USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 1 > Part 26
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BUTLER, Thomas Belden, Jurist, Legislator.
Thomas Belden Butler was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, August 22, 1806, died in Norwalk, Connecticut, June 8, 1873. He received an excellent class- ical education, attending the schools of his native State, and having decided to follow the profession of medicine he be- came a pupil in the Yale Medical School, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medi- cine therefrom in 1828. For the follow- ing eight years he practiced his profes- sion in Norwalk, gaining an excellent reputation. He then took up the study of law under the preceptorship of Clark Bissell, was admitted to the bar after a successful competitive examination in 1837, and opened a law office in Norwalk, being equally successful in that profes- sion. He served in the State Legislature from 1832 to 1846, was a member of the State Senate from 1848 to 1853; was elected a representative to the Thirty- first Congress in 1848; was made judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut in 1855, of the Supreme Court in 1861, and Chief Justice in 1870, his terms of service being noted for efficiency and capability.
Aside from his professions and public life, he was interested in mechanics, agri- culture and meteorology. A speech de- livered by him in the House of Repre- sentatives on the "Slave Question" in 1850 was printed by order of Congress. He published "The Philosophy of the Weather and a Guide to its Changes" (1856).
TUTTLE, Eben Clark, Prominent Manufacturer.
The word Tuthill, meaning a conical hill, is a common place name in England, of remote antiquity. From one or more places named Tuthill, the surname Tut-
hill or Tuttle is derived, after a prevalent custom in the twelfth century, and later, when surnames came into use in Eng- land. The family has been especially prominent in Devonshire, England. There came to America, in 1635, in the ship "Planter," three families of this name from the parish of St. Albans, Hertford- shire, England. John, Richard and Wil- liam Tuttle, the heads of these families, were doubtless brothers. John Tuttle, mercer, aged thirty-nine, according to the passenger list, in 1635, settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts ; he was in Ireland in 1654, and probably fell sick there, for his wife went to Carrickfergus, Ireland, and wrote, April 6, 1657, that he died there, Decem- ber 30, 1656. Richard Tuttle, aged forty- two, settled in Boston, where he died, May 8, 1640. William Tuttle is men- tioned below. Henry Tuttle was in Hing- ham, Massachusetts, in 1635, coming with his brother John, about 1635; Henry re- moved to Southold, Long Island, John returned to England, and settled at Wey- bread, Suffolk county. Still another John Tuttle came in the ship "Angel Gabriel," and settled in Dover, New Hampshire.
William Tuttle, the immigrant ances- tor, came from St. Albans parish, Hert- fordshire, England, on the ship "Planter," in April, 1635, with his brothers, John and Richard, and their families. He stated his age as twenty-six. His wife, Eliza- beth, aged twenty-three, and children, John, aged three and a half, and Thomas, aged three months, came at the same time. His occupation was given as hus- bandman. His wife joined the church at Boston, August 14, 1636. As early as 1636, he was granted liberty to build a windmill at Charlestown, and was a pro- prietor of that town in 1636. His wife was dismissed to the church in Ipswich, September 8, 1639, and they doubtless were there for a time. He was part owner
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of a ketch, "Zebulon," of Ipswich, and was associated to some extent in busi- ness with John Tuttle, of Ipswich. He and John owned land deeded them by George Griggs for debt, and the same George Griggs gave him a mortgage of house and land on Beacon street, Boston, October 8, 1650, after Tuttle had moved to New Haven. About 1639 Tuttle moved to Quinnipiack, later called New Haven. In 1641 he was the owner of the home lot of Edward Hopkins, who had removed to Hartford. This lot was on the square bounded by Grove, State, Elm and Church streets. In 1656 Tuttle bought of Joshua Atwater his original allotment, mansion house and barn, with other lands. He made his home there until his death, and his widow after him until her death, a period of twenty-eight years. At the time of his death it was appraised at one hundred and twenty pounds. He shared in the division of common lands in 1640 and afterwards. William Tuttle and Mr. Gregson were the first owners of land in East Haven, Connecticut, and Mr. Tut- tle surveyed and laid out the road from the ferry at Red Rock to Stony River. His land there was bounded by a line running from the old ferry (where the new bridge over the Quinnipiack now is) eastward to a spring where issues the small stream called Tuttle's Brook, thence south along this brook to Gregson's land at Solitary Cove, thence west to a point on the New Haven harbor near the chem- ical works and Fort Hale, thence north along the harbor to the point of begin- ning. It included Tuttle's Hill. In 1659 he became owner of land at North Haven. He sold or conveyed to his children most of his property before he died. Judging from the seat he was assigned in the meeting house, he was among the fore- most men of New Haven as early as 1646- 47. He was interested in the projected
settlement from New Haven on the Del- aware, which failed on account of the op- position of the Dutch in New Nether- lands. He filled many positions of trust and responsibility in the colony ; was com- missioner to decide on an equivalent to those who received inferior meadow lands in the first allotment; was fence viewer, 1644; road commissioner, 1646; commis- sioner to settle the dispute as to bound- ary between New Haven and Branford, 1669, and to fix the bounds of New Haven, Milford, Branford and Wallingford, 1672. He was often a juror and arbitrator ; was constable, 1666. He died early in June, 1673, his inventory being dated June 6, 1673. His wife died December 30, 1684, aged seventy-two years. She had been living with her youngest son, Nathaniel, who presented her will, but the other children objected and it was not allowed. The inventory of her estate is dated Feb- ruary 3, 1685. Her gravestone was re- moved with the others from the old Green to the Grove Street Cemetery, 1821, and it now stands in a row along the north wall of the cemetery, but part of the in- scription is gone. Their son, Jonathan Tuttle, was baptized in Charlestown, Massachusetts, July 8, 1637, and died in 1705. About 1670 he began a settlement in what is now the southern part of the town of North Haven. He built a bridge over the Quinnipiac river, which was long known as Tuttle's bridge, and was allowed by the general court to collect toll, and also to take compensation for refreshment of travellers. He died intestate, and his estate was administered by Simon Tuttle. He married Rebecca, born August, 1643, died May 2, 1676, daughter of Lieutenant Francis Bell, of Stamford, one of the first settlers. Their son, William Tuttle, was born May 25, 1673, and joined the church in 1707. He married Mary, sister of his brother Simon's wife, born March 27,
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1679-80, daughter of William Abernatha, of Wallingford. About 1696 he received by deed from his father forty acres of land. He died in 1727 and his will was proved November 6, of the same year. The inventory of his estate was nine hun- dred and thirty-eight pounds. Their son, Ezekiel Tuttle, was born about 1705. He married (first) April 21, 1729, Susannah, born July 20, 1709, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Peck) Merriman and grand- daughter of Captain Nathaniel, an early settler in Wallingford and prominent in New Haven. He married (second) January 16, 1760, Sarah Rexford, of New Haven. His son, Reuben Tuttle, was born March 3, 1739. He was married by Rev. Mr. Robbins, January 20, 1766, to Hannah Tyler, of Branford, Connecticut, who died September i, 1783. They lived at New Haven. Their son, Obed Tuttle, was born June 26, 1776, at North Haven, whence he removed to Prospect, in that State, and followed farming and blacksmithing. He made scythes and axes. He died at Pros- pect, January 12, 1856. He married Lu- cretia Clark, of West Haven, who died August 19, 1862. They were the parents of Eben Clark, of whom further.
Eben Clark Tuttle was born at Pros- pect, April 27, 1806. His youth was spent at home, helping his father, chopping tim- ber, clearing land, burning and carting charcoal and working at his father's forge. His time for schooling was very limited, and his lessons were studied mostly at the bellows or in the coal hut on the mountains while tending the coal pits. At the age of twenty he went to Straits- ville, Connecticut, to work at making forks. Three years later he returned to Prospect and began making solid cast steel hoes, of the "goose-neck" pattern, of which he was the inventor, and which wholly supplanted the old "eye" hoe then and previously in general use. At first
his hoes were made by hand work en- tirely in the shop on Prospect Hill, and eight men made but twenty-five hoes a day ; but afterwards machinery came into use and the product increased a hundred- fold. The first machine used by Mr. Tut- tle was a crude trip-hammer, which was located five miles distant at Union City, in Naugatuck, and available for his use only at night. For several years all the hoe blanks were carted to this place, the hoes plotted during the night and carted back to Prospect the next morning. The business grew rapidly. In 1846 he re- moved to Union City, erected a small shop and began to make use of the water power to operate machinery. From time to time he added to his business the manu- facture of other agriculture implements, such as forks. The business was at length incorporated. In 1856 the founder re- signed the office of president, built a fac- tory near the railroad station at Union City and for about two years did a large business under the name of the E. C. Tuttle Manufacturing Company, which promised to become as successful as the original concern, but in 1858 he lost the plant by fire. In 1860 he went to Oshawa, Canada, and established one of the most important industries of the country. The severe strain of clearing the ground, building dams, factories, and installing machinery taxed his physical endurance and doubtless laid the foundation of the disease that caused his death. He went to Auburn, New York, 1864, organized a company under the name of E. C. Tuttle Manufacturing Company, now the Au- burn Manufacturing Company, built a factory, and for four years operated a thriving industry. Then, 1868, he went to Canada again and established the well known Welland Vale Works, in which he had the misfortune to lose the larger part of his fortune. He continued to live
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at St. Catherines until a short time be- fore his death. He died December 5, 1873, of paralysis while visiting his son at Union City, Connecticut. "His reputa- tion as a manufacturer was almost world- wide and when the history of the manu- facturing founders of the Naugatuck Val- ley shall be written, his name will be among the foremost. He lived to see the business he commenced in a small way grow to almost gigantic proportions, and the little hamlet of Union City which, when he went there, contained scarce half a dozen houses, by his enterprise became one of the first manufacturing villages of the Naugatuck Valley." He married (first) April 27, 1829, Temperance Beecher, who died October 3, 1863, daughter of Hezekiah Beecher. He married (second) Charlotte Bentz. Children of first wife: I. Juliet Augusta, born at Prospect, August 16, 1832, died September 23, 1835. 2. Bron- son Beecher, born at Prospect, December 28, 1835, died at Middlebury, September 12, 1903. 3. Adelbert C., born March 19, 1847; married, June 13, 1872, Margaret Carlisle, of St. Catherines, Canada.
DIXON, James,
Attorney-at-Law, Public Official.
Nearly all the families in America bear- ing the name Dixon are descended from Scottish ancestors who were members of Clan Dickson, in early times one of the principal clans of the East Marches of Scotland. The name has been variously spelled Dicson, Dycson, Dicksone, and in many other ways. Dickson is now the common form in Scotland, but in Eng- land the name is invariably written Dixon. The clan was known in Scotland as "the famous Dicksons," and the progenitor was Richard, son of Hervey de Keith, who lived in the twelfth century and was the first Earl-Marischal, or Great Marshal
of Scotland. In 1380 the family moved to the border county of Berwick, and lived at Bughtrig. The arms: Azure, three mullets, argent, on a chief, or, as many pallets, gules. Crest: A dexter hand grasping a sword in bend proper. Motto: Fortes fortuna juvat.
John Dicksone, or Dixon, was a de- scendant of the Bughtrig family men- tioned above, and was a wealthy mer- chant in the Trongate of Glasgow, and lived during the reign of King James VI. of Scotland, 1567-1625. He bought an estate in Busby, Lanarkshire, and dispos- ing of his business, lived there until his death. His son, David Dixon, was born in Glasgow, in 1583. He studied at the University of Glasgow, and on taking his degree of Master of Arts was appointed instructor of philosophy in the Univer- sity. In 1618 he was ordained minister in the parish of Irvine, Ayrshire. On ac- count of his belief he was sentenced to a deprivation of his ministry and ordered to proceed to Turriff, in Aberdeenshire. He was about to comply, when at the earnest request of the Earl of Elingtoun he was permitted to remain in Ayrshire, and there preached weekly for about two months in the hall and courtyard of Eling- toun Castle to large congregations of his parishioners. He was then ordered to set out for his place of banishment, which he did. In July, 1623, he was allowed with- out any conditions to return to his charge at Irvine, where he remained unmolested until 1637, when he was again appre- hended for having harbored certain per- sons at odds with the church. Anderson, in his "Scottish Nation," says: "To the establishment of the Second Reformation in Scotland, the Rev. David Dickson was in a great degree instrumental. It was he who prevailed on the Presbytery of Irvine to apply in 1637 for the suspension of the service book." He was a member
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of the General Assembly at Glasgow in 1638, when the covenant was ratified, de- posing the whole Episcopal hierarchy, and there delivered a speech of great tact. In 1639 he was chaplain to a regiment of Ayrshire men in the short and successful campaign against King Charles, and after the disbanding of the army in 1639 was almost unanimously chosen moderator of the General Assembly at Edinburgh. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity about this time, and in 1640 was given the professorship of divinity in the Univer- sity of Glasgow. In 1643 he helped draw up a "Directory of Public Worship" and was joint author of "The Sum of Saving Knowledge." In 1650 he was elected to the divinity chair at the University of Edinburgh, where he delivered the in- augural address in Latin, translated into English by George Sinclair, and under the name of "Truth's Victory over Error," and published as the translator's own in 1684, Dr. Dixon then being dead. In 1650 he was one of the deputation to congratu- late Charles II. on his arrival at Scotland.
He was moderator of the General As- sembly in 1653, when it was broken up by Cromwell's orders. He wrote various discourses, and some hymns and psalms which were published. In 1660, for de- clining to take the oath of supremacy, he was ejected from his professorship at Edinburgh and retired to his old home in Irvine, and died early in 1663, aged eighty years. He married Margaret, daughter of Archibald Roberton, of Stonehall, who was a younger brother of the house of Ernock, Lanarkshire. His son, Robert Dixon, was born at Irvine, about 1630. He early identified himself with the Presbyterians, and when his father was cast out of the University of Edinburgh he cast his lot with the Covenanters. He was a fugitive from the battle of Pentland Hills, November 28, 1666, and with others
fled through Lanarkshire into Ayr, across to the north of Ireland, and settled in the province of Ulster, probably in Antrim. About 1670, according to family tradi- tion, he there married Priscilla, daughter of Hugh Kennedy. He died before 1700. His son, John Dixon, was born in 1679, and died May 6, 1759. Early in 1719, with his brothers, Robert and Archibald, and others, he came with his family to Boston, Massachusetts. After a few months he went to New London, Con- necticut, where he settled in the north parish of that town. About 1724 he re- moved to Colchester, where his brother Robert was living, and in February, 1726, bought twenty-five acres of land with a house in the north parish of New London, and returned there. He married (first) in 1700, in Ireland, Agnes -; (sec- ond) May 3, 1726, Anna Lester, born July 5. 1693. daughter of Joseph and Katherine Lester, of New London, and granddaugh- ter of Andrew and Ann Lester. He mar- ried (third) August 7, 1741, Janet Ken- nedy. of Voluntown. He was one of the early settlers of Voluntown, Connecticut, removing there in 1727, and was select- man in 1727-28. He provided all the glass for the meeting house. He was select- man also in 1729-31, and served in other town offices. In 1735 he bought a hun- dred acres of land in Killingly and more later. In 1737 he was the attorney for the town of Voluntown, and on his peti- tion the next year was granted a hundred acres of land for his services. He was
deputy to the General Assembly in 1740 and other years. In 1747 he and his fam- ily removed to Killingly, where he died. His son. James Dixon, was born April 12, 1746, and died February 8, 1825. He re- sided at South Killingly, Connecticut. He married, about 1775, Sarah (probably Slack), born 1753, died Decem- ber 20, 1820. His son, William Dixon,
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was born in 1780, and died November 19, 1839. He was educated at Plainfield Academy, and about 1799 went to Enfield county, where he taught school. He studied law and was admitted to the bar at about twenty-one years of age, located in Enfield, and practiced his profession until his death. He was a member of the General Assembly nine years between 1816 and 1831. He was town clerk twelve years, and from 1832 to 1839 inclusive was judge of probate for the Enfield district. In 1832, by the aid of a lottery, he built the wooden bridge which now spans the Connecticut river at Enfield. He mar- ried, October 15, 1801, Mary Field, who died October 23, 1845, daughter of Dr. Simeon Field, of Enfield, granddaughter of Rev. Peter Reynolds, and a lineal de- scendant of Rev. Henry Whitfield, the historic founder of Guilford, 1639-40. They were the parents of James Dixon, of this review.
Hon. James Dixon was born at En- field, August 5, 1814, and died March 27, 1873. He graduated from Williams College in 1834 with high honors with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and then studied law in his father's office. He was soon admitted to the bar and began the practice of law at Enfield. In 1839 he removed to Hartford and opened an office in partnership with Judge William W. Ellsworth. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1837-38-44. He became early a recognized leader of the Whig party, and in 1845 was elected representa- tive to Congress from the Hartford dis- trict, and reëlected in 1847, and "was dis- tinguished in that difficult arena for his power as a debater and for an amenity of bearing that extorted the respect of politi- cal opponents, even in the turbulent times following the Mexican War and the ex- asperations of the sectional debate pre- cipitated by the Wilmot proviso. In
1849 he was elected to the Connecticut Senate, reëlected in 1854, and was chosen president of that body, but declined the honor. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1857 for a six years' term and participated in all the parliamentary debates of the period before the Civil War." "He was remarkable among his colleagues in the Senate for the tenacity with which he adhered to his principles, and for the clear presage with which he grasped the drift of events." He became a Republican with the formation of that party, and was in 1863 elected as a Sena- tor, serving on the committee of manu- factures, as chairman of the committee on contingent expenses of the Senate, of the committee on the District of Columbia, and of the committee on post offices and post roads. He was a member of the na- tional committee appointed to accompany the remains of President Lincoln to Illi- nois in April, 1865. "While making his residence in Washington the seat of an elegant hospitality, Senator Dixon was remarkable for the assiduity with which he followed the public business of the Senate, and for the eloquence that he brought to the discussion of grave public question." A speech which he delivered June 25, 1862, on the constitutional status created by the so-called acts of secession, was known to have commanded the ex- press admiration of President Lincoln. To the principles set forth in that speech he steadily adhered. He was a delegate from Connecticut to the national conven- tion which met at Philadelphia, August 14, 1866, at the call of those who favored the policy of President Johnson, and op- posed that of a majority of both houses of Congress. In the impeachment trial of President Johnson, Senator Dixon was one of the Republican Senators who voted against the sufficiency of the articles of impeachment, and afterwards took no
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part in the councils of the Republican party. At the close of his Senatorial terin in 1869 he was urged to accept the mission to Russia, but declined. He spent much of his time in European travel, and literary studies. "While yet a student at college he was the recognized poet of his class, and even his graduation thesis was written in verse. His poems, struck off as the leisure labors of a busy life, occupy a conspicuous place in Everest's "Poets of Connecticut," while five of his sonnets, exquisite for refinement of thought and felicity of execution, are preserved side by side with those of Bryant, Percival and Lowell, in Leigh Hunt's "Book of the Sonnet." He was also a frequent con- tributor to the "New England Magazine," and to other periodicals. He received the degree of Master of Arts from Williams College, and in 1862 Trinity College made him Doctor of Laws.
He married, at East Windsor Hill, Oc- tober 1, 1840, Elizabeth Lord Cogswell, born July 1, 1819, died June 16, 1871, daughter of Rev. Jonathan and Elizabeth (Abbott) Cogswell. Children: James Wyllys; Henry Whitfield; Elizabeth ; Clementine Louise, married James C. Welling.
BENEDICT, Aaron, Manufacturer.
The surname Benedict is derived from the Latin benedictus, meaning blessed, used as a personal or baptismal name in Latin countries and in fact throughout all Europe. St. Benedict founded the Roman Catholic order of Benedictines in A. D. 520; fourteen Popes took this name between 574 and 1740.
Thomas Benedict, immigrant ancestor, was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in 1617. According to family tradition, apparently verified, he was the only repre-
sentative of his family when he came to America. His ancestors were originally from the silk districts of France and of Latin ancestry ; fled to Germany on account of religious persecution, thence to Holland and finally settled in England. He married Mary Brigum or Bridgham, who came to New England in 1638 on the same ship. The family history was written in 1755 by Deacon James Benedict, who had his facts from the wife of the immigrant, viz .: "Be it remembered that one Wil- liam Benedict about the beginning of the fifteenth century (doubtless meaning about the year 1500) who lived in Not- tinghamshire, England, had a son born unto him whom he called William after his own name (an only son), and this William-the second of that name-had also an only son whom he called Wil- liam; and this third William had in the year 1617 one only child whom he called Thomas and this Thomas married the Widow Brigum. Now this Thomas was put out an apprentice to a weaver who afterwards in his twenty-first year came over to New England. Afterwards said Thomas was joined in marriage with Mary Brigum. After they had lived some time in the Bay parts (Massachu- setts) they removed to Southold, Long Island, where were born unto them five sons and four daughters, whose names were Thomas, John, Samuel, James, Daniel, Betty, Mary, Sarah and Rebecca. From thence they removed to a farm be- longing to the town called Hassamanac, where they lived some time. Then they removed to Jamaica on said island, where Thomas, their eldest son, took to wife Mary Messenger of that town. And last of all they removed to Norwalk, Fair- field county, Connecticut, with all their family, where they all married." The generations are given down to the time
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