A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 83

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

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Oliver P. Bancroft, after mastering the branches of learning taught in the graded schools of East Windsor, continued his education in the Thompsonville high school and when eighteen years of age enlisted in the navy, serving for four years. After receiving his discharge he began learning the automobile business with the Brown-Thompson Company of Hartford, Connecticut, remaining there for a year. He afterward spent about fourteen months with Dell's garage in Hartford and later removed to Bridgeport, Connecticut, where for a year and a half he was manager of the trucks of the Adams Express Company. He then returned to Hartford, where for four years he had entire charge of the service department of the Acme Motor Sales Company. Early in 1919 he

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removed to Putnam and for two months was employed by the Putnam Motor Car Com- pany but had long been ambitious to engage in business on his own account and now felt that his experience and his capital justified such a course. Accordingly in 1919 he opened a garage on Richmond street and the growth of his business was so rapid that after a brief period he was obliged to seek more commodious quarters and removed to Main street, where his patronage is still steadily growing. He has a splendid equipped garage and mechanical work of the highest class is here done in connection with the repair of motor cars.

On the 10th of February, 1916, in Hartford, Connecticut, was celebrated the mar- riage of Mr. Bancroft and Miss Mary Anne Diehm, who was born in Middlefield, Con- necticut, a daughter of Andrew and Harriet (Beebe) Diehm, the former a farmer living near Hartford, Connecticut, while the mother has passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Bancroft attend the Congregational church and he is a member of Israel Putnam Lodge, No. 33, I. O. O. F. He votes with the republican party and in all matters of citizenship stands for progress and improvement. He is an alert, energetic young business man, accom- plishing what he undertakes and at the same time finding opportunity to support all those interests which are of vital concern in the upbuilding and welfare of his adopted city.

1 HENRY PARADIS.

Henry Paradis, deceased, was classed with the representative business men of his district, ranking for many years as a leading merchant of North Grosvenor Dale, where he established the largest general store of the village. He was born at St. Guillaume, in the province of Quebec, Canada, May 11, 1848, his father being Benjamin Paradis, who was reared and educated in Canada and later engaged in business at St. Guillaume, where he remained for several years, there passing away. In his family were six children: Edward, Henry, Odilon, Peter C., Celina and Clara.

Henry Paradis was reared and educated at the place of his nativity and in young manhood crossed the border into the United States, settling in Baltic, Connecticut, where he secured employment as a farm hand and completed his education. He afterward worked in the grocery store of Henry Woisard at Baltic, there thoroughly learning the business, and after several years removed to North Grosvenor Dale, Con- necticut, where he established and opened a branch store for the same employer and became the manager of the business. Eventually he established a general store on his own account and continued actively in the business for thirty-five years, becoming one of the leading and representative merchants of his section of the county, developing the largest retail department store in North Grosvenor Dale. Whatever he undertook he carried forward to successful completion and his enterprise and energy enabled him to triumph over many difficulties and obstacles and push his way steadily forward to the goal of success and prosperity.

Mr. Paradis was united in marriage at Baltic to Miss Olivina Fortier, who was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, and was a daughter of Adolph Fortier. The wedding was celebrated in August, 1870, and they became the parents of nineteen children, of whom fourteen are yet living. Telesphora A., who was born in Baltic, Connecticut, is a wholesale merchant of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and married Sarah Phaneuf, by whom he has four children. Sarah, born in Baltic, is the wife of Peter Boulaine, of Danielson, Connecticut, mentioned elsewhere in this work. Alma, born in Baltic, is the wife of Edward Desaulniers, of Grosvenor Dale, and has three children. Albina, born in Baltic, is the wife of Joseph Bonin, of Southbridge, Massachusetts, and they have one child. Dolenda, born in Baltic, is the wife of Dr. E. Rock, of North Grosvenor Dale, and has two children. Alphonse, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is a graduate of the Baltimore Medical College, was afterward an interne in the Worcester City Hospital and is now a physician and surgeon practicing at Beauvard, Nevada. He is married and has one child. Rita, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is in charge of the millinery department in the Paradis store at North Grosvenor Dale. Lina, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is the efficient and capable manager of the Paradis department store. Leosa, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is also connected with the store. Ludavic, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is a graduate of Grand Seminary of Montreal, Canada, where he was ordained to the priesthood. He was a curate at Moosup and Willimantic and is now pastor of St. Mary's church at Voluntown, Connecticut. Clara, whose birth occurred in North Grosvenor Dale, is now Sister St. Ludovic of the order of Sisters of the Assumption at Lowell, Massachusetts. Cleophas, born in North Grosvenor Dale. is a watchmaker who served in the One Hundred and Third Trench Motor Battery of the Twenty-eighth Division, A. E. F., having enlisted in April, 1918, while on the 21st

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of February, 1920, he was honorably discharged. He was wounded in the battle of the Argonne Forest and was in the hospital for seventeen months. Bertha is connected with the store. Diana, born in North Grosvenor Dale, is a lady of marked musical talent and high attainment in that connection, being a most able pianist and teacher of music.

In politics Mr. Paradis was a republican and for several years filled the office of assessor of the town of Thompson. He was also one of the directors of the Thompson National Bank and was thus closely connected with the business interests of the com- munity. The store which he owned is now being managed by his daughter Lina, assisted by her four sisters, Rita, Leosa, Bertha and Diana. The religious faith of the family is that of the Catholic church. Long a resident of Connecticut, Mr. Paradis was widely and favorably known in Windham county as a representative business man and progressive citizen who owed his success entirely to his persistent and earnest labors. He reared a family that has contributed much to the development and progress of the county. His children were liberally educated and activity in the field of science is represented by Dr. Alphonse Paradis, while the family is equally well represented in the church by a priest and a Sister, in art circles by one who is devoting her life to music and in commercial activity by the sisters who are now managing the Paradis store; nor has the military chapter in the history of the family remained unwritten, for one of the number did active work in France, participating in perhaps the most san- guinary conflict of the entire struggle-that of the Argonne Forest. Coming to Con- necticut as a French Canadian family, they have done much for the upbuilding of Windham county, their contribution to its material, intellectual, social, political and moral development being indeed of an important character. Henry Paradis passed away in North Grosvenor Dale on the 20th of May, 1910, having for a period of twelve years survived his wife, whose demise there occurred in 1898.

ALFRED PATE.

Alfred Pate, widely known as one of the most efficient men in connection with textile manufacturing in the east, came to this country in 1901. He was born in Little- borough, Lancashire, England, July 18, 1880, and is a son of Harry and Sarah J. (Rogers) Pate, who were also natives of Littleborough. The father attended the public schools of his native country and was afterward a pupil in the Mount Gilead school. Eventually he became a foreman in a cotton mill, being thus employed for several years at Littleborough. He later gave up mill work and conducted a wayside inn known as the Musicians Arms for a number of years, this inn being located in the suburbs of Littleborough. There he passed away September 14, 1884, while his wife, a native of London, survived him for a number of years and died in Littleborough on the 11th of May, 1901. In their family were five children: Emily J., now the wife of John A. Dawson, an engineer with the American Thread Company at Willimantic, Connecticut; Alice A., the wife of Joe Magson, a millman of Lancashire, England; James H., who married Sarah J. McCormick and is now deceased; William Edward, who wedded Florence Beresford and is a millman of Lancashire, England; and Alfred, of this review.

The last named pursued his early education in the schools of Littleborough, after which he, too, became a student in the Mount Gilead school. He next entered the Rochdale Textile school as a student in the night class and was graduated as a designer of woolen goods. He is also a graduate of the London College of Music, where he specialized in the violin, but he has never followed music as a profession. While a student at Rochdale Textile school, he secured a position in the Sladen woolen mills at Littleborough, where he occupied the position of designer for several years. In 1901 he came to the United States, settling in Willimantic, Connecticut, where he secured the position of designer and superintendent with the Willimantic Cotton Mills Corpora- tion, now known as the Quidnick-Windham Manufacturing Company, with which he was thus associated until 1906. In that year he went to Scranton, Pennsylvania, as assistant principal in the textile department of the International Correspondence Schools and so continued for eight years. Later he became connected with the American Manu- facturing Company of New York city, with which he remained for a short period as superintendent, after which he was appointed inspector in the quartermaster's depart- ment of the United States army. In his capacity as textile inspector he traveled throughout the United States, inspecting cloth in the process of manufacture. Later he was assigned to Danielson, Connecticut, as inspector at this point, but later left the government service to accept his present position as superintendent with the Danielson Cotton Company, in which capacity he served from January, 1918, until March 1, 1920,

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when he resigned to accept the position of general manager of the Ewing Textile Company of New York city, whose mills are located at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He now has full charge of the manufacturing end of the business, manufacturing high grade worsteds. Not only is he well known in connection with his mill work but also enjoys a wide acquaintance by reason of the many articles which he has written for textile journals. These articles have been widely read throughout the United States and have awakened the keenest interest, for he speaks with authority upon the ques- tions discussed, owing to his broad experience and comprehensive study.

Mr. Pate was married in August, 1900, to Miss Maria Fernihough, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Dewhurst) Fernihough. They have three children: Elsie Alfreda, born in Willimantic, Connecticut, July 18, 1905; Joseph Alfred, born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, June 19, 1907; and Harry Edward, born in Scranton, Penn- sylvania, December 12, 1909.

Politically Mr. Pate is a republican and fraternally he is connected with the Masons and the Knights of Malta, his association with the latter being at Scranton, Pennsyl- vania. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal church. Progressiveness has characterized Mr. Pate at every point in his career, and with thorough preliminary training he started upon a business career wherein he has steadily advanced until he is now regarded as one of the prominent representatives of textile interests in the east.

CHAUNCEY HAMETT WILSON.

Chauncey Hamett Wilson has since 1909 lived retired, making his home at Wind- ham Center, where he has resided since 1876. For many years he was a prominent and well known figure in business circles in his section of the county, particularly in connection with the meat trade, owning a meat market for thirty years which faced the village green in Windham. He was born at Scotland, Windham county, Con- · necticut, November 14, 1844, and is a son of David Davis and Almira Asenath (Stand- ish) Wilson. The father was a son of James and Lydia (Potter) Wilson, the former born at Killingly, Connecticut, removed to Scotland, this state, when a young man. There he engaged in farming and dairying for several years. He was at one time captain of the old state militia at Killingly and in the last parade held in Windham county he acted as captain of the Killingly company as they marched through the county in the year 1846, after which the company disbanded. At a subsequent period James Wilson removed to Scotland, where he devoted his attention to farming through- out his remaining days. To him and his wife were born three children: Jane, who died in childhood; Chauncey, who died in young manhood; and David Davis.

The last named was born in Scotland, Connecticut, and obtained a district school education there. He worked on his father's farm continuously until the death of the father, when he took over the old home place and continued to engage in its further cultivation and development throughout his remaining days, his death occurring in Scotland on the 9th of December, 1907, in his ninety-second year. To him and his wife were born eight children: Jane, who became the wife of James Robinson, who was a farmer of Windham but is now deceased, his widow still occupying the old Wilson homestead in Scotland; Chauncey H., of this review; James D., who married Phoebe I. Maine and is a farmer of Windham; Asenath, who married Osmer Stanton and resides in Windham; Eunice M., the deceased wife of Dwight Kimball of Scotland; David D., who married Melissa Anthony and is a retired farmer of Willimantic; George S., deceased; and Byron E., who occupies the old homestead in Scotland with his sister, Mrs. Robinson.

Chauncey H. Wilson acquired his early education in the Christian street district school of Windham and afterward attended the high school at Scotland. He was reared to the occupation of farming, early becoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He worked with his father until twenty-seven years of age and later engaged in cultivating various farms for three years on his own account. When he had reached the age of thirty he formed a partnership with William G. Rood and as Wilson & Rood rented a store and conducted a grocery business in the village of Windham for six years. He afterward removed to the present site of the postoffice and was proprietor of a general store for six years. He next purchased what was known as the old Stamford place, but was known as the William Johnson place when he bought it, in the heart of the village, overlooking Windham Green, acquiring that property in 1882. There he carried on a meat business for thirty years and at the same time drove a meat cart in all the surrounding towns, including Willimantic. He built up a very extensive business and he enjoyed the highest regard and confidence of the entire community throughout the district in which he traded-

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twenty miles around. About 1909 he gave up business and retired, since which time he has made his home in Windham Center with his daughter, Mrs. Burnham, occupying the old homestead.

On the 30th of November, 1871, at Windham Center, Mr. Wilson was married to Miss Emma Louise Rood, daughter of Rufus and Amy (Tucker) Rood. Her father was a native of Windham and for many years the village blacksmith of Windham Center. Both the Rood and Tucker families trace their ancestry in America back to the earliest part of the seventeenth century. Mrs. Wilson died at Windham Center, February 5, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson became the parents of four children, all born in Windham Center: Frank H., who died at the age of five years; Florence, who became the wife of Abel R. Burnham of Willimantic; Helen May, the wife of John J. Coleman, a wholesale fish dealer of Bloomfield and of Hartford, Connecticut; and Amy L., the wife of Donald P. McDonald, a salesman residing in Norwich, Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are the parents of two children, Frank Wilson and Richard Chauncey.

Politically Mr. Wilson is a democrat, giving stalwart support to the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He attends the Congregational church of Windham and his life has ever been an upright and honorable one. His fellow townsmen have always recognized the fact that his word could be relied upon and his integrity and force of character have established him high in the regard and goodwill of all who know him.

LUTHER MARTIN KEITH.

Luther Martin Keith, who since 1909 has filled the position of selectman in Putnam and is well known in the business circles of the city as senior partner in the firm of L. M. Keith & Son, engaged in the monument business, was born on the 10th of Sep- tember, 1872, in the town of Putnam, a son of Otis Eleazer and Elizabeth (Martin) Keith. The father was born in Thompson, Connecticut, in 1829 and devoted his early life to the occupation of farming. In 1851 he went to California, attracted by the gold discoveries on the Pacific coast, and lived in that state for a few years but afterward returned to Putnam, where he resumed agricultural pursuits. He served from 1883 to 1904 as president of the Putnam Cemetery Association, acting as superintendent during that time, of the Putnam cemetery, and continued in charge of the Grove Street ceme- tery up to the time of his demise.

The ancestral line of the family can be traced back to colonial days. Eleazer Keith, great-grandfather of Luther M. Keith, was a lieutenant in the War of 1812. His father was killed in the Revolutionary war and after his death Eleazer Keith was adopted by Joseph Demmon, of Massachusetts, who afterward removed to Thompson, Connecticut. The oldest son of Eleazer Keith was Captain Joseph D. Keith, who married Lucy, daugh- ter of Silas Bundy, whose father once owned a large tract of land in what is now the town of Putnam, and a part of this land is now occupied by the Putnam Manufacturing Company. Otis E. Keith, father of L. M. Keith, was the only son of Captain Joseph D. Keith and in 1859 he married Miss Elizabeth Martin, who passed away in 1879, leaving an only son, Luther M., of this review. On the 16th of August, 1880, Otis E. Keith was again married, his second union being with Sarah M. Howard, a daughter of Ezra Howard, and they had one daughter, Abby H., who is now professor of English in the Putnam high school.

After acquiring his education in the schools of Putnam and Killingly, Luther M. Keith in young manhood accepted the position of bookkeeper with the Sabin L. Sayles Company, proprietors of woolen mills at Dayville, Connecticut. In 1896 he returned to Putnam, where he was employed by the John O. Fox Lumber Company. Subsequently he engaged in the teaming business under the firm style of the Keith Teaming Company and built up the business to large proportions, occupying extensive barns and having a large equipment on South Main street. He is still engaged in this business and does hauling for the mills and manufacturing plants of Putnam and vicinity. Keeping abreast with the trend of modern progress in this line of business, he now uses auto trucks in the service. In 1904, upon his father's death, he was elected to succeed his father as superintendent of the Grove Street cemetery and took up that work in addition to the teaming business. His connection with the cemetery caused him to take an interest in the monument business and within a few years he became a representative of that line of commercial undertaking. He began selling monuments and in 1912 he established a monument business on Grove street, opposite the cemetery, under his own name. In March, 1916, he admitted his son to a partnership under the style of L. M. Keith & Son. Mr. Keith now devotes his attention to the monument business and to his duties as superintendent of the cemetery, while his son, who is now in the army, managed the

LUTHER M. KEITH

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

Keith teaming business. Mr. Keith has won a very extensive patronage as a dealer in monuments and has a splendidly equipped stonecutting yard, in which he employs high- class workers, turning out some of the most artistic monuments to be found in this section of the country. He has all modern machinery and a large display room. Many of the most handsome monuments in the cemeteries of Putnam and this section of the state have come from his establishment.

On the 23d of May, 1893, Mr. Keith was united in marriage to Miss Ada Rue Conover, of Englishtown, New Jersey, who was there born and is a daughter of William G. and Mary Elizabeth (Rue) Conover, also natives of Englishtown, where they still make their home. Mr. and Mrs. Keith have become the parents of two sons: Arthur Conover, who was born in Killingly, Connecticut, February 18, 1895, who was associated with his father in business, but is now in the United States army at Camp Devens; and Allen Luther, who was born in Putnam, December 29, 1901.

Mr. Keith gives his political allegiance to the republican party, which he has sup- ported since attaining adult age. He was elected in 1909 to the office of selectman of the town of Putnam and each successive year has brought him reelection-a fact that is indicative of his marked faithfulness to duty and the capability with which he has per- formed the work that comes to him in this connection. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Second Congregational church, in the work of which he takes an active part. He belongs to Israel Putnam Lodge, I. O. O. F., of which he is a past noble grand, which position he was filling when the lodge celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. He has also been a representative to the grand lodge of the state, and he belongs to Quinebaug Lodge, No. 106, A. F. & A. M. In the line of his trade he is identi- fied with the Retail Monument Dealers' Association of Connecticut and also with the New England Association of Cemetery Superintendents.

He is a progressive business man who has made steady advancement since starting out in the business world on his own account, and his straightforward achievements in business and his notable strength of character have gained for him the high respect of all with whom he has been associated.

. BENJAMIN DOUGLAS PARKHURST.

Benjamin Douglas Parkhurst, who for eighteen years has been a leading general merchant of Sterling, was born in North Stonington, Connecticut, April 23, 1871, his parents being Chauncey H. and Susan F. (Chapman) Parkhurst. The father was born in Plainfield, Windham county, and attended the public schools of his native town, after which he started out in the business world as an employe in the Gladden Mill of Moosup, there remaining for several years. He afterward learned the trade of painting and paper hanging and followed that line of business to the time of his death, which occurred in Plainfield in 1899. To him and his wife were born ten children, two of whom have passed away. Those still living are: Fannie, the wife of John P. Caswell, a mill man of Yantic, Connecticut; Lillie B., the wife of William B. Wilcox, who follows blacksmithing in Preston, Connecticut; Amy, the wife of Anthony Dixon, superintendent of a mill in Munson, Massachusetts; Pearl, the wife of Charles Mc- Callum, a pharmacist of Providence, Rhode Island; Henry E., who married Addie Colvin and is a mill man; James C., a mill man of Moosup, Connecticut, who married Emma Chadwick, of Preston, Connecticut; William C., who is a mill employe in Passaic, New Jersey, and married Bertha Wells, of Milford, Connecticut; and Benjamin Douglas, of this review.

The last named attended the public schools of Plainfield and Gloucester, Rhode Island, where he completed his education. He was afterward employed at farm labor in various places in the southern part of New England and eventually learned the business of roller covering with George W. Withey of Moosup, with whom he remained for four years. On the expiration of that period he turned his attention to the grocery trade and was employed in various grocery stores. Eventually he purchased the busi- ness of George M. Hunt, of Sterling, and through the intervening period, from 1901 to 1919, he has been conducting a general store, carrying an attractive line of goods and putting forth every effort to meet the wishes and demands of his patrons. He is now accorded a very substantial trade and enjoys an unassailable reputation for the integrity as well as the enterprise of his business methods.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 83

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