USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 7 > Part 18
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Arms-Argent, two chevrons between three fleurs-de-lis, gules within a bordure of the last. Crest-Out of a ducal coronet a bull's head gules.
The founder of the Barber family in this country was Thomas Barber, who came from England in the ship "Chris- tian" with the Saltonstall party, and
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arrived May 16, 1634, in New England. In the following year he settled in Wind- sor and was a soklier of the Pequot War from that town. His wife, Jane, whom he married October 7, 1640, died September 10, 1662, and he died on the following day. Their third son, Samuel Barber, born October 1, 1648, in Windsor, lived on the paternal homestead. He owned the halfway covenant at the Windsor church, December 12, 1671. He lived a little north of Mill Brook in Windsor, and in 1676 removed to Simsbury, where he died March, 1708. He married, June 25, 1676, Ruth Drake, baptized December 6, 1657, died November 13, 1731, daughter of John and Hannah (Moore) Drake, granddaughter of John Drake, who was descended from an ancient English family who came to Boston, Massachusetts, thence to Windsor in 1639. His ancestry has been traced in England to 1360, when John Drake was a resident of Exmouth. He married Christian, daughter of John Billet. The line descends from him to the Windsor emigrant, through a continuous line of Johns, with the exception of the seventh and eighth generations occupied respectively by Robert and William Drake. The last named was the grand- father of John Drake, of Windsor. John Barber, eldest child of Samuel and Ruth (Drake) Barber, was born January 25, 1677; and lived in Simsbury. He mar- ried, July 24, 1717, Jane Alford, born Jan- uary 14, 1699, eldest daughter of Jeremy and Jane (Hoskins) Alford, descendant on both sides from leading Windsor fam- ilies. This name appears as Alvord and Alford, and was brought to New England by Thomas Alvord, whose father was John Alvord, a son of John Alvord, born about 1530 in England. Thomas Alvord, son of Benedictus Al- vord, was in Windsor in 1637, returned to England, was there in 1639. was in
Massachusetts in 1640, joined the Wind- sor church in 1641, and was a juror in that town two years later. He was a sergeant in the Pequot War in 1637, served in various town offices, and died April 23, 1683, aged eighty-three years, leaving an estate of two hundred and twenty-nine pounds, three shillings and nine pence. He married, November 26, 1640, Jane Newton. Their youngest child, Jeremy Alvord, born December 24, 1655, died June 6, 1709. IIe married Jane Hos- kins, born April 30, 1671, fourth daugh- ter of Anthony and Isabelle (Brown) Hoskins, died May 19, 1715. Their daugh- ter, Jane Alvord, born January 14, 1699, became the wife of John Barber as previ- ously related. The Hoskins family was founded in this country by John Hoskins, who came in the "Mary and John" in 1630, located at Dorchester, Massachu- setts, and was made freeman in 1631. He removed to Windsor, Connecticut, repre- sented that town in the General Court in 1637, and died May 3, 1648. He married Anne Files, who died May, 1662. Their eldest son, John Hoskins, born October 14, 1659, married, January 27, 1677, Deb- orah Denslow, who was born December 21, 1657, fifth daughter of Henry Denslow, whose first wife, Lois, was killed by the Indians in 1676. Henry Denslow was a son of Nicholas Denslow, who was born in 1576, arrived at Dorchester in 1630, and died March 8, 1666, at Windsor. Eliza- beth .Hoskins, second daughter of John and Deborah Hoskins, was married No- vember 2, 1699, to Thomas Thrall, as al- ready related. Their fourth daughter, Jane Hoskins, born April 30, 1671, married Jeremy Alvord, as above noted. Their daughter, Jane Alvord, born July 24, 1717, became the wife of John Barber, as aforesaid, and their daughter, Jane Bar- ber, born June 16, 1720, became the wife of David Thrall, as aforesaid.
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(V) David (2) Thrall, eldest son of David (1) and Jane (Barber) Thrall, was born September 23, 1749, was a farmer on the paternal homestead through life, and was admitted to the Windsor church with his wife, November 20, 1785. He married Zulima Denslow, born March 13, 1754, daughter of Benoni and Sarah (Griswold) Denslow. He died December 7, 1822. He was a soldier of the Revolution, serving in the Lexington Alarm party. He also served in Captain Prior's company of the Fifth Connecticut Line, commanded by Colonel Bradley in 1777.
(VI) Horace Thrall, youngest child of David (2) and Zulima (Denslow) Thrall, was born July 26, 1795, passed his life in Windsor, and died January 31, 1865. He resided on the paternal homestead of his father, engaged through life in agriculture and was a prominent and influential cit- izen. Politically he was an earnest Dem- ocrat. He was possessed of fine mental gifts, was a man of upright character, and was universally esteemed and respected. After serving in various local offices of trust and responsibility, he represented his town in the State Legislature. His death was predicted by himself two days previously, and that day he took a drive with a handsome team of colts of which he was proud and returned in apparent perfect health, but almost immediately he took to his bed and informed his family that he would die at ten p. m. on the fol- lowing Tuesday. Monday he settled up his affairs, showing the most intelligent capability in disposing of his property. The wedding of his son had been set for February 14, but he requested that the ceremony be performed before his death, and this took place on January 31, the day of his death, at the age of sixty-nine years and six months. As he had predicted, at the hour of his departure a close watch
was kept and no signs of dissolution were observed until the clock struck ten on Tuesday evening, when he suddenly lost consciousness and passed away within an hour. Mr. Thrall married Eliza J. Wil- son, who was born August 16, 1806, at Wilson's Station in the town of Windsor, daughter of Calvin and Submit (Denes- low) Wilson. Calvin Wilson was born 1758-59 in the town of Stafford, Connec- ticut, and settled after the Revolution in the town of Windsor, where he died May 20, 1809. He was a soldier of the Revolu- tion, a member of Captain Steven Potter's company, Colonel Hermann Swift's regi- ment, the second regiment of the Connec- ticut Line appearing in the roster of Feb- ruary I, 1782, credited to the town of Windham. His wife, Submit (Deneslow) Wilson, born 1766, died December 10, 1840, at the age of seventy-four years. She was undoubtedly a member of the ancient Deneslow family of Windsor, probably her husband belonged to the old Wilson family of that town, but unfor- tunately no records can be discovered to show the parentage of either.
(VII) Thomas M. Thrall, eighth child of Horace and Eliza J. (Wilson) Thrall, was born November 23, 1840, was long a successful tobacco grower, and died May 21, 1889. He cultivated the same farm throughout his life, and was one of the first to engage in the cultivation of tobacco in his section, and at the time of his death was one of the largest tobacco growers in the Connecticut River Valley. He also maintained a large dairy, and pro- duced various farm crops on an extensive scale. He was active in the public service, acting as selectman and in various other capacities. Politically a Democrat, he did not aspire to any high station in the gift of the people, but was ever constant in support of his principles. He married
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Emma J. Treadway, daughter of Enoch Treadway, of Salem, Connecticut. They were the parents of a daughter and son. The former became the wife of Arthur L. Cowan, and has three sons, Raymond T., Kenneth B., and Thomas Leslie.
(VIII) Fred Horace Thrall, only son of Thomas M. and Emma J. (Treadway) Thrall, was born November 3, 1872, in Windsor, on the homestead which he now occupies, and grew up under the condi- tions which surrounded the farmer boy of his time. He was thus accustomed to early rising and soon acquired industrious application in forwarding the various in- terests of the farm. His formal schooling was confined to that supplied by the pub- lic schools in the neighborhood, and very early in life he assumed the responsibility of a farm manager. Upon the death of his father in 1889 he became the owner and sole manager of the property. He ranks among the largest tobacco growers of the time, devoting about sixty acres annually to shade grown tobacco in addition to fifty acres of open grown crop. In the last year he also devoted sixteen acres to potatoes, thirty acres to corn and one hundred acres to hay. His residence is one of the finest rural homes in the Conn- ecticut Valley. It was erected in 1878, constructed of brick, and is one of the most substantial as well as handsomest farm houses of the community. In addi- tion to handling his own product, Mr. Thrall engages largely in buying and packing tobacco of other growers. In 1917 his operations in this direction ex- ceeded that of any other individual packer in New England. During the packing season he employs one hundred and sixty hands and has a large force the year round. Residing in a town whose voters are strongly Republican in majority, he adheres to the tenets of his fathers and
sustains the principles of the Democratic party. In 1918 he was a candidate of his party for State Senator and came within thirty-three votes of securing the election in a district whose normal Republican majority is about twelve hundred. This high vote is a complimentary testimonial to the personal esteem in which Mr. Thrall is held by his contemporaries. In more than forty years no other Demo- cratic candidate has come as near election in the district as he. His own town gave him a majority of seventy-one votes, where the opposition majority is usually in the neighborhood of one hundred and fifty.
Mr. Thrall lias long been deeply inter- ested in the development of fine horses, and has been the patron of legitimate sport in the way of horse racing. In 1915 he purchased Sage Park, near Windsor, where racing meetings are regularly held during each season. Mr. Thrall is the owner of several registered animals, and travels the New England circuit each year with racing animals. The meetings at Sage Park are generally admitted to be the most successful held in New England.
Mr. Thrall married Nellie, daughter of John Sheridan, of Windsor Locks.
FORMAN, George Lisle,
Insurance Broker.
This is the day of the young man. George L. Forman, although not yet thirty years of age, has achieved consider- able, and it is safe to assume that the high tide of his life will tell an interesting story. George Lisle Forman was born September 9, 1891, in Chicago, Illinois, son of George L. and Gertrude Antoinette (Young) Forman.
His father, George L. Forman, was born in Montrose, Scotland, and when a
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small boy was brought by his parents to America, where they located in Chicago. There he attended the public schools and grew to manhood. Soon after his mar- riage he removed to New York City, and there he continued to reside until his death. He was at different times in busi- ness in New York and Chicago, but con- tinued to maintain his New York resi- dence. He was the secretary of the Crane Company of Chicago, Illinois, and sub- sequently was associated with the Worth- ington Pump Company, of that city. Sev- eral years prior to his death he retired from active business cares because of ill health. He married Gertrude A. Young, born in New York City. Mrs. Forman survives her husband and now resides in New York. Mr. and Mrs. Forman were the parents of two sons: George Lisle, receives extended mention below; and Charles Edgar, a resident of New York.
The youth of Mr. Forman was spent in New York City, where he attended the public schools, and his education was completed at the Cheshire Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut. Immediately after completing his schooling he secured a position with the N. S. Mortgage & Trust Company, of New York City, remaining with them for over a year. On account of his father's association with the Crane Company in their Hartford office, the younger Mr. Forman entered the employ of the same company in their Bridgeport office. During these years he was secur- ing experience which would be needed when he decided to enter the business field himself. He remained with the Crane Company until 1914. In the latter year he went abroad as a member of the American Ambulance Section, attached to the British Expeditionary Forces, Sixth Division. He served for seven months, then returned to America, and also to his
former business association with the Crane Company. He remained three years, and in 1917 formed a partnership with Joseph Watson Beach under the firm name of Beach, Forman & Company. This firm does a general insurance busi- ness. Mr. Forman is active in the social affairs of his city, and is a member of sev- eral clubs, namely : Hartford, Hartford Golf of Hartford, the Brooklawn Country Club of Bridgeport, and Squadron A. Club of New York City.
Mr. Forman married Elizabeth Stillman Kendall, daughter of William Kendall, of Brooklyn, New York, and they are the parents of a son, George Lisle, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Forman are attendants of Trin- ity Episcopal Church, of Hartford, to which they lend their support.
STERNBERG, Adolph Carl, Contractor.
A man and his work are closely related, indeed the work is a part of the man, that part which lives after him, and expresses his personality to the world in which he has lived. There is art and beauty, of however simple a sort, in every well ex- ecuted piece of work, of whatever nature it may be. When the element of useful- ness is added, the work becomes a worthy monument to endeavor. The man of vacillating will goes from one thing to another, and makes for himself no per- manent place in the world of affairs. The man of delicate sensibilities chooses the work which appeals wholly to the eye or the ear. But the man of boundless activ- ity and native force chooses work of a constructive nature. He is not content merely to be, and watch other men do, he makes a place for himself, then does some big, substantial work, which will be seen and used, and will thus become a part of
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the progress of the community. In every part of the world the people who neglect to facilitate communication from one town to another, and who take no pride in the betterment of civic conditions, are backward. They are soon left behind by their more social neighbors. America has only recently awakened to her privileges in the matter of fine highways, but there is a reason for this which does not appear on the surface. She is still a nation in the making, and with even the most progres- sive American hands, head and heart have always been busy with what seemed more important matters.
Nevertheless, from the earliest days of American history, every man who came to our shores came with the idea of building for the future, and year by year, slowly, so slowly and gradually that the work itself was unperceived, the roads, the arteries of the body politic, have been im- proved. It remained for the dawn of the twentieth century to usher in an era of good roads. Now America is looking upon the perfection of a general system of good highways as necessary to the public welfare. The history of the good roads movement in the State of Connecticut is too long to outline here, but one of the first and one of the most important names connected with it is that of Adolph Carl Sternberg.
The name Sternberg is of Teutonic origin and is compounded of the ending burg, meaning city, and according to one derivation, the mental quality of the early bearers of the name, stern. According to another derivation, the first part of the name is a changed form of the German word Streng, meaning strong, the com- plete meaning of the name then being Strong City. In all records by which names are handed down from generation to generation, the natural processes of Conn-7-9
decay render them illegible, and the nat- ural tendency towards dropping unneces- sary letters tends towards changes from the original spelling.
Adolph C. Sternberg, Sr., was born in Stargard, Prussia, August 15, 1839, and was a son of Carl Sternberg, Jr., of Pom- erania, Prussia, a distinguished and high- ly educated lawyer, who also was a fin- ished English scholar, and grandson of Rev. Carl Sternberg, Sr., a minister of the Luthern church. Carl Sternberg, Jr., came to America in 1852 on account of his par- ticipation in the Revolution of 1848. He located in West Hartford, where his fam- ily soon joined him. He was made a cit- izen and remained in West Hartford to the end of his life, following general farm- ing and making for himself a place among the substantial and respected citizens of the town. He died May 7, 1873. He mar- ried Bernardine Krause, who died Novem- ber 16, 1869. They were the parents of nine children, and five of their sons served the cause of the Union with gallantry in the Civil War, one losing his life.
Adolph C. Sternberg was a lad of thir- teen when he came with his family to America. In his native land he had been a pupil of a private school famous for its high standards of scholarship. He was proficient in French and Latin, and had begun the study of Greek. He continued his studies with his father for some time after they located in West Hartford. Later he carried on the farm for his father, and after a time added to that in- terest the handling of fertilizers and agri- cultural implements. He conducted a store on State street for twenty years, also engaged in tobacco packing. While conducting these varied industries he laid the foundations for an extensive fruit business in which he kept an interest up to the time of his death. He was elected
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to the Legislature by the town of West Hartford in 1895, and did fine work on the good roads bill with the result that it be- came a law. He was elected state high- way commissioner, and therewith began the wonderful change in highway condi- tions for which the State has become noted. About twenty years ago, finding a great deal of trouble in making the then existing contracting companies see the superiority of certain methods and sys- tems of road construction, Mr. Sternberg began taking contracts on his own ac- count, gradually broadening the scope of his business, surrounding himself with capable helpers. He was an authority on road building and was often sought for consultation by numerous towns in the State. He served as acting school visitor of West Hartford; justice of the peace ; was peach yellows commissioner in 1895 ; always ready to support any movement which would enhance the interests of the community. He was a member of the Republican party ; member of West Hart- ford Grange; Putnam Phalanx; Hartford Board of Trade ; Sagabout Lodge, and of the Tobacco Growers' Association. He was a member of the Governor's Foot Guard for several years, and also served as quartermaster's sergeant of the Home Guard.
Mr. Sternberg married, August 15, 1868, Francesca M. Soeckel, and they were the parents of five children: Amalie A. B., born June 28, 1870, who is the wife of Geroge W. Traut, of New Britain, Conn- ecticut, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this work; Francesca M., born January 12, 1872, wife of Ernst Hamilton Brandt, of Riverside, Connecticut ; Adolph Carl, of further mention ; Louise H., born February 27, 1875, died March 13, 1891 ; M. Clara, born July 29, 1878, wife of Frank L. Traut. The family are mem-
bers of the West Hartford Congregational Church, and Mr. Sternberg is sadly missed in both the church and family since his death.
Adolph Carl Sternberg, Jr., was born February 7, 1873. He was educated in the public schools of West Hartford and the Hartford Public High School. After completing the High School course he went to the Connecticut Agricultural Col- lege for special training for the work of his choice. He was graduated with hon- ors in 1890, and returning to the home place began at once scientific farming. He began applying the knowledge gained to the practical everyday operations of the farm, and besides general farm crops, specialized in strawberries, raspberries, peaches and pears. Mr. Sternberg has continued to carry on the contracting work which has steadily grown in volume and importance until now it gives em- ployment on an average to seventy-five men, and twelve to fifteen teams, besides half a dozen automobile trucks. Like his father, he has often been sought for con- sultation regarding road building by vari- ous towns. Socially Mr. Sternberg is much sought. He is a member of Wyllys Lodge, No. 99, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Pythagoras Chapter, No. 17, Royal Arch Masons; Wolcott Council, No. 1, Royal and Select Masters; Hart- ford Lodge, No. 19, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks; and Sagabout Lodge.
Mr. Sternberg married Anna Grace, daughter of Horace B. Allen, of Enfield, and they are the parents of six children : Adolph Carl (3); Mary Bancroft, who married Arthur Hillery; Anna Grace Al- len ; Francesca ; Mabel Louise ; and Mar- garet. The family are members of the Congregational church, of which Mr. Sternberg is auditor.
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DEWEY, John Stevens,
Tobacco Grower.
It is sometimes surmised by men of commonplace names that the possessor of a celebrated name finds more or less em- barrassment and inconvenience in the very natural query of every chance ac- quaintance as to whether he is related to the famous man of the same name. Be that as it may, the qualities which made the great man famous are, in the majority of cases, characteristic of the family. While he has stood in the public view and the world applauds his deeds, other mem- bers of the family, with similar traits and broad capabilities, are applying their powers in less spectacular ways, in lines of endeavor less open to the public view. The general welfare of the people re- quires that thousands of lives be spent in quiet, unheralded occupations, in many cases by men who would make good in public life, given the opportunity. But sterling worth counts for the public good, whether that public is aware of it or not. Of those big men who are doing import- ant work in a quiet, modest way, John Stevens Dewey, of the Indian Head Plan- tation, of East Granby, is an example. That he is related to Admiral Dewey is not a matter of consequence to him. He is too fully occupied with the multitud- inous duties of the large industry under his own hand.
The name is that of an old feudal family of Flanders, which received the name from the town of Douvai. Certain mem- bers of the family settled in Lancashire, northeast of London, coming over with William the Conqueror. It was for titled members of this family, spelling the name de Wey, that Weymouth, in Dorset, was named. The name has been rendered
Davis, from De Vie, De la Wey, and Dewey.
(1) Thomas Dewey, the founder of this family in America, came from Sandwich, County Kent, England. He was here as early as 1633. as proved by his signature on a will. He was admitted a freeman, May 14, 1634 He was one of the original grantees of Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1636. On August 12, 1635, he sold his lands and removed to Windsor, Connec- ticut, being one of the first settlers there. He was granted land in 1640. The in- ventory of his estate was filed May 19. 1648. He married, March 22, 1639, at Windsor, Frances Clark, widow of Joseph Clark.
(II) Sergeant Josiah Dewey, second son of Thomas Dewey, was baptized Oc- tober 10, 1641, at Windsor, and died Sep- tember 7, 1732. in Lebanon, Connecticut. About 1660 he removed to Northampton, Massachusetts. There he learned the car- penter's trade, and was made a foreman in 1666. He was granted a home lot in July, of that year, became a prominent man in the village, and was made select- man. He was in Westfield, Massachu- setts, in 1670. He had received a grant of land there two years previously for build- ing a minister's house. He was ordained deacon, December 28, 1692. He was an original proprietor in Lebanon, selling his lands in Westfield, in 1606. He married, November 6, 1662, at Northampton, Hep- zibah Lyman, born in 1644, in Windsor, who died June 4, 1732, in Lebanon, daugh- ter of Richard and Hepzibah (Ford) Ly- man.
(III) Josiah (2) Dewey, eldest son of Sergeant Josiah (1) Dewey, born Decem- ber 24, 1666, died about 1750, at Lebanon. He lived at Westfield until 1696, when he went to Lebanon where he owned mills. He married, January 15, 1691, Mehitable
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Miller, born July 10, 1666, at Northamp- ton, daughter of William Miller.
(IV) Josiah (3) Dewey, eldest son of Josiah (2) Dewey, was born March 2, 1694, in Westfield, and died October 30, 1771, in Lebanon. He was a progressive farmer for his day, and a deacon of the church. He married, December 4, 1718, Sarah Hutchinson, born June 6, 1696, in Lebanon, and died September 9, 1776, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Hutchin- son.
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