USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 3 > Part 40
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STANLEY, Walter Henry, Agriculturist, Capitalist.
In the death of Mr. Stanley, which oc- curred August 3, 1916, the town of New Britain lost one of its generous and most
kindly citizens. The Stanley family has been established in New Britain for many generations, and has ever been foremost in promoting the town's moral and mate- rial interests. The Stanley family is very ancient in England, and there are many branches in various counties. The Ameri- can branch is thought to have sprung from the family of the name in County Kent, descended through a younger son of the great Lancashire family of Stan- leys. The arms of the Kentish family are described : Argent on a band azure, three bucks' heads cabossed or, a chief gules. Crest : A demi-heraldic wolf, erased ar- gent, tufted or.
John Stanley was born in England, and embarked for. New England in 1634-35, but died on the voyage. Captain John Stanley, son of John, was born 1624, in England, and after his father's death was placed in care of his uncle, Thomas Stan- ley, until he came of age. In 1636 he removed with his guardian to Hartford, Connecticut, and when only thirteen years old went as a soldier in an expedition against the Pequot Indians. He settled at Farmington, Connecticut, at the time of his marriage, and became one of the most important men of the town; was deputy to the General Court almost con- tinuously for thirty-seven years, from 1659 to 1696. In King Philip's War he was lieutenant and captain; was con- stable of the town in 1654; sergeant. 1669; ensign, 1674; captain, 1676. He had a grant of one hundred and twenty acres of land in 1675 and another two years later, and died December 19, 1706 (gravestone record). He married (first) December 5, 1645, Sarah Scott, who died June 6, 1661, daughter of Thomas and Anna Scott, of Hartford. Their second son, Thomas Stanley, was born November I, 1649, at Farmington, died there, April 14, 1713. He was one of the petitioners for liberty
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to plant a colony at Waterbury, but ap- pears not to have gone there. He mar- ried, May 1, 1690, Ann, daughter of Rev. Jeremiah and Joanna (Kitchell) Peck, of Waterbury. Their only son, Thomas Stanley, was born October 31, 1696, at Farmington, died October 13, 1755. He resided at Stanley Quarter in New Britain, Connecticut, and for his day he was a wealthy and prominent citizen. He mar- ried in Farmington, January 2, 1718, Esther, daughter of Samuel Cowles, of Kensington, Connecticut, died July 22, 1776. The eldest son of Thomas and Esther (Cowles) Stanley, was Thomas, born November 27, 1720, in New Britain, died in 1775, leaving an estate valued at £710. He married, May 22, 1740, Mary Francis, born February 5, 1722, in New- ington, Connecticut, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Howard) Francis. Their third son, Lot Stanley, was born March 3, 1752, in New Britain, where he was a hatter, one of the first makers of fur hats in Connecticut, and died March 8, 1807. He married Rhoda Wadsworth, born Sep- tember 22, 1754, daughter of Timothy and Mary (Cowles) Wadsworth, of Farming- ton, died May 13, 1819.
Amon Stanley, second son of Lot, was born March 10, 1778, and learned the trade of hatter from his father, with whom he was some years a partner, and whose homestead in New Britain he pur- chased. In later life he was a prosperous farmer. was a member of the standing committee of the church, which he joined December 2, 1821, and died February 2, 1846, leaving an estate valued at $7.925.36. He made annual trips to "the West" (State of New York), where he exchanged hats for furs, and also operated a distillery for making cider-brandy, from his large orchards. Becoming convinced that the latter business was not reputable, though assured by his pastor that it was, he sold
out the distillery. In order to be rid of the hard characters tolerated by the new owners, he repurchased the property at a great advance in price and at the sacri- fice of a valuable piece of woodland, and broke up the stills, selling the metal to a factory in New Britain, where it was made into useful articles. Amon Stan- ley married, October 10, 1802, Abi North, born November 21, 1784, daughter of Cap- tain James and Rhoda (Judd) North, of New Britain. She joined the church De- cember 2, 1810, was one of its most faith- ful members, "a kind and watchful mother," and active in persuading her husband to abandon the distillery. They were the parents of eleven children.
Henry Stanley, second son of Amon, was born September 24, 1807, in New Britain. He was an ambitious and indus- trions youth, and left the paternal farm at an early age. Before attaining his major- ity he became a partner with Alvin North in the manufacture of plated ware. This was a successful undertaking, and later Mr. Stanley was associated with Seth J. North and John Stanley, under the style of North, Stanley & Company, subse- quently North, Smith & Company, and Henry Stanley & Company. The last firm comprised three brothers - Henry, Augustus and Timothy W. Stanley, and was merged in the Russell & Erwin Manufacturing Company, in which Henry Stanley was a large shareholder and di- rector until his death, May 3, 1884, in his seventy-seventh year. He was among the founders of several other industries, one of which is the New Britain Knitting Company, of which he was long president and manager. Others are the American Hosiery Company and Stanley Rule & Level Company, of both of which he was president. After the death of F. T. Stan- ley, he was president of the Stanley Works. A large stockholder and director
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of the Willimantic Linen Company, and interested in other manufacturing enter- prises, Mr. Stanley gave a great impetus to the industrial life of Connecticut. He was distinguished for his admirable poise, high integrity and firmness of character. Of genial manner, though somewhat reticent nature, he possessed a fine taste, as shown in his beautiful mansion and grounds on South Main street. He gave judiciously and liberally of his wealth in promoting philanthropical, educational objects, and was ever an enterprising agent in advancing the material interests of the conimunity. On March 1, 1829, he united with the church, continued among its faithful members until 1842, when the South Church was formed, and found him among its constituent members, continu- ing to his death. He married, June 10, 1829, Eliza Stanley North, born Novem- ber 27, 1807, daughter of Seth J. and Elizabeth (Stanley) North, died April 18, 1837. She was the mother of two chil- dren. The junior, Theodore Augustus, was second lieutenant of Company F, Fourteenth Regiment Connecticut Volun- teers, in the Civil War, led his company in the battle of Fredericksburg, where he was mortally wounded, and died De- cember 31, 1862, in hospital at Washing- ton. He was buried with military honors at New Britain, January 5. 1863.
Walter Henry Stanley, eldest child of Henry and Elizabeth (North) Stanley, was born June 25, 1830, in New Britain, in whose public schools he received his early educational training. After gradu- ating at Williston Academy he engaged in agriculture on the paternal acres, which had come down through several gener- ations of his forbears. He became inter- ested in several of the local industries, and was widely esteemed as a useful citi- zen of pleasing manners and most kindly disposition. For many years he was a
member of the South Church, but was not active in church or civil matters. His kindly acts were many and his memory long will be cherished by his contempo- raries, as well as by a filial family.
He married, September 7, 1853, Mary Jane Peck, of New Britain, born there, daughter of Elnathan and Mary (Dewey) Peck, a descendant of Joseph Peck, of Milford, Connecticut, who was born in England, and settled at New Haven, Con- necticut as early as 1643, removing thence to Milford in 1649. where he was a mem- ber of the church in 1652. He is thought to be a brother of Henry Peck, of New Haven, and probably came with him. His home was near the residence now or lately occupied by Captain Cornelius B. Peck, and he died in 1701. He married (first) Alice Burwell, who died December 19, 1666. Their son, Joseph Peck, born 1653, settled in Milford. He settled his own estate by deeding his property to his chil- dren. He married, in Milford, Mary Camp, probably born 1660, daughter of Nicholas (2) and Katharine Camp, grand- daughter of Nicholas (1) Camp. born be- fore 1630, in England, who came from Nasing. County Essex, to this country in 1638. The fourth son of Joseph and Mary (Camp) Peck, was Samuel Peck, who lived in Milford, and there married Mar- tha Clark. Their eldest son, Samuel Peck, was born May 21, 1716, in Milford. where he lived. He married Hannah or Anna Jennings, born about 1718, in Fair- field. daughter of John J., granddaughter of Joseph and Abigail (Turney) Jennings, great-granddaughter of Joshua Jennings, who was in Hertford in 1647. and Fair- field 1656. Samuel Peck, eldest child of Samuel and Hannah, was born August 22, 1736. in Milford, and died there. June 12, 1822. He commanded a company in the Revolutionary army, and was promi- nent in civil affairs. He married, July 7.
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1762, Mehitable Smith, born 1740, died January 1, 1826. Their fifth son was Michael Peck, born August 12, 1773, in Milford, where he was a builder, and died December 27. 1861. He married, Janu- ary I, 1797, Mary Marshall, and they were the parents of Elnathan Peck, born August 11, 1803, in Milford, died Decem- ber 28, 1865, in New Haven. As a builder's apprentice he went to New Britain to aid in building a church, and continued in building operations there some years. He was among the first to manufacture hardware specialties, and re- moved his business to New Haven five years before his death. He married, June 20, 1827, Mary Dewey, who was born July 2, 1804, in New Britain, daughter of Josiah and Mehitable (Kilbourn) Dewey. They were the parents of Mary J. Peck, wife of Walter H. Stanley. Through her mother, Mary J. Peck was descended from a very old and well known Ameri- can family, founded by Thomas Dewey, who came from Sandwich, County Kent, England, and was one of the original grantees of Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1636. He was here as early as 1633. however, and was a witness in that year of the non-cupative will of John Russell, of Dorchester. He was admitted a free- man of the colony, May 14. 1634, sold his lands at Dorchester, August 12, 1635, and removed with other Dorchester men to Windsor, Connecticut, of which he was one of the earliest settlers. He was juryman in 1642-43-44-45. He died intestate and the inventory of his estate was filed May 19. 1648, amounting to two hundred and thirteen pounds. He married, March 22, 1639, at Windsor, Frances, widow of Joseph Clark. She married (third) as his second wife, George Phelps, and died Sep- tember 27, 1690. Jedediah, fourth son of Thomas and Frances Dewey, born De- cember 15, 1647, at Windsor, died 1718,
at Westfield, Massachusetts, where he settled in 1669. He married, about 1670, Sarah Orton, of Farmington, Connecti- cut, daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Pell) Orton, baptized August 22, 1652, at Windsor, died November 20, 1711. Their second son, Daniel, born March 9, 1680, at Westfield, died in Farmington, Connecticut, 1717. He married, Septem- ber 27, 1706, Catherine Beckley, of Wethersfield, born about 1685. daughter of John. Their eldest child and only son, Deacon Daniel, was born August 24, 1707, in Farmington, and was a farmer in the southern part, now New Britain, having inherited the homestead of his father at the southern end of Stanley street. He joined the church in 1760, was chosen deacon, September 3, 1772. was a man of fine temper, ensign of the Second Com- pany, parish of Kensington. He married, January 27, 1732, Rebecca Curtis, born April 28, 1705, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Goodrich) Curtis, died March 6, 1781. David Dewey, eldest child of Dea- con Daniel and Rebecca (Curtis) Dewey, was born March 16, 1733, and died Au- gust, 1814, at Harwinton, Connecticut. He was a farmer in New Britain, and married, February 12, 1755, Esther Dun- ham. who came from Martha's Vineyard. where her family was prominent. She was the mother of Josiah Dewey, who was born January 6, 1756, in New Britain, and died there, April 17, 1838. In early life he taught school, was a farmer and man of eminent Christian character, joined the church October 3, 1754. He married, November 24. 1785. Mehitable Kilbourn, born April 23, 1764, in New Britain, daughter of Joshua and Mehitable (Mather) Kilbourn, joined the church January 30, 1780. Their youngest child, Mary Dewey, born July 2. 1804, became the wife of Elnathan Peck, and mother of Mary J. Peck, wife of Walter H. Stan-
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ley. Their children were : William North, born March 4, 1855; Albert Walter, June 21, 1857; Hubert Augustus, January 21, 1860; Isabel, January 19, 1862 ; Theodore, March 18, 1864; Robert Henry, May 1, 1869, of Montclair, New Jersey; Morti- mer Dewey, April 27, 1871 ; Walter Peck, January 18, 1874, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
WELLES, Martin, Financier, Public Official.
Martin Welles, secretary-treasurer of the Travellers' Bank and Trust Company of Hartford, is a representative of one of the oldest families in New England. From the colonial period to the present time many of its members in the successive genera- tions have been distinguished as brave soldiers, upright public officials, able members of the learned professions and successful business men and financiers.
While it was not until the twelfth or thirteenth century that surnames came into general use, the Welles family has been traced back to the Vaux family which derived its name from a district in Normandy. The name comes from Norman-French val, a vale, and its plural, vals or vaux, from the Latin vallis. The orthography passed through many changes: Wallys (1220), Wellys (1475), Wyllys (1463), De Well (1401-89), and De Welles, Welles (1283). One ancestor of the Welles family was named Eville or Everaux, meaning a spring, or waters.
The Vaux family is of record in Prov- ence as early as 794, and is recognized as one of the most illustrious in history, hav- ing, from that period, held the highest rank in its own right and by royal in- termarriages. Harold de Vaux, a near connection of William the Conqueror, founded the family in England about 1120. He was accompanied by his three
sons-Barons Hubert, Ranulph and Rob- ert, all surnamed de Vallibus. Robert de WVelles, born about 1145, was the great- grandson of Robert de Vallibus. He held the manor of Little Rayne, in Essex, Eng- land, and was the founder of the Welles family in that county. Recorded history and family traditions agree in stating that all of the name Welles and Wells who emigrated to the American colonies dur- ing the seventeenth century were from the county of Essex, England. From Burke's "Armory" we learn that many branches of the Welles family are en- titled to coats-of-arms, a great number of which were granted by royal decree in reward for services rendered in the politi- cal agitations of different periods.
Thomas Welles, founder of the family in Connecticut and fourth colonial gov- ernor of the province, was born in 1598, in Essex, England, and early in 1636 came to Connecticut as private secretary to Lord Saye and Sele. The latter returned to England, leaving his secretary to brave the dangers and difficulties of the wilder- ness. Accordingly he (the secretary) pro- ceeded up the Connecticut river to Hart- ford, where his name first appears of rec- ord in 1637, when he was chosen one of the magistrates of the colony. He held this office continuously until his death, a period of twenty-two years. At that time the magistrates constituted the highest legislative and judicial tribunal in the colony. In 1639 Thomas Welles was chosen the first treasurer of the colony under the new constitution, and this office he held at various times until 1651, when he requested of the General Court "to be eased of the Treasurer's place." In 1641 he was chosen secretary of the colony, be- ing subsequently at different times re- elected to this office. In 1649 he was one of the commissioners of the United Colo- nies. In 1654, Governor Hopkins being
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in England and Deputy Governor Haynes being deceased, Thomas Welles was elected by the whole body of freeman moderator of the General Court. The same year he was chosen Deputy Gov- ernor, in 1655 he became Governor, and in 1656 and 1657 he was again Deputy Governor. In 1658 he was chosen Gov- ernor for the second time, and in 1659 served his third term as Deputy Gov- ernor. At that time no man was allowed to hold the office of Governor two years in succession. Governor Welles lived in stirring times when many troublesome questions between the colonies had to be decided, and when it was necessary to exercise great wisdom in dealing with the savages. Largely through his influence, war with the Dutch was averted, and the quarrelsome Indians were subdued. He was regarded as one of the wealthiest men in the colony and one of its best writers. It is said that most of the carly laws and important papers were drafted by him. Governor Welles was married in Eng- land, about 1618, the maiden name of his wife being Hunt. She died in Hartford county, about 1640. On January 14, 1660, Governor Welles passed away at Wethers- field. His conduct was in accordance with the highest ideals and he enjoyed the un- limited confidence of the people.
was judge of probate at Stratford and as- sistant in 1658. John Welles married, in 1647, Elizabeth -- , a native of Eng- land, and his death occurred in 1659.
(III) Robert, son of John and Eliza- beth Welles, was born in 1651, in Strat- ford, and was one of twins, the other be- ing named Thomas. Robert Welles was made captain of the train-band of the north end of Wethersfield in September, 1689, and his death occurred on June 22, 1714.
(IV) Gideon, son of Robert Welles, was born in 1686, and was appointed in May, 1725, ensign of the North Company of Wethersfield, being made lieutenant in May, 1731, and captain in May, 1735. He died March 28, 1740.
(V) Solomon, son of Gideon Welles, was born October 6, 1721, and in 1739 graduated from Yale College. Later he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Sixth Battalion of Foot. On September 18, 1802, he passed away, having nearly completed his eighty-first year.
(VI) Roger, son of Solomon Welles, was born December 29, 1753, in Wethers- field, and graduated from Yale College with the class of 1775. For a short time thereafter he was engaged in teaching a school at Wethersfield, but he early en- listed in the patriot army of the Revolu- tion, serving as captain of a company of picked men no one of whom was less than six feet in height. Captain Welles served under General Lafayette at the siege of Yorktown, and was present at the surren- der of Cornwallis. Shortly after the close of the war, Captain Welles settled in New- ington, where he continued to reside until his death. He was commissioned gen- eral in the State Militia of Connecticut, and at the time of his death was a mem- ber of the General Assembly. On Octo- ber 14, 1781, during the siege of York-
(II) John, son of Governor Thomas Welles, was born about 1621, in Essex, England, and came with his parents to Connecticut. He resided in Hartford un- til 1645, when he removed to Stratford and there passed the remainder of his life. On April 1, 1645. he was made a freeman at Hartford, and in 1656 and 1657 was representative. On May 20, 1658, he was elected magistrate of Stratford, his father being at the same time elected Governor. John Welles had previously served in 1656 and 1657 as deputy magistrate, and in 1659 he was reelected to the office. He town, he was wounded by a bayonet-
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thrust in the leg, and General Lafayette, in token of his friendship, presented him with a sword. General Welles married, March 27, 1785, Jemima, daughter of Cap- tain Martin and Mary (Boardman) Kel- logg, and it was then that he took up his abode at Newington. His death occurred May 27, 1795. He was a man of com- manding appearance-six feet two inches in height, and having blue eyes and light brown hair.
(VII) Roger (2), son of Roger (1) and Jemima (Kellogg) Welles, was born Au- gust 10, 1790, and was less than five years old when death deprived him of his father. When he was fourteen, his elder brother having entered Yale, young Roger found the responsibility of carrying on the home farm devolving upon him. He continued to take charge of the homestead until the death of his mother in 1829. and then re- sided in the ancestral home until 1855, when it was destroyed by fire. For some years he conducted a distillery, but the Washingtonian temperance movement appealed to his mind and conscience and he abandoned the business. For about twenty years Mr. Welles served as treas- urer of the Ecclesiastical Society of New- ington, and as a citizen was always ready to promote any good work both by per- sonal influence and financial support. In 1844 he represented his district in the General Assembly. Mr. Welles married, April 16, 1815. Electa, born in July, 1796. daughter of Timothy Stanley, of New Britain, and on November 18, 1859, he died, his widow surviving him nearly twenty-one years and passing away on October 25, 1880. Mr. Welles possessed a rugged constitution, the result of a tem- perate life and simple habits. His phy- sical strength was exceptional and he made local reputation as a wrestler. He was a man of fine appearance, being near- ly six feet in height, and his strong men-
tality matched his bodily vigor. His sound judgment was combined with ster- ling integrity, and he was a conscientious Christian, always possessing the courage of his convictions.
(VIII) Roger (3), son of Roger (2) and Electa (Stanley) Welles, was born March 7. 1829. and received his early edu- cation at academies in Newington and Madison, Connecticut. He finished his preparation for college at Williston Semi- nary, and during the winter of 1846-47 was the teacher of a school in West Hart- ford. In 1847 he entered Yale College. graduating in 1851 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then studied law under the preceptorship of his uncle, Judge Martin Welles, partially support- ing himself meanwhile by teaching in the schools. In October, 1854. he was ad- mitted to the bar and had a desk in the office of Judge Francis Parsons. In 1854 Mr. Welles was appointed engrossing clerk of the Legislature. and during that session reported the legislative news for the "Hartford Courant." In September, 1855, he went to Minnesota and formed a law partnership with William P. Mur- ray, of St. Paul. In the autumn of the next year Mr. Welles became ill and, be- ing advised to seek a change of climate, returned to Connecticut for the winter of 1856-57. In the spring of the latter year he went to Henderson, Minnesota, where a United States Land Office had just been established. There he formed a partner- ship with Martin J. Severance. but in the spring of 1860 returned to Connecticut, associating himself with his uncle and former preceptor, Judge Welles. The partnership continued until the death of Judge Welles, which occurred on January IS. 1863.
In 1864 and again in 1871, Mr. Welles represented Wethersfield in the Legisla- ture, and during the session in the latter
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year secured the passage of an act incor- porating Newington as a new town. On June 1, 1874, he formed a partnership with the Hon. William W. Eaton and his son, and this association was continued for a number of years. On May 1, 1889, Mr. Welles was appointed financial clerk of the United States Patent Office, and re- tained the position until September I, 1891, when at his own request he was transferred to the office of the assistant attorney general in the Interior Depart- ment. On July 1, 1893, he resigned that position and returned to Hartford, where to the close of his life he continued to practice his profession. For several years prior to 1889, when he resigned, he was chairman of the committee of the Hart- ford Bar Association for the examination of candidates for admission to the bar. On May 3, 1868, Mr. Welles joined the Newington Congregational Church, and from December 31, 1868, to January 4, 1873, he was superintendent of the Sun- day school. In 1874 he published the church records in the "Annals of Newing- ton." From November 5, 1867, to Octo- ber 24, 1887, he served as clerk of the Ecclesiastical Society. He was one of the most prominent citizens of the town, and held various town offices, including those of selectman, assessor, justice of the peace and grand juror.
Mr. Welles married, June 16, 1858, at Prairie du Chien, Mercy D., daughter of Lemuel S. and Sarah (Coffin) Aiken, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts. and their chil- dren were: I. Martin, mentioned below. 2. Mary Crowell, born November 1, 1860; graduated in 1883 at Smith College, be- coming an instructor in the institution ; now secretary of the Consumers' League of the State of Connecticut. 3. Roger, born December 7, 1862 ; graduated in 1886 at the Annapolis Naval Academy; now captain of the United States ship "Okla-
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