USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 50
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 50
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Mr. Hallenbeck's office is quiet, but pervaded by a spirit of busi- ness despatch, of which he himself is the embodiment. Good natured and genial, with words few when few words only are in place, gentle- manly and kind, and masterful in his position, he is highly respected throughout all the works, while an air of mutual confidence inspired by an ambition to turn out the greatest quantity of finest goods in the briefest time, pervades the factory. The well-disposed employee finds an officer considerate and fair in the general manager, while the
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laggard workman is so gently removed, he scarcely realizes anything has happened, until he finds himself to be without a daily wage. The discipline of the factory so administered, is very wholesome. Every man is made to feel silently, that he holds his position for his per- sonal inerit.
Mr. Hallenbeck bears the reputation among his townsmen of being an excellent business example. Always prompt, and persistently as- siduous, careful and yet energetic and pushing, devoted closely to business duties, and not expecting the trusts reposed in him to take care of themselves, but rather to be taken care of as his personal con- cern, he has won an enviable good name among all business associates and acquaintances.
Besides the management of the factory of Hall, Elton & Co., Mr. Hallenbeck is the financial manager of a company dealing in ice in Wallingford.
In politics he is a republican, and has steadily turned aside from political office, preferring the private's position to the endless rivalry and buffeting of party success for those in office. Of the popular social orders, he holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. In religion he is a Congregationalist, and while not a church member, takes pleasure in performing the service of a good parishioner in the First Congregational parish of Wallingford. One rule has been taken as the guide of life, and been kept distinctly before him, whether in social or business relations, and that is the Golden Rule.
He was married October 26th, 1882, to Mrs. E. E. (Dickerman) Wilmot, of New Haven, Conn., and resides at the family homestead on Centre street, Wallingford, where for thirty years he has lived, having the high esteem of his townsmen for his many virtues and his sterling manhood.
BENJAMIN F. HARRISON, M. D., was born in Northford, in the town of North Branford, Conn., April 19th, 1811, and was the son of Elizur and Rebecca (Bartholomew) Harrison. In his death, which occurred April 23d, 1886, Wallingford lost one of her most distinguished and esteemed citizens. He was born one of nature's noblemen, so that whatever of training or culture he might have need not attempt the impossible feat of imparting original quality to make a fine, distinct individuality, but to cultivate quality already inherent. We will not look for a long period of school life in youth, nor for the careful selec- tion of an academic college, and watchful supervision and guidance while he might be going through the curriculum. None of these were privileges of his youth. He was denied them, not for any lack of parental love, but for the exigencies of farm life as pursued in the early part of this century. The school life of boyhood was inter- rupted by work on the farm, as soon as the boy could be useful there. And yet young Harrison obtained enough of education to be the dis-
d. M Hallenbeck
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triet pedagogue in winter, while in summer he helped his parents on the farm. In this way he secured the funds for a medical course in Yale University, and graduated in 1836. He then sought for hospital practice in New York city, and later became associated with Doctor French, of Milford, in the practice of medicine. But he had no sooner begun in Milford than a favorable opening came to him in Walling- ford, and he accepted it. Here he continued for ten years, and then resolved upon travel and residence in Europe. While in Paris he put himself under the tuition of famous lecturers in medicine and science, and afterward visited many of the principal points of interest on the continent.
Upon returning to America, he first thought to practice his profes- sion in Cincinnati, Ohio, and opened an office there ; but his resi- dence in that eity did not continue long, and he returned to Walling- ford.
After some years his practice here was again interrupted by the events of the war. Governor Morgan, of New York, commissioned him. August 1st, 1862, to be surgeon of the Independent Corps, New York Volunteer Light Infantry, already in the field at Yorktown, Va. The regiment's term of service expired February 7th, 1864, and Doc- tor Harrison with his regiment was mustered ont at that date. He then entered the service of the sanitary commission and was assigned to South Carolina and Florida. At the close of 1864 he returned to Wallingford, and remained there for the rest of his life.
But this meagre outline of events gives no adequate idea of the individuality and character of the man who moved in the midst of them. Seen from any point of view, Doctor Harrison was a man who would attract attention. Socially he was an agreeable companion and a brilliant conversationalist. It was only needful that he should have his attention centered by the presence of a friend, or by an interesting topic of conversation, when his eyes would sparkle and his mind open its riches of thought and humor and agreeable comment, in entertain- ing manner. Especially was this so if his company at any time was, like himself, intellectually bright and full of information.
There were two respects in which Dr. Harrison's individuality ap- peared distinct from that of many people. Hc was a thoughtful reader of good books on all the ranges of knowledge. His library was large and stocked with much of the best literature in the different departments of learning. Over and through these books he would go with the delight of the bibliophile, always exercising his judgment upon what he might read, applying the test of criticism to it, and holding it in memory with the grip of a master hand. So that his mind was full of information gained from communion with the best minds, not in the department of medicine alone, but in the various branches of science and letters. All this material would come as wanted to the surface when he became animated.
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But he was also a born observer. He was naturally a scientific observer. He delighted in original investigation. What if others had seen for themselves, he desired to see for himself. He sought for facts, and from the facts worked out principles. He was able to see facts as they are, and not as they are sometimes seen, warped and one- sided, by reason of a certain wryness or prejudice in the observer. And in addition he was able to describe what he observed, and by logical thoroughness come to a wideness of knowledge of which the facts were concrete representations. It is seen now that he was natu- rally a born scientist, and if his lot had fallen into the lines of the scientific schools, he would probably have become a professor of some branch of scientific learning, in one of them.
It will not appear surprising now that he supplied himself with meteorological apparatus, and kept a faithful daily record of the rain- fall and temperature from the year 1856 until his death, except during his army life; and even there he indulged his scientific propensity of watching and recording much of the time the temperature and humid- ity of the atmospere. Yale University took cognizance of his scien- tific habits and attainments, and bestowed on him the honorary de- gree of A. M. in 1872.
But Doctor Harrison was eminent in this town, not only for his skill in medicine and scientific knowledge, but for his public spirit. His ideal of town development was considerably beyond any attain- ment Wallingford had yet achieved. He wanted the citizens to beau- tify the place of their residence, and hence many years ago planted the ornamental trees which stretch along the front of his own house for quite a distance. He was the first to advocate a borough system of water supply, and to his persistent efforts is mainly due the present water works of the town. Besides, he was a principal promoter of popular education and the enlargement of the public school system. His only difficulty was that his ideal of society was so far in advance he could not speedily enough bring his fellow-townsmen up to it. They found in him always the advanced, enthusiastic friend of public improvements, and took counsel of him accordingly.
His moral nature was of the stalwart kind, and his judgments were always imperative and compulsory upon his conduct. If he must ever stand alone to be loyal to his convictions of truth and duty, he would stand there, quite oblivious to what the masses might say, if only he could have the approval of his own conscience. He did not leap to conclusions, but came to them slowly from a survey of the facts at command ; and from those conclusions only new and stronger light could move him. Truth in everything as apprehended was his norm of life. Hence, when he came to die, his townsmen felt they were about to lose one of the chief ornaments and bulwarks of Wallingford society.
He was married three times; June 8th, 1837, to Miss Susan Lewis,
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of Wallingford, who died September 10th, 1839. One daughter was born to them, bearing the mother's name; she lived to the age only of seventeen years. He was married again June 20th, 1868, to Miss Vir- ginia V. Abell, of Franklin, Conn., who died December 27th, 1869. And again he was married, in 1885, to Miss Sarah E. Hall, daughter of the late Joel Hall, of Wallingford, who survives him.
His memory now lives in the hearts of Wallingford people, only as a praise and an honor in the town, which no one has yet inherited.
George A. Hopson, born in 1859, was the only child of Samuel and Letitia (L'ounsbury) Hopson, grandson of Andrew, whose father Samuel, was a son of Samuel, who was a son of Samuel Hopson, and grandson of John. George A. is a farmer on the farm where four or more generations of the family have lived. He was a member of the house of representatives in 1884, being the youngest member of that body He is vice-president of the State Agricultural Society, a mem- ber of Wallingford Grange, No. 33, P. of H., and state lecturer for that organization; also councilor Putnam Council, O. U. A. M., and a member of the board of selectmen of the town of Wallingford. He married Alice M. Trefethen. Their children are F. Mabel and Pauline.
Seymour E. Hotchkiss, born in 1842, in Prospect, is a son of Shelden and Sarah Hotchkiss, and grandson of Isaac Hotchkiss. He came to Wallingford in 1856, and was several years in the Parker box shop at Yalesville prior to 1881, when he began to work in the bolt and rivet shop with his brother, Albert S. Hotchkiss. The latter was born in 1840, and was employed in the bolt and rivet shop at Quinnipiac from 1868 till 1877, when he bought the business, with S. Morse as partner. One year later Seymour E. Hotchkiss bought out Mr. Morse and has since been a partner in the business. The brothers are both married. A. S. lives near the works in North Haven and S. E. lives at Wallingford, where he holds the office of burgess.
Joel Hough, born in 1806 and died in 1886, was a son of James, and grandson of Joseph Hough. Mr. Hough was a farmer. He married Mary, daughter of Silas Rice. She died in 1875, leaving seven chil- dren: Cornelia (Mrs. E. C. Hall), Joel R., Susan E., Albert P., James B., Alice L. and Rosie. One daughter, Lucy, died. Albert P. and the three younger daughters occupy the homestead where their father spent his life.
Elijah J. Hough, born in 1829, is the eldest son of James and Mary T. (Rice) Hough, grandson of James, and great-grandson of Joseph Hough. Mr. Hough is a farmer, occupying the homestead of his father. He is now serving his third term as selectman. He has been treasurer of Wallingford Grange, No. 33. P. of H., since its organiza- tion. He married Ruth, daughter of Silas Blakeslee. Their children are: Jennie B., married George D. Hall, and has one son: Hattie B. (Mrs. J. N. Barnes), and George E.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
LEVERETT M. HUBBARD was born in Durham, Conn., April 23d, 1849. He is the son of Reverend Eli Hubbard, A. M., a graduate of Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., who had a long and note- worthy career in the state of Mississippi, as an educator and minister, being especially distinguished for his eloquence and power as a preacher. The mother of Leverett M., a daughter of Mr. L. W. Leach, for many years a leading merchant of Durham, and sister of Honor- able L. M. Leach and Honorable Oscar Leach, of Middlesex county, died when he was three years of age, and he was brought up in the family of his grandparents. His academic education was obtained at the Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., and the Wesleyan Univer- sity, from which latter institution he has received the degree of Master of Arts, and among whose sons he holds a distinguished place. His legal studies were pursued at the Albany Law School, Albany, N. Y., from which he graduated in 1870. He then located for the practice of his profession at Wallingford in August of that year. He soon be- came marked at the bar, and by the community generally, as a young man of fine spirit and rare intellectual endowments. From that time he has steadily grown in the confidence and esteem of the public, and for many years has held the conspicuous rank he early achieved, being among the most respected, widely known and successful lawyers in New Haven county. He has been frequently identified with leading cases, from some of which he has gained special distinction, notably the Hayden-Stannard murder trial, and the trial of Anderson, indicted for the killing of Horatio G. Hall.
From the beginning of his professional career he has maintained an office connection in New Haven. For a year he pursued his studies with the Honorable Charles Ives, now deceased. From 1874 to 1877 he was a law partner of Morris F. Tyler, Esq., and since that time has been associated with John W. Alling, Esq.
Mr. Hubbard was appointed postmaster of Wallingford by Presi- dent Grant in 1872, which office he held by successive reappointments until the inauguration of President Cleveland in 1885, when, with an unexpired commission for three years, he tendered his resignation in order that he might devote his entire attention to his profession, whose increasing demands had for a number of years made this step a near necessity. He administered that office with unusual intelli- gence and fidelity, and to the universal acceptance of its patrons, who, without respect of party, tendered him upon his retirement a compli- mentary banquet, which was widely remarked at the time for its elaborateness and the enthusiasm which attended it.
The late Honorable C. D. Yale, well known through the state as a sterling democrat, presided on the occasion. and in concluding a very complimentary address, said: " The company has assembled that it may go on record in an unmistakable manner that Mr. Hubbard is
Leveret MHusband
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beloved and respected by every man in Wallingford whose good wishes are worth having."
Honorable George H. Watrous, of New Haven, in writing his regrets, said: "I share with you sincerely the desire to honor our esteemed friend. I have known him nearly as long as you have, I presume. I early learned to believe in him as a man not only of superior intelligence, but of great integrity and trustworthiness. My knowledge of him has increased my faith in him. Mr. Hubbard has not only been a successful postmaster, but he has been in every respect a very successful and highly useful member of your com- munity. He has already carved his way to the front rank of his pro- fession."
He was a member of the board of school visitors from 1874 to 1880, and a justice of the peace from 1878 to 1881. He has been borough attorney since 1870 and counsel for the town during most of the same period. He was one of the projectors of the First National Bank of Wallingford, and has been one of its directors since its organ- ization; also a director in the Dime Savings Bank since 1884, and is now its first vice-president. In 1881 he was elected a trustee of the Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., a position which he has held until the present time, and to the discharge of whose duties he has brought the same devotion, energy and capacity which have marked his career in all the various positions of responsible trust which he has occupied.
Upon the establishment of a borough court for Wallingford by the general assembly in 1886, at the earnest solicitation of friends in both political parties, and at some disadvantage to his business, Mr. Hubbard accepted the position of its first judge, having been elected by the unanimous vote of the legislature. In a similar manner he has been reëlected for each succeeding term, and still continues to discharge the duties of that office to the eminent satisfaction of the community.
In 1886 Mr. Hubbard was unanimously nominated for secretary of state by the republican party in a convention of more than five hundred delegates, and was elected with a larger popular vote than any other candidate on the state ticket. It is not too much to say that in dignity, ability and enterprise Mr. Hubbard's administration as secretary during his term of two years has rarely been equalled and never excelled in the history of the state. Among his many noteworthy special services in that office, one of the most universally esteemed related to his preparation and publication of the first com- prehensive and elaborate " Register and Manual of the State of Con- necticut " ever issued, a model upon which all subsequent editions have been fashioned, highly valued for the great variety and accuracy of its information, and easily ranking among the most complete things of its kind ever compiled.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Mr. Hubbard has long enjoyed a wide reputation as a speaker of unusual force and eloquence, and has been much in demand as an orator, especially on patriotic, commemorative and political occasions.
He has been from the beginning of his career actively interested in the work of the political organization to which he has been at- tached, and in addition to the honors already referred to, was sent as a delegate to the national convention which nominated Benjamin Harrison for president, and was prominently named as a candidate for congress in 188S.
In religion, his antecedents and early associations were in the Methodist Episcopal church, to which he is still devoted, although since it has no organization in his community he has, from his first residence in Wallingford, been a regular attendant upon the First ·Congregational church, of which he has been a liberal supporter, and in the management of whose affairs he has been prominently iden- tified.
Mr. Hubbard was married May 21st, 1873, to Florence Gazelle, daughter of Wooster Ives, of Wallingford, and on her maternal side a lineal descendant from Governor Roger Wolcott and from Reverend John Davenport of colonial fame. Four children have been born of this marriage, all of whom are now living: Georgiana, Samuel Wolcott, Leverett Marsden, Jr., and Kenneth Davenport.
The following items concerning descendants of Doctor John Hulls, of the town of Wallingford, have been taken from the genealogy of the Hull family in Doctor Davis' excellent " History of Wallingford and Meriden":
The name of Hull appears early in Connecticut, and came from Derbyshire, England. The first of the name in Wallingford was Doc- tor John Hull (or Hulls, as he wrote his name), who was admitted a planter at Stratford in 1661. It is not quite certain whether he came from England, or was a son of Richard Hull, of the New Haven col- ony. Doctor John Hulls was at Derby in 1668 and at Wallingford in 1687, where he died December 6th, 1711. He was probably somewhat advanced in life when he came to Wallingford. He was married Oc- tober 19th, 1672, to Mary Jones, who was probably his second wife. After her death he married Rebecca Turner, September 20th, 1699. He exchanged his house and land at Stratford with Benjamin Lewis, for his house and land at Wallingford in 1687. The town of Walling- ford set out to Doctor Hulls a tract of land which they supposed con- tained 700 acres, lying between the north side of Broad Swamp and the Quinnipiac river. This grant was more than a mile square, and was known as Doctor Hulls' large farm. The children of Doctor John Hulls were: John, Samuel, Mary, Joseph, Benjamin, Ebenezer, Richard, Jeremiah and Archer.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
John Hull, son of Doctor John, was born in Stratford, March 14th, 1661-2. married Mary --- , and settled in the old town of Derby. His children were: Deborah, John, Daniel, Miles, Ebenezer, Mary, Martha and Priscilla.
Captain Joseph Hull, of Derby, son of Doctor John Hulls, of Wal- lingford, was born in 1668, and married Mary Nichols, of Derby, where they lived and died. He was married twice, his second wife's name being Hannah, whom he left a widow. His children were: Samuel, Joseph, Caleb, Abijah, Archer, Sarah and Mary.
Doctor Benjamin Hull, son of Doctor John, was born October 7th, 1672, and married Elizabeth Andrews, December 14th, 1693. She died April 27th, 1732. He came to Wallingford with his father in 1687. He died March 30th, 1741. His children were: Andrew, Mary, Eliza- beth, Damaris, John, Abigail, Samuel, Sarah and Benjamin.
Ebenezer Hull, son of Doctor John Hulls, of Wallingford, was born in 1673, and married May Mix, May 7th, 1706. He died November 9th, 1709, and his widow, Lydia, administered on his estate. He had one child, Hannah, born March 23d, 1708.
Doctor Jeremiah Hull, son of Doctor John, was born at Derby, in 1679, and married Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Hope Cook, at Wallingford, May 24th, 1711. She died December 11th, 1741. He died at Wallingford May 14th, 1736. Their children were: John, Moses, Tabitha, Hannah, Anna, Jeremiah, Joseph, Patience and Keturah.
Caleb Hull, son of Captain Joseph and Mary Hull, and grandson of Doctor John Hulls, first, was born February 4th, 1695, and married Mercy Benham, of Wallingford. May 1st, 1724. She died April 19th, 1766. He died in September, 1788. In 1710, when Caleb was 14 years old. he received from his grandfather, Doctor John Hulls, 100 acres of land, deeded to Joseph from Caleb, conditioned that Caleb should come and live with him till 21 years old, or until his decease. Doctor Hulls died December 6tlı, 1711. Doubtless Caleb went. The 100 acres is on record. The children of Caleb Hull were: Sarah, Andrew, Mary, Samuel, Joseph, Abijah, Joseph, Caleb, Submit, Patience, Jo- seph and Caleb.
Abijah Hull, son of Captain Joseph and Mary Hull, and grandson of Doctor John Hulls, was born in 1697, and married Abigail Harger, of Derby, November 20th, 1727. He had two daughters.
Doctor John Hull, son of Doctor Benjamin and Elizabeth Hull, was born October 6th, 1702, and married Saralı Ives, June 21st, 1727. She died November 29th, 1760. He married for his second wife Damaris Frost, October 20th, 1761. He died May 22d, 1762-3. His children were: Zephaniah, John, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Desire, Sarah, John and Amos.
Captain Samuel Hull, son of Doctor Benjamin and Elizabeth Hull, and grandson of Doctor John Hulls, was born September 1st, 1706, married Sarah Hall, February 21st, 1733, and settled in Cheshire,
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where he died January 17th, 1789, aged 82 years. His wife died June 11th, 1763, aged 50 years. His children were: Sarah, Samuel, Samuel, Sarah, Love, Jesse, Benjamin and Levi; the last two by a second mar- riage.
Doctor Benjamin Hull, son of Doctor Benjamin and grandson of Doctor John Hulls, first, was born July 6th, 1712, and married Hannah Parmalee December 17th, 1735. Their children were: Patience, Phebe, Hannah, Doctor Benjamin, Eliakim, Charles, Sybil, Joel, Beda, Lois, Asahel and Ephraim.
Doctor John Hull, son of Doctor Jeremiah and Hannah (Cook) Hull, and grandson of Doctor John Hulls, first, was born November 13th, 1712, and married Mary Andrews October 26th, 1735. He died August 15th, 1755. His children were: Sarah, Molly, Sarah, Moses, John, Nathaniel, Aaron, Abigail and Hannah.
Jeremiah Hull, son of Doctor Jeremiah and Hannah (Cook) Hull, was born January 5th, 1729, and married Mary Merriman January 18th, 1753. She died August 22d, 1774, aged 41 years. He died August 24th, 1790. He was twice married. His children were: Caleb, Jeremiah, Samuel, Ann, Benjamin, Levi, Hannah and Eunice.
Andrew Hull, son of Caleb, grandson of Captain Joseph, and great- grandson of Doctor John Hulls, of Wallingford, was born August 23d, 1726, and married Lowly Cook, daughter of Captain Samuel and Han- nah Cook, of Wallingford. He died September 21st, 1774. Mrs. Low- ly Hull died about 1785. Andrew Hull owned a large farm near Cheshire street, bounded north by the river. His children were: Damaris, Lowly, Hannah, Damaris, Andrew, Sarah, Ursula, Mary, Esther, Susan and Lovisa.
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