Commemorative biographical record of Hartford County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Pt 2, Part 101

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1172

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 2 > Part 101

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On May 30, 1849, Mr. Remington was married in Suffield, to Miss Eliza A. Fuller, who was born June 25, 1830, a daughter of George and Eliza ( Fuller) Fuller, prominent residents of that town. Her education was obtained in the Connecticut Lit- erary Institute, at Suffield, and in the schools of East Hampton and Westfield, Mass., and she is ex- ceptionally cultured and intelligent. She was one of of a family of five children, of whom three lived to maturity : Mary E., a resident of Warehouse Point ; Eliza A., Mrs. Remington ; and George H.

EDWARD GUSTAVUS.NEALE (deceased), for many years a leading contractor of Southing- ton, was prominently identified with the upbuilding and development of that town. Some time ago he laid aside all business cares to spend the remainder of his life in ease and quiet, enjoying the fruits of former toil, and he entered into eternal rest April 20, 1900.

Mr. Neale was born in Southington Jan. 24, 1825, a son of Joseph and Hester B. (Moulthrop) Neale, who were married Oct. 20, 1812, and had four children : Charles E., Orsephus Billings, Sarah M. and Edward G. For his second wife the fa- ther married Matilda Barnes, of Berlin, by whom he had one daughter, Caroline, now the wife of Edward Miller, of Meriden, Conn. Joseph Neale was born in Southington Nov. 10, 1784, son of Elijah and Silence Neale, of that town, and died Oct. 28, 1834.

The boyhood and youth of Edward G. Neale were passed in Southington, where he attended the common schools and served an apprenticeship of two and one-half years to the carpenter's trade with De Witt Upson, of the Marion District. He then followed that occupation until 1889 as an extensive contractor and builder, erecting many of the prin- cipal residences in Southington and vicinity, among which we may mention: 1847, Baptist church, Springfield, Mass .; 1848, with Samuel Woodruff, another contractor, Lewis Academy, Southington ; 1850, North End school house, Southington; 1851, Ira B. Andrews house, Marion, Conn .; 1850-51, O. B. Neale house, Marion ; 1852, Lester Smith ( now O. N. Lamson) house, Berlin avenue ; 1854, Bennet Lewis house, Marion ; 1855, William Smith house, Plantsville : 1855, Selah Thorp saw-mill, Mt. Vernon, Conn. ; 1856, William Churchill house, Cen- ter street ; 1856, John White house, Plantsville; 1857, three houses for D. Ruggles, Milldale ; 1858,

Charles Kak

EDWARD G. NEALE

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Ira Frost house, Marion ; 1859, Stephen Pratt house, Berlin avenue ; 1868, John Gridley house ( now Mrs. F. L. Stevens), Meriden avenue; 1869, Edward G. Neale tenement house, Academy Hill; 1869, Dennis Bristol house, Bristol street; 1870, E. C. Stillman house, Academy Hill; 1871-72, Edward G. Neale's late home, Academy Hill; 1871-72, Wal- ter S. Atwood house, Milldale; 1871, Edwin Dick- erman house, Dickerman Corners ; 1873, three houses for the Cutlery Co., Oak Hill Summit ; 1873, Enoch Nichols jewelry store and house, Main street; 1873, Horatio Dunham house and barn, Shuttle Meadow ; 1873, Edward G. Neale house, Oak street, Soutli- ington ; 1873, Abigail Beach house, Berlin avenue ; 1874. Leonard Beecher (now S. F. Guernsey ) house, Main street ; 1884, L. D. Frost (now Howard Will- iams ) house, Main street : the William Wightman and the Stacy houses, on Wolf Hill; and many others. In 1889 Mr. Neale entered his son's store, and remained there for five years, but at the end of that period he laid aside all business cares, and lived retired, enjoying a well-earned rest.

On July 29, 1847, Mr. Neale married Miss Rhoda S. Pratt, who was born Aug. 14, 1828, a daughter of Col. Seth and Abigail L. (Smith) Pratt, of Southington, and a granddaughter of Deacon Eli and' Abigail (Hitchcock ) Pratt. To this marriage was born one son, Charles Edward, who is mentioned below. Mr. Neale was a con- sistent member of the First Congregational Church, to which his widow also belongs, and took an active interest in its work, while he served as deacon for several years. He and Deacon Miles H. Upson, of Southington, supported the Marion Sunday-school for years, having founded the first Sunday-school there. Politically he was indentified with the Re- publican party, and held the offices of grand juror and member of the school committee. After an honorable and useful career, he could well afford to lay aside all business cares and live in ease and re- tirement, surrounded by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

CHARLES EDWARD NEALE, the only child of Ed- ward G. and Rhoda S. (Pratt) Neale, was born in Plainville May 9, 1849, and was educated in the common schools, the Lewis high school, and Wells Business College, New Haven. He began life for himself as a school teacher, and successfully followed that vocation for two years in Southington and vicinity, also for one year in Meriden. He then engaged in clerking in J. H. Elliott's general store at Plantsville for one year, and for a like period was with J. F. Pratt, of Southington, with whom he entered into partnership in general merchandising in 1876, this connection existing three years. Mr. Pratt then sold his interest to S. F. Guernsey, and the busi- ness has been conducted under the hrm name of Neale & Guernsey up to the present time. They are among the most prominent and leading mer- chants of Southington, and enjoy an excellent trade.

On Dec. 26, 1885, Mr. Neale was united in mar-

riage with Miss Lizzie A. Lord, daughter of Charles and Julina ( Maynard) Lord. of Southington, and of the children born to them four are living : Charles Edward, Jr., Alma, Margery and Harold. Mr. Neale is one of the solid and reliable business men of Southington, is a genial and courteous gentle- man, and is held in high regard by all who know him. Religiously he is a member of the Congre- gational Church; politically he is a stanch Repub- lican.

JAMES ROLAND HAYES, senior member of the firm of J. R. Hayes & Son, undertakers, gen- eral farmers and tobacco growers of North Granby, was born there Nov. 4, 1821, and belongs to one of the oldest families of the town of Granby, the name being inseparably connected with the history of Ilartford county for over two hundred years. In the family have been many men of prominence in business, professional and public life, including President Hayes.

Obedialı Hayes, the grandfather of our subject, was born June 14, 1754, in Simsbury ( now North Granby ), and was a son of Daniel Hayes (2). Throughout life he engaged in agricultural pursuits there, and also conducted a hotel in a house still standing, which was erected by him over 130 years ago. He was widely and favorably known, and served as school commissinoer in his district in 1795. On Sept. 25, 1780, he married Miss Ahinoam Holcomb, who was born March 18, 1757, a daughter of Joshua and Mary ( Griffin ) Holcomb. Her fa- ther was a grandson of Thomas Holcomb, the pro- genitor of the family in America. Eleven children were born of this union: Obediah was born Sept. 24, 1781 : Ahinoam, born Sept. 29, 1782, was mar- ried in 1809 to Oliver Coc, and died in New York, June 12, 1867: Cephas was born Sept. 19, 1785 : Amherst was born March 3. 1788: Bethsheba, born June 6, 1790, married Adijahi Dibble; Chester was born March 12, 1792: Roland, born May 3, 1794. was the father of our subject : Harvey was born May 23. 1797 : Gordon was born April 24, 1798: Nancy. born Aug. 24, 1800, died in 1882; and Homer was born Feb. 7. 1803. The father of these children lied May 23. 1817, and the mother, who was a con- sistent member of the Congregational Church, de- parted this life Sept. 10, 1844. the remains of both being interred in North Granby cemetery.

Roland Hayes, our subject's father, was born on the old home farm in the town of Granby, May 3. 1794, and received only a common-school educa- tion. For many years he worked in the foundry of Stephen W. Cornwall, as a brass molder, and then engaged in farming upon a tract of sixty acres of land, but a few years prior to his death he removed to Southington, Conn., where he lived retired until called from this life, May 18. 1877, his remains being interred there. During the war of 1812 he was drafted, but hostilities ceased before he was called into service. For some time he was captain

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of a local company in the volunteer militia, and was always known as Capt. Hayes. In political senti- ment he was a Whig, and in his religious views was liberal, but he and his family attended the Congre- gational Church and contributed to its support. On Aug. 27, 1817, he married Miss Patience Barnes, who was born April 14, 1797, a daughter of Thomas and Phobe Barnes. She died in Southington, Aug. 16, 1870, and was also buried in the cemetery there. Seven children constituted the family: Sophia, born May 9, 1820, married James Goddard, and both are now deceased; James R., our subject, is next in the order of birth ; Caroline E., born Aug. 24, 1825, died Feb. 27, 1827; Franklin B., born Dec. 30, 1827, died in middle life ; Frances M., born Dec. 18, 1830, married Jonathan Walkley, of Southington, and died June 8, 1860; Lucia E., born Aug. 20, 1842, was married Sept. 8, 1868, to W. W. Woolcott, of Georgia ; and Nancy Elizabeth became the wife of Henry A. Barraclough, of Los Angeles, California.

Like most farmer boys of his day, James R. Hayes assisted in the work of the farm during the summer season and attended school through the win- ter months, pursuing his studies in the public schools of the town of Granby and Granby Academy, under the instruction of Jefferson Cooley. He was a close student, and soon fitted himself for the teacher's profession, which he followed for several years during the winter, receiving $12 per month. Learn- ing the wheelwright's trade, he engaged in that business as a journeyman in North Granby for ten years, but for the past thirty-five years has devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits upon his pres- ent farm. He was one of the first in the town of Granby to engage in the cultivation of tobacco, and is now one of the largest tobacco raisers in the com- munity. Since 1888 he has been in partnership with his son in operating a fine farm of 100 acres in North Granby, besides a large tract of mountain land, and for over a third of a century has done a successful business as an undertaker, being for many years the only one in Granby.

On Oct. 23, 1846, Mr. Hayes was united in mar- riage with Miss Almira Clark, who was born in Hartland, in August, 1826, a daughter of Jabin and Laura (Butler) Clark, and to them have come three children : (1) Marshall Clark, born May 14, 1848, was educated in the public schools and the high school at Greenwich, R. I., and is now engaged in business with his father. He was married, May 29, 1877, to Ella Merriam, a daughter of Ahira and Roxy (Kendall) Merriam, and they have three chil- dren : Harold Merriam, born Nov. 18, 1882; Her- bert Kendall, March II, 1884; and Annie E., Sept. 7, 1888. Marshall C. Hayes is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Congregational Church of Granby, in which he is serving as deacon. (2) Caroline, born Sept. 12, 1849, died Feb. 8, 1852. (3) Flora Edna, born April 22, 1860, has for a num- ber of years been a successful teacher, and now has charge of a school at Blue Hills, Hartford. She is

the widow of Dr. W. W. Stratton, and has one child, Hazel Louise.

Mr. Hayes is a stanch supporter of the Repub- lican party and its principles, and has ever taken an active and prominent part in local politics, being elected to the State Legislature in 1875 and filling that office for one term. He has also served as selectman four terms, assessor of the town, justice of the peace, a member of the board of relief and member of the school board and school committee. His public duties were always most promptly and faithfully discharged, winning the commendation of all concerned. Fraternally he is the oldest mem- ber of St. Mark's Lodge, No. 91, F. & A. M. For fifty-two years he and his estimable wife have trav- eled life's journey together, sharing its joys and sorrows, its adversity and prosperity, and now in their declining days are surrounded by a host of friends and acquaintances who appreciate their ster- ling worth.

WARREN GRIDLEY BUNNELL. There is particular satisfaction in reverting to the life history of the honored and venerable gentleman whose name introduces this review, since he has for many years been prominently identified with the agricult- ural and political interests of Burlington, and has attained a position of distinctive prominence in the town where he was born and where he has retained his residence until the present time, being one of the revered patriarchs of the community.

Mr. Bunnell was born near Burlington Centre April 6, 1819, and belongs to one of the oldest fam- ilies of that locality. He is the oldest man in the town of Burlington, born there. His grandfather, Lemuel Bunnell, was born in 1767, in Hartford county, and when a young man located in Burling- ton, where he purchased a tract of thirty acres of land for $300. At that time he was quite poor, and had only one dollar and eighty cents to pay upon his property, but he worked hard and finally man- aged to pay off the debt. Throughout life he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, and he died upon his farm Feb. 1, 1809. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Marial Benham, was born in 1772, and died April 7, 1852. The remains of both were interred in Burlington cemetery. In their family were five children: Hezekiah, a manufacturer of linseed oil, who died in Burlington; Polly ( Mrs. Elton) ; Theda (Mrs. Smith) ; Joel, father of our subject ; and Sybil (Mrs. Wheeler).

Capt. Joel Bunnell, our subject's father, was born Feb. 5, 1793, received a district-school educa- tion, and during his youth learned the trades of tan- ner, currier and shoemaker. Throughout the greater part of his life he followed shoemaking, going from house to house making shoes, then known as "whipping the cat." He was a man of good business ability and sound judgment, and be- came quite well-to-do, owning over 700 acres of land in Burlington, where he also engaged in farm-

Warren & Bunnell,

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ing and stock raising. He was a captain in the State militia, and during the war of 1812 was drafted, serving for six months at New London, Conn. In his religious views he was liberal, and in political sentiment was first a Democrat and later a Republican, but never an office seeker. He died in Burlington July 4, 1876, honored and re- spected by all who knew him. He married Miss Fanny Gridley, a daughter of Ruil Gridley, who was a farmer in Harwinton, Conn., and there died. Mrs. Bunnell was born March 13, 1798, and died April 30, 1887, being laid to rest by the side of her husband in Burlington Centre cemetery. Our sub- ject is the eldest of their children. Lemuel W., born June 12, 1823, married Jennette E. Clark, who died Jan. 3, 1847, at the age of twenty-six years, and he then married Serena Aldrich, who still lives ; they had two daughters, Fannie ( Mrs. Jenkins), of Plainville, and Clara, deceased wife of Robert P. Bissell; Lemuel W. Bunnell died in Plainville, Conn., April 23, 1890. Norris W. was born Nov. 10, 1825. Sheldon L., born Jan. 19, 1828, died July 8, 1878. Adaline A., born June 24. 1832, is a resident of Burlington Centre.

Warren G. Bunnell, our subject, attended the district schools of Burlington, also the Burlington Academy, and in early life learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade mainly through his own unaided efforts. He has devoted considerable time to the trade ; has also engaged in general farming, sheep raising and the cultivation of tobacco, and is still operating the farm. He has been interested in house moving for a number of years, and has moved many buildings in Hartford and Litchfield counties. His apparatus for this work is of his own invention, and the blocks he uses weigh over 100 pounds cach. The chain weighs over 400 pounds, and is the only one of the kind in the county; it is 275 feet in length, and cost one hundred dollars in New York. Mr. Bunnell has moved three churches, raised (each) one pair of rafters, also over one thousand feet of lumber, besides the iron. He has raised shops, saw-mills and gristmill, three stories each, also flag poles of over one hundred feet in height (in Bur- lington), when he was over eighty-one years old, he raised a flag pole, with copper ball and weather vane six feet long and weighing about fifty pounds. In addition to all this he raised a church bell, and a house that required forty-five jackscrews. Mr. Bunnell has made many improvements upon his farm, and although eighty-one years of age he is still very active, and attends to all of his business affairs. He is progressive, industrious, temperate and honest, and is numbered among the leading and foremost citizens of Burlington.

In 1858 Mr. Bunnell married Miss Eunice Har- riet Bradley, daughter of John L. and Harriet Brad- ley, and to them were born three children: Alice H., now the wife of Clarence Alderman, of Farm- ington ; Lutie W., who for a time was engaged in school teaching, and is now the wife of Charles

Barnes, of New Britain; and Celia G., living at home, who is now treasurer of the school board of the district, and has the honor of being the first woman elected to a political office in the town of Burlington.

Mr. Bunnell is a man of broad and liberal ideas, is well read, and thoroughly posted on all the lead- ing events of the day, and is quite popular with all classes of people. lie is a strong advocate of tem- perance, and has signed as many as six cold-water warrants for the arrest of liquor men. At one time he was active in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he served as trustee, but he is now liberal in his views. In early life he affiliated with the Know-Nothing party, and is now a stanch Republi- can in politics. He has been appointed to the offices of justice of the peace and grand juror in Burling- ton ; and has been treasurer of the town, handling all the money ; and for over thirty years has been scaler of weights and measures. his offices have all come to him unsolicited, however, as he has never had political aspirations.

BURTON D. PHELPS, a prominent dairyman of the town of Windsor, is a native of New Boston, Berkshire Co., Mass., born March 4, 1857, and is descended from a family whose connection, if any, with the family of the same name in Windsor, is very remote. His parents were O. W. and Eliza- beth (Deming) Phelps, and he is the eldest in their family of six children, three sons and three daugh- ters, of whom the sons and one daughter are still living.

During his boyhood our subject came to llart- ford to live with his maternal grandfather, Eleazer Deming, a farmer by occupation, with whom he re- mained until the latter's death. He was reared on the farm and provided with good educational ad- vantages, better even than he took advantage of, though he attended the common schools of Hart- ford. After his grandfather's death he worked as a farm hand ten years for his uncle Wellington Deming, and here secured an excellent knowledge of every department of farm work.

In Hartford, Mr. Phelps was married, Sept. 25, 1883. to Miss Florence Newton, who was born in Royal Oak, Mich., April 2, 1862. Her ancestors were originally from Long Meadow, Mass., but her fatlier, Daniel W. Newton, was a native of Michigan, a son of Isaac and Anna (Simons ) Newton, who in 1835 removed to that State and became pioneers of Oakland county. The father married Miss En- nice Stephenson, and they spent their entire mar- ried life in Michigan, where they died. They had two children : Annie, who died in childhood : and Florence, wife of our subject. At the age of eight years the latter came East, and until sixteen lived in Massachusetts, after which she made her home in Hartford mutil her marriage. Our subject and his wife now have one son, B. Ernest. born Aug. 19, 1891.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

After his marriage Mr. Phelps rented a farm from his uncle, Wellington Deming, and lived there until April, 1890, when he removed to his present farm, known as the George Peck farm. This he bought and by subsequent purchase has added to it until he now has seventy-five acres of valuable land, on which he has made many improvements which add to its attractive appearance. From boy- hood he has been familiar with dairy work, and as a retailer is now extensively engaged in that busi- 116 SS. He is an active, energetic and progressive business man, who believes in enjoying life as he goes along. His political sympathies are with the Republican party, but he supports men according to fitness rather than politics, and has never been an office seeker. His wife is a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, No. 6, auxiliary to Robert O. Ty- ler Post, G. A. R., of Hartford.

DEACON HENRY HUMPHREY. The

Humphrey family is one of the oldest in this coun- try, and its members have made the name honored in civil and military life, several having served in the Revolutionary army.

The first of the name to settle in this section was Michael Humphrey, and through his son, Lieut. Samuel, the subject of this sketch, a well-known resident of Canton, traces his descent. Lieut. Sam- uel Humphrey was born in 1656 in Windsor, and resided during a portion of his life in Massacoe, now Simsbury. Samuel Humphrey, son of Lieut. Sam- uel, was born in Simsbury May 17, 1686, and was made a freeman of that town in 1717. He was pound keeper for a number of years, and also served as collector, constable, and surveyor of high- ways. He was married on Feb. 23, 1709, to Han- nah Phelps, who was born Oct. 25, 1693, daugh- ter of Joseph and Mary Phelps, of Simsbury, who died in 1710, and was buried in Simsbury. On Feb. 26, 1712, he married Mary Fuller, who was born Nov. 27, 1692, daughter of John and Eliza- beth (Case) Fuller. In December, 1714, he mar- ried Lydia North, of Farmington, daughter of Na- thaniel North. She died Aug. 8, 1730, and in Octo- ber, 1731, he married, for his fourth wife, Mary Orton, of Litchfield county, Conn. By the first marriage there was one child-Samuel, born Oct. 15, 1710, who married Mary Wilcox, and died July 7, 1755; and one by the second-Abel, born March 13, 1714, who married Jemima Warner. The chil- dren of the third marriage were: Lydia, born Nov. 7, 1715, married, on Aug. 19, 1737, in Simsbury, Capt. Daniel Wilcox; Elizabeth, born July 9, 1717, married, on Aug. 27, 1735, Joseph Wilcox ; Ezekiel is mentioned below; Tryphena, born Jan. 29, 1722, married, on June II, 1739, Dr. Samuel Barbour, son of Samuel and Mercy (Holcomb) Barbour, and died in 1752; Mary married, on April 10, 1746, Sergt. Ezra Wilcox; Daniel, born June 5, 1726, married Lucy Marshall, and died March 23, 1814; Isaac died Aug. 3, 1732. Of the children of the

fourth marriage Ashbel, who was born April 19, 1732, and died in May, 1813, married for his first wife Lois Coldwell, for his second Lurena Wor- cester, for his third Mrs. Amy Reed, for his fourth a widow whose name is unknown, and for his fifth Marion Hanson. Isaac, born Nov. 27, 1735, mar- ried Esther North, and died Oct. 13, 1788. Thomas, born Oct. 27, 1735, died in 1818, was first married to Elizabeth Hopkins, and afterward to Jane Flint. Eunice married Jacob Holatred. Charles, born Feb. 13, 1743, died in 1822, married Normie Worcester. Lois, born Aug. 26, 1745, married David Wright, of Oxford, Conn. Noel, born Nov. 21, 1747, died June 10, 1819, married Sarah Marshall. Daniel was born in 1749, and died in 1800.

Capt. Ezekiel Humphrey, the next in the line of descent, was born Aug. 28, 1719, in Simsbury, where he grew to manhood. In 1743 he settled in West Simsbury and engaged in farming. He rep- resented Simsbury in the General Assembly in 1777 and 1779, and in many ways showed his sympathy with the American cause during the war of the Revolution. He died in 1795, and his wife, Eliza- beth Pettibone Humphrey, who was born in Sims- bury in 1724, died in West Simsbury in 1792. By this marriage there were ten children, viz .: Ezekiel, born May 28, 1746, married Rhoda Scott, and died in 1802; Elijah, born Sept. 20, 1748, married Chloe Wilcox, and died in 1788; Elizabeth, born in 1750, married (first) Lieut. Daniel Case, and afterward Elihu Case, and died in 1808; Frederick, born Dec. 9, 1753, married (first) Ruth Fuller and (second) Sarah Wilcox, and died in 1821 ; George is men- tioned below; Anna, born in 1758, married Reuben Humphrey, and died in April, 1826; Giles, born in 1760, married Elizabeth Case, daughter of Deacon Abraham Case : Chloe, born June 28, 1762, married Capt. Asher Humphrey, and died June 31, 1813; Betsey, born Feb. 12, 1767, married Sylvester Hum- phrey, and died Feb. 15, 1845; Lydia, born in 1769, was first married to Alexander Humphrey, and aft- erward to Samuel Webster.

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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 2, Part 101

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1172

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1172