USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 11 > Part 59
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Mr. Sherwood is a member of Temple Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Westport, Connecticut, and of Washing- ton Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, of Nor- walk, Connecticut. He is a member of the Westport Country and the University clubs of Bridgeport.
Mr. Sherwood married Edna Mason, daughter of William B. Mason, of Jersey City, New Jersey, but a native of Eng- land. Their children are: Lois, and John Mason Sherwood. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Sherwood is a trustee.
MATHEWSON, Clifford Earl,
Business Man.
As sales manager and secretary of the Norwalk Tire and Rubber Company, of Norwalk, Connecticut, Mr. Mathewson continues active in a line in which he has been well known since 1902, at which time he took over the entire management of the Diamond Rubber Company's business on the Pacific Coast and the Orient. Mr. Mathewson is a native of the West, and a member of an old New England fam- ily, of which numerous representatives have chosen western homes.
(I) The founder of the branch of the Mathewson family was James Mathew- son, who came from England, locating at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and moving, about 1658, to Providence, Rhode Island. He was born about 1624, and died in 1682. He married Hannah Field, daugh- ter of John Field, who died in 1703. Their children were: Ruth; James, born in 1666, died in 1737; John, died in 1716; Isabel, died in 1719; Thomas, born in 1673, died in 1735; Zacheriah; Lydia; and Daniel, of whom further.
(II) Daniel Mathewson, son of James and Hannah (Field) Mathewson, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, Janu- ary 28, 1683, died in Gloucester, Rhode Island, January 13, 1751. He married (first), February 10, 1704, Sarah Inman ; (second), in 1732, Esther, surname un- known; (third), September 26, 1742, Char- ity Inman; (fourth), July 12, 1747, Lydia Montague. There were seven children of his first marriage, four of his second, one of his third, and two of his fourth.
(III) Othniel Mathewson, son of Dan- iel and Sarah (Inman) Mathewson, was born February 2, 1705. He married, Feb- ruary 3, 1733, Sarah Winson, and they had six children.
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(IV) Joseph Mathewson, son of Oth- niel and Sarah (Winson) Mathewson, was born December 20, 1748. He mar- ried, April 8, 1773, Betty Brown, daughter of Nicholas Brown. Among their chil- dren was Samuel, of whom further.
(V) Samuel Mathewson, son of Joseph and Betty (Brown) Mathewson, was born about 1780. He married Candace Ballou, descendant in the sixth generation of Ma- turin Ballou, and they moved to Connec- ticut, from Burrillville, Rhode Island. Children : Ada, born May II, 1802; Su- sanna, born Oct. 15, 1803; Charlotte, born August 17, 1805 ; Julia Ann, born July 27, 1807; Polly M., born May 7, 1809; Dear- born, of whom further ; Phebe, born June 22, 1813; Sessions, born May 5, 1815; Laura, born March 15, 1817; Esther, born November 20, 1822.
(VI) Dearborn Mathewson, son of Samuel and Candace (Ballou) Mathew- son, was born in Burrillville, Rhode Is- land, March 27, 1811. When he was a lad of eleven years his parents went to Connecticut and settled in North Coven- try, Tolland county, where he grew to manhood. Mr. Mathewson was reared on a farm, and when he arrived at years of manhood, purchased a tract of land near that owned by his father. He remained upon it a few years, then removed to Manchester, and purchased a half inter- est in a stone quarry, which he retained possession of for one year. He then dis- posed of his interest in this and removed to Windsor, where he rented a farm and remained until 1855, then decided to go West. He proceeded to Rock Island, Il- linois, and thence to Henry county, Illi- nois, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, situated a mile from Oxford, upon which he settled and lived for eight years. There were great improvements to be made, all of which he accomplished. He erected a dwelling-
house, and after he had brought much of the farm land to a good state of cultiva- tion, he sold out to good advantage, and purchased a tract of fifty acres in Winne- bago county. This land he also greatly improved, and erected a house upon it. Here he remained until 1870, when he de- termined upon removal to Iowa. He ac- cordingly came into Linn county, and purchased a tract of land on Section 21, Maine township. Here he established a permanent home, and remained until his death, which occurred April 30, 1885. He was a man of industry, energy and gen- erous impulses, and made substantial con- tributions to the welfare of his commu- nity.
Mr. Mathewson married (first) Maria W. Whiton, a native of Connecticut, who died in Tolland, that State. He married (second), March 24, 1840, Martha Savan- tia Kimball, born in Bozrah, Connecticut, September 23, 1818, daughter of John and Nancy (Turner) Kimball, descendant in the seventh generation of Richard Kim- ball. Children: Albert, born February 14, 1841, died October 29, 1841; Harriet Maria, born October 20, 1842; Albert Watson, of whom further; Martha Lou- isa, born March 27, 1846, died November 27, 1846; Martha Janet, born November 24, 1850; George Dearborn, born August II, 1853.
(VII) Albert Watson Mathewson, son of Dearborn and Martha S. (Kimball) Mathewson, was born in New Britain, Connecticut, March 8, 1844, and died February 8, 1920. When he was a boy of six years of age his parents moved to Iowa City, Iowa, later settling at Morse, in the same State, and there he was edu- cated in such schools as existed in what was then a frontier State. In early young manhood he entered business indepen- dently, establishing a creamery, and de- veloped a large wholesale trade, which he
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continued for about four years. Selling his interests in this line, he removed to Fairmont, Nebraska, where he conducted real estate operations, two years later lo- cating in Trenton, that State, where, in addition to dealing in property, he founded the first bank. He remained in this place two years, and in 1890 was the pioneer settler in what is now Brady, Nebraska. He was the owner of the first store and bank, brought many families to the town, and was the principal factor in its large growth and development. He built the bridge across the North Platte river to connect the rich farming country to the south with Brady, then a small village. This bridge saved the farmers of this sec- tion a journey of thirty miles to North Platte, and fifteen miles to Gothenburg, and was the determining cause of Brady's rise to importance. Mr. Mathewson re- tired from business in 1906 with a record of extreme usefulness that had benefited large numbers of pioneer settlers in the West. He made his home in Denver, Colorado, until his death in 1920. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, donated land for the church and school in Brady, and was a man of great public spirit, although avoiding diligently personal publicity.
Albert W. Mathewson married Mattie J. Mack, a native of Illinois, and they were the parents of: Ernest Linn, and Clifford E., of whom further.
(VIII) Clifford E. Mathewson, son of Albert W. and Mattie J. (Mack) Math- ewson, was born in Iowa City, Iowa, De- cember 1, 1879. He obtained his educa- tion in the public schools of Trenton, MATHEWSON, Herbert A., Manufacturer, Public Official. Brady, and North Platte, Nebraska, and as a young man entered the bicycle busi- ness in Denver, Colorado. From 1899 The origin of the name of Mathewson is similar to that of Williamson and John- son and many other names of that order. to 1902, during the boom in the bicycle business, he engaged in racing, and held many track and road records, and in the 'They were derived from the combination
latter year became general manager of all the twelve Pacific coast branches of the Diamond Rubber Company, manufactur- ers of automobile and bicycle tires. While serving in this capacity his headquarters were San Francisco, California. He de- veloped this business to the point where a volume of many millions of dollars worth of business was done yearly. In 1914 he decided to go into business for himself and the Norwalk Tire and Rub- ber Company was organized by a num- ber of the head men of the parent com- pany. Mr. Mathewson becames sales manager and secretary of the new com- pany, an office he holds to the present time. This company has gained wide reputation in its line, and has enjoyed successful and prosperous continuance. Mr. Mathewson has borne a full share in the shaping of its policies and the up- building of its interests, and is widely known in the tire trade. He holds the thirty-second degree in the Masonic or- der, his lodge Mt. Moriah, No. 44, Free and Accepted Masons, and he is also a member of Islam Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of San Francisco, California. He was at one time the youngest thirty-second de- gree Mason in California.
Mr. Mathewson married Marie A. Hall, daughter of William Hall, of San Fran- cisco, and they are the parents of: Clif- ford E., Jr., born April 27, 1917; and Joan Marie, born December 1, 1918. The mem- bers of this branch of the family now live in Stamford, Connecticut.
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of the Christian name of the father com- bined with the word "son." In the early dates, before surnames were in general use, it was common to refer to a man as John's son, William's son, and Matthew's son. As time went on and surnames be- came a necessity, in order to distinguish members of a family, it was very natural that these names would be assumed by those who had borne them, as their sur- names. The name of Mathewson is an old one in England and is frequently met with in the records there. In the State of Connecticut the name has been known since 1850, the founder of the family in New England being John Mathewson.
John Mathewson, above referred to, was born in Hounslow, England, where he grew to manhood. He was appren- ticed to Mr. Charles Peck in the Wool- wich Arsenal, and after serving his time went with his father, who was general superintendent of the Government Gun Powder Works in Hounslow. About 1845 Mr. Mathewson came to America, bringing with him and putting into oper- ation the first steam machinery for mak- ing gunpowder. After installing the ma- chines in the plants of A. G. Hazard and the Du Ponts, Mr. Mathewson remained with the Hazard Powder Company as general superintendent for many years, until his removal to Enfield, at which time he engaged in the brewing business as a member of the firm of Mathewson & Gray, which he organized to take over the old Connecticut Valley Brewery in Thompsonville. Mr. Mathewson was ac- tive in the business until his death, which occurred in 1879. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His wife, who was Ann (Turvey) Math- ewson, died in 1888, and they were the parents of the following children : John, deceased; Edwin E., a former partner of Herbert A., now deceased; Ann Eliza, will not bear the public view.
wife of William O. Collins, of Springfield, Massachusetts ; Albert H., of Springfield ; Florence A., of Enfield, Connecticut ; George T., deceased ; Charles P., of Hart- ford, Connecticut; Herbert A., who re- ceives extended mention below.
Herbert A. Mathewson, son of John and Ann (Turvey) Mathewson, was born in Enfield, Connecticut, April 21, 1861, and died June 1, 1921. He was educated in the public schools of that town and in the private school of the Rev. C. M. Selleck, of Norwalk. In 1879 he entered the em- ploy of Lounsbury Brothers & Company, beginning as assistant shipping clerk, and held all of the various positions up to a partnership in the business. About 1876 Edwin E. Mathewson, brother of Herbert A. Mathewson, became a member of the firm, and the name was changed to Louns- bury, Mathewson & Company, and later Herbert A. became a member of the firm. The product of manufacture has always been women's shoes, sold direct to the re- tailer. Salesmen cover the entire United States in the interests of the business, and there are three hundred and ten people employed. Mr. Mathewson was one of the energetic American type of business men, and was held in high esteem among his fellow business men and citizens. He was a director of the City National Bank of South Norwalk. In politics he was a Republican, and gave able service to the interests of his constituents as treasurer of the city of Norwalk. His clubs were the South Norwalk and the Norwalk Country, and he was also a member of several clubs in other cities. In all of the many departments of city life into which his activities led him he filled a place of usefulness and made worthy contribution to the general welfare. He was esteemed for personal qualities of rare merit, and the record of a busy life has no page that
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Mr. Mathewson married Mary E. Knapp, daughter of Burr Knapp, of Nor- walk. Her mother was Rebecca (Fitch) Knapp, daughter of Samuel Mason Fitch. The Knapp ancestry of Mrs. Mathewson will be found elsewhere in this work (see Knapp, John H.). Mr. Mathewson was an attendant of Trinity Episcopal Church, of South Norwalk, in whose work Mrs. Mathewson takes an active part.
Below is a copy of resolutions adopted by the directors of the City National Bank at their regular meeting held June 20, 1921 :
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS :
Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable minute upon the death of Herbert A. Mathewson, beg leave to report the following :
In the death of Herbert A. Mathewson this Board has lost one of its ablest and most effi- cient members. He was conscientious and out- spoken, and never hesitated to say and to do what he deemed to be just. He was, however, open to conviction, and was always considerate of the opinion of his associates, and we always found him willing to cooperate in the most helpful way. His successful career as a man of business, and his complete mastery of the underlying principles of finance and banking, served to render his advice invaluable in making loans and extending credits. Therefore, we feel a personal loss in this death, and we share with the whole community in the loss of a good citizen.
We beg to extend to his widow and family our heartfelt sympathy.
JOHN H. LIGHT, LEWIS R. HURLBUTT, Committee.
ADAMS, Elbert Sherman, Business Man, Legislator.
In every man there is some natural tendency toward certain lines of work and success depends largely upon giving heed to this bent. And it is equally true that the man who is not interested in pub- lic affairs cannot hope to succeed. He must be willing to do his part for the
community in which he lives, and it is knowledge of these facts which has con- tributed largely to the success of Elbert S. Adams, one of the leading business men of Norwalk, Connecticut.
The Adams family is one of the oldest and most honored of the New England Colonial families, and is traced to Robert Adams, who was born in England, in 1602. Eventually his descendants re- moved to Braintree, Massachusetts, where Squire Adams, the grandfather of Elbert S. Adams was born. He married Par- melia Waterbury, born in Norwalk, a scion of an old Fairfield county family. They were the parents of Jonathan Tay- lor Adams, born in Weston. As a boy he learned the trade of shoemaker and completed his apprenticeship in Norwalk and Westport. For about thirty years he was occupied at this work, and then entered the butcher business in Norwalk. He continued in this business for about fifteen years, and then sold out to his sons. During most of his lifetime Mr. Adams lived in Norwalk and there he married Caroline Disbrow, daughter of Sherwood Disbrow, of Norwalk, and they were the parents of nine children, namely: Royal W., resides in Norwalk; William T., de- ceased; Elbert S., of further mention ; Arthur R .; Sylvia Estella, deceased; James Howard; Edith, wife of Nathaniel Jones, of Norwalk, both now deceased ; Ernest; Lester. The father and mother of these children attended the Congre- gational church of Norwalk for many years.
Elbert Sherman Adams was born March 4, 1854, in Norwalk, Connecticut. He was educated in the public schools there. Soon after completing his studies, he went into the meat business with his fa- ther, and later in partnership with his brother, Royal W., succeeded his father
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in the business under the firm name of burn, to whom she bore one son, Kenneth Adams Brothers. In 1902 Mr. Adams Meeker Coleburn. The latter married Emily Eleanor Coley, and has a daugh- ter, Eleanor Stanton. Elbert S. Adams and Mrs. Adams are members of the Con- gregational church, and the former is chairman of the music committee of the church. withdrew from the firm, and the brother continued alone until 1920, in which year he disposed of his interests. After sever- ing his connections with his brother, Mr. Adams entered into the music business, at the same time taking the agency for the Sonora phonograph for the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island. For two CRAM, George Eversleigh, Physician, Served in World War. and one-half years Mr. Adams continued this business and then, owing to a serious illness, he was compelled to give up the agency, which he sold back to the com- pany, having built up a splendid business in the comparatively short time he held the territory.
In politics Mr. Adams is a Republican, and has always taken more than a passive interest in public affairs. He served a year as city treasurer, and was a member of the Common Council for two terms. In 1902 he was a member of the Legisla- ture, and served as clerk of the commit- tee on appropriations and was chairman of the committee on new towns and pro- bate districts. He also served on several other special committees. In 1902 Mr. Adams was appointed postmaster of Nor- walk by President William Howard Taft, which office he held for nine years.
Mr. Adams married (first) Ida Bouton, daughter of John Bouton, and they were the parents of two children: I. Grace Bouton, married Charles L. Wing, and has two daughters, Frances Carolyn and Carol Vida. 2. Spencer S., is assistant treasurer of the South Norwalk Trust Company ; he married (first) Louise Pot- ter, and has two children, Dorothy Dis- brow and Elbert Sherman, 2d ; the mother of these children died in 1901; Mr. Ad- ams married (second), in 1903, Elizabeth Randolph (Meeker) Coleburn, daughter of Silas Barnum and Rosina (Ambler) Meeker, and widow of James C. Cole-
One of the surnames that is not so commonly found is that of Cram. It is derived from an ancient word meaning retail shop (kramme), and was probably assumed by an early ancestor from his occupation. In the early records it is spelled Cramme, and its members are mainly found in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In spite of the fact that the name is very uncommon, the ancestor of this family was among the earliest im- migrants to the New World. The latter, John Cram, was born in England, and was a proprietor of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1635. He was one of the early pro- prietors of Exeter, New Hampshire. Two of his sons grew to maturity, and it is through one of these that the line of the Cram family herein described undoubt- edly descends.
(I) Daniel Cram, grandfather of Dr. Cram, was born in South Lyndsboro, New Hampshire, about 1815, and died in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1900. He was a contractor, engaged in railroad work all his lifetime, and resided many years in East Boston. Mr. Cram was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Bos- ton Brass Band, being a cornetist of con- siderable ability. He married, about 1840, in Boston, Mary Hornsbury Mc- Nulty, born in England, about 1815, died in Boston in 1899, daughter of Thomas and Mary Ann (Hornsbury) McNulty.
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They were members of the Baptist church. Mr. and Mrs. Cram were the parents of the following children : George W., of further mention; Mary Jane, born about 1843; Elizabeth, 1845; Daniel Henry, August 14, 1847; Sarah Melissa, 1849; Josephine Lily, 1852; Adeline, 1854; Ida May, 1856; Benjamin Manley, 1858. All of these children were born in Boston.
(II) George W. Cram, father of Dr. Cram, was born in East Boston, Massa- chusetts, January 25, 1842, and died De- cember 26, 1905. He was educated in the Boston public schools, and then learned the trade of civil engineer, which he fol- lowed for a short time. Then Mr. Cram followed in his father's footsteps and en- tered the contracting business, only of a more general nature. He' was awarded a contract in Norwalk, Connecticut, to put in the city water works, and he re- moved to that city where he was a resi- dent until his death. Most of the sewer system of the old city of Norwalk was installed by Mr. Cram, and he also had a contract for construction of that part of the railroad in the vicinity of Roxbury. Mr. Cram was a Republican, a public- spirited citizen, and although he took an active part in the campaigns he was never a seeker for public office. He was a mem- ber of St. John's Lodge, No. 6, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; member of the Grolier Club, of New York.
Mr. Cram married Lydia Ann Bartlett, born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, July II, 1841, died April 25, 1919. Her father, Horace W. Bartlett, was born December 2, 1812, in Salem, Massachu- setts, and died in Norwalk, Connecticut, June II, 1897. He went to sea early in life and became a captain. Later he was in the shoe business in Newburyport as a manufacturer and retailer. He was a member of the Grolier Club, of New York, of Ex Libris, of London, and the Sons of
the American Revolution. Horace W. Bartlett married Ann Maria Currier, daughter of Benjamin Currier, born July 4, 1813, in Newburyport, died September. 12, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. George W. Cram were the parents of : Albert Stevens, died unmarried; George E., of further men- tion ; Alice Bartlett, married Hubert E. Bishop, of Norwalk, sketch of whom ap- pears elsewhere in this work; Clarence Currier, of Seattle, Washington. The family attend Grace Episcopal Church.
(III) Dr. George Eversleigh Cram was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, October 14, 1875. He was educated in the public schools of that city. He tutored for col- lege, and was graduated with the degree of Ph. B. at Sheffield Scientific School in 1897, and in 1901 received his degree of M. D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York. The seven months following were spent in a Brook- lyn hospital, thence he went to Tamali- pas, Mexico, as physician for a mining company. During the Yellow Fever Epi- demic in 1903, he was stationed in Tam- pico, Mexico, and in his efforts to min- ister to the sick contracted the fever him- self. After his recovery he spent some time in the State of Durango, and alto- gether was in Mexico ten years. During that time he completely mastered the Spanish language, which is spoken there, and this knowledge made his services even more valuable.
In 1911 Dr. Cram returned to Norwalk and engaged in general practice. He has made that city his residence since and has built up a large clientele. For six years he has been a member of the Board of Health, and is also on the staff of the Norwalk Hospital. He is a member of the Norwalk Medical Association, the Fairfield County Medical Association, the Connecticut Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. Frater-
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nally, he is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 6, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons, of which his father was a member ; Our Brothers Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Norwalk Club; Norwalk Country Club; Norwalk Yacht Club.
On April 2, 1916, Dr. Cram enlisted in the naval militia as a junior lieutenant. When the United States entered the World War, he was sent to Boston and shortly after was transferred into the Na- tional Naval Volunteers. He was or- dered to New York Navy Yard to go aboard the United States Steamer "Chris- tobal," and from there to Brest. He was stationed at Brest for a year, then sent through Spain to Gibraltar and went aboard the United States Steamer "An- ahma," where he remained seven months. At this time the armistice had been signed, and Dr. Cram was ordered to Constantinople ; he was aboard the first American war vessel that had ever passed through the Dardanelles, and was in Con- stantinople when the Allies took posses- sion of that city. They were sent to the relief of the crew of the United States Steamer "Scorpion," that had been in- terned by the Turks during the War, and subsequent to this time Dr. Cram was at- tached to the "Scorpion" for a time as medical officer, and on his release came home on a United States army transport by way of Smyrna. He arrived in this country, July 1, 1918, and was released on inactive duty the following month. Thus through this very creditable record in time of need, Dr. Cram has brought honor to his family name, and proves himself worthy of descent from those courageous and hardy pioneers.
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