USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 5 > Part 21
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They have one daughter, Mary Belle Allyn, born June 3, 1914.
The Mather family, from which Mr. Allyn is descended, is one of the oldest and most interesting in Connecticut, descended from a very ancient English family. The name Mather is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Math, which means "honor, reverence." The family is of ancient English descent, and is found also in Scotland, where at least two fami- lies of this name bore arms. The coat- of-arms used by the early Mathers of Boston is: Ermine on a fesse wavy azure, three lions rampant or. Crest: a lion sedant or. This coat-of-arms was recorded as belonging to William Mather in 1602. Motto: Sunt fortia pectora nobis. Also: Virtus vera nobilitas est. John Mather was of Lowton, Winwick parish, Lancashire, England. His son, Thomas Mather, was of the same place, and had wife Margaret. Their son, Rev. Richard Mather, was born 1596, in Low- ton, Winwick parish, Lancashire, Eng- land. His parents, though poor, deter- mined to give their son a good education and sent him to Winwick School, about four miles from their home. In the win- ter he boarded at Winwick, but in the summer he traveled the distance on foot every day, and attended this school until he was fifteen years old. In 1611 he became a teacher in a school at Toxteth Park, near Liverpool. He lived with the family of Mr. Edward Aspinwall in 1614, and while there was converted and decided to become a minister. He con- tinued his studies under the teaching of Mr. Aspinwall, who was a learned scholar, and then went to Brazenose College, Ox- ford. Before he had been long at Oxford he received a call to preach at Toxteth, where he had been teaching school. On November 30, 1618, he preached his first sermon and was ordained a minister of
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the Established English Church. In later years he was wont to speak in terms of regret concerning his ordination, calling it a "grievous sin." He preached in the town of Prescott in connection with his Toxteth church work, and in other par- ishes of the county. In August, 1633, he was silenced for non-conformity, but restored the November following. In 1634 he was again silenced, and his friends could not have him restored again. He testified that in the fifteen years he had been in the ministry he had never worn a surplice. He decided to go to New England, and sailed from Bristol on May 23, 1635, in the ship "James," arriv- ing in Boston on August 17 following. He remained in Boston some time with his family, and finally settled in Dorches- ter, where he was chosen teacher of a new church, August 23, 1636. On September 20, 1636, he was admitted to the church with his wife ; served as minister until his death, and for fifty years was able to attend to his church labors every Sun- day. In his last years he lost sight of one of his eyes, and for the last two years suffered from a distressing malady which terminated his life, April 22, 1669. He left a diary with an interesting account of his journey across the ocean, and also a brief biography of his life up to his thirty-ninth year. With Rev. William Thompson he composed "An Answer to Mr. Charles Herle," and he was the chief author of "The Elder's Discourse About Church Government" in 1639, and the "Cambridge Platform" in 1647. His other publications were : "The Bay Psalm Book," the first printed in America, 1640; "A Reply to Rutheford," 1646; "An heart melting exhortation, together with a cor- dial of consolation presented in a letter from New England to his countrymen in Lancashire," 1650; "A Catechism," 1650; "A Treatise of Justification," 1652; "A
Letter to Mr. Hooker to prove that it was lawful for a minister to administer the sacrament to a congregation not particu- larly under his care;" "A Plea for the Churches of New England ;" "An Elec- tion Sermon," 1660; "An Answer to Mr. Davenport's work against the proposition of the Synod," 1662; "A Farewell exhor- tation of the church and people of Dor- chester consisting of seven directions." He prepared for the press others which were not printed. His grandson, Cotton Mather, says of him :
His way of preaching was very plain, studiously avoiding obscure and foreign terms, and unneces- sary incitation of Latin sentences, and aiming to shoot his arrows, not over the heads but into the hearts of his hearers. * * * His voice was loud and big, and uttered with a deliberate vehemency ; it produced unto his ministry an awful and very taking majesty. * * * But as he judged that a preacher of the Gospel should be, he was a very hard student. Yea, so intent was he upon his beloved studies, that the morning before he died he importuned his friends that watched with him, to help him into the room where he thought his usual works and books expected him. To satisfy his importunity, they began to lead him thither ; but finding himself unable to get out of his lodg- ing room, he said: "I see I am not able; I have not been in my study for several days; and is it not a lamentable thing that I should lose so much time?"
His will was dated October 16, 1661. He married (first) September 29, 1624, Catherine Holt, who died 1655, daughter of Edmund Holt, of Bury, England. He married (second) August 26, 1656, Sarah, widow of William Story and of Rev. John Cotton, and daughter of Richard Hank- ridge, of Boston, England. She died May 27, 1676. Children: Rev. Samuel, born May 13, 1626; Timothy, mentioned below ; Rev. Nathaniel, March 20, 1630; Joseph, 1634, died young ; Rev. Eleazer, May 13, 1637; Rev. Dr. Increase, June 21, 1639. Timothy Mather, second son of Rev. Richard and Catherine (Holt) Mather,
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born 1628, in Liverpool, England, came to America with his father, and was the only one of the family who did not be- come a minister. He is the ancestor of all the New England Mathers. He died as the result of a fall in his barn in Dor- chester, January 14, 1684. He married (first) about 1649, Catherine, daughter of Major-General Humphrey Atherton ; (sec- ond) March 20, 1679, Elizabeth, daughter of Amiel Weeks. Children: Rev. Sam- uel, mentioned below ; Richard, born De- cember 20, 1653; Catherine, January 6, 1656; Nathaniel, September 2, 1658; Jo- seph, May 23, 1661; Atherton, October 4, 1664. Rev. Samuel Mather, eldest child of Timothy and Catherine (Atherton) Mather, was born July 5, 1650, in Dor- chester, graduated from Harvard College in 1671, entered the ministry, and was stationed successively at Deerfield and Hatfield, Massachusetts; Milford and Branford, Connecticut. In 1682 he was settled at Windsor, Connecticut, the sec- ond minister of the church there, where he died March 18, 1728. He married Hannah, daughter of Governor Robert and Jane (Tapp) Treat, of Milford, born 1661, died March 3, 1708. Their eldest child was Dr. Samuel Mather, born 1677, graduated from Harvard College, 1698, was licensed by the General Court to practice medicine in 1702. He became greatly distinguished, both as a scholar and a physician, and his practice covered a wide circle of territory, in which he was often called as counsel. He died in Windsor, February 6, 1746. He married, April 13, 1704, Abigail Grant, born Jan- uary 27, 1680, in Windsor, baptized July 17, 1681, in Hartford, daughter of John and Mary (Hull) Grant, died September I, 1722. Her fourth son was Nathaniel Mather, born August 8, 1716, in Windsor, died August 31, 1770. He married, about 1740, Elizabeth Allen, who died May 7,
1791, a daughter of Peletiah and Mary (Stoughton) Allen, of Windsor, born No- vember 22, 1722. Her third daughter and twelfth child was Abigail Mather, born September 20, baptized October 9, 1757, in Windsor, married, May 6, 1777, Col- onel Job Allyn, of that town, as above noted.
ABBOTT, George Edward, Manufacturer.
"The name Abbott is derived from the Hebrew Ab, or father, through the Sy- riac Abba. It had its origin in the mon- asteries of Syria, whence it spread through the East, and soon became accepted gen- erally in all languages as the designation of the head of a monastery." The name at a very early date in England was spelled with one t, but at a later date in England, and with a very few exceptions ever since the first Abbott came to Amer- ica, the name has been spelled as in this sketch.
Robert Abbott-spelled Abbitt in the Colonial records-was admitted freernan in Watertown, Massachusetts, September 3, 1634. He received a grant of thirty- five acres there on July 25, 1636, and sev- eral other grants at later dates, and was a member of the small company that removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1640, called at that time Watertown. He was a juryman for the "Particular Court" at Hartford, July 12, 1640, and September 2, 1641. His name was number 30 on a list of seventy freeman of the "Court of New Haven." He was a member of the "Court on the 6th of the 6th month, 1642," and on the "5th of the 2d month, 1643," that court freed him from "trayn- ing by reason of bodily infirmityes." He took the oath of fidelity to the King, July I, 1644, and removed to what is now Bran- ford, Connecticut, probably about 1645,
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and died there, September 31, 1658. His estate was valued at one hundred and forty-three pounds, thirteen shillings. He was twice married, the name of his sec- ond wife being Maria.
Joseph Abbott, the youngest of the thirteen children of Robert Abbott, born in Branford, and was living in New Haven in 1683. The date of his birth is not known.
Stephen Abbott, eldest child of Joseph Abbott, was born in Branford, Connecti- cut. He married, January 6, 1724-25, Hannah Frisbee, of Branford, born Au- gust 14, 1693, third daughter of Jonathan and Mary Frisbee, and granddaughter of Edward Frisbee, one of the earliest set- tlers of that town. He joined the Con- gregational church, June 2, 1728, and his wife joined, April 28, 1734. About 1750, they removed to Middlebury, Connecti- cut, where he died well advanced in years. She died December 25, 1803, aged one hundred and three years.
Daniel Abbott, eldest child of Stephen and Hannah (Frisbee) Abbott, was born January 4, 1725, in Branford, Connecti- cut, and lived in Middlebury. He mar- ried, March 1, 1763, Lois, daughter of Jo- seph Smith, of Wallingford. She died in August, 1800, aged fifty-nine years.
Daniel (2) Abbott, second son of Dan- iel (1) Abbott, was born June 24, 1768, in Middlebury, and was a farmer in that town. He married, July 25, 1787, Lois, daughter of Benjamin Terrel. She died in Middlebury, January 16, 1836, aged sixty-nine years.
Daniel (3) Abbott, eldest son of Dan- iel (2) and Lois (Terrel) Abbott, was born September 18, 1796, in Middlebury, Connecticut. In addition to cultivating his farm in Middlebury, he engaged in the manufacture of pumps and pipes as well as edge tools and hammers, continu- ing until about 1850, and at one time con-
ducted an extensive business. In South- ford, a little stream called the Eight-Mile brook, the outlet of Quassepaug pond, has been utilized for manufacturing since the seventeenth century, first for lumber and flour. Adin Wheeler and Dr. Can- dee had a saw mill to the south of the village. They were succeeded by Amos Platt, who in 1837 sold to Daniel Abbott, who moved to Southford. He erected a new flour and feed mill on the site of the old one, and two large factories used for manufacturing different kinds of mater- ials. About 1849, he turned his attention to paper making, commencing in the old fulling mill, on a small scale, drying his paper on the ground in the sun. Then he added a building to the mill and advanced to loft and steam drying. After some experimenting he came to the con- clusion that loft dried paper was the best, so in 1859 he erected a large and com- modious building for loft drying. the best in the State at that time, and entered largely into the manufacture of straw- board. He died March 7, 1859, before the mill had been operated a year. The mill was sold to his son, S. A. Abbott, for $12,000. Daniel Abbott won success by persistent, intelligently directed industry. His brain was as tireless as his physical energy. He possessed a business imag- ination. and had the courage to push for- ward and keep abreast of the times. Withal he was careful in forming his judgments and thrifty in financial mat- ters. He was a member of the Methodist church, and an adherent of the Whig party. He married, February 10, 1819, Sally Sherman, born March 27, 1801, fifth daughter of Elijah and Nanny (North- rop) Sherman, of Woodbury, Connecti- cut, who belonged to the famous family which produced General William Tecum- seh Sherman. The Sherman family is a very ancient one in England, and has
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been traced to Henry Sherman, who re- sided in Dedham, County Essex, whither he removed probably from Suffolk, as he bore the Suffolk Sherman coat-of-arms. He died in 1598, and his wife, Agnes, in 1580. Their eldest child, Henry Sherman, was a clothier in Dedham, where he died in 1610. His wife, Susan (Hills) Sher- man, was the mother of Edmond Sher- man, born in Dedham, who came to America about 1632, and settled in Wa- tertown, Massachusetts, whence he re- moved to Wethersfield, Connecticut, and finally to New Haven. He married, in 16II, Judith Angiers. Their youngest child, Hon. Samuel Sherman, was born July 12, 1618, in Dedhanı, was a prom- inent man in colony and church affairs. He resided successively at Watertown, Wethersfield, Stamford and Stratford, and died in 1684. He married Sarah Mit- chell, of Cambridge, daughter of Jonathan Mitchell. Their seventh son, Benjamin Sherman, was born March 29, 1662, and lived in Stratford. He married, June 6, 1683, Rebecca daughter of Benjamin Phippeny of Boston. Their sixth son, Samuel Sherman, born February 10, 1705, in Stratford, lived in that town and mar- ried, April 4, 1728, Martha Gold, of Fair- field. Their second son, Elijah Sherman, settled in Woodbury, married, May 22, 1778, Nanny Northrop, who died April 2, 1818. They were the parents of Sally Sherman, wife of Daniel Abbott. She married (second) after May 11, 1862, Steven Atwood, who died in Woodbury, February 5, 1867; she married (third) March 9, 1869, Hiram French, whom she survived. After his death in 1884, she lived with her son, Smith A. Abbott, at his home in Derby, Connecticut, where she died October 3, 1889.
Daniel and Sally (Sherman) Abbott had a family of six sons and two daugh- ters, all born in Middlebury but John B.,
who was born in Southford, as follows : I. Daniel Sherman, born March 22, 1820; was a very energetic and enterprising man, engaged in manufacturing at Gan- anoque, Ontario, Canada, where he died July 12, 1861 ; he never married. 2. Mar- garet Sarah, born August 25, 1822; was twice married and died at New Haven. July 23, 1912, leaving two daughters. 3. Samuel Preston, born November 21, 1824; was superintendent of a rubber mill in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was killed by accident, December 15, 1857. 4. Elijah Edwards, of whom fur- ther. 5. Nancy Maria, born June 29, 1829; was married May 16, 1854, to Charles Warner, who died in Shelton, May 4, 1916; she survives him. 6. Smith Adams, born August 6, 1831, died in Derby, March 4, 1916; he married (first) Julia B. Downs, and (second) Sarah Down. 7. Charles Keyo, born Novem- ber 7, 1836, was killed by explosion of keg of blasting powder at Southford when nine years of age. 8. John Bishop, born February 10, 1842; went to Ontario, April, 1861; in July, 1862, he returned to Southford and enlisted in August of that year in the Union Army, member of Com- pany H, Twentieth Connecticut Volun- teer Infantry ; he served until the end of the war and is now the recipient of a pen- sion ; lives at Gananoque, Ontario, Can- ada; married, June 28, 1870, Elizabeth Rogers, and they are the parents of Agnes Helena, who was married August 14, 1897, to A. H. Maybie, a resident of Gananoque.
Elijah Edwards Abbott, son of Daniel (3) and Sally (Sherman) Abbott, was born in Middlebury, January 26, 1827. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, later learned the trade of machinist, and worked under his father in the paper mills. When a young man he went to Gananoque, Province of Ontario,
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Canada, and entered the employ of his old- est brother, Daniel Sherman Abbott, Jr., who had established himself there as a proprietor of a machine shop and foundry. Daniel S. Abbott died July 12, 1861, and Elijah E. Abbott succeeded his brother as owner of the machine shop and foundry, which he conducted successfully until within a few years of his death, when he retired to a well-earned leisure, a fitting sequel to years of hard and unre- mitting toil. For many years he served as United States Deputy Consul at Gan- anoque. He was a member of the Ma- sonic Lodge there. Mr. Abbott married, April 11, 1848, Mary Jane Buell, born December 11, 1827, in Litchfield, Connec- ticut, eldest daughter of Samuel and Minerva (Wadhams) Buell. She was descended from William Buell, born about 1610, in Chesterton, County Hunt- ingdon, England, and came to America in 1630; settled in Dorchester, Massa- chusetts, whence he removed in 1625-26 to Windsor, there received a grant of land in 1640, and died November 23, 1681. He married, November 18, 1640, Mary, whose surname is not recorded. She died September 1, 1684. Their eldest child, Samuel Buell, born September 2, 1641, in Windsor, settled in Killingly in 1664, being one of the original proprietors of the town, where he died July 1I, 1720. He married, November 18, 1662, Deborah Griswold, born June 28, 1646, died Feb- ruary 7, 1719, daughter of Edward and Margaret Griswold, pioneers in the set- tlement of Windsor. Their second son, John Buell, born February 17, 1671, removed in 1695 to Lebanon, and to Litchfield in 1721, where he died in 1746. He married, November 20, 1695, Mary Loomis, born March 20, 1673, died No- vember 4, 1768, daughter of John Loomis, of Windsor, granddaughter of Deacon John and Elizabeth (Scott) Loomis, and
great-granddaughter of Joseph Loomis, a pioneer settler of Windsor. The last named was born about 1590, was a woolen draper and came from Braintree, County Essex, to America in the ship "Susan and Ellen," April 11, 1638, from London, arrived at Boston, July 17, 1638. The next year he is found in Windsor. He married in Messing, County Essex, June 30, 1614, Mary White, who was bap- tized August 24, 1590, daughter of Rob- ert W. and Bridget (Allgar) White, the last named baptized March 11, 1562, daughter of William Allgar, of Shalford, County Essex. Peter Buell, third son of John and Mary (Loomis) Buell, was born May 22, 1710, in Lebanon, and lived in Litchfield, Connecticut. He married, De- cember 26, 1734, Avis Collins, born April I, 1714, died November 1, 1754, fifth daughter of John and Anna (Leete) Col- lins, of Guilford, the last named a grand- daughter of Governor William Leete. Peter Buell, second son of Peter and Avis (Collins) Buell, was born October 12, 1739, and married, December 25, 1766, Abigail Seymour, daughter of Zachariah Seymour, granddaughter of John and Mary (Watson) .Seymour, and great- granddaughter of Richard Seymour, who came from England to America and was one of the original proprietors of Hart- ford, Connecticut, whence he removed in 1650 to Norwalk. There he was one of the earliest settlers. Samuel Buell, youngest child of Peter and Abigail (Sey- mour) Buell, born December 27, 1782, in Litchfield, Connecticut, and married there, June 28, 1819, Minerva Wadhams. They were the parents of Mary Jane Buell, wife of Elijah Edwards Abbott. Mr. and Mrs. Elijah E. Abbott were the parents of seven children, six of whom attained years of maturity, as follows : Charles Buell, a resident of Hartford ; Sarah, deceased, was the wife of Wesley
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Taylor; Samuel Augustus, a resident of
Stamford, Connecticut ; Walter Sher- man, a merchant in Gananoque, Canada ; George Edward, of whom further; Min- nie, wife of Albert P. Russell, of Philadel- phia. Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, Mr. Abbott serving as class leader, trustee and superintendent of Sunday school, and Mrs. Abbott active in the women's organizations.
George Edward Abbott, son of Elijah Edwards and Mary Jane (Buell) Abbott, was born in Gananoque, Province of On- tario, Canada, November 16, 1864. He was educated in the public schools in the vicinity of his home, learned the trade of machinist with his father and worked for him until he was twenty-one years old. He then came to the United States and located in New Britain, Connecticut, where he secured a position as machinist and toolmaker for the Case Engine Com- pany, remaining in that capacity for five years. He then entered the employ of the firm of Yale & Towne, at Stamford, as machinist and toolmaker, but at the expiration of one year left that concern and became an employee of the firm of Brown & Sharpe, at Providence, Rhode Island, where he remained for a short period of time. He then changed his place of residence to Hartford, Connec- ticut, and worked for a short period of time as toolmaker for Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company. He then became an employee of the Sigourney Tool Company, with whom he remained for five years, then changed to the New Departure Manufacturing Company of Bristol, which he served for ten years, the last six years as master mechanic. While in the employ of this company they added to their line the manufacture of balls for ball bearings, and Mr. Abbott designed the special machinery for mak-
ing this product. He then decided to engage in business on his own account ; he rented a small room on Hicks street, installed a few machine shop tools, designed and drafted his own special ma- chinery and had made the necessary pat- terns for casting ; when he had completed the building of his equipment, he made five hundred pounds of balls and went out on the road and sold them. He then came back, made more balls, went out and sold them, and continued in this way until he secured sufficient business to justify adding the services of a boy as helper. From that time to the present (1917) business has steadily increased in volume and importance. He occupied rented quarters until 1912, when he moved into his own factory building located in Elmwood. Each year an addition to the factory building has been necessary in order to meet the growing demands of his trade, and they give employment on an average to about ninety men. Special machinery, that is the last word in auto- matic machinery in this line, is designed by Mr. Abbott, and the product is sent all over the world. In addition to being a most skillful artisan, Mr. Abbott is an able executive and business man. He is progressive in business, yet careful that he is right before forging ahead, and these qualities have been active factors in the success which has crowned his efforts. He is domestic in his tastes, preferring to devote his leisure time to his home and family, quiet, unassuming, courteous, willing to aid to the best of his ability every project that tends to advance the interests of the community. He is a mem- ber of Franklin Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Pequabuck Chapter, No. 32, Royal Arch Masons; Ionic Coun- cil, Royal and Select Masters, of Bristol, Connecticut.
Mr. Abbott married, September 16,
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1889, Isabelle Peck, born March 31, 1866, daughter of Noah Peck, of Gananoque, Province of Ontario, Canada. Children : G. Kenneth, born June 16, 1890; Edith, born July 27, 1899.
FRISBIE, Charles Brown, Manufacturer.
Among the leading citizens of Crom- well is Mr. Frisbie, who is descended from a very old Connecticut family founded by Edward Frisbie, who was one of the earliest planters of Branford, where he located before 1645. In that year his name appears in the list of those consigned lots. His wife Hannah joined the church in 1687-88. They had a large family of children. Their sev- enth son, Caleb Frisbie, born 1667, lived in Branford, where he died October 12, 1737, and was survived by his wife Han- nah. Their second son, Daniel Frisbie, was born February 14, 1709, in Bran- ford, and was admitted to the church there with his wife Ruth, June 30, 1751. He died December II, 1785. He mar- ried (second) May 4, 1749, Ruth (Allen) Brockett, widow of - Brockett. His second son, Josiah Frisbie, was born Feb- ruary 12, 1752, in Branford, where he was a farmer; he was a soldier in the Revolu- tion; he died at the age of ninety-four years. He married, April 12, 1781, Sarah Rogers, and they were the parents of Levi Frisbie, baptized September 28, 1794 ; he was a fisherman at Stony Creek ; he died November 4, 1846. He married, in May, 1819, Betsy Beach, born August 19, 1799, died May 28, 1842, daughter of Elnathan Beach.
Russell Frisbie, son of Levi and Betsy (Beach) Frisbie, was born January 8, 1822, in Branford, and baptized in Bran- ford church, July 2, of that year. When a lad of nine years, he left home to live
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