History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 55

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 55

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198

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

February 25th 1780, died young; James, born July 18th 1781; Revilo Cone, born June 19th 1783; Anna, born October 25th 1784, died 1801; Statia, born July 22d 1786; Abigail, born May 30th 1788, married Rev. Jona- than Cone, a graduate of Yale, 1808, and pastor of the Congregational churches in Bristol, Conn., and Durham, N. Y., for many years; Diodate Johnson, born April 6th 1790, died unmarried, March 24th 1871; Sophron, born January 29th 1792, married and lived on the homestead, where he died December 8th 1873; Harriet, born De- cember 16th 1793, died 1868; Elizabeth, born January 19th 1796, died 1838; and Josiah Cleveland, born August 24th 1802. The ancestors of Dr. Usher were residents of Dublin, Ireland, and one of them, James Usher, an Irish prelate, born in Dublin, January 4th 1580, died in Reigate, Surrey, March 21st 1656, and buried in Westminster Abbey by order of Cromwell, was highly distinguished as a scholar, a preacher, and an author.

Lieutenant Thomas Williams, born in 1728, a son of Charles and Mary (Robinson) Williams, resided in this quarter of the town. He married for his first wife, Anna, daughter of Judah Hart, of Kensington Parish, in Berlin, Conn., and widow of Nehemiah Gates, of East Hampton, by whom he had the following children: Anna, who mar- ried Enos Brown; Statia, Dotia, and Grace. His wife died January 16th 1784, and he married Elizabeth Spar- row, by whom he had two sons: John, born September IIth 1785, and Sparrow, born May 18th 1788, who mar- ried Rebecca Carrier and lived at the homestead, dying there June 7th 1875. His second wife dying, he married Sarah Sparrow, who survived him and married Aaron Foote. He died February 25th 1806.

The soldiers who served in the Revolution, from this part of the town, as far as known, were: Ephraim Briggs, Dr. Robert Usher, Capt. Stephen Brainerd, Nathan Sco- ville, Lemuel Scoville, and Henry Strowbridge, who was killed in battle, in September 1777.

THE EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR DE- SCENDANTS.

About 1710, the family of Gideon Goffe settled about a mile south of Middle Haddam Landing, and are thought to have been the first English inhabitants that had their residence within the present limits of the town. There is a tradition in this family that they are descend- ants of William Goffe, one of the judges that condemned King Charles the First to death, and it is believed by some that the regicide ended his days in Middle Had- dam Parish. But little is known concerning this family, save that at one time they were large landed proprietors. Gideon jr., Philip, and Nathaniel, sons of the settler, settled in town near their parents and left large families. Jonathan Yeomans was another early settler, living, probably, not far from the present steamboat landing, where, in 1735, the General Court granted him the priv- ilege of a ferry.

Capt. Cornelius Knowles, son of Samuel, and grandson

of Richard Knowles, who was an early settler at Plym- outh and Eastham, Mass., emigrated to Connecticut, and settled in Middle Haddam, building a house on the bank of the river near the landing, from which circumstance the place was long known as Knowles' Landing. The General Court also granted him a ferry at the same place that had been granted previously to Jonathan Yeomans. Capt. Knowles died, December 28th 1764, in the 71st year of his age, leaving a wife, Elizabeth, and several children.

The first settler in East Hampton of whom anything definite is known, was John Clark, who settled on what is now Clark's Hill, about 1737.

Elijah Abell, son of Benjamin and Lydia (Hazen) Abell, and grandson of Caleb and Margaret (Port) Abell, one of the early settlers of Norwich, Conn., settled on Hog Hill, not far from 1770. He was born May 12th 1729, and married, first, November 11th 1754, Ann Lathrop, born in 1731. She died December 15th 1764, and he married, October 30th 1768, Mary Cleveland. His children by his first wife were Elijah, Abel, Jabez, Anna, and Eunice. He had, by his second wife, Benja- min, Elizabeth, Mollie, Sarah, Joseph, and perhaps others. He removed to Lempster, New Hampshire, where he died, at the age of 70. Elijah Abell, born Oc- tober 18th 1755, served in the Revolution, and died, Sep- tember 14th 1842, unmarried. Abel, born September 14th 1857, married Lucy, daughter of Daniel Hubbard, for his first wife. By her he had Daniel, Jabez, Alice (who married Joseph White), Asahel, Robert, Elijah, Isaac, and Abel. His wife dying, he married Jemima, daughter of Ozias Brainerd, and had Martha (who mar- ried Amos Rich), Amiel, and Jabez Lathrop. He also served in the Revolution, and after the war, in company with his brother, Elijah, built a saw and grist mill near where H. B. Brown & Co.'s machine shop now stands, at the foot of Chestnut Hill. The business was carried on after his death, which occurred March 14th 1841, by his son, Jabez L., who removed to Illinois.

Amiel Abell married, 1833, Marietta Veazey, and was a member of the firm of Goff, Abell & Buell, who carried on the bell business at the stand just south of where the Hebron and Middle Haddam Turnpike crosses Pine Brook. Selling out his interest in this firm to Hiram Veazey, he united with others in forming the East Hamp- ton Bell Company, who carry on the same business on the site of Cook's ancient grist mill. His son, Irvin H. Abell, carries on the printing business in East Hampton under the name of the Chatham Printing Company. The emigrant ancestor of this family is said to be one Robert Abell, of Lancaster, England, who emigrated to Boston sometime during the last half of the seventeenth century.

James Ackley, son of James and Elizabeth Ackley, and a descendant of Nicholas, one of the first settlers of Haddam, lived in the Tarsia District, where he died December 31st 1777, in the 71st year of his age. He had, by his wife, Naomi, James, born January 18th 1739. His wife dying, he married Sarah Yates, and had Sarah, Naomi, and Samuel. James Ackley jr., married Ruth

199

CHATHAM-SKETCHES OF THE SETTLERS.

Ackley, December 23d 1759, and had Naomi, born Sep- tember 19th 1760, married Elisha Niles; Nathaniel, born 1763; James, born 1765;' Ruth, born 1770, married Samuel Skinner; Henry, born 1780, married Ruth Purple; and probably others. Nathaniel Ackley married Elizabeth Spencer, April 6th 1788, and lived in the Tar- sia District, near where Mrs. Warren S. Ackley now lives. He was a soldier in the Revolution and an enter- prising farmer. He died September 5th 1838, and she died October 9th 1860, aged 90 years. Their chil- dren were: Electa, who married Joseph Whitmore; Ogden, who married Polly Youngs, and had four sons, Enoch, Noah, Jeremiah, and Elijah; Rachel, married Ezra Young; Rhoda, married Julius Brainerd; Selden, Harriet, and Samuel, who died young, in September 1801; Sarah, married Loren Cowdrey; Abby Ann, married Horace C. Hinckley; Washington S., married Deidama Strong; Warren S., married Mary Ann Willey; and George Buck- ley, who married, first, Susan Thomas, and second, Lydia Howard.

Stephen Ackley lived north of Pocotopaug Lake about the time of the incorporation of the town. He served in the war of the Revolution, as did also his son, Stephen Ackley jr., who was born in 1762, and went into the ser- vice in 1780. He died August 22d 1836, and his wife, Mehitable, died March 2d 1837.

James Ackley, brother of Nathaniel, married Olive Skinner, of Westchester, and resided in Young Street District, where he died in 1841. Their children were: Epaphroditus, Lydia, Dudley, Roderick, Silvia, Eliza, Isaac, and Maria.

Thomas Ackley died February 23d 1794, aged 53 years, and he is buried in the Lake Cemetery. Nothing is known of his parentage, or of that of Thomas Ackley, a native of this town, who emigrated to Sharon in 1768, and died there November 6th 1792, age 67.

Darius Adams married Mary, daughter of Nathaniel White, in 1772, was for a few years a resident of East Hampton, and had two children, Lucy and Cynthia, baptized by the Rev. Mr. Parsons.

Wally Adams, of Falmouth, Mass., married Rebecca, daughter of Cornelius Knowles, of Middle Haddam, February 13th 1766, and had Sarah, born November 29th 1766, and Knowles, born January 18th 1768. His wife died January 24th 1768, and nothing more is known respecting him.

Jonathan and Seth Alvord, sons of Thomas and Mary (Strong) Alvord, of Northampton, Mass., were early set- tlers in East Hampton. They were descendants of Alexander and Mary (Voze) Alvord, who were married in Windsor in 1646, but settled in Northampton about 1660. Jonathan, born November 16th 1711, married, October 16th 1739, Elizabethi Sanford, of Milford. She died April 7th 1764, and he married, November 21st 1765, widow Mary Brainerd, of East Haddam. He was a captain in the train band and prominently connected with offices in the society and town and resided in the East District, near the residence of Henry S. Gates. He sold out about the year 1770, and removed to Win-

chester, where he died June 28th 1784. He had two sons: Eliphaz, born January 13th 1742; and David, born June 14th 1753, married Elizabeth Wetmore, of Torring- ton, and removed to Verona, N. Y.

Eliphaz married, November 29th 1764, Esther, daugh- ter of Judah Hart, of Kensington, and a neice of the Rev. John Norton, and removed to Winchester where he held many offices of profit and trust, dying there April 15th 1825.

Seth Alvord, born November 13th 1714, married Eliz- abeth Spencer, and resided near the Daniel B. Niles place in East Hampton. He and his brother Jonathan were the first " quoristers appointed to set the psalm" in the church, in 1760: He died March 17th 1802. His fam- ily record has not been recovered, but it is known that he had sons, Ruel, Seth jr., Orrin, Hewit, and probably other children. Ruel, born about 1750, married, No- vember 15th 1774, Hannah Hall, and had John, born 1775, died at sea, of the yellow fever, November 11th 1800; Sybil, Mary, James Hall, Lucy, Esther, Jabez, and Hannah. James Hall, son of Ruel, born August 8th 1781, married, October 11th 1804, Lucy Cook, and in 1809 removed to Winsted. Their son, John Watson, born in East Hampton, April 18th 1807, graduated at Oberlin Theological Seminary in 1836, and was ordained the same year; was acting pastor at Mawmee City, Ohio, 1836, 1837; Buckhamsted, Connecticut, 1838-42; in- stalled at Stamford in 1842; dismissed 1846; installed at South Boston 1846; dismissed 1852; secretary of Amer- ican Tract Society, in Boston, 1858-66; superintendent schools Freedman's Bureau, Washington, D. C., 1866-70; treasurer Freedman's Trust Company, 1871-4; and died in Denver, Colorado, January 14th 1880. Seth Alvord jr., born July 18th 1754, married, July 3d 1777, Ruth Norcutt. She died in 1792, and he married, in 1793, Sarah Sears, who died February 2d 1819. He died July 14th 1836. His children by his first wife were Lydia, Ashbel, Ruth, Sally, Seth, and Zenas; by his second wife, Otis, Beulah, Elizabeth, and Chauncey Hart. The late Jerome L. Alvord, who died, in 1871, from the effect of a kick in the breast he received while in discharge of his duty as deputy sheriff, was a son of Chauncey Hart. Or- rin Alvord kept a public house at the old homestead for some years, but removed from the town about ISII. His wife's name was Hannah, and their children, as far as known, were Elisha, Annis, Betsey, and Philanda. Hewit Alvord, born 1757, was a soldier in the Revolu- tion, and married, June 16th 1785, Joanna Hill, and died May 27th 1787, leaving a son, John Hewit. His widow married Stephen Burnham, of East Hartford.

Ezra Andrews was a petitioner for the incorporation of the Society of East Hampton, in 1743, and one of the society's committee in 1748. He was a son of Samuel and Eleanor (Lee) Andrews, of East Haddam, where he was born October 25th 1718. He married, June 21st 1744, Kesiah, the widow of James Maker, of Middle Haddam, and had two children, baptized by Rev. Mr. Bowers, Jediel in 1745, and Ezra in 1747. He died about 1753, as his widow united with the church in Mid- dle Haddam December 9th of that year.

200

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

Gideon Arnold was chosen deacon of the Congrega- tional church, in Middle Haddam, November 18th 1740, and was a descendant of Joseph Arnold, one of the first settlers and proprietors of Haddam, Connecticut. Three of his children by wife Abigail were baptized by Mr. Bowers-Abigail in 1741, Mary in 1743, and Jacob in 1745. He died in 1752.

Gideon Arnold, son of Gideon of Middle Haddam, married Lucy, daughter of Gershom Hinckley, of Lebanon, September 2d 1761, and settled in East Hamp- ton, near the Eureka Silk Manufacturing Company's works. He was chosen deacon of the church there, February 5th 1795, and died February 18th 1807, aged 72 years. His wife died March Ist 1801, aged 63. Their children were: Apollas, born March 22d 1763, married Lucy, daughter of Deacon James Bill; Mary, born 1765, died young; Dan, born June 11th 1767, studied medicine with Dr. Thomas Skinner, of Colchester, and practiced his profession a short time in Hebron, and afterward kept a store there, dying February 14th 1855; Mary, born 1768, died young; Mary, born 1772, died 1793; Charles, born 1776, lived in Hebron and Lebanon; and Lucy, born January 12th 1779, married Capt. David Buell. Apollas Arnold lived on the old homestead for a time and had a large family of children, but died at residence of his son, in West Hartford, November roth 1842.

The Bailey families of Chatham are without doubt descendants of the Haddam settlers of that name, but the records concerning them are very meagre, and would be difficult to trace. The marriages of male members of the family recorded before 1785 are as follows:

April 6th 1758, Joshua Bailey and Ann Foote; Sep- tember 23d 1759, Recompense Bailey and Dorothy Arnold; January 15th 1767, David Bailey and Jemima Daniels; August 20th 1775, David Bailey and Dorothy Fox; November 4th 1779, Jonathan Bailey and Olive Welton; December 11th 1781, James Bailey and Abigail Haling; November 5th 1784, Joshua Bailey jr. and Ruth Sears.

William Barton, son of William Barton of the society of Wintonbury, a parish formed from the towns of Wind- sor, Farmington, and Simsbury, now the town of Bloom- field, was born November 26th 1762. He labored with his father, whose name he bore, and who was armorer at Springfield in the Revolutionary war. At the close of the war he returned to Wintonbury and manufactured pistols and other warlike implements until 1790, when he went to New York and engaged in the manufacture of andirons and other articles of brass. From that city he came to East Hampton in the spring of 1808, and commenced the manufacture of hand and sleigh bells. He was the first to manufacture round sleigh bells of a solid pattern, as prior to this time they had been cast in two parts and soldered together. Being liberal-minded himself he delighted in benefiting others, and the com- munity began to flourish around him. In May 1826, he removed to Cairo, N. Y., where he exerted a happy in- fluence, but after 20 years returned to East Hampton to

spend the remainder of his days with his friends and children. He died July 15th 1849, universally respected and lamented. His wife, Clarissa, died October 4th 1858, aged 91. Their children were: Nancy, married, first, Vine Starr, second, Walter Sexton; Clarissa, married Cyrus Brainerd and removed to Kankakee, Illinois; Hubbard, Hiram, Almira, Julia, Philura, and Jason.

Hubbard, son of William Barton, carried on the manu- facture of bells for some time, succeeding his father in the business, but during the latter part of his life worked a small farm situated west of the Union Congregational Church in East Hampton. He married, December 6th 1821, Deborah G., daughter of Deacon David Clark, and by her had twelve children, six sons and six daughters. He died April 10th 1860. Three of his sons served in the Union Army during the Rebellion, one of whom, Jason H., enlisted in October 1861, in Co. K, 11th Regi- ment, C. V., was wounded at the battle of Antietam, September 18th 1862, re-enlisted January 1864, wounded in front of Petersburgh, Virginia, June 19th, and died at Fort Schuyler, New York, August 8th 1864. aged 25 years.

Hiram, son of William Barton, also carried on the business of bell making in a shop near his late residence on Barton Hill, and afterward in the factory on the road leading west from the Centre school house in East Hamp- ton, where his son, William E. Barton, carried on the same business until the factory was destroyed by fire in 1874. Hiram married, September 1Ith 1825, Lois L., daughter of John Watrous, and by her had four children, three sons and one daughter. He was a veteran drum- mer, and as long as he was able enjoyed nothing so well as to indulge in his favorite pastime. He died October 22d 1878, aged 80 years. His oldest son, William E., succeeded to his business some time before his death, and after the destruction of the factory purchased the build- ings of the Union Bell Company, situated on the same highway, a few rods further west. In 1881, the buildings, stock, and appurtenances were purchased by "The Bar- ton Bell Company," who now carry on the business. This is the oldest establishment of the kind in the United States, and sleigh bells made from the first patterns of William Barton, the inventor, and the improved styles made since by son and grandson are shown here by the great grandson who manages the business of the com- pany.

Jason, son of William Barton, carried on the bell busi- ness in Middle Haddam for a time in partnership with A. B. Bailey and George S. Hubbard, under the firm name of Barton, Bailey & Hubbard. He was ingenious and in- vented the method of polishing the common bells by roll- ing in barrels made for that purpose. He also patented a door bell and a call bell, and after the business was abandoned in Middle Haddam manufactured the latter in the factory of his nephew, William E., in East Hampton. He was an abolitionist of the William L. Garrison school, but died May 4th 1862, before seeing the emancipation of the slaves, an event which he so de- voutlý wished.

20I

CHATHAM-SKETCHES OF THE SETTLERS ..

John W. Barton, son of Hiram, worked for his father and brother in the bell factory for some time, and in connection with Alfred B. White purchased the patent door bell of Jason Barton, and manufactured the same for some time in the shop now occupied by the Gong Bell Manufacturing Company, until ill health compelled him to abandon the enterprise, when he sold out his in- terest to Hiram Veazey and purchased of Leroy D. F. Gates an interest in the grocery business, in a store in Moodus, to which he attended as health would permit, up to the time of his death, which occurred October 9th 1867, at the early age of 32.

John Bevin jr., and William Bevin, from wh W

the town of Portland, were early settlers of t' 0

East Hampton, locating on what is now known as Bevin Hill. They were undoubtedly sons of John Bevin, who was a son of Arthur Bevin, who resided in Glastonbury some time before that town was incorporated (1692), but was not a land holder until 1696. John Bevin jr. mar- ried Mary Bailey, September 10th 1724, and had seven children: Elisabeth, John, Daniel, Susanna, Mary, Noa- diah, and Hannah. His wife died September 17th 1743, in the 37th year of her age, and was the first person buried in the cemetery near the lake.

William Bevin married Sarah Parke, December 20th 1739, and the following children are recorded to them in the Middletown records: Timothy, born February Ist 1741, died March 19th 1741; William, born April 29th 1742, was a school teacher; Desire, born March 16th 1744, died March 30th 1744; Isaac, born January 12th 1746; and Lydia, born January 14th 1748-9. He had a second wife, Mary, who died July 5th 1788. He died December 11th 1793, aged 83.

Isaac, son of William Bevin, married Sarah Clark, and the following children of theirs were baptized by the Rev. Lemuel Parsons: Lucy, October 29th 1780, married Edmund West; Mercy, May 4th 1783, married Nathan Champion; Stephen, March 16th 1786, married Mary Brown; Abner, September 12th 1788, died 1801. Three others were born before the death of Rev. John Norton: Isaac, 1774; Sarah, who married John Watrous; and Lydia, who married Cyprian Hinckley.

Isaac Bevin, born 1774, married, November 13th 1800, Anna, daughter of Abraham and Rebecca Avery, of Glastonbury, and was a farmer living on Bevin Hill, where he died May 8th 1870, aged 96 years. His wife died June 19th 1851, aged 71. Their children were: Pamelia, who married Oramel Clark; William, born Jan- uary 17th 1804; Chauncey, born July 7th 1806; Isaac Avery; Abner Griswold; Philo, born August 12th 1813; Alice Stevens, married Constant Welsh; Adeline, mar- ried S. B. Childs; and Belinda, who married Hiram Veazey. William Bevin commenced the manufacture of bells in 1824, in connection with his brother Chauncey, under the firm name of Bevin Brothers. Subsequently they admitted Abner G. Bevin as a partner, and later their brother Philo. The firm name was retained until 1868, when they formed a joint stock company under the law of Connecticut, taking the name of the Bevin Brothers

Manufacturing Company. William died in 1858, and the firm now consists of Chauncey (died August 1884), Ab- ner G., and Philo.

James Bill, son of Lieut. James, and Kesiah (French) Bill, was born in Lebanon, February 20th 1736. He married, July 13th 1758, Asenath, daughter of the Rev. John Norton, and settled on land given him by his father, northwest of Pocotopaug Lake. He was justice of the peace for a considerable length of time, and during the Revolution served on the committee of inspection. He represented Chatham in the General Assembly for severa1 essions. He was deacon of the East Hampton ch. com February 5th 1795, until his death, which

- July 25th 1823. His wife died January 2d 1810, anu he married, September 18th 1818, Phoebe Pel- ton. His children were all by his first wife, and were: Asenath, born November 18th 1759, married her cousin, Jonathan Bill, of Lebanon, a soldier in the war of the Revolution, who was at the battle of Bunker Hill, with Arnold in that remarkable expedition to Quebec, and also suffered the hardships of Valley Forge; Lucy, born December 31st 1761, married Apollas Arnold; James, born February 4th 1764, married, August 31st 1783, Hannah Goodrich, and removed to the State of New York, and at one time represented Albany in the State Legislature; was afterwards county clerk of Greene county, and again appears as a judge in Oswego county; Elvira, born February 4th 1764, married Eleazer Skin- ner; Erastus, born July 6th 1768, married, November 27th 1788, Sarah Hall, and lived in Southwick, Mass .; Norton, born July 14th 1770, studied medicine with Dr. John Richmond, and was a physician of great promise (He married, May Ist 1791, Sally, daughter of Joseph Buell. She died April 17th 1794, aged 20 years and 8 months, and he died January 6th 1798, aged 27, leaving two children); Clarissa, born August 18th 1772, married her cousin, Oliver Bill, and removed to Steuben, New York; Achsah, born November Ist 1774, died July 8th 1775; Amos, born June 9th 1779; and Abner, born Au- gust 11th 1781.

Cyrus Bill, son of Oliver and Martha (Skinner) Bill, was born in Lebanon, October 17th 1772. He married Eunice Taintor, of Colchester, December 19th 1799. He resided in Middle Haddam, and was a merchant there until 1815, when he removed to Brooklyn, N. Y., where, up to 1845, he engaged in the dry goods trade. He was justice of the peace while he resided in Chatham. He died in 1852, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery. His son, Charles Edward, born in 1803, was said to be the wealthiest member of the Bill family in America.

Edward Bill, one of the petitioners for the incorpora- tion of Middle Haddam Parish, was the son of Joshua and Joanna (Potts) Bill, of Groton. He married Zerviah - and settled first in Colchester, about 1732. The names of his children that have been recovered are: Jonathan, born in Colchester, May 5th 1733, married and lived in Chatham, and Benajah, Sibil, and Elisha, bap- tized between 1743 and 1748, by Rev. Benjamin Bowers. William Bolles, of Marlborough, married Ruby Strong,

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

and resided in what is known as Young Street, where he died February roth 1825, aged 76, and she, March 4th 1828, aged 74. Their children were: William, who died in Marlborough, aged 21 years; Roswell; Guy, who was a sea captain; Elias; Alexander, who married Azubah Young; Epaphras; Edmund, who married Tabitha Griffith, and whose sons, Stephen, Guy, Charles, and Norman P. were masters of vessels sailing out of New York (He also had a son William, who followed the sea); Solomon Justus, who married Lydia Morgan, and resided on the old homestead: Joanna, who died, un- married, in 1838; Ruby, who married John Markham jr .; and Lydia, who married Horace Brown.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 55

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