A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 108

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 960

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ALBERT BENNETT WEBB.

Albert Bennett Webb, who is the owner of one of the well developed farm properties of Brooklyn, was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, May 9, 1846, and is a son of Thomas and Maria (Pellett) Webb. The father was a native of Scotland, Connecticut, while the mother's birth occurred in Canterbury. The father followed the mason's trade and worked along that line to the time of his death.

Albert B. Webb is indebted to the public school system of Brooklyn for the educa- tional opportunities which he enjoyed and which qualified him for the duties of business life. When his school days were over he took up the occupation of farming, which he has since followed, and he is today the owner of one of the valuable modern farm properties on Allen Hill, in the town of Brooklyn. It was in 1880 that he purchased the present Webb farm on Allen Hill, which was at that time known as the Cogswell place, three generations of the Cogswell family having owned and lived on the property. It is one of the largest farms of the district, comprising two hundred and seventy acres, and has been brought under a very high state of cultivation. Giving general supervision to the place, Mr. Webb has so directed its development that its fields have been brought to a notable state of productiveness, and all of the equipments and accessories of the model farm property are found thereon. He was one of the organizers of the Brooklyn Creamery and has been its president. He keeps upon the home place high grade Ayrshire cattle, having a very fine herd.

On the 1st of January, 1867, Mr. Webb was married at Brooklyn to Miss Eunice Wilson, daughter of John and Mary (Parker) Wilson, of Plainfield, Connecticut. She passed away August 23, 1900. By her marriage she had become the mother of ten children, three of whom survive: George Washington, born in Canterbury, Connecticut, who married Gertrude Halter and is a resident of Providence, Rhode Island; Charles Garfield, who was born on the present Webb farm in Brooklyn and is at home, devoting his attention to the work of the fields; and Alfred Earl, whose birth also occurred on

ALBERT B. WEBB

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the home farm and who is still living thereon. On the 26th of March, 1902, Mr. Webb was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Agnes (Dumas) Tripp, the widow of Elihu Tripp, of Plainfield, Connecticut.

In community interests Mr. Webb has proven a helpful friend. His political allegiance is given the democratic party, and since 1907, with the exception of a period of two years, he has filled the office of first selectman and has several times been assessor and tax collector. He has also served on the board of relief and has been most prompt, efficient and faithful in the discharge of his public duties. In 1910 he was elected to the state legislature, serving during the session of 1911 and 1912 and acting as a member of the woman's suffrage and school committee. He belongs to Protection Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., also to Brooklyn Grange .No. 43 and to the Pomona Grange. He takes a most progressive stand in relation to all questions of vital importance to the community and the commonwealth at large.

JAMES ORVILLE MAIN.

James Orville Main, a grain merchant of Moosup, was born in Westerly, Rhode Is- land, August 26, 1870, and is the eldest son of Thomas Edwin Main, mentioned else- where in this work. He received three years' educational training in Alton, Rhode Island, in early boyhood and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Moosup, where he continued his education in the public schools for about six years. He after- ward had the benefit of a business course in the Wilbraham Academy of Massachusetts and when eighteen years of age he put aside his textbooks and entered the mills of the firm of Aldrich & Miller, remaining in that establishment for a few years. On the ex- piration of that period he became connected with the business that some time before had been established by his father-a business for the handling of grain, coal, lime and cement. When their interests were incorporated in May, 1909, he was elected the treasurer of the company and has so continued to the present time. He has taken a very active and helpful part in the development of the enterprise, doing everything in his power to promote the growth of their trade and at all times maintaining the high standards of service and of business integrity which have ever been synonymous with the family name.

On the 26th of August, 1901, in Moosup, Mr. Main was united in marriage to Miss Elma Wallace, who was born in Delaware, a daughter of Richard and Mary (Miner) Wallace. They became parents of three children: Edwin Wallace, Floyd R. and Carl Arthur. The eldest son served in the World war, enlisting at Hartford, Connecticut, on the 1st of June, 1917, with the Fourteenth Regiment of Railway Engineers. He was sent to Rockingham Park, New Hampshire, where he remained until July 27, 1917, when he sailed for France and there saw much active service until the armistice was signed. His regiment was nicknamed the Horseshoe or God's Own, owing to its wonderful good luck in avoiding loss of life notwithstanding the fact that it was many times under heavy fire. He received his discharge on the 7th of May, 1919, returning home one of the khaki-clad heroes whom America so eagerly welcomed, knowing what a splendid part they had played in suppressing the German militaristic spirit which at one time threatened the democracy of the world.

James O. Main and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Moosup and he is also well known in Masonic circles, belonging to Moosup Lodge No. 113, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master, and to the Eastern Star chapter at Moosup. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, but he has never been ambitious to hold office and in fact has preferred to concentrate his energies and at- tention upon his business affairs and thus has become an active factor in the success- ful conduct of the interests carried on under the name of the T. E. Main & Sons Company.

GEORGE FRANKLIN TILLINGHAST.

George Franklin Tillinghast has now passed the eighty-first milestone on life's journey and in the evening of his days he has witnessed the culmination of his hope, long entertained, that the country might have nation-wide prohibition. For more than thirty years he has labored earnestly toward this end. Throughout his entire career his life has been actuated by high and honorable principles and he has made his services of worth to the community in which he has lived. Through much of his life he has

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followed the occupation of farming. He was born at Stone Hill, in the town of Gris- wold, New London county, Connecticut, December 31, 1838, and is a representative of some of the oldest New England families, the ancestral line being traced back to Par- don Tillinghast, who was born at Seven Cliffs, near Beachy Head, now Eastborn, Sus- sex, England, in 1622. He served under Cromwell at the time of the overthrow of the English crown and participated in the battle of Marson Moor. Crossing the At- lantic to New England, he settled at Providence, Rhode Island, in 1645 and acquired a quarter interest in the original Providence purchase. He followed merchandising there and was exceedingly active in public affairs and in the work of the church. In 1700 with his own money he built the First Baptist church of Providence, the oldest church of this denomination in America, and for more than forty years, from 1678 until 1718, he served as its pastor without remuneration. For more than a quarter of a century he occupied various positions of public responsibility and trust and was many times representative of his colony to the general court.

In the maternal line the ancestry of George F. Tillinghast can be traced back to an equally remote period, for the records show that Cornelius Waldo, who is supposed to have been born in England in 1624, resided at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in the early part of the seventeenth century and afterwards removed to Chelmsford, where he owned a large tract of land, and he also had extensive landed possessions at Dunstable. He died in Chelmsford, January 3, 1700, while his wife, Hannah (Cogswell) Waldo, passed away December 25, 1704.

The grandfather of George F. Tillinghast in the paternal line was Benjamin Tilling- hast, who spent his entire life at West Greenwich, Rhode Island, on the farm on which he was born, and who for many years was one of the leading representatives of agri- cultural life in that section of the country. His political allegiance was early given to the whig party and afterward to the republican party and he filled a number of local offices, including that of judge of probate. He passed away in West Greenwich when eighty-three years of age. He had married Eunice Greene, a relative of General Greene of Revolutionary war fame, and they reared a family of eight children, which number included Gideon G. Tillinghast, father of George F. Tillinghast. He was born at West Greenwich, Rhode Island, in 1810 and there obtained a thorough education. When a young man he went to Griswold, Connecticut, and taught school for some time. There he wedded Mercy Waldo, who was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, March 17, 1804, her parents being Samuel and Margaret (Gallup) Waldo, while her grandfather was Ben- jamin Gallup, of Voluntown, Connecticut. Mrs. Tillinghast passed away December 14, 1885. There were seven children born of this union. It was after his marriage that Gideon G. Tillinghast purchased a large farm at Stone Hill, giving his attention to agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in April, 1843. In young manhood he had been a member of the Rhode Island State Militia, serving as quartermaster. His political endorsement was given to the whig party and in religious faith both he and his wife were Baptists, belonging to the church of Jewett City.

George Franklin Tillinghast was reared to the age of twenty years in Griswold, New London county, and obtained his education in the schools there. When seventeen years of age he began working in a mill in Hopeville and afterward was employed in another mill at Almyville, Connecticut. With the outbreak of the Civil war, however, he put aside all business and personal considerations and joined the "Boys in Blue" as a member of Company B, Second Connecticut Regiment, under Colonel A. H. Terry. On the expiration of his first term he reenlisted for three years as a member of Company D, Eleventh Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and participated in some of the most hotly contested engagements of the war, including the first battle of Bull Run, the battles of Newberne, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Suffolk, Bermuda-Hundred, Palmer Creek, Drury's Bluff and Petersburg. For a time he was connected with Gen- eral Butler's army and afterward was with General Grant's forces, participating in the battle of Cold Harbor. When Grant changed his operations to Petersburg he went to that district and was in the engagement there. His time expired when he was at Petersburg and he was sent to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was honorably dis- charged. At Antietam he was slightly wounded.

After receiving his discharge Mr. Tillinghast went to Griswold, Connecticut, and in the fall of 1865 made his way westward. He visited various sections of the west, hoping to find a favorable location. For some time he resided in Kansas but there contracted a fever and afterward removed to Lincoln, Nebraska, which was then a frontier town, in which he bought a lot in 1867, near the state capitol, for eighty dol- lars. After holding the property for twenty years he sold it for six thousand dollars, and in the meantime he had rented it for more than enough to pay for the taxes and original investment. He was a book agent when he went to Nebraska, where he con- tinued to reside, however, for only a brief period and then returned to Griswold, where he engaged in the sale of books in connection with a brother for a few years. He finally

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took up, the occupation of farming, renting land in Griswold for a time, and in the spring of 1880 he removed to South Canterbury and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Since then he has disposed of sixty acres of the tract. He has since carried on general farming and stock raising, but at the present time, because of his advanced age, is largely leaving the work of the farm to others.

On the 27th of December, 1876, Mr. Tillinghast was married to Miss Rosa Wilcox, of Griswold, Connecticut. She was born in Canterbury, Connecticut, and acquired her education in Griswold, to which place she removed in her girlhood days with her par- ents, Nathaniel B. and Julia (Palmer) Wilcox, who were farming people of Griswold. Mr. and Mrs. Tillinghast became the parents of three children. Andrew Franklin, born in Griswold, Connecticut, was a conductor on the Shore Line trolley between Westerly, Rhode Island, and Groton, Connecticut, to the time of his death, which oc- curred at West Mystic, Connecticut, November 6, 1918. He had married Susan Brown, of Mystic, and is survived by his widow and four children: Marion, Helen, George E. and Stuart Edison. Edwin Nathaniel was born upon the home farm in Canterbury and was educated in that locality. He assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm to the time of his death, which occurred in Norwich, Connecticut, April 18, 1918. Annie Rose, born on the home farm, is the wife of George I. Wheeler, of Franklin, Connecticut, a boss farmer on the James Hyde estate. They have five children: Raymond Andrew, Mabel, Ruth, Stanley and Elsie.

Mr. Tillinghast is a strong prohibitionist, having labored untiringly for the success of the party since 1888. He has served on the board of selectmen in Canterbury for several years but has never cared for office. He belongs to the Baptist church at Packer- ville, Connecticut, of which he and his wife have been active members, Mr. Tillinghast serving as one of the deacons. He also has membership in the Grand Army Post at Norwich and proudly wears the little bronze button that proclaims him a veteran of the Civil war. He is a splendid type of the New England farmer whose life has been characterized by honorable principles and actuated by high ideals.

BERT CATLIN CONKLIN.

Bert Catlin Conklin, who throughout his business career has been identified with the American Telephone & Telegraph Company, has steadily worked his way upward through various departments and since 1908 has been in charge of the test station and seventy-five miles of telephone and telegraph lines at Elmville, in the town of Killingly. He was born in Dimock township, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1874, a son of Albert Hiram and Frances (Catlin) Conklin. His father, a native of Delhi, New York, pursued a district school education and afterward worked upon the home farm of his father for a few years, his initial training being that of the farm-bred boy. After leaving the old homestead he purchased a tract of land of one hundred and eighty-three acres at Montrose, Pennsylvania, and there carried on general agricultural pursuits and dairying for a period of thirty years, winning substantial success through the careful conduct of his business affairs and his untiring industry. He is now living retired at Montrose, enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves. His wife was born in Montrose, where her entire life has been passed. In their family were four children: Bert Catlin, of this review; Anna, the wife of Joseph George, a clerk in the postoffice department at Washington, D. C .; Earl, who is married and fol- lows bookkeeping in Albany, New York; and Edith, who died in infancy.

Bert C. Conklin was reared and educated in Montrose, attending the public and high schools of that place, while later he worked upon the home farm of his father until he attained his majority. In 1895 he went to Utica, New York, where he entered the employ of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company as groundman. He was identified with the line and construction department there for three years and in 1898 was transferred to Derby, Connecticut, as lineman, occupying that position for a year and a half. He next went to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he was in charge of the test station for a period of eight years. In 1908 he came to Elmville, in the town of Killingly, Windham county, and through the intervening period of twelve years has been in charge of the test station and also of seventy-five miles of telephone and tele- graph lines, capably discharging the duties of this responsible position, so that ex- cellent service has been rendered to the patrons of the company.

On the second of June, 1897, at Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mr. Conklin was married to Miss Anna Lillian Hudson, a daughter of Adam and Amanda (Waldie) Hudson, who were natives of Scotland. Mr. and Mrs. Conklin have become the parents of seven children, of whom five are living: Maurice H., born in Madison, Wisconsin, March 6, 1898, who is employed by the Southern New England Telephone Company at New

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Britain, Connecticut; Albert H., born in Derby, Connecticut, October 28, 1899, who is serving with the United States Marine Corps and is stationed on the United States Ship Nevada; Anna L. and Beatrice M., twins, the former dying at the age of nine months and the latter in infancy; and Samuel L., born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, September 5, 1903; Ada M., born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, December 12, 1905: and Anna L. born in Elmville, Connecticut, October 22, 1912. The youngest children are all at home.

Mr. Conklin is a republican in his political views but has never been ambitious to hold office. He belongs to Modern Woodmen Camp No. 11118, and the family are all mem- bers of the Baptist church of Danielson. They occupy an enviable social position and have the warm regard of many friends in the community in which they have now made their home for more than a decade.

SIMON PENDAR HUMPHREY.

Simon Pendar Humphrey, who for many years was one of the well known and popular hotel proprietors of Windham county, conducting a leading hostelry at Daniel- son, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, October 1, 1839. His father died during the infancy of his son Simon. The mother, who in her maidenhood was a Miss Pidge, became the wife of a Mr. Watson after the death of her first husband, by whom she had had four children: Edwin, who was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and is now de- ceased; Caroline, who was born in Salem and is now a widow living in California; Mrs. Mary Harrington, who has also passed away; and Simon P.

The last named obtained his education in the schools of his native city and then entered a foundry in Salem, in which he learned the iron moulder's trade. He was, however, a great lover of the sea and when yet a youth he set out as a sailor and followed a seafaring life for several years, visiting many countries on the face of the globe. When the Civil war was declared he returned and enlisted, seeing active service as a marine on the cruisers Narragansett and Arvetta. He was thus on active duty to the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge in the latter part of 1864.

A little later Mr. Humphrey became interested in the hotel business and finally established a hotel in Boston, which he conducted successfully for some time. In January, 1898, he removed to Danielson, where he formed a partnership with Willis Field and purchased the Central House, a hotel located in the central part of the town. Upon the death of his partner about a year later he acquired his interest in the property, which has since been conducted under the name of the Danielson Inn. Mr. Humphrey remained in charge for about seventeen years. In 1910, however, his health failed him and he was obliged to give up active business, after which he lived retired in his home adjoining the hotel, the place having been purchased by his wife. Five years were passed in a futile attempt to regain his health, but death called him on the 18th of July, 1915. He was a man of excellent habits, quiet in demeanor but free-hearted and kindly and was greatly esteemed by a wide circle of friends. While his experience as a marine in the Civil war entitled him to a pension, he never applied for it until five years prior to his death, believing others more needy than himself. This generous act was characteristic of the man, who was ever ready to share with others what he had acquired or to extend a helping hand where aid was needed.

In his political views Mr. Humphrey was a republican but gave his support to men rather than to party. He was a charter member of the Putnam lodge of Elks and he was also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, thus maintaining pleasant relations with his old military comrades. He attended the Danielson Episcopal church and his life was at all times characterized by high and honorable principles.

In Providence, Rhode Island, October 3, 1899, Mr. Humphrey was married to Miss Jennie Witherell, who was born in Pomfret, a daughter of Marshall and Roxie (Carder) Witherell, who were of English and Scotch descent, tracing their ancestry back through several generations. Her father was born in Pomfret, while her mother's birth occurred in Killingly, Connecticut. He was educated in Pomfret and in early manhood became interested in the meat business and also devoted a number of years to the profession of teaching, in Pomfret, during the winter months. The remainder of the year was devoted to the meat trade and he became widely known as a dealer in beef, veal and poultry, his business transactions covering a wide area. In 1865 he removed to Danielson, where he continued in the business for nearly twenty-five years. He was widely known and highly respected as a straightforward business man and as a representative citizen. In politics he was a republican and for several years served

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as sheriff of Pomfret, while in all town affairs he took a deep and helpful interest. He died in Danielson in 1889, while his wife survived until 1896. Their children were: Josephine, who was born in Pomfret; Harriet, who is now living in Idaho; Wolcott, who enlisted at the age of sixteen years from Killingly and served for three years in the Civil war, dying from overwork while in the service at the age of nineteen years and nine and a half months, having received a medal of honor for bravery at Fort Wagner when eighteen years of age; Amelia, who is the widow of Henry Young, formerly a shoe manufacturer of Danielson and by whom she had two children, Clarence and Clara; Jennie, who is now Mrs. S. P. Humphrey; Elsie, who died in Los Angeles, California, in 1917; Ella, who is the widow of Martin V. Woodworth and resides in Danielson; George, who was born in Pomfret, and now resides in Danielson; and Carrie, who died in Danielson in 1890.

To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey there were born no children. For a number of years Mrs. Humphrey was a school teacher, her first term being taught in East Brooklyn, Connecticut, while subsequently she taught in the schools of Danielson and other towns for a number of years. In 1869 she went to Minnesota, where she engaged in teaching for a season and a strong attempt was made to per- suade her to remain, but she returned to Danielson and taught her last term of school in Sterling in 1898. She still occupies the home which she had acquired prior to her husband's death and in which he spent his last years after being compelled to retire from the hotel business. Both were closely associated with the history of Danielson in their respective ways and Mrs. Humphrey is yet greatly interested in the city's welfare and at all times keeps in touch with the trend of modern progress.

JOHN MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM.

John Matthew Cunningham, who for many years was well known in the business circles of Windham county as a representative of its manufacturing interests, being identified with the Mechanicsville Company's mills for thirty-four years, was born in Thompson, Connecticut, May 24, 1833, and in the later years of his life lived retired upon a small farm near West Thompson station, where he passed away August 23, 1918. He was a son of James and Silence (Graves) Cunningham, who were natives of Pomfret, Connecticut. The father attended the district schools of Pomfret to the age of sixteen years, when he began learning the cabinetmaking trade, which he after- ward followed in Abington, Connecticut. Subsequently he removed to Putnam, this state, and was there employed as a machinist for several years. About the time that he attained his majority he was drafted for service in the War of 1812, but the company of which he was a member after being taken to New London, Connecticut, was dis- banded. In 1827, in connection with seven others, Mr. Cunningham purchased a tract of land on the Quinebaug river and built thereon a factory for the manufacture of cotton cloth which was known as the Birch factory, taking its name from the many birch trees in that locality. This factory occupied the site of the present mills of the French River Textile Company at Mechanicsville, in the town of Thompson. With that enterprise James Cunningham was identified until 1832, when he sold his interests in the business. In 1835 he purchased a farm on the old Thompson-Putnam road, now known as the Davern place, which he cultivated with hired help while he worked as a machinist in Putnam. Later he was employed at Webster, Massachusetts, for some years. In 1846 he sold his farm and came into possession of another place near West Thompson station, which he cultivated until he passed away March 31, 1880, at the age of eighty-eight years. His family numbered four children: Ellen E., who died at the age of three years; John Matthew, of this review; Daniel, who died at the age of five years; and Anna Elizabeth, who died October 10, 1917.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 108

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 960

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 960