History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 121

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 121

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SILOAM LODGE, No. 32, F. & A. M.

A lodge of free masons was established years ago in Potapaug, to which many of the people of the first society belonged, but a lodge was not established in the present town of Old Saybrook till 1870. In that year a charter, which was first granted to a lodge in Kent and Warren, in 1795, " was restored to Bro's John S. Dickinson, First Master; J. J. Tryon, First Senior Warden, John E. Dudley, First Junior Warden, with authority to open Lodge in the town of Old Saybrook, to be known as Si- loam Lodge, No. 32, and to hold jurisdiction over the Town of Old Say Brook. J. K. Wheeler Grand Secre- tary." The following is a list of the charter members: Samuel B. Dickinson, J. E. Heald, Frederick A. Chalker, Richard H. Tucker, Edward P. Blague, J. W. Tryon,

Charles A. Pratt, Alfred L. Ingham, J. C. Whittelsey, James T. Ross, C. L. Emerson. The following have been masters: 1872, J. S. Dickinson; 1874, F. A. Chal- ker; 1875, E. P. Blague; 1877, R. H. Tucker; 1878, J. H. Granniss; 1879, J. J. Tryon; 1880, T. B. Bloomfield; 1881, R. H. Tucker; 1882, Arthur Kirtland; 1883, Charles A. Kirtland.

PUBLIC LIBRARY. Some years ago the ladies of Saybrook established a . circulating library, the books being kept at the house of Miss Harriet Willard. These books, which had consid- erably increased in numbers after a few years, formed a nucleus for a town library. Hon. Thomas C. Acton, now United States Assistant Treasurer, at New York, gave a Willard kept a hotel on Saybrook Point-the Fenwick | spot of land opposite his house for the erection of a House, which he afterward sold to I. S. Otis. Burt Mc Kinney was the next proprietor, and under his manage- ment, it became a famous place of summer resort for Hartford people. It stood on the high ground facing the mouth of North Cove, and on the south side of the road. It was burned on the morning of May 7th 1863. PHYSICIANS.

building, and money enough was raised by entertain- ments, subscriptions, and contributions, to put up a handsome building of two stories, with mansard roof, near the corner where the two roads from Main street meet on their way to Oyster River. The building was dedicated July 4th 1874. It now contains over 2,000 volumes, many of them very valuable, and a collection of antiquities. Miss Amelia Clark has been the librarian ever since the building was erected.

TOMB OF LADY FENWICK.

When the Connecticut Valley Railroad was built, its route, which was by the edge of the water on Saybrook Point, was where the Fort, and the tomb of Lady Fen- wick-which was a short distance south, stood. It was, therefore, necessary to remove the remains of Lady Fen- wick, which-was done. The bones were found in a good state of preservation, and so was a braid of auburn hair. The bones were removed, and placed in their proper po- sition in a coffin, by Dr. Richard W. Bull, and a grave was dug in the cemetery, not far distant. On the 23d of November 1870, the bones were taken to the Con- gregational church, where appropriate services were held, after which a long procession followed the remains to the cemetery. The monument was placed over the re-

TOMB OF LADY FENWICK.

mains as nearly as possible as it formerly stood. As relic hunters had begun to chip off the monument, an iron railing has recently been placed around it. There was formerly no inscription on the stone, but about 1850

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

or 1855, a stone cutter, who was employed near by, placed the name "Lady Fenwick, 1648," on one side of the monument, and a similar inscription with a cross was afterward put on the other side by Miss Hart. The following receipt is copied from the town records:

" APRIL 2, 1679.

" Received of Thomas Buckingham of Say Brook, Agent for Benjamin Batten Esq. of London, and in pay- ment for the Tombe stone of the Lady Alice Botler late of Say Brook; That is to say the full and just summe of Seven pound Sterling. I say Received by mee,

" MATTHEW GRISWOLD " Junior."

Tomb Hill, where the tomb stood, was dug away and used for filling at the wharf and depot, and the fort shared the same fate, these old landmarks being sacri- ficed to the march of modern improvements, so called.

SAYBROOK POINT.

In 1860 or 1861, a steamboat wharf was built by I. S. Otis near Lady Fenwick's tomb, and a road was opened from the corner near the burying ground to the wharf, and not long afterward Capt. Richard Dickinson built a house on the new road. Afterward, he and his brother, Edgar, built a store near the water and on the opposite side of the street from the tomb. This store is now kept by E. Dickinson. After the railroad was begun, a road was opened running south, and extending to the end of the new wagon bridge across the cove to Fenwick. On the northwest corner of this road a store was built, where Dickinson & Kellogg, Kellogg & Blague, and lastly J. Kellogg & Son, sold groceries. A post office has been established there under the name of Saybrook Point, and Joseph Kellogg is postmaster. The street running to the bridge was soon built up on the west side with dwel. ling houses, including the Pease House, the only hotel for transient guests.

PROMINENT FAMILIES.

THE HART FAMILY.

As the Hart family has for many years been prominent in the town, a notice of some members of the family, other than Rev. William Hart, may not be out of place. The first who came to this country was Stephen Hart, of Braintree, Essex county, England, born about 1605. He came with the company that settled Braintree, Mass., that afterward removed to Cambridge, and that consti- tuted the church of which Rev. Thomas Hooker was | but he afterward moved it 'across Main street, nearly op- afterward pastor. Mr. Hart came to Hartford with Mr. Hooker's company in 1635, and was one of the original proprietors of that place. There is a tradition that the town was named from the ford he discovered and used in crossing the Connecticut River at a low stage of the water, and so from Hart's Ford it soon became Hartford, from a natural and easy transition.

His grandson, William, was pastor of the church in Say- brook, and has already been noticed in the proper place.

Rev. William Hart's oldest son, William, was born at Saybrook, and married Esther Buckingham, daughter of Joseph and his wife, Sarah Tully, in 1745. . He was a merchant, and was an officer in the State militia during the Revolutionary war, and was in the engagement at Danbury. He was afterward a major general, and was for several years a candidate for governor of the State. In 1795, the Western Reserve (so called), belonging to the State of Connecticut, was purchased by subscription by a company of wealthy citizens of the State, for $1,200,000. William Hart was one of the company, and his subscription was $30,462. In 1785, he was engaged in the mercantile business with his brother Joseph in Hartford, and was much engaged in the West India trade. He was also a merchant at Saybrook. Owing to the destruction of a number of his vessels, while engaged in the West India trade, he and his heirs since have been among the claimants under the French Spoliation Bill, with little probability, however, of realizing anything from it, although years ago France paid these claims to our government. The investment in the Western Re- serve lands proved a profitable one to him and his heirs, some of the land still yielding an income to the family, though most of it has been sold. General Hart is described as a man of commanding person and presence, with a handsome, manly face, a rich complexion, and fine, clear, dark eyes and hair. He was an accomplished horseman, and often made the journey between Saybrook and Hartford on his favorite saddle horse. An old resi- dent of Hartford, dead years ago, used to tell her great- grandchildren, with much enthusiasm, what an imposing appearance he presented as he rode up to her door, and how it was ever her delight to set before him the very best entertainment the inn afforded.

Major Richard William Hart, the only child of Gen. - William and Esther Buckingham, was born at Saybrook, January 15th 1768, and married Miss Elizabeth Bull, of Newport, Rhode Island. Major Hart inherited from his father a large fortune, which increased by the rise in value of the land purchased by Gen. Hart in the West- ern Reserve, so that at his death he left an estate valued at half a million dollars, which was divided between his widow and two daughters. He was much esteemed and respected in his native State, and used his means liber- ally for the good of those about him. He built a large house on the west side of Main street, near the corner of the road leading to New Haven, where he resided till his death. He was for many years a merchant, his store standing for a long time on the corner near his house,

posite, where it still stands. Major Hart died of apo- plexy in 1837. He was a man of unusually fine personal appearance and handsome features. His only son died in early youth, but he left two daughters, the oldest of whom, Elizabeth M., married at Saybrook, in 1825, the Rev. William Jarvis, son of Hezekiah Jarvis, of Norwalk, and for a time resided in Saybrook. The second daughter of Major Hart, Miss Hetty B. Hart, died in Hartford unmarried, aged 76.

487

OLD SAYBROOK-BIOGRAPHIES.

Elisha Hart, fifth son of Rev. William Hart, born in 1758, married Jeannette McCurdy, of Lyme, and had seven daughters but no sons. They were distinguished for their beauty and accomplishments, and moved in the highest circles of wealth and honor. The eldest daughter, Sarah McCurdy, married Rev. Dr. Samuel F. Jarvis, of Middletown, from whom she was divorced. Her remains lie in the burial ground on Saybrook Point. The second daughter, Ann McCurdy, married Commodore Isaac Hull, U. S. N., who distinguished himself in the war of 1812 while in command of che frigate Constitution by capturing

the British frigate Guerriere. After the war Commodore and afterward of Milford. The date of his death is not known. He attended the General Court as deputy, the 23d and last time, at the session in Hartford, May 9th 1678.

Hull was a frequent visitor at Saybrook, and with his wife spent a few weeks at the old mansion nearly every summer for several years till his death in Philadelphia, in 1843. Elizabeth, the fifth daughter, married Hon. Heman Allen, formerly member of Congress from Ver- mont, and minister plenipotentiary to Columbia, South America. He died in 1844, at Burlington, Vermont, where his wife also died. Amelia, sixth daughter, mar- ried Captain, afterward Commodore Joseph Hull, U. S. N., a nephew of Commodore Isaac Hull. Three of the daughters died unmarried. One of them, Jeannette M. McCurdy Hart, in 1860, gave a handsome iron fence for the front of the ancient cemetery on Saybrook Point .* Capt. Elisha Hart died May 28th 1842, aged 84. He was also a merchant in Saybrook. His store is still standing on the east side of Main street, and is owned and occupied by T. C. Acton jr., as a grocery. The post office is also kept in it. Captain Hart lived in a large old-fashioned mansion, on the west side of Main street, a little north of his store, which is still standing, though it has recently passed out of the possession of the family. It is surrounded by large shade trees, and is one of the finest locations on the street. After Captain Hart's remains were carried out of the front door of the house, the door and blind were closed and a bar nailed across it, which was not removed, nor the door opened till after it passed out of possession of the family-a period of about 40 years. Rev. William Hart's house stood very near the spot where this was built, and was moved to the corner opposite the Acton Library, on what are now the grounds of Mr. T. C. Acton, and was used for many years by Captain William Clark as a paint shop. The house of Rev. William Hart's son-in-law, Rev. F. W. Hotchkiss, is still standing, and is nearly opposite Captain Elisha Hart's, and is owned and occu- pied by Mr. Charles W. Morse, a son of Prof. S. F. B. Morse, the inventor of the telegraph. Gen. William Hart built and lived in the house north of the present Congregational church, now owned and occupied by Misses Hetty B. and Nancy Wood. Captain John Hart, another of Rev. William Hart's sons, resided in Massa- chusetts for several years, and then returned to Saybrook,

where he lived in the Captain Samuel Shipman house which stood a few rods south of the Congregational parsonage. He died in 1828, aged 78.

LIEUT. WILLIAM PRATT.

One of the early settlers of Saybrook was Lieut. William Pratt, the first of the name in this town. He is supposed to have come with Rev. Thomas Hooker to Newtown (now Cambridge), Mass., in 1633, from thence to Hartford, Conn., in June 1636. He married Eliza- beth Clark, daughter of John Clark, first of Saybrook,

THE DICKINSON FAMILY.

The Dickinson family, though not among the first set- tlers, were yet prominent people on Saybrook Point during and after the Revolutionary war. Captain George Dickinson, who was born in 1770, was for many years a ship master, and at times resided in foreign ports as agent. He was at Copenhagen, Denmark, when that city was bombarded by Captain, afterward Lord Nelson, and at his death, in 1857, at the age of 81, was the wealthiest man in the town.

THE DENISON FAMILY.

Three of the Denison family, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, and Charles, were shipmasters, as were their fathers before them. Another well known shipmaster, of later date, was Captain E. E. Morgan, who, though a native of Lyme, was for many years a resident of Saybrook. He was long identified with the London line of packets, as master, and afterward as agent. At three different times Captain Morgan's ship was chartered by Joseph Bona- parte. Captain Morgan commanded four of the finest packet ships that ever sailed from New York. He died during the last years of the war of the Rebellion. He lived in the house that Major R. W. Hart built, and it is still owned by the family.

MRS. ELIZABETH MILLER JARVIS.

In the history of the town of Saybrook there are two women whose names will ever be held in grateful, loving remembrance. One was Lady Alice Boteler or Lady Fenwick, who crossed the ocean with her husband to found a new colony in what was then only a wilderness, inhabited by savages and wild beasts; the other was Elizabeth Hart, daughter of Major William Hart, of this town, who afterward became the wife of Rev. William Jarvis, a nephew of Bishop Jarvis.

This estimable lady was born in Saybrook in 1798, and was descended from a long line of honored ancestry. She was the child of Christian parents, and grew to womanhood greatly beloved by a large circle of acquaint- ances and friends. After her marriage she entered heart- ily into all her husband's plans, and proved a valuable assistant to him in his pastoral work. Hers was not a

*It is said that In the latter part of her life she embraced the Catholic faith. It was by her direction, and at her expense, that one of the Inscriptions on the tomb of Lady Fenwick was cut. A simple Inserip- tlon was well enough, but when she added a huge cross, an offense against good taste was committed, which the descendants of the Say_ brook Puritans are not likely to forget or forgive.

488

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

life exempt from sorrow and suffering; but by Divine grace, each trial and each pain brought with it a deeper faith, a firmer hope, a stronger love, and thus an increase in holiness. With a cheerfulness which scarce showed the patience that was its source, with a deep affection for kindred, on whom in declining years, she leaned with implicit trust, with increasing kindness toward all her many friends, with unshaken faith in God, she lived among those who felt her presence to be a sacred bene- diction. She died on Saturday, June 18th 1881.

" The gentleness and purity Through her long life displayed, In living, loving memory Can never, never fade."

HON. JOHN ALLEN.

In the race of life, under a republican form of govern- ment, the citizens of a State are equal before the law. But it is nevertheless true that there are certain inequal- ities of natural gifts, varied as to individuals and expres- sion, which are transmitted from parents to children, from ancestors in past ages to their descendants, furnish- ing materials for study and often exciting laudable pride. Biography, therefore, becomes interesting and instruc- tive.

Hon. John Allen, of Saybrook, Connecticut, the sub- ject of this sketch, who has borne a conspicuous part in public affairs, owes his success, not only to the faithful training of his parents, and the influences surrounding his early life, but to his self culture, and the sturdy stock from which he sprang.

The name, Allen, is said to have been of Saxon ori- gin, and to have been originally written "Alwyne," signi- fying in that language, Beloved of all.

It often occurs in English history, both civil and eccle- siastical, and is uniformly written "Allen."

Among those prominently mentioned are: Thomas Allen, sheriff of London in the 20th year of the reign of Henry V., A. D. 1413, and Sir John Allen, who was lord mayor of London in the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth, A. D. 1566. Hon. John Allen, of Saybrook, was the sixth in descent from Deacon Roger Allen, who came from England earlier than 1668, settled in Quin- nipiac, now New Haven, and was elected deacon of the First Congregational Church of New Haven colony, of which the Rev. John Davenport, a puritan divine from Coventry, England, was the first pastor. The impor- tance of this office is shown by the following from the New Haven records:

" In 1669, Roger Alling, having been inadvertently chosen town treasurer when he stood under a nomina- tion for the office of deacon in the church, the election was set aside and another Treasurer chosen."

He was previously chosen a member of the court, and often employed in the settlement of estates and other public business. His house lot was situated on the square now bounded by Church, Chapel, State, and George streets, New Haven.

Other families of the same name have emigrated to this country, and the records show that not less than 25

families of that name came within the first 40 years of the settlement of New England.

Sixty-five persons by the name of Allen graduated from New England Colleges, prior to 1825, of whom 17 were clergynien. Deacon Roger Allen, the American ances- tor, wrote his own name Allen, though the name is spelled differently on some of the records, and is spelled Alling by a portion of his descendants. His death occurred on the 27th of September 1674, and his property was ap- praised at £394, 17S.

The line of descent from Roger Allen is as follows: Samuel Allen, who was his eldest son, died August 28th 1709. Of the date of his birth there is no record. Dan- iel Allen; Timothy Allen, born April 17th 1712; Arche- laus Allen, born in North Haven, December 21st 1738. He removed to Wallingford and thence to Meriden, where he died at an advanced age. His eldest son, Levi, the father of Hon. John Allen, was born in Walling- ford, New Haven county, Connecticut, in that part of the town known as North Farms, on the 30th day of March 1777. He died on the 27th day of August A. D. 1861.

He was 16 years of age when he removed with his pa- rents to Meriden, where a high plateau of land south of the " Hanging Hills" was purchased for a homestead. He afterward became its owner, and one of the most thrifty and enterprising farmers of that town. On the 20th of January 1814, he married Electa, second daugh- ter of Aaron Hall Esq., of Wallingford, who was a sol- dier of the Revolution, was with Washington at Valley Forge, and in several engagements in New Jersey, but he was never wounded. On his return from the war Mr. Hall occupied a prominent position in the community where he resided. He was a justice of the peace, an ar- biter in controversies, and the public regard for him is attested by the fact that to him was confided the settle- ment of more than 40 different estates.

The issue of the marriage of Levi Allen and Electa Hall, was four children: John, Jennett, William, and Ed- ward Chauncey, all of whom were born at the family homestead in Meriden.

John, the eldest, was born on the 6th day of February A. D. 1815. He received a good common school educa. tion, and at 11 years of age was sent to the high school at Ellington, established by Rev. John Hall. He subse- quently attended the private school of Rev. Mr. Corn- wall, of Cheshire, Connecticut.

At the age of 14 he was placed in the store of Major Elisha A. Cowles, then one of the two stores and three dwelling houses (the only buildings) located near the in- tersection of Main and Colony streets, now the center of the city of Meriden. For a time thereafter he attended an evening grammar school kept during the winter months by the Rev. Mr. Keeler, rector of " St. Andrew's" Episcopal Church, at his dwelling house, situated on the present site of the house of worship. He also became a member of the Elocution Society and Lyceum, estab- lished by the young men of Meriden, for their mutual improvement.

488

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX CONINTV

Allen graduated fre 3825, of who 17 w www. the American and Jan the name is spell oof., and is spelled Au Ifi- death occurred e

property was of

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kemmved with his 1 wuof land south for a homestea June of the nu mo town. On : Worta, second daydı w elard, who Was a Wwwhigton at Vall in New Jersey, but ! www from the war M win the community se of the peice, an ili Wir regard for bin 1 wy confided the settle

Le Allen and Electa Lowest, William, and Ed- ne tin at the flonly

Ath day of February Groten school edile i we stro the high sch os John Hall. He sulve- GAhoo! of Rev. Mr. Com-

m the store of Mmor In Two stores and three os) located near the in- are ts, now the center of Ahereafter he attemed during the winter tor of " St Andree s' Los hovde, situated on the He also b-came a y and Alyceum, estab- boden, for their motaal

life exempt from grace, each trial ar faith, a firmer hop in holiness. With the patience that v kindred, on whoi implicit trust, w her many friends, among those who diction. She died " The ge Thro In livin Can I

In the race of li ment, the citizens But it is neverthel ities of natural git sion, which are tr from ancestors in ing materials for s Biography, theref( tive.

Hon. John Alle ject of this sketch public affairs, owe training of his pa his early life, but stock from which The name, Alle gin, and to have fying in that lang It often occurs siastical, and is u Among those Allen, sheriff of I Henry V., A. D lord mayor of Elizabeth, A. D. was the sixth in ( came from Engla nipiac, now New First Congregatic which the Rev. ] Coventry, Engla tance of this offi New Haven reco " In 1669, Ro chosen town trea tion for the office was set aside anc He was previo often employed public business. square now bot George streets, ™ Other families this country, and

489

OLD SAYBROOK-BIOGRAPHIES.

The idea of a Supreme Being in the universe and his personal relations to that Being, quickened his sensibili- ties, at this early age, and led him into the domain of religious thought. His parents were orthodox Congre- gationalists, the clergyman of that demonination, the Rev. Mr. Hinsdale, a Princeton theologian, and he was instructed in that belief, but to him many of the tenets of that faith were not satisfactorily apprehended, and they failed to meet his religious wants. His reading and re- flection at length resulted in his rejection of the distinc- tive teachings of John Calvin and the doctrine of the Trinity, and the adoption of views substantially in ac- cord with those of Dr. William Ellery Channing as set forth in his published works. His conscientiousness and habit of thorough investigation had a marked effect upon his subsequent career. By his industrious and studious habits, and upright conduct, he won the confi- dence and esteem of his employers. His clerkship in Meriden was continued with Major Cowles and his successors in business, Tibbals, Butler & Co., and Butler, Linsley & Co., for a period of six years. He was thereafter for one year in the employ of General Edwin R. Yale, then a prominent manufacturer of Meri- den.

In the spring of 1836, he removed to New York, and entered the service of Perkins, Hopkins & White, whole- sale merchants, then extensively engaged in the dry goods jobbing business with the South. He remained with that firm, in confidential relations, through a period of unusual instability and difficulty in the mercantile af- fairs of the country, during which time by active partici- pation in the business he gained valuable experience in laying the foundation of his future prosperity. Upon the reorganization of that firm in 1842, he became inter- ested as a partner with Perkins & Hopkins, and upon a subsequent organization, the firm name was changed to Hopkins, Allen & Co. It was, however, as a member of the last named firm, whose high reputation was a fitting tribute to its enterprise, integrity, and success, that he became prominently known to the business world.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 121

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818