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 82

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 82

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On July 2, 1867, Mr. Ashwell was united in marriage to Miss Josephine S. Shepard, of Sims- bury, and their union was blessed with four chil- dren. (1) William M. received a good practical education in the common schools and at Huntsin- ger's Business College, and is now engaged in farming in Rocky Hill. He first married May Griswold, daughter of Daniel C. Griswold, and by that union had two children, May Josephine and W. Miles. For his second wife he married Miss Minnie Naylor, of New Haven. (2) Albert S. is living at home. (3) Lizzie J. married Frederick Belden, a farmer of Rocky Hill. They have no chil- dren. (4) Florence A. attended the grammar school at New Britain, completed the course at Huntsinger's Business College, and is now engaged as stenographer at Keney Park, Hartford.

The mother of these died March 3, 1889, and on June 4, 1891, Mr. Ashwell wedded Mrs. Clara H. Mandeville, widow of Horace Mandeville, and daughter of Justus Churchill, of Wethersfield.

HENRY W. HAMILTON, farmer and tobacco grower of the town of East Windsor, traces his family to one of three brothers who came from Scot- land to America about the year 1650 and settled in Massachusetts-one in Eastham, on Cape Cod; one in Brookfield, in what is now Worcester county ; and the other in some unknown locality-and from the Cape Cod settler the subject of this sketch descends.

Daniel Hamilton, great-grandfather of subject, who was born in Eastham, on Cape Cod, about 1740, was the founder of the East Windsor (Conn. ) fam- ily. He married Hannah Sparrow, also a native of Eastham, to which marriage were born seven chil- dren : Paul, Daniel (grandfather of subject), Ben- jamin, Theodore, Richard, Constant and Hannah. He came to Connecticut from Massachusetts, pur- chased in Tolland county the farm now owned by the widow of Franklin Miller, and here died in 1784. His eldest son, Paul, who was a hero of the Revolutionary war, was a local Methodist preacher of marked ability.

Daniel Hamilton, grandfather of our subject, married Mollie Braman, a native of East Windsor, and had born to him a family of nine children : Eli, who was born 1798, and lived and died in Ellington ; Elam, who went South, and probably succumbed

to the yellow fever; Daniel, Jr., who went to Tomah, Wis., and there died ; John, the father of our subject ; Abigail, who married Levi Hayes, of South Windsor, Conn .; Olive, who was married to Robert Rogers, of Ellington, and died in 1835; Mrs. Sallie Silkworth, of New York, who died in 1836; Martha, who was married to James S. Pearson, of Ludlow, Mass., and died in 1839 ; and Lydia, who died young in 1829. The father of this family died in 1852, a member of the Congregational Church, and his remains were laid to rest beside those of his wife in the cemetery at Ellington.

John Hamilton, father of subject, was born in East Windsor in 1819, and was a son of Daniel and Molly ( Beaman) Hamilton. He received such edu- cational advantages as the district schools of his early days afforded, was reared on his father's farm, and in due course of time became a prominent and influential citizen, serving at one time as select- man, and dying, an honored man, March 17, 1887; he was survived by his wife, who did not pass away until May 4, 1896. Seven children were born to the marriage of John Hamilton, as follows: Milo and Arlon J., who live in Ellington; Sarah, wife of John O. Walker ; Henry W., our subject ; Carrie, who is married to Frederick Eest, and lives in Springfield, Mass .; Arthur, who lives with his sister, Mrs. Walker, in Ellington; and Emma, who died in infancy.

Henry W. Hamilton, the subject proper of this sketch, was born Oct. 4, 1854, received a solid pub- lic-school education, and lived on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, when he married Miss Ella Lavonne Barber, daughter of Aurelius and Lucy (Fuller) Barber, of whom mention is made elsewhere. He then bought his present farm of forty acres, known as the Wolcott-Barber place, on which he has made many substantial improvements.

To his marriage with Miss Barber one child, Howard Leslie, was born July 29, 1876. This young man is a graduate of the Rockville high school, and is now a teacher at Melrose.

In politics Henry W. Hamilton is a Republican, and in religion lie is a Methodist. No better illus- tration of the success which follows persistent and well-directed effort, combined with integrity, can be found in East Windsor town, than that which has attended Henry W. Hamilton and his amiable wife.

FRANKLIN MILLS ALFORD, now living in the village of Avon, was for many years one of the leading business men of this section, and occupies a substantial position among the well-to-do residents of Avon town. He is a native of same, born Oct. 15, 1840, a son of Daniel M. Alford, and a grandson of Nathaniel Alford, who in their day were also well- known citizens of the town.

Daniel M. Alford was born in Avon town Sept. 26, 1796, and liere grew to manhood on his father's farm, gaining a thorough knowledge of ag- ricultural pursuits, which he followed for the most

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part throughout his busy life. He received his ed- ucation in the neighboring district schools. In his earlier manhood, for some years following his mar- riage, he was engaged in peddling in the South, selling clocks and dry goods, but it was as a farmer that he was most successful, and he owned and culti- vated a tract of 200 acres, on which he made many improvements. In addition to raising general crops he grew tobacco, carried on dairying, and engaged to a considerable extent in stock raising, becoming well- known as a prosperous business man and able manager in his locality. He took a deep interest in the public welfare and advancement of his town, and had the confidence and respect of his neighbors and fellow citizens generally, a fact which was proved by his frequent election to positions of trust and re- sponsibility. He served his town as selectman, justice of the peace and in other incumbencies, with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all con- cerned, displaying marked ability in his various ca- pacities. He was always a stanch Democrat in po- litical affiliation. Mr. Alford married Miss Emira Mills, of Canton, Hartford county, who was a daughter of Joel Mills, and a granddaughter of Jared Mills, a Baptist minister. Eight children were born to this union : Rollin, who is deceased ; Juliette, Mrs. Andrew Chidsey, deceased ; Emerson, deceased, formerly a resident of Plainville, Conn .; Louisa, widow of Albert Andrews, living in New Haven; Ephraim A., deceased; Lucy Ann, widow of Asa Hoskins, of Simsbury; Sarah Jane, wife of A. J. Mallory; and Franklin Mills, whose name intro- duces these lines. The father of this family passed away Aug. 17, 1873, on his farm in Avon town, and was laid to rest in Avon cemetery. Religiously he was a member of the Baptist Church, and he was a man of quiet habits, domestic in his tastes, and fond of his home and family. Mrs. Alford's death occurred Sept. 12, 1880, in Avon, and she was buried by the side of her husband. She was also a devout member of the Baptist Church, and was a good Christian woman, widely loved for her many sterling qualities.

Franklin M. Alford attended the district schools of Avon in his boyhood, completing his education in the high school at Collinsville. He remained on the homestead until nineteen years of age, when he commenced life on his own account, his first employment being in a store at New Britain. Tir- ing of indoor work after several months' experi- ence there, he returned to the farm, where he con- tinued until his enlistment, in 1862, at Hartford, as a member of Company I, 16th Conn. V. I., under Capt. Drake, Col. Beach commanding. The com- mand was sent to Washington and thence to Ar- lington Heights, where they went into camp. They followed Lee through Maryland, and took part in the battle of Antietam, where our subject was wounded Sept. 17, 1862, a ball passing through his right leg, near the knee. He was taken to field hospital and later to the hospital at Chester, Penn.,

where he received his discharge in January, 1863. Returning home he rested until his health was re- cuperated, after which he found employment in the axe factory at Collinsville, . where he spent six months, engaged in making bayonets for the army. He spent several months following in Minnesota for the benefit of his health, returned home for a short period, and in 1864 made another trip to Minnesota, where he was engaged in selling tin- ware, meeting with good success. On his return to Connecticut he purchased a farm of seventy acres in Berlin, Hartford county, where he took up gen- eral farming and the culture of tobacco; he also engaged extensively in dairy farming. At the end of that time he turned his attention to the manu- facture of fuse, in which he continued for three years, when the establishment was blown up; he eventually returned to agriculture, following same until 1887. Mr. Alford has always maintained the highest reputation for honesty and uprightness in all his dealings, and being of a genial disposition made numerous friends among those with whom he came in contact. He is noted for his common sense and straightforwardness in all his actions, and has always commanded the respect of his fellowmen.

Mr. Alford was married in Avon, in 1867, to Miss Lucy R. Case, a native of the town, who was reared and educated here; she finished her literary training in the New Britain high school. Three children have blessed this union: Grace M., who died in infancy ; Florence M .; and Lila F. The second daughter received her education in the dis- trict schools and Connecticut Literary Institute, and was engaged in teaching in Avon for two years prior to her marriage to William E. Johnson, who is chief engineer at the Hartford water works ; they have had four children, one who died in infancy, Hurlburt L., Florence Ruth and Alford W. Lila F., now the wife of Henry C. Whitman, of West Hartford, also attended the district schools and the Connecticut Literary Institute, at Suffield. In relig- icus matters the family unite with the Congrega- tional Church. Mr. Alford is a stanch member of the Republican party, but he is no politician, and has never sought or desired official preferment. He enjoys life thoroughly, is fond of a good horse, and has owned some fine animals.

Nathan Lee Case, father of Mrs. Alford, was in his day one of the prosperous and respected citi- zens of Avon, in which town he was born March 19, 1809, a son of Nathan and Lucy (Moses) Case. Nathan Case was born April 14, 1784, a son of Jedediah Case, and was a lifelong farmer. He married Lucy Moses, who was born June 9, 1786, a daughter of Michael Moses, and died in January, 1836. They had five sons, Jay, Nathan Lee, Millner, Gardner and Emerson. Nathan Lee Case received his education in the schools of the home district and at Ellington, and taught school for several years in his earlier manhood; was also engaged in selling clocks through the South. After

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

his marriage he settled down to agricultural pur- suits, and he became one of the extensive farmers and landowners of this section, well and favorably known in his own town, where he served as town treasurer, and was actively identified with affairs in general. He was prominent in the ranks of the Republican party as a loyal worker for local in- terests, and was an earnest member of the Con- gregational Church, in which he held the office of deacon. Mr. Case married Miss Abigail Hurlburt, who was born June 30, 1814, a daughter of Samuel Hurlburt, of West Hartford, and they had two chil- dren, Nathan Burton, who went West; and Lucy R., Mrs. Alford. The father died in Avon April 29, 1893, the mother on Dec. 15, 1895, at the home of our subject, and they sleep their last sleep in Avon cemetery.

GEORGE LINCOLN HAWLEY, a progressive and energetic agriculturist of Farmington, was born 11 the Northeast District of that town Aug. 30, 1863, and is a son of Edward Norman Hawley, vho spent his entire life in Farmington, engaged nı agricultural pursuits. Politically the father was in ardent Republican, and religiously he was an ctive and consistent member of the Congregational Church of West Hartford. In the town of Avon, Hartford Co., Conn., he was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Hawley, and to them were born two chil- ren : Walter Edward, deceased ; and George Lin- oln, our subject. The parents are both deceased, onored and respected by all who knew them, the ather passing away June 13, 1894, the mother in 885.

Our subject received a good practical educa- on in the common schools of the Northeast Dis- rict of Farmington, which he attended until seven- een years of age. Three years later he commenced eddling ice for the Trout Brook Ice Co., in whose mploy he remained three sunimers, while he worked ne winter for the J. S. Burden Pickling Co. or a short time he was employed in Coe's brass actory in Torrington, Conn., and in an iron foundry h New Haven. Subsequently he again worked or the Trout Brook Ice Co., for two years, and was ith a Mr. Bingham in the ice business for one immer. During the following two years he drove team for the Jewell Bottling Co., and in April, 894, returned to the home place in Farmington, hich is a part of the ancestral farm of the Hawley amily. He has displayed excellent ability and bund judgment in the management of his business fairs, and the neat and thrifty appearance of his lace plainly indicates that he thoroughly under- ands the occupation to which he now devotes his hergies.

In New Haven Mr. Hawley was united in mar- age with Miss Mary Kelley, and to them have een born one son, George Edward, at this writing bur years old, and the light of his parents' home ; id one daughter, Lena Lydia, one year old.

MAX ERTEL, one of the most popular and prosperous young German residents of East Wind- sor town, is a native of Dresden, Saxony, now a part of United Germany, having been born July 22, 1862.

Mr. Ertel was well educated in the public schools, and at the early age of fourteen years, having finished his studies, he went to Radeburg to learn the trade of barber, and there lived four years. On April 24, 1881, he sailed from Bremen on the steamship "Neckar," and, after a pleasant passage of thirteen days' duration, landed in New York City, where he remained two days only, coming thence to Rockville, Conn., where he worked a year in a cotton factory and a year as a barber. In 1883 he came to Broad Brook and purchased the barber shop owned by Bernard Carney, which stood on the site now occupied by the Middleton general store, and there carried on his trade for eight years, when he moved into his present building, erected for him by the Broad Brook Company.

On April 12, 1887, Mr. Ertel married Miss Ida Helm, a native of Broad Brook, and a daughter of Louis and Ernestine Helm, their marriage being blessed with four children: Howard, Frederick, William, and Elsie. Mr. Ertel and family attend the Episcopal Church, and are highly esteemed by all who know them, he being very domestic in his habits, industrious and strictly upright in all his transactions. In politics he is a Republican.

Mr. Ertel has mastered the English language through self-instruction and close attention to the conversation going on about him, and even while at work in the factory carried his English grammar with him, in order to lose no time in acquiring a knowledge of the tongue. In 1894 lie visited the home of his childhood, and was gone two months, but decided that the United States suited him well enougli, as he here raised himself from compara- tive poverty to be well-to-do and respected.

WILLARD GILMAN BURNHAM, who is one of the most extensive tobacco growers in Hart- ford county, owns and occupies a farm in the town of South Windsor, located about four miles from Hartford. During the year 1898 he raised about thirty-two acres of tobacco.

Mr. Burnham is a native of Collinsville, Hart- ford county, born April 6, 1836, and belongs to an old New England family founded in Connecticut by Thomas Burnham, Sr., of Ipswich, England, who in 1635 sailed from Gravesend, England, for the Barbadoes, soon afterward coming to Connecticut. On first locating in Hartford he bought the property of the corner of Main and State streets. In 1659 he purchased of an Indian chief a tract of land in what is now the towns of South Windsor and East Hartford, a part of which is still in the pos- session of Mr. Burnham, whose name heads this article. Our subject is of the seventh generation in direct descent from Thomas Burnham, Sr.,

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through Samuel, Timothy, Elijah (1), Elijah (2), and Henry.

Henry Burnham was born on the old Burn- ham homestead Jan. 22, 1808, and there grew to manhood. He then went to Collinsville, and worked in an axe factory for about seven years, in 1838 re- turning to the old homestead, where he followed farming the remainder of his life, dying there in November, 1875. On March 8, 1835, at Collins- ville, he married Miss Mary M. Richards, and they had three sons, Willard G. being the eldest ; Henry Richards, born March 4, 1842, is a farmer of East Hartford ; and Roland Franklin, born Oct. 13, 1846, is a farmer of South Windsor. The mother died in 1894, and the remains of both parents are in- terred in South Windsor cemetery.

Our subject received a good common-school education and remained upon the home farm until 1863, in that year removing to the farm which he now occupies, and he has ever since resided there. Through life Mr. Burnham has been a farmer. His present home farm contains eighteen acres, but he owns several other tracts of land, amounting in all to eighty-four acres, including wood land and pas- ture land. He has made most of the improvements on the farm, and, though quiet and unostentious has by industry and ability won the rightful repu- tation of being one of Hartford county's most enter- prising and deservedly successful farmers.

Mr. Burnham was married, April 14, 1863, to Miss Sarah Williams, daughter of Bissell and Nel- lie (Burnham) Williams, and they have had three children : Claire, born April 28, 1869, is the wife ot Thomas A. Johnson, and has three children. Willard J., Cecile May and Alice Catherine; May, born Oct. 5, 1871, died July 4, 1872 ; and Leo, born Jan. 8, 1875, resides with his parents. Mr. Burn- ham is a supporter of the Democratic party. Henry Burnham owns the farm that has descended to him in a direct line from Thomas, Sr. [From the Burnham Genealogy.]

EDWIN FRANKLIN BURNHAM, a skilled wagonmaker and blacksmith of Burnside, Hartford county, and a greatly respected citizen, was born May II, 1825, in the house in which he yet lives, a son of Hezekiah and Sarah ( Miller) Burnham, the former a native of England.

Hezekiah Burnham was quite young when, in company with two brothers, he came to America in a sailing-vessel and landed in New York, whence he came direct to East Hartford town and secured employment in the paper-mill at Scotland (now Burnside). Later he kept a grocery in the old house that stands immediately north of the house in which the subject of this notice still resides. On Dec. 10, 1809, he married Sarah Miller, a native of Burnside, and to this marriage came seven children, in the following order: Sarah, who was married to Ralph D. Pratt, and lived in St. Louis, Mo. (both are now deceased) ; Emeline, deceased wife of An-

drew H. Wing, of St. Louis, who left two children, Charles and Nellie; Harriet, married to George S. Phelps and residing at St. Paul, Minn .; Elvira M., who married Francis Risley, of East Hartford (both are deceased) ; Hezekiah, who married Eleanor Up- son, of Bristol, and is deceased; Julia, who was married to Nathan C. Greer, of Peoria, Ill. (both are deceased) ; and Edwin F., whose name opens this article.

Edwin Franklin Burnham attended the old Scot- land school house, and later the academy in East Hartford, situated on the site of the present Wells Hall, where he was under the tutorship of Prof. Goodwin and Salmon Phelps. After completing his course of studies at East Hartford he returned to the home farm, engaged in agriculture and team- ing, and then, being of a mechanical turn of mind, and with keen foresight perceiving an opportunity for opening a blacksmith and wagon repairing shop, he erected a structure for that purpose on his prem- ises, in spite of the jeers of his neighbors ; he has been kept busy at this class, of work ever since, which fact is pretty good evidence of his skillful and honest work.

On Dec. 10, 1865, Mr. Burnham was united in marriage with Miss Jane A. Fowler, a native of Hillstown, and a daughter of Roderick and Perme- lia (Hills) Fowler. To this marriage came one son, Frank E., born Aug. 9, 1879, who inherits his father's industrious habits and mechanical skill, and is now assisting in the blacksmith and carriage- repairing shop. He married Miss Eva Scranton, a native of Burnside, and is the father of one child, Mabel, who was born Feb. 24, 1896. Mrs. Edwin F. Burnham died Feb. 13, 1897.

The Burnham family attend the Methodist Church, and in politics Mr. Burnham is a Republi- can, but has never felt any disposition to hold public office. He is a large, well-built man, of a very pleasant disposition and courteous address, is quite well-to-do, is always at work, and has won the good- will and respect of all who have met him.

F. H. TOLLES, founder of the Windsor Collar & Cuff Co., at Windsor, has won an established place in the business world in a remarkably short time, and his success affords an excellent illustration of the possibilities before a young man of energy and ability. His enterprise, which has been built up from its foundation through his own efforts, has by no means reached the zenith of its prosperity, and his constantly increasing trade throughout the country has led to the opening of another factory in Chicago, Ill., in March, 1898. As the business of making any solid composition into collars and cuffs is comparatively new, defects were unavoidable in the early specimens, and the public is ready to ap- preciate the improvements made by Mr. Tolles, by which all cause for criticism has been removed.

Mr. Tolles was born Jan. 16, 1867, at Meriden, Conn., son of James Morris and Mary A. (Ken-

E. F. Burnham

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worthy) Tolles. The father, who is now a highly- respected resident of Meriden, was born in Litch- field county, this State, and became a brass molder by trade, but ill health compelled him to give up that business two years after his marriage. For a time he followed farming near West Hartford, and afterward near Meriden. Since 1882 he has been a member of the police force of the latter city. His wife is a native of Meriden, and a member of an old family of that locality. Her father, James Ken- worthy, who died in 1898, aged eighty years, was in business at Spoonville, Conn., for some years as a manufacturer of spoons, in partnership with his. brother John, and later in life he followed the silver burnisher's trade, his faculties remaining unim- paired, notwithstanding his advanced age. Our subject was the eldest in a family of five children- three sons and two daughters.

As a boy Mr. F. H. Tolles attended school in West Hartford and Meriden, and late in the fall of 1879 he became an office boy for Manning & Bowman, a Meriden firm. He remained with them a short time, leaving to accept a position at better wages with Ed- ward Miller & Co., of the same city, with whom he spent about a vear. He then entered the Parker Screw shop, again securing better pay, and, being large for his age, he readily adapted himself to any work. In March, 1882, at fifteen years of age, he went to work at his trade, lathe burnishing, at Wil- cox Silver Plate Co., Meriden, Conn., serving three years at same. While he had been successful in every work he had tried, his energy and ambition made the frequent shut-downs unsatisfactory. He was seldom idle when the shops closed, as he would find work at something, and at one time he canvassed for books, making a success of the venture. In Feb- ruary, 1886, he gave up his trade and began taking orders for enlarging pictures, and in this also his success was noticeable. For five years he was em- ployed by N. L. Stone & Co., of Potsdam, N. Y., and he severed his connection with this firm only to become general agent for the A. L. Varney Co., of Albany, N. Y., in the same line, with whom he re- mained three years. While with A. L. Varney Co. he had acted as agent for a Western firm that manufactured waterproof collars and cuffs, in which manner his attention was called to the promising field for business, if properly conducted. As a number of improvements occurred to hin he de- cided to go into the manufacture of water- proof collars and cuffs on original lines, and in Jan- uary, 1896, the first product was turned out from his plant, then located in the Hurlbert block, in Ifart- ford. Fire drove them out, in June, 1897, and the business was removed to Windsor, where the main factory is now located, the Chicago factory being managed as a partnership. In 1898 finding it diffi- cult to give agents in Western States the prompt service they required from Windsor, G. J. Watson, of East Windsor Hill, and foreman of the factory, was taken in as partner for the branch business at

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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 82

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