Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Pt 1, Part 121

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Pt 1 > Part 121

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Mr. Penfield was married, June 1, 1870, to Josie, a daughter of Jarvis and Susan Weed. Mrs. Pen- field was born May 2, 1843, and before her marriage was a resident of Darien, Conn. Both her parents sleep in the peaceful rural burying-ground in the town of her birth. Two children have been born of the marriage: Susie Weed and Walter Grant. The daughter was born June 13, 1871; graduated from Chase Dowd's seminary, at Saratoga, and is living at home. Walter Grant Penfield was born Nov. II, 1872. He was educated at Yale College, but left that institution shortly before graduation to accept a position as draftsman in the bridge depart- ment of the N. Y., N. H. & H. railway, his head- quarters being New Haven. This position he filled with fidelity and ability for nearly two years, when he resigned to volunteer in the Spanish war, enlist- ing at New Haven in Battery C, Heavy Artillery. A week after reaching Niantic he was chosen or- derly sergeant, and afterward held other posi- tions as a non-commissioned officer. Two weeks before receiving his discharge he was com- missioned second lieutenant. After leaving the army he returned to his former position with the railroad company, but not long afterward Gov. Lounsbury commissioned him captain in the

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State militia, appointing him an aide on the staff of Gen. Frost. His wish, however, was to re-enter active service, so on April 10, 1899, he was com- missioned second lieutenant in the 1st U. S. Infantry about to leave for Cuba, and on April 29, sailed for that island. He was stationed at Pinar Del Rio, was detached from his company, and held the office as disbursing officer for that province until August, 1900, when his regiment was ordered to Manila ; it arrived there Sept. 30, and was ordered at once to Marinduque Island.

The political affiliations of Walter E. Penfield are with the Republican party. He has never sought office, and when, in 1897, he was elected justice of the peace he declined to serve. He is an active member of the Methodist Church, as is also his wife, a liberal contributor to the cause of religion, and has been superintendent of the Sunday- school for several years. He is a member of the G. A. R.

Mr. Penfield's successful career affords an illus- tration of the truth that much may be accomplished through energy and integrity. Since reaching the age of sixteen he has depended upon his own efforts to accomplish his lawful aims. To-day he enjoys the genuine respect of the people among whom he has grown up since boyhood, while his record, as a man, a citizen, a soldier, a patriot, and a Christian, is one of which his children may feel justly proud.

STEPHEN LYMAN STRICKLAND comes of a family of English extraction, having come to America from Yorkshire. His father, who was also named Stephen, was born at Glastonbury, and married Nancy Tryon, by whom he was the fa- ther of five children, as follows: Stephen Lyman, George, Jacob, Nancy and Maybell. George Strick- land was a successful manufacturer of shirts and collars. Jacob was a resident of New Britain, and was associated in business with his brother Stephen. Nancy married Rowland Hale, of Glastonbury. Maybell became the wife of Ethel North, of New Britain.

Stephen L. Strickland, born Sept. 22, 1813, at- tended the common schools of his native town, where he also learned the trade of a brickmason. He removed to New Britain about 1836, and shortly afterward, Nov. 24, of that year, married Almira, daughter of Elihu and Elizabeth (Hins- dale) Burritt, who was born July 27, 1816. She was a sister of the distinguished astronomer, Elijah Burritt, mentioned elsewhere, and of Elihu Burritt, the "Learned Blacksmith."

While yet a young man Stephen L. Strickland built the old aqueduct which crossed Main street at the point where that thoroughfare is now inter- sected by the railroad track, the construction of which was regarded by the citizens of those days as a stupendous undertaking. He was also inter- ested in the Shuttle Meadow water supply. In 1855 or '56 he erected a store adjacent to the "Park

Hotel," where he began mercantile business. His commercial foresight was almost unerring, and he soon came to be regarded as one of the foremost and most enterprising merchants of the city. He opened many stores, at various points, one being located as far west as Illinois. He built the first business block in New Britain, and named it for himself. When a friend remonstrated with him against his folly in putting up so pretentious a structure he replied, "New Britain will grow to it." For some years he was in partnership with Darius Miller under the firm name of Strickland & Miller, in connection with whom he conducted a dry-goods store in the one-story building south of the hotel. Among his other real estate holdings were the old North Congregational Church, now the site of the Burritt school, and also owned the corner on which now stands the Hannah block. On the corner of Main and East Main streets he erected a building for his own use, but since his death his heirs have converted a portion thereof into a hotel. His resi- dence stood directly opposite the site of the present "Strickland House." Mr. Strickland's public spirit was as broad as his business instinct was keen, and few men of his time did more toward beautifying and enlarging the city. He was one of the first wardens of the borough, and one of the most highly- esteemed citizens of the town which he helped tc build. Fraternally he was a member of the I. O. O. F. He died March 24, 1865, when fifty-twc years of age. His marriage was blessed with twc children, Anna Cornwell and Ellen Louise, the lat- ter of whom died in 1891. The mother passed away in December, 1898.

ELIJAH HINSDALE BURRITT was borr April 20, 1794, in New Britain, son of Elihu and Elizabeth ( Hinsdale) Burritt, and was the eldest of their family of ten children, of whom the worlc had heard chiefly through the achievements and philanthrophy of Elihu Burritt (the second young- est) the linguist, known as the "Learned Black- smith."

Elijah Hinsdale was an entailed name, handec down through several generations of his mother's family in Kensington, and with the name came a little entailed homestead of eight acres and a cot- tage, where the Burritts lived during the child- hood and youth of Elijah. The account of theil extreme poverty is somewhat modified by this fact though the father no doubt was obliged to struggle for the maintenance of such a large family, espe- cially after his failure in his flour-mill. The mother was a devout member of the Congregational Church in the days of Dr. Smally, and it was among her godly friends in this church that the thought arose to help Elijah through college, hoping that he might become a minister. Accordingly he entered Williams College, supporting himself in great meas- ure, however, by teaching. It is no insignifican fact in this part of his career that he was chosen

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first principal of Sanderson Academy, Ashfield, Mass., where he became the teacher of that wonder- ful woman, Mary Lyon, and heard her recite the Latin grammar through in one lesson, she having committed it to memory in three days. The neces- sity of self support put off graduation, and we next find Mr. Burritt in Georgia, where he taught and became editor of a political paper in Milledgeville, then the capitol. He was married during his resi- dence in that State. Coming North for commence- ment at Williams College, he found Columbia Col- lege just having its anniversary, went in, passed examinations, and took his diploma there, then back to his work in Georgia. Though it was thirty years before the war it was not too early for sus- picion and persecution toward any who were thought to be opposed to slavery. Mr. Burritt had married a slaveholder's daughter, and his views on that subject were altogether too broad for his Northern friends. Perhaps it was for this reason that certain pamphlets against slavery were sent him, which he did not at once destroy, but laugh- ingly tossed to the top of a bookcase. This in- cident was noted by his political opponents, who used them during his absence to stir up suspicion against him, and finally to work his financial ruin and his return to the North.

Here in his native home, New Britain, in an atmosphere of sympathy, he at once set himself to the finishing of a mathematical work for advanced scholars called a Logarithmic Arithmetic. He sold this without much delay for $10,000, with which sum he was able to purchase the brick building on North Main street, at its junction with East Main, to which he added the stone part for a school room and built over it an observatory, purchasing tele- scope and other apparatus for an academy. Here he taught for some years, receiving boarding pupils from many towns in New England and some from the South. As he taught Astronomy he felt the need of a text-book which should popularize the science for the young, and he brought out a book which was at once received with great favor, and continued to be taught widely for many years. He called it "The Geography of the Heavens," though being a Greek scholar he knew he should be criticised for the name, but yielded to his publishers' preference. The "Celestial Atlas" which accompanied it is used at the present day, and some of our noted astron- omers are even now referring to this work as giv- ing them their first taste for the study. Prof. S. W. Burnham, formerly of the Lick Observatory, now a member of the Yerkes Observatory staff, and the greatest "double star" man, living or dead, who ever placed his eye to a telescope, found his first ncentive in this work. While walking along the street in New Orleans one day, during the sixties, Mr. Burnham noticed an auctioneer crying off books, and at Burnham passed this auctioneer held up a book, saying, "How much am I offered or Burritt's 'Geography of the Heavens?'"

To which Burnham replied, "Fifty cents." "Sold," said the auctioneer. Mr. Burnham at once began to read in this (to him) entirely new line of work, and as a result he is now the greatest astronomer in his line.

It was under his brother's teaching that Elihu Burritt gained his first inspiration to higher study. The difference of nineteen years in their ages, coupled with uncommon intellect and thorough ed- ucation in the elder brother, easily accounts for the fact that Elihu always looked up to him as his su- perior, and referred to the time spent in his broth- er's academy as a pivotal period, when the thirst for learning already awakened in him as a boy in- creased to the extent of turning his life to its pur- suit.

Mr. Burritt also published some tables, called "The Universal Multiplier." Besides being one of the greatest scientists of his day, he was, in every way, a leader among men, of commanding presence, and had he lived to the age of his brother Elihu the world would have known as much or more of his name and works. He died in an un- fortunate expedition to Texas, at the comparatively early age of forty-six years.

PHILO SUMNER BREWER, a well-known farmer of Silver Lane, East Hartford, was born on his present farm Jan. 27, 1836, and descends from a family that came to America in the "Mayflower." In fact the Brewer family traces their name in Eng- land back to William the Conqueror's time, and even to Normandy, as will be seen by a perusal of the followng copy of a letter from Rev. Dr. Cobham Brewer, of England, to Mrs. Emma W. (Brewer) Bidwell, of Connecticut.

EDWINSTONE RECTORY, NEWARK (England), ¿ 18 March 1886.

DEAR MADAM: I have been ill, or I would have answered your letter before.

In Rymer's " Foedora" (a collection of laws and other historic documents), the name Brewer occurs over and over again as one of the signatories to grants, etc., by William the Conqueror. Evidently the family was one of the high court officials under that King. William, Henry and John, are the most common christian names. and the surname is spelled sometimes Brewer, and sometimes Bruar, Bruyer, Bruer and Bruyere. They certainly came over from Normandy with William, and were people of considerable consequence. In the reign of Henry V, a John Brewer married the elder daughter of John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, whence the name Cobham Brewer. The Kent estate (Cobham Park) would have come down in this line, but Lord Cobham was executed as a Wycliffite, the first of the martyrs, and his estates were confiscated to the Crown. Of illustrious ancestors, Anton y Brewer, the poet, who wrote the drama of the " Five Senses" (1620), in which Oliver Cromwell took part, is of historic notoriety. Cromwell performed Tashus, in which part occur the lines:

" Roses and bays pack hence! This crown and robe My brows and body circles and invests; How gallantly it fits me!"

The family in France, called de la Bruyere, is the same, and the famous Le Clerc de la Bruyere, author (1715-

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1754), is well known. When I lived in Paris I was always called Mon. de Docteur Bruyere.

In any full biographical dictionary will be seen the name of half a dozen other celebrities of the same name. I cannot help you with the settlers in the United States. 1 only know that some of the name settled there in the sev- enteenth century and went over in the " Mayflower."

The chief coats of arms are: The Kent Brewers and Devonshire Brewers To the former I belong, and the com- mon names are William, John and Henry. The most com- mon names of the Devonshire Brewers are Samuel and Anthony, but the two have been traced to one root by a Miss Brewer, of Devon, who wrote me on the subject about a year ago. In Burke's " General Armory " the Devonshire arms are "Gu; two bands waved, the first ar., the second or. Crest. a mermaid with mirror and comb ppr." The Kent fam- ily is " Gu., two bends wavy or, a canton vaire. Crest, out of a mural coronet a hand and arm couped at the elbow, hab- ited gu., billette or, holding in the hand ppr., a battle axe ar." This is the crest I use.

Besides these two lines, Burke gives the London and Somerset Brewer family: "Gu., two bends wavy or; a chief vaire a mullet for diff. Crest, a syren (charged with a mul- let for diff.), her human part ppr., her tailed scaled or: and gu., divided by parallel lines, wavy." The Norfolk and Bemondsey Brewer family, the same (without the mullet). Burke gives another family, without county. "Ar. a lion ramp. tail, forcheé gu." And under Bruer (another spell- ing), "Gu, two bars wavy or. Crest, a mermaid, ppr.' The Kent Brewers are the oldest, as the arm is older than the navy, and the arm with the battle-axe is older than the mermaid.

As I said before, the Kent Brewers came over with Will- am the Conqueror, but the Devonshire family was ennobled n the reign of Elizabeth.

My brother, Dr. William Brewer, has gone into the sub- ject far more fully, and has traced the tree up to Henry V, but he died last year. Probably his widow (address George street, Hanover Square, London), can give you further information.

I remain, Your faithfully,

E. COBHAM BREWER.

P. S .- My elder brother is the Sherren Brewer (from Col. Sherren of the Guards, the mother's side); my family is the Cobham Brewer, from John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham. The name Brewer-Plantagenet.

Having thus introduced the original Brewer fam- ily to the reader, a recountal of the history of the family in America may now be made. The first of the name in this country is supposed to have come over in the "Mayflower"(but this is uncertain), and it is well known that they were among the early settlers of Massachusetts, come by what vessel they might. The first record of any in Connecticut shows that they settled in Middletown in 1672. The earliest available record in New England regarding the family, dated at Roxbury, Mass., shows that Joanna Brewer, said to have come about 1633, died in 1688, the widow of Daniel Brewer, and aged eighty- seven years. Daniel was one of three original Brewer brothers who came from England, and was known first at Roxbury and then at Ipswich, Mass., in 1642, and had brought a family with him when he came to America. There was also a Thomas Brewer, presumably a brother of Daniel, and a Thomas Brewer, son of Thomas, was born about 1658 at Lynn, Mass., and settled in Middletown, Conn., in 1682. From him our subject traces his ancestry in the following manner :

Thomas Brewer, ancestor of nearly all the Con-

necticut Brewers, was living in Lynn, Mass., in 1672, at the age of fourteen years, and later became a resi- dent of Glastonbury. He married, July 13, 1682, Sarah (last name unknown), and they had ten chil- dren, born as follows: Mary, July 28, 1684; Thomas, Feb. 17, 1686-87 ( was married May 4, 1710, to Sarah, daughter of Richard Goodale) ; Hezekiah, Feb. 23, 1690; Sarah, Dec. 9, 1692; Jo- seph, march 20, 1694-95 (married Dinah Smith May 29, 1727) ; Benjamin, Aug. 13, 1697; Daniel, March 25, 1699 (mentioned below) ; Lydia, July 27, 1701 ; Aome or Naomi, Sept. 28, 1703; and Alexander, Oct. 5, 1706 (died in Middletown, in 1750, leaving a widow, Thankful). The son Joseph administered his father's estate, valued at £109, 8s, 6d.

Daniel Brewer, son of Thomas, was probably a resident of Middleown, as his will was dated at that place, Jan. 19, 1749, and the record also says that he "purchased one acre of land near the plains and adjoining river at Churchells Landing, now Good- speeds, Portland, Conn., of Joanna Wilcox, 1727, and paid fio." He married Eleanor Goodale, and their children were Hezekiah, born Sept. 26, 1725' (who lived in East Haddam in January, 1754) ; Eleanor, Jan. 2, 1727; Edward, Aug. 24, 1728; Richard, Feb. 21, 1730; Daniel, May 3, 1731 (men- tioned below) ; David, Feb. 15, 1736; Seth, May 21, 1738; Remembrance, March 2, 1741; and Joanna, June 29, 1743.

Daniel Brewer (2), son of Daniel, married (first) Anna Van Sant, and by that union had one child, Daniel (3), who is mentioned below. On. Jan. 19, 1752, Daniel (2) married Ruth Strickland, by whom he had two children: Richard, born in 1753, and William, born in 1756.

Daniel Brewer (3), born May 14, 1751, settled in East Hartford, in the lane that lies between the home of the late Selden Brewer and the Connecticut river. He reared a large family, as follows: (1) Thankful, born Aug. 18, 1773, married Joseph Smith, and died March 25, 1805. (2) Samuel, born Feb. 18, 1776, was one of the wealthiest farm- ers and most prominent men of East Hartford, and the brick residence now occupied by his grandchil- dren was one of the finest houses of the town at the time of its erection. He served the town three terms as selectman from 1819, and four terms as repre- sentative from 1830. On Oct. 4, 1797, he married Prudence Damon, who was born May 15, 1778, and for his second wife he wedded Elizabeth W. Roberts He died May 8, 1847. (3) Reuben, born Feb. 25 1778, married Eunice Hills. (4) Anne, born Jan 21, 1782, married Reuben Smith, of East Hartford, (5) Abigail, born May 10, 1784, married Jame; Hills, of East Hartford. (6) Betsey, born Nov. 27 1786, married Russell Taylor, of Glastonbury. (7) Allen, born March 23, 1789, married Velina Bidwell (8) Emalia, born Aug. 18, 1791, died Feb. 25, 1798 (9) Lucy, born Feb. 12, 1794, married Matthia. Treat, of East Hartford. (10) Daniel, born Feb 22, 1796, married Sarah Viets. (11) Emalia (2)

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born April 9, 1798, married Alvin Vibberts. (12) George, born July 6, 1800, is mentioned below.

George Brewer, father of our subject, was reared on the farm now occupied by the Selden Brewer heirs. He attended the common schools a short term each winter, and his summer seasons were devoted to hard, steady labor, on the homestead until his marriage, Sept. 12, 1820, to Sarah Treat, who was born Sept. 7, 1794, and who bore her hus- band four children, born as follows : Elisha C., Nov. 5, 1821 ; Omri P., Sept. 4, 1823; Albert F., Sept. 4, 1825; and George C., Sept. 13, 1827. Mrs. Sarah (Treat) Brewer died Oct. 8, 1828, and Feb. 22, 1829, Mr. Brewer for his second wife married Mrs. Fannie Stevens, widow of Jason Stevens, of Glastonbury, by whom she was the mother of two children, Cor- nelia H. and Abigail S. To this second marriage were born eight children : Delia, James F., Sarah A., Philo S. (our subject), Eliza A., Jason, John M., and William H.

Philo S. Brewer's earlier education was received at the district school. Later he attended the East Hartford Academy until seventeen years of age, when he returned to his father's farm and after- wards took up the trade of a shoemaker, serving his apprenticeship under George Risley, whose shop stood on the hill south of James F. Comstock's place. Soon after Mr. Brewer erected a shop upon the grounds now occupied by his residence, and carried on fine shoemaking successfully for thirteen years, or until the Civil war broke out and paralyzed this industry. He then turned his attention to tobacco- growing, in 1864 purchasing a portion of the old homestead. As a thrifty and progressive tobacco- grower Mr. Brewer is among the most successful in town. He is highly respected as a selfmade man, and as a man of sterling character, upright and hon- orable as a citizen ; keen, honest and reliable as a business man, one whose name among the towns- people stands without a blemish.

On Sept. 29, 1857, Mr. Brewer married Miss Mary Hurlburt, a native of Glastonbury, and a daughter of Austin and Ann (Risley) Hurlburt, which union has been blessed with seven children : (1) Fannie A., born Sept. 16, 1859, died Sept. 3, 1861. (2) Herbert E., born Aug. 27, 1861, died June 8, 1862. (3) Kate H., born April 16, 1863, died Nov. 26, 1863. (4) Minnie A., born April 10, 1865, died Sept. 14, 1865. (These children lie buried in the Hockanum cemetery ). (5) Everett P ... born Jan. 18, 1869, is an employe of the firm of Olds & Whipple, Hartford, Conn. ; he married Grace G. Burt, of Longmeadow, Mass., and had two chil- dren, Philip E., who died Sept. 12, 1899, and Wen- dall H., born June 25, 1900, now living in Hocka- hum. (6) Ellena H., born Sept. 29, 1874, is living at home. (7) Leslie L., born April 21, 1879, is studying law at Yale University (New Haven, Conn. ).

Mr. Brewer is a very popular citizen. In politics ne is a Democrat, and has filled several local offices

with credit to himself, being now treasurer of the Cemetery committee. For four or five years he was a member of the board of relief, and was elected a justice of the peace, but declined to serve. He is a charter member of the East Hartford Grange, has served as its treasurer, and has made himself useful in many other ways. The family attend the South Congregational Church, of which Mrs. Brewer, her daughter and sons are members, and to the support of which Mr. Brewer contributes most liberally.

WALTER BREWER DORMAN, a well-known blacksmith and farmer of Newington, was born in Farmington, Hartford Co., Conn., May 25, 1838, a son of Israel and Esther (Stone) Dorman, natives of Burlington, who are now deceased, their remains being interred in Farmington. In their family were five sons : Rodney, Alford, Julius, Austin and Wal- ter B. The father was a trapper, hunter and farmer. Until seventeen years of age our subject assisted his father in the operation of the home farm. In Farmington he learned the blacksmith's trade with Celar Westcott, who married his sister Katherine, and remained with him for five years. He then went to Winsted, Conn., where he worked for a Mr. Hall four or five months, and later was employed at his trade in Cheshire and Waterbury until June, 1862. On the 24th of the following August he enlisted in Company C, 14th Conn. V. I., but was soon trans- ferred to Company E, and played B bass or baritone in the regimental band. From Waterbury he went to Hartford, and from there started with his reg- iment to the front Aug. 25, arriving at Antietam Sept. 17. The 14th Conn. was one of the hardest fighting regiments in the army, and among the en- gagements in which he participated were the battles of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862; Chancellorsville, May 2-3, 1863 ; Gettysburg, July 2-3, 1863 ; Wilder- ness, May 5-6, 1864; Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; and Petersburg, June 17, 1864. They were in active service until Lee's surrender, April 10, 1865, and were honorably discharged June 25, 1865. After the war Mr. Dorman worked for his brother- in-law, Mr. Westcott, for about a year. In 1868 he built his present shop on Maple avenue, Newington, on the Hartford and New Haven turnpike, and there he has since made his home, owning and operating thirty-seven acres of land in connection with work at his trade. For several years he devoted consider- able attention to tobacco culture, but now raises prin- cipally tomatoes for the cannery, potatoes. corn, etc.

Mr. Dorman was married, Oct. 25, 1865, to Miss Abbie Rockwell, who was born Jan. 6, 1834, in an old house which stood on the site of their present comfortable home in Newington. Her parents, Robert and Harriet ( Whapples) Rockwell, are now cleceased and buried in Newington. Mr. and Mrs. Dorman have had three children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Robert Walter, Nov. 28, 1866; Louis Westcott, April 19, 1868; and Ilar- riet Rockwell, Oct. 6. 1869. The daughter became

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Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Pt 1, Part 121

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1336

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1336