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 141

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 141

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Since the war Capt. Caruthers has taken an active and influential part in politics. He is a man of acknowledged executive ability, of great strength of character, and for many years has been a recog- nized leader in the ranks of the Republican party. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Army and Navy Club, and of Sedgwick Post, No. I, G. A. R., of Norwich, and the Mckinley Asso- ciation of Connecticut.

On Sept. 16, 1868, at Baltimore, Md., Capt. Caruthers was married to Miss Nannie Snyder, of Virginia, and the union has been blessed with five children, four daughters and one son, all of whom are living.

EDWIN LORD DANIELSON, M. D. The family bearing this name in Eastern Connecticut is one of the oldest and most substantial ones in that section, the home of the family for two hun- dred years being in Killingly, and the original American ancestor, James Danielson.

Sergt. James Danielson, born about 1648, is of record as a freeholder of Block Island in 1696. He was sergeant of the town in 1700. In 1704-05 he was a member of the town council, and in Au- gust, 1705, he was chosen a deputy to the General Assembly. He was married, March II, 1685, ac- cording to the George W. Danielson Memorial, to Abigail Rose, who died in about five years; and on Jan. 22, 1700, he was married to Mary Ackers. He purchased a number of tracts of land between 1686 and 1705. The family tradition is that he was of Scottish descent. In his youth and early man- hood he fought in the wars against the Indians, and subsequently, at the time of the distribution of the land in Eastern Connecticut, he received his share of the territory of the town of Voluntown by grant from the General Court. At what particular time Mr. Danielson left the island for a permanent resi- dence upon the main is not precisely known. In the course of his campaigning he had been attracted by the aspect of the country, and in 1706, then in his fifty-eighth year, he bought a tract of 800 acres of land on the Quinebaug river, with a mansion house and barn, in what was afterward the town of Pomfret, Conn. In 1707 he purchased of Major Fitch, who seems to have been before hand with him in trading with the Indians, the neck of land between the Quinebaug and Assawauga rivers, measuring about 2,000 acres. He is stated to have been the first settler south of Lake Mashapaug (now Alexander's), and is said to have "built a gar-

rison house at the southern extremity of his pur- chase, and was soon known as one of the most prom- inent men in the new settlement" not long after- ward named Killingly. He had a residence in each settlement. Mr. Danielson died Jan. 22, 1728, in the eightieth year of his age. He had a son James, born May 15, 1687 (to his wife Abigail), who after- ward lived in Lebanon, Conn., and there died. Two sons born to the second union, Samuel and Wil- liam-the first inheriting the homestead and much of the landed property-succeeded to the good name, and carried it forward unblemished to sub- sequent years.

The family thus founded furnished representa- tives in all the stirring movements of Colonial and National history. Samuel Danielson was modera- tor of Killingly in 1760, and selectman in 1785. William Danielson was constable, collector of taxes and lieutenant in 1760; first major of Col. Williams' Eleventh Regiment in 1774; and took 146 men from Killingly to Cambridge in 1775; became Colonel in 1776, and after the Revolution, general of militia; and in 1788 was member of the State Convention called to ratify the national constitution.

From Sergt. James Danielson, of Block Island, R. I., and Killingly, Conn., the subject of this sketch is a descendant in the sixth generation, his lineage being through Samuel, Col. William, James and Elisha Danielson.

(II) Samuel Danielson, born in 1701, graduated from Yale College. His father in 1724 had deeded him the homestead. On March 26, 1725, he mar- ried Sarah Douglass, of Plainfield, who died March 29, 1774 ; he passed away in 1786. They both be- came members of the Killingly church in 1725. Their children, all born in Killingly, were: Mary, baptized May 8, 1726; James, born in 1727, died Oct. 3, 1754; William, born Aug. II, 1729; Sarah, born Feb. 22, 1731 ; Susannah, born Oct. 1, 1732; Elizabeth, born March 25, 1734; Priscilla, born Feb. 12, 1737; Sybil, born Feb. 8, 1738-39; Sam- uel, Jr., born March 27, 1741; and Sarah, born March 19, 1745.

The water power of Killingly was so good that manufactories sprang up along the banks of the Quinebaug river, and so large a share of the mills belonged to the Danielson family that a portion of the town was incorporated as Danielsonville, where at the present day busy mills employ numbers of workmen. Manufacturing, however, did not claim al their energies, for two of the sons of Samuel Danielson, James and William, were markedly prominent during the Revolutionary war. James rose to the rank of general, "and was regarded as a man of marked natural ability as warrior, magis- trate and legislator," and in the latter capacity he represented the town of Killingly eleven years. He was equally efficient in church affairs and was one of the deacons.

(III) Col. William Danielson, born Aug. II, 1729, married Oct. 29, 1758, Sarah Williams, who

Edwin L. Danielson. M.P.

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was born in 1737. Col. Danielson was a man of fine physique, six feet two inches tall, of noble bear- ing and great physical strength. When war with England was declared he enlisted at once, went to Boston, and from that time on was ever in active service with the Connecticut troops. Col. Daniel- son died Aug. 19, 1798, in his sixty-ninth year. Mrs. Danielson died Jan. 10, 1809, in her seventy- second year. Their children were: Sarah, born Nov. 14, 1759; James, Jan. 18, 1761; Lucy, Oct. II, 1764; William, March 4, 1768; Mary, Jan. 24, 1770. The Sarah Williams Danielson Chapter, D. A. R., at Danielson, was named in honor of the wife of Col. William Danielson.

(IV) James Danielson was a large land holder, and was a lifelong farmer residing on the home- stead in Killingly, and there he died. He was an officer in the local militia. His wife Sarah Lord, of Abington, survived him. They are buried in the cemetery at Westfield, in the town of Killingly. They had a large family of whom the following grew to maturity : (1) William died when a young man. (2) Elisha is mentioned below. (3) George married Hearty Dexter. He was a cotton manu-

facturer in Danielson, his factory standing on the site of the present Danielsonville Cotton Company's place. (4) Hezekiah married Laura Weaver. He was a farmer in Killingly. (5) James married and resided in South Killingly. (6) Sarah married Samuel Backus, a Congregational minister, and died at Brookfield, N. Y., at the home of a daughter.

(V) Capt. Elisha Danielson, father of Edwin L. was born in Killingly, Conn., March 4, 1796, and his entire life was spent in that town. He was brought up to farm work, resided on the homestead. and was engaged in farming. He died in 1866, and was buried in the Westfield cemetery in Killingly. Capt. Danielson was active in town affairs, a dea- con in the Congregational Church, and was captain for many years in the local militia. Hle was mar- ried three times. His third wife, Sarah Ely, of Harwinton, Litchfield county, Conn., was sister of Edwin Ely, at one time a well known merchant of Danielson. She died in 1871, aged fifty-three years. They had the following named children : (1) Katharine E. resides at Danielson. (2) Charles E. died in middle life in Archer, Texas, where he was engaged in the ranch business. He never married. (3) William Il. mar- ried Alice Robinson, and has one son Richard Ely. He resides in New York, engaged in dry-goods business. (4) Sarah died in infancy. (5) Edwin ord is mentioned below. (6) George E. married Harriet Baxter, and resides at the homestead at Danielson. They have had four children, Katherine A., Ruth Il., Robert E. ( deceased ) and Thomas 3. (7) Walter is a ranchiman at Beaver, Oklahoma. Edwin Lord Danielson was born May 24. 1852. n Danielson, and attended the common schools. He emained on the home farm for several years after he death of his mother. He then studied medicine

for a time under Dr. Rienzi Robinson, a well known physician of Danielson, and entered the college of Physicians and Surgeons, at New York, when it was located on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Twenty-third street. In 1882 he was graduated from that institution with the degree of M. D., a year after his graduation locating at East Canaan, Conn., where he remained four years. In October, 1887, he came to Lebanon, where he has met with most gratifying success, building up an excellent practice. He has been health officer for a number of years, and since 1892 has been medical examiner for the town of Lebanon.

On Nov. 29, 1893, Dr. Danielson was married to Emma Frances Gay, who was born March 7, 1857, daughter of the late William R. Gay. They have had one child, Sarah Catherine, born Nov. 10, 1895. The present home of the family was erected in the early sixties. The Doctor is a Republican in political sentiment. Fraternally he is a member of Buckingham Lodge, No. 57. American Order of Fraternal Helpers, for which he is medical ex- aminer. He and his wife are members of the Con- gregational Church, and he serves as clerk of the Church.

CAPT. CHARLES ROBINSON, a well known farmer of Lebanon, New London county, is de- scended from Rev. Jolin Robinson, who was born in 1575, in one of the midland counties of England. entered the University of Cambridge in 1592, and was graduated with the degree of A. M. in 1599. He began to preach at Norfolk, near Norwich, and i11 1608 went to Amsterdam, Holland, and in 1600 to Leyden, where he was pastor of the Pilgrim Church, and there he died Feb. 19. 1625. He mar- ried Bridget White.

(11) Isaac Robinson, son of Rev. John. boru about 1610, came to New England in 1631. and set- tled in Plymonth, where he was made a freeman of the Colony in 1633. He subsequently was of Scituate. Barnstable. Falmouth, Tisbury, Mar- tha's Vineyard and Barnstable, respectively. He married (first ). June 27. 1630, Margaret Hansford. of Scituate, who died June 13. 1049. The name of his second wife was Mary. He died probably in 1704.

( 111) Lient. Peter Robinson, son of Isaac, was married to Experience Manton, daughter of John, of Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard. He was of Tis- bury, Chilmark, and Norwich or Preston, Conn. In 1721 be purchased land in what is now Sent- land, Conn., at that time called Preston. His wife died April 30, 1727, aged fifty five years, and Peter Robinson died about 17440.

(IV) Ensign Thomas Robinson, son of bient. Peter, was born about 100g. His first wife. Amalı. died Oct. 16, 1700, and he married (second). Feb. 8. 1770, Abigail Dunmock ; she died Nov. 10. 1700. aged seventiesis years, and Mr. Robinson passed away March 28, 1783, aged eighty-four years His

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children were: Reuben, born Jan. 17, 1725; Asa, born Oct. 17, 1726; Abiah, born May 16, 1728; Annah, born March 17, 1730; Ama, born May I, 1733 ; and Levi, born March 9, 1739.

(V) Reuben Robinson, son of Ensign Thomas, was born Jan. 17, 1725. On Jan. 12, 1748-9 he wedded Esther, daughter of Seth Palmer and their children were: Esther, Zipporah, Zophar, Clifford, Reuben, Hannah, Esther, Asenath and Eliel, all born between 1749 and 1768.

(VI) Clifford Robinson, son of Reuben, and grandfather of Charles, was born Jan. 8, 1756, and passed his life as a farmer. He died July 11, 1813, and was buried in Mansfield, Conn. On Oct. 21, 1778, he married Lucy Morgan, born Feb. 3, 1756, died July 15, 1841. The following children blessed their home: David, born March 1, 1780, died March 18, 1818; Charles, born Dec. 25, 1781, died Nov. 18, 1828; Harvey, born Aug. 18, 1784, died in 1862; William, born May 24, 1789, is mentioned below; Lucy, born June 6, 1791, died unmarried, Feb. 22, 1875 ; Festus, born April 14, 1795, died Dec. II, 1825; and Reuben, born July 2, 1797, was a farmer in Franklin, Conn., was married three times, and died Sept. 18, 1877.

(VII) William Robinson, father of Charles, spent his early life in the towns of Mansfield and Chaplin. He was residing in the latter town when he was married, and for a time he resided on farms in Ashford. Later he returned to Chaplin and lo- cated on a farm in the north part of the town, where he resided until 1835, when he removed to Colchester and rented a farm for a year. He then came to Lebanon and rented the Oliver Pettis, Sr., farm, now owned by Albert T. Hoxie. From there in 1846 he removed to Columbia (his sons Harlow and Lucius remaining on this farm), and bought a farm on Post Hill, in that town, where he resided the rest of his life, and died thereon Sept. 29, 1866. Politically he was an Old Line Whig, and a Republican. Religiously he was a regluar attendant of the Congregational Church. For his first wife he married on Jan. 20, 1813, Hannah Robbins, of Chaplin. The children born of this union were: Caroline, born Dec. 14, 1814, died in infancy. William Lyman, born in July, 1816, mar- ried (first) Mercy James, (second) Susan G. Stuart, and resides in East Somerville, Mass. Lu- cius Waterman, born Dec. 7, 1817, was a success- ful farmer, and he married (first) Martha Wood- worth, (second) Harriet Randall, who survives him ; Mr. Robinson died May 2, 1901, on Post Hill in Columbia. Harlow, born March 26, 1820, was a farmer in Lebanon, and he died April 1, 1900. Caro- line (2) born Dec. 30, 1821, married David Pitcher, a merchant of Brooklyn, and died at the home of a son in Freeport, L. I., April 8, 1900. Warren, born Dec. 8, 1823, was a carpenter and joiner ; he mar- ried Sarah Woodward and died in New Haven, Jan. 10, 1895. Lois Amelia became the wife of George R. Bill, a school teacher and farmer, and died in

New Haven Feb. 25, 1856. Eliza Ann, born Jan. 30, 1827, died March 29, 1830. Sophronia, born March 22, 1829, is the widow of Silas P. Abell, of Exeter Society. Charles was born Dec. 1, 1830. Miss Eliza Ann, born July 25, 1832, resides in Brooklyn, N. Y. For his second wife William Rob- inson married Sophia Robbins, a sister of his first wife, and three children were born of this union: Theron, Feb. 19, 1835, was a school teacher, later engaged in a grocery business in New Haven, where he died ; he married Amanda Pool. Orville, born Feb. 16, 1837, was a farmer and died in Gilead Society in the town of Hebron; he married Jose- phine Strickland. Myron Winslow, born May 4, 1839, was a physician in Colchester until the out- break of the Civil war, when he enlisted as a private in the 18th Conn. V. I., later was detailed as a phy- sician, and he is now a resident physician in the Soldiers Home at Noroton, Conn .; he married Emma Stuart.

Charles Robinson was born in Chaplin, Conn., and was five years old when his parents removed to Colchester, and a year later the family located in Lebanon. He attended the district schools in the towns wherein he resided. In Colchester he went to Russell Way, as one of his teachers, and in Leb- anon he attended the "Wicked Lane" school. When his father removed to Columbia he attended school there. He later attended a select school kept by George W. Standish in Lebanon, completing his education in a select school in New Haven kept by Stiles French. At the age of nineteen years he him- self began teaching school for eleven dollars a month and "board round." The summer season was devoted to farm work, his wages going to the support of the family until he was twenty-one years old. He taught school for a number of terms in Lebanon, and later he went to Flushing, L. I., and was there engaged when the war broke out. Re- turning to Columbia he enlisted as a private in Company C, 18th Conn. V. I., under Capt. Isaac H. Bromley and Col. William G. Ely. Soon after his enlistment he was promoted to Color Sergeant, and served with the regiment in that way until February, 1864, when he was commissioned captain of Com- pany A, 30th Conn. V. I. (Colored). The com- mission was dated Feb. 23, 1864. Soon after this regiment was consolidated with a New York regi- ment of colored troops, and it became the 3Ist U. S. Colored Troops. He was captain of Company B, the New York Captain outranking him. The regiment saw service in the Wilderness, before Petersburg, at the latter place losing one-half their men. At Petersburg he was captured with a num- ber of his men, and was confined in jail in Columbia S. C., for seven months. He was exchanged af Annapolis, Md., and a short time later was dis- charged on May 7, 1865. He then returned to the home farm in Columbia, and soon after went to Flushing, L. I., and again engaged in teaching, als‹ at Glen Cove in the town of Oyster Bay, being en

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gaged in teaching there for a number of years. The last place he taught at was in Amityville. He returned to Connecticut and taught school in Pres- ton and Canterbury. In 1881 he purchased his present farm, one of the best in the town of Leb- anon, and he moved to it a year later. The farm was known as the "S. O. Hatch place" and then consisted of 165 acres. This has been reduced to 85 acres, and is devoted to general farming.

In 1884 Mr. Robinson was married to Mrs. Sarah (Perkins) Bell, widow of Charles Bell, by whom she had one daughter, Nellie Emma, born Feb. 6, 1879. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. In past years our subject has been a Republican, but now sympathizes with the Prohibi- tion party. He is serving his fourth term on the board of selectmen. Fraternally he is a member of Sedgwick Post, No. I, G. A. R., of Norwich. Both he and his wife attend the Lebanon Congregational Church. Mr. Robinson is a hard worker, and in his disposition is quiet and retiring. He is a great reader, and is well posted, and among his friends an interesting conversationalist.

ROBERT BROWN is a well known business man of Norwich, and one of the most highly re- spected citizens of the town. He was born June 2, 1826, in Westerly, R. I., son of Philip and Abbie ( Bliven) Brown.

Philip Brown was a native of Kingston, R. I., where he learned his trade of ship carpenter. When a young man he moved to Westerly, where he mar- ried Abbie, daughter of Henry Bliven, a sea cap- tain of that place. After living for a time in Westerly the family moved to Mystic, Conn., and later to Poquonock, in that State. In the latter place Mrs. Brown died, leaving three children, as fol- lows: Robert, who is mentioned below ; Joseph, who married Abbie Armstrong, and died, leaving one child, Jennie ; and Abbie, who died in young womanhood. Mr. Brown, after the death of his wife, placed his children in the care of relatives, in Rhode Island, and went South. He settled in Mo- bile, Ala., where he was killed the following year by a falling stick of timber.

When he was but six years of age Robert Brown was left an orphan, and soon thereafter was taken into the home of his uncle, Edmund Brown, of Kingston, R. 1. As a very small boy he began to work on the farm, attending school only three months of the year, and thus having very limited educational advantages. He had a passion for ma- chinery, aixl when he was fourteen left his uncle's mouse and obtained a position as operator of a stationary engine, in Kingston, R. I., in a railroad tation. He took part in Dorr's Rebellion in 1842, loing guard duty in Providence for twenty-six lays, being a member of an independent company. After two years in Kingston he came to New Lon- lon, where for a short time he was employed as stationary engineer. He then shipped as second

engineer on the steamship "Florida," plying be- tween Apalachicola, Fla., and New Orleans, re- taining this position two years and a half. During this time the war between Mexico and the United States broke out, and the "Florida" was pressed into service as a transport. He sailed the vessel to the Rio Grande, and witnessed the first battle, then, leaving the steamer, returned to the North. He went first to Cincinnati, from there by boat to Pittsburg, and by canal then-a six-days trip-to Harrisburg, Pa. Coming to Norwich, he entered the employ of the New York & Norwich Steam- ship Line as engineer on the "Quinebaug," and re- mained in the employ of this company, on different boats, for twenty years, as chief engineer. During the first year of the Civil war he was engineer on the "Charles Osgood," which was used as a gov- ernment transport, and on returning to Norwich he was for two years engineer at the armory. He then accepted the position of chief engineer on the steamship "Hunter," which was built at Thames- ville, for the New York and Savannah trade. After a year on this vessel he returned to Thamesville, and for a year was engineer at the nail works. In 1866, in company with Frank Stewart and Mr. McDonald, he started the Norwich Steam & Gas- pipe Co., opening the establishment on Market street which was moved later to Commerce street. In 1886 Mr. Brown bought his present plant, which is one of the largest in the State, and for the past thirty-seven years he has carried on a most success- ful business.

On May 11, 1847, Mr. Brown married Betsey Chester, who was born in Mystic, Conn., daughter of Eldredge and Lucy (Chipman) Chester. After nearly forty years of happy married life Mrs. Brown died, in 1886, and she is buried in the Yantic ceme- tery.

She was a member of the Congregational Church. Of the seven children born to this union five died in childhood. Frank (deceased) married Mary Kirker and had two children, Robert Archi- bald and Betsey Chester. Arthur Morton lives with his father and is foreman of his shop. Mr. Brown is fortunate in having for his housekeeper a niece of his wife, a lady of culture and refinement, who is greatly devoted to her unele.

Mr. Brown has an enviable reputation for hon- esty and fair dealing, and is a man of genial dispo- sition. He is public-spirited and has taken a great interest in Norwich and its institutions, especially the public schools. For twelve years he was a member of the school board of the West Chelsea district, being chairman of the board for nine years of this time. He also served as a member of the city council for twelve years, being senior alderman for several years. He was also chairman of the Fire committee, and for a member of years served as a member of the volunteer fire department. He took the "big engine" to Boston at the time of the great fire there in 1872; he was for ten years chief cu- gineer of this "big engine." In politics he is stanchly

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Republican, and an active partisan. His religious creed is summed up in the Golden Rule. Socially he is a thirty-second degree Mason, being a member of Somerset Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Franklin Chap- ter, Franklin Council, Columbian Commandery, Sphinx Temple, (charter member) and Norwich Consistory.

MAIN. Among the early settled families of New London county was that of Main, whose rep- resentatives have, for over two hundred and thirty- five years, been residents of Stonington. For many years the name has been familiar in the town of Ledyard through the late William L. Main, and his descendants who still reside in that and surrounding towns. William L. Main was of the seventh gen- eration in lineal descent from

(I) Ezekiel Main, the first of the family to make Stonington his permanent residence. He located there in 1670, and in 1672 he received a grant of land from the town. Subsequently he purchased other lands, and in 1680 he received another grant from the town, his property then extending from the old goldsmith shop of David Main to the vicin- ity of the residence of Nathaniel M. Crary, in what is now North Stonington; it was bounded all the way by the Shunoc river on the south, and by the lands of Joshua Holmes on the north. Ezekiel Main was admitted to the Church of Stonington Sept. 3, 1676. His death occurred June 19, 1714. By his wife Mary he became the father of six chil- dren: Ezekiel, Mary, Jeremiah, Thomas, Phebe and Hannah.

(II) Jeremiah Main, son of Ezekiel, married Oct. II, 1692, the widow Ruth Brown. It is not known certainly whose daughter she was, but she and her daughter Ruth were admitted to the First Church of Stonington, and were baptized July 16, 1699. Jeremiah Main was admitted Nov. II, 1727. His children were: Thomas, Hannah, Elizabeth, Lydia, Sarah, Jeremiah, Hepzibah, Nathaniel, Anna, John and Peter.

(III) Deacon Thomas Main, son of Jeremiah, was born July 19, 1700. He married ( first), April 20, 1720, Ann Brown, daughter of Eleazer and Ann (Pendleton) Brown, who died March II, 1766. He married (second), May 14, 1766, Elizabeth Hewitt. He died in 1771. His children all born of his first marriage, were: Thomas, Andrew, Timothy, Joshua, Anne, Jonas, Elizabeth, Ezekiel and Phebe. (IV) Thomas Main (2), son of Deacon Thomas, was born Feb. "12, 1721, in Stonington. On Feb. 3, 1742, he wedded Mary Pendleton, of the same town. Their children were: Mary, Sarah, Thomas and Benajah.

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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 141

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