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 161

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 161

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BARBOUR FAMILY (spelled Barber, Bar- bur, Barbar and Barbour as written through pro- bate records: Barbour adopted by Henry of this branch of the family). The branch of the Bar- bour family of Hartford, several members of which

have been prominent in the legal profession here and elsewhere in the State and country, notably the late Judge Heman Humphrey Barbour, Judge Henry Stiles Barbour, and Judge Sylvester Bar- bour, still of Hartford, brothers, and Hon. Joseph Lane Barbour, son of the first named and now in the meridian of an active career, are of the Canton (Conn.) family of Barbours, which was among the earliest and most conspicuous of West Simsbury.

Samuel Barber, the immediate ancestor of the Canton family, was a descendant of the first Thomas Barber, who was the first of the name in New England, coming to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, at the age of twenty-one, with the Salton- stall party under Francis Stiles. Samuel Barber settled in West Simsbury. He married Mercy Holcomb; he died about 1725, and his widow in 1787 at the age of ninety-six. She removed from the old parish to West Simsbury, in 1738, with her four sons, Samuel, Thomas, Jonathan and John, and her daughters, Mercy and Sarah, the sons settling on the best lands in the Center school district.

Judge Sylvester Barbour, of Hartford, and brothers are in the fourth generation from John Barbour, the line of their descent being through Jonathan and Henry Barbour.

(II) John Barbour, son of Samuel Barbour, born in 1719, married Lydia Reed, who was born in 1725. He died in 1799, and she in 1806.

(III) Jonathan Barbour, son of John Barbour, born in 1763, married, in 1786, Abi Merrill, who was born in 1769. He lived in the Center school district. He died in 1817, and she died in 1848.

Henry Barbour, son of Jonathan Barbour, and the father of Judge Sylvester Barbour and bro- thers, of Hartford, was born in 1793. in Connecti- cut, where he was occupied through life in farm- ing. He married, April 2, 1817, Naomi, daughter of Solomon Humphrey. Mr. Barbour was a farmer of only moderate means, was industrious, lived a life of usefulness, holding the esteem and respect of the community. He reared a family of nine children, who filled honorable and, a num- ber of them, high stations in life. He died April 12, 1869, and his wife passed away Jan. 7, 1863. Their children were: (1) Clarinda, born April 17, 1818, and died April 30, 1886, married Frank- lin Perry. (2) Heman Humphrey [see sketch elsewhere]. (3) Henry Stiles [see sketch else- where]. (4) Lucy, born May 7, 1824, married Nov. 9, 1846, Henry P. Lane. (5) Pluma, born Sept. 17, 1826, married Nov. 8, 1848, Samuel D. Garrett. (6) Juliaette, born Nov. 14, 1828 (un- married). (7) Sylvester. (8) Naomi Eliza, born Feb. 3, 1833, married, in 1862, Henry D. Sexton, died Jan. 6, 1862. (9) Edward P., born Sept. 23, 1834, and died Aug. 5, 1895, married, in 1860, Emma J. Barbour, and later became a resi- dent of Ansonia, Connecticut.

Mrs. Naomi ( Humphrey) Barbour, the mother

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of these children, was born Sept. 28, 1794, in Bur- lington, Conn., the daughter of Solomon Hum- phrey, who was a descendant in the fifth generation from Michael Humphrey, the emigrant, who set- tled and was residing at Windsor, Conn., in 1643. The line of Solomon Humphrey's descent was through Lieut. Samuel, Jonathan and Solomon Humphrey.

Solomon Humphrey ( father of Naomi), born in 1753, in West Simsbury, Conn., married ( first ) in 1772, Lucy Case, who died in about 1777, and (second), in 1778, Hannah, daughter of Capt. John Brown (3), a lineal descendant of Peter Brown, who landed from the "Mayflower," at Plymouth, Mass., in 1620, and in time settled in Windsor, Conn., the line of her descent being through John, and John Brown (2).

Capt. John Brown commanded a company in the Continental army in the Revolution, dying in the service at New York in September, 1776. So. )- mon Humphrey had by the two marriages thir- teen children, of whom Naomi, the youngest, was a woman of many virtues. Her father was a man of sterling integrity and of deep piety. He had a pleasant and sedate countenance, an easy dignity and urbanity, and quietness of manners-a natural gentleman. He was a patriot of the Revolution, lived at several different points in Connecticut, and died in Barkhamsted in 1834, at the age of eighty- one. Naomi (Humphrey) Barbour was a cousin of John Brown, the martyr, and the sister of Rev. Dr. Heman Humphrey, who for years was president of Amherst College.

JUDGE HEMAN HUMPHREY BARBOUR (de- ceased ), late of Hartford, was born July 19, 1820, in the town of Canton, Conn., the son of Henry and Naomi (IIumphrey) Barbour [see Barbour family above]. He received careful religious train- ing at home, attended the schools of his native town and the academy at Amherst, Mass. When of age he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and read law in the office of his cousin, Hon. Lucien Barbour, since a member of the United States Congress from In- diana. He was admitted to the Bar in June, 1841, and commenced the practice of law at Columbus, Ind. In 1845 he was elected State Senator for the term of three years. In May, 1846, he enlisted in the United States service in the Mexican war, and went as adjutant of one of the three Indiana regi- ments to New Orleans, and thence to Mexico. Mr. Barbour made his home at Columbus, Ind., until in 1850, when he moved to Hartford, Conn., which was ever afterward his home. While at Columbus he was active in the Presbyterian Church and its Sab- bath-school, having been chosen as deacon in 1849, and was the teacher of a Bible class. In 1858 he was elected probate judge of the Hartford district, served four years, and in 1863 declined re-election. Thereafter he devoted his life to the practice of law. The Judicial and Civil History of Connecticut, of which Judge Dwight Loomis, of Hartford, was chief clitor, thus refers to Judge Barbour: "He had a

clear and logical mind, reasoning powers of a high order, an active, energetic temperament and remark- able powers of physical endurance. The intensity of his convictions made defeat exceedingly hard for him to bear. The duties of his profession were to hini solemn obligations and he was never satisfied until he had done his utmost to discharge them well."

Judge Barbour, at Hartford, was a member of the Baptist Church, and an earnest and consistent Christian man, with a noble and philanthropic soul, who accomplished great good. He organized the Good Samaritan Society in the interest of temper- ance reform, and was also deeply interested in the Prisoners' Friend Association. He was a director of the State Prison, was brought in contact with the convicts, and he spared neither labor nor sacrifice of time and money in the attempt to assist them to re- form and lead a life of honesty and sobriety.

On Oct. 23, 1845, Judge Barbour was married to Frances E., daughter of Merlin and Clarissa ( Newton) Merrill, of Barkhamsted, Conn. She died Oct. 17, 1863, and on May 10, 1865, he married Elmyra Barker. To the first marriage were born children as follows: Joseph L. [see sketch else- where ] ; Rev. Henry M., born in 1848, at Columbus, Ind .; Rev. Heman H., born in 1850, at Hartford, Conn .; James, born in 1851, died in 1869; Rev. Thomas S., born in 1853; Francis N., born in 1855, died in 1857 ; Samuel B. B., born and died in 1857 ; William H., born in 1858, died in 1898; and a daughter born and died in 1861, and also a son born and died in 1863. To the second marriage of Judge Barbour were born: Rev. Clarence A., in 1867, and Rev. John B., in 1869. Judge Barbour died June 29, 1875.

HON. JOSEPH LANE BARBOUR, former Speaker of the Connecticut House, and a lawyer of Hartford, was born Dec. 18, 1846, in Barkhamsted, Conn., son of the late Judge Heman H. Barbour, of Hartford, and received his education in the Hartford Public High School and at Willston Seminary, Easthamp- ton, Mass. After his school days were over he passed several years in teaching school, and in 1867 entered the office of the Hartford Evening Post, and for some half dozen or more years he had a successful career as a journalist. Belonging to a family of lawyers, the bent of his mind ran in the legal direc- tion, and after due preparation he was admitted to the Bar in 1874, and at once became located in its practice at New Britain, Conn. Following a two- years' practice there he returned to Hartford, which has since been his field of labor. Through his tact and force he has gradually won his way to the front and is having a successful career. An ardent Re- publican in his political affiliations with a taste for politics, and a natural leader, he early became a party worker and developed into a great campaigner. His tact and ability as a speaker won him signal renown as an effective campaign orator, and his ser- vices in campaign work have been in demand not only at home and in his native State but in neigh- boring States, and in this line he has rendered his

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party great work and contributed to its many suc- cesses. He is credited with being second to none of the Republicans in the State as an effective polit- ical speaker. His Memorial Day orations, too, are always models of eloquent and fascinating eulogy. Mr. Barbour, like his father and several of his uncles, has served his City and State in various official capacities, and with the same promptness and conscientiousness that were so characteristic of them. He was clerk of the House of Representatives in 1877, and in 1878 and 1879 of the Senate. For some eight or more years ( 1877 to 1884) he was prosecuting attorney for the city of Hartford. He was clerk of the city council for four years ( 1871 to 1874), and in all his official relations he has shown tact and ability in the performance of the duties de- volving upon him. As a jury lawyer there is prob- ably none abler in the county. He has an extensive and growing practice.

Socially Mr. Barbour is genial and popular. As an evidence of his great popularity, in 1896, when he made the race for Representative to the General As- sembly, he carried every ward in Hartford, something that no other candidate for that office had ever done, and received a larger plurality than ever was given a candidate in the city-about 5,000. Mr. Barbour was chosen Speaker of the House, serving in 1897- 98, in a most admirable manner. Socially he is a member of St. John's Lodge, F. & A. M., of Hart- ford, of Washington Commandery, K. T., of Pytha- goras Chapter, R. A. . M .; and also of Charter Oak Lodge, I. O. O. F. For some six years he was a member of the National Guard of Connecticut, and is now a member of the Veteran Association of Hartford City Guard.

On June 21, 1871, Mr. Barbour was married to Anne J., daughter of the late Oliver and Jane E. (Hinckley) Woodhouse, of Hartford, her father being for many years assistant postmaster at Hart- ford. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Barbour now living are: Frances Barbour, Robert W. Barbour, and Florence A. Barbour.

REV. HORACE BUSHNELL, D. D., de- ceased. Of Hartford's many men of note and distinction, probably none was so universally be- loved by the community as he whose name intro- duces this sketch.

Dr. Bushnell was born April 14, 1802, in the town of Litchfield, Conn., son of Ensign and Dotha (Bishop) Bushnell, and grandson of Abraham and Mollie (Ensign) Bushnell, who resided in New Canaan, Conn., the grandfather being in the sixth generation from Francis Bushnell, the pro- genitor of the family, who was one of the early settlers of Guilford, Conn., where it appears Abra- ham's line remained. In 1805 the father of Horace removed to New Preston, Conn., where the son united with the church in 1821. He entered Yale College in 1823, and was graduated in 1827. He taught school in Norwich, Conn., in 1827-28; was associate editor of the Journal of Commerce, in

New York, 1828-29; was a tutor in Yale, and also studied law, 1829-31; entered the Theological School at New Haven in 1831. In 1833 he was installed pastor of the North Church (Congrega- tional), Hartford, with which he was connected until 1859, when, owing to his health, he resigned. Hartford was his first and only pastorate. He died at Hartford Feb. 17, 1876, and was buried in the North cemetery.

Dr. Bushnell was a man of pre-eminent worth -one whose influence upon the religious thought of the age was more marked than almost any other American preacher, and his personality was most grand and attractive. Rev. Dr N. J. Burton, in his article on The Churches of Hartford in the "Memorial History of Hartford, County," said of him :

Horace Bushnell was a man whose fame is in all the churches, and his twenty-six years of his connection with the North Church are the one great title of that church to universal celebrity. * * His people were fond of him and proud of him; and when he resigned, in 1859, on account of his health, they resisted his entire separation from them by many forms of resistance, urging that he should at least retain a formal connection with them, and pledging them- selves, in a paper signed by every man of the church, to support him as long as he lived, whether able to labor or not. But he needed a release; and from his dismissal in 1859 to 1876 he gave his strength to the production of certain great works.

As a pastor his ministry was fruitful in many ways. His sermons contained an amount of intellectual and religious material which could hardly be paralleled, and they were put to the people in a manner to make a great and abiding impression. Still his supreme service to the world was by his books. He was not a scholar; he was not excessively reverent toward precedents and old opin- ions ; but he was candid, conscientious, truth-loving, intui- tive, massive, and robust, on close terms with God, closer and closer the longer he lived; and he expressed himself in a diction which was wonderful for its combined strength, opulence, and beauty. In theology he was free, courageous. and even venturesome at times; so that many were anx- ious about him for years and' years, and some were dis- posed to make him trouble. He was tried for heresy before one ecclesiastical body, and a prolonged effort was made to get him put on trial before another; but the first one cleared him, and the second one never could get hold of him because the three members of his own church needed- according to ecclesiastical law and usage-to make com- plaint of him to that body could never be found. Through all the channels of public discussion he was diligently de- bated; but as time went on, and his constant growth in the grace of God made him continually a more beautiful and beloved figure in the world, and also made it evident that his errors, however erroneous, were not deadly, at least in his own case, the public unrest subsided, and the principal thing that remained was a liberalization of the- ology in the communion to which Bushnell belonged, and a visible step taken towards catholicity and catholic truth. Dr. Bushnell's church could never be persuaded that he had made any departure from essential Christian truth, and they therefore stood by him with unwavering unanim- ity. On the other hand, they retained as their own, as they do to this day, the creed of the First Church in Hart- ford, which they adopted when they emerged from that body.

The following is extracted from an article pre- pared by Henry A. Beers, under the head of "Hart-

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ford in Literature," and published in the "Memorial History of Hartford County :"

Perhaps the man of highest genius in the catalogue of Hartford authors was Horace Bushnell. * * His writings, though mainly theological, or rather religious in subject, are often lifted by their imaginative quality and beauty of style into the region of pure literature. His thought has sometimes a resemblance to Emerson's though conclusions were widely different. His orthodoxy was supported by admissions so bold and reasonings so original as to lay him open to the charges of heresy. His earlier writings in par- ticular, such as "Christian Nature." 1847, "God in Christ." 1849, and "Christian Theology," 1851, made him the object of what may without exaggeration be called persecution by a party among the Congregational churches of the State. In consequence of his peculiar way of holding the doc- trines of Atonement and the Divinity of Christ, he was accused of a modern form of Unitarianism. In his works- like "Work and Play," a series of essays, published as a volume in 1864, but delivered much earlier, the "Moral Uses of Dark Things," 1869, and his masterpiece, " Nature and the Supernatural," 1859-he addressed a public wider than the limits of denomination. In these, and particularly in the last mentioned, Dr. Bushnell's other-wordliness is shown in an inclination to admit a belief in modern mira- cles, the development of spiritual life, and "demoniacal irruptions."

Dr. Bushnell was one of Hartford's most public- spirited citizens. The beautiful city park, which his exertions did so much to obtain, fittingly bears his name.

MRS. HARRIET ELIZABETH BEECHER STOWE, famous as the author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," belonged to an intellectual family.

Mrs. Stowe, ncc Harriet Elizabeth Beecher, was born June 14, 1812, in the town of Litchfield, Conn., a daughter of Rev. Lyman and Roxanna Beecher, whose children were Catherine, William, Edward, Mary, George, Harriet ( who died an in- fant ), Harriet Elizabeth, Henry Ward and Charles.

At the age of fifteen years Harriet came to Hartford to assist her sister Catherine, who had established a seminary there, and remained with her until her twenty-first year, in which year her father accepted the presidency of the Lane Theo- logical Seminary, at Cincinnati, Ohio. To this point Rev. Beecher was accompanied by his daughters, excepting Mary, who had married Thomas Perkins, of Hartford, and here established another ladies' seminary. During the period of Harriet's residence in Hartford some of her sketches of New England life, afterward published in her first book, "The Mayflower," 1844, were written.

In 1836 Miss Beecher married Prof. Calvin E. Stowe, of the Lane Theological Seminary. For years prior to 1864 they had lived at Andover, Mass., but in that year they came to Hartford to reside, where both died. They had a summer cot- tage at Mandarin, Fla., located in a beautiful grove of moss-grown live oaks, and with an orange grove in the rear, which overlooked the St. John's river. Here they passed a number of winters.

Mrs. Stowe began writing in 1833, while at Hartford, in which city were written many of her

later works, including "Men of Our Times," Hart- ford, 1868; "The Chimney Corner,' 1868; "The Minister's Wooing," 1868; "Oldtown Folks," 1869; "Pink and White Tyranny," 1871 ; "My Wife and I." 1871 : "Palmetto Leaves," 1873; "We and Our Neighbors," 1875; "Poganuc People," 1878. Her writing ended in 1881. She had published in the period between 1833 and 1881 thirty-two works, besides writing many short stories, letters of travel, essays, etc. Her husband, Prof. Stowe, was the original of "Harry," in "Oldtown Folks," a book which embodies many of his strange experiences. None of the incidents or characters in the Oldtown series are ideal ; they are not only true to nature, but actually happened. Sam Lawson was a real character. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was written in 1852. While on a visit in Kentucky Mrs. Stowe had her first introduction to slavery, and the estate she was upon later figured as that of "Mr. Shelby," in her famous book.

Prof. Stowe died in Hartford in 1886, and Mrs. Stowe passed away in July, 1896.

WADSWORTH. The family bearing this name is an old Colonial one, and conspicuously prominent in the annals of Connecticut. But in this article it is our intention only to refer briefly to the late Daniel Wadsworth (the founder of the Atheneum bearing his name), his distinguished father, Col. Jeremiah Wadsworth, and their ancestry.

One William Wadsworth settled at Cambridge, Mass., as early as 1632, and is found at Hartford, Conn., in 1636, as a member of Rev. Mr. Hooker's Church, and holding the office of collector of Hart- ford in 1637. At this time he was in middle life, and a widower. He married (second) probably in 1644 Elizabeth Stone. Mr. Wadsworth was one of the original proprietors of Hartford in 1639, held several important offices in the town and Col- ony, and sustained a high rank with the best Puri- tan families. He died in 1675.

From this William Wadsworth the late Daniel Wadsworth, of Hartford, was a descendant in the sixth generation, his line being through John (by a former wife), who settled in Farmington ; Deacon John, who settled in Hartford ; Rev. Daniel, a grad- uate of Yale, 1734, who married Abigail, daughter of Gov. Talcott, and was pastor of the First Church of Hartford; and Col. Jeremiah Wadsworth.

COL. JEREMIAH WADSWORTH, son of Rev. Dan- iel, was born July 12, 1743. In early youth he was with his uncle, Matthew Talcott, a merchant of Middletown. Later for a time he followed the sea. from boy-before-the-mast to master. He settled down in Hartford in 1773, and was during the Rev- olutionary period and the years following the fore- most man in the town. He served as deputy com- missary under Joseph Trumbull, and succeeded by appointment of Congress to the office of commis- sary-general of purchases. After the arrival of the French troops he became commissary of the French army, and served until the close of the war.

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He shared largely in the confidence of Gen. Wash- ington, and under his roof the General was enter- tained when he came East with Knox and Lafay- ette for the first interview with Count Rochambeau and Admiral Ternay. Col. Wadsworth was a mem- ber of the State Convention for ratifying the Con- stitution of the United States, and was a firm sup- porter of the patriot cause. He served six years as a member of Congress, and was a member of the Council of Connecticut from 1795 to 1801. He had been largely concerned in the West India trade, was a leader in all mercantile enterprises. He was probably the wealthiest man in Hartford.

Col. Wadsworth married Mehetabel Russell, and at his death, in 1804, left one son, Daniel. Mrs. Wadsworth died in 1817.

DANIEL WADSWORTH was born in Hartford, and in early life married Faith Trumbull, daughter of Gov. Jonathan Trumbull. of Connecticut. From childhood Daniel Wadsworth had delicate health. He possessed great wealth, being probably the wealthiest man of his day in Connecticut, was gen- erous, and gave liberally to all good purposes, using his estate as though it was a gift of Providence. He did much for the growth and prosperity of Hartford. The Wadsworth Atheneum, on Main and Atheneum streets, is a lasting monument of his desire to promote library and institute objects. He gave the ground, valued at $20,000, on which the Atheneum building stands, for that purpose, it be- ing the site of his birthplace and the family home for three generations. He also contributed largely to the building. He died in 1848, and his wife passed away in 1846.

D. RIORDAN, dealer in dry goods, notions, carpets, etc., Nos. 381-385 Main street, New Brit- ain, Hartford county, Connecticut.

DAVID WATKINSON, philanthropist, Hart- ford, where his death occurred Dec. 13, 1857, contributed largely of his means to the good of his adopted city.

Mr. Watkinson was born Jan. 17, 1778, in Laven- ham, Suffolk, England, and came to the United States with his parents in 1795, locating in Middle- town, Conn. He commenced his business career as a merchant's clerk, and was for a time employed in New York City, and in 1800 began mercantile business with his brother William in Hartford, Conn. He continued in that line of business for up- ward of forty years, until in 1841 he withdrew from active pursuits with a fortune. Mr. Watkin- son was a pure-minded, benevolent, Christian man, was an active member of the Connecticut Historical Society, and a large subscriber to the Wadsworth Atheneum. None was more distinguished for in- telligence in these and other measures for the pub- lic welfare than David Watkinson, and at his death he fitly crowned the efforts of his life by making a bequest of $100,000 (to which was added a re- siduary interest in his estate) for the establish-

ment of a free reference library "in connection with the Connecticut Historical Society," and giving an additional sum of $5,000 to the same society to enlarge their building for the purpose. His be- quests by will were $40,000 to the Hartford Hos- pital : $20,000 to the Orphan Asylum ; $40,000 for founding a "juvenile asylum for neglected and aban- coned children ;" and $100,000 for a library of ref- erence in connection with the Connecticut Historical Society, also making the trustees of the library of reference residuary legatees of his estate.

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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 161

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