USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II > Part 47
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On the 15th of April, 1865. Mr. Place was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Emeline Free. of Stamford. New York. She was born in Schultzville, Dutchess county, New York. within six miles of the birthplace of her husband, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Sleight) Free, the former a native of England and the latter of Dutchess county, New
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York. To Mr. and Mrs. Place were born seven children, four of whom are living. Annie, born in Poughkeepsie, New York, is the wife of Samuel C. Deming, a grocer of New Haven, and they have one child, William H. Louise, born in Poughkeepsie, is the wife of William E. Waterbury, a grocer of New Haven, and they have two children, Iva L. and Edmund P. Fred B., born in New Haven. married Elizabeth Newcomb and has one child, Harold B. Kate May, born in New Haven, is the wife of James Harry Comstock, a grocer of West Haven, Connecticut. One of the brothers of Mrs. Place served in the same company during the Civil war as her husband.
In his political views Mr. Place has always been a strong advocate of democratie prin- ciples and has given unfaltering support to the party. He served as seleetman of North Branford and also as a member of the school board and has ever been interested in progress and development along all those lines that have to do with progressive citizenship. He be- came a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Kings Mills, Ohio, and was also a member of the Masonie fraternity at Lebanon, Ohio, but is not active in those organ- izations at the present time. His has been a busy and useful life and it is well that in the evening of his days he has the leisure which is now his-the reward of his industry and perseverance.
LEE FRENCH REVERE
Lee French Revere is living retired in Northford but was for many years actively identi- tied with industrial interests there. He was born in Middlesex county, Virginia, December 8, 1859, a son of Nicholas J. and Henrietta P. (Crittenden) Revere, who were also natives of the Old Dominion. The father was a son of Joseph O. Revere and a representative of one of the old families of Virginia. He became a joiner and carpenter and spent his entire life in his native state, serving as a member of the Confederate army during the Civil war from 1861 until 1865. At the battle of Chancellorsville he was wounded. Following the war he removed to King and Queen county, Virginia, where he worked at his trade until his demise. His wife was born in that county and there spent her last days.
Lee F. Revere acquired his education in the schools of King and Queen county, which he attended to the age of fifteen years, when he returned to Middlesex county, where he learned the trade of a wheelwright and blacksmith at Saluda. He afterward followed the trade at Salnda, at Bladeswater and at Frederick City, Virginia, and eventually opened a shop of his own at Millenbeek, in Lancaster county, Virginia, where he remained for fourteen years. tn March, 1899. he removed to Northford, New Haven county, Connecticut, and rented the old E. C. Maltby factory. in which he established a blacksmith and wheel shop and eventually purchased the factory building. There he was engaged in blacksmithing and general repair work until the fall of 1916, when he sold out and retired. He was accorded a liberal patronage and the extent of his business brought to him a substantial annual in- come that enabled him to secure a good bank account, so that he is now able to live retired.
On the 24th of December, 1890, Mr. Revere was married to Miss Frances Jane Stevens. of Millenbeck, Virginia, who was born in Northford, Connecticut, but attended boarding school in Virginia. having removed with her parents to Millenbeek. She is a daughter of David and Frances Jane Hart Stevens. Her father was born in the state of New York and in boyhood became a resident of Naugatuck, Connecticut, where he learned the trade of spoonmaking. He afterward followed the trade at Wallingford and at Northford, where he built a factory to manufacture spoons. Eventually he retired and removed to Virginia, where his last days were passed. His wife was born in Wallingford and following the death of her husband in Virginia she returned to Northford. Connectient, where she passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Revere have been born three children: David S., who was born in Millenheck. Virginia, and died in Northford; Grace Henrietta, who was born in Millenbeck and is at home; and Lee French, also born in Millenbeck and who is now in the naval reserve at Port Jefferson.
Politieally Mr. Revere is a republican. He was elected to the town school committee and in 1913 he was chosen a member of the state legislature of Connecticut, serving during the sessions of 1914 and 1913. in which he was a member of the committee on rivers, roads
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and bridges. He is well known as a representative of the Masonic fraternity and is a past master of Corinthian Lodge, No. 103, F. & A. M .; and a past high priest of Lockwood Chapter, No. 148, R. A. M., of Wallingford. He holds membership in the Episcopal church, in which he is serving as vestryman, and in all departments of the church work he is actively and helpfully interested. His has been an upright and honorable life and in all of his deal- ings he has been straightforward and reliable, so that the most envious cannot grudge him his success.
REV. JOHN H. CARROLL.
Rev. John H. Carroll, pastor of the Holy Trinity Catholic church of Wallingford, was assigned the position in 1898, so that his service now covers twenty years. They have been twenty years of careful and resultful ministrations to the spiritual needs of the people.
The birth of Father Carroll occurred in New Haven, Connecticut, February 15, 1855, his parents being Patrick and Eleanor (O'Byrne) Carroll, both of whom were natives of Ireland. They were born in County Leitrim, the former in 1808 and the latter in 1821. Soon after their marriage, in 1841, they came to the new world and established their home in New Haven, where the father became an active factor in public affairs, being especially well known as an ardent supporter of the democratic party. His wife died in 1875 but Mr. Carroll survived for many years, passing away in 1893.
Rev. John H. Carroll was one of a family of eight children. In his youthful days he was a pupil in St. Mary's school in New Haven, attending that institution until he reached the age of thirteen. His parents strongly encouraged his early expressed desire to become a priest of the Roman Catholic church and on completing his course in St. Mary's school in September, 1868, he became a student in St. Charles' College at Ellicott City, Maryland, where he entered upon preparation for his chosen calling. He was graduated in 1874 and afterward continued his studies in St. Mary's Seminary of St. Sulpice, in Baltimore city, devoting four and a half years there to the study of philosophy and theology. He received holy orders on the 21st of December, 1878, when a young man of twenty-three, and entered at once upon the work of the priesthood, since which time he has made steady progress, being most zealous in his devotion to the church and its interests. He was first assigned to duty at St. Mary's church in New Haven and afterward was transferred to the cathedral in Hartford. Later he served St. Patrick's church in New Haven and St. John's church at Middletown, and on the 10th of June, 1885, was made pastor of the congregation at Westport, remaining in charge there until 1898, when he was transferred to Holy Trinity church at Wallingford. During the long years of his connection with the church at Westport he not only succeeded in largely upbuilding the Catholic cause there but did much to further public progress and was especially active in behalf of the schools. He was elected a member of the school board and of the board of the Staple high school.
When Father Carroll came to Wallingford there was a very large debt on the parish. The parish property consisted of only the church and the parish house, which was not yet completed. Beside completing the parish house Father Carroll paid on the old indebtedness between 1898 and 1910 fifteen thousand, five hundred and seventy-nine dollars, which, together with interest, amounted to seventy-eight thousand, five hundred and fifty-seven dollars. In 1914 he built a parochial school at a cost of one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. The school building contains seventeen large rooms with a capacity of fifty pupils each. The following year Father Carroll brought to Wallingford from Hartford a staff of the Sisters of Mercy as teachers and today there are four hundred pupils in the school, which number would be greatly augmented were it not for the fact that there is an insufficient number of teachers in the sisterhood. The school building is the finest in the city and the staff of teachers with two assistants, young men of the priesthood, makes this school a splendid educational institution with excellent equipment. Father Carroll has exerted a powerful influence for good on the youth of the parish and especially among the young men of foreign birth. Though he and his assistants speak several foreign
REV. JOHN H. CARROLL
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tongues he always insists upon English being spoken with a view to making good Ameri- can citizens and, in fact, furthering the very own interests of the young men.
Father Carroll has taken an active interest in all public affairs and has been identified with many local improvements. About 1900 he was appointed a member of the school board and after a long fight succeeded in ridding that body of the boss rule and graft to which it had been subjected for many years. He has thoroughly organized the work of the church in its various departments, established the Holy Name Society in 1901, afterward organized the Junior Holy Name Society and also reorganized the Children of Mary Society. He is widely known for his marked consecration to the work and his zeal for the cause, and his labors have been most resultant in advancing the interests of Catholicism in this section of the state.
JAMES F. MCADAMS.
The name of James F. MeAdams is well known in hotel circles throughout the east. He is proprietor of the Winthrop Hotel and in its conduct displays something of the methods of the pioneer in that he has taken the initial step in introducing new and improved ideas in relation to hotel management. Meriden has reason to be congratulated upon having in her midst one who is so capable in this connection, for the upbuilding and development of a city depend in no small measure upon its hotels, which should furnish not only shelter and sustenance but entertainment to the traveler.
Mr. McAdams was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, April 10, 1871, a son of James and Margaret McAdams. After attending the public schools of his native city he continued his education in the Bryant & Stratton Business College and started out to provide for his own support as an employe in a retail grocery store, where he worked for two years. He afterward spent two years in a wholesale grocery store in the capacity of bookkeeper, after which he became connected with the Fall River Line of Steamboats, being employed on the steamships Plymouth, Pilgrim and Providence, first as assistant purser and afterward as steward. He spent two seasons in that connection, after which he turned his attention to the hotel business, becoming associated with the Mellen House at Fall River. He later engaged in the restaurant business on his own account at Fall River and on leaving that place went to New Bedford, where he also conducted a restaurant. He next bought the Mansion House at New Bedford and was proprietor of that hotel for seventeen years. On the 1st of April, 1914, he purchased the Winthrop Hotel in Meriden and has since successfully conducted it. He has made many improvements in the Winthrop since taking charge, securing new furniture throughout and installing his own refrigerating plant. He has also redecorated the rooms and has a most attractive hotel, while his close study of the comfort of his guests has led to the substantial development of the business. That the Winthrop is liberally patronized is indicated in the fact that there are now forty-two employes. Mr. MeAdams is continually studying everything that bears upon successful hotel management and his uniform cour- tesy, straightforward dealing and progressive methods have been the salient features in the upbuilding of his success. He belongs to many hotel organizations, including the H. MI. B. A., the American Hotel Proprietors' Association, the New York City Hotel Keepers' Asso- ciation, the New York State Hotel Keepers' Association and the New England Hotel Kcep- ers' Association. He is likewise connected with the Massachusetts Hotel Keepers' Asso- ciation and the Connecticut Hotel Keepers' Association and of the last named is a member of the executive committee.
On the 12th of March, 1902, Mr. McAdams was married to Miss Ruth Nevers, of New York city, and they have one child, James B., who is now nearly two years of age. Politi- cally Mr. McAdams is a republican and gives stalwart allegiance to the party but is not an office seeker. He belongs to the Colonial Club, to the Highland Club and to the Home Club and is prominent and popular in club circles. His chief recreation comes from golf. He is a Spanish war veteran and his military experience covers fourteen years' service under the colors. He was in frontier service from April until October, 1898. He first enlisted as a private and became second lieutenant. He acted as color sergeant from 1895 until 1899 and he lias ever been much interested in the military organizations of the country. Mr.
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MeAdams is closely connected with war activities, being treasurer of the Meriden war bureau, a member of the advisory and executive committees of the Red Cross, and is serving as food administrator for Meriden, giving his most earnest efforts to these important duties. He is actuated in all that he does by a spirit of progressiveness whereby the public inter- ests of Meriden have benefited, while in the management of his hotel he has displayed an energy and insight that have brought splendid results. He ranks today with the foremost hotel proprietors of New England and his name is widely known in this connection.
SAMUEL AMES GRISWOLD.
Without invidious distinction Samuel Ames Griswold may be termed the leading mer- chant of Branford, having a business which in volume and importance exceeds that of any other in his eity. He is actuated in all that he does by a spirit of enterprise and his pro- gressiveness brooks no obstacles that can be overcome by determined and honorable effort.
He was born in Essex, Middlesex county, Connecticut, March 17, 1867, and is a son of Deacon Samuel and Susannah Elizabeth (Pratt) Griswold. Ancestral records show that the first representative of the family in Connecticut was Edward Griswold, a son of Mathew Griswold, Esq., of Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England. Edward Griswold was born in Eng- land in 1607 and in 1629 emigrated to America, taking up his abode in Saybrook, Connec- tieut, in 1663, after residing for a number of years in Massachusetts. In 1667 he removed to what is now Killingworth. in Middlesex county, and there became an extensive land- owner, his death occurring in 1691. On the 23d of August, 1670, the death of his wife, Mrs. Margaret Griswold, whom he had married in 1630, occurred and two years later he married Mrs. Sarah Remes, the widow of James Remes, of New London, Connectieut. His first wife was the first person buried in the cemetery at Clinton, then Killingworth, Con- nectient. Another ancestor of Sammel A. Griswold in the paternal line was Lieutenant Selah Griswold, an officer of the American army in the Revolutionary war and undoubtedly at one time in command of Fort Saybrook. lle won distinction in the service of his country. He was early apprentieed to a shoe merchant of Essex. Connectiont, whose daughter he eventually married. She bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Starkey and their family included three sons and a daughter: Daniel, Asal Porter, Selah and Mary Ann. The first named. Daniel Griswold, married Fannie Babcock, of old Saybrook, and they had a family of nine children, of whom the first born died in infancy. the others being Maria, Alfred, Mary, Rachel, Charilla, William, Edwin and Samuel.
The last named, Deacon Samuel Griswold, father of S. A. Griswold. was born in Essex and in early manhood engaged in teaching. He taught in a preparatory school and other schools of Middlesex county and later removed to Meriden, where he spent his last years. He was a very public-spirited man and was called upon to fill various important offices in his town. He wedded Susannah Elizabeth Pratt, a daughter of Elias and Abbie Pratt, who were natives of Essex. Her father was a descendant of Lieutenant William Pratt, who removed from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut, with Thomas Hooker and his followers. They proceeded on down the Connectiont river in 1644 to Saybrook, now the village of Essex. and selected a site for a home, where Mr. Pratt then built his dwelling. This has been in the Pratt family from that time to the present and is now the property of Samuel Ames Griswold, one of his direct descendants in the tenth generation.
Samuel Ames Griswold acquired his early education in the district schools of the town of Essex. Middlesex county. In young manhood he learned piano action manufacturing at Ivoryton, Conneetient, and later he removed to Wallingford, where he engaged in the under- taking and house furnishing goods business, there remaining until 1892. After a short period spent in Massachusetts he came to Branford and purchased the business of S. B. Miller on the 16th of September, 1893. The establishment was then a small one, but from that small beginning he has developed his trade until he now has the foremost mercantile enterprise of Branford. His business outgrew the original quarters and in 1897 he erected the Gris- wold block on Main street, opposite the Green. It is a three-story building, all devoted to his business of undertaking and house furnishings. He carries a very complete stoek in both lines and in addition has a thoroughly equipped hardware department, carrying a
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large line of heavy and shelf hardware. He occupies the only block in Branford that was built for an especial business. It is thoroughly modern in every respect, and thus splen- didly housed and capably managed, his trade has reached very extensive proportions. The summer residents on the shore no longer find it necessary to go to the larger cities in order to seenre furnishings for their cottages, for Mr. Griswold has a complete stock of such fur- nishings always on hand. In addition he is one of the largest collectors of and dealers in antique furniture and antiques of all kinds, having in his stock furniture and brie-a-brac of the earliest New England makes and some of the old early English pieces of furniture brought to New England by the first settlers of this section of the country. He has in his own home a sideboard which has come to him through a long line of ancestors. He is thoroughly familiar with the history of furniture manufacture, as exemplified in his stock of antique New England furniture, and many of the articles in his store have a most inter- esting history. Mr. Griswold is a stockholder and director in the Branford Trust Company and he is a member of the Connecticut State Undertakers' Association. In addition to his other business interests he owns considerable real estate, both city and country property, having made judicious investments as his financial resources have increased.
Mr. Griswold is a republican in his political views. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church and in his fraternal relations he is a Mason, belonging to Widows Son Lodge, No. 66, A. F. & A. M. ]Ie is a cultured gentleman, a man of high standing who enjoys the warm regard and thorough respect of all with whom he has been associated.
CHARLES EUGENE FERGUSON.
Charles Eugene Ferguson is a well known farmer of Northford and is also selectman of the town of North Branford, to which position he has been called by popular suffrage at each succeeding election since 1912. He deserves much credit for the improved condition of roads in North Branford and for other progressive work that has been done in con- nection with the office, and his fellow townsmen have given proof of their appreciation of his work, their belief in his ability and their recognition of his faithfulness by again and again electing bim.
He was born in Woodbridge, Connecticut, January 15, 1868, and is a son of Charles E. and Juliette Smith (Gedney) Ferguson. The father was born in Boston, Massachusetts. where he learned the trade of a machinist and wood turner. At the time of the Civil war his patriotic spirit was aroused and he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in a Massachusetts regiment, with which he did active duty at the front. After the war he went to Northford, settling in the town of North Branford, where he was in charge of the machinery in the old factory of Chapman Maltby, in which was manufactured shredded cocoanut. It was in this factory that the first shredded cocoanut was produced in America. It was shredded by hand and Mr. Ferguson worked upon and developed a machine for doing the work, being the pioneer in this field. His labors and inventive genins resulted in pro- ducing the first machine ever made for shredding cocoant and which was a great saver of time and labor. A few years later he went to Woodbridge, Connecticut, where he estab- lished a machine shop and carried on business on his own account, also operating a wood turning shop. Later he went to Bridgeport, where for fifteen years he was in charge of the department of the Remington Arms Company for the making of fancy stocks for rifles. At length. however, he retired from active business and entered the Soldiers' Home at Nor- oton, Connecticut, there passing away. His wife was born in Washingtonville, New York, but her mother was a native of Northford and she returned with her parents to Northford, where she was married. After her husband's death she became Mrs. Foote, of Northford, and there passed away.
Charles Eugene Ferguson was reared in Northford, where the family home was estab- lished when he was a year old. He was employed in the Maltby factory for four years and afterward worked for the International Silver Company and for the Simpson, Ifall & Miller Company in their silver factory. Both of these plants are situated at Wallingford and while thus employed Mr. Ferguson made his home at Northford. He took up the oc- cupation of farming at Northford and now gives his attention to general agricultural pur-
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suits, having a rich and productive tract of land, upon which he is successfully engaged in farming. He has added various improvements to his place and has brought his land under a high state of cultivation. In his work he follows the most progressive methods and be is one of the representative agriculturists of his section of New Haven county.
On the 15th of October. 1889. Mr. Ferguson was married to Miss Maria B. Williams, of Northford, where she was born and died, her death occurring January 25, 1909. Her parents, Philo and Ellen (Todd) Williams, were also natives of Northford and were rep- resentatives of an old family there. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson became the parents of five children, four of whom are living: Gertrude B., who is the wife of Joseph Sals, a farmer of Northford, by whom she has one child, Hazel Ferguson; Earle Charles; Tracy Gedney; and Philo Todd. Having lost his first wife, Mr. Ferguson was again married on the 15th of September, 1910, when Miss Lena Bribus, of Northford, became his wife. She was born in Bethany, Connecticut, and was educated in North Haven. Her parents were Lesco and Annie (Kissel) Gribus, who were natives of Austria. The father became a farmer of North Haven, where he still resides, but the mother has passed away. To Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were born four children, Irene Caroline, Juliette Elizabeth, Edith May and Alma Anna.
In his political views Mr. Ferguson is a republican, believing firmly in the principles of the party, and for twenty years he acceptably filled the office of constable but does not hold the position at the present time. His religious faith is that of the Congregational church and his influence is always on the side of progress and improvement, of right, of truth and of justice. He has made an excellent record in office as a selectman and all who know him speak of him in terms of warm regard.
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