USA > Connecticut > Illustrated popular biography of Connecticut > Part 41
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sessor, member of the board of relief, since 1865 as school visitor, and for many years as justice of the peace and notary public. He also occupied a seat in the Connecticut legislature in the years 1866 and 1867, also in 1883. In his legislative experience he has served on committees of claims, state prison, and agriculture, three times as chairman.
In July, 1848, Mr. Terrill was married to Miss Almira O. Ferrin, also of Morristown, Vt., sister of Hon. W. G. Ferrin of Montpelier, Vt. Their child- ren are three sons and two daughters, all of whom are living at the present time. By temperament, mental structure, and inheritance, Mr. Terrill is a republican. His father supported James G. Birney and successive candidates of the liberty party until it grew into the republican party in 1856. Mr. Ter- rill's first national vote was cast for Van Buren and Adams in 1848; also for J. P. Hale in 1852. In re- ligious conviction and association he is a Methodist. He has occupied various responsible positions in this church, and at present is a trustee. He is also a supporter of the principle of prohibition of the liquor traffic.
ALEXANDER SEMPLE, BROAD BROOK (EAST WINDSOR): Agent Broad Brook Company.
The subject of this sketch is a remarkable illus- tration of the strength of purpose which is so often found in " self-made men." He was born at John- stone, Renfrewshire, Scot- land, on the 8th day of May, 1835, and is descend- ed from the family of Lord Semple (1560), of the an- cient family Semple, Bar- ons of Elliestoun (1214), on the father's side, and from the Buchanans of the family of the distin- guished reformer and Latin poet, George Bucha- nan (1506), on the mother's. His parents were in hum- ble circumstances, and be- ALEXANDER SEMPLE. yond the plain rudiments of an English education Semple had no advantage over the other boys of his native town. Like them he had to contribute to the income of the household, and at an early age went to work' learning the business of a weaver. At the age of thirteen years he emigrated to New York state, finding employment in a cotton mill. Seeing an opportunity to better himself, he secured work as a weaver in the woolen mill at Warehouse Point; then was engaged as loom fixer in the mills at Broad Brook. In this place and position he determined to seize every opportunity in which to become a manufacturer, little thinking that years hence he would be called upon to take the manage-
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ment of the same concern. After a few years sojourn at Broad Brook he removed to Dracut, Mass., thence to Amesbury, thence to Windsor, Conn., and thence to Lee, Mass. During these changes he was mastering one after the other the details of the business, and in 1862 was engaged by the Globe Woolen Mills, Utica, N. Y., as their superintendent and designer, which position he creditably filled for seven years. At the end of this time he was engaged by the Broad Brook com- pany as their mill manager, in which position he is widely known as one of the most successful manu- facturers in the United States, his goods more than holding their own in the most fastidious mart. He entered a woolen mill at the age of thirteen years, and has worked continuously ever since, a period of forty-three years. He is proud of his persever- ance, and to this inestimable quality he attributes his success in life. His mind is quick and penetrat- ing in its perceptions, and his directness of action, combined with his insight and force of character, would make a man of real worth among any people.
GEORGE H. HOYT, STAMFORD: Banker.
George H. Hoyt is a prominent citizen of Stam- ford and has served three terms in the general assembly of the state. He was first elected to the house by the democrats in 1876. In 1881 he was chosen for the second time and was returned again in 1885. He made many friends in the state during his legislative career. He occupied the office of burgess for six years in Stamford and has served on the board of education for five. He is a vestryman and G. H. HOYT. treasurer in St. John's Episcopal church at Stam- ford and holds a prominent place socially in the community. Mr. Hoyt is the president of the Stamford Savings Bank, vice-president of the Stamford National Bank, director and treasurer in the Stamford Water Company, member of the board of managers of the New York Transfer Com- pany, and a director in the Stamford Safe Deposit Company. He was connected with the New York & New Haven road from 1857 until 1873, when he resigned to devote his entire attention to the bank- ing business. The wife of Mr. Hoyt, who was Miss Josephine E. Bailey prior to marriage, is liv- ing. There are also two children. Mr. Hoyt was born in Stamford, December II, 1838, and was educated in the public and private schools of that town and of Darien.
JOHN MILTON NEWTON LATHROP, FRANK- LIN: Farmer.
Mr. Lathrop was born in Franklin, May 20, 1830, and is a direct descendant of the Rev. John La- throp, who came to this country from England in the Mayflower in 1634, settling first in Scituate, and afterwards in Barn- stable, Mass. The spell- ing of the name has un- dergone various changes, the early records showing it to have been Low- throppe, again Lou- throppe, and later, La- throp, as at present, John Louthroppe of England being the great-grand- father of the Rev. John J. M. N. LATHROP. Lathrop, above men- tioned. Israel Lathrop, the third in the line of de- scent from the Rev. John Lathrop, was born in 1687, in what was then called Norwich East Farms; afterwards, in 1786, being incorporated as the town of Franklin. He married in June, 1710, and about this time settled on the eastern declivity of Blue Hill, in the southwestern part of the town of Frank- lin. Just how much land Israel possessed is not known, but there are about one hundred acres orig- inally owned by him which is now held by his lin- eal descendants, having never been deeded, but in- herited from generation to generation to the pres- ent time, and a part of which is now owned by the subject of this sketch. Ezekiel, the son of Israel, and the grandfather of Mr. Lathrop, born Sept. 5, 1724, fought throughout the Revolutionary war, his death occurring at his home in 1796, from the ef- fects of the exposure and hardship endured therein, leaving his family without support, no aid from the government in the way of pensions in those days being possible. James, the son of Ezekiel, and father of our subject, completes the lineage, he be- ing born February 27, 1789, in Franklin, on a part of the old ancestral estate. John M. N. Lathrop received his education in the district schools of his native town, and at the Phillips academy, Andover, Mass. He has generally been engaged in the busi- ness of farming, and has been twice married. First to Lydia Eliza, daughter of Samuel A. Gager of Bozrah, now deceased, and by whom he had one son, Charles Edwin, born in 1855, now living in East Orange. N. J .; and second to Lucretia, daugh- ter of Col. J. S. Hough of Bozrah, now living, and by whom he has had two children, one born in 1882 and the other in 1887. Mr. Lathrop has no military record, the family being represented in the war of the rebellion by his only brother, who gave up his life in the service, leaving the surviving son no al-
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ternative but to remain at home to care for the aged parents and the homestead. Mr. Lathrop has held about all the offices in the gift of the town, in- cluding those of first selectman, grand juror, asses- sor, and collector, retaining them all at the present time, with the exception of that of selectman. He also represents his town in the legislature at the present session, being a republican in politics. His life has been spent almost entirely at home, where by his energy, and integrity, and other sterling qualities, he has won the confidence and esteem of all his fellow-townsmen. He is a member of the Bozrah Congregational church, New Concord Soci- ety, and of the Farmers' League.
HENDRICK HUDSON WILDMAN, NEW FAIR- FIELD: Farmer and Road Contractor.
H. H. Wildman was born at New Fairfield, March 25, 1830, and has always resided on the old homestead and farm where he was born. He at- tended the district school until twelve years of age, and afterwards until six- teen was a pupil at Peck's academy and a boarding- school in his native town, working Saturdays and on all spare moments daily while at the acade- my, but always keeping up with his classes. From sixteen until he became of age he was employed on his father's farm. The H. H. WILDMAN. two years following he worked at farming and jobbing, and in 1853 com- menced farming for himself, alternating it with teaching district school winters in his own and ad- joining towns. He taught on the old " boarding 'round " plan for upwards of twenty winters, which proved a great aid to him in studying human nature. For six years, from 1870 to 1876, he was contractor and superintendent of all the town's poor of New Fairfield. In addition to his farm and other labors since 1877, he has been contractor for the repair of the town highways, and he is generally considered " a good road-maker." For the last twenty-five years he has had considerable practice as counsel in the justice courts of his own and ad- joining towns, although not a lawyer by profession. There is rarely a legal trial in his vicinity in which, if not sitting as judge, he is not employed on one side or the other; and he often acts as assistant counsel at the higher courts. He is acknowledged to be "a good associate " by all the professional lawyers of Fairfield County. Mr. Wildman has been a member of the board of school visitors since 1857, most of the time acting visitor and examiner,
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and now chairman of the board. He has been justice of the peace since 1861, registrar of voters ever since the office was created, auditor of town accounts for sixteen years; has held the offices of constable and collector of taxes, has been a mem- ber of the board of relief, has served as a grand juror in the United States court, and quite fre- quently in the superior court and court of common pleas in his own county. He represented New Fairfield in the general assembly in 1863, 1879, and 1885, taking an active part in the debates of these sessions, in which he was characterized as " a per- fect sledge-hammer" by Hon. Henry B. Graves. In his legislative experience he has rendered effect- ive service in debate, as well as in committee work on the educational and state prison committees.
Mr. Wildman is a member and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church; a member of Samari- tan Lodge, No. 7, I. O. O. F., of Danbury, having passed or holding the offices of conductor, treasurer, secretary, V.G., N.G., and P.G., and is a mem- ber of the Grand Lodge of the state. In politics he is a democrat, generally taking an active part; has been a member of the town committee thirty years, most of the time its chairman; also has been on county and senatorial committees several times. He was married Oct. 17, 1852, to Miss Eveline Pearce, daughter of Matthew L. Pearce of New Fairfield, who died in 1885. He has not again married. He has two sons and two daughters liv- ing - one daughter and both sons married. The elder son, Hendrick H. Wildman, Jr., is now con- stable of the town, having been elected the first time the day after he became twenty-one years of age, and continuously re-elected ever since.
STREET WILLIAMS, WALLINGFORD: Farmer.
Mr. Williams was born in Wallingford, July 9. 1833, and was educated there in the public and private schools, and at the State Normal School at New Britain. He has spent his life in agricul- tural pursuits since attain- ing his majority, and has made farming a success in the best sense of the word. He was married in 1864 to Miss Julia A. Blackman of Huntington in this state, an estimable companion and helpmate, who is still living, and to whose advice and cooper- ation he attributes much of his happiness and suc- STREET WILLIAMS. cess in life. He has filled various town and school- district offices for many years, and is now, and has been for five years, assessor of the town. He has
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been from his youth a member of the Episcopal church of Wallingford; has served for a long term of years as treasurer and vestryman of the parish, and superintendent of its Sunday-school. Politi- cally, he is an ardent republican.
NELSON ADAMS, NEW HAVEN: Merchant and Manufacturer.
Mr. Adams is a direct descendant of the colonial Adamses of Massachusetts, and was born in Hub- bardston, Worcester county, July 6, 1831. As a scholar in the public school of the place, he had few equals. At seventeen years of age the chair factories of Gardner, Mass., were the first at- traction, but more purely mercantile pursuits were his desire; and, with no introduction or assistance, he found employment first in the Bacon works, near Boston, and next NELSON ADAMS. held a responsible place in the stock yards of Brighton, which led to the business of dress- ing and curing Provisions for the markets of Fitchburg and vicinity. Then going to New Haven in 1856, and adding Bone and Fertilizer business, followed that line of trade and manufacture to the present time, having been thirty-eight consecutive years in business, depending only upon his own re- sources. During that time he has been honor- ably connected in his line of the manufacturing business in several cities, including New York, Hartford, Bridgeport, and Springfield.
An active, busy life must of necessity attend these various interests, requiring a fair degree of judg- ment to keep the several mercantile trusts entirely solvent during so long a period. Mr. Adams might be classed as an expert in his lines of trade and manufacture, no one in the state -- probably few in New England - having been for longer time or in a more familiar way connected with that industry. That he has been a busy man may be inferred from the fact that never since he was twenty-two years old has he been a day without business of some kind. When he was twenty-four he built and owned a house free and clear, without financial assistance from anybody. He has always relied upon himself financially, and has never had a just debt that he was not ready to pay when asked to, or before.
In character Mr. Adams is of a pronounced type, as were his ancestors; and in habits, more natural than acquired, has an inherent disfavor for nar-
cotics and their like. He has owned and driven horses from youth, and has a good word for them, and for their more considerate treatment; also a kind act and word for the helpless among all crea- tures. He takes an interest in the work of the Humane Society, having been a member of the Connecticut society since it was chartered.
In 1868 he married Jennie E., daughter of Thomas P. Dickerman of New Haven. They have had three children, one son and two daugh- ters, but one of whom, a daughter, is living. Mr. Adams is one of the directors of the New Haven Co-operative Savings Bank and Loan Association, and one of its incorporators, it being the pioneer association of its kind in the state. He has always held republican principles, and voted that ticket, but has never favored receiving political or local office, yet taking a lively interest in the affairs of the country and in local enterprises. He has had con- siderable coast-wise traffic by water, and his library contains quite a large volume of canceled bills of lading. In all Mr. Adams' transactions it has never been said the dollar was the all-absorbing thought of life, and it may be added that he is more than willing to refer all inquiry as to his past or pres- ent dealings to his partners in business in each of the above-named cities who may be living at the present time.
JOHN ADDISON PORTER, POMFRET: Jour- nalist, Editor " The Hartford Post.".
John Addison Porter, eldest son of Professor John Addison Porter, first Dean of the Sheffield Scien- tific School of New Haven, and of Josephine Earl Sheffield, a daughter of the founder of the school, was born in New Haven, April 17, 1856; was edu- cated at the Hopkins Grammar School of that city, and at Yale Univer- sity, from which he was graduated in the class of 1878. After leaving col- lege, Mr. Porter studied law in Cleveland, Ohio, but afterwards entered journalism. He has been connected in various J. A. PORTER. capacities with the New Haven Palladium, Hart- ford Courant, New York Observer, New York Tribune, and other newspapers, and has written many articles for the principal magazines, including the New Englander and Century. He has also been a contributor to " Appleton's new Cyclopedia of American History," and is the author of several monographs and books.
In 1884 Mr. Porter removed his residence from
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New York city to Washington, D. C., and for two years there conducted a book-publishing business. During a session of congress he served, by appoint- ment of Senator Platt, as clerk of one of the sen- ate's special committees. During the past five years Mr. Porter has resided with his family at Pomfret, Conn., excepting when occupied with business in Hartford. In 1888 he purchased an in- terest in The Hartford Evening Post, and became its managing editor, and in 1889, having bought a majority of the stock of the Evening Post Associa- tion, he became the editor-in-chief. The Hartford Post continues to be a vigorous and progressive exponent of sterling Connecticut and national re- publicanism. Mr. Porter was elected first repre- sentative from the town of Pomfret in the autumn of 1890, and during the following session of 1891 was one of the leaders of the party, serving as a member of the house committee on canvass of votes for state officers, and as house chairman of the committee on education.
Mr. Porter was married, December 20, 1883, to Miss Amy Ellen Betts, daughter of George F. Betts, a prominent lawyer of New York city. They have had two children; the first, Constance Elaine, a very promising child of four years, died in June, 1889; the second, also a daughter, was born March 7th of the present year.
CHARLES H. SMITH, UNION CITY (NAUGATUCK) : Postmaster.
Mr. Smith was born in Milford, December 16, 1844, and received a public school education, pre- paring him for a successful business career. He remained on the farm un- till he reached the, age of eighteen, when he be- came a clerk in a Water- bury dry-goods establish- ment, remaining in that place for three years. He then accepted a position with the dry-goods firm of Wilcox, Hall & Co. of New Haven, where he continued in business un- til 1871. During that year he established, in compa- C. H. SMITH. ny with F. L. Andrew of Naugatuck, a general store at Union City, the firm being Andrew & Smith. In 1877 Mr. Smith pur- chased the interest of Mr. Andrew, and has since managed the business himself, meeting with suc- cess and accumulating considerable property. He has been the postmaster at Union City since 1879. He has also been actively associated with the Nau- gatuck board of selectmen. He is a member of Shepherd's Lodge, No. 78, F. and A. M., of Nauga-
tuck, and also belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Smith has a wife and one son. The former was Miss Ella A. Andrew prior to to her marriage. In politics Mr.Smith is a republican.
CHARLES W. LOUNSBURY, DARIEN: Mer- chant.
Mr. Lounsbury was born at Eddyville, Ulster county, in the state of New York, in 1842, and the same year moved to Norwalk, Conn., with his parents. The first twenty years of his life were spent in Norwalk, Wilton, and New Canaan. At the lat- ter place he learned the tin and stove business. He was educated at the public schools in the two places first named, and in the twenty-first year of his age enlisted in Com- pany A, Seventeenth regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, as a private, C. W. LOUNSBURY. for three years, or during the war, at Norwalk, August 11, 1862. In June, 1864, on account of disability for active service, he was by general order of the war department de- tailed to serve in the medical purveyor's depart- ment at Baltimore, Md., where he remained two months after he was mustered out, which was at Baltimore, August 28, 1865. In the following year he took up his residence at Darien, where he opened a tin and stove store, later on adding other goods, in which business he is still engaged. In 1868 he was married to Miss Torrington of the city of Bal- timore, Md., and they have three children, two sons and one daughter. Mr. Lounsbury has been a resident of Darien for twenty-five years, and for more than twenty years has held various public offices in that town. He was first elected con- stable, then school committee and treasurer of his district, and has served on the town school board. He has acted as administrator and executor of various estates; has twice been appointed commis- sioner by the probate court, and once as a superior court committee, covering a period of six months' service. He has been for twenty years the princi- pal trial justice of his town; has twice been the republican nominee for the legislature, and is now a notary public. He is a member of the South Norwalk Baptist church; also of the Odd Fellows and the Masonic fraternity. He enjoys a reputa- tion among his townsmen for strict honor and in- tegrity in all his dealings, and in his official capac- ity his duties are always performed with absolute conscientiousness and a determination to treat every man and every cause with impartial justice.
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PLINY JEWELL, HARTFORD: President Jewell Belting Company.
The name of Jewell is a distinguished one among the honorable names of the sons of Connecticut, both living and dead; and its mention revives always the recollection of our late lamented Gover- nor Marshall Jewell, than whom no citizen of the state was in life more honored and beloved, or in death more sincerely lamented. Pliny Jewell, the subject of the present sketch, and an elder brother of the late Gov- ernor Jewell, is a descend- ant in the eighth genera- PLINY JEWELL. tion from Thomas Jewell, his first American ances- tor, who was a native of England, and emigrated to America about 1639, settling in Boston. Pliny Jewell, the second son of Pliny and Emily (Alex- ander) Jewell, was born at Winchester, N. H., September 1, 1823, which ancient town appears to have been the birthplace and residence of the Jewell family for several generations. Pliny Jewell, senior, carried on business as a tanner in New Hampshire for many years. He was an active member of the Congregational church, and was politically identified with the old whig party, by which he was elected several times to the state legislature. In 1845 he removed to Hartford, Conn., continuing the tanner's trade, to which he added the manufacture of leather belting. He was associated in this business with two of his sons, in- cluding the subject of this biography, from 1848 onward until his death in 1869, under the style of P. Jewell & Sons. The present Pliny Jewell is now the sole survivor of the original firm. He was at different dates joined by his two brothers, Lyman B. and Charles A., the firm continuing under the old style until its organization as a joint stock cor- poration, April 16, 1883. The old factory on Trum- bull street is still occupied, but it has been greatly enlarged and new structures added, until the plant is now one of the largest of its kind in the country, leading nearly every other similar establishment in the extent and volume of its business. There have been developed from this industry the Jewell Belt Hook Company, the Jewell Pad Company, and the Jewell Pin Company, Pliny Jewell being a stockholder in and president of all these corpora- tions. He is also a director of the Hartford Na- tional Bank, and the Travelers Insurance Company, and a trustee in the Hartford Trust Company. His whole active life has been spent in the leather business, with all the details of which he is intelli-
gently familiar, and in which he has been very suc- cessful. Mr. Jewell is a republican of the stalwart kind, having been one of the original organizers of that party in this state, and since prominently iden- tified therewith. His religious connections are with the Pearl Street Congregational church and society. He is one of the vice-presidents of the Hartford board of trade, and a member of the Hartford Club.
Mr. Jewell was married, September 5, 1845, to Miss Caroline Bradbury, and they have two child- ren: Edward Jewell, born January 26, 1847, now residing in Boston; and Emily Maria Jewell, now Mrs. Walter Sanford of this city.
LYMAN B. JEWELL, HARTFORD: Vice-President Jewell Belting Company.
The subject of this sketch was born in Winches- ter, N. H., August 29, 1827. Following the univer- sal New England custom, his parents kept him in the district school summer and winter until fifteen years of age, where he acquired a solid prepara- tion for the active duties of life. After leaving school he was variously employed during the re- maining years of his minority, and ultimately engaged in the dry-goods commission business, which he followed in New York and Boston for six- L. B. JEWELL. teen years, from 1856 to 1872. During this period, in January, 1858, he married Miss Charlotte Williams of Boston. In 1873 he removed to Hartford, and became associated with his brothers in the firm of P. Jewell & Sons, now the Jewell Belting Company, of which he is at present a director and the vice-president. Since his residence in Hartford he has become connected, officially and otherwise, with various industrial and financial corporations. He holds the vice-presi- dency of the four incorporated industries which have developed from the parent house of P. Jewell & Sons, namely, the Leather Belting Company, the Pin Company, the Belt Hook Company, and the Pad Company; and is treasurer of the Detroit Leather Company, which is practically an offshoot of the Hartford establishment. He is also a director in the Phoenix Insurance Company, the American National Bank, and the Southern New England Telephone Company, and a member of the Hart- ford Club. His political connections are with the republican party, and in church affairs he favors the Episcopalians.
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