Georgetown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, whose  service  he  entered  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years,  and  later  was 
elected  a  member  of  its  board  of  directors. 
At  first  his  labors  were  confined  to  the 
southern  section  of  Massachusetts  and 
the  eastern  section  of  Connecticut,  but 
after  a  short  period  of  time  his  agency  in- 


cluded four  companies  transacting  busi- 
ness on  the  mutual  plan,  one  of  which, 
the  Holyoke  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Com- 
pany, of  Salem,  remained  in  business  for 
many  years.  In  1848  he  was  appointed 
traveling  agent  for  the  People's  Insurance 
Company  of  Worcester,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  until  1852,  in  which  year  he 
accepted  the  position  of  assistant  superin- 
tendent of  the  Central  Ohio  Railway 
Company,  which  necessitated  his  removal 
to  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  later,  owing  to 
his  ability  and  judgment,  was  advanced 
to  the  position  of  general  superintendent 
of  the  road,  and  thus  served  until  i860. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  first 
association  of  railroad  superintendents  in 
the  United  States,  the  meeting  for  the 
purpose  being  held  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  in 
1853.  Upon  his  resignation  from  the  rail- 
road business,  in  i860,  Mr.  Chase  again 
entered  his  former  line  of  work,  becoming 
the  western  general  agent  for  the  New 
England  Fire  Insurance  Company  of 
Hartford;  in  1863  was  assistant  general 
agent  of  the  Hartford  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  and  in  1867  was  advanced  to 
the  position  of  president  of  the  company, 
succeeding  Timothy  C.  Allyn.  This  com- 
pany is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  United 
States,  and  during  its  existence  of  more 
than  a  century  there  has  only  been  six 
presidents,  Mr.  Chase  exceeding  all  in  his 
length  of  service — forty-one  years — dur- 
ing which  long  period  he  managed  its 
affairs  in  a  highly  commendable  manner, 
gaining  for  the  company  and  himself  a 
widespread  popularity.  When  Mr.  Chase 
assumed  the  presidency  of  the  company, 
the  office  was  located  on  Main  street,  but 
as  the  accommodations  were  inadequate 
to  the  volume  of  business,  Mr.  Chase  sug- 
gested the  purchase  of  the  property  on 
the  corner  of  Pearl  and  Trumbull  streets, 
and  after  acquiring  the  same  a  handsome 
granite  building  was  erected  thereon, 
16 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


equipped  with  every  convenience  and  at 
that  time  the  finest  building  devoted  to 
the  insurance  business  in  Hartford.  The 
company  took  possession  of  the  building 
in  1870,  and  in  1897  the  building  was  en- 
larged by  the  erection  of  an  addition 
which  doubled  their  accommodations, 
thus  providing  the  necessary  space  for  the 
increase  of  the  business,  which  was  five 
times  greater  than  when  Mr.  Chase  as- 
sumed the  management.  He  was  the  first 
to  employ  stenographic  and  typewriter 
service  in  the  insurance  business,  and  he 
was  the  first  to  suggest  the  use  of  the 
telephone  for  communication  between  the 
Hartford,  ..^tna  and  Phoenix  offices,  this 
being  the  first  telephone  service  in  Hart- 
ford. In  1892,  on  the  celebration  of  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  his  presi- 
dency, he  was  presented  with  a  silver  lov- 
ing cup  by  his  associates  in  the  Hartford 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  in  June. 
1898,  the  general  and  special  agents  of 
the  company,  located  in  various  cities  in 
the  United  States,  presented  him  with  a 
Jurgensen  watch.  In  1876  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  National  Board  of  Fire 
Underwriters,  and  served  many  years  as 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  legislation 
and  taxation,  was  also  a  trustee  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Society  for  Savings  of 
Hartford,  trustee  of  the  Connecticut  Trust 
and  Safe  Deposit  Company,  director  of 
the  American  National  Bank,  and  was  a 
leading  member  of  the  Hartford  Board  of 
Trade.  Mr.  Chase  was  a  member  of  the 
Asylum  Hill  Congregational  Church,  and 
was  five  times  chosen  to  fill  the  office  of 
president  of  the  Connecticut  Congrega- 
tional Club. 

Mr.  Chase  married  (first)  January  8, 
1851,  Calista  Mendall  Taft,  born  at  Sut- 
ton, Massachusetts,  May  10,  1826,  died 
at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  December  9, 
1897,  daughter  of  Judson  and  Sarah  B. 
(Keyes)  Taft.    He  married  (second)  Feb- 


ruary 14,  1899,  Mrs.  Louise  J.  R.  Chap- 
man ;  she  died  February  2,  1904.  He  mar- 
ried (third)  June  21,  1905,  Susan  DeWitt 
Fairbairn,  widow;  she  died  May  27,  1916. 
Children  of  first  wife:  Sarah  Isabel,  born 
June  ID,  1852,  died  December  23,  1893 ; 
Charles  Edward,  of  whom  further :  Nellie 
Taft.  born  November  27,  1859.  died  April 
16,  1866. 

(XV)  Charles  Edward  Chase,  only  son 
of  George  Lewis  and  Calista  Mendall 
(Taft)  Chase,  was  born  in  Dubuque, 
Iowa,  March  29,  1857.  His  preparatory 
education  was  acquired  in  the  Haven 
Grammar  School  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  to 
which  city  his  parents  removed  when  he 
was  about  six  years  of  age,  and  he  was 
a  pupil  there  until  1867 ;  he  then  attended 
the  West  Middle  Grammar  School  in 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  subsequently 
the  Hartford  High  School,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1876,  being  then  presi- 
dent of  his  class.  In  1877  he  became  an 
employee  of  the  local  agency  of  the  Hart- 
ford Fire  Insurance  Company,  and  three 
years  later  entered  the  home  office  of  the 
company,  serving  in  various  clerical  posi- 
tions until  1890,  a  period  of  ten  years.  In 
July,  1890,  he  was  promoted  to  the  posi- 
tion of  second  assistant  secretary,  and  his 
faithful  service  was  rewarded  by  promo- 
tion to  the  office  of  vice-president,  and  in 
1908  to  the  presidency  of  the  company,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  until  August, 
1913,  when  he  resigned  the  presidency  of 
the  company  and  was  elected  chairman  of 
the  board  of  directors  and  still  occupies 
that  position  (1917).  For  thirteen  years, 
from  1894  to  1907,  he  was  president  of 
the  Hartford  Board  of  Fire  Underwriters, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company,  the  Hartford-/Etna  National 
Bank,  also  holding  the  office  of  chairman 
of  board  of  directors  of  that  bank,  the 
Society   for   Savings,   the    Hartford   Fire 

17 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Insurance  Company,  and  the  Hartford 
Board  of  Trade,  is  president  of  the  Citi- 
zens Insurance  Company  of  Missouri,  and 
president  of  the  Sanborn  Map  Company 
of  New  York.  He  is  a  Republican  in 
politics,  takes  an  active  interest  in  munici- 
pal affairs,  and  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  councilmen  from  the  old  First 
Ward  in  1892,  and  of  the  board  of  alder- 
men from  1893  to  1895,  also  as  clerk  of 
the  W'est  Middle  School  District.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1879.  ^^  enlisted  as  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  Company  K,  First  Regiment,  Con- 
necticut National  Guard,  and  occupied 
the  positions  of  corporal,  sergeant  and 
first  sergeant  of  the  company ;  he  was 
honorably  discharged  in  February,  1888. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Asylum  Hill  Con- 
gregational Church,  the  Hartford  Club, 
Hartford  Golf  Club,  Farmington  Country 
Club,  Twentieth  Century  Club,  Bolton 
Fish  and  Game  Club,  and  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  Republican  Club. 

Mr.  Chase  married,  in  Hartford.  June 
9.  1886,  Helen  Smith  Bourne,  born  in 
Hartford.  January  10,  i860,  daughter  of 
Benjamin  Alger  and  Mary  (Stannis) 
Bourne.  Children:  i.  Genevieve,  born 
March  4,  1887;  attended  the  Hartford 
Grammar  School,  Miss  Barbour's  Private 
School,  Dana  Hall,  Wellesley  College, 
being  president  of  the  class  in  the  junior 
and  senior  years.  2.  Porter  Bourne,  born 
May  27,  1896. 


THE  TAIT  FAMILY, 

Manufacturers. 

From  far  away  Scotland  came  Andrew 
Tait,  founder  of  the  Bridgeport  straw- 
board  manufacturing  industry  with  which 
his  son,  William  Tait,  and  his  grandsons, 
William  Franklin  and  Andrew  Tait,  have 
had  lifelong  connection,  the  firm  being 
the  well  known  Tait  &  Sons  Paper  Comr 
pany    of    Bridgeport.      The    founder    has 


long  since  gone  to  his  reward ;  his  son, 
William  Tait,  long  retired  from  active 
participation  in  the  business,  yet  resides 
in  Bridgeport,  an  honored  nonogenarian ; 
while  the  grandsons,  William  Franklin 
and  Andrew  Tait,  are  the  capable  heads 
of  the  business  which  has  been  located  in 
North  Bridgeport  since  1895,  previous  to 
that  year  and  from  1856,  in  Trumbull, 
Fairfield  county,  Connecticut. 

Andrew  Tait,  the  founder,  was  born  near 
Edinburgh,  Scotland,  January  2~,  1799, 
died  in  Trumbull,  Connecticut,  January 
2"/,  1891,  full  of  years  and  honors.  From  a 
race  of  papermakers  he  inherited  a  genius 
for  the  business,  and  through  an  appren- 
ticeship covering  a  period  of  seven  years 
he  gained  e.xpert  knowledge  of  every  de- 
tail connected  with  papermaking.  In 
1820,  on  arriving  at  legal  age,  he  left  his 
Scottish  home  and  came  to  the  United 
States,  locating  in  Morris  county.  New 
Jersey,  where  for  one  year  he  followed 
his  trade.  He  then  came  to  Connecticut, 
and  was  in  Hartford  and  other  localities 
until  his  marriage  in  1822  when  Trum- 
bull, Fairfield  county,  became  his  perma- 
nent home.  He  was  engaged  by  D.  &  P. 
N.  Fairchild  to  erect  their  paper  mill  in 
Trumbull,  fit  it  with  machinery  and  start 
it  in  operation,  but  soon  after  that  task 
was  completed  he  left  their  employ  and  at 
Trumbull  Center  began  in  a  small  way  to 
make  paper  for  bookbinders' use  under  his 
own  name.  In  1856  he  built  "Tail's  Mill" 
in  Trumbull,  and  inaugurated  the  box- 
board  or  strawboard  manufacturing  in- 
dustry which  has  flourished  under  the 
Tait  name  over  sixty  years.  He  affiliated 
with  the  Whig  party  after  acquiring  citi- 
zenship, later  joined  the  Republican  party, 
and  for  several  terms  served  Trumbull  as 
town  clerk.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Congregational  church, 
their  lives  models  of  industry,  frugality 
and  uprightness. 


118 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Andrew  Tait  married,  June  14,  1822, 
Bella  Ronaldson,  who  crossed  the  ocean 
to  become  his  bride,  the  voyage  occupy- 
ing forty-six  days.  She  died  May  22, 
1875,  and  five  years  prior  to  her  death  the 
aged  couple  celebrated  their  golden  wed- 
ding day  at  the  Tait  mansion  in  Trum- 
bull, many  relatives  and  friends  being 
bidden  to  aid  in  making  it  a  joyous  occa- 
sion. The  husband  survived  his  wife  six- 
teen years,  and  died  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
two.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  sons 
and  four  daughters :  Nancy,  married 
Plum,b  Hoyt,  of  New  York;  William,  of 
further  mention;  Mary  E.,  married  J.  M. 
Prindle,  of  Bridgeport;  John,  a  physician 
of  Meriden,  Connecticut;  Bella,  died  in 
1851 ;  Fannie. 

William  Tait,  eldest  son  of  Andrew  and 
Bella  (Ronaldson)  Tait,  was  born  in 
Scotland,  Hartford  county,  Connecticut. 
He  was  educated  in  Trumbull  public 
schools,  and  thereafter  was  taught  paper- 
making  by  his  father.  He  continued  in 
business  with  his  father  until  1848,  then 
the  reports  of  a  gold  discovery  in  Cali- 
fornia lured  him  to  that  State,  but  two 
years  as  a  gold  seeker  sufficed  and  he  re- 
turned to  Trumbull.  He  was  then  ad- 
mitted to  a  partnership  with  his  father 
and  together  they  continued  the  manu- 
facture of  strawboard  until  1872.  Andrew 
Tait,  the  founder,  then  withdrew  and  a 
representative  of  the  third  generation  was 
admitted.  William  Franklin  Tait,  son  of 
William  Tait.  Later  another  son,  Andrew 
Tait,  was  admitted  and  the  business  was 
continued  in  Trumbull  until  1895,  when 
the  plant  was  located  at  North  Bridge- 
port and  there  remains.  The  business 
was  reorganized  in  1896  under  its  present 
name.  The  Tait  &  Sons  Paper  Company ; 
William  F.  Tait,  president ;  William  Tait, 
vice-president ;  Andrew  (2)  Tait,  treas- 
urer. Air  and  steam  dried  strawboard 
was  the  chief  product  of  the  plant,  later 
boxboard  exclusively.    The  concern  again 


reorganized  in  1916  with  William,  F.  Tait, 
president;  William  Tait,  vice-president; 
Andrew  Tait,  treasurer,  and  Andrew 
Clifford  Tait,  secretary. 

William  Tait  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil 
War,  having  served  as  corporal  of  Com- 
pany D,  Twenty-third  Regiment,  Connec- 
ticut Volunteer  Infantry,  and  later  as 
orderly  sergeant  of  Company  C,  Fourth 
Regiment,  Connecticut  National  Guard. 
He  is  a  member  of  Elias  Howe,  Jr.,  Post, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  of  Bridge- 
port, and  of  the  Congregational  church. 
He  is  now  the  honored  veteran  of  ninety- 
two  years,  a  man  loved  and  respected 
wherever  known. 

William  Tait  married.  May  31,  1848,  at 
Milford,  Connecticut,  Grace  Camp,  born 
there  September  4,  1831,  died  January  6, 
1917.  In  1898  they  too  celebrated  the 
golden  anniversary  of  their  wedding  in 
the  presence  of  many  friends,  children 
and  grandchildren.  Children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  Tait:  William  Franklin,  of 
further  mention  ;  Andrew,  died  aged  two 
years  ;  Andrew,  of  further  mention  ;  Eliza- 
beth, married  Frank  Plumb,  and  has  a 
daughter  Verna. 

William  Franklin  Tait,  eldest  son  of 
William  and  Grace  (Camp)  Tait,  was 
born  October  27,  1852,  in  Trumbull,  Con- 
necticut. He  there  obtained  his  early  edu- 
cation. After  completing  his  studies  in 
Stratford  Academy,  he  began  learning 
the  papermaking  trade  with  his  father 
and  grandfather  in  their  Trumbull  mill, 
and  in  1872,  although  yet  a  minor,  he  was 
admitted  to  a  partnership,  his  grand- 
father retiring.  Father  and  son  conducted 
the  business  in  Trumbull  until  1895,  when 
they  removed  to  North  Bridgeport,  the 
present  location  of  the  plant.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  Tait  &  Sons  Paper 
Company,  William  F.  Tait  was  made 
treasurer,  and  upon  the  retirement  of  his 
father  succeeded  him  as  president.  The 
business  has  ever  been  a  prosperous  one, 


iig 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  under  the  executive  management  of 
the  capable  grandson  of  the  founder  its 
place  in  the  manufacturing  world  has  not 
become  less  important.  He  is  a  member 
of  several  business  and  other  organiza- 
tions, and  is  a  deacon  of  Olivet  Congre- 
gational Church. 

Mr.  Tait  married  (first)  June  6,  1876, 
Mary  Lattin,  who  died  February  3,  1878, 
daughter  of  Lyman  Lattin,  of  Hunting- 
ton, Fairfield  county,  Connecticut.  She 
left  a  daughter,  Mary  Frances,  born  Janu- 
ary 16,  1878.  Mr.  Tait  married  (second) 
September  26,  1883,  at  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Bridgeport,  Laura  Frances  Morris,  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Mary  Louise  Morris, 
of  Bridgeport.  Children :  William  Cros- 
by, born  July  31,  1893,  died  July  14,  1894; 
Natalie  Crosby,  born  February   13,  1898. 

Andrew  Tait,  youngest  son  of  William 
and  Grace  (Camp)  Tait,  was  born  in 
Trumbull,  Connecticut,  September  21, 
1866.  After  completing  his  education  in 
public  schools  and  Park  Avenue  Institute, 
Bridgeport,  he  became  associated  with 
his  father  and  brother,  learned  the  paper- 
making  business  in  all  the  details  there 
employed,  in  1896  was  admitted  to  a  part- 
nership, and  upon  the  incorporation  of  the 
business  as  the  Tait  &  Sons  Paper  Com- 
pany became  its  secretary.  He  has  con- 
tinued in  the  same  business  until  the  pres- 
ent and  is  now  treasurer  of  the  company. 
He  is  a  member  of  Olivet  Congregational 
Church  of  Bridgeport. 

Mr.  Tait  married,  October  9,  1889, 
Laura  Wilson,  born  April  15,  1868.  They 
are  the  parents  of  Eloise,  Andrew  Clifford, 
Grace  Elizabeth  and  William  Malcolm. 
Andrew  Clififord  is  secretary  of  the  com- 
pany. 


LAKE,  Everett  John, 

Legislator,  Lfientenant-GoTernor. 

Educated  in  the  classics  and  in  law  at 
Harvard    University,    Mr.    Lake   chose    a 


business  instead  of  a  professional  career, 
the  wisdom  of  his  choice  being  attested 
by  his  success  in  a  chosen  field.  Yet 
there  are  many  of  his  friends  that  believe 
he  would  have  been  even  a  greater  success 
as  a  lawyer,  a  profession  for  which  he 
studied  for  a  time.  In  public  life,  Mr. 
Lake  has  been  highly  honored  and  in  re- 
turn has  given  to  city  and  State  valuable 
service,  as  legislator  and  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor. 

Mr.  Lake  is  of  the  fifth  recorded  Amer- 
ican generation  of  his  family,  a  descend- 
ant of  Thomas  Lake,  who  came  from  Eng- 
land in  1748.  Portsmouth,  England,  is 
believed  to  have  been  his  birthplace,  the 
date  1734.  On  coming  to  this  country  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  years,  he  made  his 
way  to  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire, 
later  going  to  Rye  in  the  same  State.  In 
1785  he  located  with  his  family  on  a  farm 
near  Chichester,  New  Hampshire,  on  the 
road  to  Pittsfield  Village.  He  married 
Mrs.  Eunice  (Seavey)  Davis,  who  bore 
him  five  sons  and  three  daughters.  The 
line  of  descent  from  Thomas  Lake  is 
through  William  Lake,  his  youngest  child, 
his  son,  John  Lake,  his  son,  Thomas  Alex- 
ander Lake,  father  of  Everett  John  Lake, 
of  Hartford,  president  of  the  Hartford 
Lumber  Company. 

Thomas  .Alexander  Lake  ran  away  from 
home  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  to  join 
the  Union  army,  but  only  succeeded  in 
getting  into  a  lot  of  trouble,  although  he 
reached  the  front  and  attached  himself  to 
Company  G,  Eighteenth  Regiment  Con- 
necticut Volunteer  Infantry,  as  waiter. 
His  cousin  was  captain  of  Company  G. 
He  served  as  orderly  for  Captain  Warner, 
later  enlisted  in  same  company,  was  cap- 
tured at  Winchester,  June  15,  1863,  but 
escaped  and  made  his  way  home.  Later 
he  enlisted  and  served  until  the  war  closed. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Legislature  as  Assemblyman  in  1885,  and 


120 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


State  Senator  in  1897.  He  held  various 
public  positions,  was  energetic,  progres- 
sive and  successful  in  business,  an  ex- 
tremely useful,  public-spirited  citizen.  He 
married,  in  Woodstock,  Connecticut,  Mar- 
tha A.  Cockings,  who  bore  him  two 
daughters.  Sarah  M.  and  Margaret  B.,  and 
a  son,  Everett  J. 

Everett  J.  Lake,  only  son  of  Thomas 
Alexander  and  Martha  A.  (Cockings) 
Lake,  was  born  in  Woodstock,  Windham 
county,  Connecticut,  February  8,  1871. 
and  there  received  his  early  public  school 
education.  In  1885  his  parents  moved  to 
Stromsburg,  Nebraska,  where  he  was 
graduated  from  high  school,  class  of  1887. 
He  then  returned  east,  entered  Worcester 
Polytechnic  Institute,  whence  he  was 
graduated  Bachelor  of  Science,  class  of 
1890.  He  then  entered  the  junior  class  of 
Harvard  University,  there  receiving  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  class  of  '92. 
He  spent  the  next  year  at  Harvard  Law 
School,  but  discontinued  legal  study  in 
1893  to  engage  in  business.  At  Harvard 
he  played  on  the  "Eleven"  and  for  years 
after  his  graduation  always  devoted  con- 
siderable time  each  season  in  coaching 
the  football  teams,  as  he  is  a  football  en- 
thusiast and  a  lover  of  all  athletic  sports. 
He  became  associated  with  his  father  in 
the  Hartford  Lumber  Company  immedi- 
ately after  leaving  law  school,  and  in  1896 
was  elected  treasurer  of  the  company.  In 
1901  he  was  elected  president  and  still 
continues  the  able  executive  head  of  a 
very  prosperous  company.  From  1903 
until  1908  he  was  president  of  the  Tun- 
nel Coal  Company,  and  is  a  present  direc- 
tor of  the  Hartford-^tna  National  Bank 
and  director  of  the  Riverside  Trust  Com- 
pany. His  business  life  has  been  one  of 
honor  and  success,  his  reputation  in  the 
business  world  unsullied  by  any  ignoble 
deed  of  his. 

Mr.  Lake  had  ever  taken  an  active  in- 


terest in  public  affairs  as  a  Republican, 
and  in  1900  he  began  his  official  career  as 
a  member  of  Hartford's  board  of  school 
visitors.  In  1902  he  was  elected  to  repre- 
sent Hartford  in  the  Lower  House  of  the 
State  Legislature,  there  serving  as  chair- 
man of  the  important  committee  appro- 
priations. In  1904  he  was  elected  State 
Senator  from  the  First  Senatorial  Dis- 
trict, was  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
incorporations,  served  on  other  commit- 
tees and  was  an  effective  worker  on  the 
Senate  floor.  In  1906  he  was  the  candi- 
date of  his  party  for  Lieutenant-Governor, 
was  elected  and  served  his  term  with 
honor.  At  Harvard  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Hasty  Pudding  Club,  the  Institute  of 
1770,  and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  fraternity. 
He  is  affiliated  with  St.  John's  Lodge, 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Pythagoras 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Washing- 
ton Commandery,  Knights  Templar; 
Sphinx  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine ;  Consistory,  Ancient  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite,  thirty-second  degree ;  Lin- 
coln Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias ;  and 
Charter  Oak  Lodge,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows. 

Mr.  Lake  married,  September  5,  1895, 
at  Rockville,  Connecticut,  Eva  Louise, 
daughter  of  George  Sykes.  Children : 
Harold  Sykes,  and  Marjorie  Sykes.  The 
Lake  home  is  a  handsome  mansion  at  No. 
1090  Prospect  avenue,  from  which  an  ex- 
cellent view  of  Hartford  and  the  distant 
hills  is  unfolded.  The  grounds  are  fine 
examples  of  the  landscape  gardener's  art, 
while  the  mansion  is  a  striking  example 
of  Colonial  architecture,  quite  distinct 
from  the  Georgian  style  known  in  New 
England  as  "Colonial."  Mr.  Lake  is  a 
student  of  Connecticut  history,  and  in  his 
fine  library  has  about  every  worth-while 
volume  which  is  of  value  as  a  reference 
work  on  the  history  of  his  native  State. 


121 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


HART,  Harold  Gross, 

InTestment  Broker. 

Harold  Gross  Hart  is  a  member  of  the 
old  and  distinguished  Hart  family  of  Con- 
necticut, and  a  son  of  A.  E.  Hart,  who  is 
the  subject  of  extended  mention  else- 
where in  this  work.  An  account  of  the 
Hart  ancestry  is  to  be  found  in  the  sketch 
of  the  elder  Mr.  Hart,  to  which  the  reader 
is  referred  for  facts  concerning  the  early 
progenitors  of  the  family. 

Mr.  Hart  was  born  November  4,  1881, 
in  the  city  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that 
city.  After  completing  his  studies  in  these 
institutions,  he  attended  the  New  York 
Military  Academy  for  a  period  of  three 
years  and  was  graduated  therefrom  in 
1899.  He  followed  this  with  a  similar 
period  spent  at  the  Phillips-Andover 
Academy,  where  he  was  prepared  for  col- 
lege, and  he  then  entered  Trinity  College, 
Hartford.  Here  he  remained  two  years 
and  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  firm 
of  E.  H.  Rollins  &  Sons,  of  Boston,  as  a 
bond  salesman.  For  nine  months  Mr. 
Hart  continued  with  the  firm,  and  then  re- 
signed to  accept  a  position  with  Redmond 
&  Company,  of  New  York  City,  with  whom 
he  remained  in  a  similar  capacity  for  three 
years.  In  the  year  1908  he  severed  his 
connection  with  this  firm  and  became 
salesman  with  the  J.  S.  Farlee  &  Com- 
pany concern,  and  shortly  afterwards 
opened  their  branch  office  at  Hartford. 
He  remained  in  charge  of  this  office  until 
191 1,  when  he  withdrew  with  the  inten- 
tion of  engaging  in  business  on  his  own 
account.  Mr.  Hart  had  long  desired  to 
be  independent  of  the  business  world,  and 
he  now  saw  his  opportunity  to  establish 
himself  successfully  as  an  investment 
broker  in  Hartford.  This  plan  he  put  into 
effect,  and  is  now  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  successful  men  in  this  line  in  the 
city  as  well  as  a  substantial  citizen  and 


public-spirited  man.  He  does  not  con- 
fine his  activities,  however,  to  his  private 
business  interests,  but  is  associated  wi'h 
many  departments  of  the  community's 
life.  In  so  far  as  the  business  world  goes, 
he  has  even  there  extended  his  interest 
beyond  that  of  his  personal  aflfairs  and  is 
now  a  trustee  for  the  Society  for  Savings 
of  Hartford.  He  is  a  prominent  figure  in 
the  social  and  club  circles  of  the  commu- 
nity, is  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Trinity 
College,  of  the  Hartford  Club,  the  Hart- 
ford Golf  Club,  the  Sachem's  Head 
Yacht  Club,  the  Pine  Orchard  Club,  Calu- 
met Club  of  New  York  City,  the  Collec- 
tors' Club,  the  Hartford  Gun  Club  and  the 
Alumni  Association  of  Trinity  College. 
Mr.  Hart  is  devoted  to  outdoor  sports  and 
pastimes  as  may  well  be  seen  from  the 
list  of  clubs  with  which  he  is  associated, 
and  he  takes  his  recreation  in  this  whole- 
some and  healthful  manner.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  members  of  Troop  B,  Con- 
necticut National  Guard,  in  which  he  held 
the  rank  of  corporal,  but  was  later  trans- 
ferred to  the  First  Regiment,  and  held 
the  rank  of  first  lieutenant  and  quarter- 
master of  the  Third  Battalion.  He  is  now 
a  member  of  the  Troop  B.  Association. 

On  October  21,  1907,  Mr.  Hart  v/as 
united  in  marriage  with  Helen  C.  \\'hit- 
telsey,  a  daughter  of  Edgar  C.  Whittel- 
sey,  an  old  and  highly  respected  resident 
of  Hartford  and  a  member  of  a  distin- 
guished family  of  that  region.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hart  one  son  has  been  born, 
John  Robinson  Hart.  Mr.  Hart  and  his 
family  are  Episcopalians  in  their  religious 
belief  and  attend  the  Trinity  Episcopal 
Church  in  Hartford. 

Mr.  Hart  is  that  typical  American  prod- 
uct, the  self-made  man.  He  has  the  self- 
confidence  and  ready  resource  of  the  man 
who  has  had  to  care  for  himself  from  child- 
hood, a  familiarity  with  the  world  and  its 
aflfairs  that  springs  from  the  same  thing 


122 


THE  KEVf  vijrK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,    LENOX 
jTILDEI-1    FOUKDATIONS 


(fC^^-^  ^'h^t^c/^^6 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  a  long  course  in  the  stern  school  of 
experience.  Yet  his  sophistication  has  in 
no  wise  the  effect  upon  him  that  it  does 
on  small  minds  of  making  him  cynical,  but 
touches  his  large  nature  only  to  enrich  it 
with  all  the  varied  vivid  tones  of  life.  He 
has  always  kept  his  mind  and  spirit  pure 
and  his  sense  open  to  new  impressions. 
At  home  he  is  in  all  environments,  the 
great  and  the  small  alike,  a  good  man, 
and  he  has  that  democratic  outlook,  the 
shrewd,  humorous  insight  that  strips  the 
mask  of  pretence  from  all  men  and  sees 
the  underlying  fact.  His  is  an  essentially 
friendly  nature,  vet  he  is  not  averse  to  a 


of  forty  years  with  Fairchild  &  Shelton, 
the  largest  soap  manufacturing  company 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  He  was  em- 
phatically the  business  man,  never  seek- 
ing nor  accepting  political  office,  but  fond 
of  the  social  features  of  club  life,  very 
genial,  friendly  and  companionable. 

He  was  of  early  Colonial  ancestry,  of 
the  eighth  American  generation  of  the 
family  founded  in  Stratford,  Connecticut, 
in  1639  by  Thomas  Fairchild,  a  merchant, 
who  came  to  New  England  from  London, 
England.  He  died  December  14,  1670. 
There  is  on  file  in  the  State  Library  at 
Hartford  a  copy  of  the  marriage  contract 


bit  of  an  argument  and  when  such  arises  executed  prior  to  his  marriage  to  his  sec- 
can  very  well  hold  his  own  with  the  best.  ond  wife,  Katherine  Craig,  of  London,  in 
He  has  a  way  of  pointing  his  remarks  which  he  binds  himself  to  convey  to  said 
with  illustrative  tales  from  his  own  well  Katherine  a  life  estate  in  his  lands  at 
stocked  experience  and  while  these  are  Stratford  or  in  the  event  of  his  death 
generally  of  a  humorous  "character  they  before  his  arrival  in  New  England  to  cause 
are  very  apt  to  be  so  much  to  the  point  as  to  be  paid  to  her  two  hundred  and  fifty 


pounds  sterling.  This  contract  made  in 
London,  December  22,  1662,  would  indi- 
cate that  he  returned  to  England  for  his 
second  bride.  Eight  children  were  born 
by  his  first  wife,  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Seabrook,  three  by  his  second  wife,  Kath- 
erine Craig,  including  a  son,  Joseph. 

Joseph  Fairchild  was  born  in  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  April  18,  1664,  and  died  July 
whose  thoughts  are  ever  busy  with  the  ^5-  ^7^3-  He  married  Johanna  Willcox- 
welfare  and  happiness  of  his  family.  sen,   who   died    August    15,    1713.     They 

were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  the  line 

of  descent  being  through  Timothy  Fair- 
child. 

Timothy  Fairchild  was  born  December 


to  end  discussion.  Despite  his  great 
popularity  and  his  own  strong  taste  for 
the  society  of  his  fellows,  he  is  possessed 
of  the  strongest  domestic  instincts  and 
spends  as  much  time  as  he  can  manage 
in  the  home,  surrounded  by  his  immediate 
household  and  the  familiar  intimates  that 
are  very  near  to  forming  a  part  of  it.  He 
is  a  loving  husband  and  a  devoted  father. 


FAIRCHILD,  Henry  Charles, 

Manufacturer. 


For  half  a  century  identified  with  the      9,  1687,  died  November  23,  1726.  He  mar- 


business  interests  of  Bridgeport  and  one 
of  the  oldest  manufacturers  in  the  city, 
Henry  C.  Fairchild,  senior  member  of 
Fairchild  &  Shelton,  was  an  invalid  dur- 
ing the  last  few  years  of  his  life,  spend- 
ing a  part  of  each  winter  in  Florida.  Four 
years  prior  to  his  death  he  retired  from 
business,  thus   terminating  a  connection 


ried,  November  15,  1715,  Sarah  Thomp- 
son, of  New  Haven,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  four  children,  including  a  son, 
Daniel. 

Daniel  Fairchild  was  born  February  18, 
1719,  died  May  9,  1807.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  at  North  Stratford  (now 
Trumbull)  and   lived   at   Nichols   Farms. 


123 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  was  a  school  teacher,  merchant,  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  for  many  years,  and  dur- 
ing the  Revolution  an  ardent,  prominent 
patriot,  influential  in  State  as  well  as 
town  affairs.  He  married,  December  6, 
1743,  Hepzibah  Lewis,  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel Lewis,  of  Old  Mill,  in  the  town  of 
Stratford.  They  were  the  parents  of 
nine  children  including  a  son  Lewis. 

Lewis  Fairchild,  of  the  fifth  generation, 
was  born  March  14,  1747,  died  May  10, 
1817.  He  was  an  influential,  substantial 
farmer,  his  farm  at  Messha  Hill  in  Trum- 
bull. He  was  an  ardent  patriot  during 
the  Revolution  and  aided  the  cause  of 
liberty  in  many  ways.  He  married,  Sep- 
tember 2,2,  1768,  Mary  UfToot.  and  one  of 
his  six  children  was  a  son  Reuben. 

Reuben  Fairchild  was  born  in  1782, 
died  October  5,  1855,  a  resident  of  Trum- 
bull most  of  his  life.  He  learned  the 
cabinet  maker's  trade  and  was  not  only 
a  skilled  wood  worker  but  an  inventive 
genius,  several  patents  being  taken  out 
in  his  name.  In  1810  he  took  apart  an 
old  saddletree,  and  after  improving  it 
made  a  dozen  of  the  new  style,  had  them 
ironed  and  took  them  to  New  York  City 
where  they  found  a  ready  sale.  This  so 
encouraged  him  that  he  took  his  brother 
Eben  as  a  partner,  erected  a  factory  at 
Nichols  Farms  and  made  saddletrees  on 
a  large  scale.  In  May,  1817,  the  brothers 
bought  a  store  and  dock  property  near 
the  foot  of  Dock  street,  Bridgeport,  and 
operated  a  line  of  packets  between  New 
York  and  Boston,  also  conducting  the 
store  at  the  dock.  About  1818.  they  be- 
gan the  manufacture  of  saddles  in  Bridge- 
port, associating  with  them  Hanford 
Lyon  and  Lemuel  Coleman,  under  the 
firm  name,  Fairchild,  Lyon  &  Company. 
Nine  years  later  the  Fairchilds  sold  out 
to  their  partners,  and  in  1826  built  the 
Trumbull  paper  mills  and  it  was  here  that 
Reuben  Fairchild  was  the  first  to  manu- 


facture in  America  newspaper  from  wood- 
pulp,  but  was  discouraged  from  continu- 
ing to  use  it  by  the  fears  of  his  business 
associates  as  to  its  practicability ;  he  con- 
tinued in  business  until  1835,  when  he 
sold  out  to  his  brothers  and  retired  with 
a  competence.  But  he  found  no  pleasure 
in  idle  retirement  and  he  next  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  Haight,  Keeler,  Fair- 
child  &  Company,  carriage  manufacturers 
of  Bridgeport.  He  continued  so  engaged 
until  1840,  when  he  again  retired  to  his 
farm  in  Trumbull  and  there  resided  until 
his  death.  He  married,  in  Trumbull,  in 
1813,  Anna  Hawley,  daughter  of  Robert 
Hawley,  and  one  of  their  children  was 
Cliailes  Nichols 

Charles  Nicht  Is  Fairchild  was  born  in 
Trumbull,  Connecticut,  October  27,  1818, 
died  September  6,  1891.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  public  schools,  grew  to  manhood 
at  the  Nichols  Farms  homestead,  and 
though  as  a  young  man  he  learned  and 
followed  carriage  building  for  a  few  years, 
returned  to  Nichols  Farms  and  was  en- 
gaged in  agriculture  until  his  death.  He 
was  a  man  of  sound  judgm,ent  and  ability, 
thoroughly  trusted  by  his  community  and 
often  called  to  public  offices  of  trust  and 
honor.  He  was  a  selectman  in  1856-60, 
and  in  1876  represented  Trumbull  in  the 
State  Legislature.  He  was  a  strong 
Democrat,  and  one  of  the  leaders  of  his 
section.  He  married  (first)  Louisa 
Beach,  who  died  August  13,  1845,  aged 
twenty-four,  daughter  of  Alfred  Beach, 
of  Trumbull  Centre.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) Mary  B.  Banks,  of  Easton,  Connec- 
ticut. By  his  first  marriage  two  sons 
were  born:  Henry  C,  of  further  men- 
tion, and  Alfred  Beach,  of  Bridgeport. 
By  his  second  marriage  a  daughter,  Laura 
Frances,  and  a  son,  Ervvin  Starr. 

Henry  Charles  Fairchild,  eldest  son  of 
Charles  Nichols  and  Louisa  (Beach) 
Fairchild.    was    born    in    the    village    of 


124 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Nichols  Farms,  town  of  Trumbull,  Fair- 
field county,  Connecticut,  July   17,   1842, 
died  at  his  home,  No.  258  Golden  Hill, 
Bridgeport,   February    i,   1917.     He   was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Trum- 
bull, and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  he  left 
school  to  learn  the  trade  of  carriage  mak- 
ing with  J.  Mott  &  Company,  of  Bridge- 
port.    He  remained  in  their  employ  for 
nearly  three  years,  after  which  he  worked 
for    The    Wheeler    &    Wilson    Company 
until    he   was   twenty-one   years   of   age. 
In  1863,  he  was  established  in  a  general 
store    in     Bridgeport    as    proprietor    and 
continued    a    successful    merchant    until 
1872,  his  brother  Alfred  B.  being  in  his 
employ  as  clerk  from  1863  until  1865.    In 
1872,  Henry  C.  Fairchild  formed  a  part- 
nership with  his  brother-in-law,  John  C. 
Shelton,   in    Bridgeport,   under    the   firm 
name,   Fairchild  &   Shelton,   soap  manu- 
facturers, chemists  and  perfumers,  whose 
excellent  products  were  used  all  over  the 
country  and  whose  extensive  plant  was 
operated  in  a  most  sanitary  and  progres- 
sive manner.    The  up-to-date  methods  in 
which   the   business   was  conducted   was 
largely  due  to  the  ingenuity  and  inven- 
tiveness of  the  Fairchilds,  inherited  from 
their  progenitor,  Reuben  Fairchild.     Mr. 
Fairchild's    son,    the    late    Frederick    S. 
Fairchild,  invented  and  patented  the  first 
soap  canister  ever  made  which  is  one  of 
the  most  useful  devices  on  the  market  for 
promoting  economy  and  cleanliness  in  the 
use  of  toilet  soap.    Frederick  S.  Fairchild 
died    December   20,    1902,   at   the   age   of 
thirty-eight    years.     He  was    a  man    of 
strong  business  quality,  as  the  Fairchilds 
have  ever  been.     In  1913,  Henry  C.  Fair- 
child   retired,   the   business   passing   into 
other  hands.     Mr.  Fairchild  was  a  direc- 
tor of  the  City  National  Bank,  trustee  of 
the    Farmers'    and    Mechanics'    Savings 
Bank,   and   had    large   land   interests    in 
Florida.    He  was  a  trustee  of  Bridgeport 


Hospital,  of  the  order,  "Founders  and 
Patriots  of  America,"  senior  warden  of 
Christ  Episcopal  Church,  and  formerly  a 
member  of  several  clubs. 

Henry  C.  Fairchild  married,  December 
30,  1863,  Mary  L.  Shelton,  daughter  of 
Joel  and  Louisa  (Mallett)  Shelton.  Joel 
Shelton  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and 
a  natural  born  mechanic.  They  were  the 
Huntington,  Fairfield  county,  family, 
founded  by  Daniel  Shelton,  of  Stratford, 
prior  to  1690.  Daniel  Shelton  married, 
April  4,  1692,  Elizabeth  Welles,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Welles,  of  Wethersfield,  and 
granddaughter  of  Thomas  Welles,  one  of 
the  Colonial  governors  of  Connecticut. 
Fifty  years  later,  December  30,  1913,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fairchild  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  day  with  a  reception  to  their 
many  friends.  They  were  the  parents  of 
a  son,  Frederick  S.,  born  October  19,  1864, 
died  December  20,  1902.  In  his  will  Mr. 
Fairchild  left  a  sum  of  money  to  the  city, 
the  proceeds  to  be  used  as  an  annual 
prize  to  be  awarded  to  the  high  school 
student  showing  the  best  progress  and 
highest  efliciency  in  chemistry.  "This  be- 
quest in  loving  remembrance  of  my  son, 
Frederick  S.  Fairchild,  who  was  a  gradu- 
ate and  valedictorian  of  his  class  and  I 
direct  that  the  prize  flowing  from  the  said 
fund  shall  be  known  as  the  Fairchild 
Prize."  Mrs.  Fairchild,  a  lady  of  educa- 
tion and  womanly  grace,  survives  her 
husband,  a  resident  of  Bridgeport. 


SHELTON,  John  C, 

Manufacturer,  Public  Official. 

The  late  John  C.  Shelton,  who  ranked 
among  the  enterprising  and  successful 
business  men  of  Bridgeport,  and  who  was 
a  leading  spirit  in  some  of  the  important 
movements  for  the  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity, was  a  native  of  Huntington,  Con- 
necticut, born  July  8,  1853,  son  of  Joel  and 


12: 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Louisa  (Mallett)  Shelton,  and  a  descend- 
ant, on  the  maternal  side,  of  an  old  Fair- 
field county  family,  the  members  of  which 
trace  their  ancestry  to  French  Huguenots, 
who  settled  in  this  country  early  in  its 
history. 

John  C.  Shelton  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  his  native  town,  and  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  took  up  his  residence  in  Bridge- 
port, in  which  city  he  resided  for  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days.  His  first  employ- 
ment was  with  his  uncle,  in  whose  service 
he  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  busi- 
ness methods  and  principles.  In  1872  he 
form,ed  a  copartnership  with  Henry  C. 
Fairchild,  his  brother-in-law,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Fairchild  &  Shelton,  manu- 
facturers of  soap,  and  he  was  a  member 
of  that  firm  at  the  time  of  his  decease, 
which  occurred  in  Bridgeport,  Connecti- 
cut, November  7,  1902.  In  1887  the  firm 
suffered  a  serious  loss  by  fire,  which  de- 
stroyed their  entire  plant  which  was  lo- 
cated on  Thompson  street,  but,  both  part- 
ners being  possessed  with  pluck,  perse- 
verance and  the  faculty  of  making  the 
best  of  conditions,  they  continued  their 
operations,  and  in  the  following  year 
erected  a  factory  on  Housatonic  avenue, 
Bridgeport,  equipped  with  everything 
needful  for  the  successful  conducting  of 
their  line  of  trade.  Success  crowned  their 
efforts,  and  they  were  classed  among  the 
successful  industries  of  that  thriving  city. 
In  addition  to  his  business  pursuit,  Mr. 
Shelton  took  an  active  interest  in  public 
affairs,  and  served  in  the  capacities  of 
selectman,  park  commissioner,  member 
of  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  Board  of  Ap- 
portionment and  Taxation,  and  Board  of 
Education,  in  all  of  which  he  rendered 
signal  service.  He  was  a  staunch  adher- 
ent of  the  Republican  party,  believing 
that  its  policy  was  for  the  best  form  of 
government.  The  Shelton  School  in  the 
northern  part  of  Bridgeport  was  named  in 


honor  of  Mr.  Shelton's  father,  and  the 
Mr.  Shelton  of  this  review  donated  the 
Seth  Thomas  clock  which  ornaments  the 
tower  of  the  structure.  Mr.  Shelton  was 
a  thirty-second  degree  Mason,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  various  other  associations. 

Mr.  Shelton  married  Jennie  Watson,  a 
daughter  of  James  Watson,  and  her  death 
occurred  in  1898.  They  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  named  children :  Jean, 
Anna  and  Philo.  Mr.  Shelton  was  a  man 
of  jovial  disposition,  and  when  those 
about  him  were  depressed  or  in  trouble 
he  could  be  relied  upon  to  relieve  the 
situation  with  jocose  remarks  or  humor- 
ous stories.  He  was  kind-hearted,  philan- 
thropic, and  always  ready  to  assist  in 
cases  of  distress,  rnd  his  decease  was  a 
great  loss  to  his  family,  his  friends  and 
the  community  in  which  he  took  so  active 
an  interest. 


HOWES,  William  T., 

Business  Man. 

A  man  of  quiet  modesty  and  unassum- 
ing manner,  yet  withal  a  man  of  forceful 
character  and  strong  will,  William  T. 
Howes,  of  Bridgeport,  acted  well  his  part, 
built  up  an  important  commercial  enter- 
prise and  for  half  a  century  gave  his 
strength  to  its  upbuilding  and  develop- 
ment. Forty-six  of  his  sixty-nine  years 
were  spent  as  a  member  of  the  great  coal 
dealing  firm,  Wheeler  &  Howes,  and  at 
his  death  he  was  president  of  the  corpora- 
tion. While  Wheeler  &  Howes  was  a 
household  name  in  Bridgeport,  they 
gained  State  and  National  fame  through 
their  determined  and  finally  successful 
fight  against  the  oppression  of  the  New 
Haven  railroad  in  the  day  when  that 
corporation  was  all  powerful  and  reckless 
in  the  use  of  its  power.  In  John  W. 
Wheeler  and  William  T.  Howes,  kindred 
spirits,  the  railroad  company  found  two 


126 


/pMif-f'  III    -7  ■/O^'tfeAy 


1  -■f&i'jrsri"'  S£":isfif 


Plj. 


ASTor.  L'---o^ 


iTlLDi^iJ    fC 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


men  who  would  fight  to  the  last  ditch  in 
the  defense  of  their  rights  as  they  saw 
them  and  who  when  beaten  at  almost 
every  point  in  the  then  subservient  Con- 
necticut courts  gathered  their  resources 
and  carried  their  cause  to  the  last  tri- 
bunal, the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States.  Before  that  august  body  the  cor- 
poration was  powerless,  determination 
and  justice  prevailing  easily  over  cor- 
porate greed  and  injustice.  This  was  not 
only  a  great  victory  for  Wheeler  & 
Howes  but  a  great  moral  victory  and 
marked  the  final  turning  of  the  tide  of 
public  opinion,  ending  the  subservience 
of  the  courts  and  legislative  bodies  to  cor- 
porate influences. 

There  were  other  things  in  the  life  of 
William  T.  Howes  besides  the  founding 
and  development  of  a  great  commercial 
enterprise,  but  not  so  well  known  to  the 
general  public.  Few  knew  of  the  kindly 
assistance  he  rendered  to  the  struggling, 
for  it  was  all  done  in  his  usual  unostenta- 
tious way,  only  the  recipients  knowing 
of  his  benefactions.  He  took  a  quiet  in- 
terest in  city  affairs,  but  never  was  iden- 
tified with  political  life.  His  advice  was 
freely  sought  and  as  freely  given,  and  he 
could  have  been  easily  elected  mayor,  yet 
he  steadily  refused  that  honor,  though 
often  pressed,  but  what  he  gained  in  free- 
dom from  political  turmoil  and  strife 
meant  the  city's  loss  in  honest  business- 
like administration. 

William  T.  Howes  was  born  at  Sag 
Harbor,  Long  Island,  New  York,  son  of 
Captain  William  B.  Howes  and  Harriet 
(Thorpe)  Howes.  His  life  from  his 
twelfth  year  was  spent  in  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  where  he  died  July  lo,  1914, 
aged  sixty-nine  years  and  seven  months, 
one  of  the  best  known  veterans  of  busi- 
ness life.  In  1868  he  became  a  partner 
in  the  newly  formed  firm,  Wheeler  & 
Howes,  and  from  its  feeble  start  was  one 


of  the  active  members  and  hardest  work- 
ers. Success  attended  his  efforts  and 
Wheeler  &  Howes  became  the  leading 
concern  of  its  kind  in  the  city.  While  the 
leading  specialty  was  coal,  Wheeler  & 
Howes  branched  out  into  different  lines 
and  were  also  wholesale  and  retail  dealers 
in  flour,  feed,  mason's  building  materials, 
blue  stone,  drain  pipe  and  fertilizers. 
Their  warehouses,  coal  shutes  and  docks 
covered  three  acres,  and  a  trade  was  es- 
tablished with  all  parts  of  Bridgeport  and 
with  surrounding  localities.  Their  coal 
yards  and  large  river  frontage  were  on 
Sterling  and  Noble  streets,  a  four-story 
brick  building  at  the  corner  of  Knowlton 
and  Crescent  streets  was  used  for  grain, 
flour  and  building  materials,  and  a 
branch  office  maintained  on  Main  street. 
All  this  did  not  come  at  once,  but  was 
the  culmination  of  forty-six  years  of  hard 
work  by  the  two  men  whose  names  be- 
came familiar  ones  in  Bridgeport, 
Wheeler  &  Howes.  At  the  time  of  his 
death  Mr.  Howes  was  the  honored  head 
of  the  corporation,  although  he  had  sur- 
rendered many  of  the  heavier  burdens  to 
his  capable  son,  William  E.  Howes,  vice- 
president  of  the  company,  and  since  his 
father's  death  treasurer. 

This  was  the  lifework  of  William  T. 
Howes  and  well  was  it  performed,  a  work 
that  did  not  crumble  and  pass  away,  but 
founded  on  the  rock,  public  confidence, 
was  enduring  in  its  nature.  He  was  a 
man  who  with  singleness  of  purpose 
pressed  forward  to  the  realization  of  his 
ambition  and  allowed  nothing  to  divert 
him.  He  was  emphatically  a  business 
man  and  of  the  best  New  England  type, 
yet  he  was  not  a  man  of  sordid  views  or 
sordid  nature,  but  freely  as  he  received 
freely  he  gave  and  his  benefactions  were 
many  although  little  known.  He  won  a 
host  of  friends  among  the  worthiest  and 
all  admired  the  quiet,  forceful  man,  who 


127 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGR.\PHY 


while  strictly  attending  to  his  own  busi- 
ness was  never  so  much  engrossed  in  his 
own  affairs  that  he  would  not  stop  to  aid 
a  friend  with  advice  if  it  was  asked  for. 
His  judgment  was  sound  and  his  advice 
valued,  but  he  never  obtruded  his  views 
upon  others,  neither  did  he  ever  refuse 
them  to  one  who  sought  them.  He  was 
honorable  and  upright  in  all  his  dealings, 
mindful  of  the  rights  of  others  and  cour- 
ageous in  the  defense  of  his  own.  The 
lesson  of  his  life  is  plain,  and  teaches 
that  industry  and  singleness  of  purpose 
lead  to  success.  Mr.  Howe  enlisted  (on 
a  call  of  one  hundred  days)  July  lo,  1864, 
in  Company  B,  Twenty-eighth  Regiment, 
New  York  State  Militia,  served  his  full 
time,  and  was  honorably  discharged,  No- 
vember 13,  1864. 

Mr.  Howes  married,  in  1871,  Ida  F. 
Hinckley.  Mrs.  Howes  died  June  10, 
1905.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
daughters  and  a  son :  Harriet  F.,  mar- 
ried Dr.  D.  C.  DeWolfe,  and  A.  Florence 
Howes,  an  artist,  both  residing  in  Bridge- 
port;  William  E.  Howes,  his  father's 
business  associate  and  successor,  married 
Fannie  Elizabeth  Pierce,  and  they  also 
live  in  Bridgeport. 


IVES,  WUliam  Birdsey, 

Business  Man. 

The  passing  of  William  Birdsey  Ives, 
of  Meriden,  Connecticut,  marked  the  re- 
moval of  the  last  of  the  children  of  Wil- 
liam Jackson  Ives  from  scenes  with  which 
the  Ives  family  has  been  prominently 
associated  for  more  than  two  centuries. 
Ives,  one  of  the  time-honored  of  New 
England  names,  was  brought  to  the  Mer- 
iden section  by  John  Ives,  son  of  William 
Ives,  the  latter  born  in  England  in  1607, 
and  a  settler  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut, 
in  1639.  John  Ives,  son  of  William  Ives, 
seems  to  have  been  the  first  of  the  family 


born  in  New  England.  He  was  among 
the  early  settlers  in  that  part  of  the  town 
of  Wallingford,  now  Meriden,  Connecti- 
cut, and  devoted  his  life  to  farming.  His 
eight  children  were  all  born  in  Walling- 
ford. John  (2)  Ives,  son  of  John  (i)  Ives, 
was  born  at  the  home  farm  in  what  is  now 
Meriden,  November  16,  1669,  and  died 
there  in  1738.  He  married,  Decem.ber 
6,  1693,  Mary  Gillette,  and  had  a  family 
of  eleven  sons  and  daughters,  the  sixth 
child  a  son,  Lazarus  Ives,  born  in  what  is 
now  Meriden,  February  19,  1703,  married 
(first)  January  5,  1740,  Mabel  Jerome. 
The  given  name  of  his  second  wife  was 
Isabella,  who  was  the  mother  of  Amasa 
Ives,  born  in  what  is  now  Meriden, 
March  14,  1743,  and  there  resided  all  his 
life.  He  married  Rebecca  Ward,  who 
bore  him  a  son,  Watrous  Ives,  who  mar- 
ried, September  15,  1809,  Polly  Yale,  a 
descendant  of  Captain  Thomas  Yale,  and 
reared  a  family  of  ten  children,  the  last 
two,  twin  daughters,  born   February  28, 

1833- 

William  Jackson  Ives,  third  child  of 
Watrous  and  Polly  (Yale)  Ives,  was  born 
in  Meriden,  Connecticut,  July  28,  1815, 
died  in  the  city  of  Meriden,  May  16,  1887, 
and  was  buried  in  East  Cemetery.  Reared 
on  the  home  farm,  and  educated  in  the 
public  school,  he  passed  an  uneventful 
early  life,  but  upon  attaining  manhood  he 
forsook  the  farm  and  became  a  salesman 
for  Parker  &  White,  traveling  by  team 
through  the  South.  That  he  was  a  good 
salesman  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  he  received  $100  monthly  and  all  ex- 
penses as  compensation.  Later  he  in- 
vested in  a  plant  in  Meriden  and  manufac- 
tured suspender  webbing  until  burned 
out.  He  next  established  a  general  store 
in  Benton,  Alabama,  which  he  conducted 
successfully  alone,  later  admitting  his 
brother.  Stephen  Ives,  and  William  Sayre 
as  partners.     He  spent  most  of  his  time 


128 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  the  North  purchasing  goods  and  man- 
aging his  farm,  the  Southern  business 
being  well  managed  by  the  partners.  The 
Civil  War  wrecked  their  business,  and  in 
addition  Mr.  Ives  sustained  a  personal 
loss  of  $80,000  caused  by  the  burning  of 
the  town  by  Union  troops.  Thereafter 
he  confined  his  operations  to  Meriden  and 
developed  his  farm  as  a  stock  raising 
property.  He  was  a  lover  of  fine  horses, 
and  during  his  career  bred  and  reared 
many  fine  blooded  animals  which  were 
sold  at  high  figures.  He  was  very  charit- 
able, gave  liberally  to  church  and  philan- 
thropy, was  of  such  well  known  ability 
and  integrity  that  he  was  called  upon  to 
administer  many  estates,  and  in  his  home 
life  was  a  devoted  husband  and  father. 
He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  served 
his  city  as  councilman,  alderman  and 
street  commissioner,  declining  the  nomi- 
nation for  mayor.  He  married,  Septem- 
ber I,  1841,  Lucy  Julia  Birdsey,  born  in 
Meriden,  a  woman  of  great  force  of  char- 
acter and  the  embodiment  of  every  Chris- 
tian virtue.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Ger- 
shom  (2)  and  Lucy  (Coe)  Birdsey,  and 
grandaughter  of  Gershom,  and  Hannah 
(Bartlett)  Birdsey,  he  the  son  of  John 
(i)  Birdsey,  born  in  Reading,  Berkshire, 
England,  who  came  to  New  England  in 
1636,  settling  at  Milford,  Connecticut,  in 
1639.  In  the  maternal  line  Mrs.  Ives  also 
traced  descent  to  Thomas  Welles,  a  Colo- 
nial governor  of  Connecticut.  William 
Jackson  and  Lucy  Julia  (Birdsey)  Ives 
were  the  parents  of  five  children :  Wil- 
liam Birdsey,  of  further  mention ;  Ellena 
Lucy,  deceased;  Elizabeth,  died  young; 
Carrie,  died  young;  George  W.,  deceased. 
William  Birdsey  Ives,  eldest  son  of 
William  Jackson  and  Lucy  Julia  (Bird- 
sey) Ives,  was  born  in  Meriden,  Connec- 
ticut, October  27,  1843,  died  at  the  Ives 
homestead  on  Broad  street,  Meriden, 
January  9,  1917.  His  education  was  be- 
Conn— 3-9  I 


gun  in  the  old  East  Side  public  school,  and 
completed  in  old  Meriden  Academy,  Suf- 
field  School,  Suffield,  Connecticut,  and 
Eastman's  Business  College,  Poughkeepsie, 
New  York.  His  first  venture  in  business 
was  as  a  groceryman  in  partnership  with 
R.  T.  Cooke,  the  store  conducted  by  Ives 
&  Cooke  now  being  known  as  the  F.  L. 
Yale  store  on  East  Main  street,  Meriden. 
After  retiring  from  the  grocery  business, 
he  purchased  the  Meriden  House  block, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  made  his  home 
in  the  Meriden  House,  but  spent  a  great 
deal  of  time  in  travel,  accompanied  by  his 
wife.  He  owned  the  Meriden  House  and 
block  for  thirty  years,  but  in  May,  1915, 
he  sold  it  and  thereafter  resided  in  the  old 
Ives  homestead  on  Broad  street.  In  his 
earlier  years,  Mr.  Ives  was  fond  of  the 
sports  of  forest  and  stream,  and  being  a 
member  of  the  Metabechowan  Fish  and 
Game  Club  he  spent  many  of  his  summer 
seasons  hunting  and  fishing  in  Canada. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order, 
a  charter  member  of  the  Highland  Coun- 
try Club  and  a  member  of  the  Home  Club. 
In  later  years  he  spent  his  summers  at 
Crescent  Beach  in  East  Lyme,  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  owned  a  summer  home, 
"Meer-Heim."  He  was  an  attendant  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Meriden,  and 
in  his  will  generously  remembered  that 
church.  He  is  buried  in  Walnut  Grove 
Cemetery. 

Mr.  Ives  married  (first)  S.  Clarissa 
Rutty,  of  Meriden.  He  married  (second) 
Rhoda  J.  Birdsey,  who  survives  him  (see 
Birdsey). 

(The  Birdsey  Line). 

The  Birdsey  family  is  among  the  earl- 
iest implanted  ,in  Connecticut.  John 
Birdsey,  a  native  of  Reading,  Berkshire, 
England,  came  to  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
in  1636,  bringing  or  accompanying  his 
adult  sons.  He  settled  at  Milford,  Con- 
necticut, in  1639,  and  was  one  of  the  first 


29 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGIL^PHY 


planters  there;  died  1649.  It  is  supposed 
that  he  had  sons,  Edward,  Joseph  and 
John  (2).  The  last  named  was  born  1616, 
and  died  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  April 
4,  1690.  He  married  Philippa,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Henry  Smith,  and  their  son,  John 
(3)  Birdsey,  was  born  March  28,  1641, 
died  July  9,  1697.  His  will  is  found  in 
Fairfield.  He  married,  December  11, 
1669,  Phoebe  \\'ilcoxson,  and  they  were 
the  parents  of  Abel  Birdsey,  born  No- 
vember 30,  1679,  died  May  14,  1747.  His 
first  wife,  Comfort,  daughter  of  John 
Welles,  granddaughter  of  John  Welles, 
great-granddaughter  of  Thomas  Welles, 
died  June  29,  1717,  and  was  the  mother  of 
John  (4)  Birdsey,  born  September  26, 
1712,  died  June  5,  1798.  It  is  probable 
that  John  (4)  Birdsey  was  twice  married, 
as  the  Stratford  records  speak  of  his  wife, 
Hannah,  while  the  Middletown  records 
give  her  name  as  Sarah.  His  will  was 
proved  September  24,  1798,  at  Middle- 
town.  His  son,  Gershom  Birdsey,  born 
November  21,  1734,  died  November  17, 
1789.  His  marriage,  according  to  the 
family  records,  was  to  Hannah  Bartlett, 
on  November  12,  1772,  although  the  Mid- 
dletown records  place  it  one  year  earlier. 
Gershom  (2)  Birdsey,  son  of  Gershom 
(i)  and  Hannah  (Bartlett)  Birdsey,  born 
December  29,  1776,  resided  in  Middle- 
field  and  Meriden,  and  died  in  the  latter 
place,  March  13,  1865.  He  married  Lucy 
Coe,  born  March  7,  1779,  died  1863, 
daughter  of  Captain  Eli  Coe.  Their 
daughter,  Lucy  Julia  Birdsey,  born  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1824,  became  the  wife  of  William 
Jackson  Ives,  of  Meriden  (see  Ives). 
Edwin  Birdsey,  third  son  of  Gershom  (2) 
and  Lucy  (Coe)  Birdsey,  born  April  3, 
1816,  in  Middlefield,  Connecticut,died  De- 
cember 21,  1888,  in  Meriden,  Connecticut. 
At  the  age  of  one  year  he  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Meriden,  where  he  was 
reared  on  the  old  Birdsey  homestead  and 


followed  agricultural  pursuits  the  better 
part  of  his  life ;  he  was  a  Democrat  in 
politics,  and  sheriff  of  Meriden  for  many 
years.  He  married  Lavinia  Maria  Bailey. 
They  were  the  parents  of  Rhoda  J.  Bird- 
sey, who  became  the  wife  of  William 
Birdsey  Ives,  of  Meriden  (see  Ives). 


BUCKINGHAM,  Edward  T., 

La^ryer,    Pnblic    OfBcial, 

From  his  first  coming.  Mr.  Buckingham 
so  strongly  impressed  his  individuality 
upon  the  electorate  of  his  adopted  city  as 
a  lawyer  and  city  official  that  in  1909  he 
was  elected  chief  executive,  being  one  of 
the  youngest  mayors  in  the  country  to 
govern  a  city  of  the  size  and  importance 
of  Bridgeport.  The  office  at  that  time 
carried  unusually  heavy  responsibilities, 
and  although  he  did  not  escape  criticism 
— as  what  public  official  does — he  gained 
many  new  friends,  retained  his  old  ones 
and  left  the  mayor's  chair  higher  in  public 
esteem  and  confidence  than  when  he  en- 
tered it  notwithstanding  the  trying  con- 
ditions under  which  his  administration 
labored.  This  test  of  character  and 
ability  passed  with  honor,  he  returned  to 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  has  be- 
come one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
Fairfield  county  bar. 

Mr.  Buckingham  is  of  the  ninth  gener- 
ation of  the  family  founded  in  America  by 
Thomas  Buckingham,  who  sailed  from 
London,  England,  and  arrived  at  Boston, 
June  26,  1837.  The  following  year  he  was 
in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  and  later 
settled  in  Milford.  From  Thomas  Buck- 
ingham, the  founder,  the  line  of  descent 
follows  through  his  son,  Samuel ;  his 
second  son,  Samuel  (2)  ;  his  son,  Samuel 
(3);  his  son,  Jared;  his  son,  John;  his 
son,  Lucius  E. ;  his  eldest  son,  Walter  T. ; 
his  son,  Edward  T.  Buckingham,  of 
Bridgeport. 


130 


iLCiuhfiM  /.  ff X^^^cdi^^'f'^^ 


I  ■'  J 


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:bfar^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Walter  T.  Buckingham  was  born  in 
Dover,  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  Oc- 
tober 25,  1841,  died  in  Bridgeport,  Con- 
necticut. His  business  career  was  varied 
by  frequent  change  of  location  and  line 
until  1881,  when  he  settled  in  Bridgeport. 
He  was  an  expert  accountant,  was  the 
first  clerk  of  the  city  of  Norwalk  in  1869, 
and  for  eight  and  a  half  years  was  deputy 
collector  of  customs  for  the  port  of 
Bridgeport.  He  was  an  ardent  Democrat, 
and  a  member  of  Connecticut's  oldest 
Masonic  Lodge,  King  Solomon,  No.  i,  of 
Woodbury,  of  which  he  was  secretary  as 
long  as  he  remained  in  that  city.  In 
Bridgeport  he  was  affiliated  with  St. 
John's  Lodge,  No.  4,  and  held  in  high  re- 
gard by  his  brethren.  He  married,  No- 
vember 8,  1865,  Helen  E.  Tolles,  daughter 
of  Robert  Tolles,  of  Plymouth,  Connecti- 
cut. They  were  the  parents  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Ida  E.,  wife  of  T.  W.  Joyce,  of  Bridge- 
port, and  of  a  son,  Edward  T.,  of  further 
mention. 

Edward  T.  Buckingham  was  born  in 
Metuchen,  New  Jersey,  May  12,  1874,  his 
father  at  that  time  being  superintendent 
of  railroad  construction  in  that  section. 
In  1881  his  parents  moved  to  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  where  he  attended  Grand 
street  grade  and  Bridgeport  High  schools, 
graduating  from  the  latter  with  the  class 
of  1891.  A  strong  and  healthy  boy,  he 
developed  under  the  best  home  influences 
both  the  intellectual  and  physical  sides  of 
his  nature,  and  there  being  no  obstacle  to 
prevent,  he  pressed  steadily  forward 
toward  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  a  legal 
education  and  a  life  of  public  service. 
He  was  equally  interested  in  books  and 
athletics,  played  hard  and  studied  hard, 
learned  considerable  of  history  and  biog- 
raphy, and  entered  college  well  developed 
mentally  and  physically.  He  entered  Yale 
University  in  1891,  taking  the  academic 
course,  received  his  Bachelor  of  Arts  de- 


gree in  1895,  entered  Yale  Law  School, 
and  was  graduated  Bachelor  of  Laws, 
class  of  '97.  The  following  year  he  be- 
gan practice  in  Bridgeport,  where  he  has 
continued  in  his  profession  until  the  pres- 
ent time  (1917).  He  is  a  member  of  the 
County  and  State  Bar  associations,  has  a 
large  practice  and  serves  an  influential 
clientele. 

A  Democrat  in  politics,  Mr.  Bucking- 
ham has  ever  taken  a  keen  interest  in 
public  affairs  and  has  realized  another 
ambition  in  the  prominent  part  he  has 
played  in  city  affairs.  He  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace  in  1898,  reelected  in 
1900,  was  elected  city  clerk  in  1901  and  re- 
elected in  1903  by  a  majority  of  2,535,  'the 
largest  ever  given  a  city  clerk.  Reelec- 
tions  followed  in  1905  and  1907,  his  ad- 
ministration of  the  city  clerk's  office  giv- 
ing complete  satisfaction.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  his  term  in  1909  he  was  "called 
higher"  and  by  the  largest  majority  ever 
given  a  candidate  for  that  office,  3,034, 
was  chosen  mayor  of  Bridgeport.  He 
was  mentioned  as  a  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor in  1910,  but  withdrew  his  name  and 
seconded  the  nomination  of  Hon.  Simeon 
E.  Baldwin,  the  successful  candidate.  He 
was  appointed,  October  i,  1913,  by  Gov- 
ernor Baldwin,  Workmen's  Compensation 
Commissioner  for  the  Fourth  Congres- 
sional District  of  Connecticut,  a  position 
he  still  holds  (1917).  He  is  one  of  the 
strong  men  of  his  party  in  the  city,  and 
has  gained  influential  position  among 
State  leaders. 

In  fraternal  orders  he  has  attained 
many  honors,  being  past  master  of  St. 
John's  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
and  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  of 
the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite :  past 
sachem  of  Wowopon  Tribe,  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men ;  past  great  sachem  of 
the  State  order,  elected  in  May,  191 1; 
member  of  Bridgeport  Lodge,  Benevolent 

31 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Protective  Order  of  Elks ;  Samuel  H. 
Harris  Lodge,  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows ;  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles ; 
the  Foresters  of  America ;  and  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Arion  Society,  the  Germania  Society 
and  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associ- 
ation, taking  an  active  interest  in  all.  In 
religious  faith  he  is  a  Congregationalist. 
The  love  of  athletic  sports  which  distin- 
guished his  youth  was  continued  through- 
out his  college  years,  and  out-of-door  life 
still  has  a  deep  attraction  for  him.  At 
college  he  was  pitcher  on  the  Law  School 
team,  and  in  the  various  City  Hall  teams 
he  was  always  in  demand.  He  is  also  an 
expert  at  tennis,  and  displays  several 
trophies  won  in  city  and  State  tourna- 
ments. 

Mr.  Buckingham  married,  June  3,  1910, 
Bessie  R.  Budau,  daughter  of  John  and 
Annie  (Russell)  Budau,  of  Bridgeport, 
and  granddaughter  of  John  Diederick 
and  Louise  Jane  (French)  Budau,  her 
grandfather  born  in  Lubeck,  Germany, 
October  14,  1817,  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1833,  finally  settled  in  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut,  where  he  lived  to  an 
honored  old  age.  He  died  November  2, 
1888,  and  was  buried  with  Masonic 
honors.  His  wife,  Louise  Jane  (French) 
Budau,  who  died  in  very  old  age,  was  a 
daughter  of  Wheeler  French,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Gamaliel  French,  a  Revolu- 
tionary soldier  whose  name  is  inscribed 
upon  the  tablets  erected  by  the  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution  at  the  gate- 
way of  the  old  Stratfield  burying  ground 
in  Bridgeport.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bucking- 
ham are  the  parents  of  two  sons,  Russell 
B.  and  Edward  T.  (2). 

From  his  own  experiences  and  observa- 
tion, Mr.  Buckingham  has  this  advice  to 
give  young  men  to  which  class  he  as  yet 
belongs:  "Be  moderate  and  temperate, 
but  do  not  try  to  be  too  prominent,  mingle 


and  rub  elbows  with  successful  men  and 
get  their  ideas.  Relax — wherever  it  is 
possible  and  be  ready  at  all  times  to  listen 
to  reason  and  profit  by  the  experience  of 
others.  Make  your  dealings  with  men 
open  and  fair,  be  honest  with  yourself 
and  you  will  be  honest  with  others.  Re- 
tain old  friendships  when  you  make  new 
ones,  remembering  that  most  of  the  suc- 
cesses of  life  are  attained  by  assistance 
from  others  and  that  by  yourself  and 
your  own  strength  little  can  be  accom- 
plished." 


WHEELER,  George  Wakeman, 

Jurist. 

Prior  to  1883,  change  of  scene  and  en- 
vironment marked  the  life  of  Judge 
George  W.  Wheeler,  justice  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  Errors  of  Connecticut, 
the  State  of  Mississippi  claiming  him  as 
a  native  son,  the  State  of  New  Jersey  the 
home  of  his  youth,  Connecticut  educating 
him  for  his  profession,  and  then  adopting 
him,  as  one  of  her  eminent  sons.  The  city 
of  Bridgeport  was  the  scene  of  his  early 
professional  endeavor,  and  there  his  par- 
ticular talents  developed  and  he  won  a 
name  which  justified  his  appointment  to 
the  Superior  Court  of  the  State  at  the 
age  of  thirty-two,  the  youngest  judge  to 
ever  sit  in  that  august  body.  His  ances- 
try accounts  for  a  predilection  for  a  pro- 
fession, as  the  same  scholarly  instincts 
have  appeared  in  the  three  preceding 
generations.  Stephen  Wheeler,  of  Eas- 
ton,  was  a  judge  of  the  Fairfield  County 
Court ;  his  son,  Charles  Wheeler,  was  a 
member  of  the  Connecticut  House  of  As- 
sembly, a  man  of  education  and  worth ; 
his  son,  George  W.  Wheeler,  was  a  grad- 
uate of  Amherst  College,  class  of  '56, 
principal  of  a  large  school  at  Woodville, 
Mississippi,  1857-68,  and  a  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Bergen  coun- 
32 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ty,  New  Jersey,  residing  in  Hackensack  lawyer's  problem — "where  and  how  to  be- 
from  1868  until  the  present  time  (1917).  gin  practice."  Mr.  Wheeler  solved  his 
Judge  George  W.  Wheeler  married  Lucy  problem  by  selecting  Bridgeport,  Con- 
Dowie,  daughter  of  Henry  Dowie,  of  necticut,  as  his  location,  and  a  partnership 
Andes,  New  York,  they  the  parents  of  as  a  manner  of  obtaining  an  introduction. 
Judge  George  Wakeman  Wheeler,  of  He  joined  with  Howard  J.  Curtis  in  form- 
Bridgeport.  Granting  the  influence  of  ing  the  law  firm  of  Wheeler  &  Curtis,  and 
heredity  and  environment,  so  much  re-  for  ten  years  that  firm  continued  a  suc- 
mained  for  individual  eiifort  to  accom-  cessful  existence,  only  dissolving  when 
plish  that  it  has  been  only  by  close  appli-  both  partners  were  "called  higher,"  Mr. 
cation  and  deep  study  that  Judge  Wheeler  Curtis  to  the  Comm.on  Pleas  bench,  Mr. 


has  won  his  way  to  high  position.  As  a 
lawyer  he  was  noted  for  the  careful  pre- 
paration of  his  cases  and  during  his  ten 
years  of  practice  in  Bridgeport  that  qual- 
ity, more  than  his  talent,  learning  and  elo- 
quence, won  him  several  notable  cases. 
His  career  as  a  jurist  has  been  marked  by 
the  same  quality,  his  decisions  and  opin- 


Wheeler  to  the  Superior  Court  of  Connec- 
ticut. 

During  the  years  1890-92,  Mr.  Wheeler 
was  city  attorney  of  Bridgeport,  and  on 
February  28,  1893,  was  appointed  a  judge 
of  the  Superior  Court  of  Connecticut  by 
Luzon  B.  Morris,  Democratic  Governor 
of  the   State.     Although  Judge   Wheeler 


ions  only  being  issued  atter  convincing      was  the  youngest  man  ever  appointed  to 


proof  that  they  are  in  accord  with  the 
law.  Fairness,  courtesy  and  considera- 
tion distinguish  his  official  intercourse 
with  every  member  of  the  bar  who  ap- 
pears before  him,  and  his  love  of  justice 
amounts  to  a  passion. 

George  Wakeman  Wheeler,  eldest  son 
of  Judge  George  W.  and  Lucy  (Dowie) 
W^heeler,  was  born  in  Woodville,  Missis- 
sippi, December  i,  i860,  and  there  the 
first  four  years  of  his  life  were  passed.  In 
1868  his  parents  returned  North,  settling 
in  Hackensack,  New  Jersey,  where  he  at- 
tended public  schools  and  Hackensack 
Academy,  receiving  a  diploma  from  the 
Academy  in  1876.  The  following  year 
was  spent  at  Williston  Seminary,  where 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1877. 
He  entered  Yale  Academy  in  1877  '^"^ 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1881.  He  chose 
the  law  as  his  profession,  entered  Yale 
Law  School  in  1882,  after  a  course  of 
study  under  Garret  Ackerson,  of  the  Ber- 
gen county.  New  Jersey,  bar,  and  was 
graduated  Bachelor  of  Laws,  class  of  '83. 
He  was  then  confronted  with  the  young 


the  Superior  bench  of  the  State,  his  choice 
gave  general  satisfaction  to  the  bar,  and 
the  press  of  Connecticut  favorably  com- 
mented upon  the  Governor's  action.  Re- 
publican Governors  have  confirmed  the 
wisdom  of  the  appointment  by  renaming 
him,  and  until  September  28,  1910,  he 
ably  filled  his  high  office,  only  to  leave  it 
to  become  upon  that  date  a  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Errors,  his  present 
ofifice.  He  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem 
as  a  learned,  just  and  upright  judge  by 
the  profession  and  possesses  the  perfect 
confidence  of  the  public.  Judge  Wheeler 
had  been  an  active,  ardent  Democrat 
prior  to  his  elevation  to  the  bench,  and  is 
yet  strong  in  the  faith,  but  with  the  as- 
sumption of  judicial  position  his  activity 
ceased.  He  is  a  member  of  the  various 
bar  associations,  and  scientific  societies, 
and  gratifies  the  social  side  of  his  nature 
in  association  with  his  many  friends 
through  the  medium  of  club  membership 
in  Bridgeport  and  elsewhere.  He  retains 
his  residence  at  Bridgeport,  his  home  No. 
115  Park  avenue. 


133 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Judge  Wheeler  married,  July  5,  1894, 
Agnes  M.  Alocy.  They  have  a  daughter, 
Helen  Lucy,  a  student  in  Vassar,  1919, 
and  a  son,  George  Mocy  Wheeler. 


GOODSELL,  Zalmon, 

Enterprising  Citizen. 

There  are  few  men  of  the  present  day 
whose  activity  has  found  more  varied 
ways  of  expression  or  who  have  lived  a 
more  useful  life  than  Zalmon  Goodsell, 
of  Bridgeport.  While  his  early  inclina- 
tion was  for  a  business  career,  he  has 
from  boyhood  been  connected  with 
Bridgeport's  business  life,  and  is  the  head 
of  a  prosperous  concern.  Mr.  Goodsell 
has  been  associated  with  all  movements 
of  a  public  nature,  and  in  fraternity, 
Board  of  Trade,  Builders'  Exchange,  he 
has  freely  used  his  personal  influence  and 
his  ability  as  a  speaker  and  writer  to  fur- 
ther the  interests  of  each.  As  president 
of  the  Board  of  Trade,  his  administration 
was  characterized  by  unusual  activity, 
and  the  board  became  a  useful  and  thor- 
oughly progressive  body.  While  presi- 
dent of  the  Builders'  Exchange,  the  mem- 
bership increased  from  ten  to  over  eighty, 
while  his  year  as  president  of  the  Master 
Plumbers'  Association  marked  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  periods  of  its  existence. 
In  brief,  he  is  one  of  the  men  who  can  be 
depended  upon  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
aid  every  worthy  cause,  and  freely  to 
give  of  his  time  and  his  influence. 

Mr.  Goodsell  is  a  great-grandson  of 
Sergeant  Epaphras  Goodsell,  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution,  who  was  a  son  of  the  Rev. 
John  Goodsell,  son  of  Thomas  Goodsell, 
the  first  of  the  name  in  New  England. 
Rev.  John  Goodsell  was  born  in  East 
Haven,  Connecticut,  December  21,  1706, 
and  was  ordained  May  18,  1726,  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Greenfield,  Fairfield  county, 
Connecticut.     There   he   labored   for  the 


spiritual  uplift  of  his  people  for  thirty 
years,  and  died  December  26,  1763.  He 
married,  July  20,  1725,  Mary  Lewis, 
daughter  of  Captain  James  Lewis,  of 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  a  descendant  of 
Governor  Thomas  Welles. 

Epaphras  Goodsell,  son  of  the  Rev. 
John  and  Mary  (Lewis)  Goodsell,  was 
born  in  1742.  and  in  1776  enlisted  with  his 
three  brothers  in  Captain  Dimon"s  com- 
pany of  Fairfield.  On  January  i,  1777,  he 
enlisted  in  Captain  Mills'  company,  Sec- 
ond Regiment,  Connecticut  Line,  fought 
at  Monmouth  and  sufifered  at  Valley 
Forge.  Zalmon  Goodsell,  son  of  Sergeant 
Epaphras  Goodsell,  was  the  father  of 
Epaphras  B.  Goodsell,  who,  for  eight 
years,  1853-61,  was  postmaster  of  Bridge- 
port and  mayor  of  the  city  in  1871-72-73. 
He  married  Eliza  Butts. 

Zalmon  (2)  Goodsell,  son  of  Epaphras 
B.  and  Eliza  (Butts)  Goodsell,  was  born 
in  South  Kent,  Connecticut,  March  19, 
1845,  but  spent  many  years  of  his  boy- 
hood at  the  home  of  his  grandfather,  Zal- 
m.on  Goodsell,  at  Brookfield,  where  he 
attended  the  public  schools.  Later  he  at- 
tended high  school  in  Bridgeport,  and  fin- 
ished his  studies  at  the  private  school  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Noble,  at  Brookfield.  It  was  his 
father's  wish  that  his  son  enter  the  min- 
istry, but  his  inclination  was  all  for  a 
business  career,  and  his  own  wishes  pre- 
vailed. His  first  position  was  as  clerk  in 
the  grocery  of  Andrew  Nash,  in  Bridge- 
port, his  next  at  the  railroad  station, 
where  he  was  in  charge  of  the  newsstand. 
At  the  newsstand  he  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  many  of  the  city's  business  men, 
among  them  Nathaniel  Wheeler  and  Wil- 
liam D.  Bishop,  both  of  whom  took  a 
deep  interest  in  the  boy.  Through  Mr. 
Wheeler's  influence  he  obtained  a  good 
position  in  the  Wheeler  &  Wilson  factory, 
but  left  it  to  go  into  business  with 
\\"heeler  Beers.     At  the  end  of  a   vear. 


134 


c>^^i.,e_^^ 


PUB'":nBFARY| 


[TILD     •■ 


I  OX  I 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


with  the  financial  aid  of  his  friend,  Wil- 
liam D.  Bishop,  he  bought  out  Mr.  Beers, 
and  continued  in  the  same  business  until 
1875,  part  of  that  time  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Bradbury,  Goodsell  &  Wilmot. 
After  withdrawing  from  that  firm  in  1875, 
he  resumed  business  independently,  first 
on  Fairfield  avenue,  later  on  Main  street, 
then  locating  on  Water  street.  There  he 
conducted  a  prosperous  steam  heating 
and  plumbing  business,  built  up  a  large 
fire  insurance  agency,  and  dealt  largely 
in  real  estate.  He  has  ably  conducted  his 
private  business,  and  in  its  various 
branches  has  won  material  success. 

Mr.  Goodsell's  connection  with  the 
bvisiness  world  has  extended  far  beyond 
the  limits  of  his  private  affairs.  From 
the  date  of  his  own  membership  he  took 
a  deep  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Bridge- 
port Board  of  Trade,  of  which  he  is  a 
charter  member.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  the  State  Board  of  Trade,  acting  as 
vice-president  under  Lieutenant-Governor 
Dewell,  and  when  the  latter  resigned,  Mr. 
Goodsell  was  elected  president,  which 
ofifice  he  held  two  years.  He  served  on 
the  "good  roads"  committee,  and  repre- 
sented the  board  at  the  Pan-American 
Conference  held  in  Philadelphia.  In  be- 
half of  "good  roads"  he  appeared  several 
times  before  a  committee  of  the  Legisla- 
ture to  advocate  the  improvement  of  pub- 
lic highways  and  other  matters  in  which 
the  board  was  interested.  As  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  Bridgeport  Board  of 
Trade,  he  attended  State  and  national 
conventions,  and  his  address  "Boards  of 
Trade,  Their  Uses  and  How  to  Conduct 
Them,"  has  been  delivered  in  many  New 
England  cities. 

His  connection  with  the  Builders'  Ex- 
change of  Bridgeport  began  when  it  was 
a  weakling.  He  infused  new  life  into  its 
ten  members,  and  finally  the  exchange  be- 
came a  strong,  effective  organization,  with 


a  membership  including  men  engaged  in 
every  branch  of  the  building  trades.  As 
president,  Mr.  Goodsell  represented  the 
Bridgeport  body  as  a  delegate  to  the 
meeting  of  the  National  Association  of 
Master  Builders,  held  in  Baltimore.  He 
was  also  president  of  the  Master  Plumb- 
ers' Association,  and  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  State  Association  of  Master  Plumb- 
ers, calling  the  first  meeting  in  Bridge- 
port. He  was  also  a  delegate  to  the  na- 
tional meetings  of  the  association  in  Bos- 
ton and  Milwaukee,  and  served  on  the 
legislative  committee  of  both  the  State 
and  national  association.  In  1910  Mr. 
Goodsell  was  nominated  for  secretary  of 
the  State  of  Connecticut  by  the  State 
Convention.  This  came  as  a  great  sur- 
prise to  Mr.  Goodsell,  as  he  had  not  been 
consulted  on  the  subject,  and  it  was  a 
great  compliment  to  him  personally. 

His  activity  in  private  and  public  busi- 
ness affairs  gained  him  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance, and  as  his  reputation  spread  he  had 
enormous  demands  made  upon  his  time. 
He  became  a  fluent,  eloquent  public 
speaker,  filled  many  public  appointments, 
presided  at  mass  meetings  and  many  ban- 
quets, his  gracious,  witty  manner  as 
toastmaster  being  so  appreciated  that  he 
was  often  called  upon  for  such  duty  at 
banquets  given  by  the  Board  of  Trade 
and  the  many  organizations  of  which  he 
is  a  member.  At  presentations,  flag  rais- 
ings, awarding  of  school  prizes,  celebra- 
tions and  other  occasions  of  civic  interest, 
he  is  frequently  the  orator,  and  in  all  that 
means  progress  his  interest  has  ever  been 
intense. 

A  Democrat  in  politics,  he  served  four 
years  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Public 
Works,  by  appointment  of  Mayor  DeFor- 
rest;  was  a  candidate  of  his  party  for 
mayor  of  Bridgeport  and  for  State  Sena- 
tor, and  when  the  issue  became  acute  be- 
tween the  followers  of  President  Cleve- 


135 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


land  and  William  J.  Bryan,  he  adhered  to 
the  former,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the 
Indianapolis  convention  of  Gold  Demo- 
crats which  nominated  a  ticket  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  "Free  Silver"  candidate. 

In  the  Masonic  order  he  has  attained 
all  the  degrees  of  the  York  and  Scottish 
Rites  up  to  and  including  the  thirty-sec- 
ond degree,  and  is  a  past  official  of  many 
of  the  separate  bodies  of  these  Rites,  and 
was  commander  of  the  Hamilton  Com- 
mandery  in  1900.  He  had  delved  deep 
into  the  "mysteries,"  and  as  a  lecturer  on 
the  "Origin  of  Masonry"  has  appeared 
before  several  lodges.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Veterans'  Association  of 
Connecticut,  and  of  that  social  branch  of 
Masonry,  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  His  fraternal  affiliations  also  in- 
clude the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Improved  Order  of  Red  Alen,  An- 
cient Order  of  United  Workmen,  Royal 
Arcanum,  Heptasophs,  Woodmen,  and 
Foresters.  The  Boys'  Club  has  in  him  a 
generous  friend,  as  has  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  and  in  both  the 
Bridgeport  Scientific  and  Historical  soci- 
eties he  has  long  been  active  and  inter- 
ested. His  eloquent  speech  is  frequently 
requisitional  by  these  various  societies 
and  lodges,  and  he  never  refuses  their 
call,  giving  lavishly  of  his  time  and  means 
to  aid  every  good  cause. 

The  services  of  his  great-grandfather, 
Sergeant  Epaphras  Goodsell,  entitle  him 
to  membership  in  the  patriotic  order.  Sons 
of  the  American  Revolution,  and  he  early 
became  a  member  of  the  State  chapter, 
being  a  delegate  to  Chicago  in  1893.  In 
1894  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
State  board  of  managers,  and  has  ever 
been  active  in  the  order  which  has  done 
so  much  to  preserve  the  traditions  of  the 
Revolution,  and  mark  its  places  of  historic 
interest.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
General  Gold  Selleck  Silliman  Chapter  in 


Bridgeport,  and  its  chief  executive  officer 
for  several  years.  He  is  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  the  Seaside  Club,  and  a  member  of 
those  other  social  organizations  of  Bridge- 
port, Algonquin,  Outing,  Country,  Park, 
City  Yacht,  Brooklawn  Country,  Bridge- 
port and  Athletic  club.  He  was  president 
of  the  Bridgeport  Athletic  Club,  and  pres- 
ident of  the  Pequonock  Social  Club.  He 
was  long  a  trustee  and  vice-president  of 
the  Bridgeport  branch  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Cooperative  Saving  Society. 

Mr.  Goodsell  married  Caroline  E.  Fox, 
in  1868,  daughter  of  Charles  Fox.  They 
are  the  parents  of  three  children:  Zalmon 
(3),  died  in  infancy:  Elizabeth  Jane,  mar- 
ried Joel  Sellick,  she  died  in  June,  1914, 
leaving  two  boys  named  Joel  and  Zalmon 
Goodsell  Sellick;  Mary  Caroline,  married 
George  H.  Graves,  of  New  Haven,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  a  daughter,  Caro- 
line. 


CHAMBERLAIN,  Frederick  S., 

Financier. 

Frederick  S.  Chamberlain,  cashier  of 
the  New  Britain  National  Bank,  and 
treasurer  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  is 
in  the  eighth  generation  of  one  of  New 
England's  oldest  families,  and  one  that 
has  for  many  years  been  prominent  in 
Connecticut.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  born 
August  19,  1872,  in  New  Britain,  son  of 
Judge  and  Captain  Valentine  B.  and  Anna 
I.  (Smith)  Chamberlain. 

The  Chamberlain  family  is  an  ancient 
one  in  England,  having  been  established 
there  by  the  Count  de  Tankerville,  of 
Tankerville  Castle,  in  Normandy,  who 
came  to  England  with  William  the  Con- 
queror in  1066.  His  son,  John,  was  Lord 
Chamberlain  to  Henry  I.  of  England  in 
1 125.  His  son,  Richard,  held  the  same 
office  under  King  Stephen,  and  was  at  one 
time  mayor  of  London.     From  his  posi- 


136 


ExNCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tion  in  the  royal  household  he  assumed 
the  patronymic  of  Chamberlaine,  retain- 
ing the  Tankerville  coat-of-arm,s.  A  de- 
scendant of  Richard  Chamberlaine  took 
the  Earl  of  Leicester  prisoner,  for  which 
act  he  had  permission  from  the  king  to 
quarter  the  arms  of  Leicester  with  those 
of  Tankerville,  and  from  that  time  they 
are  to  be  interpreted  together.  The  crest, 
an  ass's  head,  indicates  in  the  art  of 
heraldry,  honest,  dogged  perseverance, 
and  true  worthiness,  characteristic  of  the 
founder  and  first  of  the  name,  and  the 
motto,  "Stubborn  in  the  Right,"  a  very 
suitable  one  for  a  family  ever  noted  for 
its  firmness. 

The  immediate  ancestry  of  W^illiam 
Chamberlain,  the  American  immigrant, 
from  whom  our  subject  is  descended,  has 
not  been  traced.  He  was  born  about  1620. 
He  was  admitted  an  inhabitant  of  Wo- 
burn,  Massachusetts.  January  6.  164S,  and 
removed  to  Billerica  in  1654,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death.  May  31,  1706.  His 
name  first  appears  on  the  records  in  Octo- 
ber. 1654,  on  a  petition  to  enlarge  the 
boundaries  of  the  town  and  to  change  the 
name  from  Shawshin  to  Billerica.  He 
married  Rebecca  ,  who  died  Sep- 
tember 26,  1692,  in  the  prison  at  Cam- 
bridge, where  she  was  held  under  the  pre- 
posterous charge  of  witchcraft. 

Their  fifth  child  was  Jacob  Chamber- 
lain, who  was  born  January  18,  1657-58, 
in  Billerica.  It  is  very  difficult  to  distin- 
guish the  records  of  the  various  members 
of  this  family  bearing  the  name  of  Jacob 
in  the  second  and  third  generations.  Ac- 
cording to  the  researches  of  George  W. 
Chamberlain  for  the  Chamberlain  Asso- 
ciation, however,  the  Jacob  of  Newton, 
who  was  our  subject's  ancestor,  married 

Experience     .       Jackson     himself, 

author  of  the  "History  of  Newton," 
altered  the  town  records  by  inserting  the 
name  of  Susanna  as  the  wife  of  this  Jacob 


in  the  copy  of  the  birth  record  of  Jason 
and  Ebenezer.  Jacob  Chamberlain  re- 
moved from  West  Cambridge  to  Newton 
about  1699.  He  was  admitted  a  freeman 
in  1690. 

Their  son,  Jason  Chamberlain,  was  born 
February  21,  1701,  in  Newton,  and  mar- 
ried Hannah  Clark.  He  was  a  man  of 
ability,  and  took  an  active  part  in  pub- 
lic affairs. 

Their  son,  Colonel  Jason  Chamberlain, 
represented  the  town  of  Holliston  in  the 
State  Convention  that  adopted  the  fed- 
eral constitution,  and  was  often  a  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court. 

Samuel  Chamberlain,  son  of  Colonel  Ja- 
son Chamberlain,  was  born  July  18,  1734, 
at  Holliston,  then  part  of  Sherborn.  He 
married  Margaret  Bullard,  of  Mendon, 
Massachusetts,  and  about  1765  removed 
to  Sandisfield,  Massachusetts.  There  he 
enlisted  in  Colonel  Ashley's  regiment,  the 
muster  returns  being  dated  January  25, 
1778,  at  Valley  Forge. 

Their  son,  Samuel  Clark  Chamberlain, 
was  born  May  25,  1765.  at  Sandisfield.  He 
lived  there  and  at  Colebrook.  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  died  November  30,  1835. 
He  married  for  his  second  wife,  Hannah 
Conklin,  born  October  30,  1772,  died  May 
2,  1846. 

Their  son,  Abiram  Chamberlain,  our 
subject's  grandfather,  was  born  October  2, 
1799.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools,  and  acquired  a  knowledge  of 
surveying  and  civil  engineering.  Some 
years  after  his  marriage  he  removed  to 
Colebrook  River.  Litchfield  county.  Con- 
necticut, and  thence  in  1856.  to  New 
Britain,  where  the  remainder  of  his  life 
was  spent.  He  was  much  occupied  with 
the  profession  of  surveyor,  and  for  some 
years  was  surveyor  for  the  borough  of 
New  Britain.  The  preliminary  surveys 
and  plans  for  supplying  water  from  Shut- 
tle meadow  to  the  borough  were  made  by 


137 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


him,  and  the  work  of  instalHng  the  sys- 
tem was  in  his  charge  a  number  of  years. 
He  married,  May  6,  1829,  at  Sandisfield, 
Massachusetts,  Sophronia  Burt,  born  Jan- 
uary 9.  1805,  in  Tolland,  Connecticut, 
daughter  of  Caleb  and  Anne  (Murray) 
Burt,  and  a  descendant  of  Henry  and 
Eulalia  Burt,  pioneers  of  Springfield, 
Massachusetts.  Abiram  Chamberlain  died 
October  14,  1876.  In  an  obituary  notice 
the  "New  Britain  Record"  said:  "As  a 
civil  engineer  he  was  accurate  and  care- 
ful. The  city  has  occasion  to  remember 
the  great  service  which  he  so  unostenta- 
tiously and  faithfully  rendered.  As  a  pub- 
lic officer  he  was  courteous  and  unremit- 
ting in  his  conscientious  efforts  faithfully 
to  discharge  the  duties  entrusted  to  him. 
Ill  health  compelled  him  to  resign  his 
duties  as  surveyor  and  water  commis- 
sioner some  years  since,  and  since  that 
time  continued  ill  health  has  kept  him 
from  engaging  in  active  work.  Deacon 
Chamberlain  is  mourned  by  his  neigh- 
bors, townsmen  and  church  brethren,  who 
knew  him  as  a  kindly  man,  an  upright 
citizen  and  an  earnest  and  sincere  Chris- 
tian." Mrs.  Chamberlain  died  October  4, 
1889,  aged  eighty-four  years.  She  was 
a  member  of  Center  Church,  New  Britain. 
She  was  strong,  healthy  and  vigorous 
until  her  last  illness,  which  lasted  about 
four  months.  She  was  the  last  of  ten 
children  to  pass  away,  all  living  to  old 
age. 

Their  son,  Valentine  B.  Chamberlain, 
was  born  April  13,  1833,  at  Colebrook 
River,  and  died  June  25,  1893.  He  was 
prepared  for  college  at  the  Connecticut 
Literary  Institute,  Suffield,  and  was  grad- 
uated from  Williams  College  in  1857.  He 
read  law  under  the  preceptorship  of  S.  E. 
Case,  of  New  Britain,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1859.  In  1861  he  was  clerk 
of  the  House  of  Representatives.  During 
the  Civil  War  he  was  lieutenant  and  cap- 


tain in  the  Seventh  Connecticut  Regi- 
ment, Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  se- 
lected to  command  the  picked  battalion 
of  the  Seventh  Regiment,  which  made  the 
assault  at  Fort  Wagner  in  1863,  and  was 
one  of  the  handful  of  men  who  scaled  the 
parapet  of  the  rebel  fort  and  was  captured 
inside.  He  was  kept  a  prisoner  at  Co- 
lumbia, South  Carolina,  until  March, 
1865.  For  several  years  after  the  war. 
Captain  Chamberlain  was  in  business  in 
the  South.  He  then  returned  to  New 
Britain,  and  soon  afterward  was  elected 
judge  of  the  City  Court,  and  reelected  to 
this  office  from  time  to  time  as  long  as  he 
lived  ;  was  alderman  1875-76.  In  1880  he 
was  elected  judge  of  probate  for  the  dis- 
trict ;  in  1884  was  elected  State  Treas- 
urer ;  for  a  short  time  was  assistant  pen- 
sion agent ;  was  president  of  the  Me- 
chanics' National  Bank,  and  a  director  in 
various  industrial  corporations,  including 
Stanley  Works  and  the  Union  Manufac- 
turing Company.  As  a  public  speaker  he 
had  few  rivals  in  the  State,  and  his  serv- 
ices were  especially  in  demand  on  Memo- 
rial Day.  He  married,  November  17, 
1870.  Anna  I.  Smith,  daughter  of,  Elizur 
Smith,  of  New  Britain.  Their  children 
were  :  Frederick  Stanley,  mentioned  be- 
low ;  Louise,  married  Walter  H.  Hart,  of 
New  Britain :  Ruth,  married  James  S. 
North ;  Grace,  married  Frank  G.  Vib- 
berts  :  Cornelia ;  Anna,  married  Dr.  Fred- 
erick C.  Ferry,  president  of  Hamilton  Col- 
lege ;  Bertha;  Valentine  B.,  Jr.,  superin- 
tendent of  rolling  mill  of  Stanley  W^orks, 
and  an  alderman  of  the  city  of  New 
Britain ;  Margaret,  married  Russell  C. 
Germond ;  Rodman  W.,  second  lieutenant 
of  Company  I,  First  Connecticut  Infan- 
try. 

Frederick  Stanley  Chamberlain,  son  of 
Judge  Valentine  B.  and  Anna  I.  (Smith) 
Chamberlain,  and  a  nephew  of  former 
Governor  Abiram  Chamberlain,  was  born 


138 


THE  NEW  YOr.X     1 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTO;7.    LEf'OX  I 

:  :i_D.:iJ  FC  -i.D   t;;->:^  I 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


August  19.  1872,  in  New  Britain,  and  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  public  schools. 
In  1889  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Mechanics'  National  Bank,  where,  by  dint 
of  struggling  effort,  he  rose  to  assistant 
cashier  in  1905.  In  1907  he  was  elected 
cashier  and  a  director  of  the  New  Britain 
National  Bank ;  was  also  a  director  of 
Stanley  Works.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was 
connected  with  the  city  government  of 
New  Britain  for  four  years  as  council- 
man. 1904-05-06-07.  He  resigned  in  1908, 
when  he  was  elected  city  treasurer,  and 
in  1915  became  State  Treasurer.  He  also 
served  as  president  of  the  Board  of 
Finance  and  Taxation.  He  is  affiliated 
with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Or- 
der of  Elks,  and  is  a  member  of  the  New 
Britain  Club,  Hartford  Golf  Club,  New 
Britain  Golf  Club,  Chamberlain  Council, 
Junior  Order  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics, and  is  also  president  of  the  Con- 
necticut Bankers'  Association.  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain married,  November  19,  1896,  Irene 
B.  Robinson,  daughter  of  Henry  C.  Rob- 
inson, and  they  have  one  son,  James  R., 
born  March  25,  1900. 


GOODRICH,  Elizur  Stillman, 

State    Senator. 

Association  and  environment  were  very 
likely  potent  in  determining  the  choice 
made  by  Mr.  Goodrich  when  determining 
upon  his  career  in  life.  His  father  was  a 
civil  engineer,  surveying  and  aiding  in 
the  construction  of  steam  railroads.  While 
still  young  the  Hartford,  Providence  & 
Fishkill  railroad  was  in  course  of  con- 
struction, therefore,  with  inherited  taste 
and  opportunity  combining,  his  choice 
was  quickly  made.  From  his  entrance, 
while  quite  young,  into  the  office  of  the 
chief  engineer  in  charge  of  the  construc- 
tion of  the  railroad  named  until  the  pres- 
ent, he  has  been  connected  with   steam, 


street  and  steamboat  transportation,  win- 
ning executive  position  and  high  personal 
reputation. 

He  is  of  the  seventh  American  genera- 
tion of  the  family  founded  in  Connecti- 
cut by  William  Goodrich,  of  Wethers- 
field.  In  England,  the  name  Goodrich  is 
very  ancient,  found  there  as  Godric  as 
early  as  870,  but  not  as  a  surname.  Good- 
ridge  was  a  common  form  of  the  name 
until  a  comparatively  recent  date.  Famous 
Goodrich  Castle,  a  typical  fortified  castle 
of  medieval  Saxon  style  with  Norman 
additions,  dates  back  to  the  era  before  the 
Norman  Conquest.  It  was  dismantled 
and  all  but  destroyed  by  order  of  Parlia- 
ment during  the  Civil  War,  dated  Alarch 
I,  1647.  I^s  ruins  stand  on  an  eminence 
near  the  southwestern  extremity  of  Here- 
fordshire, on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river 
Wye. 

\\'ethersfield,  Connecticut,  has  been  the 
seat  of  this  branch  of  the  Goodrich  family 
since  the  settlement  by  William  Good- 
rich, and  his  marriage  is  there  recorded  to 
Sarah  Marvin,  of  Hartford,  October  4, 
1648.  He  was  deputy  to  the  General 
Court  in  1662.  member  of  the  grand  jury 
and  ensign  of  the  train  band.  The  line  of 
descent  is  through  his  son,  William  (2) 
Goodrich :  his  son.  Lieutenant  Joseph 
Goodrich ;  his  son,  Nathaniel  Goodrich ; 
his  son,  Simeon  Goodrich ;  his  son,  Elizur 
Goodrich ;  his  son,  Elizur  S.  Goodrich,  all 
born  in  and  lifelong  residents  of  Wethers- 
field  except  the  last  named,  who  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Hartford,  but  born  in  Wethers- 
field. 

Elizur  Goodrich,  born  February  20, 
1798.  died  February  10,  1854;  was  a  civil 
engineer.  He  married,  July  16,  1832, 
Jerusha  Stillman,  born  December  18,  1803, 
died  January  2,  1835,  daughter  of  Captain 
George  and  Martha  (Deming)  Stillman, 
a  descendant  in  the  sixth  generation  of 
George  Stillman. 

139 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Elizur  Stillman  Goodrich  was  born  at 
Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  December  28, 
1834,  only  son  of  Elizur  and  Jerusha 
(Stillman)  Goodrich.  He  attended  pub- 
lic schools  at  Wethersfield  and  Williston 
Seminary  at  Easthampton,  Massachu- 
setts, then  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  in 
1854.  secured  his  first  position.  This  was 
in  the  office  of  the  chief  engineer  of  the 
Hartford,  Providence  &  Fishkill  railroad, 
then  in  course  of  construction.  He  grad- 
uated from  the  engineering  to  the  busi- 
ness department  of  the  road,  and  at  the 
end  of  his  ten  years'  connection  had  mas- 
tered the  details  of  both  departments  to 
a  large  degree.  In  1864  he  resigned  his 
position  in  the  office  of  the  general  ticket 
agent  to  become  manager  of  the  Hartford 
&  Wethersfield  Horse  Railway  Company, 
organized  the  previous  year.  He  was 
chosen  president  of  the  company  in  Janu- 
ary, 1864,  and  under  his  direct  manage- 
ment the  road  began  its  successful  career 
that  only  terminated  forty  years  later, 
when  the  name  of  the  company  was 
changed  to  the  Hartford  Street  Railway 
Company.  During  those  forty  years  Mr. 
Goodrich  was  president  of  the  company 
and  its  manager,  responsible  for  its  ex- 
pansion and  its  success.  The  company  of 
which  it  is  now  a  part  controls  a  system 
completely  traversing  the  streets  of  Hart- 
ford, and  connecting  the  capitol  city  with 
a  number  of  adjacent  towns. 

In  1885  Air.  Goodrich  became  president 
of  the  Hartford  &  New  York  Transporta- 
tion Company,  then  practically  bankrupt, 
with  an  old,  worn  out  fleet  of  steamboats. 
W'ith  characteristic  vigor  he  injected  new 
life  into  the  concern,  scrapped  the  old 
boats,  replacing  them  with  steamers  of 
modern  construction  and  design.  The 
company  was  placed  upon  a  sound  finan- 
cial basis,  and  as  its  executive  head  Mr. 
Goodrich  is  guarantee  of  its  stability.  He 
has  not  given  his  entire  time  to  transpor- 


tation problems,  although  that  has  been 
his  important  life  work  and  the  activity 
that  has  most  benefited  by  his  ability  as 
organizer  and  executive.  He  has  other 
interests  of  importance  and  has  aided  all 
efforts  to  bring  Hartford  into  prominence 
as  a  business  center. 

A  Republican  in  politics  he  represented 
Wethersfield  in  the  General  Assembly  in 
1895,  serving  on  committees  of  incorpora- 
tion and  judiciary.  In  1897  he  was  elect- 
ed State  Senator  from  the  second  dis- 
trict, serving  as  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee on  cities  and  boroughs.  His  legisla- 
tive work  satisfied  his  constituents  and  he 
was  returned  to  the  Senate  in  1899  and 
again  in  1901.  Mr.  Goodrich  was  "made 
a  Mason"  in  St.  John's  Lodge,  later  be- 
coming, by  demit,  a  charter  member  of 
Lafayette  Lodge.  He  is  also  a  Royal 
Arch  Mason,  a  Capitular  Mason  and  a 
Knights  Templar,  holding  his  Templar 
membership  in  Washington  Comxnand- 
ery,  and  is  a  member  of  Sphinx  Temple, 
Mystic  Shrine. 

Mr.  Goodrich  married,  October  19, 1859, 
Mary  A.  Hanmer,  and  has  two  children : 
I.  James  R.,  married  (first)  Elizabeth 
Judd.  who  died  July  12,  1901,  leaving  two 
children,  James  Stillman  and  William 
Judd  Goodrich;  he  married  (second)  Jan- 
uary 17,  1906,  Ella  E.  Reed,  of  Worcester, 
and  has  a  daughter,  Mary  Hanmer  Good- 
rich. 2.  Mabel  E.,  married  George  Hills 
Gilman.  of  the  law  firm  of  Hyde,  Joslyn, 
Gilman  &  Hungerford. 


HUBBARD,  Charles  Edward, 

Business    Man. 

It  is  an  old  tradition  in  the  Hubbard 
family  in  England,  that  the  name  was 
derived  from  Hubba  (Ubba  or  Ubbo), 
the  Danish  sea  king,  who  in  the  fall  of 
866  with  an  immense  fleet  and  twenty 
thousand  warriors  landed  on  the  coast  of 


140 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


East-Anglia  or  Kent  to  avenge  the  death 
of  his  father,  Ragnar  Lodbrog.  The  lat- 
ter, whose  invasions  had  made  his  name  a 
cause  for  terror  on  the  shores  of  the  Bal- 
tic and  the  British  Isles,  after  taking  pos- 
session of  Paris,  planned  an  invasion  of 
England.  His  expedition  was  wrecked  on 
the  coast  of  Northumbria,  but  Ragnar 
with  a  band  of  his  followers  who  reached 
the  shore,  heedless  of  their  numerical  in- 
feriority, began  their  usual  career  of  dep- 
redation. At  the  first  news  of  the  descent 
of  the  Norsemen,  the  Northumbrians  flew 
to  the  coast,  fought  the  invaders,  making 
Ragnar  a  prisoner.  He  was  put  to  death 
at  once,  and  is  said  to  have  consoled  his 
last  moments  with  the  hope  "that  the 
cubs  of  the  boar  would  avenge  his  fate." 

Having  spent  the  winter  in  fortifying 
his  camp  and  equipping  his  followers, 
Hubba,  in  February,  867,  seized  York. 
Though  the  Northumbrians  gave  battle 
with  desperate  fury,  Hubba's  forces  tri- 
umphed. They  killed  Osbert  in  battle, 
but  took  prisoner  Aella,  his  erstwhile 
rival  chieftain,  but  now  compatriot  in 
fighting  the  common  foe.  Hubba  and  his 
followers  now  gave  themselves  the  pleas- 
ure of  torturing  to  death  the  men  who 
had  thrown  King  Ragnar  Lodbrog  into  a 
cage  of  snakes  to  be  devoured. 

This  victory  gave  Hubba  and  his 
brother  Hingua  undisputed  possession  of 
all  the  country  south  of  the  Tyne  and 
north  of  Nottingham.  They  continued  to 
increase  their  dominions  by  victorious  in- 
vasions of  the  surrounding  country,  their 
exploits  forming  one  of  the  most  thrilling 
chapters  in  early  British  history.  Hubba 
was  finally  slain  in  his  camp  with  twelve 
hundred  of  his  followers  by  Odyn.  Scat- 
tered across  Britain  and  Wales  have  stood 
seven  historic  eminences  each  known  as 
"Hubba's  Hill." 

It  is  common  knowledge  that  there  was 
great  confusion  in  spelling  names  during 


several  centuries  following  the  adoption 
of  family  surnames,  and  that  of  Hubbard 
was  no  exception  to  the  rule,  more  than 
fifty  diiTerent  spellings  of  what  is  ap- 
parently the  same  name  being  found  on 
record.  Even  in  America  the  forms  Hub- 
bard, Hubbert,  Hubard,  Hubert,  Hobart, 
and  Hobert  are  common. 

Several  branches  of  the  family  in  Eng- 
land have  borne  coats-of-arms.  The  im- 
mediate antecedents  of  George  Hubbard, 
the  immigrant  ancestor  of  the  branch  of 
the  family  herein  followed  have  not  been 
identified.  He  was  born  in  the  southeast- 
ern section  of  England,  possibly  in  Essex 
or  Surrey.  Traditions  say  he  came  to 
Watertown,  Massachusetts,  about  1633. 
If  this  is  true,  he  was  there  but  a  short 
time.  He  married  Mary  Bishop,  who 
died  in  Guilford,  September  14,  1675,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Anne  Bishop.  In 
1639  John  Bishop  removed  from  Wethers- 
field  to  Guilford,  Connecticut,  of  which 
town  he  was  one  of  the  seven  pillars  or 
proprietors.  He  died  there  in  February, 
1661. 

George  Hubbard  was  a  member  of  that 
band  of  about  sixty  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren who  left  Watertown,  Massachusetts, 
on  October  15,  1635,  and  came  through  the 
wilderness  to  Connecticut.  In  1636  he 
and  Samuel  Wakeman  were  appointed  by 
the  General  Court  to  make  certain  surveys 
relating  to  the  bounds  of  Windsor  and 
W^ethersfield.  He  represented  Wethers- 
field  at  the  first  Colonial  General  Court, 
under  the  constitution  of  1639,  an  office  to 
which  freemen  only  were  eligible.  He  is 
referred  to  as  "a  prominent  surveyor"  and 
did  much  work  in  that  line.  He  drew  lot 
No.  14  of  the  "three  mile  lots,"  which  con- 
tained one  hundred  and  ninety-five  acres 
and  was  located  in  North  Glastonbury. 
After  three  years  residence  in  W^ethers- 
field,  he  removed  to  Milford,  being  as- 
signed Milford  Island  as  his  grant.     He 

41 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  admitted  to  the  church  there,  Janu- 
ary 15,  1644.  Before  1650  he  sold  the 
Island  and  removed  to  Guilford.  On  Sep- 
tember 22,  1648,  he  bought  the  property 
of  Jacob  Sheafife.  George  Hubbard  was 
a  deputy  magistrate  during  the  years 
1652-55-57-58-60-62-65-66.  In  1666-67  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Assembly  at  the 
union  of  the  Hartford  and  New  Haven 
colonies.  In  May,  1670,  the  court  gave 
him  authority  to  "joyne  persons  in  mar- 
riage." It  is  said  of  him,  "He  was  a  man 
of  high  standing  and  prominent  in  the 
politics  of  his  times."  He  died  in  Guil- 
ford in  January,  1683,  leaving  an  estate 
appraised  at  five  hundred  and  sixty-four 
pounds  eight  shillings  and  six  pence, 
showing  him  to  be  prosperous,  thrifty 
and  well  off  for  his  day. 

His  son.  John  Hubbard,  was  born  in 
England  about  1630.  It  is  claimed  that 
he  lived  at  Concord  for  a  time  with  rela- 
tives of  his  wife.  He  married  Mary  Mer- 
riam,  and  became  a  resident  of  Wethers- 
field,  Connecticut,  where  his  first  four 
children  were  born.  He  was  one  of  the 
company  that  removed  to  Hadley,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1659.  He  was  made  free- 
man, March  26,  1661.  After  1672  he  re- 
moved to  Hatfield,  and  died  there  at  the 
home  of  his  son,  Isaac,  in  1702. 

His  son,  John  Hubbard,  was  born  in 
Wethersfield,  April  12,  1655.  He  lived  in 
Glastonbury  and  died  there  about  1748. 
He  married,  about  1676,  Mary,  widow  of 
John  Elson  and  a  daughter  of  Thomas 
Wright.  He  received  the  "Hubbard 
Lots"  from  his  father  and  purchased  sev- 
eral other  tracts,  becoming  a  large  land- 
owner. In  1692  he  and  Samuel  Smith 
each  donated  five  acres  of  land  on  which 
was  located  the  old  cemetery  and  meeting 
house  green.  The  site  of  the  church  is 
now  occupied  by  the  town  hall.  In  1704 
he  was  called  sergeant,  was  a  member  of 
the  school  committee,  and  was  authorized 


to  erect  a  mill  on  Roaring  brook.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Legislature  from  1700  to 
1724. 

His  son,  David  Hubbard,  was  born  in 
Glastonbury  in  1685,  and  died  there  Oc- 
tober 13,  1760.  He  married  Prudence, 
widow  of  Judah  Holcomb  and  a  daughter 
of  David  and  Prudence  (Churchill)  Good- 
rich. He  received  land  from  his  father  in 
Glastonbury  in  1720 ;  was  a  member  of  the 
Eastbury  School  Society  whose  records  in 
1749  mention  him  as  "Captain  D.  Hub- 
bard, 2w,  3d  and  boarding  himself  £12. 5s." 
In  the  same  year  there  was  "liberty 
granted  to  Captain  David  Hubbard  to 
erect  a  corn-mill  over  Blackleach  River." 
He  served  eight  terms  in  the  Legislature 
between  1724  and  1734.  He  served  in  the 
army  under  General  Wolfe  at  Montreal. 

His  son,  Nathaniel  Hubbard,  the  great- 
grandfather of  the  Mr.  Hubbard  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  in  Glastonbury  in  1758 
(perhaps  1755).  He  lived  at  Bolton,  and 
was  married  four  times,  our  subject  being 
descended  from  Ruth  Hale,  the  last  wife, 
whom  he  married  in  1805.  He  engaged 
in  farming  on  a  large  scale. 

His  son.  Dr.  Denison  Hubbard,  was 
born  in  Bolton,  Tolland  county,  Connec- 
ticut, in  1805.  His  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  common  schools  and  also  at 
Bacon  Academy  at  Colchester.  In  addi- 
tion to  these  advantages,  his  father  pro- 
vided him  with  a  private  tutor  from  whom 
he  learned  Latin  and  the  higher  branches 
of  mathematics.  His  mind  was  bent  on 
the  study  of  medicine  from  an  early  age, 
but  his  first  actual  tuition  in  this  subject 
was  under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  Tal- 
cott,  of  what  was  then  Killingworth,  Con- 
necticut, now  Clinton.  Thereafter  he  en- 
tered the  Yale  Medical  School,  where  he 
completed  his  studies  and  was  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1829,  taking  his  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  At  first  Dr.  Hub- 
bard located  at  Glastonbury,  but  he  later 


142 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


removed  to  Bloomfield,  Connecticut, 
where  for  a  time  he  carried  on  a  success- 
ful practice.  Eventually,  however,  he  re- 
turned to  Clinton,  where  for  forty  years 
he  was  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the  com- 
munity's life  and  was  well  known  and 
generally  beloved,  both  in  his  profes- 
sional capacity  and  as  a  man  throughout 
the  entire  region.  It  was  here  that  his 
death  eventually  occurred  in  the  year 
1864.  an  event  which  caused  great  grief 
to  the  entire  community.  Dr.  Hubbard 
was  at  first  united  with  the  Abolitionist 
party  in  politics,  but  eventually  joined  the 
Republican  party.  He  was  an  ardent  ad- 
mirer of  William  Lloyd  Garrison  and 
Wendell  Phillips,  and  was  himself  very 
eloquent  in  the  anti-slavery  agitation  of 
those  years.  In  spite  of  his  prominence 
in  the  movement,  however,  he  consist- 
ently refused  to  hold  public  office  of  any 
kind,  preferring  to  exert  what  influence 
he  could  from  the  more  disinterested  posi- 
tion of  the  private  citizens.  He  was  a 
Congregationalist  in  his  belief  and  for 
many  years  attended  the  church  of  that 
denomination  at  Clifton,  taking  an  active 
part  in  its  affairs  and  serving  as  a  trustee. 
Dr.  Hubbard  married  Pamela  A.  Hub- 
bard, a  native  of  Glastonbury,  where  she 
was  born  in  181 1,  a  daughter  of  David  E. 
and  Pamela  (Hollister)  Hubbard,  and  a 
granddaughter  of  Eleazer  and  Lois 
(Wright)  Hubbard.  David  E.  Hubbard, 
her  father,  was  an  important  figure  in 
the  life  of  Glastonbury,  representing  that 
town  in  the  State  Legislature  a  number 
of  times  and  serving  as  judge  of  probate 
for  many  years.  He  was  a  farmer  during 
the  early  part  of  his  life,  but  later  resided 
in  the  town  of  Eastbury,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  a  mercantile  line  of  business.  To 
Dr.  and  IMrs.  Hubbard  the  following  chil- 
dren were  born :  Charles  H.,  mentioned 
below ;  Edward  D.,  who  died  in  July, 
1864,  at  the  Cumberland  Hospital,  where 


at  the  time  he  was  serving  as  a  medical 
interne ;  and  Alary  ].,  deceased. 

Their  son,  Charles  H.  Hubbard,  was 
born  July  31, 1836,  at  Bloomfield,  Hartford 
county,  Connecticut,  during  the  period  in 
which  his  parents  lived  at  that  place.  He 
returned  with  them,  however,  to  Clinton, 
Connecticut,  when  about  eight  years  of 
age,  and  it  was  there  that  the  elementary 
portion  of  his  education  was  received  at 
the  local  public  schools.  Upon  complet- 
ing his  studies  at  these  institutions,  he 
entered  Williston  Seminary  at  Easthamp- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  a  very  well  known  in- 
stitution, and  graduated  therefrom  with 
the  class  of  1853.  About  this  time,  how- 
ever, his  health  failed  him  and  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  for  a  time  his  studies. 
After  a  considerable  rest,  however,  his 
health  apparently  having  been  entirely 
restored,  he  engaged  in  the  profession  of 
teaching  and  secured  a  position  with  the 
Massachusetts  Reform  School  at  West- 
boro  in  that  State.  Here  he  remained  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  it  was  while  thus 
engaged  that  his  attention  first  became 
definitely  directed  towards  medicine  as  a 
possible  career  in  life.  He  had,  of  course, 
the  strong  inducement  afforded  by  the 
consideration  that  his  father  had  achieved 
such  a  notable  success  in  the  same  line, 
but  his  own  tastes  were  in  the  main  re- 
sponsible for  his  taking  up  its  study.  For 
a  time  he  pursued  his  subject  alone,  while 
still  employed  at  the  Reform  School,  but 
later  gave  up  his  work  there  and  returned 
to  Clinton,  where  he  began  to  work  under 
the  preceptorship  of  his  father.  Later  he 
entered  the  Yale  Medical  School,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  January,  i860,  with 
his  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  In  the 
month  of  July  in  that  same  year,  young 
Dr.  Hubbard  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  the  town  of  Essex,  where 
he  succeeded  to  the  practice  of  Dr.  Shep- 
hard,  whose  death  had  occurred  the  pre- 


143 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ceding  April.  Here  he  rapidly  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  good  opinion  of  his 
fellow  citizens  and  built  up  the  largest 
and  most  high  class  practice  in  the  entire 
region.  For  many  years  he  was  consid- 
ered the  leading  physician  in  that  vicin- 
ity and  indeed  remained  active  in  the  life 
of  the  place  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  the  venerable  age  of  seventy- 
eight  or  seventy-nine  years.  He  was  a 
director  of  the  Essex  Savings  Bank,  much 
interested  in  educational  work  there  and 
took  a  very  active  part  in  local  affairs 
generally.  Dr.  Hubbard  was  a  lifelong 
Republican,  but  although  he  felt  strongly 
on  all  the  issues  of  his  time,  the  demands 
made  upon  him  by  his  professional  tasks 
were  of  so  onerous  a  nature  that  he  found 
it  impossible  to  take  the  active  part  in 
politics  to  which  his  tastes  impelled  him 
and  for  which  his  talents  fitted  him  so 
eminently.  He  did,  however,  find  it  pos- 
sible to  serve  on  the  Board  of  Education 
and  remained  a  member  thereof  for  twen- 
ty-five years,  acting  during  much  of  this 
time  as  school  visitor  and  for  many  years 
as  health  officer  and  medical  examiner. 
Dr.  Hubbard,  like  his  father  before  him, 
was  a  Congregationalist,  and  was  very 
active  in  the  support  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Essex.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  both  County  and  State 
Medical  societies.  Dr.  Hubbard  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Cherrilla  G. 
Conklin,  a  native  of  Essex,  born  in  the 
year  1838,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Mary 
(Griswold)  Conklin.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children :  Mary  P., 
who  became  the  wife  of  Charles  R. 
Bishop,  of  New  Haven ;  Jennie  D. ;  Car- 
rie C,  deceased ;  and  Charles  Edward, 
who  is  mentioned  at  length  below. 

Charles  Edward  Hubbard  was  born  June 
24,  1868,  at  Essex,  Connecticut.  His  early 
education  was  received  in  the  local  pub- 


lic schools,  and  he  later  attended  Wes- 
leyan  Academy  at  Wilbraham,  Massachu- 
setts. Upon  completing  his  course  at  the 
latter  institution,  he  at  once  took  up  the 
serious  business  of  life  and  secured  a 
position  in  the  old  Mercantile  Bank  of 
Hartford,  where  he  remained  for  a  short 
time.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  the 
E.  Taylor  &  Sons  Lumber  Company,  but 
did  not  remain  a  great  while  with  this 
concern  either.  Being  of  an  ambitious 
and  enterprising  disposition,  he  decided 
to  follow  the  advice  given  by  Horace 
Greeley  to  the  young  m€n  of  his  day  and 
go  West.  Accordingly,  he  traveled  to 
Chicago  and  there  entered  the  employ  of 
the  B.  F.  Goodrich  Rubber  Company, 
with  which  concern  he  remained  for  three 
or  four  years.  In  1893,  however,  he  re- 
turned to  the  East  and  for  a  short  time 
held  a  position  in  the  accounting  depart- 
ment of  the  New  York,  New  Haven  & 
Hartford  Railroad  Company.  It  was 
shortly  afterwards  that  he  came  to  Hart- 
ford, which  has  since  been  his  perma- 
nent home  and  where  he  resided  unin- 
terruptedly for  nine  or  ten  years.  He 
was  employed  by  the  Farmington  Street 
Railway  Company.  In  this  concern  he 
worked  his  way  well  up,  until  he  was 
chosen  to  the  double  ofifice  of  secretary 
and  manager  of  the  company.  He  eventu- 
ally resigned  this  position,  however,  to 
become  purchasing  agent  for  the  Mahon- 
ing &  Shenango  Railway  and  Light  Com- 
pany of  Youngstown,  Ohio.  He  went  to 
that  western  city  and  there  remained  for 
about  eighteen  months,  after  which  he 
returned  to  Hartford,  which  has  been  his 
home  ever  since.  By  this  time  Mr.  Hub- 
bard had  reached  a  point  where  he  felt 
justified  in  starting  in  business  on  his 
own  account,  and  accordingly,  upon  com- 
ing to  Hartford,  he  purchased  from  Mr. 
S.  B.  Bosworth  his  present  business, 
which  has  rapidly  grown  in  size  and  im- 

144 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


portance  up  to  the  present  time.  His  con- 
cern deals  in  cement  and  sewer  pipe  in 
both  wholesale  and  retail  trades  and  is 
now  the  largest  business  of  its  kind  be- 
tween New  York  and  Boston.  Mr.  Hub- 
bard has  played  an  exceedingly  prominent 
part  in  the  general  life  of  the  community, 
and  although  in  no  sense  of  the  term  a 
politician  is  regarded  as  a  powerful  factor 
in  local  affairs  and  has  held  a  number  of 
public  offices.  He  served  as  a  member 
of  the  police  commission  from  1914  to  the 
beginning  of  1917,  and  during  this  time 
performed  an  invaluable  service  for  the 
community.  He  is  also  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  social  and  club  life  of  Hart- 
ford, and  is  a  member  of  the  local  lodge 
of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks  and  of  the  Rotary  and  City  clubs. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  old  Hart- 
ford Wheel  Club,  having  been  an  enthusi- 
astic bicyclist,  and  served  on  its  board  of 
governors.  He  is  now  a  member  of  the 
Wethersfield  Country  Club,  and  is  still 
devoted  to  outdoor  pastimes  of  all  kind. 

Mr.  Hubbard  was  united  in  marriage, 
on  October  19,  1898,  with  Mary  Chamber- 
lain, of  Hartford,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  D. 
Chamberlain,  a  highly  respected  resident 
of  that  city.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  them  as  follows :  Sarah,  Septem- 
ber 6,  1908,  and  Charles  H.,  February  11, 
1910. 

A  word  is  here  appropriate  concerning 
the  Griswold  family,  from  which  Mr. 
Hubbard  is  descended  through  his  ma- 
ternal grandmother  and  which  for  many 
years  has  occupied  a  distinguished  posi- 
tion in  various  sections  of  Connecticut. 
This  lady  was  the  wife  of  George  Conk- 
lin  and  the  mother  of  Cherrilla  G.  (Conk- 
lin)  Hubbard.  The  immigrant  ancestor 
of  the  family  was  Mathew  Griswold, 
who  with  his  brother  Edward  came  from 
Warwick,  England,  in  1639,  in  company 
with   the    Rev.    Mr.    Hunt's   party,   who 


came  to  Windsor,  Connecticut,  that  year. 
Mathew  Griswold  married  Anna  Wolcott 
in  1646,  removed  to  Saybrook  as  agent 
for  Colonel  Fenwick,  speedily  assumed 
prominence,  and  was  largely  instrumental 
in  the  movements  which  led  up  to  the 
settlement  of  Lyme ;  he  became  the  lead- 
ing and  wealthiest  man  in  that  town, 
which  was  set  off  from  Saybrook  in  1665, 
establishing  near  the  mouth  of  the  Con- 
necticut river  "Blackball,"  since  the  fam- 
ily seat  of  the  Griswold  family.  His 
death  occurred  in  1698.  He  left  a  son, 
Mathew  Griswold,  who  married  and  had 
a  family;  Mathew  Griswold  died  in  1715. 

Selah  Griswold,  the  grandfather  of 
Samuel  Griswold,  was  born  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  Killing-worth.  Having 
been  left  an  orphan  at  an  early  age,  he 
was  bound  out  to  a  farmer  until  he  waf 
sixteen  years  old,  coming  then  to  Essej^ 
which  was  then  a  part  of  Saybrook,  and 
there  learning  the  trade  of  shoemaker  of 
a  Mr.  Starkey,  who  later  became  his 
father-in-law.  Following  his  trade  for 
a  number  of  years,  he  later  purchased  a 
small  farm  and  erected  a  house  thereon, 
this  farm  being  located  about  two  miles 
south  of  Essex  on  the  Bokum  road.  There 
he  followed  his  trade  and  farming  for  the 
remainder  of  his  active  life,  his  death  oc- 
curring when  he  was  eighty-three  years 
old.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Starkey,  and 
their  children  were :  Daniel,  Selah,  Asel 
P.  and  Mary  Ann. 

Daniel  Griswold,  the  father  of  Samuel 
Griswold,  was  born  in  March,  1780,  in 
what  is  now  Essex,  where  he  grew  to 
manhood.  Like  his  brothers,  he  learned 
the  trade  of  shoemaker,  which  he  fol- 
lowed during  the  winters,  and  each  sum- 
mer for  forty  consecutive  years  he  fol- 
lowed fishing,  particularly  for  shad,  in 
the  Connecticut  river,  leaving  both  these 
occupations  later  in  life  to  engage  in 
farming.      His    estate    near   his    beloved 


C!onn— 3— 10 


145 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


river  was  in  Essex,  and  there  he  peace- 
fully passed  away  when  almost  ninety- 
one  years  old.  For  many  years  he  was  a 
surveyor  of  town  roads.  He  was  a  man 
of  superior  mental  faculties,  had  a  won- 
derful memory,  was  a  constant  reader, 
and  possessed  sound  judgment,  ambition 
and  energy.  He  was  gifted  in  many  di- 
rections, had  great  physical  strength,  and 
was  a  most  excellent  manager.  Though 
a  staunch  Democrat,  of  the  Jefifersonian 
type,  he  never  accepted  office,  but  was 
always  interested  in  the  success  of  his 
party.  Daniel  Griswold  married  Fanny 
Babcock,  of  Old  Saybrook,  daughter  of 
William  Babcock.  She  lived  to  the  age 
of  eighty.  The  children  born  to  Daniel 
and  Fanny  (Babcock)  Griswold  were: 
Maria,  who  married  Fordes  Dennison ; 
Alfred,  who  married  (first)  Mary  Ives,  of 
Middletown,  and  (second)  a  lady  named 
Joslyn ;  Cherrilla,  who  married  Giles  O. 
Clark,  of  Chester ;  William,  who  married 
Laura  Tucker;  Edwin,  who  married  Eliz- 
abeth Griswold ;  Mary,  who  married 
George  Conklin ;  Rachel,  who  married 
(first)  Albert  Pratt,  and  (second)  George 
Pratt ;  and  Samuel.  For  his  second  wife 
Mr.  Griswold  married,  late  in  life,  Mrs. 
Spencer;  they  had  no  children. 


GLOVER,  Charles, 

Business  Man,  Inventor. 

It  is  the  glory  of  a  self-made  man  that 
his  boyhood  was  one  of  hardship  and  pri- 
vation, and  that  the  more  trying  the  con- 
ditions the  greater  the  determination  to 
overcome  them.  When  such  men  gather 
and  compare  experiences  all  agree  that 
none  started  life  under  greater  disadvan- 
tages or  were  more  heavily  handicapped 
than  Charles  Glover,  a  hired  farmer's  boy 
at  the  age  of  ten,  now  president,  vice- 
president  and  director  of  corporations  of 
national   importance.     Of    English   birth 


and  parentage,  but  living  in  the  United 
States  since  the  age  of  two  years,  he  has 
all  the  love  and  devotion  for  his  adopted 
State  and  Nation  that  a  native  son  could 
have.  His  parents,  George  and  Rebecca 
(Wood)  Glover,  came  to  the  United 
States  with  their  children  in  1849,  settling 
in  the  town  of  Enfield,  Connecticut,  where 
George  Glover  operated  a  small  machine 
shop.  The  family  is  an  old  one  in  Not- 
tingham, England. 

Charles  Glover  was  born  June  16,  1847, 
in  Nottingham,  England,  and  when  two 
years  of  age  was  brought  to  Enfield,  Con- 
necticut. He  attended  public  school  until 
ten  years  of  age.  He  then  hired  out  to  a 
farmer,  living  between  Enfield  and  Haz- 
ardville.  He  worked  for  that  farmer  until 
he  was  fourteen,  then  was  taken  home  by 
his  father,  who  needed  his  help  in  the 
machine  shop,  his  elder  brothers  all  hav- 
ing enlisted  in  the  Union  army.  The  boy's 
tastes  were  decidedly  mechanical,  and  he 
set  about  learning  the  machinist's  trade 
with  great  satisfaction  and  diligence.  He 
realized  his  need  of  further  education,  and 
as  his  days  were  fully  occupied,  his  nights 
were  devoted  to  study,  his  entire  educa- 
tion beyond  the  rudiments  having  been 
acquired  by  night  study.  He  rapidly  ac- 
quired a  good  knowledge  of  the  machin- 
ist's trade  and  when,  in  1864,  the  family 
moved  to  Windsor  Locks,  he  was  able  to 
secure  and  hold  a  position  with  the  Medi- 
cott  Knitting  Company,  as  machinist.  In 
1867  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Na- 
tional Screw  Company.  He  rated  him- 
self an  expert,  and  in  the  next  year  be- 
came foreman  and  contractor  for  the  Na- 
tional Screw  Company  of  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut. He  held  that  position  until  the 
business  was  sold  to  the  American  Screw 
Company  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
then,  in  1876,  located  in  New  Britain.  P. 
and  F.  Corbin  at  that  time  were  about 
adding    a    screw    manufacturing    depart-       ^ 

46  ! 


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ViB 

H!^;. 

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, ... 

THE  NEW  YOl^X 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY  i 

J  ASTOR,   LENOX 

I   ilLDEN    FOUi\DATI0NS 


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1^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ment  to  their  plant,  and  they  secured  the 
services  of  Mr.  Glover  to  design  and  in- 
stall the  necessary  machinery  for  the  new 
plant.  After  this  was  done  he  was  placed 
in  charge  of  screw  manufacturing  busi- 
ness, becoming  noted  for  rare  skill  and 
ability  as  a  mechanic  and  for  his  inven- 
tive genius.  He  found  screw  making  and 
other  machines  used  by  hardware  manu- 
facturers could  be  greatly  improved,  and 
there  stands  in  his  name  more  than  twen- 
ty-five patents  of  great  variety,  chiefly 
devices  to  be  used  on  screw  making  ma- 
chines and  in  manufacturing  hardware 
specialties.  He  followed  his  own  advice 
to  young  men,  "Work  hard  and  never 
give  up,"  finally  gaining  recognition  as 
one  of  the  leading  authorities  on  screw 
manufacture  and  screw  mill  operation. 
When  the  P.  and  F.  Corbin  Company 
consolidated  with  the  Russell  &  Erwin 
Manufacturing  Company,  as  the  Ameri- 
can Hardware  Corporation,  there  were 
two  screw  factories  in  New  Britain,  and 
one  in  Dayton,  Ohio,  involved  in  the  deal. 
In  1903  these  three  factories  were  con- 
solidated as  the  Corbin  Screw  Corpora- 
tion (Inc.),  Charles  Glover,  president.  He 
continues  the  executive  head  of  that  cor- 
poration and  its  general  manager ;  is  pres- 
ident of  the  D.  C.  Judd  Company  of  New 
Britain ;  vice-president  of  the  American 
Hardware  Corporation  ;  was  a  director  of 
the  Corbin  Cabinet  Lock  Company;  and 
a  director  of  the  P.  and  F.  Corbin  Com- 
pany, now  part  of  the  American  Hard- 
ware Corporation ;  president  of  the  Cor- 
bin Motor  Vehicle  Corporation ;  director 
of  the  New  Britain  National  Bank;  and 
president  of  the  Skinner  Chuck  Company, 
the  H.  R.  Walker  Company  of  New 
Britain,  of  North  &  Judd  Company,  and 
of  the  /Etna  Nut  Company. 

These  corporations  are  all  factors  in 
the  manufacturing  world,  and  in  their  di- 
rection Mr.  Glover,  when  not  the  forceful 


executive  and  managing  head,  takes  a 
keen  and  active  interest  as  a  director.  He 
holds  no  sinecures,  but  is  an  untiring 
worker,  the  habits  of  early  youth  having 
become  the  constant  practice  of  his  ma- 
ture years.  He  is  a  life  member  of  Lafa- 
yette Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  Hartford,  a  Republican  in  poli- 
tics, and  a  member  of  the  New  Britain 
Club,  the  Farmington  Country  Club  and 
the  Hartford  Club  of  Hartford. 

Mr.  Glover  married  Margaret  Sophia 
Wainwright,  a  daughter  of  Francis  Wain- 
wright.  Of  the  three  children  born  to 
them  but  one  survives,  Ida  M.,  widow  of 
Walter  P.  Peterson,  of  New  Britain ;  her 
children,  Margaret  and  Glover,  the  latter 
deceased. 


CAULKINS,  Willis  Eugene, 

Contractor   and  Builder. 

Willis  Eugene  Caulkins,  the  well  known 
contractor  and  builder  of  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, is  a  member  of  a  good  old  New 
England  family,  tracing  its  ancestry  to 
Lemuel  Caulkins,  born  1752,  died  1845. 
He  served  as  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
drafted  August  24,  1777,  discharged  Octo- 
ber 30,  1777,  a  member  of  Captain  Jona- 
than Caulkins'  company.  The  following 
is  taken  from  "Connecticut  Men  in  the 
Revolution :"  "Two  large  regiments  of 
militia  composed  of  detachments  from  all 
the  brigades  were  ordered  to  reinforce 
General  Gates  at  Saratoga  in  the  summer 
of  1777-  They  were  assigned  to  General 
Poor's  Continental  brigade  in  Arnold's  di- 
vision, and  fought  in  both  battles  with  the 
enemy,  September  19  and  October  9, 1777. 
In  the  first  battle  they  lost  more  men  than 
any  other  two  regiments  in  the  field. 
Upon  their  dismissal,  after  the  surrender 
of  General  Burgoyne,  General  Gates  spoke 
of  them  as  two  excellent  militia  regiments 
from  Connecticut.    They  were  commanded 

47 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


by  Colonel  Jonathan  Latimer,  of  New 
London,  and  Thaddeus  Cook,  of  Walling- 
ford."  Lemuel  Caulkins  married,  1781, 
Lucretia  Chappel,  who  bore  him  nine  chil- 
dren. 

Ezekiel  Caulkins,  eldest  child  of  Lem- 
uel and  Lucretia  (Chappel)  Caulkins,  was 
born  1782,  and  resided  for  many  years  by 
the  side  of  the  lake  at  Waterford,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  was  a  well  known 
figure  and  prominent  in  local  affairs.  He 
married,  in  1814,  Polly  Darrow,  who  bore 
him  eight  children. 

John  F.  E.  Caulkins,  youngest  child  of 
Ezekiel  and  Polly  (Darrow)  Caulkins, 
was  born  1832,  died  December  13,  1862. 
He  resided  in  the  old  family  residence, 
where  his  birth  occurred,  and  was  the  re- 
cipient of  an  excellent  education,  which 
placed  him  in  such  a  position  that  he  was 
able  to  follow  the  profession  of  school 
teaching  for  several  years.  Believing, 
however,  that  a  larger  opportunity  awaited 
him  in  the  line  of  business,  he  abandoned 
this  occupation  and  learned  the  trade  of 
mason,  which  he  followed  as  a  journey- 
man for  a  time.  Shortly  afterwards  he 
began  to  engage  in  the  same  line  on  his 
own  account,  and  it  was  not  long  ere  he 
succeeded  in  building  up  a  large  and 
lucrative  business,  and  continued  so  en- 
gaged during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
He  went  West,  where  he  remained  for  a 
number  of  years,  but  returned  to  the  East 
a  short  time  prior  to  the  Civil  War.  Upon 
the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  he  enlisted  in 
the  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Connecticut 
Volunteer  Infantry,  as  a  member  of  Cap- 
tain Davis'  company,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  he  was  sent  to  the  front  and  saw 
active  service,  receiving  a  shot  wound,  of 
which  he  died,  on  the  battlefield  of  Fred- 
ericksburg. He  married,  in  1852,  Sarah 
A.  Ames,  daughter  of  Moses  Ames,  of 
Waterford,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
three  children :    Willis  Eugene,  of  whom 


further;  Clarence  M.,  of  New  London, 
Connecticut ;  and  Minnie  E.,  who  has 
taught  school  at  the  same  place  for  more 
than  thirty  years.  All  these  births  oc- 
curred in  Waterford,  Connecticut.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Caulkins  were  members  of  the 
Baptist  church. 

Willis  Eugene  Caulkins,  eldest  child  of 
John  F.  E.  and  Sarah  A.  (Ames)  Caul- 
kins, was  born  in  Waterford,  Connecticut, 
February  17,  1853.  During  his  infancy  his 
parents  removed  to  New  London,  Connec- 
ticut, and  it  was  with  the  latter  place  that 
his  early  associations  were  formed,  and  it 
was  there  that  he  received  his  education, 
attending  the  local  public  schools  for  this 
purpose  until  he  had  attained  the  age  of 
ten  years.  The  family  then  removed  to 
the  town  of  East  Lyme,  Connecticut, 
where  they  remained  for  a  period  of  about 
two  years,  and  from  there  they  returned 
to  New  London.  Here  Willis  E.  Caul- 
kins remained  until  he  had  attained  the 
age  of  eighteen  years,  when  he  took  up 
his  residence  in  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
and  there  learned  the  trade  of  carpenter 
with  Deacon  Edwin  Mosely.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  thereafter  he  followed  this 
trade  as  journeyman,  but  in  1891  engaged 
in  business  on  his  own  account  in  partner- 
ship with  Stephen  B.  Stoddard,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Stoddard  &  Caulkins.  This 
business  connection  continued  until  about 
1905,  when  the  partnership  was  dissolved, 
the  ownership  of  the  concern  passing  to 
Mr.  Caulkins,  who  then  admitted  his  elder 
son  into  the  business  with  him,  which 
then  took  the  name  of  W.  E.  Caulkins  & 
Son,  and  later  the  second  son  also  became 
a  member  of  the  firm.  Among  the  impor- 
tant work  in  the  city  carried  on  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Caulkins  should  be  men- 
tioned the  following:  The  Fourth  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Hartford ;  the  re- 
modeling of  the  AUyn  House ;  the  Corn- 
ing   Building    of    Trumbull    street;     the 


148 


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XeuiiS-Bisco'-ical  SiTo.  i 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Porter  Memorial  at  Farmington,  and  the 
remodeling  of  the  Senate  Chamber  in  the 
State  House.  Of  recent  years  the  busi- 
ness has  increased  on  a  very  large  scale, 
and  he  has  done  a  large  amount  of  work 
in  constructing  new  and  artistic  store 
fronts,  specimens  of  the  firm's  handicraft 
being  in  evidence  in  some  of  the  impor- 
tant retail  stores  on  the  business  streets 
of  Hartford.  The  firm  does  its  own  mason 
work  as  well  as  the  carpentry,  and  oper- 
ates a  mill  in  which  is  produced  the  fine 
interior  finish  for  stores  as  well  as  store 
fronts.  The  cabinet  work  turned  out  in 
this  mill  is  equal  in  elegance  and  finish  to 
that  put  in  the  best  furniture,  and  many 
expensive  woods  are  used,  especially  ma- 
hogany. Mr.  Caulkins  has  been  much  in- 
terested in  military  circles  in  the  commu- 
nity, and  is  an  ex-major  of  the  veteran 
corps  of  the  Governor's  Foot  Guard.  He 
is  at  the  present  time  (1917)  lieutenant  in 
the  Putnam  Phalanx.  He  is  past  com- 
mander of  the  G.  A.  Stedman  Camp,  Sons 
of  Veterans,  and  he  is  prominently  affili- 
ated with  the  Masonic  order,  being  a 
member  of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  100,  An- 
cient Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Pytha- 
goras Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons  ;  Wol- 
cott  Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters ; 
Washington  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar, and  Sphynx  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Charter  Oak 
Lodge,  affiliated  with  that  body  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  and  is  a  charter  member 
of  the  original  tribe  of  the  Improved  Or- 
der of  Redmen,  which  has  since  been  dis- 
banded. He  is  past  president  of  the  Mas- 
ter Builders'  Association,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Hartford  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
the  Employers'  Association,  Automobile 
Club,  City  Club  and  of  the  Board  of  Com- 
missioners of  the  Municipal  Building. 

Mr.  Caulkins  married,  in   1883,  Emily 
L.  Bacon,  of  Bristol,  daughter  of  Erastus 


and  Adaline  (Sessions)  Bacon,  of  Bur- 
lington. Her  father  fought  in  the  Civil 
War  as  a  member  of  the  Eighth  Connec- 
ticut Volunteer  Infantry,  and  died  in  the 
rebel  prison  at  Charleston.  Her  mother 
was  a  sister  of  the  well  known  hardware 
manufacturer,  John  Sessions,  of  Bristol. 
Through  the  services  of  Captain  Sessions, 
Mrs.  Caulkins  holds  membership  in  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution, 
and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Womens'  Re- 
lief Corps  and  the  Daughters  of  Veterans. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caulkins  are  the  parents  of 
two  children :  John  A.,  born  in  Hartford, 
May  20,  1884,  married  Louisa  Norris,  who 
bore  him  three  daughters :  Marion,  Helen 
and  Jean ;  Clififord  W.,  born  in  Hartford, 
August  zj,  1887,  married  Claire  A.  Moore. 
Both  of  these  sons  graduated  from  the 
Hartford  High  School,  then  took  courses 
in  a  Hartford  Business  College,  since 
which  time  they  have  been  identified 
with  their  father  in  his  contracting  busi- 
ness. 

The  gaining  of  material  wealth  for 
himself  and  a  position  of  power  and  con- 
trol in  the  business  world  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  has  been  in  no  wise  incom- 
patible in  the  case  of  Willis  Eugene 
Caulkins  with  the  great  service  rendered 
by  him  to  the  community  of  which  he  is 
a  distinguished  member.  Preeminently 
a  man  of  affairs,  he  makes  his  enterprises 
subserve  the  double  purpose  of  his  own 
ambition  and  the  welfare  of  his  fellows. 
Hartford  has  been  the  scene  of  his  life- 
long labors  in  connection  with  the  many 
enterprises  with  which  his  name  is  asso- 
ciated, and  he  is  a  highly  respected  citi- 
zen in  this  and  the  surrounding  region. 


LAKE,  Simon, 

Naval  Architect,  InTcntor. 

In   December,   1898,  there  entered   the 
harbor  of  New  York,  after  a  cruise  of  two 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


thousand  miles  in  Chesapeake  bay  and 
along  the  Atlantic  coast,  a  strange  craft, 
resembling  nothing  ever  before  seen  on 
land  or  sea,  the  "Argonaut,"  the  first  sub- 
marine boat  to  operate  successfully  in  the 
open  seas.  Five  men  composed  her  crew, 
and  in  her  voyage  up  the  coast  they  had 
run  on  the  surface,  submerged,  and  ex- 
acted every  test  from  the  wonderful  boat, 
during  fierce  storms  which  destroyed  hun- 
dreds of  vessels  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 
When  this  strange  craft  successfully 
met  the  tests  imposed  and  safely  landed 
her  crew,  the  boyhood  and  manhood 
dream  of  her  inventor  and  builder,  Simon 
Lake,  was  realized,  a  dream  inspired,  per- 
haps, by  the  reading,  when  a  boy  of  ten 
years,  of  Jules  Verne's  "Twenty  Thou- 
sand Leagues  Under  the  Sea."  It  was  the 
trip  of  the  "Argonaut"  and  her  work  dur- 
ing the  following  winter  which  brought 
from  Jules  Verne  a  special  cable  message 
of  particular  interest  now,  in  the  light  of 
recent  events.    The  cable  read : 

While  my  book,  "Twenty  Thousand  Leagues 
Under  the  Sea,"  is  entirely  a  work  of  the  imagi- 
nation, my  conviction  is  that  all  I  said  in  it  will 
come  to  pass.  A  thousand-mile  voyage  in  the 
Baltimore  submarine  boat  is  evidence  of  this.  The 
conspicuous  success  of  submarine  navigation  in 
the  United  States  will  push  on  under-water  navi- 
gation all  over  the  world.  If  such  a  successful 
test  had  come  a  few  months  earlier,  it  might  have 
played  a  great  part  in  the  war  just  closed.  The 
next  great  war  may  be  largely  a  contest  between 
submarine  boats. 

Simon  Lake,  whose  inventions  are  many 
and  valuable,  inherited  mechanical  and  in- 
ventive genius  from  his  father,  who  was 
an  anomaly  in  his  family,  three  of  his 
brothers  being  well  known  ministers  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The 
family  had  been  prominent  in  now  At- 
lantic county,  Xew  Jersey,  from  the  time 
of  W'illiam  Lake,  a  son  of  John  Lake, 
who  was  one   of  the   patentees  and  set- 


tlers of  Gravesend,  Staten  Island,  now 
South  Brooklyn,  in  1643.  In  1694  Wil- 
liam Lake  moved  to  Great  Egg  Harbor, 
then  Gloucester  county.  New  Jersey,  and 
prior  to  1702  purchased  one  hundred  acres 
of  land,  and  there  died  in  1716,  leaving  a 
large  estate.  From  William  Lake  there 
sprang  a  large  and  influential  family, 
noted  for  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
temperance  and  to  the  church.  Three 
towns  in  New  Jersey  were  founded  by 
Simon  Lake,  of  the  fifth  generation,  and 
his  ministerial  sons,  towns  in  which  the 
sale  of  liquor  is  forever  tabooed  and  the 
religious  sentiment  made  paramount  — 
Ocean  City,  Atlantic  Highlands  and  Na- 
tional Park,  all  in  New  Jersey. 

The  line  of  descent  to  Simon  Lake,  the 
inventor,  to  whom  this  sketch  is  dedi- 
cated, is  through  Daniel  Lake,  son  of 
William  Lake.  He  died  in  Great  Egg 
Harbor  in  1772,  leaving  a  son,  Daniel  (2) 
Lake,  who  married  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Captain  Simon  Lucas,  of  Burlington  coun- 
ty, New  Jersey.  Daniel  (2)  Lake  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  as  was  his 
father-in-law,  Simon  Lucas. 

John  Lake,  son  of  Daniel  (2)  and  Sarah 
(Lucas)  Lake,  lived  at  Lakeville,  just 
across  the  meadows  from  Atlantic  City, 
but  his  brother,  Daniel  (3)  Lake,  a  sur- 
veyor, laid  out  the  shore  road  and  had  the 
village  given  its  present  name,  Pleasant- 
ville.  He  married  Abigail  Adams,  and 
had  nine  children,  all  born  at  Pleasant- 
ville. 

Simon  Lake,  eighth  child  of  John  and 
Abigail  fAdams)  Lake,  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  his  day  and  a  large  owner 
of  beach,  meadow,  farm  and  timber  land. 
He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Ocean 
City,  now  a  populous  summer  and  winter 
resort  of  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  with  his 
sons  owned  nearly  the  entire  island  on 
which  it  is  built.  He  was  United  States 
internal  revenue  collector,   State  Assem- 


150 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


blyman  and  prominently  identified  with 
his  section.  He  married  Sarah  Blake, 
who  bore  him  nine  children,  three  of  his 
four  sons  becoming  ministers  and  noted 
for  their  success  as  community  builders. 

John  Christopher  Lake,  eighth  child  of 
Simon  and  Sarah  (Blake)  Lake,  was  born 
at  Pleasantville,  Atlantic  county.  New 
Jersey,  September  2,  1847.  He  was  an 
inventive,  mechanical  genius  and  broke 
away  from  home  and  family  traditions. 
He  invented  a  number  of  improvements 
in  window  shade  rollers,  and  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  and  in  Aurora,  Illi- 
nois, manufactured  lock  and  balance  shade 
rollers  in  great  numbers.  Later  he  estab- 
lished a  foundry  and  machine  shop  at 
Toms  River,  and  at  Ocean  City,  New  Jer- 
sey, but  after  his  retirement  from  manu- 
facturing located  his  residence  in  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut,  where  he  continued 
work  as  an  inventor  only,  and  experi- 
mented with  heavier-than-air  flying  ma- 
chines. He  married  (first)  Miriam  Alary 
Adams, daughter  of  Captain  Elisha  Adams, 
a  sea  captain  and  a  direct  descendant  of 
Jeremy  Adams,  who  was  one  of  the  foun- 
ders of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  in  1636. 
He  married  (second)  Margaret  Corson. 

Simon  Lake,  only  son  of  John  Christo- 
pher Lake  and  his  first  wife,  Miriam  Mary 
(Adams)  Lake,  was  born  at  Pleasantville, 
New  Jersey,  September  4,  1866,  and  there 
spent  the  first  eight  years  of  his  life.  From 
eight  until  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  the  family  home,  next  at- 
tending Clinton  Liberal  Institute  at  Fort 
Plain,  New  York.  He  then  returned  to 
Philadelphia,  completing  his  school  years 
with  a  course  in  mechanics  at  Franklin 
Institute.  He  was  of  a  decidedly  mechani- 
cal turn  of  mind  and  as  soon  as  his  school 
years  were  finished  he  began  working 
with  his  father  in  his  Ocean  City  foundry 
and  machine  shops.     The  practical  work 


of  the  foundry  and  machine  shops  de- 
veloped him  rapidly,  and  with  the  en- 
larged opportunities  that  plant  gave  his 
genius,  he  forged  rapidly  forward  and 
when,  shortly  afterward,  his  father  went 
to  Aurora,  Illinois,  to  open  a  shade  roller 
factory,  the  son,  Simon,  was  left  in  full 
charge  of  the  Ocean  City  shops  and  foun- 
dry. 

His  inventive  genius  early  asserted  it- 
self, and  when  but  fifteen  years  of  age  he 
had  conceived  an  idea  of  a  submarine  boat 
and  had  made  some  progress.  This  idea 
never  afterward  lay  dormant,  but  other 
ideas  crowded  his  brain,  and  in  1888  he 
was  in  Baltimore,  selling  and  installing 
steering  gears  he  had  invented  for  use  on 
vessels.  He  continued  fully  employed  in 
his  particular  field,  finally  working  out  his 
plans  for  a  submarine  on  what  is  known 
as  the  "even  keel''  type,  a  boat  designed 
to  travel  on  the  surface,  submerged  or  on 
the  ocean  bed,  a  type  of  which  he  is  the 
inventor. 

In  1894,  having  secured  his  patents,  he 
located  at  Atlantic  Highlands,  New  Jer- 
sey, and  during  the  winter  of  1894-95 
built  (principally  with  his  own  hands)  the 
"Argonaut,  Jr.,"  a  small  submarine,  four- 
teen feet  in  length,  four  and  one-half  feet 
in  width  and  about  six  feet  between  keel 
and  deck.  The  small  size  of  the  boat  was 
made  necessary  by  the  fact  that  he  was 
limited  in  capital,  nobody  being  willmg 
to  advance  him  money  to  build  a  large 
boat,  his  idea  being  considered  a  "crazy" 
one.  So  he  used  his  own  money  and 
worked  along  slowly  until  he  did  succeed 
in  finding  a  friend  in  William  T.  Malster, 
president  of  the  Columbian  Iron  Works 
and  Dry  Dock  Company  of  Baltimore,  the 
first  man  to  appreciate  the  possibility  of 
Mr.  Lake  being  a  genius  instead  of  a  "fool 
inventor." 

During  the  spring,  the  little  craft  that 
was    destined    to    revolutionize    modern 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


methods  of  warfare  —  and,  eventually, 
modern  methods  of  peaceful  transporta- 
tion—  was  completed,  and  during  the 
months  of  July  and  August,  1895,  ^^'^^ 
thoroughly  tested,  remaining  submerged, 
under  one  test,  for  one  hour  and  fifteen 
minutes  at  a  depth  of  sixteen  feet.  Air. 
Lake,  in  his  submerging  tests,  had  two 
companions,  S.  T.  and  B.  F.  Champion, 
of  Atlantic  Highlands. 

These  successful  tests,  made  in  New 
York  bay,  were  witnessed  by  many,  and 
when,  in  November,  1895,  the  Lake  Sub- 
marine Company  was  organized,  sufficient 
capital  was  secured  to  build  a  larger  boat, 
but  not  enough  to  permit  one  the  size  the 
inventor  wanted.  But  he  did  as  he  did 
with  the  first, —  built  according  to  his 
means,  the  result  being  the  "Argonaut, 
I.,''  thirty-six  feet  in  length.  It  was  that 
craft  that  successfully  navigated  two 
thousand  miles  of  Chesapeake  bay  and 
Atlantic  ocean  coast,  demonstrated  that 
she  could  navigate  the  surface,  travel 
along  the  bottom  or  submerge  at  any 
depth  and  outride  any  storm,  the  first  sub- 
marine to  navigate  the  ocean.  The  dem- 
onstration ended  December,  1898,  when 
the  "Argonaut,  I.,"  entered  New  York 
harbor,  after  weathering  the  fierce  winter 
storms. 

In  1901,  another  boat  was  built,  by  the 
Lake  Torpedo  Boat  Company,  of  which 
Mr.  Lake  was  president,  named  the  "Pro- 
tector," a  boat  superior  to  its  predeces- 
sors. With  proverbial  slowness  to  adopt 
new  naval  or  military  inventions,  the 
L^nited  States  Government  delayed  action 
in  securing  the  "Protector"  and  she  went 
to  Russia,  then  at  war  with  Japan.  Mr. 
Lake  accompanied  his  boat  to  Russia,  in- 
structed her  purchasers  how  to  operate 
her  and  built  a  shipyard  in  Russia  in 
which  he  later  built  four  other  submarines 
for  the  Russian  Government.  He  also 
sold  several,  built  in  the  United  States,  to 


Russia  and  Austria.  It  was  not  until  1910 
that  he  obtained  an  order  for  three  boats 
of  the  "even  keel"  type  from  the  United 
States  Government. 

The  value  of  the  submarine  is  now  too 
well  known  to  require  argument.  The 
idea  borne  in  the  fertile  brain  of  Jules 
Verne  found  lodgment  in  the  receptive 
mind  of  a  ten-year  old  boy  of  New  Jer- 
sey, who  never  abandoned  that  idea,  but 
through  the  years  that  followed,  planned, 
studied,  suffered  and  labored  under  the 
discouragement  of  lack  of  means,  lack  of 
human  sympathy  in  the  face  of  derision  of 
his  neighbors,  and  through  the  apathy  of 
his  own  government  was  deprived  of 
much  of  the  glory  to  which  he  was  en- 
titled as  the  inventor  and  builder  of  the 
first  submarine  to  navigate  the  ocean. 
To  far-away  Russia  goes  the  honor  of  be- 
ing the  first  to  recognize  the  value  of  this 
product  of  the  brain  of  an  American  boy, 
for  he  was  but  twenty-nine  when  he  per- 
fected "Argonaut,  Jr."  and  sank  beneath 
the  waters  of  New  York  bay  to  emerge 
triumphantly  one  hour  and  fifteen  minutes 
later. 

Mr.  Lake  has  spent  several  years  abroad, 
in  Russia,  Germany  and  England,  design- 
ing, building  and  acting  in  an  advisory 
capacity  in  the  construction  of  submarine 
torpedo  boats,  and  has  also  built  many 
submarines  for  the  United  States  and  for- 
eign countries.  He  is  president  of  the 
Lake  Submarine  Company,  the  Lake  Tor- 
pedo Boat  Company  and  the  Merchant 
Submarine  Company.  His  inventions 
cover  a  wide  range  and  his  fame  as  an 
inventor  is  not  solely  based  upon  the  sub- 
marine torpedo  boat.  He  is  the  inventor 
of  an  apparatus  for  the  locating  and  re- 
covery of  sunken  vessels  and  their  car- 
goes ;  of  a  submarine  apparatus  for  use 
in  sponge  and  pearl  fishing;  of  a  heavy 
oil  internal  combustion  engine  for  marine 
purposes  and  of  other  important  devices 


152 


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THE  NEV  •■ 
PUBLIC  II- 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  machines.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Naval  Architects  and  Marine 
Engineers,  American  Society  of  Mechani- 
cal Engineers,  American  Society  of  Naval 
Engineers,  Institute  of  Naval  Architects 
(London),  Schiffsbautechnische  Gesell- 
schaft  (Berlin),  and  other  scientific  so- 
cieties. 

He  has  resided  for  several  years  at  Mil- 
ford,  Connecticut,  where  he  purchased 
and  remodeled  the  Judge  Fowler  mansion, 
filling  it  with  rare  paintings  and  artistic 
treasures  gathered  abroad  and  in  his  na- 
tive land.  He  has  been  president  of  the 
Milford  Village  Improvement  Association, 
is  a  member  of  the  Milford  Board  of  Fi- 
nance, member  of  the  Masonic  order  and 
the  Knights  of  Pythias.  His  principal 
business  and  office  is  in  Bridgeport,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Manufacturers'  Association.  He,  also,  has 
an  experimental  laboratory  at  Milford, 
and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  material 
prosperity  and  moral  uplift  of  both  com- 
munities. His  clubs  are  the  Engineers', 
of  New  York ;  the  Seaside  Outing  and 
Algonquin,  of  Bridgeport.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  The  Society  of  Patriots  and 
Founders  of  America,  Society  of  Colonial 
Wars  and  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. 

Mr.  Lake  married,  June  9,  1890,  Mar- 
garet Vogel,  born  in  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
daughter  of  John  Vogel  and  granddaugh- 
ter of  John  Vogel,  the  latter  coming  from 
Nuremberg,  Germany,  to  Baltimore,  in 
1845.  Children  of  Simon  and  Margaret 
(Vogel)  Lake:  Miriam,  Thomas  E.,  and 
Margaret. 


BUCKINGHAM,  WiUiam  Alfred, 

AVar  Governor,  Statesman. 

In  the  annals  of  Connecticut,  the  name 
of  William  Alfred  Buckingham  will  ever 
Iiold  a  preeminent  place.     He  was  a  pa- 


triot true  to  the  best  traditions  of  his  na- 
tive State,  whose  destiny  he  guided  dur- 
ing the  most  trying  period  of  the  nation's 
history.  Always  a  hearty  supporter  of 
the  abolitionist  cause,  he  disregarded  pri- 
vate interests,  and  without  taint  of  per- 
sonal ambition  he  gave  himself  so  whole 
heartedly  to  the  work  of  preserving  the 
nation  that  he  inspired  his  fellow  citizens 
to  emulate  his  devotion  to  the  public  good. 
He  was  placed  in  the  Governor's  chair 
for  eight  terms,  serving  twice  as  long  as 
any  other  Governor ;  only  five  others  of 
Connecticut's  sixty-four  Governors  have 
served  as  many  as  four  years.  This  fact, 
more  than  any  statements  that  might  be 
made,  indicates  the  unfaltering  confidence 
and  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by 
the  people ;  and  he  received  no  honors 
that  were  not  justly  his  due. 

Governor  Buckingham  was  in  the 
seventh  generation  of  one  of  Connecti- 
cut's oldest  families.  Thomas  Bucking- 
ham, the  progenitor  of  the  family  in 
America,  was  a  native  of  England,  and 
came  to  America  in  1637  as  one  of  the 
company  that  sailed  with  the  ministers 
Davenport  and  Pruden  and  the  merchants 
from  London,  Hopkins  and  Eaton.  In 
1638  they  settled  in  New  Haven.  At  that 
time  he  had  four  sons  in  his  family,  and 
as  his  share  in  the  enterprise  amounted 
to  £60  sterling,  he  was  allotted  land  in  the 
first  division.  In  1639  he  removed  to  Mil- 
ford, and  was  one  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Pru- 
den's  company.  Thomas  Buckingham  was 
one  of  the  seven  charter  members  of  the 
church  organized  at  New  Haven,  August 
22,  1639,  and  his  name  appears  on  a  list 
of  the  free  planters  in  Milford,  November 
29,  1639.  His  will  was  dated  September 
22,  1657.  His  wife  Hannah,  whom  he 
married  in  England,  joined  the  New 
Haven  church  February  9,  1639. 

Their  son,  Rev.  Thomas  Buckingham, 
was  baptized  November  29,  1646.    He  be- 

■53 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


gan  his  career  as  a  preacher  in  1665  at 
Saybrook.  He  was  ordained  in  1670,  and 
remained  over  the  church  there  until  his 
death  on  April  i,  1709.  He  was  one  of 
the  founders  and  fellows  of  Yale  College 
from  1700  until  his  death.  Rev.  Thomas 
Buckingham  was  a  member  of  the  synod 
which  convened  at  Saybrook  in  1708,  and 
formed  the  platform  for  government  of 
the  churches.  His  first  wife  was  Hester, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Hosmer,  of  Hart- 
ford ;  they  were  married  September  20, 
1666,  and  she  died  June  3,  1702. 

Their  son,  Daniel  Buckingham,  was 
born  October  3,  1673.  He  was  justice  of 
the  peace  for  many  years,  and  held  other 
important  town  offices.  He  was  promi- 
nent in  church  affairs,  and  owned  a  large 
acreage  in  Lebanon.  He  died  March  25, 
1725.  On  May  24,  1693,  Daniel  Bucking- 
ham married  Sarah  Lee,  of  Lyme,  Con- 
necticut. 

Their  son,  Daniel  Buckingham,  was 
born  April  g.  1698;  he  married  Lydia 
Lord,  on  March  3.   1726. 

Their  son,  Samuel  Buckingham,  grand- 
father of  Governor  Buckingham,  was  born 
in  May,  1740,  and  died  December  30, 1815. 
He  married  Lydia  Watrous,  who  died 
June  12,  1833. 

Their  son.  Deacon  Samuel  Bucking- 
ham, was  born  at  Saybrook  in  1770,  and 
resided  there  until  after  his  first  child 
was  born.  In  company  with  some  others 
he  built  two  fishing  piers  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Connecticut  river  for  catching  shad. 
He  retained  his  interest  in  these  fisheries, 
which  later  became  very  valuable.  In 
1803  he  removed  to  Lebanon  and  engaged 
in  farming,  marketing  his  products  in 
Hartford,  raising  large  quantities  of  the 
choicest  fruits  of  his  day.  Deacon  Buck- 
ingham was  enterprising,  industrious, 
methodical,  and  possessed  of  unusually 
good  judgment,  through  the  exercise  of 
which  traits  he  acquired  what  was  con- 


sidered a  large  property  in  his  time.  In 
181 5  he  represented  the  town  in  the  Leg- 
islature, using  his  influence  and  personal 
resources  toward  the  maintenance  of  the 
town  schools.  He  was  a  deacon  in  the 
church  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  church 
endeavor  and  reform,  being  one  of  the 
first  to  espouse  the  cause  of  temperance 
reform.  Such  was  his  hospitality  that  his 
house  was  known  as  "The  Minister's 
Tavern."  On  March  8,  1798,  he  married 
Joanna,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Dinah 
(Newton)  Maston,  of  Colchester.  She 
was  a  superior  woman,  of  great  executive 
ability  and  good  judgment.  She  had  six 
children,  of  whom  William  Alfred  Buck- 
ingham was  the  second. 

Like  Abraham  Lincoln,  whom  he  loved 
and  knew  intimately  and  who  loved  him 
well,  William  A.  Buckingham  spent  his 
youth  on  a  farm,  receiving  his  education 
in  public  and  private  schools  of  Lebanon, 
his  native  town,  and  at  Bacon  Academy 
in  Colchester.  After  being  graduated  he 
became  a  land  surveyor  for  a  short  time, 
but  not  finding  this  work  congenial,  he 
returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  assisted 
his  father  for  three  years.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  entered  the  employ  of  an  uncle 
who  was  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  busi- 
ness in  Norwich.  This  business  he  deter- 
minted  to  master,  and  after  two  years 
with  his  uncle  he  secured  employment  in 
a  wholesale  house  in  New  York,  but  re- 
mained there  only  a  short  time.  Return- 
ing to  Norwich  in  1826,  he  established 
himself  in  the  dry  goods  business,  and 
four  years  later  began  the  manufacture 
of  ingrain  carpets,  in  addition  to  his  other 
business.  This  enterprise  proved  success- 
ful. In  1848  Mr.  Buckingham  lent  money 
to  a  friend  who  desired  to  begin  the  manu- 
facture of  rubber  shoes,  and  became  so 
interested  in  the  undertaking  that  with  a 
few  other  men  he  organized  the  Hayward 
Rubber  Company,  of  which  he  was  treas- 


154 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


urer  from  the  beginning.  The  venture 
proved  so  profitable  that  he  gave  up  his 
other  business  interests  to  devote  his 
whole  attention  to  the  manufacture  of 
rubber  goods.  Under  his  management 
the  enterprise  developed  into  one  of  the 
leading  industries  of  the  State.  He  was 
a  man  of  splendid  poise,  keen  perceptions, 
accurate  in  his  conclusions,  and  possessed 
of  an  initiative  and  an  indomitable  will 
that  enabled  him  to  overcome  every  diffi- 
culty and  surmount  every  obstacle  in  the 
accomplishment  of  his  purposes.  These 
qualities  carried  him  successfully  through 
several  financial  panics  and  enabled  him 
tc  build  a  large  fortune. 

William  A.  Buckingham  was  a  public 
spirited  citizen,  and  naturally  took  a  keen 
interest  in  the  questions  and  problems  of 
his  day.  He  was  not  a  politician,  how- 
ever, and  never  aspired  to  public  office  to 
such  a  degree  that  he  would  seek  it  for 
personal  preferment.  His  fellow  citizens, 
recognizing  the  need  for  abilities  such  as 
his  in  public  service,  repeatedly  elected 
him  mayor  of  Norwich,  his  terms  of  office 
covering  the  years  1849,  1850,  1856  and 
1857.  He  served  the  city  with  the  same 
industry  and  regard  for  the  people's  wel- 
fare that  he  gave  his  own  afifairs,  at  the 
same  gaining  an  insight  into  the  problems 
of  a  public  official  that  was  to  be  of  great 
value  to  him  in  the  trying  years  in  which 
he  was  to  serve  his  State  as  its  chief  ex- 
ecutive. During  1857  he  was  a  presi- 
dential elector. 

In  1858  the  new  Republican  party  made 
him  its  candidate  for  Governor.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  this  was  a  time  of 
commercial  disaster  and  political  unrest. 
Mr.  Buckingham  was  then  almost  un- 
known to  the  voters  outside  his  own  sec- 
tion of  the  State,  yet  he  received  a  ma- 
jority of  2,449  votes  at  his  first  election. 
Already  the  controversy  with  the  South- 
ern  States   over  the  question   of  slavery 


was  acute,  and  Governor  Buckingham's 
first  message  to  the  General  Assembly 
showed  plainly  his  strong  opposition  to 
the  slaveholding  power.  His  administra- 
tion was  so  satisfactory  to  the  people  of 
Connecticut  that  he  was  reelected  in  1859 
and  i860.  In  the  latter  year  every  voter 
in  the  Union  had  positive  convictions  as 
to  the  momentous  issues  at  stake,  and  the 
political  contest  was  nowhere  sharper 
than  in  Connecticut.  Governor  Bucking- 
ham's opponent  was  the  Democratic  "war- 
horse,"  Thomas  Hart  Seymour.  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  was  sent  to  aid  in  the  cam- 
paign, and  he  made  six  speeches  in  the 
State.  The  Governor  was  Lincoln's  com- 
panion during  his  travels  here,  and  usual- 
ly made  the  speech  introducing  Lincoln 
to  the  audience.  Thus  began  a  warm 
friendship  that  ripened  through  the  few 
remaining  years  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  life.  The 
contest  was  close,  and  the  result  was 
awaited  with  feverish  anxiety.  Mr.  Sey- 
mour was  given  majorities  in  the  larger 
cities,  while  Governor  Buckingham  was 
the  choice  of  the  smaller  cities  and  towns, 
and  he  won  by  a  majority  of  only  541 
votes.  In  1861  he  received  a  majority  of 
more  than  2,000  votes. 

In  1858  the  total  number  of  militiamen 
in  the  State  was  only  2,045  ;  so  that  when 
Lincoln  issued  his  first  call  for  troops 
(April  15,  1861)  there  was  scarcely  a  regi- 
ment of  organized  militia  in  the  State. 
W'ithout  authority  under  the  law.  Gov- 
ernor Buckingham,  acting  on  his  own  in- 
itiative and  with  characteristic  wisdom, 
issued  a  proclamation  on  April  i6th  for 
troops  to  meet  Lincoln's  call  for  a  regi- 
ment from  Connecticut.  Men  enough  for 
ten  companies  were  called  for,  but  fifty- 
four  companies  enlisted ;  and  when  the 
Legislature  was  convened  on  the  first 
\\'ednesday  in  May  it  validated  the  Gov- 
ernor's action  and  appropriated  $2,000,000 
for  military  expenses.     It  also  authorized 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  enlistment  of  ten  thousand  men.  A 
subsequent  Legislature  removed  the  re- 
striction as  to  the  number  of  men,  and 
gave  the  Governor  authority  and  means 
to  enlist  and  equip  as  many  soldiers  as 
the  President  might  call  for.  Under  this 
authority  and  with  the  cooperation  of  his 
fellow  citizens.  Governor  Buckingham 
raised  54,882  men,  which  was  6.089  more 
than  the  State's  quota.  At  that  time  the 
population  of  Connecticut  was  461,000 
people,  of  whom  approximately  80,000 
were  voters,  and  of  these  there  were  esti- 
mated to  be  about  50,000  capable  of  bear- 
ing arms.  The  Connecticut  troops  were 
the  first  sent  from  any  State  fully 
equipped  for  service.  Connecticut's  rec- 
ord during  the  Civil  War  is  one  of  which 
her  sons  may  ever  be  proud.  Governor 
Buckingham  was  especially  concerned 
that  no  State  should  send  better  troops 
to  the  front,  and  that  none  should  be 
better  equipped.  He  was  constantly  solic- 
itous for  the  welfare  and  comfort  of  the 
soldiers.  "Don't  let  any  Connecticut  man 
suffer  for  want  of  anything  that  can  be 
done  for  him.  If  it  costs  money,  draw  on 
me  for  it,"  and  "Take  good  care  of  the 
Connecticut  men."  are  examples  of  the 
messages  he  frequently  sent  to  the  front. 
As  his  eighth  term  drew  toward  a  close. 
Governor  Buckingham  declined  to  be  a 
candidate  for  reelection,  it  being  his  in- 
tention to  retire  to  private  life  for  a  much 
needed  rest.  But  during  the  troublous 
days  of  the  reconstruction  period,  men 
were  needed  at  Washington  who  had 
breadth  of  view,  who  were  not  swayed  by 
prejudice,  but  arrived  at  conclusions  after 
calm,  dispassionate  consideration.  His 
fellow  citizens  decided  that  they  needed 
Governor  Buckingham  as  their  represen- 
tative in  the  United  States  Senate,  and  he 
accordingly  took  his  seat  in  that  body  on 
March  4,  i86g.  He  was  chairman  of  the 
committee  appointed  by  the  Senate  to  in- 


vestigate the  Custom  House  frauds  in 
New  York,  and  chairman  of  the  Senate 
Committee  on  Indian  Affairs.  His  death 
occurred  before  the  completion  of  his 
term,  on  February  5,  1875. 

Governor  Buckingham  was  a  warm 
friend  of  the  cause  of  education.  He  gave 
liberally  to  Yale  College,  and  with  one  ex- 
ception contributed  more  than  any  other 
individual  to  endow  the  Norwich  Free 
Academy,  of  whose  board  of  trustees  he 
was  president.  He  was  an  active  worker 
in  the  temperance  cause,  and  served  as 
president  of  the  Connecticut  State  Tem- 
perance Union.  He  was  an  earnest  mem- 
ber of  the  Broadway  Congregational 
Church  of  Norwich.  In  1865  he  was 
moderator  of  the  National  Council  of 
Congregational  churches  in  Boston,  and 
was  a  corporate  member  of  the  American 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 

Some  of  the  most  distinguished  men  in 
the  country  attended  his  funeral,  and  his 
loss  was  widely  mourned,  for  he  had  won 
the  lasting  love  of  all  who  knew  him.  On 
February  27,  1875,  eulogies  were  delivered 
in  his  memory  in  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate. Among  those  who  paid  eloquent 
tributes  to  his  life  and  character  were 
Senators  Eaton  and  Ferry,  of  Connecti- 
cut ;  Frelinghuysen,  of  New  Jersey ;  Ste- 
venson, of  Kentucky  ;  Wright,  of  Iowa  ; 
Bayard,  of  Delaware ;  Pratt  and  Morton, 
of  Indiana,  and  Thurman,  of  Ohio. 

On  September  27,  1830,  Governor  Buck- 
ingham was  married  to  Eliza,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Dwight  Ripley,  who  was  a  famous 
merchant  of  Norwich  in  the  early  years 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  She  died  April 
ig,  1868,  aged  sixty  years.  Eliza  Coit, 
born  December  7,  1838,  was  the  only  child 
from  the  union  which  grew  to  maturity; 
she  was  married  to  General  William  A. 
Aiken. 

In  the  western  end  of  the  Capitol  at 
Hartford,   the   State   of   Connecticut   has 

156 


THE  ^^'J^lU 
PUBLIC  LIBP.^HY 


^::i^^Z--:^ 


C-.  t^fe^-^^^cV^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


placed  a  statue  of  the  famous  "War  Gov- 
ernor." It  represents  him  in  a  sitting 
posture.  Olin  L.  Warner,  of  New  York, 
was  the  sculptor.  The  statue  cost  $10,000, 
and  $6,000  was  appropriated  for  the  un- 
veiling ceremonies,  which  took  place  on 
June  18,  1884.  The  statue  was  unveiled 
by  Governor  Waller,  and  an  address  was 
delivered  by  United  States  Senator  Or- 
ville  H.  Piatt. 

No  encomium  could  do  justice  to  the 
splendid  personality  and  achievements  of 
Governor  Buckingham,  and  in  this  brief 
review  it  has  been  possible  to  touch  only 
the  most  striking  features  in  his  notable 
career.  The  following  quotation  from  the 
"Norwich  Bulletin"  will  give  to  the  pres- 
ent and  coming  generations,  who  were 
not  privileged  to  know  Governor  Buck- 
ingham, a  brief  description  of  a  character 
worthy  of  emulation  by  all : 

In  private  life.  Governor  Buckingham  was  char- 
acterized by  great  sweetness  of  disposition  and  an 
urbane  courtesy  in  his  social  relations  which  won 
the  sincere  regard  of  all  with  whom  he  was  per- 
sonally in  contact.  He  possessed  that  polished 
dignity  of  manner  which  we  of  this  day  character- 
ize as  the  gentility  of  the  old  school,  and  the  re- 
finement of  its  minor  details  was  strongly  marked 
in  all  his  habits  of  life.  *  *  *  He  was  great 
in  his  probity,  patriotism  and  purity  of  life,  and 
he  wielded  a  vast  influence  for  good.  In  public 
and  in  private  life,  like  him  who  was  loved  of 
God,  he  walked  uprightly  before  men.  And  with 
a  full  remembrance  of  all  the  honors  which  had 
been  pressed  upon  him,  of  all  the  great  successes 
of  his  life,  no  better  or  truer  epitaph  can  be  pro- 
duced over  his  grave  than  that  which  he  himself 
would  have  desired:  "A  man  of  honor,  and  a 
Christian    gentleman." 


SKINNER,  Colonel  William  Converse, 

Mannfactarer,  Financier, 

A  man  of  pleasing  personality,  kindly, 
considerate  and  courteous  to  all,  a  level 
headed,  finely  poised  man  of  affairs,  quick 
and  decisive  of  action,  conservative  but 
determined.  Colonel  William  C.  Skinner, 


president  of  the  Colt's  Patent  Fire  Arms 
Manufacturing  Company,  is  the  capable 
executive  of  that  corporation  of  world 
wide  fame.  His  personal  desire  was  for 
a  professional  career,  but  a  throat  trouble, 
which  developed  during  his  term  at  Al- 
bany Law  School,  thwarted  that  ambition 
and  gave  him  to  the  business  world  in 
which  he  is  so  conspicuous  a  figure.  He 
is  of  distinguished  Colonial  and  Revolu- 
tionary ancestry,  descending  in  direct  line 
from  Thomas  Skinner,  who  came  to 
America  from  England  about  1650;  from 
Samuel  Roberts,  an  early  settler  of  Strat- 
ford, Connecticut ;  from  John  and  Pris- 
cilla  (Molines)  Alden,  of  the  "May- 
flower;" from  Deacon  Edward  Converse, 
of  Charlestown  and  Woburn ;  from  Sir 
Thomas  Billing,  of  Rowell,  England.  His 
collateral  lines  are  many,  his  membership 
in  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars  being 
based  on  nine  ancestors  with  seven  addi- 
tional lines,  and  admission  to  the  Sons 
of  the  American  Revolution  was  gained 
on  the  service  of  Calvin  Skinner  and  five 
additional  lines. 

(I)  Sergeant  Thomas  Skinner,  the 
American  ancestor,  was  born  in  England 
in  1617,  and  came  to  New  England  be- 
tween the  years  1649  and  1652,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife  Mary  and  two  sons : 
Thomas  (2)  and  Abraham.  He  settled  at 
Maiden,  where  in  1652  he  was  granted 
"libertye  and  license  to  keepe  an  ordinary 
there."  He  only  kept  the  inn  for  a  short 
time,  but  in  1654  bought  a  lot  of  fifteen 
acres  with  house,  of  Rowland  Lahorne. 
He  was  admitted  a  freeman,  May  18, 
1633,  and  March  3,  1678-79,  he  with  seven 
other  proprietors  and  those  interested  in 
the  destruction  of  property  by  the  Indians 
during  King  Philip's  War  were  present 
at  a  meeting  of  a  committee  of  the  Gen- 
eral Court  held  in  Cambridge.  In  1680 
he  was  chosen  selectman  and  given  direct 
oversight  of  the  town  of  Maiden.     The 

157 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


same  year  he  was  made  sergeant  of  the 
Maiden  Company  of  the  First  Regiment, 
and  in  1693-94,  being  then  nearly  eighty, 
he  deeded  the  old  homestead  at  the  south- 
east corner  of  Cross  and  Walnut  streets, 
Maiden,  to  his  son  Abraham  in  consider- 
ation for  the  future  maintenance  of  him- 
self and  wife  Lydia.  Mary,  his  wife,  died 
at  Maiden,  and  he  married  a  second  wife 
Lydia  (Shepherdson)  Call,  widow  of 
Thomas  Call,  and  resided  in  the  house 
above  mentioned.  The  old  house  stood 
until  torn  down  before  1798,  but  a  large 
rock  on  the  lot  known  as  Skinner's  Rock 
was  not  removed  until  1887,  it  standing 
as  a  monument  of  the  olden  time  and 
preserving  the  name  of  its  former  owner 
for  two  centuries  after  he  first  became  its 
owner.  Lydia  Skinner  died  December 
17,  1723. 

(II)  Abraham  Skinner,  son  of  Sergeant 
Thomas  and  Mary  Skinner,  was  born  in 
Chichester,  England,  came  to  New  Eng- 
land with  his  parents,  and  died  in  Maiden, 
Massachusetts,  prior  to  1698.  His  wife 
Hannah  died  January  14,  1725.  He 
served  in  the  Mt.  Hope  campaign  against 
the  Indians  in  1675,  and  was  in  the  Nar- 
rangansett  Fort  in  1676. 

(III)  Abraham  (2)  Skinner,  son  of 
Abraham  (i)  and  Hannah  Skinner,  was 
born  in  Maiden,  Massachusetts,  April  8, 
1681,  and  died  in  Woodstock,  Connecti- 
cut, December  24,  1776.  He  married, 
prior  to  1718,  Tabitha  Hills,  born  in  Mai- 
den in  1690,  and  late  in  life  they  moved 
with  their  son  William  to  Woodstock, 
where  Tabitha  (Hills)  Skinner  died  July 
13,  1771.  They  were  the  parents  of  Abra- 
ham, William,  Isaac,  Tabitha,  Abigail, 
twin  with  Tabitha,  Benjamin,  Hannah, 
Ebenezer  and  Jonathan. 

(IV)  Deacon  William  Skinner,  son  of 
Abraham  (2)  and  Tabitha  (Hills)  Skin- 
ner, was  born  in  Maiden,  Massachusetts, 
July   16,    1720,  and   died  in  Woodstock, 


Connecticut,  January  30,  1807.  When  a 
young  man  he  settled  with  his  parents  in 
Woodstock,  and  throughout  his  long  after 
life  was  a  pillar  of  the  church  and  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  most  useful  and  re- 
spected citizens  of  that  community.  He 
was  elected  deacon  of  the  South  Church 
in  1763,  in  which  capacity  he  served  with 
"singular  discretion,  wisdom  and  fidel- 
ity," for  more  than  forty-three  years. 
William  Skinner  serv-ed  at  the  siege  of 
Louisburg,  in  1745,  and  in  1757  was  com- 
missioned ensign  in  the  Fifteenth  Com- 
pany, Eleventh  Connecticut  Regiment. 
William  Skinner  responded  to  the  call 
from  Boston,  Lexington  Alarm,  was  a 
member  of  Captain  Ephraim  Manning's 
company,  Woodstock  (Connecticut) 
Militia,  and  also  a  private  in  Captain 
Paine's  company.  Eleventh  Regiment, 
Connecticut  Militia,  in  September,  1776, 
serving  at  New  York.  He  married,  in 
1744-45,  Thankful  Mascraft,  born  Janu- 
ary 23,  1721,  and  died  in  Woodstock, 
April  i6,  1805.  They  were  the  parents 
of  Calvin,  William  (2),  Bethesda,  Thank- 
ful, Salva,  Salva  (2),  Tabitha,  Isaac  and 
Luther. 

(V)  Calvin  Skinner,  son  of  Deacon 
William,  and  Thankful  (Mascraft)  Skin- 
ner, was  born  at  Woodstock,  Connecticut, 
October  12,  1746,  and  died  at  Thompson, 
Connecticut,  July  15,  1777,  from  the 
effects  of  fever  contracted  in  the  camp  at 
Valley  Forge,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a 
private  in  Captain  Joseph  Elliott's  com- 
pany, Killingly  (Connecticut)  Militia, 
marching,  on  the  Lexington  Alarm  of 
April,  1773,  and  a  corporal  in  Lieuten- 
ant Paine  Converse's  company.  Eleventh 
Regiment,  Connecticut  Militia.  He 
served  around  New  York,  went  into  camp 
with  General  Washington's  army  at  Val- 
ley Forge,  and  endured  the  sufferings  of 
that  terrible  period  until  stricken  with 
fever.     He  married,  at  Thompson,  Con- 


f58 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


necticut,  February  12,  1775,  Eleanor 
Porter,  born  there  March  19,  1753,  and 
died  at  Royalton,  Vermont,  September 
15,  1813.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Sally  and  Calvin  (2). 

(VI)  Calvin  (2)  Skinner,  posthumous 
son  of  Calvin  (i)  and  Eleanor  (Porter) 
Skinner,  was  born  at  Woodstock,  Con- 
necticut, November  23,  1777,  and  died  at 
Royalton,  Vermont,  August  23,  1843. 
When  a  boy  he  was  taken  by  his  mother, 
sister,  and  stepfather,  Lieutenant  Zebulon 
Lyon,  to  Royalton,  Vermont,  and  when 
he  cam.e  of  age  made  an  indenture  with 
his  stepfather  to  care  for  him  and  his 
wife  and  his  two  half-brothers  until  they 
reached  legal  age.  He  later  in  life,  by 
careful  saving  and  industry,  acquired  con- 
siderable property.  In  1809  Lieutenant 
Lyon  deeded  him  a  large  farm  on  White 
river  in  Royalton,  which  has  since  been 
known  as  the  "Skinner"  farm  and  home- 
stead. He  married,  November  13,  1803, 
Sally  Billings,  a  woman  of  keen  intelli- 
gence and  ready  wit,  who  died  in  Royal- 
ton, April  25,  1850  (see  Billings  XIV). 
Both  were  devout  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational church,  giving  generously  to 
the  church  of  their  means  and  personal 
service.  They  were  the  parents  of  Eliza, 
Susan,  William,  Lucretia,  Lewis,  Eleanor, 
Calvin,  died  young;  Calvin,  of  further 
mention ;  Martin  and  Richard. 

(VII)  Dr.  Calvin  (3)  Skinner,  son  of 
Calvin  (2)  and  Sally  (Billings)  Skinner, 
was  born  in  Royalton,  Vermont,  May  22, 
1818,  and  died  in  Malone,  New  York,  Sep- 
tember 24,  1903.  He  began  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  at  Royalton,  Ver- 
mont, and  he  prepared  for  college  at  the 
Royalton  Academy,  later  attending  the 
University  of  Vermont.  In  1837,  he  be- 
gan the  stud}^  of  medicine  and  graduated 
from  Dartmouth  Medical  College  in  1840, 
soon  after  taking  a  special  course  at  the 
College   of   Physicians   and   Surgeons   in 


New  York.  He  began  active  practice  at 
Rochester,  Vermont,  but  in  1842  removed 
to  Malone,  New  York,  where  he  built  up 
a  wide  and  lucrative  practice,  with  special 
success  in  surgery  for  which  he  had  a 
natural  aptitude.  In  1861,  he  was  con- 
tract physician  for  the  Ninety-eighth 
Regiment,  New  York  State  Volunteers, 
recruited  at  Malone,  New  York,  and  in 
1862  was  appointed  by  General  Morgan 
one  of  the  corps  of  volunteer  surgeons  to 
assist  the  regular  surgeons  on  the  Penin- 
sula. The  same  year,  1862,  he  was  regu- 
larly commissioned  surgeon  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Sixth  New  York  Regiment, 
and  was  with  that  command  in  Virginia 
until  disability  compelled  him  to  resign 
in  1864  and  return  home.  The  disease 
thus  contracted  gradually  crippled  him, 
finally  forcing  him  to  retire  from  active 
practice  and  confining  him  to  the  house 
for  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life. 

In  politics,  Dr.  Skinner  was  a  Repub- 
lican. His  first  vote  was  cast  for  Presi- 
dent Harrison  in  1840,  and  his  last  vote 
for  President  McKinley  in  1896.  He,  with 
eleven  others,  organized  the  Republican 
party  in  Franklin  county.  New  York,  in 
1850,  and  in  i860  he  was  an  alternate  dele- 
gate to  the  National  Convention  that 
nominated  President  Lincoln.  He  held 
many  responsible  positions.  He  helped 
to  secure  funds  for  St.  Mark's,  the  first 
Episcopal  church  in  Malone,  and  was  one 
of  the  vestrymen  for  nearly  fifty  years ; 
postmaster  fourteen  years,  1861-75  ;  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Education,  1872-90; 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Malone 
Water  Company  and  a  director  for  over 
forty  years ;  one  of  the  original  trustees 
of  the  Northern  New  York  Deaf  Mute 
Institution  and  attending  physician  as 
long  as  he  was  able;  for  sixty  years 
member  of  the  Franklin  County  Medical 
Association,  and  a  charter  member  of  the 
Northern  New  York  Medical  Association, 


159 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  its  first  treasurer.  He  belonged  to 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
during  the  last  years  of  his  life  was  a 
member  of  the  Military  Order  of  the 
Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States. 

Dr.  Skinner  married  at  Royalton,  Ver- 
mont, September  15,  1842,  Jane  Blodgett, 
born  at  East  Randolph,  Vermont,  March 
21,  1818,  and  died  at  Malone,  New  York, 
May  2,  1893,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Hannah  (Converse)  Blodgett,  the  latter  a 
daughter  of  Jude  and  Abigail  (Alden) 
Converse,  and  a  descendant  of  John  and 
Priscilla  (Molines  or  Mullins)  Alden,  of 
the  "Mayflower,"  and  of  Lieutenant  Jo- 
siah  Converse,  Captain  Josiah  Converse, 
Major  James  Converse,  Lieutenant  James 
Converse  and  Edward  Converse.  Jane 
(Blodgett)  Skinner  inherited  many  of  the 
sterling  qualities  of  her  New  England 
forebears,  and  by  her  extraordinary  intel- 
ligence, tact  and  sympathy  proved  her 
husband's  helpmeet  in  every  sense  of  the 
word.  The  gentleness,  sweetness  and 
kindliness  that  permeated  everything  that 
she  said  or  did  will  ever  be  remembered 
by  her  family  and  her  friends.  Dr.  Calvin 
and  Jane  (Blodgett)  Skinner  were  the 
parents  of  Eleanor  Porter,  Samuel  Blod- 
gett, Henry  Carroll,  Alice  Leland,  Wil- 
liam Converse,  Elizabeth  Caroline,  and 
Emma  Catherine,  twin  with  Elizabeth. 

(VIII)  Colonel  William  Converse 
Skinner,  son  of  Dr.  Calvin  (3)  and  Jane 
(Blodgett)  Skinner,  was  born  in  Malone, 
New  York,  January  26,  1855,  and  there 
completed  courses  of  grade  and  high 
school  study,  graduating  with  the  high 
school  class  of  1872.  He  then  entered 
Trinity  College,  whence  he  was  graduated 
Bachelor  of  Arts,  class  of  "76,"  later  re- 
ceiving from  his  alma  matter  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts.  During  the  next  session 
of  the  New  York  Legislature,  he  was 
appointed  clerk  of  the  judiciary  commit- 
tee of  the   House,  and  while  in   Albany 


attended  lectures  at  Albany  Law  School. 
He  was  deterred  from  further  progress  in 
legal  study  by  a  serious  throat  trouble 
and  spent  a  year  in  Colorado  to  effect  its 
cure.  After  his  return  he  located  in  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  there  forming  in  1882 
a  partnership  with  General  Henry  C. 
Dwight,  which  connection  continued  for 
eighteen  years,  Dwight,  Skinner  &  Com- 
pany becoming  one  of  the  best  known 
firms  in  the  State  in  the  wool  trade.  In 
May,  1899,  Colonel  Skinner  withdrew 
from  the  firm  and  has  since  been  con- 
nected with  the  Colt's  Patent  Fire  Arms 
Manufacturing  Company  in  official  capa- 
city. He  was  elected  a  director  and  vice- 
president  of  the  company,  July  2,  1901, 
and  January  5,  1909,  was  elected  president 
of  the  company  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused 
by  the  death  of  President  Grover.  Presi- 
dent Skinner  resigned  the  office  of  presi- 
dent, January  i,  191 1,  becoming  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  directors,  holding 
that  position  until  the  death  of  President 
Charles  L.  F.  Robinson,  when  he  was 
again  elected  president  of  this  company, 
July  13,  1916,  whose  position  and  import- 
ance in  the  industrial  and  business  world 
is  so  well  known. 

In  addition  to  his  executive  duties. 
Colonel  Skinner  is  a  director  of  the  Con- 
necticut Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company, 
Hartford  Fire  Insurance  Company,  Phoe- 
nix National  Bank,  Fidelity  Trust  Com- 
pany and  Smyth  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, director  and  vice-president  of  the 
Society  for  Savings  and  of  Jay  O.  Ballard 
&  Company,  and  trustee  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege. He  served  for  years  upon  the  staff 
of  Morgan  D.  Bulkeley,  Governor  of 
Connecticut,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  and 
in  political  faith  is  a  Republican.  His 
clubs  are  Farmington  Country,  Hartford, 
Hartford  Golf,  the  University  and  Union 
League  of  New  York  City,  the  Metro- 
politan  and   Army    and    Navy   clubs    of 


160 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Washington,  the  Princess  Anne  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Republican  of  Hartford.  His 
fraternity  is  I.  K.  A.  of  Trinity  Col- 
lege, and  he  is  affiliated  with  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  4,  Free  and  Accepted  Masons. 
From  his  father  he  inherits  membership 
in  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal 
Legion  ;  through  his  descent  from  John 
Alden  and  other  Colonial  ancestors 
membership  in  the  Society  of  the  May- 
flower Descendants  and  the  Society  of 
Colonial  Wars,  and  from  Calvin  Skinner 
membership  in  the  Sons  of  the  American 
Revolution. 

Colonel  Skinner  married,  October  25, 
1880,  Florence  Clarissa  Roberts,  born  in 
1857,  died  in  1904,  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
and  Clarissa  (Bancroft)  Roberts,  her 
father  a  prominent  business  man  of  Hart- 
ford, grandson  of  Samuel  Roberts,  an 
officer  of  the  Revolution,  a  descendant 
of  Samuel  and  Mercy  (Blake)  Roberts, 
who  settled  in  Middletown,  Connecticut, 
as  early  as  1691.  William  C.  and  Flor- 
ence C.  (Roberts)  Skinner  are  the  parents 
of  three  children  :  Marjorie  Roberts,  born 
August  6,  1881,  married  Walter  S.  Trum- 
bull, a  grandson  of  Lyman  Trumbull,  and 
resides  in  New  York  City;  Roberts 
Keney,  born  October  i,  1886,  educated  at 
Trinity  College,  married  Marion,  daugh- 
ter of  Harry  Stedman,  of  Hartford,  and 
has  a  son,  Roberts  Keney  (2),  and  a 
daughter,  Florence ;  William  Converse 
(2),  born  October  27,  1889,  married 
Edith  King,  of  Hartford,  and  has  a  son, 
Calvin  Converse,  and  a  daughter. 

(The  BiUings  Line). 

(I)  The  word  Billing  is  Saxon,  mean- 
ing "place  by  the  meadow."  The  family 
name  was  originally  de  Billing,  and  in 
England  is  traced  to  John  Billing,  of 
Rowell,  a  patron  of  the  Church  of  Colly- 
Weston,  also  owning  lands  in  Rushden. 
He  had  two  sons,  John  and  Sir  Thomas. 

Conn— 3— 11  l6l 


(II)  Sir  Thomas  Billing,  of  Rowell, 
was  of  the  Inns  Court  and  was  called  to 
the  bar.  He  was  made  sergeant-at-law 
in  1453,  and  knighted  in  1458  for  taking 
a  prominent  part  with  the  Lancastrian 
party.  When  the  right  to  the  crown  was 
argued  (1466)  he  appeared  at  the  bar  of 
the  House  of  Lords  as  counsel  for  Henry 
VI.,  leading  the  attorney  and  solicitor- 
general.  He  was  the  principal  law  ad- 
visor to  Edward  IV.,  and  in  1465  was 
made  justice  of  the  King's  Bench,  and  in 
1468  lord  chief  justice  of  the  King's 
Bench.  In  the  spring  of  1481  he  was 
stricken  with  apoplexy  and  expired  in  a 
few  days,  after  a  tenure  of  office  and 
seventeen  years  in  the  midst  of  the  civil 
wars  and  revolutions.  He  was  buried  in 
Bittlesden  Abbey  in  Oxfordshire,  where  a 
large  blue  marble  slab  was  placed  over 
his  body,  having  on  it  the  figures  in  brass 
of  himself  and  lady.  He  is  represented 
in  his  official  robes.  This  slab,  and  the 
slab  that  covered  his  son  Thomas,  were 
taken  from  the  Abbey  after  the  dissolu- 
tion of  monasteries,  and  placed  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  center  aisle  of  Wappen- 
ham  Church,  where  they  now  remain. 

Sir  Thomas,  by  his  first  wife,  Catherine 
GifTord,  daughter  of  Roger  Gififord,  of 
Twyford  in  Buckinghamshire,  became 
possessed  of  Gififord's  Manor  in  the  ham- 
let of  Astwell  and  parish  of  Wappenham 
in  Northamptonshire,  afterwards  called 
"Billing's  Manor,"  where  he  took  up  his 
residence.  The  ancient  manor  house, 
although  curtailed  in  size,  is  still  stand- 
ing and  now  occupied  as  a  farm  house. 
The  eight  children  of  Sir  Thomas  Billing 
were  all  by  his  first  wife,  Catherine  (Gif- 
ford)  Billing. 

(Ill)  Nicholas  Billing,  fifth  and  young- 
est son  of  Sir  Thomas  Billing,  was  of 
Middletown  Malzor  in  Northamptonshire. 
He  died  in  15 12,  providing  in  his  will  for 
masses   of  requiem    to   be   celebrated   in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Bittlesden  Abey  for  five  years   on   each 
anniversary  of  his  death. 

(IV)  William  Billing,  fourth  and 
youngest  son  of  Nicholas  Billing,  died  at 
Middletown  Malzor  in  1526. 

(V)  William  (2)  Billing,  son  of  Wil- 
liam (i)  Billing,  died  in  Middletown 
Malzor  in  1557,  his  wife  Joan  surviving 
him. 

(VI)  Roger  Billing,  son  of  William  (2) 
Billing,  inherited  lands  in  Somersetshire 
from  his  father,  moved  from  Middletown 
Malzor  to  Baltonsborough,  where  he  died 
December  16,  1596.  From  a  parchment 
document  containing  the  names  of  the 
principal  landowners  in  the  parish,  pre- 
served in  the  great  chest  in  the  Baltons- 
borough Church,  it  appears  that  he  was 
possessed  of  considerable  property  there. 
By  his  first  wife  Katherine,  who  was 
buried  at  Baltonsburg,  February  12, 
1566-67,  he  had  three  children:  Richard, 
called  in  his  father's  will  "the  elder;" 
Elizabeth  and  John. 

(VII)  Richard  Billing,  eldest  son  of 
Roger  Billing,  moved  to  Taunton,  Eng- 
land, from  Baltonsburg,  England,  and 
was  possessed  of  landed  property.  He 
married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Ebenezer 
Strong,  of  Taunton. 

(VIII)  William  Billing,  youngest  son 
of  Richard  Billing,  had  by  his  father's 
will  a  house  and  land  in  Taunton,  Eng- 
land, which  passed  to  his  son  William 
who  came  to  New  England,  and  was  sold 
by  William  to  his  brother  Ebenezer,  of 
Glastonbury. 

(IX)  W'illiam  (2)  Billing,  son  of  Wil- 
liam (i)  Billing,  of  Taunton,  England, 
was  of  the  ninth  recorded  English  gener- 
ation and  the  founder  of  this  branch  of 
the  family  in  New  England.  He  was  born 
in  Taunton,  England,  and  died  in  Ston- 
ington,  Connecticut,  March  16,  1713.  He 
disposed  of  his  lands  in  Taunton,  came  to 
New  England  about  1650,  and  is  credited 


with  being  one  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  Lancaster,  Massachusetts,  in  1654.  He 
was  married  at  Dorchester,  JNIassachu- 
setts,  February  5,  1658,  the  record  thus 
attesting:    "William  Billing  was  married 

unto  Mary  by  ]\Iajor  Atherton,  5, 

12.57."  I"  the  year  1658  he  joined  the 
company  of  William  Cheeseborough  at 
Stonington,  Connecticut,  where  he  be- 
came one  of  the  largest  land  proprietors 
in  that  and  neighboring  towns.  His  wife 
Mary  died  in  Stonington  in  1718. 

(X)  William  (3)  Billing,  son  of  Wil- 
liam (2)  Billing,  died  in  Preston,  Con- 
necticut, and  had  by  his  wife  Hannah  a 
son  Joseph. 

(XI)  Joseph  Billings,  son  of  William 
(3)  and  Hannah  Billing  (the  "s"  being 
added  by  Joseph),  was  born  January  28, 
1692.  He  was  a  magistrate  of  Preston, 
Connecticut.  His  wife  Sarah  was  a 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  Larrabee,  of  Nor- 
wich, Connecticut. 

(XII)  Samuel  Billings,  son  of  Joseph 
and  Sarah  (Larrabee)  Billings,  was  born 
about  1718,  and  gave  his  life  for  his  coun- 
try, being  killed  in  action  at  Groton 
Heights,  Connecticut,  September  6,  1781. 
He  enlisted  as  a  private  for  three  years 
service  from  Stonington,  Connecticut, 
joining  Captain  James  Eldridge's  com- 
pany. First  Regiment,  Connecticut  Line, 
Colonel  Jedediah  Huntington,  and  served 
his  full  term  from  January  15,  1777,  to 
January  15,  1780,  when  the  British,  under 
command  of  Benedict  Arnold,  burnt  the 
towns  of  New  London  and  Groton ; 
Samuel  Billings  was  one  of  the  number  of 
Connecticut  militia  who  hastened  to  the 
defense  of  Fort  Griswold  and  was  one  of 
the  brave  defenders  of  the  fort  massacred 
by  the  British,  September  6,  1781.  He 
married,  October  14,  1744,  Grace,  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  Minor,  of  Montville,  Con- 
necticut. 

(XIII)  John    Billings,   son   of   Samuel 


162 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Billings,  the  Revolutionary  martyr,  was 
born  at  Alontville,  Connecticut,  Novem- 
ber lo,  1751,  and  died  at  Royalton,  Ver- 
mont, August  22,  1832.  He  was  also  a 
soldier  of  the  Revolution,  serving  from 
May  7,  1775,  to  December  10,  1775,  in  the 
Fifth  Company,  Captain  James  Chapman, 
the  Sixth  Regiment,  Continental  Line, 
Colonel  Samuel  Parsons.  The  Sixth 
Regiment  was  raised  at  the  first  call  for 
troops  in  April-May,  1775,  and  on  June 
17,  was  ordered  into  camp  at  Boston. 
They  were  posted  at  Roxbury,  forming 
part  of  General  Spencer's  brigade,  there 
remaining  until  the  term  of  enlistment 
expired  December  10,  1775.  In  1776  the 
regiment  was  reorganized,  John  Billings 
leaving  the  service  in  1778.  He  married, 
in  New  London,  Connecticut,  about  1754, 
Olive  Noble,  who  died  at  Royalton,  Ver- 
mont, May  14,  1843. 

(XIV)  Sally  Billings,  daughter  of 
John  and  Olive  (Noble)  Billings,  was 
horn  in  Royalton,  Vermont,  January  21, 
1782,  and  died  there,  April  25,  1850.  She 
married,  in  Royalton,  November  13,  1803, 
Calvin  Skinner  (see  Skinner).  Their  son. 
Dr.  Calvin  Skinner,  married  Jane  Blod- 
gett,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  Colonel 
William  Converse  Skinner,  of  the  six- 
teenth recorded  generation  of  the  Billings 
family  in  England  and  America. 

(The  Converse   Line). 

(I)  Deacon  Edward  Converse,  the 
founder  of  this  line,  was  born  in  Wakerly, 
England,  January  30,  1590,  and  died  in 
Woburn,  Massachusetts,  August  10,  1663. 
He  was  trial  justice  for  many  years  in 
Woburn,  and  in  1660  was  a  deputy  to  the 
General  Court.  He  married,  in  England, 
before  1617,  his  first  wife,  Jane  Clarke. 

(II)  Their  son,  Lieutenant  James  Con- 
verse, born  in  England,  1620,  died  1715. 
He  was  a  resident  of  Charlestown  and 
Woburn,  Massachusetts,  lieutenant  of  the 


Woburn  Company  during  King  Philip's 
War,  and  in  1679-83-84-85-86  and  8g 
deputy  to  the  General  Court.  He  mar- 
ried, October  24,  1643,  ^t  Charlestown, 
his  first  wife,  Anne  Long,  who  died  Au- 
gust 10,  1691,  at  Woburn,  daughter  of 
Robert  Long,  of  Charlestown. 

(III)  Major  James  Converse,  son  of 
Lieutenant  James  Converse,  was  born  in 
Woburn,  Massachusetts,  November  16, 
1645,  and  died  there  July  8,  1706.  For 
his  gallant  defense  of  Storer's  Garrison, 
1691-92,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
major  and  placed  in  command  of  all  the 
military  forces  of  Massachusetts — in 
Maine.  He  represented  Woburn  in  the 
General  Court  in  1679-92,  1699,  1702  and 
1703,  serving  as  speaker  of  the  house  dur- 
ing his  last  three  terms.  He  married, 
January  i,  1668,  at  Woburn,  Hannah 
Carter,  born  January  19,  1650. 

(IV)  Captain  Josiah  Converse,  son  of 
Major  James  Converse,  was  born  in  Wo- 
burn, Massachusetts,  September  12,  1684, 
and  died  in  Brookfield,  Massachusetts,  in 
1771.  He  was  captain  of  the  Woburn 
Military  Company,  resided  also  in  Leices- 
ter and  Brookfield,  Massachusetts,  repre- 
senting the  last  named  town  in  the  State 
Legislature  in  1740-42-43-45-47  and  1750. 
He  married,  December  30,  1706,  at  Wo- 
burn, Hannah  Sawyer,  born  November 
25,  1689,  and  died  June  18,  1747,  at  Brook- 
field. 

(V)  Lieutenant  Josiah  (2)  Converse, 
son  of  Captain  Josiah  (i)  Converse,  was 
born  in  Woburn,  March  2,  1710,  and  died 
September  11,  1775,  in  Stratford,  Connec- 
ticut. He  was  a  resident  of  Woburn  and 
Leicester,  Massachusetts,  prior  to  his  re- 
moval to  Connecticut;  was  lieutenant  of 
the  Leicester  military  company,  and  rep- 
resented that  town  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature in  1730.  He  married,  at  Leicester, 
December  27,  1732,  Eleanor  Richardson, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born   in   Woburn   in    1712,   and   died    in 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  August  6,  1785. 

(VI)  Jude  Converse,  son  of  Lieuten- 
ant Josiah  (2)  Converse,  was  born  in 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  June  11,  1750,  and 
died  in  East  Randolph,  Vermont,  October 
23,  1816.  He  was  a  drummer  boy  at  the 
Lexington  Alarm  and  rendered  nine  days 
service  under  Captain  Paul  Blodgett, 
marching  from  Stratford  in  April,  1775. 
He  was  a  private  in  the  Third  Company, 
Second  Continental  Regiment,  under 
Captain  Rogers  Enos,  Colonel  Joseph 
Spencer,  May  9 — October  16,  1775.  This 
regiment  was  raised  at  the  first  call  for 
troops  by  the  Connecticut  Legislature, 
marched  to  the  camps  around  Boston, 
took  part  at  Roxbury  and  served  during 
the  siege.  He  married,  about  1772, 
Abigail  Alden,  born  in  1750  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  and  died  in  May,  1814,  a  de- 
scendant of  John  Alden,  of  the  "May- 
flower." 

(VII)  Hannah  Converse,  daughter  of 
Jude  and  Abigail  (Alden)  Converse,  was 
born  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  August  2, 
1786,  and  died  in  Forestdale,  Vermont, 
June  10,  1855.  She  married  in  Randolph, 
Vermont,  March  9,  1805,  Samuel  Blod- 
gett, born  in  Stratford,  November  15, 
1777,  and  died  in  Forestdale,  Vermont. 
May  2,  1859. 

(VIII)  Jane  Blodgett,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Hannah  (Converse)  Blod- 
gett, was  born  in  East  Randolph,  Ver- 
mont, and  died  in  Malone,  New  York, 
May  2,  1893.  She  married,  September  15, 
1842,  in  Royalton,  Vermont,  Dr.  Calvin 
Skinner,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  Colo- 
nel William  Converse  Skinner,  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut. 

(The  Alden  Line). 

(I)  John  Alden  was  born  in  England  in 
1599,  and  died  in  Duxbury,  Massachu- 
setts, September  12,   1687.     He  was  one 


of  the  signers  of  the  "Compact,"  a  docu- 
ment drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  passen- 
gers on  the  "Mayflower"  for  their  gov- 
ernment :  was  a  member  of  the  little  army 
of  Pilgrims  commanded  by  Captain 
Myles  Standish  ;  member  of  the  Duxbury 
Company  in  1643 !  assistant  to  all  the 
governors  of  the  colony,  1650-86;  repre- 
sentative to  the  General  Court,  1641-49; 
member  of  the  Council  of  War,  1646-60; 
acting  deputy  governor,  1664-77.  He 
married,  in  1622,  Priscilla,  daughter  of 
William  Molines  (Mullins). 

(II)  Captain  Joseph  Alden,  son  of  John 
and  Priscilla  (Molines)  Alden,  was  born 
in  Bridgewater,  Massachusetts,  in  1624, 
and  died  there  February  8,  1697.  In  1643 
he  held  the  rank  of  captain  in  the  com- 
pany commanded  by  Captain  Myles 
Standish.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Moses  Simmons,  Jr.,  of  Duxbury. 

(III)  Joseph  (2)  Alden,  son  of  Captain 
Joseph  (i)  Alden,  was  born  in  Bridge- 
water,  Massachusetts,  in  1667,  and  died 
there  December  22,  1747,  He  married, 
in  1690,  Hannah  Dunham,  born  in  1670, 
and    died    in    Bridgewater,    January    14, 

1747- 

(IV)  Daniel  Alden,  son  of  Joseph  (2) 
Alden,  was  born  in  Bridgewater,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  29,  1691,  and  died  in 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  May  3,  1767.  He 
married,  in  1717,  Abigail  Shaw,  born  in 
1694,  and  died  July  12,  1755. 

(V)  Daniel  (2)  Alden,  son  of  Daniel 
(i)  Alden,  was  born  in  Bridgewater, 
Massachusetts,  September  5,  1720,  and 
died  in  Lebanon,  New  Hampshire,  May 
18,  1790.  He  was  a  deputy  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  from  Stratford,  Connecticut, 
twelve  times,  1760-71,  also  justice  of  the 
peace  for  Hartford  county  from  May, 
1766,  to  May,  1777.  He  married,  in  1747, 
Jane  Turner,  born  in  Weymouth,  Massa- 
chusetts, March  30,  1725,  and  died  in 
Lebanon,  New  Hampshire,  May  6,  1817. 

64 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(VI)  Abigail  Alden,  daughter  of  Daniel 
(2)  and  Jane  (Turner)  Alden,  was  born  in 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  in  October,  1750, 
and  died  in  May,  1814.  She  married, 
about  1772,  Jude  Converse.  Their  daugh- 
ter, Hannah  Converse,  married  Samuel 
Blodgett.  Their  daughter,  Jane  Blodgett, 
married  Dr.  Calvin  Skinner.  Their  son 
was  Colonel  William  C.  Skinner. 

(The  Roberts  Line). 

Samuel  Roberts,  American  ancestor  of 
Florence  Clarissa  (Roberts)  Skinner,  is 
believed  to  have  been  born  in  England. 
He  settled  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  and 
married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Edward  Hin- 
man,  who  was  also  the  first  of  his  family 
in  America.  Their  son,  Samuel  (2) 
Roberts,  was  undoubtedly  born  in  Eng- 
land, lived  in  Middletown,  Connecticut, 
and  died  in  1726.  He  married  Catherine 
Leete,  who  died  October  13,  1693.  Their 
son,  Deacon  Samuel  Roberts,  resided  in 
Middletown,  Connecticut,  as  early  as 
1691,  and  died  there  in  1739.  He  mar- 
ried, September  22,  1691,  Mary  Blake, 
daughter  of  John  Blake,  of  Maiden,  Eng- 
land, born  January  16,  1673,  and  died  De- 
cember 16,  1724.  Their  son,  Ebenezer 
Roberts,  born  October  29,  1697,  married, 
March  17,  1721,  Mary  Johnson,  and  had 
issue.  Their  son,  Ebenezer  Roberts,  was 
an  officer  of  the  Revolution,  serving  with 
General  Washington  at  New  York,  Tren- 
ton and  Yorktown.  He  married  and  had 
a  son,  Ebenezer  Cornwall  Roberts,  who 
married  and  had  a  son,  Ebenezer  Roberts, 
father  of  Mrs.  William  C.  Skinner. 

Ebenezer  Roberts  was  born  at  West- 
field,  Connecticut,  October  28,  1819,  and 
died  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  March  7, 
1896,  and  in  collateral  line  was  also  a  de- 
scendant of  Rev.  Peter  and  Rev.  Gershom 
Bulkley  and  Charles  Chauncey,  second 
president  of  Harvard  College.  He  at- 
tended public  school  until    fifteen,  then 


entered  the  employ  of  N.  and  W.  Keney, 
advancing  rapidly  until  1855,  when  he 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership.  Later  the 
firm  became  Keney,  Roberts  &  J.  N. 
Goodwin,  later  Roberts  &  Keney,  later 
Keney,  Roberts  &  Company,  finally 
Roberts,  Tucker  &  Goodwin.  The  house 
was  the  oldest  wholesale  grocery  concern 
in  the  State  and  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful, the  Keneys  and  Mr.  Roberts  all 
accumulating  substantial  fortunes.  The 
house  established  and  ever  maintained  an 
enviable  reputation  for  integrity,  fair  deal- 
ing and  progressive  spirit,  Mr.  Roberts 
being  also  well  known  in  Hartford  for  his 
kindly  manner,  charity  and  activity  in  all 
good  works.  He  was  a  director  of  the 
Hartford  National  Bank,  Travelers  In- 
surance Company,  National  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company,  Collins  Company,  For- 
sythe  Manufacturing  Company,  Andros 
Paper  Company,  and  trustee  under  the 
will  of  Henry  Keney.  He  never  sought 
nor  held  public  office,  and  was  a  member 
and  regular  attendant  of  the  Park  Con- 
gregational Church. 

Mr.  Roberts  married,  January  18,  1843, 
Clarissa  Bancroft,  who  died  January  12, 
1883,  daughter  of  Bela  and  Clarissa 
(Root)  Bancroft,  of  Granville,  Massachu- 
setts. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roberts  were  the 
parents  of  an  only  daughter,  Florence 
Clarissa  Roberts,  who  married  Colonel 
William  C.  Skinner. 

On  the  day  of  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Rob- 
erts the  wholesale  houses  of  Hartford 
were  closed  from  two  until  four  p.  m., 
and  at  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  Hartford  National  Bank  held 
March  10,  1896,  the  following  resolution 
was  adopted  and  ordered  placed  upon  the 
minutes  of  the  board  : 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Roberts  died  at  his  home  on  the 
seventh  instant  in  the  seventy-seventh  year  of  his 
age  and  since  fifteen  years  old  a  resident  of  the 
city.     In  him  departed  a  good  citizen,  an  honest. 


163 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


deservedly  successful  merchant,  leaving  a  good 
name.  Mr.  Roberts  has  been  a  useful,  conservative 
director  of  this  bank  since  1870.  To  the  members 
of  the  board  it  is  the  loss  of  an  honored  associate. 
With  some  of  the  older  members  he  had  longer 
and  more  intimate  relations,  and  these  deeply  feel 
the  absence  of  an  old  familiar  friend. 

U.  S.  Bridgman, 
Cashier. 


TUTTLE,  Hon.  Joseph  Parsons, 

Lawyer,  Jnrist. 

The  legal  profession  of  Hartford  has 
many  representatives,  yet  none  who  are 
more  devoted  to  their  profession,  or  any 
more  earnest  in  the  discharge  of  profes- 
sional duties  than  the  Hon.  Joseph  P. 
Tuttle,  whose  thorough  knowledge  of  all 
branches  of  law  has  enabled  him  to  main- 
tain a  foremost  position.  Judge  Tuttle  is 
a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  families  in 
New  England,  a  family  noted  for  its  pa- 
triotism, the  members  thereof  having  won 
positions  of  prominence  in  political,  pro- 
fessional and  mercantile  circles. 

(I)  William  Tuttle,  the  pioneer  ances- 
tor of  the  branch  of  the  family  here  under 
consideration,  crossed  the  ocean  from 
England,  accompanied  by  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth, in  1635,  and  located  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  he  then  being  twenty-six 
years  of  age.  It  was  said  of  him  that  "he 
was  a  man  of  courage,  enterprise,  intelli- 
gence, probity  and  piety,  and  that  none  of 
the  colonists  stood  higher  socially  than 
he." 

(II)  Joseph  Tuttle,  son  of  William  and 
Elizabeth  Tuttle,  was  baptized  in  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  1640,  and  died  there 
in  1690.  He  married,  in  1667,  Hannah, 
daughter  of  Captain  Thomas  Munson. 

(III)  Joseph  (2)  Tuttle,  son  of  Joseph 
(i)  and  Hannah  (Munson)  Tuttle,  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  in  1668. 
He  married,  in  1691,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Sanford,  of  Milford,  Connecti- 
cut. 


(IV)  Noah  Tuttle,  son  of  Joseph  (2) 
and  Elizabeth  (Sanford)  Tuttle,  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  Octo- 
ber 12,  1694.  He  married,  December  i, 
1720,  Rachel  Hoadley.    She  died  April  7, 

1749- 

(V)  Joseph  (3)  Tuttle,  son  of  Noah 
and  Rachel  (Hoadley)  Tuttle,  was  born 
in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  July  18, 
1734.  He  resided  on  that  part  of  the 
paternal  estate  known  in  recent  years  as 
the  Townsend  farm.  During  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  his  house  and  barn  were 
burned  by  the  British.  In  1799  he  re- 
moved to  Durham,  Connecticut.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1761,  I\Iary,  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Abigail  (Denison)  Granger,  of  Suf- 
field,  Connecticut. 

(VI)  Joseph  (4)  Tuttle,  son  of  Joseph 
(3)  and  Mary  (Granger)  Tuttle,  was  born 
in  East  Haven,  Connecticut,  July  4,  1769, 
and  died  in  Durham,  Connecticut,  Janu- 
ary 16,  1857.  He  purchased  his  father's 
estate  in  East  Haven.  He  enlisted  his 
services  in  the  War  of  1812  and  became  a 
member  of  the  Sixth  Company,  Connec- 
ticut State  Troops,  under  Captain  Butler. 

He  married   (first) -,  and   (second) 

Phebe  Smith. 

(VII)  Joseph  Nelson  Tuttle,  son  of 
Joseph  (4)  and  Phebe  (Smith)  Tuttle, 
transformed  his  given  names  and  always 
wrote  his  signature  as  Nelson  J.  Tuttle. 
He  was  born  August  5,  1836,  and  died  in 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  January  18,  1910. 
In  1886  he  became  a  resident  of  Hartford, 
and  engaged  in  the  carriage  business 
there  until  1898,  in  which  year  he  retired 
from  active  pursuits.  He  was  a  staunch 
adherent  of  the  principles  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  took  an  active  interest  in 
public  aiifairs,  and  served  for  six  years 
as  a  judge  of  probate.  He  was  a  member 
of  Evening  Star  Lodge,  No.  loi.  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Union- 
ville.     He  married  Antoinette  Clara  Par- 


166 


TEE  r^'-'  ''^ 


PUBLIC  LIBFARY 

ASTOR.    LENOX 
TILDEN    r-OUiNDATLONSj 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sons,  of  Unionville,  Connecticut,  who 
bore  him  three  children,  two  of  whom 
attained  years  of  maturity,  namely,  Jo- 
seph Parsons,  and  Antoinette  Frances, 
who  became  the  wife  of  J.  Arthur  Smea- 
ton,  of  Springfield. 

(VIII)  Joseph  Parsons  Tuttle,  son  of 
Nelson  J.  and  Antoinette  Clara  (Parsons) 
Tuttle,  was  born  in  Unionville,  Connec- 
ticut, June  12,  1865.  He  prepared  for  col- 
lege in  the  high  school  of  his  native  tovv^n, 
and  was  graduated  from  Yale  University 
in  1889.  Such  was  his  industry  and 
capacity,  that  in  addition  to  the  regular 
studies  of  his  college  course,  he  advanced 
himself  sufficiently  in  the  study  of  law 
so  as  to  pass  the  examination  for  the 
senior  class  of  the  Yale  Law  School,  after 
his  graduation  from  the  classical  course. 
He  remained  in  the  law  school  but  a  short 
period  of  time,  and  then  entered  the  law 
office  of  Judge  William  F.  Henney,  under 
whose  competent  instruction  he  pro- 
gressed rapidly.  On  January  6,  1891,  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  his  native 
State,  and  immediately  afterward  began 
the  active  practice  of  his  profession.  On 
December  i,  1893,  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Albert  C.  Bill,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Bill  &  Tuttle,  and  this  connec- 
tion continued  for  two  decades,  when  it 
was  dissolved  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Tuttle's 
appointment  to  the  bench.  The  partner- 
ship was  ideal  in  its  warm  friendship, 
harmony  of  thought  and  action,  both 
partners  being  men  of  the  highest  integ- 
rity, well  versed  in  the  law  and  its  appli- 
cation, and  they  enjoyed  an  extensive 
patronage.  On  February  25,  1913,  Mr. 
Tuttle  was  appointed  judge  of  the  Su- 
perior Court,  his  term  to  expire  in  1921. 
Previous  to  this,  in  1891,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  City  Council,  and  served 
until  1894.  He  was  president  of  the  lower 
board  during  the  first  year.  He  also 
served   as   clerk   of   the    Hartford    Police 


Court  from  1891  to  1893.  He  casts  his 
vote  for  the  candidates  of  the  Democratic 
party,  to  which  he  has  given  his  allegi- 
ance since  attaining  his  majority.  Judge 
Tuttle  is  a  member  of  Hartford  Lodge, 
No.  88,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons ;  Washington  Commandery  ;  Knights 
Templar ;  Connecticut  Consistory,  Sov- 
ereign Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret ;  Sphinx 
Temple,  Ancient  Arabic  Order  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine.  He  also  holds  mem- 
bership in  Crescent  Lodge,  Knights  of 
Pythias. 

Judge  Tuttle  married,  March  21,  1894, 
Edith  A.,  daughter  of  Walter  S.  and  Ade- 
laide (Phelps)  Mather.  They  are  the 
parents  of  two  children :  Rubena  and 
Marion.  The  family  is  identified  with  the 
Asylum  Hill   Congregational  Church. 

Judge  Tuttle  is  a  careful  student,  a 
keen  observer  and  an  accurate  thinker. 
In  all  his  professional  duties  he  acquits 
himself  as  is  befitting  the  well  equipped 
man  of  affairs,  being  quick  in  grasping 
the  fundamental  point  involved  in  a  ques- 
tion, and  he  states  his  opinion  in  a  lucid 
manner,  and  as  briefly  as  is  consistent 
with  making  his  position  clearly  under- 
stood. Personally  he  is  popular,  and 
socially  occupies  as  high  a  position  as  he 
does  professionally,  and  that  is  in  the 
front  ranks. 


DAVENPORT,  John  G., 

Clergyman,   Historian,  Antiqnarian. 

The  Rev.  John  Gaylord  Davenport,  D. 
D.,  was  born  in  Wilton,  Fairfield  county, 
Connecticut,  November  24,  1840,  son  of 
Charles  Augustus  and  Sarah  Maria  (Gay- 
lord)  Davenport,  and  is  a  descendant  in 
the  eighth  generation  from,  the  Rev.  John 
Davenport,  first  minister  of  New  Haven, 
1638.  His  father,  a  farmer,  and  who 
served  in  various  school  and  militia 
offices  in  W^ilton,  died  at  the  early  age  of 


167 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


forty-one.  He  is  a  descendant  in  the  sev- 
enth generation  from  Deacon  William 
Gaylord,  of  Windsor,  Connecticut. 

Dr.  Davenport  passed  from  the  public 
school  of  his  native  place  to  the  W^ilton 
Classical  Academy,  and  thence  to  Wil- 
liams (Massachusetts)  College,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  in  1863  with  high 
honors,  being  salutatorian  and  class  day 
poet ;  and  he  received  the  master's  degree 
from  his  alma  niatcr  in  1866.  For  a  year 
he  taught  in  a  classical  academy  at  Jewett, 
New  York.  He  was  a  student  in  the 
Union  Theological  Seminary  in  1865-66, 
and  for  two  years  following  served  as  a 
tutor  in  Williams  College,  during  the 
same  period  studying  divinity  under  the 
distinguished  Dr.  Mark  Hopkins.  He 
was  ordained  to  the  Congregational  min- 
istry in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  on  July 
I,  1868,  and  served  as  pastor  of  Park 
Street  Church  in  that  city  for  thirteen 
years,  1868-1881  ;  in  the  latter  year  going 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  Second  Church  of 
Waterbury,  with  which  he  yet  remains, 
having  been  made  pastor  emeritus  in 
191 1.  He  is  an  old  and  valued  member 
of  the  Naugatuck  Valley  Association  of 
Congregational  Churches  and  Ministers, 
was  Moderator  of  the  General  Associa- 
tion of  Connecticut  in  1897;  for  fourteen 
years  was  a  corporate  member  of  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.  and  is  still  an  honorary  member  of 
the  same. 

Dr.  Davenport  has  been  a  lifelong  de- 
votee of  literature  and  history.  His  pub- 
lished volumes  include  "The  Fulfillment," 
1900;  "Something  Beyond,  and  Other 
Poems,"  1914;  and  "Life  of  Moses 
Stuart ;"  besides  numerous  historical  arti- 
cles for  the  periodical  press,  and  many 
addresses  and  poems  for  anniversary 
occasions.  He  is  at  present  preparing  an 
autobiographical  volume  which  will  prove 
rich  in  local  historical  material.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Mattatuck,  Connecticut 


and  National  historical  societies ;  the 
National  Geographical  Society ;  the 
Founders  and  Patriots  of  America,  was 
a  governor  of  the  Connecticut  Society 
and  now  for  ten  years  is  its  chaplain  ;  was 
also  chaplain  of  the  General  Court,  and 
deputy  governor  during  the  governor- 
generalship  of  the  late  Admiral  Dewey  ; 
a  member  of  the  Civil  Service  Reform 
Association  of  Connecticut,  and  the 
American  Hygiene  Association.  He  is 
a  past  grand  worthy  patriarch  of  the  Sons 
of  Temperance;  is  a  holder  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  honors,  and  in  1893  received  from 
Williams  College  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity. 

Dr.  Davenport  married,  at  Wilton,  Con- 
necticut, November  29,  1866,  Alice, 
daughter  of  George  Burwell  and  Arethusa 
Lincoln  Westcott.  Of  this  marriage  were 
born  children:  i.  Clarence  Gaylord,  born 
April  21,  1868;  died  in  the  service  of  his 
countrj'  during  the  Spanish-American 
War,  at  Ponce,  Porto  Rico,  1898.  2. 
Lilian  Louisa,  born  June  23,  1874;  now 
wife  of  William  A.  Jones,  of  Wilton,  Con- 
necticut. 3.  Mary  Lindley,  born  March 
12,  1877;  now  wife  of  Herbert  J.  Wilcox, 
of  Waterbury,  Connecticut. 


FULTON,  William  Shirley, 
Man  of  Affairs. 

William  S.  Fulton,  a  representative  cit- 
izen of  W'aterbury,  has  won  the  regard  of 
the  community  in  which  his  entire  life  has 
been  passed.  He  has  worked  his  way 
upward  to  responsible  position  with  one 
of  the  leading  manufacturing  establish- 
ments of  Waterbury,  and  has  proved  his 
public  spirit  and  interest  in  many  of  the 
movements  calling  for  the  aid  of  all  loyal 
friends  of  the  city  by  active  participation. 

William  Edwards  Fulton,  father  of 
William  S.  Fulton,  was  born  August  8, 
1852.   in    Brooklyn,   New   York.      It   was 


168 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


here  that  he  passed  his  childhood  and 
early  youth  until  he  had  reached  the  age 
of  thirteen,  when  his  parents  removed  to 
New  York  City,  after  which  he  made  his 
home  there  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
had  begun  his  education  in  the  Brooklyn 
public  schools  and  continued  it  in  those 
of  Manhattan,  attending  the  Thirteenth 
Street  Grammar  School  for  a  time.  He 
completed  his  education  at  the  College  of 
the  City  of  New  York,  from  which  he 
graduated,  and  immediately  entered  the 
woolen  commission  business  in  New 
York.  His  unusual  ability  in  the  realm  of 
business  was  early  apparent,  and  was 
noted  by  no  less  a  man  than  A.  S.  Chase, 
the  great  Waterbury  manufacturer,  with 
whom  the  younger  man  was  acquainted. 
The  latter  did  not  remain  long  in  business 
in  New  York,  but  was  persuaded  by  Mr. 
Chase  to  abandon  it,  and  he  therefore 
removed  to  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  in 
1873.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  the  various  interests  in  the 
city,  and  held  many  important  posts  in 
that  great  establishment.  But  Mr.  Ful- 
ton's ability  is  of  so  large  an  order,  and 
his  powers  of  organization  and  manage- 
ment so  unmistakable,  that  it  was  not 
long  before  he  became  an  important 
figure  in  the  financial  and  industrial 
world  irrespective  of  his  connection  with 
the  Chase  concerns,  and  he  is  now  iden- 
tified with  a  number  of  the  most  impor- 
tant institutions  of  the  city,  such  as  the 
Manufacturers'  Bank  of  Waterbury,  of 
which  he  is  vice-president,  the  Colonial 
Trust  Company,  of  which  he  is  director, 
and  the  Dime  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he 
is  a  trustee. 

Mr.  Fulton  is  not  one  of  those  men  who 
are  wholly  wrapped  up  in  business  inter- 
ests, although  in  his  case  the  demands 
made  upon  his  time  and  energies  are 
exacting  in  the  extreme.  His  viewpoint 
is  too  broad,  however,  to  permit  him  to 


forget  the  other  aspects  of  the  life  of  his 
community,  and  he  is  consequently  active 
in  many  of  the  movements  undertaken 
for  the  general  advancement  of  the  city. 
An  Episcopalian  in  religious  belief,  he  is 
a  member  of  St.  John's  Church  of  that 
denomination  and  most  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  the  parish,  being  a  vestryman 
and  a  liberal  supporter  of  its  philanthropic 
work.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Republican 
party,  but  does  not  take  an  active  part 
in  local  politics,  and  is  unambitious  of 
anything  like  political  preference  or  pub- 
lic office.  Mr.  Fulton  is  a  member  of  the 
local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows. 

He  married,  October  23,  1877,  Ida 
Eleana  Lewis,  daughter  of  Edward  C. 
Lewis,  a  sketch  of  whom  follows.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Fulton  three  children  have  been 
born  as  follows :  Lewis  Edwards  ;  Wil- 
liam Shirley,  of  whom  further ;  and 
Irving  Kent,  engaged  in  farming  at  Sal- 
isbury, Connecticut,  married  Elizabeth 
Warner,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Donald  T. 
Warner,  of  that  place. 

William  Shirley  Fulton,  son  of  William 
E.  Fulton,  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, November  23,  1880,  and  there 
has  ever  resided.  After  preparatory  study 
he  entered  the  Hotchkiss  School,  whence 
he  was  graduated  in  1899.  In  September 
of  the  same  year  he  entered  Yale  Univer- 
sity, there  completed  the  academic  course 
and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1903. 
He  then  began  a  connection  with  the 
Waterbury  Machine  Company  and  its 
successor,  the  Waterbury  Farrell  Foun- 
dry &  Machine  Company,  which  has 
never  been  interrupted.  He  began  as  a 
worker  in  the  shop,  but  soon  passed  to  a 
position  of  office  responsibility,  and  stead- 
ily advancing  he  became  in  1905  assistant 
treasurer,  and  in  1906  treasurer.  He  con- 
tinued in  the  last  named  position  until 
191 1,  when  the  Waterbury  Machine  and 


169 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  Farrell  Foundry  companies  consoli- 
dated under  the  corporate  title,  The 
Waterbury  Farrell  Foundry  &  Machine 
Company.  With  the  merging  of  the  two 
interests,  Mr.  Fulton  was  returned  to  his 
former  position,  assistant  treasurer,  but 
in  1914  was  again  elected  treasurer,  serv- 
ing until  1916,  when  the  additional  dis- 
tinction of  vice-president  was  accorded 
him  by  the  board  of  directors.  His  decade 
of  service  in  the  treasurer's  ofifice  has 
given  him  a  wide  experience  in  corpora- 
tion finance,  and  he  has  served  the  com- 
pany faithfully  and  well,  contributing  to 
its  general  prosperity  by  a  wise  adminis- 
tration of  his  office.  He  has  other  and 
varied  business  interests,  among  which 
being  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  Colonial  Trust  Company,  but  gives 
to  the  duties  of  his  office  the  majority  of 
his  interest  and  time.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Waterbury  Club  and  the  Country 
Club  of  Waterbury,  and  seeks  relaxation 
from  business  cares  in  the  recreations  they 
offer  as  well  as  in  their  social  enjoyments. 
Mr.  Fulton  married,  January  10.  1906, 
Rose  Henkly  Hayden.  daughter  of  Ed- 
ward Simon  and  Elizabeth  Gilder  (Kel- 
logg) Hayden,  former  highly  esteemed 
residents  of  Waterbury,  now  deceased,  her 
father  having  been  an  inventor  of  a  proc- 
ess of  separating  metals  by  electricity. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fulton  have  two  children : 
William  Hayden,  born  March  12,  1907, 
and  Elizabeth,  January  14,  1910. 


LEWIS,  Edward  C, 

Manafactnrer,  Financier. 

There  are  few  men  of  the  many  who 
have  been  connected  with  Waterbury's 
manufacturing  interests  who  started  with 
a  feebler  prospect  of  ever  reaching  the 
eminent  position  to  which  he  rose,  and 
fewer  still  who  more  richly  deserve  the 
success  attained.    His  life  from  the  age  of 


ten  years  was  devoted  to  some  form  of 
manufacturing  and  in  practical  foundry 
work,  and  in  executive  ability  nor  in  the 
art  of  managing  men  had  he  any  superior. 
The  Bridgeport  Iron  Works,  in  which  he 
learned  his  trade,  he  afterward  controlled, 
and  in  Waterbury  and  surrounding  towns 
he  had  large  manufacturing  interests.  He 
came  to  this  country  a  child  of  four,  began 
v.'ork  at  ten,  yet  such  was  his  native  in- 
telligence, so  keen  his  powers  of  observa- 
tion and  absorption  that  he  became  a  well 
informed  man,  managing  with  rare  skill 
the  large  interests  committed  to  his  care. 
For  forty  years  he  was  associated  with  the 
Farrell  Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  of 
Ansonia,  and  in  all  that  period  there  was 
nc  act  committed  against  the  welfare  of 
an  employee,  nor  was  an  unkind  word 
spoken  by  any  of  the  principals  of  that 
corporation  intended  to  wound  or  annoy, 
or  in  any  way  mar  the  relations  which 
ever  existed.  In  these  davs  of  self  as- 
sertion and  intense  rivalry,  such  a  record 
is  most  unusual  and  reflects  the  greatest 
credit  upon  Mr.  Lewis  and  the  Farrells, 
father,  son  and  grandson. 

Edward  C.  Lewis,  son  of  John  and  Mary 
Lewis,  was  born  at  Welsh  Pool,  North 
Waters,  Great  Britain,  September  23, 
1826,  and  died  at  Waterbury,  Connecti- 
cut, in  1901.  When  four  years  of  age 
he  was  brought  to  the  United  States  by 
his  parents,  who  settled  at  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  where  his  father,  a  master 
spinner,  secured  employment  in  the  cotton 
mills  operated  by  Thatcher  &  Burnell. 
The  lad  attended  public  school  until  ten 
years  of  age.  then  began  working  in  the 
same  mill  as  his  father,  continuing  until 
eighteen  years  of  age.  He  then  became 
an  apprentice  in  the  Bridgeport  Iron 
Works,  learning  the  moulder's  trade  and 
becoming  an  expert  in  all  that  pertained 
to  foundry  work,  moulding,  casting  and 
superintending.    The  skill  and  knowledge 


170 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


he  there  acquired  was  the  stepping  stone 
to  his  later  success,  and  was  won  by  hard 
work  and  industrious  application. 

In  1847,  being  then  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  he  went  to  Birmingham,  Connec- 
ticut, as  foreman  in  the  foundry  of  Col- 
burn  &.  Bassett,  a  prominent  firm  of  iron 
masters  in  their  day.  In  1847  he  first 
entered  the  employ  of  Almon  Farrell, 
superintending  the  erection  and  starting 
of  his  original  foundry  and  machine  shop 
at  Ansonia,  Connecticut,  from  which  grew 
one  of  the  largest  businesses  of  its  kind 
in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Lewis  returned 
to  Bridgeport  in  1849,  and  for  about  a 
year  worked  in  the  Bridgeport  Iron 
Works,  the  plant  in  which  he  learned  his 
trade.  In  1850  he  was  again  in  Birming- 
ham for  a  time  in  charge  of  the  Birming- 
ham Iron  Foundry.  He  came  to  Water- 
bury  in  1852  as  foreman  of  the  Water- 
bury  Foundry  Company,  then  controlled 
by  the  Messrs.  Farrell,  of  Ansonia.  He 
was  in  virtual  charge  of  the  Waterbury 
plant  and  soon  gave  tangible  evidence  to 
both  his  employers  and  his  employees  of 
his  fitness  for  the  position.  He  soon  ac- 
quired an  interest  in  the  company,  the 
Farrells  recognizing  the  fact  that  they 
had  secured  the  services  of  a  superior 
manager  as  well  as  a  practical  workman. 
In  a  short  time  he  became  the  active  man- 
ager and  head  of  the  Waterbury  concern, 
and  later  became  treasurer  of  the  Farrell 
Foundry  &  Machine  Company,  of  An- 
sonia, a  further  testimonial  to  his  ability. 
It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  that  from  1857 
until  his  death  he  was  a  director  of  that 
company. 

The  Farrell  interests  in  Ansonia  and 
Waterbury  were  united  until  1880,  when 
Mr.  Lewis,  wishing  to  become  head  of  his 
business  that  he  might  thereon  indelibly 
stamp  the  impress  of  his  own  individual- 
ity, purchased  the  Farrell  stock  in  the 
Waterbury  plant,  became  head,  and  ever 


lemained  the  chief  executive  of  the 
Waterbury  Foundry  Company,  in  which 
his  was  the  controlling  interest.  He  asso- 
ciated with  him  as  stockholders  and  direc- 
tors young  and  virile  men,  whose  quality 
he  had  tested,  namely:  William  E.  Ful- 
ton, George  B.  Lamb  and  W.  Curtiss, 
upon  whom  later  the  business  of  manage- 
ment fell. 

The  years  brought  him  prosperity  and 
high  reputation,  his  interests  extending  to 
many  other  manufacturing  corporations 
in  Waterbury  and  other  towns,  his  ac- 
knowledged ability  making  him  a  desir- 
able addition  to  any  corporation.  He  was 
?  director  of  several  financial  institutions, 
president  of  the  Oakville  Pin  Company, 
president  of  the  Capewell  Horse  Nail 
Company  of  Hartford,  director  of  the 
Manufacturers"  National  Bank  and  of  the 
Dime  Savings  Bank  of  Waterbury,  and 
regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
successful  business  men  of  his  section  of 
the  State.  The  term  "self  made"  is  a 
hackneyed  one  and  often  misapplied,  but 
no  other  so  well  fits  Mr.  Lewis.  While 
he  was  endowed  by  his  parents  with  su- 
perior intelligence,  a  strong  frame  and  a 
stout  heart,  he  had  none  of  the  advan- 
tages of  higher  education,  and  his  only 
influential  friends  were  those  he  won  by 
his  own  demonstration  of  ability  to  serve 
them.  His  knowledge  was  practical, 
gained  by  contact  with  men  in  the  shop 
with  whom  he  worked  shoulder  to  shoul- 
der, and  with  men  of  high  rank  with 
whom  he  sat  in  conclave  around  the  direc- 
tors' table  or  in  executive  session.  He 
was  liberal  and  just  in  his  dealings,  pro- 
gressive in  his  business  methods,  public- 
spirited  in  his  citizenship,  popular  with 
all  classes  of  men.  Often  his  fellow  citi- 
zens persuaded  him  to  serve  them  in  pub- 
lic office,  but  he  was  essentially  a  busi- 
ness man  and  had  little  taste  for  office. 
He  served  as  a  Republican  in  the  State 


171 


EX  CYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Legislature,  elected  from  the  Democratic 
city  of  Waterbury  in  1883,  running 
against  an  able  Democratic  opponent,  and 
in  1888  was  the  Republican  nominee  for 
Congress  from,  the  Second  Connecticut 
District.  His  opponent  was  Carlos 
French,  a  popular  Democrat  of  the  Nau- 
gatuck  \'alley.  by  whom  he  was  defeated, 
Mr.  Lewis,  even  with  his  great  personal 
popularity,  not  being  able  to  overcome  the 
normal  Democratic  majority. 

Mr.  Lewis  married,  October  29,  1850, 
Harriet  M.  Phippeny,  of  Hartford.  They 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  four  of 
whom  are  living:  Edward  F.,  born  Au- 
gust 10,  1862;  Truman  S.,  September  15, 
1866;  Ida  E.,  married  William  E.  Fulton  ; 
Mary  S.,  married  William  J.  Schlegel. 


COOK,  Charles  Banister, 

Mannfactnrer,  Financier. 

Charles  Banister  Cook,  vice-president 
and  factory  manager  of  the  Royal  Type- 
writer Company  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, has  arrived  at  the  position  which  he 
holds  through  sheer  force  of  knowledge 
and  understanding  of  the  compelling 
forces  which  actuate  every  wheel  and  cog 
in  the  plant  which  is  under  his  super- 
vision. Such  knowledge  cannot  be  gained 
in  a  course  of  technical  training.  The 
modern  craving  for  efficiency  has  made 
the  mistake  in  its  rapid  haste  toward 
reform  and  its  desire  to  conserve  the 
energy  wasted  under  old  methods,  of  put- 
ting into  executive  positions  in  factories 
men  fresh  from  the  technical  courses  of 
colleges.  The  value  of  the  college  train- 
ing must  not,  of  course,  be  underesti- 
mated, but  it  is  more  often  than  not,  over- 
estimated. Charles  B.  Cook  is  not  a  col- 
lege trained  man.  He  has  traveled  every 
step  of  the  way  from  apprenticeship  to  the 
position  which  he  now  holds  over  a  road 
which  has  not  been  made  smooth  by  any 


efforts  other  than  his  own.  To  the  grad- 
uates of  large  universities,  the  condition 
of  hunting  a  job  is  practically  unknown. 
Mr.  Cook  walked  the  streets  of  New  York 
City  for  many  months  seeking  a  job,  often 
finding  as  many  as  one  hundred  and  fifty 
applicants  at  six  o'clock  a.  m.  for  a  posi- 
tion which  had  been  advertised  for  nine 
o'clock.  It  is  only  by  actually  experi- 
encing conditions  that  true  and  adequate 
understanding  of  them  can  be  gained. 
Mr.  Cook  has  a  practical  knowledge  of 
everything  required  of  a  man  in  the  shop, 
and  knows  what  it  is  fair  to  expect  of  a 
man  in  any  position  which  is  under  his 
management.  Because  he  has  worked 
among  them,  he  knows  the  psychological 
conditions  that  affect  men  in  their  rela- 
tions toward  their  work,  toward  their 
subordinates,  and  toward  each  other,  and 
through  intelligent  handling  of  the  prob- 
lem which  this  presents  has  been  able  to 
bring  about  the  most  friendly  relations 
between  his  subordinates  and  himself. 
Content  among  workmen  and  goodwill 
toward  the  company  is  of  prime  impor- 
tance in  increasing  the  efficiency  of  a  plant. 
Every  comfort  and  convenience  that  the 
most  advanced  students  of  factory  con- 
ditions recommend  for  better  conditions 
of  working,  health  and  happiness  of  em- 
ployes has  been  installed  in  the  plant. 

Mr.  Cook  has  profited  by  every  step  in 
his  career,  turning  every  situation  with 
which  he  has  had  to  cope  to  advantage ; 
he  has  turned  to  his  advantage  the  mis- 
takes of  other  employers  and  superiors  in 
their  attitude  toward  the  men  under  them. 
The  result  is  that  he  is  always  accessible 
to  his  men,  and  is  sought  as  a  sort  of  high 
tribunal  in  affairs  of  importance.  He 
shows  them  that  their  advancement  not 
only  benefits  themselves,  but  is  of  advan- 
tage to  the  factory.  He  believes  in  build- 
ing up  from  material  recruited  inside  the 
plant,  and  a  cause  of  his  popularity  with 


172 


^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


his  men  is  his  application  of  this  principle 
in  the  fact  that  he  does  not  bring  men 
from  outside  the  establishment  to  fill 
higher  and  better  positions.  Mr.  Cook's 
motive  in  keeping  in  touch  with  his  men 
springs  not  only  from  a  desire  to  promote 
friendly  feelings  toward  the  company  and 
himself,  but  from  a  genuine  desire  to 
encourage  and  educate  his  men  in  the  art 
of  making  the  most  of  themselves,  and 
achieving  the  full  possibilities  of  their 
talents.  It  is  an  instinctive  desire  to  lend 
a  helping  hand  to  every  fellow  creature. 
He  was  born  a  leader  among  men,  and  by 
thoughtful  observation  and  the  study  of 
nearly  all  that  has  been  writen  on  the 
subject,  has  made  himself  masterful,  ex- 
ecutive, forceful,  progressive  and  aggres- 
sive, but  without  that  disagreeable  qual- 
ity of  pugnacity.  His  rule  is  one  of  reason 
and  persuasion,  and  he  leads  men  to  see 
that  their  own  self  interest  leads  in  the 
direction  in  which  he  wants  them  to  go. 
Courtesy,  thoroughness  and  system  are 
guiding  principles  in  Mr.  Cook's  life.  His 
career  is  an  example  of  the  opportunities 
which  American  industry  presents  to 
every  man  who  has  the  keenness  to  see  its 
possibilities  and  the  courage  to  grasp 
them  in  whatever  form  they  are  offered. 
Despite  the  fact  that  he  spent  the  long 
working  hours  of  the  day  in  manual  labor 
in  the  shop,  he  studied  at  night  to  acquire 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  scientific 
principles  underlying  his  work,  and  to 
keep  abreast  with  the  latest  developments 
in  the  mechanical  world.  He  is  a  preacher 
and  exemplar  of  optimism,  and  has  a  con- 
tagious enthusiasm  for  his  work  which  he 
imparts  to  all  who  come  in  contact  with 
him.  He  has  endeavored,  not  by  preach- 
ing, but  by  an  appeal  to  their  reason  to 
set  before  his  men  the  value  of  clean,  up- 
right living,  and  the  advantage  in  mate- 
rial things  which  results  from  it. 

Charles  Banister  Cook,  son  of  William 


and  Sarah  (Sewell)  Cook,  was  born  at 
Sydenham,  England,  October  14,  1875. 
His  father  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Roberts 
and  Ann  (Carrier)  Cook,  residents  of 
Rochford,  England,  and  was  born  in  that 
town,  October  4,  1839.  He  attended  the 
Rochford  National  School,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
He  married,  at  Runwell,  Essex,  March  29, 
1867,  Sarah  Sewell,  who  was  born  at  Bil- 
lericary,  Essex,  England.  He  has  been 
an  enthusiastic  horseman  all  his  life,  and 
has  had  charge  of  some  of  the  famous 
hunting  stables  of  England. 

Charles  B.  Cook  was  educated  in  the 
parochial  school  of  the  Episcopal  church 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  nine  years, 
after  which  time  he  attended  the  Hazel- 
tine  Road  Board  School  until  he  was 
eleven  years  old.  Then  his  formal  educa- 
tion ceased,  and  the  excellent  training 
which  he  has  since  then  acquired  has 
been  the  result  of  burning  the  midnight 
oil  into  the  "wee  sma'  hours"  of  the  morn- 
ing. He  was  ambitious  and  willing  to 
pay  the  price  of  the  sacrifice  which  this 
meant.  As  is  always  the  case,  those  who 
have  bought  education  at  a  dear  price, 
appreciate  it  to  an  extent  impossible  of 
conception  to  those  who  have  taken  it 
casually.  Mr.  Cook  has,  therefore,  ever 
since  been  an  active  and  ardent  supporter 
of  every  movement  having  for  its  objec- 
tive the  bringing  of  educational  oppor- 
tunities within  the  reach  of  those  who  in 
early  life  have  been  denied  them.  At  the 
age  of  eleven  years  he  went  to  work  as 
a  gardener,  and  from  that  time  until  he 
was  fourteen  found  employment  in  such 
unskilled  labor  as  a  child  of  his  years 
could  perform.  Upon  reaching  fourteen 
years  he  became  a  messenger  in  the  tele- 
graph service  of  the  government.  (Tele- 
graph is  a  government  monopoly  in  Eng- 
land). At  seventeen  he  went  into  the 
electrical  department  of  the  General  Post 


173 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Office,  the  first  position  in  which  his  work 
was  mechanical. 

Mr.  Cook  came  to  America  at  the  age 
of  nineteen  years,  and  went  to  Albany, 
New  York,  where  he  was  employed  in  a 
large  commercial  house  for  two  years. 
He  then  decided  to  enter  upon  a  mechan- 
ical line  of  work  and  went  to  New  York 
City  in  search  of  work,  searching  for 
many  months  before  he  finally  secured  a 
position  in  the  factory  of  the  Underwood 
Typewriter  Company  at  Bayonne,  New 
Jersey,  as  stock  boy.  When  he  left  that 
company  in  1907,  he  was  one  of  the  lead- 
ers, in  charge  of  eighteen  hundred  men, 
and  his  rise  was  by  no  other  forces  than 
his  natural  aptitude  for  the  work,  indus- 
try, initiative  and  ambition  to  succeed, 
qualities  which  win  success  wherever  and 
by  whomever  they  are  exercised,  and 
without  which  success  by  honorable 
means  is  impossible.  In  1907,  Mr.  Cook 
became  assistant  factory  manager  for  the 
Royal  Typewriter  Company,  then  located 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York.  The  factory  was 
brought  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  in 
1908,  and  he  had  an  important  part  in  the 
colossal  task  of  transplanting  a  large 
manufacturing  plant.  In  Hartford  the 
difficulties  experienced  in  Brooklyn  from 
a  large  floating  working  population  have 
been  reduced  to  a  minimum  of  about  three 
and  one-half  per  cent.  Manufacturers 
have  come  to  realize  the  expense  involved 
in  training  a  workman,  and  that  the  in- 
vestment is  totally  lost  when  the  worker 
leaves  his  job.  Factories,  therefore,  which 
have  instituted  departments  for  scientific 
study  of  conditions  have  become  alive  to 
the  desirability  of  locating  their  plants 
where  workers  are  not  drawn  from  a  con- 
stantly shifting  population.  In  191 1,  Mr. 
Cook  was  made  factory  manager,  and  on 
January  6,  1913,  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent and  a  director  of  the  company  which 
now  employs  about  two  thousand  hands, 


and  is  excelled  by  no  factory  of  its  type, 
as  regards  equipment.  As  has  been  men- 
tioned before,  it  has  all  the  latest  appli- 
ances for  safe-guarding  the  life  and 
health  of  the  employes,  including  an 
emergency  hospital  and  a  trained  fire 
company.  The  factory  also  has  a  dining 
room,  a  magnificent  library,  and  a  Mutual 
Benefit  Association. 

Mr.  Cook  is  connected  in  an  advisory 
and  executive  capacity  with  several  finan- 
cial and  commercial  organizations.  He  is 
president  of  the  Midwood  Theater,  Inc., 
of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  a  director  of 
the  Hartford  Morris  Plan  Bank.  He  has 
always  been  deeply  interested  in  educa- 
tional affairs,  and  is  a  director  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and 
of  Hillyer's  Institute,  in  the  educational 
departments  of  these  institutions.  He 
was  chairman  of  the  building  committee 
that  erected  the  present  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  Building,  which  is 
one  of  the  handsomest,  most  convenient, 
and  best  equipped  to  be  found  in  any  city 
of  Hartford's  size  in  the  entire  country. 
Mr.  Cook  is  vice-president  of  the  Hart- 
ford Chamber  of  Commerce.  He  is  also 
vice-president  of  the  Rotary  Club.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  no  fur- 
ther connection  with  the  political  world 
than  that  of  the  ordinary  man  of  affairs, 
interested  in  the  political  issues  of  his 
day.  He  has,  however,  served  on  the  Re- 
publican town  committee.  He  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  done  some  very 
valuable  work  for  the  city  of  Hartford. 
He  was  the  originator  of  the  continuation 
work  of  the  High  School,  which  provides 
vocational  training  for  young  men.  The 
introduction  of  this  form  of  training  into 
the  high  schools  was  the  successful  termi- 
nation of  a  six  years'  battle  against  con- 
servatism by  Mr.  Cook  and  those  inter- 
ested with  him  in  the  issue. 


174 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  Cook  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Society  of  Mechanical  Engineers ;  of  the 
Society  for  Industrial  Education ;  of  the 
Hartford  Lodge,  No.  88,  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons;  of  Summit  Lodge, 
No.  44,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows; and  the  Hartford  Club. 

Mr.  Cook  married  Eliza,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Johnston,  of  Albany,  New  York. 
Their  children  are :  Dorothy  Lansing, 
Charles  B.,  Jr.,  and  Alan  Sewell.  The 
family  are  members  of  Trinity  Episcopal 
Church. 

Because  of  the  fact  that  he  is  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  every  phase  of 
factory  life,  Mr.  Cook  is  regarded  as  an 
authority  on  it,  and  has  written  many 
articles  on  efficiency,  factory  manage- 
ment and  allied  subjects  for  technical 
journals.  He  is  the  author  of  a  book  that 
has  had  a  very  wide  sale,  entitled,  "Fac- 
tory Management."  This  covers  factory 
accounting  and  the  human  element  of  the 
plant.  The  following  excerpt  gives  in  the 
form  of  a  resume  Mr.  Cook's  ideas  and 
theories  on  the  subject  of  cooperative  in- 
dustrial education,  for  which  he  has 
labored  unceasingly  for  several  years: 

After  a  great  deal  of  time  and  thought  in  regard 
to  some  way  of  procuring  additional  education  for 
our  shop  boys,  it  has  strongly  forced  itself  upon 
me  that  a  system  of  technical  training,  under 
proper  tutorage,  and  under  the  apprenticeship 
system  is  what  the  manufacturers  of  Hartford 
need  to-day.  Our  shop  boys,  good  and  bad,  as 
far  as  ability  goes,  are  being  put  into  positions 
whereby  they  are  simply  cogs  in  the  wheel  of  a 
great  system,  becoming  specialists  in  a  meagre 
capacity,  and  the  time  comes  when,  too  late  to 
turn  themselves,  advancement  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, due  to  their  restricted  experience.  The  boy 
of  well-to-do  parents  escapes  this  condition  as  he 
can  make  changes  without  interference  of  the 
stoppage  of  pay  that  goes  to  the  needy  family, 
and  who  has  a  better  educational  foundation. 
What  we  want  in  Hartford,  and  please  let  us 
emphasize  this,  is  an  educational  course,  followed 
and  endorsed  by  most  or  all  factories  of  this  city 
for  the  boys  who  are  ambitious  and  have  ability. 


Under  the  present  system  of  our  factories,  impor- 
tant position  are  filled  by  men  from  outside,  and 
you  will,  I  think,  agree  with  me,  that  most  of 
them  could  have  been  filled  from  the  ranks  if  the 
employees  had  had  the  advantage  of  cooperative 
education. 


WELCH,  Archibald  Ashley, 

Insurance  Actuary. 

Through  the  work  of  actuaries,  life  in- 
surance has  been  reduced  to  an  exact 
science.  In  the  earlier  days  of  the  busi- 
ness complete  reliance  was  placed  upon 
a  single  table  of  mortality  rates,  but  now 
that  there  are  companies  in  our  country 
whose  life  has  passed  the  half  century 
mark,  such  companies  rely  more  upon 
their  own  actuarial  departments,  and  the 
lesult  of  their  own  experience.  This  has 
given  those  departments  an  added  impor- 
tance, and  to-day  no  company  can  suc- 
ceed that  is  weak  in  actuarial  strength, 
for  the  actuary  is  the  mathematical  sheet 
anchor  of  his  company,  and  on  his  exact- 
ness in  preparing  the  different  tables  of 
figures  hangs  the  weal  or  woe  of  that 
company.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century  Mr. 
Welch  has  been  an  actuary,  and  that  he 
is  to-day  actuary  and  vice-president  of  the 
Phoenix  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company, 
and  has  been  chosen  president  of  the 
Actuarial  Society  of  America  is  all  the 
proof  that  is  needed  to  establish  the  high 
value  of  his  attainment.  The  four  gener- 
ations of  his  ancestors,  beginning  with 
Rev.  Daniel  Welch,  of  the  third  gener- 
ation, have  been  students  or  graduates  of 
Yale  College,  and  there  he  entered  but 
did  not  graduate  with  his  class,  leaving 
at  the  end  of  his  junior  year,  but  later  re- 
turned and  received  his  degree. 

Rev.  Daniel  Welch  was  a  son  of  Thom- 
as Welch,  a  large  landowner  of  Windham 
county,  Connecticut,  son  of  James  Welch, 
the  American  founder  of  the  family,  who 
was  a   soldier  in   King  Philip's   War   in 


175 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1676.  He  received  land  for  his  services 
in  that  war  at  Voluntown,  Connecticut, 
and  leaving  Rhode  Island,  he  settled  upon 
his  land  at  Voluntown,  where  he  died 
prior  to  1726.  In  1702  he  was  living  in 
Plainfield,  Connecticut.  Rev.  Daniel 
Welch  was  a  graduate  of  Yale,  class  of 
1749,  was  ordained  minister  over  the 
church  at  North  Mansfield,  June  29,  1752, 
and  continued  its  pastor  until  his  death, 
April  29,  1782. 

His  son,  Rev.  Moses  Cook  Welch,  D. 
D.,  was  a  graduate  of  Yale,  class  of  1772, 
taught  school,  studied  law,  but  in  defer- 
ence to  his  father's  wishes  discontinued  it, 
served  for  a  time  in  the  Revolutionary 
army,  illness  ending  his  service,  then 
studied  divinity  and  succeeded  his  hon- 
ored father  as  minister  of  the  church  at 
North  Mansfield,  being  ordained  June  2, 
1784.  He  continued  in  the  ministry  until 
his  death,  April  21,  1824,  having  been 
pastor  of  the  same  church  forty  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Yale  College 
Corporation,  1822-24,  and  received  in  1824 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from 
Dartmouth  College.  Many  of  his  ser- 
mons, addresses  and  essays  have  been 
published. 

His  son,  Dr.  Archibald  Welch,  attended 
medical  lectures  at  Yale  College,  and  was 
licensed  to  practice  in  September,  1816, 
but  not  until  1836  did  he  receive  his  de- 
gree of  M.  D.  from  Yale,  having  then 
been  in  successful  practice  at  Mansfield 
and  Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  for  twenty 
years.  He  practiced  at  Mansfield,  1816- 
32;  at  Wethersfield,  1832-48,  and  at  Hart- 
ford from  1841  until  his  death,  1853.  For 
ten  years  he  was  in  charge  of  the  medical 
department  of  the  Connecticut  State 
Prison,  was  secretary,  vice-president  and 
president  of  the  State  Aledical  Society. 
He  represented  his  district  in  the  State 
Assembly,  was  a  strenuous  advocate  of 
the  temperance  cause,  well  informed  on 


all  questions  of  public  interest,  and  a  for- 
midable antagonist  in  discussion  or  de- 
bate. He  was  highly  esteemed,  was  a 
skillful  physician,  very  hospitable,  witty, 
lively  and  entertaining  in  speech,  gener- 
ous with  his  wealth  and  freely  helped 
those  in  need.  He  met  his  death  in  the 
disaster  at  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  when 
ihe  train  upon  which  he  was  returning 
with  other  prominent  physicians  from  a 
meeting  of  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation, in  New  York,  went  into  the  river 
through  an  open  drawbridge. 

His  son,  Henry  Kirk  White  Welch,  was 
born  at  Mansfield,  Connecticut,  January 
I,  1821,  and  died  in  November,  1870.  He 
was  a  graduate  of  Yale,  class  of  1842, 
studied  law,  became  a  law  partner  of 
Judge  Nathaniel  Shipman,  was  highly 
rated  as  a  lawyer,  and  was  a  director  of 
the  old  Continental  Insurance  Company. 
He  took  a  keen  interest  in  public  aflrairs, 
filled  many  offices  of  public  trust,  repre- 
sented Hartford  in  the  General  Assembly, 
and  was  chairman  of  the  high  school  com- 
mittee. He  was  a  man  of  high  ideals,  cul- 
tured tastes,  and  the  soul  of  honor.  Mr. 
Welch  married,  October  5,  1858,  Susan 
Leavitt  Goodwin,  of  Hartford,  daughter 
of  Edward  and  Eliza  Amy  (Sheldon) 
Goodwin.  Children:  Archibald  Ashley, 
of  whom  further ;  Edward  G.,  born  Janu- 
ary 14,  1861,  died  in  1894;  Frances  G., 
born  March  7,  1864,  became  the  wife  of 
Bernard  T.  Williams  ;  Henry  Kirk  White, 
born  December  4,  1865,  associated  offi- 
cially with  the  J.  B.  Williams  Company, 
of  Glastonbury,  Connecticut;  Lewis  S., 
born  July  19,  1867,  graduate  of  Yale,  class 
of  1889.  and  the  first  editor  of  "Yale  Alum- 
ni Weekly." 

The  Goodwin  family,  of  which  Mrs. 
Henry  Kirk  White  Welch  was  a  represen- 
tative, was  founded  in  America  by  Ozias 
Goodwin,  who  came  with  his  brother. 
Elder  William  Goodwin,  and  settled  in 
176 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  Ozias  Good- 
win in  1639-40  had  a  house  and  lot  "on 
the  highway  leading  from  Seth  Grant's 
house  to  Centinal  Hill."  From  Ozias 
Goodwin  and  his  wife,  Mary  (Woodward) 
Goodwin,  whom  he  married  in  England, 
the  line  of  descent  was  through  their  son, 
Nathaniel  Goodwin ;  his  son,  Samuel 
Goodwin  ;  his  son,  Samuel  (2)  Goodwin  ; 
his  son,  George  Goodwin ;  his  son,  Ed- 
ward Goodwin,  father  of  Mrs.  Welch. 
George  Goodwin,  born  January  7,  1757, 
died  May  13.  1844.  At  the  age  of  nine 
years  he  became  office  boy  to  Thomas 
Green,  who  founded  the  Flartford  "Cou- 
rant,"  October  29,  1764.  From  that  time 
until  1836  George  Goodwin  was  connected 
with  the  "Courant"  as  office  boy,  appren- 
tice, editor  and  owner,  and  when  in  1836 
the  paper  was  sold  to  J.  L.  Boswell  one  of 
the  stipulations  of  the  contract  was  that 
Mr.  Goodwin  should  have  the  privilege 
of  working  in  the  "Courant"  office  when- 
ever he  pleased,  and  until  very  neai  the 
close  of  his  life  he  availed  himself  of  this 
light.  Edward  Goodwin,  ]:is  son  born 
December  7,  1800,  was  a  graduate  of  Yale, 
class  of  1823.  He  entered  the  law  school 
of  Judge  Reeve  at  Litchfield,  but  at  the 
solicitation  of  his  father  gave  up  the  study 
of  law  and  became  editor  of  the  "Cou- 
rant." When  his  father  retired  from  the 
"Courant"  in  1836,  Edward  Goodwin  asso- 
ciated with  his  father  and  brothers  in  the 
firm  of  Goodwin  &  Company,  publishers 
and  paper  manufacturers,  and  in  the  firm 
of  H.  &  E.  Goodwin  until  going  out  of 
business  in  1861.  He  was  later  deputy 
collector  of  internal  revenue,  but  from 
1861  was  practically  retired  from  public 
life.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  natural 
ability  and  cultivated  literary  tastes,  a 
student  of  classics  and  a.  fine  Latin 
scholar.  He  married  (second)  Novem- 
ber 3,  1820,  Eliza  Amy  (Lewis)  Sheldon, 
born  in   Goshen,   Connecticut,  December 

Conn— S— 12 


29,  1798,  died  January  7,  1887,  daughter 
of  Elihu  and  Clarinda  (Stanley)  Lewis,  of 
Onondaga  county,  New  York,  and  widow 
of  Henry  Sheldon,  of  Litchfield,  Connec- 
ticut. Edward  Gooidwin  died  October  25, 
1883,  nearly  three  years  after  celebrat- 
ing the  golden  anniversary  of  his  second 
wedding  day.  Children  of  second  mar- 
riage: Edward,  married  Annie  S.  Conk- 
lin;  Susan  Leavitt,  born  March  31,  1834, 
married  Henry  Kirk  White  Welch,  of 
previous  mention ;  Sheldon,  born  July  7, 
1836,  married  Emma  S.  Messenger. 

Archibald  Ashley  Welch,  eldest  son  of 
Henry  Kirk  White  and  Susan  Leavitt 
(Goodwin)  Welch,  was  born  at  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  October  6,  1859,  in  which 
city  he  has  since  resided.  He  passed 
through  all  grades  of  the  North  School 
and  the  high  school,  graduating  in  the 
class  of  1878.  He  then  entered  Yale  Col- 
lege, completing  his  junior  year,  then  left 
college  to  engage  in  business  life.  He 
spent  the  years  until  1890  as  clerk  in  the 
actuary's  office  of  the  Travelers'  Insur- 
ance Company  of  Hartford,  resigning  to 
accept  the  office  of  actuary  of  the  Phoenix 
Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  of  Hart- 
ford. In  1891  he  completed  his  senior 
year  course  at  Yale,  and  was  awarded  his 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  class  of  1882. 
He  has  continued  as  actuary  of  the 
Phoenix  until  the  present  time  (1917), 
and  in  1904  was  elected  second  vice-presi- 
dent, receiving  the  appointment  of  vice- 
president  in  January,  1915.  He  is  also 
a  trustee  of  the  Society  for  Savings,  and 
a  director  of  the  Hartford  Retreat,  one  of 
the  United  States  trustees  for  the  Prus- 
sian Life  Insurance  Company,  and  a 
director  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce. 
I'or  fifteen  years  he  served  as  chairman 
of  the  high  school  committee,  and  is  ex- 
secretary  and  now  vice-president  of  the 
American  School  for  the  Deaf.  He  is  an 
ex-president  of  the  Actuarial   Society  of 

77 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


America,  a  member  of  the  Hartford,  Hart- 
ford Golf,  University,  Farmington  Coun- 
try clubs,  the  Graduates  Club  of  New 
Haven,  the  University  and  Yale  clubs  of 
New  York  City,  and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon 
and  Delta  Kappa  fraternities.  In  religious 
affiliation  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
Science  church,  and  in  politics  a  Repub- 
lican. 

Mr.  Welch  married,  October  24,  1889, 
Ellen  Bunce,  daughter  of  James  M.  and 
Elizabeth  (Chester)  Bunce.  James  M. 
Bunce  was  a  wholesale  grocer  of  Hart- 
ford, and  vice-president  of  the  Hartford. 
Providence  &  Fishkill  Railroad  Company. 


TRAUT,  George  Washington, 

Manufacturer,  Finaucier. 

Three  generations  of  this  ancient  Ger- 
man family  have  contributed  to  the  in- 
dustrial and  commercial  greatness  of  New 
Britain,  Connecticut:  Frederick  A.  Traut, 
the  founder;  Justus  A.  Traut,  his  son; 
George  W.  Traut,  his  grandson,  all  men 
of  education,  mechanical  genius  and 
wealth.  Frederick  A.  and  Justus  A.  Traut 
have  now  passed  to  their  reward,  having 
borne  well  their  part  in  life's  activities. 
After  over  half  a  century  of  life  in  his 
adopted  city,  Justus  A.  Traut  thus  ex- 
pressed his  sentiments  as  a  proud  and 
loyal  citizen  of  the  United  States:  "A 
man's  nationality  remains  part  of  him  al- 
ways, and  this  is  as  it  should  be.  I  can- 
not help  feeling  a  double  sense  of  loyalty 
as  if  the  roots  of  my  life-tree  were  divided, 
one-half  still  growing  in  the  Vaterland, 
while  the  other  is  thriving  in  the  gener- 
ous atmosphere  of  this  glorious  republic, 
I'.nd  more  closely  confined  in  the  atmos- 
phere and  circle  of  my  friends  and  busi- 
ness associates  of  a  lifetime  in  whose 
midst  I  hope  to  enjoy  many  a  year  of 
active  and  therefore  happy  usefulness." 

Frederick    A.    Traut    acquired    a    large 


estate  near  Berlin,  Germany,  his  fortune 
arising  from  the  invention  of  a  wood  ve- 
neering machine  which  came  into  univer- 
sal use.  The  political  upheavals  of  his 
period  caught  him  in  their  meshes,  caus- 
ing him  to  sell  his  estate  and  remove  to 
the  city  of  Berlin.  Later  he  came  to  the 
United  States,  located  in  New  Britain, 
Connecticut,  where  he  was  identified  with 
the  firm  of  Hall  &  Knapp. 

Justus  A.  Traut,  son  of  Frederick  A. 
Traut,  was  born  in  Pottsdam,  Germany, 
m  1839,  died  in  New  Britain,  Connecticut, 
in  1909.  He  completed  a  course  of  study 
in  the  gymnasium  at  Berlin  when  but 
fifteen  years  of  age,  being  the  youngest 
member  of  his  class.  His  father  in  the 
meantime  had  gone  to  the  United  States 
and  in  1854,  after  graduation,  the  son 
joined  his  father  in  New  Britain,  that 
"City  of  Inventions."  He  also  obtained 
a  position  with  the  firm  of  Hall  &  Knapp, 
continuing  until  that  company  was  ab- 
sorbed by  the  Stanley  Rule  &  Level  Com- 
pany in  1856.  He  then  transferred  his 
services  to  the  new  owners,  and  for  over 
half  a  century  contributed  to  its  great- 
ness. He  inherited  his  father's  inventive 
genius  and  added  to  the  family  fame 
through  his  many  inventions,  numbering 
over  three  hundred,  for  which  patents 
were  issued.  The  special  line  which  occu- 
pied the  genius  of  this  "king  of  inventors" 
was  the  invention  and  perfection  of  tools 
and  instruments  used  by  carpenters  and 
wood  workers,  also  instruments  of  pre- 
cision used  by  constructive  mechanics 
and  engineers  the  world  over.  These, 
v.'hen  placed  upon  the  market,  with  the 
style  and  finish  characteristic  of  every 
tool  and  instrument  which  bore  the  trade 
mark  of  the  Stanley  Rule  i!v  Level  Com- 
pany, gained  the  instant  attention  of  the 
trade  and  when  placed  in  actual  use  quick- 
ly demonstrated  their  practical  value  to 
mechanic  and  engineer,  ^^'hile  tools  and 
78 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


■instruments  gave  him  his  fame  as  an  in- 
ventor, he  went  far  afield,  and  there  are 
man)'  inventions  used  in  the  home  and 
elsewhere  which  bear  his  name.  He  did 
not  confine  himself  strictly  to  the  Stanley 
Rule  &  Level  Company,  but  was  identified 
with  other  manufacturing  corporations  as 
director,  and  in  1888  organized  the  Traut 
&  Hine  Manufacturing  Company,  of 
which  he  was  president  until  his  death. 
He  was  a  great  lover  of  out-of-door  life 
and  a  devoted  student  of  nature.  He 
served  on  the  board  of  directors  of  New 
Britain  General  Hospital  from  its  organi- 
zation, and  held  many  city  and  town 
offices. 

Air.  Traut  married  Louisa  B.  Burck- 
hardt,  daughter  of  Christian  B.  Burck- 
hardt,  of  Giessen,  Upper  Hesse  Province, 
Germany.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
sons  who  grew  to  adult  years :  George 
W.,  of  further  mention,  and  Frank  L., 
vice-president  of  the  Traut  &  Hine  Com- 
pany.   Mrs.  Traut  died  in  1887. 

George  Washington  Traut,  elder  son  of 
Justus  A.  and  Louisa  B.  (Burckhardt) 
Traut,  was  born  in  New  Britain,  Connec- 
ticut, February  22,  1869.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools,  and  at  the 
completion  of  his  high  school  course  in 
1888  at  once  began  work  in  the  line  of 
activity  in  which  his  father  and  his  grand- 
father had  won  such  enviable  reputation. 
He  was  endowed  with  their  love  of  me- 
chanical and  manufacturing  operations, 
and  had  not  his  path  led  along  the  line  of 
executive  and  managerial  responsibility, 
he  would  have  been  as  great  a  success  in 
the  mechanical  department.  In  18S8  his 
career  as  a  manufacturer  began  with  the 
establishment  of  the  Traut  &  Hine  Manu- 
facturing Company,  of  which  his  honored 
father  was  founder  and  head.  George  W. 
Traut  was  chosen  treasurer  of  the  com- 
pany, and  from  1888  until  1909  was  also 
general  manager.    The  company  has  had 


a  most  successful  career  and  holds  honor- 
able position  among  the  industrial  enter- 
prises of  New  Britain.  On  the  death  of 
his  father  in  1909,  Mr.  Traut  succeeded 
him  as  president  of  the  company,  also 
holding  in  connection  with  the  executive 
management  the  office  of  treasurer.  He 
is  also  a  director  of  the  Savings  Bank  of 
New  Britain,  the  New  Britain  National 
Bank  and  the  United  States  Fastener 
Company  of  Boston.  This  record  of  the 
business  activities  of  three  generations  is 
one  of  unusual  interest,  and  stands  as  an- 
other proof  that  in  the  transplanting 
process  German  efficiency  does  not  lose 
its  potency,  but  in  this  free  soil  and  gen- 
erous atmosphere  gains  additional  force 
and  strength. 

He  has  long  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the 
New  Britain  General  Hospital,  of  which 
his  father  was  one  of  the  founders,  and  is 
now  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors. 
He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  as  a 
member  of  Common  Council  rendered 
valued  service  to  the  cause  of  good  gov- 
ernment. For  twelve  years  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  and 
a  warm  friend  of  the  public  school  system. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  South  Congrega- 
tional Church  ;  Harmony  Lodge,  Ancient 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons ;  Giddings 
Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Doric 
Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  of 
New  Britain ;  Washington  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar;  and  Sphinx  Temple, 
Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  His  clubs 
are  the  New  Britain.  Farmington  Coun- 
try and  Turn  Verein  of  New  Britain. 
From,  his  own  experience  and  as  a  guide 
to  true  success  in  life,  Mr.  Traut  empha- 
sizes :  "Absolute  honesty  and  faithful- 
HL'Ss,  perseverance  in  business  afifairs  and 
fair  treatment  to  every  one."  These  are 
the  principles  by  which  his  own  career 
has  been  guided  and  from  the  fullness  of 
his  success  their  value  is  proven. 


179 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mr.  Traut  married.  May  i,  1895,  Amalie 
A.  B.  Sternberg,  daughter  of  A.  C.  Stern- 
berg, of  West  Hartford.  They  are  the 
parents  of  five  children :  Justus  A.,  died 
in  infancy;  Elizabeth,  Francesca  I.,  Am- 
alie L.  and  Anna  C.  The  family  home  is 
"Traut   Lodge,"   New  Britain. 


BURRALL,  John  Milton, 

Manufacturer. 

The  Burrall  family  in  this  line  is  of 
pure  English  descent,  the  family  one  of 
worth  and  influence  in  England  from  an 
early  period,  and  it  has  been  represented 
in  this  country  for  several  centuries,  its 
members  in  the  various  generations  rank- 
ing among  the  prominent  and  progressive 
citizens  of  this  Commonwealth. 

(I)  The  earliest  known  ancestor  of  the 
line  of  the  Burrall  family  herein  followed 
was  William  Burrall,  a  native  of  England, 
a  chemist  and  refiner  of  metals,  who  was 
induced  to  come  to  America  in  1715  by 
the  owner  of  copper  mines  in  Simsbury, 
Connecticut.  The  headquarters  were 
located  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  where 
Mr.  Burrall  resided  for  a  time,  removing 
to  Simsbury,  Connecticut,  about  1720. 
He  married  (first)  Joanna  Westover,  who 
remained  in  England,  and  shortly  after 
his  arrival  here  she  died  at  Redworth, 
England.  He  married  (second)  Hannah, 
widow  of  Thomas  Welton,  of  Waterbury, 
to  whom  she  was  married  March  9,  1714; 
he  died  in  Waterbury,  April  9,  171 7.  She 
was  born  March  12,  1694,  daughter  of 
Josiah  and  Hannah  (Westover)  Allford, 
of  Simsbury.  William  Burrall  died  in 
Connecticut,  1723. 

(II)  Colonel  Charles  Burrall,  son  of 
William  Burrall,  was  born  February  21, 
1720,  in  Simsbury,  Connecticut,  and  died 
October  7,  1803.  He  settled  in  Canaan, 
Connecticut,  of  which  town  he  was  one 
of  the  grantees,  probably  before  1750,  and 


was  its  representative  in  the  General 
Court  in  1760-61-62-63,  1766,  1769,  1770- 
71-72-73-74,  1778-79,  1781-82-83,  1785-86- 
87-88.  In  1769  he  was  styled  captain, 
1770  major,  and  in  1778  and  thencefor- 
ward colonel.  He  received  his  commis- 
sion as  colonel  from  Governor  Trumbull, 
and  led  the  troops  of  that  State  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Ticonderoga.  His  regiment  was 
the  Fourteenth  Connecticut  Militia,  which 
did  such  good  service  under  General 
Gates  in  New  York  in  1777,  and  later  at 
Bennington,  Vermont.  He  married  for 
his  second  wife,  December  25,  1746,  Abi- 
gail Kellogg,  born  September  28,  1728, 
and  died  January  28,  1789. 

(III)  Captain  Charles  (2)  Burrall,  son 
of  Colonel  Charles  (I)  Burrall,  was  born 
February  18,  1751,  and  died  January  17, 
1820.  He  also  represented  the  town  of 
Canaan,  Connecticut,  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature in  1789-90,  1792-93-94-95.  He  mar- 
ried Anna  Beebe,  of  Canaan,  Connecticut. 

(IV)  Charles  (3)  Burrall,  son  of  Cap- 
tain Charles  (2)  Burrall,  married  Lucy 
Beach,  and  among  their  children  was 
John  Milton,  of  whom  further. 

(V)  John  Milton  Burrall,  son  of  Charles 
(3)  and  Lucy  (Beach)  Burrall,  was  born 
in  Canaan,  Connecticut,  January  8,  1817. 
He  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Canaan 
and  Hartford  Academy,  and  after  com- 
pleting his  studies  he  served  an  appren- 
ticeship at  the  trade  of  cabinetmaking  in 
Hartford,  of  which  city  he  was  a  resident 
four  years.  He  then  engaged  in  business 
in  Plymouth  and  conducted  the  same 
until  October,  1849,  '"  which  year  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  George  Root, 
of  Waterbury,  and  they  established  a  fur- 
niture store  on  East  Main  street,  Water- 
bury, under  the  firm  name  of  J.  M.  Bur- 
rall &  Company.  In  1852  a  building  was 
erected  at  No.  60  Banks  street,  where  the 
partners  conducted  a  furniture  and  un- 
dertaking   business    under    the    name    of 

;8o 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Burrall  &  Root,  and  later  the  business 
was  conducted  under  the  names  of  J.  M. 
Burrall  &  Sons  and  J.  M.  Burrall  &  Com- 
pany. Mr.  Burrall  was  one  of  the  oldest 
business  men  in  Waterbury,  also  one  of 
the  most  successful,  conducting  his  busi- 
ness along  honorable  and  straightforward 
lines,  winning  and  retaining  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  had  busi- 
ness relations.  He  was  also  one  of  the 
oldest  directors  of  the  Waterbury  Na- 
tional Bank,  a  director  of  the  Waterbury 
Savings  Bank,  a  member  of  the  Common 
Council,  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Relief, 
a  member  of  the  District  School  Com- 
mittee in  1859,  in  which  work  he  took  an 
active  interest,  and  was  one  of  the  orig- 
inal members  of  the  Citizens  Engine 
Company,  No.  2,  of  Waterbury.  Mr.  Bur- 
rall married  (first)  July  8,  1841,  Mary 
Louise  Coley,  born  in  Plymouth,  Connec- 
ticut, and  died  January  29,  1889.  Their 
children  are :  Charles  Homer,  who  died 
in  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  October  i, 
1842 ;  Lucy  Marion,  born  May  8,  1844, 
died  March  9,  1866;  Edward  Milton,  born 
May  24,  1848,  died  November  4,  1901, 
married.  May  17,  1877,  Mary  Eunice 
Booth,  daughter  of  John  C.  Booth,  men- 
tioned at  length  in  following  sketch ;  and 
Charles  William,  of  whom  further.  Mr. 
Burrall  married  (second)  April  9,  1894, 
Mrs.  Mary  J.  Bunnell. 

(VI)  Charles  William  Burrall,  son  of 
John  Milton  and  Mary  Louise  (Coley) 
Burrall,  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Connec- 
ticut, April  10,  1850.  He  acquired  a  prac- 
tical education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
city,  and  for  many  years  thereafter  he 
was  successfully  engaged  in  business  pur- 
suits, having  been  a  member  of  the  J. 
M.  Burrall  &  Company,  established  by 
his  father,  which  was  a  very  thriving 
establishment,  engaged  in  the  furniture 
trade.  He  is  now  (1916)  living  retired  at 
Union  City,  near  Waterbury.     He  mar- 


ried, October  2,  1872,  Cora  LeRoy  Pritch- 
ard,  born  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  died 
aged  forty-three  years,  daughter  of 
George  and  Frances  Jeannette  (Scott) 
Pritchard.  Three  children  were  born  of 
this  marriage:  John  Milton,  of  whom 
further ;  Lucy  Beach  and  Mary  Frances, 
both  living  unmarried  in  Waterbury. 

(VII)  John  Milton  (2)  Burrall,  only 
son  of  Charles  William  and  Cora  LeRoy 
(Pritchard)  Burrall,  was  born  in  Water- 
'bury,  Connecticut,  August  13,  1873.  He 
was  educated  in  the  local  schools  and  a 
business  college.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years  he  entered  the  works  of  the 
American  Ring  Company,  where  he  in 
time  mastered  all  the  details  of  the  busi- 
ness and  rose  gradually  to  the  positions  of 
secretary  and  general  manager,  in  which 
capacities  he  has  served  since  191 1.  He 
is  possessed  of  personal  qualities  that 
make  him  popular,  and  is  very  well 
known  in  the  city  of  Waterbury,  in  all  of 
whose  interests  he  takes  advanced 
ground.  He  is  a  member  of  St.  John's 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  and  of  the 
Waterbury  and  Country  clubs  of  Water- 
bury. Politically  he  acts  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  and  has  filled  important  posi- 
tions in  the  city  government,  among  them 
that  of  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Public 
Safety,  and  alderman  from  the  Third 
Ward  under  the  administration  of  Mayor 
Hotchkiss.  He  has  been  very  active  in 
promoting  the  interests  of  the  State 
Militia  of  Connecticut,  and  is  a  charter 
member  of  Company  H,  Second  Infantry. 
In  this  he  filled  the  offices  of  first  lieuten- 
ant, battalion  adjutant  of  the  Second  Bat- 
talion, and  was  very  popular  among  his 
comrades.  Mr.  Burrall  is  still  a  young 
man  and  gives  promise  of  further  activi- 
ties in  promoting  the  advancement  of 
various  interests  of  the  city  of  Water- 
bury, of  which  he  is  justly  proud. 

Mr.  Burrall  married  in  New  York  City, 


i«i 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


May  20,  1905,  Inez  Hart,  born  in  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  daughter  of  Era  Thomas 
Hart,  a  prominent  manufacturer  of  that 
city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burrall  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children:  John  Milton, 
born  April  3,  1908;  Henry  Driggs,  No- 
vember 15,  191 1  ;  Stephen  Hart,  February 
21,  1913. 


BURRALL,  John  Booth, 

Business  Man,  Financier, 

There  is  a  very  appropriate  admiration 
in  this  country  for  the  type  which  we 
most  aptly  term  the  self-made  man,  for 
the  man  who  has  started  from  humble 
beginnings  and  worked  his  way  up  to  a 
place  of  prominence  in  the  community. 
The  admiration  is  appropriate  because, 
beyond  question,  these  men  are  the  most 
characteristic  of  American  types,  the  type 
to  which  we  owe  the  great  material  de- 
velopment which  this  country  has  en- 
joyed in  the  few  centuries  of  its  existence. 
Yet  we  should  not  forget,  because  of  our 
admiration,  that,  although  of  rarer  occur- 
rence, although  less  typical,  there  is  an- 
other class  that,  as  individuals,  are 
deserving  of  an  equally  great  meed  of 
praise  and  approval.  These  are  the  men 
who  have  started  as  children  of  wealth 
and  yet  made  themselves  important  and 
worthy  factors  in  the  life  of  the  com- 
munity. For  the  temptations  of  wealth 
are  not  less  than  those  of  poverty,  nay, 
rather  more  for  in  the  latter  case  the  sting 
of  necessity  adds  a  compelling  impulse  to 
our  good  resolutions  to  succeed,  which, 
in  an  environment  of  ease  and  plenty, 
must  undertake  our  salvation  unaided. 
The  feeling  of  discouragement  at  having 
to  face  the  world  without  assistance  is 
doubtless  bitter,  yet  it  is  not  more  diffi- 
cult to  overcome  than  the  temptation  not 
to  face  it  at  all  which  those  who  are  born 
with  silver  spoons  must  contend  against. 


And  then,  too,  that  bracing  and  strength- 
ening of  the  moral  tissues  that  comes 
with  the  necessity  to  labor  from  an  early 
age  is  lacking  in  the  lives  of  those  who, 
in  popular  phrase,  are  called  the  for- 
tunate, who  must,  if  they  would  make 
themselves  laborers  in  the  great  fields  of 
human  endeavor,  make  a  conscious  effort 
to  perform  much  that,  with  the  other, 
has  become  a  mere  habit.  So  it  is  that 
we  must  yield  an  equal  credit  to  those 
who,  having  overcome  the  difficulties  of 
good  fortune,  are  become  a  part  of  the 
active  portion  of  the  community,  who 
have  made  their  lives  significant  in  the 
general  sum  of  human  efTort.  Such  a  man 
is  John  Booth  Burrall,  of  Waterbury, 
Connecticut,  one  of  the  youngest,  yet 
most  prominent,  figures  in  the  industrial 
and  financial  world  of  that  flourishing 
city. 

Mr.  Burrall's  father  was  Edward  Mil- 
ton Burrall,  one  of  the  most  prominent 
manufacturers  of  Waterbury  during  the 
last  generation,  and  president  of  the 
American  Ring  Company,  manufacturers 
of  artistic  brass  goods  and  other  metal 
work.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Water- 
bury Board  of  Hope,  an  early  organiza- 
tion connected  with  the  church  and  Sun- 
day school.  IVIr.  Burrall,  Sr.,  met  his 
death  on  November  4,  1901,  in  New  York 
City,  and  is  survived  by  his  wife,  who  was 
Mary  Eunice  Booth,  of  Waterbury, 
daughter  of  John  C.  Booth,  to  whom  he 
was  married  May  17,  1877,  and  who  is 
now  residing  with  her  son,  the  Mr.  Bur- 
rall of  this  brief  sketch. 

John  Booth  Burrall  was  born  on  Octo- 
ber 14,  1879,  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut, 
and  received  the  earliest  portion  of  his 
education  in  the  local  private  schools. 
In  the  year  1884,  having  reached  the  ag6 
of  fifteen  years,  he  was  sent  to  the  Taft 
School  at  Waterbury,  where  he  prepared 
himself   for   a   college   course.      In    1898, 


I«2 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


after  four  years  spent  in  this  institution, 
he  matriculated  at  Yale  University,  where 
he  distinguished  himself  as  an  apt  and 
industrious  scholar,  and  graduated  with 
the  class  of  1902.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Bur- 
rail  entered  the  employ  of  the  American 
Ring  Company,  of  which  his  father  had 
recently  been  president,  and  thus  began 
his  career  in  the  business  world  in  which 
he  was  soon  destined  to  become  so  impor- 
tant a  figure.  The  American  Ring  Com- 
pany is  one  of  the  oldest  concerns  in 
Waterbury,  having  been  established  as 
early  as  the  year  1810  and  incorporated 
in  1852.  It  has  known  over  a  century  of 
well  nigh  uninterrupted  prosperity,  and 
of  comparatively  recent  years  under  the 
able  management  of  the  Burralls,  father 
and  son,  has  grown  to  very  large  pro- 
portions. For  Mr.  Burrall  did  not  long 
remain  in  a  subordinate  position,  but  be- 
came treasurer  of  the  corporation,  and 
president  in  1914,  an  office  which  he  holds 
at  the  present  time.  But  although  he  is, 
perhaps,  more  closely  identified  with  the 
American  Ring  Company  than  with  any 
other  concern,  his  business  interests  are 
by  no  means  limited  to  it  and  he  is  asso- 
ciated with  a  great  number  of  important 
institutions,  financial  and  industrial  in 
various  official  capacities.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Colonial  Trust  Company,  a  trustee  of  the 
Dime  Savings  Bank  and  a  director  of  the 
Morris  Plan  Bank,  all  of  Waterbury.  He 
is  also  president  of  the  Plume  and  At- 
wood  Manufacturing  Company  of  Water- 
bury, and  a  director  in  the  following  con- 
cerns :  The  American  Pin  Company,  the 
Waterbury  Castings  Company,  the 
Homer  D.  Bronson  Company  and  the 
Waterbury  Hotel  Corporation. 

Even  for  a  man  who  had  spent  a  long 
lifetime  in  control  of  great  business  inter- 
ests such  tasks,  as  involved  by  the  various 
offices  held  bv   Mr.   Burrall,   might   well 


prove  an  exacting  burden  which  would 
leave  but  little  time  for  taking  part  in 
any  other  aspects  of  the  community's  life. 
It  is  all  the  more  surprising,  therefore, 
to  note  in  so  young  a  man  the  ability  to 
discharge  these  tasks  adequately  and  yet 
reserve  time  for  other  occupations  and 
pastimes.  For  Mr.  Burrall  is  a  conspicu- 
ous figure  in  the  social  life  of  Waterbury 
and  a  member  of  many  prominent  clubs. 
Among  these  should  be  mentioned  the 
University  Club  and  the  Yale  Club  of 
New  York  City,  the  Graduates  Club  of 
New  Haven,  the  Waterbury,  the  Home 
and  the  Country  clubs  of  Waterbury  and 
the  Country  Club  of  Farmington,  Con- 
necticut. Mr.  Burrall  is  an  Episcopalian 
in  religion  and  a  member  of  St.  John's 
Church  in  Waterbury. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Burrall  is  as  yet  but 
beginning,  but  it  is  a  beginning  of  a  kind 
that  promises  brilliant  things  for  the 
future.  To  a  man  of  his  talents  and  ver- 
satility very  few  doors  are  closed  and  his 
many  friends  and  admirers  are  not  un- 
warranted in  looking  forward  to  a  large 
accomplishment.  For  not  the  least  of 
Mr.  Burrall's  achievements  is  that  he  has 
many  friends,  adding,  as  he  does,  to  his 
other  talents  that  of  winning  and  retain- 
ing the  affection  of  his  associates. 

On  May  20,  1916,  Mr.  Burrall  married 
Margaret  Fallon  Barber,  daughter  ol 
William  Hassett  and  Agatha  (Ottman) 
Fallon,  of  New  York  City. 


HAMPSON,  Robert  William, 

Merchant. 

Robert  William  Hampson,  one  of  the 
successful  merchants  of  Waterbury,  Con- 
necticut, is  a  descendant  of  an  excellent 
English  family,  the  seat  of  the  family  for 
a  number  of  generations  being  the  city  of 
Manchester,  which  is  the  great  center  of 
the  cotton  manufacture  of  the  northwest 


183 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  England,  also  a  depot  for  all  kinds  of 
textile  fabrics,  and  does  a  very  large 
export  trade. 

Thomas  and  Sarah  (Knight)  Hampson, 
grandparents  of  Robert  William  Hamp- 
son, lived  and  died  in  Manchester,  Eng- 
land, and  their  son.  Thomas  Hampson, 
father  of  Robert  William  Hampson,  was 
born  in  Manchester,  in  which  city  he 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  sub- 
sequently emigrating  to  the  United 
States,  making  his  home  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut.  He  was  accompanied  by 
his  wife,  Sarah  (Aucock)  Hampson,  who 
was  of  Smaith,  Yorkshire,  England,  and 
four  of  their  five  children,  all  of  whom  are 
now  living  in  the  United  States.  Their 
children  are :  Ada,  the  wife  of  Amos  H. 
Osborne,  of  Waterbury,  Connecticut ; 
Lewis,  a  resident  of  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts ;  Phillip  Henry,  a  resident  of 
Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania ;  Robert  Wil- 
liam, of  whom  further ;  Charles  Goodwin, 
born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  now 
a  resident  of  New  York  City.  Thomas 
Hampson  (father)  died  in  New  Haven,  in 
1872. 

Robert  William  Hampson  was  born  in 
Manchester,  England,  July  i,  1868.  He 
was  brought  by  his  parents  to  this  coun- 
try, where  he  resided  until  he  was  four 
years  old,  when,  upon  the  death  of  his 
father,  he  was  sent  back  to  England, 
having  relatives  in  Manchester,  and  in 
the  schools  of  that  city  he  received  his 
education.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  he 
returned  to  the  United  States  and  at  once 
secured  employment  in  the  shipping  room 
and  office  of  the  Waterbury  Button  Com- 
pany, Waterbury,  Connecticut,  where  he 
remained  five  years.  He  then  entered  the 
employ  of  the  L.  F.  Haase  Company,  who 
conducted  a  retail  wall  paper,  carpet  and 
drapery  establishment.  Shortly  after- 
ward he  became  secretary  of  the  com- 
pany, with  whom  he  remained  for  eight 
years.     In  1900  he  engaged  in  the  furni- 


ture business,  forming  the  stock  company 
known  as  the  Hampson-Sellew  Furniture 
Company,  which  continued  until  1909, 
and  then,  after  erecting  a  new  building 
on  the  south  side  of  Waterbury's  Green, 
the  present  firm  of  Hampson,  Mintie  & 
Abbott,  Incorporated,  was  formed.  The 
new  corporation's  success  in  the  furniture 
business  has  been  phenomenal  up  to  the 
present  time  (1916)  and  promises  still 
better  for  the  future.  Its  trade  has 
grown  enormously  and  the  partners  have 
established  for  it  a  reputation  for  integ- 
rity and  straightforward  dealing  second 
to  none  in  the  city.  Mr.  Hampson  now 
occupies  a  prominent  place  among  the 
merchants  and  business  men  of  the  city 
and  is  regarded  by  them  as  a  leader.  He 
is  an  ex-president  of  the  Waterbury  Busi- 
ness Men's  Association  now  absorbed  by 
the  new  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Mr. 
Hampton  is  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the 
general  life  of  Waterbury,  a  thirty-second 
degree  Mason  and  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  at- 
tends the  First  Congregational  Church  of 
Waterbury. 

Mr.  Hampson  married,  October  18, 
1893,  ^^  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  Annie 
Russell,  a  native  of  that  city,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Isaac  N.  and  Flora  (Sackett)  Russell. 
Dr.  Russell  died  in  1902,  having  been  for 
many  years  one  of  the  leading  dentists  of 
Waterbury,  and  Mrs.  Russell,  a  native 
of  Warren,  Connecticut,  resides  at  the 
present  time  in  Waterbury.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hampson  are  the  parents  of  one  child, 
Edmund  Russell,  born  July  26,  1894.  now 
a  student  at  Trinity  College,  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  class  of  1918. 


HULL,  Hadlai  Austin, 

Liaxryer,  Legislator,  Soldier. 

The  Rhode  Island  Hull  family  which 
descends  from  the  Hulls  of  Somerset- 
shire,  England,   is   one   of  the  oldest   in 


184 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


New  England,  and  members  of  this  fam- 
ily have  been  prominent  in  business, 
political  and  military  circles  for  gener- 
ations. In  Hadlai  Austin  Hull,  of  New 
London,  Connecticut,  a  descendant  of  Jo- 
seph Hull,  an  early  settler  of  Rhode 
Island,  and  his  wife,  Hannah  (Perry) 
Hull,  a  cousin  of  Oliver  Hazard  Perry, 
the  hero  of  the  "Battle  of  Lake  Erie,"  is 
found  a  worthy  representative. 

Hadlai  Austin  Hull  was  born  in  Ston- 
ington,  New  London  county,  Connecticut, 
August  22,  1854,  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
Ellen  (Fish)  Hull,  the  former  named 
having  served  in  the  capacity  of  school 
teacher,  also  actively  engaged  in  the  sea- 
faring and  whaling  industry,  and  grand- 
son of  Hadlai  Fish,  a  representative  of  a 
family  who  were  among  the  early  settlers 
of  Stonington  and  Groton,  Connecticut, 
in  the  development  and  improvement  of 
which  localities  they  took  an  active  and 
prominent  part.  On  the  maternal  side 
]Mr.  Hull  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  John 
P.  Babcock,  who  was  killed  by  General 
Arnold  at  Groton  Heights,  Connecticut, 
September  6,  1781. 

Hadlai  Austin  Hull  spent  the  early 
years  of  his  life  amid  rural  surroundings, 
gaining  health  and  strength  from  the 
various  pursuits  connected  with  the  con- 
duct of  a  farm,  and  considerable  of  his 
time  was  also  spent  in  a  grist  mill,  thor- 
oughly mastering  the  details  of  that  line 
of  work.  His  preparatory  education  was 
obtained  by  attendance  at  the  Natchaug 
High  School  in  Willimantic,  after  which 
he  pursued  a  course  of  study  in  Amherst 
College,  which  he  attended  for  one  year. 
The  following  three  years  were  spent  as 
a  teacher,  for  which  profession  he  was 
well  qualified,  and  then,  having  decided 
upon  the  profession  of  law  for  his  life- 
work,  he  entered  Yale  Law  School,  from 
Avhich   institution    he   was    graduated    in 


1880.  In  August  of  that  year  he  began 
the  active  practice  of  his  chosen  line  of 
work  in  his  native  town,  and  there  re- 
mained for  a  number  of  years,  removing 
thence  to  New  London,  where  he  con- 
tinued his  practice  and  made  his  home, 
and  the  interest  he  displays  in  every  case 
entrusted  to  him,  together  with  his  ability 
and  thoroughness  in  every  detail,  is  the 
secret  of  the  success  which  has  attended 
his  efforts.  During  President  Cleveland's 
administration,  Mr.  Hull  acted  as  collec- 
tor of  the  port  of  Stonington;  in  1884 
represented  that  town  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature ;  was  a  member  of  the  Stonington 
Board  of  Education  in  1884 ;  for  twelve 
years  served  as  prosecuting  attorney  of 
the  Criminal  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of 
New  London  county ;  and  on  March  3, 
1906,  was  appointed  State's  Attorney. 
Mr.  Hull  displayed  his  patriotism  by 
offering  his  services  to  the  government 
of  his  country  in  time  of  need,  which  was 
the  period  of  the  Spanish-American  War, 
when  he  recruited  and  became  captain  of 
Company  H,  and  later  major  of  the  Third 
Battalion,  Third  Connecticut  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  also  organized  the  First 
Company,  Coast  Artillery,  in  the  Con- 
necticut Militia,  and  is  now  a  retired 
major.  Coast  Artillery.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  New  Lon- 
don, a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  a 
Shriner,  and  an  adherent  of  the  principles 
and  policies  for  which  the  Democratic 
party  stands,  but  casts  his  vote  for  the 
candidates  best  qualified  for  office,  irre- 
spective of  party  affiliation.  He  is  an 
enthusiastic  advocate  of  out-door  sports, 
his  favorite  pastime  being  baseball. 

Mr.  Hull  married  (first)  March  31, 
1878,  Mary  J.  Jencks,  by  whom  he  had 
one  son,  Hadlai.  Mr.  Hull  married  (sec- 
ond) June  26,  1906,  Ellen  Brewster,  by 
whom  he  has  one  daughter,  Eleanor. 


185 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


RUSSELL,  Thomas  Wright, 

Insnrance  Broker. 

Thomas  Wright  Russell,  of  the  firm  of 
Allen,  Russell  &  Allen,  general  insurance 
brokers,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  was 
born  in  that  city,  September  i,  1880,  son 
of  Thomas  Wright  and  Ellie  (Fuller) 
Russell.  In  him  are  focused  the  strains 
of  many  of  New  England's  old  families, 
families  whose  members  have  distin- 
guished themselves  as  founders  and 
patriots,  serving  their  day  and  generation 
in  those  useful  occupations  that  contrib- 
uted to  the  material  upbuilding  of  the 
various  communities  in  which  their  lots 
were  cast ;  others  served  efficiently  and 
honorably  in  legislative  bodies  and  in 
town  offices;  while  in  times  of  local  or 
national  danger  there  were  those  who 
proved  their  courage,  loyalty  and  patri- 
otism on  the  field  of  battle.  Among  the 
names  to  which  Mr.  Russell  traces  his 
lineage  we  may  mention  Stephen  Terry, 
of  Windsor;  Thomas  Graves,  of  Hart- 
ford ;  Thomas  Wright  and  Benjamin 
Crane,  of  Wethersfield ;  Elder  John 
Strong  and  Thomas  Xash,  of  Boston  and 
New  Haven. 

According  to  Lower,  a  leading  author- 
ity on  the  origin  of  names,  it  is  claimed 
by  the  Duke  of  Bedford  that  the  name  of 
Russell  is  derived  "from  the  Lords  of 
Rosel,  an  ancient  fief  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Cherbourg  in  Normandy,  who  were  a 
younger  branch  of  the  barons  of  Brique- 
bec.  Hugh  de  Rosel,  a  benefactor  of  the 
Abbey  of  Caen,  accompanied  the  Con- 
queror to  England,  and  was  rewarded 
with  possessions  in  County  Dorset,  the 
principal  of  which  were  Kingston,  after- 
ward called  Kingston  Russell,  and  Ber- 
wick.'' The  name  is  a  compound  of  two 
Norman  and  French  words,  "roz,"  a 
castle,  and  "el,"  synonym  for  "eau," 
water.     The  name  was  first  given  to  the 


tract  of  land,  then  to  the  castle  and  fam- 
ily inheriting  it.  "Le  Rozel"  implied  a 
bold  tower  by  the  water.  The  name 
originated  with  Hugh  Bertrand,  second 
son  of  William,  Baron  of  Briquebec  in 
Lower  Normandy — Hugh  being  invested 
with  the  castles  of  Bannerville  and  Le 
Rozel  about  1045.  In  the  earlier  gener- 
ations in  England  the  name  was  spelled 
Rozel,  Rosel  and  Rousell,  the  first  being 
used  by  the  oldest  son  and  the  latter  by 
the  younger  members  of  the  family. 
Many  branches  of  the  family  bear  coats- 
of-arms.  The  ancient  armorial  bearings 
found  in  the  Connecticut  family  are  iden- 
tical with  those  of  the  Earl  of  Bedford, 
except  the  crest. 

Three  brothers,  sons  of  the  Duke  of 
Bedford,  came  to  this  country,  but  the 
date  of  their  coming  and  the  location  of 
their  settlement  cannot  be  ascertained. 
The  members  of  the  Russell  family  of 
this  sketch  are  direct  descendants  of  one 
of  these. 

Families  of  the  name  of  Russell  are 
numerous  in  England.  The  following 
English  ancestry  of  John  Russell,  the 
founder  of  the  family  in  America,  is  from 
a  chart  by  J.  R.  Hutchinson,  a  distin- 
guished English  genealogist.  While 
some  question  has  been  raised  as  to  the 
relationship  between  the  first  William 
Russell,  of  Ipswich,  and  the  William,  Rus- 
sell who  married  Anne  Arnold,  Mr.  Hut- 
chinson after  months  of  research  became 
convinced  that  he  had  established  the 
correct  line  of  descent. 

(I)  Richard  Russell  was  a  yeoman  of 
Ebbeston,  County  Suffolk,  England, 
whose  will  was  dated  October  10,  1452, 
and  proved  December  12,  1452.  His  wife 
Joan  died  at  Laxfield,  and  her  will  was 
proved  November  12,  1465.    Their  son, 

(II)  William  Russell,  a  yeoman  of 
Laxfield,  married  Joan .  He  re- 
ceived, after  his  mother's  death,  lands  in 


186 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ebbeston  and  Laxfield  devised  to  him  in 
his  father's  will.    Their  son, 

(III)  William  Russell,  of  Laxfield  and 
Ipswich,  received  his  father's  lands  after 
his  mother's  death.  He  was  dwelling  as 
an  apprentice  in  Ipswich  in  1521.  His 
son, 

(IV)  William  Russell,  was  baptized  at 
St.  Margaret's,  Ipswich,  March  17,  1537- 
38.  For  many  years  he  was  sergeant  and 
mace  for  the  borough  of  Ipswich.  He 
became  a  freeman  in  October,  1574,  and 
died  prior  to  May,  1609.  He  married 
(first)  July  20,  1557,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Whiting,  a  merchant,  of  Ips- 
wich. William  Russell  was  buried  at  St. 
Margaret's,  February  5,  1567-68.    His  son, 

(V)  William  Russell,  of  Ipswich,  mar- 
ried, June  23,  1596,  Anne  Arnold.  Their 
son, 

(VI)  John  Russell,  was  baptized  in 
April,  1597.  He  was  made  a  freeman 
August  6,  1623.  He  was  a  draper  and 
tailor.  He  left  England  in  the  ship  "De- 
fence,'' with  his  sons  Jonathan  and  Philip, 
and  arrived  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
October  3,  1635.  As  no  record  of  his  wife 
is  found  in  this  country,  it  is  probable 
that  she  died  in  England.  John  Russell 
was  made  a  freeman  March  3,  1636;  sur- 
veyor of  arms,  1638;  custodian  of  lost 
goods,  1639;  was  elected  a  surveyor  in 
1641  ;  selectman,  1642-43;  was  chosen  one 
of  three  land  recorders  in  1644;  clerk  of 
the  writs  in  1645,  and  constable  in  1648. 
His  son,  Rev.  John  Russell,  was  chosen 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Wethersfield, 
1648-49.  John  Russell,  Sr.,  came  to  that 
town  about  1651.  He  became  a  freeman 
in  Connecticut,  May  17,  1655,  and  was 
made  a  freeman  in  Hadley,  Massachu- 
setts, March  26,  1661,  at  which  time  he 
was  a  resident  there.  In  the  following 
May  the  Massachusetts  General  Court 
appointed  him  to  be  "Clarke  of  ye  writs 
for  Hadlev,"  and  he  held  that  office  until 


1681.  He  was  a  juryman  in  Northamp- 
ton in  1662  and  1665 ;  in  1663  he  was 
chosen  clerk  of  the  train-band,  and  was 
selectman  of  Hadley  in  1670.  He  was  a 
glazier,  a  trade  that  required  some  skill 
in  the  days  of  diamond  glass.  He  died 
May  8,  1680. 

(VII)  Philip  Russell,  son  of  John  Rus- 
sell, Sr.,  was  born  in  England.  He  went 
to  Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  with  his 
father  and  brother,  and  located  in  Hadley, 
Massachusetts,  a  few  years  after  his 
father  removed  there.  He  followed  the 
same  trade  as  his  father,  and  took  an 
active  part  in  town  aiifairs.  He  was 
chosen  rate-maker,  January  17,  1677-78; 
was  selectman  the  following  year  and 
again  in  1686;  constable  in  1683,  and  in 
March,  1690,  was  appointed  "Clarke  of 
ye  writts"  for  Hatfield.  He  died  May  19, 
1693.  He  married,  January  10,  1666,  for 
his  second  wife,  Elizabeth,  born  January 
14,  1642,  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Eliza- 
beth Terry,  of  Windsor.  She  was  killed 
by  the  Indians,  September  19,  1677.  Ac- 
cording to  Savage,  Stephen  Terry  came 
to  this  country  in  1630,  probably  in  the 
"Mary  and  John ;"  settled  in  Dorchester, 
Massachusetts ;  was  admitted  freeman 
there.  May  18,  1631,  and  held  the  office  of 
constable ;  about  1636  he  removed  to 
W'indsor,  and  there  served  as  juryman 
and  constable ;  about  1660  removed  to 
Hadley,  was  one  of  the  first  settlers, 
served  as  constable  and  selectman,  and 
no  man  paid  more  taxes  there  than  he. 
His  wife,  whose  name  is  unknown,  died 
in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  in  June,  1647. 
Their  son, 

(VIII)  Sergeant  John  Russell,  was 
born  January  2,  1667,  and  died  January 
16,  1746.  He  married  (first)  April  9, 
1691,  Martha,  born  July  15,  1667,  died 
July  15,  1740,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and 
Martha  (Betts)  Graves,  of  Wethersfield. 
Nathaniel  Graves  was  born  in   England.^ 


187 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


about  1629,  settled  in  Wethersfield,  Con- 
necticut; made  freeman  there.  May  21, 
1657;  surveyor,  1661  ;  fence  viewer,  1669; 
drew  lands,  1670 ;  married,  January  16, 
1655,  Martha,  daughter  of  "Goody  Bets, 
the  school  dame,"  a  widow  who  main- 
tained herself  by  keeping  a  school  in 
Hartford:  he  died  September  28,  1682, 
and  his  widow  died  April  13,  1701.  His 
father.  Thomas  Graves,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land, before  1585,  and  came  to  New  Eng- 
land with  his  wife  and  five  children  prior 
to  1645.  His  name  is  first  found  on  the 
records  in  Hartford  in  1645.  when  the 
family  located  there,  and  there  he  took  an 
active  part  in  local  affairs.  He  was  one 
of  the  promoters  and  organizers  of  the 
town  of  Hadley,  though  well  advanced 
in  years.  He  died  there  in  November, 
1662.  His  widow,  Sarah  Graves,  survived 
Tiim  four  years.  The  Graves  family  is  a 
numerous  and  old  one  in  England,  dating 
back  to  the  Conquest,  and  many  of  its 
branches  bore  coats-of-arms. 

(IX)  Hezekiah  Russell,  son  of  Ser- 
geant John  Russell,  was  a  farmer  by  occu- 
pation, and  settled  in  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut.    His  son, 

(X)  Hezekiah  Russell,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 13.  1739,  and  died  August  2,  1816. 
His  birth  occurred  in  Wethersfield  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  where  he  resided  until 
be  was  sixteen  years  of  age  and  then  re- 
moved to  Northampton,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  a  carpenter,  and  served  as  col- 
lector. His  name  appears  among  a  list 
of  officers  of  Massachusetts  militia  as 
second  lieutenant  in  the  Third  Northamp- 
ton Company,  Second  Hampshire  County 
Regiment,  commissioned  April  5th,  1776 
(vol.  28,  108)  :  appears  with  rank  of  lieu- 
tenant on  muster  and  pay  roll  of  Captain 
Oliver  Lyman's  company ;  time  of  enlist- 
ment, August  17,  1777:  time  of  service 
seven  days ;  residence  Northampton, 
marched   to   East    Hoosac    on   an    alarm 


(vol.  21,  22);  appears  with  rank  of  first 
lieutenant  on  muster  and  pay  roll  of  Cap- 
tain Jonathan  Wales'  Company,  Colonel 
Ezra  May's  regiment ;  time  of  enlistment, 
September  22,  1777;  time  of  discharge, 
October  15,  1777;  service,  twenty-eight 
days.  Marched  to  Stillwater  and  Sara- 
toga. Service  against  the  insurgents  by 
order  of  Elisha  Potter,  sheriff  of  North- 
ampton, May  6th  to  June  iSth,  i6th  and 
17th,  1782.  At  Springfield,  June  12,  1782, 
and  at  Hadley,  June  13.  1782  (vol.  9,  429). 
Appears  with  the  rank  of  captain  on  pay 
roll  of  Second  Company,  Second  Hamp- 
shire County  regiment,  September  27, 
1784.  The  above  is  from  the  State  records 
of  Massachusetts,  and  signed  by  William 
L.  Olin,  secretary  of  the  commonwealth. 
Hezekiah  Russell  married,  in  Northamp- 
ton, January  i,  1767,  Abigail  Clark,  who 
died  December  12.  1819,  in  her  seventy- 
eighth  year.  Children:  Hezekiah  and 
Seth,  twins ;  Asa,  Seth,  Thaddeus.  John 
and  Martha,  twins :  Abigail,  and  Nancy. 

(XI)  Thaddeus  Russell,  son  of  Heze- 
kiah Russell,  was  born  in  Northampton, 
Massachusetts,  September  4,  1774,  and 
died  when  about  fifty  years  old  from 
apoplexy,  having  been  a  stoutly  built  man. 
He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  mar- 
ried, June  23,  1796,  Mary  Wright,  who 
died  November  30,  1836,  aged  sixty-three 
years.     Their  son, 

(XII)  Charles  Russell,  was  born  in 
Northampton,  Massachusetts,  May  26, 
1797,  and  died  in  Colerain,  Massachusetts, 
May  5  or  6,  1871.  He  removed  from  his 
native  place  to  Greenfield,  Massachusetts, 
from  whence  he  removed  to  Colerain,  and 
there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days. 
He  was  a  tailor  and  clothier.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  ^Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  for  a  number  of  years  had 
charge  of  the  choir.  He  married,  January 
I,  1823,  Adeline  Nash,  born  in  Greenfield, 
July  9,  1805,  died  in  Colerain,  September 


188 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


23,  1882,  daughter  of  Daniel  Nash,  who 
was  born  in  Greenfield,  January  18,  1780, 
married,  September  7,  1802,  Mary  Mar- 
shall, who  was  born  May  9,  1782;  they 
settled  in  Duxbury,  Vermont.  His  father, 
Daniel  Nash,  was  born  November  4,  1742, 
spent  his  life  on  or  near  the  family  home- 
stead in  Greenfield.  Tradition  says  that 
he  and  his  brother  Sylvanus,  in  company 
with  their  father,  built  Nash's  mills  on 
Mill  river.  He  married  Anna  Atherton, 
who  died  June  14,  1804;  he  died  Febru- 
ary 22,  1819.  His  father,  Daniel  Nash, 
was  born  in  Great  Barrington,  Massachu- 
setts, September  13,  1715,  and  died  in 
what  is  now  Greenfield,  July  i,  1790.  He 
settled  in  that  part  of  Deerfield  that  is 
now  Greenfield,  but  it  was  probably  about 
the  time  of  his  marriage.  When  Green- 
field was  organized,  July  3,  1753,  he  was 
one  of  three  men  chosen  as  selectmen  and 
assessors,  and  was  again  elected  in  1758. 
In  September,  1774,  he  was  elected  repre- 
sentative to  the  Provincial  Congress  of 
the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  and 
served  on  the  Committee  of  Safety.  He 
was  a  blacksmith.  He  married  (first)  in 
1741,  Abigail  Stebbins,  who  died  Novem- 
ber 26,  1749.  His  father,  Daniel  Nash, 
was  born  in  1676,  and  died  March  10, 
1760.  He  was  a  blacksmith.  In  1626  he 
sold  out  in  Northampton,  and  we  next 
find  him  in  what  is  now  South  Hadley, 
where  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  black- 
smith. From  there  he  moved  to  Great 
Barrington  in  1739.  He  is  mentioned  in 
the  church  records  of  that  town  as  Deacon 
Daniel  Nash,  a  title  which  he  must  have 
brought  from  some  other  church.  He 
married,  June  i,  1710,  Experience,  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  and  Mary  (Strong) 
Clark,  and  granddaughter  of  Elder  John 
Strong,  a  sketch  of  whom  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.  Jonathan  Clark  mar- 
ried, March  20,  1679,  Mary  Strong.  He 
was  the  son  of  William  and  Sarah  Clark, 


who  came  to  Dorchester,  Massachusetts, 
between  the  years  1636  and  1639.  They 
removed  to  Northampton  about  1660, 
where  he  became  a  leading  citizen,  hold- 
ing many  offices.  He  died  July  18,  1690, 
aged  eighty-one  years.  Lieutenant  Timo- 
thy Nash,  father  of  Daniel  Nash,  was 
born  in  England,  or  at  Leyden,  Holland, 
in  1626.  His  name  is  found  for  the  first 
time  in  the  New  Haven  records  under 
date  of  December  3,  1645.  He  was  made 
freeman,  March  4,  1654.  The  last  men- 
tion of  him  in  the  New  Haven  records  is 
dated  April  23,  1660,  and  on  February  11, 
1660-61,  he  was  given  permission  by 
Hartford  to  come  in  as  an  "inhabitant 
with  us."  On  June  22,  1663,  we  find  him 
allotted  land  in  Hadley,  the  town  to  "be 
at  the  charge  to  bring  up  his  Iron,  Tooles, 
and  Household  stufl:'e  at  this  time  now  he 
hath  for  his  remouvall."  He  had  prob- 
ably been  trained  to  his  father's  vocation 
of  gunsmith,  but  had  probably  changed  it 
into  that  of  an  ordinary  blacksmith,  one 
of  the  trades  most  valued  by  the  settlers. 
He  was  an  important  citizens  of  the  town, 
a  lieutenant  in  the  militia,  and  represented 
the  town  at  the  Massachusetts  General 
Court  in  1690-91-95.  He  married  Rebekah 
Stone,  probably  in  1657.  He  died  March 
13,  1698-99,  and  his  widow  in  March  or 
April,  1709.  His  father,  Thomas  Nash, 
came  to  Boston,  July  26,  1637,  in  Rev. 
Jonathan  Davenport's  company.  He  was 
a  gunsmith.  His  name  appears  in  the 
Book  of  Records  of  the  colony  that  settled 
in  New  Haven.  He  was  probably  well 
advanced  in  years  when  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica. Family  tradition  says  he  came  from 
Lancaster  or  Lancashire,  England.  He 
was  admitted  freeman  at  New  Haven, 
May  19,  1651.  He  married  Margery,, 
daughter  of  Nicholas  Baker,  of  Hertford- 
shire, England.  She  must  have  died  be- 
fore he  did,  as  she  is  not  mentioned  in 
his  will,  which  is  dated  1657.  He  died 
189 


E>:CYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


May  12,  1658.  Children  of  Charles  and 
Adeline  (Nash)  Russell:  Thomas 
Wright,  mentioned  below ;  Charles  N., 
George  A.,  Mary  J.,  Franklin  C,  Susan 
E.,  John  J.,  \\'illiam  N.,  Leroy  C, 
Nancy  E. 

(XIII)  Thomas  Wright  Russell,  son 
of  Charles  and  Adeline  (Nash)  Russell, 
was  born  in  Colerain,  Massachusetts, 
May  22,  1824,  and  died  in  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, April  23,  1901.  He  received  his 
formal  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  native  town  and  a  course  of  two  years 
in  an  academy.  He  was  always  a  student, 
however,  and  a  lover  of  books.  Reading, 
travel  and  close  observation  made  him  a 
man  of  culture  and  refinement.  He  be- 
gan his  business  life  by  entering  a  dry 
goods  store  in  Mystic,  Connecticut.  He 
remained  there  six  years,  and  then  re- 
moved to  Hartford  and  entered  upon  his 
long  career  in  the  insurance  business. 
For  a  year  and  a  half  he  traveled  as  gen- 
eral agent  of  the  Charter  Oak  Life  Insur- 
ance Company.  In  November,  1857,  he 
was  chosen  vice-president  of  the  com- 
pany, and  continued  in  that  office  until 
October,  1864,  when  he  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Ir 
surance  Companj-  of  Hartford.  While  he 
was  with  the  last  named  company  its 
directors  obtained  a  charter  for  The  Con- 
necticut General  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, which  was  organized  primarily  with 
the  view  of  insuring  at  adequate  rates 
those  persons  who  might  be  declined  by 
other  companies  as  not  being  first  class 
risks.  Mr.  Russell  was  requested  to  take 
the  management  of  the  new  company, 
which  he  did,  after  enlarging  its  scope  so 
as  not  to  be  limited  to  impaired  risks. 
For  ten  years  he  was  secretary  of  the 
Connecticut  General  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, and  then  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
three  years  and  until  his  death,  was  its 
valued   and   respected   president.     Under 


his  direction  the  company  steadily 
advanced  and  developed  and  took  rank 
as  one  of  the  safe,  conservative  and  re- 
liable institutions  in  the  country. 

Air.  Russell  took  an  active  and  promi- 
nent part  in  the  military,  political  and 
religious  life  of  his  day.  He  was  a  Re- 
publican with  independent  inclinations. 
When  he  was  a  resident  of  Mystic  he 
represented  the  town  of  Stonington  in  the 
State  Legislature ;  he  served  three  terms 
as  a  member  of  the  Hartford  Common 
Council ;  and  was  a  member  of  the  First 
Company,  Governor's  Foot  Guard,  tak- 
ing a  special  interest  in  the  Veteran 
Corps  of  that  organization.  For  thirty- 
three  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Hart- 
ford City  Mission  Society,  and  furthered 
its  interests  materially  by  his  wise  coun- 
sel. He  was  a  deacon  of  the  Park  Con- 
gregational Church  for  more  than  thirty 
years.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Colo- 
nial Club  at  its  organization.  He  was  of 
quiet  disposition,  afifable  and  courteous, 
winning  and  holding  many  friends  by 
these  attractive  qualities  and  command- 
ing their  respect  and  confidence  by  his 
unswerving  devotion  to  truth  and  right. 
He  was  a  man  of  strong  determination 
and  had  the  courage  of  his  convictions. 
Having,  after  careful  consideration,  deter- 
mined upon  a  certain  procedure  as  right 
he  permitted  no  obstacle  to  defeat  the 
accomplishment  of  his  purpose.  Mr. 
Russell  married  twice,  and  by  his  first 
marriage  had  no  children.  He  married 
(second)  Ellie  F.  Fuller,  of  Boston. 
Among  their  children  was  Thomas 
Wright.  Jr.,  of  whom  further. 

(XIV)  Thomas  Wright  Russell,  Jr., 
attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
city,  Hartford,  and  graduated  from  the 
Hartford  High  School  in  1897.  He  then 
entered  Yale  University,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1901  with  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts.     His  first  business 


190 


TKE  I"'E'^'  Yor.K 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


■'     LENOX 

ioKDATIONSj 


^-^   Ji^J"  S  »rAl;.^-tS    ^ 


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o^^Z-Ci-t^ii^  ryf\  /l^iA^^^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


experience  was  gained  in  the  employ  of 
the  Connecticut  General  Life  Insurance 
Company,  with  which  he  was  connected 
for  about  one  and  a  half  years,  resigning 
then  to  engage  in  the  insurance  business 
on  his  own  account.  He  continued  alone 
until  1908,  in  which  year  his  present  part- 
nership was  formed — Allen,  Russell  & 
Allen,  general  insurance  brokers,  the 
company  conducting  a  local  business  in 
Hartford  and  vicinity.  Mr.  Russell  is  a 
director  of  the  Connecticut  General  Life 
Insurance  Company.  He  has  always 
taken  an  active  interest  in  public  affairs ; 
he  served  for  some  years  as  a  member  of 
the  Republican  town  committee ;  was  a 
member  of  the  Common  Council  for  three 
years,  holding  the  office  of  president  for 
the  year  1906 ;  and  served  for  two  years 
on  the  Board  of  Aldermen,  one  year  as 
president  of  that  body.  He  served  one 
term  as  member  of  Troop  B,  Connecticut 
National  Guard.  He  is  an  ex-president 
of  the  Connecticut  Life  Underwriters' 
Association,  president  of  the  Hartford 
Golf  Club,  and  a  member  of  the  Hartford 
Club,  Yale  Club  of  New  York,  Graduates' 
Club  of  New  Haven,  New  Britain  Club, 
Waterbury  Club,  and  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
fraternity  of  Yale. 

Mr.  Russell  married,  January  16,  1912, 
Dorothy  Mason,  daughter  of  Frederick 
and  Clara  (Davol)  Mason,  of  Bridge- 
port, Connecticut.  Children :  Dorothy, 
born  August  13,  1914;  Thomas  Wright 
(3),  born  July  19,  1916.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Russell  are  members  of  Immanuel  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Hartford. 


BARBOUR,  Lucius  Albert, 

Financier,   Business   Man. 

Lucius  Albert  Barbour  needs  no  intro- 
duction to  the  readers  of  this  work,  as 
his  position  as  a  leading  financier  and 
business  man  of  Hartford,  as  an  authority 


on  military  matters,  and  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  ofificers  in  the  militia  of 
Connecticut,  make  his  name  a  familiar 
one  to  a  very  wide  circle  that  far  over- 
laps the  boundaries  of  either  city  or  State. 
He  is  a  member  of  a  fine  old  Connecticut 
family  whose  members  have  been  closely 
associated  with  the  affairs  of  the  region 
from  the  earliest  colonial  times,  and 
whose  strong  and  manly  virtues  and 
abilities  he  has  inherited. 

In  the  direct  line  he  traces  his  descent 
from  the  immigrant  ancestor,  Thomas 
Barber  (as  the  name  was  then  spelled), 
who  came  from  England  to  the  American 
colonies  in  the  good  ship  "Christian,"  as 
early  as  1634,  arriving  in  this  country 
March  16,  1634.  Full  of  the  splendid 
spirit  of  enterprise  that  possessed  so 
many  of  his  countrymen  in  that  age  and 
which  has  been  the  determining  element 
in  the  character  of  our  New  World  civili- 
zation, Thomas  Barber,  then  but  twenty 
years  of  age,  pushed  on  into  the  wilds  and 
made  his  way  to  the  settlement  that 
formed  the  germ  or  nucleus  of  the  present 
town  of  Windsor,  Connecticut.  Here  he 
settled  in  1635,  and  took  an  active  part 
in  the  stirring  events  of  that  time,  fight- 
ing in  the  Pequot  War  and  otherwise  dis- 
tinguishing himself.  He  married,  Octo- 
ber 7,    1640,  Jane  ;  their  married 

life  continued  for  twenty-two  years,  and 
their  deaths  occurred  but  one  day  apart, 
September  10  and  11,  1662. 

Lieutenant  Thomas  Barber,  son  of 
Thomas  and  Jane  Barber,  was  born  July 
14,  1644,  and  died  May  10,  1713.  He  was 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Simsbury,  Con- 
necticut, where  he  followed  the  trade  of 
carpenter  and  built  the  first  meeting 
house.  He  married.  December  17,  1663, 
Mary  Phelps,  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  (Dover)  Phelps.    She  died  in  1687. 

Samuel  Barber,  son  of  Lieutenant 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Phelps)  Barber,  was 


191 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  May  17,  1673,  and  died  December 
18,  1725.  He  married,  December  17,  1712, 
Sarah  Holcomb,  born  1691,  died  1787, 
daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Bliss) 
Holcomb. 

John  Barber,  son  of  Samuel  and  Sarah 
(Holcomb)  Barber,  was  born  December 
4,  1719,  and  died  December  27,  1797.  He 
married,  January  22,  1746-47,  Lydia  Reed, 
born  December  18,  1726,  died  October  i, 
1806,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Mary  (Hill) 
Reed. 

John  (2)  Barber,  son  of  John  (i)  and 
Lydia  (Reed)  Barber,  was  born  Novem- 
ber 29,  1749,  died  November  3,  1825.  He 
married,  in  1773,  Elizabeth  Case,  born 
April  20,  1752,  died  May  26,  1817,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  Josiah  and  Esther  (Higley) 
Case. 

John  (3)  Barbour  (the  modern  spelling 
being  adopted  in  his  time),  son  of  John 
(2)  and  Elizabeth  (Case)  Barber,  was 
born  February  18,  1783,  died  November 
24,  1865.  He  married,  October  13,  1803, 
Delight  Case,  born  October  15,  1773,  died 
April  13,  181 1,  daughter  of  Elisha  and  De- 
light (Griswold)  Case. 

Lucius  Barbour,  son  of  John  (3)  and 
Delight  (Case)  Barbour,  was  born  in 
Canton,  Connecticut,  July  26,  1805,  and 
died  February  10,  1873.  He  passed  the 
first  fourteen  years  of  his  life  in  his  native 
town,  and  then  accompanied  his  parents 
to  the  town  of  Sheldon  in  the  western  part 
of  New  York  State.  Upon  attaining  man- 
hood he  left  the  home  of  his  parents  and 
traveled  through  the  south  and  west  as 
a  salesman,  representing  a  dry  goods 
house.  He  was  very  successful  in  this 
line  of  work  and  amassed  a  considerable 
amount  of  money,  a  large  portion  of 
which  he  invested  in  western  real  estate, 
and  he  temporarily  located  at  Madison, 
Indiana,  where  a  large  portion  of  his  prop- 
erty was  located.  Here  he  engaged  in  the 
dry  goods  business  on  his  own  account 


and  was  successful  from,  the  beginning. 
He  became  a  wealthy  man  owing  to  the 
great  rise  in  value  of  his  real  estate  invest- 
ments, in  the  selection  of  which  he  dis- 
played rare  judgment.  After  disposing 
of  his  dry  goods  business  in  Madison  he 
removed  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  there 
engaged  in  the  same  line  of  business,  once 
more  prospering  greatly.  Subsequently 
he  returned  to  the  east,  taking  up  his 
residence  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
there  spent  the  remainder  of  his  da3's. 
He  still  continued  to  hold  his  western 
possessions,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his 
decease  derived  a  handsome  return  from 
the  same.  Mr.  Barbour  was  a  man  of 
many  excellent  qualities,  prudent  and  con- 
servative, but  possessing  the  kindest  of 
hearts,  and  always  willing  to  aid  every 
enterprise  that  had  for  its  object  the 
alleviation  of  distress.  He  was  highly  re- 
spected in  the  community,  and  left  an  un- 
blemished reputation  as  a  heritage  to  his 
successors,  in  addition  to  a  large  share  of 
this  world's  goods. 

Lucius  Barbour  married,  April  23,  1840, 
Harriet  Louise  Day,  born  February  2, 
1821,  a  daughter  of  Deacon  Albert  and 
Harriet  (Chapin)  Day,  formerly  of  West- 
field,  Massachusetts.  Deacon  Albert  Day 
was  a  very  prominent  Hartford  business 
man,  and  served  as  Lieutenant-Governor 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut  from  1856  to 
1857.  He  was  descended  in  the  seventh 
generation  from  Robert  Day,  of  Ipswich, 
England,  where  he  was  born  in  1604, 
approximately,  from  whence  he  came 
accompanied  by  his  wife  and  family  to 
New  England  on  the  ship  "Elizabeth," 
settling  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts, 
into  which  community  he  was  admitted  a 
freeman,  May  6,  1635.  Four  children 
were  born  to  Lucius  and  Harriet  Louise 
(Day)  Barbour,  as  follows :  Harriet 
Louise,  who  died  in  childhood ;  Lucius 
Albert,  of  whom  further ;  Mary  Adelia, 
[92 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


who  died  in  infancy ;  Hattie  Day,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Richard  Storrs  Barnes, 
of  New  York  City;  he  died  December  25, 
1914. 

Lucius  Albert  Barbour,  only  son  of 
Lucius  and  Harriet  Louise  (Day)  Bar- 
bour, was  born  in  Madison,  Indiana,  Jan- 
uary 26,  1846.  His  parents  removed  to 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  shortly  after  his 
birth,  and  his  associations  are  entirely 
connected  with  that  city.  There  he  re- 
ceived his  education,  graduating  from  the 
high  school  with  the  class  of  1864.  He 
gained  his  first  experience  in  business  life 
as  clerk  in  the  Charter  Oak  Bank  of  Hart- 
ford, was  promoted  from  one  position  to 
another,  and  at  the  expiration  of  two 
years  was  promoted  to  the  position  of 
teller,  in  which  capacity  he  served  for 
about  five  years,  resigning  for  the  purpose 
of  making  an  extended  tour  of  Europe  in 
order  to  supplement  his  studies.  His 
career  in  the  banking  world  was  but 
temporarily  interrupted,  however,  his 
connection  with  the  Charter  Oak  Bank 
being  renewed  upon  his  return  to  the 
United  States,  of  which  he  became  the 
president  in  1910.  This  office  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  the  absorption  of  the 
bank  by  the  Phoenix  National  Bank  in 
1915,  and  in  that  year  he  was  elected 
president  of  the  Colonial  National  Bank 
of  Hartford,  an  office  which  he  holds  at 
the  present  time  (1917).  But  his  influence 
in  the  business  world  is  not  by  any  means 
confined  to  banking  circles,  his  interests 
extending  into  other  departments,  not- 
ably, industrial  and  insurance.  He  was 
formerly  connected  with  the  Willimantic 
Linen  Company,  serving  that  concern  as 
president  and  treasurer  for  many  years, 
and  is  a  director  of  the  National  Fire  In- 
surance Company  of  Hartford,  and  of  the 
firm  of  Landers,  Frary  &  Clark  of  New 
Britain. 

But  great  as  is  his  influence  in  the 
business  world,  it  is  not  in  that  connec- 

Conn— 3— 13  1 93 


tion  that  he  is  best  known  to  his  fellow 
citizens  and  the  people  of  the  State,  but 
rather  as  a  public  officer,  especially  a 
military  officer  and  as  a  master  of  military 
science.  His  first  connection  with  the 
Connecticut  militia  was  in  1865,  when,  on 
September  9,  he  enlisted  in  the  Hartford 
City  Guard,  which  was  at  that  time  a 
part  of  the  First  Regiment,  and  known 
as  Battery  D.  It  was  obvious  from  the 
first  that  he  possessed  unusual  aptitude 
in  the  work,  an  aptitude  that  amounted  to 
a  great  talent,  and  was  combined  with  the 
utmost  devotion  which  impelled  him  to 
continual  labor  in  the  cause  of  his  regi- 
ment's advantage  and  indeed  of  the  entire 
service.  It  was  not  long  before  promotion 
followed  his  efforts,  but  this  advance, 
like  that  in  business,  was  checked  for  a 
time  by  his  travels  in  Europe,  which 
caused  him  to  tender  his  resignation.  His 
knowledge  of  the  details  of  military 
affairs,  to  which  he  had  applied  himself 
most  diligently,  was  too  great  to  permit 
his  associates  to  forget  him,  and  in  1875, 
after  his  return  home  from  Europe,  he 
was  elected  major  of  the  First  Regiment. 
In  this  position  another  ability  made  itself 
apparent  in  addition  to  the  others  that 
rendered  him,  a  good  soldier.  This  was 
his  natural  ability  to  lead  and  direct  men, 
which  soon  told  in  the  splendid  discipline 
of  the  troops  under  his  charge.  His  skill 
as  an  officer  had  the  natural  result  in 
securing  his  further  promotion  and  he 
rapidly  advanced  to  the  rank  of  lieuten- 
ant-colonel, December  28,  1876,  and  ,  to 
colonel  of  the  First  Regiment,  June  26, 
1878.  Under  his  capable  command  the 
regiment  became  a  model  one,  its  splendid 
discipline  and  the  perfect  manner  in 
which  it  went  through  its  drills  and  the 
various  field  manoeuvers  exciting  admi- 
ration everywhere.  It  appeared  in  the 
review  of  troops  at  the  Yorktown  Cen- 
tennial held  in  1881  under  the  command 
of  Colonel   Barbour,  and  its  appearance 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


there  gave  to  his  reputation  as  an  officer 
a  national  character.  Nor  was  this  all,  for 
the  well  known  English  military  critic 
who  was  present  as  correspondent  for 
one  of  the  great  London  dailies,  paid  him 
a  remarkable  tribute  of  praise  in  his 
articles.  On  November  12,  1884,  he  re- 
signed as  colonel  of  the  First  Regiment, 
but  later  was  appointed  to  the  office  of 
adjutant-general  of  the  State.  His  choice 
to  this  office  was  highly  approved  by  all 
who  were  acquainted  with  the  man,  and 
he  amply  fulfilled  the  expectations  of  his 
admirers  by  the  manner  in  which  he 
administered  affairs. 

While  thus  active  in  military  matters, 
General  Barbour  has  been  connected  with 
politics  in  a  prominent  manner  in  his 
State,  and  has  held  many  responsible 
offices.  He  is  a  staunch  Republican  in 
political  belief,  and  has  always  supported 
that  party  at  the  polls,  being  firmly  con- 
vinced that  it  stands  for  sound  economic 
principles  and  the  most  rapid  progress 
consistent  with  safety.  In  1879  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  and 
served  during  the  following  term,  making 
a  reputation  for  sincerity  and  unimpeach- 
able probity  in  all  his  actions  there.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  committee  of  the 
house  that  instituted  "Battle  Flag  Day," 
and  was  very  active  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  its  appropriate  and  adequate 
celebration.  Among  the  many  interests 
of  General  Barbour  is  that  which  he  takes 
in  the  local  history  of  the  region,  illus- 
trated by  his  membership  in  the  Connec- 
ticut Society  of  Colonial  Wars,  in  which 
he  holds  the  office  of  secretary. 

General  Barbour  married,  February  8, 
1877,  Harriet  Elizabeth  Barnes,  daughter 
of  Alfred  Smith  and  Harriet  Elizabeth 
(Burr)  Barnes,  of  Brooklyn,  New  York. 
Mr.  Barnes  was  the  founder  of  the  large 
and  well  known  publishing  house  of  A.  S. 
Barnes  &  Company  of  New  York  City. 
Mrs.  Barbour,  who  was  born  in  Brook- 


lyn, New  York,  December  2,  1849,  died 
November  8,  1899,  at  the  Barbour  home 
in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  To  General 
and  Mrs.  Barbour  two  children  were 
born:  Lucius  Barnes,  of  Hartford,  and 
Harriet  Burr,  who  became  the  wife  of 
George  Alexander  Phelps,  of  Pelham 
Manor,  New  York. 

General  Barbour  has  for  long  been  a 
potent  influence  for  good,  not  merely  in 
the  business  world,  but  in  the  general  life 
of  the  community.  There  is  probably  no 
city  in  the  world  with  higher  and  more 
honorable  business  traditions  than  Hart- 
ford, among  whose  merchants  and  finan- 
ciers have  appeared  some  of  the  best  and 
strongest  men  in  the  history  of  the  State, 
and  to  the  best  of  these  he  has  adhered  in 
an  age  which  has,  perhaps,  not  been  too 
strict  in  its  observance  of  the  more  exact- 
ing standards  of  the  past.  A  conservative 
in  his  instincts  and  feelings,  he  neverthe- 
less is  wholly  in  favor  of  that  prudent 
progress  which  is  the  most  rapid  because 
devoid  of  haste.  He  thus  occupies  that 
important  place  among  his  fellows  that 
is  perhaps  best  described  as  keeping  the 
balance  between  the  extremes  of  con- 
servatism and  radicalism,  throwing  his 
influence  at  once  against  stagnation  and 
dangerous  advance.  His  personality  is  a 
pleasing  one,  especially  to  men,  who 
recognize  in  the  frank,  open  manner  the 
sterling  type  of  manhood  which  is  at  once 
strong  and  flexible. 


BEECHER,  William  J., 

Iiaipyer,  Jurist. 

The  name  Beecher  belongs  to  that  class 
of  English  surnames,  which  were  origi- 
nally derived  from  the  names  of  the 
localities  in  which  the  first  of  the  family 
to  adopt  the  name  resided.  The  author- 
ity Bardsley  assign  Beecher  to  a  local 
source,  "one  who  lived  by  some  promi- 
nent beech  tree."     The  name  is  a  very 


194 


i^^-taru-a^j'Al'trJ-icv/Secfrfif 


toJ'^  »f/^„'ra  £■  Si-^ .  AT  Z'" 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ancient  and  honorable  one,  and  is  found 
in  authentic  records  as  far  back  as  the 
middle  of  the  thirteenth  century.  The 
Beecher  coat-of-arms  is  as  follows : 

Arms :  Vaire,  or  and  gules,  on  a  canton  or,  a 
stag's  head  cabossed  sable.  Crest :  A  demi-Iion 
erased  or,  girded  around  the  waist  with  a  ducal 
coronet  or. 

Many  of  the  name  of  Beecher  have  been 
distinguished  in  England,  and  since  its 
establishment  in  the  New  World,  Beech- 
ers  have  played  prominent  parts  in  the 
affairs  of  the  country.  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  the  famous  preacher,  was  one  of 
the  most  famed  of  the  Beechers,  and  in 
the  character  of  the  great  men  of  a  gener- 
ation past  was  to  be  found  the  character- 
istics of  the  family — stern  and  rugged 
honesty,  a  love  of  liberty,  independence, 
a  broad  tolerance,  love  of  country,  and  of 
family  honor. 

The  late  Judge  William  J.  Beecher,  a 
member  of  a  branch  of  the  Beecher  fam- 
ily which  has  been  established  in  Con- 
necticut since  the  time  when  that  now 
flourishing  State  was  a  small  and  strug- 
gling but  infinitely  brave  and  independent 
colony,  was  born  in  Bridgeport,  Connec- 
ticut, March  5,  1859,  the  son  of  John  and 
Margaret  Beecher.  His  parents  later 
removed  to  Easton,  Connecticut ;  there  he 
received  his  early  education  in  the  local 
elementary  schools,  finishing  at  the 
Staples  Academy  in  Easton,  where  he 
prepared  for  college.  Having  decided 
upon  the  law  as  his  profession,  he  entered 
the  Yale  Law  School  to  study  to  that 
end,  and  was  graduated  from  that  insti- 
tution in  the  class  of   1880.     On  July   i, 

1880,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  New 
Haven,  and  in  August  of  the  same  year 
he  opened  an  office  for  practice  in  the  city 
of  Bridgeport.  Judge  Beecher  removed 
to  Newtown,  which  he  made  his  home  for 
Ihe  remainder  of  his  life,  on  January  10, 

1881.  He  is  said  to  have  been  influenced 


in  this  move  by  the  late  High  Sherifl 
Aaron  Sanford.  Upon  coming  to  New- 
town he  had  slight  difficulty  in  securing 
an  office,  and  located  temporarily  in  the 
small  rooms  over  the  old  tin  shop  of  the 
late  Daniel  Camp,  later  removed  to  suit- 
able quarters  over  the  present  store  o! 
Robert  H.  Beers. 

His  maiden  case,  in  so  far  as  the  qual- 
ities in  Judge  Beecher  which  prompted 
him  to  bring  about  its  extraordinary  de- 
nouement were  concerned,  was  character- 
istic of  his  whole  legal  career.  In  the 
course  of  his  first  case,  circumstances 
came  to  such  a  head  that  he  found  it 
necessary  to  cause  the  arrest  of  his  own 
client,  an  event  which  shows  clearly  the 
impeccable  integrity  and  honesty  of  the 
man.  In  October,  1892,  he  opened  an 
office  in  Bridgeport,  retaining  at  the  same 
time  his  office  at  his  residence  in  New- 
town. In  October,  1894,  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Frank  M.  Canfield, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Beecher  &  Can- 
field.  The  firm  had  offices  in  the  Sanford 
Building  in  Bridgeport,  and  in  the  sub- 
sequent years  Judge  Beecher's  success  in 
his  profession  became  widely  known 
throughout  the  country,  his  victory  in 
several  noted  legal  cases  bringing  him  an 
enviable  reputation  for  legal  acumen. 
His  practice  was  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
city  in  his  day,  and  perhaps  there  could  be 
no  truer  indication  of  his  worth  than  the 
fact  that  he  was  deeply  respected  and 
honored  by  his  associates  of  the  Fairfield 
county  bar.  In  this  number  were  in- 
cluded Justice  George  W.  Wheeler,  of  the 
Connecticut  Supreme  Court,  and  many 
other  men  of  note. 

Judge  Beecher  was  connected  with  a 
large  number  of  important  and  well  re- 
membered cases.  He  was  chief  counsel 
for  the  late  C.  H.  Peck,  executor  of  the 
estate  of  Elon  Booth.  Mr.  Peck  was  re- 
moved as  executor  by  the  late  Judge  M. 
J.   Bradley.     This  action  was  the  cause 

195 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  a  widespread  antagonism,  and  it  was 
generally  felt  at  the  time  that  it  was 
flagrantly  unfair  and  a  miscarriage  of  jus- 
tice. The  Superior  Court,  on  an  appeal 
of  the  action,  decided  in  favor  of  Mr. 
Peck,  and  he  was  reinstated  forthwith. 
As  chief  counsel,  Judge  Beecher  was  asso- 
ciated in  his  work  on  this  famous  case 
with  the  late  Attorney  Samuel  Fessenden, 
of  Stamford,  and  ex-Congressman  De 
Forest,  of  Bridgeport.  The  firm  of 
Beecher  &  Canfield  were  also  employed 
as  counsel  for  the  contestants  of  the  will 
of  the  late  Horatio  Lake,  who  cut  off  his 
relatives  and  left  the  bulk  of  his  property 
to  Yale  University.  Before  the  attorneys 
on  the  other  side  of  the  case  had  fully 
awakened  to  the  situation,  Messrs. 
Beecher  &  Canfield  made  a  house  to  house 
canvass  in  Bethlehem,  securing  sworn 
testimony  taken  before  witnesses  con- 
cerning the  ability  of  the  late  Mr.  Lake 
to  execute  a  valid  will.  The  direct  result 
was,  that  just  before  the  case  came  to 
trial  at  Litchfield  the  late  Judge  Hunt- 
ington, of  Woodbury,  and  the  New  Haven 
and  Hartford  attorneys  associated  with 
him,  consented  to  a  compromise  whereby 
Mr.  Lake's  heirs  secured  a  substantial 
amount. 

Judge  Beecher  was  very  prominent  in 
the  local  affairs  of  Newtown,  and 
espoused  every  issue  which  he  felt  would 
be  to  its  ultimate  advantage.  He  was  un- 
restrained by  party  lines,  and  gave  his 
support  without  prejudice  to  what  he 
thought  right.  He  was  eminently  a  fair 
man,  and  was  recognized  as  such.  In 
November,  1886,  he  was  elected  judge  of 
probate  for  the  district  of  Newtown,  and 
served  in  that  office  for  two  terms.  By 
an  unfortunate  complication  in  the  Demo- 
cratic caucus.  Judge  Beecher  was  defeated 
for  renomination  by  a  man  who  later 
thoroughly  demonstrated  his  incompe- 
tence. Several  warm  contests  were  made 
to  defeat  the  man,  but  these  failed.     In 


1906,  however,  Judge  Beecher  was  named 
on  the  Republican  ticket.  His  value  to 
the  community  in  the  office  was  so  gen- 
erally recognized  and  acknowledged  that 
he  was  supported  by  the  best  elements  in 
the  town,  irrespective  of  party  lines.  He 
was  elected,  as  was  the  case  in  later  elec- 
tions when  he  ran  on  the  Democratic 
ticket.  He  commanded  a  very  large  vote 
among  the  independent  voters  of  the 
town.  Under  his  administration  the  office 
was  brought  to  a  very  high  standard  of 
efficiency,  and  the  arrangement  and  con- 
dition of  the  probate  records  is  said  by 
probate  experts  to  be  ideally  perfect. 

In  addition  to  his  connection  with  the 
political  life  of  Newtown,  Judge  Beecher 
also  took  a  keen  interest  in  its  business 
life.  He  was  intensely  public-spirited. 
The  establishment  of  the  Newtown  Water 
Company,  an  improvement  which  brought 
material  comfort  and  advancement  to  the 
community,  was  largely  due  to  his  earnest 
and  persistent  efforts  in  its  behalf.  After 
much  labor  in  the  interest  of  the  work, 
he  and  one  other  citizen  finally  contrib- 
uted a  very  large  sum  to  complete  the 
project,  which  has  been  a  beneficent  one 
to  the  residents  of  the  borough.  Judge 
Beecher  was  also  an  ardent  champion  of 
the  cause  of  education,  and  gave  much  of 
his  time  and  attention  to  it  in  Newtown. 
For  ten  years  prior  to  his  death  he  pro- 
vided the  sum  of  forty  dollars  in  gold  at 
each  annual  commencement  of  the  high 
school,  to  be  used  as  prizes  awarded  for 
scholarship.  Until  his  death,  this  fact 
was  not  known  to  more  than  half  a  dozen 
people  in  the  entire  town,  so  unostenta- 
tiously was  the  gift  made.  For  several 
years  Judge  Beecher  was  a  member  of 
the  Borough  Board  of  Burgesses,  and  for 
two  years  prior  to  his  death  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Democratic  State  Central 
Committee.  He  was  well  known  in 
Democratic  and  legal  circles  throughout 
96 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  State  of  Connecticut,  and  had  many 
friends  among  the  Democratic  leaders. 

In  1901  he  was  chosen  a  director  of  the 
Newtown  Savings  Bank,  and  remained  in 
that  capacity  until  his  death,  serving  the 
last  two  years  as  a  member  of  the  loan- 
ing committee.  Judge  Beecher  was  also 
attorney  for  the  bank,  and  was  deeply 
interested  in  the  success  of  the  institution, 
of  which  the  late  Henry  Beers  Glover,  his 
wife's  father,  was  the  first  president. 

Judge  Beecher  was  of  that  silent,  reti- 
cent type  of  men  whose  capacity  for  deep 
feeling  and  friendship  is  very  great.  He 
was  intensely  loyal  to  his  friends,  and 
generous  almost  to  a  fault,  refusing  very 
few  appeals  for  aid.  His  counsel  was 
both  sought  and  followed  among  the  old 
and  young  men  of  the  town,  and  many 
young  men  owe  their  start  on  a  success- 
ful career  to  him.  He  was  a  warm'- 
hearted,  sympathetic  man,  but  withal  re- 
served, and  often  misunderstood  because 
of  the  forceful  independence  of  his 
nature.  To  the  world  in  general  he  pre- 
sented a  cold  and  impassive  front,  and 
only  to  those  who  knew  him  well  was  the 
true  depth  and  worth  of  his  nature  ever 
revealed.  Nevertheless  he  was  a  popular 
man,  and  one  thoroughly  loved  and  re- 
spected in  the  entire  community. 

Judge  Beecher  died  on  December  3, 
1915,  at  his  home  in  Newtown.  Excerpts 
from  some  of  the  resolutions  passed  by 
the  several  large  organizations  of  which 
he  was  a  member  are  appended  hereto: 

The  following  is  taken  from  the  reso- 
lutions of  the  Fairfield  County  Bar  Asso- 
ciation : 

Mr.  Beecher  came  to  the  bar  when  Edward  W. 
Seymour,  Lyman  D.  Brewster,  Samuel  Fessenden 
(all  of  them  now  gone)  were  at  the  zenith  of  their 
power.  With  such  as  these,  associated  or  opposed, 
he  eagerly  exerted  his  young  and  ardent  energies ; 
and  from  them  he  drew  inspiration  and  learned 
lessons  which  made  him  in  his  best  days  a  trial 
lawyer  of  no  mean  ability. 

Though  aggressive  in  the  conduct  of  his  cases, 


he  was  singularly  devoid  of  that  form  of  self- 
assertion  which  is  based  on  conceit.  Rather  did 
his  strength  as  an  advocate  come  from  his  intense 
will  to  prevail  in  any  legal  cause  which  he  deeme/ 
just. 

He  had  a  high  ethical  sense  of  his  profession 
As  an  officer  of  the  Court,  his  fidelity  was  in  fuA 
accord  with  his  attorney's  oath.  Good  faith  actu- 
ated him  in  all  his  relations  with  the  Court,  and 
the  presiding  judge  might  implicitly  trust  any 
statement  made  by  him  as  to  matters  of  personal 
knowledge  or  opinion.  For  pettifogging  methods 
he  had  nothing  but  contempt. 

His  fidelity  to  his  client  was  equally  worthy  ol 
note.  He  did  not  accept  a  case  primarily  because 
there  was  a  fee  in  it,  but  because  he  saw  some 
wrong  to  be  righted,  or  some  justice  to  be  done. 
The  case  he  liked  the  most  of  all  was  where  he 
saw  an  opportunity  for  the  strong  to  assist  the 
weak ;  then  he  lavished  his  time  and  talents  with- 
out stint. 

Judge  Beecher  was  a  man  of  public  spirit.  It 
was  but  natural  that  a  lawyer  of  his  strong  nature 
should  be  foremost  in  the  affairs  of  his  town; 
and  for  a  score  of  years  no  important  measure 
was  adopted  in  the  town  of  Newtown  without  the 
endorsement  of  his  clear  and  positive  mind. 

The  resolutions  passed  by  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Newtown  Savings  Bank, 
with  which  Judge  Beecher  was  connected 
for  over  fourteen  years,  contain  the  fol- 
lowing : 

During  his  long  period  of  service  he  took  a  deep 
interest  in  the  welfare  and  growth  of  the  bank 
and  gave  his  time  and  advice  freely  to  promote  its 
best  interests.  He  was  a  man  of  generous  im- 
pulses, a  public-spirited  citizen,  and  an  able  attor- 
ney, an  honored  Judge  of  Probate  for  many  years 
and  will  be  sadly  missed  in  this  community.  In 
his  death  we  have  suffered  a  great  loss  and  the 
depositors  a  friend  and  wise  counselor    *    *    *. 

Judge  F.  F.  Addis,  friend  of  Judge 
Beecher  for  over  thirty  years,  said  of 
him : 

For  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years  I  have 
known  Judge  Beecher.  During  that  time  I  have 
always  found  him  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
to  be  always  jealous  in  protecting  the  interests  of 
his  clients.  As  an  associate  he  was  willing  to  take 
the  laboring  oar,  while  as  an  opponent  he  was 
forceful  and  skillful,  but  always  just  to  his  oppo- 
nent. A  hard  fighter  but  a  fair  one.  In  my  nearly 
four  years  of  contact  with  him  in  the  deliberations 

97 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  the  Democratic  State  committee  I  always  found 
his  conception  keen  and  his  judgment  ripe.  In  his 
social  intercourse  he  was  genial,  whole  hearted 
and  generous.  He  is  one  of  the  men  the  town 
and  State  can  ill  afford  to  lose,  and  to  converse 
with  him  for  any  extended  length  of  time  seemed 
to  give  to  those  around  him  an  inspiration. 

Judge  Eugene  D.  Dempsey,  in  speak- 
ing of  Judge  Beecher  said  : 

There  is  not  a  lawyer  in  Fairfield  county  who 
would  be  unwilling  to  speak  a  word  of  praise  of 
Judge  Beecher.  His  career  as  a  member  of  the 
bar  and  as  a  probate  judge  was  a  chain  of  con- 
scientious application  to  the  interest  of  his  clients 
and  to  the  just  administration  of  his  judicial 
duties.  His  political  life  was  not  tempered  by 
conciliation  and  brought  to  him  small  comfort  or 
gain,  yet  he  always  believed  in  his  position  and 
thereby  gained  the  confidence  of  his  party  and 
measured  personal  satisfaction.  He  thought  deep- 
ly of  life  and  was  prone  to  discuss  its  inequalities, 
but  consistently  refrained  from  giving  expression 
to  his  ultimate  conclusions.  For  those  who 
achieved  in  the  practice  of  law,  he  had  profound 
respect  and  veneration,  well  knowing  the  trials 
and  difficulties  attending  such  distinction.  Always 
realizing  the  value  of  exactness  as  applied  to  the 
requirements  of  his  profession,  he  became  ac- 
cepted as  a  draftsman  of  legal  documents.  Judge 
Beecher  will  long  be  remembered  as  a  loyal 
lawyer,  competent  judge,  and  a  worthy  citizen. 

Judge  Beecher  was  married,  on  April  3, 
1891,  to  Mary  Blakeslee  Glover,  of  New- 
town, a  daughter  of  Henry  Beers  Glover, 
one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  the 
town  of  his  day,  and  first  president  of  the 
Newtown  Savings  Bank.  The  children  of 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Beecher  were  :  i.  Florence 
Glover  Beecher.  2.  Henry  Glover  Beecher, 
who  died  at  the  age  of  four  years.  3.  Mar- 
guerite Kathryn  Beecher. 

The  Misses  Florence  G.  and  Marguerite 
K.  Beecher  reside  in  the  old  family  home 
in  Newtown,  which  was  built  by  their 
grandfather,  Henry  Beers  Glover.  Mrs. 
Beecher  died  in  Newtown  on  September 
23,  1916,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years. 

(The   Glover  Line). 

fl)  The  Glover  family  has  been  promi- 
nent   in    Connecticut     from    the    earliest 


Colonial  days,  and  traces  its  descent  to 
the  immigrant,  Henry  Glover.  The  Glover 
coat-of-arms  is  as  follows:  Sable,  a  bend 
argent,  between  three  herons'  heads  erased 
of  the  second.  Henry  Glover  emigrated 
fiom  England,  and  located  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Colony,  in  the  town  of  Boston. 
He  is  thought  to  have  been  about  twenty- 
four  years  of  age  when  he  arrived  in 
America,  and  shortly  after  his  arrival  he 
journeyed  to  New  Haven,  where  he  set- 
tled and  remained  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 
According  to  old  records  "he  became  rec- 
onciled to  the  Church"  in  New  Haven, 
June  II.  1644,  and  took  the  oath  of  allegi- 
ance to  the  Colony,  on  July  i,  of  the  same 
year.  He  died  in  New  Haven,  September 
2,  1689,  and  his  wife,  Helena,  died  there, 
March  i,  1697. 

(II)  John  Glover,  son  of  Henry  and 
Helena  Glover,  was  born  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut,  October  8,  1648,  and  died 
January  29,  1679.  He  married  Joanna 
Daniels,  on   December  7,   1671. 

(III)  John  (2)  Glover,  son  of  John  (i) 
and  Joanna  (Daniels)  Glover,  was  born 
in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  November 
20,  1674.  He  later  removed  to  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  and  resided  there  for  about 
sixteen  years.  He  died  June  30,  1752,  and 
is  buried  at  Newtown,  where  the  family 
has  since  flourished.  He  married  (first) 
November  27,  1700,  Margaret  or  Marjory 
Hubbard,  who  died  at  Stratford,  Connec- 
ticut, March  14,  1704.  On  July  14,  1707, 
he  married  (second)  Mrs.  Bathiah  Beach 
Bickley. 

(IV)  John  (3)  Glover,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Margaret  (Hubbard)  Glover,  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  December  30,  1701, 
was  married  on  July  12,  1724,  to  Eliza- 
beth Bennett,  of  Stratford.  Although  at 
the  time  of  the  outbreak  of  the  American 
Revolution,  John  (3)  Glover,  was  seven- 
ty-six years  of  age.  he  enlisted  in  the 
Dragoon  Artillery,  Third  Troop,  Connec- 
ticut Militia,  under  Colonel  Elisha  Shel- 


198 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


don,  and  served  from  the  year  1777  until 
the  close  of  the  war  in  1783. 

(V)  John  (4)  Glover,  son  of  John  (3) 
and  Elizabeth  (Bennett)  Glover,  was  born 
February  11,  1732,  and  died  on  July  2, 
1802.     He  married  Elizabeth  Curtis. 

(VI)  Josiah  Glover,  son  of  John  (4) 
and  Elizabeth  (Curtis)  Glover,  was  born 
November  27,  1762,  and  died  November 
I,  1840.  He  married,  September  4,  1792, 
Rebecca,  daughter  of  Abel  Booth. 

(VII)  Abiel  Booth  Glover,  son  of  Jo- 
siah and  Rebecca  (Booth)  Glover,  was 
born  January  16,  1797,  and  died  October 
13,"  1825.  He  married,  May  5,  1822,  Maria 
Nichols,  daughter  of  David  Nichols.  Their 
children  were :  Mary  Eliza,  born  May  5, 
1823,  died  September  5,  J  825;  Henry 
Beers,    mentioned    below. 

(VIII)  Henry  Beers  Glover,  son  of 
Abiel  Booth  and  Maria  (Nichols)  Glover, 
was  born  in  Newtown.  Connecticut,  De- 
cember 8,  1824.  He  prepared  for  college 
in  the  local  school  of  the  town,  and  en- 
tered Yale  University,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1820.  After 
leaving  college  he  spent  some  time  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  but  later  returned  to 
Newtown,  where  he  became  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  the  commu- 
nity, a  financial  leader,  successful  mer- 
chant, and  eminent  churchman.  Mr. 
Glover  engaged  in  farming  also  on  a  large 
scale,  and  for  several  years  kept  a  store 
on  the  site  of  the  residence  of  the  late 
Charles  H.  Peck. 

Mr.  Glover  was  the  principal  organizer 
and  founder  of  the  Newtown  Savings 
Bank,  and  its  first  president.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Bridgeport.  Although  always 
active  in  behalf  of  any  issues  which  would 
benefit  the  community,  Mr.  Glover  was 
never  engaged  in  politics.  He  was  a 
staunch  supporter  of  the  Republican 
party  in  questions  of  national  importance. 


but  voted  independently  on  local  affairs. 
He  was  for  many  years  connected  with 
the  Trinity  Episcopal  Church  of  New- 
town, and  gave  liberally  to  its  support, 
being  one  of  the  most  generous  of  the 
contributors  to  the  building  fund  for  the 
new  church.  He  died  at  his  home  in  New- 
town, March  6,  1870. 

Henry  Beers  Glover  married  Eliza 
Blakeslee.  She  died  May  17,  1875,  aged 
forty-nine  years.  Their  children  were : 
William  Booth  born  September  15,  1850; 
Mary  Blakeslee,  born  October  31,  1853, 
married  Judge  William  J.  Beecher  (see 
Beecher)  ;  Florence  Stanley,  born  July 
28,  1854,  married  Abel  Clark,  died  April 
3,  1892;  Maria  Nichols,  born  May  7,  1859, 
died  May  15,  1859. 

The  death  of  Henry  Beers  Glover  was 
deeply  felt  in  Newtown.  The  board  of 
directors  of  the  First  National  Bank,  of 
Bridgeport,  at  a  special  meeting,  held  on 
March  28,  1870.  passed  the  following  reso- 
lutions : 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  an  All-wise  Provi- 
dence to  remove  by  death  our  late  friend  and  as- 
sociate, Mr.  Henry  Beers  Glover,  who  for  many 
years  was  a  prominent  and  efficient  director  of 
this  bank. 

Resolved,  That  we  sincerely  deplore  the  loss  of 
our  esteemed  friend,  endeared  to  us  as  he  was  by 
his  superior  business  capacity  and  his  many  social 
virtues,  and  whose  manly  deportment  has  com- 
manded our  highest  regard. 

Resolved,  That  we  tender  to  the  family  and 
relatives  of  the  deceased  our  sympathy  in  their 
affliction,  knowing  that  the  bank  and  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived,  as  well  as  his  deeply 
afflicted  family,  have  experienced  an  irreparable 
loss. 

Resolved,  That  the  President,  Cashier,  and 
Messrs.  Tomlinson  and  Nichols  be  appointed  a 
committee  to  attend  the  funeral  services  of  our 
deceased  friend  at  his  late  residence  in  Newtown, 
to-morrow  at  2  o'clock  P.  M. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  resolu- 
tions be  transmitted  to  the  friends  of  the  deceased, 
be  entered  upon  the  records  of  this  bank,  and  pub- 
lished in  the  papers  of  the  city. 

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Ex\CYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


CUTLER  FAMILY. 

The  name  Cutler  is  of  that  class  of  pat- 
ronymics which  were  originally  derived 
from  the  trades  or  occupations  of  their 
bearers.  Others  of  this  class  are  Cooper, 
Smith,  Miller,  Gardner,  etc.  When  the 
adoption  of  surnames  became  prevalent, 
the  first  member  of  the  Cutler  family  to 
adopt  the  name  was  in  all  probability  a 
cutler  by  trade,  or  a  maker  of  knives  or 
other  cutting  instruments. 

Arms:  (Stainborough  Hall,  County  York,  de- 
scended from  John  Cutler,  standard  bearer  of  the 
War  of  the  Roses,  temp.  Henry  VI.)  Azure, 
three  dragons'  heads  erased,  within  a  bordure  or. 
Crest :  A  wivern's  head  erased  or,  ducally  collared 
azure. 

The  English  bearer  of  the  name  of  Cut- 
ler to  whom  the  American  family  traces 
its  ancestry  was  Sir  Admiral  Gervase  Cut- 
ler, who  was  killed  in  1645  in  defense  of 
the  Castle  of  Pontificiato.  Sir  Gervase 
Cutler  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Cutler,  who 
was  buried  at  Silkton,  January  21,  1622. 
Thomas  Cutler  was  a  descendant  of  Sir 
John  Cutler,  standard  bearer  during  the 
War  of  the  Roses,  who  was  knighted  in 
the  reign  of  Henry  VI.  Sir  Gervase  Cut- 
ler married  for  his  first  wife,  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Sir  John  Bently.  The  child 
of  this  marriage  was  Margaret,  who  mar- 
ried Sir  Edward  Mosely ;  there  was  also 
a  son,  Gervase,  who  died  young.  Sir  Ger- 
vase Cutler  married  a  second  time  Lady 
Magdalen,  the  ninth  daughter  of  Sir  John 
Egerton,  Duke  of  Bridgewater,  and  of  this 
marriage  there  were  nine  children. 

The  New  England  ancestors  of  the  Cut- 
ler family  in  America  were  James,  Robert 
and  John  Cutler,  immigrants  from  Eng- 
land, who  settled  in  Massachusetts  in 
1634.  James  Cutler  came  to  \\'atertown, 
Massachusetts,  in  1634.  The  name  of 
Robert  Cutler  first  appears  on  the  records 
of  Charlestown,  in   1636,  where  it  is  re- 


corded that  he  was  married.  John  Cutler, 
Sr.,  with  a  family,  was  settled  at  Hing- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  in  1637. 

(I)  James  Cutler,  born  in  England,  set- 
tled as  early  as  1634  in  Watertown,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  the  first  record  of  the 
family  name  in  New  England,  in  America 
in  fact,  is  to  be  found.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  grantees  of  land  in  the  northerly 
part  of  the  town  on  the  road  to  Belmont. 
He  married  Anna  Grout,  a  sister  of  Cap- 
tain John  Grout,  and  tradition  says  that 
they  were  both  so  opposed  and  persecuted 
in  England  for  their  Puritanism  that  they 
resolved  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  New 
England,  and  accordingly  came  to  Amer- 
ica tmaccompanied  by  friends  or  near 
relatives.  There  is  no  authentic  record 
by  which  to  fix  the  year  in  which  James 
Cutler  arrived  here.  His  first  child,  James, 
was  born  "Ye  6th  day,  9th  month,  1635." 
He  had  that  year  passed  all  necessary  pro- 
bation and  been  received  an  inhabitant  of 
Watertown,  having  a  house  lot  assigned 
him.  The  lot  contained  eight  acres, 
bounded  on  the  east  by  the  lot  of  Thomas 
Boylston,  west  and  north  by  a  highway, 
i.  e.  by  Common  street  and  Pond  road, 
and  south  by  the  lot  of  Ellias  Barron.  In 
the  first  "great  divide,"  July  25,  1636,  he 
was  assigned  twenty-five  acres,  and  three 
acres  in  the  further  plain  (now  W^altham) 
next  to  the  river.  In  1642  he  had  assigned 
to  him  eighty-two  acres  in  the  fourth  di- 
vision, and  four  other  farms.  On  October 
2,  1645,  he  was  one  of  the  petitioners  "'in 
1  elation  to  Nashaway  plantation,  now 
Weston."  On  December  13,  1649,  James 
Cutler  and  Nathaniel  Bowman,  for  £70 
bought  of  Edward  GofTe,  two  hundred 
acres  in  Cambridge  Farms.  James  Cutler 
sold  his  share  of  one  hundred  acres  to 
Bowman  for  £39,  on  March  4,  165 1.  This 
land  was  adjoining  Rock  Meadow  and 
near  to  or  adjoining  Waltham.  About 
ibis  time  he  settled  at  Cambridge  Farms 


200 


T 


T::E  r_V'   '  uiK 
PUB.'C  LIBRARY 

A  ~-0P.    LEWOX 
IILD^K    rc  Jt:DATIONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(now  Lexington),  on  what  is  known  as 
Wood  street,  and  not  far  from  the  Con- 
cord (now  Bedford)  line,  a  part  of  which 
farm  remained  in  the  family  until  the  heirs 
of  Leonard  Cutler  sold  it.  James  Cutler 
is  supposed  to  have  built  one  of  the  first 
houses  at  the  Farms.  Vestiges  of  the 
cellar  of  his  house  still  remain.  The  house 
was  located  some  thirty  rods  from  the 
i:.resent  highway,  on  an  elevation  com- 
manding an  extensive  view.  He  made  his 
will  on  November  24,  1684,  at  Cambridge 
Farms,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
and  died  May  17,  1694,  aged  eighty-eight. 
James  Cutler  buried  his  first  wife,  Anna, 
September  30,  1644,  and  married  (second) 
on  March  9, 1645,  Mary,  widow  of  Thomas 
King.  She  died  December  7,  1654,  and  he 
married  for  his  third  wife,  Phoebe,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Page,  in  1662.  His  children 
were:  i.  James,  born  September  6,  1635, 
mentioned  below.  2.  Hannah,  born  May 
26,  1638,  married  John  Winter,  and  died 
January  18,  1690.  3.  Elizabeth,  born  No- 
vember 28,  1640,  and  died  October  30, 
1644.  4-  Mary,  born  March  29,  1644,  mar- 
ried John  Collar,  and  removed  to  Sudbury. 
5.  Elizabeth,  born  May  20,  1646,  married 
John  Parmenter,  of  Sudbury.  6.  Thomas, 
born  1648,  and  died  at  Lexington,  July  13, 
1722.  7.  Sarah,  born  1653,  married,  in 
1673,  Thomas  Waight,  settled  in  Weston, 
Massachusetts,  and  died  January  17,  1744. 
aged  ninety-one  years.  8.  Joanna,  born 
1660,  married  Philip  Russell,  and  died  No- 
vember 26,  1703.  9.  John,  born  May  19, 
1663,  and  died  September  21,  1714.  10. 
Samuel,  born  November  18,  1664.  11. 
Jemima,  who  married,  September  22,  1697, 
Zerubabel  Snow.  12.  Phoebe,  died  un- 
married in  1684. 

(II)  James  (2)  Cutler,  son  of  James  (i) 
and  Anna  Cutler,  was  born  in  Watertown, 
Massachusetts,  September  6,  1635.  He 
was  a  farmer,  residing  at  Cambridge 
Farms,    near    Concord    line,    and    was    a 


soldier  in  King  Philip's  War.  He  made 
his  will  on  the  28th  and  died  on  the  31st 
of  July,   1685. 

He  married,  June  15,  1665,  Lydia,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Moore,  of  Sudbury,  and  widow 
of  Samuel  Wright.  She  died  in  Sudbury 
on  November  23,  1723.  Their  children, 
born  at  Cambridge  Farms,  were  :  i.  James 
(3).  born  May  12,  1666,  and  died  Decem- 
ber I,  1690.  2.  Ann,  born  April  20,  1669, 
married,  September  26, 1688,  Richard  Bel- 
vis,  of  Watertown.  3.  Samuel,  born  May 
2,  1672.  4.  Joseph,  twin  of  Samuel.  5. 
John,  born  April  14.  1675,  and  died  at  Kil- 
lingly,  Connecticut,  after  1727.  6.  Thom- 
as, born  December  15,  1677,  mentioned  be- 
low. 7.  Isaac,  born  in  1684,  at  Killingly, 
Connecticut  and  died  there.  June  18,  1758. 

(HI)  Thomas  Cutler,  son  of  James  (2) 
and  Lydia  (Moore-Wright)  Cutler,  was 
born  December  15,  1677,  at  Cambridge 
Farms  (now  Lexington),  where  he  re- 
sided the  greater  part  of  his  life.  He  was 
constable  in  1719,  and  selectman  in  1729, 
1731.  1733  and  1734.  About  the  year  1750 
he  bought  a  farm  in  Western  (now  War- 
ren), where  he  then  went  to  live.  Here 
he  made  his  will,  September  15,  1759,  and 
died  December  23,  1759. 

He  married  (first)  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Dorcas  (Jones)  Stone,  who 
joined  the  church  in  Lexington,  July  4. 
1708,  and  died  January  10.  1750,  aged 
sixty-nine.  He  married  (second)  Lydia 
Simonds,  April  10,  1750,  and  with  her  was 
dismissed  to  the  church  of  Western,  May 
17,  1752,  having  owned  the  covenant  at 
Lexington,  June  6,  1703.  Children  of  first 
wife,  born  at  Lexington,  were:  I.Abigail, 
born  June  2.  1703.  married  Joseph  Bridge, 
of  Lexington,  November  18, 1722,  and  died 
November  11.  1778.  2.  David,  born  Au- 
gust 28,  1705.  mentioned  below.  3.  Amity, 
born  December  19,  1707.  married  John 
Page,  of  Bedford.  4.  Sarah,  born  January 
19,  1710,  married  Israel  Mead.     5.  Mary, 


201 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  November  8,  1714,  married  Seth 
Johnson,  of  Nottingham,  New  Hamp- 
shire. 6.  Hannah,  born  May  13,  1717, 
died  March  2,  1724.  7.  Thomas,  born  Sep- 
tember 30,  1719,  died  November  28,  1760. 
8.  Millicent,  born  July  29,  1722,  and  died 
January  2,  1741. 

(IV)  David  Cutler,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah  (Stone)  Cutler,  was  born  August 
28,  and  baptized  September  9,  1705,  at 
Lexington.  He  joined  the  church  in  Lex- 
ington, April  14,  1728.  He  resided  in  the 
family  homestead  near  the  Bedford  line. 
He  was  surveyor  of  the  township  during 
the  reign  of  King  George  III.;  served  as 
constable  in  Lexington  in  1746,  and  as 
selectman  in  1749,  1750  and  1751.  He 
made  his  will,  September  13,  1758,  in 
which  is  mentioned  his  wife  Mary.  He 
left  personal  property  inventoried  at  £573 
iSs. 

He  died  December  5,  1760,  of  small-pox, 
which  was  particularly  fatal  in  those  days 
because  of  the  fact  there  was  no  known 
way  to  combat  its  onslaughts.  His  wife 
survived  him,  and  died  May  25,  1797,  aged 
ninety-three  years.  Their  children,  born 
at  Lexington,  were:  i.  Abigail,  born  May 
31,  1728,  married  Samuel  Hodgman,  of 
Warren,  May  7,  1755.  2.  David,  born  July 
15,  1730,  and  died  probably  at  Bennington, 
Vermont.  3.  Joseph,  born  May  31,  1733, 
mentioned  below.  4.  Isaac,  born  June, 
1736,  and  died  January,  1737.  5.  Mary, 
born  April  12,  1738,  married,  September 
15,  1757,  John  Page,  of  Hardwich,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  died  there.  May  3,  1812.  6. 
Solomon,  born  May  15,  1740,  and  died  at 
Rindge,  New  Hampshire.  7.  Thomas, 
born  May  9,  1742,  and  died  July  3,  1812. 
8  Elizabeth,  born  August  4,  1744,  mar- 
ried. May  3,  1768,  Benjamin  Moore,  of 
Lexington.  9.  Amity,  born  July  15,  1748. 
married,  November  17,  1766,  Nathan 
Leonard. 

(V)  Joseph  Cutler,  son  of  David  and 


Mary  Cutler,  was  born  at  Lexington,  Mas- 
sachusetts, May  31,  1733,  in  the  second 
house  which  was  built  on  the  Cutler  farm. 
His  residence  in  Warren  was  on  the  west 
side  of  the  river,  and  it  was  here  that  he 
died  February  7,  1816,  aged  eighty-three 
years. 

He  married  (first)  May  6,  1755,  Rebecca, 
daughter  of  John  and  Esther  (Prince) 
Hoar,  of  Lincoln.  Massachusetts,  born 
July,  1735,  and  died  September  16,  1758. 
He  married  (second)  Mary,  daughter  of 
]\Iajor  Reuben  Reed,  of  Warren,  IMassa- 
chusetts,  on  September  20,  1759.  She  was 
born  January  30,  1740,  and  died  March 
28,  1792.  The  children  of  Joseph  Cutler 
were:  i.  Converse,  born  March  3,  1756, 
and  died  at  Hardwich,  Massachusetts,  be- 
fore 1815.  2.  Joseph,  born  March  9,  1757, 
and  died  February  23,  1857.  3.  Rebecca, 
born  August  23,  1760,  and  married  Dr. 
William  Cutler,  November  2,  1780;  she 
died  November  20,  1820.  4.  Mary,  bori* 
March  23,  1762,  married  Joseph  Batchel- 
der.  and  died  in  1784.  5.  Anna,  born  Jan- 
uary 3,  1764,  married  Joseph  D wight  in 
1786.  6.  Sally,  born  January  30,  1767, 
married,  January  i,  1793,  George  Bur- 
bank,  and  died  October  14,  1833.  7.  Lydia, 
born  December  2,  1769,  married  Artemas 
Brigham,  and  died  January  16,  1798.  8. 
P.ethia.born  May  15, 1773,  married,  March 
2.  1794,  Isaac  Tyler,  and  died  August  11, 
1848.  9.  Reuben,  born  May  29,  1775,  and 
died  unmarried  on  September  14,  1838,  in 
Warren.  10.  Hon.  Nathan,  twin  of  Reu- 
ben, mentioned  below. 

(VI)  Hon.  Nathan  Cutler,  A.  M.,  son 
of  Joseph  and  Mary  (Reed)  Cutler,  was 
born  at  Western  (now  Warren),  Massa- 
chusetts, May  29,  1775,  and  died  June  8, 
1861.  He  was  graduated  from  Dartmouth 
College  in  1798,  and  was  preceptor  at 
Middlebury  Academy  for  one  year  there- 
after. He  then  studied  law  with  Judge 
Chipman,     of     Vermont,     and     later     at 


202 


y^^/,Li.-j  i£.iv-_-  .\'yr 


^^^^^ 


Jflaru  tLitluiulnu  ^'iitlrr 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and  in  the  last 
mentioned  city  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1801.  For  a  time  he  practiced  in 
his  native  town,  but  in  1803  removed  to 
Farmington,  Maine,  where  he  resided  for 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  For  about  thir- 
tv-five  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  active 
pursuit  of  his  profession,  and  was  deeply 
interested  in  the  educational  and  political 
affairs  of  his  town  and  State.  He  was 
several  times  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
of  Massachusetts,  before  its  separation 
(1810-1811-1812-1819-1820).  He  was  ap- 
pointed Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  by  Governor  Berry  in  1812,  and  de- 
clined to  accept  the  office.  In  1819  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Convention  that  framed 
the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
and  many  times  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  that  State.  Upon  the  death  of 
Governor  Lincoln,  early  in  the  year  1829, 
by  virtue  of  his  office  as  President  of  the 
Senate,  Hon.  Nathan  Cutler  became  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State  of  Maine.  In  1829  he 
was  one  of  the  presidential  electors.  He 
was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  Farming- 
ton  Academy,  and  during  his  lifetime 
president  of  the  board  of  trustees.  Gov- 
ernor Cutler  was  much  interested  in  clas- 
sical studies,  of  which  he  was  a  lifelong 
student,  and  he  did  much  to  inculcate  a 
love  of  learning  in  his  associates. 

He  married  (first)  Hannah,  daughter  of 
Isaac  Moore,  of  Warren.  Massachusetts, 
on  September  10,  1804.  She  died  Febru- 
ary 20,  1835.  Seven  of  the  nine  children 
of  Governor  and  Mrs.  Cutler  grew  to  ma- 
turity. He  married  (second)  in  1856, 
Harriet,  widow  of  William  Weld,  and 
daughter  of  Colonel  Easterbrooks,  of 
Brunswick,  Maine.  The  children  of  Hon. 
Nathan  and  Hannah  (Moore)  Cutler 
were:  i.  Mary  Reed,  born  March  13, 
1806;  married,  November  15,  1827,  Robert 
Godnow,  of  Hiram,  Maine,  and  later  re- 
moved to   Farmington,  Maine ;    she  was 


the  mother  of  five  children.  2.  Nathan 
Moore,  born  August  2,  1808,  mentioned 
below.  3.  John  L.,  born  August  31.  1810, 
and  died  April  8,  1814.  4.  Elbridge  Gerry, 
born  May  14.  1812,  at  Farmington,  Maine, 
and  died  at  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  April 
28.  i84('i;  he  was  graduated  from  Harvard 
University  in  the  class  of  1834,  and  later 
continued  his  studies  at  the  Divinity 
School  at  Andover,  Massachusetts,  and 
at  Yale  Lhiiversity  at  New  Haven.  Con- 
necticut ;  after  completing  his  studies  he 
was  ordained  a  minister  of  the  Congre- 
gational church,  and  served  in  Belfast, 
Maine,  until  his  death.  5.  Reuben,  born 
October  20,  1815,  and  died  January  12, 
1816.  6.  John  Lewis,  born  December  15, 
1816.  7.  Reuben,  born  December  13,  1819. 
8.  Hannah  Moore,  born  October  16,  1821  ; 
married.  July  12,  1843,  Philip  Sidney 
Page  ;  they  resided  at  Maiden.  Massachu- 
setts, where  she  died  March  10,  1855.  9. 
Isaac  Moore,  born  November  3.  1823,  was 
a  sticcessful  merchant  of  Portland,  Maine, 
but  later  removed  to  Maiden,  Massachu- 
setts. 

(VII)  Nathan  Moore  Cutler,  son  of 
Hon.  Nathan  and  Hannah  (Moore)  Cut- 
ler, was  born  August  2.  1808.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  years  he  entered  Phillips 
Academy  at  Exeter,  New  Hampshire. 
After  graduating  from  that  institution 
he  attended  Bowdoin  College,  but  was 
obliged  to  discontinue  his  studies  on  ac- 
count of  poor  health.  He  then  entered  a 
business  career,  first  at  Warren,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  later  at  Bangor,  Maine. 
Under  the  administration  of  President 
Martin  Van  Buren,  he  held  the  office  of 
debenture  clerk  in  the  Boston  Customs 
House.  The  collector  of  the  port  at  the 
time  was  George  Bancroft.  This  position 
he  held  until  the  time  of  his  death  on  Oc- 
tober 30,  1849. 

He  married,  September  12,  1836.  Colum- 
bia   Shearer,   of    Palmer,    Massachusetts, 


203 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


who  died  in  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 
Their  children  were:  i.  Mary  Columbia, 
born  February  7, 1839,  residing  in  Maiden, 
Massachusetts.  2.  Martha  Jane  (Jennie), 
born  Alay  5,  1846,  mentioned  below.  3. 
Hannah  Moore,  born  September  21,  1848, 
died  March  31,  1870. 

(VIII)  Jennie  Cutler,  daughter  of  Na- 
than Moore  and  Columbia  (Shearer)  Cut- 
ler, is  of  the  eighth  generation  in  direct 
-descent  from  James  Cutler,  who  settled  in 
Watertown,  Massachusetts,  as  early  as 
1634.  She  married  John  McClary,  of  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  a  sketch  of  whose 
life  is  appended  hereto.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McClary  were  born  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts. 


McCLARY,  John, 

McClary  Arms :  Or,  a  chevron  azure,  between 
three  roses  gules. 

There  is  a  duty  which  every  .'American 
owes  the  land  which  gives  him  his  oppor- 
tunity and  fortune,  a  duty  which,  unless 
embellished  and  ornamented  by  unusual 
inducements,  it  is  the  custom  of  the  aver- 
age citizen  to  overlook.  On  every  hand 
one  finds  men  whose  talents  and  inclina- 
tions fit  them  preeminently  for  public 
service,  but  who  shun  this  duty  of  patri- 
otism because  of  the  greater  benefits,  pe- 
cuniary and  of  other  natures,  which  accrue 
to  them  from  the  field  of  business.  The 
country  has  its  statesmen,  but  it  needs  in 
the  ranks  of  its  servants  and  advisors  the 
trained  and  analytical  mind  of  the  busi- 
ness man  to  solve  the  problems  which  face 
the  nation  to-day — the  problems  within 
its  own  borders.  The  talents  of  the  ordi- 
nary business  men  do  not  run  to  un- 
ravelling the  intricacies  of  international 
law,  but  rather  do  they  apply  to  and  excel 
in  the  management  of  questions  of  com- 
merce, labor,  reform,  etc.,  which  agitate 
the  public  to-day.  For  men  so  endowed 
to   reject   office   and   government   service 


because  of  selfish  reasons  is  a  blot  upon 
their  citizenship.  No  man  can  truly  up- 
hold the  ideals  and  standards  of  America, 
who,  being  capable,  refuses  the  high  honor 
of  public  service.  It  may  with  truth  and 
conviction  be  said  of  the  late  John  Mc- 
Clary, of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  that  he 
did  his  duty  to  its  full  extent,  in  the  long 
years  in  which  he  faithfully  served  the 
Government  of  the  United  States,  sub- 
serving every  personal  wish  to  its  de- 
mands, because  of  a  high  standard  of  pa- 
triotism and  honor  which  put  country  be- 
for  self. 

Mr.  McClary  was  of  Scotch  parentage, 
the  son  of  John  and  Ellen  (Reilly)  Mc- 
Clary, natives  of  the  tremendous  ship- 
building city  of  Glasgow,  Scotland.  The 
Scotch  are  among  the  most  intensely  pa- 
triotic people  in  the  world,  a  people  whose 
love  of  home  and  country  is  a  fire  un- 
quenchable, as  is  amply  attested  by  his- 
tory. The  allegiance  which  his  parents 
brought  to  the  land  of  their  adoption  was 
equally  strong  in  their  son,  and  was  the 
moving  factor  in  Mr.  McClary's  devotion 
to  his  service  in  the  offices  of  the  govern- 
ment, despite  the  fact  that  he  was  emi- 
nently fitted  for  success  in  a  field  of  busi- 
ness which,  when  he  finally  entered  it, 
comparatively  late  in  life,  proved  lucra- 
tive and  successful. 

Shortly  after  their  marriage,  John  Mc- 
Clary, Sr.,  came  to  America  with  his  wife, 
settling  in  the  city  of  Boston,  where  John 
McClary,  Jr.,  was  born.  When  he  was 
quite  young  his  parents  moved  to  Wake- 
field, Massachusetts.  It  was  here  that  he 
received  his  early  education,  attending 
school  until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen 
years.  While  young  McClary  was  still 
in  his  thirteenth  year,  1861,  the  Civil 
War  broke  out,  sweeping  the  country  like 
a  fever,  and  drawing  men  to  the  colors  in 
a  burst  of  enthusiasm  which,  to  put  it 
tritely,  was  no  respecter  of  age.  Youth 
and  age  stood  side  by  side  eagerly  await- 


204 


IIBPARY 


0-.  I.'-'  o.-. 

,    •  ,       ,,D    TiONS 


*itfv 


*>» 


.% 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ing  the  chance  to  serve  their  country.  All 
the  willingness  and  eagerness  which  he 
could  master  did  not  stand  Mr.  McClary 
in  the  stead  which  additional  years  would 
have,  and  he  found  that  enlistment  was 
barred  to  him  because  of  his  age.  Two 
years  later,  however,  in  1863,  he  left 
school,  and  was  admitted  to  the  army  as  a 
member  of  the  signal  corps.  From  that 
time  until  the  close  of  hostilities  he  saw 
active  service  with  a  branch  of  the  army 
which  is  constantly  exposed  to  greater 
danger  than  any  other.  To  a  man  of  spirit 
and  courage,  to  live  through  the  soul- 
stirring  events  of  a  great  war  is  one  of  the 
greatest  fortunes  which  can  befall  him. 
Mr.  McCIary  came  into  close  contact  with 
many  of  the  great  events  of  those  days, 
wonderful  yet  terrible,  and  was  one  the 
audience  in  the  Ford  Theatre  in  Washing- 
ton, on  the  fateful  night  of  the  assassina- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln,  the  genius  who 
had  safely  guided  the  country  through  the 
storms  of  Civil  War,  by  John  Wilkes 
Booth.  Mr.  McClary  did  not  give  up  his 
position  in  the  Signal  Service  at  the  end 
of  the  war,  but  retired  for  a  period,  and 
leturning  north,  went  to  live  with  his 
sister,  Mrs.  Mary  Wetherby,  in  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts,  living  with  her  for 
a  number  of  years. 

During  his  residence  in  Springfield,  he 
became  associated  with  Colonel  Bartholo- 
mew and  James  L.  Thompson  in  the 
American  Express  Company,  with  whom 
he  was  connected  for  several  years.  Short- 
ly after  his  marriage,  Mr.  McClary  again 
entered  the  Signal  Service  and  went  west 
with  his  wife.  The  work  to  which  he  was 
then  assigned  was  in  connection  with  the 
Weather  Bureau,  and  involved  consider- 
able sacrifice  of  personal  wishes  and  in- 
clinations, because  of  the  fact  that  they 
had  constantly  to  be  moving  from  one 
section  of  the  country  to  another.  They 
have  resided  all  over  the  United  States. 


Mr.  McClary's  last  post  was  in  California, 
where  they  were  stationed  about  1890. 
In  1891  he  gave  up  active  service  and  they 
returned  to  the  east,  making  their  home 
in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Here  he  bought 
out  a  woodworking  factory  and  from  that 
time  until  his  death  devoted  himself  to 
his  business  interests.  In  this  enterprise 
he  attained  a  high  degree  of  success,  and 
became  known  as  one  of  the  substantially 
successful  business  men  of  the  city  of 
Hartford,  despite  the  fact  that  he  had  en- 
tered the  field  of  business  at  a  time  of  life 
when  the  majority  of  men  are  fairly  estab- 
lished in  it. 

Mr.  McClary  was  keenly  interested  in 
the  political  issues  of  the  times,  as  an 
observer,  and  as  a  member  of  the  body 
politic,  but  he  never  entered  the  political 
field  as  a  candidate  for  public  office.  He 
was  very  active  in  the  social  and  club  life 
of  Hartford  from  the  time  of  his  first 
residence  in  the  city,  and  was  a  member 
whose  presence  was  counted  upon  and 
whose  voice  was  reckoned  with  in  the 
council  of  many  important  and  influential 
organizations  in  the  city.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
the  Army  and  Navy  clubs.  He  had  at- 
tained the  thirty-second  degree  in  the 
Masonic  order,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Washington  Commandery,  Knights  Tem- 
plar, and  also  of  the  Mecca  Temple, 
Mystic  Shrine. 

On  September  28,  1868,  while  a  resident 
in  the  home  of  his  sister  in  Springfield, 
Massachusetts.  Mr.  McClary  married  Miss 
Jennie  Cutler,  of  Boston,  a  daughter  of 
Nathan  M.  and  Columbia  (Shearer)  Cut- 
ler, of  that  city.  (See  Shearer,  on  fol- 
lowing pages).  Mr.  Cutler  was  a  native 
of  Farmington,  Maine,  where  his  father 
had  established  himself.  The  genealogy 
of  the  Cutler  family  of  which  Mrs.  Mc- 
Clary is  a  descendant  in  the  eighth  gener- 
ation is  given  at  length  on  the  preceding 


205 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


pages.  Mrs.  McClary's  grandmother  was 
Sarah  (King)  Shearer,  a  daughter  of 
Jesse  King  (3),  of  Palmer,  Massachu- 
setts, of  an  early  and  prominent  family  in 
that  neighborhood.  Jesse  King  (3)  mar- 
ried Mary  Graham,  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Graham,  of  Pelham,  Massachusetts. 
Both  Mrs.  McClary's  parents  died  when 
she  was  verj-  young,  and  she  was  brought 
•up  by  her  aunt,  Mrs.  A.  V.  Blanchard,  of 
Palmer,  Massachusetts.  She  resides  in 
the  beautiful  McClary  home  at  No.  56 
Highland  avenue,  Hartford,  where  all  her 
dearest  associations  are  centered.  She  is 
<leeply  interested  in  charitable  and  philan- 
thropic work,  to  which  her  late  husband 
devoted  a  large  portion  of  his  time.  She 
is  active  in  community  welfare  work  and 
takes  an  unusual  interest  in  the  current 
topics  of  the  day.  IMrs.  McClary's  home 
engenders  a  charm  of  good  feeling  and 
hospitality  which  is  felt  alike  by  the  oldest 
friend  and  the  most  casual  visitor  to  it. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  McClary  had  no  children. 
They  were  members  of  Christ  Episcopal 
Church  in  Hartford,  in  the  parochial  in- 
terests of  which  she  is  still  a  figure  of  im- 
portance. 

Mr.  McClary  died  on  July  7,  1909,  and 
in  his  death  Hartford  lost  a  man  who 
meant  much  to  its  interests,  a  man  whose 
place  was  a  truly  enviable  one  in  the  com- 
mercial life  of  the  city,  in  its  social  life, 
and  in  the  estimation  of  scores  of  friends, 
whose  opinion  of  him  is  adequately  ex- 
pressed in  the  famous  "Take  him  for  all 
in  all,  we  shall  not  look  upon  his  like 
again." 


SHEARER  FAMILY. 

According  to  Bardsley  the  surname  of 
Shearer  is  of  the  occupative  class,  and 
signifies  "the  shearer,"  that  is  one  who 
sheared  the  nap  of  cloth,  or  a  cloth  shear- 
man. '  The  name  is  found  in  Lincolnshire, 
England,  as  early  as  1273. 


Anns:  Argent  a  fesse  gules  between  three 
torteaux,  each  charged  with  a  mullet  of  the  field 
argent.  Crest:  On  a  chapeau  a  dexter  hand 
holding  up  by  the  band  a  garb,  all  proper. 

The  Shearer  family  herein  dealt  with  is 
of  ancient  Irish  origin,  and  was  founded 
in  the  American  colonies  in  the  early  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  progeni- 
tor, James  Shearer,  was  a  native  of  Coun- 
ty Antrim,  Ireland. 

(I)  James  Shearer,  founder  of  the  fam- 
ily in  America,  was  born  in  County  An- 
trim, Ireland,  in  1678.  In  1720  he  emi- 
grated to  the  New  World,  and  settled  in 
the  town  of  Union,  Connecticut.  He  re- 
mamed  in  Union  for  a  period  of  six  years, 
and  in  1726  his  family  and  that  of  the 
Nevins  removed  to  Elbows,  near  the  town 
of  Palmer,  Massachusetts.  He  occupied  a 
central  location  in  the  district,  his  farm 
being  laid  out  east  from  Cedar  Swamp 
brook  and  south  of  Deacon  Sedgwick's 
farm.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable 
prominence  in  the  early  community  and 
several  localities  in  the  vicinity  were 
named  after  him  and  his  family.  His 
home  was  frequently  used  by  the  proprie- 
tors of  the  town  for  their  business  meet- 
ings. The  children  of  James  Shearer  were  : 
I.  John.     2.  James,  Jr.     3.  Williams. 

(II)  John  Shearer,  son  of  James  Shear- 
er, was  born  in  1710,  and  accompanied  his 
parents  to  America  in  1720.  He  later  set- 
tled in  Brimfield,  in  the  easterly  part  of 
what  is  now  Three  River  village.  His 
children  were:  i.  Joseph.  2.  John,  born 
March  22,  1746;  married,  I774-  Jane 
White.  3.  William,  married  Jerusha 
Perry.  4.  Thomas.  5.  David,  married 
Kate  King,  1791.  6.  Jonothan,  born 
March  29,  1762;  married  Hannah  Dick- 
inson. 7.  Noah,  married  Terza  Merrick 
in  1791.  8.  Daniel,  mentioned  below.  9. 
Jane,  married  Wallace  Little.  10.  Betsey, 
married  William  White. 

(HI)   Esquire   Daniel   Shearer,   son   of 


206 


THE  r:LV'   ■  jF'K 

PUBL'CI'BP^.KY 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John  and  Jane  Shearer,  was  very  promi- 
nent in  the  local  affairs  of  the  town  of 
Palmer,  Massachusetts,  during-  his  entire 
lifetime.  He  was  active  in  the  judicial  and 
political  life  of  the  place.  He  married 
Sarah  King.  Their  children  were:  i. 
Elvira,  married  A.  V.  Blanchard,  October 
25,  1827.  2.  Jane,  married  William  Blanch- 
ard, August  23,  1831.  3.  Columbia,  men- 
tioned below. 

(IV)  Columbia  Shearer,  third  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  Daniel  and  Sarah  (King) 
Shearer,  married  on  September  12,  1836, 
Nathan  Moore  Cutler,  son  of  the  Hon. 
Nathan  and  Hannah  (Moore)  Cutler. 
(See  Cutler  VII.) 

(King). 

Among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  the  town 
of  Palmer,  Massachusetts,  and  the  imme- 
diate vicinity,  was  John  King,  Esq.,  the 
progenitor  of  the  King  family  herein 
under  consideration.  The  theory  has  been 
advanced  that  John  King,  Esq.,  was  a 
resident  of  the  town  of  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, prior  to  his  coming  to  Palmer, 
as  were  many  of  the  original  settlers  of 
the  place.  There  has,  however,  been  no 
proof  to  substantiate  the  theory.  The 
King  family  of  Palmer,  in  subsequent 
generations  became  large  landowners,  and 
were  numbered  among  the  most  promi- 
nent and  influential  citizens  of  the  town, 
active  in  civic  and  religious  affairs,  office 
holders,  and  public  servants  of  ability. 

Arms :  Sable  on  a  chevron,  or,  between  three 
crosses  crosslet  of  the  last,  three  escallops  of  the 
first.     An  esquire's  helmet  surmounts  the  shield. 

(I)  John  King,  the  progenitor  of  the 
family  and  the  immigrant  ancestor,  was 
born  in  England  in  1681.  The  date  of  his 
coming  to  America  is  not  known.  Prior 
to  his  emigration  he  was  married  in  Eng- 
land to  Sarah  ,  born  in  1691.     He 

became  the  first  settler  of  the  Elbow  dis- 


trict, Hampshire  county,  Palmer,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  was  the  first  to  build 
a  crude  log  cabin,  camping  out,  tradition 
says,  near  the  site  of  the  old  cemetery 
during  the  first  few  days  there.  He  finally 
located  near  the  small  stream  which  after- 
wards became  known  as  King's  brook. 
The  noted  Tamor  spring  divided  his  prop- 
erty from  that  of  his  neighbors.  Richard 
Combs,  of  Springfield,  and  Ebenezer  jNIi- 
rick,  of  the  same  place. 

The  following  mention  of  the  original 
John  King  and  his  family  is  found  on  the 
flyleaf  of  the  first  volume  of  the  Rochester 
Church  Records : 

On  the  i8th  of  May,  1729.  then  John  King  and 
Sarah,  his  wife,  who  lived  at  a  place  called  the 
Elbows,  in  Hampshire  Co.,  owned  the  covenant, 
and  their  children  were  baptized,  viz. :  William, 
Thomas,  Joseph,  Benjamin,  Aaron  and  Sarah,  by 
me,  who  was  sent  by  the  proprietors  of  the  land 
to  minister  to  them.  Timothy  Ruggles. 

Had  the  visit  been  six  months  later,  the  result 
might  been  different.  —  Hardwick  History,  per 
Lucius  Page,  D.  D. 

The  children  of  John  and  Sarah  King 
were:  i.  John,  Jr.,  born  in  Boston,  in 
1715;  married  Margaret  .  2.  Jo- 
seph, born  in  1716.     3.  Thomas,  born  in 

1719;  married  Jemima .    4.  Aaron, 

mentioned  below.  5.  Benjamin,  born  in 
1722;  died  June  7,  1756.  6.  William,  born 
in  1720.  7.  Sarah,  born  in  1723.  S.Moses, 
died  April  26,  1729.  9.  Hannah,  born  Au- 
gust 8,  1729;  died  September  4,  1729.  10. 
Mary,  born  December  30,  1730;  married 
Captain  Sylvanus  W^alker.  11.  David, 
born  in  April,  1733 ;  married  Mary 
Graham.     12.  Jonathan,  born  January  17, 

1736. 

(II)  Aaron  King,  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  King,  was  born  in  1725.  He  was  a 
resident  of  Elbow  District,  Palmer,  Mas- 
sachusetts, all  his  life,  and  was  a  promi- 
nent citizen  of  the  place. 

He  married  Sarah  Kibbe.  of  Connecti- 


207 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


cut.  Their  children  were  :  i.  Sarah,  born 
September  7,  1747  ;  married  Thomas  Bliss, 
April  25,  1765.  2.  Aaron,  born  July  2, 
1750;  died  October  22,  1754.  3.  Joseph, 
born  August  20,  1752 ;  died  October  8, 
i754.  4.  Myrane,  born  September  7,  1755  ; 
married  Charles  Eddy.  5.  Isaac,  born 
June  20,  1757,  returned  to  England.  6. 
Jesse,  mentioned  below. 

(III)  Jesse  King,  son  of  Aaron  and 
Sarah  (Kibbe)  King,  was  born  in  El- 
bow District,  Palmer,  Massachusetts,  on 
March  5,  1759.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
prominent  citizens  of  the  town  during  the 
greater  part  of  his  life-time,  and  was  ac- 
tively identified  with  local  affairs.  He 
was  also  prominent  in  the  militia  and  bore 
the  rank  of  captain. 

He  married,  February  24,  1781,  Mary 
B.  Greyham,  daughter  of  Rev.  Mr.  Grey- 
ham,  of  Pelham,  Alassachusetts.  Their 
children  were:  i.  Aaron,  born  October 
15,  1782;  married  Eliza  Ketchum.  2. 
Sarah,  mentioned  below.  3.  Myrana,  born 
July  7,  1786;  married  Timothy  Ferrell. 
4.  Nabbie,  born  August  11,  1788,  married 
Gursham  Makepeace,  of  Warren,  Massa- 
chusetts. 5.  Mary  L.,  born  August  9, 
1790;  married  Daniel  King,  of  Palmer.  6. 
Jesse,  born  August  8,  1792.  7.  Isaac,  born 
July  2,  1795 ;  married  Abby  Cutler,  of 
Warren,  Massachusetts.  8.  Joseph,  born 
November  19,  1798 ;  married  Mary  E. 
Chamber,  and  removed  to  Mobile,  Ala- 
bama. 

(IV)  Sarah  King,  daughter  of  Captain 
Jesse  and  Mary  (Greyham)  King,  was 
born  in  Elbow  District,  Palmer,  Massa- 
chusetts, October  22,  1784.  She  married 
Judge  Daniel  Shearer,  Esq.,  of  Palmer, 
Massachusetts. 


SMITH,  Emor  Armington, 

Telephone    Company    Manager,    Legislator. 

Emor  Armington  Smith,  District  Com- 
mercial  Manager  of  the  Southern    New 


England  Telephone  Company  at  Hart- 
ford, is  identified  not  only  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  his  city,  but  also  with 
its  political  life,  having  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Connecticut  Legislature. 
Through  his  maternal  ancestry,  Mr. 
Smith  is  numbered  among  the  lineal  de- 
scendants of  Roger  Williams. 

Emor  Armington  Smith  was  born  Au- 
gust 17,  1864,  in  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  and  is  a  son  of  Jencks  Appleby 
and  Harriet  James  (Medbury)  Smith. 
The  ancestral  record  of  Mrs.  Smith  is 
appended  to  this  biography.  Emor  Arm- 
ington Smith  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  city,  and  afterward 
served  an  apprenticeship  to  the  manufac- 
turing jewelers'  trade.  He  then  spent 
some  time  in  the  service  of  the  Liver- 
more  Stylographic  Pen  Company,  and  in 
1882  became  chief  operator  of  the  Provi- 
dence Telephone  Company.  This  posi- 
tion Mr.  Smith  retained  until  October, 
1884,  when  he  entered  the  service  of  the 
Southern  New  England  Telephone  Com- 
pany. Remaining  in  his  native  city  until 
he  attained  his  majority,  he  has  since 
then,  filled  various  positions  in  different 
parts  of  Connecticut,  each  change  bring- 
ing with  it  increased  responsibility.  On 
April  I,  1904,  he  was  appointed  to  his 
present  position  as  commercial  manager 
of  the  Hartford  and  Waterbury  District, 
and  under  his  aggressive  methods  the 
number  of  telephones  in  use  has  been 
greatly  increased.  Not  only  this  but  the 
business  in  general  has  received  an  added 
impetus  and  has  been  brought  into  a 
highly  flourishing  condition. 

When  in  Providence,  Mr.  Smith  served 
five  years  in  the  United  Train  of  Artillery, 
and  since  coming  to  Hartford  he  has 
taken  an  active  interest  in  public  afifairs. 
For  five  years  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Common  Council  and  Board  of  Aldermen, 
serving  for  one  year  as  president  of  the 
board  and  ex  officio  acting  mayor  during 


208 


rAtji'ntneai^Msferica/Sfra^ 


-[.--    Y'~\''  "OP-"^ 

--•j:  l'bpary 


"ilONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  absence  of  Mayor  Henney  in  Europe. 
In  1905  Mr.  Smith  became  a  member  of 
the  Connecticut  Legislature,  serving  on 
the  committee  on  cities  and  boroughs, 
and  holding  the  position  of  chairman  of 
the  committee  on  assignment  of  seats. 
During  his  term  many  acts  were  passed 
for  the  city  of  Hartford  which  were  due 
largely  to  his  efforts.  The  most  useful 
of  these  was  the  law  establishing  the 
Hartford  Board  of  Finance.  Another 
important  board  created  was  the  Board 
of  Contract  and  Supply,  A  seat  in  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  is  occupied  by  Mr. 
Smith.  He  affiliates  with  St.  John's 
Lodge,  No.  6,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  Norwalk ;  the  Royal  Arch 
Chapter,  of  Norwalk,  and  Hamjlton  Coun- 
cil, of  Meriden.  He  is  a  charter  member 
of  A.  H.  Hall  Council  of  the  Royal  Ar- 
canum,, of  which  he  is  past  regent.  His 
clubs  are  the  Republican,  City  and  Hart- 
ford, and  in  the  last  named  he  holds  the 
office  of  secretary.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers  of 
New  York  City.  He  is  a  member  of  St. 
Andrew's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
of  Meriden. 

Mr.  Smith  married,  June  10,  1891,  Anna 
C,  daughter  of  James  and  Catherine 
(Morgan)  Murray,  of  Norwich. 

The  record  of  Mr.  Smith  is  that  of  an 
able  and  useful  citizen — an  enterprising 
business  man  and  a  disinterested  public 
official. 

(The  Medbury  Line). 

(I)  Josiah  Medbury  was  born  Septem- 
ber II,  1776,  and  married  Phoebe  Rhodes 
(see  Rhodes  line).  Twelve  children  were 
born  to  them. 

(II)  Thomas,  son  of  Josiah  and  Phoebe 
(Rhodes)  Medbury,  was  born  April  25, 
i8or,  and  married.  June  18,  1826,  Eliza- 
beth J.  Armington,  who  was  born  No- 
vember 12,  1806. 

(HI)   Harriet      James,      daughter      of 


Thomas  and  Elizabeth  J.  (Armington) 
Medbury,  was  born  June  7,  1836,  and  be- 
came the  wife  of  Jencks  Appleby  Smith, 
as  stated  above. 

(The  Rhodes  Line). 

(I)  John  Rhodes  was  born  in  1658,  and 
married,  February  12,  1685,  Waite  Water- 
man (see  Waterman  line).  The  death  of 
John  Rhodes  occurred  August  14,  1716. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  eight 
children. 

(II)  John  (2),  son  of  John  (i)  and 
Waite  (Waterman)  Rhodes,  was  born 
November  20,  1691,  and  married,  April 
29,  1714,  Catharine  Holden,  who  died 
July  25,  1731,  leaving  nine  children.  John 
Rhodes  survived  his  wife  many  years, 
passing  away  in  1776. 

(III)  Charles,  son  of  John  (2)  and 
Catharine  (Holden)  Rhodes,  was  born 
September  29,  1719,  and  married,  Janu- 
ary 31,  1739,  in  Warwick,  Deborah 
Greene,  who  was  born  February  4,  1721. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eleven  children. 
Charles  Rhodes  died  early  in  1777,  at 
Cranston,  Rhode  Island. 

(IV)  Peter,  son  of  Charles  and  De- 
borah (Greene)  Rhodes,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1742,  and  married,  March  22, 
1761,  Hester  Arnold,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 23,  1740.  Nine  children  were  born  to 
them.  The  death  of  Peter  Rhodes 
occurred  March  16,  1823. 

(V)  Phoebe,  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Hester  (Arnold)  Rhodes,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1768,  and  became  the  wife  of 
Josiah  Medbury  (see  Medbury  line). 

(The    Waterman    Line). 

(I)  Resolved  Waterman  was  born  in 
1638,  and  married,  in  1659,  Mercy  Wil- 
liams (see  Williams  line).  Resolved 
Waterman  died  in  1670,  and  the  death  of 
his  widow  occurred  in  1703. 

(II)  Waite,  daughter  of  Resolved  and 


Conn— ■)— 14 


209 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mercy  (Williams)  Waterman,  was  born 
in  1668,  became  the  wife  of  John  (i) 
Rhodes  (see  Rhodes  line),  and  died  in 
1711. 

(The  Williams  Line). 

(I)  Roger  Williams,  founder  of  the 
colony  of  Rhode  Island,  was  born  in  1599, 
in  Wales,  and  was  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England.  In  163 1  he  arrived 
in  Boston,  accompanied  by  his  wife  Mary, 
and  about  1636,  being  driven  from  the 
colony  on  a  charge  of  heresy,  he  jour- 
neyed through  the  wilderness  with  a  num- 
ber of  his  adherents  and  founded  the  town 
of  Providence.  After  half  a  century  of 
usefulness  he  died,  in  1683,  in  Rhode 
Island. 

(II)  Mercy,  daughter  of  Roger  and 
Mary  Williams,  was  born  in  July,  1640, 
and  became  the  wife  of  Resolved  Water- 
man (see  Waterman  line). 


ANDERSON,  Joseph,  S.  T.  D., 

Clergyman,  Antiquarian,  Historian. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  Anderson,  an 
eminent  New  England  clergyman  of  the 
Congregational  faith,  an  antiquarian,  and 
an  author  of  note,  came  of  ancestry  rep- 
resenting several  Scottish  clans.  His 
paternal  forebears  resided  in  the  North 
Highlands,  while  on  the  maternal  side  he 
was  lineally  descended  from  the  families 
of  MacBain,  Cameron,  and  Grant.  He 
was  born  at  Broomton,  Easter  Ross, 
Scotland,  December  16,  1836.  The  only 
child  of  William  and  Mary  (Rose)  An- 
derson, he  came  with  his  parents  to  the 
United  States  in  1842,  spending  his  child- 
hood in  Delaware  county.  New  York,  and 
in  Astoria,  Long  Island. 

As  a  lad  he  was  much  given  to  out-of- 
doors  sports,  which  may  account  for  his 
exceptionally  robust  constitution.  He 
was  naturally  inclined  to  books  and 
study,   however,   and  at   the   age  of  five 


years  could  read  the  Bible  easily.  When 
he  was  thirteen  years  of  age  the  family 
removed  to  New  York,  the  father  having 
been  for  many  years  a  manufacturer  of 
fine  paints  in  that  city.  The  early  edu- 
cation of  the  son,  begun  in  Scotland,  was 
now  continued  in  one  of  the  New  York 
public  schools,  and  from  the  latter  Dr. 
Anderson  entered  the  College  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  then  known  as  the  Free 
Academy.  He  was  graduated  from  that 
institution  in  1854  as  valedictorian  of  his 
class,  and  from  the  Union  Theological 
Seminary  in  1857.  He  was  a  member  of 
Phi  Beta  Kappa.  After  completing  his 
seminary  course  he  returned  to  the  Col- 
lege of  the  City  of  New  York  as  tutor  in 
Greek  and  Latin.  In  1874  he  declined 
an  offer  of  the  chair  of  English  Litera- 
ture in  Michigan  University.  He  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  RIaster  of  Arts  from 
his  alma  water  in  1857,  and  enjoyed  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  alumnus  to 
be  invited  to  deliver  the  baccalaureate 
address  at  commencement.  In  1878  Yale 
College  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Sacred  Theology. 
Elected  a  fellow  of  Yale  University  in 
1884,  for  several  years  before  his  death 
being  the  senior  member  of  the  corpora- 
tion, he  served  that  institution  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  and  was  recognized  as 
a  champion  of  liberal  studies.  He  also 
did  much  to  lay  the  foundation  for  educa- 
tional progress  at  Yale. 

Dr.  Anderson  was  ordained  to  the  Con- 
gregational ministry  in  1858,  and  became 
successively  the  pastor  of  three  "first" 
churches  in  Connecticut  cities :  The  First 
Church  of  Stamford,  1858-61  ;  the  First 
Church  of  Norwalk,  1861-64;  and  the 
First  Church  of  Waterbury,  1865-1905. 
He  began  his  work  in  Norwalk  on  the 
first  Sunday  of  the  Civil  War,  while  his 
pastorate  in  Waterbury  dated  from  April, 
1865,  and  continued  for  four  decades,  his 


210 


W7-^^ 


(1 


W^ 


i>W    lUciev, 


At'Vv 


"-TOR.    LENOX 
IJLDLN    PCUr--DATIONSJ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


resignation  having  been  tendered  on  the 
fortieth  anniversary  of  his  settlement. 
He  became  pastor  emeritus  in  1905,  and 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Dinsmore,  D.  D.,  the  present  pastor.  As 
clergyman  and  preacher,  Dr.  Anderson 
won  distinction,  showing  catholicity  of 
spirit  and  a  "wide  humanness."  In  creed 
he  was  a  liberal  Congregationalist,  hav- 
ing been  among  the  first  of  New  England 
ministers  to  advocate  the  so-called  New 
Theology.  He  did  valuable  work  in  be- 
half of  church  federation,  and  in  1885  was 
leader  in  a  movement  to  establish  the 
American  Congress  of  Churches.  His  in- 
terest in  missions  was  lifelong  and  keen, 
and  during  a  summer  vacation  in  semi- 
nary days  he  labored  as  a  missionary  of 
the  American  Sunday  School  Union  in 
Northern  Illinois,  in  this  pioneer  work 
traveling  more  than  a  thousand  miles  on 
foot.  He  was  moderator  of  the  General 
Association  of  Connecticut  in  1877  and 
again  in  1890,  and  moderator  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  Congregational 
Churches  of  Connecticut  in  1878:  dele- 
gate to  the  International  Council  of  Con- 
gregational Churches  held  in  London  in 
1891  ;  president  of  the  Connecticut  Bible 
Society  during  the  years  1884-1904;  direc- 
tor of  the  Missionary  Society  of  Connec- 
ticut, 1885-1906;  and  a  corporate  member 
of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions. 

As  a  scholar.  Dr.  Anderson  was  ver- 
satile and  thorough.  His  interests  were 
wide,  but  he  gave  special  attention  to 
history  and  philology,  selecting  as  his 
jiarticular  field  of  research  the  relics  and 
history  of  the  North  American  Indians. 
In  collaboration  with  the  Bureau  of  Eth- 
nology at  Washington,  he  also  specialized 
in  the  languages  of  the  Algonkian  family. 
In  connection  with  this  work  he  accu- 
mulated a  valuable  library  of  books  and 
pamphlets  and  a  representative  collection 


of  stone  implements.  Although  he  left 
no  original  volumes  of  importance,  he 
gained  considerable  reputation  as  a 
writer,  and  was  the  author  of  a  number 
of  valuable  papers  on  local  history.  In 
pddition  to  these  he  published  various 
poems  and  sermons,  as  well  as  articles  in 
nagazines.  He  also  delivered  many 
addresses,  several  of  which  have  appeared 
ir.  print.  An  incomplete  list  of  his  pub- 
lications may  be  found  in  the  Annual  Re- 
port of  the  American  Historical  Associ- 
ation for  1889,  pages  174-176.  In  1872-73 
he  was  the  editor  of  the  "Waterbury 
American,"  one  of  the  leading  news- 
papers of  New  England.  In  1892  "The 
Churches  of  Mattatuck"  was  published 
under  his  name  as  editor.  He  was  like- 
Vvise  the  editor  and  joint  author  of  "The 
'('own  and  City  of  Waterbury,  Connec- 
ticut," a  work  of  exceptional  historical 
interest,  appearing  in  three  volumes  in 
1896.  lie  was  a  member  of  the  American 
Historical  Association,  the  American  Phil- 
ological Association,  the  American  Anti- 
quarian Society,  the  National  Institute  of 
Social  Science,  the  Connecticut  Historical 
Society,  and  the  New  Haven  Colony  His- 
torical Society. 

During  his  last  years  his  interests 
centered  in  The  Mattatuck  Historical  So- 
ciety of  Waterbury,  of  which  he  was  one 
of  the  charter  members.  Following  the 
bicentenary  of  the  town  of  Waterbury, 
when  special  enthusiasm  was  aroused 
concerning  local  history,  this  society  was 
founded  on  the  evening  of  Forefathers' 
Day,  1877,  under  the  leadership  of  the 
late  Hon.  Frederick  J.  Kingsbury,  who 
was  its  first  president  and  its  chief  offi- 
cer for  nearly  thirty-three  years.  When 
the  society  was  reconstructed  in  1902, 
Dr.  Anderson  became  one  of  its  vice- 
presidents,  holding  that  office  until  the 
death  of  Mr.  Kingsbury  in  1910,  when  he 
succeeded  to  the  presidency,  thus  becom- 


211 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ing  its  second  chief  officer.  He  was  ap- 
pointed curator  of  the  collections  of  the 
society  in  1902,  and  chairman  of  the 
Memorial  Committee  in  1915,  holding 
these  various  offices  until  his  death. 

Through  the  generosity  of  friends,  the 
Indian  relics  and  other  stone  implements 
accumulated  by  Dr.  Anderson  were  pur- 
chased and  presented  to  The  Mattatuck 
Hij^torical  Society,  and  served  as  the 
nucleus  of  its  museum  exhibit.  The 
books  and  pamphlets  used  in  connection 
with  these  relics  were  purchased  by  the 
late  Elisha  Leavenworth,  the  benefactor 
to  whom  the  society  owes  its  present 
staca-i.  and  this  gift  forms  the  nucleus  of 
a  valuable  library,  as  these  works  espe- 
cially relate  to  the  races  of  men,  the  stone 
age  in  Europe  and  America,  and  the 
American  Indians. 

Di.  Anderson  made  his  first  visit  to  his 
native  land  in  1863.  After  resigning  his 
pastorate  in  Waterbury,  he  with  his  wife 
spent  a  winter  in  Porto  Rico  with  his 
son.  On  returning  to  Connecticut  in  the 
sprin^^  of  1906,  he  made  his  home  in 
W'oodmont  on  Long  Island  Sound,  a 
summer  colony  of  which  he  was  the  pio- 
neer settler  in  1874.  He  was  warden  of 
this  borough  from  1904  to  1908.  In  1891, 
after  attending  the  Internationa!  Council 
of  Congregational  Churches  in  London, 
he  made  a  trip  through  England  and 
Scotland  and  in  some  of  the  more  north- 
erly countries  on  the  Continent.  He 
traveled  more  extensively  in  1907,  when 
he  visited  Italy,  Egypt  and  the  Holy 
Land.  After  the  death  of  Mrs.  Anderson, 
he  closed  his  home  at  Woodmont  and 
Hgain  took  up  his  residence  in  Water- 
bury.  During  previous  years  spent  in  the 
latter  cit-^,  he  served  several  sessions  on 
the  Roard  of  Education.  In  National 
prlitic-;.  he  usually  voted  the  Republican 
ticket. 

On  January  24,  1859,  Dr.  Anderson  was 


married  to  Anna  Sands,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Jefferson  and  Dorothy  (Hamil- 
ton) Gildersleeve,  of  Brooklyn.  After  a 
long  illness,  Mrs.  Anderson  died  at 
'"Winnituxit,''  the  home  in  Woodmont, 
April  6,  1914.  Five  children  were  born  to 
them :  William,  whose  death  followed  a 
brief  illness  in  1884;  Mary  Rose,  who 
died  November  25.  1889,  a  year  after  her 
marriage  to  Dr.  Carl  E.  Munger;  Joseph, 
Jr.,  who  died  early  in  1917,  leaving  a 
widow  and  two  young  daughters ;  and 
Isabel  Hoyt  and  Anne  Sands,  twins,  the 
former  dying  in  infancy,  and  the  latter 
being  the  sole  survivor  of  the  family. 

Increasing  ill  health  made  the  last  year 
of  Dr.  Anderson's  life  one  of  depression 
and  sufifering.  The  hope  of  deriving 
benefit  from  a  more  northerly  climate  led 
his  physician  to  consent  to  his  attendance 
on  the  Congregational  Conference  at  Star 
Island,  or  Isles  of  Shoals,  in  August,  1916. 
After  a  short  stay,  however,  symptoms 
so  alarming  appeared  that  he  started  at 
once  for  home.  He  was  only  able  to 
reach  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire, 
where  he  was  hurried  to  a  hospital,  his 
death  taking  place  there  August  18,  1916, 
in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age.  Funeral 
services  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dins- 
more  were  held  in  the  First  Congrega- 
tional Church,  Waterbury,  on  August  23, 
and  were  largely  attended.  Interment 
followed  in  the  Riverside  Cemetery, 
Waterbury,  beside  his  wife,  in  the  lot 
belonging  to  the  church  with  which  he 
was  so  long  associated. 


BULKELEY,  Morgan  Gardner, 

Soldier,  Statesman.  Man  of  Affairs. 

In  the  long  list  of  eminent  men  who 
have  borne  the  name  Bulkeley  since 
Baron  Robert  de  Buclough,  who  flour- 
ished during  the  reign  of  King  John  of 
England,  down  through  the  centuries  to 


212 


<^^:.^^(^^c 


.T'ONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  present,  no  man  has  more  worthily 
borne  it  than  Morgan  Gardner  Bulkeley, 
ex-soldier,  mayor.  Governor,  United 
States  Senator;  a  banker,  public-spirited 
citizen ;  now  and  for  thirty-eight  years 
past  president  of  one  of  the  great  Amer- 
ican corporations,  The  Aetna  Life  Insur- 
ance Company. 

From  the  coming  of  Rev.  Peter  Bulke- 
ley, fellow  of  St.  John's  College,  Cam- 
bridge, minister  of  the  Gospel,  non-con- 
formist, who  came  to  Massachusetts  in 
1634,  the  lineal  descent  to  Morgan  G. 
Eulkeley  is  through  a  line  of  most  emi- 
nent ministers,  lawyers  and  business 
men.  In  the  second  American  generation, 
Rev.  Gershom  Bulkeley,  son  of  Rev. 
Peter  Bulkeley,  was  one  of  the  intellec- 
tual giants  of  his  day ;  a  graduate  of 
Harvard  in  1655,  he  had  no  superior  in 
.'scholarship,  none  as  a  minister,  a  con- 
troversialist or  linguist.  He  was  further- 
more a  brave  soldier,  a  skilled  surgeon 
for  his  day,  and  a  leader  in  public  affairs. 
He  was  minister  at  New  London  and 
Wethersfield  and  first  of  the  name  in 
Connecticut. 

Rev.  John  Bulkeley  was  first  settled  in 
1703  over  the  church  at  Colchester,  of 
which  he  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  and 
minister.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard, 
class  of  1699,  and  ranked  exceedingly 
high  among  the  clergy  of  his  day.  He 
wrote  and  published  much,  and  in  the 
strength  of  his  intellectuality  equalled  if 
he  did  not  surpass  his  father.  He  was 
classed  by  Rev.  Dr.  Chauncey  in  1768  as 
one  of  the  three  men  most  eminent  for 
strength  of  genius  and  power  of  mind 
that  New  England  ever  produced. 

His  son,  "Hon.  Judge  (John)  Bulkeley, 
of  Colchester,  who  for  a  number  of  years 
was  a  great  honor  to  an  uncommon  vari- 
ety of  exalted  stations  in  life."  was  a 
graduate  of  Yale,  class  of  1725.  He  was 
eminent  in  the  legal  profession,  assistant 


of  the  province,  judge  of  superior  and 
probate  courts,  and  colonel  of  his  regi- 
ment. 

His  son.  Colonel  Eliphalet  Bulkeley, 
responded  to  the  Lexington  Alarm  as 
captain  of  Colchester  troops,  and  in  1780 
was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel. 
He  served  as  a  captain  of  volunteers  at 
the  siege  of  Boston  under  Colonel  James 
Wadsworth. 

His  son,  John  Charles  Bulkeley,  mar- 
ried Sally  Taintor,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Eliphalet  Adams,  father  of 
Morgan  G.  Bulkeley. 

Eliphalet  Adams  Bulkeley  was  a  grad- 
uate of  Yale,  class  of  1824,  a  lawyer  of 
East  Haddam,  president  of  the  East  Had- 
dam  Bank,  assemblyman  and  State  Sen- 
ator. In  1846  he  moved  to  Hartford, 
where  he  practiced  law,  was  elected  to 
the  State  Legislature  in  1857,  was  first 
Republican  speaker  of  the  house,  1857, 
and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  in  his  State.  His  later  years 
were  given  wholly  to  the  development  of 
the  life  insurance  business,  the  business 
that  has  made  Hartford  famed  the  world 
over.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the 
Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, and  one  of  its  organizers;  in  1846 
the  organizer  of  the  Aetna  Life  Insur- 
ance Company,  and  its  president  from 
1850  until  his  death,  stricken  at  his  desk 
in  the  Aetna  offices.  He  was  possessed 
of  a  marvelous  memory,  and  prompt  in 
keeping  every  engagement ;  for  eighteen 
years  he  never  failed  to  preside  at  the 
meetings  of  the  Pearl  Street  Ecclesias- 
tical Society ;  regularly  attended  the 
school  meetings  in  his  district ;  never 
failed  to  vote,  and  urged  others  to  never 
neglect  so  important  a  duty.  He  won 
fortune  in  his  many  business  enterprises, 
possessing  a  sagacity  in  investment  and 
a  sound  judgment  that  rendered  him  in- 
valuable to  the  Aetna  companies — bank- 


213 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ing,  fire  and  life  insurance.  His  splendid 
capacity  and  unimpeached  character  won 
for  him  the  highest  respect  of  his  fellow- 
men,  and  although  during  his  last  years 
he  was  almost  blind,  literally  "died  in  the 
harness,"  being  stricken  at  his  desk  in  the 
president's  office  of  the  Aetna  Life  In- 
surance Company.  He  died  February  13, 
1872,  aged  sixty-nine  years. 

He  married,  January  13,  1830,  Lydia 
S  Morgan,  of  Colchester,  a  woman  of 
strong  character  and  high  ideals,  possess- 
ing those  womanly  graces  that  enabled 
her  to  exert  a  beneficial  influence  over  not 
only  her  own  family  but  over  the  com- 
m.unity.  Their  sons  all  became  promi- 
nent in  law,  business  and  public  life,  the 
eldest.  Captain  Charles  Edwin  Bulkeley, 
giving  up  his  life  during  the  Civil  War, 
and  in  command  of  Battery  Gareshe,  Vir- 
ginia, February  10,  1862.  William 
Henry,  a  younger  son,  was  Lieutenant- 
Governor  of  Connecticut,  and  a  highly 
connected  business  man.  Their  first  born, 
a  daughter,  died  in  infancy ;  their  last 
born  daughter,  Mary  J.,  married  Lever- 
ett  Brainerd ;  the  youngest  child,  Eli- 
phalet  Adams  (2),  died  in  infancy. 

From  so  eminent  an  ancestry  comes 
Morgan  Gardner  Bulkeley,  of  the  twen- 
tieth recorded  generation  of  his  family 
and  of  the  eighth  American  generation. 
That  he  measures  up  to  the  full  Bulkeley 
standard  is  the  greatest  praise  that  can 
be  bestowed  upon  him.  Now  almost  an 
octogenarian,  with  a  record  of  achieve- 
ment in  public  and  business  life  either  of 
which  would  dignify  the  record  of  any 
man,  he  is  yet  the  active  forceful  man  of 
afifairs,  the  interested  citizen,  and  the  pro- 
jector of  new  enterprises.  A  history  of 
the  last  half  century  of  his  life  is  almost 
a  history  of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance 
Company,  a  political  history  of  the  city 
of  Hartford,  and  the  State  of  Connecticut. 
To     determine     the     mainspring     of     so 


wonderful  a  life,  after  passing  by  and 
giving  due  credit  to  heredity  and  environ- 
ment, one  is  led  irresistibly  to  the  con- 
clusion that  resourcefulness  and  decision 
have  led  him  triumphantly  from  office 
boy  to  president,  from  the  soldier  boy  of 
1861  to  a  seat  in  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate, from  the  timid  voter  of  1858  to  the 
executive  chair  of  his  native  State  in  1889. 
Those  traits,  resourcefulness  and  decision, 
have  made  him  the  sound  financier,  the 
able  executive,  the  wise  legislator  and 
the  valuable  citizen.  That  he  possesses 
all  the  sterling  qualities  of  manhood,  a 
strength  of  character  that  still  shines 
brightly,  is  but  natural ;  but  resourceful- 
ness and  decision  have  been  the  qualities 
that  have  accentuated  his  others,  and 
have  placed  his  name  at  the  very  top  of 
Connecticut's  Roll  of  Fame. 

]\Iorgan  Gardner  Bulkeley  was  born  at 
East  Haddam,  Connecticut,  December  26, 
1837,  his  home  being  in  that  village  until 
he  was  nine  years  of  age.  His  parents 
then  moved  to  Hartford,  where  he  at- 
tended the  public  schools  until  fourteen 
years  of  age.  He  then  in  185 1  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance 
Company  in  perhaps  its  humblest  posi- 
tion, office  sweeper,  at  a  salary  of  one 
dollar  weekly.  After  a  short  time  he  left 
that  job  to  become  bundle  clerk  in  the 
Brooklyn  mercantile  house  of  H.  P.  Mor- 
gan &  Company.  There  he  started  his 
upward  way,  proved  his  mettle,  and  in 
seven  years  was  admitted  a  partner.  This 
brought  him  to  the  Civil  War  period,  and, 
true  to  example  of  his  race,  he  quickly 
decided  to  bear  his  part  in  the  conflict  to 
decide  whether  a  government  "of  the 
people,  for  the  people  and  by  the  people" 
should  be  destroyed.  He  enlisted  in  i86i 
in  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  New  York 
Volunteer  Infantry,  went  to  the  front,  and 
served  with  credit  during  the  period  lead- 
ing to  and  including  the  Peninsular  cam- 


214 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


paign  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.     He  ticns,  there  have  been  crises  when  only 

then  returned  to  his  Brooklyn  business,  the  skill  of  the  pilot  could  save  the  ship 

there   continuing   until   the   death   of   his  from  being  swept  from  her  moorings  and 

father,  president  of  the  Aetna  Life  Insur-  dashed  to  pieces  upon  the  rocks  of  finan- 

ance  Company,  on  February  13,  1872.  cial    disaster.      But    in    such    times,    now 

As    soon    as    possible    he    returned    to  happily  passed,  the  qualities  that  distin- 

Hartford  and   assumed  the  management  guish     Mr.     Bulkeley     only     shone     the 

of  the  family  estate.     He  m,et  all  the  de-  brighter,  and  never  has  he  been  obliged 

mands    made    upon    him,    and    soon    im-  to   surrender  the   helm   to  another.     Sa- 

pressed  himself  upon  the  business  life  of  gacious,  keen,  high  principled  and  able, 

Hartford,   an    impression    that   has   been  he  has  ever  and  does  command  the  re- 


deep,  lasting  and  most  beneficial.  The 
earliest  monument  to  his  business  saga- 
city and  enterprise  stands  in  the  United 
States  Bank,  which  he  founded  and  con- 
ducted as  its  executive  head  from  1872 
until  1879.  There  he  displayed  the  abil- 
ity of  the  financier  with  the  sound  judg- 


spect  of  the  leaders  of  the  financial  world, 
and  ranks  with  them,  in  every  phase  of 
ability. 

His  corporate  interests  further  include 
directorships  in  the  Aetna  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company,  the  United  States  Bank 
which  he  founded,  and  the  Hartford  Elec- 


ment  of  the  capable  business  man,  that      trie    Light    Company,    while   his    private 
made  him  a  desirable  acquisition  to  other      business  is  widely  extended. 


and  greater  corporations. 

In  1879  Thomas  O.  Enders,  who  had 
succeeded  Eliphalet  A.  Bulkeley  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany, retired  from  that  of^ce  and  was 
succeeded  by  Morgan  G.  Bulkeley.  With 
the  exception  of  the  seven  years  term  of 
President  Enders,  the  Aetna  has  been 
under  the  Bulkeley  executive  manage- 
ment since  1850.  The  only  criterion  by 
which  to  estimate  the  strength  and  value 
of  that  management  is  the  last  annual 
report  of  the  Aetna,  an  institution  that 
stands  as  a  model  of  solidity,  progress 
and  liberal  construction  of  its  contracts 
with  the  insuring  public. 

Thirty-eight  years  Mr.  Bulkeley  has 
guided  the  destinies  of  the  Aetna,  his 
powers  of  organization,  managerial  and 
executive  skill  and  able  financiering  per- 
vading every  chapter  of  the  company's 
history.  There  have  been  times  of  severe 
trial  in  the  Aetna's  historv — times  when 


On  this  record  alone  the  fame  of  Mr. 
Bulkeley  might  securely  rest,  but  to  it 
he  has  added  a  long  term  of  public  serv- 
ice of  exceptional  honor.  Three  years 
after  his  return  to  Hartford  (1872)  he 
was  elected  councilman,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  alderman.  Men  knew  that  he 
was  in  public  life,  his  city  legislative 
"light"  not  "hidden  under  a  bushel,''  and 
in  1880,  when  there  was  a  demand  for  a 
strong  man  in  the  executive  chair,  he 
was  chosen  mayor  and  held  in  that  office 
for  eight  years.  Perhaps  those  eight 
years  brought  him  closer  to  the  lives  and 
hearts  of  his  people  than  has  any  other 
public  service  he  has  performed.  He  con- 
scientiously and  ably  filled  every  require- 
ment of  the  office,  exercised  vigilant  care 
over  city  finances,  but,  as  afifecting  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  the  people  at 
large,  his  administration  was  exceptional. 
Each  year  he  spent  many  times  the 
amount    of   his    salarv    in    benevolences 


the  resourcefulness  and  decision  of  its  afifecting  Hartford's  poorer  classes,  in 
executives  were  tested  to  their  utmost ;  utilizing  the  opportunities  afforded  by  the 
and,  in  common  with  all  financial  institu-      Connecticut  river,  and   in  improvements 

215 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


along  the  river ;  free  excursions,  fresh 
air  for  the  babies  and  the  feeble,  were 
fully  paid  for  from  his  purse,  and  no 
sanitary  or  work  of  uplift  neglected. 

This  period  of  his  public  life  ended  in 
1888,  and  in  even  the  most  distant  part 
of  the  State  there  was  a  call  for  him  to 
"come  up  higher."  When  the  Republican 
State  Convention  of  1888  met,  he  was 
nominated  for  Governor  by  acclamation. 
The  verdict  of  the  polls  was  intensely 
gratifying  to  him,  and  he  assumed  the 
duties  of  his  office  in  January,  1889,  with 
the  knowledge  that  he  possessed  the 
entire  confidence  of  the  people  over  whom 
he  was  to  preside.  He  met  the  expecta- 
tions of  that  people,  and  as  Governor 
lidded  fresh  evidence  of  his  wisdom,  pub- 
lic-spirit and  executive  ability.  Then 
came  the  trying  situation  of  1891,  when, 
there  being  under  Connecticut's  peculiar 
law  no  choice  by  the  people,  and  later  a 
deadlocked  Legislature,  grave  questions 
arose,  not  only  affecting  a  successor  in 
the  Governor's  chair,  but  State  appropri- 
ations and  State  finances.  In  this  crisis 
Governor  Bulkeley  displayed  that  re- 
sourcefulness and  decision  that  never  was 
more  in  evidence  than  then.  He  held  the 
Governor's  office  until  a  successor  was 
chosen  in  1893;  advanced  from  the  funds 
of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Company,  on 
his  own  guarantee  of  repayment,  all 
moneys  needed  to  maintain  the  State 
institutions,  the  Legislature  having  failed 
to  make  any  appropriation,  and  by  his 
tact,  judgment  and  loyal  devotion,  saved 
State  honor,  and  brought  order  out  of 
political  chaos. 

In  1893  he  was  named  for  United  States 
Senator,  but  withdrew  in  favor  of  Gen- 
eral Hawley,  whom  he  succeeded  in  that 
high  office  in  1905.  He  represented  Con- 
necticut in  the  United  States  Senate  until 
lOii,  and  during  that  time  displayed  in 
full     earnestness    and    eflfectiveness    his 


great  public  spirit,  his  political  acumen, 
his  opposition  to  corporate  influences,  and 
his  great  ability.  With  the  expiration  of 
his  senatorial  term  in  191 1,  he  retired  from 
active  political  life,  having  received  the 
highest  honors  his  State  could  bestow. 

There  is  one  monument  to  Mr.  Bulke- 
ley that  it  was  his  privilege  to  inspire, 
follow  to  completion,  and  dedicate — the 
great  bridge  at  Hartford  spanning  the 
Connecticut  river.  After  the  burning  of 
the  old  bridge  in  1895,  he  saw  in  his 
vision  the  great  structure  as  it  now 
stands :  and  when  in  1897  he  was  chosen 
president  of  the  board  of  bridge  commis- 
sioners, he  began  in  deadly  earnest  a 
work  that  did  not  cease  until  the  com- 
pletion in  1908  of  that  unrivaled  bridge 
that  spans  the  Connecticut  at  its  most 
important  point.  So  deeply  did  the  com- 
pletion of  this  great  work,  the  result  of 
his  inspiration  and  largely  the  result  of 
his  efforts,  affect  Mr.  Bulkeley.  that  he 
conceived,  largely  planned  and  made  pos- 
sible by  his  generosity,  those  three  won- 
derful days  devoted  to  its  dedication  in 
October,  1908.  Hartford  gave  itself  to 
festive  and  triumphant  celebration — his- 
torical pageant,  patriotic  jubilee,  and 
every  form  of  rejoicing  marking  the  com- 
pletion of  a  wonderful,  useful,  enduring 
structure,  the  symbol  of  a  new  chapter 
opened  in  municipal  and  State  progress. 

That  the  city  realized  to  whom  "honor 
was  due,"  a  memorable  meeting  held  in 
Parson's  Theatre,  December  3,  1908,  tes- 
tifies. That  gathering  was  held  expressly 
to  do  homage  to  Morgan  G.  Bulkeley  for 
his  great  service  to  his  fellowmen.  At 
its  close  the  hearty  enthusiasm,  displayed 
in  a  truly  New  England  manner,  culmi- 
nated in  the  presentation  to  the  guest  of 
honor  of  a  magnificent  silver  service  com- 
prising one  hundred  and  fifty-six  pieces. 
In  191 1  further  appreciation  of  his  suc- 
cessful efforts  in  improving  Connecticut 


216 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


river  landings  was  shown  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  silver  loving  cup.  The  broad 
boulevard,  the  park  on  the  east  side,  to- 
gether with  the  great  bridge,  will  yield 
benefit,  pleasure  and  profit  to  coming 
generations,  and  keep  the  memory  of  his 
great  public  service  ever  green.  He  was 
also  president  of  the  State  Commission  to 
erect  the  State  Library,  and  also  of  the 
Town  Commission  to  erect  the  Soldiers' 
Memorial  monument  in  Bushnell  Park. 

For  forty  years  Mr.  Bulkeley  has  been 
a  guest  at  Fenwick  and  Fenwick  Hall, 
and  has  given  freely  time  and  money  to 
its  improvement.  He  and  a  few  associ- 
ates working  for  an  ideal  family  sea- 
shore resort,  secured  a  special  charter 
from  the  Legislature,  making  the  one 
hundred  acres  of  the  peninsula  a  separate 
borough.  They  bought  up  the  hundreds 
of  building  lots,  withdrew  them  from  the 
market,  and  converted  them  into  fine  golf 
links.  Recently  a  fine  State  road  was 
built  to  connect  Fenwick  with  Saybrook 
village. 

With  such  an  ancestry  as  his,  there  is 
scarcely  a  patriotic  or  Colonial  society 
to  which  he  is  not  eligible.  Those  whose 
privileges  he  has  availed  himself  of  are: 
The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  Sons  of 
the  Revolution,  Society  of  Foreign  Wars, 
Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants.  So- 
ciety of  Colonial  Wars,  Society  of  the 
War  of  1812,  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public, and  the  Military  Order  of  the 
Loyal  Legion.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  order,  the  Congregational 
church,  and  the  Hartford  Club  and  other 
social  organizations.  There  is  no  subject 
affecting  the  welfare  of  his  fellowmen  in 
which  he  is  not  interested ;  no  charity, 
philanthropy  or  institution  of  his  city  re- 
quiring public  support,  but  has  but  to 
indicate  their  need  no  friend  to  whom  he 
will  not  extend  a  helping  hand.  Great  as 
is  his  past  achievement,  he  does  not  live 


in  retrospect,  but  in  the  great  present, 
with  its  opportunities,  responsibilities 
and  possibilities — a  man  of  yesterday,  a 
man  of  to-day,  planning  for  the  work  of 
to-morrow. 

Mr.  Bulkeley  married,  February  11, 
1885,  Fannie  Briggs,  daughter  of  James 
and  Caroline  A.  Houghton,  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, California.  They  are  the  parents 
of  Morgan  Gardner  (2nd),  Elinor  Hough- 
ton, and  Houghton. 


ST.  JOHN,  Howell  WiUiams, 

Actnary  Aetna  Iiife  Ininrance  Company. 

Howell  Williams  St.  John,  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  actuary  of  the  /Etna  Life 
Insurance  Company,  is  a  descendant  of 
a  number  of  the  old  colonial  families  of 
New  England,  families  that  have  been 
true  patriots,  withholding  no  service  or 
sacrifice  in  time  of  war,  and  proving  their 
sterling  character  and  worthy  citizenship 
in  the  less  trying  times  of  peace,  by  ex- 
emplifying the  highest  ethical  ideals  in 
personal  conduct. 

The  name  of  St.  John  in  early  days  was 
also  spelled  Sension  and  Sention,  the  lat- 
ter two  styles  being  evidently  a  phonetic 
representation  of  a  very  short  pronuncia- 
tion of  St.  John.  Who  were  the  imme- 
diate antecedents  of  Matthias  St.  John, 
the  immigrant  ancestor  of  the  family 
herein  followed,  has  not  been  ascertained. 
In  volume  liv,  page  341,  of  the  "New  Eng- 
land Historical  and  Genealogical  Regis- 
ter," an  English  writer  says : 

I  believe  these  families  (St.  John,  Throckmor- 
ton, Willoiighby.  and  Sands)  are  the  four  great 
pillars  of  Elizabethan  England,  replacing  the 
great  feudal  earls. 

The  St.  John  family  was  essentially  English, 
and  brethren  of  the  royal  family  of  Tudor  by  the 
half-blood,  hence  their  powerful  position.  In  the 
first  generation  they  were  divided  into  two  sec- 
tions— the  senior  line  at  Bletsoe  in  Bedfordshire; 
and  the  junior  line  at  Lidiard  Tregoze,  in  Wilt- 


217 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


shire.  Both  these  locahties  were  hotbeds  of  puri- 
tanism,  and  many  of  our  early  pioneers  were  con- 
nected with  the  two  St.  John  houses.  In  the 
struggle  for  reUgious  and  political  liberty,  two 
St.  Johns,  a  cadet  of  either  house,  were  especially 
prominent.  From  the  Bletsoe  line  came  Oliver 
St.  John,  the  terrible  solicitor-general  (Cromwell's 
"black  lanthorn'O,  who  brought  successively  to 
the  block  the  heads  of  Thomas  VVentworth,  Wil- 
liam Laud  and  Charles  Stuart  by  his  sledge-ham- 
mer logic  drawn  from  the  constitutional  practice 
of  England.  Sir  Oliver  St.  John  attracted  over 
to  Ireland  many  of  the  most  ardent  spirits  of 
Puritanism  and  many  of  his  own  cousenry,  and 
the  trumpet  of  the  court  faction  on  St.  John's 
recall  doubtless  drove  many  of  these  adventurers 
into  Ireland  to  cross  the  ocean  to  New  England. 
At  least  we  know  that  many  of  our  early  settlers 
had  been  in  Ireland.  Viscount  Grandison  was  the 
second  son  of  Nicholas  St.  John  and  Elizabeth 
(Blount)  St.  John.  His  younger  brother  Richard 
was  ancestor  of  the  Irish  St.  Johns,  and,  I  think, 
possibly  of  our  Matthew  St.  John,  who,  by  the 
way,  lived  in  St.  Botolph,  Bishopsgate,  London, 
before  going  to  Connecticut. 

Matthias  St.  John  (Sension  or  Sen- 
tion),  who  is  the  first  of  the  family  found 
in  America,  arrived  in  Dorchester,  Massa- 
chusetts, 1631-32,  and  was  made  a  free- 
man there  on  September  3  of  the  follow- 
ing year.  On  January  14,  1635,  he  re- 
ceived a  grant  of  twenty  acres  "at  the 
bounds  betwixt  Roxbury  and  Dorches- 
ter." Subsequently  he  became  possessed 
of  other  lands.  In  1638  he  sold  his  house, 
and  two  years  later  removed  to  Wind- 
sor, Connecticut.  Soon  after  his  arrival 
in  1640  he  was  granted  a  lot  in  the  Pali- 
sades containing  ten  roods.  As  late  as 
1890  this  was  occupied  by  Mrs.  Anson 
Loom,is.  "Mathewe  Sension"  was  a 
grand  juror,  November  19,  1643,  and  in 
December,  1644.  The  name  of  Matthias 
Sension  appears  on  a  list  of  settlers  in 
Wethersfield  between  the  years  1636  and 
1645.  He  was  a  juryman  at  Hartford  on 
March  28,  1650,  and  again  on  May  7  of 
that  year.  On  June  i,  1654,  "Matthias 
Sension  of  Wethersfield"  was  brought  be- 


fore a  particular  court  at  Hartford  be- 
cause "he  had  sold  syder  to  Indians  by 
which  they  was  Drunke."  He  was  also 
both  plaintiff  and  defendant  in  a  number 
of  small  civil  cases.  In  1654  he  removed 
to  Norwalk,  Connecticut.  His  name  ap- 
pears in  a  list  of  freemen  of  Norwalk 
dated  October  11,  1669.  He  was  chosen 
townsman,  February  15,  1660.  He  died 
in  Norwalk,  in  October  or  November, 
i66g. 

His  son,  Matthias  St.  John,  was  born 
in  1630,  and  died  in  December,  1728-29. 
He  served  as  selectman  of  Norwalk;  was 
fence  viewer  in  1659,  and  we  find  his 
name  in  connection  with  various  town 
affairs.     He  married  Elizabeth  . 

His  son,  Matthias  St.  John,  was  bom 
in  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  1667-68.  His 
name  appears  in  connection  with  a  num- 
ber of  town  proceedings.  On  February 
21,  1700-01,  he  or  his  son  was  appointed 
to  beat  the  drum  on  Sabbath  days.  His 
name  also  appears  on  record  in  connec- 
tion with  a  number  of  real  estate  transac- 
tions. In  1712  he  received  a  grant  of 
home  lot  No.  16  from,  the  proprietors  of 
Ridgefield.  In  1714  he  was  a  grand  juror, 
and  in  1717  served  as  sexton  of  the  church 
for  an  annual  stipend  of  thirty-five  shil- 
lings. In  1716  he  received  a  grant  of  fif- 
teen and  a  half  acres  in  Ridgefield.  He 
married,  about  1690,  Rachel,  born  Decem- 
ber 16,  1667,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and 
Abigail  (Marvin)  Bouton.  Matthias  St. 
John  died  in  Wilton,  Atigust  17,  1748. 

His  son,  Benjamin  St.  John  was  born 
in  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  about  1700.  He 
was  fence-viewer,  1726-40;  surveyor  of 
highways,  1730-36;  grand  juror  in  1732; 
tythingman,  1749.  He  married  (first) 
Mary ,  born  in  1708,  and  died  De- 
cember 3,  1774.  He  removed  to  New 
Canaan  in  1744,  and  he  and  his  wife 
joined  the  church  there  by  letter  that 
year.     He  died  in  1782. 


218 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


His  son,  Matthias  St.  John,  was  born 
in  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  in  1734,  and 
died  in  New  Canaan,  March  20,  1819.  He 
was  surveyor  of  highways,  1773;  grand 
juror,  December  7,  1778;  was  corporal  in 
Lieutenant  Curtis's  company.  Ninth  Regi- 
ment Connecticut  Militia,  from  October 
25,  1776,  to  January  25,  1777;  ensign  of 
the  Ninth  company  alarm  list.  Ninth 
Regiment,  in  October,  1779.  He  served 
sixteen  days  in  Captain  Samuel  "Hand- 
ford's"  company  of  militia,  Colonel  Jona- 
than Hart's  regiment,  in  alarm  for  relief 
of  Fort  William  McHenry.  He  married 
(first)  June  28,  1758,  Naomi,  born  in 
1734,  died  August  27,  1780,  daughter  of 
Abraham  and  Naomi  (Pond)  Weed,  of 
New  Canaan.  Matthias  St.  John  and  wife 
were  admitted  to  the  church,  March  25, 

1759- 

His  son.  Colonel  Enoch  St.  John,  was 
born  in  New  Canaan,  Connecticut,  Octo- 
ber 14-15,  1765,  and  died  there,  April  23, 
1846.  He  was  surveyor  of  highways, 
1790-99;  lister.  1793;  was  pensioned  at 
forty  dollars,  March  4,  183 1.  He  mar- 
ried, in  Norwalk,  November  17,  1788, 
Sibyl  Seymour,  born  August  3,  1765,  died 
July  22,  17 — ,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Sarah   (Rockwell)  Seymour. 

His  son,  Samuel  St.  John,  was  born  in 
New  Canaan,  Connecticut,  August  25, 
1793,  and  died  at  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
July  21,  1866.  For  many  years  he  en- 
gaged in  the  cotton  commission  business 
at  Mobile,  Alabama,  and  at  New  Orleans. 
Louisiana.  He  left  the  south  long  before 
the  Civil  War,  retiring  from  active  busi- 
ness life  with  a  competence  somewhere 
in  the  thirties.  He  resided  at  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  and  subsequently  in  New 
Canaan  and  Bridgeport,  Connecticut. 
"He  was  the  first  man  to  write  letters 
upon  the  Government  being  the  only  au- 
thority and  power  for  creating  a  currency 
and  supplying  it  to  the  people.    From  this 


originated  the  'Greenbacks,'  so-called, 
and  the  National  Banking  System.  To 
him  was  issued  the  first  insurance  policy 
in  the  United  States,  not,  however,  on  his 
own  life.  He  furnished  the  $10,000  to 
Texas  to  accomplish  her  Independence." 
He  married,  in  Baltimore,  in  November, 
1826,  Sophia  Jenkins,  born  in  Brooklyn, 
Connecticut,  August  19,  1798,  and  died  in 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  December  27, 
1855,  daughter  of  Howell  and  Dorothy 
(Wheat)  Williams,  of  Brooklyn,  Connec- 
ticut. Of  their  five  children,  three  grew 
to  maturity,  namely:  William  Henry, 
born  in  October,  1829,  and  died  January 

26,  i860;  Howell  Williams,  of  whom  fur- 
ther ;    Caroline    Grosvenor,   born   August 

27,  1832,  married  James  Campbell,  and  re- 
sided in  Pasadena,  California. 

Their  son,  Howell  Williams  St.  John, 
was  born  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  near 
the  old  stone  mill,  April  3,  1834.  He  was 
prepared  for  college  under  private  tutors, 
was  for  some  time  a  pupil  of  Stiles 
French,  a  noted  educator,  and  later  grad- 
uated from  Sheffield  Scientific  School,  a 
mem,ber  of  the  class  of  1855,  under  Pro- 
fessor William  A.  Norton,  in  the  civil 
engineering  course,  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Philosophy.  He  then  fol- 
lowed engineering  in  Central  Texas  and 
Iowa.  His  maternal  uncle,  Samuel  May 
Williams,  planted  the  first  American 
colony  in  Texas,  in  association  with 
Stephen  F.  Austin,  and  the  land  appor- 
tioned them  was  termed  the  Austin  and 
Williams  grant.  Mr.  St.  John  located  the 
line  of  the  Houston  &  Texas  Central  rail- 
road, and  after  following  his  chosen  vo- 
cation, civil  engineering,  in  Texas  for  a 
number  of  years,  removed  to  Iowa,  where 
he  associated  with  Mr.  T.  A.  Wilcox,  who 
later  became  his  brother-in-law,  and  they 
there  engaged  in  locating  railroads.  Dur- 
ing this  period  the  panic  of  1857  occurred, 
and  their  business  was  deferred  in  conse- 


21Q 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


quence.  Mr.  St.  John  then  went  to  Clear- 
water, Minnesota,  where  he  engaged  for 
a  number  of  years  in  the  manufacturing 
business  with  his  brother-in-law,  James 
Cambell.  He  also  served  as  private  in 
the  Kandiyohi  Rangers ;  they  were 
mounted,  and  patrolled  the  frontier  to 
guard  against  Indians ;  in  the  State  serv- 
ice under  Captain  Nelson  ;  that  was  in  the 
early  sixties. 

During  the  latter  years  of  the  Civil 
War,  Mr.  St.  John  returned  to  Connec- 
ticut and  in  October,  1867,  entered  the 
employ  of  the  ^tna  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany in  the  capacity  of  actuary  under  the 
presidency  of  the  father  of  Morgan  G. 
Bulkeley,  the  present  president  and  chief 
executive  of  the  company.  Mr.  St.  John 
was  the  first  incumbent  of  that  office,  and 
has  preformed  the  duties  op  to  the  pres- 
ent time  (1917)  and  is  probably  the  old- 
est actuary  now  active  in  the  profession. 
He  is  ex-president  of  the  Actuarial  Soci- 
ety of  America,  in  the  founding  of  which 
he  was  one  of  the  prime  movers,  and 
served  as  its  second  president.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Connecticut  Historical 
Society ;  the  American  Economic  Society  ; 
and  formerly  of  the  American  Statistical 
Society,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  early 
members ;  the  University  Club  of  Hart- 
ford :  was  made  a  Mason  in  St.  Mark's 
Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, of  Granby,  Connecticut,  also  took 
chapter  degrees  there ;  became  a  member 
of  the  Council,  Royal  and  Select  Masters, 
while  a  resident  of  Mobile ;  he  was  the 
only  northern  man  then  given  the  de- 
grees in  that  lodge. 

Mr.  St.  John  married  Elizabeth  E., 
daughter  of  Justus  Wilcox,  M.  D.,  of 
Granby,  Connecticut.  They  have  one 
son,  William  Henry  St.  John,  of  Hart- 
ford. 

(The   Winiams  Line). 

The  Williams  family  is  undoubtedly  of 
Welsh  origin,  though  the  immediate  ante- 


cedents of  Robert  Williams,  the  immi- 
grant ancestor,  have  not  been  traced.  A 
memorandum  found  among  the  papers  of 
an  early  member  of  the  family  gives  the 
following  description  of  the  coat-of-arms : 
"He  beareth  sable — a  lion  rampant — ar- 
gent— armed — and  langued  gules" — by 
the  name  of  Williams,  of  Flint,  in  Wales, 
and  in  Lincolnshire,  and  Matthew,  of 
Yorkshire  ;  which  families  are  indeed  now 
one  and  the  same,  for  John  Williams, 
Esq.,  in  the  time  of  Edward  IV.,  married 
the  daughter  and  heiress  of  Jonathan 
Matthew,  Esq.  His  son  assumed  the  sur- 
name of  Matthew,  which  he  retained  ever 
since.  Their  crest  is  a  moor  cock.  This 
pedigree  is  from  Thoresby's  Ducatua,  etc. 
"This  coat  belongeth  to  the  family  of 
Williams."  The  engraving  accompany- 
ing the  above  description  in  the  book  re- 
ferred to  shows  a  common  cock  instead 
of  a  moor  cock,  and  subsequent  investi- 
gation indicates  the  correctness  of  the  en- 
graving, and  with  this  the  side  motto, 
Cognosce  occasioiicni  ("Watches  his  op- 
portunity"— agrees).  The  motto  of  the 
family  is  Y  fyno  Dwy  Y  fydd,  meaning 
"What  God  willeth,  will  be." 

It  has  been  generally  believed  that  Rob- 
ert Williams,  the  immigrant  ancestor  of 
the  family,  came  from  Roxbury  to  Amer- 
ica. He  was  admitted  freeman  in  Rox- 
bury in  1638.  He  evidently  sympathized 
with  the  Puritans  in  England,  and  no 
doubt  emigrated  to  escape  the  persecu- 
tions to  which  they  were  subjected.  He 
married  (first)  Elizabeth  Stratton,  who 
bore  him  four  sons.  She  died  July  28, 
1674,  aged  eighty  years.  He  died  at  Rox- 
bury, September  i,  1693.  There  is  some 
discrepancy  of  opinion  in  relation  to  his 
age,  but  as  he  survived  his  first  wife  for 
nearly  twenty  years,  and  she  was  eighty 
at  her  death,  the  presumption  is  that  he 
lived  to  be  nearly  if  not  quite  one  hun- 
dred years  old. 

His  son,  Samuel  Williams,  was  bom  in 


220 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1632,  probably  in  England,  the  eldest  of 
the  four  sons.  He  settled  in  Roxbury, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  became  a  free- 
man in  March,  1658.  He  was  a  man  of 
considerable  repute,  and  was  deacon  of 
the  church  for  many  years.  He  married 
Theodosia,  daughter  of  Deacon  William 
Park,  who  was  a  man  of  note  and  prop- 
erty in  Roxbury  and  was  a  representative 
to  the  General  Court  for  many  years. 
Deacon  Park  died  May  11,  1685,  aged  sev- 
enty-five years.  Deacon  Samuel  Williams 
died  September  28,  1698,  aged  sixty-five 
years.  His  widow  married  Stephen  Peck, 
and  died  August  26,  1718,  aged  eighty-one 
years. 

His  son,  Samuel  Williams,  born  April 
15,  1655,  died  August  8,  1735.  He  mar- 
ried for  his  first  wife,  February  24,  1679, 
Sarah  May,  who  died  December  29,  1712. 

His  son,  Samuel  Williams,  born  April 
6,  1681,  died  August  13,  1751.  He  mar- 
ried Deborah  Scarborough,  who  survived 
him  ten  years,  and  was  killed  by  the  over- 
throwing of  her  chaise. 

His  son,  William  Williams,  was  born 
April  24,  1698,  died  June  21,  1766.  He 
married,  October  20,  1720,  Sarah  Stevens, 
of  Roxbury,  and  moved  to  Pomfret  in  the 
same  year.  She  died  June  6,  1786,  in  her 
eightieth  year.  Mr.  Williams  was  dea- 
con of  the  first  church  in  Roxbury. 

His  son,  Samuel  Williams,  died  Febru- 
ary 4,  1805,  aged  eighty-nine  years.  He 
was  married  three  times ;  by  his  first  wife 
he  had  four  children,  and  by  his  second 
wife  three  who  grew  to  maturity. 

His  son,  William  Williams,  married 
Martha  Williams,  of  Roxbury. 

His  son,  Howell  Williams,  was  born 
June  24,  1769,  died  July  18,  1819.  He 
married  Dorothy  Wheat,  born  February 
4,  1768,  died  July  14,  1823.  They  were 
the  parents  of  Sophia  Jenkins  Williams, 
born  August  19,  1798,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Samuel  St.  John.  Jr.,  and  the 
mother  of  Howell  W.  St.  John. 


HYDE,  William  Waldo, 

liavrycT,  Enterprising  Citizen. 

Beyond  argument  one  of  the  foremost 
men  of  the  Connecticut  bar,  Mr.  Hyde  in 
ability  and  achievement  was  comparable 
with  the  best  lawyers  of  any  period  of  the 
State's  history.  A  keen  intellect,  allied 
with  the  judicial  temperament,  force  of 
character,  and  poise  of  judgment,  pro- 
duced the  able  lawyer;  a  charming  per- 
sonality won  him  warm  friendships ; 
while  his  courage,  independence  and  pub- 
lic spirit  won  the  respect  and  confidence 
that  gave  his  leadership  force.  His  vision 
rose  above  the  needs  and  aspirations  of 
his  home  city,  Hartford,  though  they 
never  ceased  to  concern  his  great  heart, 
and  in  a  large  sense  and  wholly  through 
his  own  impressive  personality  he  be- 
longed to  the  State.  In  all  gatherings  of 
men,  large  or  small,  which  had  the  good 
fortune  to  number  him  among  them,  his 
force,  poise  and  quality  were  instinctively 
felt.  He  did  not  have  to  argue  himself 
into  the  good  graces  of  men,  his  mental 
and  emotional  attitude  being  convincing 
of  themselves,  where  his  conclusions  did 
not  always  win  the  sympathy  of  his 
hearers.  One  knew  that  he  was  striking 
at  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth,  and 
the  idea  of  his  ever  faltering  in  the  line 
of  conduct  he  had  adopted  for  his  guid- 
ance, was  never  expressed. 

Few  men  have  ever  so  succeeded  in 
winning  the  affection  of  a  community,  an 
afTection  that  came  not  because  he  sought 
for  popularity,  but  because  it  was  his 
due.  He  never  sought  office,  nor  did  he 
ever  shirk  a  public  duty.  No  man  was 
more  independent  in  forming  opinions  or 
more  ready  in  expressing  them.  He  was 
incapable  of  currying  favor ;  his  warm 
heart,  his  genial  sympathetic  disposition, 
his  public  spirit,  combined  to  win  that 
favor.  Great  as  were  his  legal  attain- 
ments, great  as   was  his  public   service. 


221 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


they  pale  before  the  fact  that  men  loved 
him.  and  that: 

None  knew  him  but  to  love  him, 
None  named  him  but  to  praise. 

Mr.  Hyde  traced  his  paternal  ancestry 
in  America  to  William  Hyde,  born  in 
England,  one  of  the  founders  of  Hartford, 
also  of  Norwich,  Connecticut — a  gentle- 
man of  wealth  and  importance.  The  line 
of  descent  is  through  Samuel,  the  only 
son  of  William  Hyde,  born  1637,  died 
1677,  a  leading  citizen  of  Norwich  W'est 
Farms ;  he  married  Jane  Lee.  Thomas, 
son  of  Samuel  Hyde,  born  in  July,  1672, 
died  April  9,  1755,  married  Mary  Backus. 
Their  son.  Captain  Jacob  Hyde,  born 
January  20,  1703,  married  Hannah  Kings- 
bury, who  bore  him  Ephraim.  April  23, 
1734;  he  married  Martha  Giddings. 

Nathaniel,  son  of  Ephraim  Hyde,  was 
born  at  Stafford,  Connecticut,  March  7, 
1757,  and  was  an  iron  founder.  His  first 
wife,  Sarah  Strong,  bore  him  a  son  Alvan, 
who  succeeded  his  father  in  business,  and 
was  for  many  years  an  iron  manufac- 
turer of  Stafford.  He  married  Sarah 
Finney,  whose  second  child,  Alvan  Pin- 
ney  Hyde,  married,  September  12,  1849, 
Frances  Elizabeth  Waldo,  daughter  of 
Judge  Loren  P.  Waldo,  with  whom  his 
son-in-law  was  associated  in  legal  prac- 
tice. Their  eldest  son  was  W'illiam 
W^aldo  Hyde,  to  whose  memory  this  trib- 
ute of  respect  is  dedicated. 

The  Waldo  ancestry  traces  in  America 
to  Cornelius  Waldo,  first  mentioned  in 
Salem  (Massachusetts)  records  July  6, 
1647.  He  married  Hannah,  daughter  of 
John  Cogswell,  who  came  from  England 
on  the  ship  "Angel  Gabriel."  Their  son. 
John  Waldo,  a  soldier  of  King  Philip's 
War,  married  Rebecca  Adams.  Their 
son,  Edward  Waldo,  teacher,  farmer,  dea- 
con, deputy  and  lieutenant,  built  a  house 
in  that  part  of  Windham,  now  Scotland, 


about  1 714,  that  is  yet  standing,  occupied 
by  a  descendant.  He  married  (first) 
Thankful  Dimmock.  Their  son,  Edward 
(2)  Waldo,  married  Abigail  Elderkin. 
Their  son,  Zachariah.  an  eminent  citizen, 
was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution  from 
Canterbury.  Zachariah  married  (first) 
Elizabeth  Wright.  Their  son,  Ebenezer 
Waldo,  born  in  Canterbury,  died  in  Tol- 
land, Connecticut,  a  man  of  prominence ; 
he  married  Cynthia  Parish.  Their  son, 
Loren  Pinckney  Waldo,  born  February 
2,  1802,  died  1881,  became  one  of  the 
leading  lawyers  of  Connecticut,  filled 
many  offices  in  State  and  Nation,  member 
of  Thirty-first  Congress,  judge  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  Connecticut,  one  of 
the  leading  Democrats  of  his  day.  He 
married  Frances  Elizabeth  Eldridge,  a 
granddaughter  of  Charles  Eldridge,  se- 
verely wounded  in  the  massacre  at  Fort 
Griswold,  and  of  Captain  Elijah  Avery, 
killed  in  the  same  massacre.  Their 
daughter,  Frances  Elizabeth  Waldo,  mar- 
ried, September  12,  1849,  Alvan  Pinney 
Hyde.  Their  son  was  William  Waldo 
Hyde. 

From  such  distinguished  paternal  and 
maternal  ancestry  came  William  Waldo 
Hyde.  He  was  born  in  Tolland,  Connec- 
ticut, March  25,  1854,  died  in  Hartford,  at 
the  Charter  Oak  Hospital.  Saturday,  Oc- 
tober 30,  191 5.  When  he  was  ten  years 
of  age  his  parents  removed  to  Hartford, 
where  in  connection  with  Judge  Loren 
P.  W^aldo  and  Governor  Richard  D.  Hub- 
bard. Alvan  P.  Hyde  became  a  member 
of  one  of  the  leading  law  firms  of  the 
State,  that  of  Waldo,  Hubbard  &  Hyde. 
Until  1872,  William  W'aldo  Hyde  at- 
tended the  public  schools  of  Hartford, 
finishing  with  the  high  school  graduating 
class  of  1872.  He  then  entered  Yale  Uni- 
versity, whence  he  was  graduated  with 
the  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  in  the  class 
of  '76,  a  class  distinguished  in  the  qual- 

!22 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ity  of  its  members.  Among  his  class- 
mates were  Arthur  Twining  Hadley, 
president  of  Yale ;  Otto  T.  Barnard,  and 
General  Theodore  A.  Bingham,  of  New 
York;  Dr.  E.  J.  McKnight,  of  Hartford; 
and  Elmer  P.  Howe,  the  widely  known 
Boston  lawyer. 

Logically,  he  was  destined  to  become  a 
lawyer,  heredity  and  environment  almost 
compelling  that  profession.  Fortunately 
his  personal  inclinations  agreed  with  the 
logical  view,  and  after  two  years'  study 
under  his  honored  father  and  a  year  at 
Boston  University  Law  School,  he  was 
in  1878  admitted  to  the  Connecticut  bar 
at  Hartford.  His  first  experience  in  law 
practice  was  as  clerk  in  the  office  of 
Waldo,  Hubbard  &  Hyde.  At  Judge 
Waldo's  death  in  1881  the  firm  reorgan- 
ized as  Hubbard,  Hyde  &  Gross,  the  part- 
ners being  Governor  Hubbard,  Alvan  P. 
Hyde  and  Charles  E.  Gross,  but  later 
William  Waldo  Hyde  and  Frank  E.  Hyde 
were  admitted.  On  Governor  Hubbard's 
death  the  four  remaining  partners  re- 
organized as  Hyde,  Gross  &  Hyde.  When 
the  death  of  Alvan  P.  Hyde  again  dis- 
rupted the  firm,  Charles  E.  Gross,  Wil- 
liam Waldo  Hyde  and  Arthur  L.  Shipman 
formed  the  firm  of  Gross,  Hyde  &  Ship- 
man.  Later,  Charles  Welles  Gross,  a  son 
of  the  senior  partner,  and  Alvan  Waldo 
Hyde,  a  son  of  William  Waldo  Hyde, 
were  admitted  to  partnership. 

Mr.  Hyde  was  identified  with  muc'n 
important  litigation  in  the  State  and  Fed- 
eral courts,  appearing  before  State  and 
United  States  Supreme  Courts  in  cases  of 
unusual  importance  and  involving  mo- 
mentous issues.  For  twenty-five  years  he 
was  general  counsel  of  the  board  of  water 
commissioners,  and  was  the  leader  in  the 
passage  of  the  special  act  of  General  As- 
sembly legalizing  the  acquisition  of  the 
Nepaug  property.  From  April,  1910.  to 
May,   191 2,  he   was  corporation  counsel. 


and  in  March,  1914,  was  appointed  by 
Mayor  Cheney  a  member  of  the  city  char- 
ter revision  committee,  and  to  present  the 
revised  charter  to  the  General  Assembly 
of  1915.  His  last  appearance  in  the  Su- 
preme Court  was  early  in  the  m.onth  of 
October,  191 5,  when  he  argued  the  case 
of  the  Hartford  Board  of  Water  Commis- 
sioners against  property  owners,  on  de- 
fendants' appeal  from  a  decision  by  Judge 
Case,  of  the  Superior  Court. 

Another  important  work  of  his  last 
two  years  was  as  trustee  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Company,  appointed  with  four 
others  to  take  over  that  company.  To 
this  work  he  brought  wide  experience  and 
ripened  judgment  that  rendered  him  a 
most  valuable  addition  to  the  board.  He 
declined  many  oflfers  of  financial  trust, 
devoting  himself  to  his  large  and  weighty 
practice,  though  always  responding  to 
every  call  to  the  public  service. 

From  1885  to  1899  he  was  actively  iden- 
tified with  civic  affairs  other  than  legal. 
From  1885  to  1891  he  was  a  member  of 
the  board  of  school  visitors,  and  acting 
school  visitor,  or  superintendent  of 
schools  during  that  period.  In  that  capa- 
city he  labored  earnestly  to  bring  the 
schools  to  a  higher  plane  of  efficiency,  a 
work  in  which  he  succeeded.  From  1888 
to  1891  he  was  a  m.ember  of  the  board  of 
street  commissioners,  also  from  1897  to 
1899,  and  president  of  the  board  in  1890, 

1891  and  1899.  In  1895  and  1896  he  was 
a  member  of  the  board  of  health. 

A  Democrat  in  politics,  Mr.   Hyde  in 

1892  as  candidate  for  mayor  carried  Hart- 
ford for  the  Democracy  for  the  first  time 
in  a  decade  in  an  important  city  election. 
He  had  as  an  opponent  on  the  Repub- 
lican ticket.  General  Henry  C.  Dwight, 
who  polled  3.828  votes  against  Mr.  Hyde's 
4,607.  He  is  yet  spoken  of  as  "one  of  the 
best  mayors  Hartford  ever  had." 

Neither  legal  life,  to  which  he  brought 

23 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


an  inherited  and  personal  love;  nor  pub- 
lic life,  which  he  met  as  a  duty  of  good 
citizenship — filled  the  measure  of  his 
activity.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the  Con- 
necticut Hospital  for  the  Insane,  and  a 
director  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank.  As 
a  member  of  South  Congregational 
Church  he  met  the  responsibility  of  a 
churchman  as  he  met  every  other  obliga- 
tion of  life.  In  social  intercourse  he  m,et 
his  fellowmen  in  club,  fraternity  and  so- 
ciety, and  with  them  pursued  the  highest 
objects  of  each.  His  clubs  were  the  Hart- 
ford, Hartford  Golf,  Country,  University 
(New  York),  Yale  (New  York),  Gradu- 
ates (New  Haven),  and  Nayasset  of 
Springfield,  Massachusetts.  His  patriotic 
and  Colonial  ancestry  rendered  him 
eligible  to  about  every  organization  of 
note  based  on  Colonial  residence  and  Rev- 
olutionary service.  He  was  affiliated  with 
the  Society  of  Mayflower  Descendants  in 
Connecticut,  the  Colonel  Jeremiah  Wads- 
worth  Branch  of  the  Connecticut  Society, 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  of 
the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars  in  Connec- 
ticut. In  fraternity,  his  affiliations  were 
entirely  Masonic,  and  included  all  de- 
grees of  the  York  Rite  and  of  the  Scot- 
tish Rite  up  to  and  including  the  thirty- 
second.  He  was  a  Master  Mason  of  St. 
John's  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons ;  a  companion  of  Pythagoras  Chap- 
ter, Royal  Arch  Masons ;  a  cryptic  Ma- 
son of  Wolcott  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters ;  a  sir  knight  of  Washington 
Commandery,  Knights  Templar ;  and  a 
noble  of  Sphinx  Temple,  Nobles  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine.  In  Scottish  Rite,  he  held 
the  fourteen  degrees  of  Charter  Oak 
Lodge  of  Perfection  ;  the  degrees  of  Hart- 
ford Council,  Princes  of  Jerusalem  ;  Cyrus 
Goodell  Chapter  of  Rose  Croix ;  and  of 
Connecticut  Consistory,  Sovereign  Princes 
of  the  Royal  Secret,  Ancient  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite. 


This  necessarily  brief  review  of  the  life 
activity  of  a  great  man  would  be  incom- 
plete did  it  not  refer  to  that  under  side 
of  his  nature,  not  so  well  known  to  the 
public  as  his  legal  and  civic  greatness. 
His  love  of  fun,  his  genial  good  nature, 
and  the  charm  of  his  social  qualities,  were 
known  and  appreciated  only  in  fullest 
measure  by  those  privileged  to  call  him 
friend.  He  had  a  quick  sympathy  which 
lesponded  instantly  to  the  good  fortune 
or  misfortune  of  his  friends ;  and  the 
warmth  of  his  congratulations  made  suc- 
cess sweeter ;  while  his  word  of  consola- 
tion lightened  the  heaviness  of  sorrow, 
and  he  was  always  ready  to  help  the  weak 
one  or  aid  the  discouraged.  His  cour- 
tesy to  young  lawyers  was  unfailing,  and, 
while  an  opponent  at  the  bar  to  be 
dreaded,  he  was  always  willing  to  extend 
any  courtesy  to  opposing  counsel,  consist- 
ent with  the  proper  conduct  of  his  case. 

There  was  another  element  of  his  char- 
acter worthy  of  special  note — his  courage 
and  adaptability.  It  was  said  of  his 
father,  that  "as  a  rough  and  tumble  fighter 
in  court  he  had  no  superior.  All  cases 
were  the  same  to  him.  Cases  involving 
bookkeeping,  patents,  contracts,  the  usual 
run  of  disputes  of  all  kinds,  and  criminal 
cases,  he  could  try  with  equal  facility,  and 
his  courage  never  failed  him."  The  son 
inherited  many  of  his  lawyerlike  charac- 
teristics from  that  father,  and  men  called 
him  a  man  of  "indomitable  courage," 
pursuing  what  he  believed  a  proper 
course  in  the  face  of  all  obstacles  and 
any  opposition.  A  quiet  man,  yet,  when 
aroused,  one  of  the  most  eloquent. 

Mr.  Hyde  married,  December  i,  1877, 
Helen  Eliza  Watson,  his  classmate  in 
high  school,  daughter  of  George  W.  Wat- 
son, of  Hartford,  who  survives  him,  with 
two  children  —  Elizabeth;  and  Alvan 
Waldo  Hyde,  the  latter  his  father's  part- 
ner in  the  firm  of  Gross,  Hyde  &  Ship- 


224 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


man ;  he  married  (first)  Helen  Howard, 
who  bore  him  two  children:  Helen 
Waldo  and  Elizabeth  Howard ;  he  mar- 
ried (second)  Theresa  MacGillivray,  and 
has  two  children :  Jeannette  jMacGilli- 
vray,  and  William  Waldo  Hyde  (2nd). 


ENGLISH,  Joel  L., 

liife    Insurance    Official. 

The  English  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  New  England,  its  progenitor,  Clement 
English,  who  was  the  first  of  the  name  in 
America,  living  in  Salem,  Massachusetts, 
as  early  as  1667,  and  being  married  there 
on  August  27  in  that  year  to  Mary 
W^aters,  like  himself  a  resident  of  the 
town.  He  is  spoken  of  as  a  wealthy  mer- 
chant, who  stood  high  in  the  esteem  of 
his  fellow  citizens,  and  his  death  occurred 
there  December  23,  1682. 

Benjamin  English,  son  of  Clement 
English,  was  born  in  Salem,  October  19, 
1678,  and  removed  to  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut, about  1700.  He  married  (first) 
at  Salem,  June  8,  1699,  Sarah  Ward,  who 
died  December  9,  1700.  He  married  (sec- 
ond) April  21,  1703,  Rebecca  Brown,  of 
East  Haven,  who  died  May  6,  1768.  By 
his  first  wife  a  son  was  born,  May  19, 
1700.  The  children  of  the  second  wife 
were:  Sarah,  born  February  7,  1704-05; 
Benjamin,  October  8,  1705;  Mary,  Febru- 
ary 10,  1707-08;  Joseph,  1709;  Mary, 
1714;  Clement,  October,  1716. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  one  of  the 
sons  just  mentioned  was  the  father  of 
Richard  English,  who  was  the  great- 
grandfather of  Joel  English,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch. 

Richard  English  married,  in  1762,  Free- 
dom, born  in  Hebron,  Connecticut,  1747, 
a  daughter  of  Captain  John  Strong.  She 
died  October  6,  1839.  Captain  Strong  was 
born  September  5,  1723.  Until  1769  he 
was  probably  a  resident  of  Hebron,  Con- 


necticut. From  1769  to  1772  he  engaged 
in  farming  at  Hartford,  Vermont.  Dur- 
ing this  period  we  find  his  name  on  rec- 
ords as  town  clerk  and  as  a  surveyor.  In 
1773  he  and  a  few  others  began  the  set- 
tlement of  W'oodstock,  Vermont.  He  and 
his  son-in-law,  Benjamin  Burtsch,  erect- 
ed a  log  house  and  opened  the  first  tavern 
in  the  town.  In  1775-76  he  was  one  of 
the  Council  of  Safety  for  Cumberland 
county,  and  in  the  following  year  served 
as  captain  of  a  company  of  rangers  under 
General  Schuyler.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Vermont  Legislature,  1777-78-79-82, 
and  held  various  town  offices.  He  also 
rendered  valuable  service  in  connection 
with  public  fairs,  and  enjoyed  a  high 
place  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 
In  1778-79  he  built  a  saw  mill  and  grist 
mill,  which  he  conducted  at  the  same 
time  that  he  kept  the  tavern.  He  was  a 
man  of  great  enterprise  and  his  ventures 
were  uniformly  successful.  In  the  year 
1804  he  removed  with  his  grandson,  Ben- 
jamin Burtsch,  Jr.,  to  Argenteuil,  Can- 
ada, where  he  died  two  years  later.  His 
first  wife,  whose  name  is  not  known,  died 
at  Woodstock,  January  15,  1784,  at  the 
age  of  sixty  years. 

His  father.  Lieutenant  Jedediah  Strong, 
was  born  January  15,  1700,  and  was  a 
farmer  at  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  all  his 
life.  On  December  4,  1722,  he  married 
Elizabeth  Webster,  a  daughter  of  Captain 
John  and  Elizabeth  Webster,  who  was 
born  February  26,  1700-01.  Captain  Web- 
ster was  born  at  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, September  11,  1672  (also  given 
as  February  26,  1673).  He  was  one  of 
the  original  proprietors  of  Lebanon,  Con- 
necticut, and  it  was  there  that  he  died 
November  3,  1735. 

His  father,  Thomas  Webster,  married 
June  16,  1663,  Abigail  Alexander,  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Alexander,  of  Northampton, 
Massachusetts.       Before     his     marriage 


Conn— 3— 15 


225 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Thomas  Webster  was  a  resident  of  Farm- 
ington,  Connecticut,  where  several  sales 
of  land  by  him  are  recorded,  between  Oc- 
tober, 1651,  and  1656.  He  was  a  resident 
of  Northampton  as  late  as  1670,  but  we 
find  him  in  Northfield,  Massachusetts, 
soon  after  that.  He  was  driven  from 
there  by  the  Indian  attacks  in  1675,  and 
resided  at  Hadley  from  1676  to  1682. 
After  the  close  of  King  Philip's  War, 
however,  he  returned  to  Northfield,  where 
his  death  occurred.  His  estate  was  in- 
ventoried October  20,  1686,  and  his  wife 
Abigail  died  before   1690. 

His  father.  Governor  John  Webster, 
the  immigrant  ancestor  of  the  most  nu- 
merous family  of  Websters  in  America, 
was  a  native  of  Warwickshire,  England. 
He  came  to  Massachusetts  probably  dur- 
ing the  period  between  1630  and  1633,  and 
lived  for  a  time  at  Newton.  From  there 
he  went  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  prob- 
ably with  the  Hooker  Company,  which 
founded  the  city.  He  was  one  of  the 
eleven  out  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty- 
three  original  settlers  of  Hartford  who 
■received  the  distinction  of  "Mr."  From 
1639  to  1659  he  was  continuously  in  pub- 
lic office,  and  was  elected  Governor  of 
Connecticut  in  1656,  holding  that  office 
during  the  year.  Besides  this  he  also 
held  the  office  of  deputy  to  the  General 
Court,  chief  magistrate  and  deputy  gov- 
ernor. He  was  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant men  in  the  colony,  and  a  more  de- 
tailed account  of  his  career  is  to  be  found 
elsewhere  in  this  work.  On  April  5,  1661, 
"the  Puritan  and  Pilgrim  of  two  Hemis- 
pheres, the  Faithful  Judge,  the  Deputy 
Governor  and  Governor  of  an  Incipient 
American  State,  the  public-spirited  citi- 
zen and  public  servant,  in  old  age  an 
exile  for  conscience  *****  closed  his 
labors."  His  widow,  Agnes  Webster, 
died  in  1667. 

Jedediah  Strong,  Jr.,  father  of  Lieuten- 


ant Jedediah  Strong,  was  born  August  7, 
1667,  and  married,  November  8,  1688, 
Abiah  Ingersoll,  born  August  24,  1663,  a 
daughter  of  John  and  Abigail  (Bascom) 
Ingersoll.  He  was  a  farmer  at  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts,  until  August  24, 
1696,  when  he  removed  to  Lebanon,  Con- 
necticut. His  name  frequently  appears 
in  the  records  of  that  town  as  a  member 
of  committees  having  in  charge  impor- 
tant public  affairs.  He  met  his  death  at 
the  hands  of  the  Indians,  being  killed  by 
them  at  Wood  Creek,  New  York,  October 
12,  1709.     His  widow  died  November  20, 

His  father,  Jedediah  Strong,  was  born 
May  7,  1637.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
first  wife  with  whom  he  was  united  No- 
vember 18,  1662,  being  Freedom  Wood- 
ward, a  daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth 
Woodward,  of  Dorchester  and  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts.  Mr.  Strong  was 
engaged  in  farming  at  Northampton  until 
1709,  when  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Coventry,  Connecticut,  where  he  died 
May  22,  1733.  His  wife  had  already  died 
May   17,   1681. 

His  father,  Elder  John  Strong,  was 
born  at  Taunton,  England,  in  1605,  and 
came  to  this  country  in  1630,  arriving  in 
Massachusetts  on  May  30  of  that  year. 
In  1635  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of 
Dorchester,  and  on  March  9,  1636,  was 
admitted  a  freeman  at  Boston.  On  De- 
cember 4,  1638,  we  find  him  a  resident 
proprietor  of  Taunton,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  com- 
munity, and  held  the  office  of  deputy  to 
the  General  Court  at  Plymouth  in  1641- 
43-44-45.  He  next  removed  to  Windsor, 
Connecticut,  where  he  was  one  of  a  com- 
mittee appointed  "to  superintend  and 
bring  forward  the  settlement  of  that 
place."  In  1659  he  was  active  in  found- 
ing and  settling  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  engaged  in  business 


226 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


as  a  tanner,  was  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous citizens  and  ruling  elder  of  the 
church  there.  He  married,  in  December, 
1630,  for  his  second  wife,  Abigail  Ford, 
who  died  July  6,  1688.  He  died  April  14, 
1699.  A  more  detailed  account  of  his  life 
is  to  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Joel  English,  son  of  Richard  and  Free- 
dom (Strong)  English,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 9,  1766,  at  Andover,  Connecticut. 
When  about  the  age  of  twelve  years,  he 
was  bound  out  as  an  apprentice  to  Ben- 
jamin Burtsch  in  Woodstock,  Vermont, 
and  was  sent  to  work  tending  the  saw  and 
grist  mill  of  Strong  &  Burtsch.  During 
these  years  his  fare  was  meager  and  very 
plain,  and  the  growing  boy,  possessed  of 
a  healthy  appetite,  often  found  it  neces- 
sary to  appease  his  hunger  to  take  the 
meal  made  at  the  mill,  mix  it  with  water 
and  bake  it  at  the  fireplace  there.  At  the 
home  of  ■Mr.  Burtsch  the  young  man  be- 
came acquainted  with  his  cousin,  Tri- 
phena,  who  was  born  June  12,  1770,  a 
daughter  of  Benajah  Strong,  and  they 
were  married  July  25,  1788.  They  made 
their  home  with  Mr.  Burtsch  for  about 
two  years  after  their  marriage,  but  in 
1789  Mr.  English  purchased  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  acres,  and  in  1793  bought  a  saw 
mill,  which  had  been  built  a  few  years 
before  on  a  hundred  acre  lot  just  below 
his  first  purchase.  Two  years  later,  in 
partnership  with  a  Mr.  Bennett  under  the 
firm  name  of  Bennett  &  English,  he 
bought  the  Davis  Grist  Mill.  Both  these 
m.ills  were  enlarged  and  improved  and 
from  that  time  on  the  place  was  known 
as  English's  Mills.  Joel  English  and 
wife  first  occupied  a  log  house,  but  in 
1804  they  began  the  erection  of  a  frame 
hL'use  in  which  he  lived  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life.  He  also  laid  out  a 
road  which  branched  from  the  Bridge- 
water  road  and  ran  south  of  this  house, 
and  which  later  became  the  established 


line  of  travel.  Triphena  (Strong)  Eng- 
lish died  December  28,  1846.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church  at  Wood- 
stock for  thirty-nine  years.  Her  father, 
Benjamin  Strong,  born  January  17,  1734- 
35.  was  a  son  of  Lieutenant  Jedediah 
Strong,  who  has  already  been  referred  to 
in  this  article.  Benajah  Strong  was 
twice  married,  his  first  wife  having  been 
Polly  Bacon,  of  Lebanon,  Connecticut. 
He  removed  to  Hartford,  Vermont,  in 
1764,  where  he  was  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers, and  in  the  following  year  held  the 
office  of  town  clerk.  In  1774  he  was  con- 
stable and  commissioner  of  highways. 
His  first  wife  died  August  8,  1790,  and 
after  his  second  marriage  he  removed  to 
Bethel,  Vermont,  and  resided  there  until 
his  death  in  March.  1815. 

Henry  W.  English,  son  of  Joel  and 
Triphena  (Strong)  English,  was  born 
January  27,  1805,  at  Woodstock,  Ver- 
mont. He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
over  forty  years,  held  other  important 
town  offices  and  served  as  selectman  for 
a  considerable  period.  He  inherited  his 
father's  saw  and  grist  mjll  and  was  en- 
gaged in  operating  them  all  his  life.  He 
also  had  a  fifty  acre  farm.  He  married 
Eliza  A.  Steele,  a  daughter  of  Stephen 
and  Chloe  (Hubbard)  Steele,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  six  children,  five  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity.  The  children 
were  as  follows :  Hiram  S.,  deceased ; 
Caroline  Louisa,  deceased ;  Charles  H., 
of  Woodstock,  Vermont ;  Joel  Lathrop, 
with  whose  career  this  sketch  is  particu- 
larly concerned ;  Chloe  T.,  who  became 
the  wife  of  Charles'  Adams,  of  Peacham, 
Vermont.  Henry  W.  English  died  April 
2    1887,  and  his  wife  November  11,  1880. 

Joel  Lathrop  English,  son  of  Henry  W. 
and  Eliza  A.  (Steele)  English,  was  born 
October  i,  1843,  ^^  Woodstock,  Vermont. 
He  received  his  education  at  the  local 
public  schools,  at  Randolph  Academy  and 


227 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Woodstock  Academy,  located  respec- 
tively in  the  towns  of  the  same  names. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  men  in  the  country 
to  learn  shorthand,  and  in  1867  became 
stenographer  and  general  clerk  to  Thomas 
O.  Enders,  secretary  of  the  Aetna  Life 
Insurance  Company.  He  continued  in 
this  position  until  1872,  when  he  was 
elected  secretary  of  the  company  to  suc- 
ceed Mr.  Enders.  This  position  Mr. 
English  held  until  February,  1905,  when 
he  was  elected  to  his  present  responsible 
position  as  vice-president  of  this  great 
concern.  Mr.  English  is  at  the  present 
time  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known 
life  insurance  men  now  actively  connected 
with  the  business.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Hartford  Club. 

On  November  20,  1878,  Mr.  English 
was  married  to  Mabel  B.  Plimpton,  born 
February  18,  1861,  a  daughter  of  Andrew 
Seabury  Plimpton.  Mr.  Plimpton  was 
born  February  21,  1823,  and  married,  in 
February,  1855,  Lucinda  F.  Bacon,  a 
native  of  Norwich,  Connecticut,  born 
June  3.  1830,  and  a  daughter  of  Edmond 
Bacon,  of  that  place.  For  many  years 
Andrew  Seabury  Plimpton  was  a  promi- 
nent hotel  keeper  in  Hartford,  and  he 
later  built  the  Plimpton  House  at  Watch 
Hill,  which  he  conducted  for  a  number  of 
seasons.  At  the  same  time  he  managed 
the  Dixon  House  at  Westerly,  Rhode 
Island.  He  was  one  of  the  best  known 
hotel  men  in  Connecticut  and  Rhode 
Island,  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventy 
years. 

His  father,  Chauncey  Plimpton,  was 
born  May  5,  1796,  and  died  May  21,  1837. 
He  married,  December  3,  1817,  Calista 
Bacon,  a  daughter  of  Deacon  Daniel 
Bacon,  of  Charlton.  She  died  in  the 
month  of  May,  1878. 

His  father.  Esquire  Oliver  Plimpton, 
was  born  September  7,  1758,  and  died 
April    26,    1832.     He   was   a    prominent 


farmer  in  Sturbridge,  Massachusetts,  and 
it  was  said  of  him  that  "his  farm,  garden 
and  buildings  exhibited  discreet  manage- 
ment, good  taste  and  convenience.  The 
visitor  always  enjoyed  a  pleasant  and 
social  interview  in  his  accomplished  fam- 
ily. His  appearance  was  dignified  and 
commanded  respect."  He  was  active  in 
local  affairs  of  a  public  nature  and  served 
several  terms  as  a  member  of  the  General 
Court,  besides  holding  the  office  of  magis- 
trate for  many  years.  He  possessed  a  splen- 
did intellect  and  quick  perception,  and 
although  not  formally  trained  in  the  law, 
he  was  noted  for  the  accuracy  of  his  de- 
cisions. He  was  thrifty  and  prudent,  and 
his  land,  exclusive  of  buildings,  was  ap- 
praised in  1798  at  three  pounds,  eleven 
shillings,  the  central  portion  of  what  is 
now  Globe  Village  now  occupies  what 
was  originally  his  farm.  He  was  active 
in  the  afifairs  of  the  community,  and 
served  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 

His  father,  Lieutenant  Gershom  Plimp- 
ton, was  born  January  14,  1734-35,  and 
died  January  27,  1808.  He  married, 
March  2,  1758,  Martha  Marcy,  born  Au- 
gust 27,  1740.  died  January  15,  1825,  a 
daughter  of  Colonel  Moses  Marcy,  of 
Sturbridge.  Lieutenant  Plimpton  had 
great  skill  in  hunting  and  fishing,  and  in 
1753  he  traveled  on  foot  from  Medford  to 
Sturbridge,  carrying  his  pack,  gun  and 
ammunition.  In  1759  he  bought  at  Stur- 
bridge ten  acres  of  land  from  his  father 
and  built  a  fulling  mill  at  what  is  now 
Globe  Village.  He  was  the  first  to  use 
the  water  power  at  that  location,  and  he 
later  built  a  grist  mill  there  in  partner- 
ship with  his  son,  Gershom,  Jr. 

His  father,  William  Plimpton,  was 
born  May  26,  1700,  and  died  April  29, 
1770.  He  married,  in  1725,  Keziah 
Dwight,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth 
Dwight,  born  September  8,  1705,  and 
died    November    11,    1776.      In    1724   the 


228 


THE  flLV  '''OPK 
PUBL'C  LIBRARY 

ASTOP.    L-     OX    . 
TTLDLN    rC  ,i    D    TiONS 


i  /Jf?^^^^C^>^' 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


town  of  Medfield  gave  permission  to  Wil- 
liam Plimpton  to  dam  the  brook  near  the 
meeting  house  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  a  fulling  mill.  He  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  establishment  of  the  Baptist 
church  at  Medtield.  and  was  one  of  the 
proprietors  of  Sturbridge. 

His  father,  Joseph  Plimpton,  was  born 
March  18,  1677,  and  died  October  21, 
1739.  He  married  (first)  in  1699,  Pris- 
cilla  Partridge,  who  died  in  1738.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  a  prominent  citizen, 
was  member  of  the  General  Court  from 
1720  to  1721  and  1731.  He  was  commis- 
sioned lieutenant  by  Governor  Drummer 
in  1723,  was  one  of  the  proprietors  and 
took  an  active  part  in  the  settlement  of 
New  Medfield,  or  Sturbridge,  and  was 
moderator  of  ten  meetings  of  the  proprie- 
tors. 

His  father,  Joseph  Plimpton,  was  born 
October  7,  1653,  and  died  June  22,  1702. 
He  married,  November  3,  1675,  Mary 
Morse,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Morse.  He 
worked  as  a  weaver.  In  1681  he  received 
a  grant  of  land  from,  the  town  of  Medfield. 

His  father,  Sergeant  John  Plimpton, 
was  born  about  1620.  He  was  well  edu- 
cated and  became  a  Puritan,  which  led  to 
much  persecution  from  his  family  who 
were  zealous  Catholics.  He  dared  not 
register,  but  left  his  native  land  secretly, 
and  landed  in  New  England  penniless 
and  in  debt  for  the  expense  of  his  passage. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Dedham 
church,  January  20,  1643,  was  admitted  a 
freeman  the  same  year,  and  also  joined 
the  organization  now  known  as  "The  An- 
cient and  Honorable  Artillery  Company 
of  Boston."  On  March  13,  1644,  he  mar- 
ried Jane  Dammin.  He  was  one  of  the 
original  proprietors  of  Medfield,  but  did 
not  remove  there  until  1652.  We  find 
him  referred  to  as  "Goodman  Plimpton." 
His  name  appears  on  a  list  of  contribu- 
tions to  Harvard  College.    He  held  num- 


erous offices  such  as  surveyor,  constable 
and  fence  viewer,  and  rendered  valuable 
service  in  connection  with  other  public 
matters.  In  1673  he  removed  to  what  is 
now  Deerfield.  There  he  was  appointed 
sergeant  and  rendered  much  important 
service  in  King  Philip's  War.  He  was 
among  the  prisoners  captured  and  taken 
to  Canada  at  the  time  of  the  Deerfield 
massacre.  When  the  Indians  and  their 
captives  reached  Chamblee,  Sergeant 
John  Plimpton  was  burned  at  the  stake. 
To  Joel  L.  and  Mabel  B.  (Plimpton) 
English  was  born  one  son,  Robert  Bacon, 
whose  birth  occurred  July  27,  1884;  he 
graduated  at  Yale  in  1908,  and  is  at  pres- 
ent employed  in  the  office  of  the  Aetna 
Life  Insurance  Company ;  he  married 
Emily  Gildersleeve,  daughter  of  Ferdi- 
nand Gildersleeve,  of  Gildersleeve,  Con- 
necticut. Mr.  English  is  a  Republican 
in  politics,  but  has  never  aspired  to  office. 
He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest 
in  public  afifairs,  and  has  given  his  support 
to  those  movements  and  enterprises  that 
promise  to  enhance  the  public  welfare. 


SPENCER,  Alfred,  Jr., 
Banker. 

In  studying  the  lives  and  character  of 
prominent  men,  we  are,  naturally,  led  to 
inquire  into  the  secret  of  their  success  and 
the  motives  that  prompted  their  action. 
Success  is  a  question  of  genius,  as  held 
by  many,  but  is  it  not  rather  a  matter  of 
experience  and  sound  judgment?  For 
when  we  trace  the  career  of  those  who 
stand  highest  in  public  esteem,  we  find 
in  nearly  every  case  that  there  are  those 
who  have  risen  gradually,  fighting  their 
way  in  the  face  of  all  opposition,  as  was 
the  case  of  Alfred  Spencer,  Jr.,  who 
advanced  from  the  position  of  messenger 
to  bank  president,  with  only  one  change 
of  employers  in  a  career  covering  a  period 


229 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  forty-four  years.  Self  reliance,  con- 
scientiousness, energy,  honesty,  these  are 
the  traits  of  character  that  insure  the 
highest  emoluments  and  greatest  success. 
To  these  may  we  attribute  the  success 
that  has  crowned  the  efforts  of  Mr. 
Spencer. 

The  Spencer  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  Connecticut,  and  has  been  traced  back 
through  eleven  generations  to  Michael 
and  Elizabeth  Spencer,  who  were  resi- 
dents of  Stratford,  in  Bedfordshire,  Eng- 
land, in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. Their  son,  Jared  Spencer,  was  bap- 
tized in  Stratford,  May  20,  1576.  He 
came  with  his  wife  Alice  and  five  sons  to 
America,  in  1632,  and  located  at  Cam- 
bridge, Massachusetts.  One  of  the  sons, 
John,  returned  to  England,  one  remained 
in  Cambridge,  two  settled  at  Hartford, 
and  one  in  Haddam,  Connecticut. 

Thomas  Spencer,  the  eldest,  known  as 
Sergeant  Thomas  Spencer,  the  progenitor 
of  the  Suffolk  branch  of  the  family,  was 
born  March  27,  1607,  in  Stratford.  In 
1635  he  and  his  brother  William  came  to 
Hartford  with  Rev.  Thomas  Hooker's 
company.  He  was  an  inhabitant  of  Cam- 
bridge, Massachusetts,  as  early  as  1633, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  Thomas 
Spencer  who  took  the  freeman's  oath, 
May  14,  1634.  In  1639  he  had  become  a 
resident  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  owned 
land  there,  and  was  chosen  a  sergeant  of 
Hartford,  March  7,  1650.  He  was  chim- 
ney-viewer in  1650;  constable,  1657;  and 
surveyor  of  highways  in  1672.  He  owned 
land  in  Soldier's  Field,  indicating  that  he 
had  served  in  the  Pequot  War  in  1637, 
and  in  1671  was  granted  sixty  acres  of 
land  by  the  General  Court  "for  his  good 
service  in  the  country."  His  will  was 
dated  September  9,  1686,  and  he  died  Sep- 
tember II,  1687.  Nothing  is  known  of  his 
first  wife. 
She  was  the  mother  of  Thomas  Spencer, 


born  in  Hartford,  settled  in  Suffield  in 
time  to  be  a  voter  at  the  first  town 
meeting.  There  he  engaged  in  farming 
until  his  death,  July  23,  1689.  He  mar- 
ried Esther,  daughter  of  William  An- 
drews. She  died  in  SufHeld,  March  6, 
1698. 

Their  second  son,  Samuel  Spencer,  was 
born  in  Sufheld,  where  he  was  a  farmer, 
and  died  November  23,  1743.  He  mar- 
ried, March  18,  1700,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Daniel  Mascroft,  of  Roxbury,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  they  had  two  sons,  Thomas 
and  Daniel. 

The  senior  son,  Thomas  Spencer,  was 
born  January  13,  1702,  in  Suffolk,  was  a 
farmer,  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War,  and  died  February  4, 
1754.  He  married,  December  15,  1720, 
Mary  Trumbull,  a  relative  of  Governor 
Jonathan  Trumbull,  of  Connecticut.  She 
was  born  December  2,  1701,  in  Suffolk, 
and  died  in  1755. 

Their  youngest  son,  Hezekiah  Spencer, 
born  December  16,  1740,  was  a  farmer  in 
Suffolk,  and  died  August  3,  1797.  He 
married,  March  4,  1762,  Olive  Nott,  born 
October  11,  1735,  in  Wethersfield,  and 
died  February  2,  1771. 

Hezekiah  (2)  Spencer,  their  son,  was 
born  April  30,  1766,  and  died  October  i, 
1820.  He  was  a  farmer,  and  a  leading 
member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
He  married,  June  5,  1793,  Jerusha  Nelson, 
born  December  17,  1771,  in  Suffolk,  and 
died  August  17,  1854. 

Their  second  son,  Alfred  Spencer,  was 
born  July  12,  1801,  on  the  homestead,  and 
died  October  17,  1838.  He  married,  Octo- 
ber 16,  1823,  Harriet  King,  born  Septem- 
ber 30,  1802,  in  Suffield,  died  December 
15,  1844. 

Their  son,  Alfred  Spencer,  born  Janu- 
ary 21,  1825,  in  the  Spencer  homestead, 
died  December  30,  1891.  He  was  edu- 
cated  in   the   district   school   and   at  the 


230 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Connecticut  Literary  Institute,  became  a 
large  land  owner,  and  dealt  extensively  in 
tobacco.  He  married,  March  26,  1846, 
Caroline  Frances  Reid,  of  Colchester, 
born  October  22,  1827,  died  August  31, 
1898.  They  had  children :  James  P., 
Harriet  A.,  Alfred,  mentioned  below ; 
Mary  Reid,  Clinton,  Carrie  E.,  Jennie, 
Samuel  Reid. 

Alfred  Spencer,  Jr.,  was  born  October 
29,  1851,  and  his  youth  was  spent  in  much 
the  same  way  as  that  of  other  boys  reared 
in  a  rural  environment.  He  was  educated 
at  the  Connecticut  Literary  Institute,  and 
at  the  Edwards  Place  School  at  Stock- 
bridge,  Massachusetts.  In  1872  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Suffield,  and  rose  during  the  twenty 
years  he  was  with  that  institution  through 
the  various  positions  to  cashier.  In  1891 
he  was  offered  and  accepted  the  position 
of  cashier  of  the  Aetna  National  Bank  of 
Hartford,  and  eight  years  later,  in  1899, 
was  elected  president,  and  continued  as 
president  when  that  bank  and  the  Hart- 
ford Bank  (which  was  established  in 
1792)  were  combined.  Mr.  Spencer  is  a 
very  active  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity, whose  broad  and  generous  principles 
and  practices  are  in  accord  with  his 
nature.  He  is  a  member  of  Apollo  Lodge, 
No.  59,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, of  Suffield  :  of  Washington  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Sufifield  Council, 
Royal  and  Select  Masters ;  Washington 
Commandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  of  which  he  is  treas- 
urer; Scottish  Rite  bodies  of  Hartford. 
of  which  he  is  treasurer;  and  Sphinx 
Temple,  Ancient  Arabic  Order  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine,  of  Hartford,  Connec- 
ticut, of  which  he  has  been  treasurer  since 
its  organization.  Mr.  Spencer  takes  an 
active  interest  in  politics,  and  is  identified 
with  the  Republican  party,  believing  that 
it  stands  for  sound  economics,  but  he  has 
never  been  an  aspirant  for  political  office. 


He  married,  in  1879,  Ella  Susan 
Nichols,  of  Suffield.  Children:  Alfred 
Francis,  born  February  21,  1881 ;  Herb- 
ert, January  13,  1883. 

There  is  nothing  phenomenal  in  Mr. 
Spencer's  rise  in  the  banking  world.  It 
is  the  natural  result  of  adhering  to  his 
resolution  formed  at  an  early  date  to 
master  the  banking  business.  He  has 
allowed  nothing  to  swerve  him  from  the 
path.  The  business  community  has  con- 
fidence in  the  soundness  of  his  judgment, 
and  his  sterling  character  and  genial  per- 
sonality have  won  universal  respect  and 
a  host  of  friends. 


ATTWOOD,  William  Elijah, 

Financier. 

American  history  teems  with  the  deeds 
of  men  who,  without  the  advantageous 
aids  of  advanced  education  or- influential 
friends,  have  through  sheer  force  of  char- 
acter developed  along  some  particular  line 
and  won  the  highest  position  in  that  par- 
ticular business  or  profession.  But  no- 
where can  a  more  striking  illustration  of 
the  power  of  the  individual  to  rise  above 
his  circumstances  or  surroundings  be 
found  than  is  afforded  by  the  life  achieve- 
ment of  William  E.  Attwood,  president 
of  the  New  Britain  Trust  Company.  It 
was  fortunate  for  Mr.  Attwood  that  he 
found  his  true  sphere  so  early  in  life,  and 
that  when  found  he  recognized  that  op- 
portunity had  "knocked  at  his  door." 
Fifty-four  years  have  now  passed  since 
he  made  his  advent  into  the  world,  and 
all  but  thirteen  of  them  have  been  spent 
in  actual  business.  Six  of  those  years 
were  spent  in  another  line  of  business, 
but  at  the  age  of  nineteen  he  "found  him- 
self" and  from  that  time  his  rise  was 
rapid,  but  no  promotion  found  him,  unpre- 
pared for  the  advanced  position,  as  he 
aimed  high  and  fitted  himself  accordingly. 

William  E.  Attwood  was  born  at  East 


231 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Haddam,  Middlesex  county,  Connecticut, 
February  24,  1864,  son  of  William  Henry 
and  Josephine  (Bishop)  Attwood,  and 
grandson  of  Whiting  Attwood,  who  was 
born  in  East  Haddam  in  1787.  At  the 
age  of  thirteen  he  completed  his  attend- 
ance at  public  school,  and  became  clerk 
in  the  East  Haddam  postofifice,  a  part  of 
his  duty  being  to  keep  the  books  for  a 
coal  and  lumber  yard  business  operated 
by  the  postmaster,  W.  C.  Reynolds.  For 
six  years  he  filled  this  dual  position  of 
postoffice  clerk  and  bookkeeper,  continu- 
ing with  Mr.  Reynolds  until  1883,  becom- 
ing an  expert  accountant  and  familiar 
with  the  systematic  methods  of  the  post- 
office  department.  In  1883  he  resigned  to 
take  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the  Na- 
tional Bank  of  New  England  at  East  Had- 
dam, a  position  he  held  four  years,  adding 
to  his  commercial  knowledge  the  experi- 
ence that  can  only  be  obtained  in  a  bank- 
ing position.  He  did  not  content  himself 
with  merely  performing  the  duties 
assigned  him,  but  went  out  for  other  and 
more  advanced  work,  always  being  able 
to  take  a  higher  position  when  it  offered. 
In  1887  his  first  important  call  came  and 
found  him  ready,  the  promotion  necessi- 
tating a  removal  from  his  native  village 
to  New  Britain,  which  has  since  been  his 
heme.  He  became  cashier  of  the  Me- 
chanics' National  Bank  of  New  Britain 
in  1887,  and  in  that  position  spent  thirteen 
years,  winning  well  earned  reputation  as 
an  efficient,  thoroughly  reliable,  well  in- 
formed bank  official.  In  1900  he  was 
elected  vice-president,  and  in  1905  reached 
the  president's  chair,  as  thoroughly  fur- 
nished and  equipped  for  executive  control 
as  he  had  been  to  fill  his  previous  posi- 
tions. He  continued  president  of  the  Me- 
chanics' National  Bank  until  1907,  com- 
pleting a  term  of  service  as  cashier  and 
executive,  covering  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  years  of  broadening  growth  in  the 
man,  years  of  prosperity  and  success  for 


the  institution.  In  1907  the  Mechanics' 
National  Bank  liquidated  its  business, 
combined  with  the  Hardware  City  Trust 
Company  and  formed  the  New  Brit, 
Trust  Company,  Mr.  Attwood  being 
elected  president  of  the  last  named,  an 
office  he  fills  at  the  present  time.  Since 
1893  he  has  also  been  treasurer  of  the 
Burritt  Savings  Bank  of  New  Britain, 
thus  completing  the  cycle  of  banking 
corporations,  national  trust  and  savings, 
each  operating  under  entirely  different 
laws,  each  having  different  fields  of  oper- 
ation, with  which  Mr.  Attwood  has  held 
intimate  relation  as  financial  manager  and 
executive.  This  versatile  banking  ability 
does  not,  however,  carry  him  beyond 
financial  institutions,  all  his  energy  and 
ability  being  confined  to  his  own  spe- 
cialty. He  holds  intimate  relation  with 
all  classes  of  business  men  as  their  banker 
and  financial  adviser,  but  has  no  connec- 
tion with  other  corporations.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Bankers'  associations,  both 
State  and  National ;  belongs  to  Middlesex 
Lodge,  No.  3,  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  of  East  Haddam ;  is  a  member 
of  the  New  Britain  Club,  its  president 
1909  and  1910;  is  a  communicant  of  St. 
Mark's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
vestryman,  1905-08,  and  in  politics  is  a 
Republican.  He  responded  to  the  call 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  serving  them  in 
public  capacity  as  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Education,  1899-1910;  member  of  the 
General  Assembly,  1901-03,  and  State 
Senator  in  1905-07;  he  rendered  valuable 
service,  serving  in  both  houses  as  chair- 
man of  the  committee  on  banks. 

Mr.  Attwood  married  (first)  October 
II,  1887,  Alice  Belden  Seward,  of  East 
Haddam,  who  died  in  1905.  Their  only 
child  died  in  1900.  He  married  (second) 
June  2,  1906,  Fannie  Canfield  Wetmore, 
of  Meriden,  Connecticut.  Children  of 
second  marriage:  William  E.,  Jr.,  and 
Margaret  Wetmore. 


232 


.  :li,',  ij  I  c  Ji:D..T.ONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


BROADHURST,  Leon  Parker, 

Banker,  Man  of  Affairs. 

In  the  promotion  of  Leon  P.  Broad- 
hurst  to  the  position  of  president  of  the 
Phoenix  National  Bank  of  Hartford, 
which  occurred  in  November,  1915,  was 
registered  the  recogniton  of  merit.  He 
is  the  youngest  bank  president  in  the 
State,  and  has  gained  a  prominent  posi- 
tion in  the  financial  world,  through  those 
qualities  which  inspire  confidence  and 
esteem  wherever  found.  His  advance- 
ment is  the  result  of  unflagging  industry, 
close  and  studious  attention  to  details, 
high  moral  principle  and  sound  judgment. 
His  ancestors  were  English,  those  on  the 
paternal  side  of  comparatively  recent 
immigration  to  this  country. 

His  grandfather,  John  Broadhurst,  was 
a  native  of  Macclesfield,  England,  and 
started  for  America  to  take  charge  of  the 
weaving  department  of  Cheney  Brothers, 
silk  manufacturers  of  Manchester,  Con- 
necticut. In  those  days  it  was  customary 
for  the  boss  weaver  to  provide  his  own 
help,  and  nearly  all  the  passengers  on  the 
ship  were  on  the  way  to  work  under  Mr. 
Broadhurst's  directions  in  the  mill.  An 
epidemic  of  typhus  fever  broke  out  on  the 
ship,  and  was  fatal  to  many  of  the  pas- 
sengers, including  all  of  John  Broad- 
hurst's family  except  two  sons  and  a 
daughter.  In  their  usual  open-handed 
way,  the  Cheney  Brothers  took  charge  of 
this  family.  John  Broadhurst  was  placed 
in  the  Hartford  Orphan  Asylum,  and 
Thomas  and  the  sister  were  taken  into 
one  of  the  Cheney  families  ;  the  latter  died 
at  the  age  of  fifteen  years.  John  Broad- 
hurst grew  to  manhood  and  settled  in 
California. 

Thomas  Broadhurst,  father  of  Leon  P. 
Broadhurst,  remained  in  the  Cheney  fam- 
ilv  for  a  number  of  years,  and  was  appren- 
ticed to  Hubbard  &  Broadhead,  a  firm  of 


tanners  in  Glastonbury,  Connecticut,  with 
whom  he  remained  until  he  was  nearly 
twenty-one  years  old,  after  which  he 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Cheney  Broth- 
ers as  a  machinist,  with  whom,  he  con- 
tinued some  twenty  years.  After  leaving 
the  employ  of  this  firm  he  located  in  Hart- 
ford, where  he  continued  at  his  trade  until 
his  death.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  of  Hartford. 

Mr.  Broadhurst's  maternal  ancestors 
were  among  the  earliest  of  the  Connec- 
ticut colonists,  and  have  been  traced  back 
in  England  to  Thomas  Lyman,  or  Leman, 
as  the  name  was  sometimes  spelled.  Like 
other  ancient  names,  this  one  was  spelled 
in  various  ways  by  the  earliest  recorded 
generations  of  the  family.  Thomas  Ly- 
man lived  in  the  reign  of  Henry  HI.  In 
1275  he  was  fined  twenty  pence  by  Walter 
de  Sterteslegh,  sherii?  of  Wilts,  for  default 
in  attending  a  certain  inquisition  to  which 
he  had  been  summoned.  The  generations 
have  been  traced  from  him  consecutively 
to  Thomas  Lyman  (the  great-great- 
grandfather of  Richard  Lyman,  the  orig- 
inal American  immigrant),  who  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Henry  Lambert. 
She  was  the  great-granddaughter  of  Sir 
William  Lambert  and  Johanna  de  Um- 
freville.  The  Lambert  genealogy  has 
been  traced  back  without  a  break  to  Sir 
Radulphus  Lambert,  knight,  grandson  of 
Lambert,  Count  of  Loraine  and  Mons, 
who  came  to  England  with  his  kinsman, 
William  the  Conqueror,  and  was  present 
at  the  battle  of  Hastings.  He  had  a  grant 
of  lands  and  manor  in  the  county  of  York, 
his  chief  seat  being  at  Skipton,  in  Cravin, 
county  of  York.  He  married  Alidnora, 
daughter  of  Sir  Ralph  de  Torey,  a  Nor- 
man nobleman,  who  came  into  England 
with  William  the  Conqueror,  and  was  one 
of  his  chief  generals  at  the  battle  of  Hast- 
ings in  1066.  Johanna  de  Umfreville's 
genealogy   has   been   traced   back   to   Sir 


233 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Robert  de  Umfreville,  knight,  Lord  of  to  Northampton,  where,  in  December  of 
Tours  and  Vian  in  Normandy,  who  came  that  year,  Richard  Lyman  was  chosen  as 
to  England  with  William  the  Conqueror,  one  of  the  selectmen.  He  sold  his  father's 
and  became  possessed  of  manors,  lands  household  in  Hartford  in  1660.  He  was 
and  castles.  She  was  also  a  descendant  baptized  February  24,  1617,  at  High 
of  Alfred  the  Great,  King  of  England.  Ongar,  and  died  June  3,  1662,  at  North- 
Thomas  Lyman,  above  referred  to,  was  a  ampton.  He  married  Hepzibah,  daughter 
resident  of  Navistoke,  County  Essex,  in  of  Thomas  Ford,  of  Windsor,  and  resided 
the  time  of  Henry  VII.  His  son,  Henry  for  some  time  in  East  Windsor,  near  the 
Lyman,  of  Navistoke,  was  the  father  of  Hartford  line,  on  part  of  the  Ford  estate. 
John  Lyman,  of  High  Ongar,  whose  son,  Their    eldest    son,    Richard    (3)    Lyman, 


Henry  Lyman,  lived  with  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth at  High  Ongar.  Their  son,  Richard 
Lyman,  was  born  in  High  Ongar,  Essex 
county,  England,  and  was  baptized  there 
October  30,  1580.  He  married  Sarah, 
daughter  of  Roger  Osborne,  of  Halstead, 
in  Kent,  England,  and  came  to  America 
with  her  husband  and  four  children  in 
1631.  She  died  in  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
about  1640.  soon  after  the  death  of  her 
husband.  The  family  embarked  for  Amer- 


was  born  in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  in 
1647,  ''"d  married,  in  Northampton,  May 
26,  1675,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John 
Coles,  of  Hatfield.  They  resided  in 
Northampton  until  1696,  when  they  re- 
moved to  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  where 
he  died  November  4,  1708.  Their  second 
son,  Richard  (4)  Lyman,  was  born  in 
April,  1678,  in  Northampton,  and  re- 
moved to  Lebanon  with  his  family  in 
1696;     married,     April     7,     1700,     Mary 


ica  in  the  ship  "Lion."  about  the  middle  Woodward  ;  died  June  6,  1746.  Their  son, 
of  August.  1631.  They  settled  first  in  Deacon  Thomas  Lyman,  was  born  July 
Charlestown,   Massachusetts,  and   united      6,  1704,  in  Lebanon  Crank,  now  Franklin. 


with  the  church  in  Roxbury.  Richard 
Lyman  became  a  freeman,  June  11,  1635, 
and  in  October,  1635,  he  and  his  family 
formed  part  of  a  company  of  about  one 
hundred  persons,  who  started  through  the 
wilderness  to  Connecticut.  The  trip  was 
made  in  fourteen  days.  The  Lymans 
located  in  Hartford,  where  he  was  one  of 
the  original  proprietors,  and  died  in  Au- 


He  married  Mary  Guile,  a  woman  of 
estimable  character  and  consistent,  Uni- 
term and  religious  life,  who  died  July  4, 
1797,  in  the  ninetieth  year  of  her  age. 
1  homas  Lyman  was  deacon  for  many 
years.  He  was  a  tanner  and  died  from 
injuries  received  by  a  fall  in  the  bark 
mill  of  his  tannery.  Their  son,  Deacon 
Joseph    Lyman,   was    born   in    Lebanon, 


gust,  1640.  Richard  Lyman  is  reported  July  6,  1744,  married,  April  9,  1767,  Sarah 
to  have  begun  life  in  the  New  World  as  Ldwards,  born  March  28,  1746,  daughter 
a   man   of   "considerable   estate,   keeping     of  Thomas   and   Rebecca   Edwards.     He 


two  servants."  He  lost  many  of  his 
cattle  on  the  journey  to  Connecticut,  and 
also  suffered  illness  owing  to  the  expos- 
ures incident  to  the  journey.  From  the 
death  of  their  father  until  their  settlement 


settled  in  what  is  now  Manchester,  was 
a  farmer  and  tanner ;  deacon  in  the 
church.  He  died  February  20,  1820.  His 
wife  died  April  2,  1814.  Their  eldest  child, 
Dpniel  Lyman,  was  born  January  5,  1768, 


in   Northampton,   little   is   known   of   the  died  in  December,  1854 ;  settled  a  few  rods 

sons,   Richard,  John   and   Robert.     They  east  of  his  father's  place  on  the  Hartford 

were  assessed  in   Hartford   in    1655,  and  and  Providence  turnpike,  ten  miles  from 

they  probably  removed  in  the  same  year  Hartford.      He    married    Lydia    Martha 

234 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Brewster,  of  Lebanon,  about  1794,  born 
May  7,  1772,  daughter  of  Wadsworth 
Brewster,  and  a  direct  descendant  of 
Elder  William  Brewster,  of  the  "May- 
flower." Their  third  child.  Deacon  Milton 
Lyman,  was  born  November  15,  1795,  in 
Manchester,  Connecticut,  was  a  wagon 
maker,  resided  at  Marshall,  New  York, 
for  about  fifty  years,  and  died  there  Octo- 
ber 16,  1870.  He  married  for  his  second 
wife,  November  15,  1820,  Olive  Parker, 
of  Marshall,  Oneida  county,  New  York. 
Their  third  child  was  Daniel  Parker  Ly- 
man, born  May  17,  1823,  at  Marshall, 
married  at  Manchester,  Connecticut, 
March  31,  1846,  Mary  Jane,  second 
daughter  of  Deacon  Daniel  Russell,  of 
Ellington,  Connecticut.  Ellen  Maria, 
their  second  child,  was  born  July  28,  1851, 
and  married,  January  25,  1870,  Thomas 
Broadhurst.  They  had  two  children : 
Leon  Parker  and  Mildred.  The  latter  be- 
came the  wife  of  Richard  T.  Huntington, 
Jr.,  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 

Leon  Parker  Broadhurst  was  born  June 
14,  1871,  in  South  Alanchester,  Connec- 
ticut, and  removed  with  his  parents  to 
Hartford  in  1880.  Here  he  attended  the 
grammar  and  high  schools,  and  after  lay- 
ing aside  his  books  became  a  clerk  in  the 
Charter  Oak  National  Bank,  where  he 
continued  some  six  months,  and  then  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  State  Bank  in  a 
similar  capacity.  On  the  first  of  October, 
1890,  he  severed  his  connection  with  the 
State  Bank,  and  entered  the  employ  of 
the  institution  of  which  he  is  now  execu- 
tive head.  With  the  determination  to 
advance  himself  he  early  set  about  the 
study  of  the  principles  and  practice  of 
banking,  and  was  keenly  observant  of  all 
that  went  on  about  him.  By  intelligent 
application  and  diligence,  he  attracted  the 
attention  of  his  superiors,  and  his  work 
was  observed  and  approved  by  the  man- 
agement.   Through  successive  promotion 


he  came  to  be  made  teller  of  the  bank  in 
February,  1899;  was  made  assistant 
cashier  in  January,  1901 ;  cashier  in  Octo- 
ber, 1904;  vice-president  in  January,  1913, 
and  upon  the  death  of  Frederic  L.  Bunce, 
Mr.  Broadhurst  was  advanced  to  his  pres- 
ent position,  president.  November  19, 
1915.  The  Phoenix  National  Bank  was 
organized  in  1814,  and  is  one  of  the  four 
largest  banks  in  the  State  of  Connecticut, 
and  has  the  largest  deposits  of  any  com- 
mercial bank  of  the  State.  It  is  apparent 
that  Mr.  Broadhurst  has  been  honored 
and  that  the  promotion  is  a  tribute  to 
exceptional  ability.  He  is  a  typical  mod- 
ern business  man,  progressive  and  aggres- 
sive, yet  with  sufficient  caution  and  con- 
servatism in  his  makeup  to  safeguard  him 
against  visionary  or  speculative  ventures. 
His  splendid  executive  ability  has  already 
been  demonstrated.  Modest,  quiet,  and 
unassuming  in  manner,  he  is  cordial  and 
unfailingly  courteous  to  all — qualities  that 
are  of  prime  importance  in  the  chief 
executive  of  a  large  financial  institution. 
While  Mr.  Broadhurst's  life  has  been  a 
very  busy  one,  he  has  found  time  to  take 
an  active  part  in  the  conduct  of  other 
important  enterprises.  He  is  a  director 
of  the  Glazier  Manufacturing  Company, 
the  Atlantic  Screw  Works,  C.  H.  Dexter 
&  Sons  Company,  Incorporated,  of  Wind- 
sor Locks.  While  in  no  sense  of  the  word 
a  politician,  Mr.  Broadhurst  has  always 
been  actively  interested  in  those  move- 
ments and  measures  that  promise  to  en- 
hance the  public  welfare,  and  when  the 
call  came,  he  has  not  sought  to  evade  his 
duty  as  a  citizen  in  official  position.  He 
served  four  years  as  a  memljer  of  the 
Council  and  two  years  as  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  Hartford,  serv- 
ing four  years  as  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Finance.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican Club  of  Hartford,  the  Hartford 
Club,   the    Hartford    Golf   Club,   and   the 


235 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Hartford  x\utomobile  Club.  He  has  been 
active  in  promoting  military  interests,  and 
served  five  years  as  a  member  of  Com- 
pany F,  First  Regiment,  Connecticut  Na- 
tional Guard,  known  as  the  Hartford  City 
Guard. 

On  May  22,  1895,  Mr.  Broadhurst  mar- 
ried Alice,  daughter  of  George  Best,  of 
Hartford,  and  his  family  includes  three 
children:  Katharine  L.,  Nellie  T.  and 
Grace  A.  Mr.  Broadhurst  and  family  are 
connected  with  the  Asylum  Hill  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Hartford. 


PRIOR,  Charles  Edward, 

Financier,  Musical   Composer. 

Charles  Edward  Prior  was  born  Janu- 
ary 24,  1856,  at  Moosup,  in  the  town  of 
Plainfield,  Windham  county,  Connecticut, 
the  son  of  Erastus  L.  and  Sarah  Ladd 
(Burleson)  Prior.  When  he  was  about 
four  years  old,  his  parents  moved  to 
Jewett  City,  Connecticut.  In  his  youth- 
ful home  he  was  surrounded  by  the  best 
influences,  his  father  having  been  a  man 
of  strong  moral  and  religious  character, 
a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church,  and  his 
mother  a  woman  of  more  than  average 
intellectual  and  spiritual  force. 

He  received  a  good  education  in  the 
Jewett  City  schools,  and  at  an  early  age 
developed  a  marked  fondness  for  the 
study  of  nature  and  for  the  art  of  music. 
This  taste  is  sometimes  supposed  to  indi- 
cate a  lack  of  talent  for  practical  things, 
but  it  was  not  so  in  his  case,  for  while  he 
has  devoted  much  time  to  the  study  and 
enjoyment  of  nature,  poetry  and  music, 
this  predilection  has  never  interfered  in 
the  least  with  his  interest  in  practical 
afiFairs.  When  but  fourteen  years  of  age, 
he  became  the  organist  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  at  Jewett  City,  and  held  the 
position  for  more  than  eight  years,  during 
a  portion  of  which  period  he  studied  at 


the  Worcester  Conservatory  of  Music. 
He  resigned  to  become  organist  and  choir 
lender  at  the  Jewett  City  Baptist  Church, 
of  which  he  became  a  member  in  early 
life. 

He  worked  for  a  number  of  years  in 
the  railroad  station  and  express  office  in 
Jewett  City,  and  in  1873  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Norwich  &  Worcester  Rail- 
road Company  in  their  Norwich  office, 
where  he  remained  one  year.  In  1875  he 
became  bookkeeper  and  paymaster  for  the 
Ashland  Cotton  Company  at  Jewett  City, 
and  in  1883  he  was  elected  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  Jewett  City  Savings 
Bank.  Two  years  later  he  became  a 
member  of  its  corporation,  and  four  years 
later  was  made  one  of  its  directors.  A 
new  bank  building  was  erected  during  his 
term  of  service,  and  his  management  of 
the  aflfairs  of  the  bank  was  highly  compli- 
mented by  the  State  Bank  Commis- 
sioners. In  January,  1895,  he  resigned  his 
offices  in  the  Jewett  City  Bank  to  accept 
the  position  of  assistant  treasurer  of  the 
Security  Trust  Company  of  Hartford, 
then  known  as  the  Security  Company. 
In  March,  1896,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
responsible  position  of  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  company,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1904,  he  was  elected  vice-president 
and  treasurer,  which  offices  he  continues 
to  hold  at  this  date,  1917. 

Mr.  Prior  has  been  a  man  of  tireless 
energy,  and  has  evidently  enjoyed  being 
active  and  useful.  For  eighteen  years 
(from  1898  to  191 7)  he  was  a  member  of 
the  auditing  committee  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company.  In 
July.  1910.  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the 
State  Savings  Bank  of  Hartford,  and  for 
several  years  past  has  been  a  member  of 
its  finance  committee.  He  has  held  many 
offices  in  religious  and  kindred  organiza- 
tions, having  been  treasurer  of  the  Con- 
necticut  Sunday   School   Association   for 


236 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


several  years,  and  later  its  auditor ;  treas- 
urer of  the  Connectictit  Peace  Society ; 
president  of  the  Hartford  Baptist  Union 
from  1901  to  1907;  vice-president  of  the 
Connecticut  Baptist  Convention  from 
1905  to  1907,  and  treasurer  of  the  con- 
vention from  1907  to  date.  For  four 
years  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day school  and  president  of  the  Young 
People's  Society  of  the  Asylum  Avenue 
Baptist  Church,  Hartford.  He  has  also 
served  as  treasurer  of  the  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union  of  Connecticut,  as  treas- 
urer of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club  of 
Hartford,  and  as  a  member  of  the  board 
of  managers  of  the  Hartford  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association.  Mr.  Prior  enjoys 
the  rather  unusual  honor  of  being  con- 
nected with  two  theological  seminaries,  as 
he  is  a  trustee  of  the  Hartford  Seminary 
Foundation  and  of  the  Newton  Theolog- 
ical Institution.  He  is  also  a  trustee  of 
the  Ministers'  and  Missionaries'  Benefit 
Board  of  the  Northern  Baptist  Conven- 
tion, and  president  of  the  George  M.  Stone 
Brotherhood  of  the  Asylum.  Avenue  Bap- 
tist Church,  Hartford. 

In  1883,  in  collaboration  with  the  Rev. 
C.  W.  Ray,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  one 
of  his  former  pastors,  he  published  his 
first  musical  work,  "Spicy  Breezes,"  a 
book  of  Sunday  school  songs.  In  1890  he 
edited  "Sparkling  and  Bright,"  in  connec- 
tion with  J.  H.  Tenney.  This  work  was 
enthusiastically  received  and  won  for  him 
wide  renown  as  a  composer  of  Sunday 
school  music.  In  1892,  in  association  with 
Professor  W.  A.  Ogden,  he  issued  a  third 
successful  book  of  songs  entitled,  "Our 
Best  Endeavor."  In  politics  Mr.  Prior 
is  a  Republican  with  independent  tend- 
encies. He  was  for  several  years  treas- 
urer of  the  town  of  Lisbon.  In  fraternal 
circles  he  became  affiliated  with  several 
Masonic  bodies  early  in  life.  He  is  a 
past  master  of  Mt.  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  75, 


Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  of  Jewett 
City ;  a  member  of  Franklin  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  of  Franklin  Coun- 
cil, Royal  and  Select  Masters,  and  of  Co- 
lumbian Commandery,  Knights  Templar, 
all  of  Norwich ;  and  of  Hartford  Chapter, 
Order  of  Eastern  Star.  Perhaps  next  to 
Mr.  Prior's  love  of  music  may  be  men- 
tioned his  passion  for  poetry  and  good 
literature.  He  has  a  fine  library,  selected 
with  intelligent  discrimination,  and  a 
large  number  of  scrap  books  upon  which 
he  has  bestowed  much  labor,  and  in  which 
he  takes  pardonable  pride. 

Mr.  Prior  is  a  member  of  the  Twen- 
tieth Century  Club,  of  Hartford,  the  Con- 
necticut Historical  Society,  the  Hartford 
Bird  Study  Club,  the  Stam.p  Collectors' 
Club  of  Hartford,  and  has  been  for  many 
years  an  honorary  member  of  the  Wor- 
cester County  (Massachusetts)  Musical 
Association. 

Mr.  Prior  was  married  in  1875  to  Mary 
Eleanor  Campbell.  Of  the  four  children 
born  to  them,  three  daughters  died  in 
infancy.  Their  son,  Charles  Edward 
Prior,  Jr.,  is  secretary  of  the  Security 
Trust  Company,  and  treasurer  of  the  Con- 
necticut Bible  Society.  Mr.  Prior,  Jr.,  is 
widely  known  as  an  accomplished  tenor 
soloist,  having  sung  in  the  Hartford 
churches  for  twenty  years  or  more. 


LINSKEY,  John  Joseph, 

Man  of  Enterprise. 

Mr.  Linskey  is  a  native  son  of  Connec- 
ticut and  well  known  in  the  State,  in  fact 
all  over  New  England,  as  a  promoter  and 
developer,  specializing  in  land  and  build- 
ing improvement.  He  has  developed 
tracts  in  many  parts  of  New  England,  and 
in  both  Waterbury  and  Bridgeport,  "Fair- 
lawn  Manor"  is  evidence  of  his  efficient 
handling  of  properties. 

Mr.  Linskey  is  a  son  of  Martin  Linskey, 


237 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


born  in  County  Galway,  Ireland,  where 
his  youth  was  passed.  When  a  young 
man  he  came  to  the  United  States  and 
found  his  way  to  Guilford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  became  an  iron  molder,  and  yet 
resides,  aged  seventy-three  years.  He 
married  Ellen  Hannon,  also  born  in  Gal- 
way, who  died  at  Guilford,  aged  fifty-five 
years,  the  mother  of  seven  sons  and  seven 
daughters,  all  living  save  a  son  William, 
who  died  in  infancy.  Children:  i.  John 
Joseph,  of  further  mention.  2.  Mary, 
twin  with  John  J.,  married  (first)  Daniel 
O'Leary,  of  Bridgeport,  now  deceased ; 
(second)  Charles  Noemeyer,  of  New 
Haven,  Connecticut.  3.  Kate,  married 
Matthew  Lahey,  of  New  Haven.  4. 
Dennis,  married  Nora  Keefe ;  residing  in 
Naugatuck,  Connecticut.  5.  Theresa,  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Parker,  of  New  Haven.  6. 
Martin  (2nd),  residing  in  Naugatuck, 
Connecticut,  married  Elizabeth  Clyne.  7. 
Thomas,  married  Margaret  Skinner ;  re- 
sides in  New  Haven.  8.  Nicholas,  married 
Daisy  Larkins ;  resides  in  Guilford,  Con- 
necticut. 9.  Daniel,  married  Annie  Ma- 
line  ;  also  of  Guilford.  10.  Elizabeth,  mar- 
ried John  Flannigan,  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York.  1 1.  Jennie,  married  Daniel  O'Neill, 
of  Guilford.  12.  Lillian,  married  Joseph 
Brennan,  of  New  Haven.  13.  Ellen,  mar- 
ried William  Brown,  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York. 

John  Joseph  Linskey,  eldest  son  of  Mar- 
tin and  Ellen  (Hannon)  Linskey,  was  born 
at  Guilford,  Connecticut,  April  24,  1862, 
and  there  resided  until  he  was  eighteen 
years  of  age.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  at  Guilford  Academy, 
being  an  apt  pupil  and  a  good  student. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  began  work  as 
a  wage  earner,  going  to  Naugatuck,  Con- 
necticut, where  for  two  years  he  was  an 
employe  of  the  Naugatuck  Malleable  Iron 
Company.  He  had  then  attained  his  ma- 
jority, and  being  able  to  command  suffi- 


cient capital  opened  a  grocery  store.  He 
was  energetic  and  capable,  public-spirited 
and  progressive ;  his  store  soon  gained 
popular  favor  and  support;  he  prospered, 
and  in  course  of  time  opened  a  second 
store  in  Naugatuck,  of  which  his  brother 
was  manager.  For  seventeen  years  he 
continued  in  successful  business  as  a  gro- 
cer, and  during  four  years  of  President 
Cleveland's  second  term  served  as  post- 
master of  the  Union  City  office.  About 
1905  he  retired  to  engage  in  the  real  estate 
business  at  Naugatuck,  a  line  of  activity 
in  which  he  has  been  very  successful,  be- 
ing sole  owner  of  same.  From  a  local 
business  he  became  interested  in  the  de- 
velopment of  land  areas  in  other  parts  of 
New  England,  many  important  land  de- 
velopments of  suburban  properties  having 
been  carried  to  a  successful  issue  under 
his  management.  On  March  20,  1916,  he 
moved  his  office  to  Waterbury,  where  he 
is  well  known  through  his  development  of 
the  "Fairlawn  Manor"  tract. 

Mr.  Linskey  is  essentially  a  business 
m.an,  and  has  not  taken  active  part  in 
public  afi'airs.  He  won  success  as  a  mer- 
chant, and  is  an  authority  on  land  promo- 
tion and  suburban  values,  sound  in  his 
judgment,  upright  and  honorable  in  his 
methods.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  politics,  a 
member  of  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic 
Church  at  Union  City,  and  a  member  of 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks. 

He  married,  at  Naugatuck,  October  23, 
1888,  Louise  Theresa  Clancy,  born  there 
in  1868,  daughter  of  Thomas  Clancy,  born 
in  Ireland,  died  in  Naugatuck,  Connecti- 
cut, at  the  age  of  sixty  years.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Linskey  are  the  parents  of  a  family 
of  nine  as  follows :  i.  Ellen  A.,  a  graduate 
of  Monroe  Business  College  in  Water- 
bury  ;  now  her  father's  assistant  as  sten- 
ographer and  clerk.  2.  Thomas  F.,  mar- 
ried Agnes  Wallace  and  has  two  daugh- 


238 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tcrs :  Constance,  and  Rose  Marie.  3.-4. 
Louise,  a  graduate  of  the  Naugatuck 
High  School ;  and  Marie  R.,  both  residing 
at  home.  5.  Madeline  R.,  a  student  at 
Naugatuck  High  School.  6.  John  Joseph 
(2nd),  attending  Salem  School.  7.  Wil- 
liam L.,  attending  Salem  School.  8.  Mar- 
garet, died  in  infancy.  9.  Francis,  attend- 
mg  Oak  street  school,  Naugatuck. 


BENNETT,  Charles  Joseph, 

Public  Official,  Author,  Civil  Engineer. 

The  record  of  a  busy  life,  a  successful 
life,  must  ever  prove  of  interest  and  profit 
to  those  who  look  at  it  carefully,  who 
attempt  an  analysis  of  character  and  trace 
back  to  the  fountain  head  the  widely  di- 
verging channels  which  mark  the  onward 
flow.  Among  the  men  who  have  led  busy 
and  successful  lives  must  be  mentioned 
Charles  J.  Bennett,  State  Highway  Com- 
missioner at  Hartford,  whose  career  has 
been  characterized  by  fidelity,  honesty 
and  enterprise,  and  as  a  public  official, 
citizen  and  Christian  gentleman  he  com- 
mands the  respect  and  admiration  of  all 
with  whom  he  is  associated. 

The  paternal  ancestors  of  Charles  J. 
Bennett  were  residents  of  Yorkshire, 
England,  where  they  lived  for  many 
years,  tracing  back  to  the  days  of  Wil- 
liam the  Conqueror.  Joseph  William 
Bennett,  great-grandfather  of  the  Mr. 
Bennett  of  this  review,  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  woolen  goods  at  Leeds,  England, 
a  prosperous  and  influential  resident  of 
that  thriving  city.  His  son,  Joseph  Wil- 
liam Bennett,  Jr.,  was  a  dyer  by  trade, 
proprietor  of  a  dye  shop  at  Leeds,  which 
he  conducted  in  a  successful  manner.  His 
son,  William  T.  Bennett,  was  a  native  of 
Leeds,  England,  and  died  in  1894,  aged 
fifty  years.  He  was  reared  in  his  native 
land,  studied  in  Belgium  and  Flanders, 
and    prior    to    his    marriage    resided    in 


Frome,  England,  remaining  there  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  studied  chemistry 
in  the  shop  of  Reed,  Holliday  &  Company, 
making  a  specialty  of  dye  stufi^s  and 
colors.  In  the  year  1880  he  emigrated  to 
this  country.  He  first  located  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
was  employed  in  a  manufacturing  plant 
as  a  dyer,  in  which  line  of  work  he  was 
highly  proficient.  Later  he  located  in 
Amsterdam,  New  York,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  dye  house  and  also  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  shoddy.  He  married 
Lydia  R.  Perkins,  a  native  of  Road,  Eng- 
land, daughter  of  William  Perkins,  who, 
as  also  his  ancestors,  conducted  a  mill 
there,  a  woolen  mill  run  by  water  power. 
Two  children  were  born  of  this  marriage, 
William,  a  resident  of  Toronto,  Canada, 
and  Charles  Joseph.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ben- 
nett were  members  of  the  Episcopal 
church. 

Charles  Joseph  Bennett  was  born  in 
Frome,  England,  February  9,  1878.  He 
accompanied  his  parents  to  the  United 
States,  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Amsterdam,  was  graduated  from  the 
Amsterdam  High  School  in  1897,  then 
entered  Union  College,  from  which  in- 
stitution he  was  graduated  in  1901  with 
the  degree  of  B.  E.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Beta  Theta  Pi  fraternity  of  that 
college.  After  his  graduation  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  city  engineer  of  Am- 
sterdam, but  in  the  following  year,  1902, 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Metropolitan 
Street  Railway  Company  of  New  York 
City.  In  1903  he  changed  to  the  New 
York  Central  Railroad,  and  in  1905  came 
to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  with  the  New 
York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford  Railway 
Company.  In  1909  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  working  on 
the  Saybrook  Bridge.  In  1910  he  was 
appointed  superintendent  of  streets  in 
Hartford,  and  in  1913  was  appointed  State 


239 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Highway  Commissioner  by  the  Governor 
of  Connecticut,  in  which  capacity  he  is 
serving  at  the  present  time  (1917)-    Prior 
to  his  assuming  the  duties  of  this  office 
the  highway  department  was  a  political 
machine,  covering  every  town  in  the  State 
of  Connecticut  politically.     The  highway 
department  was  made  an  issue  in  the  first 
campaign  of  Governor  Baldwin.    He  won 
the  election  on  his  promise  to  reform  the 
highway   department.      He   failed   to   re- 
form it  because  a  partisan  Senate  rejected 
his  nomination  of  a  new  highway  com- 
missioner.    Two    years    the    people    re- 
turned   him   to    office   and    gave   him    a 
Senate    controlled    by    his    own    party. 
Commissioner  Bennett  was  then  placed  at 
the  head  of  the  highway  department.     In 
the  session  of  1915  Commissioner  Bennett 
came   up   for  reappointment.     The   Gov- 
ernor was  urged  to  reappoint  him,  which 
he   accordingly   did,   and   as   long   as   he 
remains  in  that  office  the  interests  of  the 
State   will  be   carefully  subserved.      His 
honesty   and   integrity   have    never   been 
questioned   by   any  one   and   his   compe- 
tency is  evidenced  by  the  improvements 
in  the  roads  during  his  tenure  of  office. 

Commissioner  Bennett  has  written  a 
section  for  a  handbook  on  "Highway 
Engineering"  published  by  Wiley  &  Sons. 
He  has  written  to  some  extent  for  tech- 
nical journals ;  has  lectured  at  Columbia 
and  Sheffield  Scientific  School  at  Yale, 
and  has  delivered  popular  lectures 
throughout  Connecticut  and  other  States 
or  road  questions  and  engineering  topics, 
which  have  been  largely  attended  and 
which  have  proven  of  benefit  to  those 
interested  in  such  matters.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers, the  International  Permanent  Con- 
gress de  la  Rute.  a  director  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts Highway  Association,  and  a 
member  of  the  American  Highway  Asso- 
ciation, American  Road  Association,  Na- 


tional Highway  Association,  National 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  Connecticut 
Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  Rotary  Club, 
and  the  University  Club. 

Mr.  Bennett  married,  in  August,  1905, 
Marguerite  Balch,  daughter  of  Dr.  W.  V. 
Balch,  of  Galway,  New  York,  and  a  de- 
scendant of  John  Balch,  an  early  settler 
of  Massachusetts.  They  are  the  parents 
of  four  children:  Elizabeth  J.,  Alison 
Margaret.  Charles  William  and  Gordon. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bennett  are  members  of  St. 
John's  Episcopal  Church,  West  Hartford, 
in  which  he  has  served  as  vestryman  for 
a  number  of  years. 


ABRAMS,  Alva  E.,  M.  D., 

Physician. 

An  honored  physician  of  the  city  of 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  since  1884,  Dr. 
Abrams  holds  prominent  position  among 
the  men  who  are  recognized  as  leaders  of 
the  medical  profession  in  Connecticut.  In 
business  and  public  life  men  are  often 
assisted  to  positions  of  prominence  by 
fortuitous  circumstance,  apparently  quite 
apart  from  their  own  personal  endeavor. 
There  is  but  one  way  to  gain  recognition 
in  the  medical  profession  and  that  is  by 
results  actually  accomplished  in  relieving 
the  ills  of  mankind.  The  price  is  a  life- 
time of  devotion  to  the  profession,  and 
constant,  conscientious  study  that  ability 
may  be  gained  to  observe  phenomena 
accurately,  to  correlate  and  interpret  facts 
intelligently,  and  with  wisdom  to  apply 
to  the  individual  case  the  knowledge  thus 
acquired.  These  are  the  means  coupled 
with  a  natural  aptitude  for  his  work  by 
which  Dr.  Abrams  has  earned  his  present 
position  as  a  leading  practitioner  and 
authority. 

The  branch  of  his  family  to  which  Dr. 
Abrams  belongs  springs  from  Benjamin 
Abrams,   a    farmer   and    early    settler    of 


240 


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y\-'-r  LIBRARY 


J.     .. 

'1 

■     TOP     LENOX 

r     .1 

^;_  ,;    fCUr^DATIO' 

ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Greene  county,  New  York.  His  son, 
Benjamin  (2)  Abrams,  was  also  a  farmer 
of  Greene  county,  his  sons  settling  in 
Greene,  Albany  and  Schenectady  counties, 
New  York.  Elnathan  Abrams,  son  of 
Benjamin  (2)  Abrams,  located  in  Duanes- 
burg,  Schenectady  county,  was  a  farmer 
and  there  died  in  1861,  aged  sixty-one. 
He  married  Anna  Strong. 

J.  Danforth  Abrams,  son  of  Elnathan 
and  Anna  (Strong)  Abrams,  was  born  in 
the  town  of  Duanesburg,  Schenectady 
county,  New  York,  in  1836,  and  gave  up 
his  life  in  his  country's  service  in  1865 
at  Fortress  Monroe,  Virginia.  He  was 
engaged  in  farming  until  his  enlistment 
in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
seventh  Regiment  New  York  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  married  Susan  Ladd,  of  the 
seventh  generation  of  the  family  founded 
in  New  England  by  Daniel  Ladd,  who 
took  the  oath  of  supremacy  and  allegi- 
ance in  London,  England,  March  24,  1633, 
prior  to  taking  passage  on  the  ship  "Mary 
and  John"  for  New  England.  He  was 
granted  land  in  Ipswich,  February  5, 1637. 
He  died  in  Haverhill,  July  27,  1693,  his 
widow  Ann,  February  9,  1694.  The  line 
of  descent  is  through  the  founder's  son, 
Ezekiel  Ladd;  his  son,  Nathaniel  Ladd; 
his  son,  Ezekiel  (2)  Ladd;  his  son,  Wil- 
liam Ladd ;  his  son,  Lemuel  Ladd ;  his 
son,  Elijah  Ladd,  born  October  22,  181 1, 
married  Harriet  Bently ;  their  daughter, 
Susan  Ladd,  who  married  J.  Danforth 
Abrams.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
sons:  Alva  E.,  of  further  mention;  and 
Elijah. 

Dr.  Alva  E.  Abrams  was  born  in 
Duanesburg,  New  York,  June  28,  1856. 
After  public  school  attendance,  he  pre- 
pared at  a  school  in  Little  Falls,  New 
York,  after  which  he  entered  Cornell 
University,  continuing  there  until  his 
junior  year.  He  then  taught  school  for 
two  years,  in  the  meantime  studying  med- 
icine under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  Delos 


Braman,  of  Duanesburg.  He  continued 
study  in  the  medical  school  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  New  York  and  in  Albany  Medical 
School  (Albany,  New  York),  receiving  his 
Doctor  of  Medicine  degree  from  the  latter 
institution  with  the  class  of  1881.  After 
a  term  of  service  as  interne  at  St.  Peter's 
Hospital,  Albany,  he  began  the  private 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Duanesburg, 
continuing  until  1884.  With  the  year 
1884,  Dr.  Abrams  was  introduced  to  Hart- 
ford professional  life  as  an  associate  of 
Dr.  J.  A.  Stevens,  with  whom  he  prac- 
ticed for  three  years.  He  then  spent  a 
year  in  private  practice  in  CoUinsville, 
Connecticut,  returning  to  Hartford  upon 
the  death  of  Dr.  Stevens,  in  1887,  resum- 
ing the  practice  they  had  jointly  con- 
ducted until  Dr.  Abrams'  withdrawal.  He 
has  gone  steadily  forward  in  public  favor, 
his  continually  growing  practice  having 
attested  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  as 
a  physician  of  skill  and  a  citizen  of  high 
repute.  He  is  a  member  and  ex-president 
of  the  Hartford  City  Medical  Society,  the 
Hartford  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Connecticut  State  Medical  Society,  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
the  American  Laryngological,  Rhinolog- 
ical  and  Otological  societies,  and  in  1897 
was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  International 
Medical  Congress  which  met  in  Moscow, 
Russia.  He  is  medical  examiner  for  a 
number  of  leading  insurance  companies, 
belongs  to  the  Hartford  Scientific  Society 
and  the  Twentieth  Century  Club.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  Immanuel 
Congregational  Church,  he  having  served 
that  body  as  deacon  for  many  years. 

Dr.  Abrams  married,  July  26,  1877, 
Jessie  Davis,  daughter  of  Rev.  D.  Cook 
and  Euphemia  (Murray)  Davis,  of  Brook- 
lyn, New  York.  They  are  the  parents  of 
three  daughters:  Mabel,  married  R.  La 
Mott  Russell ;  Efifie,  married  Professor 
Walter  Clark;  Jessie,  married  Warren 
Currier. 


Conn— S— 16 


241 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


OLDS,  Alfred  Allen, 

Leader  in  Tobacco  Industry. 

There  are  few  families  that  can  claim  a 
more  honorable  antiquity  than  that  of 
Olds,  represented  at  the  present  time  by 
Alfred  Allen  Olds  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, and  by  many  branches  in  both  the  old 
world  and  the  new.  The  origin  of  the 
name  is  undoubtedly  to  be  found  in  the 
nickname  "The  Old,"'  and  in  the  faculty 
such  nicknames  have  of  adhering  to  the 
children  and  descendants  of  him  who  is 
first  so  designated.  The  present  Mr.  Olds 
can  trace  his  descent  uninterruptedly  from 
a  period  so  remote  as  that  of  the  end  of 
the  twelfth  century,  from  an  ancestor 
who  flourished  during  the  reign  of  Rich- 
ard the  Lion  Hearted.  The  name,  as  is 
the  case  with  so  many  names  that  have 
descended  to  us  from  early  times,  was 
found  in  a  great  variety  of  spellings,  such 
as  Old,  Olds,  Ould,  Wold  and  many 
others.  The  Olds  arms  are  thus  de- 
scribed :  Gules,  on  a  mount  in  base  vert 
a  lion  sejant  guardant.  Crest:  A  lion 
sejant  guardant  proper,  supporting  an  an- 
tique shield  gules,  charged  with  a  fesse  or. 

The  founder  of  the  family  so  far  as  our 
records  extend  was  one  Roger  Wold,  of 
Yolthorpe,  Yorkshire,  who  is  described 
as  a  thane,  and  who  lived  on  his  estate  in 
that  country  between  the  years  1189  and 
1 199.  The  title  of  thane  is  comparatively 
well  known  to  modern  ears  from  the  fact 
that  one  of  Scott's  chief  characters  in  the 
story  of  "Ivanhoe,"  Cedric  the  Saxon, 
held  it.  It  is  an  ancient  Saxon  title,  and 
after  the  advent  of  the  Normans  suffered 
a  decline  which  placed  it  among  the  low- 
est of  those  who  held  feudal  estates. 
Roger  Wold,  of  Yolthorpe,  was  not  only  a 
contemporary  of  Cedric  the  Saxon,  but  a 
neighbor,  their  estates  being  at  no  very 
great  distance  from  one  another.  Both 
from  the  name  and  the  title  we  draw  the 


knowledge  that  this  same  Roger  was  of 
good  old  Anglo-Saxon  ancestry,  and  it 
was  he  and  such  as  he  who  formed  the 
foundation  upon  which  the  later  English 
race  was  built  up.  We  possess  no  record 
of  this  worthy  thane,  but  we  are  acquaint- 
ed with  the  names  of  his  children,  as  fol- 
lows :  Agnes,  who  married  Godfrey  Eme- 
bf.rg,  a  son  of  William,  Emeburg,  of  Flix- 
tune,  Yorkshire ;  William,  who  is  men- 
tioned below ;  Roger,  a  chaunting  monk 
of  Whitby,  and  John,  a  minstrel  to  the 
king,  who  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of 
considerable  talent  and  was  the  author  of 
a  miracle  play  "St.  Cuthbert,"  which  was 
performed  at  York  on  the  twentieth  of 
March,  probably  of  the  year  1223. 

His  son  William  married  Alice  Eme- 
burg, a  daughter  of  William  Emeburg,  of 
Flixtune,  Yorkshire,  and  lived  during  the 
reigns  of  John  and  Henry  III.  We  find 
his  seal  appended  to  a  deed  now  in  the 
possession  of  the  British  Museum,  but  we 
know  very  few  details  concerning  his  life. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children :  John  Le  Olde,  who  is  men- 
tioned below ;  Roger  Wold,  of  whom  very 
little  is  known;  Thomas,  who  married  a 
lady  of  the  name  of  Christiana,  and  who 
accompanied  his  brother  Robert  to  the 
south  ;  Robert  Old,  who  went  south  from 
his  native  Yorkshire  with  an  unknown 
destination,  but  whom  we  find  was  ob- 
liged to  stop  at  Cambridge  for  lack  of 
means  to  carry  him  farther,  and  there 
entered  the  service  of  Lord  Granteste, 
"for  villeinage,  socage,"  or  "as  a  free- 
man." 

John  Le  Olde,  son  of  Thomas  Le  Olde, 
lived  at  Liddington,  near  Cirencester, 
where  he  was  a  manucaptor  for  Sir  John 
de  Langleye,  knight  of  the  shire  for  Glou- 
cester. This  position  of  manucaptor  was 
one  of  considerable  consideration,  and 
from  it  we  learn  the  fact  this  representa- 
tive of  the  family  had  amply  maintained 


242 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


its  original  dignity.  John  Le  Olde  lived 
to  a  great  age,  and  we  know  of  three  of 
his  children,  though  no  record  comes 
down  to  us  of  his  marriage.  The  three 
children  were  Richarde,  Christian  and 
Agnes,  who  became  a  nun. 

His  son  Richarde  was  born  in  1250,  and 
his  name  appears  first  on  the  pedigree  of 
the  Old  family  of  Rowton  in  Shropshire, 
v.here  it  was  the  origin  of  the  numerous 
branches  bearing  this  name  in  that  coun- 
ty. Richard  Old  lived  himself  at  Rowton, 
but  we  know  little  concerning  him  and 
have  no  record  of  his  marriage.  His  chil- 
dren were  as  follows :  William,  of  Momr 
ersfield,  county  of  Salop,  where  he  was 
living  in  1331  ;  Agnes  Wold,  who  married 
Henry  de  Rowton,  and  Roger  Wold,  who 
is  mentioned  below. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  return  to 
the  original  name  of  the  family  in  this 
generation,  Richarde  Old's  son  Roger 
taking  the  old  form  of  Wold.  He  pur- 
chased the  old  estate  of  SheriiT  Hales, 
County  Salop,  in  the  year  1350,  and  was 
the  father  of  two  children  of  whom  we 
have  record  :  Galfridus,  who  is  mentioned 
below ;  and  Walter  Holde,  of  Stokestown, 
Salop. 

His  son,  Galfridus  Wold,  came  into 
possession  of  Sheriff  Hales,  his  father's 
old  estate,  and  lived  there  during  his  life. 
He  married  a  cousin,  Alice  de  Rowton, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren :  William,  who  is  mentioned  below ; 
John ;  and  Robert,  who  was  sub-prior  of 
Cern  Abbey,  as  we  learn  from  the  records 
concerning  the  election  of  Abbot  God- 
manston,  when  he  held  that  position. 

William  Wold,  son  of  Galfridus  Wold, 
lived  at  Rowton  in  1406.  Very  little  is 
known  concerning  his  life,  but  we  are 
acquainted  with  the  names  of  two  chil- 
dren— Roger,   who   is   mentioned   below ; 


and  Agnes,  who  married  a  member  of  the 
old  Benthall  familv. 


His  son,  Roger  Wold,  married  Mary 
Talbot,  a  relative  of  the  famous  Sir  John 
Talbot,  and  went  to  France  in  the  year 
1436  on  some  military  service,  probably 
connected  with  the  wars  which  were  rag- 
ing at  that  time  between  England  and 
France.  He  was  bailif?  and  receiver  of 
rents  for  the  manors  of  Cowley,  Coten 
and  Burghall,  in  145 1. 

Their  son  John  married  Jane  Eyton, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, as  follows:  i.  John,  a  priest,  who 
became  a  reformer  and  was  disinherited 
by  his  father ;  he  was  a  friend  of  the 
famous  Bishops  Latimer  and  Cranmer, 
and  we  find  full  particulars  concerning 
him  in  the  archives  of  the  Royal  Histori- 
cal Society,  volume  ii,  page  198  (1572). 
2.  Agnes,  who  like  her  brother,  was  a  re- 
former and  was  disinherited.  3.  William, 
who  is  mentioned  below.  Not  a  great 
deal  is  known  of  John,  the  father,  and  it 
seems  doubtful  whether  he  continued  to 
bear  the  name  of  Wold  or  had  altered  it 
to  Olde,  the  form  in  which  it  appears  in 
the  next  generation. 

Their  son,  William  Olde,  lived  at  Staun- 
ton, and  married  his  cousin,  Elizabeth 
Eyton,  a  daughter  of  Hez.  Eyton,  Esquire. 
His  name  appears  in  the  Salopian  Ex- 
chequer subsidies  from  1522  to  1545. 
There  was  evidently  a  strong  religious 
bias  in  the  Wold  or  Olde  family,  and  we 
find  that  they  were  frequently  connected 
with  the  church  in  one  way  or  another. 
They  were  evidently  men  of  strong  con- 
victions, who  would  adhere  to  their  be- 
liefs even  in  the  face  of  loss  or  danger. 
In  the  case  of  William  Olde,  this  fidelity 
on  the  part  of  his  brother  John  redounded 
to  his  own  worldly  advancement,  as  he 
succeeded  to  the  old  family  estate  from 
which  the  aforesaid  John  was  disinher- 
ited. To  him  and  his  wife  three  children 
were  born:   Thomas,  Richard,  and  John. 

Their  son  Richard  we  know  compara- 


243 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tively  little  concerning,  but  his  death  oc- 
curred at  Broseley  in  the  year  1599,  when 
nearly  ninety  years  of  age.  He  married 
Agnes  Courtenay  and  was  bailiff  of  Wen- 
lock  corporation.  To  him  and  his  wife 
three  children  were  born  as  follows:  Wil- 
liam, who  is  mentioned  below  ;  Richard  ; 
and  Edward. 

Their  son,  William  Olde,  married  Ann 
(Eleanor)   Courtenay,  and  with  his  wife 
went    to    Sherborne,    Dorsetshire.      The 
strong  religious  convictions  of  the  Oldes 
again  come  to  the  surface  in  the  record 
of  William  Olde,  although  this  time  they 
were  manifested  on  the  other  side  of  the 
controversy.    By  this  time  the  Protestant 
element  in  England  had  become  dominant 
and  it  was  dangerous  to  profess   Catho- 
licism.   William  Olde,  however,  evidently 
had  leanings  toward  the  Catholic  church, 
and  got   into  trouble   in   Dorsetshire  for 
harboring    in    his    house    there    a    Jesuit 
priest,  who,  according  to  the  old  records, 
when  the  house  was  searched,  was  found 
hiding  in  a  large  oaken  chest  under  a  cur- 
tain.    Probably  the  danger  of  continuing 
in  his  belief  was  too  great  for  William 
Olde's  prudence,  and  he  was  baptized  ac- 
cording to  the  rites  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  1566.     An  amusing  turn  is  given 
to  the  matter  by  the  old  record,  which  re- 
counts that  he  was  fined  for  not  attending 
the  Anglican  Church,  and  his  wife  for  per- 
sistently   sleeping    during    the    sermons 
which  were  preached  there.    The  persecu- 
tion of  the  Catholics  at  that  time  was  so 
violent  that  they  were  obliged  to  conform 
to  the  Church  of  England,  however,  and 
profess  its  tenets  in  pul^lic.  whatever  their 
private  beliefs  may  have  been.    His  death 
occurred  December  18,  1566,  before  that 
of  his  father.     He  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  three  children :   Thomas,  Bar- 
tholom,ew,  who  is  mentioned  below ;  and 
John. 

Their  son,  Bartholomew  Olde,  was  liv- 


ing at  Sherborne,  in  1594,  his  name  being 
mentioned  in  the  old  records  January  10 
that  year.  He  married,  June  21,  1574, 
Margaret  Churchill,  and  thus  became  con- 
nected with  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
families  of  England,  his  wife  being  the 
great-aunt  of  the  famous  Duke  of  Marl- 
borough. Bartholomew  Olde  appears  to 
have  inherited  his  father's  predelictions 
for  the  Catholic  faith,  and  we  find  in  an 
old  record  the  following  words  in  regard 
to  him :  that  he  "aided  and  abetted  his 
brother  Thomas  in  hiding  Father  Eustace, 
a  priest  of  the  Order  of  Jesus."  He  and 
his  wife  were  the  parents  of  two  children  : 
William,  who  is  mentioned  below;  and 
Sibell,  born  December  16,  1576,  at  Sher- 
borne, and  married,  July  3,  1592,  Hugh 
Exall,  of  Yeovil. 

Their  son,  William  Olde,  was  born  at 
Sherborne,  January  18,  1575,  and  married 
Elizabeth  Greensmith,  at  St.  Stephen's 
Church,  at  Coleman  street,  London.  They 
were  the  parents  of  three  children :  Bar- 
tholomew; John,  who  is  mentioned  be- 
low ;  and  Avis. 

John  Olde.  their  son,  was  born  at  Sher- 
borne in  the  year  1615,  and  married 

Gatherest.  Not  much  is  known  concern- 
ing the  life  of  John  Olde,  but  the  names  of 
five  children  are  recorded:  Andrew,  who 
went  to  Ireland  and  from  whom  the  Ould 
family  of  that  country  is  descended ;  Rob- 
ert, the  progenitor  of  the  American  fam- 
ilies, who  is  mentioned  below ;  John ; 
Hanibal  and  Francis. 

Their  son,  Robert  Ould  (Old),  was  born 
at  Sherborne,  Dorsetshire,  in  1645,  ^^'^ 
came  to  the  New  England  colonies  at  an 
unknown  date.  He  is  found  at  Windsor, 
Connecticut,  as  early  as  1667,  however, 
where  he  was  apprenticed  to  one  Jacob 
Drake.  He  appears  to  have  prospered 
well,  and  was  granted  fifty  acres  of  land 
in  1670,  the  records  reading  that  the  grant 
was  made  to  Dr.  Robert  Ould.    This  tract 


244 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  situated  on  the  corner  of  High  street, 
Suffield,  on  the  corner  of  the  New  Haven 
road.  Dr.  Ould  was  one  of  the  five  pro- 
prietors of  Suffield,  and  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  life  of  that  community  and  was 
given  the  title  of  doctor.  He  was  agent 
for  the  town  before  the  General  Court  of 
Boston,  being  commissioned  to  make  a 
plea  for  the  remittance  of  the  town's  taxes 
which  the  community  was  too  poor  to 
pay.  This  he  was  successful  in  accom- 
plishing, and  was  paid  by  the  town  a  sum 
of  something  over  seven  pounds  for  his 
services.  Robert  Ould  was  twice  married, 
the  first  time  December  31,  1669,  when 
he  was  united  with  Susanna  Hanford,  by 
whom  he  had  the  following  children : 
Robert,  Jonathan,  Mindwell,  Handford, 
William,  William  (2nd),  mentioned  be- 
low; Ebenezer  and  Susanna.  His  second 
marriage  was  with  Dorothy  Granger,  and 
of  this  union  the  following  children  were 
born :  John,  Ebenezer,  Josiah,  Jonathan, 
Nathaniel  and  Joseph. 

William  Old  was  born  at  Suffield,  Con- 
necticut, August  28,  1680,  and  died  at 
North  Brookfield,  Massachusetts,  Septem- 
21,  1749.  He  was  captain  of  the  colonial 
forces  at  the  siege  of  Lewisburg,  in  Queen 
Anne's  War  in  1747,  and  his  home  was 
situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  near 
Mason's  brook,  at  North  Brookfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  married  Elizabeth  Walk- 
er born  November  20,  1691,  and  died  May 
10,  1782,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  the 
following  children:  Elizabeth.  William, 
Hannah,  Abigail,  Josiah,  Deborah,  Com- 
fort, mentioned  below  ;  and  Ezekiel. 

Their  son.  Comfort  Olds,  was  born  May 
24,  1724,  at  Brookfield,  Massachusetts, 
and  died  July  29,  1779.  He  was  a  soldier, 
and  served  both  during  the  French  and 
Indian  wars  and  later  in  the  Revolution. 
He  married,  May  23,  1745,  Abigail  Barnes, 
and  they  were  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing   children :     Hannah,    Ezra,    Samuel, 


Eunice,  Levi,  mentioned  below;  Abigail, 
Rachel,  John,  Comfort,  Mercy  and  Abel. 

Levi  Olds,  their  son,  was  born  January 
8,  1741,  at  Brookfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
served  in  the  Continental  arm.y  during  the 
Revolutionary  War.  In  1778  he  moved 
to  Goshen,  Massachusetts,  and  there  mar- 
ried Sabra  ,  by  whom  he  had  the 

following  children  :  Levi,  Rufus,  Zenas, 
and  Archibald,  mentioned  below. 

Archibald  Olds,  their  son,  died  in  the 
year  1857,  there  being  very  little  else  of 
importance  in  his  life  of  which  there  is 
record,  with  the  exception  of  his  mar- 
riage to Webb,  who  bore  him  the 

following  named  children :  Nathan,  men- 
tioned below;  Hannah,   Betsey,   Melissa. 

Nathan  Olds,  their  son,  was  born  at 
Canterbury,  Connecticut,  in  December, 
1812.  He  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
while  a  boy,  and  upon  attaining  young 
manhood  secured  a  position  in  the  foun- 
dry operated  by  his  future  father-in-law, 
Nathan  Allen.  He  later  removed  to  Dan- 
ielson,  Connecticut,  and  there  engaged  in 
the  foundry  business  in  partnership  with 
his  brother-in-law,  Nathan  Allen,  Jr., 
under  the  firm  name  of  Allen  &  Olds. 
The  product  of  their  factory  was  stoves 
and  other  hardware  devices  for  household 
use.  Mr.  Olds  was  a  prominent  man  in 
the  community,  and  held  the  position  of 
first  selectman  of  Danielsonville  for  a 
number  of  years.  He  m,et  his  death  in 
i860,  in  a  railroad  accident.  He  married, 
September  30,  1838,  Lois  Allen,  daughter 
of  Nathan  Allen,  of  Canterbury,  where 
she  was  born,  and  granddaughter  of 
Parker  and  Lois  (Backus)  Allen  (see 
Backus).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Olds  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  named  children : 
Nathan,  born  August  16,  1839,  married, 
about  1861,  Mary  Robinson;  Edward 
Payson.  born  June  12,  1841,  died  in  in- 
fancy;   Albert    Hinckley,    born    June    11, 


245 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


i8zJ4,  died   September  30,   1874;  and  Al- 
fred Allen,  mentioned  below. 

Alfred  Allen  Olds  was  born  January  16, 
1852,  at  Danielsonville  (now  Danielson), 
Connecticut,  and  there  spent  the  years  of 
his  childhood,  and  it  was  there  that  he 
began  his  education  in  the  local  district 
schools.  When  about  nine  years  of  age 
he  accompanied  his  mother  to  New 
Haven,  and  made  his  home  in  that  city 
with  his  elder  brother,  Nathan  Olds.  In 
the  year  1865  the  family  came  to  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  and  this  city  has  re- 
mained Mr.  Olds'  home  and  the  scene  of 
his  active  career  ever  since.  He  con- 
tinued his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  New  Haven  while  residing  in  that  city, 
and  upon  coming  to  Hartford  he  attended 
the  schools  there.  Later  he  secured  a 
position  with  the  Old  Merchants'  Insur- 
ance Company  and  remained  with  that 
concern  for  some  time,  becoming  familiar 
with  the  insurance  business  in  particular 
and  general  business  methods,  which 
were  to  be  of  value  to  him  in  later  life. 
Subsequently  Mr.  Olds  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Allen  &  Willard,  which  firm  was 
then  engaged  in  the  stove,  furnace,  agri- 
cultural implements  and  fertilizer  business, 
and  later  with  C.  L.  Willard,  successor  to 
Allen  &  Willard.  This  was  his  last  ex- 
perience as  an  employee,  however,  for  on 
November  15,  1877,  he  entered  into  part- 
nership with  Frank  H.  Whipple,  purchas- 
ing the  interest  of  C.  L.  Willard,  suc- 
cessor to  the  firm  of  Allen  &  Willard,  and 
the  new  firm  became  known  as  Olds  & 
Whipple.  The  business  had  originally 
been  founded  by  Charles  Allen,  an  uncle. 
All  the  lines  of  trade  above  mentioned 
were  developed  largely,  but  the  fertilizer 
business  is  now  the  largest  department. 
Later  the  firm  of  Olds  &  Whipple  began 
the  growing  of  tobacco;  their  plantations 
at  the  present  time  (1917)  are  located  in 
Hartford  county,  and  they  have  an  inter- 


est in  about  five  hundred  acres  of  shade 
grown  tobacco.  Some  idea  of  the  large 
size  of  their  operations  may  be  gained 
from  the  fact  that  they  are  the  largest 
dealers  in  fertilizers  in  Connecticut,  and 
handle  some  twenty-five  thousand  tons 
annually.  For  a  time  they  also  carried  a 
line  of  steam  heaters'  and  plumbers'  sup- 
plies, but  this  has  now  been  abandoned  in 
order  that  they  might  concentrate  more 
entirely  on  the  other  departments  of  their 
business.  Mr.  Olds  is  president  of  the 
New  England  Tobacco  Corporation,  treas- 
urer of  the  Windsor  Tobacco  Growers' 
Corporation,  treasurer  of  Steane,  Hart- 
man  &  Company,  Incorporated,  treasurer 
of  the  Connecticut  Leaf  Tobacco  Associa- 
tion, and  is  associated  with  numerous 
large  and  important  concerns.  Mr.  Olds 
is  a  member  of  the  Asylum  Hill  Congre- 
gational Church,  where  he  and  his  family 
are  consistent  attendants  at  divine  service. 
Mr.  Olds  married,  March  2t„  1875,  Liz- 
zie M.  Whipple,  sister  of  Frank  H.  W^hip- 
ple,  his  partner,  and  daughter  of  John  and 
Elizabeth  Whipple,  of  New  Braintree, 
Massachusetts.  Children:  i.  Edith  Wil- 
lard, born  February  2,  1876.  2.  Alfred 
Whipple,  born  Alarch  3,  1877;  a  resident 
of  Windsor,  Connecticut ;  married,  in 
1903,  Mary  McKee.  of  New  Castle,  Penn- 
sylvania, daughter  of  John  McKee,  M.  D., 
of  New  Castle,  and  they  have  children : 
John  McKee,  Lois  Allen,  Mary  Alfreda. 
3.  Frank  Albert,  born  October  28,  1879; 
a  resident  of  Hartford  :  married,  January 
5,  1909,  Annette  Mabel  Hills,  of  Hartford, 
daughter  of  C.  S.  Hills,  of  that  city.  4. 
Edna  Allen,  born  November  i.  1881  ;  mar- 
ried, June  20,  1906,  F.  B.  Pease,  of  Guil- 
ford, Maine,  and  they  have  children : 
Allen  Franklin,  died  March,  1915;  Fran- 
ces Barber,  Elizabeth  Whipple.  5.  Her- 
bert Vincent,  born  ]May  23,  1883,  died  De- 
cember 2,  1913;  married  Mary  Lovejoy, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Lovejoy,  of  Lynn,  Massa- 


246 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


chusetts,  and  had  one  son,  Herbert,  born 
December  19,  1913. 

(The  Backus  Line). 

The  Backus  family  is  and  has  been  for 
many  generations  very  prominent  not 
only  in  New  England  but  throughout  the 
northern  and  eastern  portions  of  the 
United  States.  It  was  founded  in  this 
country  by  Stephen  Backus,  a  native  of 
England,  who  settled  in  the  year  1638  at 
Saybrook,  Connecticut.  In  1660.  an  aged 
man,  he  removed  to  Norwich,  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  was  one  of  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  that  town,  and  he  was  admit- 
ted a  freeman  there  in  1663,  the  year  pre- 
ceding   his    death.      He    married    (first) 

Sarah  Charles,  and  (second)  Ann , 

to  whom  he  was  united  some  time  before 
1660.  He  was  the  father  of  children  as 
follows :  Stephen,  married,  and  had  chil- 
dren who  settled  in  Canterbury,  Connec- 
ticut; William,  mentioned  below;  Sam- 
uel, died  unmarried  ;  Sarah  ;  Mary. 

William  Backus,  son  of  Stephen  Bac- 
kus, is  spoken  of  in  the  old  records  as 
Lieutenant  Backus.  He  was  one  of  the 
early  settlers  and  one  of  the  most  enter- 
prising citizens  of  Norwich,  Connecticut, 
and  he  later  became  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  Windham  in  the  same  colony.  He  was 
one  of  the  legatees  of  Joshua  Uncas,  from 
whose  estate  he  received  three  shares  of 
a  thousand  acres  each.  His  death  oc- 
curred about  1721.  He  married  twice,  but 
there  is  record  of  only  one  marriage,  to 
Elizabeth  Pratt,  a  daughter  of  Lieutenant 
William  and  Elizabeth  (Clark)  Pratt.  By 
the  first  marriage  he  had  Samuel  and 
John,  who  settled  in  Windham,  where 
they  left  posterity.  By  the  second  mar- 
riage he  had :  Sarah,  born  in  1663 ;  Sam- 
uel, 1665  ;  Joseph,  mentioned  below ;  Na- 
thaniel, born  in  1669;  Elizabeth,  died  in 
1728,  and  Hannah. 

Joseph  Backus,  son  of  Lieutenant  W^il- 


liam  Backus,  was  born  at  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut, in  1667,  died  in  December,  1740. 
He  married,  April  9,  1690,  Elizabeth 
Huntington,  born  in  1669,  died  August  24, 
1762.  They  were  the  parents  of  the  fol- 
lowing named  children:  i.  Joseph,  born 
in  March,  1691,  died  March  30,  1761 ;  edu- 
cated at  Yale  College ;  married  Hannah 
Edwards,  aunt  to  President  Edwards,  by 
whom  he  had  two  sons  and  two  daugh- 
ters, who  all  died  prior  to  his  death,  and 
his  family  is  now  extinct.  2.  Samuel, 
mentioned  below.  3.  Ann,  born  January 
27,  1695,  died  August  24,  1761  ;  became  the 
wife  of  Nathaniel  Lothrop ;  they  were  the 
parents  of  a  number  of  children.  4. 
Simon,  born  February  11,  1701  ;  educated 
at  Yale  College,  was  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  and  served  at  Wethersfield ;  mar- 
ried Eunice  Edwards,  sister  of  President 
Edwards  ;  he  went  to  Cape  Breton  in  the 
fall  of  1745  to  preach  there,  and  died  there 
in  February,  1746;  his  widow  died  June 
I,  1788.  5.  James,  born  August  14.  1703, 
died  October  15,  1753;  married  and  was 
the  father  of  several  children.  6.  Eliza- 
beth, born  October  27,  1705,  died  1787; 
married  Cypran  Lad,  and  had  children. 
7.  Sarah,  born  in  July,  1709,  died  1791; 
married  Jabez  Bingham,  and  had  chil- 
dren. 8.  Ebenezer,  born  March  30,  1712, 
died  November  5,  1768;  married  three 
times  and  was  the  father  of  several  chil- 
dren. 

Samuel  Backus,  son  of  Joseph  and  Eliz- 
abeth (Huntington)  Backus,  was  born  at 
Norwich,  Connecticut,  January  6,  1693, 
died  November  24,  1740.  He  married, 
January  18,  1716,  Elizabeth  Tracy,  born 
April  6,  1698,  died  in  1769.  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Elizabeth  (Leffingwell)  Tracy, 
and  granddaughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(Winslow)  Tracy  and  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  (Bushnell)  Lefifingwell.  John  Tracy 
(grandfather)  was  born  August  15,  1642, 
and  died  in  August,  1702;  married,  June 


247 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


17,  1670,  Mary  Winslow,  born  at  Marsh- 
field,  January  31,  1649,  died  July  31,  1721. 
Their  children:  Josiah,  born  August  10, 
1671,  died  January  27,  1672;  John,  men- 
tioned below;  Elizabeth,  born  July  7, 
1676;  Joseph,  born  April  20,  1682,  died 
1765,  married  and  had  children:  Wins- 
low,  born  February  9,  1689,  died  1768. 
John  Tracy  (father)  was  born  January 
19,  1673;  married,  May  10,  1697,  Elizabeth 
Leffingwell,  born  in  September,  1676,  and 
died  1737.  Their  children:  Elizabeth, 
born  April  6,  1698,  aforementioned  as  the 
wife  of  Samuel  Backus ;  John,  born  June 
17,  1700.  died  August,  1786;  Hezekiah, 
born  August  30,  1702,  died  1792,  unmar- 
ried; Josiah,  born  February  27,  1705,  died 
April  28,  1705:  Isaac,  born  May  25,  1706, 
died  January  25.  1779;  Ann,  born  Novem- 
ber 29,  1708,  died  April  20,  1762:  Ruth, 
born  September  13,  171 1,  died  October  15, 
1773;  Ann  and  Ruth  were  married  the 
same  day,  in  November,  1730,  to  Richard 
and  Elijah  Hide,  and  both  had  children. 
Thomas  Leffingwell  (grandfather)  mar- 
ried Mary  Bushnell,  of  Norwich,  and  their 
children  were:  Thomas,  born  March  4, 
1674:  Elizabeth,  born  in  September,  1676, 
became  the  wife  of  John  Tracy,  afore- 
mentioned ;  Ann,  born  January  25,  1680, 
became  the  wife  of  Captain  Caleb  Bush- 
nell; Mary,  born  March  11.  16S2,  became 
the  wife  of  Simon  Tracy ;  Zerviah,  born 
October  17,  1686,  became  the  wife  of  Cap- 
tain Benajah  Bushnell ;  John,  born  Febru- 
ary 2,  1688,  captain;  Abigail,  born  Sep- 
tember 14,  1691,  became  the  wife  of  Dan- 
iel Tracy;  Benajah,  born  August  9,  1693. 
Children  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth 
(Tracy)    Backus: 

I.  Samuel,  born  January  11,  1717,  died 
October  2,  1778;  married  (first)  Decem- 
ber 14,  1743,  Phoebe  Calkins;  children: 
i.  Phoebe,  born  October  28,  1744,  died 
October  5,  1786,  married  and  had  children, 
ii  Elizabeth,  born  August  26,  1746.  iii. 
Samuel,  born  January  20,  1749.    iv,  Han- 


nah, born  February  23,  1751.  died  Novem- 
ber 24,  1827;  married.  May  5,  1778,  Elder 
William  Nelson,  born  July  18,  1741,  died 
in  April,  1806;  children:  Samuel,  born 
April  21,  1779;  Sarah,  April  27,  1781  ; 
William,  June  13,  1784,  died  February  13, 
1787,  and  Margan,  born  October  25,  1787. 
V.  A  daughter,  born  and  died  March  8, 
1755.  The  mother  of  these  children  died 
April  I,  1755.  Samuel  Backus  married 
(second)  July  2,  1755,  Elizabeth  Wedge; 
children:  vi.  Ann,  born  June  25,  1757. 
vii.  William,  born  August  28,  1758,  died 
December  i,  1774.  viii,  Rufus,  born  May 
12,  1 761. 

2.  Ann  Backus,  born  June  10,  1718,  died 
December  29,  1756.  She  married,  July  22, 
1742,  Captain  Joshua  Abell,  who  died  Jan- 
uary 17. 1788,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Chil- 
dren :  i.  Isaac,  born  May  17,  1743;  died 
June  3,  1783.  ii.  Ann,  born  1745,  died  in 
eorly  life.  iii.  Ann,  born  June  22.  1747 
iv.  Elizabeth,  v.  Abigail,  born  May  19 
1752.  vi.  Roger,  born  September  30,  1754 
died  May  7,  1759.  vii.  Rufus  Backus 
born  December  12,  1756. 

3.  Elizabeth,    born    February   9,    1721 
married  Jabez   Huntington,   Esq.,  whose 
death  occurred  October  5,  1780  (or  1786) 
Children:    Jedediah,  born  in   July,    1743 
and  .Andrew,  born  in  June,  1745,  died  July 

I.  1745- 

4.  Isaac  Backus,  born  January  9,  1724, 
died  November  20,  1806.  He  married, 
November  29,  1749,  Susanna  Mason,  born 
January  4,  1725,  died  September  19,  1805, 
Children:  i.  Hannah  Backus,  born  No- 
vember 8,  1750.  ii.  Nathan  Backus,  born 
June  18,  1752,  died  March  24.  1814:  mar- 
ried, November  18,  1784,  Bethiah  Leon- 
ard, born  May  8,  1755,  died  September 
19,  1806 ;  children :  Olive,  born  August  9, 
1785;  Bethiah,  March  4,  1787;  Sybil,  Jan- 
uary 30,  1789;  Polly,  November  2,  1791 ; 
Nathan.  January  24,  1705,  died  August 
24,  1797;  a  daughter,  still-born,  January 
4,  1799.  iii.  Isaac  Backus,  born  Febru- 
ary 21,  1754,  died  .April  16,  1814:  married, 
September  21,  1786,  Esther  Shepard,  born 
September  17,  1756,  died  June  9,  1832; 
children:  Samuel,  born  September  16, 
1787;  Isaac,  November  27,  1789;  Mason, 
August  27,  1792,  died  September  22,  1813. 
iv.  Eunice  Backus,  born  October  23,  1755, 
died  September  16,  181 5;  married,  Octo- 


248 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ber  13,  1795,  Isaac  Dean,  born  May  31, 
1744,  died  in  July,  1819 ;  children  :  Eunice, 
born  February  20,  1797;  Susana,  February 
9.  1801.    V.  Susana  Backus,  born  October 

13,  1758.  vi.  Lois  Backus,  born  August  3, 
1760;  married,  December  17,  1786,  Parker 
Allen,  born  December  25,  1761,  died  No- 
vember 26,  1823;  children:  (a)  Nathan 
Allen,  born  April  3,  1787,  died  February 
26,  1880;  married,  December  17,  1812, 
Nancy  Hinkley,  born  in  August,  1788, 
children :  Lois  Allen,  born  January  23, 
1815,  died  May  30,  1895;  Hannah  Allen, 
June  22,  1818;  Charles  Allen,  May  25, 
1820;  Parker  Allen,  January  5,  1822,  died 
July  21,  1823;  Nathan  Allen.  November 
28,  1824;  Samuel  Allen,  June  10,  1827; 
Nancy  Allen,  January  28,  1829;  Waity 
Allen,  June  25,  1831.  (b)  Eunice  Allen, 
born  July  7,  1790,  died  July  28,  1878;  mar- 
ried, April  2,  1823,  Thomas  Whipple,  born 
January  14,  1790;  children:  John  Curtis 
Whipple,  born  May  20,  1825  ;  twins,  born 
September  6,  1826,  one  still-born,  the 
other  died  aged  three  days ;  Nancy  Eliza- 
beth Whipple,  born  August  21,  1829.  (c) 
Susanna  Allen,  born  June  13,  1794,  died 
November,  1885.  vii.  Lucy  Backus,  born 
April  13,  1763,  died  March  4,  1837;  mar- 
ried, April  13,  1788,  Alpheus  Fobes,  born 
June  30,  1756,  died  in  April,  1839;  chil- 
dren :  Isaac,  born  February  g,  1789 ;  Sybil, 
March  17,  1791  :  Josiah,  June  14,  1793; 
Alpheus,  November  24,  1795;  Aretas, 
April  9,  1798;  Lucy,  January  9,  1802.  viii. 
Simon  Backus,  born  March  7,  1766,  died 
July  20,  1833;  married  (first)  November 
8,  1789.  Hannah  Alden,  born  February  2, 
1765,  died  in  January.  1816;  married  (sec- 
ond) March.  1820,  Ruth  Hatheway.  a 
widow ;  children  of  first  wife :  Andrew. 
born  October  3,  1790  ;  Ebenezer,  born  July 

14,  1792,  died  September  13,  1815;  a 
daughter,  born  March  28,  1795,  died  April 

15,  1795;  Eunice,  born  February  27,  1796; 
Isaac,  born  October  22.  1797,  died  July 
14,  1819 ;  Joseph  Alden,  born  August  29, 
1799;  Hannah,  born  October  11,  1801.  ix. 
Sybil  Backus,  born  February  17,  1768, 
died  March  23,  1788. 

5.  Elijah  Backus,  born  March  14,  1726, 
died  suddenly,  September  4,  1798;  mar- 
ried (first)  January  9,  1753,  Lucy  Gris- 
wold,  who  died  December  16,  1795;  mar- 
ried (second)  October  30.  1796,  Margaret 


Tracy,  a  widow ;  children  of  first  wife : 
Elijah,  born  February  17.  1754,  died 
March  8,  1755;  a  daughter,  born  January 

11,  1756,  died  February  21,  1756;  Lucy, 
born  January  31,  1757,  became  the  wife 
of  Dudley  Woodbridge,  and  moved  to  the 
Ohio;  Elijah,  born  May  2,  1759;  James, 
born  July  10,  1761,  died  January  17,  1762; 
a  daughter,  born  March  18,  1763,  died 
April  21,  1763;  James,  born  July  14,  1764; 
Matthew,  born  September  24,  1766;  Clar- 
ina,  born  August  7,  1769. 

6.  Simon  Backus,  born  January  17, 
1729,  died  February  16,  1764. 

7.  Eunice,  born  May  17,  1731,  died  Au- 
gust ID,  1753:  married.  January  4.  1753, 
John  Post ;  their  daughter,  Eunice,  was 
born  July  27,  1753. 

8.  Andrew,  born  November  16.  1733, 
died  November  20.  1796;  married.  Febru- 
ary 8,  1759.  Lois  Pierce,  born  August  14, 
1732;  children:  Stephen,  born  November 
27,  1759;  Thomas,  May,  1762;  Simon, 
April  12,  1765,  went  through  college,  and 
died,  unmarried,  September  19,  1788;  Syl- 
vanus,  born  June  3,  1768;  Eunice,  June 
14,  1770,  died  July  7,  1792;  Mary,  born 
January  8,  1773;  Lucy.  March  14.  1777; 
Stephen.  Thomas,  Sylvanus  and  Mary 
had  families ;  Lucy  died  unmarried. 

g.  Asa  Backus,  born  May  3.  1736.  died 
July  23.  1788;  married.  May  12,  1762, 
lEstherParkus;  children:   Asa,  born  May 

12,  1763;  Esther,  October.  1765;  Mary, 
August  29.  1767,  died  October  10,  1785; 
Joseph,  February  3,  1770,  died  April  22, 
1771  ;  Eunice,  February  23.  1772;  Lucy, 
ATarch  26,  1774;  John,  July  17,  1777;  Sam- 
uel, October,  1780;  Asa  married  and  had 
a  family,  the  remainder  of  the  children 
died  unmarried. 

10.  Lucy  Backus,  born  April  18,  1738, 
died  May  20,  1808;  married.  August  16. 
1764.  Benajah  Leffingwell.  born  January, 
1738.  died  September.  1804.  Children: 
Benajah.  born  June  22.  1765;  Lucy,  born 
January  31,  1767,  died  June  27.  1797,  mar- 
ried and  had  children;  Elizabeth,  born 
October  8,  1768;  a  daughter,  born  January 
31.  1 77 1,  died  February  21.  1771  ;  Richard, 
born  October  3,  1773  ;  Mary,  born  Novem- 
ber 21.  1775;  Oliver,  born  October  28, 
1778,  died  in  New  York.  October,  1798. 

11.  John  Backus, born  October  16.  1740, 
died  unmarried :  he  served  as  a  selectman 


249 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  a  representative  of  Norwich,  and  was 
an  active  and  useful  citizen.  His  brothers, 
Elijah  and  Andrew  Backus,  also  served  as 
representatives  and  both  served  as  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  one  at  Norwich  and  the 
other  at  Plainfield. 

Samson  Mason,  ancestor  of  Susanna 
(Mason)  Backus,  aforementioned  as  the 
wife  of  Isaac  Backus,  was  a  soldier  in 
Cromwell's  army,  but  after  the  death  of 
Crom.well  he  came  to  America  and  settled 
in  Rehoboth,  Massachusetts,  where  his 
sons  resided.  His  sons  were  :  Noah,  Sam- 
son, James,  John,  Samuel,  Joseph,  Isaac, 
Pelatiah.  and  Benjamin,  and  perhaps  his 
posterity  are  now  as  numerous  as  those 
of  any  man  who  emigrated  to  this  coun- 
try. Peletiah  married  and  was  the  father 
of  four  sons,  Joseph,  Job,  Russell  and 
John,  all  of  whom  were  ministers  of  the 
Gospel,  Joseph  for  many  years  pastor  of 
the  second  church  in  Swansea,  and  all 
lived  to  above  eighty  years  of  age.  Samuel 
Mason,  son  of  Samuel  Mason,  son  of  Sam- 
son Mason,  was  born  in  June.  1683,  died 
June  3.  1772.  He  married  (first)  a  Miss 
Reed,  in  Rehoboth.  and  their  children 
were  as  follows :  Rabina,  became  the  wife 

of Chaffee,  and  was  the  mother  of 

Deacon  John  Chaffee,  of  New  Bedford ; 
Elizabeth,  became  the  wife  of  Gideon 
Franklin,  and  died  at  Cheshire,  May, 
1795,  aged  above  eighty  years:  Sarah, 
died  young;  Hannah,  died  young;  Sam- 
uel, married,  had  a  family,  and  died  De- 
cember I,  1786,  in  his  seventy-third  year, 
St  rvived  by  his  widow;  Moses,  married, 
had  a  family,  and  died  July  2.  1798,  aged 
seventy-eight  years ;  Mary,  became  the 
wife  of  Ichabod  Ide  ;  Lydia,  became  the 
wife  of  John  Mason:  Susanna,  liecame 
the  wife  of  Isaac  Backus  ;  and  a  child  that 
died  in  infancy.  Samuel  Mason  married 
a  second  wife,  who  bore  him  three  chil- 
dren: John,  Sarah  and  Hannah,  all  of 
whom  married  and  had  families. 


WHIPPLE,  Frank  Herbert, 

Business  Man. 

Frank  H.  Whipple  is  a  member  of  an 
old  and  distinguished  New  England  fam- 
ily. It  was  founded  in  this  country  by 
Captain  John  Whipple,  of  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  who  came  to  that  region 
at  an  early  period  in  colonial  history  from 
some  part  of  England.  It  is  now  repre- 
sented in  various  parts  not  only  of  New 
England  but  of  the  United  States  gen- 
erally, but  nowhere  more  worthily  than 
bv  the  distinguished  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  brief  sketch,  who  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  most  public-spirited 
citizens  of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  ex- 
hibits in  his  own  person  and  character  the 
talents  and  virtues  of  a  long  line  of  worthy 
ancestors. 

Mr.  Whipple's  grandfather  was  Thomas 
Whipple,  who  resided  at  New  Braintree, 
Massachusetts,  where  he  owned  a  valu- 
able farm.  He  also  made  his  home  for  a 
time  at  Fitzwilliam,  New  Hampshire.  He 
married  for  his  third  wife  Miss  Susan 
Allen,  a  member  of  a  very  old  family 
which  is  the  subject  of  extended  mention 
elsewhere  in  this  work.  The  children  of 
this  marriage  were  :  John  C.  Whipple,  the 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  :  and 
Nancy,  who  became  the  wife  of  Daniel 
Bartlett.  John  C.  Whipple  had  two  half- 
brothers  by  his  father's  first  and  second 
marriages — Francis  and  F'rederick. 

John  C.  Whipple,  the  son  of  Thomas 
and  Susan  (Allen)  Whipple,  was  born 
May  20,  1825.  at  Canterbury,  Connecticut. 
\\'hen  he  was  about  four  years  of  age  his 
parents  removed  to- New  Braintree,  Mas- 
spchusetts,  where  they  owned  the  farm 
already  referred  to.  The  early  life  of 
John  C.  Whipple  was  that  of  the  typical 
farmer's  lad  of  that  period,  and  he  grew 
up  in  the  midst  of  a  healthy  rural  environ- 
ment there.     Indeed,  he  continued  to  live 


250 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


on  the  farm  formerly  owned  by  his  father 
until  he  had  reached  the  age  of  forty 
years,  and  then  went  to  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachtisetts.  In  Springfield  he  became  a 
successful  dealer  in  milk,  and  ran  a  milk 
route  in  the  city  and  surrounding  region. 
Still  later  he  came  to  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, where  he  worked  in  the  store  of  Olds 
&  Whipple.  While  residing  at  New 
Braintree,  Mr.  Whipple,  Sr.,  took  a  prom- 
inent part  in  the  general  life  of  the  com- 
munity, and  held  the  post  of  first  select- 
man of  the  town  for  many  years.  He  was 
overseer  of  the  poor  there,  and  a  staunch 
and  active  Republican.  He  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Ouimby,  a  daughter  of  Isreal 
Allen,  and  a  native  of  Spencer,  Massachu- 
setts, where  she  was  born  May  i,  1825. 
The  death  of  Mr.  Whipple,  Sr.,  occurred 
at  Hartford,  December  22,  1898,  and  that 
of  his  wife  in  the  same  city,  January  27, 
igo8.  They  were  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  grew  to  maturity,  as 
follows :  Lizzie,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Alfred  A.  Olds,  the  partner  of  our  subject, 
a  sketch  of  whom  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  work ;  and  Frank  Herbert,  with 
whose  career  we  are  especially  concerned. 
Frank  Herbert  Whipple,  son  of  John  C. 
ai.d  Elizabeth  Ouimby  (Allen)  Whipple, 
was  born  April  23,  1856,  on  his  father's 
farm  at  New  Braintree.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  New 
Braintree,  at  Worcester  Academy,  and 
Eastman  Business  College  at  Poughkeep- 
sie,  New  York.  He  then  went  to  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts,  at  the  same  time  his 
father  moved  to  that  city,  and  there  se- 
cured a  position  in  the  employ  of  Hoiuer, 
Foot  &  Company,  dealers  in  hardware, 
iron  and  steel.  The  concern  was  a  large 
one  and  did  a  very  extensive  business  at 
that  time,  and  there  Mr.  Whipple  laid  the 
foundation  of  his  thorough  knowledge  of 
business  and  business  methods  generally. 
He  remained  for  three  years  with  Homer, 
Foot  &  Company,  and  then  withdrew  from 


that  concern  to  take  the  position  of  head 
bookkeeper  for  J.  S.  Carr  &  Company, 
which  did  a  large  cracker  baking  busi- 
ness. After  one  year  there,  he  formed  his 
present  partnership  with  Mr.  Olds  and 
came  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where 
they  now  operate  a  very  successful  busi- 
ness under  the  name  of  Olds  &  Whipple. 
Besides  this  concern,  Mr.  Whipple  is  as- 
sociated with  many  others,  among  them 
being  the  Windsor  Tobacco  Growers' 
Corporation  of  which  he  is  the  president ; 
the  New  England  Tobacco  Corporation  of 
which  he  is  the  treasurer ;  and  Steane, 
Hartman  &  Company,  a  large  corporation 
in  Hartford.  The  firm  of  Olds  &  Whipple 
is  a  very  old  one  and  deals  now  on  a  large 
scale  in  agricultural  implements,  stoves 
and  furnaces,  fertilizers  and  seed,  and  of 
recent  years  has  taken  up  extensively  the 
growing  of  tobacco.  It  is  at  present  one 
of  the  largest  dealers  in  fertilizers  in  the 
region. 

Mr.  Whipple  was  united  in  marriage, 
on  the  first  day  of  November,  1888,  at 
Huntington,  Massachusetts,  with  Miss 
Clara  Williams,  a  daughter  of  Augustus 
Williams,  of  Springfield,  Massachusetts ; 
she  was  born  on  the  21st  of  June,  i860,  at 
Ashfield,  Massachusetts.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Whipple  three  children  have  been 
born,  as  follows :  Frank  A.,  who  is  con- 
nected with  the  Hampton  Institute  of 
Hampton,  Virginia ;  Merle  W.,  who  is 
now  a  student  at  Yale  University,  class  of 
1917;  and  Marion  E..  of  the  class  of  1919, 
of  Wellesley  College.  Mr.  Whipple  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Asylum  Hill 
Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  is  a 
deacon. 


GILBERT,  Charles  Edwin, 

Secretary  Aetna  I<ife  Insurance  Company. 

He  comes  from  ancient  English  ances- 
try, it  being  written  of  the  Gilbert  fam- 
ily, that  they  are  "ancient  and  honorable." 


251 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


In  Volume  IV  of  the  "New  England  His- 
torical and  Genealogical  Register,"  J. 
Wingate  Thornton  says  of  the  Gilbert 
family:  "It  stands  conspicuous  among 
the  illustrious  names  of  Raleigh,  Drake, 
Cavendish,  Gosnold,  Hawkins,  and  a  host 
of  naval  worthies,  and  with  singular  hap- 
piness is  joined  with  the  three  first  named 
in  lineage  as  well  as  in  the  less  tangible 
but  generous  relationship  of  mind.  The 
name  Gilbert  is  Saxon,  signifying,  it  is 
thought,  'Bright  or  brave  pledge,'  from 
the  fact  that  it  is  written  in  'Domesday 
Book,'  'Gislebert,'  and  that  'Gisle'  in  old 
Saxon  signifies  a  pledge.  It  is  written  on 
the  Roll  of  Battle  Abbey,  T.  Gilbard. 
Richard  Fitz  Gilbert,  a  kinsman  of  the 
Conqueror,  and  a  principal  personage,  was 
for  his  services  advanced  to  great  honors 
and  possessions.  'The  name  is  eminent 
in  the  annals  of  the  church,  state  and 
learning  of  England,  through  several  cen- 
turies. Its  early  and  principal  home  is  in 
Devonshire,  and  from  this  stock,  distin- 
guished in  naval  and  commercial  history 
and  geographical  science  and  discoveries, 
issued  many  branches,  planted  in  other 
portions  of  the  country.'  Arms — 'Argent, 
on  a  chevron  sable  three  roses  of  the  first. 
Crest — A  dolphin,  naivant  embowed'." 

The  English  history  of  the  family  has 
been  traced  to  that  Gilbert  of  Compton, 
parish  of  Marldon,  County  Devon,  Eng- 
land, who  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
Thomas  Gilbert  and  his  wife  Amy.  The 
line  of  descent  is  through  their  son  Jef- 
frey Gilbert,  married  Jane  or  Joan,  daugh- 
ter and  coheir  of  William  Compton.  Esq., 
of  Compton ;  their  son,  William  Gilbert, 
of  Compton,  married  Elizalieth,  daughter 
and  coheir  of  Oliver  Champernon.  Esq., 
by  his  first  wife  Egelina,  daughter  of 
Hugh  Valetort,  Esq.,  of  Tamerton  ;  their 
son,  William  Gilbert,  of  Compton,  mar- 
ried Isabel,  daughter  of  William  Gambon, 
Esq.,  of  Mareston;    their  son,  Ortho  or 


Otes  Gilbert,  sheriff  of  Devonshire  under 
Edward  IV.,  1475,  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  John  (or  Robert)  Hill,  Esq., 
of  Shilston  in  Modbury ;  their  son,  Wil- 
liam Gilbert,  of  Ridge  Rule,  in  Cornwall. 

married Carlisle.    Richard  Gilbert, 

of  the  eighth  generation,  son  of  William, 
was  of  North  Fetherwin,  Devonshire, 
moved  to  Norfolk,  and  became  lord  of 
the  manor  of  Waldcote  in  North  Burling- 
ton, where  he  died  in  1545.  He  married  a 
second  wife,  Elizabeth,  and  was  succeeded 
by  their  son,  Thomas  Gilbert,  lord  of  the 
manor  of  Waldcote,  who  married  Aubray, 
daughter  of  Thomas  Brooks,  in  Norfolk. 
The  American  history  of  the  family  be- 
gins with  Jonathan  Gilbert,  son  of  Thom- 
as and  Aubray  (Brooks)  Gilbert,  of  the 
manor  of  Waldcote.  Jonathan  Gilbert  is 
on  record  as  of  Hartford  in  1645,  ^^'^'^  ^^'^^ 
then  a  bachelor  landholder  aged  about 
twenty-seven.  No  doubt  he  arrived  in 
New  England  at  a  much  earlier  date,  for 
in  April,  1646,  he  was  sufficiently  familiar 
with  the  language  of  the  Indians  to  act  as 
interpreter  between  them  and  the  govern- 
ment officials.  This  ability,  coupled  with 
personal  bravery,  enabled  him  to  render 
valuable  service.  He  was  generally  se- 
lected as  a  leader  in  emergencies,  and 
was  a  man  of  eminent  respectability  and 
enterprise,  engaged  in  mercantile  busi- 
ness and  coasting  trade  of  the  young  colo- 
nies, possessed  of  great  wealth  for  that 
day.  He  held  various  civil  offices;  was 
collector  of  customs  at  Hartford  ;  served 
as  marshal  of  the  colony ;  office  corres- 
i;ondent  to  the  high  sheriff;  representa- 
tive to  the  General  Court ;  and  by  govern- 
ment grants  and  purchase  became  pos- 
sessed of  large  tracts  of  land.  He  mar- 
ried a  second  wife,  Mary  Welles,  born 
1626,  died  July  3,  1700,  a  sister  of  Gov- 
ernor Thomas  Welles,  and  daughter  of 
Frances  Colman,  by  her  first  husband, 
Hugh  Welles.  Jonathan  Gilbert  died  De- 
252 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


cember  lo,  1682,  and  his  tombstone  is  yet 
to  be  seen  in  the  burying  ground  in  the 
rear  of  the  Center  Congregational  Church, 
Hartford. 

Samuel  Gilbert,  son  of  Jonathan,  "the 
founder,"  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of 
the  town  of  Colchester,  Connecticut,  set- 
tling about  1698  and  there  residing  until 
his  death  in  1733. 

His  son,  Samuel  (2)  Gilbert,  settled  in 
Gilead,  Connecticut,  and  was  a  member  of 
the  church  there  from  the  date  of  the  or- 
ganization of  the  parish  in  1748. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son.  Captain 
Samuel  (3)  Gilbert,  of  Gilead,  born  Octo- 
ber 16,  171 1,  died  in  Lyme,  New  Hamp- 
shire, October  16,  1774.  He  served  in  the 
French  and  Indian  wars  as  ensign  of  the 
North  Company  of  Hebron  in  May,  1745  ; 
captain  of  the  Gilead  Company  in  1749; 
and  as  captain  of  the  Seventeenth  Com- 
jmny,  Third  Connecticut  Regiment,  for 
the  expedition  against  Crown  Point  in 
1755.  He  is  said  to  have  left  an  estate 
inventoried  at  i6,ooo.  He  married  (first) 
February  17,  1732,  Elizabeth  Curtice.  One 
of  his  sons,  Sylvester  Gilbert,  from  whom 
Charles  Edwin  Gilbert  also  descends  in  a 
maternal  line,  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, a  lawyer  of  Hebron,  Connecticut, 
judge  of  Tolland  county  court  for  many 
years,  member  of  the  State  Legislature 
eighteen  semi-annual  sessions,  member  of 
the  commission  which  made  the  sale  of 
the  Western  Reserve  lands,  and  all  his 
life  conducted  a  farm. 

Samuel  (4)  Gilbert,  half-brother  of 
Judge  Sylvester  Gilbert,  and  son  of  Cap- 
tain Samuel  (3)  Gilbert,  was  born  in 
Gilead,  Connecticut,  June  3,  I734-  ^^ 
settled  in  Hebron,  Connecticut,  April  21, 
1818.  He  was  employed  on  the  farm  until 
reaching  legal  age,  but  in  the  mean  time 
had  acquired  a  good  preparatory  educa- 
tion. He  then  entered  Yale  College,  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1759.  admitted 


to  the  bar,  became  eminent  as  lawyer  and 
judge,  serving  as  judge  of  the  Court  of 
Common  Pleas  for  twenty-one  years.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Connecticut  House 
of  Assembly  in  1790-92-93-99;  also  held 
many  important  civil  offices,  and  the  mili- 
tary rank  of  lieutenant,  serving  in  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  in  1775  In  his  judicial 
capacity  he  proved  the  high  quality  of  his 
mentality  and  uprightness  of  character, 
and  all  through  his  life  was  a  man  held  in 
the  very  highest  esteem.  The  end  of  life 
saw  him  in  full  possession  of  his  lofty 
mind,  and  with  perfect  composure  he 
passed  to  that  "bourne  from  which  no 
traveler  ever  returns."  He  married  (sec- 
ond) September  3,  1775,  Deborah  Cham- 
pion, born  May  3,  1753,  died  November 
20,  1845,  youngest  daughter  of  Colonel 
Henry  and  Deborah  (Brainard)  Cham- 
pion, granddaughter  of  Lieutenant  Henry 
Champion,  son  of  Thomas  Champion,  son 
of  Henry  Champion,  the  American  foun- 
der of  the  family.  Henry  Champion,  born 
in  England,  settled  in  Saybrook,  Connec- 
ticut, as  early  as  1647  ^^'^  i"  i6jo  moved 
to  Lyme,  Connecticut,  and  there  died, 
February  17,  1708,  aged  ninety-eight 
years.  His  grandson.  Lieutenant  Henry 
Champion,  settled  in  East  Haddam,  where 
he  bought  fifty  acres  in  the  first  division 
of  land.  He  is  described  as  "a  man  of 
more  than  medium  height,  square  and 
compactly  built,  all  his  joints  seemingly 
double,  and  possessed  of  great  strength." 
His  son.  Colonel  Henry  Champion,  born 
1723,  died  1797,  began  his  military  career 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  as  ensign  of  the 
East  Haddam  South  Company;  was  cap- 
tain of  a  company  serving  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War  in  1758;  captain  of  the 
Fifth  Company  of  the  Second  Regiment 
in  1759.  and  transferred  to  the  command 
of  the  Twelfth  Company  in  1760.  He  was 
appointed  major  of  the  Twelfth  Regim.ent 
of  Colonial  Militia,  May  14,  1772:   com- 


253 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


missary  to  supply  Washington's  troops 
until  March,  1776;  colonel  of  the  Twenty- 
fifth  Regiment,  1775;  and  after  the  army 
began  to  assemble  at  New  York,  was  in 
charge  of  the  commissary.  In  April,  1780, 
he  was  appointed  sole  commissary-gen- 
eral for  the  Eastern  Department  of  the 
Continental  army,  and  relieved  the  army 
at  Morristown,  New  Jersey,  largely  from 
his  own  resources.  He  resigned  in  May, 
1780.  He  was  many  times  elected  to  the 
Connecticut  Legislature,  and  ftom  1775 
until  his  death  in  1797,  was  deacon  of 
the  Westchester  church.  His  first  wife, 
Deborah  Brainard,  who  was  the  mother 
of  all  his  children,  was  born  June  20,  1724, 
died  March  17,  1789.  daughter  of  Captain 
Joshua  and  Mehitable  (Dudley)  Brainard. 

Peyton  Randolph  Gilbert,  son  of  Judge 
Samuel  (4)  and  Deborah  (Champion)  Gil- 
bert, did  not  follow  the  professional  lead 
of  his  father,  but  was  a  substantial  farmer 
of  Gilead  all  his  life,  also  an  eminent  citi- 
zen of  Tolland  county,  serving  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  and  in  the  State 
Senate.  He  married  Anna,  daughter  of 
Elisha  and  Mary  Gillett  Porter. 

Rev.  Edwin  Randolph  Gilbert,  son  of 
Peyton  Randolph  Gilbert,  was  born  in 
Gilead,  Connecticut,  February  10,  1808, 
died  in  April,  1874.  He  prepared  in 
Gilead  public  schools  and  Monson  Acad- 
emy (Massachusetts),  and  entered  Yale 
College,  whence  he  was  graduated,  class 
of  1829.  He  then  pursued  studies  in  divin- 
ity at  Yale  Theological  Seminary,  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1832,  ordained 
pi'stor  of  the  Wallingford,  Connecticut, 
Congregational  church  the  same  year,  and 
continued  its  pastor  forty-one  years.  He 
knew  no  other  pastorate  than  Walling- 
ford, his  connection  with  that  church  end- 
ing with  his  resignation  two  months  prior 
to  his  death.  He  was  dearly  beloved  by 
his  people  and  townsmen ;  was  a  man  of 
deep  piety  and  intellectuality,  serving  well 


the  cause  of  Christianity.  For  twenty-five 
years  he  was  a  member  of  the  corporation 
of  Yale  College,  his  alma  muter.  He  mar- 
ried Ann  Langdon,  born  1809,  died  1841, 
daughter  of  Reuben  Langdon,  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  a  descendant  of  George 
Langdon,  who  came  from  England  to 
Wethersfield,  Connecticut,  about  1636. 
The  line  of  descent  from  George  Lang- 
don was  through  his  son  John,  a  deputy 
to  the  General  Court  from  Farmington, 
Connecticut,  in  1668 ;  his  son,  Joseph 
Langdon,  of  Farmington  ;  his  son  Joseph 
(2),  of  Farmington  and  Southington  ;  his 
son  Giles,  of  Farmington  and  Southing- 
ton  ;  his  son  Reuben,  of  Farmington,  New 
London  and  Hartford. 

Reuben  Langdon  was  born  in  Farm- 
ington, Connecticut,  in  1777,  was  engaged 
in  business  in  New  London  until  about 
1817,  when  he  moved  to  Hartford,  there 
establishing  a  dry  goods  business  which 
under  varied  ownerships  yet  continues. 
After  his  withdrawal  from  the  dry  goods 
business  he  became  treasurer  of  the  Soci- 
ety for  Savings,  popularly  known  as  the 
Pratt  Street  Bank,  and  was  a  director  of 
the  Phoenix  Bank.  He  died  in  Hartford 
in  1849.  Reuben  Langdon  married,  in 
1803,  Patience  Gilbert,  daughter  of  Judge 
Sylvester  Gilbert  and  niece  of  Judge  Samr 
uel  (4)  Gilbert,  grandfather  of  Rev.  Ed- 
win Randolph  Gilbert,  both  he  and  his 
wife,  Ann  Langdon,  being  great-grand- 
children of  Captain  Samuel  (3)  Gilbert. 

From  such  distinguished  ancestry 
comes  Charles  Edwin  Gilbert  of  the  eighth 
Gilbert  American  generation,  son  of  Rev. 
Edwin  Randolph  and  Ann  (Langdon) 
Gilbert.  He  was  born  November  8,  1836, 
in  Wallingford,  Connecticut,  and  received 
his  education  in  the  schools  of  that  town 
and  Farmington.  For  some  years  he  was 
engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Hart- 
ford and  New  York.  In  1868  he  entered 
the   office   of    the   ^tna    Life    Insurance 


254 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Company,  in  Hartford,  and  his  adapta- 
bility to  insurance  business  soon  became 
manifest.  He  served  successively  as  ac- 
countant, cashier,  assistant  secretary  and 
secretary,  being  elected  to  the  latter  posi- 
tion in  1905. 

While  for  nearly  a  half  century  his 
identity  has  been  merged  with  that  of  the 
^tna  Life  Insurance  Company,  Mr.  Gil- 
bert has  taken  an  active  part  in  city 
affairs,  and  has  been  prominent  in  many 
of  its  most  important  organizations.  He 
was  an  original  member  of  the  old  City 
Guard,  and  for  several  years  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Governor's  Foot  Guard,  hold- 
ing rank  as  adjutant ;  and  is  yet  an  hon- 
ored member  of  its  Veteran  Corps,  and  a 
trustee  of  the  Foot  Guard  Armory.  He 
was  an  original  Republican  in  politics, 
and  was  one  of  the  thirty  organizing 
members  of  the  famous  "Wide-Awake" 
marching  club  of  Hartford  in  1861,  an 
organization  which  spread  throughout  the 
entire  North,  and  whose  advocacy  of  Lin- 
coln for  the  Presidency  was  an  all-impor- 
tant factor  in  bringing  that  great  man  to 
his  mission  as  the  Savior  of  the  Union. 
Mr.  Gilbert  is  a  member  of  the  Hartford 
Club,  the  Hartford  Golf  Club,  the  Repub- 
lican Club,  the  Twentieth  Century  Club, 
the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  the 
Connecticut  Historical  Society,  and  is  a 
trustee  of  the  Good  Will  Club.  He  and 
his  wife  are  both  members  of  the  Asylum 
Hill  Congregational  Church,  in  which  he 
has  served  as  deacon,  and  also  as  chair- 
man of  the  society's  committee.  Mr.  Gil- 
bert's life  has  been  one  of  continued  activ- 
ity from  youth.  He  has  borne  well  his 
part  in  the  development  of  one  of  the 
greatest  insurance  corporations  of  the 
world,  and  has  uninterruptedly  enjoyed 
the  confidence  and  highest  personal  re- 
gard of  his  official  associates — men  who 
are  best  qualified  to  judge  of  the  value 
of  his  business  abilities  and  the  worth  of 
his  personal  character. 


Mr.  Gilbert  married  Virginia  Ewing 
Crane,  daughter  of  Aaron  G.  Crane,  of 
New  York  City,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  three  sons — Albert  Waldron  Gilbert, 
an  insurance  broker,  of  Hartford ;  Edwin 
Randolph  Gilbert,  a  business  man  of  Chi- 
cago; and  Charles  Allan  Gilbert,  a  well 
known  illustrator  and  artist  of  New  York 
City. 


GROSS,  Charles  Edward, 

Attorney,  President  of  Connecticnt  Hiatori- 
cal  Society. 

By  his  personal  efforts  and  through  his 
qualities  of  industry,  perception  and 
steady  application,  Mr.  Gross  has  attained 
a  high  position  at  the  bar  of  the  State. 
He  is  among  the  most  public-spirited 
citizens  of  Hartford,  has  given  freely  of 
his  time  and  services  to  the  city,  and  is 
interested  in  several  of  its  most  important 
business  enterprises.  From  early  New 
England  ancestors,  Mr.  Gross  has  drawn 
the  qualities  that  make  for  success  and 
that  constitute  good  citizenship. 

It  is  supposed  that  his  first  American 
ancestor,  Isaac  Gross,  was  born  in  or  near 
Cornwall,  England.  He  settled  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  and  there  his  name 
appears  under  a  variety  of  spellings  such 
as  Groce,  Grose,  Grosse  and  Growse.  He 
was  accompanied  to  this  country  by  his 
brother,  Edmond  Gross,  who  was  a  sea- 
faring man  and  a  proprietor  of  Boston  as 
early  as  1639.  Isaac  Gross  was  a  brewer 
by  trade,  but  seems  to  have  engaged  in 
agriculture  after  his  arrival  in  America. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  Boston  church 
April  17,  1636,  but  accepted  the  teachings 
of  Wheelwright,  and  was  dismissed  from 
that  church  to  Exeter,  New  Hampshire, 
January  6,  1638.  He  had  a  grant  of  land 
in  1636  in  the  great  allotment  at  what  is 
now  Brookline,  and  after  his  dismissal 
to  Exeter  he  returned  again  to  Boston, 
where  his  will  was  proved  June  5,  1649. 


255 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


It  is  probable  that  he  was  possessed  of 
some  means  when  he  crossed  the  ocean, 
for  he  left  one  of  the  largest  estates  of 
his  time  at  his  death.  His  wife's  bap- 
tismal name  was  Ann,  and  after  his  death 
she  married  (second)  August  15,  1658, 
Samuel  Sheere,  of  Dedham. 

Clement  Gross,  son  of  Isaac  and  Ann, 
born  in  England,  accompanied  his  father 
to  Boston,  where  he  lived,  and  was  also 
a  brewer  by  trade.  His  first  wife  Mary 
was  the  mother  of  Simon  Gross,  born 
about  1650  in  Boston,  died  at  Hingham, 
Massachusetts,  April  26,  1696.  He  had 
settled  there  as  early  as  1675,  and  married 
there,  October  23rd  of  that  year,  Mary, 
daughter  of  John  Bond,  born  December 
16,  1657.  Simon  Gross  was  a  boatman, 
and  had  a  residence  on  Scituate  street, 
Hingham.  His  estate  was  valued  at  £198 
5$.  3d.  His  second  son,  Simon  Gross, 
was  born  February  4,  1678,  in  Hingham, 
lived  in  that  town  and  Eastham^  Massa- 
chusetts. He  married,  October  13,  1709, 
Experience  Freeman,  daughter  of  Lieu- 
tenant Edmund  and  Sarah  (Mayo)  Free- 
man, granddaughter  of  Alajor  John  and 
Mercy  (Prence)  Freeman.  The  last  named 
was  the  daughter  of  Governor  Thomas 
and  Patience  (Brewster)  Prence,  and 
granddaughter  of  Elder  William  Brew- 
ster, of  the  "Mayflower"  colony.  She 
was  also  descended  from  Edmund  Free- 
man, the  pioneer,  and  Rev.  John  Mayo, 
the  pioneer  clergyman.  Her  eldest  child 
was  Freeman  Gross,  born  about  1710-11, 
at  Eastham,  or  Truro,  died  in  1742.  Two 
of  his  uncles  removed  from  Hingham  to 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  he  joined  them 
there.  He  was  admitted  to  the  first 
church  of  Hartford.  October  15,  1732,  and 
married  Susannah  Bunce.  They  were  the 
parents  of  Thomas  Gross,  born  in  1738, 
died  .\ugust  26,  1773.  He  married.  May 
I  1762,  Huldah  Seymour,  born  January 
la.  1745,  died  January,  1836,  daughter  of 


Richard  Seymour,  a  descendant  of  Rich- 
ard Seymour,  an  original  proprietor  of 
Hartford  in  1639.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband  she  removed  with  her  children  to 
Litchfield,  Connecticut,  and  there  married 
Ashbel  Catlin,  with  whom  she  removed 
to  Shoreham,  Vermont.  Her  son,  Thomas 
Freeman  Gross,  born  November  30,  1772, 
in  Hartford,  died  at  Litchfield,  March  3, 
1846.  In  1773  he  married  Lydia,  daughter 
of  John  Mason,  born  April  14,  1773,  died 
July  23,  1864.  They  were  the  parents  of 
Mason  Gross,  born  1809,  in  Litchfield, 
died  in  Hartford,  March  10,  1864.  At  the 
age  of  seventeen  years,  he  located  in  Hart- 
ford and  there  became  in  time  a  success- 
ful wool  merchant.  For  several  years  he 
was  captain  of  the  Light  Infantry  Com- 
pany of  Hartford.  He  married,  in  1832, 
Cornelia  Barnard,  daughter  of  John  (2) 
and  Sallie  (Robbins)  Barnard,  of  Hart- 
ford, and  granddaughter  of  Captain  John 
Barnard,  a  soldier  of  the  early  French 
wars,  also  of  the  Revolution,  and  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincin- 
nati. Their  youngest  child  is  the  subject 
of  this  biography. 

Charles  Edward  Gross  was  born  Au- 
gust 18,  1847,  in  Hartford,  where  his  boy- 
hood was  passed  receiving  instruction  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  city.  Entermg 
Yale  University,  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  was  one  of  the  lead- 
ing members  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa,  and 
was  graduated  in  1869.  After  leaving 
Yale  he  spent  one  year  in  teaching  in 
Hall's  School  at  Ellington,  Connecticut. 
In  1870  he  began  the  study  of  law  under 
the  instruction  of  Hon.  Charles  J.  Hoad- 
ley.  State  Librarian,  and  later  in  the  office 
of  Waldo,  Hubbard  &  Hyde,  leading 
attorneys  of  the  city.  Mr.  Gross  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Hartford  county  in 
September,  1872,  but  continued  four  years 
as  a  law  clerk  with  Waldo,  Hubbard  & 
Hyde.    In  January,  1877,  he  was  admitted 


256 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  partnership  in  the  firm,  and  on  the 
death  of  Judge  Waldo  in  1881  the  name 
of  the  firm  became  Hubbard,  Hyde  & 
Gross.  After  the  death  of  Governor  Hub- 
bard in  1884  it  was  changed  to  Hyde, 
Gross  &  Hyde.  Following  the  death  of 
Hon.  Alvin  P.  Hyde,  the  firm  became 
Gross,  Hyde  &  Shipman,  and  has  thus 
continued  to  the  present  time.  Among 
the  members  of  the  firm  is  now  included 
Charles  Welles  Gross,  a  son  of  its  head. 

Mr.  Charles  E.  Gross  has  given  especial 
attention  to  corporation  affairs,  has 
handled  a  very  extensive  practice  as  insur- 
ance lawyer,  has  conducted  many  import- 
ant cases  with  remarkable  skill,  and 
stands  among  the  first  of  the  State  in  his 
profession.  In  his  long  and  active  career 
he  has  become  identified  with  various 
undertakings  ;  has  been  director  and  coun- 
sel of  the  Phoenix  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Company  since  its  reorganization  in  1889 ; 
is  the  director  and  counsel  of  the  Aetna 
Insurance  Company;  and  has  been  at 
times  a  director  of  the  New  York  &  New 
England  Railroad  Company,  and  of  The 
Connecticut  River  Railroad  Company. 
He  is  the  president  of  the  Society  for 
Savings,  of  Hartford,  the  largest  institu- 
tion of  its  kind  in  the  State,  having  assets 
of  over  $42,000,000;  since  1898  has  been 
president  of  the  Holyoke  Water  Power 
Company,  which  owns  the  large  dam 
across  the  Connecticut  river,  furnishing 
the  hydraulic  power  used  at  Holyoke, 
Massachusetts.  As  attorney  for  Mrs. 
Samuel  Colt,  for  many  years  he  repre- 
sented her  in  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Colt's  Patent  Fire  Arms  Manufacturing 
Company.  He  has  also  acted  as  a  director 
in  many  manufacturing  companies. 

While  deeply  absorbed  in  his  practice 
and  in  business  matters.  Mr.  Gross  has 
not  neglected  the  literary  and  other  inter- 
ests of  life.  He  is  the  vice-president  of 
the    Wadsworth    Atheneum,    which    has 


charge  of  the  beautiful  Morgan  Memorial 
erected  by  the  late  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  in 
memory  of  his  father.  In  1917  Mr.  Gross 
was  elected  president  of  the  Connecticut 
Historical  Society  to  succeed  the  late  Dr. 
Samuel  Hart,  of  Middletown,  who  so  long 
filled  that  position  with  eminent  satis- 
faction to  the  people  of  the  State.  Mr. 
Gross  has  served  as  president  of  the  Yale 
Alumni  Association  of  Hartford,  is  a 
member  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati, 
and  of  many  of  the  patriotic  organiza- 
tions, two  of  which  he  has  served  as  gov- 
ernor. For  many  years  he  was  vice-presi- 
dent and  since  March,  1917,  has  been 
president  of  the  Hartford  Bar  Association, 
and  for  eighteen  years  was  a  Park  Com- 
missioner of  the  city,  serving  twice  as 
president  of  the  board.  One  of  the  organ- 
izers of  the  Hartford  Board  of  Trade  and 
a  member  of  its  board  of  directors  since 
its  organization,  he  was  several  years  its 
president.  In  1885  he  became  secretary 
of  the  committee  of  twenty  appointed  to 
arouse  public  interest  to  the  importance 
of  action  on  liquor  licenses  and  other 
public  questions.  In  this  work  Mr.  Gross 
was  deeply  interested,  and  he  strove  to 
promote  action  which  should  best  serve 
the  general  welfare.  In  1891  a  committee 
or  five  was  appointed  by  the  town,  headed 
by  Professor  John  J.  McCook,  on  outdoor 
alms,  and  Mr.  Gross  was  one  of  the  most 
active  and  useful  members  of  this  comr 
mittee.  Its  investigations  divulged  the 
fact  that  the  United  States  expended  more 
per  capita  in  outdoor  alms-giving  than  any 
other  nation,  that  Connecticut  led  all  the 
other  States,  and  that  Hartford  led  in 
Connecticut.  The  advantage  to  this 
committee,  and  others  on  which  he 
served,  of  Mr.  Gross's  great  legal  knowl- 
edge and  perception,  was  very  great,  and 
the  report  of  the  McCook  committee  pro- 
duced a  sensation  in  the  city  and  was  the 
direct  means  of  abating  various  abuses. 


Conn— 3— 17 


257 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


This  report  has  been  established  as  a 
textbook  in  colleges  on  charity  work  on 
account  of  its  great  statistical  value.  Mr. 
Gross  was  made  president  at  the  creation 
of  the  City  Club,  organized  for  municipal 
reform,  and  has  shown  in  multitudes  of 
ways  his  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
city  and  the  State.  The  medical  prac- 
titioners of  Connecticut  have  shown 
great  appreciation  of  the  public  services 
of  Mr.  Gross,  who  has  invariably  declined 
to  accept  any  fee  for  services  to  the  so- 
ciety. In  speaking  of  this,  the  "Hartford 
Courant"  said : 

The  doctors,  however,  have  taken  another  way 
to  testify  their  appreciation  of  his  assistance,  and 
yesterday  the  society,  through  its  officers,  pre- 
sented him  with  a  unique  and  very  choice  testi- 
monial. It  is  in  the  shape  of  a  beautiful  hand- 
made volume,  bound  in  white  morocco,  and  en- 
closed in  a  rich,  silk  case.  The  book,  on  open- 
ing, is  found  to  consist  of  a  number  of  parch- 
ment pages  on  which  are  exquisitely  engrossed  the 
resolutions  of  thanks  passed  by  the  society.  The 
illuminated  lettering  in  colors  is  worthy  the  old 
monks,  and  the  whole  work  is  noticeably  beauti- 
ful. *  *  *  Xhe  resolutions  which  were  printed 
in  the  volume  are  as  follows :  In  recognition  of 
the  distinguished  service  rendered  to  the  people 
of  Connecticut  by  Charles  E.  Gross,  Esq.,  in  con- 
nection with  the  recent  passage  of  the  Medical 
Practice  Bill  by  the  Legislature,  and  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  this  service  has  included  many  scores 
of  conferences  with  the  members  of  the  committee 
which  represented  this  society  in  securing  such 
legislation :  the  drafting  of  the  bill  and  subse- 
quent modifications  of  it;  the  presentation  of  the 
most  cogent  of  arguments  in  favor  of  its  enact- 
ment ;  which  latter  has  covered  some  years  and 
all  of  which  has  been  done  without  compensation, 
and  often  with  great  personal  inconvenience  and 
sacrifice  of  business  interests,  and  with  such  de- 
votion to  the  welfare  of  all  concerned  as  to  render 
it  almost  if  not  quite  unique  in  character;  there- 
fore, "Resolved,  That  the  Connecticut  Medical 
Society  hereby  expresses  its  high  appreciation  of 
these  services  of  Mr.  Gross,  and  begs  to  extend 
to  him  in  behalf  of  its  members  and  its  constitu- 
ency its  thanks  and  congratulations,  that  this  reso- 
lution be  spread  upon  the  records  of  the  society, 
and  that  a  copy  be  suitably  engrossed  for  presen- 
tation to  him." 


Mr.  Gross  was  married,  October  5, 
1875,  to  Miss  Ellen  C.  Spencer,  of  Hart- 
ford, daughter  of  Calvin  and  Clarissa  M. 
(Root)  Spencer,  and  they  have  had  two 
sons  and  a  daughter:  Charles  Welles; 
William  Spencer,  who  died  in  infancy, 
and  Helen  Clarissa  Gross.  The  elder  son 
married,  in  1905,  Hilda  Welch,  of  New 
Haven,  and  has  two  sons — Spencer 
Gross,  and  Mason  W.  Gross,  and  one 
daughter,  Cornelia  Gross. 


DWIGHT,  Gen.  Heru-y  Cecil, 

Man  of  Affairs,  Civil  War  Veteran. 

The  Dwight  family,  represented  in  the 
present  generation  by  General  Henry 
Cecil  Dwight,  ex-mayor  of  Hartford  and 
president  of  the  Mechanics'  Savings 
Bank  of  Hartford,  also  for  many  years 
identified  with  important  mercantile  and 
financial  interests,  is  one  of  the  oldest  in 
New  England,  and  has  contributed  an 
unusually  large  number  of  men  who 
have  achieved  signal  success  in  various 
walks  of  life,  educators,  public  men, 
judges,  lawyers,  journalists,  business  and 
military  men.  The  State  of  Connecticut 
is  indebted  to  the  Dwight  family  for  some 
very  able  men  who  have  been  largely 
instrumental  in  its  upbuilding,  and  prom- 
inent among  these  were  the  Rev.  Timo- 
thy Dwight,  former  president  of  Yale 
University,  and  Major  Timothy  Dwight. 

(I)  John  Dwight,  the  immigrant  ances- 
tor, came  to  the  New  World  late  in  the 
year  1634  or  early  in  1635,  from  Dedham, 
England,  and  settled  first  at  Watertown, 
Massachusetts.  He  came  not  to  better 
his  fortune,  but  to  seek  the  religious  free- 
dom denied  him  in  the  land  of  his  birth. 
The  records  of  Dedham,  Massachusetts, 
which  began  September  i,  1635,  when  the 
first  town  meeting  was  held,  shows  that 
John  Dwight  was  one  of  the  twelve  per- 
sons there  assembled.    He  was  one  of  the 


258 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


original  grantees  of  the  town,  and  it  is 
said  that  he  with  others  brought  the  first 
water-mill  to  Dedham,  in  September, 
1635.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
church  which  was  established  there  in 
1638,  and  the  town  records  speak  of  him 
as  "having  been  publicly  useful,"  and 
again  as  "a  great  peace-maker."  He 
served  as  selectman  from  1639  to  1655. 
He  died  January  24,  1659  (old  style),  and 
his  widow,  Hannah  Dwight,  the  mother 
of  all  his  children,  died  September  5, 
1656. 

(II)  Captain  Timothy  Dwight,  son  of 
John  and  Hannah  Dwight,  was  born  in 
Dedham,  England,  in  1629.  He  was 
brought  to  this  country  by  his  parents, 
and  although  there  were  no  schools  at 
Dedham,  Massachusetts,  at  that  early 
day,  his  career  plainly  demonstrates  that 
he  was  well  trained  at  home,  his  mother 
having  been  a  woman  of  superior  intelli- 
gence and  character.  He  was  made  a 
freeman  in  1655 ;  served  ten  years  as  town 
clerk;  and  from  1664  to  1689  as  select- 
man ;  and  was  a  representative  to  the 
General  Court  in  1691-92.  He  was  one  of 
the  agents  who  negotiated  with  the  In- 
dians for  the  purchase  of  their  title  to  the 
lands  comprising  the  town  of  Dedham. 
In  his  younger  years  he  was  cornet  of  a 
troop,  went  out  ten  times  against  the 
Indians,  and  held  the  rank  of  "Captain  of 
Foot."  It  was  said  of  him  "he  inherited 
the  estate  and  virtues  of  his  father,  and 
added  to  both."  He  was  married  six 
times.  The  line  herein  followed  is  traced 
through  the  second  child  of  his  third 
wife,  Anna  (Flint)  Dwight,  born  Sep- 
tember II,  1643,  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Henry  Flint,  of  Braintree  (now  Ouincy) 
Massachusetts,  and  his  wife,  Margery 
(Hoar)  Flint,  a  sister  of  President  Hoar, 
of  Harvard  College.  She  married  (first) 
November  15.  1662,  John  Dassett,  and 
(second)  January  9,  1665,  Captain  Timo- 


thy Dwight.  Of  her  it  was  said,  "she 
was  a  gentlewoman  of  piety,  prudence, 
and  peculiarly  accomplished  for  instruct- 
ing young  gentlewomen — many  being 
sent  to  her  from  other  towns,  especially 
from  Boston."  Captain  Dwight  died 
January  31,  1717,  and  his  third  wife, 
above  mentioned,  died  January  29,  1685- 
86. 

(III)  Nathaniel  Dwight,  son  of  Cap- 
tain Timothy  and  Anna  (Flint)  Dwight, 
was  born  November  20,  1660,  and  died 
November  7,  171 1.  He  removed  from 
Dedham  to  Hatfield,  Massachusetts,  and 
from  there,  about  1695,  to  Northampton, 
where  he  resided  until  his  death.  He  was 
a  trader,  farmer,  and  surveyor  of  land  on 
a  large  scale.  He  held  the  office  of  jus- 
tice of  the  peace.  He  married,  December 
9,  1693,  Mehitable,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Samuel  and  Mehitable  (Crow)  Partridge, 
of  Hatfield,  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Dwight 
died  November  7,  1711,  and  the  death  of 
his  widow  occurred  October  19,  1756. 

(IV)  Colonel  Timothy  (2)  Dwight. 
son  of  Nathaniel  and  Mehitable  (Part- 
ridge) Dwight,  was  born  at  Hatfield, 
Massachusetts,  October  19,  1694,  and  died 
December  15,  1763,  leaving  an  estate 
valued  at  nine  thousand  pounds.  He  was 
a  lawyer  by  profession,  and  was  noted 
for  his  disposition  to  discourage  litiga- 
tion, persuading  litigants  to  settle  their 
differences  before  referees.  He  was 
looked  up  to  as  one  of  the  leading  men  in 
the  community,  was  very  successful  in 
his  undertakings,  and  acquired  consider- 
able wealth.  He  was  selectman  of  the 
town  for  a  number  of  years  ;  was  judge  of 
probate,  1737-41 ;  judge  of  the  County 
Court,  1748-57,  a  portion  of  the  time 
serving  as  chief  justice ;  for  many  years 
represented  Northampton  in  the  General 
Court,  and  was  colonel  of  a  regiment. 
He  superintended  the  building  of  Fort 
Dummer  in   Vernon    (now   Brattleboro), 


259 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


"Vermont,  in  1724;  he  was  first  com- 
mander of  the  fort,  and  occupied  that 
position  until  1726.  In  1724  he  also  super- 
intended the  building  of  another  fort  at 
Northfield.  He  was  largely  employed 
also  in  surveying  and  platting  towns  in 
that  section  of  the  country.  He  married, 
August  16,  1716,  Experience,  daughter  of 
Lieutenant  John  King.  Jr.,  of  Northamp- 
ton, and  his  wife,  Mehitable  (Pomeroy) 
King.     Mrs.  Dwight  died  December   15, 

(V)  Major  Timothy   (3)    Dwight,  son 
cf  Colonel  Timothy   (2)   and  Experience 
(Jsling)   Dwight,  was  born  at  Fort  Dum- 
mer,  Vermont,  May  27,  1726.     He  was  a 
graduate  of  Yale  University  in  1747.    His 
father  had  planned  for  him  a  career  in  the 
legal  profession,  but  that  did  not  appeal 
to  him    and  he    became  a  merchant    at 
Northampton.      He    filled    the    office    of 
selectman  from  1760  to  1764;  was  town 
recorder  from    1760  to   1765;  register  of 
probate  and  judge  of  the  Court  of  Com- 
mon Pleas  from  1758  to  1774,  succeeding 
his  father  who  resigned  that  position  in 
1757;    and  was  a    representative   to    the 
General  Court  for  a  number  of  years.    He 
conceived  the  idea  of  founding  an  indus- 
trial and  religious  colony  at  Natchez,  and 
he  accordingly  purchased  largely  of  the 
crown  grant  made  to  General  Lyman  at 
that  place.     In  the  spring  of  1776  he  set 
out    for   the    southwest    with    his    sons, 
Sereno  and  Jonathan,  and  his  sister,  Mrs. 
Eleanor   Lyman,  and  her  children.     His 
health,  which  previously  had  been  good, 
gave    way    within    a    years'    time    to    the 
severe  strain  put  upon  it,  and  his  death 
occurred  June   10,   1777.  the  death  of  his 
sister     Eleanor     having     occurred     two 
months    previously.      He    married,    No- 
vember 8,    1750,   Mary,   daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards,  by  whom  he  had 
thirteen    children.     She  was    "uniformly 
described  as  a  lady  of  uncommon  beauty, 
intellisrence  and  excellence." 


(VI)  Colonel  Cecil  Dwight,  son  of 
Major  Timothy  (3)  and  Mary  (Edwards) 
Dwight,  was  born  June  10,  1774.  During 
his  young  manhood  he  served  as  deputy 
sheriff  and  a  colonel  of  militia,  and  he 
was  also  an  auctioneer.  In  1812  he  was 
a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  and 
served  in  an  acceptable  manner.  In  1824 
he  retired  to  his  farm  comprising  three 
hundred  acres,  which  he  cultivated  and 
im!iroved.  Like  his  progenitors  he  was 
a  sincerely  religious  man,  and  he  was  dis- 
tinguished for  the  positiveness  of  his 
moral  convictions  and  conduct,  and  for 
his  simplicity,  modesty,  gentleness,  indus- 
try and  energy.  He  was  largely  employed 
as  an  arbitrator,  and  actively  promoted 
the  material  interests  of  the  town.  He 
married,  in  June,  1798,  Mary  Clap,  born 
February  12,  1774,  died  May  16,  1844. 
She  survived  her  husband  a  number  of 
years,  his  death  occurring  at  Moscow, 
New  York,  November  26,  1839. 

(VII)  Rev.  Henry  Augustus  Dwight, 
son  of  Colonel  Cecil  and  Mary  (Clap) 
Dwight,  was  born  at  Northampton, 
March  7,  1804.  After  completing  his 
studies,  he  accepted  a  position  as  clerk  in 
a  hardware  store  at  Petersburgh,  Vir- 
ginia, owned  by  James  Dwight,  a  son  of 
President  Timothy  Dwight,  of  Yale,  ind 
remained  in  that  service  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  then  entered  Williams  College, 
from,  which  he  was  graduated  in  1829, 
after  which  he  studied  theology  at  New 
Haven  and  at  East  Windsor.  Connecti- 
cut. For  twenty  years  he  taught  the 
classics  in  various  parts  of  the  south — 
at  Tuscaloosa  and  Demopolis,  Alabama, 
and  at  Norfolk  and  Richmond,  Virginia, 
and  from  i860  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  May  24,  1879,  he  resided  at 
Northampton,  Massachusetts.  He  mar- 
ried, December  4,  1838,  Elizabeth  Brint- 
nell,  born  in  1S08,  died  October  20  1843, 
daughter  of  Captain  William  Brintnell. 
of  New   Haven,   Connecticut.     She    was 


260 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


survived  by  two  sons:  Charles  Au- 
gustus, who  died  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Oc- 
tober 8,  1862,  aged  twenty-three  years, 
and  Henry  Cecil,  of  whom  further. 

(VIII)  General  Henry  Cecil  Dwight, 
son  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Augustus  and 
E'izabeth  (Brintnell)  Dwight,  was  born 
in  Northampton,  Massachusetts,  Janu- 
ary 19,  1841.  He  acquired  a  practical 
education  in  the  schools  of  his  native 
town,  and  his  first  employment  was  as 
clerk  in  a  dry  goods  store  there.  At  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  in  1861  he 
enlisted  in  a  three  months'  regiment,  but 
Northampton's  quota  being  filled,  he  was 
unable  to  go  at  once  to  the  front.  In 
September,  1861,  he  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  organizing  Company  A,  27th 
Massachusetts  Regiment,  and  was  ap- 
pcjinted  sergeant-major  of  the  command, 
which  went  with  the  Burnside  expedition 
to  North  Carolina.  Three  months  later 
he  was  appointed  second  lieutenant  of 
Company  H,  and  in  April,  1862,  was 
transferred  to  his  original  company  and 
promoted  to  first  lieutenant.  On  July  i 
of  the  same  year  he  was  made  captain, 
having  just  attained  his  majority.  He 
was  stationed  with  his  regiment  in  North 
Carolina  until  the  fall  of  1863,  and  was 
then  assigned  to  provost  duty  in  Norfolk, 
Virginia.  Captain  Dwight  was  returned 
to  his  regiment  in  the  spring  of  1864,  and 
participated  in  the  campaign  on  the  James 
river  under  General  Butler.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1863,  he  was  appointed  recruiting 
officer  of  the  27th  Regiment,  and  was  suc- 
cessful in  reenlisting  three  hundred  and 
forty-three  men.  On  May  16,  1864,  he 
was  transferred  from  the  27th  Regiment 
to  stafif  service  as  assistant  commissary 
of  subsistence  under  special  order  from 
headquarters,  and  he  continued  in  that 
branch  of  the  service  until  his  term  of 
enlistment  expired,  September  28,  i86jI. 


Shortly  after  his  return  from  the  war. 
Captain  Dwight  became  a  resident  of 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  has  resided 
there  from  that  time  to  the  present.  He 
entered  the  employ  of  E.  N.  Kellnt^g  &: 
Company,  dealers  in  wool,  and  later  was 
with  Austin  Dunham  &  Sons.  He  i'nally 
decided  to  engage  in  business  on  his  own 
account  and  formed  a  partnership  with 
Drayton  Hillyer  under  the  firm  name  of 
H.  C.  Dwight  &  Company.  Afterwards 
the  firm  became  Dwight,  Skinner  &  Com- 
pany, which  continued  for  a  number  of 
years.  Then  Messrs.  Hillyer  and  Skinner 
withdrew,  and  the  firm  became  H.  C. 
Dwight  &  Company,  Mr.  Dwight  being 
the  controlling  factor.  The  venture  was 
a  success  from  the  beginning,  and  the 
firm  conducts  an  extensive  wool  business 
throughout  New  England  and  have  con- 
nections in  all  the  Western  and  South- 
western States. 

General  Dwight's  patriotism  did  not 
exhaust  itself  on  the  field  of  battle.  He 
believes  that  the  paths  of  peace  afford 
unlimited  opportunities  for  devotion  to 
the  common  good,  and  it  was  but  natural 
that  his  active  interest  in  public  affairs 
should  lead  him  into  political  life.  In 
1871  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Common  Council  from  the  Fourth  Ward ; 
in  1875  he  was  elected  to  the  Board  of 
Aldermen ;  was  appointed,  December  27, 
1880,  by  Mayor  Bulkeley,  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Street  Commissioners  and 
served  continuously  until  1890;  in  April, 
1890,  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Hartford, 
and  in  this  position  he  had  a  wider  scope 
for  the  exercise  of  those  talents  and  char- 
acteristics that  had  hitherto  marked  his 
activities  in  the  various  public  offices  he 
had  been  called  upon  to  fill.  During  his 
administration  the  organization  of  the  fire 
department  was  greatly  improved  and 
new   and   up-to-date   equipment   was   in- 


261 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


stalled,  greatly  adding  to  the  efficiency 
of  the  department.  The  administration 
of  the  police  department  was  strength- 
ened and  improved,  and  the  street  service 
of  the  city  was  given  due  prominence  and 
attention,  and  the  first  steps  were  taken 
to  give  the  city  an  increased  water  sup- 
ply. He  demonstrated  his  capacity  for 
large  affairs,  giving  the  city  a  business- 
like administration,  effecting  many  im- 
portant economies.  He  never  played 
petty  politics,  but  conducted  matters  in 
consonance  with  a  high  ideal  of  public 
service,  and  his  untiring  and  unselfish 
devotion  won  for  him  universal  esteem 
and  the  commendation  even  of  those  who 
were  opposed  to  the  party  he  represented. 
He  has  also  taken  a  very  active  interest 
in  educational  matters,  having  served  for 
many  years  as  chairman  of  the  South 
School  District,  with  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  teachers  under  his  control,  and 
one  of  the  schools  has  been  named  in  his 
honor. 

General  Dwight  is  also  prominently 
identified  with  a  number  of  the  important 
financial  institutions  of  the  city,  having 
been  an  official  of  the  Mechanics'  Savings 
Bank  for  many  years  and  its  president 
for  a  considerable  period  of  time,  and  he 
is  also  a  director  of  the  American  Bank- 
ing and  Trust  Company  and  of  the  Phoe- 
nix  (Fire)  Insurance  Company.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Hartford  Hospital 
Corps  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  has 
always  been  ready  to  aid  in  any  way  in 
his  power  enterprises  and  measures  in- 
augurated to  help  the  unfortunate. 

His  interest  in  military  affairs  has 
never  abated.  In  January,  1885,  he  was 
appointed  paymaster-general  on  the  staff 
of  Governor  Henry  B.  Harrison.  This 
brought  him  into  intimate  contact  with 
the  National  Guard  of  Connecticut,  which 
added  to  his  already  great  popularity  in 


State  military  circles.  He  commanded 
the  Union  Veteran  Battalion  on  the 
memorable  Battle  Flag  Day.  He  is  a 
charter  member  of  Robert  O.  Tyler  Post, 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  member  of 
the  Loyal  Legion,  ex-president  of  the 
Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
president  of  the  Ninth  and  Eighteenth 
Corps  Society  of  the  Army  of  the  James. 
He  is  an  ex-president  of  the  Roanoke 
Association,  founded  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  the  Burnside  expedition.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Army  and  Navy 
Club  of  Connecticut. 

General  Dwight  married,  October  3, 
1865,  Annie  Maria  Wright,  daughter  of 
William  Lyman  Wright,  of  Hartford. 
She  was  born  September  4,  1844,  died 
April  29,  1915.  They  had  the  follow- 
ing children :  Major  William  Brintnell 
Dwight,  of  New  York  City,  who  served 
in  the  war  with  Spain ;  Charles  Augustus, 
deceased ;  Annie  Maria,  died  in  infancy ; 
Henry  Cecil,  of  San  Antonio,  Texas ; 
Grace  V.  R.,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Daniel  R.  Morgan,  of  New  York  City. 

No  citizen  of  Hartford  stands  in 
higher  popular  esteem  than  General 
Dwight.  His  disinterested  public  serv- 
ice, performed  at  considerable  sacrifice  of 
personal  interests,  won  the  approval  of 
all  classes  in  the  community  and  indicates 
his  breadth  of  mind.  He  is  a  man  of  posi- 
tive convictions,  with  executive  ability 
and  force  of  will  to  carry  to  a  successful 
conclusion  any  plan  that  his  mature 
judgment  approves.  His  generous  nature, 
genial  disposition  and  sterling  character 
have  made  him  one  of  the  recognized 
leaders  of  his  day,  and  stamp  him  as  the 
worthy  representative  of  a  family  that 
since  the  earliest  Colonial  days  has 
wielded  a  powerful  influence  for  good  in 
moulding  the  moral  character  and  institu- 
tions of  New  England. 


262 


THE  1^;; 


i 


l.eU'l-i  Historical  Pi^l  Co 


^"A^i/^UflACu^  /o/^l^O 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


CLARK,  Charles  Hopkins, 

Journalist,  Public  Worker. 

Charles  Hopkins  Clark,  of  Hartford, 
director  of  the  Associated  Press,  and 
since  1871  closely  connected  with  the 
leading  Connecticut  State  journal,  the 
"Hartford  Courant," — at  present,  as  its 
editor-in-chief  and  president  —  has  been 
prominent  in  public  movements  within 
the  State  of  Connecticut  for  very  many 
years.  A  native  of  Hartford,  Mr.  Clark 
has  become  an  influential  factor  in  the 
public  life  of  that  city,  and  has  been  ever 
ready  to  use  his  powerful  medium  to  the 
limit  of  its  capacity  and  sphere  of  in- 
fluence, to  further  any  project  that  in  his 
estimation  promised  good  to  the  city  or 
State.  That  Charles  Hopkins  Clark  has 
in  matters  of  city  betterment,  industrial 
advancement,  State  and  National  politics, 
and  community  welfare,  followed  with 
energy  and  ability  the  example  set  by  his 
public-spirited  father,  who  did  so  much 
for  the  city  of  Hartford,  has  been  gener- 
ally conceded ;  and  his  commanding  per- 
sonality and  the  high  standard  of  his 
public  work  have  earned  him  a  well- 
recognized  place  among  the  present  lead- 
ing citizens  of  the  State. 

Charles  Hopkins  Clark  is  in  direct 
lineal  descent  from  Lieutenant  William 
Clark,  who  came  to  America  from  Eng- 
land in  1630,  in  the  ship  "Mary  and  John," 
settled  in  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  and 
eventually,  in  1659,  at  the  invitation  of 
the  Rev.  Eleazer  Mather,  removed  to 
Northampton,  Massachusetts,  journeying 
thither  afoot,  leading  his  only  horse, 
which  carried  his  whole  family — his  wife 
in  the  saddle,  a  child  in  each  of  the  side 
panniers,  and  a  third  in  its  mother's  lap. 
William  Clark,  on  June  i,  1659,  was 
allotted  land  at  Northampton — a  home  lot 
which  his  descendants  still  retain,  of 
twelve  acres,  located  where  now  stands 


Elm  street,  on  Mill  river,  including  the 
Judge  Dewey  or  President  Seelye  place. 
Thereon,  William  Clark  built  a  log  house 
which  was  their  habitation  until  de- 
stroyed by  the  incendiary  act  of  a  negro 
slave.  In  its  place  he  then  erected  a  sub- 
stantial frame  house  which  remained  a 
landmark  until  1826,  and  became  known 
as  the  Elihu  Clark  house.  He  was  a  man 
of  worthy  characteristics,  and  became 
prominent  in  the  governmental  affairs  of 
the  colony ;  was  selectman  for  twenty 
years  after  1660,  and  deputy  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  after  1665,  gaining  place  also 
in  Colonial  church  history  as  one  of  the 
famous  "seven  pillars''  of  the  church  at 
Northampton.  His  military  title  came  by 
service  during  King  Philip's  War  as  a 
member  of  the  military  company  of  North- 
ampton. Anterior  to  his  removal  to 
Northampton,  William  Clark  was  in 
1646-47  selectman  of  the  town  of  Dor- 
chester, and  after  his  reentry  to  civilian 
life  following  the  military  campaign, 
again  became  prominent  in  the  local 
administration ;  he  was  appointed  com- 
missioner to  terminate  small  causes,  and 
subsequently  became  associate  judge  of 
Hampshire  county,  enjoying  that  dignity 
for  many  years,  and  attaining  the  vener- 
able age  of  eighty-one  years,  which  he 
reached  in  the  year  1690. 

Twice  married,  his  first  wife  died  on 
September  6,  1675  ;  his  second,  whom  he 
married  November  15,  1676,  was  Sarah, 
the  widow  of  Thomas  Cooper,  of  Spring- 
field. She  died  May  8,  1688.  The  nine 
children  of  William  Clark  were  all  born 
to  his  first  wife,  seventh  among  them 
being  his  son  John,  who  was  born  at  Dor- 
chester, Massachusetts,  in  1651,  and  died 
at  Northampton,  September  (or  Novem- 
ber) 3,  1684.  John  Clark  was  elected 
deacon  of  the  Northampton  church  in 
1691  ;  was  sergeant  of  the  military  com- 
pany ;   deputy  to  the   General   Court   for 


263 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


fourteen  sessions  after  1699;  and  died  "of  Eleven  years  later,  in   1820,  he  sold  his 

fatigue  and  a  cold  taken  in  a  violent  snow  drug  business  and  removed  to  Hartford, 

storm,  on  returning  from  Boston  in  1704,"  Connecticut,  vi^here   he   acquired   a   part- 

at    Windsor,    Connecticut.     He    married,  nership  in  the  firm  of  David  Watkinson 

July     12,     1677,     Rebecca,     daughter    of  &  Company,  iron  and  steel  merchants  and 

Thomas   Cooper,   of   Springfield,   and,   in  manufacturers.  He  prospered  in  that  con- 


the  year  following  that  of  her  demise, 
married,  on  March  20,  1679,  Mary,  the 
thirteenth  child  of  Elder  John  Strong. 
Lieutenant  Ebenezer  Clark,  son  of 
Deacon  John  and  Mary  (Strong)  Clark, 
was   born   at   Northampton,   October   18, 


nection,  and  in  course  of  time  became 
principal  member  of  the  firm.  With  expan- 
sion and  time  came  many  changes  in  the 
constitution  of  the  firm,  with  correspond- 
ing changes  in  name,  successively  as 
Clark.    Gill    &    Company,    Ezra    Clark   & 


1683 ;  became  lieutenant  of  the  Northamp-  Company,  Clark  &  Company,  and,  finally, 
ton  company,  and  attained  prominence  in  L.  L.  Ensworth  &  Company.  Ezra  (2) 
the  local  administration.  He  was  elected  Clark  married  Laura  Hunt,  and  their 
selectman  in  1731,  and  lived  to  be  nearly  third  son,  Ezra  (3),  who  was  born  on 
one  hundred  years  old,  and  father  of  September  12,  1813,  in  Brattleboro,  Ver- 
eight  children  by  his  wife,  Abigail  Par-  mont,  was  eventually  admitted  to  the 
sons,  of  Springfield,  whom  he  married  in  firm  of  which  his  father  had  become 
1712.  His  second  son,  Ezra,  was  born  in  principal  owner,  the  admission  being  the 
Northampton  in  1716,  and  had  an  event-  cause  of  the  first  change  in  the  firm  name 
ful  life.  From  the  first  alarm  in  August,  from  that  of  David  Watkinson  &  Com- 
1777,  Ezra  Clark  gave  national  military  pany  to  that  of  Clark,  Gill  &  Company, 
service  during  the  Revolution.  Prior  to  A  period  of  serious  trade  depression  in 
that,  he  had  entered  actively  into  public  1857  brought  financial  disaster  to  Ezra 
afifairs,  and  had  occupied  many  town  and  Clark,  Jr.  However,  in  course  of  time. 
Colonial  offices ;  was  delegate  from  he  returned  to  Hartford,  and  redeemed 
Northampton  to  the  Congress  at  Stock-  every  legitimate  liability  in  full.  A  man 
bridge,  September  22,  1774;  was  member  of  convincing  presence  and  strong  per- 
of  the  committee  of  inspection  in  1774-75  ;  sonality,  he  became  a  director  of  the  Ex- 
was  member  of  the  Committee  of  Safety,  change  Bank,  and  president  of  the  Na- 
and  a  selectman  in  1776;  and  generally  tional  Screw  Company  of  Hartford,  which 
was  esteemed  in  his  community.  Among  corporation  later  consolidated  with  the 
his  ten  children  was  Jonas,  who  was  born  American  Screw  Company,  of  Providence, 


in  Northampton  in  1 75 1,  and  who,  with 
his  father  and  brothers,  served  the  nation 
during  the  Revolution,  his  service  being 
of  particular  note,  in  that  he  was  present 


Rhode  Island.  In  public  activities  he 
took  prominent  part ;  was  at  one  time  a 
member  of  the  Comm£in  Council  of  Hart- 
ford, advancing  to  the   Board   of  Alder- 


at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  Eventually  men,  and  subsequently  was  appointed 
Jonas  Clark,  having  inherited  the  ances-  judge  of  the  city  court.  He  held  numer- 
tral  homestead,  applied  himself  to  the  ous  other  offices  of  importance  in  Hart- 
responsibilities  of  its  upkeep.  His  son,  ford  affairs,  and  came  into  National  and 
Ezra  (2).  was  born  in  Northampton,  but  State  distinction  as  representative  from 
when  a  man  removed  to  Brattleboro,  Ver-  the  Hartford  Congressional  District  to 
mont,  where  he  became  a  druggist,  and  the  National  House  of  Representatives, 
gained    the    courtesy    title    of    "doctor."  He    was    elected    to    the    Thirty-fourth 

264 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


United  States  Congress,  and  reelected  to 
the  Thirty-tifth.  In  local  administrative 
office  he,  as  president  of  the  Hartford 
Water  Board,  was  responsible  for  the 
establishment  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
original  system  of  water  works  of  the 
city,  and  later  of  the  West  Hampden 
reservoirs.  He  also  laid  out  Reservoir 
Park,  connecting  the  several  reservoirs 
of  the  city  by  a  picturesque  driveway 
through  the  woods.  The  large  Tumble- 
down Brook  Reservoir  was  planned  and 
built  under  his  supervision.  He  also  for 
many  years  was  president  of  the  Young 
Men's  Institute  of  Hartford.  On  October 
14,  1841,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
Daniel  P.  and  Mary  (Whiting)  Hopkins, 
of  Hartford,  and  their  older  son  was 
Charles  Hopkins  Clark,  of  whom  further. 
The  Hon.  Ezra  (3)  Clark  died  at  Hart- 
ford, on  September  26,  1896,  and  his  wife, 
]\Iary  (Hopkins)  Clark,  on  May  28,  1866. 
Charles  Hopkins  Clark,  son  of  the  Hon. 
Ezra  (3)  and  Mary  (Hopkins)  Clark, 
was  born  in  Hartford,  on  April  i,  1848. 
His  primary  education  was  obtained  in 
the  public  schools  of  Hartford,  and  at  the 
Free  Academy  in  New  York.  Later,  he 
attended  the  Hartford  Public  High 
School,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
the  class  of  1867.  He  then  proceeded  to 
Yale  College,  graduating  in  1871.  Appar- 
ently he  had  decided  to  enter  upon  a 
journalistic  career,  for  very  soon  after 
leaving  Yale  he  joined  the  staff  of  the 
"Hartford  Courant,"  known  as  "the  old- 
est newspaper  of  continuous  publication 
in  the  country."  With  that  journal  he 
has  since  held  close  and  responsible  con- 
nection. He  did  good  work,  and  steadily 
advanced  in  the  esteem  of  his  employers, 
Hawley,  Goodrich  &  Company ;  so  much 
so  that  in  1887  he  was  admitted  to  the 
firm,  and,  when  it  took  corporate  powers 
as  the  "Hartford  Courant  Company,"  he 
was   chosen   secretary.     After  the   death 


of  Stephen  A.  Hubbard,  for  many  years 
managing  editor  of  "The  Courant,"  Mr. 
Clark  became  editor-in-chief  of  that  in- 
fluential and  widely-circulated  journal. 
The  editorial  direction  of  that  important 
organ  of  Republicanism  has  since  re- 
mained with  him.  The  paper's  policies, 
which  of  course  are  in  the  main  his  own, 
give  indication  of  his  broad  conception  of 
responsible  government,  and  of  his  readi- 
ness and  ability  to  act  forcefully  when 
necessary  in  the  public  interest.  Mr. 
Clark,  while  in  service  of  "The  Courant," 
worked  under  distinguished  men,  among 
them  Charles  Dudley  Warner  and  United 
States  Senator  Joseph  R.  Hawley,  who 
were  part  owners  of  the  newspaper. 
Later,  when  he  became  president.  General 
Arthur  L.  Goodrich  was  made  treasurer, 
and  Frank  S.  Carey,  secretary.  A  genea- 
logical sketch  of  the  Clark  family  written 
for  and  included  in  the  "Genealogical  and 
Family  History  of  the  State  of  Connec- 
ticut" (Lewis  Historical  Publishing  Com- 
pany, 191 1 )  records  the  following  regard- 
ing Charles  Hopkins  Clark  and  the  Hart- 
ford "Courant:" 

Under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Clark,  the 
newspaper  has  gained  in  prestige  and  influence, 
even  as  it  has  grown  in  circulation.  Its  plant  has 
more  than  kept  pace  with  the  progress  of  the  art 
of  printing  and  the  enlargement  of  the  scope  and 
usefulness  of  the  modern  daily  newspaper  *  *  * 
It  is  one  of  the  few  newspapers  that  have  been 
likened  to  the  Bible  in  the  confidence  accorded  by 
its  readers,  and  in  hundred  of  families  this  news- 
paper has  been  a  regular  and  welcome  visitor, 
generation   after   generation. 

In  Volume  I,  page  233,  of  "Men  of 
Mark  in  Connecticut"  (1906),  is  a  bio- 
graphical sketch  of  Mr.  Clark,  edited  by 
the  late  Samuel  Hart,  D.  D..  president  of 
the  Connecticut  Historical  Society ;  it 
opens: 

Personal  accomplishment  is  one  measure  of  a 
man's  life.     The  influencing  of  others  to  achieve- 


26s 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ment  is  another,  hardly  secondary,  and  if  in  fact 
less  appreciated,  it  is  because  it  is  not  always  fur- 
nished by  those  influenced,  and  is  of  itself  more 
difficult  of  apprehension  by  the  world  at  large. 
Both  measures  are  invited  by  the  life  of  Charles 
Hopkins  Clark,  of  Hartford.  And  one  is  as 
readily  applied  by  the  reviewer  as  the  other,  since 
the  result  of  his  endeavor  with  and  through  others 
is  as  clear  to  the  public  mind  as  is  his  one  "life 
work,"  the  editorship  of  the  Hartford  "Courant." 
As  editor  of  such  a  journal,  through  a  consider- 
able period  of  years,  he  naturally  would  have 
great  influence  in  a  wide  circle  of  most  intelligent 
readers;  that  is  the  function  of  every  worthy 
editor,  and  that— the  public  has  often  learned— 
is  what  Mr.  Clark  prizes  above  all  other  honors. 
But  there  is  another  source  and  method  of  his  in- 
fluence, as  of  his  achievement,  and  that  is  to  be 
found  in  the  versatility  of  his  genius,  his  quick 
grasp  of  a  situation  in  its  entirety,  his  frankness 
and  keenness  as  an  adviser.  The  question  put,  the 
answer  comes  like  a  flash,  sometimes  convulsing 
one  with  its  wit,  but  always  unerringly  straight  to 
the  point. 

Among  the  noteworthy  public  activities 
of  Mr.  Clark  may  be  stated  the  following: 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Connecticut 
Constitutional  Convention  in  1901  ;  prior 
to  that  "his  business  acumen  had  been 
requisitioned  by  the  State  when  the  Tax 
Commission  made  its  exhaustive  investi- 
gation and  published  its  valuable  report ;" 
he  was  a  member  of  Secretary  (later 
President)  Taft's  party  in  the  expedition 
to  the  Philippines,  in  1905.  And  in  execu- 
tive capacity,  he  is  identified  with  the 
following:  The  Associated  Press,  direc- 
tor; the  Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insur- 
ance Company,  director ;  the  Phoenix 
Fire  Insurance  Company,  director  ;  Wads- 
worth  .Xtheneum  and  Watkinson  Library, 
Hartford,  treasurer;  the  Collins  Company, 
vice-president ;  the  State  Reformatory, 
director ;  and  with  several  other  institu- 
tions. 

In  1910  Mr.  Clark  was  elected  to  a 
fellowship  of  the  Corporation  of  Yale 
University,  and  at  that  time  Trinity  Col- 
lege conferred  on  him  the  degree  of  L.  H. 


D.  He  has  meinbership  in  the  Univer- 
sity, Century,  and  Yale  clubs  of  New 
York,  in  the  Hartford  Club,  and  the 
Graduates'  Club,  of  New  Haven,  and 
others.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Asylum 
Hill  Congregational  Church. 

In  December,  1873,  Charles  Hopkins 
Clark  married  Ellen,  daughter  of  Elisha 
K.  and  Matilda  (Colt)  Root,  the  former 
prominent  in  Connecticut  industrial 
circles  in  his  capacity  of  president  of  the 
Colt  Firearms  Company.  Mrs.  Ellen 
(Root)  Clark  was  born  November  6,  1850, 
and  died  February  28,  1895.  About  five 
vears  later,  in  November,  1899,  Mr.  Clark 
married  Matilda  C.  Root,  sister  of  his 
first  wife.  To  his  first  wife  were  born 
two  children;  i.  Horace  Bushnell.  who 
was  born  June  22,  1875;  graduated  at 
Yale  in  1898;  became  associated  in  editor- 
ial capacity  with  his  father,  being  now 
secretary  of  the  "Courant,"  and  has 
taken  good  part  in  the  public  activities  of 
Hartford,  coming  into  public  note  as  the 
president  of  the  Hartford  Board  of  Fire 
Commissioners.  2.  Mary,  who  was  born 
May  13,  1878,  and  married  Henry  K.  W. 
Welch. 


HATCH,  Edward  Buckingham, 

Man  of  Affairs. 

Edward  Buckingham  Hatch,  one  of  the 
representative  business  men  of  Hartford, 
attaining  his  present  high  position  by  the 
exercise  of  industry,  perseverance,  ability 
and  aptitude  for  detail,  is  a  descendant 
of  a  family  that  has  for  several  gener- 
ations been  prominently  identified  with 
the  general  business  interests  of  the  com- 
munities wherein  they  resided.  For 
many  years  the  name  has  been  esteemed 
and  honored  in  the  State  of  Connecticut, 
and  closely  associated  with  straightfor- 
ward methods  and  all  that  is  character- 
istic of  honorable  industry. 


266 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Edward  Buckingham  Hatch  is  of  the 
eighth  American  generation,  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  Nathaniel  Hatch,  who  came 
to  this  country  from  England  in  1635  ^"d 
settled  at  Falmouth,  Massachusetts.  His 
son,  Zephaniah  Hatch,  was  a  sea  captain, 
and  the  founder  of  the  Connecticut  branch 
of  the  family,  residing  at  Guilford.  His 
son.  Major  Timothy  Hatch,  enlisted  in 
the  Revolutionary  army  when  a  mere 
lad,  was  taken  prisoner  at  White  Plains, 
was  a  major  of  the  Connecticut  State 
militia  after  the  war,  and  in  1804  settled 
in  Hartford,  Connecticut.  His  son,  Tim- 
othy Linus  Hatch,  was  a  man  of  sub- 
stance, active  in  the  afifairs  of  the  com- 
munity. His  son,  Walter  S.  Hatch,  was 
also  identified  with  the  varied  interests 
of  the  section  wherein  he  made  his  home. 
His  son,  George  E.  Hatch,  was  a  mer- 
chant of  Hartford,  and  a  prominent  citi- 
zen. He  married,  June  4,  1855,  Laura 
Stanley  Stiles,  and  they  were  the  parents 
of  Edward  Buckingham  Hatch,  of  this 
review.    Mrs.  Hatch  died  March  14.  1870. 

The  Stiles  family  is  of  Anglo-Saxon 
origin,  and  resided  in  the  southeastern 
part  of  England  long  before  the  Con- 
quest. The  family  coat-of-arms  is  as 
follows :  Sable,  a  fesse  engrailed,  fretty 
of  the  field  or  and  sable,  between  three 
fluers-de-lis  or  and  a  border,  or.  John 
Stiles,  the  immigrant  ancestor,  was  bap- 
tized in  St.  Michael's  Church,  Milbroke, 
Bedfordshire.  England,  December  25, 
1595.  He  married  Rachel ,  in  Eng- 
land, and  came  to  America  in  1634,  and 
was  forty  years  of  age  when  he  settled 
in  Windsor.  Connecticut,  where  he  died, 
June  4,  1662-63,  aged  sixty-seven  years, 
and  his  widow  died  September  3,  1674. 
Their  son,  John  Stiles,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land about  1633,  died  December  8,  1683. 
He  settled  at  Windsor,  Connecticut.  He 
married  Dorcas,  daughter  of  Henry  Beers, 
of  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  October  28, 


1658.  She  was  born  in  1638.  Their  son, 
John  Stiles,  was  born  December  10,  1665, 
died  May  20,  1753.  He  settled  at  Wind- 
sor, Connecticut,  and  was  the  first  of  the 
name  to  settle  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Great  River,  then  known  as  Windsor 
Farms ;  that  was  probably  in  1699  or 
1700.  His  first  wife  was  Ruth,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Bancroft,  of  Westfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, who  died  in  1714.  Their  son, 
the  Rev.  Isaac  Stiles,  was  born  at  East 
Windsor,  Connecticut,  July  30,  1697,  O. 
S.  He  worked  as  a  weaver  until  he  was 
nearly  twenty  years  of  age.  He  then 
prepared  for  Yale  under  a  private  tutor, 
was  graduated  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1725, 
and  was  given  the  Master  of  Arts  degree, 
being  the  first  of  the  name  and  blood  in 
America  who  had  a  liberal  education. 
He  was  a  good  classical  scholar,  especially 
in  Latin,  and  gave  considerable  attention 
to  the  study  of  oratory  and  the  Bible  all 
his  life ;  his  valedictory  oration  made  in 
1722  is  a  piece  of  elegant  Latin.  After 
his  graduation  he  studied  theology  for  a 
time,  preached  for  a  short  time  in  the 
"Jerseys,"  returned  to  New  England,  and 
conducted  a  school  at  Westfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, also  preaching  there  on  proba- 
tion. While  a  resident  of  that  place  he 
married  Keziah,  daughter  of  the  Rev. 
Edward  Taylor.  He  was  ordained,  No- 
vember II,  1724,  at  what  is  now  North 
Haven.  He  is  thus  described  by  his  son. 
President  Stiles:  "He  was  of  above 
medium  stature  (the  largest  of  the  fam- 
ilv)  upright,  alert  and  active,  unbowed  to 
the  day  of  his  death.  Had  a  small  pierc- 
ing black  eye,  which  at  times  he  filled 
with  flame  and  vengeance.  Quick  in  his 
temper  and  passionate  to  the  last  degree. 
On  occasion  none  could  be  more  cheerful 
and  merry  in  company,  but  when  alone, 
or  with  his  family  only,  he  was  gloomy  or 
perpetually  repining.  His  discourses  were 
in  the  declamatory  way.    None  could  give 


267 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


more    animated    descriptions    of    Heaven 
and   Hell,   the  joys   of   the   one   and   the 
damnation  of  the  other."     He  was  of  a 
very     high     strung    temperament,     very 
changeable  in  his  moods,  passing  quickly 
from  one  extreme  of  pleasurable  emotion 
and   cordial    sociability   to   the    other   of 
petulance     and     taciturnity.      This    was 
largely  due  to  a  physical  constitution  none 
too  robust.    He  was  a  celebrated  preacher, 
a  powerful  controversialist  and  one  of  the 
most   influential   clergymen   of  his   time. 
In    public    ecclesiastical    affairs    of    the 
colony  of  Connecticut  he  was  much  en- 
gaged and  esteemed  for  his  sound  views 
and  judgment.    In  October,  1728,  he  mar- 
ried for  his  second  wife,  from  whom  Ed- 
ward   B.    Hatch    is    descended,    Esther, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Hooker,  Jr.,  of  Farm- 
ington,   Connecticut.     He   died    May    14, 
1760,  in  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  his  minis- 
try, and  his  widow  died  January  2,  1779, 
aged    seventy-seven    years.      Their    son, 
Ashbel  Stiles,  was  born  at  North  Haven, 
Connecticut,  September  11,  1735,  died  at 
Huntington,  in  October,  1810.    He  inher- 
ited the  family  mansion  and  a  comfort- 
able property,  but  lost  all  through  endors- 
ing a  note  for  a  friend.    He  removed  from 
New    Haven   to    Windsor,    and    then    to 
what  is  now  Huntington,  Massachusetts. 
He  served  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
was  at  Horse  Neck  from  May,   1781,  to 
March,  1782.    In  February,  1759,  he  mar- 
ried   his    cousin,    Hannah,    daughter    of 
Lieutenant    Samuel   Stiles,    of    Windsor. 
She  died  one  month  before  her  husband. 
Their  son,  Samuel  Stiles,  was  born  De- 
cember 3,  1762,  died  at  Windsor,  October 
15,  1826.    He  lived  at  Northampton,  Mas- 
sachusetts, Windsor,  Connecticut,  Ches- 
ter, Massachusetts,  and  returned  to  Wind- 
sor.   He  served  as  a  private  in  a  Windsor 
company  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  at 
Fort  Trumbull   in    February.    1813.     He 
married,  in   1787,  Hannah   Ellsworth,  of 
Windsor,   Connecticut,   and   she   died   at 


Chicopee,  Massachusetts,  January  12, 
1828.  Their  son,  Benjamin  Stiles,  born  at 
Chester,  Massachusetts,  August  3,  1799, 
married  Mehitable  Booth,  born  January 
13.  1790,  daughter  of  Nathan  and  Fanny 
Booth,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
Laura  Stanley  (Stiles)  Hatch,  aforemen- 
tioned. 

Edward  Buckingham  Hatch  was  born 
in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  December  20, 
1861.  He  completed  the  courses  of  study 
in  the  public  school,  then  attended  the 
high  school,  after  which  he  entered  Trin- 
ity College  in  1882  and  was  graduated 
Bachelor  of  Arts,  class  of  1886.  He  then 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Johns-Pratt 
Company,  then  recently  formed  by  Henry 
W.  Johns,  of  New  York,  president,  in 
association  with  Rufus  X.  Pratt,  of  Hart- 
ford, secretary.  The  company,  capitalized 
at  $100,000,  began  business  in  1886  as 
manufacturers  of  "Vulcabeston"  packings 
and  electrical  insulating  materials.  Mr. 
Hatch  began  in  the  capacity  of  clerk,  but 
quickly  began  to  ascend  the  ladder  of 
promotion.  He  applied  himself  assidu- 
ously to  the  task  in  hand,  filling  each  posi- 
tion so  well  that  he  was  soon  called  to  a 
higher  one.  The  company  expanded 
rapidly  and  in  1892  increased  their  capital, 
taking  on  new  lines  of  manufacture.  In 
1893  Mr.  Hatch  was  elected  secretary  and 
manager  of  the  company,  thus  becoming 
a  m.uch  more  important  factor  in  the  man- 
agement. In  1898  the  manufacture  of 
"Noark"  fuses  and  electric  protective  de- 
vices was  begun,  and  in  the  same  year 
Mr.  Hatch  was  elected  president  and 
treasurer.  From  that  time  he  has  been 
the  executive  head,  and  to  his  ability, 
judgment,  progressive  spirit  and  energy 
the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  company 
is  largely  due.  In  1905  the  capital  stock 
was  doubled  and  facilities  for  manufac- 
ture and  distribution  largely  increased. 
In  addition  to  their  line  of  "Vulcabeston" 
packings,  which  include  all  classes  of 
268 


:  library: 
I 

ASTOR.    LCMO\ 
TILDEN    FCU;:D..TiONS 


I 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


engine  room  packings,  the  company 
manufactures  a  variety  of  electric  protec- 
tive devices,  etc.,  their  patents  covering 
a  wide  range.  The  H.  W.  Johns-Manville 
Company  of  New  Jersey  are  sole  selling 
agents,  and  through  the  many  branches 
maintained  by  that  company  the  special- 
ties manufactured  by  the  Johns-Pratt 
Company  are  distributed  to  the  world. 

Mr.  Hatch  has  grown  and  expanded  in 
executive  and  managerial  strength  as 
greater  responsibilities  have  been  imposed 
and  is  one  of  the  strong  men  of  the  city. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Hartford  Aetna 
National  Bank,  the  Dime  Savings  Bank, 
the  Hartford  Steam  Boiler  Inspection  and 
Insurance  Company,  and  has  other  busi- 
ness interests.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Colt 
Bequest,  in  charge  of  the  large  estate  left 
by  Samuel  Colt  and  his  widow,  and  is  a 
trustee  of  Trinity  College,  his  alma  mater. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  Holyoke  Water 
Power  Company,  the  Standard  Fire  In- 
surance Company  of  Hartford,  and  the 
Hartford  County  Mutual  Fire  Insurance 
Company. 

Mr.  Hatch  is  a  warden  of  Trinity  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  and  in  politics 
a  Republican.  His  fraternal  connection 
is  with  the  Masonic  order  as  a  member 
of  St.  John's  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons ;  Pythagoras  Chapter, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  Wolcott  Coun- 
cil, Royal  and  Select  Masters ;  Washing- 
ton Commandery,  Knights  Templar;  and 
Sphinx  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic  Order 
Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  His  college 
fraternity  is  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  his  clubs, 
the  Hartford,  Hartford  Golf,  Farmington 
Country,  Twentieth  Century,  Republican, 
University,  Church  of  Connecticut,  and 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  of  New  York.  In  early 
life  he  gave  five  years'  service  in  the  Con- 
necticut National  Guard,  as  a  member  of 
Company  K,  First  Regiment. 

Mr.  Hatch  married,  at  Hartford,  Sep- 


tember 12,  1889,  Georgia,  daughter  of 
George  W.  Watson,  of  Hartford.  Chil- 
dren: Helen,  James  Watson,  Edward 
Watson. 


HUNT,  Henry  H., 

Attorney. 

A  descendant  of  Governor  John  Web- 
ster, of  Connecticut,  and  other  worthy 
pioneers  of  New  England,  Mr.  Hunt  has 
manifested  the  traits  which  are  naturally 
inherent  in  most  of  the  descendants  of 
such  ancestors.  The  Hunt  family  is  a 
very  ancient  one,  beginning  with  John 
Hunt,  who  came  late  in  life  to  Connec- 
ticut, and  died  before  1659.  He  married, 
ir  England,  Mary  Webster,  probably  eld- 
est daughter  and  perhaps  eldest  child  of 
Governor  John  and  Agnes  Webster  of 
Warwickshire,  England.  About  1633, 
John  Webster  came  to  Cambridge,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  was  a  member  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Hooker's  company  which  settled 
Hartford  three  years  later.  After  filling 
many  official  stations  of  importance  in 
the  colony,  he  was  elected  Governor  in 
1656,  and  served  for  several  years  in  that 
capacity. 

Deacon  Jonathan  Hunt,  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Webster)  Hunt,  was  born  about 
1637,  in  Sudburrow  Thrapstone,  North- 
amptonshire, England,  and  came  to  Con- 
necticut in  1658.  He  was  a  malster  by 
occupation  ;  removed  about  1660  to  North- 
ampton, Massachusetts,  where  he  was 
made  freeman  of  the  Massachusetts 
colony  in  1662;  was  deacon  from  1680  to 
1691  ;  representative,  1690;  and  died  Sep- 
tember 29,  1691.  He  married,  September 
3  1662,  Clemence  Hosmer,  born  about 
1642,  daughter  of  Thomas  Hosmer,  who 
was  in  Cambridge  as  early  as  1632,  made 
freeman  May  6,  1635,  was  among  the  first 
settlers  of  Hartford,  where  he  served  as 
constable,  selectman,  representative  and 
died  leaving  a  good  estate. 


269 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ebenezer  Hunt,  fifth  son  of  Deacon 
Jonathan,  was  born  February  5,  1675,  in 
Northampton,  and  about  1723  settled  at 
Lebanon,  Connecticut,  where  he  died 
February  23,  1743.  He  married.  May  27, 
1698,  Hannah  Clark,  born  May  5,  1681, 
died  June  10,  1758,  daughter  of  William 
and  Hannah  (Strong)  Clark,  of  North- 
ampton, the  latter  a  daughter  of  Elder 
John  Strong,  a  prominent  New  England 
pioneer,  who  left  a  numerous  prodigy. 

William  Hunt,  third  son  of  Ebenezer 
and  Hannah  (Clark)  Hunt,  was  born  Oc- 
tober 12,  1705,  in  Lebanon,  and  lived  in 
Lebanon  Crank,  now  the  town  of  Co- 
lumbia. He  married,  in  1734,  Sarah  Ly- 
man, who  was  born  January  24,  1713,  died 
1746,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Jonathan 
And  Lydia  Loomis  Lyman,  of  Lebanon. 
Their  fifth  son  was  Eldad  Hunt,  born 
October  21,  1742,  in  Lebanon,  lived  in 
Columbia,  and  died  1822.  He  married, 
December  9,  1778,  Hulda  Benton,  born 
July  15,  1752,  died  April  24,  1814.  Her 
seventh  son  was  Dr.  Orrin  Hunt,  born 
January  12,  1793,  in  Columbia,  a  very  suc- 
cessful physician,  a  man  of  high  Chris- 
tian character,  sympathetic  nature,  and 
widely  beloved  and  esteemed  both  as  a 
physician  and  citizen.  After  passing 
several  years  in  Bolton,  he  removed  to 
Glastonbury,  but  returned  to  Bolton  and 
died  there  August  24,  1850.  He  read 
medicine  under  Dr.  Fuller,  of  Columbia, 
and  was  among  the  most  capable  and 
skillful  physicians  in  his  day.  He  mar- 
ried (first)  Louisa  Little,  who  died  April 
14,  1824;  married  (second)  September 
II,  1826.  Adeline  Cone,  who  was  born  in 
February,  1803.  She  was  the  mother  of 
Henry  Hale  Hunt,  who  was  born  about 
1827,  and  lived  in  Glastonbury,  then 
moved  to  Clinton,  Connecticut,  where  he 
engaged  in  paper  manufacturing,  he  died 
in  Vernon.  Connecticut,  in  191 1.  He 
married,  in  1849,  Charlotte  N.  House. 


Wilton  Hale  Hunt,  son  of  Henry  Hale 
Hunt,  was  born  May  12.  1854,  in  Glaston- 
bury, where  he  was  actively  engaged  for 
many  years  in  the  meat  business,  and  is 
now  living  retired  at  Lynn,  Massachu- 
setts. He  married,  January  12,  1877, 
Sarah  A.  Stafford,  daughter  of  John  and 
Eva  (Lowe)  Stafford.  Children:  i. 
Henry  H.  2.  Herbert  W.,  married  Nellie 
A.  Goodale,  1901  ;  one  child.  Faith  Louise. 

Henry  Hale  Hunt,  son  of  Wilton  H. 
and  Sarah  A.  (Stafford)  Hunt,  was  born 
May  I,  1878,  in  Glastonbury,  where  his 
home  has  continued  throughout  his  life. 
The  public  schools  of  the  neighborhood 
supplied  his  early  education,  which  has 
been  supplemented  by  private  study  and 
the  training  which  goes  with  a  keen  per- 
ception and  a  studious  disposition.  While 
yet  a  boy  he  was  employed  in  Glazier's 
woolen  mill  of  Glastonbury,  and  continued 
there  until  his  nineteenth  year.  Follow- 
ing this,  four  years  were  spent  as  clerk  in 
a  grocery  store,  after  which  he  entered 
the  office  of  the  National  Fire  Insurance 
Company  of  Hartford.  Here  opportunity 
for  further  study  was  opened  to  him.  and 
while  continuing  his  clerical  labors  his 
leisure  hours  were  devoted  to  the  study 
of  law  under  the  preceptorship  of  Judge 
Harrison  B.  Freeman,  now  deceased. 
Though  somewhat  handicapped  by  the 
lack  of  a  college  training,  he  was  persist- 
ent and  made  such  diligent  application 
that  in  1912  he  was  admitted  to  the  Hart- 
ford county  bar.  For  one  year  he  con- 
tinued in  the  office  of  Harrison  B.  Free- 
man, son  of  his  preceptor,  and  since  1913 
has  conducted  an  independent  practice 
with  flattering  success.  In  1915  he  suc- 
ceeded to  the  practice  of  the  late  Joseph 
Barbour,  who  died  in  that  year.  Am- 
bitious, earnest,  capable,  industrious  and 
possessing  a  pleasing  personality,  he  has 
made  many  friends  and  is  rapidly  winning 
his  way  to  eminence  in  his  profession.    In 


270 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1915,  Mr.  Hunt  purchased  a  handsome 
country  residence  at  Glastonbury,  where 
he  makes  his  home  throughout  the  year. 

He  represented  the  town  of  Glaston- 
bury in  the  Connecticut  Legislature,  1913- 
14;  represented  the  Fourth  Senatorial 
District  in  the  State  Senate,  1917-18,  and 
is  chairman  of  the  committee  on  insur- 
ance and  state  prisons.  He  is  interested 
in  some  of  the  business  affairs  of  his 
native  town.  He  was  formerly  president 
of  the  H.  E.  Olcott  Company,  which  con- 
ducted an  extensive  mercantile  business 
in  Glastonbury  until  its  establishment  was 
recently  burned  out  and  the  business  dis- 
continued. He  is  a  director  of  the  River- 
side Paper  Company,  which  is  conduct- 
ing a  prosperous  business.  Mr.  Hunt  is 
a  member  of  the  State  and  Hartford 
County  Bar  associations,  and  enjoys  the 
regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  profession. 

In  May,  1898,  he  enlisted  for  service 
during  the  war  with  Spain,  and  was  mus- 
tered as  a  member  of  Company  I,  First 
Regiment,  Connecticut  Volunteer  Infan- 
try. This  body  was  stationed  for  some 
time  on  Plum  Island,  and  later  was 
ordered  to  Camp  Alger,  Virginia,  but  was 
not  called  to  active  service.  Mr.  Hunt 
was  detailed  as  regimental  commissary 
clerk.  Afterward  he  became  a  member 
of  the  Governor's  Footguard  of  Connec- 
ticut, in  which  he  served  two  years,  clos- 
ing in  1916.  He  is  a  past  master  of  Co- 
lumbia Lodge,  No.  25,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  of  South  Glastonbury ;  and  also 
of  Elm  Lodge,  No.  31,  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  of  that  town.  He  is  also 
affiliated  with  Hartford  Lodge,  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  of 
Hartford;  and  Charles  F.  Burdette  Camp, 
Veterans  of  the  Spanish  War;  and  is  a 
member  of  the  City  and  Hartford  clubs 
of  Hartford.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
communicants  of  St.  Luke's  Episcopal 
Church,  of  South  Glastonbury. 


Mr.  Hunt  married,  June  2-/,  1900,  Anna 
J  Goodale,  daughter  of  Henry  A.  Goodale, 
of  Glastonbury,  and  they  are  the  parents 
oi  a  son  and  daughter:  Donald  H.  Hunt, 
born  February  12,  1907;  and  Barbara 
Elizabeth,  born  November  11,  1912. 


PARKER,  Francis  Hubert, 

Lawyer,  Public  Official. 

Mr.  Parker  descends  from  Edward  Ful- 
ler, John  Howland  and  John  Tilley,  of  the 
"Mayflower"  Pilgrims ;  James  Avery, 
John  Elderkin,  and  William  Lyon — all 
early  settlers  of  Connecticut  and  Massa- 
chusetts. Three  of  his  great-grand- 
fathers, John  Parker,  Nathan  Avery  and 
Josiah  Lyon,  were  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tion.   So  much  for  heredity. 

His  environment  was  in  keeping.  His 
father,  Ozias  H.  Parker,  was  a  representa- 
tive in  the  General  Assembly  in  1851,  1854 
and  1877 ;  selectman  for  several  years, 
first  selectman  for  seven  years ;  town 
auditor;  official  school  visitor;  a  man 
faithful  to  many  trusts,  a  strict  sense  of 
honor,  independent  judgment,  and  strong 
common  sense.  His  mother,  Maria  M. 
(Ayer)  Parker,  was  a  woman  of  strong 
character  whose  moral  influence  was 
exerted  for  the  good  of  her  son,  as  were 
the  splendid  qualities  of  the  father.  His 
home  was  a  Connecticut  farm  whose  acres 
he  helped  to  cultivate,  and  there  he  built 
up  the  sound  body  that,  as  well  as  the 
clear  brain,  was  needed  for  a  strenuous 
life. 

Francis  Hubert  Parker  was  born  at 
East  Haddam.  Middlesex  county,  Connec- 
ticut, September  23,  1850,  son  of  Ozias 
H.  and  Maria  M.  (Ayer)  Parker,  and  a 
descendant  of  William  Parker,  Hartford, 
1636;  Saybrook,  1645.  He  exhausted  the 
advantages  of  the  public  school,  then  in 
the  intervals  of  farm  work  prepared  for 
college  by  private  study  with  Rev.  Silas 


271 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


W.  Robbins,  pastor  of  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church  in  East  Haddam.  He 
worked  hard,  and  when  fully  prepared 
entered  Wesleyan  University  at  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  and  in  1874  was  gradu- 
ated with  the  Bachelor's  degree.  The  law 
was  the  ultimate  goal  of  his  ambition,  and 
his  next  step  toward  the  fruition  of  his 
hopes  was  to  enter  Yale  Law  School,  and 
in  1876  he  was  graduated  Bachelor  of 
Laws.  He  taught  school  one  term  during 
his  college  and  two  terms  during  his  law 
course. 

He  was  admitted  to  the  Connecticut  bar 
and  began  practice  in  Hartford  the  year 
of  his  graduation  from  law   school,   and 
has  there  continued  steadily  and  success- 
fully in  his  chosen  profession.     He  has 
preferred  the    independence    of  a    single 
ofifice,  and  has  practiced  alone  even  when 
not  filling  positions  that  forbade  a  part- 
ner.   He  was  prosecuting  attorney  for  the 
city  of  Hartford,  1887-91.  and  again  1894- 
95,   and   in    1915-17.     He  was  referee   in 
bankruptcy,   1898-1900,  a  position  he  re- 
signed when  appointed  United  States  At- 
torney for  the  District  of  Connecticut  in 
1900    by    President    McKinley,    serving 
until    1908.     For  two  years,    1908-10,  he 
was  corporation  counsel   for  the  city  of 
Hartford.      He    thoroughly    understands 
the   law   and  his  joy   is  to  elucidate   its 
principles.    His  estimate  of  justice  and  of 
the  law  to  establish  and  enforce  it  is  based 
upon   the   belief   that   justice,   being    the 
supreme  interest  of  mankind  the  law  is  a 
most  worthy  object  of  labor  and  study. 
As   a    speaker   he   is    clear,   logical    and 
forcible,  using  nice  distinctions  and  strong 
illustrations.       His     public     professional 
service   has    been   valuable    and   he    has 
retired  from  every  office  with  the  entire 
respect  of  bench   and  bar.     His  private 
practice    is    conducted    in    all    State    and 
Federal  courts  of  the  district,  his  clientele 
of  the  best.     An  ardent  Republican,  Mr. 


Parker  has  neither  sought  political  ofifice 
nor  declined  it  when  offered.  He  has 
pursued  the  path  of  duty,  met  every 
obligation  of  citizenship,  squarely  and 
fairly,  sidesteps  no  responsibility.  He 
represented  East  Haddam  in  the  General 
Assembly  in  1878  and  1880,  and  Hartford 
in  1909.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to  many 
county,  district  and  State  party  conven- 
tions. From  1896  to  1900  he  was  chair- 
m.an  of  the  Hartford  Republican  Town 
Committee. 

Many-sided  are  his  interests,  and  in  his 
desire  to  be  of  service  he  has  assumed 
official  responsibilities  in  many  organiza- 
tions. He  was  president  of  the  board  of 
trustees  of  the  Connecticut  School  for 
Boys,  1899-1909;  is  chairman  of  the 
library  committee  of  the  Connecticut  His- 
torical Society;  registrar  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolu- 
tion;  member  of  the  American  Historical 
Association,  the  National  Geographical 
Society,  and  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  frater- 
nity. In  religious  preference  he  is  a  Con- 
gregationalist. 

Mr.  Parker  married,  December  9.  1891, 
Mrs.  Adelaide  (Leeds)  Fowler,  of  New 
London.  Connecticut. 


WOODWARD,  P.  Henry, 

Federal  Official,  Author,  Banker. 

P.  Henry  Woodward,  of  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, son  of  Ashbel  and  Emeline 
(Bicknell)  Woodward,  was  born  in 
Franklin.  Connecticut,  March  19.  1833. 
He  is  eighth  in  descent  from.  Richard 
Woodward  who  embarked  in  the  ship 
"Elizabeth"  at  Ipswich,  England,  April 
10,  1634,  and  settled  in  Watertown,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Ashbel  Woodward,  M.  D.,  a 
physician  of  great  skill,  was  also  deeply 
versed  in  the  antiquities  and  genealogies 
of  New  England  :  a  sketch  of  him  may  be 
found  in  the  "New   England    Historical 


272 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Genealogical  Register''  for  April, 
1886. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  graduated  at 
Yale  College  in  1855,  studied  law  in  part 
at  Harvard,  and  in  i860  opened  an  office 
in  Savannah,  Georgia,  in  company  with 
William  Robert  Gignilliat,  Jr.,  of  that 
State.  A  few  months  after  the  outbreak 
of  the  war  he  returned  north  and  never 
resumed  the  practice  of  law. 

From  September,  1862,  to  September, 
1865,  he  was  on  the  editorial  staff  of  the 
"Hartford  Courant."  In  September,  1865, 
he  was  appointed  special  agent  of  the 
Postoffice  Department  for  Georgia.  He 
reconstructed  the  service  of  that  State  so 
successfully  that  he  was  chosen  to  estab- 
lish the  system  of  distribution  of  mails  in 
railway  post  offices.  By  gradual  exten- 
sions his  field  covered  the  country  from 
the  Ohio  river  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
eastward  to  South  Carolina  and  Georgia. 
The  choice  of  routes  and  clerks  was  left 
entirely  to  him.  The  workers  were  picked 
from  many  States,  solely  for  fitness,  politi- 
cal influence  being  wholly  debarred.  Dur- 
ing his  superintendency  not  one  was  dis- 
placed for  any  cause.  Throughout  merit 
was  the  only  test. 

With  change  of  administration  he  was 
transferred  to  general  duties,  with  head- 
quarters at  Augusta,  Georgia.  Wide  op- 
portunity for  travel,  work,  adventure,  and 
observation  followed.  In  February,  1873, 
he  was  called  to  investigate  the  affairs  of 
the  post  office  in  New  York  City.  The 
discoveries  then  made  put  an  end  to  an 
era  of  pillage.  In  the  upturn,  Thomas  L. 
James  became  postmaster  and  introduced 
a  radical  reform.  In  1874  President  Grant 
appointed  Hon.  Marshall  Jewell  Post- 
master-General, and  then  Mr.  Woodward 
was  made  chief  of  the  corps  of  special 
agents.  Only  about  a  quarter  of  the  force 
was  highly  competent,  and  upon  this  frac- 
tion devolved  all  matters  of  importance 


Governor  Jewell  reconstructed  the  corps 
on  the  basis  of  efficiency,  lopping  off  dead 
wood  and  bringing  in  the  best  material 
available.  The  body  became  so  eflfective 
that  other  departments  of  the  govern- 
ment, in  difficult  cases,  invoked  its  aid. 
In  correcting  abuses  the  Postmaster-Gen- 
eral and  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  acted 
in  unison.  Before  the  nominating  con- 
vention of  1876  both  became  candidates 
for  the  presidency,  and  in  due  time  Gen- 
eral Grant,  disappointed  in  aspirations  for 
a  third  term,  dismissed  both  from  his 
cabinet.  Mr.  Woodward  went  at  the  same 
tim.e. 

Shortly  after  the  inauguration  of  Presi- 
dent Garfield  in  1881,  Thomas  L.  James, 
his  appointee  as  Postmaster-General,  tele- 
graphed Mr.  Woodward  to  meet  him  in 
New  York.  At  the  interview  he  asked 
Mr.  Woodward  to  become  his  confidential 
agent  in  Washington,  and  especially  to 
investigate  alleged  star  route  frauds.  As 
a  result,  he  took  charge  of  the  task  of  un- 
earthing and  arranging  the  evidence.  By 
cunning  manipulations,  about  two  mil- 
lions of  dollars  per  annum  were  added  to 
the  pay  of  the  conspirators  above  the 
sums  at  which  the  contracts  were  origi- 
nally let.  As  the  inquiry  proceeded, 
fraudulent  increases  were  cut  off  and  the 
original  figures  restored.  As  these  had 
been  made  purposely  low  to  crush  compe- 
tition, the  restoration  of  the  original  rates 
was  a  severe  punishment  in  itself.  Pro- 
ceedings were  instituted  against  the  con- 
spirators, but,  through  bribery  of  jury- 
men, the  guilty  escaped  conviction.  An 
exhaustive  account  of  the  methods  of  the 
culprits  and  of  the  debauchery  of  the 
juries  is  contained  in  the  records  (which 
fill  seven  large  volumes)  of  the  two  trials, 
and  also  in  the  testimony  taken  by  a  com- 
mittee of  the  House,  znde  the  "Forty- 
eighth  Congress,  1st  Session,  House  of 
Representatives,  Misc.  Doc.  38,  Part  2." 


Conn— 3-18 


273 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


In  his  testimony  before  the  said  commit- 
tee, Attorney-General  Brewster  declared : 
"I  think  without  Mr.  Woodward  these 
cases  never  could  have  been  instituted. 
I  think  he  was,  to  use  one  word,  invalu- 
able. He  is  a  man  of  remarkable  intelli- 
gence ;  he  is  a  man  of  great  purity  of  char- 
acter;  he  is  an  educated  gentleman.  In 
al!  my  life,  in  an  experience  of  over  forty- 
six  years  of  legal  practice,  I  never  have 
met  with  a  man  who  could  assist  a  lawyer 
better  than  Mr.  Woodward."  With  the 
advent  of  President  Cleveland,  Mr.  Wood- 
ward left  the  service  of  the  government 
permanently. 

In  1888,  discouraged  by  the  local  out- 
look, Hartford  organized  a  Board  of 
Trade,  with  Mr.  Woodward  as  secretary. 
Leading  men  of  the  city  became  actively 
interested  in  the  enterprise.  Facts  col- 
lected and  published  revealed  the  latent 
strength  of  the  situation,  and  were  fol- 
lowed by  a  rapid  change  from  distrust  to 
confidence.  In  the  next  ten  years  the  city 
gained  fifty  per  cent,  in  population,  and 
the  fame  of  her  institutions,  both  finan- 
cial and  industrial,  has  become  world- 
wide. 

Mr.  Woodward  is  now  (1917)  president 
of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank  ;  vice-president 
of  the  Connecticut  General  Life  Insur- 
ance Company;  secretary  of  the  board  of 
trustees,  Trinity  College ;  and  director  in 
several  other  corporations.  He  wrote: 
"Guarding  the  Mails,"  1876  (later  edition 
entitled  "Secret  Service  of  the  P.  O.  De- 
partment"); "Hartford,  its  Institutions 
and  Industries,"  1889;  "Centennial  His- 
tory of  the  Hartford  Bank,"  1892  ;  "Insur- 
ance in  Connecticut,"  1897 ;  "Manufac- 
tures in  Hartford,"  1897;  also  historical 
addresses,  sketches,  etc.  Mr.  Woodward's 
"Manufactures  in  Hartford"  was  included 
in  "The  New  England  States"  (D.  H. 
Hurd  &  Company,  1897)  ;  so  also  was  his 
"Insurance  in  Connecticut,"  which  later 


was  published  separately  in  bookform, 
and  is  now  a  standard,  placing  into  perma- 
nent printed  record  important  historical 
facts  that  but  for  his  research  would  prob-- 
ably  never  have  been  preserved  in  authen- 
tic detail.  He  delivered  the  address  at 
the  unveiling  of  the  statue  of  Colonel 
Thomas  Knowlton  on  the  State  Capitol 
grounds,  in  November,  1895.  The  honor- 
ary degree  of  Master  of  Arts  was  con- 
ferred upon  Mr.  Woodward  in  1900  by 
Trinity  College. 

He  married,  September  11,  1867,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Charles  Smith,  of  South 
Windham,  Connecticut.  Children:  Helen, 
wife  of  Rev.  Stephen  H.  Cranberry; 
Charles  Guilford,  financial  secretary  of 
Connecticut  General  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany. 


MITCHELL,    Charles    Elliott,    Ph.    B., 
LL.  B., 

Attorney,  United  States  Commissioner. 

Charles  Elliott  Mitchell,  a  native  of 
Bristol,  Connecticut,  and  for  many  years 
in  legal  practice  in  New  Britain  and  New 
York  City,  gained  many  honors  during 
his  noteworthy  life.  By  his  brilliancy  in 
the  courts  and  by  his  profound  under- 
standing and  masterful  interpretation  of 
the  law,  especially  in  relation  to  patents, 
he  attained  national  distinction,  being 
acknowledged  as  one  of  the  nation's  ablest 
authorities  on  patent  law.  He  conducted 
the  prosecution  or  defence  of  many  cele- 
brated causes  involving  patents  of  inter- 
national importance,  and  so  convincingly 
made  manifest  his  preeminence  in  that  de- 
partment of  law  that  President  Harrison 
in  1889  invited  him  to  take  office  under 
the  federal  administration  as  United 
States  Commissioner  of  Patents. 

Charles  Elliott  Mitchell  was  born  in 
Bristol,  Connecticut,  on  May  11,  1837,  the 
son  of  George  H.  and  Lurene  (Hooker) 


374 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Mitchell,  the  former  a  merchant,  and  at 
one  time  postmaster  of  Bristol,  and  the 
latter  a  direct  descendant  of  Thomas 
Hooker,  the  famous  Puritan  preacher, 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  at  Hartford, 
and  popularly  regarded  as  the  founder  of 
Connecticut.  Ira  Hooker,  maternal  grand- 
father of  the  late  Charles  Elliott  Mitchell, 
was  another  of  his  distinguished  ances- 
tors ;  he  was  a  manufacturer  at  Bristol, 
and  for  several  sessions  sat  in  the  State 
Legislature  as  representative  from  Bris- 
tol. In  the  paternal  line,  Charles  Elliott 
Mitchell  was  the  descendant  of  one  Wil- 
licim  Mitchell,  who  came  from  Scotland 
and  settled  in  Bristol,  Connecticut,  shortly 
before  the  Revolution.  His  paternal 
grandfather  was  George  Mitchell,  a  man 
of  strong  personality  and  upright  life,  a 
leading  manufacturer  and  at  one  time  a 
State  Senator.  Mrs.  Lurene  (Hooker) 
Mitchell,  mother  of  Charles  E.  Mitchell, 
was  a  lady  of  much  refinement  and  con- 
siderable intellectual  attainments,  and  she 
exercised  much  influence  over  the  intellec- 
tual life  of  her  son,  who  early  gave  indica- 
tion of  studious  inclinations.  This  desire 
for  knowledge  his  mother  encouragingly 
fostered,  arid  although  the  boy  to  some  ex- 
tent engaged  in  business  activities  in  con- 
nection with  his  father's  mercantile  busi- 
ness, he  received  every  encouragement  to 
fit  himself  for  more  responsible  undertak- 
ings ;  and  having  exhibited  an  innate  tal- 
ent for  research,  especially  into  the  intri- 
cacies of  the  law,  it  was  decided  to  point 
his  studies  in  that  direction.  The  litera- 
ture within  his  reach,  and  also  in  con- 
sonance with  his  desire,  was  for  the  most 
part  masterpieces  of  English  composition, 
such  as  "Macaulay's  Essays,"  and  seri- 
ous works  of  inspiring  moment,  such  as 
biographies  of  statesmen.  The  youth  in- 
dustriously performed  the  business  duties 
set  for  his  accomplishment,  but  his  mo- 
ments of  leisure  were  few,  as  most  of  his 


spare  moments  from  business  were  given 
to  close  study,  so  as  to  prepare  himself  for 
entry  to  college.  His  power  of  elocution 
was  strengthened  by  his  practice  of  "re- 
citing sometimes  to  the  principal  of  the 
high  school,  and  at  other  times  to  one  of 
the  clergymen  of  the  village."  In  course 
of  time,  he  was  sent  to  WilHston  Semi- 
nary, where  he  remained  for  a  year.  In 
1858  he  became  a  matriculate  at  Brown 
University,  and  there  followed  the  course 
which  gained  him  in  1861,  when  he  gradu- 
ated, the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Philoso- 
phy. Having  by  that  time  definitely  re- 
solved to  qualify  for  admittance  to  the 
legal  profession,  Charles  Elliott  Mitchell 
then  became  a  student  of  law,  although  he 
was  not  then  able  to  do  more  than  to 
enter  upon  private  researches  into  its 
fundamentals,  as  his  days  were  fully  occu- 
pied by  the  responsibilities  of  the  educa- 
tional position  to  which  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed, that  of  principal  of  the  Bristol 
High  School.  However,  at  the  first  op- 
portunity, he  proceeded  to  the  Albany 
Law  School,  and  there  graduated  in  1864, 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws. 

Mr.  Mitchell  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  Hartford  county,  and  immediately 
opened  a  law  office  in  New  Britain,  some 
years  later  forming  partnership  with  the 
late  Judge  Frank  L.  Hungerford,  and 
thus  establishing  the  firm  of  Mitchell  & 
Hungerford.  The  firm  had  historic  con- 
nection with  the  city  of  New  Britain,  its 
members  having  been  entrusted  with  the 
drafting  of  the  city's  original  charter,  and 
later  for  many  years  acting  as  its  coun- 
sellers  in  law.  To  Mr.  Mitchell  belonged 
the  honor  of  being  the  first  city  attorney 
of  New  Britain.  Another  distinction 
which  influenced  the  whole  trend  of  his 
subsequent  professional  activities  soon 
came  to  Mr.  Mitchell.  Having  a  native 
interest  and  pride  in  the  industrial  prog- 
ress of  the  State  of  Connecticut  and  in  the 


275 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


standing  of  its  inventors  in  the  world  of 
mechanics,  he  undertook  exhaustive  re- 
search into  the  bases  of  patent  law,  and 
decided  to  place  his  knowledge  at  the  dis- 
posal of  those  having  inventions  they  de- 
sired to  protect.  Eventually,  this  depart- 
ment of  law  practice  occupied  his  whole 
time.  It  has  been  stated  that  he  was  the 
first  attorney  in  Connecticut  to  make  pat- 
ent law  his  specialty,  and  he  soon  came 
into  prominence  by  his  able  conduct  of 
patent  and  trademark  cases ;  in  fact,  it 
gained  him  a  national  reputation,  strength- 
ened by  his  frequent  presence  before  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Mitchell's  life  achievements  are  referred 
to  in  "Men  of  Mark  in  Connecticut,''  and 
particular  reference  is  therein  made  to  his 
accomplishments  in  executive  capacity  in 
the  United  States  Patent  Office.  Into 
that  record  has  been  placed  the  statement 
that  his  appointment  to  the  office  of 
United  States  Commissioner  of  Patents 
in  1889  by  President  Harrison,  was  "in 
response  to  the  general  desire  of  the  pat- 
ent lawyers  of  the  country,"  who  un- 
doubtedly knew  his  worth.  It  was  also 
stated  that  Mr.  Mitchell  conducted  the 
affairs  of  the  Patent  Office  "on  sound 
business  principles,"  introduced  several 
reforms,  and  "brought  the  work  of  issuing 
patents  into  a  condition  equal  to  the  pres- 
sure of  the  incoming  applications,  a  most 
important  step."  During  his  national 
service,  Mr.  Mitchell's  private  practice 
suffered,  and  finally,  in  1891,  he  was  com- 
pelled, by  the  demand  for  his  services  in 
his  private  professional  capacity,  to  re- 
sign from  the  federal  administration.  He 
immediately  thereafter  resumed  his  pri- 
vate practice  at  New  Britain,  and  in  con- 
nection with  his  New  Britain  office  found 
it  necessary  to  open  a  law  office  in  New 
York  City.  He  practiced  assiduously 
until  1902,  gaining  added  prestige  in  pat- 
ent law  by  his  handling  of  the  important 
cases  placed  with  him.     His  New  York 


City  practice  brought  him  into  promi- 
nence in  litigation  involving  the  inven- 
tions of  such  eminent  inventors  as  Edison, 
Tesla  and  Thomson,  and  among  the  cele- 
brated cases  with  which  during  his  active 
practice  he  was  connected  as  attorney, 
may  be  noted  the  Tucker  Bronze,  the 
Rogers  Trade  Mark,  and  the  Brush  Stor- 
age cases.  While  in  New  York,  Attor- 
ney Mitchell  was  principally  retained  by 
the  General  Electric  Company,  and  did 
good  work  in  many  cases  relating  to  Edi- 
son's incandescent  lamp,  and  other  elec- 
trical inventions. 

It  is  believed  that  his  retirement  from 
New  York  practice  was  because  of  failing 
eyesight,  and  after  again  taking  up  per- 
manent residence  in  New  Britain  he  lived 
in  semi-retirement,  allowing  himself  to 
become  concerned  in  only  the  more  im- 
portant problems  of  patent  law  set  before 
him  for  elucidation. 

Mr.  Mitchell  was  too  fully  occupied 
with  his  professional  duties  to  be  able  to 
devote  much  time  to  political  questions 
and  activities.  However,  in  his  early 
years  of  practice,  having  more  unoccupied 
moments  than  latterly,  he  to  some  extent 
entered  into  public  and  political  life.  Dur- 
ing the  years  1880-81  he  sat  in  the  Con- 
necticut General  Assembly  as  representa- 
tive from  New  Britain ;  in  1880  he  was 
appointed  to  the  chairmanship  of  the 
State  committee  on  corporations ;  and  in 
1881  was  an  influential  member  of  the 
judiciary  committee.  He  also  took  ener- 
getic and  forceful  part  in  the  presidential 
campaigns  of  1884  and  1888,  taking  the 
public  platform  enthusiastically  in  the 
interests  of  the  Republican  party.  His 
understanding  of  many  important  phases 
of  industrial  affairs  brought  him  into 
executive  office  in  many  industrial  cor- 
porations, among  them  the  presidency  of 
the  Stanley  Rule  and  Level  Company,  of 
New  Britain. 

Mr.  Mitchell  was  thorough   in  all  his 


276 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


actions,  and  succeeded  in  life  because  he 
made  no  move  or  utterance  until  he  had, 
by  research  and  study,  become  convinced 
that  the  basis  was  sound  and  logical. 
Among  the  professional,  academic,  and 
social  organizations  with  which  Mr. 
Mitchell  was  affiliated  were :  The  Amer- 
ican Bar  Association ;  the  Association  of 
the  Bar  of  New  York  City ;  the  Hartford 
County  Bar;  the  Century  Association; 
the  University  Club,  New  Britain  Club, 
New  England  Society,  and  the  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  Alumni  Association  of  New  York 
City. 

After  his  death,  some  friends  of  Mr. 
Mitchell  placed  into  permanent  printed 
record  the  more  important  of  the  ad- 
dresses he  had  delivered  during  the  course 
of  his  active  life.  The  volume  not  only 
emphasizes  the  profundity  of  his  research 
and  the  diversity  of  his  knowledge,  but  it 
indicates  the  classical  trend  of  his  mind, 
and  also  makes  clear  that  which  was 
probably  the  characteristic  most  evident 
in  him — his  strict  adherence  to  the  right, 
as  the  fundamental  of  all  things  worth 
while. 

Charles  Elliott  Mitchell  married,  in 
1866,  Cornelia  A.,  daughter  of  Abiram  and 
Sophorina  (Burt)  Chamberlain,  and  sis- 
ter of  ex-Governor  Chamberlain.  Mr. 
Mitchell  died  on  March  17,  191 1,  at  New 
Britain,  where  his  widow  still  resides. 
Their  children  were:  i.  Robert  C,  who 
entered  the  legal  profession,  and  is  now 
in  practice  in  New  York  City.  2.  Charles 
H.,  who  is  clerk  of  the  city  and  police 
courts  of  New  Britain.  3.  George  Henry, 
in  legal  practice  in  the  City  of  New  York. 


STANLEY,  Walter  Henry. 

Agrlcultiirist,  Capitalist. 

In  the  death  of  Mr.  Stanley,  which  oc- 
curred August  3,  1916,  the  town  of  New 
Britain  lost  one  of  its  generous  and  most 


kindly  citizens.  The  Stanley  family  has 
been  established  in  New  Britain  for  many 
generations,  and  has  ever  been  foremost 
in  promoting  the  town's  moral  and  mate- 
rial interests.  The  Stanley  family  is  very 
ancient  in  England,  and  there  are  many 
branches  in  various  counties.  The  Ameri- 
can branch  is  thought  to  have  sprung 
from  the  family  of  the  name  in  County 
Kent,  descended  through  a  younger  son 
of  the  great  Lancashire  family  of  Stan- 
leys. The  arms  of  the  Kentish  family  are 
described :  Argent  on  a  band  azure,  three 
bucks'  heads  cabossed  or,  a  chief  gules. 
Crest :  A  demi-heraldic  wolf,  erased  ar- 
gent, tufted  or. 

John  Stanley  was  born  in  England,  and 
embarked  for.  New  England  in  1634-35, 
but  died  on  the  voyage.  Captain  John 
Stanley,  son  of  John,  was  born  1624,  in 
England,  and  after  his  father's  death  was 
placed  in  care  of  his  uncle,  Thomas  Stan- 
ley, until  he  came  of  age.  In  1636  he 
removed  with  his  guardian  to  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  and  when  only  thirteen  years 
old  went  as  a  soldier  in  an  expedition 
against  the  Pequot  Indians.  He  settled 
at  Farmington,  Connecticut,  at  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  important  men  of  the  town ;  was 
deputy  to  the  General  Court  almost  con- 
tinuously for  thirty-seven  years,  from 
1659  to  1696.  In  King  Philip's  War  he 
was  lieutenant  and  captain ;  was  con- 
stable of  the  town  in  1654;  sergeant,  1669; 
ensign,  1674;  captain,  1676.  He  had  a 
grant  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  1675  and  another  two  years  later, 
and  died  December  19,  1706  (gravestone 
record).  He  married  (first)  December  5, 
1645,  Sarah  Scott,  who  died  June  6,  1661, 
daughter  of  Thomas  and  Anna  Scott, 
of  Hartford.  Their  second  son,  Thomas 
Stanley,  was  born  November  i,  1649.  at 
Farmington,  died  there,  April  14,  1713. 
He  was  one  of  the  petitioners  for  liberty 


277 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  plant  a  colony  at  Waterbury,  but  ap- 
pears not  to  have  gone  there.  He  mar- 
ried, May  I,  1690,  Ann,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Jeremiah  and  Joanna  (Kitchell)  Peck,  of 
Waterbury.  Their  only  son,  Thomas 
Stanley,  was  born  October  31,  1696,  at 
Farmington,  died  October  13,  1755.  He 
resided  at  Stanley  Quarter  in  New  Britain, 
Connecticut,  and  for  his  day  he  was  a 
wealthy  and  prominent  citizen.  He  mar- 
ried in  Farmington,  January  2,  1718, 
Esther,  daughter  of  Samuel  Cowles,  of 
Kensington,  Connecticut,  died  July  22, 
1776.  The  eldest  son  of  Thomas  and 
FIsther  (Cowles)  Stanley,  was  Thomas, 
born  November  27,  1720,  in  New  Britain, 
died  in  1775,  leaving  an  estate  valued  at 
£710.  He  married,  May  22,  1740,  Mary 
Francis,  born  February  5,  1722,  in  New- 
ington,  Connecticut,  daughter  of  James 
and  Elizabeth  (Howard)  Francis.  Their 
third  son.  Lot  Stanley,  was  born  ]\Iarch 
3,  1752,  in  New  Britain,  where  he  was  a 
hatter,  one  of  the  first  makers  of  fur  hats 
in  Connecticut,  and  died  March  8,  1807. 
He  married  Rhoda  Wadsworth,  born  Sep- 
tember 22,  1754,  daughter  of  Timothy  and 
Mary  (Cowles)  Wadsworth,  of  Farming- 
ton,  died  May  13,  1819. 

Amon  Stanley,  second  son  of  Lot,  was 
born  March  10,  1778,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  hatter  from  his  father,  with 
whom  he  was  some  years  a  partner,  and 
whose  homestead  in  New  Britain  he  pur- 
chased. In  later  life  he  was  a  prosperous 
farmer,  was  a  member  of  the  standing 
committee  of  the  church,  which  he  joined 
December  2,  1821,  and  died  February  2, 
1846,  leaving  an  estate  valued  at  $7,925.36. 
He  made  annua!  trips  to  "the  West" 
(State  of  New  York),  where  he  exchanged 
hats  for  furs,  and  also  operated  a  distillery 
for  making  cider-brandy,  from  his  large 
orchards.  Becoming  convinced  that  the 
latter  business  was  not  reputable,  though 
assured  by  his  pastor  that  it  was,  he  sold 


out  the  distillery.  In  order  to  be  rid  of 
the  hard  characters  tolerated  by  the  new 
owners,  he  repurchased  the  property  at 
a  great  advance  in  price  and  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  a  valuable  piece  of  woodland,  and 
broke  up  the  stills,  selling  the  metal  to 
a  factory  in  New  Britain,  where  it  was 
made  into  useful  articles.  Amon  Stan- 
ley married,  October  10,  1802,  Abi  North, 
born  November  21,  1784,  daughter  of  Cap- 
tain James  and  Rhoda  (Judd)  North,  of 
New  Britain.  She  joined  the  church  De- 
cember 2,  1810,  was  one  of  its  most  faith- 
ful members,  "a  kind  and  watchful 
mother,"  and  active  in  persuading  her 
husband  to  abandon  the  distillery.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children. 

Henry  Stanley,  second  son  of  Amon, 
was  born  September  24,  1807,  in  New 
Britain.  He  was  an  ambitious  and  indus- 
trious youth,  and  left  the  paternal  farm  at 
an  early  age.  Before  attaining  his  major- 
ity he  became  a  partner  with  Alvin  North 
in  the  manufacture  of  plated  ware.  This 
was  a  successful  undertaking,  and  later 
Mr.  Stanley  was  associated  with  Seth  J. 
North  and  John  Stanley,  under  the  style 
of  North,  Stanley  &  Company,  subse- 
quently North,  Smith  &  Company,  and 
Henry  Stanley  &  Company.  The  last 
firm  comprised  three  brothers — -Henry, 
Augustus  and  Timothy  W^  Stanley,  and 
was  merged  in  the  Russell  &  Erwin 
Manufacturing  Company,  in  which  Henry 
Stanley  was  a  large  shareholder  and  di- 
rector until  his  death.  May  3,  1884,  in  his 
seventy-seventh  year.  He  was  among 
the  founders  of  several  other  industries, 
one  of  which  is  the  New  Britain  Knitting 
Company,  of  which  he  was  long  president 
and  manager.  Others  are  the  American 
Hosiery  Company  and  Stanley  Rule  & 
Level  Company,  of  both  of  which  he  was 
president.  After  the  death  of  F.  T.  Stan- 
ley, he  was  president  of  the  Stanley 
Works.    A  large  stockholder  and  director 


278 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


of  the  Willimantic  Linen  Company,  and 
interested  in  other  manufacturing  enter- 
prises, Mr.  Stanley  gave  a  great  impetus 
to  the  industrial  life  of  Connecticut.  He 
was  distinguished  for  his  admirable  poise, 
high  integrity  and  firmness  of  character. 
Of  genial  manner,  though  somewhat 
reticent  nature,  he  possessed  a  fine  taste, 
as  shown  in  his  beautiful  mansion  and 
grounds  on  South  Main  street.  He  gave 
judiciously  and  liberally  of  his  wealth 
in  promoting  philanthropical,  educational 
objects,  and  was  ever  an  enterprising 
agent  in  advancing  the  material  interests 
of  the  community.  On  March  i,  1829,  he 
united  with  the  church,  continued  among 
its  faithful  members  until  1842,  when  the 
South  Church  was  formed,  and  found  him 
among  its  constituent  members,  continu- 
ing to  his  death.  He  married,  June  10, 
1829,  Eliza  Stanley  North,  born  Novem- 
ber 2-j,  1807,  daughter  of  Seth  J.  and 
Elizabeth  (Stanley)  North,  died  April  18, 
1837.  She  was  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren. The  junior,  Theodore  Augustus, 
was  second  lieutenant  of  Company  F, 
Fourteenth  Regiment  Connecticut  Volun- 
teers, in  the  Civil  War,  led  his  company 
in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  where 
he  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  De- 
cember 31,  1862,  in  hospital  at  Washing- 
ton. He  was  buried  with  military  honors 
at  New  Britain,  January  5,  1863. 

Walter  Henry  Stanley,  eldest  child  of 
Henry  and  Elizabeth  (North)  Stanley, 
was  born  June  25,  1830.  in  New  Britain, 
in  whose  public  schools  he  received  his 
early  educational  training.  After  gradu- 
ating at  Williston  Academy  he  engaged 
in  agriculture  on  the  paternal  acres,  which 
had  come  down  through  several  gener- 
ations of  his  forbears.  He  became  inter- 
ested in  several  of  the  local  industries, 
and  was  widely  esteemed  as  a  useful  citi- 
zen of  pleasing  manners  and  most  kindly 
disposition.     For  many  years  he   was   a 


member  of  the  South  Church,  but  was  not 
active  in  church  or  civil  matters.  His 
kindly  acts  were  many  and  his  memory 
long  will  be  cherished  by  his  contempo- 
raries, as  well  as  by  a  filial  family. 

He  married,  September  7,  1853,  Mary 
Jane  Peck,  of  New  Britain,  born  there, 
daughter  of  Elnathan  and  Mary  (Dewey) 
Peck,  a  descendant  of  Joseph  Peck,  of 
Milford,  Connecticut,  who  was  born  in 
England,  and  settled  at  New  Haven,  Con- 
necticut as  early  as  1643,  removing  thence 
to  Alilford  in  1649.  where  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  in  1652.  He  is  thought 
to  be  a  brother  of  Henry  Peck,  of  New 
Haven,  and  probably  came  with  him.  His 
home  was  near  the  residence  now  or  lately 
occupied  by  Captain  Cornelius  B.  Peck, 
and  he  died  in  1701.  He  married  (first) 
Alice  Burwell,  who  died  December  19, 
1666.  Their  son,  Joseph  Peck,  born  1653, 
settled  in  Milford.  He  settled  his  own 
estate  by  deeding  his  property  to  his  chil- 
dren. He  married,  in  Milford,  Mary 
Camp,  probably  born  1660,  daughter  of 
Nicholas  (2)  and  Katharine  Camp,  grand- 
daughter of  Nicholas  (i)  Camp,  born  be- 
fore 1630,  in  England,  who  came  from 
Nasing,  County  Essex,  to  this  country  in 
1638.  The  fourth  son  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
(Camp)  Peck,  was  Samuel  Peck,  who 
lived  in  Milford,  and  there  married  Mar- 
tha Clark.  Their  eldest  son,  Samuel 
Peck,  was  born  May  21,  1716,  in  Milford, 
where  he  lived.  He  married  Hannah  or 
Anna  Jennings,  born  about  1718,  in  Fair- 
field,  daughter  of  John  J.,  granddaughter 
of  Joseph  and  Abigail  (Turney)  Jennings, 
great-granddaughter  of  Joshua  Jennings, 
who  was  in  Hertford  in  1647,  and  Fair- 
field 1656.  Samuel  Peck,  eldest  child  of 
Samuel  and  Hannah,  was  born  .August 
22,  1736,  in  Milford,  and  died  there,  June 
T2,  1S22.  He  commanded  a  company  in 
the  Revolutionary  army,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  civil  affairs.    He  married.  July  7, 


279 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1762,   Meliitable   Smith,   born    1740,   died 
January    i,    1826.      Their    fifth    son    was 
Michael  Peck,  born  August   12,   1773,  in 
Milford,  where  he  was  a  builder,  and  died 
December  27,   1861.     He  married,  Janu- 
ary   I,    1797,    Mary    Marshall,    and    they 
were  the  parents  of  Elnathan  Peck,  born 
August  II,  1803,  in  Milford.  died  Decem- 
ber   28,    1865,    in    New    Haven.      As    a 
builder's    apprentice    he    went    to    New 
Britain  to  aid  in  building  a  church,  and 
continued    in    building    operations    there 
some  years.     He  was  among  the  first  to 
manufacture  hardware  specialties,  and  re- 
moved his  business  to  New  Haven  five 
years  before  his  death.    He  married,  June 
20,    1827,    Mary    Dewey,   who   was   born 
July  2,  1804,  in  New  Britain,  daughter  of 
Josiah  and  Mehitable  (Kilbourn)  Dewey. 
Fhey  were  the  parents  of  Mary  J.  Peck, 
wife  of  Walter  H.  Stanley.    Through  her 
mother,    Mary    J.    Peck    was    descended 
from  a  very  old  and  well  known  Ameri- 
can family,  founded  by  Thomas  Dewey, 
who  came  from  Sandwich,  County  Kent, 
England,    and    was    one    of    the    original 
grantees    of    Dorchester,    Massachusetts, 
in  1636.     He  was  here  as  early  as   1633. 
however,  and  was  a  witness  in  that  year 
of  the  non-cupative  will  of  John  Russell, 
of  Dorchester.     He  was  admitted  a  free- 
man of  the  colony.  May  14.  1634,  sold  his 
lands  at  Dorchester,  August  12,  1635,  and 
removed  with  other   Dorchester  men  to 
Windsor,  Connecticut,  of  which  he  was  one 
of  the  earliest  settlers.     He  was  juryman 
in   1 64 2-43-44.-45.     He  died  intestate  and 
the  inventory  of  his  estate  was  filed  May 
19.  1648,  amounting  to  two  hundred  and 
thirteen  pounds.     He  married,  March  22, 
1639,    at    Windsor,    Frances,    widow    of 
Joseph  Clark.    She  married  (third)  as  his 
second  wife,  George  Phelps,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 27,  1690.     Jedediah.  fourth  son  of 
Thomas   and   Frances   Dewey,  born   De- 
cember 15,   1647,  at  Windsor,  died  1718, 


at  Westfield,  Massachusetts,  where  he 
settled  in  1669.  He  married,  about  1670, 
Sarah  Orton,  of  Farmington,  Connecti- 
cut, daughter  of  Thomas  and  Margaret 
(Pell)  Orton,  baptized  August  22,  1652, 
at  Windsor,  died  November  20,  1711. 
Their  second  son,  Daniel,  born  March  9, 
1680,  at  Westfield,  died  in  Farmington, 
Connecticut,  1717.  He  married,  Septem- 
ber 27,  1706,  Catherine  Beckley,  of 
Wethersfield,  born  about  1685,  daughter 
of  John.  Their  eldest  child  and  only  son. 
Deacon  Daniel,  was  born  August  24,  1707. 
in  Farmington,  and  was  a  farmer  in  the 
southern  part,  now  New  Britain,  having 
inherited  the  homestead  of  his  father  at 
the  southern  end  of  Stanley  street.  He 
joined  the  church  in  1760,  was  chosen 
deacon,  September  3,  1772,  was  a  man  of 
fine  temper,  ensign  of  the  Second  Com- 
pany, parish  of  Kensington.  He  married, 
January  27,  1732,  Rebecca  Curtis,  born 
April  28,  1705,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Mary  (Goodrich)  Curtis,  died  March  6. 
1781.  David  Dewey,  eldest  child  of  Dea- 
con Daniel  and  Rebecca  (Curtis)  Dewey, 
was  born  March  16,  1733,  and  died  Au- 
gust, 1814,  at  Harwinton,  Connecticut. 
He  was  a  farmer  in  New  Britain,  and 
married,  February  12.  1755,  Esther  Dun- 
ham, who  came  from  iMartha's  Vineyard, 
where  her  family  was  prominent.  She 
was  the  mother  of  Josiah  Dewey,  who 
was  born  January  6,  1756,  in  New  Britain, 
and  died  there,  April  17,  1838.  In  early 
life  he  taught  school,  was  a  farmer  and 
man  of  eminent  Christian  character, 
joined  the  church  October  3,  1754.  He 
married,  November  24,  1785,  Mehitable 
Kilbourn,  born  April  23,  1764,  in  New 
Britain,  daughter  of  Joshua  and  Mehitable 
(Mather)  Kilbourn.  joined  the  church 
January  30,  1780.  Their  youngest  child, 
Mary  Dewey,  born  July  2,  1804,  became 
the  wife  of  Elnathan  Peck,  and  mother 
of  Mary  J.  Peck,  wife  of  Walter  H.  Stan- 


280 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ley.  Their  children  were  :  William  North, 
born  March  4,  1855  ;  Albert  Walter,  June 
21,  1857;  Hubert  Augustus,  January  21, 
i860;  Isabel,  January  19, 1862  ;  Theodore, 
March  18,  1864;  Robert  Henry,  May  i, 
1869,  of  Montclair,  New  Jersey;  Morti- 
mer Dewey,  April  27,  1871  ;  Walter  Peck, 
January  18,  1874,  who  lives  in  Atlanta, 
Georg-ia. 


WELLES.  Martin, 

Financier,    Public    Official. 

Martin  Welles,  secretary-treasurer  of  the 
Travellers'  Bank  and  Trust  Company  of 
Hartford,  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
oldest  families  in  New  England.  From  the 
colonial  period  to  the  present  time  many 
of  its  members  in  the  successive  genera- 
tions have  been  distinguished  as  brave 
soldiers,  upright  public  officials,  able 
members  of  the  learned  professions  and 
successful  business  men  and  financiers. 

While  it  was  not  until  the  twelfth  or 
thirteenth  century  that  surnames  came 
into  general  use,  the  \\'elles  family  has 
been  traced  back  to  the  Vaux  family 
which  derived  its  name  from  a  district 
in  Normandy.  The  name  comes  from 
Norman-French  val,  a  vale,  and  its  plural, 
z'als  or  z'aux,  from  the  Latin  2'allis.  The 
orthography  passed  through  many 
changes:  Wallys  (1220),  Wellys  (1475), 
Wyllys  (1463),  De  Well  (1401-89),  and 
De  Welles,  Welles  (1283).  One  ancestor 
of  the  Welles  family  was  named  Eville  or 
Everaux,  meaning  a  spring,  or  waters. 

The  Vaux  family  is  of  record  in  Prov- 
ence as  early  as  794,  and  is  recognized  as 
one  of  the  most  illustrious  in  history,  hav- 
ing, from  that  period,  held  the  highest 
rank  in  its  own  right  and  by  royal  in- 
termarriages. Harold  de  Vaux,  a  near 
connection  of  W^illiam  the  Conqueror, 
founded  the  family  in  England  about 
1 120.     He  was  accompanied  by  his  three 


sons — Barons  Hubert,  Ranulph  and  Rob- 
ert, all  surnamed  de  Vallibus.  Robert  de 
Welles,  born  about  1145,  was  the  great- 
grandson  of  Robert  de  Vallibus.  He  held 
the  manor  of  Little  Rayne,  in  Essex,  Eng- 
land, and  was  the  founder  of  the  Welles 
family  in  that  county.  Recorded  history 
and  family  traditions  agree  in  stating  that 
all  of  the  name  Welles  and  Wells  who 
emigrated  to  the  American  colonies  dur- 
ing the  seventeenth  century  were  from 
the  county  of  Essex,  England.  From 
Burke's  "Armory"  we  learn  that  many 
branches  of  the  Welles  family  are  en- 
titled to  coats-of-arms,  a  great  number  of 
which  were  granted  by  royal  decree  in 
reward  for  services  rendered  in  the  politi- 
cal agitations  of  different  periods. 

Thomas  Welles,  founder  of  the  family 
in  Connecticut  and  fourth  colonial  gov- 
ernor of  the  province,  was  born  in  1598, 
in  Essex,  England,  and  early  in  1636  came 
to  Connecticut  as  private  secretary  to 
Lord  Saye  and  Sele.  The  latter  returned 
to  England,  leaving  his  secretary  to  brave 
the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  wilder- 
ness. Accordingly  he  (the  secretary)  pro- 
ceeded up  the  Connecticut  river  to  Hart- 
ford, where  his  name  first  appears  of  rec- 
ord in  1637,  when  he  was  chosen  one  of 
the  magistrates  of  the  colony.  He  held 
this  office  continuously  until  his  death,  a 
period  of  twenty-two  years.  At  that  time 
the  magistrates  constituted  the  highest 
legislative  and  judicial  tribunal  in  the 
colony.  In  1639  Thomas  Welles  was 
chosen  the  first  treasurer  of  the  colony 
under  the  new  constitution,  and  this  office 
he  held  at  various  times  until  1651,  when 
he  requested  of  the  General  Court  "to  be 
eased  of  the  Treasurer's  place."  In  1641 
he  was  chosen  secretary  of  the  colony,  be- 
ing subsequently  at  diiTerent  times  re- 
elected to  this  office.  In  1649  he  was  one 
of  the  commissioners  of  the  United  Colo- 
nies.    In   1654,  Governor  Hopkins  being 


281 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  England  and  Deputy  Governor  Haynes 
being     deceased,     Thomas     Welles     was 
elected   by   the   whole   body   of   freeman 
moderator    of   the    General    Court.     The 
same  year  he  was  chosen   Deputy   Gov- 
ernor, in  1655  he  became  Governor,  and 
in   1656  and   1657  he  was  again  Deputy 
Governor.     In  1658  he  was  chosen  Gov- 
ernor for  the  second  time,  and   in    1659 
served   his   third   term   as    Deputy    Gov- 
ernor.   At  that  time  no  man  was  allowed 
to  hold  the  office  of  Governor  two  years 
in  succession.     Governor  Welles  lived  in 
stirring    times    when    many   troublesome 
questions  between  the  colonies  had  to  be 
decided,   and   when   it  was   necessary  to 
exercise  great  wisdom  in  dealing  with  the 
savages.     Largely  through  his  influence, 
war  with  the  Dutch  was  averted,  and  the 
quarrelsome  Indians  were  subdued.     He 
was  regarded  as  one  of  the  wealthiest  men 
in  the  colony  and  one  of  its  best  writers. 
It  is  said  that  most  of  the  early  laws  and 
important   papers   were   drafted  by   him. 
Governor   Welles   was   married    in    Eng- 
land, about  1618,  the  maiden  name  of  his 
wife  being  Hunt.     She  died  in  Hartford 
county,  about  1640.    On  January  14,  1660, 
Governor  Welles  passed  away  at  Wethers- 
field.  His  conduct  was  in  accordance  with 
the  highest  ideals  and  he  enjoyed  the  un- 
limited confidence  of  the  people. 

(II)  John,  son  of  Governor  Thomas 
Welles,  was  born  about  1621,  in  Essex, 
England,  and  came  with  his  parents  to 
Connecticut.  He  resided  in  Hartford  un- 
til 1645,  when  he  removed  to  Stratford 
and  there  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
On  April  i,  1645,  he  was  made  a  freeman 
at  Hartford,  and  in  1656  and  1657  was 
representative.  On  May  20,  1658,  he  was 
elected  magistrate  of  Stratford,  his  father 
being  at  the  same  time  elected  Governor. 
John  Welles  had  previously  served  in 
1656  and  1657  as  deputy  magistrate,  and 
in  1659  he  was  reelected  to  the  office.    He 


was  judge  of  probate  at  Stratford  and  as- 
sistant in  1658.  John  Welles  married,  in 
1647,  Elizabeth  ,  a  native  of  Eng- 
land, and  his  death  occurred  in  1659. 

(III)  Robert,  son  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Welles,  was  born  in  165 1,  in  Strat- 
ford, and  was  one  of  twins,  the  other  be- 
ing named  Thomas.  Robert  Welles  was 
made  captain  of  the  train-band  of  the 
north  end  of  Wethersfield  in  September, 
1689,  and  his  death  occurred  on  June  22, 
1714. 

(IV)  Gideon,  son  of  Robert  Welles, 
was  born  in  1686,  and  was  appointed  in 
j\lay,  1725,  ensign  of  the  North  Company 
of  Wethersfield,  being  made  lieutenant  in 
May,  1731.  and  captain  in  May,  1735.  He 
died  March  28,  1740. 

(V)  Solomon,  son  of  Gideon  Welles, 
was  born  October  6,  1 721.  and  in  1739 
graduated  from  Yale  College.  Later  he 
was  appointed  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Sixth  Battalion  of  Foot.  On  September 
18,  1802,  he  passed  away,  having  nearly 
completed  his  eighty-first  year. 

(VI)  Roger,  son  of  Solomon  Welles, 
was  born  December  29,  1753,  in  Wethers- 
field, and  graduated  from  Yale  College 
with  the  class  of  1775.  For  a  short  time 
thereafter  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  a 
school  at  Wethersfield,  but  he  early  en- 
listed in  the  patriot  army  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, serving  as  captain  of  a  company  of 
picked  men  no  one  of  whom  was  less  than 
six  feet  in  height.  Captain  Welles  served 
under  General  Lafayette  at  the  siege  of 
Yorktown,  and  was  present  at  the  surren- 
der of  Cornwallis.  Shortly  after  the  close 
of  the  war.  Captain  Welles  settled  in  New- 
ington,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
his  death.  He  was  commissioned  gen- 
eral in  the  State  Militia  of  Connecticut, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Assembly.  On  Octo- 
ber 14,  1 78 1,  during  the  siege  of  York- 
town,    he    was    wounded    by   a    bayonet- 


282 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


thrust  in  the  leg,  and  General  Lafayette, 
in  token  of  his  friendship,  presented  him 
with  a  sword.  General  Welles  married, 
March  27,  1785,  Jemima,  daughter  of  Cap- 
tain Martin  and  Mary  (Boardman)  Kel- 
logg, and  it  was  then  that  he  took  up  his 
abode  at  Newington.  His  death  occurred 
May  27,  1795.  He  was  a  man  of  com- 
manding appearance — six  feet  two  inches 
in  height,  and  having  blue  eyes  and  light 
brown  hair. 

(VII)  Roger  (2),  son  of  Roger  (i)  and 
Jemima  (Kellogg)  Welles,  was  born  Au- 
gust 10,  1790,  and  was  less  than  five  years 
old  when  death  deprived  him  of  his  father. 
When  he  was  fourteen,  his  elder  brother 
having  entered  Yale,  young  Roger  found 
the  responsibility  of  carrying  on  the  home 
farm  devolving  upon  him.  He  continued 
to  take  charge  of  the  homestead  until  the 
death  of  his  mother  in  1829.  and  then  re- 
sided in  the  ancestral  home  until  1855, 
when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  For  some 
years  he  conducted  a  distillery,  but  the 
Washingtonian  temperance  movement 
appealed  to  his  mind  and  conscience  and 
he  abandoned  the  business.  For  about 
twenty  years  Mr.  Welles  served  as  treas- 
urer of  the  Ecclesiastical  Society  of  New- 
ington, and  as  a  citizen  was  always  ready 
to  promote  any  good  work  both  by  per- 
sonal influence  and  financial  support.  In 
1844  he  represented  his  district  in  the 
General  Assembly.  Mr.  Welles  married. 
April  16,  1815.  Electa,  born  in  July.  1796. 
daughter  of  Timothy  Stanley,  of  New 
Britain,  and  on  November  18.  1859,  he 
died,  his  widow  surviving  him  nearly 
twenty-one  years  and  passing  away  on 
October  25,  1880.  Mr.  Welles  possessed 
a  rugged  constitution,  the  result  of  a  tem- 
perate life  and  simple  habits.  His  phy- 
sical strength  was  exceptional  and  he 
made  local  reputation  as  a  wrestler.  He 
was  a  man  of  fine  appearance,  being  near- 
ly six  feet  in  height,  and  his  strong  men- 


tality matched  his  bodily  vigor.  His 
sound  judgment  was  combined  with  ster- 
ling integrity,  and  he  was  a  conscientious 
Christian,  always  possessing  the  courage 
of  his  convictions. 

(VIII)  Roger  (3),  son  of  Roger  (2) 
and  Electa  (Stanley)  Welles,  was  born 
March  7,  1829.  and  received  his  early  edu- 
cation at  academies  in  Newington  and 
Madison,  Connecticut.  He  finished  his 
preparation  for  college  at  Williston  Semi- 
nary, and  during  the  winter  of  1846-47 
was  the  teacher  of  a  school  in  West  Hart- 
ford. In  1847  he  entered  Yale  College, 
graduating  in  185 1  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  then  studied  law 
under  the  preceptorship  of  his  uncle, 
Judge  Martin  Welles,  partially  support- 
ing himself  meanwhile  by  teaching  in  the 
schools.  In  October.  1854,  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  and  had  a  desk  in  the 
office  of  Judge  Francis  Parsons.  In  1854 
Mr.  Welles  was  appointed  engrossing 
clerk  of  the  Legislature,  and  during  that 
session  reported  the  legislative  news  for 
the  "Hartford  Courant."  In  September, 
1855,  he  went  to  Minnesota  and  formed 
a  law  partnership  with  William  P.  Mur- 
lay,  of  St.  Paul.  In  the  autumn  of  the 
next  year  Mr.  Welles  became  ill  and,  be- 
ing advised  to  seek  a  change  of  climate, 
returned  to  Connecticut  for  the  winter  of 
1856-57.  In  the  spring  of  the  latter  year 
he  went  to  Henderson,  Minnesota,  where 
a  United  States  Land  Office  had  just  been 
established.  There  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  Martin  J.  Severance,  but  in  the 
spring  of  i860  returned  to  Connecticut, 
associating  himself  with  his  uncle  and 
former  preceptor.  Judge  Welles.  The 
partnership  continued  until  the  death  of 
Judge  Welles,  which  occurred  on  January 
18,  1863. 

In  1864  and  again  in  1871,  Mr.  Welles 
represented  Wethersfield  in  the  Legisla- 
ture, and  during  the  session  in  the  latter 
283 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


year  secured  the  passage  of  an  act  incor- 
porating Newington  as  a  new  town.  On 
June  I,  1874,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
the  Hon.  William  W.  Eaton  and  his  son, 
and  this  association  was  continued  for  a 
number  of  years.  On  May  i,  1889,  Mr. 
Welles  was  appointed  financial  clerk  of 
the  United  States  Patent  Office,  and  re- 
tained the  position  until  September  i, 
1891,  when  at  his  own  request  he  was 
transferred  to  the  office  of  the  assistant 
attorney  general  in  the  Interior  Depart- 
ment. On  July  I,  1893,  he  resigned  that 
position  and  returned  to  Hartford,  where 
to  the  close  of  his  life  he  continued  to 
practice  his  profession.  For  several  years 
prior  to  1889,  when  he  resigned,  he  was 
chairman  of  the  committee  of  the  Hart- 
ford P)ar  Association  for  the  examination 
of  candidates  for  admission  to  the  bar. 
On  May  3,  1868,  Mr.  Welles  joined  the 
Newington  Congregational  Church,  and 
from  December  31,  1868,  to  January  4, 
1873,  he  was  superintendent  of  the  Sun- 
day school.  In  1874  he  published  the 
church  records  in  the  "Annals  of  Newing- 
ton." From  November  5,  1867,  to  Octo- 
ber 24,  1887,  he  served  as  clerk  of  the 
Ecclesiastical  Society.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  the  town,  and 
held  various  town  offices,  including  those 
of  selectman,  assessor,  justice  of  the  peace 
and  grand  juror. 

Mr.  Welles  married,  June  16,  1858,  at 
Prairie  du  Chien,  Mercy  D.,  daughter  of 
Lemuel  S.  and  Sarah  (Coffin)  Aiken,  of 
Fairhaven,  Massachusetts,  and  their  chil- 
dren were:  i.  Martin,  mentioned  below. 
2.  Mary  Crowell,  born  November  i,  i860; 
graduated  in  1883  at  Smith  College,  be- 
coming an  instructor  in  the  institution ; 
now  secretary  of  the  Consumers'  League 
of  the  State  of  Connecticut.  3.  Roger, 
born  December  7,  1862  :  graduated  in  1886 
at  the  Annapolis  Naval  Academy ;  now 
captain  of  the  United  States  ship  "Okla- 


homa." 4.  Sarah  Aiken,  born  December 
2,  1864,  died  November  3,  1870.  5.  Edwin 
Stanley,  born  September  5,  1866;  gradu- 
ated in  1892  at  Berkeley  Divinity  School, 
Middletown ;  lives  on  the  homestead  in 
Newington.  6.  Lemuel  Aiken,  born  No- 
vember 18,  1870;  graduated  in  1893  at 
Yale  University ;  now  practicing  law  in 
New  York  City.  7.  Grace  Mather,  born 
May  12,  1874;  graduated  in  1893  at  Miss 
Burnham's  School,  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts;  married,  September  3,  1895,  H. 
Leonard  Beadle,  of  Hartford.  In  May, 
1904,  Mr.  Welles  closed  a  long  and  useful 
life.    His  widow  still  survives  him. 

(IX)  Martin,  son  of  Roger  (3)  and 
Mercy  Delano  (Aiken)  Welles,  was  born 
April  15,  1859,  in  Henderson,  Minnesota, 
and  received  his  preparatory  education  at 
the  Hartford  High  School.  In  1882  he 
graduated  from  Yale  University  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  was  fitted 
for  the  legal  profession  at  the  Columbian 
Law  School,  Washington,  D.  C,  gradu- 
ating in  1885  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Laws.  The  following  year  the  institu- 
tion conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Laws.  During  the  time  that 
Mr.  Welles  spent  at  the  Law  School  he 
held  a  position  in  the  United  States  Pen- 
sion Office,  which  he  resigned  on  the  com- 
pletion of  his  legal  studies.  He  then  went 
to  New  York,  where  he  was  associated 
with  the  Title  Guarantee  and  Trust  Com- 
pany until  1893,  when  he  severed  the  con- 
nection in  order  to  become  assistant  sec- 
retary of  the  Bond  and  Mortgage  Guaran- 
tee Company  of  New  York.  Later  he  suc- 
ceeded to  the  offices  of  treasurer  and 
fourth  vice-president  of  the  organization. 
In  the  autumn  of  1907  Mr.  Welles  came 
to  Hartford  to  assume  the  position  of 
vice-president  and  director  of  the  Con- 
necticut River  Banking  Company,  posi- 
tions which  he  still  retains.  In  1913, 
when    the   Travellers'    Bank   and    Trust 


284 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Company  was  organized,  Mr.  Welles  be- 
came its  secretary-treasurer,  and  these 
offices  he  has  ever  since  continued  to 
hold. 

During  the  period  of  his  connection 
with  the  New  York  financial  institutions 
mentioned  above,  Mr.  Welles  resided  in 
Westfield,  New  Jersey,  and  took  an  active 
interest  in  politics,  being  identified  with 
the  Republican  party.  He  was  treasurer 
of  the  town,  and  when  it  became  a  city 
was  elected  its  first  mayor.  That  was  in 
1904.  For  one  year  Mr.  Welles  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  served  as  one  of  its 
members.  In  1916  he  was  appointed  by 
Mayor  Lawler  a  member  of  the  commis- 
sion to  build  the  new  high  school,  and  is 
acting  as  secretary  of  that  commission. 
In  1906  his  health  failed  and  he  went 
abroad,  remaining  a  year  and  a  half,  and 
on  his  return  taking  up  his  abode  in 
Hartford.  He  is  treasurer  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  and  the 
Charity  Organization  Society,  and  affili- 
ates with  Hartford  Lodge,  No.  88,  An- 
cient Free  and  Accepted  Masons.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Asylum  Hill 
Congregational  Church. 

Mr.  Welles  married,  June  12,  1888, 
Mary  A.,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  William 
W.  Patton,  president  of  the  Howard  Uni- 
versity of  Washington,  and  of  the  chil- 
dren born  to  them  the  following  are  now 
living:  Carolyn  Aiken;  Margaret  Stan- 
ley; Mary  Patton;  and  Roger  Patton. 

The  prestige  of  the  Welles  family  has 
been  maintained  and  increased  by  men  in 
various  walks  of  life.  Martin  Welles  is 
one  of  those  who  have  upheld  it  as  busi- 
ness men  and  financiers. 


CASE,  WiUiam  Scoville, 

Lawyer,    Jurist. 

William,  Scoville  Case,  now  a  judge  of 
the  Superior  Court  of  Hartford,  Connec 


ticut,  comes  from  a  long  line  of  ancestors 
who  have  been  prominent  in  the  State 
of  Connecticut  since  Colonial  days.  In 
connection  with  his  ancestry  it  is  inter- 
esting to  note  that  he  traces  twice  to 
Mary  Bliss — first,  through  her  daughter, 
Sarah  Holcomb,  who  married  Samuel 
Barber,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Levi 
Case  (V);  second,  through  Mary  Bliss's 
daughter,  Esther  Holcomb,  who  married 
Brewster  Higley.  He  also  traces  twice 
to  W'illiam  Phelps.  Mary  Phelps,  the 
great-grandmother  of  Levi  Case  (V), 
who  married  Thomas  Barber,  was  a 
daughter  of  William  Phelps  by  his  second 
wife,  Mary  Dover.  Polly  Humphrey, 
who  married  Levi  Case  (V),  was  the 
granddaughter  of  David  Phelps,  who  was 
the  great-grandson  of  William  Phelps,  by 
his  first  marriage. 

(I)  Early  records  show  that  John  Case 
was  a  resident  of  Windsor,  Connecticut, 
about  the  year  1657,  and  resided  there 
until  1669,  when  he  removed  to  Massa- 
coe,  which  later  became  the  town  of 
Simsbury.  He  was  the  first  constable 
for  Massacoe,  and  was  the  first  represen- 
tative of  his  town  at  the  General  Court 
in  1670  and  several  times  at  later  dates. 
He  married,  about  1657,  Sarah  Spencer, 
born  in  1636,  daughter  of  W^illiam  Spen- 
cer, of  Hartford.  She  died  November  3, 
1691,  aged  fifty-five  years,  and  he  sur- 
vived her  for  a  number  of  years,  his  death 
occurring  February  21,  1703-04.  Wil- 
liam Spencer  is  of  record  in  Cambridge, 
Massachusetts,  in  1631.  He  was  admitted 
freeman,  March  4,  1632-33;  was  select- 
man in  1635 ;  representative  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  1634-37;  was  one  of  the  com- 
missioners to  frame  a  code  of  laws ;  was 
lieutenant  of  the  first  trainband  in  Cam- 
bridge in  1636.  He  is  the  fourth  person 
named  in  the  charter  of  the  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Artillery  Company.  In  1639 
he  removed  to  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
where  he  served  as  selectman,  deputy  and 

28s 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


a  member  of  the  committee  to  frame  a 
code  of  laws.  He  died  in  1640,  leaving  a 
widow  Agnes,  who  later  married  William 
Edwards. 

(II)  John  (2)  Case,  eldest  son  of  John 
(i)  and  Sarah  (Spencer)  Case,  was  born 
November  5,  1662,  and  died  in  1733.  He 
was  a  resident  of  Simsbury.  He  was 
twice  married ;  his  second  wife  was  Sarah 
Holcomb,  born  June  23,  1668,  daughter 
of  Joshua  Holcomb,  of  Simsbury,  and 
married  in  1693.  Joshua  Holcomb  was 
born  September  22,  1640.  He  was  a 
farmer,  and  removed  from  Windsor  to 
Simsbury,  where  he  represented  that 
town  in  the  General  Court.  He  died  in 
1690.  He  married  Ruth  Sherwood.  His 
father,  Thomas  Holcomb,  was  born  in 
Wales  in  1601 ;  came  to  Dorchester,  Alas- 
sachusetts,  in  1629;  was  made  freeman  in 
1634,  and  in  1639  was  one  of  those  who 
represented  Windsor  and  Hartford  in 
forming  the  constitution  of  the  colony  of 
Connecticut.  In  1635  he  removed  to 
Windsor,  Connecticut,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming  until  his  death,  September  7, 

1657- 

(III)  John  (3)  Case,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Sarah  (Holcomb)  Case,  was  born 
August  22,  1694,  and  died  December  2, 
1752.  He  married,  January  24,  1716-17, 
Abigail,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Humphrey,  who  was  born  May  15,  1656, 
in  Windsor,  and  died  June  15,  1736,  in 
Simsbury.  He  married  Mary  Mills,  born 
December  8,  1662,  died  April  4,  1730, 
daughter  of  Simon  and  Mary  (Buell) 
Mills.  About  1669  he  and  his  father  re- 
moved to  Simsbury.  He  represented  the 
town  of  Simsbury  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly, 1702-19  and  1722-25;  was  commis- 
sioned lieutenant  about  1709-10.  His 
father,  Michael  Humphrey,  the  founder 
of  this  branch  of  the  family  in  America, 
is  first  on  record  in  W'indsor,  Connecti- 
cut, where  in  1643  he  was  engaged  in  the 


manufacture  of  tar  and  turpentine.  He 
also  was  a  merchant  of  prominence.  On 
October  14,  1647,  he  married  Priscilla 
Grant,  born  September  14,  1626,  daughter 
of  Matthew  Grant,  of  Windsor,  Connec- 
ticut. The  latter  was  the  ancestor  of 
General  Ulysses  S.  Grant.  He  removed 
to  W^indsor  in  1635.  He  was  a  man  of 
position  and  influence  in  the  town  and 
church ;  was  the  second  town  clerk ;  was 
made  freeman  May  21,  1657;  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Dragoons  in  1667,  and  in  1670 
was  a  deputy  to  the  General  Court.  As 
early  as  1667  he  had  received  a  grant  of 
land  in  Simsbury,  and  with  his  family 
became  a  resident  of  that  town.  The  date 
of  his  death  is  unknown,  but  his  estate 
was  divided  March  19,  1695-96. 

(IV)  Captain  John  (4)  Case,  son  of 
John  (3)  and  Abigail  (Humphrey)  Case, 
was  born  February  19,  1718-19,  and  died 
May  24,  1776.  He  married,  November  7, 
1745,  Sarah  Barber,  born  April  i,  1722, 
died  December  19,  1785,  daughter  of 
Samuel  Barber,  who  was  born  May  17, 
1673,  and  died  in  December,  1725.  He 
married,  December  17,  1712,  Sarah  Hol- 
comb, born  in  1691,  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
and  Mary  (Bliss)  Holcomb,  and  grand- 
daughter of  Thomas  Holcomb,  the  immi- 
grant, aforementioned.  Thomas  Barber, 
father  of  Samuel  Barber,  was  born  July 
14,  1644,  died  in  Simsbury,  May  10,  1713. 
He  married,  December  17,  1663,  Mary 
Phelps,  born  March  2,  1644,  daughter  of 
William  Phelps,  Sr.  The  latter  was  born 
in  England  in  1599,  came  to  Dorchester 
in  1630;  removed  to  Windsor,  Connecti- 
cut, 1636;  was  a  m.ember  of  the  first  jury 
impaneled  in  New  England;  in  1636  was 
a  member  of  the  first  court  held  in  Con- 
necticut and  of  the  court  which  the  fol- 
lowing year  declared  war  on  the  Pequots ; 
was  magistrate  from  1638  to  1642,  and  in 
1658  to  1662;  foreman  of  the  first  grand 
jury  in  1643  ;  deputy  to  the  General  Court, 


286 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1645-49  and  1651-58.  He  married  for  his 
second  wife,  Mary  Dover.  She  died  No- 
vember 27,  1675.    He  died  July  14,  1692. 

(V)  Levi  Case,  son  of  Captain  John 
(4)  and  Sarah  (Barber)  Case,  was  born 
December  14,  1760,  and  died  at  Simsbury, 
April  23,  1802.  He  married  Polly  Hum- 
phrey, born  March  18,  1764,  died  Janu- 
ary 19,  1849,  'It  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
daughter  of  Hon.  Daniel  Humphrey,  of 
Simsbury,  who  was  born  August  17,  1737, 
in  Simsbury,  Connecticut,  and  died  Au- 
gust 27,  1813;  married,  April  10,  1760, 
Rachel  Phelps,  born  December  10,  1741, 
died  September  23,  1809,  daughter  of 
Hon.  David  and  Abigail  (Pettibone) 
Phelps.  Daniel  Humphrey  settled  first 
at  Norfolk,  Connecticut,  served  there  as 
constable  in  1765.  Not  long  after  that 
date  he  returned  to  Simsbury.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  there  in  1777.  He  was  a 
lawyer;  justice  of  the  peace  in  1778-1803; 
in  1787  was  a  delegate  to  the  convention 
that  ratified  the  Federal  Constitution ; 
and  served  many  terms  as  member  of  the 
Legislature.  His  father.  Deacon  Michael 
Humphrey,  was  born  in  Simsbury,  Con- 
necticut, November  20,  1703,  and  died  in 
1778;  married,  September  15,  1735,  Mercy 
Humphrey,  born  October  21,  1717,  and 
died  in  1793,  daughter  of  Jonathan  and 
Mercy  (Ruggles)  Humphrey.  Jonathan 
Humphrey  was  born  December  2,  1688, 
and  died  June  14,  1749;  married,  June  30, 
1714,  Mercy,  daughter  of  Rev.  Benjamin 
and  Mercy  (Woodbridge)  Ruggles,  of 
Sufheld,  Connecticut.  Jonathan  Hum- 
phrey received  grants  of  land  from  the 
town  and  held  several  local  offices.  His 
father  was  Lieutenant  Samuel  Humphrey, 
aforementioned.  Deacon  Michael  Hum- 
phrey, who  married  Mercy  Humphrey, 
introduced  the  manufacture  of  leather  in 
his  native  town  of  Simsbury.  He  was 
deacon    in    the     Congregational    church 


there  and  later  in  the  church  at  Norfolk. 
He  represented  Simsbury  in  the  General 
Assembly  in  1759.  The  following  year 
he  removed  to  Norfolk  and  also  repre- 
sented that  town  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly. He  held  the  offices  of  selectman, 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  was  town  clerk 
from  1760  until  his  death.  His  father. 
Deacon  John  Humphrey  was  born  No- 
vember 18,  1671,  and  died  December  31, 
1732-33.  He  married,  July  6,  1699,  Sarah, 
widow  of  John  Mills,  and  daughter  of 
John  Pettibone,  Sr.  She  was  born  in 
1665,  and  died  April  3,  1748.  He  served 
the  town  as  surveyor  of  highways,  fence 
viewer,  member  of  school  committee, 
grand  juryman  and  town  clerk.  He  was 
made  freeman,  December  26,  1717.  Hir 
father.  Sergeant  John  Humphrey,  was 
born  in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  June  7, 
1650,  and  died  January  14,  1697-98.  He 
married  Hannah  Griffin,  born  July  4, 
1649,  daughter  of  Sergeant  John  and 
Anna  (Bancroft)  Griffin.  Sergeant  Grif- 
fin had  as  a  partner  Michael  Humphrey 
and  they  were  the  first  manufacturers  of 
tar  in  the  colony.  He  held  a  number  of 
town  offices  and  owned  considerable 
land.  His  father  was  Michael  Humphrey 
aforementioned. 

(VI)  Hon.  Jairus  Case,  M.  D.,  son  of 
Levi  and  Polly  (Humphrey)  Case,  was 
born  at  Simsbury,  Connecticut,  March 
20,  1802,  and  died  December  30,  1874. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Hartland,  whither  his  widowed  mother 
had  removed  with  her  family  shortly 
after  the  death  of  her  husband.  Later  he 
entered  Yale  College  and  was  graduated 
from  its  medical  department,  after  which 
he  located  first  in  Torrington,  and  after 
at  Granby,  Connecticut,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  active  practice  of  his 
profession  until  his  death.  He  was  suc- 
cessful in  his  chosen  line  of  work.  He 
was  elected  to  the  State  Senate  in  1868. 


287 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  was  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  married,  October  5,  1830, 
Mary  Theresa,  daughter  of  Hon.  Silas 
Higley,  of  Granby,  Connecticut,  who  was 
also  descended  from  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Windsor.  She  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1808,  and  died  February  6, 
1889.  They  were  the  parents  of  two 
children :  John,  who  became  a  lawyer 
and  died  in  1890,  aged  fifty-seven  years; 
and  William  Cullen.  Hon.  Silas  Higley 
was  born  in  Granby,  in  1780,  and  died 
June  21,  1853;  married  Melissa  Hayes, 
who  died  May  16,  1856.  Silas  Higley 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  after  a  course  of 
study  in  law,  but  believing  himself  called 
to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  aban- 
doned this  profession  and  took  up  the 
study  of  theology.  After  the  necessary 
preparation,  he  was  ordained  as  a  clergy- 
man of  the  Congregational  church,  and 
held  three  successive  pastorates,  the  more 
important  of  these  being  at  Whitehall, 
Vermont.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace 
for  many  years.  His  father,  Ozias  Higley, 
was  born  at  Simsbury,  Connecticut, 
March  2,  1748,  and  died  at  West  Granby, 
June  22,  1827.  On  December  3,  1772, 
he  married  Martha  Gillette,  whose  family 
was  one  of  the  oldest  and  best  known  in 
the  colony.  When  he  was  about  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  Ozias  Higley  and  his 
brother,  Asa  Higley,  bought  lands  on  the 
mountainside  at  West  Granby.  He  was 
made  freeman,  September  19,  1775-  He 
held  various  town  offices  and  was  often 
appointed  to  perform  services  of  a  public 
nature.  His  father.  Captain  Joseph  Hig- 
ley, was  born  October  21,  1715,  and  died 
in  May,  1790;  married,  March  19,  1740, 
for  his  second  wife,  Sarah  Case.  That 
part  of  Simsbury  known  as  "Higleytown" 
received  its  name  from  the  family,  there 
being  no  less  than  twenty-seven  families 
of  the  name  settled  there  about  that  time. 
Joseph   Higley  was   well  known   in   this 


community.  He  was  possessed  of  con- 
siderable land,  holding  various  offices. 
His  father,  Brewster  Higley,  was  born 
in  Windsor,  Connecticut,  in  1680,  and 
died  November  5,  1760.  On  February  17, 
1709,  he  married  Hester  Holcomb,  born 
in  1682,  died  December  17,  1775,  sister 
of  Sarah  Holcomb  who  married  Samuel 
Barber,  aforementioned,  and  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Mary  (Bliss)  Holcomb. 
Brewster  Higley  was  only  seventeen 
years  old  when  his  father  secured  for 
him  a  grant  of  thirty  acres  from  the  town, 
and  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  he 
continued  to  accumulate  land.  He  be- 
came a  member  of  the  military  company 
at  a  very  early  age.  Besides  carrying  on 
his  farm,  he  was  associated  with  his 
brother  John  in  the  manufacture  of  tar, 
and  judging  by  the  tools  itemized  in  the 
inventory  of  his  estate  he  was  also  a 
cooper.  He  studied  and  practiced  medi- 
cine, though  no  record  of  his  having  been 
licensed  appears.  In  1726  he  was  com- 
missioned ensign  of  the  train  band.  He 
was  highly  esteemed  by  his  neighbors 
for  his  splendid  moral  qualities,  for  his 
public  spirit  and  for  his  sound  business 
judgment.  His  father.  Captain  John 
Higley,  founder  of  the  American  family, 
was  born  in  Framley,  July  22,  1649,  son 
of  Jonathan  and  Katherine  (Brewster) 
Higley.  His  mother  was  a  daughter  of 
Rev.  Jonathan  Brewster,  who  died  at 
Framley,  August  14,  1656.  He  was 
chosen  constable  of  Windsor  in  1680. 
He  was  made  a  freeman  in  1683.  The 
following  year  he  removed  to  what  is  now 
Simsbury,  where  he  had  purchased  land. 
From  1686  until  the  close  of  his  life  his 
name  appears  on  the  records  in  connec- 
tion with  nearly  all  the  important  inter- 
ests of  his  time.  He  was  commissioned 
by  Governor  Treat  as  ensign  of  the  train 
band.  He  was  commissioner  of  Sims- 
bury   in    1688.      During    the    twenty-two 


288 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


years    following    1687    he    served    thirty-     many  terms  as  member  of  the  House  of 


seven  terms  as  deputy  to  the  General  As- 
sembly. In  1690  he  was  commissioned 
lieutenant;  was  commissioner  from  1691 
to  1705;  in  1710  he  was  appointed  justice 
of  the  quorum ;  in  1692  he  received  his 
commission  as  captain.  He  died  August 
25,  1714.  His  first  wife,  Hannah  (Drake) 
Higley,  died  August  4,  1694.  One  his- 
torian says :  "Captain  Higley's  career 
was  a  part  of  the  history  of  Simsbury. 
He  was  a  marvel  of  uniform  courage, 
energy  and  industry,  and  must  have  pos- 
sessed almost  inexhaustible  vitality." 

(VII)  Hon.  William  Cullen  Case,  son 
of  Hon.  Jairus  and  Mary  Theresa  (Hig- 
ley) Case,  was  born  at  Granby,  Connec- 
ticut, February  17,  1836,  and  died  at 
Hartford,  December  23,  1901.  He  pre- 
pared for  college  at  the  Connecticut  Liter- 
ary Institute,  Sufifield,  and  was  graduated 
from  Yale  in  1857,  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  then  took  a  course 
in  Yale  Law  School  and  completed  his 
preparation  for  the  bar  examination  in  the 
ofifice  of  Rockwell  &  Colt  at  Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts.  In  i860  he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  at  New  Haven,  and  immedi- 
ately entered  upon  a  career  which  was  to 
place  him  in  the  front  rank  of  his  profes- 
sion. He  was  an  indefatigable  worker, 
neglecting  no  detail  in  the  preparation  of 
a  case.  He  possessed  exceptional  power 
of  concentration,  and  was  able  to  state 
his  case  in  a  clear  and  convincing  man- 
ner. He  attained  an  unusual  success  in 
both  civil  and  criminal  practice,  and  acted 
as  counsel  in  many  famous  cases.  As  a 
speaker  he  was  forceful,  and  his  strong 
individuality  found  expression  in  a  style 
of  diction  that  was  striking  in  its  original- 
ity. He  was  a  man  of  wide  and  varied 
reading  and  he  was  familiar  with  the  best 
work  of  our  masters  of  literature.  He 
was  a  staunch  Republican  and  stood  high 
in  the  councils  of  his  party.     He  served 

Conn-3-19  289 


Representatives  and  served  as  speaker  of 
that  body  in  1881.  He  was  a  man  of 
broad  mind  and  of  magnetic  personality. 
He  was  generous  and  public-spirited, 
always  ready  to  give  his  support  to  those 
measures  that  promised  to  enhance  the 
public  good.  He  married,  in  1862,  Mar- 
garet Turnbull,  of  Tariffville,  Connecti- 
cut. They  were  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren :     William  Scoville,  and  Theodore. 

(VIII)  Hon.  William  Scoville  Case, 
son  of  Hon.  William  Cullen  and  Mar- 
garet (Turnbull)  Case,  was  born  at  Tar- 
ifTville,  Connecticut,  June  27,  1863.  He 
completed  his  preparation  for  college  at 
Hopkins'  Grammar  School  at  New  Haven, 
and  was  graduated  from  Yale  in  1885 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He 
then  entered  the  law  ofifice  of  his  father, 
and  was  prepared  for  the  bar  examina- 
tion which  he  successfully  passed  in  1887. 
He  was  clerk  of  bills  in  the  sessions  of 
1887-89  of  the  State  Legislature.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1891,  he  was  appointed  law  clerk  at 
the  United  States  Patent  Office  and  held 
this  position  until  April,  1893.  He  was 
appointed  judge  of  the  Hartford  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  in  July,  1897,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  office  until  October,  1901, 
when  he  became  judge  of  the  Superior 
Court.  He  has  sat  upon  the  bench  con- 
tinuously in  that  court  to  the  present 
time,  his  present  term  expiring  in   191 7. 

He  has  a  taste  for  literature,  and  in  the 
intervals  of  a  busy  life  has  indulged  his 
talent  for  writing.  He  is  the  author  of  a 
brief  history  of  Granby  that  was  incor- 
porated in  the  "Memorial  History  of 
Hartford  County,"  and  is  the  author  of 
"Forward  House,"  a  novel,  published  by 
Scribners,  in  1895.  Judge  Case  is  a 
member  of  the  Scroll  and  Key  and  Psi 
Upsilon  fraternities,  the  Graduates  Club 
of  New  Haven,  the  Thames  Club  of  New 
London,  and  the  Hartford  Golf  Club. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Judge  Case  married,  April  8,  1891,  nence  in  the  city  of  Nuremberg,  and  his 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Nathan  Nichols,  of  son  was  given  the  education  which  be- 
Salem,  Massachusetts.  They  are  the  par-  fitted  his  station,  but  prepared  more  fully 
ents  of  two  children :  Mary,  born  Janu-  for  the  life  of  a  gentleman  to  whom  work 
ary  19,  1895,  now  Mrs.  George  Hart,  of  is  an  avocation,  rather  than  for  the  stren- 
Hartford ;  John  Rodman,  born  December      uous  career  into  which  he  later  entered. 

The  desire  to  see  the  world,  a  spirit  of  ad- 
venture, and  a  wish  to  have  a  hand  in 
shaping  a  career  for  himself  which  would 
be  of  value  not  only  to  himself  but  to 
others,  led  Mr.  Schneller  to  leave  Ger- 
many and  emigrate  to  America.  He  came 
to  America  when  emigration   from   Ger- 


s>  1904- 


SCHNELLER,  George  Otto, 

Father  and  Son,  Leaders  in  Industry. 

The  family  patronymic,  Schneller,  is  of 
ancient  German  origin,  and  is  referred  to 


in  Helmer's  work  on  heraldry,  published  many  in  large  numbers  was  just  begin- 
in  the  city  of  Nuremberg,  Germany,  in  ning,  and  when  the  vista  of  opportunity 
the  year  1701.  The  coat-of-arms  of  the  and  economic  independence  which  Amer- 
family  has  been  in  use  between  four  and  ica  opened  up,  was  bringing  material  for 


five  hundred  years,  and  during  this  period 
numerous  representatives  of  the  family 
have  settled  in  the  various  principalities 
and  states  of  Central  Germany.  The 
name,  signifying  "swifter,  more  rapid, 
faster,"  was  originally  derived  from  a  per- 


future   citizenship   to   our   shores   of   the 
best  and  most  valuable  kind. 

George  O.  Schneller  arrived  in  the  port 
of  New  York  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years,  and  for  the  first  few  years  following 
his  arrival  lived  in  New  Y'ork  City,  filling 


sonal  characteristic  of  the  ancestor  of  the      unimportant  positions  of  a  clerical  nature. 


family  who  first  adopted  it. 

Arms — Lower  half  of  shield  azure  with 
four  spheres  or,  upper  half  of  shield  or, 
and  half  full  figure  of  man  with  left  arm 
extended  from  the  elbow,  holding  in  his 
hand  three  stems  with  wild  flowers,  the 
same  azure,  or  and  gules.  Helmet,  ar- 
gent.    Crown  or,  and  issuant  therefrom 


and  devoting  his  spare  time  to  learning 
English  and  becoming  thoroughly  ac- 
C|uainted  with  the  conditions  of  living  and 
customs  here.  The  first  connection  which 
he  had  with  the  business  in  which  he  later 
became  a  leader,  was  in  the  capacity  of 
clerk.  This  he  secured  with  O.  W.  Bird, 
of   New   York   Citv,   a   commission   mer- 


three-quarter  figure  of  man  between  two  chant  who  represented  Osborne  &  Cheese- 

buf?alo  horns  argent,  azure  and  or.  man,   manufacturers   of   elastic   webbing, 

George   Otto   Schneller,   in   the   gener-  of  Ansonia,  Connecticut.     Shortly  after- 

ation    just    past,    one    of    the    leaders    of  ward  he  was  transferred  to  the  Ansonia 

industry  and  manufacturing  in  the  State  office  of  the  firm  as  accountant.     In  1870 

of  Connecticut,  and  one  of  its  best  known  Mr.  Schneller  returned  to  Germany,  and 

inventors  of  machinery  for  use  in  manu-  after  a  stay  of  two  years  came  back  to 

facturing  plants,  was  a  scion  of  this  an-  Ansonia,  where  he   resumed  his  connec- 

cient   and   aristocratic    family,   and    was  tion  with  the  Osborne  &  Cheeseman  Com- 

born  in   Nuremberg,   Germany,  June    14,  pany.     He  was  rapidly  promoted,  and  in 

1843,    tl''^    son    of    Henry    and    Elizabeth  the  course  of  a  very  short  time  became 

Schneller.      Henry   Schneller  was   a  civil  one  of  the  highest  paid  and  most  valued 

engineer  and  architect  in  the  service  of  employees  of  the  firm.     Shortly  after  his 

the   government,    and    a    man    of   promi-  return     from     Germany,     Mr.     Schneller 

290 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


spent  some  time  in  making  an  engineering 
map  of  Ansonia  and  Derby  and  the  sur- 
rounding country,  after  the  plan  of  the 
engineering  maps  made  in  Germany  of 
the  various  sections  of  the  country. 
Through  judicious  and  well-placed  in- 
vestments Mr.  Schneller  had  gradually 
accumulated  a  small  fortune,  and  in  1876 
he  purchased  a  spectacle  factory  at  Shel- 
ton,  Connecticut,  and  immediately  took 
over  its  management.  He  was  thoroughly 
skilled  in  the  handling  of  machinery  and 
knew  factory  conditions  well.  He  was 
talented  as  an  inventor,  and  after  his  pur- 
chase of  the  spectacle  factory  devoted 
much  time  to  improvements  in  the  ma- 
chinery used.  The  result  was  an  inven- 
tion which  revolutionized  old  methods, 
and  so  incresaed  the  output  and  quality 
of  the  product  that  he  was  able  at  the  end 
of  six  months  to  sell  the  factory  at  three 
times  its  original  cost.  Mr.  Schneller's 
inventive  genius  had  by  this  time  brought 
him  a  reputation  which  made  his  service 
in  demand  by  other  enterprises  in  that 
section  of  Connecticut. 

His  work  in  the  period  following  this 
first  successful  venture  took  on  some- 
what the  character  of  the  modern  efifi- 
ciency  expert,  inasmuch  as  he  became  a 
student  of  factory  and  manufacturing 
conditions,  and  an  inventor  of  means  by 
which  factory  output  could  be  increased. 
He  next  turned  his  attention  to  the  manu- 
facture of  eyelets.  The  manufacture  of 
eyelets  was  then  done  under  the  most 
primitive  conditions.  After  a  short  time 
Mr.  Schneller  perfected  a  machine  which 
revolutionized  the  eyelet  industry 
throughout  the  entire  world.  This  ma- 
chine turned  out  ninety  pounds  of  eye- 
lets to  the  hundred  at  the  rate  of  sixty 
thousand  a  minute.  Under  the  form,er 
conditions  of  manufacture  fully  one-half 
of  the  metal  used  was  wasted ;  Mr. 
-Schneller's  invention  overcame  this  diffi- 


culty and  saved  over  sixty  per  cent,  of  the 
material  formerly  discarded  as  useless. 
Mr.  Schneller  went  to  the  aid  of  the  busi- 
ness financially,  and  at  the  same  tim< 
purchased  the  textile  branch,  which  h« 
reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  An- 
sonia O.  &  C.  Company.  Around  this 
time  he  also  organized  the  Schneller, 
Osborne  and  Cheeseman  Company,  which 
company  in  1882  purchased  a  large  tract 
of  land  from  the  Ansonia  Land  and  Water 
Power  Company,  and  through  Mr. 
Schneller's  inventions  soon  gained  con- 
trol of  the  eyelet  industry  in  the  United 
States  and  abroad.  He  also  made  im- 
provements in  the  method  of  manufac- 
turing corset  stays,  and  because  of  the 
importance  of  his  inventions  and  their 
effect  on  the  business,  founded  the 
Schneller  Stay  Works,  in  which  he  was 
the  controlling  spirit.  Mr.  Schneller  was 
in  fact  the  leading  figure  in  the  industrial 
world  which  has  its  centre  in  the  Nauga- 
tuck  Valley.  He  also  founded  the  Union 
Fabric  Company,  of  which  he  was  treas- 
urer for  many  years.  He  was  president 
of  the  Birmingham  Brass  Company,  in 
which  he  took  a  deep  interest,  and  which 
under  his  management  became  one  of  the 
leading  concerns  in  that  line  in  the  Nau- 
gatuck  Valley.  Mr.  Schneller  was  one  of 
the  most  prominent  of  the  industrial 
leaders  who  controlled  the  merger  of  the 
largest  rubber  concerns  in  the  United 
States  into  one  gigantic  corporation.  He 
was  a  director  in  this  enterprise,  and  re- 
mained one  of  the  most  influential  figures 
in  the  corporation  until  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Mr.  Schneller's  inventions  were  many, 
and  varied  and  in  almost  every  instance 
of  a  type  which  struck  at  the  heart  of  old 
conditions  and  established  a  new  era  of 
efficiency.  They  ran  the  gamut  from 
patent  forms  of  buttons  to  complex  forms 
of  telegraphic  apparatus,  and  established 


291 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


for  him  the  reputation  of  a  genius  in  his 
line  of  work. 

Despite  the  fact  that  the  interests  and 
achievements  of  Mr.  Schneller's  life 
would  seem  sufficiently  large  to  tax  the 
ability  of  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary 
strength  and  talent,  they  did  not  stop 
short  with  his  business.  He  was  deeply 
interested  in  the  city  of  Ansonia,  which 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  years  resi- 
dence in  New  York,  was  his  home.  He 
was  active  in  every  movement  for  civic 
betterment  and  advance.  He  was  affili- 
ated with  the  Democratic  party,  and  was 
elected  on  the  Democratic  ticket  to  the 
Connecticut  State  Legislature  from  1891 
to  1893.  Aside  from  his  official  capaci- 
ties in  Ansonia,  Mr.  Schneller  did  much 
to  further  its  interest  in  an  unofficial  way. 
He  was  largely  responsible  for  the  elec- 
tric street  railway  that  was  constructed 
between  Ansonia  and  Derby.  As  a  busi- 
ness man  of  extraordinarily  keen  percep- 
tions his  advice  and  counsel  were  re- 
garded as  worthy  of  attention,  and  sought 
by  the  citizens  of  the  town  on  matters 
both  private  and  public.  He  was  always 
active  in  the  cause  of  education,  and  did 
much  to  further  better  conditions  in  the 
schools  as  a  member  of  the  board  of 
education.  Mr.  Schneller  was  thoroughly 
respected  by  his  fellow  citizens,  and  was 
universally  loved,  as  only  a  man  who  de- 
votes his  time  unselfishly  in  the  interests 
of  others  can  be. 

Mr.  Schneller  married,  on  May  i,  1873, 
Clarissa  Ailing,  daughter  of  Sidney  and 
Elizabeth  (Remer)  Ailing,  old  residents 
of  Ansonia.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  children.  Marie  Eloise  Schneller,  the 
oldest  daughter,  was  a  scholar  of  excep- 
tional ability,  and  died  shortly  before  her 
graduation  from  the  Ansonia  High 
School,  where  there  is  now  a  memorial 
window  in  her  honor.  George  Otto 
Schneller,   Jr.,    (of    whom   further),    has 


succeeded  Mr.  Schneller,  Sr.,  in  the  enter- 
prises which  the  elder  man  directed. 

Several  of  the  largest  and  most  impor- 
tant industries  of  Ansonia  owe  their 
existence  to  the  business  and  inventive 
genius  of  the  late  George  Otto  Schneller, 
and  are  silent  yet  eloquent  monuments 
to  him.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
Ansonia  owes  much  of  her  present  posi- 
tion as  a  manufacturing  city  of  impor« 
tance  in  Connecticut  to  the  presence  in 
it  of  industries  of  the  size  of  those  con- 
trolled and  directed  by  the  Schneller 
interests.  Mr.  Schneller  was  a  man  of 
strong  and  magnetic  personality,  making 
friends  who  remained  his  friends  for  all 
time.  He  was  a  man  who  quickly  saw 
opportunity  and  grasped  it,  and  who  had 
the  ability  to  go  straight  to  the  heart  of  a 
matter.  His  methods  of  business  were 
direct,  honest,  and  open  to  the  view  of 
all  who  cared  to  see  or  know,  and  for  his 
integrity  he  was  appreciated  and  loved  in 
Ansonia,  as  much  as  for  his  personality 
and  character. 

George  Otto  Schneller  died  in  Ansonia, 
Connecticut,  October  20,  1895. 

George  Otto  Schneller,  Jr.,  son  of 
George  Otto  and  Clarissa  (Ailing) 
Schneller,  was  born  in  Ansonia,  Connec- 
ticut, on  November  27,  1878.  After  hav- 
ing acquired  the  necessary  primary  edu- 
cation locally,  he  entered  the  Andover 
Academy,  Andover,  Massachusetts,  sub- 
sequently taking  an  advanced  course  at 
the  Hopkins  Grammar  School,  New 
Haven,  Connecticut.  The  death  of  his 
father  and  the  necessity  devolving  upon 
the  son  to  efficiently  assume  control  of 
and  ably  continue  the  many  and  impor- 
tant manufacturing  interests  developed 
by  Mr.  Schneller,  Sr.,  probably  influenced 
him  in  taking  a  technical  course  of  in- 
struction at  the  Massachusetts  Institute 
of  Technology,  Boston,  from  which  he 
graduated  in    1900.     Since  that  time   his 


292 


ENXYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


years  have  been  given  almost  wholly  to 
business,  and  the  present  standing  of  the 
firms  with  which  he  is  interested  in  execu- 
tive capacity,  indicates  that  he  possesses 
in  great  measure  the  able  qualities  of  his 
father.  At  present  he  is  treasurer  and 
secretary  of  the  Ansonia  O.  &  C.  Com- 
pany, and  member  of  the  board  of  direc- 
tors of  the  Schneller,  Osborne  &  Cheese- 
man  Corporation.  His  business  ability 
and  financial  interests  also  have  gained 
him  a  place  on  the  directorate  of  the  An- 
sonia National  Bank. 

Fraternally  he  is  a  Mason,  of  the 
thirty-second  degree,  and  member  of  the 
Chi  Phi  fraternity.  Socially  he  belongs 
to  the  University  and  Technical  clubs  of 
New  York ;  to  the  Graduates,  Country, 
and  Lawn  clubs  of  New  Haven :  to  the 
Race  Brook  Country  Club,  of  Orange, 
Connecticut ;  and  to  the  Waterbury  (Con- 
necticut) Country  Club.  Religiously,  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church. 

On  September  29,  1915,  at  the  Church 
of  the  Transfiguration.  New  York  City, 
Mr.  Schneller  married  Priscilla  Jewett, 
daughter  of  William  Eugene  and  Eva 
Richard  (Jewett)  Schweppe.  They  have 
one  child,  a  son,  George  Otto  (3d),  born 
June  20,  1916. 


STEINER,  Walter  Ralph,  M.  D., 

Physician,   Hospital    Official. 

Walter  Ralph  Steiner,  successful  physi- 
cian of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  is  the  son 
of  the  late  Lewis  Henry  Steiner,  M.  A., 
M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Litt.  D.,  a  distinguished 
physician  and  scientist  of  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  with  which  State  the  Amer- 
ican branch  of  the  Steiner  family  was 
connected  for  many  generations,  Jacob 
Stoner,  or  Steiner,  the  progenitor  in 
America,  having  settled  in  Frederick 
county,  Maryland,  in  the  year  1733. 


The  Steiner  genealogy  makes  reference 
to  the  early  history  in  Germany  of  the 
Steiner  von  Steindorf  family,  from  which 
presumably  Jacob  Stoner,  or  Steiner, 
sprang.  Quoting  therefrom,  it  appears 
that  Maximilian  Steiner  was  made  a 
knight  (Ritter)  on  November  26,  131 1,  by 
Ludwig  of  Bavaria ;  he  was  created  so 
because  he  had  "saved  the  life  of  Lud- 
wig of  Bavaria  in  a  bear  hunt,  having 
freed  him  from  great  peril  of  life  by  seiz- 
ing a  bear  that  rushed  at  him,  and  stran- 
gling it  with  both  hands."  His  king  and 
lord  gave  him  a  knight's  castle,  which 
Maximilian  made  his  family  castle 
(Stammschloss),  changing  its  name  from 
Gunthersburg  to  Steindorf.  He  was 
killed  at  the  battle  given  against  Fred- 
erick of  Austria  at  Muhldorf,  "at  the  head 
of  his  faithful  followers." 

His  only  and  posthumous  son,  Ludwig, 
was  born  in  the  nunnery  of  Wunsiedl,  to 
which  his  widow  had  retired  in  her  be- 
reavement. The  arms  of  the  Steiner  von 
Steindorf  family  bear  at  the  foot  of  the 
shield  the  name  Maxmylian  Steiner,  in 
red  ecclesiastical  letters,  and  constitute 
as  a  whole  a  true  representation  of  the 
arms  which  Ludwig  of  Bavaria  presented 
tc  the  ancestor  of  the  Steiner  family  at 
the  tournament  of  Goslar.  The  diploma 
of  nobility,  as  well  as  the  letters  which 
were  confirmed  by  Emperor  Sigismund 
in  1397  and  announced  at  Erfurt,  July  26, 
1397,  are  to  be  found  in  the  original  in 
the  Imperial  Chamber  at  Wetzlas.  A 
copy  is  in  the  archives  of  family  arms 
(Familien-Wappen-Archiv)  at  Vienna. 

The  family  of  Steiner  appears  for  the 
first  time  as  a  noble  house  in  one  of  the 
archives  of  the  Reichskammer  of  the 
Elector  of  Saxony,  which  is  dated  "Re- 
gensburg,  22d  of  the  month  of  August,  in 
the  year  of  our  Saviour,  1340,"  and  had 
reference  to  a  dispute  between  the  house 
of  which   Ludwig  von  Steindorf,  son  of 


293 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Maximilian,  was  the  head,  and  another 
noble  house.  And  the  record  shows  that 
Ludwig  von  Steindorf  was  placed  under 
the  imperial  ban  and  his  castle  confis- 
cated. Thereupon  he  went  Into  a  monas- 
tery at  Goslar,  and  died  there  on  March 
27,  1342,  "from  grief  and  anguish  at  the 
rendition  of  so  unjust  a  judgment." 
Three  months  prior  to  his  decease,  the 
Emperor  annulled  the  imperial  ban,  "but 
the  edict  was  concealed  and  held  back  by 
the  trickery  of  the  revengeful  Bishop  of 
W'urzburg." 

The  progenitor  in  America  of  that 
branch  of  the  Steiner  family  to  which 
Dr.  Walter  Ralph  Steiner  belongs,  was 
Jacob  Stoner,  or  Steiner,  who  was  born 
in  1713,  and  who  died  in  1748.  The 
"Genealogy  of  the  Steiner  Family"  (1896) 
states  that  "it  is  quite  probable  that  he 
was  the  Jacob  Steiner  who  arrived  at 
Philadelphia  in  the  vessel  'Pennsyl- 
vania,' merchant,  from  Rotterdam,  on 
September  11,  1731."  He  had  settled  in 
Frederick  county,  Maryland,  before  1736. 
(One  record  states  it  definitely  as  1733). 
The  land  upon  which  he  settled  was  even- 
tually purchased  by  him  on  July  26,  1746, 
the  price  paid  by  him  then  for  five  hun- 
dred and  ninety-seven  acres  being  sixty- 
five  pounds.  He  was  evidently  a  man  of 
some  means  and  prominence  in  the  com- 
munity, but  left  no  will,  and  his  estate 
was  never  administered. 

Captain  John  Stoner,  or  Steiner,  eldest 
child  of  Jacob,  married  Catherine  Eliza- 
beth Ramsburg.  He  inherited  from  his 
father  the  Mill  Pond  estate,  and  became 
a  miller,  which  occupation,  in  addition  to 
the  yield  from  his  landed  estate,  brought 
him  "a  large  fortune  for  those  days." 
Family  tradition  has  reported  that  he  was 
a  soldier  in  the  French  and  Indian  War : 
he  served  throughout  Braddock's  cam- 
paign, and  was  in  the  quartermaster's  de- 
partment of  the  Continental  army  during 


the  Revolution.  He  was  a  prominent 
citizen,  being  captain  of  militia  in  1775, 
and  served  as  a  member  of  the  Committee 
of  Observation  for  the  middle  district 
of  Frederick  county. 

Henry,  third  son  of  Captain  John  and 
Catherine  Elizabeth  (Ramsburg)  Stoner, 
or  Steiner,  was  born  in  1764,  farmed  his 
inherited  land  on  the  Woodsborough 
road  in  Frederick  county,  Maryland,  and 
died  in  Frederick  City,  on  April  24,  1831. 

Christian  Steiner,  sixth  child  of  Henry 
and  Elizabeth  (Brengel)  Steiner,  was 
born  January  14,  1797,  and  died  February 
26,  1862.  He  married  his  second  cousin, 
Rebecca  Weltzheimer,  born  April  20, 
1802,  died  April  21,  1862.  Christian 
Steiner,  as  a  younger  son  of  a  large  fam- 
ily, had  "early  to  start  in  business  for 
himself."  He  took  much  interest  in  pub- 
lic afi^airs,  was  for  many  years  a  director 
of  the  Fredericktovvn  Savings  Institution, 
and  was  one  of  the  founders  and  trustees 
of  the  Frederic  Female  Seminary.  Mem- 
ber of  the  Evangelical  Reformed  Church 
of  Frederick,  in  which  he  was  confirmed 
in  1 82 1,  he  served  several  terms  as  elder. 

Lewis  Henry  Steiner,  son  of  Christian 
and  Rebecca  (Weltzheimer)  Steiner  and 
father  of  Dr.  Walter  Ralph  Steiner,  of 
Hartford,  was  born  on  May  4,  1827,  and 
died  on  February  18,  1892.  He  married, 
on  October  30,  1866,  Sarah  Spencer 
Smyth,  of  Guilford,  Connecticut.  Lewis 
Henry  Steiner  was  prepared  for  college 
at  the  Frederick  Academy,  whence  he 
entered  the  sophomore  class  of  Marshall 
College,  from  which  institution  he  was 
graduated  in  1846.  Proctors  who  exer- 
cised much  influence  over  him  during  his 
collegiate  course  were  Professors  J.  W. 
Nevin,  D.  D.,  Philip  Schaff,  D.  D.,  and 
Traill  Green,  M.  D.  After  graduating  at 
Marshall  College,  Lewis  Henry  Steiner 
entered  upon  the  study  of  medicine  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  gaining  in 
!94 


EX'CYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1849  '^'"'^  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine. 
Almost  simultaneously  he  received  the 
major  academic  degree,  Master  of  Arts, 
from  Marshall  College,  and  in  1854  re- 
ceived the  same  degree  {honoris  causa) 
from  the  College  of  St.  James,  and  in  1869 
from  Yale  College.  He  began  medical 
practice  in  Frederick,  Maryland,  but  in 
1852  removed  to  Baltimore  to  assume  a 
professional  capacity  under  Dr.  John  R. 
W.  Dunbar,  who  conducted  a  private 
medical  institute.  As  such  he  continued 
until  1855,  when,  having  previously  un- 
dertaken exhaustive  research  in  natural 
science,  particularly  botany  and  chemis- 
try, he  resolved  to  devote  his  time  en- 
tirely to  the  teaching  of  these  sciences. 
"He  was  one  of  the  earliest  physiological 
chemists  in  the  country,  and  his  mono- 
graph on  strychnia  was  well-known.'" 
From  1853  until  1856  he  was  Professor  of 
Chemistry  and  Natural  History  at  Co- 
lumbia University,  as  well  as  Professor 
of  Chemistry  and  Pharmacy  and  dean  of 
the  National  Medical  College.  During 
the  period  of  1854-59  he  was  Lecturer  on 
Chemistry  and  Physics  at  the  College  of 
St.  James;  in  1855  and  1856  was  Swann 
Lecturer  on  Applied  Chemistry  in  the 
Maryland  Institute  :  and  in  the  latter  year 
reorganized  the  Maryland  College  of 
Pharmacy,  serving  as  Professor  of  Chem- 
istry there  until  1861  ;  was  one  of  the 
incorporators  of  and  professors  in  the 
Mount  Washington  Female  College,  Bal- 
timore :  and  was  librarian  of  the  Mary- 
land Historical  Society  from  1856  to  1861. 
At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  Dr. 
Steiner  returned  to  Frederick  and  entered 
the  United  States  Sanitary  Comission.  as 
one  of  its  inspectors.  In  1863  he  became 
chief  inspector  for  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, and,  in  recognition  of  his  valuable 
services  in  the  war,  the  New  York  Com- 
mandery  of  the  Military  Order  of  the 
Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  .States  elected 


him  a  companion  of  the  third  class  in 
1868.  In  1865  he  was  elected  president  of 
the  school  board  of  Frederick  county,  and 
acted  as  such  until  1868,  reorganizing  the 
school  system  of  that  county.  In  187 1,  in 
the  Republican  interest,  he  was  sent  to 
the  State  Senate  as  member  from  Fred- 
erick county.  He  did  good  work,  and  was 
twice  reelected,  thus  serving  as  State 
Senator  for  twelve  years.  In  1876  he  was 
a  delegate  to  the  National  Republican 
Convention  which  nominated  General  R. 
B.  Hayes  to  the  presidency.  From  1873 
until  1884  he  held  journalistic  connection 
with  the  Frederick  "Examiner"  as  polit- 
ical editor,  and  in  November,  1884,  was 
appointed  librarian  of  the  Enoch  Pratt 
Free  Library,  Baltimore,  then  established. 
He  organized  the  library,  which  opened 
with  20,000  volumes  and  held  the  ap- 
pointment until  his  death,  which  came 
suddenly  in  1892.  He  was  succeeded  by 
his  talented  son.  Dr.  Bernard  C.  Steiner, 
of  Baltimore.  During  his  administration, 
the  library  increased  to  a  capacity  of  lOO,- 
000  volumes,  and  to  an  annual  circulation 
of  450,000  books,  among  the  people  of 
Baltimore.  He  was  honored  by  many 
medical,  scientific  and  other  organiza- 
tions ;  was  elected  a  fellow  of  the  Medical 
and  Chirurgical  Faculty  of  Maryland,  in 
1853:  was  fellow  of  the  American  Asso- 
ciation for  the  Advancement  of  Science ; 
was  member  of  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation :  correspondent  to  the  Philadelphia 
Academy  of  Natural  Science  ;  correspond- 
ing member  of  Maryland  Academy  of 
Sciences:  member,  and  in  1876  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  American  Public  Health  As- 
sociation :  and  was  identified  with  the 
New  Haven  Colony  Historical  Society,  as 
member;  Hampton  Normal  and  Agricul- 
tural Institute,  trustee  ;  American  Library 
.Association,  vice-president  in  1891  ; 
Maryland  Historical  Society,  member : 
International   Medical   Congress  in   Phil- 


295 


EXCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


adelphia ;  American  Academy  of  Medi- 
cine, of  which  he  was  one  of  the  founders 
in  1876,  vice-president  1876  and  1877,  and 
president  1878;  and  of  the  Society  for  the 
History  of  the  Germans  in  Maryland, 
original  member  in  1886.  Dr.  Steiner  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  from 
Delaware  College  in  1884,  and  that  of 
Doctor  of  Literature  from  Franklin  and 
Marshall  in  1887.  His  literary  produc- 
tions include:  Translation  of  Wills' 
"Chemical  Analysis,"  1854;  translations 
of  nearly  a  dozen  works  of  German  fic- 
tion ;  many  medical  and  scientific  mono- 
graphs ;  and  the  "History  of  Guilford, 
Connecticut,"  1876.  He  was  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  the  Reformed  Church  in  the 
United  States,  and  several  times  served 
as  elder  in  the  Evangelical  Reformed 
Church  at  Frederick,  and  as  treasurer  of 
the  Potomac  Synod.  In  1863,  Dr.  Steiner 
was  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the  Tercen- 
tenary Celebration  of  the  Heidelburg 
Catechism  ;  in  1866  helped  to  prepare  an 
"Order  of  Worship"  for  the  church ;  in 
1874,  a  "Hymn  Book;"  and,  in  1883,  a 
"Directory  of  Worship."  With  Professor 
Henry  Schwing,  he  prepared  two  hymn 
books — "Cantate  Domino,"  in  1859,  and 
"Tunes  for  Worship"  in  1884. 

Walter  Ralph  Steiner,  M.  D.,  son  of 
Lewis  Henry  and  Sarah  Spencer  (Smyth) 
Steiner,  was  born  in  Frederick  City, 
Maryland,  on  November  18,  1870.  His 
preparatory  education  was  obtained  at 
the  University  School,  Baltimore,  and 
was  supplemented  by  instruction  under 
private  tutors.  In  1889  he  entered  Yale 
University  for  the  academic  course,  and 
in  1892  was  graduated,  gaining  the  degree 
of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  followed  in  1895  by 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  Resolved 
to  qualify  for  entrance  to  the  medical  pro- 
fession, in  1892  he  proceeded  to  the  Johns 
Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land,   and    two    vears    later    entered    the 


medical  department  of  that  university, 
receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine therefrom  in  1898.  After  a  term  of 
service,  during  1898-99,  as  one  of  the 
resident  house  officers  of  the  Johns  Hop- 
kins Hospital,  he  came  to  Hartford,  Con- 
necticut, in  1900,  and  immediately  opened 
an  office  for  general  practice,  soon  com- 
ing into  notice  as  an  able  specialist  of 
pathology  and  bacteriology.  Since  1901, 
he  has  been  identified  with  the  medical 
staff  of  Hartford  Hospital ;  his  first  ap- 
pointment was  that  of  pathologist  and 
bacteriologist;  he  was  assistant  visiting 
physician,  1905-07;  was  appointed  visit- 
ing physician  in  1908 ;  and  since  1912  has 
been  also  consulting  pathologist  and  bac- 
teriologist to  the  hospital.  Dr.  Walter 
Ralph  Steiner  holds  official  connection 
with  other  Connecticut  hospitals,  being 
consulting  physician  to  the  Hartford  Iso- 
lation Hospital,  to  the  Hartford  Orphan 
Asylum,  and  to  the  Middlesex  Hospital, 
of  Middletown.  He  is  connected  with 
many  National  and  State  medical  organ- 
izations, being  a  member  of:  The  Asso- 
ciation of  American  Physicians,  the 
.\merican  Climatological  and  Clinical  As- 
sociation, the  American  Association  of 
Pathologists  and  Bacteriologists,  the 
American  Medical  Association,  the  Con- 
necticut State  Medical  Society  of  which 
he  was  secretary  during  the  period  of 
1905  to  1912.  the  Hartford  County  Med- 
ical Association ;  the  Hartford  Medical 
Society,  of  which  he  is  librarian,  the 
.\merican  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science,  and  the  Congress  of 
American  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of 
which  he  has  been  secretary  since  1911. 
By  reason  of  his  ancestry  he  holds  mem- 
bership in  the  Sons  of  the  .\merican  Rev- 
olution, and  because  of  historical  leanings 
in  the  family,  as  exhibited  in  his  grand- 
father, the  late  Judge  Ralph  D.  Smyth,  a 
former  well  known  antiquarian,  his  father. 


296 


THE  WJ!  YORK 


J 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPIIY 


his  brother  and  himself,  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Connecticut  Historical 
Society  in  1909. 

A  Republican  of  staunch  allegiance, 
and  an  earnest  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  Dr.  Steiner  has,  since  tak- 
ing residence  in  Hartford,  become  well 
regarded  in  the  city.  His  social  affili- 
ations include  membership  in  the  Hart- 
ford, the  University,  the  Hartford  Golf, 
the  Twentieth  Century,  and  the  Megantic 
Fish  and  Game  clubs.  His  contributions 
to  medical  literature  include  articles  on 
internal  medicine,  pathology  and  medical 
history.  Among  his  writings  on  medical 
history  we  may  mention :  "A  Contribu- 
tion to  the  History  of  Medicine  in  the 
Province  of  Maryland,"  "A  Contribution 
to  the  History  of  Medicine  in  Maryland 
During  the  Revolution,"  and  "Governor 
John  Winthrop,  Jr.,  of  Connecticut,  as  a 
Physician."  All  of  these  articles  have 
appeared  in  the  '"P.ulletin  of  the  Johns 
Hopkins  Hospital."  He  is  also  the  author 
of  the  two  chapters  on  the  diseases  of  the 
muscles  in  the  seven-volume  text  book  on 
"Modern  Medicine"  which  was  edited  dur- 
ing 1907  to  IQTO  by  Sir  William  Osier,  and 
has  appeared  in  two  editions.  Inherit- 
ing literary  inclinations  from  his  talented 
father,  Dr.  Steiner  is  an  enthusiastic  col- 
lector of  old  prints,  and  good  literature. 
On  June  15,  1914,  he  was  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal speakers  at  the  celebration  of  the 
centenary  of  the  Yale  Medical  School,  in 
Woolsey  Hall.  New  Haven. 


WORDIN.  Nathaniel  Sherwood, 

EnterprisinK   Citizen,  Public   Official. 

The  Wordin  family  was  established  in 
Bridgeport  by  Thomas  Wordin  in  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  or  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth.  The 
exact  date  of  his  coming  to  America  from 
England  is  not  known,  the  earliest  record 


of  him  here  being  his  marriage  on  Janu- 
ary 18,  1728,  to  Jemima  Beardsley,  daugh- 
ter of  David  and  Ann  (Seeley)  Beardsley  ; 
she  was  born  in  1709.  Since  its  establish- 
ment the  family  has  been  prominent  in 
the  civic,  social  and  religious  interests  of 
the  country  in  and  around  the  towns  of 
Stratford,  and  Bridgeport,  in  Fairfield 
county,  in  the  State  of  Connecticut,  where 
the  immigrant  ancestor,  Thomas  Wordin, 
first  settled.  In  the  six  generations  de- 
scended from  Thomas  Wordin  the  fam- 
ily has  been  connected  through  marriage 
with  some  of  the  most  important  and 
prominent  families  in  the  history  of  the 
State,  among  which  are  the  following: 
Seeley,  Odell,  Walker,  Wheeler,  Cooke, 
Trowbridge,  Leete,  Booth,  Wilcoxson, 
Sherwood,  Fitch,  Burr,  Warde,  Sherman, 
Nichols,  Curtis,  Porter,  Wakeman.  I  law- 
ley.  Thompson,  Welles  and  Leavenworth. 

(II)  Captain  William  Wordin,  son  of 
Thomas  and  Jemima  (Beardsley)  Wor- 
din, was  born  in  North  Stratford  (now 
Trumbull),  Connecticut,  and  baptized 
there  August  18,  1734.  His  mother  joined 
the  Stratfield  church  on  August  8,  1731, 
and  the  North  Stratford  church,  Febru- 
ar}-  29,  1736.  Captain  Wordin  purchased 
a  plot  of  land  from  Ezra  Kirtland  on 
which  he  built  his  homestead,  corner 
of  State  street  and  Park  avenue.  He 
was  prominent  in  the  aflfairs  of  the  com- 
munity, and  served  on  the  society's  com- 
mittee of  the  church,  as  well  as  on  the 
school  committee.  In  the  American  Rev- 
olution he  was  a  loyal  Whig,  and  was 
captain  of  a  company  of  militia  known  as 
the  Householders.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years,  in  1808.  He  married 
Anna  Odell,  of  Fairfield,  Connecticut, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Judith  Ann 
(Wheeler)  Odell:  she  was  born  in  1737. 
and  died  in  1805. 

(III)  William  (2)  Wordin,  son  of 
Captain  William    (i)    and  .Xnna    (Odell) 


297 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Wordin.  was  born  in  1759,  and  died  April 
15,  1814.  He  was  a  resident  of  Bridge- 
port, and  married  Dorcas  Cooke,  daughter 
of  John  and  Alartha  (Booth)  Cooke.  She 
was  Ijorn  in  1763,  and  died  on  July  25, 
1854,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years. 

(IV)  Thomas  Cooke  Wordin,  son  of 
William  (2)  and  Dorcas  (Cooke)  Wor- 
din, was  born  in  the  Wordin  homestead 
built  b}'  his  grandfather,  at  what  is  now 
the  corner  of  State  street  and  Park  ave- 
nue, Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  in  1787.  In 
boyhood  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  drug 
store  of  Samuel  Darling  at  New  Haven, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  embarked 
in  the  same  lousiness  on  his  own  account 
in  Bridgeport.  Throughout  his  active  life 
he  prosecuted  this  enterprise  with  marked 
success,  his  store  being  in  a  building 
erected  by  him  about  1816  on  State  street, 
just  west  of  the  old  postoffice.  He  was 
one  of  the  representative  merchants  of 
his  time  and  was  known  for  the  strictest 
integrity  as  well  as  old-fashioned  New 
England  ideals  and  principles.  Acquir- 
ing by  purchase  the  Norwalk  flouring 
mills,  he  remodeled  them  for  grinding 
spices,  and  the  resulting  product  com- 
manded a  ready  market.  To  the  city  of 
Bridgeport  he  oiYered  two  thousand  dol- 
lars to  establish  a  public  square  west  of 
Courtland  street,  but  no  action  was  taken 
on  the  proposal.  He  married,  1812,  Ann 
Sherwood,  daughter  of  Philemon  and 
Hepzibah  (Burr)  Sherwood.  Children: 
Nathaniel  Sherwood,  mentioned  below ; 
Lucy  S.,  became  the  wife  of  Edmund  S. 
Hawley ;  Susan,  became  the  wife  of 
Charles  Kelsey  ;  Thomas,  died  in  infancy  ; 
h'.lmer  and  a  twin  brother,  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  Mary ;  Ann  B..  became  the  wife  of 
John  W.  Hincks;  Caroline,  became  the 
wife  of  W.  W.  Naramore  ;  Thomas  Cooke, 
married  Betsey  Ann  Plumb :  and  Eliza- 
beth. The  father  of  these  children  died 
November  20,  1852. 


(V)  Nathaniel  Sherwood  Wordin,  son 
of  Thomas  Cooke  and  Ann  (Sherwood) 
Wordin,  was  born  in  the  Wordin  home- 
stead, Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  July  12, 
1813.  He  received  his  early  education 
in  the  district  school  conducted  by  the 
Rev.  Asa  Bronson,  pastor  of  the  Strat- 
field  Baptist  Church,  and  subsequently 
studied  at  the  Easton  Academy  under  the 
instruction  of  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Free- 
man, pastor  of  the  Congregational  church. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  his 
father's  business  establishment  as  a  clerk, 
and  upon  attaining  his  majority  was  ad- 
mitted to  partnership,  soon  afterward  suc- 
ceeding to  full  control  as  his  father  had 
decided  to  devote  his  attention  to  his 
Norwalk  mills.  Conducting  the  business 
with  uniform  success,  he  enlarged  it  to 
meet  the  increasing  demands,  and  re- 
mained at  its  head  until  about  1850,  when 
he  withdrew  and  his  younger  brother 
assumed  its  direction.  A  very  prominent 
and  public-spirited  citizen  of  Bridgeport, 
Mr.  Wordin  was  actively  identified  with 
its  local  affairs.  He  was  city  treasurer 
from  1841  to  1845,  and  assessor  from  1859 
to  1862  and  in  1867-68.  He  was  a  director 
of  the  Bridgeport  Mutual  Savings  Bank 
and  Building  Association  and  of  the 
Farmers'  Bank  (now  the  First  National), 
and  was  an  incorporator  of  the  Bridgeport 
Savings  Bank  and  the  Farmers'  and  Mer- 
chants' Savings  Bank.  Through  his 
eft'orts  the  Bridgeport  Musical  Society 
was  organized,  and  he  served  as  its  secre- 
tary. In  the  First  Congregational  Church 
he  was  leader  of  the  choir  many  years, 
and  for  half  a  century  was  clerk  of  the 
society.  "In  more  than  fifty  meetings 
during  that  time  he  did  not  fail  of  being 
present  to  call  the  assembly  to  order, 
while  his  penmanship  in  elegance  and  cor- 
rectness for  that  length  of  time  is  prob- 
ably unequalled  in  the  county."  Mr. 
Wordin   married.    May  29,   1839.    Fanny 


298 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Augusta  Leavenworth,  born  in  1812, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Frederick  and  Fanny 
(Johnson)  Leavenworth,  of  Waterbury, 
Connecticut.  Children:  i.  Frederick  Au- 
gustus, died  in  infancy.  2.  Helen  Caro- 
lene,  residing  in  Bridgeport.  3.  Nathaniel 
Eugene,  the  subject  of  a  following  narra- 
tive. 4.  Fanny  Leavenworth,  residing  in 
Bridgeport.  5.  Thomas  Cooke  Wordin, 
married  Frances  Cummins  (now  de- 
ceased), daughter  of  Rev.  Frederick  Pat- 
terson Cummins.  Mr.  Wordin  died  in 
January,  1889,  survived  by  his  widow, 
who  died  in  1892.  aged  eighty  years. 

(The  Leavenworth  Line). 

Mrs.  Wordin  was  a  descendant  in  the 
sixth  generation  of  Thomas  Leavenworth, 
who  emigrated  from  England  and  appar- 
ently settled  in  Woodbury,  Connecticut. 

(I)  Thomas  Leavenworth,  immigrant 
ancestor,  was  born  in  England.  The  date 
of  his  coming  to  America  is  not  known, 
but  he  is  known  to  have  been  in  New 
Haven  as  early  as  1664.  Little  is  known 
of  him  before  his  immigration  to  America 
beside  the  fact  there  is  on  record  in  the 
parish  of  St.  Clair,  Southwark,  England, 
for  the  year  1664,  the  names  Edward  and 
Thomas  Leavenworth.  Whether  this 
Thomas  Leavenworth  was  the  immigrant 
ancestor  of  the  family  in  America  has  not 
yet  been  proven.  There  are,  however, 
records  of  business  transactions  con- 
ducted in  London  by  Thomas  Leaven- 
worth. His  wife  Grace  came  with  him 
from  England,  and  died  in  this  country  in 
1715.  He  died  August  3,  1683,  at  Wood- 
bury, Connecticut.  On  August  20,  of  that 
year,  an  inventory  of  his  estate  was  taken 
amounting  to  £225  2s.  id.  This  appears 
in  the  probate  records  of  Fairfield  dis- 
trict ;  where  also  is  recorded  the  fact  that 
he  had  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  His 
occupation  was  farming,  and  he  probably 
settled  on  Good  Hill,  in  the  western  part 


of  the  present  town  of  Woodbury.  His 
wife  Grace  survived  him  and  remained  at 
Woodbury.  In  the  State  Library  at  Hart- 
ford are  filed  two  bonds,  executed  by  her 
on  Tune  11,  1684.  In  February,  1686,  she 
probal)ly  was  still  residing  at  Woodbury, 
and  owned  land  at  Hasky  Meadow,  about 
a  mile  from  the  village.  She  deeded  lands 
to  her  sons  Thomas  and  John  on  May  26, 
1687,  and  other  lands  to  Henry  Deering, 
of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  on  Mav  28, 
1687. 

(II)  Dr.  Thomas  (2)  Leavenworth, 
.son  of  Thomas  (i)  and  Grace  Leaven- 
worth, was  born  in  1673,  whether  in  Eng- 
land or  in  America  is  not  known.  He 
married  Mary  Jenkins,  at  Stratford,  Con- 
necticut, in  1698.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  David  Jenkins,  born  in  1680,  and  died 
at  Ripton,  in  June,  1768.  Ripton  Parish, 
now  Huntington,  was  then  a  part  of  Strat- 
ford. He  died  there  on  August  4,  1754, 
and  was  buried  at  Ripton  Center.  There 
is  record  of  the  sale  of  the  house  and 
lands  of  Thomas  Leavenworth  in  Wood- 
bury on  June  10,  1695,  to  John  Judson,  of 
Woodbury,  land  inherited  probably  from 
his  father  or  uncle.  Dr.  Leavenworth 
lived  in  Woodbury  until  1695,  when  he 
removed  to  Stratford,  where  he  resided 
until  1721.  He  became  a  member  of  the 
Stratford  church  in  1697-98,  having  on 
January  11,  of  that  year,  "owned  the 
covenant.''  He  obtained  land  in  Wood- 
bury from  his  father's  estate  and  from 
his  uncle  and  his  brother  John.  On  De- 
cember 16,  1716,  he  bought  land  of  Ed- 
ward Burroughs.  He  sold  land  to  his 
brother  John.  March  18,  1717,  he  re- 
ceived land  near  Robert  Wheeler's.  He 
signed  a  petition  for  a  bridge  in  Ripton 
on  February  25,  1719.  In  1721  he  sold  his 
home  in  Ripton.  Dr.  Thomas  Leaven- 
worth and  his  wife  became  original  mem- 
bers of  the  church  at  Ripton.  He  is  men- 
tioned  in   the   records   of  the   church   as 


299 


ENXYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Deacon  Thomas,  and  as  one  of  the  so- 
ciety's committee  and  collector  of  rates, 
lie  received  one  and  one-half  acres  of  six 
mile  division  lands  on  December  31,  1728. 
'Jliomas  Leavenworth  was  educated  for 
the  medical  profession,  and  practiced  in 
the  vicinity  of  Woodbury  and  Stratford 
for  several  years ;  he  was  "a  man  of  posi- 
tion, influence,  energy,  and  wealth."  He 
was  interested  in  a  copper  mine  in  Wood- 
bury, and  had  business  interests  in  addi- 
tion to  this.  In  the  distribution  of  his  son 
Ebenezer's  estate,  in  March,  1734-35,  he 
received  a  bequest.  In  the  same  year  he 
also  had  a  controversy  in  regard  to  some 
lands  at  Ripton.  The  date  of  his  will  was 
July  6,  1748.  It  was  offered  for  probate 
on  June  12,  1754,  and  was  proved  July  15, 
1754.  Dr.  Leavenworth  was  a  man  of 
wide  culture  and  experience,  and  deeply 
interested  in  the  cause  of  education. 

(Ill)  Rev.  Mark  Leavenworth,  son  of 
Dr.  Thomas  (2)  and  Mary  (Jenkins) 
Leavenworth,  was  born  in  Stratford,  Con- 
necticut, in  171 1,  and  died  in  Waterbury, 
Connecticut.  August  30,  1797.  He  was 
graduated  from  Yale  University  in  the 
class  of  1737.  He  studied  for  the  medical 
profession,  but  abandoned  it  to  enter  the 
ministry.  He  was  ordained  in  1740,  and 
in  the  same  year  was  called  to  the  pastor- 
ate of  the  Waterbury  church,  continuing 
in  that  office  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  fifty-seven  years  later.  In  1760 
he  was  chaplain  of  Colonel  Whiting's 
Second  Connecticut  Regiment  in  the 
Canadian  campaign ;  during  the  Revolu- 
tion was  a  member  of  the  State  committee 
for  raising  troops,  and  the  first  signer  of 
the  oath  of  fidelity  at  Waterbury  after  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  His  three 
sons  served  in  the  Revolution,  and  were 
graduates  of  Yale  University.  Rev. 
Mark  Leavenworth  married  Ruth  Peck, 
daughter  of  Jeremiah  and  Rachel  (Rich- 
ards) Peck.  She  was  born  in  1719,  and 
•died  in  1750. 


(IV)  Colonel  Jesse  Leavenworth,  son 
of  Rev.  Mark  and  Ruth  (Peck)  Leaven- 
worth, was  born  November  22,  1740,  in 
W'aterbury,  Connecticut,  and  died  there 
in  1824.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  Gov- 
ernor's Foot  Guard,  accompanying  that 
organization  on  the  occasion  of  the  Lex- 
ington Alarm,  under  Captain  Benedict 
Arnold,  in  1775,  and  later  served  at  Ti- 
conderoga.  He  was  the  father  of  General 
Henry  Leavenworth,  an  eminent  man  in 
his  day.  On  July  i,  1761,  he  married 
Catherine  Conkling,  born  1751,  died  1824, 
a  daughter  of  John  and  Katherine 
( Scaliger)  Conkling. 

(V)  Dr.  Frederick  Leavenworth,  son 
of  Colonel  Jesse  and  Catherine  (Conk- 
ling) Leavenworth,  was  born  in  Water- 
bury, Connecticut,  in  1766,  and  died  in 
1840.  He  took  up  the  study  of  medicine 
and  practiced  in  Waterbury  for  several 
years.  He  married.  May  19,  1796,  Fanny 
Johnson,  daughter  of  Dr.  Abner  and 
Lydia  (Bunnell)  Johnson.  She  was  born 
in  1776,  and  died  in  1852. 

(\T)  Fanny  Augusta  Leavenworth, 
daughter  of  Dr.  Frederick  and  Fanny 
(Johnson)  Leavenworth,  was  born  in 
1812.  She  married.  May  29,  1839,  Na- 
thaniel Sherwood  Wordin.  Mrs.  Wordin 
died  in  1892,  and  is  survived  by  her 
(laughters,  Fanny  L.  and  Helen  C. 
Leavenworth,  who  reside  at  Xo.  10  State 
street,  Bridgeport.  Connecticut.  A  son. 
I^r.  Nathaniel  E.  Wordin,  is  the  subject 
of  a  narrative  which  follows  this. 


WORDIN,   Nathaniel  Eugene, 

CiTil  War  Soldier,  Physician,  Anthor. 

Dr.  Nathaniel  Eugene  Wordin,  son  of 
Nathaniel  Sherwood  and  Fanny  Augusta 
(Leavenworth)  Wordin,  was  born  in 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  May  26,  1844. 
He  received  his  early  education  in  the 
schools  of  that  city,  and  pursued  prepara- 
tory studies    at  Wilbraham,    Massachu- 


300 


(/V2L^y^^ — 


T":E  I'LW  YORK 
-''"'Z  LIBRARY 

1.  -TOa,   LENOX 
;i.DEN    FOUKDATIONS 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


setts.  On  August  9,  1862,  when  he  was 
but  eighteen  years  old,  actuated  by  a 
sense  of  patriotic  duty,  he  enlisted  in  the 
Federal  service,  being  mustered  as  a 
member  of  Company  I,  Sixth  Connecticut 
Volunteer  Infantry.  He  witnessed  the 
finale  of  the  great  struggle  in  the  oper- 
ations before  Petersburg  and  Richmond, 
entered  the  Confederate  capital  on  the 
day  of  its  capture,  and  General  Shepley, 
chief  of  staff  and  military  governor  of  the 
city,  dictated  the  order  which  Private 
Wordin  wrote  placing  the  city  under 
martial  law.  On  June  3,  1865,  he  was 
honorably  mustered  out  of  the  service  at 
City  Point,  Virginia. 

Returning  to  Bridgeport,  he  decided  to 
complete  his  education,  and  accordingly 
entered  Yale  College,  where  he  was 
graduated  in  1870.  He  then  took  the  full 
course  of  Jeliferson  Medical  College  at 
Philadelphia,  and  received  his  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine  in  1873.  Dr.  Wordin 
has  since  been  continuously  engaged  in 
practice  in  Bridgeport,  and  is  known  for 
ability,  accomplishment,  and  success  in 
his  profession.  For  a  period  of  seventeen 
years,  from  1888  to  1905,  he  was  secretary 
of  the  Connecticut  State  Medical  Society, 
and  in  1905  served  as  its  president.  He 
compiled  and  edited  the  centennial  vol- 
ume of  that  society  in  1892,  a  work  of 
more  than  a  thousand  pages.  His  con- 
nections with  other  professional  organiza- 
tions include  the  Fairfield  County  Med- 
ical Association,  the  Bridgeport  Medical 
Association,  of  which  he  was  secretary 
several  years  and  president  from  1883  to 
1885,  being  one  of  three  men  in  the  forty 
years  of  its  existence  to  serve  more  than 
one  year ;  the  Connecticut  State  Board  of 
Health  from  1890  to  1899,  during  which 
time  he  travelled  extensively ;  the  Amer- 
ican Academy  of  Medicine,  and  the  Amer- 
ican Public  Health  Association.  He  de- 
voted   considerable    of    his    professional 


work  to  various  institutions,  among  them 
being  the  Bridgeport  Hospital,  the  Fair- 
field County  Temporary  Home,  and  the 
Bridgeport  Protestant  Orphan  Asylum, 
having  been  the  attending  physician  of 
these  for  many  years.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution, 
occupied  the  office  of  historian  in  the  Gen- 
eral Silliman  branch,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross, 
of  the  Fairfield  County  Historical  So- 
ciety, and  also  of  the  Contemporary  Club. 
Dr.  Wordin  travelled  extensively  dur- 
ing much  of  his  life,  visiting  all  parts 
of  the  United  States,  Canada  and  Mexico. 
During  these  trips  he  was  a  close  ob- 
server of  the  customs  prevailing  and  the 
people  who  inhabit  the  countries  he  vis- 
ited, and  upon  his  return  delivered  a 
number  of  lectures  which  were  illus- 
trated from  views  taken  during  the 
trips.  Among  these  are  interesting  one.s 
upon  Yellowstone  Park,  Mexico,  Que- 
bec, Ottawa  and  Montreal,  and  also 
one  entitled :  "My  Recollections  of  the 
Civil  War."  These  were  delivered  in  the 
Public  Library  course  which  is  given  each 
year  under  the  auspices  of  the  Public  Li- 
brary Association  for  the  benefit  of  the 
public.  In  addition.  Dr.  Wordin  lectured 
to  the  nurses  at  the  hospital,  and  read 
many  papers  before  scientific  and  medical 
societies.  He  also  delivered  the  annual 
address  as  president  of  the  Connecticut 
State  Medical  Society  in  1905,  and  in 
1909-10  gave  a  number  of  public  talks 
upon  the  anti-tuberculosis  question.  Dr. 
Wordin  also  wrote  largely  on  historical 
questions.  Among  his  articles,  which 
have  been  published,  may  be  mentioned 
the  following:  "The  Medical  History," 
published  in  1897  in  the  four  volume  work 
entitled  "The  New  England  States ;" 
"The  Medical  History  of  Fairfield  Coun- 
ty," published  in  1889  in  the  "Fairfield 
County  History;"  a  number  of  articles  on 


301 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sanitary  subjects  before  the  American 
Public  Health  Association,  and  which 
were  published  in  their  proceedings ;  a 
number  of  papers  which  were  published 
in  the  proceedings  of  the  Connecticut 
iMedical  Society,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned :  "Diphtheria,  a  Filthy  Dis- 
ease," "The  Ophthalmoscope  as  a  Means 
of  Diagnosis,"  "The  Germ  Theory  of  Dis- 
ease," "Nephrotomy,"  and  several  others. 
In  religion  Dr.  Wordin  was  a  Congrega- 
tionalist,  and  served  as  deacon  in  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Bridge- 
port. 

Dr.  Wordin  married,  December  25, 
1879,  at  Wilmington,  Delaware,  Eliza 
Woodruff  Barnes,  daughter  of  Julius  S. 
Barnes,  M.  D.,  a  graduate  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. 1815,  and  of  Yale  Medical  School, 
1817.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wordin  had  one  child, 
Laura  Barnes. 

Dr.  Wordin  died  in  Bridgeport,  May 
10,  1915. 


BULL,  Thomas  Marcus,  M.  D.. 

Dermatologist,  Hospital  Official. 

Beyond  doubt  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able and  characteristic  changes  wrought 
in  this  epoch  of  change  and  progress  has 
been  that  which  has  occurred  in  the  gen- 
eral attitude  of  the  learned  professions 
towards  their  own  subject  matters  and 
scientific  knowledge  generally.  In  the 
past  they  were  considered  the  conserva- 
tors of  old  knowledge,  and  those  who 
have  been  their  most  authoritive  spokes- 
men have  multiplied  proofs  indefinitely 
that  new  theories  and  even  new  facts, 
however  well  substantiated,  were  unwel- 
come and  need  expect  no  recognition  by 
the  learned  confraternities.  The  hard- 
ships and  persecutions  of  the  pioneers  in 
the  realm  of  thought  and  knowledge  in 
days  gone  by,  bear  ample  witness  to  this 
intolerance,  an  intolerance  so  universally 


associated  with  formal  learning  as  to  have 
often  called  down  upon  it  no  little  popular 
ridicule  and  to  have  converted  such  a 
word  as  pedant  into  a  term  of  reproach. 
But  at  the  present  time  all  this  is  changed, 
and  it  might  even  be  urged  that  in  some 
quarters  there  is  even  a  too  ready  accep- 
tance of  hypotheses  unconfirmed,  and 
statements  of  what  may  prove  to  be 
pseudo  facts.  But  this  is  only  in  certain 
irresponsible  quarters,  and  the  profes- 
sions in  general  now  occupy  a  most 
praiseworthy  attitude  towards  knowledge, 
new  or  old,  subjecting  both  to  the  search- 
ing scrutiny  of  modern  scientific  methods, 
and  retaining  or  rejecting  each  impar- 
tially as  it  endures  this  test.  Take,  for 
example,  the  profession  of  medicine,  and 
note  the  leaders  and  recognized  authori- 
ties therein.  They  are  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten  the  very  pioneers  who  might  have 
suffered  for  their  progressive  views  if  the 
old  intolerance  had  remained.  It  may 
with  truth  be  said  that  in  two  senses  evo- 
lution has  had  to  do  with  this  great 
change.  In  the  first  sense,  it  has  played 
the  same  role  in  the  development  of 
scientific  thought  as  it  does  with  all  liv- 
ing, growing  things,  bringing  it  into 
closer  correspondence  with  its  environ- 
ment ;  and  in  the  second  sense,  the  doc- 
trine of  evolution  has  made  a  direct  alter- 
ation in  our  attitude  towards  all  knowl- 
edge, destroying  the  old  notion  that  it 
was  a  thing  that  has  been  revealed  once 
and  for  all  from  a  supernatural  source, 
and  supplying  the  more  rational  idea  that 
it  is  something  that  we  achieve  for  our- 
selves with  painstaking  effort,  and  thus 
making  us  the  more  willing  to  accept 
discoveries  and  innovations.  Although 
there  are  doubtless  members  of  the  medi- 
cal profession  that  still  incline  to  the  old 
standpoint,  yet  their  voice  is  drowned  in 
that  of  the  great  majority  of  their  fellows, 
for  there  are  but  few  in  these  ranks  who 


^02 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


do  not  accept  the  doctrine  of  evolution 
and  all  that  this  revolutionary  belief  in- 
volves. A  good  example  of  the  type  of 
physician  now  dominant  in  the  profession 
may  be  found  in  Dr.  Thomas  Marcus 
Bull,  of  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  a  man 
at  the  head  of  his  profession,  and  a  recog- 
nized authority  on  all  dermatological 
questions  throughout  the  State. 

(I)  Thomas  Bull,  the  American  pro- 
genitor of  the  Bull  family  of  Connecticut, 
was  born  in  Great  Britain,  in  the  year 
1610.  He  sailed  from  London,  England, 
for  America,  on  September  11,  1635,  '" 
the  ship,  "Hopewell,"  Thomas  Babb, 
master.  It  is  asserted  by  some  that  he 
came  from  the  parish  of  Southwark,  in 
the  city  of  London  ;  by  others  from  Wales. 
(The  compiler  of  these  papers  regards 
the  question  as  an  open  one).  He  landed 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  remained 
either  in  that  city  or  in  Cambridge  until 
the  following  spring,  when  he  was  en- 
rolled in  a  company  of  volunteers  sent  by 
the  Massachusetts  Colony  to  aid  the  in- 
fant settlements  in  Connecticut  in  their 
defense  against  the  warlike  tribes  of 
Pequots,  and  as  second  in  command 
under  Captain  John  Mason,  was  con- 
spicuous for  his  bravery  in  the  memora- 
ble taking  of  their  fort  at  Mystic,  Con- 
necticut, in  1637.  He  was  known  at  this 
period  of  his  life  as  Lieutenant  and  later 
as  Captain  Thomas  Bull.  His  name  is 
recorded  as  juror,  December  6,  1649,  and 
frequently  afterwards.  In  July,  1675,  he 
was  selected  by  the  Colonial  government 
to  command  the  forces  sent  to  resist  the 
demand  of  the  Duke  of  York  for  the  sur- 
render of  Saybrook,  as  one  among  others 
of  "the  most  important  posts"  in  New 
England.  Major  Sir  Edmund  Andros 
was  intrusted  with  the  command  of  the 
expedition  to  enforce  this  demand  against 
the  Colonies.  His  fleet  arrived  off  the 
mouth    of    the    Connecticut    river    (Say- 


brook  I  in  the  early  part  of  July,  1675. 
Here  he  was  met  by  Captain  Bull  and 
Gershom  Buckeley,  whose  adroit  manage- 
ment and  inflexible  firmness  not  only 
frustrated  the  designs  of  the  Duke,  but 
drew  from  his  representative,  Sir  Ed- 
mund Andros,  the  compliment  which  has 
passed  into  history. 

The  family  name  of  the  wife  of  Captain 
Thomas  Bull  is  not  known,  nor  whether 
they  were  married  before  or  after  his 
arrival  in  Connecticut.  Her  Christian 
name  was  Susannah.  A  brown  stone  slab 
in  the  ancient  burying  ground  adjoining 
the  Central  Congregational  Church  in 
Hartford  marks  the  place  of  her  sepul- 
ture. On  it  is  the  following  inscription : 
"Here  lyeth  the  Body  of  Susannah  Bull, 
wife  of  Captain  Thomas  Bull,  deceased 
the  1 2th  of  August,  1680,  aged  70  years." 
Adjoining  this  is  another  stone  bearing 
this  inscription:  "Here  lyeth  the  Body 
of  Captain  Thomas  Bull,  who  died  Octo- 
ber, 1684.  He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers 
of  Hartford,  a  Lieutenant  in  the  great  and 
decisive  battle  with  the  Pequots,  at  Mys- 
tic, May  26,  1637,  and  commander  of  the 
Fort  of  Saybrook  in  July,  1675,  when  its 
surrender  was  demanded  by  Major  An- 
dross."  There  is  also  in  the  same  ground 
an  imposing  brownstone  monument 
"Erected  by  the  Ancient  Burying  Ground 
Association  of  Hartford  in  memory  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Hartford."  One  hundred 
and  one  names  are  inscribed  on  this 
monument,  one  of  which  is  that  of 
Thomas  Bull.  His  name  is  also  men- 
tioned among  the  "Proprietors  of  the  un- 
divided lands  of  the  Town  of  Hartford" 
in  1639.  On  the  second  day  of  March, 
1651-52,  he  received  a  grant  of  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  at  Niantick,  from  the 
Colony,  as  a  reward  for  or  in  recognition 
of  his  military  services  in  the  Pequot 
War.  At  a  later  period  he  received  an 
additional  grant  of  two  hundred  acres  "on 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  east  side  of  the  Great  River,  near  the 
Cedar  Swamp."  The  land  is  mentioned 
in  his  will  as  "the  land  I  received  from 
the  country."  As  above  stated,  he  died  in 
October,  1684  (more  correctly,  however, 
between  August  2Qth  and  October  24th, 
1684),  leaving  his  estate  by  will  to  his 
children.  The  will  is  dated  August  20, 
1684,  and  recorded  in  the  probate  records 
of  Hartford  county,  in  volume  4,  page 
196.  An  inventory  of  his  estate,  entered 
on  the  records,  page  197,  was  taken  Octo- 
ber 24,  1684,  which  values  the  same  at 
fourteen  hundred  and  twenty-two  pounds. 
The  children  of  Captain  Thomas  and  Sus- 
annah Bull  were  as  follows :  Thomas, 
known  as  Deacon  Thomas,  of  whom  fur- 
ther; David,  Ruth,  Susannah,  Abigail, 
Jonathan,  Joseph. 

(II)  Deacon  Thomas  (2)  Bull,  of 
Farmington,  eldest  son  and  child  of  Cap- 
tain Thomas  and  Susannah  Bull,  was 
born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  the  date 
not  known.  He  married  (first)  probably 
in  April,  1668,  Esther  Cowles.  He  mar- 
ried (second)  Widow  Mary  Lewis, 
daughter  of  the  famous  schoolmaster, 
Ezekiel  Cheever.  They  were  married, 
January  3,  1692.  She  died  January  10, 
1728,  aged  eighty-seven  or  eighty-eight 
years.  It  is  believed  that  eight  children 
were  born  of  the  first  marriage,  namely : 
John,  Thomas,  Esther,  Samuel,  Susannah, 
Jonathan,  Sarah.  David,  of  whom  further. 
The  will  of  Deacon  Thomas  Bull  is  dated 
May  7,  1703,  and  recorded  in  volume  7, 
pages  193  to  196.  The  inventory  of  his 
estate  amounted  to  seven  hundred  and 
forty-five  pounds,  twelve  shillings  and 
one  pence. 

(III)  David  Bull,  of  Farmington, 
youngest  son  of  Deacon  Thomas  (2)  and 
Esther  (Cowles)  Bull,  was  born  in  Farm- 
ington, Connecticut,  in  1687.  He  married 
Sarah  Ashley,  who  bore  him  nine  chil- 
dren,   namely:    Jonathan,    Sarah,    David, 


Jr.,  Noah,  Thomas,  of  whom  further; 
Thankful.  Abigail,  Esther,  Mary.  His 
will  is  dated  May  5,  1760,  and  recorded  in 
the  probate  records  of  Hartford  in  volume 
19,  page  39. 

(IV)  Major  Thomas  (3)  Bull,  fourth 
son  and  fifth  child  of  David  and  Sarah 
(Ashley)  Bull,  was  born  in  1728,  and  died 
in  1804.  He  was  adopted  by  his  uncle. 
Deacon  Samuel  Bull,  of  Woodbury.  He 
was  a  major  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 
He  married  (first)  October  10,  1754,  Eliz- 
abeth Curtiss,  born  in  Southbury,  then 
Woodbury,  and  died  of  consumption, 
April  30,  1770,  aged  thirty-two  years.  He 
married  (second)  Amarylis  Prindle,  who 
died  December  10,  1800.  Children : 
Esther,  Samuel  David,  of  whom  further; 
Nathan. 

(V)  Samuel  David  Bull,  eldest  son  and 
second  child  of  Major  Thomas  (3)  and 
Elizabeth  (Curtiss)  Bull,  was  born  in 
Woodbury,  Litchfield  county,  Connecti- 
cut. March  30,  1763.  and  died  there,  Oc- 
tober 17,  1810.  aged  forty-seven  years. 
He  married,  in  Southbury,  Connecticut, 
January  18.  1801,  Elizabeth  Mitchell, 
born  in  Southbury,  May  28,  1778,  died  in 
Woodbury,  May  2,  1843,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  and  Elizabeth  (Borland)  Mitch- 
ell, of  Southbury.  Children:  Thomas,  of 
whom  further;  and  David  Samuel. 

(VI)  Thomas  (4)  Bull,  eldest  son  and 
child  of  Samuel  David  and  Elizabeth 
(Mitchell)  Bull,  was  born  in  Woodbury, 
Connecticut,  December  9,  1801.  He  mar- 
ried, in  Woodbury,  January  19,  1824, 
Susan  Sherman,  born  in  Woodbury,  May 
15,  1798,  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Anna 
(Curtiss)  Sherman,  of  Woodbury.  Chil- 
dren :  Ann  Elizabeth,  David  Samuel,  of 
whom  further;  Julia  Emily,  Susan  Jane. 

(VII)  David  Samuel  Bull,  only  son 
and  second  child  of  Thomas  (4)  and 
Susan  (Sherman)  Bull,  was  born  in 
Woodbury,  Connecticut,  March  12,  1826. 


304 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


He  was  a  prominent  and  successful  mer- 
chant during  his  early  years,  and 
throughout  his  business  life  was  asso- 
ciated with  the  Woodbury  Bank  in  an 
official  capacity.  He  was  a  man  of  talent 
and  capability,  and  was  highly  regarded 
by  his  neighbors.  He  married,  in  Wood- 
bury, March  12,  i860  (his  thirty-fourth 
birthday)  Lucy  Ann  DeForest,  born  in 
Woodbury,  January  13,  1832,  daughter  of 
Marcus  and  Laura  Colton  (Perkins)  De- 
Forest.  Children  :  Laura  Elizabeth,  born 
November  9,  1861  ;  Thomas  Marcus,  of 
whom  further ;  and  Lucy  Emily,  born  Au- 
gust 10,  1865,  died  November  28,  1871. 

(VIII)  Dr.  Thomas  Marcus  Bull,  only 
son  and  second  child  of  David  Samuel 
and  Lucy  Ann  (DeForest)  Bull,  was  born 
in  Woodbury,  Connecticut,  August  2"/, 
1863.  He  spent  the  first  twenty-one 
years  of  his  life  in  his  native  town,  and 
in  the  local  schools  thereof  gained  the 
preparatory  portion  of  his  education.  In 
early  life  he  selected  the  profession  of 
medicine  for  his  active  career,  and  all  his 
energy  was  directed  in  that  channel. 
After  his  graduation  from  the  Woodbury 
High  School  in  1881,  he  entered  the  Medi- 
cal School  of  Columbia  University,  New 
York  City,  from  which  institution  he 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1887,  of  which 
he  was  secretary.  He  then  spent  a  year 
as  interne  at  the  Skin  and  Cancer  Hos- 
pital in  New  York  City.  For  three  years 
thereafter  he  engaged  in  practice  in  that 
city,  and  then  returned  to  his  native  State 
and  settled  at  Naugatuck,  where  he  has 
since  conducted  a  most  successful  and 
growing  practice,  extending  over  a  period 
of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century.  From 
the  outset  Dr.  Bull  has  specialized  in 
dermatology  and  is  regarded  as  having 
been  extremely  successful  in  his  treat- 
ment of  troubles  of  the  skin,  and  at  the 
present  time  (1916)  holds  the  post  of 
dermatologist  in  the  Waterbury  Hospital. 


Dr.  Bull  has  identified  himself  with 
the  afifairs  of  both  Waterbury  and  Nau- 
gatuck, making  his  home  in  the  former 
named  place,  but  conducting  his  princi- 
pal practice  at  the  later  place.  He  is 
also  keenly  interested  in  many  other 
aspects  of  the  life  of  these  cities,  and 
takes  as  active  a  part  therein  as  his  exact- 
ing professional  duties  will  permit.  He 
is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  has  held 
no  public  office  except  in  connection  with 
city  educational  matters,  in  which  he  is 
deeply  interested.  He  is  a  member  and 
has  been  for  several  years  president  of 
the  Naugatuck  Board  of  Education ;  is  a 
trustee  of  the  Naugatuck  Savings  Bank, 
and  was  president  of  the  New  Haven 
County  Medical  Society  in  1912.  Dr. 
Bull  is  a  prominent  Mason,  and  belongs 
to  Shepherd  Lodge,  No.  78,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons ;  Allerton  Chapter,  No.  39, 
Royal  Arch  Masons ;  and  Clark  Com- 
mandery.  No.  7,  Knights  Templar.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  Centennial  Lodge, 
No.  100,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows ;  Gavel  Lodge,  No.  18,  Knights  of 
Pythias  ;  Naugatuck  Tribe,  Improved  Or- 
der of  Red  Men ;  Naugatuck  Golf  Club ; 
and  is  a  director  and  chairman  of  the 
athletic  committee  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  of  Naugatuck.  Dr. 
Bull  attends  the  Congregational  church 
at  Naugatuck,  but  it  is  probable  that  if 
he  were  asked  what  his  religion  was  that 
he  would  respond  that  he  was  an  evolu- 
tionist. He  is  a  man-  of  broad  mind  in 
this  matter,  and  does  not  subscribe  to  a 
dogmatic  theology. 

Dr.  Bull  married,  February  19,  1891,  at 
Pittsfield,  Massachusetts.  Clara  Belle 
Chapman,  of  that  city.  She  was  born  in 
Pittsfield.  April  i,  1870,  daughter  of 
Amos  and  Elizabeth  (Hart)  Chapman, 
the  former  named  a  farmer  of  that  town. 
Children:  i.  David  Chapman,  born  April 
26,    1892 ;  graduated   from   Yale   Univer- 


CooD— 3— 20 


305 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


sity  in  1912,  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor 
of  Science,  and  in  1916  from  Columbia 
Medical  School,  taking  his  degree  of  Doc- 
tor of  Medicine,  besides  that  of  Master 
of  Arts;  he  was  connected  with  the  Medi- 
cal Corps  of  Squadron  A.  New  York 
National  Guard,  during  the  mobiliza- 
tion of  the  New  Y'ork  militia  in  the  re- 
cent Mexican  troubles,  and  was  stationed 
on  the  border ;  is  now  surgeon  in  the 
Twelfth  New  York  Infantry,  with  rank 
of  lieutenant;  at  present  (1917)  is  an  in- 
terne in  Bellevue  Hospital.  2.  Margaret 
Emily,  born  April  22,  1894;  a  graduate 
of  Wellesley  College,  class  of  1916.  3. 
Elizabeth  DeForest,  born  May  26,  1898; 
was  valedictorian  of  the  Naugatuck  High 
School  in  1916.  and  that  same  year  en- 
tered Wellesley  College. 

Dr.  Bull  is  a  fine  example  of  that  ster- 
ling type  of  character  that  has  become 
associated  in  the  popular  mind  with  New 
England  and  which  has  so  potently  in- 
fluenced the  tone  of  American  ideals  and 
institutions.  Honesty  and  sincerity  are 
the  foundation  of  his  character,  a  certain 
austerity  of  conscience,  perhaps,  which  is 
never  exercised  ftdly,  however,  save  in 
judging  himself,  and  tempered  in  its 
action  towards  all  others  with  a  wide 
tolerance  of  human  frailties  and  short- 
comings. A  strong  and  practical  ethical 
sense,  a  happy  union  of  idealism  with  a 
practical  knowledge  of  the  affairs  of  the 
world  and  strong  domestic  instincts — 
these  are  the  marks  of  the  best  type  of 
New  Englander,  and  these  are  an  accurate 
description  of  the  character  of  Dr.  Bull 
as  his  friends  know  him,  and  in  his  deal- 
ings with  all  men. 


KIMBALL,  Arthur  Reed, 

Jonrnalist. 

Arthur  Reed  Kimball  was  born  Febru- 
ary I,  1855,  in  New  York  City,  a  son  of 


J.  Merrill  and  Elizabeth  C.  Kimball,  of 
New  Y'ork  City,  where  Mr.  Kimball,  Sr., 
was  a  successful  merchant.  He  is  a  de- 
scendant of  John  Carver,  one  of  the  lead- 
ers of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  and  the  first 
Governor  of  Plymouth  Colony,  and  of 
Jonathan  Edwards,  a  celebrated  Ameri- 
can divine  and  metaphysician. 

Arthur  Reed  Kimball  studied  for  a 
time  at  the  Hopkins  Grammar  School,  in 
1874  entered  Y'ale  University,  where  he 
took  the  academic  course,  and  graduated 
with  the  class  of  1877.  He  then  studied 
for  a  year  in  Yale  Law  School,  spent  an- 
other year  in  the  law  ofifice  of  F.  H.  Win- 
ston, in  Chicago,  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  that  cit_\-  in  1879.  Pie  resided  in 
the  west  for  three  years,  during  which 
time  he  had  his  first  experience  in  news- 
paper work.  The  year  following  his  ad- 
mission to  the  bar  he  taught  in  a  school, 
but  he  began  his  life  work  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa,  where  he  accepted  the  editorship 
of  the  "State  Register."  Later,  in  1881, 
seeking  for  a  wider  sphere  for  his  talents, 
he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  accepted  the 
position  of  reporter  in  order  to  gain  prac- 
tical experience.  A  few  months  later  in 
the  same  year  he  returned  to  the  east, 
locating  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut, 
where  he  became  associate  editor  of  the 
Waterbury  "American."  Later  he  became 
editor  of  the  paper,  in  which  capacity  he 
is  still  serving.  Mr.  Kimball  is  a  well 
known  contributor  to  many  magazines 
and  other  periodicals,  namely.  "The  Cen- 
tury," "Scribners,"  "The  Atlantic  Month- 
ly," "Harpers,"  "The  North  American 
Review,"  "The  Outlook,"  and  "The  Inde- 
pendent." He  is  the  author  of  the  "Blue 
Ribbon  Life  of  F.  E.  Murphy."  He  de- 
livered a  series  of  lectures  on  journalism 
at  Yale  University.  He  is  a  Congrega- 
tionalist  in  religion,  and  an  Independent 
in  politics.  He  is  a  member  of  the  execu- 
tive committee  of  the   Civil   Service  Re- 


306 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


form  Association  of  Connecticut,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Century  Club  of  New  York, 
the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars,  the  Water- 
bury  Club,  of  which  he  has  been  presi- 
dent for  many  years,  and  a  member  of 
the  finance  committee  of  Gaylord  Farm, 
the  State  Sanitarium. 

Mr.  Kimball  married,  May  15,  1895, 
Mary  E.  Chase,  daughter  of  Augustus  S. 
Chase,  of  Waterbury,  the  founder  of  the 
Chase  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kimball  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren :  Elizabeth  Chase,  born  1900,  and 
Chase,  born  1902. 


BURNES,  Charles  D., 

Iiawyer,  Pnblic  Official. 

Charles  D.  Burnes,  lawyer,  and  whose 
life  has  been  largely  devoted  to  public 
service,  was  born  in  Berlin,  Connecticut, 
August  4,  1871,  son  of  Rev.  Harvey  E, 
and  Grace  L.  (Andrew)  Burnes.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather,  James  Burnes,  was 
a  resident  of  New  Haven,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  business  of  manufacturing 
non-alcoholic  beverages  such  as  ginger 
ale,  tonic  beer,  etc.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  that  line  of  manufacturing. 
His  son,  Harvey  E.  Burnes,  father  of 
Charles  D.  Burnes,  was  born  in  Lee,  Mas- 
sachusetts, in  1840.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools.  Upon  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  War  he  enlisted  in  Company 
I,  Fifteenth  Regiment  Connecticut  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.  He  was  wounded  in  the 
hip  during  an  engagement,  taken  pris- 
oner, and  confined  in  Salisbury  prison  in 
North  Carolina.  He  was  awarded  a  pen- 
sion, and  upon  the  close  of  the  war  pur- 
sued his  theological  studies  at  the  Bos- 
ton University  Theological  School,  with 
the  purpose  of  entering  the  ministry.  He 
was  ordained  a  minister  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  in  i86g,  and  his  first 
charge  was  at  Kensington,  in  the  town  of 


Portland,  Connecticut.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  New  York  East  Conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  all  his 
life.  He  was  a  member  also  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic.  He  married  Grace 
L.,  daughter  of  Hiram  and  Grace  (Ter- 
rell) Andrew.  The  Terrell  family  were 
natives  of  Seymour.  The  children  of  Rev. 
Harvey  E.  and  Grace  (Andrew)  Burnes 
are:  i.  Charles  D.,  mentioned  below.  2. 
Rev.  Everett  A.,  of  Bridgeport,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Dickinson  College  in  1896,  and  of 
the  Boston  University  Theological  School. 
3.  James  H.,  Jr.,  deceased.  4.  Grace  E., 
of  New  Haven.  Rev.  Harvey  E.  Burnes 
died  in  1910.  His  widow  still  survives, 
and  resides  in  New  Haven. 

Charles  D.  Burnes  attended  the  public 
schools  in  the  various  places  where  his 
father  was  called  to  preach.  He  prepared 
for  college  at  Hackettstown  Institute,  and 
attended  Wesleyan  University  at  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  for  two  years.  He 
then  decided  to  follow  the  profession  of 
the  law,  and  entered  the  Law  School  of 
Yale  University.  He  was  graduated  with 
the  usual  degree  in  1893,  and  immediately 
began  to  practice,  opening  an  office  in 
South  Norwalk,  where  he  remained  for  a 
few  months.  He  then  removed  to  Green- 
wich, where  he  has  since  resided.  From 
the  time  of  his  arrival  in  Greenwich  in 
1894  until  1898,  Mr.  Burnes  was  associ- 
ated with  R.  J.  Walsh.  Since  1898  he  has 
practiced  alone. 

In  1894  Mr.  Burnes  was  made  deputy 
registrar  of  voters  in  Greenwich.  He 
next  served  as  clerk  of  the  borough  court 
from  1895  to  1897,  and  later  was  made 
judge  of  the  borough  court,  filling  that 
position  satisfactorily  and  well  for  six- 
teen years,  until  1913.  During  this  time 
he  served  eight  years  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  the  meeting  house  school  dis- 
trict and  as  chairman  of  the  high  school 
committee  for  one  year.    Mr.  Burnes'  en- 


307 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


tire  mature  life  up  to  the  time  of  present 
writing  has  been  spent  in  public  service, 
during  which  time  he  has  devoted  his 
talent,  energy  and  abilities  to  civic  better- 
ment and  political  reform.  He  has  sev- 
eral times  been  a  delegate  to  the  Repub- 
lican State  Convention,  and  became  Sec- 
retary of  State  on  January  6,  191 5.  Mr. 
Burnes  is  a  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Bar  Association,  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks,  and  the  Indian 
Harbor  Yacht  Club  of  Greenwich. 

On  February  6,  1895,  Mr.  Burnes  mar- 
ried Elizabeth  M.,  daughter  of  Thomas  I. 
Raymond,  of  South  Norwalk,  Connecti- 
cut. Their  children  are:  Dudley  R. 
Burnes  and  Raymond  E.  Burnes.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Congregational 
church. 


ELTON,  John  Prince, 

Manufacturer,  Financier. 

One  of  the  greatest  captains  of  indus- 
try of  his  day,  John  Prince  Elton  laid  the 
city  of  Waterbury  under  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude which  the  city  freely  acknowledged. 
His  love  for  the  city  of  his  adoption  was 
expressed  in  public-spirited  action  often 
manifested,    and    in    the    industries    he 
founded,   nurtured   and   brought   to   suc- 
cessful  fruition.     While   always   bearing 
heavy    responsibilities    and    cares    of    his 
own,  he  was  never  too  absorbed  in  his 
own  problems  as  to  turn  anyone  away, 
and  men  constantly  sought  him  for  aid 
and  advice.     He  was  so  free  to  extend  to 
others  the  benefit  of  his  own  experience 
and  judgment  and  to  help  the  unfortu- 
nate, that  it  was  a  saying  not  alone  of  his 
own,  that  he  was  more  troubled  in  mind 
over  the  affairs  of  those  in  whom  he  had 
but  a  friendly  interest  than  he  was  over 
his  own  extensive  business  responsibili- 
ties.    He  was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
church,  and  on  the  Sunday  afternoon  of 


his  funeral  every  Protestant  church  in 
the  city  was  closed,  as  by  a  common  im- 
pulse to  allow  the  members  an  opportun- 
ity to  pay  their  last  mark  of  respect  to 
the  man  all  honored  in  his  lifetime. 

Mr.   Elton  was  first  and  last  a  busi- 
ness man,   yet  he   was  the   son   and  the 
grandson  of  physicians,  his  grandfather, 
Dr.  John  Elton,  also  serving  as  surgeon 
of   Colonel    Baldwin's   regiment   of   Con- 
necticut troops  in  1777.     Dr.  John  Elton 
succeeded    to    the    practice    of    his    half- 
brother,  Dr.  James  Elton,  and  for  twenty- 
four  years  was  the  leading  physician  and 
surgeon  of  Westbury,   now  Watertown. 
Connecticut.     He  was  succeeded  by  his 
only  son.  Dr.  Samuel  Elton,  who  studied 
medicine  under  his  father  until  the  age  of 
twenty,  when  the  death  of  Dr.  John  Elton 
deprived    the    son    of   his    preceptor   and 
threw  him  upon  his  own  resources.     But 
he  at  once  began  practice,  and  for  sixty 
vears  was   the   leading  physician   in   the 
field  in  which  his  uncle  and  father  had 
made    the    name    famous.      Although    so 
young  when  he  began  practice.  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Elton  possessed  a  quick  intuition  and 
rapidly  grew  in  skill  and  learning,  becom- 
ing widely  sought  for  in  consultation.  He 
was  plain  in  speech,  almost  blunt;  but  at 
times  was  jovial  and  playful  as  a  boy.  He 
acquired     a    comfortable     estate    which 
might  easily  have  been  doubled  had  the 
good  doctor  insisted  upon  the  payment 
of  his  very  reasonable  fees.    But  he  never 
took  legal  steps  to  collect  a  debt,  and  vis- 
ited the  poor  from  whom  there  was  no 
hope  of  a  fee,  as  faithfully  as  he  did  his 
wealthier  patients.    Honesty,  temperance 
and  economy  were  his  cardinal  virtues, 
and  he  went  to  his  reward  loved  and  re- 
spected  by   all   with   whom   he   came   in 
contact.    He  married  Betsy  Merriman,  of 
Watertown,  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 
Of  his  seven  children,  John  Prince  Elton 
was  the  only  one  to  survive  his  father. 
i,n8 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John  Prince  Elton  was  of  the  sixth 
American  generation  of  the  family  found- 
ed in  Connecticut  by  John  Elton,  who 
came  from  England  and  finally  settled  in 
Middletown.  The  line  of  descent  is 
through  his  son,  Ebenezer  Elton,  of 
Bramford,  Connecticut,  who  was  lost  at 
sea;  his  son,  Ebenezer  (2)  Elton,  of  Har- 
winton ;  his  son,  Dr.  John  Elton,  the  Rev- 
olutionary surgeon  of  Watertown ;  his 
son,  Dr.  Sam,uel  Elton,  of  Watertown ; 
his  son,  John  Prince  Elton. 

John  Prince  Elton  was  born  in  Water- 
town,  Connecticut,  April  24,  1809,  and 
died  in  Waterbury  in  November,  1864. 
He  attended  public  school  in  Watertown 
until  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  then  be- 
came a  student  in  the  Simeon  Hart  pri- 
vate school  at  Farmington.  Until  1832 
he  engaged  in  cultivating  a  farm  owned 
by  his  father,  but  in  that  year  renounced 
farming  and  entered  business  as  a  part- 
ner in  the  firm  of  Holmes  &  Hotchkiss, 
in  Waterbury.  The  firm  of  Holmes  & 
Hotchkiss  was  organized  in  1830  for  the 
manufacture  of  brass,  Mr.  Elton  becom- 
ing one  of  the  several  partners  in  1832  by 
investing  one  thousand  dollars.  The  mill, 
located  on  Mad  River,  at  first  made  sheet 
brass  only.  Mr.  Elton,  who  was  at  first 
a  special  partner,  became  a  general  part- 
ner, January  30,  1833,  the  firm  then  be- 
coming Holmes,  Hotchkiss,  Brown  &  El- 
ton. In  January,  1837,  another  reorgani- 
zation left  the  firm  Hotchkiss,  Brown  & 
Elton,  that  firm  a  year  later  becoming 
Brown  &  Elton,  and  so  continuing  until 
1850,  when  Mr.  Elton  retired.  The  firm 
never  incorporated,  but  from  February, 
1838,  traded  as  a  limited  partnership,  the 
capital  stock  never  having  been  in  excess 
of  $100,000.  From  time  to  time  new 
articles  of  manufacture  were  added,  brass 
wire,  brass  and  copper  tubing,  predomi- 
nating, the  firm  being  a  pioneer  in  brass 
wire    manufacturing.     The   manufacture 


of  tubing  was  attended  with  many  dis- 
couragements at  first,  but  eventually  be- 
came a  very  profitable  and  important 
branch  of  the  business.  In  April,  1842, 
Brown  &  Elton  bought  a  third  interest 
in  the  business  of  Slocum,  Jillson  &  Com- 
pany, the  pioneer  manufacturers  of  solid- 
headed  pins  in  this  country.  The  follow- 
ing September  they  acquired  the  owner- 
ship of  the  Fowler  pin  machine,  and  in 
1846  the  pin  making  business  of  Brown 
&  Elton  was  incorporated  with  that  of 
the  Benedict  &  Burnham  Manufacturing 
Company,  under  the  name  of  the  Ameri- 
can Pin  Company,  one  of  Waterbury's 
stable  manufacturing  enterprises.  In 
1850  Mr.  Elton  retired  from  the  firm  his 
health  failing,  and  six  years  later  the  firm 
was  dissolved.  Brown  &  Brothers  and 
Holmes,  Booth  &  Haydens  each  secur- 
ing one-half  the  business. 

After  the  dissolution  of  Brown  &  El- 
ton, Mr.  Elton  had  no  active  manufac- 
turing connections,  although  in  1845  he 
had  aided  in  the  organization  of  the 
Waterbury  Brass  Company,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  its  first  board  of  directors,  and  sat 
as  a  member  of  the  board  until  his  death. 
He  had  large  corporate  interests,  how- 
ever, and  from  December  11,  1850,  until 
his  death  was  president  of  the  Waterbury 
Bank.  In  i860  he  established  a  private 
banking  house,  the  Elton  Trust  Comr 
pany,  which  later  reorganized  under  the 
joint  stock  law  as  the  Elton  Banking 
Company.  After  his  death  and  until  1877, 
the  bank  was  continued  by  Mr.  Elton's 
son-in-law,  C.  N.  Wayland. 

Originally  a  Whig  in  politics,  Mr.  El- 
ton served  in  the  Connecticut  General  As- 
sembly in  1840-49-50,  elected  by  that 
party.  When  the  Whig  party  gave  up  the 
ghost,  Mr.  Elton  aided  in  the  formation 
of  its  successor,  the  Republican  party, 
and  in  1863  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
General    Assemblv.      In    1864   he    was   a 


309 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


presidential  elector,  working  hard  for 
President  Lincoln's  reelection,  but  two 
days  before  the  general  election  he  was 
removed  from  earthly  scenes,  too  late  to 
have  his  name  taken  from  the  successful 
Republican  ticket.  In  religious  faith  he 
was  an  Episcopalian,  and  generous  in  his 
support  to  all  the  benevolences  of  St. 
John's  parish.  He  gave  liberally  to  all 
good  causes,  and  most  generously  aided 
Trinity  College.  A  public  memorial  serv- 
ice held  in  Waterbury  brought  forth  a 
great  number  of  testimonies  as  to  the 
value  of  Mr.  Elton's  life  to  the  commu- 
nity. 

Mr.  Elton  married,  May  i8,  1835,  Olive 
Margaret  Hall,  born  June  25,  1816,  died 
November  2,  1892,  daughter  of  Captain 
Moses  Hall.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elton  were 
the  parents  of  a  daughter  and  three  sons : 
Lucy  Elizabeth,  married  C.  N.  W'ayland ; 
Jam.es  Samuel  (q.  v.)  ;  Charles  Prince, 
died  aged  five  years ;  John  Moses,  died 
aged  eighteen  years. 


ATWOOD.  Lewis  John, 

Mannfactnrer,  laventor. 

An  octogenarian  at  his  death,  Mr.  At- 
wood  was  one  of  that  notable  group  of 
far-sighted,  earnest,  able  and  energetic 
men  whose  lives  are  reflected  in  the  pres- 
ent manufacturing  and  commercial  great- 
ness of  the  city  of  Waterbury.  Through 
skillful  management  of  men,  through  his 
own  inventive  genius,  mechanical  skill 
and  business  ability ;  by  building  upon 
those  foundation  stones  of  success,  honor, 
integrity  and  energy — he  made  his  way 
to  the  very  foremost  rank  among  the 
builders  of  a  city,  and  when  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  he  was  gathered  to  his 
fathers,  the  work  of  his  life  was  done  and 
well  done.  To  his  city  he  leaves  a  noble 
and  inspiring  memory,  and  to  all  who 
knew  him  comes  fond  recollections  of  one 


who  filled  to  completeness  the  Biblical  de- 
scription of  the  man  who  should  stand 
before  kings — "diligent  in  business,  fer- 
vent in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord." 

Mr.  Atwood  was  of  the  seventh  genera- 
tion of  his  family  in  Connecticut,  descend- 
ing from  Dr.  Thomas  Atwood,  a  captain 
of  horse  in  Crom.well's  army,  who  settled 
in  Plymouth  about  1650,  removed  to 
Wethersfield.  Connecticut,  not  later  than 
1663,  and  there  died  in  1682.  The  useful- 
ness of  his  life  in  America  was  an  inspira- 
tion to  his  many  descendants,  and  who 
shall  deny  that  the  memory  of  the  good 
doctor  inspired  his  descendant,  Lewis 
John  Atwood.  Dr.  Thomas  Atwood,  from 
the  brick  mansion  he  built  in  Wethers- 
field, rode  forth  on  his  errands  of  heal- 
ing and  mercy  in  every  direction  to  Say- 
brook,  to  Waterbury,  and  to  wherever 
"the  call  came  from."    He  married,  when 

fifty-nine  years  of  age,  Abigail  ,  a 

girl  of  seventeen,  whom  he  had  first  seen 
a  babe  in  her  mother's  arms  while  being 
entertained  in  the  first  home  which  wel- 
comed him  on  arriving  at  Plymouth. 

Dr.  Thomas  was  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Dr.  Jonathan  Atwood ,  who  settled  at 
Woodbury,  where  he  was  one  of  the  first 
physicians.  He  married  Sarah  Terrill. 
The  line  of  descent  from  Dr.  Jonathan  At- 
wood is  through  his  son,  Oliver  Atwood, 
of  Woodbury ;  his  son,  Deacon  Nathan 
Atwood,  of  Woodbury ;  his  son,  Nathan 
(2)  Atwood,  of  Watertown ;  his  son,  Nor- 
man Atwood,  of  Goshen ;  his  son,  Lewis 
John  Atwood,  to  whose  memory  this 
tribute  of  respect  is  offered. 

Lewis  John  Atwood,  son  of  Norman 
and  Abigail  (Woodward)  Atwood,  was 
born  at  Goshen,  Connecticut,  April  8, 
1827,  died  in  Waterbury,  February  23, 
1909.  He  attended  the  public  schools, 
and  even  in  early  life  displayed  decided 
mechanical  genius.  His  childhood  was 
spent  on  the  farm  and  in  the  village  of 


310 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Goshen,  but  when  twelve  years  of  age  he 
was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources.  The 
first  position  he  secured  was  as  clerk  in 
a  Watertown  store,  and  from  twelve  to 
seventeen  he  was  employed  in  store,  grist 
mill,  saw  mill  and  on  a  farm.  In  1845  he 
secured  employment  in  Waterbury  as  a 
mercantile  clerk,  but  in  1848,  having 
reached  legal  age  and  possessing  a  small 
capital  saved  from  his  earnings,  he  em- 
barked in  a  manufacturing  enterprise  in 
Waterbury.  Sixty-one  years  passed  ere 
death  removed  him  from,  the  scene  of 
action,  and  during  that  period  the  young 
man  of  1848  won  front  rank  among  the 
industrial  and  financial  leaders  of  a  city 
of  large  and  varied  manufacturing  inter- 
ests. 

His  first  entrance  into  the  manufactur- 
ing field  was  in  partnership  with  Samuel 
Maltby,  of  Northford,  Connecticut.  For 
a  short  time  they  manufactured  buckles 
and  buttons,  but  finding  their  capital  in- 
sufficient to  carry  on  a  successful  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Atwood  withdrew  and  again  be- 
came a  clerk.  Later  he  started  a  small 
plant  of  his  own,  making  daguerreotype 
cases,  lamp  burners  and  other  brass 
goods.  This  venture  was  a  success,  and 
in  1869  he  became  a  member  of  the  newly 
organized  firm  of  Holmes,  Booth  &  At- 
wood, later  incorporated  as  the  Holmes, 
Booth  &  Atwood  Company,  which  later 
became  the  now  well  known  Plume  &  At- 
wood Manufacturing  Company.  On  first 
entering  the  firm,  Mr.  Atwood  was  placed 
in  that  department  of  the  company  manu- 
facturing burners  for  kerosene  lamps,  and 
in  that  field  his  inventive  genius  shone  at 
its  brightest.  During  a  period  of  forty 
years  he  had  seventy  patents  issued  to 
him,  many  of  which  were  basic,  proved  of 
great  value,  and  brought  him  large  finan- 
cial returns.  He  invented  many  burners, 
several  lamps  of  superior  design  and  fix- 
tures of  various  kinds,  probably  no  man 


ever  doing  more  to  light  and  brighten 
homes  where  oil  or  kerosene  is  used  as 
the  illuminant.  His  department  pros- 
pered greatly  under  his  management  and 
through  his  skill,  and  when  the  firm  in- 
corporated Mr.  Atwood  became  one  of 
the  heaviest  stockholders.  But  his  inven- 
tions were  not  confined  to  lamps  and  lamp 
fixtures,  one  of  the  methods  of  reclaim- 
ing "scrap"  metal  now  in  general  use  be- 
ing invented  by  him.  This  is  an  ingeni- 
ous hydraulic  press  which  forces  the 
scrap  metal  into  compact  form  to  prepare 
it  for  remelting,  the  press  accomplishing 
that  work  much  better  and  at  less  ex- 
pense than  the  old  way  of  pounding  the 
metal  with  hammers  in  a  cast  iron  vessel. 
The  business  of  the  company  grew  to 
large  proportions,  and  became  one  of  the 
most  prosperous  industries  of  Waterbury. 
When  the  firm  became  a  corporation  in 
1874,  Mr.  Atwood  was  elected  secretary, 
and  until  1890  served  in  that  capacity. 
In  1890  he  was  elected  president,  and  dur- 
ing the  nineteen  years  which  intervened 
until  his  death  most  ably  guided  the  cor- 
poration with  which  he  was  so  intimately 
connected  for  forty  years.  He  was  also 
manager  of  the  American  Ring  Company, 
a  concern  in  which  he  first  became  inter- 
ested in  1865. 

The  clear  vision  and  progressive  spirit 
displayed  by  Mr.  Atwood  in  creating  and 
conducting  successful  industrial  enter- 
prises was  also  used  to  elevate  the  moral 
tone  of  the  city,  and  to  place  its  benevo- 
lences and  institutions  upon  a  firmer,  bet- 
ter basis.  He  was  an  earnest  and  a  very 
practical  Christian,  believing  that  "faith 
without  works  is  dead."  He  was  a  dea- 
con of  the  Second  Congregational  Church 
of  Waterbury,  served  on  the  building 
committee  which  was  in  charge  of  the 
erection  of  the  present  fine  church  edi- 
fice, gave  liberally  to  all  the  benevolences 
of  the  church,  and  was  one  of  its  strong 


311 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


pillars  of  support.  For  five  years  he 
served  as  president  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  and  when  the  As- 
sociation built  and  paid  for  its  present 
home  he  was  a  member  of  the  building 
committee  and  a  generous  giver.  There 
was  no  appeal  made  to  him  in  the  name 
of  charity,  no  matter  from  which  organi- 
zation, that  went  unanswered,  and  his 
private  benefactions  were  large.  Faith- 
ful, upright  and  conscientious  in  all  mat- 
ters, business  or  private,  his  life  was  at 
once  an  example  and  an  inspiration.  In 
his  spoken  advice  to  young  men  who 
would  succeed  in  life,  he  gave  this  word : 
"Be  honest  and  truthful;  lose  sight  of 
yourself  in  your  interest  in  your  em- 
ployers' prosperity ;  have  the  courage  of 
your  convictions  in  matters  of  right  and 
wrong;  use  the  best  judgment  at  your 
command  in  dealing  with  men  and  affairs  ; 
be  kindly  and  considerate  in  your  rela- 
tions with  others ;  give  good  heed  to  the 
needs  of  your  higher  nature  and  you  will 
not  fail  to  succeed  in  life." 

Mr.  Atwood  married,  January  12,  1852, 
Sarah  Elizabeth  Piatt.  They  were  the 
parents  of  two  daughters  and  a  son : 
Irving  Lewis  Atwood,  born  May  19,  1861, 
married  Jennie  Ford  and  resides  in 
Waterbury.  The  eldest  daughter,  Eliza- 
beth Elvina  Atwood,  died  in  childhood. 
The  second  child,  Frances  Finette  At- 
wood. now  deceased,  married  Albert  J. 
Blakeslev. 


WHITE.  George  Luther, 

Enterprising   Citizen. 

A  native  .son  of  Connecticut,  the  State 
to  which  his  American  ancestor.  Elder 
John  White,  came  over  two  centuries 
prior  to  his  own  birth,  leaving  children 
and  grandchildren  to  carry  forward  the 
work  of  their  sires,  George  Luther  White, 
as  business  man  and  citizen,  fulfilled  all 


the  obligations  of  life,  shed  additional  lus- 
tre upon  the  honored  name  he  bore,  and 
left  to  posterity  the  record  of  a  valuable, 
just  and  upright  life.  With  the  exception 
of  five  years  spent  in  Minnesota  during 
the  summer  and  in  California  during  the 
winter  months,  his  life  was  spent  in 
Waterbury,  a  city  to  whose  manufactur- 
ing greatness  his  father,  Luther  Chapin 
White,  had  largely  contributed.  Could 
the  record  of  the  lives  of  these  two  men 
be  erased  from  Waterbury  annals,  a  great 
void  would  be  created,  as  both  men  were 
active  in  business,  church  and  society  or- 
ganizations for  well  over  half  a  century, 
and  for  a  decade  were  contemporaries  in 
business  life. 

George  Luther  White  was  of  the  ninth 
generation  of  the  family  founded  in  Con- 
necticut by  Elder  John  White,  who  came 
in  the  ship  "Lyon."  arriving  at  Boston. 
September  16.  1632,  and  settling  in  Hart- 
ford. Connecticut,  in  1635.  Middletown, 
Connecticut,  became  the  family  home  in 
1650,  and  there  the  five  following  genera- 
tions were  seated — Nathaniel,  son  of  the 
founder;  Jacob,  son  of  Nathaniel;  John, 
son  of  Jacob  ;  Jacob  (2),  son  of  John  ;  and 
John  (3),  son  of  Jacob  White.  In  the 
seventh  generation,  Jacob  (3)  White,  a 
tanner,  moved  to  Sandisfield,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1819,  but  twelve  years  later  re- 
turned to  Middletown.  During  his  resi- 
dence in  Sandisfield.  his  son.  Luther 
Chapin.  was  born. 

Luther  Chapin  White,  son  of  Jacob  (3) 
and  Susan  (Sage)  White,  was  born  in 
Sandisfield,  Massachusetts,  December  25, 
1 83 1,  died  in  Waterbury.  Connecticut, 
April  5,  1893.  After  a  life  of  varied  activ- 
ity in  different  fields,  he  finally  in  1853 
settled  in  Waterbury.  and  from  that  year 
until  his  death  was  a  prominent  factor  in 
the  business  life  of  that  city.  In  183 1  he 
invented  and  patented  a  valuable  improve- 
ment in  lamp  burners,  formed  a  partner- 


312 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ship  with  Frank  Smith,  and  as  White  &■ 
Smith  manufactured  burners  in  Meriden. 
In  1853  they  removed  their  business  to 
Waterbury,  and  September  3,  1853,  organ- 
ized the  City  Manufacturing  Company, 
of  which  Mr.  White  was  president.  Mr. 
Smith  died  in  1854,  Mr.  White  purchas- 
ing his  interest  from  his  heirs  and  con- 
tinuing the  business  for  fifteen  years. 
During  those  years  his  business  greatly 
increased  and  factory  space  more  than 
quadrupled.  In  February,  1886,  in  part- 
nership with  Captain  Alfred  Wells,  trad- 
ing as  White  &  Wells,  he  built  a  factory 
on  Bank  street  and  continued  the  paper 
box  manufacturing  business  purchased 
from  the  estate  of  his  brother.  On  July 
I  he  sold  his  interest  in  the  City  Manu- 
facturing Company,  retaining  the  button- 
back  department,  which  he  removed  to 
the  Bank  street  factory.  He  personally 
conducted  the  business  of  White  &  Wells 
until  July  I,  1888,  when  he  formed  the  L. 
C.  White  Company,  of  which  he  was 
president.  At  the  time  of  his  death  in 
1893.  he  was  president  and  the  largest 
stockholder  in  the  Southford  Paper  Com- 
pany :  president  of  the  L.  C.  W'hite  Com- 
pany ;  was  largely  interested  in  straw- 
board  manufacture  in  the  west ;  was  prin- 
cipal owner  of  the  Leland  type  distribut- 
ing machine ;  and  had  other  important  in- 
terests. He  was  a  member  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  W^aterbury. 
liberal  in  his  benefactions,  was  a  close  ob- 
server of  men  and  things,  was  fond  of 
travel,  and  possessed  a  cheerful,  happy 
disposition.  He  was  strong  in  his  likes 
and  dislikes,  deeply  attached  to  his  fam- 
ily, and  sought  for  his  children  the  great- 
est good.  He  married,  November  28, 
1844,  Jane  Amelia  Moses,  of  Waterbury. 
George  Luther  White,  second  son  of 
Luther  Chapin  and  Jane  Amelia  (Moses) 
White,  was  born  in  Meriden,  Connecti- 
cut, July  15,  1852,  and  died  in  Waterbury. 


His  parents  moved  to  Waterbury  in  1853, 
and  there  he  secured  his  early  education 
in  private  and  high  schools.  He  con- 
tinued his  studies  at  the  "Gunnery," 
Washington,  Connecticut,  but  at  the  age 
of  sixteen  a  serious  affection  of  the  lung 
compelled  him  to  leave  school  and  seek 
a  different  clime.  The  next  five  years 
were  spent  in  Minnesota  and  California; 
then,  restored  to  health,  he  returned  in 
1876  to  Connecticut  to  begin  an  active 
business  career.  From  1880  until  1885 
he  was  secretary  of  the  Southford  Paper 
Company  of  Southford,  Connecticut. 
From  1885  until  1888  he  was  engaged  in 
the  lumber  business  in  Hartford,  closing 
up  the  business  of  William  S.  White  & 
Company.  In  1888  he  became  associated 
with  the  firm  of  White  &  Wells,  and  upon 
the  organization  of  the  L.  C.  White  Com- 
pany, July  I.  1888,  was  elected  its  secre- 
tary and  treasurer.  LTpon  the  retirement 
of  Edward  L.  White  in  1892,  he  became 
the  active  manager  of  the  White  &  Wells 
Company,  and  after  the  death  of  his  hon- 
ored father  in  1893  succeeded  him  as  pres- 
ident of  that  company.  He  continued 
active  in  the  business  world,  acquired 
wide  and  varied  interests  of  importance, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  president 
of  the  L.  C.  White  Company:  the  White 
&  Wells  Company ;  Fuller-Burr  Com- 
pany of  New  York  City ;  William  B.  Van 
Buren  Company  (Inc.)  of  New  York 
City;  New  England  Watch  Company  of 
Waterbury ;  vice-president  of  the  Phila- 
delphia Paper  Manufacturing  Company 
of  Philadelphia ;  director  of  the  Colonial 
Trust  Company  and  of  the  Dime  Savings 
Bank,  both  of  Waterbury. 

Notwithstanding  his  weighty  business 
responsibilities,  Mr.  White  did  not  slav- 
ishly devote  himself  to  the  sordid  aflfairs 
of  life,  but  spent  many  hours  in  catering 
to  his  love  of  out-of-doors  and  in  the 
social   intercourse  of  club  life.     He   was 


31; 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


an  ex-president  of  the  Waterbury  Coun- 
try and  the  Waterbury  clubs ;  member  of 
the  New  Haven  Country  Club ;  the  Farm- 
ington  Country  Club ;  the  Metabetchoun 
Fish  and  Game  Clubs  of  Canada ;  the 
Home  Club  of  Waterbury ;  and  the  Union 
League  of  New  York  City.  He  was  a 
Republican  in  politics,  and  in  religious 
preference  a  Congregationalist,  attend- 
ing the  First  Church  of  Waterbury. 

Mr.  White  married,  April  15,  1874,  at 
Fairfield,  Connecticut,  Julia  Phelps  Har- 
ing,  born  in  New  York,  March  30,  1852, 
daughter  of  James  Demarest  and  Caro- 
line (Phelps)  Haring.  She  is  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  John  Haring,  born  at  Hoorn 
Castle,  Hoorn,  North  Holland,  in  1551, 
and  of  John  Haring,  born  in  Hoorn,  De- 
cember 26,  1633,  who  came  to  New  Neth- 
erlands in  1650.  On  the  maternal  side, 
Mrs.  White  traces  in  lineal  line  to  Wil- 
liam Phelps,  born  in  Tewkesbury,  Eng- 
land. August  17,  1599,  died  in  Windsor, 
Connecticut,  July  16,  1672,  a  grandson  of 
James  Phelps,  of  Tewkesbury,  and  son  of 
William  Phelps,  of  Tewkesbury,  baptized 
August  4,  1560. 

George  Luther  and  Julia  (Phelps)  Har- 
ing were  the  parents  of  a  daughter  and 
two  sons  :  Caroline  Haring,  married  Rob- 
ert Foote  Griggs ;  William  Henry  White, 
married  Mary  Elizabeth  Wade ;  George 
Luther  (2)  White,  married  Carolyn  A. 
.Armstrong.  Both  sons  are  prominent  in 
Waterbury  business  life. 


BRONSON,  Julius  Hobart, 

Manufacturer,  Financier. 

Although  not  a  native  son  of  Connecti- 
cut. Air.  Bronson  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
months  was  brought  to  the  home  of  his 
grandfather.  Judge  Bennet  Bronson,  in 
Waterbury,  and  there  has  passed  a  long 
and  useful  life,  one  filled  with  active,  suc- 
cessful   effort,    and    abounding    in    good 


deeds.  He  is  a  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Bron- 
son, grandson  of  Judge  Bennet  Bronson, 
great-grandson  of  Deacon  Stephen  Bron- 
son, son  of  Thomas  Bronson,  son  of  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Bronson  (_all  of  whom 
were  born  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut), 
son  of  Isaac  Bronson,  born  in  Farming- 
ton,  but  long  a  resident  of  Waterbury,  son 
of  John  Bronson,  who  was  living  in  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  in  1639,  a  proprietor 
'"by  courtesie  of  the  town."  Thus  but  by 
the  mere  accident  of  birth  in  the  adjoin- 
ing State  of  New  York,  Mr.  Bronson  is  a 
true  son  of  Connecticut,  seven  generations 
of  his  ancestors  having  lived  in  the  State, 
six  of  them  native  born. 

Judge  Bennet  Bronson,  a  graduate  of 
Yale,  1797,  was  a  lawyer  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1802  ;  assistant  judge  of  the  county 
court  in  1812;  one  of  the  first  burgesses 
of  Waterbury  in  1825  :  representative  to 
the  General  Assembly  in  1829.  He  was  a 
good  lawyer,  a  safe  counsellor  and  a  con- 
veyancer, but  not  a  ready  speaker.  He 
was  wedded  to  old  ways  and  customs, 
opposed  the  heating  of  the  meeting  house, 
and  when  the  congregation  began  sitting 
during  prayer  and  standing  while  the 
hymns  were  sung,  he  refused  to  change, 
but  knelt  and  sat  according  to  the  old 
custom.  He  was  one  of  the  first  trustees 
of  the  Second  Academy ;  was  elected  dea- 
con of  the  First  Church,  June  10,  1838, 
considered  the  matter  three  months,  then 
notified  the  congregation  that  he  con- 
sented "to  perform  for  a  time  at  least 
the  duties  of  that  office."  He,  however, 
held  the  office  five  years.  He  inherited  a 
fair  estate  from  his  father,  and  soon  be- 
came one  of  the  leading  capitalists  of  the 
town.  He  was  engaged  in  manufactur- 
ing; was  a  large  landowner  and  success- 
ful farmer ;  was  the  first  president  of  the 
Waterbury  Bank,  and  held  that  position 
until  his  death.  In  his  will  he  left  $200 
for  books   for  a   pastor's   lilirary,   and   in 


314 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1857  the  books  were  bought.    He  died  De- 
cember II,  1850,  aged  seventy-five. 

Rev.  Thomas  Bronson,  son  of  Judge 
Bennet  Bronson,  was  born  in  Waterbury, 
January  4,  1808,  died  there,  April  20,  185 1. 
He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale,  1829,  and  was 
a  student  at  Yale  Law  School,  but  later 
studied  theology  at  New  Haven  and  An- 
dover.  He  began  preaching  in  1835,  but 
was  not  regularly  licensed  until  1838.  He 
was  never  ordained,  but  served  several 
pulpits  in  Connecticut  and  New  York, 
among  them  Sandy  Hill,  New  York,  where 
his  son,  Julius  Hobart  Bronson,  was  born. 
Late  in  1843  he  gave  up  the  ministry  and 
went  south,  taught  school  in  Smithfield, 
Virginia,  then  moved  to  Quincy,  Illinois, 
where  he  taught  until  the  death  of  his 
father  in  1850.  He  returned  to  Water- 
bury  in  1851,  dying  soon  after  his  return. 
He  was  an  invalid  all  his  life,  rheumatic 
fever,  which  affected  his  heart  proving  an 
obstacle  which  prevented  the  energetic 
pursuit  of  a  profession.  He  married,  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1839,  Cynthia  Elizabeth  Bartlett, 
who  died  February  13.  1852,  daughter  of 
Cyrus  M.  Bartlett,  of  Hartford,  Connec- 
ticut. They  were  the  parents  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Harriet  Anna,  married  Rev.  Peter  V. 
Finch,  and  of  two  sons — Julius  Hobart, 
mentioned  below;  and  Dr.  Edward  Ben- 
net  Bronson,  of  New  York  City. 

Julius  Hobart  Bronson  was  born  at 
Sandy  Hill,  New  York,  April  30,  1842. 
From  the  age  of  eighteen  months  he  was 
reared  under  the  eye  of  his  grandfather. 
Judge  Bronson,  in  his  Waterbury  home, 
and  at  the  age  of  nine  years  was  orphaned, 
his  mother  dying  a  year  later.  His  first 
institutional  education  was  obtained  at 
a  boarding  school  at  Ellinton,  and  he  was 
prepared  for  college  at  Phillips  Andover 
Academy.  Illness  prevented  his  entering 
college,  and  later  he  engaged  with  B.  P. 
Chatfield,  of  Waterbury,  as  a  building 
contractor  and  dealer  in  building  mate- 


rials. He  continued  in  that  line  for  sev- 
eral years  when  ill  health  again  compelled 
him  to  change  his  plans.  He  was  out  of 
business  for  three  years  until  1875,  then, 
having  regained  his  health,  he  became 
manager  of  the  Oakville  Company,  a  cor- 
poration of  which  he  has  been  for  many 
years  president  and  treasurer.  The  piant 
of  the  company  erected  in  1869  has  been 
greatly  enlarged  and  improved,  the  com- 
pany manufacturing  pins,  safety  pins  and 
numerous  wire  articles.  On  September 
30,  1910,  Mr.  Bronson  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  Citizens'  National  Bank  of 
Waterbury,  an  institution  of  which  he  had 
been  a  director  and  vice-president  for  sev- 
eral years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
first  board  of  managers  of  the  \\'aterbury 
Club,  and  vice-president.  He  has  been 
secretary  of  the  Hospital  .\ssociation 
since  its  reorganization,  and  is  also  a  direc- 
tor. He  is  a  wise,  capable  man  of  affairs, 
and  safely  guides  the  institutions  over 
which  he  has  executive  control. 

Mr.  Bronson  inarried,  November  16. 
1886.  Edith  Terry,  daughter  of  Roderick 
Terry,  of  Hartford,  and  has  an  only  son, 
Bennet  (2)  Bronson,  born  December  3, 
1887. 


ELTON.  James  Samuel, 

Manufacturer,  Legislator. 

Just  when  John  Elton,  an  luiglishman, 
settled  in  Connecticut,  does  not  appear; 
but  his  eldest  child  Mary  was  born  in 
Middletown,  July  26,  1672.  Seven  genera- 
tions including  the  founder  have  resided 
in  the  State  at  Middletown,  Watertown 
and  Waterbury.  James  Samuel  Elton  is 
of  the  seventh  American  generation,  and 
like  his  honored  father  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing manufacturers  of  the  city  of  Water- 
bury and  a  citizen  of  sterling  worth.  He 
is  a  son  of  John  Prince  and  Olive  Mar- 
garet (Hall)  Elton,  grandson  of  Dr.  Sam- 


31.S 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


uel  Elton,  of  Watertown  ;  great-grandson 
of  Dr.  John  Elton,  of  Watertown,  a  Revo- 
lutionary surgeon,  son  of  Ebenezer,  son 
<jf  Ebenezer  (i),  son  of  John  Elton,  the 
founder.  Dr.  John  Elton  was  a  leading 
physician  of  Watertown  for  twenty-four 
}ears  following  his  brother,  Dr.  James 
Elton,  and  giving  way  to  his  son.  Dr. 
Samuel  Elton,  who  was  an  honored  medi- 
cal practitioner  of  A\'atertown  for  sixty 
}  ears.  \\'ith  John  Prince  Elton,  manu- 
facturing became  the  family  business,  and 
the  work  he  begun  is  being  carried  for- 
ward with  equal  ability  and  energy  by  his 
son,  James  Samuel  Elton,  who  in  turn  has 
a  worthy  contemporary  in  his  son,  John 
Prince  (2)  Elton.  These  three  genera- 
tions have  contributed  to  the  industrial 
greatness  of  Waterbury  as  did  the  two 
preceding  generations  to  the  professional 
fame  of  Watertown. 

James  Samuel  Elton,  the  only  son  of 
John  Prince  Elton  to  survive  him.  was 
born  in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  Novem- 
ber 7,  1838.  He  began  his  education  in 
Waterbury  schools,  then  passed  to  the 
private  school  in  Hampden,  Connecticut, 
of  which  Rev.  C.  W.  Everest  was  the 
bead,  finishing  his  studies  at  General  Rus- 
sell's Military  School  in  New  Haven.  He 
began  his  business  career  with  the  Ameri- 
can Pin  Company  of  Waterbury,  incor- 
porated in  1846  to  absorb  the  pin  making 
business  of  Brown  &  Elton,  then  until 
1863  was  with  the  Scovill  Manufacturing 
Company  of  New  York.  In  1863  he  form- 
ed a  connection  with  the  Waterbury  Brass 
Company,  a  connection  which  has  never 
been  broken.  His  father,  John  Prince 
Elton,  in  1845  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
pany's first  board  of  directors :  on  the 
death  of  J.  C.  Welton  in  1874.  James  Sam- 
uel Elton  succeeded  him  as  president :  and 
John  Prince  (2)  Elton  is  the  present  treas- 
urer of  the  company  of  which  his  father 
IS  still  president,  rounding  out  a  term  of 


forty-two  years  of  efficient  executive  con- 
trol and  a  term  of  service  covering  a 
period  of  over  half  a  century. 

But  the  executive  management  of  the 
Waterbury  Brass  Company  is  but  one  of 
the  business  responsibilities  James  S. 
Elton  has  carried  for  many  years.  He 
was  formerly  president  of  the  Detroit  & 
Lake  Superior  Copper  Company ;  presi- 
dent of  the  Lake  Superior  Smelting  Com- 
pany ;  president  of  the  American  Pin 
Company;  and  since  1896  has  been  presi- 
dent of  the  Waterbury  National  Bank.  He 
is  also  a  director  of  the  Oakville  Com- 
pany, Blake  &  Johnson  Company,  Ameri- 
can Brass  Company,  American  Hardware 
Corporation,  New  York  &  New  Haven 
Railroad  Company  and  has  other  interests 
of  importance. 

A  Republican  in  politics,  Mr.  Elton  has 
ever  taken  a  deep  interest  in  public  affairs, 
and  in  1882  was  elected  State  Senator, 
although  the  Waterbury  district  was  nor- 
mally Democratic.  He  is  a  member  of 
St.  John's  Episcopal  Church,  and  with  his 
mother,  Mrs.  Olive  M.  (Hall)  Elton,  who 
remained  a  widow  for  twenty-eight  years 
until  her  death,  he  cooperated  in  many 
deeds  of  charity  and  benevolence.  Since 
her  death  in  1892  he  has  been  particularly 
generous  to  the  societies  and  organiza- 
tions to  which  she  was  so  devoted  and 
helpful.  He  is  managing  trustee  of  the 
Hall  Church  Home  Fund,  a  director  of 
Westover  School,  director  of  the  Water- 
bury Hospital,  director  of  the  Silas  Bron- 
son  Library,  and  gives  liberally  of  his 
time,  business  experience  and  means  to 
the  maintenance  of  these  and  other  insti- 
tutions. 

Mr.  Elton  married,  October  28,  1863, 
Charlotte  Steele,  daughter  of  Hiram  and 
Nancy  Steele,  of  East  Bloomfield.  New 
York.  They  are  the  parents  of  an  only 
son.  John  Prince  (2)  Elton. 


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PUB     Z  LIBRARY 

AITOP-.    LENOX 
TILDIIN    FC-Jf:DATIONS 


y^/^^f^z^^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


STANLEY,  Timothy  W., 

Mannfactnrer. 

The  late  Timothy  Wadsworth  Stanley, 
of  New  Britain,  was  one  of  the  most  influ- 
ential and  highly  regarded  residents  of 
that  city,  and  during  his  life  did  his 
utmost  to  further  its  interests.  He  was 
a  native  of  that  place,  born  there  many 
decades  before  it  became  a  borough,  and 
was  one  of  the  most  active  of  his  gener- 
ation of  the  Stanley  family  which  has  been 
such  an  important  factor  in  the  affairs  of 
New  Britain. 

Timothy  W.  Stanley  was  born  on  July 
13,  1813,  the  son  of  Amon  and  Abi 
(North)  Stanley,  and  a  direct  descendant 
in  the  eighth  generation  of  John  Stanley, 
an  Englishman,  who  was  presumed  to 
have  been  a  scion  of  the  old  Saxon  family 
of  Stoneley,  the  head  of  which  in  England 
at  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest 
(1066),  was  Sir  Henry  de  Stoneley.  The 
said  John  Stanley  embarked  for  America 
in  1634,  but  died  while  at  sea,  leaving  an 
estate  in  goods  and  money  amounting  to 
fii6.  The  following  entry  was  made  in 
the  "Massachusetts  Colonial  Records," 
vol.  i.  page  134: 

Att  a  Court,  holden  att  Newe  Towne,  March 
3,  1634.  Whereas,  John  Stanley  dyed  intestate, 
in  the  way  to  Newe  England,  and  lefte  three 
children  vndisposed  of,  the  youngest  whereof  is 
since  disceased  haveing  also  lefte  an  estate  of 
cxvjl,  in  goods  &  chattells  &c,  it  is  therefore 
ordered,  with  the  consent  of  Thomas  Stanley, 
brother  to  the  said  John,  disceased,  that  hee 
shall  haue  forthwith  the  some  of  Iviij',  of  the  sd 
estate  putt  into  his  hands;  in  consideracon 
whereof,  the  said  Thomas  Stanley  shall  educate 
&  bring  vpp  John  Stanley  Sonne  of  John  Stan- 
ley, disceased,  finding  him  meate,  drinke,  & 
app'ell  till  hee  shall  accomplishe  the  age  of  xxi 
yeares,  &  att  the  end  of  the  said  terme  shall  giue 
vnto  the  said  John  Stanley  the  some  of  fTifty 
pounds. 

The  name  of  the  wife  of  John  Stanley, 
progenitor,    has   not   been   recorded,   but 


they  were  the  parents  of  three  children : 
The  before-mentioned  John ;  Ruth,  who 
was  placed  under  the  guardianship  of 
Timothy  Stanley,  another  brother  of  the 
deceased  John ;  and  an  infant  unnamed 
who  was  born  and  died  in  1634. 

(II)  Captain  John  (2)  Stanley,  son  of 
John  (i)  Stanley,  progenitor,  was  born  in 
England  in  1624,  and  doubtless  remamed 
with  his  uncle  Thomas  until  of  age,  and 
came  with  him  to  Hartford  in  1636.  When 
only  thirteen  years  of  age,  John  Stanley 
took  part  in  the  expedition  against  the 
Pequot  Indians.  On  December  5,  1645, 
he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Anna  Scott,  of  Hartford,  later  settling 
in  Farmington,  where  they  were  received 
into  the  church  on  June  30,  1652-53.  He 
took  part  in  King  Philip's  War,  and  rose 
to  the  rank  of  captain ;  held  many  town 
offices ;  received  a  grant  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  from  the  General 
Court  in  1674,  and  another  in  1687,  and 
died  in  1689.  He  married  twice,  a  son 
by  his  first  wife,  Esther  Newell,  being 
Thomas. 

(III)  Thomas  Stanley  was  born  in 
Farmington,  November  i,  1649;  was  one 
of  the  petitioners  of  the  General  Court 
for  liberty  to  plat  Waterbury,  but  did 
not  remove  thither.  On  May  i,  1690,  he 
married  Anna,  daughter  of  Rev.  Jeremiah 
and  Joanna  (Kitchell)  Peck,  of  Water- 
bury,  and  his  wife  was  received  into  the 
church  at  Farmington,  April  17,  1692.  He 
died  April  14,  1713,  aged  sixty-three  years, 
his  wife  surviving  him  five  years.  She 
died  May  13,  1718.  They  had  two  chil- 
dren, Thomas  and  Anna. 

(IV)  Thomas  (2)  Stanley  was  born 
October  31,  1696,  in  Farmington,  and 
made  his  permanent  home  in  the  Stanley 
Quarter.  New  Britain.  He  acquired 
wealth,  and  at  his  death,  October  13,  1755, 
left  a  large  estate.  On  January  2,  1718, 
he   married   Esther,  daughter  of  Samuel 


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ENXYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Cowles,  of  Kensington ;  she  died  July  22, 
1776.  They  had  eight  children,  their 
eldest  son  being  Thomas. 

(V)  Thomas  (3)  Stanley  was  born  in 
Farmington,  November  27,  1720.  He  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  James  Francis,  on 
^lay  22,  1740,  and  of  their  six  children  Lot 
was  the  fifth  born. 

(VI)  Lot  Stanley  was  born  March  3, 
1752,  and  died  March  8.  1807.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneer  Connecticut  manufacturers 
of  fur  hats,  and  developed  a  successful 
business.  He  married  Rhoda,  daughter 
of  Timothy  and  Mary  (Cowles)  Wads- 
worth,  of  Farmington,  and  they  had  four- 
teen children,  of  whom  Amon  was  the 
first  son. 

(VII)  Amon  Stanley  was  born  March 
10,  1778,  and  died  February  2,  1846.  As 
a  young  man  he  entered  into  business 
partnership  with  his  father,  whom  he  suc- 
ceeded eventually.  Every  winter  he  made 
journeys  to  what  was  then  "The  West," 
a  territory  embracing  central  and  western 
New  York,  customarily  taking  with  him 
a  load  of  hats  which  he  would  exchange 
for  beaver  and  other  furs.  .A.fter  his 
father's  death,  Amon  Stanley  bought  out 
the  paternal  homestead  and  landed  estate 
from  the  other  heirs,  paying  to  his 
brothers  and  sisters  considerably  more 
for  their  interest  than  the  property  was 
worth.  For  one  piece  of  twelve  acres 
inherited  by  his  brother  Lot  he  paid 
twelve  hundred  dollars.  He  also  carried 
on  the  business  of  distilling  cider-brandy 
extensively.  It  was  considered  quite  a 
respectable  business  at  that  time,  but  his 
wife,  a  devout  woman,  eventually  so  influ- 
enced him  that  he  sold  the  business,  sub- 
sequently again  acquiring  it.  however,  but 
only  so  that  he  might  close  it  finally, 
which  he  did  at  great  financial  loss.  The 
great  cider  tubs  were  sold  for  water  cis- 
terns, the  copper  stills  were  loaded  on 
ox   carts   and   drawn   in   triumph   to  the 


brass  factory  of  North  &  Stanley,  in  the 
village,  where  the  stills  were  cut  up  and 
cast  into  sleigh  bells.  "It  was  a  triumph 
of  principle  over  education  and  interest, 
worthy  to  be  recorded  on  a  monument 
'more  lasting  than  brass',"  commented 
one  of  his  biographers.  Amon  Stanley 
married,  on  October  10,  1802,  Abi,  daugh- 
ter of  Captain  James  and  Rhoda  (Judd) 
North,  and  to  them  twelve  children  were 
born,  among  them  Timothy  Wadsworth. 

(VIII)  Timothy  Wadsworth,  son  of 
Amon  and  Abi  (  North)  Stanley,  was  born 
on  July  13,  1817,  and  died  February  18, 
1897.  "The  means  of  education  in  the 
days  of  Mr.  Stanley's  boyhood  and  youth 
were  much  more  limited  then,  but  in  ad- 
dition to  his  common  school  education  he 
had  a  natural  taste  for  literature,  which 
was  increased  by  a  term  he  served  as  an 
apprentice  in  a  printing  establishment  in 
Springfield,  Massachusetts,"'  stated  an  edi- 
torial in  the  "New  Britain  Herald,"  of 
February  20,  1897.  He  was  conversant 
with  the  best  writers  in  English  literature, 
and  could  readily  quote  from  them  from 
memory. 

Mr.  Stanley  very  early  in  manhood  came 
into  public  prominence  in  New  Britain,  in 
which  he  may  be  considered  to  have  spent 
almost  his  whole  life.  Certainly  the  prog- 
ress of  that  town  in  which  he  was  born 
was  one  of  the  principal  interests  of  his 
life.  An  obituary  regarding  him  stated 
that  "with  the  passing  of  Mr.  Stanley  de- 
parts nearly,  if  not  quite,  the  last  of  those 
sterling  men  who  laid  the  foundation  of 
what  are  now  the  great  industries  of  New- 
Britain.  Those  who  know  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  town  need  not  to  be  told  who 
these  men  were.  Those  who  have  not 
known  them  can  never  realize  their  worth, 
and  can  never  really  know  New  Britain. 
To  their  perseverance,  fidelity  and  integ- 
rity we  owe  the  beginning  and  in  a  large 
degree  the  continuance  of  our  prosperity." 


318 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


In  1854,  Timothy  W.  Stanley  and  his 
brother  Augustus  formed  partnership 
with  Thomas  Conklin,  of  Bristol,  for  the 
manufacture  of  rules.  Mr.  Conklin  had 
been  engaged  in  business  in  Bristol  before 
coming  to  New  Britain,  and  the  new  part- 
nership acquired  his  business  and  began 
the  manufacture  of  rules  in  the  upper 
story  of  the  building  erected  by  Seth  J. 
North  on  Elm  street,  New  Britain,  and 
known  as  the  Sargent  Building.  In  1855, 
the  firm  purchased  the  rule  business  of 
Seth  Savage  in  Middletown,  transferring 
the  plant,  at  the  same  time  as  their  own 
])lant.  to  the  upper  story  of  the  factory  of 
North  and  Stanley,  on  the  south  side  of 
Park  street.  New  Britain.  The  business 
prospered,  and  on  July  i,  1857,  the  part- 
ners secured  corporate  powers  for  the 
better  development  of  their  enterprise, 
imder  the  name  of  Stanley  Rule  and  Level 
Company,  which  joint  stock  company  at 
its  incorporation  had  an  authorized  capita', 
of  $50,000.  Associated  also  at  that  time 
in  the  business  were  Mr.  Stanley's  other 
brothers,  Henry  and  James,  and  the  four 
brothers  Stanley  will  long  have  honored 
place  in  the  early  history  of  New  Britain. 
To-day,  as  for  many  previous  decades,  the 
Stanley  Rule  and  Level  Company  is  one 
cf  the  principal  manufacturing  concerns 
of  the  city. 

Of  the  civic  activities  of  Mr. Stanley, that 
of  particular  mention  relates  to  his  part  in 
the  original  establishment  of  the  borough. 
He  was  one  of  the  officers  elected  at  the  first 
meeting  for  organization  or  the  borough 
of  New  Britain  in  1850,  his  capacity  being 
that  of  burgess.  And  Mr.  Stanley's  name 
comes  prominently  into  the  history  of 
some  of  the  leading  institutions  of  the 
city.  He  was  named  as  incorporator  in 
the  Act  of  Incorporation  passed  into  law 
by  the  Connecticut  General  Assembly  in 
the  May  session  of  1858,  whereby  was 
established  the  New  Britain  Institute  and 
Library.    And  he  was  one  of  the  most  ac- 


tive residents  in  the  movement  to  organ- 
ize the  New  Britain  National  Bank  in 
i860,  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  stock- 
holders of  which,  in  i860,  he  was  elected 
a  director.  Mr.  Stanley  was  a  conscien- 
tious churchman  practically  throughout 
his  life,  and  gave  substantial  and  personal 
support  to  the  Congregational  church.  In 
iSj2.  IMr.  Stanley  was  one  of  a  committee 
of  twelve  appointed  to  consider  the  expe- 
diency of  establishing  another  Congrega- 
tional church  in  New  Britain,  the  move- 
ment eventuating  in  the  founding  of  the 
South  Church,  a  communicant  of  which 
he  remained  until  his  decease. 

An  opinion  of  the  then  recently  de- 
ceased was  written  by  the  late  Frank 
ilungerford,  attorney,  and  published  in 
the  "New  Britain  Herald'"  on  February 
20,  1897,  and  is  quoted  here  because  Mr. 
Hnngerford  was  a  better  authority  on  the 
subject,  whom  he  had  known  so  well, 
better  perhaps  than  any  other  New  Brit- 
ain resident  outside  the  family  of  the  de- 
ceased.   Mr.  Hungerford  wrote : 

The  death  of  Mr.  Stanley  at  his  home  in 
Granby  on  Thursday  of  this  week  was  deeply 
felt  here  in  New  Britain,  where  he  was  bom, 
and  where  the  larger  and  most  active  portion  of 
his  hfe  was  passed.  Indeed  so  thoroughly  was 
lie  identified  with  the  growth  and  development 
of  this  town  and  city,  and  so  abiding  was  his 
interest  in  all  that  concerned  or  affected  them 
that  his  citizenship  seems  never  to  have  been 
removed,  though  for  some  years  his  residence 
has  been  changed     *     *     * 

*  *  *  He  belonged  *  *  *  to  that  partic- 
ular group  of  men  *  *  *  of  whom  he  was 
about  the  last,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  so  much 
for  what  we  have  of  churches  and  schools  and 
books,  and  of  all  things  that  add  to  our  con- 
veniences and  comforts  in  our  daily  life.  For 
these  reasons,  as  well  as  for  others  more  per- 
sonal. Mr.  Stanleys  death  could  not  but  make  a 
deep  impression  in  this  community,  and  to  many 
it  seemed  as  if  the  last  connecting  link  between 
the  New  Britain  of  the  past  and  the  New  Britain 
of  the  present  was  broken     *     *     * 

Though  Mr.  Stanley  had  entered  upon  his 
eightieth  year,  he  never  seemed  old.     His  spirit 


319 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


was  remarkably  youthful,  and  he  was  fond  of  the 
society  of  the  young.  *  *  *  He  had  a  natural 
taste  for  literature  (and)  *  *  *  ^^g  ^qjj. 
versant  with  the  best  writers  in  English  litera- 
ture. *  *  *  was  *  *  *  a  strong  lover  of 
nature  and  of  all  that  was  beautiful  in  sky  and 
cloud,  or  wood  and  field,  and  perhaps  it  was  this, 
with  his  fondness  for  the  best  authors,  that  kept 
his  spirit  young  and  buoyant     *     *     * 

*  *  *  To  the  writer  *  *  *  ,  he  was  as 
a  father,  or  more  truly  an  elder  brother,  and  to 
all  young  men  he  was  specially  kind  and  help- 
ful in  ways  that  will  always  be  remembered. 
His  going  was  sudden,  without  even  a  good-bye 
or  farewell,  but  we  need  no  words  of  his  to  be 
assured  that  he  has  left  us  his  benediction. 

Mr.  Stanley  was  interred  in  Fairview 
Cemetery  on  February  20,  1897,  the  offici- 
ating clergy  being  Rev.  Dr.  Cooper  and 
the  Rev.  G.  Henry  Sandwell,  and  the  hon- 
orary pallbearers  were  \\'illiani  H.  Hart, 
Levi  S.  Wells,  Charles  R.  Alead,  of  Xew 
York :  C.  S.  Landers,  Henry  E.  Russell 
and  Philip  Corbin. 

In  1842,  Air.  Stanley  married  Adaline 
G.  Cornwell.  To  them  were  born  three 
children,  viz. :  Francis  W.,  William  and 
Arthur;  the  two  latter,  died  in  infancy. 
Their  son,  Francis  Wadsworth,  who  was 
born  on  January  24,  1843.  died  of  wounds 
received  in  the  battle  of  Irish  Bend, 
Louisiana,  which  took  place  on  April  14, 
1863.  He  lingered  in  hospital  until  May 
29  of  that  year,  and  his  body  was  eventu- 
ally brought  to  Xew  Britain,  and  there 
interred  on  August  15,  1863. 

Timothy  W.  Stanley  married,  in  1879, 
for  his  second  wife,  Theresa  R.  (  Bartholo- 
mew) Stanley,  widow  of  Alortimer  S. 
Stanley.  The  two  children  of  Timothy 
and  Theresa  Stanley  are:  Philip  B.,  who 
married  Helen  Talcott  and  had  two  girls, 
Jeanne  and  Frances;  and  Maurice,  not 
married. 


GOODRICH,  William  Albert, 

Physician,  Specialist. 

Of  all  the  professions,  the  divine  art  of 
healing,  the  high  calling  of  the  physician, 


is  the  one  that  exacts  the  greatest  number 
of  sacrifices  from  its  disciples.  And  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  sacrifices  of  the  men 
who  devote  themselves  to  the  cause  of 
suffering  humanity,  is  the  honor  due 
them.  The  life  of  the  physician  is  not  his 
own,  but  is  open  to  the  demands  of  all 
the  people  all  the  time.  Leisure  is  a 
word  unknown  to  him  to  whom  is  given 
the  powe;  of  the  preservation  of  human 
life,  at  the  price  of  eternal  vigilance  and 
readiness  for  what  may  come.  Yet  the 
reward  is  a  power  second  only  to  that  of 
Nature  herself.  The  true  physician's  aim 
and  goal  are  service — the  uplifting  of 
those  who  are  heavily  laden  and  suft'er. 
His  place  in  society  has  always  been  an 
honored  and  deservedly  high  one,  and  to 
find  him  held  in  wonder  and  awe,  and  his 
art  regarded  as  a  supernatural  thing,  is 
a  condition  found  to  have  been  prevalent 
in  almost  every  country  of  the  world  at 
some  stage  of  its  development.  The  de- 
gree of  fanaticism,  for  it  was  such,  de- 
pended on  the  nature  of  the  people.  The 
same  conditions  obtain  to-day  in  be- 
nighted lands,  but  among  those  nations 
where  civilization  has  reached  the  highest 
point  of  its  attainment  in  the  world,  the 
men  who  wield  the  power  of  preserving 
life,  are  its  gauge,  the  standard  by  which 
it  is  measured,  and  the  recipients  of  honor 
and  respect. 

One  of  the  best  known  and  ablest  phy- 
sicians of  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  is  Dr. 
William  Albert  Goodrich.  Dr.  Goodrich 
has  attained  his  position  in  the  estimation 
of  Waterbury  solely  through  the  recog- 
nized excellence  of  his  medical  services. 
Since  entering  the  profession  he  has  con- 
ducted a  general  practice,  but  has  devoted 
a  large  portion  of  his  time  to  obstetrics. 
Of  this  branch  of  medical  science  he 
makes  a  decided  specialty,  and  has  a 
large  practice  in  this  line,  which  extends 
throughout  the  surrounding  country.  He 
is  recognized  as  a  competent  authority  on 


320 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the  subject,  and  has  been  very  successful 
in  it. 

Dr.  Goodrich  was  born  July  8,  1876,  in 
Hardwick,  State  of  Vermont,  the  son  of 
Charles  Edwin  and  Julia  (Cass)  Goodrich. 
The  Goodrich  family  was  established  in 
Hardwick,  Vermont,  by  Dr.  Goodrich's 
paternal  grandfather,  Levi  Reddington 
Goodrich.  Levi  Goodrich  as  born  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, but  went  to  Hardwick  when  a 
young  man,  and  there  spent  most  of  his 
life,  with  the  exception  of  the  last  ten 
years,  which  were  spent  in  Greensbor- 
ough,  Vermont,  where  he  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  a  farmer, 
and  owned  extensive  farming  lands.  He 
married  Maranda  Jennings,  who  was  also 
a  native  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts. 
She  died  in  Hardwick.  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-three  years.  The  children 
of  Levi  Reddington  and  Maranda  (Jen- 
nings) Goodrich  were  :  i.  Charles  Edwin, 
father  of  Dr.  Goodrich.  2.  A  son,  who 
died  in  infancy.  3.  Philos  J.,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  forty-five.  4.  Rowena,  unmar- 
ried, and  now  living  in  Hardwick.  5. 
Albert,  a  resident  of  Hardwick.  6.  Alma, 
wife  of  Charles  Moree,  a  Methodist  min- 
ister ;  she  died  early  in  life. 

Charles  Edwin  Goodrich,  father  of  Dr. 
William  Albert  Goodrich,  was  born  in 
Hardwick.  Vermont,  April  12,  1849, 
Later  in  life  he  removed  to  Craftsbury, 
and  here  conducted  a  farm.  He  married 
Julia  Cass,  who  was  born  in  1852,  and 
died  September  8,  1884.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Horace  Cass,  a  native  of 
Canada,  who  early  in  life  came  to  Crafts- 
bury,  Vermont.  Here  he  was  a  farmer. 
He  had  a  large  family  of  twelve  children, 
all  of  whom  are  now  dead.  He  himself 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years. 
Charles  Edwin  Goodrich  died  in  Septem- 
ber, 1899,  at  Craftsbury.  His  children 
were:  i.  William  Albert,  the  eldest  and 
only  living  child.  2.  Mary,  who  died  at 
Conn— 3— 21  321 


the  age  of  eighteen  years,  in  Craftsbury. 
3.  Perley,  who  died  in  infancy  in  1884. 

Dr.  William  Albert  Goodrich  removed 
from  Hardwick  to  Craftsbury  with  his 
parents  when  a  young  boy,  and  here  he 
attended  the  Craftsbury  Academy,  pur- 
suing a  course  preparatory  for  college.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-two  years  he  entered 
the  University  of  Vermont,  and  took  the 
medical  course.  After  spending  two  years 
at  the  University  of  Vermont,  he  entered 
the  Medical  Chirurgical  College  at  Phil- 
adelphia, and  completed  his  course  there 
in  1902.  He  then  came  to  Waterbury, 
where  he  has  since  been  located.  He 
started  immediately  upon  a  general  prac- 
tice which  has  been  successful  from  the 
very  beginning,  and  has,  as  has  been 
already  stated,  devoted  a  great  amount  of 
his  time  to  obstetrics,  of  which  he  made 
special  study  while  training  for  the  pro- 
fession. Dr.  Goodrich  is  a  member  of  all 
the  following  medical  societies :  The 
local.  State  and  County  Medical  societies, 
and  the  American  Medical  Association. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Waterbury 
Club  and  of  the  Waterbury  Country  Club. 
He  is  prominent  in  social  circles  in  Water- 
bury, and  is  intensely  interested  in  the 
vital  questions  before  the  city,  such  as 
civic  betterment,  public  health,  sanitation, 
healthful  conditions  of  living,  factory  con- 
ditions, and  so  forth. 

Dr.  Goodrich  married  Irene  Babcock. 
Mrs.  Goodrich  was  born  in  Springfield, 
Massachusetts.  Her  father  is  dead,  and 
her  mother,  remarried  to  George  J.  Bab- 
cock, is  now  a  resident  of  Waterbury.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Goodrich  are  the  parents  of  the 
following  children  :  i.  William  Albert,  Jr., 
born  October  4,  1909.  2.  Julia,  died  in  in- 
fancy. 3.  Harriet  Louise,  born  June  5, 1913. 

Dr.  Goodrich  is  entirely  in  the  confi- 
dence of  a  large  number  of  the  residents  of 
Waterbury,  and  conducts  a  large  practice 
which  absorbs  appro-ximately  all  his  time. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


WHEELER,  Nathaniel, 

Fonnder  of  Wheeler  &  Wilson  Company. 

Nathaniel  Wheeler,  organizer  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Wheeler  &  Wilson  Manufac- 
turing Company,  makers  of  Wheeler  & 
Wilson  sewing  machines,  was  born  in 
Watertown,  Litchfield  county,  Connecti- 
cut, September  20,  1820,  and  died  at  his 
home  on  Golden  Hill,  Bridgeport,  in  the 
same  State,  December  31,  1893. 

He  was  of  the  seventh  generation  of  his 
family  in  America,  and  a  descendant  of 
Moses  Wheeler,  born  in  England  in  1598, 
who  came  to  New  England  with  a  com- 
pany from  the  County  of  Kent.  In  1643 
he  received  a  tract  of  land  in  New  Haven. 
Some  four  or  five  years  later  he  removed 
to  Stratford.  His  deed  was  the  first  re- 
corded at  Hartford  of  the  lands  bought 
from  the  Indians  at  Stratford.  Orcutt's 
"History  of  Stratford"  says,  "The  first 
record  of  any  public  convenience  at  Strat- 
ford is  the  motion  made  by  Mr.  Ludlow 
concerning  Moses  Wheeler  for  keeping 
the  ferry  at  Stratford."  He  was  a  farmer 
and  ship  carpenter,  and  established  the 
ferry  across  the  Housatonic  river.  He 
lived  to  the  age  of  one  hundred  years, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  an  ex- 
tensive landowner.  His  son,  also  named 
Moses,  was  born  in  1651,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 30,  1724-25.  In  the  next  generation, 
Samuel,  born  February  2"],  1681-82,  died 
1721.  The  latter's  son,  Captain  James 
Wheeler,  born  1716,  was  the  great-grand- 
father of  Nathaniel ;  he  died  in  Derby, 
Connecticut,  July  9.  1768.  His  son.  Dea- 
con James  Wheeler,  born  April  6,  1745, 
was  Nathaniel's  grandfather ;  he  died  in 
Watertown,  in  1819. 

His  son.  David  Wheeler,  the  father  of 
Nathaniel,  was  born  September  6,  1789. 
He  was  a  general  builder  and  farmer,  and 
had  on  his  farm  a  small  shop  where  he 
employed    a    few   men   in   various   ways. 


including  the  making  of  wagons  and 
sleighs.  He  married  for  his  first  wife 
Phoebe  De  Forest,  by  whom  he  had  two 
children:  Joseph  and  Mary.  His  second 
wife  was  Sarah  De  Forest,  of  the  same 
family,  by  whom  he  had  four  children : 
Nathaniel,  George,  Jane,  and  Belinda.  The 
De  Forests  were  descendants  of  a  Hugue- 
not family  of  Avesnes,  France,  some  of 
whose  members  fled  to  Leyden,  Holland, 
to  escape  religious  persecution.  One  of 
these,  named  Isaac,  son  of  Jesse  and  Marie 
(DuCloux)  De  Forest,  emigrated  from 
Leyden  to  New  Amsterdam  in  1636,  and 
there  married  Sarah  Du  Trieux.  One  of 
their  sons,  David,  settled  in  Stratford,  and 
was  the  ancestor  of  the  mother  of  Na- 
thaniel Wheeler. 

Nathaniel  \Mieeler  attended  the  schools 
of  his  native  place,  and,  as  often  related 
by  his  father,  took  his  full  share  of  what- 
ever work  was  to  be  done  on  the  farm  or 
in  the  shop.  It  was  this  helpfulness  to 
others  that  prevailed  throughout  his  life, 
and  wherever  he  was  there  were  always 
numberless  examples  of  those  to  whose 
welfare  he  contributed.  Whatever  he  ac- 
complished for  himself  was  unimportant 
compared  with  the  benefits  felt  by  those 
associated  with  him  in  the  various  indus- 
tries fostered  by  his  care.  He  was  early 
taught  by  one  skilled  in  the  work,  the 
elaborate  painting  then  in  vogue  for  vehi- 
cles, especially  sleighs.  This  enabled  him 
in  later  years  to  devise  methods  for  finish- 
ing woods,  which  changed  the  processes 
in  this  work  throughout  this  country,  and 
in  other  countries  as  well,  and  to  conduct 
experiments  leading  to  most  successful 
results  in  finishing  the  products  of  the 
Fairfield  Rubber  Works.  On  coming  of 
age  he  took  entire  charge  of  the  business 
of  the  shop,  his  father  retiring  to  the 
farm.  A  few  years  later  he  learned  die- 
sinking,  and  took  up  the  manufacture  of 
various    small    metallic    articles,    largely 


322 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


buckles  and  slides,  and  by  substituting 
machinery  for  hand  labor  greatly  reduced 
the  cost  of  production.  He  was  now  well 
equipped  with  a  knowledge  of  building, 
wood-working  and  finishing,  and  the 
.working  of  metals,  which  qualified  him  to 
direct  work  with  marked  success  in  all 
these  branches.  In  1848  he  united  his 
business  with  that  of  Alanson  Warren 
and  George  Woodruff,  manufacturers  of 
similar  articles,  the  new  firm  taking  the 
name  of  Warren,  Wheeler  &  Woodruff. 
They  bought  a  water  privilege  on  the 
stream  flowing  through  Watertown,  some 
mile  and  a  half  below  the  center,  and 
erected  a  factory  for  the  enlarged  busi- 
ness, with  Mr.  Wheeler  in  charge.  While 
in  New  York  on  business  and  looking  for 
something  to  more  fully  occupy  the  new 
premises,  he  was  shown  the  sewing  ma- 
chine invented  by  Allen  B.  Wilson,  which 
was  then  on  exhibition  and  attracting  at- 
tention. 

While  it  is  true  that  the  art  of  sewing 
by  machinery  was  American  in  its  origin 
and  development,  European  genius  had 
been  groping  toward  it  for  nearly  a  cen- 
tury before.  W^eisenthal,  as  early  as  1755, 
Heilmann,  Thomas  Saint  (granted  an 
English  patent  in  1790),  Thimonier  (who 
first  obtained  a  patent  in  France  in  1830), 
Newton,  and  Archbold  of  England,  and 
possibly  others,  essayed  the  invention,  but 
not  one  of  these  pointed  the  way  to  a 
practical  sewing  machine.  Something 
was  said  to  have  been  done  by  Walter 
Hunt,  of  New  York,  as  early  as  1832  ;  but 
the  contrivance  alleged  to  have  been  made 
was  abandoned  or  neglected  until  the  suc- 
cess of  others  had  become  publicly  known. 
The  imperfect  production  of  Elias  Howe, 
patented  in  1846,  was  undoubtedly  the 
first  important  step  toward  a  practical 
machine,  but  the  perfected  "Howe"  was 
not  patented  until  1857.  The  inventor 
who  first  reached  satisfactory  results  in 


this  field  was  Allen  B.  Wilson,  a  native 
of  Cortland  county,  New  York.  While 
working  at  his  trade  as  a  cabinet  maker 
in  Adrian,  Michigan,  in  1847,  he  conceived 
the  idea  of  a  sewing  machine.  He  knew 
nothing  of  what  others  had  thought  or 
done  in  this  direction.  In  1848,  in  Pitts- 
field,  Massachusetts,  while  still  working 
at  his  trade,  he  completed  the  drawings 
of  his  machine,  and  in  the  spring  of  the 
following  year  finished  his  model,  .^.l- 
though  not  a  machinist  and  not  able  to 
procure  suitable  tools,  he  made  with  his 
own  hands  every  part  of  the  machine, 
whether  of  wood  or  metal.  Authorities 
agree  that  "this  was  the  first  machine 
ever  constructed,  meeting  to  any  extent 
the  requirements  of  a  sewing  machine." 
This  machine  enabled  the  operator  to  con- 
trol at  will  the  direction  of  the  stitching, 
and  thus  to  sew  continuous  seams  of  any 
length,  either  straight  or  curved.  Con- 
tinuing to  improve  and  invent,  he  obtained 
patents  in  1850,  1851,  1852,  and  1854.  The 
important  improvements  were  developed 
after  Mr.  Wheeler  became  interested,  and 
with  his  cooperation  and  suggestion.  Im- 
pressed by  his  first  view  of  Mr.  Wilson's 
achievement,  Mr.  Wheeler  contracted 
with  Messrs.  E.  Lee  &  Company,  of  New 
York,  then  controlling  the  patent,  to  build 
five  hundred  machines  at  Watertown, 
Mr.  Wilson  agreeing  to  remove  to  that 
place  and  superintend  their  manufacture. 
Shortly  afterward,  relations  with  Lee  & 
Companjr  ceased,  and  a  partnership  was 
formed  between  Messrs.  Warren,  Wheeler, 
Woodruff  and  Wilson,  under  the  title 
"Wheeler,  Wilson  &  Company,"  for  the 
manufacture  of  sewing  machines.  They 
manufactured  the  original  "Wheeler  & 
Wilson  Sewing  Machines."  and  made 
them  successful.  This  was  due  to  the 
efforts  of  Mr.  Wheeler,  who  became  the 
mercantile  head  of  the  company,  and  led 
the    improvements    into    practical    lines. 


,123 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


The  introduction  of  the  machine,  placing 
it  in  factories  and  workshops  and  demon- 
strating its  value  in  families,  was  carried 
out  under  his  control.  Opposition,  preju- 
dice and  disbelief  melted  away  before  en- 
terprising activity  and  perseverance.  In 
a  brief  period  the  machine  was  in  oper- 
ation in  New  York  and  other  cities.  In 
October,  1853,  the  business  was  reorgan- 
ized as  a  joint  stock  company  under  the 
laws  of  Connecticut,  taking  the  title 
"Wheeler  &  Wilson  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany." The  capital  of  the  corporation  was 
one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars, 
the  patents  being  valued  at  one  hundred 
thousand,  and  the  machinery  at  sixty 
thousand.  The  new  subscribers  to  this 
stock,  the  foundation  of  the  fortunes  of 
so  many,  enjoyed  the  profits  of  the  busi- 
ness without  any  cost  whatever  to  them- 
selves, as  they  gave  their  notes  for  the 
stock,  but  were  never  called  upon  to  pay 
any  part  of  them,  as  Mr.  Wheeler  financed 
the  business,  providing  whatever  cash 
was  necessary,  and  the  notes  were  paid 
by  the  profits  of  the  business  as  they  be- 
came due.  For  a  year  or  two  Mr.  Wheeler 
acted  as  the  general  manager.  In  1855  he 
became  president,  and  filled  that  office 
during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

About  the  time  that  the  Wheeler  & 
Wilson  machine  began  to  attract  public 
attention,  the  sewing  machine  invented 
by  Isaac  M.  Singer  became  known,  also 
the  Grover  &  Baker  sewing  machine.  All 
these  machines  contained  principles  that 
Elias  Howe  thought  were  covered  by  his 
patents,  and  he  commenced  suits  which 
brought  them  together  in  defense.  While 
these  were  being  contested,  with  the  best 
obtainable  legal  talent  of  the  country  on 
all  sides,  Mr.  Wheeler  proposed  that,  as 
these  machines  varied  so  much,  they  col- 
lectively seemed  to  cover  thoroughly  the 
field  of  sewing  by  machinery,  yet  each 
obviously  had  extensive  fields  to  which 


each  was  particularly  adapted,  and  as 
Elias  Howe's  patents  strengthened  all,  it 
seemed  wise  that  all  should  respect  his 
patents  and  the  patents  and  devices  of 
each  other,  and  in  this  way  join  in  the 
defense  of  each  other's  rights.  This  plan 
was  adopted,  and  led  to  many  years  of 
successful  business  for  all  concerned.  Mr. 
Howe  for  many  years  received  a  royalty 
for  each  machine  manufactured  by  all 
these  companies,  but  for  several  years  did 
nothing  himself  in  the  way  of  manufac- 
turing. 

Mr.  Wilson,  eager  to  devote  attention 
in  other  directions  and  explore  other  fields 
of  invention,  among  which  were  cotton 
picking  machines,  illuminating  gases  and 
photography,  early  retired  from  active 
participation  in  the  business,  retaining 
stock  in  the  company,  and  receiving  the 
benefit  of  dividends,  a  regular  salary 
thereafter  without  services,  and  substantial 
sums  on  renewal  of  his  patents.  He  in- 
vested largely  in  building  in  North  Adams, 
Massachusetts,  the  scene  of  part  of  his 
early  life.  He  built  a  residence  on  a  beau- 
tiful site  overlooking  the  Naugatuck  river, 
opposite  the  city  of  Waterbury,  and  con- 
tinued to  live  there  until  his  death,  April 
29,  1888.  The  residence,  enlarged,  has 
since  become  the  Waterbury  Hospital. 
His  inventions  have  been  declared  by 
high  authorities  to  be  "as  original,  in- 
genious, and  effective,  as  any  to  be  found 
in  the  whole  range  of  mechanics." 

In  1856  the  factory  was  removed  from 
Watertown  to  Bridgeport,  Connecticut, 
the  company  buying  and  occupying  the 
works  of  the  Jerome  Clock  Company.  Mr. 
AVheeler  also  removed  thither  and  at  once 
identified  himself  with  the  interests  of  the 
city.  With  increased  factory  space  and 
improved  machinery  the  business  ad- 
vanced with  rapid  strides.  The  capital 
stock  was  increased  from  time  to  time, 
and  in  1864  to  one  million  dollars.     Fire 

324 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


swept  a  portion  of  the  buildings  in  1875, 
but  they  were  rebuilt  immediately  on  an 
improved  plan.  Additions  were  fre- 
quently made  until  the  company's  works 
covered  a  ground  space  of  some  fifteen 
acres.  In  recognition  of  Mr.  Wheeler's 
services  in  his  department  of  industry,  he 
was  decorated  at  the  World's  Exposition 
held  in  Vienna  in  1873,  with  the  Imperial 
Order  of  Francis  Joseph,  and  at  the  Paris 
Exposition  in  1889  he  received  the  cross 
of  the  Legion  of  Honor  of  France.  In 
addition  to  many  sewing  machine  patents 
either  as  sole  inventor  or  jointly  with 
others,  he  held  patents  for  wood  filling 
compounds,  power  transmitters,  refriger- 
ators, ventilating  cars,  heating  and  ven- 
tilating buildings.  The  system  for  venti- 
lating school  houses,  originated  by  him. 
was  the  forerunner  of  the  best  modern 
practice,  and  was  widely  sought  after 
and  copied. 

As  a  business  man,  Mr.  Wheeler  was 
distinguished  for  his  organizing  and  ad- 
ministrative abilities,  his  energy,  enter- 
prise, foresight,  good  judgment,  and  fair 
dealings — qualities  which  were  recognized 
throughout  the  business  world.  His  solic- 
itude for  all  employed  by  the  corporation 
of  which  he  was  the  head  was  especially 
marked,  and  won  for  him  profound 
regard.  He  contributed  largely  to  the 
success  of  various  important  local  enter- 
prises. He  was  an  incorporator  of  the 
People's  Savings  Bank ;  a  director  of  the 
Bridgeport  City  Bank,  Bridgeport  Hy- 
draulic Company,  Bridgeport  Horse  Rail- 
road Company,  Fairfield  Rubber  Com- 
pany, Willimantic  Linen  Company,  and 
the  New  York,  New  Haven  &  Hartford 
Railroad  Company.  He  was  an  active 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  and  of  the  building 
committees  of  schools  and  county  build- 
ings, and  a  commissioner  for  building  the 
State  Capitol  at  Hartford.    He  was  one  of 


the  founders  and  first  president  of  the 
Seaside  Club ;  one  of  the  chief  donors  of 
Seaside  Park  to  the  city,  and  a  commis- 
sioner for  its  development.  He  was  the 
principal  founder  of  the  business  of  the 
Bridgeport  Wood  Finishing  Company, 
and  through  the  invention  of  "Wheeler's 
Wood  Filler"  introduced  new  methods  in 
finishing  woods,  which  continue  to  be 
more  and  more  widely  followed.  He  was 
a  generous  contributor  to  and  for  thirty- 
three  years  a  vestryman  of  St.  John's 
Episcopal  Church.  A  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics, Mr.  Wheeler  repeatedly  declined 
nomination  to  official  positions.  He 
served  in  the  Bridgeport  Common  Coun- 
cil and  also  for  several  terms  in  the  State 
Legislature  and  Senate.  Upright  in  every 
aim,  he  commanded  the  esteem  of  the 
people  of  his  native  State,  and  especially 
of  those  in  the  community  in  which  for 
so  long  a  period  he  was  a  vital  and  be- 
neficent factor.  Blest  with  robust  health 
until  1893,  he  was  overtaken  by  illness 
and  died  just  as  the  year  closed. 

Mr.  Wheeler's  first  wife,  Huldah  (Brad- 
ley) Wheeler,  of  Watertown,  Connecti- 
cut, to  whom  he  was  married  in  1842,  died 
in  1857.  There  were  four  children  by  this 
union :  Martha,  Anna  B.,  both  of  whom 
died  young,  and  Samuel  H.  and  Ellen  B. 
( Mrs!  E.  W^  Harral).  Samuel  H.  Wheeler, 
who  succeeded  his  father  as  president  of 
the  company,  was  for  many  years  man- 
ager of  the  company's  business  at  Chi- 
cago. 

On  August  3,  1858,  Nathaniel  Wheeler 
married  Miss  Mary  E.  Crissy,  of  New 
Canaan,  Connecticut,  who  survived  her 
husband  until  April  20,  1910.  By  this 
marriage  there  were  four  sons :  Harry  De 
Forest,  who  died  in  1881,  in  his  eighteenth 
year  ;  Archer  Crissy  and  William  Bishop, 
born  September  18,  1864;  and  Arthur 
Penoyer,  who  died  in  infancy.  Archer 
Crissy  Wheeler  filled  the  office  of  treas- 


325 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


urer  of  the  Fairfield  Rubber  Company,  and 
with  his  brother,  William  B.  Wheeler,  held 
directorships  in  the  Wheeler  &  Wilson 
Manufacturing  Company.  The  Wheeler 
mansion  on  Golden  Hill,  an  imposing 
structure.  Gothic  in  type,  is  one  of  the 
fine  residences  of   Bridgeport. 


PERKINS,  Charles  Gove, 

Electrical    Expert,  Inventor. 

Peter,  being  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
his  name  was  a  favorite  one  for  centuries 
among  Christians.  It  assumed  the  form 
of  Pierre  in  France,  whence  it  found  its 
way  into  England  and  there  took  the 
diminutive  form  of  Perkin.  This  gradu- 
ally and  naturally  became  Perkins,  and  in 
time  was  bestowed  upon  or  assumed  by 
one  as  a  surname.  Many  of  the  name 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  New 
England,  and  their  descendants  have 
borne  honorable  part  in  the  development 
of  modern  civilization  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere.  The  coat-of-arms  of  the 
Perkins  family  is  as  follows :  Or,  a  fess 
dancette,  between  ten  billets  ermine. 
Crest :  A  pineapple  proper,  stalked  and 
leaved   vert. 

(I)  Abraham  Perkins,  the  immigrant 
ancestor  of  this  branch  of  the  family,  was 
born  in  England  about  1613.  and  came  to 
America,  settling  in  Massachusetts  prior 
to  1640.  In  that  year  he  was  one  of  a 
band  of  several  Englishmen  from  Massa- 
chusetts, who  settled  in  Hampton,  Xew 
Hampshire.  He  was  admitted  a  freeman 
in  that  town  on  May  13,  1640,  and  in  June 
received  eighty  acres  of  land  by  public 
grant ;  in  1646  he  was  given  three  shares 
of  the  common.  He  was  an  unusually 
fine  penman  for  his  time,  and  was  a  man 
of  some  ability,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  he  was  often  employed  in  business 
for  the  town  and  for  private  citizens.  He 
was  marshal  in  1654.     He  died  August  31. 


1683,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  His 
wife,  Mary  Perkins,  died  May  29,  1706, 
aged  eighty-eight  years.  Children:  i\Iary  ; 
Abraham  ;  Luke  ;  Humphrey  ;  James,  died 
young ;  Timothy,  died  young  ;  James,  men- 
tioned below  ;  Jonathan  ;  David  ;  Abigail : 
Timothy  ;  Sarah  ;   Humphrey. 

(II)  James  Perkins,  son  of  Abraham 
and  Mary  Perkins,  was  born  October  5, 
1647.  He  married.  December  13,  1681, 
Leah  Coxe,  daughter  of  JMoses  Coxe,  and 
settled  on  the  land  of  the  latter.  Chil- 
dren:  Sarah,  born  October  3,  1682,  mar- 
ried Samuel  Graves ;  Mary,  born  Decem- 
ber 2,  1686,  married  Jonathan  Taylor ; 
Lydia,  born  January  30,  1689,  married 
James  Clifford,  died  in  Kensington,  Sep- 
tember 8,  1723;  Hannah,  born  .August  18, 
1691,  married  Simon  Moultem  ;  Elizabeth, 
married  Joseph  Philbrick ;  James,  men- 
tioned below  :  Moses,  born  July  30,  169S, 
married  (first)  Mary  Marston,  (second) 
Hannah  Xay ;  David,  born  November  30, 
1 70 1. 

(III)  James  (2)  Perkins,  son  of  James 
( I )  and  Leah  (Coxe)  Perkins,  was  born 
March  17,  i6g6,  died  in  1755.  and  his  will 
is  in  the  possession  of  his  great-great- 
grandson,  Charles  Gove  Perkins.  He  was 
the  owner  of  Lot  59,  range  2,  in  South 
Weare,  which  he  secured  through  pur- 
chase. This  lot  was  sold  to  Richard 
Nason,  of  South  Weare,  on  November 
9,  1749.  for  taxes.  On  May  5,  1750,  it 
was  sold  by  him  to  James  Perkins,  of 
Kensington,  for  ten  pounds,  ten  shillings. 
The  houses  on  the  lot  were:  i.  Joseph 
Perkins  (1772).  Joseph  Perkins,  Jr.,  Ben- 
jamin Perkins,  Lorenzo  Dow,  James 
Grant,  Allen  Grant.  2.  Andrew  Phil- 
brick,  Hiram  Philbrick,  Hills  Welch.  In 
the  historical  records  of  South  Weare, 
James  Perkins  is  recorded  as  having 
worked  on  the  public  dam  there  in  1752, 
for  six  days.  He  was  one  of  the  promi- 
nent men  of  the  town.     He  married,  Feb- 


326 


T'm  Am.  eric  at  M^ror-,r^>^^^!^^ 


una     bil    S   ir    'f/.'.'i  3  i-r-.  j    i5-u,VT 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ruary  22,  1728,  Shuah  Nason,  daughter  of 
Jonathan  Nason,  of  South  Weare,  New 
Hampshire.  Among  their  children  was 
Joseph,  mentioned  below. 

(IV)  Joseph  Perkins,  son  of  James  (2) 
and  Shuah  (Nason)  Perkins,  was  born 
December  8,  1747.  and  died  May  27.  1818. 
He  came  to  South  Weare  from  Kensing- 
ton with  his  father,  and  settled  on  lot  59, 
range  2,  on  the  west  slope  of  Mount  Dear- 
born. He  served  in  the  French  and  In- 
dian War  as  a  member  of  the  Sixth  Com- 
pany, Colonel  Blanchard's  regiment, 
which  went  into  camp  at  Franklin,  New 
Hampshire.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest 
members  of  the  Universalist  Society. 
which  was  formed  prior  to  1803,  and  was 
the  first  person  buried  in  the  Benjamin 
Perkins  Cemetery,  first  used  about  1818, 
•.vhere  also  are  buried  his  son,  Benjamin. 
and  daughter-in-law.  Ruth.  He  married 
Mary  Gove,  born  October  28,  1752.  died 
Februarv^  8,  1850,  daughter  of  Enoch  and 
Sarah  (Rowe)  Gove,  of  South  Weare. 
Children:  Benjamin,  born  1770,  died 
young;  Hannah,  born  September  30, 
1772,  died  unmarried ;  Benjamin,  men- 
tioned below:  Lydia,  born  July  6,  1777, 
died  unmarried:  James,  born  1780,  mar- 
ried Betsey  Richardson :  Enoch,  born 
1784;  Shuah,  born  1786.  married  Daniel 
Martin. 

(V)  Benjamin  Perkins,  son  of  Joseph 
and  Mary  (Gove)  Perkins,  was  born  in 
South  Weare,  New  Hampshire,  Novem- 
ber 12,  1774,  and  died  January  6,  1873, 
aged  ninety-eight  years.  He  was  born  in 
the  family  homestead,  which  was  built 
early  in  the  seventeen  hundreds.  He  is 
credited  with  having  owned  the  first 
wagon  built  in  Weare.  On  the  list  of 
taxpayers  of  South  Weare  in  1839,  1840, 
1850  and  i860  are  mentioned  the  names  of 
Benjamin  and  Enoch  Perkins.  He  mar- 
ried, September  7,  1797,  Ruth  Worthen, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and   Deborah   \\'or- 


then.  She  was  born  June  29.  1774,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  years,  two 
months,  twenty-four  days.  The  section 
of  NewHampshire  in  which  South  W'eare 
is  located  is  remarkable  for  the  longevity 
of  its  inhabitants.  Children  :  Mary,  born 
1798,  married  Hugh  Crombie.  of  Chester, 
New  Hampshire;    Lydia,  born  1801,  died 

young;  Joseph,  born  1804,  married 

Colby;  Enoch,  mentioned  below;  Ruth, 
born  March  21,  1808,  married  (first)  An- 
drew Philbrick,  (second)  Hills  Welch. 

(VI)  Enoch  Perkins,  son  of  Benjamin 
and  Ruth  (Worthen)  Perkins,  was  born 
at  South  Weare,  New  Hampshire,  De- 
cember 14,  1804,  died  there  at  the  age  of 
seventy-seven  years.  He  married,  April 
8.  1830,  Sarah  Currier,  born  September  3, 
1814,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Polly 
(Bailey)  Currier.  Nathaniel  Currier  was 
the  second  son  of  Moses  Currier,  born 
1746.  died  1804,  and  Alehitable  (Barnard) 
Currier,  who  died  at  the  age  of  one  hun- 
dred and  three  years  at  Danbury,  New- 
Hampshire,  in  1852.  Polly  (Bailey)  Cur- 
rier was  born  January  17,  1779,  died  No- 
vember 18.  1858.  Children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Perkins :  James  W.,  bom  July  23, 
1831 ;  Mary,  born  October  22, 1832  ;  Sarah 
J.,  born  September  23,  1839:  Squires  G., 
born  March  13,  1841  ;  Millie,  born  Janu- 
ary 29.  1843 ;  John  Richard,  born  August 
25,  1846,  served  in  the  Civil  War,  enlist- 
ing at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  in  Com- 
pany G,  Sixteenth  Regiment,  enrolled 
September  19,  1862,  discharged  August 
20,  1863,  at  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  by 
reason  of  expiration  of  term  of  service  ; 
Charles  Gove,  mentioned  below;  Jane  E.. 
born  January  14.  1852;  Nellie,  born  De- 
cember 4,  1854:  Fred  H.,  born  September 
29.  1857. 

(VII)  Charles  Gove  Perkins,  son  of 
Enoch  and  Sarah  (Currier)  Perkins, Was 
born  March  23,  1849,  and  was  educated 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  fifteen  vears 


327 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  the  public  schools  of  South  Weare.  The 
experience  which  fitted  Mr.  Perkins  for 
the  positions  which  he  now  holds  as  the 
head  of  one  of  the  most  important  indus- 
tries of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  was  gained 
in  occupations  ranging  from  that  of  farm- 
ing to  mechanical  work  requiring  the 
greatest  of  skill  and  natural  genius.  Upon 
leaving  school  he  went  to  work  among 
the  farms  in  the  vicinity  of  his  home,  and 
for  a  period  of  three  years  continued  to  do 
work  of  the  sort.  At  seventeen  years, 
realizing  the  lack  of  opportunity  in  the 
work  which  he  was  doing  and  finding  it 
distasteful  because  of  his  mclination  to- 
wards work  of  a  mechanical  nature,  he 
left  South  Weare  and  went  to  Lowell, 
Massachusetts,  to  learn  the  trade  of  tool 
maker.  After  five  years  at  this  work  he 
accepted  a  position  with  the  Putnam  Ma- 
chine Company  in  Fitchburg.  The  next 
branch  of  his  work  that  engaged  his  at- 
tention for  a  long  period  was  that  of  mu- 
nitions makmg,  and  he  left  Fitchburg  to 
enter  the  employ  of  the  United  States 
Cartridge  Company,  of  which  General 
Benjamin  F".  Butler  was  the  principal 
owner.  He  next  went  to  Ilion,  New  York, 
where  he  was  employed  in  the  factory  of 
the  Remington  Arms  Company.  With 
the  ambition  to  gain  a  thorough  working 
knowledge  of  as  many  parts  of  his  trade 
as  possible,  Mr.  Perkins  went  to  Amster- 
dam, New  York,  and  took  a  position  in  a 
company  which  manufactured  carpet  and 
loom  machinery,  going  after  one  year  at 
this  to  Middletown,  Connecticut,  where 
he  worked  for  a  time  on  tools  and  dies. 
From  Middletown  he  went  to  Bridgeport 
to  accept  a  position  with  the  Union  Me- 
tallic Cartridge  Company  there.  The 
termination  of  his  employ  with  that  com- 
pany ended  the  first  period  of  Mr.  Per- 
kins' work. 

The  second  period,  beginning  in  1879 
with  his  entering  the  employ  of  the 
United  States  Electric  Lighting  Company 


at  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  has  been  de- 
voted exclusively  to  work  in  the  field  of 
electricity.  The  industry  which  was  then 
in  its  infancy  had  not  gained  a  foothold 
elsewhere  than  in  the  minds  of  a  few  men 
of  inventive  genius  and  business  foresight 
keen  enough  to  realize  its  possibilities.  In 
the  electric  lighting  business  he  was  asso- 
ciated with  the  famous  inventor,  Hiram 
S.  Maxim,  and  in  1880  the  company  re- 
moved to  New  York,  where  shortly  after- 
ward they  installed  the  first  incandescent 
lamp  which  was  used  in  a  public  way,  in 
the  vaults  of  a  safe  deposit  company  at 
120  Broadway.  The  public  interest  and 
importance  of  this  lighting  project 
prompted  the  United  States  Electric 
Lighting  Company  to  undertake  a  public 
e.xhibit  of  the  work.  The  scheme  en- 
countered so  many  difficulties  that  they 
were  on  the  point  of  abandoning  it.  It 
was,  however,  assigned  to  'Mr.  Perkins, 
who  holds  the  unique  position  of  having 
been  the  first  man  to  give  a  public  ex- 
hibition of  a  practical  system  of  incandes- 
cent lighting.  In  1882  he  organized  the 
Imperial  Electric  Lighting  Company, 
which  developed  from  the  Faure  Electric 
Storage  Company,  which  took  up  adver- 
tising and  manufacturing  Mr.  Perkins' 
numerous  inventions,  among  which  were 
dynamos,  arc  lamps,  meters,  switches, 
cut-outs,  incandescent  lamps  in  all  their 
details,  street  lighting  systems,  regulators 
and  storage  batteries.  It  was  during  this 
period  that  he  invented  the  "ratchet 
switch."  of  which  there  have  been  mil- 
lions sold  in  the  United  States  alone.  In 
1885  the  Mather  Electric  Company  of 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  purchased  the  Im- 
perial Electric  Light  Company  of  New 
York,  and  removed  it  to  Hartford. 

Mr.  Perkins'  reputation  for  genius  and 
ability  as  an  inventor  and  promoter  of 
electrical  appliances,  had,  through  his  sev- 
eral successful  ventures  previous  to  his 
coming    to    Hartford,    become    country- 


328 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


wide.  He  is  ranked  to-day  as  one  of  the 
electrical  inventors  in  the  United  States. 
In  1889  he  organized  the  Perkins  Lamp 
Company  in  Hartford.  The  same  change 
and  quest  of  an  opportunity  to  advance 
himself  which  characterized  the  first 
period  of  his  business  life  was  also  marked 
in  his  business  ventures  in  the  field  of 
electricity.  In  i8go  he  organized  the  Per- 
kins Electric  Switch  Company,  which 
manufactured  all  kinds  of  electric  lamps 
and  switches.  He  sold  out  in  1900  to  the 
Bryant  Electric  Company,  and  three  years 
later  organized  the  Arrow  Electric  Com- 
pany in  Hartford,  of  which  he  is  now 
president,  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
important  of  the  industries  in  the  city. 
The  company  manufactures  all  kinds  of 
lighting  fixtures.  It  employs  from  five 
hundred  to  six  hundred  hands,  maintains 
travelers  in  Europe,  and  does  an  exten- 
sive export  trade,  distributing  its  product 
to  practically  every  country  of  the  civil- 
ized world.  The  product  of  the  company 
is  recognized  everywhere  for  the  uniform 
excellence  of  its  character. 

Mr.  Perkins  married  Miss  Emily  F. 
Chandler,  of  Gorham,  New  Hampshire, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Chandler,  of  Port- 
land, Maine.  They  have  one  son,  Benja- 
min C.  Perkins,  who  was  born  February 
6,  1886.  He  was  educated  in  Hartford  in 
the  elementary  and  high  schools.  He 
married  Josephine  Steadman,  daughter  of 
Harry  B.  Steadman,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Marion  Perkins.  The  Perkins 
family  are  members  of  the  Asylum  Hill 
Baptist  Church.  Mr.  Perkins  inherited 
the  property  of  the  family  in  South 
Weare,  New  Hampshire,  and  stills  owns 
and  maintains  the  old  family  homestead 
where  he  was  born. 

(The    Gove    Line). 

(I)  John  Gove,  immigrant  ancestor  of 
the  Gove  family  in  America,  was  born  in 


England  in  1604.  The  name  Gove  is  an 
ancient  one  in  England,  where  it  is  re- 
corded in  State  papers  as  early  as  1641. 

He    married    Sarah    ,    who    was 

born  in  1601,  and  with  her  came  from 
London,  England,  and  settled  in  Charles- 
town,  Massachusetts,  prior  to  1647.  An 
examination  of  his  will  and  schedule  of 
his  personal  property  shows  that  he  was 
a  worker  and  dealer  in  brass. 

(II)  Edward  Gove,  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  Gove,  was  born  in  England  in  1630, 
and  came  to  America  with  his  parents, 
settling  with  them  in  Charlestown  prior 
to  1647.  In  1660  he  married  Hannah  Tit- 
comb.  Five  years  later  he  settled  in 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire,  where  he  be- 
came a  prominent  citizen  and  important 
public  man.  In  1683  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Legislature  which  was  dissolved  by 
Governor  Canfield.  This  action  aroused 
great  resentment  among  the  people.  Ed- 
ward Gove  headed  a  movement  to  over- 
throw the  government,  but  surrendered 
without  bloodshed.  He  and  ten  others, 
including  his  son  John,  were  tried  for 
treason  and  convicted.  Edward  Gove  was 
sentenced  to  death,  and  his  estate  was 
seized  as  forfeit  to  the  Crown ;  the  others 
were  pardoned.  Gove  was  sent  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  was  imprisoned  in  the 
Tower  of  London  for  three  years,  after 
which  time  he  was  pardoned  and  his 
estate  restored  to  him  in  1686. 

(III)  Ebenezer  Gove,  son  of  Edward 
Gove,  was  born  June  23,  1671,  and  died 
August  16,  1758.  He  married  Judith  San- 
born, and  was  a  resident  of  Hampton, 
New  Hampshire. 

(IV)  Enoch  Gove,  son  of  Ebenezer  and 
Judith  (Sanborn)  Gove,  was  born  in 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  Later  in  life 
he  removed  to  South  Weare,  in  the  same 
State,  and  became  one  of  the  original  pro- 
prietors of  the  place,  and  one  of  its  promi- 
nent men.    He  married  Sarah  Rowe. 


329 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


(V)  Mary  Gove,  daughter  of  Enoch 
and  Sarah  (Rowe)  Gove,  was  born  Octo- 
ber 28,  1752.  She  married  Joseph  Perkins, 
of  South  Weare.     (See  Perkins  IV.) 

(The   Worthen    Line). 

{!)  Samuel  Worthen,  according  to  the 
muster  roll  of  South  Weare  during  the 
Revolutionary  War,  was  twenty-six  years 
of  age  on  July  11,  1775,  on  which  date  he 
was  enrolled  as  a  member  of  Captain  John 
Parker's  company  and  Colonel  Timothy 
Bedell's  regiment,  which  was  at  the  siege 
of  St.  John  on  the  Sorel,  and  was  present 
at  the  surrender.  He  saw  very  active 
service  during  the  war.  His  name  appears 
on  the  list  of  signers  of  the  "Association 
Test,"  dated  June  6,  1776.  He  served  two 
months  in  1776  for  which,  with  others,  he 
was  allowed  one  dollar  per  month.  His 
name  is  also  found  on  a  list  of  men  who 
went  to  Fort  Edward  in  1777  with  the 
Continental  army.  Prior  to  1795  he  built 
a  saw  mill  on  site  30  on  Huse  Brook.  It 
was  run  by  his  sons  for  several  years  and 
went  out  of  use  about  1820.  His  wife  was 
Deborah  (Perkins)  \\'orthen. 

(II)  Ruth  Worthen,  daughter  of  Sam- 
uel and  Deborah  Worthen,  was  born  June 
29,  1774,  and  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-two 
years.  She  married  Benjamin  Perkins,  of 
South  Weare.     (See  Perkins  V.) 


TOMLINSON,  William  Augustus, 

Business  Man. 

The  Tomlinsons  have  held  a  place  of 
prominence  in  Connecticut  for  more  than 
a  century  and  a  half.  Fairfield  county  has 
been  its  principal  seat  during  this  period, 
though  branches  have  spread  outside  its 
bounds.  The  name  is  of  baptizmal  origin, 
taking  its  rise  from  the  nickname  Tom, 
and  the  diminutive  -lin.  and  means  liter- 
ally "the  son  of  Thomas."  The  Tomlin- 
son   family   in   England  belonged   to   the 


landed  gentry,  the  class  next  below  the 
nobility,  and  they  were  descended  from  a 
member  of  the  nobility  of  ducal  rank.  To 
this  early  ancestor  was  granted  a  coat-of- 
arms  of  which  an  ancient  print  is  still  ex- 
tant, bearing  the  inscription:  "He  beareth 
Sable  a  Fess  between  three  Ravens  Ris- 
ing Argent  By  the  Name  of  Tomlinson.'" 
Another  description  is  as  follows  :  Arms  : 
Sable  a  fesse  between  three  falcons  rising 
or.  Crest :  Out  of  a  ducal  coronet  or,  a 
griffin's  head  argent. 

George  Tomlinson,  father  of  Henry 
Tomlinson,  the  immigrant  ancestor  of  the 
American  branch  of  the  old  English  fam- 
ily of  the  name,  lived  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, where  the  name  runs  back  into  his- 
tory several  hundred  years.  He  removed 
to  Derby,  where  his  son  was  bred  to  the 
trade  of  weaver.  In  the  records  in  the 
Parish  Register  of  St.  Werburgh,  in  Der- 
by, Derbyshire,  England,  there  is  a  record 
which  says  that  "George  Tomlinson  was 
married  to  Maria  Hyde,  in  January,  1600, 
at  St.  Peter's  Church.''  The  following 
record  was  also  found:  "Henry  Tomlin- 
son, son  of  George  and  Maria  Tomlinson. 
was  baptized  at  St.  Peter's  Church,  in 
November,  1606." 

Henry  Tomlinson,  immigrant  ancestor 
and  progenitor  of  the  family  in  the  Xew 
World,  came  to  America  with  his  wife 
Alice,  and  very  likely  two  or  three  chil- 
dren, and  settled  in  Milford,  Connecticut. 
1652.  He  was  baptized  in  Derby,  Derby- 
shire, England,  in  November,  1606.  It  is 
said  that  he  went  first  to  New  Haven 
and  to  Milford  from  that  colony.  We  find 
record  in  early  annals  of  the  New  Haven 
Colony  of  one  Thomas  Tomlinson,  who 
took  the  freeman's  oath  there,  April,  1644, 
but  it  has  never  been  determined  whether 
or  not  he  was  a  kinsman  of  Henry  Tom- 
linson. There  was  a  Robert  Tomlinson 
of  Milford  whose  wife  was  dismissed  from 
the  church  there  to  unite  with  the  church 


330 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


at  Stratford,  Connecticut,  in  1648,  and  a 
William  Tomlinson  settled  at  Derby,  Con- 
necticut, in  1677.  It  has  been  said  that  he 
was  a  nephew  of  Henry,  and  came  with 
him  to  America,  but  this  is  doubtful,  as 
the  will  of  Jonas  Tomlinson  shows  that 
William  was  born  in  1643,  and  therefore 
must  have  been  quite  young  when  Henry 
came  to  Milford.  On  December  g,  1652. 
Henry  Tomlinson  was  given  a  tract  of 
land  by  the  General  Court,  where  he  car- 
ried on  his  trade  of  weaver.  December 
16,  1652,  he  took  the  oath  of  fidelity,  and 
at  the  same  time  was  given  another  grant 
of  land  by  the  court.  He  was  elected 
"keeper  of  the  ordinary"  at  Milford,  by 
the  town,  but  the  article  of  agreement 
could  not  have  been  very  clear,  for  when 
he  claimed  the  house  as  his  property,  both 
Alexander  Bryan,  of  whom  the  property 
was  obtained,  and  the  town,  disputed  the 
claim.  The  matter  was  settled  in  court. 
June  13,  1654,  he,  with  Ensign  .Alexander 
Bryan  and  Mr.  East,  were  summoned  to 
the  court  at  New  Haven  for  nonpayment 
of  duties  on  imported  twines.  Although 
the  other  two  paid  the  fines,  he  made 
opposition,  declaring  that  he  had  paid  all 
legal  duties.  Under  a  legal  process  he 
brought  about  the  arrest  of  the  Governor 
of  the  New  Haven  Colony,  believing  that 
the  Governor  had  acted  over  his  author- 
ity. For  this  he  was  called  before  the 
court  and  fined  £100  but  this  seems  to 
have  been  only  a  show  of  honor  for  the 
Governor,  since  the  payment  was  never 
demanded.  In  1656  Henry  Tomlinson  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Stratford,  Con- 
necticut, and  on  April  i,  1657,  he  pur- 
chased the  estate  of  Joshua  Atwater, 
which  had  been  purchased  from  William 
Ouenby,  one  of  the  original  proprietors 
of  the  town.  In  1668  he  and  Joseph  Haw- 
ley  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Der- 
by from  the  Indians,  and  he  gave  most 
of   this   land   to  his   son,   Jonas,   and   his 


family  and  descendants  resided  on  it  for 
several  generations.  In  1671  he  and 
others  bought  a  large  piece  of  land  from 
the  Indians,  at  Weantinock,  now  New 
Milford,  Connecticut.  There  was  enough 
land  for  a  township  in  his  share  of  the 
property,  and  he  gave  it  to  his  sons,  who, 
however,  never  gained  possession  of  it 
because  of  trouble  with  the  Indians,  and 
the  General  Court.  At  a  town  meeting  at 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  January  2,  1670, 
he  was  chosen  keeper  of  an  "ordinary," 
and  he  remained  in  this, post  for  several 
years.  He  died  at  Stratford,  March  16, 
1681,  leaving  a  widow,  two  sons,  and  five 
daughters.  He  was  probably  buried  in 
the  first  burying  ground  adjoining  the 
first  meeting  house  near  Sandy  Hollow. 
His  will,  dated  March  15.  1680-81,  was 
proved   April   28,    1681.      He   married    in 

England,    Alice    ,    who    after    his 

death  married  (second)  John  Birdsey,  Sr., 
in  1688,  and  died  January  25,  1698.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren: I.  Abraham,  born  in  England,  and 
died  on  his  way  to  America.  2.  Jonas, 
settled  in  Derby.  3.  Margaret,  born  about 
1642.  4.  Mary,  died  September  25,  1715. 
5.  Tabitha.  married  Edward  Wooster.  of 
Derby,  in  1669.  6.  Phebe,  born  August 
14,  1656.  7.  Agur,  resided  in  Derby,  and 
in  Stratford,  where  he  died.  8.  Bathsheba, 
born  January  3,  1661.  9.  Abraham,  born 
May  30,  1662,  died  the  same  day. 

Through  Jonas  Tomlinson  and  Lieuten- 
ant Agur  Tomlinson,  sons  of  the  founder, 
Henry  Tomlinson,  have  descended  a  long 
progeny  which  has  gained  prominence  in 
many  phases  of  life  in  Connecticut.  Mil- 
ford, Stratford,  and  other  towns  of  Fair- 
field have  been  the  seats  of  branches  of 
the  family  for  several  generations.  Ox- 
ford. Connecticut,  has  been  the  home  of 
the  branch  of  which  the  later  William 
Augustus  Tomlinson  was  a  member  for 
more    than    a    century.     The   family   has 


331 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


given  a  Governor  to  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut, and  has  rendered  valuable  serv- 
ices in  public  offices. 

Clarke  Tomlinson,  to  whom  the  line  has 
been  directly  traced,  was  a  member  of  one 
of  the  very  old  branches  of  the  Tomlinson 
family  which  had  its  seat  in  the  town  of 
Oxford,  Connecticut.  He  was  a  farmer 
on  an  extensive  scale,  and  the  owner  of 
much  property  in  the  vicinity.  He  was 
well  known  and  highly  respected  in  the 
town,  and  was  active  in  its  life,  though 
taking  no  active  part  in  public  affairs. 
He  married  Sarah  Hawkins,  and  they 
were  the  parents  of  the  William  Augustus 
Tomlinson,  mentioned  at  length  below. 

William  Augustus  Tomlinson,  son  of 
Clarke  and  Sarah  (Hawkins)  Tomlinson, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Oxford,  Con- 
necticut, October  30,  1827.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  local  public  schools,  and  sub- 
sequently attended  the  high  school.  After 
his  graduation  he  devoted  his  entire  time 
and  attention  to  the  grocery  business  in 
Bridgeport.  He  was  highly  respected  as 
a  man  and  as  a  citizen  in  Bridgeport,  and 
held  a  prominent  place  in  fraternal  and 
social  activities  in  the  city.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  order.  Mr.  Tom- 
linson was  affiliated  with  the  Republican 
party  and  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  its 
principles  and  policies,  though  allowing 
party  lines  to  have  no  entry  into  his  vote 
when  the  question  of  fittness  for  office 
arose. 

William  Augustus  Tomlinson  married, 
October  11,  1853,  in  Trumbull,  Connecti- 
cut, Melissa  Wheeler,  daughter  of  Walker 
and  Rebecca  (Sherwood)  Wheeler.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren:  I.  Walker  Sherwood  Tomlinson, 
born  July  25,  1856;  is  to-day  a  success- 
ful merchant  and  wholesale  grocer.  2. 
William  Augustus.  Jr.,  mentioned  below. 

William  Augustus  Tomlinson,  Sr.,  died 
on  February  25.  1900.     His  widow,  Mrs. 


Melissa  Tomlinson,  survives  him,  and  re- 
sides in  the  city  of  Bridgeport,  Connecti- 
cut. 

William  Augustus  Tomlinson,  Jr.,  late 
figure  of  prominence  in  the  musical  world 
of  Xew  England,  a  singer  of  note  in  the 
larger  cities  of  Connecticut,  was  the  son 
of  William  Augustus,  Sr.,  and  Melissa 
(Wheeler)  Tomlinson,  and  was  born  Oc- 
tober 2,  1876.  He  was  connected  with 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Bridgeport 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  given  a 
liberal  education,  and  early  in  life  formed 
the  determination  to  follow  a  musical  ca- 
reer, training  under  well  known  singers 
and  teachers  for  the  profession.  He  sub- 
quently  attained  much  prominence  in  the 
musical  centers  of  New  England,  and  be- 
came a  well  known  singer,  appearing  fre- 
quently in  Xew  York  City  in  the  famous 
choirs  and  musical  societies  of  the  me- 
tropolis. He  was  especially  well  known 
in  bodies  which  devoted  themselves  solely 
to  sacred  music,  and  sang  often  in  the 
churches  of  the  city  of  Bridgeport,  where 
he  made  his  home.  Mr.  Tomlinson  con- 
ducted a  studio  in  the  Segal  Building  in 
Bridgeport.  Prior  to  his  entering  the 
musical  profession  he  was  engaged  for  a 
short  period  in  the  piano  business. 

William  Augustus  Tomlinson  died  in 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  January  14, 
1916.  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  a  com- 
paratively young  man  in  the  prime  of  life. 
His  death  was  greatly  mourned,  not  only 
in  professional  circles,  but  in  a  circle  of 
friends  by  no  means  small. 


BECKWITH,  Oliver  Russell, 

Lairyer,  Aetna  Insnrance  Company  Connsel. 

Oliver  Russell  Beckwith,  graduate  at 
law  of  Cornell  University,  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1899,  and,  at  the  present  employed 
as  counsel  to  the  Accident  and  Liability 
Department  of  the  ^tna  Life  Insurance 


332 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Company,  and  also  to  the  /Etna-  Casualty 
and  Surety  Company,  Hartford,  was  born 
in  Canton,  Connecticut,  on  July  15,  1877, 
the  son  of  Oliver  Allyn  and  Carrie  (Perry) 
Beckwith. 

The  family  of  Beckwith  has  been  known, 
in  many  generations  prominently  known, 
in  America  since  early  colonial  days,  and 
the  Beckwith  genealogy  brings  into  the 
family  relation  many  persons  whose  lives 
were  worthy  of  creditable  record  in  Amer- 
ican history.  Such  names  as  Richard 
Smith,  of  Saybrook ;  Thomas  Harvey,  of 
Taunton  ;  Wolston  Brockway,  of  Lyme  ; 
and  Robert  Royse,  are  frequently  en- 
countered by  students  of  early  Connec- 
ticut and  New  England  history. 

Lower,  an  authority  on  England  patro- 
nymics, states,  regarding  the  origin  of  the 
name  Beckwith :  "The  last  syllable  is  a 
corruption  of  worth.  Most  of  the  armig- 
erous  families  of  the  name  spring  from 
Yorkshire,  and  Beckwith,  a  hamlet  in  the 
parish  of  Pannal,  in  that  county,  is  prob- 
ably the  cradle  of  the  race.  It  is  said  that 
the  original  name  of  the  family  was  Mal- 
bie,  or  Malbysse,  and  that  it  was  changed 
to  Beckwith,  temp.  Henry  III."  The 
name  is  evidently  a  compound.  The  Rev. 
Isaac  Taylor,  another  English  writer  on 
the  significance  of  names,  says  "the  word 
beck  signifies  a  brook,  and  that  the  An- 
glo-Saxon Weorthig,  of  which  the  modern 
English  rendering  is  worth,  denotes  a 
place  warded,  or  protected.  Therefore, 
the  name  Beckwith  would  seem  to  signify 
a  protected  brook,  or  an  enclosed  field 
through  which  a  brook  ran."  When  sur- 
names originally  came  into  general  use, 
it  was  the  common  practice  to  adopt  the 
name  of  the  locality  where  a  family  was 
seated,  as  a  patronymic.  The  seat  of  the 
Beckwith  family  was  probably  the  hamlet 
of  that  designation  in  Yorkshire.  Eng- 
land ;  it  has  been  authenticated  that  from 
that  county  came  Matthew  Beckwith, 
progenitor    of    the    Beckwith    family    in 


America,  and  it  has  been  rendered  a 
strong  probability  that  the  said  Matthew 
Beckwith  was  of  the  line  of  Sir  Hugh  de 
Malebisse  who,  according  to  the  "Domes- 
day Book,"  held  lands  granted  him  by 
William  the  Conqueror.  Sir  Hugh  de 
Malebisse  had  three  sons,  who,  marrying, 
established  lines  from  which  came,  with 
the  generations,  numerous  descendants ; 
but  while  the  Beckwith  genealogy  is  quite 
complete  from  a  certain  early  generation, 
it  does  not  directly  establish  beyond  per- 
adventure  Matthew  Beckwith  as  in  lineal 
descent  from  Sir  Hugh  de  Malebisse. 

Matthew  Beckwith  was  born  in  Ponte- 
fract,  Yorkshire,  September  22,  1610. 
State  archives  substantiate  the  fact  that 
he  was  a  resident  in  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, in  the  year  1639;  and  that  he  pur- 
chased land  in  that  locality  from  William 
Pratt  in  1645.  In  1651-52  he  removed  to 
New  London  and  Lyme,  and  there  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  death  was 
tragic,  resulting  from  a  fall  over  a  preci- 
pice in  the  darkness  of  the  night  of  De- 
cember 13,  1681.  His  widow  Mary  mar- 
ried Samuel  Buckland.  Matthew  Beck- 
with participated  in  the  division  of  lands 
in  New  London,  and  later,  when  the  town 
of  Lyme  was  set  ofif,  it  was  discovered 
that  while  his  house  was  in  New  London 
most  of  his  landed  property  was  in  the 
town  of  Lyme.  Later  he  purchased  large 
tracts  of  land  on  the  Niantic  river.  Evi- 
dently a  man  of  enterprise,  he  was  re- 
sponsible for  the  building  of  the  first 
vessel  launched  at  New  London,  the  firm 
of  Mould  &  Coit  building  to  his  order  the 
bark  "Endeavor,"  which  was  sailed  in  the 
trade  with  Barbadoes,  the  vessel  passing 
out  of  the  possession  of  Matthew  Beck- 
with in  1666,  in  exchange  "for  a  cargo  of 
sugar."  The  estate  of  Matthew  Beckwith 
was  after  his  death  appraised  at  £293  los., 
indicating  him  to  have  ranked  among  the 
well-circumstanced  class  of  that  day. 

Matthew    Beckwith,    son    of    Matthew 


333 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  Mary  Beckwith,  was  born  about  1637. 
He  reached  the  age  of  ninety  years,  his 
death  occurring  at  Lyme  on  June  4,  1727. 
With  his  first  wife,  Elizaljeth,  he  hved 
at  Guilford,  and  while  there  aided  in 
founding  the  Guilford  church.  His  time 
was  mainly  spent  at  sea,  but  he  appears 
to  have  been  a  resident  of  W'aterford, 
Connecticut,  in  1658,  for  in  that  year  he 
was  made  a  freeman  there.  He  died  at 
New  London,  most  probably  on  the  estate 
inherited  from  his  father. 

Jonah  Beckwith,  son  of  Matthew  and 
Elizabeth  Beckwith,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Connecticut,  on  December  2~, 
1673,  «i"d  there,  on  April  26,  1696,  mar- 
ried Rebecca .    He  was  a  deacon  in 

the  church  at  Lyme.  The  date  of  his 
death  has  not  been  ascertained,  but  rec- 
ords show  that  his  estate  was  admin- 
istered in  1744. 

Phillips  Beckwith,  son  of  Jonah  and 
Rebecca  Beckwith,  was  born  in  Lyme, 
Connecticut,  and  there  married,  on  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1732,  Abigail  Harvey,  who  was 
born  June  13,  1712,  the  daughter  of  Thom- 
as Harvey.  On  April  14,  1758.  he  enlisted 
in  Captain  Timothy  Mather's  company. 
Third  Regiment,  Connecticut  forces,  and 
took  part  in  the  Ticonderoga  expedition, 
dying  in  the  service  on  June  loth  of  that 
year. 

Thomas  Harvey,  father  of  Abigail,  wife 
of  Phillips  Beckwith.  was  born  in  Taun- 
ton, Massachusetts,  in  1678.  He  came 
with  his  parents  to  reside  in  New  London 
in  1682,  crossing  the  line  into  Lyme  in 
1687,  in  which  place  he  lived  until  his 
death  in  March,  1725.  His  wife,  whom 
he  married  on  November  25,  1702,  was 
Abigail,  who  was  born  about  1680,  daugh- 
ter of  Richard  Smith  (2nd),  and  his  wife 
Elizabeth.  Richard  Smith  (2nd)  was 
granted  land  in  Lyme  in  1679-80-87-8S. 
He  married,  about  1675,  and  died  in  1720, 
his   wife   having   predeceased   him.      His 


father,  Rrchard  Smith,  was  an  inhabitant 
of  that  part  of  Saybrook  which  later  was 
included  in  the  town  of  Lyme.  Land  was 
allotted  to  him  in  1674;  in  1678-79  he 
was  deputy  to  the  General  Court ;  was 
constable  in  1682 ;  and  died  prior  to 
March,  1688,  survived  by  his  wife  Joanna 
and  several  children. 

John  Harvey,  father  of  Thomas  Har- 
vey, was  born  in  Taunton.  Massachusetts, 
in  about  1647.  Shortly  after  his  mother's 
marriage  to  her  third  husband,  Thomas 
Lincoln,  John  Har\'ey  went  to  live  with 
his  eldest  brother,  and  engaged  with  him 
in  farming.  About  1673-74  he  removed 
to  Charlestown,  and  was  there  at  the 
outbreak  of  King  Philip's  War.     In  the 

fall  of  1675  he  married  Elizabeth  , 

of  Taunton,  and  in  November  of  that 
year  enlisted  in  Major  Appleton's  bat- 
talion, which  went  from  Dedham  to  the 
Narragansett  country.  John  Harvey  was 
"wounded  but  not  disabled"  during  the 
"Great  Swamp  Fight."  Soon  he  was  able 
to  return  to  his  wife,  and  they  remained 
in  Taunton  until  1681,  when  they  moved 
to  New  London,  Connecticut.  When  the 
boundary  line  between  New  London  and 
Lyme  was  delineated,  it  was  known  that 
his  property  was  in  Lyme,  so  that  there- 
after he  was  considered  a  resident  of 
Lyme.  He  died  there  on  January  18, 
1705,  nine  days  after  the  demise  of  his 
wife  Elizabeth. 

His  father,  Thomas  Harvey,  was  born 
in  Somersetshire.  England,  in  1617;  came 
to  Dorchester,  Massachusetts,  in  1636; 
settled  at  Cohannet,  1638.  Being  at  that 
time  still  in  his  minority,  he  could  not  be 
one  of  the  "first  and  ancient  purchasers,'' 
but  he  was  one  of  thirteen  persons  who 
between  1639  and  1642  were  admitted  as 
proprietors  of  Taunton  upon  payment  of 
twelve  shillings  each.  About  the  year 
1642  he  married  Elizabeth  Andrews,  of 
Taunton,   who  was  born   in   England   in 


334 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1614.  Thomas  Harvey  died  in  Taunton 
in  1651,  but  his  widow  survived  him  for 
sixty-six  years.  She  reached  the  age  of 
one  hundred  and  three  years,  dying  at 
Taunton  in  1717.  She  was  twice  married 
after  the  decease  of  her  first  husband, 
Thomas  Harvey.  Thomas  Harvey  died 
in  Somersetshire,  prior  to  1647. 

The  Harvey  family  name  dates  back  to 
the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest,  and 
the  direct  ancestry  of  the  American  fam- 
ily has  been  lineally  traced  to  Humphrey 
Harvey,  of  Brockley,  Somersetshire,  who 
died  January  4,  1526. 

Thomas  Beckwith.  son  of  Phillips  and 
Abigail  (Harvey)  Beckwith,  was  born 
about  1747,  in  Lyme,  Connecticut,  and 
died  in  Burlington,  Connecticut,  Octo- 
ber 22,  1829.  About  1768  he  married  Par- 
nell,  who  was  born  in  1748  and  died  June 
4,  1826,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Wolston 
Brockway.  In  1780  they  moved  from 
East  Haddam  to  West  Britain,  where  in 
1783  Thomas  Beckwith  became  deacon  of 
the  Rev.  Jonas  Miller's  church  there. 

Wolston  Brockway  was  born  about 
1723;  married,  in  1744,  Dorcas  Weeden. 
He  removed  from  Branford  to  Sharon  in 
1752,  where  he  resided  until  his  death  in 
1831.  His  father,  Samuel  Brockway,  was 
born  at  Lyme,  Connecticut,  February  10, 
1691-92.  He  settled  in  Branford  prior  to 
January  21,  1734-35.  His  father,  Wolston 
Brockway,  was  born  in  Lyme,  Connec- 
ticut, February  7,  1667-68 ;  married,  De- 
cember 4,  1688,  Margaret ;  died  in 

Lyme  early  in  1707.  His  widow  married 
Thomas  Funis,  and  reached  the  age  of 
seventy-three,  her  demise  occurring  on 
January  17,  1738-39.  His  father,  Wolston 
Brockway,  was  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  America.  On  July  10,  1714,  he  stated 
his  age  as  "seventy  years  or  thereabouts," 
and  that  he  had  dwelt  in  I,yme  for  fifty 
years.  On  December  3,  1659,  he  pur- 
chased a  house  with  barn  and  some  land 


for  the  sum  of  twenty  dollars,  and  if  at 
that  time  beyond  his  minority,  which  is 
considered  a  probability,  the  year  of  his 
birth  would  be  approximately  1638.  In 
November,  1717,  his  estate  was  probated, 
and  his  name  is  found  on  many  instru- 
ments relating  to  real  estate.  He  was  a 
"planter,"  and  in  two  deeds  is  described 
as  a  cooper.  During  his  life  he  was  hon- 
ored by  election  to  many  town  offices. 
His  first  wife  was  Hannah  Briggs,  widow 
of  John  Harris,  of  Boston,  where  she  was 
born  on  August  28,  1642.  She  died  in 
Lyme,  Connecticut,  February  6,  1687-88, 
and  was  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  Briggs,  who,  excepting  for  a  period 
of  three  or  four  years  in  the  decade  1680- 
90  when  they  were  at  Lyme,  were  resi- 
dents of  Boston. 

Harvey  Beckwith,  son  of  Thomas  and 
Parnell  (Brockway)  Beckwith,  was  born 
in  1782,  and  later  in  life  lived  in  the  town 
of  Burlington. 

His  son,  Lot  Beckwith,  was  born  in 
Burlington  and  lived  there  in  his  early 
manhood.  From  there  he  moved  to  New- 
ington,  and  still  later  became  a  resident 
of  Canton,  where  he  died.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  clock  salesmen  to  travel  through 
the  Southern  States,  exhibiting  what  was 
then  a  novel  mechanism.  Later,  when  he 
settled  in  Canton,  he  became  a  farmer. 
He  married  Marian  Allyn,  daughter  of  a 
sea  captain. 

Oliver  Allyn  Beckwith,  son  of  Lot  and 
Marian  (Allyn)  Beckwith,  was  born  in 
Burlington,  Connecticut,  in  1826.  His 
business  was  always  that  of  a  merchant. 
In  i860  he  opened  a  store  of  his  own  in 
Collinsville,  which  he  operated  until  1879, 
when  he  became  manager  of  the  book  and 
stamp  department  of  the  Banner  Tobacco 
Company  of  Detroit.  After  a  while  he 
returned  to  Hartford,  and  was  employed 
for  several  years  by  the  firm  of  Isaac 
Hill's    Sons,    wholesale    boot    and    shoe 


335 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


dealers.  While  living  in  Collinsville,  he 
was  for  a  period  a  deputy  sheriff  of  the 
county.  His  wife  was  Sarah  J.  Thomp- 
son. She  died  in  1894,  and  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  Silas  and  Rosanna  (Royce)  Thomp- 
son, of  Hartford.  Silas  Thompson  was 
the  son  of  Asa  Thompson,  a  native  of 
Cheshire.  He  married  Sarah,  daughter 
of  Captain  Ephraim  Cook,  who  served 
during  the  Revolutionary  War.  Asa 
Thompson  followed  the  sea,  and  died 
about  1800,  of  yellow  fever,  aboard  a  ship 
while  in  New  York.  Rosanna  Royce,  who 
married  Silas  Thompson,  was  a  daughter 
of  Miles  Royce,  who  was  born  in  Bristol, 
Connecticut,  in  1806.  In  1834  he  traveled 
through  the  Great  Lakes  to  Chicago, 
which  at  that  time  was  merely  a  trading 
post  in  a  swamp  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Chicago  river,  and  located  southwest  of 
Chicago  at  what  is  now  Plainfield,  where 
he  manufactured  agricultural  implements. 
In  1836  he  married  Sarah  Goodline  Gil- 
man,  who  had  been  in  the  west  for  two 
years  as  a  pioneer  missionary.  She  was 
born  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  1808, 
but  her  parents  soon  moved  to  Meredith. 
New  Hampshire,  where  she  grew  up. 
Miles  Royce  was  a  descendant  of  Robert 
Royce,  who  came  from  England  to  Bos- 
ton in  1631,  settled  in  Stratford,  Connec- 
ticut, in  1644,  and  in  New  London  in  1657, 
being  one  of  the  founders  of  that  town. 
Later  he  moved  to  Wallingford. 

Oliver  Allyn  Beckwith,  Jr.,  son  of 
Oliver  Allyn  and  Sarah  J.  (Thompson) 
Beckwith,  was  born  in  Bristol,  Connecti- 
cut, July  18,  1851,  and  died  November  2, 
1914.  He  was  graduated  from  Williston 
Seminary  and.  after  leaving  school,  he 
followed  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father,  his 
business  being  that  of  a  merchant  during 
all  his  active  life.  For  the  greater  part 
his  business  connections  were  in  Union- 
ville,  Connecticut,  but  when  a  young  man 
he  was  for  a  time  employed  by  the  Michi- 


gan Stove  Company  of  Detroit,  Michigan. 
He  was  for  several  years  treasurer  of  the 
town  of  Farmington.  He  married  twice, 
his  first  wife  being  Carrie  O.,  daughter  of 
George  Perry,  of  Detroit.  They  had  one 
child,  Oliver  Russell  Beckwith.  The  sec- 
ond wife  of  Olive  Allyn  Beckwith,  Jr. 
was  Martha  E.,  daughter  of  George  H. 
Fuller,  of  Unionville,  by  whom  two  chil- 
dren were  born  to  him :  Royce  Edward, 
and  Olivette  M. 

Oliver  R.  Beckwith,  son  of  Oliver  .\llyn 
and  Carrie  O.  (Perry)  Beckwith,  attended 
the  public  schools  and  high  school  of  Col- 
linsville. At  the  end  of  his  junior  year 
in  the  high  school,  he  entered  Cornell 
University,  in  the  course  in  mechanical 
engineering.  At  the  end  of  two  years  he 
entered  the  Cornell  Law  School,  and  was 
graduated  in  law  with  the  class  of  1898. 
Returning  to  Hartford,  he  entered  the  law 
office  of  the  late  T.  M.  Maltbie,  Esq.,  and 
in  1899  was  admitted  to  practice.  Until 
1905  he  engaged  in  general  practice,  but 
in  that  year  he  was  employed  in  the  legal 
department  of  the  Travelers'  Insurance 
Company.  He  remained  with  that  com- 
pany until  1910,  when  he  resigned,  and 
during  the  same  year  entered  the  employ- 
ment of  the  Aetna  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany. 

While  living  in  Canton,  Mr.  Beckwith 
was  for  two  years  a  member  of  the  town 
school  committee,  being  the  chairman  for 
one  year.  He  also  held  the  office  of  judge 
of  probate  in  that  town  for  three  years. 
Since  1912  he  has  been  clerk  and  treasurer 
of  the  East  Side  Fire  District  of  W^est 
Hartford.  His  fraternal  and  social  affili- 
ations include  membership  in  the  Theta 
Delta  Chi  and  Chancery  fraternities  at 
Cornell,  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars,  the 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  the 
Hartford  Club  and  the  Hartford  Golf 
Club.  In  1904  Mr.  Beckwith  enlisted  in 
Company  K,  of  the  Connecticut  National 


336 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Guard,  the  following  year  receiving  ap- 
pointment as  first  battalion  adjutant.  He 
resigned  in  1906. 

On  June  20,  1905,  Mr.  Beckwith  mar- 
ried Sarah  Upson,  born  June  i,  1879,  the 
daughter  of  Charles  Chauncey  Goodrich, 
of  Hartford.  To  them  were  born  four 
children :  Oliver  Russell,  Jr.,  born  June 
23,  1906,  who  died  July  13,  1913;  Philip 
Van  Dyck,  born  March  27,  1908;  Eleanor 
Van  Dyck,  born  December  16,  191 1; 
Corinne,  born  June  i,  1914. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beckwith  are  members  of 
St.  John's  Episcopal  Church  of  Hartford. 


NICHOLS,  Stephen  M., 

Civil  War  Soldier,  Business  Man. 

The  name  of  Nichols  is  a  very  ancient 
one,  and  undoubtedly  belongs  to  that 
class  of  patronymics  which  have  been  de- 
rived from  given  names  through  abbre- 
viations or  nicknames  of  these  latter; 
thus,  Nichols  comes  from  Nick,  or  Nichol, 
the  nickname  of  Nicholas,  and  which 
probably  originally  signified  the  son  of 
Nicholas.  We  find  it,  as  is  the  case  with 
ancient  names,  under  a  great  variety  of 
forms,  such  as  Nichols,  Nicholl,  Nicholls, 
Nicholes,  Nickalls,  Nickels,  Nicholds, 
Nickoles,  Nicolson  and  many  others.  The 
family,  which  has  been  represented  for 
many  generations  in  America,  indeed, 
since  the  earliest  colonial  period,  may  be 
traced  back  prior  to  that  time  in  England 
to  one   Robert   Nichols  of   London.     He 

married  Elizabeth  or  Isabel  .     His 

death  occurred  in  1548,  and  he  left  a  man- 
sion in  London  with  large  landed  estates. 
Three  sons  and  a  grandson  are  mentioned 
in  his  will,  the  sons  being  Thomas,  who 
is  mentioned  below :  John,  and  Thomas, 
the  younger. 

His  son  Thomas  married  Elizabeth 
Popplewell,  and  died  in  1561.  His  will 
was  dated  October  11,  1558,  and  he  left 
Conn— 3-22  337 


real  estate  in  various  parishes  in  London, 
Tottenhall,  Tottenhall  Court,  and  other 
places,  to  his  sons.  Besides  family  leg- 
acies he  bequeathed  £100  each  to  the  four 
hospitals  of  London  and  smaller  bequests 
appear  to  other  charities.  To  him  and  his 
wife  four  children  were  born  as  follows : 
Robert,  Antony,  who  is  mentioned  below  ; 
Richard  and  John. 

Antony,  son  of  Thomas  Nichols,  mar- 
ried Mary  Waldron,  of  Say,  Somerset 
county.  On  the  monument  of  his  daugh- 
ter Elizabeth  he  is  mentioned  as  living  in 
Paddington,  now  a  part  of  London.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Francis,  mentioned  below ;  Antony, 
William  and  Elizabeth. 

His  son  Francis  married  Margaret,  a 
daughter  of  Sir  George  Bruce,  of  Car- 
nock,  who  was  a  son  of  Robert  Bruce. 
Edward  Bruce,  father  of  Robert,  was  born 
in  1656,  and  was  a  son  of  Sir  Robert 
Bruce.  He  was  a  son  of  Sir  David  Bruce, 
born  in  1497.  Sir  David  Bruce  was  a  son 
of  Sir  David  Bruce,  who  was  a  son  of  Sir 
Robert  Bruce,  born  1393.  Sir  Robert 
Bruce  was  a  son  of  Sir  Edward  Bruce. 
His  father,  Robert  Bruce,  of  Clackmanan, 
was  born  1367,  a  son  of  King  Robert 
Bruce,  who  was  born  1334.  In  1613  the 
custody  of  the  Great  Park  at  Ampthill  in 
Bedfordshire  was  granted  to  Sir  George 
Bruce,  Margaret's  father,  the  honor  of 
Ampthill  being  vested  in  the  crown. 
Under  this  arrangement  the  Nichols  fam- 
ily for  many  years  leased  the  great  Amp- 
thill Park  under  the  Bruces,  and  lived  at 
the  great  lodge  or  capitol  mansion,  as  it 
was  called  then.  It  is  occupied  now  by 
Lady  Ampthill,  one  of  the  late  Queen 
Victoria's  ladies-in-waiting,  and  it  is 
called  by  the  villagers  "the  Park  House." 
Francis  Nichols  is  called  in  the  pedigree 
of  1628,  of  the  Middle  Temple,  one  of  the 
squires  of  the  Bath.  He  was  buried  at 
Ampthill,  about  forty  miles  from  London. 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


The  will  of  his  wife  Margaret  was  dated 
April  20,  165 1,  and  William  Nichols,  dean 
of  Chester,  and  her  "ancient  servant," 
Thomas  Green,  alias  Hodson,  were  ex- 
ecutors, and  she  left  everything  to  her 
son  Francis.  In  a  will  found  on  file  in 
the  prerogative  court,  Canterbury,  Eng- 
land, there  is  a  legacy  to  Francis  and  his 
wife.  It  is  the  will  of  Sir  William  Cra- 
ford,  Knight,  of  Beckerings  Park,  Bed- 
fordshire, dated  February  24,  1634,  and 
proved  May  28,  1636:  "To  Margaret 
Bruce,  wife  of  Francis  Xicholls,  £50. 
Francis  Nicholls,  Esquire,  now  in  the 
Indies,  £150."  Their  children  were:  i. 
Edward,  born  before  1600;  held  military 
office  in  the  Royalist  cause,  and  was  com- 
pelled to  flee  the  country  and  never  re- 
turned ;  died  in  Paris.  2.  Francis,  born 
before  1600,  mentioned  below.  3.  Bruce, 
a  daughter,  married  John  Frecheville 
(baron),  of  Stavely,  Derby;  died  in  1629. 

4.  Richard,  was  governor  of  New  York 
in  1664,  and  returned  to  England  in  1667. 

5.  William,  died  young. 

His  son,  Francis  Nichols,  was  born  in 
England  before  1600.  He  was  the  immi- 
grant ancestor,  and  was  among  the  first 
seventeen  settlers  and  founders  of  Strat- 
ford, Connecticut,  where  he  was  living  as 
early  as  1639.  He  had  a  military  training, 
and  belonged  to  the  Horse  Guards  of  Lon- 
don, it  is  believed.  He  was  a  brother  of 
Colonel  Richard  Nichols,  the  first  Eng- 
lish governor.  In  1639  he  was  chosen  by 
the  General  Court  to  train  and  exercise 
the  men  of  Stratford  in  military  discipline. 
He  owned  land  in  Southold,  Long  Island. 
He  lived  at  Stratford  but  a  short  time, 
and  finally  settled  in  Westchester  county. 
New  York.  Xo  mention  is  made  in  the 
records  of  his  wife  when  he  came  to 
Stratford,  so  he  was  very  likely  a 
widower.  He  married  (second)  in  1645, 
Anna,  a  daughter  of  Deacon  Barnabas 
Wines,    of    Southold,    Long    Island,    by 


whom  he  had  a  daughter.  He  died  in 
1650.  His  estate  was  distributed  among 
his  children  before  his  death.  His  widow 
married  (second)  John  Elton,  a  wealthy 
planter  of  Southold  ;  (third)  Captain  John 
Tooker,  of  Setauket,  Long  Island ; 
(fourth)  Colonel  John  Youngs,  son  of 
Rev.  John  Youngs,  the  first  minister  at 
Southold.  The  children  who  were  born 
in  England  are  as  follows :  John,  Isaac, 
mentioned  below  ;  Caleb  ;  a  daughter,  who 
married  Richard  Mills.  Child  by  the  sec- 
ond marriage :  Anna,  married  Christo- 
pher Youngs,  Jr..  nephew  of  her  step- 
father. 

His  son,  Isaac  Nichols,  was  born  in 
England,  and  died  in  1695,  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut.  He  was  a  deputy  to  the 
General  Assembly  several  terms.  His 
will  was  dated  September  28,  1694,  proved 
November  6,  1695.  He  bequeathed  his 
homestead  and  lands  to  Benjamin  after 
the  death  of  his  wife,  and  states  that  he 
had  given  as  he  was  able  to  his  other 
children.  These  children  are  as  follows: 
( Born   at    Stratford) :     Mary,    February 

2,  1648.  married  Rev.  Israel  Chauncey; 
Sarah,  November  i,  1649,  married  Stephen 
Burritt;  Josiah,  January  29,  1652-53,  mar- 
ried Margaret  Nichols ;  Isaac,  March  12, 
1654,  mentioned  below;  Jonathan,  Decem- 
ber 10,  1655,  married  Hannah  Hawkins; 
Ephraim,  December  15,  1657,  married 
Esther  Hawley,  widow  of  Ebenezer;  Pa- 
tience, February  2,  1660;  Temperance, 
May  17,  1662;  Margery,  November  30, 
1663;  Benjamin,  February  2,  1666,  re- 
moved to  Derby ;  Elizabeth,  born  April  2, 
1668,  married,  July  9,  1691,  Joseph  Webb. 

His  son,  Isaac  Nichols,  was  born  March 
12,  1654.     He  owned  a  house  and  land  at 

Stratford.    He  married  Mary  — ,  who 

died  at  Stratford  in  1690.  He  died  in  1680. 
Their  children  were :    Francis,  born  June 

3,  1676;  Richard,  November  26,  1678,  men- 
tioned below;  Joseph,  November  i,  1680. 


338 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


His  son,  Richard  Nichols,  was  born  in 
Stratford,  November  26,  1678,  and  died 
there  September  20,  1756.  He  married, 
June  3,  1702,  Comfort  Sherman,  who  died 
January  11,  1726-27,  a  daughter  of  Theo- 
philus  Sherman,  of  Wethersfield. 

His  son,  Theophilus  Nichols,  was  born 
at  Stratford,  March  31,  1703,  died  there, 
April  7,  1774,  buried  in  the  old  Stratford 
burying  ground.  He  married,  January  2, 
1724,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Lieutenant  Ebe- 
nezer  Curtis.  She  died  September  26, 
1769. 

His  son,  Philip  Nichols,  was  born  at 
Stratford,  January  5,  1726,  and  died  there. 
May  13,  1807.  He  held  the  office  of 
magistrate  for  several  years.  His  busi- 
ness was  in  horses  and  mules,  exporting 
to  the  West  Indies.  His  will  was  dated 
December  13,  1805,  and  proved  June  9, 
1807.  Inventory  amounted  to  £25,123,  4s. 
9d.  He  was  a  man  of  great  influence,  and 
was  the  holder  of  much  property  in  land 
and  shares.  He  married  (first)  October 
9.  1/53'  Mehitable  Peet;  (second)  Sep- 
tember 9,  1757,  Mary  Prince,  who  died 
May  13,  181 1,  aged  seventy-seven.  They 
were  mem.bers  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal church.  Their  children  were  as 
follows :  (born  at  Stratford,  by  first 
wife):  William,  March  10.  1755,  men- 
tioned below;  Philip,  September  11,  1756. 
Children  by  second  wife  (born  at  Strat- 
ford) :  Mercy,  January  23,  1759;  Lucy, 
April  6,  1761  ;  Hannah,  December  29, 
1762;  Mary,  May  9,  1765;  Richard,  Au- 
gust 5,  1767;  Sarah,  August  19,  1769, 
married  Rev.  Abraham  L.  Clarke ; 
Charles  Theophilus,  July  21,  1771  ;  George 
Kneeland,  December  15,  1773,  died 
young;  George  Kneeland,  Decemebr  26, 
1776. 

His  son,  William  Nichols,  was  born  at 
Stratford,  March  10,  1755,  and  died  at 
Stratford,  July  22,  1837.  He  was  buried 
in  the  Pequonnock  Cemetery.    He  was  a 


farmer  by  occupation  and  an  Episcopalian 
in  religion.  He  married  (first) Ed- 
wards ;  (second)  Huldah  Downs,  of  Red- 
ding, Connecticut ;  children  of  the  first 
wife  were  as  follows :  Sarah,  married 
Isaac  Seeley ;  Philip,  accidentally  shot 
and  killed ;  Mehitable,  married  Asa 
Beardsley ;  Prudence,  married  Captain 
William  Goodsell ;  Hannah,  died  Octo- 
ber 2,  1855,  aged  sixty-seven;  Anna, 
married  Levi  Lyon  ;  Serena,  married  Abi- 
jah    Beardsley;    Betsey,   married    (first) 

George  Remington,  (second)  Pen- 

noyer.  The  children  of  the  second  wife 
were  as  follows:  David,  born  1797;  Wil- 
liam Hanford,  died  January  26,  1838,  aged 
thirty-nine  ;  Wakeman,  1801 ;  Elam,  born 
1802 ;  Stephen,  mentioned  below ;  child, 
who  died  in  infancy  ;  Philip  Edwards,  died 
September  26,  1855,  aged  forty-eight. 

His  son,  Stephen  Nichols,  was  born  at 
Trumbull,  formerly  Stratford,  Connecti- 
cut, September  16,  1804.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  and  he 
had  to  seek  a  home  for  himself.  He  came 
to  Bridgeport  and  lived  with  his  sister, 
working  for  various  farmers.  He  learned 
the  trade  of  shoemaker,  following  it  for 
twenty  years,  but  eventually  returned  to 
farming.  In  politics  he  was  a  Whig  until 
the  party  dissolved,  and  afterwards  be- 
came a  Republican.  He  represented 
Bridgeport  in  the  Connecticut  General 
Assembly  in  1878,  and  was  appointed  to 
the  committee  on  cities  and  boroughs. 
He  was  for  many  years  a  justice  of  the 
peace ;  was  an  assessor,  and  selectman  of 
the  town,  and  member  of  the  common 
council  of  the  city  of  Bridgeport.  He 
married,  March  4,  1829,  Emeline,  daugh- 
ter of  Aaron  Beardsley,  of  Trumbull.  The 
children  born  of  this  union  were  as  fol- 
lows :  Jane  E.,  who  died  young ;  Stephen 
Marcus,  mentioned  below. 

Lieutenant  Stephen  Marcus  Nichols, 
their  son,  was  born  in  Bridgeport,  July 


339 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


lO,  1838,  and  made  that  city  his  home 
during  his  entire  life,  his  death  occurring 
there  July  29,  1870.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation at  the  local  public  schools,  and 
upon  completing  his  studies  at  these  in- 
stitutions engaged  in  a  retail  grocery 
business,  opening  a  first  class  store  on 
Maine  street.  In  this  enterprise  he  met 
with  a  high  degree  of  success  from  the 
outset,  but  all  his  peaceful  pursuits  were 
cut  short,  as  in  the  case  of  so  many  of  his 
countrymen,  by  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War.  He  enlisted  in  Company  D,  Twen- 
ty-third Connecticut  Regiment  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  served  for  one  year  as  first 
lieutenant  in  that  body.  At  the  com- 
pletion of  his  term  of  service  he  returned 
to  the  north  and  there  once  more  resumed 
the  interrupted  grocery  business.  Later, 
however,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Henry  Porter,  and  the  two  engaged  in  a 
crockery  business  on  Wall  street,  Bridge- 
port. He  continued  in  this  line  for  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  and  his  association 
with  Mr.  Porter  was  only  closed  by  his 
death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  but 
thirty-two  years  of  age.  Lieutenant 
Nichols  was  active  in  many  other  re- 
spects besides  that  of  business,  and  was 
a  well  known  figure  in  social  and  fraternal 
circles  in  Bridgeport.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of 
Bridgeport,  and  was  active  in  the  work 
of  that  body.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican, but  he  never  took  any  very 
active  part  in  local  politics  and  was  en- 
tirely free  from  ambition  to  hold  public 
office. 

Lieutenant  Nichols  was  united  in  mar- 
riage, on  Christmas  Day,  1861,  with  Miss 
Julia  Gorham  Hall,  like  himself  a  native 
of  Bridgeport,  where  she  was  born  Octo- 
ber 2,  1836,  in  the  town  of  Trumbull,  and 
a  daughter  of  Alanson  and  Sophia  Shel- 
ton  (Edwards)  Hall.     Mrs.  Nichols  sur- 


vives her  husband,  and  at  present  makes 
her  home  at  No.  727  State  street,  Bridge- 
port. She  is  a  member  of  St.  John's  Epis- 
copal Church,  and  active  in  its  work.  To 
Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  Nichols  two  chil- 
dren were  born  as  follows :  Lizzie  Hall, 
born  February  12,  1863,  died  March  23, 
1891,  and  married  Swan  Brewster,  to 
whom  she  bore  one  child,  Stephen,  who 
died  in  infancy ;  and  Wilbur  Edwards, 
born  in  August,  1864,  and  died  unmarried, 
March  i,  1891. 

In  the  death  of  a  brilliant  young  man 
such  as  Lieutenant  Stephen  Marcus 
Nichols,  whose  career  seems  to  have 
barely  more  than  entered  upon  the  course 
destined  for  it,  the  community  instinc- 
tively feels  that  it  has  sustained  a  loss  ;  but 
when  that  career  is  not  concerned  purely 
with  private  affairs  and  plans,  and  is 
directed  toward  the  benefit  of  his  fellows, 
that  feeling  is  most  legitimately  increased 
until  it  becomes  a  more  personal  sorrow 
than  it  is  the  privilege  of  most  men  to 
enjoy  from  others  than  their  personal 
friends.  But,  indeed,  it  might  be  said  that 
a  very  large  proportion  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens felt  themselves  in  a  measure  the 
friends  of  Lieutenant  Nichols,  whose 
truly  democratic  attitude  towards  other 
men  attracted  all  and  repelled  none.  He 
was  unusually  easy  of  approach,  and  there 
was  no  one  so  mean  but  that  his  hand  was 
held  out  to  him  in  friendship  and  ready 
assistance  in  any  trouble.  This  unusual 
amiability  of  manner  was  supplemented 
by  a  very  real  concern  for  the  welfare  of 
others  less  fortunate  than  himself,  which 
made  him  the  leader  in  many  movements 
undertaken  for  the  common  weal,  for  the 
betterment  of  conditions  in  the  city,  or 
the  promotion  of  social  relations  among 
the  people.  He  was  universally  loved  and 
universally  mourned,  and  most  certainly 
he  deserved  to  be  universally  remem- 
bered. 


340 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


MEIGS,  Hon.  Charles  Edward, 

Lairyer,  Public  Official. 

Among  the  lawyers  in  Connecticut 
whose  reputation  for  soundness  and  in- 
tegrity stands  high,  is  Charles  Edward 
Meigs,  of  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch. 

Judge  Meigs  comes  of  old  New  England 
stock.  Among  some  of  his  direct  ances- 
tors who  were  early  settlers  in  this  coun- 
try, were :  John  Meigs,  who  was  born 
in  Dorsetshire,  England,  coming  to  this 
country  in  1635  and  landing  at  Wey- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  and  in  1635  set- 
tling in  Madison,  Connecticut,  and  from 
whom  are  descended  most  of  the  Meigs 
family  in  America ;  Edward  Riggs,  who 
settled  in  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  in 
1633 :  Henry  Tomlinson,  who  settled  in 
Milford,  Connecticut,  in  1652 ;  Nathaniel 
Bacon,  who  settled  in  Middletown,  Con- 
necticut, in  1655  ;  and  the  Rev.  Jeremiah 
Peck,  who  in  1691  was  the  first  ordained 
pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in 
Waterbury,  Connecticut. 

Judge  Meigs  was  born  on  June  i,  1872, 
at  Oxford,  New  Haven  county,  Connec- 
ticut, being  the  son  of  Charles  A.  and 
Bernice  Riggs  Meigs.  In  1882  Judge 
Meigs'  parents  removed  to  Waterbury, 
taking  him  with  them,  and  it  was  in  the 
public  and  private  schools  of  Waterbury 
that  he  received  his  preliminary  educa- 
tion. He  then  matriculated  at  Yale  Uni- 
versity, from  which  institution  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  Ph.  B,  in  1895. 

After  receiving  his  degree  from  Yale, 
Judge  Meigs  attended  both  the  Yale  and 
the  Harvard  Law  Schools,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Connecticut  bar  in  1898. 
He  immediately  began  practice  in  Water- 
bury, and  in  February,  1904,  was  appoint- 
ed prosecuting  attorney  of  the  city  of 
Waterbury.  He  continued  in  this  office 
until   March  25,   1910,  at  which  time  he 


resigned  in  order  to  accept  an  appoint- 
ment by  Governor  George  L.  Lilley  to 
the  office  of  deputy  judge  of  the  District 
Court  of  Waterbury.  He  served  in  this 
office  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  in  1914 
was  reappointed  by  Governor  Simeon  E. 
Baldwin  for  a  second  term.  He  continued 
to  serve  as  a  judge  of  the  District  Court 
of  Waterbury  until  November  15,  1916, 
when  on  account  of  ill  health  he  felt 
obliged  to  resign.  Upon  his  retirement 
from  the  bench.  Judge  Meigs  was  ten- 
dered a  banquet  by  the  members  of  the 
Waterbury  Bar  Association,  and  during 
the  speaking  incident  to  the  occasion, 
Judge  Meigs  was  referred  to  as  "one  who 
has  by  his  official  conduct  merited  the 
highest  respect  and  esteem,  and  been  in 
every  way  an  honor  to  his  profession,  his 
city,  and  himself";  "a  judge  to  whom  it 
made  no  difference  what  ticket  you  voted, 
what  shrine  you  worshiped  at,  or  what 
was  your  nationality,"  and  "a  judge  who 
gave  everyone  the  fairest  and  squarest 
kind  of  a  deal." 

While  Judge  Meigs  has  retired  from 
public  office,  he  expects  to  continue  the 
practice  of  law  in  a  private  capacity  in 
Waterbury. 

Judge  Meigs  is  a  prominent  figure  in 
the  community,  and  is  by  no  means  one 
of  those  men  who  confine  their  activities 
solely  to  their  profession.  On  the  con- 
trary, there  are  few  departments  of  the 
city's  life  in  which  he  does  not  participate. 
He  is  a  member  of  several  of  the  most 
prominent  organizations  in  the  city  and 
State.  Among  these  should  be  mentioned 
Harmony  Lodge,  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons;  and  the  Connecticut 
branch  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution. He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Coun- 
try Club  of  Waterbury,  of  the  Waterbury 
Club,  and  of  the  Connecticut  State  Bar 
Association.  In  religious  belief  he  is  an 
Episcopalian,  and  attends  divine  service 


341 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


at  St.  John's  Church  of  that  denomination, 
in  Waterbury.  He  is  a  man  who  makes 
his  presence  in  the  community  felt  in  the 
interest  of  good  and  his  name  is  associ- 
ated with  the  highest  type  of  integrity 
both  in  his  business  and  in  the  personal 
relations  of  life. 


ROGERS,  Gilbert, 

Manufacturer,    Banker,    Sunday    School 
Worker. 

The  Rogers  family  is  one  of  the  oldest 
in  America,  and  is  said  by  tradition  to 
have  descended  from  the  martyr,  John 
Rogers.  One  authority  gives  the  origin 
of  the  name  as  French,  and  states  that 
the  original  was  Roger  I.  of  Sicily  and 
Calabria,  born  about  1031.  in  Normandy, 
France.  The  family  has  been  traced  to 
James  Rogers,  who  was  born  in  England, 
about  161 5,  parentage  unknown,  and  came 
to  this  country  in  1635.  Among  the 
manuscripts  preserved  in  the  public  rec- 
ord office  in  England  and  printed  in 
Drake's  "Founders  of  New  England," 
there  is  a  copy  of  a  "licens  to  go  beyond 
the  seas,"  dated  April  15,  1635,  and  among 
others  "to  be  transported  to  New  Eng- 
land imbarqued  in  the  Increase"  is  named 
"James  Roger,  aged  20  years." 

This  immigrant  is  generally  conceded 
to  have  been  the  James  Rogers  of  this 
sketch.  He  settled  first  in  Saybrook,  Con- 
necticut, and  a  few  years  later  is  recorded 
as  of  Stratford.  From  there  he  went  to 
Milford,  where  he  joined  Mr.  Prudden's 
Congregational  church  in  1653.  His  wife 
had  joined  the  same  church  in  1645,  ^"d 
some  of  their  children  were  baptized 
there.  In  1637  he  was  one  of  six  men 
from  Saybrook  who  under  Captain  John 
Underbill  took  part  in  the  Pequot  War. 
November  22,  1645,  he  was  granted  a 
home  lot  in  Milford ;  in  1646  he  "hath 
three   acres   or   more;"    in    1648   he   was 


granted  an  addition  to  his  lot.     He  had 
dealings  with   New   London  as  early  as 
1656;    between    that    time    and    1660    he 
became  an  inhabitant  of  that  town,  and 
was  made  freeman,  March  14,  1661.    Roth 
he  and  his  wife  joined  the  church  in  New 
London  and  became  prominent  in  church 
affairs.     In  the  rate  lists  of  the  town  for 
1664  the  amount  of  each  man's  property 
is  given  and  the  rate  levied  on  it  is  noted. 
In  this  list  John  Rogers  is  assessed  for 
£548,   and   he   was   evidently   the   largest 
property   holder   in   the   town.      He   was 
chosen  by  the  townspeople  to  fill  many 
important  positions  in  church  and  State ; 
deputy   to   the   court   of   elections,    May, 
1661,  and  May  and  October,  1662;    corn 
commissioner  for  New  London  in   1662 ; 
representative  to  the  General  Court  seven 
times  between  1662  and   1673;    and  with 
his  son  Samuel  on  the  committee  of  forti- 
fications   for    New    London.      He   was   a 
Daker  and  tradesman  by  occupation,  and 
for  many  years  previous  to  1666,  when  he 
retired  in  favor  of  his  son  Samuel,  carried 
on  by  far  the  most  extensive  foreign  and 
domestic  trade  of  any  man  in  New  Lon- 
don.    His  real  estate  holdings  were  very 
large.     He  owned  several  hundred  acres 
on  Great  Neck  and  a  fine  tract  at  Mohe- 
gan  called  Pamechaug  farm,  which  was 
one  of  the  first  grants  within  the  Mohe- 
gan   reservation   north   of   New   London, 
and  was  made  to  him  by  Uncas  in  August. 
1638.     He  owned  also  several  house  lots 
in  the  town  proper  in  partnership   with 
Colonel  Pyncheon,  of  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, twenty-four  hundred  acres,  east 
of  the  river.     For  some  years  previous  to 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1687,  in  New 
London,  his  home  was  on  that  portion  of 
the    Great    Neck   called    Goshen.     James 
Rogers  was  an  early  convert  to  the  Sev- 
enth  Day   Baptist   church,   of  which   his 
son  John  was  pastor,  and  with  his  wife 
and  daughter  Bathsheba  was  baptized  in 

342 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1676.  Throughout  the  remainder  of  his 
life  he  was  subject  to  fines  and  imprison- 
ment for  non-conformity  to  the  rules  of 
the  Established  Church.  He  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel  Rowland, 
of  Stratford;  she  died  about  1709. 

Their  fourth  son,  James  Rogers,  was 
born  February  15,  1652,  in  Milford,  and 
was  baptized  by  Rev.  John  Crandall  of 
Westerly,  becoming  early  one  of  the  most 
active  members  of  the  Rogerene  church. 
He  was  a  large  landholder,  and  was  often 
fined  by  the  Established  Church  for  var- 
ious infractions  of  its  rules.  He  was  also 
described  as  a  cooper  and  had  a  tannery. 
He  died  November  6,  1713,  in  New  Lon- 
don. He  married,  November  5,  1674, 
Mary,  daughter  of  Jefifrey  Jordan.  The 
Jordan  family  belonged  to  a  large  class 
known  as  redemptionists,  who  pledged 
their  service  in  return  for  transportation 
to  the  American  colonies.  In  the  crude 
language  of  the  time,  "James  Jordan,  his 
wife  Mary,  that  is,  he  paid  her  redemption 
fee."  He  often  said  that  this  was  the 
best  bargain  he  ever  made.  She  died  De- 
cember 7,  1713.  They  were  the  parents 
of  James  Rogers,  born  February  2,  1676, 
and  died  July  9,  1735,  in  Norwalk,  Con- 
necticut. He  was  admitted  to  the  church 
in  New  London,  March  15,  1713,  and  re- 
sided on  Great  Neck  in  that  town  until 
1726,  when  he  removed  to  Norwalk.  In 
1708  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  in  1714 
was  captain  of  the  Fourth  Train  Band, 
was  deputy  to  the  General  Court  sixteen 
times,  at  one  session  being  speaker.  His 
wife  Elizabeth  is  said  by  some  authorities 
to  have  been  born  Harris,  born  1680-81, 
died  February  28,  1713.  She  was  the 
mother  of  James  Rogers,  born  August  20, 
1704,  in  New  London,  died  before  1754, 
in  the  West  Indies.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  ship  carpenters  of  New  London, 
and  lost  his  life  while  on  a  voyage.  He 
married,  March  21,  1722,  Mary,  daughter 


of  Peter  Harris,  born  1702-03.  Their 
third  son  was  Ichabod  Rogers,  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1727,  in  New  London,  died  there 
about  1767.  He  was  a  mariner,  and  the 
inventory  of  his  estate,  made  1767,  placed 
its  value  at  seventy  pounds.  He  married, 
April  21,  1751,  Ruth  Shapley,  born  1722, 
daughter  of  Daniel  and  Abigail  (Pierson) 
Shapley.  Daniel  Shapley  was  a  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Mary  (Pickett)  Shapley, 
the  latter  a  daughter  of  John  and  Ruth 
(Brewster)  Pickett.  Ruth  Brewster  was 
born  October  3,  1631,  daughter  of  Jona- 
than and  Lucretia  (Oldham)  Brewster, 
and  granddaughter  of  Elder  William 
Brewster,  who  came  in  the  "Alayflower," 
and  was  prominent  in  the  Plymouth 
Colony.  He  was  a  son  of  William  Brew- 
ster, who  lived  in  Scrooby,  Nottingham- 
shire, England,  as  early  as  1571,  in  which 
year  he  was  assessed  in  that  town  on 
goods  valued  at  three  pounds.  Subse- 
quently he  was  receiver  of  Scrooby,  and 
bailiff  of  the  manor  house  in  that  place 
belonging  to  the  bishop.  Not  far  from 
1588  he  was  also  made  postmaster  under 
the  crown. 

Ichabod  (2)  Rogers,  son  of  Ichabod  (i) 
and  Ruth  (Shapley)  Rogers,  was  born 
1/54,  in  New  London,  and  died  there  June 
ID,  1821.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, serving  first  as  a  private  in  the  com- 
j)any  of  Captain  Samuel  Mather,  of  Lyme 
and  vicinity,  according  to  a  return  made  in 
July,  1776.  He  enlisted,  July  18,  of  that 
}ear,  in  Captain  Smith's  company.  Colo- 
nel Bradley's  battalion  of  General  W'ads- 
worth's  brigade,  and  was  discharged  De- 
cember 28  of  the  same  year.  He  was  one 
of  the  little  band  which  held  Fort  Trum- 
bull at  New  London  on  the  memorable 
si.xth  of  September,  and  his  house  was 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  British  force 
wliich  made  the  attack  on  New  London 
at  that  time.  He  was  a  farmer,  a  sailor, 
and  at  one  time  a  privateer,  and  is  said 


343 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


to  have  been  a  bold  and  fearless  servant 
of  the  colonies.  He  married,  November 
22,  1778,  Mary  Hall,  born  1752-53,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Susan  (Hobbs)  Hall,  died 
January  28,  1828.  Their  eldest  child  was 
Ichabod  Rogers,  born  April  2,  1781,  in 
that  part  of  New  London  now  called  Win- 
throp's  Neck,  and  died  in  March,  1843. 
He  was  a  blacksmith,  a  soldier  at  Fort 
Saybrook  in  1812,  and  joined  the  Congre- 
gational church  at  Chester,  Connecticut, 
October  20,  1822.  He  married,  August  23, 
1801,  Rhoda,  daughter  of  William  and 
Rhoda  (Blakesley)  Southworth,  of  Deep 
River,  then  part  of  Saybrook,  born  No- 
vember 15,  1785,  died  April  12,  1841. 
Their  second  son.  Flam  Hervey  Rogers, 
was  born  January  19,  1805,  in  the  town 
of  Aliddletown,  Connecticut,  and  re- 
moved in  1849  from  Saybrook  to  Meriden. 
Connecticut,  where  he  took  the  manage- 
ment of  what  was  known  as  Rogers  Hotel, 
in  which  he  continued  until  his  death, 
March  13  1881.  He  married,  November 
16,  1826,  Elizabeth  Anne  Tryon,  born 
June  II,  1807,  at  Saybrook,  died  February 
27.  1886,  in  Meriden,  daughter  of  Jedediah 
and  Belinda  (Jones)  Tryon  Both  Mr. 
Rogers  and  his  wife  were  deeply  religious 
people  of  plain  and  simple  manners,  who 
commanded  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
those  with  whom  they  came  in  contact. 
They  had  a  large  family  of  children ;  the 
eldest,  George  W.,  was  somewhat  active 
in  politics,  and  was  postmaster  at  Mer- 
iden under  the  administration  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln.  Hervey,  the  second,  lives 
in  Meriden.  Watson  Brewer,  a  graduate 
of  W'esleyan  University,  was  lost  at  sea 
in  1857.  Cephas  B.,  Gilbert  and  Wilbur 
F.  are  also  residents  of  Meriden.  Isabella 
Virginia  died  in  childhood,  and  a  second 
of  the  same  name  became  the  wife  of 
Egbert  Young.  Nathaniel  Burton  was  a 
soldier  of  the  Civil  War,  in  Company  C, 
Seventh  Regiment  Connecticut  Volunteer 


Infantry,  under  Captain  Joseph  Hawley, 
later  United  States  Senator,  and  has  been 
for  many  years  president  of  the  Rogers 
Silver  Plate  Company  of  Danbury,  Con- 
necticut, and  also  interested  in  other 
manufacturing  industries. 

Gilbert  Rogers  for  more  than  seventy- 
eight  years  lived  a  worthy  and  upright 
life,  and  contributed  much  to  the  advance- 
ment of  morals  and  the  material  develop- 
ment of  his  home  city  of  Meriden.  Gil- 
bert Rogers  was  born  July  4,  1838,  in  Say- 
brook, Connecticut,  fifth  son  of  Flam 
Hervey  and  Elizabeth  A.  (Tryon) 
Rogers.  In  his  native  town  he  attended 
the  little  brick  school,  which  structure 
sheltered  in  youth  many  men  now  noted. 
When  still  a  small  boy  his  parents  re- 
moved to  Meriden,  where  he  attended  a 
]irivate  school  taught  by  Henry  D.  Smith. 
His  education  was  chiefly  supplied,  how- 
ever, in  the  great  school  of  experience,  for 
he  had  little  opportunity  to  advance  be- 
yond the  elementary  grades  in  any  school 
of  his  time.  When  only  fourteen  years  of 
age  he  began  to  sustain  himself  by  work- 
ing in  the  shop  of  Luther  Webb,  a  manu- 
facturer of  pocket  books.  After  two  years 
in  this  establishment  he  entered  the  fac- 
tory of  the  Charles  Parker  Company, 
where  he  learned  the  trade  of  butter,  and 
continued  to  work  five  years,  receiving  a 
very  small  salary  at  first,  the  amount  be- 
ing seventy-five  cents  a  day.  At  the  end 
of  his  service  there  he  was  receiving 
double  this  amount.  In  1858  he  removed 
to  Hartford  and  was  employed  by  the 
Hartford  Silver  Plate  Company,  later  re- 
moved to  Waterbury,  where  he  entered 
the  service  of  Rogers,  Smith  &  Company. 
Here  he  became  superintendent  of  the 
buffing  department,  and  filled  the  place 
to  the  satisfaction  of  all  for  two  years, 
after  which  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Asa  H.  Rogers  and  began  making  plated 
ware  on  Nassau  street,  New  York  City, 


344 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


producing  silver  plate  spoons  and  hollow 
ware.  This  business  was  successful  until 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  when  it 
was  found  desirable  to  close  out.  Re- 
turning to  Meriden,  Mr.  Rogers  was  ap- 
pointed enrolling  officer  by  the  United 
States  government,  and  filled  this  posi- 
tion for  a  year.  He  then  formed  a  connec- 
tion with  the  Meriden  Britannia  Com- 
pany, where  he  continued  about  a  year, 
and  in  1866  he  united  with  his  brothers 
in  forming  the  firm  of  C.  Rogers  & 
Brothers,  with  which  he  continued  to  be 
associated  until  its  disposal  to  the  Inter- 
national Silver  Company  in  1902.  The 
company  was  incorporated  in  1899  in 
New  Jersey,  and  two  years  later  under 
the  laws  of  Connecticut.  Mr.  (Gilbert 
Rogers  continued  as  treasurer  of  the  com- 
pany, and  was  also  interested  in  other 
institutions  of  the  city,  being  a  director 
of  the  City  Savings  Bank,  and  was  the 
first  president  of  the  Puritan  Trust  Com- 
pany. He  was  also  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Walnut  Grove  Cemetery  Associ- 
ation, and  was  a  director  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Thread  Company.  Mr.  Rogers 
died  at  his  home  in  Meriden,  Monday, 
January  8,  1917.  For  many  years  he  took 
a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  the 
First  Methodist  Church,  was  many  years 
superintendent  of  its  Sunday  school,  and 
served  as  secretary  of  the  official  board. 
He  was  often  requested  to  accept  public 
offices  of  honor  and  credit ;  served  as  a 
member  of  the  town  board  of  selectmen, 
and  a  member  of  the  city  council.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  building  committee 
which  erected  Meriden's  present  beauti- 
ful town  hall,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
committee  of  citizens  to  arrange  a  cen- 
tennial celebration  in  1906.  In  politics  he 
was  always  a  staunch  Republican,  and 
cast  his  first  presidential  vote  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln.  During  the  popularity  of 
the  bicycle  he  was  active  and  prominent 


in  the  State-wide  movement  for  better 
roads.  Mr.  Rogers  was  active  in  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  affiliating  with  Meriden 
Lodge,  No.  "jy.  Ancient  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons ;  of  the  Royal  Arch  Chap- 
ter and  Council ;  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Sons  of  the  American   Revolution. 

He  was  married,  February  6,  1867,  to 
Miss  Estelle  Victorine  Rogers,  born  No- 
vember 23, 1845,  daughter  of  Julius  W.  and 
Esther  Elizabeth  (Culver)  Rogers.  Esther 
Elizabeth  Culver  was  a  daughter  of 
Moses  and  Esther  (Hall)  Culver,  and 
granddaughter  of  Lieutenant  Titus  Hall, 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  Mrs.  Rogers 
was  a  member  of  Susan  Carrington  Clark 
Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution,  of  Meriden.  She  survived 
her  husband  but  two  days,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 10,  1917.  Both  were  buried  on  the 
twelfth,  in  a  double  funeral,  when  Rev. 
Dr.  Frank  D.  Walter,  pastor  of  the  First 
Methodist  Church,  conducted  their  serv- 
ices. In  speaking  of  them  he  said :  "How 
fortunate  that  these  two  dear  souls  were 
privileged  to  spend  such  long  and  happy 
lives  together  in  the  Master's  service. 
They  lived  very  happily  together  all  these 
years  and  their  love  for  each  other  was 
remarkable.  They  were  one  in  life,  one 
in  death  and  are  now  one  in  eternal  life. 
How  beautiful  that  they  never  had  to  be 
separated  upon  earth.  There  was  one 
quality  in  their  lives  which  was  ever 
prominent.  They  never  grew  old.  The 
young  people  loved  them  and  they  seemed 
to  be  as  young  in  spirit  as  any  of  them. 
We  never  think  of  them  as  old  but  as  ever 
bright  and  active  and  interested  in  every- 
thing which  would  help  and  interest  the 
young  people.  The  church  has  lost  a 
tower  of  strength  in  these  two  noble 
souls.    Our  loss  is  Heaven's  gain." 

Children:  i.  Mabel  Estelle,  born 
March  23,  1871  ;  married  Frederick 
Arthur  Wright,   February    12,    1889,  and 


345 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


is  the  mother  of  two  children :  Harold 
Gilbert,  born  March  31,  1890,  and  Mildred 
Estelle,  born  March  21,  1892.  2.  Eugene 
Culver,  born  January  8,  1876;  graduated 
from  the  district  and  Meriden  High 
schools ;  he  is  a  young  man  of  much 
ability,  his  energetic  character  and  busi- 
ness acumen  commanding  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  those  with  whom  he  is  asso- 
ciated. 3.  Ralph  Gilbert,  born  April  8, 
1878 ;  is  a  graduate  of  the  city  high  school. 
4.  William  and  5.  Emerson  (twins),  born 
February  3,  1893,  died  in  infancy. 


ROBINSON,  Colonel  Charles  L.  F., 

Man  of  Affairs,  Art  Lover, 

The  well-rounded,  finished,  and  broad 
culture  which  characterized  more  com- 
pletely an  age  past,  has  been  for  the  most 
part  lost  to  the  present  day  with  its  ma- 
chine made  automatons  of  specialization. 
EfSciency  propaganda,  while  giving  to 
our  business  life  an  impetus  of  value,  has 
developed  that  side  of  our  life  at  the 
expense  of  the  other.  It  is  unusual  to  find 
in  a  man  who  has  attained  the  pinnacle  of 
business  success  a  breadth  of  culture  and 
scope  of  education  which  entitles  him  to 
be  known  as  a  truly  finished  gentleman. 
In  our  devotion  to  industrial  progress  and 
commercial  upbuilding  we  have  over- 
looked that  very  important  phase  of  our 
national  life.  One  experiences  a  feeling 
of  pleasure  and  delight  in  encountering 
the  life  story  of  a  man  whose  talents  and 
faculties  had  been  developed  to  the  point 
where  he  was  the  welcomed  confrere  of 
men  in  business  and  professional  life,  and 
in  the  broad  fields  of  literature,  the  arts 
and  sciences.  A  lover  and  patron  of  the 
arts,  a  literary  man  of  considerable  ability, 
a  business  man  whose  name  was  known 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
country,  and  a  sportsman  of  national 
reputation,  was  the  late  Colonel  Charles 


L.  F.  Robinson,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  man  of  more 
rounded  life.  Of  distinguished  birth  and 
breeding,  he  was  a  descendant  of  Rev. 
John  Robinson,  leader  of  the  Pilgrims  in 
Leyden.  Holland,  and  the  associate  of 
Elder  William  Brewster,  who  became  the 
leader  of  the  Pilgrim  band  in  the  New 
World. 

(I)  Rev.  John  Robinson,  progenitor  of 
the  family,  was  born  in  England  in  1575. 
Research  has  failed  to  reveal  anything  of 
his  early  life,  and  has  failed  to  definitely 
establish  whether  or  not  he  attended 
Cambridge  University.  He  was  the  son 
of  John  Robinson,  of  Sturton  le  Steeple, 
Nottinghamshire,  England,  whose  will, 
dated  May  14,  1613,  was  probated  August 
19,  1614.  His  mother,  Ann  Robinson,  died 
some  time  prior  to  January  16,  1616,  when 
her  will  was  probated.  Genealogists  in- 
cline to  the  opinion  that  John  Robinson 
matriculated  at  Corpus  Christi  College, 
Cambridge  University,  England,  in  1592, 
and  became  a  fellow  in  1598.  After  gradu- 
ation from  college  he  was  ordained  a 
minister  in  the  Church  of  England,  but 
was  suspended  by  the  Bishop  of  Norwich 
for  the  omission  of  some  ceremony  or 
the  disuse  of  some  prescribed  vestments. 
He  therefore  resigned  his  fellowship  in 
1604,  and  severed  his  connection  with  the 
Established  Church,  shortly  afterward 
becoming  an  assistant  to  Rev.  Mr.  Clyf- 
ton.  pastor  of  a  Separatist  church  which 
met  at  the  home  of  William  Brewster,  a 
gentleman  of  fortune  and  education  near 
Scrooby  in  Nottinghamshire,  England, 
who  was  subsequently  ruling  elder  of  the 
church  at  Plymouth.  Massachusetts. 
Persecution  by  civil  and  religious  author- 
ities becoming  unbearable  in  the  mother 
country.  Mr.  Clyfton  removed  with  sev- 
eral of  his  church  to  Holland  in  1606, 
and  John  Robinson  became  pastor  of 
those  who  remained  at  home.     In   1608, 


346 


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rrrr,  T--Vf  YORK 
p:pL;caBRARY 


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ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


in  charge  of  the  remaining  members  of      laws.     He  was  twice  married,  Peter,  next 


the  church,  he  went  to  Amsterdam,  there 
joining  those  who  had  preceded  him  in 
exile.  Finding  dissension  rife  among 
them,  he  removed  with  a  small  band  to 
Leyden,  in  1609.  where  they  elected  him 
their  pastor,  and  William  Brewster,  their 
ruling  elder.  Rev.  John  Robinson  be- 
came a  member  of  the  university  at  Ley- 
den. The  community  of  English  Pil- 
grims there  grew  from  one  to  three  hun- 


in  line  of  descent,  being  the  son  of  his 
second  wife.  Isaac  Robinson  died  in 
1704. 

(Ill)  Peter  Robinson,  son  of  Isaac 
Robinson,  was  the  first  of  the  family  to 
remove  to  Connecticut.  He  inherited  his 
father's  real  estate,  and  dwelt  for  a  period 
at  Tisbury,  removing  to  Norwich,  Con- 
necticut, in  1722-23.  He  finally  settled  in 
Windham,  where  he  died  in    1740.     He 


dred,  and   in  January,    161 1,   Mr.   Robin-      married    Experience,    daughter    of    John 


son  and  three  others  purchased  for  eight 
thousand  guilders  a  house,  "by  the  bel- 
fry," of  which  they  took  possession  in 
May  of  the  following  year.  As  early  as 
1617  emigration  to  America  was  con- 
sidered, and  in  1620  the  younger  and 
physically  stronger  portion  of  the  Leyden 


Manter,  of  Tisbury,  Alartha's  Vineyard. 
(IV)  Peter  (2)  Robinson,  son  of  Peter 
(i)  and  Experience  (Manter)  Robinson, 
was  born  in  1698.  He  married,  June  20, 
1725,  Ruth  Fuller,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Elizabeth  (Thacher)  Fuller,  of  Mans- 
field,   Connecticut.      His    home    was    in 


church  departed  for  New  England  under      Windham,  Scotland  Society,  Connecticut, 


the  guidance  of  Elder  W^illiam  Brewster. 
Rev.  John  Robinson  remained  at  Leyden 
at  the  head  of  the  older  and  feeble  mem- 
bers, with  the  intention,  however,  of  join- 
ing those  in  America  eventually.  Dis- 
appointed in  his  hope,  he  died  at  Leyden, 
March  i,  1625,  aged  fifty  years.  On 
March  4th  he  was  buried  in  the  church- 
yard of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter's,  in  the 
presence  of  the  university  magistrates, 
scholars,  and  gentr}'  of  the  city.  Rev. 
John  Robinson  married  Bridget  White, 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Ellenore 
White,  of  Sturton,  February  15,  1603-04; 
the  record  of  their  marriage  is  found  in 
volume  xiii,  page  99,  of  the  parish  regis- 
ter of  Treasley,  Nottinghamshire,  Eng- 
land, a  town  thirty-five  miles  from 
Scrooby. 

(II)  Isaac  Robinson,  son  of  Rev.  John 
and  Bridget  (White)  Robinson,  was  born 
in  1610,  and  is  first  of  mention  in  the 
Plymouth  Colony  in  1630.  He  resided  at 
Plymouth,  Duxbury,  and  Barnstable.  In 
1659  he  was  disfranchised  for  protesting 


where    he    died    March    22,    1785,    aged 
eighty-eight  years. 

(V)  Jacob  Robinson,  son  of  Peter  (2) 
and  Ruth  (Fuller)  Robinson,  was  born 
August  14,  1734,  and  died  in  1800.  He 
married,  November  4,  1756,  Anna  Tracy, 
born  April  i,  1733. 

(VI)  Vine  Robinson,  son  of  Jacob 
and  Anna  (Tracy)  Robinson,  was  born 
July  25,  1767,  and  died  January  18,  1843; 
he  married  Dorcas  Chapman,  daughter  of 
Elijah  and  Sarah  (Steele)  Chapman,  of 
Tolland,  Connecticut. 

(VII)  Francis  Robinson,  son  of  Vine 
and  Dorcas  (Chapman)  Robinson,  was 
l)orn  August  19,  1814.  He  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  Yale  University,  class  of  1837, 
and  after  completing  his  college  course 
went  to  Mobile,  Alabama,  where  he 
taught  school  until  the  outbreak  of  hos- 
tilities in  the  Civil  War.  He  then  re- 
turned north  and  became  associated  with 
.Simeon  Draper,  cotton  agent  of  the  port 
of  New  York.  At  the  close  of  the  war 
he  became  the  senior  partner  in  the  firm 


against  the  unfairness  of  the  anti-Quaker      of   Robinson   &   Hayden,   coal   dealers,   a 

347 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


firm  which  to  the  present  day  maintains 
its  prestige  in  the  business  world.  Mr. 
Robinson  achieved  a  large  degree  of 
prominence  in  the  business  world.  He 
married,  May  8,  1839,  Anne  LeTourette 
De  Groot,  a  member  of  a  prominent  New 
Jersey  family  of  Dutch  origin.  Francis 
Robinson  died  September  23,  1885,  and 
his  wife  on  January  6,  1890. 

(VIII)  Frank  Tracy  Robinson,  son  of 
Francis  and  Anne  LeTourette  (De 
Groot)  Robinson,  was  born  August  11, 
1847.  He  received  his  education  at  the 
old  Newport  Naval  Academy,  and  served 
in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  War, 
doing  blockade  duty.  He  held  the  rank 
of  lieutenant.  After  the  war  he  became 
associated  in  business  with  his  father  in 
New  York  City.  He  eventually  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Robinson,  Sr.,  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Robinson  &  Hayden,  and  as  a 
director  of  the  Maryland  Coal  Company. 
He  was  a  noted  yachtsman,  and  the  owner 
of  several  water  craft  well  known  in  the 
waters  around  New  York.  Frank  Tracy 
Robinson  married,  February  20,  1873,  Ida 
May  Frost,  daughter  of  Charles  Leonard 
and  Caroline  Augusta  (Bailey)  Frost. 
He  died  October  31,  1898. 

(IX)  Colonel  Charles  Leonard  Frost 
Robinson,  son  of  Frank  Tracy  and  Ida 
May  (Frost)  Robinson,  was  born  July  9, 
1874,  in  the  town  of  Sayville,  Long 
Island.  He  was  prepared  for  college  at 
the  Halsey  School  of  New  York  City,  and 
matriculated  at  the  Sheffield  Scientific 
School  of  Yale  University,  where  he  was 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1895.  Im- 
mediately after  completing  his  education 
he  became  associated  with  the  firm  of 
Robinson  &  Hayden,  of  which  his  father 
was  senior  partner,  and  until  the  year 
1898,  when  his  father  died,  continued 
actively  engaged  in  business  life.  In 
1898,  however,  he  retired  from  business, 
and  for  several  years  travelled  extensively 


in  Europe  and  on  the  American  continent. 
\'isiting  practically  every  city  of  import- 
ance in  Europe,  he  studied  the  art  of  its 
great  art  centres,  the  traditions  and  his- 
tory of  its  medieval  strongholds,  with  the 
devotion  of  the  student  and  connoisseur, 
giving  a  period  of  several  years  of  his  life 
solely  to  the  pursuit  of  culture  and  the 
study  of  those  great  subjects  in  which  he 
was  keenly  interested. 

Returning  to  the  United  States  and  to 
his  home  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  he 
again  took  up  his  business  career.  He 
took  an  active  interest  in  political  and 
public  life  in  Newport,  and  served  fre- 
quently as  a  delegate  to  conventions,  and 
on  the  board  of  fire  commissioners.  He 
also  served  in  the  Newport  Artillery 
Company,  in  which  he  rose  to  the  rank  of 
colonel.  He  was  interested  in  the  naval 
training  station  at  Newport,  and  with  Ed- 
ward J.  Berwind  presented  to  the  station 
a  silver  cup  in  the  drill  competition  held 
in  1914.  Shortly  after  returning  to  busi- 
ness life,  Mr.  Robinson  became  connected 
with  the  Colt  Patent  Fire  Arms  Manufac- 
turing Company  of  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut. He  was  a  man  of  considerable  busi- 
ness talent,  an  able  executive,  of  con- 
structive and  progressive  policies,  and  in 
1909  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  vice- 
president  of  the  vast  concern.  A  year 
later  he  became  its  president,  which  office 
he  held  until  the  time  of  his  death.  He 
was  a  figure  of  prominence  in  the  world  of 
finance  and  industry,  and  a  controlling 
factor  in  several  of  the  largest  organiza- 
tions of  the  country.  Colonel  Robinson 
was  a  director  of  the  Travellers  Insur- 
ance Company,  The  Rhode  Island  Trust 
Company,  the  Fidelity  Trust  Company, 
the  Phoenix  National  Bank,  the  Connecti- 
cut Trust  &  Safe  Deposit  Company,  the 
Hartford  Fire  Insurance  Company,  the 
Shore  Line  Electric  Railroad  Company, 
the   American   Hardware   Corporation  of 


348 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


New  Britain,  and  the  Standard  Wrench 
Company  of  Providence.  He  was  active 
in  the  Masonic  order  in  Connecticut,  and 
was  a  member  of  Washington  Command- 
er/, Knights  Templar,  of  Hartford;  the 
Connecticut  Consistory,  and  Sphinx 
Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  He 
was  a  member  and  vestryman  of  the 
Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  of  Hart- 
ford, and  with  his  family  worshipped  there 
for  many  years. 

Colonel  Robinson  found  rare  enjoy- 
ment and  relaxation  in  the  world  of  sport, 
and  he  was  an  enthusiastic  yachtsman  of 
international  reputation.  He  had  cruised 
in  waters  all  over  the  globe,  and  in  1903 
published  a  narrative  of  his  experiences 
entitled,  "Thirty  Thousand  Miles  in  the 
Wanderer."  He  was  a  member  of  the 
New  York  Yacht  Club,  the  Royal  Thames 
Yacht  Club  of  England,  the  Imperial 
Yacht  Club  of  Germany,  and  the  Royal 
Yacht  Club  of  Belgium.  From  1900  to 
1903  he  was  a  member  of  the  America's 
cup  committee,  a  well  known  figure  in 
sporting  circles,  and  a  keen  amateur  of 
the  great  out-of-doors.  He  watched  and 
aided  with  keen  interest  the  development 
of  the  crews  of  Yale  University,  many  of 
whom  were  his  guests  on  his  yachts.  A 
few  months  prior  to  his  death  he  donated 
a  new  headquarters  for  the  Yale  crew, 
and  at  different  times  made  other  gifts  to 
them,  among  which  was  a  racing  shell. 
He  spent  several  months  of  each  year 
cruising  in  the  waters  of  the  Atlantic, 
and  was  fond  of  fishing  off  the  coast  of 
Florida  and  Cuba.  A  well  known  figure 
in  social  and  club  life,  he  belonged  to  the 
following  organizations  :  The  Farming- 
ton  Country  Club,  the  Dauntless  Club  of 
Essex,  the  Hartford  Club,  the  Hartford 
Golf  Club,  the  Army  and  Navy  Club,  the 
Metropolitan  Club  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
and  the  Knickerbocker,  Union  and  Brook 
clubs  of  New  York  City. 


Colonel  Robinson  was  a  man  of  vigorous 
intellectual  endowment,  and  his  inter- 
ests in  life  were  many  and  varied.  His 
literary  tastes  sincere,  and  highly  devel- 
oped, as  is  evidenced  by  the  unusually 
fine  library  which  he  collected  from  all 
quarters  of  the  globe.  He  had  a  deep 
interest  in  American  history  and  tradi- 
tions, and  a  portion  of  his  library  was 
devoted  exclusively  to  collection  of  manu- 
scripts and  rare  data  of  this  type.  F.  B. 
Gay,  of  the  Watkinson  Library,  of  Hart- 
ford, an  eminent  authority  on  books,  said 
of  him :  "Many  of  the  people  who  knew 
the  late  Colonel  C.  L.  F.  Robinson  as  a 
famous  yachtsman,  or  as  actively  con- 
nected with  numerous  business  enter- 
prises and  companies,  or  as  an  enter- 
taining and  lavish  host,  will  be  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  there  was  another 
and  very  different  side  to  his  likings 
and  activities.  In  his  beautiful  house 
on  Prespect  avenue  he  had  gathered 
probably  the  finest  private  library  in 
Connecticut.  Beginning  with  the  books 
'that  every  gentleman  of  taste  must 
have,'  in  later  years  he  had  left  the 
field  of  French  illustrated  works,  editions 
de  luxe,  etc.,  and  gone  very  extensively 
into  that  much  rarer  field  for  the  true  col- 
lector— early  Americana.  And  what  a 
pleasure  he  took,  apparently,  showing  the 
treasures  partially  hidden  behind  those 
library  doors.  Sitting  in  a  large  easy 
chair,  surrounded  with  early  American 
pictures  and  prints,  with  that  cast  and 
wonderful  view  from  his  library  windows, 
stretching  away  to  Mt.  Tom  on  the  north 
and  the  Bolton  Hills  on  the  eastern  limit, 
with  the  nearer  Talcott  range  on  the  west, 
the  colonel  would  show  a  volume,  or  a 
hundred  volumes  that  would  make  the 
true  book  lover  gasp  in  astonishment. 
Manuscripts  of  the  highest  rarity  relating 
to  American  history ;  books  in  magnifi- 
cent bindings,  on  the  same  subject;  speci- 


349 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


mens  of  the  great  painters  and  historic 
periods  of  the  art  preservative — and  then 
what  the  man  knew  about  them !  The 
sweet,  fine,  appreciative  way  he  handled 
them,  gloated  over  their  immaculate  con- 
dition and  bibliopegic  splendors ;  their 
'points'  of  historic,  literary  or  pictorial 
interest.  Oh !  he  was  an  amateur  on  that 
side  well  worth  knowing." 

Colonel  Charles  L.  F.  Robinson  mar- 
ried, June  30,  1896,  Elizabeth  Hart  Jarvis 
Beach,  a  daughter  of  Cyprian  Nichols 
Beach,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Mrs. 
Robinson  survives  her  husband,  and  re- 
sides in  Hartford.  She  is  a  woman  of 
culture  and  attainment,  and  is  active  in 
social  life  in  Hartford,  and  Newport, 
Rhode  Island.  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Robin- 
son were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  i.  Caldwell  Colt,  born  April  17, 
1897.  2.  Elizabeth  Alden,  born  Novem- 
ber 30,  1900.  3.  Hettie  Hart,  twin  of 
Elizabeth  Alden,  died  December  i,  1900. 
4.  Francis,  born  May  19,  1903. 

Colonel  Robinson  died  on  board  his 
yacht,  the  "Savarona"  on  Wednesday, 
July  s,  1916,  at  Woods  Hole,  Massachu- 
setts. His  death  came  as  a  shock  and 
grief  to  a  host  of  personal  friends,  and  the 
business  and  financial  world  of  New  Eng- 
land. A  man's  man,  of  magnetic  person- 
ality, the  broad  human  understanding  and 
sympathy  which  endears  itself  to  men  in 
every  walk  of  life,  and  a  sense  of  honor 
which  recalled  the  days  of  chivalry,  he 
had  formed  friendships  and  attachments 
among  men  of  all  types  and  in  all  condi- 
tions of  life.  He  had  aided  scores  of  men 
in  the  struggle  upward  toward  success, 
and  possessed  the  faculty  of  putting  him- 
self on  a  footing  of  equality  with  the 
lowly  and  with  those  high  in  the  walks  of 
life.  He  had  met  and  knew  personally 
His  Majesty,  the  present  emperor  of  Ger- 
many, and  had  several  of  his  photographs 
bearing  his  autographs.    Samuel  Hart,  D. 


D.,  D.  C.  L.,  dean  of  the  Berkeley  Divin- 
ity School,  and  president  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Historical  Society,  said  of  Colonel 
Robinson :  "The  vigor  of  his  nature,  and 
of  his  plans  for  life  and  the  earnestness 
with  which  he  was  carrying  them  out, 
added  to  the  strength  of  body  which  had 
endured  the  test  of  a  serious  accident, 
seemed  to  foreshow  a  continuance  of  the 
success  to  which  he  had,  while  still  com- 
paratively a  young  man,  attained.  As 
president  of  a  great  manufacturing  com- 
pany, he  had  carried  it  even  beyond  the 
prosperity  of  its  early  years,  and  had 
proved  its  adaptability  to  new  opportuni- 
ties ;  as  a  citizen,  he  was  taking  an  im- 
portant place  in  the  responsibilities  of  the 
community  in  which  he  lived ;  and  he  was 
making  his  beautiful  new  home  a  treasure 
house  of  carefully  chosen  works  of  liter- 
ature and  art,  bearing  on  the  departments 
of  history  and  on  the  progress  of  the 
handiwork  in  which  he  found  special  de- 
light. His  business  relations,  as  well  as 
his  happy  marriage  to  one  who  carried 
on  the  memories  of  his  beneficent  person- 
ality, destined  him  to  an  important  place 
in  the  life  of  Hartford ;  and  that  place  he 
was  filling  to  the  benefit  of  the  city,  and, 
we  cannot  but  believe,  to  the  furtherance 
of  his  own  best  desires." 


WHITE,  Edward  Luther. 

Successful    Business    Man. 

Pride  of  ancestry  is  surely  one  of  the 
most  justifiable  weaknesses  of  humanity. 
To  be  able  to  trace  an  uninterrupted  and 
long  line  of  vigorous  ancestors,  who, 
through  each  generation  have  been 
notable  enough  to  have  their  deeds  re- 
corded and  lives  remembered,  and  who 
have  left  as  heritages  to  their  descend- 
ants honorable  names  and  inherited  vir- 
tues, is  an  intense  and  lasting  satisfaction 
to  those  so  favored,  and  the  members  of 


350 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


the    White  family    herein   recorded    are 
among  the  chosen  few. 

(I)  Robert  White,  the  first  known  an- 
cestor of  the  line  of  the  family  traced  in 
this  review,  was  a  native  of  England,  a 
yeoman  of  Messing,  County  Essex,  Eng- 
land, and  settled  at  Shelford,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  days,  his  re- 
mains interred  in  the  cemetery  there,  June 
17,  1617.  He  married,  at  Shelford,  June 
24,  1585,  Bridget  Algar,  baptized  March 
II,  1562,  daughter  of  William  Algar,  the 
elder.  Children,  all  baptized  at  Shel- 
ford :  Mary,  Elizabeth,  Sarah,  Marie, 
Bridget,  Anna,  Nathaniel,  John,  of  whom 
further ;  Daniel. 

(II)  Elder  John  White,  son  of  Robert 
and  Bridget  (Algar)  White,  was  born  in 
England,  and  died  in  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, between  the  dates  December  17,  1683, 
and  January  23,  1684,  the  date  of  his  will 
and  the  date  of  the  inventory  of  his  estate 
respectively.  He  came  to  this  country 
with  Elder  William  Goodwin  in  the  ship 
"Lyon,"  arriving  at  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts, September  16,  1632,  and  settled  at 
Cambridge,  his  home  lot  on  Cow- Yard 
Row,  the  site  now  occupied  by  Gore  Hall 
of  Harvard  University.  He  was  admitted 
a  freeman  March  4,  1633;  a  townsman, 
1635  ;  and  in  that  year  sold  his  property 
there  and  removed  to  Hartford,  Connecti- 
cut, with  the  Hooker  company,  his  place 
of  residence  being  on  the  east  side  of 
what  is  now  Governor  street.  He  served 
as  selectman  in  1642,  1646,  1651,  1656; 
was  granted  land  in  Middletown  in  1653, 
but  did  not  settle  there ;  in  1659  was 
among  the  founders  of  the  town  of  Had- 
ley,  Massachusetts,  and  held  numerous 
offices  there,  and  in  1670  he  returned  to 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  became  an 
elder  of  the  South  Church.  He  married, 
in  England,  December  26,  1622,  Mary 
Levit,  who  bore  him  the  following  named 
children  :  Mary,  Nathaniel,  of  whom  fur- 
ther ;  John,  Daniel,  Sarah,  Jacob. 


(HI)  Nathaniel  White,  son  of  Elder 
John  and  Mary  (Levit)  White,  was  born 
in  England  about  1629,  and  was  brought 
to  this  country  by  his  parents  in  early 
childhood.  In  1650  he  settled  in  Middle- 
town,  where  he  was  one  of  the  prominent 
men  of  the  town ;  was  deputy  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  in  1659.  was  elected  to  that 
office  eighty-five  times,  his  last  term  be- 
ing in  1710;  he  was  appointed  a  magis- 
trate and  commissioner  in  1669;  he  served 
as  captain  of  the  train  band ;  was  promi- 
nent in  the  organization  of  the  church  in 
1668;  took  an  active  interest  in  educa- 
tional affairs,  and  in  his  will,  made  Au- 
gust 16,  171 1,  he  gave  one-fourth  of  his 
share  in  the  common  land  to  the  "schools 
already  agreed  upon  in  the  town  of 
Middletown,  forever."  On  January  6, 
1702,  when  Cromwell's  first  schoolhouse 
was  opened,  it  was  named  "The  Nathaniel 
White  Public  School."  Mr.  White  mar- 
ried  (first)   Elizabeth  ,  born  about 

1625,  died  1690.  He  married  (second) 
Martha  (Coit)  Mould,  born  about  1644, 
died  April  14,  1730,  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  (Jenners)  Coit,  and  widow  of  Hugh 
Alould.  Children  of  first  wife  :  Nathaniel, 
born  July  7,  1652 ;  Elizabeth,  March  7, 
1655  ;  John,  April  9.  1657;  Mary,  April  7, 
1659;  Daniel,  February  23,  1662;  Jacob, 
of  whom  further ;  Joseph,  February  20, 
1667. 

(IV)  Jacob  White,  son  of  Nathaniel 
and  Elizabeth  White,  was  born  at  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  May  10.  1665,  and  con- 
tinued to  reside  in  his  native  town.  He 
married  (first)  February  4,  1692,  Deborah 
Shepard,  born  1670,  died  February  8, 
1721.  He  married  (second)  December  16, 
1729,  Rebecca  (Willett)  Ranney,  widow 
of  Thomas  Ranney.  He  had  ten  children, 
among  whom  were :  Deborah,  born  Feb- 
ruary 26,  1694;  Hannah,  March  28,  1699; 
Thomas,  August  14,  1701 ;  Joel,  October 
20,  1710;  John,  of  whom  further. 

(V)  John  (2)  White,  son  of  Jacob  and 


351 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Deborah  (Shepard)  White,  was  born  in 
Middletown,  Connecticut,  October  19, 
1712,  and  died  in  the  same  town,  Febru- 
ary 9,  1801.  He  inherited  the  homestead. 
He  married,  October  31,  1736,  EHzabeth, 
born  in  Wethersfield,  December  22,  1713, 
died  November  17,  1800,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mehitable  (Cadwell)  Board- 
man.  Among  their  children  were  :  Jacob, 
of  whom  further;  Sarah,  born  January  16, 

1743- 

(VI)  Jacob  (2)  White,  son  of  John  (2) 
and  Elizabeth  (Boardman)  White,  was 
born  in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  No- 
vember 7,  1737,  and  resided  there 
throughout  his  entire  lifetime.  He  served 
during  the  Revolution  as  a  lieutenant  on 
a  privateer.  He  married,  November  25, 
1760,  Lucy,  born  July  16,  1741,  died  Au- 
gust 20,  1 81 2,  daughter  of  Captain  Joseph 
Savage.  Children :  John,  of  whom  fur- 
ther; Jacob,  baptized  April  7,  1771 ; 
Thomas,  June  10,  1773;  Lemuel,  Decem- 
ber 30,  1776. 

(VII)  John   (3)    White,  son  of    Jacob 

(2)  and  Lucy  (Savage)  White,  was  born 
in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  1766,  was  a 
sea  captain  by  profession,  and  was 
drowned  at  sea,  March  19,  1799.  He  mar- 
ried, March  31,  1789,  Ruth  Ranney,  who 
died  December  25,  1862,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-two  years  and  ten  months, 
having  lived  a  widow  for  sixty-three 
years.  Children :  John,  born  June  26, 
1790  ;  Jacob,  of  whom  further  ;  Alma,  July 
18,  1797;  Luther,  January  11,  1799. 

(VIII)  Jacob   (3)  White,  son  of  John 

(3)  and  Ruth  (Ranney)  White,  was  born 
in  Upper  Houses,  Connecticut,  April  27, 
1792.  He  learned  the  trade  of  tanner, 
and  in  1819  removed  to  Sandisfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, where  he  conducted  an  exten- 
sive tannery  for  twelve  years,  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  time  he  returned  to 
Upper  Houses  and  became  the  owner  of 
the  famous  Ranney  house  built  for  James 


Ranney  by  his  father,  Ebenezer  Ranney, 
on  the  north  quarter  of  the  old  Ranney 
homestead,  and  resided  thereon  during 
the  remainder  of  his  days.  He  married, 
November  22,  1815,  Susan,  born  March 
28,  1796,  at  Upper  Houses,  daughter  of 
Captain  William  and  Abigail  (Eells) 
Sage,  the  latter  named  a  daughter  of  John 
Eells  and  widow  of  William  White. 
Their  children  were  :  William  Sage,  born 
July  22,  1816;  Henry  S.,  February  12, 
1818;  Luther  Chapin,  December  25,  1821  ; 
Harriet  M.,  October  3,  1825;  Jacob  Wat- 
son, of  whom  further ;  Abigail  Eells,  Oc- 
tober 23,  1831  ;  Orrin  Sage,  August  10, 
1834 ;  Jane  Augusta,  December  27,  1837. 
Jacob  (3)  White  died  January  13,  1849, 
and  his  widow  married  (second)  James 
Goodrich,  and  died  at  Cromwell,  Febru- 
ary 2,  1869. 

(IX)  Jacob  Watson  White,  son  of 
Jacob  (3)  and  Susan  (Sage)  White,  was 
born  at  Sandisfield,  Massachusetts,  Sep- 
tember 19,  1827.  He  resided  for  a  number 
of  years  in  Cromwell,  Connecticut,  from 
whence  he  removed  to  Waterbury,  same 
State,  in  1850,  and  there  established  the 
White  &  Wells  Company,  one  of  the  lead- 
ing industries  of  that  town,  in  the  man- 
agement of  which  he  was  highly  success- 
ful. He  took  a  keen  interest  in  municipal 
aflfairs,  and  was  one  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  Second  Congregational  Church 
of  Waterbury,  of  which  his  first  wife 
was  also  a  member.  He  married  (first) 
at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  September  19, 
1850,  Anna  Eliza  Welles,  born  in  Hart- 
ford, May  7,  1828,  daughter  of  Chauncey 
and  Hannah  (King)  Welles,  and  a  lineal 
descendant  of  Governor  Thomas  Welles, 
of  Connecticut.  She  died  April  29,  1862. 
He  married  (second)  September  10,  1863, 
in  Waterbury.  Connecticut,  Nancy  Maria 
(Welles)  Moses,  widow  of  Richard 
Moses,  also  a  lineal  descendant  of  Gov- 
ernor Thomas   Welles.     She   died   April 


35-^ 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


20,    1895,    having    survived   her   husband 
many     years,     his     death     occurring     in 
Waterbury,    July    5,    1865.      Children    of 
first  wife :     Chauncey  Welles,  born  May 
12,    1852,   died    December    11,    1852;    Ed- 
ward  Luther,  of  whom  further ;  Chaun- 
cey Howard,  born  March  24,  1856,  died 
in     1901     in     Waterbury ;     educated     at 
Williston      Seminary,     and      was      vice- 
president     of     White     &     Wells     Com- 
pany; married,  May,  1901,  Jennie  BuUon 
Gates ;  Anna  Sophia,  born  September  20, 
1858,  a  teacher  in  St.  Margaret's  School, 
Waterbury ;   Mary  Welles,  born   May  2, 
1861,     a     graduate     of     St.     Margaret's 
School,  class  of  1880,  member  of  Melicent 
Porter  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution,  a  resident  of  Waterbury. 
(X)   Edward    Luther    White,    son    of 
Jacob  Watson  and  Anna  Eliza   (Welles) 
White,  was  born  in  Waterbury,  Connec- 
ticut,  December   12,    1853.     He   prepared 
for    Yale    at    Williston     Seminary,    and 
graduated   from    the    Sheffield    Scientific 
School  of  Yale  in  the  class  of  1875.     He 
entered  the  employ  of  the  White  &  Wells 
Company,  and  in  due  course  of  time  was 
appointed  manager  of    their  business    in 
Bridgeport,    Connecticut,    and    in     1886, 
upon  the  death  of  Captain  Welles,  he  re- 
turned  to  Waterbury  and  became  man- 
ager of  the  business  in  its  various  depart- 
ments, a  position  which  he  held  until  Jan- 
uary, 1892,  when  he  was  appointed  secre- 
tary of  the  Waterbury  Watch  Company, 
but  did  not  serve  long  in  that  capacity, 
as  his  death  occurred  August  5,  1893,  and 
he  was  succeeded  by  Arthur  O.  Jennings, 
who  was  filling  the   position   of  general 
manager.    He  was  a  member  of  Delta  Psi, 
Yale  chapter;  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows ;    Free    and    Accepted    Masons ; 
Knights  Templar,  and  was  an  attendant 
of  St.  John's  Episcopal  Church  in  Water- 
bury, of  which  his  widow  is  a  member. 
He  was  a  man  of  honor  and  integrity,  con- 

Conn— 3— 23  353 


scientious  and  faithful  in  the  discharge 
of  every  obligation,  and  his  example  is 
well  worthy  of  emulation.  He  married, 
January,  1877,  Laura  Virginia  Ogden, 
born  in  New  York  City,  November 
26,  1851,  daughter  of  Judge  James  Law- 
rence Ogden,  of  Jersey  City,  New  Jer- 
sey. She  survives  her  husband  and 
resides  in  Waterbury.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Waterbury  Womans  Club. 
Children:  I.  Ogden  Watson,  born  Sep- 
tember 10,  1877;  graduate  of  Yale  Uni- 
versity, class  of  1901  ;  connected  with 
the  New  Haven  "Register;"  member  of 
the  Graduates  Club,  New  Haven.  2. 
Howard  Sage,  born  April  10,  1880;  grad- 
uate of  Yale  University,  class  of  1902; 
connected  with  the  Homer  D.  Bronson 
Company,  Beacon  Falls ;  member  of  the 
Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Yale  chapter.  3.  Lucien 
Shepard,  born  July  10,  1883,  died  Febru- 
ary 5,  1884.  4.  Edward  Luther,  of  whom 
further. 

(XI)  Edward  Luther  (2)  White,  son  of 
Edward  Luther  (i)  and  Laura  Virginia 
(Ogden)  White,  was  born  in  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  April  9,  1886.  He  removed 
with  his  parents  from  Bridgeport  to 
Waterbury,  in  1892,  when  but  six  years 
of  age,  and  the  greater  part  of  his  youth- 
ful associations  are  with  the  latter  named 
city.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Waterbury,  graduating  from  the  gram- 
mar grade  in  1899,  then  entered  the  Taft 
School  at  Watertown,  where  he  prepared 
for  college,  and  in  1905  matriculated  at 
Yale  University  and  there  took  the 
academic  course,  establishing  for  himself 
an  excellent  record  for  scholarship.  He 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1909,  and  in 
the  following  year  secured  a  position  with 
Holmes  &  Bull,  of  Waterbury,  remaining 
with  this  firm  until  191 1.  During  the 
years  1912-13  he  was  engaged  on  his  own 
account  with  a  brokerage  business,  in 
which  he  was  highly  successful,  but  in  the 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


latter  year  he  accepted  an  excellent  offer 
with  the  Waterbury  Clock  Company,  in 
the  employ  of  which  he  remained  until 
the  autumn  of  1914,  when  he  formed  his 
present  association  with  the  Ralph  N. 
Blakeslee  Company,  which  is  engaged  in 
general  teaming,  storage,  blocksmithing, 
wagon-making  and  repairing,  and  wagon 
and  automobile  painting,  and  conducts  a 
large  business  in  these  several  lines.  Mr. 
White  became  the  president  and  treasurer 
of  the  concern  and  holds  those  offices  at 
the  present  time  (1916).  Under  his  cap- 
able management  the  business  of  the  com- 
pany is  rapidly  increasing  and  it  requires 
no  gift  of  prophecy  to  foretell  a  brilliant 
future  for  him. 

In  addition  to  his  business  activities, 
Mr.  White  takes  a  prominent  part  in 
many  departments  of  the  life  of  his  home 
city.  He  is  a  conspicuous  figure  in  the 
social  and  fraternal  circles  thereof,  a 
member  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  and  of  the  Country  Club  of 
Waterbury.  He  is  also  a  very  prominent 
Mason,  holding  membership  in  the  lodge, 
chapter,  council,  commandery  and  shrine, 
attaining  the  thirty-second  degree  in  that 
ancient  order.  For  six  years  he  was  affili- 
ated with  the  State  Militia,  enlisting  first 
in  the  Naval  Division  of  New  Haven  and 
later  in  Company  H,  of  the  .Second  Regi- 
ment, Connecticut  National  Guard.  To 
Mr.  White  is  due  the  honor  of  having 
started  the  Boy  Scout  movement  in 
Waterbury,  where  it  has  grown  to  be  a 
very  important  factor  in  the  training  of 
the  city's  youth.  He  is  a  member  of  St. 
John's  Episcopal  Church  in  Waterbury. 

Mr.  White  married  in  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, March  24,  1913,  Phoebe  Ger- 
maine  Farrell,  a  native  of  Bridgeport, 
daughter  of  Christopher  Farrell,  of  that 
city.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  White  are  the  parents 
of  one  son,  Edward  Luther  (3rd),  born 
November  25,  1913. 


LINES,  Henry  Wales, 

Building   Contractor,   Public   Servant, 
Public-spirited  Citizen. 

Mr.  Lines  traces  his  descent  from  a 
multitude  of  sturdy  old  New  England 
ancestors,  and  has  exemplified  in  his  over- 
coming of  obstacles  and  his  remarkable 
career  qualities  inherited  from  such  an- 
cestors. He  is  a  descendant  of  Elder  Wil- 
liam Brewster,  of  the  Mayflower  Colony ; 
Rev.  Thomas  Hooker,  founder  of  the  Con- 
necticut Colony ;  John  Hopkins,  of  Hart- 
ford ;  Captain  Nathaniel  White,  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Middletown ;  John  Coit, 
an  original  settler  of  New  London ;  Hon. 
Benjamin  Fenn.  of  Milford.  deputy  gov- 
ernor of  Connecticut ;  Rev.  Timothy  Ste- 
phens, first  Congregational  minister  in 
Glastonbury,  Connecticut ;  and  Captain 
Samuel  Newton,  who  commanded  a  com- 
pany in  King  Philip's  War.  Several  of 
his  forebears  were  active  and  efficient  in 
the  Revolutionary  War. 

The  ancestor  of  the  Lines  family  in  this 
country  was  Ralph  Lines,  who  was  prob- 
ably a  son  of  John  Lyne,  of  Badby,  North- 
amptonshire, England.  Ralph  Lines  was 
a  resident  of  New  Haven.  Connecticut,  in 
1643,  and  in  the  next  year  was  admitted  a 
free  burgess.  He  was  one  of  two  who 
built  the  first  houses  within  the  limits  of 
the  present  town  of  Woodbridge,  form- 
erly that  part  of  New  Haven  known  as 
Amity.  He  aided  in  the  concealment  and 
care  of  Goffe  and  Whalley,  the  regicides, 
in  1661-62.  Ralph  Lines  died  September 
7,  1689,  and  his  estate  was  valued  at  £242 
a  goodly  sum  in  that  day.  His  eldest 
child,  Samuel  Lines,  was  born  April,  1649, 
and  baptized,  an  adult,  August  28,  1687. 
He  lived  in  Woodbridge,  and  married,  in 
November,  1674,  Mary,  daughter  of  John 
and  Ellen  (Harrison)  Thompson,  and 
five  of  their  children  were  baptized  Sep- 
tember 25,   1687.     Samuel   Lines  was  a 


354 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


very  substantial  citizen,  as  shown  by  the 
inventory  of  his  estate  made  June  8,  1692, 
amounting  to  £400.  After  his  death  his 
widow  married  (second)  John  Hitchcock, 
and  (third)  Sam.uel  Clark.  The  third  son 
of  Samuel  Lines.  Ebenezer  Lines,  was 
born  August  18.  1684.  He  lived  in  Wood- 
bridge,  where  his  will  was  dated  January 
3,  1741.  He  married,  July  30,  1713.  Re- 
becca, daughter  of  Nathaniel  and  Sarah 
(Dickerman)  Sperry,  born  March  28, 
1690.  Captain  John  Lines,  their  third  son. 
was  born  March  13,  1720,  in  Woodbridge, 
in  which  town  he  lived.  There  he  mar- 
ried, March  29,  1743,  Deborah,  daughter 
of  Abraham  and  Deborah  (Thomas) 
Hotchkiss.  Their  fourth  son,  Eber  Lines, 
was  born  about  1755,  and  lived  in  Beth- 
any, Connecticut,  where  he  died  Febru- 
ary 20.  1844.  He  married  Hannah  Wel- 
ton,  and  their  eldest  child  was  Calvin 
Lines,  born  January  8,  1780.  He  married, 
October  13,  1808,  Sally  Newton  Booth, 
daughter  of  Walter  Booth,  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution  from  Woodbridge,  in 
Captain  Peck's  company.  Colonel  Doug- 
las' regiment.  Fifth  Battalion  of  Wads- 
worth's  brigade.  He  participated  in  the 
battles  of  Long  Island,  White  Plains  and 
Kips  Bay.  and  later,  in  Colonel  Samuel  B. 
Webb's  regiment,  took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Rhode  Island,  and  Springfield,  New 
Jersey.  His  period  of  service  covered  six 
years.  Henry  Willis  Lines,  son  of  Calvin 
and  Sally  Newton  ( Booth  1  Lines,  was 
born  December  5.  1812.  in  Bethany,  and 
died  January  30,  1863.  He  married,  June 
2,  1835,  Harriet  Bunnell,  who  died  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1898,  granddaughter  of  Enos 
Bunnell,  a  Revolutionary  soldier  from 
Cheshire,  Connecticut,  who  enlisted  in 
1775  under  Captain  James  Arnold,  Colo- 
nel David  Worcester,  in  the  Ninth  Com- 
pany of  the  First  Regiment.  He  partici- 
pated in  the  capture  of  St.  Johns  and  the 
siege   of  Montreal.     In   1776  he  was  in 


Colonel  Stephen  R.  Bradley's  regiment, 
and  in  July,  1779,  responded  to  an  alarm 
at  New  Haven.  Another  Revolutionary 
ancestor  of  Mr.  Lines  was  Elisha  Ste- 
phens, who  enlisted  from  Glastonbury, 
Connecticut,  in  Captain  Jonathan  Hale's 
company.  Colonel  Erastus  Wolcott's  regi- 
ment, and  served  during  the  siege  of  Bos- 
ton in  1776.  In  the  next  year  he  was  a 
member  of  Captain  Clark's  company. 
Colonel  Jeduthan  Baldwin's  regiment  of 
artificers,  and  subsequently  wintered  at 
Valley  Forge,  and  took  part  in  the  battles 
of  Brandywine,  Germantown,  Monmouth, 
Camden,  and  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  be- 
ing present  at  the  surrender  of  Corn- 
wallis,  his  service  covering  a  period  of 
seven  years.  He  was  one  of  seven 
brothers,  all  of  whom  were  in  military 
service  of  the  colonies.  Sally  Newton 
Booth,  ]\Ir.  Lines'  grandmother,  was  a 
granddaughter  of  Lieutenant  Samuel 
Newton,  of  Woodbridge,  Connecticut,  a 
member  of  the  Tenth  Company,  Second 
Regiment  of  Connecticut,  in  1776,  served 
at  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  and  in  the 
following  year  was  attached  to  Captain 
Samuel  Camp's  company.  Colonel  No- 
adiah  Hooker's  regiment. 

Henry  Wales  Lines,  son  of  Henry 
Willis  and  Harriet  (Bunnell)  Lines,  was 
born  June  3,  1838,  at  Naugatuck,  and  has 
lived  through  nearly  eighty  years  of 
strenuous  life,  winning  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  his  contemporaries  and  neigh- 
bors. As  a  youth  he  attended  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town,  and  graduated 
as  valedictorian  of  his  class  in  the  Nau- 
gatuck High  School.  He  very  early  be- 
came a  teacher,  and  taught  two  winter 
terms  in  Prospect,  Connecticut,  and  one 
in  Naugatuck.  He  served  an  apprentice- 
ship to  the  mason's  trade  at  Naugatuck 
and  New  Haven,  and  in  August,  1862, 
went  to  Meriden,  same  State,  where  he 
has    continued   to   reside   to   the   present 


355 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


time.  He  came  to  Meriden  to  fill  a  two  drain  pipe  are  kept  on  hand.  Many  of  the 
weeks'  contract  at  his  trade,  and  decided  important  buildings  in  this  and  other 
to  make  that  place  his  home.  Previous  to  States  were  erected  by  this  concern,  in- 
May  23,  1864,  he  was  employed  by  George  eluding  churches,  manufacturing  plants, 
Bassett,  and  on  the  date  named  formed  schools,  hotels  and  public  institutions, 
a  partnership  with  his  uncle,  Charles  Per-  Mr.  Lines  has  reason  to  be  gratified 
kins,  under  the  firm  name  of  Perkins  &  with  his  success  in  life,  and  may  point 
Lines,  engaged  in  mason  contracting  and  with  pride  to  an  unbroken  record  of  more 
dealing  in  building  material.  The  mem-  than  forty-five  years  when  the  weekly 
bers  of  the  firm  were  men  of  energy  and  payroll  has  never  been  postponed,  and  no 
character,  and  they  rapidly  built  up  a  lawsuits  have  ever  been  encountered, 
prosperous  business.  In  1878  Mr.  Perkins  With  the  policy  of  just  dealing  and 
retired  from  the  firm,  and  Mr.  H.  E.  Fair-  the  fulfilment  of  every  contract,  a  high 
child  became  a  member,  under  the  style  reputation  has  been  established,  and 
of  H.  Wales  Lines  &  Company.  In  1888  patrons  are  always  satisfied.  Mr.  Lines 
the  business  was  incorporated  as  a  joint  has  been  very  active  as  a  public- 
stock  company  under  the  title  of  the  H.  spirited  citizen,  and  has  done  much  to 
Wales  Lines  Company,  of  which  Mr.  advance  the  interests  and  growth  of  his 
Lines  has  continued  to  be  president  and  home  city.  He  is  a  director  of  the  C.  F. 
treasurer  to  the  present  time.  One  who  Monroe  Company,  of  Meriden ;  of  the 
travels  about  New  England  cities  with  his  Chapin-Stephens  Company,  of  Pine 
eyes  open  will  see  ample  evidence  that  this  Meadow,  Connecticut;  treasurer  and 
concern  transacts  a  very  large  business,  director  of  the  New  Haven  Investment 
It  ranks  among  the  foremost  in  its  line  of  Company ;  president  of  the  Pacific  Real 
business  in  New  England,  and  has  erected  Estate  Company;  president  of  the  Mer- 
a    large    number    of    factories,    business  iden  Machine  Tool  Company ;  vice-presi- 


buildings,  churches  and  elaborate  dwell- 
ing houses  of  Meriden,  as  well  as  similar 
buildings  in  various  other  cities.  From 
the  beginning  the  establishment  has  dealt 
in  building  material,  wholesale  and  retail, 
and  its  mercantile  department  has  grown 


dent  of  the  Meriden  Savings  Bank,  and 
has  been  from  time  to  time  interested  in 
various  other  industries  and  enterprises. 
He  has  had  a  notable  public  career.  He 
served  two  terms  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education  and  two  terms  in  the 


to  great  importance.     It  occupies  a  very      common  council  of  the  city  of  Meriden, 


desirable  location  on  State  street,  with 
four  hundred  feet  of  railroad  trackage. 
The  main  storehouse  is  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  long,  forty  feet  in  width,  and 
two  stories  high.  The  office  is  a  model  of 
convenience.     A   large   stock   of  lumber, 


1868-69.  I"  i'&y2  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut,  and 
served  on  the  committee  on  railroads.  He 
was  nominated  for  mayor  of  Meriden  in 
1876,    and    was    the    first  mayor    elected 


cast  iron,  metal  lath,  steel,  supplies  for  under  party  alignments,  having  a  major- 
concrete  work,  Portland  cement,  lime,  ity  of  161.  He  was  reelected  next  term 
granite,  marble,  bluestone,  and  every  sort  with  a  majority  of  318,  and  for  a  third 
of  material  employed  in  the  building  term  with  a  majority  of  566.  He  declined 
trade  is  always  on  hand,  ready  to  serve  a  unanimous  nomination  at  the  end  of  his 
the  multitude  of  the  company's  cus-  third  term.  During  his  first  term  the 
tomers.     Many    carloads    of   sewer    and  common  council  was  evenly  divided  polit- 

356 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


ically,  while  during  his  last  term  it  was 
unanimously  Republican.  At  the  begin- 
ning of  his  administration,  offices  of  var- 
ious municipal  departments  were  scat- 
tered in  six  different  locations,  and  before 
the  close  of  his  administration  all  except 
the  police  department  were  concentrated 
under  the  roof  of  the  town  hall.  Under 
his  administration  the  fire  alarm  system 
was  introduced.  He  found  recorded  only 
surveys  of  improvements  on  two  streets, 
and  he  placed  on  record  the  surveys  of 
nearly  all  the  streets  of  the  city.  During 
his  first  year  the  revenue  of  the  water 
department  scarcely  sufficed  to  pay  the 
interest  on  the  water  bonds.  A  new  main 
was  laid  from  Merimere  to  the  center  of 
the  city ;  the  meter  system  was  intro- 
duced ;  and  the  management  of  the  de- 
partment placed  under  one  responsible 
and  capable  commissioner.  Consumption 
of  water  was  diminished  by  reducing 
waste,  revenues  were  increased  and  at  the 
close  of  his  third  term,  a  sinking  fund  was 
established  to  enable  the  department  to 
set  aside  funds  out  of  its  earnings  to  pay 
the  water  bonds.  During  his  first  term 
the  city  was  involved  in  old  lawsuits, 
more  than  a  score  being  pending,  but  at 
the  end  of  his  term  every  lawsuit  had  been 
settled  and  the  legal  expenses  reduced  to 
a  minimum.  Two  new  houses  for  the 
fire  department  were  built  while  he  was 
mayor,  the  equipment  improved,  and  effi- 
ciency increased.  Economy  was  intro- 
duced in  the  management  of  every  city 
department,  the  efficiency  increased,  and 
the  expenses  reduced.  The  first  year  that 
the  city  had  been  managed  within  its  in- 
come and  the  city  debt  reduced  was  the 
first  year  of  his  administration,  and  his 
first  annual  report  gave  to  the  citizens  of 
Meriden  the  first  debt  statement  and  first 
table  of  appropriations,  expenditures  and 
unexpended  balances.  The  rate  of  tax 
during  his  first  term,  was  eight  and  one- 


half  mills,  and  the  city  debt  was  reduced 
that  year  $6,519.  The  tax  rate  was  eight 
mills,  and  the  debt  reduced  $17,537  the 
second  year.  The  tax  rate  was  seven  and 
a  half  mills,  and  the  debt  was  reduced 
$24,954  in  the  third  year.  Under  his 
administration  a  complete  revision  of  the 
city  charter  was  made  and  a  thorough  re- 
formation in  the  methods  of  the  depart- 
ments. The  system  of  keeping  accounts 
that  he  introduced  has  been  continued  to 
the  present  time.  Not  only  was  due  re- 
gard paid  to  economy  and  reforms  in 
methods  of  doing  city  business,  but  very 
creditable  public  improvements  were 
made. 

In  1879  Mr.  Lines  was  elected  from  the 
Sixth  Senatorial  District  to  the  State 
Senate  by  a  majority  of  491,  and  served  in 
that  body  two  sessions.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  committees  on  cities  and  bor- 
oughs, and  of  capitol  furnishings,  build- 
ings and  grounds,  and  of  contested  elec- 
tions. During  the  three  terms  he  served 
in  the  house  and  senate,  every  Meriden 
matter  that  he  presented  was  passed  with- 
out change  or  amendment.  He  never  lost 
a  committee  report  when  he  was  chair- 
man, and  never  had  one  amended  except 
upon  his  own  motion.  During  his  term 
as  senator,  Hon.  O.  H.  Piatt  was  first 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate.  In 
1888  Mr.  Lines  was  the  Republican  can- 
didate for  Congress  from  the  Second  Dis- 
trict, and  was  defeated  by  some  seven  or 
eight  hundred,  the  Democratic  presiden- 
tial ticket  carrying  the  same  district  by 
2,500  plurality,  and  the  Democratic  guber- 
natorial candidate  by  3,200.  In  1902  Mr. 
Lines  was  a  delegate  to  the  Constitutional 
Convention,  receiving  a  majority  of  690, 
and  was  twice  appointed  a  member  of 
special  committees  to  secure  an  agree- 
ment on  the  representation  question.  Mr. 
Lines  was  a  member  of  the  commission  to 
remodel   and   improve   the   State   Capitol 


357 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


and  to  build  a  State  Library,  Memorial 
Hall  and  Supreme  Court  building.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Fort  Griswold  Tract 
Commission  in  charge  of  the  old  Fort 
Griswold  Battle  Ground  at  Groton 
Heights,  and  was  chairman  of  the  Senator 
O.  H.  Piatt  Memorial  Commission. 

No  citizen  has  taken  a  keener  interest 
in  the  welfare  and  improvement  of  the 
city.  In  March,  1871,  at  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  Meriden  held  in  the  old  town 
hall,  he  recommended  a  plan  of  action 
which,  being  followed,  secured  to  the 
business  of  Meriden  its  first  general  and 
considerable  reduction  of  freight  rates 
and  improvement  in  the  delivery  of  manu- 
factured goods  at  destination.  He  was 
one  of  those  who  after  several  defeats  in 
town  meeting  finally  secured  the  passage 
of  a  vote  to  establish  a  high  school  in 
Meriden  and  an  appropriation  for  the  pur- 
pose. He  was  chairman  of  the  Town  Hall 
building  committee,  chosen  March  25, 
1904.  The  building  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  over  $200,000,  and  is  a  substantial  fire- 
proof structure,  an  ornament  to  the  city. 

Mr.  Lines  has  been  active  in  charitable 
work.  In  August,  1878,  when  a  tornado 
devastated  Wallingford,  Mayor  Lines 
called  the  first  public  meeting  held  in  the 
State  to  raise  relief  funds  for  sufiferers, 
was  appointed  chairman  of  a  committee 
that  secured  more  than  $2,000,  and  sent  it 
to  Warden  Charles  D.  Yale  for  relief 
work.  During  the  famine  in  Ireland,  Mr. 
Lines  was  one  of  the  speakers  at  a  meet- 
ing held  in  the  old  town  hall,  February  9, 
1880,  and  in  response  to  his  appeal  a  large 
sum  was  then  and  there  raised  for  the 
needy  and  unfortunate  Irish  people.  He 
was  for  two  years  in  succession  chairman 
of  the  committee  that  raised  a  goodly  sub- 
scription for  the  relief  of  fever-stricken 
Memphis,  Tennessee.  He  has  always 
been  a  staunch  friend  of  Civil  War  vet- 
erans, and  keenly  appreciates  the  numer- 


ous votes  of  thanks  that  the  Grand  Army 
Post  has  had  occasion  to  send  to  him  for 
favors  done  both  in  private  and  public 
life.  Mr.  Lines  is  a  member  of  the  Young 
Men's  Republican  Club,  of  New  Haven ; 
of  the  Home,  Colonial,  and  Highland 
Country  clubs  of  Meriden  :  the  Mayflower 
Society  of  Connecticut ;  the  Connecticut 
Historical  Society;  the  New  Haven 
Colony  Historical  Society ;  life  member 
of  the  New  London  County  Historical 
Society ;  the  Society  for  the  Preservation 
of  New  F'ngland  Antiquities  ;  one  of  the 
board  of  managers  of  the  Connecticut 
Society,  Sons  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion, and  president  of  Captain  John  Couch 
branch,  of  Meriden  ;  director  of  the  Mer- 
iden Board  of  Trade  and  member  of  the 
Mayor's  Association  of  Connecticut.  He 
belongs  also  to  Pilgrim  Council,  Royal 
Arcanum :  Wilson  Lodge,  Knights  of 
Honor;  of  Meriden  Lodge,  No.  Tj,  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  of  which  he  was 
worshipful  master  in  1872  ;  Meriden  Chap- 
ter, Order  of  the  Eastern  Star;  Keystone 
Chapter,  No.  2"/,  Royal  Arch  Masons ; 
Hamilton  Council,  Royal  and  Select 
-Masters  ;  St.  Elmo  Commandery,  No.  9, 
Knights  Templar,  of  Meriden,  of  which 
he  was  eminent  commander  in  1869-70- 
73-74-75-88,  and  of  which  he  has  been 
treasurer  since  1879.  ^^  belongs  to 
Mecca  Temple,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  New  York  City.  He  received  his 
thirty-third  and  highest  Masonic  degree, 
September  19,  1893,  at  Chicago,  Illinois, 
becoming  a  member  of  the  .Supreme 
Council,  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish 
Rite,  the  highest  governing  body  of  the 
Northern  Masonic  Jurisdiction.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Royal  Order  of 
Scotland ;  honorary  member  of  Harmony 
Lodge,  No.  42,  Free  Masons,  of  Water- 
bur}-,  Connecticut ;  chairman  of  the  board 
of  visitors  of  the  Connecticut  Masonic 
Home  at  Wallingford.    In  1877-78  he  was 


358 


T'""-:  I^^V  YORK 

pij:  -:  HBRARY 


i  HLD^.-^  ^"-':-d.t£!!il 


/^, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


grand  commander  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery,  Knights  Templar,  of  Connecti- 
cut, and  for  a  number  of  years  has  been 
grand  treasurer  of  the  Grand  Encamp- 
ment, Knights  Templar,  of  the  United 
States.  His  first  election  was  in  1886,  and 
all  subsequent  elections  have  been  by 
unanimous  vote.  He  is  a  member  of 
Pacific  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is 
president  of  the  Pacific  Real  Estate  Com- 
pany, which  owns  the  Odd  Fellows 
Temple,  Meriden.  His  Masonic  biog- 
raphy says  of  him :  "In  all  these  organi- 
zations he  has  shown  the  qualities  that 
adorn  his  individuality.  Possessed  of  a 
well-balanced  mind  and  of  a  tenacious 
purpose,  he  has  exercised  an  influence 
upon  his  associates,  and  in  many  things 
of  enterprise  and  larger  undertaking  he 
has  made  good  proof  of  his  capabilities  as 
a  prudent  adviser  and  a  wise  and  coura- 
geous leader.  He  is  a  man  possessed  of 
strong  convictions  and  of  generous  and 
gentle  sentiments  as  well ;  large  minded 
and  tolerant,  his  heart  responds  to  the 
truths  and  principles  fundamental  in  Ma- 
sonic teaching  and  whose  life  is  held  to 
loving  service  in  the  ways  of  righteous- 
ness and  true  benevolence." 

We  quote  the  following  from^  "A  Cen- 
tury of  Meriden :"  "His  opinion  and 
judgment  upon  any  matter  are  slowly 
formed  and  firmly  held.  Precise  in 
speech,  accurate  in  method,  and  of  a  com- 
manding personality,  his  mental  strength 
and  his  large  grasp  upon  afifairs  have 
always  made  him  a  dominating  force  in 
any  company.  He  was  never  known  to 
use  illiberal  language  towards  an  enemy 
nor  to  abandon  a  friend.  He  is  a  force- 
ful public  speaker,  of  the  deliberative 
type,  carefully  weighing  every  word, 
seeking  always  to  be  correct  in  what  he 
states  rather  than  to  please."  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican,  and  though  he  has 
had  many  honorable  offices  he  has  never 


been  self-seeking.  He  has  always  been 
ready  and  active  in  supporting  his  party 
and  the  cause  of  good  government.  In 
1879  he  was  chairman  of  the  organiza- 
tion which  conducted  the  campaign  when 
the  Hon.  O.  H.  Piatt  was  elected  United 
States  Senator,  and  in  1902  he  conceived 
the  idea  and  directed  the  campaign  which 
resulted  in  the  nomination  of  Hon.  Abir- 
am  Chamberlain  for  governor,  and  he 
made  the  nominating  speech  for  him  in 
the  State  Convention. 

He  married,  June  23,  1861,  Sarah  Cong- 
don  Munger,  daughter  of  Rev.  Washing- 
ton and  Louisa  (Nichols)  Munger,  of 
Waterford,  Connecticut.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Susan  Carrington  Clarke  Chapter, 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution, 
and  was  for  eleven  years  vice-regent,  two 
years  regent.  Children:  i.  Harriet  L., 
married  Robert  L.  Peck,  of  Kensington, 
Connecticut ;  children :  Norman  V., 
Frederick  Lines,  and  Amy  L.  2.  Henry 
W.,  died  in  infancy.  3.  Sarah  L.,  married 
Frank  L.  Hamilton,  of  Meriden  ;  children  : 
Maude  Lines  and  Lorenzo.  4.  Clara  B., 
married  Roger  B.  De  Bussy,  of  Mount 
Vernon,  New  York  ;  children  :  Beatrice, 
Wales  Lines  and  Roger  B.,  Jr.,  who  died 
April  12,  1901.  ,  5.  Ellie  M.,  marHed 
Frank  M.  Chapin,  of  Pine  Meadow,  Con- 
necticut ;  she  is  grand  worthy  matron  of 
the  Grand  Chapter,  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star  of  Connecticut,  and  associate  grand 
conductress  of  the  General  Grand  Chap- 
ter. Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  of  United 
States  of  America ;  child :  Catharine 
Lines. 


WHITNEY,  Amos, 

Man  of  Affairs. 

Among  the  many  pioneer  New  England 
families  who  have  contril)uted  much  to 
the  industrial  development  of  the  United 
States,  none  has  been  more  conspicuous 


359 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


than  the  Whitney  family.  A  single  ac- 
complishment of  this  family  has  revolu- 
tionized the  cotton  production  of  the 
nation  by  the  invention  of  Eli  Whitney's 
cotton  gin.  Various  descendants  have 
been  conspicuous  in  inventive  and  manu- 
facturing lines. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  among  the 
best  known  citizens  of  Hartford,  and  no 
man  of  his  time  has  contributed  more  to 
the  industrial  prosperity  of  the  State  than 
he.  From  an  humble  apprentice  he  rose 
to  be  president  of  one  of  the  largest 
manufacturing  establishments  of  New 
England.  This  progress  is  not  due  to  a 
lucky  chain  of  circumstances,  but  to  his 
own  keenness,  ability  and  untiring  appli- 
cation. From  a  long  line  of  worthy  and 
industrious  sires  he  has  inherited  traits 
which  have  made  the  New  Englander 
foremost  in  every  community  where  he 
may  have  cast  his  lot. 

Many  members  of  this  family  have 
attained  distinction  in  various  walks  of 
life.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned 
William  Dwight  Whitney,  an  eminent 
philologist,  who  became  Professor  of 
Sanscrit  at  Yale ;  and  Joseph  Dwight 
Whitney,  a  geologist  of  the  first  rank, 
who  became  head  of  the  State  Geological 
Survey  of  California. 

The  name  is  of  remote  English  anti- 
quity, founded  by  Eustace,  living  in  1086, 
and  styled  de  Whitney,  from  the  lordship 
of  Whitney,  which  he  owned.  The  pres- 
ent form  of  the  name  has  been  established 
about  four  centuries,  and  the  American 
Whitneys  are  descended  from  many  fam- 
ilies whose  names  are  most  familiar  in 
English  history.  Before  the  day  of  sur- 
names for  individuals,  the  land  owners 
were  known  as  Eustace,  Baldwin  or  Rob- 
ert, usually  coupled  with  the  name  of 
the  estate  which  they  possessed.  Thus 
we  have  Robert  of  Whitney,  who  dwelt 
in  the  present  parish  of  Whitney,  situated 


in  the  county  of  Hereford,  upon  the  ex- 
treme western  border  of  England,  ad- 
joining Wales.  The  name  of  the  place 
appears  in  Domesday  Book,  1086.  The 
parish  of  Whitney  is  traversed  by  the 
river  Wye,  from  which  it  takes  the  name 
Whitney-on-the-Wye.  The  literal  signi- 
fication of  the  name  is  white  water.  Var- 
ious other  names  are  derived  from  its 
foundation,  such  as  Whitboum,  signify- 
ing white  brook,  Whitchurch  and 
Whiton.  From  Sir  Robert  of  Whitney  is 
traced  the  descent  of  John  Whitney,  one 
of  the  founders  of  Watertown,  Massa- 
chusetts. The  line  from  Sir  Robert  ( i ) 
of  Whitney,  living  in  1242,  passed  to  an- 
other Robert  (2)  of  Whitney,  and  then  by 
Sir  Eustace  (3)  of  Whitney  to  Sir  Eus- 
tace (4)  of  Whitney,  Sir  Robert  (5), 
Sir  Eustace  (6)  de  Whitney,  knight, 
Robert  (7)  of  Whitney,  James  (8)  of 
Whitney,  Robert  (9)  of  Icond,  Sir  Robert 
(ro)  of  Whitney,  knight,  Robert  (11)  of 
\\'hitney,  esquire,  Thomas  (12)  of  West- 
minster, England,  gentleman,  to  John 
Whitney.  Sir  Randolph  de  Whitney, 
who  accompanied  Richard  Coeur  de 
Lion  to  the  Holy  Land,  distinguished 
himself  by  a  single-handed  combat  with 
three  Saracens,  one  of  them  the  brother 
of  Saladin,  in  which  he  was  victorious 
through  the  cooperation  of  a  Spanish  bull. 
From  this  episode  dates  the  adoption  of 
the  bull's  head  as  the  crest  of  the  Whit- 
ney coat-of-arms. 

Arms :  Azure,  a  cross  chequy  or  and 
gules.  Crest :  A  bull's  head  couped 
sable,  armed  argent,  the  points  gules. 
Motto:    Magnanimitcr  Crucem  Sustinc. 

(I)  John  Whitney,  above  mentioned, 
was  the  third  son  of  Thomas  Whitney, 
gentleman,  and  dwelt  for  several  years  in 
the  parish  of  Isleworth,  near  London, 
England.  He  was  baptized  in  the  parish 
church  of  Saint  Margaret,  July  20,  1592. 
Accompanied  by  his  wife  Elinor  and  sev- 


360 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


eral  sons,  he  emigrated  from  London, 
England,  in  1635,  and  settled  in  Water- 
town,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  a 
highly  respected  citizen  and  shared  with 
the  schoolmaster  and  the  minister  the 
then  highly  esteemed  title  of  "Mr."  He 
served  the  town  of  Watertown  as  town 
clerk,  selectman  and  constable  for  many 
years,  being  the  first  man  to  fill  the 
former  named  office.  He  was  the  owner 
of  extensive  lots  of  land,  on  one  of  which 
he  resided.  He  was  the  first  of  the  name 
in  America,  and  the  ancestor  of  a  great 
majority  of  the  Whitneys  now  living  in 
this  country.  Died  at  Watertown,  June 
7,  1673,  aged  eighty-four  years. 

Married  (first)  Elinor ,  who  died 

at  Watertown,  May  11,  1659,  aged  fifty- 
four  years.  Married  (second),  September 
29,  1659,  Judith  Clement,  who  died  before 
her  husband. 

(II)  Jonathan  Whitney,  son  of  John 
Whitney,  was  born  in  England,  and  be- 
came a  resident  of  Sherburne,  Massachu- 
setts, in  1679.  He  left  a  will  dated  Janu- 
ary 12,  1702.  Died  in  Sherburne,  Massa- 
chusetts, 1702.  Married,  in  Watertown, 
October  30,  1656,  Lydia,  daughter  of 
Lewis  and  Anna  Jones,  of  Watertown. 

(III)  Jonathan  Whitney,  son  of  Jona- 
than and  Lydia  (Jones)  Whitney,  was 
born  October  20,  1658.  He  served  in 
King  Philip's  War,  1676;  built  a  house  in 
Sherburne  in  1691,  but  soon  afterwards 
returned  to  Watertown,  and  later  resided 
in  the  towns  of  Sudbury  and  Concord. 
His  will,  dated  March  14,  was  proved 
March  18,  1735.  Died  in  Concord,  March 
I7>  1735-  Married  Sarah,  daughter  of 
Shadrach  and  Elizabeth  (Tread  way) 
Hapgood,  of  Sudbury. 

(IV)  Daniel  Whitney,  son  of  Jonathan 
and  Sarah  (Hapgood)  Whitney,  was  born 
September  12,  1710,  in  Concord,  and  re- 
sided for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the 
north   precinct   of   Shrewsbury,   now   the 


town  of  Boylston.  Died  at  Boylston, 
October  18,  1779.  Married,  at  Shrews- 
bury, March  8,  1739,  Thankful,  daughter 
of  Elnathan  and  Mercy  (Rice)  Allen. 

(V)  Lieutenant  Levi  Whitney,  eldest 
child  of  Daniel  and  Thankful  (Allen) 
Whitney,  was  born  December  5,  1739,  in 
Shrewsbury,  and  resided  in  the  towns  of 
Townsend  and  Shrewsbury.  He  was  a 
member  of  Captain  James  Prescott's  com- 
pany. Colonel  William  Prescott's  regi- 
ment, which  marched  on  the  alarm  of 
April  19,  1775,  to  Cambridge;  first  lieu- 
tenant of  Captain  Henry  Farwell's  com- 
pany, Colonel  William  Prescott's  regi- 
ment, at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  June 
17,  1775:  served  throughout  the  Revolu- 
tionary W  ar  as  an  officer  in  the  commis- 
sary department.  He  was  a  manufac- 
turer of  agricultural  tools  by  occupation, 
and  a  man  of  much  mechanical  ingenuity  ; 
was  selectman  of  Townsend  in  1777; 
held  a  number  of  public  offices  in  Water- 
town,  and  was  a  man  of  high  standing  in 
the  community.  Died  at  Townsend,  Jan- 
uary 8,  1809.  Married  (first)  December 
19,  1764,  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Deacon 
Samuel  Clark,  of  Townsend.  Married 
(second)  November  13,  1780,  Lydia 
(Randall)  Price,  of  Townsend,  widow  of 
Major  Henry  Price,  first  deputy  grand 
master  of  Masons  in  America. 

(VI)  Aaron  Whitney,  second  son  of 
Lieutenant  Levi  and  Rebecca  (Clark) 
Whitney,  was  born  1772,  in  Townsend, 
was  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  and  in  1812 
was  postmaster  at  Amherst,  Massachu- 
setts. In  1815  his  shop  was  burned,  and 
he  removed  to  Calais,  Maine.  Died  Feb- 
ruary 16,  1845.  Married  (first)  March  16, 
1797,  Phebe  Dunklee,  born  December  20, 

1778,  died  January  31.  1800.  Married 
(second)   Olive    Lund,  born   in    August, 

1779,  died  January,  1867. 

(VII)  Aaron  Whitney,  fourth  son  of 
Aaron  Whitnev,  and  child  of  his  second 


361 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


wife,  Olive  (Lund)  Whitney,  was  born 
December  15,  1801,  at  Amherst,  Massa- 
chusetts. Died  January,  1866.  Married, 
at  Biddeford,  Maine,  Rebecca  Perkins, 
born  in  March,  1809. 

(VIII)  Amos  Whitney,  eldest  son  of 
Aaron  and  Rebecca  (Perkins)  Whitney, 
was  born  October  8,  1832,  at  Biddeford, 
Maine.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  Biddeford  and  Saccarappa, 
Maine,  and  Exeter,  New  Hampshire,  his 
parents  removing  first  to  Saccarappa, 
then  to  Exeter,  and  lastly  to  Lawrence, 
Massachusetts.  In  the  latter  town  he 
was  apprenticed  when  thirteen  years  old 
to  learn  the  trade  of  machinist  with  the 
Essex  Machine  Company.  The  shop  in 
which  he  worked  was  a  very  large  one 
for  those  days,  and  was  devoted  to  the 
making  of  cotton  machinery,  locomotives 
and  machinists'  tools.  During  his  ap- 
prenticeship of  three  years  and  one  year 
as  a  journeyman  he  served  at  the  latter 
work.  At  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  he 
followed  his  father  to  Colt's  pistol  factory 
at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  both 
worked  as  machinists ;  this  was  in  Sep- 
tember, 1850.  It  may  be  noted  here  that 
among  the  Whitneys  for  generations 
there  had  been  many  skilled  mechanics. 
Aaron  Whitney  was  an  expert  locksmith 
and  machinist,  and  the  son  no  doubt  in- 
herited from  him  his  mechanical  taste  and 
his  pronounced  skill.  Eli  Whitney,  of 
cotton-gin  fame,  was  a  descendant  of  the 
same  remote  ancestor  as  Amos  Whitney. 

In  the  course  of  time,  Amos  Whitney 
became  a  contractor  in  the  plant  of  the 
Phoenix  Iron  Works  of  Hartford,  in 
which  he  was  intimately  associated  with 
a  former  shopmate  in  the  pistol  factory, 
Francis  A.  Pratt.  The  latter  became  su- 
perintendent of  the  Phoenix  Works  in 
1854,  and  his  friend,  Amos  Whitney,  was 
thus  induced  to  join  the  corps  of  that 
establishment.    As  early  as  i860,  Messrs. 


Pratt  and  Whitney  rented  manufacturing 
space  in  Hartford,  where  they  began  do- 
ing work  on  their  own  account,  in  the 
manufacture  of  a  "spooler"  for  the  Willi- 
mantic  Linen  Company,  which  controlled 
the  Conant  patent  for  winding  thread. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  the  great  Pratt 
&  Whitney  Company,  which  is  now 
known  around  the  world  wherever  there 
is  occasion  for  the  use  of  machinery. 

Within  a  short  time  after  this  begin- 
ning they  were  burned  out,  but  in  March, 
i860,  they  again  resumed  business  in  a 
building  in  the  rear  of  the  Hartford 
"Times"  office.  The  rapid  growth  of 
their  business  led  them  to  extend  their 
space  until  all  available  in  that  building 
was  occupied.  In  the  meantime  they  con- 
tinued their  association  with  the  Phoenix 
Iron  Works  until  1864.  In  1863  Monroe 
Stannard,  of  New  Britain,  became  a  part- 
ner in  their  enterprise,  to  which  each  of 
the  three  contributed  twelve  hundred 
dollars.  This  association  remained  un- 
broken until  1900.  Mr.  Stannard  assumed 
charge  of  the  operation  of  the  shop,  but 
the  steady  growth  of  the  enterprise  com- 
pelled Messrs.  Pratt  and  Whitney  to  re- 
sign their  positions  with  the  Phoenix 
Iron  Works  and  devote  their  entire  time 
to  their  own  business.  The  first  build- 
ing on  the  site  of  their  present  enor- 
mous plant  was  erected  in  1865,  and 
others  were  rapidly  added.  In  1910  the 
establishment  occupied  thirteen  acres  of 
floor  room,  equipped  with  the  most 
modern  appliances  for  the  comfort  of  the 
employees,  for  the  convenient  and  eco- 
nomical prosecution  of  the  work,  and  for 
protection  against  fires.  The  ground 
occupied  lies  on  both  sides  of  the  Park 
river,  with  the  New  York,  New  Haven  & 
Hartford  railroad  traversing  the  grounds, 
and  affording  the  greatest  convenience 
for  railway  shipment.  A  milling  machine 
designed  by  Mr.  Pratt  was  among  their 


\b2 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


early  products,  and  down  to  1910  more 
than  9,500  of  these  machines  had  been 
completed  and  distributed  to  all  parts  of 
the  world.  The  practical  utility  and  sim- 
plicity of  this  machine  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  its  design  remained  unchanged 
for  more  than  forty  years.  The  firm  also 
produced  machine  tools,  including  lathes, 
planers,  shapers,  milling  machines,  drill- 
ing machines,  boring  machines,  automatic 
hand  screw  machines,  profiling  machines, 
etc.  As  new  industries  presented  them- 
selves, the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Company 
developed  machinery  desirable  for  the 
new  conditions,  and  therefore  had  much 
to  do  with  the  development  of  sewing 
machines,  harvesting  machinery,  elec- 
trical apparatus,  bicycles  and  auto- 
mobiles, and  they  conducted  a  large  busi- 
ness in  supplying  manufacturers  through- 
out this  and  many  foreign  countries  with 
their  products.  There  are  many  concerns 
in  the  United  States  and  other  countries 
making  high-grade  machinery,  but  for 
many  years  the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Com- 
pany stood  among  the  highest  in  regard 
to  the  quality  of  machinery  for  a  large 
variety  of  purposes.  The  company  has 
made  original  models  of  guns,  sewing 
machines,  and  typesetters,  and  has  made 
complete  plants  for  their  production. 

In  1866,  Messrs.  Roswell  F.  Blodgett 
and  Seth  W.  Bishop  were  admitted  to 
equal  interest  with  the  other  members  of 
the  firm,  and  during  the  four  years  from 
1862  to  1866  the  net  assets  of  the  estab- 
lishment increased  from  $3,600  to  $75,000, 
and  in  the  succeeding  three  years  a  clear 
profit  of  $100,000  was  earned  and  invested 
in  the  development  and  extension  of  the 
business.  In  1869  the  Pratt  &  W^hitney 
Company  was  incorporated,  with  a  capital 
of  $350,000,  which  was  increased  four 
years  later  by  a  stock  dividend  to  $400,- 
000.  Another  two  years  sufficed  to  in- 
crease the  capital  to  half  a  million  dollars. 


all  this  upon  a  cash  investment  of  $150,- 
000.  The  remainder  of  the  capital  was 
provided  by  the  earnings  of  the  business. 
In  1893,  under  a  reorganization,  the 
capital  was  made  two  and  three-quarter 
millions  of  dollars,  of  which  one  million 
was  in  common  stock,  and  the  balance 
preferred  stock.  This  was  subsequently 
increased  to  two  million  dollars  each  of 
preferred  and  common,  and  in  1893  the 
establishment  employed  over  eight  hun- 
dred hands,  making  a  larger  variety  of 
machines  than  any  other  concern  in  the 
world.  The  production  for  the  single 
vear  of  1893  was  over  one  million,  one 
hundred  thousand,  and  in  1910  the  capa- 
city was  double  this  amount. 

Shortly  after  the  Civil  War,  this  estab- 
lishment supplied  tools  to  Ludwig  Loew 
&  Company,  manufacturers  of  sewing 
machines  in  Berlin,  Germany,  and 
through  this  the  German  government 
learned  of  the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Company. 
After  considerable  telegraphic  and  other 
correspondence,  Mr.  Pratt  made  a  trip  to 
Berlin  in  1870,  and  returned  with  orders 
from  the  German  government  for  gun 
machinery,  to  the  value  of  $350,000.  The 
result  of  this  trip  amounted  to  over  four- 
teen hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
business  for  the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Com- 
pany, and  when  the  work  was  finished 
the  firm  received  a  letter  from  the  Ger- 
man government  saying  that  the  work 
was  entirely  satisfactory,  and  that  they 
(the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Company)  had 
done  even  more  than  they  had  agreed  to 
do.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  very 
large  and  profitable  foreign  business 
which  has  continued  to  the  present  time. 
In  1879  it  employed  William  A.  Rogers, 
Professor  of  Astronomy  at  Harvard  Col- 
lege, and  George  M.  Bond,  a  graduate  of 
Stevens  Institute  of  Technology,  to  con- 
duct experiments  with  a  view  to  the  con- 
struction of  an  apparatus  for  exact  and 


363 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


uniform  measurement.  The  experiments 
lasted  three  years.  Professor  Rogers  ob- 
tained reliable  transfers  of  the  yard  and 
meter  in  London  and  Paris,  and  in  co- 
operation with  the  United  States  Coast 
Survey  conducted  most  minute  and  ex- 
haustive comparisons  between  the  stand- 
ard bars  prepared  by  him  and  the  stand- 
ard "yard"  known  as  bronze  No.  ii.  As 
a  result  the  company  developed  an  abso- 
lutely reliable  set  of  standards,  and 
rescued  mechanical  science  and  industrv 
from  a  vast  amount  of  inconvenience. 
These  experiments  cost  the  company 
much  money,  without  the  prospect  of  any 
immediate  return.  In  1888  Pratt  &  Whit- 
ney were  selected  by  the  Hotchkiss  Ord- 
nance Company,  contractors  for  the 
L'nited  States  Navy  Department,  to  make 
the  Hotchkiss  revolving  cannon  and  three 
and  six-pound  rapid-fire  guns,  designed 
for  our  government  by  B.  B.  Hotchkiss 
on  the  principle  applied  to  shoulder  arms 
by  Christian  Sharps. 

Mr.  Whitney  continued  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  plant  until  1898,  and  from 
1893  to  1898  was  also  vice-president  of 
the  company.  In  March,  1898,  he  was 
elected  president,  and  continued  in  that 
office  until  1902,  when  an  arrangement 
was  effected  v.-hereby  the  business  was 
controlled  by  the  Niles-Bement-Pond 
Company,  and  at  that  time  Mr.  Whitney 
retired  from  active  service,  but  continued 
to  serve  on  the  board  of  directors  and  is 
still  serving  in  this  capacity.  Prior  to 
T893  Mr.  Whitney  had  never  had  more 
than  three  or  four  days'  vacation  in  a 
year.  Throughout  his  business  career, 
Mr.  Whitney  kept  in  close  contact  with 
his  foreman  and  employees,  and  by  his 
policy  the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Company  be- 
came one  of  the  most  successful  mechan- 
ical colleges  or  institutions  on  record. 
Apprentices  by  the  hundred  were  edu- 
cated first  and  last  at  the  company,  and 
for    many    years    they    constantly    had 


names  on  the  waiting  list.  Special  atten- 
tion was  given  to  the  boys,  and  appren- 
tices, and  workmen  of  the  company  w-ere 
later  found  at  the  head  of  important  insti- 
tutions throughout  the  United  States,  as 
well  as  in  some  foreign  countries. 

Mr.  Whitney  is  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  Whitney  Manufacturing  Company, 
a  corporation  organized  by  his  son,  in 
whose  organization  he  participated  in 
1896,  and  of  which  his  son,  Clarence  E. 
Whitney,  is  now  president  and  general 
manager.  He  is  also  president  and  direc- 
tor of  the  Gray  Pay  Station  Telephone 
Company,  of  the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Com- 
pany, and  the  Hartford  Faience  Company. 
From  boyhood  he  has  been  a  hard  worker, 
noted  for  his  close  attention  to  business. 
He  was  always  found  at  the  factory  at 
seven  a.  m.,  and  expected  nothing  from 
his  men  that  he  was  not  willing  himself 
to  perform.  He  early  established  a  repu- 
tation for  fairness  in  dealing  with  his 
employees,  and  has  ever  been  particu- 
larly careful  to  carry  out  both  the  spirit 
and  letter  of  every  promise  made.  His 
instincts  are  naturally  kind  and  generous, 
and  no  worthy  cause  has  ever  sought  his 
aid  in  vain.  His  business  career  illus- 
trates the  fundamental  principles  of  true 
life.  Permanent  success  does  not  grow 
out  of  mere  activity,  perseverance  and 
judicious  action,  but  personal  virtue, 
combined  with  these.  Its  substantial 
foundation  is  the  eternal  principle  of  rec- 
titude. As  a  citizen  he  is  universally 
esteemed,  always  sustaining  the  character 
of  a  true  man,  and  he  fulfills  to  the  letter 
every  trust  committed  to  him.  Public- 
spirited  to  the  highest  degree,  he  is  ever 
forward  in  encouraging  enterprises  which 
can  in  any  way  advance  the  interest  of  his 
adopted  city.  Mr.  Whitney  can  now  look 
backward  over  an  active  business  career 
covering  the  total  span  of  life  as  allotted 
by  the  Psalmist,  during  which  he  has 
achieved  far  more  than  ordinary  success. 


364 


E-XCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


In  the  retrospect  there  is  little  to  regret 
and  much  that  entitles  him  to  the  highest 
praise,  and  now  at  an  age  when  most  men 
would  have  relinquished  the  cares  and 
burdens  of  business,  he  is  yet  performing 
a  valuable  service  in  the  business  world, 
setting  an  example  of  industry  worthy  of 
emulation  by  all.  Mr.  Whitney  has 
always  been  a  staunch  supporter  of  the 
Republican  party,  but  has  always  refused 
to  be  a  candidate  for  political  honors, 
feeling  that  he  could  best  serve  his  fel- 
low-men by  contributing  to  industrial 
progress  and  activity,  also  prosperity. 
The  broad  character  of  his  mind  and  his 
faith  in  the  divine  power  and  love  is 
indicated  by  the  religious  faith,  Univer- 
salism. 

Married,  at  Hartford,  Connecticut, 
September  8,  1856,  Laura  Johnson,  born 
November  9,  1837,  daughter  of  John  and 
Sally  (Cheney)  Johnson,  and  a  descend- 
ant of  John  Johnson,  who  came  over  with 
Winthrop,  settled  at  Roxbury,  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  constable  of  that  town 
and  surveyor  of  all  the  arms  of  the 
colony.  Issue:  i.  Nellie  Hortense  Whit- 
ney, born  October  5,  i860,  died  June  8, 
1865.  2.  Nettie  Louise  Whitney,  born 
November  8,  1865.  3.  Clarence  Edgar 
Whitney,  born  November  26,  1869;  stud- 
ied at  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology,  later  passed  through  a 
similar  training  in  the  shop  and  office  of 
the  Pratt  &  Whitney  Company ;  married, 
April  25,  1900,  Nellie  Hurlburt;  issue: 
i.  Dorothy  Goodwin  Whitney,  born  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1901  ;  ii.  Laura  Cheney  Whitney, 
born  August  6,  1902;  iii.  Winthrop  Hurl- 
burt Whitney,  born  April  15,  1904. 


HUNGERFORD,  Frank  L., 

Man  of  Enterprise  and  Character. 

Frank  Louis  Hungerford,  son  of  John 
Hungerford,  one  of  the  substantial  manu- 


facturers of  Connecticut,  was  born  at 
Torrington,  November  6,  1843.  He  at- 
tended the  public  schools  and  by  private 
study  fitted  for  college.  After  two  years 
in  the  University  of  Vermont,  he  accepted 
an  opportunity  to  study  law  in  the  office 
of  Senator  George  F.  Edmunds,  at  Burl- 
ington, Vermont.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  in  1865,  and  could  have  remained 
in  Burlington  in  charge  of  Senator  Ed- 
mund's practice,  but  he  preferred  to  re- 
turn to  Connecticut,  and  he  opened  his 
office  in  his  native  town  in  1866.  He  was 
successful  from  the  first,  and  soon  after- 
ward was  elected  judge  of  probate.  In 
1869  he  removed  to  New  Britain,  Con- 
necticut, to  become  the  partner  of  Hon. 
Charles  E.  Mitchell,  afterward  Commis- 
sioner of  Patents  of  the  United  States, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Mitchell  &  Hung- 
erford. Some  twenty  years  later  John  P. 
Bartlett  was  admitted  to  the  firm  and  the 
name  changed  to  Mitchell,  Hungerford  & 
Bartlett.  His  firm  occupied  a  position  of 
prominence  among  the  lawyers  of  the 
State  for  a  generation,  and  Judge  Hunger- 
ford was  one  of  the  foremost  attorneys  of 
the  county.  He  was  city  attorney  of  New 
Britain  and  corporation  counsel,  and  his 
influence  and  wisdom  contributed  sub- 
stantially to  the  development  of  the 
thriving  city  in  which  he  lived.  He  was 
a  director  of  the  Russell  &  Erwin  Manu- 
facturing Company,  the  Stanley  Rule  & 
Level  Company,  the  New  Britain  Na- 
tional Bank,  the  Burritt  Savings  Bank 
and  the  New  Britain  Institute.  He  was 
an  active  and  prominent  member  of  the 
First  Church  of  Christ,  and  was  elected 
deacon  in  1874.  He  was  one  of  the  main- 
stays of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, and  from  1889  to  1901,  a  period  of 
twelve  years  was  its  president.  In  1897 
Judge  Hungerford's  law  firm  was  dis- 
solved and  he  became  the  head  of  the 
firm  of  Hungerford,  Hyde,  Joslyn  &  Gil- 


365 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


man  of  Hartford  and  continued  in  this 
relation  until  his  death.  This  firm  ranks 
among  the  best  known  and  most  success- 
ful in  the  State.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican, but  he  declined  public  office  in 
later  years,  though  his  advice  was  often 
sought  in  shaping  useful  legislation,  and 
his  influence  was  acknowledged  by  the 
leaders  of  his  party.  He  received  from 
the  University  of  Vermont  the  honorary 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts  in  recognition 
of  his  achievements  in  law  and  public  life. 

Frank  Louis  Hungerford  married,  De- 
cember 21,  1869,  Sarah  A.,  born.  New 
Britain,  July  6,  1841,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam A.  Churchill.  Children :  William 
Churchill ;  Florence,  died  aged  six  years ; 
Belle,  died  aged  two  years ;  Frank  Mills, 
died  aged  fourteen  years. 

From  the  eulogy  of  Charles  Elliott 
Mitchell,  formerly  his  partner,  at  a  special 
meeting  of  the  Hartford  County  Bar, 
held  in  the  Superior  Court  room  at  Hart- 
ford, June  25,  1909,  we  quote: 

From  the  first  he  exhibited  great  aptitude  for 
all  forms  of  legal  business,  especially  those  which 
brought  into  requisition  the  exercise  of  sound 
judgment  and  the  faculty  of  presenting  causes  in 
such  a  way  as  to  be  thoroughly  understood  by 
men  of  common  sense.  Early  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  partnership  life,  my  attention  was 
diverted  in  the  direction  of  patent  litigation,  and 
a  mutual  arrangement  was  made  which  caused 
the  major  portion  of  the  general  law  business  to 
devolve  upon  Mr.  Hungerford,  while  his  partner 
devoted  himself  largely  to  causes  involving  the 
law  of  patents.  This  division  of  labor  proved  a 
happy  one.  and  was  maintained  for  the  most  part 
during  the  whole  life  of  the  partnership  of  nearly 
thirty  years.  Mr.  Hungerford  served  as  judge  of 
probate  first  in  Torrington  and  afterwards  in 
New  Britain,  acquitting  himself  in  those  positions 
with  his  customary  judgment  and  integrity.  In 
1897  he  became  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of 
Hungerford,  Hyde,  Joslyn  &  Gilman  in  this  city, 
.^s  the  head  of  the  firm  he  met  all  the  demands 
of  a  large  business,  keeping  him  closely  confined 
to  his  law  practice,  acquiring  a  great  reputation 
as  a  trial  lawyer  and  never  seeking  or  accepting 
office,  excepting  where  the  legal  function  was  the 


dominant  one.  *  *  *  He  drew  to  himself  the 
respect  of  all  by  the  influence  which  he  uncon- 
sciously exerted,  and  this  respect  increased  as 
the  sphere  of  his  influence  broadened  from  year 
to  year.  He  became  the  corporation  counsel  of 
the  city  of  New  Britain  at  a  time  of  rapid  change 
in  the  growth  and  needs  of  the  rising  young  city 
The  city  grew  with  the  rapidity  of  a  western 
township.  The  old  charter,  which  had  served  its 
day,  had  become  an  outworn  garment.  The  town 
and  city  governments  were  to  be  amalgamated. 
The  sewer  problem  presented  unending  perplex- 
ities. The  public  water  system  called  for  enlarge- 
ment and  an  increased  supply.  In  all  directions, 
change  and  growth  presented  problems  which 
called  for  commanding  ability  and  a  legal  leader. 
Mr.  Hungerford  was  corporation  counsel  during 
nearly  the  whole  of  this  period  of  development. 
His  advice  was  followed  without  misgiving ;  such 
was  the  public  confidence  in  his  legal  knowledge, 
his  wisdom  and  probity  and  personal  disinter- 
estedness, that  practically  all  of  his  decisions  and 
directions  were  accepted  as  decisive  by  political 
opponents  as  well  as  political  adherents.  If  any 
exception  existed,  it  was  so  rare  as  to  prove  the 
rule.  It  rarely  happens  that  public  confidence  is 
so  completely  centered  in  any  one  legal  adviser  as 
it  was  in  Mr.  Hungerford.  All  believed  that  he 
had  the  learning  and  wisdom  called  for  by  all  the 
complexities  and  problems  of  the  city  and  its  gov- 
ernment, and  no  one  for  a  moment  entertained  a 
thought  that  he  could  be  diverted  from  his  de- 
votion to  the  public  good.  The  present  public- 
spirited  mayor  of  New  Britain  placed  a  very  high 
value  upon  his  services,  and  mourns  his  death  as 
an  almost  irreparable  loss  to  the  city  and  commu- 
nity ;  and  the  same  feeling  finds  expression  upon 
every  tongue.  *  *  *  But  during  the  past  winter 
the  demands  of  the  city  have  been  specially  exact- 
ing. After  strenuous  days  at  Hartford  he  gave 
the  still  more  strenuous  evenings  to  the  require- 
ments of  New  Britain.  Alas,  that  it  should  have 
been  necessary,  but  a  necessity  within  him  com- 
pelled him  to  do  his  duty.  *  *  *  I  rejoice  in 
the  fact  that  Mr.  Hungerford's  name  has  become 
permanently  a  part  of  the  city's  history,  and  that 
while  the  city  lives  his  well-earned  reputation  will 
not  die. 

*  *  *  The  desire  to  master  legal  science  was 
as  native  to  Frank  Hungerford  as  his  vital  breath. 
He  was  not  content  to  scratch  the  surface  of  de- 
cisions. He  searched  for  the  law  at  the  fountains; 
he  laboriously  delved  for  legal  principles  in  mines 
that  yield  their  treasures  only  to  unremitting  toil. 
He  delighted  in  the  mastery  of  legal  problems. 
Except  in  a  sudden  exigency,  it  was  impossible 


366 


'LDL:n    FGUKDATIONsi 


-~*S5i^^ 


f  ^OU^iy-^M^     (It, 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


that  he  should  come  into  a  case  without  prepara- 
tion. And  how  he  did  enjoy  a  lawsuit!  He 
would  establish  peace  between  litigants  if  it  were 
possible,  but  when  a  real  controversy  was  on,  he 
delighted  in  the  labor  of  preparation,  he  delighted 
in  the  give-and-take  of  the  contest,  and  he  de- 
lighted in  the  sensation  of  a  hard-won  victory. 
Any  man  who  entrusted  his  cause  to  Frank  Hun- 
gerford  had  no  reason  to  fear  that  he  was  work- 
ing primarily  to  secure  a  fee. 

*  *  *  Just,  sincere  and  afifectionate  in  the 
very  roots  of  his  nature,  his  life  could  not  avoid 
exhibiting,  unconsciously,  of  course,  the  exalted 
character  of  the  sweet  soul  of  Frank  Hungerford. 
I  never  knew  him  give  utterance  to  an  impure 
word  or  an  impure  sentiment.  Dishonesty  was  not 
conceivable  of  him.  There  was  never  a  written 
contract  between  us  and  we  never  had  a  diflFer- 
ence.  When  the  lawyer  said  he  would  give  a 
great  sum  of  money  for  Hungerford's  face  as  a 
means  of  prevailing  in  the  presence  of  a  jury,  he 
forgot  that  the  face  which  he  coveted  simply  re- 
flected the  sincerity  of  character  which  was  the 
secret  of  its  prevailing  power.  Nor  should  any 
one  associate  his  purity  of  character  with  any  sup- 
posed weakness  in  any  direction.  Mr.  Hunger- 
ford  was  a  full,  strong  man,  a  lover  of  life  and 
of  the  good  things  of  life,  which  he  was  not  ac- 
customed to  reject  as  they  came  along.  He  was 
a  lover  of  fine  horses,  as  his  stables  witnessed. 
He  loved  an  intelligent  dog  and  an  unflawed 
diamond.  He  loved  the  broad  horns  of  the  farm- 
yard, and  a  day  by  the  brookside  with  his  trout 
rod  in  the  cherished  intervals  of  an  exacting  busi- 
ness supplied  him  not  only  with  sorely  needed 
rest,  but  with  almost  unutterable  joy. 

It  remains  to  be  added  that  Mr.  Hungerford 
had  one  quality  which,  whether  a  felicity  or  a 
failing,  undoubtedly  stood  in  the  way  of  political 
preferment,  if  indeed  he  ever  desired  political  pre- 
ferment. His  nature  was  so  ingrainedly  truthful 
and  sincere  that  he  could  not  stoop  to  the  in- 
sincerities which  sometimes  characterize  the  pro- 
fessional politician.  His  reticence  was  remarkable 
and  increased  with  his  years,  but  his  infrequent 
words  were  like  the  scarcest  of  metals — all  gold 
throughout. 

*  *  *  He  believed  in  the  truth  of  the  say- 
ing, "In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions," 
and  he  ordered  his  life  in  complete  subordina- 
tion to  that  belief.  He  was  made  a  deacon  in  the 
Congregational  Church  thirty-three  years  ago.  He 
was  a  student  of  the  Bible  from  earliest  youth. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  head  of  a 
Bible  class  of  nearly  sixty  adult,  thinking  men. 
On  Thursday  evenings  he  was  a  teacher  of  the 


Sunday  school  teachers.  He  was  for  a  dozen  years 
president  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associ- 
ation, and  he  lived  his  life,  year  in  and  year  out, 
as  ever  "in  his  great  taskmaster's  eye."  Such  a 
man  could  not  be  indifferent  to  man's  infirmities, 
and  accordingly  he  was  at  the  time  of  his  death 
president  of  the  New  Britain  Hospital,  giving  the 
time  which  he  could  ill  spare  to  the  sweet  charities 
which  flourish  in  such  institutions. 

*  *  *  What  were  the  sources  of  his  un- 
questioned strength,  both  before  the  court  and 
the  jury.  If  I  should  try  to  state  them,  I  should 
specify  the  love  of  law  as  a  science  felt  in  his 
youth  and  the  controlling  element  in  all  his 
efforts;  capacity  for  thorough  preparation  never 
omitted  when  preparation  was  possible;  loyalty 
to  truth  and  conscience  which  made  him  more 
than  ready  to  settle  doubtful  cases;  profound 
knowledge  of  legal  principles  and  a  capacity  for 
clear  statement,  seldom  excelled,  which  made  the 
development  of  each  proposition  an  aid  to  a  clear 
understanding  of  those  which  still  remained  to  be 
unfolded  in  the  natural  order  of  thought,  and  per- 
haps I  should  add  also  that  joy  of  the  contest 
which  marks  the  born  advocate.  And  attending 
these  qualities  all  along  the  line  was  the  faculty 
of  sound  judgment,  more  rare,  I  sometimes  think, 
than  genius  itself,  a  faculty  which,  as  by  intuition, 
separates  the  immaterial  from  the  important,  and 
laying  due  stress  upon  the  latter  relegates  the 
former  precipitately  to  the  rear. 


CAMP,  David  Nelson, 

Edncator,    Lectiirer,    Author. 

One  approaches  the  task  of  reviewing 
the  life  of  David  Nelson  Camp  with  a 
feeling  of  reverence,  for  it  is  a  life  ex- 
tended far  beyond  even  extreme  limits ; 
it  is  a  life  that  has  been  one  of  blessing 
to  the  countless  thousands  whom  he  has 
influenced  as  educator,  lecturer,  author 
and  Christian  worker.  While  his  period 
of  efifort  has  passed,  and  his  years,  ninety- 
seven,  have  taken  their  toll,  his  memory 
is  still  a  vital  force  in  his  community, 
where  he  is  reverenced  as  a  man  whose 
life  was  spent  in  the  service  of  his  fellow- 
men.  His  life  covered  nearly  a  century  of 
the  world's  most  wonderful  progress.  He 
was  a  young  man  when  he  witnessed  the 
beginning  of  the  practical  application  of 


367 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


steam,  and  the  application  of  electricity  in 
all  its  phases  took  place  during  his  life- 
time, these  two  forces  changing  the  face 
of  the  earth,  multiplying  its  wealth  a 
thousand  fold,  changing  the  customs  and 
habits  of  all  peoples,  altering  the  stand- 
ard of  living,  and  adding  more  to  the 
physical  comfort  and  material  well  being 
of  the  human  race  than  all  that  had  pre- 
ceded their  introduction.  He  saw  the 
entire  development  of  the  free  public 
school  system  and  the  growth  of  great 
moral  forces,  contributing  to  both  the 
greater  part  of  his  own  life.  But  there 
is  nothing  he  witnessed  so  wonderful  to 
the  present  generation  as  his  own  pure, 
unselfish  life. 

He    traced   his    ancestry    to    Nicholas 
Camp,  who  was  born  before  1630,  in  Eng- 
land, son  of  John  and  Mary  Camp,  and 
came  from  Nasing,  County  Essex,  to  this 
country,  in  1638.    He  was  at  Watertown, 
Massachusetts,     for     a     time,     then     at 
Wethersfield,    Connecticut,    and  in    1639 
appears    at    Guilford,    Connecticut.      As 
early  as   1646  he  had  a  house  lot  of  six 
acres,  one  right  and  two  parcels,  in  Mil- 
ford,  Connecticut;  his  name  is  on  the  list 
of  free  planters  of  Milford  dated  Novem- 
ber 20,   1639,  and  he  joined  the  Milford 
church,  November  2.  1643.    His  first  wife 
Sarah,  died  September  6,  1645,  ^nd  was 
the   first    adult   buried   in    Milford.     He 
married  (second)  the  widow  of  John  Til- 
ley,  of  Windsor.     In   1670-71-72  his  son, 
Nicholas  Camp,  born  1630,  was  represen- 
tative ;  was   taxed   on   one   hundred   and 
ninety-nine    pounds  of  property  at    Mil- 
ford ;   conducted   a    store   at   the    "West 
End ;"    was    accepted    an    inhabitant    of 
Derby  in  May,  1673,  and  died  at  Milford, 
June  10,  1706.    He  married,  July  14,  1652, 
Katherine  Thompson,  widow  of  Anthony 
Thompson.     Joseph   Camp,  third  son   of 
Nicholas   (2)   and    Katherine  Camp,  was 
born    December     15,     1657,    in    Milford, 


graduated  from  Harvard  College  in  1677, 
and  died  May  20,  1750,  in  Milford.     He 
married  Hannah  Rogers,  born  1664,  died 
January    9,    1740,    daughter    of    Eleazer 
Rogers,  who  was  a  freeman  at  Milford  in 
1669.    The  eldest  son  of  Joseph  and  Han- 
nah  (Rogers)  Camp  was  Nathan  Camp, 
born   1690,  died   February  27,   1767.     He 
was  an  early  settler  in  Durham,  Connec- 
ticut, which  town  he  represented  in  the 
General  Assembly  fifteen  years.    He  mar- 
ried,   January    i,    1717,   Rhoda    Parsons, 
born    1694,    in   Northampton,    Massachu- 
setts,   died    July    i,     1767,    in    Durham, 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Rhoda  (Taylor) 
Parsons,  of  Northampton,  and  late  in  life 
of  Durham.    Their  third  son,  Elah  Camp, 
born  May  20.  baptized  May  29,  1729,  died 
October  17,   1787,  in  Durham.     He  mar- 
ried, May  14,  1760,  Phebe  Baldwin,  bap- 
tized October  i,  1732,  in  Milford,  daugh- 
ter of  Ezra  and   Ruth   Baldwin,   of  that 
town,  later  of  Durham.     Elah  Camp  and 
his   wife   were  members  of  the  Durham 
church  in  1804.    Their  eldest  son,  Nathan 
Ozias  Camp,  was  born  February  10,  1763, 
in   Durham,  and  married,  May   16,   1787, 
Phebe  Spencer.     Their  second  son,  Elah 
Camp,   born   July   22,    1792,   at   Durham, 
was  a  farmer  there  until   1844,  when  he 
removed  to  Meriden,  Connecticut,  where 
he    continued    work   as    a    farmer.      He 
bought  the  General  Booth  farm  and  re- 
sided there  until  his  death,  December  25, 
1868.     In    early    life    he    was    a    school 
teacher ;   was  justice    of  the  peace,    and 
deacon  of  the  Congregational  church.   He 
married  Orit  Lee,  a  direct  descendant  of 
Governor  Theophilus  Eaton,  the  first  gov- 
ernor of  the   New   Haven   Colony.     Her 
father,  Eber    Lee,  was  a    soldier  of    the 
Revolution,  and  was  at  Greenwich  at  the 
time  when  General  Israel  Putnam  made 
his  famous  descent  of  a  steep  hill,  escap- 
ing the  clutches  of  his  British  pursuers. 
Elah  Camp  was  a  soldier  of  the  War  of 
368 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


1812,-serving  in  a  New  Haven  regiment 
from  Durham.  The  arms  of  the  Camp 
family  in  England  are :  Sable,  a  chevron, 
between  three  griffins'  heads,  erased. 
Crest :  A  griffin's  head  erased,  ducally 
gorged  and  holding  in  the  mouth  a  branch 
of  laurel,  all  proper.  Recent  searches  have 
discovered  new  material  pertaining  to  the 
English  ancestry  of  the  family  which  may 
be  found  in  connection  with  the  biog- 
raphy of  John  Spencer  Camp  in  this  work. 
David  Nelson  Camp,  son  of  Elah  and 
Orit  (Lee)  Camp,  was  born  October  3, 
1820,  on  the  home  farm  in  Durham,  Con- 
necticut, and  there  spent  his  youth.  His 
mother,  a  deeply  religious  woman,  care- 
fully trained  him  in  the  ways  of  right- 
eousness, her  dearest  wish  being  that  her 
eldest  son  should  become  a  missionary. 
Her  teachings  and  influence  were  strong 
factors  in  his  early  life,  and  her  wish  was 
realized,  although  his  missionary  work 
was  not  of  the  exact  kind  she  hoped  it 
would  be.  But  he  was  a  true  missionary 
nevertheless.  He  was  not  a  robust 
youth,  in  fact  was  quite  delicate.  He  at- 
tended public  schools,  studied  under  pri- 
vate tuition,  and  pursued  courses  of 
study  at  Durham  Academy,  Meriden 
Academy  and  Hartford  grammar  school. 
A  severe  illness,  nearly  depriving  him  of 
eyesight,  effectually  prevented  his  pur- 
suing a  regular  course  at  college,  but  he 
continued  under  private  tutors,  and  at- 
tained the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  con- 
ferred by  Yale  College  in  1853.  He  chose 
pedagogy  as  a  profession,  and  from  1838 
until  1850  taught  in  the  public  schools  of 
North  Guilford,  Branford,  North  Bran- 
ford  and  Meriden,  and  in  Meriden  Insti- 
tute. In  1850  he  was  appointed  instruc- 
tor of  mathematics,  moral  and  natural 
philosophy  and  geography,  in  the  Connec- 
ticut State  Normal  School,  established  in 
that  year.  In  1855  he  was  appointed 
assistant  principal,  and  in  1857  was  made 

C«in-J.-24  369 


principal.  From  1857  until  1866  he  was 
principal  of  the  State  Normal  School,  pro- 
fessor of  English  language  and  literature, 
mental  philosophy,  theory  and  practice  of 
teaching,  also  State  superintendent  of 
public  instruction.  Those  were  years  of 
excessive  labor,  and  resulted  in  a  lowered 
physical  condition,  which  compelled  him 
to  resign  his  post.  He  spent  the  summer 
and  autumn  of  1866  in  foreign  travel,  re- 
turning in  time  to  assist  in  reopening  and 
reorganizing  St.  John's  College  at  An- 
napolis, Maryland,  having  been  elected  to 
a  chair  at  that  institution  while  he  was 
abroad.  He  was  professor  of  geography, 
history  and  mental  philosophy  at  St. 
John's.  1866-67,  under  President  Henry 
Barnard,  LL.  D.,  but  his  father's  death,  in 
1868,  compelled  his  resignation,  that  he 
might  return  home  and  settle  the  estate. 
From  1870  until  1880  he  taught  in  New 
Britain  Seminary  as  his  health  permitted, 
but  after  1880  his  pursuits  were  literary 
and  commercial.  When  the  National 
Bureau  of  Education  was  established  at 
Washington,  Professor  Camp  was  invited 
by  Dr.  Barnard,  commissioner,  to  assist 
in  the  work.  During  the  course  of  his 
life  as  an  educator  he  delivered  more  than 
four  hundred  lectures  on  educational  and 
other  subjects,  before  teachers,  institutes 
and  religious  and  scientific  bodies.  He 
was  secretary  and  president  of  the  Con- 
necticut Teachers  Association  ;  secretary 
of  the  National  Education  Association ; 
president,  vice-president  and  again  presi- 
dent of  the  New  Britain  Institute,  and  for 
over  half  a  century  chairman  of  its  library 
committee.  In  connection  with  his  edu- 
cational work  he  wrote  and  published  a 
number  of  text  books,  including  a  series 
of  four  georaphies  (1860-65),  "Primary," 
"Intermediate"'  and  "Higher."  He  was 
also  the  author  of  the  "Globe  Manual" 
(1864),  "American  Year  Book"  (1869), 
"History  of  New  Britain,  Farmington  and 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Berlin,"  and  other  works,  and  contributed 
largely  to  the  columns  of  the  educational 
and  religious  journals. 

With  the  closing  of  the  work  as  an  edu- 
cator, in  1880,  Professor  Camp  began  a 
connection  with  the  business  life  of  New 
Britain.  He  was  elected  president  of  the 
Skinner  Chuck  Company  in  18S7 ;  was 
also  president  of  the  Adkins  Printing 
Company ;  director  of  the  New  Britain 
National  Bank  after  1874,  and  vice-presi- 
dent after  1883.  While  the  foregoing 
covers  his  career  as  educator  and  business 
man,  there  remains  a  very  important  part 
of  the  life  work  of  Professor  Camp — his 
public  service  and  religious  activities.  A 
Republican  in  politics,  he  ever  took  a 
deep  interest  in  civic  afTairs,  serving  as 
councilman  of  New  Britain  in  1871  ;  alder- 
man, 1872-76;  raayor,  1877-79;  rnember  of 
the  General  Assembly,  1879,  and  chair- 
man of  its  committee  on  education.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church  from  boyhood,  and  an  active 
worker  in  church,  missionary,  Bible  and 
temperance  societies.  He  was  a  director 
of  the  Congregational  Missionary  Society 
of  Connecticut  from  1875;  was  auditor, 
1882-97;  president  from  1900;  auditor  of 
the  National  Council  of  Congregational 
Churches  thirty-one  years,  from  1883:  for 
ten  years  was  president  of  the  Connec- 
ticut Temperance  Society  ;  member  of  the 
American  Board  of  Foreign  Missions,  the 
American  Missionary  Society,  the  Ameri- 
ican  Bible  Society,  Congregational  Home 
Missionary  Society,  Connecticut  Humane 
Society,  Connecticut  Bible  Society,  Con- 
necticut Congregational  Club ;  founder 
and  first  president  of  the  Central  Congre- 
gational Club.  He  was  an  authority  on 
local  history  and  genealogy,  and  for  many 
years  was  a  member  of  the  Connecticut 
Historical  Society.  Add  to  all  this  the 
kindliest,  most  friendly  personal  interest 
in  everybody  and  in  everything  good  and 


helpful,  and  you  have  then  a  fair  concep- 
tion of  this  courteous,  Christian  gentle- 
man of  culture,  refinement  and  devotion 
— New  Britain's  "Grand  Old  Man." 

The  following  appreciation  of  the  char- 
acter of  Professor  Camp  was  adopted  by 
the  South  Church  in  1910,  and  the  senti- 
ments then  expressed  are  again  voiced : 

There  are  some  private  festivals  that  rise  to  the 
dignity  of  public  occasions.  Surely  this  may  be 
said  of  the  birthday  of  David  \.  Camp,  of  our 
own  church  and  city,  who  reaches  to-morrow  the 
completion  of  his  ninetieth  year  of  age.  A  citizen 
serving  his  community  in  many  public  ways  and 
with  unfailing  fidelity,  a  business  man  of  pene- 
trating judgment  and  sterling  honesty,  a  teacher 
who  has  perpetuated  his  influence  in  the  grateful 
memories  of  many  pupils,  a  speaker  and  writer 
whose  words  always  wed  a  true  humanity  with 
chasteness  and  dignity  of  style,  a  philanthropist 
giving  time  and  energy  and  money  to  good  works 
both  in  his  own  community  and  abroad,  a  church 
m.ember  whose  conscientious  devotion  to  all  the 
interests  of  Christ's  kingdom  has  been  an  asset 
which  any  church  might  well  covet,  and  above  all 
a  Christian  gentleman  revered  wherever  his  work 
has  been  done  and  loved  wherever  he  is  known — 
that  is  David  N.  Camp,  our  friend  and  saint. 

Inasmuch  as  he  has  been  since  1854  a  member 
of  this  church,  and  for  nearly  a  full  half  century 
has  sat  as  a  deacon  on  its  official  board,  his  happi- 
ness to-morrow  deserves  a  congratulatory  word 
from  the  church  he  has  so  nobly  served.  "Old 
age,"  declared  a  French  philosopher,  "carries  its 
own  lamp."  Our  friend,  living  still,  with  unabated 
zeal  and  unquenched  enthusiasm  notably  exempli- 
fies the  truth  of  the  saying.  And  always  the  lamp 
which  he  carried  is  shedding  its  light  upon  others. 
In  the  picturesque  words  of  Scripture  he  is  still 
bringing  forth  fruit  in  old  age;  he  is  full  of  sap 
and  green — and  his  fruit  is  the  fruit  of  the  spirit, 
love,  joy,  peace.  Accordingly  the  South  Church 
of  New  Britain  herewith  by  formal  vote  extends 
its  deepest  good  wishes  and  heartiest  congratula- 
tions to  Deacon  David  N.  Camp  on  the  attainment 
of  his  ninetieth  anniversary,  and  grateful  for  the 
beauty  of  his  character  and  for  his  varied  and 
continuous  gifts  to  it  and  to  the  church  at  large 
it  prays  God  that  divine  blessing,  rich  and  lasting, 
may  attend  our  senior  saint  through  the  further 
years  of  his  pilgrimage ;  and  not  less  earnestly 
does  it  pray  that  it  may  be  consecrated  to  a 
worthy  following  of  the  lustrous  example  set 
forth  in  the  life  of  our  friend  and  fellow  citizen. 


370 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Professor  Camp  married,  June  25,  1844, 
Sarah  Adeline  Howe,  born  February  24, 
1820,  died  August  18,  1883,  daughter  of 
x\ugustus  Howe,  of  an  old  Durham  fam- 
il3^  Children  :  Ellen  R.,  born  March  6, 
1846,  died  March  13,  1900;  Emma  Jane, 
born  July  i,  1854,  married,  June  2,  1875, 
Daniel  O.  Rogers,  the  mother  of  ten  chil- 
dren :  Emma  Gertrude,  a  missionary  to 
Turkey  about  ten  years,  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  191 5;  David  Camp,  pro- 
fessor of  Sociology  and  Philosophy  of 
Smith    College,    married    Gladys    Gage, 


child :  David  Camp  Rogers,  Jr. ;  John 
Leete,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years,  married  Florence  H.  Falcott ; 
Daniel  Miner,  clergyman  and  missionary, 
killed  at  the  massacre  at  Adana,  Turkey, 
April  15,  1909,  married  Mary  T.  Christie, 
leaving  a  son,  Daniel  Miner  Rogers ;  Noah 
Walter,  died  young;  Mary  Ellen;  Paul 
Knapp,  married  Grita  W.  Clark,  children : 
Paul  Knapp  Rogers,  Jr.,  and  Marjorie 
Rogers ;  Elizabeth  Sarah  ;  James  Pratt,  a 
graduate  of  Williams  College ;  Philip 
Howe,  junior  in  Williams  College. 


n^ 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abrams,  Alva  E.,  Dr.,  240,  241 

Elnathan,  241 

J.  Danforth,  241 

Jessie,  241 
Alden,  Daniel,  164 

John, 164 

Joseph,  164 
Anderson,  Anna,  212 

Joseph,   Rev.,  210 

William,  210 
Atkins,  Cora  J.,  43 

Frederic  C,  41,  42 

Josiah,  41 

Solomon,  41,  42 
Atwood,  Ashur,  34 

Ezekiel,  34 

Francis,  34 

Hattie  M.,  35 

Henry  S.,  34 

Jonathan,  Dr.,  310 

Josiah,  34 

Lewis  J.,  310 

Norman,  310 

Sarah  E.,  312 

Thomas,  Dr.,  34,  310 
Attwood,  Alice  B.,  232 

Fannie  C,  232 

William  E.,  231 

William  H.,  232 

Backus,  Elizabeth,  248 

Joseph,  247 

Samuel,  247 

Stephen,  247 

William,  247 
Barbour.  Harriet  E.,  194 

Lucius,  192 

Lucius  A.,  191,  193 

Samuel,  191 

Thomas,  191 
Beckwith,  Harvey,  335 


Jonah,  334 

Lot,  335 

Matthew,  333 

Oliver  A.,  335 

Oliver  A.,  Jr.,  336 

Oliver  R.,  Z2>2,  33^ 

Phillips,  334 

Sarah,  337 

Thomas,  335 

Wolston,  335 
Beecher,  Florence  G.,  198 

John, 19s 

Marguerite  K.,  198 

Mary  B.,  198 

William  J.,  194 
Bennett,  Charles  J.,  239 

Isaac,  63 

Joseph  W.,  239 

Marguerite,  240 

Nathan,  64 

William  L.,  64 
Bill,  Abiel,  19 

Edward  W.,  19 

Francis  P.,  45,  46 

Frederick  R.,  43,  45 

Hosea,  19 

James,  18,  44 

John,  18,  44 

Jonathan,  44 

Marion  S.,  20 

Minnie,  46 

Peleg,  18 

Philip,  18 

Roswell,  44,  45 

Roswell  W.,  46 

Samuel,  44 

William  C,  17,  19 

William  H.,  19 
Billings,  John,  162 

Joseph,  162 


Nicholas,  161 


375 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Roger,  162 

Samuel,  162 

William,  162 
Birdsey,  Gershom,  130 

John,  129,  130 
Bliss,  Daniel,  75 

Edgerton  A.,  75 

Elizabeth  B.,  76 

Jonathan,  74,  75 

Peter,  75 

Thomas,  j^i 

William  E.,  73,  76 
Bobbin,  Edward  G.,  95,  96 

John  J.,  95 

Mary  C,  96 
Bradley,  Clarence  P.,  34 

Daniel,  31 

Harriet,  34 

Levi,  31 

Nathaniel  L.,  31,  32 
Broadhurst,  Alice,  236 

John,  233 

Leon  P.,  233,  235 

Thomas,  233 
Bronson,  Bennet,  314 

Edith,  315 

Julius  H.,  314,  315 

Thomas,  314 

Thomas,  Rev.,  315 
Buckingham,  Bessie  R.,  132 

Daniel,  154 

Edward  T.,  130,  131 

Eliza,  156 

Samuel,  154 

Thomas,  130,  153 

Thomas,  Rev.,  153 

Walter  T.,  130 

William  A.,  153,  154 
Bulkeley,  Eliphalet  A.,  213 

Eliphalet,  Col.,  213 

Fannie,  217 

John  C,  213 

John,  Judge,  213 

John,  Rev.,  213 

Morgan  G.,  212,  214 

Peter,  Rev.,  213 


Bull,  Clara  B.,  305 

David,  304 

David  C,  305 

David  S.,  304 

Samuel  D.,  304 

Thomas,  303,  304 

Thomas  M.,  Dr.,  302,  305 
Bunce,  Charles  E.,  53 

Edwin,  53 
Burnes,  Charles  D.,  307 

Elizabeth  M.,  308 

Harvey  E.,  Rev.,  307 
Burrall,  Charles,  Capt.,  180 

Charles,  Col.,  180 

Charles  W.,  181 

Edward  M.,  182 

Inez,  182 

John  B.,  182 

John  M.,  180,  181 

Margaret  F.,  183 

William,  180 

Camp,  David  N.,  367,  369 

Elah,  368 

John, 368 

Nathan  O.,  368 

Nicholas,  368 

Sarah  A.,  371 
Case,  Elizabeth,  290 

Jairus,  Dr.,  287 

John,  285,  286 

John,  Capt.,  286 

Levi,  287 

William  C,  289 

William  S.,  285,  289 
Caulkins,  Clifford  W.,  149 

Emily  L.,  149 

Eugene,  147 

Ezekiel,  148 

John  A.,  149 

John  F.  E.,  148 

Willis  E.,  147,  148 
Chamberlain,  Abiram,  137 

Frederick  S.,  136,  138 

Irene  B.,  139 

Jacob,  137 


376 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Jason,  137 

Samuel,  137 

Samuel  C,  137 

Valentine  B.,  137 

William,  137 
Chase,  Aquila,  114 

Charles  E.,  114,  117 

Daniel,  115 

George  L.,  116 

Helen  S.,  118 

John,  114 

Joshua,  115 

Matthew,  114 

Moses,  115 

Paul,  115 

Paul  C,  116 

Richard,  114 

Thomas,  114 
Clark,  Charles  H.,  263,  265 

Ellen,  266 

Ezra,  264 

Horace  B.,  266 

Jonas,  264 

Matilda  C,  266 

William,  263 
Coe,  Henry.  20 

Jehiel,  23 

John,  20 

John,  Capt.,  21 

Jonathan,  22,  23 

Robert,  20,  21,  22 

Thomas,  20 

William  G.,  23 
Collins,  Aaron  L.,  25 

Benjamin  W.,  23,  25 

Daniel,  24 

Edward,  24 

John,  23,  24 

Lyman,  25 

Robert,  24 

Sophy  L.,  26 
Converse,  Edward,  163 

James,  163 

Josiah,  163 

Jude,  164 
Coogan,  Daniel,  54 


James,  54 

John  W.,  54 

Susan  O.,  55 
Cook,  Charles  B.,  172,  173 

Eliza,  175 
Cowles,  Caleb,  27 

Daniel,  27 

Elgitha,  30 

John, 26 

Lemuel,  27 

Nellie,  29 

Samuel,  26 

Samuel  W.,  28 

Walter  G.,  26,  28 

Walter  H.,  27 
Curtis,  Ephraim,  63 

Ezra,  63 

John.  62 

Joseph,  63 

Stiles,  63 

William,  62 
Cushman,  Arthur  E.,  91 

Austin  F.,  88,  89 

Eleazur,  90 

Eugene  L.,  88,  91 

Mary,  91 

Richard,  91 

Robert,  89 

Thomas,  89 

William,  90 
Cutler,  David,  202 

James,  200,  201 

Jennie,  204 

Joseph,  202 

Mary  C,  204 

Nathan.  202 

Nathan  M.,  203 

Thomas,  201 

Davenport,  Alice,  168 
Charles  A.,  167 
John  G.,  Rev.,  167 

Dwight,  Annie  M.,  262 
Henry  A.,  Rev.,  260 
Henry  C,  Gen.,  258,  261 
John,  258 


in 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Nathaniel,  259 
Timothy,  Capt.,  259 
Timothy,  Col.,  259 
i'imothy,  Maj.,  260 

Egan,  Ellen  M.,  38 

May  G.,  39 

Thomas  F.,  37,  38 

William  E.,  n,  38 
Eggleston,  Begat,  3 

Eber,  3 

Eli,  3 

Elizabeth  C,  4 

James,  3 

Jere  D.,  3,  4 

Jere  D.,  Dr.,  3,  4 

Nathaniel,  3 
Elton,  Charlotte,  316 

James,  30S 

James  S.,  315,  316 

John  P.,  308,  309 

Olive  M.,  310 
Engelke,  Bertha  AI.,  103 

Charles,  Dr.,  loi,  102 

Henry,  loi 

Niles  J.,  loi 
English,  Benjamin,  225 

Clement,  225 

Henry  W.,  227 

Joel,  227 

Joel  L.,  225,  227 

Mabel  B.,  228 

Richard,  225 

Robert  B.,  229 

Fairchild,  Charles  N.,  124 

Daniel,  123 

Henry  C,  123,  124 

Joseph, 123 

Lewis,  124 

Mary  L.,  125 

Reuben,  124 

Thomas,  123 

Timothy,  123 
Faulkner,  Samuel  J.,  51 

Thomas  D.,  51,  52 


Zella  L.,  52 
Fuller,  Alfred  C,  48,  49 

Edward,  41,  48 

Evelyn  W.,  50 

John,  49 

Leander  J.,  49 

Matthew,  41 

Nathan,  49 

Robert,  48 

Samuel,  41,  48 

Thomas,  49 

William,  49 
Fulton,  Ida  E.,  169 

Rose  H.,  170 

William  E.,  168 

William  S.,  168,  169 

Gilbert,  Albert  W.,  255 

Charles  E.,  251,  254 

Edwin  R.,  Rev.,  254 

Jonathan,  252 

Peyton  R.,  254 

Samuel,  252 

Virginia  E.,  255 
Glover,  Abiel  B.,  199 

Charles,  146 

Eliza,  199 

George,  146 

Henry,  198 

Henry  B.,  199 

John,  198,  199 

Josiah,  199 

Margaret  S.,  147 
Goodman,  Childs,  31 

Richard,  30 

Timothy,  30 
Goodrich.  Charles  E.,  321 

Elizur,  139 

Elizur  S.,  139,  140 

Irene,  321 

Joseph,  139 

Mary  A.,  140 

Simeon,  139 

William,  139 

William  A.,  320,  321 

William  A.,  Dr.,  321 

378 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Goodsell,  Caroline  E.,  136 

Epaphras,  134 

John,  Rev.,  134 

Zalmon,  134 
Gove,  Ebenezer,  329 

Edward,  329 

Enoch,  329 

John,  329 
Griswold,  Daniel,  145 

Samuel,  145 

Selah,  145 
Gross,  Charles  E.,  255,  256 

Clement,  256 

Ellen  C,  258 

Isaac,  255 
Guilfoile,  Joseph  C,  94,  95 

Louise,  95 

Michael,  94 

Hall,  Comfort,  57 

Edna  A.,  59 

Ephraim,  57 

Eugene  A.,  57,  58 

Harley,  57 

John, 57 

Rufus,  57 

Thomas,  57 
Hampson,  Annie,  184 

Robert  W.,  183,  184 

Thomas,  184 
Hart,  Harold  G.,  122 

Helen  C,  122 

Harvey,  John,  334 

Thomas,  334 
Hatch,  Benjamin  S.,  268 

Edward  B.,  266,  267,  268 

Georgia,  269 

Nathaniel,  267 
Haviland,  Isaac.  103 

Jacob,  103 

Pauline  S.,  104 

William  T.,  103,  104 
Healey,  John,  53 

Kathleen,  53 

Patrick,  53 
Hinman,  Edward,  108 


George  E.,  107,  no 

Henry  L.,  109 

Joseph,  109 

Nettie  P.,  in 

Samuel,  109 

Samuel,  Capt.,  109 

William  C,  no 
Holcomb,  Carlos,  9 

Marcus  H.,  8,  9 

Sarah  C,  11 

Thomas,  9 
Howes,  A.  Florence,  128 

Harriet  F.,  128 

Ida  F.,  128 

William  B.,  127 

William  E.,  128 

William  T.,  126,  127 
Hubbard,  Charles  E.,  140,  14. 

Charles  H.,  143 

David,  142 

Denison,  Dr.,  142 

George,  141 

John, 142 

Mary,  145 

Nathaniel,  142 
Hull,  Ellen,  185 

Hadlai  A.,  184,  185 

Joseph,  185 

Mary  J.,  185 
Hungerford,  Frank  L.,  365 

John, 365 

Sarah  A.,  366 
Hunt,  Anna  J.,  271 

Ebenezer,  270 

Henry  H.,  269,  270 

John,  269 

Jonathan,  269 

William,  270 

Wilton  H.,  270 
Hyde,  Alva  W.,  224 

Ephraim,  222 

Helen  E.,  224 

Nathaniel,  222 

William,  222 
William  W.,  221,  222 


379 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Ives,  Rhoda  J.,  129 
S.  Clarissa,  129 
Watrous,  128 
William  B.,  128,  129 
William  J.,  128 

Jackson,  Andrew  J.,  93 
Charles,  92 
Charles  B.,  93 
Mary  E.,  93 
Thomas  P.,  92,  93 
Timothy,  92 

Xilmartin,  Mary  C,  84 

Thomas,  82 

Thomas  J.,  Dr.,  81,82 
Kimball,  Arthur  R.,  306 

J.  Merrill,  306 

Mary  E.,  307 
King,  Aaron,  207 

George  W.,  55 

Jesse,  208 

John,  207 

Joseph  H.,  55,  56 

Mary  E.,  56 

Walter,  55 

Lake,  Daniel,  150 

Eva  L.,  121 

Everett  J;,  120,  121 

John,  150 

John  C,  151 

Margaret,  153 

Simon,  149,  150,  151 

Thomas  A.,  120 
Lawlor,  James  R.,  84 

Mary  A..  85 

Peter,  84 
Leavenworth,  Fanny  L.,  300 

Frederick,  Dr.,  300 

Helen  C,  300 

Jesse,  Col.,  300 

Mark,  Rev.,  300 

Thomas,  299 
Lewis,  Edward  C,  170 

Harriet  M.,  172 

John, 170 


Lines,  Ebenezer,  355 

Eber,  355 

Henry  W.,  354,  355 

Ralph,  354 

Samuel,  354 

Sarah  C,  359 
Linskey,  Ellen  A.,  238 

John  J.,  237,  238 

Louise  T.,  238 

Martin,  237 

McClary,  Jennie,  205 

John,  204 
Mason,  Samson,  250 
Medbury,  Josiah,  209 

Thomas,  209 
Meigs,  Charles  A.,  341 

Charles  E.,  341. 
Miller,  Benjamin,  "/"j 

David  B.,  78 

Edward,  5,  6,  7 

Edward,  Jr.,  8 

Effie  S.,  79 

George,  6 

Hezekiah,  6 

Hezekiah  H.,  78 

Ichabod,  "JJ 

Isaac  B.,  76,  79 

Jacob, 6 

Joel,  7 

John, 6 

Samuel,  Rev.,  6 

Thomas,  76 
Mitchell,  Charles  E.,  274 

Charles  H.,  277 

Cornelia  A.,  277 

George  H.,  274,  277 

Robert  C,  277 
Morgan,  Denison,  106 

Gabriella,  107 

Henry  K.,  106 

James,  105 

John,  Capt.,  105 

William,  106 

William  A.,  106 

William  D.,  Dr.,  104,  106 


380 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Neth,  David  B.,  79,  80 

Elizabeth  M.,  81 

John,  80 
Nichols,  Antony,  337 

Francis,  337,  338 

Isaac,  338 

Julia  G.,  340 

Philip,  339 

Richard,  339 

Robert,  ^:iJ 

Stephen,  339 

Stephen  M.,  337,  339 

Theophilus,  339 

Thomas,  337 

William,  339 

Oakey,  Ada  H.,  17 

John  L.,  15 

P.  Davis,  14,  15 

Peter  D.,  14,  15 

Philip,  15 
Olds,  Alfred  A.,  242,  246 

Archibald,  245 

Comfort,  245 

Levi,  245 

Lizzie  M.,  246 

Nathan,  245 

William,  245 

Parker,  Adelaide,  272 

Francis  H.,  271 

Ozias  H.,  271 
Peck,  Elnathan, 279, 280 

Joseph,  279 

Michael,  280 

Samuel,  279 
Perkins,  Abraham,  326 

Benjamin,  327 

Charles  G.,  326,  327 

Emily  F.,  329 

Enoch,  327 

James,  326 

Joseph,  327 
Plimpton,  Chauncey,  228 

Gershom,  228 

John,  229 

Joseph,  229 


Oliver,  228 
William,  228 
Prior,  Charles  E.,  236 
Charles  E.,  Jr.,  237 
Erastus  L.,  236 
Mary  E.,  237 

Rhodes,  Charles,  209 

John,  209 

Peter,  209 
Roberts,  Ebenezer,  165 

Samuel,  165 
Robinson,  Abner,  Capt.,  40 

Charles  L.  F.,  346,  348 

Elizabeth  H.  J.,  350 

Francis,  347 

Frank  T.,  348 

Isaac,  347 

Jacob,  347 

John,  Rev.,  40,  346 

Nicholas,  40 

Peter,  40,  347 

Vine,  347 
Rockwell,  Ada  L.,  68 

Charles  F.,  67,  68 

Francis  A.,  67 

James,  67 

John,  67 

Thomas,  67 

Thomas  H.,  67 

William  F.,  67 
Rogers,  Eugene  C,  346 

Estelle  v.,  345 

Gilbert,  342,  344 

Ichabod,  343 

James,  342,  343 
Russell,  Charles,  188 

Dorothy,  191 

Hezekiah,  188 

John,  187 

Philip,  187 

Richard,  186 

Thaddeus,  188 

Thomas  W.,  186,  190 

Thomas  W.,  Jr.,  190 

William,  186,  187 

381 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Schneller,  Clarissa,  292 
George  0.,  290 
George  O.,  Jr.,  292 
Henry,  290 

Priscilla  J.,  293 
Seeley,  Anna  G.,  66 

Charles,  66 

George  S.,  64,  66 
John.  65 

Obadiah,  65 

Robert,  64 

William,  65 
Seymour,  Edwin  W.,  5 

Mary  H.,  5 

Origen  S.,  4 

Richard,  4 

Storrs  O.,  Rev.,  4,  5 
Shearer,  Daniel,  206 

James,  206 

John,  206 
Shelton,  Jennie,  126 

John  C,  125,  126 
Skinner,  Abraham,  158 

Calvin,  158,  159 

Calvin,  Dr.,  159 

Florence  C,  161 

Thomas,  157 

William,  158 

William  C,  157,  160 
Smith,  Anna  C,  209 

David,  12 

David  P.,  13 

Edward,  98 

Edward  W.,  Dr.,  11,  12 

Emor  A.,  208 

Florence  J.,  14 

Frank  D.,  13,  14 

Guilford,  in,  112 

Helen  B.,  13 

Ida  B.,  14 

Jacob,   12 

James,  12,  98 

Jencks  A.,  208 

Joshua,  III 

Lucy,  98 

Mary,  113 


Nathaniel,  12 

Terence  B.,  97,  98 
Somers,  David,  69 

Fannie  E.,  70 

George  E.,  68,  69 

Henry,  69 

John,  69 

Rufus,  69 

Samuel,  69 

Sarah  J.,  70 
Spencer,  Alfred,  230 

Alfred,  Jr.,  229,  231 

Ella  S.,  231 

Hezekiah,  230 

Samuel,  230 

Thomas,  230 
Stanley,  Adaline  G.,  320 

Amon,  278,  317,  318 

Henry,  278 

John, 277,  317 

Lot,  278,  318 

Mary  J.,  279 

Theresa  R.,  320 

Thomas,  277,  317,  318 

Timothy  W.,  317,  318 

Walter  H.,  277,  279 
Steiner,  Christian,  294 

Henry,  294 

Jacob,  294 

John,  Capt.,  294 

Lewis  H.,  294 

Walter  R.,  Dr.,  293,  296 
St.  John,  Benjamin,  218 

Elizabeth  E.,  220 

Enoch,  Col.,  219 

Howell  W.,  217,  219 

Matthias,  218,  219 

Samuel,  219 
Strong,  Jedediah,  225,  226 

John,  Capt.,  225 

John,  Elder,  226 
Sturges,  Everett,  87 

Everett  J.,  86,  88 

Florence,  88 

John,  86 

Joseph,  87 
382 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


Judson,  87 
Solomon,  87 
Swett,  Anna  H.,  92 
Benjamin,  91 
John,  91 

Josiah,  D.  D.,  91 
Paul  P.,  Dr.,  91,  92 

Tait,  Andrew,  118,  120 

Laura,  120 

William,  119 

William  F.,  119 
Thompson,  Abraham,  Rev.,  99 

John  H.,  99 

Joseph,  99 

Katherine  E.,  100 
Tomlinson,  George,  330 

Henry,  330 

Melissa,  332 

Walker  S.,  332 

William  A.,  330,  332 

William  A.,  Jr.,  332 
Traut,  Amalie  A.  B.,  180 

Frederick  A.,  178 

George  W.,  178,  179 

Justus  A.,  178 

Louisa  B.,  179 
Tuttle,  Edith  A.,  167 

Joseph,  166 

Joseph  N.,  166 

Joseph  P.,  166,  167 

Noah,  166 

William,  166 
Twitchell,  Adelaide  M.,  lOi 

Robert,  100 

Walter  H.,  100 

Waterman,  Resolved,  209 
Webster,  John,  226 

Thomas,  225 
Welch,  Archibald  A.,  175,  177 

Archibald,  Dr.,  176 

Daniel,  Rev.,  175 

Ellen,  178 

Henry  K.  W.,  176 

Moses,  Rev.,  176 


Welles,  Gideon,  282 

John,  282 

Martin,  281,  284 

Mary  A.,  285 

Robert,  282 

Roger,  282,  283 

Solomon,  282 

Thomas,  281 
Wheeler,  Agnes  M.,  134 

Charles,  132 

David,  322 

Elnathan  (Nathan),  62 

Ephraim,  62 

Everett,  62 

Frederick  J.,  61,  63 

George  W.,  Judge,  132,  133 

Huldah,  325 

James,  Capt.,  322 

Mary  E.,  63,  325 

Moses,  61,  62,  322 

Nathaniel,  322 

Samuel,  62 

Samuel  H.,  325 

Stephen,  132 
Whipple,  Clara,  251 

Frank  H.,  250,  251 

John  C,  250 

Thomas,  250 
White,  Edward  L.,  350,  353 

George  L.,  312,  313 

Jacob,  351,  352 

Jacob  W.,  352 

John,  35,  351,  352 

Julia  P.,  314 

Luther  C,  312 

Nathaniel,  351 

Nathaniel,  Capt.,  36 

Phoebe  G.,  354 

Robert,  351 

Samuel,  36 

William,  36 
Whitney,  Aaron,  361 
-Amos,  359,  362 

Clarence  E.,  365 

Daniel,  361 


ENCYCLOPEDIA  OF  BIOGRAPHY 


John,  360 

Jonathan,  361 

Laura,  365 

Levi,  361 

Thomas,  360 
Wilcox,  Elisha  B.,  71 

Ephraim,  71 

George  H.,  70,  72 

Harold  C,  Ti) 

Horace,  73 

Horace  C,  71 

John,  71 

Joseph,  71 

Nettie  B.,  73 

Roy  C,  73 
Williams,  Charles  M.,  59,  61 

Elias,  60 

Emeline,  61 

Ephraim,  60 

Howell,  221 

Jacob,  60 

Merriam,  60 

Robert,  220 

Roger,  210 

Samuel,  220,  221 


Stanley  T.,  61 

Thomas,  60 

Thomas  D.,  60 

William,  221 
Winslow,   Fred   G.,  39 

Gideon  D.,  39 

John, 39 

Katherine,  40 
Wise,  Allan  L.,  47 

John,  46,  47 

Lundie,  46 

Nellie  C,  47 
Woodward,  Ashbel,  272 

Charles  G.,  274 

Mary,  274 

P.  Henry,  272 
Wordin,  Augusta,  299 

Eliza  E.  W'.,  302 

Fanny  A.,  298 

Nathaniel  E.,  Dr.,  300 

Nathaniel  S.,  297,  298 

Thomas,  297 

Thomas  C,  298 

William,  297 
Worthen,  Samuel,  330 


^ 


384 


NOV  1  8  1929 


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