USA > Connecticut > New London County > Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of New London County, Connecticut > Part 15
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OBERT R. CONGDON is a promi- nent citizen of New London, now for some time retired from business. He was born in Newport, R.I., April 19, 1842, and is a son of the late William P. and Nancy (Tilley) Congdon. His paternal grandfather, Carey Congdon, was born in Newport, R. I., about 1775. He died in the prime of life; and his wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Prior, was left at his death with a family of nine children, six sons and three daughters, the youngest eleven years old. She was a capable and thrifty woman, and was equal to the emergency, rearing all her children respectably. She died in 1858, aged seventy-five years, and is buried in New- port. Of her children three sons - John, Joseph, and Robert -- learned the cooper's trade, and eventually became sailors, each ris- ing to the rank of captain; and James, Will- iam, and Peleg were merchants. Peleg and John never married, and Robert and Martha had no children. The rest reared families, and all have now passed away.
William P. Congdon was born in Newport,
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R.I., in 1807. He was engaged as clerk in a store in Georgetown, S.C., when he was but fifteen years old; and two years later he went into business himself. In trade over fifty years, he was very successful; and at his death in 1879 he left a valuable property to his children. He was married in Newport, June 26, 1830, to Nancy Tilley, of that city, a member of an old and numerous family. Her immigrant ancestor was William Tillcy, an Englishman, born in 1641, who settled in Boston, Mass., and was the first ropc-maker in this country (see Genealogy of the Til- ley Family, published in Newport, R.I., in 1878). Mrs .. Congdon's grandfather, Will- iam Tilley, was born in Newport, October 19, 1738, and died there, April 14, 1825, aged eighty-seven. He was three times married, and by his first wife had seventeen children. During his lifetime his progeny increased to ninety grand-children and thirty grcat-grand- children. Abrahanı Tilley, Mrs. Congdon's father, was one of the children born of his father's first marriage. Mrs. Congdon died in 1890. She was the mother of twelve chil- dren, nine of whom attained maturity, namely: William, who went to California in 1849, and was engaged there in silver mining until 1876, coming East then to attend the Centen- nial, and who has since resided in Newport; Charlotte, Ruth, and George, all now de- ceased; Sarah, wife of Joseph P. Stevens, of Newport; Robert, the subject of this sketch; James, living in Newport; and Martha and John, both deceased.
Robert R. Congdon acquired his early education in the district school. In 1859, when he was seventeen years old, he became a clerk in his father's store in Georgetown, S.C., where he was employed until the break- ing out of the Civil War in 1861. He then returned with his father to Newport, and re-
mained until the close of hostilities, resum- ing business in 1865. The firm of which the younger Mr. Congdon was a member was at that time known as Congdon, Hazard & Co. In 1870, when about twenty-eight years of age, he severed his connection with the firm, and entered the employ of C. D. Boss, a cracker manufacturer in New London. In 1879 Mr. Congdon succeeded Mr. Boss as a member of the firm, and was successfully en- gaged in business until 1886, when he retired. In 1885 he purchased the Chceseboro property on Post Hill. His house, which is located on Nathan Hale Strect, is one of the largest, handsomest, and most beautifully situated in the city, commanding a beautiful view of Groton and the Thames.
Mr. Congdon was married November 12, 1867, to Eliza Boss, of this city, daughter of C. D. Boss, whom he succeeded in business. Mr. Boss died in 1895. Three sons - Thomas Boss, Carey, and Robert R., Jr .-- have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Congdon. Thomas Boss Congdon died in 1892, aged eighteen years. Carey Congdon, who studied at the Boston Institute of Technology and at Harvard University, is in the water and sewer department of this city. Hc has taken several degrees of Masonry, being at present a member of the Blue Lodge, and is Lieu- tenant of Company I, Third Regiment, Con- necticut National Guards. Robert R. Cong- don, Jr., who is a graduate of the Boston English High School and Bryant & Stratton's College, is a clerk in the New London Sav- ings Bank. He, too, is a Mason, and is a private in the militia. Mr. Robert R. Cong- don, Sr., has been elected by the Demo- cratie party in New London, with which he has long been connected, to the offices of Councilman and Water Commissioner, and is at present serving on the Water Board.
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ALLACE R. CHAMPION, a mer- chant of Black Hall, was born in 1848 at Old Lyme, Conn. He is the second child and first son of his parents, Calvin and Anna R. (Slate) Champion. His mother is still living on her farm near this place. He attended the district schools of his native town in his boyhood, and also worked on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-one he became a clerk for R. W. De- Wolf, he remaining in this. situation for three years. He then went to Madison, where he continued for two years. Still later he com- menced in business for himself in Hartford, trading in field and country produce. After a year he sold out and removed to Lyme, where he became a partner in the firm of Mor- ley & Champion, who kept a general store. Three years later, on the death of Mr. Mor- ley, George W. DeWolf, Mr. Champion's brother-in-law, became a member of the firm, the name of which was then changed to De- Wolf & Champion. At the end of one year they were succeeded by Champion & Caul- kins. This firm had conducted the business for ten years when Mr. Champion sold his interest to his brother, R. B. Champion. He then went on the road as commercial travel- ler in the gentlemen's furnishing line, travel- ling through New York and the New England States. In 1894 he opened his present store, where he has since carried on a general mer- chandise business.
In politics Mr. Champion is a Republican, and has been Town Clerk for one year. His religious principles are those of a stanch Bap- tist. In June, 1870, he married Lillie L. Butler, of Rocky Hill, Conn., and now has three children - Edgar R., Florence Augusta, and Gertrude Louise. Edgar R., a graduate of New York City College of Pharmacy, is at present a druggist in Hartford, Conn. He
is married and is twenty-four years of age. Florence Augusta is a student at Smith College, class of 1898. Gertrude Louise resides with her parents, and attends the Morgan School, where she is taking a pre- paratory course. Mrs. Champion is a Con- gregationalist. Mr. Champion has succeeded in building up a fine trade with his experi- ence, natural adaptability, and pleasing ad- dress. He is highly respected in the town.
BEL H. HINCKLEY, the Postmaster of Old Mystic, was born in the ad- joining town of Groton, October 18, 1839, son of Abel and Abbie Eliza (Bab- cock) Hinckley. The Hinckleys trace their lineage through a long line of noble ances- tors, and are identified with New England history from its earliest period. Samuel Hinckley came from Tenterden, Kent County, England, on the "Hercules," commanded by Captain Witterly, and landed at Boston in 1634. In the following year he settled at Scituate; and in 1640 he removed to Barn-' stable, where he died October 31, 1662. His son Thomas became Governor of Plymouth Colony. Another son, John Hinckley, was the progenitor of this particular branch of the family.
Abel Hinckley, who was born on Hinckley Hill, Stonington, November 12, 1803, died September 18, 1883, nearly eighty years of age. His chief occupation was farming. In his earlier years he taught school for twenty- two winters in Stonington, North Stonington, and for six years of the time in Westerly. He served his town as Assessor and in other offices. His wife, in maidenhood Abbic Eliza Babcock, who was born in Groton, Sep- tember 22, 1817, daughter of Stanton Bab- cock, and whom he married May 5, 1836,
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died April 1, 1894. Of their five children, a son and two daughters reached the years of discretion, namely: Abel H., the subject of this sketch; Alice B., born July 31, 1845, the wife of Allen Avery; and Agnes J., born February 18, 1848, in Groton, the wife of Jefferson O. Bailey.
Abel H. Hinckley attended the high school in Syracuse, N. Y., of which place his parents were residents from 1848 to 1860. At the first call for volunteers he enlisted from Latrobe, Pa., in the Eleventh Pennsyl- vania Regiment, with which he served three months. In 1862 he re-enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Pennsylvania Regi- ment, and was out nine months, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. While living in Syra- cuse, he became interested in the nursery business, with all branches of which he made himself familiar by a five years' apprentice- ship. Thereafter it engrossed his time and attention up to 1886. He owned fourteen acres of land here in Mystic village on Main Street, four acres of which were set with fruit and evergreen trees, and the remainder used for the nursery proper. His trade was a local one.
When discharged from the army, Mr. Hinckley returned to Latrobe, Pa., and on November 11, 1863, was married to Caroline M. Bair, a daughter of Sebastian and Naomi (Keenor) Bair. Her father, who was a mer- chant and Justice of the Peace, died in March, 1895, when seventy-one years of age, leaving his widow and this one child. Mr. and Mrs. Hinckley have lost their first-born, Minnie G. Hinckley, who died January I, 1885, in her twenty-second year. They have one child living. Helen Hobart Hinckley, fif- teen years old, who is attending school and taking piano lessons. They reside on Main Street, where they settled soon after mar-
riage. In politics Mr. Hinckley is a Demo- crat. He has been a Selectman of the town, Tax Collector for nine years, and has been a Notary Public for some time. He was the Postmaster under President Cleveland's first and second administration, and he has contin- ued in the office so far under President Will- iam McKinley.
ORACE WAIT TINKER, retired ship-carpenter and builder of Mystic, Conn., was born in the town of Lyme, in the south-western part of New Lon- don County, July 17, 1828. His parents were Charles and Mahala (Beckwith) Tinker. His mother, who was born in Genesee County, New York, in 1805, was the daugh- ter of Joseph and Esther (Wait) Beckwith : and his maternal grandmother was an own cousin of the late Chief Justice Waite. In 1842 Charles Tinker died, in middle life, leaving his widow with five children.
A few years after his father's death Horace, then a boy of about seven years of age, went to live with Nathaniel Wait, a farmer, con- nected with the distinguished family of that name. He lived there twelve years, and was brought up a thorough farmer, working hard in the summer, and attending school in the winter. Mr. Tinker has a vivid remem- brance of the father of Judge Morrison R. Waite, Henry M. Wait, who was the brother of Nathaniel above mentioned. About the year 1858 Mr. Tinker went from Lyme to Old Mystic, Conn., where he worked in the ship- yard of Greenmans and Charles Mallory many years, remaining there until they gave up their business. He became a master of his business, and was most successful and enter- prising as a subcontractor. He has done no active business of any account for the past six years.
HORACE W. TINKER.
MRS. HORACE W. TINKER.
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At the age of twenty-three Mr. Tinker mar- ried Ardelia Smith, the daughter of John and Hope (Whipple) Smith, of Old Mystic, where she was born, June 6, 1826. Three children, two sons and a daughter, were the fruit of their union. All are now living and are mar- ried, the sons, Horace Henry and Charles Al- phonso, being practising physicians in New York City, graduates of the New York Ho- mæopathic College. The daughter, Esther Ardelia Tinker, born October 14, 1869, is the wife of John H. Johnston, of Mystic, and the mother of one son, Charles Horace Johnston. Charles Alphonso, of New York City, has a wife, one son, and one daughter. Mrs. Ar- delia S. Tinker was for the last twenty years of her life a great sufferer from rheumatism, and was most tenderly and devotedly cared for by her husband, he sparing no pains or ex- pense to secure her comfort and happiness. He sustained a deep loss in her death, which occurred in Mystic, December 25, 1896. She was a model wife and mother, and the union between the two was an ideal one.
Mr. Tinker is bound down to no creed in religion and to no one platform in politics, but on election days he has in the main voted on the Republican side. A man of finely developed physique, which the excellent com- bination of sturdy manual labor and freedom from all bad habits has doubtless done much to preserve, he is possessed of a noble and kindly nature, and is strictly honest. He is devoted to his family, and takes especial pride in his daughter's six-year-old son, a handsome and manly boy, giving great promise for the future.
HARLES GRISWOLD BART- LETT, the principal and proprietor of the Black Hall School, established by him twenty-two years ago, was born in the
town of Old Lyme on Christmas Day, 1848, son of Shubael Fitch and Fannie (Griswold) Bartlett. He belongs to the ninth genera- tion descended from Robert Bartlett, who came from England on the "Ann" in 1623, and who married Mary Warren. In Mr. Bart- lett's ancestry there are in all seven "May- flower" ancestors. The male line of descent in the Bartlett family from .Robert is as fol- lows: Benjamin, Ichabod, Josiah, Ichabod, John, Shubael, Shubael, and Charles.
The first Shubael Bartlett, who was born in 1779, married Fannie Leffingwell, of Nor- wich, a descendant of Lieutenant Thomas Leffingwell, well known in the Colonial his- tory of this country. In this family were nine children, all of whom had families ex- cepting one son, Henry. Grandfather Bart- lett died at the age of seventy-five, and his widow, at the age of eighty-four. Both are buried at East Windsor. Shubael Bartlett, Jr., was born in East Windsor in 1811. He was a Yale graduate, class of 1833, and was well known all through this section as Dr. Bartlett. His wife, Fannie, whom he mar- ried on September 1, 1842, was born in New London in March, 1822. She bore him three children, one of whom, a daughter, died in infancy. The remaining two are: Charles G. Bartlett ; and Mrs. Adaline Bartlett Allyn, now residing with her brother.
Mr. Bartlett prepared for college at the Hartford High School, and entered Yale, class of 1872. He did not graduate with his class, but in 1888 the college conferred upon him the honorary degree of Master of Arts. He has become widely known as an educator and as the successful principal of a private school. His institution is so popular that students come to it from nearly every State in the Union. He has about forty boys, to whom he gives full preparation for collegiate
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courses. The fine estate on which the school building is now located was formerly the property of Captain George Moore. Sinee buying it, Mr. Bartlett has enlarged it, made many improvements, and arranged it so as to make it most admirably adapted to his work and to the growing needs of his sehool. It. has a most desirable situation on Long Island Sound and on the Connectieut River, and, in respeet to sanitary arrangements and in the facilities it offers to students, is unrivalled.
On October 3, 1871, Mr. Bartlett married Anna Pierson Terry, of Hartford, daughter of Roderiek Terry. Mrs. Bartlett died Feb- ruary 9, 1896, at the age of forty-six years. Their children are: Henriette Collins, who was edueated at Orange, N. J., and at Water- bury; Charles Griswold Bartlett, Jr., a stu- dent in Yale University, elass of 1899; Sarah Pierson, now at sehool in Brooklyn, L. I .; Frank Trowbridge, deceased; and Harold Terry, ten years old, who is a pupil in his father's school. On July 6, 1897, a second marriage united Mr. Bartlett with Miss Har- riet Butler Banning, of Old Lyme. In poli- tics he is a conservative Republiean, in re- ligious faith an Episcopalian.
ENJAMIN W. JENKINS, a resi- dent farmer of Salem since 1882, was born in New York City, Au- gust 6, 1847, son of William and Harriet A. (Tiniam) Jenkins. The father was a head drayman and earman, and in the steamboat agency. The mother, whom the latter mar- ried May 28, 1846, was a native of Troy, N. Y. Of their six children four are living, namely: Benjamin W., the subject of this sketeh; William W., a boss drayman of New York City; Theodore Franklin, an agent for a steamboat company; and Lillian A., who
resides with her brothers at 6 Commeree Street, New York, the home of the only mar- ried brother. When the father died, in 1877, his sons William and Theodore sueeeeded him in business. The widow died on Deeem- ber 27, :893, at the age of sixty-six years. Both are buried in the Lutheran cemetery on Long Island. While he did not profess any religion, he was kind and generous.
At the age of twelve years, after receiving 3. common-school education, Benjamin W. Jenkins began to earn his own living. When fourteen years old he went into the employ of a silversmith in Ball, Black & Co.'s build- ing, remaining for more than six years. In 1870 he was employed by Tiffany, the well- known jeweller, who one year later made him foreman of his department, a position that he held for twelve years. In 1882 he be- came the foreman of a department in the Whiting Manufacturing Company. After eleven years spent with this firm, on finding his health in a poor condition, he bought of Wellington S. Gott, for the sum of twenty-six hundred dollars, his present farm of one hun- dred and eighty-five aeres. Here he lived quietly for a time, and regained his health. Then he returned to the employment of the Whiting Company, leaving his family on the farm.
On February 3, 1868, Mr. Jenkins married Susan Cornelia McNaughton, a daughter of James and Agnes McNaughton. Her father, who served in the Federal navy during the Civil War, at the elose of the war was num- bered among the missing, and without doubt lost his life in the cause of the Union. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins have three children, as fol- lows: Agnes C .. wife of William R. Golding, who resides in Tenafly, N. J., and has three children; Grace E., who is the wife of Alvin F. Fargo, a farmer in Bozrah, and has one
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STEPHEN H. HALL.
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son; and Mary I., who is the wife of Edward W. Fargo, of New London, has two sons. In politics Mr. Jenkins supports the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, and was formerly connected with the Order of United American Mechanics. Con- sidering his early training and long residence in a great city, Mr. Jenkins has been fairly successful as a farmer among the Connecticut hills.
'RA J. MARTIN, the superintendent of the Bozrahville cotton-mill, was born in Sterling, Conn., Junc 8, 1857, son of William D. and Maria M. (Harrington) Mar- tin, who were natives respectively of Kill- ingly and Woodstock, Conn. The father, who was for some ycars a cotton-mill super- intendent, later in life invented a turbine water-wheel. He died when his son, Ira J., the subject of this sketch, was nine years old.
Ira J. Martin began life for himself at the age of eleven years as an operative in the Whitestone Mill at East Killingly. Here for some years he was employed during the summer season, and attended school during the winter. At the age of twenty he went to Pawtucket, R. I., where he was for a short time a pupil at the high school. From Paw- tucket he went to Springvale, Me., as over- seer in the Springvale cotton-mills; and a short time later he went to North Uxbridge, Mass., where he was employed in the same capacity at the Uxbridge cotton-mill for four years. After working as overseer in the Smithville mills at Willimantic for a time, he was appointed superintendent of the Staf- ford Manufacturing Company's mills in Paw- tucket. In the spring of 1892 he accepted his present position, that of superintendent of the Bozrahville cotton-mills, and has since
devoted his energy and experience to this en- terprise. He has under his direction an aver- age of one hundred and twenty-five hands, and the quality of goods turned out at these mills has acquired a high reputation.
Since coming to Bozrah, Mr. Martin has taken much interest in public affairs, acting with the Republican party. Since 1894 he has been the chairman of the Republican Town Committee. He is a Justice of the Peace; has served as the chairman of the Board of School Visitors; is connected with the Masonic fraternity of Uxbridge, Mass., the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Lebanon, Conn., and with the Royal Arcanum of Norwich. Also he is the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Bozrahville Re- ligious Union, an incorporated society in which he takes an active interest.
He wedded Verina L. Pray, a native of Killingly, and has a family of seven children. A self-made man, he is held in high consider- ation by the people of Bozrah; and he fully merits the respect accorded to him.
ON. STEPHEN H. HALL, Post- master of Norwich, Conn., the post- office here having been under his able management since April 1, 1894, was born in Waterford, Saratoga County, N. Y., January 3, 1849, son of Henry M. and Betsey (Van Voorhcis) Hall. His grandfather Hall was a native of Massachusetts and a lifelong resident of that State. He married Miss Sophia Cooley.
Henry M. Hall was born in Springfield, Mass., in 1820. He was an iron moulder by trade, and for many years was superintendent of the foundry in Elizabethport, N.J. He died in 1863, aged forty-two. Betsey Van Voorheis, to whom he was married in 1848 at
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Clifton Park, Waterford, where the early years of their wedded life were spent, was a daugh- ter of Jeremy and Ann (Lasalle) Van Voor- heis. She bore her husband three children; namely, Stephen H., Charles, and George D. Charles Hall, born in 1850, died in Water- ford, N. Y., in 1880, leaving a wife and two children, one a son, George, living in Water- ford. George D. Hall is a machinist in Waterford, and has two sons. Their mother continues to live on the old Waterford home- stead, and is still very active despite her seventy-three years.
Stephen H. Hall was an attendant of the Waterford district school until fourteen years of age. Then, in 1863, his father having died, he started out for himself, without cash capital, and with his few earthly possessions tied together in a bundle. When leaving home he intended to become a sailor; but in- stead of shipping he replied to an advertise- ment in a Springfield paper for a newsboy, and was soon installed in the news store of A. F. Jennings, of that city, where he worked over two years, beginning at one dollar and a half per week and board. His next position was in the pistol manufactory of Smith & Wesson, he being the only boy employed there. He remained in the factory for four years, during which time he gained a thor- ough knowledge of certain parts of the me- chanical work. In 1869 he went West, and spent the succeeding two or three years in various places, securing work first in Chicago, later successively at Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Ia., and Omaha, Neb., engaging in the then new enterprise of rubber-stamp mak- ing. He also went South to Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee, then back to In- diana, Ohio, Michigan, and Canada, meeting with good financial success. In 1873 he came to Norwich, and went to work in the
pistol factory, where he remained for fifteen years
He was elected in 1887 a member of the upper house of the State legislature over H. H. Osgood, the Republican candidate, and served two years. After that he went into the mail service as route agent from Boston to New York City, working at this sixteen months. In 1888 he was the Democratic candidate for Congress, and ran ahead of his ticket, coming closer to an election than any of his predecessors had done. His Republi- can opponent received a majority of somewhat over six hundred, which, compared with the majority of over three thousand given the Re- publican candidate in 1894, speaks well for Mr. Hall. He served on the School Board three ycars. In his religious views he is a Universalist. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has passed the different chairs; of the Knights of Pythias; the Improved Order of Red Men; the A. O. U. W .; the New England Order of Protection; the Veteran Fire Association; and the Foresters. Mr. Hall is president of the local board of the Guarantee Savings Loan and Investment Com- pany of Washington, D. C. In the New York Journal's vote for Connecticut's most popular man Mr. Hall was second, receiving eighty- four thousand and thirty-nine votes. Ex- Governor Waller was first, receiving ninety- two thousand.
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