USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v.2 > Part 41
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of this court appear to have been legis- lative, judicial and executive. William Phelps was one of the magistrates who helped to draft the constitution for the Connecticut Colony. The instrument was adopted at Hartford on January 2, 1639. William Phelps held magisterial office until 1643, and was twice again placed in that office, for long terms, the second period being 1645-49, and the third 1656-62. In 1651 he was elected deputy to the General Court. His life was well filled with administrative duties, and he was highly regarded in the colony, being one of the few to whom the distinctive title of "Mr." was accorded. Dr. Stiles says of him, "He was one of the most promi- nent and respected men in the colony. An excellent, pious and upright man in his public and private life, and was truly a pillar in Church and State." He died in Windsor, Connecticut, on July 14, 1672.
His son, Joseph Phelps, through whom the line to Jeffery Orson Phelps descends, was born in England, about 1629. He was associated with his father, coming to Windsor with other members of the fam- ily. On September 20, 1660, he married, for his first wife, Hannah Newton, who, tradition says, was the daughter of the Rev. Roger Newton, but this is not cred- ited in the Newton Genealogy, published in 1915, which says her parentage was un- known. She died in Simsbury, in 1675.
Their second-born, Joseph Phelps, was born in Windsor, August 20, 1667. Eventually he settled in Simsbury, and became influential in that community. For many years he was justice of the peace, and was delegate to the General Assembly, 1709-27. His third wife, a widow, Mrs. Mary - -, was a daugh- ter of Richard and Elizabeth Case. She was born in Simsbury in 1669, and died there on September 10, 1757.
Their youngest child, Lieutenant David Phelps, was born in 1710, and took the freeman's oath in 1734. Elected several times to the General Assembly, he was a lieutenant in the militia, and saw field service during the French War. He died in Simsbury, December 9, 1760. On April 25, 1731, he married Abigail Petti- bone, who was born in Canton, daughter of John and Mary (Bissell) Pettibone, and died in Simsbury in 1807. Her father, John Pettibone, was born June 15, 1665, married in Windsor, Connecticut, Mary Bissell, December 18, 1690. His father was John Pettibone, who, so says tradi- tion, came from Wales. He married, at Windsor, February 16, 1664, Sarah Eg- gleston, daughter of Begot Eggleston, one of the first settlers of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and of Windsor, Con- necticut. She died July 8, 1713, and her husband, John Pettibone, died July 15, 1713.
Major-General Noah Phelps, son of David and Abigail (Pettibone) Phelps, was born January 22, 1740. In his native town he was highly esteemed and elected to many offices. He was a justice of the peace and judge of probate for twenty years, and in 1787 was a delegate to the convention that ratified the federal con- stitution. He was a member of the com- mittee selected to consider the wisdom of taking Fort Ticonderoga from the Brit- ish at the beginning of the Revolution. Captain Phelps and Barnard Romance were given three hundred pounds and departed north to carry through that project, to further which he, in disguise, gained entrance to the fort, where he dis- covered the important information, by admission of the fort commander, that the available powder was too wet to use. Knowledge of this circumstance brought about the eventual storming of the fort, which was captured without bloodshed.
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Captain Phelps, at about this time, raised a company, largely at his own expense, and led it into action. He served under Colonel Ward, and was at Fort Lee, later serving with Washington's army at Trenton and Princeton. After the war he was appointed major-general of militia. He died in Simsbury, November 4, 1809, and on his tombstone was placed the following epitaph: "A Patriot of 1776. To such we are indebted for our Independence." On June 10, 1761, he married Lydia, born April 25, 1743, and died September 17, 1821, daughter of Ed- ward and Abigail (Gaylord) Griswold. Her paternal ancestry is traced back as follows: Her grandfather, Daniel Gris- wold, was son of George Griswold, son of Edward Griswold, resident of Wind- sor, in 1639.
Colonel Noah Amherst Phelps, son of Major-General Noah Phelps, was born May 3, 1762. Graduate of Yale College in 1783, he studied law, and eventually practiced that profession in Simsbury for many years. He held the military, militia, rank of colonel, and sat a number of times in the General Assembly. He was in public office, that of postmaster, at the time of his death, in 1817. Highly esteemed, he won the general confidence of the community by his ability, integrity and attractive personality. On July 31, 1784, he married Charlotte, the daughter of Ezekiel and Rosannah (Pettibone) Wilcox, of Norfolk, Connecticut. She was born April 4, 1766, and died Decem- ber 15, 1831.
Their son, the Hon. Jeffery Orson Phelps, was born February I, 1791. He was a civil engineer and surveyor, and during the second war with England was paymaster of the Connecticut militia. Appointed postmaster in 1817, he held that office continuously for forty-three years. He sat in the State Legislature
for many terms ; was deputy sheriff for a period, and subsequently was appointed assistant judge, later chief judge, of Ilartford. His first wife, whom he mar- ried December 26, 1816, was Pollina Sa- lome, daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Pinney) Barnard. She was born in Scotland, St. Andrew's Parish, Bloom- field, June 5, 1789, and died in Simsbury, April 6, 1828. The Hon. Jeffery Orson Phelps died March 21, 1879.
Their son, Jeffery Orson Phelps, was born in Simsbury, Connecticut, August 3, 1820. Fond of agricultural pursuits, he spent much of his time in that occupa- tion, and occupied the old Phelps home- stead in Simsbury, which was built in 1771 by Captain Elisha Phelps, brother of Major-General Noah Phelps, a prop- erty still held within the family. Jeffery O. Phelps was a financier of much ability. and his wide interests demanded much of his attention. He was prominently identified with the promotion of the Con- necticut Western Railroad Company, of which he was a director, and was on the directorate of the National Exchange Bank of Hartford. Politically, a staunch Democrat, he sat in the State Legislature for the session of 1856, occupying con- currently the office of town clerk of Sims- bury. In 1867 his constituents elected him to the State Senate, and as such he came prominently and creditably before the people of the State. A Methodist of fixed conviction and steadfast purpose, he enjoyed the confidence and friendship of a very wide circle, and by his sound business judgment and strong personal- ity rarely failed to carry through to suc- cessful culmination those projects to which he gave personal and resolute at- tention. He died August 6, 1899. His first wife was Jane, daughter of Colonel Austin N. and Amelia (Higley) Hum- phrey. She was born in Canton, Con-
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necticut, February 16, 1826, and died April 30, 1874. Issue of the marriage: Harriet Humphrey, who married A. L. Eno, now deceased; Jeffery Orson, see further hereinafter; Charlotte Wilcox, who married James K. Crofut; Mary Jane, who married Joseph R. Ensign. Mrs. Crofut, of Simsbury, is an authority on family history in that section of the State.
Jeffery Orson Phelps, son of Jeffery Orson and Jane (Humphrey) Phelps, was born August 30, 1858. He graduated at Williston Academy. He took up a number of the business interests of his father, taking part also in State adminis- trative activities. He was one of the pro- jectors of the Connecticut corporation, Blodgett & Clapp. The original firm, which the incorporated company suc- ceeded was one of the oldest in Hartford, and Mr. Phelps for a number of years was treasurer, succeeding his father to the presidency of the company imme- diately after the latter's death in 1899, since which time he has continued in that office. A prominent Democrat, Mr. Phelps has held many public offices, among them that of State Legislator, hav- ing been elected to the session of 1884. He served as clerk of the insurance com- mittee, and was a member of the water board for two terms of three years each. In 1907 Mr. Phelps was appointed judge of probate for Simsbury, which office he still holds.
Mr. Phelps resides in the old Phelps homestead at Simsbury, and has made a scientific hobby of farming and stock- breeding. His herd of A. R. Jersey cattle has brought him into prominence in agri- cultural circles. According to the April, 1916, record of the Herd Improvement Association, No. I, of Hartford County, "Topsy of Fern Dell, a cow owned by State Cattle Commissioner J. O. Phelps,
Jr., of Simsbury, outclassed all former butterfat records of the state. She pro- duced 36.9 lbs. of milk each day, and tested 7.6 per cent of butterfat, thus mak- ing in a month 1,125 lbs. of milk and 85.5 lbs. of butterfat. This amount of fat, according to Jersey figures, would churn just 100 lbs. of butter." Because of his knowledge of scientific stock farming, Mr. Phelps was in July, 1913, appointed State Commissioner of Domestic Ani- mals. Mr. Phelps is a member of the American Jersey Cattle Club. It is not only in this generation that the Phelps family has endeavored to advance the standard of American stock; his great- grandfather is reputed to have been one of the first in the country to import a merino ram, paying for the animal he then secured what was, at that time, most probably considered a fabulous price, seven hundred and fifty dollars.
On March 27, 1883, Mr. Phelps mar- ried Bertha Jane, the daughter of Hiram W. and Jane (Griswold) Adams. She was a native of Hartford, born July 31, 1861. Their only child, Jeffery Orson Phelps, Jr., was born May 25, 1886, going first to Williston Seminary, as did his father, and later to Rensselaer Polytech- nic Institute, afterwards entering the service of the United States government as survey man. He is now a member of the firm of Blodgett & Clapp, being direc- tor and assistant treasurer of same.
MANTERNACH, Michael Charles, Business Man, Inventor.
Michael Charles Manternach, a young man thirty-three years of age (1916), has in that period of time demonstrated that the will to succeed is what makes suc- cess, no matter what the obstacles may be. Arriving in the United States at the age of five years, unable to speak the English
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language, under conditions that would have made many a stouter heart despair, he has won great success. So is one en- abled to gauge the caliber of this man.
Michael Charles Manternach was born in the State of Luxembourg, July II, 1883, the son of Charles and Catherine (Hary) Manternach. The other children in the family are John C., who is now general manager of the Standard Weld- ing Company of Cleveland, Ohio; Harry H., of Hartford; George, of Hartford ; and Louis, deceased. Charles Manter- nach, the father, was a native of Luxem- bourg, and being filled with the same characteristics that distinguish his son, Michael C., he came to America and located in Hartford. A few weeks after the arrival, the father was taken ill and died. The struggle for a livelihood now fell upon the shoulders of the mother and her five children, the oldest being nine years of age. The joint, though small, earnings were sufficient to hold the fam- ily together, but all suffered great hard- ships. Selling newspapers morning and evening, together with what other odd work he could get to do, was the daily work of Michael C.
Michael Charles Manternach received all his academic, as well as most of his business, education in Hartford. He at- tended public schools during the compul- sory hours, and was at all times during his spare hours on the alert to earn all he possibly could for the benefit of the fam- ily. He graduated from the grammar schools at the age of thirteen and entered the high school, but necessity forced him to leave before finishing the first year's studies. At this time he entered the employ of the Plimpton Manufacturing Company, but having a keen desire along artistic lines, he entered the employ of the A. Mugford Company, as apprentice . in the engraving trade. After due com-
pletion of his indenture he entered the employ of the A. Pindar Corporation, with which firm he remained as foreman for about three years ; but finding himself limited, he decided to broaden his knowl- edge, and worked with various New York organizations, so that he might perfect himself for a business career. Returning to Hartford in 1906, he organized the Charter Oak Engraving Company, Inc., of which he assumed direction as presi- dent and general manager. Five months later, Mr. Manternach, in cooperation with Mr. Clarence T. Sprague, purchased the incorporated business, after which it became a partnership under the trade name of Sprague & Manternach. At the outset the business found employment only for themselves, but as both partners worked industriously and skillfully, the business rapidly increased. A few years later Mr. Manternach acquired his part- ner's interest, and for a year or so con- ducted it under his own name. In order to enlarge the scope of the business, he then took as partner into the firm Harold B. Douglas, a successful illustrator, the firm name then becoming Manternach & Douglas. The business developed en- couragingly for two years. when Mr. Manternach purchased the interest of his partner, and organized The Manternach Company, of which he became principal owner and president and general man- ager. The business has since developed under his able direction into a complete advertising agency, and has continued to expand very substantially, so that at pres- ent fifty people are on the firm's pay-roll. The company serves clients in most of the Eastern States. Mr. Manternach has brought into the printing art some im- portant improvements. He is the inven- tor of two new processes of making half- tones, by means of which printing on soft- finish papers on the ordinary press can
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be made to equal the work possible on the offset press. Mr. Manternach is a director of The City Bank and Trust Company, Hartford; member of Wyllys Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Washington Commandery, Knights Tem- plar; Connecticut Consistory ; Sphinx Temple, Mystic Shrine; Hartford Club ; City Club; Sequin Golf Club; Hartford Automobile Club ; Putnam Phalanx ; Ro- tary Club and Charter Oak Ad Club.
Mr. Manternach married Grace Wood, the daughter of Stephen Wood, of Hart- ford. They have two children: Roger Wood, who was born March 19, 1911 ; Bruce Wallace, born September 26, 1914.
ROBINSON, Henry Cornelius,
Lawyer, Legislator, Public Benefactor.
The Robinson family was early estab- lished in the State of Connecticut, and through the generations has intermarried with many other prominent Colonial families. among which might be men- tioned the descendants of Thomas Miller, one of the proprietors of Middletown, Connecticut ; Richard Seymour, one of the early proprietors of Hartford, and the Trumbull and Bushnell families, long prominent in this State. Other ancestors were William Denison, of Roxbury, Mas- sachusetts; Dr. Comfort Starr, who was one of the proprietors of Cambridge, Mas- sachusetts, and Elder William Brewster, of "Mayflower" fame.
(I) Tradition and circumstances indi- cate that Thomas Robinson, the immi- grant founder of the family, was a native of Guilford, England, whence he came directly to the Connecticut town of that name. In 1666 he purchased land there, and the record of this purchase gives him the title of "Mr.," which indicates that he was a man of liberal education or was entitled to social distinction. He was cer-
tainly a man of force of character, for he acquired considerable wealth for his day. His later years were spent in Hartford, where he died at an advanced age in 1689. His wife Mary died on the 27th of July, in the previous year.
(II) David Robinson, the sixth of the seven children of Thomas and Mary Rob- inson, was probably born in England in 1660. His first wife, whom he married about 1688, was Abigail, daughter of John and Elizabeth Kirby. She died about 1694. Soon after 1700 he removed from Guilford to Durham, Connecticut, where he and Caleb Seward were the first plant- ers of the town, which was incorporated in 1708. In the spring of that year, David Robinson was a member of a committee of three appointed to negotiate with Rev. Nathaniel Chauncey relative to his be- coming their minister. For many years prominent in both town and church affairs, he died January 1, 1748, at a good old age.
(III) David (2) Robinson, son of David (1) Robinson, born 1694, lived half a mile west of the main street in Durham, at the upper western side, and died February 9, 1780. He married, January 26, 1719, Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Miller, of Mid- dletown. She died September 18, 1786, aged eighty-seven years. The Miller ancestry has been traced to Thomas Miller, born in England, settled first in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and later removed to Middletown, Connecticut, where he was one of the proprietors. His son, Benjamin Miller, was a man of prom- inence in the community, and was known as "Governor" for this reason and be- cause of his great influence with the Indians. He was the first settler of what is now Middlefield, Connecticut, where he died November 22, 1746. He married Mary, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary
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(Smith) Johnson, of Woodstock, Con- necticut. Their daughter, Rebecca Mil- ler, was the wife of David Robinson, of Durham, as above noted.
(IV) Colonel Timothy Robinson, son of David (2) and Rebecca ( Miller ) Robin- son, born April 29, 1728, in Durham, re- moved from his native town to Litchfield, Connecticut, and from there to Granville, Massachusetts, where he became one of the leading men. He represented that town in the General Court for nine years. The town at that time was larger than Springfield. He performed distinguished service in the Revolution from the begin- ning ; was commissioned lieutenant-colo- nel of the Third Hampshire County Regi- ment, February 8, 1776, fought in the bat- tle of Ticonderoga, October 21 of that year, and was again in the service for two months in 1777 in the same regiment. In 1782 he was lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment under Colonel David Mosely. He was also active in civil affairs; was judge of the Court of Com- mon Pleas of Hampshire county, and it is said that no decision of his was ever re- versed by a higher court. He was for thirty years a deacon of the church : was active in supporting the government at the time of Shays' rebellion, and was taken prisoner by the rebels. His rea- soning with his captors was so convinc- ing that he was released, and a large num- ber of them abandoned the insurgent cause. He married, February 13. 1755. Catherine Rose, and they were the par- ents of David Robinson.
He married Catherine Coe, born Septem- ber 25. 1769, and died February 2. 1820.
(VI) David Franklin Robinson, son of David (3) and Catherine (Coc) Robin- son, was born January 7, 1801, in Gran- ville, was educated in the public schools of that town, removed to Hartford, and there lived until his death. There he married Anne, daughter of Asa and Eliz- abeth (Denison) Seymour, born Decem- ber 9. 1801. She was a descendant of Richard Seymour, born in England, came to America soon after the arrival of Rev. Mr. Hooker and his colony. in Hartford. He was one of the early proprietors of that town and is reckoned among the founders. In 1650 he removed to Nor- walk, and was one of the early settlers there. His son, John Seymour, born about 1640, married Mary West, and they were the parents of John (2) Seymour, born January 12, 1666, in Norwalk. Hc was a distinguished man, member of the General Assembly and filled various town offices. He married. December 19. 1693, Elizabeth. daughter of Lieutenant Rob- ert and Susanna (Treat) Webster, the latter a daughter of Hon. Richard Treat, of Wethersfield. Lieutenant Webster was a son of Governor John Webster. Daniel Seymour, son of John (2) and Elizabeth (Webster) Seymour, was born October 20, 1699, and married, August 10. 1727. Mabel Bigelow. They were the parents of Daniel (2) Seymour, born about 1729, died November 8, 1815. He was a captain in Lieutenant Hezekiah Willis' regiment in 1778, of the Revolu- tionary army. He married Lydia King, born 1738, died April 1. 1829, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth ( Barnard) King. and granddaughter of Joseph and Lydia (Howard) Barnard, great-granddaugh- ter of Bartholomew and Sarah (Burch- ard) Barnard. The last named, born
(V) David (3) Robinson, son of Colo- nel Timothy and Catherine (Rose) Rob- inson, born August 9, 1762, at Gran- ville, died May 27. 1809. While yet a young man he was elected to the General Court, of which he was a member for about seven years. He con- ducted a general store at Granville. about 1626, was a daughter of Thomas
Conn-2-19
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and Mary Burchard. Asa Seymour, son of Daniel (2) and Lydia (King) Seymour, was born February 5, 1760, and died Oc- tober 28, 1810. He married, December 17, 1786, Elizabeth Denison, born March 27, 1765, died May 28, 1846. They were the parents of Anne Seymour, wife of David F. Robinson. Elizabeth Denison was descended from William Denison, born at Bishop's Stortford, County Hert- ford, England, and married, in England, November 7, 1603, Margaret Monck. In 1631 they came to New England, and set- tled at Roxbury, where he was chosen by the General Court as constable in 1633. He served as deputy to the General Court, and his sons became very prominent citi- zens. One of these, Captain George Den- ison, was among the most distinguished of New England pioneers. He was born at Bishop's Stortford, baptized December 20, 1620. When Cromwell was in power he joined the Protector's army in Eng- land, but afterward returned to Roxbury, where he became a prominent citizen. He was wounded at the battle of Naseby, and was nursed at the home of John Borodel. He married at Roxbury, in 1640, Bridget Thompson, who died in 1653. She was the mother of his son, John Denison, born July 16, 1646, in Roxbury, and settled at Stonington. He married Phebe, daugh- ter of Richard Lay, of Saybrook, and they were the parents of George Denison, born in 1671, at Stonington. He married, in 1693, Mary (Wetherell) Henry, widow of Thomas Henry, and daughter of Daniel and Grace (Brewster) Wetherell, grand- daughter of Jonathan and Lucretia Brew- ster, and great-granddaughter of Elder William Brewster, who came in the "Mayflower," and was one of the chief men of the Plymouth Colony. Daniel Denison, son of George and Mary Deni- son, was born in 1703, and married, in 1726, Rachel, daughter of Thomas Starr.
Their son, Thomas Denison, married Catherine Starr, born August II, 1735, died in March, 1817. Elizabeth Denison, their daughter, was the wife of Asa Sey- mour. David Franklin Robinson and his wife, Anne (Seymour) Robinson, were the parents of Henry Cornelius Robinson. (VII) Henry C. Robinson, son of David Franklin and Anne (Seymour) Robinson, was born August 28, 1832, in Hartford, in whose public schools he gained his primary education. After fit- ting for college he entered Yale, and was graduated with high honors in 1853, in a class that gave to the world many men who attained eminence. Among these may be mentioned Hon. Andrew D. White, Bishop Davies, of Michigan, Drs. Charlton T. Lewis and James M. Whiton, of New York, Editors Isaac H. Bromley, George W. Smalley, of the New York "Tribune," United States Senator R. L. Gibson, Hon. Benjamin K. Phelps, and the late poet, Edmund Clarence Stedman. Mr. Robinson began the study of law in the office of his elder brother, Lucius F. Robinson, and after his admission to the bar engaged independently in practice for three years. Following this he formed a partnership with the brother who had been his preceptor, and this relation con- tinued until the death of Lucius F. Robin- son, in 1861. From that time until 1888 Henry C. Robinson continued alone in practice, and then his eldest son, Lucius F. Robinson, became his partner, under the style of H. C. & L. F. Robinson. This firm enjoyed a high reputation throughout the State, its reputation and practice extending all through New Eng- land and into the Middle Atlantic States. In recognition of Henry C. Robinson's scholarship and achievements, his alma mater conferred on him the degree of Doc- tor of Laws in 1888. History will always give to him its recognition as one of the
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foremost members of the Connecticut bar, a position he attained as a result of his own abilities and industry and those per- sonal qualities that make men great and greatly beloved by their contemporaries. He was one of the most polished and effective orators the State ever produced, and naturally he was constantly in de- mand as a speaker on all kinds of occa- sions. At the memorial services in Hart- ford in honor of Presidents Garfield and Grant he was the orator, and his address at the unveiling of the Putnam statue at Brooklyn, Connecticut, was pronounced one of the finest ever delivered in the State. He also delivered many Memorial Day orations.
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