USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 11 > Part 29
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Mr. Nilson is a Republican in politics, and in 1907-1908 he served the city of Bridgeport as Health Commissioner. He is treasurer of the Elm Park Home, a trustee and deacon of the First Swedish Baptist Church, to which he is a liberal contributor. March 21, 1875, Mr. Nilson was married in Sweden to Augusta S. Peterson. They are the parents of three children: Ifvar, who died in infancy, in Sweden ; William, who died in 1907 at the age of thirty-three ; and Jacob, who is vice- president of the A. H. Nilson Machine Company and treasurer of the General
Machine and Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport.
SMITH, Edward Arthur, Manufacturer.
As responsible manager of the J. O. Smith Manufacturing Company, Mr. Smith has built up and extended the busi- ness beyond any previous record. His great-grandfather, John Smith, lived at Belston, a suburb of Birmingham, Eng- land, and was a jappaner by trade. In 1825 he removed with his family to New York City, where he engaged in business and was the first japanner in America. This gave him some distinction, and he was accustomed to sign himself "John Smith, Japanner." In 1826 he purchased from Nathaniel Bacon an apple brandy distillery in Westfield (Middletown), and this was soon turned into a japan factory. It is still standing on the property occu- pied by his descendants. He was born July 28, 1791, and died in Westfield, No- vember 20, 1859. His body was the first interred in the Miner Cemetery. He mar- ried Ann, a daughter of John Owen, who accompanied him to America. They had one son and three daughters.
James Owen Smith, only son of John and Ann, was born May 1, 1813, at Bir- mingham, England, and was twelve years old when he came to America. When eight years old he left school and began to assist his father, with whom he con- tinued until attaining his majority. By attending night school in New York, he extended his knowledge, and was known as a most intelligent and well-informed man, skillful in his work and successful in business. When about forty years old he purchased his father's business in New York and soon after, the plant in West- field, and conducted both. For some time
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he resided in Westfield and, from 1863 to 1873, in New York, returning to West- field to give entire attention to operation of the plant there. In 1874 a fire swept away all the buildings except the old distillery, but they were immediately re- built of brick and much more substanti- ally. In 1878 the business was incorpo- rated under its present title, with James O. Smith as president. He died in New York, October 20, 1880, at the age of sixty-seven years. A man of progressive ideas, he favored a liberal policy in edu- cation and every movement calculated to advance the race. During his early years in the town, he served as selectman but did not care for official station. He was independent of party direction, and in- sisted on capability in candidates for office, as a requisite for his vote. While in New York, he affiliated with the Anglican Church. His wife, Mary Ann Smith, was born May 12, 1807, at Corn- wall, New York, daughter of Michael Smith, granddaughter of Michael Smith, born in 1750, a soldier of the Revolution and a colonel in charge of the fortifica- tions of New York in the war of 1812. Michael Smith, Jr., was born in 1783, and died October 10, 1876, in Westfield. Mary Ann Smith, wife of James O., died April 8, 1900, in New York, and was buried be- side her husband in Miner Cemetery.
Alfred Owen Smith, eldest child of James O. and Mary Ann, was born June 20, 1836, in New York, and was a small boy when he accompanied his parents to Westfield. He was educated in the Mid- dletown public schools and in the school of Daniel H. Chase, one of the most famous of its time. He early turned his attention to the business of the J. O. Smith Manufacturing Company, was its president from 1880 until his death, which occurred July 3, 1893. His system of
bookkeeping is still in use by the estab- lishment. He was a member of the Church of the Holy Trinity, of which he was for many years a vestryman ; was a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons; of Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; and a charter member and past commander of Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar. In politics Mr. Smith was a Democrat, and while he did not seek political preferment, as a matter of civil duty, he served as first selectman of Mid- dletown. He married, May 6, 1858, Ellen E. Wilcox, who was born in South Farms, daughter of Gustavus Vasa and Huldah (Spencer) Wilcox. Gustavus V. Wilcox was baptized in June, 1797, at the East Guilford Church, resided in Madison in early life, subsequently engaged in farm- ing in the town of Middletown, where he died June 10, 1858. He married (first) January 26, 1823, Lucy Lee, of Middle- town, who died about ten years later. As early as June 30, 1836, Huldah Spencer was his wife; on that date she was ad- mitted to the First Church of Middletown. She married (second), November 23, 1862, Charles Hurlburt.
Edward Arthur Smith was born in Mid- dletown and was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, New York, and of Hudson in that State, and Meriden, Con- necticut. He was also a student at the Russell Military Academy of New Haven. In 1887 he was graduated from Yale Uni- versity with the degree of Ph. B. He early turned his attention to business and was employed by N. C. Stiles and the Stiles and Parker Press Company, of Brooklyn, and the E. W. Bliss Company of Brook- lyn, which made the Wade torpedo. The first torpedo was produced in 1893. Soon after, he entered the employ of the J. O. Smith Company, of which he was made
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secretary in 1894, and treasurer in 1905. The active management of the business is in his hands and as before stated, it has grown under his management.
He is connected with St. John's Lodge, Washington Chapter; Columbia Counsel No. 9, Royal and Select Masters; Cyrene Commandery, and through the York Rite he is a member of Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Hartford. He is also a member of Westfield Grange No. 50, Patrons of Hus- bandry, in which he has filled all the im- portant positions, and is a director of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Savings Bank. He is a member of the Church of the Holy Trinity, and of the church club of the diocese. Politically he is a Republican of independent tendencies, but he has never desired to fill a public station. In his community he seeks to serve the best in- terests and long served on the school board of the district, of which he was treasurer.
Mr. Smith married, June, 1894, Lottie S. Weir, who was born in Westfield, daughter of James and Ann Weir, the former a native of Canada and the latter of England. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of two daughters, Madeline Irene, and Marjorie. The elder is a graduate of the Middletown High School, and the lat- ter of the Willimantic Normal School.
PENFIELD, George Huber, Agriculturist.
Among the best known and appreciated citizens of the town of Portland, Mr. Pen- field was a descendant of one of the earli- est families of that town. The founder of the family in this country was Samuel Penfield, who was in Lynn in 1650. Pos- sibly he was the father of Samuel Pen- field who was married in Lynn, Novem-
ber 30, 1675, to Mary Lewis, who was born in January, 1653, in Charlestown, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Mary (Brown) Lewis. They had two children recorded in Lynn, and before 1680 he removed to Rehoboth where two children were born. After May, 1683, he removed to Bristol, Rhode Island, and in 1688 was living in that town with his wife and five children. Three of the chil- dren of his first wife were born in that town, the first in 1685 and the last in 1689. His second wife, Ann, was the mother of twin daughters born in Bristol in 1692, and his third wife, Mary, bore him a son, Benjamin, in 1696. No record of his death appears in Bristol. His second son, John Penfield, born May 31, 1683, in Rehoboth, was attracted as a young man to the new settlement at Lebanon, Connecticut, but did not long remain there, removing soon after to East Middletown, later Chatham, now Portland, and settled in the locality in the latter town still known as Penfield Hill. He married, April 9, 1714, in Middletown, Ann Cornwall, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Clark) Cornwall, granddaughter of William Cornwall, foun- der of a large family, mentioned at length elsewhere in this work. Their second son, Colonel John Penfield, born May 14, 1721, was a prominent citizen of Portland in his day and died February 22, 1797. His wife, Ruth, died July 17, 1794, in her fifty-eighth year. Their fourth son, John Penfield, born July 25, 1767, was a farmer occupying the paternal homestead where he died December 1, 1829. He was an act- ive man in the church and in town affairs fulfilling the traditions of his family. He married, February 27, 1797, Jane Stewart, born December 1, 1769, died July 23, 1827 ; both were buried in the Center Cemetery. Their eldest son, Hiram A. Penfield, born December 25, 1802, on Penfield Hill, was a
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student in the neighboring district school which occupied a different site than that of the present Penfield Hill School. He was studious and blessed with mental forces. He began teaching school at the age of eighteen years and continued very successful in that calling for several years, enjoying a high reputation as a disciplin- arian. He acquired the rank of captain, serving in this capacity in the State Mili- tia. After his marriage he rented the farm of Reuben Payne and about 1830 pur- chased from his uncle, Jonathan Penfield, the farm which was subsequently occu- pied by his son, George H. Penfield. He erected a substantial residence and other farm buildings which stood until burned in 1922, a testimonial to the honest in- dustry of the day. He was universally esteemed by his contemporaries as a ca- pable and reliable man; was a staunch Democrat in political principle and filled many offices in the town including those of selectman and assessor. He declined to be a candidate for representative in the Legislature. A man of commanding presence and sound mind, he was fre- quently called upon to settle large estates. He died December 19, 1872. He married, December 25, 1828, Sarah Parmelee Mc- Nary, born May 22, 1798, in Middle Had- dam, died February 28, 1882, daughter of Morris and Sarah (Doan) McNary. Mor- ris McNary, born September 8, 1765, in Northern Ireland, was a representative of the sturdy Scotch element known as Scotch-Irish which has contributed great- ly to the development of the United States.
George Huber Penfield, youngest child of Hiram A. and Sarah P. Penfield, was born March 19, 1838, on Penfield Hill and was reared under the conditions common to rural life in his time, early sharing in the labors of the paternal homestead. He attended the district school of the neigh-
borhood and in his earlier years received instruction from Harrison Whitcomb, a well known teacher of the time. He con- tinued on the homestead which came into his possession on the death of his father and continued to reside there until his own death which occurred October 22, 1917, in his eightieth year. Like his father he adhered to the policies of the Demo- cratic party which was usually in the minority in his home town. He was active in support of his principles and was defeated for the office of selectman in 1899 by only four votes, which majority would have been less had he voted for himself. On another occasion he was de- feated for representative in the Legis- lature by thirteen votes. He was among the most faithful members of Christ (Episcopal) Church at Cobalt which he served many years as warden and vestry- man, and was considered one of the lead- ing men of the parish. His home was one of the finest country residences in the county and his genial and hospitable nature made it a pleasant abiding place for any who came that way. An industri- ous and prosperous farmer, a man of unswerving integrity, he enjoyed the con- fidence and esteem of his contemporaries and his death was widely regretted. Mr. Penfield married, January 23, 1862, Al- mira Griffith Bailey of Chatham, Con- necticut, who was born October 11, 1840, daughter of Seth and Phila (Purple) Bailey, died December 1, 1889. She was the mother of three children: Mary Ada- line, the eldest, now deceased, was the wife of George M. Taylor, formerly of Portland, now a builder in Hartford; Sarah Doan, became the wife of William H. Rouse of Portland, and is now de- ceased, and the third, Walter Hiram, is the subject of the following biography.
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PENFIELD, Walter Hiram, Manufacturer.
A son of the late George H. Penfield and Almira G. (Bailey) Penfield, born February 4, 1873, on Penfield Hill, Port- land, Connecticut, the subject of this sketch, has developed much executive abil- ity and enjoys the confidence and respect of a wide circle of friends. Like other sons of farmers of the district, he received early training in making himself useful and in diligent pursuit of duty. The district school of the section afforded him early instruction, and he graduated from the three years' course at Gildersleeve High School in Portland at the age of sixteen years. Desirous of pursuing a business life, in April, 1890, he entered the employ of The Shaler & Hall Quarry Company, subsequently The Brainerd, Shaler & Hall Quarry Company as office boy. Here he continued nearly twelve years earning frequent promotions and gaining an extensive knowledge of busi- ness methods. During the three winter seasons preceding 1901, owing to the in- activity of the quarry industry, he was temporarily employed in Hartford, Con- necticut, by The Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, returning to his position with the Quarry Company during the summers. In December, 1901, he again entered the employ of The Colt's Patent Fireams Manufacturing Company and has been continuously connected with that world known organization since that date. Beginning as an invoice clerk he became successively assistant treasurer in 1909, treasurer in 1911, vice-president and treasurer in 1919, director in 1921, and holds the last three mentioned offices at the present time. He is also treasurer and director of the Johns-Pratt Company of Hartford, and a director of the Middlesex Hospital in Middletown.
Faithfulness, promptness and continued industry gained the esteem and confidence of those associated with him and his rapid progress has been well earned. During his extended business connection in Hart- ford he has retained his residence in his native town and is esteemed as a progres- sive and useful citizen. For many years he served as town auditor and town treas- urer, has been a consistent supporter of Republican principles in Government and attends divine service at Trinity Episco- pal Church. He is a member of Warren Lodge, No. 51, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Portland, having served in various offices and as its master in 1914; of the York Rite bodies of Middletown; the Scottish Rite bodies of Hartford ; the Connecticut Consistory of Norwich and Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of Hartford. He also holds membership in the follow- ing organizations : The Hartford Club, of Hartford; The Portland Club, Portland Board of Trade, Freestone Building Com- pany, Hemlock Grange Patrons of Hus- bandry, of Portland ; and the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. Of genial nature and affable manners, Mr. Penfield easily gains and holds lasting friendships.
He married, June 10, 1896, Bessie Pick- ering Pascall, daughter of Richard H. Pascall of Portland (q. v.). Mr. and Mrs. Penfield are the parents of two children, namely: Richard Pascall, born March 9, 1900, and Marion Almira, born September 25, 1901.
RILEY, William J.,
Executive.
One of the progressive citizens of Hartford, Connecticut, who has won his success through intelligently directed ef- fort, is William J. Riley, treasurer of the
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Hartford Lumber Company of that city. Mr. Riley was born January 17, 1880, in New Canaan, Connecticut, son of Stephen and Julia (Egan) Riley and grandson of Patrick Riley of Ireland. The latter grew to manhood in his native country and then came to America where he located in Sheffield, Massachusetts. There he took a sub-contract to build a section of the Cen- tral New England Railroad which proved a very unprofitable venture and Mr. Riley lost a large amount of money. Soon after this time he removed to New Canaan where he engaged in agricultural pursuits and where his death occurred.
Stephen Riley, son of Patrick Riley, was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and died at New Canaan, in 1918, aged sixty- four years. Mr. Riley grew to manhood on the homestead and soon learned to help his father in the railroad work. After the failure of the contract, he went to work on the railroad as a brakeman and later as a fireman, from which he was ad- vanced to engineer. For many years he was on the Central New England Rail- road and at the time of his death was the oldest engineer in point of service on the road. Mr. Riley was very active in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and was Chief Engineer of the local or- ganization for years and often served as delegate to conventions of the order. He was a member of the Knights of Colum- bus in Winsted and from 1897 until his death was a resident of Hartford. Mr. Riley married Julia, daughter of Patrick Egan, born in Ballykeefe, Kilkenny, Ire- land, and they were the parents of five children : William J., of further mention ; Elizabeth A., wife of Junius H. Hale of Hartford ; Mary Luella ; Catherine ; Helen Margaret. The family attends St. Joseph's Church.
William J. Riley attended the schools
of New Canaan and came to Hartford with his parents in 1897. He entered the employ of the Plimpton Manufacturing Company but after a few months there Mr. Riley perceived the necessity of equip- ping himself to meet the requirements of business and he entered Morse Business College. After completing the course there he secured a position with the Hart- ford Lumber Company as stenographer and assistant bookkeeper.
By attention to the detail of the busi- ness and faithful performance of his duties Mr. Riley rapidly progressed; he was made manager in 1907 and five years later was appointed treasurer of the company which office he now holds. He has been a director of the Retail Lumber Dealers' Association since 1917 and was vice- president of this organization in 1919 and 1920, now holding the office of president.
Mr. Riley is Past Grand Knight of Charter Oak Council, No. 19, Knights of Columbus and is now a member of Hart- ford Council, No. II. He married Cath- erine Elizabeth, daughter of Michael and Margaret (Martin) Connor and they are the parents of four children : I. Laurence Stephen, born July 20, 1913. 2. William J., Jr., born January 30, 1915. 3. Margaret Connor, born October 23, 1916. 4. Ste- phen, born April 18, 1919. With his fam- ily Mr. Riley attends St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church of Hartford and con- tributes to its support.
PLUM, Elihu Henry,
Agriculturist.
The Plum family was early in Middle- town, and its members have intermarried with many of the leading pioneer families. The progressive farmer, whose name heads this article was born August 8, 1877, in the house where he now resides,
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near the crown of the hill on East Street, Westfield, the son of Loren and Charlotte (Roberts) Plum.
John Plum (Plume, Plumb, etc.), born about 1603, undoubtedly in England, set- tled at Saybrook, Connecticut ; he married, 1615, name of wife unknown; she died after 1650. He was a citizen of Wethers- field September 1, 1636, and member of the church there in 1637. In the same year he was a soldier of the Pequot War. In 1644 he sold out thirteen parcels of land, ranging from two to two hundred and four acres and including two houses, and removed to Branford, where he died in 1648. His third son, Robert Plum, was born 1618, and was among the original settlers of Milford, Connecticut, where he died after 1704. He married, January 9, 1642, Mary Baldwin, born April 22, 1621, died May 12, 1655. Their eldest son, John Plum, born July 12, 1646, lived at Milford and died in March, 1728. He married, November 24, 1668, Elizabeth Norton, and their son, Benoni Plum, born about 1687, lived in Milford, where he died about 1744. He married, in Novem- ber, 1709, Dorothy Cole, and their eldest child, Samuel Plum, born August 18, 1710, died July 15, 1794. He married, January 2, 1735, Patience Ward, daughter of John and Margaret Ward of Middletown, and their second son, Aaron Plum, was born March 9, 1739. He was a farmer in the Westfield section of Middletown, where he died August 4, 1813. He married, Jan- uary 25, 1776, Mary Cornmall, who was born November 4, 1746, daughter of Elisha and Ann (Johnson) Cornmall, died Au- gust 24, 1813. Elihu Plum, third son of Aaron and Mary, was born September 30, 1793, and engaged in agriculture in Westfield with success. He attended re- ligious services at the Baptist Church. He married, October 1, 1817, Lucy Paddock,
who was born December 30, 1797, daugh- ter of Robert and Martha (Loveland) Paddock of Middletown.
The well-known Paddock family is among the oldest in New England, founded by Robert Paddock, who was in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as early as 1643 and prob- ably earlier, and died July 25, 1650, in Dux- bury. His second son, Zechariah Paddock, born March 20, 1636, lived in that part of Barnstable now Yarmouth, Massachusetts, where he died May 1, 1727. He married Deborah Sears, daughter of Richard Sears, who had a wife Dorothy, and lived early in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Deborah Sears was born there in September, 1639, and died August 17, 1732, "lacking about a month of being ninety-three years old." She was admitted to the Second Church of Yar- mouth by letter from the First Church, August 6, 1727. They left forty-eight grandchildren and thirty-eight great- grandchildren, thirty of the latter de- scendants of their second son, Zechariah. Their fourth son, Robert Paddock, was born January 7, 1670, and lived in Yar- mouth. There he married, March 6, 1702, Martha Hall, born May 24, 1676, daugh- ter of John and Priscilla (Pearce) Hall. Seth Paddock, second son of Robert and Martha, was born March 13, 1705, in Yar- mouth, and married there, April 13, 1727, Mercy Nickerson, who was born Novem- ber 22, 1706, daughter of John and Eliza- beth Nickerson of that town.
Zachariah Paddock, son of Seth and Mercy (Nickerson) Paddock, born 1728, was the first of the family in Middletown, where he settled as early as 1751. It is evident that he was a mechanic, for his first purchase of land included only one- fourth acre, for which he paid three hun- dred pounds; it was deeded by Samuel Warner, Sr., dated July 24, 1751. He sub- sequently purchased two other parcels
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from Andrew Bacon, amounting to nearly forty-seven square rods. He died in Mid- dletown May 13, 1800, in his seventy- second year. He married Hannah Smith, born on Long Island, whose mother, Han- nah, was married (second) to John Bird- sey of what is now Middlefield. Robert Paddock, son of Zachariah and Hannah, was born November 10, 1760, in Middle- town, and died there January 30, 1844. He married, May 5, 1785, Martha Love- land, born July 4, 1767, died January II, 1854. They were the parents of Lucy Paddock, wife of Elihu Plum.
Henry Loveland Plum, the son of Elihu and Martha (Loveland) Plum, was born November 26, 1823, in Westfield, and fol- lowed farming on the paternal homestead, living in the house-now nearly two hun- dred years old-nearly opposite the pres- ent home of his widow and his grandson, Elihu H. Plum. There he died August 24, 1863. He married, October 1, 1845, Lucy Ann Coe, descendant of an ancient and honored Connecticut family, traced to an early period of English history :
John Coe, of Gestingthorpe, County Essex, Eng- land, born about 1340, in that town in the reign of Edward III. In 1412, when about seventy years old, he settled his affairs, dying in the the follow- ing year. He was the father of John Coo, as the name was then spelled, born about 1375, died in 1425. His wife's baptismal name was Eleanor, and they were the parents of John Coo, born about 1400, lived at Gestingthorpe, and died after 1448. His son, Thomas, born about 1430, died in 1507, and was the father of John Coe, born about 1460, will proved in 1520, at Gestingthorpe. He mar- ried Joane, daughter of Thomas Golding, and was the father of John Coe, born about 1495, died in 1533, at Gestingthorpe. His wife, Margaret, was the mother of John Coe, born in 1523, lived at Maplestead and Wiston, married Dorothy. Their youngest son, Henry Coe, born in 1565, lived at Thorpe-Morieux, died in 1631. His wife, Mary, died the same year.
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