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 2 > Part 10
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Mr. Hill is a consistent member and liberal sup- porter of the Congregational Church, and has long served as a member of its Society's committee. In his political affiliations he is a Republican. He was a member of the Legislature in 1877, and served on the fishery committee; filled the office of select- man for eight years and three months; and at various times has acted as appraiser of lands for water and insurance companies and railroad cor- porations. He is undoubtedly the most prominent man in North Branford, and his popularity is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteris- tics of an unbending integrity, unabated energy and industry, that never flags. He is what the world terms a self-made man, and his life record is well worthy of emulation.
ALBERT FRANKLIN ANDREWS (de- ceased), well known as one of the most ingenious mechanics in Connecticut, was descended from one of the oldest families in New England, the name originally being spelled Andrus.
(I) John Andrus was one of the early settlers, and in 1672 one of the eighty-four proprietors of the ancient town of Tunxis ( Farmington), Conn. Mr. Andrus was a plain farmer of common intelli- gence. His farm was situated on the east side of the river, about two miles north of the village of Farmington, and is still cultivated by Andrews, who are his direct descendants. His wife's name was Mary, and both were members of the church there. He died in 1681, and she died in 1694.
(II) Benjamin Andrews, son of John, the set- tler, born in 1659, was married in 1682 to Mary
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Smith. He lived on, and inherited, the homestead of his father. Both he and his wife united with the church in Farmington Jan. 3, 1686-7. His wife, Mary, died in 1707, and he died in 1727.
(III) James Andrews, son of Benjamin, born Aug. 1, 1700, was married in 1730, to Elizabeth Gillet, of Suffield, Conn. He inherited and lived on the homestead of his father and grandfather. His wife joined the church soon after her mar- riage. Mr. Andrews died July 18, 1761.
(IV) Elijah Andrews, son of James, born in 1731, was married in 1761, to Sarah, daughter of Timothy Thompson, of Avon. Elijah Andrews was by trade and occupation a goldsmith, and he lived in Farmington on the east side of the road nearly opposite the house of John, the first set- tler. He died in 1803, and his widow passed away in 1814.
(V) James Andrews (2), son of Elijah, born Nov. 22, 1762, was married March 13, 1791, to Eunice Gillette, of Northington, born Jan. 19, 1768. . Mr. Andrews was a farmer, and a soldier of the Revolution. He lived on, or near, the old home farm of his ancestors, and his death occurred May 31, 1845.
(VI) Romeo Andrews, son of James (2), was born Jan. 16, 1796, at the old home of his father in Farmington. He was married Jan. 1. 1824, to Serepta Gillett, of Avon, born in Farmington, Sept. 16, 1803, daughter of Obadiah and Rosanna ( Pet- tibone) Gillett. Mr. Andrews located at the cen- tre of East Avon, near the church and railroad. He was a joiner by trade. He was a wealthy farmer and fuse maker, and a substantial and worthy man. He died in Avon Jan. 23, 1867, aged seventy-one years. His widow survived him and died at the age of seventy-nine. Their children were: Albert Franklin, Robert Nelson, Jenette, Mary E .. Mary C. and John H., of whom Mary E. and Mary C. both died young.
Albert Franklin Andrews was born at Avon, Hartford Co., Conn., Sept. 16, 1824, and acquired his education in the schools of his native town and at the academy at Westfield, Mass. In his youth he traveled extensively and lectured on phrenol- ogy with Prof. Fowler, but later taught school in New Jersey. He made many useful and valuable
mechanical and chemical inventions, a few of which are enumerated hereafter. In 1852, with his father and brother, he established the Safety Fuse Manufacturing Co., known as R. Andrews & Co., at Avon, using the methods and machinery for making the Endless Safety Fuse, of which he was the original inventor. This company. now known as the Climax Fuse Co., is still in success- ful operation and forms the principal industry at Avon. In 1862 Mr. Andrews invented machinery for making hats from paper pulp and similar ma- terials. He also, at about this time, made great progress in the art of extracting aluminum from clay ; in 1869 he made some useful and valuable
inventions connected with the preparation of flax for use in the textile industries; in 1876-79 he invented and perfected processes for making mal- leable iron and fine steel directly from common iron castings.
In 1881 he again assumed an active interest in the fuse making concern of R. Andrews & Co., which he shortly after reorganized as the Climax Fuse Co., and which he operated very suc- cessfully until his retirement in 1889. Dur- ing this period he made many valuable in- ventions and improvements in the art of mak- ing safety fuse. He died in 1896, . when sev- enty-one years old. An able man of rare me- chanical ability, he showed his great originality by working out all his plans unaided. He was prominent man in public affairs, and independent in his thinking. In the days of the old Greenback party, Mr. Andrews was its candidate for repre- sentative in the State Legislature, and also for governor. He was a fluent speaker, and at one time was a familiar figure on the lecture platform. He was a member of the Congregational Church.
On June 4, 1856, Mr. Andrews married Lou- isa M. Alford, who was born Feb. 22, 1831, a daughter of Daniel M. Alford. One daughter blessed this union, Isabel Tyler, now the wife of George A. Saunders, a manufacturer and merchant at New Haven, Conn., and the mother of three children : Winifred Andrews, Aretas Andrews and Dorothea.
Daniel M. Alford, father of Mrs. Andrews, was born in Avon, one of the two sons of Samuel Alford, a farmer of that town. He became a prominent mian, and, as a Democrat, held a number of the offices, among them justice of the peace, judge of probate, selectman, etc. His death oc- curred when he was seventy-seven years of age. He married Emira Mills, who was born in Can- ton, a daughter of Joel Mills, grandson of John Mills, a Baptist clergyman. Of the eight chil- dren born of this marriage four are now living, as follows : Mrs. Albert F. Andrews : Mrs. Asa Hos- kins, a widow residing in Simsbury; Mrs. Sarah J. Mallory, of Bristol; and Frank N., of Avon. The mother of these passed away at the age of seventy-nine, in the faith of the Baptist Church.
JOHN BUNTING, a representative farmer. and fruit grower of Cheshire, New Haven coun- ty, was born in the Town of Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland, March 28, 1837, a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Martin) Bunting, also natives of that country, where they continued to make their home throughout life. The father, who was by occupa- tion a farmer, died in 1876, and the mother de- parted this life in 1891. Of their six children only two are now living: John and William, and, with the exception of one mentioned below, John is the only one who left Ireland. One son, Thomas, came to America in 1871, and after spending one sum-
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mer in Saybrook, Conn., went to New York City, where his death occurred in 1896.
Reared in his native land, Jolin Bunting ob- tained his education in its public schools. De- termined to try his fortune in the New World, where he believed better opportunities were afford- ed ambitious young men, he sailed from Liverpool, England, May 1, 1863, on a sailing vessel and landed in New York July 5, the day following the great riot. The following December he came to Meriden, Conn., where he worked at farm labor for Deacon Allen twelve years, and in 1877 he purchased the well-known Beach farm in Cheshire, to the cultivation and improvement of which he has since devoted his energies. He is engaged in general farming and fruit-growing, and has met with well-deserved success in his labors.
In Meriden, in 1882, Mr. Bunting was united in marriage with Miss Ida Alenkirk. a native of Holland and a daughter of Louis A. and Ellen ( Amelinxeen) Alenkirk, who emigrated to Amer- ica in 1881 and located in Meriden, Conn., where the father died in 1891. but the mother is still liv- ing there. Mr. and Mrs. Bunting have one child living, Elizabeth; Anna died Jan. 2, 1896; and Robert died Jan. 4, 1896.
GEORGE F. PECKHAM, one of the highly re- spected and well-known retired business men of New Haven, is a native of this city, having been born here Aug. 8, 1836, a son of Charles W. and Elizabeth P. (Coggeshall ) Peckham, and a grand- son of George Peckham, a cooper of New Haven, where he married a Miss Merwin, of Milford.
Charles W. Peckham was a cabinet-maker and resided in New Haven all his life, dying there in October, 1842. His wife was a native of Milford, Conn., a daughter of Capt. Freegift Coggeshall. and died on May 16, 1882, the mother of nine chil- dren : Charles, born May 14, 1829, died Dec. 13, 1831 ; Caroline E., born January, 1831, died Dec. 26, 1831 ; Charles W., born in 1833, now resides in West Haven; Sarah E., born Oct. 23, 1834. married William H. Lawrence, of New Haven; George F., our subject; Harry W., born Aug. 1, 1838, died Oct. 18, 1842; David H., born July 8. 1839. died Sept. 2, 1843 ; Martha C., born April 26, 1841, is the widow of Albert E. Barnett, of New Haven ; Mary C., born June 16, 1843, died on Oct. 6, 1843. The father was a Whig in politics, and the family were Congregationalists.
George F. Peckham grew to manhood in his native city, attending the excellent public schools, as well as the private one of Amos Smith. After finishing school, he took up harness making. and followed that calling for three years and then learned the trade of carriage trimmer under Ribert Sizer. continuing with him three years. His knowledge of the harness maker's trade was of great help to him in taking up the carriage trimmer's trade, which he learned rapidly, as after but one month he was
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put at trimming a carriage. Ordinarily an appren- tice was supposed to work two or two and a half years before he was put on such work. He took contracts in carriage trimming, and before he was twenty years old, his net profits were at times as high as $60.00 per week. He then spent three years in the freight department of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. Mr. Peckham next became a clerk in a gro- cery establishment, continuing in that capacity for about eight years. Having learned all the details of this line of business, in 1872, he established a grocery store on the corner of Howard and Congress avenues, where he remained until February, 1890, when he retired with a comfortable competence. He began mercantile business on small capital, but his credit was good, and all during his eighteen years of business his credit remained gilt edge. In 1891 he built his excellent home at No. 412 Howard ave- nue, in which vicinity he owns some valuable real estate.
On March 1, 1859, Mr. Peckham married Mary A. Glennon, a native of Ireland, who was reared in New Haven, and to this marriage seven children were born: Ella L., born Dec. 17, 1859, died Jan. 16, 1900, married Joseph McGuire, of New Haven, and had one son ; Mary E., born July 17, 1862; died July 13, 1865; George F., born Oct. 8, 1864, died March 9, 1867; Charles W., born Dec. 18, 1866, died May 10, 1871 ; George H., born Oct. 23, 1872, is an electrician, married, and has a son, George N .; Albert W., born Sept. 16, 1874, died Aug. 26, 1880; Martha B., born March 1I, 1869, married Joseph F. Hubon, of New Haven, and has four children. In political affiliations, Mr. Peckham is a Democrat, and fraternally is connected with Hiram Lodge, No. I, F. & A. M .; also with the Knights of Honor, Sherman Lodge. Both he and his estimable wife have many friends, whose good will they have gained through their excellent qualities and pleas- ing personalities, and are justly numbered among the representative people of New Haven.
CHARLES A. ROBERTS (deceased), who during his life was a well-known and highly-es- teemed citizen of Meriden, was born in the town of Middletown, Conn., March 3, 1828, and was a descendant of an old and deservedly famous fam- ily of Connecticut.
Ambrose Roberts, his father, was born in Mid- dlesex county, Conn., and in his lifetime sustained a good name as a citizen of Middletown, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits, and where he died.
Charles A. Roberts was educated in the public schools of his native town and' grew up on the homestead farm. While still a lad he learned the tinner's' trade with P. J. Clark, of Meriden, with whom he worked many years. Later in life he began in business for himself as a manufacturer of novelties, securing a large patronage. His death occurred in Meriden, Oct. 29, 1872, and his
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remains were laid to rest in the West cemetery of that city. He was noted for his honesty and up- right character, and was well-known and highly respected. His spirits were genial, and his man- ners pleasant and attractive. A devoted husband and an upright citizen, his personal standing was beyond question. He was a stockholder and di- rector in the First National Bank of Meriden, and was also a member of the Meriden City Council. In politics he belonged to the Democratic party. In fraternity circles, he was a Master Mason, and was affiliated with Center Lodge, No. 97, A. F. & A. M. Domestic in his habits, he was broad- minded and well-read, being thoroughly posted on all the leading events of the day. He and his wife attended the Universalist Church.
Mr. Roberts was married in 1853 to Miss Belinda Shailer Adams, who was born in the town of Suffield, Conn., a daughter of John and Betsy (Snow) Adams, both of whom were natives of Suffield, where they lived and died. None of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts grew to maturity.
LINUS MEAD, president and sole owner of the Crystal Ice Co., of New Haven, was born in Lewisboro, N. Y., Sept. 20, 1835, son of Richard and Hannah ( Keeler ) Mead. The family was early settled in Greenwich, Conn., where two brothers of the name, of English birth, settled in 1660.
Solomon Mead, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born there. He was the first minister of the Presbyterian Church in South Salem, N. Y. His son Clark, the grandfather of our subject, mar- ried Lois Gilbert, of South Salem, and they had a family of four sons and three daughters, all now deceased. Clark Mead died at the age of sixty-three years. His wife, who was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, died at the age of seventy- nine years.
Richard Mead, the father of our subject, was reared on a farm, and received a part of the old homestead as his portion of his father's estate. He died there at the age of eighty years. He mar- ried Hannah Keeler, a daughter of Ammi and Phoebe (Strang) Keeler, the former of whom was a farmer in Lewisboro. Mrs. Keeler, who was one of a family of thirteen children, lived to be over eighty years of age, as did all. the family except one. She had two children: Hannah, the mother of our subject ; and Henry, who was during his life a prom- inent man, well known in his section of New York State. The parents of our subject reared five chil- dren, all sons, and all of whom survive: Solomon, whose sketch appears in another part of this vol- ume; Clark, who resides near the old homestead in South Salem: Linus, our subject ; Henry, 'a resi- dent of New Haven ; and Stephen S., who formerly resided in New Haven, but now lives on the old home farm in New York State. The beloved mother still survives at the advanced age of ninety-six years,
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in good health and in full possession of all her fac- ulties. In 1832 she and her husband became men- bers of the Presbyterian Church, in which he served as trustee.
The early years of Linus Mead were spent on the farm and in attendance in the common schools of his locality. At the age of eighteen years he came to New Haven, but two years later returned to South Salem and engaged in farming and other kinds of work in that neighborhood. Some two years later he married, and then bought a farm of his father-in-law, but some time later sold it and removed to Bedford, N. Y., where he was foreman on a stock farm, and was also engaged in the busi- ness of buying and selling cattle and poultry, suc- cessfully conducting this enterprise for some time. He then went to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he was engaged as a farm manager on the farm of one Burell, a grandson of John Jacob Astor, remain- ing for two years, and then spent two years in the same capacity on the land of M. S. Beach, editor of the New York Sun, near Poughkeepsie. He then removed to New Haven and built his present residence, entering into the foundry business with his brother, Solomon Mead. Later Mr. Mead re- turned to Salem, where he spent one year. Later he managed a business west of New Haven, at Tyler's Shore, Conn., for Mrs. Tyler. Here, in 1877, Mrs. Mead died, at the age of forty years. Her maiden name was Sarah E. Bouton, and she was born in Lewisboro, a daughter of Linus and Laura ( Pardee) Bouton. Linus Bouton was a far- mer, and died at the age of sixty years ; his widow survived until the age of ninety-two, dying in 1900. They had three children, the survivor being Mrs. Laura V. Bennett, of Pulteney, N. Y. One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Mead, Frederick L., who was educated in the public schools, and at the age of eighteen engaged with his father as book- keeper. Later he was made secretary of the ice company, and now assists in a general way. In 1886 he married Alice L. Russell, a native of the town of Orange, and a daughter of William M. Russell, who is a prominent man in that town, and the present assessor. Two children have been born of this marriage, May E. and Walter Llewellyn.
About 1878 Mr. Mead went into the ice business, beginning in a small way, and gradually increasing -employment being given at present to some thirty- five men and from twenty-eight to thirty horses, during the busy season. The harvest consists of some 20,000 tons of ice, which is sold both retail and wholesale. A track has been constructed for the transportation of the ice, and every modern method is used for expeditious handling. The first ice-house was fifty feet square, and the ice was put in by hand. Soon after four other houses were erected, each 25x60 feet in dimensions, and still another 40x60 was soon required, and another 35 x60. Two years later another-50x75-was added, and two years later the business was so extended
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Linus Men
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that he built another house, 35x75. The business continued to expand, Mr. Mead buying out another dealer, and adding a 6,000-ton ice-house. In 1890 he shipped all of his ice from Maine, no ice forming in New Haven or elsewhere in Connecticut, and in February, 1891, in company with two other deal- ers, he put up a large storage house, having a ca- pacity of 15,000 tons, at Congamond Lake, Mass. This is kept filled for an emergency, and during the ten years has been filled and emptied five times. Mr. Mead's business has increased from 1,200 tons to 20,000 tons annually, and he has become one of the financial factors of the city of New Haven. Mr. Mead's residence is in the Second Ward, in which vicinity he owns quite extensively of real estate. He has not only built his own residence, but also that of his son, and has constructed all his own ice houses, in which he has made use of all modern improvements.
Mr. Mead's second marriage was to Harriet L. Hoyt, who was born in Lewisboro, and two children have been born of this union: Clarence Hoyt : and Florence Greenley, who died when two months old. In politics Mr. Mead has been a lifelong Republi- can (his son also being a member of that party and has served in the city council. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and prominent in that Society). He has always been interested in religious work. For- merly he was a deacon in the church in Hyde Park, N. Y., and superintendent in the Sunday-school. At present the family attend the Plymouth Church, of New Haven, and Frederick L. Mead is librarian and usher in the Dwight Place Church, where his father was formerly librarian. As an item of in- terest it may be mentioned that the great-grand- father of Mrs. Mead was a great musician, and was the first one to ring the chimes of Trinity Church, New York.
Mr. Mead has been a successful man in business, and is a strong temperance advocate, being an ab- stainer from the use of tobacco and liquors, and while on the farm in his early days believed in the old saying :
"That he who by farming would thrive Must himself either hold or drive; Work hard all day, Sleep hard all night, Save every cent, And never get tight."
HOMER LEVI COOPER. The name "Ridge Farm" carries with it a guarantee of superior ex- cellence in dairy products. This farm has been in the possession of the Cooper family for a num- ber of years, and is a well-known tract in the vi- cinity of North Haven, Conn., where it is success- fully managed by its owner, Homer Levi Cooper.
the date of 1722, the most ancient in that venerable ground. Justus Cooper, born in Handen in 1750, married Lois Bradley Jan. 17, 1782. He was a farmer in North Haven, going there from Ham- den, and locating on a farm, part of which is now owned by Homer L. Cooper. Justus Cooper had a son, Justus (2), born in 1797.
Justus Cooper was born on the Cooper home- stead in North Haven, and during the early years of his life followed the occupation of farming on his father's land. Later he removed to Hamden Plains, where for about ten years he conducted a tavern known as the "Old Red Tavern." This was a well-known hostelry in its day, and is still re- called by some of the older residents. After dis- posing of that business, he returned to North Haven and continued farming until the time of his death, which occurred Sept. 24, 1883. He married Julia Gorham, a native of Hamden, a daughter of Levi and Rhoda (Miller) Gorham, and she died June 8, 1879. The children born of this union were : Levi Justus, and George H., who married Betsey Coe.
Levi Justus Cooper was born in the "Old Red Tavern," Dec. 22, 1831, and in time was sent to the district school. He grew up on the farm, and in early manhood entered the Candee Rubber Co.'s shop in Hamden, where he worked for some time, and then embarked in the butchering business, for a number of years peddling meat in North Haven. Later, as the country became more closely popu- lated, it was more profitable to open a market in New Haven, and for eight years he successfully conducted an enterprise of this kind, leaving it to open a grain business. This was organized un- der the firm name of Cooper, Hinman & Co., but some time later Mr. Cooper disposed of his in- terest and returned to North Haven, where he resumed farming and also engaged in the dairy business. On July 14, 1853, he married Sarah White, a native of Southwick, Mass., and they had two children : Jennie, who married William Cam- eron, of New York; and Homer Levi.
Homer Levi Cooper was born Feb. 28, 1859. in the old home now owned and occupied by his father. His educational opportunities were ex- cellent in character, and he was an apt pupil in the New Haven district and high schools. After con- pleting his education he worked in various places -at Westville, where he was employed to run a steam sawmill, and in New Haven, but later in Woodbridge. where he drove a milk wagon for L. G. Hemingway and learned all the practical points about dairying. In 1880 he went to North Haven and purchased part of his present farm from his uncle, George H. Cooper. He has added to it until, at the present time, his well cultivated farm of thirty acres shows that a man of intelli- gence is its manager and proprietor. In 1899, in company with M. B. and F. S. Hubbell, under
The Cooper family traces its ancestry as far back as 1641, when John Cooper came to America from England, and the tomb of one ancestor whose dust lies in the cemetery of North Haven, bears | the name of Cooper & Hubbell, he established a 28
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prosperous and growing dairy business, on High street, in New Haven, where they carried on a retail and wholesale business in dairy products and operated several delivery wagons. In June, 1901, . Mr. Cooper withdrew from this connection.
On Nov. 24, 1886, Mr. Cooper was married to Alice Elizabeth Monson, of Westville, a daugh- ter of David C. Monson, the postmaster of that place. To this union have been born four chil- dren : Eleanor G., Kenneth, Harold and Roland Justus. Kenneth and Harold were twins, and both died when nine months old. Like his parents, Mr. Cooper is connected with the Congregational Church, and both he and his father are stanch supporters of the Republican party. Socially he is connected with the A. O. U. W., in which he is popular and valued. He is considered one of the most prosperous and progressive business men of the vicinity, and his energy and thoroughly honest methods have won him the confidence of the community.
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