Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families, Part 101

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1568

USA > Connecticut > New London County > Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families > Part 101

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(VI) DAVID AUSTIN GEER, the third SO11 Elijah D. and Dorothy Geer, of Griswold, was be Aug. 17, 1824, on the old Geer homestead, place where he continues to reside, a most beauti tract of land which was once occupied by th famed Mohegan chiefs, Uncas and Owaneco, whom it was granted to Mr. Geer's ancestors. 1 Geer was educated in the common schools, and a short time also attended high school. WI about twenty-one he commenced teaching dist! school in the winter season, and continued t work for four terms, but with this exception active years were devoted to farming. After death of his father, Aug. 10, 1848, he cultivated old homestead farm until his retirement from tive work, some ten years ago, and he gained reputation of being the best farmer in town, ¿ the appearance of his place is sufficient evide that it was deserved. He gave his place the pr tical care of a thrifty, up-to-date agriculturist. 11 lecting nothing that would advance the work, a evidences of care and good management are s on every hand. He succeeded in business by pai; taking industry, and devoted himself to his of affairs with a fidelity which assured good resu Though he no longer engages in regular work, he still active, and he takes a special interest in the } tory of the Geer family. He is a Christian man the highest integrity, genial and affable in dispo tion, and thoroughly domestic in his tastes : habits, being devoted to his wife and family, ; he has ever been counted among the best citiz of Griswold.

Neither caring for nor willing to accept off Mr. Geer has preferred to attend to his own t iness rather than see that neglected while he wor !! for the public. He is possessed of a warm sol nature, his family circle is a pleasant and affecti ate one, and he enjoys the esteem of the commun as a man of unassuming, yet solid worth. For c |r fifty-two years he has been a member of the Fit Congregational (Pachaug) Church of Grisw and he enjoys the satisfaction of seeing liis ir sons now members of the Congregational Chut. with which his wife also unites. In church he - cepts office as a duty, has served on various c|- mittees, and was treasurer for many years. Aljı all, Mr. Geer is pronounced in favor of all thing - in religion, in politics, in the social circle and c - munity-which advance honesty, sobriety, and e education, improvement and elevation of humar ,

D. Austin Der

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the beerment of his town, and the pleasing charms d "Geer home."

of the

Sept. 15, 1857, Mr. Geer married Sarah, - of Deacon Joseph and Laura (Johnson)

She is a woman of quiet, unassuming attached to her home and family, and much for her kindheartedness. Four sons have .his union, all of them intelligent and enter- men of good habits. (I) Albert S. resides Rivers, Mass., where he is a deacon in the ational Church, and a well-known citizen. He ma ied Edith Young, and has one child, Robert Leona ind is (2) Edward A. operates the homestead, resident of the Jewett City Creamery Com- anv. ffe is a deacon in the Congregational Church t Gr vold, and superintendent of the Sunday chool nd quite active in all church matters. Fo- iticall he is a stanch Republican. He married Margat Frink, and their family consists of three hildr nce. ( nd is adish vho econd ren :

Bertha Louise, Harold Frink and Clar- Henry D. resides at Three Rivers, Mass., gaged in market gardening and the horse- isiness. He married (first) Jennie Willis, ! leaving one child, Jennie Lucy. By his ife, Carrie (Northrop), he has two chil- erett and Clifford. Mr. Geer is a mem- er of le Congregational Church at Three Rivers, Iass. livers urser® +) Joseph Tyler, who also resides at Three Mass., is engaged in farming and the and pickle business. He married Sadie

Vood, Montville, Conn., and they have three chil- ren, Il bel, Alice and Herbert. Like his brothers Ir. Gul is a member of the Congregational Church Thr Rivers, and is active in church work.

CERLES WILLIAM GRANT, who is en- aged

farming near Taftville, may be justly re- ardedis one of the successful self-made men of lat selon. He is a worthy representative of a mily Which has been established in New England 'om ely Colonial days, being a descendant of

Manew Grant, one of the original company ho c e, in 1630, to Dorchester, Mass., in the Mary d John," with Maverick and Warham. He as agitted a freeman May 18, 1631, and con- nued Dorchester until the removal of the com- any w

ch settled Windsor, Conn., of which he was proj ent member. He was one, without oubt, nong those who went, in 1635, to prepare eir n homes at Matianuck, now Windsor, but is no likely that his wife and children left Dor- ester oct. 2 riscili ars, nsanr Villiar porn to fore April 18, 1636. Mr. Grant was born 1601. He married (first) Nov. 16, 1625, who died April 27, 1644, aged forty-three d he married (second) May 29, 1645, (Chapin) Rockwell (widow of Deacon Rockwell), who was born April 5, 1602, Nov. 14, 1666. Mr. Grant's children, all e first marriage, were: Priscilla, Matthew, amue nglan

'ahan and John, the first two being born in the next two at Dorchester, and the last

named at Windsor. Mr. Grant was chosen the first town clerk of Windsor, and held the office for years. He also held the position of town surveyor, and took a prominent part in the organization and also in transplanting the Congregational Church there, which had been previously formed in Ply- mouth, England, and first transplanted in Dorches- ter, Mass. Mr. Grant died Dec. 16, 1681.

Charles Henry Grant, father of Charles Will- iam, was born about 1814 in Stonington, Conn. In early life he began clerking in a country store in Preston, and later went to Brooklyn, Conn., where he purchased a general store, being engaged in busi- ness there until his death, which occurred in 1849. He had been to Norwich to purchase goods, and was taken suddenly ill on his way home, dying in Can- terbury. He was buried at Preston City. Mr. Grant's religious connection was with the Brooklyn Congregational Church. He was married, in Gris- wold, Conn., to Elizabeth A. Prentice, who was born in that town, daughter of Heze- kiah and Elizabeth (Leonard) Prentice, and she sur- vived her husband, dying in Norwich May 26, 1894, aged seventy-four years, six months. Two children were born to this union, Jane H. and Charles Will- iam, the former of whom is the wife of Henry Skin- ner and resides at Norwich Town.

Charles William Grant was born in Brooklyn, Conn., April 12, 1845, and was but four years old when his father died. Soon afterward he was placed in the family of his maternal grandfather, Hezekiah Prentice, in Griswold, remaining there until he reached the age of fourteen. He was reared to farming, and during the winter season enjoyed such educational advantages as the district schools of the day afforded, attending until he was sixteen years old. In 1861 he came to Norwich, where he was employed by William H. Bushnell, at farming and teaming, for two years, his wages being $6.50 a month the first year, and $7.50 the second year. His next place was with Edward Hunter, a farmer near what is now Taftville, with whom he remained over three and a half years, after which he began team- ing on shares. The following year he bought a team, and was employed in the construction of the Taftville mills, doing the first teaming that was done in their construction. He continued to follow teaming and farming until March, 1885, when he engaged in the livery business at Versailles, carry- ing it on until December, 1889. He then closed out his establishment there and bought the livery busi- ness at Taftville then owned by Andrew Holdredge, which he conducted, also doing a teaming business, until April, 1902. Disposing of it to his son, George G., who still runs the business, he engaged in gen- eral farming and teaming on his present place, which is on the Canterbury road, four miles from Norwich and one mile from Taftville, and which he purchased in 1897, from the heirs of his father- in-law. The place comprises seventy acres, from which Mr. Grant derives a good income, in this as

laugl Leona mann elove lesse ainin: It Th Congr

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

in his other enterprises winning success by industry and intelligent management. He may truly be called a self-made man, for he acquired all he possesses by constant and well-directed labor, and he is de- servedly respected, no family in the community standing higher than his.

On Nov. 4, 1869, Mr. Grant was married, in Norwich, to Miss Isadora M. Staples, a native of Norwich, daughter of Elias W. and Abby (Stand- ish) Staples, and four children have blessed this union : (I) George G., who is fully mentioned else- where, married May C. Gilbranson, and has one daughter, Ruth May. (2) Abby S. is the wife of John Sharples, a machinist, and resides at Taftville ; they have one child, Warren. (3) Walter S. is en- gaged in teaming and makes his home in Taftville. He married Ida May Weller, and they have one "child, Sarah Isadora. (4) Bessie M. was a member of the class of 1904, Norwich Free Academy. Mrs. Grant and her daughters are members of the Taft- ville Congregational Church, which Mr. Grant at- tends and supports. Fraternally he is quite well known, affiliating with Shetucket Lodge, No. 27, I. O. O. F. ; Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 75, F. & A. M., at Jewett City ; and Taft Lodge, No. 25, A. O. U. W. In political matters he is thoroughly independ- ent, voting for the best men and the best principles, regardless of the party which indorses them.

HORACE M. FITCH, one of the leading busi- ness men of Mystic, Conn., was born July 14, 1856, at Westerly, R. I., a son of Silas Fitch and a grand- son of Nathan Fitch, the latter of whom died at Noank, in 1872, at the home of Mrs. John A. Fitch.

Silas Fitch was born Aug. 15, 1817, at Watch Hill, R. I., and died Feb. 14, 1865, at Westerly, R. I. On Feb. 4, 1838, he married Sarah Maria Bill, born Feb. 18, 1819, at. Griswold, Conn., who died Jan. 26, 1896, at New Bedford, Mass. For a time they lived at Goat Point in Groton but later at Watch Hill and Westerly, R. I. At the age of ten years he went to sea as a cabin boy. In 1849, while first officer of a whaling vessel, at a port in the Sandwich Islands, he heard of the discovery of gold in California, went there, and remained some years. He was master of several freighting vessels, one of which, the "Albert Crandell," was in the Southern lumber trade during the Civil war, and he was also master of the ship "Tybee," a whaling vessel. The last three years of his life were spent in a general mercantile business on Block Island, as a member of the firm of Bull & Fitch. His children were : Sarah Maria, born June 4, 1840, who died Nov. 2, 1884, married John B. Tanner Feb. 7, 1865 ; Julia Frances, born Dec. 28, 1844, was married, April 19, 1883, to James D. Weeks, of Fairhaven, Mass .; Otis Barker, born April 9, 1855, died Sept. 1, 1855; Horace Mann was born July 14, 1856.

Horace M. Fitch spent his boyhood at Westerly and was educated there, attending both the public

and private schools. His natural inclinal him into the florist business, and for a tim engaged in this line at Westerly. At theage of twenty-one years, Oct. 18, 1877, he came mother to Mystic, and in the fall of 1878 associated in the paint business with W. E. ders, and remained with this house for fi From 1883 to 1886 he was engaged in co; hacting in the decorating line. In the latter year h

pened a store on the Groton side of Mystic and shainel there three years, when he removed his bu gess to the Opera House building, in Mystic, on t Ston- ington side, and on this site he was twice furnel out. In February, 1901, he located at his tesent store, where he carries a large line of pair t wall- paper, shades and everything pertaining to first- class decorating business. He has always fulge 1 his love of flowers and their propagation care, and to enter more thoroughly into what hateen a favorite occupation he is erecting a com pdious greenhouse, which will require 6,000 feet aglass.

On Dec. 24, 1878, Mr. Fitch married M | Bur- rows Latham, daughter of Charles Latham, td one son, Arthur Latham, was born to them .3. 27, 1879 ; he died Sept. 25, 1879.

Fraternally Mr. Fitch belongs to Stu ngton Lodge, No. 26, I. O. O. F .; to the Knfits of Pythias ; the American Mechanics; the A. U. W. (of which he has been financier for ! past twelve years) ; and the Hook and Ladder C pany.

JAMES P. SULLIVAN. One of known and most popular hotels of New Conn., is the "Winthrop," of which James van is the proprietor, and as he appears been born with a natural genius for his busil. possesses a genial and accommodating ma pr, he has hosts of friends throughout the count who gladly make his hostelry their stopping pla when in New London; and in addition he has a lafe pat- ronage from the local public.

Mr. Sullivan was born in New Britain Conn., Aug. 29, 1873, son of James P. and Mary (((man ) Sullivan. The latter is still living and mas her home with Mr. Sullivan, having been left awidow with one son and one daughter, when James . Sul- livan was a mere lad. At the very early age f nine years, young Sullivan was compelled to becie the .head of the family, and while working at whatever came to his hand, he studied at home. 1 this time, he nourished a love for the hotel busin ;, and in 1889, he took charge of the custom lau ry of the Hotel "Russwin" in New Britain. He v ; then promoted to be night clerk, and having both positions showed himself able and faithful, : was made chief clerk in the same hotel. Contin ng in the latter position for three years in th Hotel "Russwin," he then accepted a position as t reling salesman for the New Britain Machine Ce pany, and for fifteen months ma'de a success of tt line of work, selling engines and wood worki ; ma-

best ndon, Sulli- have s, and

Is led 15.5

Th his lecame Lan- "years.

443

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

nery. At the expiration of that time, he was pre- led up 1 to take charge of the "Columbia Hotel," of ned leading hotels of New Britain; he re- position as traveling salesman, to the at rest of his company, and entered into busi- s as 1} el manager.

In Jı , 1900, Mr. Sullivan became the proprie- of t "Winthrop Hotel," of New London, but rtly treafter all of the furnishings and interior ointnuits were entirely destroyed by fire. Al- ugh ti; was a heavy loss to the new proprietor, stur( spirit could not be daunted, and he at e con enced re-furnishing, and now has a much ter apointed house than before, and one well public accommodation. This enterprise ed fo l dete ination not to be outdone gained for Mr. livan ple o

strong appreciative friendship from the New London, and his house has rapidly blic favor.

n in

In pronal appearance, Mr. Sullivan is en- ing; S, : possesses extremely courteous man- a to 1S sincerely cordial, remembering es a remarkable extent. He enjoys dis as w

tion of being one of the young- as most enterprising hotel men in the ntry. ild, a: [r. Sullivan has made his own way in the his success is entirely due to his own rts, a ch re envial he lez

gious he co.

his never ceasing ambition. Possessing ' wit and natural talent, he has attained reputation as an entertainer, and is one ng amateur actors of New London. In ith, he is a Roman Catholic, and is one stent members of St. Mary's Star of the Romy Catholic Church of New London. Fra- ally his a member of the B. P. O. E., No. 35, Meridy, Conn .; of the Knights of Columbus, nody ouncil of New Britain, of which he is char ilor, and he is also a charter member of Frate al Order of Eagles, of New London, of ch he now Worthy Prelate. Mr. Sullivan is

harrie

HEF AN A. BEEBE, an extensive farmer dairyan of Norwich Town, has earned a linentbosition among the representative men is lin by his own efforts, and he comes of an amily f New London and Middlesex counties, al g :rations of Beebes having resided in locales.

Beebe, the grandfather of Sherman A., er and lumber dealer, residing in Mill- ty, town of East Haddam, Middlesex Conn

on a farm which had been in the posses- of t family for many years. He was a tinent an in the affairs of the town, and held nber offices, living to a ripe old age and dy- here. He was twice married, and became the r of a urge family of children. herm vas home

Caleb Beebe, the father of Sherman n in East Haddam, and remained on rm until the gold excitement of 1849,

when he joined a company setting out from New London and went to California, sailing around Cape Horn. The journey took three months. After he arrived in "Frisco" he purchased a pair of horses and did teaming from the gold camps to the city, and was thus engaged for some time, meeting with marked success. Later he conducted a hotel in San Francisco, remaining in California for several years, when he disposed of his interests at a good profit and returned to East Haddam. There he pur- chased a large farm in the Millington Society, on which he located and spent the remainder of his. days. To his original purchase he added land in the same vicinity, and at the time of his death was one of the largest landholders in the town. He also bought and sold property, and was a wealthy and highly respected man of his locality. In politics he- was a Republican, and held many town offices, in -. cluding that of selectman. Liberal and kindheart- ed, he made friends wherever he went. The maiden name of his wife was Jane Hurlburt, and she was a native of Portland, Conn., and a daughter of Job Hurlburt. She still survives, living on the home- stead in East Haddam. The children born to this union were: Sherman A .; Job H., deceased ; Rob- ert L., a farmer of East Haddam; George S., a farmer of Norwich ; Clarence S., a farmer of East Haddam ; Louis, deceased; Fred, who resides on the home farm ; Charles, who resides in New Lon- don ; and Harry, at home.

Sherman A. Beebe, the subject proper of this- sketch, was born Sept. 4, 1855, in East Haddam, and had a district school education, attending until he was sixteen years of age, although from the time he was twelve years old his attendance was limited to the winter. Until he was twenty he lived at home, and then began to work out as a farm laborer. Later he went to Durham, Conn., and was employed by Asabel Nettleton, with whom he remained for five years. His wages to begin with were $12 a month and board. In February, 1880, he purchased a farm of 200 acres in East Haddam, and resided upon it until April, 1897, when he disposed of the greater part of the land and bought his present farm at Norwich Town, of Waldo E. Bingham. It was then known as the William Sherman place. The place of seventy acres was in bad condition, having been greatly neglected, but by hard work and intelli- gent management Mr. Beebe has brought it to a high state of cultivation. He succeeded Mr. Bing- ham in the milk route in Norwich, and has more. than doubled the number of customers. Mr. Beebe keeps a number of cattle and other stock, and his farm is very productive, yielding him a handsome return on his investment. In addition to his Nor- wich property, he still owns a farm in East Had- dam, and he acts as agent for fertilizers, represent- ing several well known companies.

On March 12, 1878, Mr. Beebe was married, at Portland, Conn., to Miss Jennette Wetherill, born in East Haddam, Conn., Sept. 16, 1855, a daughter

[aule| a far on Sc

444

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of Elijah and Jennette ( Merrill) Wetherill. Chil- dren as follows have been born to them: Georgi- anna, who is the wife of George T. Clark, merchant and postmaster at North Westchester, Conn., and has five children; Lewis, a railroad man, married and a resident of New London ; Laura, a graduate of the Norwich business college and now a book- keeper in Norwich; Alice; Etta; Eddie; Dwight; Achel, and Sherman.

Mr. Beebe has never taken any active part in politics. He always votes for the man he considers best fitted for the office, regardless of party, and his sympathies are with the principles of the Republican party. Mrs. Beebe is a member of the Methodist Church, and a very prom- inent factor in its work. Few men in the town work any harder than Mr. Beebe, and he has been rewarded with marked success in every way, for he is not only well-to-do in a material sense, but he also possesses the confidence and respect of his fellow townsmen.

THOMAS A. SCOTT, JR., president of the T. A. Scott Co., New London, also Harbor Master of that port, is a fine example of an energetic, thor- oughgoing, straightforward and progressive young business man. For one of his years he has accom- plished what would deserve to be called success, if it had required a lifetime. Although in but his twenty-eighth year, he bears responsibilities far be- yond the average of those many years his senior. He was born Oct. 10, 1877, in New London, the son of Capt. Thomas A. and Harriet (Whitbeck) Scott, a full history of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.

Thomas A. Scott, Jr., attended the public and grammar schools of his native town, and later en- tered the Mystic Valley English and Classic Insti- tute, of Mystic, Conn., from which school he was graduated in 1896. He immediately became em- ployed with his father at dredging, wrecking and marine contracting, and upon the organization of the T. A. Scott Company in May, 1903, he was elected president of that company.

From a mere lad young Scott evinced a fond- ness for the water, which was no doubt hereditary. For several years before he left school to take up the work so successfully carried on by his father, he had familiarized himself with many of its details. Naturally observant, with the faculty to see into and originate, he got an insight into the business that formed an excellent foundation for what was to come. When he took up the business as an em- ployee of his father, it was as one able to look after important details, since he had practically grown up in the business. The value of his services, likewise his responsibilities in the work, increased each year, so that when he became president of the T. A. Scott Co. it was not the sudden transferring of great responsibilities to him. The business of the T. A. Scott Co. has grown to be one of the well

known ones in its line in New England. In : iness of this kind a great diversity of informat necessary to retain anything like an accurate k edge of the various lines of work connected e with, and the peculiar fitness of T. A. Scot r., has been many times displayed. Thoroughly tical, he can perform the work of almost an În of the employees, and with his natural mech la skill devise some improved method of carryil operations. He has built up quite a reputationter himself as a successful wrecker, and bids filet equal the success of his father. In his busine the was one of the first to experiment in raising er- turned barges, by pumping air under them, a fx- periment that proved successful, and is now in- erally used by all wreckers.

For about five years Mr. Scott was a miller of the C. L. Ockford Hose Co., No. 5, of New em- don, and for one year was foreman of the confir, always taking an active part in the work. Has also been prominently identified with the life s gang service, having been appointed a member ofhe United States Volunteer Life Saving Corps. : ]. Welsey Jones, president of the corps, with theitle of commodore. In May, 1904, he was appded harbormaster of New London, succeeding Cap H. S. Bartlett, and was the youngest incumber the office ever had. In February, 1898, Mr. Scot l'as appointed a notary public by Gov. George E. L hs- bury.

Personally Mr. Scott is the type of a young fan that makes and retains friends. His exen fury habits and close attention to business, wit tis straightforwardness, have given him high sta ng in business circles.

On Dec. 5, 1898, Mr. Scott was married to fiss Annie Edith Page, daughter of John and ien Alice (George) Page, of New London. Mr. SIt's very pleasant home on Montauk avenue was tilt by him and after his own designs.

HORACE G. LEWIS, one of the well k ws 1 and highly respected citizens of North Stonin on, is a representative of one of the old families of Lew England.

Beriah Lewis, the first of the name to loc in North Stonington, was a son of Nathaniel I vis. whose genealogical record is fully given i the "Lewis Letters," or "Lewisiana," ably compil by Prof. Carl Lewis, of Guilford, Conn. Beriah wis was born in 1750, and settled on the farm low owned by Horace G. Lewis, in the southeaster art of the town of North Stonington, on the old an- ton grant, where he followed agricultural pur its. That he was a man of energy and progressive jeas is evident from many points definitely know as to his career. He was a man of influence his community, and in addition to his regular fa ing operations carried on a prosperous, and' som hat extensive, enterprise in the buying and selli of cattle. It was his custom to go to Vermon the

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Genealogical and biographical record of New London County, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the early settled families, Part 101

Author: Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1568

Author:
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1568