USA > Connecticut > Illustrated popular biography of Connecticut > Part 17
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BIOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT.
manhood. Here he laid the foundation of his future success, while he imbibed inspiration from the precept and example of his God-fearing parents and deported himself in a way to secure the respect and esteem of his associates and neighbors.
The breaking out of the rebellion in 1861 found Mr. Bailey still in his minority, but his patriotic impulses impelled him to enlist for the defense of his country, and he joined Company B of the Twenty-sixth Connecticut regiment, going into camp September 5, 1862. While in camp, however, he was prostrated by a severe attack of typhoid fever, and was taken home, still in a critical condi- tion, on the fifth of the following November. Al- though he was for a long time unable to rally from this attack, his health gradually returned, but at no time thereafter during the progress of the war was he in a condition for active service, and his patriotic designs were of necessity abandoned. As soon as able to perform any laborious work he again en- gaged in farm duties with his father, and remained at the old homestead until 1867, when he removed to Windsor Locks, and for one year carried on a farm there, devoting considerable attention to the raising of tobacco. He then was made assistant postmaster at Windsor Locks, and in connection therewith had charge of a store for two or three years, and held a general agency for various publi- cations sold on subscription by canvassers. He afterwards made an engagement with W. J. Holland & Co., a large subscription book pub- lishing firm of Springfield, Mass., and exercised the prerogative of a supervisor of agencies. In the discharge of the duties of this position he trav- eled extensively, visiting nearly every town and village in the Northern States, Canada, and the pro- vinces, having charge of most of the company's outdoor work for four years, and building up a very large and profitable business. In 1873, upon the organization of the firm of E. Horton & Son of Windsor Locks as a joint stock company, under the corporate name of The E. Horton & Son Com- pany, manufacturers of The Horton Lathe Chuck, he became its secretary and treasurer, continuing in the position for three years. In 1876 he severed the connection, and removed to his farm in Frank- lin, -- a delightful country place, whose attractions include some of the most romantic spots to be found in the state, the shady vales and hillsides of which have become of late favorite resorts for picnic and excursion parties. Here he devoted his time to agricultural pursuits and the raising of Jersey stock until ISSo, when he was called to assume control of The E. Horton & Son Company at Windsor Locks; since which time he has remained its secretary, treas- urer, and general manager. Heis also connected with other important business enterprises, being presi- dent and director, as well as an incorporator, of The
Windsor Locks Electric Lighting Company, in the establishment of which he was intimately con- cerned; a director in The Windsor Locks Savings Bank; also in The Connecticut River Company, an important corporation which owns the Enfield and Windsor Locks water power, and furnishes water power for all the mills in Windsor Locks; a director in The Dwight Slate Machine Company of Hartford, manufacturers of fine tools and special machinery; director and one of the original incorpora- tors and a prominent promoter of The Windsor Locks Water Company, which furnishes the village with water for domestic purposes; and a director in The J. R. Montgomery Company, manufacturers of warps and fancy yarns, recently re-organized as a joint stock corporation, with a large capital, doing a large and profitable business, and at the head of all enterprises of its class in the country.
Mr. Bailey is an ardent and active republican, and as such has been elected to various positions of public trust. He has held the office of select- man, and is now a member of the school board and acting school visitor. He was elected to the legis- lature from Franklin in 1879 and from Windsor Locks in 1882, carrying the former town by the largest majority any candidate ever received, and carrying Windsor Locks by a majority of thirteen, although it is naturally heavily democratic. Dur- ing the session of 1883 he was on the committee on incorporations, and did essential service for the in- corporation of The Windsor Locks and Warehouse Point Bridge Company. He was elected state senator in 1887, running ahead of his ticket in seven towns of his district, and as chair- man of the fisheries committee and of the com- mittee on education carried through a number of important measures. He was active and promi- nent in support of the measure, in the senate, giv- ing to towns the control and management of school district affairs, his efforts in this reform giving him favorable notoriety among the friends of edu- cation all over the state. He was appointed United States Collector of Customs for the port of Hartford in 1890, for which position he was warmly endorsed by both Senator Hawley and Congressman Simonds, the duties of which office he performs with characteristic ability and fidelity.
Mr. Bailey's social connections include member- bership with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, an " organization for promoting acquisi- tion of that knowledge which is necessary to the mechanical engineer to enable him most effectively to adapt the achievements of science and art to the use of mankind," with whose high reputation all are familiar; the Law and Order League, of Wind- sor Locks, whose object is the enforcement of laws relative to the sale of intoxicants; the Connecticut Societyof the Sons of the American Revolution: and.
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in the Masonic fraternity, with Euclid Lodge, No. 109, F.A.M. of Windsor Locks, Washington Chapter, No. 30, R.A.M., of Suffield, Washington Command- ery, No. I, K. T., stationed at Hartford, and Pyra- mid Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Bridgeport. His social instincts and tastes are strong; he engages with enthusiasm in all the activities of the various organizations with which he is connected. He is a member of the Congregational Ecclesiastical So- ciety of Windsor Locks, and a liberal supporter of its institutions and charities. He is an excellent representative Connecticut citizen, and always equal to his opportunity whenever it comes. He has been successful in whatever he has under- taken, and occupies an important and influential position in business, politics, and social affairs.
As already mentioned, Mr. Bailey was married, December 14, 1871, to Miss Katie E. Horton of Windsor Locks, daughter of Eli Horton, celebrated as the inventor of the Horton Lathe Chuck. They have two children, a son and a daughter; the former, Philip Horton Bailey, in his eighteenth year, is a member of the senior class at the Hart- ford Pubic High School; the latter, Helena Ells- worth Bailey, in her fifteenth year, is at school in Windsor Locks.
DAVID A. ROOD, HARTFORD : Retired ; former- ly Proprietor United States Hotel.
Col. D. A. Rood is one of Hartford's best-known citizens, whose name has been familiar with the public as the long-time proprietor of one of Hart- ford's best-esteemed and ancient hostelries. Colo- nel Rood was born in Sheffield, Berkshire coun- ty, Mass., Sept. 28, 1817. His education was liber- al for the times, being gained at the excellent public schools of Massa- chusetts. His life has been spent in Sheffield, Mass., Winsted and New Hartford in this state, but largely in the city of Hart- D. A. ROOD. ford, where he was pro- prietor of the United States Hotel for about thirty- eight years. He has been twice married ; first to Miss Maria W. Woodford, who died Jan. 25, 1883 ; and afterwards to his present wife, who was Abbie F. Carroll prior to their union. There are two sons and a daughter by the first marriage. Colo- nel Rood is a consistent republican in politics, hav- ing been identified with that party since 1856, and often honored by offices within its gift. He was on the Hartford board of police commissioners for ten years ; treasurer of the Brown School for fourteen
years ; and long a director in the Dime Savings Bank of Hartford. He is a member of the Pearl Street Congregational church. His military con- nection was formerly with the Connecticut National Guard, as Lieutenant-Colonel of the First regiment.
JOHN FRANCIS GAFFEY, NEW HAVEN : Pro- prietor Gaffey's Business School.
John F. Gaffey was born in Hartford, Feb. 15, 1862, and was educated in the public schools of the University City. He was employed at the Winchester Repeating Arms Compa- ny's establishment for six years, and saved money enough to educate him- self for the special line of work that has engaged his attention for several years past. While at Winchester's he patent- ed a combination rifle sight ; sporting, military, and wind-gauge com- bined.
JOHN F. GAFFEY. During the Blaine cam- paign he was private sec- retary to the republican state central committee, of which Hon. Lynde Harrison was the chairman. In the campaign of 1888, he was secretary of the Connecticut republican state league ; managed the headquarters at New Haven, and also the doc- ument bureau for the state central committee, and organized 123 clubs in the state. He was in the city council for one term, and refused a second in order to become deputy collector of internal reve- nue under Col. John I. Hutchinson, which office he held for one year, and resigned last November to give his whole time to his business. While deputy. collector, he had charge of eighteen towns, and made many arrests for violation of the internal revenue laws.
He has been running his school of shorthand and typewriting for nearly ten years, and has recently added penmanship and book-keeping ; also has a stenographic and copying department and furnishes supplies for typewriters of all makes, and stenog- raphers' supplies, all over the country. He is the author of "Gaffey's Helps to Cogswell's Com- pendium," and has made many improvements in the shorthand and typewriting business, espe- cially in teaching. For two years he had nine schools in as many different citics, and in four dif- ferent states, but he is now giving his whole time and attention to the New Haven business (having sold out all the other schools), pupils coming to him to New Haven from almost every state in the Union.
Prof. Gaffey has resided in Trenton, N. J., Phil- adelphia (Frankfort), Pa., and Bridgeport, being at
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BIOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT.
present a resident of New Haven. His wife, who is still living, was Miss Elizabeth Martin prior to her marriage. There are no children living in the family.
HEUSTED W. R. HOYT, GREENWICH: Attorney- at-Law.
H. W. R. Hoyt, who won marked distinction in legislative circles and throughout the state by his admirable discharge of the important duties of speaker of the house of representatives during the session of that body in 1887, was born in Ridge- field, in this state, on the Ist of November, 1842. He studied in the common school and the academy, and entered Columbia College, New York city, but about the middle of his first term was seized with a severe and pro- tracted illness, and could H. W. R. HOYT. not continue. Upon his recovery he immediately began the study of the law in New York city, and for the period of about two years was secretary of the United States prize commissioners for the district of New York. He was admitted to practice in 1865. He is an attor- ney and counselor-at-law, and has served the town as its counsel, and the borough as attorney. Among other important litigation in which he has been engaged, he was sole counsel for the late William M. Tweed in a suit brought against him by James H. Ingersoll in the Connecticut superior court, in which over $160,000 was claimed by plain- tiff, and successfully defended his client. He is trustee and attorney for the Greenwich Savings Bank, and a director in The Byram Land Improve- ment Company. He is also attorney for the Belle Haven Land Company and other large corpora- tions. His public life has been quite marked. In 1869 and 1873 he was in the state senate; in the former year chairman of the committees on mili- tary affairs and engrossed bills; in the latter chair- man of the committee on incorporations. In 1886 he was a representative from Greenwich, and occu- pied the leading position upon the floor and in the committee-room, being house chairman of the com- mittee on the judiciary. He was returned to the house in 1887, and, as before intimated, was called to preside over the deliberations of that body as its speaker, discharging the duties of the office with signal ability and to the entire satisfaction of all parties. Mr. Hoyt is a staunch republican, an able debater, quick and effective at repartee, and an affable man. In every measure presented or dis-
cussed he manifested a lively interest, and, whether in the chair or on the floor, always commanded respect and wielded an important influence in legis- lative affairs. His nomination for speaker by the republican party was by acclamation, and his elec- tion by the house was by more than the republican majority.
Mr. Hoyt's legal practice is extensive, his stand- ing before the bar and the public being such as to secure for him a numerous and profitable clientage. He is judge of the borough court of Greenwich, and in addition to his professional duties is often called by his fellow-citizens of Greenwich to fill local positions of public trust.
JAMES HOYLE, WILLINGTON: Woolen Manu- facturer.
James Hoyle was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, April 3, 1830. His early education was received from the common schools of his native town. In 1856, then a young man of twenty-six, he emigrated to America. On arriving in this coun- try, he went to Paterson, N. J., where he spent a year engaged in his trade of wool-sorting. He af- terwards went to Nor- wich, Conn., and worked a year at the same trade, and subsequently to Webster, Mass., where he engaged with Nelson Slater. He followed his JAMES HOYLE. chosen avocation in several places in the Bay State until 1863, when he settled in Worcester, where for ten years he was engaged as foreman of the wool- sorting department of the Adriatic Mills, then run by Jordan, Marsh & Co. of Boston. In 1873 he re- moved to Willington, Conn., and bought a half in- terest in the Daleville Woolen Mills, then owned and run by James J. Reagan. The business was carried on two years under the firm-name of Rea- gan & Hoyle, when the latter purchased the prop- erty and continued the business with two partners. under the name of Hoyle, Smith & Co. He shortly after bought out his partners' interests, since which time he has carried on the manufacturing business alone and quite successfully. During his fifteen years' proprietorship of the Daleville Mills, im- provements in the little hamlet and in the mills have been steadily going on. He is a man of ster- ling integrity and good business qualities, and is held in higli esteem by his fellow-townsmen for his enterprise and moral worth. He has never sought for office, but allowed the use of his name as a can- didate of the republicans of his town for repre-
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sentative, at the fall election of 1884, to which posi- tion he was chosen by a good majority, and where he performed valuable service for his constituents and the state.
Mr. Hoyle is married and has one child.
AUGUSTUS C. WILCOX, NEW HAVEN : Dry Goods.
Augustus C. Wilcox was born in East Guilford, now the town of Madison, Aug. 22, 1812, and received an academic education. He is the founder of the firm of Wilcox & Co. of New Haven and has been en- gaged in the dry goods business since March I, 1836. Through his long business career his finan- cial liabilities have been promptly met and dis- charged. The record is deserving of mention as it covers three of the most disastrous financial eras in A. C. WILCOX. the history of the country. Mr. Wilcox is one of the clearest-headed business managers in New Haven. He was formerly connected with the state militia and held a first lieutenant's commission in the Madison Light Artillery at the time of his removal from that town to New Haven. He was honor- ably discharged from the service by Gov. Henry W. Edwards. In 1871 Mr. Wilcox was a member of the general assembly from Madison, represent- ing that town on the democratic side of the house. Two years afterwards he was elected to the senate from the old sixth district, his colleagues including Hons. Geo. M. Landers of New Britain, Allen Tenny of Norwich and Wm. T. Elmer of Middle- town, ex-Judge Stoddard of New Haven and ex- Speaker Hoyt of Greenwich. Mr. Wilcox has also taken an active part in New Haven politics and has served as a member of the common council and of the board of selectmen. In all of these public po- sitions his judgment and thorough knowledge of affairs have been of great value, enabling him to render the city and state the best of service. Mr. Wilcox is a member of the Congregational church in Madison and is a most exemplary representative of religious thought and principle. He has been married twice. His first wife was Catherine Amelia Cruttenden of Madison. The second was Miss Bertha C. Payne of West Haven. In busi- ness, political, and social life Mr. Wilcox has ex- erted an important influence from the outset, and is regarded with the sincerest esteem and honor by all who know him.
ARTHUR F. EGGLESTON, HARTFORD: Attor- ney-at-Law.
Judge Eggleston was born at Enfield, Conn., Oc- tober 23, 1844. He graduated from Williams Col- lege in the class of 1868, and after preparation by legal study was admitted to the bar of Hartford county and opened an office for legal practice in this city in 1872. During the war he enlisted as a private in the Forty-sixth Massachusetts regiment, and served until honor- ably discharged. During his residence in Hartford he has been a member of the court of common council and president of A. F. EGGLESTON. the board; has held the office of judge of the police court for several terms; and is now treasurer of Hartford county, and state's attorney. He is a republican in politics, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Army and Navy Club. He is associated professionally with Hon. John R. Buck, the law firm being Buck & Eggleston. Judge Eggleston's standing before the bar and the public is that of an able and con- scientious lawyer, and his career has been one of great usefulness and honorable distinction.
ROBERT R. SMITH, NEW HARTFORD: Agent Greenwoods Company.
Robert R. Smith was born in New Hartford, April 15, 1843, and received a thorough business education. At the age of sixteen he became a clerk in a Chicago hardware establishment, where he remained until sufficient experience had been ac- quired to prepare him for travel through the west- ern states as the repre- sentative of the house. Returning home for a visit in 1865 he became engaged in the building of the Greenwoods Scythe Company's works, and was afterwards persuaded ROBERT R. SMITH. to remain as manager of the concern. He continued in that position until 1870, when, upon the death of his father, he found himself in charge of Greenwoods Company, Green- woods Scythe Company, the New Hartford Car- riage Company, and an interest in what was known as " the brick store." From that time to the present
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his occupation has been in connection with these different concerns, two of which have become ex- tinct.
Mr. Smith is a director in a number of corpora- tions, and is a gentleman of superior business qual- ifications. He was married in 1867, his wife being Miss Minnie M. Simmons of Canaan. She died in 1890, leaving three children. The subject of this sketch has strenuously opposed the acceptance of public office. The only place he has ever accepted has been that of pound keeper, his reëlection hav- ing taken place annually for the past twenty years, and there have been a good many jovial occasions over the fact. He is a member of the North Con- gregational Ecclesiastical society, and also of Amos Beecher Lodge, F. and A. M., of New Hartford, together with two or three other secret organiza- tions. Mr. Smith is held in thorough regard and esteem in the community where he lives.
HON. WILLIAM COTHREN, WOODBURY: At- torney-at-Law.
William Cothren, son of William and Hannah Cothren, was born at Farmington, Me., Nov. 28, 1819. In his ancestral lines he is the descendant of a soldier in King Philip's war, 1676; a soldier in the war between England and France, 1744-5; a lieuten- ant in the war of the rev- olution; and a sergeant in the war of 1812. He prepared for college at Farmington academy, and graduated at Bow- doin College in 1843. He received his second de- gree, in course, at the same college, in 1846, and WILLIAM COTHREN. the degree of Master of Arts, ad eundem, at Yale University, in 1847. He studied law under the direction of Hon, Robert Goodenough of Farmington, Me., and Hon. Charles B. Phelps of Woodbury, in this state. He settled in Woodbury in 1844, and was admitted to the bar of Litchfield county in October, 1845. He entered upon a large and successful practice at Woodbury, and has continued in practice there ever since. He ranks among the leading lawyers of the state. As a citizen he has ever been public spirited and gen- erous. He has lent his voice and pecuniary aid to every monument or other public improvement dur- ing his time. He was elected a county commis- sioner for Litchfield county in 1851. In 1855 he was elected senator for the old sixteenth district, by the face of the returns, received his certificate, and took his seat in the senate. During the session his
seat was successfully contested by his opponent, on a ground which ever since has been held universally untenable, both in Congress and in the several states where the question has been raised. He served as a member of the lower house in 1882. In April, 1856, he was admitted an attorney and coun- selor of the United States circuit court, and on the 8th of March, 1865, he was admitted an attorney and counselor of the supreme court of the United States. He was elected corresponding member of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, at Boston, Mass., May 5, 1847, and a member of the Connecticut Historical Society, Nov. 23, 1852, of which for many years he was a vice-president; an honorary member of the Old Colony Historical Society, at Plymouth, Mass., April 24, 1854; a cor- responding member of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Jan. 17, 1855; a corresponding member of the Vermont Historical Society, Feb. 3, 1860; a cor- responding member of the Maine Historical Society, Sept. 18, 1861; elected worshipful master of King Solomon's Lodge, No. 7, of F. and A. M., in Decem- ber, 1852, which office he held two years; a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, Alpha of Maine, Sept. 20, 1873; a member of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1889; and a member of the First Con- gregational church in Woodbury, July 7, 1850. He has held the offices of justice of the peace and notary public during all his professional life. On the 3d of September, 1849, he was married to Mary Jane Steele, a descendant of Hon. John Steele, first secretary of the colony of Connecticut, and of Rev. Benjamin Colton of West Hartford, a descendant of George Colton, the first of the name in Connec- ticut. They have had one child, who died young. He was one of the organizers of the republican party, and has been somewhat active in its inter- ests, but has never been a chronic office-seeker. During the civil war he was a zealous and active supporter of the Union cause, giving a large share of his time, and more of his means than he could
well afford. He was, during the whole contest, a member of the committees for the enlistment of men, and the care of their families, and was cmi- nently the soldier's friend, and has so continued ever since. From the twentieth year of his age he has been a contributor, in prose and versc, to the press and magazines of the day. A short time after his settlement in Woodbury he turned his at- tention to the collection of the historical data of the town, the result of which has been the publication of an elaborate history of the town, in three vol- umes of twenty-five hundred pages. The first vol- ume was issued in 1854, and was the pioneer work, in its scope and completeness, as a full history of a New England town, that had been issued. He has also published numerous legal and historical pam- phlets.
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HENRY N. WALES, WILLIMANTIC: Judge of Probate.
Judge Wales is a native of the town of Windham. He was born August 10, 1837. He lived and was employed on a farm with his father until he became twenty-one years of age, availing himself in his childhood of such educa- tional advantages as the public schools of Wind- ham offered. He was in the employ of William C. Osgood in Norwich in the meat business from No- vember, 1858, till the early part of 1862. From 1862 to 1867 was engaged in mercantile business at H. N. WALES. South Windham and Wil- limantic, being a member of the firm of Webb & Wales. From 1867 to 1873 was in the employ of George H. Norman, con- tractor, of Newport, R. I., in superintending the construction of public water-works in Waterbury, Conn., New Bedford, Medford, Charlestown, and Lowell, Mass. In 1873 and 1874 was employed by the city of Manchester, N. H., as superintendent of the construction of their water-works. In 1875 and 1876 was employed by Frye & Kitridge, con- tractors, of Lowell, Mass., to superintend the con- struction of a portion of the Boston water-works. In 1887 he returned to Willimantic, and engaged in the pork-packing business two years; then entered the employ of Hyde Kingsley of Willimantic, dealer in lumber, coal, and building supplies, as bookkeeper and manager; continued in that capac- ity until 1882; from March, 1883, acted as his busi- ness agent by power of attorney till his death in February, 1886. Mr. Wales occupied the position of town clerk and treasurer in 1880, 1882, 1883, and 1884. Was elected clerk and treasurer of the Natchaug school in 1883, and has continued to hold the office since. He was elected in borough meeting chairman of a committee to ascertain the best method of introducing water in the borough of Willimantic in July, 1882; also chairman of a com- mittee to draft a charter for the introduction of water and petition the general assembly for such charter. In 1883 he was elected water commis- sioner for three years from January 1, 1884. Was appointed postmaster by President Cleveland De- cember 19, 1885; took possession of the office Jan- uary 1, 1886, and served four years and two months, to March 1, 1890. He was elected judge of probate for the district of Windham November 4, 1890, and still holds the office. In these numerous and varied positions of public trust Mr. Wales has made a record of honorable, faithful, and able service, to
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