USA > Connecticut > New London County > Biographical review, containing life sketches of leading citizens of New London County, Connecticut > Part 6
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Elizabeth Hazard, of Providence. She is a daughter of Stanton and Bethiah (Aborn) Haz- ard. Her father, who was a furniture dealer, retired from business many years before his death, which occurred in 1892, when he was eighty-two years old. Living with her is her mother, who was born in 1814, on the day the British left Stonington. Her sister, who is a widow, resides in Providence, and has two children. The latter, a son and a daugh- ter, are great favorites of Mr. and Mrs. Moss. Mrs. Moss belongs to the Daughters of the Revolution. Mr. Moss has taken all the degrees in the Franklin Lodge of Masons in Westerly, of which he was a founder. In politics he is a Republican. Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational church, which they helped to organize with other earnest persons in the parlor of his father's house. Since 1890 they have occu- pied their present home, a most delightful and commodious, though unpretentious, one, enjoying their quiet life of leisure.
RS. JULIA A. LATHAM FOR- SYTH, the wife of George For- syth, of Salem, is the eldest child of John and Eliza (Brown) Latham. The other children of her parents are: Will- iam J. Latham, a liveryman of Westerly, R.I. ; and Elizabeth Esther, the wife of Charles H. Bailey, of Salem. The father died February 13, 1866, at the age of fifty- six; and the mother's death occurred at the home of Mrs. Forsyth on February 22, 1895, in the eighty-fifth year of her age, after eight years of sickness and suffering. Mrs. Latham was remarkable for her physical and mental powers.
The marriage of Miss Latham with George Forsyth took place February 13, 1853. He
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PALMER BILL.
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is a son of Latham and Abigail (Lee) For- syth. His grandfather, Timothy Forsyth, who was probably born in Scotland, followed the occupation of farmer in Montville, and married a Miss Latham. Timothy had at least three sons and a daughter. Of these Sanford, a sailor, was lost at sea in the prime of life; and William was a farmer in Massachusetts. The grandmother lived to a great age, and resided with her grandson Latham for many years. . The father, Latham, Sr., was born in New London or Montville in 1760, and died on the farm now owned by his son and namesake in 1835, at the age of seventy-five years. He had been a Selectman of Montville, and he received a pension from the government for his services in the Revo- lution. His first wife was Eleanor Fox Forsyth, who bore him two sons and five daughters. The sons, Elisha and Thomas, went to Livingston County. His second mar- riage was contracted with Miss Abigail Lee, who, born in 1787, daughter of Edgecomb and Rachel (Thompson) Lee, died June 6, 1868. Born of this union were ten children, namely : Sanford, in 1805; Maria; Jane; Henry B. ; Edmund; Latham; Harriet ; George; Augus- tus; and Noyes. The only members of the family now surviving are: Harriet, the widow of Samuel T. Smith, of New London; and Latham and George, who are both farmers in Salem. Latham, born December 1, 1815, inherited his father's farm of two hundred acres, situated about a mile distant from the home of his brother George. George Forsyth bought his present farm of one hundred and thirteen acres in 1868. His children are: Harriet Elizabeth, John Latham, Jennie Maria, George A., and Fannie Eliza. Har- riet Elizabeth, who is a teacher in New Lon- don, was educated in the common schools and at the young ladies' high school, and for the
past thirty-seven years has taught the district school. Indeed, since the age of four, with the exception of one year, her life has been passed in the school-room in the capacity of scholar- or reacher. John Latham Forsyth died at the age of two years. Jennie Maria is the wife of. Theophilus H. Hanney, a farmer of Waterford, and has two sons and & daughter. George A. is a farmer and teacher in Waterford, and has three sons. Fannie Eliza died in February, 1887, of con- sumption, at the age of twenty. She was a lovely girl, and, though young, a ripe Chris- tian and ready for the change which came so early.
ALMER BILL, an influential resident of Norwich, was born in the town of Ledyard, April 20, 1823, son of Avery and Betsey (Barnes) Bill. Joshua Bill, the father of Avery, divided his attention be- tween coopering and farming. Of his eight children, all now deceased, three were sons. His wife lived to a venerable age. Both rest in the Ledyard cemetery.
Avery Bill, who was born in Ledyard, October 1, 1797, successfully followed the cooper's trade in Ledyard, Griswold, and Col- chester. He also speculated in farm property to a moderate extent, but was, perhaps, better known in connection with his official duties as Constable, having served in that capacity for thirty years. Betsey Bill, to whom he was married about the year 1820, bore him ten children, four sons and six daughters, all of whom reached maturity. Five of the number survive, namely : Palmer, the subject of this sketch; Maria E., the wife of Horatio Bardon, living in Peoria, Ill. ; Emeline, the wife of William O. Brooks, living in Lincoln, Neb. ; Joshua, in Southington, Conn. ; and Abby, the wife of Henry D. Frost, of Hartford, Conn.
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The father died in March, 1862; the mother on July 7, 1861, in her sixty-fourth year. Both lie buried in the Yantic cemetery.
Palmer Bill spent his boyhood on the farm. He obtained a good education in the schools of Wilbraham, Mass., and of Suffield, Conn., and afterward was engaged in teaching for three winters. After his marriage he worked at carpentry with his father-in-law. Although neither of the two men served an apprentice- ship to the trade, they were good workmen, and they erected a large number of houses in Norwich and other places. In 1852 Mr. Bill went to Peoria, Ill., where he spent two years in the building and grocery business. Return- ing at the end of that time to Norwich, he pur- chased a farm. His present estate, at 21I West Thames Street, with about two acres of land, was bought by him in 1884. The small house then standing here has been replaced by an attractive and commodious residence.
On January 15, 1849, Mr. Bill married Miss Sarah Maria Brown, of Lebanon, Conn., a daughter of William W. and Nancy (Post) Brown. . They have four living children, namely : H. Arthur Bill, of this city, who is married and has three daughters; Fannie M. Bill, for several years a teacher in the West Chelsea school district; Sarah T., the wife of John E. Post, of Norwich, by whom she has one son; and Frank A. Bill, a shoe dealer, who is also married and lives in Norwich. In politics Mr. Bill is a Republican. He has served the town as Assessor for a long period, and he has been Tax Collector for several years. In both the old and new State-houses he held the position of door-keeper, and published the legislative statistics from 1882 to 1885 inclu- sive. He was for several years a member of the Board of Education, acting as visitor for one year; and he has been on the District School Board three years. He has held the
important office of Registrar of Voters for over twenty-six years. Both he and his family are members of the Central Baptist Church, he being one of the Board of Managers.
ENRY C. PALMER, of the well- known firm of Palmer & Sistane, who keep a meat market at 450 Bank Street, New London, Conn., was born in the town of Montville, New London County, May 4, 1838. His parents were Samuel W. and Harriet (Parish) Palmer. Samuel, his paternal grandfather, was a teacher and also the author of a manual.
Samuel W. Palmer was born at Montville in 1796. He was a shoemaker, and he also owned and worked a small farm. He married Harriet Parish, of Norwich, this county; and they reared three sons and one daughter, all of whom are living except one, Samuel N., who died July 4, 1895, at the age of fifty- nine. The survivors are: William S., of Coshocton, Ohio; Harriet M., in New Lon- don on the old homestead; and Henry C. The father died in 1881, at the age of eighty- four years and six months; and the mother in 1884, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, being well preserved.
Samuel N. Palmer was born at Montville, January 13, 1836. For a number of years he was proprietor of a first-class meat market in New London, and at one time he was inter- ested in two markets; but, being in failing health for several years before his death, he was not able to do so much business as he would otherwise have done. He was a man that was highly respected. In politics he was a Republican. At the age of twenty-five he was married to Eliza E. Holdridge, of Led- yard, Conn., daughter of Randall Holdridge. Of this union were born two children,
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namely: Nelson S., who has a meat market ; and Ida E., residing in New London.
William S. Palmer, the eldest son, was born at Montville, March 20, 1828. He com- pletcd his education at the Colchester Acad- cmy, and, after teaching school a few terms, went into the mcat business, which he has followed to the present timc, having removed from Norwich to Coshocton. He is a Repub- lican in politics, and in his fraternal relations he is a Master Mason. 'He married on No- vember 2, 1853, Mary R. Brown, of Water- ford, this county, daughter of Daniel Brown. Mrs. Palmer died May 5, 1856, leaving one daughter, Mary L., now residing in New Lon- don. On September 4, 1858, William S. Palmer married Marietta M. Williams, daugh- ter of William Williams, of Greenville, New London County. By this union was one son, Willie C., who was born October 1, 1862, and died September 11, 1864.
Henry C. Palmer, at the age of seventeen, . after acquiring a common-school education, shipped before the mast on board the whaling- vessel "Clematis" of this place, Captain E. Watrous in command. They were gone thirty-four months, during which time young Palmer had been promoted to boat steerer. Out of the thirty-two who shipped, he was one of the five who returned. He followed whal- ing twenty-four years, wintering nine times in Greenland. At the expiration of the first seven years he became captain, having been promoted from all the intervening positions. He took Howgate's vessel for him on that commander's last trip. Captain Palmer was master of five different vessels, making his last trip on the steamer "Callinasar" on the return from Wygate Straits in 1881. He and his brother, Samuel N., were running a market in Colchester, Conn., when he took command of this steamer, with which he had many mis-
haps after starting from the Far North. In politics he is a Republican, but sometimes votes independentiy; and in his fraternal rela- tions he is a Master Mason.
At the age of thirty-three Captain Palmer married Martha Holdridge, of Ledyard, this county, a daughter of Randall Holdridge. By this union there are two children : Isabella, a young lady, who is book-kecper in her father's markct ; and Samuel, a boy of ten years. The family live in a pleasant house in the town of Waterford, where they settled ten years ago.
APTAIN OLIVER C. GRIFFIN, a veteran seaman, living in Stonington, was born in 1842 at Fort Jefferson, L. I., son of John L. Griffin. The latter, now a venerable man of fourscore and four years, was born in 1813 at Guilford, Conn. Hc was a vessel rigger in his earlier years, and later was engaged in the coast trade, residing at Fort Jefferson. During that time he had charge of three different vessels as captain. Since retiring from the sea he has made his home in Flanders, L. I., where he has a small farm. He married Hannah A. Griffin, who was born at Fort Jefferson in 1816, their union having been solemnized in 1840. They became the parents of eight children, three of whom have passed to the life beyond. These were: John H., who was the mate of a vessel, and died in Flanders, L. I., at the age of thirty ycars, leaving a widow, a son, and a daughter; William Edward, who died at the age of seventeen years; and Frank, who was married very young, and died when but twenty years old. Those living are as follows : Oliver C., the special subject of this sketch ; Hannah A., residing at Brooklyn, N. Y., the widow of E. W. Phillips, who was a boss car- penter and builder of that city; Charles F.,
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of Flanders; Joseph, of East Quogue, L.I .; and Samuel S., who resides with his father in Flanders, and carries on the farm.
Captain Oliver C. Griffin received a com- mon-school education in Flanders. At the age of twenty years he began life for himself as a sailor before the mast on a wood boat plying between Long Island and Stonington. Within the first five years he worked his way up from the lowest position in the seaman's service to that of first mate. During the late Rebellion he was second mate on vessels char- tered by the government to transport army supplies from New York City to Southern ports. Being shipwrecked on the South Caro- lina coast, he was captured by a party of guerillas, and with his ship's crew had been kept a prisoner some ten days, when he was rescued by a detachment of the Ninety-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, at Currituck, S.C. In 1866 he entered the service of the Neptune Steamship Company of Providence, R. I., as wheelman of a vessel plying between that city and New York, and has continued with the company and its successors since. He was employed as wheelman for four years, then as second pilot for the same length of time. In 1874 he was promoted to the post of first pilot and three years later to that of captain. Captain Griffin bas had many stanch vessels under his command, including the "Francis," "Electra," "Stonington," "Narra- gansett," and "Massachusetts." Exception- ally fortunate, he has met with no serious loss or accident, although he was in some of the most terrific gales off the coast. He makes no long trips now, being seldom absent from his pleasant home more than a week at a time.
Captain Griffin was married May 15, 1876, to Miss Fannie E. Pollard, the only child of William J. H. and Eliza (Chesebrough) Pol- lard, of this city, with whom the Captain
and his family make their home. The Cap- tain and Mrs. Griffin have two interesting children, namely: Grace Pollard, a young lady of seventeen years, now attending school in Brooklyn, N. Y .; and William Pollard, a school boy of fourteen. Mrs. Griffin is a member of the Baptist church at Stonington; while the Captain still retains his membership in the Methodist church at Good Ground, L. I.
J OHN L. PAYNE, a prominent farmer of Waterford, was born January 5, 1835, on Black Point, East Lyme. William L., his father, was a native of Block Island, R.I., born October 4, 1809; and his mother, Mary P. Halliday Payne, was born in New London, June 14, 1810.
William L. Payne, Sr., grandfather of John L., was at one time a farmer on Block Island. He married Margaret Clark, and some years later removed to Fisher's Island, where he was overseer of the island for William Winthrop for some time. He then went to Black Point, and, purchasing a three-hundred- acre farm, devoted his attention to agricult- ure. He and his wife had two sons and two daughters - Eliza, Margaret, Simon R., and William L. Eliza became the wife of George Sheffield; Margaret married the Rev. Harlem HI. Hedden, a Baptist preacher; Simon R., who was born on Block Island, married and had one son, Robert G., a farmer on Black Point, who owns the place on which his grandfather died. Simon R. and the two sisters lived to be octogenarians. After the death of the mother of these children Will- iam L. Payne married a second wife. He died in Waterford on the place now occupied by the subject of this sketch.
William L. Payne, Jr., followed farming on Fisher's Island for a time, and also in Water-
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CHARLES G. BEEBE.
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ford, coming here in 1839, and buying about sixty-five acres of land. Five years before, in 1834. he had married Mary P. Halliday, the Rev. Daniel Wildman performing the cere- mony. Her mother, in maidenhood Mary Powers, and of English parentage, was one of nine children, of whom five sons and two daughters lived to be octogenarians. She died during the Civil War, in the house in which her grandson lives, at eighty-four years of age. The subject of this sketch has an antique silk copy of the Powers coat of arms, a representation of the lion and unicorn on a blue and gold field. He also has an old Bible left by his grandmother, in which is the fam- ily record. It was printed in 1795, and was presented to Grandmother Powers by her father in 1802. William L. Payne, Jr., died June 27, 1866. His wife died while on a visit to New London, October 28, 1883, aged seventy- three.
John L. Payne was reared on his father's farm, on which he resided for some years after attaining maturity. He was educated in the common schools and at an academy. He has since been engaged in general farming, and also devotes considerable time to town affairs. Ilis farm is one of the best kept in the county ; and his home, though a modest one, is most pleasantly situated on the shore of the Sound, of which it commands a fine view.
On January 22, 1857, Mr. Payne married Miss Harriet Daniels, a daughter of Nehemiah Daniels, of this town. Her mother, Char- lotte Smith Daniels, was a daughter of Deicon John Smith, a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Payne have one daughter, Mary Annie Payne, a young lady who resides at home with her parents. Politically, Mr. Payne is a Demo- crat. For the past nine years he has served on the Board of Selectmen, and he has also been a member of the Board of Relief. He
was a member of the legislature during the "dead-lock."
HARLES GORDON BEEBE, whose portrait is here shown, was engaged in business in the village of Mystic, at first as a merchant and later as a manufact- urer, for more than half a century ; and for the last thirty years of his life he resided with his family on West Main Street in the house now occupied by his widow, Mrs. Emily T. Noyes Beebc. Mr. Beebe was born in Norwich, Conn., November 16, 1818. Ile was the younger son of William and Elizabeth ( Brooks) Beebe, was a grandson of John Beebe, and was a descendant of Myles Standish. William Beebe was a manufacturer in Norwich, and died there at the age of forty-five. His wife. Elizabeth Brooks Beebe, who survived him many years, lived to be seventy-seven, dying in 1865. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter; namely, Eliza Jane, William N., and Charles Gordon. Eliza Jane married Calvin Stetson, became the mother of ten chil- dren, and died in the spring of 1896. Will- iam N. Beebe, who died in New Haven, aged seventy-two, had been married, and had lost all of his six children.
At the age of twenty, in 1838, Charles Gordon Beebe came from Norwich to Mystic, and in company with the late E. R. Gallup was engaged in trade for three years. Dis- solving his firm relations with Mr. Gallup, be then formed a partnership with the late Hen. B. F. Palmer, and continued in the same line of business seven years more. In 1848 he began the manufacture of cotton twine and cordage, which he continued with success for about forty-four years. On September 2S. 1843, Mr. Beebe was united in marriage with Emily T. Noyes, who survives him, as above
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mentioned. Mrs. Beebe was born in Stoning- ton, Conn., daughter of Joseph and Eunice (Chesebro) Noyes. She is a descendant in the ninth generation of the American progen- itor of this branch of the Noyes family, who was a native of Nottinghamshire, England, whence he came to this country in the seven- teenth century. Mrs. Beebe's father, Joseph Noyes, was twice married. By his first wife, Zurviah Wheeler, he had eight children, seven sons and one daughter; and by his sec- ond wife, Eunice Chesebro, he had nine chil- dren, five sons and four daughters, Emily, Mrs. Beebe, being next to the youngest. All grew to maturity, and five are still living, the eldest, Nathan Noyes, a son by the first mar- riage, being ninety - four and the youngest seventy-one years of age. Joseph Noyes out- lived both his wives, dying in August, 1851, aged eighty-four.
The death of Mr. Beebe occurred March 28, 1895, his latest years having been passed in retirement. He left a good name. To quote from the obituary published in a local sheet : "Mr. Beebe was a citizen whose voice and in- fluence were always given to the side of virtue, temperance, and humanity. He secured and maintained the respect of all those with whom he came in social or business contact, and by them will be long kept in remembrance."
His pure faith and loyalty of affection are revealed in a poem dedicated to his wife on the forty eighth anniversary of their marriage, a portion of which we quote below, regretting that lack of space prevents us from giving it in full : --
Through many years of calms and stormis We have sailed life's sea together, And shared alike its changing forms Of foul and pleasant weather.
Together eight and forty years
We've journeyed for our heavenly home,
Mid joys and tears, while hopes and fears Alternate frowned or cheered us on.
Sickness and pain, as well as joy, WVere wisely sent, our faith to try ; But He who gave us grace to live Will grant the needed grace to die.
Now, as passing years remind us One soon must leave the other here, Our tested faith should closer bind us, While this great hope our prospects cheer :
That, when the night of death is ended, We'll rise, from sin and sorrow free. In purer love our spirits blended, United for eternity.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Beebe was blessed by the birth of seven children, six of whom - Charles H., Edward S., Emily A., Courtland, Lillian E., and Herbert L. - lived to celebrate with them the golden anniversary of their marriage. Edward Stewart, the sec- ond son, unmarried, is engaged in the insur- ance business at Mystic ; Emily A. is the wife of William A. Shutze, of Baltimore, Md. : Courtland, of Norwich, is married, and has five children ; Lillian E., widow of Frank R. Mallory, with her son, Charles B., and daugh- ter, Lillian Stark Mallory, lives with her mother here in Mystic; and Herbert Lincoln, a commercial traveller, who has his home in Syracuse, is married and has one son. The eldest son, Charles Hamilton Beebe, died on April 12, 1895, aged fifty years, but two weeks after the burial of his father, a cold having de- veloped into pneumonia. He had returned to his home in Roanoke, Va., where he was en- gaged in business. He left a wife and three children. In announcing his death, the Roa- noke Daily Times said of him: "Mr. Beebe has been connected with, and was practically, the Norwich Lock Manufacturing Company, for almost a quarter of a century; and since
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his removal to the city about five years ago he has done much toward the upbuilding of Roa- noke. He was a man of integrity and of char- acter, who enjoyed the full confidence of all with whom he came in business or social con- tact ; and his death removes a man Roanoke could ill afford to lose."
P ILIJAH B. HARVEY, who died at his home in Salem, New London County, Conn., September 9, 1895, was a son of Levi and Lucy (Benjamin) Harvey, and one of a family of four sons and four daugh- ters. The father was a blacksmith and farmer. One of the sons died at fourteen, and the others lived to marry. The two youngest children are now living, namely: Parke B. Harvey, a retired marine engineer of New London, Conn. ; and Olivia, widow of Charles Benjamin, a sea captain, born in Norwich. Captain Benjamin left great wealth, which was largely accumulated in South America, where his uncle had established a large busi- ness in marine merchandise, dealing with English firms. Mrs. Benjamin and her step- grand-daughter, the wife of Lord Walker, re- side in London, England, at the present time.
Mr. Elijah B. Harvey was born August 4, 1812. He married Miss Sarah A. Hilliard, September 21, 1837. She was born Septeni- ber 12, 1814, daughter of Joseph Hilliard and his wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Waterman. Mrs. Harvey now lives on the farm where her great-grandfather Hamilton was the first settler. His daughter was born on this farm, May 31, 1756, in the old farm- house known as the Hannah Miller cottage, about one hundred and eighty years old, in which six generations of the family have lived and died. Miss Hamilton married Zebulon Waterman, who was born May 27, 1742. on
Waterman's Point, Saybrook, Conn. Their daughter, Sarah Waterman, was born October 11, 1779. She first married in 1802 Butler Treadway, who died leaving one daughter: and she married, second, Joseph Hilliard, who was born in Ledyard in 1781, and became a sea captain and afterward a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard had three children - Henry Oscar Hilliard (deceased), Sarah A. (Mrs. Harvey), and an infant son. Mrs. Sarah W. Hilliard died in December, 1849, at the age of seventy-one, her husband dying in April. 1861, in the eighty-first year of his agc. Mrs. Hilliard had a most retentive memory for facts and past events, and could quote the Scriptures and repeat whole sermons with wonderful ease.
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