USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 5 > Part 48
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William Myron Stockwell, of Hartford, the superintendent of the State Sanitor- ium at Newington, was born in New Britain, Connecticut, November 21. 1880, the son of Myron David and Eliza (Smith) Stockwell.
His early boyhood was spent in his
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native town where he attended the pub- HOLT, Thomas, lic and high school. After his graduation from the latter, he entered the University of Pennsylvania, from which he was graduated in 1904 with the degree of M. D. In order that he might gain the knowledge of practical experience which, together with his natural ability, has enabled him to climb to his present posi- tion, he was an interne at various hospi- tals in Philadelphia and New York City. He then opened an office in Suffield, Con- necticut, and remained there for five years. Not satisfied even at this point with his knowledge of his profession, he took a post-graduate course at the New York Post-Graduate College, the New York Polytechnic Hospital and the New York Hospital, which covered almost a year. In July, 1910, Dr. Stockwell was one of the organizers of the new State Sanitorium for Tuberculosis at Shelton, Connecticut, and also was superintendent there until 1916. There were then one hundred and forty patients there. Dr. Stockwell was then made superintendent of the Newington Sanitorium, which posi- tion he held until he entered the service of his country in the present World War. Dr. Stockwell is a Republican in political affiliations, and a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church. He is a member of the County, State and American Medi- cal societies; the Society of American Bacteriologists; National Association of Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, and Society of American Sanitoriums. He is also a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, and of Masonic Lodge, No. 59, of Suffield.
On June 8, 1909, Dr. Stockwell mar- ried Clara Simmons Phelps, daughter of Gilbert Wells and Alice (Simmons) Phelps. They have two children: Bea- trice, born October 2, 1910, and David Phelps, November 29, 1912.
Public Official.
A highly esteemed citizen and one of the most efficient and progressive dairy men of the State, Thomas Holt, State Dairy and Food Commissioner, is giving to the Commonwealth the benefit of his observation and experience. He is a native of England, born January 21, 1863, in Littleboro, Lancashire, son of John and Alice (Fletcher) Holt, of that place.
Before attaining his majority, Thomas Holt came to the United States and spent four years on the Western Plains engaged in grain raising, thence he removed to Alabama and conducted a dairy farm at Fort Payne. Subsequently he spent some time in Central New York, and in 1895, after having been a resident of the United States for thirteen years, he settled at Southington, Connecticut, where he built up a very extensive dairy business. He continued to make his home in that town until May 20, 1918, when he removed to Newington and located on a farm which he has just purchased in that town. He still retains his large dairy farm in the northwestern part of Southington, which is under the management of his eldest son. About seventy cows are maintained on the two farms, one-half of them pure bred Jerseys, and Mr. Holt usually main- tains about the same number of young stock, thus keeping his dairy up to stand- ard. For many years he delivered milk to customers in Bristol, Connecticut, where the business is still conducted by his son-in-law, James C. Gilbert. Thus it is apparent that Mr. Holt is a practical farmer. He is thoroughly familiar with all the details of his business, and is still able to milk eighteen cows at an early hour in the morning. Possessed of excel- lent business qualities, he has achieved success and is recognized throughout the
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State as a leader in the dairy interests, and it was very natural that Governor Holcombe, his neighbor in Southington, should select him, on January 21, 1918, to fill the place made vacant by the death, January 13, 1918, of Frank Stadtmueller, as head of the State Dairy and Food De- partment. This is still more complimen- tary to Mr. Holt, because he is not of the same political association as is Governor Holcombe. On May 1, 1918, at the expir- ation of the term, he was reappointed for the full term of four years. He early achieved recognition among his contem- poraries, and is now president of the Farmers' Cooperative Purchasing Asso- ciation of Bristol and of the Connecticut Milk Producers' Association; director of the Connecticut Dairymen's Association and also holds this office in the Hartford County League and Farm Bureau. He makes an excellent director of this asso- ciation by virtue of his thorough knowl- edge of dairying, and is regarded by his associates as an expert and the best informed farmer in the State.
While a resident of the town of South- ington Mr. Holt took more than an active interest in civic affairs. He is a Democrat in politics, and held the office of select- man of Southington for five consecutive years, and in all seven years, during which time he rendered valuable service. He is a member of Union Grange of Southington, of which he has been mas- ter. Of broad-minded, sympathetic na- ture and generous impulses, Mr. Holt very naturally became allied with several fraternities. He was raised in Free Ma- sonry at Fort Payne, Alabama, and within a very short time after his locating in Southington he became affiliated with Friendship Lodge, No. 33, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of that town. He is also a member of Harmony Lodge, No. 35, Order of the Eastern Star, in which
he is now serving his fourth term as worthy patron. He is a member of Steven Terry Lodge, No. 59, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Bristol, and of Southington Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Holt married, October 26, 1884, at Bristol, Dakota, Mary Ellen Hurst, daughter of James and Ellen Hurst, of Littleboro, England, and they are the par- ents of three children: Mary Alice, who became the wife of James C. Gilbert, of Bristol; John William, born in 1895, at Worcester, New York, now a resident of Southington; George, born in Southing- ton, now residing in Newington.
HARRIS, Chauncey, Educator.
The Harris family is one of the oldest in New England, having been founded by Thomas Harris, who kept the ferry at Charlestown, Massachusetts, for many years, beginning 1630. He was born 1570-71, and died April 11, 1661, in Charlestown, at the age of ninety years. His wife, Elizabeth, married (second) Deacon William Stillson, and died Feb- ruary 16, 1670.
Their fifth son, Captain Daniel Harris, was a carpenter and wheelwright, resid- ing in Rowley, Massachusetts, until 1652, when he removed to Middletown, Con- necticut. There he kept an inn in 1660, was lieutenant of militia in 1661, later captain, and died the last of November, 1701. The inventory of his estate placed its value at £509 9s. He married Mary Weld, who was born about 1629, and died in 1711, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Weld, who were pioneers of Roxbury, Massachusetts.
The eldest son of this marriage was Captain Daniel Harris, born July 15, 1653, in Middletown; was for some time a farmer in New London, Connecticut, and
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died October 18, 1735. He married, De- cember 14, 1680, Abigail Barnes, born March 16, 1657, died May 22, 1723, daugh- ter of Thomas Barnes, of New Haven, later of Middletown.
Thomas Harris, youngest child of Dan- iel and Abigail (Barnes) Harris, was born about 1695 in New London; was a tan- ner, settled in Wethersfield, Connecti- cut, where he died in the spring of 1774. In 1755 he built a house on South Hill, Wethersfield, which is still in good condi- tion and occupied by his descendants. He married, December 18, 1729, Anne Nott, born July 29, 1699, died October 9, 1769, daughter of John and Patience (Miller) Nott.
The youngest child of this marriage was Thomas Harris, born May 7, 1743, in Wethersfield, died there December 27, 1774, at the early age of thirty-one years. He married, July 26, 1770, Abigail Rob- bins, born April 29, 1749, died August 8, 1796, daughter of Joshua (2) and Mary (Wells) Robbins. She married (second) Dr. Josiah Hart.
Her eldest child was Thomas Harris, born February 8, 1771, in Wethersfield, was a farmer there, and died May 2, 1829. He married, February 8, 1797, Sarah Crane, born May 7, 1772, died February 7, 1829, five days after her husband; daughter of Hezekiah and Mary (Dix) Crane. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the youngest receives extended mention hereinafter.
Chauncey Harris, youngest child of Thomas and Sarah (Crane) Harris, was born September 28, 1816, and was only thirteen years of age when his parents died. He early formed habits of indus- try and self-reliance and achieved for himself considerable distinction as an educator, gaining at the same time a high position in the hearts of his contempor- aries. When a child, he lost several fin-
gers of his right hand and was thus inca- pacitated for many forms of labor. Nat- urally a student, he made the most of his opportunities in order to fit himself for a professional life. At an early age he began teaching in the district school near his home, and rapidly gained success as an instructor, and taught in schools at Bristol and Meriden, Connecticut ; Hemp- stead, Long Island; and Rock Island, Il- linois. In 1844 he was elected principal of the south district school in Hartford, at that time a three-room building, located on the present site of St. Peter's Church, the only public school in the dis- trict. He continued in charge of this school until his death, February 12, 1875. In honor of his memory, the school has been named the Chauncey Harris school. Mr. Harris was distinguished for his great poise, remarkable self-control, in- dustry and exceedingly kind disposition. While gentle in manner, he was at once firm and just, and had a remarkable gift for management of schools. For many years he was in charge of the Hartford Orphan Asylum, but resigned this be- cause the labors were too great in con- nection with his work as a teacher. Upon the paternal farm at South Hill, Wethers- field, he built a house, where he resided during the latter part of his life. Profes- sor Harris had a remarkable influence over the young, and was distinguished for his piety and most upright life, and was widely mourned when death closed his labors.
He married, May 6, 1845, Emeline Wells, who was born about 1820 in Wethersfield, daughter of George and Prudence (Deming) Wells, a descendant of Governor Thomas Wells, of Wethers- field. They were the parents of the fol- lowing children: George Wells, who is now a farmer in Wethersfield; Frances Estelle, wife of E. Newton Loveland;
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Mary Jane, born October 25, 1854; Emma L., July 31, 1857; Charles Edward, died in his second year; Charles Chauncey, living on the homestead.
CHESTER, Thomas Weston, M. D., Physician.
Prominent among the physicians of Hartford, Connecticut, whose professional reputations are of long standing, appears the name of Thomas Weston Chester. He is a descendant of Captain Samuel Ches- ter, who was undoubtedly born in Eng- land about the year 1625, and who was settled in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1663. It is evident that he was a man of wealth at this time, about the prime of life, and was actively engaged in the trade with the West Indies. In 1663 he removed to New London, Connecticut, where he was admitted a freeman and simultaneously became a member of the church there. He had a warehouse there, at what was called Close Cove, and for several years after his removal continued to carry on business in Boston. Being skilled in sur- veying as well as in navigating, Captain Chester was of great assistance to the colony in the laying out of lands and other civil engineering in the new settle- ment. He is referred to as a trustworthy, faithful, loyal, judicious and worthy citi- zen. During his trading he had visited many foreign ports and traded in foreign climes. He was the owner of large tracts of land in what is now Groton, on the site of the present Fort Griswold and Groton Monument. He received from the Indian Sachem, Uncas, several thousand acres of land at Colchester, Connecticut.
Samuel Chester, Jr., his son, was born about 1660, and appears to have been a master mariner. In 1689 he was engaged in the maritime trade, commanded a ves- sel owned by John Wheeler, and engaged in the European trade.
John Chester, son of Samuel Chester, Jr., was born about 1690. There is very little known of this member of the family except that he married at New London, November 1, 1716, Mercy Starr.
Deacon Joseph Chester, son of John Cheser, was born according to Hinman, January 17, 1731. He settled in the northern part of New London, where his grandfather owned land, and he himself became a large landowner, and engaged in farming on an extensive scale. He was elected an elder of the church on April 10, 1778. He married (second) April 27, 1757, Elizabeth Otis. Deacon Chester died August 4, 1803.
Joseph Chester, Jr., son of Deacon Jo- seph Chester, was born January 27, 1758, and died April 2, 1791. His death was accidental and was caused by the caving in of a well which he was digging. He was a farmer, located near Salem, in what is now the town of Montville, Connecti- cut. He married, September 22, 1785, Elizabeth Lee, who was born May 25, 1757, and died January 6, 1843, the daugh- ter of Benjamin and Mary (Ely) Lee, of Lyme.
Joseph Chester, son of Joseph Chester, was born at Montville, January 31, 1788, and died at Norwich, Connecticut, Janu- ary 30, 1832. He settled at Chelsea Land- ing in the town of Norwich, where he was a merchant. He married, September 10, 18II, Prudee Tracy, born February 20, 1789, at Franklin, Connecticut, and died in Norwich, October 6, 1853.
Rev. Albert Tracy Chester, son of Jo- seph Chester, was born in Norwich, June 16, 1812. He was graduated from Union College in the class of 1834, receiving the honorary degree from the same college of D. D. in 1847. He was ordained in the Presbyterian church and his first pastor- ate was at Ballston Spa, New York; later pastorates at Saratoga Springs and at Buffalo. He died in the latter city. He
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married, August 3, 1836, Rhoda E. Stan- ley, born August 5, 1814, at Goshen, Con- necticut, the daughter of Oliver and Rhoda (Powell) Stanley.
Captain Frank Stanley Chester, son of the Rev. Albert Tracy and Rhoda E. (Stanley) Chester, was born at Ballston Spa, New York, May 5, 1839. He was educated in the public and high schools of Saratoga Springs. He served in the Civil War and held the rank of captain. In private life he was engaged in the lumber business and similar interests in Buffalo, New York. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, and in political belief a Democrat. On December 25, 1861, he married Katherine Stillman, of Buffalo, and they were the parents of the follow- ing children: Mabel, born January 5, 1863; Horace Stillman, September II, 1865; Thomas Weston, of whom further ; and Hubert Mills, born April 3, 1872.
Dr. Thomas Weston Chester, son of Captain Frank Stanley and Katherine (Stillman) Chester, was born in Buffalo, August 8, 1866. He attended the public schools of his native city, and in 1888 he entered Hamilton College at Clinton, New York. He removed with his uncle, with whom he made his home, in 1891 to New Brunswick, New Jersey, and there completed his senior year at Rutgers Col- lege, graduating in the class of 1892 with the degree of B. A. Three years after graduating he received the degree of A. M. from his Alma Mater. He is a mem- ber of the college fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. In the fall of 1892 he enrolled at the College of Surgeons, New York City, and completed the full course covering a period of three years, at which time he was graduated with the degree of M. D. The following six months he spent in New York City in hospital and dispen- sary work. In the spring of 1898 he began the practice of his profession in Hart-
ford, where he has since risen to a high place among the professional practition- ers. In 1900 he was appointed Assistant Gynecologist and Obstetrician at the Hartford Hospital, and in 1910 was pro- moted to Chief Obstetrician and Assist- ant Gynecologist. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the Hartford Medical Society, the Hartford County Medical Society, the Connecticut Medical Association and the American Medical Association. In politi- cal belief he is an Independent, and a Congregationalist in religion. His clubs are the Hartford and University of Hart- ford.
On February 28, 1905, Dr. Chester married Sarah Hopkins King, of New- ton Highlands, Massachusetts.
HALLOCK, Frank Kirkwood,
Medical Director of Cromwell Hall.
The Hallock or Halleck family is an ancient one in New England and Long Island. In the varying orthography of Colonial days the name appears in town records and legal documents as Holly- oake, Hallioke, Holyoke, Halliock, Hal- lick, Hallock and Halleck. Owing chiefly to the loss of the town records of South- old, Long Island, previous to 1651, there exists only tradition about Peter Hallock, the founder of the family in this country. It is generally accepted that he was a member of a company of thirteen families under the leadership of the Rev. John Youngs, who landed at New Haven, Oc- tober 21, 1640, and later in the same year removed to Southold, Long Island. He is given the credit of having been the first man to step ashore at a point still called Hallock's Neck. This small body of exiles from civil and religious oppression in England were the first white settlers in that part of Long Island.
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However near or remote from the truth this tradition may be, it is a fact and mat- ter of record that. William Hallock, son of Peter Hallock, resided at Southold, and made a will, which is still preserved, in which he expressed deep sorrow that his son John had married into and joined the then prescribed "Society of Friends." This John Hallock died at Setauket, in Brookhaven, 1737. His dwelling, covered with cedar, still standing in Setauket, was the place of the Friends' monthly meeting for more than a century. His son, John Hallock, was a preacher of that sect, and was the father of Edward Hal- lock, also a Friends' preacher, who set- tled about 1762 in Milton, Ulster county, New York. He was the father of Ed- ward Hallock, a preacher, who died in April, 1820. His eldest son, Nicholas Hallock, was the father of Samuel Titus Hallock, who was a circuit judge in Western Pennsylvania, Meadville Dis- trict. He married Sarah Bailey, daughter of Rev. Winthrop Bailey, of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Her mother was one of the Stanwood family, of Maine. Samuel Titus Hallock was the father of Winthrop Bailey Hallock, founder of Cromwell Hall.
Winthrop Bailey Hallock was born February 2, 1838, in Utica, New York, and died in New York City, September 24, 1898. He was educated at Jamestown, New York; studied medicine at the Uni- versity of New York and the Long Island Hospital Medical College, and graduated from the latter in 1864. From 1862 to 1865 he served as medical cadet and assistant surgeon in the United States army, having been stationed at hospi- tals located at Central Park, New York City ; David's Island, New York; and Fortress Monroe, Virginia. After the war he returned to Jamestown, New York, and later went to New York City,
where he began practice with his uncle, Dr. Robert T. Hallock. At the opening of the Connecticut Hospital for Insane in Middletown, in 1867, he accepted the posi- tion of first assistant physician of the insti- tution, which he retained until 1877, when he established the Sanatorium, Cromwell Hall, in Cromwell, Connecticut.
He was a member of the American Medico-psychological Society, the New England Psychological Society, and the Connecticut State Medical Society. He was the author of several pamphlets upon mental diseases and the care of the insane, the one best known being a paper upon "The Cottage System for the Insane," published in the "New York Medical Journal," vols. xvii and xix. the "Annual Report of the Kansas State Board of Commissioners for 1874" and the "Trans- actions of the Connecticut Medical So- ciety for 1877." He married, January 20, 1858, Mary Kirkwood (Kent) Shew, widow of Dr. Joel Shew, and daughter of Colonel William Kent, of Concord, New Hampshire.
Mrs. Winthrop B. Hallock was born in Concord, New Hampshire, August 27, 1827. She was a descendant of John Kent, a native of England, who came to Dedham, Massachusetts, in 1645, and later removed to Charlestown, Massa- chusetts. His eldest son became a man of importance and was known in the rec- ords as "John Kent, gentleman." Eben- ezer Kent, son of John Kent, was a prom- inent merchant in Boston and Charles- town, and suffered great loss in the burn- ing of Charlestown by the British in 1775. His son, also named Ebenezer, was a slave holder and evidently a seaman, as he was called "Captain." He died in 1766, in London, England. William Aus- tin Kent, son of Captain Ebenezer Kent, settled in 1789 at Concord, New Hamp- shire, where he held many civil offices,
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and became one of the foremost citizens of New Hampshire. A brother, George, had considerable literary ability, and an- other brother, Edward, was Governor of Maine. His son, William Kent, who like his father had the title "Colonel," died at the home of Mrs. Hallock, his daughter, in Cromwell, Connecticut, August 12, 1886, at the age of ninety-three years. He was several years representative in the New Hampshire Legislature, served thir- teen years in the Boston Custom House, and was in command of the New Hamp- shire Militia, which escorted Marquis Lafayette on his visit to Concord and through the State in 1824. His father's house was the Marquis' headquarters during his stay in Concord. Colonel Wil- liam Kent married Catherine Hutchins, who was the mother of Mary Kirkwood Kent, who died in Cromwell, December 31, 1907. She married, in 1850, Dr. Joel Shew, of New York City and Oyster Bay, who died in 1855. Dr. Shew established at Oyster Bay the first "Water Cure" in America, and his brother, A. Marvin Shew, was the first superintendent of the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane at Middletown. They had two children, William Kent Shew, now deceased, and Bessie Beecher, wife of William Bohler Walker, a retired Episcopal clergyman. In 1858 Mrs. Shew became the wife of Dr. Winthrop B. Hallock, their children being Frank K. Hallock, and Susan Clarke, wife of William Powell Couch.
Frank Kirkwood Hallock, A. M., M. D., medical director of Cromwell Hall, the Health School for Invalids, at Crom- well, Middlesex county, Connecticut, one of New England's highly regarded nerve specialists and one of the leading physi- cians in his State, was born at Oyster Bay, Long Island, August 18, 1860, son of Winthrop Bailey and Mary Kirkwood (Kent) Hallock. He prepared for col-
lege at the Middletown High School, as his father was then assistant physician at the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane. He was graduated from High School in 1877, the year in which his father founded Cromwell Hall. He then entered Wes- leyan University in Middletown, where he received his A. B. degree in 1882 and his A. M. degree in 1885. During the same period, from 1882 to 1885, he took the medical course at the College of Phy- sicians and Surgeons in New York, where he received his degree in 1885. The next four years Dr. Hallock spent in still more advanced professional study, consisting of two years of hospital service as interne of the New York Hospital, and two years of study abroad under the leading spe- cialists of Europe. Thus he spent eleven years in study and preliminary experi- ence before actually settling down to the practice of his profession.
In 1889, on his return from Europe, Dr. Hallock became his father's assistant, and upon the latter's death, in 1898, suc- ceeded him as medical director and head of Cromwell Hall. In 1896 he persuaded his father to change the policy of the institution by eliminating the insane and thus restricting the admission of pati- ents to nervous and general invalids. The new plan proved most satisfactory, and ever since Cromwell Hall has continued one of the very few institutions in New England not receiving insane cases. This radical change was the first step in the development of a unique institution, prob- ably the first of its kind in this country. In addition to the hygienic treatment afforded by the ordinary sanatorium, a system of outdoor living was developed and great attention was paid to the psy- chological factors, thus giving virtually an education along both mental and phy- sicial lines. It is truly a "Health School."
Dr. Frank K. Hallock was one of the
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