USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 10 > Part 38
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oldest business men in Stamford. In politics he is a Republican. He married Louise Coggeswell, daughter of William Coggeswell, of Milford, and they are the parents of two sons : Frederick, a resident of Darien; Charles Pond, of whom fur- ther.
(IV) Charles Pond Webb, son of James Harvey and Louise (Coggeswell) Webb, was born in Noroton, Connecticut, August 18, 1886. He attended the gram- mar school of his native town. He graduated from the Stamford High School in 1905, and then entered the employ of the Stamford Foundry Company as a clerk. After six months there he left to become a stenographer in the law office of Hart & Keeler, where he remained about two years. Later he went to work for Judge Martin J. Gray, remaining until the death of the latter in 1910. For the following two years, Mr. Webb was with the law firm of Cummings & Lockwood, resigning to take charge of the real estate department of the Harris Construction Company.
The years spent in the several offices of some of the most prominent lawyers of Fairfield county were of great value to Mr. Webb. He fully appreciated the op- portunities before him and made the most of them. On January 1, 1917, Mr. Webb engaged in the real estate and insurance business on his own account, and for the past three years has been successfully occupied. Mr. Webb has also taken an active interest in matters of local affairs ; he is a Republican, and is now serving as alderman for the Third Ward. Frater- nally, he is a member of Puritan Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Wascussee Encampment.
Mr. Webb married Florence Dugdale, daughter of William Dugdale, of Norton Heights, and they are the parents of two children: Clifford, born November 16, years.
1909; Roland, born in May, 1913. With his family, Mr. Webb attends St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
SILLIMAN, Joseph M., Merchant, Public Official.
Although the origin of the Silliman family was in Italy, where the name was originally Sillimandi, members of this family were early settled in Holland, whence they came to New England and settled at Holland Heights, in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut. A descendant of this early family, Joseph M. Silliman, was born in New Canaan, Connecticut, son of Joseph and Caroline (Hoyt) Silli- man.
Joseph Silliman was born in New Can- aan, also, and spent his life there. In 1867 he formed a partnership with Seth Chauncey Weed under the firm name of Weed & Silliman, and bought Mr. Weed's father's mercantile business. After a few years Mr. Weed withdrew and Mr. Silli- man continued the business alone, add- ing a line of groceries to the stock of hardware which had been previously the exclusive merchandise handled. Until 1912 Mr. Silliman continued in the gro- cery and hardware business, although during the last few years of that period he was not very active in the business. In the same year the grocery department was sold and the business removed to its present location and incorporated as The Silliman Hardware Company, with James H. Silliman, president; Nelson Silliman, vice-president; Joseph M. Silliman, secre- tary and treasurer. Joseph Silliman was a Republican in politics, and served as first selectman for a number of years. He rep- resented his district in the Legislature and the Senate, and was deacon and clerk of the Congregational church for many
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Mr. Silliman married Caroline Hoyt, daughter of Stephen Hoyt, the nursery- man, and they were the parents of seven children.
James Hoyt Silliman, son of Joseph and Caroline (Hoyt) Silliman, president of The Silliman Hardware Company, Incor- porated, was born in New Canaan, Con- necticut, October 20, 1868. He was edu- cated in the public schools. He then went to work in his father's store, and has been in business a longer period than any other man now living in the town of New Canaan. As his father's years advanced, Mr. Silliman assumed more of the respon- sibilities and eventually charge of affairs. He is a Republican in politics and takes a keen interest in civic matters. He is a member of Wooster Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand, and attends the Congrega- tional church.
Nelson Silliman, son of Joseph and Caroline (Hoyt) Silliman, and vice-presi- dent of The Silliman Hardware Company, Inc., was born in New Canaan, Connec- ticut. He attended the public schools, and since completing his formal education has been connected with the business founded by his father. He is past grand of Wooster Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a member of the Con- gregational church, succeeding his father as clerk of the church and as superintend- ent of the Sunday school.
Mr. Silliman married Nellie Dow, daughter of J. M. Dow, of New Bedford, New York, and they are the parents of a daughter, Ruth Gertrude, and of a son, Roger Silliman.
Joseph M. Silliman, third son of Joseph and Caroline (Hoyt) Silliman, is secretary and treasurer of The Silliman Hardware Company, Inc. He was graduated from Lafayette College, and after two years engaged in surveying, became associ-
ated with his brothers in the hardware business, continuing to the present time. Mr. Silliman is a Republican, and served on the School Board. He was also a member of the Board of Burgesses for a number of years. Fraternally, he is a member of Harmony Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and of Wooster Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows.
Mr. Silliman married Mrs. Gertrude (Dow) Penoyer. They attend the Con- gregational church.
SOUTHEY, Alfred George,
Business Man.
Among the progressive citizens of Westport, Connecticut, who have con- tributed a share to the upbuilding of that place through real estate developments is Alfred G. Southey. Mr. Southey was born in Plymouth, Connecticut, of English parentage, the son of John W. and Eliza- beth (Martin) Southey.
John W. Southey was born at Penryn, about twenty miles from Plymouth. Eng- land, and learned the trade of granite cut- ter. His father was a stone cutter at Pen- ryn, where he owned large granite quar- ries. A part of the Thames embankment was built by the father of John W. Southey. The family is directly descended from the famous English poet laureate, Robert Southey. Penryn was the home of the family for many generations. When John W. Southey was twenty-one years of age, he came to America and first located in Rockville, Connecticut, where he followed his trade for a short time and then removed to Plymouth, same State, where he was in the employ of the Ply- mouth Granite Company for some years. Subsequently, Mr. Southey engaged in business on his own account in Bridge- port, Connecticut, opening the Armstrong
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Granite Quarries, and was active in this work until shortly before his death. He was made a member of the Masonic fra- ternity at Thomaston, Connecticut. Mr. Southey married Elizabeth Martin, a na- tive of Penryn, England, and they were the parents of three children: Alfred George, of further mention ; Ernest G., an architect of Bridgeport, and Dr. Wilbur J., a veterinary surgeon of Bridgeport. The members of the Southey family were attendants of the Congregational church.
Alfred G. Southey attended the public schools of Plymouth, Connecticut, until he was twelve years old, and his school- ing was completed in Bridgeport, Connec- ticut. He learned the trade of stone-cut- ter with his father, then accepted a road position with the Capitol Granite Com- pany of Barre, Vermont. Later he trav- eled for nine years in the interests of the Northfield Pocket-Knife Company, his territory covering seventeen states. About seventeen years ago Mr. Southey removed from Bridgeport to Westport, Connecti- cut, and in 1909 opened his present real estate office. He has a general real es- tate business, and has made several de- velopments of property, among them be- ing the development of the subdivision known as Brookside Terrace, on North Main street.
Mr. Southey is a Republican in politics and while in Bridgeport was elected al- derman-at-large. He served two terms in this office, and afterwards served two terms as street commissioner. Fraternally he is a member of Adelphian Lodge, In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Southey married Minnie Mead, daughter of Cyrus L. Mead, of Weston, Connecticut, a scion of one of the earliest Colonial families. Mr. and Mrs. Southey are the parents of two children: Alfred Mead, of Oakland, California, and Pearl Vivian.
Conn-9-18
BRETTMAN, William H.,
Banker.
This record of the family of Brettman begins with August F. L. Brettman, who was born in Osmabrick, in the Principal- ity of Hanover, Germany, where his fa- ther was burgomaster. He was born May 28, 1817, and married, in his native land, Maria A. Dorfmeier, born May 20, 1814. This marriage met with opposition from his family and occasioned a rupture, whose effect, added to his dissatisfaction with the policy of the government, led to his emigration to the United States in 1845. Prior to this time he had served the cus- tomary time in the German army, and his honorable discharge is dated January 3, 1841. After leaving his home he never corresponded with any of the members of his family in the homeland, nor mentioned their names to his children. His home until his death was in lower New York City and Greenwich Village, and the forty years of his residence witnessed many changes in the metropolis. August F. L. Brettman died April 29, 1886; his wife died May 4, 1888. Among his children were: Frederick John, of whom further ; William H., and Maria.
Frederick John Brettman, son of Au- gust F. L. and Maria A. (Dorfmeier) Brettman, was born oposite the old Bar- num Museum in downtown New York, April 26, 1845. On the night of his birth the Barnum Museum was destroyed by fire, and there being danger of the flames extending to the Brettman home, the mother was carried upon her bed to a carpenter shop across the way, where Frederick J. Brettman was born. He was educated in the public schools, attending North Moore street school, and subse- quently was graduated from the New York College of Pharmacy, becoming the proprietor of a retail drug store at Charles
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and Hudson streets, New York City, in which district he was a well known busi- ness man. Later he became connected with the city administration in New York, and at the time of his retirement, about 1911, was auditor of accounts for the bor- ough of Manhattan. He is a member of the Masonic order, affiliating with Evan- gelist Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons. He is also a member of the Royal Ar- canum, the Loyal Association, and is an honorary member of Meade Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of New York City. He was a member of the Lutheran church and later was admitted to the communion of the Episcopal church.
Mr. Brettman married, in New York City, November 26, 1884, Minnie Eudora Larke, who was born at Stryker's Farm, in the neighborhood of Fifty-sixth street, New York City, July 4, 1859, and who met an accidental death from burns, No- vember 17, 1916. The earliest record of the Larke family is of John Larke, of Stratton, Cornwall, England. He was the father of John (2) Larke, who married Hannah Drake, a lineal descendant of John Drake, brother of Sir Francis Drake. They were the parents of Julian K. Larke, born in London, England, who was edu- cated in Westminster College, and was ordained an Episcopalian clergyman, al- though he never preached. He held the rank of colonel in the English army in the Crimean War, and subsequently came to the United States, engaging in news- paper work. He was personal correspond- ent for the New York "Herald" on the staff of General U. S. Grant, and subse- quently was associated with the "Mail and Express," which later became the "Evening Mail," and other New York newspapers. After the Civil War he went to the Isthmus of Panama, where he founded the only newspaper then pub-
lished in Central America. Here he con- tracted the dreaded Isthmus fever, and came North. Subsequently, he was twice afflicted with pneumonia and once, while engaged in journalistic work, was hit by a spent bullet, but his marvelous consti- tution has withstood all these physical ills and he is now a resident of Brooklyn, remarkably vigorous for his great years of over ninety. He is the author of many books, notably, "General Grant and his Campaigns," which was cited a few years ago in the New York State Court of Ap- peals as an authority on the life and Christian name of General Grant and his generals. He is also the author of some works of fiction. Mr. Larke has been a Republican all of his life, and is a Mason, holding the Knights Templar degree, originally belonging to Evangelist Lodge. For fifty years he was organist of his Ma- sonic lodge, each year going through the ceremony of installation in office.
Mr. Larke married, in London, Ontario, Canada, Catherine Lawrence, of Canada, who died August 28, 1870. She was also possessed of literary talent, and wrote short stories for a paper called "Ben Wood's Daily News," owned and oper- ated by Ben Wood, brother of Fernando Wood, who was mayor of New York in 1854, reelected in 1856. Julian K. Larke married a second time. He was the fa- ther of thirteen children by his first mar- riage and of one by his second. Among his children were: Frederick Stansfield; Minnie Eudora, who married Frederick J. Brettman ; Josephine; Edwin, and George.
Children of Frederick J. and Minnie Eudora (Larke) Brettman: I. Frederick Julian, born September 17, 1885; married, December 8, 1914, Florence Irene Garn- sey, of English Colonial descent. Mr. Brettman is assistant to the president of
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the Chemical National Bank of New York City, and is a member of the New York Athletic Club. They have one child, Jean Garnsey, born October 15, 1915. 2. Ad- die Eudora, born March 21, 1887; mar- ried James E. Whitaker, of a Southern family, June 26, 1911. They had one child, James E., Jr., born April 3, 1912. Mrs. Whitaker subsequently obtained a di- vorce. 3. William H., of whom further. 4. Charles Reed, born April 13, 1890, died April 14, 1890. 5. Emily Maud, born July 19, 1893; married, February 26, 1921, Francis J. Sorg.
William Henry Brettman, son of Fred- erick John and Minnie Eudora (Larke) Brettman, was born in New York City, September 8, 1888. He was educated in the public schools of New York City, and since entering banking as his profession has completed a large amount of study with the American Institute of Banking and in other special courses, including those branches of the law that have a bearing on his work. His first employ- ment was as a messenger with the Fourth National Bank of New York, and during his thirteen years of association with this institution he filled various positions, in- cluding the office of transit manager. In 1913 the Fourth National Bank was pur- chased by the Metals National Bank, and for a few months Mr. Brettman remained with the latter organization. In June, 1914, he accepted the post of teller in the Putnam Trust Company of Grenwich, Connecticut, and two years later suc- ceeded to the treasurership, of which he is the present incumbent. Mr. Brettman finds recreation in fishing, and he is es- pecially fond of and well informed con- cerning animals and birds. He is a mem- ber of the B. D. L. Sutherland Association of New York, and is a member of the Christ Church Club, of Greenwich.
Mr. Brettman married, October 15, 1912, Annette Ackerman, daughter of Jul- ian and Cora (Hollister) Ackerman, of New York City. They are the parents of one child, Marjorie A., born May 23, 1917. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brettman are members of Christ Episcopal Church.
HEALY, John Francis,
Business Man.
Some Irish genealogists deduce the de- scent of the Healy family from Cosgrach, son of Lorcan, King of Thomond, who was grandfather of Brian Boroimhe (Bo- ru), and who was one hundred and sev- enty-fifth Monarch of Ireland ; others take it from the "O'Haly" family, which is an anglicized form of the Irish O'h-Algaich, while in fact it is from the Irish O'h-Eil- ighe, anglicized O'Healy, Healy, and Hely, who was a descendant of Milesius in the line of Ir. The founder of the line of the Earls of Dononghmore was John Hely, Provost of Trinity College, Dub- lin, Secretary of State for Ireland, and Keeper of the Privy Seal in 1774, the cel- ebrated author of "The Commercial Re- straints of Ireland."
The family of which John F. Healy is a representative was long resident in County Galway, in Ireland. Galway was named from the River Gailleamh (rocky river). Michael Healy, father of Mr. Healy, was born there about 1824, and lived in Brooklyn, New York, retired. He is remarkably well preserved for his years, and is in full possession of his fac- ulties. Michael Healy was about twenty- one years old when he came to America and located in Stamford. At home he had been accustomed to farm life, and this is the occupation in which he engaged in his new home. Later in life he was em- ployed as gardener on several of the large
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estates of the locality, and followed this work until his retirement from active du- ties. Mr. Healy was the father of the fol- lowing children: John F., of whom fur- ther; and Mrs. P. J. Lynch, of Brooklyn, New York.
John F. Healy was born April 12, 1872, in Stamford, Connecticut, and was edu- cated in the public schools. He went to work at an early age, starting as a team- ster and in various other employments. Mr. Healy was possessed of the will to do and to accomplish his purpose, and he was yet a young man when he established in independent business as a contractor. His business rapidly developed, and he secured many contracts to build sea walls, roads, etc. He was actively engaged in this business when the World War broke out. The labor situation then became so acute, so many of the Italian laborers an- swering the call of their native land, that it was almost impossible to fulfill con- tracts. It was at this time that Mr. Healy withdrew from contracting and started an auto trucking business. Considering the time Mr. Healy has been in his new line, it has developed into large proportions. There are seven men employed and five trucks are run between Stamford and New York City. In addition these trucks make regular trips between New Haven and Stamford, and Mr. Healy plans the opening of branch offices in the cities be- tween. Fraternally, Mr. Healy is a mem- ber of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Knights of Co- lumbus.
Mr. Healy married Helen Whalen, daughter of Patrick Whalen, a native of County Tipperary. Mr. and Mrs. Healy are the parents of two sons and a daugh- ter. The eldest son, Francis Joseph, mar- ried Anna O'Neill; John William is at home ; and the daughter, Mary, is the wife of Harry Mysel.
REYNOLDS, Frank,
Head of Important Business.
The fame of the Reynolds Motor Car Company, of which Mr. Reynolds is pres- ident, has rendered his name familiar not only to his felow-citizens of Norwalk, Connecticut, but also to multitudes of the residents of a very extensive territory. Mr. Reynolds is a good citizen, quietly but helpfully identified with all that most concerns the welfare and prosperity of his home town.
The name of Reynolds is derived from Reinhold, a Teutonic personal name of great antiquity. In Domesday Book sev- eral tenants in chief are : Reinaldus, Rey- nell, Reynard, Reynardson, and Rennals. Renn, Renney, Rennie, Renny, and Ren- nyson are diminutives.
John Reynolds, born in England, came to America in 1633, settling first in Wa- tertown, Massachusetts, where records of 1635 give information in regard to him. He removed to Wethersfield, Connecti- cut, and thence, in 1641, to Stamford, fin- ally settling, in 1650, in Greenwich, Old Town. His wife, whose Christian name was Sarah, was born about 1614, in Eng- land, and their children were: Elizabeth, Jonathan, and John. John Reynolds, the immigrant, died about 1660, in Greenwich, his wife having passed away in Stamford, August 21, 1657.
Nathaniel Reynolds, a farmer owning a large tract of land near Stanwich, Con- necticut, in the town of Greenwich, married Sarah Lockwood, daughter of Nathan, granddaughter of Gershom, great-granddaughter of Jonathan, and great-great-granddaughter of Robert Lockwood, who about 1630 came from England and settled at Watertown, Mas- sachusetts.
Captain William H. Reynolds, from all indications the grandson or great-grand-
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son of Nathaniel and Sarah (Lockwood) Reynolds, was a native of New York State, and learned the blacksmith's trade in Norwalk, following it for some years. For a time he was in business for him- self, afterward becoming one of the pio- neers in the oyster industry. He married a woman by the name of Davis, and they were the parents of Charles Edward, of whom further.
Charles Edward Reynolds, son of Cap- tain William H. Reynolds, was born in Norwalk, Connecticut. He received his education in the schools of that town, and even as a boy began to work with his fa- ther on an oyster boat. Later he engaged in the business on his own account, be- coming one of the early oyster planters in that part of Connecticut, and conduct- ing a flourishing trade as long as he lived. He married Anna Godfrey, daughter of Silliman Godfrey, of Redding, Connecti- cut, a representative of an old New Eng- land family. The name, sometimes spelled Godfree, is an ancient Teutonic personal name, the same as Geoffrey, the form Goisfridus being very common in Domesday Book. The family appears to have been originally of Kent, England, and to trace descent from Godfrey le Fau- coner, who was Lord of the Manor of Hurst in that county in the reign of Henry II. Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds the following reached maturity: Charles Silliman, of East Norwalk, Connecticut; Lulu, mar- ried David P. Trounson, of East Norwalk ; Frank, mentioned below; and Flora, wife of Lewis St. John Keeler, of East Nor- walk. Mr. Reynolds, up to the time of his death, was a member of the Method- ist Episcopal church, as were also the other members of his family.
Frank Reynolds, son of Charles Ed- ward and Anna (Godfrey) Reynolds, was
born October 7, 1879, in Norwalk, Con- necticut, and received his education in the grammar and high schools of East Norwalk. His first employment was in a meat market, where his aptitude and fi- delity soon procured for him admission to partnership. At the end of two or three years he withdrew from the concern and learned the machinist's trade, which he followed for about seven years, during the latter part of that time holding the posi- tion of foreman in Bridgeport, Connecti- cut.
On August 16, 1907, Mr. Reynolds em- barked in the automobile business on his own account, opening a repair shop in Westport, which he conducted until July, 1912. Soon after establishing himself in Westport he began selling cars, his first agency being for the Mitchell car. In the meantime Mr. Reynolds had taken over the old Armory Auto Company's shop in Norwalk, and so succeeded to their agency for the Studebaker car and also a number of others. He now handles the Studebaker and Dodge cars and the Re- public and Federal trucks. In November, 1912, the business was incorporated under the name of the Reynolds Motor Car Company, with Mr. Reynolds as presi- dent, and W. L. Olsen as treasurer.
The strenuous and constant demands of an extensive business allow Mr. Rey- nolds little time for anything outside its own sphere, but he is never neglectful of the duties involved in good citizenship, and his membership in the South Nor- walk Club proves that he does not en- tirely ignore the claims of the social side of life. The career of Frank Reynolds may be epitomized in a simple but most significant sentence : He has always been an upright citizen and an honorable, suc- cessful business man.
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ELTINGE, Charles Robert, Dairy Proprietor.
Settled in New Paltz, New York, at a very early date was the Eltinge family. This family has the distinction of being the only one settled there at that time not of Huguenot origin.
(I) Jan Elten, or Eltinge, the ancestor of the family, was born in Swichsselen, Holland, a dependency of Beyle, in the province of Drenthe, July 29, 1632. He was a son of Roelif and Aaltze Elten. The time of his coming to America is not known exactly, but he was in Flatbush in 1663. His occupation at that time was
a carpenter. Soon after this time he was of New Paltz, and was one of those who signed the treaty made by the Hu- guenots and Indians in 1677. In June, 1686, in company with two others, Jan Elten bought the tract of land on which is now located the home of the Hon. Levi P. Morton. Jan Elten married, about 1677, Jacomyntze Slecht, daughter of Cornelius and Tryntje (Tyssenbos) Slecht.
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