USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 49
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459
HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
DR. JOHN B. JOHNSON.
He was a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and born in 1788. In early life he removed to Wallingford, and from thence to this town. He occupied the yellow house that formerly stood nearly in front of Mr. Amon Bradley's. He married, June 19, 1817, Martha Andrews, daughter of Samuel Andrews. After a few years' practice here, he removed to New Haven, Ohio, where he died in 1826.
DR. HORACE AMES.
He was born in New Britain, July 21, 1788, and married Miss Sophia Augusta Lloyd. After two or three years of practice in this town, he removed to Monticello, Miss., and there died, June 3, 1834.
DR. JULIUS S. BARNES.
While his ancestors for several generations lived in Southington, he was born in Tolland, Feb. 23, 1792, and was the son of Jonathan Barnes, a lawyer of that town. He graduated at Yale College in 1815, and at the Medical School of New Haven in 1818. He at once located in this town, where he remained until his death, Nov. 11, 1870. Dr. F. A. Hart, in writing of him, says, "His mind not naturally superior was strong and comprehensive. It was remarkable for its individuality, as well as force of character. He saw and heard everything through his own eyes and ears, and viewed them from his own standpoint. Temperate in his habits, honest in his dealings, conscientious in his duties, virtuous in his morals, and possessed of common sense and good judgment, he was a safe man to be trusted. He was imperfect and had many faults. He was impulsive and sometimes passionate; he was sarcastic, and sometimes uncharitable. He would say sometimes more than he meant, and thus render himself unpopular. But the imperfec- tions of his character, and his many faults were counteracted very much by his good qualities underlying them. He was very fond of society, and social and agreeable in it. As a physician of long and large experience, he was self-reliant, intelligent, energetic, discriminat- ing, prudent, and judicious. He was no charlatan. Quack doctors he abhorred. With the members of his own profession he was cordial and honorable." He served the Ecclesiastical Society and town in var- ious capacities. In 1839 he was State senator from this district. He united with the Congregational Church, April 6, 1834, and was a firm believer in evangelical doctrines. He died, as he lived, in the hope of a blessed immortality.
DR. MILES H. FRANCIS.
He came from Maine and practiced here a few years, and then re- moved to Kensington, where he died, May 26, 1849.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
DR. CARL LOSENTZ.
He practiced homeopathy and hydropathy combined, and in 1846 established a "Water Cure" upon the East mountain, which he con- ducted for a year. He also taught music. He died at Rockville, Feb. 21, 1872.
DR. LUCY HUDSON. (See page 364.)
E. W. KELLOGG, M. D.
He was born at Avon Nov. 29, 1840, and was the son of Bela C. and Mary (Bartlett) Kellogg. His grand-father was the Rev. Bela Kellogg, first pastor at East Avon. His mother was the daughter of Rev. John Bartlett, for many years pastor at Bloomfield and West Avon. After the ordinary preparatory course he began the study of Medicine with Dr. Isaac G. Porter, of New London. For three years he served in the Medical department of the U. S. Army, as Hospital Steward and then as Assistant Surgeon. In the winter of 1865-6, he attended lec- tures at the Bellevue Medical College, New York, and in 1866-7 at the New York Homopathic Medical College, receiving his degree from the last named institution. For a little time he practiced in Danbury, and then removed to Southington, where he remained between three and four years. In April, 1871, he settled in Hartford, where he still remains, and has a large practice.
He was married March 7, 1867, to Miss Hilah A. Dart, of New Lon- don. Their two children are Edward Russell, born July 8, 1869, and Arthur Bartlett, born Feb. 13, 1872.
The following physicians practicing elsewhere were born in this town:
DR. HARVEY BALDWIN STEELE.
He was the son of Selah and Phebe (Baldwin) Steele, and born in Southington Feb. 23, 1827. His father lived in this town for several years, working at the trade of harness-making. His mother joined the Ist Church of this town Dec. 3, 1826, by letter, from New Milford. He practiced at Winsted.
DR. WYLLYS WOODRUFF.
He was born in Southington Aug. 6, 1801, and was the son of Isaac and Abigail (Clark) Woodruff. He graduated from the New Haven Medical School, in 1823, and settled in Meriden, and there died, greatly respected, March 31, 1842.
DR. GIDEON WOODRUFF, (see Yale Graduates.)
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HISTORY OF SOUTHIINGTON.
DR. CHAUNCEY ANDREWS.
He was born in Southington May 8, 1783, and was the son of Ben- jamin and Mary (Barnes) Andrews. He graduated at New Haven Medical School in 1805. He practiced in Hamden, Killingworth, and Durham, and in the last place died, Oct. 14, 1863.
DR. GILES NELSON LANGDON.
He is the 4th son of Giles and Sally Carter Langdon, and was born April 20, 1808. His mind tending more to study, it is not unnatural that he made a poor farmer, dissatisfied with the kind of work at home, he took up "trade," and, like many other Connecticut boys wandered off, Sept., 1828, into Virginia and North Carolina, with his goods. With results not altogether satisfactory, he found himself, in 1829, in Richmond, Va. April 17th of that year he started on horseback for Marion, Ala., where two of his brothers were located in business. He entered their store as clerk, and remained here ten years. He was finally led to adopt the Medical profession as the business of his life. He removed to New Orleans in 1841, and was in connection with the Charity Hospital of that city.' For reasons of health he removed, in 1843, to Muscatine, Iowa, and entered upon the practice of his profes- sion. But he was unable to continue long in his practice owing to sickness, and in 1846 returned to Southington. As soon as health permitted he began practice at Bristol, where he remained thirteen
years. In 1859 he removed to New Haven, where he still lives. Dr. Langdon was for several years one of the censors ; and has been president of the Eclectic Medical Association, and has furnished various contributions to the Medical Journals.
DR. NELSON WALKLEY.
He was born in Southington March 22, 1812, and is the son of Stephen and Olive (Newell) Walkley. He lived at South End, and there attended the District school. When quite young he began his professional studies, about 1826, while in the drug store of Henry Whittlesey and Iram Wakelee. Here he learned something of Materia Medica, and began to be interested in medical science. In 1830-1 he was in Waterbury, with Dr. Dan Porter, and unknown to his father, rode to New Haven and attended many of the lectures of the Medical College. At this time he became in some way an assistant to Prof. Silliman, and was helpful to him by his mechanical ingenuity, in re- pairing and constructing apparatus. In 1832 he went to Alabama, and here by reading medical journals, and general study, added to his stock of knowledge. At this time malarial fevers prevailed there so exten- sively, that there were not physicians enough to attend the sick ; and
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
this was an opportunity for him, of which he availed himself. He was called to assist Prof. Barnard (now President of Col. Coll .. New York) in the Observatory of the University of Alabama, at Tuskaloosa. He He also experimented as to the identity of electricity and magnetism, and invented a machine for generating Electro-magnetism. This was the time when Prof. Henry, then of AAlbany but later of Princeton, and the Smithsonian Institute, and others, were engaged in like inves- tigations and experiments. In the treatment of yellow fever he met with marked success, and upon this and other subjects contributed articles to medical journals. He has received honorary degrees from the University of New York, and the University of Pennsylvania. His present residence and field of practice is Troy, Ohio.
DR. LEWIS BARNES.
He was the son of Dr. Julius S. Barnes of this town; graduated at Yale College in 1847: studied medicine and was admitted to practice. He located in Meriden, and subsequently at Oxford, Conn., where he now is.
The following are sketches1 of men who are natives, or have resided in the town, and who have in various ways become known as honor- able and useful men.
JOEL ROOT.
He was the son of Elisha and Lucy (Curtiss) Root, and was born in Southington Ang. 30. 1770. He was the grandson of Rev. Jeremiah Curtiss, the first pastor of Southington. and the great-grandson of Rev. William Burnham, the first pastor of Kensington parish. His father died while in the army of the Revolution, leaving him an orphan at six years of age. From his father he inherited a farm of one hundred and twenty aeres in the north part of the town, and also some personal property. He was adopted into the family of his grand- father, Jonathan Root. Of this he has thus written:
"He indulged me in every thing, and before I was sixteen years old I had entire command of myself. Of course. I committed many follies. * *
* I fitted for college with Rev. Mr. Robinson, and at sixteen entered Yale. * * * I left college and married at eighteen. and was not fitted for any other business or even for that. I com- meneed farming, and continued in that business five years, and should probably have followed farming through life but for the low price of produce at that time. The second year after I began farm-
1 Several sketches prepared have been condensed for want of space, and will appear in the genealogical tables.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
ing (1790) I sold two hundred bushels of corn and rye-corn at thirty- one and a quarter cents, and rye thirty-nine cents per bushel, all of my own raising. In the spring of 1793, I commenced at Sonthington the retail dry goods business, without any previous knowledge of the business or much cash capital, and continued until the close of the year 1800. At this time I had a family of seven daughters, and with the desire of giving them a better education than Icould at that time in Southington, I decided to remove to New Haven. Neither my wife or children had been secured against the small-pox which was spread in the country at that time. So in the spring of 1800, my wife and daughters were placed under the care of Dr. Bronson, of Middle- bury, New Haven county, and by the good providence of God all of them came safely through the disease. Though my so doing was against the remonstrance of all my friends, it was doubtless by the direction of Providence, as it proved a timely escape from their hav- ing it from contagion, as in a few months it appeared in our immediate neighborhood.
In January, 1801, I removed to New Haven with my wife and seven daughters, the oklest thirteen years old, the youngest one year, and commenced a new business, with which I was totally unacquainted, viz., the West India trade, which I continued about eighteen months, when a proposition was made me to undertake, as supercargo and director of the enterprise, a voyage to the Pacific in search of hair seals. I accepted the proposal, and sailed on the second day of Septem- ber, 1802, for the Pacific Ocean in the brig Huron, owned by Hervey Mulford, Encas Munson, jr., Joel Root, Abraham Bradley, third, and Benjamin Thompson. After accomplishing the first object, which was to procure a cargo of hair seal skins for the American market, the vessel returned to New Haven the 11th of October, 1803, and Mr. Root and eleven other men remained on the island of Massa-Fuero to secure a cargo of fur seal skins for the Canton market. In the mean- time, the vessel had been changed at New Haven from a brig to a ship, retaining the name Huron. The men left on the island having, when the ship returned on the 7th of of March, 1805, secured the fur seal skins, were taken on board with their effects and sailed for Can- ton, stopping for two months at the Sandwich Islands to wait for the change of the monsoons. They arrived at Canton on the 16th of November, 1805, exchanged their skins for Chinese goods, sailed for Hamburg, Jan. 7, 1806, arriving on the 19th of June, sold their goods, and sailed July 9th for St. Petersburg, where they purchased two cargoes of Russian goods for the American market. Their goods were all purchased at St. Petersburg and taken in lighters thirty miles to Cronstadt,-three hundred miles in twelve days-both ships
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
were loaded, bills settled, and on the seventeenth sailed for New York. They arrived in New York Oct. 26. 1806. Owners of the ship on the second voyage: Hervey Mulford, Ebenezer Peek, James Goodrich, Joel Root. John Bulkley, Isaac and Kneeland Townsend, of New Haven, and William Leffingwell and Return Strong, of New York."
After his return from the sea, he engaged in several manufacturing enterprises, and finally settled down in the wholesale and retail dry goods trade in New Haven.
One familiar with his character and life thus describes Mr. Root: " He was a man of noble impulses, indomitable industry and enter- prise, just, quick to comprehend and to aet upon his own convictions, of undoubted integrity: he was liberal in his dealings and sympathizing ever with suffering humanity, a tender and affectionate father." He made a profession of religion late in life. He married, January, 1788. Eleanor Strong. and had eight children, all daughters. [See genea- logical table.]
HON. CHARLES CARTER LANGDON.
He is the son of Giles and Sally (Carter) Langdon, and was born in Southington AAng. 5. 1505. The only advantages for education were found in the common schools, and these he diligently improved. In 1821, at the age of sixteen. he taught a school in New Britain. The next year, he taught the West street school, Southington: and a year later is found in what is now the Marion district; and still a year later he is at the Corner (Plantsville). Those who are acquainted with his cast of mind and habits of life need not be told that the quiet, agricultural town of Southington was found to be too narrow for his ambition. In 1825, at twenty years of age, he accompanied his brother Levi to Marion, Ala .. where the latter had established him- self in business. He remained here as clerk until 1829, when he returned to Southington and married Eliza, the youngest daughter of Roswell Moore, Esq. About this time he entered into partnership with his brother in Marion, and was connected with the firm until 1834, when he removed to Mobile. From that time until now he has been a distinguished citizen of that city. From 1834 to 1838 he was engaged in mercantile pursuits.
He had for a number of years indulged himself in writing political artieles for the press, and had gained no inconsiderable reputation. In 1838 he purchased and assumed editorial control of the . Mobile Daily Advertiser." a paper that for many years exerted a wide and powerful influenee over the South. Mr. Langdon was a passionate admirer of Henry Clay, and one of his most persistent and enthusiastic advocates. He continued in control of the "Advertiser " for twenty years, and no one man or paper in the South did so much for the
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
Whig party as Mr. Langdon and the " Advertiser." He not only wrote, but was active and influential in the field as a political debater. As a consistent Whig, he opposed with great vehemence and power the nullification measures adopted by South Carolina, and in later years was set as a flint against all disunion theories. He was a mem- ber of the Whig National Conventions of 1844, 1848, and 1852. In 1851 he was the Union candidate for Congress in the Mobile district, but was defeated by his southern rights opponent. He was a member of the Alabama legislature in the years 1839, 1840, 1856, 1862. He was mayor of Mobile in the years 1848-54. In 1854 he disposed of the paper he had so long and ably edited. He purchased a place about twenty-five miles from Mobile and established here what is now known as the Langdon nurseries; and he also edits the agricultural department of the Mobile Advertiser. In 1865 he was a member of the Alabama State Convention that met for reconstruction purposes. He was also elected to Congress, but with other southern members was not admitted. He has in later years given himself entirely to developing the agricultural resources of the South, for which his knowledge and experience admirably adapted him.
CHESTER GRANNISS.
He was the son of Stephen and Hannah (Dawson) Granniss, and born March 10, 1785. In his youth he studied with the expectation of pursuing a college course, having been encouraged in this purpose by Mr. Robinson. It is said that he was in college for a short time. From some unknown cause his studies were interrupted. He then thought of studying law, but this purpose was abandoned. In 1815 he married Dimmis, daughter of Roswell Moore, when he removed to the house built for him by his father on West street, where Mrs. Henry Tolles now lives. Very soon he was drawn into public life, and represented the town several times in the Legislature. He was a delegate from this town, in connection with Roger Whittlesey, in the Convention of 1818 that framed the State Constitution. On public occasions he was always an acceptable speaker. His personal appear- ance was such as to attract the attention of strangers. Of excellent conversational powers, gentlemanly bearing, and kindly disposition, he commanded the respect and affection of friends. He ascended the scale of military rank until he became General of a brigade, and in later years was known as General Granniss.
JESSE OLNEY, LL.D.
Thomas Olney, of Hertfordshire, England, accompanied Roger Wil- liams to this country in 1631. He shared with the latter his banish-
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
ment and wanderings, and after the settlement of Providence, served as treasurer of that plantation. His family intermarried with that of Roger Williams, for three generations. Ezekiel Olney, who lived in Providence, was a ship builder. He married Lydia Brown. At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, he warmly identified himself with the cause of the colonies, and was appointed a captain in the army. After the war he removed to Union, Tolland County, Conn .; and here his son Jesse was born, Oct. 12, 1798. There was a large family of children, and the opportunities for study and improvement were few; but Jesse, from his earliest childhood, had his mind fixed upon a good education, and however scanty his advantages, he resolutely set him- self at work to make the most of his time and of himself. He was a diligent reader, and lost no opportunity to improve his mind. One of his older brothers having removed to Westmoreland, N. Y., he was induced to go there, and after a time he entered the Whitesboro Insti- tute, and finished the course of study there pursued. For a time, he taught in Binghamton. N. Y. In 1821 he became the Principal of the Stone School, Hartford, Conn., and held this position twelve years. In 1828, he published his first edition of the Geography and Atlas, that at once took rank among the best of text-books. He was now thirty years old, and had he here ended his career as an educator, his reputation would have been great .. But he afterwards prepared a series of text-books in Arithmetic, History, and Reading. His National Preceptor is admitted to be unsurpassed as a work of its kind. His History of the United States, and Family Book of History, were very popular.
In 1833 he removed to Southington, and here had his home for twenty-one years. To perfect his text-books, he visited Europe several times. He was ten times elected member of the Connecticut Legisla- ture, and for two years was Controller of Public Accounts for the State. In all his offices of trust he was competent, and secured the public favor. Another has written of him: " A self-made man himself, he appreciated and sympathized with the struggles of his fellow-men towards education and an honorable career; and more young men than any one was allowed to know except himself, have been aided by him, not only with wise counsels and influential exertions, but by generous assistance from his purse as well, to tide them over the shoals which beset those who are not favored by fortune. His mind enriched by all mental gifts, his experiences widened by contact with the world and extensive travel, his heart sympathetic and fervent with fresh and glowing impulses which endured to the end-his gracious life endeared lıim to all who knew him, while his blameless moral character ennobled all his associations.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
' He was a man, take him for all in all, We shall not look upon his like again.'"
Mr. Olney, while a resident of Southington, was not only the friend of education, but a faithful laborer in the work of raising the standard of the common schools. Only those who carefully trace his services in this direction can rightly estimate his influence in the town.
His tendency of religious thought was to a liberal extreme, and this has led some narrow minds to underrate and even question his influ- ence in education. But no one has ever lived in the town who has more thoroughly quickened the public feeling in behalf of education.
Mr. Olney was the original mover in founding the Unitarian Church. He was its leading and governing spirit during its history. Soon after he left the town it ceased to exist.
In 1829, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Eli Barnes, of New Haven. Of his nine children, six have lived to mature age. He died at Stratford, July 31, 1872.
His Geography passed through ninety-five editions, embracing alto- gether a million and half copies; National Preceptor, thirty-five editions; History of the United States, forty-three editions; and all his other books had a very large sale.
CHESTER WHITTLESEY.
CHESTER WHITTLESEY was born Nov. 25, 1773, and was the son of John and Mary (Beale) Whittlesey of Salisbury. He came to South- ington when a young man and taught the school in the village. He married Sept. 1, 1808, Nancy, daughter of Dr. Theodore Wadsworth, and then became a farmer; soon, however, entering into trade. He was a man of good ability and some degree of culture. But few men perhaps in the town could have exerted a wider influence than he, had he not yielded to certain peculiarities of temper or unpleasant idiosyn- cracies.1 He was very intelligent, and his 2 company was sought by
1 " He stubbornly adhered to positions and opinions that were shown him to be grown. There is no such word as retract in the Whittlesey dictionary, said he to me one day." MSS. Rev. Henry Clark.
He was opposed to building the new church in 1830, and declared he would never look at it. One day, passing along, the wind blew his hat up on the stone steps in front. He deliberately " backed " up the steps, saying, " I hav'nt looked at it yet."
He and his consin Roger, who lived just across the way, did not speak for many years. Roger was absent at Hartford, and his hired man was drawing a load with oxen toward the barn, when the bow of the yoke broke and left one ox in a perilous position. The man called to Chester to help him, which he did, and saved the life of the ox. When Roger came home, the man told him of the accident, and who helped him, when he exclaimed, " I'd rather lost all my cattle than had him help me."
" The following is an extract of a letter written by the late Mrs. Emma Willard of Troy, N. Y. : "Yet no one enjoyed real wit more than Chester Whittlesey. Who
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
all. None were susceptible of warmer friendship than he, and his' de- votion to William Robinson, son of Rev. William, who died just as he left college, amounted to a passion. Nothing that he could do would he withhold from those to whom he was attached. In his earlier years he was full of public spirit, and foremost in all improvements. Ile had a great fondness for music, and for many years was chorister in the church. For two years he gave gratuitous instruction in singing to all who desired it.
Nothwithstanding his peculiarities, he was liked by many people, and at the close of life he became greatly subdued in spirit. For years he would not speak to his pastor, Mr. Ogden, because he thought the latter was personal in a certain sermon. Mr. Ogden finally wrote him a kind letter, (still in existence,) stating that in the sermon he had no reference to him whatever, and after a time he was reconciled.
Before his death he desired to unite with the church, but his sick- ness prevented. He wished it understood that he was a firm believer in Evangelical religion, and trusted in Christ for salvation.
STEPHEN WALKLEY.
He was born in Durham, Jan. 8, 1782. His parents removed to Southington about 1791, and located at South End. His youth was spent in storing his mind, and although he had limited school advant- ages he became a man of large information. From 1805 until his death he kept a diary of current events, and in this is found noted the volumes he at various times took out of the circulating library, which indicate his taste and direction of thought. This diary also shows that he was a close and judicious observer of men and things. In 1805, he received the appointment of County Surveyor. From 1805 to 1810, he also taught school in Southington, Berlin, and Farmington. In 1814, he began the manufacturing of button moulds at South End. When the Farmington canal was built, he took the contract to build all the locks, having as an associate Leonard Johnson. He has held the offices of Selectman, Justice of the Peace, and Judge of Probate, and for thirty years after 1812, he was continuously in the service of the town.
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