USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Litchfield County, Connecticut > Part 50
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ILLIAM H. PALMER, superintend- ent of the Bantam branch of the Echo Farm's dairy in Litchfield, was born in Litchfield, Conn., October 16, 1836, son of Christopher C. and Rebecca (Stone) Palmer. His grandfather was John Palmer, who followed his trade of iron smelter in Canaan, Conn., and subsequently in Litch- field. He was the father of nine children, and died in Goshen. Conn.
Christopher C. Palmer learned his father's trade, and was employed in the iron industries of Litchfield for many years. He was a well- known and much respected citizen, and served at different times as grand juror. He was a Deacon of the Baptist church and an active supporter of the church and Sabbath school. Hle died in Litchfield, aged eighty-six years. His wife, Rebecca Stone, was a native of Litchfield and a daughter of Apollos Stone, a prosperous farmer, who died in early man- hood. Her grandfather was an early settler in the town, where he purchased land, upon which he resided for the remainder of his days. Mrs. Christopher C. Palmer reared two children, namely : Mary, who married Homer Pratt, and died at the age of twenty-two; and William 11., the subject of this sketch. The mother died in Bantam, aged sixty-three years.
William 11. Palmer received his education in the public schools. At the age of twenty ode he found employment funning a station-
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ary engine, and subsequently worked at the Litchfield Carriage Manufactory. In 1857 he visited the State of Iowa, where he remained for a short time. Returning then to Litch- field, he engaged in the stock-trading busi- ness. When the branch of the Echo Farm Dairy was established in Bantam, Mr. Palmer secured employment with that concern, with whom he has since remained, in 1889 being appointed superintendent of the branch. In politics Mr. Palmer has always supported the Democratic party. He has served the town as Constable, performing the duties of that office with fidelity. He has advanced in Masonry as far as the Blue Lodge, and is a member of St. Paul's Lodge of Litchfield. In 1858 Mr. Palmer was united in marriage to Louisa J. Stone. Mrs. Palmer was a resident of Iowa, and is a daughter of Ephraim K. Stone, a settler in that State, who is said to be the first man from Litchfield to reach Cali- fornia by the overland route in 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Palmer are both members of the Episcopal church.
HAUNCEY A. BEERS, an extensive farmer and cattle dealer of Roxbury, Litchfield County, Conn., was born in Newtown, Fairfield County, on January 20, 1816. His parents were Philo and Narcissa (Botsford) Beers. Abraham Beers, father of Philo, was a leading farmer of Newtown, who with his wife Nancy lived to a good old age. They had three children: Anthony, Philo, and Mary.
Philo Beers remained at home, and assisted his father in farming until after his marriage. He then came to Bridgewater, where he bought the Allen place; but later he sold that, and bought the Captain Sherman farm. He was a quiet, unobtrusive man, but by ex-
cellent management won success, being one of the prominent farmers of his day. He died on May 27, 1856, at the age of sixty-six, sur- vived many years by his wife, who died on June 3, 1878, at the advanced age of eighty- five. Their children were: David, who died in 1841, at the age of twenty-two; Mary, who lived to be forty years old; and Chauncey A., now living in Roxbury.
Chauncey A. Beers in early manhood pur- chased a tract of seventy acres of land in Rox- bury, and has since added thereto, till he now has over three hundred acres. In 1842 he built the house and barns, and later, his busi- ness having increased, built larger barns. But this was after his farm, which had been very much run down, had been rendered pro- ductive - a change brought about through his dealing in cattle, buying and fattening prin- cipally steers, which he shipped to the New York market. For several years he has raised ten acres of tobacco, being one of the largest growers in this part of the State, and also packing the tobacco himself. He usually keeps from sixty to eighty fine steers, buying from time to time, and selling the same as soon as ready for market. Among other im- provements Mr. Beers has built miles of stone wall, besides other fences. He is a de- servedly successful farmer, for all his business transactions have been marked by the strictest integrity.
In politics Mr. Beers has always been a stanch Democrat; and, although his business has not allowed him to accept the many town offices which he has been urged to fill, he rep- resented the town in the legislature in 1870. His wife, whom he married on April 4, 1841, was Laura Dunning, who was born in New Milford, November 7, 1818. Her parents were Northrop and Sally (Smith) Dunning. The father was a native of Brookfield, where
CHAUNCEY A. BEERS.
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he was a progressive farmer. He was a Whig in politics, and was also a respected member of the Congregational church. He lived to the age of ninety-four, surviving his wife, who died at seventy-four. Their children were: Sarah, Lorenzo, Laura, and Liverus.
Mr. and Mrs Beers have had fourteen chil- dren, all of whom reached maturity, and were well educated; and all but three are now liv- ing. The following is a brief record: Sophia married A. L. Patterson, a farmer; David married Alice Welton, and after her death married for second wife Frances Seifert, by whom he has three children - David and Mar- jorie, twins, and Alice; Philo died at the age of twenty-eight ; Henry, a farmer, married Adelia Clark, and they have three children Nellie A., Herbert, and Clayton; George, who is in the ice business in Danbury, Conn., married Gertrude Nettleton, and they have one child, Norman : Emily married M. Hatch, and died, leaving two children - Edna and Bertha; Edgar died at the age of twenty-five; Chauncey, a grocer in Danbury, married Hattie E. Godfrey, and they have one chikl, Edith; Smith, an ice dealer in Danbury, mar- ried Mary E. Foster, and has one child, Elsie; Eli is a Congregationalist minister in Boston ; Ellen married Bennett Peck, a farmer of Roxbury, and has one child, Howard; Robert, a mechanic of Cold Springs, married Inella Blanding: Laura married George Stur- devant, of Danbury, and they have two chil- dren - Isabella and Gertrude; Elmer assists his father at home. The father and mother, though advanced in age, are in the enjoyment of good health, which is probably the result of their cheerful dispositions and upright lives. Mr. and Mrs. Beers have the respect of the entire community.
A portrait of Mr. Chauncey A. Beers will be seen on a neighboring page.
OHN HINSDALE, a well-known and highly respected citizen of Winsted, Conn., son of Hosea and Elizabeth (Shepard) Hinsdale, was born here on May 10, 1817. His earliest paternal ancestor in this country of whom there is any record was Robert Hinsdale, who was one of the founders of the church at Dedham, Mass., in 1638. Mr. Hinsdale's great-grandfather, John Hins- dale, was married in Kensington, Conn., on November 8, 1733, and died December 2. 1792, at eighty-six years of age. His son, John Hinsdale, Jr., married Miss Philomela Hurlburt, by whom he had five children, of whom Hosea was the eldest. John Hinsdale, Jr., died at Berlin, Conn., in 1795, in middle life, his wife having passed away five years previous, in 1790, at thirty-six years of age.
llosea Hinsdale was born in Berlin, Conn .. February 15, 1775. He learned the trade of tanner and currier in New Hartford, Conn. : and, when a young man, he removed to Win- sted. Ile first settled on the east side of the river; but about 1824 he purchased a farm of seventy-five to one hundred acres on the west side, where his son's residence now stands. Here, in addition to farming, he established a tannery, and did quite an extensive business for that time. As a citizen, he took an active interest in all public affairs. He is described as a man of fine physical proportions, who stood six feet two inches in height. and weighed two hundred and twenty -five pounds. (See Boyd Annals.) His wife, Elizabeth Shepard Hinsdale, who was born in Hartland, Conn., September 2, 1777, was a daughter of Eldad and Rebecca (Seymour) Shepard. her father being a hotel-keeper in New Hartford. Mrs. Hinsdale bore her husband seven chil- dren, two sons and five daughters, of whom both sons and two daughters grew to matmity. the younger son being the subject of the pres.
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ent sketch. Three of the daughters died of scarlet fever, two at about six years of age and one when but a year old. Henry Hinsdale was drowned October 14, 1846, at thirty-nine years of age, leaving a widow and one child, both of whom have since died. Julia Hins- dale, who was born November 14, 1805, died unmarried in 1872. Caroline, who married Beebe B. Rockwell, died October 8, 1890, at seventy-nine years of age, having been the mother of one son and six daughters, of whom the son and one daughter are deceased. The wife of Hosea Hinsdale died January 25, 1861, aged eighty-four years; and he died on October 21, 1866, at about ninety-two years of age.
John Hinsdale was born within fifty rods of his present dwelling, and as a boy assisted his father in the lighter labors of the farm. He attended the district school until about thir- teen years of age, when he went to New Britain, where he spent the succeeding two years under the tuition of Elijah Burritt, a strong anti-slavery man, who had come to that place from Georgia. On leaving school, he engaged as clerk in a leather store in Hart- ford, and remained there from 1832 to 1837, when, on account of the great financial panic, which caused serious depression in business of all kinds, he returned home.
On August 31, 1841, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Amanda Malvina Alvord, who was born August 20, 1821, daughter of Deacon James Alvord. They have enjoyed fifty-four years of wedded life; and their union has been blessed by the birth of two children, namely: a daughter, Mary E .; and a son, John A. Mary E. Hinsdale is the wife of Robert R. Noble, of Winsted. She and her husband buried twin boys at nine months of age, and have lost two other chil- dren. John Alvord Hinsdale represents a
Boston house at their factory in Cambridge- port. He married Miss Anna Mary Kings- bury, of Albany, and has one daughter, Mar- garet Stuart, who is nine years of age. They live in North Cambridge, Mass.
In political matters Mr. Hinsdale may be said to have been reared a Whig, and hence he has naturally been a firm supporter of the Republican party since its formation. He rendered most efficient service as Selectman in 1860 and 1861, a time when the office was far from being a sinecure. He has also served acceptably as Water Commissioner and in other offices of public trust. Since 1843, or over fifty-one years, he has been a member of the Congregational church; and he was ac- tive in the founding of the Second Congre- gational Church of Winsted.
EROY UPSON, manager of the Stand- ard Electric Time Company of Water- bury, Conn., was born in Wolcott, this State, January 14, 1840, son of Lucian and Lois A. (Johnson) Upson. He is the great-grandson of Captain Samuel Upson and the grandson of Harvey Upson, a farmer of Wolcott, whose life from the time of his birth till his death, at eighty-five years of age, was spent in that town. Lucian Upson, son of Harvey, was reared on the homestead, and chose farming as a life vocation, spending the years of his manhood on the homestead where he was born. He was a prominent citizen of the town, which he twice represented in the legislature. He died in his eighty-first year, survived by his wife, a native of Wolcott, who is now seventy-eight years old. Of their three children two are living, Sophronia E. and LeRoy. The daughter married a farmer, who now has charge of the Upson homestead. Mrs. Lois A. Upson is a member of the Con-
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gregational church, to which her husband also belonged.
LeRoy Upson spent his early years on the home farm, acquiring his elementary educa- tion in the common schools and pursuing higher studies at Lewis Academy at Southing- ton, Conn., and the Hudson River Institute at Claverack, N. Y., spending one term at each. At the age of eighteen he began to teach school, and continued teaching four seasons, two in Wolcott and two in Southington. En- listing in the First Connecticut Light Battery, he served one year in the Civil War. When twenty-three years of age, he left home to take a position as salesman in the book and art store of Abbott Brothers at Waterbury. He was subsequently sixteen years in the employ of the well-known Rogers Brothers, manu- facturers of plated ware, as book-keeper and assistant superintendent, five years with the Waterbury Manufacturing Company, and five years with the Waterbury Watch Company as Assistant Treasurer. He is at present Secre- tary and manager of the Standard Electric Time Company, which furnishes a simple and perfect electric system of uniform time for schools and other institutions where a stand- and time is necessary. The courteous mana- ger of the company which produces this re- markable invention is a capable business man, who possesses rare tact in addition to his exec- utive talent, and makes a favorable impression on all with whom he has dealings.
In 1862 Mr. Upson was married to Ardelia M., daughter of Mark Tuttle, a farmer of Wolcott and a representative of one of the oldest families of the town. Mrs. Ardelia M. Upson died at the age of thirty-two, leav- ing three children, two of whom are yet living : Addie M. and Herbert M. The latter, who was educated in Waterbury, is a Clerk in the employ of the Waterbury Manu-
facturing Company. Mr. Upson subsequently married Mrs. Esther P. Cook, a native of Seymour, Conn., daughter of Hiram Upson, a prominent manufacturer, and by this union has one daughter, Helen Lois.
Mr. Upson is a Republican in politics, and served four years in the Waterbury Common Council. Socially, he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of Wadhams Post, No. 49, Grand Army of the Republic. A gentleman of refinement and scholarship, he was acting School Examining and Visiting Committee in Wolcott when a resident of that town, and still takes an ac- tive interest in educational progress. In re- ligious belief he is a Congregationalist, attending with family the church in Water- town, where they have had a pleasant home since 1891. Mr. Upson is highly esteemed in Watertown, and also in Waterbury, where for so many years he has been an active factor of the business life.
R EV. FRANK A. JOHNSON, pastor of the First Congregational Church of New Milford, was born in Boston, Mass., on April 26, 18.45. He is a son of Professor Artemus N. and Hannah S. ( Ten- ney) Johnson, and a descendant of cally set. tlers of Salisbury and Canaan, Litchfield County.
Artemus N. Johnson, who was a son of James and Anna ( Ward) Johnson, was a na- tive of Middlebury, Vt. After obtaining his carly school education, he took up the study of music, first at Boston and Later in Germany, and became a noted instructor in music and the author of a number of instruction and church music books, which were extensively used, his publications comprising thirty six books of vocal and instrumental music. The
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greater part of his life was spent in Boston, and for sixteen years he acted as organist of the Park Street Church in that city. He died in 1892, at the age of seventy-four years, and his wife in 1884, in the sixty-third year of her age. They were the parents of but two children, a son and daughter, the Rev. Frank A. Johnson and Emma L. Johnson.
Frank A. Johnson acquired his early educa- tion in the public schools of Boston and Chelsea, Mass., after which he attended Rome Academy in Rome, N.Y., graduating in the class of 1864. He is also a graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., in the class of 1868, and of the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, in the class of 1871. He was immediately ordained pastor of the Congregational church at Lodi, Bergen County, N.J., where he remained a little over four years, during which time a new brick house of worship was erected at a cost of ten thousand dollars. From there he went to Chester, N.J., and for three months over four- teen years he served very acceptably as pastor of the Congregational church; and on April II, 1882, he founded the first society of Chris- tian Endeavor ever organized in that State, and one of the first in the world. The Chester parish, while he was in charge, erected a new chapel, and made quite exten- sive alterations in the church. For eleven years Mr. Johnson was Secretary of the New Jersey Congregational Association.
In 1889 the Rev. Frank A. Johnson re- ceived and accepted a call from the First Con- gregational Church of New Milford, where he has been installed as pastor since November 17 of that year. The first church building of this society was erected on Town Hill in 1720. The second edifice was built in 1754, and stood upon what is now the village green. The present church building was completed in
1833. Since Mr. Johnson became its pastor, the church has been remodelled and enlarged, and a chapel and rooms for social purposes have been built and furnished, all at a cost of about eighteen thousand dollars. The church has at the present time about three hundred and eighty members. Mr. Johnson is a zealous and faithful worker in his parish, and is actively interested in various religious or- ganizations. For four years he has served as one of the State Committee of the Connecticut Sunday School Association, and is now Presi- dent of the Alumni Association of Union Theological Seminary.
On September 18, 1872, he was joined in marriage with Miss Mary P. Smith, of Wells- ville, N.Y. Mrs. Johnson is a daughter of George W. and Priscilla (Hoyt) Smith, and is well qualified to help her husband in the many ways that it is possible for a pastor's wife to render efficient assistance.
J OHN HATCH, a prominent farmer and an extensive real estate owner of the locality known as New Preston, in the town of New Milford, was born in Sharon, Conn., April 29, 1817, son of Philander and Rubie Ruth Allen (Studley) Hatch. Mr. Hatch's grandparents were John and Anna (Wadhams) Hatch, the former of whom was born in Sharon in December, 1760. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and later became a very prosperous farmer in Sharon, where he followed agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his life. He was energetic and progressive, and diligently applied him- self to the task of improving and increasing the value of his property. He was above all a man of thrift, who by careful management was able to add to his land property, which at his death amounted to two hundred and fifty
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acres. He died June 16, 1849. His first wife, Anna (Wadhams) Hatch, who was born March 20, 1763, was a daughter of the Rev. Noah Wadhams. Noah Wadhams was a Con- gregational minister, who became the first pastor of the Stone Church. He owned the farm where Mr. Hlatch now resides. When in his possession, it comprised seventy acres, half of which he gave to his daughter. The other half he subsequently sold to her hus- band. Hle afterward moved to Susquehanna, l'a., where he continued to fulfil his pastoral duties for a number of years. By this union John Hatch was the father of five children, as follows: Samuel W., who was born May 15, 1786; Betsey and Calvin, twins, born No- vember 2, 1788; Philander, born January 28, 1793; and John A., born May 16, 1797. His first wife died December 5, 1799; and he married for his second wife a Miss Wadhams. Some time after her death he married for his third Polly Straight.
Philander Ilatch, Mr. Hatch's father, was reared to agriculture. When a young man, he bought a large farm in Sharon, located in what was known as the Ellsworth Society. He also owned and operated a saw-mill, in con- nection with which he transacted an extensive business until 1836, when he traded the prop- erty for his parents' homestead. He cleared and improved more land, constructed stone walls, which are still standing, and erected a fine stone dwelling from material found upon the farm. He was a sturdy and ambitious farmer, and many of his well-conceived im- provements are plainly visible to-day. Ile was originally a Whig in politics, but joined the Republican party at its formation. He died at the homestead September 13, 1868. His first wife, who was the daughter of Joshua Studley, became the mother of five children, as follows: Abbie S., bon September 20,
1815; John, the subject of this sketch; Lydia A., born April 23, 1819; Betsey C., born November 28, 1820; and Clarissa, born Feb- ruary 28, 1826. Clarissa is the widow of the late Benjamin F. Hamlin, of Sharon, where she still resides. Abbie married John W. Janes, of Salisbury, in September, 1837, and died August 14, 1840, having had no chil- dren. Lydia married Lemuel Hollister in October, 1834, and died May 10, 1837, leaving a son, Philander Hatch, whom his grandfather educated and made a Congregationalist minis- ter, and who died in Michigan, December 6, 1876. Betsey died April 13, 1841. Philander Hatch's second wife was before marriage Polly S. Parsons, who died September 13. 1868, having had no children. llis third wife, whose maiden name was Clarinda Lyman, whom he married October 18, 1871, died in 1886 or 1887. The mother died January 15. 1828. Mr. Hatch's parents were members of the Congregational church.
John Hlatch received his education in the schools of Sharon. He adopted farming as an occupation, and has followed it successfully throughout his lifetime. He succeeded to the possession of the homestead by purchasing the interests of the other heirs, and has con- tinned in the same line of progress pursued by his father. In 1851 he demolished the residence created by the latter, and con- structed a new one of stone. He also built new barns, remodelled the old ones, and set out a large number of fruit trees, thereby greatly improving the appearance of the prop erty. He bought the Hill farm of one hun dred and fifty acres and a tarm on Fieston Hill of forty acres, both of which, together with the homestead property, make upward of four hundred acres of Valuable land. Since then he has built a new house and barn on the Preston Hill estate. Previous to the war he
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was an extensive buyer of stock and produce, for which he found a profitable market in Poughkeepsie, N.Y .; while he has always been interested in the cattle trade. He now keeps twenty finely bred Jerseys, and has raised some fine horses. He is a Republican in politics.
On November 12, 1839, Mr. Hatch was united in marriage to Diana L. Canfield, daughter of Heth and Jerusha (Odell) Can- field, well-known and highly esteemed resi- dents of New Milford. Mr. and Mrs. Hatch have had ten children, as follows: Calvin B., born November 30, 1840, who in 1862 en- listed for service in the Civil War in Coin- pany A, Nineteenth Regiment, and was killed at the battle of Cold Harbor; John A., born December 7, 1842, who now resides at home; Bruce C., born January 4, 1845, residing in Shelton, Conn., who married Kate Dayton, and has one child, namcd Calvin D .; Rubie J., born February 20, 1847, who married Wat- son G. Porter, resides in Geneva, N.Y., and has five children, namely - Wilson W., Lewis, Calvin, Ella, and Watson G .; Virgil B., of New Milford, born April 14, 1849, who married Sarah Woodin, and has three children, namely - Clifford G., Mildred D., and Laura; D. Luella, born February 14, 1851, who married Horatio G. Sperry, and lives in Colorado ; Abbie E., born March 24, 1853, who married Joel B. Woodhull, and died November 9, 1880, leaving two children, Raymond and Florence; S. Adelia, born No- vember 24, 1855, who married Joseph . Whit- telsey, and has two children, John H. and Harold; Laura, born October 28, 1858, who died at the age of nineteen years; and Phi- lander, born July 25, 1861, who married Eloise Norton, lives in California, and has one son named John E. Both parents are members of the Congregational church.
EORGE W. CATLIN, a well-known and highly esteemed resident of Harwinton, Conn., and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in this town, Febru- ary 8, 1827, at the home of his parents, Dan and Belinda (Bartholomew) Catlin. His grandfather, Hezekiah Catlin, was a native and a lifelong resident of Harwinton, where he was for many years engaged in farming. He died at an advanced age.
Dan Catlin, son of Hezekiah, was born in Harwinton, April 7, 1793. He inherited a part of his father's farm, and there made his home until his death, which occurred in 1886, at the age of ninety-three years. His wife, Belinda Bartholomew, who died at Harwinton, aged sixty-six, was a daughter of Heman Bar- tholomew, a native of Harwinton, who moved to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he died at the age of ninety years. Mrs. Dan Catlin be- came the mother of seven children, including Sarah, now of Plymouth; Harriet and George W., both of Harwinton; and Henry H., a resident of Torrington.
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