Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 167

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 167

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was to Elizabeth Bigelow, of Hartford, who bore him seven children, in the following order : Thomas, born in 1637, married a daughter of Rev. Thomas Stone. Samuel, born in 1639, was made a freeman, at Wethersfield, in 1669, was a deacon in the church, and died December 2, 1692. Nathaniel, born in 1641, settled in Wethersfield, and died in Febru- ary, 1679. Joseph, born in Hartford, in 1648, settled in South Wethersfield, and was married in 1667 to Amy, daughter of William and Sarah Goodrich ; he died Decem- ber 10, 1732, his widow on June 18, 1735. Daniel, born in Wethersfield, settled on his father's homestead in Hartford, and died March 28, 1692; his widow, Mabel, subse- quently married a Mr. Taintor. Mary, born in 1635, was married September 29, 1659, to Samuel Wright, of Wethersfield. Elizabeth, born in 1643, was first married to Nemiah Olmstead, and afterward to Obediah Gilbert. The father of this family Deacon Richard But- ler, died in Hartford, August 6, 1684, and his second wife passed away at the same place Sep- tember II, 1691.

Joseph Butler, fourth of the above enumer -. ated children, had born to him, by his mar- riage to Amy Goodrich, children as follows : Gershom, who was born in 1683, settled in Middletown, Upper Houses, near Rocky Hill, married Mary Deming, and died May I, 1765. Benjamin, born in 1673, settled in the same district with his brother, Gershom, and there passed his life. He married Thankful Sage. Their son Charles, born in 1715, died in 1785. Joseph, born in 1675, settled at Upper Houses, and married a Miss Horton, of Middletown; he was drowned. Richard was a farmer on Rocky Hill. Mary was married to David Edwards.

Charles Butler, mentioned in the above par- agraph, was a farmer in Rocky Hill. He and his wife, Jerusha, had seven children, named : Mercy, Jerusha, Moses, Benjamin, David, Stephen and Ruth.

Benjamin Butler, fourth of the above fam- ily, and great-grandfather of George S. But- ler, was born in the town of Rocky Hill, then a part of Wethersfield town, Hartford county, and in early life was a successful storekeeper. About 1800 he came to Cromwell, and kept a hotel or tavern near where William Stickey lived in 1899, later giving the business to his

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sons, Sylvester and Allen. Benjamin Butler had invested in a vessel in the West Indies trade, which was captured by a French priva- teer while on a voyage from Cromwell, or Mid- dletown, to the Indies, laden with a valuable cargo of provisions, etc., and this mishap re- duced him to poverty, as he was never remu- nerated by the French Government. Benja- min Butler married Eunice Robbins, who was born August 22, 1755, and came of a wealthy family of Rocky Hill, and to this union came a family of twelve children, viz .: Joseph was born June 3. 1776. Demas, born February 25, 1778, died November 19, 1800. Jerusha, born June 13, 1780, was married to Rufus Sage. Allen, born September 3, 1783, married Sarah Sage. Sylvester, grandfather of George S. Butler, was born August 23, 1785, and married Anna Butler, of another family. Mary, born September 12, 1788, died in May, 1790. Mary (2), born September 30, 1790, was mar- ried to Comfort Starr. Eunice, born February 19, 1793, became the wife of Ichabod Chap- man, of Pittsfield, Mass. Benjamin, born Feb)- ruary 25, 1795, died three days later. Jamin, born March 8, 1796, died in 1813. George, born March 10, 1798, married Sarah Green, of New York, and moved to Texas. Sophia, born August 9, 1800, was the wife of Asael Woodruff, and died in Marietta, Ohio. The fa- ther of this family died in Cromwell in 1813. and there his remains were interred.

Sylvester Butler, the fifth of the above fam- ily, and the grandfather of George S. Butler, was born in Rocky Hill, and was a boy when brought by his parents to Cromwell, where he was engaged in farming all his life. To his marriage to Anna Butler, who was born in 1796. daughter of Elnathan and Mary ( Smith ) Butler, came five children, viz. : Amelia, born December 7, 1815, died unmar- ried February 10, 1844. Benjamin, born De- cember 22, 1817. died October 26, 1822. George Henry, born October 26, 1820, will be spoken of more fully in the next paragraph. Maria A., born June 17, 1831, was the wife of Samuel A. Wright, and died in Cromwell. Mary E., born February 8, 1836, was married to Henry W. Bulkley, and died November 15. 1800. Sylvester Butler, the father, died No- vember 14, 1861, and Ama, his widow, died April 4, 1864. He was a prominent member of the Congregational Church.

Deacon George 11. Butler, the father of

George S., was born in Cromwell town, near the Connecticut river, and was educated in the district schools and Cromwell Academy. the latter an excellent institution, under the charge of E. G. Doolittle and E. P. Warren, who la- ter became Congregational ministers. After leaving school Mr. Butler assisted his father on the home farm for several summers, and for as many winters taught school, at $12 per month and board, for his earlier school teach- ing in Meriden and Rocky Hill: later he re- ceived $50 per month for his services in Crom- well. With his earnings he bought a tract of twenty-two acres in Cromwell from his ma- ternal grandfather. Elnathan Butler, who for nearly forty years lived near the old toll-gate in Rocky Hill. This tract he has added to un- til he now has 140 acres, on which he carries on general farming. Deacon Butler is in poli- tics a Republican, and has served as grand juror and on the board of relief. He is deacon emeritus in the Congregational Church. hav- ing served thirty years, and having resigned when seventy-two years old.

On November 9, 1854. Deacon Butler mar- ried, in Cromwell, Lucinthia Hutchinson, who was born April 8, 1827. daughter of Dr. Ira and Lucinthia ( Cone) Hutchinson, first of Hladdam, and later of Cromwell. This mar- riage was graced with four children, namely : Ernest. born October 2, 1855, was grachunited from the New Britain Normal School, taught in Cromwell, Windsor, Cheshire and Wind- ham, and is now a clerk in Buffalo, N. Y. ; he married Gertrude Hatch, who bore him one son. that died in infancy, and Mrs. Butler, also. is deceased. Kate Hutchinson, the Descott's second child, was born November 27. 1858. was married to Chauncey Ml. Warner, and has two sons, George M. and Willis ( Ann In cinthia, born April 21. 1864, died August 31. 1807. The fourth in the family to George Sil vester, whose name opens this Biographical re- view.

George S. Butler received the meliments of bis education in the counton schools of his native town, and then attended school at Med dletown, from the high school of which en he was graduated with the chosen 125g Soon afterward, in the same veur, he started m the fruit business, on im here of land on his father's farm, which he planted it raspberries and blackberries Ar Butler brought to the en- terprise the energy and determination of south.

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and the growth of the business has been steady and sure. In 1886 the first catalogue was is- sued. In 1896 he took into partnership Har- vey Jewell, and the firm became Butler & Jewell. On January 31, 1898, the firm was in- corporated with a capital stock of $25,000. In 1899 Mr. Butler bought the interest of Har- vey Jewell, who withdrew from the company. The individual members of the firm were G. S. Butler, Harvey Jewell, E. E. Jewell, C. A. Jewell and E. S. Coe. The directors are George S. Butler, president, manager and treasurer : Charles A. Jewell (treasurer of the Jewell Belting Company, of Hartford) and E. S. Coe (president of the J. & E. Stevens Company, of Cromwell). The company has a tract of about 320 acres, and makes a special- ty of berries, plums and peaches. In the nur- sery employment is given to fifteen hands, and in the fruit department fifty are required. They have just completed one of the finest offices in New England, and have facilities for handling 5,000 trees and 50,000 berry plants per day, during the season. Their fruit is usually placed in the markets of Hartford, Springfield, Bos- ton, Worcester, Brattleboro and Providence, and they market about one hundred bushels of berries per day in the season. They produce a large percentage of the home-grown plums sold in the New England markets, some of which in the past season measured eight inches in circumference. This season, for the first time, 12,000 fruit trees promised to bear a full crop. There are now under cultivation ten acres of strawberries, fifteen of raspberries, six of blackberries, besides peach, plum, apple and cherry trees, besides other small invest- ments which are the result of labor, brains and business ability which had to make their own capital. President Butler, of the company, has been honored by his townsmen, who have been quick to recognize merit and sterling integrity. As the choice of the Republicans he was a member of the General Assembly in 1893, served on the committee on Forfeited Rights and was known for his manly courage and honesty. In 1900 he was the Democratic can- didate for judge of probate; he has been one of the assessors of Cromwell, and was form- erly master of Cromwell Grange. He was prominent in forming the Connecticut Pomo- logical Society, and was its first secretary ; in J90I was chairman of the committee on Fairs

and Exhibits ; and is now chairman of the com- mittee on New Fruits.

On June 24, 1891, Mr. Butler was married to Miss Carrie Savage, who was born Decem- ber I, 1865, and is a daughter of the late Deacon Ralph B. Savage, of Cromwell. They have three children, namely: Sylvester Ben- jamin, born July 26, 1892; Ralph Savage, April 10, 1894; and Lucinthia, May 14, 1896.

George S. Butler is a devout member of the Congregational Church, of which he has been treasurer, and has served on the standing com- mittee. He was president of the Christian En- deavor Society of Cromwell at its organiza- tion, and has also served as a member of the executive committee of the County Christian Endeavor Society. His work in the church is constant and untiring, and no resident of Middlesex county bears a more respected name than does George S. Butler.

BENJAMIN F. TURNER is a straight- forward business man of Middletown, where he has been engaged in the grocery business for twenty-five years, and he knows the trade from top to bottom, in the most practical manner. In Middletown he stands very high, and is regarded as a valuable citizen.

Mr. Turner springs from one of the old families of Middlesex county, where the fam- ily has been long established. James Turner, his paternal grandfather, was born in Haddam, Conn., in 1815, son of John Turner and hisi third wife, Amelia (Wilcox). John Turner was born in 1768, and lived to be eighty-seven years old. Elizabeth Chatfield, his first wife, who died in 1798, was the mother of three children : Hannah Ely, who married Henry Wilcox, of Killingworth; Danforth, who was a shoemaker, and kept the toll-gate for years between Haddam and Higganum; and Oreb, a mechanic in New Haven, who left a large family. John Turner's second wife, Ruth Ar- nold, died in 1810, leaving one child, John A. His third wife, Amelia, died in 1834. She was the mother of the following named chil- dren: Elizabeth Ruth, born in 1812, married Elijah Stevens, and died in Deep River. James, born in 1815, was the grandfather of Benja- min F. Turner. A child born in 1818, died in infancy. Amelia Louisa, born in 1820, mar- ried Ansel Clark, and died in Deep River. Joseph, born in 1822, died in Tuscaloosa, Ala ..

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where he was a wealthy planter before the Civil war ; as a man from the North he was ex- posed to suspicion, and all his property was confiscated by the Rebel Government, reducing him to comparative penury. Benjamin, born in 1825, an adventurous character, joined Walker's expedition to Central America, where he died from cholera ; a surveyor on the Pana- ma Canal, he was forced to join the Expedi- tion ; his widow remarried, and is now the widow of Enos Thomas, residing at Westfield, Mass. One of their two children lives in West- field.

James Turner, noted above, was early thrown on his own resources, and made his own way in the world. When a young man he worked in Meriden, and was there married to Sarah M. Perkins, born in Meriden in 1812, daughter of Liberty Perkins. They had two children, as follows: (1) John A., the father of Benjamin F., was born March 25, 1839. (2) Mary P., born July 24. 1843, married Oliver W. Woodworth, and is now a resident of Middletown, Conn. About 1840 James Turner removed to Pameacha, and from there, six years later, to Yalesville, where he remained only a short time, returning to Middletown, where he afterward lived. For a time he worked in a lock shop for Nathaniel Bacon, but failing health necessitated a change of occu- pation, and he took up the business of selling tinware through the country from wagons. Af- ter following this for a time, and finding his health improved, he bought out the small es- tablishment of N. B. & Miner Smith, on Main street, in Middletown, and presently worked into an exclusive grocery business, in which he had the assistance of his son, John A. This business he sold to Burr Brothers, and bought the establishment of Spencer & Dickinson, which he managed for two years. After some business changes, he built the store where Ben- jamin F. Turner is now doing business, and was established there until his death, in 1885. His wife died in 1893, and both are buried in Pine Grove cemetery.

John A. Turner, the father of Benjamin F .. was born in Meriden, March 25. 1839. and was a child when his parents removed to Mid- dletown, where he was reared. When a young man he worked for a time for Nathaniel Smith, the baker, and was then associated with his father in business. About the close of the war he went to Durham, where he became in

terested not only in a hotel, which he conduct- ed, but also in stage lines between Durham and Middletown, and between Pameacha and the railroad depot at Middletown. About 1874 he became proprietor of the "Kilbourn House," in Middletown, where he spent some time. His last years were passed in Montreal. Canada, where he was in business, and where he died in 1898. Mr. Turner married Jemima Bailey, who was born in Higganum, a descend- ant of one of the old families of Haddam, and died in 1880. To this union were born : Ben- jamin F .; Sarah, who married Warren Ful- ler, of Amesbury, Mass. : a daughter who died in infancy : James O., who died in Middletown in 1889, leaving a widow and one child: and Amelia L .. Mrs. George M. Selleck, of Green- wich, Connecticut.

Benjamin F. Turner was born March 1 ;. 1860, in Middletown. and obtained his educa- tion in the schools of that city and in those of Durham, where several years of his boyhood were passed. Leaving the high school at Mid- dletown when he was sixteen years old, he took a position as clerk with his grandfather. James Turner, and remained in his employ un- til 1884. That year the firm of B. F. Turner & Co., with George 11. Nichols as the associ- ate of Mr. Turner, took over the business of the elder Turner, and they continued in suc- cessful operation until 1800. In the latter year Mr. Turner bought out the interest of Mr. Nichols, becoming the sole owner of the bush- ness, and has continued as such up to the pres- ent time. Since 1876 he has been at his pires ent stand, and he has built up a very fine pa- tronage. He was a member of the board of di- rectors of the New England Retail Grocers' Pub. Co.

Mr. Turner was married November 28. 1883. 10 Miss Jennie Stevens, who was born in Killingworth June 6, 1861, daughter of Da- vid K. and Flora ( Snow ) Stevens, A sketch of her father appears elsewhere They have four children : Mima, Franklin G. Clche Olive and Nelson B. Mis. Turner belongs to the Congregational Church, is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and is a popu- lar and estimable lads Mlr Turner is a Ma- son of high degree, And one of the hard work - ing and reliable members of the interimty Hc is past master of St John's Lodge, Nica, F &. A M. . is emoled in Washington Chapter. -

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8, K. T .: and Pyramid Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. For five years he was district deputy for the Grand Lodge in Middlesex county. For some years Mr. Turner was clerk and treasurer of his school district, and he is deeply inter- ested in the progress of the schools. He is a Republican, and strong in his party faith, but not a politician. A representative business man, Mr. Turner has hosts of friends in the city, and may well be proud of his high stand- ing.

GEORGE I. ALLEN, the present efficient and popular postmaster at Middletown, Mid- dlesex county, though a young man, and of comparatively brief citizenship in that place, has by his tact and abilities rapidly forged his way to the front, and is making his influence felt in the community in which he has cast his lot.

Born April 7, 1869, in Bridgeport, Conn., Mr. Allen is a son of Wilson and Adelia (Gibbs ) Allen, the former of whom was a na- tive of Morristown, N. J. They had two chil- dren: George I. and Lewis, the last named being a resident of Bridgeport, Conn. Shortly after the birth of our subject the parents took up their residence in New Haven, and here, in the public schools, he received his education. Mr. Allen's mother died

when he was but a child, and he has made his own way in the world from early youth. When but a boy he worked in shops and later was engaged at various kinds of work, in different sections of the country. Thus he had come in contact with, and seen of the world, when yet in his 'teens, what many in the ordinary walks of life would not see in an average lifetime. The ex- perience to him was valuable, and early in life gave him a knowledge of men and things. In 1885 he removed to Middletown, where he en- tered the employ of Henry Ward, a shoe mer- chant, and it may be here stated that every move from the very start in his career seemed to conspire to his popularity and success. His courteous, accommodating manner as a clerk is quite as apparent in his present position as postmaster, and he is one of the most popular of the younger men of the town-one whose acquaintance includes leading and prominent men all over the State. Mr. Allen was ap- pointed postmaster at Middletown July I, 1898, when but a few months over twenty-nine years of age, and was the choice from appli-

cants among whom were prominent and old cit- izens. In fact, his appointment was regarded as a foregone conclusion from the time he en- tered the race, and was particularly gratifying to his many friends in both the city and State. He is one of the youngest postmasters of offices of the Middletown class in the State; in 1902 he was appointed to succeed himself for a sec- ond term.

Early in life Mr. Allen became identified with St. John's Lodge, F. & A. M., rapidly passed through the different bodies of the fra- ternity, and was knighted in Cyrene Command- ery ; he is a member of Pyramid Temple, Mys- tic Shrine, of Bridgeport. He is also affili- ated with Apollo Lodge, K. P., at Middletown ; and with Middletown Lodge, No. 771, B. P. O. E., of which he was a charter member, and the first member elected to the position of es- teemed loyal knight. Some years after locat- ing in Middletown, Mr. Allen became identi- fied with the National Guard of the State, join- ing Company H, Second Regiment (Mans- field Guards), in which he was soon promoted to sergeant, then to paymaster and commissary, with the rank of first lieutenant, and he is well known in military circles throughout the State; at present he is on the retired list of the State militia. From boyhood Mr. Allen has taken an active interest in politics, and, being possessed of good executive ability, he soon rose to prom- inence in and usefulness to his party. He has served as chairman of the Republican town committee, has been president of the Republican State League, and at present is vice-president of same. In the Young Men's Republican Club of Middletown he has always taken an active part; was a delegate to the National Conven- tion of the Republican League in Louisville, Ky., and became especially prominent during the State campaign in 1894, which resulted in the election of O. Vincent Coffin as governor of Connecticut, his influence in the county being thrown to Mr. Coffin's support. On the forma- tion of the State Highway Commission, Mr. Allen was made clerk of the board, and he held the position until his appointment, in 1898, to the office of postmaster at Middletown. In

1896 he was one of the Presidential Electors from Connecticut, and cast one of the six elec- toral votes of the State for William McKinley for President ; he was one of the youngest of the electors, being but twenty-seven years old.

On November 18, 1891, Mr. Allen was mar-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ried to Miss May L., daughter of Col. George D. and Hannah L. (Hatch) Chapman. Our subject and his wife are communicants of the Episcopal Church. Socially he is a member of the Arawana Golf Club, the Middletown Club and the Country Club, all of Middletown.

CHARLES SELANDER. Though old in historic associations, Connecticut numbers among her honored citizens many whose lin- eage is traced in other lands and whose pres- ent place of residence has been comparatively brief. One of the younger farmers of the town of Durham, Middlesex county, who is distinctively a self-made man, and whose en- ergy, thrift and foresight bid fair to make him, in future years, a still more prominent farmer in the community wherein he has cast his lot and his fortune, is Charles Selander. He is a native of Malmo, in the northern part of Swe- den, where he was born September 19, 1870, and which place he left at the age of ten for a new home in America.

Olef Selander, the father of Charles, was born in Sweden in 1841, and was a mechanic. He came to the United States in 1879, locat- ing in New Britain, Conn., where he secured employment in a factory, and where he contin- ued to reside until his death, January 1, 1898; he is buried in New Britain. In Sweden he married Cecelia Herriander, who was born De- cember 29, 1833, and who survives him, mak- ing her home with her son Charles. Five chil- dren were born to Olef and Cecelia Selander, as follows: ( 1) John, who married Christine Nielson, is a butcher in New Britain. (2) Magnus, who married Mary Anderson, is a farmer at Southington, Conn. (3) Charles died in infancy. (4) Charles (2) is our sub- ject proper. (5) August, who married Jen- nie Norin, is a brass molder in New Britain.

Charles Selander attended the district schools in Sweden, and came to the United States with his mother in 1880, one year af- ter the arrival of his father and eldest brother, John. Here he continued his education, attend- ing the Rockland school, on Kensington street, in New Haven, for a short time. After leay- ing school he found employment in the Union Works, New Britain, at drill work. He was there about three years, and was next employed in the finishing room of the Stanley Works at New Britain for nearly a year. He then worked for his brother John, driving a butcher's cart

through New Britain, remaining with him nine years, or until March, 1898. when, with his savings, he purchased his present place, known as the "Tibballs' farm." a tract of ninety-nine acres. It had been for many years a rented farm. and was in a sad state of neglect, but Mr. Selander has already made many improve- ments, and is rapidly converting it into a splen- did farm. He is engaged in general farming and dairying.

On January 1. 1896, Mr. Selander married Sophia Johnson, who was born in West Hart- ford, October 7, 18;2, daughter of AAndrew and Johanna ( Henderson) Johnson. Her father was a native of Central Sweden, born near Lake Wener, where he engaged in farming. He came to the United States in 1868, as did also his future wife, and they were married in New York. They now reside in New Britain. Conn. Sophia Johnson was one of a family of eight children, namely: Sophia ( Mrs. Selan- der ). Albin. Charles, Alfred, Emma. Fannie. Carrie and Lillian.

Mr. and Mrs. Selander have two children : Florence, born October 12. 1896, and Carol E .. born December 2, 1808. Mr. and Mrs. Selan- dler are active members of the Swedish Bethany Church. of New Britain. In politics he is a Republican, and fraternally he is a member of the Vega Society of New Britain. Our sub- ject began life in the new land without a dol- lar, and by his reliance, energy and thrift has already advanced far along the highway to snc- cess.

DANTELS BROTHERS, founders and proprietors of "Mill Brook Dairy Farm." in Johnson Lane District, town of Middletown. four miles south of the city, are without a doubt the representative men in their line of business in Middlesex county. 'The history of the busi- ness founded by these gentlemen, together with the success that has come to them. furnishes ample and unmistakable evidence of the value and profit of modern, up to date methods over the old-time practices Starting with i capi tal that resolved itself into then push, energy and self-reliance, they have mailed, fought their way to the top, and meddentall estale lished the efficacy of few metleals, hattaning meantime a substantial position 100 the business world, and a reputation for the unterm excel lence of their products, To then ongmality and ingenuity may be largely attributedl many

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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 167

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