USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 7 > Part 43
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The name Wendheiser signifies "one who lives or dwells among the Wends." The latter name is given to those who make their homes along the shores of the
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Baltic sea. Peter Wendheiser was born in 1835, in Rhine Province, near Cologne, Prussia, and died January 31, 1894, at Ormond, Florida, where he spent the win- ters in the latter years of his life. His father, Nicholas Wendheiser, was a stone mason, and when Peter was a lad of twelve years, came to America, bring- ing his wife and child with him. The boy, Peter, attended school for a time at Pitts- field, Massachusetts, where the family had located, and then worked in a woolen mill. He was an ambitious lad and soon sought a means of learning a trade whereby he could make a comfortable liv- ing. Subsequently, he mastered the cabi- net maker's trade, and in 1860 came to Rockville, Connecticut, where he became foreman of the Metcalf Hand Made Fur- niture Company. At that time the greater part of furniture was made by hand, and one experienced in that trade was always in great demand. Mr. Wendheiser con- tinued with the Metcalf Company until a short time after the close of the Civil War. He then engaged in business upon his own account, first starting in a mod- est and humble way, and gradually but surely increasing. At the time of his re- tirement from this line of business in 1881, a large and flourishing trade had been established.
In the years that followed, Mr. Wend- heiser was at one time in partnership in the undertaking business, and invented a "body preserver"-a system for preserv- ing bodies in and restoring them to natu- ral condition. This system was in general use throughout the United States until the present method of embalming was adopted. Next, he became interested in a boot and shoe business, which was fol- lowed by the purchase of a music store from the late George W. Randall. In 1889 his son became associated with him, and the firm name became Peter Wend-
heiser & Son. At the beginning the space occupied was small, and this has been in- creased to keep pace with the increase in business until (in 1918) the space on two floors was equivalent to that usually occu- pied by three ordinary city stores. In ad- dition to a general line of music supplies, pianos and other musical instruments are also carried. When the talking machines first appeared on the market, this new in- novation was added to the stock of the firm, and several salesmen have always been kept busy, under ordinary condi- tions, in Tolland county and adjacent ter- ritory.
Mr. Wendheiser was a musician of tal- ent, and for many years served as organ- ist of St. Bernard's Church in Rockville. He was a Democrat in politics and one of the first fifty voters of Rockville. He married, in 1861, Delia B. Kivel, the only daughter of Henry and Margaret Kivel, natives of New York City. They were the parents of George P. Wendheiser, of whom further.
George P. Wendheiser was born March 27, 1867, in Rockville, Connecticut, where he attended the public schools. He was a student at the Fordham University for a period, after which he became asso- ciated with his father in business. In September, 1889, he was admitted a mem- ber of the firm, and in 1894, after his father's death, assumed full charge of affairs. A large amount of credit is due to him for the rapid and consistent growth of the business. He is possessed of true business ability and judicious judgment, and is well and favorably known among the business men of his native city. Mr. Wendheiser inherited the talent of his father and is always to be found identified with all of the prominent musical organi- zations and affairs of Rockville and vicin- ity. He is at the head and virtually the founder of the Rockville Orchestral Club ;
ConD-7-2
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for a season he was the director of the orchestra at one of the leading White Mountain hotels.
The business and executive ability of Mr. Wendheiser has been recognized by his fellow citizens and he is prominent in many public offices. He is a member of the Rockville Fair Association and also a member of its executive committee. This association annually conducts a fair that is considered one of the best in the East- ern States. From all over New England, visitors flock to see the exhibits of others and place their own particular articles on display. It is a great success in many other ways besides financial. Mr. Wend- heiser is also a member of the directorate of the Rockville Savings Bank; he has served on the town and high school com- mittees for several years, having held the offices of secretary and treasurer; he is treasurer of the Vernon town schools, and chairman of the committee on building supplies and school repairs.
A thoroughly public-spirited man, he is ever ready to promote and support any movement for the general welfare, and among his business associates he is re- garded in high esteem. He is treasurer of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, and his fraternal affiliations are with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 1350.
BRAINERD, Horace Bright, Business Man.
The surname Brainard or Brainerd is one of the most ancient, and is undoubt- edly a place name, derived from Brent- wood, meaning burnt wood. As early as 1350 the name is found in England. There are two traditions connected with the family, one of which is especially interest- ing concerning the derivation of the name.
The founder of the family was the Saxon chief, Bran the Hurd, the conqueror of the Scottish border counties, who took by force of arms and married the daughter of the chief of the Clan of Gordon, and lived in and controlled the four border counties on the Saxon English or Celtic side thereof. He was known as "Bran the Hurd" because of the large number of sheep, cattle, goats and horses which he owned. We can readily understand from this tra- ditional account how the surname Brain- erd could have evolved. The second tradi- tion is that the family originally came from Braine in Flanders. The manuscript from which these facts are gathered is in the possession of the American Antiquar- ian Society of Worcester, Massachusetts.
(I) Daniel Brainerd, ancestor of the family in America, was born probably in Braintree, County Essex, England, in 1641. He came to America when a boy, and lived with the Wadsworth family in Hartford until the year 1662. He then settled in Haddam, where he founded the family, and where to this day his direct descendants are to be found. He was con- stable, surveyor, fenceviewer, assessor, collector, and on many committees. He was the first justice of the peace in Had- dam, "commanding great respect; a ju- dicious, sagacious and penetrating man, of superior sense." He was elected cap- tain of the train band. He was a commis- sioner to the General Court in 1669, and a deputy many times between 1692 and 1706. He was a deacon of the church many years, and was holding that office at the time of his death. April 1, 1715. His gravestone is in the old cemetery at Had- dam, near the court house. He married (first) about 1663, Hannah Spencer, born at Lynn, daughter of Gerrard and Han- nah Spencer. He married (second) March 30, 1693, Mrs. Elizabeth (Wakeman) Arn- old, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth
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Wakeman, of England. He married (third) November 29, 1698, Mrs. Hannah (Spencer) Sexton, daughter of Thomas and Sarah ( Bearding) Spencer, the widow of George Sexton, of Winslow, Connecti- cut. The children of Daniel Brainerd, all by his first wife, were born at Haddam, and baptized in the church at Middle- town. Of these children, seven were sons : Daniel, James, Joshua, William, of whom further; Caleb, Elijah, and Heze- kiah. The only daughter, Hannah, mar- ried Thomas Gates.
(II) William Brainerd, fourth son of Daniel and Hannah (Spencer) Brainerd, was born March 30, 1673-4, baptized May 5. 1674. He was fenceviewer, and lieuten- ant in the military company. He married, December 13, 1698, Sarah Bidwell, born September 20, 1674, at Middletown, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stow) Bidwell.
(III) Josiah Brainerd, son of William and Sarah ( Bidwell) Brainerd, was born May 4, 1711, and died July 8, 1792. He was a farmer, and quarried stone exten- sively, his product being shipped to differ- ent points for paving. He served in the French and Indian wars, was ensign, and later lieutenant. In 1737 he built the house which he occupied, and which stood until 1883, when it was razed. He mar- ried. September 12, 1738, Hannah Spen- cer, born September 9, 1709. died July 8, 1792, daughter of Nathaniel Spencer. Jo- siah Brainerd and his wife were members of the Haddam church when it was formed, September 24, 1740.
(IV) Ezra Brainerd, son of Josiah and Hannah (Spencer) Brainerd, was born at Haddam Neck, August 17, 1744, and died October 11, 1811. He lived in the house built by his father, and in 1762 was owner of the quarry. He served as justice of the peace, and was one of the two dele- gates from Haddam to the Connecticut
Constitutional Convention in 1818. He was a deacon in the church, November 27, 1771, and hell that office until his death. He married, August 31, 1762, Jerusha Smith, born February 25, 1743, daughter of Lieutenant David and Dorothy ( Brain- erd ) Smitlı.
(V) Frederic Brainerd, son of Ezra and Jerusha (Smith) Brainerd, was born in Middle Haddam, in 1763, and was a farmer, also operating the stone quarry. He was a member of the Board of Relief in 1822. He married, October 12, 1786, Anna Brainerd, born August 14, 1764, died February 14, 1850, daughter of Dea- con Nehemiah and Sarah (Brainerd) Brainerd, of Haddam. Husband and wife are buried in the Rock Landing Cemetery at Haddam Neck.
(VI) Jared Brainerd, son of Frederic and Anna (Brainerd) Brainerd, was born at Haddam Neck, February 21, 1789. He married, June 23, 1811, in Sutton, Massa- chusetts, Mary Pierce, born March 7, 1786, daughter of John and Lucy (Stone) Pierce, of Millbury, Massachusetts. They lived in Enfield, where Jared Brainerd was a deacon in the Congregational church. He moved in 1819 to Thompson- ville, and here served as grand juror, se- lectman, surveyor, assessor, and as a member of the Board of Relief. In 1834 he was representative of his town in the Legislature. He died April 25, 1874, and his wife October 1, 1881.
(VII) David Brainerd, son of Jared and Mary (Pierce) Brainerd, was born October 31, 1823, and died February 15. 1911. He was a farmer, and also engaged in the fire and life insurance business. He served as registrar of voters, notary pub- lic, justice of the peace, and collector of taxes, also as representative in the Leg- islature. In 1862 he was appointed by President Lincoln assistant internal rev- enue assessor, First Congressional Dis-
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trict, and held the office until 1871. He was originally a Whig in politics, later uniting with the newly formed Republi- can party. In religious faith he was a Presbyterian, and was an elder in the church. He married (first) May 16, 1844. Caroline King, born January 3, 1824, daughter of Colonel Jabez and Rebecca (Terry) King, of Enfield; she died Janu- ary 9, 1859. He married (second) May 3, 1860, Henrietta King, sister of his first wife, born January 3, 1820, died Decem- ber 2, 1902. Children, by first wife: Da- vid King, died in youth; Horace King, of whom further; Charles King.
(VIII) Horace King Brainerd, son of David and Caroline (King) Brainerd, was born in Thompsonville, October 8, 1848. He conducted a grain, flour and feed busi- ness in that city, and also a department for the sale of agricultural implements. He was also interested in fire and life in- surance, and was highly regarded as a business man and citizen. He was an elder in the Presbyterian church. He married, May 19, 1869, Frances Bright, born in Thompsonville, July 17, 1849, daughter of Benjamin and Rachel (Wal- lace) Bright. Benjamin Bright was born in England, October 24, 1823, son of James Bright, who died in England in 1836. Benjamin Bright married Rachel Wallace, born in County Armagh, Ire- land, October 29, 1820, died July 6, 1914, in her ninety-fifth year. Horace King and Frances (Bright) Brainerd were the parents of five children: Caroline, born July 10, 1870, died in childhood; Horace Bright, of whom further; Bessie Louise, born November 29, 1878; Leslie Carlton, born May 8, 1880, married Nellie Calder- wood; Marjorie Wallace, born October 17, 1890, married Willard C. Fuller of Springfield, Massachusetts, and has a daughter, Barbara Brainerd.
(IX) Horace Bright Brainerd, son of
Horace King and Frances (Bright) Brain- erd, was born in Thompsonville, Connec- ticut, August 9, 1874. After completing public school studies, he entered the Styles School at Ithaca, New York, and there finished preparatory work. He then entered the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University, there remaining until 1895, when he became his father's busi- ness associate. He continued in the grain and insurance business in Thompsonville for ten years, and in 1905 accepted a posi- tion as purchasing agent for the Bigelow- Hartford Carpet Company, with offices in New York and at Thompsonville. Mr. Brainerd is a member of the First Pres- byterian Church of Thompsonville.
Mr. Brainerd married, in Thompson- ville, November 16, 1898, Edith Campbell, born February 6, 1875, daughter of Wil- liam Alexander and Ella (Morrison) Campbell. William A. Campbell, born in Jaredstown, West Virginia, January 14, 1849, was a druggist in Thompson- ville for five years, then moved to New York, but later returned to West Vir- ginia. His wife, Ella Morrison, was born in Thompsonville, October 19, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Brainerd are the parents of two daughters: Dorothy Hobart, born Feb- ruary 5, 1900; and Louise Campbell, born August 12, 1901, died July 22, 1912.
GRIFFING, Louis Sherwood,
Electrical Contractor.
In the harnessing of one of the greatest forces of nature the first experimental ventures required sublime courage. In these days the multiplicity of uses to which this force is applied demand of the producer the utmost ingenuity. Further- more, the practical application of elec- tricity, from the power that lights the city and moves the street cars to the delicate utensils that makes the morning toast, re-
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Louis S. Griffing
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quires the most brilliant intelligence and the most consummate skill. The name of Griffing is one well known in electrical circles in this State.
The Griffing family, according to Welsh historians, is one of the oldest of which records can be found, and dates back sev- eral centuries before Christ. The claim has been made that the Welsh people originated in the Caucasian country, com- ing to Britain to colonize the island under their chief, IIu Cararn. At later periods Celtic colonists emigrated from Loire and Gascony, in France and Brittany. Ac- cording to Welsh genealogies, the found- ers of this family in America are de- scended from Prydian, son of Aedd, the Great, who led the colonists from Loire some centuries before the Christian era. Nearly all of the nobility of Wales, as well as some of the Royal family of Eng- land, trace their ancestry to the earlier generations of the Griffith line. Accord- ing to Z. T. Griffen, of Chicago, who has done considerable research work on this family, Jasper Griffing, who was the im- migrant ancestor of the branch here under consideration, was a cousin of Sergeant John Griffen, who founded the Griffen family in Connecticut. Jasper Griffing was undoubtedly of the same line, and if he was a cousin in the present significance of that term, he was ninety-eighth in di- rect line of descent from Prydian, son of Aedd.
Before family surnames came into use, people had but one name, usually sug- gested by the occupation, or by some per- sonal quality. Some took their father's name, using prefixes or suffixes indi- cating the relationship. The name Griffin has been derived from Gruff-plural, Griffion-a sneer, irony (feminine) ; Grif -plural, Grifonan, aggressive mass (mas- culine). The former means boldness, fierceness. In a Welsh poem, "Gruffudd"
is called the "Noble Speared," and "Grif- fon," of our "Noble Race." In Dwnn's Pedigrees, the family in which we are now interested is given as Pengriffin, sig- nifying "Head Griffin," or "Chief Grif- fi1." The following is the coat-of-arms of this family :
Arms-Gules on a fesse, between three lozenges or, each charged with a fleur-de-lis of the first. A demi-rose between two gryfons, segreant of the fold.
Crest-A gryfon segreant.
Motto-Semper paratus. (Always ready; in Welsh "Bob amser yn bared.")
(1) Jasper Griffing, born about 1648 in Wales, died April 17, 1718. His wife's Christian name was Anna. She was born at Manchester, New England (probably Massachusetts) in 1653, and died April 20, 1699, aged forty-six years and eight months. In 1647, the records show, he lived in Marblehead, and in 1670 in Es- sex county, Massachusetts. He married, about 1675, and came to Southold, Long Island, where he died. He was the father of eighteen children.
(II) John Griffing, son of Jasper Grif- fing, besides the fact of his death about 1714 or 1715, we find no record except that he built a house in Riverhead, New York.
(HI) John (2) Griffing, son of John (1) Griffing was born in 1710. He mar- ried (first) February 13, 1735, Sarah Paine, born in 1716, died September 12, 1761. During the Revolution he removed with his family to Connecticut.
(IV) John (3) Griffing, son of John (2) Griffing, was born in 1737. He mar- ried Deborah Wells, daughter of Samuel Wells, of Southold, Suffolk county, New York. He died at Riverhead, New York, January 17, 1822.
(V) Stephen Griffing, son of John (3) Griffing, was born October 21, 1777, in the house built by the first John Griffing
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at Riverhead, New York, called Mill House. He married, February 21, 1798, Deborah Fanning, born June II, 1780, daughter of James and Mary Fanning. She was a descendant of Edmund Fan- ning, an early settler of Riverhead, Suf- folk county, New York.
(VI) Charles Griffing, son of Stephen Griffing, was born December 10, 1808, and died May 6, 1838. He was a merchant tailor, and shortly before his death pur- chased a farm in Farmington. He mar- ried Almira Gorham, of New Haven.
(VII) Alonzo Griffing, son of Charles Griffing, was born about 1833, and died in Willimantic at sixty-two years of age. During the Civil War he was a sutler in the army. He learned the trade of car- riage trimming. He started in business for himself while yet a young man. Later he followed his trade in Willimantic, part of the time as journeyman and part of the time in business for himself. He mar- ried Susan Saunders, of Manchester.
(VIII) Charles Rivers Griffing, son of Alonzo Griffing, was born May 13, 1857, in New Britain, when his parents resided there for a short time. He attended the public schools, and then learned the trade of painter and decorator. At about 1870 he removed to Hartford, and soon after started in business for himself. He has continued thus until the present time, and has the distinction of being one of the oldest contracting painters in the city. He served several years as a member of the Light Guard. On May 22, 1871, he married Nettie, daughter of Norman and Jeannette (Taylor) Keney, of South Glas- tonbury. They have three children : Maud, who married Bernard Sheley ; Myr- tle, deceased ; and Louis S., of whom fur- ther. Mrs. Griffing is a member of the Fourth Congregational Church of Hart- ford, and is also a member of Welcome Chapter of the Rebekahs.
(IX) Louis Sherwood Griffing, son of Charles Rivers Griffing, was born in Hartford, January 24, 1887. He was edu- cated in the public schools, and then served his time at the electrical trade with Hanlon & Murphy, of Hartford. He re- mained there about eight years. In 1910, seeing the possibilities offered by the phenomenal development in applied elec- tricity, he started in business along this line, in partnership with Ernest W. Cad- well, under the firm name of Cadwell & Griffing. The business was continued under that name for two years, then was incorporated under the present name with Mr. Griffing as president and Harry Scho- field as treasurer. In 1915 the business was again reorganized, Mr. Schofield withdrawing from the company. The Griffing Schofield Electric Company do a general electrical contracting business all over the New England States, and employ an average of twenty-five men. Mr. Grif- fing is a member of Crescent Lodge, No. 19, of East Hartford, the City Club of Hartford, the Hartford Chamber of Com- merce, the Wethersfield Country Club, and the Elks of Hartford.
Mr. Griffing married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Samuel Clark, of Hartford, and has one son, Louis Sherwood, Jr. He is a member of the First Congregational Church of East Hartford. Mrs. Griffing is a member of the Episcopal church.
CHASE, Warren Doty,
Lawyer, Manufacturer.
The Chase family, represented in the present generation by Warren Doty Chase, lawyer and manufacturer of Hart- ford, is said to be of Norman descent. In old English records it is spelled Chace and Chase. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries it was spelled Chase, and as early as 1326 families by the name of
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Turun & Chase
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Chase resided in Suffolk. The surname Chase is derived from the French "chas- ser," to hunt, and the family has been prominent in England since the first use of surnames. The seat of the family in England was at Chesham, in Bucking- hamshire, through which runs a rapidly flowing river called the Chess, whence the name of the town. Here stands the old Manor House with remnants of a Catholic family chapel in it.
William Chase, the first American an- cestor of the line described in this article, was born in England in 1595, and came to Boston in 1630 with Governor Winthrop. He is said to have descended from Thomas Chase, of Chesham, the first of the family recorded in the Chesham Par- ish Register. Among the children of Thomas Chase recorded in said register are : Richard, baptized August 3, 1542, and William, born in the reign of Queen Mary, presumably in 1553, as another child, Christian, was also born afterwards in the same reign.
This son, William Chase, is believed to have been the grandfather of the first William Chase in America, who in that case was the cousin of Thomas and Aquila Chase, brothers, the American set- tlers in Hampton, Massachusetts, in 1636 to 1640. Thomas and Aquila Chase de- scended from the original Thomas Chase, of Chesham, through the latter's son Thomas, who was the father of the first Aquila Chase. This is the only family of Chases in England known to have fur- nished American settlers.
(I) William Chase settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where he became a mem- ber of the First Church. The record of Rev. John Eliot, the Indian apostle, and pastor of this church, has the following entry: "William Chase, he came with the first company in 1630; he brought one child his son. He later had a daugh-
ter, which they named Mary, born about the middle of the 3rd month, 1637, after which date he removed to Scituate, but went with a company who made a new plantation at Yarmouth." In 1634 Wil- liam Chase was made a freeman at Bos- ton; in 1639 he was constable at Yar- mouth, Massachusetts ; in 1643 his name, as well as that of his son, was on the list of inales able to bear arms, between the ages of sixteen and sixty; in 1645 he served in Myles Standish's company that went to the banks opposite Providence in the campaign against the Narragansett Indians. The children of William Chase and his wife, Mary, were: William, men- tioned below; Mary, born in May, 1637, in Roxbury, died young; Mary, born in 1639, in Yarmouth ; Benjamin, born about 1640, in Yarmouth. His will was dated May 4, 1659, and proved May 13, 1659, and the court ordered Robert Dennis to divide the estate as he ordered. Benja- min, his son, received two-thirds, and Wil- liam, the eldest son, received the third part. In October, 1659, his widow Mary died.
(II) William (2) Chase, the eldest son of William (1) and Mary Chase, was born in England, about 1622, as he was made a freeman in Yarmouth in 1643, presum- ably at the age of twenty-one. He re- ceived one-third of his father's estate by will, and had considerable means at the time of his death, February 27. 1685, in Yarmouth. The children of William (2) Chase were: William : Jacob, mentioned below; John. Elizabeth, Abraham, Jo- seph, Benjamin, and Samuel. No record has been found of the wife of said Wil- liam Chase nor of a will, but the fore- going facts are well established and have been accepted by all authorities for many generations.
(III) Jacob Chase, second son of Wil- liam (2) Chase, was born in Yarmouth,
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