USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 4 > Part 4
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(VIII) Nason Henry Arnold, son of William Searls and Lucina (Underwood) Arnold, was born, in Thompson, Connec- ticut, September 3, 1847. After conclud- ing his early education, he entered Nichols Academy, at Dudley, Massachusetts, and having finished his term there, took a course of study at Eastman's Commercial College at Rochester, New York. Mr. Arnold's father designed him for a career in the commercial world, and he was still young when he began the acquirement of a practical education in the operation and conduct of a mercantile business. The valuable training he obtained at his father's business place proved an excel- lent foundation for the life work of the future, and ambitious of success, he while still young entered the woolen house of Hoyt, Sprague & Company. of New York, and there became thoroughly conversant with the details of the business. Remain- ing with this company until 1866, he then became a partner with W. W. Montgom-
ery in a carpet and dry goods factory at North Adams, Massachusetts, his father, Mr. William Searls Arnold, also having an interest in the partnership. This enterprise proved eminently successful under the management of its able owners, and Mr. Arnold was soon enabled to buy out his father's share. Thereafter, he con- tinued in active direction of his ever in- creasing business, which he soundly and conservatively enlarged and expanded un- til it became one of the most important of the industries in that section of Massa- chusetts, and added in a very material ex- tent to the prosperity of the locality and its inhabitants.
In the welfare of North Adams, so long his home, Mr. Arnold always maintained an earnest interest, and to objects having for their purpose the city's betterment and improvement he freely lent his aid and his support. He was identified with various public charitable and philan- thropic movements, and conspicuous in Masonic circles. In the business world. he was justly esteemed and respected by his associates for his commercial acumen as well also for his undeviating adherence to the highest standards of honesty and fair dealing in all his business relations. He died, at North Adams, Massachusetts, November 4, 1884. Nason H. Arnold married, December 15, 1870, Mary New- man, daughter of Jacob Newman. Issue : Elizabeth Searls Arnold; Nason Henry Arnold ; Frank Newman Arnold.
JACOBS, Arthur I.,
Manufacturer, Inventor.
This is the story of a man who found himself a mechanical genius, who for years was employed by others and ac- cepted as his principal reward the satis- faction of transmuting into tangible working form the visions of his fertile
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brain. The city of Hartford is the home of many inventors, men who have con- tributed to the industrial progress of mankind. Among these none stands higher than Arthur I. Jacobs, because he conceives and demonstrates in an amaz- ingly short period machines, devices or methods that produce better product by unskilled labor than had previously been accomplished only by the skilled fingers of trained workmen.
The Jacobs family is one of the oldest in New England. The immigrant ances- tor, Nicholas Jacobs, who founded the family in Connecticut, was born in Han- over, County of Suffolk, England. In 1633 he left Hingham, England, with his son John and daughter Elizabeth, and settled in Hingham, Massachusetts. Nich- olas Jacobs finally settled at Hanover, Massachusetts, where he died June 5, 1657. His immediate descendants were among the first settlers in Windham county, Connecticut, where the family is numerous to this day.
In 1707 and 1708 Daniel Jacobs, son of John Jacobs and grandson of Nicholas Jacobs, of Hingham, was one of several who purchased large tracts of land in Ashford and Eastford, Connecticut, and later on Nathaniel Jacobs, a son of Joseph Jacobs and grandson of Nicholas Jacobs, settled at Woodstock and soon after at Thompson, Connecticut. There he pur- chased a tract of land upon which he and his five sons settled. and which became known as the Jacobs district. From the foregoing and family tradition, it is con- cluded that Dr. Joseph Jacobs was a grandson of Nicholas Jacobs, the immi- grant to Hingham. Dr. Joseph Jacobs was the first physician of Mansfield, and resided in that part of the town called Pleasant Valley. He was a large land- owner, and had a botanical garden, from which he gathered healing herbs. He
married Sarah Storrs, born in 1670, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Huckins) Storrs. Samuel Storrs came from Eng- land in 1633, and settled in Mansfield, Connecticut, about 1698, having lived for a time in Barnstable, Massachusetts, from which place his wife came.
Samuel Jacobs, son of Dr. Joseph Jacobs, married, February 1I, 1737, De- sire, daughter of a Mr. Doughty or Douty, of Windham, and their children, all born between the years 1728 and 1746, were : Benjamin, Solomon, William, Dan- iel, Doughty.
Benjamin Jacobs, son of Samuel Jacobs, was born April 30, 1738. He married (first) January 14, 1761, Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Captain John Balcam. He married (second) Elizabeth King. The following children were born between the years 1763 and 1772: Dizioc, Benjamin, Zal- mon. The following children were born between the years 1772 and 1783 ; Ozias, Anthony, Luther, Elizabeth, Phila.
Benjamin (2) Jacobs, son of Benjamin (1) Jacobs, was born August 9, 1765, in Mansfield, Connecticut, and died in Smith- field, Rhode Island, about seventy-five years of age. He was engaged in busi- ness as a plow-maker, and also followed the trade of chair-maker, as the demands of the neighborhood might call upon him, and when not otherwise occupied, he worked at repairing buildings. He was in fact a natural mechanic, capable of doing anything with tools. He married (first) June 28. 1796. Delight Dunham, and had by this marriage three sons and two daughters. He married (second) Lucinda Meacham. born in 1782, and who long survived her husband. her death occurring in Danielson, Connecticut, April 5, 1858. By this marriage there were nine children.
Luman Jacobs, son of Benjamin (2) Jacobs, and grandfather of Arthur I.
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Jacobs, was born August 2, 1798. He was a carpenter by trade, the very best of his class, and although deprived of one hand, with the assistance of his wife, who was in every way a notable helpmeet, he saved enough to pay for a small farm, built a barn and outbuildings, enlarged the house and left all in good condition. He was noted for his expeditiousness, and with his one hand could do about any- thing and everything quickly and well. He married, August 19, 1822, Hannah West Abell, and although the mother of seven children, she earned money from spinning, at which she was an expert. Luman Jacobs died January 4, 1845, and his wife died December 4, 1878.
Zalmon Luman Jacobs, eldest son of Luman and Hannah West (Abell) Jacobs, and father of Arthur I. Jacobs, was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, December 6, 1823. He was a man of exceptional in- tellectual ability and an inventive genius of great talent. In his earlier years he taught school, and he exhibited such rare skill as a mathematician that he acquired much local fame. Among his inventions were a screw plate, an automatic water feed for steam boilers, a bee-hive, a print- ing press for printing many colors at one operation, and a system of shorthand writing. He solved the needs that arose in his life by his own inventive skill. He worked out the formula for "Dr. Jacob's Vegetable Pill," and erected a laboratory for its manufacture, and made the machin- ery for making the pills, boxes, etc. He married, August 12, 1851, Mary Elizabeth Babcock, of Franklin, Connecticut. She was born in Byron, New York, July 18, 1831.
Arthur I. Jacobs, son of Zalmon Luman and Mary Elizabeth (Babcock) Jacobs, was born in Hebron, Connecticut, August 13, 1858. During his boyhood his edu- cational advantages were very meagre,
and after his ninth year his schooling was limited to a short period in midwinter. He was early trained to habits of indus- try, working with his father in his labora- tory. Here he was trained in mechanical work. He remained with his father until he attained his majority, then, through the introduction of his good friend and first pastor, the Rev. George S. Dodge, he secured employment at one dollar and a quarter per day in the Knowles Loom Works at Worcester, Massachusetts. There his talent became manifest, and in less than three weeks he secured from the superintendent a contract to make har- ness chains for looms. When the fore- man learned of this he said to Mr. Jacobs : "What do you want of that job? You can't make your salt at it. No former contractor ever made a dollar a day on it." Mr. Jacobs, who was then less than twenty-two years of age, replied : "Well, I would like to try it," to which the fore- man replied : "Try it if you want to, but you won't keep it three months." Mr. Jacobs proceeded to make such efficient improvements that he received not less than one dollar per hour for the time he worked on the contract. Thus economy and efficiency have been the keynote of Mr. Jacobs' life. Long before the word efficiency was dinned into the public ear, Mr. Jacobs was inventing machines, changing methods, eliminating opera- tions, to improve and increase productiv- ity without increasing overhead charges. Mr. Jacobs remained at the loom works until 1887, and during that period in- vented and built a book-sewing machine, of which several were purchased by Bos- ton bookbinders. The Smyth Manufac- turing Company of Hartford, Connecti- cut, who manufactured such machines, became so interested in this invention that they purchased the patents, and en- gaged Mr. Jacobs to come to Hartford
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and perfect the machine. He remained with that company until December 1, 1901, and during that period he invented and perfected several machines for use in binding books. Among these we may mention a machine for making book covers of superior quality, at greatly re- duced cost. A machine for cutting cloth for book covers from the roll, of the right size and shape. He also invented a "cas- ing-in-machine," used for pasting these covers on books. These machines marked a great advance over other methods for- merly employed. Not only has Mr. Jacobs' genius benefited the industrial world, but who shall calculate the far- reaching benefit to mankind, from the possibility of putting into the hands of the masses well bound literature, at greatly reduced prices.
It is a well known fact that the finan- cial benefits derived from great inven- tions are seldom realized by the inven- tors, and for a time Mr. Jacobs, preoccu- pied by earning a living, and the mechani- cal problems, involved in making practi- cal realities of his dream children, paid little heed to the great value of his inven- tions, as compared to his financial gain. There came, however, a moment of medi- tation in his busy life, when, one morn- ing, while reading in the Hartford "Cour- ant." of the election of a man to the office of president of an important railroad, at a salary of $50,000 per year, who for- merly had been employed by the same railroad, as gate-tender, at a wage of $1.25 per day, that he realized that many men whom he knew, who were not more gifted naturally than he, had risen from the ranks to positions of wealth and influ- ence. He, then and there, resolved that in some way his future remuneration must be an equitable percentage of the wealth he created, and he immediately took steps to that end, by conferring with
the president of the company by whom he was employed. A long controversy ensued, directors' meetings were held, a counter proposition was made which was represented to be more liberal to him than what he asked for, but as their proposition did not make his interest and theirs mutual, but antagonistic, and as he insisted that all interests must be mu- tual, he resigned, intending to devote his time to designing, constructing and per- fecting a book-sewing machine that would be so superior to others as to make former book-sewing machines compara- tively worthless. It, however, developed that in his contract with the Smyth Manufacturing Company, he had agreed to assign to them all inventions relating to book-sewing machines that he might make during the life of the patent on his original machine ; and as that patent had three years longer to run, it became neces- sary for Mr. Jacobs to postpone his work on the machine he had in mind. His active and fertile brain, however, was not limited in its scope to book-binding ma- chinery, and he soon invented a drill chuck that has since become widely known as the "Jacobs Improved Drill Chuck," the patent on which was allowed September 16, 1902. As Mr. Jacobs be- lieved that there were already enough drill chuck manufacturers, and that his invention was most valuable to an estab- lished drill chuck manufacturer, he en- deavored to enlist one of several of these in his invention. Failing in this, he de- signed and made tools and fixtures that would accurately and efficiently make one size of his chuck. He made a few chucks and offered them to the trade. Their superior merit was instantly recog- nized, and a demand created, which has since continually increased. He pur- chased machinery (to be paid for in chucks) and commenced their manufac-
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ture in rented quarters on Pearl street. The Jacobs Manufacturing Company was incorporated October 30, 1903, which has been phenomenally successful. In fact, so very successful, that Mr. Jacobs heart- ily rejoices that the company for whom he worked very helpfully for fourteen years, did not accept his proposition, when he offered to continue to give them his best service, for a small percentage of their net profits.
At first some of the company's stock was purchased by outside individuals, and the manufacturing done in rented quarters, but now (1917) all the stock is owned by Mr. Jacobs' family, and they have built and occupy a large modern factory. Arthur I. Jacobs, president, Louis E. Stoner, treasurer, and Raymond B. Jacobs, secretary. While Mr. Jacobs' chuck inventions seemed at first of little value, as compared with others of his fifty assigned patents, it has been more profitable to him than all the others com- bined. Mr. Jacobs is president of The Rhodes Manufacturing Company, a direc- tor of the Allyndale White Marble and Lime Company, a member of the Cham- ber of Commerce and the Get Together Club.
Mr. Jacobs married, October 19, 1880, Lucy Ann Backus, born January 14, 1849, daughter of Ezra J. Backus, of Hebron, Connecticut. Mrs. Jacobs was a real helpmeet and companion to her husband, sharing in his struggles and sacrifices, and fortunately lived to enjoy with him the fruits of their toil. She died August 3, 1908, mourned by her family to whom her devotion knew no limit, and a wide circle of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs were the parents of three children: May Louise, a graduate of Wellesley College ; Clara Bell, who was a student at Smith College, later became the wife of Louis E. Stoner; Raymond Backus, associated
with his father in business, married Gladys White, of Hartford. Mr. Jacobs remained a widower until June 29, 1916, when he married Marguerite Serrell, twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Serrell, of Park Ridge, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs are living happily at his old home in Hartford, Connecticut.
Mr. Jacobs has been faithful in putting to use the talents with which nature en- dowed him, and is justly entitled to con- template his achievements with satisfac- tion. His success is due to his indefatiga- ble industry, careful planning and straightforward dealing. He has the de- termination that permits of no defeat in the accomplishment of his purposes ; has a keen, quick mind, is notedly generous, and his courteous, genial manner has won for him a wide circle of steadfast friends.
MAYBERRY, Franklin Holden, Physician, Public Official.
Although graduated M. D. from Ver- mont Medical College in 1885, Dr. May- berry did not begin practice in East Hart- ford until 1890, but there has since con- tinuously ministered to human ills until the present (1917). To a career of pro- fessional activity and success he has added public service of importance and in legislative halls, in educational board and on State commission has proved the high qualities of his citizenship. This name is spelled both Mayberry and Maybury, the ancestor, William Maybury, using the latter form, but later generations in this branch using the former. The family originally came to New England, from the north of Ireland, settled first in Massa- chusetts, later going to the province of Maine.
About the year 1730. William Maybury accompanied by his family left his home in the north of Ireland and came to New
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England, locating at Marblehead, Massa- chusetts. There he followed his trade, blacksmith, and remained ten years, accu- mulating considerable property. In 1740 he became one of the grantees of New Marblehead, Maine, later incorporated as Windham, being the second settler in the town and the first blacksmith. There he owned a house and lot near the river and cleared a good farm, which he cultivated in connection with his blacksmithing un- til his death, May 15, 1764. He married Bethsheba Dennis and had children : John; Thomas; Seafair, married Stephen Manchester ; Nancy, married Gershom Winship; Richard, of further mention.
Captain Richard Maybury, son of Wil- liam Maybury, was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, about 1737, but spent his life in Windham, Maine, the family settl- ing there in 1740. When war was emi- nent between the colonies and Great Britain, he threw himself into the conflict with all the ardor of his liberty loving race and won a captain's rank. He has previously served in the Indian war ; was first lieutenant in Captain Samuel Knight's company at Falmouth, Maine, July I to December 1, 1775; captain of the Sixth Company in Colonel Ebenezer Francis' regiment of militia, August to December, 1776, at Dorchester Heights; captain of the Fifth Company, Benjamin Tupper's Eleventh Massachusetts regiment, in the retreat from Fort Ticonderoga in 1777; fought at Hubbardstown, Stillwater, Sara- toga; witnessed Burgoyne's surrender, was with Washington's army at Valley Forge and fought at Monmouth. He re- signed his commission in 1779, but in 1781-82 was a member of the Committee of Safety at Windham, Maine. He died in Raymond, now Casco. Maine, Novem- ber 4, 1807. Captain Maybury married, February 23, 1756, Martha Bolton, of Fal- mouth, Maine. They were the parents of
Mary, born November 1, 1756, married Edward Anderson; William, December 12, 1758; Thomas, May 21, 1761; Beth- sheba, November 13, 1763, married Abi- jah Purrington; Anna, died in infancy ; Richard, born April 25, 1767, married Mary Jordan; Anna L., November 30, 1769, married Ezekiel Jordan; Daniel, March 4, 1773; Edward, of further men- tion ; Martha, born September, 1778, mar- ried John Lakey.
Edward Mayberry, son of Captain Richard and Martha (Bolton) Maybury, was born in Windham, Maine, September 9, 1775. He resided in Casco, Maine, a lumberman and farmer. He married Mary Ingalls and had issue including a son Ed- ward.
Edward (2) Mayberry, son of Edward (I) and Mary (Ingalls) Mayberry, was born in Casco, Maine. He was a lumber- man, sawmill owner and farmer all his life. He was a Democrat in politics, held various town offices and was a man of considerable importance in his commu- nity. He married Clarissa A. Holden, daughter of Samuel Holden. They were the parents of two daughters and a son : Harriet, married James Mills; Abigail, married Frank Edwards; Franklin Hol- den, of further mentioned.
Dr. Franklin Holden Mayberry, only son of Edward (2) and Clarissa A. (Hol- den) Mayberry, was born in Casco, Maine, April 9. 1859. After exhausting the ad- vantages of the Casco public schools, he entered Bowdoin College where he spent one year. Deciding upon the profession of medicine he prepared at Vermont Medi- cal College, receiving his degree of M. D. with the class of 1885. He spent the years 1885-90 as assistant to Dr. Stearns at the Hartford Retreat for the Insane, begin- ning private practice in East Hartford in 1890. During the twenty-seven years which have since elapsed he has won his
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way to high professional standing and SCOFIELD, Horace Granville, ministers to a very large clientele. He is Civil Engineer. a member of the American Medical Asso- ciation, Connecticut State Medical, Hart- ford County and Hartford City Medical societies, and is held in high esteem by his professional brethren. He has kept in closest touch with all modern advance- ment in theory and practice and has the confidence of his patients to an unusual degree.
During the years he has been a resident of East Hartford, there have been few in- tervals when the public spirit and ability of Dr. Mayberry have not been tested in public position and from all he has emerged with honor. For twenty-five years his service on the school board has been continuous, and to his interest and energy much of the credit is due for the high character of the East Hartford schools. For two terms he represented the town in the Connecticut House of As- sembly and so well were his services ap- preciated that the year following he was elected State Senator. He was a trustee of the State Hospital at Norwich for eight years and is at present a member of the Connecticut River Bridge and High- way Commission. In political faith he is a Republican. He is a member of Orient Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, of East Hartford; the chapter, Royal Arch Masons; the council, Royal and Select Masters; Washington Com- mandery, Knights Templar ; Sphinx Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and in Scottish Rite Masonry holds the thirty-two degrees of Connecticut Con- sistory. His college fraternity is Delta Mu.
Dr. Mayberry married Elizabeth Maher, daughter of Alexander Maher, of Hartford. Dr. and Mrs. Mayberry have two daugh- ters: Dorothy, married Roland J. Utley, and Helen.
An argument in favor of an out-of-doors occupation might well be found in the ca- reer of Horace G. Scofield, of Bridgeport, who at the age of eighty-six years, one of the oldest engineers living, is by no means incapacitated although of course now liv- ing retired. His reputation as an engineer is so firmly established that he ranks as an expert, and as such has been frequently called in later years to settle controverted points in the courts. All along the line of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad are monuments to his skill, as for many years he was chief engineer of that road. In Bridgeport there is no en- gineering work performed during his term of service as city engineer, 1868-1905, which did not owe its plan and construc- tion to his genius. He made engineering his life work and for half a century knew no other interest. Now in honored retire- ment he reviews a career of professional achievement and upright living that he may well regard with satisfaction.
Mr. Scofield is of the seventh genera- tion of a family seated in Stamford, Con- necticut, since 1641. Daniel Scofield, the American ancestor, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England, died in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1670, a grandson of Sir Cuthbert Scofield, of Scofield Manor, of ancient and honorable lineage. David Scofield came to New England in 1639, was at Ipswich, Massachusetts, for a time, not being of record in Stamford until 1641. He was a man of prominence in his com- munity. His wife Mary was a daughter of Rev. John Youngs. The line of descent to Horace G. Scofield, of the seventh gen- eration, shows unbroken Stamford birth, John Scofield, son of the founder, having been born there about 1650. He married, in Stamford, Hannah Meads. Their son,
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Samuel Scofield, born July 10, 1678, had three wives and by his second, Hannah, had a son, Samuel (2) Scofield, born June 21, 1712. He moved to Scofield after his marriage to Elizabeth Ambler, and dur- ing the Revolution served in the Ameri- can army. He must have returned to Stamford as his youngest child, Ezekiel Scofield, was born there, July 30, 1767. He married (first) December 21, 1793, Abigail Scofield, daughter of Captain Reuben Scofield, who lived directly op- posite. She died a young woman, but her father lived to be ninety-four years; her husband, Ezekiel Scofield, died at the age of eighty-four years. Edwin Scofield, son of Ezekiel and Abigail (Scofield) Scofield, was born August 17, 1794, died in 1873, was a progressive, prosperous farmer. He married Eliza Bishop, born in Stamford, who died at the age of seventy-nine years, daughter of Hezekiah Bishop. They were the parents of two sons, Erastus E., who lived his years, eighty-eight, in Stamford, and Horace Granville, now and for many years a resident of Bridgeport. This rec- ord of continuous residence in one city is most remarkable, and the longevity of the family may be traced to the uniformity of their lives and complete satisfaction with their environment.
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