Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 154

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 154

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nard, and resides in New York. (II) George Canning is our subject.

George Canning Moore was born August 18, 1831, in Westbrook, and received his edu- cation principally in the district schools of the town, at the age of sixteen attending the acad- emy for one year, during the first year of its existence. Having lost his father in early in- fancy, he began, as early as he was able, to assist his mother. Mrs. Moore was a capable and competent woman, of great force of char- acter, since having given up the store to take up farming, it was only by the best of care and management that she was enabled to rear her large family, with which she was left, safely and comfortably. In 1839 she erected a new dwelling, the present hotel, moving into it in 1840, and there, with our subject's assistance, she continued in the business of hotel-keeping until her death, in 1871. At that time Mr. Moore assumed control of the house, being one of the oldest proprietors, in point of service, in the State.

Mr. Moore was married, January 10, 1859. to Hannah Spencer, a lineal descendant of Gerard Spencer, of Haddam, also of Priscilla, the daughter of William and Alice Mullins, of the "Mayflower" company ( 1620). Hannah Spencer was born February 23, 1837, daughter of Joseph and Betsey ( Hayden) Spencer. The ancestral records of Mrs. Moore also date back to John and Susannah Hayden, who came to this country in the ship "Mary and John," and settled near Boston, where they died. Their son, in the ancestral line, was John, who mar- ried Hannah, daughter of William Ames of Dorchester. Their son, John, was a freeman in 1704, in Saybrook (now Essex), and died there in 1724. from drowning. His son, Ne- hemiah, born in 1706, and who died in 1774. was a noted ship builder of his day. He mar- ried Temperance, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary ( Smith) Parker. Their son, Elias, the second child, born in 1744, died in 1809. On July 11, 1765,he married, at Chatham, in Had dam, Mary, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Walkley) Selden. Their son, Calvin, born in 1775. died in 1840. In 1795 he married Betsey Griffin, born in 1778, who died in 1835. Of their eight children Betsey married Josepl Spencer, and they became the parents of Mrs. Moore.

The following named children have come to Mr. and Mrs. Moore: Lizzie A., born in

1859, died in 1884. George R., born in 1861, died in 1879. Jennie A., born in 1863, died in 1865. Caroline E. was born in 1865. Ade- laide S. was born in 1866. Mary E., born in 1869, died in 1869. Emily, born in 1871, died in 1891. John, born in 1873, died in 1882. Bessie A., born in 1877. is a graduate of the Morgan High School, at Clinton. Conn. and of the New Haven Normal School, and is a successful and accomplished teacher.

In politics Mr. Moore belongs to the Re- publican party. He has been town clerk con- tinuously since 1864. one of the oldest in the State ; was probate judge from 1875. retiring in 1891, at the end of his term, on account of the age exemption ; has been assessor for thirty years ; and was justice of the peace from 1856 to 1864. In 1867 his fellow citizens testified to their confidence in him by electing him to the Legislature at Hartford, and in 1868 he was a representative at New Haven, serving on important committees. During the life of the Know-Nothing party Judge Moore was a member thereof, but no one can question his Republicanism at present. He was chairman on the building committee of the Town Hall in 1880. also of the present Congregational Church, built by subscription in 1803. at a cost of about $18,000, and dedicated "free from debt." Mrs. Moore is a member of the Con- gregational Church, and Mr. Moore, although not a member, is an attendant of the same, and was organist of the church for nearly twenty years. In addition to his attending to his official duties, Judge Moore is the hospitable and popular host of the old "Westbrook Hotel." first opened in 1840 by his mother. This house has never been closed since that time, and many travelers have enjoyed its genial welcome and generous board. The present hotel was preceded by the old tavern established by his parents in 182%, and in sight of the present house. Mr. Moore also acts as agent for a number of the best insurance companies in the work.

GEORGE W. GOFF. The name et Goff is inseparable connected with the bell man- facturing industry of East Hampton, Middle- sex county, in which the family has been inter- ested for many decirles

Joseph Golf, grandfather of George W. was born in East Hampton, at no great dis- tance from Lake Pokatogang On November

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23, 1802, he married Clarissa H. Welch, who died June 27, 1824, aged forty-two years, and on November 21, 1824, he married her sister, Lucy ; Rev. Joel West was the officiating cler- gyman on both occasions. Joseph Goff was the father of seven children of whom four died when young; the others were: Gurdon S .; Mary, who married Silas Hills ; and Joseph N .. father of George W.

Joseph N. Goff was born in Chatham in October, 1808. He was engaged in the manu- facture of waffle-irons, clock weights, plow points, hoes, and other articles of a similar character, his shop being located directly south of the lake. In 1837 he commenced bell making, which he continued to carry on un- til his death, October 22, 1889. He was originally a Whig, later a Republican. On November 6, 1830, he married Florilla Veazey, who was born November 6, 1808, and died November 8, 1878. She was the second child of Eleazer (Jr.) and Eliza- beth ( West) Veazey, who were married De- cember 2, 1801. Her father was born in Windham, Conn., December 18, 1778, and died March 6, 1853. His other children, besides Florilla, were: Emily, Marietta, Warren and Hiram. To Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Goff were born the following named children : Jane Elizabeth, who died before reaching the age of three years ; George W. ; and Charles H., the latter of New Haven, also interested in the bell factories of East Hampton.

George W. Goff was born in Chatham, Conn., August 14, 1843, attended the schools .of Chatham and East Greenwich, R. I., and when a young man began work in the bell fac- tory, of which his father was part owner. On the death of the latter, in 1889, Mr. Goff suc- ceeded to his interest in the East Hampton Bell Company. The officers of the concern are: Lucius H. Goff, president ; Charles H. Goff, secretary, and George W. Goff, treasurer. Mr. Goff has patented numerous inventions in con- nection with his manufacturing interest, which have been very successful, and serve to keep his firm prominent in the bell industry. In politics our subject is a Republican, but he has never sought public office.

Mr. Goff owns and still lives in the house where he was born, the residence on High street, East Hampton, built by his father in 1843. This place has been materially enlarged and improved in recent years. He and his

wife are members of the Congregational Church. On September 7, 1871, Mr. Goff was married to Miss Emma D. Browning, of North Stonington, a great-granddaughter of William Browning and Catherine Morey, granddaugh- ter of Thomas Browning and Amy Prentice, and daughter of William T. Browning and Nancy C. Avery, being the eldest of their five children, of whom Thomas, the second, is secre- tary and treasurer of the Uncas Paper Com- pany, at Norwich, Conn .; Amos A. is a prac- ticing lawyer in the same city; William is a physician and neurologist in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Sarah P., the youngest, is the resident director of Roxbury House, a college settlement of Roxbury, Massachusetts.

FRANK H. WHITE, one of Middletown's foremost young men of energy and usefulness, is a native of Connecticut, born December 18, 1860, in Middlesex county, at what is known as Gildersleeve, on Summer street, in the town of Portland.

Mr. White is of the eighth generation in descent from Elder John White, through Lieut. Daniel, Capt. Daniel, Capt. Joel, Thomas, Asa and Edward E., being a son of the latter. The White family is an old and influential one in the New England States.

(I) Elder John White, one of the first set- tlers of Cambridge, Mass., and Hartford, Conn., came from England in the ship "Lyon," setting sail in June, 1632, and arriving at Bos- ton, Mass., on the 16th of the following Sep- tember. He is one of the prominent characters in Colonial history, and the ancestor of a large number of descendants.

(II) Lieut. Daniel White, son of Elder John, was born in Hartford about 1639, and in 1662 settled in Hatfield, Mass. He died July 27, 1713.

(III) Capt. Daniel White, son of Lieut. Daniel, was born in Hatfield, Mass., July 4, 1671, and about 1704 removed to Windsor, Conn., where he died June 22, 1726. He served as captain of "troopers.".

(IV) Capt. Joel White, son of Capt. Daniel, was born at Windsor, Conn., April 6, 1705, and settled in Bolton, Conn., about the year 1725. He was a highly prominent citizen, and his home was known as a great "gathering place ;" several times he represented his town in the Legislature. The possessor of an estate valued at $50,000. he in the early part of the

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Revolutionary war loaned the State of Con- necticut $15,000, and though by that time he was an old man he was yet extremely active in military matters. In 1777 he was twice chosen a member of the "Correspondence, Inspection and Safety Committee," and at one time was its chairman. Capt. Joel White was thrice married, his second wife being Ruth Dart. He died June 28, 1789.

(V) Thomas White, son of Capt. Joel and Ruth (Dart) White, was born at Bolton, Conn., February 2, 1746, and was a farmer by occupation. On July 7, 1773, he married Ruth Talcott, of Glastonbury, Conn., born May II, 1753, and they had eight children. The father died November 25, 1800, the mother on June 4, 1821.

(VI) Asa White, seventh child and fourth son of Thomas and Ruth (Talcott) White, was born at Bolton, Conn., April 13, 1791, and died April 2, 1855. As a politician and well- known public man he was prominent, and was interested in and conducted the stage line be- tween Providence and Albany, at the same time carrying on farming. By his wife Eunice (Scovill) he had a family of twelve children, Edward Elijah, father of Frank H., being a twin of Edmund Elizur White.

(VII) Edward Elijah White, son of Asa, was born September 16, 1821, in Bolton, Conn., and was there reared and educated. Removing in course of time to Gildersleeve, Conn., he there worked at ship carpentry dur- ing the remainder of his active life, dying in September, 1896. In his carlier days he was one of the contractors who built a portion of the old New England railway-the section run- ning through Bolton Mountain; he also con- structed the Snipsic dam, at Rockville, Conn. He experienced a good start in life, but lost money through aiding others. In politics he was a Democrat up to the time of the Civil war, when, being a strong Abolitionist, and be- coming displeased with the stand the Demo- cratic party took on that issue, he joined the Republicans, and ever afterward supported the platform of that party. In religions faith hie was a Congregationalist, holding membership in the Center Church, in Portland, Connecticut.

Edward E. White was married, June 18. 1849. to Charlotte Anne Wells, who was born January 7, 1820, in the north end of Portland, Com., daughter of Roswell Wells and his see- ond wife, Anne ( Barnes), the former of whom

was born in Colchester, Conn., and was a car- penter and builder by occupation. His wife. was a native of New York State, a daughter of Rev. Allen Barnes, a Methodist minister, who was born in Middletown, and was married in Killingworth, Conn., to Esther Armstrong. Rev. Mr. Barnes died on Long Island, where he had lived for several years. The family of Ros- well Wells consisted of eight children, two sons and six daughters, Mrs. Edward E. White be- ing the eldest.

A brief record of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward E. White is as follows: ( 1) Charlotte Anne, born June 12. 1851, married Nathan Alden, of East Hampton. Conn. She died October 19, 1885, in Somersville, Mass., leaving four children, Harry P .. Orville Mon- roe, Dorothy Louise and John W., who are of the tenth generation in descent from John Alden and Priscilla Mullens, of Plymouth. ( 2) Miss Ella L. lives in New Haven, Conn. (3) Earl died when two and one-half years old. (4) Eunice A. is a school teacher in Middle- town. (5) Frank H. is the subject proper of these lines. (6) Evelyn R., born September 19, 1864, married Miss Bertha J. Hale, of South Farms, Conn. At one time he was in business with his brother. Frank, and was a most promising young man, possessed of more than ordinary business capacity. He died Jan- uary 22, 1894, leaving one son, Percival H. The mother of this family is making her home with her son, our subject.

Frank H. White received his education at the Gildersleeve high school. When but a boy he showed a natural taste for mechanics. and for the branch of wood working, and learned the trade of carpenter with James Mer- rick, a well-known contractor of Holyoke. Mass. Returning to Portland. he entered the employ of Ellery B. Taylor, with whom he re- mained two years, after which for the follow - ing six years he was in the employ of Watson Edwards, also of Portland. In 188; he formed a partnership with his brother. E. R., for the purpose of building and selling dwelling houses on easy terms, in which line they were the pioneers in this section, and in connection with same our subject did contract work in his line. On the death of his brother, Frank IF. contin- ned the business alone. Among some of the handsome specimens of his work are the resi dences of F. I. Canlkins, William Jamison, E. P. Angur, Carleton Leach, and his own home,

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not to mention the fine fire department head- quarters on Main street. He owns several houses in one of the most desirable portions of the city.

In politics Mr. White is a Republican, and in January, 1898, he was elected a member of the common council for two years, during which time his interest in city affairs made him a valuable acquisition to that body. Socially he is a member of the F. & A. M., Warren Lodge, No. 51, at Portland. Mr. White is un- married. He is an unostentatious, plain-going citizen, one who has fought his own way in the world, and is a representative business man, one whose integrity has never been questioned.

ULYSSES S. COOK, M. D., one of the leading representatives of the medical profes- sion in Middlesex County, and one well known throughout the State, was born in Portland, Conn., August 25, 1845, a son of Dr. Henry E. and Elizabeth B. (Strickland) Cook.

The Cook family is of English origin, and when the early ancestors of the Colonial days came to America they located in Barnstable, Mass. About 1735 Josiah and Hannah Cook removed from Massachusetts and settled in the town of Chatham, Middlesex Co., Conn. From the church records of Middle Haddam is gath- ered that Josiah Cook and his wife united with the church October 4, 1741, and had four chil- dren baptized at the same time, Elizabeth, Jo- siah, Elijah and Joshua.

Henry Evelyn Cook, the father of our sub- ject, was born in the town of Chatham (now Portland), where he grew to maturity and married. Having early determined to adopt the medical profession as his life work, he stud- ied in New London, under an old and efficient physician, and after completing his course re- turned to Portland. There he began the prac- tice of medicine, and in 1845 came to Moodus, continuing in his work until the time of his death, which occurred in 1874, when he was aged sixty-five. As a medical man he was un- usually successful, and made a specialty of the treatment of cancer, attaining celebrity in that line. In political matters he was a strong Dem- Ocrat, but never aspired to political office. The death of his good wife occurred in 1880, when she was seventy-two. To them were born : Sarah Elizabeth, who died at the age of six- teen ; and Ulysses S.

Ulysses S. Cook has been a resident of

Moodus since he was nine weeks old. After studying in the excellent district schools, he at- tended academy at Essex, Conn., and later at Wilbraham, Mass. He devoted much time to boisterous play, and frequently astonished the teachers by his unexpected methods of re- lieving his pent-up feelings. Returning home, he began the study of medicine under his fath- er, and devoted much time to a special course in the treatment of cancer. Upon his father's death he succeeded to the entire practice, which he has greatly extended. At present Dr. Cook conducts a sanitarium, as he did for many years prior to his father's death, and he also receives patients in his beautifully appointed private home. Dr. Cook has by his thoroughness ad- vanced the standard of excellence in his pro- fession in Middlesex county, and his success is but the legitimate reward of intelligent effort directed along proper channels.

Dr. Cook was married to Ella G. Smith, a daughter of Abner C. Smith, a native of Cha- tham. Dr. and Mrs. Cook have no children of their own, but they have tenderly reared one who is now a young lady, and a loved inmate of the family. In politics Dr. Cook is a Dem- ocrat, although very broad in his views and willing to permit everyone to have an opinion. Although not associated with any religious de- nomination, Dr. Cook recognizes the need for such, and is a firm believer in the religion pro- mulgated. Socially the Doctor is identified with the Moodus Drum and Fife Corps, or- ganized in 1865, whose membership is from fif- teen to twenty, and which has almost national fame, the organization having played in Wash- ington, Hartford, and other large cities during various campaigns. Dr. Cook is also presi- dent of the Moodus Gun Club, an organization of local sportsmen.

In their home Dr. and Mrs. Cook have many valuable pieces of Colonial furniture, in- cluding an old-fashioned kitchen clock and a spinning-wheel, used by his mother when a girl; chairs, couch, etc., formerly owned by Commissary General Champion; and two warming pans, one brass and the other copper.

HENRY THOMAS SELLEW. The fam- ily of Sellew is of the stock of French Hugue- nots. With the revocation of the Edict of Nantes members of the ancient and honorable house who were then living in France, found themselves obliged to seek an asylum in foreign

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lands. Some fled to Holland; others found refuge in America. Among those who sought and found a new home in the New World was Philip Sellew, the first of this family to come to America. He landed at Boston, and, being a man of ripe learning, at once found employ- ment as a teacher. His wife's name was Eliz- abeth. Their son,

Capt. John Leland Sellew, was born in 1717 in Edgartown, Mass. He connected himself with a company of Dutchmen engaged in a trading expedition, and was captain of a vessel of which he was part owner, and died in Suri- nam, Dutch Guiana, of fever, with all of his crew except the mate, whose name was Finley. In September, 1739, Capt. Sellew married Han- nah Hamilton, and he left three children, Thomas, John and Philip. The widowed mother subsequently married Finley, the mate before mentioned. She was a direct descend- ant of Thomas, Duke of Hamellin, who came to America as a refugee under the proscription enforced by Oliver Cromwell. Thomas, Duke of Hamellin, accompanied James VI of Scot- land to London, when the latter went thither to be crowned James I of England, having suc- ceeded to the English throne upon the death of Elizabeth without issue. He was a favorite courtier of the King, but when the house of Stuart was dethroned by Cromwell he was one of those whose loyalty to their sovereign rend- ered them especially obnoxious to the Lord Protector. He was forced to leave the coun- try, and came to Boston, Mass., where he was soon given a colonel's commission and made sheriff of the ocunty. He was the owner of a valuable silver-mounted sword and a silver- headed cane, which have become treasured lieir- looms in the Sellew family, to whom they de- scended through the daughter of Thomas Ham- ilton, who married John L. Sellew. They are now owned by Henry T. Sellew, and at his death will probably descend to his son, Thomas Hamellin.

Philip Sellew (son of Capt. John L.), on the death of his father was adopted by his grandfather, the schoolmaster in Harwich. Mass., lived in his family, and was educated by him. Sometime previous to his marriage he lived in New York and Rhode Island, and he Subsequently settled in Glastonbury, Conn. Upon a visit to his mother, Mrs. Finley, who was living in Connecticut, he formed the ac- quaintance of Elizabeth Smith, daughter of

Jeduthan and Mary ( Kimberly) Smith, and they were married in 1767. They had a fam- ily of twelve children, Anna, Hannah, Samuel, Thomas, Thomas (2). Chauncey. Bersheba, James. Dorothy, William. Eleazer and Mercy. The father died June 12, 1828, aged eighty-five years; the mother died November 11, 1825, aged eighty years. Their remains lie in the old North cemetery at Glastonbury.

Thomas Sellew, son of Philip, and the grandfather of Henry T., was born December 6, 1774, and lived to reach the remarkable age of eighty-seven years, eleven months, dying November 5, 1862, in Portland, Conn. He was a man of fine physique, tall, erect and well proportioned. He was extensively engaged in the purchase and sale of horses buying chiefly in the North and West, and seeking a market in the South, and even in the Sandwich Islands. having made several voyages to the Hawaiian group with cargoes of stock. On January 2. 1800, he married Lucy Bulkley Lord, of Marlboro, daughter of Elisha and Eunice (Bulkley) Lord. Mrs. Sellew died May 1, 1816, aged forty-one years. She bore him six children : (1) Sarah Olmsted.

born in January, 1801. died in June, 1880, unmarried. (2) Philip Hamilton, born in November, 1802, died in January, 1873. He was twice married, (first) to Hannah Welles, a descendant of Gov. Thomas Welles, and after her death to Theodosia White. (3) Mary Bulkley, born February 4, 1804, died in De- cember, 1879. She was the wife of Dr. Co- ville Lee, and lived in Ohio. (4) Ann Eliza, born March 7, 1806, died at Middletown. Conn., May 10. 1801. She married George Crittenden, of Portland. (5) Thomas Smithi is referred to below. (6) Anson Robbins, the youngest in the family, was born October 20. 1815. and passed away August 20, 1863. 1le married Alma Yale.

Thomas Smith Sellew was born in Glaston- bury in August, 1810, and died in February. 1878. Between the ages of six and sixteen he lived with his mother's relatives, the Lords. He was bred to the trade of a tanner in East Haddam, and for a time found employment thereat in Middletown. Chatham and other towns. Later he purchased a tannery at Cor entry, this State, which he continued to operate until 18.16, when he returned to Middlesex county. For a tinte he carriel on the business of tanner at Marlboro, and for three years op-

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erated a paper mill at Hebron. He was a man of keen intellect, strong convictions and rugged honesty. Originally a Whig, he subsequently affiliated with the Know-Nothings, but ulti- mately became a Republican. The closing years of his life were spent in Chatham, where he died in February, 1878. He was married, in East Hampton, to Almira, daughter of Amasa Daniels and Mary Shepard. [For in- formation concerning the Shepard family, the reader is referred to the biographical sketch of Charles F. Shepard, elsewhere.] This union was blessed by the birth of three sons and one daughter, Henry T. Sellew being the second born. Clinton Daniels, the eldest of the fam- ily, was employed in the office of the assessor of Internal Revenue, at Providence, R. I., for some years, and is now postmaster at that city. Emily Daniels, the third child and only daugh- ter, is the wife of Frank J. Gates, of East Hampton. Amasa Daniels, the youngest, died before reaching the age of fourteen.

The life of Henry Thomas Sellew has been one of constant work, yet it has been marked by that fidelity to duty which is the true corner stone of all real success. He was born in Cov- entry, Conn., June 12, 1842. He was care- fully reared, and his attendance at the common schools was supplemented by instruction re- ceived at a private school conducted in the base- ment of the Congregational Church at East Hampton. He began life's struggles when a youth of eighteen years, when he first found employment in an East Hampton bell foundry. In 1862 he enlisted in Company H, of the Twenty-first Connecticut Volunteers, and proved a gallant soldier, with his regiment par- ticipating in many severe engagements, among them the battles of Fredericksburg, Drury's Bluff and Cold Harbor. He was also with his command through the siege of Suffolk, and in the fighting before Petersburg was so severely wounded that for four months he was confined to a hospital. On being mustered out, at the close of the war, he returned to East Hampton, and again found work in a bell foundry, where he remained several years. At present he is one of Middlesex county's most successful farmer's, owning 340 acres of land. He is ex- tensively engaged in dairying, having a herd of from twenty to thirty cows, and is a large daily shipper of milk to New Haven. In addi- tion to his other labors, he has learned the trade of a stonemason, and in the erection of the

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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 154

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