USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v.2 > Part 37
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(VII) Hull Thompson Slocum, son of Hull and Fanny (Babcock) Slocum, was born in Tolland, Massachusetts, July 21, 1797, and died in Otis, Massachusetts, April 7, 1870. After residing for a num- ber of years in Tolland, he removed to Litchfield county, Connecticut, locating in the vicinity of Colebrook river. He married, April 23, 1823, in Hartford, Con- necticut, Fidelia Henrietta Robinson, born in West Granville, Massachusetts, De- cember 25, 1797, died at her home near Colebrook river, Connecticut, July 2, 1863, daughter of Colonel David and Catherine (Coe) Robinson, of West Granville, Mas- sachusetts. Colonel David Robinson was born at Granville, Massachusetts, August 9, 1762, died May 27, 1809. His wife, Catherine (Coe) Robinson, was born Sep-
tember 25, 1769, died February 2, 1820. Colonel Timothy Robinson, father of Colonel David Robinson, was born at Durham, Massachusetts, April 29, 1728. He removed to Litchfield, Connecticut, and thence to Granville, Massachusetts. He served in the Revolutionary War, and was active in supporting the government at the time of Shays' rebellion. He mar- ried, February 13, 1755, Catherine Rose. David Robinson, father of Colonel Timo- thy Robinson, was born in Durham, Mas- sachusetts, in 1694, and died February 9, 1780. He married, January 26, 1719, Re- becca Miller, who died September 18, 1786. David Robinson, father of David Robinson, was born in 1660, probably in England, and died January 1, 1748. He married (first) about 1688, Abigail, daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Kirby, who died about 1694. He married (second) about 1697, Mary -, who died October 17, 1746. Thomas Robinson, father of David Robinson, was the immigrant ancestor of the family. He was born in England, from whence he emigrated to this coun- try, settling in Guilford, Connecticut. The title "Mr.," which was conferred upon him, indicates that he was a man of high social position, or had had a liberal education, for this title was used in the records of but few except the ministers. He died in 1689, at an advanced age, and his wife, Mary, died July 27, 1668.
(VIII) Franklin Robinson Slocum, son of Hull Thompson and Fidelia Henrietta (Robinson) Slocum, was born in Tolland township, Hampden county, Massachu- setts, July 5, 1824, died February 25, 1917. He attended the public schools of his native town. He removed to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1842, learned the trade of bookbinder, but did not follow it for any length of time, securing employment in the office of a retail coal dealer, who also dealt extensively in real estate, and Mr.
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Slocum continued to engage in those lines of business during the remainder of his life. In the early seventies he opened an office of his own as a coal broker and dealer in real estate, which he conducted for many years, and by perseverance and industry achieved a large degree of suc- cess. He married (first) Harriet Eliza Gabrielle, born June 17, 1825, died Octo- ber 18, 1862, in Hartford, Connecticut, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Mat- thews) Gabrielle. They were the parents of three children: Lucius Franklin, born July 31, 1854, married, May 13, 1879, Lil- lian Stillman, born February 17, 1859, daughter of James P. and Harriet N. (Persons) Paul, of Hartford; Maria Eliz- abeth, born March 19, 1856; Harriet Eliza, born June 4, 1861. Mr. Slocum married (second) October 17, 1865, Martha Ellen Bartlett, born in Hartford, Connecticut, March 8, 1834, daughter of Milton and Julia Sumner (Phelps) Bartlett, of Hart- ford. They were the parents of three children: William Thompson, died in in- fancy ; Arthur, died in infancy ; Welling- ton Robinson, of whom further.
(IX) Wellington Robinson Slocum, youngest child of Franklin Robinson and Martha Ellen (Bartlett) Slocum, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, July 16, 1871. He attended the grammar and high schools of Hartford, acquiring a practical education. His first employment was with the Travelers Insurance Company, which service he began in the year 1888, but in the following year he resigned to enter the employ of the firm of Cook, Hapgood & Company, with whom he re- mained until 1897, in which year he as- sisted in the organization of the Edward Balf Company, contractors, in which he served in the capacities of secretary and treasurer for five years, and is still a member of its board of directors. In 1903 he returned to the employ of the
Travelers Insurance Company, this time as chief accountant of their liability de- partment, and after ten years' faithful service in that capacity was rewarded by promotion to the office of cashier, the duties and responsibilities of which he is discharging at the present time (1917). He is a member of the board of directors of the Travelers Bank and Trust Com- pany. Through his Robinson ancestry, Mr. Slocum holds membership in the Sons of the American Revolution, and he is also a member of the Hartford Canoe Club, in which he fills the office of treas- urer.
Mr. Slocum, married, January 18, 1905, Emma H., daughter of John Gallup, and they are the parents of one daughter, Katharine Gallup Slocum, born June 8, 1906.
SPERRY, Lewis,
Lawyer, Public Official.
Lewis Sperry, of the seventh Ameri- can generation of the Sperry family, traces to the best blood in the colonies and to English, Scotch-Irish, Welsh and French Huguenot forbears, and with so rich an inheritance his success as a law- yer may be partly explained, but only partly, for to talent he has added the cul- ture of an earnest student and the unceas- ing effort that brings mental forces into action and a sincere desire to worthily bear the name bequeathed him. He pos- sesses that worthy spirit of ambition that induces men to do their best wherever placed and that high, courageous integ- rity that forbids men to vacillate or to re- treat from a position their conscience and judgment approves. He has fought well the battle of life, fought it in competition with strong men in college halls, on politi- cal battlefields, at the bar of State and Federal courts, in Congressional debate,
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
and at the present time (1917), although nearing man's allotment of years, he seems but in the prime of life and at the floodtide of his mental powers.
(I) Richard Sperry, the first of the name of whom we have definite informa- tion, was a resident of New Haven, Con- necticut, in 1643, and became a freeman in the following year. Family tradition says that he came to New Haven as gar- dener or agent for the Earl of Warwick. He was granted a large tract of land known as "the farms," and still called Sperry's Farms, located on the west side of West Rock in what is now the town of Woodbridge. He was the courageous and faithful friend and protector of the regicides, whose story is well known. He married Dennis - -. He died between the years 1693 and 1698, and his widow died probably in February or March, 1707.
(II) Lieutenant Daniel Sperry, son of Richard Sperry, was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and baptized in the year 1665. He was confirmed to be lieutenant of the train-band in the northwest part of the town of New Haven in May, 1724, and was living in 1733. His first wife, whom he married on April 3, 1694, was Deborah Peck, and she died November 16, 17II.
(III) Joseph Sperry, son of Lieutenant Daniel Sperry, was born December 30, 1709, on the old homestead at Sperry's Farms, and his will was proved March 3, 1788. He married, February 18, 1730-31, Anna Wilmot.
(IV) William Sperry, son of Joseph Sperry, was born March 8, 1740-41, and resided on the old homestead at Sperry's Farms. He married Hannah Carrington.
(V) Abner Sperry, son of William Sperry, was born in 1772 at Sperry's Farms, died October 20, 1825. He mar- ried, October 29, 1795, Elizabeth Gilbert,
who died April 6, 1811, aged thirty-three years. She was the daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Eaton) Gilbert. of Hamden, Connecticut. Daniel Gilbert was the son of Matthew Gilbert, who died July 25, 1795, in his seventy-third year; he was the son of Daniel Gilbert, who was the son of Matthew Gilbert, who was the son of Deputy Governor Matthew Gilbert, of New Haven. Sarah (Eaton) Gilbert was the daughter of Nathaniel Eaton (or Heaton), born March 21, 1732, married Sybil Todd, and died July 12, 1803 ; he was the son of Nathaniel Heaton, born 1704, married, 1726, Phebe Cooper ; he was the son of Nathaniel Heaton, born 1664, married Mary Todd, born 1675 ; he was the son of James Heaton, born in England, 1633, came to New Haven, Con- necticut, 1649, and married, 1662, Sarah Street.
(VI) Daniel Gilbert Sperry, son of Ab- ner Sperry, was born at Sperry's Farms, Woodbridge, New Haven, Connecticut, July 2, 1807. He settled at Warehouse Point, East Windsor, about 1824. In his youth he learned the trade of cooper, but later engaged in the retail market busi- ness on his own account. In 1837, after his marriage, he purchased Bissell's Tav- ern and farm on East Windsor Hill, and there spent the remainder of his days, his death occurring on January 17, 1886. He married, March 30, 1834, Harriet Frances Pelton, born October 20, 1814, died June 9, 1901. She was the daughter of James Pelton, born October 20, 1778, died Feb- ruary 5, 1869, aged ninety-one ; he married, July 9, 1812, for his second wife, Sophia Gaylord, born July 22, 1793, died Novem- ber 16, 1824, daughter of Abiel and Me- hitable (Prior) Gaylord. Nathan Pelton, father of James Pelton, was born in Say- brook, Connecticut, May 2, 1738, died May 16, 1813; resided in Saybrook and Chatham, Connecticut, and about 1765 re-
Conn-2-17
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moved to East Windsor; he worked on ship iron, and also owned and operated a farm; he married, November 23, 1763, Ruth Thompson, daughter of James and Janet (Scott) Thompson ; she died June 21, 1789, in her forty-ninth year. Nathan Pelton was a son of John and Elizabeth (Champion) Pelton, of Saybrook, the former named of whom was a ship builder. John Pelton was a son of John Pelton, of Canterbury, Groton, Lyme, Haddam, Saybrook and Middletown. His father was Samuel Pelton, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and he was a son of John Pelton, of Boston, 1634.
(VII) Lewis Sperry, son of Daniel Gilbert and Harriet Frances (Pelton) Sperry, was born at South Windsor, Con- necticut, January 23, 1848. Until thir- teen years of age he attended public schools, then was sent to New Haven, where he was placed in the school pre- sided over by Sidney A. Thomas. In 1869 he was graduated from Monson Academy (Massachusetts) and in 1873 from Amherst College. At Amherst he edited, with Talcott Williams, the college Journal, the "Amherst Student," was a popular member of the debating societies, won several prizes in oratorical and de- bating contests and the first Hardy prize in his senior year. After leaving Am- herst he began the study of law in the Hartford offices of Waldo, Hubbard & Hyde, and under the preceptorship of that trio of most illustrious lawyers he im- bibed not only the principles of law, but the soundest and most skillful methods of practice. In 1875 he was admitted to the bar and in 1876 George G. Sill, who afterward was Lieutenant-Governor of Connecticut, became his associate, their office at No. 345 Main street, Hartford.
Coincident with his beginning the prac- tice of law was his entrance into the field of politics. He was elected to the State
Assembly in 1876, and served acceptably as chairman of the committee on educa- tion, and at the end of his term returned to his law practice with enhanced reputa- tion. His law practice grew in volume, and in all State and Federal courts of the district he became a familiar figure. In 188I he was appointed to the newly- created office, coroner of Hartford county. Without local precedent to guide him, in his findings he exhibited the courage and good judgment that brought him the com- mendation of the press of distant cities. In 1890 he was the Democratic candidate for Congress, and at the end of a heated campaign reversed a former victory for the Republican candidate and won the verdict of the polls by seven hundred and eight votes. He was a member of the committee on banking and served his term most acceptably and was again awarded the party Congressional nomina- tion. He then faced a difficult political situation. No Democrat had ever been elected from his district in a presidential year and 1892 was a presidential year with Cleveland and Harrison, ancient political foes, again pitted against each other. No Democratic Congressman had ever been elected to succeed himself and Congressman Sperry was a candidate for reëlection. But handicapped as he was by precedent he went into the fight with all the courage and all the power of or- ganization and oratory he possessed. When the vote was counted it was found that with Cleveland and Harrison almost tied, Mr. Sperry had a majority of three hundred and forty, his personal popular- ity in Hartford winning him the election. In the House of Representatives during his second term, Congressman Sperry be- came a noted figure. He was a member of the committee on banking and cur- rency, to which committee fell the task of investigating the advisability of revis-
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ing the National Bank Act, and was one of the most eloquent and effective speak- ers for the repeal of the Sherman Act affecting the purchase and coinage of sil- ver. His principles regarding the tariff forbade him supporting the Wilson Tariff Bill and he led the Democratic faction that fought it. He faced a storm of jour- nalistic abuse and was called upon to sup- port that party measure or resign. But he had taken his stand at the dictation of his own conscience, based his course upon the conclusions of his own judgment and had the courage and the resolution that comes to such men in such crucial periods and did not resign nor did he alter his course of action. On the final vote he was one of the seventeen. Democrats who voted against the bill which President Cleveland would not approve and which became a law without the presidential signature.
In 1895 Mr. Sperry returned to the prac- tice of his profession in Hartford, becom- ing senior member of the firm of Sperry & McLean. His partner, George P. Mc- Lean, later became Governor of the State of Connecticut. He has continued actively in practice and is the present general counsel for the Ætna Life Insurance Company. He was a member of the Con- stitutional Convention of 1902 and took a leading part in its deliberations. He was a member of the Connecticut River Bridge and Highway Commission that erected the great bridge across the river at Hartford, was counsel for the commis- sion and contributed a great amount of his time in bringing that valuable work to a successful conclusion. He has borne his full share of civic responsibility, and now as life's evening approaches is shift- ing the burdens good citizenship entails to younger shoulders. He is a director of the Ætna Life Insurance Company, the Accident & Liability Company, and the
Coles Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company. He is a member of the Hart- ford Club.
Mr. Sperry married (first) November 7, 1878, Elizabeth Ellsworth Wood, who died August 3, 1900, daughter of Dr. Wil- liam Wood, the naturalist. Their first child, Mary Elizabeth, married Harry Francis Farnham, and died in Australia. Their only son, Ellsworth, is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology. Mr. Sperry married (second) April 6, 1905, Carrie Tryon Ambruster. of Philadelphia, a granddaughter of Wil- liam F. Potts, famed as one of the promi- nent members of a celebrated family of Philadelphia iron masters.
MAKEPEACE, Walter Dunham, Lawyer, Spanish War Veteran.
While Mr. Makepeace has been a resi- dent of Waterbury, Connecticut, but a few years, he has won honorable standing at the New Haven county bar, and in pub- lic affairs, town and county, has taken an active and leading part. He is a son of Rev. Frank Barrows Makepeace, a retired minister of the Congregational church, now living in Granby, Connecticut, and is a grandson of Lysander Otis Makepeace, a long time shoe manufacturer of Lynn, Massachusetts, who died in 1906, aged eighty-seven years. His wife, Esther (Dunham) Makepeace, died the same year at about the same age. Their six children are all living (1916). James Rol- lins Viets, father of Helen M. Viets, wife of Rev. Frank B. Makepeace, was a life- time merchant of East Granby, Connecti- cut, where he died aged seventy-five years. His widow died in Salem, Massachusetts, October 3, 1916, in her ninetieth year.
Rev. Frank Barrows Makepeace was born at Upton, Massachusetts, February 13, 1848, and after graduating at Hart-
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ford Theological Seminary, was pastor of Congregational churches in Gloucester, Andover and Springfield, Massachusetts, and of Trinity Congregational Church of New York City. He married Helen M. Viets, born in East Granby, Connecticut. Rev. Frank B. and Helen M. (Viets) Makepeace have three children: Walter Dunham, of further mention ; Helen, wife of Ralph S. Lillie professor of biology in Clark University, Worcester, Massachu- setts; Frank Barrows (2), of Lawrence, Long Island, New York.
Walter Dunham Makepeace was born at Gloucester, Massachusetts, April 27, 1875, but when young the family moved their residence to Andover. He prepared at Phillips Academy, Andover, Spring- field High School and Williston Semi- nary, later entering Yale, whence he grad- uated and received his degree, class of 97. His college study was followed by post-graduate work in psychology and by a full course of professional study at Yale Law School, whence he was graduated in 1900, Bachelor of Laws. He at once be- gan the practice of his profession, locat- ing first in New York City, removing to Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1906. From 1907 to 1916 he was deputy coroner of New Haven county, and in 1916 was elected chairman of the Waterbury Re- publican town committee, resigning upon his appointment by the Governor as deputy judge of the District Court of Waterbury, which office he now holds. He served in the Spanish-American War, is a veteran member of the Naval Militia of the Connecticut National Guard and of Company K, Seventh Regiment, New York's famous military organization. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Waterbury and Coun- try clubs of Waterbury and the Gradu- ates' Club of New Haven. In politics he is a Republican, and in religious faith a
Congregationalist, belonging to the First Church of Waterbury.
Mr. Makepeace married at Waterbury, June 19, 1906, Ethel M. Sperry, born in Waterbury, daughter of Mark M. and Julia (Porter) Sperry, her father vice- president of the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury. Mr. and Mrs. Makepeace have three children: Roger Sherman, born June 14, 1907; Millicent Porter, born July 31, 1911; LeRoy Mc- Kim, born September 5, 1914.
SMALL, Frederick Forrest, Business Man.
Since 1885 Mr. Small has been inti- mately connected with Hartford business interests, his present association as head of F. F. Small & Company beginning in 1900 and his presidency of the Talcott Drug Company dating from 1913. His years of preparation for the positions he fills brought him wide experience, seven of those years being spent in Western travel in business relation. All his ex- perience however but fitted him for exec- utive control and when his opportunity came it found him a well equipped, force- ful young man, self-reliant and capable. He is a grandson of Henry T. Small, who came to Massachusetts from the State of Pennsylvania, settling at Newton Lower Falls, where he married Pamelia Brackett (marriage intentious dated March IO, 1822). Their son, Henry Thomas Small, was born in Newton Lower Falls, Janu- ary 19, 1823, died in Hartford, Connecti- cut, January, 1903.
Henry Thomas Small when a young man moved to South Coventry, Connecti- cut, there engaging as a general merchant as a member of the firm of Small & Loomis. From South Coventry he moved to Stafford Springs, there engaging in the drug business, and during the Civil
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War period serving as postmaster. In 1867 he located in Springfield, Massachu- setts, there opening a drug store in the Massasoit Block, which he conducted until his removal to Hartford about 1870. In Hartford he was associated in business with F. C. Sturtevant, wholesale dealer in groceries, teas and coffees. He married Lavina Thayer Bosworth, born in Tol- land Connecticut, July 1, 1828, died De- cember, 1891. They were the parents of seven children. three of whom grew to years of maturity : William R., deceased ; Edwin, deceased; Frederick Forrest, of further mention. Both parents were members of the Congregational church.
Frederick Forrest Small was born at Stafford Springs, Connecticut, July 15, 1866. He completed courses in the Hart- ford grade and high schools, with gradu- ation, class of 1885. He began his busi- ness career with George W. Moore & Company, mortgage brokers, and later spent seven years traveling in the west for that company, inspecting properties and reporting upon their value as invest- ment. After leaving Moore & Company, Mr. Small entered the employ of the Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance Company as assistant cashier, continuing with that company eight years, until 1900. He then purchased from the estate of W. T. Price the insurance agency founded by Mr. Os- borne and for the past seventeen years has conducted a large and prosperous general insurance business under the firm name F. F. Small & Company. Since 1913 he has been president and treasurer of the Talcott Drug Company, wholesale dealers in drugs and chemicals; and is a director of the National Fire Insurance Company and of the Hartford County Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He is president of the New England Drug Asso- ciation, and a man highly regarded in business circles.
For several years Mr. Small was a member of Company K. First Regiment Connecticut National Guard, and at one time served on the staff of Colonel Schultz, commander of the First Regi- ment. He is a member of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, member of the society committee, and both he and his wife are active in church work. He is a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian Association and deeply interested in association work. His clubs are the Hartford, Hartford Golf, Farmington Country, of which he is president, City and Automobile of Hart- ford and the Army and Navy of New York.
In 1891 Mr. Small married Agnes Hyde Swan, daughter of Samuel Swan. of Bridgeport, Connecticut, granddaughter of Captain A. L. Hyde and of Rev. Ben- jamin Lincoln and Frances (Brincker- hoff) Swan, he for many years a pastor of the church at Litchfield, Connecticut. Mrs. Small is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Small are the parents of a daughter, Frances Brinckerhoff Small.
WOODFORD, Alton Edward,
Active Factor in Insurance Circles.
As an insurance broker. Mr. Woodford is well known in Hartford. where his business life has been spent. He has taken an active part in the public affairs of the city as an interested citizen, and in fraternal and club life has won the esteem of his brethren and fellow mem- bers. He descends from two of the old and honorable families of Hartford coun- ty, Woodford and Case, his paternal an- cestor, Thomas Woodford, who came to Hartford in 1633 with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company : his maternal ances- tors, James and Esther (Fithen) Case,
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early settlers in Simsbury. Joseph Wood- ford, son of Thomas Woodford, the pio- neer, became an extensive landowner of Farmington, died there in 1701, and was buried in "Cider Brook" Cemetery. His son, Joseph (2) Woodford, owned a large tract of good farm land in that part of Farmington now known as Avon, and in 1760 was laid with his father in "Cider Brook" Cemetery. His son was also a large landowner in that section, and dur- ing the Revolution was captain of a com- pany, as was his son, Captain Dudley Woodford. The family was prominent as agriculturists and landowners and was active in church and town affairs.
With the marriage of Edward Everett Woodford to Ellen Maria Case an alli- ance was formed with another prominent family, she being a daughter of General Jarvis Case, who resided on the home- stead at East Hill. He was made briga- dier-general of State militia in 1840, was active in the Episcopal church, and a prominent Democrat. He was a son of Captain Fithen Case, who settled on the farm at East Hill, later owned by his son, General Jarvis (2) Case, and by his grandson, Jarvis W. Case. Captain Fithen Case, born in what is now Canton, Connecticut, in 1758, was a son of Cap- tain Josiah Case, born in Simsbury, who settled in Canton about 1743. Captain Josiah Case was a son of James and Esther (Fithen) Case, early settlers in Simsbury, Connecticut.
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