USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 162
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"The m eting then adjourned to the Second Monday of July next, at one of the Clock in the Afternoon, in this Place.
" And the meeting met according to adjournment and Voted that their Representatives thet chali attend the General Assembly In Oct. next, shall prepare a Memorial to snid Assembly for Liberty to set up a Sign Post in or Near the Middle of the Societles of Westbury and Northbury, in this Town.
" At the same Meeting, voted Io Erect a Sign Post at or Near the Meet- ing-Housa in Northbury, and to Affix a Pair of Stocks at or near the Meeting-House In Westbury.
" Voted, That the Committee appointed to hire men into the Continen- [a] Service ere Impowered to act Discretionary, and They are to Continue notil the Town-Meeting in Dec. next."
In December, 1780, a committee was appointed to " view or reconnoitre a road from Torrington bounds to Woodbury bounds."
" At the sume Meeting Granted n Rate of three pence on the Pound, to be Paid in etates Money, or Silver Money, or Continental Money, and to be mnda on the List of 1780, and to he paid by the first day March next.
"At the town-meeting held Apl 19, 1781, n rate was granted of one penny half-penny on the Puund, to be paid on the List of 1780, to be paid in Wlient at 68, per Ruehel, Rtya at 4s, per bushel, and Indian Corn at 3s. per Bushel, or In Silver Money at Six and Eight ponce per Ounce, sd. Rate to be paid by the first Day of August Next.
" At the anme meeting made choice of Cap. John Woodruff, Nonh Richards, Jotham Curtice, John Fancher, and Joseph Curtice for n Com- mittee to hire aonidiors to Enlist to go lo horse neck (Greenwich, Coun.) for the term of one year.
"The same meeting made Choice of Lt. Amos Hickox, Jr., for a Coo- ductor of the Temes that are to Cart the Continental Provisions the Current Year.
" At the same meeting gave Liberty for any Number of Persons or Person to build a Howse or Howses for those Soldier's families that are Entitled for the term of three Years or During the war, on the High- ways, taking the Direction of the Encroaching Committee."
At a special town-meeting, held June 25, 1781,
" Voted, To Class the Town into Seven Classes, in Order to raise Seven men or Souldiers for the Continental Service."
At the same meeting
" Passed a Vote Desiring the Selectmeo to use their Endeavors to Catch those men that Belong to this Town that have Deserted from tho Continental Service and take them to the Camp."
At a meeting held February, 1782, choice was made of Edmund Lockwood, Jesse Curtice, Allyn S. Judd, and James Warner for a committee to hire a man, or men, for the Continental service; also
" Voted, That if any Person that shall take up a Cattel and any Soul- dier belonging to this Town that has Deserted from the Cootineotal army and Deliver him to an officer in said army and take his Receipt therefore, shall receive the sum of £15, Lawful Money (viz.), if Listed three years or During the War."
May 2, 1782, Capt. Moses Foot and John Wood- ward were appointed a committee to take the Conti- nental soldiers to Wallingford in order to be mustered, and take receipts of the muster-master thereof.
The first town-meeting held in that part of the town then called Northbury, now the town of Ply- mouth, was on Sept. 18, 1781, and the second in De- cember, 1782.
£
d.
John Merrill's rale for the year 1781 is to the amount of. 239 13
Credit by rates turned the sum of.
10
18 13
Timothy Foot'e order
7
10
A rate-bill for provisions to Col. Benj. Richards.
317 16
John Nettleton, Jr.
42 14 18
DIVISION OF THE TOWN.
The first vote in reference to the division of the town, and the setting off of Northbury (now Plymouth and Thomaston), was made at a town-meeting held Sept. 25, 1786, and was as follows :
" Voted, That This Town have a mind to be Divided into Two Towne and Maid Choice of Capt. Samuel illckox, Col. David Smith, Samuel Southmay, Cupt. James Warner, Walt Smith, Capt. Daniel Potter, John Woodward, Abner Blakeslee, Lt. Anron Huckley, nud Anron Dunbar, a Committee To agree upon Terms of a Division and Make Report to Each Soclety By the Second Monday of Oct. Next."
TOWN CLERKS.
Timothy Judd, 1780-83; A. Bradley, 1784-86, 1788. 1790-92, 1804-23; Allyn Wright, 1787, 1789, 1793-94; Ell Cortis, 1795-1801 ; Samuel W. Sonthmayd, 1802-4; Timothy C. Stub, 1821-26; Ezra Fields, 1827; llolbrook Curtis, 1827-41; Leman W. Cutler, 1850-81.
PROBATE JUDGES.
The Watertown Probate Distriet was organized in 1834, and the following is a list of the judges from that time to the present :
Holbrook Curtis, judge, 1834-35; Benjamin De Forest, 1836; Meril Hem- inway, 1837 ; Holbrook Curtis, 1838-45; Charles S. Woodward, 1846; Holbrook Curtis, 1847-49; Allyn MI. Hungerford, 1850-51 ; Leman W. Cutler, from 1852 to the present time,-a period of nearly thirty years.
6
346 19 6 Ditto Capt. Isanc Merriam'e.
674
HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM 1780 TO IS81.
1780, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Maj. Jesse Curtis; 1781, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Maj. Jesse Curtis, Capt. Phineas Royce; 1782, Capt. Samnel Hicox, Capt. Phineas Royce, Capt. Thobias Fenn, Capt. Nathaniel Barns ; 1783, Capt. Thomas Feno, Capt. Nathaniel Barns; 1784, Capt. Samuel Hicox, Capt, Nathaniel Barns, Maj. David Smith ; 1785, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Maj. David Smith : 1786, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Col. David Smith, Capt. Daniel Potter; 1787, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Capt. Daniel Potter; 1788, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Col. David Smith; 1789, Capt. Thomas Fenn, Wait Smith, Col. David Smith, Capt. Daniel Potter; 1790, Thomas Fenn, Col. David Smith ; 1791, Thomas Fenn, Col. David Smith, Elijah Woodward ; 1792, Elijah Woodward, Col. David Smitlı, Daniel Potter; 1793, Thomas Fenn, Joseph A. Wright ; 1794, Thomas Fenn, Joseph A. Wright, Elijah Woodward, David Smith ; 1795, Aner Bradley, Joseph A. Wright, Thomas Fenn ; 1796-97, Thomas Fenn. Aner Bradley; 1798-98, Thomas Fenn, S. W. South- mayd; 1800, Thomas Fenn; 1801-3, Thomas Fenn, S. W. South- mayd; 1804, S. W. Sonthmayd ; 1805, Thomas Fenn, Samnel W. Southmayd : 1806, Samuel W. Southmayd; 1807, Thomas Fenn, Sammel W. Southmayd, Samuel Hulburt; 1808, Samnel W. South- mayd ; 1809, John HI. De Forest, Phineas Miner; 1810, Garrett Smith ; 1811-12, Samuel W. Southmayd; 1813, Garrett Smith ; 1814, Garrett Smith, John H. De Forest; 1815, John HI. De Forest ; 1816, David Baldwin: 1817, Samuel Elton; 1818, Antos Baldwin; 1819, Daniel Hicox ; 1820, Amos Baldwin; 1821-22, Holbrook Curtis; 1823 -24, Sammel II. Nettleton; 1825, John Buckingham ; 1826, John Mor- ris; 1827, John Buckingham; 1828-29, James Bishop; 1830, Samuel H. Nettleton ; 1831, Benjamin De Forest; 1832, John Morris ; 1833, Holbrook Curtis; 1834, Joel Ilungerford; 1835, William H. Merri- man ; 1836, Leman W. Cutler ; 1837, Ilolbrook Curtis ; 1838, John De Forest; 1839, Holbrook Curtis; 1840, Leman W. Cutler; 1841, Alan- son Warren; 1842, no record; 1843, Holbrook Curtis; 1844, Lucius Woodward ; 1845, Holbrook Curtis ; 1846, Samuel II. Nettleton ; 1847, Edward Hickox ; 1848, David Mattoon ;. 1849, George F. Merriman ; 1850-51, A. M. Hungerford; 1852, C. T. Hickox; 1853, George P. Woodruff; 1854, Daton Mattoon ; 1855, William B. Hotchkiss; 1856, Rupell II. Beers; 1857, A. B. Everett; 1858, Truman A. Warren; 1859, Caleb T. Ilickox : 1860, S. P. Woodward ; 1861, Eli Curtis; 1862, Chester HInrd: 1863, David Welton; 1864, George Mallory; 1865, Amos M. Judd; 1866, John H. Woodruff; 1867-68, George Wood- ward: 1869-70, Charles A. Warren ; 1871, E. M. Smith ; 1872, Dayton Mattoon; 1873, George A. Woodruff; 1874, George A. Woodruff; 1875, William G. French; 1876-78, Leman W. Cutler; 1879, Charles A. Warren ; 1880, David Welton; 1881, Merritt C. Skilton.
MILITARY RECORD, 1861-65.
The following persons enlisted from Watertown for three years in different Connecticut regiments, under the call of the President for five hundred thou- sand men in 1861 :
Robert B. Atwood, corporal, Co. G, 4th Regt .* Mark O. Patterson, corporal, Co. G, 4th Regt. Levi B. Downs, Co. I, 4th Regt. Angustus Lane, Co. I, 4th Regt. William D. Noble, Co. 1, 4th Regt. William W. Scovill, Co. 1, 4th Regt. William Gridley, Co. D. 5th Regt. William H. Mallory, captain, Harris Light Cav. George Castle, Harris Light Cav. McHenry Stone, Harris Light Cav. Lewis J. Welton, Harris Light Cav.
Engene McIntire, Co. E, 6th Regt.
Frederick 11. Welton, sergeant, Co. B, 7th Regt.
Theodore Welton, Co. B, 7th Regt. J. Shelton Bronson, Co. E, 8th Regt.
. Sylvanns M. Clarke, Co. E, 8th Regt. George H. Baker, Co. E, 8th Regt. Adolph: Hoffenmeyer, Co. C, 11th Regt. Albert S. Frost, Co. E, 11th Regt. Henry G. Scott, Co. I, Ist Conn. Heavy Art.
Hubert Scott, Co. I, Ist Conn. Heavy Art. J. J. Fischer, Co. I, Ist Conn. Heavy Art.
* Changed from infautry to Ist Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Jan. 2, 1862.
Chester Russell, Co. I, 1st Conn. Heavy Art. H. W. Loomis, Co. I, Ist Conn. Heavy Art. Bronson Welton, Co. C, Ist ConD. Heavy Art. William H. Norris, Co. I, 13th Regt. H. A. Pratt, quartermaster-sergeant, Ist Conn. Heavy Art.
The following persons enlisted in August, 1862, for three years or during the war, in Company D, Nine- teenth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, and re- ceived the town bounty of one hundred dollars each as residents of the town of Watertown :
William H. Lewis, Jr., recruiting officer; William C. Atwood, John S. Atwood, Joseph Atwood, Charles L. Bryan, Norman W. Barnes, Harvey Bronson, James McCormick, Simon O'Donnell, Jr., Theo- dore C. Glazier, Samnel D. Hine, Edward C. Hopson, Albert J. Hotchkiss, Edgar B. Lewis, Matthew Lusk, John A. Lndford, Hiram Mattoon, Timothy Malone, James H. Pritchard, Andrew J. Tuite, William II. Whitelaw, Charles Warner, Thomas Wheeler.
The following persons enlisted for three years, and received the town bounty of one hundred dollars each :
Hlemao A. Morris, 14th Regt.
Charles E. French, 14th Regt. Nathan B. Abbott, Co. H, 20th Regt. George S. Guilford, Co. II, 20tlı Regt. William 11. Guilford, Co. II, 20th Regt. Merit B. Woodruff, Co. H, 20th: Regt. Peter Duffy, Co. H, 20th Regt.
The following persons enlisted September, 1862, for nine months, and received the town bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars caclı :
Company A, Twenty-third Regiment Connecticut Volunteers.
John A. Woodward, second lientenant ; George W. Andrews, Russell W. Ayres, Charles F. Blackman, Marvin Bronet, John Brouet, John H. Bryan, Jolın J. Beecher, Ezra E. Bassett, George Clark, John N. Ensign, George B. French, Frederick S. Fairchild, John Fitzpatrick, Edgar Gibson, Henry F. Gibson, Lyman F. Guernsey, David M. Hard, Amos G. Hull, Thomas B. Hotchkiss, Frederick Nichols, Charles Nightingale, William M. Parke, George J. Porter, Julius J. Pope, William Root, Charles W. Scott, Cyrus Thomas, George A. Wright (substitute for T. Jackson).
Company HI, Twenty-third Regiment Connecticut Volunteers.
Richard Barker, Marcus Dayton, Edward S. Doolittle, Benjamin H. Mal- lett, Sherman Guernsey, Charles Taylor.
The following persons were drafted August, 1863, under the call of the President for three hundred thou- sand men, and furnished substitutes for the amount affixed to their names, agreeable to the town vote :
George Smith, Bennett Judd, Henry Dayton, William Mallory, Enos Bradley, Frederick J. Woodruff, Henry S. Frost, William F. Lewis, Frederick R. Hickox, Romulus J. Potter, Wallace Atwood, H. Clay Skilton, Lucine Woodward, $300; Henry C. Percy, Andrew A. Nor- ton, $297.50; Samuel Decker (colored), $290; Joel E. Hawley, Fred- erick Bryan, William Markell, James Loveland, William S. Ben- ham, Harrison Atwood, $280; Renbeu Barnes, $275.
List of Deceased Soldiers.
William Gridley, Co. D, 5th Regt., died of disesse, and was buried in Frederick, Md., Dec. 18, 1861, aged seventeen.
McHenry Stone, member of IIarris Light Cavalry, died in the hospital io Georgetown, D. C., and was buried there Jan. 14, 1862, aged nine- teen.
William M. Parke, Co. A, 23d Regt. of nine months' volunteers, died in Watertown, Conn., and was buried there Nov. 12, 1862, aged twenty- two.
Edward L. Doolittle, Co. II, 23d Regt. of nine months' volunteers, died in Brashier City, La., July 24, 1863, aged nineteen.
Egbert D. Reed, Co. E, IIth Regt., died at Hatteras Inlet, N. C., April 14, 1862, age not given.
Leman W. Cutler
.
Gerrit Hemingway
675
WATERTOWN.
William D. Noble, Co. I, 4th Regt., died of disease near Richmond, Va., June 28, 1862.
Sylvanus M. Clarke, Co. E, 8th Regt., died at Roanoke Island, N. C., March 14, 1862.
George H. Baker, Co. E. 8th Regt., died in Annapolis, Md., Jan. 8, 1862. Joseph S. Bronson, Co. E, 8th Regt., died in Annapolis, Md., Nov. 30, 1861, aged twenty-six. Buried in Waterbury, Conn.
Edward C. Hopson, corporal, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d Conn. Heavy Art.), killed at the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., October, 1864; buried in Poultney, Vt.
Edgar Bartow Lewis, sergeant, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d Conn. Heavy Art.), died of diphtheria at the house of a friend in Alexan- dria, Va., Sept. 6, 1863, aged nineteen ; buried in Greenwood Ceme- tery, N. Y.
Philo A. Fenn, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d Conn. Heavy Art.), ebot in the head at Cold Harbor, Va., by a sharpshooter, while on duty as & eharpshooter, June 12, 1864, aged twenty-four.
Hiram Mattoon, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d Conn. Heavy Art.), shot in the knee at the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., June 10, 1864; his leg was amputated ; died in Washington, D. C., and was buried there June 14, 1864, aged twenty.
James H. Pritchard, bass drummer, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwarde 2d ConD. Heavy Art.), died of brain fever in the hospital at City Point, Va., July 1, 1864, aged twenty-one.
Charles L. Bryan, Co. D, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d ConD. Heavy Art.), was severely wounded in the leg at the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., October, 1864, but took part in the final battles of the war; he died in Watertown, Conn., March 16, 1866, from the effects of chronic diarrhos contracted during the war, and was buried there, nged twenty-two.
Charles Reed, Co. K, 19th Regt. (afterwards 2d Conn. Heavy Art.), died of wounds received in the battle of Cold Ilarbor, Va., June 2, 1864. Marvin Bronet, Co. A, 23d Regt. (nine months), died in Watertown, Conn., March 24, 1864, aged twenty.
John Bronet, Co. A, 23d Regt. (nine months), died in Watertown, Conn., Oct. 23, 1867, aged twenty-six.
Edgar Gibson, Co. A, 23d Regt. (nine months), died of consumption io Watertown, Conn., May 7, 1869, aged twenty-Bix.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
LEMAN W. CUTLER.
Leman W. Cutler, the youngest son of Younglove and Anna (Woodward) Cutler, was born in Water- town, Conn., Dec. 12, 1807. Younglove Cutler was born in Killingly, Windham Co., Conn .; was a son of Jesse Cutler, the fourth son of Capt. Isaae Cutler, who came from Salem, Mass., to Killingly about 1712, being one of the early settlers, and a prominent man in Windham County.
Mr. Cutler graduated at Yale College in 1829, but never studied a profession.
His three sisters had all previously died of con- sumption, and his only brother fell a victim to a lung disease about that time. He resolved that if an out- door life would equally promote his happiness and give him a longer lease of life, he would follow the occupation of a farmer, and seek good health rather than great riches, in which he was eminently successful.
He married, in 1831, Mary Elizabeth, eldest daugh- ter of Rev. Frederick Holcomb, D.D. They have no children. He has always resided in his native vil- Inge, and has been highly honored with the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens.
Politically a decided Republican, he has been
twice ealled to represent the Sixteenth Senatorial District in the State Senate, and five times sent by his townsmen to the House of Representatives. For six years, through the late war, was State comptroller of public accounts, for fourteen years town treasurer, and for twenty-four years judge of probate for the district of Watertown, when the constitutional limit compelled him to leave that office. He is at present town elerk and registrar of births, marriages, and deaths, having held both offices for the last thirty- two consecutive years. He is a member of the Con- gregational Church.
GEN. MERRIT HEMINWAY.
Merrit Heminway, son of John and Hannah (Thompson) Heminway, was born in East Haven, Conn., March 23, 1800.
His father was the only child of John Heminway, and was born in East Haven, Conn., about 1774. He was a miller, farmer, and dealer in live stock. He was twice married, and had five children by his first wife. Three are living, of whom Gen. Heminway is one.
He had three children by his second wife, one of whom is living. He was a member of the Episcopal Church. He died in 1826, leaving his family in good circumstances for those days.
Mr. Heminway remained at home, working on his father's farm and in a carding-factory summers, at- tending school winters, until he was sixteen years of age, when he went to New Haven as clerk in the gro- eery-store of N. & H. Oaks, where he remained two years.
He was then employed by E. & J. Shipman, who were engaged in trade with the West Indies. He remained with them two years. In December, 1821, he came to Watertown, Conn., and in March, 1822, commenced mercantile business in the basement of the old Bishop Hotel, with James Bishop as part- ner, under the firm-name of Bishop & Heminway. They continued in business seven years, when they took in as third partner Josiah Hickox, and removed to the store now occupied by Mr. Mattoon. Said store was built in 1828 by the firm, and is now owned by Gen. Heminway.
After two years the firm dissolved, and Messrs. Bishop & Heminway continued in trade till about 1837, when they dissolved, and Gen. Heminway con- tinued until 1842, having with him as partner Charles Partree, Heminway being a silent partner. In 1842, Gen. Heminway assumed control of the business, continuing alone until 1855, when his sons became partners, and the firm continued for a number of years as M. Heminway & Sons.
In 1849, Gen. Heminway fitted up a building which had been occupied by Nathaniel Wheeler, who was engaged at that time as a wagon-maker, and began the manufacture of silk. In a few years he took
-
676
HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
in his sons as partners, under the firm-name of M. Heminway & Sons, and a few years later changed the name to M. Heminway & Sons' Silk Company. This firm consists of Mr. Heminway, his four sons, and daughter, thus representing the entire family in a joint-stock company. They represent one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of capital, employ from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five persons, mostly females, and their silk is to be seen in all parts of the United States, also in South America and Europe. They manufacture the very best sewing-silk of all kinds.
Their factory is large and well situated. A view of it may be seen in another part of this work. They have a store in New York City for the sale of their goods, in charge of Homer Heminway.
Gen. Heminway was engaged for some time, with Nathaniel Wheeler, in the manufacture of slides and buckles.
He commenced keeping public-house in 1840, in the old Bishop Hotel, where he remained about twenty years. He has also managed a farm, which he purchased in 1840.
In politics he is a Democrat. He has been justice of the peace, judge of probate, and postmaster for a number of years. He never sought political distinc- tion, preferring the quiet of home to any official honors.
Gen. Heminway and all his family are members of the Episcopal Church, and he has been vestryman.
He has been a prominent military man in his town. He was a quartermaster-sergeant for Col. Chauncey Craft, of Woodbury, in the Twelfth Regiment Con- necticut Militia, and after serving five years resigned, never expecting again to be called upon; but, at the earnest solicitation of some of the prominent men in town, he was induced to accept the position of captain of the First Rifle Company, which was being formed for the first time. He rose through various ranks to colonel of the Twelfth Connecticut Regiment State Militia, and finally was appointed general of the Sixth Brigade.
On the 7th of March, 1832, he united in marriage with Mary Ann, daughter of Jonathan Buell, of Litchfield, Conn., and by this happy union five chil- dren have been born, namely, John, Homer, Mary Ann (who married Henry Merriman, of Waterbury, Conn.), Buell, and Merritt, all of whom were born in Watertown and reside there at the present time, and are numbered among Watertown's most highly re- spected citizens.
DR. JOHN DE FOREST.
Dr. John De Forest, son of Benjamin and Alma (Southmayd) De Forest, was born in Watertown, Conn., March 31, 1806. Educated at Yale College, in the academical and medical departments; commenced the practice of medicine in the spring of 1829, in Goshen, Conn .; thence came to Watertown, in Octo-
. ber, 1830, where he pursued his profession closely and with reasonable success until 1845, when he was obliged to retire in consequence of ill health. From that time to the present he has not been engaged in any active business, but has led a quiet and unosten- tatious life. May 16, 1831, he married Lucy S., daughter of Erastus Lyman, of Goshen, Conn. She was an invalid and sufferer for more than twenty years, which she bore with Christian fortitude and resignation, and died Aug. 3, 1855. They had two children ; the eldest died in infancy, and the youngest, Erastus Lyman, born June 27, 1834, was educated at Yale College, in the academical and scientific depart- ments, and is now engaged in scientific pursuits.
DR. SAMUEL ELTON.
The name of Elton has been a historic name in Watertown for more than a century. For a period of ninety years three individuals of that name filled the responsible position of family physician among us.
Dr. Samuel Elton, the subject of this sketch, watched at the bedside of the suffering for sixty years ; his father, Dr. John Elton, for twenty-four years; and his uncle, Dr. James Elton, for seven years. Thus we see the name became a " household word" in this community.
John Elton, the first of the Elton name of which the writer has information, came early to this country from Bristol, England, and settled in Middletown, Conn. His son Ebenezer located in Branford; the time of his death is unknown,-he was lost at sea.
His son, Ebenezer, Jr., was born in 1712, and set- tled first at Middletown, but subsequently removed to Harwinton, Conn.
His eldest son by a second wife, Dr. John Elton, was born Oct. 6, 1755, and it is presumed studied with his half-brother, Dr. James Elton, since on the death of James, John succeeded him in practice at West- bury, now Watertown, dying Oct. 9, 1800.
Dr. Samuel Elton, of whom we wish particularly to speak, was the only son of Dr. John, born Sept. 6, 1780. He studied a short time with his father, who purposed to give him the best possible medical edu- cation, but death defeated his plans, and at the early age of eighteen years, with little knowledge of medi- cal works, he commenced active practice, which was never relaxed until old age and disease enforced it, . dying Dec. 8, 1858.
What most acquire by the experience of others, through books, lectures, etc., he seized, as it were, by intuition, and retained by personal practical experi- ence. He was never rash, never attempted hazardous experiments, but waited and watched, frequently say- ing, "No doubt physicians have saved the lives of some people and prolonged those of others, but nobody knows how many lives they have taken."
His conclusions were so uniformly correct that he early grew into an extensive practice as consulting
John Deforest
677
WATERTOWN.
and advisory physician in all neighboring communi- ties. He was kind and tender in feeling, but never profuse in expressions of sympathy; plain, almost blunt, in language; stern in outward demeanor, but, when occasion permitted, jovial and playful as a boy. No one was ever more endeared, or more perfectly secured in the confidence of his patients, than was Dr. Samuel Elton to the end.
He acquired a handsome estate, which might have been doubled had he chosen to enforce the collection of very reasonable charges for his labors. He never took legal steps to collect a debt. He visited and cared for the poverty-stricken patient with all the assiduity he gave the most wealthy. As has been well said of him by another: "Honesty, temper- ance and economy were with him cardinal virtues. He was the friend of good order, of wholesome laws, and whatever else was calculated to promote the best good of the community."
He married Betsy, the eldest daughter of Mr. Charles Merriman, of Watertown, who bore him seven children, one of whom alone survived him, viz., John P. Elton, who was very successful as a business man, and one of the most highly respected citizens of Waterbury.
ALLYN M. HUNGERFORD, M.D.
Allyn M. Hungerford, M.D., eldest son of Deacon Joel Hungerford, was born in Watertown, Aug. 16, 1810. His father was a lineal descendant of Thomas Hungerford, of Hartford, Conn., an English emigrant, and land-holder there in 1638.
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