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 53

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 53

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All his life Mr. Sessions was identified with important concerns of the town. In 1875 he was one of the founders of the Bristol National Bank, and was elected its first president, a position he held up to the time of his decease-almost a quarter of a century. Another of his enterprises was the Bristol Water Co., of which he was president at the time of his death; was one of the organizers

and original stockholders of the Bristol Electric Light Co., and was president thereof until it merged into the Bristol and Plainville Tramway Co .; was a stockholder in the Bristol Press Publishing Co., and a director of and stockholder in various other corporations in Bristol.

"Besides being a most important factor in finan- cial life of the town, he was no less a potent force in its moral and religious life; for he heartily co- operated in every movement for good. The causes of education, temperance and religion always found in him a faithful and sympathetic friend. A large- hearted, broad-minded, philanthropic citizen, his benefactions to deserving objects were both princely and numerous. The story of his conversion is in- teresting. While a resident of Polkville, in the late autumn of 1857, Mr. Sessions was converted while attending a meeting in the school house of that district. He was interested in religious mat- ters henceforth, and led a conscientious Christian life. On New Year's Day, 1858, a religious meet- ing was held in the Polkville school house, at which was present Rev. Mr. Simpson, the Methodist pas- tor in Bristol. The meeting was so interesting that those present suggested to Mr. Simpson that he return one year from that date and hold another meeting of a similar character. The next year the meeting was held, and Mr. Simpson was present. Then followed a remarkable record. For forty consecutive years on New Year's Day Rev. Mr. Simpson, together with Mr. Sessions and other friends and neighbors, was present to hold the meet- ing. Mr. Sessions would charter omnibuses, invite former pastors to Bristol, and then go to Polkville to hold the meeting in the little school house.

"Mr. Sessions became a member of the Method- ist Church, and to him more than any other man that society is indebted for the prominent place it occu- pies among the churches of this Conference. The old Methodist church on West street was a frame structure, and was sold to the Advents in 1879, it not being large enough to accommodate the con- gregation. Mr. Sessions was instrumental in securing the present site for the new church on Sumner street, and it was his energy and money that went far in building the edifice which was dedi- cated in 1879. Eleven years later that church be- came too small and the church was enlarged, and it was again found that the edifice must be enlarged. John H. Sessions then came forward, as he had twice before, procured plans, and erected as a gift to the society a church constructed of granite and redstone, one of the finest Methodist churches in the State and one of the finest in the Conference. Mr. Sessions's two sons gave the upholstery and the large pipe organ to the church. The present church was presented by Mr. Sessions to the so- ciety in 1894, and was dedicated by the venerable Bishop Foster. Mr. Sessions gave largely to de- serving individuals and organizations, and did a vast amount of good work in a quiet way, which

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was only known by those who were intimately con- nected with him."

Mr. Sessions was a trustee of Wesleyan Acad- emy, Wilbraham, Mass., also a trustee of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., and in May, 1896, he was chosen a delegate from the New York East Conference to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, which met in Cleveland, Ohio. Taken all in all he was, probably, the most prominent layman of the Methodist Church in the State of Connecticut, and was a well-known figure in the important deliberations of the leaders of that society.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Sessions lived in Polkville for some time, removing in May, 1869, to Bristol Center, where, on High street, he built an elegant and commodious residence, and here he continued to live up to his decease. On April 28, 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Sessions celebrated the golden anniversary of their marriage. Mr. Ses- sions's later illness began in January, 1899, though for years he had suffered from diabetes. The best medical treatment served to prolong his life, and on the Ist of July, that year, he felt well enough to go to his favorite resort, Edgewood, Alexandria Bay, among the Thousand Islands, in the St. Law- rence river, returning to Bristol about a week before he was called to his rest. Rev. C. H. Buck, D. D., his pastor, delivered an eloquent and appreciated tribute to the memory of Mr. Sessions, before a large audience of representative business men, manufacturers and professional men, as well as the regular attendants gathered in Prospect Methodist Church, Bristol, on the Sunday following the funeral. We are indebted to a local paper for the following interesting report of same:

The scripture lessons were chosen with special refer- ence to the subject and the second of one verse only was very apt; it was: "Mark the perfect man and behold the up- right, for the end of that man is peace." The text was tak- en from Jeremiah, ix: 12, "Death has come up into our win- dows, and has entered into our palaces." Some of the thoughts that Dr. Buck gave utterance to were, that from a true life, one that has lived as God intended it to belived, an influence for good went abroad even as the sun's rays go all over the world. We do not realize all that a man is and what he has done for us until death removes him. This, said the speaker, is the experience of the church to-day, in re- gard to that noble man who was carried to his last resting place on the hillside, Wednesday of last week.

The speaker told of the sun's rays breaking through the clouds to cast one last bright beam over the coffin as it was being lowered to its final resting place.

He said that the majority, outside the immediate family circle, knew but little of his real greatness, broadness, gen - tleness and tenderness. When the ordinary man dies the world moves on and pays no heed to the fact. It is only when a truly great man dies that we stop to think of his ex- cellence and worth.

The man in whose memory this address is made was one who will be missed more and more in the community. By his departure a great light is gone from earth to shine in Heaven. "How is the strong staff broken! It teaches that death is no respecter of persons, all must die; Sampson. strong as he was; Solomon, in all his glory; Grant, the great

military genius; Beecher, the great pulpit orator, all had to pay their debt to nature.'

The speaker referred to the death of a good man as a great mystery. He said it might be reasonable to expect that the useless and vicious man should be removed, but with this man it was "high noon" in his chance to do good work. The lessons to be drawn from such a man are, first: that God is absolutely independent of man or men in doing his work. The work does not cease when a workman is re- moved. Such events as this have two sides: the earthly, all dark, and the Heavenly, very bright.

There is no mystery in Heaven why such men as the deceased are taken away. The great and good die that others may have a chance to do their work. . Moses went up into the mount to die, and was succeeded by Joshua, the great military leader of the Jews; David passed away to be succeeded by Solomon, the wise man.

The good die, but God has others to do their work. The death of certain men seems to accomplish more than they could do while living. Stephen was stoned to death, but out of that came the great St. Paul. It is seeing the liber- ator die that often encourages others to be up and doing. The memory of a life very frequently does more for men than that life itself, while it is being lived. The life of the good stimulates faith. Under these circumstances it will be seen that such a death is not an irreparable loss.

Dr. Buck was pastor of the church in Stamford at the time that Hon. Oliver Hoyt died. He was superindent of the Sunday-school, an active worker in the church, and a liberal giver of money to the cause that he loved. It was predicted that the revenues of the church would fall off. Instead of that they actually increased, and the work of the church and Sunday-school went on as before.

The poet speaks truly when he says there is no death, only a change, and our friend still lives and is looking on at our work with the same interest that he did when he was with us. The influence of Mr. Sessions was felt outside Bris- tol, as the many letters and telegrams of condolence received by the family show. His career should stand out before the young men and boys of the town as a model.

Reference was made to his early struggles to raise him- self from poverty and to succeed in life. He had rare busi- ness sagacity. The speaker referred to being stationed in Bristol thirty-two years ago, and being here at the time when Mr. Sessions moved his business from Polkville to Bristol. When he made up his mind to move, it was not altogether certain that he would come to Bristol. Other places were considered as well, but greatly to the advantage of Bristol, his choice finally settled on this place. Deceased loved Bris- tol and its institutions.

Reference was made to the bank, water works and elec- tric plant, and what he did to make them all the success that that they are. The speaker was riding with Mr. Sessions one day when they met a man reputed to be rich, and some remark was made about his wealth. "Yes," said Mr. Sess- ions, "he is wealthy, but he invests it sothat the assessors can- not find it." He was a man of business integrity, and was recognized by his business friends as a thoroughly honest man.

Of his beneficence there was more than the general public was aware of. At his conversion, in 1857, he became a changed man, and all his ambitions and efforts were stimu- lated. He believed that the more he gave the more he would have. After making one of his princely donations to church or church work, he once made the remark that he believed it paid to be liberal, as business had been much bet- ter than he had any right to expect, after making that last gift. He was interested in his church life and church work, but was never critical of others. As a committee to secure pastors his aim was to secure men who would be helpful and satisfactory to the people, andhe was known to pass over the minister of his choice because he did not think he would please the people. Dr. Buck said that alter a pastorate ex- tending over eleven years he could say that Mr. Sessions never attempted, in any way, to influence a single utterance of his, and that all the pastors stationed in Bristol for thirty- five years could say the same thing. While he never attempt-

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ed to dictate to a pastor, he did have an opinion of his own, and that opinion was the same for pastor and people alike. The pastor said, that in his judgment the love of that man's heart for his church and people, passed all understanding; it was with him night and day and was a strong one.

He spoke of his purchase, years ago, of a lot in the cem- etery, and said he might have raised a costly monument, but instead, chose to erect the church which will ever stand as a monument to his generosity. His hearers were told, by Dr. Buck, to point their children in the future to the church as his monument.

Reference was made to his long illness, borne without a murmur, although all his life he had been an active man. Until he returned from the Thousand Islands he had hopes of recovery, but then, apparently, he gave up; but there was never a murmur.

The address was listened to with the closest attention by an audience that completely filled the large church.

(VIII) JOHN HENRY SESSIONS, eldest son of John Humphrey Sessions, was born Feb. 26, 1849, in Polkville, a suburb of Bristol, Conn., and received a liberal education at the schools of the latter place.

In 1873 (as already related) he was admitted to the firm of J. II. Sessions & Son, trunk-hard- ware manufacturers, and since his father's death he has admitted his son, Albert Leslie, the firm name remaining as of old. He has been a director of the Bristol Water Co. since its organization, and at the death of his father was made president of same, which incumbency he still holds; is a di- rector in the re-organized E. N. Welch Mfg. Co., of Forestville, Conn .; was also one of the incor- porators of the Bristol Press Publishing Co., and has been vice-president of same since its organiza- tion. On the death of his father he was elected to his present position of vice-president of the Bristol National Bank.

Mr. Sessions, though a stanch Republican, takes no active part in politics. In 1881 he was appointed a member of the board of fire commissioners of Bristol, and in 1883 was elected its secretary, a position he still most acceptably fills.

On May 19, 1869, John Henry Sessions was married to Miss Maria Francena Woodford, who was born Sept. 8, 1848, a daughter of Ephraim Woodford, of West Avon, Conn., and one son has been born to them, Albert Leslie, born Jan. 5, 1872, married Feb. 7. 1894. to Miss Leila Belle Beach, born July 30, 1872, at Bristol, a daughter of Henry L. Beach, of Bristol, and the names and dates of birth of the children born to this union are: Paul Beach, Nov. 19, 1895; Ruth Juliette, May 14, 1897 ; and John Henry, July 12, 1898. Albert L. received his carlier education in the schools of Bristol, after- ward attending Wilbraham ( Mass.) Academy, and also the Sheffield Scientific School, from which he graduated in 1892. As above related he is asso- ciated with his father in the J. II. Sessions & Son, trunk-hardware business, of which he is general manager.

(VIII) WILLIAM EDWIN SESSIONS, second son of John Humphrey Sessions, was born in Bristol, Conn., Feb. 18, 1857, was educated in the common schools of the town, and graduated from Hartford

High School. After his school days he spent a year or two in the office of J. H. Sessions & Son, as bookkeeper, and in 1879, being then but twenty-two years of age, he entered into the management of the foundry which his father had just bought, and has been in active charge ever since.

W. E. Sessions gives much attention to the ad- vancement of Christianity, following closely in the footsteps of his father. In politics he is a stanch, loyal Republican, although not active in the affairs of the party, and he was elected on that ticket to the first board of burgesses in Bristol (1892). While strictly attending to business, he has yet found time, much time, to devote to church matters. Mount Hope chapel was built through his instru- mentality, and nearly every Sabbath he is to be found at his post of duty as superintendent of the Sunday-school.

On June 12, 1878, William Edwin Sessions was married to Miss Emily D. Brown, who was born at Ellington, Conn., April 2, 1857, and two children have come of their union : Joseph Brown, born Nov. 11, 1881; and William Kenneth, born Feb. 21, 1886.

As will readily be inferred from what has just been written, the Sessions families of botli America and England have devoted a great amount of time, and generously donated a large portion of their wealth, to the advancement of Christianity, and the two sons of the late John Humphrey Sessions are, in this regard, worthy sons of a worthy sire, not only inheriting but cultivating the noble quali- ties of the father. When the latter presented the church edifice to the Methodist society, the sons showed their sympathy with his generous benefac- tion by giving, the one the elegant upholstery and carpets, the other the magnificent organ.

The Sessions Foundry Co.'s model and exten- sive plant in Bristol is a noteworthy addition to the great manufacturing enterprise of New England. While the equipment and magnitude of the works are impressive, it is the energy and actuating spirit of the owners that appeal most strongly to the pub- lic. The Sessions Foundry Co. have given substan- tial evidence that they are in touch and sympathy with progressive ideas. When erecting their new works the firm provided in an unusual degree the best arrangements and appliances, healthful sanitary conditions, such as good ventilation, ample heating, abundance of light, pure water, besides many per- sonal conveniences, while care has been taken that not a trace of gloominess is to be seen about the entire plant-in brief, it is without doubt one of the most complete foundries in the United States, and steady employment is found all the year round for several hundred workmen. When John II, and W. E. Sessions bought the business, the capital stock was less than $10,000, and only some dozen or so hands employed on the premises. From this comparatively small beginning has evolved the present large business, whose success, it must be

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told, is largely due to the energy, sagaciousness and competence of the manager, William E. Ses- sions.

CHARLES ETHAN BILLINGS, president and general manager of the Billings & Spencer Co., Hartford, is regarded as one of the foremost busi- ness men of the city, and as a pioneer along a new line of manufacturing development he has won a high place in the industrial world.

Mr. Billings is the product of a thorough-going steady New England ancestry, of that sturdy type so characteristic of the section. Mention of the family is found in Savage's "Genealogical List of New England Settlers before 1690;" Hinman's "Puritan Settlers of Connecticut ;" "History of Hadley, Mass .; " "History of Hatfield, Mass .; " Hampshire County "Gazeteer:" Town Records of Hadley, Mass .; Town Records of Hatfield, Mass .; the "History of Northfield, Mass .; " State Papers, New Hampshire, Vol. XXVI.

(I) Richard Billings, the first of the family of whom we have any record, was granted six acres of land in the division of the river in 1640, at Hart- ford. He signed a contract with Gov. Webster and others to remove and settle Hadley, Mass., in 1659, which he performed, and he died at Hadley Nov. 13, 1673. [Hinman's "Puritan Settlers of Connecti- cut."] His wife, Margery, died Dec. 5, 1679, leav- ing one son, Samuel.

(II) Samuel Billings was in Hadley, or more especialy in that part thereof which was on the western side of the Connecticut river, and which became Hatfield, living there with his parents. In 1661 he married Sarah, daughter of Richard Fel- lows. He died in Hadley, Feb. 1, 1678.

(III) Samuel Billings, son of Samuel, born in Hatfield, Mass., Jan. 8, 1665, married (first) Nov. 18, 1686, Hannah Wright, who died Nov. 18, 1687. In 1691 he married widow Rebecca Miller. He had children: Samuel, Zecheriah, Benjamin, and Joseph, all born in Hatfield.

(IV) Joseph Billings, born in Hatfield, Mass., Nov. 15, 1700, was reported in the "History of Northfield, Mass.," as one of a company organized to fight Indians. He married, Jan. 7, 1726, Eliza- beth, widow of Joseph Kellogg, lived in Hatfield, and died about 1783.

(V) Joseph Billings, Jr., was, with his father, Joseph, and his father's brothers, Benjamin, Zec- eriah and Samuel, and with his own cousin, Ben- jamin, Jr., among a company of about seventy men who, in or about the year 1763, petitioned the gov- ernor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth, as the agent of the King, George III, for a grant of land. On Aug. 17, 1763, these men were granted a royal charter of 23,040 acres of land, or six square miles, to be divided into seventy equal shares for the petitioners, located upon the borders of Lake Champlain, and to be incorporated into a town by name of Swanton, yielding and paying therefor, for

the space of ten years from Dec. 25, 1763, annually, if demanded, the rent of one ear of Indian corn, also one shilling to be paid annually forever, by each proprietor, for every hundred acres he owns, settles or possesses. This charter is a remarkably interesting document, beginning: "George the Third-By grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.," and ending: "By His Excellency's Command, B. Wentworth, Province of N. H., Aug. 17, 1763." The names signed to this charter, as grantees, in- clude those of the four brothers, Joseph, Benjamin, Zecheriah and Samuel Billings, Joseph Billings, Jr., Benjamin Billings, Jr., also Asa, David, Silos and Samuel Billings. Joseph, Jr., was possibly later of Windsor, Vt .; no Billings was ever an original land holder in Windsor.

(VI) Rufus Billings, of Windsor, Vt., son of Joseph, Jr., was the grandfather of our subject.

(VII) Ethan F. Billings, father of our sub- ject, was born in Windsor Jan. 27, 1807, and died Sept. II, 1848. He was by trade and occupation a blacksmith, of a very practical turn of mind. He married Clarissa M. Marsh, a daughter of James Marsh, of Rockingham, Vermont.

Charles E. Billings was born Dec. 5, 1835. in Wethersfield, Vt., and his parents moving to Wind- sor, same State, when he was small, the son received an English education in the common schools of the village. In 1852, when seventeen years of age, he was apprenticed for three years to the Robbins & Lawrence Co., machinists and gun-makers at Wind- sor. By the terms of the indenture the mother agreed to provide for her son at her own expense board, lodging, clothing, etc., and the company agreed to instruct him in the art and trade of a machinist, and to pay him for his services fifty, fifty-five and sixty cents per day for the first, second and third years, respectively. Along in the middle 'fifties he came to Hartford, Conn., and in June, 1856, began employment with the Colt's Arms Co., working as a die-sinker in the forging department. Here he first gained an insight into that line of business with which his future life was to be identified. The drop hammer then in use was quite complicated, and ex- pensive to keep in repair, and the young machinist soon became of the opinion that certain parts of the work could be accomplished in an easier way. In 1862 he began employment in the gun factories of E. Remington & Sons, in Utica, N. Y., where he formulated his ideas gained from experience and observation in the Colt's Armory, and built up, though with doubts of his employers, a plant for drop forgings which increased the efficiency of labor forty-fold in the production of various parts of their pistols. Here he devised a new method of forcing the metal into the frame, which saved the company $50,000 on their contracts. Returning to Hart- ford in 1865, he was for the next three years acting superintendent of the manufacturing department of the Weed Sewing Machine Co. Here he introduced

Charles, E, Billingz

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drop hammers for forging several parts of the ma- chine, notably the shuttles, which before had been made in several pieces, brazed together. In 1867 Mr. Billings patented his invention for forging them from a single piece of bar steel, running four pairs of dies for the operation. This process re- duced the cost of shuttles one-half, and has been universally adopted. His present company has made upwards of four millions of them. After a short absence in Amherst, Mass, at the close of his term with the Weed Co., Mr. Billings, in 1869, set- tled down permanently and became a fixture at Hartford, and at this time, associated with C. M. Spencer, organized the Roper Sporting Arms Co., which at the very outset experienced severe re- verses in the manufacture of the Roper sporting gun. Mr. Billings then organized the Billings & Spencer Co., which in 1870 took up drop forgings as a specialty, and soon advanced to a commanding position.

Mr. Billings' life work has been in main given to the development of the business of drop forg- ings. He early saw the great saving of labor to be effected, as well as the improvement which could be made in numerous small parts of machines. Starting from the crude efforts of several persons who preceded him in that line, he has brought the art up to its present high standard. By his methods bars of iron, steel, bronze or copper can be trans- formed into pieces of irregular shape and size with rapidity and precision. The dies are made from blocks of the best bar steel, and in these are cut the form of the article to be forged, one-half of the thickness in the lower and the other half in the upper die, and both parts are then hardened to the proper temper. One die is fastened to the base, and its counterpart to the hammer of the drop. Where the shape to be produced is unusually com- plicated, a series of dies is used, and red hot bars are subjected to the blows of the hammer until the desired figure is reached. Guided by the up- rights of powerful frames, hammers weighing from three hundred to three thousand pounds fall from one to six feet, and a few rapid blows complete this part of the process. The forgings are then passed on to other rooms, to be finished and polished. At this time the company operate sixty drop ham- mers.

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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 53

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