Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 128

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 128

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Politically Mr. Silliman has always been a Republican, and adheres to the principles of that party. In religion he is a member of the Congregational Church, while his wife is an Episcopalian, and both denominations re- ceive his liberal support. Mr. Silliman is a director in the National Bank of New England, and takes a deep interest in anything calcu- lated to advance the material prosperity of the community.

OLIVER WELLS MACK. Almost every important town in Connecticut has some lead- ing industry that has spread its name far and wide. Portland, in Middlesex county, is widely known for its great output of fine brown stone, so that the quarrying business has been a leading one for years in that town. In former years it furnished employment to many young men who came from the farm all over New England, seeking the high wages that the quarries paid to good men. They came on foot in the spring and returned home the same way in the fall, when the quarries were closed down. With their coming and go- ing some remained, and became good citizens

and leading business men, the push and energy that brought them hither attending their sub- sequent career.

In this way Mr. Mack became a citizen of Portland. He came here as a stone quarry- man in 1846, and for fifty years was identi- fied with the brown stone business. His mod- est beginnings and the large success that has attended him make his career seem almost mar- velous. He proved himself a laborer of such ability that he was given a better place, but each position in turn failed to furnish a field too broad for him to cover, thoroughly and efficiently, and he continued to display at the same time the ability for a still more respon- sible position. He was made superintendent of the Middlesex Quarry, and then became the agent for the Shaler & Hall Quarry Company, and his career in that capacity is quite unique. It has been attended with large success, and exhibits sound business qualities far beyond the' usual allotment. Mr. Mack has been a busy man, but in the stress of business has not failed to take an interest in the moral and philan- thropical movements of the time. The Port- land Methodist Church has counted him one of its most active and reliable workers, and he is a leading and influential member of that congregation.

Mr. Mack was born in Haddam, Middle- sex Co., Conn., September 5, 1827, son of Ro- mantha Mack, and grandson of Hezekiah Mack, who was a Revolutionary soldier. John Mack, a son of Hezekiah, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was wounded at the battle of Lundy's Lane.

Romantha Mack was born in East Had- dam and when a young man entered the quar- ries at that place. He had his own way to make in the world, and early began in the good old New England fashion, by marrying and setting up a family altar. His wife, Mehita- ble (Knowles), was a native of Haddam, and their children were as follows: Ursula mar- ried John Griffin, went to Wisconsin, and when last heard from was in North Dakota. Oliver W. was the second child. Mary mar- ried Alexander Clark, and died in Haddam. Frederick is a resident of East Haddam. Jane married Justin E. Arnold, of Haddam Neck, and both are deceased. Martin V. B. died when twenty-four years old. John T. lives in East Haddam. The father moved to East Haddam about 1831, and located on his fa-

Olim W Mach

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ther's farm. He later came to own more land, and was known as one of the large land owners of the county, being well off for those days. He left a nice property. Politically, he was a Democrat. He lived to be sixty-sev- en years old.

Oliver W. Mack had the usual district school privileges, and his first teachers were Mr. Eli, Mr. Palmer, Alfred Gates, and Thomas J. Williams. When he was about ten years old he began working for his father on the farm, as he was the eldest son, and his help was needed. He remained at home until his younger brothers were able to take hold of the farm work, and then left to engage in oth- er business. On March 31, 1846, he came to Portland and went to work at once in the Mid- dlesex Quarry, as a general laborer, receiving forty-eight cents a day and board. He took up the work readily, and after a year was made foreman for Joel Hall, on his farm in Port- land. He was three years a "scappler" in the quarry, and then became "foreman on the rock," having a gang of men under his con- trol. For seventeen years he was engaged in this capacity, and was then foreman in the yard for seven years, supervising men who were dressing stone. Mr. Mack succeeded F. A. Parker as superintendent, and was manag- er of the Shaler & Hall Quarry for fifteen years, years noted for their prosperity and success in the history of the company. Mr. Mack finally retired from the service of the Shaler & Hall Company, and about 1892 opened the Connecticut Freestone Quarry, at Cromwell, of which he was an agent and an interested owner. Since 1895 he has practi- cally lived retired.

On February 22, 1850, Mr. Mack married Miss Lucretia Chapman, of East Haddam. daughter of Austin Chapman. They had three children. The first, Julia L., now Mrs. Frederick Yale, of Meriden, is herself the mother of three children, Carrie, Oliver and Ellwood, the first two of whom are graduates of Wesleyan University. Hattie, the second, died at the age of seventeen years, in Portland. Revillo, the third. died when nine days old. Mrs. Lucretia Mack died Aug. 22, 1854, and on December 2, 1854, Mr. Mack married, for his second wife, Miss Elizabeth Brown, of Chat- ham. Mrs. Mack is the daughter of Horace and Lydia ( Bales) Brown. Children have been born to this marriage as follows : Edith,

married Frank Yale, of Meriden, and died three months later. Clara died at seventeen. Frankie married W. L. Somerset, a native of Portland, who for five years held the honor- able position of house physician at the Willard Parker Hospital of New York, and is now on the staff of the health board of that city. Lil- lian, now Mrs. George Evans, of Kingston, Pa., is a lady of culture and ability. In 1852 Mr. Mack built on what is now Spring street the first house he ever owned. In 1880 he built another, which is now the Methodist Church parsonage. This property he practically gave to the church when he sold it at figures far below the value. His present home, on Main street, was purchased in 1895. Mr. Mack and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, and he has been one of its trustees since 1852. He was choirmaster there forty years, class-leader almost continuously, and has been at different times superintendent. of the Sabbath-school, being the first to fill that place in the church in Portland. Mrs. Mack belongs to the Earnest Workers, and the Wo- men's Missionary Society. Mr. Mack joined the Odd Fellows at Portland in the later forties but the lodge has since disbanded. He was as- sociated with that curious development of American politics that found expression in the "Know Nothing" party, which was swallowed up in the great anti-slavery agitation. Mr. Mack has been a Republican since the organiz- ation of that party. He was a town commit- teeman for ten years, and for many years was registrar of voters.

ASAHEL P. BAILEY ( deceased ) was a well-known resident of Higgamm, Middle- sex Co., Conn. He was a grandson of Sergt. Reuben Bailey, a native of Haddam town, who served with the Connectient troops in the Revo- lutionary war, and received a wound in the leg which eventually caused his death, before he was pensioned. He died in 1823. on a small farm which he owned, near the present location of the Scovil shops ; the house has since burned. There he carried on farming and shoemaking and ran a small tannery. He married Zaruah Palmer, and they had the following named children : Asahel, Emory, Rhoda, Fruella. Zabud ( father of Asahel P.), Samantha and Lewis. Reuben Bailey lies in the Higganum cemetery.

Zabud Bailey, our subject's father, was

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born in Haddam, in 1787, and died there July 7, 1864. His school advantages were limited, but he was naturally very intelligent, and per- severed in whatever he undertook until he thoroughly mastered it. He married Deidama Young, a daughter of Asaph and Abbie (Brooks) Young, who was born in Haddam, in 1787, and died April 21, 1871. To this union were born: Orson, Alva, Henry Mar- vin, Asahel Palmer, Abigail, Hiram, Joseph Riley, Alfred Cone and Aurillus.

Asahel P. Bailey was born in Haddam January 19, 1818, and attended the district schools of Higganum. When but a boy of ten years he was obliged to work for his food and clothing, but until he was fourteen he spent as much time as possible in school. His first regular employment was in a factory, where for a year he worked at the wood turn- ing trade ; subsequently he went into an oakum factory, then to a brickyard, in his later years engaging in farming. Whatever line Mr. Bai- ley pursued he succeeded in it, and on ac- count of his wise frugality and correctness of living he acquired for his advancing years a competency. His example might well be fol- lowed by the younger generation. He was a man of great force of character, and upright and just in all his dealings. For thirty-two years Mr. Bailey was one of the trusted em- ployes of the Scovil Manufacturing Company, serving them faithfully and well.

Mr. Bailey was first married in Middle- town to Martha Jane Bailey, a daughter of Rufus Bailey, of Haddam, born August 7, 1827. She died July 17, 1851, and his second marriage was to Amelia Gladding, a daughter of Willard and Sabra (Brainerd) Gladding, born March 31, 1819, died April 9, 1892. To this union came one daughter, Sabra Maria, born December 23, 1853, who was married April 1, 1876, to Franklin Brainerd, of Mid- dletown, Conn .; Mr. Brainerd died April Io, 1882, and his widow married Frederick Kel- sey, of Middletown, on April 11, 1888. By his first marriage Asahel P. Bailey also had one daughter, Martha Almeda, who died August 25, 1866. Mrs. Amelia (Gladding) Bailey's parents had children as follows: Russell B., Sally Maria, Sally Maria (2), Amelia and Amelia (2), the last named being Mrs. Bailey.

In politics Mr. Bailey was always an ardent Democrat, but never aspired to office, though he served in the State Legislature in 1888-89.

He was highly respected in the community in which he made his home for so many years. He was a member of the Methodist Church at Higganum, to which his wife also belonged, and took much interest in the prosperity of his church, of which he was an honored trus- tee. He died suddenly, March 2, 1901.

SAMUEL MITCHELL PRATT (de- ceased) was one of the successful and highly esteemed citizens of Westbrook, Middlesex county, who lived a quiet, unostentatious and useful life, in the home of his youth, passing away at the age of seventy-three, mourned by many sincere friends.

Frederick H. Pratt, his father, was born April 8, 1790, in Essex, this county, and came to Westbrook with his parents when but two years old. His early boyhood days were spent in his father's shipyard, when not in attend- ance at the district school, but poor health pre- vented him from adopting his father's trade. When fifteen years old he embarked in the mercantile business, opening up a small store in the western part of Westbrook, which he conducted for several years, succeeding be- yond his expectations. In 1814 he removed to a point near the center of Westbrook, imme- diately east of our subject's late home, in con- junction with his brother Mitchell erecting there a building, and engaged in storekeeping and shipbuilding in a small way. Later they owned a store in Haddam, which Frederick conducted for several years, while Mitchell managed the Westbrook store. The firm of Mitchell & Frederick Pratt is still remembered, as the brothers were successful merchants. They retired from business on account of poor health. Frederick H. Pratt lived on his farm during his remaining years, his death occurring July 25, 1865. The home lately occupied by our subject was erected in 1830, and is still standing. The store was removed a few years since by that gentleman.

On October 10, 1826, Frederick H. Pratt married Phebe Hill, who was born September 9, 1800, in Westbrook, a daughter of Michael and Dorcas (White) Hill, the former a farm- er and prominent citizen of Westbrook. The children born of this union were: Samuel Mitchell, our subject; Phebe R., widow of Ed- ward Griswold, who resides in Centerbrook, with two children, John S. and Rosa B .; Mary A., living at the homestead; and Jane S., who

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married Edward Bull, of Centerbrook, now a retired Congregational minister, and has two children, Edward and Frederick W.

Samuel Mitchell Pratt was born August 20, 1827, and received his education in private schools of an excellent character, taught by local ministers and Yale students. While still a young man he became interested in the con- struction of ships, learning the trade of ship carpenter, and worked in that line for many years. Finally, upon acquiring the old home farm by purchase from the other heirs,- he en- gaged in farming during the latter part of his life, his devoted sister sharing his home. Un- til within one year of his decease he was ac- tive, being always a careful, industrious and frugal man. A stanch Republican, Mr. Pratt was called upon to serve several terms on the board of selectmen, and for part of the time was chairman. In the Congregational. Church he could always be relied upon as one whose sympathy and help would be given with cheer- ful and generous readiness.

Mr. Pratt's wife died in 1886. Her maiden name was Emogene Post, and she was a daugh- ter of Jedediah Post, a member of one of the prominent families of Westbrook. The death of Mr. Pratt occurred October 12, 1900. He was a recognized factor in the public life of the community, and left an estate which he had acquired by his personal efforts.

JAMES CLARK WALKLEY, for many years one of the most prominent and highly esteemed citizens of Middlesex county, and whose ancestors were among the early set- tlers of Haddam, was born in Haddam March 3, 1817, son of Deacon James and Lydia (Spencer) Walkley.

(I) Richard Walkley (Wakelee), the emi- grant ancestor, came from Scotland to Say- brook, Conn., in (1835, with Lords Say and Seal and Brooke. There was a Thomas Wake- lee who settled at Hingham, Mass., the same year, and probably was a brother of Richard. Thomas was a freeman in 1636, and was likely at Casco Bay in 1665, and he and his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were there murdered by the Indians in 1675. A Henry Wakelee, of Hartford, was the first law- yer of record in the Colony. The motto of the Wakelee family, of whose coat of arms there is no description, is "aquila non caput muscas." In reference to the present spelling of the

name, it may be said that (II) Richard Walk- ley (2) changed the original name of Wake- lee to Walkeley, and (III) Jonathan dropped the "e"; it is now Walkley. (I) Richard Walkley had a son (II) Richard (2), who set- tled at Haddam, Conn., about 1652, and was one of the first nine freeholders in the town. (II) Richard (2) had-two sons, Richard (3) and Ebenezer, and died in Haddam. (III) Richard (3), had six sons, Stephen, Simon, Zebulon, Jonathan, Richard (4) and Asa. Stephen lived in Albany; he never married. Zebulon died childless in Litchfield, Conn. Si- mon lived at Haddam. Jonathan had one son, Stephen, who lived in Southington, Conn. Richard (4) lived in Haddam, and had three sons-Richard (5), who settled in Springfield. Mass .; Stephen, who went to the Southern States; and Gurdon, who lived in Haddam.

(IV) Asa Walkley, youngest son of Rich- ard (3), lived in Haddam, and had three sons, of whom two lived in Ohio. Of the three sons of Asa,

(V) Stephen Walkley lived and died in Haddam, and had four sons: Nelson, born in 1812; Alden, born in 1815; Jonathan, born in 1828; and Stephen, born in 1832. Alden lived at Cross Plains, Ga .; he never married. Two of the others may have removed to South- ington, Conn.

(III) Ebenezer Walkley, son of Richard (2), had a son,

, (IV) Solomon Walkley, who was a promi- nent man in the community. He reared a fami- ly of six sons and two daughters: Solomon (2), of Haddam, who was three times mar- ried; James, father of James C. ; Simon, who settled in West Springfield, Mass. ; Timothy; Daniel; David; Rebecca; and Hannalı. The two daughters never married. Solomon (2), James and David settled in Haddam. The latter had a son, Webster R. Walkley, who is a hardware merchant in Brooklyn N. Y., and alderman of the 55th District.

(V) Deacon James Walkley, son of Solo- mion (1), was born in Haddam December 20, 1773, and died August 12, 1839. On Septent- ber 2, 1802, lie was married in Ponsett, Conn., to Lydia Spencer, who was born September 27, 1782, and died February 3, 1861. James Walkley was a man of considerable local note, an extensive farmer, captain of the militia, and held various town offices. To himself and wife came children as follows: (1) Irene S.,

sex nd ng ed

in ars, rch ed,

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

born January 6, 1804, died September 10, 1805. (2) Selden Spencer, born January 18, 1806, married Caroline Lord, daughter of Thomas Lord, of Salem, Mass .; he was a successful merchant in Eufaula, Ala., retired from busi- ness in middle life, and removed to Philadel- phia, where he died about 1901. He had two sons, Selden and James, both now deceased. (3) Esther Irene, born May 27, 1809, died December 9, 1896. She married Rev. James Noyes, of Wallingford, Conn. (4) James Clark is our subject proper.

(VI) James Clark Walkley was born March 3, 1817, and died October 4, 1890. He was a native of Haddam and always took an interest in its progress, and for many years made it his summer home, after locating else- where. He graduated from Yale College in 1836, and in early life taught in an academy on Long Island for two years, and then studied law for one year with Gov. Ellsworth, and for one year in the Harvard Law School. He set- tled in Hartford, where he became one of the leading professional men of the city. He was four years clerk of the County and Superior courts, and was clerk of the Recorder's court for six years; city attorney two years; and city auditor ten years. In March, 1852, he became presi- dent of the Charter Oak Life Insurance Com- pany, and held that office until 1876. He di- vided his residence between Hartford and his native town of Haddam, and represented the latter in the Legislature in 1869, in a manner that reflected great credit upon himself and his constituents. He was prominent in the organization of the Connecticut Valley Rail- road, and was president of the same and one of the directors until his resignation, in 1872. His last years were spent on the pa- ternal homestead in Haddam, where he died after three weeks' illness, from congestion of the brain, October 4, 1890, in his seventy- fourth year. Socially Mr. Walkley was a member of various organizations, including the I. O. O. F., being very popular in all.

James Clark Walkley was married Sep- tember 21, 1842, to Martha Ann Smith, daugh- ter of Capt. Jonathan Smith, of Agawam, Mass. Mrs. Walkley survived her husband and died May 24, 1901. To this union were born four daughters and one son : ( I) Martha Lydia married Clinton B. Davis, of Hartford, and had two children, James Walkley and

Martha Emily. The mother died January 2, 1894. (2) Hannah Maria, (3) Mary Esther and (4) Jennie Spencer are mentioned below. (5) James Smith was baptized April 26, 1863, and died May 1, 1868. Mr. and Mrs. James C. Walkley were both members of the Park Congregational Church, of Hartford.

Miss Hannah M. Walkley and her two sis- ters reside in their beautiful home between Higganum and Haddam, on Walkley Hill. They are very hospitable ladies, kind-hearted and charitable, and have a circle of friends which is measured by the list of their ac- quaintances.

CAPT. FREDERICK WILCOX SPEN- CER passed out of life at his home in West- brook, Middlesex county, October 6, 1898, after a long, useful and successful career. It would be difficult to find in the annals of this State a record of three more remarkable men than the Spencer brothers-Capt. Frederick Wilcox, Capt. Joseph Whittlesey and Alfred Goodrich. Launched upon the ocean of life at an age when most boys are engaged in the rudimentary branches of education, and having no claims of birth, education, or fortune, with only a mother's blessing and a father's advice, they achieved a reputation as navigators and seamen of which any American might well be proud, never lost a vessel, or met with a seri- ous accident.

Capt. Spencer belonged to the old and hon- ored Spencer family whose ancestry can be traced without break as far back as 1634, when Gerrard Spencer came from England and made his home first in what is now Cambridge, Mass., tracing his lineage through a line of brave seamen, soldiers and unpretentious farm- ers. Timothy Spencer, the Captain's father, was born in 1772, a son of Caleb Spencer, and a direct descendant of Thomas Spencer, who settled in Pochaug, now Westbrook, in 1685, and soon after commenced working the iron mines of Pond Meadow-the first mining operations in what is now Middlesex county. Timothy Spencer was a carpenter and ship- builder, and as his business called him from home much of the time he could give but little attention to his children. He married Polly Bushnell, who died November 25, 1820, a de- scendant of the Bushnells who settled in Say- brook about 1644. By her he had seven chil- dren : Mariette, born in 1806; Emeline, 1807;

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Frederick Wilcox, 1810; Joseph Whittlesey, 1812; Alfred Goodrich, 1814; Eloise, 1816; and Harriet, 1820.

Frederick Wilcox Spencer, the eldest of the sons, was born in Westbrook, January 7, 1810. His education was limited to a few weeks' at- tendance at the public schools during the winter months, and a brief period under the tutorship of Rev. William Selden. The remainder of the time was spent in doing odd jobs of farm or other work until he made choice of his life work, at the age of fifteen, shipping as a boy on one of the numerous small coasters that plied between the several ports of Connecticut and New York. At the age of twenty-one he shipped as an ordinary seaman on the "Tus- kina," a ship of 420 tons burden, commanded by Capt. Joseph Post, of Essex, Conn., and represented by E. W. Hurlburt & Co., of New York, as agent. This was in 1831. In 1837, six years after he entered the forecastle, he was master of this ship. He made several voyages to Europe and to different Southern ports, and during the Seminole war was engaged in trans- porting troops and munitions of war to Florida. He continued in the employ of the Hurlburts for seven or eight years, during which period he commanded other vessels, some of much greater tonnage. He afterward entered the service of Everett & Brown, and was for sev- eral years in the employ of Lawrence Giles & Co. During this period he commanded sev- eral well-known vessels, among which were the "Tuskina," "Elizabeth," "Dennison," "Silas Greenman," "E. C. Scranton," "West Point," "Davy Crockett" and "Monarch of the Sea," the latter of 1,900 tons burden. A portion of the time during the Mexican war he was en- gaged in transporting troops, etc., for the Gov- ernment, and during the war of the Rebellion was also in the service of the Government. His was the second vessel that entered Charleston Harbor. His whole seafaring life covered a period of over thirty years. He was frequently transferred from one ship to another, some- times remaining ashore for a few months at a time. In 1859, while spending a few months at home, he received the unsought nomination of the Republican party of his native town for the Legislature, and was elected by a large majority ; and at different periods before he quit the sea he was captured by his fellow citi- zens and sent to represent them in the Legis- lature, being re-elected in 1864. 1866 and 1871. 45

In 1865 he retired from his long and eventful career as a seafaring man to the quiet of his farm in Westbrook. In 1877 he was elected to the State Senate from the Nineteenth Senator- ial district, and was re-elected in 1878 and 1879. During each term he was a member of the committee on Fisheries. Capt. Spencer was a stanch Republican from the organization of the party, and was a firm and active sup- porter of the Government during the Civil war. He was not only deservedly popular in his na- tive town, but throughout his Senatorial dis- trict. His long and successful career as a sea- faring man by no means unfitted him for the duties of public life. His sterling integrity, unflinching courage and cool judgment were qualities which were duly appreciated by his constituents, and made his power and influence felt in both branches of the Legislature.

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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 128

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