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 83

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 83

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

(VIII) Henry Charles, son of Charles Griggs, was born at Windsor, December 18. 1834. died at Waterbury, Apiil Iz, iSS6. Ic went to Waterbury with the family when he was eleven years old and attended the public schools there, and also the Waterbury Aca.1- enny. At the age of fourteen he became clerk in the store of Elisha Turner. Six years later he entered the employ of the Waterbury Hook and Eye Company and in 1861 he became manager of the Waterbury Button Company. In 1864 he formed a partnership with John E. Smith for the manufacture of brass goods. A factory in Hopeville belonging to Merrit Nichols was hired and afterward purchased. The firm began business in January, 1865. and continued as a partnership until the estan- lishment in New York City of the firm of Holmes, Griggs & Smith, in which [-raci Holmes and son, Charles E. L. Holmes, John

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E. Smith, Henry C. Griggs, and his brother, Elizur D. Griggs, were the partners. The new firm bought a brass mill in New York and took over the business of Smith & Griggs at Hopeville. In IS69 the firm was dissolved and two companies formed, the Holmes & Griggs Manufacturing Company of New York and the Sinith & Griggs Manufacturing Com- pany of Waterbury. The Smith & Griggs Company incorporated June 5, 1869, had a capital stock of forty thousand dollars and the stockholders were John E. Smith, Henry C. Griggs, Elizur D. Griggs and Charles E. L. Smith. John E. Smith was president and H. C. Griggs treasurer and secretary. Mr. Griggs resigned in 1875. The company manufactures a variety of metal goods, especially buckles, clasps, slides and fancy hardware. Mr. Griggs afterward established a button factory on Division Street in the northern part of Waterbury. He invested extensively in real estate in that city and in 1884 built the bnsi- ness block which bears his name, on Bank street.

He was president of the Dime Savings Bank. director of the Waterbury National . Bank, an incorporator of the Waterbury Hos- pital, trustee of the Riverside Cemetery As- sociation and held various other offices of trust and honor. He was road commissioner of Waterbury, water commissioner and alder- man and was nominated for mayor at one time. He served the city as member of the general assembly in 1882 and 1886 and proved a faithful and efficient legislator. He died during his term of office. much lamented throughout the state, and especially by his own townsmen. In a letter written at the time of his death Hon. F. T. Kingsbury wrote: "He was a man of just that sort of which we have too few and cannot afford to spare a sin- gle one. From his boyhood he had grown steadily in the favor and confidence of this community, and now that experience had add- ed wisdom to his knowledge and weight to his judgment, he was of especial value to the pub- lic in all good works and purposes". He was a Republican in politics : a Congregationalist in religion. He married, October 9. 1862, Mary Bassett Foote, born September 9. 1836. died May 19, 1900, only daughter of Jared and Rebecca ( Beecher) Foote, of Hamden. Connecticut (see Fonte VID). Children: I. Henry Foote, born November ir. 1863. died November 20 following. 2. Charles Jared. born November 28, 1861, died May 24. 1005: graduate of Yale. academic and law depart- ments: married. June 25. 1805. Elizabeth: H. Bowers. 3. Wilfred Elizur. born May 2. 1866. graduate of the Sheffieldl Scientific School,

Yale, and in architecture at Columbia : mar- ried, at Paris, France, Flora Victoria Hart- ley, and had a daughter Catherine, bern Jan- tary 27, 1893. 4. Robert Foote, born Febru- ery 22. 1868. mentioned below. 5. Mary Re- becca. born May 16, IS;o, died January 12, 1878. 6. David Cullen, born June 30, 1871. mentioned below. 7. Grace (twin ), born Au- gust 1, 1873. died February 18, 1874. 8. Catharine (twin), died August 19. 1873.

(IX) Robert Foote, son of Heury Charles Griggs, was born in Waterbury. Connecticut, February 22, 1868. He was educated in pri- vate and public schools of the city, Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Massachusetts, class of 1885, and Yale College, leaving there after his sophomore year. He entered busi- ness in Waterbury, August 5. 1889, upon the opening of the Fourth National Bank. later amalgamated with the Colonial Trust Com- pany. After being associated with that con- cern two years, he became bookkeeper for the Waterbury Malleable Iron Company, for one year, then in 1893 he became secretary and di- rector of the Mathews Woolen Company, with which he became connected in 1800, continu- ing as such until 1903, in which year he en- gaged in his present business. investment se- curities and brokerage. He is vice-president and director of the Waterbury Saving. Bank. member of the executive committee and di- rector of the Colonial Trust Company secre- tary and director of the American Mill- Can- pany, director of the Waterbury Buckle Con !- pany, director of the Smith and Griggs Com- pany, director of the Waterbury Gas Light Company and is connected with other Water- bury concerns. He is a director of Mitchell Vance & Company, of New York City. also Clark Brothers Bolt Company. of Milldale. Connecticut. In politics he is a Republican, and religiously a member of St. John's Epis- copal Church. He is secretary and a mentber of the board of trustees of St. Margaret's School of Waterbury, a member of the board of directors of the Waterbury Visiting Nurse- Association. A member of the Masonic fra- ternity, was president of the Waterbury Club two years, a member of the Union League Club of New York City. and Yale Clu !.. He is a member of the Society of Colonial Wir- and the Sons of the American Revolution.

He married (first ). April 11. 1803, Char- lotte Hamilton Branch, of Savannah, Goor- gia : one child, died aged nineteen months. Mrs. Griggs died in May. ISor. He married (second ). February 4. 1002. Caroline Haring. daughter of George L. White. of Waterbury. Children : Haring White, born November 16. 1904; Caroline White. born > December I.

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1906, and Robert Foote Griggs Jr., born June 27, 1908.

(IX) David Cullen, son of Henry Charles Griggs, was born at Waterbury, Connecticut, June 30. 1871. His early education was re- ceived in the private school taught by Miss Katharine Prichard, of Waterbury. From the age of twelve to eighteen he attended the public school of his native place and pre- pared for college there. He was graduated from the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University in the class of 1802 with the de- gree of Ph. B., taking the civil engineering course and intending to make that branch of engineering his profession. In July. 1892. he went to work in the drawing room of the Berlin Iron Bridge Company at East Berlin, Connecticut. Various reasons made it expe- dient for him to locate at Waterbury, so in February, 1893. he went to work there in the drawing room of the Farrel Foundry and Machine Company and he has continued with this concern to the present time. He was un- til 1909 principally employed in the engineer- ing department. and since then in the com- mercial department. He was elected a di- rector of the company and has been secretary of it ever since. He married. June 6, 1904. Helen Trowbridge Williams, born at Water- bury, May 6. 1875. daughter of Samuel Par- melee and Ella Susan ( Rice) Williams. of Waterbury. They have one child, Henry Charles, born January 27, 1907, at Waterbury.

(The Wolcott Line).

The surname Wolcott is identical with Wal- cott, as shown by the use of the same coat-of- arms, but both in England and America, the two forms of spelling have survived for sev- eral centuries. The coat-of-arms which was engraved on the silver of Governor Roger Wolcott. of Connecticut. mentioned below, is : Argent a chevron between three chess rocks ermine. Crest : A bull's head erased argent or. dically gorgedl lined and ringed of the last. Motto: Nullius Addictus Jurare Verba Ma- gistri. ( Accustomed to swear in the words of no master : or. Taking nothing on Trust. )

The English ancestry of the American im- migrant has been traced for several genera- tions as follows :

(I) John Wolcott lived and died in Tol- land, Somersetshire, England. His will was dated February 9, 1571, proved April 11. 1572, bequeathing to children John, Alice, Mary: wife Agnes and also to John Howe, Agnes Meyer: and appointing his brothers Henry and Roger Wolcott as overseers. Chil- dren : John. mentioned below : Alice : Mary, ( In John (2), son of John ( I) Wolcott,

lived at Tolland and died there March 2, 1618, according to his gravestone. Various branch- es of the family lived in that and adjacent parishes. William and Thomas Wolcott were in Tolland as early as 1526, but the records are wanting, so the relationship is not known. John married joan - -- , who died April 5, 1637. He owned mills and other property at Tolland. His will was dated November 10, 1023, proved January 16 following, be- queathing to John Wolcott, son of his son John. and Agnes and Mary, daughters of his son John ; to children of son Henry : to kin>- man, Symon Wolcott: servant. Giles More ; also to Richard Locke, Alexander Thatloke, Joan Sealy and Alexander Engrave; wit- nessed by sons of the testator, Christopher and Henry Wolcott. Children, baptized at Lidiard, a parish adjoining Tolland : 1. Chris- topher. died March 25, 1639: Henry, men- tioned below; John, died February 17, 1652.

(HT) Mr. Henry Wolcott, immigrant an- cestor, son of John (2) Wolcott, was baptized at Lidiard. England, December 6. 1578. He came with the first company to Dorchester. Massachusetts, although it is said that he came first in 1628. He came with part of his family in the ship, "Mary and John." landing at Nantaskec. May 30. 1630. He was an original settler and proprietor of Porches- ter, and was on the first list of freemen. Oc- tober 19, 1630. He was a leading citizen, and was selectman and in other important posi- tions. He removed with many of his neigh- bors to Windsor, Connecticut, in 1636-37. and was a member of the first general assembly of Connecticut, in 1637. He was one of the un- dertakers (stockholders) of the ship 'Hope- well" in 1640. when he made a visit to Eng- land, and in that year his name stands first on the list of inhabitants. He was elected to the house of magistrates of Connecticut, in 1613, and served the remainder of his life. He was one of the most prominent immi- grants to New England. He had wealth and influence. He owned a good estate in Somer- setshire, England. We are told that he spent his youth in gayety and the usual country pastimes of the normal English vouth, but aft- erwards under the instruction of Rev. Edward Elton, "his mind was entirely changed and turned to the sincere love and practice of re- ligion". He became an austere Puritan. As the Puritans were then treated with great se- verity in England, he sold an estate worth eight thousand pounds and prepared to re- move to America. At his death he still owned a considerable estate in England. rented for sixty pounds per annum, and afterwards sold by his heirs. His home in Windsor was at

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the south end of the town, south of the Far- mington river on a tract of land called the "Island." He was called by contemporaries a "man of fine estate and superior abilities." He died May 30, 1655. He married, January 19. 1606, in England, Elizabeth Saunders, born 1582, baptized December 20, 1584. died at. Windsor, July 5, 1655, daughter of Thomas Saunders. His tombstone of brownstone stands at the rear of the First Congregational Church, surrounded by the gravestones of his descendants. His wife was buried by his side, and Prince's Chronology says: "These both dyed in hope and Ly buried under one Tomb in Windsor". The stone and inscriptions are perfectly preserved. Children : John, bap- tized at Lidiard, died in England : Anna ; Hen- ry, baptized January 21, 1610-11: George; Christopher : Mary : Simon, mentioned below.

(IV) Simon, son of Henry Wolcott, was born in 1624-25 in England. He was five years old when his father came to America, and he came with other children, later. He lived opposite his father in Windsor on land that he bought of Goodman Whitehead on the road to Hartford. He had a grant of land at Simsbury in 1667. He was prominent in public life. In 1668 he was on a commit- tee of the general court to further planting. He removed to Simsbury in 1671 and was cap- tain of the train band there. August 11, 1673; selectman. 1674. He and other settlers were driven from their homes during King Phil- ip's war, and it is said that he buried the brass kettle containing the family silver, sinking it in the mud of the swamp, and that it has never been recovered. He had a grant of two hundred acres from the general court in 1680 and was one of the six in the colony honored with the title "Mr". He married ( first). March 19. 1657. Joanna Cook, born August 5, 1638. died April 27, 1657: (second). Oc- tober 17. 1661, Martha Pitkin, who came from England with her brother, William Pitkin. at- torney-general and treasurer of the colony. Simon Wolcott died September II, 1687, and his widow married (second) Daniel Clark. and died October 13. 1710. aged eighty years. Her son, Governor Roger Wolcott. wrote of her: "She was a gentlewoman of bright nat- ural parts which were well improved by her education in the city of London. She came to New England in 1661 and the same year was married to my father. The rest of her useful life. she spent in the wilderness in doing good and setting an example of piety and prudence, charity and patience". Chil- dren : Elizabeth, born .August 19, 1662; Mar- tha. May I7. 1664: Simon, June 24, 1666; Joanna. June 30, 1668 ; Henry, May 20, 1670;

Christopher, July 4, 1672: Mary, 1674: Wil- liam, November 8, 1676: Roger, mentioned below.

(V) Governor Roger Wolcott, son of Si- mon Wolcott, was born January 4, 1679. at Simsbury, Connecticut. He became the fore- most man of his day in the colony and from him are descended many distinguished Ameri- can statesmen. Among them may be men- tioned Governor and United States Senator Edward O. Wolcott, of Colorado, and Gov- ernor Roger Wolcott. of Massachusetts. From the private journal of Governor Wol- cott we gain an excellent account of his life. In 1680 when he was an infant, the family settled on the east side of the river at Wind- sor, at some distance from any school, and he never attended a school. He was instruct- ed by his parents. There was no church in the vicinity. His father died leaving his buildings unfinished, his land to be cleared. and in debt. but the widow and her six chil- dren managed, and, as the governor says, "we never wanted". After his mother married Daniel Clark, he went to live with her in her new home on the west side of the river. In 1690 he learned to write and read: in 1694 he was apprenticed to a clothier or fuller to learn the trade, and January 2, 1000, he en- gaged in business as a clothier on his own ac- count and became very successful. He was elected selectman of Windsor in 1707: dop- uty to the general assembly in 1710. He took part in the expedition against Canada in I7II as commissary of Connecticut stores. He was elected councilor in 1714: judge of the county court, 1731 : of the superior court. 1732; deputy governor and chief judge of the superior court in 1741. He was commissioned major-general of the colonial army by Gov- ernor Shirley, of Massachusetts, and Gov- ernor Law, of Connecticut, and led the Con- necticut troops in the expedition against Cape Breton in 1745. He was then sixty-seven years old, the oldest man in the service except Rev. Mr. Moody. Governor Wolcott said : "It was a tough business. Divine Provi- dence appeared wonderfully in our favor and should forever be remembered with thank- fulness". Louisburg surrendered and the ex- pedition was successful. In 1750 he was elected governor of Connecticut. In Novem- ber. 1752. some Spanish merchant vessels tock refuge in New London harbor and through the neglect and delay of the owner suffered much loss while in port. Governor Wolcott was accused of oppression and hell responsible in the popular mind for the Spau- iard's misfortunes. For this reason he was retired from the governorship in 1754. But

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when the case reached the King's council, he was absolved entirely from blame and in a measure the public confidence in him returned. In 1755 he lacked but two hundred votes of reelection. After his retirement from public life, "he divided his time between devotion, reading, agriculture and the enjoyment of his friends. His body was strong and well pro- portioned. his countenance and deportment pe- culiarly adapted to command reverence and esteem. His wit was ready and uncommonly bright, his method of reasoning (free from sophistry ) was clear and manly as became a generous inquirer after truth and not a noisy wrangler for victory. He was a sincere un- failing friend to every industrious, virtuous. honest man, whatever his walk in life. He was a wise legislator and able statesman. While he was a judge he held the balance of justice with a steady, unwavering hand, and being far superior to venality of the influence of personal, family or party connections, he pronounced the law impartially on all the causes brought before him. As a governor he appeared to advantage. This was his proper element, for he seemed originally formed to govern. He was a kind and provident hus- band and parent. His moral character was unblemished. his religion and piety unaffected, and he died as he had lived. a member of the Second Church of Windsor." Anyone who knew the late governor of Massachusetts, his descendant and namesake, must be re- minded by this contemporary eulogy of the physique, bearing and character. of the late Roger Wolcott. of Massachusetts.

Governor Wolcott's mansion house was built in 1704 and stood until a recent date. Some of the panels on which the paintings il- lustrated the Indian attack on Deerfield, have been recovered. He published three books, "Political Meditations," ( 1720) : "A Tract on a Controversial Letter on the New England Churches," ( 1761) : "Letter to the Freemen of Connecticut" (1761). He died May 17, 1767.

He married. December 3, 1702. Sarah Drake, born May 10. 1686. daughter of Job Drake. Children: Roger, born September 14. 1704: Elizabeth, April 10, 1706: Alexan- der, January 20, 1708: Sammel, January 9. 1710: Alexander, January 7. 1712, mentioned below: Sarah, born and died December 10. 1713 : Sarah, January 31, 1715 : "this dear and ingenious child dyed in an extasie of Jov. Tri- umphing over death. January 5. 1735" : Hep- zibah, June 23. 1717: Josiah, February 6. 1719: Erastus ( twin). February 8. 1721 : Eph- raim ( twin) ; U'rsula, October 30, 1734.

(VI) Alexander, son of Governor Roger

Wolcott, was born January 7, 1712, died March 25. 1795. He graduated from Yale College in the class of 1731. He was with his father in the expedition against Louisburg in the French war. He lived at New Haven after his third marriage and finally settled at Windsor, where he practiced medicine. He was a distinguished citizen of commanding personal appearance and of great talents and was called upon to take an active and promi- nent part in public affairs at a critical period. Ile was justice of the peace and often repre- sentative to the general assembly. He was an earnest Whig and active in the great events that just preceded the Declaration of Inde- pendence. During the war he was chairman of the committee of inspection of Windsor and was placed in charge of the examination of candidates for the position of surgeon and surgeon's mate. He was a lifelong student, especially of Greek and Latin, and possessed a fine library. He had a negro slave. Primus Scott, who assisted him in preparing medicines and accompanied him on visits to patients. He gave Scott his freedom and immediately the negro set up as a doctor across the river and actually enjoyed a considerable practice. Dr. Wolcott had some skill as a poet and writer. He married (first). December 4. 1732, Lydia. daughter of Jeremiah Atwater, of New Ha- ven. He married ( second), March 17. 1739, Mrs. Allyn, of New Haven. He married

(third ). in 1745. Mary Richards. of New Lon. don, born in 1724, who died October 23. 1817. Children of first wife: Jeremiah. born No- vember 3. 1733: Alexander, February 17. 1735: Lydia, baptized November 6. 1737. Children of third wife: Esther, born Sep- tember 17. died October 9. 1746: Simon, Au- guts 9, 1747. mentioned below : Esther. July 17. 1749; George. May 23. died October, 1751 : George, October 17. 1753: Christopher. October 1. 1754: Mary. August 7 1756: Al- exander. September 15. 1758: Guy, August 7. 1760: Elizabeth, January 13. 1763.

(VII) Dr. Simon (2) Wolcott, son of Dr. Alexander Wolcott, was born August 9. 1747. He was a physician at New London and for several years was secretary of the county niedical society. He "was highly respected and greatly beloved by an extensive acquaint- ance." said the New London Gasette at the time of his death. He married ( first). Janu- ary 23. 1774. Lucy Rogers, born July. 1751. died April 4. 1701. He married ( second) Mrs. Charlotte ( Woodbridge) Mumford. born December 26. 1761. died December 1. 183 !. Children of first wife: Lucretia. Jangary 24. 1775: Alexander. November 12, 177; : Incy. June 30 1780: Mary. December 50, 581:

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Lucy, October 31, 1783, married (first). No- vember 25, 1802, Francis Drake ( see Drake XIV); married (second) April 25, 1816. Erastus Strong; Charlotte. November 10. 1784: Catherine. May 15, 1786: Elizabeth, January 10, 1788; Frances Caroline.

(The Drake Line).

The family of Drake in England is of an- cient lineage. One of the foremost of the English families of that name had its seat at Ashe, county Devon, and from it descended most of the naine in Massachusetts and Con- necticuit.

(I) John Drake lived in Exmouth. Eng- land, in 1360. He married Christian, daugh- ter of John Billett. and acquired Ashe. She married ( second) Richard Francheyney, and had a son Christopher, who unlawfully ex- chided her son John, mentioned below, fron Ashe.

(II) John (2), son of John (1) Drake, was excluded from Ashe and settled at Ot- terton, about sixteen miles distant; married Christian. daughter of John Antage.

(HI) John (3), son of Jolin (2) Drake. inherited Otterton, and married a Cruys. of Cruys Morchand.

(IV) John (4), son of John (3) Drake. of Otterton, married Agnes. daughter of Jolin Kelloway, and had children : John, mentioned below, Richard, Robert, Thomas, Agnes.

(V) John (5). son of John (4) Drake. settled first at Axmouth, and by a suit at law recovered Ashe. He married Margaret, daughter of John Cole. of Rill.

(VI) John (6). son of John (5) Drake, inherited Ashe, and married Ann, daughter of Roger Greenville. Children: Bernard, in- herited Ashe: Robert, mentioned below : Richard, settled at Eshire. county Surrey.

(\'H) Robert. son of John (6) Drake. settled at Wiscomb, parish of South Leigh. county Devon. He had sons William and Henry.

(VHI) William, son of Robert Drake. lived in Wiscomb, county Devon. Children : John, mentioned below : Thomas.

(IX) John (7). son of William Drake, was born at Wiscomb, county Devon, about 1600. He was the immigrant ancestor, and came to Boston in 1630. He bought land at Taunton. but did not settle there. He settled in Wind- sor. Connecticut, before 1639. "Aug. 17. 1659. John Drake Sr. dyed accidentally as he was driving a cart loaded with corn to carry from his house to his son Jacob's: the cattle being 2 oxen, and his mare. In the highway against John Grifon's, something scared the cattle, and they set a running. and he laboring to

stop them by taking hold on the mare, was thrown down on his face, and the cartwheel went over him, brake one of his legs, and bruised his bodve so that he was taken up dead. being carried to his daughter's house, had life come again, but dyed in a short time. and was buried on the ISth of August, 1659". He married Elizabeth Rogers, who was ad- mitted a member of the Windsor church, Feb- ruary 23. 1639, and died October 7. 1681, aged one hundred years. Children: Job, John, mentioned below : Jacob, Mary, Eliza- beth.

(S) John (8), son of John (7) Prake, was a first settler at Simsbury, Connecticut, but resided at Windsor until 1659. perhaps longer. lle died July 7, 1688, according to his grave- stone, though the town records give it July 9. 1689. He married, November 30. 1648, Han- nah Moore, who died February 16. 1686. daughter of Thomas Moore, of Windsor. Children: John, born September 14, 161; Job, June 15, 1651 ; Hannah. August 8. 1653: Enoch. December 8. 1655 : Ruth. December 1, 1657 : Simon, October 28. 16: Lydia. Ja ary 26, 1661 : Elizabeth, July 22. 1664. Mary, .January 29, 1666; Mindwell, November 10. 1671: Joseph, who is further mentioned below.

(XI) Captain Joseph Drake, son of John (S) Drake, was born June 26, 1674, and bap- tized June 28 following. Ile was a weaver by trade and resided at East Windsor. He died January 14, 1754. He married ( first), 1695-96, Ann Foster, of Hartford, who died in September, 1717, aged about thirty-eight. He probably married ( second) Sarah Stough- ton, widow of John Stoughton, who died Jan- uary 7, 1746. Children: Joseph, born April 24. 1697; Benjamin, April 14. 1699; Anu, January 30. 1701 ; John, May 6, 1,03. Wil- liam, December 30, 1705: Thomas, mentioned! below : Abel, March 24, 1710: David; Moses July 20, 1716.

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