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 74
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Mr. Hughes was born in Prospect, Conn., Aug. 28, 1848, a son of Reuben Beecher and Harriet M. (Sloper) Hughes. The great-grandfather of George W. H. Hughes was sturdy, honest William . Hues, a man well known in his day as an excellent farmer and respected citizen. Reuben Hughes, son of William Hues, was born in Southington, Conn., and early in life learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. His talents lay in the direction of inven- tion, and he displayed remarkable mechanical skill. One of his machines intended for the dressing of flax was the cause of his losing his deft right hand, thus probably causing many of the excellent ideas on machinery to remian within his fertile brain. It is known that he did a soldier's duty in the war of 1812, and at that time went to New London, and later settled in Southbury, Mass. He married Jane
Beecher, who belonged to the celebrated Beecher family, which traces clear ancestry as far back as 1637 as the time of the settlement of this family in New England.
Reuben Beecher Hughes, a son of Reuben, who with carefulness and accuracy has published an in- teresting record of the Beecher family and connect- ing branches, is one of the best-known and highly regarded citizens of New Haven. He was born in Southbury, Mass., Jan. 27, 1820, in the first house south of the famous White Oak Tree on the Mitchell land. This now beautiful mansion is the residence of William Beecher, a prominent citizen of South- bury. Soon after this date Reuben Hughes, Sr., purchased the home, lying between the residences of Ezra Beecher and Nathaniel Beecher, south of the school-house. Here his boyhood days were passed, attending school as opportunity offered, and assist- ing in the farm work. The family being large, Reuben also worked occasionally for the neighbor- ing farmers, but in 1836 removed to New Haven. Here he remained four years with Pernett Booth, and learned the trade of painter. Just about the time that Mr. Hughes was prepared to commence a career of his own in the trade he had mastered, there fell a business depression over the country, and then began the musical career which has made Mr. Hughes famous. Music had always been with him a passion, and upon his settlement in the city he had connected himself with several church choirs, and now, when there was no promising outlook in his trade, he turned his musical ability to good ac- count. Mr. Hughes is a master of the 'cello, trom- bone, string bass, ophicleide, violin and other in- struments, and he was soon recognized as a su- perior teacher of band music. In this connection it may be mentioned that many of the members of his mother's family were distinguished musicians.
A natural mechanic, Mr. Hughes became skilled in many lines, was an excellent shoemaker, and learned the trade of toolmaker, and also became an expert engineer, and subsequent to the Civil war made tools for manufacturing pistols, cutlery, clocks, guns, carriage springs and many other articles. For a great many years he was engineer in the works of the Wheeler & Wilson Company, at Bridgeport, Conn., and was toolmaker for the New Haven and the Waterbury Clock Companies.
Prior to coming to New Haven Mr. Hughes worked at shoemaking, also did carpentering, and at the same time cultivated a farm which he owned at Prospect, living there for a period of nine years. He was sent to the Legislature from that town, for the session of 1849-50, serving also as justice of the peace, tax collector, member of the school board and lieutenant in a military company.
It is in musical circles that Mr. Hughes is so widely and favorably known. For fifteen years he was a member of the Union City and Wheeler & Wilson celebrated male quartette, also the Wheeler & Wilson Band, was a member of the Second Com-
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pany Governor's Foot Guards Band, and when over seventy-five years of age he played in bands and marched fifteen miles. In Naugatuck he had charge of the orchestra, and for ten years led the choir in the Methodist Church, and later for several years in the Congregational Church, living in this place for fifteen years. For fifty years Mr. Hughes has been engaged in organizing and instructing bands. orchestras and church choirs. In 1877 he organized an orchestra for the benefit of the New Haven City Missions, conducting it for twenty years free of charge.
Mr. Hughes is a member of the Church of the Redeemer in New Haven, and in his earlier years he was a member of the choir. For many years his orchestra played for five different services every Sunday. Mr. Hughes is still in the enjoyment of vigorous health, and presents the appearance of a man not over sixty years of age, although the records show the almost unbelievable fact that he is eighty-two. On his trusty wheel he sometimes covers as many as fifty miles a day, and his friends would not be surprised if he made a "century run." A man of high order of talent, he has always fa- vored all enterprises that in combination with music work for the uplifting and refining of the city's life.
On Dec. 31, 1840, Reuben Beecher Hughes and Harriet M. Sloper were united in marriage. She was born in Bath, England, May 1, 1821, a daugh- ter of the Rev. Jacob Sloper, and the children born to this union were: George William Henry, born Aug. 28, 1848, and Charlotte Matilda, born Aug. 14, 1858. In his political belief Mr. Hughes has always been a Republican, but has not in late years taken any active interest in party affairs. In 1882 he retired from mechanical pursuits, and is amply supported by the income derived from the labors of a life of strict temperance, industry, prudence, econ- omy and integrity, and is now able to enjoy the fruits resulting from such a life, without labor or care. . Mr. Hughes has legions of friends and myriads of acquaintances.
While George W. H. Hughes was still a child his parents removed from Prospect, Conn., to Naugatuck, and here he took advantage of the ex- cellent educational opportunities afforded, and in the high school was under the instruction of the well-remembered A. N. Lewis, graduating from this school in 1864. The musical talent which was a most natural inheritance from a gifted father, soon displayed itself in young Hughes, and his entrance into the business world was as a tuner of organs about twenty-five years ago. Under the firm style of Vogel & Hughes, he became interested in the manufacture of organs, in Norwich, Conn., this enterprise prospering until its career was closed by a disastrous fire destroying nearly all of the prop- erty of the firm.
With the assistance of Mr. J. W. Huntington, a financial magnate, Mr. Hughes then built a factory in Norwich, and until the death of Mr. Huntington, |
in 1879, the manufacture of organs was successfully carried on in this place. Then Mr. Hughes closed this business and returned to New Haven, embark- ing in the coal and flour trade at No. 34 Church street, conducting this very successfully until 1891, when he sold this business and organized the Royal Shoe store, which one year later he gave to his cousin, Harry Hughes, who is still conducting it.
Mr. Hughes is a man of most varied talents, and possesses business ability of a superior order. For some ten years he has been actively engaged in the real estate business, and in 1889 he pur- chased an interest in the Hyperion Theater, in this city, and with his partner, Dr. A. E. Winchell, has improved this property very greatly. It had been badly managed and required renovation and busi- ness tactics to place it upon a paying basis. Mr. Hughes is also a stockholder, owning a controlling interest in a corset factory, and also in some pros- perous patent medicines, outside of this city. Active; alert and energetic, Mr. Hughes has long been a very important factor in the business life of New Haven. In the management and sale of real estate he has been far-seeing and politie, and his manage- ment of various properties and their disposal have brought him large commissions, notably in the case of the "Florence House." Howard avenue in this city has been principally built up by Mr. Hughes, and some of its edifices are still his property. Soon after building the imposing Hughes block, on the corner of Congress and Asylum streets, he disposed of it to Mr. Newman.
In 1886 Mr. Hughes was married to Miss Mande Kellogg, of Bridgeport, Conn., a daughter of Will- iam Kellogg, of that city, and to this umion was born one son, George W. R., Sept. 14, 1887. This young man is a student of the Day school, in New Haven, and is a very interested member of the foot-ball team. Mr. Hughes votes with the Republican party, but has no political ambition. His business interests in this city are large and growing, but are under his control, his ability and grasp of affairs making him' one of the leading factors in the growth and development of this beautiful city.
CHARLES ELIHU IVES, a prominent market gardener and selectman of Cheshire, New Haven county, was born in that town Sept. 23. 1857, and is a descendant of John Ives, the first of the name in this county. The grandfather, Elihu Ives, was a native of the town of Wallingford, where he en- gaged in farming during early life, and where he married Rachel blakeslee. Their children were Charles : John, a resident of Marion, Iowa ; Elihu. of the same place; George; and Norman. all of whom, with the exception of Charles, went West and located in Iowa. The grandfather also removed to Iowa, becoming one of the first settlers of Marion, where he took up land and engaged in farming until his death. He was a Jeffersonian Democrat, and a member of the Baptist Church.
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Charles Ives, the father of our subject, was born and reared in Wallingford, and when a young man "came to Cheshire, where for several years he en- gaged in agricultural pursuits upon what is now known as the Morgan farm. He then purchased the farm now operated by his son, and upon that place made many improvements. His death occurred Sept. 4, 1866, on the Morgan farm, and his remains were interred in Cheshire cemetery. He, too, was an earnest member of the Baptist Church, and a Dem- ocrat in politics. In Cheshire he married Sarah L. Moss, a native of that town, and a daughter of Joseph Moss. She is still living, and now makes her home in Wallingford. To them were born five children, namely : George Rodney, who died in in- fancy; George Rodney (2), also deceased; Mary C., wife of Amos Ives, of Wallingford: Matilda L., wife of Robert Miner ; and Charles Elihu.
During his boyhood Charles Elihu Ives attended the district schools of his native town and early be- came familiar with the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He was only nine years of age when his father died, and he early took charge of the home farm, and has since devoted his energies to its operation. It consists of seventy-five acres, upon which he has made many useful and valuable improvements. He is engaged principally in market gardening, and in this branch of industry is meet- ing with good success.
Mr. Ives was married at Meriden, Conn., in 1887, to Miss Harriet L. Todd, a daughter of James and Esther (Hall) Todd, and granddaughter of Streat Todd, all natives of Wolcott. She is a most esti- mable lady and a member of the Episcopal Church. In his political views Mr. Ives is a Democrat and has filled the offices of selectman and assessor of his town, and is now a member of the board of selectmen. Fraternally he is a member of the Grange. Industrious, enterprising and progressive, he commands the respect and confidence of all with whom he comes in contact, and has many warm friends throughout the town.
ANDREW HENDERSON has been engaged in business in New Haven as a florist since 1875, and he has long been regarded as one of the best in that line in the city. He is a native of Sweden, born June 24, 1858, son of John H. Henderson, who passed all his life in that country. Our subject's father was a machinist, and always followed that trade. His death at the age of sixty-two was the result of an accident. He married Sadie Erickson, also a native of Sweden, whose father was a farmer, and seven children were born to them, six of whom are yet living: John, in Sweden; Charles, a resi- dent of Emporia, Kans. ; Hannah, in Sweden: Au- gustus, in Vienna, Austria ; Andrew. our subject; and Daniel, a machinist of New Haven. The mother died at the age of sixty-one. Both parents attended the Swedish Lutheran Church.
Andrew Henderson spent his boyhood in his na-
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tive land, attended the common schools, and at an early age commenced work at the business which he has continued to follow. He worked at nursery and landscape gardening until coming to this coun- try. in 1871. His first three years in America were spent in New Rochelle, N. Y., with James S. Knapp, and he was subsequently in business a short time a: Long Branch, N. J., before coming to Westville, in: 1875. For four years he was partner in a florist business, at the end of that time starting in busi- ness for himself in a small way at first. His busi- ness has attained such proportions, however, that he now has more land than any other florist in the place, having four acres devoted to growing roses, violets and carnations. He gives employment to a number of men, having a fine local patronage, and supplying the large florists in the city of New Ha- ven. His place of business is at No. 845 Whalley avenue. Mr. Henderson caters to first-class trade only, and makes a specialty of the best grade of flowers. By integrity and honest dealing he has gained a substantial footing among the reliable busi- ness men of Westville and New Haven and has prospered deservedly.
Mr. Henderson was married, in 1885, to Miss Ellen Jane Pritchard, a native of England, who, on coming to America, lived in Pennsylvania before her marriage. Three children have been born to them, Seigert, Ida and Jennie. The family attend the Episcopal Church. Mr. Henderson is a Repub- lican in political faith.
CHARLES HENRY FRISBIE, one of Bran- ford's respected citizens, comes of good old New England Revolutionary stock. A native of Con- necticut, he was born Oct. 28, 1836, in Stony Creek, New Haven county, and was reared and educated in Branford, in the northern part of the town. called the Mill Plain District.
Josiah Frisbie, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Branford, and died at the age of ninety- one years. He was a farmer by occupation, and served as a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Four children were born to him: Augustus, Levi, Samuel and Lavinia. Of these,
Levi Frisbie, father of our subject, was also of Branford nativity, and followed the pursuit of a fisherman at Stony Creek, where he died at the age of fifty-four years. By his wife, Betty ( Beach ), daughter of Elnathan Beach, he had five children : Elnathan B., Russell, Anna B., Thaddeus B. and Charles Henry.
Charles Henry Frisbie, the subject proper of these lines, learned the trade of carpenter, and fol- lowed same up to and some time after the Civil war. On Aug. 13, 1862, hie enlisted in Company E, 15th Conn. V. I., and participated in the first battle of Fredericksburg, after which he was placed on de- tached service in the quartermaster's department, 2d Division, 9th Corps, Army of the Potomac. Later he had charge, as wagonmaster, of all the
Charles H Frisbie
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land transportation at Newbern, N. C., over one thousand horses and mules and one hundred men, After three years' service he was honorably dis- charged at New Haven, Conn., July 11, 1865. After the close of hostilities Mr. Frisbie followed his trade and lumbering up to June 3, 1874, when he had an accident with a buzz-saw whereby he lost his left arm, at the elbow. Since 1890 he has been engaged in the manufacture of hammer handles for granite cutters.
On Dec. 31, 1854, Mr. Frisbie married Mary Foote, daughter of Jonathan and Abigail R. (Lins- ley) Foote, of North Branford, Conn., and they have one son, Frank H. Socially Mr. Frisbie is a member of Mason Rogers Post, No. 7, G. A. R., of Branford, and served three consecutive terms as commander of the post, an evidence in itself of his popularity in the G. A. R. In politics he is a Republican, and has held the office of assessor two years.
JERE DEWEY EGGLESTON, M. D., of Mer- iden, where for twenty and more years he has suc- cessfully practiced his profession and been a valued and useful citizen of that manufacturing center, is one of the commonwealth's selfmade men.
Born Oct. 28, 1853, in Longmeadow, Mass., Dr. Eggleston is a son of the late Jere D. and Louisa (Carew) Eggleston, and a descendant in the seventh generation from Begat Eggleston, who was born in 1590, and came probably from Exeter, England, to Dorchester, Mass., in 1630, only ten years after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. He was a freeman in 1631, was an original member of Mr. Warham's Church and with it removed to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, becoming one of the first settlers of the town. His second wife was Mary Talcott, of Hartford. Mr. Eggleston died Sept. 1, 1674, and his wife Mary died in Windsor Dec. 8, 1657.
From this first American ancestor Dr. Eggles- ton's lineage is through James, Nathaniel, Nathaniel (2), Eber, Eli and Jere D. Eggleston.
(II) James Eggleston, son of Begat, the emi- grant settler, born in England, married Hester, sis- ter of Roger Williams, and she is said to have been the first female white child born in Hartford, Conn. Mr. Eggleston was made a freeman in 1637. He was in the Pequot fight, for which services he re- ceived in 1671 a grant of fifty acres of land. He died Dec. 1. 1679, at the age of fifty-nine. His widow married, April 29. 1680, James Enno.
(III) Nathaniel Eggleston, son of James, born Aug. 15, 1666, married, Sept. 13, 1694, Hannah Ashley, of Westfield, Mass., born Dec. 26, 1675, and removed from Windsor to Westfield, where his death occurred.
(IV) Nathaniel Eggleston (2), son of Na- thaniel, born in Westfield April 3, 1712, married. Aug. 17. 1741, Esther Wait, of Northampton, and died in Westfield March 7. 1790. aged nearly ninety. Their children were: Eber, Simeon and Abner.
(V) Eber Eggleston, son of Nathaniel (2), married Submit Judd, of Southampton, who died July 4, 1821. Mr. Eggleston was a soldier of the war of 1812, was wounded in battle, losing three fingers, and was a United States pensioner. His children were: Eli, born in Westfield in 1784; Eber, born in 1790; Eunice; Judd ; Submit; Laura; and Esther.
(VI) Eli Eggleston, son of Eber, born in 1784, married (first) Oct. 1, 1805, Zeruiah Searle, born at Southampton in August, 1789, and died in West- field Oct. 3, 1826, at thirty-seven ; he married (sec- ond) Laura, niece of Benjamin Eggleston, of Mid- dlefield, Conn. Eli Eggleston was an honest, in- dustrious, cheerful and obliging man, a great reader of the Bible and was greatly respected. He was engaged in farming. His children were: Eunice, born Dec. 19, 1806, died Sept. 1, 1827; Minerva, born April 19, 1808, married, in November, 1834, Sylvester Cooper, and died at Springfield. Mass., Feb. 2, 1841, had children, Cornelius and Russell; William Judd, born Aug. 21, 1809. died in Hamp- ton, Mass., had three sons and three daughters ; Zeruiah, born Feb. 7. 1811, married May 3, 1835, Abel Pendleton, of Norfolk, Conn., and died there July 31, 1842, had two daughters, Mrs. Sherman Kimberly and Mrs. Humphry, both of Goshen, Conn .; Jere Dewey is mentioned farther on ; Electa, born Jan. 4, 1814, married Sumner Cooper, of Suf- field, Conn., and removed to Woodstock, Conn., had three children : Russell Searle, born in September, 1816; Harmon, born Jan. 18, 1818, married Maria Root, of Westfield, where he died; Eli, born Sept. 21. 1819, died Feb. 18, 1822; Julia, born in 1821, died when young: and Julia (2), born Sept. 30, 1822, married, June 22, 1842, James D. Collins, then a gunsmith of Colts factory, Hartford.
(VII) Jere Dewey Eggleston, son of Eli, born July 11, 1812, married, in 1831, Louisa Carew, and resided for a time at Broad Brook, East Windsor, Conn. He was a miller by occupation, a man of generous impulses, of strict integrity and of de- cided opinions. He died in Enfield, Conn., March IO, 1855, and his widow passed away some years later. Their children were: (1) George, who died in 1876, leaving a son, Charles. (2) Mary Louise married Horace King, and had five children. (3) Arthur F., born Oct. 23, 1844, and married, March 1. 1871. Mary Isabel Abbe, of Windsor Locks, Conn. Judge Eggleston is now one of the foremost lawyers of the State, a member of the firm of Buck & Eggleston, of Hartford. He was prepared for college at Monson Academy, Monson. Mass. The breaking out of the Civil war gave him a spirit of uneasiness and restlessness that could only be quieted by actual participation in the conflict, and though not yet as old as was generally deemed necessary he managed to enlist in the 46th Mass. V. I., followed its vicissitudes until it was mus- tered out, and received an honorable discharge. He thien resumed his studies, in 1864 entering Williams
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College, from which he was graduated in 1868. He read law in the office of Strong & Buck, Hart- ford, and was admitted to the Bar of Hartford county in 1872. Some time after Mr. Strong's death in 1872 he became a member of the firm of Buck & Eggleston, an association which has since remained unbroken, and which has developed into one of the strongest law firms in the state, as well as one of the most successful. Judge Eggleston is a Republican, and active and influential in the coun- cils of the party. He has served as president of the common council. He served for a period of ten years as attorney for the board of County Commis- sioners, and filled the office of county treasurer a like number of years. In 1877 he was appointed judge of the Hartford police court, and continued on the bench until 1883, when he declined re-elec- tion. In 1888 he succeeded Hon. William Ham- mersley to the office of States Attorney for Hart- ford county, a position he has since filled with signal ability and efficiency. From 1892 to 1895 he was police commissioner of the city of Hartford. (4) Hannah married B. Tillson, and resided in Pomfret, Conn. (5) Herbert E. (6) Jere Dewey, Jr. -
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Dr. Eggleston's father having died in the son's infancy, and his mother while he was yet a youth, he became self-reliant and dependent when a mere lad, but rose equal to circumstances and conditions. At thirteen years of age he began supporting him- self by working on a farm, and later by teaching school he was prepared for and passed through col- lege, graduating from Williams College, and later in 1879 from the College of Physicians and Sur- geons at New York City. He began the practice of medicine in the town of Windsor Locks, Conn., and in about 1880 located in the city of Meriden, where through his studious habits, close attention to his profession and agreeable manners he gained the good will and confidence of the people, and ob- tained a large share of the practice in that growing city, and is now in the enjoyment of an extensive and successful patronage. He has kept abreast of the times in the profession and has earned the rep- utation of being a conservative and safe practitioner. Like his brother. Judge Eggleston, the Doctor is a Republican in his political affiliations and has given some time to the duties of citizenship, having served the municipality of Meriden for several years as an alderman. Dr. Eggleston is known as a man of strict integrity and honor, and as a man of energy and snap. He is self-made, his position in society and his professional success being due wholly to the force of his make-up. He is prominent in his com- munity in both Freemasonry and Odd Fellowship, and is a member of the local orders there.
On May 18. 18St. Dr. Eggleston was married to Elizabeth C. Duncan, of Poquonock, Windsor. Conn., and to them have come children as follows : Robert D., born March 7. 1882: Ralph B., born November. 1884, and died March 19, ISS6; Jeanette
L., born April 18, 1887; Arthur J., born Nov. 19, 1890; and Jere Dudley, born May 29, 1894.
Mrs. Eggleston is a native of Poquonock, and the daughter of one of its prominent citizens and manufacturers-Thomas Duncan (2), who is a na- tive of Scotland, where he was born Ang. 13, 1832, son of Thomas Duncan, a descendant of an excellent Scotch ancestry. Thomas Duncan (2) for upwards of forty years has been a resident of Connecticut, and here has been prominently connected with re- ligious and civil interests. He is an expert paper manufacturer and for many years has been identi- fied with the making of paper in Poquonock and elsewhere in the State. Late in the 'nineties he re- moved to New York city. His first wife, the mother of his children, was formerly Miss Grace Yule, who was born June 14, 1834, and died Feb. 15, 1867. Their five children were: T. E. and John C., both well known men to the paper trade of the country; Grace, now deceased : Agnes, now de- ceased, formerly the wife of Nelson R. Lord. of Poquonock; and Elizabeth C., wife of Dr. Eggles- ton.
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