A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 116

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

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II > Part 116

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Wilfred E. Burdick attended the public schools of Chaplin and also the Con- necticut Agricultural College. When his course there was completed he returned to Chaplin and engaged in farm work for his father but felt that he preferred a com- mercial career and afterward established a store in Chaplin, which he conducted for a short time. Later he purchased the general store of B. M. Welch and has since conducted a general grocery business. His store is neat and tasteful in ar- rangement and he carries an excellent line of goods, while his prices are rasonable and his business methods at all times thoroughly reliable.

On the 12th of April, 1919, Mr. Burdick was married to Miss Marion Powe, daughter of William and Lucy (Cashin) Powe and a native of Provincetown, Massa- chusetts. Politically Mr. Burdick is a republican and he belongs to Natchaug Grange, while both he and his wife are members of the Congregational church. They enjoy the high esteem and goodwill of all who know them and occupy an enviable position in the social circles of the community in which they make their home.

CHARLES W. TRYON.

Charles W. Tryon is conducting a general real estate and rental agency. In this undertaking he. is associated with his brother under the name of the Tryon Real Estate Agency, in which they have developed the largest business of this character in Wind- ham county. Charles W. Tryon was born in Willimantic, May 19, 1868, and is a son of Marcus and Harriet (James) Tryon. The father has now departed this life but the mother is still a resident of Willimantic.

In the public schools Charles W. Tryon began his education and afterward became a high school student. At fifteen years of age he received his preliminary training along the line of his chosen life work while entering his father's real estate office. He has since been engaged in the real estate business save for a short period spent as a clerk in a store. He and his brother today operate the largest real estate business in Windham county, handling all kinds of property and rentals. They are thoroughly informed concerning all of the property that is upon the market, place a correct valua- tion upon such property and readily find purchasers or sellers as the case may be. It does not seem difficult for them to meet the requirements of their clients and the bust- ness is now one of large and substantial proportions.

On the 2d of May, 1891, Mr. Tryon was united in marriage to Miss Emma Reming- ton and they have one child, Myrtice. Mr. Tryon is a republican in his political views and was assessor for one term. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and is interested in all that has to do with the material progress and development of his city. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church and his life measures up to its teach- ings, for his career is at all times actuated by high standards.

MICHAEL KILEY.

Michael Kiley, who is engaged in market gardening and also conducts a green- house in the town of Woodstock, was born in Waterford, Ireland, March 17, 1872, and is a son of Patrick and Catherine (Daley) Kiley, who were also natives of the Emerald isle. The father spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Water- ford and worked as a laborer throughout his entire life, passing away in the place of his nativity in 1918. His widow survives and is still living in Waterford. In their family were eight children: Patrick, Bridget, Mary, Michael, John, James, Thomas and Andrew.

Michael Kiley spent the period of his minority in Waterford to the age of nine- teen years and then severed home ties and sailed for the United States. He made his way to Woodstock, Connecticut, where he learned the florist's business under Walter Blackmore, for whom he worked for thirteen years. He was afterward em- ployed at farm labor by the Slater Company of Webster, Massachusetts, for ten years and then returned to Woodstock, where he rented land upon which he has since

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lived. Throughout the intervening period he has engaged in market gardening and also conducts a greenhouse and finds a ready sale for his products in both flowers and vegetables.

At Worcester, Massachusetts, December 10, 1896, Mr. Kiley was united in mar- riage to Miss Rose Gendron, a daughter of Peter and Josephine (Pelouquin) Gen- dron, of Woodstock. They have become the parents of six children: Catherine J. became the wife of Fred Graveles, a mechanical die maker in an optical shop in Worcester, Massachusetts, and they have three children, Mary, Irene and Alfred. Mary is the wife of Frank Borus, a railroad man in the employ of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and they have two children, Cortland and Mar- garet, and reside at Putnam. Frank, James, Andrew and Clarence, all living at home, complete the family.

Mr. Kiley is devoted to his family and his church. He holds to the Catholic faith and in his political views is a democrat. It has always been a matter of gratification to him that he left the Emerald isle and sought the opportunities of the new world, for here he has found good business advantages, and working his way steadily upward, has become one of the substantial business men of his town.

JUDGE BENJAMIN R. BRIGGS.

Judge Benjamin R. Briggs, who for twenty-five consecutive years has been judge of the town court of Plainfield and is still the incumbent in that position was born in Scituate, Rhode Island, April 22, 1850, and is a son of Bradford F. and Celia (Ramsdell) Briggs. The father was born in Coventry, Rhode Island, and there at- tended the public schools. Later he learned the stonemason's trade and afterward engaged in business on his own account as a contractor. He next purchased a farm in Voluntown, where he made his home, and in connection with the cultivation of his land did mason contract work throughout the state. After several years his health failed and with his wife he removed to Plainfield, Connecticut, making his home with his son, Benjamin R., to the time of his death, which occurred in July, 1902. He married Celia Ramsdell in Scituate, Rhode Island, a daughter of William and Mary (Burlingame) Ramsdell. Two children were born of this marriage: Benja- min R .; and Lucetta B., now the wife of Courtland C. Bliven, a farmer of Voluntown.

Judge Briggs of this review was reared and educated in Scituate, Rhode Island, and at the age of sixteen years removed to Voluntown, Connecticut, where he assisted his father in the operation of the home farm for several years. Later he went to Danielson, where he learned the harness-making trade with Henry Call. He after- ward removed to Cranston, Rhode Island, and had entire charge of the buying and re- pairing of harness for A. and W. Sprague for three years. In April, 1880, he removed to Plainfield, Connecticut, where he purchased a farm of two hundred and fifty acres north of the village and there carried on general agricultural pursuits on an exten- sive scale until his retirement from active farm life in 1904. He then sold his farm property and made his home in Moosup until 1912, when he removed to the village of . Plainfield, where he now resides.

On the 7th of October, 1871, Judge Briggs was united in marriage at Foster, Rhode Island, to Miss Nellie E. Briggs, a daughter of John R. and Harriet (Bitgood) Briggs. They have become the parents of two children. Walter Bradford, the elder, who was born in Voluntown, November 9, 1873, married Celina Lavalle and is a painter of Moosup. Bertha Ramsdell, who was born in Plainfield, February 7, 1885, is the wife of Theodore Greenhalgh, a native of England, who is a gunsmith employed by the Colt Patent Firearms Company. In January, 1918, he enlisted in the Canadian Highland- ers, becoming a member of the Twentieth Canadian Reserve Battalion. He served with the Canadian forces overseas and was discharged on the 23d of February, 1919. Mrs. Greenhalgh's first husband was George Bates, of Plainfield, and to that union was born a daughter, Helen M. Bates.

In his political views Judge Briggs has long been a republican and in 1901 was elected selectman of Plainfield, filling that position until 1910, during which time he was first selectman for a period of eight years. In 1919 he was again elected to the office of selectman and is now serving on the board. In 1908 he was elected to repre- sent Plainfield in the state legislature and served in the session of 1909 on the com- mittee of cities and boroughs, at which time Howard A. Middleton was senate chairman, with Frederick A. Scott as house chairman and Wilber F. Parker as clerk. Mr. Briggs did effective work on the committee and was always loyal to every trust committed to his care. For several years he served as justice of the peace and he

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has also been assessor and grand juror. He is chairman of the Plainfield board of tax assessors and in 1919 visited every building in the town of Plainfield for purposes of re-valuation. For a quarter of a century he has been judge of the town court and is still acting in that capacity.

Fraternally Judge Briggs is a Mason, belonging to the lodge at Coventry, Rhode Island, and he is likewise connected with the Odd Fellows lodge of Central Village and for many years has been a member of Plainfield Grange, No. 140. He and his family are members of the First Congregational church of Plainfield, in the work of which he has been active and helpful, serving for twenty-seven years as one of the church deacons.

FRED OLIN STONE.

Fred Olin Stone, purchasing agent for the Grosvenor Dale Company, and a resi- dent of North Grosvenor Dale, has been identified with the business since 1888 or for almost a third of a century. His capability and fidelity are manifest in his long con- nection, which has made him one of the well known business men of the district in which he operates. He is a native of Grosvenor Dale, born December 20, 1867, his parents being Obadiah and Harriet M. (Elliott) Stone. The father was born in the town of Thompson, Connecticut, where he obtained a district school education, and in early life he took up agricultural pursuits and also engaged in shoemaking, fol- lowing the two callings for several years. He then entered the employ of the Gros- venor Dale Company, in 1861, remaining in their employ until 1885, when he left the mill and resumed his trade of shoemaking until the year 1892. In that year he returned to the corporation and was with them until he retired, in 1916, on account of poor health. He passed away October 27, 1916, at the age of eighty-one years, his birth having occurred April 15, 1835. His wife, who was born in Thompson, Connecti- cut, July 17, 1835, died in Thompson on the 6th of March, 1895. It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the ancestral history of Fred O. Stone, whose descent is traced down from a Revolutionary war hero, Levi Stone, who at the time of the Revolution enlisted in Captain Doolittle's Sixth Company, Colonel David Waterbury's Seventh Regiment, and was discharged October 13, 1775. On the 22d of March, 1776, he joined Captain Hand's company of Colonel Talcott's regiment, from which he was discharged on the 18th of April of the same year. He went from Guilford, Connecticut, to serve in the New York expedition and later he enlisted in Captain Chandler's company of the Eleventh Regiment on the 14th of September, 1776, and went to Westchester, New York. He afterward joined Captain Bowen's company of Colonel Chapman's regiment, under Major General Sullivan, in the expedi- tion to Newport, Rhode Island, in 1778, enlisting on the 3d of August of that year and receiving his discharge on the 18th of September following. On the 16th of June, 1782, he enlisted in Captain Fitch's company and was discharged on the 16th of July. Thus through several periods of enlistment he aided in specific movements of the army against the British and participated in winning independence for the colo- nies. In 1832 he was a pensioner of the Revolutionary war, living at Kent, Litch- field county, Connecticut, and later he is recorded as a pensioner residing in Thompson, Windham county. He passed away in 1840. Levi Stone was the father of Simon Stone, who devoted his entire life to the occupation of farming. He was a native of the town of Thompson, Windham county, and there carried on agricultural pursuits throughout his active career. He married Patty or Martha Covell, June 15, 1815, and died in the town of Thompson, April 12, 1869, having for about eight years sur- vived his wife, whose death occurred February 19, 1861. They were the grandparents of Fred O. Stone of this review and the parents of Obadiah Stone.

After mastering the branches of learning taught in the public schools of the town of Thompson, Fred O. Stone continued his education in the Putnam high school for a period of one year and later became a student in the Hinman Business College at Worcester, Massachusetts. He afterward took up his abode at North Grosvenor Dale, where he entered the employ of the Grosvenor Dale Company, occupying a cleri- cal position in the office. He has since been identified with this corporation and has made steady progress during the thirty-two years of his connection therewith. From time to time he has been promoted in recognition of his faithfulness and worth as a business man and is now occupying the responsible position of purchasing agent.

On the 3d of October, 1911, Mr. Stone was married to Miss Edith Darling Clarke, who is a direct descendant of Miles Standish and Priscilla Alden, and a daughter of

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Andrew T. J. Clarke, of Canterbury, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Stone now have one child, Muriel Gertrude Harriot, who was born May 14, 1914.

Politically Mr. Stone has been an earnest republican since attaining his majority. He belongs to Cornerstone Lodge No. 122, A. F. & A. M., of North Grosvenor Dale, his father having been identified with the same lodge for thirty years. He is also a member of Putnam Chapter No. 41, R. A. M .; Montgomery Council No. 30, R. & S. M. of Danielson; and Columbian Commandery No. 4, K. T., of Norwich, while he and his wife belong to Jessamine Chapter No. 58, O. E. S., at Putnam. They are also faithful Christian people, Mr. Stone belonging to the Methodist church of Grosvenor Dale, while his wife is of the Congregational faith, her membership being at Wauregan, in the town of Plainfield. They are people of sterling worth, enjoying the highest regard of all who know them because of well spent lives and allegiance to high ideals.

FREDERICK LOUIS RACINE.

Frederick Louis Racine, proprietor of a confectionery store in Plainfield, was born at Pawlet, Vermont, December 19, 1882, a son of Louis and Selina (La Due) Ra- cine. His father's birth occurred at St. Anne, in the province of Quebec, where he was reared and educated, attending a convent school. Later he worked upon the home farm for his father and in 1863 severed home ties and came to the United States, settling at St. Albans, Vermont, where for several years he was employed as a farm hand. In 1882 he removed to Putnam, Connecticut, and entered the employ of the French River Textile Company at Mechanicsville, there remaining for a short period. He subsequently rented farm land at Dayville, Connecticut, securing the John O. Fox place, upon which he lived for four years, giving his attention to general agricultural pursuits. He afterward removed to the Coomer farm at Mechanicsville, Connecticut, whereon he resided for a year and then took up his abode on the Jenks farm at Day- ville, on which he lived for four years. Throughout all this period he devoted his attention to general agricultural pursuits and the care and thoroughness with which he developed his fields and promoted his business interests brought to him a substantial measure of success, At length he. retired and for several years resided in Dayville but passed away in Putnam on the 12th of March, 1919. His wife, who was born at St. Albans, Vermont, died in Dayville, Connecticut, December 17, 1904. In their fam- ily were ten children, of whom five are yet living: Jennie, who is the widow of Frank King and resides in Putnam; Charles, who married Odelina Bousquet and is a mer- chant at Worcester, Massachusetts; Bertha, who is engaged in merchandising at Roxbury, Massachusetts; Frederick L., of this review; and Arthur, who married Terisia Knight, and is a mill man of Pascoag, Rhode Island.

Frederick Louis Racine largely spent his boyhood and youth at Dayville, Con- necticut, and there acquired a public school education. Starting out in the busi- ness world, he obtained employment in the weaving department of the Assawaga mill, where he continued for several years. On the 10th of May, 1919, he purchased a con- fectionery store in Plainfield from James Adams and has since conducted the busi- ness. He now has a neat and well appointed store, attractively arranged, and carries a good line of confectionery, while his reasonable prices and straightforward deal- ing have secured to him a substantial business support.

On the 1st of May, 1905, Mr. Racine was married to Miss Mary Ann Ferland, a daughter of Joseph and Julie (Billings) Ferland and a native of St. Alexandre, Quebec, Canada. Her father is now deceased and her mother now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Racine. The children in the Ferland family are Mary Ann, now Mrs. Racine; and Omer, Phillip and Godfrey, all of whom are married and are mill- men of Dayville. Mr. and Mrs. Racine have four children, all born in Dayville, namely: Yvonne V., Archille A., Odena S. and Edmond L. The religious faith of the family is that of the Roman Catholic church. Politically Mr. Racine is a republican, and he belongs to the Independent Order of Foresters, Court No. 1837, at Plainfield.

WILLIAM BATTY SHERMAN.

William Batty Sherman, who has passed the seventy-third milestone on life's journey, was born on the old Sherman homestead at Abington, in the town of Pom- fret, Windham county, on the 5th of September, 1846. His father, William Emerson Sherman, was born August 16, 1809, in the same house in which the birth of his son, William Batty Sherman, occurred. William Emerson Sherman was a son of William and Roxanna (Hyde) Sherman and a grandson of David Sherman, who was the first

FREDERICK L. RACINE

Vol. II-48

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of the family to settle in Pomfret on the present Sherman farm. He built the original residence upon the place and converted the land into rich and productive fields, con- tinuing its cultivation to the time of his demise. When he came to Pomfret this dis- trict was largely an undeveloped wilderness and he therefore faced the hardships and privations of pioneer life, but lived to see many changes, and he bore his part in the work of general development and improvement. The Sherman homestead is one of the few places in Pomfret that has been continuously in the family of the original settler. His son, William Sherman, was born on the family farmstead, in the old dwelling that was torn down when the present residence was erected. He lived upon the farm throughout his entire life and erected the present home after attaining his majority, about the year 1800. His demise occurred in June, 1848. He married Roxanna Hyde, who was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, and she, too, passed away on the Sherman farm. Their son, William Emerson Sherman, devoted his life to the occupa- tion of farming, as had his father and grandfather before him. After the death of his father he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old home property and continued to occupy it, devoting his attention to general agricultural pursuits and stock raising. He lived a quiet but none the less useful life and passed away upon the home farm April 27, 1874. In early manhood he had wedded Lucy Healy, who was born in the town of Barry, Orleans county, New York, and accompanied her parents to Rhode Island when a little maiden of six summers. After her mother's death she became a resident of North Scituate, Rhode Island, removing to that place with her father and brothers. She obtained her education there and was married in North Scituate, after which she continuously resided upon the old Sherman home- stead, where she passed away March 27, 1915.

William Batty Sherman obtained his education in the schools of Pomfret and through his boyhood and youth met the usual experiences of the farm-bred boy. He assisted his father in the work of the fields until the latter's death and then assumed the management of the home farm, in which he owns a share. The estate, however, has not yet been settled, but it is the hope of Mr. Sherman of this review that he will be able to purchase the property that has so long been in possession of the family. It now comprises two hundred and eighty-three acres of land and the soil responds readily to the care and labor bestowed upon it, producing excellent crops.

Mr. Sherman has been married twice. He first wedded Jennie E. Weeks and after her death he married Laura E. Healy, of Providence, Rhode Island. He has one daughter, Hazel May, who was born on the old home place.

In his political views Mr. Sherman has always been a republican, but has never sought nor desired office. He has ever preferred to concentrate his efforts and ener- gies upon his business affairs and throughout his entire life has given his attention to general farming and stock raising with good success. The Shermans have culti- vated the old homestead property since colonial days and throughout the intervening period representatives of the family have occupied a prominent position in public regard by reason of enterprise in business, reliability in citizenship and trustworthi- ness in every relation of life.

CHARLES DUDLEY JAMES.

Charles Dudley James, devoting his attention to general farming on the Green Hollow road in the town of Plainfield, was born in what is now the town of Sprague, New London county, Connecticut, but was then the town of Lisbon. His birthplace is near what is now the village of Baltic and his natal day was October 28, 1845. His parents were Noah Lester and Sarah (Bushnell) Snow, but when he was only a month old his mother died and he was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Charles James, the latter having in her maidenhood been Miss Lucy Bushnell, a sister of his mother. Mr. James was a resident farmer of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, and to his home the little motherless boy was taken when but eleven months old. He was there reared and acquired his education in the public schools near his home. His stepfather died in 1865, at Rome, Bradford county, after which in 1866 his stepmother, who was also his aunt, returned with the boy to Plainfield, Connecticut, and settled on the Jerry Hill farm near Squaw Rocks, remaining there for five months. Charles D. James then purchased a small farm of twenty-eight acres on North street in Danielson, Connecticut, and for forty-seven years devoted his attention to the cultivation of that place, to which he kept adding from time to time as his financial resources increased until he became the owner of thirty-eight acres. Eventually he sold the property to Lemuel J. Coburn, a land promoter, who divided it into town lots and thus placed it

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upon the market. This land is now the site of the Village Beautiful of the Connecticut Mills Company and part of the mill buildings of the company stand upon the old home farm of Mr. James. On disposing of that place in 1911 Mr. James retained the buildings and the small tract of land on which they stood but disposed of this prop- erty in October, 1919. In 1911 he removed to a farm of one hundred and fifty acres which he owned on the Green Hollow road in the town of Plainfield, having purchased the place thirty-two years ago or in May, 1888. He has occupied this farm now for a period of nine years and his labors are manifest in the excellent appearance of the place, which is characterized by neatness and thrift and indicates his progressive methods.

On the 5th of November, 1868, Mr. James was married to Miss Maria Emeline Hammett, who was born on the old Hammett farm on the Green Hollow road. She was a daughter of Theodore and Pilomena (Hubbard) Hammett, who were natives of Kil- lingly, where her father followed farming. The death of Mrs. James occurred in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, July 2, 1909. She was the mother of eight chil- dren, all born on the farm in Danielson, Connecticut, which was sold to the Connecticut Mills Company. The sons and daughters are as follows: Ida C., the eldest, is the wife of William D. Logee, a florist living at Danielson. Robert Revell married Winifred Roe, of Oakland, California, where he makes his home, being engaged in business there as an electrician. Lucille Amanda is the wife of William F. Tarbox, of Preston, Connecticut. Lyndall and Everell were twins. The former died at the age of five months, while the latter is now farming the home place. Eulalie is the wife of Winford L. Keay, who is engaged as clerk in connection with a printing business in Boston, Massachusetts. Caroline Hammett was a school teacher and is now the wife of Augustus Handschumacher, a retail butcher of Boston, Massachusetts. Harriett B. is a trained nurse who is now filling the position of head nurse in the Winchester Hospital at Winchester, Massachusetts.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 116

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