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 42

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 42

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Republican, and has served as a member of the common council from the second ward. He is the president of the Concordia Asso- ciation, an office he has filled with honor for the past ten years, and was recently made an honorary member of the organization, upon which occasion he was presented with a very fine testimonial. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Sharpshooters, and the Turn Verein. He vis- ited his native country in 1884, and while there traveled about extensively.

Mr. Egge married, October 9. 1871, Mar- garet Schultheis, born in Germany. died on the thirty-ninth anniversary of her marriage. She was a member of the German Reformed church. She was a daughter of John Schul- theis, a native of Germany, who was engaged in business as a cabinet maker in New York City until his death : he had children: Mar- garet. imentioned above; Christopher; Bar- bara, married - Eggeman and resides in Pasadena, California: Sophia, deceased ; Katie, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Egge have had children : John. a mechanic, married Mary Baker : Frederick, died in infancy: Er- nestine: Nellie, married George Swan. a painter and decorator : Carl: Frederick, died young ; Harry, a mechanic. lives with his fa- ther.

Ebenezer Hunter came from

HUNTER Norwich, Connecticut. to Sharon, in that province, and settled on a farm in the southwest part of the town.

(II ) Nathaniel, son of Ebenezer Hanter. was born 1758. He was a pensioner of the revolutionary war and his age is given as eighty-two in the census of 18to. He was also on the pension list of 1832. He married, August 17. 1779, at Sharon, Sarah, daughter of Josiah Strong, born September 18. 1720. a farmer, son of Josiah Strong Sr., born August 17, 1705. married ( first ) 1728, Eliz- abeth Fowler, who died September 18, 1731 : married (second ) Hannah Smedley. Samuel Strong, son of the immigrant. John Strong. lived in Northampton, was father of Josiah Strong Sr. He married Esther Clapp. Jo- sinh Strong Ir. was a farmer at Colchester, Litchfield and Sharon, Connecticut.

( III) Solomon, son of Nathaniel Hunter, was born in Sharon, and followed farming there. He married Anna Fowler. Children : Ruby, Sarah, Mary, Jethro D., mentioned be- low.

(I\) Jethro D., son of Solomon Hunter. was born in Sharon, July 28, 1830. died in the adjacent town of Amenia, New York,

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March 26, 1880. He was educated in the public schools, and followed farming all his active life, living in Amenia most of the time. He was a member of the Protestant Episco- pal church. He married, October 21. 1852. Cynthia Ann Chapman, born November 10. 1835, daughter of Lyman and Clarissa ( Juck- et ) Chapman. Children: 1. William Edwin, born July 26, 1853. farmer at Naugatuck, married Alice Sincerbox and had Ethel, Ha- zel and Raymond. 2. Charles H .. June I, 1856, died June 13, 1860. 3. Sarah E., Feb- ruary 20, 1861, married F. H. Morehouse. of Amenia. New York. 4. Ida. December I, 1862, lives at Amenia Union, New York, with her mother. 5. John, November 27, 1866, lives on the old homestead at Amenia Union, unmarried. 7. Horace R., mentioned below. 8. Loren, August 18. 1873, farmer at Amenia Union, married Grace Odell : children : Rob- ert, Leonard, twin of Robert. Lester. 9. Ira, March 2, 1876, died in infancy.

- (V) Horace R., son of Jethro D. ITunter, was born in Sharon, April 28, 1871. He re- moved with his parents to Amenia when he was a child, and was educated there in the common schools and in Amenia Semi- nary. He has always followed farming. He came to the town of North East. New York, in 1901, and has a large farm of one hundred and thirty acres, and an extensive dairy there. He is a ves- tryman of the Protestant Episcopal church. He married. in 1900, Carrie Ramsey, of Brooklyn, New York. daughter of Malcolm and Mary Gray ( Atkins ) Ramsey. Children : Helen, born May 5. 1903: Malcolm Ramsey, December 7. 1905: Caroline Atkins, Decem- ber 23, 1907.

WALLACE Numerous and valuable im- provements in the manipula- tion of metals have been made during the past half century, among them the plating of cheaper metals with silver or gold by the galvanic process. Of plated goods, those of the best quality have for their basis the alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, known as German, or nickel-siver. As this native alloy often contained iron and other metals injurious to its purpose, and as it was desirable to vary proportions of the copper. nickel and zinc. so as to adapt the alloy to spe- cial purposes, the practice was soon adopted of making the alloy from the three pure met- als. The manufacture of articles from it was commenced in England, at Sheffield, in 1830. by Dickson and Son, whose goods soon oh- tained a high reputation. Its first use in this country was in the manufacture of German-

silver spoons, and was due to Robert Wallace. now of Wallingford, Connecticut. He was born in Prospect, Connecticut, November 13. 1815. The two great branches of the Anglo- Saxon stock which flourish at their best on the soil of Great Britain are united in his person. There is little doubt that the hero of whom it is sung "Scots wha hae wi' Wallace bled", is a remote progenitor.

His father, James Wallace, was of Scotch, and his mother, Urania (Williams) Wallace, of English descent. His grandfather, James Wallace, moved from Scotland to Dublin, and thence to America, settling in Blandford, Mas- sachusetts, where he died. He was a silk- weaver, and brought with him two looms for weaving silk stockings. His son James moved to Prospect, Connecticut, where he carried on a small farm, and lived in modest circum- stances. Receiving only a limited education, at the age of eighteen. young Wallace, the immediate subject of this narrative, secured an old grist mill in Cheshire for a shop, and began the manufacture of spoons on his own account. A year had been spent amid these primitive surroundings when an event hap- pened which people are prone to call "good luck." It is to be doubted if there is such a thing as "good luck" in the striet meaning of the word, but one may have the good sense to seize an opportunity when it is presented. Common sense Mr. Wallace possessed in a high degree, and now he utilized a bit of in- formation. Meeting a New Haven patron one day, he was shown a spoon made from a metal new to both of them, known as German silver. What were its constituent parts ? How was it compounded? No. riddle of the an- cients was ever more puzzling. Hearing that an analytical chemist, Dr. Louis Fechtwanger by name, had brought a small bar of the strange metal from Germany, he was applied to for the unraveling of the mystery. Mr. Wallace purchased the bar. had it rolled in Waterbury, and from it made four dozen spoons.

While in Waterbury he had the good for- tune to meet a gentleman who had recently arrived from England, and who brought with him the formula for making German silver. Restraining his eagerness somewhat. Mr. Wallace proposed to buy the formula, and finally the trade was effected for $25. Nickel, copper and zinc were procured, and the first German silver made in the country was com- pounded in 1834 in the factory of Robert Wallace, at Wallingford. and under his per- sonal supervision. This event marked a new epoch in the manufacture of metal goods in the United States, and all honor should be

Robert Hallace

La Traceare

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given to the pioneer in the industry. It was at this period that the simple machinery was moved from the Cheshire grist mill to a good location on the Quinnipiack, below Walling- ford, and preparations were made for the manufacture of spoons and flatware on a more extensive scale. When Mr. Wallace began business, the man who could turn out three dozen silver spoons in a day was a treasure, and they were pretty rough specimens, too. The product of his factory was then about nine dozen per day. In those days it was a mystery to the proprietors where all the spoons went to, and they often talked of cut- ting down the product for fear of over-pro- duetion.

A score of years elapsed, and a different scene is revealed to view. The erude proc- esses of the past have been laid aside. Everything is done by new and improved ma- chinery, the invention of Mr. Wallace, and all the work is performed in that methodical manner which is a reflex of the founder's character. In the easiest and quickest way must all goods in process of making be han- dled, and this style of handling must be per- petuated, for then do workmen become rapid and successful, and it is by these elements that profits aceite to any business. In 1855 the capital stock was only a paltry $1,200, a little later it was increased to $14.000, but in 1865 this amount was raised to $100.000, and the name of the new combination was made Wal- lace. Simpson & Company. Great enlarge- ments were made in the factory, and by the introduction of improved machinery its ca- pacity for production was increased in a still higher proportion. Six years later Mr. Wal- lace purchased the stock of his partner, Mr. Samuel Simpson, and with two of his sons formed. the new concern of R. Wallace & Sons Manufacturing Company, one-third of the stock being held by the Meriden Britan- nia Company. As the years had gone on they had added a long list of articles in great va- riety and design-sterling goods, silver-plated ware, both flat and hollow, of high grade, not to mention an extended line of novelties.

The time had come for another advance in the processes of manufacture. Could a firmer and more clastic basis for silver-plated ware be found: Something lighter and less bulky. What of steel? Numerous unsatisfactory ex- periments were made. but at last Mr. Wal- lace's patience and persistence conquered all obstacles, and success was obtained. This in- vention doubled the plant of the company and also the business. The patent was infringe.1 upon by the Oneida community, which gave rise to a great legal battle in which the Onei-

da people were defeated and perpetually en- joined. Ile formed a new company, still working within the limits of the old one, of himself, his sons and sens-in-law, under the style of Wallace Brothers. The factory has grown to be the largest in the world devoted to the manufacture of flat table ware. The consumption of metal in all the departments is from two and a half to three tons of steel per day, and about half that amount of nickel silver. The concern has branch houses in New York and Chicago, and is never idle for lack of orders. The present officers of the company are members of his own family, and were schooled by the founder of the great in- dustry.

A sketch of Mr. Wallace in the "History of New Haven County", has the following kindly words to say of him:

"It would be difficult to find a finer illustration of lifelong, steady, persistent attention to business than Mr. Wallace. Many attempts have been made to turn him aside, many allurements have been thrown before him, such as entice most other men, but none of them have moved him in all his life from his special line of goods. He has been for many years one of the heaviest taxpayers in the town of Wallingford, and it has been the desire of many of his townsmen that he should serve them in official capacity, and receive the honors of the town, but he has as steadily withdrawn himself from all appearance of notoriety, and preferred his daily business routine to political emoluments His gath- ered wealth has given him the opportunity, and his large acquaintance might have furnished the in- centive of movement in public in a showy style. but he has eschewed it all. purposely avoiding it and preferring to be, among his fellow-men, a great deal more than seeming to be. His tastes are as simple to-day as they were when he was only eighteen years of age, and hired the old grist mill in Cheshire and began the manufacture of spoons on his own ac- count.

"Mr. Wallace has given example of sterling 1:1- tegrity, business enterprise. perseverance, indomi- table will and keen forethought to his townsmen. and is held in high esteem by them He has a warm, genial temperanient. that inay fash for a moment into vivid pyrotechnics and startle the workmen. hut the next hour be, as in general, velvety as a fresh lawn. The appeals for charity are never turned aside. His family are provided with sittings in church and urged to fulfill zealously the duties of church life as becoming to man and due to his Maker. His large, well furnished home on Main freut Wallingford is always open to his friends. and he is happy when his family and they are happy".

This is such a correet e-timate and tells the story so completely that there is little left to be said. Having nearly reached the four score years allotted to man. he passed on to his reward. Mr. Wallace was one of the old school of men. Up to the date of his late sickness he had his bench in the factory, where he was always to be found, apron on

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and hard at work, and ever ready to give in- formation to those who desired it. Like Mackay. the bonanza millionaire, he thought there was "too much quarter-deck" in the business offices, and it was rarely he was seen there. Many and many are the reports of historical findings from the excavator- of the ancients, but it is indeed an unusual occur- rence when in this new country of ours, marks associated with its brief but vitally in- teresting history of insistent progress, are brought to light by pick and shovel. An in- stance of this, particularly interesting to the silver world-in fact the entire industrial world-is the finding of the corner stone of the little shop built by Robert Wallace in 1834, in which one year later. 1835. he made the first German silver spoon, making him the rec- ognized founder of the German silver indus- try in America. It was found a few weeks ago by workmen in the act of breaking ground for an electric light plant to be built on the outskirts of Wallingford, Connecticut, just on the site of the old "Wallace Shop". That was in 1835. From that year Mr. Wal- lace's undivided attention was applied to the improvement of his particular commodity. with an earnest desire to perfect it. and at the time of his death in 1802 he had estab- lished his enterprise on a firm basis for his successors, and left to the world at large a most useful industry. To-day, the business created by Robert Wallace, under the firm name of R. Wallace & Sons Manufacturing Company, is one of the largest of it- kind in the world. with a tremendous daily output of silver plated and sterling silver fiatware and hollow ware.

Robert Wallace married. March 22. 1839. Harriet Louisa Moulthrop. of North Haven, Connecticut. She was singularly suited to him in her tastes for mutual companionship, and after almost forty-five years of happy wedded life she passed on to her reward, Jan- uary 19. 1884. sincerely mourned by friends and neighbors. Ten children were born to them, of whom eight are living. One son died in infancy, and another, William J., at the age of thirty years. The living are: Mrs. Adeline Morris and Mrs. Nettie .A. Leaven- worth, of Wallingford: Robert B. Wallace. of Brooklyn, New York; Hattie F. Wallace and Henry L. Wallace, of Wallingford : Mrs. Adela C. Si-son, of New York: George Ml. Wallace, of Chicago, and Frank A. Wallace.

Frank A., son of Robert Wallace, was born in Wallingford, September 23. 1857. He was educated in the public schools and entered business with his father in 1875, and when the firm of Wallace Brother- was formed

became a partner in the concern. When his father died in 1892 he became president of the R. Wallace & Sous Manufacturing Com- pany. The present officers of the company are: Frank A. Wallace. president : Henry L. Wallace, secretary ; C. W. Leavenworth, treas- urer. Frank A. Wallace is also president of the First National Bank of Wallingford. In politics he is a Republican, He represented the town in the general assembly in 1908-09), and served on the committees on banks and school fund. He is a member of the First Congregational Church of Wallingford. He married (first ). January 16, 1884. Zella Cur- tis, of Meriden, Connecticut. He married ( second ), December 7. 1808. Sarah Rose, daughter of Frederick R. Manning, of Brook- lyn, New York. Children of first wife: Rob- ert Curtis, born February 8, 1885 ; Floyd, De- cember 3. 1886. Children of second wife: Barbara Manning, born May 24. 1900: Jean Atwater. November 1I, 1G04.

(IV) Elijah Steele Skilton,

SKILTON son of James Skilton (q. v.), was born May 17, 1800, at Woodbury, died January 4. 1873, at Ravenna. Ohio. Ile settled first at Hunter, New York. and later at Ravenna, Ohio. He married (first ) at Hunter. April 1. 1827. Elizabeth Wilson, born at llunter, March 5, 1805. died at Ravenna, October 3. 1836, He married ( second ), March 25, 1838, Mrs. Sarah Rem- ington, widow, at Ravenna. He had five children by his first wife.

{\) Captain Alvah Stone Skilton, son of Elijah Steele Skilton, was born at Ravenna, Ohio, April 12, 1838. died at Monroeville, Ohio, July 27. 1887. He was educated in the public schools. He enlisted in Company I, Fifty-seventh Ohio Regiment of Volunteer Infantry as a private, but was immediately elected captain, commissioned and served through the civil war. He was wounded four times and lost a section of his forearm from a bullet wound in the battle of Shiloh. He was again wounded at Kenesaw Mountain. Ile received a wound in the head at the battle of Atlanta and was taken prisoner there. July 22. 1864 Thence he was taken by the Confederates to Columbia, South Caro- lina. and finally to the horrible prison at Salisbury, from which he made his escape, but was recaptured and taken to Castle Thun- fler, thence to Libby Prison in Richmond. He married, at Galion, Ohio, December 20. 1865, Amanda Jane Davis, born at Galion. Ohio, February 17. 1844, daughter of John Towers and Catherine Pasco ( Nave ) Davis. Her father was born in Baltimore, Maryland.

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March 28, 1806. son of Jesse and Mary Ann (Sower-) Davis. Mary Ann was the daugh- ter of John and Mary Ann Sowers. Cath- erine Pasco Nave was born at Path Valley. Pennsylvania. June 10, 1821. Children of Mr. and Mrs. Skilton: 1. Rev. John Davis. mentioned below. 2. Elizabeth Roby. born February 16, 1872. at Monroeville, Ohio. un- married. 2. Mary Grace, born September 6, 1879. at Monroeville. married September 20, 1906. Pawley ; child: Homer Skilton Pawley, born November 7, 1909, in the same room in which his mother was born. 4. Cathe- rine Amanda. born November 13, 1881, at Monroeville.

(VI) Rev. John Davis Skilton, son of Cap- tain Alvah Stone Skilton, was born at Mon- roeville, Huron county, Ohio, March 15, 1867. He attended the public schools of his native town and entered Kenyon College at Cleve- land. Ohio, graduating in the class of 1888 with the degree of .A. B. He received the degree of A. M. in 1891. He studied for the ministry in the Protestant Episcopal Divinity School at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was ordained a priest in 1892. From 1892 to 1897 he was rector of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church. During the next two years he had charge of the American Church at Nice, France. From 1890 to 1903 he was principal of the Cheltenham Military Acad- emy at Ogontz. Pennsylvania: from 1903 to 1905 house master of the Melrose Academy for Boys, and from 1905 to 1907 house master. of the Chestnut Hill Academy. Since 1907 he has been head master of the famous Cheshire School for Boys at Cheshire, Con- necticut. He enlisted in the First Cleveland Troop of Cavalry. Cleveland, Ohio. April 17, 1893, then called Troop 1. Ohio National Guard, and was honorably discharged at the expiration of his enlistment. April 17. 1896.

He was commissioned captain and chaplain of the Third Regiment of Infantry, National Guard of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and of the University Club of Philadelphia. the Psi Upsilon of New York City. He is a member of the Pennsyl- vania Society of Sons of the Revolution. He married, at Ogontz. June 24, 1902. Ida Beistle. who was born in Newville, Cumberland Val- ley, Pennsylvania. December 22, 1867, daugh- ter of Henry Butler and Catherine (Mel- linger ) Bei-tle. Children: 1. Henry Alston. born at Melrose. Pennsylvania. April 13. 1905. 2. Tane Davis, born at Chestnut Hill. Pennsylvania, May 23. 1006, died at Cheshire. Connecticut, December 9. 1907. 3. John Davis Jr., born at Cheshire. February 28, 1909.

Sara (Vernier ) Provost, wife VERNIER of Rev. Joseph Provost, and mother of Dr. Alva George Provost, of New Haven, whose sketch appears on page 34. is a direct descendant of an old Ilnguenot family of Montbeliard, France.

(1) Pierre Vernier, great-grandfather of Sarah (Vernier) Provost, was born in 1731. He was a minister of the gospel. and a great friend of the celebrated Wardin. He mar- ried and became the father of thirteen chil- dren, eleven sons and two daughters. Three of the sons became ministers, namely: Sam- uel, born 1772; Elie, sce forward. and Jean Frederic. born 1790. Among the children of Samuel there were several ministers, and Jean Frederic, who reared a large family, had five sons who followed the same. calling. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Vernier family gave to the church forty-three ministers and as many professors and teachers.

( II ) Elie, son of Pierre Vernier, horn 1788, married and became the father of six chil- dren. namely: Jean, born in 1822 ; Catharine. 1825: Susanne, 1827: Annette. 1831 : Mari- anne. 1833: Jacques, 1835.

(III) Jean, son of Elie Vernier, born 1822, served in the capacity of missionary in Can- ada from 1843 to 1853. He perished in the wreck of the "Anne Jane" in 1853. He mar- ried Lydia Boder, a native of Switzerland. descendant of a Huguenot family, and their children were: 1. Paul, born 1844 in Canada. was professor of Oriental languages in Ger- many, and died at Jerusalem in 1888. 2. Henry. 1845. resides in Detroit, Michigan. 3. Pauline. 1847, died 1860. 4. Sara, Sep- temher 18, 1849. married Rev. Joseph Provost. as mentioned above. 5. Samuel. 1852, serving as minister at New Glasgow. Canada.

Robert Isbell, immigrant ances.

ISBELL tor, was an inhabitant of New London, Connecticut. October 19, 1650, when he had a grant of land from the townsmen. At a later date he seems to have lived in the north part of the town in what is now Ledyard. One authority says that he was the same Robert Isbell who had land granted to him in Salem in 1037. also that he was from Gloucester. Massachusetts. Ile married Ann Kingman. who married ( sec- ond William Nichols. She died at New Lon- don. September 15, 1080. He died about 1655. Children: Eleazer, mentioned below: Han- nah. married (first ). August 6. 1668. Thomas Stedman, of New London: (second) John Fox. as his second wife.

(Il) Eleazer. son of Robert Isbell. was born in 1640. He settled at Killingworth.

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Connecticut, as early as 1665, and died there September 2, 1677. lle made his will Au- gust 27, 1677. He married, at New London, December 1I, 1668, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Mary ( Button) French. Chil- dren: Elizabeth, born September 6, 160: Robert. September 21, 1671, died young : Han- nah, March 15, 1674-75; Robert, mentioned below.

(III) Robert (2), son of Eleazer Isbell, was born January 20, 1676. He married, June 15, 1698, Miriam Carter. He settled at Killingworth, and died there February 6. 1717-18. His widow died there June 23. 1728. Children, born at Killingworth : Eleazer. April 21, 1700. died May 14, 1700; Abigail, June I, 1701 ; Hannah, October 8, 1703 ; Elea- zer, August 31, 1705, mentioned below ; Mary, April 19, 1708: Israel, July 15, 1710: Miriam, December 31, 1712; Noah, August 20. 1717.

(IV) Eleazer (2). son of Robert (2) Is- bell, was born August 31, 1705, at Killing- worth. He bought the real estate which his father left, from his brothers and sisters, April 30. 1728, and settled on it in Killing- worth. He married ( first ). January 6, 1730, Elizabeth Bishop, born April 23. 1,05, died February 16. 1747. at Killingworth. He married (second). December 3. 1748, Mary Papper. She died and he married (third), April 29. 1754, Thankful Kelsey. Children, born at Killingworth: Peruda, August 3. 1733: Robert, February 3, 1736, mentioned below : Abial, April 18, 1738; Eleazer. April 7, 1740: Sarah, April 12, 1742; Israel. April 21, 1744: Timothy. March 22, 1746: Elias. February 5. 1747.

(V) Robert (3). son of Elcazer (2) Is- bell, was born February 3. 1736, at Killing- worth, died April 18, 1783. He married Lois Parmelee, born October 13. 1737. Children. born at Killingworth: Eliab, February 20. 1755. died October 7, 1756: Eliab, July I. 1750. mentioned below : Garner. September 2. 1762: Robert, April 29, 1765 ; Timothy, Au- gust 29. 1769.

(VI) Eliab, son of Robert ( 3) Isbell, was born July 1, 1759, at Killingworth, died De- cember 31. 1825. at Woodbury, Connecti- cut. He served in the revolution as a fifer in Captain Bezaleel Bristol's com- pany, on the alarm at East Haven. July 7. 1779. He married. October 7. 1580. Deborah. daughter of Hubbell and Anne (Shepard) Stevens, born 1760, died June 24, 1848, at Woodbury. Connecticut, a descendant of Gov- ernor Bradford. of Massachusetts Colony. Children : William. born February. 1782. mentioned below : Eliab Jr., IIcrace and oth- ers.

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