History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 186

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317

USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 186

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).

Mr. Chapman, like his father, is a Democrat, and finds in the teachings of Thomas Jefferson the princi- ples he believes conducive to the preservation of the republic. The citizens of Waterford have shown their appreciation of him by choosing him first se- lectman for five years, honoring him with various other important trusts, and sending him as represen- tative of Waterford in the Legislatures of 1867 and 1868, where he served on Committee on Judiciary. He is an attendant of, and a liberal supporter of, the Baptist Church, of which Mrs. Chapman and her children are members. Deacon John Smith, father of Mrs. Chapman, followed the seas in early life ; was captain ; afterwards became a farmer. He was an carnest member and deacon of the Baptist Church, was Democratic in politics, and died at the age of seventy-five much esteemed. His wife also died aged seventy-five.

Thomas M. Clarke, son of Thomas and Wealthy (Wright) Clarke, was born in Newport, R. I., Dec. 23, 1810. His great-grandfather, Joshua Clarke, was a Seventh-Day Baptist minister and farmer in Rhode Island. He had a son Thomas, a farmer in Rhode Island; and he, Thomas, had a son Thomas M., the immediate subject of this sketch. Thomas M. re- ceived a common-school education, and at the age of eighteen began to teach a common school at eleven dollars per month. He taught some seven winters, and the most he ever received was fifteen dollars per month. For the first two years following his majority he worked on the farm summers for his father and others around Newport, R. I., and taught during the winter months. He was married, Nov. 9, 1834, to Anna, daughter of Deacon Daniel Lewis and Sarah Ann Northup, and to them have been born four chil- dren, viz. : (1) William L., a farmer at Ashaway, R. I .; (2) Dan W., a farmer in Groton, Conn .; (3) Sarah Ann, deceased at fourteen; (4) Emeline N., wife of Marshall R. Allen, of Pawtucket, R. I.

Mr. Clarke began housekeeping at Westerly, R. I., where he remained three years. Then he resided eight years in Stonington, Conn., returned to Rhode Island, and lived three years in Hopkinton, then one year in Jamestown, R. I., thence to Groton, Conn., seven years, thence to Hopkinton, R. I., where he resided for seventeen years on a farm of three hundred acres of his own. In 1874 he settled in Waterford, Conn., where he now (1881) resides.

He is a Republican in politics. He represented Groton in the State Legislature in 1854, and Hop- kinton, R. I., three terms. He was a director for ten years in the Ashaway Bank, R. I.

Mr. and Mrs. Clarke have been members of the Seventh-Day Baptist Church for more than fifty years, and have always tried to act well their part wherever their lot has been cast. Mr. Clarke has always taken a deep interest in educational matters. He is a man of sound judgment and strict integrity.

Albert G. Douglas is a grandson of Thomas Doug- las and Grace Richards, and son of Robert and Abiah Douglas, and was born on the farm where he now resides Feb. 11, 1809.

Thomas Douglas had two sons, Guy and Robert, and five daughters. Thomas was a farmer and shoe- maker, and settled near the residence of A. G. Doug- las many years before the Revolutionary war. He died at the ripe old age of ninety-two or ninety- three.

Robert Douglas was a farmer, and owned a saw- mill; married Abiah Douglas, and had eight chil- dren, viz. : Abiah, wife of William Gorton, of Wa- terford; Henrietta (Mrs. Isaac Watrous, of Waterford), Thomas, Albert G., John, Robert, Guy, Elizabeth, wife of the late Henry P. Havens, of New London, Conn.

Robert Douglas was a member of the First Con- gregational Church of New London. In politics a

2 M +

albert & Douglass

DOUGLASS PLACE, WATERFORD CONN.

SAVILION CHAPMAN.

Tho. M. Clarke

EDMUND DARROW.

761

WATERFORD.

Whig. He held several town offices, such as select- man, etc. He died Oct. 8, 1834. His wife died June 30, 1851.

Mr. Albert G. Douglas received a common-school education, supplemented by one year at Hamilton Academy, New York, having Henry B. Payne, of Cleveland, as one of the students. Returning from school at the age of twenty-one, he went to live with an uncle, Guy Douglas, with whom he lived for twenty years, or till the death of his uncle Guy, May, 1849. Oct. 10, 1849, he married Lucy A., daughter of Otis P. and Mary Ann (Thompson) Fox, and to them have been born two children, viz .: Julia A. (Mrs. Stanley G. Morgan, of Waterford) and Albert, born May 4, 1854, and now (1881) resides at home.

In March, 1851, Mr. Douglas removed to the old home, and has continued to reside there ever since. He now owns the "old home," which has been in the family for several generations. He is a large and successful farmer. In politics a Republican. He has been selectman several years, and a member of the Legislature two terms. Mrs. Douglas is a member of the Baptist Church, and he is a supporter, but not a member.

Mr. Douglas is a hard-working, frugal farmer, of strong mind and generous impulses.

Rev. Edmund Darrow was born in Waterford, Conn., Feb. 7, 1807. He was the youngest son of Joseph and Hannah . Bishop Darrow. Joseph was born Oct. 18, 1773. Zadoc Darrow, the father of Joseph, was born Dec. 25, 1728. He early seceded from the Congregational Church, and united with the Baptist Church at Niantic, under the charge of Elder Howard, and was afterwards chosen deacon. In 1769 he was ordained without charge, but from 1775 until near the time of his death, in 1827, he was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Waterford. He died at the advanced age of ninety-nine, being the successful pastor of the same church for over fifty years.

The father of Zadoc was Ebenezer , Darrow, who married Ali, daughter of James and Sarah Stevens Rogers, and granddaughter of James Rogers, Sr., who came to America in the ship "Increase" in 1635, aged twenty years. His wife was Elizabeth Rowland, of Stratford, Conn., grandmother of Ali. They owned and lived on a farm on the west side of Jordan Cove, where Zadoc, their only son, was born.

Edmund Darrow married Grace, daughter of Elder Lester and Polly Tuthill Rogers, March 4, 1831. The names of their children were Edmund R., Josephine, and F. Newton. She died April 26, 1850. March 3, 1851, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Deacon George and Betsey Rogers Potter, of Genesee, N. Y. Their children were Mary E., George P., and Court- land R. She died Nov. 15, 1872. Dec. 25, 1877, he married Ellen R., daughter of Rev. Hiram and Re- becca Bird Walden, of Montville. He embraced re- ligion in childhood, and united with the First Baptist

Church, Waterford, in 1830, his cousin, Elder Francis Darrow, then being pastor. Francis succeeded his grandfather, Zadoc Darrow, and was pastor of that church for forty years.

Edmund served as deacon and superintendent of the Sunday-school for several years. In 1845 he embraced the seventh day as the Sabbath, and united with the Seventh-Day Baptist Church in Waterford, Great Neck, of which his wife had been a member from early life. The following year he was ordained deacon, and in 1853 he was chosen and ordained to the ministry, and accepted the pastoral charge of the church, which has continued until the present time, 1881.

When the church was organized, in 1784, the mem- bers were mostly the descendants of James, Sr., and Elizabeth Rogers. They and their descendants, among whom were the parents of Ali Rogers Dar- row, were severely persecuted for their loyalty to the seventh-day principles, by fines, imprisonment, sit- ting in the stocks, whipping, etc. They and some of their followers were usually arraigned at every session of the court held in New London for a long series of years for their adherence to their faith, but a brighter day awaited the little church, persecutions ceased, and they were permitted to worship God in peace, according to the dictates of their own con- science.

Capt. Lyman Allyn .- Robert Allyn was of Salem in 1637, and enrolled as a member of the church May 15, 1642. He removed to New London in 1651, where he obtained a grant of a large farm on the east side of the river, at a place still known as Allyn Point, but now in the town of Ledyard. He was one of the first company of purchasers of Norwich, and resided for several years in the western part of the town plot. In 1661 he styles himself of "New Nor- ridge," and held the office of constable in 1669, but in a deed of 1681 uses the formula, "I, Robert Allyn, of New London." Among the early settlers of the country we often meet with persons whom it is diffi- cult to locate. They possess lands that lap over the bounds of adjoining settlements, and sometimes ap- pear to belong to different townships at one and the same time. Robert Allyn had doubtless relinquished his house in Norwich to his son John and retired to his farm on the river in 1655, within the bounds of New London, where he died in 1683. His age is un- known, but he was freed from training in 1669, prob- ably upon attaining the age of sixty, the customary limit of military service ; this would make him about seventy-five at death.

The heirs of his estate were his son John and four daughters,-Sarah, wife of George Geer; Mary, wife of Thomas Parke; Hannah, wife of Thomas Rose; and Deborah, who afterwards married John Gager, Jr. The son received £133, and each of the daugh- ters £66 6s.

John Allyn, the son, married, Dec. 24, 1668, “ Eliz-

762

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

abeth, daughter of John Gager, of New Norwich." In 1691 he exchanged his homestead and other privi- leges in Norwich with Joshua Abell and Simon Hun- tington, Jr., for lands cast of the river, and transferred his residence to the former seat of the family at Al- lyn's Point. This brought him again within the bounds of New London, and his name appears in 1704 as one of the patentees of that town. He died in 1709, leaving an estate of £1278, to be divided be- tween his son Robert and his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Waterman. His inventory enumer- ates three farms and a trading establishment upon the river. Among the movables are such articles of cost and comfort as a silver tankard, eup, and tum- bler, a silver whistle, a gold ring, a wrought cushion, and a lignum-vitæ mortar and pestle. This was about the period when such small luxuries were beginning to be diffused among the prosperous farmers and traders.

With Robert Allyn of the third generation the male line was still a unit. He married Deborah Av- ery, and died in 1730, leaving nine children.

ROBERT ALLYN of the fourth generation occupied the same homestead at Allyn's Point, and dying in 1760, left an estate of more than £3000. His inven- tory of wearing apparel comprised a blue coat with brass buttons, silk jacket and breeches, laced jacket, boots and spurs, gold sleeve-buttons and ring, silver snuff-box, silver buckles for shoes, knees and neck- bands. These successive inventories vividly illustrate the advance of the country in wealth, comfort, and elegance.

Allyn's Point, where stood the old homestead of the family, is about six miles below Norwich, on the opposite side of the river from the Mohegan fields. The ancient fort of Uncas was in full view from the house. South of the pond and cove is a conspicuous elevation known as Allyn's Mountain, from whence the prospect is wide and far-reaching. To this height the neighbors were accustomed to resort as a lookout post when the river was visited by any unusual craft, or the Indians on the other side were gathered for council or sport. From this place, on the memorable 6th of September, 1781, the conflagration of New London was witnessed by women and children whose husbands and fathers had hastened to the scene of action. In the war of 1812 the three blockaded ves- sels forming the squadron of Commodore Decatur were laid up in the river near by, and on this hill his men threw up a redoubt and kept a sentry to watch the movements in and near New London Harbor.

The children of Robert Allyn (12) and Abigail Avery were Abigail (19), born Feb. 2, 1726 ; married N. Williams ; died July 20, 1767. Robert (20), born Sept. 8, 1728; died Sept. 11, 1811. Elizabeth (21), born March 27, 1731; married James Avery ; died Feb. 3, 1819. Park (22), born June 15, 1733; mar- ried Sarah Gallup; died Feb. 13, 1804. Joseph (23), born Feb. 1, 1736; married Mary Belton, Dec. 30,

1760; died June 14, 1803. Prudence (24), born April 9, 1738; married Thomas Gallup; died 1813. Na- than (25), born Jan. 5, 1740; married Sarah Free- man; died June 2, 1814. Jacob (26), born March 27, 1743; married Edna Lathrop; died Feb. 1, 1773. Simeon (27), born May 27, 1745; married Esther Gallup; killed in Fort Griswold, Sept. 6, 1781. Tim- othy (28), born June 12, 1748; married Prudence Gallup, who died March 7, 1837 ; died June 26, 1838.

The children of Nathan Allyn (25) and Sarah Freeman were Mary (29), married George Avery. Freeman (30), born June 6, 1768; married Irene Beck- with, who died Oct. 2, 1861, aged ninety ; died Feb. 23, 1855. Mathew (31). Sarah (32), died in infancy. Abigail (33), married Roger Brush. Sarah (34), mar- ried Joseph Kenyon (grandparents of ex-Governor Cox, of Ohio). Elezer (35), Cynthia (36), Simeon (37), Celanisa (38).

The children of Freeman Allyn and Irene Beckwith were Charles Lyman (40), John Owen (41), Selden (42), Horace (43), Harriet (44), Edwin (45), and Lo- renzo (46).

Lyman Allyn, son of Freeman Allyn and Irene Beckwith, was born in the town of Montville, New London Co., Conn., April 25, 1797. His father was a practical farmer, leaving Montville, Conn., for Springfield, Mass., in 1803, when young Lyman was six years of age. His grandfather, Nathan Allyn, went to Granby, Ohio, in 1805, and continued to reside there till his death. Lyman Allyn remained at home, working on his father's farm summers and attending the common school winters till he was twenty-one years of age, when he commenced the whaling business for one Capt. Deshon, as a common sailor before the mast. His quick insight into the business soon earned for him a reputation, and it was not long before he was made captain of a whaling ship owned by Messrs. N. & W. W. Billings, of New London, Conn. Capt. Allyn continued in the busi- ness till 1852, when he gave it up. In 1850 he pur- chased the Deshon farm, where he continued to re- side till his death, April 8, 1874. In politics he was a Jacksonian Democrat. He took a lively interest in political matters, and during the war was very efficient in helping to raise troops for the Union army. He married Emma, daughter of Capt. John Turner and Mary Newson, June 5, 1825. Mrs. Allyn was born in New London, Conn., Aug. 31, 1804, and died Feb. 4, 1881. Their children are Mary T., who died at nearly four years of age; Mary T. (2), who married Harvey Seymour, deceased, of Hartford, Conn .; Emma A., deceased ; Charlotte C., John T., and Harriet W., all of whom were born in New London, Conn.

We insert the following, written at the time of Capt. Allyn's deathı :

" In the death of The late Capt. Lyman Allyn our community mourns the loss of one of its oldest and most prominent citizens. For more than fifty years he had been a resident of New London, though during the earlier part of his life most of his time was spent on the ocean in that business for which New London was then celebrated, the whale-fishery.

Lyman Allyper

١٤٠٠

RES. OF THE LATE LYMAN ALLYN-PRESENTHIS SON JOHN T.ALLYN NEWLONDON CONN.

Horace C. L'umptun

763

WATERFORD.

In this he displayed his characteristic energy and sagacity and was emi- nently successful. With his great executive ability was united a humor quite inimitable and a fund of anecdotes that seemed exhaustless, always apt, instructive, and amusing. But it is not of these things known to all that we would speak, but of what he was in his family and among his most intimate acquaintances, friends, and neighbors. It was here, espe- cially in his family, that the kindness of his heart overflowed in the kindest of words and acts, 'giving none offense' but studying to pro- mote the happiness of his beloved and loving household, in which it is not too much to say that he was the centre and soul of attraction, around whom wife and children all clustered in delightful and harmonious affec- tion. While his neighbors can testify that he never did an unneighborly thing. some of them can bear witness to acts of kindness and generosity which they have never been able to repay. His mourning family have the cordial sympathy of all their friends in this dark hour of their be- reavement. At the time of his death Capt. Allyn was a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church in New London, with which he had been connected for many years, and was ever a constant attendant at its ser- vices."

Capt. Horace Clark Lanphear, son of Enoch Lan- phear and Susan Berry, was born in Westerly, R. I., June 24, 1826. His father followed the water the greater part of his life, and was otherwise engaged as a farmer and shoemaker. Enoch died at seventy-six years of age, and his wife died at sixty years of age.

Young Horace C. had very limited advantages for an education, attending the village school only two months of each year till he was fourteen years of age. At the early age of ten years he commenced going on the water as a cook for Capt. Brand, at two dollars a month for nine months. The following year he re- ceived five dollars a month for the same time. The following year he went fishing in a smack in com- pany with Capt. Gorton Berry, ten months for five dollars, and the year following with Capt. Ezekiel Rogers, of Waterford, at seven dollars a month for ten months, and the next year again with Capt. Gor- ton Berry, as second mate, at ten dollars a month. He returned to Waterford, and was for the next three years mate with Capt. Elias Champlin, on smack "Herald." The following year he was sole owner and captain of the smack "Commerce." In October, 1844, he entered the employ of Charles Mallory, of Mystic, Conn., on a whaling expedition, and was gone thirty-four months to the northwestern coast of America and along the western coast of South America. The name of his vessel was " Robin Hood," and it was the first vessel to enter the Okhotsk Sea for whales. They made three thousand four hundred barrels of oil from July 4th to October 8th, and procured some eighty-five tons of bone. They touched Sandwich and Society Islands, besides many others. In October, 1849, he entered the employ of Capt. Brand as pilot and sailing-master in sloop " Catherine Hale," which was then running between Westerly, Stonington, and New York City. He con- tinued in that business till 1851 or '52, when he was made captain of the sloop " Leader," plying between Westerly, Stonington, Newport, and Providence, R. I. During the years 1853, '54, and '55 he was captain and part owner of sloop "E. W. Babcock"; 1856 and '57, captain and part owner of the schooner " Orlando Smith," making trips from Boston to Phila-

delphia, touching at New York City. He was captain of the schooner " Richard Law" in 1858, and in 1859 was made first pilot of steamboat "Commodore," running from Stonington to New York City, then on the "Vanderbilt," "Commonwealth," "Plymouth Rock," "State of Maine," etc., respectively, all of which were owned by the same company, he being first pilot on each of them.

In 1865 he entered the employ of the Norwich and New York Transportation Company, as captain of the Norwich Line, and was captain of the following steamboats respectively : "City of Boston," "City of New London," "City of Lawrence," "City of New York," "State of New York," and his present steamer is the "City of Worcester," the finest steamer that plows the waters of Long Island Sound, stanch and powerful, capable of carrying more freight than any one of her competitors.

The steamer sits on the water with a majestic grace, her lines are pleasing to the eye, and her exterior or- namentation is chaste and tasteful. The prevailing color is white. On each paddle-box is the seal of the city of Worcester, Mass., encircled with gilt-work, from which diverge the sunset-colored rays of the lattice-work, between which one gets glimpses of the great red wheel inside. All modern improvements of whatever kind entering into the construction of a first-class steamer, in all departments, have been in- troduced into the construction and finish of the "City of Worcester," and advantage has been taken of the tested excellence of other boats to render her as nearly a perfect specimen of her class as possible. She is in- tended to be the handsomest and most elegant as well as the most substantial steamer on Long Island Sound. How far this intention has been carried out is for the public to judge. It is believed that she will be very fast, faster than the "City of New York," of the same line, at present the fastest boat on the Sound, having made the distance between docks, one hundred and twenty miles, in six hours and five minutes, a record that has never been beaten.

We note the following press notices of Capt. Lanphear :

"Capt. Horace C. Lanphear, master of the ' Worcester,' is the senior cap- tain in the employ of the Norwich Line, and by long and faithful service has well earned the honor that is now conferred on him. He is a native of Westerly, R. I., and began steamboating twenty-nine years ago, on the Stonington Line, as first pilot of the steamer ' Commodore,' serving af- terwards in the same capacity on the 'Vanderbilt,' 'Common wealth,' 'Plymouth Rock,' and 'State of Maine,' all of the same line. He en- tered the service of the Norwich Line Jan. 1, 1865, as first pilot of the ' City of Boston.' After holding this position for abont two and one-half years he was made captain of the 'City of New London,' and served in that capacity for six years, when he was transferred to the the ' City of Lawrence.' He remained on her two and one-half years, and was then transterred to the 'City of New York,' which he commanded down to the time of his assignment to the new steamer. Capt. Lanphear is the oldest employé of the company, with the exception of Steward Burns and Engineer Carter. During all the years of his service he has never met with an accident, and he justly enjoys the confidence of the travel- ing public, with whom he is a prime favorite. The services which he rendered on the occasion of the 'Narragansett' disaster are still fresh in the public mind."

764

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

"The 'City of Worcester' will be commanded by Capt. H. C. Lauphear of New London, the oldest (and possibly the biggest) captain on the Sound. He has followed the sea forty-four years and traversed the Sound thirty years, and has never met with an accident, which speaks well for his seamanship or his Inck. Possibly the latter is the result of the for- mer. Capt. William l'elton will be the first pilot ; Charles Chappell, sec- ond pilot ; Joseph Carter, engineer; John Smith, first assistant engineer; Richard McGeary, first officer; and Thomas Burns, steward. Mr. Burns is the oldest steward on the Sound, having served some thirty-four or thirty-five years. E. B. Woodward will be purser, and George Crofton freight clerk. The agent of the Norwich Line is Capt. S. A. Gardner, Jr., under whose personal supervision and direction the 'City of Worcester' has been built."

Capt. Lanphear purchased his present farm, in the town of Waterford, New London Co., Conn., in 1877, and has resided here ever since. On the 28th of Jan- uary, 1850, he married Abby M., daughter of Josiah and Rhoda Owen, and to them have been born three children, of whom Horace P., born Nov. 17, 1850, in Westerly, R. I., is the only one living. Horace P. married, Dec. 20, 1876, Ursula J., daughter of John S. and Mahala Potter. They have one daughter, Mabel C. Capt. Lanphear is a Republican in pol- itics.

James Rogers, claimed to be a lineal descendant of the third generation from John Rogers, who suffered martyrdom under the reign of Mary at Smithfield, England, in 1555, came to America on the ship "In- crease" in the year 1635, at the age of twenty years. He was the first of the family known to have come to this country. He settled at Stratford, New Haven Co., Conn., where he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sam- uel Rowland. He afterwards removed to New Lon- don, Conn., where he acquired considerable property and influence ; was six times representative to the General Court; built a house next to Governor Win- throp; was a baker, and carried on business quite extensively.

Between 1660 and 1670 had a greater interest in the trade of the port than any other person. His landed possessions were very extensive, consisting of several hundred acres on the "Great Neck," the fine tract of land at Mohegan called the Pamcchaug farm, several house-lots in New London, and two thousand four hundred acres cast of the river Thames at Groton, which he held in company with Col. Pyncheon, of Springfield, Mass.

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 London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 186

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1317

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317