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 18

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 18

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Samuel Shepard and Bethiah, his wife, quit claim unto Ebenezer Steel "land which sometime did belong to Mr. James Steel, late of Hartford, de- ceased, grandfather to the said Ebenezer Steel and . the said Bethiah Shepard" March 1, 1716-17 [ Hartford Land Records, Vol. III. p. 134]. like deed is recorded on page 156 from Ebenezer Steel to Samuel Shepard.

Administration was granted on the estate of Samuel Shepard, late of Hartford, deceased, July 30, 1750, to Jolin Shepard and James Shepard. The inventory of the estate was filed Dec. 13, 1750, and in all amounted to £1.795, 6s., Tod. The estate was distributed to John Shepard, eldest son, a double share, and a single share each to James, William, Amos, Stephen, Hannah and Sarah Shepard, chil- .dren of the said deceased. Samuel Shepard, son of the deceased. was appointed guardian to his minor brothers. William and Amos.

Children of Samuel and Bethialt : (1) John, born April 28, 1710. bapt. April 30, same year, mar- ried Rebecca. Made will June 7, 1785: probated June 23. 1789). (2) James, bapt. May 2. 1714, married ( first ), Nov. 22, 1739. Sarah Hopkins. She died Jan 13, 1762, and he married ( second ) . Feb. 9. 1764. Obedience Trumbull, of Suffield, who survived him. Administration of his estate was granted to his son, Levi Shepard, of Northampton, Mass., March 3. 1791. Obedience Shepard. of Hartford, widow, relict of James Shepard, late of Hartford, deceased, deeds land to her son, Levi, of Northampton. May 10. 1791 | Hartford Land Rec- ords, Vol. XVIII, p. 494]. Her son, James, also lived at Northampton, but it is not probable that James, the son of Samuel, ever lived at Northampton. (3) Bethiah, bapt. Oct. 23, 1720, not mentioned in

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

tion of being what the public calls a "self-made man," and an analyzation of his character reveals the fact that enterprise, well-directed effort and honorable dealing were the essential features in his prosperity.

Mr. Plumb was born in Wolcott, Conn., Jan. 23, 1829, and on the paternal side traced his an- cestry back to John and Elizabeth Plumb, of Top- pesfield, County of Essex, England. The next in direct descent were Robert and Elizabeth ( Purcas) Plumb, and Robert and Grace ( Crackbone) Plumb. Jolin Plumb, a son of the latter couple, was born in the County of Essex, England, July 28, 1594, and in 1634 was seated in Ridgewell Hall. His name appears on the Colonial records of Wethers- field, Conn., in 1636, and he was a member of the General Court in 1637, and filled various other offices. In 1644 he removed to Branford, Conn., where he died four years later. Among the children born to him and his wife Dorothy was Robert Plumb, who was born in Ridgewell, England, Dec. 30, 1617, and came with the family to Weathersfield, Conn. He was one of the first settlers of Milford, locating there in 1639, five years before his father left Weathersfield for Branford. In Milford he wed- ded Mary Baldwin, and there his death occurred. Their son, John Plumb, was born Aug. 12, 1646, and died in March, 1728. He married Elizabeth Norton, and in their family was Joseph Plumb, of Milford and Farmington, Conn., who was born in the former place in 1683, and died May 27, 1742. His wife was Thankful Gaylord. Their son, Sim- eon Plumb, born Oct. 10, 1738, wedded Mary At- kins, and died in 1813. The next in direct descent was Solomon Plumb, the grandfather of our sub- ject. He was born in 1769, and became a farmer of Wolcott. On Jan. 28, 1790, he married Lucretia Scarritt. Their son, Willard Plumb, the father of our subject, was born July 29, 1796, in Wolcott, where he was reared to manhood and later followed farming. He was married, Jan. 1, 1822, to Polly Hall, a daughter of Heman and Lydia (Hitch- cock) Hall, also farming people of Wolcott.

The boyhood and youth of our subject were passed in his native town, and he received a limited education in its common schools. When quite young he went to Waterville, where he learned the machinist's trade with the original knife-makers of that place, the Waterville Knife Co., and later learned clockmaking with Seth Thomas, at Thomas- ton. By this time he was twenty years of age, and had saved $7,000, but going into the cutlery busi- ness at Wallingford, with the Co-operative Knife Co., he lost it all. Nothing daunted, he soon found employment with a cutlery concern in Meriden, where he remained five years. During the Civil war he was employed as a machinist in the Spring- field Armory, and later in the Meriden Tool Co.'s shop, where he worked for Mr. Beach. the patentee of the now famous Beach chuck. When that gen- tleman sold out to the Morse Twist Drill & Ma-

chine Co., of New Bedford, Mr. Plumb went to that city and started the business for them. In April, 1868, he came to Southington, as superintend- ent of the Southington Cutlery Co.'s knife depart- ment, remaining with them until the big strike in 1887, when the plant closed down, two years later, after the company resumed business, he returned to them, and remained in their employ until 1894.

On Oct. 10, 1853, Mr. Plumb was united in mar- riage with Miss Maria A. Douglass, a native of Warren, R. I., and a daughter of Nicholas G. and Elizabeth (Cowing) Douglass, and Dy this union two children were born: Eva M., wife of Homer WV. Terry; and Willard W.

In religious belief Mr. Plumb inclined toward the Universalist faith, but was not a member of any church or secret cociety. His political support was given to the Republican party, and he held the office of assessor, and for ten years prior to his death was also first selectman of his town. He was a shrewd financier, in public affairs as well as in personal matters, and labored untiringly for the good of his community. He was often called upon to act as administrator for important estates which were settled in the probate court, and his fellow citizens had the utmost confidence in his reliability and uprightness. Although he met with reverses in life, he steadily prospered, and became a stock- holder in the Southington Cutlery Co., the Atwater Manufacturing Co., the Blakeslee Forging Co., and the Southington Water Co., and was also president of the Southington Savings Bank from 1884 until his death, and of the Southington Lumber & Feed Co., from its formation in 1870.

DAVID BRAINARD, one of Enfield's leading citizens, and a prominent insurance agent, was born in that town Oct. 31, 1823, and is a worthy repre- sentative of an honored and distinguished family of this State.

Mr. Brainard is a descendant in the seventh gen- eration of Daniel Brainard, a pioneer of Haddam, Conn., and in each generation in a direct line to our subject have been representatives in the Connecticut Legislature. He traces his ancestry back through the following to the progenitor of the family in this State: Jared and Mary ( Pierce) Brainard ; Frederick and Anna (Brainard) Brainard; Ezra and Jerusha (Snow) Brainard; Josiah and Hannah (Spencer) Brainard ; William and Sarah ( Bidwell) Brainard ; and Daniel and Hannah ( Spencer) Brai- nard. Our subject's great-grandfather, Ezra Brai- nard, died at the advanced age of ninety-three years, in the house at Haddam Neck, Conn., where he was born and spent his entire life. As justice of the peace he was noted for the many marriage ceremo- nies he performed, and for the fact that he usually gave the fees taken from the bridegroom to the bride. He was one of the most prominent and in- fluential citizens of his community and served thirty-eight terms in the State Legislature. His

David Brainard

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

son Frederick, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Haddam, and was the originator of the stone quarry business of that town.

Jared Brainard, father of David Brainard, was also a native of Haddam, and in 1811 became a resident of Enfield, Hartford county, where he fol- lowed farming until called from this life, at the ripe age of eighty-four years. He was known as Deacon Brainard, having served many years as deacon in the Congregational Church and in the Presbyterian Church of Thompsonville, with which he united later. Jared Brainard married Miss Mary Pierce, who was a daughter of John and Lucy ( Snow) Pierce, granddaughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Stowe) Pierce, great-granddaughter of Ebenezer and Mary Pierce, and great-great-granddaughter of John and Deborah (Converse) Pierce, of Woburn, Mass. The will of John Pierce was dated April 26, 1716. John Pierce, maternal grandfather of our subject, was for many years a deacon in the Con- gregational Church at Millbury, Mass. Of the children born to Jared and Mary ( Pierce) Brainard four reached years of maturity: Alvira W. (wife of Jeremiah N. Parsons ), Jared F., Harvey P. and David.

David Brainard was reared on the homestead in Enfield town, and received a good common-school and academic education. On attaining his majority he turned his attention to farming and lumbering in Brainardville, and continued to follow those occu- pations until 1858. For almost half a century he resided near the old homestead where his early life was passed, in 1870 removing to Thompsonville, where he still resides. Since 1855 he has done a general insurance business, and is today the most popular and successful agent in that line in his locality.

Mr. Brainard has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Caroline, daughter of Col. Jabez and Rebecca (Terry) King, of Enfield, by whom he had three children, namely : David, Horace K. and Charles. After her death he married her sis- ter, Miss Henrietta King.

Politically Mr. Brainard is a stanch Republican, and he has been honored with a number of official positions of trust and responsibility. In 1861 he was a member of the Legislature, and the following year was appointed United States assessor, in which capacity he served for nine years. He was assessor of Enfield town in 1898, and has held that office longer than any other man; during the Civil war was chairman of the town committee of volunteers to fill the quota for Enfield; and was chairman of the committee that built the Enfield high school in 1871, having, practically, the entire charge of the same. He is an active and prominent member of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is now serv- ing as elder, and his public and private life are alike above reproach. As a citizen he is ever ready to discharge every duty devolving upon him, and wherever known is honored for his sterling worth and exalted character.

HON. JAMES FRANKLIN PRATT is one of the public-spirited citizens of Southington, to whose energy and foresight that locality is indebted for many improvements. While Mr. Pratt, as a pros- perous business man, has given close attention to his private affairs, he has never forgotten or ignored that bond of common interest which should unite the people of every community, and he has always been ready to promote progress in every line.

Mr. Pratt was born in Southington, May 14, 1840, a son of David and Maria ( Dickerman) Pratt, in whose family were two children, the younger be- ing Julia J., wife of John William Gridley. The father was born Sept. 28, 1814, in Southington, and was married, Dec. 10, 1838, to Maria, daugh- ter of Samuel Dickerman, of Hamden, New Haven Co., Conn. For his second wife he married Frances Eliza Morton, a native of Hartford county.

Eli Pratt. the paternal grandfather of our sub- ject, was born Nov. 3, 1781, and was married March 28, 1803, to Abigail Hitchcock, by whom he had nine children. He was a farmer of Southington, a man of great piety, and was well thought of in the com- munity where he dwelt. He was appointed deacon of the Congregational Church of Southington in 1814, and served in that capacity for over forty years.

Stephen Pratt, the father of Eli, was born in Saybrook, Conn., June 30, 1740, and was thrice mar- ried, his first wife being Phebe Atkins, the second Hannah Davidson, and the third Phebe Andrews. He had nine children. For several years he served as a soldier in the French and Indian war, before moving to Southington, where he died in 1823.

Christopher Pratt, the father of Stephen, was born Nov. 4. 1712, and was married June 14, 1739, to Sarah Pratt, daughter of Daniel Pratt. They had seven children. His death occurred in Wal- lingford.

Ensign William Pratt, father of Christopher, was born about 1674, and was married Oct. 8, 1700, to Hannah Hough. He lived at Pautapaug, and was prominent in civil and military affairs.

Joseph Pratt, father of Ensign Pratt, was a large land holder in the Pautapang Quarter, and also in the town of Hebron. He died Aug. 12, 1703, at the age of fifty-five years.

Lieut. William Pratt, the father of Josephi, was the progenitor of the family in this county. He is supposed to have gone with Rev. Thomas Hooker to Newtown (now Cambridge), Mass., in 1633, and thence to Hartford, Conn. In June. 1636, he mar- ried Elizabeth Clark, daughter of John Clark, of Saybrook, and afterward of Milford, and formerly of Great Mundon, Hertfordshire, England. Lieut. Pratt attended the General Court as a deputy to the twenty-third session, which convened in Hartford, May 9, 1678, and died the same year.

Lieut. Pratt was a son of Rev. William and Elizabeth P'ratt, of Hertfordshire, England, the formerof whom was baptized at Baldock, in October,

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1562, was inducted rector of the parish of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire, Dec. 6, 1598, and died in 1629, aged sixty-seven years. Rev. William Pratt was a son of Andrew Pratt, who was born at Baldock, a son of Thomas and Joan Pratt, of that place. An- drew was born in February. 1539, just one hun- dred years previous to the date when the settlers of Hartford drew their home lots.

The subject of this sketch was reared in South- ington and educated in the public schools and Lewis Academy, graduating from the latter institution in 1857. He began his business career as clerk in the general store of his uncle, Samuel Pratt, in South- ington, and occupied that position for nearly two years. As his health became impaired he went West, and while there taught school in Minnesota, and spent some time on a farm in Illinois. Early in the fall of 1862 he returned home, and for a time was with his father on the farm. Later he went to Meriden, Conn., and was employed in the in- spector's department of the Snow Brooks gun shop, now belonging to the Parker Gun Co. Subsequently he was bookkeeper in a grocery store in Meriden, but in July, 1866, ne returned to Southington, and in com- pany with his cousin, George A. Pratt, purchased the store of his uncle, where he had formerly clerked. Shortly afterward he bought his partner's interest, and alone, or in partnership with others, conducted the store for twenty years, or until 1886. When he opened his store there that part of Southington was not in a very flourishing condition, and it was largely through the enterprise and perseverance of Mr. Pratt that it assumed its present attractive appearance. Always looking to the better interests of the town, he was instrumental in having new sidewalks laid. In 1880 the Village Improvement Society was or- ganized, and he was made president of the same. He was also elected president of the Board of Trade at its inception ; was one of the organizers of the Southington National Bank, of which he is still a di- rector, and was for several years its vice-president ; was also a director of the Pultz-Walkley Co., paper- bag manufacturers, recently absorbed by the Union Bag & Paper Co., and in 1895 he was appointed su- perintendent, holding that position until July 1, 1899, when he resigned. For some time he was also a director of and stockholder in the Southington Cutlery Co., but resigned in 1897. It will thus be seen that he has been identified with most of the im- portant business enterprises of the town, and in this way has materially advanced its interests.

Mr. Pratt has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Mary Lee, of Berlin, Conn., a descend- ant of John Lee, of Farmington, and for his second wife he married Miss M. Dell Clark, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Cafferty) Clark, of Union, N. Y. By the second union there are two children : Julia Agnes and Annie Lila.

Mr. Pratt is an active and prominent member of the Congregational Church, of which he has been treasurer since 1867 and a deacon for many years.

Politically he is an ardent Republican, and represent- ed Southington in the Legislature in 1883 and 1884. He is now a member of the board of regents of the Lewis high school. Fraternally he belongs to Friendship Lodge, No. 33, F. & A. M., of South- ington, of which he has been treasurer since 1874; Triune Chapter, No. 9, R. A. M., of South- ington ; and St. Elmo Commandery, K. T., of Me- riden.

EZRA C. AYER, a leading and prominent ag- riculturist of Farmington, belongs to an old New England family which tradition says is of Scottish origin.

(I) John Ayer, the first to come to America, crossed the Atlantic, in 1637, on the ship "Mary Ann," commanded by Capt. Goos, and he was de- scribed on the shipping list as John Eyre, grocer. of Norwich. At the time he was forty-five years of age. He was soon joined by his family of eight children, and after living in Newbury for a time removed to Haverhill, Mass., March 5, 1645. He died there in 1657, aged sixty-five years ; his wife, Hannah, passed away in 1675. Their children were: John, who married Sarah Williams ; Na- thaniel; Rebecca; Mary; Obediah, who married Hannah Pike; Robert, who married Elizabeth Pal- mer ; Thomas; Peter, who married Hannah Allen ; and Hannah.

(II) Thomas Ayer died at Haverhill, Mass., Nov. 9, 1686. He married Elizabeth Hutchins. and had eight children: John; Elizabeth: Mary Love, wife of Joseph Kingsbury; Thomas, Samuel ; and two sons who died in infancy.

(III) John Ayer was born May 14, 1657, and it is supposed that he came from Stonington to Say- brook, Conn., where he took up land. He and his eldest son, John, built a, house at Ayer's Point in 1710, and being a maltster by trade, he erected a malt house a little south of the present residence of William Y. Ayer, a cousin of our subject ; some of its foundation still remains. He carried on quite an extensive business. He is said to have been a man of medium size, with only one arm, and was very active and energetic. He died in 1743. His home was torn down, in 1740, and another erected . on the same site. The present residence standing there was built in 1828, by Thomas Youngs Aver. In 1684 John Ayer married Hannah Travis, a daughter of William Travis, of Haverhill, Mass .. and they had eight children : Hannah, wife of Sylvanus Harrington; John, who is mentioned be- low; Sarah, wife of a Mr. Packer; David, who married Jerusha Williams; Ruth, who died at the age of four years; Esther, wife of John Phillips; Joshua, who married a Miss Parrish ; and Daniel, who died Sept. 23, 1714.

(IV) John Ayer was born in 1688, and mar- ried Sarah Colt, of Lyme, Conn., a daughter of John Colt. He died Feb. 21, 1760, and she pass - ! away Dec. 5, same year. In their family were

буга Ев Ази

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ten children, namely : Daniel, born July 23, 1716, married Esther Chapin; John, born Nov. 1, 1718, married Abigail Cook; Joseph, born March 23, 1721, married Thankful Drake; Travis, born March 16, 1723, married Rhuhannah Matson ; Elisha, born Sept. 29, 1725, died Dec. 6, 1751 ; Sarah, born Feb. 20, 1728, married Silas Peck; Ziparah, born Sept. 21, 1730, married Richard Sill; Mary, born Nov. 29, 1732, died July 20, 1739; Elizabeth, born March 25, 1735, married Samuel Phillips; and Hannah, born Feb. 25, 1740, married Gibbon Jewitt.

(V) Travis Ayer was the great-grandfather of our subject. It is said that he attended school only one-half day, but his books and papers indi- cate fair scholarship. At the age of twenty-two years he was one of the 516 Connecticut men who went to Nova Scotia with Sir William Pepperell's expedition and captured Fort Louisburg from the French. He was discharged at Boston, and started for home on foot, but was taken ill with fever on the way, and could proceed no farther than the home of Mr. Matson, of Lyme, his future father- in-law. He was dignified and genteel, and was deacon of the Church for many years. He built the house in Saybrook where William Stebbins now re- sides. His will bears date Feb. 23, 1793. In 1748 he married Miss Rhuhannah Matson, of Lyme, who died in 1820, aged ninety-two years, and he departed this life April 7, 1812, at the age of eighty-nine, the remains of both being interred in the upper cemetery, Saybrook, Conn. They had only two children : Rhuhannah, who was born Dec. 8, 1757, and died Oct. 25, 1820; and John, the grandfather of our subject.

(VI) John Ayer was born Sept. 24, 1763, and was a man of medium height, rather heavy in weight, of even temper, keen wit, sound judgment, and prominent in public affairs. He followed farm- ing, and also engaged in shad fishing, and in 1810 built the house now occupied by Edwin Ayer, at Aver's Point. He represented Saybrook in the State Legislature. On April 5, 1786, he married Miss Jemima Youngs, a daughter of Judge Thomas and Rhoda (Budd) Youngs, of Southhold, L. [. He died May 28, 1840, his wife on Aug. 9, 1843, and both were laid to rest in the Upper cemetery. In their family were eight children: Hannalı, born July 16, 1787, married Ezra L'Homadieu, and died Dec. 29, 1827; Laura, born Sept. 28, 1789, married William Willard, and died Aug. 21, 1882 ; William Travis, the next of the family, was the father of our subject; Thomas Y., born March 25, 1795, married (first) Abby Whittlesey and (sec- ond ) Sarah Covert; John, born Sept. 9, 1797, died Sept. 29, 1797; Deborah Matson, born Sept. 25, 1799, died Aug. 2, 1878; Mary Ann, born July 19, 1801, died Dec. 11, 1849; and Amelia, born Aug. 9. 1807, married Samuel Griswold, and died May 4, 1853.

(VII) William Travis Ayer was born Dec. II, 1791, and engaged in farming and fishing through- out his active business life, following the latter occupation for forty-two consecutive springs. In

1824 he erected for himself a residence at Say- brook, where our subject was born. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was well known and highly respected. On Dec. 25, 1823, he mar- ried Miss Louisa Clark, who was born April 26, 1796, a daughter of Ezra and Elizabeth (Whittle- sey) Clark, residents of Saybrook: Her father was born June 6, 1762, and died Jan. 6, 1858, while her mother was born Sept. 17, 1763, and died March 6, 1842. William T. Ayer died Aug. 28, 1878; and his wife passed away Dec. 23, 1872. They had eleven children: Edwin, born Oct. 15, 1824, is mentioned below; Maria Louise, born March 18, 1826, is a resident of West Newton, Mass .; Will- iam Travis, born July 5. 1827, died Aug. 16, 1835; Ezra Clark, born Feb. 9, 1829, is also mentioned below ; Mary Jane, born June 24, 1830, married John F. Bushnell, and died Sept. 13. 1853 ; Charles, born Jan. 8, 1832, died May 7. 1858; Lydia, born Oct. 18, 1833, married Samuel Ingham, of Say- brook, Conn .; Amelia Ann, born March 15, 1835, married (first) Frank Harvey and (second) Charles Kelsey; Isabel, born June 9, 1836, died Feb. 18, 1854; Andrew, born Nov. 5, 1837, is in the Soldiers' Home at Hampton Roads; and Har- riet A., born April 20, 1841, died June 13, 1862. Edwin Aver, a brother of our subject, residing at Ayer's Point, Saybrook, was married, Oct. 20, 1852, to Abbie Miller Youngs, who died Aug. 28, 1882. Her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth (Miller) Youngs, and her paternal grandfather was Capt. Joshua Youngs, a son of Judge Thomas Youngs, of Southold, L. I. Her maternal grand- parents were Rev. John and Elizabeth (Gaylord) Miller. Her father was born Oct. 25, 1787, and died Dec. 23. 1865 : her mother was born Feb. 16, 1796, and died April 23, 1855.

(VIII) Ezra Clark Aver, whose name intro- duces this sketch, spent his school days in Say- brook. He learned the mason's trade at Deep River, Conn., after which he worked as a builder in Boston, Mass., for some time. In 1861 lie came to Farmington, Hartford county, Conn., where he remained for about a year, and on Sept. 8, 1862. he enlisted in Company K, 25th Conn. V. I., for service in the Civil war. At the siege of Port Hud- son he was so injured as to be quite deaf ever since. He was mustered out Aug. 28, 1863, and returned to Boston, where he followed the mason's trade until 1871, during which year he again came to Farmington, and purchased a farm of the Youngs heirs. He now owns and operates a valuable tract of 250 acres of land in Farmington, and also has a farm in the town of Union, Tolland Co., Connec- ticut.

Mr. Ayer first married Miss Martha Lydia Youngs, a daughter of Thomas Youngs, and to them were born two children: Elizabeth Maria, de- ceased ; and Martha Isabel, who is a teacher in Unionville. For his second wife he married Miss Eugenia Barnes Crampton, of Farmington, a daughter of Richard and Sarah ( Barnes) Cramp- ton, a granddaughter of Adna Crampton, and a

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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 18

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