Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 133

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 133

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REV. JOHN E. BUSHNELL, D. D., be- longs to an old family of Middlesex county which was carly established in New England, and is one of the oldest and most respected in the entire region.

John Bushnell, the great-grandfather of John E., was a lifelong resident of Saybrook. Middlesex county. He was twice married first time November 4. 1779, to Lydia Chap- man, daughter of Deacon Benjamin Chapman. His second wife was Mrs. Mchitable Lay, of Westbrook. To the first union came children as follows: (1) Vashti, born November 3. 1780, died unmarried. (2) Polly, born Feb- ruary 23, 1783. also died unmarried. (3) Lydia, born June 4, 1785, married Azariah

Whittlesey. (4) Betsey, born August 2, 1787, died unmarried. (5) John was the grandfather of Dr. John E. (6) Nancy, born November I, 1792, died unmarried. (7) George, born August 22, 1795, never married. (8) Benja- min, born April 26, 1798, moved to Winches- ter, Va., where he married and reared a family. The children of the second marriage were: (9) Jonathan Lay, born in 1801, died young. (10) Richard Henry, born June 19, 1803, moved to Ohio, where he married. (II) Eliza- beth, born October 8, 1806, died young. ( 12) Mary, born June 1, 1810. married a Mr. Deni- son, of Chester, Conn. The father of this family was a man of much business activity in Saybrook, and carried on successfully many important enterprises in his time. Besides be- ing a shipbuilder he was a farmer and ,was long engaged in trade.

John Bushnell, the grandfather of Dr. John E., was born June 16. 1790, and died January 22, 1859. He was twice married, on December 6, 1812, to Mary Ann Newell, and on October 14, 1844. to Janette Tulley, a daughter of Elias Tulley. John and Mary Ann Bushnell had the following named chil- dren: (1) Elizabeth, born in 1813, married William J. Clark, of Saybrook a leading man of the town, which he represented in the State Legislature, and he served as town clerk from 1854 to 1861. (2) William Jabez, born April 17, 1815, never married. (3) Mary Ann, born July 28, 1817, married Deacon Rufus C. Shep- ard, who is still living in Saybrook. (4) Cath- erine, Mrs. Rufus C. Denison, born Novem- ber 29, 1818, died in 1900. (5) Nancy Maria, born November 16, 1820, married AAugustus Bushnell of Saybrook. (6) John Frederick, the father of Dr. John E., was born May 11. 1823. (7) Richard M., born October 16, 1825, married Miss Sarah Overman, and moved to Florida. (8) Lydia Chapiran, born Muy 23, 1827, died young. (9) Charles Ed- ward, born April 3, 1820, married Abby Clark, by whom he had two children. He moved to AAppleton, Wis., where he was again married. (10) Lavinia A., born Jime 12, 1832, is liv- ing in Appleton, Wis, mmarried. (11) Hlen- ry Augustus, born July 20, 1834. is living in Milwaukee, Wis. He married and has one child, Carrie, Mrs. Seig. The father of this family was a lifelong resident of Saybrook. and was extensively engaged in farming. In politics he was an old Jeffersonian Democrat.

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and in religion a member and liberal sup- porter of the Congregational Church.

John Frederick Bushnell was born, reared and educated in the town of Old Saybrook. While a young man he worked on the farm during the summer and taught school during the winter. At that time teaching was about the only vocation aside from farming to which the more progressive young people of the day could turn, and many made their first money in that profession. One old gentleman said he could remember that at certain seasons as many as "three young men on a horse" could be seen making their way over the country seeking schools. For several winter terms Mr. Bushnell taught school and then devoted his entire time to his farming opera- tiens, which had grown quite extensive. For about five years he lived in Lyme, but with that exception passed his entire life in Say- brook. Owing to advanced age Mr. Bush- nell for a number of years lived quite re- tired until his death, February 5, 1901. When he became a voter he affiliated with the Denio- cratic party, but in the exciting times thiat ushered in the Civil war he saw reason for a change of views, and became a Republican. He was elected to several of the town offices, which came to him entirely unsought, serving as selectman for one term, and for three or four years as treasurer of the town, from which position he resigned. From early manhood Mr. Bushnell was a meriber of the Congrega- tional Church, where he was known as a. lib- eral supporter of the organization.

Mr. Bushnell was twice married, the first time to Mary Jane Ayer. None of the chil- dren by that union survive. His second mar- riage was to Emma. Palmer Calkins, a native of Lyme, and a daughter of Col. Roswell and Mary ( Palmer ) Calkins; Col. Roswell Calkins was a native of Waterford, Conn. To this union came the following children: (1) Rev. Henry Allen Bushnell, D. D., born July 3. 1853, is now pastor of the Congregational Church at La Grange, Ill. He married Millie, daughter of Thomas B. Bynner, of New York City, and they have had a family of seven children, Allen. B., John, Thomas ( deceased) . Henry (deceased), Dorothy, Donald and Philip.

(2) Robert Stowe Bushnell, born Decem- ber 31, 1856, is now engaged in business in New York, as a member of the firm of A. N.

Ryerson & Co. He married Mary, daughter of Charles R. Tyng, and a granddaughter of Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, for many years the most prominent Episcopal minister of New York City, rector of St. George's Church. Robert S. Bushnell is the father of three chil- dren, Robert, Dorothy and Mary.

(3) Rev. John Edward Bushnell, D. D., born October 21, 1858, was for six years pre- vious to January 1, 1900, pastor of the Philips Presbyterian Church in the city of New York. He then accepted a call to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, of Minneapolis, Minn. Dr. Bushnell married Miss Florence A. Ells- worth, a daughter of Eli P. Ellsworth, of New York City, and this union has been blessed by the birth of the following children-Ells- worth, born January 8, 1888; John Horace, born October 27, 1892, -who is the tenth in line to bear the name of John ; and Paul Palm- er, born January 26, 1900.

(4) Mary Palmer Bushnell, born July 22, 1862, died young.

(5) Roswell Calkins Bushnell, born Au- gust 8, 1864, moved to DeLand, Fla., where he married Miss Mattie Sauls, daughter of George Sauls; they have two children, Ros- well Sauls and Emma Palmer.

LUTHER WILCOX, first selectman of the town of Portland, is the representative de- scendant in his generation of that family, which has been identified with the history of Middlesex county since its first settlement, and connected by marriage with many of the best families of the State.

The Wilcox family has been identified with the growth of what is now Portland since 1710, and in that long period many of those who bore its name have been prominent people in the county. The name was at one time spelled Wilcocke. The first of the name of whom there is authentic record in America is John Wilcox, one of the original proprie- tors of Hartford, Conn., where he died in I651.

(II) John Wilcox, son of John of Hart- ford, moved to Middletown, Conn. He was four times married. In September, 1646, in Hartford, he married Sarah Wadsworth, who died leaving one child. In January, 1650, he wedded Catherine Stoughton. His third wife, Mary, died in 1671. For his fourth wife John Wilcox married Esther Cornwall, a

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daughter of William Cornwall, and by this marriage he became the father of Ephraim, Esther and Mary. He died in May, 1676.

(III) Ephraim Wilcox, son of John and Esther, was born in Middletown, July 9, 1672: He located in East Middletown, where he owned one of the "long lots," and his sons and grandsons in later years lived on land originally owned by him. In 1711 he was one of the signers of the petition, addressed to the mother town across the river, for a school in East Middletown. On August 23, 1698, he married Silence Hand, of Guilford, and their children were: Esther, James, Thankful, Mary, Jane, Ephraim and John. Ephraim Wilcox, the father of these children, died January 4, 1713, and in July, 1715, his widow married John Warner, Sr., by whom she had two children, Hannah and John.

(IV) Janna Wilcox, son of Ephraim and Silence, was born in East Middletown Sep- tember 13, 1701. He remained in his na- tive place and passed his life in agricultural pursuits. In 1734 he was admitted to full communion in the church, and was always prominent in religious affairs. His wife was Rachel Boardman, formerly of Wethersfield, and their children were: Silence, Janna, Jr., Mehitable, Rachel, Waitstill, Ephraim, Mary, John, and Moses and Aaron (twins).

(V) Aaron Wilcox, son of Janna and Ra- chel, was born in East Middletown June 13, 1745. In 1797 he bought, from Jesse John- son, the farm on which he died, and where Luther Wilcox now lives. Aaron Wilcox married Sarah Bell, who was born February 19, 1745. They had children as follows : Asa- el, born May 9, 1771, married October 2. 1791, Lucy Crittenden; David, born October 30, 1772, went to Cherry Valley, N. Y., where his descendants yet live : Aaron. Jr., born Janu- ary 4, 1775, died May 1, 1808; Sarah, born March 11, 1777, died in infancy; Sarah (2). born February 7, 1778, died in 1818: Luther is mentioned below. Aaron Wilcox died March 8, 1820, and his wife Sarah passed away May 18, 1816.

(VI) Luther Wilcox, son of Aaron and Sarah, was born in what is now Portland. January 26, 1780. He was reared a farmer's boy and was seventeen years old when his fa- ther bought the farm where his grandson, Lu- ther, is now living. There he carried on a grist and saw mill, and also engaged in tan-

ning. He died there March 12, 1864, and was buried in Center cemetery. On November 16, 1816, he married Lucy Burt, who was born March 25, 1788, a daughter of Elijah and De- borah (Colton) Burt, members of an aristo- cratic family living at that time in East Long Meadow, Mass. Mrs. Lucy ( Burt) Wilcox was one of the founders of the Sabbath-school of the First Congregational Church, and was a woman of far more than ordinary intelli- gence. She died February 2, 1855, the mother of the following children: Sarah, born July 29, 1817, married Enoch Sage February 23. 1837, and died in March, 1899: one died in infancy unnamed; Eunice Cooley, born Octo- ber 13, 1819, married Col. William H. Bart- lett, a prominent man in Portland, and died August 28, 1867; Horace Burt was the father of Luther; Lucy Colton, born February 4, 1824, was married January 21, 1850, to Dr. Henry F. Fish, a prominent citizen, leading business man and once mayor of Waterbury, and died December 2, 1890; Caroline, born March 1. 1828, was a musician and a teacher of Waterbury, Conn., for many years, and died unmarried in Portland.

(VII) Horace Burt Wilcox, son of Lu- ther and Lucy, was born July 14, 1821, in the town of Portland, where his son Luther is now living. He was reared on the farm, and attended the Rose Hill District school, and the academy at South Glastonbury. He carly de- veloped a great love for music, and becoming proficient in the instruction of singing. taught singing school for many years in Portland. and all the adjacent towns. He had thorough instruction in music at Dr. Lowell Mason's Normal Music Institute at North Reading. Mass., and afterward served as one of the in- structors, among whom was Dr. George F. Root. His home was headquarters for all noted musicians who came to Portland, and at his home were held many sessions of the Choral Union. He did much to improve church music, and under his direction the First Congregational Church choir became one of the finest in the State. His efforts were not confined to that church, but his influence was felt in every religious organization in Portland and the adjoining towns. He took such a deep and abiding interest in music that he was moved to give his youngest sister Caroline, a musical education. In farming he was sie- cessful, and greatly improved and increased

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the old family homestead, which had come to him as an inheritance, and in business his in- tegrity was unquestioned. In his energetic and strenuous life, he had the welfare of his family always before him. His genial disposi- tion and fine social gifts won him many friends, whom his high moral purpose and lofty spirit retained to the last. He was a man of public spirit, and worked heartily for every measure calculated to promote the good of the com- munity. In politics he was a sturdy Abolition- ist, and became a stanch Republican.

On May 2, 1843, Mr. Wilcox married Miss Flavia C. McIntosh, who was born June 8, 1823, at East Long Meadow, Mass., daugh- ter of Robert and Philena ( Blodgett) Mcin- tosh. She is making her home at the old home- stead, having survived her husband many years. . He died April 5, 1888, and is buried in Center cemetery. Years ago he made a business trip to South America and brought home many curios and interesting relics, which are yet preserved in the home of his son, Lu- ther. To Horace Burt Wilcox and his wife were born these children : (1) Frederick, born June 26, 1844, died April 7, 1897, in Waterbury, Conn. When he was a young man he spent several years in South America, and in the latter part of his life was also in that country for some time. When he was four- teen he entered the drug store of Dr. Henry F. Fish ( Apothecaries Hall Company), at Waterbury, and in his later years was engaged in the wholesale drug business. He was a thorough pharmacist, and had worked his way up from the bottom. He died leaving his wife, two sons and one daughter. (2) Emeret Eliza- beth, born August 13, 1845, married, Septem- ber 10, 1884, Deacon Franklin Payne, de- ceased, and she is now living in Portland. She was educated in Mt. Holyoke College, and had a fine musical training and for a time was a successful teacher. She is a highly esteemed and popular lady, and is an unquestioned au- thority on all matters relating to the genealog- ical history of her part of the county. (3) William Bartlett born July 23, 1849, gradu- ated from Williston Seminary, and died Sep- tember 16, 1868, while he was a student in the Sheffield Scientific School, where he had al- ready completed the first year. (4) Luther is mentioned below. (5) Ralph M., born June 2, 1860, completed the high school course

at Gildersleeve, studied two years at Wesley- an University, and graduated from the Shef- field Scientific School in 1888. He is now a civil engineer.in Middletown. At Yale he was prominent in athletic matters, and was a lead- ing member of one of the most celebrated rowing crews of that institution. On Decem- ber 24, 1889, he married Miss Clara. Marie Clarke, a daughter of Capt. Luzern F. Clarke, of Portland, and they have four children, Hor- ace L., Bessie, Robert and Valeria.

Luther Wilcox was born January 29, 1855, and attended the district school at Rose Hill, and the academy at Glastonbury conducted by L. T. Brown. He secured a good busi- ness education in Hannum's Business College, Hartford, and, although he has always fol- lowed farming, he has been well prepared for all emergencies. He was a steady-going young man, and was a great help and comfort to his parents with whom his home was always made.

On November 8, 1877, Mr. Wilcox married Miss Abbey G. Talcott, who was born in Glas- tonbury, August 18, 1858, a daughter of Capt. Charles H. and Cornelia (Bissell) Talcott, representatives of ancient and honorable fami- lies, the Bissells being among the earliest set- tlers of Windsor, and the Talcotts of Glas- tonbury. After their marriage the young cou- ple located on the paternal estate, and made their home with the venerable parents of Mr. Wilcox. To this union were born the follow- ing children, all of whom are living and are at home: George Talcott, born May 24, 1880; Philena Blodgett, born October 2, 1882; Lucy Burt, born October 17, 1885; and Flavia Cor- nelia, born February 19, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox also have a foster daughter, Maggie Bolton, who has lived with them since 1895. She is a native of England, and a daughter of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Shaw) Bolton. Mr. Wilcox is a Republican. In October, 1898, he was elected first selectman against his in- clinations, and was supported by both parties .. He belongs to the lodges of the A. O. U. W. and the O. U. A. M., at Portland. Mrs. Wil- cox is a noble, kind-hearted woman, and is highly esteemed. She is active in the work of the Congregational Church, to which her hus- band also belongs, and they respond readily and heartily to all movements for aid or help in the church or in the town.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

JUDGE DANIEL J. DONAHOE, lawyer und one of the Judges of the City Court of Middletown, which city has witnessed his early struggles and later triumphs, is a rep- 'esentative self-made man, with the prospect before him of a brilliant and even more use- ul career.

On his mother's side the Judge claims rela- ionship to Daniel O'Connell, the noted Irish agitator. Daniel C. Donahoe, father of Dan- el J., was born January 6, 1813, near the his- oric Lakes of Killarney, County Kerry, Ire- and, a son of Cornelius Donahoe, a farmer of hat locality. He was reared in the glen of he Flesk river, which empties into the Lakes of Killarney, learned the trade of blacksmith, and carried on a smithy in the town of Killar- ney. He was twice married, first to Catherine Kelleher, who bore him two children: John, formerly an expressman in Middletown, Conn., who died in May, 1901 ; and Mary A., who married and died in Middletown in 1869. In the early 'forties the father came to this country with his family, first locating at Chicopee, Mass., where he worked at his trade. There his wife died. In 1851, at Boston, Mass., he married Mrs. Mary (Carcy) Lucey, widow of James Lucey, who died in Ireland, leaving two children : Michael, now a machinist in Middle- town Conn., and the father of a large family ; und James, also a mechanic, who died in 1885, leaving a family. Mrs. Lucey was born and reared in the neighborhood of the Lakes of Killarney, and after the death of her first husband came to the United States. By her marriage with Daniel C. Donahoe she had chil- dren as follows: Margaret, who died at the age of nine months; Daniel J., our subject; Patrick H., born June 24, 1855, in Middle- town, now carrying on a plumbing establish- ment in New Rochelle, N. Y .; Thomas J., born July 5, 1858, in Middletown, now a foreman in the Keating factory ; Elizabeth, born in 1860 in Middletown, who died in 1868; and Miss Maria A. and Miss Jane L., both living in Middletown. After his arrival in this comtry Daniel C. Donahoe followed his trade at dif- ferent places, for a time in Middlefield, this county, thence in 1854 removing to Middle- town, where he passed the rest of his days, dying in July, 1892. His wife passed away in 1882, at the age of fifty-six years. For i time Mr. Donahoe was employed on the Air Line road, when it was first projected. He

was a hard-working man, and reared a good family ; his wife was a woman of superior in- telligence, and proved a valuable helpmate to him. Their son, our subject, says that from his mother he inherits his taste for literature. Judge Daniel J. Donahoe was born Feb- ruary 27, 1853, in Brimfield, Mass., and it was just three months afterward that his par- ents settled in Connecticut. Possessed from birth with an indomitable will and ambition that knew no halting place, young Donahoe soon overcame the obstacle which he found a lack of carly educational privileges to be, and by study, perseverance and hard work successfully passed an examination, and, in 1871, was admitted as a student to Wesleyan University. At the close of his Freshman year at the university he took up the study of law under D. A. Quillan, of Portland, Conn. He was admitted to practice in the Courts of the State June 4, 1875, and at once opened an office in Meriden, where he remained tin- til June, 1878. Returning to Middletown, he began the upbuilding of an extensive and remunerative law practice, and the acquire- ment of a reputation as a pleader of unusual effectiveness and ability. His work has always been careful and conscientious, and the in- tcrests of all his clients have been cared for with the same carnest zeal that has character- ized his course in every relation of life. Mr. Donahoe has been associate judge of the city court since 1883, and for many years was the town attorney of Middletown, which office he held up to 1894. Since September, 1890, he has been a member of the board of educa- tion, was for some years chairman of the committee on schools and teachers, and in October, 1899, was elected president of the board.

' The promise given by the young poet at college has been amply fulfilled, and Mr. Dona- hoe has achieved distinction as a contributor to magazines, and as the publisher of several volumes of verse. His first book of verse. "Idyls of Israel and Other Poems," appeared in 1888, and was warmly received by both press and public. This was followed in 1889 by "A Tent by the Lake and Other Poems." and in December, 1894. he published a third volume of poetry, "In Sheltered Ways," which has met with a flattering reception, and has been widely quoted. Much of his work has been copied by British magazines and literary

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

journals, and several of his songs have been set to music. His productions have been characterized by purity of tone, sublimity of treatment, lofty sentiment, and are often re- ligious in feeling and artistic in treatment. He contributes every month to some of the well known magazines and other publications. Judge Donahoe prepared the ode for the Knights of Columbus celebration in New Haven, in October, 1892, sung on the New Haven Green by no less than twenty thou- sand people accompanied by several brass bands. He also read a poem at the dedica- tion of the new high school in Middletown, which poem, entitled "Truth, Love and Beauty," has been widely quoted, parts of it having been run into plate and published by papers throughout the country. We here pre- sent it to the reader :

TRUTH, LOVE AND BEAUTY.

God's word is wisdom as His law is love; Faith stands beside the unclosed gate of Heaven In majesty serene, and looks upon The seekers after light, with smile benign, And hand upraised in peaceful benediction. Faith fears no light, for she is born of light, And fostered by the truth and glory of God; She seemetli ne'er so fair as when she comes In the white robes of knowledge garmented. Then is her voice tuned to sweet words of love, Mercy is in her touch and wisdom shines From the clear depths of her eternal eyes. She stoops from her high home among the blest, Uplifting manhood out of shadowy death, And points the way to everlasting life.

The education of the soul is shaped By science, labor, song-that trinity Of energy which brings to heavenly birth, Out of the rough womb of chaotic eld, The seeker and the toiler and the singer ; That nerves men unto deeds of worth and weight, Deeds glorious of truth and love and beauty, Awaking earth to wonderment and joy. The seeker's torch, new lighted at the sun, And flaming through the gloom with warmth divine, The toiler's strife for blest environment, His war for love against embruting hate, And full-mouthed utterance of prophetic bard, Sounding along the ages of all time, These are the ripe fruit of this three-fold power.

The fearless search is glorified of God; Truth greets her lover with responsive love; She guides him with sure light to the high places, And cheers him with the vision of her face. And he that brooks no fear, but aims sublime To truth's sublimest glory, shineth out Upon the lower world with warming light, As Moses from the mountain shone of old, Reflecting splendors from the face of God. As some high peak that sends his snowy crest Piercing amid the stars first feels the glow And sunshine of the morning yet unborn,

And fills the valleys with prophetic light ; So to the striving multitude appears

The seeker's lofty face, that, bright with hope, And lighted up with radiance new from God, Fills all the nearer world with dawning joy.

The toiler builds for ages; though his task Appear but humble, and his hand unskilled, His effort makes for progress, and to him Shall come no lesser guerdon. Wide the space 'Twixt the rude savage, who with ashen bow And flint-tipped arrows sought the hostile field, In his mad struggle for the needs of life, And the trained warrior of to-dav, whose hand Is nerved to fearless daring, as he hurls Ten thousand deaths from every bellowing gun; 'Twixt the nude dweller of the tent or cave That, pinched bv hunger, watched each passing fowl, And swiftly from the twanging deer-skin sent A single arrow singing through the skies, And the young wizard of this modern world, Who trains the lightning unto arts of peace, Placing within man's grasp such wondrous force As gods ne'er dreamed of in the dawn of time. Man grows in power by well-directed toil, And each deed makes for progress. But the rude Remains unconquered, and the toiler's strife Unfinished, till his just reward shall make A sweet environment of joyous ease, And from man's general brotherhood is driven Each trace of sorrow, suffering and sin.

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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 133

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