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 170

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 170

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(V) Eliphalet Coffin Parker, son of Jonathan, was born about 1776, in Derry, N. H. About 1806 he settled in Montville, where he became a suc- cessful farmer and was highly esteemed in the com- munity. He was very active in religious affairs, and was a faithful member of the Montville Con- gregational Church. Nature endowed him with considerable musical ability, and he was a master of the bass viol, playing it in the church, where for many years he was choir leader. In his political belief he was an old-line Whig, but while he was always keenly interested in the public welfare, he cared nothing at all for official position. Although of frail frame physically, he was a man of strong constitution, and possessed a happy, genial disposi- tion, which made him a great favorite. On Feb. 2. 1808, he married Sarah Comstock, who was born Dec. 9, 1787, daughter of Deacon Jared and Rachel (Chester ) Comstock, of Montville. He died March 5, 1835. aged fifty-nine years, of pneumonia, after an illness of but five days. His widow died Ang. 14, 1860, in Montville, in her seventy-third year. Their children, all born in Montville, were: (1) Abisha Alden, born Dec. 12, 1808, was a farmer in his native town, where he died, leaving a widow. C'aroline Fellows, and five children Edward, who died young : Mary, who married Rev. William Beard : and Frank. Carrie and Annie, all living in Montville. (2) Jared Chester, born March 2, 1812. died young. (3) Eliphalet, born Ang. 28, 1814. at- tended college and fitted himself for the Congrega- tional ministry, but by hard and constant labor his health was undermined. He later settled in Michi- gan, but returned to Monty lle, where he died. Ilis wife was Helen M. Bailey. (4) Dolly Elizabeth, born April 4. 1817. married Walter Hough, of Bozralı, Com., and they settled in Almont, Lapeer

Co., Mich., where they both died. (5) Harriet, born Dec. 2, 1819, married Simeon Clark, of Colum- bia, Conn., and they settled in Michigan and died there. (6) Augustus Alden, born Feb. 10. 1822, is mentioned below. (7) Samuel Chester, born May 14, 1824, was formerly a wheelwright, but is now engaged in farming in the town of Bozrah. He married Fanny E. Herrick, who is now deceased. (8) Frederick Freeman, born April 9. 1828, was a wheelwright and later a farmer, and died in Mont- ville in 1901. He married (first) Lucy Ann Gard- ner and (second) Mary (Green ) Hazzard. and at his death left three children-Arthur, of Norwich, Conn. ; Clayton, of Providence. R. I. : and Hubert, a minister in California. (9) Sarah. born Nov. 17. 1831, married Jerome Pease. a farmer of Vermont, and they settled in Michigan, where he died.

(VI) Augustus Alden Parker received his pre- liminary education in the district schools of his na- tive town, and then entered the academy at Nor- wich, where he remained two terms. Leaving school at the age of seventeen years he taught for several years, first in Franklin, one term, and then in Bozrah Center, four terms; Norwich town, three terms : Leffingwell district, two terms, and in Moni- ville, three or four terms. During the summer months he engaged in farming. As he was but thir- teen years of age when his father died he was early thrown upon his own resources, but he possessed the requisite amount of perseverance and phuck. and succeeded well in his undertakings. In 1852 he purchased the David R. Dolbeare farm in Mont- ville, where he was successfully engaged in farming until the spring of 1904. during which time, how - ever. he also taught school at intervals. lle gave close attention to the cultivation of his farm, on which he made many improvements, such as plant- ing orchards, etc. For a short time he was propri- ctor of a general store, but he soon gave it up that he might return to his farm work. In the spring of 1904 Mr. Parker gave up active faring. The death of his wife occurred Dec. 25. 1903.

Mr. Parker has always taken an active part in public affairs, and politically he is a stanch Repub- l'ean. He has served bis town and district 11 . number of offices, having been grand mirer. men- ber of the school committee and school visitor and examiner, assessor for several terms, etc. In 12-1 he represented his district in the State Legislature. during which session he was a member of the com- mittee on Education. He is an active worker i the First Congregational church of Montville. where he has for several years been a member of the Society's committee, and for over titts wears has been superintendent of the Sunday school \1r Parker to an original minister of the Raum mil Li- brary Company, of Montville, which was foundel Is Albert Raymond, of East Hartford, Conn This advice is often sought in legal matters and he has been entrusted with the settling at a number of (states His efforts have always been in the line of

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progress, and for the uplifting of the moral and ma- terial welfare of the community in which he lives. He is a deeply religious man, and endeavors to prac- tice in his daily life the precepts of his great Master.

On Sept. 12, 1849, Mr. Parker was united in marriage with Harriet Raymond Dolbeare, who was born Nov. 19, 1819, in Montville, daughter of Lem- uel Raymond and Eleanor (Raymond) Dolbeare. They lived to celebrate their golden wedding, and by their upright lives, loving, helpful sympathy and friendship, won the respect, admiration and love of all. Two children came to brighten their home, of whom Jennie Eleanor, who attended the Nor- wich Academy, and was a successful teacher for several years, died at the age of twenty-eight, in June, 1881. The son, Theodore Raymond, born July 19, 1856, is mentioned below.

THEODORE R. PARKER, son of Augustus A., born in Montville, received his literary training in the district schools of his native town, and in the Norwich Academy, graduating from the latter in 1876. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine, receiving his first instruction under Dr. Lewis S. Paddock, of Norwich. In 1877 he matri- culated in Yale Medical School, but he completed his medical studies in the University of New York, being graduated in the class of 1880. In May of that year he located at Columbia, Conn., where his professional career was begun under favorable aus- pices. As an entire stranger he stood upon his own merits, and soon won a considerable patronage. In June, 1882, he removed to Willimantic, where he has since resided. By his professional ability and personal qualities he has risen in his career, and is justly regarded as one of the leading physicians in the city.

Dr. Parker was married to Miss Charlotte E. Buck, born in Ashford, Conn., a daughter of Hon. E. A. and Delia A. (Lincoln) Buck, of Willimantic. Their only child, Raymond, was born in June, 1889. Dr. Parker cast his first presidential vote for James A. Garfield, and has continued to vote the Republi- can ticket to the present time, but his professional duties allow him no time to take active part in party work. He attends the First Congregational Church, and has served on the Society's committee. In the Windham County Medical Society and the State Medical Society he is an active and appreciated member. He is a man of modest disposition, and, although he has hosts of friends and is very popular, he takes his success after the manner of true genius and of devotion to his calling.

Mrs. Harriet R. (Dolbeare) Parker comes of a distinguished ancestry. She is a direct descendant of Gov. William Bradford, who came to this coun- try on the "Mayflower ;" and the Dolbeare family has a long and honorable line :

DOLBEARE. The Dolbeare family is of Welsh origin, and the first of that name in America was John Dolbeare, who settled in Boston in 1720.

George Dolbeare, son of the emigrant, was born in 1715, and, coming to America with his father, became a large land owner. In 1740 he married Mary Sherwood, who was born in 1710, and who died in 1790. He died in March, 1772.

John Dolbeare, son of George, was born in 1745, and settled on a farm in Montville which he inherited from his father. In 1769 he married Sarah Raymond, daughter of Christopher and Eleanor (Fitch) Raymond. He died April 9, 1806, and his widow passed away June 9, 1828.

Lemuel R. Dolbeare, son of John, was born in 1793, and he became a thrifty and successful farmer. He married, Dec. 6, 1818, Eleanor Raymond, daugh- ter of Mulford and Eleanor (Bradford) Raymond. Both himself and wife were members of the Mont- ville Center Church. His death occurred May 14, 1859, and that of his wife Jan. 29, 1851. Their daughter, Harriet R., was born Nov. 19, 1819, and married to Augustus A. Parker.

ALLEN. One branch of the Allen family is represented in the town of Sprague in the person of Miss Ruth Elizabeth Allen, who resides on the Allen farm in Hanover Society. The family to which she belongs is an old and honored one in New England, and has produced men and women of influence, and of solid worth and Christian character.

Among the different emigrants having this name were Samuel and Ann Allen, of Bridgewater, Som- erset, England, who came to Braintree, Mass., near Boston. The wife died in 1641, and Samuel mar- ried (second) Margaret Lamb. His children were : Samuel, 1632; Joseph, 1634; James, 1636; Sarah, 1639; Mary; and Abigail.

(II) Samuel Allen, Jr., was a deacon, and set- tled in East Bridgewater, acting as town clerk in 1660. He married Sarah Partridge, who was born in 1639. Their children were: Samuel, 1660; Es- seal, 1663; Mehitable, 1665: Sarah, 1667; Bethah, 1669; Nathaniel, 1672; Ebenezer, 1674; Josiah, 1677 ; Elisha, 1679 ; Nehemiah, 1681.

(III) Samuel Allen married, in 1685, Rebecca Carey, who died in 1697, and their children were: Samuel, 1686; Ephraim, 1689; Timothy, 1691 ; Jo- seph, 1693 ; Mehitable, 1695. In 1700 Samuel Allen married (second) Mary Pratt, by whom he had these children : Joseph, 1701; Benjamin, 1702; Mary, 1704; Rebecca, 1706; Matthew, 1708; and Seth, 1710.

(IV) Joseph Allen, born in Bridgewater, Mass., in 1701, emigrated to Norwich, Newent Society, now Lisbon, in 1727. In 1729 he married Rebecca Fuller, and he died in what is now Scotland in 1777, while she died in 1778. Their children were : Erastus, born 1730; Jemima, 1731; Petty, 1734: Mary, 1736; Joseph, 1739; Samuel, 1740, died in infancy ; and Asahel, 1742.

(V) Asahel Allen died in 1825. He married

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Desire Eames, daughter of Anthony Eames, of Ster- ling, and she died in 1820, aged seventy-five years. Their children were: Pratt, 1766; Enoch. 1768; a daughter who died in infancy ; Desire and Asahel, twins ; Roswell ; Festus; Erastus.

(VI) Enoch Allen, born May 23, 1768, died in 1840, was a farmer and mason, residing in Scot- land, where he spent his entire life, and died in a house he built in the south part of the town. He was a well-to-do man. In 1794 he married Betsy Witter, born May 25, 1775, daughter of Deacon Asa Witter, of Canterbury. She died in 1858. Their children were: (1) Asa W., born June 3, 1795, in his youth was a member of a militia com- pany, and was called out at the time of the attack on Stonington Point in the war of 1812. In 1819, soon after his marriage, he removed to Ohio, and in his latter years he devoted himself with character- istic "unyielding perseverance" to the study of the history of his ancestors, and compiled a brief, but valuable, genealogy of the Allen and Witter families, which was published at Salem, Ohio, in 1872. He married Sophia Hopkins of Edmeston, N. Y. (2) John was born Sept. 21, 1797. (3) Eliza, born Jan. 1, 1803, died in infancy. (4) Martin, born Aug. 15, 1807, was a farmer and died in Ellsworth, Ohio. He married Lucy M. Fitch, who survives him. (5) David A., born Aug. 16, 1809, married Bridget Wheeler, and died in Salem, Ohio, where his widow now resides. The brothers were all teachers, church members and devoted Christian workers.

(VII) John Allen was born in Scotland in 1797. and received a district school education. He re- mained on the home farm until about 1834, when he removed to the farm now occupied by his daughter, and there lived until his death. The farm was por- chased from the heirs of Dr. Andrew Lee, the first pastor of the Hanover Church. Mr. Allen erected the house in 1834, the site having been chosen be- cause of the abundance of pure spring water. From time to time he added to his property until he be- came a very large land owner. By his own industry and business ability he accumulated a large portion of this world's goods, and when he died Feb. 22. 1875, he left a goodly estate.

On March 9, 1835. John Allen was married to Ruth Waldo Bingham, born Jan. 18, 1800, daughter of Capt. John and Talitha ( Waldo) Bingham. Mrs. Allen died July 12, 1882, and lies buried beside her husband in the Hanover cemetery. She was a school teacher before her marriage, and was a lady of a high order of ability. In politics John Allen was a Republican. Religiously he was a member of the Newent Congregational church, and his wife and daughter members of the Hanover church.

On Dec. 30, 1837. was born to these parents Miss RUTH ELIZABETH ALLEN, who was educated in Dr. Claudius B. Webster's school for girls at Norwich, and was brought up from childhood with the most loving and thoughtful care. She has 48

always clung with tender attachment to her pleasant home, and prefers a quiet domestic life to any other. She is deeply interested in all the affairs of her native town, and is always ready to lend her influ- ence for the furtherance of any movement looking to the general good, or to assist in any work of benevolence. Miss.Allen is a member of the Han- over Congregational Church, and also belongs to the Women's Christian Temperance Union.

JACOB DWIGHT BENJAMIN. a prominent and successful farmer of the town of Preston, New London county, and a highly respected and es- teemed citizen of that town, is a descendant of two families early settled in the New World-the Ben- jamin and the Standish families.

Hinman, in his "Early Puritan Settlers of the Colony of Connecticut," says, "The Benjamins of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Long Island were probably all descendants of John Benjamin, Sr., of Watertown. Mass." John Benjamin arrived in the ship "Lion" in Boston in September. 1632. and was admitted a freeman in November following. About 1637 he removed to Watertown, and died well along in years, June 14. 1645, leaving a widow Abigail and children, most of whom were born in England. His widow Abigail went with her son-in-law to Charlestown about 1654. and there died May 20. 1687.

Elijah Benjamin, grandfather of Jacob Dwight, died in Preston, where for many years he was en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. He married De- borah Newton, and became the father of five chil- dren : Lucy Maria, who married Nelson Packer. who died in Preston: David, who settled in Penn- sylvania, and died there : Seabry N., mentioned he- low: Nathan, a farmer in Preston, who died at the age of forty-nine years, and who married Hannah Cook and had six children, Hannah ( who married Frederick Bushnell), Nathan II. ( who married Frances E. Miner), Daniel W. (who .married Cor- nelia Sholes, of Preston), Mary E. ( who married Jeremiah F. Sholes, of Preston), Emma and Ellen (the last two mumarried) ; and Russell, who settled in the West, where he died.

Seabry N. Benjamin was born in Preston in 1796, and there passed his entire life and died May 24. 1800, aged seventy years. He was an indis- trions, hard-working man, and his busy years were spent in farming. In political faith he was a stanch Democrat, but cared little or nothing for politics, so far as holding office was concerned. He was highly respected in the community, where his up- right but unpretentious life had won him many friends. He married Lucy Standish, daughter of Levi Standish, of Preston, where she died Dec. 12. 1842, at the age of forty-three years. Their chil- dren were : Philena, who married Lester Fuller, of Preston : Deborah, who married Cabin Reed, of 1.yme. Conn. : Flijah, who was a carpenter by trade. employed many years in the Norwich & Worces-

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ter Railroad shops, at Norwich, where he died, and who married Ann Webb Hinckley ; Lydia, who mar- ried Horace Bromley, now a retired farmer of East Norwich ; Levi, a farmer in Preston, where he died, who married Ann Webb Hinkley ; Lydia, who mar- ried Wilcox Barber, and died in Providence, R. I .; Jacob Dwight ; Esther, who married Willett Roath, .of New London, and died there ; and a son that died in infancy. After the death of his first wife Seabry N. Benjamin married Mrs. Phebe (Maine) Mitchell, of North Stonington, Conn., with whom he passed twenty years of happy wedded life.

Jacob Dwight Benjamin was born July 2, 1838, in the town of Preston, and received his education in the schools of the Long Society District, leaving same when about sixteen years of age. He then began farming on the old homestead place, where he remained until his marriage. In 1867 he pur- chased the Deacon Gates farm, in Preston, consist- ing of 100 acres, and here he resided for a long time, making extensive improvements, and greatly enhancing the natural beauty of the place by his exceeding great care and his neat buildings. At the end of twenty-seven years he purchased the Dea- con Gustavus Andrews farm of sixty acres, located in Preston and on the Preston City road, whither he removed, conducting, however, both farms. He has in all about 260 acres of rich land, a large por- tion of which is in a good state of cultivation.

On Feb. 7, 1859, Mr. Benjamin was married to Harriet Emeline Main, born Sept. 14, 1841, in North Stonington, daughter of Nathaniel and Mary A. (Frink) Main, of North Stonington, and to this union have been born children as follows: (I) Charles Henry, born Nov. 26, 1859, is a thrifty and prosperous farmer of Preston. On March 21, 1883, he married Georgia Belle Park, of Lebanon, and they have five children-Clara Belle, born Dec. 5, 1884 (married Aug. 15, 1903, George Ansell Pen- dleton, of Preston) ; Hattie Alice, Oct. 30, 1887; Herbert Henry, Sept. 23, 1890; and Ethel Meribah and Edith Marian (twins), July 14, 1899. (2) Mary Esther, born March 4, 1865, married March 4, 1886, Belfield O. Davis, of Preston, and died Nov. 2, 1886. (3) Everett Dwight, born Oct. 23, 1870, is employed in stone quarrying in Westerly, R. I. On Nov. 6, 1896, he married Bessie M. Brooks, of New York, and they have one son, Fred White, born July 30, 1899. (4) Nettie Belle, born June 17, 1882, married Aug. 1, 1903, Amasa Mor- gan Maine, son of Isaac Maine, of North Stoning- ton, Conn., and they now reside in Preston, on the Deacon Gates farm.

When he was eighteen years of age Mr. Benja- min had his right hand caught in a threshing ma- chine, and as a result lost all the fingers on that hand, but this after a short time ceased to inconven- ience him about his work. He is naturally adapt- able, and he soon was able to accomplish very nearly if not quite as much as before his accident. In political faith he is a Democrat, but he is not strictly

partisan in local affairs, and he, himself, is disin- clined to the holding of office. He and his wife attend the Preston City Baptist Church, Mrs. Ben- jamin being a member of the Second Baptist Church in North Stonington. Their home is a hos- pitable one, and they are highly esteemed in the community in which they have so long resided.

STANDISH. In maternal lines Mr. Benjamin is a member of the Standish family, planted in Amer- ica with the landing of the Pilgrims in 1620. Miles Standish, of Plymouth and Duxbury, Mass., came in the "Mayflower" in 1620, with his wife Rose, who died Jan. 29, 1621. He early became a leading man in the Plymouth Colony. He was chosen cap- tain in 1621, and conducted all the expeditions against the Indians, continuing in the military service of the Colony his whole life. He was also prominent in the civil affairs of the Colony. His death occurred Oct. 3, 1656. His children, all born to a second wife, Barbara, who probably came in the "Ann," 1623, were: Alexander, Charles, John, Miles, Josiah, Lora and Charles.

(II) Josiah Standish married (first) Dec. 19, 1654, Mary, daughter of John Dingley, of Marsh- field. He removed to East Bridgewater and was lieutenant of a company there. He returned to Dux- bury, and was selectman, deputy and captain. In 1686 he removed to Norwich, Conn., and in 1687 bought 150 acres. He died March 19, 1690. By his first wife, Mary, and his second wife, Sarah, daugh- ter of Samuel Allen, of Braintree, he had Miles, Josiah, Samuel, Israel, Mary, Lois, Mehetabel, Martha and Mercy.

(III) Samuel Standish, born at Duxbury, Mass., about 1680, lived at both Norwich and Preston, Conn. He married (first) June 5, 1710, Deborah, perhaps daughter of George Gates, of East Had- dam, Conn., and (second) Jan. 5, 1745, Mrs. Han- nah Park, who died Nov. 25, 1757. His children were: Deborah, born Dec. 27, 1711; Samuel, Dec. 5, 1713 ; Lois, Jan. 9, 1717; Sarah, Jan. 20, 1719; Israel, March 5, 1722; and Thomas, May 12, 1724.

(IV) Israel Standish, born March 5, 1721-22, married (first) March 5, 1745, Content Ellis, of Preston, Conn., and ( second) Dec. 25, 1760, Dorcas Bellows. He died March 4, 1802. By his wife Content he had children as follows: Hannah, born Nov. 3, 1746; Israel, Oct. 22, 1748; Elisha, May 24, 1750; Jonas, Nov. 3, 1751; Nathan, Sept. 27, 1753; Amasa, Jan. 8, 1756. By his wife Dorcas his children were: Silas, Sept. 1I, 1762; Levi, May 24, 1764; Sarah, Nov. 15, 1766; and Dorcas, Nov. 19, 1768. His first six children were all born in East Norwich, and the others in Preston, Con- necticut.

(V) Levi Standish, born May 24, 1764, in Pres- ton, married (first) Eunice Fellows, (second) Jan. II, 1821, Susan Fitch, and (third) Aug. 4, 1834, Widow Eunice Chapman, of Groton, Conn. His wife Eunice ( Fellows) bore him the following chil- dren : Polly, born Nov. 16, 1785; Betsey, Oct. 15

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1788; Eunice, Jan. 2, 1790; Silas, July 23, 1791 ; Harriet, May 7, 1794; Lucy, June 7, 1799 (married June 6, 1819, Seabry N. Benjamin).

SEBASTIAN DUFFY LAWRENCE, philan- thropist, public-spirited citizen, and one of the wealthiest men of Connecticut, was born Dec. 20, 1823, in New London, and comes of a family whose history is interwoven with that of the country.

When New London was noted as being the best known whaling and sealing port of America, no name was more prominently identified with the whaling and sealing industries than that of Law- rence. In fact the name of Joseph Lawrence, the firm of Lawrence & Winer, and the firm of Law- rence Bros., whaling merchants, were well known in almost every port of the world. The last men- tioned firm is now represented in New London by Sebastian D. Lawrence, president of the National Whaling Bank, an institution founded by his father.

Joseph Lawrence was born Jan. 12, 1788, in Venice, Italy, where he remained until sixteen years of age, when he set sail for America, first settling in Baltimore, Md., from which port he fol- lowed the sea for several years, during which time he had command of a vessel plying in the East Indies and China trade. After several years on the water, he settled in Savannah, Ga., and there estab- lished himself in the shipping business. Here he remained until 1819, when he sold out and came to New London, where he had married during a trip to that city. Soon after locating at New London. Mr. Lawrence established himself in the commer- cial business and for many years successfully con- ducted the whaling and sealing general commerce business, having as many as fifteen vessels plying the high seas at one time. His business tact and enterprise were probably inherited from his Vene- tian father, who was a very well-to-do merchant. and Mr. Lawrence lived to become himself a very successful man, and to lay the foundation of an im- inense fortune. During his career as a whaling merchant, his largest production from a single voy- age was from the "Atlantic," which returned from the Ochotsk sea with a cargo of 6,500 barrels of whale oil, and 80,000 pounds of whale bone. The vessel was under command of Capt. William Beck, of Stonington. This excellent man died upon the vessel before its return to port. This vessel, the "At- lantic," was the first American whaler to enter the Ochotsk Sea, and after this success became known. the following season more than thirty whaling ves- sels entered those waters and met with success.

Joseph Lawrence continued actively in business until 1847, when he retired, and was succeeded In his sons. In political faith, he was a Democrat. and held some of the town offices, he being at all times a very stanch party man. He attended the Episcopal Church, and he always gave it his lib- cral support. He built Lawrence Hall, the Ex- change building and several other substantial build-

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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 170

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