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 21

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 21

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HON. JAMES BARLOW ROSE, one of West Suffield's most respected native-born citizens and retired business men, was born April 5, 1816. His father, Barlow Rose, was a son of Gad Rose, of whom mention is made in full in the biography of Oliver C. Rose, given elsewhere.

Barlow Rose, in early manhood, was very suc- cessful as a peddler of Yankee notions, shoes, cigars, indigo and other articles, through the States of Connecticut and New York, later becoming inter- ested, with his brother Curtis, in conducting a saw- mill and distillery, and still later settling down to farming. In his religious views he was very toler- ant, and in politics he was first a Federalist and then a Jeffersonian Democrat; he was noted for his domestic habits and integrity, as well as his genial disposition. He married Clarissa King, a native of Suffield, who bore him six children: James Barlow, the subject of this sketch; Cornelius, who died young ; Mortimer, who died in infancy ; Morti- mer (2), who is also deceased ; Almira C., deceased wife of H. S. Sheldon ; and Alexander C., also de- ceased. The father died on his farm, the mother at the home of our subject, and the remains of both were laid to rest, side by side, in the West Suffield cemetery. The mother was a faithful mem- ber of the Congregational Church, and both parents were greatly respected by all who knew them.

James Barlow Rose was educated in the public schools and at Westfield Academy, and the first year after leaving school he clerked for his uncle, Thaddeus Lyman, in West Suffield. He then started on the road, and for six years peddled Yankee

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notions, whips and lashes, cigars, etc., through his native State, New Jersey, New York and Penn- sylvania. He was very successful in his trips, and when he relinquished peddling was offered a salary of $1,800 per annum by his employer to remain on the road, which he declined. In 1842 he purchased a two-thirds interest in the mercantile establish- ment of William Lyman, of West Suffield. He induced his brother Mortimer to join him, and in 1845 bought out Mr. Lyman entire, he and his brother continuing for twenty years in dealing in tobacco, manufacturing cigars, and in growing to- bacco. In 1865, Mortimer Rose withdrew and en- gaged in farming, when our subject admitted his own son, Clifton B., into partnership, the firm name becoming J. B. Rose & Son. The new firm drove a thriving trade until 1873, when a conflagation des- troyed the store and stock, and J. B. Rose saw fit to relinquish the cares of mercantile life and to set- tle on a small farm, where he has since devoted his attention to agriculture, making tobacco growing a specialty. His career as a merchant was a most honorable one, his integrity was never called in question, and in his quieter pursuit of farming he is equally respected for his honesty and uniformly upright conduct.

Mr. Rose is to-day one of the oldest Democrats in the town of Suffield. In 1840 he cast his first Presidential vote for William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, and adhered to the Whig party until the formation of the Know-Nothing or Na- tive American party, which was largely made up of Whigs, when he became a Democrat, and has since used his franchise in favor of the last-named political organization. He has filled all of the town offices, including that of selectman, and in 1873 was elected to the State Legislature, dis- charging the duties of this office so ably that he was re-elected for a second term. For twenty- five years he served as justice of the peace, and dur- ing this long service not one appeal was ever taken from his decisions. While filling this office he once arrested and imprisoned a man for commit- ting some unlawful act in his presence. The prisoner brought suit for $10,000 damages for ar- rest without a warrant, and for some time Justice Rose was under $2,500 bonds to answer, but when the case was carried before a jury in the Superior court it was decided in his favor, as Mr. Rose proved that, under an old law, a justice of the peace had the right to make arrest for unlawful acts com- mitted in his presence-warrant or no warrant. During the Civil war, when Mr. Rose was a select- man, a number of citizens were drafted for mili- tary service, but did not desire to serve, nor had they the means with which to hire substitutes. It was suggested by Mr. Rose and other citizens that the town be taxed to the amount of $300 for each man so drafted, and that the town issue its bonds or notes for the payment of the funds so raised, and a called meeting endorsed this action. Those of

the citizens who were exempt from service op- posed the issue of the bonds, and sued out an in- junction to prevent such issue ; but Mr. Rose had the people on his side, and at a second meeting the selectmen were empowered to continue the issue of bonds, this action calling forth a second injunc- tion. At still another meeting Alr. Rose was em- powered to appoint a committee to act, and the names of the members of this committee were kept secret, so that a third injunction was avoided, the action of the opponents of the measure frustrated, Mr. Rose and his friends were triumphant, and the town paid for the necessary substitutes. For a long time, however, the query was current on the streets, in the schools, at church gatherings, etc., and in the newspapers, "Who are the committee?"

Hon. James B. Rose, in 1839, wedded Miss Mary M. King, a daughter of Ashel King. of Suf- field, and to this union were born two children : Clifton Barlow and Rosaline. Clifton Barlow Rose was educated in the public schools of Suffield, the Arms Academy, at Shelburne Fails, Mass., and the Connecticut Literary Institute of Suffield, and then engaged in mercantile business with his fa- ther until 1873. In 1876 he went to Arizona, where he spent four years in merchandising on the Apache Reservation, and four years as sheriff of Graham county, having been appointed to that office by Gen. John C. Fremont. He also traveled extensively in California, Texas, Mexico, New Mexico, and other parts of the continent, and is now a resident of Suffield, Conn. He married Miss Louise A. Stevens, a daughter of James Stevens, of South- wick, Mass., and to this marriage was born one child, Harold. Mrs. Louisa .A. Rose died in 1892, and her remains were laid to rest in Westfield, Mass. Clifton B. Rose, in both religion and poli- tics, is quite liberal, and fraternally he is a member of Arizona Lodge, F. & A. M. Rosaline Rose died young, and the mother, Mrs. Mary M. (King) Rose, was called away May 9, 1886. Mr. Rose subsequently married Matilda L. Graham, who has also passed away, dying in the faith of the Con- gregational Church, and her remains are buried at Suffield.

Mr. Rose is a well-read gentleman, has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his town, and his public and private life and acts have been such as to win for him the esteem of the community in which he has passed so many years of an active and public-spirited existence. Since Jan. 1. 1852, some forty-eight and one-half years ago, he has kept a daily diary, and can tell where he was every day during that time, and generally what he was doing on each day. He is now m his eighty-fifth vear.

ROWLAND BARLOW, deceased. There is. particular satisfaction in reverting to the life his- tory of the honored and venerable gentleman whose name introduces this review, as he bore in his veins

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some of the best blood of our early Colonists and was a representative of one of the prominent pio- neer families of Hampden county, Mass. For two hundred and fifty years the Barlow family has been identified with New England history, the first to cross the Atlantic from England being James Bar- low, who settled in Suffield, Hartford Co., Conn., where he made his home throughout the remainder of his life, dying there in 1689 or 1690. His only child, James Barlow, Jr., was born in 1688, in Suf- field, where he engaged in farming throughout his active business life, and he died there in 1758.

Edmund Barlow, son of James Barlow, Jr., and the grandfather of our subject, was born May 18, 1732, in Suffield, whence when a young man he removed to Granville, Mass., where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. During the Revolutionary war he enlisted, Oct. 21, 1776, in the Colonial ser- vice, and was first lieutenant in Capt. Cooley's com- pany, under command of Col. John Wosley and Lieut .- Col. Timothy Robinson. He received an honorable discharge Nov. 17, 1776. He married Miss Sybil Root, of Hebron, Conn., who died in Granville, Mass., in 1818. Their family numbered nine children: Edmund, born in May, 1763, died in 1842; Rebecca, born in November, 1764, mar- ried Ashel King, and died Jan. 10, 1823; Chene, born in March, 1767, died in Granville, in 1777; Sybil, born in January, 1769, died July 2, 1833; James, born in July, 1771, died Sept. 20, 1837; Mary, born in August, 1773, died in 1777; John, born in 1776, died in 1777 ; Chene, born June, 1779. died in 1829; and Lucy, born in February, 1786, died June 23, 1859.

Edmund Barlow, Jr., the father of our subject, spent his entire life in Granville, Mass., engaged in the occupation of farming, and was the owner of some good property there. He was one of the distinguished and honored citizens of his com- munity, and as a Whig took quite an active and prominent part in local politics. At one time he represented his district in the State Legislature. He was married in Granville, in 1786, to Miss Tabitha Bancroft, a daughter of Samuel Bancroft. She was born in 1763, and died in 1851, in Granville, while his death occurred in 1842, and the remains of both were interred in Granville cemetery. They were the parents of eight children, whose names, with dates of birth and death, are as follows : Elizabeth, 1787-1869; Heman, 1790-1884; Mary, 1792-1886; Edmund, 1796-1864; Samuel, 1798- 1876; Diana, 1803-1876; Barber, 1805 (went South at the age of twenty-three, and never returned) ; and Rowland, a sketch of whom follows:

Rowland Barlow was born Oct. 8, 1807, in Granville, Mass., where he grew to manhood and engaged in farming until 1860. His education was acquired in the public schools of his native town. On leaving there he came to North Granby, Hart- ford Co., Conn., where he purchased ninety acres of land, known as the Rowland Hayes farm, on

which he made his home, while engaged in general farming, until 1892. He then sold the place and removed to a farm of forty acres in the town of Granby, where he lived retired until his death, June 5, 1899.

In February, 1831, in Granby, Mr. Barlow mar- ried Miss Chleo Godard, who was born in 1811, a daughter of Miles Godard, and four children came of this union: Edmund B., born in October, 1832, is a resident of Granville, Mass .; Leland O., born in 1835, was a soldier in the Civil war, and died in Andersonville prison in 1864; Mary Jane, born in 1837, died in 1838; and Jane E., born in 1839, lived with her father, and tenderly cared for him in his declining years. The wife and mother died in Granville, Mass., in January, 1840, and was buried there. Mr. Barlow was married in July, 1841, to Miss Lavera Kendall, who was born in 18II, a daughter of Noadiah Kendall. By this mar- riage there were also four children: Harriet Emeroy, born in 1842, is now the wife of Milo Wilcox, of Granby ; Arabella Susan, born in 1844, died in 1850; Stella, born in 1848, is the wife of Frederick Rice, of Granby ; and Rolla Hubert, born in July, 1852, died in 1879. The mother of these children died in Granville, July 8, 1852, and was laid to rest there. For his third wife Mr. Barlow married her sister, Ursula Kendall, and the only child born to them died in infancy. Mrs. Barlow, who was a most estimable woman, departed this life Feb. 19, 1895, and was buried in Granville cemetery.

Our subject was the oldest living citizen in Granby, as well as one of its most highly-respected and honored men. He cast his first vote in 1828, and was a Whig until the organization of the Re- publican party, when he joined its ranks and con- tinued to fight under its banner. He was never an office seeker, but in 1861 was the choice of the people of his district for representative in the State Legislature. He was broad-minded and liberal in his views, and in all the relations of life was found true to every trust reposed in him. He was always upright and honorable in all his dealings with his fellow men, and was justly deserving of the high regard in which he was uniformly held.

HON. EDWARD PRICKETT. While "the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong," the invariable law of destiny accords to tireless energy, industry and ability a successful career. The truth of this assertion is abundantly verified in the life of Mr. Prickett, the well-known superintendent of the Hazard Powder Mills, and a leading citizen of Enfield.

Our subject was born in Faversham, County of Kent, England, Feb. 21, 1832, a son of William and Catherine (Wildish) Prickett, who on coming tc America in 1836 located in Hazardville, Hart- ford Co., Conn., where the father served as fore- man of a department of the Hazard Powder Mills

Edw. Prickett

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until killed by an explosion there, in 1844. He was a skilled workman and manufacturer, and his knowledge and care aided materially in establish- ing the fame and excellence of Hazard powder. In his family were the following children: Ann, wife of J. Winthrop Parsons; Edward; Thomas; Eliza, wife of Willis Simons; Adeline, wife of George Whiton ; Ashman P. ; and William A.

Edward Prickett was only four years old when he crossed the Atlantic with his parents and took up his residence in Hazardville, where he was reared and educated in the common schools. He began his business career as an employe of the Hazard Powder Co., and in 1854 left the operative works and entered the office. During his service of over forty-five years with that company he has steadily advanced in public favor. and has their entire confidence and respect. From childhood he has been around the mills, and as an employe in the various departments he soon acquired an excellent knowledge of the business, being educated in the chemistry of explosives and thoroughly qualified by training and experience for his present respon- sible position. He has regularly maintained the, su- perior quality of Hazard powder, and has firmly established its reputation.

On May 22, 1856, Mr. Prickett was united in marriage with Miss Barbara Law, daughter of James and Jane (Crawford) Law, natives of Scot- land, and five children have been born of this union : Georgianna C., wife of M. L. Bailey ; Hel- cna J., wife of W. H. Miner ; Clifford D., who mar- ried Edith M. Gordon; Edward L., who married Hilma T. Dahlgren ; and Effie M. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and merit and receive the respect and esteem of all who know them. Politically Mr. Prickett is iden- tified with the Republican party, and, as one of the popular and influential citizens of his community, he was called upon to represent Enfield in the State Legislature in 1879.

HON. EDWIN JOHN SHELDON, an enter- prising young tobacco grower and general farmer of Suffield, was born in Florence township, Will Co., Ill., Oct. 27, 1860, but is of Connecticut par- entage.

William Stevens Sheldon, father of Edwin J., was born Jan. 20, 1833, on the farm now owned by Deacon Benjamin Sheldon, in the town of Suf- field, Conn .. a biography of whom appears elsewhere. He was educated in the district schools and the Connecticut Literary Institute, and remained on the home place until twenty-two years of age, when he started for the West, for ten years living in Will county, Ill., where he engaged in stock raising and grain growing. In 1865 he sold his farm and re- turned to Connecticut, and settled on the old home- stead of 160 acres where he was born, and on which he died Feb. 27, 1894. In politics William S. Sheldon was a Republican, and was honored by the people of Florence, Ill., with election as school

commissioner and also as road commissioner. For years he was a deacon in the Congregational Church, and his conduct throughout life was such as to command the respect of all who knew him. To his marriage, which took place in Wilmington, Will Co., Ill., Feb. 25, 1858, with Miss Sarah Jane Rick- ard, who was born July 11, 1835, a daughter of Daniel Rickard, of New York State, were born two children : Edwin J., and Mary E., the wife of Henry R. Hemenway, of Suffield. Mrs. Sarah Jane Sheldon was called away by death Oct. 11, 1893, dying in the faith of the Congregational Church.

Edwin J. Sheldon was but four years of age when brought from his birthplace in the West to the home of his forefathers in the East, and was reared here to manhood. He was educated in the public schools, primarily, then attended the Con- necticut Literary Institute of Suffield, and in 1882 took a course of instruction in the Eastman Busi- ness College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. When he became of age he was admitted to partnership with his father in the cultivation of tobacco and in gen- eral farming. After the death of his father, Mr. Sheldon purchased the homestead, and is now cx- tensively engaged in the same line of agriculture, with the additional industry of cattle breeding. The place has been owned and occupied by Sheldons ever since 1740, when the country was a wilder- ness.

In 1886 Mr. Sheldon was united in matrimony with Mrs. Clara Easton, the widow of Edgar Easton, and a daughter of Charles Van Gilder, a cigar manu- facturer of Suffield, her native town. To the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon were born two chil- dren : William Harrison, born Aug. 1, 1888, who died June 18, 1889; and Edwin Raymond, born Aug. 16, 1891. Death bereft Mr. Sheldon of his wife Nov. 26, 1893.

In politics Mr. Sheldon is a stalwart Repub- lican, has served as assessor and justice of the peace of Suffield, and also as a grand juror. In 1896 he was elected a member of the State Legislature, in which he served on the committee on Towns, Counties and County Seats, with unusual effective- ness, and to the entire satisfaction of the august body of which he was a member. In his views of religion, Mr. Sheldon is liberal and somewhat lati- tudinarian, but is nevertheless a sincere Christian and liberal in his contributions to the support of the various churches of his neighborhood. He be- lieves in free education, and aids in every movement to advance and maintain the public schools. That he is a favorite with the comunity in which he lives is very manifest, as he has been chosen, ever since he reached his majority, to fill some position of honor and trust in which he might converse the interests of his fellow citizens.

S. TERRY WELLS, a successful agriculturist of East Windsor, is one of the progressive citizens whose influence is felt in the community as a power

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on the side of advancement. As a member of one of the old families of the town he well maintains the reputation for good citizenship established by its members in past times.

Mr. Wells is of the sixth generation in descent from Joshua Wells, Sr., who died in Windsor in 1721, aged seventy-five years. His birth place is not known, but is supposed to have been in this country. Joshua Wells, Jr., an early resident of East Windsor, the line extending through Lamp- son, the great-grandfather of our subject; Joshua (3), the grandfather, and Solomon, the father, all of whom were born in East Windsor, and resided there throughout their lives. The name was origin- ally spelled Wills, and has also been spelled Willis. Solomon Wells, our subject's father, was born July 28, 1793, and died Jan. 25, 1853. He mar- ried Miss Dorcas Terry, who was born July 3, 1799, daughter of Christopher Terry, of the town of Enfield, this county, and she survived him many years, dying Feb. 15, 1878. This worthy couple had two children : S. Terry, our subject, and Eliza- beth, born Jan. 27, 1837, who married Charles H. Wells, of Suffield.

Our subject was born Feb. 17, 1831, on his pres- ent farm, where he has always made his home. During his youth he attended Scantic Academy, Wilbraham Seminary, at Wilbraham, Mass., and the academy at East Hampton, Mass., and on leaving school he engaged in farming with his father. Since the death of the latter he has had the sole manage- ment of the estate, and in connection with general farming he is extensively interested in dairying and tobacco culture. The homestead comprises one hundred acres of excellent land and he also owns a fifty-acre tract in the town. His interest in the welfare of agriculturists generally is shown by his active work in the local Grange, of which he has been master for five years, and he is prominent in the management of the First Congregational Church at Scantic, having served as clerk and treasurer for forty years. For forty years he has been a member of the local school board, and for twenty- five years of that time he has done effective work as acting school visitor. He is a stanch Republican, being one of the valued advisors of the town organization, and in 1890 was elected first selectman, serving with Elisha G. Morton and George A. Ellis.

In 1857 Mr. Wells married Miss Sarah L. Prior, daughter of Harvey Prior, a well-known resident of this county, who served many years as deputy sheriff, and was collector of taxes for twenty-five years, in the town of East Windsor.

HERBERT C. WELLS, our subject's only son, was born Aug. 2, 1867, and now resides at the home- stead. He was educated at the Connecticut Liter- ary Institute, in Suffield, and has shown decided talent as a musician and in the art of taxidermy, to which he devotes much of his leisure time. In 1897 he married Miss Jane P., daughter of Homer

S. and Adeline (Bartlett) Allyn, of East Windsor, and two children, Eleanor Adelaide, and Louisa Gris- wold, have blessed the union.

CHARLES H. GRAHAM, the present well- known treasurer of the Upson Nut Co., of Union- vile, was born in New Britain, Hartford county, Oct. 15, 1837, and is of Scottish descent, his pater- nal great-grandfather having been a native of Scot- land. His grandfather, Curtis Graham, was a resi- dent of Norwich, Conn., where he was engaged in the saddlery business. He married Paulina Lord, and they had three children: Gilbert, a resident of New Britain, Conn .; Mary, of Indiana ; and Will- iam Lord, father of our subject. All are now de- ceased.

William Lord Graham was born, reared and edu- cated in Norwich. In carly life he followed the trade of a brass-turner in New Britain, and later en- gaged in the manufacture of cow bells and hames for harness, at that place. He died in Burlington, Conn., in 1869. He married Miss Almira Wilmot, a daughter of Thomas Wilmot, of Burlington, and to them were born four children: Charles H., our subject ; Walter A., a superintendent of the Fair Haven & Westville railroad, and a resident of New Haven, Conn .; Mary Jane, wife of Albert J. Brewer, of Unionville; and William J., also a resident of Unionville. For his second wife the father mar- ried Frances Pettibone, and of the children born to them one son, Arthur, now a resident of Buriingto.1, Conn., grew to maturity.

Charles H. Graham passed his boyhood and . youth in New Britain and Burlington, and was edu- cated in the public schools. At the age of eighteen years he commenced working for Dwight Langdon, who founded the Upson Nut Co., in 1854, and under him he became thoroughly conversant with bolt manufacturing. The firm was later composed of A. S. Upson and George Dunham, who carried on business for a time under the firm name of Upson & Dunham, and it was later changed to the Upson Nut Co., of which A. S. Upson is president ; W. A. Hitchcock, secretary ; and Charles H. Graham, treas- urer. Our subject was employed as shipper by Up- son & Dunham and had a contract for making bolts with the Upson Nut Co .; subsequently was super- intendent of the factory for fifteen years ; and upon the death of Samuel Frisbie, became treasurer. He is also secretary of the Union Nut & Bolt Co., of New York and Chicago; assistant treasurer of the Union Rolling Mill Co., of Cleveland, Ohio., vice- president of the Unionville Water Co., and a di- rector in the Union Water Co., of Unionville. He is a practical mechanic, thoroughly conversant with every department of the business. Our subject in- vented the first automatic lathe for threading bolts, for which he secured a patent.

At Unionville Mr. Graham married Miss Eme- line A. Upson, a daughter of Seth and Martha Up- son, and they have five children : Walter E., a

What I linaham

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bookkeeper, who married Clarabel Lusk, and las two children, Kenneth and Arline ; Samuel F., as- sistant superintendent of the Upson Nut Co., and one of the selectman of Farmington : Henry C., a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, where he has the posi- tion of paymaster for the Upson Nut Co. (in Au- gust, 1899, he married Alice Taylor, of Cnionville ) ; and Lila E. and Winifred, both deceased.

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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 21

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