USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 3 > Part 17
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(VI) Aquila Chase, fourth son of Rich- ard and Joan ( Bishop) Chase, was born at Hundrich, Parish Chesham, England, and baptized there. August 14, 1580. He was prominent in community affairs, and was highly regarded by all with whom he was brought in contact. He married and was the father of two children : Thomas ; Aquila, of further mention.
(VII) Aquila (2) Chase, youngest son of Aquila (1) Chase, was a native of Eng- land, born in 1618, and died in Newbury, Massachusetts, December 27, 1670. He was the emigrant ancestor of the family, but the date of his coming to the New World is not here recorded; he was a resident of Hampton, New Hampshire, in 1640, from whence he removed to New- bury, Massachusetts, in 1646, where he was granted four acres for a house lot, and six acres of marsh on condition that he go to sea and do service in the town with a boat for four years. He was a mariner, and shipmaster, and the supposi- tion is that he was employed by his uncle or brother, Thomas Chase, who in 1626 was part owner of the ship, "John and Francis." He married Anne, daughter of John Wheeler, and she bore him nine children, as follows: Sarah, became the wife of Charles Annis; Anna, born July 6, 1647; Priscilla, March 14, 1649; Mary,
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February 3, 1651 ; Thomas, July 25, 1654; John, November 2, 1655; Elizabeth, Sep- tember 13, 1657; Ruth, March 18, 1660; Daniel, December 9, 1661; Moses, of whom further. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Chase married (second) June 14, 1672, Daniel Mussiloway. Her death occurred in May, 1688.
(VIII) Moses Chase, youngest son of Aquila (2) and Anne (Wheeler) Chase, was born in Newbury, Massachusetts, December 24, 1663. He was a man of thrift and enterprise, and provided well for the necessities of his family. He mar- ried (first) November 10, 1684, Ann Fol- lansbee, and (second) December 13, 1713, Sarah Jacobs. Children, all of first mar- riage: Moses, born September 20, 1685, died young; Daniel, twin of Moses, of whom further ; Moses, January 20, 1688; Samuel, May 13, 1690 ; Elizabeth, Septem- ber 25, 1693; Stephen, August 29, 1696; Hannah, September 13, 1699; Joseph, September 9, 1703 ; Nenoni.
(IX) Daniel Chase, one of the twin sons of Moses and Ann (Follansbee) Chase, was born in Newbury, Massachu- setts, September 20, 1685, and died May 28, 1769. Prior to March 26, 1733, he removed to Sutton, same State, his corn mill being mentioned in the town records then, and he is credited with having built the first corn mill at Pleasant Falls, and was known as "Miller" Chase. His home- stead was on the present site of the Sut- ton Manufacturing Company property. He married Sarah March, whose death occurred in December, 1771, aged eighty- eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Chase were ad- mitted to the church in 1736 by letter from the Littleton church, and in 1751 he and his wife were among the Separatists from the Sutton church. Children: Sam- uel, born September 28, 1707, married Mary Dudley ; Daniel, of whom further ; Joshua, born November 9, 1711 ; Ann, No-
vember 13, 1713, became the wife of David Lilley, May 25, 1736; Sarah, April 22, 1716; Nehemiah, June 27, 1718; Judith, September 7, 1720, became the wife of Thomas Hall, September 15, 1737 ; Valeb, November 29, 1722, died October 2, 1808; Moody, September 3, 1723, married, Jan- uary 17, 1749, Elizabeth Hall; Moses, March, 1726, married Hannah, daughter of Jonas Brown.
(X) Daniel (2) Chase, second son of Daniel (I) and Sarah (March) Chase, was born September 18, 1709, in Newbury, Massachusetts, and died in Sutton, Massa- chusetts, in May, 1799. He accompanied his parents to Sutton upon their removal thither, and there spent his active and useful life. He married (first) Hannah Tuttle, of Littleton, Massachusetts, and (second) January 24, 1782, Martha Fletcher, of Grafton. Children of first wife, born at Sutton: Hannah, October 15, 1733, died December II, 1733; Paul, of whom further ; Hannah, born January II, 1737, became the wife of Eliakim Gar- field, July 3, 1759; Lucy, January 30, 1739, became the wife of Benjamin Garfield, November 15, 1764; Anne and Judith, twins, May 1, 1741, Anne died November I, 1745.
(XI) Paul Chase, eldest son of Daniel (2) and Hannah (Tuttle) Chase, was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, March 13, 1735, and died there in 1789. He spent his entire lifetime in his native town, and was honored and respected in the commu- nity. He married, at Sutton, April 17, 1758, Lucy Richardson, who bore him three children, whose births occurred in Sutton, namely: Joshua, of whom fur- ther ; Thaddeus, born February 10, 1763; Lucy, born May 18, 1766, became the wife of Daniel Greenwood, Jr.
(XII) Joshua Chase, eldest son of Paul and Lucy (Richardson) Chase, was born in Sutton, Massachusetts, November 26,
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1760, and he there spent his entire life- time. He married, August 23, 1787, Lydia Prentice, a resident of Sutton, and their children, born at Sutton, were as follows: Nancy, February 15, 1789; Paul Cushing, of whom further; Betty, born February 22, 1792; Hannah Prentice, March 27, 1795. He died at Sutton, Massachusetts, January 6, 1842.
(XIII) Paul Cushing Chase, only son of Joshua and Lydia (Prentice) Chase, was born at Sutton, Massachusetts, March 6, 1790, and died in Millbury, for- merly part of Sutton. In addition to the duties of his daily occupation, he was chosen by his fellow townsmen to serve in the offices of highway surveyor, as- sessor and selectman, and he frequently served as chairman of the Board of Se- lectmen. He married, at Millbury, De- cember 9, 1819, Sally, daughter of Aaron and Hannah Pierce, and their children, born at Millbury, were as follows: Leon- ard Pierce, September 5, 1820; George Cushing, September 18, 1824, died August 3, 1827; Lewis Stow, August 6, 1826; George Lewis, of whom further; Daniel Moody, July 25, 1832. He died at Mill- bury, Massachusetts, June 26, 1871.
(XIV) George Lewis Chase, fourth of the five sons of Paul Cushing and Sally (Pierce) Chase, was born in Millbury, Massachusetts, January 13, 1828, and died in Hartford, Connecticut, January 7, 1908. He attended the Millbury Acad- emy and thus acquired a practical educa- tion. His first experience in business life was as agent of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Georgetown, Mas- sachusetts, whose service he entered at the age of nineteen years, and later was elected a member of its board of directors. At first his labors were confined to the southern section of Massachusetts and the eastern section of Connecticut, but after a short period of time his agency in-
cluded four companies transacting busi- ness on the mutual plan, one of which, the Holyoke Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany, of Salem, remained in business for many years. In 1848 he was appointed traveling agent for the People's Insurance Company of Worcester, in which capacity he served until 1852, in which year he accepted the position of assistant superin- tendent of the Central Ohio Railway Company, which necessitated his removal to the State of Ohio, and later, owing to his ability and judgment, was advanced to the position of general superintendent of the road, and thus served until 1860. He was one of the organizers of the first association of railroad superintendents in the United States, the meeting for the purpose being held in Columbus, Ohio, in 1853. Upon his resignation from the rail- road business, in 1860, Mr. Chase again entered his former line of work, becoming the western general agent for the New England Fire Insurance Company of Hartford; in 1863 was assistant general agent of the Hartford Fire Insurance Company, and in 1867 was advanced to the position of president of the company, succeeding Timothy C. Allyn. This com- pany is one of the oldest in the United States, and during its existence of more than a century there has only been six presidents, Mr. Chase exceeding all in his length of service-forty-one years-dur- ing which long period he managed its affairs in a highly commendable manner, gaining for the company and himself a widespread popularity. When Mr. Chase assumed the presidency of the company, the office was located on Main street, but as the accommodations were inadequate to the volume of business, Mr. Chase sug- gested the purchase of the property on the corner of Pearl and Trumbull streets, and after acquiring the same a handsome granite building was erected thereon,
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equipped with every convenience and at that time the finest building devoted to the insurance business in Hartford. The company took possession of the building in 1870, and in 1897 the building was en- larged by the erection of an addition which doubled their accommodations, thus providing the necessary space for the increase of the business, which was five times greater than when Mr. Chase as- sumed the management. He was the first to employ stenographic and typewriter service in the insurance business, and he was the first to suggest the use of the telephone for communication between the Hartford, Atna and Phoenix offices, this being the first telephone service in Hart- ford. In 1892, on the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of his presi- dency, he was presented with a silver lov- ing cup by his associates in the Hartford Fire Insurance Company, and in June, 1898, the general and special agents of the company, located in various cities in the United States, presented him with a Jurgensen watch. In 1876 he was elected president of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, and served many years as chairman of the committee on legislation and taxation, was also a trustee and vice- president of the Society for Savings of Hartford, trustee of the Connecticut Trust and Safe Deposit Company, director of the American National Bank, and was a leading member of the Hartford Board of Trade. Mr. Chase was a member of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, and was five times chosen to fill the office of president of the Connecticut Congrega- tional Club.
Mr. Chase married (first) January 8, 1851, Calista Mendall Taft, born at Sut- ton. Massachusetts, May 10, 1826, died at Hartford, Connecticut, December 9, 1897, daughter of Judson and Sarah B. (Keyes) Taft. He married (second) Feb-
ruary 14, 1899, Mrs. Louise J. R. Chap- man ; she died February 2, 1904. He mar- ried (third) June 21, 1905, Susan De Witt Fairbairn, widow ; she died May 27, 1916. Children of first wife: Sarah Isabel, born June 10, 1852, died December 23, 1893 ; Charles Edward, of whom further ; Nellie Taft, born November 27, 1859, died April 16. 1866.
(XV) Charles Edward Chase, only son of George Lewis and Calista Mendall (Taft) Chase, was born in Dubuque. Iowa, March 29, 1857. His preparatory education was acquired in the Haven Grammar School in Chicago, Illinois, to which city his parents removed when he was about six years of age, and he was a pupil there until 1867 ; he then attended the West Middle Grammar School in Hartford, Connecticut, and subsequently the Hartford High School, from which he was graduated in 1876, being then presi- dent of his class. In 1877 he became an employee of the local agency of the Hart- ford Fire Insurance Company, and three years later entered the home office of the company, serving in various clerical posi- tions until 1890, a period of ten years. In July, 1890, he was promoted to the posi- tion of second assistant secretary, and his faithful service was rewarded by promo- tion to the office of vice-president, and in 1908 to the presidency of the company, in which capacity he served until August, 1913, when he resigned the presidency of the company and was elected chairman of the board of directors and still occupies that position (1917). For thirteen years, from 1894 to 1907, he was president of the Hartford Board of Fire Underwriters, and is a member of the board of directors of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Hartford-Ætna National Bank, also holding the office of chairman of board of directors of that bank, the Society for Savings, the Hartford Fire
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Insurance Company, and the Hartford Board of Trade, is president of the Citi- zens Insurance Company of Missouri, and president of the Sanborn Map Company of New York. He is a Republican in politics, takes an active interest in munici- pal affairs, and served as a member of the board of councilmen from the old First Ward in 1892, and of the board of alder- men from 1893 to 1895, also as clerk of the West Middle School District. In Feb- ruary, 1879, he enlisted as a charter mem- ber of Company K, First Regiment, Con- necticut National Guard, and occupied the positions of corporal, sergeant and first sergeant of the company; he was honorably discharged in February, 1888. He is a member of the Asylum Hill Con- gregational Church, the Hartford Club, Hartford Golf Club, Farmington Country Club, Twentieth Century Club, Bolton Fish and Game Club, and was formerly a member of the Republican Club.
Mr. Chase married, in Hartford. June 9, 1886, Helen Smith Bourne, born in Hartford. January 10, 1860, daughter of Benjamin Alger and Mary (Stannis) Bourne. Children: 1. Genevieve, born March 4. 1887: attended the Hartford Grammar School, Miss Barbour's Private School, Dana Hall, Wellesley College, being president of the class in the junior and senior years. 2. Porter Bourne, born May 27, 1896.
THE TAIT FAMILY, Manufacturers.
From far away Scotland came Andrew Tait, founder of the Bridgeport straw- board manufacturing industry with which his son, William Tait, and his grandsons, William Franklin and Andrew Tait, have had lifelong connection, the firm being the well known Tait & Sons Paper Com- pany of Bridgeport. The founder has
long since gone to his reward; his son, William Tait, long retired from active participation in the business, yet resides in Bridgeport, an honored nonogenarian ; while the grandsons, William Franklin and Andrew Tait, are the capable heads of the business which has been located in North Bridgeport since 1895, previous to that year and from 1856, in Trumbull, Fairfield county, Connecticut.
Andrew Tait, the founder, was born near Edinburgh, Scotland, January 27, 1799, died in Trumbull, Connecticut, January . 27, 1891, full of years and honors. From a race of papermakers he inherited a genius for the business, and through an appren- ticeship covering a period of seven years he gained expert knowledge of every de- tail connected with papermaking.
In 1820, on arriving at legal age, he left his Scottish home and came to the United States, locating in Morris county, New Jersey, where for one year he followed his trade. He then came to Connecticut, and was in Hartford and other localities until his marriage in 1822 when Trum- bull, Fairfield county, became his perma- nent home. He was engaged by D. & P. N. Fairchild to erect their paper mill in Trumbull, fit it with machinery and start it in operation, but soon after that task was completed he left their employ and at Trumbull Center began in a small way to make paper for bookbinders'use under his own name. In 1856 he built "Tait's Mill" in Trumbull, and inaugurated the box- board or strawboard manufacturing in- dustry which has flourished under the Tait name over sixty years. He affiliated with the Whig party after acquiring citi- zenship, later joined the Republican party, and for several terms served Trumbull as town clerk. Both he and his wife were members of the Congregational church, their lives models of industry, frugality and uprightness.
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Andrew Tait married, June 14, 1822, Bella Ronaldson, who crossed the ocean to become his bride, the voyage occupy- ing forty-six days. She died May 22, 1875, and five years prior to her death the aged couple celebrated their golden wed- ding day at the Tait mansion in Trum- bull, many relatives and friends being bidden to aid in making it a joyous occa- sion. The husband survived his wife six- teen years, and died at the age of ninety- two. They were the parents of two sons and four daughters: Nancy, married Plumb Hoyt, of New York; William, of further mention; Mary E., married J. M. Prindle, of Bridgeport ; John, a physician of Meriden, Connecticut; Bella, died in 1851 ; Fannie.
William Tait, eldest son of Andrew and Bella (Ronaldson) Tait, was born in Scotland, Hartford county, Connecticut. He was educated in Trumbull public schools, and thereafter was taught paper- making by his father. He continued in business with his father until 1848, then the reports of a gold discovery in Cali- fornia lured him to that State, but two years as a gold seeker sufficed and he re- turned to Trumbull. He was then ad- mitted to a partnership with his father and together they continued the manu- facture of strawboard until 1872. Andrew Tait, the founder, then withdrew and a representative of the third generation was admitted. William Franklin Tait, son of William Tait. Later another son, Andrew Tait, was admitted and the business was continued in Trumbull until 1895, when the plant was located at North Bridge- port and there remains. The business was reorganized in 1896 under its present name, The Tait & Sons Paper Company ; William F. Tait, president ; William Tait, vice-president ; Andrew (2) Tait, treas- urer. Air and steam dried strawboard was the chief product of the plant, later boxboard exclusively. The concern again
reorganized in 1916 with William. F. Tait, president ; William Tait, vice-president ; Andrew Tait, treasurer, and Andrew Clifford Tait, secretary.
William Tait is a veteran of the Civil War, having served as corporal of Com- pany D, Twenty-third Regiment, Connec- ticut Volunteer Infantry, and later as orderly sergeant of Company C, Fourth Regiment, Connecticut National Guard. He is a member of Elias Howe, Jr., Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Bridge- port, and of the Congregational church. He is now the honored veteran of ninety- two years, a man loved and respected wherever known.
William Tait married, May 31, 1848, at Milford, Connecticut, Grace Camp, born there September 4, 1831, died January 6, 1917. In 1898 they too celebrated the golden anniversary of their wedding in the presence of many friends, children and grandchildren. Children of Mr. and Mrs. William Tait: William Franklin, of further mention ; Andrew, died aged two years : Andrew, of further mention ; Eliza- beth, married Frank Plumb, and has a daughter Verna.
William Franklin Tait, eldest son of William and Grace (Camp) Tait, was born October 27. 1852, in Trumbull, Con- necticut. He there obtained his early edu- cation. After completing his studies in Stratford Academy, he began learning the papermaking trade with his father and grandfather in their Trumbull mill, and in 1872, although yet a minor, he was admitted to a partnership, his grand- father retiring. Father and son conducted the business in Trumbull until 1895, when they removed to North Bridgeport, the present location of the plant. Upon the organization of the Tait & Sons Paper Company, William F. Tait was made treasurer, and upon the retirement of his father succeeded him as president. The business has ever been a prosperous one,
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and under the executive management of the capable grandson of the founder its place in the manufacturing world has not become less important. He is a member of several business and other organiza- tions, and is a deacon of Olivet Congre- gational Church.
Mr. Tait married (first) June 6, 1876, Mary Lattin, who died February 3, 1878, daughter of Lyman Lattin, of Hunting- ton, Fairfield county, Connecticut. She left a daughter, Mary Frances, born Janu- ary 16, 1878. Mr. Tait married (second) September 26, 1883, at St. Paul's Church, Bridgeport, Laura Frances Morris, daugh- ter of William and Mary Louise Morris, of Bridgeport. Children: William Cros- by, born July 31, 1893, died July 14, 1894 ; Natalie Crosby, born February 13, 1898.
Andrew Tait, youngest son of William and Grace (Camp) Tait, was born in Trumbull, Connecticut, September 21, 1866. After completing his education in public schools and Park Avenue Institute, Bridgeport, he became associated with his father and brother, learned the paper- making business in all the details there employed, in 1896 was admitted to a part- nership, and upon the incorporation of the business as the Tait & Sons Paper Com- pany became its secretary. He has con- tinued in the same business until the pres- ent and is now treasurer of the company. He is a member of Olivet Congregational Church of Bridgeport.
Mr. Tait married, October 9, 1889, Laura Wilson, born April 15, 1868. They are the parents of Eloise, Andrew Clifford, Grace Elizabeth and William Malcolm. Andrew Clifford is secretary of the com- pany.
LAKE, Everett John,
Legislator, Lieutenant-Governor.
Educated in the classics and in law at Harvard University, Mr. Lake chose a
business instead of a professional career, the wisdom of his choice being attested by his success in a chosen field. Yet there are many of his friends that believe he would have been even a greater success as a lawyer, a profession for which he studied for a time. In public life, Mr. Lake has been highly honored and in re- turn has given to city and State valuable service, as legislator and lieutenant-gov- ernor.
Mr. Lake is of the fifth recorded Amer- ican generation of his family, a descend- ant of Thomas Lake, who came from Eng- land in 1748. Portsmouth, England, is believed to have been his birthplace, the date 1734. On coming to this country at the age of fourteen years, he made his way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, later going to Rye in the same State. In 1785 he located with his family on a farm near Chichester, New Hampshire, on the road to Pittsfield Village. He married Mrs. Eunice (Seavey) Davis, who bore him five sons and three daughters. The line of descent from Thomas Lake is through William Lake, his youngest child, his son, John Lake, his son, Thomas Alex- ander Lake, father of Everett John Lake, of Hartford, president of the Hartford Lumber Company.
Thomas Alexander Lake ran away from home at the age of fourteen years to join the Union army. but only succeeded in getting into a lot of trouble, although he reached the front and attached himself to Company G, Eighteenth Regiment Con- necticut Volunteer Infantry, as waiter. His cousin was captain of Company G. He served as orderly for Captain Warner, later enlisted in same company, was cap- tured at Winchester, June 15, 1863, but escaped and made his way home. Later he enlisted and served until the war closed. He was a member of the Connecticut Legislature as Assemblyman in 1885, and
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State Senator in 1897. He held various public positions, was energetic, progres- sive and successful in business, an ex- tremely useful, public-spirited citizen. He married, in Woodstock, Connecticut, Mar- tha A. Cockings, who bore him two daughters, Sarah M. and Margaret B., and a son, Everett J.
Everett J. Lake, only son of Thomas Alexander and Martha A. (Cockings) Lake, was born in Woodstock, Windham county, Connecticut, February 8, 1871, and there received his early public school education. In 1885 his parents moved to Stromsburg, Nebraska, where he was graduated from high school, class of 1887. He then returned east, entered Worcester Polytechnic Institute, whence he was graduated Bachelor of Science, class of 1890. He then entered the junior class of Harvard University, there receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts, class of '92. He spent the next year at Harvard Law School, but discontinued legal study in 1893 to engage in business. At Harvard he played on the "Eleven" and for years after his graduation always devoted con- siderable time each season in coaching the football teams, as he is a football en- thusiast and a lover of all athletic sports. He became associated with his father in the Hartford Lumber Company immedi- ately after leaving law school, and in 1896 was elected treasurer of the company. In 1901 he was elected president and still continues the able executive head of a very prosperous company. From 1903 until 1908 he was president of the Tun- nel Coal Company, and is a present direc- tor of the Hartford-Ætna National Bank and director of the Riverside Trust Com- pany. His business life has been one of honor and success, his reputation in the business world unsullied by any ignoble deed of his.
Mr. Lake had ever taken an active in-
terest in public affairs as a Republican, and in 1900 he began his official career as a member of Hartford's board of school visitors. In 1902 he was elected to repre- sent Hartford in the Lower House of the State Legislature, there serving as chair- man of the important committee appro- priations. In 1904 he was elected State Senator from the First Senatorial Dis- trict, was chairman of the committee on incorporations, served on other commit- tees and was an effective worker on the Senate floor. In 1906 he was the candi- date of his party for Lieutenant-Governor, was elected and served his term with honor. At Harvard he was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club, the Institute of 1770, and Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He is affiliated with St. John's Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Pythagoras Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Washing- ton Commandery, Knights Templar ; Sphinx Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, thirty-second degree; Lin- coln Lodge, Knights of Pythias; and Charter Oak Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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