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 76

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 76

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THE HEMINGWAY FAMILY, in the line that has intermarried with the Brown family, is descended from Ralph Hemingway, of Roxbury, Mass., 1634, who married Elizabeth Hewes, July 5, 1634. Ralph was active in town affairs, and was a member of Roxbury Church. He brought a large property with him, and in 1638 he was one of the largest tax payers and land owners in the town. His wife was also wealthy. A daughter of Joshua Hewes, she was born in 1603, and died in 1684 or 1685. Ralplı died in 1678. His eldest son. Samuel Hem- ingway, born in June, 1636, settled in New Haven, and later moved to East Haven. He was a man of education and refinement. The records at the town clerk's office which he kept for a long time show this, the writing being almost as legible as printing. In 1662 he married Sarah Cooper. a daughter of Jolin Cooper, a magistrate and early Colonist. Their children were: Jolin, born May 29, 1675. married Mary Morris in 1703; Abraham, born Dec. 3. 16,7, married Sarah Talmadge. Nov. 11, 1713. Of the children of Jolin and Mary ( Morris) Hemingway, Samuel, born March 12, 1713, married Mehitable Dennison. and died Oct. 25. 1779. and their daugh- ter, Sarah Hemingway, born May 18. 1758, mar- ried Enos Hemingway April 24. 1777.

Abraham Hemingway, born Dec. 3. 1677. mar- ried Sarah Talmadge, Nov. 11, 1713. Of their chil-

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dren, Abraham, Jr., born April 1, 1727, married Mercy Tuttle April 14, 1746. She was born April 17, 1730, and died Jan. 20, 1812. Abraham, Jr., died at Plymouth, Conn., Aug. 25, 1779. He was a deacon of long standing in the church. They had a son, Enos Hemingway, born Sept. 17, 1755, who served between 1797 and 1809 inclusive, twenty-one sessions, as representative from East Haven, the longest record in its history. He was a Revolution- ary soldier. Enos Hemingway married Sarah Hem- ingway, daughter of Samuel and Mehitable (Den- nison ) Hemingway, April 23, 1777. Their daugh- ter Sarah, born Sept. 17, 1780, married Isaac Brown, born Feb. 27, 1771. Their son, Wyllis Hemingway, married Mary Brown Nov. 16, 1809; she was born Dec. 21, 1788, and Wyllis (a twin) was born Jan. 29, 1791. Isaac Brown and Mary Brown were chii- dren of Daniel and Hannah ( English) Brown.

MANSFIELD. The families bearing the name of Mansfield in this section are among the oldest of New Haven and vicinity, and among the posterity of Richard Mansfield, the progenitor of many bearing the name in New England and throughout the country, have been men of achievement and dis- tinction. It is the purpose of this article to treat particularly of the line of Benjamin Franklin Mans- field, who has long been prominent as a citizen and business man of New Haven, more recently in the real-estate line.

Born March 14, 1820, in New Haven, son of William and Lucy Peck (Culver) Mansfield, Mr. Mansfield is a descendant in the sixth generation from Richard Mansfield, who came from Exeter, Devonshire, England, to the American colonies, and settled in Quinnipiac (now New Haven) in 1639. He owned land in what is now the city. A schedule of the list of the first planters, 1641, in- cludes his name, and ascribes to him £400, thirty acres of land in the First Division, six in the "neck," and eighty-eight in the Second Division. At about this time, it is supposed, he built his dwelling house in the Second Division, East Farms, now about the corner of Church and Elm streets, and there lived the remainder of his days, his death oc- curring Jan. 10, 1655. His wife's Christian name was Gillian, and after his death she married, in 1657, Alexander Field, and removed into town. Losing her second husband in 1666. she thereafter made her home with her son, Moses Mansfield. She died in 1669. From this emigrant settler Ben- jamin F. Mansfield's lineage is through Major Moses, Deacon Jonathan, Lieut. Nathan and Will- iam.

(II) Major Moses Mansfield, son of Richard the settler, born in 1639, took the freeman's oath in New Haven in 1660. He married, May 5, 1664, Mercy, daughter of Henry Glover, an early settler and prominent man, and by her had all his chil- dren. His second wife, Abigail. was born May 5, 1660, daughter of Thomas and Mary Yale. Major

Mansfield received his title, the highest in the town at the time, for defeating a body of Indians in King Philip's war, about where the town of Mansfield now is, the town having been named in his honor and granted him for his services. Major Mansfield lived in New Haven, and was for forty- eight sessions a member of the General Court. He also served as judge of probate and county court. He resided on the corner of Church and Elm streets, which was the home of his father, Richard, before him.

(III) Deacon Jonathan Mansfield, son of Major Moses, born Feb. 16, 1686, married (first) June I, 1708, Susan (Coe) Alling. She died May 4, 1765, and in 1766 he married (second) Abigail Dorman, daughter of James Bishop. She lived to be ninety, dying Jan. 25, 1798. Deacon Mansfield united with the church Aug. 28, 1709, under Rev. James Pierpont, and his first wife was likewise a prominent church worker and devout Christian. The Deacon was a prominent public man, was se- lectman, an ensign, lister, grand juror, moderator of meetings, etc. He was a farmer by occupation.

(IV) Lieut. Nathan Mansfield, son of Deacon Jonathan, born Nov. 15, 1718, married in 1745 De- borah Dayton, who was born Aug. 8, 1724, in New Haven. He was a farmer, and resided in New Haven. Lieut. Mansfield died March 13, 1783, and Deborah, his wife, died May 27, 1817, aged ninety- three years. She was quite a remarkable and lively woman, of strong force of character, and especially distinguished for her piety. She lived to see her great-great-grandchild. She could remember the time when there was but one house of worship in New Haven, and the settlement did not contain a painted house, one pane of sash glass, or one riding chair; and when all the foreign trade of the city was handled by two vessels. When she was born Connecticut contained 17,000 people, and Litchfield county was still that remote West to which the more adventurous looked for a future home.

(V) William Mansfield, son of Lieut. Nathan, was born April 1, 1750, in a house which stood on the present site of Sheffield North College, the old homestead in New Haven. He married Dec. 25, 1776, Elizabeth Lyon, daughter of William and Elizabeth ( Maltby) Lyon. She died Oct. 17, 1817, and he married (second) Dec. 1, 1818, Lucy ( Peck) Culver, daughter of Abner E. and Sarah Peck, of Wallingford. She died April 29, 1842. Mr. Mans- field resided in New Haven. In boyhood he was employed on the farm of his brother, the greater part of which was in the town of Hamden. On reaching manhood he became a mariner. and was mate and part owner of a vessel trading in the West Indies, his store and residence being on Chapel street, in New Haven. Mr. Mansfield was an ardent patriot, and entered heartily into the cause of the American Colonies during the Revo- lution. He served in that war as a lieutenant. go- ing with Gen. Wooster in 1777 to the vicinity of

Ffellanafin .

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Norwalk, on receipt of intelligence that the British were landing there in force. He acted as aid, and in charge of a small scouting party followed the enemy to near Danbury, and it was upon his report to Gen. Wooster that such disposition was made of the militia under Gens. Sullivan and Arnold as to endeavor to cut off the retreat of the enemy on their return to the coast, and which brought on the engagement in which Gen. Wooster met his death. At the invasion of New Haven by the British, in 1779, Mr. Mansfield was early on the scene of action, and he like others suffered for his patriotism. His house and store were sacked, and he also lost a vessel which was loaded and ready for sea. After the war Mr. Mansfield was in busi- ness and engaged in farming in New Haven, resid- ing in the northern part of the town until about 1800, at which time he moved to the "neck," and established a fruit and vegetable farm. This farm he sold in 1824, to his son-in-law, Capt. Richard Everit, and removed to Fair Haven, where he died May 28, 1842, in the ninety-third year of his age. A man of many vicissitudes, through an unusually long and busy life, he sustained through it all the strictest integrity.

(VI) Benjamin Franklin Mansfield, son of William, is still a resident of New Haven, in which city he has passed a long and busy life. On April 16, 1843, he married Harriet Janet Clark, a daugh- ter of Elisha and Jane ( Baldwin) Clark, of Shef- field, Mass., formerly of Milford, Conn. Mr. Mans- field in the latter years of his active business life was engaged in the real-estate line. He had been prominent in the commercial circles of New Ha- ven in various ways, being engaged for some years in the oyster business. He is a practical carriage manufacturer, and for a number of years dealt in carriages, also manufacturing to some extent; he shipped extensively to the Southern States. Mr. Mansfield has also been interested in the improve- ment of the city as a builder, having put up a number of houses, for which he drew all the plans, and he drew the plan for the home he himself oc- cupies. He remembers almost every house built in Nw Haven since 1828. He was the town agent for years, and has filled a number of public offices of trust and responsibility. In 1864 he was ap- pointed a commissioner of the Republican party from Connecticut, to record the votes of the United States soldiers then doing service in the Civil war. For many years he was the leading and active mem- ber of the New Haven City Board of Compensa- tion

Before the war Mr. Mansfield was interested in the militia, was brigade inspector of the 2d Brig- ade, holding that office for a number of years, and was also instructor; he ranked as major of Con- necticut militia, and was generally known by that title. Active in preparing men for the war of the Rebellion, he fitted out a number of regiments in his connection with the commissary department.

He was a personal friend of Gov. Buckingham, the war governor of Connecticut.

The following is a brief record of Mr. Mans- field's children: (1) Harriet Elizabeth, born Jan. 13, 1844, married Jan. 1, 1867, Thomas J. Beers, and to them have come children as follows: Kate M., born Nov. 28, 1867, married Frank A. Bun- nell, teller of the First National Bank of New Ha- ven, and they have had three children-Mariam B., born July 17, 1892; Lyman B., Feb. 16, 1896; and Katherine, May 24, 1897. Hallie M., born July 31, 1871, married Abel W. Walker, who is connected with C. S. Mersick & Co., and they have one child, Wilmarth Bradford, born Nov. 30, 1895. Burton M. was born Feb. 24, 1874. Mr. Beers is a carriage manufacturer by trade.

(2) Emma Augusta, born July 22, 1846, mar- ried Sept. 15, 1869, Charles E. Doty, of New York City and to them have come children as fol- lows: May M. born Oct. 13, 1870, married Frank B. Long, D. D. S., of New York, and they have one child, Frank B., Jr., born April 27, 1901. Cas- sie M. was born Feb. 22, 1872. Mansfield M. was born Aug. 18, 1879.

(3) Edward Franklin is mentioned below.

(4) Mary Louise, born Oct. 6, 1855, married Feb. 23, 1876, Frank B. Walker, a business man of New Haven. To their union came children as follows : Elizabeth M., born Sept. 23, 1877; Ed- ward M., born Feb. 26, 1879, now an engineer in the bridge department of the Michigan Central Railway Co .; Minnie Mansfield, born March 29, 1883; and Marguerite, born Aug. 8, 1885.

EDWARD FRANKLIN MANSFIELD was born Oct. 15, 1848, on Wooster street, New Haven, and re- ceived a good education there, attending Thomas' private school, Russell's Military Academy, and Stiles French's private school. When a young man he entered the employ of the New Haven & North- ampton Steamboat Co., as purser, and remained with them two years. For the next three years he was in the produce commission business in New York City, with his brother-in-law, Mr. Doty, and in 1874 he came back to New Haven. taking a position in the mercantile establishment of Strong, Barnes, Hart & Co., with which he has been since connected. Since May 1, 1883, he has been a member of the firm. He is a member of the New Haven Chamber of Commerce, and a man of high standing and character in the city, being in the strictest sense a worthy representative of a tinie- honored family.

Fraternally Mr. Mansfield is a Mason of high standing, belonging to Hiram Lodge, No. I. A. F. & A. M., in which he has held all the offices; Franklin Chapter; Harmony Council: and New Haven Commandery. He also holds membership in the Quinnipiac Club and the Union League Club, was formerly a member of the Pequot and Yacht Clubs, and was one of the first members of the Ansantawae Club. The family attend Trinity

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Church. Mr. Mansfield's political allegiance is given to the Republican party.

On Sept. 14, 1871, Mr. Mansfield married Kate Coale Goodnow, whose father, Jotham Goodnow, was for many years connected with the Aetna Fire Insurance Co., of Hartford, and for some years was its president. Two children have blessed this union : Benjamin F., born June 21, 1872, is an oil broker in California. Henrietta Goodnow, born May 30, 1874, married Charles Elliott Picket, assistant clerk in the United States Court at New Haven, and has one child, Dorothy Mansfield, born in December, 190I.

Jotham Goodnow died Nov. 1, 1892. In 1856. when he was twenty-one, he came from Fall River, Mass., to Hartford, and was bookkeeper in a Hart- ford bank until 1864, when he went to Rockville to take a position as cashier of the First National Bank. Soon after this he accepted a position as cashier in the City Bank of New Haven. In 1866 he was elected secretary of the Aetna Fire Insur- ance Co., at Hartford. On Sept. 26, 1888, he was elected president of the Aetna Fire Insurance Co., and was serving as such at the time of his death. Mr. Goodnow's most impressive characteristic was his. unswerving devotion to what he believed to be right. In the city council of Hartford he served conscientiously from a desire to promote the public welfare, and not from any enjoyment of the po- sition.

GEORGE B. CLARK, a prominent and success- ful business man of Derby and Ansonia, and a citi- zen of New Haven county held in high and univer- sal esteem, comes of English stock, the first of his family to emigrate from Great Britain to New Eng- land having settled in Milford in 1640. Nehemiah Clark, his grandfather, was born in Orange and died there. His wife was also named Clark, and to their marriage were born four children, Nehemiah, Elias, Merritt and Sarah. Nehemiah passed his life in his native town and died unmarried. Elias studied theology, was ordained a Congregational minister and preached at various places in Con- necticut and the West ; he died in Wisconsin. Sarah married Ezra Candee, a farmer of Orange.

Merritt Clark, the father of George B., was born in Orange Dec. 10, 1816, and removed to Derby in 1839. A carpenter and builder, he con- tinued to follow that occupation until 1861, at which time he bought the business of David Bassett, the pioneer coal dealer in the Valley and conducted the coal yard successfully until 1880, when he retired. In religious faith he was an Episcopalian, in poli- tics originally a Whig and later a Republican. He held the office of town assessor. Mr. Clark died Dec. 24, 1896. He married Mary Ann Hodge, who preceded him to the grave in November, 1891. Her father, Benjamin Hodge, was a resident of Derby, and by trade a cooper. His love for adventure, however, prompted him to become a sailor on a

whaling vessel. He died in Derby. Six children were born to Merritt Clark and his wife, of whom George B. was the third in order of birth, and the eldest son. The others were Emily, Mary, Charles E., Julia V. and William J. The last named ( who married Mary Terry, of Ansonia) is general mana- ger of the motor department of the General Elec- tric Co., of New York. Charles E. married Lillie Hawkins, of New Haven ; he is now cashier of the Birmingham National Bank, of Derby. Of the daughters, Emily has remained single. Mary mar- ried Edson L. Bryant, of Ansonia. Julia V. be- came Mrs. William R. Steele, of the same place.

George B. Clark was born Oct. 25, 1846, was educated in the public schools of Derby and at Eastman's Business College, graduating from the latter institution in 1863. He then began his busi- ness career as assistant to his father in the coal business, and has continued in that line of trade ever since, at present owning yards in both An- sonia and Derby. His career has been marked by great success, both as a merchant and as a citizen. For nearly twenty years he has been a director in the Derby Savings Bank, is a stockholder in sev- eral manufactories in Derby and Shelton, and is a member of the Derby and Shelton Board of Trade, and his commercial standing is high. He has al- ways taken an active interest in the municipal wel- fare as well as in trade progress and, while he has never sought office, his fellow citizens, knowing his keen business sagacity and unimpeachable hon- esty, have honored both him and themselves by re- peatedly electing him to positions of high respon- sibility and trust. For five consecutive terms he has been selectman of the town; for two years street commissioner of Derby ; and has also served as judge of the city court. a post which he has filled with rare ability and unswerving integrity for four years, and to which he was elected for a third term in February, 1901. In social and domestic life his relations are pleasant, his genial, generous dispo- sition winning him many friends. For twenty years he has been a member of Housatonic Lodge, No. 6, I. O. O. F., and he is also a member of Conclave No. 317, of the Independent Order of Heptasophs of America. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Clark is a keen sportsman and although, when about twenty-two years of age, he lost his right arm by an accident while out hunting. he is still able to find much enjoyment with his rod and gun.

On Oct. 17, 1882, Mr. Clark married Miss Car- oline J. Birdseye, a daughter of Joseph Birdseye, of Huntington, Fairfield county. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have two daughters, Ethel B. and Mildred R.

DAVID L. FRISBIE. an honored veteran of the Civil war and a leading citizen of Wolcott, has through his own exertions attained an honorable position and marked prestige among the representa- tive agriculturists of the town, and with signal con- sistency it may be said that he is the architect of his

Geo B. Clark

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

pwn fortunes, and one whose success amply justifies the application of the somewhat hackneyed but most expressive title, "a self-made man."

The Frisbie family was founded in America by John and Abigail (Culpepper) Frisbie, natives of Wales, who located in Branford, Conu. Their son, Elijah Frisbie, was a land owner and farmer in Wolcott, living on the road from Waterbury to Bristol, where he died Feb. 15, 1800. He first mar- ried Abigail Culver, who died April 19, 1771, and for his second wife married Elizabeth Ives, who died Oct. 11, 1776. His third wife was Lydia Red- field. It was in 1759 that he removed from Bran- ford to Wolcott. In his family were eight children. namely: Esther, who was born in 1743 and died in 1795; Judah, who is mentioned below : Reuben, born in 1746; Abigail, wife of Daniel Tuttle: Charles, born in 1752: Hannah, wife of Elnathan Thrasher, of Woodtick, Wolcott: Sarah, wife of Ichabod Mer- rill ; and John, born in 1762.

Judah Frisbie was born Sept. 13. 1744, and spent his entire life as a farmer in Wolcott, where he owned property. On Aug. 12, 1779, he married Hannah Baldwin, who was born on Buck's Hill, Waterbury, a daughter of Israel Baldwin. They had four children: Mary, who was born in 1780. and married Abner Hotchkiss ; David, grandfather of our subject: Hannah, who was born Nov. Io. 1783, and married Orrin Jackson ; and Judah, who died in 1829.

David Frisbie, the grandfather of our subject. was born Jan. 12, 1782. in Wolcott, where he grew to manhood and continued to make his home throughout life. his time and attention being devot- ed to agricultural pursuits. His remains were in- terred in the Woodtick cemetery. In February. 1805, he married Leva Hall, and to them were born the following children : Samira. born Aug. 10. 1806. was married, Aug. 11. 1825, to Joel Johnson, and later moved to California : Hannah V., born Nov. 15. 1810, was married, Oct. 10. 1829, to Carlos R. Byington, of Southington, Conn., and died Nov. 10. 1870; Almira, born Nov. 17, 1812, was married, Oct. 16, 1830, to David Somers: David Berkley, father of our subject, completes the family.

David B. Frisbie was born July 19. 1814. and after receiving a good district school education, he engaged in teaching when a young man, but later in life followed farming. In politics he was a Re- publican, and he held several local offices, including that of justice of the peace. He continued to make his home in Woodtick throughout life. dying upon his farm Aug. 12. 1850, and his remains were in- terred in Woodtick cemetery. He married Char- lotte Hall, of Cheshire, who after his death wedded Augustus Rose. by whom she had one son. Edwin Rose, of Waterbury. She died Jan. 17, 1855, and was also buried in Woodtick cemetery.

was only nine years old at the time of his father's death. He attended the district schools of Cheshire and Waterbury, and at the age of fourteen years began earning his own livelihood by working as a farm hand, being thus employed until after the Civil war broke out. In August, 1861, he responded to his country's call for aid by enlisting at Water- bury in Company C, 14th Conn. v. I., under Capt. Carpenter and Col. Ellis, and participated in the siege of Fredericksburg from Sept. 17 to Dec. 13, 1862; the battles of Chancellorsville, May 2 to 12, 1863; Gettysburg. July 2 and 3, 1863; Falling Water, July 13, 1863: Auburn. Va., Oct. 14, 1863; Boston Station, Va., Oct. 15, 1863 ; Centreville, Oct. 15. 1863; Mine Run, Dec. 1, 1863; Morton Ford, Feb. 6. 1864: and several other engagements. He also took part in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C., and was mustered out at Hartford, Conn., with the rank of acting corporal.

After the war Mr. Frisbie lived both in Cheshire and Waterbury for a time. In 1868 he married Miss Anna C. Downs, of Northfield, Litchfield county, Conn., where she was born, a daughter of John and Martha ( Bristol) Downs, representatives of two of the best families of the State. She had two broth- ers who were soldiers of the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Frisbie have two children: Frank David. who was born Dec. 30, 1870, and is now in Water- bury; and Berkley Levi, who was born March 8. 1874, and assists in the operation of the home farm. They are young men of exemplary habits, and are quite popular with their associates and many friends.

After his marriage, Mr. Frisbie located on the old homestead in Woodtick. upon which he has since engaged in general farming with good success, and at the same time has followed teaming. He has made many improvements upon his place, and has one of the most desirable farms of its size in the town. Politically he has always been a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party, and he has filled various local offices. He is numbered among the valued citizens of Wolcott who have been devoted to the public welfare, has manifested the same lov- alty in days of peace as in time of war, and all who know him have for him the highest regard. His wife is an active and consistent member of the Con- gregational Church, and shares with her husband the friendship of a large circle of acquaintances.

CAPT. WILLIAM O'KEEFE has been a mem- ber of the police force of New Haven for almost twenty years and commencing at the foot. has earned promotion by meritorious conduct. He has ranked as captain since 1892 and since 1897 has been in charge of Station No. 4. The Captain has lived in the city from boyhood, and his record. both as a citi- zen and as an official, is without reproach.

Our subject is a native of County Cork. Ire- : land, born May 22. 1839, son of James and Mary ( Ambrose) O'Keefe, who reared a family of nine

David Lyman Frisbie, our subject, was the only child of the first marriage. He was born on the Frisbie homestead in Wolcott. March 15, 1841, and | children: Ann, Ellen, William, Julia, Catherine,

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

329

pwn fortunes, and one whose success amply justifies the application of the somewhat hackneyed but most expressive title, "a self-made man."

The Frisbie family was founded in America by John and Abigail (Culpepper) Frisbie, natives of Wales, who located in Branford, Conu. Their son, Elijah Frisbie, was a land owner and farmer in Wolcott, living on the road from Waterbury to Bristol, where he died Feb. 15, 1800. He first mar- ried Abigail Culver, who died April 19, 1771, and for his second wife married Elizabeth Ives, who died Oct. 11, 1776. His third wife was Lydia Red- field. It was in 1759 that he removed from Bran- ford to Wolcott. In his family were eight children, namely: Esther, who was born in 1743 and died in 1795; Judah, who is mentioned below ; Reuben, born in 1746; Abigail, wife of Daniel Tuttle: Charles, born in 1752; Hannah, wife of Elnathan Thrasher, of Woodtick, Wolcott ; Sarah, wife of Ichabod Mer- rill ; and John, born in 1762.

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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 76

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