USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Litchfield County, Connecticut > Part 53
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Mr. Allen was admitted to the communion of the Episcopal church by confirmation in 1858, and for thirty-five years was an carnest supporter, a regular communicant, officiating as Parish Clerk, Vestryman, or Warden, and a constant attendant upon its services. Owing, however, to the recent introduction of ad- vanced ritualistic ceremonial, Mr. Allen has felt compelled to absent himself, and for the past two years has attended the Congrega- tional church. In politics a Democrat, he served as Postmaster in Woodbury under the Pierce and Buchanan administrations and dur- ing the first of President Cleveland. He was Selectman during the Civil War, during which time he found the duties of that posi- tion extremely annoying, and has since de- clined to accept nominations for town office.
Mr. Allen was carly taught, both by precept and example, that the moderate use of intoxi- cants was not harmful, but that the intemper- ate use only was evil, and that the person who thus indulged was muworthy of respect. Though never a pledged total abstainer, he has always been practically a temperance man, and while in the drug business found the nee- essary handling of spirits an incubus too heavy and tedious to carry, this being one of the chiet reasons for his retirement from the drug trade. He has long since been convinced that
the use of intoxicants is unnecessary and harmful, and the cause of so much degrada- tion, suffering, and crime that the world would be much better off without it than with it. Hence he favors its extermination, and advocates the suppression of the manufacture and importation of spirits as the true remedy for the blighting curse of drunkenness.
Mr. Allen's first wife, whom he married on April 21, 1851, was Julia A. Finch, a daugh- ter of Ebenezer Finch. She died February 3, 1883; and on February 28, 1885, Mr. Allen wedded for his second wife Mrs. Wealthy A. (Root) Hollister, daughter of Thomas Root and widow of Deacon Seth Hollister.
In 1876 Mr. Allen went to Florida in com- pany with his first wife, for the purpose of benefiting her health. While there, he bought a tract of land, located in New Berlin, upon which he built, in a beautiful situation on the banks of the St. John's River, a com- modious house, in which he has since spent his winters. He has been an able and pro- gressive business man, is well versed in the important issues of the day, and is now pass- ing his declining years as a well-to-do gentle- man of leisure.
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J EREMIAI LILLIBRIDGE. A IC- spected citizen and a successful ca riage repairer and black smith of Tor- rington, was born in Willington, Tolland County, Conn .. May o. 1830, son of Burnham and Polly ( Mowry ) Lillibridge, the former ot whom was also a native of Willington. His great-grandfather, David Lathebridge, settled early in life in Willington, Conn., where he successfully engaged in agriculture, Hvid was also a Baptist minister, took an active and prominent part in all church matters, and established the fust Baptist church of that
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town. After his death the church was moved to Willington Centre. His son, Amos Lilli- bridge, the grandfather of Jeremiah Lilli- bridge, was born in Willington. He spent his life in agricultural pursuits on a farm near the old homestead, and died sixty-nine years of age, leaving five children, three sons and two daughters.
Burnham Lillibridge, son of Amos, lived with his grandfather until the latter's death. He succeeded to his grandfather's farm, which he conducted with success. He died in the town of Willington, eighty-two years of age, for seventy-three years of which he lived in one house. His wife was born in Smithfield, R.I., daughter of Jeremiah and Content Mowry. She reared her husband eleven chil- dren, of whom six are still living, namely : David; Jeremiah; Morton Mowry; Betsey, married to Samuel Hammond; Freeman C .; and Sherman. She died at the old homestead seventy-three years of age. Both parents were consistent members of the Baptist church.
Jeremiah Lillibridge spent his early years with his parents, receiving a good practical education in the common schools. On leav- ing home, he first engaged in the saw-mill business, which he carried on with success in the towns of Stafford and Simsbury, Conn. In the mean time he learned the moulder's trade, at which he was afterward employed for seven years. Then, resuming his former occupa- tion, he conducted a saw-mill up to 1872, when he came to Torrington, having obtained a position in the Union Hardware Company. He was employed here for eleven years, when in 1881 he commenced the business, in which he has since continued, on the estate in Midgeon Avenue previously purchased by him. He does general job work and all sorts of carriage repairing.
Mr. Lillibridge was married June 10, 1855, to Miss Mary A. Arnold, a native of Berlin, Conn., daughter of a sea-faring man. Two sons and two daughters were born to her par- ents, who afterward removed to Rocky Hill, Conn., where their last days were spent. Mr. and Mrs. Lillibridge have but one child, Daniel C. He was born at the old homestead, and received his early education in the schools of Torrington, which was supplemented by a course at Claverack Institute. On his return from the latter he learned the trade of a black- smith, and has since been connected with his father in business. In December, 1884, he was married to Miss J. E. Beebe, who was born in West Stafford, Conn., daughter of Warren Beebe. They have one son, Burnham B. Lillibridge. In politics Daniel C. Lilli- bridge is a Republican; and he is a member of the Royal Arcanum Lodge, in which he oc- cupies the Orator's chair.
Jeremiah Lillibridge was formerly a Whig, but has supported the Republican party since its formation. He is a member of the Order of American Mechanics, all the offices of which he has successively filled, and is now serving as Treasurer. Mr. Lillibridge enter- tains liberal views on religious matters, and his wife is a communicant of the Congrega- tional church. He has a large circle of friends, who hold him in the highest esteem.
'AMES HUNTINGTON, of Woodbury, was born in Coventry, (South Coventry Parish), Tolland County, Conn., June 4, 1833, son of Edward G. and Eliza (Clark) Huntington. His paternal grandfather, Joseph Huntington, who was a son of the Rev. Joseph Huntington, D.D., was born in Coventry, September 13, 1767, was graduated at Dartmouth College, and admitted to the
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bar of Tolland County. Soon after he emi- grated to Washington County, Georgia, where he practised his profession until April, 1794, when he removed to Charleston, S.C., where he died August 19 of the same year. In 1788 he married Mirza Dow, of Coventry, a sister of Lorenzo Dow, a Methodist minister of con- siderable note as a traveller and writer in his day. She died at South Coventry, January 30, 1856, at the age of eighty-four.
Edward G. Huntington was born in Wash- ington County, Georgia, October 22, 1792, and died at Coventry September 15, 1857. Ilis wife, who was born in Coventry, and died at Woodbury March 11, 1866, was a daughter of John Clark, a native of Lebanon, Conn. Hle was a soldier in the Revolution, who at the close of the war purchased a farm "at the head of the pond" in Coventry, where he re- sided the remainder of his life. He died Jan- uary 5, 1847, aged ninety-five years. His wife, whose maiden name was Lucy Ham- mond, was born in Hampton, Conn., and re- sided there until after her marriage. She died October 24, 1848, aged eighty-eight years. Mr. James Huntington's father and mother, and nearly all his ancestors, the Huntingtons, Clarks, and Dows, are buried in the Nathan Hale Cemetery, South Coventry.
James Huntington from 1850 to the time of his admission to the bar taught for several terms district and select schools in his native town. He attended the Wilbraham Academy in 1852, the New York Conference Seminary at Charlotteville, N. Y., during 1855 and 1856, and graduated from the State and Na- tional Law School at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in 1857. Then, to prepare himself for practice in his native State, he entered the law office of Waldo & Hlyde at Tolland in 1858, and was admitted to the bar of Tollund County in April, 1859. Immediately thereafter he
opened an office in Woodbury, and has con- tinucd in the active practice of his profession to the present time. From October, 1879. to October, 1883, he had associated with him in practice George F. Shelton, Esq., who is now an attorney at Helena, Mont. Ilis present partnership with Arthur D. Warner began in November, 1883. He was elected Judge of the Woodbury District Probate Court in April, 1861, and held the office continuously thereafter until January. 1895. He has been State Attorney for Litchfield County since June, 1874, is chairman of the Litchfield County bar and President of the Bar Library Association of the county. He represented Woodbury in the legislature in 1874 and 1875, and was Senator from the old Sixteenth Dis- trict in 1887 and 1888.
Mr. Huntington has been twice married. His first union was with Rebecca Huntley Hurd, of Honesdale, Pa., January 6, 1863. She was the daughter of Edward and Annis- tine (Huntley) Hurd. Mrs. Huntington died February 28, 1865, aged twenty-nine years, leaving one daughter, Rebecca Annistine, born February 18, 1865. By his second mar- ringe, June 11, 1868, Mr. Huntington wedded Helen Elizabeth Parker. of Woodbury, the daughter of Norman and Eunice ( Thompson ) Parker. They have one daughter, Fuice Eliza, born July 10, 1873. A second daugh- ter, Lucy Hammond, born June 21, 1875. is no longer living.
TANLEY L. WARNER, Lionel farmer of L.mesville, in the town of New Miltord, Conn., was bom in New Milford, February 23. 1831. He mar- ried Eunice P. Wanzer, a daughter of Dan- iel and Hannah (Briggs) Wanzer, of Sher. man, Conn., on November 7, 1853. His chil
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dren are: Henry D., born November 14, 1857; Harriet L., born November 30, 1861 ; and Edith Warner, born September 23, 1870. Henry D. Warner, now of Pawling, N. Y., married Harriet A. Sabin, daughter of Charles H. and Laura A. (Thorp) Sabin. His chil- dren are: Mildred S., Charles H., Amy B., and Madeline W. Harriet L. married John F. Addis, of New Milford. They reside in New Milford Village, and have one child, John S. Addis. Edith Warner, a graduate of Ingle- side Academy, New Milford, is now a teacher there.
Mr. Stanley L. Warner is a representative of the eighth generation in direct descent from John Warner, of Hatfield, England, father of Andrew Warner, the immigrant pro- genitor of the Warner family in Connecticut. The lineage is thus traced back to the carliest American ancestor: Henry S. Warner, father of Stanley L., was born in New Milford in November, 1796. He married Eliza A. Hill, daughter of Ebenezer and Philothete (Lacey) Hill. His children are: Stanley L., Henry O., and Mary E.
Orange Warner, second, father of Henry S. and grandfather of Stanley L. Warner, was born in New Milford in 1770, and married Lucy, daughter of Samuel Sanford. His chil- dren were: Samuel H., Henry S., Sally, Polly, Hiram, and Minerva. Orange Warner, second, died in April, 1863, aged ninety-three years.
Orange Warner, first, great-grandfather of S. L. Warner, was born in New Milford, Jan- uary. 18, 1745. He married Abigail Prindle, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Mead) Prindle, of Sharon, Conn. Their children were: Curtis; David; Orange, second; Cyrus ; .Chloe; and Abigail. Curtis Warner married Eunice Hull. David married Annis Noble. Orange, second, married Lucy Sanford, as
mentioned above. Cyrus married first Polly Willer, second Hannah Peck. Chloe was un- married. Abigail married Isaac Briggs.
John Warner, father of Orange Warner, first (great-great-grandfather), was born in Hadley, Mass., March 10, 1700. He came to New Milford with his brother Joseph about 1724. He was called Captain John, and was the first settler at the South Farms, New Mil- ford, so called. After establishing himself on a farm of one hundred acres or more, he mar- ried Mercy, daughter of Thomas Curtis, of Farmington, Conn. He was a large land- holder, and became very prominent in town, ecclesiastical, and military affairs, was made Captain of the Second Company of the Train Band in New Milford in 1751 and Lieutenant of the Fifth Company in the Sixth Regiment of the colony in May, 1754, and Captain of same in 1756. He died in 1762, aged sixty- two years. He left nine living children, seven sons and two daughters. For each of his sons he built a house, and gave to each a farm. Some of the houses are still standing. Captain Warner's eldest son, Oliver, born October 12, 1729, died February 21, 1814, aged eighty-five years. His wife was Lois, daughter of Captain Joseph Ruggles. Lem- uel, the second son, was born September 6, 1731, died 1814, aged eighty-two years; Martin, the third son, was born January II, 1735; Eleazar, or Elizur, fourth son, born December. 17, 1737; John, fifth son, born October 27, 1739; Asa was the sixth son; Solomon, the seventh son, born October 13, 1741, died at Montreal, in the English army, September 20, 1760; Orange, the eighth son, as above mentioned, born January 18, 1745, died in May, 1830, aged eighty-five years.
Jacob Warner, father of John, and Jacob's father, Andrew Warner, went with the colony from Hartford in 1659 to Hadley, Mass., and
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were among the first settlers of that town. Jacob Warner married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Goodman. Ilis children were Rebecca, Jacob, Mary, John, and Joseph.
Andrew, father of Jacob, came from Eng- land to Cambridge, Mass., about 1630, was made freeman in 1632, came through the wilderness to Ilartford with the Rev. Thomas Hooker in 1636, went with first settlers to Hadley in 1659. Ilis first wife is unknown. Ilis second wife was Esther, widow of Thomas Selden. His children were: first, Andrew; second, Robert, who both died in Middle- town, Conn .; Jacob; Isaac; and Daniel.
The line is thus carried back to Andrew Warner's father, John Warner, who lived in Ilatfield, England.
REDERICK D. McNEIL, a retired merchant of Litchfield, one of the fore- most business men of this town for up- ward of twoscore years, by industry, prudent economy, and wise investment of his means has acquired a competency enabling him to pass his twilight years in quiet leisure. He was born in Litchfield, July 28, 1823, being the descendant of a family of Scottish origin that lived for some time in the north of Ire- land, engaged in mercantile pursuits, and in religion stanchly upholding the Presbyterian faith.
Mr. McNeil's great-grandfather, Archibald Me Neil, was born and reared in the north of Ireland. When he was a young man, he and his two brothers with their father and mother started for America; but the vessel was ship- wrecked, and both parents found a watery grave. The three sons reached land, and for a while were engaged in business in Boston. In 1730 Archibald migrated to this county, becoming one of the carly settlers of Litch-
field. Buying a tract of land, he cleared off the wood, and, having placed it in a tillable condition, engaged in general farming until his decease. He was a man of much impor- tance in the management of local affairs, and was familiarly known as Captain McNeil. His wife, who died in 1785, aged seventy- three years, was spoken of in highly culogistic terms in an obituary notice that appeared in the Litchfield Monitor of March 29. 1785.
Isaac McNeil, son of Archibald, was born and bred on his father's farm in the castern part of this town, being one of a family of eight children. After becoming of age, he lived for a time in Stockbridge, Mass., but re- turned to the place of his nativity, and, hav- ing bought land in the north part of Litch- field, engaged in agricultural pursuits during the remainder of his earthly years. His death at seventy-two years of age was caused by a fall from a cart, his neck being broken. His wife, Lois Baldwin, was descended from a pioneer family of this place, where the larger portion of her life was passed, although she died in New York State, at the home of one of her sons, being then ninety years of age. She was the mother of eight children, of whom Samuel, the father of Frederick D., . was one of the younger.
Samuel MeNeil inherited in a marked de- gree those sterling virtues that characterized his hardy Scottish ancestors. A farmer by birth and breeding, he eventually succeeded to the ownership of the paternal acres, and, diligently devoting himself to general hus bandry, reaped the rewards of honest toil. He lived to the age of fourscore and two years. He married Lavinia Judson, a daughter of Lonis Judson, of Huntington, Conn., where her birth occurred. Mr. Judson was also a fumer, and served in the Revolution iry arms . being there subjected to exposures that caused
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his death while yet a young man. His widow subsequently became the wife of Lemuel Wooster. Mrs. Lavinia Judson McNeil long survived her husband, living to the venerable age of ninety-two years. Both parents were people of strong moral and religious prin- ciples and valued members of the Congrega- tional church. They reared five of the family of eight children born to them, two of whom are yet living, namely: Lavinia, the widow of Levi Coe; and Frederick D. One daughter, Louisa, who married Phineas W. Camp, died in 1895, aged eighty years.
Frederick D. McNeil grew to manhood on the home farm, acquiring the rudiments of his education in the district schools and a select school of this place, and afterward pursuing his studies for a while at a more advanced school in Wolcottville, now Torrington. He ·assisted his father in the manual labor of farming until attaining his majority, when he entered into mercantile business as a partner with a brother-in-law, first in Morris, where they continued two years, and then in Litch- field two years longer. Mr. McNeil in 1848 bought out the interest of his partner, and for a time carried on the business alone. Will- iam H. Braham was then admitted to the firm, continuing as a copartner for three years. From that time until 1865 Mr. McNeil again carried on the business by himself, then tak- ing in his wife's brother, Charles W. Hins- dale, as a member of the firm. In January, 1894, Mr. McNeil disposed of his business, and has since lived in pleasant leisure, well won by his earlier years of toil, and enjoying the respect and esteem of his associates and friends. On closing out his business, Mr. McNeil made a trip to Florida, where he has a winter home, staying there until the follow- ing May, and during the next season re- mained in the same warm elimate from Decem-
ber, 1894, until May, 1895. He has the dis- tinction of being the oldest merchant in this town and one of the oldest in the county, his business record being one of the finest and most honorable of any in the State.
Mr. McNeil's first wife, whom he wedded in 1855, was Sarah, one of the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Wolcott Hinsdale, of Harwin- ton, the former of whom was a sea captain. Five children were born of this union, three of whom are now living, as follows: Charles R., an architect, residing in New York City, a graduate of Columbia College; and two daughters, Mary H. and Ellen, who were edu- cated at Temple Grove, Saratoga, N.Y., and are both engaged as stenographers and type- writers. Mrs. Sarah H. McNeil died in the prime of life, at fifty-two years of age. A woman of much foree of character, of a kindly and sympathetie nature, she was beloved by all, and was a valued member of the Congre- gational church. Mr. McNeil subsequently married Virginia Wells, the daughter of Tom- linson and Electa Wells, of Litchfield. Mr. McNeil is one of the Board of Directors of the Litchfield Savings Bank. In politics he is a sound Republican. Religiously, he is an active and esteemed member of the Con- gregational church, having. been Deacon for many years and teacher of the Bible class.
ILLIAM COTHREN, author of the History of Ancient Woodbury, Conn., was born in Farmington, Me., November 28, 1819. He took up his res- idence in 1844, and now after fifty years of professional activity is still in full practice at the Litchfield County bar. He is a son of William and Hannah Cothren, and on the pa- ternal side a descendant of the Cochranes of Paisley, Scotland, being a great-grandson of
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William Cochrane, who came to America about 1756, settled at Falmouth, Mass., served one year in the Revolutionary War, and was drowned in 1778. His son David, Mr. Cothren's grandfather, moved from Fal- mouth to Farmington, Me. Not liking the Yankee pronunciation of his name, he changed the spelling to the present form as borne by his descendants, Cothren. Ancestors of Mr. Cothren on the maternal side, descendants of Thomas Palmer, of Rowley, Mass., were conspicuous as patriots and defenders of the colonies of New England during the early days. of their existence, the records showing them to have participated in King Philip's War in 1676, the French and In- dian War of 1745. Others of his kindred served in the Revolutionary struggle and the War of 1812.
William Cothren fitted for his collegiate course at the Farmington Academy, and was graduated from Bowdoin College in 1843. He received his second degree from that col- lege in 1846, and received his degree of M.A. (ad cundem) at Yale University in 1847. He settled in Woodbury the year after his graduation, and, applying himself to the study of law under the Hon. Robert Goodenough and the Hon. Charles B. Phelps, was admitted to the Litchfield County bar in October, 1845. Hle immediately entered into the practice of his profession in Woodbury, where he has since maintained a large and successful gen- eral law business; and he has long hell a prominent position among the foremost legal representatives of the county. He has been a close student, was admitted an attorney and counsellor in the United States Circuit Cont in 1856, and an attorney and counsellor of the Supreme Court of the United States on March 8, 1865, and is familiar hy practical experi- ence with all forms of legal procedure. Hle
has taken an active interest in public affairs ever since his settlement in Woodbury, his in- tellectual attainments making him especially eligible to positions of responsibility and trust ; and his political career has been a long and honorable one. lle was one of the or- ganizers of the Republican party in his local- ity, striving diligently to make known and advance its principles; and he was mainly instrumental in securing its early successes. He was elected a County Commissioner in 1851, was a State Senator from the old Six- teenth District in 1855, served in the lower house of the Connecticut legislature in 1882, and has been a Justice of the Peace and Notary Public during his entire professional life.
Since the age of twenty years Mr. Cothren has contributed largely, both in prose and verse, to the newspapers and magazines of the day, has published numerous pamphlets upon legal and historical matters; and, as a writer upon New England history, genealogy, and folk-lore, he has earned for himself a wide reputation. In 1847 he was elected a corre- sponding member of the New England Histor- ical and Genealogical Society of Boston, in 1852 a member of the Connecticut Historical Society, of which he was Vice-President for several years, in 1854 was made an honorny member of the Old Colony Historical Society at Plymouth, Mass. : and he is likewise come sponding member of the Wisconsin, Vermont. and Maine Historical Societies.
A short time after his arrival in Woodbury Mr. Cothren turned his attention to the col lection of local historical data. the result of which was the publication in 185g of a his tors of the town of Woodbury from 1050 to 1854. This is an elaborate work, issued in three volumes, being the first complete history of a New England town ever published, and is deirly cherished by every family in town.
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Mr. Cothren and his family occupy a pleasant home on Main Street.
On September 3, 1849, Mr. Cothren was united in marriage with Mary Steele, a de- scendant in the eighth generation from Gov- ernor Bradford, of "Mayflower" fame, and has had one child, who died young. Mr. William H. Cothren has been a prime mover in all matters relative to the welfare of the town, and is widely known as a generous, public- spirited man, who has rendered valuable ser- vices to the community. He united with the First Congregational Church in 1850, and he is a member and Past Master of King Solo- mon Lodge, A. F. & A. M.
AWRENCE CANFIELD, the most ex- tensive farmer in New Milford and a self-made man, was born November 6, 1825, upon the farm he now owns and oc- cupies. His parents were Heth and Jerusha (Odell) Canfield, his father having been a di- rect descendant of Thomas and Phebe (Crane) Canfield, who moved from Wethersfield to Milford, Conn., in 1646.
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