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 128

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 128

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JOHN SEWARD WILSON, D. D. S., of Bris- tol, at the head of his profession, with one of the best equipped offices in the State, was born in Cov- entry, Conn., Dec. 4, 1865, and is a son of John Daniel and Hannah (Dews) Wilson, the former of whom died in June, 1869; the latter, still living in Rockville, Conn., is a daughter of Joseph Dews, who was born in England.

John Daniel Wilson was an accomplished pat- ternmaker, and there now lie hid in the recesses of the patent office at Washington, D. C., many speci- mens of his taste and ingenuity. His death took place in Dayton, Ohio, where his daughter, Mary, also died at the age of three years, her remains be- ing interred in Northampton, while those of the fa- ther were buried in the city where he died. Upon the death of the father the family returned to Con- necticut and settled in Rockville, where John Seward, our subject, received a common-school education, but during the last three years of his school attendance was employed, outside his hours

of study, in the law office of Benezet H. Bill. About 1881 he entered the dental office of Dr. R. W. Rob- erts, of Rockville, was under instruction for two years, and then took a year's course at the Boston Dental College, upon graduating from which he opened an office for practice, in August, 1884, in Plainville, he being then not quite twenty years of age, and met with a sufficiently encouraging patron- age to detain him there six years. In 1890 the Doctor came to Bristol, and opened his office in the Linstead block.

The early loss of his father compelled Dr. Wil- son to rely upon his own resources and exertions, but he soon acquired a self-reliance that carried him over and beyond all obstacles in his way, and placed him at the head of his profession, acquiring for him a fine reputation, not only in the town of Bris- tol, but throughout the western part of the State, where he has an extended practice. The Doctor is a member of Reliance Council, No. 753, Royal Arcanum, of Bristol; of Ethan Lodge, No. 9, Knights of Pythias, of the same borough; of Put- nam Phalanx Society of Hartford; and of the Heptasophs.

The Doctor was married, May 12, 1887, to Miss Isabella Styles, daughter of James B. Styles, of Broad Brook, Hartford county, and to this union were born: Beledna Styles, Nov. 22, 1888; and Helen Seward, June 15, 1897. The Doctor and his family attend the Methodist Church, in which they own their pew, and to the support of which they liberally contribute. As to politics the Doctor is quite indifferent.

WILLIAM THOMAS FOLEY, now warden of Southington and superintendent of the shipping department of the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Co., was born in Cheshire, New Haven Co., Conn., March 28, 1856, and is a son of James and Margaret (South) Foley, both natives of Ireland, of Scotch- Irish parentage.

When a boy the father came to America, and lo- cated in Meriden, Conn., where he grew to man- hood. From there he went to Cheshire, where he followed farming, and later removed to Wolcott Hartford county. In 1868 he located in Southing- ton, where he engaged in farming, teaming, etc. and where he continued to make his home until his death, in 1883. He was married in Meriden, and his children were Margaret A., who married George Barker, and is now deceased; Henry P., now de- ceased ; James S .; William T .; Edward R., de ceased, who was a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal Church : Sarah E., wife of B. B. Sanford ; Johi C .; and Lillie L., wife of Lionel Crawford.

Our subject passed his boyhood and youth il Cheshire, Wolcott and Southington, and is indebted to the public schools of those towns for his educa tional advantages. He began his business career il the mechanical department of the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Manufacturing Co., where he was employed

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from 1871 to 1889, and in the latter year entered the shipping department as clerk, serving in that capacity until 1895, when he was appointed to his present position. He is one of the most trusted and faithful employes of the company, and has their entire confidence and respect.

In 1880 Mr. Foley was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Bertel Avery, a daughter of Lewis and Lucelia (Cowles) Avery, of Southington, and to this union have been born two sons: William Thomas, who died in infancy ; and Stanton Avery. Mr. Foley is a leading and active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Southington, and has been one of the trustees of same eight years, and treasurer of the church six years, holding both offices at the present time. He was elected first assistant foreman of the Southington Fire Depart- ment at its organization, in which capacity he served seven years, and as foreman of Hose Company No. I, four years. Mr. Foley served on the board of assessors one year, was burgess the same length of time, and in 1899 and 1900 was elected warden. In political sentiment he is a Republican, and a strong advocate of temperance, is pre-eminently pub- lic-spirited and enterprising, and all that pertains to the public welfare receives his hearty endorsement.

SAMUEL McCRUM is of Irish birth and de- scent, having been born in County Down, Ireland, Oct. II, 1854. Both his father, Moses McCrum, and grandfather, John McCrum, were born in the same county, in the old McCrum homestead, and both were linen-weavers by trade.

Moses McCrum was born in June, 1790, and died July 24, 1874, at the hale old age of eighty- four. While quite a young man he engaged in the coastwise trade, owning and sailing vessels plying between Ireland and Scotland. In this venture he was unfortunate, his first vessel being wrecked and his second burned ; and in 1815 he emigrated from Ireland to America, where he found work at his rade with a Mr. Baldwin, on the Hudson river, sub- equently becoming manager of the establishment. n 1825 he returned to his native country, where he passed the remainder of his life as a farmer. He vas three times married, Samuel, the subject of his biographical sketch, being the tenth child, and he youngest by the third wife, who was Jane Campbell, of Ireland.

As a boy Samuel McCrum attended the National chools, but found it necessary to assist his father on le farm. For farm work he developed such apti- ide that when but sixteen years old (his father then eing eighty years of age) the conduct of the prop- rty was placed in his charge. For five years he lanaged the farm, when he turned it over to the ire of his brother David. Conscious that his own irlier educational advantages had been somewhat rcumscribed, he next took a nine months' course f instruction at a school of higher grade, and at le end of that time resolved to cross the Atlantic

to visit his brothers, William and George, who had already emigrated, and were living in East Berlin. Accordingly he sailed from Liverpool Jan. 14, 1878, and landed in New York Jan. 26. One week he remained in the metropolis, and then came to his brother's home, his purse light-well-nigh empty-but he himself full of the vitality, confidence and courage incident to youth.

It had not been Mr. MeCrum's intention to stay in the United States, yet it was not long before he formed the resolution to remain in the New World. Before he could mature his plans, however, he was prostrated by scarlet fever, which confined him for nine weeks. Upon his recovery he went to New York, where for about sixteen months he was em- ployed as a shipping clerk by a wholesale hosiery firm. The work was not wholly to his liking, and he returned to East Berlin to enter the shears de- partment of the factory of Peck, Stow & Wilcox. For six years he continued in the same line of work, but the seventh year was prevented from engaging in active employment by sickness. After regaining his health he accepted a position with the Berlin Iron Bridge Co., and for eighteen months remained there. In 1885 he engaged in business on his own account, as proprietor of a meat market, but after nineteen months he abandoned the undertaking. Meanwhile, in 1882, he had bought six acres of land, and after quitting the butcher business he devoted himself, for a year, to its cultivation. The next three and a half years he spent in the service of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railway Co., as shipping clerk, and for the two years following Feb. 1, 1891, he was proprietor and manager of the "Sheffield Dairy," on Lenox avenue, in the city of New York. This business he disposed of by sale, and after living a year in Hartford, once more gravitated back to East Berlin. For a year he de- voted himself to farm work, and then entered the employ of the Iron Bridge Co. once more, being as- signed to the "laying-out" department. After three years devoted to this kind of work he resigned his position, once more to engage in business on his own account. In 1898 he opened a yard for the sale of coal and wood, adding to this line of trade gen- eral teaming and the sale of ice. He has been mod- erately successful, the exigencies of his business usually demanding the employment of five men. In 1897 he built for himself a well-planned modern residence on Main street, where he and his family have a pleasant, well-regulated home.

Mr. McCrum was married, Oct. 30, 1889, to Miss Martha Jane Wilson, of Watertown, Mass., who was born May 22, 1863. Her father was John Wilson, and her mother before marriage was Isabel Haslet. Their union has been blessed with one son and one daughter. The elder, Walter Isaac, was born May 18, 1891, and is attending school ; the younger, Elsie Wilson, was born May 10, 1896.

Politically Mr. McCrum is a Republican. In re- ligious belief and church membership he is a

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Methodist, his wife being a member of the Congre- gational Church. He is held in high esteem by his neighbors and townfolks, among whom he is widely known. He has accumulated enough to enable him to live comfortably, yet it is his industry and integ- rity that have endeared him to his fellow-citizens. For several years he was a member of the church committee ; he has also been a member of the school committee, and was constable for eight years, re- signing both these latter positions-that of con- stable in 1891. He is a member of Mattabessett Lodge, No. 25, K. of P., and of the East Berlin Literary and Athletic Association.

JOHN J. SEINSOTH, a leading pharmacist of Hartford, was born in New York City Dec. 18, 1861, but the greater portion of his life has been spent in this section.

The late L. Seinsoth, our subject's father, was a native of Baden, Germany, and received his educa- tion there. Having learned the tailor's trade he came to America in early manhood, locating in New York City in 1857. In 1866 he removed to Hart- ford, where he was employed for many years by U. H. Brockway, and he died there Dec. 29. 1899, at the age of seventy years, four months and ten days. He was a thorough American in spirit, like most of our German-born citizens, and in 1864 and 1865 served in the 12th New Jersey regiment. He married Miss M. Brenneissen, of Germany, who still resides in Hartford, and they had seven chil- dren, three dying in infancy: George H. died in 1892; John Jacob, our subject ; Emily A. married J. E. Officer, of Wethersfield ; and Frank A. is a resi- dent of Hartford.

During boyhood John J. Seinsoth attended the schools of Hartford, and on graduating from the High School, in 1880, began his business career as a clerk with Caleb Clapp, a druggist. In the fol- lowing year he entered the employ of Mr. Sawtelle, with whom he also remained a year, and after a year and a half in Bristol, Conn., he again clerked for Mr. Sawtelle for a short time. He then spent a year and a half in Bridgeport, with L. W. Booth, eight months in Hartford with Mr. Loeffler, several years with Mr. Sawtelle, and for five years and a half was manager of the drug store at the corner of Park and Main steets, Hartford, for Mr. Sawtelle. In December, 1891, he opened the drug store at the corner of Maple avenue and Congress streets, his thorough knowledge of business methods enabling him to make a success of the enterprise. On May 26, 1900, be removed to his present location, Nos. II-15 Main street, to be better able to take care of his increasing trade. Mr. Seinsoth is much inter- ested in ornithology, and has a fine collection of birds. He is a member of the City and State Phar- maceutical Associations, and socially is identified with St. John's Lodge, A. F. & A. M .; Connecticut Lodge, No. 94, I. O. O. F .; Median Encampment, No. 7; Canton Meridien; the Daughters of Re-

bekah; and was for years a member of the Society of the Sons of Veterans. He was married in Hartford to Miss Bertha L. Martin, daughter of Joseph Martin, a prominent resident of Manchester, Conn., and they have one child, Gertrude F.

JOHN BEASLY STACY is one of those fortunate men whose genial disposition attracts many friends, the sphere of whose personal influence is not limited to any class or creed, but whose force- ful and engaging character wins general recognition. He is a prominent citizen of Simsbury, a success- ful farmer and tobacco grower, and for eleven years has been supervisor of the public highways of that town1.

The Stacy family was among the early settlers of New England. Moses Stacy, the grandfather of our subject, was born at Sturbridge, Worcester Co., Mass., April 2, 1770, and there grew to man- hood on a farm. He removed to Belchertown, Hampshire Co., Mass., and there in 1792 married Zina Bardwell, who was born in Belchertown, Feb. 19, 1773. For several years after his marriage Moses Stacy engaged in farming at Belchertown. He then removed to Colebrook, N. H., where he also farmed. The family of Moses and Zina Stacy consisted of ten children, namely: Clarissa, born March 18, 1793, died Aug. 12, 1862; Moses, born July 7, 1795; Horace, born Dec. 27, 1797, died at Pelham, Mass., July 23, 1864; Zina, born May 31, 1800, died at Colebrook, N. H., July 9, 1852: Lucius, born Sept. 18, 1802, died at Colebrook March 19, 1831 ; Selah, born Nov. 25, 1804, died at Colebrook March 19, 1831; Permelia, born Jan 26, 1807, married Edmund Sykes, of Ludlow, Mass. died June 20, 1869; Elah, father of our subject born March 2, 1812; Martin, born April 9, 1814 died at Colebrook in 1839. Zina, the wife of Moses Stacy, died Jan. 12, 1841, and the latter then livec with his son Elah until his death at Windsor, Conn. in 1851.

Elah Stacy was reared to manhood on the home farm at Colebrook, N. H., and received a good common-school education. He followed farming as a life vocation, and in 1851 removed with his famı ily from his native State and county to Windsor Conn. Tobacco culture was then rising into im portance, and he purchased a tract of eighty-sever acres (which is now a portion of Keeney Park) and engaged in tobacco raising and general farm ing. In 1869 he sold this property, and purchase( the Case farm of 136 acres at Weatogue, Simsbury now owned by Frank P. Dodge, where he re mained, an active and successful farmer, stocl raiser and tobacco grower, until his death. Mr Stacy was married, in 1830, at Ellington, Tollano Co., Conn., to Elizabeth Beasly, a native of tha town, and daughter of John Dwight Beasly. The' had six children : Susan A., wife of John J. Hale of Onondaga county, N. Y .; Florette, who married E. F. Waterhouse, of Windsor, Conn., and is nov

John B Sirey

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deceased ; Henry, who died April 30, 1859, at Wind- sor; John B., the subject of this sketch; Emma F .; and Willard E., who married Julia Starkletter, and lives at New Haven. The mother died at Windsor, Conn., in 1859. Slie was a good Chris- tian woman, a member of the Baptist Church, and a faithful wife and devoted mother. For his sec- ond wife Elah Stacy married Sarah P. Jones, of Hartford, Conn., by whom he had no children. Elah Stacy was a member of the Baptist Church, and in politics was a Democrat. He was genial in disposition, temperate in habits, and noted for his honesty and upright character. He died March 28, 1883.

John Beasly Stacy, our subject, was born at Colebrook, Coos Co., N. H., Aug. 2, 1848, and was but three years old when he came with his parents in 1851 to Windsor, Conn. In that town he received his education, attending the public schools and also Windsor Academy, under Prof. Standish. During his minority he remained with his parents, assisting in the work of the farm. In 1870 Mr. Stacy started out for himself in life. At Wethersfield he found employment at brickmaking for W. S. White, of Hartford, and after a year at that vocation removed to the Watson Holcomb farm in the Union District, Simsbury, and for six years successfully managed that property. Deciding to farm his own property, Mr. Stacy in 1877 purchased the twenty-acre farm of Jay Tuller, in Weatogue. Later he bought the "Minister Brook farm," of eighty-one acres, and now operates over one hun- dred acres of land, on which he has built barns and tobacco sheds, and made other improvements, and is now engaged in tobacco culture, dairy and general farming, and similar industries.

At Hartford, April 20, 1871, Mr. Stacy married Miss Elizabeth H. Fish, a native of Windsor, daughter of Samuel A. and Helen M. (Hibbard) Fish, and granddaughter of Aaron Fish, of Wind- sor. Helen M. (Hibbard) Fish, the mother of Mrs. Stacy, was a daughter of Joel Hibbard, who was born in 1797, and died Dec. 31, 1871, and who married Elizabeth Cleveland, daughter of Jedediah Cleveland, of the same family from which ex-Presi- dent Cleveland descended. The Fish, Hibbard and Cleveland families have all been prominent in the history of the eastern part of Connecticut. Mr. and Mrs. Stacy have one child, Oliver H., who was born at Hartford March 3, 1872, and is now a draftsman in the office of Pratt & Whitney, Hart- ford. He was educated in the district schools and at McLean Seminary, in earlier life was a school teacher. and for four terms taught the schools at Simsbury. He married Hattie Vincent, who was born in Burke, N. Y., daughter of Zach- ariah Vincent, and to them has been born one child, Ila Beasly. Oliver H. Stacy is a young man of artistic temperament, whose talent has found ex- pression in painting. He also excels in crayon work, and some specimens of his brush, now in

the possession of his father, are highly prized, not only for their associations but for the evident man- ifestations of true art. He is admired not only for his talent but for his uniformly courteous demeanor. Industrious and painstaking, he is making his way steadfastly along the pathway which leads to suc- cess.

John B. Stacy, our subject, is in politics a Dem- ocrat. In 1883 he was elected selectman of Sims- bury, and filled that office most satisfactorily. In 1888 he was appointed supervisor of public high- ways of Simsbury, and has ever since filled that office, most creditably to himself and efficiently to the general public. Mr. Stacy is a member of St. Mark's Lodge, No. 36, F. & A. M., and also of Advance Grange, No. 22. Himself and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife is a lady of refinement and culture, whose many graces of character have made happy the home of our subject.

CHARLES HENRY FLAGG, a leading citi- zen and successful agriculturist of West Hartford, was born Dec. 11, 1840, in the house where he still resides, and comes of good old Revolutionary stock. His great-grandfather, Abijah Flagg, aided the Colonies in achieving their independence, as a member of Capt. Hart's company, of Farmington, Conn., and Col. Wolcott's regiment. He was sta- tioned at Boston from January until March, 1776, and was a pensioner in Hartford county from 1832 to 1840. He died at the ripe age of eighty-five years.

George Flagg, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier of the war of 1812. He was born in the North District of West Hartford, Dec. 9, 1782, was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, and also en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, owning and operat- ing a large farm. On Nov. 25, 1805, he married Ruth Elmer, who was born Dec. 30, 1784, and died May 17, 1860. The names and dates of birth of their children are as follows: Julia, May 23, 1806; George, Jr., Sept. 27, 1807 ; Gurdon, Nov. 14, 1809; Jane, Oct. 5, 1811 ; Franklin, Oct. 5, 1813; Jane, March 14, 1816; Ralph, May 23, 1818; Ralph, Oct. 17, 1821 ; Austin, Nov. 2, 1823; and Averlin, Dec. 15, 1825.

George Flagg, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in the old North District of West Hart- ford Sept. 27, 1807, and attended school there. After his marriage he removed to Utica, N. Y., where he engaged in farming for three years, and then re- turned to the North District of West Hartford. Two years later he bought the Solomon Porter farm, now occupied by our subject, and followed faming there until his death, April 22, 1863. On June 7, 1831, he wedded Miss Mary Goodman, who was born Jan. 6, 1806, and died June 23, 1879. They had six children : (1) Franklin A., born July 27, 1832, married Mary Langdon, who died Aug. 20, 1870, and he died Jan. 19, 1865. (2) Mary A.,

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born Jan. 15, 1834, was married April 11, 1854, to Edwin H. Arnold, and died Dec. 27, 1858. She had three children : Charles E., born April 20, 1855; Mary E., Dec. 11, 1857; and Addie S., Sept. 21, 1858. Mary E. Arnold was married Nov. 8, 1877, to Charles S. Mills, Jr., and they have one daughter, Edith A., born Nov. 11, 1878. (3) Elizabeth A., born July 22, 1836, now living at No. 118 Trumbull street, Hartford. (4) Lorenzo G., born May 25, 1838, was married in October, 1864, to Augusta A. Selden, and died Dec. 2, 1874, leaving four chil- dren, George E., who was born Aug. 23, 1865, and was married in 1891 to Nettie Root ( have one child, Edward Buell, born Jan. 6, 1892) ; Franklin S., born Dec. 24, 1868; William L., born July 3, 1871 ; and Charles E., born Oct. 16, 1873. (5) Charles H., our subject, is next in order of birth. (6) Julia A., born Dec. 15, 1844, was married Oct. 12, 1870, to T. Everett Stanley, and died Dec. 2, 1873.

Reared on the home farm, Charles H. Flagg was educated in the East District school of West Hartford, and the old academy at West Hartford Center. He aided his father in the operation of the farm until Sept. 20, 1862, when he enlisted for nine months' service, at Hartford, in Company D, 22nd Conn. V. 1., and with his regiment was sent to the defense of Washington, D. C. He was mus- tered out at Hartford July 7, 1863, and returned home. Since then his time and attention have been devoted uninterruptedly to agricultural pursuits upon the old homestead, and his well-directed labors have been crowned with success. In West Hartford he was married, Oct. 17, 1867, to Miss Caroline W. Robbins, who was born in Monroeville, Ala., and is a daughter of George and Ann ( Stanley) Robbins, natives of Rocky Hill and West Hartford, Conn., respectively. Fraternally Mr. Flagg is an honored member of Robert O. Tyler Post, G. A. R., of Hart- ford ; politically is a stanch Republican. He most creditably and acceptably served as assessor of West Hartford from 1877 to 1898, and was chairman of the board for twelve years.

WILLIAM HILL, agent for the Collins Com- pany, the well-known manufacturers of Collinsville, has held that responsible position since 1891, and enjoys the entire confidence of the firm, having risen to liis present post through various positions in their business.

Mr. Hill was born April 10, 1860, in Brooklyn, N. Y., son of Charles E. Hill, and grandson of William Hill, the latter born Feb. 28, 1799, in Maine, of which State his wife, Elizabeth ( Buffum) , was also a native, born about 1804. She died in 1854, but he lived to be over eighty, passing away May 12, 1881. Their children who grew to maturity were Charles E., Elizabeth A., Mary R., and Edward. Charles E. Hill was born in 1827 in New Hamp- shire, moving thence to Maine in early childhood. He died in 1893, and is buried in Brooklyn, N. Y. He married Susan T. Wilbur, who was born in

1835, in Rhode Island, and died in 1880, and they reared the following children : William, George E., Herbert W., and Susan F.

William Hill graduated in 1882 from the School of Mines of Columbia College, taking the degree of Civil Engineer. At the age of twenty-two years he located in Collinsville, and took a position in the steel works of the Collins Company, spending sev- eral years in practical work there. In 1885 he was appointed assistant superintendent under Charles H. Blair, and held this position until he undertook his present duties, in 1891. He has won many friends in the community, and he and his wife are members of the Congregational Church, in which he is at present serving as a committeeman. His manner is genial, yet quiet, and without being ag- gressive he is to be found on the side of progress, the temperance movement especially enlisting his sympathy. Politically he is a Republican, and he has served as a member of the district committee and of the local school board.

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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 128

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