Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 77

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 77

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Henry B. Brown has been twice married, (first) to Adeline S. Gates, daughter of Julius Gates of Chatham town, and they had seven children : Adeline Grace, born June 10, 1858, married Abner W. Barton, of East Hampton : Charles S., born August 23, 1860, married Clara Gold Foskett, of New Haven, and is a professor in Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, Tenn .; Harry Bushnell, born July 15, 1862, married Annie J. Burdick, of East Greenwich, R. I., and is the secretary of the McLagon Foundry Company, of New Haven ; Bertha Bates, born April 3. 1865. married F. S. Blackall, of New York City; Ethel Northrop, born October 1, 1866, has been twice married, (first) to Charles F. En- gelbach, of Johnstown, Pa., and (second) to Dr. Henry E. Tuley, of Louisville, Ky .; Edith, born June 29, 1869, married Jolin M. Kinder, of Meriden, Conn .; Agnes, born July 22, 1873, died at birth. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Brown married ( second) Genevra Sexton, who was born March 28. 1854, a daughter of Deming W. and Lavinia

(White) Sexton. The issue of this union has been two children: Caroline, born June 12, 1879; and Genevra Vivian, June 26, 1881. Henry B. Brown is a man of deep conviction and of profound moral sense. This is well attested by his course in politics. Prior to 1872 he was a Republican, but having become thoroughly convinced that the most effective way in which to stamp out the evils attendant upon the liquor traffie was by united action at the polls on the part of the friends of temper- ance, he manfully espoused the cause of the Prohibition party. Since then he has uni- formly and consistently acted with the organ- ization, and stands high in its councils. He has been his party's nominee for the State Sen- ate, and was for several years chairman of its State Central Committee. In 1892 he was a delegate to the National Prohibition Conven- tion, at Cincinnati, and his acquaintance throughout the State and Nation is an exten- sive one. His political opponents recognize the absolute sincerity of his motives 'and ac- cord him no stinted meed of respect. His re- ligious faith is that of the Adventists, in whose communion he is an ordained minister, al- though other cares prevent him from fre- quently occupying the pulpit.

DELOS DANIELS BROWN was born April 8, 1838, in the town of Orleans, on Cape Cod. Mass., and his childhood was passed wherever his father was assigned to various charges, but his early education did not suffer because of these changes of residence. He attended the district schools of East Hampton as well as Wilbraham Academy, for several terms, and Chase's Institute at Middletown, Conn. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in Company H, of the Twenty-first Connecticut Volun- teers. Before leaving the State he was made lieutenant, and previous to the close of the war rose to be captain, being transferred to Com- pany F. Among other battles in which he took part were those of Fredericksburg, Dru- ry's Bluff. Cold Harbor, Chapin's Farm and Fair Oaks. He was present at the fall of Richmond, and his regiment was the first to enter the captured city. Mr. Brown has re- cently completed the compilation and editing of the "History of the 21st Reg." It is a work of great value, taking up the story of each company, in turn, and being largely a recital of the principal events of that stirring

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period participated in by the author himself, who writes as an eye witness, of reflective intel- ligence and unbiased judgment. He received his discharge in November, 1864, and at once returned to East Hampton, where he became a partner of Warren Veazey and D. W. Sex- ton, bell manufacturers, under title of Sex- ton, Veazey & Brown. He was manager of the business, and traveled in its interest, cov- ering a field extending as far west as Lincoln, Nebraska. His next business venture was as proprietor of a crockery store in Norwich. In 1885 he bought the property known as the "Lake View House," which under his man- agement, has won an enviable reputation for its excellent cuisine. Mr. Brown is a genial host, who thoroughly understands how to cater successfully to the comfort of his guests, and his hostelry is largely patronized by camping parties from Meriden and by stu- dents from Yale, who make yearly visits there to enjoy the boating, fishing and bathing. He is a Republican in politics, and is at present chairman of his party's town committee. He has held various public offices of importance. For four and a half years he served as county commissioner, and in 1882 represented his town in the State Legislature, in which body he served as a member of the committee on New Counties and County Seats, and as chair- man of that on "Manual and Roll," a publica- tion issued under State auspices every session. For ten years he was road commissioner, and was made postmaster at East Hampton in Au- gust, 1901. His kindness of heart, urbanity of manner and sterling worth have combined to make him immensely popular, and socially he is very prominent. He is a member of An- chor Lodge No. 112, A. F. & A. M., and was its Master for ten years. He also belongs to Mansfield Post, No. 53. G. A. R., of Middle- town, Conn., and is an honorary member of the Order of United American Mechanics. He is also a member of the Army and Navy Club of Connecticut.

On September 2, 1862, Mr. Brown mar- ried Anna E. Veazey, who was born January 27, 1835. She is the eldest daughter of War- ren and Betsey (Brainerd) Veazey, of East Hampton. Mrs. Brown accompanied her hus- band during eight months of army life. while his command was stationed at various Virginia

towns. She is a member of Mansfield Corps, W. R. C., of Middletown.

Eleazer Veazey, Mrs. Delos D. Brown's great-great-grandfather, was a native of Wind- ham, Conn., and married Mary Markham, of Middletown. According to the early records of Windham, yet preserved in Willimantic, their son, Eleazer Veazey (2) was married to Mary Brown, on February 18, 1771. To them were born Mary ( November 18, 1773), Elizabeth (May 5, 1777), and Eleazer (3) (December 18, 1778). Eleazer Veazey (3) was born in Windham and; died March 5, 1852. On December 2, 1801, he married Elizabeth West, a daughter of Lemuel and Desire (Markham) West, of Ellington, Conn., and had five children of whom: (I) Emily, born February 15, 1805, died in 1878, married Stephen G. Sears. (2)

Florilla, born November 6, 1808, married Joseph N. Goff, and died November 8, 1877. They became the parents of George W. Goff, of East Hampton, whose sketch appears else- where. (3) Marietta, born October 9, 1810, and died October 4, 1888, married, in 1833, Amiel Abell, of East Hampton. (4) Warren, born June 17, 1813, married March 27, 1833, to Betsey Brainerd and had two children : Anna E., now Mrs. Delos D. Brown ; and Ida R., born November 19, 1849, living in Marl- boro, Conn. (5) Hiram, born November II, 1816, married on September 27, 1842, Belinda Bevin, daughter of Isaac Bevin, Jr., and they died without issue.

WILBUR F. WRIGHT, one of Had- dam's popular and influential citizens, is a worthy representative of one of the honored old families of Middlesex county.

William Wright, his grandfather, was born about 1774, and died in 1848. He engaged in farming and also owned and operated a saw- mill at Leesville, where he made his home. His wife who bore the maiden name of Dixon, died a number of years before him. Their chil- dren were: Charles D., born January 25, 1804, married Harriet Whitmore. 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. Han- nah E., born January 28, 1812, married Fran-

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cis G. Root. Prudence C., born May 26, 1814, married Roswell Davison. Daniel M., born July 26, 1816, married Prudence Youngs. Rebecca A., born July 14, 1818, married Dan- iel C. Taylor. Lucy P., born December 14, 1820, married Mason H. Silliman. Ann T., born August 14. 1823, married Henry F. Gardner. Jane G., born March 5, 1826, died young.

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 Nian- tic, Conn. Francis G., born January 19, 1814, in Millington, died November 13, 1893. Em- ily C., born January 12, 1816, in East Had- lam, Conn., died November 25, 1832. Daniel M., born October 7, 1819, in Marlboro, Conn., died in August, 1840. Henry R. was born April 23, 1822, in Marlboro. Jane E., born November 9, 1824, in Marlboro, married a Mr. Welch, of New Haven, Conn. Elijah D., porn October 20, 1827, in Marlboro, lives in New York; he has never married.

Charles Dixon Wright, father of Wilbur F., was born in East Haddam, January 25. 1804, and died April 8, 1876. He was a mill man in every sense of the word, as he not only worked in mills, but also built them and in- vented water-wheels. After his marriage he was engaged in milling in Colchester and He- bron, Conn. Politically he was a thorough Democrat. On March 1, 1828, he married Harriet A. Whitmore, who was born August 31, 1808, and died December 26, 1871. By his union were born the following children : Mary E., born December 20, 1828, married first) Robert W. Gates, and (second) Ham- in F. Johnson, of the Pine Brook District, laddam; Charles B., born August 10, 1831, ived in Leesville, where he died ; Samnel D .. jorn September 22, 1833, died February 20, 834: Wilbur F. is next in the order of birth : John A., born January 25, 1840, married Ce- estia Dixon, and engaged in merchandising u Leesville for a time, but at present is an indertaker of Westbrook, and plans locating n Chicago, Ill., with a son : Catherine V., born anuary 27, 1846, married ( first ) Henry L. Moorehouse, and (second) James Mattison,

of Albion, N. Y. ; Matteline Crosby, born Sep- tember 14, 1849, married H. L. Moorehouse, a contractor of Meriden, Conn., and died Jan- uary 19, 1896; Ossian, born March 23, 1852, was a burnisher for years for the Meriden Britannia Company, at Meriden, Conn., and died February 15, 1902.

Mrs. Harriet A. Wright was a daughter of Joseph and Electa (Ackley) Whitmore, in whose family were fourteen daughters, all of whom married, and most of them had families of their own. They were: Mary, wife of Seth Rodgers; Emeline, wife of James Smith; Har- riet A., mother of our subject; Alvira, wife of Dwight A. Lyman; Louisa wife of Halsa Brown; Lucy, wife of Edwin Brainard; Adelia, wife of Moses B. Wright; Almira, wife of Martin Chapman; Jane, wife of Sey- mour Kellogg, of Westchester, Conn .; Carile, who married (first) Tryon Holmes and ( sec- ond) William Spencer; Clarissa, wife of Charles Lester, of Binghamton, N. Y .; Au- gusta, wife of Nehemiah Upham; Ellen, wife of Lyman Upham; and Frances, who married (first ) Charles Witter and (second) a Mr. Foster, and lives in New York State. The fa- ther of this family engaged in mercantile and milling business in Leesville when that place was quite a thriving town. Having no sons, usually two of his daughters were kept busy in the store, and when one married one of the younger sisters took her place.

Wilbur F. Wright was born in Colchester, April 13, 1836, and after his eleventh year lived at Leesville. From the age of thirteen to sixteen years he attended the school on the hill that can be seen from his present home. He worked in the woods in winter, and at the age of seventeen years commenced farming under his father, but soon took entire charge of the place. In partnership with his father he was engaged in farming quite extensively, and raised considerable tobacco, which proved quite a profitable industry, selling the crop from one acre for $670. For three years he was connected with his brother in running the "Machimoodus Honse." at Moodus, which the latter owns, Mr. Wright still follows farm- ing to a limited extent, but devotes most of his time to public affairs. For ten years he has most creditably and acceptably filled the office of selectman of the town, and was a member of the board of relief two years. In

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politics he is a liberal Democrat. As a pub- lic-spirited and progressive citizen he has proved invaluable to his community, being al- ways ready to further any enterprise for the public good.

On May 15, 1872, Mr. Wright was united in marriage with Miss Emily S. Murkett, who was born in Leesville May 31, 1847, a daugh- ter of Charles D. and Frances (Spencer) Murkett. They have a family of three chil- dren, namely : Charles Hobart, born April 26, . 1874; Ossian A., June 8, 1878; and Addie M., January 12, 1888. Ossian A. is now em- ployed in a wholesale house in New York City.

B. N. HEDGES, a leading contractor and builder of Middletown, Middlesex county, is classed among the best citizens of that town, and is one of its most extensive property own- ers. Through a long and busy life he has steadily worked his way upward, and is now rated everywhere as a man of property, in- fluence and character.

Mr. Hedges was born August 2, 1836, on Farm Middletown, son of Charles B. and Elizabeth (Levere) Hedges. The fa- ther of Elizabeth Levere was a native-born Frenchman, came to the United States early in life, and settled in New Jersey, where she was born. Isaac Hedges, father of Charles B., established himself on Farm Hill at an early day, and died about 1844, at the age of seventy-five. He was the father of four chil- dren : Henry, a farmer who lived and died at Feeding Hills, Mass. ; Charles B .; Mary, who married Daniel Dunham, and died at Farm Hill, Middletown; and Sarah, who married William Harris, and died at Staddle Hill. Henry Hedges, the remote ancestor of the Hedges family in America, came from Eng- land and settled at East Hampton, Long Isl- and, generations ago.

Charles B. Hedges was born in 1810, was reared on the farm owned by his father, and became a farmer. In Middletown he married Elizabeth Levere, who had come to the city to work in the factory of The Russell Com- pany. To this union were born the follow- ing named children: B. N .; Isaac, a carpen- ter and joiner at Stamford; Jasper, who was a mechanic and machinist at Athol, Mass., where he died in 1901 ; Shaler, connected as a

contractor with the W. & B. Douglass Com- pany at Middletown ; Henry, a joiner on Farm Hill; and Evaline, who married Silas Roberts, and died at Long Hill. The father passed away in 1881, on the farm where he was born, and his remains were interred in the Farm Hill cemetery. Politically he was a Democrat and in religion a member of the Baptist Church. His widow is still living, at the age of eighty- eight, and is a hale and well preserved old lady.

B. N. Hedges attended the Farm Hill dis- trict school, and remembers Maria Hubbard as his first teacher. He has lived to witness a vast improvement in the public schools, and is always interested in promoting the cause of popular education. He received his entire schooling at Farm Hill, and attended only one summer term, and that was when he was seven years old. The next summer he helped his father on the farm, and when he was ten years old clothed himself out of his own earnings. When thirteen years old he entered the lock shop at Zoar, where he was employed in dif- ferent parts of the factory for a number of years, and while at work there he received a severe injury to his right foot, from which he has never wholly recovered. He worked two summers in the cotton mill at South Farms, and one season for Edward Johnson, a farmer, at Johnson's Lane. In the fall of 1852, Mr. Hedges took up the molder's trade, to which he devoted two years, and then went to work for S. C. & H. T. Johnson, contractors and builders, receiving for the first two years $40 and $50, respectively, as yearly wages. With this money, and what he earned extra by work- ing overtime, the young man clothed himself, and saved twenty-five dollars. After he had mastered the trade he worked as a journeyman for a time, and was in the W. & B. Douglass pump factory for about two years. In 1858 Mr. Hedges engaged in business for himself as a contractor and builder, and has followed that line to the present time. Sometimes he has had partners working in Middletown and elsewhere, but he has largely depended on himself, and carried on his various enter- prises without assistance. He has been prov- ident and successful, and owns several houses in Middletown, erected by himself. He built his excellent home on Farm Hill. With his brother, Jasper. Mr. Hedges organized the

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Hedges Hardware Company at Zoar, and for a year was in the grocery store of Hedges & Davis, at Middletown.

Mr. Hedges married Mary B. Chapman, of Kensington, Conn., and they had one son, Frank B., who is now a carpenter in Middle- town. After her death Mr. Hedges married Miss Mary B. Wright, of Rocky Hill, daugh- ter of Ira Wright, and she is the mother of one son, Ira G., a joiner of Middletown. Mir. Hedges is a Republican politically, and has served in the city council and on the board of relief. He was a member of the order of Chosen Friends, and is a genial and well pre- served gentleman.

GELSTON. The first Gelstons of whom we have any authentic record were Rev. Sam- uel and Hugh, who were born in Belfast, Ire- land, of Scottish parentage, and came to Amer- ica in 1717, locating at Southampton, Long Island, where Hugh carried on a mercantile business and also served as judge of the court of common pleas for twenty-one years. He was buried at that place. He first married Mary Maltby, of Connecticut, whose parents were natives of Yorkshire, England, and by this union he had five sons and four daugh- ters. For his second wife Hugh Gelston mar- ried Mary, widow of Francis Pelletrean, and they had two daughters and one son.

Deacon Maltby Gelston, son of Hugh, was a college-bred man. He was born in South- ampton, Long Island, and spent most of his life near his birthplace, at Bridge Hampton, becoming a man of considerable influence in his community. He was a member of the safety committee during the early days of our struggle for independence, and finding it prob- able that the English would overrun thie lo- cality in which he lived he, as chairman of the committee, sent word to Gov. Trumbull for protection in the shape of soldiers, but none coming he was obliged to leave his home. His fears were confirmed, for the British de- vastated the region, using his wife's bedroom as a stable for their horses. In the meantime he came to East Haddam, Conn., but after the close of the war returned to Long Island, where he died. He married Mary Parsons, a relative of Gen. Thomas Holden Parsons, of Revointionary fame.

William Geiston, son of Deacon Maltby,

was born September 3, 1754, in Southampton, Long Island, and came with his parents to East Haddam, Conn., where he remained. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and during the war was taken prisoner and held on a prison ship, and for a short time was master of a privateer. Upon his return home, in 1780, he married Miss Asenath Sears, who was born July 12, 1760, daughter of Matthew and Martha ( Warner) Sears. Her father was one of the largest landowners in the town of East Haddam, and was also an extensive mill owner. It was in 1760 that he erected the large house near the Episcopal Church, his home before this having been near Bashan Pond. After his marriage William Gelston purchased the property where the "Hotel Swan" (once the "Gelston House") now stands, and lived there until 1826, when he sold it to Joseph Goodspeed. A part of the old mansion is now attached to the present house. Through purchase and inheritance by his wife Mr. Gelston became possessed of a large tract of land. He bought of Samuel Crowell the house he occupied at the time of his death. For twenty years he served as sher- iff of Middlesex county, and filled many town offices of trust and responsibility. Besides en- gaging in the hotel business he carried on farming and lumbering, and in connection with Gen. Champion was interested in shad fishing. Early in the sixties the Gelston House Company was formed, the largest stockholders being Hugh Gelston, of Baltimore, Md .. and George S. Gelston, of Fort Hamilton, N. Y., sons of William. The hotel is now owned and occupied by Ralph B. Swan, who has re-chris- tened it "Hotel Swan." William Gelston died Tune 24, 18440, and his wife departed this life March 4. 1846. In their family were the fol- lowing children: Abby, born September 3. 1781, married Joseph Brainard, of New York ; Matilda, born February 14, 1783. married Timothy Wright, of Colchester, Con. : Larissa, born April 15, 1785. married George Wells, of Hebron. Conn., later a merchant of Boston, Mass., and died in 1876; William, Jr .. was next in order of birth: Hugh died at the age of three years : Hugh ( 2), born AAugust 20, 1794. married Rebecca Durham, and lived in Baltimore, Md. : Maltby, born November 28. 1797, died in South Carolina, aged twen- ty-eight years: Richard D., born June 21.

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1800, married Carrile Palmer, and lived in East Haddam, Conn .; Henry, born February 26, 1803, married Maria Howell, and engaged in the jewelry business in New York; and George Sears, born August 13, 1805, married Maria Antoinette Minell and engaged in the real-estate business in Fort Hamilton, New York.

William Gelston, Jr., was born in East Haddam April 22, 1787, and received a good common-school training. He was interested in the hotel business with his father, though he made farming his chief occupation, owning and operating some 200 acres of land. Though not a politician he was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and filled the office of land surveyor. He was one of the representa- tive men of his community, highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. In re- ligious belief he was an Episcopalian, while his wife was a member of the Baptist Church. In Colchester, October 21. 1821, he married Miss Lucy Biglow, daughter of John and Temperance ( Spencer) Biglow, and a repre- sentative of one of the old Colonial families. She was born September 10, 1799, and died June 14, 1880 and Mr. Gelston departed this life March 7, 1874. To this worthy couple were born six children, namely : Larissa, born November 3, 1822, died March 10, 1825. (2) Abby Ann. born January 16, 1825. was mar- ried June 9, 1846 to Henry E. West, of New London, Conn., who died in East Haddam in 1899. (3) Maltby, born December 2 1826, married late in life Mrs. Emily ( Brooks) Brainard, and died April 7. 1900. (4) Mary Jane, born September 26, 1829, died August 3, 1839. (5) John B., born July 14, 1834, was educated at the Bacon Academy, Col- chester, and is now engaged in farming in East Haddam. For several years he was a traveling salesman for a New York jewelry house. He married Sarah B. Ackley, of East Haddam, daughter of Isaac and Rebecca (Cone) Ackley and by this union seven chil- dren have been born-John M., a farmer of East Haddam, who married Fannie Benedict, and has two children, Ruth and Leroy; Re- becca, who married (first) George Mallory, and (second) William T. Duncan, of Brook- lyn, N. Y .; Hollister, a carpenter of Hart- ford, Conn .; and William Isaac, Sarah, George

Hugh and Mary, all at home. (6) Lucy, born November 8, 1838, resides at the Upper Land- ing in East Haddam.

CAPT. CHARLES FREDERICK KEL- SEY. Coming from an old, substantial and prominent family, patriotic and vigorous, well- known on sea and on land, the Captain is a worthy representative of the citizens who have won for the great State of Connecticut her honorable position among the sisterhood of States.

Our first record of the American branch of the Kelsey family is the story of the Cap- tain's great-grandfather, Ephraim Kelsey, of Westbrook, old and lame, too feeble to be a soldier, but not too old. lame or feeble to seize his old flintlock and lead his fellow-citizens to repel the British when they attempted to land and burn the village of Essex. His patri- otic courage saved the place, for the invaders were frightened by the show of resistance and sailed away. Ephraim Kelsey, his son, was one of a large family. Early in life he began to go on the water, and perhaps from this sailor was inherited the longing for the sea which became a craving, in the case of our honored subject, that continued with him dur- ing the greater part of his active life. When too old to longer bear the exposure of life on the water he returned to the farm, and lived to an advanced age, dying, full of honors, at Westbrook. He reared a large family. The children of his first marriage, to Lydia Buck- ingham, were: Nancy, who married Rich- ard Stannard; Horace, who married Mary Hayden; Lucy A., who married Philip M. Kirtland; and Charles E., the father of our subject. The children of the second marriage, which was to a Boone, were: Orson, who married Abby Bushnell; Sally, who married Andrew B. Spencer; Lydia, who married Linus Stevens; and William, who married Susan Wilcox, of Clinton, Conn. The chil- dren of his third marriage, to Mary Ann Magne, were Lucretia and Ephraim.

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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 77

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