USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 43
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Mr. Starr married, June 18, 1896, Maude Allen, born February 22, 1875, in Ithaca, New York, daughter of Joseph and Clara (Esterbrook) Allen, of Millington, East Haddam, Connecticut. Joseph Allen was born in Ithaca, and descended from a Pennsylvania family. Mr. and Mrs. Starr are the parents of two sons: Allen B., graduated at Staunton Military Academy, and served in the navy during the World War, going abroad on the bat- tleship "Texas"; Robert J., who is a mem- ber of the class of 1922 of the Middle- town High School.
STARR, Albert Birdsey,
Manufacturer.
A member of the famous bell-making family of East Hampton, Connecticut, Mr. Starr is busily occupied in that in- dustry and carries forward the traditions and characteristics of the old family which he represents. His ancestry is quite fully described in the preceding sketch of Ambrose M. Starr.
Vine Barton Starr, fourth son of Vine B. and Amanda (Markham) Starr (q. v.), was born November 7, 1853, in East Hampton, and spent his early years at- tending the public schools of the village, which was then a rural community, and very early in life set out to explore the
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Vino B Starr.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Golden West. Before he was seventeen years old, he was engaged in prospecting for minerals in the present State of Color- ado, where he remained five years. His journey to that territory was made in the company of the Greeley colony, and he helped later to lay out the town of Gree- ley. Returning to the East, he was em- ployed one year in the bell factory of O. L. Clark, a former resident of Chatham, near Montreal, Canada. Being possessed of considerable mechanical genius, young Starr readily qualified as an expert in the use of tools and he was soon employed as a machinist by the Thompson-Houston Electric Light Company of New Britain, Connecticut, where he continued more than a year. On the formation of the Starr Brothers Bell Company, in January, 1882, he was one of the members, and in the following March took up his residence in East Hampton, and assumed an active part in the management of the business, as secretary of the company. The suc- cess of the establishment is in no small degree due to his sound judgment and careful attention to business details, and he was also active in promoting the for- tunes of the Starr Net & Twine Company, which helped to spread the fame of East Hampton.
Mr. Starr was ever ready to promote the interests of his native town; he served four years on its school committee, and represented the town of Chatham in the 1895 session of the Legislature, where he was House chairman of the Committee on Temperance. A Republican in prin- ciple, he ever used his influence to for- ward the best interests of the general public, and carried a notable influence in the councils of his party. He was an active member of the Congregational church of East Hampton ; was a member of Anchor Lodge, No. 112, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of East Hampton, of
which he was long treasurer ; of Freestone Chapter, No. 34, Royal Arch Masons, of Portland, and Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar, of Middletown. He was also a member of Patriot Council, No. 45, Order United American Me- chanics of East Hampton. He died November 7, 1910, widely mourned and regretted in the community where he had long been so useful.
Mr. Starr married, June 21, 1881, Bessie Crowell Birdsey, of Middlefield, Connec- ticut, born March 1, 1857, daughter of Daniel H. and Sophia (Tryon) Birdsey (see Birdsey line), of Middlefield, who de- scended from several of the oldest fami- lies of Connecticut.
Albert Birdsey Starr, eldest child of Vine B. and Bessie Crowell (Birdsey) Starr, was born August 17, 1882, in East Hampton, and received his primary edu- cation in the local public schools and at the Middletown High School, from which he graduated in 1901. For six months he attended the Suffield Academy in prepara- tion for college, and graduated at Cornell University in 1907, with the degree of Mechanical Engineer. Previous to this time, he had spent two years in the bell shop, where he had gained that practical experience which aided very greatly in the pursuit of his course at Cornell. He continued in the shop after graduation, until August, 1914, when he entered the office of the establishment, and in 1917 was elected secretary of the Starr Brothers Bell Company, thus following in the footsteps of his honored father. Mr. Starr possessed those qualities which are needful in this line of endeavor, and is contributing his share to the growth and development of the establishment, which has more than doubled in capacity and volume of business in the last quarter of a century.
Mr. Starr is an attendant of the Con-
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
gregational church of East Hampton, of which he was for three years a trustee. He is a member of Anchor Lodge, No. 112, Free and Accepted Masons, of East Hampton; and of Bell Lodge, No. 54, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of that town, of which he is now a past grand and treasurer. He is also a mem- ber of Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons, of Middletown. Politically, he is independent of partisan dictation and endeavors to promote the best govern- ment so far as he is able. For three years he served as auditor of the town of Chat- ham, now East Hampton. Mr. Starr is unmarried.
Other children of the late Vine B. and Bessie C. (Birdsey) Starr were: Sophia, who graduated from Yale Art School and is now employed by the Aetna Insur- ance Company, at Hartford; Helen, who graduated from Pratt Kindergarten School, at Brooklyn, and taught in kin- dergarten schools of Waterbury, Connec- ticut, for several years, died July 15, 1915; Daniel Hubbard Birdsey, who graduated from Norwich University, was first lieu- tenant of the 30Ist Engineers in World War, trained at Camp Devens, and served one year on the Rhine, now a civil engi- neer employed on State highways; Vine Raymond, graduate of Middletown High School, studied at Bryant & Stratton's Business College, was a quartermaster in the navy, serving in France, and is now stationed at Hartford, Connecticut, in the service of the John Hancock Life Insur- ance Company.
(The Birdsey Line).
The Birdsey family has been traced to Reading, England, at a date prior to 1600. There Deacon John Birdsey, son of John Birdsey, was born in 1616. He came to New England, locating first in Stratford, Connecticut, removing thence to that part
of Middletown now Middlefield (see Birdsey, Eldon B.). His wife was a daughter of Rev. Henry Smith, of Weth- ersfield, elsewhere mentioned.
John Birdsey, of Stratford, son of Dea- con John Birdsey, was born in 1641, in Milford, Connecticut, died in 1697, leav- ing a widow and seven children. He mar- ried, in 1669, Phoebe Wilcoxson, born in 1651, daughter of William Wilcoxson.
Abel Birdsey, fourth child of John and Phoebe (Wilcoxson) Birdsey, born No- vember 30, 1679, married, June 8, 1704, Comfort Welles, granddaughter of Gov- ernor Thomas Welles.
John Birdsey, eldest son of Abel and Comfort (Welles) Birdsey, born Septem- ber 26, 1712, was a resident of Middle- town, where he died in 1747. His wife, Hannah, was the mother of Gershom Birdsey.
Gershom Birdsey, son of John and Han- nah Birdsey, was born November 21, 1734, died November 17, 1789. His estate was the last settled under the English law of inheritance in Connecticut, by means of which the eldest son drew a double portion. He married, November 12, 1772, Hannah Bartlett, born August 10, 1742, in Middletown, second daughter of John and Mary (Benton) Bartlett.
Samuel Birdsey, eldest son of Gershom and Hannah (Bartlett) Birdsey, was born February 12, 1775, in what is now Middle- field, whence he removed to Meriden, then to Durham, and returned to Middle- field, where he purchased a farm, partly on credit. He was a practical farmer and soon removed his obligation and became the independent owner of a fine estate, dying in comfortable circumstances, Au- gust 7, 1850. He married Betsey Crowell, of Long Hill, baptized May 22, 1774, died March 4, 1862, daughter of Daniel Crowell. Both were buried in Middlefield.
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Daniel Hubbard Birdsey, third son of Samuel and Betsey (Crowell) Birdsey, was born February 17, 1807, in what is now Middlefield, at a point near the Mid- dlefield Center railroad station. As a child he went with his parents to Meriden and Durham, and in the latter town was priv- ileged to attend for a few years the South District School. He assisted his father in tilling the paternal homestead until his majority, and received at that time a pair of boots. He then hired to his brother, Hiram, and Isaac Roberts, and traveled through the South for two years, selling Yankee notions, at a salary of twelve dol- lars per month, out of which he paid his own board. At the close of the two years he engaged in business for himself, open- ing a store in Kenansville, North Carol- ina, where he continued in trade ten years. Selling out, he returned to Middlefield, and in 1838 purchased a farm from his brother, Hiram, comprising two hundred acres, and here he carried on general farming and stock raising. He was very energetic and enterprising, experimented largely in grafting fruit, reared high- grade stock, and died possessed of a large property. Blessed with more than ordin- arily sound judgment, his advice was fre- quently sought by his neighbors and he aided in the settlement of numerous es- tates, being noted for his accuracy and promptness in all transactions. He was a Republican in principle, and in 1880 rep- resented Middlefield in the State Legis- lature. He was also selectman several terms, was many years assessor, and clerk of the District School Committee twenty- four years, from 1845 to 1869. Mr. Bird- sey married, May 29, 1844, Sophia Tryon, who was born October 4, 1813, in South Farms, Middletown, daughter of Captain Enoch and Sarah (Crowell) Tryon, de- scended from William Tryon (see Tryon line).
Conn-10-20
(The Tryon Line).
William Tryon, who was in Wethers- field as early as 1673, died in 1711 (see Davis, Louis E.).
David Tryon, second son of William Tryon, born about 1665, lived in that part of Wethersfield which is now Glaston- bury, and died in the latter part of 1730. His inventory, made December 23rd of that year, valued the estate at forty-five pounds, sixteen shillings and tenpence. He married, August 25, 1698, Hannah Wadhams, who was born October 25, 1680, daughter of John and Hannah (Bid- well) Wadhams, granddaughter of John and Susanna Wadhams, of Wethersfield.
David Tryon, eldest son of David and Hannah (Wadhams) Tryon, was born January 25, 1701, and lived in the Bow Lane section of Middletown, where he was a farmer and owned a large estate, including the silver mine, from which the ore was dug during the Revolutionary War that was cast into bullets because of the scarcity of lead. This brought forth the ejaculation by the British at the next battle : "They are firing silver at us." He married, August 26, 1725, Susanna Bevin, who was born January 18, 1708, third daughter of John and Susanna Bevin, of Middletown.
Amos Tryon, third son of David and Susanna (Bevin) Tryon, was born March 17, 1736, died August 18, 1790, in his fifty- fifth year. When a young man, he went to sea and became commander of a vessel plying between this country and Europe, passing the prime of his life on the water. On retiring from the sea, he located on the Bow Lane farm of his father, and erected a dwelling house, in the construc- tion of which he brought timber, door knobs and other articles from Norway. He married, September 17, 1772, Sarah Hubbard, born May 5, 1749, fifth daugh- ter of Richard and Susanna (Robbards)
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Hubbard, granddaughter of George and Elizabeth (Miller) Hubbard, great-grand- daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Kirby) Hubbard, Samuel being the third son of George Hubbard, founder of the family in Middletown.
Captain Enoch Tryon, third son of Amos and Sarah (Hubbard) Tryon, was born August 19, 1781, in Middletown, where he followed farming through life, being very successful, and was a promi- nent and popular citizen. For many years he was captain of militia, and his military title clung to him. In politics, a Demo- crat, he filled various town offices, and died July 30, 1845. He was a devout member of the Presbyterian church at Middletown. He married, February 27, 1803, Sarah Crowell, born January 5, 1784, daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Hub- bard) Crowell, of West Long Hill. The Crowell family has been traced to Edward Crowell, of Barnstable, Massachusetts, whose third son, Robert, came to Middle- town.
Sophia Tryon, fourth daughter of Cap- tain Enoch and Sarah (Crowell) Tryon, born October 4, 1813, became the wife of Daniel H. Birdsey (see Birdsey line), and died October 6, 1896. Their third daugh- ter, Bessie Crowell Birdsey, born March I, 1857, became the wife of Vine B. Starr, of East Hampton, as previously men- tioned.
MILBURN, John Dickinson, Physician.
Dr. Milburn was born August 20, 1881, in Niles, Michigan, a son of John Dickin- son Milburn and Katie May Bronson, the former a native of Smith's Falls, Ontario county, New York, and the latter of Waterville, Oneida county. Katie M. (Bronson) Milburn, now living, is a
daughter of Sheldon and Louise (Hilton) Bronson. His grandfather, John Milburn, came from England to Canada, later settled at Smith's Falls, where he died.
As a youth, Dr. Milburn attended the schools of his native town, including the high school, and graduated at Hahne- mann Medical College of Chicago, in 1910. After graduating, he went through the usual hospital experience at Buffalo, Washington and New Haven, to perfect himself in practical knowledge of medicine and surgery, and in July, 1912, he opened an office in New Haven, where he con- tinued in practice until March, 1914. At that time he removed to East Hampton, Connecticut, where he has since been steadily engaged in practice, having es- tablished himself in the esteem of the public, both as a citizen and as a healer. He is also affiliated with various organi- zations, and endeavors to do his share in keeping up the social and moral standard of the community. He is a regular at- tendant of the Congregational church and supports Republican principles in politics. He is a member of Anchor Lodge, No. 112, of the Masonic fraternity, and Bell- ville Eastern Star Chapter, of the same order. He is also a member of Bell Lodge, No. 54, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of East Hampton, and of the Patriarch Council, No. 45, Order of United Workmen. Dr. Milburn is a mem- ber of Phi Alpha Gamma, a medical fra- ternity; the Connecticut State Home- opathic Society ; and American Institute of Homeopathy.
He married Laura May Hutton, born May 21, 1882, in Nanuet, New York, daughter of William and Mary (Tremper) Hutton of Nyack, New York. Dr. and Mrs. Milburn are the parents of a son, John Dickinson, Jr., born April 21, 1921.
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a. R. Crittenden.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
CRITTENDEN, Albert Randolph,
Manufacturer, Public-Spirited Citizen.
Among the most useful citizens of Mid- dletown, Mr. Crittenden is descended from several of the earliest residents of his section of Connecticut, and is es- teemed by all classes of his contemporar- ies. An extended account of his ancestry appears elsewhere in this work (see Wil- cox, W. W.).
Albert R. Crittenden was born Decem- ber 4, 1843, in Portland, son of George and Anne E. (Sellew) Crittenden. He was privileged for a few years, while a boy, to attend the district schools, and at the age of eleven years, entered the famous school conducted by Daniel H. Chase, of Middletown. Here he gave especial attention to mathematics, to the great advantage of his subsequent career, both civil and military. Afterward, he at- tended the private school of Mr. George Tracy, and the Brown Military Academy at West Haven, Connecticut. In 1859, at the age of seventeen years, he entered the machine shop of Wilcox & Hall in Mid- dletown, where he received excellent training in practical mechanics. Anxious to extend his studies, he spent two win- ters, 1859-60-61 at school, working during the balance of the year to earn the funds to defer his expenses. Such persistence receives its reward. In a short time, Mr. Crittenden became foreman of the gal- vanizing department of Wilcox & Hall, and subsequently went into the shipping department, where he remained until his enlistment as a soldier in July, 1862, being then in his nineteenth year.
He became a member of Company B, Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteer Infan- try, and after but a few days of drill, in August, he was sent to the front, and participated in the second battle of Bull Run. Soon after this, he became ill with
fever, and after a long period in the hos- pital, where he made himself useful dur- ing convalescence, he became an orderly to the surgeon in charge, because of the skill which he had developed in caring for the wounded. Within a short time he became a ward master in the Chestnut Hill Hospital at Chestnut Hill, Pennsyl- vania. In the Battle of the Wilderness, in May, 1864, he received a scratch on the ankle, which developed a running sore because of his continued activity without proper care for the wound. Before his recovery, he was placed in charge of a squad of men and was soon appointed commissary sergeant at Brigade Head- quarters of the Third Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps. During the battle of Hatchett's Run, he was cut off with four others while engaged in skirmish duty, but escaped capture by hiding in the timber, and soon after, again joined his command.
He was discharged from the service, June 10, 1865, and in the following month returned to his former position as ship- ping clerk with Wilcox & Hall. Soon after, he began selling their product on the road, and for twenty-six years con- tinued as a traveling salesman, covering territory extending from Prince Edward's Island, down the Atlantic Coast to Nor- folk, and from the Great Lakes, to the St. Lawrence river. He attained a marked success, and formed many friendships among his customers by his courteous manner and upright methods of doing business. On New Year's day, 1869, the firm of Wilcox Crittenden & Company was formed, including the head of Wil- cox & Hall, and soon after, Mr. Critten- den left the road to take an active part in the management of the concern, which is elsewhere described at considerable length (see Wilcox, W. W.). For over half a century Mr. Crittenden has been identi-
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fied with this business as a proprietor and he continues in an executive capacity, being now the vice-president of the con- cern. For many years he was president, and because of his increasing years he resigned this responsibility to William W. Wilcox, Jr., who now holds the posi- tion. Mr. Crittenden is one of the best known authorities on ship chandler's hardware.
Since 1894, he has been a director of the Middletown Savings Bank, and his activities in the promotion of the general welfare have been many. He is a mem- ber of the North Church of Middletown, in which he was a deacon for more than thirty years. He is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Middletown; of Washington Chapter, No. 6, Royal Arch Masons, and of Cyrene Commandery, No. 8, Knights Templar, of Middletown. He was one of the organizers of the Mid- dlesex Historical Society, and was treas- urer of the Middletown Scientific Asso- ciation, in which he continued to serve in the same capacity forty-three years. He is a member of Mansfield Post, No. 53, Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Society of the Army of the Potomac. For twenty years Mr. Crittenden served as a trustee of Wesleyan University ; was several years president of the board of the Middlesex Hospital, and is now one of the executive committee of that insti- tution. Politically he is a staunch Repub- ican, and takes more than a passive in- terest in public matters, though he does not seek for public office. In response to the call of his contemporaries, and as a matter of civil duty, he served as mayor of the city in 1904-05.
Mr. Crittenden was married, April 14, 1869, to Mary Louise Ferree, daughter of Enoch Chapin and Josephine B. (Cook) Ferree. Their home on Church
street, Middletown, was the abode of hos- pitality and good cheer. Mr. Crittenden passed away September 15, 1921.
GOFF, Lucius Henry,
Bell Manufacturer.
Nearly all his life identified with the manufacture of bells in East Hampton, Connecticut, Mr. Goff has passed far be- yond the average age of man.
The name of Goff is probably of Flem- ish origin, and is found in Hertfordshire, England. The founder of this family in America was Philip Goff, who was in Wethersfield, Connecticut, before 1649, and was town crier in 1651. He built his house in that part of Wethersfield which is now Rocky Hill, in 1655. A brook flowing into the Connecticut river a short distance north of the village of Rocky Hill is still known as Goff's brook, and it was undoubtedly named by Philip Goff. He was a freeman of Wethersfield, in October, 1669, and died in 1674. The fam- ily name of his wife, Rebecca, is un- known.
Their second son, Philip Goff, born March 2, 1653, in Wethersfield, died in what was then Middletown, March 7, 1725. He was a dealer in lands and prob- ably purchased property in the vicinity of Middle Haddam, which led to the set- tlement of his descendants in that vicin- ity. In 1716 he was surveyor of highways in Wethersfield. His wife, Naomi, widow of John Reynolds, was a daughter of John and Ann Lattimer of Wethersfield, born April 4, 1648.
Philip Goff, eldest child of Philip and Naomi (Lattimer-Reynolds) Goff, was born June 24, 1685. He removed about 1720, with his sons, Philip and Nathaniel, to the vicinity of Middle Haddam, locat- ing on land south of Knowles' Landing, where they were among the first settlers,
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and where he died March 7, 1725. He married, December 15, 1703, Mary Couch, born about 1676, in Wethersfield, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Couch of that town.
Philip Goff, eldest child of Philip and Mary (Couch) Goff, was born October 15, 1704, in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and was baptized and admitted to the Middle Haddam church September 13, 1741. He is later recorded of East Hampton parish, but perhaps lived on the same farm all the time. He married about 1725, and his wife Sarah was baptized and admitted to the Middle Haddam church, September 19, 1742, in which year all of their older children were baptized.
Samuel Goff, second son of Philip and Sarah Goff, was born about 1727, in what was then Middletown, and died at East Hampton, January 3, 1823, at the age of ninety-eight years. He lived east of Lake Pocotopaug, near the Colchester-Marlboro line. He married (second) September 26, 1771, Mary Cunningham, probably a daughter of Thomas Cunningham. She survived him nearly a year, dying Decem- ber 13, 1823.
Joseph Goff, son of Samuel and Mary (Cunningham) Goff, was baptized Octo- ber 16, 1781, and was a farmer in East Hampton, where he died. He married November 23, 1802, Clarissa H. Welch, who died June 27, 1824, at the age of forty-two years. In November of the same year, he married her sister, Lucy Welch.
Gurdon Saltonstall Goff, eldest surviv- ing child of Joseph and Clarissa H. (Welch) Goff, was born in East Hamp- ton, and continued to reside in that town, where he died in 1892, at the age of eighty-two years. In his latter years he became interested in the manufacture of bells, which he continued until his death. He married Chloe Maria Tilden, born in
New London, Connecticut, daughter of Ebenezer and - (Hills) Tilden, died in 1900.
Lucius Henry Goff, eldest child of Gur- don Saltonstall and Chloe Maria (Tilden) Goff, was born December 21, 1838, in East Hampton, and in early life attended the public school of his native village. During three winter terms he was a stu- dent at Daniel Chase's well-known insti- tute of Middletown. From the age of ten years he continued working during vacations in the bell factory, and at the age of sixteen became one of the regular workmen of the East Hampton Bell Com- pany. Industrious and painstaking, he soon became master of the details of the business, and in 1894 he became president of the company, in which position he con- tinued until he sold out his interest in 1914. In the meantime, he cultivated some sixty acres of land, and in Septem- ber 1899, entered upon his second half century in the manufacture of bells. He continues to work in the shop and has completed seventy years of such labor, dating from the time of its beginning.
Mr. Goff's first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln, and he con- tinued to support the Republican party until 1872, when it caused the repeal of the prohibitory law in Connecticut and acted a license law in its stead. Since that time he has steadfastly adhered to the Prohibition party. For many years he was a member of the Congregational church of East Hampton, in which both he and his wife were active workers. For some fifty years he has been treasurer of the church society. Mr. Goff is esteemed as one of the founders of the principal in- dustry in East Hampton, and as an upright and conscientious citizen. Mr. Goff married, January 1, 1861, in Colches- ter, Mary Frances Bulkeley, daughter of Silas and Mary (Dart) Bulkeley, a de-
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