Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 120

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 120

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excellent roads throughout the country being largely due to his efforts. Mr. Cone is an ac- tive member and supporter of the Congrega- tional Church, as was also his wife and he is as popular in that body as he is highly esteemed in Moodus and the surrounding country.

DANIEL T. HAINES. The orthogra- phy of the family name of this well known banker and citizen of Middletown, was at one time more or less a matter of uncertainty. He himself spells it as printed above, while his father uses the spelling Haynes. The investi- gations of genealogists, however, show that of Haines to be historically correct.

The Haines family is one of the oldest in New England, the first American progenitor of the branch to which Daniel T. Haines be- longs, and whose Christian name was James, having emigrated from England in 1637, and settled at Salem, Mass. The following year he married and removed to Southold, L. I .. on the southern coast of Long Island Sound. He became the father of eight children. His third son, Benjamin, who is next in the line of de- scent to Daniel T., was baptized at Salen1, Mass., in 1643, and died at Southampton, L. I., in 1687. James Haines, the third son of Benjamin, was the great-great-grandfather of the subject of the present biographical sketch. His home was at Bridgehampton, L. 1 .. where he was a deacon in the church. He lived to be more than one hundred years old, and was greatly esteemed. Daniel Haines, his youngest son, was born on the paternal farm on Long Island, October 22, 1740. He, too, was a farmer, owning and cultivating land near East Hampton, which he sold during the Revolu- tionary war for $8,000, receiving one-half in gold and the remainder in Continental currency. The greater portion of the coin he exchanged for currency which afterward proved to be of no value. A few of the original purchase notes given in payment of the purchase price are yet retained as heirlooms by David Haynes, the father of Daniel T. While the war for inde- pendence was in progress Daniel removed with his family from Long Island to Connectient, settling first at East Haddam, and later, alwont 1786, at Lebanon. The depreciation of the Continental notes having reduced him from affluence to poverty. he was obliged to purchase sterile land, on which stood an old house, of but little value, until he and his sons built a

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new one, in which his grandchildren were born. He left his $8,000 of Continental money, and some of it is in the same old desk, now in the possession of his grandson, David. He died November 16, 1826, in the new house he and his sons had built, aged eighty-six years. His grave is in the old part of Exeter cemetery, in the town of Lebanon. Mr. Haines was a man of sterling character, and was held in genuine respect. He was thrice married, first, on No- vember 16, 1762, to Eunice Howell, who was born on Long Island September 2, 1742, and died there January 7, 1774. To this union were born three sons and two daughters : Syl- vanus, Asa, I.emuel, Jane and Hannah. (I) Sylvanus, born August 22, 1763, was a farm- er, and died at Lebanon, Conn, August 13, 1846, aged eighty-three years. He was twice married, and by his first wife had a son, Sylvanus, Jr., whose son Joseph taught a school in Newark, N. J., for fourteen years; he was then elected mayor of the city for several years, being the choice of both par- ties, and was serving as postmaster at Newark at the time of his death, in 1890 or 1891. The second wife of Sylvanus Haines, Sr., was born in 1769, and died January 1, 1855, aged eighty- six years. By this union there were two sons, Samuel and Ezekiel. The latter, born January 9, 1811, was married September 29, 1839, and died May 7, 1859. Samuel, who was born July 25, 1808, is yet living ( 1902) at the advanced age of ninety-four, and re- sides in East Norwalk, Conn. (2) Asa, born April 10, 1765, removed to Ohio in its frontier days, and settled in the town of Ver- non, Trumbull county, where he reared a fam- ily of ten children. He died September 1, 1849, aged eighty-four. (3) Lemuel came into the world June 30, 1767. He did not accom- pany the other members of the family from Long Island to Connecticut, but died there April 15, 1856. aged nearly eighty-nine. He had seven children, three sons and four daugh- ters. (4) Jane was born January 4, 1770, and died eight days after passing her fourth year. (5) Hannah, born April 21, 1772, mar- ried Ezekiel Abel, of Exeter parish, in the town of Lebanon, and was the mother of two chil- dren, Howell and Lucy. Mr. Abel died Octo- ber 6, 1854, aged eighty-two.

Some sixteen months after the death of his first wife, on May 10, 1775, Daniel Haines married her younger sister, Elizabeth Howell,

who was born March 8, 1745, and died Feb- ruary 27, 1796, aged nearly fifty-one. She bore her husband three daughters and one son : (I) Elizabeth, the eldest, was born June 8, 1777, and married Jacob McCall, of Lebanon, dying without issue, October 31, 1851, aged seventy-four years. (2) Eunice, the second child. was born January 1, 1779, and became the wife of Hezekiah Loomis. She and her husband resided at Cazenovia, N. Y., where she died January 15, 1844, aged sixty-five years, fifteen days. (3) Daniel, Jr., grandfa- ther of Daniel T., was born April 6, 1780. He is mentioned in the following paragraph. (4) Mary, born December 4, 1781, was married March 31, 18II, to Ezra James, Sr., who was born December 18, 1781, and some years after- ward they moved from Waterford, Conn., to Leroy, N. Y. She died March 27, 1864, and he died March 7, 1869. Their first child, Is- rael D., born March 18, 1812, in Lebanon, Conn .. married Eliza Hinsdale October 2, 1838, and died in McLean county, Ill., June 5, 1896. Elizabeth H., born December 24, 1814, was married to L. C. Bishop June 7, 1843, and died June 18, 1844, leaving a daughter, born May 27, 1844, who died December 18th, following. Ryland E., born August 16, 1816, in Water- ford, Conn., married Selina Loomis Septem- ber 21, 1852, and died in Leroy, N. Y., June 28, 1896, leaving no children. Mary H., born June 14, 1821, in Waterford, Conn., died June 24, 1831. Ezra S., born October 15, 1825, at Waterford Conn., moved to Leroy with his parents, and is the last of his parents' family now living. He is deacon of a church at Le- roy. On March 22, 1866, he married Margaret Kinner, and they have two children, Mary E. and Herbert S., and two grandchildren-a grandson and a granddaughter.

The third wife of Daniel Haines, Sr., was Anna Church, who died in 1833, aged eighty- three years. To this marriage no children were born.

Daniel Haines (2), the grandfather of the gentleman whose life story is here told, was but an infant when his parents removed to East Haddam, Conn., and was only six years old when they took up their residence in Leb- anon. He was a faithful son, remaining with his father as a helper and support until he was thirty years of age. He himself was thorough- ly self-made, and in his anxiety to provide for those who were near to him and dependent

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upon him he literally wore out his magnificent physical strength, through unflagging; tire- less industry. He died of typhoid fever, after an illness lasting seven weeks, on October 16, 1843, leaving an unsullied name. He owned a well improved farm of 175 acres secured through his own toil and thrift. His stone walls were the admiration of all the country around, and it was in the construction of one of these that he is believed to have planted the seeds of his fatal illness. He was a magnifi- cent specimen of physical manhood, his stat- ure being six feet and his frame well propor- tioned. He was a stanch Whig, and a devout and consistent member of the Congregational Church.

Daniel Haines' first wife was Amelia, daughter of Increase Porter, of Hebron, Conn., born December 29, 1788. She died June 6, 1828, and rests in Exeter cemetery, Lebanon. She was the mother of five children: Philo, Newton, Jane, David and James W. (1) Philo, born August 5, 1813, went West, and was a farmer. He was three times married, wedding his first wife, Electa Chapman, in Ohio. His second was a Miss Kettlwell. He died at Iowa City. (2) Newton, the second son, was born December 29, 1820. He was in the prime of carly manhood at the time of the discovery of gold in California, and became one of the "Argonauts" of 1849, essaying to make the journey to the Pacific coast overland. On reaching the reservation of the Creek In- dians he succumbed to typhoid fever. For his party to await his recovery was impossible, and he was left in the care of Chief Anderson, whose simple remedies, patient care and rude, though skillful nursing, saved him from the grave. The care of the chief, however, was supplemented by that of his daughter, Keziah, whose dark, lustrous orbs burned into the pa- tient's heart as surely-and with more last- ing effect -- as had the fever into his frame. Shortly after his recovery he married her, and for twenty-seven years his life was passed among the Creeks. His dark-skinned wife bore him seven children, but of these only one, David Willard, reached mature age. Newton Haines died at Concharty, a Creek village, in 1868. Two years later his younger brother, David (the father of Daniel), went to the Creek Nation and brought back the little Da- vid Willard, then a child of four years, whom he adopted and reared as his own son. (3) Jane.

the third child and eldest daughter of Daniel Haines (2), was born February 14, 1823, and died March 31, 1902, aged seventy-nine years, unmarried. She served as a volunteer nurse in the camps and hospitals of the Union army during 1863-64. (4) David, the father of Daniel T., was fourth in the order of birth. A somewhat detailed narrative of his life is given in a subsequent paragraph. (5) James W. was born on the homestead in Lebanon January II, 1828, and was a gallant soldier in the Union army during the Civil war. He vol- unteered in response to the first call of Presi- dent Lincoln for troops, but sickness prevented him from accompanying the first troop of his regiment, the First Connecticut Heavy Artil- lery. He served with bravery and distinction throughout the entire struggle. For nine years after his return from the front he occupied the responsible position of janitor of the Cheney block at Hartford. He died unmarried Jan- uary 20, 1894, aged sixty-six.

The second wife of Daniel Haines (2), was Lucy W. Tarbox, who was born April 7, 1810, and died at Tarrytown, N. Y., Septem- ber II, 1888, aged seventy-eight years, five months, four days. To this marriage came one son and three daughters: Halsey, Amelia P .. Lydia and Elizabeth H. ( 1) Halsey was born May 13, 1830, and died in infancy November 7. 1831. (2) Amelia P., born March 22. 1833. is now (1902) living in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., the widow of George W. Cheney, of Manches- ter, Conn. (3) Lydia, the second daughter, born February 26, 1835, died April 15. 1835. (4) Elizabeth H., the youngest member of the family, was born June 11, 1840. She attained distinction as a teacher, and was the founder of the successful "Woodside School," at Hart- ford, but a serious accident compelled her to abandon her profession, and she is at present living at Brooklyn. She has never married.

David Haynes, father of Daniel T. Haines, was born May 25. 1825, in Exeter parish, in Lebanon. A farmer's son, he had little time for either recreation or attending school. He lost his father when he was but eighteen years old, and on the settlement of the paternal es- tate, several years later, he bought the interest of his eo-heirs in the homestead farm, which he personally managed until 1858, when he disposed of it by sale and removed to Colches- ter, Conn. There he purchased a tract of tim- ber land, which he cleared. In 1859 he went

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to Hartford, and remained three years engaged in the teaming and trucking business. Re- turning to Colchester he remained there until May, 1883, in which year he removed to Mid- dletown, where he has since resided.

Mr. Haynes was married at Colchester, on November 25, 1849, to Miss Amanda A. Tay- lor, who was born in Colchester October 12, 1829, daughter of Daniel and Harriet ( Cham- berlain) Taylor. Both the Chamberlain and Taylor families are among the oldest and most highly respected of the county. To this mar- riage came children, as follows: (I) Daniel Taylor is mentioned below. (2) Charles W., born March 9, 1854, married Mary. E. Hunt- ington, of Norwich, Conn., and has two chil- dren, Faith H. and Marion H. He graduated from Yale College in 1880, studied law and was admitted to the bar after his removal to Colorado Springs, where he is now ( 1902) engaged in practice. He is a successful attor- ney, as well as a prominent and influential cit- izen-self-made and self-reliant, industrious, brilliant and upright. (3) Hattie A., the only daughter, came into the world at the old home- stead in Lebanon, November 30, 1855, and passed out of it in Hartford, on March 4, 1860. (4) Frank D., the fourth and youngest of the family, a distinguished member of the Middle- sex County Bar, who has served as city attor- ney and corporation counsel of Middletown, is mentioned below.

David Haynes and his wife, whose mar- ried life has extended over a period of more than half a century, are yet living (September I, 1902), well preserved and active in both body and mind. Hand in hand, as in the days of their youth, they are descending the western slope of the hill of life and as the golden radi- ance of the setting sun falls upon their silvered heads they peacefully await the moment when it shall sink below the horizon, serene in the recollection of lives well spent, and hopeful of a glorious immortality.

FRANK D. HAINES, who has had an ex- ceptionally brilliant career, is closely connected with the civic life and public interests of Mid- dletown. Born at Colchester, Conn., January 16, 1866. he is yet in the full vigor of early manhood, and his future is full of promise. His boyhood was passed on his father's farm, much after the manner incident to farmer's sons. He attended Bacon Academy in his native town, taking high rank, and going thence to Middle-

town in 1883, was for a time employed as bookkeeper by E. M. Taintor. This position he abandoned to enter the bank of C. E. Jack- son & Co., of the same city, where he remained seven years. He began the study of law in the office of M. Eugene Culver, Esq., and later en- tered Yale Law School, from which he received the degree of LL.B. in 1893. Not long after graduation he became the partner of his preceptor, the firm being Culver & Haines. During the administration of Gov. Coffin he filled the office of Executive Secre- tary at Hartford. In 1896 Mr. Haines be- came prosecuting attorney of Middlesex coun- ty, and was again chosen to that position in 1897. His term as secretary ended, he re- sumed the active practice of his profession in Middletown, where he has since been engaged, and in 1898 he was chosen City Attorney and Corporation Counsel; he was reappointed in 1900. As a citizen he is broad-minded and public spirited, his brain and hand being ever at the command of his fellow townsmen. Mr. Haines was secretary of the joint committee of the common council and citizens, charged with the improvement of Union Park. In 1895 he was elected a member of the Board of Edu- cation for the city of Middletown. He is de- servedly held in high esteem, alike because of the high order of his intelligence and his un- wavering probity. He enjoys the patronage of a large clientage in Middlesex county, and his enviable standing has been attained solely by his own efforts. Mr. Haines is also active in church work, being treasurer of the First Ecclesiastical Society and vice-president of the Y. M. C. A. He was married March 8, 1887, to Miss Nellie E. Burke, daughter of Robert W. Burke, of Middletown, and to this union have come two sons-Elmer, born May 8, 1893, and Warren, born June 15, 1896.

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Daniel T. Haines was born May 4, 1851. Hard work upon the farm alternated with at- tendance 11pon the district schools during his boyhood, but the latter was so well supplement- ed by study and instruction at home that at eighteen years he was found, after due examin- ation by the legally constituted authority, com- petent to teach. He left home, and for a term taught the "Brick" school at Marlboro, a b ti

Conn. Among his pupils was George Jackson, the present sheriff of New London county. From Marlboro he went to Colches- ter, and for a short time acted as bookkeeper

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for C. H. Bailey. Gifted by nature with me- chanical genius of a high order, he conceived the idea of exchanging mercantile for manual pursuits, and made application to a firm in New Haven to learn the trade of patternmaker. Arrangements to that end were completed, but on reporting for duty Mr. Haines found that the journeymen in the shop so strenuously objected to the admission of an apprentice that his prospective employers declined to re- ceive him. Not easily discouraged, he turned his energies toward the carpenter's trade, but before his apprenticeship was completed sick- ness necessitated his return home. On recov- ering his health he decided to resume a mer- cantile life, and began anew as clerk and book- keeper in a store at South Manchester. It was not long before a better position was offered him with the firm of S. Gildersleeve & Sons, merchants and shipbuilders at Gildersleeve, Conn. He left this to go to Colchester, enter- ing into partnership with his former employer, C. H. Bailey, the style of the firm being Bailey & Haines. Mr. Haines withdrew from mem- bership after a few years, to become book- keeper for W. H. Goodspeed, of East Had- dam, Conn., who at that time was vice-pres- ident of the Hartford & New York Transpor- tation Company, whose boats were tied up for the winter months at East Haddam, this policy on the company's part rendering the town the center of a large business. Mr. Haines, how- ever, did not find his duties and surroundings congenial, and resigning his position he re- moved to Portland, Conn., where, until 1882. he was employed by the Pickering Governor Company. In the year named he came to Middletown. An entire stranger in the city, he was ready to accept any honorable employ- ment which offered. He first found work as a manual laborer with E. M. Taintor. His ca- pability for better and higher work was soon discovered, however, and he was offered a position as bookkeeper ( which was at once more congenial and more lucrative) by the firm of Meech & Stoddard. Later he became bookkeeper for A. M. Bidwell, the well known grocer at the corner of Center and Main streets, remaining with him until 1886. In that year an accident to H. S. Nichols, secretary of the Middlesex Banking Company, left that posi- tion vacant. It was offered to Mr. Haines, who accepted it. At first his official duties were not so exacting as to prevent his undertaking

other work in his individual capacity, and for a time he kept the books of C. E. Jackson & Co., brokers, and of the Berkeley Divinity School. But the business of the banking com- pany so rapidly increased that it was not long before Mr. Haines found the performance of his duties a tax upon all his energies and time. He still fills that responsible position, meeting its responsibilities with keen intelligence, ripe experience, rare tact and unswerving fidelity. His career in Middletown has been one of constant success. Coming to the city friend- less, and without other resources than brains, energy and pluck, he has hewn out for himself a path which has led to affluence and honor. His rare business sense and judgment were exemplified in his purchase of the old chapter house of the Psi Upsilon fraternity, on Broad street. Its interior arrangement was such that few purchasers saw any plausible method for remodeling it in such a way as to adapt it for any use other than that for which it had been originally planned. Mr. Haines, however, quickly perceived his opportunity and bought the property, converting the house into hand- some, well arranged tenements, in which he had his home, moving thither from his former residence, on Washington street. He lias since purchased a handsome residence, just out of the city, where he resides.

An earnest supporter of Republican precept and policy, and ever ready to work for his party's success, Mr. Haines has never sought office. the only public position which he has ever filled having been a seat in the city council of Middletown. He is treasurer of the Middle- town branch of the Royal Arcanum, and of the First Church Sunday-school.

While living in Portland. on February 17. 1874, Mr. Haines married Miss Olive E. Gates, of Norwich, Conn., who was born in that city March 25, 1853, danghter of John C. and Frances A. ( Lumis) Gates. Their marriage has been blessed with four sons: Ferdinand Charles and Willard Lumis both died in child- hood. Frederick Gates graduated from the Middletown high school in 1897, and later from the business college, and is at present employed in the office of the L. D. Brown Silk Company. of that city. He married June 27, 1901, Miss Charlotte F. Fairchild, of Middletown. Robert Ernest the youngest son, graduated from the Middletown Business College in June, 1901. Mr. and Hrs. Haines and their sons are mem-

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bers of the First Congregational Church, and have been conspicuously identified with its work, he being the church clerk and also serv- ing for twelve years as assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school.

HUBBARD SPENCER, a well-known and reliable citizen of Higganum, Middlesex county, is a grandson of Elizur Spencer, who married Desire Bailey, in Ponset, Haddam town, where he passed his life in agricultural pursuits. They reared the following children : David, who married Prudence Wilcox, and re- sided in Ponset; Alanson, who married Ursula Hubbard, and after her death married Mary Spencer; James, who lived at Ponset; Elizur the father of Hubbard; and Desire, who mar .. ried Felix Spencer.

Elizur Spencer (2) died at the early age of forty years. He married Filetta Hubbard. a daughter of Abram and Asenath (Wells) Hubbard, of the Beaver Meadow District, in Haddam town. Mr. Spencer lived and died in the Ponset District, where he engaged in farming, possessing a fair estate for that time. He was a ship carpenter by trade, and was highly regarded in Childs & Arnolds' shipyard, where he was employed for a long time. He and his wife had the following family: Ben- jamin; Asenath, now the widow of Theodore Hubbard, of Maromas, Conn .; Russell, who died in the army while serving in the Civil war as a member of the Twenty-fourth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry ; Oliver, who married Mary Allen, and, for his second wife, Mrs. Martha Dudley, and lives in Wallingford, Conn .; Hub- bard, our subject; Jane, who married Aaron Burr, and died in September, 1875; Marilla, who died August 25, 1833 ; and Abiathar, who married Addie Raymond, of East Haddam.

Hubbard Spencer was born in the Ponset District, town of Haddam, where he grew up and attended the common schools, leaving at the age of seventeen to go to Meriden, where he began to learn the carpenter's trade. For three years that place was his home, and then he went to Wallingford, where better chances in his line of work were offered, remaining there for some years.

The marriage of Mr. Spencer took place in Haddam, to Miss Marilla Walkley, and to this union came: Edson L., born December 20, 1855, died October 25, 1861 ; Abiathar, born February 13, 1858, married Mary Treadwell,

is a house carpenter by trade, and resides in Hartford.

After some time spent in Wallingford Mr. Spencer went to Middletown, but later returned to his native town and settled, and he has en- gaged in farming there in a small way, enjoy- ing the change of work. He has also erected a number of buildings. His pride has always been to give honest work for value received, hence he has always possessed the confidence of the public. Mr. Spencer has almost retired from active labor, but his opinion is often asked in matters pertaining to his trade, for he is known to thoroughly understand every detail of it. In his political views Mr. Spencer favors the Democratic party, but he has never been prevailed upon to accept any office. He has spent a busy life as free from care as any mor- tal's can be, where troubles are so plentiful, but now takes his ease, in his old home, sur- rounded by the friends of his youth.

CHARLES H. STOCKING, of Rose Hill, in the town of Portland, is one of the repre- sentative farmers of his community, and is re- garded as one of its leading citizens. Thrifty and energetic, he employs modern methods, and stands in the foremost rank of the tillers of the soil in Middlesex county.

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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 120

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