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 82
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Lyman Lester Chapman passed his boyhood days mostly in Ledyard, where he attended the dis- trict schools and with the exception of one winter, in North Stonington, his schooling was all received in his native town. He received the customary training of farmers' sons of his time, and early in life had a good practical knowledge of hard work- during the winter season, attending school, and in summer at work on the farm. When a young man of about seventeen years he went to Litchfield county, Conn., and took the position of overseer on a farm in the town of Goshen. Remaining there some time, he went to Toledo, Ohio, where for a short time he was engaged in a manufacturing busi- ness. This venture not proving a success, young Chapman entered the employ of what was then the American Union Telegraph Company in the con- struction and repair department. He was in this line of work for about eight years, during which time he returned to Connecticut and was employed by the Western Union Telegraph Company. In the latter eighties he purchased the livery business of Oliver R. Buddington at No. 160 West Main street, Norwich, and which represented his begin- ning in that line of business. At that time his stock consisted of three horses. His push and energy were soon evident in the growth of the business, which in 1891 was removed to its present location on Bath street and where at that time was pur- chased and added the livery stock of D. S. Tweedy. Subsequent growth and additions brought about the extensive business now conducted, which includes not only a general livery and boarding business, but the most extensive harness and saddlery busi- ness in New London county; a large and strictly up-to-date horseshoeing business, and a carriage and wagon repository. Any one of the different de- partments, represents in itself, a modern institution, and taken together in their close relation, form a strong combination not equalled in the State.
Mr. Chapman maintains a personal knowledge of the workings of each department, which, with his natural adaptation, and close attention to the busi- ness, makes his success merited. The livery depart- ment contains from forty to fifty horses, each one kept for some particular use and representing the various types of horseflesh required to suit the numerous patrons of such an extensive and well- kept livery barn. During the summer seasons Mr. Chapman conducts a livery barn at Eastern Point, Conn. Mr. Chapman has made his business a study, and few can as readily detect a flaw and its remedy. He has built it up from its modest beginning and is constantly on the alert for improvements.
'III wh
356
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In public affairs Mr. Chapman simply takes a citizens' interest. Politically he is a Republican, and fraternally, an Elk.
Mr. Chapman was first married to Miss Ora Davidson, of Goshen, Conn., and Miss Eldora, now a teacher in the High Street School, Norwich, is the only living child of this marriage. He mar- ried (second) Miss Lizzie Lucas, of Poquetanuck, Conn., and their only child is Carrie Lucas.
DYER LORENZO CHESEBROUGH. The Chesebrough family, of which the late Dyer Lorenzo Chesebrough, in his day so well and favorably known in Norwich, New London county, was de- scended, is one of the oldest in New England. It dates back to the days of
(I) William Chesebrough, who was born in 1594, and who, on Dec. 15, 1620, at St. Botolph's Church, Boston, England, married Anne Stevenson, daughter of Peter. He was a resident of Boston for a decade or more prior to his emigration to New England in 1630, whence he went in the "Ar- bella," one of the fleet which carried over the Massa- chusetts Bay Colony. Mr. and Mrs. Chesebrough were original members of the First Church of Bos- ton, Mass., of which Mr. Chesebrough was a dea- con. He was a prominent and active man, and he took a leading part in bringing into orderly form the inhabitants of Braintree, Rehoboth and Stoning- ton. He went to Braintree in about 1637, where he and wife were members of the Church in 1639, and which settlement he represented in the General Court. Later he went to the Rehoboth settlement, and still later to Pequot (New London), and built a dwelling house at the head of Wequetequock Cove, on the west side of the cove, in Pawcatuck. With wife and four sons, in 1649, he removed to it. Here, later, with Thomas Stanton, Walter Palmer and Thomas Miner, they became the founders of Ston- ington, Conn. Mr. Chesebrough was deputy to the General Court from Pequot in 1653-54, 1655 and 1656, and from Stonington in 1664. He died in June, 1667, and his wife died in August, 1673, at the age of seventy-five. Their three children, who lived to manhood and married, were: Samuel, Na- thaniel and Elisha.
(II) Nathaniel Chesebrough, born Jan. 25, 1630, in Boston, England, married in 1659, Hannah, born May 20, 1643, daughter of George and Bridget (Thompson) Denison. Mr. Chesebrough was one of the first nine members of the First Church of Stonington. His wife was received into the Church in 1643. Mr. Chesebrough served in the Colonial Indian wars. He was one of the signers of the Pawcatuck Articles, 1658, a freeman 1666, and served as selectman 1675. His children, all born in Stonington, were: Anna, Sarah, Nathaniel, Bridget, Hannah, Samuel, Margaret and Mary. Mr. Chese- brough died Nov. 22, 1678.
(III) Capt. Nathaniel Chesebrough (2), born April 14, 1666, married Jan. 13, 1692, Sarah Stan-
ton, born 1673, daughter of Thomas Stantor (r., and his wife, Sarah (Denison). Mr. Chesebi trh served as a lieutenant in King Philip's war. H vas deputy to the General Court from Stoningtin 1698, and was a captain in the militia in 1705. He was admitted to the First Church Sept. 14, [.1, and his wife Sept. 21st, of that same year. He died April 8, 1732. His children were: S h. Sarah (2), Hannah, Nathaniel, Thankful nd Nathan.
(IV) Capt. and Deacon Nathan Chesebr h, born Aug. 2, 1707, married Nov. 23, 1727, Bilet Noyes, and both were members of the Stoni: bon Church, of which he was a deacon. Capt. Cfe- brough was an extensive landholder and left to sch of his five sons a large farm. He died Augto, 1769. His children were: Nathan, Sarah, Ketth, Nathaniel, Peleg, Robert, Coddington, Br fet, James, Ann, James (2) and William.
(V) Capt. Nathan Chesebrough (2), born for. 14, 1728, married Dec. 6, 1752, Ann- Stanton, Ern March 22, 1732, in Stonington, daughter of Thhas and Thankful (Denison) Stanton, and their bil- dren, all born in Stonington, were: Anna, bof in 1753; Nathaniel, born July 30, 1755 : Abigail, born July 10, 1757; Nathan, born Oct. 8, 1759; Iez, born March 2, 1762; Bridget, born May 9, 04; Elam, born Aug. 10, 1767; Thomas, born J.] 2, 1770; Dorothy, born Feb. 7, 1773; and Ed rd, born Feb. 4, 1775.
(VI) Capt. Perez Chesebrough, born Mar 2, 1762, married in June, 1785, Priscilla Thon fon, who died in March, 1842. Their children re: Jedediah, born Oct. 21, 1787; Martha, born J | 3, 1790; Elam, born Nov. 9, 1791, in Noich : Julia T., born Nov. 28, 1794; Dolly, who fied in infancy ; Ann, born Aug. 23, 1797; Eunic .V., born March 10, 1800; Caroline L., born A}| 5, 1802; Patrick H. L., born March 8, 1807, in oz- rah; and Frances M., born Nov. 7, 1809, al in Bozrah, Conn. (others are all in Stoni con, Conn.). Capt. Perez Chesebrough was the crain and part owner of a vessel sailing from Ston ton in the West India trade. About 1800 he ga up the sea and located in Norwich. Buying afirm he engaged in general farming the remainder his life. His death occurred Jan. 10, 1851, in Blah, and he was buried there. He served as a : lier in both the war of the Revolution, and the v of 1812. With the exception of his eyesight, whi he lost some few years before his death, his fa tics remained undimmed.
(VII) Elam Chesebrough, born Nov. 9, I; . 111 Norwich, Conn., married, Feb. 19, 1822, in vor- wich, Betsey M. Huntington, daughter of eph and Nancy (Morgan) Huntington, of No ich. Mr. Chesebrough died April 30, 1867, and w laid to rest in Yantic cemetery. Mrs. Chesel ugh passed away in Norwich, Aug. 3, 1869.
Their children were: Nancy H., born June 4, 182; who married John Maples, and is living totally bll, in
yer T. Coheselrough.
357
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Torw ; Sarah L. C., born Feb. 27, 18-, who mar- ed fit Dr. Samuel Maynard, second Rev. D. Filler, and died in Mystic; Eunice, who died Henry t six nd d
ars of age ; Elam P. A., born June 25, 1832, at Rochester, N. Y .; and Dyer Lorenzo, 1. 24, 1834. Elam Chesebrough was nine orn age when brought by his parents to Nor- ears ich, ere he grew to manhood. He was engaged ng all his life. Removing to the town of 1 far rank he bought a large farm where he was liv-
ng at e time of his death.
Dy Lorenzo Chesebrough, son of Elam, at- endeche district schools at East Great Plain, and rom ly boyhood he worked on the home farm, nd efaged in selling milk. He was naturally tudio however, and managed to acquire a good ducat 1. For a few terms he taught school in the own ered t
ered Iain ith amin or fiv he sit
Franklin. At the age of nineteen he en- : employ of Lee & Lathrop, driving a meat agon o continuing for six months, when he en- · butcher business for himself, on West eet, where he continued for three years at success. He then became engaged in having four horses, and this he continued ears, after which he kept a livery barn on where the Central Baptist Church now tands. This he continued until 1862, when he sold ut and moved to Oswego, N. Y., and there in part- with his brother Elam, conducted the "St. Hotel." In 1865 he returned to Norwich, ed the grocery business, in which he con- th unvarying success until his death. He on poularity by his honest methods and his cour- ous thitment of his customers, and his untimely eath
ership ichol nid en nued
1 ised general regret. On Christmas Day, 373, h went hunting in the town of Franklin, and hen ofhis way home to join his wife at dinner, his in a dentally discharged, and he was shot roughthe jaw, the ball penetrating the brain. He ed bedre reaching home, and his remains rest in antic metery. Politically he was a Democrat, d soc ly a member of the I. O. O. F.
On March 20, 1854, Dyer L. Chesebrough was urried ) Nancy Drucilla Morgan, who was born Than sville, town of Norwich, daughter of Gur- 11 ar Mabel Ann (Bushnell) Morgan. Mrs. ìesebli gh makes her home on Union street, and lice th death of her husband has attended to the l by good judgment and wise investments sed its value by several thousand dollars. markably well preserved and has shown ess ability in the management of her bus- ests, all of which she looks after per-
ate, s inc le is re bu: 'ss il tally. Mo esebr organi
N. The Morgan family to which Mrs. gh belongs, is traced to (I) Richard Rose who was at Waterford, Conn., in 1679-80. died n 1698, and his wife, Hopestill, died in 12. (II)
hn Morgan, son of Richard R. and Hope- 11, m ied in 1699, Ann Dart, born in 1675,
daughter of Richard and Bethia Dart, of New London.
(III) Peter Morgan, son of John and Ann, born in 1713, married in 1738, Elizabeth Whitmore, of Middletown, who died in 1786. He, too, died in 1786. Their children were: Terizah, born 1740-41; Lois, born 1743; Zedekiah, born 1744-45; Darius, born 1746; Terizahı (2), born 1754; and Eunice, born in 1756.
(IV) Darius Morgan, son of Peter, born 1746, married Hannah Leach.
(V) Gurdon Morgan, son of Darius and Han- nah, married Mabel Ann Bushnell, daughter of Richard and Annie (Bellows) Bushnell, and their daughter, Nancy D., became Mrs. Dyer Lorenzo Chesebrough.
HOLMES. The Holmes family in New Lon- don county is one of the oldest in the State, the first to locate there being Robert Holmes, who purchased large tracts of land and was registered in Stoning- ton Dec. 25, 1670. He was well known in public affairs, and he served in the early Colonial and In- dian wars.
(II) Joshua Holmes, son of Robert, located in Westerly, R. I., soon after the settlement of the town. He married Abigail (Ingraham) Chese- brough, widow of Samuel Chesebrough.
(III) Joshua Holmes (2), son of Joshua, was born Aug. 20, 1678. He bought large tracts of land in North Stonington, Conn., and made that place his home. On Nov. 21, 1698, he married Fear Sturges, of Yarmouth, Mass., who died June 22, 1753. Their children were: Joshua, born Aug. 14, 1700; John, born Jan. 10, 1702; Abigail, born Feb. 28, 1705, died Jan. 16, 1732; Temperance, .born Jan. 29, 1707; Thankful, born Nov. 12, 1708; Thomas, born Jan. 1, 17II ; and Mary, born March 19, 1713.
(IV) John Holmes, son of Joshua (2), born Jan. 10, 1702, continued to make his home in North Stonington. He was three times married. On April 2, 1735, he wedded Mary Smith. His second wife was a Brown. On Oct. 31, 1744, for his third wife he married Hannah Halsey, who died March 12, 1805. He died June 5, 1785. His children, all born of his third marriage, were: Mary, born Aug. 9, 1745, married John Brown ; Eunice, born June 25, 1747, married Charles Miner; John, born March 9, 1749, married Martha Stanton ; Jeremiah is men- tioned below; Jabez, born May 20, 1753, married Lydia Clift ; Silas, born June 5, 1755, married La- vina Fox; Elias, born Feb. 2, 1757, died young ; Lucretia, born Jan. 14, 1759, married Sarah Pren- tice ; Elias (2), born Oct. 12, 1760 ; and Lucy, born May 25, 1765, married Amos Wheeler.
(V) Jeremiah Holmes, son of John, was born Nov. 12, 1751, and died March 8, 1791. In Janu- ary, 1778, he married Mary Denison, who was born Nov. 6, 1757, daughter of Daniel and Esther (Wheeler ) Denison. Their children were: Mary,
358
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
born Oct. 8, 1778, married Thomas Crary, Jr .; Philena, born Sept. 14, 1780, married Capt. The- ophilus Baldwin; Jeremiah, born Sept. 6, 1782; Esther, born March 27, 1785, married (first) Joel Marsh, and ( second) Joshua Blodgett, and died June 7, 1870; Daniel, born Sept. 17, 1787, married Melinda Lee, and died in January, 1857 ; and Fred- erick, born Feb. 19, 1789.
(VI) Jeremiah Holmes (2), son of Jeremiah, was born Sept. 6, 1782, at Milltown, Conn., and he died Sept. 14, 1872. On March 8, 1809, he married Mrs. Ann B. (Denison) Gallup, who was born Sept. 22, 1784, and who died Dec. 6, 1873. Their children were as follows: (1) Jeremiah, born Sept. IO, 18II, died Sept. 19, 181I. (2) Isaac D., born Nov. 14, 1812, died March 16, 1899. (3) Mary Ann, born Nov. 14, 1814, married, Jan. 1, 1833, Randall Brown, and died Feb. 5, 1894, the mother of eight children : Mary A., born Dec. 1, 1834, married Franklin Hancock, of Stonington; Sarah P., born Feb. 5, 1837, married in February, 1885, Elias Williams, of Stonington ; Helen E., born April 8, 1839, died Jan. 25, 1846; Jeremiah H., born Oct. 17, 1841; Susan A., born May 24, 1846, married Joseph Smith; Randall, born Dec. 18, 1852, mar- ried Fannie Leeds ; Fannie E., born Oct. 26, 1853, married Charles Palmer ; and Frederick H., born Sept. 6, 1858, married Amelia Shaffer, and is now deceased. (4) Esther C., born March 23, 1816, married, Sept. 9, 1835, Benjamin Latham, and died Nov. 2, 1891. She was the mother of two children : Lucy Ann, born Aug. 3, 1839, married Irwin D. Hall, of Meriden; and Lydia E., born March 12, 1842, is now deceased. (5) Jeremiah H., born Aug. 8, 1819, died March 16, 1823. (6) Benjamin F., born July 18, 1822, married (first) Sept. 20, 1848, Lucy N. Lewis, and (second) Ann Hosmer Pike. He was killed by the train near Poquonnock, Aug. 31, 1892. By his first wife he had a daughter, Annie, born May 8, 1854, who married Samuel C. Brockington. (7) Joseph Warren was born April I, 1824. (8) Hiram C., born Jan. 22, 1826, married Hannah F. Denison, and died Oct. 28, 1882. Their four children were: Fred A., born Nov. 15, 1850, now deceased; Charles C., born July 4, 1853, also deceased ; Evelyn, born March 27, 1855; and Mary E., born Dec. 28, 1870. (9) Erastus L., born April 7, 1830, died April 30, 1832.
Jeremiah Holmes remained with his widowed mother until he was fourteen years of age, and then went to Norwich, Chenango Co., N. Y., to make his home with his brother-in-law, Thomas Crary. In the winter of 1800 he started on foot for New York City, walking as far as Catskill-on-the-Hudson, at which point he took passage on a packet boat. His disposition was restless, and he was filled with a boy's longing for adventure and knowledge of the world. Opportunity offering, he shipped on schooner "Four Sisters," bound for the Falkland Islands, but owing to the adventurous, plans of the commander, Capt. Peleg Barker, he and all
the others on board found themselves in a hot. frk and damp Portuguese dungeon at Para, Ikil. Young Holmes had ample time to recover fromhis love of adventure in the two months imprisonment he suffered there. At the end of that time, he lith the others, was transferred to a frigate and she- quently arrived at Lisbon, after a voyage 0 30 days, a trip that ordinarily consumed but fifty vs. Lacking food and water, and suffering for clong and cleanliness, their condition was most pit fle. Of their treatment at Lisbon, no records re fin, but Jeremiah Holmes found there the "Per fer- ance" of New York, commanded by Capt. Leb Cogswell, a worthy Quaker, who offered him ss- age to New York. Supplied with clean cloth by a member of the crew, a Dane named Hans lie young adventurer sought work, and was empted by Col. David Humphrey, American minist to Spain, t otake care of one hundred merino :ep he was transporting to the United States, for ich services during the voyage he was paid two doubloons. After reaching New York, Mr. H |tes went to Berne (now Knox), Albany Co., MY., where he remained two months. Life ashore fail to appeal to him, and returning to New York C: |he shipped under his old commander, Capt. Barke: ho had also escaped safely from a Portuguese pton, and was now in command of the schooner "Li fy," bound for the West Indies. They returned in lep- tember, 1801, and in December, following, und [the same commander, Mr. Holmes shipped on the ad- ing ship "Cayuga," which plied on the St fish Main and after three years the vessel became Trin eaten and generally unseaworthy, and was conde hed at Payta, Peru. Mr. Holmes then shipped English sperm whaling vessel, the "Cold Sp
ted of London, under Capt. Dunn. This voyage .WO about eleven months and resulted in abou thousand barrels of sperm oil. On the hom fard voyage, however, the "Cold Spring" was cat fred in June, 1804, near St. Helena, by the Finch privateer, "Bologna." Detained on board with teir captors until the next day, they were then printo a small boat and set adrift. Being only fifteen tiles from St. Helena, they reached the shore in sety. Their condition was a most unenviable one, a hey had only the clothes on their back, there w no American consul and no American vessel ther and they were unable to speak the language. The ghts of sailors in those days were little respected, ¿ 1 to- add to Mr. Holmes's troubles he had lost hi pro- tection papers. The best he could do was toship on an English merchantman, the "Fame," b be- fore she was ready to sail, Mr. Holmes's desti tion was unfortunately changed. On July 2, 18 he was seized and pressed on board the English sty- four-gun-ship "Trident," and from her trans fred to the sixty-four-gun-ship "Athenian," shortl sail- ing with the "Trident" and "Mediator" as c voy for forty East Indiamen for the English Ch nel. Arriving at Portsmouth, the "Athenian" wa dry
359
GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ked or repairs, and Mr. Holmes appealed to Am can Consul, but the orders of that official re difegarded, and the young American sailor s pri ed on board the seventy-four-gun-ship which was to join Lord Nelson's fleet.
atur ey re hed their destination shortly after the bat- of I falgar, and the "Saturn" was ordered to n the lockading fleet at Carthagena, later per- ming ur aturn ered ised 1 glanc erica milar duty at Cadiz. Mr. Holmes made ccessful attempts to escape from the but fortunately for him neither was dis- An accident to the hull of the vessel return to the naval dock at Portsmouth, for repairs. His previous appeal to the Consul and the British authorities had ght hi the necessity of tact in his efforts to get
ay. : secured a permit to visit the American p "M ford," and there won the friendly offices the me Goram Coffin, of Nantucket, who volun- red tohelp him. The two had many exciting ad- tures and around London, but finally gained nissio lmes 1omev to the Consul, who at once gave Mr. I needed papers of protection. He found 'd passage on the merchant ship "Pow- om Petersburg, Va., under the command tan," Capt. Villiam Cottle, and in March, 1807, he in setfoot on American soil, and lost no time in is old home at Stonington, Conn. For ching
year
e had passed through privations, impris-
ient 2 I peril, times of slavish toil and goading ilt, ar in the end penniless but happy he found ome along his old friends.
Wars ation e "lo ad fa
tween European nations brought about a commercial intercourse, known to history embargo." During this time Mr. Holmes ing a congenial occupation, but the lift-
of t war clouds and the reopening of com- sed his old restless spirit, and he an- ce a1 red t he call of the sea in March, 1809, just n da after his marriage. He went to New k, and ailed thence to Liverpool on the schooner Flo r," returning to New York in Novem-
ting
Mr Holmes then decided to engage in the de, taking a sloop in company with assala Ainer, his brother-in-law. They traded rodu between Richmond, New York, Nor- and her points on the Atlantic coast. In the ig of BII, he became a one-fourth owner of chool "Sally Ann," becoming mate, with Sim- Hale he
as captain. In eight months from the ed from Mystic, he had prospered so ly th he paid in full for his share of the ves- He is put in charge of the "Sally Ann," ran h. week:
in the coasting business until within a f the opening of the war of 1812, when old outo Simeon Haley.
oon ; 'd a
er war was declared Mr. Holmes pur- e-fourth of the famous sloop "Hero," was pointed her commander. In February, he the coast blockade from New York to leston Harbor, taking his vessel and cargo to
the latter harbor without accident, despite the watch- fulness of the British, and he made the return trip to Mystic with a load of cotton. With others of Mystic Jeremiah Holmes went, Aug. 10, 1814, to Stonington to aid in the defence of that place during its bombardment by the British war ships. He had command of the force at the fort, and fired all the shots but two, from the two cannons, thus repaying the Britons for the treatment he himself had re- ceived, and at the same time he was guarding his country's interests. He double shotted the guns, and the way in which he sent the shot plunging through the brig, below the water line, had much to do with the successful termination of the battle. His untiring services on that historic day won for him the title "Hero of Stonington." Mr. Holmes's hatred for the British was so intense that nothing was too daring for him to undertake to pay the debt of vengeance already contracted, as well as to dem- onstrate his deep patriotic feeling. It is related that when the British fleet was blockading New Lon- don during the War of 1812, Jeremiah Holmes had in the cellar of his home at Mystic undoubtedly some of the very first explosives or torpedoes ever made and used in warfare. Where and how they were constructed is not known, but he made one or more unsuccessful attempts under cover of darkness to explode them under a certain vessel of the enemy's fleet. On one occasion the explosion was prema- ture, the torpedo exploding so near the vessel that the water was thrown on the deck of the ship marked for destruction. The British gave chase and instead of returning to Mystic, as the pursuers expected, Captain Holmes outwitted them by put- ting into New London. Years of honor were his, and he lived far beyond the Psalmist's allotted three score years and ten, passing away at his home in Mystic, Sept. 14, 1872, at the age of ninety years and eight days.
(VII) CAPT. JOSEPH WARREN HOLMES, son of Jeremiah, was born April 1, 1824, in Mystic. Until he was thirteen he attended school, but his eyes turned to the sea, and, filled with the longing that had won his father more than a quarter of a cen- tury before, he shipped at that tender age as cabin boy on the "Appalachicola," commanded by Capt. Benjamin Latham. This voyage lasted nine months, and he then shipped with his father, spending three summers on the packet "Leeds," from New York to Mystic. His winters were passed at school. The summer he was sixteen he became mate of a sloop, and the following winter he attended the Connecti- cut Literary Institute at Suffield, but in the spring shipped on the bark "Leander," under Capt. Bailey, making his first voyage around the world in twenty- two months. The "Leander" was engaged in whal- ing in the South Atlantic, the South Pacific and Indian Oceans. Young Holmes made two other trips in her, the last time being virtually the cap- tain. At the age of twenty-one years he became her master, and as such made three voyages, two
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