USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 8 > Part 15
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Mr. Lees married Margaret J. Sniffen, daughter of Joseph M. Sniffen, of West- port, Connecticut, and is the father of two children: Ruth A., born September I, 1899, and John A., Jr., born September 28, 1905.
WOOD, Walter C., Surgeon, Farmer.
Success in the healing art is usually at- tended with material reward, but such a reward is an incident and not the goal of the right-minded physician. In his devo- tion to relieving the ills of humanity, Dr. Walter C. Wood won a prominent place . among the surgeons of the East, but at a price little short of his own physical well- being. He was compelled to give up the practice of the profession he dearly cher- ished and to go back to nature to regain his health. He took up agriculture and stock-raising in the same thorough, stu- dious manner that he had given his pro- fession, with the result that he has
achieved notable success in his new voca- tion and restored his health besides.
(I) Jonathan Wood, one of Dr. Wood's early ancestors, was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut. He married Elizabeth Mun- son, and they were the parents of Dr. Ezekiel Wood, of whom further.
(II) Dr. Ezekiel Wood, son of Jona- than and Elizabeth (Munson) Wood, was a surgeon in the Continental army, and died at West Point, in 1781.
(III) David Wood, son of Dr. Ezekiel Wood, was a Revolutionary soldier, and the Christian name of his wife was Prin- cess.
(IV) Asahel Wood, son of David and Princess Wood, was born in Westhamp- ton, in 1796, and died in Northampton, in 1876. For many years he ran a section of the stage line between Boston, Massa- chusetts, and Albany, New York. He married Louisa Clapp, born in 1796, died in 1880, daughter of George and Abigail (Burt) Clapp. On the maternal side Mrs. Wood descended from the earliest settlers of Northampton, Massachusetts, and also from Henry Burt, who came to this coun- try from England in 1633; in 1640 he was settled in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he died in 1662. Mr. and Mrs. Asahel Wood were the parents of the following children: George Clapp; Aus- tin, of Syracuse; Andrew Spencer, of further mention; Cornelius Delano, of Brooklyn; Maria, wife of Lyman N. Clark, for many years editor of the New York Times "News Letter," now residing in Westfield, Massachusetts ; and Asahel Frank, of Washington, D. C.
(V) Andrew Spencer Wood, son of Asahel and Louisa (Clapp) Wood, and father of Dr. Wood, was born in 1825, in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he died in 1881. He was educated in the public schools, and learned the drug busi-
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ness. For some time he was engaged in this business in Northampton, later going to Montreal, Canada, where he was in the wholesale woodenware business for seventeen years, under the name of Nel- son & Wood.
Mr. Wood married (first) Catherine N. Burnell, of Chesterfield, Massachusetts, and she died in 1856. He married (sec- ond) Lois P. Lyman, a daughter of Captain Otis Childs, of Conway, Massa- chusetts, and adopted daughter of Asahel Lyman. Andrew S. and Lois P. (Ly- man) Wood were the parents of six children, four of whom grew to maturity : I. Winthrop H., died in infancy. 2. Katie, died aged three years. 3. Walter C., of further mention. 4. Albert S., died while on a business trip, and was buried at sea. 5. Clarence D., born in 1871 ; he died in Brooklyn, unmarried, in 1901. 6. Lyman P., twin with Clarence D .; he married Mary Putney, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and died in 1919, in Atlanta, Georgia.
(VI) Walter C. Wood, son of Andrew Spencer and Lois P. (Lyman) Wood, was born August 4, 1864, in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was educated at Graylock Institute, South Williamstown, Massachusetts, and at the Northampton High School. He graduated from Am- herst in 1886 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and from the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons of New York City in 1889 with the degree of Medical Doctor. The subsequent eighteen months were spent in Bellevue Hospital, and from the beginning Dr. Wood specialized in surgery. For a period of twenty years he practiced very successfully in Brooklyn, New York. He was surgeon to the Brooklyn Hospital for fifteen years, and professor of surgery at the Long Island College Hospital for seven years, and for twelve years surgeon at St. Mary's
Hospital. In the years Dr. Wood spent in the work of his profession, he furnished an exemplification of the highest virtues of his calling, his career being one of ability and usefulness. Dr. Wood's health became undermined and he retired from his practice on this account about six years ago. Previous to this time he had purchased a summer home at New Ca- naan, Connecticut, and after his retire- ment he purchased what was known as the old Jones Farm on High Ridge road in North Stamford, adjoining the town of New Canaan. It is in the development of this farm that Dr. Wood has engaged to regain his health. He has about three hundred acres of land, and specializes in hogs and cattle. He has between fifty and sixty Holsteins, all registered or eligible to registration, and produces about eight thousand quarts of milk annually, which is sold at wholesale. His hogs are Berk- shires, and large general farm crops are raised for consumption on the farm.
Dr. Wood is a Republican in politics, and while actively interested in all public measures does not seek to hold office. He is a member of Alpha Delta Phi fra- ternity; of the New York Academy of Medicine ; the American Medical Associ- ation; the New York Surgical Society ; the Brooklyn Surgical Society, and presi- dent of the Connecticut State Farm Bu- reau Federation.
Dr. Wood married Ellen Davis, daugh- ter of Theodore R. and Maria E. (Hale) Davis, the former of New Haven, Con- necticut, and Brooklyn, New York. Dr. and Mrs. Wood were the parents of a daughter, Eleanor Childs, and she mar- ried Raymond L. Thompson, of Hartford, and has one daughter, Harriet. With his wife, Dr. Wood attends the Congrega- tional church in New Canaan, of which he is also a trustee.
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BISHOP, Hubert E., Public-Spirited Citizen.
The name of Bishop belongs to a class of names the origin of which is most in- teresting. Writers on the subject of pa- tronymics usually dispose of it briefly by saying that Bishop is one of those names derived from office, rank or posi- tion ; but this does not explain how bish- ops who in England were celibate in the centuries following the Norman Conquest could pass on the designation of their ec- clesiastical rank as family names to descendants. In those early times the masses were illiterate. They were in- structed or entertained by plays which must necessarily deal with subjects within the purview of their knowledge; hence the themes of their plays were usually political or religious ; the Passion play is a survivor of that type. The char- acters in the plays represented dignitaries of the church or State and the men who played the various roles became known in every-day life among their village friends as Bishop, Priest, King, and so forth. In course of time, as surnames were being adopted, it was quite natural for families to assume as their surnames the title of the part in the folk-play acted by the head of each family.
The progenitor of the Connecticut fam- ily of Bishop was John Bishop, born in England about 1600. He was one of the twenty-five immigrants who come with Rev. Henry Whitfield's company from England and founded Guilford, Connecti- cut, and his name was signed second to the Plantation Covenant made on ship- board, June 1, 1639.
(I) Benjamin Bishop, the first known of the family of Hubert E. Bishop, was born in Fairfield county, Connecticut, and passed his life in the town of Norwalk, where he followed the occupation of
blacksmith. He married Mary Camp, born September 10, 1775, daughter of Isaac and Rhoda (Keeler) Camp. His father was Captain Jonathan Camp, born December 17, 1712, died August 20, 1768. He married Ann Platt, born in 1710, died November 5, 1749, daugh- ter of Richard and Hester Platt, and a descendant of Richard Platt, who came to New Haven, Connecticut, in 1638. The father of Jonathan Camp was Samuel Camp, who was born September 15, 1655, and his will was made May 10, 1688. He married, November 13, 1672, Hannah Betts, born November 22, 1652, daughter of Thomas and Mary Betts. Thomas Betts was born in England in 1615-16, and was one of the original settlers of Guil- ford. He located in Norwalk in 1660, and his will was executed, May 10, 1688. Samuel Camp was a son of the immigrant, Nicholas Camp, who married Sarah Beard, daughter of the Widow Martha Beard, whose husband is supposed to have died on the voyage to this country. The first Nicholas Camp lived in the town of Nasing, County Essex, England, and came to this country with his son, Nich- olas Camp, Jr. The latter married, in 1652, Catherine Thompson, of New Haven, Connecticut. They were the an- cestors of Mary Camp, who became the wife of Benjamin Bishop, as above noted. Benjamin Bishop was "raised" in St. John's Lodge, No. 6, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Norwalk, in 1809.
(II) George Galpin Bishop, son of Ben- jamin and Mary (Camp) Bishop, was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 1803, and died August 10, 1888. During his youth he learned the trade of hatter, which he followed for some years. He was very observant in the methods of making hats, and before he had been many years in the business, invented a process for making what was known as
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felt cloth. He formed a company for the manufacture of the product, and in 1838 the company was incorporated under the name of the Union Manufacturing Com- pany. This company had the unique dis- tinction of being the first company in- corporated in the State, and it was neces- sary to pass a special law to authorize it. The coming on of the Civil War at this time brought a great many new companies into existence, owing to the demands for blankets and other woolen goods, and nat- urally, a large amount of "shoddy goods" were manufactured. It was impossible to compete with the low prices and as a result Mr. Bishop's company began the manufacture of thread goods. This was a successful and profitable business until the passing of the Wilson Tariff Bill which took away the profit on woolen goods. Soon after this time Mr. Bishop retired from active business. He was among the most beloved citizens of Nor- walk, and at his death was sincerely mourned. In politics he was a Democrat, and was ever willing to give of his time or finances to the furthering of any move- ment for the general welfare. He mar- ried Julia A. Taylor, daughter of Benja- min Taylor, and she died June 6, 1850.
(III) Adolphus Fitch Bishop, son of George Galpin and Julia A. (Taylor) Bishop,was born in Norwalk, Connecti- cut, and educated in the public schools. Early in life he entered the Bishop Felt Mills and learned the business in every detail. He mastered all of the processes and for some time was superintendent of the company, later becoming president, which office he held as long as he lived. He was a director of the National Bank of Norwalk. Mr. Bishop married Julia Carter, and they were the parents of two sons : William Marcus, deceased ; Hubert E., of further mention. The family at-
tended St. Paul's Episcopal Church, of Norwalk.
(IV) Hubert E. Bishop, son of Adol- phus Fitch and Julia (Carter) Bishop, was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, March 8, 1869. He was educated in Dr. Sel- leck's school and also attended a school conducted by his uncle, Alexander John- ston, afterwards a member of the faculty in Princeton College. Mr. Bishop com- pleted his formal education in Williston Seminary in East Hampton, Massachu- setts, and then spent several years in travel. He has traveled extensively in Great Britain, Europe and Africa as well as in this country. In 1904, Mr. Bishop formed a partnership with Samuel Lynes, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work, under the firm name of Bishop & Lynes, to engage in the coal and wood business and mason's supplies. They are among the prominent business men of Norwalk. Mr. Bishop is a life member of the Norwalk Hospital and a director of that institution. He gave the land on which the Carnegie Library stands, and this is but one of the instances which prove his public-spiritedness.
Fraternally, he is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 6, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Clinton Comman- dery, No. 3, Knights Templar ; Lafayette Consistory, Sublime Princes of the Royal Secret ; and Pyramid Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. For fourteen years Mr. Bishop served as secretary and is still a director of the Public Library. He is a member of the Norwalk Club, the Norwalk Coun- try Club, the Woodway Country Club, the Westport Country Club, and golf and travel are his principal recreations. In politics he is a Republican, and in 1914 was a member of the State Senate, serv-
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ing as chairman of the committee on mil- itary affairs.
Mr. Bishop married, in 1903, Alice Bart- lett Cram, daughter of George W. Cram, and the Cram genealogy appears in con- nection with the sketch of Mr. Bishop's brother-in-law, Dr. George E. Cram, of Norwalk.
KEMPER, Charles H., Manufacturer, Public Official.
Closely identified with the leather in- terests of Connecticut, and justly ranked among the leading citizens of Westport, Charles H. Kemper was born there May 7, 1865.
(I) John Kemper, the first of the line herein followed, was born in Holland. He came to New York City in his early life, and enlisted at about the age of twenty-one years in the Revolutionary War, and received a pension for his serv- ices. It is here interesting to note the origin of the name of Kemper, which is from the old English, meaning a soldier. It is derived from the Saxon, to kemp, or combat. In many places in England this name is retained in its original form even to the present time, and a football match is spoken of as a kemping, and thus in the Saxon, a Kemper signifies a combat- ant, a champion, a man-at-arms. The fol- lowing is a record of the military services of John Kemper: From August, 1777, to the spring of 1779, he was wagon master under Captain James Mearrs Clothier, general of the army ; in May, 1779, he en- listed for six months as first midshipman under Captain Montgomery on the ship, "General Greene." In the spring of 1780 he enlisted for six months as midshipman with Captain Stephen Decatur on the brig, "Fair America," and in the spring of 1781 he enlisted for six months as mid- shipman under Captain James Stover on
the brig, "Hector." He was captured by the British ship, "Iris," and imprisoned in New York and in Mill Prison, England, until the spring of 1782. In that year he escaped and obtained passage to the West Indies, finally arriving in Philadelphia in November, 1782. After the war, he set- tled in Hudson, New York, where he died August 11, 1842, in the ninety-third year of his age. He married Elizabeth Ann Hopper, and their children were: Sophia, married a Mr. Willard; Daniel, married Elizabeth Van Valkenburg ; Charles Mor- ton, of whom further ; John, married Eliza -; Jane, married Samuel Crossman ; Elizabeth, married Samuel Mason.
(II) Charles Morton Kemper, son of John and Elizabeth Ann (Hopper) Kem- per, was born in 1791, and died in 1868. He was a very prominent business man of Hudson, New York, where he had a slaughter house and a candle and soap factory. His last years were spent in Westport with his son, Charles H. Kem- per. Charles M. Kemper married Cather- ine Maxwell, daughter of Anthony Max- well. She died in 1831, aged thirty-four years.
Anthony Maxwell, father of Catherine (Maxwell) Kemper, was born in Scot- land, December 12, 1754, and died in Hud- son, New York, May 24, 1825. He was about seven years old when his father, William Maxwell, and his wife, brought their family to America. They located first in New York City. William Max- well was the younger scion of a noble family. He enlisted in 1777; was made sergeant, May 1, 1777, and the following July was made ensign. On February 28, 1778, he was commissioned second lieu- tenant, and on April 24, 1779, first lieu- tenant, and the same year received his commission of captain. He also served in Captain John Sanford's company, Gen- eral Malcolm's regiment, one of the six-
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teen regiments in the Continental service officered by General Washington, and not belonging to the line of any particular State and credited to New York. An- thony Maxwell married Eva Platner, daughter of Henry and Katharine (Best) Platner. Henry Platner was born in Hol- land in 1731, and died in 1804. He com- manded a company in the militia of Al- bany, New York, and in May, 1775, the company was enlisted for the defense of the Colony. On February 25, 1778, Henry Platner was promoted to first lieu- tenant.
(III) Charles Henry Kemper, son of Charles Morton and Catherine (Maxwell) Kemper, was born in Hudson, New York, July 22, 1817, and died October 22, 1896, in Westport, Connecticut. At the age of sixteen he apprenticed himself to a man named Pinkham in Hudson, and learned the trade of sailmaker. In 1835 he acci- dentally shot his right hand through the palm and this made it impossible for him to use the sailmaker's "palm" and he had to give up his trade. The same year he located in Westport, Connecticut, and learned the leather business with his uncle, Daniel Kemper, who was already in business there as a tanner. The factory of which Daniel Kemper was the man- ager, was built in 1835 by R. & H. Haight, of New York, and in 1855 was sold to Charles H. Kemper. The latter estab- lished the business of which his son is now the head, and made a specialty of fancy leather for hatters. A large and very successful business was built up, and Mr. Kemper continued active in its man- agement until his death.
Mr. Kemper was a Democrat in politics, and for two terms represented his party in the State Legislature. Mr. Kemper also served as a member of the Board of Selectmen for several years, and was among the useful citizens of his com-
munity. He was a leader among the Uni- versalists in a day less tolerant than the present in religious matters and when it required a good deal of courage to espouse a denomination then so unpopular.
Mr. Kemper married Caroline Matilda Smith, daughter of Cornell Smith, and they were the parents of eight children.
(IV) Charles H. Kemper, son of Charles Henry and Caroline Matilda (Smith) Kemper, was educated in the public schools and in a private academy. When he was twenty-one years old he took a position teaching school, contin- uing for two years, at the end of which time he entered the factory of his father to learn in detail the practical side of leather making. In 1893 the old plant was sold and the present one on River- side avenue purchased. The product is still fancy leathers, but in variety the product has broadened greatly beyond the lines made for hatters, including hatters leathers which are sold direct to the hat- ting trade. They also make lines for fine book binding and so forth. A representa- tive is maintained in New York and also in Chicago with a salesroom. In 1913 the business was incorporated under the name of The Charles H. Kemper Company, with Mr. Kemper as president, and his son, Charles M. Kemper, as treasurer, and John A. Kimber as secretary. It is the oldest business of its kind in the United States and one hundred or more are employed. Mr. Kemper has been a member of the Westport School Board for twelve years, and in many other ways is active in the public life of Westport.
Mr. Kemper married Carrie Louise Gray, daughter of David and Louisa (Burwell) Gray, of Westport, and they are the parents of four children: I. Car- rie Louise, married W. F. Osborne, of Westport. 2. Edith, married John A. Kimber, of Westport, and has four sons,
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Burwell, Nelson, Donald and Harry. 3. Emma S., married W. Sterling Atwater, and is the mother of two sons, Sterling and Kemper. 4. Charles Maxwell, born October 16, 1889, was educated in the Chase School, Norwalk, and in the Ste- vens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, and since his formal educa- tion was completed has been associated with his father in the business; he mar- ried Helen Prentice, and has two children, Doris and Charles. The family are at- tendants of the Episcopal church, of Westport, and aid in its support.
MILLS, John Archer, Business Man.
One of the oldest names to be found in the history of the American colonies is that of Mills; it is found scattered throughout Maine and Connecticut. There have been many prominent men bearing this name, among whom are: Clark Mills, the sculptor of the statue of General Jackson, and Darius O. Mills, the philanthropist. The family of John Archer Mills was early settled in Con- necticut. His grandfather, William H. Mills, lived in that part of Norwalk called Broad River. He was a farmer, and mar- ried Elizabeth Archer, daughter of James Archer. The latter was born in England, and married Sarah Newcomb, daughter of Eleazer and Anna (McGuire) New- comb, born about 1788. Mr. and Mrs. Mills were the parents of three children, one of them, Daniel A., of whom further.
Daniel A. Mills, second son of William H. and Elizabeth (Archer) Mills, was born in Norwalk, December 25, 1842, and died April 12, 1891. He attended the common schools, then learned the trade of stationary engineer, which he followed in New York City for many years, and during this time made his home there.
He returned to Norwalk in the spring of 1887, and after this time was practically retired from active business. Mr. Mills was a member of the old Volunteer Fire Department, and received a medal for thirteen years continuous service without missing a call, a truly remarkable record. He married Sarah A. Little, daughter of John Little, of Leeds, England, born Au- gust 3, 1844, died July 31, 1920. John Little was born November 21, 1799, and died March 21, 1875. He learned the trade of tailor and followed it in England until 1848. In that year he came to Amer- ica, and two years later was followed by his second wife and five children, his oldest son, John, having come with him, locating in New York City. There the father followed his trade until 1862, in which year he went to Hastings-on-the- Hudson. About 1864 he came to Nor- walk, and for a time followed his trade, until he went to work in Bishop's Mill. He married for his second wife, Mary Nicholson, daughter of Peter and Hannah Nicholson, an English woman. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel A. Mills were the parents of seven children, six of whom grew to ma- turity, as follows: I. Eliza, married Harry A. Hendrick, of Norwalk ; she died March 12, 1921. 2. Mary B., married Joseph H. Cable, of Norwalk. 3. George B., of South Norwalk. 4. John Archer, of further mention. 5. Sarah R., married Frederick Ridell, of Norwalk. 6. William H., of Norwalk.
John Archer Mills, fourth child of Dan- iel A. and Sarah A. (Little) Mills, was born in Norwalk, August 24, 1877. He attended the public schools until he was thirteen years old and then went to work in the shoe department of Lounsbury & Mathewson. For seventeen years Mr. Mills gave his attention to this business, most of the time being located in New York City and Brooklyn. Such persist-
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ency must surely bring its reward, and Mr. Mills received part of his when he was placed in charge of a plant in New York City. Sometimes a radical change gives a man an opportunity to realize whether or not he has chosen the occu- pation most suited to him, and in 1909 such a change came to Mr. Mills. He re- ceived his start by taking a position as chauffeur for four years, from 1909 until the latter part of 1912. During this time he learned all about cars in general, and so well did the work appeal to him that he started in the garage business on his own account in 1912. After two years Mr. Mills gave up the garage part of the business and opened an auto supply store on Wall street, Norwalk, handling a gen- eral line of supplies; the business is incorporated under the name of the Nor- walk Supply Shop, and Mr. Mills is president and treasurer. In 1920 he added a general line of hardware, paints, and oils to his stock of auto supplies, and this branch of the business has developed in prosperous manner.
In politics Mr. Mills is a Republican, and has served as a member of the Re- publican town and city committees for some years. He has also been a delegate to State conventions, and has held the office of justice of the peace for several terms. Fraternally he is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons, of Norwalk; Washington Chap- ter, No. 24, Royal Arch Masons; Im- proved Order of Red Men; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Norwalk Club. Mr. Mills is essentially what has been aptly termed a self-made man. Early in youth, with few advan- tages, he began to make his own way, and his courage, energy, and determination have won for him a success wholly com- mendable. With material prosperity has come that which is more difficult by far
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