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 3 > Part 14
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On Feb. 14, 1828, Mr. Bishop married Miss Polly M. Coe, who was born Oct. 23, 1802, daughter of Thomas and Submit (Griswold) Coe, and four children blessed this union: William S., whose name introduces this sketch: Harriet E., born in 1836; Catherine E., born in October. 1845, died Jan. 27, 1849; and Lucy, wife of John Spencer. Mrs. Bishop died Dec. 6, 1888, at the home of her son. and was laid to rest in the East cemetery.
William S. Bishop was born Dec. 25, 1829, in the town of Madison, grew to manhood on the farm, and acquired his education in the district schools. All his life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits, for he remained on the home place. caring for his parents in their old age. His tract of seventy acres is well improved and valuable, and in addition to general farming he follows stock-raising and cattle dealing to some extent, by energetic industry win-
ning success in his chosen calling. He is widely and favorably known in his town as an honest, up- right citizen, and, like his father, he endeavors to make his daily life, in his intercourse with all, the exemplification of his religious views. A Repub- lican in politics, he is no office seeker, and his in- fluence is given rather to the support of good men than to party.
On Nov. 9, 1851, Mr. Bishop married Miss Rosetta M. Cook, who was born in 1830, daughter of Henry Cook, of Madison, and by her had three children : ( 1) William L., born July 26, 1859, died in infancy. (2) Catherine A., born Sept. 5, 1861, married James H. Bradley, and they had one child, Cora May; for her second husband she married Almon Johnson, and they have two children, Olive M. and Wealthy R. (3) Lucy Rosetta, born Aug. 14, 1866, was married July 12, 1884, to James Mc- Cann, and they have four children, Josephine, Le- Roy, William and Raymond. On March 26, 1896, Mr. Bishop wedded for his second wife Mrs. Hen- rietta (Thomas) Van Wart, widow of Frank Van Wart, of an old Revolutionary family.
JOHN BEATTIE. This in his lifetime well- known quarryman and contractor, late of Leete Island, Guilford, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 18, 1820. John Beattie, his father, was a free- man of that city, and a direct descendant of that noted Beattie family of Eskdale Moor, in Dum- friesshire, Scotland, whose ancestry has been traced back more than six centuries, and whose valor and exploits in peace and war have been celebrated in the story and song of that country by Sir Walter Scott and others. On the paternal side his grand- mother was Nancy Armstrong. a descendant of the Johnson family. of Dumfriesshire, also prominent in the affairs of Scotland. The mother of John Be- attie was Ann Richardson, a daughter of John and Catherine (Tate) Richardson, both of families be- longing to Haddington, Scotland.
In 1830, when John Beattie was ten years old, his parents came to America and settled in Nova Scotia, Canada, where the father carried on his trade of stonemason and contractor. He was con- tractor in the construction of the masonry work on a canal from Halifax to Pictou. In that locality, on a small farm, the paternal home in this country was established, and there the son was sent to school for a short time ; but, his robust nature rebelling against the restraint imposed by sedentary life, he preferred to labor in the fields of his father's farm. In Nova Scotia he attended with profit a few terms the school of an excellent man, Rev. Mr. Morrison, andt to these brief periods his school days were limited.
After a few years' residence in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and when John would no longer attend school, his father proposed to indenture him to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and had selected a master for him, whereupon the independent lad gave so emphatic a demonstration against the step that
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the plan was summarily abandoned. This opposi- tion was probably the act in life which led him into the vocation in which he for so many years was most successfully engaged. Being now thirteen years old, strong and healthy. with a love for out- door occupation, his father was persuaded to allow him to learn the trade of stonecutting, which work John took up with great spirit. In the course of a few years the failure of the canal company induced the Beatties to make their home at Newport. R. I., whence the father and John went to New York to work at their trade. A year later they proceeded to Boston, and not long after to Newport, where the father died when Jolin was sixteen years of age. The care of the family, consisting of his mother and four children, the next eldest being ten years of age, now devolved upon John, who, deeply feeling the responsibility placed upon him, entered upon his life work with an earnestness of application that was bound to bring success. In his trade he became very skillful, and was a rapid and thorough work- man. During the next four years he was employed at Fort Adams. R. I., having, when he was eighteen years old, his first contract to do work for the Unit- ed States Government. At the age of twenty years he was appointed foreman mason of the bridge builders on a section of the Boston & Troy railroad, and there for the following two years he had his first experience in overseeing large numbers of men. In 1846 he returned to Fort Adams, where he was appointed master stonecutter by Gen. W. S. Rose- crans, and superintended the preparation of the ma- terial used in that fortification until work was sus- pended by order of Jefferson Davis, at that time Secretary of War. Again. for a year. Mr. Beattie was with the Boston & Troy Railroad Co., in his old capacity. He then went to California as a gold miner, and for two years and two months had the experience of an argonaut without realizing any of the rewards sometimes associated therewith. Re- turning to the East, poor in purse and with im- paired health, his next work was building the stone towers for the suspension bridge across the Ken- tucky river at Pleasant Valley. His health continu- ing poor, however, he and his hrother William next opened a stonecutter's yard at Newport, in which he worked a year with beneficial results to his health.
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In 1855 Mr. Beattie was engaged in building the towers for the great bridge across the Ohio. between Cincinnati and Covington. after which he had an interest in the construction of Section One, of the Brooklyn Water Works, at Jamaica. N. Y. That work being completed, at a loss to him. he spent some time building bridges on the Wabash railroad in Indiana, after which he returned to Jamaica, N. Y., and contracted for the construction of another section of the water works. This job he personally superintended, and to such great advantages that he and his partner cleared $20,000 in eighteen months. After this he executed many contracts for mason work, in bridges, on railroads, warehouse docks and
lighthouses; built bridges on the Worcester & Nashua railroad, on the Old Colony line, and on the Warren & Fall River railroad ; constructed the piers for the bridge at Warehouse Point (using sand bags for coffer dams for the first time in bridge construction in this country ) and for the Old Col- ony dock at Newport, all large public works.
In 1865 Mr. Beattie purchased the Harrison quarry. at Fall River, but after operating it one year left it in charge of his brother William and son John. and opened another quarry at Niantic, Conn. In a few years he disposed of that interest, and in Feb- ruary, 1869, he came to Guilford, where he bought sixteen acres of land at Hoadley's Point, upon which were very fine ledges of excellent granite. During the following season lie built several houses upon this tract, doing at the same time the mason work for the Newport & Wickford railroad. On Aug. 22, 1870, he removed permanently to Leete Island, where he continued to make his home until his death, Nov. 18, 1899. Here he developed the large quarry interests until the industry became one of the largest of the kind in the state. His granite lands and real-estate holdings at Leete Island increased to more than 400 acres, and employment was given to from 125 to 600 men, their operations being con- dueted in a systematic manner, aided by modern ap- pliances. The products were readily transported to many localities by the Shore Line railroad. running through his lands, and by a fleet of vessels owned by him and laden at his docks at Hoadley's Point. The granite of these quarries is of several qualities ; blue, pink and white-which are here cut, carved and pol- ished into any desired forms ; and a coarse-grained gray, having a carrying capacity of 18.000 pounds to the square inch, which is much used for building purposes. A large quantity was thus supplied for the construction of the roadway of the New York & Harlem railroad. from the river to the Grand Cen- tral depot, in New York City. Much of the stone in the Brooklyn suspension bridge in New York was furnished from these quarries.
Mr. Beattie had a thorough, practical knowledge of every department of work carried on by him. and, being possessed of great industry, pluek and executive ability, he prospered in his affairs and earned the distinction of being one of the foremost business men in the eastern part of the country. Of a strong physique, and liberally endowed with many of the distinguished characteristics of the Scottish race, he was a typical son of the "land of the mount- ain and the flood."
John Beattie was three times married, first, in 1839, to Ann Kelly, a native of Longford, Ireland, who died in 1859, at Newport, R. I. By her he had six children, viz .: Ann, born in 1840, deceased ; John, Jr., a sketch of whom follows: Catherine, wife of Robert Evans (both deceased) ; Francis, a sketch of whom follows: George, deceased in 1887; and Isabella, wife of George Sanborn, of Leete Island. For his second wife our subject
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married Mary Harrington. of Fall River, Mass., and three children, yet living, were born of this union : Emma, David H. and Charles, David H. being spoken of more fully elsewhere. For his third wife Mr. Beattie wedded, in 1870, Mary Gay, of Guilford, and three children were born of this union : Elizabeth, who died in 1878; and Peter and Thomas, residing at Hoadley's Point, Leete Island.
JOHN BEATTIE, JR., was born Aug. 29, 1841, at Newport, R. I., and there received a liberal public- school education. At the age of sixteen he became an apprentice - to the stonecutter's trade under his father and uncle ( William Beattie), and completed his apprenticeship in 1860. In the year 1865 he be- came foreman of the firm. In the following year he was received into partnership, the firm name be- ing changed to John and William Beattie & Co., and until 1867 he managed the business of the concern. He then bought out the interest of his father, the style of the firm becoming William & John (Jr.) Beattie, which continued until 1869, in which year the partnership was dissolved, the interests being equally divided between William and John, Jr. The latter then conducted his portion of the business until the financial depression of 1873 caused him to abandon it (not being able to realize on his assets) and move to his farm in Westport, with the honor- able resolution of paying his creditors "one hun- dred cents on the dollar" as soon as he was able. At farming he engaged until 1887, during which time he succeeded in accomplishing his desire with his creditors, paying them in full, and also took up the study of electricity. He is the inventor of what is known as "Beattie's battery zinc." which is now in general use, and used entirely on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad : he also manufac- tured "X ray" machines. and invented other elec- trical devices. In 1890 he was appointed by his father to manage his business for him-both per- sonal property and real-estate-which position of trust he filled with characteristic fidelity and preci- sion, making liis home in Fall River until the death of his father, since when, as one of the executors, he has been managing the estate.
In politics Mr. Beattie is a stanch Republican, and has held various offices of honor and trust; in 1879, while a resident of Fall River, Mass., he filled the position of alderman : in 1892 he was elected president of the board of aldermen. and served three years. during which incumbency he had the honor of being the originator and introducer of the Police Commission Bill, and he is known as the "father" of that popular ordinance. Socially he is a Knight Templar, being a member of Godfrey de Bouillon Commandery, Fall River : is also affiliated with the I. O. O. F .. at Fall River. and one of the first mem- bers of the K. of P. in that city.
In 1864, at Somerset, Mass .. John Beattie, Jr .. married Ellen N. Powers, a native of Bedford coun- ty, Va., and a daughter of Thomas and Delia Pow- ers. To this union have come three children : John,
a gold and silver plater at Fall River, Mass., who married Lucinda Courtney ; Grace, wife of Jolin D. Monroe, of Fall River; and Ernest J., mechanical engineer, married to Elizabeth Tripp.
FRANCIS BEATTIE ("Frank"), superintendent of the Beattie Quarry Co., Leete Island, was born June 26, 1845, in Newport, R. I., and there received his education. At the age of sixteen he commenced to learn the trade of machinist in Providence, R. I., where after three years he enlisted, in 1863, becom- ing a member of Company E, 2d R. I. V. I. He served until the end of the war, receiving an honor- able discharge in 1865. Mr. Beattie took part in several engagements, serving under Gen. Sheridan at Winchester, Cedar Creek, Hatcher's Run and Five Forks, and at the battle of Sailor's Creek, on I.ee's retreat from Petersburg, he was wounded by a minie ball. He was present at Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, Va., and from there went on the pursuit after Johnston, making a march of IIO miles in forty-four hours on short rations.
In Niantic Mr. Beattie learned the trade of a stonecutter and mason. In 1870 he came to Leete Island, Guilford, and for thirty years was superin- tendent of his father's business there, giving the trust reposed in him the best of care and attention.
In Providence, R. I., in 1868, Francis Beattie was united in marriage with Merriam Caroline Mc- Call, born at Fall River, Mass., daughter of John and Jane McCall, and seven children have graccd their union: Annie C., who was educated at the Notre Dame Convent, Waterbury, and is now the wife of Thomas T. Noel, telegraph operator, Leete Island; Carrie Isabelle, educated in the Guilford high school, who was assistant postmaster at Leete Island; Rosie Frances, Mary Elizabeth and John Richard, all of whom were educated in the Guilford high school ; and Frank Kelley and Rov Hamilton.
Mr. Beattie is a member of Parmelee Post, No. 42, G. A. R., Guilford, in which he has held all the offices, including that of commander ; is affiliated with the F. & A. M .. St. Alban's Lodge, Guilford; also with Hallock Chapter, and the Order of the Eastern Star, of which latter his wife and daughter Carrie are also members. In politics he is a Repub- lican, and under Harrison's administration served as postmaster at Leete Island. His wife and daugh- ters are members of the Episcopal Church.
GEORGE ISAAC WILLIAMS, a prosperous and successful fruit farmer, dairyman and general farmer of Wallingford, was born in the Pond Hill District of that town Oct. 12, 1838. He is a grand- son of Herman Williams, who was a brother of Willoughby Williams, grandfather of Street Will- iams, of Wallingford. The family history and im- portant data of the Williams ancestry are given in the biography of that gentleman, elsewhere.
Herman Williams was a farmer and land owner of Pond Hill, where he died ; he was buried in Cen- ter Street cemetery. He married a Miss Hoadley,
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and their children were Samuel, Hoadley, William, Elizabeth, Edwin, Isaac, Mary ( who married a Mr. Maltby, of Northford), Caroline (who married Harry Fowler, of Guilford), Julia ( who married John Bassett, of North Haven), and Elijah. All are now deceased.
William Williams, the father of George Isaac, was born on the farm where he grew to manhood. Farming was his business all his life, and he was a stock dealer as well, his judgment as to the fine points of cattle being regarded as that of an ex- pert. A fine tract of land in Pond Hill passed into his possession, and there he settled, devoting his life to its improvement, and prospering in an ac- tive and honorable career. The land where the Wallingford race track is now laid out belonged to him at one time. Mr. Williams died in the home of his son William H., and was buried in the Main Street cemetery. He was a Whig, and later a Re- publican, and in religion an Episcopalian. He mar- ried Abigail Preston, a native of Wallingford, and a daughter of Almon Preston. She died in North- ford in 1897, and was buried in the Main Street cemetery. To this union were born the following children : Cornelia Anna, who married Henderson Ives, of North Branford; George Isaac; and Will- iam H.
George Isaac Williams was a student in the Pond Hill District school, and grew to manhood on the family homestead. Soon after his marriage he bought the "Munson Farm," which then con- sisted of 153 acres. It has been enlarged by sub- sequent purchases until it now comprises 400 acres, in a high state of cultivation, showing the touch of a practical farmer at every point. Mr. Williams car- ries on both general and stock farming, and oper- ates quite a large dairy ; there is also a feed and saw mill on his farm. He is a man awake to every turn, and anxious to keep abreast with the times.
Mr. Williams was married at Northford, to Miss Eveline Munson, whose father, Julius Mun- son, was crushed to death by a stampede of cattle. To this marriage came three children: Arthur M., a dairy farmer, who married Emma Harrison ; George and Fannie, both at home. Mr. Williams is a Republican, and belongs to the Wallingford Grange and the Agricultural Society. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, which he has served as a vestryman. A good all-round business man, an honorable and upright citizen, he has many friends, and is regarded as one of the leading .far- mers in Wallingford.
THOMAS A. NELSON, one of the wealthy citizens of New Haven county, who died Jan. 16, 1901, was a native of Scotland, born June 1, 1834, at Perth, on the banks of the Tay.
James Nelson, his father, was a linen manufac- turer in Scotland, later carrying on the business more extensively in Belfast, Ireland, where he passed the rest of his days, dying in 1810. He and
his wife Susan had a family of eight children- three sons and five daughters-named respectively : Margaret J., Thomas A., Mary A., George, Will- iam, Letitia, Ellen E., and Jennie. Of thesc, George, who was a soldier in the United States regular army before the Civil war, is now living retired in Chicago, Ill .; William is in the real es- tate business in the same city; the daughters also survive.
Thomas A. Nelson, the subject of proper of these lines, was seven years old when he moved to the North of Ireland with his parents, and there re- ceived his earlier education. At the age of fifteen years ( 1849) he came to the United States, locat- ing at Georgetown, Fairfield Co., Conn., where he attended school for some time; thence removed, in 1851, to Birmingham, where he commenced to learn the trade of tool-making, though he did not follow it. From Birmingham he proceeded to Char- lotteville, Schoharie Co., N. Y., and there prepared for college, but did not enter any college. Return- ing to Birmingham, he engaged with the Downs & Bassett Mfg. Co., manufacturers of corsets and importers of kid gloves, and continued with that firm for a period of over a quarter of a century, from 1859 to 1884, after which he did not engage in any active business.
In 1865 Thomas A. Nelson married Clara M .. youngest daughter of Abram Hubbell, of Ansonia. Mr. Hubbell was born in Fairfield county, Conn., and followed farming as well as carpentry ; came to Ansonia in 1855, and associated himself with Anson G. Phelps in the Ansonia Land & Water Co., of which he was general manager up to his death in 1884. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Nelson : Clara H., Susan L. and Will- iam A., the last named being secretary and treas- urer of the Derby Paper Mill, with which he has been connected some ten years, and of which his father was president three years.
In politics our subject was a stanch Republican, though not active in the workings of the party. So- cially he was a member of the F. & A. M., King Hiram Lodge, No. 12, of Derby; was president of the Y. M. C. A. for years; and with his family at- tended the services of the Congregational Church. They have a beautiful home in Ansonia, called "Forestdale," the residence being one of the most elegant in this section, surrounded as it is with spa- cious grounds, lawns and winding paths.
SHERMAN B. CHIPMAN, in his lifetime a well-known merchant of Waterbury, was born on the west side of what is now known as the city, June 13. 1806, a son of Samuel Chipman, and a de- scendant of one of the oldest of New England fam- ilies. The emigrant ancestor. John Chipman, came from England in 1630, and settled in Massachusetts, where he married a Miss Howland, who was a granddaughter of Gov. Carver.
Samuel Chipman, father of Sherman B., married
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Nancy Potter, to which union were born eleven chil- dren, as follows: Samuel D., Sherman B., Lyman, William, George E., Joseph, Timothy T., Ransom, Daniel L. (whose biography is given in full on an- ·other page), Elizabeth N. and Martha.
Sherman B. Chipman remained on the home farm at Waterbury until old enough to be apprenticed to the cooper's trade, at which he served his full time. and then followed that trade as a journeyman for a number of years. He first married Amy Todd, of Wolcott, Conn., who died leaving no children. For his second wife Mr. Chipman, in 1833, wedded Mary A. Granniss, who was born in Meriden, Conn .. Sept. 6, 1816, but who was reared in South Glas- tonbury. The marriage took place in New Haven, when the fair young bride was but seventeen years of age. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Chip- man settled in Waterbury, where he conducted a successful grocery business until his death. which occurred Jan. 16, 1860. Their only child. Harriet E., was born April 28, 1838, and died Feb. 16, 1840.
In politics Mr. Chipman was a Democrat, but was not a man to fritter away his time and energies in party affairs. He preferred to devote his atten- tion to his business, and to the comfort of his home, and at his death he left his wife in well-to-do cir- cumstances. She continues to reside in Waterbury, where she holds a high social position, honored and esteemed by all who know her.
Enos Granniss, father of Mrs. Mary A. Chip- man, was born in New Haven county, near the city of that name, a son of Lieut. Enos Granniss, a sol- dier of the Revolutionary war, whose three children were named Enos, Horace and Palmer. The eldest of these Enos, married Elizabeth Chipman, who was a sister of Samuel Chipman, the father of Sherman B. Chipman. To Enos Granniss and his wife were born six children, in the following order: Enos, who was a clothier in Meriden, in Middletown and later in Wethersfield, but who died in Waterbury : Elizabeth, who was married to David Scranton, of Glastonbury, and died in New Haven : Anna C., de- ceased wife of Edward Kilbourn ; William E., who was an engineer for the New Haven Machine Co., in New Haven, but is now deceased : Mary A., the present Mrs. Chipman : and Eunice M., deceased; wife of Rev. Joseph T. Benton.
SMITH A. ABBOTT comes of ancestors who were for many years engaged in mechanical manu- facture of various sorts, and he himself has not been without experience in the same general line. At present he is a prosperous hardware merchant in the city of Derby, where he deservedly enjoys the con- fidence and respect of his fellow citizens. He was born in Middlebury, this county, Aug. 6, 1831, the sixth child of Daniel and Sally ( Sherman ) Abbott. His mother was a daughter of Elijah Sherman, of Woodbury, who belonged to the same branch of the Sherman family as did Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.
Daniel Abbott, who was also born in Middle- bury, cultivated a farm, and in addition to agricult- ural pursuits manufactured pumps and pipes, as well as edge-tools and hammers. In later life he also engaged in the manufacture of paper at Southbury and Southford. His brain was as tireless as his energy, and he achieved a fair success through per- tinacity and courage which would not admit the possibility of failure. He was a Whig in politics, and died in the communion of the Methodist Church. He was the father of a family of eight children, only two of whom were daughters. Mar- garet S., the elder, was twice married, first to E. T. Abbott (he was not a member of the same branch of the family as herself) ; after his death she mar- ried S. Smith, who is also deceased. Nancy M., the younger daughter and fifth child, became the wife of Charles Warner, of Shelton. The sons of Daniel Abbott were Daniel S., Samuel P .. Elijah E., Smith A., Charles K. and John B. Of these Daniel, Samuel and Charles are deceased, the latter having met death through accident when ten years old. Daniel was the successful proprietor of an iron foundry and machine shop at Gananoque, Can- ada. Elijah and John, who were associated with him in business, still reside there. Samuel P. was : an expert rubber manufacturer, and as such was called to England. where he took charge of an ex- tensive plant. Subsequently he went to Scotland, where he died, meeting with an accident in the shop where he was employed.
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