USA > Connecticut > Illustrated popular biography of Connecticut > Part 58
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three years, he resigned and bought out the South- ington Reporter, now the Southington Phenix. In 1876 he gave up newspaper work and was ap- pointed treasurer of the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Company, which office he has held ever since. He was a member of the legislature in 1875, and again in 1887 and 1888. Has been a selectman, and for fifteen years chairman of the board of school visi- tors in his native town, and for twenty years a dea- con of the Plantsville Congregational church. He is now treasurer of the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Com- pany, and also of the Southington & Plantsville Electric Tramway Company.
In 1855 he married Ellen A. Hobart, daughter of John M. Hobart of Southington, who died in Octo- ber, 1888; has reared three children, one son and two daughters.
WASHINGTON SMITH, CANTERBURY : Black- smith and Wagon-maker.
Washington Smith was born in Canterbury, Jan- uary 10, 1834, and received a common school edu- cation. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed at the blacksmith's trade, and within a year after completing his time he purchased the business. In 1870 he was obliged to give up the more burden- some part of the business on account of impaired health. Ten years later his son became associated with him under the firm name of W. Smith & Son, resuming the blacksmith- WASHINGTON SMITH. ing department in con- nection with the branch of wagon-making which he had carried on in the interval from 1870. Mr. Smith has spent the whole of his business career in Canterbury and is highly esteemed in that community. He has been often solicited to take office, but has steadily re- sisted the appeals of his townsmen in that direc- tion. On one occasion, however, he accepted the position of justice of the peace. He is a member of the Congregational church, occupying the posi- tion of society's treasurer for twenty years, and is also connected with the Golden Cross, Knights of Pythias, and Helping Hand societies. He was married when twenty-three years of age, his wife being Miss Mary A. Brown of Jewett City, who is still living. There have been four children. Of these, one son, Charles F. Smith, died in 1885, at the age of twenty-two; and one daughter, Mary E. Smith, died in infancy. A son, George W. Smith, and a daughter, Ruth K. Smith, still survive.
NATHAN TROWBRIDGE PULSIFER, MAN- CHESTER.
N. T. Pulsifer was born in Newton, Mass., Octo- ber 27, 1851, and was educated at the Newton High and Grammar schools. He has at different periods of his life resided at New- ton, New York city, and at Manchester. He has followed the business of paper-making, and is, in addition, interested in electric manufacturing. He is treasurer of the Oakland Paper Company, general manager of the Mather Electric Com- pany, and president of the Lawson Valentine N. T. PULSIFER. Company of New York. His energetic business methods have won for him the esteem and confi- dence of his fellow-townsmen, who have shown their appreciation of his ability by electing him president of the Manchester Board of Trade. He is looked upon as one of the leading business men in the paper trade in the state. He is connected with the Congregational church. In politics he is a republican, but more interested in business than in politics. He is a member of the Hartford Club, the New York Electric Club, and of the Connecti- cut Sons of the American Revolution. His wife was Almira Houghton Valentine, of New York city, and he has two children.
EDMUND WILKINSON, GREENWICH: Manufac- turer.
Mr. Wilkinson was born in that portion of Pom- fret which was included in Putnam, when that town was incorporated by the legislature in 1855, the date being October 12, 1815, and was educat- ed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. His grandfather, father, and uncles from Rhode Island built at Putnam, in 1806, the first cotton mill erect- ed in Connecticut, and Mr. Wilkinson, the sub- ject of this sketch, con- tinued the business until 1868. His efforts in se- curing the incorporation of Putnam, the plans be- EDMUND WILKINSON. ing inaugurated in 1849, were of great importance. At first the idea was strenuously opposed, the op- ponents of the measure winning the victory in four-
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different sessions. But in 1855 Mr. Wilkinson and his associates bore away the palm. The justice of the cause has been proved time and again since, the town of Putnam having become one of the most prominent centers of trade and industry in eastern Connecticut. Mr. Wilkinson was also an earnest supporter of the New York & New Eng- land line, and was instrumental in establishing the National and Savings banks in the town. He has been actively interested in the Merrick Thread Company, and has spent a portion of his life in France in connection with his business. His wife, who is not now living, was Miss Harriot Augusta Thayer before her marriage. There are four sons living. Mr. Wilkinson is a member of the Episco- pal church, and in politics a republican.
TRACY PECK, NEW HAVEN: Professor of the
Latin Language and Literature in Yale College. Tracy Peck, twelfth child of Tracy and Sally (Adams) Peck, was born in Bristol, May 24, 1838. His direct male ancestors since Paul Peck, who came to Hartford with Rev. Thomas Hooker in 1636, have lived and died in Hartford county. He prepared for college at the Bristol Academy, and at Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass., and graduated at Yale in IS61, the valedictorian of his class. After gradua- tion he desired to become a soldier in the civil war, but, dissuaded by the TRACY PECK. state of his health, he went to Europe, for nearly three years residing and studying, mainly in Germany, Italy, and France. On his return he taught mathematics and Latin, four years as tutor in Yale and one year in the Chickering Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio. He
was professor of Latin in Cornell University from IS71 till ISSo, since which time he has held the same position at Yale. He has been greatly interested in the movement to restore to Latin its ancient pronunciation, writing several articles in its sup- port and introducing the reform both at Cornell and t Vale. He has contributed many papers to various critical, educational, and philological peri- odicals. With Professor C. L. Smith of Harvard College, he is editor-in-chief of a new series of an- notated Latin books for college use, of which series four volumes have already appeared. Since ISS3 he has been a trustee of Williston Seminary. He was president of the American Philological Asso- ciation for ISS5-86. He is a member of the Con-
gregational church, and in politics is an indepen- dent.
December 22, 1870, in Plymouth church, Brook- lyn, N. Y., he married Miss Elizabeth II. Ilall of Hadleigh, England, by whom he has a daughter (Teresina, born Nov. 9, 1872) and a son (Tracy, born April 1, 1874).
REV. JAMES M. PHILIPS, ANDOVER : Baptist Clergyman.
James Monroe Philips was born at Griswold, Conn., February 24, 1818, and was educated at the Plainfield Academy and Suffield Literary Institute. His younger days were spent in Plainfield. When seventeen years of age he began teaching school, and taught twelve terms with excellent success. In 1844 he was settled as pastor of a Baptist church in Russell, Mass., where he was ordained in 1845. He has held pastorates in Noank, Mystic, Greene- ville, Niantic, Clinton, Easton, and Willington, J. M. PHILIP'S. covering a period of forty years, all but three of which were spent in Connec- ticut. Since ISS5 Mr. Philips has been living in Andover, as he says, " on the invalid list." Rev. Mr. Philips has been a tremendous worker in his field, performing what would now be regarded almost as impossibilities. He has preached 3,800 sermons, conducted as many prayer-meetings, and officiated at some 300 funerals. In the early part of his ministry it was common to preach three times on Sunday, frequently during the week at school-houses, and almost invariably at funerals. In addition to his duties in the ministry, he has been acting school visitor in Groton, East Lyme, Russell, Mass., and a member of the school board of Norwich when he was settled as pastor in Greeneville. He is an earnest prohibitionist, and even at his advanced age takes a keen interest in the movements of the prohibition party. He was married to Joanna M. Fish of Voluntown, Decem- ber 9, 1845. She died in 1878, and Mr. Philips was again married September 9, 1879, to Rosetta P. Adamis of Colchester, who is still living. He has never had any children. Rev. Mr. Philips is well known and sincerely beloved by his denomination in the state, and has many friends in all religious connections. His ministry has been a very able and successful one. In connection with his labors there have been precious and blessed revivals of religion. He is a man of intellectual attainments
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and spiritual power, and held in the highest esteem by his associates in the ministry: a man of clear judgment and fine executive ability. He has served as moderator of the Stonington Union and New London Baptist associations; also as clerk of both bodies. His record is a most worthy one.
CHARLES PAGE, NORTH BRANFORD: Town Clerk and Congregational Minister.
Charles Page of North Branford was born in that town May 21, 1839. He received a thorough edu- cation, pursuing his studies at the Guilford Insti- tute, the Normal school at New Britain, and at the Yale Theological Sem- inary. In 1859 he com- menced teaching in the public schools, devoting his attention to this avo- cation winters, and work- ing on the farm during the summer. This method was continued until 1870. He was chosen a member of the CHARLES PAGE. board of school visitors in 1862, and held the posi- tion continuously for twenty-one years. He was chosen justice of the peace in 1870, and remained in office until 1887. In 1871 he was elected town clerk, treasurer, and registrar of births, deaths, and marriages, and has held these offices from that date until the present. In 1874 he represented the town of North Branford in the general assembly, his colleagues in the house being the Hon. Allen Tenny of Norwich, School Fund Commissioner Jeremiah Olney of Thompson, E. S. Day of Col- chester, Edwin A. Buck then of Ashford, Colonel Charles M. Joslyn of Hartford, J. Dwight Chaffee of Mansfield, F. W. Bruggerhoff of Darien, ex- Congressman George M. Landers of New Britain, ex-Senator T. M. Maltbie of Granby, ex-Speaker William C. Case, Lynde Harrison of New Haven and Charles Durand of Derby, Tilton E. Doolittle of New Haven, and ex-School-Fund Commissioner Henry C. Miles of Milford. The experience in a house composed of such leaders of public thought and policy was invaluable. Mr. Page studied theology at the Yale Theological Seminary in New Haven, 1882-1885, attending lectures daily, and reciting with the class. He was licensed to preach Sept. 30, 1885, by the New Haven East Associa- tion, and has occupied pulpits in his locality as op- portunity has presented itself. In politics Mr. Page is a republican. His wife, who is still living, was Miss Elbertine A. Dudley before marriage. There are three children in the family.
WILLIAM C. PIKE, STERLING: Town Clerk.
William Campbell Pike was born in Sterling, September 4, 1832, and was educated at the Plain- field academy and at the Smithville seminary in Rhode Island, preparing him for an active and in- fluential business life. He has been the town treasurer of Sterling, and represented that town in the legislature during the session of 1887, serving on the republican side of. the house. He is an ac- countant by avocation, and is connected with the Sterling Dyeing and Fin- ishing Company. He
W. C. PIKE.
holds the office of town clerk of Sterling. During the time that he held the responsible position of town treasurer, and while holding the office of town clerk, his duties have been performed with intelligence and fidelity, and in a way to secure the approbation of the entire town. He is held in high public esteem in eastern Connecticut. Mr. Pike is without a family.
T. R. MARTIN, WATERBURY : Superintendent Waterbury Brass Company.
Thomas Richards Martin was born in New York city, April 27, 1839, and received a common school education. He was advanced from the bench to his present position in 1881. He was a member of the council board in Waterburyfrom 1883 until 1889, and has since been a member of the board of aldermen. He has also been a police commis- sioner since 1884, and is a popular public official. In politics Alderman Mar- tin is a republican. He served with merit during the war, advancing from T. R. MARTIN. the ranks to the captaincy of Company D, Fifth New York Volunteers. He enlisted as a member of Company D of this regi- ment in April, 1861, the command being known as Duryee's Zouaves, and was mustered out in 1863 on account of expiration of term of service. Since the age of thirteen years Superintendent Martin has been dependent upon his own energies for suc- cess. He has resided at Haverstraw. N. Y., Rah- way, N. J., Brooklyn, New York city, and Phila- delphia, being in the latter city from 1870 until
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1874. For the past sixteen years he has lived in Waterbury. He is connected with the Episcopal church, and is a member of the order of Odd Fel- lows in Waterbury. His family consists of a wife and two daughters. The former was Martha M. Freeman prior to her marriage with Commis- sioner Martin.
DAVID PLATT, WEST HAVEN: Agriculturist.
David Platt was born in Naugatuck, Conn., De- cember 5, 1830, his father, Nathan Platt, having moved from West Haven, his native place, to that town a short time before. In the spring of 1831 his parents returned to West Haven, where nearly all of Mr. Platt's life has been spent, and where he now resides. He is the fourth child of a family of ten, six brothers and four sis- ters, all of whom are liv- ing. His ancestors were active in the revolutionary war and the war of 1812. An uncle of his on his mother's side built at his DAVID PLATT. own expense the war-ship The Wasp, used in the latter war. In early youth Mr. Platt manifested that energy and intelligence which have character- ized him through life. In 1852, having been at- tacked by the "gold fever," which was then so prevalent, he journeyed to California to try his fortunes in mining there. After two years he left California for home, carrying with him not huge nuggets of gold, but a sum of money sufficient to give him a start in life in the east. In 1856 he married Miss Melissa Shenehon of New Haven. They have three children, all daughters. He pur- chased in 1857 the place in West Haven upon which he now resides. This place is beautifully located on Long Island Sound. The lawn is well shaded by fine elms and maples, and there grows among them a grand old cedar tree, dear to the family be- cause that Mr. Platt's father in his boyhood, hav- ing been sent to clear a wood-lot, spared a sturdy little cedar that gave promise of being unusually fine, and this is the tree on his son's grounds, with- out doubt the largest cedar in Connecticut. Mr. Platt is a representative New Englander, a man of sterling business integrity, one whose " word is as good as his bond," of great energy and keen in- sight. Above all this, he is emphatically the poor man's friend. No wayfarer ever goes hungry from his door, and to many a man endeavoring to make some headway in the world has he extended a help- ing hand. He is himself what is termed a " self-
made man," having been thrown upon his own re- sources in boyhood, and having made for himself, if not a fortune, at least a competency. He has been mainly engaged in agriculture, and in that pursuit is well known as a practical and successful man. He is a very young looking and appearing man for his years, with a shrewd, intelligent face, lighted up by fine dark eyes, which seem to read one's thoughts, they are so bright and searching, although very pleasant in their expression. In politics he is a Jeffersonian democrat, and is a faithful and carnest worker for the success of the democracy in all its departments. He is a public- spirited man, and has served his town in various offices, having been for many terms upon the board of selectmen. He has not represented his town in the state legislature, his party having been in the minority; but he has had the honor of the nomina- tion a number of times. The republicans now have a majority of over one hundred; still in last Novem- ber's election Mr. Platt was a candidate for repre- sentative, and made a fine run, being defeated by the small number of six votes. But, although he has not been an active member of the legislature, he and several of his fellow-townsmen have worked zealously in different sessions of that body for their town's good in the settlement of several legal claims and disputes, and their efforts have met with success.
FRANK W. ETHERIDGE, THOMASTON: Judge of Probate.
The subject of this sketch was born in Montville, Conn., March 31, IS58, and was educated in the High school at Hartford, in which city he resided for several years, prior to ISSO. In ISSo he was ad- mitted to the bar after a thorough course of study in the office of Johnson & Prentice, and soon after removed to Thomaston, where he is now connected with the law firm of Brad-
strect & Etheridge. He has been prominent in public life in Thomaston, serving as clerk of the probate court from its or- ganization in that district F. W. ETHERIDGE. in 1882, until he was elected judge of that court in IS90. He is a member and secretary of the board of education and of the board of health of the town, and is a justice of the peace and assistant town clerk. Judge Etheridge is a republican, taking an active part in the affairs of the party, and devoted to its principles. He is a member and one of the
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trustees of the Methodist church, and is connected with the fraternal organizations in Thomaston, be- ing a member of Franklin Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Thomaston, and of Columbia Encampment of the same place. He married Ellen Mathews, and has four children. Judge Etheridge is looked upon as one of the rising young men of the western part of the state.
WASHINGTON R. GARDNER, WATERFORD: Farmer.
Mr. Gardner was born at Waterford, March I, 1842. His elementary education was acquired at the district schools in his native town, to which in later years was super- added an academic course in the Bartlett high school in New London. MT Gardner has descended from choice New England ancestry, his paternal and maternal progenitors hav- ing been men of note and identified with the early history of the state. They were all residents of New London or Newport for W. R. GARDNER. many generations, as is determined by tracing back through the genealogy for over two hundred years. His father, the late Henry Gardner, 2d, was the esteemed postmaster of Waterford for thirty years. The present residence of the widow of Mr. Henry Gardner, known as the " old Bulke- ley tavern stand," was bought in 1832, and has re- mained the family homestead to this day. In 1861 Mr. Gardner married the youngest daughter of Gurdon T. Chappell, Esq., a gentleman of note in Waterford, and who at least once (in 1857) represented that town in the legislature. The ma- ternal grandfather of Mrs. Gardner, Griswold Avery, Esq., was evidently a prominent figure in the early history of Waterford. He was a justice of the peace at the time of the incorporation of the town in 1801, and in that capacity warned its first town meeting, of which he was appointed the mod- erator. Afterwards, in 1806-7, he was elected rep- resentative to the general assembly. His son, Gris- wold Avery, 2d, succeeded him in 1808, and Charles Avery, a brother, in 1815-16-18. Others of the family have from time to time held positions of trust within the gift of their townsmen, including frequent elections to the legislature. The roll of representatives, as recorded at the state capitol, discloses the interesting fact that during the last century Mr. Gardner's family has been represented by one or another of its members, in the legisla- ture, no less than twenty-eight times. Mr. Gard-
ner is a democrat in politics, inherited from father and grandfather, of the Jacksonian type, and a pro- nounced advocate of temperance. His first elec- tion to the position of a legislator was in 1882, when his majority was greater than the entire vote of his opponent. His re-election the succeeding year was a still greater triumph, inasmuch as he received the total vote, not only of his own party, but of the republicans, who at their caucus indorsed unani- mously the democratic nominee. This action was chiefly attributable to the satisfactory record of Mr. Gardner on the prohibitory amendment before the legislature in 1883, which received his active sup- port. Mr. Gardner is at present a justice of the peace for the town of Waterford, and a member of the board of relief. He carries on the farm upon which he resides, the homestead of Rev. Gurdon T. Chappell, deceased, and additionally is engaged more or less as a carpenter and builder. He has discharged the duties of all public positions to which he has been called with singular fidelity, and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents.
REV. GEORGE M. STONE, D.D., HARTFORD : Pastor of Asylum Avenue Baptist Church.
Dr. Stone is the son of Marvin E. and Hannah (West) Stone, and was born at Strongsville, Ohio, December 10, 1834. He commenced a business life at an early age in Cleve- land, but shortly after united with the Second Baptist church in that city, and changed his plans for life, deciding to take a course of study preparatory to the Chris- tian ministry. He spent some months at Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Mass., in 1854, and then entered Madison (now Colgate) University, at Hamilton, N. Y., and G. M. STONE. graduated in 1858. His theological course was also taken at the Hamilton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Stone's first settlement was in Danbury, Conn., where he was ordained in September, 1860. The next year he married Miss Abbie B. Seeley, daughter of Deacon Nathan Seeley of the Danbury church. His pastorate in Danbury continued seven years and was highly prosperous, the last year an accession being made to the church of over ninety members. A failure of health at this time led him to seek a change of climate, and he removed to Minnesota in September, 1867, becoming pastor of the First Baptist church in Winona, serving this church for two years. In 1870 Dr. Stone was called
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to the charge of the Jefferson Street Baptist church in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1872 he received the hono- rary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the Chicago University. After a pastorate in Milwaukee of three and a half years, he returned to the East and was settled with the Baptist church in Tarry- town-on-Hudson, N. Y., in September, 1873. Dur- ing his residence here, a beautiful new stone church edifice was erected. Dr. Stone gave special atten- tion during this pastorate to the public reading of the Bible, occasionally devoting a whole service to the simple reading of the Scripture without com- ment. In June, 1879, he accepted a call to the Asylum Avenue Baptist church in Hartford, Conn., which pastorate he still holds (1891), after a period of twelve years. Dr. Stone has made three tours to Europe ; the first in 1862, the second in 1882, and again in 1889, the latter including a visit to Turkey, Italy, Egypt, and Palestine. In 1884 a journey was made by Dr. Stone through the Yel- lowstone National Park, an account of which was given in a series of letters to the New York Exam- iner. He also went to Alaska in 1886. Dr. Stone has lectured extensively upon various subjects, no- tably his journeys, with stereopticon views on Alaska, Constantinople, and Palestine. He has rendered efficient service in Sunday-school insti- tutes, the especial line in which he is particularly suggestive and fresh being in methods of Bible study. His studies in the public reading of the Bible, which had been continued for several years previously, were gathered together in 1890 in a vol- ume entitled, " The Public Uses of the Bible ; A Study in Biblical Elocution." This book, now is- sued by A. D. F. Randolph & Co., New York, has received the highest commendations from the press and from Christian ministers and teachers. Dr. Stone has been a prolific writer for the press, in which branch of activity he is still constantly en- gaged. He was elected chaplain of the house of representatives of the Connecticut general assem- bly in 1883, and re-elected in 1884.
A recent notice in the New York Herald makes mention of Dr. Stone in these words: "A few weeks since, one of the most prominent churches in that centre of the great empire of the West, Minne- apolis, invited him to their pastorate, but he has decided to remain in his present position, to the great satisfaction of his church and the entire state. His counsel is eagerly sought in all local and state moral and educational and religious work, and he is ever at the front in all movements for the good of men, holding positions in all the important boards of the denomination. In the pulpit he is an attractive, forceful preacher, and his utterances are always marked by sweetness of spirit, keenness of analysis, breadth of view, and the persuasiveness of one who loves his fellow-men."
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