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 55

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 988

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 55

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Deacon Ambrose Leete, the third son of Deacon Daniel, was born Jan. 19, 1748. He was a deacon in the Fourth Church, to which office he was chosen in 1786, and also hield the same office in the First Church, having been chosen in 1801. On Nov. 10, 1773, he married Miranda, a daughter of William and Rachel ( White) Chittenden, and they became the parents of five children. Ambrose Leete died Feb. 14, 1809. His widow survived until Sept. 16. 1838. Mr. and Mrs. Leete were buried in the then new cemetery at Leete's Island.

Miner Leete, the third child of Ambrose, was born June 30, 1779, on the farm where he spent his life, dying at the early age of forty-seven years, Nov. 7, 1826. On Nov. 17, 1807, he married Lu- cinda Norton, who was born Nov. 18, 1780, in Guil- ford. a daughter of Col. Rufus and Hannah ( Cook ) Norton. She died Aug. 28, 1848, and was buried in the family cemetery. They had five children : (1) Edward Lorenzo is mentioned below. (2) Rufus Norton was the second of the family. (3) Theodore Adgate, who died April 28, 1886, gradu- ated from Yale College and the Theological Depart- ment. He married Mary C. White, of Long .. meadow, Mass., and had three children, Ella Louise, Rev. William White and Theodore Woolsey. (4) Calvin Miner married Lucy Maria Leete. (5) Lou- isa Maria died, unmarried, July 29. 1855.

Edward Lorenzo Leete was born June 28, 1810, at Leete's Island, in the town of Guilford. He at- tended the district school but little, being largely self-educated, and was an unusually well-informed man. For more than thirty years he was accustomed

E. Walter Leite

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to teach school during the winter season, working his farm during the summer. Always deeply inter- ested in educational matters, and public-spirited in every way, he was regarded in his time as one of the most useful citizens of the town, awake to all matters of local importance. In public life he was active and conspicuous, both for his unswerving honor and conspicuous ability. In 1854 he represented the town in the State Legislature, to which he was again elected in 1865. In politics he was originally a Whig. later becoming a Republican. In church mat- ters Mr. Leete was a leader, and on Nov. 14, 1852, was elected a deacon of the First Congregational Church, serving in that capacity for almost thirty- two years. Mr. Leete built a substantial house on the old Lecte homestead, where he made many other improvements. There he spent most of his life, dy- ing May 3, 1884, and was buried in Leete's Island ·cemetery. He was especially interested in the prep- aration of a genealogy of the Leete family, which has been published since his death, and is now in the libraries of the state.

Edward Lorenzo Leete was married. in North Guilford, April 29. 1833, to Sylvia Fowler, daughter of Daniel and Lucy ( Chittenden ) Fowler, and they had two children: Edward Walter, mentioned be- low ; and Lucy Louisa. The latter married Dwight Rogers, of Cornwall, Conn., and became the mother of five children: Dwight Leete. Nellie Lucretia, Harriet Fowler, Miner Pratt and Sylvia Abbie. Mrs. Sylvia Lecte died on the home farm Nov. 13. 1895, and was buried in Leete's Island cemetery. She was a member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Leete was trustee for a number of years of the Guilford Institute.

Edward Walter Leete was born on the home place May 28, 1834. and attended the district school, a private school in Windsor. Conn., and the Normal School at New Britain. For six years he taught -school during the winter season in Guilford. As he was the only son the care of the farm and the sup- port of the aged parents naturally fell to him. Mr. Leete is engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing.

G. and H. Alice ( Palmer) Brewer, of Guilford, and is living on the family homestead. (4) Sarah Tal- cott, born Oct. 25, 1871, died Oct. 25, 1891, and was buried in Leete's Island cemetery. She was a gradu- ate of the Guilford Institute. (5) Walter, born July 15. 1874. died in infancy.

Mr. Leete was elected deacon of the First Con- gregational Church in Guilford, Nov. 25, 1883, and is still acting in that capacity. From his youth he has been connected in different capacities with the Sunday-school of that church. In politics he is a Republican. For twelve years or more he has been a member of the school board, and he has also held the offices of assessor, tax collector and justice of the peace. In 1884 he was elected trustee of the Guil- ford Institute. He is a trustee of the Guilford Savings Bank, and a stockholder and director of the National Bank, which he helped to organize. Mr. Leete, as conservator, appraiser, or adminis- trator, has been connected with numerous estates.

ELISAPH H. BUTLER. president of the Guil- ford Savings Bank, and dealer in general hardware, stoves, tinware. etc., Guilford, is a native of Con- necticut. born June 27, 1848, in Norfolk, Litch- field county.

Mr. Butler is a descendant of one of the old settlers of Connecticut. Elisaph Butler, his grand- father, was born in North Branford (known as Northford), where he followed farming pursuits and was a land owner of prominence. From there he moved to Norfolk, Litchfield county, where he passed the rest of his days.

Levi Butler, father of Elisaph H .. was born in 1820, in Northford, town of Branford, moved with his father to Norfolk. and there followed farming until 1854. in which year he moved with his family to Guilford, and bought a farm near Leete Island. where he continued to live up to his death, in 1873. In politics he was a Whig, later a Republi- can. and he was a member of the Advent Church. Levi Butler married (first) Clarissa Roberts, of Colebrook, Conn. His second marriage was to Clarinda E. Sanford. who was born in Sandisfield, Berkshire Co., Mass .. daughter of Lyman Sanford, and six children were born to them: Elisaph H., our subject : Frederick, a farmer of Leete Island, Guilford, Conn .: Clara, wife of Robert Bartholo- mew, of Branford: Fanny, who died in young womanhood ; Mary, deceased : and Anna. deceased. The mother of these children is yet living, and in the enjoyment of excellent health.

On Oct. 10. 1861, our subject married Harriet Rogers, of Cornwall, a daughter of Daniel Leete and Harriet ( Pratt) Rogers, and a granddaughter of Noah and Lydia (Cornwall) Rogers and of Miner Pratt. They are the parents of five children : (I) Abbie Louisa, born Oct. 20. 1862, was married June 10, 1896, becoming the second wife of Edward E. Griswold. of Clapboard Hill. Guilford. They have two children-Harriet Rogers, born Jan. 15. Elisaph H. Butler was a six-year-old lad when he came to Guilford, and here, on Leete Island, he attended the district school, and grew up on the home farm, remaining there until he was twenty years old, at which time he removed to Meriden. In that city he worked in a screw factory for a short time, and then, returning to Guilford. secured a position in Griswold & Co.'s grocery store. where 1899, and John Leete, born April 30. 1901. (2) Edward Rogers. born Dec. 17. 1864, was educated in the district school. Guilford Institute and Yale Business College, taught school. and was connected with the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Hartford. He died Dec. 6. 1891, and was buried in the Leete's Island cemetery. (3) William Smith, born Oct. 22. 1867, married Angeline Brewer, daughter of Alvah | he remained some eighteen months. In 1870 he

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and S. 'Robinson bought out Chester Beckley's hard- ware store, and conducted the same under the name of S. Robinson & Co. In 1888 Mr. Butler bought out the interest of Mr. Robinson, and has since conducted the business alone, now having one of the most complete stores in the county. Mr. Butler is president of the Guilford Savings Bank. also a director thereof, and is one of the stockholders in, and directors of, the First National Bank of Guil- ford. In politics he is a Republican, and has filled the office of burgess of Guilford several terms; serving also as justice of the peace. Socially he is a member of the F & A. M., affiliating with St. Alban's Lodge, No. 38, and with the Eastern Star, of which he is past patron, and of which his wife is a member. He belongs to Nenuncatuck Lodge, No. 62, I. O. O. F., in which he is a member of the board of trustees, a past grand, and has been treasurer since July, 1884 ; he was also secretary one term. He has served as delegate to the Grand Lodge of the State. He and his wife are both charter members of the Daughters of Rebekah, and he is united with Hollis Encampment, No. 34. Mr. Butler is a member of the N. E. O. P., of Guilford, of which he has been chairman of the board of trustees since its organization : and was identified with the Woodmen of the World.

On Oct. 20, 1870, in Guilford. Conn., Elisaph H. Butler married Fanny E. Robinson, and nine children have come to them: (1) William S., born July 25, 1871, is head salesman in his father's store : he married Ida May Hill, daughter of Capt. William P. Hill. (2) Frank died in infancy. (3) Burton L. died at the age of four years. (4)

Jennie C., born Sept. 19, 1880. is the wife of Louis C. Coulter, of Guilford. (5) Harriet M. ("Hattie") was born July 14. 1882. (6) Robert was born Aug. 31, 1885. (7) Arthur and (8) Ernest, twins, died young. (9) Paul Levi was born May 29, 1896.

THE ROBINSON FAMILY, of whom Mrs. Elisaph H. Butler is a member, were old settlers of Guil- ford, and (1) Thomas Robinson, the first of the name in New England, located first in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1661 he moved to Guilford, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1689. His wife Mary died in Guilford in 1668, and chil- dren as follows were born to them: ( I) Thomas, born 1650, married Sarah Crittenden, and died July 2, 1712; (2) Ann, born 1652, married Joseph Dud- ley ; (3) Mary, born 1654. married John Latimer ; (4) Saint, born 1656, married B. Latimer; (5) Jonathan, born 1659, died April. 1684; (6) David, sketch of whom follows: (7) Elizabeth, born 1662, married Benjamin Gould, and died September 30, 1745.

(II) David Robinson, born in Hartford in 1660, settled in Durham. Middlesex Co., Conn., and died June 1, 1747. He married Abigail Kirby, daughter of John Kirby, of Middletown : she died in 1694. Mary, second wife of David Robinson, was

born 1663, died Oct. 17. 1746. Mr. Robinson's children: (1) Abigail, born April 3, 1690, died July 6, 1775, married Joseph Coe; (2) Ann, born June 6, 1692; (3) David, sketch of whom follows : (4) Thomas, born 1698, died March 4, 1774: (5) Ebenezer, born 1701, died Oct. 10. 1789; (6) Ruth. born 1703: (7) Mary married Timothy Parsons ; (8) Hannah married Benjamin Miller.

. (III) David Robinson, born in Durham, Conn .. in 1694, and died there Feb. 9, 1780, married Jan. 26, 1720, Rebecca Miller, born 1697, died Sept. 18. 1786. Children : ( 1) Ann, born Dec. 5, 1720. and died in 1817, married Gideon Canfield; (2) David, born March 4, 1722, died Oct. 15. 1807; (3) Jolin, born June 22, 1723; (4) Dan, born May 2. 1725, and died 1810, married Abigail Curtis; (5) Rebecca, born Dec. 5, 1726, and died Nov. 5, 1815. married David Parson ; (6) Timothy, born April 29, 1728, and died April 1, 1805, married Catharine Ross: (7) Phinnis, born July 24. 1729, died July 31, 1784, married Susannah Fenn; (8) James, borit June 10, 1731, and died April 3, 1806, married Amy Sellman ; (9) Joel, born March 31, 1733, died 1750; (10) Mary, born Dec. 7, 1734. married Reynold M. Morse; (II) Noah, born May 17. 1736, and died Aug. 12, 1800, married Hannah Parmelee; (12) Abigail, born March 9, 1738. married James Hin- man ; ( 13) Asher, sketch of whom follows.

(IV) Asher Robinson, born May 4, 1740, in Durham, Conn., died there in 1808. He married (first) June 11, 1761. Mary Butcher, and for his second wife wedded a Miss Hull. His children : (1) Rachel, born April 16, 1762, married Seth Strong, and died Feb. 10, 1850; (2) Stephen. sketch of whom follows : (3) Asher, born Nov. 21, 1765. died young: (4) Seth, born June 23, 1768; (5) Samuel, born July 29, 1770: (6) Mary; (7) Sally married John White; (8) Betsey married Henry Canfield ; (9) Asher married Emily Parmelee.

(V) Stephen Robinson, born in Durham, Conn., Jan. 14. 1764, died there July 2, 1825. He married Mary Tibbatt, who died in August, 1825. Children : ( I) Dennis, sketch of whom follows: (2) Hannah. born 1793: (3) David: (4) Noah. born February, 1798, married Fanny Willard : (5) Phebe, born July 17. 1800, married B. Franklyn Browning; (6) Polly married David Baldwin; (7) Stephen died 1840; (8) Giles, born 1804, married Emily Wheden : (9) Margaret Ann, born 1802, and died 1842. married David Howard.

(VI) Dennis Robinson, born in 1791. moved to Guilford, and there passed the rest of his days, dying June 8. 1847. He married, May 3, 1815, Fanny Stone, born Aug. 5, 1795, and died April 21, 1824. For his second wife he wedded May 4. 1825, Elizabeth Wilkinson, born May 5, 1796. died Feb. 29. 1864. His children: (1) Jane Maria, born July 2, 1816, married Selden Benton : (2) Mary Ann, born Sept. 15, 1819. died July 31. 1820: (3) Stephen, sketch of whom follows; (4) George Bald-

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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win married Resalind D. Field, and died Dec. 5. 1861; (5) John, born October, 1828. died Oct. 18, 1829: (6) John Wilkinson, born Sept. 18, 1830; (7) Fanny, born January. 1833, died February, 1833; (8) Franklin Browning, born Feb. 18, 1837, died Nov. 16, 1853.

(VII) Stephen Robinson, father of Mrs. Elisaplı H. Butler, was born in Guilford March 23, 1824. and passed his entire life there conducting a general hardware store until 1888, after which he carried on a truck farm. He married Ann Bartlett, daugh- ter of Timothy Bartlett. and of the children born to them three are living as follows: Fanny E., wife of E. H. Butler : Mary, wife of George W. Dudley ; and Ida, wife of Dwight W. Potter, all of Guilford.

CHARLES D. WARNER, superintendent of the Ansonia Telephone Co., of Ansonia, is a leading representative of the business interests of that local- ity. His thoroughly American spirit, his sound judgment and untiring energy have enabled him to carry forward successfully a number of important enterprises and the record of his life furnishes a useful lesson.

Mr. Warner was born March 24. 1853, at Chicopee Falls, Mass .. and is descended from good New England ancestry. His great-grandfather, Eli Warner, was a resident of West Suffield, Conn. Eli Warner (2). our subject's grandfather, was born in West Suffield, and passed his life there, engaged in farming. His wife, Lydia (Taylor). was also a native of Suffield, and their two sons settled upon the old homestead, dividing it into two separate farms. Both the grandparents were highly respected in the community for their estimable lives.

Henry F. Warner, our subject's father, was born in West Suffield. and received a common- school education. He died at the homestead March 25, 1900, at the age of seventy-four years. He mar- ried Mary L. Munger, who died aged sixty-nine years, was a native of Chicopee Falls, and a daugh- ter of Hiram Munger, a well-known Adventist preacher there. Her mother, whose maiden name was Lucinda Hancock. was a direct descendant of a brother of Gov. John Hancock, of Massachu- setts. Mrs. Munger died at the age of eighty years, leaving three children: Mary L., Mrs. Warner ; Alfred S., a resident of Ozone Park, L. I. ; and Lucy, wife of J. H. Hendrick, of Spring- field, Mass. Our subject is the eldest of a family of three living children. One child died at an early age. Eugene H. has taken up farming at the old homestead. Jessie F. married T. C. Baum, of Philadelphia.

Charles D. Warner was educated in the common schools of Suffield, and when sixteen years of age began to learn the trade of watchmaker and jewel- er. About 1872 he engaged in business in Wind- sor, and in 1878 he removed to Ansonia. purchas- i ing from Charles Tucker a store in Main Street, i in Ansonia.

opposite the First National Bank. In 1887 he sold the business to Jamies B. Keene and joined in the organization of a company for the manufacture of standard electrical clocks, for which he owned the patents. He became manager of the enterprise, and later was made treasurer, the business being carried on first in New Haven and then in Waterbury. On Dec. 31, 1895, he retired from the company and started in business in Ansonia as an electrical en- gineer, and soon afterward, as a matter of personal convenience, he organized a small telephone ex- change, with less than fifty subscribers. This proved a great success, and later he founded the Ansonia Telephone Co. with Dana Bartholomew, the stock being placed at $15.000, which was in- creased from time to time, to $25.000. Early in 1901 great pressure was brought on certain stock- holders (after the death of Dana Bartholomew ) to sell out to the Bell Telephone interests, and this was finally accomplished, in April, 1901. They had lines to Seymour. Derby and Shelton, and connected sub- scribers with points in Woodbury and surrounding towns, doing a profitable business, three operators being required to manipulate the "switch board." Mr. Warner owns a number of electrical patents, five being on clocks and clock systems, known as the "Warner System," and the latter have increased in value as time has proved their efficiency. They were first tested in Ansonia in 1884, and then on the Consolidated Railroad, where they still remain in service, after fifteen years. Politically Mr. Warner is independent and he has served one termi as burgess of the boroughi. He belongs to the New England Order of Protection, and he and his fan- ily are active workers in the Congregational Church of Ansonia, in which he has held various offices, including membership on the Society's committee and the Prudential committee. He also served some time as superintendent of the Sunday-school and president of the Christian Endeavor Society.

In 1875 Mr. Warner married Miss Clara F. Hodge, who was born in Suffield in 1856. daughter of Buel D. Hodge, a prominent farmer there. and for many years a leading member of the Congre- gational Church of that locality. He and his wife, Mariette (Cartter), had four children : Clara F .; Emma E., who married F. L. Ashley, of Windsor Locks; Nellie, who married E. S. Cook, of Hart- ford ; Lucy B., wife of Lawrence Herns, of An- sonia. Mr. and Mrs. Warner have two children : (1) Albert F., born in 1876, was educated in the public schools of Ansonia and the Maine State Col- lege, at Orono, Maine, and completed a special course in navigation in the Nautical School in New York City. He is now in the employ of the South- ern New England Telephone Co., and for some time previous was doing valuable work for the Ansonia Telephone Co., being an expert in electrical science. (2) Edith Mariette was born in Ansonia Feb. 25, 1885. ard is now taking a course in the High School

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

STEPHEN M. PECK, a leading citizen of Woodbridge, New Haven county, has demonstrated the true meaning of the word success as the full ac- complishment of an honorable purpose. Energy, close application, perseverance and good manage- ment-these are the elements which have entered into his business career and crowned his efforts with prosperity.

Mr. Peck is a representative of quite an old and prominent family of Woodbridge, of which town his paternal grandparents, Silas and Electa (Car- rington ) Peck, were both natives. There the former owned seventy acres of land and successfully en- gaged in farming. He lived to a ripe old age. He was a man highly esteemed by all who knew him, and was a Whig in politics, though not an active worker in party affairs. His children, all now de- ceased, were as follows: Ansel, a cooper by trade, lived for many years in Vermont, and died in Beth- any, Conn .: Electa married Gilbert Thomas, of Woodbridge, and died shortly after her marriage; Almyra married Simeon Sperry, and died in Wood- bridge: Lauren, a shoemaker. by trade, lived in Bethany, Conn., New York and Vermont, and died in New York; Lewis, father of our subject, was next in order of birth : Garry was a farmer of Wood- bridge; Mary was the second wife of Gilbert Thomas, of Woodbridge; Seabury was a carpenter and joiner of Westville. Conn .; Amanda was the wife of James Perkins, of Woodbridge: Eunice was the wife of Eli O. Clark, of Woodbridge; and Namon was a farmer of Seymour.

Lewis Peck, father of our subject, was born in Woodbridge, June 6, 1796. and died at the age of sixty-one years. He grew to manhood in his native town, and had but limited educational advantages. He became owner of the old homestead of seventy acres in the northeastern part of Woodbridge, and also owned other land to the extent of seventy acres. He was an active worker in the Whig party, was a school officer, road surveyor, and filled other official positions. In Woodbridge he married Elizabeth Ann Beecher, a native of that town, daughter of · Ephraim and Sarah ( Dorrance ) Beecher, and grand- daughter of Reuben and Sarah Beecher. Her father and grandfather were also born in Woodbridge. and there the former died at the age of eighty-six years. His children were: Pattie, wife of Moses Gilbert. of Southington, Conn. : Bela. who died unmarried in Woodbridge : Reuben Minot. who was born May 31. 1791, wedded Mary Baldwin, and died April 4. 1874: Melinda. wife of Munson Sperry, of Wood- bridge : Deman, who married Eunice Smith. and fol- . lowed farming in Milton, Conn. : David, who died at the age of twenty-one years : Riley, who died when a young man : Sally, wife of Novce Bradley, who lived in different places in Connecticut, but was born in Woodbridge. and is buried there: Lydia. who married Freeman Hotchkiss, and subsequently be- came the wife of Stephen Dickerman, of Westville. where she died : and Elizabeth Ann, mother of our

subject. Mrs. Peck was born in 1802, and died in Woodbridge at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. Ske and her husband had seven children, namely : Ephraim R., the eldest, is mentioned below : Eliza Ann is the widow of John M. Merwin, of Wood- bridge : Irven B., a carpenter and joiner of Califor- nia, went West in 1855, and married Ann Crow ; Minerva P. is the wife of Isaac S. Dickerman, of Westville. Conn. : Silas E. married Emily Talmage, of New York, and is now a homeopathic physician of Pomona, Fla. : Henry died in Woodbridge, Dec. 25, 1856, at the age of twenty-one years ; and Ste- phen M., our subject, completes the family. Eph- raim R. Peck, the eldest of this family, wedded Mary C. Hine, and followed farming in Wood- bridge, where he died Aug. 15, 1898 ; he left no chil- dren. He received a common-school education, and taking up farming, made a decided success in that line, being also a fine judge of stock. With the ex- ception of seven years, during which he was engaged as a farm hand in one place, he always lived in Woodbridge, where he was respected as one of the most estimable self-made men of his day. He was a Republican, but took no active part in politics, and never held any office.

Stephen M. Peck was born in Woodbridge Sept. 18, 1837, and began his education in the district school one mile from his boyhood home, while dur- ing the winter of 1857-58 he attended the Connecti- cut Literary Institute, under Prof. Pratt. At that time the teacher of mathematics was Henry Smith, who later became principal of the Institute. On at- taining his majority Mr. Peck came into possession of the old homestead and began farming for himself. which occupation he has since followed. with marked success. He resided there until 1897, when he re- moved to his present farm, in the same town, a place of 134 acres willed him by a deceased brother, and he is now one of the most extensive farmers in Woodbridge. He is interested in the dairy busi- ness, keeping for that purpose from twenty-five to thirty cows, and raises fruit and vegetables on a large scale, finding a splendid market for his produce in New Haven, Ansonia and Seymour. In the fall of 1899 he gathered 600 barrels of apples from his orchards, from not more than one-half of the trees that were formerly bearing. Mr. Peck is also en- gaged in the milling business, owning and operating saw, cider and grist mills, and grinding feed, bone for fertilizing. etc. Although he has always lived in Woodbridge, he has not confined his business in- terests to his native town. He is the owner of an orange grove of fifty acres in Florida, which was almost destroyed by the severe frosts, but with care he hopes to build it up again.

On Dec. 10. 1868. in Bethany. Conn .. Mr. Peck married Ida Frances Neal. a daughter of Martin H. and Martha M. ( Hitchcock) Neal, of Southington, Conn., where her father was engaged in the black- smith and cooperage business. She was born in Plainville, Conn., Jan. 15, 1849, the second in order

Stephen An. Leck

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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 3, Part 55

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 988

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 988