Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 110

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 110

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Amos Miller, the second child born to the second marriage of "Governor" Miller, was a farmer in the East District of Middlefield, and married Abigail, daughter of Joseph Crom- well, to which union were born six children, Ebenezer, Amos, Abigail, Daniel, Elisha and Joseph.

Elisha Miller, the fifth child of Amos Mill- er, was largely engaged in farming and fruit growing in the East District of Middlefield, and sold much of his fruit in Middletown; but, being a liberal, kind-hearted man, he gave a great deal of his fruit away, and in fruit

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season was always followed about the streets of Middletown by a crowd of small boys, whom he supplied liberally with his luscious products. He married Elizabeth Miller, and to this marriage were born eleven children, namely : Abel, who married and had three children, Amos, Maria and Mary; Abigail, who died in childhood ; Elizabeth, who died un- married, in Middlefield; Jerusha and Mary, who also died unmarried in Middlefield; Es- ther, who went to Ohio, was married to a Mr. Bingham, and died there; Elisha, who married Rhoda Parsons, of Durham; Eunice, who died young; Ira, who became the father of George W. Miller, whose name opens this review; George R., who married Martin Rice, and was a farmer; and Amos, who first mar- ried Miranda Miller, and afterward Arabella Miller, of Granville, Mass. (he was a colonel in the Staddle Hill Rifles).

Ira Miller, the ninth of the above family, was born July 21, 1792, on the farm now occu- pied by Frank A. Coe, in Middlefield. He re- ceived a plain district school education, but was a very bright scholar, and for seventeen win- ters was a successful school teacher in Middle- field and vicinity ; in the summer he worked for his father on the farm which he had inherited. He went to Ohio, but remained a short time only, and then returned home. He followed fruit growing besides farming, was the chief one to introduce new fruit varieties, and was quite successful in grafting. In early life he was a Democrat, as was his father. He was a quiet, self-contained man, never held an office, and he died August 1, 1867, respected by all who knew him. To the marriage of Ira Miller with Lecta Miller, who was born July 3, 1796, daughter of Ichabod and Sarah (Birdsey) Miller, were born seven children, namely : Emma, who was married to Joseph Congdon, lived for a time in Michigan, then in New York State, and later in Westfield, Conn., where she died; George W. is the subject of this sketch; Marietta, widow of Rufus B. Sage, died in Cromwell March 23, 1900; Margaret E. is the widow of Joseph Tryon, of South Farms, and resides with her brother, George W .; Charles Ira (first) married Delia Clark, (second) Lydia F. Moulton, of Great Falls, M. H., and ( third) Lucy Jane ( Miller ) Hall, widow of Walter P. Hall: Susan, wife of Smnel Hhill, resides in Wallingford; and Amos H., a wool-waste manufacturer in Bos-

ton, Mass., with residence in Brookline, an aristocratic suburb of the city, first married Louisa Cooper, and then Rose Parks, of Prince Edward Island. Mrs. Lecta Miller, mother of the above family, died January 16, 1890, at the venerable age of over ninety-three years.

George W. Miller was educated in the dis- trict schools of Middlefield, and for two win- ters in the Durham academy, under Benjamin Coe and Prof. Johnson. He then worked for his father and neighboring farmers, among whom were Ichabod Miller ( for two seasons), Bela Coe and Charles Hubbard. At the age of eighteen years he could do a man's work and earned a man's wages-$15 per month. At the age of twenty-one he began peddling Yan- kee notions through Connecticut, and two years later used a horse and wagon, with a full line of tinware added to the notions. In one of his trips he ventured into the State of New York. Three years later he gave up peddling and took to carpentering, worked a while for a Mr. Lincoln, of Cromwell, later for Crom- well & Bacon, in Middlefield, and still later he and his cousin, Henry L. Miller, worked to- gether for many years, erecting some of the best buildings in Middlefield, including his own home.

Mr. Miller was possessed of versatile abil- ities, and after withdrawing from carpentry work hired out for a year as second fore- man in a button factory at Baileyville, then owned by Andrew J. Coe and Alfred M. Bailey. but reverses overtook the firm and failure fol- lowed. Mr. Miller then bought the raw mater- ial on hand, worked it up and disposed of it at a profit. Shortly afterward he formed a company, comprised of Alvin B. Coe. P. W. Bennett and himself, under the style of Miller, Coe & Bennett, and manufactured all kinds of buttons, and later admitted Charles Ira Miller. his brother, into the firm. But about this time the Civil war broke ont. the Southern trade was spoiled, and the price of buttons ran so low that there was no profit in the busi- ness and the firm dissolved. Mr. Miller and Mr. Bennett then located in Rockfall, and were employed in the firearms factory of Smith & King, on contract work, in making mainsprings for Springfield rifles, for the adjusting of which they had a secret process. Mr. New ell. of Middletown, and Mr. Parker, of Meriden. had similar work for the Government, but their ontput did not stand the test, and was shipped

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to Mr. Miller and Mr. Bennett to be perfected. Mr. Plant, of New Haven, who also had a contract for the manufacture of springs, after much persuasion induced Messrs. Miller and Bennett to come to come to his factory, and perfect his springs so that they would pass muster. They entered into a contract with Mr. Plant, and took their help with them.

Mr. Miller and Mr. Bennett next purchased the James Tingwell factory, in Rockfall, now occupied by the Rogers Manufacturing Com- pany, and put in a saw and bone mill, which they conducted with profit for several years, Mr. Miller in the meanwhile attending to the mill and Mr. Bennett working the factory of Smith & Savage, near by. In the mill, also, wagon shafts, sleighs, etc., were made in con- siderable numbers. Mr. Miller eventually sold all his interests to Mr. Bennett and located in Baileyville, where he purchased a water privilege, rebuilt the dam, erected a building, and for twenty-five years ground bones for use as fertilizers. In or about 1850 he bought four acres of his present residence property, which he has since increased to twenty-five acres.

On October 4, 1846, Mr. Miller married Sarah B. Miller, a native of Middlefield, born September 10, 1827, daughter of Almon and Sarah E. Miller. Mrs. Sarah B. Miller died February 28,1895, the mother of three chil- dren: Parsons Henry, born May 1, 1848, married Emma E. Abel, and is living in Mid- dlefield; Emma J., born April 1I, 1859, is un- married, and lives under the parental roof ; Fannie I., born April 12, 1862, passed away March 28, 1881. Mr. Miller and his family are members of the Middlefield Methodist Church, of which he himself is a trustee. In politics he is a Republican and has held some minor offices, but has never had a desire for po- litical favors. He was, however, ambitious in business, and now, although retired from ac- tive work and infirm through advanced years, possesses a clear intellect, and holds the un- wavering respect of all his neighbors.

CAPT. CHARLES WINTHROP HAM- ILTON is one of the most capable and popular vessel masters who have ever resided in Port- land, Middlesex county. He is a self-made man in the truest sense, and has fought his way upward from poverty and destitution by his own admirable efforts. He comes from a

good old North of Ireland family, and was born in Hopewell, Province of New Bruns- wick, Canada, May 12, 1836. In 1867 he be- came a resident of Portland.

James Hamilton, Capt. Hamilton's grand- father, was born in the North of Ireland, and served as a soldier in the English army. When his term of enlistment had expired he was in New Brunswick, and, liking the country, he remained and engaged in farming, and died there. In his family was a son James, the father of Capt. Hamilton. He was reared on the paternal estate, and was a farmer nearly all his life, in his earlier years being engaged for a time as a sailor. He lived to be sixty- seven years old. His wife was Nancy Robin- son and of their ten children Charles W. was the seventh. Capt. Hamilton's eldest brother, Joseph, was a sailor until he was thirty-five, when he retired from the water and established himself as a shipwright at Pembroke, Maine, where he is still living. His younger brother, James B., is a sea captain, and has been for years engaged on steam and sailing craft; he lives in New York City. Lemuel, another brother, learned the blacksmith's trade, and went to California when quite young, and all trace of him has been lost.

Capt. Hamilton obtained his schooling in his native town, but as it was a pioneer school it afforded only primitive instruction. His . parents were people of limited means, and he was brought up a farmer lad. The people of that region were accustomed to take their pro- ducts by boat to St. John, and among his early memories are the pictures of many exciting experiences. When he was sixteen years old Capt. Hamilton went to Pembroke, Maine, and secured a position as cook on the schooner "Albert," which was engaged in the general coasting trade, at the wages of four dollars a month. He subsequently shipped as a sailor before the mast on the schooner "Mary Peavy," sailing out of Eastport, Maine. From this time on he was a sailor, and his abilities have been recognized, and his promotion gradual but certain. He sailed from New York on the old packet line from Liverpool to that city, in different capacities, until he became master and captain.

Capt. Hamilton was married, in 1867, to Miss Dorcas Mehaffey, of Portland, daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth ( Read) Mehaffey. Portland has been his home since that year,

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and from this point he sailed in 1872 as master of the schooner "S. S. Buckingham," in the employ of the Middlesex Quarry Company. He also commanded the schooner "George Gillum" and the schooner "Joseph Hall." on which he was master for fifteen years. Capt. Hamilton was with the Middlesex Quarry Company until 1890, when it changed its business methods and gave up running its ves- sels. He then bought the schooner "F. Gran- ville Russell," which he sailed until 1894. when he took charge of the "Howard B. Peck," sailing out of New London, plying between all coast points. On this vessel he has re- mained to the present time. Capt. Hamilton is one of the popular and reliable seamen of the day. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, belonging to Warren Lodge and Free- stone Chapter, of Portland. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Church, are good peo- ple, and universally respected. The Captain built his home on Fairview avenue, Portland, in 1888.

ELIJAH M. WETHERELL, a well known and representative citizen of East Had- dam, Middlesex county, belongs to an honored old family of this State.

Marcus Wetherell, his paternal grand- father, was born May 12, 1787, and died De- cember 24, 146. He was a native of Glaston- bury, Conn., where he followed blacksmithing for some years, and later made his home in Portland, this county. On October 18, 1804. he married Rehumalı Bidwell, who was born Octo- ber 25, 1787, and died January 11. 1849. In their family were eleven children, whose names and dates of birth were as follows: James. August 28, 1805; Betsy ( Mrs. Grannis), May 12, 1807; Allen, February 22, 1809; Samian- tha, November 28, 1811; Daniel, March 22, 1813 (died May 12, 1899) ; Rehumah, August 10, 1815; Lyman, March 1, 1818: Elijahi (father of Elijah M.), April 22, 1820; Syl- vester, August 25, 1822: Ruth, October 17. 1825; and Celestia, January 17, 1830 (died January 25, 1830).

Elijah Wetherell, father of Elijah M., was born in the town of Glastonbury. When a boy he worked in his father's shop, and at the age of seventeen he secured employment in a manufactory of Glastonbury. Subsequently he was superintendent of a mill at Rock Fall. and he came to Moodus as superintendent of

the Atlantic Duck Mill. Later he was at the head of a mill in Leesville, owned by Stanton S. Card, and prior to locating permanently in Moodus, was interested in the manufactur- ing business in Portland. For fully thirty years he was actively engaged in business in Moodus, and in connection with his son, E. M., he owned and operated a grist and saw mill north of the village for six years. In Newing- ton, Conn., he married Jeannette Merrill, a daughter of Mark Merrill. She was born in Little River, N. Y., April 20, 1823, but, her parents dying when she was young, was reared by an aunt in Newington, Conn. She died February 19, 1887, and Mr. Wetherell died May 19, 1893. They had five children, name- ly : Alice R., born July 12, 1846, is the wife of Samuel E. Williams, of Chatham : Evelyn, born March 6, 1849, died February 4, 1851; Elijah M. is mentioned below : Selena Janette, born September 16, 1855, is the wife of Adel- bert Beebe, of Norwich, Conn .; and Marcus Sylvester, born November 22, 1857, married Lena Mosher, and is clerking for Thaddeus Spencer, of Moodus. Various articles, such as spoon mounds, etc., said to have been brought across the water by the family, were handed down by the grandfather and are still preserved.

Elijah M. Wetherell was born in Moodus, August 2, 1851, and was educated in the schools of that place and Middletown, where his boyhood was spent. For the greater part of his life he has been employed as overseer in various departments of cotton factories. At a youthful age he began as a cotton worker in the mill at Moodus, of which his father was superintendent, and has since been con- nected with the Atlantic Duck Mill. the Will- iams Duck Mill, and the New York Net and Twine Company, serving as overseer of the last named for eleven years. He was at the head of the carding room in the Atlantic Duck Mill for nearly twelve years, and was interest- ed with his father in a grist and saw mill for over six years. Mr. Wetherell has about re- tired from the milling business, but occasion- ally returns to his old work in the cotton mills during the winter. He is now engaged in farming in a small way in East Haddam, and also in the undertaking business, as as- sistant to James Bride. For the last twenty- two years Mr. Wetherell has been a member of the Moodus Fife and Drum Corps. in

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which organization his father was one of the early fifers. Fraternally he has been a mem- ber of Columbia Lodge, No. 26, F. & A. M., of East Haddam, for eight years, and religiously both he and his estimable wife hold member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

On June 18, 1874, Mr. Wetherell was united in marriage with Miss Abbie Frances Emmons, a daughter of Oliver F. and Ann Frances ( Potter) Emmons. The first of her family to settle in America was: (I) Thomas Emmons, an early settler at Newport, R. I., who removed to Boston before 1651. He was a cordwainer, and died November II, 1664. His wife, Martha, died in 1667. His second son,

(II) Samuel Emmons, born about 1636, married August 16, 1660, Mary, daughter of Robert Scott, of Boston, and died about 1685. His eldest son,

(III) Samuel Emmons, born November 18, 1661, in Boston, came to Connecticut when a young man and lived for a few years at Wethersfield, Conn., where he married, before December 30, 1692, Elizabeth Butler, daugh- ter of Ensign and Deacon Samuel and Eliza- beth (Olmsted) Butler, of Wethersfield. Be- fore 1698 he had settled in the northeastern part of East Haddam, near the Colchester line. He died about 1756, having attained the age of ninety-six years, or thereabout. He and his wife united with the church in East Haddam October 15, 1705. The date of her death is not found; he married, second, Lydia , who died May 10, 1758, aged eighty- three years. His son,

(IV) Jonathan Emmons, baptized at Wethersfield in October, 1698, died in East Haddam, February 15, 1777, aged nearly eighty. He married, January 2, 1723, Rachel Griswold, who died in June, 1767, aged sixty- six years. Their son,

(V) Joseph Emmons, born September 9, 1739, in East Haddam, died there April 21, 1810. He married, January 6, 1763, Lois Gil- bert, of Middletown, Conn. Their son,

(VI) Joseph Gilbert Emmons, born Octo- ber 5, 1767, in East Haddam, died there July 5, 1854. He married, November 17, 1791, Dorothy, daughter of Ozias and Abigail (Full- er) Chapman, born February 28, 1775, in East Haddam. She died September 12, 1867. In their family were the following children: Jo- seph G., born October 3, 1792, married Sarah

Hall, and died November 12, 1879; Dorothy F., born July 14, 1794, married Thomas Full- er; Oziah C., born March 16, 1796, married Lucy -, and died December 12, 1881; Florilla, born April 3, 1798, married William Palmer, and died January 8, 1880; Louisa P., born July 20, 1800, married (first) Ebenezer Cook, and (second) Truman Fuller, and died June 4, 1888; Abigail F., born March 5, 1802, married (first) Hiram Young, and (sec- ond) David Rice; Henry W., born August 31, 1804, married Abby Ann Hale, and died March 18, 1893; Benjamin F., born April IO, 1808, married (first) Susan Curtis, and (sec- ond) Emily Herriman, a resident of New York State, and died May 7, 1875; Gilbert, born July 10, 1810, died in infancy; Lorena C., born April 1, 1812, died September 16, 1817; Alfred J., born May 16, 1815, married Lydia Hale, a sister of Abby Ann, and died March 13, 1863 ; and Oliver F., the father of Mrs. Wetherell, completes the family.

Abigail Fuller, grandmother of Oliver F. Emmons, was a direct descendant of Edward Fuller, who came in the "Mayflower" in 1620, her descent being through

(I) Edward Fuller (son of Robert Fuller, of the Parish of Redenhall, County of Norfolk, England), born 1575, died 1621, in Plymouth, Mass. His son (II) Samuel Fuller, born in 1612, died in 1683, at Barnstable, Mass. He married Jane Lathrop. Their son (III) John Fuller, born in 1656, died at East Had- dam in 1726. He married Mehitabel Rowley. Their son (IV) Thomas Fuller, born in 1678, died at East Haddam, April 9, 1772, aged ninety-four. His wife, Elizabeth, died No- . vember 5, 1734, aged ninety-six years. Their son (V) Thomas Fuller, born April 5, 1717, in East Haddam, died there November 12, 1802. He married September 10, 1734, Mar- tha Rawley, who died November 12, 1760. He married (second) Mrs. Mary (Green) Hosmer, widow of Robert Hosmer, of East Haddam. She died August 7, 1808, aged eighty-six. The daughter of Thomas and Martha Fuller, Abigail, born March 4, 1752, in East Haddam, married Ozias Chapman.

Oliver F. Emmons was born September 15, 1818, and died April 14, 1894, in East Haddam. On September 13, 1843, in Rhode Island, he married Ann Frances Potter, who was born at Black Rock, R. I., October 13, 1823, and died April 24, 1863. Her father,

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Nicholas G. Potter, a machinist by trade, and also a Baptist minister, was born September II, 1792, and died August 28, 18 -. He was married January 8, 1815, to Ann Frances Harris, who was born February 13, 1799, and died August 9, 1834. To this union came eight children: Harden Henry, born October II, 1815. died January 27, 1895. Edwin W., born March 6, 1819, was married in 1843 to Ama- rilla Stone, and died September 25, 1894. Hen- ry T., born October 1, 1821, was married No- vember 16, 1848, to Sarah Baker, and died in 1898. Ann Frances, the mother of Mrs. Wetherell, was next in order of birth. Phœbe S., born March 28, 1826, died September 24, 1827. Phoebe A., born December 17, 1828, is deceased. William L., was born August 23, 1830. John, born July 28, 1834, died October 16, 1834. To Oliver F. and Ann Frances (Potter) Emmons were born eight children, as follows : Charles Mi, born July 7, 1847, was married October 7, 1874, to Roselle Grover, of Enfield, Conn., and died October 12, 1894. Edwin P., born April 11, 1850, was married November 27, 1878, to Ella Johnson, and now lives in Hope, R. I. Abbie Frances, born April 10, 1853, is the wife of Elijah M. Wetherell, whose name introduces this sketch. A son, born July 13, 1855, died two days later. A son, born September 22, 1856, died May 24, 1857. A son, born June 12, 1859, died the same day. Twin sons, born December 28, 1861, died the same day. The father of this family was married again, November 24, 1863, his second union being with Sarah Almira Goff, who was born February 25, 1832, at Enst Haddam, and is now living

with Mr. and Mrs. Wetherell. Her father, Sylvester Goff, of Chatham, was born July 16, 1804, and died in East Haddam November 5, 1885. He was married July 11, 1830, to Sarah Tracy Worthington, who was born in Colchester, February 18, 1809, and died May 20, 1851. They had five children: Sarah A., born Feb- ruary 25, 1832, is now Mrs. Emmons ; Henry A., born in Chatham, August 20, 1834, mar- ried Ellen Robic, and resides in Binghamp- ton, N. Y .; Mary E., born October 31, 1836, is the wife of Royal Brainard (their son, Homer W. Brainard, is a teacher in the Hart- ford high school) ; William Elsworth, born January 21, 1839, married Julia Holdridge; Cynthia L., born January 10, 1841, is the wife of Henry Gates, of East Hampton.

WILLIAM H. SMITH, who is identified with the commercial life of Saybrook, Middle- sex county, is also quite prominent in politics, and is now serving as chairman of the Republi- can town committee. He was elected, in 1901, to the State Legislature from his town and his extensive and varied experience and knowl- edge of the times is -warrant for the expec- tation that he will prove a valuable member.

Mr. Smith descends from a sturdy New England ancestry. His grandfather, Nathan Smith, was a native of Vermont, where he grew up, married and reared at least a part of his family. He was a farmer by occupa- tion. Late in life he moved to Sycamore, Ill., where he died at an advanced age. Among his children were: Uziel Mortimer (father of William H.), John, Ralph, Malcolm and La- fayette.

Uziel M. Smith was born near St. Albans, Vt., in November, 1814, and died May II, 1873, in Clarenceville, Quebec, Canada, where he had gone when a young man to marry and spend his life. For his first wife he married Miranda Orpha, daughter of Edward Sawyer, born in April, 1816, who died May 16, 1857. Subsequently he married Pauline Parthena Hungerford, who was born July 9, 1827, and died in 1893. For some years Mr. Smith was engaged in farming and in later life carried on a hotel at Clarenceville in connection with his farming operations. To him and his first wife came: (I) Alice Minerva, born April 14, 1840, died three years later. (2) Pascal Peola, born November 24, 1843, died October 28, 1864; he was accidentally killed at Terre Haute, Ind. (3) Elizabeth Minerva, born January 9, 1846, was married October 2. 1866, to William Langdon Simpson, who was born September 6, 1845, and after his death she married, July 10, 1877, Lucius D. St. John. Mr. St. John was born in 1834, and died May 20, 1894. By her first marriage she had : George D., born March 20, 1868, and Fannie Louise, born January 2, 1870 (died August 17, 1899). To her second marriage was born Luella May, September 11, 1878. (4) Will- iam Henry, born February 21, 1848, is men- tioned below. (5) Miles Mortimer, born March 24, 1850, was in the drug business at Stockton, Kans, and is now in Idaho. (6) Enos Edgar. born March 10, 1852, was engaged as a farm- er near Stockton, Kans., and is now in Idaho. (7) John Gordon, born June 7. 1854, was a

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merchant in Stockton, Kans., and is now in Dowagiac, Mich. (8) Phebe Elizabeth, born October 14, 1856, died February 14, 1861.

William Henry Smith was born in Clar- nceville, Canada, where he obtained his educa- tion in the local schools, and at the age of fif- teen years he entered a tin shop there to learn the trade. After serving a three-years appren- ticeship he came to Connecticut, and for a few years was employed at his trade in Manchester.

William Henry Smith and Catherine Da- ley, of New Britain, were married December 25, 1873, and to this union were born the following children: George M., who is a nickel and gold plater in Derby, Conn .; Cath- erine, who is the wife of P. F. O'Day, of New Britain; William E., a resident of New Britain ; Gordon B., at home; and Walter, a resident of New Britain. Mr. Smith married for his second wife Miss Sarah E. Macer, of Saybrook, who bore him one son, Ralph D. The family attend the Episcopal church.

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Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 110

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Beers Number of Pages: 1502

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502