USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 11 > Part 23
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Frederick Weld Terrill, third son of Moses Weld and Almira O. (Ferrin) Ter- rill, born April 30, 1853, in Morristown and went with the family to Middlefield when eight years old. He attended the public schools and Wilbraham Academy and assisted in the tillage of his father's farm three years. For some ten years he was employed by the American Wringer Company, and was with the Rogers Manufacturing Company, of which he is still a stockholder, until 1916, when he re- tired from active labor on account of the condition of his health. He is a trustee of the Middlefield Methodist Church, a Republican in politics, and represented the town in the General Assembly, also in the Constitutional Convention of 1892. He married, in November, 1872, Mary Ida Louise Skinner of Middlefield, born March 8, 1853, died March 19, 1903, daugh- ter of Albert and Almira (Bailey) Skin- ner. All the children of this marriage are a credit to their parents. They were : I. Ivy L., wife of Selden Johnson of Hart-
ford, now deceased. 2. Moses, of further mention. 3. Lily M., residing with her father. 4. Whitman Earl, foreman of the Collins Company, Collinsville, Connecti- cut. 5. Almira A., wife of Harrison Beamer of Hartford. 6. Paul F., adver- tising manager of the Houghton & Dut- ton Company of Boston. 7. Marie Ward, widow of Harold Cummings, now resid- ing with her father.
Moses Weld Terrill, eldest son of Fred- erick Weld Terrill, was born February 18, 1875, in Middlefield, where he attended the public schools and was later a student at Wilbraham Academy and Hacketts- town Institute, New Jersey. On attain- ing his majority he entered the employ of the Rogers Manufacturing Company, where he proceeded to learn the details of the business, under the tutelage of his uncle, Willis E. Terrill. After eight years in the shop, he became shipping clerk and, later, did clerical work in the office. In time he became the superintendent and in 1919 became treasurer and manager of the establishment. Previous to 1915 the establishment was devoted to the manufacture of bone goods and fertilizer. In the year named the fertilizer business was sold to the Rogers & Hubbard Com- pany and at the same time the latter's bone novelty business was transferred to the Rogers Manufacturing Company, which it continues. His home is in Rock- fall, and he attends the worship of the Methodist Church in Middlefield. Polit- ically he is a steadfast Republican, but is essentially a business man, with no in- clination to accept proffered public office. The record in business, in social affairs of his forebears is being continned by Mr. Terrill, and he is an esteemed citizen and straightforward business man. He has attained high degrees in the great Ma- sonic organization, is a member of St.
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John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; Cyrene Command- ery, No. 8, Knights Templar ; and Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Hartford. He is also affiliated with Apollo Lodge, No. 33, Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Terrill married, April 19, 1900, Lil- lian Eva Johnson, born in Versailles, Con- necticut, daughter of Theodore and Rose (Wilson) Johnson.
COUGHLIN, William Joseph, Attorney.
Among the leading Hibernian families of Middletown is that of Coughlin, which has been actively identified with business affairs for over half a century. John Coughlin came from County Cork, Ire- land, before 1850, and settled in Portland, Connecticut, where his son, William John Coughlin was born August 19, 1850. He grew up in that town attending the pub- lic schools until he was ten years of age, when he became an apprentice to the tin- ner's trade. After mastering this busi- ness, he was employed in the capacity of tinner for some years by the Providence and Fishkill Railroad, and in 1871 en- gaged in business in Middletown with a partner, dealing in stoves and tinware and conducting operations as a plumber. After two years he continued in business independently, and about 1888 embarked in the undertaking business on the site still occupied by his sons near the upper end of Main Street, Middletown, also con- tinuing the tinning and plumbing busi- ness until his death, which occurred De- cember 27, 1913. He married Harriet Elizabeth D'Arcy, who was born in County Queens, Ireland, and came to America when two years old with her
father, Michael D'Arcy, who settled in Middletown. He was a soldier of the Civil War and died from disease con- tracted in the army. She is still living in Middletown. The family has always been identified with St. John's Roman Catholic Parish of that city and Mr. Coughlin was active in city affairs, serving as water commissioner, and at the time of his death, was sinking fund commissioner of the city of Middletown. His sons have been and are still active in business affairs in the city.
The subject of this sketch is the eldest. His second child, Elizabeth, a graduate of Wesleyan University, and now mar- ried to William A. Redden, a practicing attorney in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They have one child, Miriam. John B. Cough- lin, the second son, married, resides in Middletown and with his brother Arthur M., conducts the business formerly of their father. Arthur M. was a student at Holy Cross College and is married. Sara F. is the wife of Dr. Gerald F. Bransfield of Middletown. Robert E., the youngest son, served in the great World War in the 165th Company, the old 69th of New York, was eighteen months in France and was slightly wounded while in the serv- ice. Henrietta D., the youngest, the wife of Louis F. Quirk, who was lieutenant in the American Army of Occupation abroad.
William Joseph Coughlin, born Octo- ber 18, 1876, in Middletown, attended the parochial school, graduated at the public high school, 1894, student at the Holy Cross College, Worcester, Massachusetts, for two years and graduated from Yale University, Department of Law, in the class of 1899. He has been engaged in the active practice of law in his native city since that time and has been active in promoting the progress of city affairs. During the years from 1905 to 1907 and
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from 1909 to 1917 he was prosecuting attorney of the City Court and from 1917 he has been clerk of the City Court and was appointed June 9, 1919 as assistant clerk of the Superior Court. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Middletown Yacht Club. On August 31, 1916, he married Eva L. Wallmo, a native of Pennsylvania. They have no children.
BLAKESLEE, Robert N., State Representative.
Although a well known business man and present State Representative, Robert N. Blakeslee made his entrance into pub- lic life through the medium of journalism and was long connected with "Bridgeport Farmer" and "Bridgeport Post." When in 1890 he left the counting room of the "Farmer" to become treasurer and assist- ant general manager of the newly formed Post Publishing Company, the "Farmer" editorially commented upon the fact that he was not required to furnish a bond, a splendid tribute to his character. He is a descendant of ancient New England an- cestors and in his own right has won honorable standing among the leading men of his city.
Robert N. Blakeslee, son of Daniel and Maria Blakeslee, was born November 9, 1856, and was educated at Hartford High School. He became a bookkeeper in the office of the "Bridgeport Post" in 1886, that paper then being edited and owned by the Hills brothers, George W. and Henry M. Later Mr. Blakeslee entered the counting room employ of the Bridge- port "Farmer," continuing until Septem- ber 15, 1891, when he became treasurer of the Post Publishing Company, a stock company formed to take over the Hills' interests and publish the "Post." The
new company consisted of George W. Hills, president; Henry M. Hills, vice- president ; Frank W. Bolande, secretary ; Robert N. Blakeslee, treasurer; all men of experience in the conduct of a news- paper. Mr. Bolande became managing editor of the "Post," Mr. Blakeslee, in addition to his duties as treasurer, becom- ing assistant general manager. The com- pany published both the "Evening Post" and the "Morning Telegram," therefore his office was no sinecure. He was very successful in securing new business for both papers and by fair treatment won the support of the business men of the city. As treasurer he ably administered the finances of the company and much of its success may justly be traced to the wis- dom and uprightness of the financial head.
In 1914 Mr. Blakeslee disposed of his interests and has since been engaged in other activities, now being head of a pros- perous trucking enterprise. He is a Re- publican in politics and has ever taken a deep interest in public affairs. In 1916 he was the candidate of his party for representative from Bridgeport and at the November polls was returned a victor. He is serving his second term as an Alder- man, representing the Fifth District.
Mr. Blakeslee married Minnie O. Nich- ols, daughter of William B. and Lucy Middlebrooks. There are two daughters and a son.
SHERMAN, Freeman Collins, Public Utility Official.
In New Haven, where Freeman Collins Sherman was for a quarter of a century officially connected with the New Haven Gas Light Company, an association ended by his retirement in 1903, he was known not only for efficient and able service in a capacity intimately touching the public
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Freeman 6. Sherman
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welfare, but for participation in civic af- fairs whose object was the promotion of the general good. There in Hartford, and in their earlier places of residence, Mrs. Sherman, who survived her husband ten years, gave of devoted service to her church and to all forms of well-doing in a spirit of selflessness and kindliness that made her beloved of all who knew her. Freeman Collins Sherman and Marcia S. Sherman walked the path of life in a union of love that found its expression in mutual helpfulness and in sharing whatever of substance came to them with others, and when death removed the strong arm upon which she had leaned and that had at times been extended to her for aid, Mrs. Sherman continued her way alone, in- creasing, if that were possible, the out- pouring of sympathy and cheer that had long been her gift to all about her.
The Sherman family is of old New England record and Cape Cod residence, and of the generation to which Freeman Collins Sherman belonged there were two or three sons who followed the sea, and another who journeyed West, where he followed ranch life. Freeman Collins Sherman was born in Ware, Massachu- setts, March 20, 1833, in the old Moss parsonage. He attended school in his birthplace and for one year pursued a course in Boston University, as a young man becoming interested in gas lighting in Ware. For one year thereafter he was connected with the same line in Newport, Rhode Island, and subsequently, for eleven years, in Brookline, Massachusetts, then pursuing the same business in Worcester, Massachusetts. From Worces- ter he came to the New Haven Gas Light Company and began twenty-five years of service that brought him to the office of superintendent, which he held until his re-
tirement April 1, 1903. Mr. Sherman was extremely well versed in all technical mat- ters dealing with gas supply as a public utility, and was regarded by his associates in this field as an expert authority. He was one of the charter members of the New England Association of Gas Engi- neers, and a member of the Society of Gas Lighting of New York, his ingenuity and resourcefulness being responsible for many forward steps in the New Haven system. He was a Republican in political faith, although never an office holder, and was a member of the Congregational Church of the Redeemer, which he joined by letter, in 1875, also belonging to the New Haven Congregational Church Club. He met all of the demands of good citi- zenship with a ready cooperation in effort for the common good, and by his fellows in business, social and fraternal life was held in unvarying regard. He affiliated with Athelston Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Worcester, Massa- chusetts.
Mr. Sherman married, in Greenwich, Massachusetts, on Thanksgiving Day, 1857, Marcia S. Douglass, born March 17, 1836, died in Hartford, December 5, 1921, daughter of Jeremiah and Eucla (New- ton) Douglass, her father a farmer of Greenwich, Massachusetts, her mother born in Paxton, that State. After the death of her husband, which occurred in New Haven, December 18, 1911, Mrs. Sherman came to Hartford, bringing her membership to Center Church, and here continuing her religious, charitable and neighborly work until she sustained the injury that resulted in her death. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman were the parents of : I. Charles Douglass, born in Brookline, Massachusetts, June 4, 1867; educated in the Polytechnic Institute of Worcester,
Conn. 11-11
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Massachusetts, after which he became assistant superintendent of the New Haven Gas Company. He now lives at the Highland Court Hotel, Hartford. 2. Edward F., born July 10, 1870; educated in the Boston Technical School, served with the Hackensack (New Jersey) Gas Light Company, the East Portland (Ore- gon) Gas Company, as superintendent, now interested in orange growing in Al- hambra, California, where his home is one of the beautiful show places of the district. He married Mrs. Florinda Lysle.
STEVENS, Burr Edward, Publisher.
In the history of the life of Burr E. Stevens is found another example of the result of industry and pertinacity in the pursuit of an aim. He was born January 20, 1875, in Russell County, Kansas, the eldest son of Frederick C. and Harriet A. (White) Stevens. The father was born in 1846, in London, England, and came to America in 1867, settling at Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he was employed as a carpenter, later as a contractor in the Howe sewing machine shops. When the Kingman colony was organized to settle in Kansas, Mr. Stevens joined it and set- tled in Russell County, that State, where he engaged in stock growing and agri- culture for a period of twenty years. A member of the same colony was Harriet A. White, born in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1859, daughter of Henry A. and Mary E. (Smith) White. She was married to Mr. Stevens in March, 1873, and came with him to Bridgeport, this State, and died there in 1916, at the age of fifty- seven years. Mr. Stevens was employed by the Post Publishing Company of Bridgeport in its mechanical department until his retirement in 1910. He died
there in 1922, aged seventy-six years. His children numbered eight sons and four daughters, of whom seven sons and three daughters grew up and are now living.
The eldest of these, Burr E. Stevens, re- ceived most of his formal education in the frontier schools of Kansas, and early turned his attention to industry. At the age of eighteen years he became an ap- prentice in the office of the Bridgeport "Post," to learn the art of printing, and his faithful attention to his duties is evidenced by his rapid advancement in the establishment. At the end of twenty- six years' service, when he left to engage in business elsewhere, he was vice-pres- ident of the Post Publishing Company, in charge of the mechanical department of the plant. From assistant foreman he was advanced to foreman, and from 1916 to 1919 was vice-president and mechanical superintendent. In the last named year he went to Middletown, and organized the Press Publishing Company, having pur- chased the plant and good will of the Mid- dletown "Press," in association with Elmer S. Hubbell, a former associate in business. A certain amount of stock was taken by Middletown merchants and others, and the history of the newspaper under new management is one of pros- perity and good will. Mr. Stevens is president of the company, Mr. Hubbell is secretary. With an able corps of edi- tors and mechanical experts, every de- partment operates with regularity, and the Middletown "Press" is one of the best representatives of its field found in the newspaper industry anywhere in the country. Outside of this establishment Mr. Stevens has investments in Western ranching, and all his interests have been acquired unaided, except by natural apti- tude, by faithful application and a con- sideration of the rights of others. He is
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found every day at his post, giving espe- cial attention to the operation of the me- chanical department of the "Press" plant.
Upon settling in Middletown, he pur- chased a home on Park Place, and began assuming his share in the social, moral and material development and progress of the town. In fact, the "Press" carries a progressive policy, and seeks to develop a spirit of enterprise in the community. Mr. Stevens is a regular attendant at the Church of the Holy Trinity, and is af- filiated with the leading fraternal bodies of the city, including St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons ; Wash- ington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar ; Columbia Council, No. 9, Royal and Select Masters; all of Mid- dletown, and Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Hartford. He is a member of Job Sahara, a club composed of Shriners, of Central Lodge, No. 12, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Priscilla Rebekah Lodge, No. 12, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and Middletown Lodge, No. 771, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Middletown Chamber of Com- merce, and Rotary Club of Middletown. Politically, his principles are those of the Republican Party, but he does not en- courage partizan preference in the selec- tion of local officials. He has dodged any political preferment offered him, and has used his best endeavors and influence to procure faithful and competent managers of public concerns. While the "Press" is outspokenly independent, it shows no partizan favor in approval of justice and condemnation of unjust or impractical measures in legislation.
Mr. Stevens was married (first), 1918, to Miss Anna M. Held, who was born in January, 1873, in New York City, daugh-
ter of John L. and Christine (Bruner) Held, died June, 1924, in Middletown, leaving a son and three daughters, namely : Ethel Mildred, Anna Marie, Ed- ward Burr, and Beatrice Harriet. Mr. Stevens married (second), August 18, 1925, in New York City, Bertha M. Schneider, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand Schneider, of Waterbury, Con- necticut.
WEEKS, Frank Bentley,
Sixty-fourth Governor of Connecticut.
The name of Weeks is one of the oldest in New England, and it is very fitting that one bearing this ancient name should occupy the highest office of the State of Connecticut, during his career. There were several immigrant ancestors of the name, all of whom left large progeny, and the name is found in the early records under a great many different spellings. The ones chiefly used now being Weeks, Weekes, and Wicks. In the early gen- erations in England it was very often spelled Wyke. According to the English authorities the Devonshire family of Weeks was descended from Robert Le Wrey, who was living in 1135, the first year of the reign of King Stephen, and was undoubtedly of Norman blood. Pre- sumably his father came into England with William the Conqueror. Late in the fourteenth century, this family had a seat in North Wyke, in Tawton Hundred, some twenty miles west of the city of Exeter.
Thomas Weeks, who came from Eng- land in 1637, is the ancestor of Frank B. Weeks, on the paternal side, and he also traces to several other distinguished fam- ilies through his maternal lines.
Honorable Frank B. Weeks was born January 20, 1854, in Brooklyn, New York.
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the son of Daniel L. and Frances M. (Ed- wards) Weeks. He attended school there and also a military academy. At the lat- ter he learned the habits of discipline that were ever useful to him in his after life. He was but a lad of thirteen years when brought by his parents to Middletown, Connecticut, and in that city he attended the high school. He also attended private and military schools. Daniel L. Weeks, his father, fully appreciated the need of equipping a young man for a business life, and he sent his son to the most famous commercial college of that day, East- man's, at Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he graduated in 1872. The young man had always taken an interest in good literature and was very well read on many subjects, so that at the age of eighteen he entered upon life with a good business education and a large fund of useful knowledge. In 1874 he became assistant to the superintendent of the Connecticut State Hospital for the Insane at Middle- town, continuing for six years. Since that time he has been a trustee of this in- stitution and is chairman of the board. In 1880 he became associated with George A. Coles in a grain and milling business, under the firm name of Coles & Weeks. This association continued for fifteen years and at the end of that time the pub- lic and private obligations of Mr. Weeks had become so great that he was obliged to give his entire attention to them.
Mr. Weeks was the Representative from Connecticut, appointed by Governor Coffin and chairman of the commission to the Cotton States Exposition at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1895. He served two years as a member of the Common Council of Middletown, and was the first President of its Board of Trade. In 1904 he was a Republican presidential elector and four years later was elected Lieutenant-Gov- ernor of Connecticut. There is only one
other man in the State who was similarly placed, and who was called upon to take the important office of chief executive at so short a notice. Governor Lilley died April 21, 1909, but previous to this time he had been in ill health and much of the responsibility and cares of the office fell on the capable shoulders of Lieutenant- Governor Weeks. He did not hesitate or attempt to shirk, but manfully shouldered the burden and the manner in which he carried on the duties of his office reflected credit, not only on himself, but also upon those who were responsible for placing him in that office. He was honored by Wesleyan University of Middletown, who conferred the degree of LL. D. upon him in 1909, and he is a trustee of that insti- tution.
Mr. Weeks is a director and president of the Middletown Savings Bank, director of the Middlesex Mutual Insurance Asso- ciation of Middletown, and president of the Walter Hubbard Realty Company of Meriden. He is a member of the Uni- versity Club of Middletown, the Repub- lican Club of New York, the New Eng- land Society of New York, the Society of Colonial Wars, and a charter member of the Middlesex County Historical Society. In 1912 and 1916 he was a delegate to the National Republican conventions.
He married, November 4, 1874, Helen Louise Hubbard, daughter of J. Warren Hubbard of Middletown. They are at- tendants of the Congregational Church.
In his business and public career Mr. Weeks has achieved much, and has shown the characteristics of a true man.
TUCKER, LeRoy Minor,
Farmer.
Among the industrious, progressive and successful farmers of the Westfield dis- trict, Mr. Tucker represents one of the
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oldest families of New England, de- scended from Robert Tucker, who was born in 1604 in England and was in Wey- mouth, Massachusetts, as early as 1635. In 1662 he removed to Milton, where he purchased one-hundred and seventeen acres consisting of several parcels and was the first town clerk of that town, serving in that capacity for several years. He represented the town in the general court, was active in church affairs and died March 11, 1682, at the age of seventy- eight years. He married Elizabeth Allen, and their third son, Benjamin Tucker, born in 1646, in Weymouth, settled at Roxbury. He was among the purchasers from the Indians of various tracts, had land in what is now Woodstock, Con- necticut, and in Spencer, Lester and Hard- wick, Massachusetts. He died, February 27, 1714, leaving an estate valued at fourteen hundred ninety-one pounds and two shillings. He married Ann, daughter of Edward and Mary (Eliot) Payson, the latter a sister of the Apostle, John Eliot. Benjamin Tucker, oldest child of Ben- jamin and Ann, born March 8, 1670, in Roxbury, inherited lands purchased by his father from the Indians, lived in Lester, where he died in 1728. He was chosen constable in 1710, but refused to serve, for which he was fined five pounds. He married (second) Elizabeth Williams of Roxbury. Their second son, Stephen Tucker, born September 23, 1705, in Rox- bury, settled in Lester and married, May 31, 1739, Hannah Parks. Their eldest son, Stephen Tucker, was born March 9, 1741, in Lester, and was probably a sea-faring man in early life. Later he settled in what is now North Madison, Connecticut, and was married in Killingworth, January 25, 1767, to Elizabeth Ward. They were undoubtedly the parents of James W. Tucker, born about 1785, who resided on
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