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 7
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HON. JOHN PRINCE ELTON, son of Dr. Samuel Elton, was born April 26, 1809, in Watertown, Conn., where he attended the district schools, and also, when about fifteen years of age, the school of Simeon Hart, at Farmington. Later he worked on his father's farm until he came to Waterbury in 1832, and became a partner in the firm of Holmes & Hotchkiss, manufacturers of sheet brass. After several changes in partnership the firm finally, in 1838. became Brown & Elton. On coming into the firm Mr. Elton at once took his place in the mill. and made himself familiar by manual labor with all the aspects of manufacturing, and in addition to the work he did with his hands, he looked after the various details of the business, including the pro- viding of the necessary money to meet the obliga- tions of the firm. He remained in active connec- tion with the firm until 1850, with-drawing then on account of impaired health. In 1854 he took an important part in organizing the Waterbury Brass Co., of which he was a director, and in 1855 became its president, and so continued throughout life. For some years prior to his death he gave much of his time to various corporations, industrial and finan- cial, in which he had invested capital, and in which he held the position of director or president. From December, 1850, to the time of his death. he was president of the Waterbury Bank. In 1860 he established a private house styled the Elton Loan & Trust Office, which was successfully carried on af- ter his death by his son and son-in-law (C. N. Way- land) under the name of the Elton Banking Com- panv.
In 1840, 1849 and 1850. Mr. Elton was elected as a Whig to the General Assembly of the State. On the organization of the Republican party lie af- filiated with it. and became one of its strong sup- porters. He was again elected to the General As- sembly in 1863, and was chosen a Presidential elector in 1864, but died two days after his elec- tion-Nov. 10, 1864. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, and throughout his life gave lib- erally to the expense and charities of St. John's parish. "Mr. Elton was a man of public spirit be- yond most of his contemporaries, and heartily co-
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operated in enterprises that interested, and were likely to benefit the city."
A writer thus spoke of him in the press of Waterbury at the time of his death :
No language of ours can do justice to his uprightness and purity of character, his affluent virtues of mind and heart, which were open as day to melting charity. All these things are recorded on high, and are left as a pre- cious legacy to the living. There is no invidiousness in saying that no man could have been taken from among us whose loss could more deeply have afflicted the welfare of our community, with which he has been identified for thirty-five years as a leading and prominent manufacturer and latterly as a banker-and as president of the Waterbury Bank, as the successor of Judge Bronson, has exhibited financial talents of the highest order.
The deceased was the confidant of the ever-to-be re- membered brothers Scovill. now and then co-operated with them in all the noble enterprises which could confer wealth, honor and improvement to the place. cither in the way of business or embellishment. Generous. public-spir- ited, and feeling a local pride in the place, the gratitude which the city owes to these three noble men cannot be measured by any language of praise from us. As a citizen, Mr. Elton enjoyed the esteem and confidence of all classes of men, many of whom looked up to him for advice and counsel, and who found him ever ready to aid them in all laudable purposes. The writer of this owes a debt of gratitude, and we are but one of hundreds who have occa- sion to honor his memory. He was literally a man of the people, mingled with them, and studied their happiness and prosperity. His benevolence was unbounded-believing that "to whom much is given, much would be required." He considered his large and ample possession as under a stewardship of the Lord, consequently he gave freely of his substance to religious, educational, moral and benevo- lent purposes. The town, the church and even the State. have suffered a loss not easily supplied-to say nothing of his sorrowing and deeply bereaved family. In short, as a friend, a Christian, a counsellor and a citizen, it will be long before we look upon his like again.
On May 8, 1835, Mr. Elton was married to Olive Margaret, daughter of Capt. Moses Hall. She was born June 15, 1816, and died Nov. 2, 1892. There were four children born of this union, name- ly: Litcy E., born April 16, 1837, is the wife of C. N. Wayland ; James Samuel, born Nov. 7, 1838, is mentioned further on ; Charles P., born Aug. 17, 1840, died April 12, 1845 ; and John M., born March 19, 1845, died at the age of eighteen years. The children of this marriage are of a noble ancestry in lines embracing Dr. Daniel Porter and John Hop- kins among the founders of Waterbury. Several of their forefathers, including Capt. Nathaniel Mer- riman, John Punderson and William Andrews, were founders of New Haven. Others in the persons of Stphen Hart, John Bronson, Anthony Hawkins, Deacon John Hall and Dr. John Hull, were con- spicuous at Farmington and Wallingford in their early settlement.
Hon. James Samuel Elton, son of John Prince Elton, was born Nov. 7. 1838, in Waterbury, Conn. He was educated in Rev. C. W. Everest's school, Hamden, and Gen. Russell's military school, New Haven. For a time he received some practical knowledge of manufacturing in the employ of the American Pin Co., of Waterbury, and of business
in the New York store of the Scovill Manufacturingy Co. In 1863 he established himself in business in his native place with the Waterbury Brass Co., and has ever since been responsibly connected with that company. Ile has been the executive head of the company since 1874, succeeding to the presidency at the death of J. C. Welton. Mr. Elton has been connected with a number of the corporations of Waterbury and elsewhere, and has led an active business life. He is a director of the American Brass Co., the New England Watch Co., of Blake & Johnson, and of the Waterbury National Bank, which his father assisted in organizing, and of which he was the second president, an office he held up to the time of his death.
In 1881 Mr. Elton was nominated by his party as State Senator. He was elected, notwithstanding his party was the minority one in the district. He is an active member, and an official of St. John's Episcopal Church. He is managing trustee of the Halls' "Church fund," a director in St. Margaret's Diocesan school, and in the Waterbury Hospital. He gives liberally to the charitable institutions and undertakings of the city. One has only to read be- tween the lines to conclude that Mr. Elton is a man of culture and refinement, of large business capac- ity, and a successful and esteemed citizen.
On Oct. 28, 1863, Mr. Elton was married to- Charlotte, daughter of Hiram Steel, of East Bloom- field, N. Y., who died May 8, 1899. One child, John Prince, born June 20, 1865, blessed this union. The son is a graduate of Trinity College, Hartford, and is now assistant treasurer of the Waterbury Brass Company.
SAMUEL W. S. HALL. In the death of Mr. Hall March 5. 1877, the city of Waterbury lost one of its foremost business men, and up to that time its greatest benefactor.
Mr. Hall was a native of Waterbury, and a de- scendant of one of the early settlers of New Haven and Wallingford, Conn. The first American an- cestor of this branch of the Hall family was John Hall. of England. He married Jane Woolen : was at Boston, then at New Haven, but not as an orig- inal settler of the latter point, his name not appear- ing until after 1650. He moved to Wallingford after the settlement had commenced. his name ap- pcaring there in 1672.
The subject of this sketch was a descendant in the seventh generation from John Hall. the emi- grant, the line of his descent being through John Hall (2), Nathan Hall, Herman Hall, Curtis Hall and Capt. Moses Hall.
(II) John Hall (2), son of John Hall, baptized in 1646, married Mary, daughter of Edward Parker, at New Haven, in 1666, and located in Wallingford with the first settlers in 1670. He died in 1721.
(III) Nathan Hall, son of John Hall (2). born in 1677, married (first) in 1699, Elizabeth Curtis ;
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she died in 1735, and he married (second) in 1736, Lydia Johnson. He died in 1757.
(I) Herman Hall, son of Nathan Hall, born in 1720, was among the carly settlers in Wolcott. Conn. He died in 1769, and his wife, Elizabeth, in 1804.
(V) Curtis Hall, son of Herman Hall. born in 1746, married Rachel Beecher. He was killed in 1799 by "falling from a tree that was already down." His widow subsequently became the wife of Jolin Bronson.
Capt. Moses Hall, son of Curtis Hall, and the father of the late Samuel W. S. Hall, was baptized Nov. 2, 1788. He married Olive Porter, daughter of Dr. Timothy Porter, and removed to Waterbury. Their children were: Nelson, Hopkins, Samuel W. S., and Olive ( who married John P. Elton ).
The late Samuel W. S. Hall, son of Capt. Moses and Olive (Porter) Hall, was born July 5, 1814, in Waterbury, Conn. At about sixteen years. of age he began employment with J. M. L. & W. H. Sco- vill as a clerk in their store, which he took full charge of several years later, and so remained until they abandoned the mercantile business in 1852. Following this for a time Mr. Hall had charge of the Manhan Woolen Company's business. He next entered the business of an insurance agent, asso- ciated with J. W. Smith, which business they con- ducted successfully for several years. On the or- ganization of the Scovill Manufacturing Company. Mr. Hall 'became a stockholder, and was chosen a director in the same, and in 1861 was made presi- dent and manager of the company. In 1855. on the death of Abram Ives, he became president of the Citizens National Bank, both of which positions he resigned in 1868 on account of increasing ill-health, and was not afterward engaged in active business. When a young man, Mr. Hall was a model of manly strength and vigor, but for many years previous to his giving up business he had been a severe sufferer from rheumatism, which under- mined his naturally vigorous constitution, and ren- dered him unable to resist acute disease. Mr. Hall accumulated a large and handsome fortune which he used with liberality during his life time. and he gave by his will a larger amount of money than any other man had, up to that time in the town, to public uses and for charitable purposes-in round numbers $68,000. Among his bequests were one to promote the missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and for important objects in the Church of that denomination of his native city; one for a sol- dier's monument in Waterbury ; one for the building of a Memorial Chapel at Riverside Cemetery; and another for a memorial Church in Waterbury. The Soldiers' monument was erected and dedicated Oct. 23, 1884 : and the Hall Memorial Chapel was dedi- cated June 11, 1885. a tablet on its wall at the ceme- tery gate declares that "for the uprightness of his life and for his liberal provision for many good
works, his name is held in grateful remembrance."
On Oct. 10, 1836, Mr. Hall was married to Nancy M., daughter of Edmund and Sarah Austin. She died Feb. 8, 1868. Mr. Hall, for some years prior to his death had passed the pleasant portion of the season in traveling, and was probably more widely known than any other man in Waterbury. At the time of his death the Waterbury American observed :
He was a thorough and successful business man ; gifted with a quick observation and good memory-of a warm and generous disposition, quick to speak, free to ex- press his opinion, but ready to acknowledge himself in the wrong when he found that he was mistaken, and thor- oughly, rigidly and scrupulously honest in all his dealings both by nature and from principle. He had accumulated a handsome fortune and was a helper in works of public and private benevolence. He was a communicant and promi- nent member of St. John's Episcopal Church, and his pres- ence will be greatly missed ..
HON. JAMES DUDLEY DEWELL, for forty- four years a resident of New Haven, has closely identified himself with business and social interests there and is considered one of the influential citi- zens of his adopted city. He traces his lineage from good ancestral stock on both sides. His paternal ancestor,
(I) William Devill, the first of this line in America, was in Duxbury in 1640: Braintree, 1643; Rehoboth, 1645-1651 ; Newport, 1653-1680. His descendants have various spellings of the name --- Devol, Deval, Duel, Deuel, Dewell, Duval, etc.
(H) Jonathan, son of William, was in New- port. Little Compton and Dartmouth. He died be- tween 1737 and 1742. He married Hannah Audley.
(IH) Jonathan, Jr., son of Jonathan, was a res- ident of Dartmouth and died in 1709. He married Mary Clark, who survived him, and they are known to have had children, as follows: William, who is mentioned below ; Hannah, born Jan. 29, 1699 ; Jon- athan, born May 1, 1702; Alfyah; Meribeth, born Oct. 21, 1707 : and Mary, born Feb. 26, 1710. The following is a copy of the will of Jonathan Devol :
To all people to whom these presents shall come, I. Jonathan Devol. Jun. of Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol in New England, do hereby manifest & declare that I being at this time senseable of the weakness of my body. but my memory and understanding being good and sound, do hereby for the settlement of my worldly estate make this my last will and testament to be of force after my de- cease & no other.
Imps I give to my son William Devol all that my homestead lott or farm which my father Jonathan Devol gave me by deed of gift. it being fifty acres more or less. besides the salt marsh meadow with all the housing or- chard, fences and appurces. to he and remaine unto my sd son William Devol his heirs and assigns forever. Allways excepting my wives thirds of sd lands dureing her naturall life.
Item, I give to my son Jonathan Devol all that my fifty acres of land. which I bought of my fatther Jonathan Devol and have a deed for said land and lyeth at the head of the lands given to my son William, but my will is that hys mothers thirds be excepted during her naturall life, to
James D. Dewell
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
be and remain unto him my said son Jonathan Devol, his heires and assigns forever.
Also I give and bequeath unto my two sons before named, all my priviledge in lands in the Township of Dart- mouth, to be equally divided between them.
Item, I give to my daughter Hannah Devol six pounds to be payd to her by my son William Devol when she comes to be twenty years of age.
Item, I give to my daughter Aliyah six pounds; allso to be payd by my son William when she comes to be eight- een years of age. Allso I give to my daughter Meribeth six pounds to be allso payd by my son William Devol when she comes to be eighteen years of age.
I give and bequeath to my louving wife Mariah Devol all my moveables or personall estate, whom I constitute & appoint to be my whole & sole executrix of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof. I, the said Jonathan Devol Jun. have sett to my hand and seal the eight day of August one thousand seven hundred nine 1709.
Jonathan Devol Seal.
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the above sd Jonathan Devol as his last will and testament, in presents of us the subscribers.
Joseph Tripp James Tripp X his mark. George Cadman.
(IV) William, son of Jonathan, born in Dart- mouth April 16, 1698, died in 1760. He married Elizabeth Whitehead, who died before April 21, 1759, the date of his will, which is recorded in Taunton. Their children were: Apphia, born March 6, 1718: Jonathan, who is mentioned below ; and William, born March 4, 1728, who died June 22, 1814. The following is a copy of the will of (IV) William Davel :
The last Will and Testament of William Davel. I, William of Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, black- smith, being in health of body and of sound disposing mind and memory, thanks be given to God theirfor, calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is ap- ointed for all men once to die. do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament, that is to say, Principally and First of all I give and recommend my Soule into the hand of God that gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in deacent Christian buril and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life. I give, demise and dispose of the same in the following manner.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving son Jonathan Davel and to his heirs and assigns forever. all that my lot or track of land whereon he now dwels with that my lot of land oposite to it on the south side of the Country Rhode and joyning to said rhode with all my salt medow in the horse neck medows. I allso give to my sd son Jonathan Davel all my wearing apparill and my gun and seven pounds in lawfull money to be paid my son William Davel, at my decease.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving son William Davel and to his heirs and assignes forever, all my home- steed farme, both uplands and salt medows and all my salt medow down the river. which I have not already disposed of and allso all my live stock and out dore moveables of what nature or kind soever and all my smithing tools and tools belonging to a carpenters trade. I also give to my sd son William Davel one feather bed three blankits; one coverlet and my high de-k. and my cobbard and all my money, bonds, notes and book debts, he paying my debts and a legacy to his sister and what I have ordered to his brother.
Item, I give and bequeath to my loving daughter
Apphia Davel and to her heirs and assigns forever fifteen pounds in lawfull money, to be paid to hier by my son William Davel att my decease. I also give to my said daugh- ter all the rest of my indore movables that I have not all ready disposed of and I give my said daugliter the privi- ledge of living in my least dwelling house as long as she remains singel. And the priviledge to get fier wood for her own fier on my farme.
And I do nominate and appoint my son William Davel to be my soule executor of this my last will and testament, and I do hereby utterly revoke and make null & void all and every other will and testament and executors by me in any wise heretofore made or named, ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-first day of April Anno Domini 1759.
Signed, sealed and published, pronounced and declared by the said William Davel to be his last will and testa- ment, in the presents of us, the subscribers.
William Davel. Seal.
Timothy Tripp James Sisson Thomas Tripp.
(V) Jonathan, born Jan. 16, 1721, died 1781-84. In the Dartmouth town records the intention of mar- riage of Jonathan and Mary Lawton was entered Sept. 3, 1745, and they were married that year (1745). Of their children we have record of John, Patience, Robert. Peaceable, Mary, Lydia, Deborah, Elizabeth, Barjona and Jonathan. (V) Jonathan Davel resided in Dartmouth, Mass., in Tiverton, R. I., and in Nine Partners, New York.
(VI) Jonathan Duel, born March 20, 1765, died in 1831. He resided in Tiverton, R. I., Nine Part- ners and Pine Plains, N. Y. He married Sarah Rider, who died in 1841, aged seventy-five years, and we have mention of their eleven children, Ruth, Lydia, Mary, Deborah, Eleanor, Charlotte, Sally, Hannah, James, Jonathan, Jr., and John. Jonathan and Sarah (Rider) Duel are buried in the Knicker- bocker cemetery, some three miles cast of the village of Pine Plains.
(VII) John Dewell, eldest son of above named Jonathan and Sarah, and the father of James D. Dewell, was born in Pine Plains Sept. 3, 1795, mar- ried Jan. 1, 1826, at Norfolk, Conn., Mary Humph- rey, daughter of Dudley and Mary ( Phelps) Humphrey, born Oct. 7, 1803. John Dewell was a merchant and manufacturer in Norfolk, where he died Oct. 2, 1871, a respected and highly esteemed citizen of the community. His wife survived many years, dying April 24, 1891. To their tinion came children, as follows: (1) John H., born in 1827, was married ( first) in 18448 to Cynthia Hitchcock ; for his second wife he married Harriet Austin ; he was a merchant in the town of Norfolk, Conn., and died at Plymouth, Coun., in 1896. He served as a captain in the Civil war. ( 2) Mary E., born in 1829, was married in 1856 to Robert C. Peck, who be- came a merchant in New Haven, where he died in 1869. (3) Sarah was born in 1832. (4) James Dudley is mentioned below. (5) Mattie A., born in 1842, was married in 1869 to Theron S. Swain, who is a merchant in Boston. (6) Charles G., born in 1844, died in 1846.
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Mrs. Mary ( Humphrey) Dewell, noted above as the mother of James D., is a descendant in the sey- enth generation from (I) Michael Humphrey, the emigrant ancestor of the family, who was at Wind- sor, Conn., prior to 1643, when he and Sergt. John Griffin were engaged in making turpentine in what is now Simsbury. Priscilla, daughter of Matthew Grant, of Windsor, became his wife in 1647. Her father was the ancestor of Gen. U. S. Grant. From Michael Humphrey Mrs. Dewell's descent is traced through Sergeant John, Deacon Jolin, Deacon Michael, Asahel and Dudley Humphrey. (II) Sergt. John Humphrey, born in 1650, was married to Hannah, daughter of Sergt. John and Anna (Bancroft) Griffin, and settled in Simsbury, where he died in 1697. (III) Deacon John Humphrey, born in 1671, was married in 1699 to Sarah Mills, widow of John Mills, and daughter of John Petti- bone, and settled in Simsbury, where he died in 1732; he was a deacon in the Congregational Church. (IV) Deacon Michael Humphrey, born in 1703, was married in 1735 to Mercy, daughter of Jonathan and Mercy (Ruggles) Humphrey, and settled in Simsbury, his native town, where he in- troduced the making of leather. He was one of the deacons of the Congregational Church, and in 1759 was a representative in the General Court. In 1760 he removed to Norfolk, where he was chosen deacon of the local church at its organization. A justice of the peace and town clerk, he was a prom- inent man, and died in 1778. (V) Asahel Humph- rey, son of the foregoing, was born in 1747 in Simsbury and was married in 1773 to Prudence Merrill. They settled in Norfolk, where he served as selectman and for several terms was a representa- tive in the General Court. Finally he removed to New Marlborough, where he died in 1827. He bore arms in the Revolution. (VI) Dudley Humph- rey, son of Asahel, born in 1775 at Norfolk, was married Oct. 16, 1798, to Mary Phelps, daughter of Darius and Mary ( Aiken) Phelps, born in Nor- folk April 4, 1780. They settled at Norfolk, where their children were born: Harriet, John, Mary (Mrs. John Dewell), Griswold, Merrill, James and Caroline.
(VIII) James Dudley Dewell, eighth in line from William Devill, was born Sept. 3, 1837, in Norfolk, Conn. In 1858, after some experience as a clerk in a country store, he left his home and came to New Haven to take a position as salesman for Bushnell & Co., wholesale grocers. His services soon commended him to the house, and in 1860 he was admitted to the firm, the name becoming Bush- nell & Dewell. In 1879 it became J. D. Dewell & Co., as it is at present, a firm name which has be- come familiar to the mercantile world. The enter- prise, public spirit and force of character of Mr. Dewell soon became manifest, and as the years passed pushed him to the front rank of the business men and citizens of the community. He has held close to his heart the best interests of New Haven,
and all measures for the good of the community have found in him a hearty supporter. Mr. Dewell was one of the principle movers in organizing the State Board of Trade in 1890, becoming its first president, and his administration has been so ideal that he has been retained as the head of the organi- zation to the present time. For many years Mr. Dewell was president of the Chamber of Commerce of New Haven, and he was at the head of the move- ment for good roads throughout the State. For twenty years or more he has been a director and con- tributor to the needs of the Young Men's Institute in New Haven. Mr. Dewell is a director in the Evergreen Cemetery Association, vice-president of the Security Insurance Co., a director of the New Haven Water Co., a director of the City Bank, of New Haven, a director of the New Haven Trust Co., and vice-president of the National Savings Bank. He is owner and manager of the Sutton fleet, a coast-wise industry, embracing six large
three, four and five masted vessels, plying between Southern ports and New England. He is a mem- ber of the New Haven Colony Historical Society and belongs to the Sons of the American Revolution and the Society of Founders and Patriots. Fra- ternally he belongs to Hiram Lodge, No. 1, F. & A. M., of which he was worshipful master in 1869. In religious connection he is a member of the Church of the Redeemer (Congregational).
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