USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Litchfield County, Connecticut > Part 39
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DSON B. LOCKWOOD, a farmer and Edson B. Lockwood, having commenced his education in the common schools, completed it at the academy. When his father died, his mother was left with four children, the eldest of whom was but eight years old: and he was necessarily thrown upon his own resources at an early age. He acquired by experience and the First Selectman of Watertown, was born in this town, September 23, 1855, son of Ezra and Julia E. (Beecher) Lockwood. Mr. Lockwood's grandfather, Ezra Lockwood, was a native of Stamford, Conn., and a farmer by occupation. He set- tled in Watertown, where he engaged in farm- hard work a thorough knowledge of agricult-
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ure, and in company with his brother has managed the farm with success. The prop- erty, finely located, contains one hundred and sixty acres of improved land. It is devoted principally to dairying purposes, and is con- ducted upon a liberal and progressive scale. Mr. Lockwood for some years has acted as local agent for several concerns engaged in the manufacture and sale of agricultural im- plements. In politics he is a Republican, and his ability and aptitude for the public service have placed him in a prominent position in local affairs. He has been a member of the Board of Selectmen for seven years, and for the past three years has presided over the de- liberations of that body. He is connected with the Patrons of Husbandry, and is at the present time Treasurer of the Watertown Grange.
Charles E. Lockwood, who is jointly inter- ested in managing the farm, is a capable and progressive farmer, to whose ability and good judgment is due a fair share of the success at- tained by the Lockwood brothers. He is per- severing, and is highly esteemed for this and many other commendable qualities. In poli- tics he supports the Republican party. He has served with ability as a grand juror, and he is connected with the Masonic fraternity. He married Ruth Atwood, and has two chil- dren; namely, Julia M. and Bronson E.
The Lockwood homestead has been in the possession of the family for over one hundred years, and the present residence was built by the grandfather over ninety-five years ago. They have for many years been identified with the Episcopal church in Watertown, of which Edson B. Lockwood was a Vestryman. Mrs. Charles E. Lockwood is widely known and es- teemed for her many womanly characteristics. Her sprightly and intelligent children have a promising future before them.
L. PEABODY, the genial proprietor of the Wononsco House at Lakeville, was born in Levant, Me., on Febru- ary 28, 1863, son of William B. and Julia (Bachelder) Peabody.
The history of the Peabody family in Amer- ica begins a few years after the landing of the Pilgrims on the shores of New England. Lieutenant Francis Peabody was born in St. Alban's, Hertfordshire, England, in the year 1614. He was one of the passengers in the ship "Planter," Nicholas Travis Master, when that vessel made its voyage to New England in 1635, as shown by the enrolment of his name in the Augmentation Office in Rolls . Court, Westminster Hall, London. For three years he lived in Ipswich, Mass .; and then, in 1638, he settled in Hampton, old Norfolk County, where for about twelve years he was engaged with the Rev. S. Bachelder and others in their work. In 1651 he removed to Topsfield, Mass., purchased a farm, and be- came one of the most enterprising and promi- nent men of that town. He took the freeman's oath in 1648, and the following year he was chosen by the town of Hampton with two others to "end all small causes " when the State lines were surveyed. He lived to a good age. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Foster, died in 1705. They were the parents of fourteen children. Of these Sarah married a Mr. Howe; Hepsibah be- came the wife of a Mr. Rea; Lydia, the wife of J. Perley; and Mary married Samuel J. Dearth. The others were: John, Joseph, William, Isaac, Ruth, Damaris, Samuel, Jacob, Hannah, and Nathaniel.
William Peabody, who was born in 1646, established his home in Boxford, Mass. He married Miss Hannah Hale, who was born in Newbury, Mass., in 1648. Four sons and three daughters were born of their union, as
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follows: Stephen; Mary, who married J. Simonds; Ephraim; Hannah, who married J. Foster; John; Abiah, who became the wife of J. Kimball; and Oliver. Their father died in 1699 and their mother in 1733. Stephen, the eldest child, was born in 1685. Like his father, he spent his life in the town of Box- ford, where he died in 1759. He married Miss Hannah Swan; and the fruit of their union was nine children, namely: Hannah, who married J. Smith; Richard; Mary; William, who married Rebecca Smith; Hep- sibah, who became the wife of E. Dorman; Priscilla, who married J. Hale; Francis; Stephen; and Richard. Their mother died in 1764, seventy-five years of age.
Richard Peabody, the great-great-grand- father of E. L. Peabody, was born in 1731. He was successfully engaged in farming in Boxford. During the Revolutionary War he was most zealous in the cause of freedom and independence, and was Captain of a company at Ticonderoga and Lake George. Not con- tent with what he could do personally, he sent his sons into the army as soon as they were old enough to render service. His death oc- curred June 7, 1820, in the eighty-ninth year of his age. He married Miss Jemima Spof- ford, of Rowley, who bore him eleven chil- dren, eight of whom were sons. They were: Hannah; lepsibah; Stephen, who married Miss Ann Killum; John, who joined the army when but thirteen years old, and was married in 1788 to Miss Molly Taylor; Richard, who married Miss Dolly Kimball; Oliver, who married Miss Peggy Stickney; William; Pris- cilla, who became the wife of T. Townsend; Francis, who married Miss Fanny Stickney: Samuel, who married Miss Abigail Wood in 1813; and Joseph, who married Miss Hannah Foster. Their mother died December 19, 1811, seventy-eight years of age.
William Peabody, born in 1768, studied medicine, and became a successful physician of Corinth, Me. He married Miss Sally Bean ; and they reared a son and three daugh- ters : Sally, Hannah, Nancy, and Lorenzo J. Lorenzo J. was born in Corinth, Me., on Jan- uary 27, 1812. He became a farmer. When he started out for himself, he settled in Levant, Me .; but the last years of his life were spent in Hermon, Me., where he died at eighty-one years of age. He married Miss Mary Borne, a daughter of Deacon R. Borne, of Readfield, Me. She died in 1889, at the age of sixty-seven years, leaving an only son, William B., who was born on February 5, 1837, in Levant, Me.
William B. Peabody, who is now living with his son in Lakeville, Conn., lived at one time in West Corinth, Me. He was married January 1, 1859, to Miss Julia Bachelder, a daughter of Nathaniel Bachelder. She died in 1892, fifty-four years of age. The fruit of their union was eight children; namely, Julia I., Sarah L., E. L., Mary A., Lorenzo J .. Francis S., Bernice FF., and George H. Julia I. and Sarah L. are deceased: and Francis S. married Hattie French.
E. 1 .. Peabody received his early education in the public schools of West Corinth, Me. After attaining his majority, he attended Lewiston Academy, and still liter entered Bates College. He at first engaged in teach- ing, following that profession for about seven seasons, after which he entered the hotel busi- ness. Since 1801 he has resided in lake- ville, where he conducts the Wononsco House and in connection therewith a livery stable. This comfortable, homelike, and well-con- ducted house, although kept open the year round, is more especially a summer hotel. Every summer the guests who gather there tas it to its fullest capacity. The drives in the
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immediate vicinity are most delightful, and present such a variety of scenery as to merit the attention of all lovers of the picturesque. The late Rev. Henry Ward Beecher wrote of the town, "A week spent at Lakeville will tempt you back again and again."
ILBERT N. CROSBY, a prosperous farmer of Lanesville, New Milford, who is now retired from active work, was born in Patterson, Putnam County, N. Y., February 6, 1821, son of Amaziah and Sally (Perry) Crosby. His grandfather, James Crosby, was born in Putnam County, New York, February 17, 1763. He was a farmer and a large land-owner, and was one of the leading citizens of the town where he lived. In political matters he favored the Demo- cratic party. He died June 20, 1843. His wife, whose maiden name was Deborah Pad- dock, was born October 27, 1767, and passed from life November 21, 1837. Their union was blessed by the following children: Ama- ziah, father of Gilbert N., born June 5, 1790; Mahala, who was born November 24, 1791, and died December 24, 1814; Betsey, born August 25, 1796, wife of Stephen Perry; Polly, born January 8, 1798, wife of Marvin Wilson; David P., who was born April 30, 1805, and died August 26, 1826; and Daniel, who was born May 4, 1808, and died Novem- ber 15, 1836.
Amaziah Crosby learned the carpenter's trade, and, when the War of 1812 broke out, went on call to New London, Conn., as an army carpenter. Some time after his return from army service he sold his property in Pat- terson, N. Y., and removed to New Milford, purchasing a farm. Politically, Mr. Crosby, like his father, was a Democrat. He died March 2, 1854. On February 9, 1814, he
was married to Sally, daughter of Simeon Perry, of Putnam County, New York. Mrs. Crosby outlived her husband many years, and drew a pension from the government on ac- count of his services in war-time. She died in 1878, being then in her eighty-eighth year. Eight children were born to Amaziah and Sally (Perry) Crosby, namely: Emeline, born January 4, 1815; William J., born October 22, 1816, who married Catherine Shears; Mary E., born February 4, 1819, wife of D. D. Marsh; Gilbert N., the subject of this sketch; Francis P., born April 26, 1823, who married Mary Camp; Frederick E., born Feb- ruary II, 1826, who married Rachel Barnum; + Lydia A., born May 28, 1829, wife of Charles Couch; and Calvin C., born December 1, 1831, who married Abigail Williams.
Gilbert N. Crosby, on reaching man's estate, engaged in farming and cattle dealing. Progressive and energetic, he soon developed his business to large proportions, going West to buy cattle, and selling them in Eastern markets at a good advantage. His first vent- ure in the line of real estate investment was the purchase of the homestead which had be- longed to his father. Seven years later he bought the Wildman property. This was a good farm of sixty-five acres, and Mr. Crosby made many improvements. Later he bought the Bristol place, a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, which was his home for twenty- two years. He built new barns, remodelled many of the buildings, and made several radi- cal changes for the better in the estate. In 1894 he rented his farms, and, moving to Lanesville, took up his residence on the Warner estate, with the intention of retiring from active work; but his disposition is such that rest is an impossibility, and he still finds something to keep him busy.
March 18, 1844, Mr. Crosby was united in
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marriage with Martha, daughter of Joseph and Sybil (Goodrich) Marsh, of Vergennes, Vt., where Mrs. Crosby was born. She died Octo- ber 19, 1892, aged seventy-two years, leaving three children, as follows: George W., born December 12, 1845, who lives on one of his father's farms; Frederick E., born August 17, 1847, who has charge of another farm; and Mary J., born April 1, 1855, who superin- tends her father's household. George W. Crosby is unmarried. Frederick E. was mar- ried May 13, 1869, to Amelia E. Osborne, and has had three children : Maude, born July 7, 1870; Alberta M., born May 8, 1876; and Lewis G., who was born November 28, 1880, and died March 10, 1881. Mr. Crosby votes the Democratic ticket. On religious matters his views are liberal. Wise, energetic, and industrious, he is a man who wins the respect of all with whom he comes in contact.
OHN B. WHITEHEAD, of Washing- ton, a veteran of the Civil War, who now owns and conducts a valuable farm situated in the vicinity of Washington Depot, was born in New Milford, January 4, 1824, son of John B., Sr., and Emeline (West) Whitehead. Mr. Whitehead's grandfather, Hezekiah Whitehead, who was previously a resident of Kent, moved from that town to New Milford, where he passed the remainder of his life. He married Olive Buckley, and raised a family of four children, as follows : John B., Sr. ; Sarah, who became Mrs. Hal lock; Lucinda, who is now Mrs. Soule; and Turney, who married Jane Hallock.
John B. Whitehead, Sr., Mr. Whitehead's father, was born in Kent, April 1, 1793. He was a mason, and followed his trade through- out the active portion of his life. He resided in New Milford until 1849, when he removed
to Burlington, Pa., where he passed the rest of his days, and died April 16, 1874. He was a Whig in politics and a Congregational- ist in his religious views. His wife, whose family resided in Colebrook, was born August 19, 1798. She became the mother of eleven children, as follows: Hezekiah, who was born in 1817; Hubbell, born in 1819; Frederick, born in 1821; John B., Jr., the subject of this sketch; Jay, born in 1826; Lucy, born in 1829; Samuel, born in 1830; Sally, born in 1833; Mary, born in 1837; Bruce, born in 1840; and Henry, born in 1843. The mother died December 16, 1854.
John B. Whitehead received his education in the schools of his native town. After finishing his studies, he learned the car- penter's trade, which he followed during his earlier years. At the age of twenty-one he settled in Washington, where, not to count one year during which he served in the Civil War, he has since been engaged in farming with success. He is prominent among the leading farmers of his locality, and enjoys the esteem of his fellow-townsmen.
In 1848 Mr. Whitehead was united in mar- riage to Mary E. Frost, a daughter of Jareb and Laura (Iline) Frost, of Washington. Mr. Frost, who was a carpenter and wagon- maker, an industrious man and a useful citi- zen, died at the age of sixty-six. His chil- dren are: Joseph Frost and Mrs. Mary E. Whitehead. His wife lived to the age of eighty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead have reared seven children. They are: Edwin C., who married Helen Fenn, daughter of John Fenn, and has four children - Lucy F .. Joseph F., Philmon B., and Mabel V. : Laura H .; Lucy, who is now Mrs. Brague, and has three children - Laura 11., Charles B., and Roy E. : Louise, who is now Mrs. Du Bois; Sarah, who is now Mrs. Smith, and has four
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children - Charles B., Mary E., Nelson S., and Edwin I .; Jane B., who died at the age of twenty-eight years; and Hattie, who is now Mrs. Hine, and has one daughter, named Jeanette. Mr. Whitehead is a Republican in politics, and in his religious views he is a Congregationalist. Edwin C., Mr. White- head's son, is an active member of the Wash- ington Grange, No. II.
RS. SARAH K. HINE, a highly respected resident of Washington, this county and State, and widow of the late Edward J. Hine, was born in Washington, Dutchess County, N.Y., Novem- ber 3, 1836, and is a daughter of John and Christiana (Thomson) Senior. Her father was a native of Dorsetshire, England, who came to this country, and settled in Danbury, Conn. He was a son of William and Sarah (Harvey) Senior, both of whom were natives of England, and passed their last years in the United States, Mrs. Senior attaining the ad- vanced age of ninety-two years. They reared thirteen children; namely, William, Eliza- beth, John, Sarah, George, Christopher, Ann, Thomas, Christopher, second, Edward, Louisa, Henry, and Joseph. John Senior, Mrs. Hine's father, removed from Danbury, Conn., to Dutchess County, New York, where he resided for some time, subsequently return- ing to Connecticut. He later went to Penn- sylvania, in which State he spent the rest of his life, and died October 19, 1878. His wife, Christiana Thomson, who was born in New Jersey in 1812, was a daughter of Alex- ander and Jane (Crozier) Thomson, her father being a native of Scotland, and her mother of Ireland. Mrs. Senior's parents reared eight children: Christiana, Agnes, John, Allen, Isabella, Mary, Maria, and Jane, Mrs. John
Senior became the mother of four children, as follows: Sarah K., the subject of this sketch; Mary, who is now Mrs. Payne, and has one daughter - Adah; Edwin T., who married Sara Barnard, and has four children - Belle, Mary, Bessie C., and Ada; and Belle, who became Mrs. Shepardson, and died at the early age of twenty-two years, leaving one son, George by name. Mrs. John Senior still sur- vives.
Sarah K. Senior was married in 1858 to Edward J. Hine, of Washington, Conn. Her husband was born at the Hine homestead in Washington, March 5, 1831, only son of Jon- athan N. and Jennet (Pond) Hine. His pater- nal grandfather was Jonathan Hine; and his immediate ancestors were prominent residents of Washington, the family being an old and highly respected one in that locality. Mr. Hine died January 11, 1895. He and his wife were the parents of three children, as follows: Mary J., now Mrs. George Hurlburt; Henry J., who married Harriet E. Whitehead, daughter of John Whitehead, of Washington, and has one daughter, named Jennet; and Christiana.
ELDEN MINOR, whose likeness is here seen, is a prominent meat mer- chant of Winsted and a man well known to the sporting world as the owner and breeder of fine horses. He was born in Plym- outh, Hartford County, Conn., August 28, 1841, son of Newell and Mary Ann (Hall) Minor. His paternal grandfather was a farmer in Wolcott, where he was born in 1760, and died about 1850. He reared a family of three daughters and four sons, all of whom were long-lived, one son, Hiram Minor, liv- ing to be ninety years of age. Newell Minor, who was born in Wolcott in 1811, was a well- known drover, and at his death, which oc-
SELDEN MINOR.
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curred in 1861, left an estate valued at forty thousand dollars. He was married in 1833; and his wife, who was born in 1813, died in 1857, at the age of forty-four. They had four children, namely: Emily, who married Ed- ward Dailey, of Canton, Conn., one of the firm of Dailey & Lincoln, wagon manufact- urers, and died in 1878, leaving one son ; Harriet, who died in childhood; Selden, of whom we write; George L., Chief of Police in Westfield, Mass., for the past eighteen years. The latter was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting at Meriden, Conn., and during the three years of his sojourn seeing some hard service. He spent ten days in the prison pen at Andersonville, but was so fortunate as to be exchanged at the end of that time.
Selden Minor received his education in the district schools, and was reared to the stock business, so that from early youth he has been a connoisseur of fine animals. He has bred and raised some fine-blooded and speedy stock, among which may be named Avalon, four- year-old, out of Modjeska by Royal Fear- naught, sired by Alcantara; Lady Lancelot, three-year-old, same dam, sired by Lancelot, youngest son of Green Mountain Maid, mother of Electioneer, who was the greatest sire liv- ing. In 1890 Mr. Minor sold three of his young trotters to one man for sixty-seven hun- dred dollars. These were full-blooded rela- tions, from three to four years old, and had trotted in 2.19 and 2.23. He now has two stud colts: Castaneum, two-year old, at the Allen Farm, very promising and handsome; and Lancelot, a yearling, own brother to the above. Besides his horses Mr. Minor keeps from three to five of the best fox hounds, reputed to be the coldest-nosed and the most tenacious of their kind, staying upon the trail from twenty-four to thirty-six hours; and he himself bears the reputation of a first-class
hunter, having inherited from his father a love of field sports. He also owns a number of working horses, employing them in connec- tion with his meat business, in which he has been engaged for thirty years. During the past thirteen years he has been located in Winsted, and before that he was employed in Canton, New York City, and New Britain, Conn.
Mr. Minor has been twice married. His first wife, Fanny E., daughter of John Brain- ard, of New Haven, died in 1875, at the age of thirty, leaving a son, Newell B., and daughter, Ella E., who live with their father, the son having charge of the horses. In June, 1877, Mr. Minor took to his home his second wife, Mrs. Fannie Holcomb, daughter of George Mills, of Canton. She had by her first husband one daughter, Lillie Holcomb, a beautiful young lady, who passed to the better life in 1883, in her seventeenth year.
Mrs. Minor is a communicant of the Epis- copal church. Mr. Minor settled in his pres- ent home, 25 Wheeler Street, in 1890, and has expended some four thousand dollars on the estate, which he has greatly improved, building a fine barn for his horses and fox hounds.
ILLIAM MOREY, who operates a well-improved and productive tarmi in Kent, was born in Washington, N. Y., September 26, 1838, son of Stephen and Susan ( Way) Morey. Mr. Morey's pa- ternal grandfather was James Morey, a native of Dutchess County, New York, where he re- sided during his entire life, engaged in agri- culture. He reared two sons, Stephen and Silas. Stephen Morey. Mr. Morey's father, was born in Washington. N. Y. He learned the trade of a hatter, which he followed in early manhood. During the Civil War he
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was employed as overseer of a powder-house at a military station ; and, after the close of the great fratricidal struggle, he went to New Milford, Conn., where he resided for ten years. He subsequently returned to Dutchess County, New York, where he passed the re- mainder of his life, dying at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife, Susan Way, became the mother of eleven children, as follows: Collins, who married Rebecca Pot- ter, and has two children - Francis and Mary ; Philinda, who became Mrs. Chinchbox, and is the mother of twelve children; Truman, who married Mary Gardner, and has two children; Stephen J., who married Jane Grif- fin, and has five children; John, who married Mary Hitchcock, and has four children; Elizabeth; Sarah, who became Mrs. Tuttle, and has two children; Alonzo, who married Ann Brown; Maria, who is now Mrs. Hub- bard, and has four children; William, the subject of this sketch; and Lydia, who be- came Mrs. Tongue, and has two children. Mrs. Stephen Morey, like her husband, lived to reach the age of eighty-seven years.
William Morey acquired the rudiments of learning in the common schools, and was reared to agricultural pursuits. He has re- sided in Kent for the past twenty-three years, during which time he has gained a reputation as a useful citizen and industrious man. He is a skilled farmer, and makes a specialty of dairying, in which branch of his calling he is very successful.
In 1862 .Mr. Morey was united in marriage to Ann Leek, daughter of Nelson Leek; and he has five children, namely: Allie; Ida; Charles, who married Ella Thomas; Nelson; and William, Jr. Mrs. Morey died at the age of forty-seven. Mr. Morey is a Democrat in politics, and in his religious views a Congre- gationalist.
ENRY B. BOSTWICK, a progres- sive farmer of Merryall District, New Milford, was born in the house in which he now lives, March 17, 1853. He is a son of Isaac and Lavinia A. (Sher- man) Bostwick, and grandson of Joseph E. and Charity (Edwards) Bostwick, all natives of this county. His first ancestor in this coun- try was Arthur Bostwick; and from him the line is traced through John, Joseph, and Joseph E., Sr., the latter having been the great-grandfather of Henry B. Bostwick. Joseph E., Sr., who was born in Milford in 1728, settled in the Upper Merryall District, which was then sparsely inhabited, upon about four hundred acres of land purchased by him. Here he established a forge, and was soon in possession of a thriving business in forging iron into such useful shapes as were needed by his neighbors. He also erected a saw-mill, and it was he who built the house where his great-grandson was born. This last was com- pleted in 1779, and was one of the finest houses in the county at that time, boasting four large fireplaces. He built spacious barns, as he dealt somewhat in cattle. After a busy life he died at the age of eighty-four. He was twice married, his first wife leaving six children: David, Elnathan, Joseph, Zachariah, Ebenezer, and Charles. His second wife, whose maiden name was Anna Hurd, bore him four children: Joanna, Betsey, Andrew, and Joseph E. Joseph E.,. the grandfather of Henry B. Bostwick, was born on the home- stead in 1774, and in course of time became owner of the estate. He also kept a hotel, which stood where L. Wilson's house now is; and he dealt in iron ore and marble, there being a marble quarry on the Bostwick estate. A public-spirited citizen, he was an enthusi- astic supporter of Whig principles, and took a lively interest in the politics of the day. He
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