Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 180

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 180

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On October 29, 1875, in his native town, Mr. Fredrickson was married to Augusta Mo- . berg, a native of Bowe, Sweden, and she has been to him a real companion and helpmate. No children were born to them, but they adopted their niece, Amanda Anderson, and not only gave her tender parental care, but also their name. She was sent to school in Ivory- ton and later to a Seminary at East Greenwich. R. I., where she was graduated, in 1897. a beautiful and accomplished young lady. On Thanksgiving Day, 1900, she became the wife of William Beattie, of Hartford. Conn. Mr. Fredrickson is a Republican in politics. All his life he has been a hard-working man, and has never wished for office in his adopted conn- try, where on account of his industry and energy, he has succeeded so well. Socially he is connected with Essex Lodge, New Eng- land Order of Protection. No family is held in higher esteem in Ivoryton than is that of Peter G. Fredrickson.

HON. EDBERT D. HAMMOND. The Hammond family from which this gentleman descends long lived in Vermont.

Darwin A. Hammond, father of Hon. Ed bert D., was a native of Mount Holly, Vt.

where he was engaged in a mercantile business. In his later life he became a stock dealer and a farmer of Wardsboro, where he died. Dar- win Hammond was married to Laura, daugh- ter of Levi Fitts, who is yet living in Brad- ford, Vt. Their children were: Fred .A .. who married Clara Lamb, is assistant jailer in a prison at Worcester. Mass. : Clara I ... who married John H. Watson. a judge of the Supe- rior Court, lives at Montpelier, Vt. ; Edbert Darwin is our subject : Arthur E., who married Helen Horton, is in the brokerage business at Minneapolis, Minn. : Irene L. married Elbert Leonard, editor of the St. Johns (Vt. ) Re- publican.

Hon. Edbert D. Hammond, the secretary. treasurer and general manager of the Crom- well Co-operative Creamery Company, and an active and influential citizen, was born in Wardsboro. Vt., August 7. 1857, and received his primary education in the public schools of his native village. As he became older, he was a clerk for two years in a Brattleboro grocery store, and then completed his education in the private school of his uncle. John H. Watson. In 1878 Mr. Hammond came to Cromwell, and since his advent in this Commonwealth has taken a prominent part in it and its atfair -. The interest of the town has been close to his heart, and he has ever been ready to co-operate with movements calculated for its advance. ment.

In 1887 Mr. Hammond was instrumental in the organization of the Co-operative Cream- ery Company, and has made its products fa- mous all over the State. He holds, as noted above, the positions of secretary, treasurer and general manager. For five years he has been a member of the State Dairy men's Association. and he is a director of the Connecticut Cream ery Association, and a member of the State State Board of Agriculture. In the Cromwell Creamery the gathering of cream, its treatment for butter making, and its marketing, have all been reduced to a science, and butter of a qual ity never before thought possible has been turned out. The business of the dreamers has steadily increased, and it has a reputation for putting on the market butter ofnal to the very best. By improved methods of shipping the butter is delivered to as part of the State or in the lage New England efes as nich and sweet as when it leaves the hands of the IFutter maker

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Mr. Hammond is also connected with the firm of Briggs, Hammond & Mullon, artesian well drivers, and has materially assisted in de- veloping a large business. They have four rigs in operation, and have done a large busi- ness throughout Middlesex county. In 1895 Mr. Hammond was sent by the Republicans to the State Legislature where he served on the Agricultural committee, and proved a most ef- ficient member. He is a director of the Dime Savings Bank.

On December 16. 1879, Mr. Hammond was married to Miss Cora A. Smith, daughter of Luther S. and Clarissa C. (Richmond) Smith, old and prominent people of Cromwell. This union has been blessed with two children : Luther D., born July 28, 1881; and Nel- lie. Mr. Hammond is a member of Apollo Lodge, No. 33, K. P., of Middletown. He is a very jovial, whole-souled and liberal gen- tleman. He is well known throughout the county, and is very popular. Mr. Hammond and his wife are very hospitable people, and all are welcome to their pleasant and attrac- tive home.

FRANK R. DAVISON, one of the lead- ing and prosperous farmers and stock raisers of East Haddam, Middlesex county, traces his ancestry back to Wales, from which coun- try the family emigrated to America, locating in Chenango county, N. Y., where the grand- father was born, and where he grew to matur- ity and married. He engaged extensively in farming. During an epidemic of small pox the grandmother died, and the grandfather re- moved to Vermont, eventually dving in that State. His family consisted of Ann, who married William D. Cutler, of Meriden, Conn .; Benjamin, who located in Springfield, Ill .; and Roswell, the father of our subject.

Roswell Davison was born in Chenango county, N. Y., January 29, 1800, and four years later was taken to Vermont. When a young man he was bound out to an uncle, John Weaver, of Brooklyn, Conn., with whom he learned the machinist's trade, and during the period of his apprenticeship also worked in other portions of the State. The first dollar that Roswell Davison ever earned-an old Spanish dollar, bearing the date of 1821-is in the possession of his son, our subject, as well as another coin, bearing the date of 1801, which the father obtained from one of the early Had-

dam families. Being a natural genius in his line, Roswell Davison invented numerous de- vices for use in the manufacture of twine and other cotton working machinery. Later he was sent to Leesville, where some new cotton working machines were put up but failed to work through some defect in the construction, readily discovered by Mr. Davison, and the plant was soon in good order. While at Lees- ville he boarded in the family of Capt. William Wright, and there met Miss Prudence C. Wright, whom he afterward married. Her father's family was as follows: Charles D., born January 25, 1804, married Harriet Whit- more. Moses B., born September 26, 1805, married Adelia Whitmore. Mary S., born October 4, 1807, married Alphonso Hyde. Mattalena C., born February 4, 1810, married Levi Crosby. Hannah E., born January 28, 1812, married Francis G. Root. Prudence C., born May 26, 1814, married Roswell Davison, and died in 1884, aged sixty-nine years. Dan- iel M., born July 26, 1816, married Prudence Youngs. Rebecca A., born July 14, 1818, married Daniel C. Taylor. Lucy P., born De- cember 14, 1820, married Mason H. Silliman. Ann T., born August 14, 1823, married Henry F. Gardner. Jane G., born March 5, 1826, died in youth.

Elijah Root, father of Francis G. Root, mentioned in the foregoing, was born July 29, 1786, and died October 18, 1827. He married Lucy Marshall, who was born July 6, 1791, and died September 20, 1870. Their children : Almedia Marshall, born July 1, 1812, in Chat- ham, Conn., married Warren Gates, of Ni- antic, Conn. Francis G., born January 19, 1814, in Millington, died November 13, 1893. Emily C., born January 12, 1816, in East Had- dam, Conn., died November 25, 1832. Daniel M., born October 7, 1819, in Marlborough, Conn., died in August, 1840. Henry R. was born April 23. 1822, in Marlborough. Jane E., born November 9, 1824, in Marlbor- ough, married a Mr. Welch, of New Haven, Conn. Elijah D., born October 20, 1857, in Marlborough, lives in New York; he was never married.

After his marriage Roswell Davison de- cided to locate in Leesville, and soon became identified with various manufacturing inter- ests. With Stanton S. Card, he built what is known as Johnson's lower mill, and later Pur- ple's lower mill, and also Purple's east mill.

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For some time Mr. Davison engaged in the manufacture of gimlets, using the screw point, an invention of Orville Percival, and was also associated with William E. Nichols in the Red Mill and at Leesville. In 1850 he disposed of his manufacturing interests, and thereafter de- voted his time to farming, making a specialty of tobacco, purchasing the farm now owned and occupied by Sidney S. Carter, later buy- ing the Williams place, where our subject now lives, owning at the time of his death, about 200 acres in the town of East Haddam. Politically, he was a radical Democrat, and he served as probate judge of the town of' East Haddam for many years. Fraternally he was a Mason, being connected with Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 41. This gentleman was a man of strong convictions, and never hesi- tated to express them, no matter what the personal consequences might be.

Of the children born to Roswell Davison and wife, the eldest died in infancy, and the fourth at the age of ten; Nora Isabella, born September 24, 1847, married J. G. Palmer, by whom she had two children, Ray S. and Margie B., and she died October 8, 1877; and Frank R. The death of Roswell Davison occurred on July 2, 1869, and his loss was deeply mourned, the community losing a good citizen, and his family a loving member.

Frank R. Davison was born near Moodus, in the town of East Haddam, June 30, 1853. He attended the public schools, and after com- pleting a course at Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Mass., in 1874, he returned to the old homestead. Here he took up the occupa- tion of farming, and is one of the best agri- culturists in the county, his acres testifying to his thorough knowledge of his work.

Mr. Davison was married to V. Elizabeth Tucker, a daughter of Richard and Ann (Pierce) Tucker, natives of England and Rhode Island, respectively, who resided in Fitchburg, Mass. Mrs. Davison was born February 26, 1860, at Worcester, Mass., re- ceived a thorough education, and has been one of the leading educators of the county for a number of years, having for four years ably conducted the Red Lane school. To Mr. and Mrs. Davison was born one child. Frank Sel den, Angust 22, 1886. In political belief Mr. Davison is a Republican, although for some years he followed the example of his father. voted the Democratic ticket. Since 1887. Mr.

Davison has been town commissioner, and he has served on the board of relief for a num- ber of years, from 1886 to 1899 was clerk and treasurer of the school district in which he lives, and was also on the school com- mittee. Both he and his accomplished wife are very popular, and deserve the high esteem they inspire.

WILLIAM O. COULTER, a leading hotel man of Old Saybrook. is a son of James E. Coulter, who was born in County Armagh. Ireland, April 21. 1821. His father, whose name is supposed to have been Thomas, was a native of Scotland, and after his marriage with Kate Fisher, of Woolwich, England, set- tled in the North of Ireland.

James E. Coulter, when eleven years old, came to the United States, making the trip under the care of the mate of the vessel, who was a friend of the family. He attended school near Albany, and soon found work in the printing office of Thurlow Weed. of that city, where he learned the trade, and won the favor of his distinguished employer to a marked degree. Office work. however, proved too confining, and after some two years or more, he was forced to give up the trade, and engage in out-door work. He became a brick layer and stone setter, and worked at this trade very successfully for many years, much of the time in the city of New York, where he had charge of the erection of many large buildings, one of the most important being the old City Opera House. At the age of thirty he had become a contractor and builder. and at the same time an influential force in city politics. He was made a captain of the oll metropolitan police, and had his office at the corner of 48th street and 8th Ave. He was promoted to be Inspector of police, and the entire city, north of 14th street was his ter- ritory. Soon after the war he was made war- den of the Tombs, which position he held for six years, and was then appointed judge of the police Court, a position he likewise fille 1 for six years. Mr. Conter was alleman and as semblyman several ternis he was herler master two terms, and to the best hunter not fice won a wide circle of friends Vagy & ou able presents were made lony from partic to whom he had extentlel Preferto me and courtesy, among which was mo local prized a valuable watch outire several han

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dred dollars, and bearing the names of a score or more of sea captains. About 1861 Mr. Coulter came to Saybrook, passing the sum- mer here, and going back to New York the following winter. At Saybrook he eventually made numerous and extensive investments, largely of dock and store properties, on the north side of the Point, though he owned an extensive tract of land in the north part of the village, and a street running through it is now called Coulter's Lane. When the Civil war broke out Mr. Coulter went to the front as an officer in the Seventy-ninth New York Scottish Highlanders, but was wounded in the second engagement in which the regiment figured, and was obliged to resign his com- mission.

While in New York Mr. Coulter took a deep interest in educational matters, and for a number of years served as school trustee. In the hall of the school on 40th street, be- tween 7th avenue and Sth avenue, a tab- let appears bearing his name in connection with other officers of the school. Mr. Coulter made a phenomenal success, when it is con- sidered that he came to this country when only eleven years of age, without a friend on this side of the ocean, save only the sailor who saw him across the water, and while his ca- reer was not without reverses, in after years he was worth many hundred thousand dol- lars. In the panic of 1873 he lost heavily, and speculations at Saratoga, N. Y., proved extremely disastrous, so that in his old age he was at the verge of ruin. He disposed, how- ever, of nearly all his city property at good figures, and about 1884 made his permanent home in Saybrook. Here he owned a grist- mill and a sawmill, and was engaged in farm- ing, devoting himself to the care of what re- mained of a very considerable fortune. With his other property here, Mr. Coulter owned the hotel which is now the property of his son. The very serious losses which he suffered dur- ing his later business years were to a great ex- tent the result of confidence in his friends, and of a liberal and generous spirit. He died at Saybrook September 30, 1896.

James E. Coulter was three times mar- ried. His first wife, Miss Ames, of Albany, bore him four children, of whom John F. lives in Saybrook ; James R. is in the Custom House in New York; Christine married David Powers, and is deceased; and Catherine mar-

ried Timothy Crotty, and is also deceased. Mrs. Julia Coulter, second wife of James E. Coulter, bore him one son and three daugh- ters : Frances M., the wife of Adrian C. Duff, of New York; Thurlow Weed, of Chi- cago; Harriet Weed, the widow of J. L. Phelps, of Essex, Conn .; and Julia F., who died young. Anna Amelia Cotter, the third wife of Mr. Coulter, was a daughter of Oliver and Anna (McMath) Cotter, and was born in Albany in 1833. She died in Saybrook Sep- tember 7, 1889. To this union were born the following: William O., whose name in- troduces this article; Edward Seymour, of Saybrook; and Thomas D., who is probate judge and town clerk of Essex.

William O. Coulter was born in the city of New York, June 1, 1868, and received his education in the city schools, being a graduate of Grammar School, No. 58, class of 1884. For a year and a half he attended the Seabury" Institute, at Saybrook. He desired to be a seaman, but his parents were not willing, and the way to the naval school at Annapolis, Md., was unexpectedly closed. When the young man was seventeen years old he came to the city of New York from Saybrook, and through the Y. M. C. A., secured a position with the Wilber Mercantile Agency at the modest salary of six dollars per week. He re- mained with them two and a half years, and during that time his salary was doubled. Sickness at home however called him back to Saybrook, and for the following fourteen months, he was employed in a grocery store owned by D. M. Holmes.

William O. Coulter was married to Mary A. Hefflon, of Saybrook, a daughter of Her- bert and Mary (Dawes) Hefflon. To them were born Harriet Phelps, July 17, 1890; William Elliot, born May 2, 1895 ; twins, who died at birth ; and Lancelot Power, born Sep- tember 12, 1899.

Like his father Mr. Coulter is strongly Democratic in his politics, and takes an active interest in the workings of the party organiza- tion. He was the chairman of the town com- mittee, and for ten years has served as regis- trar of voters. Mr. Coulter had his first experi- ence in the hotel business when he took charge of his father's hotel property at Oyster River, which he conducted very successfully for two years. In 1892 he became proprietor of the "Coulter House," and has conducted it to the

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present time, making an enviable record as a hotel man. Mr. Coulter has a first-class livery stable in connection with the hotel, and both are productive property. Socially he belongs to Fenwick Lodge, No. 20, I. O. O. F .; Lodge No. 35, B. P. O. E., at Meriden; Siloam Lodge, No. 32, F. & A. M .; Burning Bush Chapter, at Essex; Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, K. T., at Middletown; and Pyramid Tem- ple, Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Hotel Men's Association, of the Hartford Yacht Club, of the Second Company, Gov- ernor's Foot Guards, of New Haven, and of Putnam Phalanx.

CHARLES W. DOANE is a well-known and reliable citizen of Deep River, Conn., who has conducted a successful machine shop in this place since 1868, and one who has in- structed many of the successful young machin- ists who are now engaged in business through this locality.

The first record of his ancestors which Mr. Doane has was when Prince Doane and wife came from England and settled at Eastham, on Capt Cod, in 1695, his son, Prince, Jr., re- moving to Saybrook in 1734, and the latter's youngest son, James, who became the great- grandfather of our subject, located near Springfield, Mass., in 1765.

David Doane, grandson of James, was one of thirteen children, and his birth occurred in West Springfield, Mass., where he lived until his marriage, when he removed to East Long Meadow, Mass., where he engaged in farm- ing, buying land, and he died there at the early age of forty-three. He married Laura Bliss. who was born in Brattleboro, Vt., and their children were: Charles W .; Celia, who mar- ried Ralph Hopkins and lives in Springfield. Mass. : and David W., who married a Miss Brown and lives in Springfield.

Charles W. Doane was born September 15. 1834. in East Long Meadow, Mass., and re- mained there until he was seventeen years of age, attending the district schools. Removing to Meriden. Coun., Mr. Doane entered the factory of Hathaway & Beckenridge, where he continued for two years, learning the trade of machinist, beginning with wages of fifty cents per day. His residence in Meriden covered a period of four years, during which time he ran a stationary engine for one year. Fol lowing this a short time was spent in a small

hamlet near Quincy. Ill .. and when trade be- came dull he engaged in farm work for a sea- son, later obtaining employment in the running of an engine in a distillery. After one year in Illinois, Mr. Doane returned to Connecticut, securing employment in Hartford. in the ma- chine shop of Willis Thrall, this place being located then on the corner of High and Asylum streets. After a few months in this position. Mr. Doane heard of a better one at Paterson. N. J., where there was an opening in the lo- comotive works, but on July 14. 1856. at the request of Mr. Hathaway, from whom he had learned his trade, he came to Deep River. Mr. Hathaway was employed in the factory of Pratt Bros. & Co. and here our subject also secured employment in the manufacture of combs, remaining with that firm and its suc- cessors until 1868, when he crecied his own shop. For these many years Mr. Doane has carried on a very successful business in gren- eral machine work and repairing and frequent- ly employs several assistants. His reputation for thoroughness and his comprehension of all the details of the various lines of his business. have made his instructions very valuable, and he has been the instructor of many young men who now hold responsible positions as skilled mechanics.

On November 6. 1867. Mr. Doane married Miss Ellen Canty, of Deep River, who was born in 1840, a native of County Cork, Ire land, and who came to the United States when she was eleven years old. To this union have been born ; Laura H., born in 1868: John, born in 1871, died in 1874: Catherine 1 ... born in 1873: lohn C., born in 187 ;: Ellen, born in 1882; and David, born in I&S; The politics of Mr. Doane are Republican, and he has served on school committees, but he has never accepted office of a political character. Ils pleasant home was erected 1 1870, where he enjoys the comforts of lite. all earned by linn self.

ARNOLD. The name of Arnold in Had dam is inseparably linked in memory with the quarries. Isaac Arnold, in huis day, was one of the best known of the public spirited citizens of the town, and at his death lett the priceless heritage of an honorable name lase Arnold was born July 6, 1815 aim of 1 cph anl Thank inl ( Click ) Arnold, and del August 20. He received his ichtding in Masseli-

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setts, and at the age of seventeen, in connec- tion with his brother Samuel, began working a quarry property owned by the family in Had- dam. The brothers remained together until May, 1869, when Samuel died, and Isaac car- ried on the business alone, until 1885, when he retired. The business was extensively man- aged, much of the floating property that was used in transportation also belonging to them. Beyond a doubt, Samuel and Isaac Arnold were the two most prominent men in Haddam of their day. Isaac Arnold was a man of strong personality, and became distinguished in many ways. At one time an effort was made to remove the court house from Had- dam to Middletown, and a strong delegation of prominent Middletown men lobbied at Hartford for this end, but Mr. Arnold de- feated the scheme and the change was not made during his lifetime. Mr. Arnold rep- resented the town many times in the Legisla- ture, and was a delegate to the National Dem- ocratic Convention held at New York to nom- inate Horatio Sevmour for President of the United States. As a leader, he was recog- nized throughout the State. In his younger days, he connected himself with the I. O. O. F. of East Haddam.

On December 13, 1834, Isaac Arnold mar- ried Mary Ann Thomas, who was born Octo- ber I, 1816. and died August 28, 1849, a daughter of Isaiah and Mary (Brainerd) Thomas. For his second wife, Isaac Arnold wedded March 20, 1856, Maria M. Thomas, a sister of his first wife, born December 21, 1822. His children were as follows: (I) Isaac, Jr., born March 20, 1840, is a colonel in the United States service, in the Ordnance Department stationed at Pittsburg; he was ed- ucated in Westfield, Mass., and Brainerd Academy, Haddam and Wilbraham, Mass., and was graduated at West Point, in June, 1862. He entered the service as lieutenant, received his captain's commission March 7, 1867, and possesses a brilliant record for serv- ice during the Civil war. On January 13, 1864, he married Lucetta Apgar, of Hartford, Conn., and they have had six children : Henry Isaac (born December 7, 1866), Charles Ap- gar (born September 10, 1869, died January 9, 1870), Irene (born January 29, 1872), Laurence, Lucetta and Ruth. (2) Henry Smith, born March 18, 1842, died March IO,

1844. (3) Sabra Ann, widow of John M. Ingersoll, is mentioned below.

MRS. SABRA ANN (ARNOLD) INGERSOLL was born December 24, 1846, and received ex- cellent educational advantages, attending the well-known seminary of Miss Payne, in Mid- dletown, for four years. On November 12, 1872, she married John M. Ingersoll, a son of Major Edward and Harriet (Childs) Inger- soll, and to this union were born: Harriet Arnold, August 15, 1875, who was educated at Miss Patton's Seminary, in Middletown; and Charles Merritt, August 9, 1878. Both of these young people at present reside with Mrs. Ingersoll in her pleasant home. Mr. Inger- soll was born January 26, 1845, and he died March 4, 1885. He was employed in the quarries belonging to the Arnold family, at Haddam. At the age of nineteen, he enlisted as a corporal in the Eighth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, being mustered out in 1864, when he returned to Haddam, and there resided until the time of his death.

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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 180

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