USA > Connecticut > New London County > Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of New London County, Connecticut > Part 31
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Boston. An interesting Memorial of the Spalding Family, written by Samuel J. Spald- ing, was published in Boston by Alfred Mudge & Son in 1872.
MOS B. TILLOTSON, a prosperous farmer of Salem, was born at Grassy Hill, near his present residence, September 9, 1823, son of William M. and Deborah (Huntley) Tillotson. The paternal grandfather was Dr .. George Tillotson, a de- scendant of a wealthy English family. He had three sons and five daughters, all of whom married and lived to an advanced age. He was a botanic physician, and practised very successfully, being especially noted for his skill in cases of poison from snake bites. It was his habit to visit his patients on horse- back, with his saddle-bags hanging on either side. William M. Tillotson was born in Lyme in 1784, and died in 1835. He saw military service in the War of 1812, and sub- sequently received a pension on account of in- juries received in the war. He married Deb- orah Huntley, daughter of Elihu Huntley, a farmer of Lyme. They had seven children, namely: Ira, who was born about 1809, and died at the age of fifty-seven years, leaving a widow; Joanna, who married Jabez Bogue, and died in early womanhood, leaving two children; Julia, who became the wife of Al- bert Chapell, and died in May, 1894, at the age of eighty-one, and of whose four children three are now living; Harlow, a stage propri- etor, who died in 1849, unmarried; Amos B., the subject of this sketch; Franklin, who married, had one child that died in infancy, and who himself died in Waterford, at the age of twenty-two years; and a son who died in in- fancy. The mother passed away at the home of her son Amos in 1880.
Amos B. Tillotson, after pursuing his
school studies for the ordinary period, took up farming, in which occupation he has since continued. He is the owner of a good farm in Salemi. containing three hundred and fifty- five acres, which he purchased in April, 1881, and on which he is engaged in mixed husban- dry. The appearance of his estate gives evi- dence of prosperity and comfort. He is inde- pendent in politics, and has neither sought nor held office. December 3, 1865, he mar- ried Frances A. Bailey, daughter of Lyman and Betsey (Irish) Bailey, well-to-do farming people of Preston, both parents, however, being natives of Ledyard. Of Mrs. Tillot- son's four brothers and three sisters, all are living except Albert M. Bailey, formerly a police officer in Providence, R.I., who died at the age of thirty-three years, leaving a wife but no children.
Mr. and Mrs. Tillotson's only child, Bessie, died April 21, 1884, at the age of sixteen years, just as she was blossoming into a per- fect womanhood. She was an affectionate daughter, beautiful and talented, and an earn- est Christian in heart and life, and was ad- mired by all who knew her. Her death was the occasion of some sincere tributes in verse, expressing the estimate in which she was held by her friends. We reprint the following, by S. D. Phelps, which was published in the Christian Secretary : -
MEMORIAL OF AN ONLY DAUGHTER. BY S. D. PHELPS.
Playful darling, blooming maiden, Bessie was our only child, Dearly loved and beauty-laden - Heaven upon our home had smiled. Loving eyes were often glancing On her winning ways entrancing. Toward maturing years advancing.
Who parental love can measure,
Tell its strength, its reaches know ?
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Who can estimate the treasure
Which the heart's affections show ? When the tie by death is broken, When fades out love's sweetest token, Can the sorrow e'er be spoken ?
Lovely Bessie! fondly cherished, How our hearts around thee twined ! Brightest hopes in thee have perished, All the world seems dumb and blind ! Night upon our souls is falling, Deep to solemn deep is calling, . Ah! the gloom is dread, appalling !
Saviour, lift the cloud of sadness, Show us thy dear face divine ; Bring our hearts a ray of gladness, O'er them let thy pity shine. Sure, the soul that deeply grieveth, Comfort sweet and calm receiveth. As thy promise it believeth.
Lingering gently at the border, While no fear her spirit vexed. Bessie spoke her love's true order : .
"Jesus first and parents next." Farewells given, forth she ventured, All her hopes in Jesus centred, As within the veil she entered.
Passing through the heavenly portal, Fading from our earthly sight, She has found a home immortal, In the world of life and light : Left forever tears and sighing ; Blessed change, from pain and dying, Endless bliss the soul supplying.
There, amid celestial splendors. Angel hosts and ransomed throngs, Praises to the Lamb she renders, Joining in those glorious songs. There she waits for us to meet her. When with rapture we shall greet her ; Oh, what thought or hope is sweeter ?
Lord, we trust thee : thou art gracious ; Thou didst give the jewel fair ; Oh, to us how bright and precious ! And to thee what treasure rare ! Ours and thine. Lord, thou hast taken ; We're bereaved, but not forsaken : Her from sleep thy voice shall waken.
AMES WILSON BIXLER, A.M., B. D., the pastor of the Second Con- gregational Church of New London, was born in Hanover, York County, Pa., Feb- ruary 28, 1861. A son of David D. and Al- mira (Wilson) Bixler, he comes of German and Swiss descent. David Bixler, his grand- father, born in Hanover, Pa., in 1798, was a son of Peter Bixler, of Carroll County, Mary- land. A merchant in trade in Hanover for a number of years, David acquired a com- petency, and left a good estate at his death, which occurred in Hanover in 1873, when he was seventy-five years old. Active in local affairs, he served in a number of public offices. He married Susan Long, of Hanover. She was a daughter of Samuel Long, who was one of the Revolutionary soldiers who experi- enced the hardships of Valley Forge. Mrs. Susan Bixler lived to be ninety-one years of age, dying in 1891. She rests with her hus- band in the cemetery at Hanover. They were members of the Lutheran church. Of the six children reared by them, three daughters and three sons, four are living to-day.
David D. Bixler was born in Hanover in 1830. After spending some time in business with his father, he became the latter's suc- cessor, and is still conducting a store there. He married Almira Wilson, of York, Pa., a daughter of John A. and Rachel (Mantle) Wilson. The Wilsons are of Scotch-Irish origin. Mrs. Almira Bixler's paternal grand- father, who was a native of the north of Ire- land, was educated for the Presbyterian min- istry, and for a number of years was the pastor of a church in York County, Pennsyl- vania. A close student, gifted with literary talent, he was the author of a number of books. John A. Wilson was also educated for the ministry, but his health was too uncertain to allow of his assuming pastoral duties. He
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found employment as a scrivener, and was for a number of years clerk of the York County courts. His wife died in February, 1896. She was the mother of four children, namely : James Wilson, the subject of this sketch ; Samuel Lincoln and Charles Saxton, who are in business with their father, the firm name being D. D. Bixler & Sons; and David IIer- vey Bixler, who graduated from Amherst Col- lege in the class of 1896, and is now in the employ of the Vermont Marble Company at Proctor, Vt. Samuel L. Bixler has a wife and one son.
James Wilson Bixler attended school in Williamsport, Pa., and graduated from Am- herst in 1882, an honor man and one of the class officers, with a class of sixty-five. In that college he took several prizes for a scholarship, and received the degree of Master of Arts. He then took a divinity course at Yale, spending the fourth year in fellowship. From Yale he received the degree of Bache- lor of Divinity. After finishing his college course, he travelled and studied in Germany for a year, and then for a year was assistant to Dr. George L. Walker, the pastor of the First Church in Hartford, Conn. He was or- dained in October, 1889, and installed as pas- tor of the North Congregational Church in Haverhill, Mass. This pastorate he resigned in 1891 to take charge of the Second Congre- gational Church in New London, which so- ciety, formed in 1836, is one of the oldest and wealthiest religious organizations in the city, and has a membership numbering over five hundred. The church edifice is a granite structure, erected in 1870, with richly colored stained glass windows and a fine granite spire. The music is rendered by an accom- plished organist and a cultured quartette. This church requires a scholarly and eloquent pastor, and Mr. Bixler has acceptably filled the
pulpit for five years. The pastoral residence, which is a very beautiful one, was built and endowed by Mrs. M. S. Harris, in memory of her deceased husband, the Hon. J. N. Harris, who was a Deacon of the church. Church, chapel, and parsonage, together, cost over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Mr. Bixler was married in Amherst, Au- gust 4, 1891, to Elizabeth James, a daughter of President Julius HI. Seelye, of Amherst College. She was a Smith College student and an accomplished pianist. She died April 10, 1894, leaving one son, Julius Seelye Bixler, who was born April 4, 1894. Mr. Bixler is a member of the Psi Upsilon fra- ternity, of Amherst, and is one of the over- seers of the charity fund of that college. He is a trustee of the Smith Memorial Home, which was founded and richly endowed by the late Dr. Seth Smith. In 1897 he was elected a corporate member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
RS. HARRIET A. RATHBONE, * a respected resident of Salem. was born in the house in which she now resides, daughter of William A. and Emeline (Morgan) Strickland. Her father was born January 23, 1812, and was a farmer by occupation. By his wife, Emeline, who was born January 17, 1813, he had three children : William N., a farmer, residing in Salem; James Morgan, a resident of Norwich; and Harriet A. The father died in 1882, at the age of seventy. His wife passed away four years later, and both were laid to rest in the Congregational churchyard at Salem.
Harriet A. Strickland was educated chietly at the Sheffield Seminary, and afterward taught the district school for some time. She subsequently married Alban Rathbone, son of
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JEPHTHAH G. BILL.
MRS. JEPHTHAH G. BILL.
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Alban and Harriet (Boyers) Rathbone and a pattern-maker and a master mechanic. After the breaking out of the war Mr. Rathbone enlisted in Company C, Twenty-fourth Con- necticut Regiment. He was wounded in ac- tion, and confined for some time in a hospital in the South. He died of consumption, Au- gust 7, 1876, at the age of thirty-seven years, as a result of the hardships encountered dur- ing service in the army. He left one son, Henry A., who grew up, married, and has a wife and one son, John, the latter still a baby boy.
Except during the short period of her mar- ried life Mrs. Rathbone has always resided at the old home of her parents. Since her father's death she has carried on the farm, and has succeeded by pluck and perseverance in gaining a comfortable livelihood. Few better examples could be presented of the enterprising and self-reliant women of New London County.
EPHTHAH G. BILL, a leading farmer of Griswold, in the north-eastern part of New London County, was born in this town, September 7, 1823, son of Elisha Satterlee and Olivet (Geer) Bill. His pater- nal grandfather was a prosperous farmer of Groton, in the southern part of the' county, and had a family of five sons and three daugh- ters.
His father, Elisha S. Bill, a farmer and shoemaker, and a prominent man in public affairs, was born in 1798, in that part of the old town of Groton that is now Ledyard, and died in Griswold, at the age of sixty-five. He was twice married. His first wife, Olivet, to whom he was united in 1818, was born in Preston in 1800, daughter of Jephthah and Olivet (Herrick) Geer. She died in March, 1837, having been the mother of the following children : Sarah Maria, born 1819, now de-
ceased ; James L., born August 16, 1821, now living at Clark's Falls, North Stonington ; Jephthah G., born in 1823; Ann Elizabeth, born in 1825; Amos William, born in 1827; Sidney W .; Elisha, a farmer who died in middle life at North Stonington; and Ezra Gardner, a blind teacher, superintendent in the Blind School at Hartford. Amos W. Bill was a soldier in the Twenty-sixth Connecticut Infantry in the war of the Rebellion, and was detailed as a despatch bearer. He was at Port Hudson. Only three of these children are living to-day; namely, James, Jephthah, and Ezra. The father married for his second wife Celestina Lucy Ann Walcott Shaw, widow of Charles Barber, who was lost at sea. Six sons and four daughters were born of this union, and three of the family are now living, namely: Hibbard, who is in Massachusetts; Nelson, a mechanic in West Medway; and Nancy Ann Gennett, now Mrs. Richmond, of Greenville. The second Mrs. Bill survived her husband some years, and died at the age of fifty. Benjamin Shaw Bill, one of her sons, was a volunteer soldier from Connecticut in the late war, and died in Andersonville Prison.
Mr. Jephthah G. Bill received a good com- mon-school education, and made his home with his father until his marriage, in his twenty- fifth year. Forty-four years ago he settled on the old Benjamin farm of seventy acres, which was owned and occupied in the last century by Ezra Benjamin, his wife's grandfather, a great-uncle, John Benjamin, having bought a large tract of land, which ' was divided among his heirs. Mr. Bill owns about two hundred and fifty acres, and carries on general farming and dairying, making considerable butter. Hle has been a Justice of the Peace for many years, and has had charge of settling many estates. In this responsible position he has shown great executive ability and entire
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fidelity to the confidence reposed in him, and to-day no man in the community has a fairer reputation for integrity and absolute honor.
Mr. Bill was married on February 15, 1848, to Prudence Powers Benjamin, daughter of Eames and Prudence (Chapman) Benjamin. The family annals furnish a striking instance of longevity, one of Mrs. Bill's great-uncles, Abiel Benjamin, having lived to be nearly one hundred and four years old, and so vigorous on his one hundredth anniversary that he walked the distance of half a mile. The early Benja- mins were Methodists, and Mrs. Bill was a member and active worker in the Methodist church. She died on the last day of June, 1896, at the age of seventy-five, after forty- eight years of wedded life. Shortly after re- tiring for the night, apparently as well as ever, she was stricken with heart failure, and expired almost instantly. Mrs. Bill was the mother of three children, of whom the follow- ing is a brief record : Benjamin Jephthah, the eldest, is a physician and surgeon at Genoa Junction, Wis., has a lucrative practice, stands high in his profession, and is active in the social and religious life of the community. He has four sons and two daughters. Harriet Prudence Bill married Ransom H. Young, and is the mother of four children -- three sons and a daughter. Ann Isabella Bill died when nearly fourteen years of age.
Mr. Bill united with the Methodist Episco- pal church at the age of twelve years, and has ever since been an active Christian worker. He has been class leader and steward, and is associated with the work of the Sunday-school, and with all the benevolent and charitable activities of the church. He is a Republican in politics; and in 1870 he represented the town of Griswold in the State legislature, run- ning far ahead of the ticket at the time of his election.
REDERICK HOWARD DART, M.D.,* a prominent medical practi- tioner of Niantic, was born across the river, in the town of Waterford, on the 6th of March, 1860, and is descended from Richard Dart, who bought land in New London at an early date. Richard's son, William Dart, was born September 21, 1762, in Waterford.
William's son Leonard, grandfather of Dr. Dart, was born May 5, 1802, and died in 1882. He was in business in New London for many years, and up to some fifteen or twenty years before his death. He and his brother, Giles Dart, were engaged in the manufacture of coffee-mills, and were also in company with Mr. Wilson in the manufacture of vises, Mr. Wilson being one of the early and prominent manufacturers, in whose employ Grandfather Dart was engaged for a time. Leonard Dart married Harriet Bishop Watrous, born May 22, 1806, daughter of Deacon John Watrous, a prominent land-owner at Lake Pond. Leonard, the only child by this marriage, became father of the Doctor. He was en- gaged in mercantile business for some years, and was of the firm of Stewart & Dart. He is now employed in the office of E. B. Pierce, mason and builder. His wife, Josephine Beckwith, to whom he was married in 1854, was born March 31, 1833, in Waterford, daughter of Daniel D. and Miranda Beckwith. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dart are members of the Second Congregational Church. The elder son of this marriage, Leonard Watrous Dart, Jr., born April 16, 1858, resides in New Lon- don, and is book-keeper for Palmer Brothers. He has one daughter, named Dorothy, born in 1892.
Dr. Dart acquired his early education at Pepper Box Hill and Montville and in the Bulkley High School, New London, and studied medicine in the medical department
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of Columbia College, New York, graduating in the class of 1884. He opened practice in this town in 1885, being associated with Dr. Munger for about five years, and since then has had an independent practice. He has earned for himself an excellent reputation as a physician and a man of the strictest probity. HIis field of practice covers a wide area, and he keeps four horses for use in attending to his professional work. He is connected with the various medical societies of this region, and his skill is recognized by his fellow- physicians as well as by the public at large. He is a member of the State and county medi- cal societies, also of the New London Medi- cal Society, and is president of the New Lon- don Medical Club. He is United States Medical Examiner of Pensions for the dis- trict of New London and examiner for the coroner and for the Board of Health of the town of East Lyme. He is Post Surgeon, and he has been on the Board of School Visi- tors for four years, being now chairman. Fra- ternally, he is a Master Mason.
Dr. Dart took as his life partner Maria E. Bond, daughter of Norman J. and Jane (Moody) Bond, of East Lyme, originally from Yarmouth, N. S., where Mr. Bond had been a prominent banker. Mrs. Dart's father died in this town in 1884, leaving to his widow and eight children the fine property of Black Point. He was a son of Dr. Bond, of Nova Scotia. Dr. and Mrs. Dart are prominent Episcopalians and members of St. James's Parish, New London. They have one son, Frederick Bond Dart, born February 27, 1896.
APTAIN WILLIAM H. SISTARE, a retired sea captain of New London, Conn., was born in this city on September 9, 1831, son of William M.
and Martha (Beebe) Sistare. He is de- scended from a Spanish family. Don Gabriel Sistare (also written Sistere), the earliest known ancestor, was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1700. He married Marie Mitzavila. Their son, Captain Gabriel Sistare, who was born in Barcelona on May 1, 1726, settled in New London, October 14, 1771. He was twice married. His first wife, whose maiden name was Maria Molas, died in Barcelona, ยท leaving one child, also named Gabriel, born in Barcelona in 1754, who came to this city with Captain De Shon in 1772, and subse- quently married Frances Chew. The latter was born in 1759, daughter of Joseph and Frances De Shon Chew. Captain Gabriel's second marriage was made with Elizabeth Beebe, who had one child, Joseph, born April 22, 1774. Joseph Sistare married Nancy Wey, who died in New York City on Novem- ber 13, 1860. She was a descendant of George Wey, who was born in New London in 1630. Captain Gabriel died February 3, 1795; while his widow survived until Septem- ber II, 1798. Gabriel Sistare (third) died on January 11, 1820; and his wife passed away on October 11, 1841.
Willian: M. Sistare, born in this city on July 2, 1794, was a New London merchant, and served his country as Quartermaster in the War of 1812. He married Martha Beebe: and they had four children, of whom William H., the subject of this sketch, is the only sur- vivor. The others were: Joseph Allen, who was a master mariner, and died in this city in 1871, at the age of forty, leaving four sons; James Morgan Sistare, also a sea captain, who died in January, 1892, at the age of fifty- three, leaving five children ; and Mary Ellen, who was the wife of Orrin Beckwith, and died at the age of thirty-one, leaving three children. The father lived to be eighty-seven years of
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age, and the mother attained the age of seventy-five.
William H. Sistare acquired a good com- mon-school education. He had been a clerk in his father's store for some time, when at the age of sixteen years, he went in his own fishing-sloop, the "Harriet," from Cape May to Chatham, Cape Cod, Mass. Thereafter he was engaged in the coasting trade for nearly forty years. He retired in 1886, after a suc- cessful career. In politics he affiliates with . the Republican party.
On June 9, 1859, Captain Sistare was mar- ried to Mary B. Paige, of this city. Her parents, John S. and Harriet Newell (Beebe) Paige, now deceased, were natives respec- tively of North Brookfield, Mass., and New London. Of their twelve children they reared seven, all of whom are living. Frank L. Paige, the only brother of Mrs. Sistare, is a clothier in New York City. Mr. and Mrs. Sistare have had nine children, of whom three died in infancy and Gabriel Carlos in his fifth year. The survivors are: Ellen, John Foster, Mattie Serena, Lycurgus Mackie, and IIattie Breckenridge, all of whom have been educated in New London. Lycurgus is a letter carrier in this city. John Foster, born March 24, 1864, is a member of the well- known firm l'almer & Sistare, of New Lon- don. In religion Mr. Sistare and his family are Congregationalists. They reside at 44 Shaw Street, where William M. Sistare built a house in 1842. The adjoining lot has been the property of the Sistare family since 1757.
ENRY E. WEST, of New London, now retired from active business, at one time kept one of the best livery stables in the county. He was born in Leb- anon, this State, June 15, 1821, son of Enos
and Nancy (Latham) West, both of whom were natives of Connecticut. His grand- father, Joshua West, a farmer of Montville, Conn., residing near Gardner's Lake, had a family of two daughters and two sons, the boys being twins.
Enos West, the only child of his parents that reached maturity, was born in Montville, March 12, 1781. He, too, was a farmer, and was fairly well-to-do. His death occurred in Colchester, Conn., February 10, 1846. His wife, to whom he was married on November 29, 1808, was born in Groton, January 16, 1789. She reared two daughters and one son, and died at the home of the latter in New London, January 8, 1880, eight days prior to her ninety-first birthday. The elder daughter, Hannah W., who became the wife of William Smith, of Walpole, Mass., died in Willimantic, Conn., November 9, 1845, leav- ing one son, Frank Howard Smith. Frank H. Smith lives in New London, and has one son, Herbert Raymond, a young man of twenty-one, attending college at New Haven. The other daughter, Mary Perkins West, married Waldo Bingham, of Windham, Conn.,. and died in that town, August 27, 1853, leav- ing one daughter, Josephine W., who is now living in Windham.
IIenry E. West, who was the only son of his parents, was reared on a farm, remaining with his father and mother until he was eigh- teen years of age. After the family moved to Colchester, he attended school for a couple of years. He was then employed in Col- chester for one year or more, and in that place first engaged in the livery business. On April 12, 1844, he located in New London ; and in February, 1847, his brother-in-law, William Smith, became his partner. To- gether they built up a first-class trade, the firm of West & Smith soon taking place
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among the best livery firms of the county. They were in business until 1890. Mr. Smith died November 10, 1894. Mr. West, though now practically retired from business, finds pleasure and occupation in dispensing a cure for rheumatism that he discovered, and which has become very popular.
On June 9, 1846, Mr. Smith was married to Abby Ann, daughter of William and Lucy (Bigelow) Gelston. Mr. Gelston, who was a farmer and a native of East Haddam, died in 1875, at the age of eighty-eight. His wife, a native of Colchester, Conn., died in June, 1880, aged eighty-one years and six months. Four of the six children born to this couple grew to maturity, namely: Abby A., now Mrs. West; Maltby and John Bigelow Gel- ston, who reside in East Haddam; and Lucy, who makes her home with Mr. West. Mr. West has no children. In politics he is in- dependent, usually voting for the Democratic candidate. He has served in the City Coun- cil. His religious belief is not restricted by the lines of creed. Thirty-seven years ago he moved into his pleasant home at 35 Main Street, one of the old Colonial houses of New London, roomy, substantial, and well pre- served in spite of its age.
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