Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 126

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 126

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built up a large trade, and firmly established himself in the esteem and confidence of his fellow townsmen.

LEVI JEWETT, M. D. The founder of the branch of the Jewett family to which this distinguished physician of Cobalt. Middlesex county, belongs was Edward Jewett, who emi- grated from Lincolnshire, England, in August, 1638, and settled at Rowley, Mass. Follow- ing down the direct line of descent the geneal- ogical thread runs through Joseph ( 1), Joseph (2). Aquilla, Jeremiah (1), Jeremiah (2), Jeremiah (3), and Spofford Dodge, the father of Levi Jewett.

Jeremiah Jewett (3) was born, reared and educated at. Rowley, Mass., studied medicine under Dr. Spofford, of his native town, and served with distinction during the war of the Revolution, first as a soldier and later as a surgeon. He took part in the carly troubles at Boston, and aided in guarding the prisoners at Cambridge. Later Gen. Washington com- missioned him surgeon of the Tenth Massa- chusetts Regiment. The war over. he re- sumed the practice of his profession at Barn- stead, N. H., and passed away at the ripe old age of seventy-nine years, April 22, 1830. His wife, Temperance Dodge, was born in Rowley, Mass., in 1772, and died at Barnstead. N. H., in 1872, after reaching the age of one hundred years, seven months and seven days, and being an eye-witness of all those stirring events which marked the first century of the nation's history. Her only sister, Judith, was born in 1770, married Thomas Peabody. of Haverhill, Mass., and died in 1811. They had two sons, George and Thomas. Thomas Pea- body, who was a Revolutionary soldier, died in 18II.

Spofford Dodge Jewett, son of Jeremiah (3). was born September 22, 1801, at Bam- stead, N. 11. In 1822 he entered Dartmouth College, graduating in 1826, and afterward studied theology for three years at Andover. Mass., and was ordained to the ministry in 1829. For half a century he was an earnest. tireless, devoted laborer in the Lord's vine- yard, preaching at Griswold, Windsor, West- chester and Middlefield. His pastorate at the latter place extended over ten years, whien his advanced age necessitated his retirement from the pulpit. He was able, however, to per- form the duties of postmaster, and to fill the

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office of justice of the peace, and at the time of his death was a deacon in the church of which he had once been pastor. He entered into rest March II, 1888, in his eighty-seventh year. On December 21, 1830, he married Abigail Shipman, of New Britain, Conn., who was ten years his junior, and who died February 13, 1888, at the age of seventy-eight years and four months. Levi is the third of their family of nine children. We have the following record of the others : (I) Jane (de- ceased), was born October 15, 1831. (2) Hen- ry, born at Griswold, in 1833, died in 1836. (4) Henry Shipman graduated at Amlierst College, became a teacher, later studied medi- cine, and has been for many years a practic- ing physician in Brooklyn, N. Y. He married Hattie E. Rice, and is the father of three chil- dren, Nellie (deceased), Grace and Mabel. (5) Mary died at the age of eighteen. (6) Will- iam's natural taste was for mercantile life and he became a clerk for a clothing firm in New York City, and later entered the firm. He married Julia, daughter of Rev. William Cook, of Ticonderoga, N. Y. (7) Martha married Henry L. Coe, of New York City, who was born in Middlefield, Conn., and was for many years one of the officers of the Man- hattan Brass Company, a concern employing five hundred men. Their children are Mary Jewett, Florence and Blanche. (8) Charles T. is a practicing physician in New York. He married Anna Woolley, daughter of Wardell Woolley, of New York City, and two daugh- ters, Mary and Florence, have been born to them. (9) Anna married Everett W. Day, son of Stephen B. Day, Esq., of Westchester, Conn., and died, leaving four children, William, Hattie, Lewis and Carolyn B.

Levi Jewett was born in Griswold town, New London Co., Conn., January 9, 1835. He attended school at the various towns to which his father's ministerial duties called him, passed a number of years at Westchester, and subse- quently attended the State Normal School at New Britain four terms, after which he began teaching, at the age of sixteen years. For a year he taught in East Haddam, and for an- other year in Massachusetts. During the third year he was instructor in Bacon Acade- my, at Colchester, meanwhile studying medi- cine, the practice of which he had resolved to make his life work. His early professional studies were carried on at Pittsfield, Mass.,

and he received his degree from Bellevue Medical College, New York City, in March, 1857. His first location was Windsor Locks, where he remained until July, 1862, when he received a commission as assistant surgeon of the Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteers, and continued in the service until the close of the Civil war. He was severely wounded at Ream's Station, on the Weldon railroad, a fragment of a shell passing through his hat and seriously injuring his eye. The head cov- ering worn by him on that memorable oc- casion is still preserved among the war relics in the public library at Middletown, and many a visitor expresses astonishment that its wearer is still alive. After recovering from his wound Dr. Jewett was assigned to hospital duty at Baltimore, and after receiving his discharge took up his residence in New York City. There, for seventeen years, he conducted a drug store, at the same time being engaged in practice. In 1883 he retired from active busi- ness and removed to Middle Haddam, where he has since resided, enjoying a life of well- earned rest. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary J. Taylor, and to whom he was married September 10, 1857, is an extensive property owner in Middle Haddam, and the family deemed it wise to keep her holdings under personal supervision. Dr. Jewett and his wife have been the parents of two children. Lewis Taylor, the first-born, died at the age of fourteen years. The younger, Arthur Port- er, was born May 21, 1877, and is a merchant in New York City.

Dr. Jewett takes a deep and active interest in religious work. He is an earnest member of the Congregational Church, and for twenty years has been superintendent of the Sunday- school. He naturally cherishes, also, an inter- est in education and has served on the board of education and as acting school visitor. He be- longs to Mansfield Post, No. 53, G. A. R., of Middletown, of which he is now command- er, and in politics is a Republican.

The coat of arms of the Jewett family is described in works on heraldry as follows: "Ye beareth gules on a cross, argent-fleur-de- lis of the first. Crest: An eagle's neck be- tween two wings, displayed argent by the name Jewett."

The genealogy of Mrs. Jewett, which is of interest, is briefly given: Her great-grand- father, Elisha Taylor, was born in 1714, and

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died October 6, 1800. He married Hannah Judd, who died February 1, 1789, at the age of seventy-two. Their eldest son, Joshua, died November 16, 1767, after reaching his nineteenth birthday. Another son, Elisha, died in 1777, while a soldier in the Revolu- tion, at the age of twenty-two; a horn, carved by him, with a home scene and his name, is one of Mrs. Jewett's treasured heirlooms. Noa- diah Taylor, another son of Elisha, and the grandfather of Mrs. Jewett, was born June 5, 1755, and died at Middle Haddam, Conn., October 15, 1828. He married Lydia Lewis, of Colchester, Conn., who was born August I, 1762, and died in Middle Haddam, Septem- ber 10, 1822. Eight children came to them, as follows: (I) Elisha, born May 5, 1782, married Mary Bulkley and died May 24, 1824. She died February 4, 1864, aged seventy-five years. (2) Joshua, born September 12, 1785, died March 17, 1872. He married Mrs. The- odosia (Olmsted) Jones, who died April 6, 1855, aged sixty-three years. (3) Lydia, born April 16, 1787, became the wife of Dr. Ado- nijah Cone. (4) Roderick, born July 17, 1789, died at the age of nineteen years. (5) Julia, born January 1, 1791, died unmarried, at the age of forty-two. (6) Judah Lewis, born July 22, 1793, died April 9, 1891. (7) Minerva, born August 1, 1796, married Stephen Hub- bard, who was one of ten children born to George and Mehitabel ( Miller) Hubbard. (8) Hannah Judd, the youngest of the family, born December 20, 1799, became the wife of Daniel Cone, of Unadilla, New York.

Judah Lewis Taylor was an extensive and successful farmer in Chatham town, where he passed his life. He married Corintha Niles Porter, daughter of Dan B. and Mary ( Niles) Porter, of Columbia, Conn., and Mary J., Mrs. Jewett, born April 7, 1838, is their only child.

ROBERT W. BURKE, a resident of Mid- dletown, Middlesex county, and one of the leading builders and contractors of this local- ity, has had an active and eventful life, and his record as a soldier of the Republic is one upon which his posterity will ever look with pride and admiration.

Mr. Burke was born January 11, 1841, in the Millington Society, East Haddam, Conn., and comes of a stalwart Scotch-Irish stock, William Burke, his grandfather, having been

a native of the North of Ireland. This Will- iam Burke when a young man was a soldier in the British army, and the regiment to which he belonged was sent to Portugal, but while en route the vessel conveying it received orders to proceed to America instead, hostilities hav- ing broken out between the mother country and the Colonists. The troops were landed on Long Island about the time of the battle there in 1776, and tradition says that William Burke shortly afterward "relieved himself of any further service to Great Britain"-in other words, deserted his colors. Not long after that event he came to what is now East Had- dam, Conn., locating on the section known as Millington, and there for some time carried on his trade, that of nailmaker. In Millington he was twice married, his first wife being Let- tice, his second Olive. His eleven children were: John, William, Mary, Sarah, Charles, Joseph C., Lydia, Lyman, Edward G., Lucyn- thia and Samuel W., all now deceased, Samuel W. being the last survivor. Of these, Joseph C. was the father of Dr. George W. Burke, of Middletown, and Samuel W. was the father of the subject proper of these lines.

Grandfather William Burke died about 1836-37, aged eighty-four years, in Milling- ton, and was buried there. For many years he was connected with the Massachusetts Bi- ble Society, as colporteur, and he participated in the distribution of thousands of Bibles. In recognition of his services with that society in Connecticut he was presented, by a govern- or of that State, with an elegant cane, which is now in the possession of his grandson, Oliver P. Burke, of Brooklyn, N. Y. William Burke was a devout Christian, an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church, and a man of strong intellect, undeveloped in his youth owing to limited educational advantages. His Irish "brogue" never left him, and all through his long life his nationality remained unmistak- able.

Samuel W. Burke, father of Robert W .. was born in New London, Conn., in 1803. and when a youth learned the trade of shoe- maker, later in life following the occupation of farmer. In early manhood he located in the town of East Haddam, and for several years resided in the locality known as Millington So- ciety, where he followed farming, removing some years later to New London county, where in Bozrah and Lebanon, the last twenty-eight

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years of his life were passed. He died in Leb- anon October 6, 1886. In politics he was a Democrat, but not active in the affairs of the party. Samuel W. Burke married Miss Mat- tie B. Edwards, of South Glastonbury, daugh- ter of Watson Edwards, and children as fol- lows were born to this union : ( I ) Ralph H., throughout life a carpenter and builder, died in Bureau county, Ill. (2) Horace who was shipping clerk for a manufacturing concern, died in Norwich, Conn. (3) Charles, a car- penter, lives in Norwich. (4) Robert W. comes next in the order of birth. (5) Miss Emeline died in June, 1855, at the age of twen- ty-three years.

Robert W. Burke was eight years old when the family moved to Bozrah, and there he re- ceived most of his schooling, attending the dis- trict schools until seventeen years of age. He then thought he would try a seafaring life, and shipping as a sailor, made one voyage, during which he visited Liverpool, Galveston (where he was confined to hospital for eighteen days with yellow fever), Cardenas, etc. After many interesting experiences he returned to the family home at Lebanon, and for a year or two remained on the farm with his father, af- ter which he commenced to learn the trade of carpenter with William Standish, of Lebanon. About a year thereafter the Civil war broke out, and in 1861, in response to the President's call for 400,000 men, Mr. Burke enlisted at Norwich, Conn., in Company D, Eighth Con- necticut Volunteer Infantry. The command was assigned to Burnside's expedition and the young soldier was soon in the midst of fighting. He participated in the battles of Roanoke Island, Newbern, N. C., and Fort Macon, after which his regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and took part in the engagements at South Mountain, Antie- tam, and many others. At the great battle of Antietam, when Middletown's lamented hero, Gen. Mansfield, was killed, our subject was severely wounded, and had to lie on the battle- field for three weeks in a small log house. For eleven months on account of his wound. he was unable to do duty, but as soon as sufficient- ly recovered he rejoined his regiment at South Mills, N. C., doing outpost duty with Gen. Kil- patrick's cavalry. His. first term of enlistment having ended (as all men who would re-enlist had their first term shortened), Mr. Burke re-enlisted, near Portsmouth, Va., and re-

mained on active duty until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged from the service. During his second term of enlist- ment, he also participated in some of the great battles of the war-Drury's Bluff, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg and Fair Oaks-besides in minor engagements, not to speak of innumer- able skirmishes, in all of which he bore an hon- orable part. On the fall of Richmond, Va., he was one of the first Federal soldiers to enter that city.

After the close of the war, Mr. Burke re- turned to Bozrah, Conn., and there for several years followed his trade; in 1872 he located in Middletown, and continued in the same line until 1876, when he went West. In Nevada he followed his trade, working in the North Carson gold and silver mines, framing shaft timber; also worked on the Virginia & Truckee railroad as carpenter. After spending about eighteen months in the West, he re- turned to Middletown, and worked at his trade for C. O. Stone, until 1888, in that year taking up contracting for himself, since when he has erected some of the most handsome and com- modious structures in the town and city. Among others may be mentioned the residences of Gibson Wilson, on Broad street; James Burr, on Crescent street ; Grace Pike's Colonial house, on Lawn avenue; C. Bingham Leach's house, on South Main street; and the elegant residences of John R. Pitt, on Washington street, and of Herbert L. Camp, on South Main street, also the handsome D. K. E. Chap- ter House on High street. Probably the most creditable piece of work that stands as a monu- ment to his skill as a builder, is the residence of T. M. Russell on High Street, completed in 1902.

On July 12, 1868, Mr. Burke was married to Miss Lucy L. Andrews, of Bozrahville, Conn., daughter of Gilbert and Lucy ( May- nard) Andrews. She died August 14, 1869, leaving one daughter, Nellie E., now wife of F. D. Haines, of Middletown. On April 21, 1873, Mr. Burke for his second wife married Miss Emma Simpson, of South Glastonbury, daughter of William N. Simpson. By this union there is no issue. Mrs. Burke is a member of the North Congregational Church, and a teacher in the Sabbath-school. Mr. Burke is affiliated with St. John's Lodge, No. 2, A. F. & A. M., of which he is a past master (while serving in that capacity he laid the

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corner stone of the present Masonic Temple at Middletown), of Washington Chapter, No. 6, R. A. M., and of Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, K. T., being a past commander of the latter. He is a prominent member of Mansfield Post, G. A. R., Middletown. He takes an inter- est in all movements tending to the good and advancement of the community at large, and though no church member contributes liberally toward the Congregational Church. In poli- tics he is a Democrat, but in local affairs selects the best man, party lines being cast aside. He is no office seeker, and lives in the enjoyment of the respect and esteem of a wide circle of friends.

CONE. That branch of the family of Cone residing in and around Middlesex county is of Scotch lineage, the first American ancestor of that name having been one Daniel Cone, who was born in Scotland, in 1626, and left the "land-o'-cakes" in 1662. He was accompanied by his wife, whose maiden name was Mehitable Spencer (a daughter of Jared Spencer ), and their five sons, Nathaniel, Dan- iel, Jr., Jared, Stephen and Caleb. He settled in Haddam, and later removed to East Had- dam, where he died October 24, 1706.

Nathaniel Cone, eldest son of Daniel, spent his life in Haddam, marrying there and rearing a family of ten children.

Nathaniel Cone, Jr., eldest son of Nathan- iel, was born in Millington, January 19, 1712, and was commonly known as "Nathaniel of Millington." He married Sarah Hunger- ford, and died April 15, 1790. The names of his children, with the dates of their birth were -according to the well-known genealogist, D. Williams Patterson-as follows: Sarah, born January 16, 1747; Nathaniel (3), June 22, 1748; Israel, born December 21, 1749, married Lucy Ackley, and had eight children, and he died November 24, 1825; Thankful, born May 7, 1752; Samuel, born March 13. 1754, died in childhood ; Oliver, born Decem- ber 2. 1755: Delight, born September 3, 1757: Daniel, born July 7, 1759, and died June 28, 1842; Cyrus, born July 28, 1761: Darius, born September 2, 1703; Benjamin, born March 20, 1766; Uriel, May IS, 1768; Samuel (2) born October 9, 1700, and died May 10. 1834; and Festus, born July 24. 1772, served with distinction as a captain in the War of

1812. Five of the other sons of the family served in the War of the Revolution.

Nathaniel Cone (3) lived in Millington parish, East Haddam, Conn., and died there June 27, 1825. He was a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. On October 19, 1779, he was married to Margery Saxton, a widow, whose maiden name was Adams. The Chatham records show them to have been the parents of five children: Hertoah, born in the year 1780; Mary, born January 30, 1782; Festus, born June 21, 1784; Nathaniel Greene, born January 16, 1787; and Clarissa, born April 30, 1789.

Nathaniel Greene Cone was born in East Haddam, January 16, 1787, and died March 10, 1842. He married, on October 24, 1813, Sophia Bolles, who was born in 1790. The issue of this union was ten children, as fol- lows : Alphonso Bolles, born July 27. 1814, and married to Cordelia Shipman; Nathaniel Greene, Jr., born November 7, 1815, and never married; Damaris S., born August 24, 1817, and died November 5, 1821; David Porter, born February 15, 1819, and died De- cember 27, 1894: Festus C., born March 24, 1821, and died November 7. 1825; Clarissa A., born April 25, 1824, and married John Smith, of Norwich; Mary Ann, born August 19, 1822, married Benjamin Taylor of Chatham town; William S., born June 27, 1827; F. Velenzo, born January 19, 1829; and Ezra Gordon, born July 27, 1831.

EZRA GORDON CONE was born in Chatham, and received a good common-school education, (levoting the greater part of his active life to the manufacture of bells at East Hampton. In vonth he worked in the iron foundry of his brother Alphonso Bolles Cone, in Middle Haddam, where plows and other agricultural implements were manufactured, and at the age of twenty-three removed to East Hamp- ton, beginning work as a molder in the foun- dry of Buell & Veazey, manufacturers of bells. Thence he removed to New York City, enter- ing the en ploy of Smith & Cone (the firm composed of his brother, William S. Cone, and brother-in-law John Smith), with whom he remained until 1804. when he came to East Hampton, working here at the trade of mol- der with White & Barton. He continued in their en ploy until John Barton sold to Hiram Vezey, after which the bell business was

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conducted under the name of Veazey & White, Mr. Cone remaining in their employ with E. C. Barton, who later became his partner in business. In January, 1866, the Gong Bell Manufacturing Company was organized at East Hampton, consisting of H. H. Abbe, E. G. Cone, E. C. Barton, and A. H. Conklin, and in April, following, put the first Abbe patent gong door-bells on the market, estab- lishing an agency with Messrs. Sargent & Co., of New Haven, who have continued as agents for the trade up to the present time. Mr. Cone was the inventor of several styles of bells. In 1867 Cone's globe hand bells were intro- duced-a novelty in bell manufacture, made by mounting two gong-shaped bells of differ- ent tones on a frame so arranged as to strike both bells at the same time, giving a very pleas- ant musical sound, loud and clear. These bells still remain in popular demand. Cone's patent acorn-shaped sleigh bells were also made about this time. Later E. C. Barton in- vented a revolving call-bell, which had a large sale for a number of years. This idea of a revolving call-bell was also embodied in a new bell-toy by Mr. Barton, which was called re- volving chimes. They are made by using two gong-shaped bells of different tones, mounted on an axle with a pair of malleable iron wheels, and are drawn along the floor or ground by a cord. The tongue, which is hung loosely on the axle, strikes the pins inside each bell at every revolution of the wheels, giving out very pleasant sounds. This has proved to be one of the most popular toys ever made, and has been sold not only all over the United States and Canada, but has also been largely exported to foreign countries. To this, the first bell of its kind ever placed on the market, have been added from time to time new bell toys, mostly the ideas of members of the firm, until the line in 1898 reached fifty-three differ- ent numbers, the largest line of bell toys made in the world. In addition to the Abbe gong door bells, the Yankee pattern door and alarm bells, and signal trip gong bells-inventions of E. C. Barton -- are made, also, a line of silver chime hand bells, table call bells, tea bells, bicycle bells, and gong bell castings for elec- trical use, in sizes from one and one-sixteenth to eighteen inches in diameter. The specialties of the company are mostly in the line of bell toys. This company has ample buildings and in every way a well appointed plant.

Mr. Cone, who was distinctly a domestic man, with a warm heart, kind and genial dis- position and tender feelings for all his fellow creatures, w'on many friends in his long and active life. He took much interest in town af- fairs, having served Chatham several times as a juryman on important cases, and was always a prominent figure at town meetings, He was a member of the board of education, and for many years was one of the auditors of the town and a member of the board of re- lief; for several years he was one of the in- corporators and a trustee of the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, of Middletown. Mr. Cone's transactions were all characterized by excellent judgment and good common sense, and his counsel was constantly being sought by people of all classes. He died December 22, 1898. In political principles he was a Democrat, and a warm supporter of the policy of President Cleveland.

On February 15, 1857, Ezra G. Cone was married to Miss Sophia A. White, at the Union Congregational Church, by Rev. James J. Bell. The children born to their marriage were two sons and two daughters: Ernest G., born November 8, 1858, lives at East Hampton ; Sophie, born November 2, 1864, is the wife of F. S. Hall, of East Hampton, and had two sons, Harold Frederick and Adric Cone Hall, of whom the former was born in 1888, and died in 1898, and the latter was born July 4, 1892; Ezra Gordon, born December 19, 1866, resides in East Hampton ; and Mary Bolles, born Au- gust 24, 1870, also resides in East Hampton. Ezra G. Cone, Jr., was married June 23, 1892, to Delight Jones, and has three children, Gladys (born January 5, 1894), Lloyd Elwyn (June 26, 1899), and Damaris (May 24, 1902).

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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 126

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