USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 7 > Part 41
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Bishop Brewster's first wife was a granddaughter of Eli Whitney. He mar- ried (second) June 20, 1893, Alice Tucker Stephenson, of East Orange, New Jersey.
PLUMB, Rollin Jesse,
Manufacturer.
The history of the Plumb family is one that wakens pride in the hearts of its de- scendants and inspires them to uphold to a high degree by their own achievements the standard attained. It has long been prominent in the annals of Connecticut,
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and its members have ever been mien of worth and stamina. Like many of the old names, there have been different spellings of the nante of Plumb, and it is frequently found as Plume.
(1) John Plumb, the immigrant ances- tor and progenitor of a widely dispersed line of descendants, born in England, came to America before 1635, with his children, and settled first at Watertown, Massachusetts, removing thence to Weth- ersfield, Connecticut, in 1635. In the Pequot War lie served under Captain John Mason. In 1644 he was in Bran- ford, Connecticut, and there he died, in July, 1648. He was the father of Robert Plumb, of further mention.
(11) Robert Plumb, son of John Plumb, was born in County Essex, England, and accompanied his father to America. He was baptized December 30, 1617, at Ridge- well, England. He went with his father to Wetliersfield, and was a settler in Mil- ford, Connecticut, as early as 1639. He married, January 9, 1642, Mary Baldwin, daughter of Sylvester and Sarah ( Bryant) Baldwin. She was born February 19, 1625-26, died in Milford, February 1, 1708, the wife of William East. On the Milford record, November 29, 1639, the name of Plumb is written Plum. Robert Plumb died May 12, 1655.
(III) John (2) Plumb, son of Robert Plumb, was born August 12, 1646, at Mil- ford, and died previous to 1728, in which year his estate was administered by his son, Joseph Plumb. He was a large land- owner, and much of lis land was deeded to his son and grandson before his death. He married, November 24, 1668, Eliza- beth Norton, and they were the parents of Joseph Plumb.
(IV) Joseph Plumb, son of John (2) Plumb, was born in 1683, and died May 27, 1742. He lived for a time in Walling- ford, and his death occurred in Milford.
He married (second) Thankful Gaylord. and was the father of Simeon Plumb.
(V) Simeon Plumb, son of Joseph Plumb, was born October 10, 1738, at Mil- ford, and died in 1813. He lived in Wol- cott, Connecticut, at one time a part of Farmington, and married, in 1762, Mary Atkins, whose death occurred in 1807.
(V1) Samuel Plumb, son of Simeon Plumb, was born July 13, 1766, at Wol- cott, and died October 24, 1840. On Jan- uary 17, 1797, he married Sarah Scarritt, born September 6, 1778, died January 28, 1873. They were the parents of Rollin Wiard Plumb.
(VII) Rollin Wiard Plumb, son of Samuel Plumb, was born in Wolcott, February 11, 1821, died January 27, 1901. He learned the trade of mechanic, and when he was a young man he removed to Plymouth, where he was employed in this occupation. There he was a member of the Congregational church, and mar- ried, September 1, 1844, Caroline Nancy Brooks, who was born October 13. 1824, and died September 3, 1907. They were the parents of two sons and one daughter : Rollin Jesse, of further mention : Henry Brooks, and Caroline Louise.
(VIII) Rollin Jesse Plumb, son of Rol- lin Wiard Plumb, was born September 13, 1853. at Plymouth, and there he received his education in the public schools. An earnest ambitious lad, young Plumb worked during the vacations on the pa- ternal farm and in the lock factory. He was only fifteen years of age when he was working as a mechanic in Terryville, and sixteen when he entered the employ of the Eagle Lock Company. Sufficient in- dication of his ability and industrious application to his work is evident in the fact that he now holds the office of presi- dent of this company. With the para- mount idea in his mind of mastering the details of his business, he started in a
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modest way and soon was promoted to the position of bookkeeper, and in 1881 became assistant secretary. His rise was rapid from that time on, and despite the rewards which were conferred on him, he did not hesitate in any way to take ad- vantage of any opportunity which pre- sented itself. He concentrated his mind on his work, on making himself satisfac- tory to his superiors, and thus enhancing his value as an employee. In March, 1882, he was made a director, and that same year became secretary. Steadily and surely progressing, he was successively treasurer, vice-president, and eventually president. The Eagle Lock Company is one of the largest concerns of its kind in New England, and the business acumen and accurate judgment of Mr. Plumb has been a large factor in its success. His ideas are progressive and he is keen and alert to any new measures which may in- crease or promote the business. He is a director of the Bristol National Bank.
Mr. Plumb is a Republican in political principle, and though not desirous of pub- lic office, he is a worthy citizen, and is willing to lend his aid in time of finances towards the furthering of any just cause for the general betterment. He is natu- rally public-spirited, and his assistance is never appealed to in vain. He possesses a genial and pleasant personality, and en- joys well-deserved esteem. Mr. Plumb is a Mason, and in that great fraternity he has attained the thirty-second degree. "To the craft he is sincerely devoted, and to his influence and labor for many years, freemasonry in his vicinity is largely in- debted for its success, integrity and strength." He is a member of Union Lodge, No. 96, Free and Accepted Ma- sons; Granite Chapter, No. 36, Royal Arch Masons; Waterbury Council, No. 21, Royal and Select Masters ; and Wash- ington Commandery, No. I, Knights Tem-
plar. In these organizations he has sev- eral times been honored with high offices. The Congregational church of Terryville has been fortunate in having a man of his caliber and business ability in the office of deacon, which office he has held for several years and now holds. Mr. Plumb's favorite pastime is fishing, and indul- gence in this recreation relieves the strain of business cares.
Mr. Plumb married, July 29, 1872, Cora Jane Rossetter, who was born September 25, 1853, the daughter of Jonathan Addi- son and Huldah (Wetmore) Rossetter. Mr. and Mrs. Plumb have been blessed with five children: 1. Charles Wetmore, born December 28, 1873. 2. Carrie Louise, born August 27, 1879. 3. Cora Rossetter, born April 16, 1886. 4. Helen May, born May 4, 1889. 5. Alida Grace, born July 23, 1893.
The record of Mr. Plumb in the ret- rospect is a most honorable one, and through his courteous and unassuming manner he has gained many loyal and lasting friends ; he is one of the most sub- stantial citizens of the thriving little town of Terryville.
GREENE, Jacob Lyman,
Civil War Veteran, Insurance Actuary.
Jacob Lyman Greene was born in Wa- terford, Maine, August 9, 1837, and died March 29, 1905, son of Captain Jacob H. and Sarah W. (Frye) Greene, both mem- bers of well known New England fami- lies, and the mother, of a descendant of Major Joseph Frye, of the Revolutionary army, who served under Washington, and with distinction.
Jacob Lyman Greene passed his youth on the parental farm in his native State, amid surroundings conducive to a vigor- ous development of both mind and body. His early education was only such as was
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afforded by the primitive neighborhood schools of his day. Such advantages he utilized to the utmost, and he was also an indefatigable home student, and with a sufficient educational equipment he en- tered the Law Department of the Univer- sity of Michigan, completed the course, and was admitted to the bar. However, he was diverted from the course he had marked out for himself. The Civil War was on, and patriotism impelled him to devote himself to the service of his coun- try. Enlisting in Company G, Seventh Michigan Infantry Regiment, he was commissioned first lieutenant, August 22, 1861, and went to the field, not even visit- ing his Maine home to take leave of his parents. He was honorably discharged on expiration of his term of service, Janu- ary 28, 1862. On July 14, 1863, lie re- turned to the army, with the commission of captain in the Sixth Michigan Cavalry Regiment, and later the same year was serving as assistant adjutant-general. He was taken prisoner in one of the many en- gagements in which he took part, and was held in durance in Libby and other pris- ons until the latter part of 1864, when he was exchanged. He was brevetted lieu- tenant-colonel, March 13. 1865. "for dis- tinguished gallantry at the battle of Tre- vilian Station, and faithful and meritor- ious services during the war." His later service was under the dashing General George A. Custer, in Virginia, and he later served that officer as chief of staff in Louisiana and Texas. He was honorably mustered out of service, March 20, 1866, the war being long closed.
Colonel Greene now returned North, and went to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where was the home of his brother, Dr. William Warren Greene. This brother, a leading physician, was prominently con- nected with the Berkshire Life Insurance Company, at Pittsfield, and at his instance
Colonel Greene took employment with it, and rendered himself of such service that he attracted the favorable attention of his superiors. Soon he was called to the prin- cipal office of the company and made as- sistant secretary, a position for which he instantly proved his adaptability. llc soon became a recognized authority on in- surance, largely through his masterly articles on insurance and actuarial topics which came from his pen from time to time, and which, attracting the attention of high officials of the Connecticut Mu- tual Life Insurance Company at Hart- ford, brought from them a proffer of the assistant secretaryship in the home office. This was accepted, and Colonel Greene removed in 1870 to Hartford, where was thereafter his home. In the following year he became secretary, and in 1878 president, which position he held until his death. His ideals, as expressed in the policy of the great company over which he so long presided, were of the loftiest, and might well stand as models for all time. It was his firm conviction that his insurance company existed for the sole purpose of protecting its policy holders, and that the principle of mutuality should alone command in its control. He wrote many articles on the subject, and his offi- cial annual reports were looked upon as models of their kind.
Colonel Greene was highly regarded. and his judgment so highly prized that he was consulted by all sorts of people and in every manner of contingency. His pen was rarely powerful. and, in the language of Bishop Brewster, "was always devoted to high and generous purposes." He was a man of profound knowledge of financial principles, and more than once exerted himself in defense of sound business poli- cies. One such occasion was during the silver crusade. "Bimetallism, or the Dou- ble Standard," "Our Currency Problems,"
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"The Silver Question," and "What is 'A DUNHAM, Sylvester Clark, Sound Currency ?'" were among his ar- ticles at that time, and which were reprinted and circulated in all parts of the country, proving to be most effective refutations of the popular financial heresy of the time. Aside from such and similar service, Colonel Greene took no active part in politics, and refused all offers of public office. He was of a deeply religious nature, an Episcopalian in faith, and served as representative layman in many of the diocesan conventions. He was a member of very many industrial, finan- cial, educational, scientific and benevolent bodies, and was unfailing in his relations to them all. Especially dear to him was the venerable Trinity College of Hart- ford, which he served as secretary of its board of trustees and richly in a personal way. He was intensely patriotic, as wit- nessed by many of his public utterances, notably an eloquent address on the occa- sion of the Grant Memorial services in Hartford. In 1890 he issued an able volume, "General William B. Franklin and the Battle of Fredericksburg," and in 1903 an "In Memoriam of General Franklin." In 1897 Yale University con- ferred upon him the degree of A. M., and in 1904 he received the LL. D. degree from Trinity College. His clubs were the Century, Hartford, Country, and Hart- ford Golf; and he held membership in the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. At his death, fervent tributes were paid to his memory, notably by the Insurance Com- pany of which he was so long the hon- ored head, by the vestry of Trinity Church, by Bishop Brewster, and by Rev. Mr. Twichell.
Colonel Greene was survived by his wife, Caroline S. Greene; a daughter, Mrs. H. S. Richards, of Buffalo, New York; and a son, Jacob Humphrey Greene, assistant secretary of the Connec- ticut Mutual Life Insurance Company.
First Authority on Accident Insurance.
Upon foundations strong and true, laid by the founder, James C. Batterson, his successor, Sylvester Clark Dunham, car- ried to completer fullness that business so magnificent in proportions and far-reach- ing in its salutary benefits, known to the world as The Travelers' Insurance Com- pany of Hartford. He came to that com- pany in 1885, when its expanding business made necessary a resident lawyer as coun- sel, and in which capacity he performed great service in protecting it against vicious legislation and litigation. He be- came a director in 1897, vice-president in 1899, and president on October 14, 1901, on the death of President Batterson.
He sprang from an honored ancestry, tracing back to Richard Dunham, of record in Devonshire, England, in 1294. John Dunham, of the eleventh recorded genera- tion, was founder of the family in America. He was born in 1589, at Scrooby, Notting- hamshire, where was born Elder William Brewster, and where the Pilgrim church was organized. It is claimed by the fam- ily historian, that owing to the persecu- tions which drove the Pilgrims hither- ward, this John Dunham temporarily changed his name to Goodman, and that he was the John Goodman who came in the "Mayflower," and was a signer of the famous compact. His son John, born in Holland, was succeeded by another John, and he by an Ebenezer, whose son of the same name was the father of Jonathan Dunham, a captain in the Revolution. Ralph Dunham, son of Captain Jonathan Dunham, was father of Jonathan Lyman Dunham, born at Mansfield. Connecticut, who married Abigail Hunt, daughter of Elijah Eldridge, who traces her ancestry to Elder William Brewster and John Hopkins, of the "Mayflower" company.
Sylvester Clark Dunham, son of Jona-
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than Lyman and Abigail Hunt ( Eldridge) Dunham, was born in Mansfield, Connec- ticut, April 24, 1846, and died in Hart- ford, October 26, 1915. His early educa- tion was obtained in Ohio, where his par- ents resided for a time, returning to their home State when the son was eleven years old. He was for a year a student at Mount Union College, but his educa- tion was principally self-acquired, he hav- ing a penchant for the best authors. For a couple of years he taught school, then entered the Normal School at New Bri- tain, from which he graduated at the head of his class in the year he came of age. He then became editor of the "New Bri- tain Record," and was clerk of the City Court for three years, meantime studying law in the office of Charles E. Mitchell. In 1871 he was admitted to the bar, and for some years practiced with a partner, Henry C. Robinson, in Hartford, also serving as city attorney for two years. Returning to New Britain, he was for a time secretary of the Corbin Company, and became associated with its successor, the American Hardware Company, of whose directorate he was a member at the time of his death. During these years he had made fine reputation as a lawyer, and on the installation of the legal department of the Travelers' Insurance Company in 1885, he was called to the position of gen- eral counsel, and removed to Hartford, the seat of the company, and where was his home ever after. His labors in his new position were extremely arduous, taking him into almost every State of the Union. The company had invested largely in irrigation projects in Colorado, and became involved in litigation in a suit brought against it for more than a million dollars. He gave this case practically his entire time for seven years, involving twenty-seven trips to Colorado, in the end bringing his case to a successful issue,
recovering complete title to 70,000 acres of arable land and to the irrigating canals feeding them, together with a judgment for $00,000. Other companies shared in this success, and Mr. Dunham became secretary-treasurer of the holding com- panies formed, the Travelers' being the principal stockholder. Such service found its reward, as hereinbefore related.
Arrived at the presidency of the Trav- elers', he came to the command of an army of subordinates, with the interests of thousands of policy holders to be con- served, and $33,000,000 in assets to be safeguarded. He was more than equal to every requirement, and during the four- teen years of his administration he had increased the company's assets to $100,- 000,000, nearly trebling the sum for which he was responsible at the outset. While his service to the Travelers' was his principal business crown, that did not bound his activities. He had served as president of the American Board of Cas- ualty and Surety Underwriters ; and was a leading figure in the Association of Life Insurance Presidents, president of the Travelers' Bank and Trust Company, vice-president of the National Exchange Bank of Hartford ; and was a member of the directorates of the Metropolitan Bank, and the American Surety Company, both of New York; the United Gas and Elec- tric Corporation, and the American Hard- ware Company, both of New Britain ; the Glastonbury Knitting Company, the Phoenix Fire Insurance Company, the Hartford City Gaslight Company, Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Com- pany, the Underwood Typewriter Com- pany, and the First Reinsurance Company of Connecticut.
Outside the realm of business, Mr. Dunham was widely known, his genial social nature leading him into various clubs, while his patriotic ancestry opened
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wide to him the doors of societies basing their membership upon Colonial residence or Revolutionary service. In 1903-04 he lectured at Yale University on the science of insurance, giving a course which was subsequently put into book form. He served his city as water commissioner, 1893-95; and as a member of the board of finance, 1910-II. In religion he was a Congregationalist, and in politics a Re- publican. His societies were the Society of Mayflower Descendants, Wadsworth Branch of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the Revolution, and the Order of Founders and Patriots. His clubs were the Hartford Golf, Farmington Country, Twentieth Century (former president), and the Union League, the latter of New York City.
Mr. Dunham married, October 18, 1877, Mary Mercy, daughter of Dr. James H. Austin, of Bristol. A son of this mar- riage, Donald Austin Dunham, a gradu- ate of Yale, became assistant secretary of the Travelers' Insurance Company.
WATROUS, William Henry, Manufacturer.
To rise from a simple position to the head of a flourishing organization marks a man as being endowed with qualities far above the average. Possessed of such qualities, William H. Watrous was born July 18, 1841, at Hartford, Connecticut, and died at his summer home in West- brook, that State, September, 1918.
He was educated in the Arsenal School of that city, attending the high school for the period of one year. At the age of four- teen years he left school to accept a posi- tion in a factory conducted by his uncles under the name of Rogers Brothers Com- pany. They were located in the building now occupied by the Jewell Belting Com- pany, and were engaged in the manufac- ture of electro plated ware. Mr. Wat-
rous diligently applied himself to the mas- tering of this trade, and spent four years in the work. Then in 1859 he became as- sociated with the firm of Rogers, Smith & Company. The outbreak of the Civil War temporarily postponed the continuance of his apprenticeship, as Mr. Watrous was one of the first to offer his services in de- fense of his country. He enlisted in Rifle Company A, First Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, commanded by Captain Jo- seph R. Hawley, and at the date of mus- tering out was commissioned second lieu- tenant of Company B, Twenty-fourth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers.
On his return to civil life, he again re- sumed connections with the Rogers Brothers, and in 1868 removed to Water- bury to assume charge of the plating de- partment of the firm which was located there. Mr. Watrous had now a complete knowledge of the business and was mak- ing a success of his work. He founded, in company with Asa Rogers, the Rogers Cutlery Company, located at Hartford in 1870. The business was extremely small to start with, numbering only two em- ployees, but in the short space of nine years Mr. Watrous had, through purchase and other means of acquirement, secured control of the industry which had grown to large proportions, employing over one hundred and fifty men, and requiring much larger accommodations. He con- tinued to purchase other businesses in other cities, including the Norwich Cut- lery Company and Eagle Sterling Com- pany of Glastonbury, and his manufac- tures included knives, carvers and similar wares. He organized the Watrous Manu- facturing Company of Wallingford, of which he was president. His business flourished and for many years was one of the most successful of its kind. The career of Mr. Watrous in manufacturing pursuits was most commendable. He rose from the humble position of appren-
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tice to one of prominence and success, which he owed to no fortuitous circum- stances, but to his own perseverance and pluck. He made himself master of his trade, and then through industry and dili- gent effort placed himself at the head of his own business. He was a most esti- mable employer, and many of his men remained with him for several years. Likewise he held the respect and esteem of those with whom he sustained busi- ness relations, because of his uprightness and integrity in all business dealings Thoroughly unselfish, he sought rather to do good in the world than lay up riches. llis charities were large and numerous.
A Republican in politics, he was at all times willing and anxious to shoulder his share of civic affairs, giving the same con- scientious attention to their performance as to his own business. He served as a member of the Hartford Aldermanic Board in 1894 and 1895; was water com- missioner ; and in 1895 and 1896 repre- sented his city in the General Assembly. Fraternally he was affiliated with the Ma- sonic order, and was a member of Wash- ington Commandery. No. 1, Knights Templar : Sphinx Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; member of Robert O. Tyler Post, Grand Army of the Repub- lic : member of the Army and Navy Club of Connecticut, and was commodore of the Hartford Yacht Club for two years. For many years he was a regular at- tendant of the North Methodist Episcopal Church of Hartford, and long served as a trustee.
Mr. Watrous married (second) Agnes E. McFayden. He left no children.
STARKWEATHER, Henry Howard, National Legislator.
Henry Howard Starkweather was born in Preston, New London county, Connec-
ticut, April 29, 1826. After receiving a common school education, he adopted the profession of law and engaged in practice. lle aided in the formation of the Republi- can party in 1856, and in the same year was elected to the Legislature, and voted for its first presidential candidate, Gen- eral Fremont. lle was a delegate to the Chicago convention of his party in 1860, that which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. Soon after his inaug- uration, President Lincoln appointed him postmaster of Norwich, Connecticut, and he was reappointed by President John- son. Meantime he had been made chair- man of the Republican State Committee of Connecticut, and a member of the Re- publican National Executive Committee, and resigned from his post-office in 1866.
Mr. Starkweather was nominated for Congress, from the Third Congressional District of Connecticut, was elected, and on March 4, 1868, took his seat at the for- tieth session. He was reelected to three succeeding congresses, and served until his death, in Washington City, January 28, 1876. He was a most efficient public servant during his period of congressional service, and served on the committees on naval affairs, on expenditures of the Treas- ury Department, and particularly as chairman of the committee on the District of Columbia when important improve- ments were in hand with regard to the streets, grounds and buildings in the na- tional capital.
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