Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 175

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 175

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The others were: John R., who died at birth ; Georgiana, who died December 3, 1892; and Mary G., who died January 4, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Hale are prominent Methodists, in which church he has been recording steward, and is at present a member of the board of stewards. In politics he is a Democrat, but is not willing that unfit men should hold office under the sanction of the party name. A man of intel- ligence, liberal and hospitable, he is interested in local improvement, and ready to lend a hand to anything good.

WILLIAM E. HUNGERFORD, for many years one of the representative farmers and prominent citizens of the town of East Haddam, Middlesex county, has spent his en- tire life there, and belongs to one of its leading families. His grandfather, Capt. Zachariah Hungerford, was born in Hadlyme Society, the same town, and continued to make his home there until called to his final rest, No- vember 1, 1816, at the age of seventy-six years. His wife and three children survived him. His daughters were Lydia, who married Roswell Cone and had one son, Shaler ; and Lucy, who married Titus Willey and moved to Vermont and later to New York State.

The only son, Zachariah Hungerford, fa- ther of William E., was also born in Hadlyme Society, East Haddam, in October, 1778, and he died July 8, 1864. He was an extensive farmer and land owner, having at one time up- ward of 1,000 acres of land, and he also en- gaged in lumbering, though much of that work he let out by contract ; the greater part of the lumber gotten out by him was for shipbuilding purposes. In politics he was originally a Whig, and united with the Republicans on the birth of that party, though he was always an ad- mirer of Andrew Jackson. He held various local offices and also served as grand juror. On one occasion he rode horseback to Middle- town, served as foreman of the jury on three cases and returned home, all in a single day. Al- though not a church member Mr. Hungerford believed in Christianity. His estimable wife held membership in the Hadlyme Congrega- tional Church. In her maidenhood she was Miss Anna Lord, a native of Westchester, town of Colchester, New London Co., Conn., and a daughter of Ezekiel Lord. She was born in 1783, and died July 4, 1849. Mr. and Mrs. Hungerford had four children, of whom

William Ezekiel, our subject, is the youngest. Zachariah Lord, the eldest, married Asenith Fowler and lived in Moodus, where he died at the age of sixty-one years. John B. married Emily Skinner, of East Hampton, by whom he had two children, Emma A. and Warren S., and was engaged in farming in Millington, where he died at the age of seventy-four. Mary Ann is the widow of Aaron Grover, of Tol- land. Conn., and has one son, William.

William E. Hungerford was born Decem- ber 3, 1826, in Hadlyme Society, town of East Haddam, where he grew to manhood, at- tending the district schools and also a select school conducted by the Rev. Stephen A. Lo- per. Reared on his present farm, he early be- came familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and throughout his active life devoted his energies to farming, coming into possession of the old homestead on his father's death. In 1859 he built a saw- mill run by water power, and successfully op- erated the same until 1893, being engaged quite extensively in lumbering. He pros- pered in all his undertakings, becoming one of the large land owners and substantial citizens of East Haddam.

In the town of Tolland, Tolland Co., Conn., Mr. Hungerford was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Frances Sumner, a daughter of William A. and Anna ( Washburn) Sumner. She was born April 26, 1832. Two sons blessed this union : William Sumner, the el- der, was born August 3, 1854, and besides his common school training attended Williston Seminary, at East Hampton, Mass., and Yale College, graduating from the latter in 1871. He became a mining engineer, which necessi- tated considerable travel, and he has been con- nected with mining operations in Austria, Rus- sia and Switzerland, as well as in this country. He has spent much time in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Colorado, New Mexico and Ari- zona, and during his stay in the West met with many experiences that were more common in the days of the "forty-niner." Returning East he became connected with gold mining north of Atlanta, Ga., and later was with the Lawn Mower iron works of Virginia, and with Mr. Winslow, who carried on monitor building. At the request of a college friend he went to Jersey City and soon took entire charge of the William Ames Company, manufacturers of car-couplings, railroad spikes, etc., being

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with them for the past eight or ten years. He first married Cora Faxton, a Virginia lady, who died in New York, and for his second wife married Mary Church, an adopted daughter of Mrs. Billinger, his maternal aunt. By his second marriage he has a daughter, Ruth, born in December, 1899. Clarence W., the younger son of our subject, was born in East Haddam, July 30, 1864, and was educated at Williston Seminary and the Wesleyan Seminary at Wil- braham, Mass., but owing to ill health did not complete the course at the latter institution. For a time he was salesman for the Un- derwood Belting Company, and for a number of years past has been a representative of the William Ames Company, of Jersey City-a concern doing a large business and making large shipments of railroad iron to South Af- rica. He married May Ives, of Meriden, Conn., and they have two children, Halah and Clarence I. In a historical and biographical sketch given in a booklet issued by the Had- lyme Congregational Church in 1895, the two sons of our subject are spoken of as follows : "Hadlyme boys who have earned a high repu- tation for their educational accomplishments and Christian characters." Mr. and Mrs. Hun- gerford also have an adpoted daughter. . \n- nie, now the wife of Franklin Brooks of East Haddam.

By his ballot Mr. Hungerford always sup- ports the man and measures of the Democratic party, and as one of the prominent and influ- ential citizens of his community he has been called upon to fill various official positions, such as assessor, clerk and treasurer of the school district, and collector of the town from 1850 to 1860, with the exception of one term. He attends and supports the Hadlyme Con- gregational Church and is held in high regard by all who know him.

The SUMNER Family, of which Mrs. Hun- gerford is a member, trace their descent to William Sumner, who was born in Bicester. England, in 1605. In 1625 he married Mary West, and in 1636 he came to America, set- tling in Dorchester, Mass. He died in 1688.

(J1) William Sumner (2), son of Will iam and Mary, was born in Bicester, Oxford shire, England, and came to AAmerica with his father. He married Elizabeth Clement, of Dorchester, and moved to Boston, where he died in 1675.

(Hf) Clement Summer, son of William (2)

and Elizabeth, was born in Boston, Septem- ber 6, 1671, and made that city his home. On May 18. 1698, he married Margaret Harris.

(IV) William Sumner (3), son of Clem- ent and Margaret, was born at Boston March IS, 1699. He was a physician by profession, and first located in Hebron, and later moved to Clermont. N. H., where he died March 4. 1778. On October 1.1. 1721. he married Ilan- nah, daughter of Thomas Hunt, of Lebanon. Connecticut.

(V ) Reuben Sumner, son of William (3). and Hannah, was born at Hebron, May 29. 1727, and on March 6, 1754, married Eliza- beth Mack. They continued to reside in Hebron, and there he died April 2. 1807.

(VI) William Sumner (4), son of Reu- ben and Elizabeth, was born at Hebron Sep- tember 22. 1,01. On June 3, 1784, he mar- ried Jemima Tarbox. He was a prominent member of the Congregational Church, and in that faith died May 7. 1838.

(VII) William Augustus Sumner, son of William (4), and father of Mrs. Hungerford. was born at Hebron . May 16, 1792, and died at Tolland, Conn., where most of his life was passed, August 21, 1868. For forty years he was a deacon of the Baptist Church. He mar- ried Annie Washburn, and nine children blessed this union: (1) Abigail, born April 6. 1817, married in September. 1838. O. N. Lull, of Chambersburg, l'a. (2) Maria Anna, born March 26, 1810. married May 3. 1846, K. H. Agard, of Stafford, and died May 20. 1808. (3) Jemima, born July 8. 1821. die July 5. 18.11. (4) Laura, born February 8. 18244. married ( first) in 1851. Hartwell Shel don, of Stafford, and (second) in 1800. Ml vin Clark, of Coventry ; She died m 1801. (5) William, born at Tolland April 3, 1820, 11.11 ried in 1857. Juliaette C. Bishop, of Holland. and died at Hartford in 180; He had three children, two of whom died young, the other. Edith, married Res. Sammel Simpson (0) Augustus, born at Tolland, Conn, March 22. 1828, was married three times, and died at St Louis, Mo., in 1885. His third wife, five sons Augustus, Monzo, Edwin, Hem W und Charles and one daughter-Illen sinvive. most of them residing m a new Si Los. (;) Edwin George, born at Tolland, Coam , May 15, 1830, graduated at Vale Medical Col- lege in 1855 He was a member of the Legis Mature from Mansfield in 1825, and again in

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1883. On November 13, 1855, he married Mary S. Hinckley, of Mansfield, who died April 5, 1859, and he married second, April 12, 1860, Ellen M. Hinckley, a sister of his first wife. He has two children, Mary H. who married W. D. Chamberlin, of Dayton, Ohio; and Nellie M., who married Virgil L. Brooks, also of Dayton, Ohio. (8) Ellen Fran- ces, born in Tolland, April 26, 1832, married in June, 1852, William E. Hungerford, of East Haddam. (9) Elliot Benjamin, born at Tolland, August 22, 1834, married October 3, 1861, Sarah Farnham, of Willimantic, who died May 1, 1881. Two children were born of this marriage: William A., who lives at home; and Florence A., who married Thomas A. Southward, of Cambridge, Mass. In No- vember, 1899, Elliot B. married Mary Farn- ham, a sister of his first wife, and he died Oc- tober 14, 1900.

EDWARD A. PECK. The Pecks are an old and well established family in Connecti- cut.

Zalmon S. Peck, the grandfather of Ed- ward A., was a resident of Newtown, Conn., and his son, Austin L., the father of Edward A., lived in Hartford. The family history is published under his name, where it is fully treated.

Austin L. Peck was father to the following children : Edward A. was born June 12, 1868; Harry H., born February 7, 1870, who mar- ried Alice Grow, of Chicago (now deceased), is engaged in the lumber business at Hart- ford, Conn .; Theodore, born March 17, 1874, resides in Brooklyn, N. Y.

Edward A. Peck was born in Waterbury, Conn., where he attended the public and clas- sical schools, and at the age of seventeen he began in his father's lumber office as book- keeper, a work to which he devoted the next half dozen years of his life. At the expiration of this period he moved to Hartford, where he went into business for himself as an importer of window glass. In this enterprise he was very successful. and in 1897 he became a mem- ber of the Capitol City Lumber Company, of which he was one of the organizers, and in which he is still a stock holder and director. in 1897 he purchased the Fair View Farm, just north of the village of Saybrook, where he is very extensively engaged in farming and

dairying. For a time he was a stockholder in the Brass City Lumber Company.

On June 19, 1888, Mr. Peck was married in Holyoke, Mass., to Cora W., daughter of John H. and Libbie L. ( Wallace) Hall, and granddaughter of George and Catherine (Os- born) Hall, natives of Torrington, Conn. The Wallace family is from Ansonia, Conn. The children of John H. and Libbie L. (Wallace) Hall were: Cora W., born February 12, 1870; George W., born January 22, 1874, resides in Bridgeport, where he married Ida Brown; Wallace Osborn, born September 30, 1876. To Mr. and Mrs. Peck have been born four chil- dren: Helen Josephine, born March 20, 1890; Wallace Horatio, February 2, 1892; Frederick Hall, May 13, 1894; and Susan Elizabeth, September 30, 1896. In politics Mr. Peck is a Democrat, and in 1898 and 1899 he served as grand juror from Old Say- brook.

GUSTAF B. CARLSON, attorney and counselor at law, and United States referee in bankruptcy at Middletown, is probably as young a man in his position as there is to be found in New England. He has made his own way in life, and by dint of industry, abil- ity and an indomitable spirit has pushed to the front, and it is safe to say that there are few young men in the State to-day, no matter what their endowments of wealth and friends, who have any brighter or more promising future than lies before him.

Mr. Carlson was born at Hammar, Swe- den, June 10, 1870, and is a son of Otto L. Carlson, who emigrated to the United States in 1872, and settled at Higganum, Conn. The father followed mechanical labor in that old and historic Connecticut town for some years, while he was making himself thoroughly fa- miliar with American customs and ways. In 1883 he opened a grocery store at Higganum, which establishment he conducted until 1894. He was also in business for a time in Middle- town, and owned and carried on a farm. While in the grocery business he began the bottling of root beer, and this business, which was a side line at first, gradually took on large proportions, and became a leading interest in the county. He established the Granite Rock Springs Bottling Works, and for a number of years did a large business in that line. For

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some years, however, Mr. Carlson has not been so much interested in the bottling business as he has been in farming. He took a piece of wild land, which he has transformed into a valuable and productive farm. The bottling works are under the management of the sons, who have built up an extensive business, man- ufacturing all kinds of carbonated beverages. Otto L. Carlson and his wife have had children as follows : Gustaf B .; Beda L., the wife of J. Edward Brainerd, of Newark, N. J .; Charles B., manager of the Granite Rock Springs Bottling Works, at Higganum; Edward B., who is employed in the bottling works; Jen- nie, who died in infancy; and Annie, who is home. The father is a Republican in politi- cal sentiment. He is a good citizen, and has reared a family that would do credit to any parentage.

Gustaf B. Carlson began his schooling in Higganum; graduated from the Preparatory School at Mount Hermon, Mass., in 1891, and immediately entered the Academic Department of Yale. He was graduated from that insti- tution in 1895, and studied law in the office of Hon. A. B. Calef, in Middletown, being ad- mitted to the Bar in June, 1898. He imme- diately opened an office for the practice of his profession, locating in Middletown. The young lawyer was appointed to succeed Hon. A. B. Calef as referee in bankruptcy in Au- gust, 1900. This was a high compliment, and one that has been rarely, if ever, paid to so young a man.

Mr. Carlson was formerly the business head of the bottling works, and did much to- ward putting that institution on its present solid foundation. He is a Republican politically. and a member of the Iligganum Congregation- al Church. He has been quite actively asso- ciated with public school affairs, having given much thought to the public schools.

THOMAS H. PRATT, president of The Pratt Chemical Company, and a very substan- tial and well-known resident of Clinton, Mid dlesex county, is a member of one of the old est families of New England.

Mr. Pratt was born in St. Louis, Mo., Aug ust 16, 1869, a son of Charles R. and Eliza- beth F. ( Shoemaker) Pratt. His educational advantages were excellent, his primary edi-

cation being received in the common schools of his native city, and later he was graduated from Foster's Military Academy, of St. Louis. Later he entered the Hopkins grammar school. in New Haven. Con., leaving there to enter the Sheffield Scientific School. While on a pleasure cruise from New Haven in his ele- gantly appointed yacht, which was one of the most complete that ever entered the Clinton harbor, Mr. Pratt was so favorably impressed with the beauty of the town and shore, that he decided to make this place his home. In pur- suance of this object, in 1893. he purchased property overlooking the harbor, on which he soon began the erection of a magnificent resi- dence, with appropriate surroundings. Later his mother and brother followed his example. but the latter has disposed of his fine home and removed to New York City. The elegant structure which Mr. Pratt has made an adori- ment to the landscape, is known as "Bohemia." and is located on Point Breeze, and is one of the most imposing residences on the Connecti- cut coast. Its furnishings and finishings are reputed to be equal to any home in the State. One feature of the furnishing is a library val- ued at $25,000, filled with the choicest litera- ture, including complete sets of works on me chanical engineering, of which our subject has a complete understanding. Mr. Pratt has been gifted with what may be called a genius for mechanics, and had fortune required him carn his subsistence by a display of his hit ural ability in this direction, he could have done so many times over.

Mr. Pratt is an enthusiastic sportsman, and at his hospitable home he entertains hus friends lavishly, many of the social functions of the locality being under his patronage. 1hs wm ters are spent in New York, but every summer the great house on the Point is thrown open,

The Pratt Chemical Company was migml ized in the fall of iso;, with Thomas Il Pratt as president, the business being the dis tilling of the finest quality of witch hazel The distillery and laboratory are heated at Om ton, and, giving work to a large number of employes, this is mostly regarded as one of the important industries of the locality, The plant is modern, melding stills for the retbler- mg ốt the extract, which have been maile after Vi, Pratt s own ideas and me in superior to

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anything of the kind to be found elsewhere. The product is sold largely to druggists, in bottle or bulk, the main office being located at No. 1.47 Duane street, New York. Mr. Pratt claims for his product that it contains more of the essential oil than any other witch hazel on the market.

Mr. Pratt married Etta Wallace, of Roch- ester, N. H. A very pleasing, generous and charitable young man, he is considered one of the valuable acquisitions to this part of Mid- dlesex county. Fraternally he is connected with Hiram Lodge, F. & A. M., of New Ha- ven, and he also belongs to the college frater- nity, Phi Sigma. Socially he is very popular, and is a member of the Clinton Yacht club, the New Haven Yacht club, the Lake Cham- plain Yacht club, the Corinthian Yacht club at Marble Neck, and the New York Athletic club.

HENRY M. SNELL. Among the prom- inent business concerns of Deen River, one that deserves special mention is the one con- ducted by H. M. Snell and M. W. Potter, for the manufacture of wire novelties. By their excellent business methods, the high quality of their goods and originality of designs, they have built up a large trade and taken their places among the representative manufacturers of the town.

The Snell family is one of the oldest in New England. John Snell was in Boston in 1669. Thomas Snell lived in Bridgewater, Mass., and he had a son Thomas, born 1671, who was the largest landholder in the town. There was a Christopher Snell in Dover, N. H., in 1671, and George N., who was a mariner, and who died 1708, may have been a son of Christopher.

Henry M. Snell was born August 9, 1860, at Taunton, Mass., a son of Thomas Mason and Mary (Claflin) Snell. Mary Claflin was a daughter of Comfort Claflin, of Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Daniel Snell, the grandfather of Henry M., was one of the pioneer cotton manufac- turers of Connecticut. He was born at Moos- up, that State, where he grew to manhood, and married. For many years he conducted a large cotton factory in the town of Plainfield, Conn., but owing to an accident he was unable to continue in active business for some years prior to his death, which occurred in 1878. His family consisted of : Thomas Mason; Mary

F .; Sarah, deceased; Alice, now Mrs. Almy, of Plainfield ; Emma S., now Mrs. Payne; and Mrs. Arnold, whose husband was superintend- ent after the accident of the grandfather.

Thomas Mason Snell, father of our sub- ject, was born in Moosup, November 2, 1832. Here he grew to manhood, thoroughly learn- ing the cotton business of his father, finally being entrusted with the establishment of new plants. In this capacity, he went to Attleboro, Mass., where an active interest was being awakened in cotton manufacture. After many years engaged in that work he took charge of the real estate business for John I. Brown & Sons, of Boston, Mass., continuing in this business until a year prior to his death. His last days were spent in Attleboro, where he died July 23, 1892. While living in that town he met and married Mary Claflin, a daughter of Comfort Claflin. She died when our subject was but two and one-half years old. In politics he was a strong Republican, and took a great interest in the workings of that party.

Henry Mason Snell was the only child of his parents, and went to Attleboro, Mass., when quite young, where he lived with relatives, and attended the common schools. Later he went to Providence, R. I., graduating from school there in 1878, and then took a short business course in a college of that city. Returning to Attle- boro, Mr. Smith secured a position as book- keeper for C. I. Cobb & Co., with whom he re- mained for over a year, when he removed to Providence, R. I., and for an equal time kept the books for Amos C. Barstow. In 1884, Mr. Snell came to Deep River as bookkeeper for Pratt, Read & Co., the large piano kev manu- facturers, continuing in their employ until August, 1885, when, in conjunction with M. W. Potter, he purchased the wire novelty plant of the J. A. Smith Manufacturing Company, and has ever since been engaged in the manu- facture of the wire novelties. The business has increased so largely that the plant is kept running all the year round, and employment is given to fifty persons.

Mr. Snell was married, at Deep River, to Emma Bull, daughter of George A. and Mittie (Williams) Bull, the former a native of Es- sex, Conn., and the latter a daughter of Calvin and Eunice Williams, Mr. Williams belonging to one of the old Connecticut families. Mr. Bull was born in Essex June 16, 1819, and

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was for many years a contractor for the Rus- sell Jennings Manufacturing Company. He died February 7, 1897 ; his wife, who was born April 7, 1824, still survives him. To Mr. and Mrs. George A. Bull the following family were born : George Edward, deceased ; Eunice Williams, who married O. P. Morse, of Minerva, Essex Co., N. Y .; Emma; and Ezra, deceased.

Since coming to Deep River, Mr. Snell has prominently identified himself with the Repub- lican party, of which he is a stanch supporter. and has ably represented it upon several oc- casions, reflecting honor upon himself, his constituents and the office he filled. For many years he served on the board of relief ; since 1891 he has been a member of the school board, and was the chairman ; and he is now chairman of the Republican Town committee. From 1893 to 1897, he served on the board of county commissioners, and in 1899 he rep- resented the town of Saybrook, in the General Assembly, where he served on the committee on Incorporations. Mrs. Snell is a member of the Deep River Baptist Church, which Mr. Snell attends, and towards which he contrib- utes liberally. Having worked his way up to his present comfortable position, he is enabled to understand the trials of those less fortunate, and is a sympathetic employer, a kind friend. a public-spirited citizen, and in his home, a loving husband.

EDWIN HAMILTON BIDWELL, M. D., for a number of years a popular and successful physician of East Haddam, belongs to a family whose history is interwoven with the annals of this part of the state for more than two hundred years.

John Bidwell, the first American ancestor, had a tanyard in 1639: he had land in East Hartford in 1666, and he also owned extensive tracts of land and other property in Hartford. where he died in 1687. He was married to Sarah, a daughter of John and Mary Wilcox. Their children were: Jolm (2), Joseph, who died in 1602: Samuel, born in 1650, died April 5. 1715: Sarah; Hannah; Mary; and Daniel, boru 1655, died November 25, 1710.

John Bidwell (2), son of John, was born about 1641, and he died July 3. 1092. He in herited all his father's lands and buildings west of the river, and in 1067 started the first som mill in Glastonbury. In after years he ow ned

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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 175

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