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 62

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 62

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his industry, honesty and honorable dealing, was a devoted husband and father, and a good citizen. Religiously he was a member of the Congregational Church, and politically was identified with the Re- publican party, but though often urged by his friends hc would never consent to enter the race for public office. He died Dec. 2, 1879, honored and respected by all who knew him. For a number of years Mr. Churchill was a lieutenant in the First Company, Governor's Horse Guards, having risen from the ranks, and on the death of his brother Levi was ten- dered his commission, that of captain. Owing to an accident, however, in which his arm was broken, he resigned.

On May 5, 1857, in Newington, Conn., Mr. Churchill married Miss Esther Emilia Blinn, a na- tive of Newington, and a daughter of Elisha and Esther (Griswold) Blinn. She is a lady of refine- ment, and has taken a deep interest in the educa- tion of her children. She is a consistent and faith- ful member of the Congregational Church of Weth- ersfield. To our subject and his wife were born eight children : Alice Amelia, born July II, 1858, married Edmund L. Smith ; Elizabeth Maria, born July 22, 1860, married Clifford E. Clark; Emma Abigail, born Aug. 24, 1862, married William S. Morris, of Wethersfield ; Levi Belden, born Oct. 10, 1864, married Grace Watrous Perry, and has three children, Levi B., Grace Watrous and Jesse Stephen ; Stephen, born Nov. 30, 1867, married Lillie P. Gris- wold, a native of Bridgeport, and a daughter of James Dixon Griswold (a granddaughter of James Stanley and Prudence Wells (Churchill) Griswold, and great-granddaughter of James and Lucy (Rob- bins) Griswold), and they have one child, Blanche May; Frederick Griswold, born May 16, 1870, was married April 4, 1900, to Alice Gertrude Wooley, of Wethersfield, and resides on the homestead; Nellie May, born July 30, 1872, married Edwin McDon- ough, and has one child, Gertrudc: and Hattie Mabel, born Oct. 28, 1875, married Hiram F. Shep- ard, and has one child, Frederick Churchill. To- gether the sons operate the old homestead farm, and are extensively engaged in general farming, dairy- ing, fruit and market gardening. They are enter- prising and progressive business men of temperate and industrious habits, and are widely and favor- ably known. Politically they all support the Re- publican party.

HENRY W. ENSIGN. Those individuals who live a life of noble struggle and achievement, and who in their declining years gradually lay aside the burdens of active care and live in well-merited busi- ness retirement, amid the peace and calm of home and friends, among associates of many years, are fitting exemplars of human history, not only for .their own intrinsic worth, but for the guidance and spur of a younger generation. Among the repre- sentative men of Simsbury none perhaps is more

Stephen B Churchill

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highly honored than he whose name appears above.

Henry W. Ensign, retired farmer of the East Weatogue District, Simsbury, was born in the Hop Meadow District, now Simsbury Center, Feb. 16, 1821. The Ensign family were old settlers of New England. The name is of Saxon origin. It first ap- peared in Childham, near the cathedral town of Can- terbury, England, where there was an Ensign manor, and the family arms were formerly placed in the church of Childham. The name appears to have been in the counties of Essex, Norfolk and Kent, says Stiles' "History of Ancient Windsor."

James Ensign, the first of that name who came to America, settled in Cambridge, Mass. In 1634 he removed with the Rev. Thomas Hooker party to Hartford, Conn., where he was a prominent citizen and one of the organizers of the Second Church. He died in November, 1670. His wife Sarah died in May, 1676. They had one son, David, who married Mehitable Gunn, daughter of Thomas Gunn, of Windsor, Conn. They were divorced by mutual consent. She afterward, in 1685, married Isaac Sheldon, a widower, of Windsor, who died July 27, 1708, aged seventy-nine years, she surviving him. David Ensign married for his second wife Sarah Wilcox, or Wilcoxson, who died Feb. 3, 1717-18 He moved to West Hartford, and was the original organizer of the church there. He died Dec. 12, 1727, aged eighty-two years. The children of David and Sarah ( Wilcox) Ensign were David, James and Thomas. Thomas married Hannah Shepard, daugh- ter of John and Rebecca (Greenhill) Shepard. Moses, son of Thomas and Hannah Ensign, was born in South Windsor, where he engaged in farm- ing. He in 1731 married Love Andrews, daughter of Thomas and Love ( Knight) Andrews. Isaac, son of Moses and Love (Andrews) Ensign, was born in West Hartford, where he learned the trade of blacksmith. About 1771 he moved to Simsbury, where he followed his trade, owning a shop at the Center, near the old cemetery. There he spent his life. He was a man highly respected, and was one of Simsbury's best citizens. He married Luranah Pettibone, daughter of Jacob and Jemima (Cornish) Pettibone. The ten children of Isaac and Luranah (Pettibone) Ensign were as follows : Isaac ; Isaiah; Ariel; Zebe; Zopher; Bildad; Eri; Moses ; Love, who died young; and Luranah, who married Oliver Phelps.

Bildad Ensign, son of Isaac and Luranah En- sign, and the father of our subject, was born May 10, 1788. He engaged through life in agricultural pursuits. In 1811 he removed to New York State and located at Oswego, where he spent four years, also farmed in Granby, and spent the balance of his life in Simsbury. He was noted for his industry and frugal habits, but met many reverses not through any fault of his own, but through kindness of heart in helping others. He was temperate in his habits,

a kind husband and an indulgent father. He served the town of Simsbury as constable, and also as col- lector of taxes, and was a Democrat in politics until the war of the Rebellion, when he became a Republi- can. He never sought political office or honors, but was content to perform his duty as a citizen as he saw it. Honest and honorable in his dealings, he did not accumulate an abundance of this world's goods, but he left a name that is highly respected He was a Christian man, and a consistent member of the Congregational Church. He died in 1865, and was buried in Simsbury cemetery. Mr. Ensign married in Granby Melissa Holcomb, born in Gran- by, daughter of Increase and Mary (Reed) Hol- comb. Increase Holcomb was a Revolutionary sol- dier, a son of Reuben Holcomb, and a grandson of Reuben Holcomb. His wife was a daughter of Capt. Martin (also a Revolutionary soldier) and Mary (Moore) Reed. The children born to Bildad and Melissa Ensign were: Melissa Eunice, born Dec. 25, 1817, married Joseph Barnes, of Windsor ; Eveline, born in 1819, died in infancy ; Henry Watts is our subject; Eveline, born in 1823, died young ; Caroline Elizabeth, born in March, 1830, married William Gardiner; Mary Luranah, born Sept. 29, 1834, married Elijah Young, and they are living in Cleveland, Ohio. The mother of our subject died in 1853, and was buried in Simsbury. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a good Christian woman, and the best of wives and mothers, and gave her children a good Christian training. She was a woman of rare beauty and of genial dis- position.

Henry W. Ensign attended the public schools of the district of Hop Meadow, his first school teacher being Annise Chapman. He also attended private schools for two terms, and the Connecticut Literary Institute, at Suffield. He remained at home, assist- ing his father in the farm work, until he was twenty years old, when he taught school at Agawam, Mass., in the winter, receiving $14 per month. He worked at farm labor in summer at $12 per month, and taught school one winter in Madison county, N. Y., at $12.50 per month ; one term at Bushy Hill, Sims- bury, where he received $12 per month; and eight terms in other districts of Simsbury.

In 1847 Mr. Ensign moved to Bushy Hill, where he bought a farm of sixty-nine acres, to which he added fifty-five acres, operating altogether 125 acres, and engaged principally in tobacco growing and gen- eral farming. On that farm he spent nineteen years of his life, making notable improvements in the prop- erty. Selling the farm, he moved to the East Wea- togue District, wliere he bought the Roswell Phelps farm, and has since been engaged in dairy and gen- cral farming and in tobacco growing. He is now living retired. Mr. Ensign has served as adminis- trator for a number of estates, having been ap- pointed by the courts, and has also been executor of several wills. He was tax collector of Simsbury for

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a number of years, having been appointed first by the selectmen and later elected by the votes of the people, and his services as a tax collector were very satisfactory. He served also as assessor, and was on the school committee for a number of years, taking a deep interest in educational affairs. In 1858 he was elected to the State Legislature on the Whig ticket, and served on the committee on Edu- cation ; he was again elected to the Legislature in 1865, on the Republican ticket, and served on the committee on Divorce. He cast his first Presidential vote for Henry Clay, the Whig candidate, and his last for William McKinley. Mr. Ensign has al- ways taken a deep interest in public affairs. So- cially he is a member of Village Lodge, F. & A. M .. Collinsville. He is a man of unusual intelligence, well informed on all the leading events, has traveled extensively in the West as far as the Pacific coast, and is a keen observer of men and events, possess- ing a remarkable memory for a man of his age. He is a most interesting conversationalist, is genial in disposition, and commands the highest respect among his many friends and acquaintances.

On March 18, 1847, in the City of New York, Mr. Ensign married, at the home of her brother, Rebecca Jane Curtiss, born Dec. 9, 1819, in Sims- bury, Conn. To our subject and wife children were born as follows: (1) James Curtiss, a fruit and grain grower of central California, married Geor- gia Ellen Baker, of Missouri, and has seven chil- dren-Henry Wilson, who married Maggie Syfers, and has one child, Gladys Pearl; Etta Baker, who married Samuel H. Weddell, and has two children, Ella Gertrude and Hugh Ensign; Luella Mattie, who died at the age of ten; Daisy Rebecca ; George Curtiss; Howard Carlton ; and Walter Calvin. (2) Sarah Jane was educated in the district schools, and also in the State Normal School, and has taught in the public schools of Granby, Simsbury, Bloomfield, and in Healdsburg, Sonoma Co., Cal. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revo- lution, Abigail Phelps Chapter, Simsbury. (3)

George Henry, a boy of great promise, was drowned at the age of fourteen years. (4) Ella Barnes and (5) Emma Barnes were twins. The latter died when five years old. The former was educated in the district schools of Simsbury and Hartford, and the Connecticut Literary Institute, Suffield, and has taught school one term in Simsbury. She is a member of the Daughters of the Revolution, and is secretary of Abigail Phelps Chapter. She has trav- eled to many parts of the West, including California. Both daughters of our subject are at home with their father, caring for him in his old age. They are ladies of culture, refinement and education.

Mrs. Ensign died, in 1891, in the Baptist faith, on the farm, after more than forty years of happy wedded life, and was buried in Simsbury cemetery. She was in her younger years a school teacher, was a woman of education and refinement, lived a good

Christian life, and was an excellent wife and mother. Her father, Timothy Hale Curtiss, was born in Ber- lin, Conn., son of Ebenezer and Rebecca (Latimer) Curtiss, and moved to Simsbury with his parents, when young. He was a direct descendant of

Thomas Curtiss, who came to Wethersfield, Conn., in 1639, from England, where he was born in 1598. Timothy Hale Curtiss married Sarah McCombs, a daughter of Capt. Andrew and Rebecca (Good- rich ) McCombs. Mrs. Ensign had three brothers, Timothy McCombs, Ebenezer Goodrich and James Hale.

ALONZO LYMAN LATIMER, president of the Simsbury Creamery Co., has his home in West Simsbury, of which place he is one of the most prominent and successful residents, and where he was born Feb. 12, 1845, the place being then known as Canton.

The first member of the Latimer family to settle in this town was Giles, a well-to-do farmer, who located here about 1763. He was twice married, and lost his first wife in 1808; his own death oc- curred in 1829, at which time he had five children: Giles, George, Roswell (who died in 1830), Gar- ner and James.

Garner Latimer, the youngest save one of these five, was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Canton (now Simsbury), and owned and cultivated a large tract of land, now owned by our subject, which land he greatly improved, and on it passed the remainder of his life, engaged principally in general farming and stock raising. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religion held to the faith of what was known as the Independent Church. To his marriage, with Miss Esther Kirtland, were born four children: Harvey, Lorinda J., Laura, and Lyman (father of our subject).

Lyman Latimer, born and reared on the old farm, was educated in the district school of Canton, and married Nancy C. Goddard, a daughter of Truman Goddard. He owned a fine farm, which he devoted chiefly to stock growing and general agri- culture, was a substantial and respected citizen, and a good Christian, attending the Independent Church. In politics he was a Democrat, but was never an office seeker. His wife was a devout member of the M. E. Church. Both ended their days on the home farm, their remains being interred in the cemetery at North Canton. Their six children were named, in order of birth : Ann M., deceased wife of William Carter; Alonzo L., the subject of this sketch ; Elliott, a resident of Weatogue ; Emma, mar- ried to Eugene Messenger ; Miles, deceased ; and Eliza, the wife of George Deno.

Alonzo L. Latimer received a district-school ed- ucation in Canton, and at the age of eleven years started out to make a living for himself. He was an industrious lad, and used his earnings ju-

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diciously, economizing as he went along. Part of the time he worked in the knife department of the Collins Co., at Collinsville, and part at Colt's Armory, in Hartford, until 1866, when he bought the Willis Bacon farm of one hundred acres, near his old home, and later purchased his father's orig- inal homestead, and the Morgan Case farm, all of which he improved. On the farm which is his pres- ent home he erected a fine dwelling, barns, tobacco sheds, etc., at a cost of $10,000, and is now one of the most extensive tobacco-growers in West Simsbury, beside which he conducts a large gen- eral and dairy farm, owning, as he does, over 300 acres of arable land.

On April 9, 1873, Mr. Latimer married, in Simsbury, Miss Estella Siddell, a native of the town, and a daughter of Robert Siddell, and to this union have been born five children, of whom the first died in infancy. The second born, Belle, was educated in the district school, at the New Britain Normal School, and at Huntsinger's Business College, and is now a bookkeeper in Hartford. Edith and Lena graduated from the Connecticut Agricultural Col- lege, class of 1900. Ralph is attending the local

In politics Mr. Latimer is a Republican, and for twenty years has been tax collector. His position as president of the Simsbury Creamery Co. is quite a responsible one, and in this company he is also a stockholder and director. In religion he is liberal in his views, but the Scriptures are his guide in all his transactions, as he was formerly a regular attendant at the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his family belong. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of St. Mark's Lodge, No. 36, F. & A. M., at Simsbury. Mr. Latimer is a self-made man, is pro- gressive and useful in his community, and is one of its foremost citizens.

ROBERT SIDDELL, the father of Mrs. Latimer, was born in Yorkshire, England, and was but six years of age when brought to America by his par- ents, Abram and Johanna ( Woodhead) Siddell, who located in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where the father followed his trade of weaver until 1854, when he brought his family to Simsbury, Conn., and here he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, dying in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They were the parents of five children : Abram; Sarah, married to Thomas Morton ; Han- nah, wife of George Ellsworth: Mary, who was married to Robert Dyson; and Robert, the father of Mrs. Latimer. Robert Siddell was reared to blacksmithing, but was also a farmer. He was a Republican in politics, held many local offices at Simsbury, whither he came from Massachusetts, and in 1873 was elected to the State Legislature from Simsbury. Mr. Siddell married Miss Maria Potts, a native of Johnstown, N. Y., and a daugh- ter of George and Elizabeth Potts, and to this mar- riage six children were born: Mary, now Mrs. A. H. Warner, of Bristol; George A., of Springfield,

Mass. ; Sarah, married to Charles Keyes; Belle, the wife of Watson Woodford; Estella, now Mrs. Lati- mer; and Herman, of Springfield, Mass. The mother of this family was also a member of the Methodist Church, and she, like her husband, en- joyed the esteem of the entire community.

CHARLES HENRY HOLLISTER, of Ber- line, who for many years has been engaged in the insurance business, is well and favorably known to the insurance men in the several localities of his operations.

Mr. Hollister was born July 15, 1856, at Wind- sorville, in the town of East Windsor, Hartford county. His father, Henry Hollister, was born June 1, 1816, at Red Hook, Dutchess Co., N. Y., and resided in several different localities in that county between the age of three and ten years, his father, a farmer by occupation, changing his place of residence a number of times during that period. In about 1826 the family went to Livingston Manor, on the Hudson river, and two years later moved to Philmont, N. Y., young Henry attending school a portion of the time at those various points, and working at the last-named place the greater part of the year in the woolen mills until eighteen years of age, when he commenced life for himself. In 1836 he went to the town of Vernon, Conn., and for three years worked in the Frank Satinet Mill, in the vicinity of Rockville (then Vernon). From 1840 to 1848 he was superintendent of the Somer- ville Manufacturing Co. Following this he went to Willimansett, Mass., and for a time, associated with a Mr. Smith, he operated a small mill under the firm style of Smith & Hollister. Owing to ill health he gave up business, going to Ellington, Conn., and there resting for two years. In about 1855 he moved to Windsorville, where he leased a woolen mill and operated it some three years, during that time being asociated in the enterprise with a Mr. Phillip, under the firm style Phillip & Hollister, and later operating it alone under lease, at the expiration of which time he purchased the property. This mill he operated until 1864, then sold out the business to P. C. Allen and removed to Springfield, Mass. After a short residence in that city, he moved to Hartford, Conn., and was there variously occupied for a period, handling wool and tobacco among other things. In 1870 he purchased the Ravine Mills, at Hamp- den, Mass., and operated them for several years, retaining his residence, however, at Hartford. In 1875 he purchased a farm of 103 acres, lo- cated on the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad, one mile south of Berlin Center, upon which the family now reside. In 1855 Mr. Hol- lister represented the town of Ellington in the State Legislature. In 1886 he was a member of the board of selectmen of the town of Berlin.

On Nov. 2, 1841, in Vernon, Conn., Henry Hollister was married to Julia Jerusha Hunt, born

school.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

March 1, 1819, in Vernon, daughter of Erastus and Tryphenia (Clark) Hunt. To the union were born children as follows: Julia Elizabeth, Harriet Viola and Charles Henry. The mother of these children was a member of the Congregational Church. She died May 29, 1899, greatly beloved and esteemed by a host of friends and acquaintances. The elder daughter is identified with the same Church of which her mother was a member.

Charles H. Hollister, our subject, received his elementary education in the common schools of Windsorville, Conn., then attended the public schools at Hartford ; was graduated from the Wads- worth street school in 1870, and for two years at- tended the high school. After his school days were over he engaged in the insurance business in the office of C. C. Kimball, of Hartford, then and now general agent for a number of large insurance companies, and remained with Mr. Kimball until 1882, when in November, having been chosen book- keeper for the Corrugated Metal Co., he left Mr. Kimball to assume the duties of the new charge. In January following, by which time the company had become the Berlin Iron Bridge Co.", he was chosen its secretary and treasurer. One year later he was made special agent and adjuster of the Northern Assurance Association of London, England, which was under the management of Alfred M. Bullard, of Boston, in which city Mr. Hollister made his head- quarters, having charge of the business in the New England States. In November, 1884, he was made special agent and adjuster of the Ætna Insurance Co., of Hartford, Conn., with headquarters at El- mira, N. Y. This position he retained until 1893, changing his headquarters in 1888 to Albany, N. Y. Owing to sickness he removed, in 1893, to Berlin, Conn., the place of residence of the family. During our subject's active business career, when in good health, he was an energetic and industrious business man, of good ability, and was successful. Like his father, his affiliations in National affairs are with the Democratic party, though in local af- fairs he makes no political distinction, voting for the best man for the place. Socially he has been quite prominent and popular. He is a member of the Underwriters Association of New York, of which he was the second vice-president at the time of his sickness causing his retirement from active business. He has been a member of the New York Association of Supervising and Adjusting Fire In- surance Agents since 1885. He is a charter mem- ber of the Albany (N. Y.) Social Club; is also a member of Ivy Lodge, No. 397, F. & A. M., of Elmira, N. Y .; and of Lodge No. 62, B. P. O. E., of the same city.

SIMEON FRANCIS WETHERELL, known throughout the State of Connecticut as one of the oldest paper manufacturers in this part of the coun- try, was born Dec. 19, 1820, in Middletown, Middle- sex Co., Connecticut.

The Wetherell family has been identified with Hartford county for over a century, our subject's great-grandfather, Seth Wetherell, having located here in 1789, coming from Wareham, Mass., with his family. They made their home in what is now the town of East Hartford, Seth Wetherell finding work at his trade, that of anchor maker, in the anchor factory which then stood on the site now oc- cupied by the Hartford manilla paper mills, and which was subsequently converted into a powder mill. He erected a house on the place where the widow of William Wetherell now lives, and his death is supposed to have occurred there.

Simeon Wetherell, grandfather of our subject, was eighteen years of age when the Wetherell family came to Hartford county, and he walked the entire distance from Wareham, carrying a pack on his back. He learned the trade of an anchor maker with his father, and when the plant was changed to a powder mill continued working there. Later he was employed at the powder mills (located on the site now occupied by the Keeney & White paper mills) which were blown up about 1836, five men losing their lives thereby. Simeon Wetherell was a resident of Manchester for many years, and passed his declining days in that town, where he died at the advanced age of eighty-four. He married Miss Elizabeth Case, and they became the parents of six children : Betsey, Simeon, Jr., Seth, Vashti, Jo- seph, and Phila.

Simeon Wetherell, Jr., was born May 24, 1794, in what is now the town of Manchester, then the Parish of Orford, town of East Hartford, Hartford Co., Conn., and there grew to manhood. He gained a thorough knowledge of the trade of powder maker under his father, in the mill run by John Mather, which occupied the present site of the Foulds paper mill at Manchester, and subsequently engaged at that occupation in the mills at Mansfield and Middle- town, Conn. In about 1829 he returned to Manches- ter, and in 1836 started a powder mill in that town along the Hartford road, on the stream which was formerly known as Hop brook, conducting same until 1841, when it was blown up through the care- lessness of employes. A few years later he pur- chased and removed to a farm near East Haddam, which he afterward sold, buying another near Mid- dletown, on which he lived until the time he re- turned to Manchester for a time. He passed his closing years, however, in Middletown, making his home with his son Horace, and his death occurred there in 1871. Mr. Wetherell was known as a suc- cessful and careful powder maker, and had a more than ordinarily thorough understanding of the busi- ness in all its details, but he would submit to no dic- tation in his work, and as a result made numerous changes in employ. However, he was never in want of employment, his efficiency and trustworthiness never failing to secure him a position. Simeon Wetherell married Miss Almira Fitch, who preceded him to the grave, dying in 1870. Both were earnest

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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 62

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