USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 11 > Part 32
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Henry Billings Reynolds, eldest child of Jonathan and Susanna (Billings) Rey- nolds, was born October 19, 1796, in Preston, was a teacher in early life and also went to sea as supercargo. In 1830 he settled on a large farm on Brown Hill in Lyme, where he continued nine years, after which he purchased another farm which he tilled until 1854. He died De- cember 17, 1876, in Lyme. He was a member of the North Lyme Baptist Church and an exemplary and useful citizen. He married, March 27, 1825, Mandana Merriss, born February 4, 1808, daughter of John and Eliza Merriss. She died April 25, 1871. They were the par- ents of Ephraim Otis Reynolds, who was born July 29, 1837, in Lyme and was edu-
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cated in the local public schools and Con- necticut Literary Institute at Suffield. At the age of eighteen years he engaged with an uncle at North Stonington, to learn the art of carriage building. In 1857 he lo- cated at the village of Hamburg, in the town of Lyme, where he continued in the business of building carriages and wagons for a period of thirty-five years. This he sold out in 1893 and thereafter conducted a general store in Lyme until his retire- ment in 1908. From this time he resided in the town of Essex, where he died May 26, 1916. He married Aurelia Hayden, a native of Hamburg.
Wilson S. Reynolds, third son of Eph- raim O. and Aurelia (Hayden) Reynolds, was born June 10, 1864, in Lyme, and has long been an influential citizen of Middle- sex County, especially active in political councils, a leader in the Republican party. His education was begun in the public schools near his birthplace and he was later a student at the Connecticut Literary Institute, like his father before him. As a youth he was accustomed to assist in the shops of his father and he almost un- consciously acquired a thorough knowl- edge of the details of the work and busi- ness. Before attaining his majority he spent four years in operating a sawmill in Lyme. In 1886 he moved to Middle- town and was there employed as a jour- neyman carriage builder by J. B. Evans. Eight years later he returned to Lyme and was engaged in agriculture for a period of three years. In 1897 he again located in Middletown, where he has since been active in business, with the success natur- ally accruing to one of his industry and enterprise. He operated a shop where wagons and carriages were built and re- HUBBARD, Robert Paddock, Agriculturist. paired, and which was several times en- larged. In 1905, when the automobile had come into general use, he turned his at- The ancestry of Mr. Hubbard is a long tention to handling this modern vehicle, and noteworthy one, beginning in Con-
this necessitating further enlargement of his space and equipment for handling and repairing. A department for horse-drawn vehicles is still maintained, and the agency for some of the best makes of motor ve- hicles is operated, as well as a large re- pairing plant. The continual growth of the business testifies to his good manage- ment and fair business methods. While actively pursuing his own business, Mr. Reynolds has not failed to keep abreast of the times, and to perform his share in maintaining the best interests of the com- munity. He is a charter member of Mid- dletown Lodge, No. 771, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is also a member of Central Lodge, No. 12, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; and Apollo Lodge, No. 35, Knights of Pythias. He has been for several years a member of the Middletown Volunteer Fire Depart- ment, and has performed something of his public duty as a member of the city coun- cil of Middletown, in which he served two years. He is a member of the State Cen- tral Committee of the Republican party, active and influential in its councils, and was alternate delegate to the National Convention at Chicago in 1920, which placed in nomination the late Warren G. Harding for the office of president.
Mr. Reynolds was married, September 27, 1888, to May Belle Warner, who was born July 14, 1867, third daughter of Zebulon Brockway and Harriet Miranda . (LaPlace) Warner of Lyme. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are the parents of two daughters, Hester Wilson and Helen Wal- lace. The elder daughter is a capable assistant in the office of her father.
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necticut annals with George Hubbard who settled in Hartford as early as 1639, and since including many pioneer fam- ilies and leading citizens down through the generations. In the paternal line, he belongs to a family noted for stalwart men, both physically and mentally, men of sound judgment, industrious and suc- cessful, contributors to the general wel- fare of the community, and respected by their contemporaries. His maternal an- cestors may well be included in the same class. As shown elsewhere, intermar- riages since the first settlement of Mid- dletown have brought to Mr. Hubbard the inheritance of many valuable qualities and made him a leader among his fellows. Among the pioneer names still or recently well known in Middletown, in this list, are those of Miller, Roberts, Stocking, Sears, Hedges, Tryon, Crowell, Hubbard (sev- eral lines), Wetmore, Hall, Savage, Corn- wall, Bacon and Paddock. His mother, Julia Ann Paddock, was descended from Robert Paddock, who was in Plymouth, Massachusetts, as early as 1643, and prob- ably earlier (see Bacon, L. P., for ex- tended history of the generations). Rob- ert Paddock was the father of Zachariah Paddock, born March 20, 1636, died in Yarmouth, 1727. His son, Robert Pad- dock, born January 17, 1670, lived in Yar- mouth, married Martha Hall, and they were parents of Seth Paddock, born 1705 in Yarmouth, married Mercy Nickerson and lived in that town. Zachariah Pad- dock, son of Seth and Mercy, born 1728, was the first of the family in Middletown, where he bought a lot in 1751. His sixth son, George Paddock, born in Mid- dletown, was one of the founders of the South Church, owner of much city property, and a pioneer settler in Herki- mer County, New York, and other sec- tions of the Empire State. He married
Mary Wetmore, second daughter of Cap- tain John and Mercy (Bacon) Wetmore, born May 12, 1771, and they had fourteen children. The fourth son and eighth child was Robert Paddock, a prominent citizen of Middletown, who married, May 5, 1785, Martha Loveland, born July 4, 1767, baptized July 12, 1767, daughter of John and Susan. Their youngest and sixth daughter, Julia Ann, born April 12, 1812, on South Main Street, Middletown, became the wife of Hon. Alfred Hubbard.
Robert P. Hubbard, fourth son of Al- fred and Julia A. (Paddock) Hubbard, was born March 6, 1847, in the brick house on West Long Hill, now occupied as a residence by his brother, Frank C. Hub- bard. The district school of the neigh- borhood supplied his early education, and he attended the private school of Daniel H. Chase in Middletown during one win- ter, while farm labor was partially sus- pended. Later he was a student at the famous Eastman's Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York, from which he was graduated in 1866. He now deter- mined to engage in some independent occupation and his father, noting this, presented him with ten acres of land. On this small tract he set to work, and his industry and determination brought him further encouragement from relatives. He was soon able to purchase more land from his father, and by purchase and ulti- mate inheritance he became the possessor of one hundred acres of very desirable land on West Long Hill, where he contin- ues to reside and is one of the most active men of his age to be found anywhere.
In his long and busy career he has cul- tivated a variety of crops, and otherwise demonstrated his shrewdness and alert- ness. In his early experience he gave considerable attention to sheep raising, and had a flock of one hundred and fifty
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animals. He also made a business of buy- ing and fattening calves for market. For many years he cultivated tobacco and has produced much sweet corn for seed. One who visits his fine farm is apt to find him busily engaged in the regular labors of agriculture, and will also find him an in- telligent observor of events, well informed on leading questions of the day. In 1871 he constructed barns which were burned in 1893, causing a loss of three thousand dollars. These have been rebuilt and, in 1890, he erected a handsome modern house which is supplied with all conveniences. From a spring on the hillside near his home, water is supplied to house and barn, as well as tenant houses, supplying three families. His orchards include de- sirable small fruits, as well as peaches and apples. Mr. Hubbard is a charter mem- ber of Mattabessett Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, of which his late wife was a member, and affiliates, as she did, with the South Congregational Church of Mid- dletown. In politics he usually supports Democratic principles, but is independent of party dictation and supported both Roosevelt and Harding for the presidency. Not a seeker for political preferment, he has consented to serve his town as a mat- ter of civic duty, and has acted as select- man and assessor, also on a committee of four in appraising public property.
Mr. Hubbard married, November 4, 1875, Margaret Stewart Kelsey, who was born December 7, 1852, in Middletown, daughter of Lewis L. and Caroline A. (Camfield) Kelsey. Mrs. Hubbard passed away May 20, 1920. She was the mother of four children, namely : Lewis Kelsey, died of typhoid fever while pursuing a course at Cornell University ; Alfred, an unfortunate invalid; Julia Augusta and Caroline Kelsey, the filial companions of an honored father.
Conn. 11-15
PATTEN, D. Walter,
Scientific Agriculturist.
The strength of Connecticut rests on its devoted and dependable citizens of to- day, who are in many cases born of fine old New England families long ago estab- lished in the same traditions of public service. This is true of D. Walter Patten, His grandfather, David Patten, was born October 20, 1775, at Mottville, Connecti- cut, and died in Salem, Connecticut, July 19, 1857. He married, January 6, 1805, Francis Dodge, born March 4, 1784, died April 17, 1861, and they were the parents of six children : I. David G. Patten, born December 10, 1805. 2. Francis C. Patten, born August 24, 1808. 3. Sally, born De- cember 9, 1810. 4. John, born January 26, 1815. 5. Lucy Jane, born January 5, 1818. 6. Daniel A., born May 25, 1823. The youngest of these, Daniel A. Patten, was a member of the Congregational Church, a Republican in politics, selectman for a term in North Haven. He married Mary Belcher Hyde, of Lyme, born October 30, 1835, died December 17, 1904, daughter of William Hyde, Congregational minister at Westbrook, and his wife, Martha Sock- ett Hyde. Daniel A. Patten died July 26, 1887. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this biographical record is one: Henry W. Patten, born in Greenwich, Connecticut, June 14, 1860 ; David Walter, born Febru- ary 7, 1862, of further mention ; Fanny Patten, born January 28, 1865, died young ; Lillian W. and Marion T., born October 17, 1870, and still surviving.
David Walter Patten was born in North Haven, Connecticut. He acquired his education in North Haven, at the private school of Miss Eunice Linsley, and at Bacon Academy in Colchester. For a time he taught at General Russell's school.
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He then completed his education at Shef- field Scientific school, of Yale University, graduating with the class of 1887. Most of his business life was connected with farming and fruit growing. He was a member of the General Association, 1899; member of the State Board of Agricul- ture ; of the State Pomological Society ; of the State Dairy Association. Later he was first selectman, and town agent for twenty-five years. For one term also he was representative and clerk of the committee of incorporations. Mr. Pat- ten was a Mason, a member of the Republican Club, a charter member of the North Haven Grange. Like most of his family, he is of the Congregationalist faith, being a member of the First Con- gregational Church, of North Haven.
D. Walter Patten married, October 16, 1889, in North Haven, Erminie I. Emley, born in East Haddam, Connecticut, Feb- ruary 1, 1867, who survives her husband. She is the daughter of George I. and Martha (Chapman) Emley. Her father, born July 14, 1841, died February 28, 1921, and fought for four years during the Civil War with the Tenth Connecticut Volun- teers. Her mother died May 20, 1908, at the age of fifty-two. Mr. and Mrs. Patton were the parents of children: I. Edna I., born October 23, 1890, educated in the North Haven public and high schools, with normal training at New Britain Normal School, who taught at the Patton School in Middletown for three years; now married to Ivan H. Bradley. 2. Mabel S., born October 30, 1893, now Mrs. Dan Edward Parmlee. 3. Martha A. Patten, born December 13, 1899, educated in the North Haven public and high schools, employed by the Security Insurance Com- pany of New Haven, married, June 7, 1924, to Mr. Erik A. Hillborn of Walling- ford, Connecticut, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Wallingford.
Mr. Patten died November 19, 1921. A man well-informed in his chosen field of scientific agriculture and its allied sub- jects, he devoted all his ability and train- ing to the public, and much of the pros- perity of the Connecticut farmer today is due to his efforts. A kindly, generous, man, he was loved by all with whom he came in contact, and he left a host of devoted friends and fellow citizens.
STODDARD, Orrin Edwin, Grain Merchant.
A descendant of Revolutionary ancestry and a veteran of the Civil War, Orrin E. Stoddard embodied the best elements of American citizenship. The family of Stoddard has been traced to the time of William the Conqueror, and was ancient- ly written "de la Standard." When the Normans invaded England, under Wil- liam, his cousin, William Stoddard, ac- companied him. The coat-of-arms of the family are:
Arms-Sable, three estoiles and bordure gules. Crest-Out of a ducal coronet a demi-horse salient ermine.
Motto-Festina lente.
As early as 1490 the family had an estate of about four hundred acres near Elthan in Kent about seven miles from London Bridge, and continued to hold it until the death of Nicholas Stod- dard, a bachelor, in 1765. The first of the name in America was Anthony Stoddard, who came from England to Boston about 1639, was admitted freeman the follow- ing year and was representative twenty- three years, twenty years successively, from 1665 to 1684.
John Stoddard, born 1612, came to Hing- ham, Massachusetts, in 1638, was at New London, Connecticut, as early as 1650, and died 1676, leaving a widow (who later
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Orino b STodara
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
married John Thompson) and sons, Rob- ert, Ralph, and Thomas. The son Robert born 1652, was living in that part of New London now Groton, in 1712. He mar- ried Mary Mortimer, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Mortimer of New London, where Thomas Mortimer was constable in 1680, and died March 11, 1710. Robert Stoddard (2) son of Robert Stoddard (I) born 1700, baptized August 8, 1703, and lived in Groton. He married, December 21, 1727, Bathsheba Rogers, born March I, 1708, in New London, died there, Feb- ruary 17, 1753, daughter of John and Bathsheba (Smith) Rogers, granddaugh- ter of John and Elizabeth (Griswold) Rogers, great-granddaughter of James Rogers, patriarch of a most numerous pioneer family.
Mark Stoddard, fifth son of Robert and Bathsheba (Rogers) Stoddard, was born October 10, 1743, in Groton, where he made his home. He was among the de- fenders of his country in the Revolution, serving as sergeant in the roth Company (Captain Abel Spicer), 6th Regiment (Colonel Samuel Holden Parsons) from May 8 to December 18, 1775, and par- ticipating in the battle of Bunker Hill. He married, December 9, 1767, Lucy Al- lyn, born January 30, 1748, fourth daugh- ter of Samuel and Hannah (Avery) Al- lyn, died July 29, 1831 ; granddaughter of Robert and Deborah (Avery) Allyn, and of Samuel and Elizabeth (Ransford) Avery. Stephen Stoddard, son of Mark and Lucy (Allyn) Stoddard, was born March 18, 1788, in Groton, in which town he was a farmer, member of the Congre- gational Church and served in various town offices. He married, in 1810, Sarah Morgan, born July 21, 1788, a daughter of Stephen and Parthenia (Parke) Mor- gan. Both Stephen Stoddard and his wife lived to a great age. They were the par-
ents of Stephen Morgan Stoddard, born April 21, 1811, in Groton. In early life he was a whaler, later settled down to farming in Ledyard, which was set off from Groton in 1836. There he died in 1880. He married, in 1838, Henrietta Al- lyn, born 1811-12, daughter of Roger and Henrietta (Morgan) Allyn, died at the age of seventy-five years.
Orrin Edwin Stoddard, second son of Stephen M. and Henrietta (Allyn) Stod- dard, was born July 9, 1843, in Ledyard, and died in Middletown, June 27, 1920. He grew up on the paternal farm and at- tended the local public school until eight- een years of age, when he laid aside home duties to go to the defense of his country's integrity. In October, 1861, he enlisted and became a member of Company K, 12th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, and spent two years in Louisiana, on the Mississippi and Red Rivers. He was among the brave and persistent ones who captured Port Hudson after one of the most sanguine battles of the war. Sub- sequently he was with General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, where he was made a prisoner by the Confederate forces. After a short incarceration in the notorious Libby Prison and at Salisbury, North Carolina, he was paroled. This prevented further activity on his part, but he was promoted lieutenant for bravery exhibited on the field of battle. He was discharged from military service May 3, 1865, and returned to his native town. Soon after he went to California and en- gaged in wheat raising in Contra Costa County, twenty miles from the present city of Oakland, where he continued four years. Returning to Connecticut, he was employed two years in a factory in Hartford. In 1871 Mr. Stoddard be- came a resident of Middletown, where he continued many years very actively
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engaged in business as a partner of George T. Meech, under the name of Meech & Stoddard. This business was, in time, incorporated and is still among the most successful enterprises of the city. The industry and sound business principles of the partners caused the busi- ness to grow, and Mr. Stoddard contin- ued an active factor in its progress until his retirement on account of impaired health in 1903. For many years his home was on Pleasant Street, Middletown, where he enjoyed a well-earned retire- ment. He held the esteem and respect of a wide circle of friends and contempo- raries. Mr. Stoddard held membership in the local encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, which he had represented in the State Encampment. In its day of usefulness, he was a member of the Middletown Board of Trade, was a faithful attendant of the South Church, and all his life a steadfast Republican in political association. At one time he was the candidate of his party for the office of alderman, and was defeated by only one vote ; not a seeker of political honors, this caused him no chagrin.
Orrin E. Stoddard was married, May 21, 1872, to Martha Billings, who was born September 9, 1853, in Ledyard, and died October 30, 1923, in Middletown, a daugh- ter of James Allyn and Margaret (Allyn) Billings of that town. She was a member of the South Congregational Church and of Wadsworth Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. James A. Billings was born February, 1821, in Groton, and died December, 1896, in Ledyard, where he was a teacher in early life and a farmer. He married, in 1852, Margaret J. Allyn, who was born November 17, 1834, daughter of Abel and Polly (Hakes) Allyn. Four daughters complete the family of Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard, namely: 1. Mary B., wife
of William Gordon Murphy, residing in Garden City, New York. 2. Grace Mar- garet, wife of C. Hadlai Hull of New Lon- don. 3. Anna Belle, wife of Walter E. Jones of Middletown. 4. Henrietta Al- lyn, graduated from Smith College, and is the wife of Robert Martin, residing on Staten Island, New York.
THOMPSON, Finton,
Artisan.
Not a little of the stamina, intelligence and persistence of America are contrib- uted by citizens of foreign birth, stable and patriotic, who appreciate the oppor- tunity and liberty which our country af- fords. In County Queens, Ireland, lived for many generations the family of Thompson, on the same farm to the pres- ent time. This farm is at Ballyfen, where lived and died Finton Thompson and his wife, Jane (Little) Thompson.
Thomas Thompson, son of Finton and Jane (Little) Thompson, was a black- smith at Stradbally, born 1835 at Bally- fen, died December 31, 1913, in Middle- town, aged seventy-eight years. Late in life he followed his son to America, where his last days were passed in quiet com- fort. In Ireland he married Elizabeth Tynan, daughter of William Tynan, a blacksmith, who lived and died at Strad- bally. His wife, Elizabeth Gaffney, fol- lowed her children to America, accom- panied by her mother, who was a Lawler. The latter is buried in Middletown.
Finton Thompson, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tynan) Thompson, was born April 19, 1869, in Stradbally, and lost his mother when very small. Under the in- structions of his father and grandfather he became master of the blacksmith's trade and, when a lad of seventeen years, he came to America and made his home
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in Middletown, Connecticut. In 1887 he entered the employ of John Coleman, a blacksmith of Meriden, now deceased, and after two and one-half years engaged with the Berlin Iron Bridge Company at East Berlin, Connecticut. There he continued until 1892, when he became associated with G. F. Peckham, who operated a shop on Court Street, Middletown, since which time he has continued in business there. In time he became a partner with his former employer and, when the latter re- tired, Mr. Thompson became sole propri- etor, including the ownership of the prop- erty occupied. This he sold in 1921, and moved to Center Street, where he may now be found in business hours. Through his skill and industry, Mr. Thompson has made his own way and is now reckoned among the enterprising and public-spir- ited men of the growing city of Middle- town. In I911 he purchased his hand- some home at 186 Washington Street, and he is also the owner of the large house at the corner of Broad and Washington streets. His worth has been recognized by his contemporaries, and he has re- cently been called upon to serve on a very important committee to revise the entire assessment system of the city. He is a member of the board of water commis- sioners of the city, and is ever ready to contribute his share in promoting the progress and welfare of his home com- munity. He has served as a member of the common council, and has long been a member of the O. V. Coffin Hook and Ladder Company, a very efficient volun- teer fire company. He is a faithful mem- ber of St. John's Roman Catholic Church ; of Forest City Council, No. 3, Knights of Columbus, of which he has been a trustee ; of Division No. 1, Ancient Order of Hi- bernians and is now president of the county organization ; he is also a member
of the National Association of Horse- shoers, and at one time was the secretary of the State organization of that body. In political registration he is listed among the Democrats, but his patriotism ex- tends far beyond the boundary of partizan lines.
Mr. Thompson was married, in Novem- ber, 1898, to Abigail Dennan, who was born November 24, 1870, in Moodus, Con- necticut, daughter of Thomas and Ellen (Pumfrey) Dennan, natives of County Cork, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents of a worthy son, Thomas Finton, who, at the age of nineteen years, became manager of the Middletown branch of the Elmer Automobile Com- pany of Hartford and continues in that position.
BRAINERD, Erastus LeRoy, Civil Engineer.
A scion of one of the most prolific fam- ilies in Connecticut, Mr. Brainerd was born May 5, 1881, in Portland, son of LeRoy Brainerd. The founder of the fam- ily in America was Daniel Brainerd, a pioneer settler of Haddam. James Brain- erd, second son of Daniel, born June 2, 1669, in Haddam, was a farmer there, a deacon of the church, ensign and cap- tain of militia, representative in 1711, and from 1726 to 1737, and died February 10, 1743. He married, April 1, 1696, De- borah Dudley, of Saybrook, born Novem- ber II, 1670, died July 22, 1709, daugh- ter of William and Mary (Poe) Dudley. Abiah Brainerd, third son of James and Deborah, born November 26, 1705, in Haddam, was a farmer at Haddam Neck, and died in September, 1782. He mar- ried, December 28, 1727, Esther Smith, of Haddam, born November 20, 1706, daugh- ter of Simon and Elizabeth (Wells)
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