Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 132

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 132

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vision Mr. De Peyster was transferred to. Lit- tle Falls, and did the same kind of work there, displaying such ability in constructive work that the Pennsylvania Railway Company sought his services in 1883 on the Schuylkill division of that road then in process of con- struction from Philadelphia to Reading, as superintendent of the construction work for John T. Dyer, general contractor. He was there a year and a half and then came to Meri- den, Conn., to superintend the construction of the Meriden & Cromwell railroad, running from Cromwell to Meriden. He completed the road, and operated it for a year and then became a member of the firm of King, Dyer & Company, who had a contract to build forty miles of the Ohio River railroad from Mur- raysville to Letart, W. Va. When that road was built Mr. De Peyster came to Cromwell to act as superintendent and manager of the New England Brownstone Quarry Company, then partially organized. Under his manage- ment it was fully equipped, opened, and the product put on the markets. He remained there until 1891, when he became manager of the Shaler & Hall Quarry, and in 1896, when the Brainerd Quarry was combined with the Shaler & Hall, Mr. De Peyster was one of the foremost workers for the combination. He was made the manager of the consolidated works, and has held that position to the present time, with increasing satisfaction to the busi- ness public. Today he is one of the best known stone men in the United States. He has worked his way upward in every occupation in which he has been engaged, and is a citizen of whom any community might well be proud.

Mr. De Peyster and Miss Ida M. Byxbee were married January 1, 1891, in Meriden, Conn. She was born in that city, daughter of Hon. John C. Byxbee, formerly United States Collector of Internal Revenue for Connecticut and Rhode Island. The only living child of Mr. and Mrs. De Peyster is Anna E. Mary Antoinette died in November, 1899, at the age of two years and four months.

Mr. De Peyster is a Republican, and takes a keen interest in the success of his party. In 1900 he was chosen a presidential elector to express the will of the people in re-electing William McKinley to the Presidency. He is a Master Mason, and belongs to Keystone Chapter, and St. Elmo Commandery, at Meri- den, and the Mystic Shrine at Hartford. He

is also a member of the New York Club, 35th street and 5th avenue, in that city; the Port- land Club, at Portland; and the Middletown Club ; and was president for a time of the Home Club at Meriden, the most exclusive organiza- tion in that city, having a membership com- posed of the leading men of the State, its most noted member at that time being United States Senator O. H. Platt. Mr. De Peyster belongs to Trinity Church, at Portland, and his wife to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, at Meriden. He is associated with the Humane Society, and was appointed by the State Senate a trustee of the Connecticut School for Boys, at Meriden, but after serving three years he resigned, on account of the pressure of outside business. He is president of the Joint Association of Quarrymen and Stone Cutters of the City of New York, having been elected to succeed the late Hon. John H. Hall. He is a director of the Freestone Savings Bank, at Portland, and of the Portland Building Company, and is a director of the Brainerd, Shaler & Hall Quarry Company. He organized the Byxbee-De Peys- ter Trap Rock Company, of Wallingford, and was active in its operation and management for five years, when he sold out to the B. D. Pierce Jr. Company, of Bridgeport.

JOSEPH R. JOHNSON. Among the old and prominent families of New England is that bearing the name of Johnson, the an- cestry reaching back to Ayrshire, Scotland, from whence came Andrew Johnson, the great- grandfather of our subject. Locating in Bos- ton, Mass., after some years he removed to Middletown, Conn., and engaged extensively in importing. Both he and his wife became well and favorably known in the community. The latter was a lady of English birth, who had been educated in a French convent, and who put her accomplishments to practical use, in her American home, by teaching the French language.

John William Johnson, son of Andrew, was born in Scotland, and was brought by his parents to America when but a child. Of an adventurous spirit, when a lad of sixteen he left his home, and making his way to Middle Haddam, joined a privateer there fitting out, and for many years followed the sea. Much of his time was spent in the merchant service, and he rose from a hand before the mast to be commander of a vessel, his last ship being

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the "Four Sisters," which sailed from New London. Although he accumulated much, through misfortunes at sea he lost all, and was obliged to begin life anew after the vigor of youth had passed. Locating in Middle Had- dam, he entered into the business of sailmaking, later following it in Milford, and in 1812 was engaged in that line at Essex. There his death occurred, at the age of eighty-four. As a member of the Masonic fraternity he was much esteemed, and our subject has in his possession a most interesting document, his original certificate of membership; the engrav- ing on the parchment was executed by Paul Revere, the Boston engraver, whose ride through the outlying villages, notifying the people of the British invasion, in April, 1775, has been celebrated ever since in song and story. John W. Johnson married, in Middle Haddam, Jerusha Carey, who died in Essex, at the age of eighty-eight.

Isaac Johnson, son of John W., and father of our subject, was born in Milford, Conn., on January 20, 1810, and died February 16, 1875. In New York City he was married to Marilla St. John, who was born in Otsego, N. Y., Oc- tober 7, 1810, a daughter of Phineas and Es- ther ( Abbott) St. John, and died in Essex August 13, 1895. To this union were born : Maria, Mrs. St. John, a widow of New York City : Josephine, who married Edwin Deakin, of Winsted, Conn .; Susan, who died unmar- ried, at the age of fifty-one; Joseph R., our subject ; and Marilla, who married James Doane, a native of Essex, now a resident of Western, Saline Co., Nebraska.

Isaac Johnson was but two years old when the family moved from Milford to Essex, and there he grew up and received a common school education. While a young man he learned the carriagemaking trade, and for a number of years followed that business in Essex, later en- gaging in farming and in house painting, be- ing thus employed at the time of his decease. When a young man he united with the Demo- cratic party, but in Fremont's time he entered the Republican ranks, and ever afterward was a stanch member of that organization. His wife was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church, but attended the M. E. Church after locating in Essex.

Joseph R. Johnson was born in Essex March 18, 1847, and was educated in the home schools and in Hills Academy, the latter then

being under the scholarly direction of Giles Potter. At the age of sixteen he began to take care of himself, engaging in work first in the blacksmith shops and the manufacturing plants of his town, until such time as he made a choice of trades, at length deciding in favor of that of machinist. Going to Hartford, he found em- ployment with Pratt & Whitney, machinists of note throughout the entire East, remaining with them for a period of three years, and going from there to Chicago, where he entered the machine works of a Warner & Swazey, re- maining until they moved to Cleveland. a year and a half later. He then went into their employ again, remaining with this firm altogether for about six years, though not continuously, and he was with them when they turned out the great Lick telescope. Un- til 1888 his home was in Cleveland. although he had spent one year in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1888 Mr. Johnson, like so many others of the sons of Essex, returned, and there en- tered the employ of the Comstock, Cheney & Co., of Ivoryton, as a machinist, making new and special machinery and keeping all in repair, this requiring thorough and practical knowl- edge, as well as an especial talent in the direc- tion indicated. No bungling worker could succeed in the position held by Mr. Johnson, a steady hand and quick eve being as necessary as these are to the physician.

Since reaching his majority Mr. Johnson has adhered to the principles of the Republican party, and he has served as registrar of voters in Essex every year when he has been at home. In 1868 he was admitted to the Masonic fra- ternity, and is affiliated with Burning Bush Chapter, of Essex.

On December 29, 1897, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Duella, widow of Gard- ner K. Dickerson, and a daughter of Jeremiah and Laura (Hurd) Wright, of Clinton, where the mother still lives; the father, a native of Westbrook, died August 2, 1856. Mrs. John- son was born April 1, 1855. the youngest of her family, and is a most estimable lady. Mr. Johnson has always taken a deep interest in Essex, and although he has spent some years away, he finds the old home draws him back. whenever he ventures far afichl.

WILBUR FISK STARR. The manu- facturing interests of the State of Connecticut have long been of recognized importance, and

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many factories are carried on within that Com- monwealth by men of ability who have de- voted much time and study to the development of the useful and practical articles of which the whole world has need. Among those who have been successful in East Hampton, Mid- dlesex county, in the manufacture of bells, is Wilbur F. Starr, the subject of these lines.

Mr. Starr was born in East Hampton, town of Chatham, August 31, 1848, son of Vine B. and Amanda (Markham) Starr, and until he was ten years of age went to the dis- trict school. Although so young, he then commenced working in the bell works during the summer months, his later schooling being confined to the winter seasons, and after he was seventeen he devoted his entire time to bell work. For three years he was employed in Wethersfield, Conn., where his services were given to patternmaking in the factory of Hop- son & Chapin, manufacturers of lamp castings, and he has since devoted his attention quite closely to bell working. In 1882, in associa- tion with his brothers, under the firm name of the Starr Brothers Bell Company, he engaged in the manufacture of all kinds of bells. A later enterprise is the Starr Brothers Net & Twine Company, in which our subject is also interested, his active mind continually being occupied with plans of a practical nature.

Mr. Starr was married April II, 1878, in New Haven, Conn., to Ellen Maria Smith, daughter of J. Henry and Maria L. (Sears) Smith, and granddaughter of Ansel Smith, whose wife was Rhoda, daughter of Timothy Hart. Mrs. Starr is the eldest of her family, and was born in Bristol, Conn., July 26, 1844; she has two brothers-Wilbur H., a res- ident of New Haven, who married Elzera Dur- rand and Irving F., of New Haven, who mar- ried Alice Cooper. The father of Mrs. Starr was born in 1818 in Southington, Conn., of an old Colonial family, and died in 1897, at the age of seventy-nine; the mother, who died in 1888, reached her sixty-eighth year. The fam- ily of Mr. and Mrs. Starr includes an adopted daughter, Lena E., born May 14, 1886, whose parents were of French descent.

Mr. Starr takes an active interest in pub- lic affairs, having very decided opinions, but, while he upholds Prohibition candidates, does not desire to tie himself to any party, none of them coming up to the high standard that he hopes one day to see in force. He and his

wife are valued members of the Congregational Church, and possess the esteem of a wide cir- cle of friends.

ARTHUR JOHNSON, a well known dairyman and farmer residing in the Johnson Lane District of Middletown, Middlesex county, is descended from one of the oldest of New England families, in whose honor the district in which he lives was named.

The founder of this family in America was John Johnson, who came probably from Eng- land in the "Arabella," in the fleet with Win- throp, and settled with his wife, Margery, and several children, at Roxbury, Mass. He was a constable as early as 1630, was a freeman in 1631, and Deputy to the first General Court in 1634, and for many years following. He was a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. He was possessed of a large estate, was a man of considerable influ- ence, and kept a tavern in which most of the public meetings of the place and time were held. His wife, Margery, died June 9, 1655, and his second marriage was to Grace, widow of Barnabas Famer.

Ebenezer Johnson, great-great-grandfather of Arthur Johnson, was born February 15, 1722. He was a farmer, and was among the first to settle in Johnson Lane; it was after him, in fact, that the locality was named. On October 29, 1745, he married Elizabeth Gil- bert, and to their marriage came six children, as follows: Anna, born July 12, 1747, died April 28, 1825; Elizabeth, born January 25, 1749, died June 26, 1838; Timothy, born July 5, 1752, died April 1, 1830; Josiah was born January 27, 1757 ; Edward, born December 18, 1760, died January 18, 1851, and Esther, born November 20, 1763, died May 20, 1792. Mrs. Elizabeth (Gilbert) Johnson, who was born January 15, 1723, was called away . Septem- ber 24, 1809, and Ebenezer Johnson, died March 9, 181I.

Josiah Johnson, fourth child of Ebenezer, was born in the Johnson Lane District, near where Wellington G. Johnson now resides, and lived on the place of his birth until his marriage. He was a cloth-dresser as well as a farmer. On marrying he removed near to the Haddam line, remained there a short time, and then returned to Johnson Lane, in the southern part of which he passed many years, after which he gave his farm to his son Enos and

arthur Johnson

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moved, in 1821, to a location opposite the pres- ent home of James Longworth, where his death took place January 15, 1826. To his marriage with Anna Hedges, who was born January 2, 1767, and died February 25, 1833, there came eight children, viz .: Josiah, born November 9, 1792, married Sally Roberts, and died at Feeding Hills, Mass., April 17, 1869. Enos, born August 12, 1794, married in Oc- tober, 1819, Lucy Prout, who was born No- vember 19, 1795, and died August 20, 1864; his death took place September 1, 1853. Leon- ard, born October 20, 1796, in Haddam, mar- ried Maria Prout (a sister of the wife of Enos) ; his death took place February 5, 1867, at Feeding Hills. Anna, born October 19, 1798, died unmarried January 10, 1826. Edward, born April 1, 1801, was a farmer in the Hubbard District, Middletown; he died unmarried, in December, 1900. Warren, born March 24, 1804, died April 3, 1822. Es- ther, born February 22, 1807, died unmar- ried August 16, 1892. Alfred, born April 6, 1809, first married Esther Badger, and sec- ond Margaret N. Fayson; he was a peddler, and later a successful merchant, and settled in Clinton, S. C., where he died September 26, 1873.

Enos Johnson, second child of Josiah, was born in the southern part of Johnson Lane, and was reared a farmer and cloth dresser. in both lines of which he aided his father until the latter's death. For many years after that event, he continued to follow cloth . dressing, which was a profitable calling in those days. Enos Johnson had a water privilege a little way south of the Markham mill, in Johnson Lane, and raised sheep for wool, which was sent to Glastonbury and other places to be carded and spun, the cloth being returned to be dressed. The clothes for his family were made of this cloth for many years, and he followed the bus- iness until after he was fifty years okl. To Enos Johnson and his wife were born three children, Henry Collins, Wellington G. and Langdon H. Of these, Henry C., born June 6, 1823. will be spoken of in full further on. Wellington G., born October 19. 1825. mar- ried, November 28, 1851, Nancy Johnson Coe. who was born February 12, 1829, and bore her husband seven children, in the following order : Charles E., born November 15. 1853. died January 27,1856 ; Emma C., born July 2, 1855. died February 16, 1856; Charles, born June 8.

1857, married Eva Gordon; Walter was born July 14, 1860; Robert H., born March 7, 1862, married Agnes Bailey; Lillian L. was born May 30, 1864; Emma, born July 4, 1869, is the wife of Elmer Crowell. Langdon H., was born October 16, 1831, and on May 28, 1861, married Sarah Hubbard Prior, who was born October 22, 1839; they have two children -Hattie M., born July 1, 1864, wife of Buck- ley Whitmore, and Clarence L., born May II, 1881.

Henry Collins Johnson was born in the lower end of Johnson's Lane, where the Dan- iels Brothers Creamery is now located. He lived on the home farm until shortly after his marriage, when he rented and moved upon the farm in the Hubbard District now occu- pied by Daniel W. Prior. A few years later he removed to Farm Hill, resided there a short time, and then purchased his present farm from his father, on which he erected a dwelling in 1856, on the west side of the road. He otherwise improved the place with all necessary farm buildings and a splendid house for his residence. He was extensively en- gaged in agriculture till a few years ago, when advancing age warned him to retire, and he placed the farm in charge of his two sons, Ar- thur and Myron H., who successfully man- aged it until the death of the latter. in March, 1900, when the entire charge devolved upon Arthur. In 1866 Mr. Johnson established the present milk route in Middletown, which is now about the oldest in the city. Henry C. Johnson was united in marriage November 14. 1847, with Nancy Adaline Hubbard, who was born November 7. 1822, and died March 21, 1900, the mother of three children, viz. : One son, born August 20. 1851, died umnamed Au- gust 23. 1851. Arthur was born September 21, 1853. Myron H., born June 12, 1862, is mentioned elsewhere. Henry C. Johnson now resides with his son Arthur. Although he he- gan his business life with but little capital, by sound judgment and close attention to his per- sonal affairs he has acquired a solid com- petence, and is recognized as one of the most substantial residents of the town of Middle- town. In politics he is a Democrat, for many years served as assessor, and for a long time was on the board of relief. In religion he is a Baptist and am ardent member of the church. to the support of which he is one of the most liberal contributors.

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Arthur Johnson, with whose name this re- view opens, was born on the same farm he still occupies, in Johnson Lane. He obtained his education in the common school of his dis- trict, and has passed his entire life on the home farm. When his father retired the place came into the charge, as has been intimated, of Ar- thur and his brother, Myron H., and at the death of the latter came entirely under our subject's management. He has proved him- self a most excellent manager, and keeps a sharp lookout for the farm itself and the other business of his father, in all his transactions preserving the high standing of the family; they are among the very oldest in the dairy business serving Middletown patrons.

Arthur Johnson married Kate Harris, a native of Johnson Lane District, who was born January 1, 1853, daughter of William and Clarissa (Loveland) Harris. In politics Mr. Johnson is a Democrat, and fraternally he is a member of Arawana Tribe, I. O. R. M., and of the Middletown Grange, in which latter he has held the office of steward and overseer. Modest in his manner, unassuming in his make-up, he stands as a high type of a citizen.

HENRY FOUNTAIN is probably the oldest foreign citizen of Middletown, Middle- sex county, in point of continuous residence. He came to that city when he was but six years old, and has been there continuously for over seventy years. He has been associated with many important business enterprises, and has borne himzelf through a long and active life honorably and honestly.

Mr. Fountain was born in London, Eng- land, July 9, 1826, son of William and Martha (Kitteridge) Fountain. His father was born in Buckingham, and in early life removed to London. He was a gardener in England. His wife died there, leaving six children, Eliza, William, Ann, Henry, Martha and Thomas. William went to sea when he was a young man, and all trace of him was lost. Eliza lived in Chicago, where she died a widow at the age of eighty-seven. Ann married Bolivar Cooper, and died in Bloomfield, Ohio. Martha mar- ried Henry Bruce, of Worcester, Mass., and is now living in the South.

In 1832 William Fountain and his two sons, William and Henry, sailed from London for the United States, and were six weeks on the voyage to New York. The father secured

employment as a gardener with Henry Good- ale, of the "Central Hotel," where the "Mc- Donongh House" now is, coming at once to Middletown, where he lived until his death, at the age of eighty-three. He is buried in Indian Hill cemetery. He was employed as a gardener throughout his active life, and was for some years with the Russell family. He remarried after he came to this country, Mrs. Wright, a native of England, becoming his second wife. They had one son, who became a civil engineer and was employed on a Gov- ernment vessel during the Civil war ; he died in Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. Fountain was a Demo- crat, and in religion a member of the Episco- pal Church.

Henry Fountain received rather limited ed- ucational privileges, and his school days ended when he was ten years old. He went to school on the north side of William street, between Main and Broad streets, and had Mr. Newton for a teacher. As a boy he had little oppor- tunity to learn what it meant to be idle, as he worked with his father at gardening. He had unusual mechanical endowments, and when but a lad entered the employment of E. H. Booth, to learn the painter's trade, receiving yearly wages of $50 and $75 for the first and second years, respectively. However, he took up his work so readily that his employer was able to earn full wages from his work after a short time. Within a few years he bought out Mr. Booth, and developed a large trade on his own account, employing at times from twenty-five to thirty men. He also did paper- hanging, and has done as much as $35,000 worth of work in one season. One thing that particularly contributed to Mr. Fountain's success was his thorough familiarity with every part of his work, and he could do any part as readily as any man on his roll. . He finally made a specialty of interior decorating, and sought and found work through all parts of Connecticut and the State of New York. He was well known to New York architects, and stood in the front rank of men in that line in his day. This, though it was profitable and agreeable work, took him much away from home, and he finally abandoned it and devoted himself to real estate, in which line he was a pioneer in Middletown. He bought land, im- proved it, divided it and built houses, for which he found a ready and profitable sale, and owned at one time tenement houses which accommo-

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dated fifty-two families. He opened Fountain avenue, which bears his name. The panic of 1873, which wrought ruin to so many, proved disastrous to Mr. Fountain, who, discouraged at large losses, turned to the florist business. He owned a large greenhouse property, which was in charge of a tenant, who was also dis- couraged by the hard times, and in order to preserve the property Mr. Fountain was obliged in a way to take it up. He brought his characteristic enthusiasm to bear in this business, and it has become a great success in his hands. He has five hothouses, modern in all their appointments, having five thousand feet under glass. He is also interested in a fine dyeing establishment, which he is running on a plane equal to any city concern.

Henry Fountain was married in October, 1847, to Miss Ruth Rich, of South Farms, Conn., daughter of Harvey and Ruby (John- son) Rich. To this union were born the fol- lowing children : Clara, now Mrs. William Couch, of New York; Charles B., of Water- bury, Conn. : Lula, Mrs. John Robinson, Mid- (lletown ; William and George, who died when fourteen years old; and others who died young. Mr. Fountain's second wife was Mrs. Anna (Woods) Pack, widow of George Pack, and a native of England. To this marriage came four children, only one of whom is now living, Fred B., of Middletown. Mr. Fountain was married, the third time, to Mrs. Messenger, of Hartford, widow of Jarvis Messenger, and a native of Farmington, Conn. Mr. Fountain was a Democrat until the time of Douglas, for whom he voted, and since then he has syn :- pathized with the Republican party.

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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 132

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