USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 9 > Part 8
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
of Henry S. Beers, who succeeded his father in the business. In April, 1911, he purchased Mr. Beers' interest and is now continuing as a third generation of his family to conduct an undertaking busi- ness in Middletown. His time is amply occupied as a funeral director and he does not continue the furniture business which was conducted by his father and grand- father. Soon after he became sole owner he removed the establishment from the Southmayd block to the Arrigoni block, where he continued two years, and in 1913 occupied the handsome building at No. 420 Main street, which was remodeled for his use. It had formerly been occu- pied as a furniture store. Mr. Southmayd enjoys the esteem of his contemporaries and has been prosperous in his business because of his unfailing courtesy and sym- pathy and the continued attention to the wants of his patrons.
Mr. Southmayd is a member of Holy Trinity Church, and is identified with many social organizations of Middletown ; he also is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Middletown Yacht Club. He served his time as a volunteer fireman and is now a member of the Mid- dletown Veteran Firemen's Association. He is a member of the Sixth Infantry Band, the fourth organization of this kind with which he has been associated; and is a member of the Musical Protective Union, No. 497. He also is a life member of Middletown Lodge, No. 771, Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks ; a mem- ber of Apollo Lodge, No. 33, Knights of Pythias ; and Mattabessett Lodge, No. 12, Order of United American Men. He is a member of Central Lodge, No. 12, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Sowheg Encampment, No. 6, and Pris- cilla Rebecca Lodge, No. 12, of the same order. He is a past sachem of Arrawanna Tribe, No. 17, Improved Order of Red
Men, and was the first past dictator of Middlesex lodge, No. 1547, Loyal Order of Moose. In political matters Mr. South- mayd is an active and vigorous supporter of Republican principles, but does not seek to share any political honors.
Mr. Southmayd married, September 18, 1901, Florence, daughter of Theron C. and Almira (Banning) Markham, of Middle- town. Theron C. Markham was the youngest child of John and Polly (Clark) Markham, elsewhere mentioned in this work. (See Markham, Revilo Clark). The only child of Mrs. Southmayd, Dud- ley Russell, died at the age of twenty-five years. He was the assistant of Mr. Southmayd in the undertaking business and endeared himself to a multitude of Middletown people, who testified their appreciation of his character at his funeral which was very largely attended.
BEACH, Francis Asbury,
Banker.
Identified with Middletown, Connecti- cut, from his boyhood, Mr. Beach is ac- tively connected with one of its leading industries and is also president of the Middletown National Bank. His ances- tors were located very early in Southern Connecticut and the family of Beach has been prominent in many localities of the State and other states.
(I) John Beach, the immigrant ances- tor of this branch of the family, was born in England, and died in 1667, at Stratford, Connecticut. He was an early settler of the latter town and also was among the original proprietors of Wallingford, Con- necticut. His inventory amounted to £92 19S.
(II) Nathaniel Beach, fifth child of John Beach, was born in March, 1662, in Stratford, and died in 1747. In 1686 he married Sarah Porter, born in
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Rancio a Beach
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
1667, died in 1734, daughter of Nathaniel Porter.
(III) Nathaniel (2) Beach, son of Nathaniel (1) and Sarah (Porter) Beach, was born December 29, 1696, and died in 1734. He married, November 3, 1720, Sarah Burton, daughter of Solomon Bur- ton, and after the death of Nathaniel Beach, she married (second) William O'Dell.
(IV) Thomas Beach, son of Nathaniel (2) and Sarah (Burton) Beach, was born in Stratford, and baptized in February, 1733.
(V) Thomas (2) Beach, son of Thomas (1) Beach, was born in 1770, and lived in Trumbull, Connecticut. He was the father of John Burton Beach, of whom further.
(VI) John Burton Beach, son of Thomas (2) Beach, was born November 4, 1797, in Trumbull, Connecticut, and died in Middletown, January 23, 1891. For many years he was identified with the New York Conference of the Metho- dist church, in which he was several years presiding elder. On his retirement from the ministry he lived for a few years at Derby, Connecticut, and about 1880 re- moved to Middletown, where he died in his ninety-fourth year. He married, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Emeline Haw- ley, who was born July 9, 1801, and died March 29, 1881, in Middletown. They were the parents of John Wesley Beach, of whom further.
(VII) Rev. John Wesley Beach, D. D., son of John Burton and Emeline (Hawley) Beach, born December 26, 1825, in Trum- bull, Connecticut, died January 2, 1902, in Middletown. He graduated from Wes- leyan University in 1845, and for the next four years was a teacher and engaged in study at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1850-51 he was a teacher in the schools at Amenia, Dutchess county, New York, and from 1851 to 1854 was principal of the
schools there. In the latter year he joined the New York Conference of the Meth- odist church, and in 1870 was subse- quently transferred to the New York East Conference, and in 1879-80 was presiding elder of that conference, after which he removed to Middletown to become presi- dent of Wesleyan University, in which position he continued until 1887, when he resigned. From that year until about 1902 he was presiding elder at Middle- town. In 1872 Wesleyan University con- ferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1882 Northwestern Uni- versity at Evanston, Illinois, gave him the degree of LL. D. In 1854-55 he was pas- tor of the Methodist church at Pough- keepsie, New York; in 1856-57, of the Eighteenth Street Church, in New York City ; in 1858-59, at Newburgh, New York; in 1860-61 at Hudson, New York ; in 1862 of the then Green Street Church, New York; in 1863-64 he was pastor at Sheffield, Massachusetts; in 1865-67 at Kingston, New York ; in 1868-69 at White Plains, New York; in 1870 he was trans- ferred to the New York East Conference, and from that year until 1872 was pastor at Mamaroneck, New York. In 1873-74 he was pastor of the First Church at New- burgh, and in 1875 at Greenwich, Con- necticut, and again, in 1876-78, at Ma- maroneck, New York. Under his charge Wesleyan University gained considerable strength financially, and the institution was highly prosperous. He married Eliza Merritt Vail, of an old New York family, who died in Middletown, in April, 1909.
(VIII) Francis Asbury Beach, son of Rev. John Wesley and Eliza M. (Vail) Beach, was born August 21, 1866, at Kingston, New York, and attended various schools in the towns where his father was situated. He attended Wilbra- ham Academy at Wilbraham, Massachu- setts, and at the age of twenty years,
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
turned his attention to business, becoming a clerk in the Middletown National Bank, with which he has ever since been iden- tified. In 1907 he organized the Bristol Trust Company, at Bristol, Connecticut, where he continued until 1910, when he became cashier of the Middletown Na- tional Bank. In 1917 he was made presi- dent of the bank, and in the same year, October Ist, became vice-president of the Wilcox, Crittenden Company, a large manufacturing establishment of Middle- town. He is also vice-president of the Lyman Gun Sight Corporation of Middle- field. He is a member of Middletown Chamber of Commerce; a director of the Middletown Homes, Inc., an undertaking to furnish homes for the people of the city ; and also of the Middletown Press Publishing Company. He has always been identified with the Methodist Epis- copal church, but is now an attendant at the South Congregational Church of Mid- dletown. He is a member of St. John's Lodge, No. 2, Free and Accepted Masons, of Middletown; of Central Lodge, No. 12, Independent Order Odd Fellows. He is a member of Highland Country Club, and of the Hartford Automobile Club, and has served three terms as a member of the Middletown City District School Board, and two terms as an alderman of the city. His political affiliations are with the Republican party, of whose principles he is an ardent supporter.
Mr. Beach married, April 9, 1891, Emma S. Conn, a native of Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania, daughter of James and Sophia (Smith ) Conn.
SEARS, Cushman Allen, Physician.
The surname of Sears has been found under numerous spellings. Among those more common are Sares, Seares, Sayer,
Sayers, Seers and Seir. It is believed that the family is of Norman origin. About 1600 there were many families of this name resident in the eastern parishes of London.
(I) Richard Sears, the immigrant an- cestor of the family, was a taxpayer in Plymouth Colony as early as 1632. He removed to Marblehead, Massachusetts, where he was a land owner in 1637, but the following year returned to Plymouth Colony and settled at Yarmouth, Massa- chusetts. He took the freeman's oath June 7, 1653. Commissioners were ap- pointed to meet at his house on Indian affairs October 26, 1647. He was among the settlers and founders of Yarmouth, and was buried August 26, 1676. His wife, Dorothy, was buried March 19, 1678-79.
(II) Captain Paul Sears, son of Richard and Dorothy Sears, was probably born at Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 1637-38, and died at Yarmouth, February 20, 1707-08. In 1657 he took the oath of fidelity. He was captain of the militia company at Yarmouth, and was in the Narragansett War. He was one of the original proprietors of Harwich, which was laid out between Bound Brook and Stony Brook. He married, at Yarmouth, Massachusetts, in 1658, Deborah Willard, baptized at Scituate, Massachusetts, by Rev. William Witherall, September 15, 1645, died at Yarmouth, May 13, 1721, daughter of George Willard.
(III) Paul (2) Sears, son of Captain Paul (1) and Deborah (Willard) Sears, was born at Yarmouth, Massachusetts, June 15, 1669, and died February 14, 1739- 1740. He married, in 1693, at Harwich, Massachusetts, Mercy Freeman, born there October 30, 1674, died August 30, 1747, daughter of Deacon Thomas and Rebecca (Sparrow ) Freeman.
(IV) Joshua Sears, son of Paul (2) and
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Mercy (Freeman) Sears, was born No- vember 20, 1708, at Yarmouth, Massachu- etts, and died September 27, 1753, at Mid- dletown, Connecticut. In 1745 he served as constable at Harwich. In 1746 he re- moved to Middletown and purchased land on the east side of the river, in that por- tion later set off as Chatham. He was a man of large stature and of great strength and hardihood. He married, at Eastham, Massachusetts, February 10, 1731-32, Rebecca Mayo, born October 10, 1713, daughter of John and Susanna (Freeman ) Mayo, of Eastham. She was admitted to the church at Harwich, May 27, 1739, and with her husband dismissed to the East Church at Middletown, February 5, 1748.
(V) Elkanah Sears, son of Joshua and Rebecca (Mayo) Sears, was born April 12, 1734, and died November 24, 1816. He came to Middletown with his parents and became one of the most prominent and influential men of his day, acquiring quite a competence. At his own expense he sent supplies to the soldiers of the Revolu- tionary army ; he equipped a vessel which he commanded, and went in pursuit of British vessels. Although he was cap- tured and had a narrow escape from death, he was undaunted, and on his re- turn home equipped a second vessel. He married, January 6, 1757, Ruth White, who died March 9, 1823, daughter of Jo- seph White.
(VI) Willard Sears, son of Elkanah and Ruth (White) Sears, was born in Chat- ham, Connecticut, September 8, 1760, and died at East Hampton, Connecticut, Au- gust 23, 1838. He married, November 23, 1785, Rhoda Bailey, born in March, 1766, died February 17, 1794. For his second wife Mr. Sears married, May 22, 1796, Mrs. Betsey (Clark) Strong, who died January 9, 1831.
(VII) Stephen Griffith Sears, son of Willard and Betsey (Clark-Strong) Sears,
was born September 27, 1803, in Chat- ham, Connecticut, and died there, October 12, 1874. He was a farmer and also had a cooperage business. Mr. Sears was long a Whig in politics, but became af- filiated with the newly-formed Republican party. For many years he was a deacon of the Congregational church. He mar- ried, May 1, 1831, Emily Veazie, born February 15, 1805, eldest child of Captain Eleazer and his wife, Elizabeth (West) Veazie, daughter of Lemuel and Desire (Markham) West. The Veazie family was established at Braintree, Massachu- setts, as early as 1643 by William Veazie, who was made a freeman there on May 10, of that year, and died there June 16, 1681. He married, in 1644, Eleanor Thompson, daughter of Rev. William and Abigail Thompson, who came from England in 1637. Mr. Thompson was ordained minister at Braintree in 1639. Solomon Veazie, son of William Veazie, was born May 11, 1650, in Braintree, and died there, February 26, 1731. He mar- ried, November 23, 1680, Elizabeth Sanders, who was born in October, 1663, daughter of Martin and Lydia (Hardier) Sanders. Eleazer Veazie, son of Solo- mon Veazie, was born August 22, 1689, in Braintree, and died there June 16, 1732. His wife's baptismal name was Lydia, and they were the parents of Eleazer (2) Veazie, born November 26, 1714. He married (first), August 23, 1739, in Dor- chester, Ann Gulliver, daughter of John and Margaret (Hunt) Gulliver, of that town. She died within a few years, and he moved to Windham, Connecticut. He married (second) in Middletown, January 20, 1746, May Markham, of that town. Their eldest child, Eleazer (3) Veazie, was born September 4, 1748, recorded in Middletown. He married, February 18, 1771, Mary Brown, and their son, Eleazer (4) Veazie, born December 18, 1778, set-
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
tled in East Hampton, was a successful farmer, and died March 5, 1852. He mar- ried, December 2, 1801, Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Lemuel and Desire (Markham) West. Their eldest child, Emily Veazie, became the wife of Stephen G. Sears, as previously related. Their children were: Mary ; Clark; Cushman Allen, of further mention ; and Caroline.
(VIII) Cushman Allen Sears, son of Stephen G. and Emily (Veazie) Sears, was born September 26, 1838, in Chat- ham, and died at his home in Portland, Connecticut, October 20, 1919. His edu- cation was received in Chatham and at the Daniel Chase school in Middletown. A select school at East Hampton prepared him for entrance to Wilbraham Academy, from which he was graduated. The desire to take up the study of medicine had long been a favorite one with him and immedi- ately after his graduation he went to Glastonbury, Connecticut, where under the able preceptorship of Dr. Sabin Stock- ing he took up this study. The year 1860 was spent in attending medical lectures at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and in 1861 he went to New York City, where he be- came an associate and pupil of Dr. Abbott Hodgeman. The latter at that time was the attending physician and surgeon of the City Prison and the experience gained by Dr. Sears was invaluable. In 1862 Dr. Sears was enrolled as a student in the New York University Medical College, graduating after a year of study.
Dr. Sears began the practice of his profession in East Haddam, Connecticut, but was soon called to take over the af- fairs of his early instructor, Dr. Stocking, who was among the surgeons of the Union army. After the close of the war Dr. Sears went to Portland, Connecticut, which place continued to be his home throughout his long, active and useful life.
At the time of his death Dr. Sears was the oldest practicing physician of the State of Connecticut, and the oldest member of the Middlesex County Medical Associa- tion. For over three decades he held the office of medical examiner, and was long chairman of the school board. He was a member of the County and State Medical associations, and a director of the Free- stone Savings Bank, which institution he also served as vice-president. Dr. Sears was among the most active members of the First Congregational Church.
Dr. Sears married, November II, 1862, Evelyn Lay, daughter of Judge Oliver and Mary (Ingram) Lay. Their children were: Anna Belle, wife of William H. Selden, of Stambaugh, Michigan; Dr. Walter Sears, of Detroit, Michigan; and Bertha, Mrs. D. W. Robertson, of Brook- lyn, New York.
WILCOX, Ralph McIntosh, Civil Engineer.
A native of Middlesex county, Con- necticut, Mr. Wilcox is descended from one of the oldest families in this section, whose early generations are described elsewhere in this work (see Wilcox, Wil- liam W.). The founder of the family, John Wilcox, settled early in Middle- town, Connecticut, where his son, Ephraim Wilcox, was born and located in East Middletown, subsequently Chat- ham, now Portland. His son, Janna Wil- cox, was the father of Aaron Wil- cox and grandfather of Luther Wilcox, who was born January 26, 1780, in what is now Portland. He was a farmer and miller, residing on the farm which his father had purchased from Jesse John- son, and where he carried on a grist and saw mill and also engaged in tanning leather. There he died, March 12, 1864, leaving six children. He married, No-
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
vember 16, 1816, Lucy Burt, who was B. and Flavia C. (McIntosh) Wilcox, born March 25, 1788, in Enfield, Connec- ticut, daughter of Elijah and Deborah (Colton) Burt (see Burt VI).
Horace Burt Wilcox, eldest son of Luther and Lucy (Burt) Wilcox, was born July 14, 1821, in the upper portion of Portland, Connecticut, where his senior son is now residing. He was reared on the farm, attending the Rose Hill district school and an academy at South Glaston- bury. Possessed of fine musical ability, he became proficient as an instructor in singing and for many years taught sing- ing school in Portland and nearby towns. He received thorough musical instruc- tion at Dr. Lowell Mason's Musical In- stitute, North Reading, Massachusetts, where George F. Root, subsequently one of the most noted musicians of Chicago, Illinois, was an instructor, as was also Mr. Wilcox. Under his direction the choir of the First Congregational Church became one of the finest in the State. His influence extended to every religious or- ganization in Portland and vicinity. Unlike many musicians, he was successful as a farmer and businessman, made great improvements in the family homestead and was a man of influence in the com- munity. A sturdy Abolitionist, he was among the staunchest supporters of the Republican party from its organization. His genial disposition and fine social gifts made him many friends, and his public spirit endeared him to the community.
Mr. Wilcox married, May 21, 1843, Flavia C. McIntosh, who was born June 8, 1823, at East Long Meadow, Massa- chusetts, daughter of Robert and Philema (Blodgett) McIntosh (see McIntosh line), and died May 3, 1920, in Portland, having survived her husband many years. He died April 5, 1888, and was buried in the Center Cemetery at Portland.
Ralph McIntosh Wilcox, son of Horace
was born June 2, 1860, on the homestead in Portland, Connecticut, and attended the public school near his home, the high school at Gildersleeve, and was two years a student at Wesleyan University. En- tering the Sheffield Scientific School, he was graduated in 1888 as Bachelor of Philosophy. Turning his attention to engineering, he was employed for some time as surveyor of the Central New Eng- land & Western railroad and was subse- quently employed as a draftsman by the Berlin Bridge Company. In September, 1890, he went to Lehigh University in Pennsylvania as an instructor in civil engineering, where he continued for a period of ten years. In 1899 he came to Middletown, Connecticut, and in 1901 was elected city engineer, which position he continued to fill at various periods until 1917. He now maintains an office as gen- eral engineer in Middletown, and is kept busily occupied proving his ability and serving in many ways.
Like his father, Mr. Wilcox has always been interested in good government, is public-spirited, sustains the Republican principles in political matters, and has served several years as a member of the Middletown School Board. He is a mem- ber of the South Congregational Church of Middletown; a member of Warren Lodge, No. 51, Free and Accepted Masons, of Portland ; and was formerly a member of Freestone Chapter, No. 34, Royal Arch Masons, of Portland (now extinct).
Mr. Wilcox married (first), December 24, 1889, Clara Clarke, daughter of Lucerne and Bessie (Fowler) Clarke. She died, leaving four children, April 12, 1914. Children: Corporal Horace Lucerne Clark, born September 14, 1890, served in the 32nd Aviation Squadron for a period of seventeen months during the World War, and is now associated with
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
his father in business; Bessie, born March 31, 1894, served as a Young Women's Christian Association secretary in France, and is now stenographer for the president at Wesleyan University ; Corporal Robert McIntosh, born January 14, 1896, served in Company F, 102nd Regiment, 26th or Yankee Division, during the World War in France, where he gave his life for his country ; Valeria Pitkin, born March 31, 1898, is employed as a stenographer in Middletown. Mr. Wilcox married (sec- ond), November 15, 1916, Frances Stew- art, daughter of Lucius and Josephine (Rathbone) Stewart.
(The Burt Line).
The Burt family is an ancient one in England, recorded as early as 1199, in which year a manor in the Lordship of Homingtoft was granted to Sir Hamo De Burt. The surname is derived from the Saxon "Beart," which signifies illustrious. Traces of it are found in many Christian names, such as Albert, Egbert, Etherbert and Bertha. The English family contains many honorable names among the landed gentry, the clergy, in the army, and public life.
(I) Henry Burt, the American ances- tor, came to Roxbury, Massachusetts, as early as 1638. In the following year he was a householder, and was allowed £8 for losses by fire. He was one of the company which followed William Pyn- chon to the new settlement at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1640, and because of the size of his family was given a larger allot- ment of land than others. He served ten years among the first selectmen, and from 1649 up to the time of his death in 1662, was "ye Clarke of ye Writs." His signa- ture, still extant, shows him to have been a man of education. He was accompanied from England by his wife, Eulalia, who survived him twenty-eight years.
and Eulalia Burt, married January 15, 1662, Rebecca Sikes, probably a daughter of Richard Sikes.
(III) David Burt, son of Nathaniel and Rebecca (Sikes) Burt, was born in 1668, and died July 15, 1735. He lived in Long Meadow, Massachusetts. He married, June 27, 1706, Martha Hale, of Enfield, daughter of Deacon Thomas and Priscilla (Markham) Hale, of that town.
(IV) David (2) Burt, eldest child of David (1) and Martha (Hale) Burt, was born August 20, 1709, and died April 13, 1777, in Long Meadow, Mas- sachusetts. He married, September 5, 1732, Sarah Colton, who was born February 22, 1713, in Long Meadow, died August 17, 1763, second daughter of Captain George and Mary (Hitchcock) Colton. The Colton family was among the earliest of Long Meadow, descended from George Colton, who came from Sut- ton, Coldfield, eight miles from Birming- ham, England, and settled first in Wind- sor, Connecticut, becoming later one of the pioneers of that part of Springfield, now Long Meadow. He is referred to in the records as Quartermaster Colton, and represented the town several years in the General Court, and has been often called "The Father of Long Meadow." George Colton married Deborah Gardner, of Hartford, Connecticut, and their eldest child, Isaac Colton, married Mary Cooper. Their son, Captain George Col- ton, married Mary Hitchcock, and was the father of Sarah Colton, wife of David (2) Burt, above mentioned.
(V) Elijah Burt, fifth son of David (2) and Sarah (Colton) Burt, was born Octo- ber 3, 1742, in Long Meadow, Massachu- setts, died there April 5, 1820. He mar- ried, December 3, 1767, Deborah Colton, born May 20, 1745, died April 28, 1792, third daughter of Ebenezer and Deborah
(II) Nathaniel Burt, third son of Henry (Chandler) Colton, granddaughter of
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Captain Thomas and Hannah (Bliss) Colton, great-granddaughter of George and Deborah (Gardner) Colton, above mentioned.
(VI) Lucy Burt, fifth daughter of Elijah and Deborah (Colton) Burt, was born March 25, 1788, and became the wife of Luther Wilcox, as previously noted. She was one of the founders of the Sab- bath school connected with the First Con- gregational Church of Portland, was a woman of more than ordinary intelligence, and died February 2, 1855.
(The McIntosh Line).
The McIntosh family was of pure Scotch blood, and has been traced to Rob- ert McIntosh, born about 1660, probably in the southwestern part of Scotland. After marrying a Miss Gordon he moved to County Antrim, Ireland, where three sons were born to him.
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