Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 16

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 16

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the deceased feared his untiring application, and they knew he was easy in worldly circum- stances and had the time to spare. His great secret of success was the pleasant words he had for all, the calm temper he possessed, and the general friendliness of his greeting to men of all shades of opinion. He reared a costly home and filled it with articles of taste. The surroundings of his life were pleasant before the dark shadows of paralysis fell upon him, and in the long and weary months of his help- lessness he had the constant care of his son and daughter. He was a friend and neighbor. His reward was with him and few politicians glide through so pleasantly and peacefully as did the departed. That a man of his caliber should have had political enemies was only natural. He knew: the stength of the forces he could bring to the ballot box, and calculated chances with accuracy. He made the best use of the talents he had in the line marked out by him- self, and the various offices he held are an index of the state of political feeling toward him in his active years of life.

Praises on tombs are trifles vainly spent ; A man's good name is his best monument.

On November 9, 1828, Curtiss Bacon was married to Miss Ann Stow, who was born April 22, 1805, in Middlefield, Conn., daughter of Obed and Lucy (Kirby) Stow. She was a niece of Joshua Stow, the author of Article 7, Constitution of Connecticut, said article creat- ing religious liberty in the State. To this union came two children: Miss Caroline M., born June 14, 1833, who died June 25, 1902; and Arthur William, a sketch of whom follows. The mother departed this life September 9, 1863, and she and the father sleep their last sleep in Mortimer cemetery, Middletown. Mrs. Bacon was a member of the Congregational Church.

ARTHUR W. BACON was born in the Parish of Westfield, Middletown, September 10, 1836, and was prepared for college at the then fa- mous academy of Hon. Daniel H. Chase, in that city. In 1852 he entered Wesleyan Uni- versity, class of 1856, and on leaving there commenced the study of law, first with Hon. Waldo P. Vinal, and afterward with Hon. Moses Culver. He was admitted to the bar at the last term of the superior court in Middle- sex county ever held by Chief Justice W. L. Storrs: then opened an office in Middletown

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

and practiced law continuously up to 1895, in the meantime establishing the record of being one of the ablest attorneys in Connecticut, a forcible and eloquent speaker-in fact, the ablest practitioner at the Middlesex County Bar ; as a writer he was equally able. A stanch Democrat in politics, he in 1867-69-70 and 1874, represented Middletown in the General Assembly ; the session of 1874 was the last one held in New Haven. As a political speaker he had no superior in Connecticut, and he had a great command of language, which he was en- abled to embellish without effort, being, withal, possessed of excellent literary tastes.

On November 15, 1871, Arthur W. Bacon was united in marriage, at Barnstable, Mass., with Miss Henrietta Parker, born there Octo- ber 15, 1848, daughter of Frederick and Eme- line ( Howland) Parker. She was a descendant of John Howland, who came over in the "May- flower," and was one of the signers of the "Compact ;" was allied to one of the best fam- ilies of the Barnstable peninsula, and to one of the oldest in New England. She was a mem- ber of the D. A. R., and other Colonial socie- ties, besides being eligible to some in which she did not hold membership. Her death oc- curred April 4, 1902. To Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Bacon were born four children, as follows : Anna Howland, born August II, 1872, died August 17, 1873. Emma Howland, born Sep- tember 28, 1874, was married August 8, 1900, to Capt. George A. Nugent. U. S. A. Cur- tiss Stow, born June 2, 1877, graduated in 1902 from Yale Law School, and was admitted to the Bar in June of that year. Bertha Parker was born November 21, 1878. The family oc- cupy the old Curtiss Bacon homestead on Main street, Middletown. They enjoy the respect and esteem of all.

RUFUS W. MATHEWSON, M. D., late of Durham, Middlesex county, was born March 24, 1814, at Coventry, R. I. His father, Rufus Mathewson, was born in 1770, and lived n Norwich, Conn., where he married Polly Bowen. He moved to Coventry, R. I., there becoming a large land owner and one of the well known men of the section. The site of he railroad station of Greene, R. 1., was a part of his farm. During the Jeffersonian admin- stration he was a prominent politician, and vas sent as special ambassador to Turkey at he time of the Algerian pirate troubles, doing

good and efficient service for the Government. Later in life he became tired of his old home and disposed of his land for the sum of ten thousand dollars in cash, with which he started westward, on horseback, intending to purchase a large estate, as he foresaw the exodus to the West after the war of 1812. The death of this intelligent and superior man took place at Terre Haute, Ind., September 22, 1816. He reached that locality on horseback. The large amount of money he carried disappeared and the mystery of his death has never been made clear to the family. The natural suspicions aroused of foul play could never be substantiat- ed, in the days when transportation was so diffi- cult, and nothing has ever occurred since to en- lighten the family. The family of Rufus Mathewson had, in the meantime, removed from Covington to Bozrahville, Conn., which was no doubt intended to be a temporary home, but naturally the plans were disturbed by the death of the father. Mrs. Mathewson ended her days in the home of her son, the late Rufus W., in Norwich, where she is buried. The childrn of Rufus and Polly Mathewson were: Mary, who married Ansel Rose; Louisa, who married William G. Johnson ; Darius Randolph once a successful merchant at Hawkinsville, Ga .; Amelia, who married Col. Josiah Reab, a great art dealer in New Haven: Rufus Well- ington ; and Rhoda, born after the death of her father, who married William Marshall in the West Indies, after his death living with her brother Randolph, in Norwich.

Rufus W. Mathewson, our present sub- ject, became one of the ablest and best known physicians in Middlesex county. His birth took place March 24, 1814, in Coventry, R. I., his death at Durham, Conn., May 6, 1893, when he was aged seventy-nine. In early life he removed to Norwich, and for a number of years was there engaged in the drug business. After studying medicine with several practitioners in the vicinity Dr. Mathewson took one course of lectures at Yale. and a second at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York, at which latter insti- tution he received the degree of M. D. in 1835. After ten years in Norwich he removed to Ledyard, Conn., practicing until 1856, when he settled in Durham, in which place for thirty- seven years he was the faithful servant of a large constituency, in that and adjoining towns, ready day or night to minister to the

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

sick and suffering. . For more than one gen- eration Dr. Mathewson held his position as physician in many families, his straightfor- ward, honorable and pleasing personality making him! welcome both as physician and as friend. Though rather blunt in manner, Dr. Mathewson loved a joke, and was of a jovial disposition, his cheery manner encouraging his patients, and he literally took possession in the sick room. Progressive in his ideas, he kept pace with his calling and enjoyed the signs of improvement which during his long life he was permitted to see in his profession. Dr. Mathewson was one of the pioneers in the use of the wet sheet pack in cases of scarlatina, and in the treatment of typhoid fever he had a reputation all over New England. In New York City the best physicians regarded his knowledge of typhoid fever as equal to that of any physician in the country, and the cele- brated Dr. Alonzo Clark, of that city, quoted Dr. Mathewson's treatment of typhoid in his lectures. Without doubt Dr. Mathewson led among the most successful and skillful prac- titioners that Middlesex county ever had. He was but twenty-one years old when he grad- uated from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, and after leaving Norwich he practiced for a short time in several smaller localities, remaining for some time at Gales Ferry, where his son Earl was born, six years before the family settlement in Durham.

The life of Dr. Mathewson was a busy one and he attended to its demands up to his last illness, although in the eightieth year of his age. He was ever a man of strong personality, kind of heart, and very charitable, and. in his benevolences preferred to be known as a moralist, not a churchman. As a member of the Middlesex County Medical Society he was highly valued, his interest therein being very great, and seldom was he absent from' its sessions. All of the offices in the gift of the society were held by him. A consistent Demo- crat in politics, he never entered much into public life outside of his profession and never cared for political honor, but his interest in educational matters was intense, and he found- ed the library, kept the academy going, and in other ways gave practical evidence of his zeal in that respect. As a witness in the cele- brated trial of Rev. H. H. Hayden for the murder of Mary Stannard, at Madison, he was brought into much prominence on account of

his expert testimony, which was considere important to the State.

Dr. Mathewson was a great admirer cl antiques. Years ago, and long before thei value was realized, he purchased many rar specimens of crockery for their beauty, an would frequently permit his children to pla. with pieces which now would be considered most valuable additions to any collection.

Mrs. Mathewson passed away twenty-eigh years before her husband, under circumstance which caused grief to Dr. Mathewson so grea that he could never refer to his loss withou emotion. The children born of this unio were: Earl, mentioned below ; Rufus, born a Gales Ferry, who married Mrs. Hallie Law rence, and lives in Buffalo, N. Y., being joint owner of the Buffalo Weaving Company Mary, wife of William Scranton, a farmer o Durham; Amelia; Randolph, who marrie Anna R. Wood, and is a druggist of South Farms; and Susan E., born in Durham, graduate of the Boston School of Music and the William Shakespeare School of Voice, o London, England, and now a teacher of voca music in New York City.

EARL MATHEWSON was born October 14 1850, at Gales Ferry, Conn., and remove with the family to Durham when he was si: years old. His education was acquired in th district schools, and for five years he was ; pupil in the Durham Academy, going fron there to the Wesleyan Academy, at Wilbra ham, Mass., from which he graduated in 1867 Following in his father's footsteps, he ther went to New York, where he entered the Col lege of Physicians and Surgeons, taking hi degree in 1879. He then located at Mont ville, New London Co., Conn., where he buil up a thriving practice, but upon the death o his father he returned to Durham and tool charge of the practice which had so long been in the care of his honored parent.

Dr. Mathewson was married, June 27 1881, in Middletown, to Ellen, daughter o George and Mary (Riley) McCoy, and chil dren as follows have come to this union Rufus W., born December 27, 1883; Paul born Oktober 27, 1885 ; and Earl E., born Au- gust 10, 1889. In politics the Doctor is & Democrat. He has never connected himsel: with any secret society. While residing ir Montville he served as pension examiner o: the New London County Examining Board

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

during both terms of President Cleveland, re- signing the position in 1895. He is now medical examiner for Durham, and is a mem- ber of the Middlesex Medical Society.

GEORGE A. COLES, president of the Middletown Savings Bank and of The Coles Company, extensive dealers in flour, feed, grain, etc., Middletown, Middlesex county, is a worthy descendant of an honorable and es- teemed ancestry.

William Coles, the great-grandfather of our subject, lived and died in Dorchester, Mass., his death occurring October 26, 1810. William Coles, son of William of Dorchester, was born January 21, 1772, and when a young nan, about 1793. went from Dorchester to hat part of Middletown now included in Mid- llefield, Conn., locating in that part of the own now known as the Falls District. Paper nanufacture during his lifetime was an import- int branch of industry in that locality, and he arly engaged in it. For over a quarter of . century he was foreman of the paper-mill here, and for a period one of the proprietors. He died about the year 1839, leaving the ecord of a man of integrity and honor, who njoyed the confidence and esteem of the com- nunity. He married Lois Miller, who was vorn March 31, 1772, daughter of William nd Chloe Miller, and to this union were born hildren as follows: Lucy, born March 9, 797, died in 1798; Lucy (2). born February , 1799, died same year; William, born April 5, 1800, died that year ; Warren is more fully poken of farther on; Sarah, born September 6, 1806, died that year ; Julia, born February 0, 1808, died in 1816; Augustus is referred > farther on : Lucy (3), born August 5, 1812, ied unmarried December 2, 1835; and Ros- ell, born March 4, 1815, settled in Napanoch, T. Y., where he worked as a machinist (he as twice married, and died some ten or twelve ears ago, leaving a large family).

Warren Coles, above mentioned, was born ctober 1, 1801, and died January 19, 1882. 1 early life he located in Ohio, and during le California gold excitement he proceeded > the "New Eldorado" via the overland ute, and, being selected to forage, or procure imie for food, he practically traveled much rther than any of the others of the party. Then he left California he liael accumulated rough wealth to enable him to live comfort-

ably in Connecticut during the remainder of his life, but during the Civil war he entered into an unfortunate speculation by which he lost much of his money. His children were Valerius, Valeria, Erskine, and Adelaide, who married C. V. Connover, and is now living in New York City.

Augustus Coles, father of our subject, was born July 16, 1810, in Middlefield, Conn., but was reared and educated in Middletown, main- ly at the Lancasterian school, corner of Broad and Williamf streets, of which institution Mr. Garfield was principal. On laying aside his books he became apprenticed to the trade of blacksmith, in the Warner shop, near the foot of Washington street, after which he followed the business as long as his health permitted. He died in Essex, this county, December 18, 1876. His wife Nancy was a daughter of Enoch and Alice Hubbard. the former of whom was a sea captain, engaged in the West Indies trade, his vessels sailing from Middletown. He was lost at sea in August, 1825 ; his widow passed away April 22, 1849. Mrs. Nancy ( Hubbard) Coles was born April 9, 1809, at South Farms, Conn., and died July 11, 1891, in Rocky Hill, where she was living with her daughter, Mrs. Belden, and she and her husband are both buried in Indian Hill cemetery. Mrs. Coles before her marriage attended the South Congregational Church, while in religious faith Mr. Coles was a Universalist. In politics he was originally a Whig, later a Democrat, but never active in the affairs of either party. He was prominent- ly identified with military matters in his day, being a popular officer in the State militia. A brief record of the children born to Augustus and Nancy (Hubbard) Coles is as follows : (1) George A. is the subject proper of this sketch.

(2) Roswell W., born September 11, 1838, died July 3, 1889, through injuries received while acting as superintendent of a mill. He was a member of St. John's Lodge, F. & A. M., of Middletown. He married Julia A. Morse October 10. 1866, and they had five children-Maude Josephine, born September 12, 1868, is now Mrs. Daniel J. Glazier, of Hartford; Grace Henrietta, born March 19, 1873. is now Mrs. N. B. Carrier, of Middle Haddamı, Conn .: Frank Augustus, born June 9. 1875. is secretary and treasurer of The Coles Company, of Middletown, and one of the prominent young business men of that city

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(he was married October 30, 1901, to Miss Es- telle Norman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick A. Strong) ; Alice Southmayd was born August 28, 1879: and Marjorie Hub- bard was born October 23, 1887.

(3) Josephine A., born October 17, 1840, married Horace Southmayd, and died April 24, 1874, leaving a daughter, Alice Dunham, born August 3, 1872.

(4) Alice Hubbard, born February 7, 1844, married April 18, 1866, Eugene S. Belden, and they live in Hartford, Conn. They have two sons-Herbert E., born September 12, 187J, married a daughter of H. C. Williams, of New Britain; Clifford Hubbard, born Feb- ruary 7, 1877, is employed in his father's busi- ness, dock building, etc.

George A. Coles, of whom this sketch more particularly relates, is a native of Connecti- cut, born October 20, 1836, in Middletown, in a dwelling situated on the east corner of Ferry street and the Connecticut river. His educa- tion he received in part at the Green street school ( Miss Grace Dean being his first teach- er, and Miss Harris among the first), and in part at the high school which stood where the grammar school now is, a Mr. Hoyt being principal. Young Coles went to Springfield, Mass., and became general utility boy in the store of Emerson & Hubbard, but after a time he returned to Middletown and attended Chase's famous school for about two years, and here "drank deep" of algebra and mathe- matics, sciences which, in the study thereof, became a pleasure to him instead of a task, and he to this day entertains kindly recollections of that school. During this time, his father's health becoming much impaired, owing to rheumatism, he assisted him as well as he could in the business, and, in fact, was of no little assistance to both his parents. When he had finished at Chase's school he went to Springfield, Mass., and took up the tinner's trade, some of his first work in that line being as assistant in putting the tin roof on the big depot building about that time on Main street, and he also worked on similar structures in Troy and Buffalo, N. Y., and also at Brant- ford, Ontario. Subsequently he was employed at his trade in Western States. At Lasalle, Ill., he assisted in the tinning of the large bridge of the Illinois Central railroad. Here cholera broke out among the hands employed

on the work, and our subject's roommate died of that disease after twenty-four hours' ill- ness, and, Mr. Coles' own health becoming impaired through the nature of the work on which he was employed, and his weight re- duced from 130 pounds to 90 pounds, he re- turned to Middletown. When he had suffi- ciently recuperated, he entered the grocery store of A. G. & R. A. Pease, in that town, as clerk, and remained with that firm until 1859, in which year he was appointed secretary and treasurer of the Baldwin Tool Company, at Staddle Hill, which position he held until 1862. He resigned to accept the secretary- ship of the Union Mills, the property of a corporation organized in 1854, Mr. Coles and H. H. Smith being the managers of the mill. In 1878 our subject bought out the old Union Mill, and same year, after conducting it alone for a short time, he took his brother-in-law into partnership, the firm name being Coles & Atkins. Two years later Mr. Atkins sold his interests to Frank B. Weeks, and the style of the firm changed to Coles & Weeks, the new firm in 1885 adding a business in Portland formerly conducted by E. I. Bell, and establish- ing a branch there under the management of Thomas P. Bill, who also represents the com- pany in the trade generally. Mr. Weeks re- tired from business in 1895, selling out to Mr. Coles, and the establishment of the firm of Coles & Co. followed. This in turn was suc- ceeded by the present corporation "The Coles Company," organized three years later by Mr. Coles and his son Charles H. Coles, with a capital stock of $30,000 and a surplus of $30,- 000. The product of the mills is sent to every town in Middlesex county, and to many throughout the State. A deep water canal leads from the Connecticut river to the mill of the company, at the foot of Union street, and cargoes of grain are discharged from the boats directly into bins of the mill. The tracks of the Valley Division of the Consoli- dated Railroad run near to the mill, and by ingenious devices grain is unloaded from the cars and reloaded into them in bags without the employment of manual labor. The com- pany does an extensive wholesale business, and many carloads of feed, grain and flour are sold and delivered to customers direct from points of shipment. It has without doubt been the untiring genius and the careful and pro-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

gressive business methods of Mr. Coles that have gained for his company the large and profitable trade it now enjoys.

Mr. Coles has since 1884 been connected with the Middletown Savings Bank, one of the strongest financial institutions in the State, and has been its president since 1887, and he is a director of the Middlesex Mutual Insurance Company. For many years he has been prom- inent in all movements tending to the benefit of his city, and has been one of the most act- ive members of the Middletown Board of Trade. In 1872 and 1875 he served as a member of the common council; was a di- rector of the Douglas Pump Company up to January, 1900, when he retired ; was a director of the Keating Wheel Company ; is president of the Middletown Total Abstinence Society, and secretary of the Citizens League. Mr. Coles is Commodore of the "Middletown Yacht Club," and his cruiser, the "Marion," is "prob- ably the finest private craft owned in Middle- town."

On October II, 1860, George A. Coles was married to Miss Augusta Atkins, who was born August 22, 1840, daughter of William H. and Eliza (Powers) Atkins, the former of whom was a hardware merchant in Middle- town, and is mentioned elsewhere. Their fam- ily consisted of four children : Mary E., Hor- ace, Augusta (Mrs. Coles) and Charles S. She received her education in Middletown and Saybrook, and at a well-known private school in Danbury, Conn. She is a member of the South Congregational Church, and is eligible to the "D. A. R.," but has never joined, being, like her husband, thoroughly democratic.

Mr. and Mrs. Coles have one son, Charles H., born in Middletown February 7, 1863. He is a stockholder of The Coles Company and teller in the Middletown Savings Bank. On July 27, 1889, he wedded 'Miss Helen E. Coe, of Portland, Middlesex county, daughter of William W. and Helen Augusta ( Gildersleeve) Coe, the former of whom was president of the First National Bank of Portland; the latter was the youngest child of Sylvester and Emily (Shepard) Gildersleeve. Marion, only child of Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Coles, died when but a year old.

George A. Coles has ever been a sound Re- publican in politics, and, aside from his sup- port of Horace Greeley, has always voted that icket at National and State elections, but in

local matters he invariably casts his ballot for the candidate he considers best adapted for the office, regardless of party. No higher testi- monial to his business acumen can be offered than the fact of his being elected president of a bank the deposits in which reach nearly eight million dollars, and whose surplus is six hun- dred thousand dollars ; yet, in his modest way, he affirms that he is merely "the fortunate vic- tim of circumstances."

SAMUEL GRISWOLD, at present a resi- dent of Meriden, Conn., was one of the most highly respected as well as one of the best known citizens of Essex, Middlesex county. For forty years an instructor of youth, his grateful pupils are scattered over the United States, with many affectionate remembrances of his solicitude for their mental development.

Edward and Matthew Griswold came from Warwick, England, in 1639, in company with Rev. Mr. Hunt's party, who came to Windsor, Conn., that year. Mathew Griswold married Anna Wolcott in 1646, removed to Saybrook as agent for Col. Fenwick, speedily assumed prominence, and was largely instru- mental in the movements which led up to the settlement of Lyme; he became the leading and wealthiest man in that town, which was set off from Saybrook in 1665, establishing near the mouth of the Connecticut river "Blackhall," since the family seat of the Griswold family. His death occurred in 1698. He left a son Mathew, who married and had a family; Mathew Griswold died in 1715.

Selah Griswold, the grandfather of Sam- uel, was born in the northeastern part of Kill- ingworth. Having been left an orphan at an early age, he was bound out to a farmer until he was sixteen years old, coming then to Essex, which was then a part of Saybrook. and there learning the trade of shoemaker of a Mr. Starkey. who later became his father-in- law. Following his trade for a number of years, he later purchased a small farm and erected a house thereon, this farm being located about two miles south of Essex on the Bokum road. There he followed his trade and farm- ing for the rest of his active life, his death occurring when he was eighty-three years old. He married Mary Ann Starkey, and their chil- dren were: Daniel, Selah, Asel P. and Mary Ann.

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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 16

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