Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 66

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 66

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Benjamin Franklin, Paul (grandfather of Mrs. Hayden), Dudley, Josiah, who was lost at sea, and Hannah.

Paul Babcock, born March 13, 1768, died May 14, 1839. He was twice married, and was the father of seventeen children. Nancy Bell, his first wife, was born September 30, 1767, and died November 1, 1803; Lucy Bell, his second wife, was born March 10, 1784, and died February 8, 1846. To the first marriage were born: Benjamin Franklin; Mary Ann, who married Rev. David Sherman; Dudley ; Josiah, who died in New Orleans ; Henry ; and Nancy, who married William R. Palmer. The children of the second union were: Cortland, who married Elizabeth Caney; Giles, who married Ann Dennison; Eliza Thompson, who married Capt. Nathaniel Palmer; Abbie Eldridge, who was twice married, first to a Mr. Leeds, later to Rev. Mr. Batey ; George Will- iam; Lucy Bell, the mother of Mrs. Hayden, and the only one of this large family now liv- ing ; Robert Stanton, who married Emily Hall; Mary Ann, who married Rev. John Breckin- ridge, of Kentucky; David Sherman; Han- nah; and one whose name is not given.

COL. J. YALE FAIRMAN (deceased), one of the prominent men of Middletown, Mid- dlesex county, was descended from an old New England family.

Born September 10, 1855, in New Haven, Conn., Col. Fairman was the son of James and Mary (Doolittle) Fairman, the former of whom was born in Newtown, Conn., July 16, 1817, and the latter January 7, 1824. He re- ceived his education in an institution of learn- ing in the city of his birth, and entered mercan- tile life under the guidance of his father, one of New Haven's leading merchants. In the year 1880 he moved to Middletown, Conn., in which city, October 6, 1885, he married Miss Susie Nieda Chaffee who was born July 15, 1860, youngest daughter of E. Bound Chaffee, of the firm of Wilcox, Crittenden & Co., who rank among the largest manufacturers of ma- rine hardware in the United States. For some time Col. Fairman was connected with the Hart Manufacturing Company, of Middletown, as secretary and treasurer, but retired from this Company to introduce the Grinnell Automatic Sprinkler, a fire protector for mill property, to which he gave his personal attention, with a re- ward of success financially, and with an almost

unequalled acquaintance and friendship with the manufacturers of the State. He next en- gaged on a large scale in the mining and smelt- ing business in Kansas and Missouri, and per- sonally organized a joint-stock corporation known as the Pittsburg & St. Louis Zinc Com- pany, of which he was made the president. With the affairs of this company well under way, he visited Europe that he might study the business in that country, returning to this coun- try fully convinced that the United States could, with a master effort, lead the world in that in- dustry. He at once introduced improvements and augmented the capacity of his company, making it one of the largest smelting plants in the United States, out of which came later the present zinc trust, which was formed largely through his efforts. Subsequently he disposed of his entire interests, and for a few years pre- vious to his death had given much of his time to travel.

In politics Col. Fairman was a stanch Re- publican, and ever active in National and State affairs. His large acquaintance, activity, ag- gressiveness and social qualities were fully re- cognized. He had never sought office, but ac- cepted an honor conferred upon him by Gov. Morgan G. Bulkeley, serving as a member of his personal staff during his term of office. Col. Fairman was a prominent candidate for the po- sition of commissioner to the Paris Expositon in 1900, and would, no doubt, have received the appointment had he lived. He had the en- dorsement of all the Connecticut delegation in Congress, and of many others prominent in business and political circles all over New Eng- land. There had been an understanding for some time that President Mckinley was to ap- point Col. Fairman to this position of trust, re- sponsibility and honor, and it would not have been surprising had this appointment been made any day during the month of his death.

Col. Fairman died at his home in Middle- town January 13 1899, leaving a widow and two daughters, Hortense V. and Ruth Lillian, born June 21, 1887, and February 13, 1890, respectively. His home life was ideal, and he found his greatest comfort in association with his wife and family. During his extensive travels over European and African countries, his wife was his constant companion, in fact the devotion of Col. Fairman to his wife and family was one of his most pronounced charac- teristics.

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COMMEMORATIVE DIVGRAPHICAL RECORD.

OLIVER CLARK BUCKLAND was in his life time well known in Portland as an hon- orable and reliable business man and public- spirited citizen. By the closest attention to the work in hand, by clean and honest meth- ods, and by an affable and courteous manner, he secured a fine patronage, established a good business, and left both a good name and a comfortable competence.

Mr. Buckland was born January 6, 1818, in Ellington, Conn., the eldest son of Harvey and Azuba (Clark) Buckland, and a grandson of Jonathan Buckland. The other children in the family of Harvey Buckland were as fol- lows: Havillah, a farmer in East Windsor, was married three times and left a large fam- ily ; Emeline married Eli Webster, of Wapping, and both are now deceased; and Jonathan was a tinsmith, and lived in Broad Brook for many years. Harvey Buckland was a farmer and a man of much character and standing in his day.

Oliver C. Buckland was reared as a farmer boy, and had the usual educational advantages of the country youth of his time, attending the Ellington District school. He worked on the farm with his father for several years, and when the latter died, he felt it time for him to strike out for himself. He followed ped- dling for a time, and traveled over Connecti- cut, southern Massachusetts and portions of the State of New York. The death of his brother at Broad Brook caused him to leave the road, and in company with Charles Dav- enport, he bought out the business his brother had established at that place. He did not, however, continue very long there, but sold out to Mr. Davenport and came to Portland, where he established a business that had not been carried on for some time in the town. His store was located near the corner of Waverly avenue and Main street, and there he carried a large line of tinware, which was strictly hand- made, and frequently had eight or ten men working in his shop. He also carried re- lated lines of wares and was the first man to succeed in this industry. He was a good bus- iness man and a master workman in the lines of plumbing and roofing, and carried a stock of stoves, hardware and building material. After an illness that resulted from overwork. he died May 22, 1880; his remains rest at Windsorville, Conn. As a Republican he took

a lively interest in political affairs, though never an aspirant for office. In his religious connec- tion he was a member of the Methodist Church, where he served as a trustee. Always a de- voted worker in the field of religion, his own manly and straightforward life lent an em- phasis to his church relations.

On April 9, 1840, Mr. Buckland was mar- ried in East Windsor, Conn., to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Ellsworth, who was born December 1, 1818, near Windsorville, in the town of East Windsor, and was the third child of Josiah and Lucretia (Lord) Ellsworth. Her ancestors fig- ured in history, and were identified with the earliest affairs of the Colony of Connecticut. Many of her forefathers were prominent busi- ness, professional and military men. She is in the seventh generation from John Ellsworth, who settled in Windsor, and the ancestral line is as follows: John, Josiah, Josiah, Jr., Sam- uel, Josiah, Josiah and Sarah Elizabeth. The history of these various ancestors will be found in some detail elsewhere. To Mr. and Mrs. Buckland was born one child, Emma, who died in Portland at the age of forty-five.

Mr. Buckland, aided and inspired by his estimable wife, became a very successful busi- ness man. The affairs of the town found in him an interested and intelligent worker. and he commanded the respect of the community. He greatly improved the property which he owned at the corner of Waverly and Main streets, and it is now one of the choice resi- dences of the town. His widow yet lives, still active in mind and body, and is universally es- teemed.

ELIAS W. WELLMAN. The first of this family in America was William Wellman, who came to America with Rev. Richard Blynman's company in 1639-40. and was lo- cated in the Plymouth Colony for a time. In 1640 he removed to Mansfield, in 1642 to Gloucester and in 1662 to New London, Conn. In the company was also a Major Sadler, the father-in-law of William Wellman. The lat- ter's first wife died without issue, and in 1649 William Wellman married Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of William and Agnes Spencer, of Cambridge and Hartford. They reared a family of eight children. William Wellman died in Killingworth August 9. 1671, and his widow became the wife of Jacob Jay. From

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this ancestor Elias W. traces his line through a succession of Wellmans down to his grand- father, Lemuel Wellman.

Lemuel Wellman was born in 1766 in Killingworth (now Clinton) and in that vil- lage passed his whole life. He first married Elizabeth Buell, and after her decease married Julia Merrill, who died May 4, 1819. For some time he was engaged in mercantile life, but more successfully pursued farming, and in 1792 he built the house now occupied by our subject. In 1854 an addition was made to the original, and in 1856 another story was added. The first clapboards put on still remain, and the old house is a testimonial to the thorough work of its builder, and the care of its suc- cessive owners. By his first wife Lemuel Wellman had four children: Elias, born May 31, 1793, died at sea July 25, 1817; Horace is mentioned below ; Phebe, born May 6, 1797, married Daniel Vail; Austin, born September 2, 1800, married Sally Kelsey, and died De- cember II, 1880. By the second union there were two children : Daniel, born January 16, 1803, died in California. Betsey, born May 7. 1805, married Robert Moir, and later James Hostin, and died in New York, April 25, 1879; of her family, Robertine (now Mrs. Okie) and Julia Hostin are still living. Lem- uel Wellman was a Whig in political faith.

Horace Wellman, the father of Elias W., was born May 16, 1795, in the house his father had built, and grew to manhood in his native place. On February 15, 1826, he married Harriet Kelsey, a daughter of Gideon Kelsey, who died May 22, 1860, aged ninety-three years and seven months; his wife died August 7, 1855, aged eighty-one. Mrs. Harriet Well- man died January 1, 1863, at the age of sixty, and the father died aged fifty-eight years, on July 1, 1853. To them were born two chil- dren : Elias W. is mentioned below. Henry L., born September 9, 1831, was married Oc- tober 24, 1855, to Juliet A. Davis, daughter of Harvey and Hulda (Dickinson) Davis, and they have one son, James Moore, born October 25, 1866; Henry L. Wellman is a merchant of Clinton, and has long been identified with the interests of the town.

When a young man Horace Wellman be- gan a life upon the sea, shipping as a hand before the mast, and for fully thirty years followed a sailor's life, much of the time be-

ing in command of a vessel engaged in the coasting trade, between Clinton and New York, and in the South. His political affilia- tions were with the Democratic party.

Elias W. Wellman was born May 4, 1827, in the stanch old house mentioned above, every part of which structure possesses for him as- sociations of his childhood and of the family life. He obtained his early education in the district schools, attending last the high school on the "Green," which is now a town hall. At the age of sixteen his father initiated him into the sailor's calling, and for nine years the water was more his home than the land; at the end of that period he had become thor- oughly acquainted with the ups and downs of the coasting trade.

Mr. Wellman was married June 1, 1852, to Almira Merrels, daughter of John and Rox- anna (Davis) Merrels, the former of whom, born in 1785, son of Benjamin Merrels, died in 1849; the latter, born in 1792, died in 1878. Their children were: Benjamin, born in 1810; Maria, 1814 (died in 1898) ; Cynthia, 1822 (died in 1899) ; Canfield, 1828 (died in 1829), John W., 1830 (died in 1897) ; Al- mira, February 12, 1832; Joseph H., 1834 (died in 1890). To Mr. and Mrs. Wellman came children as follows : Horace, born May 10, 1853, died March 20, 1857. Clarence, born September 10, 1856, died March 21, 1857. Walter M., born October 8, 1858, graduated from the Morgan school in 1876, and is su- perintendent of Factory No. 2 of the National Folding Paper Box Company; he married Nellie M. Cummins. Robert Elias, born April 24, 1864, graduated from the Morgan school in 1883. and is now employed in the Mechanics Bank of New Haven, Conn. The mother of this family passed away in October, 1901.

After leaving the water Mr. Wellman em- barked in the mercantile trade with his brother, and for thirty-five years continued an active business life in Clinton, his store being located almost opposite the old homestead. On Janu- ary 1, 1887, he sold his interest to his brother, who still continues the business. In politics Mr. Wellman is a stanch Republican, and takes a deep and intelligent interest in all measures promising good legislation for his town. For fully thirty years he served as justice of the peace; for one year was chairman of the board of selectmen ; was assessor ten years ; served as

S Lon

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grand juror; was a member of the board of education for some ten years ; and was county commissioner from 1883 to 1886, his advice in the deliberations of the latter body, on all mat- ters of improvement, being considered invalu- able. Despite his close application to business Mr. Wellman never grew narrow-minded, for, besides attending carefully to the demands of his private affairs, he took time to look after much public work. For the past fifteen years he has been one of the directors of the Clinton National Bank. He has long been connected with the Congregational Church, of which his wife was also an active member, and he is a member of the society committee, and justly esteemed for his high Christian character.

LUCIUS H. GOFF. Among the im- portant industries of East Hampton, Middle- sex county, is the East Hampton Bell Com- pany, the original organization of which dates as far back as 1837. The present concern was organized in 1851, and reorganized in 1895, and the principal business is the manu- facture of sleigh bells in all the various styles now in use. House, cow and sheep bells are made in patterns, and electrical bells are also manufactured, in fact. the business covers everything pertaining to the manufacture of bells, employing a number of men through- out the year, and having one of the best equip- ments known to the trade. The capable and efficient president of this company is Lucius HI. Goff, whose name introduces this sketch.

Gurdon S. Goff, his father, was born in East Hampton, where he grew to manhood, and where he married Chloe M. Tilden, a daughter of Ebenezer Tilden, who married a lady named Hills. Mrs. Goff was born in New London, Conn., and died in 1900. The father died in 1892, at the age of eighty-two years. His first line of work was blacksmith- ing, but he finally became interested in the manufacture of bells, in which work he contin- ued until the time of his death. Following is a brief mention of his children: Lucius H. is mentioned below at length; Jane is the wife of Lorenzo D. Rich, of Chatham; Harmenus WV. resides in East Hampton ; Elizabeth is the wife of Henry T. Sellew, of Chatham; Salo S., wife of Frank Kneas, lives in Manchester, Conn. ; Frank A. lives at East Hampton.

Lucius HI. Goff was born in East Hamp-

ton, Conn., where he passed his boyhood, at- tending the village school, and later enjoying the advantages of three winters in the well known school at Middletown, called Chase's Institute. From the age of ten years he was employed during the summers in the bell fac- tory, and when sixteen became a regular work- man. Thoroughly mastering every detail of the business, Mr. Goff occupies a position at the head of the great industry, perfectly com- petent to detect any flaw in the manufacture as well as any trouble in the commercial posi- tion of the business, an invaluable combina- tion. Besides serving as president of the bell company, in which he is one of the owners, Mr. Goff engages in farming, cultivating some sixty acres. In September, 1899, he entered upon his second half century in the bell manu- facture, holding the record of being the oldest worker in that line who is known to have kept continuously at it.

The marriage of Mr. Goff occurred Janu- ary 1, 1861, in Colchester, New London Co., Conn., Mary F. Bulkley, daughter of Silas and Mary (Dart) Bulkley, becoming his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Bulkley had children as follows : Mary F., born August 29 1840; Harriet, who married William Webster, of Montville, Conn. : Annie M., who married C. Clark Bevin. of East Hampton; and Ellen, of Colchester. The father died August 1, 1893 : the mother passed away in the May previous.

To Mr. and Mrs. Goff have been given a family of six children: Cornelia E., born in 1867, married Harry W. Strong, a mail agent on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, and has two children, Marion and Ruth. Eugene B., born in 1869, married Ruth Gates and has one son, Roger. Otis H. and Ola M., twins, were born in 1875; the former married Eva Hale, and has one son, Clarence ; the latter married Albert J. West. Lucius C., born in 1878, married Lulu Wolfe, who bore him one child, Robert G. Royal was born in 1880.

Mr. Goff has been a strong Prohibitionist in politics since 1872. His first vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, and he remained with the Republican party until 1872, when that party in Connecticut caused the repeal of the prohibitory law then on the statute book and enacted a license law in its stead. Mr. Goff has, from his earliest recollection, been irre-

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concilably opposed to the sale of intoxicants in any form, and he consequently transferred his allegiance. He and his wife are active members of the Congregational Church, Mr. Goff having been a member of the choir for many years. During his long and honorable business career he has always had the respect and esteem of his fellow townsmen and has done much toward the development of the town.

HON. HENRY DAVIS, the well known and prosperous merchant of Durham, with his store in Durham Center, Middlesex Co., Conn., was born May 25, 1850, in the northern part of Killingworth town, in the same county, and is a descendant from one of the oldest Welsh families in the State. Brookhaven, in Suffolk Co., Long Island, N. Y., was the home of a large family of Davises, who were descendants of John Davis, a member of a col- ony who came from Boston, Mass., in 1655. A number of these colonists also settled in the southern part of Connecticut, and there is a strong probability that the Davis famliy of Middlesex county descended from one of these. The first of the name in Killingworth, was Solomon Davis, who, it is supposed, came from Guilford and settled in what is now known as Pea Ridge, December 28, 170(). He married Sarah Hayton, who bore him seven children in the following order: Sarah, April 15, 1712; Hannah, September 23, 1716; Martha, August 27, 1718; Solomon, March 14, 1720; Peter, May 2, 1722; Hayton, Feb- ruary 20, 1725; and Samuel January 24, 1728-29.

Samuel Davis, the youngest of the above named children, and his wife, who was named Elizabeth, had a family of five children, name- ly : Elizabeth, born February 22, 1753 ; Peter, born March 15, 1755 ; Solomon, born February II, 1757; Samuel, born July 17, 1759; and Lemuel.

Lemuel Davis, son of Samuel, married Je- mima (surname not given), and had born to him six children, namely: Peter, born June 5, 1783, died April 16, 1785; Peter (2), born October 4, 1786; Melinda, born July 18. 1788; Elam, March 8, 1790, died December 8, 1790; Roxiana, born March 15, 1792; and Jemima, born November 4, 1794.

Peter Davis, the second born of the above family of six, was the grandfather of Henry Davis, whose name opens this sketch. He was a farmer, and lived in the north part of the town of Killingworth, on Pea Hill. He married Polly Kelsey, whose death took place prior to his own. They had born to them seven children in the following order: Al- vin, a farmer, who married Julia Wright, and lived in North Killingworth; Watson, who married Olive C. Hale, spent his later years in Durham, and was the grandfather of Wil- bur L. Davis, whose biography appears in an- other part of this work; George N., who mar- ried Matilda Davis, and was a farmer in North Killingworth; Nelson; Lewis T., father of Henry Davis; Talcott ; Cynthia, who was mar- ried to Morgan Davis, a brother of Matilda mentioned above.

Lewis T. Davis was born in Killingworth, in the north part of which town his farm was located near that of his father on which he passed the greater part of his life. He mar- ried Sarah Burr of Higganum, Conn., and he and his wife both died in Killingworth, their remains being laid side by side in the Stone House Cemetery. Their children, nine in number, were born in the following order : Eckford, who married Sarah Beach, is a farm- er in Branford, New Haven county ; John, who married Ellen Crampton, is a farmer in Durham; Ashur, deceased, who married Eliza- beth Roe, was a farmer and milk dealer, but at the time of his death was a policeman in New Haven; Peter, also deceased, who married Caroline Maynard, was a farmer in Killing- worth, North Madison, and lastly in Meri- den where he died; Ralph, who married Lot- tie Bristol, is an employe of the Merwin Pro- vision Co., in New Haven, and is now living with his second wife; Richard, who married Annie T. Atkins, is a farmer on a large scale in the West Long Hill District of Middletown, and a full sketch of his life will be found else- where in this book; Mary died single in Kil- lingworth; Henry is the subject of this re- view, and Julius, who married Eliza Thomp- son, and after her death married Alice Cham- berlain, is a traveling salesman for Stod- dard, Gilbert & Co., of New Haven, and has a sketch elsewhere in this volume.

Henry Davis was born May 25, 1850. He

Henry James

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attended the district school in Black Rock District until sixteen years of age, and lived on the home farm until nineteen. At that age he came to Durham, and was employed for a year as a clerk in the grocery of George H. Davis. Then returning to Killingworth, he started a grocery in his father's house on his own account. A year later he sold his stock to A. M. Allen, who removed it to Durham, and in February, 1873, Mr. Davis also came to Durham, bought out Mr. Allen, and formed a partnership with George H. Davis, under the firm name of Henry Davis & Co. In 1875 he bought out George H., and has since been in business on his own account. In 1878 he erected his present store, and now carries a full and well-selected line of grocer- ies, hardware and farming implements, and also deals in flour, grain and feed. The Dur- ham Center post office has always been kept in Mr. Davis' store, and although he is not the present postmaster, he served in that capacity for a number of years under both parties.

On February 7, 1878, Mr. Davis married, ing Durham, Miss Lillie V. Jackson, who was born in Canada, May 3, 1856, a daughter of Alfred and Deborah (Davis) Jackson, the for- mer of whom is an agriculturist, in Dur- ham, and has a sketch on another page. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have no children. Politically Mr. Davis is a Democrat, and in 1878 rep- resented Durham in the General Assembly of the State. He has also held almost every of- fice in the town, among them, that of select- man prior to 1887, for one term, and again in 1887-8. He is a member of Coginchaug Council, No. 62, O. U. A. M., of Durham. Both he and his wife are members of the Epis- copal Church, in which he is a verstryman. He was one of the prime movers in the erection of the new Library building, of which he laid the corner stone.

Mr. Davis is a careful, substantial business man, enjoys the friendship of a wide circle of friends, is public spirited and very liberal, but is modest and unostentatious, and his many acts of charity are known only to himself and recipients. He is a strictly self-made man, having begun business with his savings, and increasing it as his means accumulated, until he now stands in the front rank of Middlesex county merchants.

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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 66

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