USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Biographical review; this volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of Litchfield County, Connecticut > Part 60
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In 1870 Mr. Weeks was united in marriage with Miss Eliza A. Glazier, who was born in Watertown, Conn., daughter of Merritt and Nancy (White) Glazier, the former of whom was engaged in the silver plating works of Watertown. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Glazier were: Eliza A. ; Mary A., who married George Atkins; Alice E., the
wife of Wallace Blakely; Charles ; and John. Both parents were communicants of the Epis- copal church. The father died in 1869, but the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Weeks's union has been blessed by the birth of two daughters -- Mary A. and Carrie E.
In political views Mr. Weeks is a Democrat, and he has served acceptably as grand juror for many years. He is a Mason, and a member of Seneca Lodge. Mrs. Weeks is a consistent and influential member of the Episcopal church, of which Mr. Weeks is an attendant.
DWIN D. BENEDICT, an influential and highly respected citizen of Corn- wall Bridge, Conn., was born in Bethel, Fairfield County, on January 14, 1839. He is a son of Edwin and Polly S. (Carter) Benedict, and grandson of John and Lydia (Peck) Benedict.
John Benedict in connection with agricult- ural labors engaged in the manufacture of lime. He died at his home in Fairfield County at sixty years of age, having reared seven chil- dren, namely : Eli; Herman; John ; Baldwin ; Elizur; Abel; and Edwin, who became the father of Edwin D., of Cornwall.
Edwin Benedict was born in Danbury, Conn., in 1803. When fifty-two years old, he came to the town of Cornwall, and settled on the farm which his son now occupies. His wife, Polly, who was a daughter of Deacon Abel Carter, of Cornwall, died at sixty-nine years of age, leaving two sons and three daugh- ters, as follows: Abel C., a successful physi cian; Edwin D. ; Minerva J., who married Swift B. Smith ; Mrs. Lydia E. Kellogg; and Sarah L.
Edwin D. Benedict, having acquired his education in the common and select schools of Cornwall, taught school for four seasons,
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and subsequently engaged in farming, taking charge of the old homestead. He is still the owner of this excellent farm of one hundred and forty acres, and is profitably engaged in mixed husbandry and dairying, living in the house erected by his maternal grandfather, Abel Carter, in 1810. In 1861 he was joined in marriage with Miss Sarah R. Clark, a daughter of William L. and Harriet J. (Cal- houn) Clark, of Cornwall.
The Clark ancestry in this country is traced to James Clark, Sr., a native of England, who was one of the early settlers of New Haven, Conn. His son, James Clark, Jr., removed from New Haven to Stratford, Conn., where he married in 1662 Deborah Peacock, a daugh- ter of John Peacock. Their children were James, Sarah, John, Deborah, Phœbe, Isaac, Ephraim, Nathan, and Mary. Ephraim Clark, born in 1681, at twenty-two years of age married Hester Belden, a daughter of Daniel Belden. During the Indian massacre at Deerfield in 1696 a maternal uncle of Miss Belden and two young sisters met their death, while she, her father, and a sister were carried captive to Canada. Ephraim Clark and his wife were the parents of nine children: Deb- orah ; Samuel ; Hester ; Abigail and Elizabeth, twins; Ephraim; Ruth and David, twins; and Nathan.
David Clark, whose birth occurred in 1716, always resided in Stratford, as his father had done before him. In 1741 he married Sarah Heacock, of Norwalk, Conn., who died two years later, leaving one son, Silas, born in 1742. In 1743 David Clark formed a second marriage with Abigail Peck, of Milford, Conn., by whom he had seven children : Esther; Sarah; David, Jr. ; Abigail; Heze- kiah; Martha; and Hester. Silas, David, Jr., and Hezekiah all removed to Cornwall. David Clark, Jr., born in 1748, married Miss
Elizabeth Nodine, of Stratford; and their union was blessed by the birth of the following children : Mary F., who married Eben Jeffers ; David; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Theron Colton; Mrs. Nancy Ives; Mrs. Doro- thy Jennings; Mrs. Tabitha Mallory; Mrs. Hannah Beardsley; William; Mrs. Catherine Dayton; Mrs. Anna Hopkins; and Charlotte. Both parents died in 1811.
William Clark, who was born in 1788, when twenty years of age was joined in mar- riage with Miss Rebecca Northrop. Eleven children were the fruit of their union, namely : Mrs. Catherine R. Rogers, born in 1809; William L., born in 1811; David, born in 1812, who married Alfreida Cooper; Harriet E., Mrs. Harvey Whedon, born in 1814; Frederick D., born in 1816, who married Mary Carr; Mrs. Nancy Rogers, born in 1818; Clarissa A., Mrs. Frederick Munson, born in 1821; Hiram N., born in 1825, who married Virginia C. Harris; Samuel, born in 1825, who married Eliza Thompson; Mrs. Mary Childs, born in 1828; and Nelson I., born in 1831, who married Mary E. Ives. Their mother died in 1832; and the following year their father was married to Patience Hol- lister, who bore him one daughter, Sarah T., born in 1834. William Clark died in 1852.
William L. Clark's first wife, Emeline Moore, whom he married in 1832, died in 1836, leaving one son, Leavitt Walter, born in 1833. His second wife, Harriet J. Calhoun, bore him three daughters, namely: Sarah R., now Mrs. Benedict; Harriet E. Clark; and Mrs. Clara L. Kellogg.
Leavitt W. Clark married in 1855 Charlotte J. Page, and is now living in Hartford, Conn. Their only child, a daughter, now Mrs. Minnie Alton, has two children - Charlotte and Caro- lan. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict have four chil- dren - Harriet C., Edith L., Walter C., and
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SILAS A. GRIDLEY.
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Sarah Faye. Harriet C. is the wife of Will- iam A. Wadhams, and has two sons and a daughter - Edith, Moses A., and Dwight B. Wadhams.
Mr. Benedict has ever been active in town affairs, and has served very acceptably as Selectman and Constable, also as a member of the School Board. He is a member of the Congregational church, and for many years has held the office of Deacon.
ILAS ALFRED GRIDLEY, a prominent farmer and dairyman of Harwinton, was born in the house where he now lives, August 21, 1839, son of Lyman and Lois (Alfred) Gridley. The Grid- ley family has been prominent in Harwinton for many generations, our subject's great- grandfather, Abel Gridley, who was a native of Southington, having been one of the first settlers and the proprietor of the farm now owned by his great-grandson. Silas Gridley, son of Abel, resided on that farm, and there spent the greater part of his life, leaving the homestead only to serve in the Revolutionary War. He lived to be over fourscore, and re- ceived a pension for his services as a member of the Continental army. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Benton, was called to rest at the age of fifty.
Lyman Gridley, one of the four sons of Silas, was reared on the home farm, and there spent his life, succeeding his father as owner of the property. He made many improve- ments on the estate, in 1838 building the house which is now the home of his son. In politics a Republican, he was a leader in his district, and served in the State legislature during the administration of Governor Jewell. He lived to be seventy-seven years of age.
He married Lois Alfred, daughter of Ely
and Elizabeth (Beebee) Alfred. Her grand- father, Alexander Alfred, was one of the first settlers of Harwinton. He devoted his life to agriculture, as did his son Ely. Mrs. Lois Gridley is still living, at the advanced age of ninety-two, and resides with her son, the subject of this sketch. She is a member of the Congregational church at Terryville. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Gridley, namely: Elizabeth, Mrs. Allen; Corydon, deceased; Angeline, Mrs. Baldwin; Cornelia, Mrs. Thomas; Silas Al- fred ; Charles B. ; and two who died in infancy.
Silas Alfred Gridley received a good educa- tion in the common schools of Harwinton. Ile came into possession of the home farm on the death of his father, and has been actively engaged in farming, lumbering, and dairying for years. The estate comprises one hundred and thirty-five acres, and Mr. Gridley uses every rood of it to the best advantage. He makes a specialty of choice butter, for which he has taken many prizes, receiving a medal and diploma at the World's Fair. One estab- lishment has been supplied with butter from the Gridley farm for forty years, buying first of Lyman Gridley, now of Silas. He keeps eighteen full-blooded Jerseys, and is well known as a breeder of fine milch cows.
Mr. Gridley was married in 1882 to Sama Cooke, daughter of Augustus and Mary Cooke. of Litchfield. She comes of a distinguished family, her great-great-grandparents on her father's side being Aaron and Hannah ( Wads- worth) Cooke, the latter a daughter of Captain Joseph Wadsworth, who seized the charter of Connecticut at the time when Sir Edmund Andros demanded its surrender, and hid it in the hollow oak ; and her great grandparents were Joseph and Lucretia (Post) Cooke, the former a prominent man in the early days of Connecticut and a member of the General
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Court. Her paternal grandparents were Nathan and Abigail (Beckwith) Cooke, the former a native of Harwinton, the latter of Southington. Her father spent his life in Litchfield, engaged in farming, and serving as Selectman of the town for several years. He died at the age of sixty-seven, and his wife at the age of fifty-three. Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Cooke were members of the Episcopal church. They reared ten children, Sara, Mrs. Gridley, being the youngest. She graduated from the Hartford Female Seminary, and was for many years a successful and highly esteemed teacher in that city.
In politics Mr. Gridley is a Republican. He was a member of the State legislature in 1885, is now treasurer of the town deposit fund, and has served as Justice of the Peace. He possesses the full confidence of his towns- men, by whom he has been appointed adminis- trator and trustee of several estates. He is at the present time acting as conservator and trustee of an estate that the former trustee defaulted on. He is a leading member of the Harwinton Grange. Mr. Gridley belongs to the Congregational church, having been reared a Congregationalist, and his wife is a commu- nicant of the Episcopal church, of which her parents were members.
A portrait of Mr. Gridley is herewith presented.
ARL SWENSON, an accomplished and enterprising florist, living in Winsted, Conn., and one of the most exten- sive dealers in floral goods in the State, was born in Sweden in 1853. He is the son of Jacob and Anna Eliza Swenson, both natives of Sweden. His father, who was born in 1821, was overseer or game-keeper for Baron Oscar Dixon, a Swedish millionaire, in whose employ he travelled extensively. Jacob Swen-
son reared ten children, all but one of whom are now living. Four daughters and two sons came to this country, and one of the daughters died in Chicago.
Carl Swenson received a fair education, and at the age of eighteen entered a floral school, where he spent six years perfecting himself in the various branches of horticulture and flori- culture, and for some years was the head gardener. He subsequently went to England to work for a nursery firm in Herefordshire. Returning to Sweden, he embarked for Amer- ica early in 1880, landing at New York, and going thence to Newport, R.I., where he was employed for about six months. In the autumn of that year he came to Winsted, and took charge of Mr. M. G. Wheeler's floral work, remaining somewhat over four years. He then went to Naugatuck to superintend a fine private garden for a wealthy resident, and later occupied a similar position on the estate of Hon. L. W. Coe, at Torrington. He speaks in glowing terms of the rare beauty of the plants in Mr. Coe's conservatory and the fine traits of his employer. On November 5, 1891, Mr. Swenson returned to Winsted, and leased the property of Mr. Wheeler. The business has been established eighteen years, and under Mr. Swenson's management it has materially increased. He has worked up a large trade in the surrounding country, and fills orders for three States, Connecticut, Mas- sachusetts, and New York, his traffic being principally in cut flowers, of which he buys and sells large quantities; but he also has ex- tensive greenhouses, in which are produced the most beautiful flowers and plant forms. On April 17, 1884, Mr. Swenson married Miss Fredanna Galpin, of Roxbury, Conn., only daughter of John and Frances A. (Smith) Galpin, of Winsted Mr. and Mrs. Swenson have a bright little daughter, Maud Louise,
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born February 7, 1888; and they have buried an infant son. In politics Mr. Swenson is independent, rather favoring the Republican side. He belongs to the Odd Fellows, and is . a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
R EV. CORNELIUS R. DUFFIE, D. D., rector emeritus of the Church of the Epiphany, New York City, is greatly beloved and venerated in Litchfield, where he has made his summer home for the past twenty years. He needs no introduction to the readers of this biographical volume, but the rehearsal of a few of the more salient points of his life will bring pleasure to many. The Rev. Dr. Duffie was born in New York City, August 6, 1821, and has therefore seen many years of life; but his mind is still vig- orous, his heart warm and sympathetic, his rich experience with the activities of the world having but intensified those innate qual- ities which have made him influential in his profession, and won for him the esteem and confidence of his fellow-men.
The immigrating ancestor of the Duffie fam- ily was born and reared in the vicinity of Edinburgh, Scotland's metropolis, whence he came to America in the early part of the seventeenth century, settling in New York City. One of his descendants was John Duffie, a lifelong resident of New York City, who died in 1808. He was an officer in the Revolutionary army, serving as Commissary and Major during the entire period of the war, and winning distinction for his bravery. He subsequently became a pioneer in the salt business, being the original importer of that commodity. He married Maria Roosevelt, who belonged to one of the oldest Knickerbocker families; and their son, Cornelius R., Sr., born in 1789, was the father of Dr. Duffie.
Cornelius R. Duffie, Sr., entered Columbia College when but sixteen years of age, and was graduated in 1809. While a student there, he founded the Peithalogian Society. In the War of 1812-15 he was commissioned, by Gov- ernor Enos Clinton Lieutenant in the State militia, and was made a regimental paymaster. He was for some time a Vestryman of Trinity Church. Having pursued a course of theologi- cal study, he was ordained Deacon in 1823 by Bishop Hobart, and was appointed first rector of St. Thomas's Church, holding that position until his death, August 20, 1827. His wife, whose maiden name was Helena Bleecker, was born in that part of the city through which Bleecker Street, named in honor of one of her kinsmen, now extends. Her progenitors were among the earliest and most prominent settlers of Manhattan, locating there in 1668. Hler grandfather Beache, who was a very influential citizen, serving in many official capacities, as President of the Chamber of Commerce re- ceived General Washington on his entrance to the city. James Bleecker, her father, was a Commissary in the War of 1812, and paid off the troops. He was an Episco- palian, and for many years a Vestryman in Trinity Church.
Cornelius R. Duffie, the second, was born on Chambers Street, then a fashionable resi- dential portion of New York, and has taken a genuine interest, sadness mingling with its pleasure, in watching the rapid strides of busi. ness through these former aristocratic thor. oughfares, driving the select four hundred to seck residence on Murray Hill. And, as new avenues, streets, bays, institutions, have been laid ont, discovered, or founded, more than fitty of them have been named for him or for some of his ancestors. The early years of the tut ure Doctor of Divinity were spent in prep.it ing for his professional lite, attending private
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schools, and subsequently Columbia College, where he was graduated in 1841. The follow- ing year he began the study of theology in the general theological seminary, and after his graduation in 1845 was ordained Deacon. In 1846 he was elected assistant of Trinity Church in New York City, and in 1848 as- sumed the position of rector of St. John Baptist Church, which he was instrumental in organizing and with which he has since been connected. In 1857 he was honored by being chosen chaplain of Columbia College - a posi- tion in which he has continued to exert a strong and helpful influence. For several years the Rev. Dr. Duffie was a Trustee of the New York Theological Seminary. He has been for many years Vice-President of the New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society. Dr. Duffie is well known as a gentleman of scholarly attainments, and has published several sermons.
His first wife, whom he married in 1863, Sarah B. Clarke, a daughter of Joel Clarke, was also of historic ancestry, her grand-uncle having been a signer of the Declaration of Independence. She reared four children, the following being a brief record : Cornelius R., a resident of Litchfield; Cornelia, deceased ; Antoinette, who married Edward H. Cahill, and has one child, Helen; and Archibald B. Bleecker, who married Antoinette Lerocque Roe, and resides in New York City. The mother of these children passed to the larger and fuller life when in the prime of a noble womanhood, at forty-three years of age; and the Doctor subsequently marricd Miss Lillie A. Pelton. In politics Dr. Duffie is in sym- pathy with the principles of the Republican party, but, with the courage of his convictions, votes for the man he thinks the more honest.
Cornelius R. Duffie, the eldest son of Dr. Duffie, was reared in New York City. He
completed his education in Columbia College, and was thereafter employed three years as a clerk in the Chemical Bank. Being especially endowed with musical talent, he then took private lessons in his favorite study, and was subsequently engaged as assistant organist at St. Thomas's Church and at St. Bartholomew's Church in his native city, and at St. George's Church in Flushing, R. I. In 1891 Mr. Duffie came to Litchfield, and took up journalism, purchasing the Litchfreld Enquirer, which he conducted successfully until October 1, 1894, when he sold out. Since that time he has been somewhat interested in real estate. He owns two fine dwelling-houses, one of which he rents, the other, a beautiful residence, he has just completed and furnished for himself and family. In 1888 he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Edith N. Lang- don, a native of New York City and a collat- eral descendant of William Penn. Their union has been brightened by the birth of two children - Dorothy and Archibald Duncan. In politics Mr. Duffie is a stanch member of the Republican party.
HARLES L. CALHOUN, a promi- nent farmer of New Preston, town of Washington, was born on Calhoun Street in Washington, this county, December 9, 1839. He is the son of David and Fanny R. (Lemon) Calhoun, and is of Scotch de- scent, his lineage running back to the Colque- houns of Scotland, who intermarried with the family of the Lairds of Luss, and were wealthy land-owners. The original form of the name, Colquehoun, is retained in Scotland, England, and Ireland; but it is pronounced Cahoon. The family removed from Scotland to Ireland on account of persecution, and later from Ire- land to America, three brothers - James,
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John, and David - coming to this country in 1714. David, who settled at Stratford, Conn., whence he removed to Woodbury, was the direct ancestor of our subject. James Cal- houn, the grandfather of Charles L., was a farmer in Washington; and in the home on Calhoun Street, that town, his son David, the father of our subject, was born. He also de- voted his life to agriculture, knowing no other home than the house of his nativity during the seventy-eight years of his life. His wife, who was a daughter of Charles Lemon, a farmer of Washington, is now living on the homestead, and is in her seventy-seventh year.
They reared the following children : Charles L., the subject of this sketch; Ellen, de- ceased; Frances, who married Thomas W. Beech; Lucy, who married Henry R. Jones, and has two children -- Clarence and Charles; and George, who died in infancy.
Charles L. Calhoun received a practical education in the schools of Washington, at an early age becoming familiar with farm work, to which his life has since been devoted. His property is in a fine state of cultivation, and he receives a comfortable income from the prod- ucts of his land.
On January 28, 1866, he was united in mar- riage with Melissa Case, daughter of Harlow and Loly B. (Adams) Case, of Barkhamsted, and five children have blessed their mion, namely: George, deceased; Ellen A. ; Eve- lyn 1 .. ; Fanny B. ; and Henry E.
In politics Mr. Calhoun is a Democrat. He is a man of conservative judgment and keen intelligence, and has served for many years as Justice of the Peace. He has also served as a member of the grand jury. In religious helief he favors the Congregational church. One of the old residents of Washington, he is also an honorable representative of an oldl and distinguished family.
EROME BERRY, of Kent, belongs to a family of ancient and honorable de- scent, which numbers in its ancestral line many of the leading men and high officials of County Devon, England. The farm on which he resides is the home in which six generations of this branch of the family have lived, his children representing the sixth gen- eration of those who have dwelt in Kent and the ninth from the first American progenitor. The parents of Jerome Berry are John C. and Ann (Marsh) Berry ; and he was born in Kent, February 1, 1845.
William Berry, the first one of the family to leave England, came hither in a sailing vessel, commanded by Captain Mason; and on his arrival in 1631 he settled at Ports- mouth, N.H. Although then but twenty-one years of age, he soon became prominent in that community and an owner of land in dif- ferent towns. As early as 1632 he resided at Sandy Beach. It is said that he was one of the first settlers in the town of Rye, N. II. ; and he was one of the grantees of Newbury. Mass. His wife, Jane Berry, who was nine years his junior, was born in 1619. Their son, Joseph, lived for a time in Portsmouth, but later on removed to Greenland, N. II., where his last days were spent. Joseph's son, Nathaniel Berry, removed to Mansfield, Conn., where he became a large land-owner. He died in 1718, leaving a widow, Elizabeth Berry, and several children, one of whom, Nathaniel, Jr., became the founder of the Berry settlement in Kent. He was born in New Hampshire about the year 1700, and is first mentioned in his father's will, dated 1718. About three years later he settled in Tolland, Conn. The first grant of the town of Kent, which was made in May. 1731, and enlarged and confirmed in 1747, was to Na- thaniel Berry and others. In 1738 his name
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appeared among the original proprietors; and the following year he moved his family to that town. In 1743, at the meeting of the General Assembly, a petition signed by Nathaniel Berry and others to have the land lying on the west side of the town annexed to it was granted. In that same year he was appointed to collect taxes on unimproved land in Kent and to pay the same to the Selectmen of Kent, to be applied toward building a house for di- vine worship and paying the minister's salary. The grand list of 1745 shows that he was the largest land-owner in the town, his property being valued at one hundred and fifteen pounds sterling. His name also appears among the list of Connecticut men who obtained grant of land from the six nations of Indians on the Susquehanna River in 1754. His will bears the date of September 30, 1757; and his death occurred soon after. He was one of the charter members of the First Church of Kent, which was incorporated in 1741. In 1740, at the meeting of the General Assembly at Hart- ford, he was appointed Ensign of the Kent militia. In 1745 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, and five years later he was advanced to the position of Captain. His wife, Rebecca Berry, died May 2, 1783, eighty-three years of age. They reared eight children; namely, Marah, Jonathan, Joseph, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Ann, Nathaniel, and Ebenezer.
Nathaniel Berry, third, who was born in Tolland, Conn., in 1736, came to Kent with his parents, being but a small boy at that time. In 1804 and 1805 he was a member of the General Assembly. He spent an active and useful life, although in his later years he lost his sight. He is supposed to have been present at the massacre by the Indians in Wyoming Valley, as his grandson, John C. Berry, repeating statements of his grandfather,
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