USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 41
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Horace Edwards, born 1792-94, passed his life in Middletown, where he died March 20, 1867. He was living in Mid- dletown, December 21, 1825, when he re- ceived from Robert Paddock a deed of about fifty rods of land, including build- ings, south of Pamechea Bridge, for which he paid $274.10. Four days pre- viously he received of Thomas Bellows a deed for fifty rods of land, running five rods on the east side of the turnpike, south of Pamechea pond, with buildings. For this he paid $201.41. He later pur- chased more land of Bellows. Subse- quently, he kept a store on the corner of Warwick and South Main streets, adjoin- ing the home now occupied by his grand- son, William C. Edwards. He was a member of the North Congregational Church. He married Mary Gray, born 1788, who died October II, 1859, in Mid- dletown.
Charles H. Edwards, son of Horace and Mary (Gray) Edwards, was born Feb- ruary 7, 1825, in Middletown, and died there April 26, 1903. He was a machin- ist by trade and was employed for nearly
Wilcox, at Pamachea, remaining there until the time of his death. He was a member of the North Church; of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons; of Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons ; and of Cyrene Com- mandery, No. 8, Knights Templar. Po- litically, a Republican, he did not seek any part in political management. He married, June 9, 1853, Anna Maria Bailey, a native of Middletown, daughter of Mor- ris and Elizabeth Bailey. She and her parents were admitted by letter from the strict Congregational Church to the First Church of Middletown, January 1, 1852. They were the parents of a son and two daughters. Elizabeth G., who married William Wilcox; William C., of further mention; and Harriet Amelia, widow of R. S. Pease, died in 1916, in Middletown. William Wilcox, husband of Elizabeth G. Edwards, was one of the leading in- dustrial manufacturers of Middletown, and died there. He was born, October 10, 1819, in Killingworth, son of Thomas C. Wilcox, a descendant of William Wilcox- son, who was born at St. Albans, Hert- fordshire, England, and came to America when thirty-four years old, in the ship "Planter," bringing with him a certificate from a minister at St. Albans, and becom- ing a freeman of Massachusetts in 1636. Three years later he removed to Strat- ford, Connecticut, was in Hartford in 1647, and died in 1652. The family has been conspicuous in the history of Kill- ingworth, Middlesex county, from that time down to the present, and various members from 1680 to 1805 represented the town in the State Legislature. Wil- liam Wilcox became a resident of Middle- town at the age of eighteen years, and was employed for some years in a gun shop, paying out of his wages to his father $130 for his time before attaining his majority. In 1842, he began the man-
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ufacture of locks, and in 1845 located at Zoar, where he continued in that line of business, attaining great success and con- tinuing for a period of more than fifty years. His first wife was a daughter of Horace Edwards. His second wife, Eliz- abeth G. Edwards, was the daughter of Charles H. Edwards, as above noted. He left no children, and his elegant home on South Main street has passed into the hands of William C. Edwards.
William Clifford Edwards, son of Charles H. and Anna Maria (Bailey) Ed- wards, was born October 31, 1860, in Mid- dletown, and was educated in the public schools. At the age of twenty-one years, having acquired the machinist's trade, he went to Hartford, where he was employed for five years by Pratt & Whitney, found- ers of one of the great industries of that city. Following that he continued in the employ of William Wilcox, at the lock shops, until they were closed, and for the succeeding period of twelve years he was employed by Wilcox, Crittenden & Com- pany, manufacturers of ship chandlery, in Middletown, since which time he has been retired from active business. Mr. Ed- wards is a member of St. John's Lodge, Washington Chapter, and Cyrene Com- mandery of the Masonic order, in which his father held membership, and through the Scottish Rite is affiliated with Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Hartford. He leads a quiet life, enjoying the esteem of many cherished associates, is a Republican in political principle, and gives much time to the care of his beautiful garden on South Main street, near Warwick. He is un- married.
DALTON, George Henry,
Physician, Served in World War.
George Henry Dalton, physician, of New Britain, Connecticut, and one of the
most esteemed citizens of that city, was born there April 22, 1891, son of James and Rose (Flood) Dalton. His father was born in Athlone, Ireland, in 1850, and died in New Britain in 1907. He came to America alone at the age of seventeen and located in New Britain, where he entered the employ of the railroad company. He worked himself up to the position of bag- gage master, a position which he held for almost thirty years, retiring about seven years before his death because of ill health.
James Dalton married Rose Flood, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Max- well) Flood, of New Britain, granddaugh- ter of Nathan A. and Catherine (Reed) Maxwell, of Ireland. Thomas Flood was born in Ireland, and came to this coun- try as a young man. James and Rose (Flood) Dalton were the parents of nine children: Elizabeth A .; Andrew W .; Thomas F .; James W .; Charles E .; Fred- erick J., died at Camp Devens during the World War; Agnes, wife of Thomas Mc- Cue, of New Britain ; George H., of fur- ther mention; Mary, wife of George Roden. The family are attendants of St. Mary's parish, New Britain.
Dr. Dalton was educated in the paro- chial school, and the New Britain High School, from which he was graduated in 1908. He then entered Yale Medical Col- lege and received his degree of M. D. four years later. While at college he was a member of Phi Rho Sigma. After his graduation he spent six months in the New York Children's Hospital and dur- ing his senior year he had been an interne in a hospital at New Haven. In 1913 he was interne at Vassar Brothers' Hospital, Poughkeepsie, New York. After his training was completed he returned to Britain, and in January, 1914, he opened his present office, engaging in general practice. Dr. Dalton is a member of the staff of the New Britain General Hospital
Conn-10-19
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and is representative of the United States Public Health Service in New Britain and surrounding towns. He is one of the medical inspectors of the public schools of New Britain, and is also medical inspec- tor of the State schools of New Britain. He is post surgeon for the Connecticut National Guard and local examiner of the Life Extension Institute. Other offices held by Dr. Dalton include: Examining physician of the Shepherds of Bethlehem ; member of the staff of the State Isolation Hospital; secretary of the New Britain Medical Society; State surgeon of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Dr. Dalton enlisted as a first lieutenant in the Medical Officers' Reserve Corps and was sent to Camp Greenleaf, at Ma- con, Georgia, for training. He left there Thanksgiving Day, 1917, for Base Hospi- tal, Camp Wheeler, at Macon, and was there during the epidemic. In April, 1918, Dr. Dalton was ordered to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to join Replacement Hos- pital A for overseas. He was ship sur- geon of the ship "Cretic," which carried them over. After landing in England they proceeded thence to Havre, and then to Blois; thence to Orleans, and from there to Base Hospital No. 15, at Chau- mont. From there he was ordered to the Army Red Cross Military Hospital, No. 2, at Paris. Dr. Dalton served under Dr. Joseph Blake until the latter part of July, when he was ordered back to Base Hos- pital, No. 202, at Orleans, and served as registrar of that hospital until it was offi- cially closed, February 18, 1919. Thence Dr. Dalton proceeded to Brest, returning to America on one of the former German liners, "Grafwaldersee," landing in Hobo- ken, April 20, 1919. He was discharged six days later at Camp Dix. While in France Dr. Dalton was promoted to the rank of captain, and he was awarded the Silver Palms, an order of the University
of Palms by the French Government for accomplishments during the war in France.
Dr. Dalton is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Young Men's Temperance Association. He is also a member of the Kenilworth Club and a local founder of Eddy Glover Post of the American Legion.
CHALLENGER, Sidney William, Journalist.
Perhaps no other newspaper man in the State is better known than Mr. Challen- ger, who has been identified with the Connecticut "Press" for a very long period. He was born October 1, 1859, in the city of London, England, son of Wil- liam Dunington and Caroline (Groome) Challenger, natives of the parish of St. Pancras, in London. Ancestors, from the time of Cromwell down, have included many soldiers. The family of Dunington is traced back to the time of Cromwell, and the family of Groome to the time of William the Norman. Samuel Challen- ger, father of William D., was a native of Wales, and went with his father to Lon- don. In 1865 W. D. Challenger left Eng- land and came to Boston, Massachusetts, whither he was followed by his family the next year. Soon after, they removed to New York City. He was an expert in piano construction, both cases and move- ments, and later was engaged in that busi- ness in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he died more than forty years ago. His widow survived him more than twenty years and died in Bridgeport, Connec- ticut.
Sidney William Challenger was edu- cated in the public schools of Derby and of Bridgeport, and before he was fifteen years of age laid aside his books to en- gage in some productive employment.
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For eight years he was employed in a grand master and for two years following sewing machine factory, in Bridgeport. was grand representative to the Sover- eign Grand Lodge. He is also identified with the Encampment and Rebecca branches of the order. He was for twenty-four years grand instructor in the order, with the exception of the time when he was grand master, and has been for several years treasurer of the Grand Lodge of the State. In religion he is a Universalist and is now a regular attend- ant of the North Church of Middletown. Politically, he is a Republican and, while a resident of Bridgeport, filled many offi- cial positions, including that of alderman, and served for seven years as a member of the Department of Charities, of which he was president during the last one and a half years. His removal to Middletown terminated this connection. Subsequently, Mr. Challenger was em- ployed for some time as a traveling sales- man. Having considerable literary taste and talent he naturally drifted into news- paper work, first becoming a typesetter on the Bridgeport "Evening Post." Two years later he was made foreman of the office and within a short time became a reporter, giving his attention chiefly to sport news. Though the paper changed hands, he continued in its service for a period of thirty years, during twenty years of which time he was its political correspondent, and came to be recognized throughout the State as one of the chief factors in its upbuilding. Since 1893 he has been a legislative reporter, attending fifteen sessions of the State Legislature. About 1905 he engaged in editorial work Mr. Challenger was married, June 30, 1902, to Susan Marsh Hammond, of Bridgeport, daughter of Samuel Ham- mond, of Bridgeport, a descendant of Thomas Hammond, of Newton, Massa- chusetts. Mrs. Challenger is an active member of the daughters of the American Revolution, and is a worthy helpmate of her talented husband. They are the par- ents of one son, Sidney H. Challenger, born 1903, now a student at Wesleyan University. and in 1919 came to Middletown with his associates, who at that time purchased the Middletown "Press." Since that time Mr. Challenger has been editorial writer on that paper. During part of the period of his association with the "Evening Post," he wrote editorials for the "Morn- ing Telegram," of Bridgeport. For twenty-eight years he was a court re- porter and has given considerable time to writing on sport matters. He is what might be termed an all-round newspaper man, and his acquaintance among politi- LINCOLN, Howard Nearing, Pharmacist, Legislator. cians and public men in general is very extensive. His long continuance in posi- tions of responsibility testifies to his reli- A descendant of one of the old Lincoln families of Hingham, Massachusetts, Mr. Lincoln has developed those business traits peculiar to the New Englander and has built up a large business in Middle- town. Eight of the name were among the first settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts, coming there from Wymondham (Wind- ham), county Norfolk, England. Three brothers, Daniel, Samuel and Thomas, ability and fitness. Mr. Challenger has long been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having affiliated with S. H. Harris Lodge, No. 83, of Bridgeport, in which, during the past twenty-four years, he has at various times, filled all the important offices in the order, and has long been a member of the Grand Lodge. In 1905-06, he was
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came with their mother, Joann, and were very early at Hingham. There were no less than four named Thomas Lincoln who were heads of families in Hingham, and were presumably related. They were distinguished on the records and in local speech by their trades, as: "Thomas the Miller," "Thomas the Cooper," "Thomas the Husbandman," and "Thomas the Weaver." From Samuel Lincoln, one of the Hingham settlers, was descended the martyred President, Abraham Lin- coln. The origin or meaning of the name has been a theme of discussion. Some have maintained that it is a relic of the Norman Conquest period, where near some waterfall (Anglo Saxon "lin") a col- ony (Roman "colonia") was founded, thus giving Lincolnia, finally Lincolnshire.
Thomas Lincoln, the miller, born 1603, in Norfolk county, England, came to Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1635, and was one of the proprietors of the town in that year. The next year he drew a house lot of five acres on what is now South street, near Main, and later drew planting lots. Before 1650 he had removed to Taunton, Massachusetts, and had built a grist mill on Mill river, near the heart of the present city, close to the street lead- ing from the railroad station to city square. He was prominent in many ways, was a stockholder in the famous Taunton Iron Works, established 1652, and operated until 1883. He deeded lands to his son, Thomas, in Hingham, in 1683, when he stated his age as about eighty years. The name of his first wife, whom he married in England, is unknown. They were the parents of children, among whom was Samuel.
Samuel Lincoln, son of Thomas Lin- coln, was born in the vicinity of Hing- ham, England, and baptized in Hingham, Massachusetts, February, 1638. He lived in Taunton, where he was a miller, with
his wife, Jane, whose family name is un- known. They were the parents of Mor- decai.
Mordecai Lincoln, son of Samuel and Jane Lincoln, was born about 1657, in Hingham, and settled, about 1700, in Scit- uate, Massachusetts, where he built what was long known as Lincoln Mills, and where he died, November 12, 1727. Among his children was Mordecai (2).
Mordecai (2) Lincoln lived in Taun- ton, and married, in Scituate, November 30, 1758, Abiah Eells, daughter of Rev. Nathaniel Eells. Soon after, he removed to that part of Middletown, which is now Cromwell, and there died before 1777.
William Lincoln, son of Mordecai (2) and Abiah (Eells) Lincoln, was baptized February 3, 1765, at the Cromwell church and lived in that town, where he married Lois Pardee, daughter of David and Phoebe Pardee, formerly of Southington. They were the parents of William, Daniel S. and Asa Lincoln.
Daniel S. Lincoln, born about 1800, lived in Cromwell, and married Florilla Buck, of Portland, daughter of Samuel and Lucy (Goodrich) Buck. They were the parents of children, among whom was Isaac Buck.
Isaac Buck Lincoln, son of Daniel S. and Florilla (Buck) Lincoln, was born December 26, 1828, in Middletown (Crom- well), where he died February 5, 19II. He was a carpenter in Middletown, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically a Democrat, a quiet, unassuming citizen, he sought no part in the management of public affairs. He married C. Augusta Nearing, and they were the parents of three sons and a daughter: Herbert H., the eldest, now a resident of Wallingford; Remington R., who died at the age of thirty-three years, in Middletown; Hattie S., the wife of Norman P. Work, of Yonkers, New
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York; and Howard Nearing, of further mention.
Howard Nearing Lincoln was born May 30, 1880, in Middletown, and at- tended the public schools until about fourteen years of age, when he entered the drug store of Buell & Blatchley and continued with them some six or seven years, becoming thoroughly familiar with the drug business. After being engaged for some years as a traveling salesman, he began business in Middletown, in 1904, in the Macdonough block, where he is still located. In 1915 the store was en- tirely remodeled to accommodate the rapidly extending business, and its growth has not yet ceased. Mr. Lincoln is presi- dent of the Lincoln Drug Company, the McKee Medicine Company and the Olde Lyme Chocolate Shoppe, and a director of the City Savings Bank. He has given his attention chiefly to the development of his business interests, but has found time to assist somewhat in the conduct of local affairs, and after serving two terms as a member of the City Council, he was elected representative to the State Legis- lature in 1919, and in the following ses- sion served on the committees on Public Health and Safety, on Congressional and Senate Districts, and on Unfinished Busi- ness, and was a member of the Republi- can Town Committee. He is affiliated with Middletown Lodge, No. 771, Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks, and with the Masonic order, being a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Ac- cepted Masons; Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons; Columbia Council, No. 9, Royal and Select Mas- ters ; Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar ; and of Sphinx Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is president of the Job Sahara Club, an organization composed of Mys- tic Shriners residing in Middlesex county
and having a clubhouse at Job's Pond, in the town of Portland. Mr. Lincoln was married July 24, 1907, and is the father of a daughter, Elizabeth E., born in 1908.
BURNHAM, George, Clerk of Superior Court.
Mr. Burnham is descended from Wal ter Le Veutre, who came to England at the time of the Conquest, in 1066, in the train of his Cousin-German, Earle War- ren, son-in-law of William the Conqueror. He was Lord of the Saxon village of Burnham and of other villages, and throughout the village where he lived was known as DeBurnham, thus establishing the surname. It is variously spelled, Bur- nam, Bernam and Barnham, as well as Burnham and, in the old Anglo-Saxon, is found as Boernham, Byrnhom, and in other forms. There were towns of this name in Somersetshire and in County Es- sex before 900. The ancient coat-of-arms is described as follows: Sable, a cross between four crescents, argent. Robert Burnham, English progenitor of the American family, lived at Norwich, County Norfolk, England, and married Mary, sister of Captain Andrews. Their sons, Robert, John and Thomas Burn- ham, sailed on the ill-fated ship "Angel Gabriel," of which Captain Andrews was owner and master, and which was wrecked on the coast of Maine early in 1630. While they escaped with their lives, all their possessions were lost in the wreck. Captain Andrews and his three nephews settled at Ipswich, Massachusetts. Rob- ert Burnham lived in Ipswich, while his brothers, John and Tom, settled in the second parish, then called Chebacco, now Essex. From one of these was descended the Burnham family, which was enor- mously represented in the town of Ash- ford, Connecticut, and it is probable that
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Royal Burnham, grandfather of George, was born in that town, but his birth occurred, unfortunately, at a time when New England people had grown careless about preserving the records and neither the church nor town records reveal his birth or parentage. He was a soldier of the War of 1812, and the records of Ash- ford show that he purchased land there in 1810 and sold it in November, 1811. Soon after this, he removed to Vermont, where he died.
Rev. George Burnham, son of Royal Burnham, was born October 8, 1821. He was educated at Wilbraham Academy and prepared for the ministry in which he long served the Methodist Episcopal church. He held many pastorates in various places, including Burrellville, Rhode Island; Eastham and Harwich, in Massachusetts; Thompsonville, Connec- ticut; and other points. His last charge was at Marlboro, Connecticut, in 1863, and he died in April, 1908, at Auburn, Massachusetts, while visiting a daughter in that town. For many years his home was in Middletown. During the Civil War he volunteered as a private of the Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery, but was detailed as post chaplain at camp in New Haven, in 1864. Soon afterward he was commissioned by Governor Buckingham as chaplain of the Seventeenth Connecti- cut Volunteers and spent the following winter at St. Augustine, Florida. He mar- ried Elizabeth A. Buss, who was born in March, 1824, and died in 1902. She also was educated in Wilbraham Academy. They were the parents of three daughters and two sons: Sarah Elizabeth, the eld- est, married Frank Nye, and died at Au- burn, in 1912; Frederick A., born Janu- ary 6, 1851, was a distinguished attorney, practicing many years in New York City, where he died in December, 1908; Louise P., born 1853, married Charles Putney,
and died at New Haven in 1890; George, the fourth, receives further mention ; Au- gusta Winifred, widow of Edward A. Ramsdell, lives in Hartford.
George Burnham, son of Rev. George and Elizabeth A. (Buss) Burnham, was born July 19, 1856, in Eastham, Massachusetts, and was educated in district schools at various points where his father was stationed in the ministry. In 1874 he graduated from the Mid- dletown High School and soon after took up the study of law with his brother in New York City. In 1881 he was admitted to the bar and continued in practice thirty years in association with his brother in New York. In 1909 he was admitted to the bar in Connecticut and continued in Middletown in the practise of law until his appointment, February, 1919, as temporary clerk of the Superior Court. He continued in this capacity until the retirement of Judge C. G. R. Vinal (q. v.), from this office in the spring of 1919, since which time he has been clerk. Mr. Burnham is a member of the County and State Bar associations and is widely known throughout the State through his efficiency as clerk of the courts. He was made a Mason in Excel- sior Lodge, No. 195, Free and Accepted Masons, of New York, of which he was three years master and served as district deputy in 1889 and 1891. He is now a member of Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons, and of Cyrene Com- mandery, No. 8, Knights Templar, of Middletown. From 1913 to 1917, inclu- sive, he was president of the Middletown Chamber of Commerce, which was incor- porated in 1915 and which became a very active factor in the development of the city of Middletown during his presidency. Mr. Burnham is a communicant of the Church of the Holy Trinity of Middle- town. His political affiliations have always
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been with the Republican party and he is ever anxious to advance the interests of that party because he believes its prin- ciples and its measures to be advantage- ous to the country and its people.
Mr. Burnham was married, June 8, 1886, in Middletown, to Louisa M. Bor- gelt, a native of that city, daughter of William and Catherine M. (Kassenbrook) Borgelt, of Ichburg, Hanover, Germany.
BALDWIN, Dayton Ashton, Auto Mechanician.
In the course of a very few years, Mr. Baldwin has built up in Middletown a very handsome business, which is rapidly growing under his careful and sound management.
The family of Baldwin has many worthy and distinguished representa- tives and is among the earliest of the old Colonial families. According to "Arthur," an authority on the derivation of surnames, the name Baldwin signifies the speedy conqueror or victor, and is derived from bald, meaning quick and speedy, and win, meaning victory. The name was common as early as 1066, and there were at least three brothers of this name among the early pioneers in Mil- ford, Connecticut, namely : Timothy, Na- thaniel, and Joseph. There were also others of that name in the same town who may have been relatives, but there is no record to show the connection. These brothers were the sons of Richard and Isabel Baldwin, of Cholesbury, Bucking- hamshire, England. Joseph Baldwin was one of the first settlers of Milford and appears on the list of planters there from November 20, 1639, his homestead being Lot No. 52, West Farm street. His wife, Hannah, joined the church there, June 23, 1644, at which date she had children bap- tized. About 1663 they removed to Had-
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