History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 20

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 20
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 20

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

*Bernard C. Steiner.

164

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

rived they stationed part of their number at the west kitchen door, while others endeavored to find the front door. The party at the kitchen door knocked loudly for admittance and Ambrose, one of the deacon's sons, ran to the door and opened it, to learn the cause of the disturbance One of the gang made a blow at him with a cutlass, but it being dark he struck too high, and the casing over the door received the force of the blow, though his neck received a sliglit incision. As he drew back another of the party fired his gun at him, the ball pass- ing under his arm and lodging in the wall. The report alarmed the guard and they turned out. The enemy heard them and drew off some eight or ten yards for consultation. In the meantime the sentry, who had been dozing in the deacon's wood pile, awoke and hearing some talking, listened a moment and heard a voice, which he recognized as Tucker's, say, "You may do as you please, I'll be d-d if I go till I make Deacon Leete's money jink." It was so dark the sentry could see nothing, but he fired his gun in the direction of the voices. The party at once drew off and the guard was too small to feel it safe to pursue. On the next day the dead body of Tucker was found in a small brook a few rods west of the house, with two bullets through his head. The body was rolled in a blanket and buried in a hole below high water mark, at the head of the Island bay, so-called.

While but few men of Guilford were killed outright in the war of the revolution, a number died from exposure and sickness contracted in the service. Doctor Alvan Talcott placed the number at twenty and gave the following as their names: Timothy Barnes, William Fair- child, Lewis Fairchild, Eber Hall, Timothy Luddington, Seth Morse, Bridgeman Murray, Captain Phineas Meigs, Abel Saxton, William Sa- bine, David Field, Joseph Hotchkin, Ebenezer Hart, Abner Leete, Simeon Leete, Captain Jehiel Meigs, Wait Munger, Samuel Stevens, Daniel Stone, Samuel Ward.

The war of 1812 did not produce any stirring events in the town. A volunteer artillery company was raised, which had two brass field pieces, kept in the town house; and an iron cannon was kept in Madi- son, to be used as was the one in the revolution, to give the signal of invasion. A company of state troops, formed in this town and Bran- ford, commanded by Abraham I. Chittenden, Abraham Rogers and William Todd, was in service a short time as a reserve corps at New London and New Haven.

The War for the Union-1861-5-awoke the spirit of patriotism in Guilford to a wonderful extent; and at no stage was there any lagging of ardor to prosecute it, so far as the town was concerned, to a success- ful issue. Beginning with the special meeting held April 30th, 1861, until the close of war, action to that end was taken at the regular meet- ings and at seven meetings called especially for that purpose. In all, Guilford contributed 308 men and $21,166 in money, besides the

165

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

amounts raised by the Christian and Sanitary Commissions, aggregat- ing about $10,000 more. With scarcely any exception, the leading citi- zens were all active in this cause. Before the close of the war 60 of the heroic sons of Guilford had laid down their lives. After many years their bravery was fitly commemorated.

A movement to build a Soldiers' Monument, begun in 1872, met with but indifferent success and was abandoned. Several years later the matter was again taken up, when Ed. Griswold and others were appointed a soliciting committee, which raised a fund of about $1,300. This encouraged those interested to adopt plans for a monument, by modifying one of the designs prepared by J. G. Batterson, of Hartford, consisting of a base, die and pedestal, surmounted by a figure. The contract for all but the latter was awarded to John Beattie, the material selected by him being Leete's Island granite.

The base was laid with ceremonies May 30th, 1877, on which occa- sion W. H. H. Murray delivered the oration. In 1879 the die, on which were cut the names of many soldiers who fell in the service, was placed upon the base, and thus for eight years the monument was left stand- ing in an incomplete condition. In 1884 the work was revived and the matter was placed in the hands of an executive committee composed of J. Lynde Harrison, Miss Kate Foote and Charles Griswold, who raised the necessary funds to complete the monument. In this they were much encouraged by Hon. Simeon B. Chittenden, of New York, and Mrs. Sarah B. Cone, also a native of the town. A contract was made with Thomas Phillips & Sons, of New Haven, to cut out of Quincy granite the statue of an infantry soldier, standing at rest, which was to be placed upon the pile already standing in the center of the green. This figure was ready to place in position the follow- ing year, and the monument was dedicated June 2d, 1887. Among the throng in attendance were Governor Lonnsbury and staff, Senators Hawley and Platt, and a number of Grand Army Posts from neighboring towns. Charles Griswold was the marshal of the day.

The monument as it stands is about fifteen feet high and has at- tractive proportions. Its entire cost was about $2,500. On one of the faces of the die are engraved the words:

"In memory of the men of Guilford who fell, and in honor of those who served in the war for the Union, the grateful town erects this monument, that their example may speak to coming generations."

Also are inscribed, on the pedestal, the names of the important bat- tles in which they participated, viz .:

"Antietam, Fredericksburg, Port Royal and Gettysburg."

It reflects credit upon the town in spite of the fact that it took ten years to complete what should at once have been finished.

166

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

John W. Barker, born in 1828, is a son of Samuel A. and Mary Ann (Kirkum) Barker, grandson of Joel, great-grandson of Jacob, and great- great-grandson of Daniel, whose father, Daniel, was among the early settlers of North Branford. Mr. Barker is a carriage maker by trade. In 1877 he built the Sachem's Head House, which he has kept open to the public since that time as a summer hotel. He married Mary A. Serry. Their children are: Charles A., Nettie M., Lottie M. (Mrs. E. J. Parmelee), William S. and Edward B.

Cyrus Olcott Bartlett, born in 1829, is the eldest son of Nathaniel and Bertha (Cook) Bartlett, grandson of Samuel and great-grandson of John Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett is a farmer. He married Frances H., daughter of Austin Fowler. Their children are: Amy F. and Charles O. They lost one daughter, Mary F.

David Bartlett, born in 1815, is a son of Stephen and Nancy (Fow- ler) Bartlett, and grandson of John, whose father, Henry, was a son of George Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett is a farmer, and has held several town offices. In 1877 and 1879 he was representative to the legislature. He married Ruth Frances, daughter of Erastus Dudley. She died in 1889. They had two children: James D. and one that died, Melzar F.

Edwin W. Bartlett, born in 1839, is a brother of Cyrus O. Bartlett. He is a farmer. He married Annis S., daughter of Nathan C. Dudley. Their children are: Bertha, Edwin N., Mary and Erastus D. Mr. Bart- lett was selectman eleven years.

JOHN BEATTIE, the well known quarryman and contractor, of Leete's Island, Guilford, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 18th, 1824. His father was John Beattie," a freeman of that city, who was a direct descendant of the noted Beattie family of Eskdale Moor, in Dumfries- shire, Scotland, whose ancestry has been traced back more than six cen- turies, and whose valor and exploits in peace and war have been cele- brated in the story and song of that country, by Sir Walter Scott and others. On the paternal side his grandmother was Nanes Armstrong, a descendant of the Johnson family, of Dumfriesshire, also prominent in the affairs of Scotland. The mother of John Beattie was Ann Richardson, a daughter of John Richardson, whose wife was Catherine Tate, and both families belonged to Haddington, Scotland.

In 1830, when John Beattie was about six years of age, his parents removed to America and settled at Newport, R. I., where his father carried on his trade as stone mason and contractor, and at that place the paternal home in this country was established, on a small farm. Here the son was sent to school for a short time, but his robust nature rebelled against the restraint imposed upon him by such a life, and he preferred to work in the fields on his father's farm. Subsequently, in

*From time immemorial the oldest son of each generation of the Beattie family was named John.

John Bratie

167

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Nova Scotia, he attended with profit, for a few terms, the school of an excellent man, the Reverend Mr. Morrison, his school days being thus limited to these brief periods. In the meantime his father had re- moved from Newport to Nova Scotia, where he was engaged as the contractor in the construction of the masonry work on a canal from Halifax to Pictou.

After a few years residence in the former town, when John would no longer attend school, his father purposed to indenture him to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and had selected a master for him, where- upon the independent lad gave so emphatic a demonstration against such a step that the plan was summarily abandoned. This opposition was probably the act in his life which led him into the avocation in which he has for so many years been most successfully engaged. Being now thirteen years old, strong and healthy, with a love for out-door occupation, his father was persuaded to allow him to learn the trade of stone cutting, which work John took up with great spirit. In the course of a few years the failure of the canal company induced the Beatties to return to their home at Newport, when the father and John went to New York to work at their trade. A year later they went to Boston, and not long after to Newport, where the father died when John was 16 years of age. The care of the family, consisting of his mother and four children, the next oldest being ten years, devolved upon John, who, deeply feeling the responsibility placed upon him, now entered upon his life-work with an earnestness of application that was bound to bring success. He became very skillful in his trade, and was a rapid and thorough workman. The next four years he was en- gaged at Fort Adams, R. I., having, when he was 18 years of age, his first contract to do work for the United States government. At the age of 20 years he was appointed foreman mason of the bridge builders on a section of the Boston & Troy railroad, where for two years he had his first experience in overseeing large numbers of men. In 1846 he returned to Fort Adams, where he was appointed master stone cutter by General W. S. Rosecrans, and superintended the preparation of the material used in that fortification until work was suspended by order of Jefferson Davis, at that time the secretary of war. Again, for a year, he was with the Boston & Troy Railroad Company in his old capacity, when he went to California as a gold miner, and for two years and two months had the experience of that occupation, without realizing any of the rewards sometimes associated with it. Returning to the East, poor in purse and with impaired health, his next work was building the stone towers for the suspension bridge across the Ken- tucky river, at Pleasant Valley. His health continuing poor he and his brother, William, next opened a stone cutter's yard at Newport, in which he worked a year with beneficial results to his health.

In 1855 he built the towers for the great bridge across the Ohio. between Cincinnati and Covington, after which he had an interest in

168

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

the construction of Section 1 of the Brooklyn Water Works, at Jamai- ca, N. Y. That being completed, at a loss to him, he next spent some time building bridges on the Wabash railroad in Indiana, after which he again returned to Jamaica, N. Y., and contracted for the construc- tion of another section of the water works. This job he personally superintended, and to such great advantage that he and his partner cleared $20,000 in eighteen months. After this he executed many contracts for mason work in bridges, on railroads, warehouse docks and lighthouses. He built bridges on the Worcester & Nashua rail- road, on the Old Colony Line, and the Warren & Fall River railroad. He constructed the piers for the bridge at Warehouse Point and the Old Colony dock at Newport, all large public works.

In 1865 he purchased the Harrison Quarry, at Fall River, but after operating it one year left it in charge of his brother William and son John, and opened another quarry at Niantic, Conn. In a few years he disposed of that interest, and in February, 1869, came to Guilford, where he bought 16 acres of land at Hoadley's Point, upon which were very fine ledges of excellent granite. The following season he built several houses upon this tract, doing at the same time the mason work of the Newport & Wickford railroad. On the 22d of August, 1870, he removed permanently to Leete's Island, which has since been his home, where he has developed the large quarrying interests at that place, until the industry has become one of the largest of the kind in the state. His granite lands and real estate at Leete's Island have been increased to more than 400 acres of land. He employs from 125 to 600 men, their operations being conducted in a systematic manner and aided by modern appliances. The products are readily trans- ported to many different localities by the Shore Line railroad, running through his lands, and by a fleet of vessels owned by him and laden at his own docks, at Hoadley's Point. The granite of his quarries is of several qualities: blue, pink and white-which are here cut, carved and polished into any desired forms-and a coarse-grained gray, hav- ing a carrying capacity of 18,000 pounds to the square inch, which is much used for building purposes. A large quantity was thus supplied for the construction of the roadway of the New York & Harlem rail- road, from the river to the Grand Central depot, in New York city. Much of the stone in the Brooklyn bridge was procured at Leete's Island, and the granite pedestal for the statue of " Liberty," on Bed- loe's Island, in New York bay, was furnished from these quarries.

Mr. Beattie has a thorough, practical knowledge of every depart- ment of work carried on by him, and having great industry, pluck and fine executive ability, he has prospered in his affairs and has earned the distinction of being one of the foremost business men in the east- ern part of the county. He has a strong physique and is liberally en- dowed with many of the distinguishing characteristics of the Scottish race. He was twice married; first to Ann Kelly, in 1842, by whom he

169

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

had four children: John, living at Fall River, Mass., the inventor of the Amalgamated Battery Compound: Frank, superintendent of quar- ries at Leete's Island; George, deceased in 1887; and Isabella, married George Sanborn, of Leete's Island. For his second wife he married, in 1870, Mary Gay, of Guilford, and the children by this union were: Elizabeth, who deceased in 1878; and two sons, Peter and Thomas, residing with their father at his pleasant home on Hoadley's Point, Leete's Island.

Dan L. Benton, born in 1810, is a son of Dan L. and Betsey (Seward) Benton, and grandson of Silas and Abigail (Linsley) Benton. Mr. Benton is a farmer. He married Marietta, daughter of Montgomery Norton. She died, leaving one son, Darwin N. His second marriage was with Elizabeth A., daughter of Sacket and Polly (Bassett) Blak- sley, and granddaughter of Joel Blaksley. Their children are: Hur- bert L., Charles L. and Edward W.

Darwin N. Benton, born in 1834, is a son of Dan L. and Marietta E. (Norton) Benton. He was a grain merchant since 1872, and since 1881 has been engaged in canning fruit in Guilford.

Richard H. Benton, born in 1823, is a brother of Dan L. Benton. He is a farmer. He married Charlotte, daughter of Beverly and Parna (Gould) Parkis. Their children are: Hattie E. Mattie S. and Richard B. They lost one daughter in infancy.

Elisha C. Bishop, son of Jonathan and Polly Maria Bishop, was born in 1824. His grandfather, Jonathan, wasa son of David, whose father, David, was a son of John, whose father, John, was a son of John Bishop, who came from England in 1639, and was one of the orig- inal settlers of Guilford. Mr. Bishop is now a farmer. He repre- sented the town in the legislature in 1882, and has served sev- eral terms as selectman. He married Charlotte G. Fowler in 1846. She died in October, 1885. Their children were: Frederick C., who died in infancy; Frederick C., Robert D., who died in infancy; Robert A., Edward F., Mary C., Frank H., Ida and Eva, twins; Richard M., died in infancy; Marilla C. and Ernest S. His present wife is Cor- nelia, a sister of his first wife.

Walter G. Bishop, born in Meriden in 1827, is a son of Martin and Sylvina (Bradley) Bishop, and grandson of Benjamin Bishop, of North Haven. He is a moulder by trade. In 1871 he came to Guilford, where he has followed farming. His first wife was Dorcas J. Hunger- ford, of Harwinton. His second marriage was with Nancy M., daugh- ter of Rufus N. Leete, of Guilford, who died, leaving three children: Dexter L., Burton W. and Grace S. His present wife was Ellen L. Leete, sister of his second wife.

Albert C. Brewer, born in 1864, is a son of Alva G. and H. Alice (Palmer) Brewer, and grandson of Thomas Brewer, who came from England when a young man, and about 50 years ago settled where Al- bert C. now lives. Alva G. Brewer was a farmer, and died in 1887,

170

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

aged 49 years. His children were: Nellie (Mrs. Richard H. Woodruff), Albert C., Fannie, Elizabeth (Mrs. William Blatchley), Angeline, Harry, Mary and Hattie.

Elisaph H. Butler, born in 1848 in Norfolk, Conn., is a son of Levi and Clarinda E. (Sanford) Butler, and grandson of Elisaph Butler. Mr. Butler came to Guilford in 1854. In 1870 he became one of the hardware firm of S. Robinson & Co., succeeding Chester Buckley in the business. In 1887 Mr. Butler bought the interest of his partner, and now conducts the business in his own name. He is vice-president of the Guilford Savings Bank, has been several years burgess of the borough, and is now justice of the peace. He married Fannie E., daughter of Stephen Robinson. Their children are: William S., Jennie C., Hattie M. and Robert B. They lost four children.

David D. Carter, born in 1821 in Clinton, is a son of Jared and Polly (Dibbell) Carter. He came to Guilford in 1843, where he has since been a farmer. He married Mary J., daughter of William and Betsey (Dudley) Chittenden. Their son, George W., married Alice Wilcox, and they have two children: George E. and Harry W.

David D. Chittenden, born in 1817 and died in 1890, was a son of David D., grandson of Simeon, and great-grandson of Simeon Chitten- den. Mr. Chittenden married Abbie Ann, daughter of Erastus and Ruth (Fowler) Dudley, who survives him. Their children are: George M., David Dwight, Ruth F. (deceased), Dudley, Frederick and Lucy F.

Dudley Chittenden, born in 1851, is a son of David D. Chittenden. He is a farmer. He married Mary E., daughter of Darwin Page, and has three sons: George D., David D. and Harold.

Simeon Chittenden was a son of Simeon, and grandson of Simeon Chittenden. He had six children: Henry W., William V. and Jerusha, deceased; and Parnel F., Martin Luther and John D. Henry W. was born October 14th, 1817, and had four children, of whom Charles R., Henry and Maria Louise deceased, and one, Charles R., is living. William V. was born November 28th, 1822, and had four children. Three are deceased-Henry Scott, Emily L. and William H. The sur- vivor is Simeon D. Jerusha Chittenden was born June 12th, 1826, and died June 18th, 1826. Parnel F. married E. Frank Dudley. Martin L. Chittenden owns and occupies his father's homestead. John D. mar- ried Lucy A., daughter of Timothy Rossiter. Their children are: Sarah T. and Charles F., and two that died-William H. and Franklin F. J. William H. was a young man of much promise. He graduated from the medical department of Yale College in 1883, and began prac- tice at Branford, but on account of failing health was obliged to return home, and died October 18th, 1884, aged 26 years.

Jerome Coan, born in 1834, is a son of John and Elizabeth (Hart) Coan, and grandson of John, who was a revolutionary soldier, who was a son of John, and grandson of John, whose father, Peter, was born in 1697, in Germany, and in 1715, with his parents and two younger

171

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

brothers, George and Abraham, came to America. In 1736 Peter set- tled at North Guilford, near where Jerome now lives. Mr. Coan is a merchant. He served three years in the late war in Company E, 15th Connecticut Volunteers. He married Frances D. Griswold, who died in 1859. He married for his second wife Mary F., daughter of Henry Judd. Their children are: Joseph F. and Fannie L.

Owen Cunningham, son of Dennis Cunningham, was born in Ire- land in 1832, and came to America in 1838. He learned the copper- smith trade in Buffalo, N. Y., and at the age of 20 went to Chicago, where he lived until 1880, when he came to Guilford. He served in the war of the rebellion in Company K, 23d Illinois Volunteers, for about three years. He married Ann Driscoll.

Deacon Edwin O. Davis, born in 1825, is a son of Joel and Polly (Loper) Davis, and grandson of James Davis, who was a revolutionary soldier, and came from Southold, L. I., to Guilford, where he married Ruth Griswold and had nine children. Mr. Davis is a farmer. He mar- ried in 1849, Martha S., daughter of Dan L. Benton. Their children are: Anna S., now Mrs. J. P. Slocum; Robert E., who is a farmer with his father; and Martha E., now Mrs. Frank E. Fowler. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have 11 grandchildren.

George S. Davis, born in 1854, is the eldest son of George W. and Cornelia (Smith) Davis, and grandson of Joel Davis. Mr. Davis was eight years in Hartford as merchant's clerk, and was then four years clerk in the Guilford post office. Since 1883 he has been a grocery merchant. He is now serving his sixth term as town treasurer, and in 1889 he represented the town in the legislature. He married Anna G. Fowler. They have one daughter, Elizabeth G. They lost one son in infancy.

Sherman W. Davis, born in 1826 in Killingworth, was a son of Zina and Amanda (Stephens) Davis. He is a farmer. He married Emma J., daughter of Nathan Aldrich. Their children are: Ella (Mrs. Frank Hill), Mrs. Phebe J. Dudley and Mrs. Flora E. Dudley.

Emily G. (Davis) Demarest is a daughter of Joel and Polly (Loper) Davis. She married first Samnel Madden, a furniture dealer of New York, who died in 1869, aged 50 years. They had eight sons: Oscar E., Samuel C., Joel D., Albert F., Harry G., Lewis A., Allen E. and Charles W. They lost one daughter, Ella P. Mrs. Demarest has her home in Guilford, near the place of her birth.

Julius A. Dowd, born in 1806, was the eldest of twelve children of Julius and Clarissa (Stone) Dowd, grandson of Ebenezer, and great- grandson of Ebenezer, whose father, Thomas, was a son of Thomas, and a grandson of Henry Dowd, who came from England in 1639 and died in Guilford in 1668. Mr. Dowd is a shoemaker by trade and has followed the business through life except 20 years, during which time he was a farmer. He married Mrs. Nancy Terry, who died leaving one daughter, Mary C., now Mrs. Virgil Hotchkiss. His second mar-

172

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

riage was with Mrs. Abigail Tibbles, daughter of Doctor Jonathan Todd, of Madison.

William T. Dowd, born in 1828 in Madison, is a son of Rufus and Rebecca (Bishop) Dowd, and grandson of Moses Dowd. He is a joiner by trade. He is now filling his fifth term as warden of the borough. He married Mary J. Pomeroy. They have two children: William H. and Mary, now Mrs. Louis P. Anderson.

Ebenezer F. Dudley, born in 1819, is a son of Erastus and Ruth (Fowler) Dudley, grandson of Luther, and great-grandson of Jared, whose father, William, was a son of Joseph, and grandson of William Dudley. Mr. Dudley, like most of his ancestors, is a farmer. He mar- ried Nancy A., daughter of Timothy Fowler. She died in February, 1890, leaving two sons: Baldwin C. and Ira F.

George C. Dudley, born in 1842, is a son of Samuel W. and Lucy A. (Chittenden) Dudley, and grandson of Ambrose Dudley. Mr. Dudley is a farmer on the homestead of his father and grandfather. Samuel IV. Dudley was a farmer, was for a number of years representative in the legislature and one term state senator. He had six children: Charles S., Henry C., who died in the army: Elizabeth, James A., George C. and William R., who is a teacher at Cornell.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 20

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138