History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 47

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 47

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The maternal ancestor of Captain Hendley was Thomas Miller, who came from England in 1643, and settled in Rowley, Massachusetts, in 1644. In 1653, he removed with his family to Middletown, where, in 1655, he erected a grist niill on the South Pameacha River, then called Miller's brook, and now the Sanseer River, the town of Middletown furnishing most of the material for the same in consideration of his grinding the town's corn. This was probably the first mill erected in Middlesex county.

Henry, the father of Captain Hendley, was born in Bos. ton, on the 18th of January 1770, and came to Middle- town in 1791. He was a tanner by trade and worked for Samuel Frothingham during the summer and followed

the sea in the winter. He was lost at sea in 1807. He formed one of the crew of the brig Marlboro, of Glaston- bury, Wadsworth, master. On her passage from St. Croix to Middletown, she foundered at sea and all on board perished.

born August 4th 1802, married Elisha Sears; Henry, born June 22d 1804, never married; Joseph J., born June 25th 1807.

Captain Joseph J. Hendley, the subject of this sketch, has had quite an eventful life. He was born at South Farms, in the town of Middletown. He was only six months old when his father died, and was thus compelled in early life to " paddle his own canoe." On the 23d of August 1810, his mother married the Rev. Benjamin Graves, then pastor of the South Church, Middletown. They had one daughter. In 1813, they moved to East Haddam, Millington Society, and resided there until after the war of 1812-15, when they returned to South Farms, and soon after settled at Bow Lane, where Joseph received his education at the district school. At the age of fifteen he went to work in a woolen mill at Wol- cottville, where he remained for two years, when he re- turned home and spent one year at the Pameacha woolen mill. In 1825, when he was eighteen years of age, he shouldered his pack, bade his feeble mother good bye, and started on foot for New Haven, where he shipped on a vessel bound for New York, receiving two dollars wages for the round trip. This, with three dol- lars received from his mother, and two suits of clothes, was all his worldly wealth. After his return to New Haven, he shipped on board a schooner bound for Guadaloupe, W. I., at which place the captain and one man died of yellow fever.

He was in the European, South American, and West India trades until 1830, after which he was in the New Orleans and Florida trade, and was first officer with Captain William H. Pratt, of Deep River, Conn., until 1833. He then took charge of the schooner Helen Mar, of New Orleans. He made several voyages to Apalachicola, Fla., and one voyage to the Brazos River, Texas. On one of these voyages, Henry Brooks, of Middletown, his mate, fell overboard in the night, while reefing the mainsail, and was drowned. Brooks was a young man of excellent moral character and a good sea- man.

At that time (1833) there was but one house on Galveston Island, and Texas was a State of the Re- {public of Mexico, at war with the mother country.

In the fall of 1834, Captain Hendley took command of the schooner Louisiana, in which he made regular trips to the Brazos River. Active hostilities had then

HISTOR. OP MIDDLESEX JOUAIS

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commenced, and the vessel was loaded principally with troops and munitions of war. He was twice chased into the river by the Mexican man-of-war, Montezuma, com- manded by Captain Davis, then blockading the coast of Texas, and the terror of all blockade runners.

In 1836, Captain Hendley, in connection with his brother, William Hendley, Sylvester Gildersleeve, and Alexander Keath, built the schooner William Bryan for the Brazos River trade. She was a successful vessel in that trade and was commanded by him until 1839, when he, with his brother William, and Sylvester Gildersleeve, of Portland, built the schooner Robert Mills, for the same trade, and in 1842, they built they built the ship Star Republic. This ship was commanded by Captain Hendley and sailed by him between Galveston and New York up to 1845. On the voyage from New York to Galveston in 1843, on the 6th of October, he encountered a hurricane off the northeast point of Abaco, one of the Bahama Islands. The whole coast of Florida was deso- lated and Sand Key light house blown down, in which the keeper and his whole family perished. Great damage was also done at Key West, but the little ship came safely through, losing part of her spars and most of her sails.

In 1845, before the annexation of Texas, Captain Hendley and his brother William, together with Philip Gildersleeve and John L. Sleight, formed the commercial house of William Hendley & Co., at Galveston, and, in connection with John H. Brower, of New York, estab- lished the New York and Texas line of packets. The Star Republic was the pioneer ship, and, with other ves. sels owned principally by the Wakemans of Southport, Conn., at that time constituted the Texas and New York line of packets. In 1848, these vessels were disposed of, the line reorganized, and eight vessels of larger capacity were built from time to time, and placed in the line, viz .: the ships S. F. Austin, B. R. Milam, William B. Travis,

The corresponding and financial partner of the firm of William Hendley & Co., Philip Gildersleeve, died in 1853. He was a competent, clear-headed man, and had but few equals. His loss was seriously felt by all the other mem- bers, and through his death the business of the firm for a time suffered, but on a reduced scale it again pros- pered. The line was successfully conducted until the breaking out of the war. During the intermediate time, the Austin was wrecked on the northeast point of Abaco; the B. R. Milam was stranded on Galveston Bar, and abandoned to the underwriters; the. William B. Travis and William H. Wharton were sold for a foreign trade; and the J. W. Fannin, loaded with grain for Ireland, foundered at sea; the National Guard and J. C. Kuhn were sold to the United States government, and the S. Gildersleeve was burned at sea by the rebel steamer, Ala-

bama. This closed the Texas and New York line of packets. After the war the house was successfully con- ducted until 1874, making a total period from its com- mencement, of twenty-eight years. William Hendley and John I .. Sleight died in 1873, and in July 1874, Captain Hendley closed up the old business of William Hendley & Co., and retired from commercial life.

Captain Hendley never married, but lives in the quiet enjoyment of bachelorhood. He makes his home with his half sister, Mrs. A. D. Button, at Plainfield, N. J., but spends most of his time traveling, and at the resi- dence of his nephew, Mr. H. F. Boardman, of Middle- town, where he is surrounded with the familiar scenes of his early days. . He is now in his seventy-eighth year, but still quite strong and hearty, and in the full posses- sion of his mental faculties.

His brother, Henry, also a mariner by profession, and an officer of the ship Emblem, of Portland, Me., which was wrecked in Cadiz Bay, in 1855, was on the wreck three days and died at Cadiz after being taken off.

Captain Hendley and Mrs. Esther S. Sears, widow of Elisha S. Sears, still survive.

LEONARD BAILEY, M. D.

"Nothing succeeds like success," is a trite saying, more forcible than elegant, but to no profession in life does it apply with greater force than to that of the med- ical, and whatever educational advantages or previous experience a man may have had, his ability is measured by his success.

Dr. Bailey commenced practice in this city unaided and alone, with neither friends nor influence, and what- ever success he has achieved in his profession is due to his own efforts.

His paternal ancestor was John Baylie, one of the 28 proprietors who settled the town of Haddam in 1662. His grandfather was a soldier of the Revolution, a mem- J. W. Fannin, Wm. H. Wharton, S. Gildersleeve, National ber of the 10th Connecticut regiment, commanded by Guard, and J. C. Kuhn. These vessels were built by S. Colonel-afterwards General-James Wadsworth. Gildersleeve, Portland, Conn., and owned principally by J. J. Hendley, William Hendley, S. Gildersleeve, H. Gil- dersleeve, P. Gildersleeve, J. H. Watkinson, William Jarvis, and John H. Brower, of New York.

Leonard was the youngest son of Benjamin and Lau- rana Bailey, and was born in that part of the town of Haddam now known as Higganum, on the Ist of Jan- uary 1836. He was sent first to the district school, and then to the Brainerd Academy. He commenced the study of medicine in Philadelphia, and graduated in 1857, standing fifth in a class of forty. At the age of 22 he spent one year in the office of Dr. Burr of this city (Middletown), where he commenced his practice. He subsequently went to East Haddam, where he practiced for three years. In 1861, he returned to Middletown, where he has since remained. In 1862, he again visited Philadelphia, where he attended a course of medical lectures during the winter of 1862-63. During this pe- riod he was frequently associated with and received in- structions from Professors S. D. Gross, Pancoast, Wood, and Dunglison, and other eminent physicians and sur- geons of Philadelphia.

When he resumed his practice in Middletown, and de- termined on making this his permanent home, the pros-

I68

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

pect was not very flattering. There were at that time ten physicians in the city, most of whom were old resi- dents, and there appeared to be no room for another; but he went quietly to work, devoting every leisure mo- ment to the acquisition of knowledge, and availing him- self of every means in his power to achieve success. His first efforts with his patients proving successful, his business gradually increased, and he has probably at the present time a more lucrative, if not a larger prac- tice than any other physician in Middletown.

He carefully diagnoses every case and makes each a special study, clinging to no stereotyped or obsolete theories; assuming that each case of even the same disease requires a special, if not a different method of treatment.

To his intense love of and devotion to his profession, he unites a genial, happy disposition that carries joy and comfort to the sick room and inspires the patient with courage and confidence.

· His personal popularity would naturally draw him into public life, but for this he has neither the taste nor in- clination. His purse strings are ever loose to relieve the needy and unfortunate, and many a bill for professional services will be canceled only at the day of final reckon- ing, when the " Judge of all the earth " shall say: " In- asmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto me."

On the 3d of February 1863, he married Sarah J., daughter of Burriage Robinson of Portland.

HON. SAMUEL L. WARNER.

Edmund Burke once said to a friend: "Men give me credit for genius. If an intense and ardent desire for the acquisition of knowledge and persevering efforts in the use of the means for accomplishing that end is genius, then I have genius."

Those who have listened to the earnest and eloquent appeals of Samuel L. Warner in behalf of his clients, give him credit for genius, as well as great legal ability; but if any young man of ordinary ability is willing to use the same means and make the same sacrifices to attain the ends, the prize is within his grasp.

Mr. Warner had the same trials, struggles, and hard- ships as those of most men who succeed in life. Levi Warner, his father, was a prosperous and enterprising farmer, born in the town of Wethersfield, and was descended from one of the original settlers who came there from Boston about 1635. He married Sarah, daughter of John Larkin, of Wethersfield, by whom he had eight children: Mary, William, Samuel L., Levi, Sarah A., John, George Francis, and Albert, all living.

Samuel L. was born at Wethersfield, on the 14th of June 1828. He attended the common schools of his na- tive village, and subsequently went through a prepara- tory course at the academy. After teaching school for four years, he commenced the study of law with Judge Matson, of Hartford, and soon after entered a law school at New Haven. He completed his course at Harvard Law School, where he spent two years; and in 1854 was

admitted to the Suffolk county (Massachusetts) bar. He returned to Hartford, intending to commence practice in that city, bu:, through the influence of Gov- ernor Seymour, who took a deep interest in his welfare, he obtained the appointment of executive secretary to Governor Pond. Owing to the illness of the latter the duties of the office devolved to a large extent on young Warner. These he discharged with great credit to him- self, and the executive ability displayed by him at that early age showed that the confidence of his friends had not been misplaced, and the experience thus acquired proved of great advantage to him in after years.

In the spring of 1854, he removed to Portland and commenced the practice of law in that town, where he soon obtained a lucrative practice, and the success at- tending his efforts brought him into prominence in all courts in the State; and his business increased to such an extent that he found it necessary to open an office in Middletown. The judicial history of the period before and after the time when Mr. Warner commenced practice shows that the courts of Middlesex county presented a field for the best legal talent of this State; and at each session of the court were represented men who have since become distinguished as jurists and statesmen, whose reputation is almost world wide. Among these may be mentioned Hon. Charles J. Mc- Curdy, Hon. William D. Shipman, Hon. Lafayette S. Foster, Hon. Isaac Toucey, R. G. Baldwin, Henry Dutton, Charles Chapman, Thomas C. Perkins, and others; all of whom were engaged in the trial of important causes in the Middlesex county courts. To be brought into immediate contact in the trial of causes with these legal giants would intimidate most young men, but Mr. Warner had confidence in himself. He had been a close student not only when preparing for admission to the bar, but had availed himself of every leisure moment to familiarize himself with the requirements of his pro- fession. He was, moreover, a close student of human nature, and was familiar with the ways of the world, and of the general principles of business; was careful and ob- serving, allowing nothing to escape his attention, so that when he was subsequently called to the trial of import- ant causes he realized the fruits of this course of. study and was prepared to successfully contend with men who enjoyed the advantages of a large experience and a longer established reputation. His intense application to, and study of his cases soon made him proficient and successful in his practice. His continued success at the bar rendered him popular with the people, and in 1862, he was elected mayor of the city, and continued in office for four years, during which period he labored hard and finally succeeded in establishing the present system of water works and securing the necessary legislation to place it on a substantial basis. To him, in a great meas- ure, is due the credit of having established the finest system of water supply in our State, which affords equal, if not the best protection against fire of that of any city in the Union, In 1858, he represented the town of Portland in the State Legislature.

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SAWOBEI WARNER

169

MIDDLETOWN-BIOGRAPHIES.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion, he was an active and earnest supporter of all measures for a vigorous prosecution of the war, and in 1862, he was nominated for Congress, but was defeated by his opponent, Governor English. The following term he was again nominated by the republican party, and elected by 1,700 majority, in a district strongly democratic, receiving the support of many prominent democrats. In 1865, he was again nominated, but declined to accept the nomination. He was a member, and one of the secretaries of the con- vention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for the second term.

In 1861, he purchased the Nehemiah Hubbard home- stead, on Main street, to which place he removed his office and where he has since continued. He enjoys a large and lucrative practice, and stands at the head of the bar in Middlesex county.

The success on the trial of causes to the jury has caused his retainer in nearly all such cases of importance in the county during his practice. The records of the Supreme Court of Errors show his mastery of his cases in that forum. It is said by the judges of that court that no briefs or presentment of causes in their court show more or better preparation or conception of the case than do his.

In his jury trials he makes no mistakes and if any are made by his adversary, he is quick to take advantage of them. He makes his clients' case his own, and enters into it with intense earnestness and enthusiasm. It is said of him that in the examination of witnesses in the trial of a cause, if he becomes convinced of the untruth- fulness or prevarication of the witness, his examinations are almost merciless, and no sagacity could escape his detection.

Socially he is a man of large hearted, generous im- pulses, and will make any sacrifice to serve a friend. He delivered the addresses at both the Lincoln and Garfield memorial services held in the North Church.

He was the unanimous choice of the committee to de- liver the oration at the centennial celebration of Middle- town, held on the 14th of July 1884. This was one of the most carefully prepared, and best historical addresses ever delivered before a Middlesex county audience, and was listened to by a large and intelligent concourse of people.

On the 30th of April 1855, he married Mary E., daughter of John Harris, of Norwich, by whom he has had two children: Harris, born October 26th 1858, and Charles W., born November 20th 1863.

His brother Levi, next younger than himself, who studied with him, is one of the leading lawyers in Fairfield county, and was twice elected to Congress from the Fourth Congressional District.

His mother, who is still living, is now 82 years of age and in the full enjoyment of health and of all her mental faculties.

THE RUSSELL FAMILY.

The Russells have been identified with the history of he was invited to enter the house of B. & T. C. Hoppin Middletown for nearly two hundred years, and each

generation has left its impress on the community by the noble deeds and Christian virtues of its several members. The family is a branch of the English line so well known, and William Russell, the emigrant, is said to have ac- companied Colonel Fenwick, Robert Greville, second Lord Brooke, being connected by marriage with the latter.

William, the American ancestor of the Russell family, was born in England in 1612, came to America in 1638-9, and settled in the colony of New Haven. His will, dated October 24th 1664, is found among the New Haven records. He left two children: Anna, born June 29th 1660, and Noadiah, born at New Haven, July 22d 1659.

Of Rev. Noadiah Russell, the youngest son, Dr. Field says:

" He was left an orphan, with an elder sister when about a year old, but through the friendship and benevo- lence of Mrs. Elin Glover he was publicly educated. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1681, where he he was for a time tutor. He subsequently taught an academy in Ipswich, Mass., and became a member of the church in that place, and was thence recommended to the church in Middletown, to which place he came in 1687, and was settled as pastor of the First Congrega- tional Church. He was one of the twelve ministers who founded Yale College, at Saybrook, in 1700, and was one of the framers of the Saybrook Platform.

On the 28th of February 1689, he married Mary, daughter of Giles Hamlin, one of the first settlers of Middletown. By her he had nine children, viz: William, Noadiah, Giles, Mary, John, Esther, Daniel, Mehitable, and Hannah.

Two of his sons, viz., William and Daniel, were edu- cated at the seminary which he had assisted in founding and governing. With this, William was connected for a time as tutor, and afterward as trustee. Both became ministers of the Gospel. Daniel settled in the parish of Stepney, in Wethersfield, and William succeeded his father in the congregation in Middletown, June Ist 1715.

Rev. Noadiah Russell labored in the ministry just forty-six years-dying in the same month, and on the same day of the month on which he was ordained. " He was a gentleman," says Dr. Trumbull, " of great respect- ability for knowledge, experience, moderation, and for pacific measures on all occasions.'

SAMUEL RUSSELL, eldest son of Capt. John and Abi- gail Russell, was born at Middletown, Conn., August 25th 1789. His father having deceased when he was but twelve years of age, he was placed under guardianship, and after receiving an ordinary education was placed in the store of Messrs. Whittlesey & Alsop, Washington street, Middletown, and afterward with Mr. Samuel Wetmore, where he remained until he arrived at majority; he then went to New York city, and entered the house of Messrs. Hall, Hull & Co., foreign shipping merchants, and was sent by them as supercargo to Spain; after which & Co., Providence, R. I., who were engaged in the Cal-

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

cutta and China trade, where he remained until he became a partner of Messrs. E. Carrington & Co., Cyrus Butler, and B. & T. C. Hoppin. On the 26th of Decem- ber 1818, articles of co-partnership were signed for the transaction of business in China for a term of five years, which at the expiration of that time eventuated in the establishment of the house of Russell & Co., at Canton -one of the most celebrated firms in China, doing busi- ness under the same name up to the present time; having numbered among its partners such men as Phillip Ami- don, Augustine Heard, William Henry Low, John C. Green, John Murray Forbes, Joseph Coolidge, A. A. Low, W. C. Hunter, Edward King, Robert Bennett Forbes, Warren Delano jr., and Russell Sturgis.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 47

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