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 61

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 61

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in her of more than two thousand miles, in the Chesapeake bay and along the Atlantic coast, traveling submerged and at the surface, putting the vessel through all the tests which had been suggested, and bringing her into the harbor of New York in December, 1898, hav- ing outlived the extremely fierce storms of October and November of that year, which destroyed more than two hundred vessels along the coast. During the winter Mr. Lake made plans for the enlargement and improve- ment of this boat, which were later carried into effect successfully. As a result of these

experiments, Jules Verne in a special cable from AAmiens, France, said: "While my book .Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' is entirely a work of the imagination, my con- viction is that all I said in it will come to pass; .A thousand inile voyage in the Baltimore sub- marine boat is evidence of this. The conspic- tions success of submarine navigation in the United States will push on under-water navi- gation all over the world. If such a success - ful test had come a few months earlier it might have played a great part in the war just closed. The next great war may be largely a contest between submarine boats." The "Argonaut Jr." was the first boat to prove the practicability of the art of submarine navi- gation in the open sea and to navigate the water bed of the ocean. In 1901 the keel of another boat was laid by the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, each type which they created being the superior in some respect of its pred- ecessor. This one was named the "Protec- tor." and while the United States inspectors were discussing the advisability of acquiring it when completed, the outbreak of the war letween Russia and Japan made its sale to the former country an easy matter. So satisfac- tory was it. that Mr. Lake went abroad to instruct the Russians in its methods of opera- tion, remained to build a shipyard in Russia. and has since that time constructel four ves- sels there for Russia. He has also sold six of his boats built in this country to the Rus- sian government, and has built two for the Austrian government in Austria. In Ito he was engaged to build three submarines for the United States. He is the inventor and builder of what is known in the navy as the even-keel type of submarines, which offers decided advantages over any other type.

lle is the president of the Lake Torpedo Boat Company, the Lake Submarine Com- pany and the Bed Rock Gold Submarine Ma- chinery Company. He is a member of the Manufacturers' Association of Bridgeport, a member of the committee on traffic and presi- dlent of the Milford Village Improvement .Is- sociation. having resided for some years in Milford, where he purchased the Judge Fow- ler mansion, which he has had remodeled and enlarged. During the past few years he has spent a large part of the time abroad. travel- ing abont and collecting many rare paintings of the early masters and other artistic treas- ures. A large number have also been gath- ered in this country, and his home is a store- house of art in all directions. He is a mem- ber of the Seaside, Outing and Algonquin clubs, of Bridgeport ; Engineers' Club of New York City: Free and Accepted Masons:

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Knights of Pythias : Improved Order of Hep- tasophs ; American Society of Mechanical En- gineers, American Society of Naval Archi- teets and Marine Engineers of the United States: Institution of Naval Architects of England; the Schiffsbautechnische Gesell- sehaft of Germany; Society of Naval Engi- neers of the United States, and other scientific societies.

Mr. Lake married, June o, 1890, Margaret. born in Baltimore, Maryland, February 26, 1873. daughter of John Vogel, who was a baker. Her grandfather was John Vogel, who came from Nuremburg, Germany, in 1845. and settled in Baltimore. Children: Miriam, born May 2, 1891 ; Thomas, Novem- ber 8, 1892; Margaret, January 24, 1894.

AUSTIN John Austin, immigrant ances-

tor of this family, settled at New Haven, Conecticut, before 1667. He married ( first) November 5, 1667, Mary Atwater, who died in 1683. He mar- ried ( second) January 21, 1684. Elizabeth Brackett, who died in 1695. He died in 1600. Children, born at New Haven: John, April 23, 1669, died young; David, February 23, 1670, lived at New Haven; John (twin). Oc- tober 14, 1677, mentioned below ; Hannah (twin of John) : Joshua, September 3, 1678: Mary; Mary, April 17, 1680 (also spelled Mercy) : Son, born and died in 1683. Chil- dren of second wife: Sarah, January 23, 1685 ; Elizabeth, 1687.

(II) John (2), son of John (1) Austin, was born in New Haven, October 14. 1677. He was one of the original proprietors of the town of Wallingford. Connecticut. He mar- ried, in 1703. Prudence Royce or Roys. Chil- dren : John: Samuel ; Joshua, mentioned be- low ; Robert ; Thankful : Noah ; and Prudence.

(III) Joshua, son of John ( 2) Austin, was born and settled in Wallingford. He married, at Wallingford, Nancy, daughter of John Hall, who was born at Wallingford. Deceni- ber 23, 1670, died April 29, 1730. married Mary Lyman, who died October 16. 1740. IIe was the son of Samuel Hall, who was born in New Haven, May 21, 1647-48, died at Wall- ingford. March 5. 1725: married. May. 1668, Hannah, daughter of John Walker: he re- moved to Wallingford and became deacon of the church there. His father wa- John Hall, the immigrant. of New Haven and Walling- ford, progenitor of a large and very respect- able family in Connecticut. Among the chil- dren of Joshua and Nancy ( Hall) Austin was Abner, mentioned below.

(IV) Abner, son of Joshua Austin, was born at Wallingford about 1735-40, and set-

tled in his native place. He married An Beers, of one of the old Comecticut families, a sketch of whose early ancestors in Ameri- ca is given elsewhere in this work. AAmong their children was Joseph, mentioned below.

(V) Joseph, son of Abner Austin. was born in Wallingford as early as 1775. He was head of a family there in 1790, according to the first federal census in 1700. He married Bethiah Page, of Wallingford. They settled at Madison, Connecticut. Among their chil- dren was Abner, mentioned below.

(VI) Abner (2), son of Joseph Austin, was horn at Madison, January 3. 18to, died in New Haven, Connecticut. November 1, 1884. He attended the public schools of his native town. When he was sixteen years old. he came to New Haven which for so many years was the scene of his commercial success. Naturally intelligent and studious, he was het- ter educated than most of the youths of his age and generation. He was in the employ of Professor Benjamin Silliman two years and then became an assistant to Professor Shep- herd of Yale College in his laboratory. After- ward he was in the employ of Eli Whitney, of New Haven, for a number of years. He then accepted a position as clerk in the grocery store of Smith & Ives in New Haven and sub- sequently embarked in business for himself in partnership with his brother-in-law, Elijah Gilbert. Their grocery and meat market was located at the corner of Elm and Church streets on the site occupied later by the Nes- bit store. and for more than thirty-six years the business was conducted successfully. Both partners were men of high character and busj- ness ability. They were shrewd, far-sighted and accommodating to their customers. Mr. Austin became one of the leading merchants of the city, a man of influence and standing. He acquired a competence and possessed the confidence and respect of the entire commitin- ity. He married Esther A. Gilbert, born 1805. a native of New Haven, a lineal descendant of Matthew Gilbert, one of the chief men of the commonwealth in the early days of Connecti- cut. Mrs. Austin died June 22, 1873, at the age of sixty-four. Mr. and Mrs. Austin were both members of the North Church, now the United Church, of New Haven. Children : Elijah Gilbert, mentioned below ; Sarah Eliza- beth, lived in the old homestead until 1900. since then in California.

(VII) Elijah Gilbert, son of Abner (2) Austin, was born at New Haven, September. 1841, died there February 28. 1883. He was educated in the public schools of New Haven. and began his business career as bookkeeper for his father's firm, Au-tin & Gilbert, grocers

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and provision dealers. Subsequently he be- came a partner in the firm. Ile continued in the business all his active life and became a prominent and popular business man of New Haven. He was a member of the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. the Improved Order of Red Men. and of the Jefferson Club. He made friends wherever he went. He was kindly, generous and sympathetic, helping the poor and unfortunate at every opportunity. He died in the prime of life, cutting short a prom- ising career. He was a Republican in politics and a useful citizen, public-spirited and earn- est in his support of good measures and good government. He married, at Hartford. Con- necticut, Margaret Huley, born in 1842. died April 18. 1910, at hier home, 34 Bucking- ham street, Bridgeport. She was buried at New Haven. She was a daughter of John Huley, born about 1816 in France. died in 1886 in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother was Bessie ( Hayes ) Huley, who also died in Chi- cago. She had sisters: Catherine. Mary and Alice, and a brother Joseph. Her father came to this country when a young man and was a man of exemplary character and attractive personality. Mr. and Mrs. Austin had no children.

GALLAGHER Hon. James Gallagher, one of the foremost men in Connecticut politics in his day and conspicuous for many years as a Democratic campaign orator, was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, born August 12. 1820. In 1843 he came to New Haven, and. finding opportunities favorable, engaged in the manu- facture of cigars and built up a large and prosperous business. For forty years he was one of Connecticut's leading Democrats. He was chairman of the Democratie state commit- tee during the campaign of 186;, which re- sulted in the election of Hon. James E. Eng- lish as governor and gave Connecticut the dis- tinction of being the first northern state to "go Democratic" after the civil war. Upon the nomination of Hon. Thomas M1. Waller for governor. in 1882. Mr. Gallagher was again made chairman of the Democratic state committee. Governor Waller's triumphant election was the result of a four weeks' cam- paign. In the presidential campaign of 1884. Mr. Gallagher retained his chairmanship and succeeded in delivering the electoral vote of the state for President Cleveland. although by the narrow margin of less than a thousand votes.

Although his record proves him to have been a political manager of the first rank, it

was as a political orator that he was best known. For more than a generation he was in great demand as a campaign speaker, and could always be counted upon to stir his audi- ences to a high pitch of enthusiasni. His clo- quence appealed to all classes of his hearers; at times he was fiery and impassioned, then again irresistibly humorous, but he was al- ways sincere, in dead earnest, and he always knew what he was talking about. He was of fine and distinguished presence, warm-hearted. candid and generous. These qualities and his inflexible integrity won him a host of friends. Considering his political prominence Mr. Gallagher held few offices. He was several times a member of the general assembly, serv- ing in both senate and house of representa- tives, and was for many years chairman of the State Board of Charities. But, as he often re- marked. he gave most of his service to his party before rather than after election. He died in 1896. Just before coming to New Haven he married Miranda Lucinda Pease, a native of Enfield. Connecticut, born in 1818, of an old and much esteemed family of that town. His children were: 1. Francis, born March 19. 1845; now of Portland, Oregon. 2. James, born December 9, 1840: now resid- ing in Berkeley, California. 3. John C., a biographical sketch of whom follows :

John Currier Gallagher, son of Hon. James Gallagher, was born in New Haven, August 24, 1857. He attended Eaton ( public school of that city. the Hopkins Grammar School. and entered the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University, from which he graduated in the class of 1879. He then entered the Yale Law School and was graduated with the de- gree of LL. B. in 1881, and in the same year was admitted to the bar. Immediately upon his admission to the bar he entered the lan office of Hon. William C. Robinson. now dean of the law department of the Roman Catho- lic University of Washington. D. C. After- wards he was associated in the practice of law with Hon. Livingston W. Cleaveland. and in 1895. on the election of the latter as judge of probate for the district of New Haven. Mr. Gallagher was appointed clerk of the court. In 1897 he was appointed an assistant clerk of the superior court for New Haven county. and in June. 1907, became clerk of the court which office he now ( 1911 ) holds.

Mr. Gallagher is in politics a Democrat. In 1882 and 1884. he was secretary of the Demo- cratic state committee. He was a member of the common council of the city of New Haven in 1883-84. and was an allerman in 1803-04. and president of the board during 18944. He is a member of the Quinnipiack Club, the

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Graduates' Club, the New Haven Colony Historical Society, and the Chamber of Com- merce of New Haven, and was secretary of that body for eighteen years. For more than twenty years Mr. Gallagher has devoted a good deal of his time to fraternal societies. He is one of the foremost members of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has been for years a member of the board of di- rectors of the supreme lodge of the order and is now ( IQUI ) supreme foreman ( vice- president) of the national body. He was grand master workman of the Grand Lodge of the A. O. U. W. of Massachusetts in 1896- 97, which at that time had jurisdiction over the fifty thousand members of the order in the New England states, and since the organiza- tion of the Connecticut Grand Lodge has been its advisory counsel. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F., the Royal Arcanum, the Knights of the Maccabees, and the Improved Order of Heptasophs, and the Massachusetts Benefit Association.

Mr. Gallagher is a fluent and witty speaker. His characteristic speeches apropos of almost anything have enlivened many a banquet. But it is in explaining and advocating the princi- ples of the A. O. U. W. and its mission and purposes. that he is at his best. His addres- ses, made in nearly every state in the Union. have made for him many friends and gained for him recognition as an authority on fra- ternal insurance.

MONROE The Lexington and Rhode Island families were closely related, as is shown by docu- mentary evidence. It is believed that Thomas Monroe, founder of the Rhode Island family, was a son of one of William Monroe's brothers, of whom we know nothing except that they came as prisoners of war. John and Hugh and perhaps others.

(I) Thomas Monroe, born abont 1660-65, is first found on the public records in 1698, when he married, at Taunton, Massachusetts, Mary Wormwell, October 26. She died Feb- ruary 13. 1705. He died January 11, 1744. He settled at Bristol, Rhode Island. Chil- dren: Elizabeth, born at Bristol, September II, 1699; John. mentioned below: Samuel. May 15, 1703; Thomas, died February 24, 1717 (p. 90, vol. vi., Rhode Island Records ).

(II) John, son of Thomas Monroe, was born at Bristol, Rhode Island, May 14, 1701. He married. April 20. 1728 (hy Rev. John Usher), all of Rehoboth, at Bristol, Rhode Island, Hannah Rosbottom, or Rothbottom. Children, born at Bristol: Comfort. March 22, 1729; Nathan, September 29, 1730;

Stephen, April 22, ------: Rothbottom, Feb- ruary 9. 1733-34: Benjamin, February 5, 1735-36: Elizabeth, August 6. 1738: Samuel, September 25. 1740: John, December 23. 1742: Mary, January 5, 1744-45 : Alice, Jan- uary 1, 1746-4; ; Thomas, mentioned below.

(III) Thomas (21. son of John Monroe. was born at Bristol, Rhode Island. December 3. 1748. He served in the revolutionary war. and his record is given as follows in "Massa- chusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolu- tion," vol. xi. p. 214: "Thomas Munro, pri- vate, Capt. Nathaniel Carpenter's Co., Col. Thomas Carpenter's Regt., service 16 days. Company marched from Rehoboth to Bristol, R. I., on the alarm of Dec. 8, 1776. Thomas Munro, private, Lieut. Samuel Brown's Co .. Col. Thomas Carpenter's Regt. Marched Aug. 1, 1,80. Discharged Aug. S. 1,80. service 9 days. Company niarched from Re- hoboth to Tiverton. R. L., on the alarm of Aug. 1. 1780, and there served under Gen. Heath." He married, at Rehoboth, March 4, 1779. Chloe Carpenter, born February 1, 1758. ·laughter of Nathaniel and Susanna ( Read) Carpenter ( see Carpenter ). Children : Thomas, born at Rehoboth, July 3. 1786: George, mentioned below : Sarah. died De- cember 4, 1877.

( IV) George, son of Thomas (2) Monroe, was born in New York City. December 2. 1798. He married, in 1818, at Coll Brook. New York. Susan Carpenter, born August 6, 1800. daughter of Amos and Charlotte ( Briggs ) Carpenter. He settled in Cold Brook. Herkimer county, died in Sterlingville, New York, and was buried there, June 18, 1866. His wife died in Minnesota, and was buried in Sterlingville, New York. April 2. 1875. Children: Washington Montgomery. born July 20, 1820. died September 8, IS28: Alexander Hamilton, mentioned below : James Madison, born January 18. 1826, married Jane Hewitt: Benjamin Franklin. May 29, 1829. died April 22. 1855: William Henry, born January 9. 1832, married Irene Clintsman : Frederick Augustus, July 14. 1834. married Ella Mitchelson : George Washington. July 12, 1837. married Hattie AAlford: Amelia Jane, March 29. 1841, married Charles Welch.

(V) Alexander Hamilton, son of George Monroe, was born in Cold Brook. Herkimer county, June 5. 1823, died March 28. 188; He married. October 6, 1851. in Brookfieldi. Lucinda Jane Churchill,' born May 26, 1820. died February 20. 1907. Both she and her husband are buried in Evergreen cemetery. New Haven. Samuel Curtis Churchill, fa- ther of Lucinda Jane Churchill, was born February 29. 1784. and died November 13.

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1868, son of Hezekiah Churchill, born Feb- ruary 2, 1752, grandson of Jonathan Churchill, born 1724. Jonathan was a son of Jonathan Churchill, born 1002, grandson of Joseph Churchill, born December 17, 1649, and great- grandson of Josiah and Elizabeth ( Foote) Churchill. Elizabeth Foote was born in 1616, died in 1700, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth ( Deming ) Foote. Children : I. Eva Amelia, born October 9. 1853 ; married, March 21, 1879, Elmer N. Purdy, born June II. 1842, died December 29, 1901 : children : i. Rollie R. Purdy, born May 19, 1880, died January 15, 1908; ii. Amy Belle Purdy, born February 4, 1882. died February 18, 1883; iii. Will Day Purdy, born July 31, 1883, mar- ried Elma Coleman : iv. Flossie Dill Purdy, born January 20, 1886: v. Claude Monroe Purdy, born August 17, 1887: vi. Clara Es- tella Purdy, born October 9. 1890. 2. Frank Eugene, born October 10. 1856; died April 29, 1860. 3. Ida Estelle. July 14. 1859 : mem- ber of National Society of Founders and Patriots of America, and of Mary Clapp Wooster Chapter. Daughters of American Revolution. 4. Charles Thomas, August 23, 1861 : member of Young Men's Republican Club, Odd Fellows Club and Relief Lodge, No. 86, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, all of New Haven. 5. Francis Heury, men- tioned below. 6. Samuel George, January 4, 1871 : died March 22, 1886.

(VI) Francis Henry, son of Alexander Hamilton Monroc, was born September 8, 1863, at North Wilna. Jefferson county, New York. He attended the public schools of his native town, and for a time was em- ployed in a cheese factory in his native coun- ty. Then he learned the trade of house painter. In 1881 he came to New Haven, Connecticut, and worked at his trade. He and his brother, Charles Thomas Monroe, estab- lished the firm of Monroe Brothers in March, 1893. and since then they have conducted a flourishing business in New Haven in high- class interior decorating. Their office is at 355 Crown street. Mr. Monroe is a member of the Young Men's Republican Club, the Odd Fellows Club, and Relief Lodge, No. 86, Independent Order of ()dd Fellows, all of New Haven. He has held the principal of- fices in his lodge successively four different times, showing his exceptional popularity and fitness as an executive, and is a nieinber and now an officer of the Grand Lodge. Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows. State of Con- necticut. He belongs to the Governor's Foot Guard of New Haven. He is president of the Master Painters Association of New Haven, which is affiliated with the Inter-

national Association; also president of the State Master Painters Association, and a member of the executive board of the Inter- national association.

He married, September 30. 1891, Cynthia Harrison, born January 7, 1863. daughter of George Chandler and Rebecca A. L. (Todd) Harrison, of Cornwall, Litchfield county, Con- necticut. Her mother married ( first) E. H. White. Mrs. Monroe is a member of the National Society of Founders and Patriots. No. 480, and of Mary Clapp Wooster Chap- ter, Daughters of the American Revolution. of New Haven. She is descended from Richard Harrison, of West Kirby, Cheshire, England (q. v.).

(The Harrison Line).

(I) Richard Harrison, of West Kirby, Cheshire, England, came to America when he was already advanced in years, with his grown family, among whom were Richard, Jr .. and Thomas, and perhaps other son -. As no men- tion is made of his wife or her death, it is probable that she died in England before the family sailed for this country. He tock the oath of allegiance in New Haven, August 5. 1644. Early in the spring of that year he was one of the company of proprietors who took possession of their purchase of "To- toket," now called Braniord. in the colony of New Haven. He signed the divisions of land at Branford. July 1. 1646, which is prob- ably the first extant of Branford, and is called "Old Harrison" on the Branford rec- ords. He remained in Branford until his death, October 25. 1653. His son, Richard. Jr., had a large family in Branford, but when Rev. Abraham Pierson, the minister at Bran- ford, persuaded the larger portion of his peo- ple of this settlement to go with him to found a new settlement at Newark. New Jersey, in 1666, Richard. Jr., and his whole family were among the number who went there. ITis land in Branford was soll for a parsonage which the Rev. Russell lived.

(II) Captain Thomas, son of Richard Har- rison, was born in England and, according t. the Branford records, gave his age as fifty- eight years in 1688. He died toward the close of 1704. In 166; he purchased the es- tate of Jasper Crane, who removed to New- ark. New Jersey, the dwelling house on this place being regarded as the first frame house erected there. May. 13. 1660, his name was presented to the general assembly for nomina- tion as freeman. His estate was estimated as the largest in the town. Ile signed his will October 23. 1704 appointing his sons. Thomas and John join. executors.

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Captain Thomas Harrison married ( first), 1652, Ellen, widow of John Thompson, a farmer, of New Haven. He married ( sec- ond ). March 29. 1665. Widow Elizabeth Stent. Children of the first marriage: Thomas, born March 1. 1656-57. married Margaret Stent. a daughter of his step- mother : Nathaniel, sce forward. Children of the second marriage: Mary, born February 10, 1666, married John Lindsley; Eliza- beth, born January, 1667, married William Barker: john, born March 20. 1670, married Rebecca Truesdale : Samuel, born August 1I, 1673. married Elizabeth Dennison ; Isaac. born 1676. married Patience Tyler.

(III) Captain Nathaniel. son of Captain Thomas and Ellen ( Thompson ) Harrison, was born at Branford. December 13, 1658, and died there, January 1. 1727-28. For a period of twenty years he was a member of the legislature. Following is a copy of a record of the general court at Hartford. May 9-17. 1706: "Nathaniel Harrison is by this Assembly appointed to be Captain of the train band in the town of Branford and com- missioned accordingly." He married Han- nah, boin 1669, died September 27. 1723. daughter of Edward and Hannah Frisbie. of Branford. Children : Hannah. born July 28. 1690, married John Talmadge : Nathaniel, Jr .. born January 26. 1692. married Thankful Wilkinson, of Milford; Daniel. see forward : Mary, born April 24. 1696, married William Hoadley: Josiah, born February 1, 1698, mar- ried Lydia Hoadley : Abraham. born February 28. 1700: Doratha, born March 1, 1702: Jon- athan, born July 8. 1704: Amos, born March II, 1707: Silence and Patience, twins, born July 30, 1710.

(IV) Daniel. son of Captain Nathaniel and Hannah ( Frisbie) Harrison. was born at Branford, September 16. 1694, and died there, October 10, 1752. He married. June 30, 1720, Hannah, born December 16. 1694, died January 15. 1747-48. daughter of Sam- uel and Abigail ( Farrington) Hoadley. of Branford. After the birth of his children he removed to North Branford. Children : Hannah. born May. 1726. married Stephen Blackstone, died childless: Abraham, born November, 1728. married Hannah Johnson : Daniel, married Hannah Parker: Noah, see forward ; Peter. born November 1, 1730. mar- ried Mercy Frisbie.

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