Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 82

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 82

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THE MAGNA FAMILY trace their ancestry to a wealthy planter on the Island of Guada- loupe, who sent his son Nicholas, to America to be educated prior to 1780. The latter located somewhere in the vicinity of Saybrook, and his son Joseph, became a vessel builder in Westbrook, where he married Lydia Post, daughter of Jedediah. She died in 1861, leav- ing as family : Capt. Joseph Nicholas, a sea captain, who married Abby M. Spencer. and died at sea between Liverpool and Amer- ica : Sarah, who married Joy Post, of Essex ; Mariette, widow of Charles Baldwin ; Diana.

who married Capt. Alfred G. Spencer, and died in 1894; Lydia ; and Capt. Samuel C.

Capt. Samuel C. Magna, the esteemed fa- ther of Mrs. Stannard, followed the sea for many years, became a popular and well-known commander of vessels between American and European, ports, and left the water about the time of his second marriage. At that time he was a wealthy man, but later lost much of his property through misplaced confidence. He died in 1873. His first marriage was to De- borah Hungerford, of East Haddam, a daugh- ter of Joseph Ely and Nancy (Anderson) Hungerford, with whom Mrs. Stannard long made her home, as her mother died when she was but sixteen months old. The second mar- riage of Captain Magna was to Ann Jackson, of Liverpool, England, who survived him sey- eral years. They had one son, Arthur M., now residing with our subject.

FREDERICK HOWLAND . BEEBE. Among the distinguished citizens of Essex, Middlesex Co., Connecticut, one who will long be remembered by others than his fellow townsmen, and who is a veteran of the Civil war, is Capt. Frederick Howland Beebe. now occupying a prominent position with the New York & Hartford Transportation Company.

The Captain inherits a brave and intrepid spirit from worthy ancestors. His grand- father, Timothy Beebe, a native of the town of Lyme, New London county, was a descendant of one of five brothers who dared the perils of the deep, and the still greater perils of an un- known land, when they sailed from their home in far-off Wales for uncivilized America. Tim- othy Beebe was born in 1760. and when a young man located in Vevay. Ind. In 1789 he married Rachel McIntosh, of that State, where she died, and he removed to Kentucky, where he married one of the Todd family, a rela- tive of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln and of Col. Todd, of Libby Prison fame. Mr. Beche's death occurred in 1841. He was the father of the following named children: Guy M. (the father of our subject ). Sylvester. Dudley, Maria. Annie Maria, Clarissa Maria. Nelson, Edwin. Frederick, Elizabeth and Cynthia.

Guy M. Beebe was born February 20, 1791. and died on September 20, 1807. He resided for many years in Indiana, where he engaged

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in farming and in sugarmaking, and finally settled in Connecticut, where he engaged in shad fishing on the river and dealing in fish, carrying on a flourishing business in that line. He died in Essex. In politics he was originally a Whig, later becoming a Republican. The first marriage of Mr. Beebe was to Maria Rus- sell, a daughter of Stephen Russell. She died June 6, 1830, and his second marriage, on Au- gust 3, 1833, was to Theodotia Otis, who was born in 1800, in Pleasant Valley, and died May 9, 1851. To the first union were born : Henry G., John Russell, Maria Ellen, Marcus Cephas and Mary Maria; and to the second marriage: Frederick Howland, who is men- tioned below ; Jane Ann, widow of Asa South- worth, an ensign in the Navy, residing with two sons in Salem, Mass .; Lucian Jay ; Charles Eugene ; and Mary Augusta.

Frederick H. Beebe was born in Hamburg, Conn., and at the age of eleven years removed with the family to Essex, where he received his primary schooling, and was one of the pupils of the famous Hills Academy in its palmy days, while it was under the management of the justly popular Lucius Lyon and James Newell. When he had reached the age of eighteen he became associated with his father in the buying and selling of shad, on the Con- necticut river. Leaving this business in 1862, to enlist in the Union army, Capt. Beebe joined Company B., Twenty-fourth Connecticut Vol- unteers, for a service of nine months, which was extended to thirteen. At the time of his enlistment he was made orderly sergeant. At the siege of Port Hudson he was under fire for forty-two days.

Returning from the battlefield, Mr. Beebe went into the business of the New York & Hartford Transportation Company, beginning as main deck watchman, soon after being pro- moted to watchman, and later, in turn, to the positions of forward deck lookout, quarter- master, then pilot, and master, finally reaching his present position. He has given such satis- faction and honest attention to duty that his advancement caused no surprise to the many friends who knew his sterling qualities so well.

Capt. Beebe has commanded a number of chartered boats, and the following steamers owned by the company, and run in the freight and passenger business between New York and Hartford: The "Springfield," the "City of

Hartford" and the "Granite State," and he is now commander of the "Hartford," a fine twin-screw steamship, built in 1899. During his career as boatman Capt. Beebe has had many thrilling experiences and has been instru- mental in saving many persons from death in the water. While acting as pilot on the "Gran- ite State," on June 28, 1880, when coming through Hell Gate, he discovered a steamer on fire. She proved to be the "Seawanhaka," bound to Glen Cove. She headed toward the shore and ran onto the Sunken Meadows, grounding just as the "Granite State" reached her, Capt. Beebe not having hesitated one mo- ment as to his duty. People in their distress were already jumping overboard, and immedi- ately four boats were lowered from the "Gran- ite State," thus insuring the rescue of over one hundred people, one of the number being ex- Mayor Grace, of New York; there were other notables whose death would have caused grie: over the whole country. Too much praise cal not be given to the alertness and humanity o Capt. Beebe, as a moinent's hesitation would have allowed all to be lost.

Early on the morning of October 14, 1899 the officers of the steamer "City of Laurence,' Capt. Beebe, discovered a burning steamer which proved to be the "Nutmeg State," of the Bridgeport line. The flames made such rapie headway that she was turned shoreward grounding about a mile east of Sands Point, o Execution Light. In this disaster a dozen live were lost, and many more would have been bu for the promptness of Capt. Beebe, his officer and crew. His boat was the first on the scene six boats rescuing seventy of the despairing passengers, who had thrown themselves inti the water from the burning vessel. The fol lowing is a testimonial to the brave man wh endangered his own safety to rescue those i such dire peril :

"To the officers and crew of the steamboa City of Laurence: I desire and do hereb thank you for the timely rescue of my wife Fannie Wilt, and son Henry, who were pas. sengers on the ill-fated steamer Nutmeg Stat on the morning of October 14, also for th skillful management of the lifeboat which too them from the water, and for the kind trea ment you rendered them on board your shij after you received them. Should we ever mee I shall feel it an honor to clasp hands with yc

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

nd try to express my gratitude to you person- lly. May God bless and prosper you is the arnest prayer of yours sincerely, Joseph S. Vilt. Mrs. Wilt is resting quietly and the octor says her symptoms are favorable to a peedy recovery."

While never expecting any particular rec- gnition of his inestimable services, it has been ratifying to Capt. Beebe to receive them. Many cases of ingratitude have come to his otice, also, where his kindness has been en- irely overlooked, but he is of too great a na- re to harbor resentment.

In politics Capt. Beebe is a stanch and ar- ent Republican, but he has never accepted ffice. Socially he has been a Mason since 860, belonging to Mt. Olive Lodge, A. F. & 1. M. ; he also affiliates with the A. O. U. W., t Essex. His estimable wife is a worthy member of the Baptist Church. Through a long life of varied experience, Capt. Beebe has forne a manly part, and has won the admira- on and confidence, not only of the members of is home, but of his employers and the travel- g public, who feel as safe in his hands as in heir own homes.

The marriage of Capt. Beebe was to Rhoda 1., daughter of Frederick and Rhoda B. Tucker ) Williams, and one son, Orville N., as born of this union, on August 14, 1872.

Orville N. Beebe received his primary edu- ition in the common schools of Essex, later ecoming a student at the Moody Institute, at 1t. Hermon, Mass,, for two years. At the ge of eighteen he entered the firm of Brown, hompson & Co., in Hartford, for one year, oing from there to William H. Post, in the urpet business. Two years later, upon the tilure of that firm, he entered into business ith his father, commencing as quartermaster, d being granted a pilot's license two years ter. For three years he continued in this ne, but on July 3. 1897, embarked in depart- ient merchandising with the firm of J. T. lather & Co., in September, 1899, purchasing ie business which he has since conducted, hay- ig the finest dry-goods store in the vicinity. 'n May 26, 1897. Orville N. Beebe married lice L. Mather, a daughter of J. T. and Eliz- eth ( Hall) Mather, and one daughter has me to this union, Gladys Williams, born larch 9, 1899. Socially Mr. Beche is con-

nected with the Masonic fraternity, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree, belong- ing to Mt. Olive Lodge, No. 52, Essex; Burn- ing Bush Chapter; Cyrene Commandery; the Scottish Rite bodies; and Sphinx Temple, of Hartford. He is also a member of the Hart- ford Yacht Club.

The WILLIAMS . family has an honorable ancestry, the records dating far back, and the complete genealogy is much too long to appear in a history of this kind, but we may mention that Robert Williams, a native of Norwich, England, arrived at Roxbury, Mass., in 1638, and from this worthy ancestor came David Williams who was still living in Essex when the British destroyed the shipping there, April 8, 1814, at which time, his son, Abner P., had a ship on the stocks nearly completed. In his patriotic rage David Williams attacked the in- vaders with a hoe but was jeered at by the British soldiers on account of his age. His death occurred in 1819. Abner Williams, son of the above-named Abner P., was the grand- father of Mrs. Beebe, her father being Fred- erick W. Williams, who was born in Essex, where he grew up and engaged in the shoe business, owning a store for many years. On April 12, 1841, he married Rhoda B. Tucker, a daughter of Noah and Ann (Tooker) Tuck- er, who had children: Abby Ann, born in 1816; Eliza Ann, 1818; Rhoda B. (the mother of Mrs. Beebe). 1820; Noah, 1823; William L., 1824; Richard H., 1830; Ruth, 1833 : and Orville P., 1838.

ALEXANDER INGLIS, deceased. Some years ago there was quite an exodus of stal- wart and ambitious young Scotchmen from the stone quarries in their native land to the granite regions of Connecticut. Several set- tled in Middletown in after years, and among these were two brothers, Alexander and James T. Inglis. The last named is yet living in Mid- dlefield, and his sketch apears elsewhere in this volume. He came to the United States in 1851, his brother the following year. Alex- ander Inglis settled in Middletown, Middlesex county, where he reared an excellent fam- ily.

Alexander Inglis was born May 26, 1815. in what is now Glasgow, and was but a child when his parents, Alexander and Janet

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(Foyer) Inglis, removed to Edinburgh, where he was reared. He learned the trade of a stonemason in his native country. There he was married to Miss Euphemia Dick, a native of Portobello, a suburb of Edinburgh, born January 18, 1818. Thomas Dick, her father, was a brickmaker, and her mother was the daughter of a British soldier, and was born at Gibraltar; when about twelve years old she was brought to Scotland, where she was reared and married.

After his marriage Alexander Inglis came to the United States, landing in New York May 21, 1852. He sailed from Greenock, Scotland, on the vessel "Sarah Mary," and was six weeks and three days on the ocean. On landing he came directly to Middletown, where he made his home. He worked for some years in the Portland quarries, also followed his trade in Middletown and the surrounding country, and worked in the Douglass pump factory for several years. Mr. Inglis suffered much from rheumatism for some years before his death, in October, 1893. He was a Re- publican politically, and fraternally a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was associated with a number of his com- patriots in the formation of a Presbyterian Church in Middletown, and attended it while it existed ; after it was given up he united with a Scotch Congregational Church. The closing up of the affairs of the Scotch Church in Mid- dletown was put into his hands. He was the father of twelve children, three of whom died in Scotland. Those who lived to adult age are as follows: John is a member of the Middle- town police force, and is mentioned elsewhere. Christine married John McAllister, and lives in Middletown. Alex is a sailmaker in Cleve- land, Ohio; he was a twin of Henry, who died in childhood. James is the superintendent of the bank burglar alarm system of Middletown, and he is mentioned elsewhere. Henry is a brass molder at Middletown ; he has served on the city council. William G. is proprietor of the Forest City Laundry, at Middletown; for more than thirty years he was in the service of the Middletown Plate Company, where he was foreman of the spinning and turning de- partment ; he resigned the office of assessor to go into the laundry business. Andrew, of Cleveland, Ohio, was a plumber in Middle- town at one time. Thomas, who passed away

when twenty-six years old in Middletown, was a turner in the Middletown Plate Company, and was also employed in Meriden.

HON. LEVERETT MARSDEN LEACH, late of Durham, a sketch of whose antecedents, character and career it is the principal purpose of this article to pre- sent, was the first born child of Leverett Wood- bridge and Deborah (Scranton) Leach, both of whom, and their three children as well, were born in territory which formed a part of the town of Guilford, in New Haven county, until in 1826, on the incorporation of the town of Madison by the General Assembly, it was made part of the latter town, and its immediate lo- cality has ever since been known as North Madison.

Leverett W. Leach, who came of a sturdy New England stock which in an earlier gen- eration had removed to Madison from Ver- mont, was the son of Oren and Anna Leach, and was born April 5, 1799, three quarters of a mile distant from the house in which, on June 6, 1801, was born Deborah Scranton, the devoted helpmeet and companion of his later years, and to whom he was married December 14, 1820.

On reaching the age of young manhood he opened a general retail store in North Madison, which he conducted until 1835, when he re- moved his family to Durham, in Middlesex county, and there established himself in a sim- ilar business, and, in order to eke out a com- fortable family support, for some years he also- kept boarders in his family, and carried on a livery business. In those days, before sys- tematic peddling, and solicitation of orders for merchandise had come into vogue, the country merchant, dealing in almost every variety of commodity necessary for family support or use, selling on credit to all-for, with few ex- ceptions, all were safely to be trusted-ready for any sort of legitimate barter, was often en- abled to extend his trade over a wide territory, and develop what was then accounted a large and prosperous business. Adventitious aids and methods, especially the beguiling adver- tisements, which now so largely find favor, were then unknown, and success depended al- most wholly on those personal traits of hon- esty, economy, enterprise, sagacity and perse- verance which, if not at the present time so much in vogue, are still, none the less, the only

LmLeadto

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

assured means to honorable and enduring suc- cess.

Leverett \V. Leach possessed those ele- ments of character, all and several, in a marked degree, and with the experience he had already gained contributing to his equipment, he was enabled to soon lay the foundations of a busi- ness, which, before many years, became the recognized center of a large trade, almost without competition in a wide surrounding ter- ritory, and in good measure profitable in its returns.

In this business he continued as sole pro- prietor, or as senior partner, first with his son Leverett M., and later with his younger son, Oscar, also admitted, until his death, though for reasons of health he retired from its active management some years earlier. With the in- crease and spread of his business, and the con- sequent enlargement of his acquaintance and reputation, he came to be highly respected and esteemed for his strict integrity, and general elevation of character, and his name was held in honor far beyond the territory within whose borders his dealings were principally confined.

In 1843 Mr. Leach took into the business as partner his son, Leverett M., then just come to full legal age, and the partnership then formed, under the name and style of L. W. Leach & Son, was carried along until 1855, when Oscar, the younger son, was taken in as a partner, and the firm as then constituted, re- taining the old firm name, remained unchanged until the death of L. W. Leach.

After this, the sons carried along the busi- ness under the name and style of L. M. & O. Leach, until 1882 when Leverett M. retired with a competency, disposing of his interest to his brother, Oscar, who conducted the busi- ness from that time on until April 1, 1889. when he sold it out, and thus closed the family history, in respect of the main business activi- ties of father and sons.

Leverett W. Leach was in politics a Whig until the formation of the Republican party, when he became a member of that party, and so remained until the close of his ife. Thoughi he had strong political convic- ions, and was faithful in the discharge of his political duties, he eschewed political office all is life, accepting none, so far as learned, ex- ept that of representative from his town in he General Assembly of 1838.

On removing to Durham, he at once ac-

tively identified himself with religious affairs, uniting with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He contributed liberally, considering his means, to the cost of its new church edifice, whose con- struction was begun in the next year, and on its completion, a year still later, he was elected a member of its first board of trustees. From this time forward until incapacitated by de- clining health, he remained one of its most in- fluential official leaders, as he was, until the end of his life, one of its most exemplary mem- bers, and generous supporters.

It is said of him that whenever, as was not infrequently the case in the earlier years, he chanced to be without assistance in his store on nights when the stated church prayer meet- ing was to be held, he would at the appointed hour suspend business, and, closing his store, summarily, if need be, repair to the meeting. This may well be believed, for it was illustra- tive of the devotion to christian duty, and thie genuineness and depth of piety, which marked his life from the time he first made profession' of the christian faith until its close. Another has said of him that "his home was for many years a refuge for every Methodist minister for hundreds of miles around." True it cer- tainly is, that from the proximity of Wesleyan University, the leading college of his denomi- nation, and located at Middletown, near by, many students, first and last, temporarily sup- plied the pulpit of the church at Durham, and were as a rule entertained in the home of Mr. Leach ; not a few of them, in later years, rose to positions of the highest usefulness and dis- tinction in their profession.

The last years of Mr. Leach's life, though somewhat clouded by ill health, were spent in the enjoyment of a ripened christian faitli, and the loving ministrations of his children and children's children. He died June 16, 1866.

Deborah, wife of Leverett W. Leach, was the daughter of Timothy and Deborah Scranton. Timothy Scranton, born in Guilford in 1761, was a soldier of the Revolution. enlisting at fif- teen years of age, and serving till the close of the war. He took part in the battles of Trenton: and Princeton, and at the siege of Yorktown was in the battalion that led the column which stormed one of the enemy's redoubts on the night of October 14. 1781, an event which more than any other led to the surrender of Cornwallis a few days afterward. Deborah Leach was well endowed mentally, and pos-

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sessed strong religious convictions. Her life was unselfishly devoted to her family and her church, and fruitful in valued service for each. After the decease of her husband, she contin- ued to reside in the old home at Durham until her death, May 12, 1881. In addition to Lev- erett M., there were two children born to Lev- erett W. and Deborah Leach: Georgiana, born September 25, 1825, and Oscar, born February 17, 1831. Georgiana was married in 1846 to Rev. Eli Hubbard, who, later in life, achieved a high reputation as a preacher. She died January 27, 1852, her husband sur- viving her until 1868. The children of this marriage were Edward M., born January 12, 1847, and Leverett M., born April 23, 1849. The former holds a position with the Inter- national Silver Company at Wallingford, in New Haven County, and makes his bachelor home with his brother, who has for many years been a practicing lawyer in New Haven, with a residence in Wallingford. He has been successful in his profession, and much in public life; has held various offices of honor and re- sponsibility, including that of Secretary of State for Connecticut, 1887 and 1888, and is now serving a second term as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for New Haven County.

HON. OSCAR LEACH, the youngest child of Leverett W., and only brother of Leverett M., was born on February 17, 1831. He was edu- calted in the local public and private schools, and in 1855 was admitted as a partner in the business of his father and brother, and contin- ued therein with the certain changing relations thereto, already mentioned, until he retired, April 1, 1889. He was in a marked degree a man of affairs, and for many years very influ- ential in town matters. In politics he was a Republican, and not only exercised an almost controlling leadership in the local activities of his party, but in the larger field of county and State politics was a prominent and powerful factor. In all relations of life he was recog- nized as an unusally intelligent, sagacious, en- terprising and upright man. He was appointed postmaster for Durham in the first year of Lin- coln's term, and held that office continuously, except for one year, until October, 1885, when he resigned. He served as a representative from Durham in the Legislature in 1866, and as a senator from the Eighteenth District in 1869, and in 1887 and 1888 from the same

District territorially, though, under a redi- vision, it was then designated as the Twenty- first District. He was a delegate from the Sec- ond Congressional District in the National Re- publican Convention in 1888, which nominated Benjamin Harrison for President. He was elected by the Legislature in 1893, as auditor of public accounts, re-elected in 1895, and was serving in that office at the time of his death, as well as in the office of trustee of the Farm- ers' and Mechanics' Savings Bank of Middle- town, which position he had held, by succes- sive re-elections, since July, 1868.

In 1853 Oscar Leach was married to Eliza J. Hickox, of Durham, by whom he had three children. The first born died in infancy ; Luie A. was born December 28, 1856, and is now living with her mother in the old family home at Durham. Carlton H. was born July 19, 1866, and is now residing in Middletown, Conn., where he holds a responsible position with the Farmers' and Mechanics' Savings Bank.

Leverett Marsden Leach, the especial subject of this sketch, was born February II, 1822, in a part of Guilford which four years later was included in the territory incorporated as the town of Madison, as already stated. The family, during his early boyhood, though not necessitous, were in circumstances which required him to work hard, and suffer some privations, while, at the same time, he was enabled to get such elementary education as Iwas afforded by the public school in his dis- trict. Removing with his family to Durham, in 1835, he there had for a time the advantages of a private school, thus completing an education which, though not a liberal one, so far trained his mind, and reinforced its superior native endowments, as to assure the highly informed' intelligence and sound judgment which were his marked characteristics in later life. On leaving school he learned the tinner's trade in a part of the building in which, at the time, his father's store was located, and when not busy at his trade, acted as clerk for his father. On reaching his majority in 1843, he became a partner in his father's business and remained identified with it until 1882, as already stated in treating of his father's career. His unusual capacities of mind, combined with the most un- yielding christian principles, gained for him, as he advanced in life, the profound respect and absolute confidence of his fellow-towns-

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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 82

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