History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 83

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 83

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EAST HADDAM-BIOGRAPHIES.

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system. These members all proved themselves a credit to the town, county, and State. Captain Green, the father of Timothy, was identified with the early history of the town as a large landed proprietor; was captain of a company in the Revolution; was the first postmaster in East Haddam, and held many other positions of trust.

THE EMMONS FAMILY.

The Emmons family, which settled on the East Had- dam and Colchester Turnpike, where Ralph Stark now resides, furnished several prominent men. Among them were Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, who settled in Boston, and acquired a national reputation for power and eloquence as a Congregational minister; and Ichabod, his brother, who moved to Berkshire county, and became somewhat noted as a politician. He was sent to the Legislature for many years, and many anecdotes are related of his wit and humor. He declared, at one time, that he should continue going to the Legislature until he had " secured a tax on ministers and jackasses," which were then about the only exemptions, and he kept his word.

EDWARD D. GRIFFIN.

Edward Dorr Griffin, who was born near Nathan Jew- ett's, became a brilliant light in the ministry, a doctor of divinity, and president of Williams College, in Massa- chusetts. His brother, George Griffin, became equally brilliant as a lawyer, and was for many years a leading ing of the wolves as they were driven through the forest. member of the bar in New York city, where he amassed a fortune of several hundred thousand dollars by legit- imate practice alone. As a birth-place and residence of the legal fraternity East Haddam has been quite famous.

GEN. DYER THROOP.

Gen. Dyer Throop was the first judge of the County Court for Middlesex county. He held the office from 1785 to 1789. Previous to this he held the office of justice of the peace. At the close of the Revolutionary war he commanded the 24th Regiment of Connecticut Militia. He died June 4th 1789, at the age of 51.

FRANCIS H. CONE.

Francis H. Cone, who died in Georgia a few years since (the oldest son of Joshua Cone), was, perhaps, one of the most brilliant men ever raised in this town. He was a distinguished lawyer, afterward elected to the office of judge of the Supreme Court, in the State of Georgia, which position he filled with great credit. Theo- dore C., and Frederick 'T., were also graduates of Yale.

ELIPHALET A. BULKLEY.

Hon. Eliphalet A. Bulkley practiced law for several years in East Haddam, where he had good success. He afterward removed to Hartford where he continued practice and became very wealthy. He graduated at Yale College in 1824, and is placed upon the records of the Lionian Society as the Hon. Eliphalet Adams Bulk- ley, Pres. Soc. Fellow Y. C. Sen. Conn., from East Had- dam.

THE CONE FAMILY.

Daniel Cone, born in 1626, came over from Edinboro, Scotland, and settled in Haddam, with his four sons, in - 1670. He left one son in Scotland. The family moved to East Haddam a few years afterward, built a log hut, and settled on the farm recently purchased of Jonathan Cone by Benjamin Edwards. Until this transfer it had remained in the Cone family. Daniel died in 1706. His sons were: Daniel, Jared, Stephen, and Caleb. One of them retained the homestead; one settled on the spot where Zachary Cone now lives; one near the Palmer Place now owned by Mrs. Doane; and the other near Elijah Warner's. The homestead finally came into the posses- sion of Capt. Stephen, who in turn bequeathed it by will to Stephen, John, and Reuben. Capt. Stephen was buried in the Methodist cemetery in 1752. He occupied a house standing a few rods east of the one above referred to. It was demolished a few years ago. He erected a new dwelling on a spot about ten rods north of the pres- ent house, the foundations of which are now completely obliterated. The house was two stories in front and in rear. The settlers in those early days used to assemble, at times and surround the wolves, starting as far as Mid- dle Haddam and driving them down on the neck where they became good targets for the hunters. Stephen used to interest his grandchildren by relating how the family often sat on the back door step and listened to the howl-

At that time the highway ran from Fuller's Landing, near Schofield's, in an easterly direction, and struck the Moodus road, near Oliver Emmons'. The house where Edwards now lives stands directly in this old highway. The property next descended to Stephen and Thomas Cone. Thomas occupied the land where Chloe Cone now lives. She was a direct descendant, her father be- ing Joshua, who was the son of Joel, who was the grand- son of Thomas. Stephen third retained the old place which from him descended to Elisha, thence to Elisha second, thence to Stephen, thence to Jonathan. The Thomas branch is now represented by Chloe and her nephew, Theodore. Theodore served in the Rebellion as a colonel in the Confederate army, and is now in Wash- ington, D. C. The daughters of Stephen and Thomas intermarried with the Gates, Fullers, Chapmans, and Williams, thus creating a relationship which extends to nearly all the old families in town.

Zachary, Robert S., William E., and the late Helon Cone, of Millington, are direct descendants of Jared, by different branches. Zachary married Elizabeth, daughter of the late Rev. Isaac Parsons, and retains the old place. A. Jared jr. moved to Millington, married a daughter of the early Matthew Smith (See Smith family), and settled on the Balahack road, which runs west from Edwin Em- mons'. The Old Chimney Stock still stands. Then, the road now running by Ephraim Martin's did not exist. The old road was several rods west of the present one, but terminated near the same point.

Jared died in 1742. Nehemiah, his son, lived, in the Christopher Marsh place, and died in 1819. His chil-

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dren were Mary, Newel, Statira, Sarah, Jared, Lucy, and Betsey. Deacon William E. Cone is a son of Newel. He has always resided in East Haddam, has often repre- sented the town in the State Senate, and House of Rep- resentatives, has filled the most important town offices, and always performed his duties with great fidelity. His only son, William A., is now living at Goodspeed's Land- ing, where he is engaged in the insurance business. Wil- liam R. Cone, president of the Ætna Bank, Deacon James E. Cone, and the late Sylvanus F. Cone, of Hart- ford, were from East Haddam.

Obituary .- "Sylvanus F. Cone, brother of Deacon James E. Cone and William R. Cone, president of the Ætna Bank, died yesterday morning at 7 o'clock, of ty- phoid and malarial fever, at his residence on Warrenton street. Mr. Cone was taken seriously ill the last of Feb- ruary, but having a vigorous constitution he recovered sufficiently to be about and attend to his affairs. About two weeks since, he suffered a relapse, since which time he has failed rapidly. He was born in East Haddam, in August 1814, and moved to this city in 1835, since which time he has resided here continually. He always took a warm interest in public affairs, rarely or never failing to exercise his rights as a citizen. He was, for many years, a member of the board of selectmen, as well as assessor, and filled other important trusts, always performing his duties with scrupulous fidelity. He was possessed of a most genial and kindly disposition, retaining his youth- ful feelings and appearance to a wonderful degree, and was esteemed and beloved by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. He leaves a wife and four sons, Jo- seph H., William E., and John B. Cone, of this city, and Augustus F. Cone, who resides in Cincinnati; and one daughter, Miss Ella B. Cone. The funeral service will be held at his late residence on Warrenton street, on Wednesday afternoon."

Of the early settlers near Elijah Warner's, Isaac Cone was a direct descendant, and owned the farm extending from Bald Hill to Minor Gillett's, and lived on the place now owned by Thomas Gross jr. The mother of Timothy Holmes and Mrs. Hubbard Ayres are also direct descendants of this branch. The family name of this branch in East Haddam, seems to have become ex- tinct with the death of Robert D. Cone, for many years a school teacher. He was a bachelor, and lived for sev- eral years with Jonathan Clark.

The old gambrel roofed house standing on the old road running west from Daniel Peck's was Erastus Cone's. He was the uncle of Lord Wellington. Erastus' father was Israel, who was the son of Israel. The father of William H. and Charles was Samuel Cone, who lived where William C. Gates now lives. Just east of Gates' is an old chimney which marks the house where lived Samuel's father, Deacon Nathaniel. One of his sons went to East Hampton and from him the present Cones in Chatham descended. Nathaniel was elected deacon of Millington Church about one year before his death, which occurred April 15th 1790. He had eight sons in the Revolutionary war.

Rev. Spencer H. Cone, the eminent Baptist divine, was born in Millington, just south of E. F. Peck's. For a number of years he stood at the head of a Baptist Church in New York city.

Helon Cone settled in Foxtown, among whose rocks he delved out quite a fortune. He left by will $10,000, in trust, to be loaned at low rates of interest to deserving young men of the town-the principal and accumulated interest to be so used forever. Time would render the possibilities of such a fund beyond computation, and he was advised that such a provision would hardly stand the test of law. He revised it and demised that when the sum shall reach $75,000 it shall be applied to the build- ing of a free academy in Millington Society. He died in 1878. His nephew, William H., son of Samuel, died three years before. He was the largest land owner in the town, and for many years exerted a great influence in town affairs. He left one son, William Lyman, now living on Millington Green.

Thus it may be seen that Israel and Samuel formed different branches of the original family, but all of the name of Cone in the United States, forming numerous and wide-spreading branches, may trace their origin to that same old trunk which is represented by Daniel Cone, who settled in Haddam.

JONATHAN OLMSTEAD CONE.

Among the 28 proprietors who settled within the limits of Haddam Society on the west side of the river, was Daniel Cone, the ancestor of Jonathan Olm- stead Cone. He had been for some time previous a citizen of Hartford, from which place he removed with ten others who composed a part of the 28 proprietors to whom permission was given by the General Court, in 1660, to occupy the plantation known as Thirty Mile Island. The deed for the lands was obtained direct from the Indians. In 1685, Daniel Cone with a few others removed to the east side of the river and settled near what was known as Creek Row, From that period down to the present time the Cones have been promi- nently identified with this locality and have borne a con- spicuous part in the history of the town and county.

Stephen, the father of J. O. Cone, was born in the town of East Haddam, where he married Mary Fuller, daughter of Thomas Fuller, a member of the First Con- gregational Church of Haddam.

Jonathan Olmstead Cone was born in East Haddam, on the 18th of October 1814. He was fitted for college by Rev. Isaac Parsons, who, in 1813 or 1815 had been an instructor of President Woolsey, in Hartford. Young Cone entered Yale College with the class of 1831, and left it in the third term of the freshmen year. He sub- sequently taught school in the vicinity of his home and afterward in New Jersey. Later in life he traveled quite extensively in the South until he reached Texas. He remained there about a year, until the invasion by Santa Anna. He returned to East Haddam about six months after the battle of San Jacinto, and in 1836 engaged in the manufacturing business, which he continued until

222

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EAST HADDAM-BIOGRAPHIES.

1861. He then purchased the farm which his American ancestor, Daniel Cone, acquired by deed from the Indians in 1662. He disposed of the property in 1870 and re- tired from business.

He evinced a deep interest in everything that pertained to the welfare and happiness of his fellow citizens. In the settlement of estates and other matters requiring considerable legal ability, he was of great assistance to his neighbors and friends who relied to a large extent on his judgment. He was justice of the peace for eleven or twelve years and judge of Probate for the District of East Haddam from 1850 to 1851. In 1852, he was elected a member of the Legislature.

On the 7th of December 1836, he married Almira O. Card, daughter of Stanton S. Card.

Mr. Cone died in 1883, leaving no children. His widow resides in the town of East Haddam, near the vil- lage of Moodus.

WILLIAM R. CONE.

William R. Cone, of Hartford, son of Joseph W. and Mehitabel Cone, was born at East Haddam in 1810. He became a student at Yale College in 1826, studied law in that institution, and was admitted to the bar at New Haven in 1832. He then became a partner in practice with William Hungerford Esq., and the partner- ship continued till the death of the latter, though after 1860, he refused further retainers.

Besides his professional business, Mr. Cone has been largely connected with many of the important enterprises of the day, a list of which cannot be given for want of space.

His wife, to whom he was married in 1833, was Re- becca Brewster, seventh in descent from the Puritan Elder, William Brewster.

THE BRAINERD FAMILY.

is Brainerd Church, a fitting monument to his name and fame.

Daniel Brainerd, the original settler, had eight chil- dren, as follows: Daniel jr., Hannah, James, Joshua, William, Caleb, Elijah, and Hezekiah. All the Brainerds in this country are said to be descendants of these children. Of this town, William O. and Abby Brainerd, Mrs. Silas Nichols, Judah and Benjamin Lewis, Milton, John, and Frank Brainerd, and many of the Days in Westchester, are descendants of Daniel jr. The Gates descended from Hannah. Joshua Brainerd's residence is marked by the old cellar mound, just south of Selden Brainerd's; and from this branch descended Colonel Orrin Warner, Brainerd Emmons, Miss Lucretia Brainerd, and Mrs. Blakenian. Joshua was commander of the first military company formed in East Haddam. Erastus and Silas, the Portland quarry owners, are descendants of James. Selden T. Brainerd, David B., and George Sexton, of East Haddam; Fisk and Henry Brainerd, of Haddam Neck, and Cornelius Brainerd, of Higganum, are descendants of William. Caleb was the ancestor of David Brainerd, of East Haddam. Mrs. Francis Palmer is a descendant of Elijah. John G. C. Brainerd, a brilliant writer, editor of the Hartford Mir- ror and author of a book of poems from which the poem "Machit-Moodus " was copied, was also a native of this town.

HON. JOSEPH SPENCER.

Hon. Joseph Spencer (eldest son of Isaac), married, August 2d 1738, Martha, daughter of Hon. Hezekiah and Dorothy (Hobart) Brainerd. Joseph Spencer was ad- mitted to the church at Millington, March 23d 1746. He was Assistant (Senator), Connecticut, in 1774 and 1775; and judge of Probate in 1775. "June 30th 1774, in town meeting duly warned-Hon. Joseph Spencer was chosen moderator, a unanimous vote was recorded for a Declaration of American Rights." "January 6th 1778, Articles of Confederation were unanimously adopted." He presided on this occasion also, and frequently besides. (E. H. Records.) In May 1778, he was made a member of the Council of Safety. In the Colonial army, 1756, he was a major, and afterward a colonel, and must have served with some distinction, for at the commencement of the war with Great Britain the State of Connecticut turned immediately to him as a leader, and the Assembly, in the month of March 1775, appointed "Col. David Wooster a major-general, and Col. Joseph Spencer, and Israel Putnam to be brigadier-generals," thus making him second in rank in the State.

Among the early settlers from Haddam was Daniel Brainerd jr., who settled at the lower end of the Creek Row, near the spring just below the Royal Ayres place. His father, Daniel, came from England when eight years of age, and was the ancestor of the Brainerds in this country. He settled in Haddam in 1662, and was a prosperous and influential man, a justice of the peace in the town, and a deacon in the church. The family is very numerous in this part of the country, and has always ranked among the highest in wealth and influence. Two doctors, Daniel and Hezekiah, were eminent physicians; Thomas, Israel, Timothy G., Elijah, and Nehemiah were popular ministers of the gospel; Hon. Jeremiah and Hon. Hezekiah gained inuch distinction as The war had now actually begun, and Washington had been chosen commander-in-chief. Congress proceeded to appoint four major-generals and eight brigadier-gen- erals; they named Ward C. Lee, Schuyler, and Putnam for the former positions, and Pomeroy, Montgomery, Wooster, Heath, Joseph Spencer, Thomas, Sullivan, and Green for the latter, thus making Spencer's rank tenth in the Colonial army; but there is nothing which touches legislators and judges, while David and Rev. John earned world-wide renown as missionaries among the In- dians. The latter two were children of the Hon. Heze- kiah. Their older sister married Gen. Joseph Spencer, of Millington, in whose family David, the eminent mis. sionary, lived for four years. David's labors were for a long time with the Lenni Lenape and other tribes along the Delaware River. The finest church in Easton, Pa., la soldier quicker than to see his subordinates placed

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above him, and there is nothing so destructive to disci- pline as such promotions, except for cause. Many felt this besides Spencer, who was at first so offended that he left camp, but was soon induced to return. Gen. Seth Pomeroy, the senior brigadier, refused to serve, and Spencer took rank next to Putnam in the army at Bos- ton. In the division of the army by Washington into three grand divisions, the command of the right wing, on Roxbury Heights, was given to Gen. Ward, the senior major-general, and with him were associated Spencer and Thomas, the ranking brigadiers.

In August 1776, Spencer was commissioned major general by Congress.

Trumbull painted most of the military and public men of that day, but seems to have omitted Spencer.

Spencer's was the last brigade which left Boston for New York; this was on the 4th of April 1776.

During the occupation of New York Spencer occupied a redoubt on the present Pike street, between Monroe and Cherry streets, called Spencer redoubt. He also held the left at Harlem, of the line of defense extended across the city from the Hudson to the Harlem at Mc- Gowan's pass. These various positions are now so cov- ered up by the march of population and the growth of the city that they are past recognition, except the pass at the northern extremity of Central Park.

On the 29th of August 1776, Washington called a council of war on Long Island, at the Dutch Stone Church, near the junction of the present Fulton and Flatbush avenues, in the city of Brooklyn. The follow- ing officers were present, viz .: Washington, Putnam, Spencer, Mifflin, McDougal, Scott, Wadsworth, and Parsons, and on the 7th of September the question as to the expediency of retaining New York city came before the council, and the majority voted to retain it. On the 12th of September, however, another council re- solved on the evacuation with only three dissenting votes, which were given by Heath, Joseph Spencer, and James Clinton.

Major General Spencer was soon after placed in com- mand of all the American forces in the State of Rhode Island, and July 11th 1777, Major General Prescott, the English commander, fell into his hands as a prisoner of war. He was treated kindly by his captor, and in a short time was sent to General Washiington, who exchanged him for General Charles Lee, a prisoner since December 1776.

General Spencer arranged an expedition in September 1777, which was actually embarked, to cross to Long Island, and surprise the enemy. At the last moment, having learned that the English commander was appraised of his plans, he countermanded the order. The facts proved that he had acted rightly, for the enemy had de- termined to allow them to land, and then by destroying their boats, to cut off their retreat and make them pris- oners. Congress ordered an investigation into the affair, to ascertain why the expedition was not prosecuted, and Spencer, in indignation at the implied censure, resigned his commission, and General Sullivan was sent to Rhode

Island to succeed him. On the 30th of August 1778, Spencer assisted in Sullivan's retreat, and this seems to have been his last military service. He then returned to his home on the banks of the Connecticut, and doubtless intended to remain there; but his native State had not forgotten him, and he was elected to represent it in Congress.

He married a second time, in 1756, Hannah Brown, of Waterbury, widow of Mr. Southmaid; she united with the church December 13th 1788.

According to the East Haddam town records, "Col. Jos. Spencer was elected deacon of the Millington Society, November 20th, 1767;" afterward the record shows that "he was excused from service during the Revolution," and again, "reelected April 4th 1788." The last town record reads, " Hon. Joseph Spencer died January 13th 1789, aged 74," to be exact, 74 years, 3 months, and 10 days. He had by his first marriage three daughters and two sons, and by the second marriage four sons and four daughters.

His brother, Rev. Elihu Spencer, of the College of New Jersey, was born in Millington. His grandson, John Sergeant, was candidate for vice-president of the United States in 1832.

Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Joseph jr., of Milling- ton, became the wife of the Hon. Lewis Cass, candidate for president in 1848,

Hon. Isaac Spencer, of Millington, was for many years treasurer of the State of Connecticut.

CALVIN WILLEY.

Calvin Willey was born at East Haddam, Connecticut, September 15th 1776; he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1798; he served in the State Legislature and Senate a number of years, and was postmaster at Staf -. ford Springs eight years; judge of Probate for seven years; in 1824 he was a presidential elector; and a Senator in Congress from 1825 to 1831. He died at Stafford, Connecticut, August 23d 1858.

DATUS WILLIAMS, M. D.

Datus Williams was born in the town of Norwich, Connecticut, February 25th 1793. He was one of nine children, being a descendant in the seventh generation from Robert Williams, of Roxbury, Mass.

He was a son of a farmer, and in early life enjoyed such educational privileges as were usually accorded to youths similarly circumstanced at that time; that is the privilege of attending the district school in the winter, the rest of the year working on the farm. While thus employed in assisting his father on the farm pertaining to what has since been known as the Bacon Academy, in Colchester, Conn., he formed the purpose of prepar- ing himself for the practice of medicine. With no re- sources but his own exertions, which would, to many, have offered insurmountable obstacles to the accomplish- ment of such a purpose, we find him soon after teaching school in New Jersey. While thus engaged in supplying himself with the necessary means, he devoted himself to

DERUS WILLIAMS MED.

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reading and study, preparatory to that of medicine, and in the year 1820 became a pupil of Dr. Osgood, of Leb- anon, and subsequently of Dr. Cogswell, of Hartford, Conn.

He attended lectures at the Yale Medical School, and while there, was a chum of Professor Charles Hooker. He received a license to practice, from Yale College, in 1823, and the saine year commenced practice in that part of East Haddam known as Millington. He con- tinued in this place until 1835, when, a vacancy occur- ring in the western and more populous portion of the town, he moved thither, where he continued in active and successful practice, except when prevented by ill health, up to the time of his death, which occurred No- vember 4th 1867, in the 75th year of his age. For two years previous he had suffered severely from rheumatism, as well as from asthma, a disease to which his family has always been subject, but on the morning of his death he had seemed to be better than for some days before. A few minutes after having passed into the yard, he was discovered by his wife lying upon the ground, as she supposed, in a fit. Dr. H. E. Williams, a son of the de- ceased, who was at home at the time, writes; " I immedi- ately ran to him and raised him, but life was already ex- tinct, he having died evidently without a struggle, though yet rigid in apparently the spasm of an apopleptic fit." As to the immediate cause of death, he suggests farther, " either metastatic rheumatism, or, perhaps, valvular os- sification.'

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 83

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