USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 5 > Part 35
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Contractor, Builder.
One of the self-made men now residing in Wethersfield, Mr. Hubbard has ad- vanced from small beginnings to a posi- tion of strength and importance through his own energy, industrious application and business facilities. He was born May 7, 1886, in Southington, Connec- ticut, a son of Henry and Harriett (Spencer) Hubbard, grandson of Hiram Hubbard. Henry Hubbard was a farmer, employed in various sections of the State, was a soldier of the Civil War, a member of Company I, Seventh Connecticut Vol-
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unteer Infantry, was wounded in action, and died in 1899.
Albert George Hubbard is recorded on the records of Southington as George Al- bert. In early boyhood he had some opportunity for education, attended pub- lic schools in Southington. Middletown and Cromwell, but since the age of thir- teen years has been busily occupied, and most of his education has been acquired through reading and observation. He has not been a dull pupil in the great school of experience, and is to-day reck- oned among the well informed men of his time, and competent in the management of business undertakings. His father died when he was but thirteen years old, and the care of the family devolved largely upon the youthful son. When fourteen years of age, he entered the employ of J. & E. Stevens Company, manufacturers of tools at Cromwell, Connecticut, and a year later he became a farm laborer in Middletown. During several subsequent years, he was employed on farms in Middletown or in manufacturing shops. About the time of arriving at his major- ity, he learned the builder's trade, and for some years was employed as a journey- man carpenter. In 1907 he built for him- self a house in Wethersfield, and two years later started out in business as a contracting builder. His first undertak- ing was the erection of a house on Nott street, Wethersfield, and he subsequently built two more on the same street, on his own account. These he sold and subse- quently bought a parcel of land on Wol- cott Hill in East Hartford, Connecticut. This he improved by the construction of several houses, which he sold, together with his land holdings. In August, 1914, he purchased eight acres on Garden street, Wethersfield, which he developed by the construction of sixteen bungalows, all of which he sold, and also disposed of
the remaining lots on the property to good advantage. In the spring of 1916 he purchased five acres on Hartford avenue, Wethersfield, on which he built his pres- ent fine residence and seventeen other houses, all of which he disposed of. He continued his operations in developing real estate, has purchased various tracts on which have been laid out residence lots, and which are traversed by the streets known as Williard street, Hub- bard place and Church street, all in Weth- ersfield. While yet a comparatively young man, Mr. Hubbard has developed remarkable capacity as a business man, and has achieved a most flattering suc- cess. He is active in promoting various social organizations, is a member of the Sons of Veterans, Camp No. 50, of Hart- ford, and of the Country Club of Weth- ersfield. He is a regular attendant of the Congregational church, and supports in public affairs the principles and policies promulgated by the Republican party. He is a member of the Business Men's As- sociation of Wethersfield. Mr. Hubbard married, January 30, 1905, Isabel Michael, daughter of Conrad M. Michael, of Bris- tol, Connecticut, and they are the par- ents of two children, Lucille Evelyn and Lawrence Michael.
CLIFFORD, Alfred P., Public Official.
A native of Bradford, Yorkshire, Eng- land, and a descendant of an old and honorable family, Alfred P. Clifford was born October 10, 1863, and died Novem- ber 22, 1917. Mr. Clifford came to Amer- ica in 1887, and to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1890. When but a small boy he was left an orphan and went to live at the home of his uncle. He received his edu- cation at the Bradford grammar school, a school which dated back to the reign
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alped P, Clifford
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of Edward VI., and was famous among the ancient grammar schools of Northern England. At sixteen years of age he was apprenticed, according to the old English custom, to the joiner trade with an old established firm in Bradford. This firm built and restored ancient churches. Upon his arrival in America, Mr. Cliffoffrd was first employed at Bound Brook, New Jersey, and then in Rochester, New York. In 1891, at the instigation of a Mr. James Telford, of Bridgeport, Connecti- cut, whom he had known in Yorkshire, and who at that time was foreman for the Longstaffe & Hurd Company, con- tractors for the Wadsworth Atheneum Building, Mr. Clifford secured a position as assistant in the work on the Wads- worth and Public Library buildings. At the completion of the work he was ap- pointed superintendent by the trustees and held this position until his death.
Mr. Clifford was an earnest student of political economy. In his native land he never lost an opportunity to hear the speakers, W. E. Foster and Edward Miall, who were the Liberal and Radical members of the city of Bradford. On his arrival in this country, American politics claimed his attention as keenly as had the English politics in his home land. Upon his arrival in Hartford he took out his naturalization papers as he knew Hartford was to be his permanent home. It was only a short time until Mr. Clifford was in a position to show his ability to serve the public in official capacity. He was a member of the Board of Council for four years and on the Board of Aldermen for two years. His success was in a measure due to his interest in all matters pertaining to his municipal duties. He never missed a meeting, and received oftentimes more than his share of com- mittee work. When on the Board of Al- dermen he served as chairman of the
board of finance. He was appointed by Mayor Henney a member of the Board of Street Commissioners and served until the advent of the late Edward Hooker into office as mayor. From that time until his decease, Mr. Clifford devoted his entire energies to the chairmanship of the Republican committee of the Fourth Ward and to the school of the Northwest District, having been first elected to the school committee about eighteen years ago. During the enlarge- ment of the school, Mr. Clifford gave all of his attention and spare time to the work.
In 1901, at the organization of the Get- To-Gether Club, Mr. Clifford was one of its first members and served one year as president of the club. From 1901 until his death he was continuously on the pro- gram committee. He was also a member of St. Andrew's Neighborhood Club. Through much reading and keen obser- vation, Mr. Clifford kept himself ever alive to the economic and political issues of the day, and at his clubs was often helpful in his contributions in this line. His affable personality and charm of manner drew around him many friends who admired him not only for his intel- lectual knowledge but for his agreeable- ness and companionableness as well. He will be greatly missed in the circles where he was wont to gather.
The following is a tribute from Forrest W. Morgan, librarian of the Watkinson Public Library of Hartford, Connecticut :
The perfect horror I felt at Mr. Clifford's- and I am proud to say-my friend's utterly un- dreamed of death makes it hard to say anything worthy of him and satisfying my own wishes; but I must not let him pass without telling you what I thought of him and what his loss is to me. Our actual companioning seemed so little, because our work was on different lines, that it seems affected to say that no one outside my own fam- ily could have brought such a sense of bereave-
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ment. But it is the simple truth. It was a pleas- ure and comfort to see him come in ; partly be- cause he gave one so all around a sense of reli- ance with his large practicality and judgment and kindly helpfulness, but more than that he was so true, sympathetic and fine minded that he made the world taste better. And he had good things of his own to give. I respected not only his ideals and spirit, but his mind. His opinions were never cheap or parroted, but came from sound independent thought and real knowledge and still more from a spirit of elevated sympathy. I never heard him express a mean, shabby or be- littling sentiment .- Nothing you would a little rather for both sakes he had not said .- I owe him many keen and sound thoughts and views. And his ideals of public service and social good with- out pretense were such as a man likes his friends to have held. I am certain he would have been of far greater public note had he lived and I cannot bear to think of the loss to us all. But I am thinking of the man himself and it will be very lonely without him, and I am far from alone in this.
In August, 1896, Mr. Clifford married Grace Readel. of Hartford, daughter of Henry O. and Frances A. (Hackney) Readel. Mr. and Mrs. Clifford were the parents of a daughter, Frances Clifford.
WALL, Frederick Henry, Public Official.
Frederick Henry Wall, postmaster, and one of the leading young men of Man- chester, Connecticut, was born December 25, 1888, in that town, son of John Ed- ward and Hannah (Dwyer) Wall. John Edward Wall and Hannah Dwyer were both born in Ireland, and came to Amer- ica when quite young. They were mar- ried in Manchester, and continued to make their home there until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Wall were the parents of four children: Mary and Margaret, the daughters, both make their home with Frederick Henry Wall in the old home- stead. Edward J. Wall is assistant man- ager of the Jefferey Auto Company of Boston, Massachusetts.
Frederick Henry Wall passed his boy- hood and youth in Manchester. where he attended the public schools. At an early age he began work on the "Manchester Herald," and his love and fitness for newspaper work soon developed. He sub- sequently entered the employ of the "Hartford Times," as a reporter and gen- eral newspaper writer. He was assigned to the legislative and election work, and he soon became prominent in politics. Mr. Wall continued to engage in news- paper work up to 1913, at which time he resigned to become private secretary to Congressman Augustine Lonergan, and was associated with him at Washington until March, 1915. In that year, he was appointed postmaster of Manchester by President Wilson, which position he holds at the present time (1917). Mr. Wall is a young man of sterling worth, and has always taken an active part in all pub- lic movements, being an earnest Demo- crat in political affiliations. Mr. Wall is a member of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce: the Manchester Court, For- esters of America, of which he has been grand recording secretary, and Knights of Columbus. Mr. Wall and his family are members of the Roman Catholic church of Manchester. He is very popu- lar and well-liked among the residents of Manchester, and keenly interested in out- door sports, especially that of baseball.
HOUSE FAMILY,
Manufacturers.
Connected with the State of Connecti- cut for at least three generations has been the House family, represented in the present generation by the brothers, Charles W., Everett T. and Herbert C., president, treasurer and secretary, respec- tively, of the Charles W. House Sons Company, of New York City and Union-
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Hast House
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ville, Connecticut. The extensive mills established at Unionville by the firm, which holds a leading place among Amer- ican manufacturers of felt goods, are the result, primarily and chiefly, of the enter- prise, persistence and sterling business qualities of the late Charles W. House, father of the present executives of the corporation, founder of the firm and pion- eer of the industry in America more than fifty years ago.
The late Charles W. House came of good Colonial stock and was born in Nan- tucket, Massachusetts, in 1839, but spent almost all the years of his minority in Stonington, Connecticut. There, as a boy, he attended school, concurrently applying himself to work in the village postoffice. He was steady, thirfty and self-reliant, and before reaching his nine- teenth year had saved about one hundred dollars. With this, as capital, he resolved to go to New York "to make his fortune." His character was upright. his courage strong, and his aptitude for business well marked, and these carried him to success. At the outset, he took humble clerical capacity with a small manufacturer. He remained as an employee a few years, during which he benefited in knowledge and accumulated sufficient money to bring him to the determination to venture independently into business. Woven felt goods at that time were almost wholly imported products, and he decided to in- troduce that line of manufacture in Amer- ica. His business gave indication of developing satisfactorily when the Civil War came to temporarily effect his plans. He enlisted in the Twenty-third Regi- ment of Brooklyn, and had the distinc- tion of being present at the battle of Get- tysburg, although his regiment was one of those held in reserve. After the con- clusion of peace, and the mustering out of his regiment, Mr. House again applied himself to his manufacturing enterprise,
and it was only by hard work and pati- ence that he was able to build up the trade that has now reached such propor- tions. And the business in his later years, together with his three sons, became known as Charles W. House & Sons. Mr. House, Sr., died in 1906, and two years later the three sons decided to remove the manufacturing plant of the company to Unionville, Connecticut, where in more commodious and more modernly equipped quarters the business of the company might not be handicapped in its expan- sion. Under the rearrangement following the death of Charles W. House, Sr., his eldest son, of same name, became presi- dent. The New York offices were still maintained, but all the actual work of manufacture was transferred to Union- ville, where, following primarily the poli- cies of their father, the sons conducted the business with success. The business will stand as a monument to and history of the life of the late Mr. House.
At the time of the death of Charles W. House, Sr., in Brooklyn, New York, on June 28, 1906, many manifestations were shown of the esteem in which he was held by those with whom he had asso- ciated, either in business or in private life. He was identified with some leading metropolitan organizations, including the Union League and Lincoln clubs of Brooklyn, and owned a fine house on Grand avenue. In the year 1866, Charles W. House married Eliza Taylor Clifton, daughter of Joseph and Alice Clifton, of New York City. To them were born seven children: I. Mary, married J. S. Langthorn, of Brooklyn, New York ; they have a son, Jack, who is now in France with the New York Engineer Corps, and three daughters, Elizabeth, Jane and Alice. 2. Jennie, deceased. 3. Lillian, married E. B. Books, of Brooklyn. 4. Charles W. (2), of further mention. 5. Kate, married M. B. Byers, of Brooklyn;
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they have three daughters, Alice, Fran- ces and Marion. 6. Everett T., of fur- ther mention. 7. Herbert C., of further mention.
Charles W. (2) House, eldest son of Charles W. (1) and Eliza Taylor (Clif- ton) House, was born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 1, 1873. His primary education was obtained in the public schools of Brooklyn, and for advanced study he took the course at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. After leaving there he was taken into his father's manufac- turing establishment, so that he might learn the business in all its phases pre- paratory to being admitted to partner- ship. With the reconstruction of the company following the death of his father in 1906, Charles W. (2) House be- came the president of the corporation, and was one of the prime factors in the ultimate decision of the company to re- move its plant to Unionville, Connecticut. Mr. House makes his home in Hartford, Connecticut. He has always been ath- letically inclined, fond of outdoor life, and therefore finds much pleasure in the little time he can give to golfing. He is a pop- ular member of the Farmington Country Club, and belongs to the Crescent Club of Brooklyn. On June 14, 1911, at Brook- lyn, he married Victoria Pollard, widow of a Mr. LaMoreux, of Hartford, and daughter of highly regarded residents of that city. They have four children : Wil- fred, Constance, Virginia, and Charles W. (3).
Everett T. House, second son of Charles W. (1) and Eliza Taylor (Clif- ton) House, was born April 22, 1878, in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the public schools and the Polytechnic Insti- tute of Brooklyn, and in due course added his energy and abilities to the affairs of the family business. He was admitted to the firm before it became known as Charles W. House & Sons, and in the
present disposition of its executive affairs occupies the office of treasurer. He lives in Farmington, Connecticut, and has taken active interest in the public and political affairs of that town. Politically a Republican, and socially a member of the Farmington Golf Club, he has espec- ially interested himself in the Boy Scout movement; in fact, his interest in the welfare and proper upbringing of the boys of the district was such that he organized the Boy Scouts of Farmington, now a strong body. His association with that work is an indication of his own char- acter. He married, June 15, 1906, at Staten Island, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Lucretia Allen, of Staten Island. They have two children : Everett T., Jr., and Anita.
Herbert C. House, third son of Charles W. (1) and Eliza Taylor (Clifton) House, was born in Brooklyn, New York, March 5, 1882. He attended for primary and col- legiate instruction the Brooklyn public schools and Brooklyn Polytechnic Insti- tute, and eventually joined his father and brothers in business, and presumably had his proportionate share in the building up of the business to its present position of importance. He is secretary of the com- pany, and makes his home in Farming- ton, Connecticut, where he is popular and respected. He is an enthusiastic golfer and is a member of the Farmington Coun- try Club. His wife, nee Lillian Speed, whom he married on November 24, 1909, at Brooklyn, New York, is the daughter of Roland and Alice Speed, of London, England. They have one child, a daugh- ter, Alice.
KINNEY, Sheldon,
Farmer, Innkeeper.
One of the most prominent men in the town of Windsor engaged in the agri- cultural line was Sheldon Kinney. Mr.
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Kinney was born in Winsted, Connecti- cut, March 30, 1816, son of Sheldon Kin- ney, Sr., who lived in New Preston, Con- necticut, and who married Ellen Clark. Sheldon Kinney, Sr., died in May, 1876, and his wife died in 1879. His father, Parl Kinney, married Sarah Hine, and his grandfather's name was Parl also. On his maternal side Mr. Kinney was a de- scendant of the Farren family, who were among the first settlers of East Haven, Connecticut.
Sheldon Kinney was brought up in Winsted, Connecticut, and attended the schools in that town. In his youth he learned the trade of molder, but this work proved too strenuous and he was com- pelled to give it up. After this he was engaged with his father for many years in the butcher business, and did much in cattle buying and droving, as at that time it was the custom to drive the cat- tle over the country to their destination. He also followed merchandising in Win- sted. For some time, Mr. Kinney was the owner of the "Winsted House." In 1863 he removed to Rainbow, Connecti- cut, where he took up farming. In 1868 he reopened what was formerly known as the "Old Roberts Tavern," and called the hotel the "Maple House." This hotel was a favorite stopping place at that time. In 1880 he returned to his farm, where he died September 5, 1892, and is buried in the Windsor Cemetery. In politics Mr. Kinney was very prominent in the Demo- cratic party, always being an active worker in its interests. For a period of seven years he held the position of keeper of the town's poor, and was ex- ceedingly well known in this capacity. Mr. Kinney was a member of the Poquo- nock Grange. On November 27, 1846, Mr. Kinney married Eliza Abiah Phelps, a direct descendant of William Phelps, who emigrated to New England in
the ship "Mary and John" in 1630. Originally, the Phelps family came from Tewksbury, Gloucestshire, England. There James Phelps was born about 1520. William Phelps, son of James and Joan Phelps, was born at Tewksbury, baptized August 4, 1560, died about 1611, and his wife, Dorothy, about 1613. Their son, William Phelps, the emigrant ancestor of Eliza A. (Phelps) Kinney, came here in the ship "Mary and John," which sailed from Plymouth, England, March 20, 1630, and landed at what is now Hull, Massachusetts, and they were the first founders and settlers of that place. Wil- liam Phelps was made a freeman during the first six months and was very active in the town's affairs. The wife, whose name is not known, died in 1635. Their son, Lieutenant Timothy Phelps, was born in Windsor, September 1, 1639, and lived there on land purchased from the Indians by his father, and was made a freeman, May 2, 1664. In 1709 he was appointed a lieutenant and served under Colonel Whitman in Captain Matthew Allyn's regiment in Queen Anne's War. He married Mary Griswold, March 19, 1661, daughter of Edward Griswold, of Killingworth, born in Windsor and bap- tized October 13, 1644. Lieutenant Phelps died in 1719, his wife Mary previ- ous to this time, the exact date not being on record. Their son, Cornelius Phelps, was born in Windsor, April 26, 1671, died 1741; married, November 2, 1704, Sarah Mansfield, daughter of John and Sarah (Phelps) Mansfield, born in Windsor, January 5, 1685, died 1774. Their son, Timothy Phelps, born in Windsor, Feb- ruary 3, 1713, lived in Windsor and Cole- brook. He married, April 24, 1746, Mar- garet Gillett, daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Eno) Gillett, born in Wind- sor, December 31, 1723. Their son, Timo- thy Phelps, born in Windsor, July 14,
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1748, lived in Windsor, served in the Revolutionary War, died in Windsor, No- vember 11, 1827. He married, November 3, 1785, Ruth Wilson, daughter of Timo- thy and Mary (Palmer) Wilson, born in Windsor, March 10, 1755, and died De- cember 2, 1827. Their son, Hiram Phelps, born in Windsor, October 14, 1790, lived there and followed the trade of wheelwright and farmer, died Novem- ber 5, 1873. He married, November 15, 1813, Laura A. Griswold, daughter of Solomon and Abiah (Allen) Griswold, born in Windsor, November 29, 17-, died November 29, 1874. Their daughter, Eliza Abiah Phelps, was born in Wind- sor, July 27, 1820. She married, Novem- ber 27, 1846, Sheldon Kinney, as previ- ously noted. There were two children of this marriage: I. Timothy Phelps, born September 18, 1847; he was a com- mission merchant for fertilizers and farm tools in Windsor; he was employed by the Ols & Whipple Company of Hart- ford for twenty-four years, and served as registrar of voters in Windsor for four- teen years; he was a member of the Windsor Rogue Detecting Society, which he joined in 1868; for many years he was a member of the Windsor Fire Company, and upon his retirement became a mem- ber of the Veteran Association; on De- cember 24, 1873, he married Imogene M. Loomis, daughter of Lawrence and Aure- lia (Barnard) Loomis, of Windsor ; they have one child, Mabel Loomis Kinney, who is now the wife of Royden M. Tyler, of Hartford, Connecticut; Mr. Kinney died June 5, 1914, having met his death at a railroad crossing in Windsor. 2 Ella Maria, born June 22, 1850, in Win- sted, and her entire life has been spent on the old homestead; she was educated in the public schools of Windsor and in the Bryant & Stratton Business College of Hartford; Miss Kinney has had full con-
trol of the farm since the death of her mother and father; a great deal of tobacco is raised in addition to general farming ; on account of her time being so much occupied with this work, Miss Kin- ney has had little time for outside affairs ; she is a member of Abigail Wolcott Ells- worth Chapter, Daughters of the Amer- ican Revolution, of Windsor, of which she was secretary for six years.
McGOVERN, Hon. Patrick, Public Official.
The architect of his own fortune and one who owes his rise to no fortuitous circumstances, but who won a prominent and respected place in the foremost ranks of the leading citizens of Hartford, Con- necticut, is Hon. Patrick McGovern, who was born in Ireland and there received his education. Very early in life he came to the United States, and for many years he has been a resident of the city of Hartford, where he has achieved an hon- orable record through the sheer force of his indomitable will.
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