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 97

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 97

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ALEXANDER C. BORTHWICK, wlicassed away on March 5, 1904, at his home No. I Cen- tral avenue, Norwich, was born Jan. 24, 1 4, 111 Perthshire, Scotland, son of Walter ant Jane (Campbell) Borthwick.

Walter Borthwick was a paper maker b trade, and met his death in middle life by being ca lit in the machinery of the mill in which he was en loyed. He was the father of ten children, six sons a four daughters. Of these two came to America : Alex- ander C., the second in order of birth in the mily ; and an older brother, Walter, who resides i Holy- oke, Massachusetts.

Alexander C. Borthwick grew to manhodin his native town. At the age of ten years he lef chool and began to learn the trade of a paper make vork- ing with his father in a mill where all the wok was done by hand. He worked at his trade in tt and several other mills until 1851, when lie cant o the United States on a sailing vessel, being seve veeks en route. He landed in New York, but weijon to Rainbow, in the town of Windsor, Conn.,

d se- cured employment in the paper mill there.

fter a few months, Mr. Borthwick went to Gre jeville, and began work in March, 1852, with the E elsior Paper Company, with whom he remained un I865, harge when, in company with Paul Greene, he took firm of the paper mill at Chaplin, Conn., under t 1 that name of Greene & Borthwick. They conduc mill until 1870, when it was destroyed by fir JAfter

423

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

: was rick built Mr. Greene retired, and Mr. Borth- k for his partner, Robert Henderson, his rothe f 1-law. Later disposing of his interest, Mr. orthyk returned to Greeneville, where he took on of pulp engineer in the preparation of for making paper for the Chelsea Paper , and remained there until 1895, when he om active labor. He was very industrious g, and became well-to-do. His home was 1 in 1881, and he also owned the house im- south of his residence.

he po materi: ompa etired nd sa omple ediat In tland, Aug. 18, 1843, Alexander C. Borth- rick w married to Ellen Henderson, daughter of Robert id Ann (Cowan) Henderson, and a sister f Rob ied Ju hildre: ife of Torwic Henderson, of Norwich. Mrs. Borthwick 31, 190I, aged seventy-seven years. Their vere five in number: (1) Ann C. is the lderman Duncan Gilmour, who resides in and has one daughter, Helen H., who harried Frank Smith, of Orange, Mass., and has wo chit en, Helen M. and Robert G. (2) Jane C. the ve of E. L. Turner, a liveryman at Greene- ille, an has had four children: Jesse, and Alex- nder ] both deceased; Rose, the wife of Henry V. Lail. of Norwich; and George. (3) Ellen H., arriec lass. Theodore Hough, and resides in Boston, ley have one son, Alexander B. (4) Isa- ella FI; the wife of John Ramage, of Norwich, d has vo sons, John and Alexander. (5) Eliza- th H. married (first) George C. Buchanan, and d ondaughter, Helen; for her second husband ed Joseph A. Marsh, of Norwich.

Mr. borthwick was a Democrat in his political in his religious ideas a Congregationalist, that church. He owed his success in life

ews, a tendir tirely his own efforts, and could justly be proud his a evements.

REV JOSEPH P. PERREAULT, pastor of Tho's Catholic Church at Voluntown and St. in's M sion at Glasgo, is one of the youngest and essful priests of the Hartford Diocese, s born in Somerset, Province of Quebec, [arch 8, 1870. He is a son of Joseph and Flora Auger, natives of St. Pierre, id descendants of an old French family. 'en were born to Mr. and Mrs. Perreault, Our subject, and Annie, who lives in Ist s The nada, rreau rebec, o chỉ nely : lunto Fath Perreault spent his boyhood days in his e, where he attended the government 1 in 1875 the family moved to Manches- where he continued his studies in the ols, and prepared himself for college, en- S Charles Borromeo's College, at Sher- ebec, from which he was graduated in ive p ools, N. lic sc Fng loke, ie, 18 took ry at n's S lied t

Desiring to study for the priesthood, course in philosophy at the Grand Sem- ontreal, and after finishing entered St. linary at Brighton, Boston, Mass., and ology, being ordained in Boston by Arch-

bishop Williams for the Hartford Diocese, on May 31, 1896. He said his first mass at Victoriaville, Quebec, then the home of his parents. In June of that year, he came to the Hartford Diocese and was appointed by Rt. Rev. Bishop Tierney, assistant to Rev. T. P. Joynt, at St. Mary's Church, New Lon- don. There he remained eighteen months, thence he was transferred to the Sacred Heart Church at Taftville, under the late Rev. John Synnott, and re- mained assistant priest until 1902, when, in Janu- ary, he was appointed by Bishop Tierney pastor of St. Thomas parish, Voluntown, with St. Ann's Mis- sion at Glasgo, he succeeding Rev. J. J. Papillion. Since his advent, many improvements have been in- augurated, and he is very popular and greatly be- loved among his people. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and he exerts an influence for good which cannot be overestimated.

WILLIAM FREDERICK CLARK, postmaster and merchant at Old Lyme, New London county, was born at Chester, Middlesex Co., Conn., May 19, 1850, son of Frederick W. Clark, who was born in Chester April 13, 1826.

Frederick W. Clark was but six years of age when his father, Calvin Clark, died from hydro- phobia contracted by being bitten by his brother, William, who died from the same disease. William lived for seven years after receiving a bite from a mad dog, and Calvin lived thirteen years after his brother bit him. Frederick W. Clark has been a farmer all his life. On May 29, 1849, he married Harriet M. Manwaring, who was born in Clinton, at Prospect Hill, in 1829. Their children were as follows: William Frederick; Wesley C., of Ches- ter, Conn., who married Jessie M. Brainerd, of Had- dam, Conn .; and Harriet Elizabeth, who married Arthur A. Watrous, of North Madison, Conn. Mr. Clark was originally a Whig, on the dissolution of that party becoming a Republican. In religion he is a member of the Congregational Church. He is very active, working every day, and he never had a doctor until after he was sixty years old.

William F. Clark spent his early school days in Chester, Conn., attending public schools, and liv- ing the life of the typical New England country boy. He was a pupil at Lee's Academy, in Madi- son, attending until twenty-one years old, after which he went to Bridgeport, where he worked for the Wheeler & Wilson Sewing Machine Company for six months. He next worked for Dowd Broth- ers for three months, then with Oscar J. Acker, and later for a Mr. Moody, who was freight clerk of the New York boats, with whom he remained for a year altogether. Returning to Chester Mr. Clark worked for Edward Hurlburt, in the foundry, for nine months, and subsequently, after an illness with typhoid, worked, for nine months, for N. C. Perry & Co., at screw, hook and eye manufacturing. Mr. Clark now bought out a dry-goods peddler, his route covering Middlesex and New London coun-

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ties for twelve years, during which time he resided in Chester, and for six years in Old Lyme. He moved to Old Lyme March 27, 1878, and on April 15, 1884, engaged in mercantile business there, establishing the first store on the property where he now is. At the start he carried a stock of dry goods and fancy goods, occupying the north room of his present store for four years. In 1888 he rented the entire building, and on Nov. 18, 1889, he was appointed postmaster for four years. In 1897, under the McKinley administration, he was reappointed postmaster, and he is now serving his twelfth year in that incumbency, with the prospect of a longer term than any previous postmaster in Old Lyme. Mr. Clark was chairman of the Repub- lican town committee six years, and he has also served as registrar six years, grand juror and jus- tice of the peace, and he is also a notary public. He has been one of the most active members of the Republican party in the town, has been a lifelong member of the party, and expects so to continue. At the end of his first four years, he added the south room to his quarters and opened an ice cream and confectionery business, and ten years ago he added a bakery business to his other lines. The Old Lyme post office is the distributing office for four post offices, and a star route running ten and one-half miles north of Old Lyme, as well as a rural delivery of twenty-one and one-fourth miles. Thus it will be seen that the office is quite an import- ant one, and the postmaster's duties are numerous and require close and business-like attention.

Mr. Clark was married, in Essex, March 31, 1878, to Elvira A. Comstock, daughter of Charles Frederick and Mary Williams Comstock, of Old Lyme. Mr. Comstock was born at Winthrop, in the town of Saybrook, Conn., and both he and his wife died in Old Lyme, where the family resided over fifty years. He was boss builder by trade. Mr. Comstock was deacon and clerk of the Baptist Church of Old Lyme for a great many years. In fact, he was well known in many circles in that place, and ranked among its most esteemed citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have had a family of six chil- dren : Albert William, who died when three years and ten months old; Clarence Lovell; Burt Ray ; Harry Williams, who died when five weeks old; Helen Manning ; and Clara Dudley.

ELI GLEDHILL, secretary and treasurer of the Mystic Manufacturing Co., at Mystic, and a prominent and influential citizen, was born Aug. 15, 1866, at Huddersfield, England, a son of Ingham and Sarah (Calverly) Gledhill. His father was born in England, and made his first visit to America from 1861 to 1864, in Maine. In 1893 he came to Rockville, Conn., where he died March 6, 1894. In Huddersfield, England, he married Sarah Calverly, who died Dec. 17, 1883, and they had issue: Eli ; Betsey : Annie, Mrs. Crowther ; Martha, Mrs. James Barden: Rose, Mrs. Robert Nichols, of Woon-

socket, R. I. ; Herbert, designer for the Mysti ufacturing Co .; Fred, also a designer ; and of Mystic. Mr. Gledhill married for his

.an- Ļian, ond wife Amanda Brooks, of Huddersfield, who now a resident of Mystic.

Eli Gledhill spent his boyhood days at Ho fers- field and was only nine years of age when heegan to work half time in the woolen mills, spend the other half in a technical school. From thiren to twenty-one all his time was spent in the pills, where he learned every branch of the mant tur- ing business. At the age of eighteen he tor the first prize for designing at the local Technic Col- lege. At twenty-one he went to Bradford Eng- land, where he was employed three years af de- signer, and also spent fifteen months in thesame capacity at Nortonthorpe. On Jan. 17, 18?, he sailed for America, and on March 29, sta .] as head designer with the New England Manı tur- ing Co., at Rockville, where he remained five years. On Nov. 17, 1897, he came to Mystic there he has since been engaged. The Mystic M fifac- turing Co. was organized Jan. 17, 1897, ; the manufacture of very high-grade fancy w teds, and employment is given to 125 skilled han The annual output amounts to $425,000. The ficers of the company are: H. A. Crowther, pondent (who resides at Huddersfield, England) ;". E. McCarthy, vice-president; and Eli Gledhill lecre- tary and treasurer.

Mr. Gledhill was married, at Huddersfiel Eng- land, March 1, 1890, to Martha Haigh, w |died Jan. 18, 1893, leaving one daughter, W fifred Mabel, born Oct. 15, 1890. His second mariage, which took place at Rockville, Nov. 13, 18 had was to Agnes Glaeser, of Rockville, and they h two children : Henry, born Jan. 17, 1898, . 1 the same year; Margery was born Feb. 28, 190

In political sentiment Mr. Gledhill is a epub- lican, and one of the most active in the to . In October, 1900, he was elected second selec an of the town of Stonington, was re-elected in (f:ober, 1901, and again in 1902, and in 1903 wasfected first selectman, declining a renomination i 1904. In 1904 he was a delegate to the Republica State Convention. In 1899, 1901 and again in 04 he visited in England. Fraternally he belongs | Ris- ing Star Lodge, No. 49, I. O. O. F., of R ‹ville, and to the Royal Arcanum.

DEACON LAVIUS A. ROBINSON, ne of the representative citizens of the town of Inklin, has a very interesting ancestral history.

me to

(I) Isaac Robinson, born about 1610, New England in 1631, stopping first with tl. Plym- outh Colony. He was a son of Rev. Johr Robin- son, of Leyden, Holland, born in one of the dland I575: counties of England, probably Lincolnshire, entered the University of Cambridge in 1! 2, and was graduated in 1599, with the degree o V. A. He began preaching at Norfolk, near Mwich;

Pali Gledhill.

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

went to Le Chur Whit Bridg The Amsterdam, Holland, in 1608, and in 1609 en, and was there pastor of the Pilgrim The Rev. John Robinson married Bridget and their children were: James, John, Isaac, Mercy, Fear or Favor, and Jacob. her died in Leyden, Feb. 19, 1625. Isaac Robiran was made a freeman of the Plymouth Col- ony il 633. He was married to Margaret Hand- ford dscituate, June 27, 1636, and in 1639 removed to Bar table, and later to other points, but returned to Barnstable, and there died, probably in His wife died June 13, 1649, and he married His children were: Susanna, John, ear, Mercy, Isaac, Jacob, Peter and Thomas, four named having been born to the second

(I Lieut. Peter Robinson, was born between 1 1666-7, probably at Falmouth. He mar- ried Eperience Manton, daughter of John Manton, 1653 at Tis ry, Martha's Vineyard, at which place he reside or some time. He was in Norwich or Pres- n., in 1710, and in 1721 purchased land in now Scotland. His wife, Experience, died , 1727, aged fifty-five years, and he died April 15, 1740, at which time the inventory tate is dated. His children were: Sarah, eter, Thomas, Abigail, Joseph, Benjamin, Isaac, Anna, Rhoda, Martha, Elizabeth, d Abiah.

Peter Robinson (2), born about 1697, June 30, 1725, Ruth, daughter of Samuel f Mansfield. Mr. Robinson died March 22, 1 his wife Ruth passed away Jan. 9, 1795.

(I narric Fuller 785, Their ildren were: Samuel, born July 6, 1726; Exper ce, born April 22, 1728; Peter, born May 9, 17. Elizabeth, born Nov. 6, 1732; Jacob, born Aug. 1734; Nathan, born July 19, 1736; Abner,

orn I . 22, 1738; Ruth, born Dec. 14, 1740; Elial, Jorn A 3. 22, 1742 ; Rachel, born March 30, 1744; Bathsl a, born July 31, 1746; and Joshua, born sept.

1748.

Peter Robinson (3), born May 19, 1730, Nov. 13, 1755, Abigail Palmer, daughter : and Abigail Palmer; she died Sept. 25, 774, the forty-second year of her life. On ., 1775, Mr. Robinson married Sarah West, of Tolland West. Mr. Robinson died July and his children were: Rosamond, born 1756 ; Rhoda, born April 25, 1761 ; Arad, . 3, 1762; Peter, born May 15, 1766; Pa- rn April 7, 1768; Abigail, born August,

Iarch aught 8, 17 hug. 2 orn I ricia, 772.

(V as th cotla1 ade c it tow ebane fter ollan e the

Peter Robinson (4), born May 15, 1766, randfather of our subject. He was born in at the date given above, and learned the blacksmith, residing in that little Connecti- until after his marriage, when he moved to where he worked at his trade and farmed. hort time, however, he removed to Union, ounty, and there resided for eight years. located in Portipaug Society, in the town

of Franklin, and was engaged at farming, finally removing to the farm now occupied by our subject, and there resided until his death, when his remains were interred in the Portipaug cemetery. In poli- tics he was a Whig, but never sought office. He married Polly Taylor, of Dudley, Mass., and she survived him for a number of years, dying at the home of her son, Arad, aged eighty-one years. The children born of this marriage were: Rosamund, who died in young womanhood; Arad; Olive, who died unmarried ; Polly, who married Gordon Ladd, a farmer, and died in Windham; Lucy, who mar- ried Coddington B. Brown, a carriage maker, and resided in Norwich, N. Y., where she died; Betsey, who became the second wife of Gordon Ladd, and died in North Windham ; Abigail, who married Will- iam Lewis Ladd, and died in Franklin.

(VI) Arad Robinson was born Jan. 30, 1797, in Lebanon, near the intersection of the towns of Windham and Franklin. He was a few months old when his parents moved to Union, Conn., and there resided until he was eight years of age, when the family came to Franklin and located in the Por- tipaug Society. Receiving a district schooling, he learned the trade of a blacksmith with his father, and remained at home until a short time after his marriage, when he rented a farm and blacksmith shop in the west part of the town (Frank- lin). At the end of one year, he purchased the farm now occupied by our subject, then owned by Deacon Corwin, a blacksmith shop being located on the place. Here he resided the remainder of his life, working at his trade and at farming. In his latter years, he abandoned black- smithing, and devoted his entire attention to farm- ing, and was active until his death, Sept. 15, 1872, after a short illness. His remains were interred in Portipaug cemetery. Beginning life with nothing, he died a well-to-do man, and one who stood very high in the community. Early in life he was a Whig, and later a Republican. He was a member of the Franklin Congregational Church, as was his wife, who in early life united with the Methodist Church at Portipaug.

Upon June 25, 1903, occurred in Franklin the reunion of the Arad Robinson family, which takes place every year, and upon the 30th of that month the following highly entertaining extract was pub- lished in a Norwich paper: "The reunion of the descendants of Arad Robinson which has been held at the old homestead in Franklin on the last Thurs- day in June of each year for nineteen years, took place on June 25th.

"There were seventy-five members present out of the one hundred and twenty-three now living. Among these were four of his eight children: Dea- con Lavius A. Robinson, who resides at the home- stead ; Mrs. Harlan Hyde, of Norwich Town; Mrs. William H. Tucker and Mrs. Edward Manning, both of Lebanon.

"The cold and wet weather of this year's June

(I) narrie f Eli

ton, what Apri prior of his Isaac, Simeo Mary

in 170 1704. Mary Isaac, the la marrit ..

426

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

interfered with the programme of entertainment somewhat and kept some from attending.

"Among those absent was the oldest daughter, Mrs. Nathaniel Hyde, of Willimantic, now nearly eighty-one years of age. The second daughter, Miranda R. (Mrs. Samuel H. Gager) died during the past year at the age of seventy-nine. Another daughter was Mrs. Mary T. Manning, wife of Dea- con Jabez P. Manning, of Lebanon, who died in 1881.

"The presence of the youngest son, Mr. Nelson D. Robinson, late of Norwich Town, has been much missed at the last three reunions. It was largely due to his active interest in these gatherings that they have come to have a fixed place in the year's Cal- endar of Events for the other members.

"It is a remarkable fact that there have been but eleven deaths among the lineal descendants of Arad Robinson. Besides the three of the first generation mentioned before, there has been seven of the sec- ond, four of which were in childhood, one, a child of the third, out of fifty-three, and none out of the nine of the fourth generation.

"Arad Robinson was born in 1797, in the town of Lebanon. He lived for some eight years of his boyhood at Union, Conn., to which place his parents had moved, and removed with them to Portipaug, in Franklin, where he learned the trade of a black- smith in his father's shop. He worked at the trade all the most active years of his life.

"He was the only son of Peter and Polly (Tay- lor) Robinson, and was of the sixth generation of descendants from the Rev. John Robinson, the pas- tor of the Mayflower church at Leyden, Holland.

"He married in 1820, Lura Abell, of Franklin, a daughter of Ira and Abigail (Hyde) Abell and a descendant of the immigrants and first settlers Rob- ert Abell of Rehoboth, Mass., and William Hyde, of Norwich.

"In 1822 they made their home high up on the hill to the north of Ayer's Gap, at the house where their son, Deacon L. A. Robinson now lives.

"She died in 1867, and he in 1872. They were buried within sight of their home, but about a mile away, down the Portipaug Plain, where the grave- stones to both of their parents and many of her an- cestors are to be seen.

"With the present location of industries, it does not seem possible that here, high up on one of New England's hills, there was a shop which, before the days of the steam road, gave work at a trade for many more than ten hours a day, especially in the winter times, for nearly forty years. It was not only so, but nearby were other shops, and a sawmill, a gristmill, or a barkmill was given a place at almost every advantageous point on the streams that run under the hills.

"The progress of the work on the Willimantic and Baltic electric railway, which is located through Ayer's Gap, has been a matter of much interest to the members of the re-union during the past year.

It was noted with satisfaction that by anothavear there was prospect that there would be cor ient means of transportation to the old homestea

From Willimantic and Norwich, and so from more stant points."

The children born to this venerable and teply revered couple were as follows: Lura Abt born Aug. 17, 1822, married March 18, 1845, N aniel Hyde, a farmer (now deceased) in [ank- lin, where she resides; Rosamond Minda. born Dec. 16, 1823, was married, Nof 25, 1847, to Samuel H. Gager, a farme (who) died in Franklin, and she died in tha town Jan. II, 1903; Nancy Jane, born Ap 1826, married June 10, 1849, Francis Ke: fes, a 14. carriage maker who died in Yantic, and s later and married Harlan Hyde, who is also deceas she resides in Norwich Town; Mary Tayk born March 7, 1828, married, April 16, 1848, pacon Jabez Manning, a farmer of Lebanon why she died March 7, 1881 ; Asenath Abel, born 15. 10, 1830, married, Feb. 10, 1852, Benjamin S. MĮning, a tanner and afterward a farmer who died Leb- anon, and later she married William H. Tu lr, of Lebanon ; Lucy Elizabeth, born Aug. 31, 18: mar- ried, March 6, 1855, Edward Manning, a ba - and later a farmer who died in Lebanon, where : resides ; Lavius A. ; Nelson Dexter, born Oct. now married, April 12, 1858, Amoret McCall (h was a 1836 carriage maker in early life, later became a pavel- ing passenger agent in the employ of the [ntral Vermont Railroad, then was employed in a le ca- pacity for the Jacksonville, Tampa & Ke (West railroad, and died at Norwich Town, Dec. 6 900).

(VII) Deacon Lavius A. Robinson w born Oct. 6, 1834, in Franklin, in the house he no foccu- pies, as before stated. He attended the

strict school until he was eighteen years of age, ven he devoted his attention to farming, finally beming manager of the farm, and then owner of it, buy- ing out the other heirs. He has added to trorig- inal farm and owns ninety acres of most € ellent land, and he has also made extensive impro nents upon the property, which he devotes to neral farming and dairying.

On Oct. 6, 1858, Deacon Robinson mari 1 Lo- visa E. Brewster, of Columbia, daughter o _oren Brewster, who died March 12, 1865, aged renty- four years. On May 1, 1867, he was ma ed to Mary S. Avery, of Groton, Conn., daughter Rev Jared R. Avery, and she died May 20, It), the May mother of one child, Mary Elizabeth, who d IO, 1870. On June 5, 1872, he married H tie B. Huntington, born June 5, 1852, in Eastford Conn., a daughter of Elisha D. and Lucia Maria Day) Huntington, and their children are: Nel: 1 Eu- gene, born July 28, 1875, died Sept. 28, 18 Clif- ford Huntington, born April 22, 1879, was rried, Dec. 30, 1903, to Lena G. Parker, of Pa ucket, R. I .; Arthur Day, born June 16, 1881, di Junc I, 1882; and Lloyd Raymond, born Dec. 17, 383.

427

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

n pq ics Deacon Robinson is a stanch Repub- , an peace klin ons has served for many years as justice of When a young man he united with the ongregational Church, and is one of its Id most prominent men, he being elected icced the late Dr. Ashbel Woodward. He has ed as hairman of the Ecclesiastical Society for mbe: f vears.

Irs. binson is also a member of the Church, e boh- of her sons. Deacon Robinson and his justly regarded as leading representa- of the best interests of Franklin, in both church socialcircles. They come of old families and noble ascendants of those who laid the founda- ; of mighty commonwealth, as well as bore paron the upbuilding of the grandest nation vn to y.

OHNMARTIN NEWTON, a well-known re- [ citiz . H

of Norwich, was born in that town in pelongs to an old New England family, se fo der, Matthew Newton, first located in le Isl d, and later removed to Connecticut.

Newton, the father of John M., located

Palme Jorwi when a young man. He married in And spent the remainder of his life there.

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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 97

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