Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 94

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 94

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Mrs. George M. Clark is a descendant of an old Huguenot family, the history of which appears in another part of this work. She is descended from Benanuel Bonfoey (2), the

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Revolutionary soldier, who was born Decem- ber 13, 1755, and died August 14, 1825, aged seventy. His son David, the grandfather of Mrs. Clark, was born November 22, 1779, and died in 1863, aged eighty-four .. He married Dolly Brainerd, daughter of Prosper Brainerd, who died aged eighty-five. David Bonfoey was a ship caulker, and a Government contractor. He lived and carried on business in Haddam. He was a very fine and careful workman, and as the proper caulking of a ship was of extreme importance, and had to be done with great care and exactness, Mr. Bon- foey gave personal attention to all his work, exacting from his workmen the same thorough- ness which was characteristic of his own work throughout life. He was interested in his town and its affairs, but was too busy a man to hold office of any kind. He was an old-line Whig in his political affiliations. He was very hon- orable in all his dealings and was a man of refinement and sensitive nature.

Edwin B. Bonfoey, the father of Mrs. Clark, was born January 15, 1809, and died in 1887; he was buried in the Higganum cem- etery. Mr. Bonfoey was, like his revered father, a natural-born mechanic, became a ship caulker, was a Government contractor, and was a fine workman, an expert in his line. He did a large amount of work in his time, and his services were much in demand. At one time he had a job of caulking a vessel for a party who did not want a first-class piece of work done, but Mr. Bonfoey did his work in his usual perfect way, though while engaged on it he noticed many defects of other kinds in the vessel. She went to sea, but was never heard of afterward. A demand was made for the insurance, and Mr. Bonfoey, as a witness as to the seaworthiness of the craft, was ap- proached with an offer of several thousand dollars to testify that the vessel was perfect in all appointments. This he sternly refused to do, giving the weak points of the lost ves- sel in his testimony. The parties lost the in- surance and Mr. Bonfoey his job, as he was in the employ, at the time, of the firm who owned the lost vessel. Mr. Bonfoey was a man of sterling character, had a warm heart. and was upright in all his dealings. He was a quiet, unostentatious gentleman, greatly re- spected for his genuine manhood.

Edwin B. Bonfoey married Harriet Cotton, daughter of Samuel Cotton, who was a lineal

descendant of the famous divine, Rev. John Cotton. To this union were born: (I) Ellen Eugenia, residing in the old homestead of her father; (2) Mary Elizabeth, deceased; (3) Clementine Isabel, Mrs. George M. Clark, of Higganum; (4) Mary Elizabeth (2), who married Olin Fairchilds, of Middletown, Conn., and has two children, Alice and Char- lotte; (5) Alice Amelia, who married Louis C. Frey, of Hartford, and had one child, now deceased; (6) Arthur L., who married Jane Morley, of Meriden, and has three children, Frederick L., Bayard Clayton and Harriet Morley; (7) Charles Edwin, who married Ellen E. Briggs (both now deceased), and had three children, Louis C., William Ernest, and Charles Edwin; (8) Frederick Lee, deceased.

JOSHUA FOUNTAIN, one of the prom- inent farmers and dairymen of Middletown, Middlesex county, has attained to his pres- ent comfortable circumstances through the exercise of industry, thrift and perseverance. He resides in one of the old landmarks of the city, known as "the Stone House."

Mr. Fountain was born October 20, 1823, in Padbury, near Buckingham, England, where his father conducted a farm and was a butch- er, taking his products to the Buckingham market. The family of which he was a mem- ber was a large one: William died in Eng- land, when about thirty years old (he had been in the yeomanry service several years) ; Joshua is mentioned below ; Benjamin is a re- tired business man of Middletown: David, who is a blacksmith, now resides near Lincoln, Neb., engaged in selling agricultural imple- ments ; Henry is a farmer of Middlefield. Conn. ; Ann, who married John King, lives in Middletown ; Mary married George Littleford. and died at Moline, Ill. : Maria married John Hutchings and died at South Farms: Emma lied young in England.

Joshua Fountain was the son of poor peo- ple, and he and his brothers and sisters were obliged to work from early childhood. When he was about twenty, the father died and as the business seemed to decrease and there was no future for him in England, Joshua decided to emigrate to the United States. In Febri- ary, 1844, he sailed from Liverpool on the "Franconia," which was disabled when but a few hours out to sea, and he was obliged to

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return to Liverpool and once more take pas- sage, this time in the "Scotland." After a voyage of six weeks he landed in New York, and made his way to Middletown, Conn., ar- riving on Fast Day, 1844. Mr. Fountain's first employer was Ebenezer Jackson, with whom he remained until the spring of 1845, when he engaged with Stephen Crittenden, a farmer, located on the present site of the In- dustrial School. After a year he engaged with Elijah Hubbard, but within a few months this gentleman died, and our subject continued working for the widow and son, Henry G. Hubbard. After a couple of years he engaged with the Russell Manufacturing Company, at South Farms, remaining there four years.

About this time Joshua and his brother Benjamin, who had also come to Middletown, purchased the milk business of John Foun- tain (their uncle), and for several years deliv- ered milk to a large number of customers. Finally, our subject sold his interest, re-en- tered the employ of Henry G. Hubbard as gardener, and for eighteen years served in that capacity. On April 30, 1874, Mr. Fountain purchased what is known as the "Stone House" and re-entered the milk busi- ness, building up an extensive route; he is still engaged in that line. With his first pur- chiase was fifteen acres, to which he later add- ed twenty-two acres, known as the Thomas De Mars place; twelve acres, known as the Lewis place; and eight acres of woodland, all of which has been extensively improved and is well kept.

In April, 1860, Joshua Fountain married Mrs. Elizabeth Barlow Hall ( widow of Jo- seph Hall), who was born near Manchester, England, June 3, 1821. By her first mar- riage Mrs. Fountain had a large family : John William died in childhood. Mary Ellen, born in March, 1849, is now the widow of George Holmes, of Baltimore, to whom she was mar- ried in 1868, and who died in Meriden, Conn., on March 11, 1876, leaving her with one daughter, Leah Y., born September 17, 1871, in Baltimore, who is now Mrs. William E. Hagerman, of New York, and has two chil- dren-George E. and Carrie E. Harriet Ann lives with our subject, as does Mrs. Holmes. Joseph Hall died on the Isthmus, en route to California, of yellow fever. When the gold

excitement first broke out Joseph Hall made his way to the diggings, and later went to England after his wife and one daughter, lo- cating them at Middletown, after which he started on his second trip, from which he never returned. To Mr. and Mrs. Fountain three children were born: Leah and Lewis D. died in infancy ; Albert Edward, born Sep- tember 25, 1866, lives at home, and is en- gaged in business with his father. Mrs. Fountain died August 18, 1901, in Middle- town.

In politics Mr. Fountain is a Democrat, but he has never held office, or aspired to do so. Fraternally he is a member of the orders. of Odd Fellows and Sons of St. George. By patient, untiring labor. Mr. Fountain has been enabled to attain enviable success, and the respect accorded him by his neighbors and business associates is well merited.

MILON PRATT. At a time when men are making haste to acquire wealth, distinction and honor, it is fitting to place on record the name of one who, starting in life with very limited advantages by habits of industry, fru- gality and unswerving fidelity to every trust committed to his care, has been able through the slow process of a life time, to acquire a moderate degree of what the world calls suc- cess. Such, in brief, is the story of Milon Pratt, president of the Deep River Savings Bank.

The history of the Pratt family is an inter- esting one. The name ( according to Rev. F. W. Chapman, author of the Pratt Family and Descendants) is variously spelled in more an- cient writings, thus: Pratt, Prat, Pratte, Pradt. Praed, Prate, also Praer and Prayers. It is a surname, derived like many of the Nor- man and Saxon names, from a locality-in the Latin, "a meadow:" in the French "a prairie." The name Pratt occurs among the earliest of English surnames, and the family, in many of its branches, held stations of influence and power in the British Empire. The earliest no- tice of Pratts in England is prior to the year A. D. 1200. and shows that they probably came to England from Normandy. Four brothers, John, William, Engalraw and Peter de Pratel- lis, figured largely in the reign of Richard and John. They were all living A. D. I201, as they witness the settlement of Robert, Earl of

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Mallent, at Peter's marriage. William and Peter de Pratellis were crusaders, and greatly distinguished themselves with King Richard in the Holy Land.

Lieut. William Pratt, the immigrant an- cestor, is supposed to have come to America with Rev. Thomas Hooker, to Newtown (now Cambridge), Mass., in 1633, and went thence to Hartford, Conn., in June, 1636. Lieut. Will- iam Pratt's great-grandfather was Thomas Pratt, of Baldock, in Hertfordshire, England, who died in February, 1539. Thomas Pratt married Joan, and had four children, Thomas, James, Andrew and Agnes.

Andrew Pratt, son of Thomas, was born at Baldock. The name of his wife is unknown. He had three children, Ellen, William and Richard.

Rev. William Pratt, son of Andrew, was baptized at Baldock, in October, 1562, and was rector of the parish of Stevenage, in Hertford- shire, în 1598. The Christian name of his wife was Elizabeth, but her family name is un- known. Rev. William Pratt died in 1629, aged sixty-seven. They had six children, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Richard, John and William, the last named being the first settler in America.

Lieut. William Pratt married Elizabeth Clark, daughter of John Clark, first of Say- brook and afterward of Milford. Lieut. Pratt was a man of much note in the Colony. In 1637 he was in the expedition against the Pe- quots which resulted in the destruction of their fort at Mystic. By order of the General Court he received 100 acres of land, probably for ser- vices performed in that expedition. He sold his land in Hartford to Matthew Beckwith, and about 1645 removed to Saybrook. He was a large land owner in that town and also in He- bron. He was a deputy to the General Court twenty-three times, his last session being in 1678. He died about 1678-79. The date of his wife's death is not known. To them were born eight children : Elizabeth and Jolin, born at Hartford ; and Joseph, Sarah, William, Sam- tel, I.ydia and Nathaniel, born at Saybrook.

Capt. William Pratt, the fifth child of Lient. William was born May 15, 1653, and married Hannah Kirtland ( supposed to be the sister of John Kirtland, who settled at Say- brook, February 20. 1678), by whom he had five children, Benjaniin, Hannah, Prudence,

Ebenezer and Jabez. He was a prominent man, serving in the civil, military and religious affairs of the town, was a surveyor, captain of the militia, etc. He was also a large land owner in Saybrook and Hebron. He died March 4, 1718, aged sixty-five; date of his wife's death is not known.

Benjamin Pratt, son of Capt. William and Hannah Pratt, was born June 14, 1681, and married November 12, 1702, Anna Bates, daughter of Samuel Bates. By her he had three children, Benjamin, Jared and Zephaniah.

Jared Pratt, son of Benjamin and Anna Pratt, was born about 1711, and died in 1764. On November 4, 1740, he married Abigail Clark, daughter of John and Sarah Clark, and had by her eight children, all born between 1741 and 1761, namely: Abigail, Prudence, Jared, Gideon, John Clark, Zerviah, Ezra (grandfather of our subject), and Zephaniah. The date of death of Mrs. Abigail Pratt is not known.

Ezra Pratt, grandfather of Milon, was born December 5, 1757, and married January 22, 1783, Temperance Southworth. Both were natives of Saybrook. To them were born eleven children : Ezra, Amasa, Prudence, Al- fred, Henry, Temperance, Horace S., Nathan- iel A .. Lorinda, Lyman and Selden M.

Alfred Pratt, the father of Milon, was born March 18, 1789, and married Zipporah Starkey, January 9, 1808. He grew up in the town of Saybrook, and, early developing a taste for sea-faring life in time became a sailor ; his last voyage was to the Sandwich Islands and the coast of Japan. One of his trips was a whaling expedition, on which he was away from home three years, returning to Nan- tucket in 1823, soon after removing his family to Penfield, near Rochester, N. Y., where they remained about eight years. His next removal was to Geneva, Ohio, where he engaged for a time in farming, as he had followed that ocen- pation in New York, but in time the old love of water claimed him, and he was engaged as pilot on the Steamer "Washington" at the time that vessel was burned on Lake Erie. He and his son Lyman clung to a piece of wreckage for two and one-half hours, before rescued. Mr. Pratt died December 23. 1863, and his wife died January 23. 1867. They had eleven chil- dren: Harriet W., born November 1. 1808; Henry, born July 1, 1810 (died unmarried Oc- tober 21, 1826) ; Ezra, October 19, 1812;

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Elizabeth H., October 9, 1813; Augusta, March 8, 1815 (died May 28, 1831) ; William, April 10, 1817; Martha, January 1, 1819; Lyman A., September 15, 1821 ; Edwin, March 30, 1825; Hamilton, March 18, 1827; Milon, June 12, 1831.

Milon Pratt, youngest in the family of Al- fred and Zipporah Pratt, was born at Penfield, near Rochester, N. Y., being the only one of the family not a native of Saybrook, and is in the seventh generation from William Pratt, the immigrant. He was two years of age when his father removed to Geneva, Ohio, where he received his early education, attending the dis- trict schools until he was sixteen. From that age until he was twenty-one he was engaged in the wood turning business, having erected a shop with steam power for that purpose. In the spring of 1853, while on a visit in the East, a larger field for the exercise of his mechanical aspirations was offered him, and in the fall of that year he moved to Meriden, Conn., and ac- cepted a position in the factory of Walter Webb & Co., manufacturers of ivory combs, located at Hanover (now South Meriden). The inducements offered him were $1.50 per day of eleven hours, and the privilege of ac- quiring an ownership in the stock of that firm. The interest acquired at that time has been carried along with all the changes made from the above company to the present corporation of Pratt, Read & Co., of Deep River. While Mr. Pratt resided in Meriden, the firm of Wal- ter Webb & Co. merged with that of Julius Pratt & Co. After having been connected with Walter Webb & Co. about nine years, and after the above change took place, Mr. Pratt severed his connection with that firm, still retaining his interest, however, and, in company with Clemens Darnstadt, he engaged in the manu- facture of key-boards, this firm having been the first to manufacture keys in Connecticut; they also manufactured largely "sharps," commonly known as the black keys of the piano and or- gan. In 1873 this business was sold to Pratt, Read & Co. Later the plant was moved to Deep River. Milon Pratt is the oldest stock- holder in the company, and the oldest man in the State in the ivory manufacturing business. Throughout the period of his connection with this company, he made and perfected various appliances for the better production of ivory goods. having secured several patents for im- provements on machinery for this purpose, all

of which passed to the company. Mr. Pratt's relation with the Deep River Savings Bank began as trustee, in 1875, in 1881 he was chosen vice-president. Since 1899 he has been its efficient president.

On June 10, 1852, Mr. Pratt was married to Ednah Peninah Todd, born November 16, 1830, daughter of Amos Todd, and grand- daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Foote) Todd, who were the first settlers of Homer, N. Y., there being at the time of their location at that place no neighbors within three miles. To Mr. and Mrs. Milon Pratt were born four children : (1) Augusta C., born May 10, 1855, married May 22, 1879, George S. Marvin, of Brooklyn, N. Y., son of John W. Marvin, of Deep River; they have one child, Charles Arthur. (2) Emma, born August 5, 1858, married January 3, 1884, Joseph U. Pratt, of Meriden, Conn .; they have one child, Waldo Todd. (3) How- ard M., born December 28, 1864, died March 14, 1865. (4) Arthur M., born February 17, 1868, married April 26, 1893, Mary Ann Chad- wick, of Lyme, Conn., and they have three children, Mildred, Anna and Esther. Dr. Ar- thur M. Pratt was educated in the public schools of Deep River, and the Adelphia Acad- emy, Brooklyn, N. Y., studied medicine and graduated from the Bellevue Medical College, of New York, and also took a post-graduate course of one year. He practiced his profes- sion for three years in Brooklyn, N. Y., then four years in Cromwell, Conn., and is now (1902) practicing in Deep River.

Politically Milon Pratt is a Republican. Brought up in the Nineteenth Congressional District of Ohio under the political influence of such leaders as Joshua R. Giddens and Ben- jamin F. Wade, he became deeply imbued with the prevailing anti-slavery sentiment of north- ern Ohio and his first presidential vote was cast for John P. Hale. Since the organization of the Republican party he has been an ardent supporter of the principles of that party. In 1875 he represented his town in the State Leg- islature, serving on the committee on Roads and Bridges; he was again representative in 1885, during which session he was on the com- mittee on Banks, and in 1896, serving on the committee on Finance. Throughout his career as a public official he held a high record for ability and integrity, of which he may be justly proud. Locally Mr. Pratt has been called upon to fill many offices, but having so many claims.

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upon his time has only accepted those of first selectman and assessor, and he discharges the duties of justice of the peace. He and his es- timable wife give their support to the Congre- gational Church, and they are much respected among their numerous friends, who recognize their many excellent qualities.

DENNIS DUNN, who is now seventy- five years of age, affords in his life a striking illustration of what may be accomplished through hard work, thrift, integrity and reso- lute purpose. He is a fine type of a man who is essentially self-made, having begun life's struggle for himself at the age of fifteen, a poor boy, and owning but five dollars on the day of his marriage. His father, Matthew Dunn, was a laborer in County Cork, Ireland, where Dennis was born in 1828. He attended school up to the age mentioned, when he left home to work for a cousin, Michael Donovan, a tenant farmer, who was able to pay him but small wages. In March, 1845, his parents, with their children (including Dennis), emi- grated to America, starting on their westward voyage from Cork, in the sailing vessel "Mary T. Runlett." The craft proved stanch, and, in due time, the family landed at New York. They tarried in that city but two days, going to Portland, Conn., where they settled. Mr. Dunn's father and mother died there, and are buried in Middletown. They were married in County Cork, and Mrs. Dunn's maiden name was Ellen Mulcahey.

Dennis Dunn was the sixth in a family of seven children the others, in order of their birth, being: James, Ellen, William, Mat- thew, Mary and Eliza. James was for many years employed in the Portland quarries ; he married Mary Gorman, and died in Middle- town at the age of eighty-three years. Ellen was the wife of John O'Brien, a farmer of Kensington, Conn., where she died. William, a joiner by trade, resides in Middletown ; he married Johanna Kelly, who is now deceased. Matthew was twice married; first to Norali Welsh; he died in Glastonbury. Mary be- came Mrs. Patrick Hennessey, and died in Middletown. Eliza was married to Lawrence Maccaboy; she and her husband resided at Portland, and both are deceased.

Dennis Dunn did not remain at Portland with the other members of the family. Going

to Boston, he found employment with a street contractor, in East Boston, and remained there for two years. In 1847 he returned to Port- land, and, for the next six years, worked in the quarries there. Meanwhile, on July 31, 1848, he was married, by Rev. Father Brady of Middletown, to Miss Mary, daughter of John and Johanna (Sheehan) Cotter. As has been said, he had but five dollars in cash at the time. The stipend paid to quarrymen was not large, and the expense of a steadily increasing fam- ily was very considerable; yet Mr. Dunn and his frugal, estimable wife managed to save enough to make a small payment on a farm, which he purchased of 'Charles Hubbard in the spring of 1853. It embraced but sixteen acres, to which, through prudence and indus- try, Mr. Dunn found himself able to add from time to time. There he lived until 1892, when he disposed of the place and bought his pres- ent comfortable home in Rockfall. Although well advanced in years, he is well preserved. both physically and mentally, performing his daily round of domestic duties, although he leads a somewhat retired life. His years have been full of toil, but his industry and perse- verance have brought a rich reward in a com- fortable competence, the esteem of the com- munity, and the approval of his own con- science. In all his efforts he has had the con- stant aid, loving sympathy, and wise counsel of his devoted wife. In 1897 he erected two well appointed tenement houses, on land ad- joining his home on the west.

Mrs. Dunn was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1823. 'Her father died in the land of his birth, and her mother in the United States. She, herself, crossed the water in 1845. To Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have been born ten children, namely: Ellen, John, Matthew. Johanna, Mary, Ellen ( second of that name ), Dennis, Jr., William, James and Elizabeth. Ellen, Dennis, James and Elizabeth died in infancy or early childhood, three of them passing away within the brief space of six days. John is a mechanic at Bridgeport, Conn. ; he married Ellen Murray. Matthew married Kate Eustis, and holds the responsible position of yardmaster for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com- pany at New London. Johanna married Dan- iel MePadden, and died at Bridgeport. Mary, Mrs. John Hughson, lives in New Haven.

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Ellen (2) became the wife of Charles Lyons, and has her home at Shelton, Conn. Will- iam was, for several years, a switchman in the yards of the New York & New Haven Company at New London; he married Mar- garet Connel and died October 14, 1899.

In politics Mr. Dunn is liberal, though conservative. Both he and his wife are prac- tical Catholics, and attendants upon the ser- vices of St. Colman's Church, at Middlefield, toward the erection of which Mr. Dunn was a most liberal and hearty contributor.

EPHRAIM P. ARNOLD, Judge of Pro- bate, first selectman, and one of the most prom- inent men of Haddam, Middlesex county, can trace his ancestry in this country back to John Arnold of Cambridge and Hartford, and the latter's son, Joseph Arnold, who was one of the twenty-eight original proprietors who located in Haddam in 1662. The Judge takes a proper pride in the fact that lie owns the land upon which the ancestor settled, and which is located on the opposite side of the road from the County House.

John Arnold appears early at Cambridge, Mass., where he was made a freeman May 6, 1635. He became one of the original proprie- tors of Hartford, Conn., in 1639, and died in 1664. His wife, Susannah, was one of the original members of the old South Church, Boston. Their children were: Josiah, a free- man of Hartford in 1657; Joseph, a freeman of Hartford in 1658: John : and Daniel, a free- man of Hartford in 1665. Of these, Daniel died May 10, 1691, leaving a widow and chil- dren; of Josiah and John we have no further knowledge.

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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 94

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