History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 59

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 59

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215

CHATHAM-SKETCHES OF THE SETTLERS.

The day was spent in songs, speeches, prayers, praise, and mutual conversation. The band of the Governor's Guard, of Hartford, enlivened the occasion with music. The day of festivities was closed at an early hour with Auld Lang Syne and the Doxology, but the younger representatives of the family kept up the frolic to the gratification of many of the older ones to a late hour of the night.

David Strong, son of Ezra Strong, of Marlboro, mar- ried Hannah Ackley in 1773, and removed to East Hampton in 1794, and carried on farming and kept a tavern in a house that stood where H. D. Chapman's house now stands. His wife died in 1808 and he mar- ried Hannah Sinith, of Waterford. He was a soldier in the Revolution and by trade a weaver. He died in 1825. He had 19 children, all by his first wife, II of whom died in infancy. Those who reached years of maturity were: Ezra, who married Lucy Markham; Hannah, who married Elisha Hall; Anson, who married and lived on Haddam Neck, and was deacon of the Middle Haddam Congregational Church; Clarissa, who married Joseph K. Selden; Chloe, who married Philo Gates; Benjamin A., who married Lucy S. Welsh, and resided north of the lake; and John C. A., who married Deborah Clark, and resided on the old homestead. John C. A. Strong had two sons, Clark and David, both of whom served in the war for the Union, Clark as adjutant and David as a lieutenant in the 24th Regiment, C. V. David, in com. pany with A. N. Markham, commenced the manufacture of coffin trimmings in a room hired of the East Hamp- ton Bell Company about the year 1860, and subsequently in a building now occupied by the Eureka Silk Manu. facturing Company. After the war they took in Clark Strong as a partner, and after a few years formed a joint stock company under the firm name of "The Strong Manufacturing Company," and removed to Winsted, Conn., where Clark died in 1878.

Eleazer Tallman, of Providence, where he was born, October 12th 1774, came to Middle Haddam in 1800, married Susan Fuller, of Colchester, in 1805, and died March 17th 1852. She died August 4th 1853. They had six children, and among them two sons, Walter and Thomas. Thomas Tallman, born June 12th 1815, grad- uated from Yale College in 1837 and from Yale Theolog. ical Seminary in 1840. He was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational church in Scotland, Conn., May 20th 1844, and held that relation until his dismis- sion, June 26th 1861. He was in charge of the Congre- gational church in Groton, Conn., from 1861 to 1863, and in 1864 removed to Thompson, Conn., and confined his labors to supplying vacant pulpits. He took charge of the Congregational church of East Putnam from April 1868 to November 1869, which was his last charge. He died October 9th 1872.

Eleazer Veazey married Mary Markham, January 20th 1745-6, in Middletown, and had a son, Eleazer, born September 4th 1748, married Mary, daughter of Stephen Brown, of Windham, in 1771, and about 1780 settled

east of Pocotopaug Lake, where his wife died in 1800, and he married Thankful Billings, of Stonington, who died in 1831. He died February 21st 1826. His chil- dren were: Mary, Elizabeth, and the late Capt. Eleazer. Captain Lazarus Watrous, son of Lazarus and Lois (Loomis) Watrous, of Colchester, married Anna Clark and resided near the Marlborough line in the East Dis- trict, where he died in 1850, highly respected. Their children were John D., Timothy C., Abner N., Fidelia A., Harmony, Sarah E., Anna M., Leverett C., David W., and Annette. David W. commenced the manufac. ture of bells at first as a partner in the East Hampton Bell Company, and afterward, with R. S. Clark, carried on the business in the factory now occupied by Watrous & Co. In 1863, he bought out his partner, and under the firm name of D. W. Watrous & Co. carried on the manufacture of bells and coffin trimmings for a number of years.

William Welsh married Anna Bliss in what is now Montville, and after residing a short time in Nova Sco- tia settled in East Hampton about the time of the breaking out of the Revolution. He died November 25th 1789, aged 69. His widow died April 4th 1818, aged 95 years. The names of their children have not been recorded, but they had a son, William jr., who mar- ried Deboralı L. Jewett in 1776, and was an elder in the Baptist church, filling the pulpit very acceptably for many years. He died in 1838 at the age of 85.

Constant Welsh, probably a son of William and Anna Welsh, was a deacon in the Baptist church and lived where William H. Buell now resides. He was a very worthy man and died suddenly, July 3d 1830, aged 75.

George Welsh married Zelinda Niles in 1807, and about 1825 removed to Bristol, Connecticut, where he spent a long and useful life. Of his children, Demning N. graduated from the military school of Captain Part- ridge in Middletown and died in Texas; Harmanus M. removed to New Haven, where he has held the office of mayor of the city and treasurer of the town and city for a number of years, and is now president of the First National Bank of New Haven; and Elisha N. Welsh is a prominent manufacturer in Bristol, Connecticut.

Bliss Welsh married Elizabeth Strong and resided south of the lake where Patrick O'Connell 2d now resides, and had a large . family. One of his sons, Adonijah S., graduated from the University of Michigan and was a very successful teacher. He was elected United States Senator from Florida in 1868, served for a short time, and is now principal of an agricultural school in Iowa.

David West jr. married Judith Hills, November ist 1757, and in 1783 removed to Winchester, Connecticut, where he died in 1822, aged 87 years. He was one of the pioneers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a very worthy man. His sons, Aaron and Judah, served in the Revolution. Other families of this name appear on the early records, but little is known concerning them. Amasa West united with the church in East Hampton

216

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

in 1808, and in 1812 journeyed westward and was a very successful missionary. He died some years since in Michigan.

Philip White jr., born April 12th 1760, came from England with his parents, and shortly afterward the father returned and was never heard from, and his mother married Jonathan Parmelee. Philip enlisted into the American Army at Cambridge, in 1776, at the early age of 16, and followed its fortune until the close of the war. During this continuous service the only casualty he received was the jamming of one of his feet between two boats during the retreat of the army from Long Island. After the war he married Olive, daughter of Ebenezer Rowley, and resided near his father-in-law and had several children: Hepsibah, Olive, Moses, Nabby, Philip, Sally, and Caroline being of the number.

Gordon Whitmore, son of Daniel Whitmore, of Mid- dletown, and a descendant of Francis Whitmore, an early settler of Cambridge, Mass., resided in Middle Haddam during the last half of the eighteenth century. His children were: Daniel, Titus, Gordon, Ole, Tryon, Almira, Sarah Ann, Maria Louisa, and Etta Elizabeth. Titus married Eliza Dart, and for a number of years was a merchant doing business in a store near the present steamboat landing. Gordon kept for many years the hotel in Middle Haddam known as Whitmore's Hotel, and is still living at the age of 80.

John Wright, who died in Middle Haddam, March 5th 1780, aged 68 years, and Mary, his wife, who died Janu- ary 19th 1800, aged 89 years, came from Barnstable county, Mass., and settled about a mile south of Knowles' Landing. William Wright, their son, married Anna Hurlbut, December 18th 1764, and had John, Noah, Mollie, Nymphas, Katie, and Anna. John Wright jr., married Ruth Higgins in 1773. Nymphas Wright, born in 1776, was a sea captain. He married Hannah Daniels, and resided on the old homestead, and raised a family of ten children. William, one of his sons, graduated from Yale College, in 1835, studied theology, and has preached in Jewett City and Plainville, in Conn., and Chicopee, in Mass., and is now living in the State of New York. Levi D. Wright, son of Nymphas, died in Bridgehampton, Long Island, in 1883, where he had been located for a number of years as a physician.

The Young family settled in the eastern part of Mid- dle Haddam Parish, on what is now known as Young Street, at an early date, Samuel Young and Rebecca, his wife, uniting with the church there, July 7th 1745. Of their children we have the names of Samuel, James, Elizabeth, Asaph, and Rebecca; who were baptized there before 1753, in which year a Samuel Young died, at the age of 27. Samuel Young (son of Samuel) married Melatiah Fuller in 1767, and served as a soldier in the Revolution. Their children were: Esther, Samuel, Elias, Seth, Zillah, Eunice, and Ezra. Samuel Young jr., mar- ried Mehitable, daughter of Simeon Young, and had, among other children, a son, Francis, who was for many years a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a very skilful dentist.

Lieut. Titus Carrier, son of John and Mary (Brown) Carrier, of Colchester, and descendant of Thomas Car- rier, whose wife, Martha, was hung for a witch in Ando- ver, Mass., in 1692, was born August 23d 1733. He married Mercy Cook, and resided in East Hampton, west of the lake, not far from the bridge that bears his name. Their children were: Mary, born 1766; John, born 1769; Richard, born 1774, married Liva Johnson; Mercy, born 1776; and Titus, born 1781. Lieut. Titus Carrier died July 26th 1796. He was an officer in the army during the Revolution. His son, Titus, married Mehitable Watrous in 1804, and resided in Middle Had- dam, where some of their descendants are now living. John Carrier, for many years a merchant and prominent citizen there, is their son.

Elisha Taylor married Hannah Judd, September 20th 1739, and resided on Hog Hill, and, it is said, built the house occupied by the late Simeon Goff. His son, Elisha jr., was a soldier in the Revolution, and was cap- tured and kept in prison in New York, dying January 23d 1777, a few days after returning home. Mr. Taylor died October 6th 1800, aged 86 years, and his wife died February Ist 1789, aged 72 years.

Stephen Griffith was a petitioner for the incorporation of East Hampton Parish, in 1746, but no facts have been received concerning him. His grandson, Stephen, was master of a vessel, and during the Revolution engaged in privateering. He was captured and confined in the old Jersey prison ship in Wallabout Bay. While sick there he was attended by a steward of his, named Rich, who had an encounter, foolish on both sides, with a British midship- man, resulting fatally to the latter. Instead of being punished, the homicide was justified, or at least excused by the officer in command. The Griffith family resided near the toll-gate on the line of Middle Haddam Parish.

William F. G. Noetling, born in Mannheim, Grand Dukedom of Baden, Germany, April 8th 1819, was edu- cated for the profession of a physician partly at Heidel- burg, Baden, and partly at Weigburg, Bavaria, receiving his diploma in 1843, and practiced for a time in Ger- many. In 1856, he came to America, and, after practic- ing in different States of the Union, commenced prac- tice in East Hampton, September 1866, where he now re- sides.

Levi Jewett, M. D., son of Rev. S. D. Jewett, of Mid- dlefield, practiced for a short time in Middle Haddam, and was assistant surgeon of the 14th Regiment C. V. After the war he kept a drug store in New York a few years, but is now engaged in agricultural pursuits in Middle Haddam.

L. F. Wood, M. D., a native of Medway, Massachusetts, where he was born, October 10th 1852, received his edu- cation at Dedham, Massachusetts, and graduated in New York city; was resident physician at New York Dispens- ary one year and six months; assistant at Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital for one year, and came to East Hamp- ton, May 3d 1879, where he has since practiced.

The lawyers who have practiced in the town that have not heretofore been mentioned are: Abiel L. Loomis,

HIRAN VEAZEY.

217

CHATHAM-SKETCHES OF THE SETTLERS.

Ebenezer Force, Asahel Utley, Mark Moore, Horace Foote, Lovell Hall, Penrose H. Albright, and Daniel A. Markham.

Martin L. Roberts,* the compiler of the Chatham his- tory, is a son of Jehiel and Almira E. (Willey) Roberts, and was born in East Hampton Parish, April 24th 1839, and is a lineal descendant of John and Sarah (Blake) Roberts, an early settler in Middletown. He received an average common school education, and in 1869, represented the town of Chatham in the Genera! Assembly. On the 24th of September 1873, he com- menced running on the Air Line Railroad as a postal clerk, and still continues to act in that capacity. He married, March 3d 1875, Ruth A., daughter of Anson Carpenter, and since May Ist 1877 has resided in New Haven.

HIRAM VEAZEY.

The manufacture of bells has been carried on at East Hampton for upwards of 80 years by numerous compet- itors in the business, and during this period only one man has retired from it with a competence, Hiram Veazey. The natural inquiry suggested is whether he had been more fortunate than the others, or whether he possessed peculiar traits of character which conduced to his success, and which were lacking in his several com- petitors; of this the reader must judge, as it is the duty of the historian to record the facts and not to draw in- vidious comparisons.

Eleazer, the father of Hiram Veazey, was a hard work- ing farmer, born and raised at Windham, Conn. He subsequently removed to East Hampton, and on De- cember 2d 1801, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Lemuel West, by whom he had five children: Emily, born February 15th 1805; Florilla, born November 6th 1808; Marietta, born October 19th 1810; Warren, born

June 7th 1813; and Hiram, born November 11th 1816.

Hiram, the youngest, was born at East Hampton, where he attended school until he was 19 years of age, working a portion of the time on his father's farm, and in the bell foundry of Goff & Abell, where he acquired a practical knowledge of the bell business. He subse- quently removed to New Jersey, where he worked in an iron foundry for two years. He returned to his native village in 1839, and commenced the manufacture of bells in company with his brother. The works at this time were operated by horse power. He subsequently retired from the firm and purchased the business of Goff & Abell, taking a ten years' lease of the water privilege used by them. He then formed a copartnership with Charles A. Buell, which continued for ten years. In 1859, he formed a copartnership with Alfred B. White, and com- menced the manufacture of a patent door bell, in con- nection with other bells, which proved a great success, and in 1882 he retired from business.

He has always taken an active part in the public affairs of his native village, and in 1855-6 he was elected to the Legislature, and was again elected in 1877; during the latter period he served as a member of the finance committee. He has been for several years a director in the Middlesex County Bank, and of the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank of Middletown; of the latter he was one of the original incorporators. He has been for many years an active member of the Congregational Church, and in all works of benevelonce and public improvement has been a liberal contributor.

He is a man of good judgment, exceedingly cautious. weighing well all the chances before embarking in any business operation. Scrupulously honest in all his trans- actions, his aim through life has been, wherever expedi- ent, to pay cash, rather than incur a liability which might be'attended with any possible risk. To these qualities he doubtless owes his success in life.

On the 27th of September 1842, he married Belinda, daughter of Isaac Bevin, of East Hampton. While many of his old competitors in the business are still struggling and toiling on for a living, his declining years are passed in the enjoyment of his hard earned, but honestly gained wealth.

* The Author of the Chatham history would respectfully aeknowl- edge his obligations to the many persons who have aided him in colleet- ing the material for the work. He has endeavored to make it as free as possible from errors, and hopes that if any are found he will be immedi- ately apprised of that faet, as he is at work upon a history of his native town, which, if time and means will allow, he hopes to make second to no work of its kind that has been published, and to that end desires to obtain dates of births, marriages, and deaths of all persons and families who, prior to the year 1850, resided with the present limits of the town.

TOWN OF CHESTER.

BY SAMUEL C. SILLIMAN.

GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

T HE town was originally known as Pattaconk Quar- ter of Saybrook, and subsequently as the Fourth Ecclesiastical Society of that town. It is bounded on the north by Haddam, east by Connecticut River, south by the South or Saw Mill Cove, and by the brook run- ning into it as far west as the center of the Deep River bridge on the county road; thence due west to the Kil- lingworth line; and west by Killingworth; being about five miles long, east and west, and more than three miles wide between north and south. It was incorporated as a town in 1836, and in 1856 a small portion of the south part was re-annexed to Saybrook. The portion of the town lying north of Chester Cove was called Pattaconk, Pataquonk, or Pattakonck. According to Dr. Trumbull's definition, it means a round or wigwam-shaped hill, a sweating place. The hill from which this section of the town took its name is now known as Fort Hill, near Warner's ferry, where it is supposed the Indians had a fort, and a sweating place to which they resorted in case of sickness. The process of sweating was performed by digging a hole in the ground and placing hot stones in it, then laying the patient over the hole, covered with skins or blankets, and after sweating a sufficient length of time, plunging in the river. There were two other sweating places between the north end of the county and the mouth of the river; one in Chatham (old boundary), at a place called Indian Hill, and the other in Lyme, nearly opposite Saybrook Point, at a place known as Hot- house Swamp.

THE INDIANS.

When the Indians sold the territory of Haddam to the white people, in 1662, it was claimed by both parties that it extended south to the Chester Cove or Pattaconk River, and the Indians reserved to themselves Thirty Mile Island, or Haddam Island, and forty acres in Pat- taconk, Twenty Mile, or Lord's Island, having previously been sold to John Cullick. The forty acres reservation, it is supposed, extended from the south side of Pattaconk Hill to Parker's Point, bordering on the river. The In-

dians remained on these reservations many years; but a controversy arose between Saybrook and Haddam in re- gard to the boundary between the towns, and on the settlement of the matter by the General Court, in 1664, by giving Saybrook two miles north of the Pattaconk River, the Indian reservation was found to be in the limits of Saybrook. There has always been some doubt in the minds of many in regard to the justice of this settlement of the boundary, but all parties had to abide by it, and the Indians, finding that their reservation of forty acres was in Saybrook, petitioned the authorities of that town to respect their rights in said reservation; but there is no evidence that they did so. In May 1705, Keepuquam and other Indians made application to the General Court for the quiet possession of the forty acres reservation, claiming it as an ancient right of their an- cestors, and representing that they met with opposition to their claim from the inhabitants of Saybrook. The . hearing of the matter by the General Court was deferred until the October session, and notice of the pending of the matter was served upon the selectmen of Saybrook, with orders to appear and answer to the complaint of the Indians. It is not known what disposition was finally made of the complaint.

The tribe or clan owning or occupying the territory of Chester, Haddam, and East Haddam were called Wagunks or Wagams, and are supposed to have been subject to Uncas, as he complained to the General Court in 1701, that the inhabitants of Haddam had trespassed upon his rights. There is no evidence of any very serious trouble between the whites and Indians here, and about the year 1785 the tribe became extinct.

In digging a cellar a few years ago in the Middle School District, a place was found where the Indians made their arrow-heads, and a great quantity that had been broken in the process of making, were scattered around the white flint rock from which they were made.

The last Indians who made their homes here were: Philip Dorus, Dolly Pianco, Lydia Waukee,'Jim, Joe, and Massy Sobuck, and Molly Chockeague. The last rest- ing place of most of them is the northwest corner of the " Old Burying Ground."

219

CHESTER-LAYING OUT THE LAND.

DIVISION OF THE LAND.

The first individual ownership of land in the town, of which there is evidence, is a deed of the river meadow from the south of Pattaconk Hill to the South or Saw Mill Cove. This deed was given in 1660 by John Cul- lick, executor of the will of George Fenwick, who died in England in 1657, and his wife, Elizabeth Cullick, who was a sister of Fenwick, and from whom she received the property by will, as a part of Twelve Mile Island Farm. The deed conveyed this farm to John Leverett, of Boston. In 1695, the daughters of John Leverett con- veyed it to Hudson Leverett, who in the same year sold it to Joseph Selden, the ancestor of William E. Selden, who now occupies the homestead of the farm, and who has in his possession the original deeds. The farm, as originally known, was bounded on the north by Whale- bone Creek; on the east by the east side of the cove at the head of said creek, and Selden's Cove and Creek; on the south and west by Connecticut River, in- cluding Twelve Mile Island, now known as Eustatia, and all the meadow or mowing land on the west side of the river, as before described. Soon after Joseph Selden came into possession of the farm, he sold the meadow or mowing land on the west side of the river, south of the south side of Pattaconk Hill, to Andrew Warner, who, in 1705, sold it, or a part of it, to Capt. John Fenner .*

In May 1672, Robert Chapman, Robert Lay, and Wil- liam Lord, as a committee appointed by Saybrook to lay out to the inhabitants of the town, lands in the east and west divisions of Pattaconk, laid out, in the east division, to Robert Lay, 43 acres; to Widow Sanford, 53 acres; to William Beaumont, 14 acres; to Robert Buell, 8 acres; to John Westall, 33 acres; to William Jones, 9 acres; to Gideon Bulwar, ro acres; to Edward Shipman, 9 acres; to Mr. Buckingham, 7 acres; to Robert Young, 2 acres; to Abram Post, 14 acres; to Robert Chapman, 56 acres; to John Porter, 4 acres; to Thomas Dunk, 39 acres; to Hugh Lord, 14 acres; to John Clark, 32 acres; to William Porter, 35 acres; to William Coggswell, 22 acres; to Robert Nicholl, 6 acres; and to Joseph Ing- ham, 13 acres; making 441 acres. In the west division, they laid out to Francis Cogswell, 19 acres; to Samuel Jones, 16 acres; to Thomas Norton, 9 acres; to Richard Raymond, 16 acres; to Joseph Post, 13 acres; to Wil- liam Post, 93 acres; to William Lord, 47 acres; to Robert Goodwin, 10 acres; to Stephen De Wolf, 16 acres; and to Mr. Ely, 7 acres; making 257 acres in the west divi- sion, and 698 acres in both.

The persons named should perhaps be regarded as the first individual land owners in the town, except the owners of Twelve Mile Island farm. It is not known whether any of them settled on their lands or not; though Dr. Field's " Statistics of Middlesex County " represents Jonah Dibble, of Haddam, as the first settler, and an in- habitant in 1692; and Andrew Warner, of Hadley, as an

inhabitant in 1695. William Pratt was a land owner here in 1698.

The ancestors of the Waterhouses, Shipmans, Clarks, Willards, Southworths, and Parkers, from Saybrook, were early settlers. Joel Canfield and Gideon Leet settled here about 1745.

Cedar Swamp, in the west division of Pattaconk, to- gether with a water privilege, was given by the proprie- tors to Governor Winthrop, March toth 1663, to be used for the benefit of the colony. Saybrook seems to have disputed the right of the proprietors to make the grant, and at a town meeting, held for the purpose of considering the matter, the following action was taken:

" Whereas the Honorable Major-General John Win- throp doth lay claim to a cedar swamp near Twelve Mile Island by a grant to Governor Winthrop the roth of March 1663, which said swamp the inhabitants of Say- brook have also laid claim unto, as supposing the said swamp to be within their first grant of eight miles bounds. Yet, notwithstanding the said inhabitants of Saybrook have, at a full town meeting, further considered the mat- ter, and have appointed John Chapman and John Clark in the name and behalf of Saybrook, to treat with the said John Winthrop, and make full issue and agreement about the said claim to the said swamp."

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 59

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