Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1, Part 41

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1 > Part 41

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

much less to ever rally sufficiently to conquer the disease, leave the sick room and again become active in his vocation. But to the surprise of all who were intimately conversant with the case he after several weeks gained rapidly, recovered be- fore fall, and once more took up his work, and now. at the age of fifty-three, after thirty-seven years of continuous business life. he is still "in the harness," enjoying fairly good health, a very active man, light-hearted, and ever ready to extend a cheery greeting to his friends.

Mr. Hotchkiss has not found all his pathway in life strewn with roses, minus the thorns. His career has indeed been a strenuous one-a long, hard battle to fight against losses. disappointments. treatchery of so-called friends, hostility of enemies, lack of working capital, hot and ruinous competi- tion, ill health and bereavement. But through it all the blood that he inherited from Revolutionary an- cestors on both maternal and paternal sides came in evidence, and he recognized no such word as de- feat. Although his investments have in a few in- stances proven to be poor ones, and the money might much better have been placed elsewhere or given away, he has always taken a philosophical view of the situation, persevered in his undertakings, and in the end has become a wealthy man, in the honorable position of deserving all he possesses.

Mr. Hotchkiss married Miss Mary L. Dudley in 1872. Mrs. Hotchkiss was born in Waterbury, a daughter of Whiting B. Dudley. an old and hon- ored resident of that place. who held the office of superintendent of the city Water Works from its organization until his death in 1882. For eight years he was a deacon in the Prospect Congrega- tional Church. Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss are the parents of three children: Winford E., born Feb. 5, 1873, has been associated with his father in the paper business in Waterbury from his youth, and 'is now at the head of the Incorporated company: he is married. Irving M., born April 3, 1874, died at the age of seventeen, while preparing for college. Celia E., born March 10, 1888, is a student in the Waterbury high school.

Mr. Hotchkiss belongs to Townsend Lodge, No. 89, I. O. O. F., and is well satisfied with the work of this order. During the time he was connected with the Stow Manufacturing Co. he united with the Congregational Church, and for several years was a member of the choir of the Plantsville Church, and he is now identified with the Second Congregational Church in Waterbury. He also be- longed to Quinnipiac Lodge. Good Templars, in Plantsville, and was advanced from one office to another until finally. for succeeding terms, he was elected chief of the lodge, being released only when business required his removal from the town. He has continued to follow in the path of temperance in all things, never having used even tobacco in any form, and in choosing his associates he has al- ways sought companions whose reputations would bear close inspection. In politics he is a stanch Re-

publican, but in no sense can he be called an office secker nor a scheming politician, and in all elec- tions reserves the right to cast his ballot for the men and measures he thinks best for the public welfare. In either personal or business relations with his fellow men Mr. Hotchkiss is strictly hon- est, appearing for exactly what he is; his "word is as good as his bond," he has an intense hatred for all forms of hypocrisy, snobbishness and deceit, and is quick to discover a man's true worth in spite of any false exterior. In business and all other mat- ters he is straightforward and progressive: as a friend he is faithfully loyal. ever mindful of a favor, and notably hospitable. He is magnanimous to his enemies, not over-ready to pick a quarrel. but has always been found perfectly capable of taking his own part when forced to do so, and seldom forgets an insult, slight, or injury. He is firm in his con- victions and tenacious in maintaining them, al- though ever willing to listen to the "other side." Conservative, unassuming, level-headed, of quick perception and good judgment, Mr. Hotchkiss through energy, perseverance and talent has gained his present enviable position, and with the broad charity that comes from hard experience he is ever ready to place a man on his own merits rather than on any inherited social standing, and to assist by word or deed any worthy struggler in life's race.

By studying the genealogy of Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss it will be seen that their children can number among their ancestors three different branches of Hotchkiss' in a most extraordinary way :

First-Emerson M. Hotchkiss had great-grand- fathers, great-grandmothers, great-uncles, great- aunts, and cousins by the name of Hotchkiss on both the paternal and maternal side, between which two lines there existed no blood relationship so far as can yet be traced : On his father's side, Sergt. Ezekiel and his descendants down, and on his mother's side Israel Hotchkiss and his descendants, Israel's daughter, Martha M. marrying Hiram An- drews. Their daughter, Celia Andrews, showed par- tiality toward her grandfather's name. and brought it into the family again by marrying Miles Hotch- kiss. Jr .. of a different branch entirely, and not known to be connected, thus bringing two lines of Hotchkiss together, the result of this union being, as hereinbefore stated, Celia M. and Emerson M.

Second-Emerson M. Hotchkiss, in marrying, added the third line, as the mother of Mary L. Dudley (his wife) was, before her marriage to Whiting B. Dudley. Rosanna Hotchkiss. Her father was Benjamin Hotchkiss. of Prospect, son of Abraham Hotchkiss, of Watertown, whose father, Deacon Gideon Hotchkiss. of Waterbury and Pros- pect, was a captain of militia in the French and In- dian war and also in the Revolutionary war. So far as is now known this line is in no way related to either of the lines of ancestry of Emerson M.

The children of Emerson M. and Mary L. ( Dud- ley) Hotchkiss, namely, Winford E. and Celia E.,

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now therefore have relatives by the name of Hotch- kiss extending in three different lines which for several generations appear to be entirely separate and distinct.

LEWIS. The family of this name, from which descended the Lewises of Wallingford and Meri- den, Conn., where, from generation to generation, they have lived for upward of two hundred years, and of which the late Hon. Isaac C. Lewis, of Meriden, was a distinguished member, were in direct line of descent from William Lewis, their first American ancestor.

William Lewis came from London in the ship "Lion," arriving in Boston, Mass., Sept. 16, 1632. He settled in what is now Cambridge, Mass., and in the summer of 1636 was one of the Rev. Thomas Hooker company who settled in Hartford, Conn. Mr. Lewis removed to Farmington, Conn .. before 1644. Later he removed to Hadley, Mass., and was one of the founders of that town in 1661. He was a leading spirit and prominent man in these several places. His wife was Felix Lewis.

The late Isaac C. Lewis was in the eighth gen- eration from William Lewis, the line of his descent being through William (2), Ebenezer, Caleb, Icha- bod, Jared and Isaac.

(II) William Lewis (2), son of William Lewis, was born in England, and came to Boston with his father. In 1644 he was a resident of Farmington, and was chosen the first recorder of the town in 1645. In 1657 he and Samuel Steele bought of the · Indians, on behalf of a Farmington company, a tract of land sixteen miles square. He, too, was a man of prominence in his community. He married (first) in 1644, Mary, daughter of William Hopkins, of Stratford, Conn., and (second) Mary, daughter of Ezekiel Cheever, a famous instructor, of New Haven, Conn., and Boston, Mass. William Lewis died in 1600.

(III) Ebenezer Lewis, son of William (2), was born in Farmington, Conn. He married Elizabeth. daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Merriman, of Walling- ford, Conn., and settled in that town, where he died in 1709.

(IV) Caleb Lewis, son of Ebenezer Lewis, born in Wallingford, Conn., married Sarah (Curtis) Cook, daughter of Isaac Curtis, and widow of Isaac Cook.

(V) Ichabod Lewis, son of Caleb Lewis. born in Wallingford, married, after the death of his first wife, Sarah Esther ( Umberfield) Hall, daughter of Caleb and Esther Umberfield.

(VI) Jared Lewis, son of Ichabod Lewis by his second marriage. born May 10, 1761, married Rhoda Munson. Jared Lewis was a patriot in the Revo- lutionary war, in which he served in a regiment commanded by Col. Canfield. In later years he kept a hotel in Wallingford, and was no exception to the rule in those days when the landlord was generally the most influential man in the community. He

was active in politics, and his advice was sought in all matters pertaining to public affairs.

(VII) Isaac Lewis, son of Jared Lewis and the father of the late Isaac C. Lewis, of Meriden, was born in Wallingford. He married Esther, daughter of Deodate and Mary ( Parsons ) Beaumont, re- moved to Meriden and there died in 1823. His widow died five years later. In 1806, at the time Meriden was taken from Wallingford and incor- porated in a separate town, Isaac Lewis was chosen town clerk, and as such served until his death. He was a man greatly esteemed and highly respected.

HON. ISAAC CHAUNCEY LEWIS, son of Isaac Lewis was born Oct. 19, 1812, in Meriden, Conn. After his father's death, when the son was but eleven years of age, he had but one term of schooling save an occasional attendance at an evening school. On the death of his father young Lewis lived one suni- mer with Levi Yale on the Carpenter place on East Main street, in Meriden, and the next summer with Moses Andrews, a farmer in the west part of the same town. In the next year he went to live with his grandfather, Tared Lewis, in Wallingford, and assisted him in his store and hotel. On the death of his grandfather. a year later, young Lewis re- turned to Meriden, and there remained two years. living a part of the time with his mother, and after her death, in 1828, with his brother Patrick, who kept a tavern. When in his fifteenth year he re- turned to Wallingford, and entered the establish- ment of Charles & Hiram Yale, manufacturers of britannia ware, to learn the trade. He remained with Hiram Yale until the death of that gentleman. in 1831 (Charles having withdrawn in the mean- time). He then entered the employ of Lewis & Holt (of which firm his brother Patrick was a mem- ber), who kept a store in a part of his brother's ho- tel building, and had a small factory. Young Lewis worked at a foot lathe, and his first business was that of making molasses-gates. Later his employers en- larged their business, and began making Britannia ware. In 1833 the firm failed, and young Lewis lost about half of the little capital of $800 which he had accumulated. The business of the firm fell into the hands of Almeron Miles, with whom Mr. Lewis re- mained two years and added $200 to his capital. Being then twenty-two years of age, he formed a partnership with George Cowles, under the firm name of Lewis & Cowles. They closed up their business in the spring of 1836, by which time Mr. Lewis had a capital of $1,500. Later and for a time until in 1840 he was in business in partnership with Lemuel J. Curtis.

In 1841 Mr. Lewis bought the Fordred farm. which was located about one mile east of Meriden Center, where he resided for many years. Here he built a shop and carried on the Britannia business on his own account. His business increased, and in 1850 he bought the Crocker shop in which he had carried on business with Mr. Cowles. Soon after. associated with Daniel B. Wells, the firm of I. C.

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Lewis & Co. was formed, but the death of Mr. Wells soon afterward terminated the partnership. He purchased the interest of Mr. Wells and continued in business alone, rapidly enlarging his product and the means of manufacturing it. About this time Horace C. and Dennis Wilcox, two enterprising men who made themselves known in the business world, conceived the plan of forming a joint-stock company, and bought up the several Britannia-ware establishments in Meriden, so in 1852 the Meriden Britannia Co. was formed and incorporated with a capital of $50,000, the incorporators being Horace C. and Dennis Wilcox, W. W. Lyman, Lemuel J. Curtis, John Munson. James Frary and Isaac C. Lewis. Mr. Lewis was made president. For nearly fourteen years he stood at the head of the new cor- poration, giving his constant personal attention to the business in its many details. Not only did he perform all the onerous duties of the presidency, but he exercised a careful supervision over the manu- faoture of the company's goods, that went far toward establishing the enviable reputation that the product of the factory soon gained. At the end of this period the affairs of the Britannia Company were running so smoothly, and its successes had been so pro- nounced that Mr. Lewis felt that he should be par- tially relieved from his arduous duties. He accord- ingly, in January, 1866, resigned from the presi- dency of the company. The office of superintendent (which office he had practically held all these years) was created, and Mr. Lewis was elected. This office he held until 1874. when he resigned that position. On the death of Horace C. Wilcox, in 1890, at the earnest solicitation of the directors of the Britannia Company, Mr. Lewis again assumed the presidency and remained in that office until his death. Though relieved of the presidency from 1866 to 1890, Mr. Lewis was during all these years a potent factor in the managerial and executive af- fairs of the company, and his views always played a large part in shaping the course of the Meriden Britannia Co., which had grown from an infant in- dustry to become one of the largest manufacturing concerns in the country, with a capital of one mil- lion dollars, and having five million dollars invested.

As years passed Mr. Lewis' business interests embraced wider and wider fields. Every new busi- ness interest that needed encouragement and capital enlisted his support until he had become a stock- holder in a score of thriving concerns, and a director in a dozen of them. He was president of the Meri- den Trust and Safe Deposit Co., the Miller Brothers' Cutlery Co., and one of the directors of the Meriden National Bank, the Meriden Savings Bank. the Wil- cox Silver Plate Co., the Meriden Silver Plate Co., the Manning & Bowman Co., Edward Miller & Co., the Wilcox & White Organ Co., and others.

During the busiest year of his life Mr. Lewis found time to devote to town and municipal affairs. and his fellow citizens were always eager to avail themselves of his services in the local government

and in the State Legislature. He was elected repre- sentative in 1848. in 1853, in 1862, and in 1866. Previous to 1862 he was elected as a Democrat, but in the year of the Union Republican ticket, when Sumter was fired upon, he joined the Republican cause for putting down the Rebellion. He took a deep interest in the prosecution of the Civil war, and subscribed liberally whenever funds were needed by the North. He believed in sustaining the Union forces at any cost. And all through those dark vears Mr. Lewis gave freely of his time and wealth to assist the families of the men who were fighting at the front. In 1856, 1858 and 1860 Mr. Lewis served as justice of the peace, and was on the board of relief in 1861 and 1867. He was a member of the city council in 1867, and in 1868 was alderman. He served his town as mayor, elected first in 1870, and his administration was particularly successful. He was placed at the head of the commission ap- pointed in 1875 to build the water works, and in the following year he was appointed one of the sewer commission, and in both did splendid work. giving the city one of the best supplies of water of any city in New England.

Mr. Lewis was always known as one of Meri- den's most liberal philanthropists, and the extent of his private charities was never known, so quietly and in such an unostentatious manner were they made. Among those that the public knew most about were his gift of a handsome block on the cor- ner of Main and Veteran streets to the Meriden City Mission. His contributions in aid to this so- ciety's charity have also been most liberal. There is scarcely an organization to which he belonged to which he did not make most generous contributions, among them being the Political Equality Club, tem- perance societies and other kindred institutions. To the support of the St. Paul's Universalist Church, of which he was so long a devoted and consistent member, he was liberal, almost to lavishness. In the building of the new church, the dedication of which he in the last years of his life witnessed with so much gratification, Mr. Lewis contributed the major portion of the $100,000 that it cost. The new organ was also his gift. and several other features were secured there as the result of his generosity. Mr. Lewis was reared an Episcopalian, and after marriage in 1836 he attended the Baptist Church until in 1854. when largely through his instrumental- ity the First Universalist Society of Meriden was formed, and there his religious zeal received its real inspiration. and there the most generous impulses of his life found their rich fruition. After the so- ciety was organized Mr. Lewis founded the Sun- dav-school, and was chosen its superintendent. an office he held for eighteen years. Always an ear- nest supporter of the temperance cause. Mr. Lewis joined the Sons of Temperance upon its organiza- tion, and was one of its loyal leaders, and the larg- est society in Meriden bore his name. In 1883 he joined the Prohibition party, in support of whose

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principles he was ever after active and efficient. He contributed liberally to the Woman's Christian Tem- perance Union. He was a firm believer in Woman's emancipation, advocating her right to suffrage.

Among the most noted personal characteristics of Mr. Lewis were generosity, public spirit and modesty. . He was never hasty in reaching con- clusions, but when taken would maintain them until the wisdom of his position was established and ac- knowledged, yet he was at all times, no matter what the discussion or controversy, amiable in manner, modest in stating his own position, and generous in admitting the honesty of those who differed from him. In all his varied affairs of life Mr. Lewis avoid- ed litigation ; never on a single occasion did he re- sort to a court of law for justice, and never was he sued. He always found some quiet way of settling disputes, and thus made lifelong friends. To young men Mr. Lewis was always a source of wisdom and inspiration. To him they went for counsel, and they always found in him a guide and friend. He was a life long member of Meriden Center Lodge, No. 68, I. O. O. F., and was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

In his home life those personal characteristics which made Mr. Lewis beloved in business and so- cial circles, shone forth in even a greater degree. There he was the embodiment of goodness, there his noble Christian manhood found its truest mani- festation. His death occurred Dec. 7, 1893, and never was a man more deeply mourned, never was grief more keen : every one in Meriden felt that he or she had lost a personal friend. The day of the funeral was one of general mourning throughout Meriden,-flags were displayed at half mast on all the factories and public buildings, while shops and places of business were closed during the hours of the funeral ceremony.

On May II, 1836, Mr. Lewis was married to Harriet, daughter of Noah and Nancy (Merriman) Pomeroy, of Meriden, and their children were : Nancy MI., born Feb. 26, 1837, died Jan. 27, 1856; Martha E., born Oct. 3. 1839, married Oct. 2, 1861, Charles H. Fales: Henry J., born Oct. 21, 1841, married Aug. 7, 1884, Mary E. Stringer, and died Jan. 11, 1902, at Stratford, Conn. : Isaac, born July 15, 1843, died April 30, 1847 ; Kate A., born May 8, 1851, married July 29, 1878. Rev. James H. Chapin, Ph. D .; and Frank, born Dec. 30, 1852, died Oct. 9, 1855.

WILLIAM JACKSON IVES, who. during his life, was one of the best known, representative citi- zens of Meriden, was born in that town July 28, 1815. A complete history of the early members of the Ives family is given in this volume in connection with the biography of Frederick W. Ives.

Lazarus Ives, son of Jolin Ives (2), was born Feb. 5, 1703, in the town of Wallingford and was married first, Jan. 5, 1731, to Mabel Jerome. His second wife's name was Isabella. His children

were : Timothy, born Oct. 16, 1731 ; Lazurus, Nov. 2, 1734; Ambrose, May 22, 1736; Isabella, April 19, 1738; Joshua, March 16, 1740; Amasa, March 14, 1743; and John and Phebe, the former of whom was baptized May 17, 1747, and the latter Nov. 26, 1752.

Amasa Ives, son of Lazarus and Isabella Ives, was born in that part of Wallingford now the town of Meriden, and was baptized March 14, 1743. Here he lived all his days. His wife was Rebecca Ward.

Watrous Ives, son of Amasa and Rebecca Ives. was married Sept. 15, 1809, to Polly Yale. Of their children we have the following record : ( I) Woos- ter Yale, born July 8, 1810, first married Elizabeth Lake, of Meriden, and second, Elizabeth Parish. No children were born of either marriage. In 1849 he went to California, and later became a farmer at Fulton, Illinois, where he died. (2) Phoebe. born July 29, 1813, died May 2, 1889. She became the wife of William Hale, of whom extended men- tion appears elsewhere in this volume. (3) Will- iam Jackson is mentioned farther on. (4) Aaron Watrous, born May 25, 1817, died March 18, 1888. On Nov. 10, 1843, he married Sarah E. Atkins, who died Aug. 11, 1844, and on April 5, 1846, he mar- ried Sarah Leantine Upson, who died Feb. 16, 1898. His family included five children, as follows : Sarah Hubbard, born Aug. 8, 1844, married William Mar- shall Jan. 3, 1872, and had four children, Marion Ives (born April 9, 1873), Ruth Ives (born Aug. 28, 1878, married Edgar G. Clark in July, 1898, and resides in New Haven), Myra Ives (born Sept. 12, 1880. resides with Waldo C. Twiss, in Meriden), and Luther Ives (born Nov. 7, 1882, was adopted by Dr. Means, of Michigan) ; Cornelia Leantine, torn July 16, 1850, died Dec. 3. 1873; Henry M. and Harvey Miller, twins. born March 3, 1859, the former of whom died April 1, 1863, while the latter became a Baptist minister and married Anna Bishop, of Meriden, by whom he had one child, Margaret : and Ernest Manning, born Dec. 17, 1865. (5) Amasa, born March 28, 1819, was long engaged in the dry goods business at Benton, Ala .. and died unmarried in Meriden. (6) Stephen, born Aug. 5, 1821, died in New York March 19, 1898. He married, first, Mariette Hall, of Meriden, and their only child, Stephen Dallas, is now a resident of San Francisco, Cal. His second wife, Celia Fish, was a native of New York State and bore him five chil- dren, namely: John, Clara, Frank F., Mae and a daughter who died unnamed. Mrs. Ives died in Meriden. (7) George W., born Jan. 15, 1825, died unmarried. (8) Samuel Miller, born Jan. 29, 1829. married Julia Ann Crocker, March 25, 1852. They had three children, born as follows: Leland Crocker, Nov. 12. 1856, died Feb. 22, 1885 ; Luella, Feb. 1, 1861, died Aug. 26, following : Birdie, Dec. 19, 1872, died Sept. 14, following. (9) and (10) Cornelia and Delia, twins, born Feb. 28, 1833, of whom the latter died April 3, following; Cornelia

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married Waldo Clinton Twiss, of Meriden, Oct. 15. 1862, and her only child, Frank Bolivar, born May 12, 1863, died Sept. 10, following.

William Jackson Ives was reared on the home iarm and educated in the district schools. In early manhood he was a peddler with a team in the South, disposing of wares made by Parker & White, of Meriden, receiving a compensation of one hundred dollars per month and expenses. For some years he made suspender webbing in Meriden but lost his factory by fire. Subsequently he established himself in business on his own account at Benton, Ala., keeping a general store. After achieving marked success he admitted to partnership his brother, Stephen Ives, and his bookkeeper, Willian Sayre. Most of his time was spent in the North buying goods to supply the demands of a large num- ber of customers, and looking after his farm. The large planters bought much on credit and the de- vastation caused by the Civil war impoverished their debtors and the firm was forced to sustain a loss of about one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Ives' per- sonal loss included a large store and warehouse, amounting to eighty thousand dollars, of which he never recovered anything. Much of this loss was caused by the burning of the town by the Union army. Retiring to Meriden lie abandoned his southern interests and took a more active part in home affairs than had previously been possible. He was quite extensively engaged in rearing fine stock, and as he was a lover of fine horses this occupa- tion was congenial to him and many animals were disposed of by him at handsome figures. His bus- iness ability and integrity were well known and ap- preciated, and he was often called upon to settle estates. A most charitable and hospitable man, he was universally respected. He was an active mem- ber of the Baptist Church and gave largely to be- 1!evolent and charitable undertakings. In politics, like most of the early residents of Meriden, he was a Democrat. Refusing to be a candidate for mayor, he served in the city council and board of aldermen. and as street commissioner and took an active in- terest in public affairs, both local and general. His influence was wide-spread and contributed much to the general welfare. A devoted husband and father, and a kind and upright neighbor, his demise caused a great loss to his native town. He passed away at his home in this city May 16, 1887, and was buried in East Cemetery.

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Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1, Part 41

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040