History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 8

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 8

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His brother, the late JUDGE LUTHER SPALDING, about ten years the junior of Asa, settled at Nor- wich in the practice of the law in 1797. A third brother, Dr. Rufus Spalding, a physician, who had been for many years in practice at Nantucket, also

removed to Norwich in 1812, and the three brothers repose in the same burial-ground.

ELISHA HYDE was a lawyer of good repute, uni- versally popular in his native town for his urbanity, genial temperament, and overflowing benevolence of heart. His wife, who was a daughter of Amos Hal- lam, of New London, long survived her husband, and died at Black Rock, N. Y., Aug. 26, 1841, aged eighty-seven. They had two daughters ; the young- est, Ann Maria, died soon after her father, at the age of twenty-four. Of this young person, lovely and beloved, a memoir, written by the companion of her youth, Miss Huntley, afterwards Mrs. Sigourney, was published. The eldest daughter, Sarah, born in 1776, married Capt. Z. P. Burnham. Mr. Hyde was elected mayor of Norwich in June, 1798, and held the office fifteen years. He died Dec. 16, 1813, aged sixty-two.

JOSHUA COIT was born in New London, Conn., Oct. 7, 1758. He graduated at Harvard University in 1776, subsequently studied law, and settled in New London in 1779. He served a number of years in the Legislature of Connecticut, and was a member of Congress from 1793 to 1798. He died in New London, Sept. 5, 1798, of yellow fever.

ELVIN PERKINS was born in Norwich, April 5, 1767. He graduated at Yale in 1786, studied law, and after practicing a few years relinquished the pro- fession ; was Presidential elector, member of Con- gress, judge of County Court, mayor of New London, etc. He died in New London, Sept. 27, 1845.

GEORGE PERKINS was a native of Plainfield, grad- uated at Yale College in 1803, studied law with his father-in-law, Judge Marsh, of Vermont, and with Asa Bacon, of Litchfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1806, and immediately entered upon the prac- tice of his profession in Norwich. He practiced his profession until about the year 1823, when he aban- doned the law for the ministry. He was pastor of a church at Ashburnham, Mass., and also at Jarrett City. He was amiable, kind-hearted, and possessed of the most unbending integrity of character. He died in Norwich, Sept. 20, 1852.

GEN. ELISHA STERLING was a native of Lyme, and a graduate of Yale College in the class of 1787. He studied law with the Hon. John Canfield, of Sharon, who was his father-in-law, and settled in Salisbury in 1791. He was a man of a high order of talent.

CYRUS SWAN, of Stonington, became a member of the Litchfield County bar in 1798. He settled in Sharon, and continued in full practice for twenty years.

MAJ. NATHAN PETERS, an old Revolutionary hero, died in Norwich in February, 1824, after a long ill- ness. He was distinguished for his courage, presence of mind, and intrepidity of conduct at the Groton fort. He was the first man who dared to enter that fortress after the disgraceful and unprecedented as- sassination of Col. Ledyard. At that critical junc- ture he rode into the fort, and with his own hands

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

extinguished the fire which had been set to a train by the Britishi previous to their leaving, which, as has often been said by those who were present, would in less than five minutes have communicated with the magazine and blown him and all those who imme- diately followed him into eternity. Maj. Peters, after the close of the war, entered immediately upon the business of his profession, and soon became and was for years one of the most learned lawyers and able advocates in practice at the New London County bar.

JONATHAN G. W. TRUMBULL was born at Leb- anon, Oct. 31, 1787, and was a son of David Trumbull, and grandson of Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Con- necticut in the war of the Revolution, and known as " Brother Jonathan." He graduated at Yale College in 1807. He studied law with William T. Williams, then a practicing lawyer at Lebanon ; was admitted to the bar of this county in 1809, and at once com- menced practice at Norwich. He continued in prac- tice some eight years, when he quit the profession and embarked in mercantile pursuits with John Breed, in Norwich, and subsequently with him in the manufacture of woolen cloths at Jewett City. The last years of his life he retired from active business. He died Sept. 5, 1853.

JOSEPH TRUMBULL was born in Lebanon, Conn., Dec. 7, 1782, and was educated at Yale College, where he graduated in 1801. He read law with William T. Williams, of Lebanon, was admitted to the bar in Ohio in 1803, and in the same year in Windham County, Conn. He commenced practice in Hartford, where he remained.

JEREMIAH GATES BRAINARD, of New London, the father of the poet Brainard, was judge of the County Court. He had been a member of the old court from 1807. He was a man of no showy pretensions, very plain and simple in his manners, and very familiar in his intercourse with the bar. He affected very little dignity on the bench, and yet he was regarded as an excellent judge. He dispatched business with great facility, and implicit confidence was placed in his sound judgment and integrity. He resigned his place on the bench in 1829, his health not being equal to the duties of the office, having served as judge for twenty-two years.

WILLIAM F. BRAINARD, son of Judge J. G. Brain- ard, was for a long time a leading lawyer in New London.

JACOB B. GURLEY was also a prominent lawyer, and for several years was State's attorney, and also member of the Legislature.

RICHARD LAW was born in Medford County, March 17, 1733, and graduated at Yale College in 1751. Hc studied law, and practiced in New London, attaining the highest eminence in his profession. He was prosecuting judge of the County Court, and judge of the Supreme Court. He was a delegate to the Conti- nental Congress from 1777 to 1778, and also from 1781 to 1784. After the adoption of the Federal Constitu-

tion he was appointed United States district judge, and held the office until his death, Jan. 26, 1806. He was a personal friend of Washington, was long mayor of New London, and with Roger Sherman re- vised the code of Connecticut. He was the son of Jonathan Law, one of the colonial Governors.

LYMAN LAW was born in New London, Aug. 19, 1770, and graduated at Yale College in 1791. He studied law with his father, Richard Law, and prac- ticed in New London. He was a member of the Legislature, and Speaker of the House; was a mem- ber of Congress from 1811 to 1817. He died in New London, Feb. 3, 1842.

JAMES STEDMAN, a native of Hampton, graduated at Yale in 1801, and remained as tutor for two years ; studied law with Theodore Dwight, and commenced practice at Norwich in 1806. He was for many years clerk of the County Court. In private life he was social and hospitable, in his profession a wise and safe counselor, and in the church a revered and be- loved officer. He died May 18, 1856, aged seventy- six.

LUTHER SPALDING was a younger brother of Asa. He did not receive a liberal education, but studied law with his brother, and settled in Norwich. He held the office of associate judge of the old County Court.

JONATHAN FRISBIE graduated at Yale College ; opened an office at Norwich and entered upon prac- tice ; was several times a member of the Legislature ; was at one time the only practitioner in that part of Norwich known now as the city, then as Chelsea Landing.

CHARLES T. HARRINGTON studied law with Jona- than Frisbie.

CHARLES PERKINS was born in Norwich, and graduated at Yale. He pursued his profession in Norwich for some time, when he removed to Litch- field, where he died.

. GEORGE PERKINS was born in Plainfield, Wind- ham Co .; graduated at Yale; studied law with Judge Marsh, of Vermont; came to Norwich and com- menced practice, which he pursued several years. He then studied for the ministry, and preached at first in the State of Massachusetts, then at Jewett City, in this county. He returned to Norwich Town the last years of his life. He was twice married, first to one and then to another daughter of Dr. John Turner. His nephew, George Perkins Marsh, is the distinguished diplomat, now minister at the Italian court. His father was the famous physician, Dr. Benjamin Perkins, who invented the metallic trac- tors, about which Fessenden wrote the poem, "Terri- ble Tractoration."

GEORGE PERKINS was born at Ashford, Windham Co .; graduated at Yale College, 1828; came to Nor- wich a teacher; studied law with Hon. Calvin God- dard; admitted to the bar in August, 1831 ; commenced practice in Norwich, and continued so till he died;

BENCH AND BAR.

was for several years judge of probate and clerk of City Court, and did a large business as an insurance agent.

JOHN A. ROCKWELL was for many years a success- ful practitioner in the Court of Claims at Washington, and in connection with this branch of public business digested and published a work on Spanish and Mexi- can law. In political life he was more of a national man than a partisan, a true lover of his country, warmly interested in its past history, honoring its founders, and firmly believing in its high mission to expand the boundaries of knowledge and free govern- ment. He died at Washington, Feb. 10, 1861, aged fifty-nine. His remains were interred in Norwich.

GEORGE BURBANK RIPLEY was born in Norwich, March 13, 1801 ; graduated at Yale College in the class of 1822. Among his classmates were William H. Law and John A. Rockwell, of Norwich, both subse- quently members of the bar of this county, and Wil- liam Lathrop, of Norwich, who died before entering the profession, and whose sister, Hannah G. Lathrop, Mr. Ripley married Oct. 19, 1825.

Mr. Ripley studied law with Judge Swift, at Wind- ham, until the death of that distinguished jurist in 1823, and completed his law studies in the office of Judge Staples, of New Haven, entering the bar in 1824. Mr. Ripley practiced law actively but a short time, turning his attention to agricultural pursuits, for which he had a great natural fondness.

He filled a number of municipal offices, and was judge of probate for a number of years between 1850 and the date of his death, which occurred July 9, 1858. Mr. Ripley was a man of high literary and scientific attainments, of elevated and religious char- acter, and of unusual urbanity of manner and warmth of heart. No man in the county was better known or more beloved.

CALVIN GODDARD was a native of Shrewsbury, Mass., and a graduate of Dartmouth College. He settled in Plainfield in the practice of the law in 1791, and served as a member of Congress for two sessions, from 1801 to 1805. He removed to Norwich in 1807, where he purchased for his residence the Dunham house, which included in its grounds the burial-place of the Mohegan sachems. In 1815 he was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court. He was a man of honorable character and high attainments. His wife was a daughter of Rev. Levi Hart, of Preston, and a granddaughter of Dr. Bellamy. Charles, oldest son of Calvin Goddard, removed to Zanesville, Ohio, in 1817. He was elected mayor of Norwich in 1814, and was in office seventeen years. He died May 2, 1842, aged nearly seventy-four years.

JAMES LANMAN was born in Norwich, June 14, 1769 ; graduated at Yale College in 1788, and chose the law for his profession, in which he soon acquired distinguished rank, and successively filled various im- portant public offices. He was senator in Congress from 1819 to 1825, and for three years judge of the

Supreme Court of Connecticut. He died Aug. 7, 1841, aged seventy-two. He was the oldest son of the first Peter Lanman, of Norwich. His mother was Sarah, daughter of Samuel Coit, of Preston. He was elected mayor of Norwich in 1831, and held the office three years.

BENJAMIN HUNTINGTON, LL.D., was the first mayor of Norwich; elected July, 1784; in office twelve years; resigned in 1796. He was one of the most honored and honorable men of that period, a statesman of incorruptible integrity, conspicuous for his patriotic service in the town, State, and general government. He was a State counselor during the Revolutionary war, member of the Continental Con- gress in 1784, and of the Constitutional Congress in 1789, and in 1793 was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut. In every station he was pop- ular and faithful. His family was an attractive social centre, but the members all removed to other scenes, several of his children gathering families around them at Rome, N. Y. Judge Huntington himself removed thither in 1796, and there died Oct. 16, 1800. His re- mains were brought to Norwich and laid by those of his wife, who was a daughter of Col. Jabez Huntington, of Windham. The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by Yale College, where he graduated in 1761.

JOHN MCLARAN BREED was a distinguished law- yer, noted for enterprise, benevolence, and public spirit. In improvements of the city, made in the way of bridges, streets, wharves, and buildings, he took a leading part. His death, in the prime of use- fulness and activity, was lamented as a public loss. He was elected mayor of Norwich in April, 1796. He died May 31, 1798, aged fifty years.

BENJAMIN POMEROY, native of Tolland County ; studied law there, and when admitted to the bar came to North Stonington, where he practiced several years, and held the office of postmaster, and was once a rep- resentative from the town in the Legislature. He was subsequently collector of customs at the port of Ston- ington, to which place he removed and continued in the practice of his profession. He was judge of the County Court in 1842-43.

GEORGE HUBBARD was for a long time a practicing lawyer at Stonington.

WILLIAM H. LAW graduated, as J. A. Rockwell did, at Yale in 1822; born in New London ; studied law with Hon. Lyman Law; came to Norwich and practiced several years, when he retired from busi- ness; was member of the Legislature in 1828; re- moved to New Haven, where he died in 1881.

JARED F. CROCKER began practice in Colchester ; and subsequently removed to Norwich ; went to Eng- land on business, and was lost on board the "Hun- garian."

ASA CHILD .- Born at Woodstock, Windham Co .; graduated at Yale, 1820 or 1821 ; soon after admission to bar came to Norwich and entered in large practice ;

HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

was United States district attorney ; left here in 1842 or '43, and practiced in Baltimore, then in New York City ; came back here about twenty years ago and en- tered on practice again ; died May 11, 1858.

JABEZ W. HUNTINGTON, a native of Norwich, graduated at Yale College in 1806; went to Litchfield as a teacher in the Litchfield Law-School and student- at-law in 1807, and continued to reside there until October, 1834, when he returned to Norwich, and died there in 1847, in his sixtieth year. While a res- ident of Litchfield he was elected a representative, member of Congress, and judge of the Superior Court. From 1840 until his death he was a member of the United States Senate.

LEVI HART GODDARD, son of Hon. Calvin God- dard, was a native of Norwich, and admitted to the bar in 1830. With the exception of a few years in which he resided in Marietta, Ohio, his business was almost entirely in Norwich. He was a man of ami- able qualities, and at the time of his death was the oldest practicing member of the bar in Norwich. He died May 9, 1862.

ROGER GRISWOLD settled in Norwich when first admitted to the bar in 1783, and soon acquired dis- tinetion as an able advocate and vigilant public officer, quick and efficient in carrying out the laws, and rigid in exacting obedience. After his marriage he pur- chased the dwelling-house on the green vacated by Dudley Woodbridge upon his removal to the West, and made it his residence until he left Norwich and returned to his native town, Lyme, which was in 1798.

It is an interesting fact that he came back to Nor- wich to die. He was elected Governor of Connec- ticut in May, 1811, and re-elected the succeeding year. For several years he had been afflicted with a disease of the heart, which at intervals caused him great suffering. It increased so rapidly that in the summer of 1812 he was removed to Norwich, that he might try the effect of a change of air, and at the same time have the benefit of advice from Dr. Tracy, in whose skill as a physician he had great confidence. But neither air nor medicine could do more for him than alleviate the paroxysms of his distress, and he died Oct. 25, 1812, aged fifty.

He was a member of Congress from 1795 to 1805, and in 1801 declined the appointment of Secretary of War. He was subsequently a judge of the Supreme Court, Lieutenant-Governor and Governor of Con- necticut, and Presidential elector. He received from Harvard College the degree of LL.D.

JOSHUA COIT was born in New London, Conn., Oct. 7, 1758. He graduated at Harvard College in 1776, studied law, and settled in New London in 1779. He was a member of the Legislature of Connecticut, and also a member of Congress. He died in New London of yellow fever, Sept. 5, 1798.

NOYES BARBER was born in Groton, April 28, 1781. He was in early life a merchant, but a lawyer by pro-

fession. He was member of Congress from 1821 to 1835. He died in Groton, Jan. 3, 1845.

ROSWELL MORGAN was a native of the town of Norwich, and in early life learned the trade of a hatter. He studied law with Elisha Hyde, and came to the bar late in life. He was a very industrious worker in the profession, devoting himself almost en- tirely to the collection of claims.

EDWARD PERKINS was a native of Norwich ; studied law in the office of Hon. John A. Rockwell. He was a man of very much more than ordinary ability, and soon won a high position as a clear- headed and well-trained lawyer and an eloquent and popular advocate. He for a time enjoyed a large and lucrative practice, and held the same till impaired health compelled him to measurably retire from prac- tice. He represented Norwich in the State House of Representatives, and was also a senator. He was for several years judge of probate.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS .- The branch of the Williams family of which the honored subject of this memoir was a member dates its ancestry to John Williams, who was born in England in 1680. He emigrated to this country in 1720, and located in what is now Po- quetanuck, then Norwich, where he purchased large tracts of land for a mill-seat, homestead, and farm. He married in 1707, and died in 1741, aged sixty-one years. The farm and homestead remained in the family nntil 1855. Joseph Williams (son of John) was born in 1723, and died in 1776, aged fifty-three years, at Brattleborough, Vt., where he removed dur- ing the Revolutionary war. He had three sons and a son-in-law in the army. Joseph Williams (father of the subject of this sketch) was born in 1753, and died in Norwich, Oct. 23, 1800, aged forty-seven years.

For ten years he was a member of the Legislature, and very active in securing the grant of what is known as the Western Reserve lands in Ohio.

On the maternal side Mr. Williams dates his an- cestry to Rev. Joseph Coit, the first minister of Plain- field, who was a graduate of Harvard University, and took his second degree at the first commencement at Yale, in 1702. The first ancestors of Rev. Joseph Coit came to this country from Great Britain about 1630.

Joseph Williams, son of Gen. Joseph Williams and Abigail Coit, was born in the city of Norwich, March 29, 1779. In 1792 he was sent by his parents to the celebrated academy of Dr. Dwight, at Greenfield Hill, Fairfield Co., Conn., where he remained until Janu- ary, 1795, when he entered Yale College, then under the presidency of Ezra Stiles, who in the May follow- ing was succeeded by Dr. Dwight. In 1798, Mr. Wil- liams graduated, and having decided upon the legal profession as a life-work, he entered the office of the late Judge Simeon Baldwin, in New Haven. Here he remained until the year 1800, when, in conse- quence of the death of his father, he was called home. He did not return to New Haven, but entered the

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BENCH AND BAR.

office of the late Judge James Lammon, in this city, where he continued his studies with diligence and attention, and at the February term of the court in 1801 he was admitted to the bar. He immediately opened an office in his native town, and at once en- tered upon the active practice of his profession. He continued in practice about thirty-three years, until 1833, when he was chosen partner of the Merchants' Bank, a new corporation, in which capacity he served seven years with but one clerk. Upon leaving the bank he resumed the office practice of law, and was also secretary and treasurer of the Norwich Fire Insurance Company, which was, by petition presented by himself to the Legislature, changed from a marine to a fire insurance company. He remained with the company, managing its affairs with eminent ability, from 1819 to 1855. He was also president of the Nor- wich Savings Society the last years of his life.

Mr. Williams ever manifested a decided interest in all matters tending to advance the welfare of his na- tive city, and filled various positions of trust and re- sponsibility with credit to himself and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents. He was treasurer of New London County for twenty-five successive years ; a justice of the peace thirty-nine years in succession, was an alderman of the city of Norwich twenty-two years, and was a member of the Legislature four ses- sions during the war of 1812. He was a director of the Norwich Bank over thirty-five years ; trustee, di- rector, and afterwards president of the Norwich Sav- ings Society from its incorporation in 1824.

Mr. Williams was also deeply interested in the Mo- hegan tribe of Indians, and for seven successive years was the overseer and trustee of the tribe. During his administration as overseer he started a subscription to raise money for the erection of a house of worship for the Indians, and with the assistance and persever- ance of a few Norwich ladies enough was raised to build a convenient chapel, which was soon after erected and occupied.

Mr. Williams not only labored to advance the ma- terial interests of his native city, but all measures for the advancement of its religious and educational in- terests found in him an earnest advocate. He united with the Congregational Church in 1831, and during the remainder of his life was one of the most active and prominent members of the Second Church, in this city. He was very patriotic, and with deep interest closely watched all the events occurring during the civil war, and lived to rejoice in its glorious termina- tion.

In February, 1815, he united in marriage with Mrs. Rebecca Coit,1 daughter of John Coit, Esq., of Gris- wold, and of their family only two daughters survive, both residents of Norwich, and occupying the old homestead on Broadway.

Joseph Williams inspired all with whom he came in contact with unbounded confidence in his common sense and uncompromising integrity. Possessing great energy and marked business ability, he was frequently selected to act as arbitrator, trustee, and adviser. He was a man of fine presence, and commanded universal respect.

Death at last laid his hand upon the strong man, and Nov. 28, 1865, aged eighty-six, he passed to that higher life which he had endeavored to exemplify in his walk and conversation. He passed peacefully away,-

" Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

At the time of his death he was the oldest native male citizen.

SAMUEL COIT MORGAN was born in Lisbon, Conn., in 1789. He graduated at Yale College in 1812, and read law in the office of Thomas Day, in Hartford, and Timothy Pilkin, of Farmington, and was admitted to the bar in 1815. He commenced practice at Jewett City, where he remained until 1842, when he removed to Norwich, having been elected president of the Ed- inburgh Bank. He was a sound and accurate lawyer, a trusted and valued counselor, and faithful in the discharge of every duty in life. He died Sept. 11, 1876.

JEREMIAH HALSEY was born at Stonington, Conn., in 1743. He was the youngest child of William Halsey and Sarah Stanton, who were married at Stonington, June 19, 1738. The Halseys were an English family who settled on Long Island. From there William Halsey came to Stonington, and sub- sequently to the town of Preston. The subject of this sketch received such education as the public schools afforded. Early manifesting the energy and genius which characterized his subsequent life, he sought eagerly for such books as he could command, and directed his attention to the study of the law. He was admitted to the bar by the County Court at New London, June term, 1770. He entered upon the practice of his profession at Preston. He was mar- ried to Esther Park, of Preston.

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History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 8

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