USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 28
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(VIII) Henry Bullard, son of Timoleon and Harriet S. (Belden) Bullard, was born June 21, 1833, and died October 25, 1910. In early life he founded a business of plating hollow ware, at Baltimore, Mary- land. The outbreak of the Civil War and the Baltimore massacre compelled him to abandon everything and flee in the hold of a vessel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Subsequently, for years, he lived at Yales- ville, Connecticut, and was employed in plating table ware. He founded the first silver plating company in Middletown, Connecticut, named the Middletown Sil- ver Plate Company, and this was later purchased by the International Silver Plating Company of Meriden, Connecti- cut. He served in the Civil War on staff as aide de camp. He married Sarah Ann Goff, born in Middletown, daughter of Allen W. and Phebe B. (Hubbard) Goff.
(IX) John Embree Bullard, son of Henry and Sarah A. (Goff) Bullard, was a small boy when his father removed to Baltimore, Maryland, and he attended the public schools there. On his return to Middletown, Connecticut, he entered the high school, and subsequently pursued a course at the Seabury Institute of Con-
necticut. For five years after completing his schooling he was associated with his father in the factory; after the business was sold, Mr. Bullard conducted a jewelry store for seven years, with marked suc-
cess. Other interests attracting him, he removed to Mount Vernon, New York, and there was engaged in real estate busi- ness for some time. Since his return to his native home he has been practically retired from active business, but still con- tinues to engage in real estate to a small extent.
Mr. Bullard is a Republican in politics, but is not desirous of political preferment. He has always been an upright and just citizen, willing to perform his share of public service. His fraternal association is with the Masonic order, being a mem- ber of St. John's Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and also a Knight Templar.
Mr. Bullard married (first), in 1899, in New York City, Alice Jane Gilkinson, of that city. He married (second), August 8, 1918, in Middletown, Connecticut, Hope Howard, daughter of Wingate C. How- ard, many years town clerk of Middle- town, Connecticut. With his wife, Mr. Bullard attends the Episcopal church of Middletown, and contributes to its sup- port.
(The Belden Line).
The Belden family, from whom Mrs. Harriet Sage (Belden) Bullard was de- scended, has been traced for many gen- erations in England before its arrival in this country. In England the name is still written Bayldon, but most of the American descendants write it Belden. Some branches use the form Belding. The Manor of Baildon in Kippax, York- shire, England, was the ancestral seat of the Bayldon family, and the pedigree has been preserved from the end of the
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fifteenth century through five generations to the American immigrant.
Walter Baildon, founder of the family, was the father of John Baildon, who died December 22, 1526. His son, George Baildon, born in 1520, is mentioned in the records of Methley in 1567, and in Hardwick in 1574. He was buried in 1588 at Kippax. His son, Sir Francis Baildon, born there in 1560, became reeve of Kip- pax at the age of twenty-eight years, suc- ceeding his father, and was knighted July 23, 1603.
Richard Baildon, son of Sir Francis Baildon, born at Kippax, was baptized there May 26, 1591, and about the middle of the succeeding century removed to New England and settled in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where the town records show him to have been the owner of eight pieces of property, part of which were granted by the town, and others pur- chased. He became an extensive land- holder and left a considerable estate to his children. His descendants have been marked by a keen business and commer- cial genius, sterling merits and mental force. His home lot, on Broad street, re- mained in the family for four generations. He held various town offices, was promi- nent in all local affairs, and died in 1655. The inventory of his estate showed him to be wealthy, according to the standards of his day. He was accompanied to America by his three sons.
John Belden (as the name is now spelled) youngest son of Richard Baildon, born about 1631, was made a freeman in Wethersfield, Connecticut, in 1657. He was a trooper under Captain John Mason in the Indian wars, inherited considerable portion of his father's real estate, to which he added by purchase. He died June 27, 1677, leaving an estate valued at £9II. He married Lydia Standish, daughter of Thomas and Susanna Standish.
Samuel Belden, fourth son of John and Lydia (Standish) Belden, born in 1665, at Wethersfield, Connecticut, was the pro- genitor of the New London family of the name. He died December 27, 1738, leav- ing an estate valued at £381 16s. Id. He married, January 14, 1685, Hannah Hardy, daughter of Richard Hardy, whose wife was a daughter of John Elder- kin, a pioneer settler of Norwich, Con- necticut. She died January 20, 1742.
Samuel (2) Belden, eldest son of Sam- uel (1) and Hannah (Hardy) Belden, born in 1689, in Wethersfield, was a na- tive citizen of the town, a large property owner, and died July 31, 1771. He mar- ried, April 1, 1712, Mary Spencer, of Had- dam, born about 1691, died October 28, 1751.
Samuel (3) Belden, eldest child of Samuel (2) and Mary (Spencer) Belden, was born in 1713, in Wethersfield, Con- necticut, and settled in that part of the town now Rocky Hill, where he was a prosperous farmer, and died January 10, 1789. His wife, Elizabeth, died February 23, 1775.
Seth Belden, third son of Samuel (3) and Elizabeth Belden, born in 1747, in Wethersfield, Connecticut, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, enlisting in November, 1775, as a private in Captain Ozias Bissell's company, Colonel Hunt- ington's regiment. He was killed in the battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. Very little is known concerning this patriotic American, who made the supreme sacrifice for his country. His (second) wife, Christian Dickinson, born in 1756, died in 1836, at the age of eighty years. She received a pension from the government. They were members of the Congregational church at Rocky Hill.
Seth (2) Belden, son of Seth (1) and Christian (Dickinson) Belden, was prob- ably their only child. He was baptized
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as an adult in the Rocky Hill Church, September 22, 1799. He was a shoemaker by occupation and lived in what is now Cromwell, Connecticut, where he was an active member of the Congregational church. He married (first), in 1797, Sally Thomas, who survived but a short time. He married (second), February 2, 1800, Sarah Smith, who was baptized July 4, 1779, in Cromwell, daughter of Edward and Sarah (Moore) Smith of that town.
Harriet Sage Belden, fifth child of Seth (2) and Sarah (Smith) Belden, be- came the wife of Timoleon Bullard (see Bullard VII).
MANGAN, William Francis, Lawyer, Public Official.
As one who has achieved success within his native city, William F. Mangan holds a prominent place among the legal fraternity of New Britain, Connecticut. The name of Mangan is of Irish deriva- tion, and in its original form was O'Man- gain, signifying a "descendant of Man- gan."
Patrick Mangan, father of Mr. Man- gan, was born in County Limerick, Ire- land, and in his youth came to America, where for a few years he worked at vari- ous employments. Finally he located in New Britain, Connecticut, and engaged in farming there. Subsequently he learned the moulder's trade and until his retirement from active business was em- ployed in the foundries of New Britain. Mr. Mangan is a member of the Foresters of America and of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He married Nora Cremin, daughter of Lawrence Cremin. The lat- ter was a native of Tipperary, Ireland, and came to New Britain after his mar- riage. All his children were born in Ire- land; three of them were physicians and one a priest. Mr. Cremin was well-to-do,
and in the old country was of that class known as "gentlemen." Four children were born to Patrick and Nora (Cremin) Mangan: John J .; Lawrence P .; Wil- liam F., of whom further; and Catherine.
William F. Mangan was born Febru- ary 8, 1886. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of New Britain, and also at- tended St. Thomas' Seminary at Hartford. He then spent two years at the Fordham Law School, and his final year of law was acquired at Yale College. In 1909 he re- ceived his degree of LL. B., and the same year was admitted to the bar and began practice in the office of W. F. Delaney.
Like many young lawyers, Mr. Man- gan was irresistibly drawn into politics. He served two years on the Board of Health, and in 1913 was appointed judge of the City Police Court, which office he held for two years. Subsequently, Mr. Mangan served on the Public Amuse- ments Committee and on the Board of Compensation. For two years Mr. Man- gan was a member of the Democratic Town Committee, serving both as its sec- retary and president.
Mr. Mangan's fraternal affiliations are as follows: Member of the Knights of Columbus; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Ancient Order of Hiber- nians and the Foresters of America.
Mr. Mangan married Laura Moran Pritchard, daughter of Charles F. Pritch- ard, a sketch of whom follows. Their children are: Mary Alice; Patricia and Alice, twins; Catherine ; and William, Jr. The family attend St. Joseph's Church and aid in its support.
PRITCHARD, Charles F., Manufacturer, Inventor.
Charles F. Pritchard, one of the lead- ing citizens of New Britain, Connecticut, has through his inventive genius brought
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honor to a name old in the annals of the State. He is a son of Scoville N. Pritch- ard, and a grandson of Bennett Pritchard. The latter was born at Pritchard's Pond, in the town of Hopeville, now part of the city of Waterbury, Connecticut. He was a wire-drawer at the East Brass Mills, and later in life engaged in farming. Although not a politician, Mr. Pritchard took an active interest in public matters and served on the school committee. He married Laura Russell, and they were the parents of Scoville N. Pritchard.
Scoville N. Pritchard was born in Hopeville, Connecticut, and for many years had charge of a department with the Plume Atwood Company. Some years before his death Mr. Pritchard re- tired from business. He married Emily Barnes, daughter of Captain Philo Barnes, of Southington, Connecticut, and they were the parents of Charles F. Pritchard.
Charles F. Pritchard was born in Hope- ville, Connecticut, July 1I, 1852, in the same house where his father was born. Mr. Pritchard was educated in the public schools and at Bassett's Academy. Then he learned the trade of printer in the office of the Waterbury "American" and in the office of Hutchins, in Hartford, Connecticut. Later he became assistant foreman on the Waterbury "Republican" for a year, and was with the Waterbury "American" for about three years. Mr. Pritchard's next employment was with the Naugatuck Malleable Iron Works, where he had charge of the various de- partments at different times during the period of thirteen years in their employ. Mr. Pritchard then removed to New Britain, where he was with the Vulcan Iron Works, in charge of their different departments, remaining in their employ for twenty-five years.
In 1905 Mr. Pritchard invented a chim- ney cap made of concrete. He had his
invention patented and began to manu- facture it. This cap is more durable than brick, and insures a draft at all times. In addition, the cap keeps the water out of the chimney and is an insurance against chimney fires.
Mr. Pritchard married, January 6, 1882, Kathryn E. Moran, daughter of Henry and Margaret (Phelan) Moran, of Water- bury, and of their six children, two grew to maturity. One of these children, Laura Moran, became the wife of William F. Mangan (see preceding sketch). The other child, Frederick H., is a resident of New York City.
COLES, Charles Hubbard,
Bank Official.
The Coles family of Middletown has been long identified with the city's lead- ing business interests, and the early an- cestry is shown elsewhere in this work (see Coles, Frank A.). Augustus Coles, born in 1810, as there shown, was a resi- dent of Middletown, and was the father of George Augustus Coles, one of the best known business men of the city in his time.
George Augustus Coles was born in Middletown, October 20, 1836, in a dwell- ing on the banks of the Connecticut river, at the foot of Ferry street. Like most boys of his time he was early instructed in the importance of industry and positive plans for the future. Naturally inclined toward business affairs, he became identified with some of the leading interests of the city. As a boy he attended first the Green street school and later the high school. While still in his teens he went to Springfield, Massachusetts, and entered the store of Emerson & Hubbard, where he fulfilled the duties which naturally fell to the youngest employe of the establishment. There he became convinced of the neces-
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sity of further education and he returned to Middletown, where, for two years, he was a student at Daniel H. Chase's fa- mous school. He was especially inter- ested in mathematics and sciences and pursued their study with zest and suc- cess. About this time his father was com- pelled to resign much of his responsibil- ities on account of ill health, and George A. Coles was active in assisting him in his labors. After finishing at the Chase school, he again went to Springfield, where he learned the tinner's trade and became accustomed to the fitting of large and important buildings. One of his first works as a journeyman was the placing of a tin roof on the large railroad station at Springfield, and he was subsequently similarly employed in Troy and Buffalo, New York, and Brantford, Ontario. Wishing to extend his experience and ac- quaintance, he went to Illinois, and while located in LaSalle, in that State, he as- sisted in tinning the large bridge of the Illinois Central railroad. An epidemic of cholera among the people employed on this work increased his burdens and his health became somewhat impaired through the labors thrown on his should- ers. Returning to Middletown, very greatly reduced in physical strength, he shortly recuperated and became a clerk in a grocery store, where he continued until 1859, when he became secretary and treasurer of the Baldwin Tool Company of Staddle Hill, where he continued three years. He then resigned to become sec- retary of the Union Mills, the property of a corporation organized in 1854, and in association with H. H. Smith he took up the management of the large mill of this concern, at the foot of Union street, which is still operated by the Coles Company. In 1878, George A. Coles became the owner of this property and a short time afterward admitted to partnership his
brother-in-law Charles S. Atkins, the business being continued under the name of Coles & Atkins. Two years later the latter sold his interest to Frank B. Weeks, and the firm became Coles & Weeks. In 1885 the business was extended by taking over the milling property of E. I. Bell of Portland. In 1895 Mr. Coles purchased the interest of his partner and conducted the business for a time under the name of Coles & Company. In 1898 the Coles Company was incorporated with a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars and a surplus of like amount. The mill is con- veniently located to river navigation and railroad tracks, and a very large business is transacted in cargoes in transit, as well as in milling and milling grains and re- tailing the products.
It was natural that the advice and co- öperation of a successful business man like Mr. Coles should be sought by busi- ness interests, and in 1884 he became as- sociated with the Middletown Savings Bank, one of the strongest financial insti- tutions of the State, of which he was pres- ident from 1887 until his death, October 2, 1916. He was one of the most active members of the Middletown Board of Trade, and in 1872 and 1875 served as a member of the Common Council. For many years prior to his retirement there- from, in 1900, he was a director of the Douglas Pump Company of Middletown. He was active in various social and phil- anthropical associations, was a director of the Keating Wheel Company, presi- dent of the Middletown Total Abstinence Society, and secretary of the Citizens' League. He was for some time commo- dore of the Middletown Yacht Club and was the owner of one of the finest private crafts on the Connecticut river. Very soon after attaining his majority Mr. Coles espoused the principles of the Re- publican party on its organization, and
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continued as a supporter of that party in National and State elections with one ex- ception, when he voted for a Republican placed in nomination by the Democrats, for the office of president, Horace Greeley.
Mr. Coles married, October 1I, 1860, Augusta Atkins, born August 22, 1840, daughter of William H. and Eliza (Pow- ers) Atkins, of Middletown, granddaugh- ter of Ithamar and Anna (Hubbard) At- kins.
William Hubbard Atkins. born in the West Long Hill District of Middletown, January II, 1801, was reared on the farm there and educated in the public schools. Early in life he settled in Middletown, where he conducted a hardware store un- til his death, which occurred January I, 1865. He was a staunch Republican and filled several offices in the town as a young man. In later life ill health grad- ually curtailed all his activities. He was a bitter foe of slavery and lived to see that institution abolished as a war measure by the famous proclamation of Abraham Lin- coln. He was also a strong advocate of prohibition and temperance, and was a member of the Order of Sons of Temper- ance. He early united with the Method- ist church and enjoyed the esteem and respect of his fellow-citizens. He mar- ried, at Hartford, April 18, 1830, Eliza Powers, a descendant of one of the oldest American families, born May 23, 1808, died January 25, 1865, daughter of Josiah and Anna (Gilbert) Powers.
The Powers family was established in this country by Walter Powers, who was born in Essex, England, in 1639, and was a pioneer settler of that part of Concord, Massachusetts, now Littleton, where he died February 22, 1709. He married, March 11, 1661, Trial Shepard, born De- cember 19, 1641, daughter of Deacon Ralph and Thanks Shepard, of Malden. Their youngest son, Jacob Powers, born
in Concord, February 15, 1680, was mar- ried, after 1705, to Edith Adams, born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, December 1, 1683, daughter of Jonathan and Leah (Gould) Adams of that town, grand- daughter of Lieutenant Thomas and Mary (Blackford) Adams, great-grand- daughter of Henry Adams, who came from Braintree, England, settled in Brain- tree, Massachusetts, and was founder of the most numerous Adams family in America, which has produced two presi- dents of the country. Jonas Powers, eld- est son of Jacob and Edith (Adams) Powers, was born in Littleton, July 9,
1719, and settled in Middletown, Connec- ticut, where he married, April 12, 1739, Mary Tryon, born in Middletown, Febru- ary 24, 1717, fourth daughter of Abel and Abial Tryon, of that town. They were the parents of Edward Powers, born in Middletown, September 30, 1751, bap- tized October 6, of that year, died June 3, 1809. He was a soldier of the Revolu- tion, enlisting May 7, 1775, in the Fourth Company of Militia, commanded by Cap- tain Jonathan Meigs, in the Second Con- tinental Regiment, commanded by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Joseph Spencer, later greatly distinguished in that war. Ed- ward Powers participated in the siege of Boston and Roxbury, and was discharged December 17, 1775. He again enlisted June 10, 1776, in Captain Jonathan John- son's Battalion, under Colonel Philip Burr Bradley and Brigadier-General James Wadsworth. During the summer of 1776 he was active in the vicinity of Ber- gen Heights and Jersey City, and in Oc- tober went to Fort Lee, opposite the present 129th street, New York, under General Green. He participated in the defense of Fort Washington in Novem- ber. He married, November 3, 1778, Deb- orah Roberts, born in Middletown, Oc- tober 18, 1751, died June 27, 1841, eldest
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daughter of Aaron and Esther (Stan- cliffe) Roberts. The last named was born December 22, 1727, eldest daughter of William and Esther (Adams) Stancliffe, of Middletown, the latter a native of Hartford. William Stancliffe was born in Middletown, September 16, 1687, son of James and Mary Stancliffe. Josiah Powers, son of Edward and Deborah Powers, was born in Middletown, July 21, 1780, and died March 16, 1827. He married Anna Gilbert, born in Middletown, Janu- ary 16, 1780, died February 25, 1816, eld- est child of Joseph and Anna (Bragg) Gilbert. Eliza Powers, daughter of Josiah and Anna (Gilbert) Powers, born in Mid- dletown, May 23, 1808, became the wife of William H. Atkins, as above related.
Anna Gilbert, above mentioned, born in 1780, was descended from Jonathan Gil- bert, who came to Hartford in 1640, and was probably a son of William Gilbert, of Windsor, who became a freeman of the Connecticut Colony in 1640. He mar- ried, in 1645, Mary White, who died some five years later, after which he married Mary, daughter of Hugh Wells. He was active in the management of town affairs and was deputy collector of customs and marshal of the colony. He died in 1682 and was survived by his widow until 1700. His son, Jonathan Gilbert, died in Hartford, February 1, 1698, leaving an estate appraised at £202 19s. 2d. He married Dorothy Stow, born in Middle- town. January 8, 1659, died July 4, 1698, daughter of Rev. Samuel and Hope (Fletcher) Stow. His will names his son, Ezekiel Gilbert, born about 1690, who married December 2, 1714, Patience Har- ris. Their son, Joseph Gilbert, born May 9, 1731, married, June 13, 1753, Eunice Wilder, of Lyme, and their son, Joseph Gilbert, born March 21, 1759, married, May 6, 1779, Anna Bragg, and was the
father of Anna Gilbert, wife of Josiah Powers.
Augusta Atkins, born in Middletown, August 22, 1840, daughter of William H. and Eliza (Powers) Atkins, became the wife of George A. Coles, as above noted, and died in Middletown, July 30, 1919.
Charles Hubbard Coles, only child of George A. and Augusta (Atkins) Coles, was born in Middletown, February 7, 1863, where he continues to reside at the present time and is recognized as a sound and substantial business man. He was educated in the public and private schools of Middletown, and was two years a stu- dent at North Granville, New York. Sub- sequently at the age of sixteen years he left his books to embark on a business career, at which time he became a book- keeper in the service of his father in the Union Mills in Middletown. The dust of the mills was so injurious to his throat that he was obliged to abandon this work and for a time he was employed in the office of Allison Brothers, large soap manufacturers, of Middletown. After one season in an insurance office in Boston, Massachusetts, he returned to Middle- town in the fall of 1883, and continued until June, 1887, in the freight offices of the railroad company there. At the last named date he entered the Middletown Savings Bank as a clerk, was later made assistant teller, succeeding subsequently to the position of teller, and for many years has occupied the responsible posi- tion of secretary. He succeeded his father as president of the Coles Company and as a director of the Union Mills. The active management of the milling business is now in the hands of his cousin, Frank A. Coles (q. v.). While not a member of any religious organization, Mr. Coles is among the active supporters of the South Congregational Church of Middletown and endeavors to support those interests
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calculated to promote the welfare of his native city. He is a member of the Cham- ber of Commerce, and the Middletown Yacht Club, and is affiliated with St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons, of Middletown. Though enter- taining settled principles as to the gov- ernmental policy of the nation, he has never accepted any office, but is a stead- fast supporter of the Republican party.
He married, June 27, 1889, Helen E. Coe, of Portland, Connecticut, daughter of William W. and Helen Augusta (Gil- dersleeve) Coe, granddaughter of Wel- lington S. Coe, of that town, and a de- scendant of one of the oldest families of Middlesex county. Her father was presi- dent of the First National Bank of Port- land, and her mother was the youngest child of Sylvester and Emily (Shepard) Gildersleeve, of that town.
The Gildersleeve family came to what is now Portland, then a part of Chatham, Connecticut, about the beginning of the Revolution, and has been identified with shipbuilding at that location to the pres- ent time. The founder of the family in this country was Richard Gildersleeve, born in 1601, who first appears in Amer- ican records in 1636, at Wethersfield, Con- necticut, where he was the owner at that time of 255 acres of land. Five years later he removed to Stamford, where he was a pioneer, and soon after represented that town as deputy to the General Court of the New Haven Colony. He was one of the company, led by Rev. Richard Den- ton, which settled Hempstead, Long Island, in 1644, and for nearly fifty years was one of the leading citizens of that community. Under the Dutch Governors he was magistrate from 1644 to 1664, was one of the first to acknowledge allegiance to the English King, and was admitted as a freeman in 1664. He was sergeant of the Hempstead Militia, and died in 1691.
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