Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV, Part 19

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918, ed; Clement, E. H. (Edward Henry), 1843- joint ed. cn; Hart, Samuel, 1845-1917, joint ed; Talcott, Mary Kingsbury, 1847-1917, joint ed; Bostwick, Frederick, 1852- , joint ed; Stearns, Ezra Scollay, 1838-1915, joint ed
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 1178

USA > Connecticut > Genealogical and family history of the state of Connecticut, a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume IV > Part 19

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Passing the examination for ensign, he ob- tained a year's leave and resigned to become assistant to Thomas A. Edison. He remained with him for a year, and during that time made important improvements in matters con- nected with electric light distribution. Mean- while he became interested in the electric transmission of power, and at the end of a year resigned from Mr. Edison's employ, and with E. H. Johnson organized the Sprague Electric Railway and Motor Company and be- gan the development of electric motors. In 1884 he exhibited a number of these at the Philadelphia Electrical Exhibition. His con- stant speed motors, the first of the kind, were endorsed by the parent Edison Electric Light Company for use by its licensed companies, and for the next four years there was an ex- traordinary advance in the application of sta- tionary motors to industrial operations.

In 1885 he took up the Elevated Railway problem, and in December of that year pre- sented a paper before the Society of Arts in Boston, setting forth advantages of electrical equipment of that road with motors under the cars. During 1886 he carried on experi- ments on private tracks on East 24th street. New York, and then on the 34th street branch of the Elevated Road, where was first exhib- ited the fundamental method of mounting geared motors which has come into universal use. About the same time he built motors for experimental operation of cars with stor- age batteries. in New York, Boston and Phila- delphia ; and also began the construction of a motor car for pulling a train of cars to be equipped with four 75 H. P. motors.

In May, 1887, he took contracts for the equipment of the Union Passenger Railway of St. Joseph, Missouri, and the Union Pas- senger Railway of Richmond, Virginia, the latter comprising eighty motors for forty cars. the complete overhead system, and a central station. This contract was finally carried out under extraordinary difficulties in spite of every prediction of failure. It was the first commercial electric road on a large scale, andl

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laid the foundation of the modern trolley de- velopment. On this road was tried practi- cally every device except the carbon brush, which characterizes the modern system, and within six years five-sixths of the existing horse-car lines were converted into electrically operated systems.

About 1890 the Sprague Company was ab- sorbed by the Edison General Electric Com- pany, and Mr. Sprague remained for a time as consulting engineer. He then took up the development of electric elevators with Mr. Charles R. Pratt, organized the Sprague Elec- trie Elevator Company, and developed the high-speed screw elevator, the automatic house elevator. and the two-motor drum ele- vator. Of the latter, forty-nine of large size were installed on the Central London Elec- tric Railway in lieu of competing hydraulics. In the meantime. in 1893. in company with Doctors Louis Duncan and Cary Hutchinson. he designed one of the earliest large electric locomotives for the late Henry Villard.

Although he had been out of the railway business for a considerable period, Mr. Sprague had been for a number of years, and still was, keenly interested in the subject of rapid transit, but he was an opponent of ele- vated railroad extensions in New York and an urgent advocate of the underground system to have both express and local tracks, and to be equipped and operated electrically. As early as 1891 he had publicly offered to dem- onstrate the possibilities of electrical opera- tion on a large scale at his expense. In 1897, ten years after the Richmond contract, he un- dertook another pioneer development, that of the multiple-unit system of train operation, which provided for equipping cars with mo- tors and controllers of such capacity as indi- vidually needed. and then combining these , cars into trains, irrespective of number. se- quence or end relation, and with or without other non-motor car -. controlling them all from master controllers on any or all cars through the medium of a secondary train line. In 1896-07 he repeatedly but vainly of- fered to demonstrate the possibilities of the system at his own expense on the Manhattan elevated road. In the spring of ISO;, being called in consultation on the South Side Ele- vated in Chicago, he proposed multiple-unit equipment, and shortly afterwards personally took the contract for carrying it out. This was the beginning of a system which has now become universal with electric train operation, such as on the underground. elevated. and other roads of like character. and in addition to the motor cars on the New York Central it is also applied to the operation of electric

locomotives there and on the New York and New Haven and Pennsylvania railroads. The system was developed under the auspices of the Sprague Electric Company, a consolidation of the Sprague Electric Elevator and the In- terior Conduit & Insulation Companies, and a few years later this company, after disposing of its elevator business to the Otis Elevator Company, was absorbed by the General Elec- tric Company.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. Sprague was se- lected as a member of the Electric Traction Commission of the New York Central Rail- road, and for four years was active in the inauguration of the electric system on that road, collaborating with its chairman. Vice- President W. J. Wilgus. in the development of the protected under-contact third rail. He has not only always been a strong believer in and an active pioneer and promoter of the electric railway. but has especially advocated high potentials for a number of years. His recommendations and work in behalf of direct current developments has brought about at least a doubling of the standards in early nor- mal use for suburban and protected third rail work, and much higher possibilities for over- head supply for trunk lines.

He was awarded a medal at the Philadel- phia Electrical Exhibition, the gold medal at the Paris Exposition in 1889. the Elliott Cres- son Medal by the Franklin Institute in 1902, the Grand Prize by the St. Louis Purchase Exhibition in 1904, and the Edison Medal in 1911, for inventions and developments in elec- tric motors and electric railways, and special achievements in the electric arts. He is past- president and member of the American Insti- tute of Electrical Engineers and the New York Electrical Society. member of the Amer- ican Society of Civil Engineers, and the Amer- ican Institute of Consulting Engineers. the English Institutions of Civil and Electrical Engineers and the United States Naval In- stitute. and also an associate member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engi- neers, He is consulting engineer of the Sprague Electric, General Electric and the Otis Elevator companies, and was recently se- lected by the Southern Pacific Company to prepare, in collaboration with its officers, a re- port on the practicability of electrifying the Sierra Nevada mountain section of the Sac- ramento Division of that company, to increase it- capacity, an operative problem generally admitted to be one of the most difficult in the railroad worid.

He is a member of the University, Century. Engineers, New York Ralroad. City Lunch and Sleepy Hollow Country Clubs. In poli-

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tics, he is an independent Republican, but has never held office. During the Spanish War. 1808, he volunteered for special active service. but a severe accident to his eyes made such impossible for the time.

Ile married (first), 1885. in New Orleans, Mary Harned Keatinge, daughter of William Keatinge ( member of the firm of Keatinge & Ball of Columbia, engravers of the Confed- erate bank notes ), and a graduate of Dublin University, and of Harriette C. Keatinge, in later life a well-known physician in New Or- leans and New York. Their children were Mary Harned, mentioned above. and Har- riette D'Esmonde. now a physician in New York. He married (second ) . October II. 1899, Harriet Chapman Jones. daughter of Captain Henry Roger Jones. U. S. A. (re- tired), and Sarah (Cheesebrough ) Jones, daughter of Dr. Amos Cheesebrough, late a trustee of Yale College. Child of first wife: Frank D'Esmonde, born in New York, March 29. 1888 ; a 1911 graduate, with degree of civil engineering, from Cornell University. Chil- dren of the second wife: Robert Chapman. born August 3. 1900, in New York: Julian King. June 14. 1903. in New York ; and Fran- ces Althea, August 9, 1906, Sharon, Connecti- cut.

For Harriet Chapman Sprague's genealogy. see Chapman and Cheesebrough records.

(The Cummings Line). .

The family of Cummings seems to have had its origin in Comines, near Lille, between France and Belgium, and from there emi- grated to Scotland. Some members believe it to be descended from the famous Red Cumin, of Badenoch, in the southeastern part of Invernesshire, Scotland. The name is va- riously spelled in the records of England. Scotland and America.

' (I) Isaac Cummings, immigrant ancestor. was born in 1601. He appears in Ipswich. Massachusetts, in 1641, in the list of com- moners, and is said to have had a planting lot in Reedy marsh and a house lot in the town as early as July, 1638. He was ad- mitted a freeman in 1642; was a constable in 1666, with his son Isaac as his deputy : was elected deacon of the church in 1676. and was often moderator of the town meet- ings. His will was dated May 8, 1677. Chil- dren: Ann, born 1629: Tolin, born about 1630 : Isaac, mentioned below ; Elizabeth, mar- ried John Jewell.

(II) Deacon Isaac (2) Cummings, son of Isaac (1) Cummings, was born about 1633. J.Te was a commoner in 1672 and admitted a freeman in 1673: was a sergeant in the Ips-

wich company in King Philip's war; was often moderator of the town meetings, and held office as highway surveyor, town treas- urer, tythingman, constable and selectman. He was elected deacon in 1086 and served in that office during the remainder of his life. He fell into the prevalent error of his day and was a firm believer in witchcraft. He testified against Elizabeth Ilow, that a mare of his had been strangely affected by her influence, and upon such evidence she was condemned and executed in July. 1692. He deeded the homestead to his son John, March. 1714-15. His will was dated April 27, 1712. and proved January 19, 1721-22. He mar- ried. November 27. 1659. Mary Andrews. born 1638, daughter of Robert and Grace Andrews, of Rowley Village. Her father came there from Boxford. England, in 1656, and was the immigrant ancestor of the family to which the war governor belonged. Children: Son. born and died August 28, 1660: son. born and died November 2, 1661: son, born and died December 6, 1662: Isaac, born September 15. 1664: John. mentioned below: Thomas, June 27. 1670: Mary, February 16. 1671-72: Robert. April 1. 1674: Abigail. married Sam- uel Perley : Stebbins, born February 27, 1680.

(III) Jolin, son of Deacon Isaac (2) Cum- mings, was born in Ipswich. June ;. 1666. He inherited the homestead, and the house was still standing in 1882, when it was de- stroyed by fire. It is now known as the Peterson farm, and was divided between his two sons, Joseph and John. His will was made May 8, 1722, and proved July 16 of the same year. His son David, who was the executor, was given the lands on the south side of the river and on the eastern side of Nichols Brook. He married. . January 23, 1688, Susanna Town. born in Topsfield. Mas- sachusett . December 24. 1671. died Septem- ber 13, 1766, daughter of Joseph and Phoebe (Perkins) Town. Children: Joseph. bap- tized January 26, 1689-90: John. baptized July 12. 1692. mentioned below : Isaac, born December 25. 1695: David. April 15, 1698: Mary, May 13. 1700: Susanna. January 13. 1701-02; Stebbins. August. 1706: Samuel. February 14. 1708-00: Rebecca. baptized No- vember 1. 1713.

(IV) Jolin (2). son of Jolin (1) Cuni- mings, was baptized July 12. 1602. in Tops- feld. He married. February 18. 1715. Mary. daughter of Isaac and Martha ( Towne ) Lar- rabee, of Ilynn. Massachusetts. He was a shoemaker by trade and lived first in Middle- ton and then Southboro. Massachusetts. In the latter place he bought a farm of John Howe. His will was made December 19.

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1755, and he died February 29, 1756. Children : John, born April 19, 1717; Hannah. Novem- ber 6, 1718; Mercy, October 20. 1720; Benja- min, September 12, 1723, died young ; Reu- ben, January 29, 1726, mentioned below ; Sarah, May 30, 1729; Benjamin, October 9, 1731 ; Joseph, February 5, 1733.

(V) Reuben, son of John (2) Cummings, was born January 29, 1726, died intestate in 1808 at Petersham, Massachusetts. He mar- ried (first ), 1747, Hannah Booth. He mar- ried (second) Elizabeth Children of first wife, born at Southboro: Reuben, May 12, 1749; William, October IS, 1752: Han- nah, August 8, 1757; Hepsibah, October 8, 1759. Children of second wife, born at Tem- pleton, Massachusetts: Elizabeth, April 5, 1762: Ruany. June 5. 1764: Martha, Novem- ber 22, 1767; David, August 31, 1769. men- tioned below ; Eunice, February II, 1771.

(VI) David, son of Reuhen Cummings, was born in Templeton. August 31. 1769, and married, February 1. 1793, at Gerrv, now Phillipston, Massachusetts. Miriam Wheeler. Children, born at Petersham : Betsey, Oc- tober 20, 1793, married Joshua Sprague ( see Sprague VIII) ; Reuben, August 20. 1795; David, March 19. 1797; Gilbert, October 18. 1798; Lyman, October 11, 1800: Almira (twin), April 26. 1803; Alvira (twin) : Sum- ner, May 9, 1804. The twins were said to be the oldest in New England at the time of the first's death, at about ;7 years.

RUSSELL John Russell, immigrant an- cestor, came to New England and settled first at Cam- bridge, where he was a proprietor in 1635. He was admitted a freeman, March 3, 1635- + 36, and was a town officer and clerk of the writs. He was a subscriber to the orders drawn up for the town of Woburn. at Charlestown, in 1640, and was one of the first settlers of Woburn. He was a proprietor there in 1640. He was selectman of Woburn several years, and in 1644 was appointed on a committee for distribution of land. He was deacon of the church, but afterwards became a Baptist. and about 1069-70 was admitted to the Baptist church of Boston, which at that time met for worship at Noddle's Island. He was later chosen elder of this church. For his change of faith he was summoned before the court at Charlestown in 16;t and sent to prison, but was soon released. He died June 1. 1676. His will was dated May 27, 1676. Tle married (first) Elizabeth who died December 16, 1644. He married (second), May 13, 1645. Elizabeth Baker, who died January 17, 1689-90. Children :

Samuel, born 1616; John. mentioned below ; Mary, married, December 21, 1659, Timothy Brooks.

(II) John Russell, son of John Russell, was born about 1620, and died December 22. 1680. He settled first in Woburn and re- moved to Boston, where he was ordained to succeed Elder Gould as minister of the Bap- tist church, July 28, 1679. During the short period he was in office he wrote a treatise in answer to some harsh reflections in a pub- lication by Rev. Dr. Increase Mather, assert- ing "The Divine Right of Infant Baptism." The answer was entitled "A Brief Narrative of some considerable passages concerning the First Gathering and Further Progress of a Church of Christ in Gospel Order, in Boston, in New England, etc." It was dated in Bos- ton. May 20, 1680, and sent to London for publication. He married, October 31. 1661. Sarah, daughter of John Champney. of Cam- bridge. She died at Woburn. April 26. 1696. He is buried in King's Chapel burying ground, Boston. Children: John, born Au- gust 1, 1662: Josephi. January 16. 1663-64. mentioned below : Samuel. February 3. 1667- 68, died December 1, 1668; Saralı, February IO, 1670-71; Elizabeth, February 19. 1672- 73: Jonathan. August 6, 1675; Thomas. Jan- uary 5. 1677-78 : Ruth.

(III) Joseph Russell, son of John Russell. was born at Woburn, January 16, 1663-64. died at Boston, March 13. 1713-14. He mar- ried Mary who died March 28, 1716. Both are buried in King's Chapel burying ground in Boston. Children: Joseph. Decem- ber 13, 168 ;: Mary: Abigail: Sarah. married Wakefield: Elizabeth, married Joseph Miller: Mehitable: Thomas, born July 11. 1705. mentioned below : Skinner, died in Bos- ton, June. 1752: Jonathan.

( IV) Thomas Russell, son of Joseph Rus- sell, was born July IT 1705. died September I. 1780. He married (first) Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah Condy and sister of Rev. Jeremialı Condy. She was a well educated woman and possessed many accomplishments of the day. She constructed curious pictures of filigree work, also wax flowers of rare beauty. Her embroidery attracted much attention, as did also a Holland bedspread. While Boston was held by the British in the war of the revolution, soldiers were admitted to the house and ruined the spread with blood stains. They also carried off lier finest piece of embroid- erv. into which she had wrought gold and silver threads. In 1878 a white silk apron embroidered by her in 1710-20 had a promi- nent place in a loan exhibition of the Society of Decorative Art in New York. A sampler

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of Elizabeth Russell, her only daughter. 1775- 76, is still preserved. Thomas Russell mar- ried (second) Honora Loud, who married ( second) Deacon Philip Freeman. Thomas Russell is buried in King's Chapel burying ground. Children : Thomas, died 1752; Joseph, born October 2, 1732, mentioned be- low; Jeremiah Condy, died August 30, 1759; John, born April 12, 1737 ; William, Septem- ber 12, 1739; Jonathan, 1741. Children of second wife: Elizabeth, born April 16, 1757; Thomas, September 8. 1758.

(V) Honorable Joseph Russell, son of Thomas Russell, was born October 2, 1732, died in Woodstock, Connecticut, May IS, 1792. He married (first ) Mary Checkley, born January 4. 1,35. died August, 1,70. probably a daughter of Samuel Checkley, of Boston. He married (second) Amey. born September 7, 1748, who was a stepdaughter of Governor Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who married Anne Smith, widow, daughter of Benjamin Smith. She died August 7, 1784. and he married (third) Ann Frances Lippitt. daughter of Joseph and Lucy (Bowen) Lip- pitt, born March 30, 1748, died April 1, 1827. Joseph Russell was a merchant of Providence, R. I., associated with his brother William. In 1785 he was state senator. He was interested in the cause of education and was one of the trustees of Rhode Island College, now Brown University. During the last years of his life he lived a retired life at his country seat at Woodstock, where he died. He was highly respected as a man of business and a good cit- izen. In religion he was an Episcopalian. Children of first wife: Joseph. born August, 1755. died September. 1755: Joseph Dolbeare, September 2. 1756, died March, 1786: Wil- liam, May 12, 1758. mentioned below, died April 18. 1822: Mary, January 1, 1760: Eliza. October 29, 1763: Ann, May 12, 1765. died August 10. 1787: Susannah Condy. October 17. 1767: Hayley ( twin ). July 20. 1760. died July 16. 1;89: Hopkins (twin), July 29. 1769. died August 7. 1787. Children of second wife: Benjamin, February 22, 1774, died October 16. 1,80: Amey, Septeniber 2. 1778, died March 14. 1783.

(VI) William Russell, son of Joseph Rus- sell, was born May 12, 1758. and upon the death of his father succeeded to the home at Woo Istock, Connecticut, above referred to. which was said to be one of the most beautiful in that section of the state. He there en- raged in the manufacture of pearlash and potash, which he produced in large quantities and sent to Providence, R. I., where there was a ready market for it. He was a great ath-

lete and fond of sports, and, among other things, enjoyed skating exceedingly, and, as there was a large artificial lake on his place, he liad many opportunities to indulge in this healthy and invigorating exercise. It is re- lated of him that at one time when he was skating on this lake, his little daughter was on the ice, and. without stopping, he stooped and took her in his arms, and proceeding, jumped, without touching, a five foot ience which separated one part of the lake from an- other, and placed her safely on the ice on the other side, and continued on his way across the lake.

He married, April 7, 1785, Rebecca Potter, who was a daughter of Thomas and Esther Potter, and born March 19, 1768. Their cnil- dren were Harriet, born January 9, 1786, died February 21. 1857 : Joseph, mentioned below. born March 6, 1788, died 1863 : Ann Frances, born November 22. 1789; Haley Hopkins, born January 5, 1793: Emily Esther. born March 28, 1795; and Eliza Rhobe. born Au- gust 13. 1797. His wife died February IC, 1816. in the 48th year of her age, and he died April 13. 1822, aged 64 years.

(VII) Joseph Russell, son of William Rus- sell, was born March 6, 1788. While a boy at home he was in rather poor health and the family physician advised his parents to send him to sea as his father was engaged in ship- ping and owned several East India vessels and knew and could trust the captains of them. He made several voyages to China and other places, and liked the sea so well that he be- came first mate on one of the vessels, and continued that life for a number of years. Later he moved to Pomfret and continued to live there until his death in 1863. He was a great reader and an equally great student of the dictionary, and had the reputation of knowing the definition of more words and be- ing able to use them correctly in their various shades of meaning than any other man for miles around. He was also a careful student of the Bible, and read it through many times, and his grandson, Frank Fenner Russell, re- ferred to later in this genealogy, has now in his possession a Bible which he read through seven times. being careful to make a note on the blank page at the beginning of the bock of the time when he began and completed each reading of it. He was in politics a Democrat and in religion an Episcopalian. and, although he had never been to divinity school or fitted himself for a clergyman, he was such an ac- knowledged authority on the Bible that he was often asked to read service in the Episcopal Church at Brookivn. and even allowed to preach his own sermons.

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He married, on June 14. 1820, Lorancy Spalding, who was born October 30, 1797. Their children were: Reuben Spalding, born June 3. 1821 : Hannah Maria. born October 14, 1823; Joseph Francis, mentioned below, born February 18, 1826; and William Henry, born April 3. 1832, died June 6. 1907.

His wife died May 8. 1832. in the 35th year of her age, and on the 31st of the same month their daughter, Hannah, also died. He did not marry again, but continued to live on his place at Pomfret until his death, which occurred in 1863.

. (VIII) Joseph Francis Russell, son of Jo- seph Russell. was born at Pomfret, Connecti- cut, February 18, 1826. He married, Septem- ber 25, 1850, Caroline Celestia Fenner, born July 21, 1830, at Killingly, Connecticut, a daughter of Colonel Caleb Fenner, of Scitu- ate, R. I., who was born in 1794, and died Oc- tober 2, 1872. Her mother was Julia A. Cham- berlain, born in 1808, and died August 25, 1868, who was the daughter of Captain Wil- liam and Rebecca (Angell ) Chamberlain. Captain Chamberlain was born October 5. 1783, and died February 10, 1855. Rebecca, his wife, was born March 2, 1782, and died April 4, 1851. Besides Caroline Fenner, Ca- leb and Julia Fenner had one other child, Helen Fenner, who was born at Killingly. Connecticut. July 15. 1833. and died at Wood- stock, Connecticut, May 2, 1007. unmarried.

Joseph Francis Russell, after his marriage. moved to Woodstock, Connecticut. Their children were Helen Lorancy, born October 12, 1855, died May 9, 1875, and Frank Fen- ner, mentioned below. born August 3. 1860.

Joseph Francis Russell was a carpenter by trade, but during his long life has filled many positions of trust in the town of Woodstock, such as selectman, member of the board of re- lief, and registrar of voters, and was for many years one of the trustees of Woodstock Acad- emy, an institution which for more than one hundred years has been sending out students to all parts of the world. He and his wife are still living at the homestead in Woodstock, Connecticut. where they have resided nearly fifty years, he being now in his eighty-sixth year, and she in her eighty-first, and on Sep- tember 25. 1910, they celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage.

(IX) Hon. Frank F. Russell. son of Joseph Francis Russell, was born at Woodstock, Con- necticut, August 3. 1860. He attended the public schools at Woodstock and Woodstock Academy. in which he prepared for college. He entered Trinity College in 1880 and con- tinned in the class of 1884 until a month he- fore commencement, when he had an advan-

tageous offer to go abroad as a private tutor. but he received his degree as B. A. with the class of 1885 in the following year, after he returned from Europe. Ile is accordingly claimed by both classes and attends the reun- ions of both. Ile was a master of Holderness School for Boys at Plymouth, New Hamp- shire, from 1885 to 1887. In the fall of 1887 he entered Yale Law School and studied for one year, completing his law studies in the of- fice of Ilon. Charles Edwin Searls, under whom he began to read law before he went to the law school. He was admitted to the Con- necticut bar in April. 1890, and in August fol- lowing became a partner of Mr. Searls under the firm name of Scarls & Russell. Since then he has practiced with gratifying success. The ririn is well and favorably known throughout the state, and their office is at Putnam. Mr. Russell was connected with the schools of Putnam as a member of the high school com- mittee, the school board, and the town schoo! committee for fifteen years. declining fur- ther service in 1908. He was appointed judge of the city court of Putnam by Governor Mic- Lean, of Connecticut, in 1901, and reappointed by Governor Chamberlain. Governor Roberts and Governor Woodruff, serving continuously from July 1, 1901, to January 1. 1910, when on account of the pressure of business he declined reappointment. He is a justice of the peace and a member of the Connecticut Bar Association. In politics he is a Republican. He is a communicant of the Protestant Epis- copal church of Putnam.

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