USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 3 > Part 7
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Samuel Bill, their son, was born about 1665, and came with his father to New London. His first wife was Mercy, daughter of Richard Haughton, of New London, and both Samuel Bill and his wife were admitted to the church in New London on the same date, September 3, 1693.
James Bill, fourth child of Samuel and Mercy (Haughton) Bill, was born in New London, Connecticut, about 1694, and mar- ried Mary, daughter of William Swodel, of Groton. It is supposed that soon after his marriage he removed to Lebanon, where his father and several other rela- tives had already settled. In 1719 he bought a farm in the adjoining town of Hebron, and resided there twelve or four- teen years. In 1743 he returned to Leb- anon, where he remained until at least 175I.
Jonathan Bill, the youngest of the six children born to James and Mary (Swodel) Bill, was born August 3, 1731, in Hebron ; married Esther Owen, August 1, 1749. After a brief residence in Lebanon, he re- moved to Salisbury, Connecticut, where lie died.
Captain Roswell Bill was the younger of their two children. He was born De- cember 29, 1753, in Salisbury ; married. November 20, 1777, Rebecca, daughter of William and Eunice (Putnam) Burgess, and cousin of General Putnam. Early in life, he settled in that part of Hampton, Connecticut, now known as Chaplin. He served in the Revolutionary War, and afterwards was commissioned captain of the State militia. He died October 13, 1830, and his widow died in Braintree, Vermont, January 17, 1834.
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Roswell Bill, youngest of seven chil- he remained for seven years, Francis Put- dren of Captain Roswell and Rebecca nam Bill took up a homestead and en- gaged in farming. During that period his son, Frederick Roswell, was born the ex- act date and place being September 15, 1863, in Amboy, Illinois. About two years later the family returned to Hartford, and Francis Putnam Bill repurchased an in- terest in the Bill Brothers business. In 1872 he again disposed of his interest to his brothers, and having purchased a farm in Enfield, again took to farming pursuits. Later, after his two sons had grown to manhood, and were in business in Hart- ford, Francis Putnam Bill again returned to Hartford, and again purchased an in- terest in the drayage business, connected with which he remained until his death, in June, 1894. (Burgess) Bill, was born May 25, 1797, in Chaplin, and married Olive Ross, De- cember 31, 1820. She was born in 1800, and died June 13, 1870. As an educator, Roswell Bill was esteemed in the district where, for thirty-two winters consecu- tively, he taught school, going from one school to another in Chaplin and towns of the vicinity. And his personality and in- tegrity also brought him into judicial office as justice of the peace. He died October 17, 1866. Of his nine children (seven sons and two daughters) six in later years located in Hartford, and three of the sons established the firm of Bill Brothers, in 1850, the senior partner being the eldest son, Francis Putnam Bill, father of Frederick Roswell Bill.
Francis Putnam Bill, first-born of Ros- well and Olive (Ross) Bill, was born in Chaplin, April 15, 1823. He attended the public schools of Windham county, and when he had attained his majority, went to Hartford where for a short time he took employment as team-driver. Soon, however, he was in a position to purchase a team and establish himself in Hartford as an independent drayman. Later, he joined the firm of Smith, Blodgett & Com- pany, carmen, but the partnership was not of long duration, and when Mr. Bill withdrew his proportion of the assets of the firm, he again entered independently into the drayage business. Expansion of the business caused him to call to his assistance his younger brother, George, who in 1850 was admitted into partner- ship, thus establishing the firm of Bill Brothers. Another brother came into the business, and in 1856 Francis Putnam Bill, the eldest, went into Illinois, the drayage business being continued, in his absence, by his brothers, who acquired his interest. In Illinois, in which State
He married Sarah A., born September 12, 1830, the daughter of John North, of Portland, Connecticut, of a family long resident in Connecticut. They had five children, only two of whom however reached adult age: Frederick Roswell, of whom further; and Dwight H., now de- ceased. Mrs. Sarah A. (North) Bill died October 10, 1906, aged seventy-six years.
Frederick Roswell Bill, son of Francis Putnam and Sarah A. (North) Bill, re- ceived most of his schooling in Enfield, eventually graduating from the Enfield High School. After the lapse of a year, young Frederick R. Bill went to Hart- ford, to continue his schooling. He at- tended the high school there, but ex- hibited much interest in the drayage busi- ness of Bill Brothers, which was at that time under the direction of his uncles. Frederick R. Bill was wont to pass his noon hours, during the school period, in his uncles' office, where he usually ate his luncheon, and where, during the two hour interval between morning and afternoon sessions of school, he would render some clerical assistance to his uncle. In that
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way ne became conversant with the rou- tine of the business, and when, during one · school vacation, one of his uncles' clerks became ill, Frederick R. spent his vacation in energetic usefulness in his uncles' office, manifesting such promise that his father was prevailed upon to allow him to close his schooling and enter his uncles' em- ploy. He has been connected with the business ever since. A few years later, his younger brother, Dwight H., having closed his schooling, wished to come to the city, therefore his father returned to Hartford and, as before stated, purchased an interest in the drayage business. After a period of salaried service, Frederick R. was admitted a member of the firm, and on the death of his father he became pos- sessed of a larger interest, so that when, in 1908, the company was incorporated, Frederick R. Bill was elected its president and treasurer, which executive capacities he has since held. At the present the business of the company is of consider- able volume, and while the firm under- takes some heavy erecting contracts, its main business is that of hauling goods for Hartford manufacturers and merchants. To what extent may be estimated from the fact that the company employs about one hundred men, and owns sixty horses.
In December, 1884, Frederick R. Bill became a member of the Governor's Foot Guard, and passed through the several grades until he became major command- ing, on March 16, 1903. He is still a mem- ber of the honorary staff of the Foot Guard, and is president of the board of trustees. He also is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
He married Minnie, daughter of Alonzo Warner, of Hartford, descendant of a family prominent in central Massachu- setts in Colonial days. To Mr. and Mrs. Frederick R. Bill were born five children :
I. Francis Putnam, born May 22, 1894, whose tragic end, through contact with sixty-six thousand volts of electricity, while he was engaged with three other students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in doing certain revaluing work for the Charles H. Tenney Company of Boston, was an almost overwhelming blow to the parents, and brought to a sudden end, August 12, 1916, a career which promised well, the young man hav . ing ably aided the desire of his parents to afford him a superior education ; he was a student within a year of graduation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- ogy, Boston, and of the class of 1917; he was a young man of much promise and of unusual character, bound to win a high place in the profession for which he was fitting himself; he was a great favorite with his college associates, and well spoken of by the faculty; interment was in Cedar Hill Cemetery, and the pall bearers were his classmates at the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology. 2. Mar- jorie, died in infancy. 3. Ruth Almeda. 4. Dorothy. 5. Roswell Warner.
WISE, John,
Contractor.
John Wise, respected and responsible citizen of Hartford, Connecticut, and senior partner of the Hartford firm of Wise & Upson, general contractors, was born in Cheshire, England, June 20, 1869, the son of Lundie and Isabella (Graham) Wise.
The Wise family is of Scottish origin, and both father and paternal grandfather of John Wise were shipwrights in Scot- land. Lundie Wise was born in Dun- barton, Scotland, in 1839, and followed his father into the shipbuilding business there, and subsequently, until his mar- riage, in different shipbuilding centres of
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England. In 1869, he crossed to Amer- ica, locating soon afterwards in Chicago, where he remained for three years. Then, following the decease of his wife, he re- turned to England, where he has re- mained ever since. His years of man- hood have been passed in honest labor, well-directed and remunerative, so that he now is able to enjoy comfortable leisure in his retirement from active work. He resides in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England.
His son, John Wise, the Hartford resi- dent respecting whom this article is chiefly written, received the customary good education provided in the public schools of England, and when old enough was apprenticed to the trade of cabinet- making. His apprenticeship was to be of seven years' duration, but after serving five years, John Wise resolved to come to America. Arriving in New York City, he soon found employment as journeyman carpenter. He followed carpentry for many years, but had been in the country only a short time when he became fore- man, and in that position of responsibility was busily occupied superintending the execution of contracts, which brought him at different times into temporary res- idence in many widely separated sections of the country. Thus employed, he con- tinued to extensively travel until 1896, since which time the city of Hartford has been his main place of abode. As fore- man and superintendent for different Hartford firms he remained in service there until 1911, when he ventured into independent business, establishing in his own name a contracting business which soon assumed substantial proportions. Later, he formed business association with Warren W. Upson, the firm name then becoming Wise & Upson. As such they have undertaken many important contracts in the various branches of
building constructions. Note may herein be made of the following structures erected during recent years by the firm of Wise & Upson : Deep River High School ; Federal Hill School, Bristol, Connecticut ; Wooster Memorial Building, Deep River ; Jacques Memorial Building, Buckland, Connecticut ; Weathersfield Avenue Par- ish House, Hartford; the Joseph Kirth Apartment House, Hartford; Fleisch- mann Office Building; Hartford Apron and Towel Supply Building ; three build- ings for Dr. C. G. F. Williams; the F. Manross Garage and Service Station, Forestville, Connecticut ; Havey Building, Southington, Connecticut; Rye Street School, South Windsor, Connecticut. Much credit is due these two enterprising and alert residents of Hartford for the manner in which they have developed their business in the brief period of their association. It may be stated that the firm now finds regular employment for an average of about forty men, pressure of work sometimes also requiring them to greatly exceed this number. This meas- ure of expansion within five or six years gives one an indication of the personality and initiative of the members of the firm. In 1916 Mr. Wise was appointed by Mayor Hagarty, of Hartford, as one of a commission to draft a suitable building code for the city of Hartford. Mr. Wise applies himself very closely to his busi- ness, but for two years has been a mem- ber of Putnam Phalanx, and he also be- longs to St. John's Lodge, No. 4, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons ; Wash- ington Commandery, Knights Templar ; Sphinx Temple, Mystic Shrine.
In October, 1896, Mr. Wise married Nellie Cornelia Jerdo, the daughter of Joseph Jerdo, of Essex county, New York. They have one son, Allan Lundie. The family attends Christ Episcopal Church, of which Mr. and Mrs. Wise are members.
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FULLER, Alfred C.,
Manufacturer.
It is always a satisfaction to peruse the life stories of such men as have led the way in some special path to greater effi- ciency and comfort in life, who have devised new customs or invented new mechanical contrivances for our comfort and convenience. Of such original men New England has had its full share, and from the very dawn of its existence has upheld her sons as pioneers, breaking a way, first into the heart of the physical wilderness, then the promised land of political freedom, independence, and then the descendants of these, with undimin- ished enterprise, showing the way to a new industrial era which should one day render the region as rich as it was inde- pendent and give it a place among the greatest peoples of the world. The names of these leaders is legion and there is a satisfaction in noting the records of those families which have throughout the en- tire history of the region taken an active part in the development of the general life. Such a family is that of Fuller, which, from the very earliest period of Colonial history, has made its home in New England, its members distinguish- ing themselves throughout the centuries to the present time. The Fuller family was one of high standing in the mother country, as is proved by its possession of a coat-of-arms with the motto semper pra- tus.
The founder of the name in this coun- try, one Edward Fuller, was among that splendid band of men who, placing their religious convictions and love of freedom before security and comfort or the love of home, left England at the time of per- secution. He was a Puritan and pos- sessed all the stern virtues of that won- derful sect. He was born September 4.
1571, in the Reddenhall Parish, Norfolk- shire, England, and appears to have been a son of Robert Fuller, a butcher in that locality. The probability is that Edward Fuller joined the Holland Pilgrims on the "Speedwell's" arrival in England. He was one of those who signed the "compact" which was drawn up in the cabin of the "Mayflower" immediately before the land- ing of the Pilgrims at Cape Cod in No- vember, 1620. It is not known positively whom he married, but according to Gov- ernor Bradford, Edward Fuller and his wife died shortly after they came on shore, probably between January II, and April 10, 1621.
Their son and only child, Samuel Ful- ler, was also a native of England and came over during his childhood with his father in the "Mayflower." There has been found no record of his birth or bap- tism, our only information concerning it being that it was some time in 1612 and somewhere in England. After the death of his parents, Samuel Fuller was placed in charge of an uncle, another Samuel Fuller, at Plymouth. At the time of the division of lands between the settlers in 1623, he was allotted three acres, and about 1640, shortly after the town of Barnstable was founded by the Rev. John Lathrop and members of his church, he and his family went to live in that place. His wife was the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Lathrop. Samuel Fuller was a con- stable at Scituate, Massachusetts, in 1641, and the records show that he served as juryman on the committee to settle In- dian difficulties. Of the "Mayflower's" passengers, Samuel Fuller was the only one to permanently settle in Barnstable and he was also among the late survivors of that company. There is no gravestone to mark his burial place which is believed to be in the old burial ground at Lathrop's Hill, Barnstable. He died between Oc-
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tober 31, and November 10, 1683. Sam- uel Fuller was married, April 8, 1635, to Jane, a daughter of the Rev. John Lath- rop, of Scituate, and it is of interest to note that the wedding was performed by Captain Miles Standish. Jane (Lathrop) Fuller survived until the year 1683, but the exact date of her death is unknown.
Their son, John Fuller, was born about 1656, at Barnstable, and was known as "little John" in order to distinguish him from a cousin, Dr. John Fuller. He re- sided on his father's estate until 1694, when he removed to East Haddam. By all accounts John Fuller prospered in his new home, for in 1721 he gave to his seven sons large tracts of land, together with all the implements for working them. His death occurred at East Haddam, be- tween February 28 and May 20, 1726. John Fuller married, about 1678, Mehit- able Rowley, who was born at Barnsta- ble, January II, 1660-61, and died at East Haddam about 1732.
Their son, Thomas Fuller, was born about 1679, in Barnstable, and died at East Haddam, April 9, 1772. He married Elizabeth -, born about 1689, and died November 5, 1784, at East Haddam.
Their son, Nathan Fuller, was born at East Haddam, Connecticut, April 20, 1719, and there is an old date on record at Middletown which shows that Nathan Fuller was the son of Thomas Fuller and lived near the Haddam line at Middle- town. He was married to Abigail who died in 1750, and in 1756 Nathan Fuller was appointed guardian of the old- est seven children. He went to Nova Scotia not long after this date.
For a number of generations the Fuller family has resided in Nova Scotia, and some time about the middle of the nine- teenth century we find living there Lean- der Joseph Fuller, a son of William Ful- ler and his wife, Jane (Collins) Fuller.
The date of Leander Fuller's birth in Welsford, near Berwick, King county, Nova Scotia, was November 26, 1841. He died November 12, 1914, at the age of seventy-three. He was a farmer all his life in this region. His wife was the daughter of Robert Collins, of Berwick. They were the parents of the following children : Robert, of Somerville, Massa- chusetts; Bessie, twin of Robert, who married Alfred C. Adler, of Los Angeles, California; Annie Rebecca, who became the wife of Frank Adler, a brother of Al- fred Adler, and of Walter L. Gleason, of West Somerville, Massachusetts; Wil- liam, of Tunnel City, Wisconsin ; Dwight, deceased ; Harvey R., of West Somer- ville, Massachusetts; Douglas B., who lives on the homestead at Welsford; Georgie B., who married Charles R. Cal- kin, of Welsford; Jennie M., twin of Georgie B., who married Ashley W. Pa- tridge, of West Somerville, Massachu- setts; Chester G., of Hartford, Connecti- cut ; Alfred C., the subject of this sketch ; and Harry L., of Dilley, Oregon. Wil- liam Fuller, the grandfather of these chil- dren, went to the western States at the time when Leander J. Fuller, his only son, was three years of age, and was never heard of again.
Alfred C. Fuller was born January 13, 1885, at Welsford, Kings county, Nova Scotia, and lived in his native region for the first eighteen years of his life. He received his education at the public schools of Welsford, and after complet- ing his studies there came to Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of eighteen. He remained in Boston for about three years, and worked for some eighteen months of this time on the elevated rail- road there. He then secured a position as salesman for the Somerville Brush Company, and thus became interested in an industry with which he was later
Conn-3-4
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destined to become associated on so large a scale. For nearly two years he re- mained with the Somerville concern, and in April, 1907, established his own busi- ness at Hartford, Connecticut, whither he had moved and was making his home. The beginnings of the company were small and Mr. Fuller employed for a time about three or four hands, but there are now one hundred employees and his busi- ness is one of the largest of its kind in New England. The Fuller Brush Com- pany is a very well known concern and is the manufacturer of a type of brush de- vised by Mr. Fuller, which is very largely capturing the market, as it possesses many obvious advantages over the older types. The company at present manu- factures a brush for practically every household purpose, and they are all cal- culated to give the maximum, of service, because instead of the bristles or wire being held in by some adhesive, they are twisted into a metal frame which holds them in complete permanency. Another great advantage due to this character is the fact that they may be cleansed as often and as thoroughly as is desired without any danger of loosening the bris- tles, which is highly beneficial from the hygienic standpoint. Another advantage which the Fuller Brush Company pos- sesses is that this form of manufacture is very much cheaper than the old and they can thus put a superior brush on the mar- ket at a lower figure. It is no wonder, therefore, that it has already developed to large proportions and that there seems a still more brilliant future in store for it. Mr. Fuller's management has been of the most capable kind, and he combines great conservatism with a progressive willing- ness to adopt new methods and styles, as is proved by his own invention. He never departs from the use of the very best ma- terials which the trade offers in the manu- facture of his brushes, and the firm has
the reputation of being absolutely depend- able in all its transactions.
Mr. Fuller is very active in the general life of the city of Hartford, particularly in connection with its general business de- velopment, and has done much to encour- age industrial enterprise there in his capacity as member of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce. He is also active in fraternal and club circles there and is a member of the Charter Oak Club, Rotary Club, City Club, Automobile Club, Put- nam Phalanx and Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Emanuel Congregational Church, and takes a prominent part in the work of the congregation.
Mr. Fuller was married to Evelyn W. Ells, a daughter of Rupert Ells, of Corn- wallis, Nova Scotia. To them have been born two children: Alfred Howard, March 27, 1913, and Avard Ells, March 17, 1916.
The conditions which surrounded the beginnings of New England's industrial growth were of such a kind as to reflect a sort of double glory upon the names of the men whose efforts were responsible for its success. Not only were the un- usual obstacles which beset the paths of all originators and innovators there in full force to be overcome, but a very espe- cial difficulty existed in the undeveloped financial condition of the country, and the comparative poverty of the communities, which were largely self-dependent, win- ning what was needful for their own sup- port by their own efforts, but setting little aside, so that capital was extremely hard to come by. Yet, against all these difficulties, did such men as Mr. Fuller struggle, cheerfully accepting conditions as they found them, and patiently devis- ing means for their overcoming. The question of capital was unanswerable in any direct sense, but these men solved it by the simple quality of patience, making
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their beginnings on a scale so small that practically no capital was needed, and then through years of toil and effort gradually fostered them sometimes to gigantic proportions. Tall indeed were the oaks which sprang from the acorns sowed by their hands. However huge and lofty the structures which our modern financiers build at such great pains, they are only possible because the foundations were so laboriously and successfully con- structed by those who came before, who were the real architects, the real designers of our modern industrial system. Their works and their tasks would have dis- couraged many of the most conspicuous figures in finance to-day, who would have been incapable of the slow perseverance which they of necessity must exercise, for those who made haste to get rich in those days inevitably met with disaster. A combination of qualities was thus re- quired for success, a combination well illustrated in the character of Mr. Fuller, and typical of a large class of New Eng- landers, though in a less degree, where may be seen united a high class of ideal- ism, strong, imaginative powers, with a curious knack for detail and a perfectly unlimited capacity for work. Along with these invaluable qualities, Mr. Fuller also possesses a keen insight into the work- ings of the human mind and a deep under- standing of its motives. There are, in- deed, but few needs of the community which Mr. Fuller does not consider with the deepest attention and concern, and which he does not give generously of his means and efforts to supply. Hartford has every reason to honor his name.
FAULKNER, Thomas David, Real Estate, Insurance.
Among the varied and diverse elements which go to make up the complex fabric of our American citizenship and which
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