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 182

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 182

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HENRY NELSON FORD, one of the substan- tial farmers and most highly esteemed citizens of Bozrah, New London county, is a native of that locality, born Nov. 18, 1836, on Bashan Hill.

Joseph Ford, his grandfather, was a farmer, and resided in Bozrah, where he died. He was twice married, and by the first union had two sons and one daughter. For his second wife he mar- ried Rebecca Bradford, who survived him, reach- ing the age of ninety, and they had nine children : (1) Joseph, who was a farmer in Bozrah, married (first) Nabby Leffingwell and (second) Pama Lathrop. (2) Benjamin also married twice. He lived at Greeneville, New London county. (3) Samuel Sherwood, father of Henry N., is mentioned below. (4) Hannah never married. (5) Parthena married Charles Avery, a carpenter and farmer, and they resided in Bozrah. (6) Sarah became the wife of Joseph Leffingwell, and resided in Westches- ter, Conn. (7) Eleanor never married. (8) Millie married Amos Gardner, and resided in Bozrah. (9) Eunice married John Leffingwell, of Bozrah.

Samuel Sherwood Ford was born in Bozrah and passed all his life in that town. Agriculture was his life work, and he received a thorough training on the home farm, where he lived until a year after his marriage. He then moved to a farm near his uncle Joseph, which he acquired partly by inherit- ance and partly by purchase, and lived there a num- ber of years, after which he bought a farm 011 Bashan Hill, in Bozrah, where he passed the re- mainder of his days. He was a hard-working man,

and prospered in his agricultural operations, being quite well-to-do at the time of his death, which oc- curred July 20, 1850, when he was fifty-four years old. Mr. Ford devoted himself to his farm work, and took no active part in public affairs, caring nothing for official honors. He was a Whig in political sentiment. His religious connection was with the Scott Hill Baptist Church, and he was an interested worker in all church matters.

On Jan. 13, 1822, Samuel S. Ford was married,. in Montville, to Sarah Maples, who was born in Montville, daughter of Stephen Maples, and died Aug. 24, 1863, aged sixty-seven years. To this union came seven children, of whom we have the following record : (1) Eunice Bradford, born Nov. 26, 1822, is the widow of William Kinney, a farmer, and resides on Scott Hill, in Bozrah. They were the parents of four children-Mary J., who mar- ried Erastus M. Caulkins, and died in Lyme, Conn., leaving two sons, William E. and John E .; Jennie F., Mrs. Dwight H. Loomis, of Bozrah (she has one daughter, Maude B.) ; Sarah M., who married Arthur Crocker and died in Niantic (she had one daughter, Edna) ; and Nancy A., who lives with her mother. (2) Mary Ann, born Aug. 28, 1824, married Joseph Kingsley, who was a mason by trade. They lived in Norwich, where Mrs. Kingsley died May 4, 1870. Their son, George J., married Car- rie Lucas, and resides in Norwich. (3) Olive Ma- ples, born Sept. 16, 1826, married Charles P. Adams, a carpenter by trade, who is now retired. He served as a soldier in the Civil war, and lost a leg .. while, in the service. Mr. and Mrs. Adams live in East Aurora, N. Y. They have had four children -Charles, who married and has one son, Edward, who is principal of a school in East Aurora; J. Franklin, a merchant in Buffalo, N. Y. (he is mar- ried and has one daughter, Ruth) ; Alice, wife of John Lynn, who has two sons, John and Harvey; and Nellie. (4) Sherwood Harvey, born Dec. 28, 1828, was an engineer in the government steamboat service, served in the Civil war, and died in April, 1864. He married Martha Burke, and their only child, John H., married Alice Maples, and has one son, Harry. John H. Ford is an ice dealer in Nor- wich. (5) John Leffingwell, born April 4, 1832, went to California in 1849, married a lady from that State, and died inJuly, 1881. (6) Samuel Joel, born March 5, 1835, went to Missouri when a young man, and at last reports, a few years ago, was still living there. (7) Nenry Nelson, born Nov. 18, 1836, is mentioned below.

Henry Nelson Ford was born on Bashan Hill, and attended the district schools in that neighbor- hood until fifteen years old, after he was twelve, however, going only a few months in the winter time. He was only fourteen when his father died, and as the older boys left home early he was but sixteen when he and his mother took full charge of the cultivation of the home place. Though re- sponsibilities came to him early he never shirked,

Henry Nelson Ford

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but proved himself equal to every emergency, and his later life has been marked by the same independ- ent characteristic. He remained at home until a year after his marriage, when he moved to Fitch- ville, and for one year was employed as boss farmer for Asa Fitch. Then, in 1863. he purchased his present farm from Gurdon Abel, and there he has since resided. This place, which consists of 100 acres of good land, has been much improved under his management, the house has been remodeled, all the other buildings have been put up by him, and the place is a credit to the owner in every respect. In addition to general agriculture Mr. Ford has for the past twenty years been engaged in the fire wood business, and in getting out rock maple wood, which latter he ships to the Hamilton Manufacturing Co., at Three Rivers, Wis., who use it in the manufac- ture of wood type. The Hamilton Co. succeeded William H. Page, of Norwich, who was for many years engaged in the manufacture of type, Mr. Ford selling him much of the rock maple he used in his business. Our subject has cut this timber over a radius of five miles from his home. He has ever been a hard-working man, directing his labors with that intelligence and good judgment that bring suc- cess, and he owes no little of his material prosperity to the efficient co-operation of his wife, who has in- deed been a faithful helpmeet. As a man of high integrity he enjoys the confidence of his fellow cit- izens generally, and he has been chosen for several offices of trust, having served his town as assessor and member of the board of relief, and his district as representative in the State Legislature in 1885. During his term in that body he was a member of the committee on Temperance. His political sup- port has always been given to the Republican party. Mr. Ford's service in the various positions to which he was elected amply justified the support he re- ceived at the polls and gave general satisfaction, In 1900 Mlr. Ford circulated a petition in his neighbor- hood for the establishment of a post office at Scott Hill, and when it was opened in the fall of that year he was appointed postmaster by President MeKin- ley. He held the position for several months before resigning.

On Jan. 19, 1861, Mr. Ford was married, in Bozrahı, to Elizabeth Jane Hammond, who was born Dec. 1. 1838, in Bozrah, daughter of William A. and Mary Am (Avery) Hammond, and to this union came two daughters : Mary M., born Ang. 27, 1866, and Grace Elizabeth, born May 15. 1875. The latter died May 16, 1875. Mary M. attended Bacon Academy, at Colchester, and taught school in her native district and in the Bliven district, in Salem, before her marriage, on Oct. 28, 1885. to William H. Whiteman, of Coventry. R. I. They have had one son, George Henry, born Jan. 19. 1887, who died Dec. 21, 1903 : he was a most prom- ising young man, of unusual intellectual capacity. Mr. Whiteman is a carriage maker, and they reside at Hopeville. Com., in the town of Griswold, New

London county. Mr. Ford is a member of the Bozrahville Congregational Church, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Church at Gardner's Lake, in the work of which organization she has been quite active, having served as president of the Ladies Aid Society. Their daughter, Mrs. White- man, is a member of the Jewett City Baptist Church. and is president of the Ladies Aid Society auxiliary to that church. Mr. and Mrs. Ford have an hos- pitable, Christian home, from which good cheer and kindliness are dispensed to a wide circle of friends, by whom they are held in loving esteem.

MAPLES. On the maternal side Mr. Ford is a de- scendant of Stephen Maples, who was among the earliest settlers on lands of the North Parish of New London (now Montville ), his name first ap- pearing on the records in 1712. He resided in the north part of the town, near the Norwich line, where many of his descendants afterward lived, and (lied Aug. 25, 1755. About 1718 Stephen Maples married Patience Fargo, and he and his wife united with the church at North Parish on April 24. 1726. Their children were: John, born Sept. 15, 1719; Stephen, Oct. 1, 1721 ; Sarah, April 22, 1724: Will- iam, June 15. 1727 : and Mary, Dec. 2, 1729.

John Maples, son of Stephen, was married May 12. 1743. to Sarah Hurlburt, who died July 29. 1797. He died July 2, 1798. He was a farmer, and lived on the homestead in North Parish. Chil- dren: John, born June 5. 1744: Stephen. Jan. 3. 1749: Susanna. Jan. 2. 1751 : Joshma, June. 1753: David. Feb. 3. 1755: Sarah, Dec. 19. 1757: Am, May 14. 1760: Josiah, May 15, 1762: and Andrew, July 23. 1764.

Stephen Maples, son of John, born Jan. 3. 1740. married Bathsheba - , who died Feb. 5. 1810. and he subsequently married Lydia Vergason. She survived him, and became the wife of Benjamin Babcock. Mr. Maples passed away May 3. 1820. By his first wife, Bathsheba, he was the father of seven children, namely: Stephen, born in 175: John, born in 1778: David, born April 10, 1781. who married Louisa Lefingwell : Olive, born May 1,3. 1783. who died unmarried : Benjamin, born May 3. 1785: Asa, born .Aug. 4. 1788; and Sarah, who be- came the wife of Samuel S. Ford. By the second wife. Lydia, there was one child. Fhza J .. who mar. ried a Mr. tioff.

JAMES ALBERT CHOK, a prosperous farme- of Preston, New London county, now living m retirement, is a descendant of one of the early set- thers of Preston, the founder of one of the most prominent families in the place. He is of the seventh generation in direct line from Gregory Cooke, the American ancestor, through Adını, Isaiah, James, John and Stephen

(1) Gregory Cooke came to America from Eng land, and from 100g to Hoo was a resident of Cam- bridgeville, near Newton, Mass, on the south side of the Charles river, in the Massachusetts Bay Col-

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ony. He built and occupied a house at what is now known as Angier's Corner, Newton, Mass., and his descendants continued to live there until the Revo- lutionary war. The homestead farm extended from Angier's Corner, along the Charles river to Water- town bridge. Gregory Cooke was a shoemaker by trade, and followed that occupation in connection with his farming interests. His first wife, Mary, died in August, 1681, and he married (second) in November of the same year, Susanna Goodwin, a widow. By his first wife he had one son, Stephen, and a daughter Susanna, who died Nov. 13, 1674. Gregory Cooke died Jan. I, 1690-91.

(II) Stephen Cooke was born in 1647, in Eng- land, and came with his father to America, settling with his father in Cambridgeville. He was Deacon in Mr. Bailey's church, full communion, in Water- town. His name appeared on the list of petitioners to the General Court, in 1678, for the setting off of Cambridgeville as a new town. The town thus set off took the name of Newton, of which place Ste- phen Cooke appears as a selectman in 1697, 1698, 1708 and 1716. On Nov. 19, 1679, he married Re- becca Flagg, daughter of Thomas Flagg, of Water- town, who had come to America with Richard Car- ver. Mrs. Cooke was born in Watertown, Sept. 5, 1660, and died June 20, 1721, Mr. Cooke living until 1738. Their children were: Mary, Stephen, Isaac, John, James, Samuel, Peter and Daniel

(III) John Cooke was born in Newton, Mass., March 15, 1686-87, and settled in Preston, Conn., in or about the year 1710. He married in Water- town, Mass., Dec. 6, 1715, Ruth, daughter of James Barton, a Boston merchant, whose home was in Newton. John Cooke was a farmer, and a promi- nent citizen of Preston. In 1719 he was one of the two grand jurors of the town ; in 1730-38 a select- man ; in 1731-32, and 1735-38, he was deputy from Preston, to the General Assembly of the Colony ; in 1736 he was justice of the peace; and in 1737 town agent. He died in Preston, Aug. 22, 1762, and his wife passed away there, June 27, 1771. Their children, all born between the years 1717 and 1733, were as follows: James, Margaret, Isaiah, Thad- deus, Ruth, John, Abigail, Elizabeth, Margery and Barton.

(IV) James Cooke, eldest child of John Cooke, was born in Preston Jan. 1, 1717. He spent his life in his native place, where he combined the occupa- tions of farmer and clothier. He married (first) Rebecca Larrabee, who was born in 1721, and who died Nov. 28, 1748. His second wife was a Miss Parks. The date of her death, as well as that of her husband, are unknown to their posterity. The chil- dren of James Cook by his first wife were: Daniel and Isaiah; and by his second wife, Nathan, Ste- phen, Elisha and Eliphalet.

(V) Isaiah Cook, second son of James Cook, was born in Preston, Feb. 16, 1741, and like his father was a farmer and clothier. He married, March 21, 1765, Mary, daughter of Samuel Palmer,

a farmer of Norwich. Mr. Cook died in Preston, Feb. 10, 1803. The children born to him were as follows: (1) Ephraim, born in 1765, who settled in Washington county, N. Y .: (2) James, born in 1768, who became a manufacturer in Preston, where he lived and died (his son, Dwight Wight Cook, was the father of Ida Amelia, who became the wife of George S. Palmer, of Norwich) ; (3) Daniel,. born in 1769: (4) Chester, born in 1772, who set- tled in Washington county, N. Y .; (5) Rebecca, born in 1775, who married, and went to live in Washington county, N. Y. ; (6) Samuel, born in 1776; (7) Adin, born in 1779, who is mentioned below: (8) Isaiah, born in 1781, who also settled in Washington county, N. Y .: (9) John Larrabee, born in 1783, who settled on the Western Reserve, in Trumbull county, Ohio: (10) Mary, born in 1785 ; and (II) Palmer, born in 1787.

(VI) Adin Cook, son of Isaiah, and father of James Albert Cook, was born in Preston, May 27, 1779, and there he died in January, 1840. In early life he learned the trade of carder and cloth dresser, in the then well-known Cook mill, in Preston. After following this occupation for a number of years, he purchased, in 1806, the farm on which his son, James Albert, now resides, which he carried on with great success until his death. Although he started out in life a poor boy, his industry and steady application to business enabled him to acquire con- siderable property, and he left an estate valued at over $13,000, which for those times was quite a fortune. In politics Mr. Cook was identified with the old Whig party, and always took a keen interest in political issues, although he was never an office seeker. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. In fraternal matters he was an active Mason, a mem- ber of St. James Lodge, of Preston City, of which he was master for several years. Although not a member of any church he gave liberally towards the building fund of Preston City Congregational Church. In disposition he was a man of jovial good nature, and enjoyed the respect of all who knew him. Physically he possessed a robust constitution, and his untimely death was caused by an accident in which he was crushed under the body of a horse.

Adin Cook married (first) March 2, 1806, Esther, daughter of Jeremiah Halsey, of Preston, and they had five children. Mrs. Esther (Halsey) Cook died Sept. 1I, 1817, in Preston, and Mr. Cook married (second) April 25, 1822, Sarah C. (Tyler) Cushman, daughter of James and Sarah (Cushman) Tyler, of Preston. Five children were born to this second marriage. The children of the first marriage were as follows: (1) Mary Ann, born Jan. 8, 1807, married John D. Geer, of Griswold (both de- ceased). Three of their four children are living. (2) Warren, born Oct. 26, 1808, was a farmer in Preston, where he lived and died. He married, and had three children, none of whom are living. (3) Pauline, born March 20, 1810, married a Mr. Gor- don, and died at Waterproof Landing, La., leaving

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no family. (4) John Jay, born Jan. 7, 1814, died, unmarried, at the age of forty-seven, in Norwich. For sixteen years he had been in the employ of the Norwich & Worcester Railway Co. (5) Esther Cordelia, born May 12, 1816, is still living in Nor- wich, unmarried. The children of the second mar- riage were: (6) Adin Tyler, born April 19, 1823. died in West Newbury, Mass. He was a "Yankee notion" peddler, and accumulated considerable prop- erty. He married Jane Chase, and died at the age of thirty-one, leaving one daughter, with whom the mother now makes her home, in Haverhill, Mass. (7) Henry Eckford, born May 27, 1825. died in Preston, at the age of fourteen. (8) Rosaltha Ade- laide, born March 17, 1828, is the childless widow of Asa E. Smith, a wholesale shoe dealer of Haver- hill, Mass. (9) James Albert, born Oct. 4, 1829, is the subject of this sketch. (10) Sarah Ellen, born July 17, 1831, died in Preston at the age of fourteen.

(VII) James Albert Cook was born in Preston, on the farm where he still resides, Oct. 4, 1829. He attended the district schools of his native town, and spent about a ycar and a half at school in Pa n- fret, Conn., after which he entered the Academy at Andover, Mass. He was so homesick, however, that he remained at the Academy only one day. When he was eighteen he left school, and going to Boston, established a milk route, which he carried on for about three years. He then became a whole- sale silk peddler, and for about a year traveled over the greater part of the New England States in that capacity. He then settled down in Vermont, where hc bought 100 acres of timber land, and for ten years was successfully engaged in the lumber busi- ncss. In 1860 he returned to Preston, purchased the homestead farm, and built the home which he has ever since occupied. He owns about to5 acres of land, which are kept in a high state of cultiva- tion.

On Sept. 18, 1858, Mr. Cook married Emily Jane Tyler, daughter of Benjamin and Jane ( Dem- mon ) Tyler, of Tunbridge, Vt. The children born to this union are as follows: ( 1) Jennie Tyler, who is unmarried, and lives at home with her parents ; and (2) Sarah Cushman, who married John Thomas, a farmer of Lebanon, Conn., and is the mother of four children: Hattie, John, Joseph and James. Mr. Cook has been a Mason since 1851. and is a member of Somerset Lodge, No. 34. of Norwich. In politics he is a Republican : he has hold the position of tax collector in Preston for several years, has been a member of the board of relief and of the board of assessors, and served as justice of the peace for several years. He was also a member of the school committee for about eight teen years. The early death of his father threw Mr. Cook upon his own resources when he was but a boy ; and his success is due to his own minded efforts, his perseverance and industry. The Cook family was one of the carbest of those that settled in Preston, and its members have always been pros-

inent citizens of the town. MI. and Mrs. Cook have a common ancestor in their great-grandfather,. James Tyler, who was a veteran of the Revolution, and received a pension, which was continued to his widow after his death.

J. HENRY KING, ex-selectman. and one of the leading citizens of the town of Franklin. comes of an old and respected family of-Connecticut.

Joseph King, his grandfather. was a sea-faring man, and resided in Saybrook, Conn .. for many years, and later in his old age he moved to Lyme. Conn., where he died at an a lvanced age. He mar- ried Jane Lay, whom he survived for many years. They had a large family of children.

Capt. Joseph King, father of our subject, was born in 1796, in Lyme, Conn., and his early life was spent therc. When a boy of ten years his mother dicd, and he went to Colchester. Com .. and made his home with Elkanah Williams, a carpenter, and there he remained until after he had learnel his trade, working as a journeyman until his marriage. After this important event, he moved to Goshen Hill, in the town of Lebanon, where he had pur- chased a small farm, and he operated it. and at the same time carried on his trade. For over forts years he was a successful carpenter and builder. doing work in Lebanon, Norwich and the surroim 1- ing towns, employing many journeymen and ap- prentices. He was widely known as a most sie- cessful man in his line. and an honest werker, gam- ing the confidence of all with whom he had bitsi- ness transactions. About ten years prior to his death, he abandoned working at his trade, and died on the farm above mentione 1. in isgo. agol about

ninety-four years. During his long and useint hic he never used tobacco in any form, or I fer. md considered that he owed his strength nel freder

from disease to these facts. His death was die to paralytic stroke about a week prior to his delle In politics he was a Whig, but later became a Ke publican, and he held a number of the town others In religions matters he was a consistent moet het sit the Congregational Church of Goshen. Fo jeans years he was captain of the Ichmin eshape of local militia.

Capt. Joseph King marrie | Abby Shople . Lomu in lebanon, daughter of Sith Shelly . al ther children were as follows 1za 13 0 0 1 .01 1 Prentis O. Smith, a rostlin 1 married John Daen Smith el dem X reale. Com , Jerenn h maruel Labs Laill. wes & plivs- cian and practice 1 mb Willseetitle Whil tam bem Joseph Fonds named Sich Die 8 00 jenter and real Em Vw Hele tem

John O Gross, restles at Both Hill in the town Norwich, and | Hans (ht high ki - rel, Mis Abby Herrick, of Coral Villes for his second wife, god the service. fim and ises m

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

that place. One child was born of second mar- riage, Josephine, who married a Mr. Davidson, and lives in Oxford, Connecticut.

J. Henry King was born April 13, 1841, in Leb- anon, Goshen Society. He attended the common district school, and for a short time went to the Leb- anon high school, kept by Dr. Fitch. He began to learn the trade of carpenter at the age of eighteen, under his father, and with him worked for about four years, and then went to Hartford, where he was employed as a journeyman for three years. At the expiration of that time he went to Chicago, Ill., and was employed there for two years, after which he went to Roanoke, Howard Co., Mo., and was there a year. From that place he went to Lebanon and engaged at his trade, and was thus engaged in Lebanon and vicinity for about eighteen years. At times he employed a number of men and appren- tices, but in 1885 he moved to his present location, and has since been employed in farming, although he still carries on a little contracting, principally for old customers. Among other important contracts executed by him may be mentioned the new Goshen church edifice. His farm is a very extensive one, and he devotes it to general farming, fruit grow- ing and dairying, being very successful.

Mr. King was married first in Goshen to Phebe E. Peckham, of South Kingston, R. I., daughter of James H. and Mary (Tripp) Peckham. Mrs. King died Feb. 3, 1884, aged forty-two years. Three children were born to them: Alice E., who died at the age of four years; Mary E., who died at the age of eight years ; and Elsie S. The second wife of Mr. King was Mrs. Lucy Jane Loomis, widow of Alonzo Loomis, and daughter of Levi Allen, of North Windham. No children were born of this union.

In politics Mr. King is a Republican, and in 1885 he was a representative from Lebanon, and served on the committee on Manufactures. In 1902 he served as the delegate from Franklin to the Constitutional Convention. In 1893 he was chosen first selectman of the town, which office he held con- tinuously until October, 1903, when he declined an- other term. He also served on the board of relief in Franklin for two years, and in all of his offices has given the most entire satisfaction, proving himself an honorable, faithful and painstaking of- ficial. Mr. King has been a member of the Goshen Congregational Church, and his first wife was con- nected with the same denomination. The present Mrs. King is a very consistent member of the Bap- tist Church. Few men stand any higher in public esteem than does Mr. King, and the success which has crowned his efforts is certainly well merited.

JAMES THOMAS WILBUR, agent and gen- eral superintendent of the American Thread Com- pany's plant at Glasgo, in the town of Griswold, has been connected with the mills there for over twenty years. In that relation as well as in his deal-

ings with his fellow men in other spheres of action, he has become one of the best known and most re- spected citizens of that section.

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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 182

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