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M.L.
GENEALOCY COLLECTION
Gc 974.601 L71b 1233395
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00826 2344
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BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
THIS VOLUME CONTAINS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF
THE LEADING CITIZENS OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY,
CONNECTICUT
" Biography is the home aspect of history
BOSTON BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896
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1233395
PREFACE.
OOD old Litchfield " in its first century as a county of Connecticut won for itself a name as the home of men and women of high intellectual and moral worth. Single- minded patriots, poets, jurists, divines, philanthropists, citizens of national repute, here had their birth in days long gone by. These pages have mainly to do with later genera- tions, people now living or but recently departed from earthly scenes and labors. The present age not only revives the memory of the past to learn its lessons, but is happily awake to the duty of writing its own records, setting down what is best worth remembering in the lives of the busy toilers of to-day. Here are briefly chronicled the life stories of some who are descend- ants of Rev. Thomas Hooker's company, original proprietors of Hartford, far-sighted founders, in 1639, of a "government of the people, by the people, for the people "; some of " Mayflower " lineage ; some representatives of later immigrants from the Old World ; and other useful, loyal citizens of foreign birth. The accounts here rendered are not of buried talents, but of used ability and opportunity. The conquests recited are of mind over matter, of cheerful labor directed by thought, of honest, earnest endeavor which subdues the earth and commands its resources in the divinely appointed way.
It has seemed worth while to write and publish these biographies because, to borrow the words of an eloquent speaker, such men and women as are here commemorated " by their indus- trious toil and faithful citizenship have kept sweet the heart of New England civilization." Re- gard is also had to what Carlyle calls the "poetic interest " attaching to the common "struggle of human free will against material necessity," and the instructiveness of biographical writings, which he deduces from the fact that "every mortal has a problem of existence set before him, which, were it only - what for the most it is - the problem of keeping soul and body together, must be to a certain extent original, unlike every other, and yet, at the same time, like every other." Wherefore, it is well said, " A noble life put fairly on record acts like an inspiration."
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY.
FEBRUARY 1, 1896.
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Stillman L Welson
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TILLMAN LOTHROP WIL- ' on their own account ; and they have all done SON was born June 24, 1822, their full share of it, and have had their full share of its profits. Mr. Wilson says that his trip and residence in Fall River was an eye- opener for him. He was then ten years old, and for the first time learned that Methuen was not the centre of the earth and that Priest Kimball was not the only big man in exist- ence. The journey of seventy-five miles to Fall River was made with horses and an open wagon, no railroads then. The story is best continued in Mr. Wilson's own words : in Warner, N.H. His father, Ezekiel Wilson, was of Scotch- Irish descent, born in Salem, N.H., a few miles from Lon- donderry, where his ancestors, emigrating from Londonderry in Ireland, settled in 1719, naming their location for their old home. He was born in 1770, and died in Methuen, Mass., in 1837. Mr. Wilson's mother, Kezia Lo- throp Wilson, was born in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1787, and died in Methuen, Mass., in 1866. Her mother's name was Stillman. The Lothrops and the Stillmans were of the old Puritan stock, and numerous preachers of both families have been in active work since the earliest settlements in Massachusetts.
Stillman L. Wilson, when two years of age, moved with his parents into Methuen, Mass. In July, 1832, the family had the misfortune to be burned out of house and home in the night time. The parents and eight children barely escaped from the flames with a scanty wardrobe, homeless and almost penniless. After looking over the situation, it was de- cided to move to Fall River, Mass., where they had just got started in building up a manufacturing city. There the family re- sided three years, and then returned to Methuen, where the heads of the family con- tinued to live and where they died. The children scattered, all commencing business
I saw Bunker Hill for the first time, the ships and the long rows of buildings in Bos- ton, as we drove from Charlestown Bridge the whole length of Washington Street to and through Roxbury. At Fall River I first saw the beautiful Narragansett Bay, with the ves- sels that were going and coming from different parts of the coast, and occasionally a whale- ship from the Pacific Ocean. Each one of them had some new revelation to me, and then I became inspired with the ideas that have had much to do with the shaping of rather an adventurous life. The sailors were all heroes in my mind. I listened to and dreamed over their tales. I read " Robinson Crusoe" and "Sinbad the Sailor ": and at the mature age of twelve years I came to the conclusion that I was wasting too much precious time on this dull shore, and that it was best for me to put out. So one pleasant morning, quite carly, I tied up a bundle of clothes in a ban-
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danna handkerchief, and carefully crept out of the house to go - no one knew where. I took the road to New Bedford, fourteen miles dis- tant, which was well known to me to be a great place for fitting out whale-ships; and I thought I might be lucky enough to get off on one of them.
I arrived about noon. After depositing my worldly goods at a hotel I got a good din- ner, then went down to the wharf to look for conveyance to some other quarter of the globe, not caring where, if it was only a good way off. I saw a large, fine, tidy-looking ship with her flag flying, as a notice that she was getting ready to sail. I walked on board, and called for the captain. He was a gen- teel, nice-looking man; and I at once decided that he was the very man I was looking for. I offered my services as cabin boy. He looked me over for a minute or two, and the bargain was made, no terms for services men- tioned. On inquiry I learned from him that he was bound for New Orleans, to get a cargo of cotton for Liverpool. At that port he ex- pected to get a cargo for the East Indies, and he thought he might get home in about four years. He was to sail at 4 P.M. next day. I spent the night at the hotel, too happy to sleep much; but the visions of the world that I was so soon to see made it a night of pleasant dreams. I spent the next forenoon on board the ship.
At near noontime I went up to the hotel for one more good shore dinner, and to get my precious bundle of clothes before sailing at four o'clock. Just as I arrived in front of the hotel a carriage stopped by my side; and I heard some one call, "Stillman." I looked up, and was dumfounded to see my mother. She invited me to take a ride. I saw big tears in her eyes, and I did not hesitate long in going for my bundle and driving home.
We talked of everything except my running away. That was never spoken of by her or by any member of the family. And I do not think that any one of them has had any idea what my plans were. At that time I had no knowledge of the real hardships of a sailor's life, and now it looks to me that Providence stepped in to save me from the peril.
Very soon after this escapade I was taken into a dry-goods store as a boy of all work. I served in Fall River, Methuen, Lowell, and Boston until I was twenty-one years of age. I always made it a point to be the first at the store in the morning and the last at night, to see everybody that came into the store, and show a readiness to serve them, to keep stock in perfect order, endeavor to make my sales as large as possible, and make personal friend- ships with the customers. In that way I was always wanted, and did not have to look for employment. In 1843 I was married to Miss Cornelia A. Talbot, of Fall River, who died of consumption at her mother's home in that place in November, 1859. Three children were born to us: Alice T. Wilson died in infancy at Manchester, 1844; Baylies T. Wil- son died at Manchester in 1846, one year old ; Minnie Burton Wilson died in San Francisco of diphtheria in 1857, aged five years.
My last clerkship ended at Lowell in the latter part of 1843. My employers, J. B. Dinsmore & Co., unfortunately failed; and by their influence I was appointed receiver to close up their business. Benjamin F. But- ler, who was at that time fitting for a lawyer, was my competitor for the position. I be- lieve that was the last time that he did not come out at the head. Mr. James M. Beebe, one of the most successful merchants of Bos- ton, was one of the largest creditors, and rep- resented the other creditors. That brought me in close contact with him. The result of
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this made him my friend; and, in talking with him of my future business prospects, he offered me credit to a large amount, with lib- erty to refer to him for credit from any house in the city of Boston. This gave me an op- portunity to start business, which I gladly and gratefully accepted, with satisfactory re- sults to him and myself. Any young man reading this will see the result of faithfully and earnestly serving the interest of my em- ployers, and they will do well not to forget it.
In the spring of 1844 I commenced the dry-goods and carpet business at Manchester, N.H. - a manufacturing city just started into prosperity, which has gone on constantly from a population of some ten thousand to near fifty thousand - with a large stock of goods bought entirely on credit on my hands. I made myself a slave to my business from early morning until night. In 1847 I took one of my clerks as a partner, Mr. Amos Wes- ton, Jr., a brother of ex-Governor Weston, of New Hampshire. The firm became Wilson & Weston, which continued until January, 1849. At that time I was about twenty-seven years of age, weary and worn down almost to a skel- eton by my years of close attention to busi- ness, weighing one hundred and thirteen pounds only. I was casting about to see what was to follow.
One morning I took up a paper, and read a letter written to the government by some army officer, giving an account of the discov- ery of gold in California. After reading it I read it to my wife. Then I said to her that I ought to go there. Her reply was to ask what I could do with her. That settled the matter in five minutes. I was decided to go. How to get there I knew not, but I was going. After a very few days I had sold my business to my partner, and arranged to place my wife with her mother in Fall River. Mr. John B.
Clark, a young lawyer who sat at the table with us at the hotel where we boarded, an- nounced that he was going to California; and I believe that he and myself were the first two persons that decided to leave New Hampshire for the new gold fields. About the 10th or 15th of January Mr. Clark went to Boston to learn what conveyance could be had to take us to the Isthmus of Panama. He learned that the good ship "Corsair," Captain Choate, would sail for that destination on February I, provided a sufficient number of passengers could be obtained to make it pay. He at once gave notice of the situation, and in a few days about forty persons in Manchester had agreed to go. About as many more persons from the State of Maine had engaged passage, and some other persons, making nearly one hundred in all, were on board, with queer outfits, on the day set.
On Friday, February 1, 1849, at 4 P.M. we set sail for the Isthmus of Panama. A fearful gale with snow was blowing when we left Bos- ton Harbor. Some of the sailors got drunk : and all of them were in ill humor because we had to start on that unlucky day, Friday. All of the sailors were needed to handle the ship through that dreadful storm, which lasted all that night and through Saturday. Everybody else was glad to keep quiet as possible in his berth. Sunday morning we were in the Gulf Stream, with the weather clear and warm as summer; but the waves ran to an enormous height from the storm that we had passed through. For the rest of the Atlantic passage and through the Caribbean Sea all went well. February 17 we arrived at Porto Bello, a beautiful little harbor. nearly egg-shaped, perhaps a mile wide and two miles long, with high mountains on cach side and the little town at the extreme end. It was our first view of the tropics, with their tall palins and
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many other strange-looking trees, many of them covered with flowers and a regular tangle of vines. The air was all alive with birds of the most beautiful plumage. It seemed to me that it was the realization of the dreams I had in Fall River at the time I did not be- come a sailor.
This port was, in the days of Spain's great adventures in South America, the Atlantic har- bor through which all that trade passed. The Pacific Coast was reached by a paved road, some sixty miles in length, across the Isth- mus to Panama. And that is all we knew of that part of the world. We entered Porto Bello with the idea of getting across the Isthmus on the same road that the Spaniards made hundreds of years ago. In a few hours after reaching that port we learned that the road had been buried out of sight from time out of memory. It had become an impenetra- ble jungle, so dense that no person could pen- etrate its tangled growth for one yard without cutting his way with an axe. We were much disappointed. We could hardly realize that such changes could have overcome that beau- tiful spot of earth as the result of the pirati- cal acts of a few hundred men, under the lead- ership of the pirates Kidd, Morgan, and a few more men of that class. Their ships were waiting near Panama to catch everything ar- riving from South America. Anything escap- ing them was wanted on that paved road we were so anxious to see. What reached the Spanish galleons at Porto Bello the pirates were waiting for in the Caribbean Sea, and ready to receive a broadside or give one; or what suited them better was a hand to hand battle with axes and knives. They captured many a fine galleon, some of which recruited or enlarged the piratical navy. Many of the sailors became expert pirates under the in- struction of Kidd and Morgan. Millions of
dollars in gold, gems, and other valuables were secured by the pirates, all of which had really been taken from the Incas of Peru by robbery. The Spanish merchants (as they called themselves) were ruined. Their ships were driven from the sea. What remained of treasure in Porto Bello the pirates de- manded. The people were persuaded by bat- tle-axes and knives to prudently hand over everything asked for. Thus ended all busi- ness in that part of the world. The Spaniards went home to Spain. There were a few of the vagabond character, half-breeds and West Ind- ian negroes, that remained. They naturally mixed up with the native Indians, and pro- duced the miserable population now found in South and Central America. It resulted in that part of the American continent becoming so insignificant that no information could be obtained in regard to it. And what was most important to us was that we innocent Yankees got deluded into Porto Bello by reading the story of the pirates who existed some hun- dreds of years ago.
The chief officer at Porto Bello informed our Captain Choate that by going up the coast to the mouth of the Chagres River we could get canoes to take us up to near the river head, twenty-eight miles from Panama, to which place there was a very fair mule path. Captain Choate objected to going to Chagres, as there was no safe anchorage at that place. We anchored at an inlet called Navy Bay, some twelve miles from Chagres. Nothing was there to indicate that anybody had ever been there before us. It was afterward called Aspinwall, and is now Colon, a nice little harbor. It is the terminus of steamships, connecting there with the Panama Railroad, also the eastern terminus of the projected De Lesseps great ship canal to the Pacific Ocean. No time was lost in getting a boat off for
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Chagres, whence plenty of good-sized dug- out canoes came promptly, and transported all the passengers and their luggage to Chagres. This little town of five hundred inhabitants had an old Spanish fort and about fifty hovels built of reeds, mud, and grass. The people all looked diseased and filthy. We estimated that the entire population of five hundred men, women, and children possessed about five hundred yards of cotton cloth as clothing, all the way from nothing up to three yards cach, most of them nothing, also a home-made straw hat for each one. It is a deadly place for Yankees. We were happy to get there and a hundred times more happy to get away on our journey to Panama.
All the passengers of the "Corsair " soon arranged for transportation up the Chagres River. Four other persons with myself se- cured a large dug-out canoe, which took us with about one ton of luggage, with four pole men for a propelling power, to Gorgona in a little less than three days, distance unknown. As the river was so winding in its course it would be unsafe to estimate it. We passed en route some twenty little ranches, where a few scrawny little cattle and a dozen or two chickens comprised the total stock. Each place had a few rods of ground cleared up, where a very little corn and a few tropical fruit trees supplied all the wants of a family. They had nothing to sell. Fortunately we had our provisions with us; and, as the beau- tiful and strange scenery every rod of the way up the river was free, we had a most delightful trip, never to be forgotten. The trees, plants, and vines, the parrots, moukeys, alligators, and a thousand other things, all new to us, made every minute pass pleasantly. Through the night the roaring of tigers, or jaguars, congars, and other animals kept us in mind we were in the tropics.
We found Gorgona located on a bluff some sixty feet above the river, a good camping ground and quite a healthful place. We de- cided to remain there until we could get in- formation from Panama in regard to the chances of getting transportation to San Fran- cisco. In a few days we learned that twenty thousand people were there waiting passage. and not a vessel of any description that could be chartered or sold in that port. We also learned that cholera and isthmus fever were very prevalent there, and we thought it wise to remain where we were until something should turn up. After waiting there some ten days Dr. William W. Brown, of Manchester, N. H., my camping companion, and myself decided to put out for Panama and avail our- selves of the very first opportunity to go ahead. We made a bargain with eight natives to go in one gang to carry our "cargo," as they call it, and we to go along with them on foot. We were to get started the next morning, but it had got to be about noon when we learned that they were all that time disputing about who should carry a large packing trunk. weighing two hundred and twenty pounds. 1 soon adjusted that matter by giving a big negro sixteen dollars to take it over, twenty- eight miles. He adjusted a strap near one end of the trunk, the two ends of the strap passing over his shoulders and under his arms, the trunk reaching far above his head, with most of the weight bearing on his shoulders. Near the top of the truuk was another strap that passed over his forehead, by which he could steady the load by pushing his head for- ward or holding it back.
At 4 P.M. we started. All of the other packages they carried weighed from one hun- dred and twenty-five to one hundred and ser- enty-five pounds each, and were adjusted like the large trunk. All the people in town were
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out to see us off. The dogs barked as the men started off on a dog trot. Dr. Brown and myself followed on at a lively walk, knowing that our carriers could not keep up that gait very long. After going about a mile all the carriers backed up to rocks by the side of the path, each setting the lower end of his package on the rocks carefully, pushed the strap back from their foreheads, and took a good rest, having a jolly conversation. This continued to be their method for the entire trip. At sunset we arrived at a little clearing and a tent, where a man was located, prepared to furnish a meal to hungry travellers for one dollar. We decided to invest. The coffee, hard sea biscuit, and a meat stew that tasted cxtra nice satisfied us perfectly. We lay upon the warm ground that night with our boots for a pillow. The wild animals and birds were plenty enough and near enough to be quite sociable; and kept us from being lonesome. We had our toilets arranged quite early in the morning; and, as breakfast was not ready, we went on an exploring expedition about the wayside inn. We saw the feathers of many different kinds of birds, but mostly from the parrot. We also saw several monkey skins and one monkcy with his hide being taken off. On inquiry we learned that the fine stew we ate the night before was monkey and parrot. We did not feel very hungry for meat that morning, and coffee and biscuit were all that we required.
Before noon that day we had a good view of the Pacific Ocean from the very point, as it is said, whence Balboa got his first view of that water and named it Pacific Ocean. At 4 P.M. we arrived at Panama. Its massive stone walls, its large churches, its old monas- teries and nunneries of enormous size, were new scenes to us. More than one-half of the city was in ruins. It must have been a hand-
some city when new; but, with time, in a hot moist climatc everything seems to rot and crumble. There was much to look at of in- terest that would furnish food for thoughtful study for a lifetime. There was a little sign of reviving life in the city, caused by the advent of strangers from all along the Central and South American states. News of gold discoveries in California reached those locali- ties in advance of any information we had in the eastern part of the continent. The result was a wild rush of people to Panama by any means possible to get them there, rather of a mixed lot, colors graded all along from white to jet black, languages ranging all the way from the melodious Spanish through the Dutch to Digger Indian. "Swear language " seemed to be the most prevalent. We found comfortable lodgings with a private Spanish family, opposite the plaza and the great cathe- dral. We had wholesome meals at a hotel, and it seemed as if we ought to enjoy a few weeks in Panama; but the constant funeral processions passing our door night and day was a constant reminder that Panama was a good place to get away from. Cholera and isthmus fever were doing deadly work.
Sunday morning we followed along with the funeral procession to see what kind of a place Panama was to be buried in. The cemetery was a short distance outside of the city walls, perhaps ten acres in extent. The central part was used for burying the uncared for and un- known. The whole was enclosed with a thick wall, in which were three rows of oven-like openings, one above the other. Each one of these places was for the reception of one per- son, a private tomb, which for eight dollars could be occupied until it was required for another eight-dollar customer. We could see no vacancies, but saw where they were raking out the bones from several of these little
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tombs. There must have been more than one shipload of those bones lying round loose under foot everywhere. Numerous large black birds were tamely walking about the cemetery, ready to pick up anything they wanted. They are much prized there, as they serve as scavengers of the city. We were not favora- bly impressed with the cemetery, and decided not to invest in it. In fact Dr. Brown said he would not take one of those holes in the wall for cight cents. I offered to buy one of them for eight dollars if they would wait for their pay until I returned from California with the gold I was going to dig. The tomb vender, who looked very dirty, in the garb of a priest, seemed indignant at my offer, and said, "Marlow, marlow, vamose " (" Bad, bad, get out "). We got out, and have never been anxious to return, even if we never got an oven for a resting-place. The forenoon of that day was devoted to mass and religious processions. In the afternoon the most of the population naturally went to the cock pit, to enjoy the sport of cock fighting. The priests were the most prominent people there, and the most liberal, and seemed to enjoy it the most.
That day's experience did not exhilarate our spirits much, and we were more anxious than ever to get off on our proposed journey ; but we could see no prospect of doing so for months. It seemed as if we had taken a leap in the dark, with but a faint idea where we should land. An old whale-ship, "The Equa- tor," of New Bedford, Captain Mathews, on its voyage home had touched in at Callao. On hearing of the situation at Panama, Captain Mathews shipped his oil home on a vessel bound to New Bedford, bought a cargo of flour at five dollars a barrel, took it to Panama, and sold it for twenty dollars a barrel. Before it could be landed he sold one hundred and sixty
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