USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 7 > Part 17
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Frederick W. Konold, only son of Frederick L. and Elizabeth (Swing) Ko- nold, was born in Avon, Connecticut, Au- gust 26, 1872, and grew to manhood at the farm upon which he was born. He at- tended public school during the winter term and was employed upon the farm during the spring, summer and fall months. He continued the management of the Avon farm until the death of his father, in 1892, and then for eight years more ran it for the account of the estate, but finally withdrew from farming opera- tions in the fall of 1906. He was one of the early growers of tobacco in the Avon district and was very successful with that crop. He also maintained a dairy at the farm and was one of the successful men in that line. In 1896 Mr. Konold started a retail grain business, and in September of that year moved to the building his business now occupies, and for ten years he conducted it in connection with the farm, but in the fall of that year he retired from the farm to devote his entire time and energy to the grain business. In 1912 he installed modern grinding ma- chinery and the same year added a coal department, then erecting the only coal elevator in the Farmington Valley. This
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has been a most successful department, his coal deliveries having reached very high figures. The milling and grain de- partment is also prosperous, and he has reached a point where he can consider himself commercially secure. Mr. Kon- old, for twenty-five years, has been a trombone player and was a member of the Collinsville German Band, later with the Citizens Band, finally joining the Simmon's Military Band, which in 1917 was organized as the State Guard Band. This is one of the bands which wear the State Guard Uniform and is in constant demand for public occasions, the band having gained high reputation for its high class rendering of band music of the highest standard. He is a Republican in politics, a member of Village Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Collinsville, is past sachem of Wauguahaeg Tribe, Im- proved Order of Red Men, and a member of the Connecticut Grand Lodge of that order.
Mr. Konold married Hulda Fischer, born in Germany, daughter of Christian Fischer. Mr. and Mrs. Konold are the parents of four children : Annetta, Burton Frederick, Mabel Grace, and Earl Frank- lin Konold.
KEENEY, Charles Heath,
Manufacturer, Inventor.
The rise from a lowly position to the head of a thriving and prosperous busi- ness is always interesting, and the fact is admitted that the man who achieves this aim is endowed with qualities far above the average. Charles Heath Keeney, president and treasurer of the Connecticut Blower Company of Hart- ford, has through his intelligently di- rected industry attained an enviable posi- tion among the business men of that city. He has never permitted a position to
master him, and his reputation as a clear headed business man is well established.
The Keeney family is one of the oldest in Connecticut, and it has furnished a great number of remarkable and able men. The immigrant ancestor of the family herein traced was: Alexander Keeney, who was a freeman in Wethers- field, Connecticut, in 1667, and there died in 1680, leaving an estate of £86 6s. His widow, Alice, died in 1683, and they were the parents of seven children, the youngest of whom was Richard Keeney, born in 1673, and at one time lived in East Hartford. His second son was Thomas Keeney, who received a grant of land from his father in 1730. His second son was Elizur Keeney, and he was the father of Elizur (2) Keeney, born August 14, 1775. He worked during the winter months cutting wood on lots which he purchased and carting it to Hartford. He married Abigail Slate, born August 2, 1776, and their son, Elizur (3) Keeney, was born September 27, 1804, died April 14, 1885. He grew up on the home farm and lived there a short time after his marriage. Then he removed to Newing- ton, where he lived for six years. Thence he removed to West Hartford, and for the remainder of his active life was en- gaged in farming there. In addition he dealt in live stock and tobacco. A few years before his death the management of his farm was taken over by his son, Elizur Keeney. Mr. Keeney was a staunch adherent of the Democratic party's principles and served as select- man. He married, in 1826, Julia With- erell, who died February 10, 1891, at the age of eighty-two years. They were ac- tive attendants of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Elizur (4) Keeney, their son, was the fourth Elizur Keeney in succession. He
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was born June 25, 1841, in West Hart- ford, and when he was twenty-two years old went to Collinsville, where for the ensuing seven years he was employed by the Collins Company. After resigning from his work there, he engaged in the retail milk business. He started with twelve cows and at one time was the owner of more than thirty head of cat- tle. His farm of seventeen acres was practically all under cultivation, and this was a part of the homestead farm. Mr. Keeney retired from active business cares in 1909. and is enjoying a well deserved rest in West Hartford. In March, 1918. he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his being made a Mason. He was raised in Village Lodge in Collinsville, April 2, 1867, and is now a member of Wyllys Lodge, No. 99, of West Hartford. Mr. Keeney married (first) January 15. 1868, Lucia Isadore, daughter of Joshua S. Heath, of Collinsville, born December 5, 1847, died January 1, 1889. Two of their children grew to maturity, namely : I. Julia Emily, born July 7, 1870, died Oc- tober 9, 1918: became the wife of Ira Hall, and was the mother of two sons, Harry and Frederick Hall. 2. Charles Heath, of further mention. Mr. Keeney married (second) December 23, 1893, Ju- lia H., daughter of John S. Bancroft, of Wapping, Connecticut. They attend the West Hartford Congregational Church.
Charles Heath Keeney, only son of Elizur (4) and Lucia I. (Heath) Keeney, was born October 26, 1873, and was a student at the public schools of his native town. From his early boyhood he teemed with vitality, which goes with interest and purpose, and which has been behind the great energy of the man. His first position in 1894 was with a blower com- pany in Hartford, where he remained for several years in their office to learn the blower business. During his spare mo-
ments he studied and prepared himself for a larger responsibility, and for a time was employed by the B. F. Sturtevant Company, of Boston, Massachusetts, in capacity of engineer and salesman. A similar position was held with another blower company of Hartford, successors to his first employers, and after two years in the home office he was transferred to Boston, Massachusetts, and placed in charge of their interests there. On re- turning to Hartford he organized and in- corporated the Hartford Blower Com- pany, and for six years conducted the affairs of that company. The experience and knowledge thus gained was of untold value to him, and he became the repre- sentative of a blower manufacturer with headquarters in the West, but his great- est success seemed to be in his home city, whither Mr. Keeney returned, and in May, 1915, he realized his ambition to engage in his own business. In the above named month he organized and incorpor- ated the company of which he is now the chief executive, the Connecticut Blower Company. They manufacture a general line of blowers, disc fans, exhaust fans, ventilating fans, blower systems, exhaust systems, heating systems, conveying sys- tems, ventilating systems, dust collectors, air washing apparatus, revolving ventila- tors, furnace feeders, etc., their largest work being the installing of complete blower systems, and their field of opera- tions covers the Eastern and Middle States. Mr. Keeney has taken out a num- ber of patents in connection with blow- ers, and has invented a blower, exhaust fan and dust collector, a blower for dry- ing tobacco, and a reversible bearing for blowers.
Mr. Keeney is a man of modern ideas, and very alert to the needs of the day. He knows by personal experience what it is to work for others and is most con-
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siderate of those in his employ, and he takes a vital interest in the welfare of the employees of his business. He is a mem- ber of Wyllys Lodge, No. 99, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of West Hartford ; the Hartford Automobile Club, the City Club of Hartford, Hartford Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers' Association of Collection, Hartford Gun Club, and the Amateur Trapshooters' As- sociation. His recreations are found in shooting and fishing.
Mr. Keeney married Minnie E., daugh- ter of Joseph H. Strong, of West Hart- ford, and they are the parents of a son, Charles Edward, born June 10, 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Keeney are members of the West Hartford Congregational Church.
PUTNAM, Herbert Elmer, Building Contractor.
In every environment there is some great possibility. Many men go far in the search for opportunity, when all the time she stands close beside their doors. Most young men who find themselves in remote country districts feel that they are debarred from participation in the real activities in the world of men and affairs because they are so far from the centers of population. Now and then a young man will see what every man should seek-the opportunity near at hand. Herbert Elmer Putnam saw on his father's farm the timber for which there was a demand-when a hand of skill should place it in marketable shape. With the enthusiasm of youth he set to work to make his future out of the oppor- tunity nearest him. The story of how this led him into his present business is only one more proof of his wisdom, and an example of the genius for execution with which he is endowed.
Putnam is an ancient English sur-
name. It was derived from the place in which the man who first bore the name lived-Puttenham. We find mention of this town in the Domesday Book (1660). There was a great fief known as the Honor of Leicester, of which the town was a part. It is in Hertfordshire, near Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Noteworthy characteristics of the Put- nam family have been: Fine physique, fair features, high principles, honesty, in- tegrity of purpose, patriotism, and an inclination to lead rather than be led. All American descendants of this line are entitled to the following coat-of-arms:
Arms-Sable between eight crosses, crosslet fitchee, argent a stork of the last, beaked and legged gules.
Crest-A wolf's head gules.
The American ancestor of the Putnam family was John Putnam, of Aston Ab- bott, County of Bucks, England, born about 1580, came to New England about 1634. He was a son of Nicholas Putnam (1598), son of Richard (1523-56) ; son of Henry, living in 1527; son of Nicholas, born in 1460; son of Sir George (1408-73) ; son of William Puttenham. The line is traced back to Simon de Puttenham, who was living in 1199. The de was dropped from the name in the thirteenth century, and Puttenham became Putnam in the fifteenth century.
(I) John Putnam, the immigrant, mar- ried in England, Priscilla Gould, and in 1634 came to New England, was admit- ted to the Salem church in 1641, and there died, suddenly, December 30, 1662. He was a man of considerable education, and a good penman, deeds in his handwriting being extant.
(II) Lieutenant Thomas Putnam, eld- est son of John and Priscilla (Gould) Putnam, baptized at Aston Abbotts, March 7, 1614, died in Salem Village,
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Massachusetts, May 5, 1686. He served as lieutenant of a "troop of horse" and is recorded as participating in the "Nar- rangansett" fight. He married (first) at Lynn, Massachusetts, August 17, 1643, Ann Holyoke, who died September 1, 1666, daughter of Edward and Prudence (Stockton) Holyoke, an aristocratic New England family. Holyoke, Massachu- setts, is named in their honor. Lieuten- ant Thomas and Ann (Holyoke) Putnam were the grandparents of Major General Israel Putnam, and great-grandparents of Major General Rufus Putnam. Ann Hol- yoke was the great-aunt of Edward Hol- yoke, president of Harvard University from 1737 to 1769. Lieutenant Thomas Putnam married (second) September 14, 1666, Mary, widow of Nathaniel Veren, a wealthy merchant of Salem. She died in March, 1694. Lieutenant Thomas Put- nam was the wealthiest citizen of Salem, and on November 11, 1672, he was made chairman of the committee to carry on the affairs of the parish.
(III) Sergeant Thomas (2) Putnam, son of Lieutenant Thomas (1) Putnam, and his first wife, Ann (Holyoke) Put- nam, was born in Salem, January 12, 1652, was baptized in the First Church, February 2, of the same year, and died in Salem, May 24, 1699. He was a man of good education, the largest taxpayer in Salem, and a man of great influence in the colony. He married, September 25, 1678, Ann Carr, born June 15, 1661, daughter of George and Elizabeth Carr, of Salisbury.
(IV) Seth Putnam, son of Sergeant Thomas (2) and Ann (Carr) Putnam, was born in Salem, May, 1695, died in Charlestown, New Hampshire, Novem- ber 30, 1775. He aided in forming the first church in Charlestown. and was one of the first ten members. On August 14, 1753, the first town meeting was held in
Charlestown, Seth Putnam being then chosen a tithing man. He was a man highly respected in the community, his tombstone bearing this inscription : "The memory of the just is blessed." He mar- ried, September 16, 1718, Ruth Whipple, born in 1692, died February 1, 1785, in Charlestown, New Hampshire.
(V) Thomas (3) Putnam, sixth son of Seth and Ruth (Whipple) Putnam, was born in Billerica, Massachusetts, October 22, 1728, died in Charlestown, New Hampshire. August 20, 1814. He took part in the French and Indian Wars and is found in the roll of Captain Stevens' company in 1750. He was one of the first members of the church in Charles- town, afterward being made a deacon. In Acworth, New Hampshire, he was the first justice of the peace; moderator of town meeting there in 1775 and 1779; selectman, 1772-78, with the exception of 1774 and 1777, his service covering the most important years of the Revolution- ary period. He married in Lunenberg, Massachusetts, January 24, 1754, Rachel Wetherbee, of Charlestown, Massachu- setts, born April 3, 1733, died June 12, 1812, daughter of Captain Ephraim and Joanna (Bellows) Wetherbee.
(VI) Seth (2) Putnam, son of Thomas (3) and Rachel (Wetherbee) Putnam, was born in Lunenberg. September 16, 1756, died in Putnam, Upper Canada (On- tario), September 3. 1827. At the age of nineteen, he was a private in Captain Samuel Wetherbee's company in Colonel Isaac Wyman's regiment which marched to reinforce the Northern army in June, 1776. He was a member of the Boston Tea Party, and an officer in the Revolu- tionary army. Later he settled in Can- ada, purchased a large tract of land and was a successful farmer. He was a con- tractor on the peat macadam highway for the Government from Hamilton to Chat-
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ham, one hundred and sixty miles. He married Sarah Harding, born in Nova Scotia, May 14, 1762.
(VII) Seth (3) Putnam, son of Seth (2) and Sarah (Harding) Putnam, was born about 1790. He lived in Vermont, and later moved his family to what was then a wilderness in New York State. This journey was made by ox-team and they first settled at Susquehanna, later removing back to a hill, afterwards known as Putnam's Hill. They were the first settlers between the Susquehanna river and Deposit, and pioneers in the lumber business. Seth Putnam married Jane Heald, and was the father of six sons and one daughter.
(VIII) Lancaster Putnam, oldest of the children of Seth (3) and Jane (Heald) Putnam, associated with his brother, Franklin Putnam, set up a mill and man- ufactured lumber. This was drawn by ox-team to Deposit, then taken by raft down the Delaware river to Philadelphia. Many thrilling tales have been told of their adventures. This was before the days of railroads, and the brothers came all the way back to Deposit by foot. Lan- caster Putnam married Lorinda Wedge, and they were the parents of Francis Emery, of whom further.
(IX) Francis Emery Putnam, son of Lancaster and Lorinda (Wedge) Put- nam, born January 9, 1840, died in 1911. There were two other boys and a girl in the family. Wesly died when he was eleven years old. The educational oppor- tunities of Francis E. Putnam were lim- ited. His mother died when he was seven years old, and his father belonged to that old school which has happily passed away, that believed in the "university of hard knocks" to the exclusion of any other method of acquiring knowledge. Nevertheless, Francis E. Putnam made a name for himself and a place in the world
by his own industry and ambition. He was possessed of good mental power, and succeeded in spite of the handicaps under which he entered the battle of life. When a young man he bought a farm in Wayne county, Pennsylvania. There was much timber on the place, and he became inter- ested in this timber from a business standpoint. He began by felling the trees himself, and step by step worked up into a large and prosperous business, owning several mills, and buying numerous tracts of land. There are now over eleven hun- dred acres of this logged-off land in pos- session of the family. With his straight- forward business methods and his enter- prising, aggressive activities, he met with the success he deserved and became the leading man in the community. His sterling traits of character won for him the confidence and esteem of his fellow- citizens. He had six hundred acres of cleared land on his farm, and raised large general crops; also raised stock on an ex- tensive scale. During the Civil War he was engaged in building bridges for the Government, his service covering the lat- ter years of the war. He was honorably discharged after General Lee's surrender. Mr. Putnam took an interest in all pub- lic affairs, and was a liberal supporter of those movements which he believed would enhance the public welfare.
Mr. Putnam married Theodosia Vic- toria, daughter of George Graves; born in Harpersville, New York. Twelve chil- dren grew to maturity: I. Edna, widow of Albert Slocum, now residing in Port- land, Oregon. 2. Herbert Elmer, of whom we give extended mention below. 3. Theodore Nelson, of Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. 4. Nellie May, widow of Edward J. Slocum, now a resident of Hep- ner, Oregon. 5. Lorinda Macy, widow of Ulysses G. Cook, now a resident of New Haven, Connecticut. 6. Louis La-
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mont, of Portland, Oregon. 7. Norman W., of Lestershire, New York. 8. Clara Maude, wife of Allie G. Spear, of Stevens Point, Pennsylvania. 9. George Ernest, who is associated with his brother, Her- bert E., in the business in Hartford; he was born at the homestead, July 22, 1881, was educated in the common schools, and has been associated with his brother all his life. He is a member of the Woodmen of America, the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks; Knights of Pythias, and Foresters of America. He married Ada May, daughter of Daniel Arnott, and has one daughter, Theodosia Victoria. 10. Benjamin Arthur, of Portland, Maine. II. Francis Walter, of South Bend, Oregon. 12. Harold Douglas, also of that town. The parents of this family were devout mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. At one time or another, Francis Emery Putnam held most of the offices in the church, and was class leader for forty years, and superintendent of the Sunday school. It may be said that he was the spiritual and financial mainstay of the small country church with which he was identified. Too much honor can hardly be paid to the men who have thus upheld the forces that make for righteousness, and maintain an interest in the evangel- ization of remote districts.
(X) Herbert Elmer Putman, in whose life and business the interest of this sketch centers, son of Francis E. and Theodosia Victoria (Graves) Putnam, was educated in the common schools in his native town, the Starrucca public school, the Miller- ville State Normal School, and a boys' school at Alford Center, New York State, and grew up on the home farm. He was always associated with his father in busi- ness, in his younger days, and from the time he was twenty-one until he was twenty-five, he took an active part in the management of the business in which he
held a constantly growing interest. Later he branched out somewhat. There was a fine stone quarry on the home farm. A short time before his marriage he bought a half interest in the business of the man who was working the quarry, and later became sole owner. This was his begin- ning in the work which led to his present business. Desiring to give his growing daughters the advantage of the city, with its better educational institutions, he re- moved to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1899, and established his present business. He continued to operate the quarry for a couple of years, but it was difficult to manage an industry of this nature from such a distance, so he disposed of the quarry. He began in Hartford by laying sidewalks, and for some time confined his operations to this line of work. Gradu- ally other and more important lines of concrete construction were taken up, until to-day he does a general concrete con- struction business. His work is such that he may well take pride in the point he has attained as a business man along con- structive lines. After a time he also be- gan to handle a general line of mason's supplies, and now does a large business in that line also. Mr. Putnam is a mem- ber of St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar ; the Connecticut Consistory; and the Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Mr. Putnam married Mary Louisa, daughter of Francis O. Cook, of Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, and they are the parents of three children: Macy Marie, a graduate of Hartford High School, and a graduate in 1917 of Holyoke College; Alma Lucile, a graduate, 1917, of Hartford High School, and 1919, at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Girls' Sem- inary; and Herbert Elmer, Jr., still in
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Hartford schools. The family are mem- bers of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Putnam is a trustee and chairman of the finance committee. He is also a member of the Rotary Club.
Personally, Mr. Putnam is an interest- ing man to meet. He is domestic in his tastes, preferring his own hearth to the most brilliant circles of society. He takes a quiet interest in public affairs, never shirking any duty as a citizen, but declin- ing any prominence as a politician.
THRALL, Fred Horace, Tobacco Grower.
From the founding of the town of Windsor, Connecticut, the Thrall family has been prominently identified with its growth and development. The name ap- pears in ancient records in a variety of forms, including Trall, Thrail and Thrale. The arms of the family in England are :
Arms-Sable, a rose argent; a bordure of the last.
Crest-A cross, crosslet, fitchee gules.
Motto-In cruce confids.
(I) The ancestor, William Thrall, born 1605-06, was probably a native of Eng- land, as he is found in the England Colony at Windsor as early as 1640, in which year he had a grant of land there. In 1676 he contributed two shillings and six pence to the Connecticut Fund for the Relief of the Poor of their colonies. In February, 1652, he was granted excessive quarry rights in the Common Hill. This was known as Thrall's Quarry and was located on the west side of Rocky Hill, not far from the present Hayden's Sta- tion. In 1637 William Thrall served in the Pequot War under Captain John Mason. He died October 3, 1679, having survived his wife three years. Her name does not appear of record. She died July 30, 1676.
(II) Lieutenant Timothy Thrall, son of William Thrall, baptized February 25, 1641, was also a contributor to the Poor Relief Fund in the sum of one shilling, six pence. He succeeded his father on the homestead in "Hoyte's Meadow," where descendants have continued to reside to the present time. He was a lieutenant of militia and was chosen to take care of the town arms and ammunition during Queen Anne's War, and in 1654 was a member of a committee of five to build a new meeting house. He married, November 10, 1659, Deborah Gunn, who was bap- tized February 27, 1641, died January 7, 1694, the second daughter of Thomas G. Gunn, who was early in Windsor and moved elsewhere.
(III) Thomas Thrall, fifth son of Lieu- tenant Timothy Thrall, was born July 10, 1676, in Windsor. When Thomas G. Gunn, his grandfather, removed to West- field, he gave his homestead in Windsor to Thomas Thrall, who resided there. He married, November 2, 1699, Elizabeth Hoskins, daughter of John and Deborah (Denslow) Hoskins.
(IV) David Thrall, second son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hoskins) Thrall, born about 1710, lived in Windsor, where he died March 22, 1772. He married, in 1738, Jane Barber, born June 16, 1720, died February 9, 1789, daughter of John and Jane (Alvord) Barber, descendant of one of the early Windsor families. This family came from England, where it bore arms as follows :
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