Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 24

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 24

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

facturing Company, doing clerical work and timekeeping, two years later removing to Chi- cago, where he opened up a business in coal, grain and lumber, and remained successfully so engaged until 1885, when he returned to Middletown. At the time of leaving Chicago, he was the oldest native born citizen.

On October 4, 1864, Mr. Hubbard mar- ried Anna Jones Dyer, a member of one of the old and prominent families of Rhode Isl- and, daughter of a well-known citizen of Provi- dence. She died November 6, 1884, the moth- er of the following children: Elijah K., J1., a resident of Middletown; Louis De Koven, born in 1870, who has a son, Elijah K., born in 1900, who is in the tenth generation of the family in Middletown, and the fourth Eli- jah K .; Anna J., born in 1872, who is Mrs. C. S. Stillman, of South Natick, Mass .; Kath- erine F., born in 1875, who is Mrs. Clarence S. Wadsworth, of Middletown ; and Elisha D., born in 1878. On February II, 1897, our sub- ject married a daughter of Henry G. Hubbard, of Middletown.

Mr. Hubbard is a worthy representative of this old and prominent family in Middle- sex county, and maintains a leadership in business and social life which has continued for generations. Having the good of his old home at heart, Mr. Hubbard has served it well, and is now president of the Russell Manu- facturing Company, a concern with a world- wide reputation, and the largest manufactory of webbing in the world. He is vice-president of the Middletown National Bank; trustee of the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane; and president of the Russell Library, of Middle- town. He is in sympathy with the Democratic party, but usually votes for the man who best represents his own ideas of statesman- ship. In 1892 he was a presidential delegate- at-large from Connecticut, and he and his family are all connected with the Episcopal Church.

BEVIN FAMILY. Among the most im- portant industries of East Hampton, Middle- sex county, is the bell manufactory of the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company. The beginning of this enterprise was made in 1832, by William Bevin, the eldest of the original brothers.

The lineage of the Bevin family is traced back to the beginning of the Hartford Colony.

(I) Arthur Bevin was among the early set- tlers at Wethersfield, and died December 15, 1697, in Glastonbury, where he received a grant of land in 1696. He was, undoubtedly, an Englishman by birth. He left a widow, Mary, and twelve children.

(II) John Bevin, son of Arthur, settled. in Glastonbury in 1692, and is recorded as a landholder in 1699.

(III) John (2) and William Bevin, sons of John ( I), settled in Chatham, the former locating in what is now Portland (at Pecau- sett ). He was a large landholder, a bachelor, and his property fell to the children of his brother William. William Bevin married Sa- rah Parke December 20, 1739, and died De- cember II, 1793. His first child, born Febru- ary 1, 1741, died on the 19th of the following month. William, born April 29, 1742, was a

school teacher. Desire, born March 16, 1744, died March 30th, same year. Isaac was born January 12, 1746. Lydia was born January 4, 1748. The second wife of William Bevin (I), whose Christian name was Mary, died July 5, 1788. !

(IV) Isaac Bevin, son of William, born January 12, 1746, was a soldier in the Revolu- tion, and died December 25, 1791, in his forty- sixth year, from the effects of exposure while in the service. His wife, Sarah (Clark), born March 25, 1752, passed away in her ninety- fourth year, November 3, 1845. She was a daughter of Jabez and Sarah (Judd) Clark, mentioned elsewhere. We have the following record of Isaac Bevin's children: Isaac, born October II, 1773, reached a great age. Lydia,. born January 22, 1776, married, January 29, 1801, Cyprian Hinckley. Sarah, born April 27, 1778, married, May 18, 1801, John Wat- rous. Lucy, born October 21, 1780, married, September 16. 1801, Edmund West. Mercy, born March 3, 1783, married, November 28, 18II, Nathaniel Champion. Stephen, born April 3, 1786, married Mary Brown. Abner was born August 6, 1788.

(V) Isaac Bevin was born October II, 1773, and died May 8, 1870, in his ninety- seventh year. He served as a soldier in the- war of 1812. Anna Avery, his wife, was born June 24, 1780, in Glastonbury, and died June 19, 1851. Following is a brief account of their children: Parmelia, born October 9, 1801, married, May 23, 1821, Orimel Clark. William, born June 17, 1804, died June 6,.

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1858. Chauncey, born July 7, 1806, died child- less. Isaac A., born April 29, 1808, died Sep- tember 28, 1883; he was a bellmaker. Abner G. is mentioned at length in the biography of Chauncey G. Bevin, elsewhere in this work. Philo, born August 12, 1813, is mentioned be- low. Alice was born July 3, 1815. Adeline was born August 8, 1817. Belinda, born Jan- uary 17, 1820, died March 7, 1899.

(VI) William Bevin, founder of the ex- ensive business now conducted in part by his nephews in East Hampton, was born in hat place, on Bevin Hill, June 17, 1804. His Father was a farmer, and his early life cor- responded to that of other New England youth, vhose hardy constitutions and earnest moral principles have placed an eternal stamp upon he character of American institutions. In his lay there were no free schools, but he enjoyed uch advantages as the public school of his istrict afforded. He possessed energy and forceful intelligence, which enabled him to ccomplish much in his short life. At the age f nineteen years he engaged with William Barton, the originator of the bell business in Chatham, to learn the art of manufacturing ells. While learning the business he re- lained with his parents, who clothed and boarded him, and he received a small salary com his employer. When Mr. Barton re- loved to Cairo, N. Y., young Bevin accom- anied him, and continued in his employ three ears. There he met Miss Sarah S. Parsons, » whom he was married November 20, 1828, y Rev. Mr. Beers, a Cairo pastor. The only ild of this union, Mrs. Sarah E. A. Chapman, mentioned elsewhere.

At the urgent request of his parents Mr. evin returned to Chatham, and at once built small house on the site of his daughter's esent residence, in East Hampton. He also ected a shop on the other side of the road, here he began the production of bells. In at day all bells were cast, and the fire which elted the metal was kept going by a bellows erated by a hand lever. In this little shop r. Bevin taught his younger brothers the ysteries of bellmaking, and he was soon as- ciated with three of them as proprietors. is was after Chauncey and Abner G. Bevin d purchased the water power now occupied

1} the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Com- jny, and from 1838 to 1850 (at which date

William Bevin retired from the firm) they continued together.

Mr. Bevin was a man of firm convictions, and participated in the work of the local church, though he would not be enrolled as a member, because of a difference of opinion about immersion. He was rigidly honest, and was very benevolent, being gratefully remem- bered by the poor, who were often benefited by his kindness. It was his custom to purchase family supplies in wholesale quantities, and the larder of many a poor family was enriched from his stores. Mr. Bevin sustained the prin- ciples of the Democratic party without waver- ing, served his town as selectman, and repre- sented it several times in the State Legislature,

(VI) PHILO BEVIN, born August 12, 1813, on Bevin Hill, East Hampton, was one of the most exemplary residents of the town of Chatham, where he was long an active and well known citizen. The house in which he first saw the light is still standing, and occu- pied as a residence. After exhausting the resources of the local schools, he attended Wil- braham Academy, at Wilbraham, Mass. Pos- sessing a practical mind, he early resolved to enter upon a business career, and his success justified his ambition. Soon after attaining his majority he joined three of his elder brothers in the manufacture of bells, and the business in his day grew to extensive propor -. tions. He continued to be actively interested in it until his death, at the ripe age of eighty years, September 5, 1893, having been many years treasurer of the concern. He was a di- rector of the Shailer & Hall Quarry Company. of Portland, and of the Central National Bank. of Middletown.

A man of high moral principles, Mr. Bevin sought to promote every work calculated to advance the mental and moral condition of mankind, as well as to further the material welfare of his town and State. He was close- ly identified with the work of the local Congre- gational Church, in which he acted successive- ly as clerk and treasurer. Being a stanchi sup- porter of temperance principles, his life was an ideal one in the line of proper living. Political- ly he was a Whig in early life, and promptly joined the Republican party upon its organiza- tion. At one time he represented his tow:1 in the Legislature.

O11 October 9, 1838, Philo Bevin married

130.

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Fidelia Watrous, of East Hampton, and they had four sons, all of whom receive extended mention elsewhere. They were born as fol- lows: William Henry, July 3, 1840; Newton Philo, May 16, 1849; Charles Watrous, Au- gust 9, 1854; S. Mills, March 27, 1861 (died March 6, 1900). The mother of these died May 14, 1861. On April 9, 1863, Mr. Bevin married Miss Jennie Loomis, of Colchester, Conn., who survives him. She comes of an old and very long-lived family, her paternal great- grandfather having lived to be almost one hun- dred years old. Her maternal grandparents, Nathaniel and Abigail Foote, were among the first settlers of the town of Colchester, locat- ing about three miles from the present town of East Hampton, near the water power at present occupied by Brown Brothers' paper mills. Mrs. Bevin is a daughter of Alfred Isham and Abigail (Foote) Loomis. The lat- ter was born June 26, 1798, at West Chester, and died June 5, 1899, at the home of Mrs. Bevin, in East Hampton. Her mother lived to be ninety-six years of age, and two sisters of the latter lived to be ninety-five years old. Mrs. Loomis was possessed of a remarkably clear memory, and was of cheerful disposition to the last. Being very industrious, the home of her daughter contains many products of her skill in weaving, sewing and fancy work.

WILLIAM H. BEVIN is one of the promi- nent citizens of East Hampton, Middlesex county, identified with the commercial and in- dustrial interests of the town of Chatham, and was also a distinguished soldier of the Civil war.

He was born in East Hampton July 3, 1840, son of Philo and Fidelia (Watrous) Bevin, old residents of the place.

Mr. Bevin received his primary education in his native town, and was later sent to Mid- dletown, where he entered a private school, completing his training in an excellent insti- tution of learning in the city of New Haven. Following his return home, he was taken into the office of the Bell manufactory of this place, remaining there until his enlistment, on August 14, 1862, in Company H, Twenty-first Regi- ment Connecticut Volunteers. Later he was appointed second lieutenant and transferred to Company E, Twenty-ninth Connecticut Vol- unteers (colored), and still later to Company

D, of the same regiment, being promoted to ·

first lieutenant. He was mustered out Oc- tober 24, 1865. Mr. Bevin saw some very hard service during his war experience, taking part in the following engagements : Fred- ericksburg, Suffolk, Petersburg, Richmond, Darbytown, Kell House. He was one of the victorious army which marched into the fallen Confederate capital, a sight which will never be erased from his memory. In June, 1865, Mr. Bevin sailed with the Twenty-fifth Army Corps on the Expedition to Texas, and was stationed at Brownsville, near the mouth of the Rio Grande River, the object of this body. of troops being to frustrate any movement north of the unfortunate Emperor Maximilian.

Returning to East Hampton, at the close of the war, Mr. Bevin became a member of the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company, which business received his best work, and of which he was the efficient treasurer from 1893 to 1900, retiring from active life at the end of that time. This company is one of the great industrial enterprises of this portion of the State.

Mr. Bevin was married, in Bristol, Conn., to Elizabeth H. Welch, a daughter of Con- stant Welch. The latter was twice married, his second wife being Alice S. Bevin, an aunt, of William H. After the death of her first husband, her marriage to Samuel Beecher Childs followed; she is now a widow, and re- sides with her nephew, in East Hampton. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bevin: Frank W., who resides in New Jer- sey; and Frederick . P., a fine young man, whose lamented demise took place at the age of twenty-three.

Mr. Bevin has always been a stanch Repub- lican, and has been an earnest and active work- er. In 1890, he was elected to represent the town of Chatham in the Legislature, and par- ticipated in the famous "deadlock" session. For twenty-three years he was treasurer of the town, and for seventeen years, without a break, filled the position of town clerk. For five years he has been one of the directors of the Central National Bank of Middletown. He is connected with Mansfield Post, No. 53, G. A. R., of Middletown, and Mrs. Bevin is very ac- tive in the work of the Woman's Relief Corps; she served as president of the Department of Connecticut in 1900, and previously, for four

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131

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

years, was president of Mansfield Corps, of Middletown. Mr. Bevin has long been a member of the Congregational Church.

BEVIN FAMILY. Isaac Bevin, great-grand- father of William H., was born June 21, 1746, and died December 25, 1791. His wife, Sarah Clark, was born March 25, 1752, and died November 3, 1845. Their children were: Isaac was born October II, 1773; Liddia, born January 22, 1776, married, January 29, 1801, Cyprian Hinckley ; Sarah, born April 27, 1778, married May 18, 1801, John Watrous; Lucy, born October 21, 1780, married September 16, 1801, Edmund West; Mercy, born March 3, 1783, married November 28, 1811, Nathan Champion; Stephen, born April 3, 1786, mar- ried Mary Brown; Abner, born August 6, 1788.

Isaac Bevin, born October 1I, 1773, died May 8, 1870, and his wife, Anna Avery, was born June 24, 1780, and died June 19, 1851. To them were born the following children: Parmelia, born Octo- ber 9, 1801, was married, May 23, 1821, to Orimel Clark; William, born June 17, 1804, died June 6, 1858; Chauncey was born July 7, 1806; Isaac A., born April 29, 1808, died Sep- tember 28, 1883 ; Abner G., ( father of Chaun- cey G.), was born July 10, 1810; Philo ( fa- :her of William H., S. Mills and Charles W.), was born August 12, 1813; Alice Stevens, porn July 3, 1815, resides with William H .; Adeline, born August 8, 1817, married S. B. Childs, and died April 2, 1876; and Belinda, orn January 17, 1820, married Hiram Veazey.

CHAUNCEY G. BEVIN, one of the prominent citizens of East Hampton, Middle- ex county, where he is treasurer of the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company, is a son of Abner G. Bevin.

ABNER G. BEVIN, was born in Chatham, his county, July 10, 1810, and died July 25, 896. He was well-known as a successful manufacturer of bells. Some little distance rom the site of the present bell factory, Will- im Bevin, an uncle of Chauncey G., in con- ection with a Mr. Parsons, engaged in bell taking in 1832. Later the business fell to bner G., by purchase of the water power. lis brothers, Chauncey and William, became irtners at a later date, and, in 1838, a younger other, Philo, also became one of the firm: in

1850 William sold his interest to the three brothers.

Abner G. Bevin was first married to Cath- erine S. Markham, born July 8, 1818, who died September 1I, 1845. To this union were born : Abner Avery, who is president of the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company ; and Leander Augustus, who now resides in New York City, where he is president of the Rider- Ericsson Engine Co. At these works John Ericsson, the famous Swedish inventor, had constructed the famous little "Monitor," the ship that revolutionized the methods of naval warfare, and by her performance in Hampton Roads, during the Civil war, relieved the cities of the north from danger from the sea. Mr. Delamater and Mr. Ericsson became firm friends, and the attachment between Mr. Bevin and the great inventor was so great that he was called on to act as one of the pall bearers at the latter's funeral. The second marriage of Abner G. Bevin was to Laura Day, daugh- ter of Justine Day, a farmer of Colchester, where she was born in 1822. To this union also came two children: Chauncey G., men- tioned below; and Annie M., wife of Herbert C. Wadsworth, of the Hartford (Conn. ) Fire Insurance Company. In town matters Mr. Bevin took an active interest, and voted with the Republican party. Thoroughly believing in the principles of Prohibition, he was the founder of the first Temperance society in his town, and East Hampton still has the credit of being a no-license community, largely a re- sult of his influence. A member of the Con- gregational Church of East Hampton, he was on the building committee, both for the church and the parsonage. Also in public life Mr. Bevin was raised to distinction by his fellow citizens, being their representative in the Legis- lature in 1873. and he was one of the com- mittee appointed to select plans for the then proposed State House, his favoring of certain plans cansing them to be selected, with the re- sult of the beautiful structure which adorns Hartford, in its capitol. He was for many years captain of the local militia company, of which his brother, Philo, was a member.

Chauncey G. Bevin was born in East Hamp- ton, Conn., March 13, 1851, and received his primary education in the village school and completed it at Golden Hill Institute. Bridge- port, Conn., soon afterward entering the Bevin Brothers Manufacturing Company, in which

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he is one of the directors. He was married, January 17, 1878, in New Bedford, Mass., to Lucy C. Strong, and to this union have come two sons : Marshall, born in 1878, who is now a student at the Wesleyan University, at Middletown, Conn .; and Stanley Avery, who was born in 1885.

Politically, Mr. Bevin is a Republican, and while he is interested in the success of his party, he is still more interested in the ad- vancement of his section. For some years he has been one of the efficient selectmen, and during his administration macadam roads have been laid throughout East Hampton and many needed improvements have received his assistance. Mr. Bevin represnts an old and honored name and a substantial business house and personally possesses the esteem of the com- munity.

JOHN P. BACON, who in his day was one of the best known citizens of Middletown, Middlesex County, was a native of that city, and passed almost his entire life there. He was born in 1814, on the west side of Main street, just north of Grand, son of Capt. John and Martha ( Bates) Bacon, and was descend- ed from Nathaniel Bacon, 1630-1705, through Elder John, 1662-1732; Lieut. John, 1695- 1781 ; Joseph, 1728-1785; Capt. John, 1776- 1837.

In early manhood John P. Bacon went to New York City, where he was engaged in busi- ness for several years, returning in 1842 to Middletown, where he spent the remainder of his days. At one time he was in business with his brother, William, and later wais asso- ciated with his sons under the firm name of J. P. Bacon & Sons. He retired after an ac- tive life of nearly sixty years, and died No- vember 26, 1898. At the time of his death he was filling the position of vice-president of the Middletown Savings Bank, and he was the oldest man connected with that institution in point of years of service, having held relations therewith, as trustee, director, etc., for forty- four years. In politics, Mr. Bacon was a stanch Democrat. and a most efficient worker in that party. For years he served as select- man, and his administration is said to have been the most economical ever recorded in the town.

On May 14, 1838, John P. Bacon was married, in Middletown, to Miss Sarah E. Southmayd, who was born March 4, 1819, on

Ferry street, in that city, daughter of Col. John B. and Elizabeth (Perkins) Southmayd, who are mentioned elsewhere. Children were born to this union as follows: (1) John Buckley, born March 21, 1842, enlisted during the Civil war, at Columbus, Wis., in the Fourth Wis- consin Cavalry, and, being a good penman, was given the position of captain's clerk. Af- ter the war he came to Connecticut, and for some time was agent for the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad, at Middletown, and later in the same capacity, was at Meriden; he then went West, and resided in several places; he is now a successful merchant at Pittsford, N. Y. His first wife, Mary (Ax- tel) of Columbus, Wis., died in Middletown, Conn .; his present wife was Miss Fredrika Rogers, of Pittsford, N. Y., and they have one son, John Howard. John B. Bacon is a prom- inent Freemason, a stanch Democrat, and a member of the G. A. R .; he is a vestryman in the Episcopal Church. (2) Conrad G. is mentioned elsewhere in this volume. (3) Er- nest M., born in December, 1846, died March 12, 1853. (4) Sherman Mitchell, born Janu- ary 21, 1849, was married March 30, 1870, to Arianna Pauline Bailey; they are mentioned elsewhere. (5) Augustus Southmayd, born May 22, 1851, married Rose King. The mother of this family is still living at the old homestead. She enjoys the respect and es- teem of a host of friends and acquaint- ances.

HON. ALVA BIRDSEY COE, a leading and substantial citizen of Middlefield, Middle- sex County, was born December 14, 1826, and descends from a family whose members were at one time quite numerous in Middlesex coun- ty, and among the earliest settlers.

The Coe family is of English origin, and the earliest trace of it extant is to be found in "Fox's Book of Martyrs," which states that Roger "Coo" of Milford, County of Suffolk, was burned at the stake by Queen Mary, in September, 1555, at Yexford, in that shire. Robert Coe, the founder of the family in Amer- ica, was born in the County of Suffolk in 1596, and with his wife, Anna, who was born in 1591, and their three sons, with seventy-nine others, sailed from Ipswich, Suffolk, in the ship "Francis," April 10, 1634, reaching Boston, Mass., the following June. Robert and his family first located in Watertown, where he was made a freeman September 3, 1634, but

John P. Bacon

-- -

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

later moved with several Watertown, Newton and Dorchester families, to the banks of the Connecticut river, settling at Windsor, Hart- ford and Pyqugg (now Wethersfield). After- ward some schisms occurred in the church, and Robert Coe and about twenty other planters purchased Rippowam (now Stamford) from the New Haven Colony for £33 and com- menced a settlement. In the autumn of 1643 Robert Coe was sent to Long Island to ex- amine the country, and in the spring following ne and Richard Denton, pastor of the church at Stamford, with others, founded at Hemp- stead, the first English settlement on that is- and. In 1652 Mr. Coe removed to a place called Mespat, and aided in establishing a set- lement which was named Middleburg (now Newtown, L. I.), and became very prominent n managing its affairs. In May, 1864, he rep- 'esented the town in the General Convention tt Hartford, by which body he was appointed commissioner to Jamaica. His death occurred ome time after 1672. The three children of Robert and Anna Coe were: John, who was vorn in 1626, and held many offices of trust t Newtown, L. I .; Robert, born in 1627; and Benjamin, born in 1629, who married Abigail Carmen, and spent the latter part of his life in amaica.

Robert Coe, the second of the children just amed, accompanied his father in all his re- novals until the latter located at Stamford, nd he then went to Stratford, where he be- ame a planter or farmer. His wife, Hannah, ore him three children : Susannah, born in 653, who was married to John Alling, Jr .; arah, born in 1656; and John, born May 10, 658. Robert Coe died in 1659, at the age of hirty-two years. His widow married Nich- las Elsey, of New Haven, who died December 0, 1691, and her own death took place April 1702.

The character of Robert Coe may be leaned from the following lines, written soon fter his death by Rev. Abraham Pierson :

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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 24

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