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 50
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Mrs. Elizabeth A. ( Dowd) Leavenworth was a daughter of Russell B. Dowd, a son of Russell Dowd, a farmer of Clinton, known as Capt. Dowd. who sailed trom New Haven to New York, and sold fowls and country products : he lived to be seventy years old. Russell B. Dowd, who was also a farmer in Clinton, lived to be eighty-three. In 1835 he moved from Clinton to Northford, locating on a
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farm which he bought from Henry Taintor. He was a fine gardener, having one of the best gardens in the locality in his day, and fruit in abundance. He also raised cattle, sheep, etc. His family are buried in Northford. His son Benjamin Russell Dowd enlisted during the Civil war in the 15th Conn. V. I., and died in Washington in December, 1863, of typhoid fever ; he was brought home and laid to rest in the family burial plat. Russell B. Dowd married Eliza H. Wright, who was born at Wright River, in Westbrook, June 9, 1800, and died in New Haven in 1879. She was but seventeen at the time of her marriage. Benjamin Wright, her father, was very friendly with the Indians, who were around the home all during Mrs. Dowd's child- hood, and who had their last burial spot in this re- gion near the home of the Wrights, who never had any cause to feei afraid of the Red men. There were twelve children in the family. Representa- tives of the Wright family came from England and were early settlers in the town of Madison, which belonged at one time to two brothers of the Wright family.
Mrs. Leavenworth is a well-known lady in New Haven, and is much esteemed by a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. She came to New Ha- ven when about sixteen years old, and conducted a millinery business in company with Mrs. Graves, and then with a Mrs. Langdon, and then engaged in business for herself, building up a fine trade, and becoming very prosperous. This business she dis- posed of at her marriage. In 1869 she again opened her millinery parlors, and in 1871 built a fine store for the purpose, in which she carried on the busi- ness until, in 1885, she closed it out and rented the store, which she still owns. Mrs. Leavenworth is a lady of much ability, and belongs to the Women's Board of Mission and the Eastern Star Lodge. She is also associated with the W. R. C. In 1849 she went to New York on a New Year's trip, the jour- ney from New Haven to that city requiring twelve hours.
DANIEL CARROLL LEAVENWORTH, M. D., son of Russell Leavenworth, was born April 29, 1828, in the town of Woodbury. He studied medicine in Yale College, from which he graduated in 1865, and, making his home in New Haven, followed the practice of his profession in that city all his life. In 1874 he came to the home in which his widow is now living, and resided there for a number of years retired from the active work of his profession. For a number of years he had an extensive interest in the drug business, and during his last years had charge of the real estate in Connecticut which be- longed to his father-in-law. His death occurred Dec. 19, 1896. Dr. Leavenworth and Miss Julia Hill were married May 13, 1869. She was born in Farmington, and came to New Haven when about six years of age. Her father, A. S. Hill, a Meth- odist clergyman, was born in Redding, Conn., and had extensive real-estate investments in New Ha- ven, to the management of which the last years of
his life were largely given. Ile died July 15, 1893, at the age of ninety-three years. Her mother, Abiah. A. Judson, was the daughter of Samuel A. Judson, of Cornwall, Conn., where he spent his active years in farming ; he died in Brooklyn, N. Y., at the age of eighty-nine years. Dr. Leavenworth and his wife had one child, Charles S., born July 17, 1874, now a professor of history at Nanyang College, at Shanghai, China ; he graduated from Wesleyan in 1895, and from Yale in 1897, from which he re- ceived the degree of Master of Arts in 1899.
BRADLEY. Among the distinguished families of the State of Connecticut is that of Bradley, the name having been an honored one for many gen- erations and represented at the present date by men of means and influence. .
William Bradley, the founder of the family in New England, came from England with Gov. Eaton, in company with others who established families and also did much toward the early set- tlement of the Colonies. William Bradley was mar- ried Feb. 18, 1645, to Alice Pritchard. He died in 1691.
Joseph Bradley, son of William the settler, was born in 1646, and died in 1704. On Oct. 25, 1667, he married Silence Brockett.
Samuel Bradley, son of Joseph, was born in 1681, and died in 1757. He married Abigail At- water, who was born Jan. 16, 1684, and died Jan. 23, 1742.
Saniuel Bradley (2), son of Samuel, was born March 21, 1707, and was married Dec. 16, 1732, to Eunice Munson. They lived in New Haven and Wallingford.
Titus Bradley, son of Samuel (2), was born in 1746, and died Feb. 9. 1811. In 1769 he married Lydia Yale Todd, and they lived in North Haven.
Titus Bradley, Jr., son of Titus, was born in 1776, and died in 1822. In 1805 he was united in marriage with Mary Munson, who died in 1861. She was a daughter of Stephen and Mary (Good- year) Munson, and traced her ancestry back through Jabez and Eunice ( Atwater) Munson, and Stephen and Lydia ( Bassett) Munson, to Samuel and Martha ( Bradley) Munson:
Seymour Bradley, son of Titus, Jr., was born Aug. 14, 1806, and died April 25, 1890. On Sept. 30, 1829, he married Delia Barnes, who was born June 6, 1809, and died Jan. 4, 1880. She was a daughter of Frederick and Eunetia ( Blakeslee) Barnes, her line reaching back through Joshua and Mercy (Tuttle) Barnes, Capt. Joshua and De- borah ( Wooding) Barnes, and Thomas and Mary (Leek) Barncs, to Thomas and Abigail ( Frost) Barnes. Seymour Bradley conducted a store on Chapel street, New Haven, for many years, estab- lishing it when he was a young man.
Robert Barnes Bradley, son of Seymour, was born March 10, 1832, in North Haven, Conn., and died Jan. 22, 1890. in New Haven. His early school days were spent in New Haven, and he was a pupil
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in two well-known schools, the Lovell Lancasterian School and later the select school conducted by Mr. Thomas. Until 1858 he remained assisting his fa- ther in the store, and at that date he opened up a business of his own, embarking in the agricultural implement line on State street, at the corner of Court street. There he was known by the older residents for many years, continuing his business until his death, in 1890, when he was succeeded by the firm of Bradley & Dann. On Dec. 30, 1858, Mr. Bradley was united in marriage with Cornelia Minor, who was born July 13, 1835, daughter of Truman and Eunice (Peet) Minor, and a descend- ant-through Seth and Susannah ( Frisbie) Minor, Israel and Anna (Lake) Minor, Josiah and Mary (Barnum-Shove) Minor, and Ephraim and Re- becea (Curtiss) Minor-of Capt. John and Eliza- beth ( Booth) Minor. Capt. John Minor was born in 1634, and his wife on Sept. 12, 1647; his death took place Sept. 17, 1719, and hers on Oct. 24, 1732 ; their marriage was solemnized Oct. 19, 1658. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barnes Bradley had two daugh- ters, Delia Barnes and Cornelia Minor. The for- mer married Charles W. Whittlesey, and they have two children, Ethel and Robert B. For many years Robert Barnes Bradley was prominent in Center Church, and served as treasurer of the society, and on committees for a long period.
Truman Minor, the father of Mrs. Robert Barnes Bradley, was a member of the firm of Minor, Horton & Co., manufacturers of plows, in Peeks- kill, N. Y., and there Mrs. Bradley was reared. Mrs. Eunice ( Peet) Minor, the mother of Mrs. Bradley, traced an unbroken line to her first Amer- ican ancestor, John Peet, through her parents, Jehiel and Lois ( Manville) Peet, Jehiel and Joanna (Walker) Peet, Richard and Sarah (Curtiss) Peet, Benjamin and Priscilla (Fairchild) Peet, and Ben- jamin and Phebe (Butler) Peet, Benjamin being a son of John. John Peet came from England in 1635, a passenger in the "Hopewell." from England, and settled in Stratford, Connecticut.
FREDERICK T. BRADLEY, son of Robert Barnes Bradley, was born Nov. 28, 1860. On June 15, 1887, he married Miss Sarah Emily Mersick, daugh- ter of Edwin F. Mersick, and two children came to this union : Seymour Mersick, born April 25, 1888; and Mildred, born May 1, 1890. Mr. Bradley's fa- ther early determined to send him to Yale, and he was graduated with honor from Hopkin's Grammar School, and, in June, 1883, from the Yale Scientific School, immediately afterward going into business with his father, with whom he was associated until 1890. In that year, in association with George E. Dann, he succeeded to the business, but three years later he retired, and on Jan. 1, 1894, became a men- ber of the firm of English & Mersick, which on June 28, 1895, was incorporated as the English & Mersick Co., with Edwin F. Mersick as president and treasurer, F. T. Bradley as secretary, and John B. Kennedy as vice-president. Upon the death of Mr. Mersick Mr. Kennedy became president, Fred-
erick T. Bradley, treasurer, and John MacKay, sec- retary, of the company. Mr. Bradley is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and is treasurer of the Stevens & Sackett Co., manufacturers of coach lamps. Socially he is connected with the New Colony Historical Society and the Sons of the Amer- ican Revolution, and is also a member of the Grad- uates Club, and the Yale Club, New York city.
JOSEPH E. COE is a valued and noted eiti- zen of Meriden, whose fame extends throughout many States in the Union as an unceasing worker in the cause of Christianity and educational en- lightenment. His birth occurred on a farm in the town of Middlefield, Conn., June 16, 1827, and he is the youngest son of Eli Coe. The genealogy of the family will be found in the biography of Levi E. Coe elsewhere.
Joseph E. Coe grew to young manhood in his native place, attending only the district schools, and for a number of years followed farming. Al- though he had little capital to begin with a provi- dent husbanding of his resources and judicious in- vestments in Chicago real estate placed means at his disposal, his business acumen assisting him in so managing the same as to bring him substantial returns. While still a young man his thoughts were turned into religious channels, and for many years past he has devoted himself largely to promoting the religious thoughts of his fellow men. His ef- forts in this direction have been so successful and he has traveled so widely in pursuing this work, that he has become extensively known, although his work may never be fully appreciated. Mr. Coe was one of the promoters of the Meriden Hospital. A large part of the competency amassed has been benevolently donated to the cause in which he is profoundly interested. Many of the methods of Mr. Coe in his religious work are original with him, one of these being the distribution of leaves of the Bible, one leaf at a time, in every State in the Union, this entailing a large outlay. Mr. Coe also bought and disbursed about two thousand copies of the re- vised version of the New Testament, besides 4.000 copies of the old version. The public schools have also benefited by his liberality as he has given a large number of dictionaries to them, and he has always taken a great interest in educational matters. The native town of Mr. Coe has been remembered very generously by him, he having donated an ample sum to provide quarters in the Middlefield town hall for the W. C. T. U., Mr. Coe being a stanch ad- vocate of temperance and a strong ally to the forces contending against the use of tobacco. In pur- suance of liis commendable work in temperance and religion he has paid out many thousands of dollars of his own money, employing nien to assist hin. giv- ing his own time gratuitously. Few men in this lo- cality have been as prominent in the Y. M. C. A., and he is also an active member of the American Bible Society of New York city.
The first marriage of Joseph E. Coe was to Miss
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.
Laura L. Miller, his second marriage being to Miss Orpha R. Root. For twenty-five years Mr. Coe has stanchly upheld the principles he believed to be right, and his declining ycars are cheered by the assurance that he has put his best energies into this work, and that he deserves the commendation of "well done, good and faithful servant." Al- though bodily ills afflict him, he bears all with the fortitude of a Christian, being an example in this as in other ways, and meriting the esteem and af- fection with which he is universally regarded.
OLIVER RICE was during his lifetime one of Meriden's leading agriculturists and a well-known citizen. His birth occurred Nov. 17, 1819, on the old Rice homestead, in the Hanover District, Meri- den, and he was a scion of one of the oldest famil- ies of New Haven county.
Samuel Royce (as the name was then written) the progenitor of the family in New Haven county, was a son of Robert Royce, who died in New Lon- don in 1676. Robert Royce was made a Freeman in 1634 in Boston. Before 1650 and until 1657 he is known to have been in Stratford, Conn. He re- moved to New London, where in 1660 he was con- stable, a very important position at that time. None of his sons remained in New London. His son Samuel settled with his sons in Wallingford, and they were among the first families of what is known as the New Colony. On Jan. 9. 1667, Samuel Royce married Hannah Churchwood, and among their children was Samitel (2), born in 1673. . Samuel Royce (1), died in 1711. The first marriage of Samuel Royce (2) was to Sarah Baldwin, and to this union were born: Abigail. Prudence, Delilah, Isaac, Ebenezer, Nathaniel. John, Mary and Jacob; the last named married Thankful Beach. The second marriage of Samuel Royce (2) was cele- brated Dec. 12, 1695. Hannah Benedict becoming his bride. She was born Jan. 8, 1676, and died Jan. 12, 1761. To this marriage were born: Han- nah, Ezekiel (direct ancestor of Oliver Rice), Sam- uel, Abel, Benjamin, Mehitable and Ebenezer.
Ezekiel Royce, son of Samuel (2), was born Feb. 10, 1699, was a farmer and large land owner, and became active in the public affairs of the com- munity, serving as justice of the peace for many years. He was a gallant soldier in the French and Indian war, and the commission which he re- ceived from King George II as lieutenant in His Majesty's service "in the train-band in the parrish of Merridan in the Town of Wallingford" is among the oldest documents in the State. He died Sept. 4, 1765, and lies at rest in the old Buckwheat .Hill cemetery. The first marriage of Ezekiel Royce, on April 25, 1723. was to Anna Merwin, who died Dec. 20, 1725. The second marriage, on Nov. 30, 1726, was to Abigail Alling, who was born June 28, 1701, and the children of both unions were: Sam- uel. born in 1724: Barnabas, 1725; Anna, 1727; Rachel, 1728: Ezra, 1730; Lucy, 1732: Deborah, :
1734; Ezekiel, 1736 (died in infancy) ; Ezekiel, Oct. 15, 1739; and Abigail, 1751.
Ezekiel Royce (2), son of Ezekiel, was born on the old homestead Oct. 15, 1739. When the Revolutionary war broke out he joined a company commanded by Capt. Jolin Couch, in Col. Wads- worth's regiment, was at the battles of Lexington, Bunker Hill and Long Island, and all through the struggle took an active part. He was well known to the people of his State. His landed possessions were large, and the present homestead, where the family of his name still resides, was built by him in 1779. After a long and active life he died Sept. 3, 1808. Ezekiel Royce (2) married, June 19, 1759, Lydia Hough, who died Oct. 28, 1813. Their son, Ezekiel (3), was born Oct. 18, 1777. on the home- stead, where he spent his life following the peaceful pursuits of agriculture, and died Sept. 14, 1849. His political sympathies were with the Whig party, and in religion he was a consistent member of the Congregational Church. On Dec. 10, 1798, he mar- ried Mary Merriam, who died Feb. 17, 1816, and on Nov. 13, 1816, he married Bethiah, widow of Dr. Theophilus Hall, who was born July 4, 1784, and died Sept. 16, 1858. Seven children came to the first marriage: Lydia, born Feb. 5, 1800, mar- ried Jesse Garrison Baldwin, of Middletown, April 14, 1830, and died May 13, 1876; Erastus. born July 7, 1802, died Aug. 2, 1866; Minerva, born Aug. 2, 1804, married Salmon Merriam, of Meri- den, Feb. 15, 1826, and died Nov. 19, 1866; Mary, born Sept. 24, 1806, married Albert Boardman, of Cromwell, Oct. 3, 1827, and died Nov. 29, 1865; Ezekiel Allen, born Aug. 25, 1808, married Re- becca Bull, Nov. 29, 1836, and died Nov. 7, 1882; Hezekiah, born June 10, 1811, married Maria Brad- ley, and for his second wife married, in May, 1866, Fanny A. Thompson (he died in October, 1882) ; Irene, born Nov. 22, 1813, married Orrin Judd Dutton Oct. 30, 1833, and died July 5, 1885. The children of the second union were: Betsey, born in 1817, married William M. Judd, of Kent, Conn., Dec. 3, 1840 ; Oliver was born Nov. 17, 1819: Will- iam T., born Sept. 2, 1821, married Susan Collins Nov. 7, 1841, and died Sept. 25, 1852: Sophia, born Aug. 23, 1823, married John S. Caldwell, of Belfast, Maine, Oct. 18, 1858, and died Jan. 26, 1896: Julia B., born June 29. 1826, married Thomas B. Clark Jan. 11, 1848, and resides in San Fran- cisco; Sarah, born Aug. 22, 1829, married Charles H. Parsons, of Washington, D. C., Jan. 5, 1852.
Oliver Rice, the subject proper of this biog- raphy, was born on the old family farm, and in his early years attended the local district school. later the Meriden Academy. When his school days were over he started out in life for himself. going to Ohio and entering a store in Elyria. as clerk. There he spent the succeeding six years, but the old home drew him back, and he spent the remainder of his life there, busily and successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. His death occurred
Oliver Rice
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Feb. 26, 1886, and his remains lie in the West cemetery.
On Aug. 27, 1846, Mr. Rice married Mary Abby Caldwell, daughter of Capt. Jolin Caldwell, of Ips- wich, Mass. The family is of Welsh ancestry. The mother of Mrs. Rice was Eunice, daughter of Isaac and Eunice ( Hodgkins) Stanwood, both members of old and prominent families of Massachusetts. Mrs. Rice still resides on the old homestead. She is a lady of rare culture and refinement; in her .earlier years was a teacher, and all her life has en- joyed intellectual pursuits. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rice: Arthur Woods graduated as a civil engineer at the Sheffield Scientific School, and is now a prominent manufacturer of New Brit- ain ; Anna Caldwell attended school at Meriden, and later the Young Ladies Seminary at Ipswich, Mass., and taught several years in the public schools of Meriden : William Theophilus, educated in the dis- trict schools and at the Gunnery, in Washington, Conn., has been on the homestead all his business life, operating it successful since the death of his father, and is a well-known and respected citizen; Helen B., educated in Meriden and Ipswich, mar- ried Dr. E. W. Smith, of Meriden: Oliver died in infancy.
In politics Oliver Rice was a Republican, and he was always known to be as consistent with his political principles as he was in his religion, for many years being a valued member of the Congre- gational Church. With a keen perception of right and wrong, he was noted for his fairness toward opponents. As a citizen MIr. Rice took a prominent part in every movement that promised good to his locality, served as selectman and held other local offices, and was especially zealous in the cause of temperance and education. The family is one of the most highly esteemed in Meriden.
THEODORE FRELINGHISEN BAILEY, the well-known laundryman of Meriden, was born in the town of Haddam, Middlesex Co., Conn., Aug. 25, 1828, and is a descendant of an old New Eng- land family. John Bailey was one of the twenty- eight persons who moved to Haddam in 1662 and took up the body of land deeded by the Indians to Matthew Allyn and Samuel Wyllys. These were generally young men, who married about the time of settlement, and several are known to have come immediately from Hartford. John Bailey lived in Haddam with his two sons. Benjamin and John, and was constable there in 1656.
Benjamin Bailey, son of Tohn of Hartford, had these sons: John, Benjamin and Nathaniel, of whom John and Benjamin were deaf and dumb. They were well able to support themselves, however, and both reared families. Nathaniel, the other son, had two sons, Daniel and Ezekiel.
John Bailey (2). son of John of Hartford, had four sons : John, Ephraim, Jonathan and David. John Baile -. (3), son of John (2), had five sons: Nathan, Jeremiah, Amos, James and William.
Ephraim Bailey, son of John (2), had nine chil- dren: Ephraim, Jacob, Stephen, Jabez, Caleb, Abi- jah, William, Olive and Ephraim (2).
William Bailey, son of Ephraim, married Betsy Horton. He was a farmer and landowner in the town of Haddam and was a man well known and highly respected. He participated in the war of the Revolution, and was a pensioner in 1832.
Eliakim Bailey, son of William and Betsy ( Hor- ton) Bailey. was a soldier in the Revolution and a pensioner in 1832. He married Thankful Brainerd, who was born Aug. 15, 1758, a daughter of Samuel Brainerd. Four children were born to him: Enos, who died at the age of ninety years ; Jeremiah, who died in Durham at the age of ninety; Levi, the fa- ther of our subject ; and Esther.
Daniel Brainerd (occurring in records also Brainard and Braynard, although the first spelling is generally adopted by the Haddam family) was born in Braintree, County of Essex, England, and was brought when eight years of age to Hartford, where he lived in the Wyllys family until of age. He was one of the twenty-eight persons who moved to Haddam in 1662 and took up the body of land deeded by the Indians to Matthew Allyn and Sam- uel Wyllys. Daniel became a deacon in the church, a justice of the peace and a prosperous, respectable and influential citizen. He became the greatest land- owner in Haddam, owning, besides rights in other places about town, about a mile in the northeast part of what lies west of the Connecticut river, including what is covered by the present village of Higganum. After his settlement in Haddam young Brainerd re- ceived a letter from his mother in which she spelled her name Brainwood, which renders it probable that such was the original name. In a few instances the name thus written has been found in old records in this country. Daniel, however, had called his name Brainerd, and this spelling prevailed. His first marriage was to Hannah Spencer, a daughter of Gerrard Spencer, of Lynn, Mass., but afterward of Haddam, Connecticut.
William Brainerd, son of Daniel the emigrant, was born in 1673. He married, in 1698, Sarah Bid- well, and had seven children. The family lived on Haddam Neck.
Samuel Brainerd, son of William, was born July 4, 1706, and married on Oct. 31. 1734, to Esther, daughter of Elijah and and Mary ( Bush- nell) Brainerd. They settled in the northwestern district of Haddam, called "Brainerd District." where he owned a large tract of land. His death occurred there, and his wife passed away Jan. 12, 1813, aged ninety-five years.
Levi Bailey was born on the home farm in Had- dam, and received a good common school educa- tion. A wheelwright by trade, he manufactured spinning-wheels, living in Long Hill, Middletown for three years and then removing to Durham. where he became engaged in farming, and where he pased away at the age of sixty-seven years ; he was
-
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buried in Higganum cemetery. Levi Bailey was a life-long Democrat, liberal in his religious views, an excellent citizen and a good neighbor. In Had- dam he married Cynthia Harvey, a native of that town and a daughter of Elisha Harvey, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The eight chil- dren of this union were: Cornelia, who married Loren Stevens and ( second ) Enos Stevens : Harvey, deceased ; Dwight, who died in Haddam ; Theodore F .; Oscar, who died while serving in the Civil war ; Edwin, who died in Haddam; Jane, married to Frank Francis, of Durham; and Nelson, a resident of San Diego, Cal., who married Mary Bailey, wid- ow of his brother Oscar. The beloved mother came to live with her son in Meriden, and he tenderly cared for her in her old age. She lived to be eighty- nine, and is buried in the old graveyard at Hig- ganum, beside her husband. She was a good, Chris- tian woman, a devoted mother and wife, and a con- sistent member of the M. E. Church.
Theodore F. Bailey, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared in Haddam, where he first went to school, being twelve years old when the family removed to Durham. During the summers following he hired out on a farm by the month, and he attended school in the winters until the age of seventeen, at which time he came to Meriden and learned the tinner's trade with Lorin Todd Mer- riam, working there for several years, at $25 for the first year, $30 for the next and $40 for the third. For a period of three years he was baggage master at the Meriden railroad station. On Aug. 1, 1862, he became a member of Company F. 15th Conn. V. I., under Col. Dexter Wright, and participated in several engagements, serving until he was wounded in the left eye by a percussion cap, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. For. some time after that he worked for the Meriden Britannia Co., in the turning department, and con- tinued there until he started in the butter trade. He bought out the Vermont Butter Store, and success- fully conducted this business for two years, when it was destroyed by fire. His next venture was the laundry business in which he has been so successful. Mr. Bailey was the pioneer in this line in Meriden, in which he has been engaged for over twenty-five years. In 1897 he retired from the active manage- ment of the business, which since then has been con- ducted by his daughter, Mrs. Aubrey, who has branched out and now conducts a large laundry business.
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