USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 5 > Part 26
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was manufactured. A Samuel Bishop and one Pitkins received from the gov- ernment the privilege of manufacturing glass. A factory was later purchased by Mr. Lyman from Mr. Bishop and con- verted into "a saw and grist mill." As can be readily seen, Benjamin Lyman was a man of affairs and accumulated considerable property for his day, being considered at his death one of the wealth- iest men of that section. He married Mary Millard, daughter of Andrus Mil- lard, of French descent, who came to this country with Lafayette and was at the battle of Bunker Hill. He married a Miss Bissell and settled on a farm at Lydal- ville, where the Bissells were among the most prominent people. They were the parents of two daughters and a son, Ben- jamin, who died at the age of twenty-one. The elder daughter, Mary, never married, and the younger one, Mabel Lyman, be- came the wife of Aaron Cook, as previ- ously noted.
Aaron Cook, Jr., son of Aaron and Mabel (Lyman) Cook, was born on the paternal homestead in Manchester Green, September 12, 1842. In his youth he attended the old brick school house, and at the age of twelve years entered the East Academy, which was a famous school of the neighborhood at that time. He grew up accustomed to farm life and was of great assistance to his grandfather, Benjamin Lyman, in the management of the homestead. At the age of twenty years, he enlisted in the cause of his coun- try in the Twenty-fifth Volunteer Regi- ment, under Colonel G. P. Bissell, for a nine months' enlistment period, but served his country a year and four days, being mustered out, September 4, 1863. His regiment was attached to General Banks' forces in Louisiana, and went to the relief of General Butler at Irish Bend, where one-third of the regiment was
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killed. After this engagement, Mr. Cook was promoted to the office of sergeant, and continued with his company, partici- pating in numerous skirmishes and accompanying General Banks' forces on their Red River Expedition. He was also with Banks at Port Hudson, where he was in the fight that continued for six weeks, and was at the surrender of Port Hudson, July 8, 1863. His command then moved to the Mississippi river, where they had an engagement at Fort Donald- son. During his entire service, Mr. Cook was fortunate enough to escape being wounded or being taken prisoner, but was in many a hot fight where a large num- ber of his comrades were killed by his side. He was a good soldier and officer, and at the time of his discharge was offered a commission in a colored regi- ment, but not being in robust health, he decided not to enter the service again.
Upon his return home, Mr. Cook entered the machine shop connected with the mills at Manchester Green, where he served his time as an apprentice, learning the machinist's trade. For the ensuing year, he was engaged as a machinist by the Hartford Electric Company, Colt's Factory and the Mather Company of Manchester. Later he was employed by the Asa Cook Company of Hartford, which firm was engaged in the making of machinery for the manufacture of wood screws. Mr. Cook retired from the me- chanical work to live on the old home- stead where his grandfather and father had lived before him. There he has spent the latter years of his life, managing the farm and acting as land surveyor, also engaged in the settling of many estates. For some years, until he was seventy years of age, Mr. Cook was justice of the peace. He is a member of Manchester Lodge, No. 73, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and was for three years master of the lodge.
Mr. Cook married, September 17, 1867, in East Hartford, Hattie Jewett Richard- son, who died in 1884. She was the mother of four children: I. Edith Louise, who is a teacher in the Hartford public school. 2. Frank Aaron, who lives in Hartford, where he is employed as fore- man by the Underwood Typewriter Com- pany; he married Posta Markum, and they have two children, Mary and Edith Cook. 3. Richard George, who is a res- ident of the State of Washington, and employed as a mechanic at the Benning- ton Navy Yard; he married Minnie Aus- tin, and they have one daughter, Ruth Cook. 4. Arthur, who lives at home with his father, one of the leading business men of Manchester; he deals in real estate and is a successful builder, having erected a large number of houses which he sells to those desiring homes ; he also manages a cider mill which makes apple cider and vinegar ; a very successful man of affairs ; he is a Republican in politics, taking an active part, and served his town in the State Legislature in the session of 1912; Mr. Cook is also a Mason and a member of the same lodge as his father ; he married, November 20, 1895, Jennie May Luce, and they have three children, Jennie May, Florence E. and Aaron Cook.
ROBERTSON, William Post, Successful Business Man.
The name of Robertson is undoubtedly of Scotch origin. Although various mem- bers of the branch of the family of whom Mr. Robertson of this review is a repre- sentative have made considerable re- search, the name of the immigrant ances- tor of the family has not been found up to the present time. The first of the line of whom we have definite information is Daniel Robertson, who, it is supposed, was the son of John and Susanna Rob- ertson. Among the early settlers of New-
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bury, Massachusetts, were two John Robertsons, one in 1634 and the other in 1638. One of these may have been the progenitor of the following line.
(I) Daniel Robertson was born March 17, 1694-95, and died October 25, 1748. He married, June 24 1719, Lydia, daugh- ter of David and Lydia (Strong) Lee, and granddaughter of Jedediah and Free- dom (Woodward) Strong. In the Wind- ham Probate Records, Vol. II., page 261, we find the following entry under date of September 12, 1733: "Daniel Robertson of Coventry receipt for nine shillings willed to his wife Lydia Robertson by her honored grandfather, Jedediah Strong." Jedediah Strong was born May 7, 1637; married November 18, 1662, Freedom Woodward, who was baptized at Dor- chester, Massachusetts, in 1642, daughter of Henry Woodward, afterward of North- ampton, and "one of the pillars of the church" there, and Elizabeth, his wife. Jedediah Strong was a farmer in North- ampton until 1709, when he removed with his family to Coventry, Connecticut. There he died May 22, 1733, aged ninety- six years. During the years 1677-78-79 he was paid eighteen shillings a year for blowing the trumpet on Sunday summon- ing the people to church. His wife died May 17, -. Elder John Strong, father of Jedediah Strong, was born in Taunton, England, in 1605, from whence he re- moved to London, and later to Plymouth. He was strongly Puritan in his sympa- thies, and sailed for the New World on March 20, 1630, as one of a company of one hundred and forty in the ship "Mary and John," which arrived at Nantasket, Massachusetts, May 30, 1630. The com- pany settled in Dorchester, Massachu- setts, of which town he was one of the founders. In 1635 he removed to Hing- ham, and on March 9, 1636, took the free- man's oath at Boston. He is found as a
resident and a proprietor of Taunton, Massachusetts, on December 4, 1638, and was there as late as 1645. He was deputy from that town to the General Court, 1641-43-44. We next find him in Wind- sor, Connecticut, which had been settled in 1636 by some of his Dorchester friends. In Windsor he was one of a committee of five leading citizens appointed "to super- intend and bring forward the settlement of that place." In 1659 he removed to Northampton, of which he was one of the most active founders. There he lived for forty years, a leader in town and church affairs. He was a prosperous tan- ner, and owned considerable land. His first wife died on the voyage to America. In December, 1630, he married (second) Abigail, daughter of Thomas Ford, of Dorchester. She died July 6, 1688, hav- ing been the mother of sixteen children. He died September 14, 1699, aged ninety- four years. Thomas Ford came to this country in the "Mary and John" with John Strong, and was one of the founders of Dorchester. He was also one of the early settlers of Windsor, Connecticut. He was deputy to the General Court in 1637-38-39-40, and grand juror in 1643. His wife died in Windsor, April 18, 1683. He removed to Northampton, Massachu- setts, in 1659, and died there, Novem- ber 28, 1676.
(II) Ephraim Robertson, son of Dan- iel and Lydia (Lee) Robertson, was born April 5, 1720, and died July 29, 1752. He married January 5, 1743, Hester Rose, born August 30, 1721, died January 18, 1804, daughter of Daniel Rose, Jr. He was born in Wethersfield, Connecticut, August 20, 1667; married, May 14, 1706, Mary Foote, born November 24, 1679, daughter of Nathaniel Foote. Accord- ing to Savage he settled at Colchester, but the Foote genealogy says he settled in Coventry. His father gave him twelve
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acres of the Sherwood homestead on the south side of the present Pratt's Ferry road in 1707. Daniel Rose, Sr., was born in England, in 1631, and was brought to America by his father in 1634, locating in Watertown, from whence they removed to Wethersfield in 1635. He married, in 1664, Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Goodrich; she was born November 2, 1645. Jonathan Goodrich was born in England, and died in Wethersfield, Con- necticut, in April, 1680. He first appears in America on the "Colonial Record of Connecticut (Hartford)" November 10, 1643: juryman, December 4, 1645, and in 1646 and 1648; held lands in Wethers- field in 1644. He married (first) Eliza- beth, daughter of Thomas Edwards, in 1645; she died July 5, 1670. Daniel Rose was fence viewer in 1669; pound-keeper, 1680; drew lands in 1670 and 1694 allot- ments and through purchase became pos- sessed of large holdings of land. Robert Rose, father of Daniel Rose, Sr., was born in England, in 1594, and came with his wife, Margery, and eight children, from Ipswich county, England, in the ship "Francis" in 1634. He was one of the "Adventurers" from Watertown, Massa- chusetts, who first settled in Wethers- field. He was a large land owner; a sol- dier in the Pequot War; constable in 1639-40; juror, 1641; representative in General Court, 1641-42-43; had many other offices conferred upon him by the town and court. In 1644 he removed to what is now Branford, Connecticut. He died in 1664. His estate was inventoried at £826, 9s., 7d. Nathaniel Foote, whose daughter Mary married Daniel Rose, was born in Wethersfield, January 14, 1648. He settled in Hatfield, Massachusetts. He married, May 2, 1672, Margaret, daughter of Nathaniel and Margaret (Lawrence) Bliss, of Springfield, Massa- chusetts. After residing in Hatfield two
years, he removed to Springfield. He served in Captain Turner's expedition against the Indians at what is now Turner's Falls. He next removed to Stratford, Connecticut, and thence, in February, 1679, to Branford, where he was admitted a "Planter" of the town. From there he removed to Wethersfield, where he resided until his death, January 12, 1703. He was a house carpenter by trade, but the frequent appearance of his name on the records of the County Court as attorney in cases before that court would indicate that he had a considerable law practice for those days. His father, Nathaniel Foote, born about 1620, died 1655; married Elizabeth, daughter of Lieutenant Samuel Smith, of Wethers- field. His father, Nathaniel Foote, the immigrant ancestor of this family, was born in England, in 1593. He married Elizabeth Deming, about 1615, and came with her and six children to America. He was one of the first ten men, known as "Adventurers," who settled in Wethers- field. He represented the town in the General Court. He died in 1644, and his widow married Thomas Welles, after- wards Governor. She died July 28, 1683. (III) Daniel (2) Robertson, son of Ephraim and Hester (Rose) Robertson, was born November 9, 1749, and died February 20, 1816. He married, Febru- ary 18, 1773, Triphena Janes, born July 3, 1755, died January 6, 1832, daughter of Elisha and Mary (Dimock) Janes. Elisha Janes was born in 1715, and married, April 23, 1740, Mary Dimock, a widow. His father, Benjamin Janes, was born September 30, 1672; married Hannah, daughter of Samuel Hinsdale, of Hadley, Massachusetts. On May 13, 1704, a lit- tle settlement of families between Mt. Tom and Westfield, Massachusetts, was attacked by the Indians, and the wife of Benjamin Janes was scalped, but when
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found was still alive. She was taken to Wethersfield and placed in the care of Dr. Gershom Bulkley. She recovered and lived to be more than eighty years of age. In 1712-13 they removed from Wethersfield to Coventry, where he built a stone house. His father, William Janes, was a resident of New Haven in 1637. He married Mary -, in England. He was a prominent member of the colony for seventeen years, and a beloved teacher. In 1652 the people of Wethers- field invited him to come to them and "only by consent of the brethren" was he permitted to return to New Haven the same year.
(IV) Guy Robertson, son of Daniel (2) and Triphena (Janes) Robertson, was born April 24, 1778, and died January 15, 1816. He was a resident of Coventry, and was a farmer by occupation. He married, March 10, 1807, for his second wife, Mehetable Woodworth. She died March 31, 1851, aged seventy-six years.
(V) Gurdon Young Robertson, son of Guy and Mehetable (Woodworth) Rob- ertson, was born February 29, 1812, and died May 20, 1881. He was born in Cov- entry, Connecticut, and at the age of six years moved with his mother to Columbia, Connecticut, where he spent his lifetime. After completing his studies in the local schools, he learned the trade of hatter and later made hats in a shop of his own. Subsequently he conducted a general store, also he was an agriculturist and dealer in general produce, in all of which lines he was successful, being enabled to provide a comfortable home for his fam- ily. He was a strong anti-slavery man, and a staunch adherent of the Republican party. He married, November 30, 1843, Sybil Post, born in Hebron, Connecticut, August 26, 1819, died May 2, 1904, daugh- ter of Augustus and Betsey Gordon (Strong) Post. Children: Jane Wood-
worth, born November 30, 1844, died May 17, 1853; James Perkins, born May 5, 1847, died August 29, 1871; Lafayette Janes, born October 16, 1849; William Amos, born May 7, 1851, died September 3, 1853; Mary Jane, born March 18, 1853, died August 30, 1853; Nellie Denslow, born December 28, 1855, died January II, 1862; William Post, of whom further.
(VI) William Post Robertson, son of Gurdon Young and Sybil (Post) Robert- son, was born February 14, 1858, in Co- lumbia, Connecticut. He received a prac- tical education in the public schools of Columbia, and he remained at home until he attained his majority. He then went to Hartford, Connecticut, entering the employ of his uncle, Charles A. Post, a grocer. At the expiration of about a year and a half, he resigned this position and entered the employ of his brother, L. J. Robertson. This partnership existed until 1886, when it was dissolved. He then entered into partnership with J. P. New- ton, and under the firm name of Newton & Robertson conducted a wholesale and retail grocery business. In 1893, Henry H. Dickinson was admitted into the firm and the name changed to Newton, Rob- ertson & Company. In 1902 they began the manufacture of bakery goods and con- fectionery on Asylum street. In 1906, they established the Enarco Store and Restaurant at No. 858 Main street, and in 1914 the Spa at No. 653 Main street. These are all profitable enterprises, con- ducted in a straightforward and honor- able business manner. Mr. Robertson holds membership in St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma- sons; City Club, Automobile Club, Re- publican Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Get-Together Club.
Mr. Robertson married (first) October 17, 1883, Julia Hortense, daughter of James L. Downer, of Columbia, Connec-
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ticut. They were the parents of four children: Adelaide Hortense, born Jan- uary I, 1885, became wife of Harris Mini- kin, of South Manchester, Connecticut ; Hazel Adele, born September 19, 1888; William Post, Jr., born June 4, 1892; Julia Rebecca, born January 8, 1895. Mrs. Robertson died in giving birth to her youngest child at the early age of thirty- four years. Mr. Robertson married (sec- ond) May 20, 1896, Mary Agnes Beards- ley. She died February 23, 1902. Mr. Robertson married (third) October 27, 1903, Olive M. Allen, daughter of Frank N. and Mary Abbe Allen, of Hartford, Connecticut. The family are members of Emmanuel Congregational Church.
THOMPSON, Charles E., Man of Many Activities.
For over half a century Colonel Thomp- son has been a resident of the city of Hartford, that residence broken only by two years spent in Providence, Rhode Island. Forty-two years of that period have been in the service of the Con- necticut Mutual Life Insurance Company in a responsible position. He has been active, influential and useful to a high de- gree in the social and religious work of the community. He is a member of the Twentieth Century Club, and in 1916 was president of the Connecticut Congrega- tional Club. He is a descendant on the maternal side of Roger Wolcott, a Gov- ernor of Connecticut, and of Governor William Bradford, of the Plymouth Col- ony, and now holds the office of Deputy Governor of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Connecticut.
Charles E. Thompson was born Feb- ruary 26, 1847, in Rockville, Connecticut, and there he resided until 1863. He attended the public schools, finishing at High School, and at the age of sixteen
left home to accept a position in the office of the Cheney Brothers Silk Manufactur- ing Company, at Hartford. He remained in that position for ten years, 1863 to 1873, and then spent two years in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, returning to Hart- ford in 1875. He entered the service of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, January 24, 1876, and from that time has been continuously in that employ, rising through various promo- tions to his present responsible position in the financial department. In his youth and young manhood Mr. Thompson was actively interested in the National Guard of Connecticut. On August 16, 1865, he enlisted as a private in Battery D, Light Artillery, which was attached to the First Regiment, National Guard of Connecti- cut. On January 20, 1868, he was ap- pointed corporal, and was discharged July 24, 1871. He was the originator of Com- pany K, of the First Regiment, enlisting in the command, February 10, 1879, and on that same date was elected to the first lieutenantcy, and on January 31, 1883, he was chosen captain of Company F, Hart- ford City Guard, of the First Regiment. He was advanced to the lieutenant- colonelcy of the regiment, January 22, 1890. He is now on the retired list. Dur- ing the period that Captain Thompson commanded the City Guard the company stood at the head of the brigade in fig- ures of merit. The credit and distinction which he won as a line officer were accorded to him without dissent through- out the entire National Guard, as a field officer of the First. In personal honor, instinct and training, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson is the ideal military leader. In March, 1890, he was elected major commanding the Veteran City Guard; in 1889, he was captain commanding Com- pany K, Veteran Corps; for one year he was the military instructor at the West
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Middle School in Hartford. During the presidential campaign of 1888, he was in command of the Harrison and Morton battalion of Hartford. Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson originated the present signal for calling out the city companies in case of emergency by means of the alarm fire bell. At the time of the Park Central Hotel disaster the signal was sounded for the first time, being ordered by Governor Bulkeley, and within twenty minutes one hundred men were en route from the arm- ory in uniform and armed for the scene of the calamity. The service rendered by the Guard at that time under the com- mand of Colonel Cone and his associate field officers was invaluable.
Colonel Thompson for many years has taken a deep interest in religious work, both in the church and societies working along philanthropic lines. For several years he was assistant superintendent of the Center Congregational Church Sun- day School. He has served as treas- urer of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church for twenty-seven years, from 1881 to 1908, and since 1879 has been a mem- ber of the board of deacons. For one year he was treasurer of the Connecticut Temperance Union, of which Governor Buckingham was the first president. Al- though Colonel Thompson's heart was in the work, the increasing weight of his business responsibilities caused him to decline reelection. From 1894 to 1898, he was president of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association of Hartford, and has served twenty-five years on its board of directors. He was for several years pres- ident of the City Missionary Society, and is auditor of the Connecticut Humane So- ciety. As chairman of the High School Committee for four years, ending June, 1900, he was connected with the building and equipment of the manual training school addition and previously, in 1895,
had been treasurer of the High School, this service indicating the keen interest he has always taken in the advancement of the school. He has never taken active part in political affairs, his interest being confined to the institutions named.
Colonel Thompson married, September 14, 1868, Abby Frances Allen, daughter of Charles and Harriet R. (Sharpe) Allen, of Hartford. They are the parents of a son and two daughters: 1. Arthur R., the class poet, and graduate of Yale Uni- versity in the class of 1896; he is also connected with the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company ; he accom- panied Dr. Cook's expedition to Green- land in 1894, and his works "Gold Seek- ers along the Dalton Trail" and "Ship- wrecked in Greenland," are from the press of Little, Brown & Company, of Boston. 2. Harriet M., a graduate of the Hartford High School; married, July 17, 1900, Professor Alfred M. Hitchcock, English instructor in the Hartford High School. 3. Emma J., a graduate of the high school ; married October 7, 1916, Mr. E. Sidney Berry, assistant secretary and counsel of the Hartford Steam Boiler and Inspection Company ; he graduated from Harvard University.
Colonel Thompson has been elected annually since May 24, 1910, to the office of major commanding the Robert O. Tyler Post, Citizens Corps, and was chosen grand marshal of the parade held in Hartford, October 4, 1911, by the sur- viving members of the Grand Army of the Republic, then in Connecticut. He is a member of the Connecticut Society Sons of the American Revolution, and of Gov- ernor Jeremiah Wadsworth Branch of the same society. Colonel Thompson is a charter member of the "League to En- force Peace," which was organized in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, June 17, 1915, and was present at all the meet-
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ings connected therewith. He is also a member of the executive committee of the Connecticut Peace Society, whose members give unqualified support to the government in the prosecution of the war in the interests of humanity, but hope and strive for a day when the sword shall not be drawn until arbitration between nations has failed to prevent the horrors of war. Colonel Thompson is president of the Thompson Family Association, which holds biennial meetings with an attendance of about two hundred descend- ants of their pioneer ancestors, William and Mary Thompson, of Scotland.
SPENCER, Charles Luther, Banker.
A worthy scion of one of New Eng- land's oldest Colonial families, Mr. Spen- cer exemplifies in his life and career the qualities of determination, stability and industry which founded this Nation under most trying conditions in a struggle with savage foes and an unbroken wild- erness. The Spencer family is one of the oldest in Connecticut, and has been traced back through eleven generations to Michael and Elizabeth Spencer, who were residents of Stratford, in Bedford- shire, England, in the middle of the six- teenth century.
Their son, Jared Spencer, was baptized in Stratford, May 20, 1576. He came with his wife Alice and five sons to Amer- ica in 1632, and located at Cambridge, Massachusetts. One of the sons, John, returned to England, one remained in Cambridge, two settled at Hartford, and one in Haddam, Connecticut.
Thomas Spencer, the eldest, known as Sergeant Thomas Spencer, the progenitor of the Suffield branch of the family, was born March 27, 1607, in Stratford. In 1635 he and his brother William came to
Hartford with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company. He was an inhabitant of Cam- bridge, Massachusetts, as early as 1633, and is supposed to have been the Thomas Spencer who took the freeman's oath, May 14, 1634. In 1639 he had become a resident of Hartford, Connecticut, owned land there and was chosen a sergeant of Hartford, March 7, 1650. He was chimney-viewer in 1650; constable in 1657, and surveyor of highways in 1672. He owned land in Soldier's Field, indi- cating that he had served in the Pequot War in 1637, and in 1671 was granted sixty acres of land by the General Court "for his good service in the country." His will was dated September 9, 1686, and he died September 11, 1687. Nothing is known of his first wife except that she was the mother of Thomas Spencer.
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