USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Plymouth > History of the town of Plymouth, Connecticut : with an account of the centennial celebration May 14 and 15, 1895 : also a sketch of Plymouth, Ohio, settled by local families > Part 31
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382
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
D. W. C. Skilton
Porter Sanford.
383
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
He was associated with Eli Terry, Jr., in the manufacture of clocks, and afterwards with James Terry in the lock business, and identified with the Eagle Lock Company from its organiza- tion, and one of its directors for many years until his retirement from active business in 1866.
B. B. SATTERLEE.
Having been requested to allow my profile or likeness to be placed in our "History of Plymouth," I hesitated to comply with that request. I asked myself these questions: "What right have I, a humble, obscure citizen, who never attended a political caucus, nor held office, civil or military-what right have I to obtrude myself among those Plymouth worthies? And, further- more, why should I seek to honor myself, and not the members of my family ?" But finally I have acquiesced, and consented to let my picture go in. In the town of Sheldon, Genesee (now Wyoming) county, N. Y., about one-half mile south of the center, on the 19th of January, 1818, I first became a regular inhabitant of this mundane sphere. There I first beheld the glorious sun- light ; and the radiant smiles of the queen of night ; and the glis- tening stars! My father died in December, 1827. In the autumn of 1829 I accompanied an uncle (Col. Philo Welton ) to his home in Montville, Medina county, Ohio. With him I lived three years, working on the farm and attending school. I remember that while there one of our neighbors had the reputa- tion of eating fried rattlesnakes ! And this reminds me that on a certain occasion my uncle had one of those reptiles hung by the neck, skinning it (not alive) for the purpose of obtaining its oil. And this further reminds me that one day when clearing some land my uncle discovered a massaugee (a dark, poisonous snake), and a moment later, with a fork or stick, whirled it into the burning heap. There was a fearful squirming-a few moments only. And this still further reminds me that one day, a little way over in the woods, a black snake was seen some twenty to thirty feet up on a large " cucumber" tree, which has a rough bark. Uncle Philo went to obtain his gun, with which the reptile was quickly brought down and dispatched, and being laid by the side of the long gun, was found to be the longest of the two. I was told that this kind of snake sometimes ascended trees for the purpose of obtaining young squirrels and such like. And such vast quantities of pigeons at certain seasons of the year ! Many flocks flying swiftly and low. Occasionally a flock containing tens of thousands, much bigger, and extending far away on either side and forward and backward a much longer distance. And wild turkeys, too, occasionally flew over, some- times alighting on the tops of the tall trees, from which, " now and then," they were brought down by the marksman's rifle. And they came-cautiously-into the grain fields, and on urgent occasions quite near the home buildings. In the autumn of 1832 I came to Ashtabula, where my mother was then living. The following winter I lived and attended school in the adjoining
384
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
B. B. Satterlee.
Hiram Pierce.
385
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
town of Sheffield, where Henry Atwater (father to Francis, who is publishing this history, and to Dorence, of Anderson- ville fame), taught school one winter along in the thirties. In the spring of 1833 I drifted into a shoemaker's shop, where I remained six years, making, mending, choring and attending a few terms at school.
By sitting in a leaning position, accompanied by care- less exposures which resulted in colds, my health became im- paired, in the matter of a lame side, etc., ailments from which I never fully recovered. Seemingly those were years worse than thrown away. And yet somewhere along that time there may have been a Divine Providence interposing, preserving me from something worse. In the summer of 1839 I came to Western New York, and in September of that year to Connecticut, where I again drifted into house painting, at which I worked forty or more years, with a little at farming thrown in. In March, 1842, I went to Washington City, where I shook hands with John Tyler, and obtained some valuable autographs. In the autumn of that year went west on a visit as far as Ohio. Near the close of 1843 went to Long Island, the home of my paternal ancestors. In 1844 was married. In 1851 went with my wife to the Crys- tal Palace Exhibition in New York City. In July, 1852, we went to Providence, where my younger brother graduated at Brown University, a brother who-four years later-was laid away in the soil of distant Arracan. Including these and a few other short absences, have resided in Plymouth during the last fifty-five and one-half years. Besides the unseen and unknown deliverances which come more or less to all, I have experienced a few remarkable escapes from a premature death. In infancy an older brother rocked me from a chair into the fireplace. The result, a broken nose, a scarred face, one eye nearly destroyed and the other somewhat injured. When living with my uncle in Ohio, I went to the pasture lot to catch a horse. Indiscreetly coming up behind it, I received the full force of both feet, which sent me "kiting"-downward. I never think of it without wondering at my escape from so tremendous a shock. In December, 1847, I was suffocated by charcoal, in a new house built by Frederick Catlin in Harwinton, about one mile south from the Catlin Corners, the first house on the road that turns easterly toward Bristol. One-half hour or more passed before I was resuscitated to consciousness. Along in the fifties I under- took to lead a horse-with sleigh attached-around in the snow. Failing to step as fast as the animal did, I was pressed back- ward, and in falling pulled that over-partly on to me, one thill resting across my neck. A young woman, a neighbor's daugh- ter (whom I was to take to the church), might have released me. But she was so frightened that she ran for assistance, which, quite fortunately, came from the opposite direction. My neighbor, Richard Clark, seeing or hearing, or both, came to my rescue. Awhile my jaws were closed (no loss to the world I imagine !) and one or more ribs disorganized. But at length I seemed to have mostly if not wholly recovered from the injury.
386
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
Along in the seventies I received from a great horse, with big feet, a blow partly on my side and back. It brought me down, and laid me by awhile; yet I still live ! And so the years have come and sped away. My family to large extent are gone " the way of all the earth." Time-by stealth as it were-has swiftly hastened on, and brought my footsteps to the verge of the grave, which soon must close over me. But if my picture goes into this book, I shall pass along down to Plymouth's second centen- nial celebration in 1995. B. B. S., April, 1895.
Mr. Satterlee has kindly furnished the following names and assessments of special occupations in Plymouth, for the year 1808 :
Isaac Alcox,
Wheelwright,
$10 00
Joel Blakeslee,
Blacksmith,
10 00
Noah M. Bronson,
Inn keeper,
30 00
Ransom Blakeslee,
Blacksmith,
15 00
Calvin Butler,
Attorney,
100 00
Bela Blakeslee,
Tanner,
10 00
Sala Blakeslee,
Blacksmith,
10 00
Oliver Curtis,
Mill,
5 00
Ephraim Camp,
Mill,
25 00
Doolittle & Barney,
Traders,
100 00
Asa Darrow,
Tanner and Shoemaker,
15 00
Asa Darrow, Jr.,
Tanner and Shoemaker,
15 00
Joseph Gibson,
Inn keeper,
30 00
Ira Dodge,
Wheelwright,
10 00
Ebenezer W. French,
Inn keeper,
50 00
French & Matthews,
Blacksmiths,
20 00
Giles Fenn,
Tailor,
10 00
Cyrus Gaylord,
Clothier,
50 00
Ozias Goodwin,
Hatter,
10 00
Harvey Hough,
Inn and Trader,
60 00
Joel Langdon,
Trader,
100 00
Miles Morse,
Mill,
20 00
Zadock Mann,
Cooper,
10 00
Daniel Mills,
Joiner,
20 00
Mitchell & Warner,
Traders,
100 00
Thomas Potter,
Wheelwright,
10 00
Noah Pomeroy,
Tin maker,
15 00
William Pierpont,
Clothier,
10 00
Luman Preston,
Mill,
45 00
Samuel Preston,
Mill,
35 00
Martin Pond,
Blacksmith,
20 00
David Smith & Son,
Traders,
100 00
Roderick Stanley,
Tin maker,
15 00
Titus Seymour,
Shoemaker,
10 00
Abel Seymour,
Mill,
15 00
Constant L. Tuttle,
Tanner,
25 00
Eli Terry,
Clock maker,
20 00
Amzi Talmage,
Sadler,
40 00
Stephen T. Talmage,
Hatter,
10 00
Philip Tompkins,
Cooper,
10 00
Ozias Warner,
Physician,
34 00
David Warner,
Physician,
34 00
Gideon Woodruff,
Physician,
67 00
James Warner, 2d,
Joiner,
10 00
Allyn Wells,
Joiner,
20 00
Gates & Tyler,
Mill,
60 00
David Morse,
Mill,
90 00
$1,530 00
387
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HIRAM PIERCE.
Hiram Pierce was born in Cornwall, Conn., December 27, 1800, and died in Thomaston, October 17, 1875. He was the son of John Pierce, who was the son of Captain Joshua Pierce, both of Cornwall. Mr. Pierce received a common school edu- cation. His boyhood days were occupied with farm life, after- wards teaching school in his native town. He learned the trade of joiner and cabinet maker, living in Waterbury for a time. He moved to Plymouth about the time of his majority to engage in making clock cases for Seth Thomas, and in connection with Deacon W. P. Judson, for some years made all the clock cases, under contract, for Mr. Thomas. The work at that time was all done by hand.
He married Charolette S. Bancroft, of East Windsor, Conn., in 1828, purchased a farm and went there where he remained - two years, when he returned to Plymouth at the urgent solicita- tion of Mr. Thomas, to take charge of his office, which in addition to the clock business, included a cotton mill and a large farm. In this business relation he carried burdens that but few men could. After the Thomas Manufacturing Company was formed for the manufacture of brass clocks, he was appointed secretary. He also took an active part in religious and educa- tional matters, and was prominently identified with the Congre- gational Church in Plymouth Center, in 1830, at which time Rev. Luther Hart was pastor, but after the Congregational Church in Thomaston was founded, he removed his membership there. He was also a justice of the peace for over forty years, and served as assessor, selectman, etc., and was a trusted adviser and councilor for a wide circle. He served his town in the legislature in 1861. In politics he was a Whig, and an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, later becoming a Republican.
He buried his first wife in June, 1848, bv whom he had five children. A year after he married Sarah E. Beers, of Cornwall, Conn., by whom he had one child.
Among his last efforts for the improvement of the place, was the planning and securing of the substantial addition to the beautiful cemetery on the hillside, where he sleeps, awaiting the resurrection of the just.
His children are all married, and reside as follows : Wm. J., married Elizabeth A. Capron, of New Britain, Conn., resides in Hartford ; Joseph B., married Sophia A. Boardman, of Hartford, resides in Hartford ; Charlotte S., married Horace A. Potter, of Thomaston, resides in Thomaston; S. Maria, married Alexander Hamilton, of West Hartford, Conn., died March 17, 1863; Edward H., married Susan C. Beers, of Stratford, Conn., resides in Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Alice E., married Dr. E. T. Bradstreet, of Thomaston, resides in Meriden, Conn.
HENRY S. MINOR.
Henry S. Minor, who resides on the Wyllys Atwater farm in the eastern part of Plymouth, was born in Harwinton, July
388
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Henry S. Minor.
Hiram Minor
339
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
17, 1834. His parents were Hiram Minor and Chloe Dutton, who was a granddaughter of David Dutton, the first deacon of the Congregational Church in Plymouth. Hiram was the son of Joshua Minor and Diadama Alcott, who was sister to the father of A. Bronson Alcott, and was born in Southington, January 24, 1804, his folks moving to Wolcott when he was quite small. The subject of this sketch, in early life, was a lock maker, then he drifted into the livery business, owning, for several years, what is now the hotel property in Terryville, but is now a farm- er by occupation. He married Theresa, daughter of Henry Atwater, to whom five children were born, one daughter, Eva, being the only surviving one.
BURR SMITH BEACH.
Burr Smith Beach was born in Northfield, Conn., Novem- ber 27, 1823, and was the oldest son in a family of eleven chil- dren. His father was Isaac C. Beach and his mother Eunice Maria Beecher, a lineal descendent of Dr. Lyman Beecher. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and in working for neighboring families. At the age of twenty-one he came to Plymouth Hollow, now Thomaston, where he entered the em- ploy of a contractor in the Seth Thomas Clock Company. In 1848 he severed his connection with the clock factory, came to Terryville and took a position with the Eagle Lock Company. As a boy he showed great musical ability, and the year after he came to Terryville, was chosen chorister of the choir of the Con- gregational Church, which position he held for about twenty-five years, during which time he built up the choir, so that it was known in adjoining towns as one of the best volunteer choirs in the vicinity, if not in the state. He led the singing in the Sab- bath School for nearly twenty-five years, and was also a success- ful teacher in the rudiments of music.
He united with the Congregational Church in 1852, where he always attended regularly He was married January 6, 1852, to Fanny Jane Blakesley, daughter of Deacon Milo Blakesley, and had seven children, five of whom are still living. During the first year of their marriage he erected a house on South street, which they occupied as long as they lived.
Although working as a contractor for the Eagle Lock Com- pany, he was always interested in farming, and in the raising of thorough-bred stock, especially Jersey cows.
December 31, 1872, his health being somewhat impaired, he left the employ of the Eagle Lock Company and spent the remainder of his life on his small farm. He was a staunch Republican and held several town offices during his life. He died October 16, 1889.
DR. WILLIAM WOODRUFF.
Dr. William Woodruff was born in New Haven, July 17, IS04, and had he lived one month longer, until July, 1893, would have reached his eighty-ninth birthday. He was the
390
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Burr S Beach.
Dr. William Woodruff.
391
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
youngest of three sons of Dr. Gideon Woodruff and Sarah Hea- ton, of Plymouth, and traced his lineage to Matthew Woodruff, who came from Farmington to Hartford in 1641. In his infancy the parents of Dr. Woodruff returned to Plymouth, where they previously resided, and remained until the death of the elder Dr. Woodruff, who for many years was a medical practi- tioner in the town. Dr. Woodruff enjoyed the benefits of the training and scholarship of Rev. Luther Hart, being at one time his pupil. He first commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Jonathan Knight about 1824, and continued under the direction of Dr. Nathan Smith, both well known physicians. He graduated from the medical department of Yale in 1826, and located as a physician in Waterbury. Soon after, however, he removed to Plymouth, at the urgent request of friends, and for many years enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. Nearly twenty years before his death he relinquished most of his practice and gave considerable time to travel-visiting Europe, California, Canada, the South, and many other places.
He was a man of activity and energy and believed in plenty of exercise, a belief which he put in daily practice. In 1838 he married Martha Thomas (since deceased), a daughter of Seth Thomas, the originator of the clock industry in Thomaston, now the Seth Thomas Clock Company. Only one son, William T. Woodruff, president of the Seth Thomas Clock Company, sur- vives. Dr. Woodruff was for many years, and at his death, a member of the Congregational Church.
ROBERT GRAHAM JOHNSON.
Robert Graham Johnson was born December 31, 1779; mar- ried Hannah Bradley in November, 1802, and after her death, Wealthy Hummiston, September 29, 1813. His children were : Julia, born June 1, 1804, who married David Sherman, went to Pennsylvania, and died in March, 1849, leaving children ; Jairus, born November 19, 1808, died September 4, 1830; Hannah, born April 8, 1812, married Eben Pritchard, died in Waterbury, March 2, 1876, leaving several children ; Esther, born October 13, 1814, married Lynes Pettibone, lived in Brooklyn, N. Y., died February 24, 1845, leaving two children, since dead ; Sarah Ann, born December 23, 1816, married Samuel Pettibone, lived in Alabama, died December 25, 1885, leaving several children ; Junius J., born June 18, 1819, married Charlotte Romaine, died in New York, September 12, 1869, leaving several children ; William N., born June 23, 1821, married Adelia Dudley, died in New York, December 19, 1852, leaving several children ; Mary, born March 29. 1824, married Jason M. Clemence, died at Terryville, June 11, IS56, leaving one son; Edwin, born December 1, 1826, married Sarah Bartlett, was a Congregational minister, died in New York, December 25, 1883, leaving three daughters ; Miranda. born October 28, 1829, married James C. Mix, lives (1895) now at Cranford, N. J., and Harriet, born October 12, 1835, died April 9, 1836.
392
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
R. G. Johnson.
F. T. Cook
393
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mr. Johnson and his wife were members of the Plymouth Congregational Church until 1837, when he became one of the first subscribers to the Terryville Congregational Church, and the next year contributed toward the church bell. He kept a cooper shop on the hill nearly opposite Elizur Fenn's house and attended the old toll gate, which afterwards was removed to in front of the residence of Oliver Smith near Plymouth Center. He divided his time between his trade and teaming between Plymouth and Hartford, but later when the clock business was thriving he dropped the cooper business and devoted the remain- der of his life to his team work. He was the first person to introduce matches in the community, and Stephen Fenn has in his possession one of the old time match boxes that Mr. Johnson brought to town. It was customary in those days to keep wood coals smouldering, so that when a fire was wanted it could be fanned into brightness and started up. Often the spark of fire would be gone and the coals would be borrowed at a neighbor- ing house. Mr. Johnson died October 28, 1861, aged eighty- two years.
F. T. COOK.
Frederick Thomas Cook, the Terryville druggist, was born May 20, 1866, and is a son of the late Homer E. Cook. He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of sixteen years went to work in the drug store E. W. Merriman. After- wards attended the College of Pharmacy in New York, and passed the state examination of the board of pharmacy at Hart- ford, Conn. He bought out N. M. Plumb's drug store, and some time later was in partnership with T. B. McNamara, which continued for several years. He has now been the sole pro- prietor of the store in E. M. Dailey's building, since November 16, 1892. Besides his complete drug business, he carries a fine stock of confectionery, stationery and periodicals. Lucien E. Rouse is employed by him as clerk.
PHILO LEWIS.
Philo Lewis, who, with his brother, John C., kept the vil- lage store, came to Terryville about the year 1837. He alternated with his brother as the political complexion changed in being postmaster. After a residence of eight years in Terryville, he removed to New Haven, where he died in 1859, aged fifty-five years. His first wife was Elner Swift of Cornwall, to whom three children were born : Sarah, married to Homer Peck ; El- ner, married to ex-Governor H. B. Bigelow, and Martha, mar- ried to H. J. Gavlord of Binghampton. His second wife was a Miss Sanford and is still living in New Haven. Her children are : Emma, married to Edwin F. Mersick, and Hattie, un- married.
LYMAN BALDWIN.
Lyman Baldwin was of English origin. His ancestors settled in New England at a very early day, and farming was
394
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Philo Lewis
Lyman Baldwin.
395
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
their chief occupation for many generations. His grandfather was Ebenezer Baldwin, who came from old Milford and settled in the town of Plymouth. He had a family of children, of whom Thaddeus was one, who was born in Plymouth, and married Thankful Alcock, and had the following children, viz. : Polly, Thankful, Hannah, Thaddeus, Lydia, Lyman, David and Nicy, who died at twenty-one, and all the remainder of this large family lived to be old people. Thaddeus, Sr., was a farmer. He died far advanced in life, and his wife lived to be ninety years of age. Lyman Baldwin was born near where his son, ville, and had four children, viz : Hiram, Mary P., Lyman D.
Lyman D., now resides. He married Polly Alling of Terry- and Hannah, all of whom were born in the old homestead now in the possession of Lyman D. Mr. Baldwin was a farmer by occupation and a dealer in lumber, which he manufactured. In politics he was a Whig and held some minor town offices. He was a captain of state militia and was known as Captain Bald- win. He received a severe injury, which, after lingering seven months, caused his death, March 6, 1859. His wife died August 29, 1860.
Lyman D. Baldwin, who now resides on the old homestead, was born January 19, 1825. He was reared on the farm, receiving such advantages for an education as the district schools of his day afforded. At nineteen he commenced teaching school winters, which he followed for seventeen years, in which he was very successful. He is a farmer by occupation, and in con- nection he owns and runs a grist and saw mill. He served as acting school visitor of Plymouth for twenty-one years, and has been a member of the school board for over thirty years. He has been assessor, and represented the town in the legislature in 1871, 1877 and 1879, serving on the committees of constitutional amendments, temperance and education. Mr. and Mrs. Bald- win are members of the Congregational Church in Plymouth, of which he is deacon. He is liberal toward the church and charitable to the poor.
On the 14th of May, 1854, he married Emily, daughter of Erastus Fenn, of Plymouth. Their children were as follows, viz: Edward F., born December 16, 1859, died May 20, 1864 ; Minnie E., born December 24, 1864, died December 6, 1875.
THOMAS J. BRADSTREET.
Thomas Jefferson Bradstreet, who was long a resident of Thomaston, traced his ancestry back to a non-conformist minis- ter, who died in 1617, leaving a son, Simon Bradstreet, who was born at Herbling, Lincolnshire, England, in 1603. Simon came to this country to the young settlement in Massachusetts Bay in 1630. He was identified with the early history of the colony. He had several sons and daughters; his fourth son, John, settled in Topsfield, on a portion of the land granted to his father. He was succeeded by his son Simon, who married a daughter of Rev. Joseph Capen of the same town. Their son
396
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
T. J. Bradstreet.
George T. Cook.
397
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
John, the grandfather of T. J. Bradstreet, also a farmer, married Elizabeth Fisk of Wendham, Mass., March 2, 1718. They had several daughters and one son, Dudley, a name that has been well preserved among the Bradstreets, while Simon has ceased to be a family name. Thomas G., the sixth son of Dudley Bradstreet, was born April 7, 1807, on the old farm at Tops- field, and removed with the family to Danvers, in April, 1810. In the fall of 1830 he entered Yale College, with the intention of studying law on the completion of his college course. During the winter of 1830-'31 he became interested in the subject of religion, changed his plans, and after graduating in 1834 he en- tered the Theological Seminary in New Haven to study for the ministry. At the close of the usual term of three years he received an invitation to preach to a church and society just organized in that part of Plymouth, now Thomaston. After laboring here for about two months his health began to fail, he left for several weeks, after which he returned and renewed his labors, assisted for a short time by a young man who had sup- plied his place during his absence. Later he engaged to supply the pulpit of the Congregational Church in Meriden for four months. The following winter, 1838-'39, he preached in the Second Congregational Church in New London. His health continuing feeble he finally gave up his chosen profession. In the autumn, November 4, 1840, he was married to Amanda, daughter of the late Seth Thomas, and engaged in his employ the next spring as superintendent of his cotton factory. In this position he continued for fifteen years, when he gave up his position to travel for the Seth Thomas Clock Company. In this employment he continued until the commencement of the late civil war. Then he was engaged in various kinds of business for himself; improving his land near the village, conducting farm work, doing such business as is usually connected with house building, running a saw mill, grist mill, feed and flour store, etc. Of his children. Thomas Dudley Bradstreet is gen- eral manager of the Seth Thomas Clock Company ; Albert P. Bradstreet is the well known lawyer and judge; George P. Bradstreet is general manager of his father's business; Mary Amanda married Professor J. R. French of New Haven, who is principal of one of the public schools there : Dr. E. T. Brad- street is a graduate of Yale and College of Physicians and Sur- geons in New York, and is practicing his profession in Meriden, this state.
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