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 160

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 160

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native of Glastonbury. Of their eight children : ( 1) Harvey married Mary Dickinson, of Marlboro, and lived and died in that town; (2) George mar- ried Mary Gay, and settled on the homestead in Glastonbury; (3) Eliza married George Rust, of Hartford, a mason by trade; (4) Honor married George Rust after the death of her sister Eliza; (5) Lucinda married Edwin Bunce, of Manchester, a paper-maker by occupation ; (7) our subject was next in the order of birth; (8) Benjamin married Maria Gay, and is now a farmer in Bolton.

Our subject was born Feb. 20, 1822, on the old homestead. He had but limited schooling, as his parents were poor, and at an early age he began to support himself. He made his home with his brother George until he reached the age of twenty- one years, when he was employed by James Goslee, of Glastonbury, receiving $1Io for the first year, and $125 for the second. After working for differ- ent employers in Glastonbury he spent about eight months in Torrington, and then, having married, lic settled in Glastonbury, renting the farm of Waite Hale for three years. In 1850 he bought ninety acres from Orrin. Hale, and to this he has added until he now has 119 acres.

Politically Mr. Tryon is a Democrat, but he voted for Lincoln. He was on the board of select- men in 1879-80, and has served as justice of the peace and grand juror. He and his family attend the Buckingham Congregational Church. Mr. Tryon was married (first) in 1849, to Miss Eunice Wells, a native of East Hampton, who died Dec. 12, 1887, and was buried in South Manchester. He married ( second) Miss Margaret Russell, who was born Dec. 25, 1863, in County Armagh, Ireland, and came to America in 1887. They have four chil- dren : Jane, Cornelia, Nathaniel Russell, Joseph and Charles Howard.

ELMER ENOS AUSTIN. a successful and enterprising business man of Berlin, where he is conducting a first-class meat market and vegeta- ble business on Hudson street, is one of the useful members of society-a man whose citizenship is appreciated.

Mr. Austin was born April 21, 1866, at the Austin homestead, on the Hartford and New Haven turnpike, in the town of Berlin, son of George Caleb and Prudence (Nott) Austin, born the former June 19, 1824, in Wallingford, Conn., and the latter on Oct. 29, 1826, in Berlin. The fa- thier, leaving his native town when quite young,. lived for a time in Wethersfield, and thence went to Berlin. By trade and occupation he was a shoe- maker and farmer.

The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, and received only a limited education, prin- cipally in the old Fifth District school prior to his fourteenth year, also attending for a time night school in New Britain. Beginning life for himself at the early age of fourteen, on rented land, as a

market gardener, he followed the business until nineteen, at which age he went to Florida, where he passed a year in farming and teaming. Re- turning to Connecticut he entered as polisher the factory of P. & F. Corbin, New Britain. One year later he returned to Berlin, where until 1892 he was engaged in a general teaming and trucking busi- ness. In October of that year he engaged 111 the retail meat business, which he has continued to this time, later adding to it a vegetable department. In 1898 he erected on Hudson street a modern home and place of busi- ness, where can be found anything and everything in his line, and of the very best quality obtainable. He is a live man, enterprising and public-spirited, and enjoys the respect and esteem of the community at large. Politically he is a stanch Republican, his faher before him being a Whig and Republican. Our subject was elected a justice of the peace in 1894, and so acceptable were his services that he has been twice re-elected to that office, and is now serv- ing a third term. Religiously his own and his wife's affiliations are with the Congregational Church, in which both are active and earnest workers. Mr. Austin is a member of the church choir, and both are members of the Christian Endeavor Society. He is affiliated with Pequot Council, Senior O. U. A. M., at Berlin, and having passed the chairs is now a member of the State Council ; is a member of Mattabessett Lodge, No. 25, K. of P., at East Ber- 1111, and is also a member of the Berlin Grange, of the Society of Good Templars, and of the Foresters of America.

On June 1, 1887, Mr. Austin was married to Miss Nellie Emma Warner, born Sept. 29, 1868, at Kensington, a daughter of Hon. Andrew J. and Alice M. (Healy) Warner, of Kensington. Mr. Warner, whose death occurred Dec. 28, 1887, was one of the prominent and influential citizens of his town, having been elected, on the Democratic ticket, to many of the town offices, and for five terms rep- resented the town in the General Assembly. He was a stanch Democrat. He was one of the orig- inal employees of the Hart, Bliven & Meade Co., in whose employ he remained for a period of thirty years.

To our subject and his wife have come the fol- lowing children : Andrew Willis, born Aug. 1, 1889; Ruth, born June 15, 1891, died July 7, 1891 ; and Elmer Raymond, born June 19, 1894.

HON. CHESTER RANDOLPH WOOD- FORD, one of Avon's most respected citizens, is the oldest living representative of an honored pio- neer family, and was born at his present home- stead Oct. 26, 1814. He is of the seventh genera- tion in descent from Thomas Woodford, a native of England, who came to America at an early date, locating first at Cambridge, Mass. In 1633 Thomas Woodford came to Hartford with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company, and during his residence there

Chester Randolph Woodford.

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he took an active part in the affairs of the Colony, serving as town crier, fence viewer, and in other offices. He married Mary Blott March 4, 1635. In 1654 he removed to Northampton, Mass., where he became a proprietor, and his death occurred there in 1667. He had three children: Hanna, who was married, in 1659, to Samuel Adams ; Sarah, who was married, in 1664, to Neamiah Allen ; and Joseph.

Joseph Woodford, the next in the line of de- scent, was born in Hartford, and in 1666 removed to Farmington, where he became an extensive land owner and farmer. He died there in 1701, and was buried in what is now known as "Cider Brook cemetery." He married Rebecca Newell, and nine children were born to them: (1) Mary, who died in 1723, was married in 1693 to Thomas Bird, of Farmington; (2) Rebecca was married in 1696 to John Porter, son of Daniel C. Porter, M. D .; (3) Esther, who died in 1742, was married, in 1696, to Samuel Bird; (4) Sarah married Nathan Bird, and died in 1750; (5) Hannah was married, in 1699, to Thomas North, of West Avon; (6) Jo- seph, born in 1677, is mentioned below ; (7) Eliza- beth, born in 1682, was married, in 1707, to Nathan Cole, of Newington, Hartford county; (8) Susan was married, in 1707, to Deacon Anthony Judd ; (9) Abigail, born in 1685, died in 1736. She was married, in 1710, to Caleb Cole, who was a mem- ber of the Original Church of Kensington, Con- necticut.

Joseph Woodford (2) was born in 1677 in Farmington, in the Society of Northington, now Avon, and settled in what is now known as Nod, where he owned a large tract of land, and was en- gaged in farming. He died in 1760, and was buried in Cider Brook cemetery. Ile was a prominent member of the church, and one of its organizers. In 1700 for his first wife he married Lydia Smith, and his second wife was Mrs. Sara Garrett, who died in 1769, at the ripe old age of one hundred and one years. He had a large family of children, the first being (1) an infant who died in 1702; (2) Lydia, born in 1702, was married, in 1722, to William Hooker, a graduate of Yale College: (3) Mary, born in 1704, died in childhood; (4) Jo- seph, born in 1705, was married, in 1728, to Sarah North, of Berlin, Conn., who died in 1783. The children by the second wife were as follows: (1) Elizabeth, born in 1707, was married, in 1727, to Thomas Case; (2) Mary, born in 1709, was mar- ried, in 1728, to Deacon Isaac North; (3) Susanna was married, in 1741, to John North; (4) Re- becca, born in 1711, died in infancy ; (5) Samuel, born in 1712, died in 1758, married, in 1735, Mary Thomson; (6) Sarah, born in 1714, married, in 1733, Deacon Josiah Woodruff, of East Farms, and died in 1790; (7) John, born in 1718, died in 1802, and his wife, Sarah Phelps, died in 1809; (8) Will- iam is mentioned below.

Capt. William Woodford, our subject's great-

grandfather, was born in 1722 in Northington So- ciety, in the town of Farmington, and became a lcading citizen and prominent agriculturist, owning a large amount of real estate. During the Revolu- tionary war he was captain of a company. In 1745 he married Susanna Garrett, and both were active members of the Congregational Church for many years. He died in 1803, and was buried in the Cider Brook cemetery. Of his twelve chil- dren, William married, first, Esther Wilcox, who (lied in 1790, in 1791 married Mary North, who died in 1802, and his third wife was Esther Mar- shall; Esther was born in 1749; Deacon Elijah, born in 1751, was married, in 1774, to Mary Bishop, and died in 1820; Dudley, born in 1753, is men- tioned below; Lydia, born in 1759, was married, i11 1776, to Samuel Blakesley, of Woodbury ; Lucy, born in 1756, was married, in 1778, to Levi Thom- son ; Anna, born in 1;33, was married, in 1777, to Moses Woodruff; Samuel, born in 1760, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and died in 1818 (he was married, in 1783, to Olive Miller) ; Charlotte, born in 1762, married (first) Oliver Marshall, and (second) Solomon Buell ; Selah, born in 1764, was married, in 1785, to Sarah Hutchin- son, and died in 1841 ; Susanna was born in 1765; Aphia, born in 1767, was married, in 1803, to Pre- served Marshall, and died in 1817.

Capt. Dudley Woodford, the grandfather of our subject, was born on the old homestead in 1753, and died in 1803. He was a large land owner and farmer, and spent his entire life on the homestead. Like his father, he was active during the Revolu- tion, and was also captain of a company, and as a citizen he enjoyed the respect of the community. In 1774 he married Elizabeth Ford, by whom he liad two children: Roxanna, born in 1775, mar- ried James Hutchinson ; Susanna, born in 1777, mar- ried a Mr. Sturdevant. By his second marriage, to Candace North, Capt. Woodford had the follow- ing children : Amasa, born in 1780, married (first) Almira Beach, (second) Nancy Woodford, and (third) Fanny Woodford, and died in 1862; Ches- ter, born in 1782, is mentioned below ; Oliver, born in 1785, married Orphia Robinson; Seth, born in 1787, died in 1808; Elizabeth, born in 1792, mar- ried Benjamin Bishop; Anna Ford, born in 1797, died in 1815; Sarah North was married, in 1820, to Hiram Hart; Nancy, born in 1801, died in 1804.

Chester Woodford, father of our subject, was born in 1782, and after receiving a district-school education settled on the old homestead, making farming his life occupation. He was a prominent member of the Congregational Church, and a Democrat in politics. He died at his farm in 1833, and his remains were buried in Avon cemetery. In 18IT he married Stella Bishop, a lady of re- fined character, who proved a devoted mother, and a loving wife. She died in 1887, at the ripe old age of ninety-seven. They had five children : Seth Fitch, born in 1812, died in 1898; Chester R. is

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mentioned below; Samuel, born in 1817, married Clara Keeney, of West Hartford; Sarah Ann, born in 1819, married Lucius S. Bisnop; Stella Eliza, born in 1824, married Thomas Carr, of New Haven.

Chester R. Woodford was reared at the home- stead, and educated in the district and select schools of the locality. He spent several years traveling in New York, New Jersey and Maryland, as col- lector and salesman for a clock company, and in 1838 went to Illinois, where he was engaged in the clock business and fur trade with his uncle, Joseph Bishop, now of West Hartford. In 1841 hic returned to his native town, where he bought a liundred-acre tract known as the Webster farm; here for the past fifty-eight years he has been en- gaged in the growing of tobacco and dairying. He was the first tobacco grower in the town of Avon, and dealt extensively in tobacco for a number of years as a member of the firm of Wheeler & Co. He is president of the Avon Creamery, was one of the originators of the enterprise, and is noted for his progressive ideas.

In 1858 Mr. Woodford was elected to the State Legislature, and he has also served as justice of the peace and selectman, tax collector five years, and assessor for more than twenty years. Although mainly self-educated he is well-read upon current topics, and as a business man he is respected for his honesty and integrity. For sixty-seven years he has been a member of the Congregational Church, with which his family has been identified from an carly period. He cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren, and since the formation of the Republican party he has been a stanch supporter.

In 1840 Mr. Woodford was married, in Avon, to Harriet Webster, daughter of Ashbel and Esther ( Bissell) Webster, and granddaughter of Ashbel Webster. She died in 1898, and was buried in Avon cemetery. Her life was a manifestation of a beautiful Christian character, and she was a woman of more than ordinary culture, having been a teacher previous to her marriage. Of the chil- dren born to their union, (1) Miss Mary Estella was educated in the district and select schools of Avon, and taught school for over thirty years in Fast Windsor, Simsbury, West Avon, Southington and Avon, and in Lewis' Academy. She is a lady of culture and refinement and genial disposition, and is now housekeeper for her father. She is a member of the Congregational Church. (2) Anna Maria married Dr. A. S. Oberly. of Easton, Penn., medical inspector of the United States navy. (3) Frederick Gustavus, a lawyer, who died in 1880, married Isabell Bull. (4) Prescott Hamilton, born in 1851, was married, in 1886, to Laura Seeley, daughter of Rev. N. J. Seeley, and he now operates the home farm with his father. (5) Harriet Eliza- beth, born in 1854. taught school for a time, and was married. in 1874, to Charles McLean, who is now deceased. (6) Miss Carrie Annette, born in

1857, was educated in the district schools, and in the Young Ladies Seminary at Bordentown, New Jersey.

CHARLES W. HOLBROOK, manufacturer of school apparatus, now residing at Windsor Locks, is well known all over the United States. He has improved globes, numeral frames, tellurians and other mechanisms for demonstrating scientific facts to the younger mind, having won heartily the ap- proval of educators generally, and his latest patent, for the lunar tellurian, embodies great skill in the application of scientific principles, being capable of affording a large variety of illustrations concerning the phenomena of the heavenly bodies, while it is at the same time simple, easily handled, accurate and substantial. The manual which accompanies the invention gives over fifty propositions for ex- perimental study, all being expressed in a clear style, with technical phrases eliminated as far as possible. Mr. Holbrook gives his personal super- vision to the making of this instrument, and in fif- teen years less than one per cent of those sent out have been returned for any reason.

Mr. Holbrook belongs to a family which has long been distinguished in educational circles. His grandfather, Josiah Holbrook, was an associate of Horace Mann in the organization of the Boston school system. The genealogical records reach back to the settlement of Derby, Conn., where the ancestors of our subject made their homes in the wilderness, and helped to shape the influences which have brought about our present development. Jo- siah Holbrook was born and reared in Derby, and as a young man established a manual training and agricultural school in that town; but realizing the need of better supplies he removed to Roxbury, Conn., and engaged in the manufacture of mate- rials and apparatus for object lessons in schools. He was an idealist and enthusiast, and while engaged in this business attracted the warm approval of Horace Mann, who was then carrying out his great work. For some years they worked together, elaborating schemes for educational advancement which have already been of untold benefit to our people, and have given an impetus to our intellec- tual life that will not cease with our time. In 1840 Josiah Holbrook removed his business to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and later he located in Berea, that county. He was married at Derby, Conn., to Miss Lucy Swift, daughter of Parson Swift, and they had two sons, Alfred and Dwight. In 1843, on his retirement, the business was transferred to his sons, Alfred withdrawing a year later in order to engage in teaching, and for many years he has resided at Lebanon, Ohio, where he founded a school of wide reputation.

Dwight Holbrook, our subject's father, contin- tied his father's business at Berea until 1854, in which year he removed to Wethersfield, Conn., where for four years the goods were manufactured

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by contract in the State prison. In 1858 he settled at Windsor Locks, where the business has since been located, and in 1870 he was succeeded by our subject, his last years being spent in Chicago, Ill., where his death occurred in 1890. Ile was mar- ried in Berea to Miss Lydia Van Tyne, who died in 1859. and eleven children were born to this union, of whom five died in infancy; Helen L. resides in New Haven, Conn. ; Charles W. is the subject proper of this sketch; Zephania Swift is a resident of Cam- bridge, Mass .; Lucy M. resides in Worcester, Mass. ; Fred Alfred, of Evanston, Ill., is connected with the school furniture business ; and Lydia Van Tyne re- sides in Kansas.

After the removal of the business to Windsor Locks our subject became familiar with the details by practical work under his father's direction, and to his thorough knowledge of conditions and pro- cesses may be attributed his success, moderate though it has been.

The family is given to strong convictions and decided opinions. Mr. Holbrook has held several public offices, though never seeking any, being strongly averse to what are commonly known as political methods.

CHESTER M. HILLS, the leading tinsmith of East Hartford, and a descendant of one of the old- est of Connecticut families, mention of whom is made in various parts of this work, was born on Pearl street, Hartford, Nov. 19, 1840, and is a son of Ashbel and Cynthia ( French) Hills.

Ashbel Hills was born in Hockanum, March IO, 1819, learned the trade of brickmason and plasterer under Col. Thomas Roberts, of Hartford, in which city Mr. Roberts resided until late in the 'forties, and then returned to Hockanum and followed his trade until 1872, when he abandoned it to engage in tobacco growing. He was a man of small stature, weighing about 150 pounds, had light hair, and in general complexion was what is usually denom- inated "sandy." Mrs. Cynthia ( French ) Hills was born in East Windsor, Feb. 8, 1818, was a daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Drake) French, farming people on Town street, and was married to Mr. Hills Oct. 2, 1839. Six children were born to Dan- iel and Nancy French: Laura, who married James Shipman : Cynthia, mother of our subject; Nancy, married to George Allen, a Universalist minister of Scitico, Conn .; Daniel, Jr., who married Martha French, and lived in Ellington ; Elam, who married Fannie Prior, and is living in Enfield ; and Allen, who married Cornelia Rockwood, and resides in Milwaukee, Wis. Mrs. Nancy French was called away Jan. 12, 1823; Daniel French died March 6, 1846, and the remains of both were interred in the Town Street cemetery, East Windsor. The chil- dren born to Ashbel and Cynthia Hills were three in number: Chester M., the subject of this sketch ; William P., of Hockanum; and Harriet, wife of Edward S. Risley, of Willow Brook. In politics

Ashbel Hills was first a Whig, later a Republican, and while a regular voter was never a seeker after office. He was a very active man, a first-class me- chanic, and a useful citizen, but gave up his trade early in the 'seventies for the purpose of growing tobacco, which was then a very profitable crop, and at this he continued until his death, which occurred Aug. 4, 1892. His widow still resides on the old homestead, is yet spry and possessed of an excel- lent memory, and is greatly respected by her neighbors.

Chester M. Hills was educated in the district school of Hockanum, and also attended one term at the East Ilartford Academy, which ended his schooling. In the spring of 1858 he began learning the tinsmith's trade at Hartford under Col. Thomas Roberts (the same man who had taught his father the brickmason's trade), and for the first year re- ceived $30; the second year, $35, and the third year $40, with board and washing each year. He finished his apprenticeship at the close of the third, and then worked as a journeyman in Hartford, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., until August, 1862, when, the Civil war being under full headway, he enlisted in Company C, Twenty-fifth Conn. V. I., and served until April 9, 1863, when he was disabled from a sprained foot, was confined in the University Hos- pital at New Orleans, and was never again in active service ; he was discharged with his regi- ment at Hartford in August, 1863.

After being honorably discharged from the army, Mr. Hills resumed his trade as soon as his injury permitted. On July 15, 1869, he mar- ried, in Gilead, Conn., Miss Josephine M. Hutchin- son, daughter of John B. and Lauretta (Jewett) Hutchinson, the former a member of one of the oldest families of Gilead. Mrs. Hills was educated at Mount Holyoke Academy, Mass., and at the age of sixteen years began teaching school, a vocation she followed with marked success for several years, her first year being compensated for at the rate of one dollar per week and "boarding around." To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hills has been born one son, John H., who graduated from the Hart- ford Public High School at the age of sixteen years.

Chester M. Hills continued to work as a jour- neyman at tinsmithing until the spring of 1877, when he established a shop for himself at East Hart- ford Meadow, which he conducted until in Decem- ber, 1896, when he removed to East Hartford and opened his present business place, and also bought the Watrous place on Main street, one of the most pleasant and best situated homes in the town. As a rule Mr. Hills has always been a Republican, but is somewhat indifferent as to politics. Fraternally he is a member of Orient Lodge, No. 62, F. & A. M., and was a charter member of D. C. Rodman Post, No. 65. G. A. R., at East Hartford, in which he has held office from quartermaster sergeant up to com- mander. Mr. and Mrs. Hills are members of the

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Congregational Church, and Mrs. Hills is one of the most active members of the W. C. T. U. that this humane and deserving association has within its ranks, and is everywhere recognized for her amiability and honored for her untiring efforts to do all the good within her power for the welfare of her fellow-creatures. Mr. Hills is a quiet, unassuming gentleman, a reliable business man, of unblemished integrity, and is held in the highest regard by hosts of friends throughout his town.

WILLARD SPENCER BARNES, a well- known mason and general jobber of Plantsville, was born in Cheshire, Conn., Jan. 20, 1855, and is a de- scendant of one of the oldest and most highly re- spected families of Southington.

Luther Barnes, his father, was born in the Marion District of that town, Sept. 7, 1828, and was there reared to manhood, learning the mason's and plasterer's trades, which he followed for many ycars. Since 1883 he has been engaged in the con- crete paving business. During the Civil war he entered the Union army as a member of Company A, 20th Conn. V. I., and after two years of faithful and meritorious service was honorably discharged. In September, 1849, he married Miss Harriet Neale, daughter of Leonard Neale, and to them were born four children who grew to maturity: Mary, wife of Paschal White ; Willard S. ; Dwight L. ; and Edwin.

Philo Barnes, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born March 2, 1782, and lived in the Marion District, Southington. He was twice mar- ried, his first wife being Amanda Pond, his second Electa Shepard, who was the grandmother of our subject. Asa Barnes, father of Philo, was born Aug. 24, 1745, and was married Oct. 30, 1765, to Phebe, daughter of Luther and Eunice (Andrews) Adkins. He lived in the Marion District, where he kept a tavern, was very popular in his business, and was known as Landlord Barnes. The officers of the French army made his house their headquarters while encamping for a short time on French Hill, and in honor of his guests he gave a ball, which at the time created some excitement. He was a son of Stephen Barnes, who was born Jan. 2, 1704, and was married Jan. 25, 1726, to Martha Wheadon, of Branford. He removed from Branford to Southing- ton in its early settlement, and located in what is now the Marion District, where he died March 27, 1777. His wife passed away March 18, 1773. and was the first one buried in the Plantsville cemetery. His parents, Stephen and Mary Barnes, came from Long Island to Branford, Connecticut.

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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 160

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