USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut > Part 17
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this county, which office he still holds. In November, 1886, he was elected judge of probate for the district of Killingly, and in November, 1888, was re-elected to that office. He is also largely interested in Western mortgage loans as agent for the celebrated Lombard Investment Company, of Boston, Mass. He was married to Miss Lillian E. Chase, of Danielsonville, August 11th, 1880, and now has two daughters, aged respectively five and two years.
Gilbert Wheeler Phillips was born in Woodstock, Connecticut, July 22d, 1828. His educational opportunities were such as were afforded at the common schools and in the academy of his na- tive town, supplemented by a course of instruction at the academy in Dudley, Massachusetts.
Determining upon the study of law, he became a student in the office of George S. F. Stoddard of Woodstock, was admitted to the bar in 1852, and at once began professional work, laboring therein with an enthusiasm that never abated as long as health and strength remained. The career of Mr. Phillips was most successful and honorable, and his life in its many phases com- manded from the beginning the respect and confidence of those with whom he was brought into business or social relations. He was an astute lawyer, a keen observer of men and things, usually correct in his judgment of character and motive, and admirable in the preparation and presentation of a case. His arguments were logical and his delivery earnest and impressive. He fully realized both the weak and strong points in his case, and his conclusion as to the probable effect of certain evidence upon the minds of the jury was often surprising in its accuracy. He studied his case before he tried it, and understood it thoroughly when he entered the court room. His clients were numerous and the strain of his work often severe. For many years he was the attorney of the New York & New England Railroad Com- pany, and conducted for them a large number of cases. He was an honest lawyer, above all mean and unworthy expedients, and most courteous withal.
Mr. Phillips was prominent outside the sphere of his pro- fession. He was assistant clerk of the Connecticut house of rep- resentatives in 1853, and in 1860, 1861 and 1872 was a member of that body. In 1862, 1863 and 1879 he represented in the sen- ate the Fourteenth district, acting as chairman of the judiciary committee during the last two years of his service there and
W.W. Preston & CONY
Miller Lillent N. Phillips
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president pro tem. in 1879. He was re-elected in 1880, but shortly after the opening of the session resigned on account of the press- ure of legal business.
In local affairs Mr. Phillips manifested the deepest interest ; he was liberal and public spirited, ever ready to aid the further- ance of any object promotive of the growth and prosperity of the town ; he was one of the founders of the First National Bank of Putnam and until the very last its president. He was also one of the corporators and trustees of the Putnam Savings Bank.
In all the relations of private life his bearing was such as to win the respect of all with whom he had intercourse. He was a most affectionate husband and father, devoted to his home and family, never so happy as when under his own roof with those he loved about him. He was a kind neighbor and a warm and constant friend.
Mr. Phillips for many years prior to his decease was a con- sistent member of the Congregational church in Putnam and one of its most active and liberal supporters. His pastor thus refers to the religious side of his character and his life :- " He saw into and sensed the divineness of life and of eternal things and opened up the Godward side of his nature to them, and while he gave himself to a proper worldliness he joined with it attention to and prosecution of that other-worldliness which rounds our experience and makes us, as we ought to be, men of time and men of eternity."
Mr. Phillips married on the 30th of March, 1852, Jane, daugh- ter of Lieutenant-Governor Ebenezer Stoddard, of West Wood- stock, Conn. Two sons, Gilbert Wheeler, Jr., and John Cleve- land, survive. A daughter, Genevieve E., is deceased. The death of Mr. Phillips occurred October 24th, 1888.
Randolph Henry Chandler was the only son of William H. and Martha H. (Allen) Chandler. He was born at Thompson, January 11th, 1853. He entered Phillips Academy, of Andover, Mass., at an early age, and was also a student in Highland Mil- itary Academy, of Worcester, Mass. He studied law with Hon- orable Charles E. Searls, of Putnam, and was admitted to the Windham county bar in 1879. He commenced the practice of law in Putnam during the same year, and in that field of labor he still continues. He was a member of the Connecticut house of representatives in 1879-80, and has held various town offices. The maiden name of his wife was Isadore E. Aldrich.
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Eric H. Johnson was born in Putnam, September 2d, 1855. His early education was obtained in the common schools, and he entered Woodstock Academy in 1871, and there prepared for college. From there he entered Yale College, where he gradu- ated in 1877. He then taught school three years in Putnam, and one year at Orange, N. J. He then took a course in Harvard Law School, and was admitted to the bar of Windham county in 1882. He is now practicing law in Putnam.
Charles E. Searls was born March 25th, 1846. The Searls family originally came from Dorchester, England, and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Salter Searls, the first to locate in Windham county, where he engaged in farming, had eight sons, among whom was Bela, the grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch. He married Hannah Walcott. But two of his children, Edwin C. and Henry, grew to mature years. The former of these, Edwin C., was born in 1815, in Chaplin, Con- necticut, and died October 3d, 1857. His early career as a mer- chant was familiar to many residents of Pomfret, whence he re- moved to New York city and established himself as a broker. He married Caroline Mathewson, of Pomfret. Their only son, Charles Edwin Searls, was born in Pomfret, and in childhood removed to Brooklyn, New York, where his early years were passed. In the spring of 1858 the town of Thompson became his home, and at this point he has since resided. His education was received first at private schools in the city of Brooklyn, and later at the Thompson Academy, from which he entered Yale University in 1864, and was graduated from that institution in the class of 1868. He then began the study of law in the office of Honorable Gilbert W. Phillips, of Putnam, and was admitted to the bar of Connecticut in 1870. Mr. Searls at once opened an office in Putnam, where he has since continued in the active prac- tice of his profession. He very early in his career took a lead- ing place among the attorneys of the county, is employed in its most important litigation, and represents in a professional ca- pacity nearly all the large corporations of the vicinity. Mr. Searls. actively interests himself in matters connected with his town. As a republican he was made town clerk of Thompson in 1869, has been for years and is still justice of the peace, and was in 1871 elected to the Connecticut house of representatives. In 1881-82 he filled the office of secretary of state. He was re- elected to the legislature in 1886, and was during that session a
W. W.Fr : ston & C . NY
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candidate for speaker of the house of representatives. Mr. Searls is still much absorbed in a large and increasing law practice.
Samuel H. Seward was born in Guilford, Conn., April 16th, 1835, being the eldest son of Samuel L. and Huldah M. (Sanford) Seward. In early life he attended the common school, also a private school in his native town, studied law with Hon. Ralph D. Smith, of Guilford, and was admitted to the New Haven county bar in November, 1869. He was engaged in business at Waterbury, Conn., for three years, and for three years more was postmaster at Guilford. He commenced to practice law at Stafford Springs, and remained there until 1873, when he re- moved to Putnam, where he has since engaged in that profes- sion. August 15th, 1862, he enlisted in the Fourteenth Connecti- cut regiment as a private, but was promoted to the office of first lieutenant, and paymaster, with the rank of major. He lost one of his arms at the battle of the Wilderness, July 9th, 1864. He has been twice married, first to Martha Smith, of Essex, Conn., and second to Sarah Watson, of Beloit, Wis. He has one son, Walter L., who resides in San Francisco, Cal. He was a mem- ber of the house of representatives in 1880, and at other times has been clerk of the courts and county clerk, and served on the state committee to erect the Normal school at New Britain, Conn.
Edgar M. Warner was born in Worcester, Mass., June 16th, 1850. He was the youngest son of Earl and Adeline (Lester) Warner, of that city. After passing his boyhood in the com- mon schools, he attended Bartlett High School, at New Lon- don, and studied law with Hon. Hiram Willey, of that city, and with George Pratt, Esq., of Norwich. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1872, and was admitted to the bar of New London county the same year. He practiced law at Nor- wich for three years, and then, in March, 1875, located in Cen- tral Village. In 1885 he extended his practice by opening an office in Putnam, and as business increased he subsequently re- moved to that place. He served in the state legislature as clerk of the house in 1877 and 1879, and as clerk of the senate in 1880. He married Jennie, the daughter of Judge John A. Carpenter.
William G. Buteau, the youngest son of Henry and Mary Buteau, was born at Sprague, Conn., July 9th, 1860. He attended
11
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the Mt. Pleasant Academy, at Providence, R. I., then went to the Sorel Classical College, at Sorel, in the Province of Quebec, Canada, then took a course at a business college in Varennes, in the same province, where he graduated in 1880. He then attended Joliette Classical College, graduating there in 1884, and receiving the degree of B. A. During the latter part of 1885 he commenced the study of law in the office of Andrew B. Patten, of Providence, R. I., where he remained one year. He then en- tered Yale Law School, and he graduated from there in June, 1887, receiving the degree of LL. B. He was admitted to the bar at New Haven, and commenced the practice of law at Put- nam in August, 1887, where he is still located.
Ebenezer Stoddard, late of West Woodstock, was a lawyer of note and a citizen of whom Windham county is justly proud in the preservation of his memory. He was born at Pomfret, May 6th, 1785, being the son and grandson of men bearing his own name. He was a graduate of Brown University, and practiced law in Woodstock. He represented this congressional district in the house of representatives at Washington in the 17th and 18th congresses of the United States. Twice he was hon- ored as lieutenant governor of the state, holding the office one year in 1833-34, and three years, 1835-38. He was a man of much influence and power in his day. He died in August, 1847. He married Lucy Carrol, of South Woodstock, and they had ten children, as follows: Amelia, married Marcus May, and died in Utica, N. Y .; John Marshall De Lafayette, graduated from Yale and died unmarried at the age of 24; Marietta Lat- ma, widow of Orin Sumner, residing in Boston ; George Stan- ley Faber, born June 2d, 1818, practiced law in Woodstock, and died there June 9th, 1888, having one son, George De Bar- stow, a resident of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Charles, who left no fam- ily ; Lucy, who died at the age of 20; Ebenezer, who died in West Woodstock, leaving one son, Charles, a resident of Min- nesota ; Henry, who died at Springfield, Mass., leaving a son, John E., and a daughter, Florence W., wife of George Miller, of Springfield ; Jane, widow of Gilbert W. Phillips, of Putnam ; and Seth, who died at Putnam, aged 54 years.
Louis Baker Cleveland, of Putnam, was born in Brooklyn, Conn., June 30th, 1855. He was the eldest son of Henry M. and Mary C. (Welch) Cleveland, his mother being the eldest daugh- ter of Hon. Jonathan Ashley Welch, of Brooklyn. He is also
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grandnephew of Hon. Chauncey F. Cleveland. After attending the district schools he fitted for college at the Phillips Academy, of Andover, Mass., and entered Columbia Law School in New York city in 1874. He graduated there in 1876, receiving the degree of bachelor of laws. He then studied law with Judge S. T. Holbrook, of Norwich, Conn., for three months, also with Tracy & Catlin, of Brooklyn, N. Y. While with that firm he oc- cupied the position of chief clerk to General Tracy during the famous Tilton and Beecher trial. He passed his examination and was admitted to the New York bar in July, 1876. In the following September he came to Brooklyn, Conn., and began to practice law at that place, where he remained until October, 1888, when he removed to Putnam, and is now located there. For several years he was a member of the examining committee of the Windham county bar, has been justice of the peace for ten years, and is a commissioner of the superior court.
Thomas Eugene Graves, one of the leaders of the Windham county bar for half a century, practicing law for fifty-one years, was the son of John Graves and Elizabeth Peters (daughter of Governor Peters), and was born at Hebron, Conn., May 15th, 1814. When quite a youth he was placed under the care of a celebrated Episcopal clergyman, who was his tutor for several years. At the age of fourteen he entered Trinity College, with- out any conditions, but with special honors in Latin and Greek, which he held. He graduated at the age of eighteen, at the head of his class. He then devoted three years to the study of law, in the office of Judge Waldo, in Tolland, who was then one of the leading lawyers of the country. Mr. Graves passed an especially good examination, a rival of Judge Waldo, hoping to impeach the qualification of his student, subjecting him to a severe examination for three hours, but was at last obliged to confess that young Graves was the best prepared man who had ever applied for admittance to the bar. In 1837 he opened an office in the town of Thompson, and had a general law practice in this and New London counties for several years. In 1854, or about that time, he was employed in the organization and con- struction of the Boston, Hartford & Erie railroad. This was formed in part by the purchase of the franchises of several rail- roads chartered by the states of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The charters for the new corpora- tion were compiled, written and procured in each of these states
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by Mr. Graves, who appeared before the legislatures and ob- tained the charters in the face of great opposition from rival railroad interests. The land claims for hundreds of miles were separately examined and settled by Mr. Graves, and the many leases, involving intricate questions of law and financial bearings, called for by the union of several roads operated under this company, were all prepared by him. Until 1878 his professional labors were given almost entirely to this railroad, and his pres- ence was a familiar one at the capitals of the four states men- tioned. The requirements of this practice led him to remove his residence to West Newton, Mass., and later to Beacon street, Boston, where he resided until a few years since, when he re- turned to Windham county to spend the remainder of his days in the enjoyment of the fruits of his hard labors.
Mr. Graves entered upon his professional life when there were but few reported decisions of cases, and opinions or questions of law were given upon the interpretation and application of legal principles laid down in a few text books, as understood by the advocate or adviser. He was a hard and close student of such books as could then be obtained, and in the course of time sur- rounded himself with the finest private law library in the state, while the many marks upon the books still bear witness to his frequent and incessant labor among them. He aimed to possess every book published bearing upon the particular department of law which was his specialty, and to be thus prepared to refer to an authority for any position taken by him in the line of his daily work. He was associated in the trial of celebrated railroad cases with such men as Rufus Choate, General B. F. Butler, Charles O'Conner, and others, and proved himself their peer in legal knowledge. For private clients he had such men as Com- modore Vanderbilt, Daniel Drew and Jay Gould, all of whom employed him upon railroad matters, recognizing him as an au- thority in that line of subjects. He refused offers to act as at- torney for several large railroads, preferring to remain with the railroad with which he was so early and extensively identified. Hon. Oakes Ames and Sidney Dillon offered him the position of attorney for what is now the Great Pacific railroad.
Mr. Graves was a man of large patriotism, and during the late war personally secured the services of over one hundred and fifty men for the army, paying freely from his own pocket large sums to help the Union cause. Although never holding an of-
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fice, he was a staunch whig and republican, and an acknowledged leader in the party. In his younger days he delivered many temperance addresses, often in association with his friend, John B. Gough. The village improvement which has given so much attractiveness to the beautiful town of Thompson is a monument to his generosity and enthusiasm in the public behalf. The public green in the center of the village was cleared of rubbish and unsightly objects and planted with noble shade trees mainly through his personal efforts and generous contributions for the enjoyment of coming generations, who will in gratitude associate his name with the beautiful park, whose green carpet and de- lightful shade they annually enjoy.
After he gave up his railroad business, intending to retire, his old love for practice before judge and jury led him to appear once more in the well known court house at Brooklyn. As soon as it was known that he was accessible to clients so much busi- ness rushed upon him that his name almost monopolized the court docket, appearing, it is said, in over two hundred cases at one session. He was naturally genial, affable, and accommoda- ting, and full of fun, repartee and anecdotes of his early life, even after fifty years of active professional labors. He died in January, 1888, having been in court only a few weeks previous. He had set his house in order, and died peacefully and without apparent disease, passing away as though he had simply fallen asleep.
George Stanley Faber Stoddard, named in honor of the Bible commentator of that time, was the fourth child of Honorable Ebenezer Stoddard, and was born at West Woodstock, June 2d, 1818. He received a thorough education at the academies of Woodstock, Conn., and Dudley, Mass., after which he studied law with his father and was admitted to the Windham county bar about 1840. Previous to this date he was commissioned as colonel of his regiment in the militia, while yet a youth of eighteen years, and from that time on he was known by that title. His accomplishments as an equestrian, for which he was noted, helped to gain him that position and still further qualified him to grace it. After being admitted to the bar he settled in South Woodstock, and there spent his life in the practice of law. He was several times elected to the legislature, held the office of judge of probate, and at different times most of the important offices of the town. He was a modest, unpretentious man, very
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fond of his home, and unambitious of political preferment. His standing at the bar was high, and his superior abilities as a clear and logical advocate were acknowledged by all the circle of his professional acquaintances. He was a kind-hearted and genial man in his social character, and endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact. He was stricken with apoplexy and after lingering three or four days, died June 9th, 1888. He mar- ried first, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Spaulding Barstow, of South Woodstock, who died about two years later, leaving an in- fant son, who is still living, and now resides in Brooklyn, N. Y. After her death he married Sara Sumner, eldest daughter of the same Spaulding Barstow, who survives him.
John M. Hall, one of the busiest members of the legal frater- nity of Windham county, is a native of Willimantic, where he was born in October, 1841. After the usual discipline in the schools of his native village, he attended the Williston Seminary, at East Hampton, Mass., where he graduated in 1862, and he then entered Yale College and graduated there in 1866. He then began the study of law in a prominent law office in New York city, at the same time taking a regular course at the Columbia College Law School. In 1868 he was admitted to the bar, and in the spring of 1869 began to practice law in Willimantic, where he has since resided. He married Julia, daughter of Silas F. Loomer, and has three children, one son and two daughters. So- cially he is a man of considerable reserve, but professionally stands among the foremost, and is recognized as an exceptionally brilliant and able lawyer. He has held many offices of honor and trust in his town and among his society brethren. Among such have been the offices of registrar of voters, acting school visitor, justice of the peace, clerk of the court of probate, director of the Dime Savings Bank, delegate to the national republican conven- tion of 1876, etc. His legislative experience covers a wider field, perhaps, than that of any other man of his age in the state. He was a representative from his town in the house in 1870, "71, '72, '81, and '82, and in the latter year was speaker of the house. During these sessions he was a member of the committee on fisheries, contested elections, constitutional amendments, railroads (of all of which he was chairman), judiciary (twice), establishment of senatorial districts, and in 1871 was one of the joint select com- mittee which canvassed the vote for governor and other state officers, in view of alleged election frauds in New Haven, and
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upon the strength of whose report the general assembly declared the Hon. Marshall Jewell governor of the state.
James Hopkins Potter, the youngest but two of eleven children of Stephen H. and Esther (Burgess) Potter, was born in the town of Sempronius, Cayuga county, N. Y., July 17th, 1833, his birth- place being a log cabin. At that time the country in that section was new, and the homes of the settlers were primitive dwellings. The ancestry of Mr. Potter have for many generations been con- spicuous in the state of Rhode Island. During the first year of his life his parents removed from New York state to the town of Killingly, in this county, where the children had the benefit of the district schools until they were old enough to be employed in cotton mills. Long days of labor throughout the year, with holidays few and far between, made up the youthful days of Mr. Potter. At the age of eighteen he graduated from this work "in the mill," to a position in a store, which continued about five years. His district school education was supplemented by five terms in the West Killingly Academy, where he distinguished himself by obtaining the highest prize for English composition. He paid his way while attending the academy with money earned by teaching in the district schools of Killingly, and later followed the profession of teaching for about fourteen years, with much success, being thus engaged about twelve years in New Jersey. During this time he took up the study of law, and upon retiring from school work entered the law office of Hon. E. M. White, in the city of Dover, N. J. There he actively engaged in the prac- tice of law about two years, after which he returned to Killingly, and was admitted to the bar of this county and state in 1875. Since that time he has practiced at Danielsonville.
In 1861 Mr. Potter married the only daughter of the late Cap- tain Erastus Short, of Killingly. During most of his life since arriving at the age of manhood, Mr. Potter has held some town office in Killingly, and in 1862 he represented the town in the legislature.
George Larned, son of General Daniel and Rebekah (Wilkin- son) Larned, was born in Thompson March 13th, 1776. He grad- uated at Brown University in 1792, studied law in Canterbury and Litchfield, and established himself in practice in Herkimer county, N. Y. Here business opened to him with brilliant pros- pects of success, but the death of his father made circumstances urge his removal to Thompson. Here he opened a law office in
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