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 27

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 27

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Mr. Clark entered into partnership with his elder brother Thomas J., who was a stone mason, and the firm of Clark Brothers, masons and builders, continued with uninterrupted success for more than thirty years. The brothers were associated in business all their active lives. For about ten years Mr. Clark carried on shipbuilding in summer and house- building in winter, working from Bangor to New Orleans. When he started on his first trip he had but fourteen dollars, but during the winter he sent home $200 to his mother and in the spring $250 more. In the fall of 1850 he was employed as a journeyman car- penter at $1.75 a day. but within a few days his mechanical skill was discovered and he was made foreman of all the outside help at a salary of Sto a day. His brother also found employment in Meriden and both worked for the company for a period of seven years.

Meanwhile, Mr. Clark had turned his at- tention to the improvement of agricultural implements, and in the fall of 1867 he and his brother commenced to build a factory in which to build his tools and machinery. The brothers began to make mowing machines, for which George M. Clark had invented a new mechanical movement. But after a few months. it was decided that the invention was an infringement on a patent and the firm ceased to make the machines and devoted its attention to the manufacture of other agri- cultural instruments. The business was C 1 !- ducted by a joint stock company. of which George M. Clark was president. and Thegnas J., vice-president. George M. Clark invent- ed many improvements in agricultural ma- chinery. To perfect and test them he found it necessary to travel to all parts of the coun-

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try and he estimated that he had traveled at least six hundred thousand miles in this coun- try. He frequentiy took contracts for con- struction. In ISZI, while he was building a dam, a derrick fell, injuring him, and killing one of his laborers. During the time he was disabled by this accident, he invented a wire rope clamp. which he patented. It is the first and only device in use for this purpose, ef- fectually preventing the slipping of the cable and of inestimable value to contractors, tele- graph companies and other concerns using wire cables. Tons of these clamps were used in building the New York tunnel and bridges. On account of the success of this patent, an- other firm commenced to make a device that

infringed upon Mr. Clark's patent. Instead of prosecuting them, he paid them a visit, ex- plained the circumstances surrounding the in- vention and allowed them to sell their stock without charging a royalty. He was a mem- ber of the Congregational Society and attend- ed that church, gave it his hearty support. and was always ready to assist the other churches or any good work of the town.

Mr. Clark was one of the organizers of the Republican party at Hartford in 1856, and he always took a keen interest in politics. For many years he represented his town in the general assembly of the state and the twenty- first district in the state senate. For some fifty years he was a member of the Republi- can town committee. He was a delegate from Haddam to the constitutional convention at Hartford in 190_ and took a prominent part in debates and deliberations. He was a men- ber of Columbia Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of East Haddam: a charter member of Granite Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, of Haddam; member of Burning Bush Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. of Essex: and of Cyrene Commandery. Knights Templar. He never lost his interest in agriculture, and resided on the old Bontoey homestead, to which he added many acres and which he vastly improved, removing over sixteen thou- sand tons of rock. From the lands he cleared, over a hundred tons of hay are harvested an- nually from sixteen acres. As a writer and expert in growing grass. Mr. Clark takes rank as one of the agricultural scientists of the country. His share in the old Clark home- stead lie gave outright to his two brothers. who lived upon it. As one writer has said of him: "Mr. Clark's life and deeds speak more eloquently than words of his untiring kindness, his open-hearted benevolence and his patriotic citizenship."

He married, August 26, 1860, Clemontine Isabel, daughter of Edwin B. Bonfoey, of

Haddam ( see Bonfoey). Children : I. Es- telle Eugenia, born September 17, 1864, mar- ried Clement S. Hubbard, of Middletown ; children : Frances Estelle, George Marshall and Clement Samuel. 2. Harriet Cynthia, born January 3. 1869. died February 25. 1873. 3. Clemontine Dolly ( twin). born August 26. 1871. married Elmer Stephen Hubbard (sce Hubbard VIII). 4. Isabel, twin of Clemon- tine Dolly, died June 25. 1872.

(The Bonfoey Line).

The surname Bonfoey is variously spelled, Bonfoy, Bunfoy, Bonnefoy, Bonnefoi. etc. The name is French, but the English family has borne this name since the Norman inva- sion in to66. The ancient seat of the family was at Hayes, county Middlesex. The coat- of-arms is described : Azure on a cross ar- gent, a human heart gules. Crest; An arm conped and erect in armour proper holding in the hand a cross Calvary gules. Motto: En Bonnefoy ( In good faith ).

There is a tradition apparently well found- ed that the ancestors of the American family of this surname were two brothers, Jeratimel alid Benanuel Bonnefoy, who started from France together with other Huguenots for America, and it said that Jerathmel died on the voyage. Benanuel is thought to be the ancestor of the Connecticut Bonfoeys. The French Huguenots who landed at what was afterwards called Bonnefoy's Point, in Echo Bay, and settled the town of New Rochelle, New York, were part of a larger party or group of immigrants of this faith starting to- gether after the Revocation of the Elict of Nantes. Some went to the Delaware, some up Hudson river and others into the Connecti- cut valley. David de Bonnefoy sold his land in France. Ville Pontaux, about 1600. and came to New Rochelle, but settled at or near Middletown, Connecticut. Of the same fam- ily was Susanna Bonnefoy, born 1660. wife of John Coutant, of New Rochelle, who was born in France in 1659. The old Bonnefoy Bible is still in the possession of the Coutant family of New Rochelle. It was printed in Amster- dam by Jean Frederick Bernard and revised aral corrected by teachers and professors at Geneva. Letters of Denization were issued. February 6, 1695-96. according to the his- torian Bolton, to David de Repos, Alexander Allair, David de Bonnefoy and Louis Guion, under the seal of the Province from King William.

( I) Richard Bonfoey. son or grandson of the Benanuel Bonnefoy of tradition. and doubtless related to David Bonnefoy, men- tioned among the Huguenot pioneers, was an

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early settler in what was incorporated a> Mid- dle Haddam. Richard Bonfoey, Nathaniel Burr and others in October. 1738, petitioned that the part of Haddam between the Con- necticut and Salmon rivers be incorporated as a parish, and in May, 1740, their petition was granted. Children of Richard: Richard. Be- nanuel, Susannah and Penelope.

(II) Benanuel, son of Richard Bonfoey, was born about 1720. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war and the old pow- der horn that he carried, now in the possession of Watson E. Bonfoey, of Tipton. Indiana, is inscribed "Beenanawell Bonfoey, his horn 1756". The knife, with which the inscription was carved. has been preserved with the horn. He died in the service. Ile belonged to Cap- tain James Harris' company of Saybrook. Colonel David Wooster's regiment. The chap- lain of the regiment was the well-known Rev. John Norton, minister of Chatham. taken prisoner by the Indians during the war. Be- nanuel Bonfoey married, in November. 1752, Rachel Bailey. She married ( second ) Eben- ezer Skinner, and she died February 26, 1820, aged eighty-eight years. She and her sec- ond husband are buried in the cemetery at Higganum. Children of Benanuel and Ra- chel Bonfoey: Hannah, born November 12, 1753; Benanuel, mentioned below.

(III) Benanuel (2). son of Benannel (1) Bonfoey, was born December 13. 1755. He was a soldier in the revolution. enlisting in the Fifth Battalion, Wadsworth's brigade. in May, 1776. in Captain Cornelius Higgins's company from Haddam. This battalion was raised in June. 1776, to reinforce General Washington's army at New York and it served there and on the Brooklyn front, being at the right of the line of works during the battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776. and in the retreat to New York. August 29 and 30; was stationed with a militia brigade un- der Colonel Douglas, of Kips Bay. on the East river, at the time of the British attack on New York, September 15. He was in the battle of White Plains, October 28 of that year. He re-enlisted in the Sixth Regi- ment of Connecticut Line. April 2. 1777, serv- ing in Captain Pond's company as a private until honorably discharged. March 29. 1780. He was pensioned under the act of congress of 1818, at So6 a year. and after his death his widow received the pension as long as she lived. The Sixth Regiment, Connecticut Line, was for the Continental Line equivalent to what is now known as the regulars and was to continue through the war. It went into camp at Peekskill. New York, in the summer of 1777, but was frequently detached on ex-

peditions of outpost duty on the line above King's Bridge. It served from August to Oc- rober on the Hudson in Parsons' brigade im- der General Putnam and engaged in all the movements made in consequence of the en- emy's move against Fort Montgomery: win- tered in 1777-78 at West Point and assisted in constructing permanent fortifications on Meigs' redoubt: also on the redoubts on the east side of the Hudson river. In the summer of 1778. the regiment encamped with the main army under General Washington at White Plains ; wintered in 1778-79 at Reading. Con- necticut : in the operations of 1779 it served with the Connecticut Division on the east side of the Hudson and was detached to Meigs' Light Regiment, and engaged at the storming of Stony Point, July 15, 1,79: win- tered 1779-80 at Morristown, New Jersey, and endured the privations of that winter. Mr. Bonfoey was also at Valley Forge : in the movements of 1780 it served with the Division on both sides of the Hudson. 'Upon the dis- covery of Benedict Arnold's treason, the Sixth Regiment with other troops was ordered to West Point in anticipation of the expected ad- vance of the enemy. After the war. Bonfoey taught school several terms and among his pupils were children of his old comrades-in- arms, Captain Cornelius Higgins, Sergeant William Scovil. Lieutenant Elijah Brainerd and others. Afterwards he was employed at ship-calking in New Haven. He built the house on Candlewood Hill in which his son Benanuel spent his long and useful life, and it is still standing. It was begun and the chimney built in 1804, and not finished until 1808. Eugene Scovil resides in the old house. Renanuel Bonfoey died August 14, 1825.

He married, in 1778. Concurrence Smith, born in 1759. She was a member of the Church of Christ. Congregational, of Had- dam, joining October 14. 1804, under Rev. David Dudley Field. the famous divine. She was a daughter of David Smith, sixth son of Stephen Smith, who came from New Haven and settled on Candlewood Hill, Middletown. and owned a large section in that part of the town. David Smith, father of Concur- rence. married Lylia, daughter of Robert Cogswell, one of the original settlers in Old Saybrook. Robert Cogswell's father, Sam- uel Cogswell. married Ann, daugliter of Cap- tain John Mason. of Pequot fame. Captain Mason was educated in the arts of war un ler Sir Thomas Fairfax and had served in the Netherlands. He was one of the first settler- in Windsor and is buried at Nerwich. David Smith died November 22, 1776. aged thirty- nine years : his wife Lydia died November 22.

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1825, aged eighty-eight years. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Bonfoey: 1. David, mentioned below. 2. Hannalı. born September 19. 1781, died in 1864. 3. Concurrence, June 9. 1783, died in 1856. 4. Asaliel. May 21. 1785. died in 1850. 5. Anson, June 13, 1787, died in 1884 in Michigan: he and Asahel lived at Ponsett and were clothiers, making fine broad- cloth. 6. Lydia. December 1, 1791, died in 1883. 7. Matilda, 1793. baptized October 2. 1804, died in 1883. 8. Horace. 1795, baptized October 2. 1804. died in 1873. 9. Lucinda, June 5. 1797. died in 1887. 10. Clarinda, March. 1801, died February 16, 1806. II. Benanuel. September 28, 1802, died October 10, 1894. 12. Richard. September 13. 1805. died in August. 1825, aged twenty years. The united ages of this remarkable family amount- ed to eight hundred and sixty-nine years. with an average age, of the ten who lived to maturity, of over eighty-four years, the ages varying from seventy-three to ninety- seven, half the number living beyond the age of ninety. The mother died at the age of ninety years, the father lived to the age of seventy years.

(IV) David, son of Benantiel (2) Bon- foey, was born at Middletown, November 22, 1779. died in 1863. He was a ship caulker by trade and also a government contractor. He lived and carried on business in Haddam. He was a skillful and careful workman him- self and he required of his men the same care and faitlifulness in their work that he gave to it himself. In politics he was a Whig. He was of sensitive and refined nature. upright and honorable in all his dealings. He mar- ried Dolly Brainerd, who died at the age of eighty-five. a daughter of Prosper Brainerd. Among their children was Edwin B., men- tioned below.

(V) Edwin B., son of David Bonfoey, was born in Haddam, January 15, 1809, died 1887. was buried in the Higganum cemetery. Like his father he was naturally of a mechanical turn of mind. and followed the business of caulker and government contractor. He was an earnest, conscientious and upright man. quiet and kindly in his ways, and of warm heart and sterling character. . He married Harriet, daughter of Samuel and Anne i Pow- ers) Cotton, and a descendant of the famous Cotton Mather (see forward). Children: I. Ellen Eugenia. born Tune 14. 1837. resided on the homestead with her father and never married. 2. Mary Elizabeth, January 9. 1839, died in 1843. 3. Clemontine Isabel, married George M. Clark (see Clark VII). 4. Mary Elizabeth. July 11. 1843. married Olin Fair- child. of Middletown. and has children :

Alice and Charlotte. 5. Alice Amelia. May, 1846. married Louis C. Frey, of Hartford. and has one child: Louis Clarence. 6. \r- thur I .. , September 17, 1847, married Jane Morley, of Meriden, and has children: Fre !- erick L., Bavard Clayton and Ilarriet Morley. 7. Charles Edwin, February 28, 1851. mar- ried Ellen E. Briggs and has children: Louis C., William Ernest and Charles Edwin. S. Frederick Lee. August 10, 1858, died 1860.

The Cotton descent is as follows: (I) Wil- liam Cotton, of Boston, married Anne (II) John. son of William and Anne Cotton. was of Concord, Massachusetts, and married Mary Stowe. ( III ) Samuel, son of John and Mary (Stowe) Cotton, was of Middletown, and married Lydia Bates. (IV) Samuel, son of Samuel and Lydia ( Bates ) Cotton, was of Middletown, and married Mary Cornwall. (\, Samuel, son of Samuel and Mary ( Corn- wall) Cotton, was of Wethersfield: he mar- ried. 1759. Mable Bibbud. (VI) Samuel, son of Samuel and Mable ( Bibbud) Cotton, was born in Wethersfield, November 7. 1759. mar- ried. 1,79, Sarah. daughter of William and Sarah Banks, of Middletown. (VII) Samuel. son of Samuel and Sarah ( Banks) Cotton. was born in Middletown, April 9. 1780, mar- ried, March 10. 1Sos, Anne, daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Cape) Powers, of Mid- dletown. Children : Mary Ann, born Jonu- ary 1. 1806. died August 16, 1809; Maria, Oc- tober 20. 1807: Mary Ann. September 14. 1810: Caroline A., October 9. 1812: Harriet, November 21. 1817, married Edwin B. Ben- foey : Elizabeth, February 6. 182 !.

William Randall. immigrant RANDALL ancestor, was born in Eng- land, and settled in Seitunte. Massachusetts. before 1640. He had a farm on the brook that falls into Till's of Dwelly's creek and his house was on the valley twenty reds north of the brook on the west side i the road to the Elisha Foster house. He had a suit in court in 1611. His name was on the list of those able to bear arms in 1643. He was one of the proprietors as early as 1645. and was admitted a freeman. June 6. 1654. The history of Scituate says that he was an enterprising and useful citizen, but litigions. He was fined in 1660 for striking Edwar !! Want. and in 1664 for "breaking the King's peace by poake'ng Jeremiah Hatch with a in- pole" (three shillings, four pence). He was one of those who held it unlawful and un- scriptural to pay religious teachers and he was constantly in conflict with the tax collectors. Once his wife was fined for abusing the on- stable who came to seize property to pay the

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rates. His wife Elizabeth was a legatee in the will of Michael Barstow. Children : I. Sarah, baptized with the two following. No- vember 23. 1045. 2. Joseph. born 1042. 3. Hannah, March, 1644. 4. William. 5. Jonn. born 1650, mentioned below. 6. Elizabeth. 1652. 7. Job, February 8. 1654-55. a ship- wright in Scituate : children : Mary. born 1680: Job, 1683. settled on Job's Land in the Two- Mile district, Scituate; James, 1685: Nehe- miah, 1688: Lydia, 1600: Samuel. S. Benja- min, 1656. 9. Isaac, 1658.

(II) John, son of William Randall, was born in 1650. He settled in Rochester. Massa- chusetts. His wife was probably a daughter of Thomas Rollins, secretary of Boston. for she is mentioned in his will. Children, born at Rochester: John, May 6, 1677: Patience. January 13, 1679: Thomas, January 25. 1681 : Mercy. January 20. 1683: William, February 6, 1685 : Job. March 3. 1688, mentioned below ; Judith, April 20. 1690; Lazarus, December 25. 1691.

( III) Job, son of Jolin Randall, was born at Rochester, March 3. 1088. He married, March 11. 1706-07. Alice Hunter (by Rev. Samuel Arnold ). Among their children was John, mentioned below. They lived at Roch- ester.

(IV) John (2), son of Job Randall, was born at Rochester. He married (first) at Wareham, Massachusetts, March 15. 1749, Lois Bump, who died at Sharon, Connecticut. August 22. 1758. aged twenty-seven years. This name is also spelled Bumpus and was originally French. Bompa-se. He married ( second ) at Sharon. November 9. 1758. Sarah. daughter of John Bates. She was born at Sharon, the first white female and second child born in the town of Sharon. John Randall lived on the farm now owned by William S. Marsh a little south of Jewell's Falls. He died in Sharon. May 19, 1807, aged cighty- one years. He settled in Sharon about 1753. Children of first wife: David, born at Roch- ester, December 20. 1750: John : Rebecca, born at Rochester. August 7. 1753: Lois, married. February 15. 1789. George Noney, of Kent ; Hannah. March 6. 1755. Children. born at Sharon. by second wife: Zilpah. November 30. 1759: Job. October 4. 1760, mentioned be- , low: Seth. . April 8. 1764: Solomon. March 16. 1706: Sarah. December 27 1707: Sylvester. baptized August 25. 1782, uot in infancy prob- ably.

(V) Joh (2). son of John (2) Randall, was born at Sharon, Connecticut. October 4. 1700. and settled in Kent. Connecticut. According to the census of 1700 he had in his family two females. Children. the order of whose birth

is not known: Cynthia. married -- Ben- son : Amanda, removed to Maine ; Flora, mar- ried David Chamberlain : Betsey. married Marshall ; Olive, married Rufus Cham- berlain ; Walter, lived in Kent ; Hiram. men- tioned below.

(\'l) Hiram, son of Job ( 2) Randall. was born in Connecticut, died at Seymour. De- cember 14. 1833, aged twenty-eight. He mar- ried. January 4. 1829 (by Rev. J. Smith ) Sally Pritchard. They lived at Seymour. Con- necticut. Leverett Pritchard. father of Sally. died on shipboard during the revolutionary war. The only child of Hiram an 1 Sally Ran- dall was Hiram W .. mentioned below.

(VII) Hiram W .. only child of Hiram Ran- dall. was born at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sep- tember 9. 1830. His father died when he was an infant and he was brought up by his wid- owed mother, and educated in the public schools. He began his business life as clerk in the general store of Lucius Tuttle. He was industrious, economical and far-sighted, and before many years was able to buy out his employer. He was eminently successful and became one of the substantial citizens of Sey- mour. keen, sagacious, enterprising and thor- oughly upright in all his dealings. He was reputed to be one of the shrewdest buyers in the Naugatuck Valley and his trade grew to large proportions. He was public-spirited and popular, and for more than a quarter of a century was the most prosperous dealer in this section. He died at the age of fifty-six. Jan- uary 25, 1887. at Hartford. interment was at Seymour. During his last years he traveled extensively. having retired on account of fail- ing health. In politics he was a Democrat. He married. April 4, 1854. Martha Marie Gil- bert, born March 28, 1833. daughter of Ezekiel and Sarah (Hurd) Gilbert. She was born in the old house erected by General Humphrey. of revolutionary fame, and bought by her father. She came of a distinguished lineage. Her grandfather. Thomas Gilbert, served in the revolutionary army where he fell ill of small ox and though he recovered his health lost his sight : his home was at Huntington. Connecticut, and later at Derby, where he died at the age of ninety years; his wife. Abigail ( Holbrook ) Gilbert, was daughter of a revo- letionary soldier : she also lived to the age ni ninety : they had eight children. Ezekiel Gil- Lert. father of Mrs. Randall, was born and brought up in Huntington, working on hi- father's farm and attending the district schools during his boyhood. In 1830 Mr. Gilbert re- moved to Seymour, Connecticut, where ir several years he was engaged in trade. He established his son in business in New Haven

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and returned to Seymour where he died in his fifty-sixth year. Mr. Gilbert married Sarah. daughter of Wilson Hurd, of Oxford. Connecticut, where she was born ; she died at Great Hill. Wilson Hurd was also a soldier in the revolution and was a prominent citizen. a selectman of the town and representative to the general assembly. Both Mr. Gilbert and his wife were members of the Episcopal church.

Mrs. Randall had sisters: Esther A. Stod- dard: Catherine, wife of Minot F. Osborne; Sarah Wilcox, and Charlotte Osborne. Mrs. Randall was a communicant of Trinity Protes- ant Episcopal Church in Seymour, a member of Sarah Ludiow Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of Seymour, and for many years a member of the Woman's Club of that town.

Children of Hiram W. Randall: 1. Edward Hiram, born December 23. 1855, educated in the public schools and Cheshire Academy, em- ploved in his father's store several years, later with the Shelton Plate Company, of Shelton : married Elizabeth Steinmetz, a native of New York City. and they have children: Kate and Hiram: they live in Seymour. 2. Kate Gilbert. born May 9. 1859. died Jane 24. 18;1. 3. Walter, born October 12, 1863. died Novem- ber 15, 1863. 4. Walter, born December 9. 1868. mentioned below. 5. Gilbert, July 2. 1873, graduate of the Norwalk Military In- stitute, pressman for Price, Lee & Company, of New Haven.

(VIII) Walter, son of Hiram W. Randall. was born at Oxford. Connecticut, December 9. 1808. He attended the public schools of his native town and graduated from the high school there. He also took a course in the Yale Business College, New Haven. He worked 'for a few years in his father's store. then became connected with the Silver Plate Cutlery Company of Derby, Connecticut. He left the cutlery business to become bookkeeper for the Whitlock Machine Company, manu- facturers of printing presses at Derby, Con- nectient. He is now secretary of the II. P. & E. Day Company of Seymour. Connecticut. He and his family are Episcopalians in religion and attend the church at Shehon, where they reside. Mr. Randall is a member of the Coun- try Club of New Haven and of the Quinni- piack Club of that city.

He married Olive Vonletti Whitlock, horn March 3. ISto, daughter of H. Sturges Whit- lock, who was one of the founders of the Whitlock Machine Company and the inventor of the Whitlock Printing Press. Her mother. Mary Olive ( Singer ) Whitlock, was a laugh- ter of the inventor of the Singer sewing ma-

chine, the most perfect sewing machine yet invented. Mrs. Randall was granddaughter of Jolin and Mary Ann ( Selleck , Whitlock, and on the maternal side of Isaac Merritt and Mary Ann ( Sponsella ) Singer. Mrs. Ran- dall's only sister was Mary Lillian Whitlock. who married Alton T. Terrell. Mr. and Mrs. Randall have one child, Olive Whitlock, born at Derby, December 31, 1897.

Dr. William Bradley Coley. the COLEY eminent surgeon of New York City, who has earned a world- wide reputation by his successful researches in various branches of medical and surgical Į ractice, is a descendant, in both maternal and paternal lines, from the early settlers of this country, and is eligible to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. The family name was formerly spelled Coole as well as Coley.

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