Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 14

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795

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Joseph Tomlinson was educated in the public schools in South Britain, Milford and Hunting- ton, and at a select school at Huntington Center, conducted by Hezekiah Rudd, a noted instructor of his day, who had a large school, in which many of the prominent men received the finishing touches to their education. When seventeen years of age Mr. Tomlinson entered a store in Birmingham, and there remained four years. After teaching school a short time he then went to New York City as bookkeeper with William R. Robinson & Co., wholesale dry-goods merchants,

remaining thus engaged for three years. In 1854 he returned to Huntington, and in the spring of 1855 went into what was then called the Manu- facturers Bank, as bookkeeper, holding this posi- tion until he resigned in April, 1866, after which time he served for five years in the same capacity in the Derby Savings Bank. While thus occu- pied he became interested in the manufacture of pins, hooks and eyes, becoming the chief pro- moter and starter of the Star Pin Company, one of the first stockholders, and also first secretary and treasurer, holding this position from the be- ginning of the enterprise until 1875. when the business was removed to Shelton and the man- agement of the same to New York City, where Mr. Tomlinson remained until 1879; he then sold out his stock and retired from the firm. During 1879 and 1880 he was engaged with Cyrus Brewster in the manufacture of corsets in Derby, and in 1881 he was appointed assistant town clerk. Elliott P. Curtiss, the town clerk, having removed from Huntington, Mr. Tomlin- son was elected clerk of the township to fill the vacancy thus caused, and to this office he was re-elected annually until October, 1897. when the term by recent action of the Legislature was changed to two years. In 1889 the office of probate judge was created, becoming an office de facto May 1, and to this incumbency at a special election Mr. Tomlinson was chosen, against the united opposition of Derby and Huntington, and he held it from the time it was established up to January 1, 1899, when he was debarred by the constitutional age limit. In 1893 the town court of Huntington was established by the Legislature, and Mr. Tomlinson was ap- pointed judge of the same, and held the office by re-appointment until January 1, 1899, when he was disqualified by the age limit. Mr. Tomlin- son has also held the office of assessor of the borough of Shelton for several years, and at the election held in March last he was elected treas- urer thereof.

Judge Tomlinson has always been a consist- ent and strong Republican since that party was organized. He has been justice of the peace since 1881. He has been collector of taxes of the town of Huntington since 1880, and in all his public as well as private offices has been faithful to his duties and honest in their discharge. Since 1893, when the Shelton Savings Bank was started, he has been its secretary and treasurer, and he is secretary and treasurer of the Plumb Memorial Library, this being an elective office by the directors. He was also secretary and treasurer of the Shelton Loan & Savings Associ- ation from its organization in 1889 until it was

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

closed in 1897, and he has always been active in promoting every movement calculated to advance the material and moral interests of Shelton. Besides all the offices enumerated above, he has held the position of secretary, treasurer and manager of the River Side Cemetery Association since its organization, having been one of the projectors thereof. He is a member of the Sons of Temperance, and, religiously, of the Congre- gational Church of Shelton, taking an active part in the work of the Society as one of its deacons during and ever since its organization.

Judge Tomlinson was married, in December, 1857, to Miss Annie Tappan Brewster, daughter of the Rev. Cyrus Brewster, formerly of New London, Conn., but latterly of Huntington. Judge and Mrs. Tomlinson have had five chil- dren: Helen, born in September, 1858, is liv- ing at home; Rosalie, born in 1860, is married to Rev. Charles W. Shelton, of Derby, one of the field secretaries of the American Home Mission- ary Society; Joseph, born in 1863, graduated from Yale College in 1885, and is now editor and publisher of the Sioux Falls (S. Dak.) Argus Leader; Annie, born in 1870, graduated from Wellesley College with the class of 1890, took an extra year in history and political economy at Yale College, and subsequently taught in the high school at Brookline, Mass., to the principal of which institution, Daniel S. Sanford, she was married in July, 1898; Cyrus, born in 1875, is city editor of the Ansonia (Conn.) Sentinel.

REV. FRANKLIN KEELER HAWLEY is a native of the town of Brookfield, and now occupies the old Hawley homestead there, which has been in his family for several generations. His education was begun in the district schools of that locality, and later he attended the Ches- hire Military Academy. In December, 1893, he was ordained at Danbury to the ministry, and he has ever since been engaged in evangelistic la- bors. One feature of his work which has brought notably good results is the enterprise known as the John N. Hawley Bible School, which he con- ducts at his own home. He married Miss Julia Alice Turrell, daughter of Edwin G. Turrell, and two interesting children, John T. and Ruth F., have blessed the union.

The Hawley family, from which has sprung many of the most prominent citizens of New England, traces its line of descent from Joseph Hawley, who was born in Derbyshire, England, in 1603, and in 1629 crossed the ocean and landed near Boston, Mass. Later he settled in Connecticut, and his death occurred at Stratford

in 1690. He had five children, of whom (1) Ebenezer and (2) Joseph left no issue. (3) Sam- uel, born in 1652, had seven children: Nathan and Ephraim, who had no children; Joseph, who had three sons-John, Ezekiel and William; Thomas, who had four sons-Ezra, Thomas, Ebenezer and Samuel; Ebenezer and Benjamin, who had no children; and Samuel, born in 1674, who is mentioned farther on; (4) Ephraim, born in 1659, had four sons: Jehiel and Abiah, who had no issue; Gideon, who had two sons-James and Zachariah; and Daniel, who had four sons- Ephraim, Edward, Frederick and William. (5) Capt. John Hawley, born in 1661, had six chil- dren: Nathan, who left no issue; John, Jr., who had one son, John; Comfort, David and Daniel, who left no descendants; and Henry, who had three sons-Henry, Enos and Parson, the last named being the father of two sons, Joel and Edward.

In the fourth generation the branch of the family in which we are now interested was con- tinued by Samuel, son of Samuel. This ances- tor had ten children, of whom (1) Jonathan, left one son, Israel. (2) Nathaniel left a son of the same name. (3) Ephraim, (4) Matthew, and (5) Obadiah left no issue. (6) Francis and (7) Richard probably had families, but the names have not been preserved. (8) Nathan had six sons: Ephraim, Andrew, Nathan, Samuel (who had a son, Samuel), Nehemiah, and Abraham (who had two sons-Lemuel and Willett, of whom the latter left three children, Jeremiah, Joseph and James). (9) Stephen had three sons: Benjamin, Nehemiah and Hezekiah. (10) Ben- jamin, born in 1694, is the next in the line of descent.

In the fifth generation we find the following children of Benjamin IV: (1) Ebenezer had no issue. (2) Benjamin had seven children: (a) Phœbe; (b) Mary; (c) Sallie; (d) Jabez, who had three children-Jerusha, Sallie, and Daniel B., the father of Esther, Elmer and Henry: (e) Rob- ert N., who had three children-Angeline, Rob- ert (father of Asa H.), and Harriet. (f) Isaac N. had four sons-Edson N. (father of Julia, Arthur, Clarence, and Clara), Homer N. (father of Willis N.), Edgar, and Arthur. (g) Benjamin had the following children: Mary Ann, Frederick, Susan, Juliette, William (father of Anna, William, and Edward), Margaret, and Sarah. (3) Abel had three children: (a) Lemuel; (b) Betsey, and (c) Jotham, who had three sons, J. Bradley (father of Bradley); A. Sherman (father of Olive, Ferris, Marietta, and Herson, who had two daughters, Helen and Josephine), and Tyrus, father of Jotham Burr (who has one daughter, Hattie), Royal De

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F., L. Marshall, and S. Caroline. (4) William, born in 1732, had four children: William (father of Elisha), Anna, Daniel and Joseph, who is next in line of descent. Daniel was the father of four children: (a) Margaret; (b) Eleazer, who had two sons, George, and Abel (father of Margaret and Candace); (c) Charles who had four sons, Hi- ram F. (father of Caroline, and Agnes); Waite N. (father of Jennie and Addie); Charles S. (father of Charles S.) and Sidney E .; (d) Sidney, who had one son, Henry (father of Charles, Fannie, Car- rie and Howard).

Joseph Hawley, son of William, was born in 1762, in the town of Newtown, Fairfield county, and was the father of the sixth generation of the branch of the family to which the subject of this sketch belongs. Joseph had three sons: (1) William C., born in 1789; (2) John, born in 1791, and (3) Glover. born in 1803. Of these, (1) William C. had three children: Gertrude, Jos- eph (father of Theodore, Mary, Charles, Fred- erick and Josephine) and John B. (2) John N., our subject's grandfather, is mentioned more fully below. (3) Glover had three children: William G., Martha E. and Mariette H.

Hon. John N. Hawley, the grandfather of our subject, was born in 1791, in the town of Newtown, and in early manhood settled upon the present homestead in the town of Brookfield, where he followed agricultural pursuits, his death occurring in 1862. He was a prominent man of his time and locality, serving as a mem- ber of both houses of the State Legislature, and he was also identified with religious work as a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church at Brookfield. He married (first) Harriet Norton, (second) a Miss Fairchild, and had two sons: Asa N., by first wife, and John N., by second wife.

Hon. John N. Hawley, Jr., the father of our subject, was born at the homestead in Brook- field, where he spent most of his life, agriculture being his chief occupation. Politically, he held an influential place as a Democrat, and at one time he represented his district in the lower branch of the Legislature. His education was better than ordinary, as he attended Newtown Academy in his youth, and he was especially gifted as a musician. His wife, Clarissa W., was a daughter of Ira Keeler, a leading resident of Brookfield. They had three children: Charles B., a well-known vocal musician, who married Miss Hattie Buckley, and resides in New York City; Franklin Keeler, the subject proper of our sketch; and Clara F., who married C. W. Keeler, and their family consists of two sons: David H. and Ray D.

W ARREN WARNER PORTER. In 1596 there was born in Dorset, England, John Porter, and as he grew to young manhood the glowing tales of the wonders of the New World thrilled his adventurous spirit, so he sailed away to found a new home and a new family on the western shores of the Atlantic, at Salem (now Danvers), Mass. He married Mary -, and they became the parents of the following chil- dren: John, Samuel, Joseph, Benjamin, Israel, Mary, Jonathan and Sarah. John Porter, emi- grant, was a man of considerable enterprise and prominence; he served as deputy to the general court of Massachusetts. His will, still preserved on the records of Essex county, shows that he died possessed of several farms-more than a thousand acres in all-besides his homestead, which he divided among his legatees.

Joseph Porter, the third in the above men- tioned family, married Anna, the daughter of Major William and Anna Hatborn, and by this marriage became the father of twelve children: Joseph, Anna, Samuel, Nathaniel, Mary, Will- iam, Eleazer, Abigail, Hepsibah, Joseph, Ruth and Mehitable. William was the representative of the third generation of the line we trace, and he married Phobe Dorman, by whom he had the following children: Ruth, Judith, Benjamin, Seth, Anna, Phoebe, Jonathan and Jabez. The father of this family is given the title of "Dea- con " on the records.

Benjamin, the third son of Deacon William Porter, married Dorothy Ashley, and became the father of a large family: Benjamin, Phebe, Moses, Micaiah, Eli, Ruth, William, Job, Seth, Daniel and Noah. The last named, and young- est in the family, was the grandfather of Warren Warner Porter, whose name opens this review, and to him and his wife, who in her maidenhood was Asenath Smith, was born one son, Noah, September 26, 1792, and died October 8, 1855. He wedded Nabby Cummings, and to them were born eleven children, namely: Elijah F., born December 19, 1815; Reuben C., June 13, 1817; Lyman, June 1, 1819; Joseph E., July 9, 1821; Ransom . N., May 21, 1823; Catherine A., May 19, 1825; Royal H., August 21, 1827; Anna J., July 14, 1829; Noah Dexter, November 27, 1831; John Dexter, August 11, 1835; and Warren Warner, the subject proper of this review.

Warren Warner Porter, whose long term as principal of Grammar School No. 8, at Bridge- port, has endeared him to the citizens of this growing city, is a native of New Salem, Mass., born July 27, 1837. He was educated in the district schools of his native village, at the New Salem Academy, and, also, later at the Philip's

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Exeter Academy, New Hampshire. When at an age the boys of this generation are engrossed in the sports so dear to the boyish soul, our subject, just fifteen years of age, began to teach school. His education was not yet complete, and he at- tended school some time after this. For two years he taught in the New Salem Academy, and then for several years taught in various district schools in different towns in Massachusetts- Hardwick and South Deerfield, and in the graded schools at Petersham.

In 1855 he went to Illinois, which at that time was a frontier State. Vast stretches of wild prairie then occupied many portions of the State now occupied by some of the best farms in the world. Land that then sold for $2.50 and $3.00 per acre now sells for $100.00. For several years he taught school in Illinois, then in 1859, going still farther, he taught in what was known as Sand Hill Academy, near Greenwades, on the Brazos river, in Hill county, Texas. Here he found frontier life unadulterated by the fads of society. The academy was built of logs; it had no glass windows; no door. A hole sawed in the logs admitted the light, and another sawed for the entrance and exit of pupils and teacher, also, on one or two occasions, for the hogs that ran wild in the woods, and that here took refuge from the cold "northers." The chimney, sel- dom needed for fires, was built of rough stones for the first four or five feet, and then of sticks daubed with mud. A steel plow-share, sus- pended by a cord in the fireplace, served as a bell, while a hammer with a rude handle was used as the bell tongue. The seats were slabs split from trees, with wooden legs driven into the round side to give them elevation. The only desks were two long boards hung to the wall by wooden hinges and propped up by sticks when in use. The pupils had been accustomed to study aloud, after the manner of the Chinese. Yet in this primitive school Mr. Porter found some bright minds. Some of the more advanced were perusing Algebra and Latin. The rule of the preceding teacher had been to classify a pupil as in higher English, if he had begun to study frac- tions, which was considered a great compliment by the pupil, and gave to the instructor an extra dollar a month as tuition.

Political excitement ran high, and all North- ern people were held in suspicion. A clergyman from Illinois was given a text to preach from. He spoke with moderation, advising obedience on the part of the slave, kindness and humanity on the part of the master. The doctrine was not heroic enough, hence the minister was taken out and whipped, and only rescued from the mob by

being thrust into jail. Mr. Porter's age made him less an object of suspicion, as he was not supposed to take an active interest in politics. However, he was informed that a party had called at his boarding house one day during his absence, and that he must beware. He was un- der the necessity of completing his term of school in order to draw his tuition for teaching, although very distinct mutterings were heard. His mail was tampered with, though perhaps it was for- tunate for him that it was so. His brother, Hon. R. H. Porter, now of Keene, N. H., realizing the situation, wrote him a letter with the hope and expectation that it would be intercepted. In it he said, "Although you have always been a Democrat, the people of the South may not un- derstand you, etc., and I advise you to come North." Though democratic in the true mean- ing of the word, Mr. Porter had never voted the ticket of the Democratic party, but the letter was what Mr. Porter needed to restore confi- dence, and he was not troubled after this. The State was in a blaze of excitement before he could get away. Three men were hung in Dal- las on the day that he came through, on suspicion of stirring up a negro insurrection, and it was not until our subject had crossed the Mississippi river, and stepped on free soil, that he felt safe, and this day he sets down as one of the happiest of hislife.

During this trip to Texas, he stopped some time in Kansas, in Linn county, where he located two quarter-sections of land, which he held for several years after the war, when the fuller set- tlement of the State brought them into market. Here too, he meet John Brown, the quiet-ap- pearing man, resembling General Grant in ap- pearance, who afterward aroused the country in his effort to free the slave. His farm was in close proximity to one located by Mr. Porter. The trip from Illinois to Texas and return was made on horseback, before there were any rail- roads in that part of the country, and he can give many interesting recollections of the trip through Missouri and the Indian nations. It was in 1860 that he returned to Illinois, and he there taught school that winter; but when school opened in September, 1861, the young pedagogue had donned the "blue," and with sabre instead of pen he set forth, a private of the 7th Illinois Cavalry, sworn to defend, as best he could, the insulted flag of the Union. He was soon pro- moted, reaching the rank of first lieutenant, and served three years, accompanying Grierson from Lagrange, Tenn., to Baton Rouge, La. He was present at the surrender of Fort Hudson to Gen- eral Banks, and witnessed the stirring spectacle

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of a whole Rebel garrison laying down their arms, and departing on parole; and he was de- tailed with his company to escort the paroled prisoners without the Federal lines. Although he took part in many battles and skirmishes, he bore a charmed life, and throughout his three years of constant and active service at the front he was never wounded. Only two of the en- gagements in which he took a conspicuous part will be mentioned here. In the autumn of 1863, the Rebels under General Chalmers made an at- tack on Colliersville, a station on the railroad between Memphis and Corinth. The place was garrisoned by a small force of infantry, and the 7th Illinois Cavalry. The pickets were driven in, and Lieutenant Porter was sent with about forty men to reconnoitre and send back information, and, if possible, keep back the enemy until rein- forcements could arrive from an adjoining sta- tion. He proceeded but two or three miles be- fore meeting the enemy. Deploying his men as skirmishers, with a dozen or so in reserve, he di- rected them to keep well under cover of the woods, and every man to give out orders at the top of his voice, as if there was a large army, and then to fire at everything that looked like a Rebel.

This caused the Rebel column to halt; they were afraid to advance until they, too, had thrown out a skirmish line, and their column had de- ployed in line of support, as they were obliged to cross an open field. Then Lieutenant Porter ordered his men back across another open field, and General Chalmers followed cautiously. These tactics delayed the enemy an hour and a half. The line fell back until the firing could be heard at the railroad station where the infantry were stationed. They supposed that the com- pany under Lieutenant Porter was having a hot time of it. In the meantime he had sent in couriers with advices as to the progress of the enemy, and for supplies of ammunition. "Send out and tell Lieutenant Porter to come in," said the surgeon, " we shall not have any of the fun here if he does not return." The enemy were preparing for a general charge, and it was so re- ported to the commandant at the stockade. By this time the 2d Iowa Cavalry had arrived, and taken position behind the embankment of the railroad. The Colonel sent orders for Lieuten- ant Porter to retire to the rear of the stockade. The Rebels followed with a yell, only to be met by a volley from the stockade, and from the re- inforcements behind the railroad track. Still on they came, and General George, now senator from Mississippi, who led the Rebel left, was captured with his hands almost on the field piece

mounted in front of the 2d Iowa Cavalry. The enemy were badly repulsed; the delay of the Rebel column by the tactics of Lieutenant Por- ter with his forty men against more than fifteen hundred had in all probability saved the place. In the unfortunate raid upon Guntown, made by General Sturgis, Lieutenant Porter was in com- mand of the non-veterans of the regiment, and his command was ordered to act as rear guard in the first day of retreat. The National Tribune has obtained from Lieutenant Porter a series of articles, and we quote from the issue of June 24, 1894:

About this time we were sent on a raid . under General Sturgis to Guntown, Miss. It was the most disastrous expe- dition in which I ever participated. The force consisted of cavalry, artillery, and two brigades of infantry. A train of 200 supply wagons accompanied us. We were out 12 days. My command turned out 100 men. Sometimes we were as- signed to the advance, sometimes to act as rear-guard, some- times we were sent out miles on the flank. While in the ad- vance, our command made several brilliant little dashes. Near Danville we drove out the enemy and secured the bridge before the enemy had a chance to destroy it. On an- other occasion our videts signalled "Come on!" The com- mand came to their support in a full run, and captured eight horsemen before they had time to regain their steeds. They were in a farm house talking to some ladies. Ah, dear ladies, who can balance the great ledger account that stands charged and credited to the allurements of your smiles! We give you credit for this success. On the morning of the fight we were sent off on the right flank, then recalled, then re- mained in line waiting, while one command after another moved to the front and then to the rear. Our army was whipped out piecemeal. The cavalry opened the attack early in the morning. The infantry were hurried up, but were exhausted before they came to the support. The cav- alry had also spent the best of their energies before the in- fantry arrived." The enemy meantime were receiving rein- forcements by the railroad. Their shells began to screech frightfully near. Twice I moved the command a short dis- tance to get them out of range. It is the most trying place that one can be put, to be placed under fire and have no chance to fire back-to be set up as a target. The regiments came back one after another. Then came our first orders to take real part in the action. "You must hold the enemy in check and cover the retreat of the infantry." It was a great undertaking for 100 men to hold in check a force that had driven 5,000 from the field. But we would show our good will. I ordered the men to dismount, and the led horses were sent to the rear in charge of a reliable sergeant.

We lay down under cover of some piles of fence-rails and awaited their on-coming. "It is no use," said the in- fantry, as they retreated past us. The retreat was, as yet, with deliberation and in order. We had not long to wait. The enemy came on with triumphant yells. Our men awaited in silence. We opened upon them with our car- bines. They were breech-loaders and could be fired rap- idly; but the men fired with deliberation. The enemy halted and took shelter behind the trees. It was impossible for them to advance in the face of such a murderous fire. Serg. John R. Sperling was wounded and arose to go. Lieutenant La Grange (never a braver officer), the next in command, thinking the men were about to break, cried, " Are you cow- ards? Stand your ground!" The Lieutenant had taken no pains to shelter himself from the fire. The Sergeant, brave and cool as his superior, was sent to the rear. From ten to twenty rounds were fired. We held them at bay in front of us, but they were lapping around us on both sides and gain- ing our rear. After consulting Lieutenant La Grange, I gave the order to fall back to the led horses. The officer in charge had held them safe for our coming. We mounted

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 14

Author: H. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1795

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795