USA > Connecticut > Illustrated popular biography of Connecticut > Part 67
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68
HON. MICHAEL J. HOULIHAN, NEWTOWN: Hotel Proprietor.
Michael J. Houlihan is a native of Newtown, where he was born January 7, 1858, and educated at the common schools and academy. He has al- ways been a resident of Newtown, and has fol- lowed the business of ho- tel keeping, his hostelry being one of the best known in southwestern Connecticut. He has held the esteem of his fellow- townsman to a great de- gree, having been town clerk since ISS7, registrar of voters, clerk of the pro- bate court, representative in the lower house of the M. J. HOULIHAN. legislature in ISS5, and senator from the district in I891. During this lat- ter term he was chairman of the labor committee and of the committee on military affairs. Mr. Houlihan has always been a democrat, and for the
last three campaigns has been upon the state cen- tral committee of that party, and during the cam- paign of 1890 was on the executive committe, rep- resenting Fairfield county. His wife was Annie M. Slavin, and he has two children. He is prominently connected with the Knights of Columbus, the For- esters, and the Brotherhood of Elks. He is in re- ligious belief and membership a Catholic. Mr. Houlihan is one of the most popular men in the democratic wing of the senate. He is proverbial for his hospitality, which was very gracefully ex- tended to his colleagues of the senate at a recep- tion held by him at his hotel in Newtown last Feb- ruary, and greatly enjoyed by his distinguished guests.
WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, ANDOVER: Farmer.
William B. Sprague of Andover represented the twenty-third senatorial district in the state senate during the session of 1889, being chairman of the important committees on agriculture and labor. 1n both of these positions his services were of great value to the working classes. He is a republi- can in politics, and has held important local of- fices, including that of first selectman and town agent. He is one of the trustees of the Storrs Agricultural School, and a member of the building W. B. SPRAGUE. committee, and superin- tended the building of the new school buildings which were built in 1890. He is also superintend- ent and treasurer of the Andover Creamery Company. Ex-Senator Sprague is a member of the First Ecclesiastical society in Andover. He is the owner of Maple Grove Farm, and is the master of the Andover Grange. His business pur- suits have required him to travel extensively through the south and west. He was formerly connected with the newspaper advertising depart- ment of the firm of Dr. J. C. Aver & Co. of Lowell. Mass. The senator was born in Andover, May 6, 1849, and was educated in the public schools and at the Natchaug High school in Willimantic. His father was Benjamin Sprague, who represented the town of Andover in the legislature in 1857; and the Rev. Dr. William B. Sprague, for forty-one years the pastor of the Second Presbyterian church in Albany, N. Y., was his uncle. He was formerly a resident of Manchester, living in that town for four years and a half. He was married Nov. 19. 1872, to Miss Lizzie S. Lathrop, who is still living.
S
366
AN ILLUSTRATED POPULAR
T. W. HANNUM, HARTFORD: Principal of Han- num's Hartford Business College.
T. W. Hannum was born in central New York,
town of Preble, Cortland county. His parents were born in New England, his father in Massachu- setts, his mother in Con- necticut. His father, though not a college graduate, taught school while a young man, and also evening classes in singing. He was one of the earliest abolitionists, and at one time was the only one in the town where he lived. When the subject of this sketch was ten years old, the 'T. W. HANNUM. family moved to the ad- joining town of Homer, where he grew to early manhood, attending the common school summer and winter, until he was sixteen, and winters only, afterwards, for two or three years. In the public schools he was specially commended for his improvement in penmanship when the committeemen came around on their annual tour of examination. Being skillful in mak- ing and mending the quill pens that were formerly in use, he had considerable of this part of the teach- er's work to do. The last two years before he was of age he was engaged in mechanical work with his father, who was a fine mechanic, and was paid wages during his twenty-first year. While thus en- gaged, every newly-planed board offered an invita- tion to indulge his taste for penmanship, which he accepted, and with chalk or pencil covered its sur- face with off-hand letters.
In those days he attended evening singing schools, and readily learned to read music. While at his daily work he used to indulge his fancy by seeing himself, in imagination, as a teacher of sing- ing schools and leader of choirs, which was after- wards realized to some extent. At this time he also undertook the construction of a violin, but gave it up for want of proper facilities. These things are mentioned as showing how the dreams of youth are often prophetic of what is realized in later years. About this time he became a Chris- tian, and joined a Congregational church. Hav- ing a desire to extend his education as a means of usefulness, he started, with money that he had earned, in company with the son of a neighboring abolitionist, for New York Central College, an in- stitution that had been recently founded, at Mc- Grawville, upon anti-slavery principles, and on the same plan as Oberlin College. This classmate was M. E. Cravath, who afterwards became a minister, and later president of Fisk University. The
principles and spirit which brought the college into existence werc naturally shared by the stu- dents who were drawn to it, who were of an un- usually thoughtful class. Among them was a tal- ented sister of Gen. J. R. Hawley. While in attendance at the college he found time to take les- sons in instrumental music and in penmanship, two branches in which he felt an especial interest. At vacation he extended his lessons in penmanship by taking what was called a teacher's course. He made such proficiency in the art that at the end of his course he went home to instruct neighborhood classes in penmanship. In his morning class were sisters of F. C. Carpenter, who has since become famous as the painter of " Lincoln and his Cabinet." To the evening class came loads of young men and women riding in lumber wagons, with their hay racks on, as they had been used in the fields during the day.
On his return to college he was employed by the faculty to instruct students in the preparatory de- partment; at the same time he instructed others on his own account, by which he more than paid his college expenses. After a year and a half at the college, finding that the change from physical exer- cise to the confinement of study was impairing his health, he decided to give up attendance at the col- lege and do what good he could in the world as a teacher.
While at the college, and in vacations, he had given lessons in vocal music, which he thought to make his life work, in preparing for which he after- wards spent a good deal of time and money. But finding himself adapted to teaching penmanship, and successful in it, he continued in that work. Early in his experience as a teacher he found a way to relieve students of rigidness in the arm, wrist, hand and fingers, which has proved invaluable to hundreds of business men. After teaching a few years in some of the large villages and small cities of southern and western New York, finding that in each place where he taught he had to contend with the influence of incompetent and unprincipled teachers who had preceded him, he decided to lo- cate in some city large enough to sustain a teacher continuously, and chose Hartford as the city. Here he opened a school for instruction in penmanship alone, at first, afterwards was associated with teachers of other commercial branches, and was en- gaged as a special teacher in several of the public schools.
About the time of the commencement of the civil war, Bryant & Stratton opened a business college in Hartford, which was a link in the chain of fifty or more business colleges known as " The Bryant & Stratton Chain." Mr. Hannum was engaged to conduct the department of business penmanship and correspondence, and to take charge of the col-
367
BIOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT.
lege paper which was published in the interest of the institution. After a few years Mr. Stratton, who was the traveling member of the firm, died; and just before his death most of the colleges were sold to the resident principals. About this time Mr. Hannum left the college and established what was known as Hannum's Commercial School. The Bryant & Stratton college was discontinued after a few months, leaving Mr. Hannum in sole posses- sion of the field. He was assisted at first in the bookkeeping department of his school by a brother of Judge Carpenter, and was afterwards associated with the late Prof. H. F. Klinger, who was a thorough scholar and capable teacher. In 1876 the school was removed to the new Batterson building, corner of Asylum and High streets, enlarged and changed to a regular business college, which took the name of Hannum's Hartford Business College. Mr. F. A. Stedman, who after five years' experi- ence in business had taken a course at the former school, and developed an unusual talent for book- keeping and mathematics, was employed, first as an assistant, and afterwards became a partner and associate principal. The college had a steady growth from the first, which has been largely in- creased during the last few years. Mr. Hannum is an educator in the best sense of the word. About the time of his coming to Hartford he became acquainted with the principles of Pestilozzian teach- ing, which he has applied, as far as practicable, to his teaching of commercial branches. He draws out the minds of his students and helps them to a true and harmonious development of their powers, and thus assists them to make the most of themselves. He has always taken a great interest in young people who show that they have a purpose in what they do, and a desire to make the most of their opportuni- ties for improvement. Hundreds who are now holding prominent positions got their start by the help of his training. Last year (1890) he delivered the address on "Business Correspondence " at the twelfth annual meeting of the Business Educators' Association of America, held at Chautauqua, N. Y .; this year he is to speak on " First Lessons in Pen- manship," at the same place.
Mr. Hannum is a member of the Fourth Congre- gational church, of which he has been a deacon about twenty years.
When a boy he learned to play the violin, and has always taken much interest in the instrument. In 1874 he saw the late Dr. S. G. Moses making a violin, and said to the doctor, "I wish I could make a violin." The doctor told him he could, and that he would assist him if he needed assistance. With the doctor's help he made one, and while away on a vacation made another. After he had made three or four, the doctor said to him one day, " I have been looking over your last violin, and
have made up my mind that if you continue mak- ing violins you will some day make as good ones as have ever been made." At first the difference in tone of violins which looked alike was a perfect mystery; but he had the patience to work out the problem, point by point, until the making of a first- class instrument was mastered. In spare mo- ments, on Saturdays, and during vacations he has made fifty-three violins. His instruments have attracted much attention and are highly prized by those who own them. One of them was owned by the late G. Edward Bishop, violinist and teacher, who was well known in Hartford; he became so attached to this violin that in his last sickness he kept it within reach on his bed, and at his funeral it was placed upon his coffin. Having made violins as a recreation, and not as a business, his aim has been to make as perfect an instrument as possible, in all respects. In addition to beauty of form, he has succeeded in putting into them that emotional quality of tone which moves the feelings of both player and listener. He carried the same desire for perfection into his violin work that he has always shown in his teaching, and some who have seen his later instruments think the prediction of Dr. Moses is likely to be verified. It has been said, by one who has looked into the matter thoroughly, that only one or two men in a century combine all the quali- fications necessary for the making of a violin that is first-class in all respects. Mr. Hannum had the advantage of a mechanical talent, the use of tools, patience to investigate and caution in working out the results of investigation, sufficient knowledge of the instrument to be a judge of tone, and an eye trained to curves and beauty of form by the work of his profession. He has also had the advantage of examining, from time to time, some of the most perfect instruments of the celebrated Cremona makers, in the collection of Mr. R. D. Hawley of Hartford.
He made the selection of violin wood a careful study, and did not varnish any of his instruments until he had learned the secret of making the finest amber oil varnish, with dragon's blood color incor- porated. , The increase of his business college work now leaves him but little time for work on violins, but he hopes to be able to make one or two a year in vacations.
Mr. Hannum was married in 1859 to Miss Eliza- beth T. Wright, of Elmira, N. Y. There has been but one child, a son, T. W. Hannum, Jr., who is at present in the office of the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company in this city. He inherits musi- cal tastes from both father and mother, is a cul- tured vocalist, and has for some time taken charge of the music at one of our Congregational churches.
By a strictly temperate life. and attention to matters of health, Mr. Hannum has kept himself
red
FP
Ed
368
AN ILLUSTRATED POPULAR
young in feeling and appearance. He was never more active, mentally or physically, than at the time this sketch is written.
O. A. HISCOX, WOODSTOCK : Grain and Lumber Dealer.
O. A. Hiscox was born in Woodstock Valley, August 21, 1854, and received a public school and academic education.
He is the master of Crystal Lake Grange, and is the chairman of the republi- can town committee in Woodstock. He is re- garded as one of the most active young republicans in his section of the state. He has held the offices of justice of the peace, con- stable, and grand juror. In 1883 he was one of the messengers in the House, and in 1886 occupied a O. A. HISCOX. similar position in the Senate. He is the owner of saw and grist mills at Woodstock Valley, and is also engaged in farming. Mr. Hiscox is a descend- ant of the earliest settlers in that locality. His grandfather, Lieutenant David Hiscock, was in the revolutionary army under General Samuel McClel- lan. Mr. Hiscox was married in 1884, his wife be- ing Miss Lillian E. Briggs of Pomfret. He is a gen- tleman of great energy and perseverance, and un- questionably has a successful future before him.
CHARLES PHELPS, ROCKVILLE: Lawyer.
Charles Phelps, who holds the Tolland county coronership, and is the city attorney of Rockville under the municipal government, was a mem- ber of the house in 1885, and served with credit on the judiciary committee. He is a republican in pol- itics, and an influential member of the Tolland county bar. He is at present a member of the state board of examiners for the admission of at- torneys, receiving his ap- pointment from the judges of the superior and CHARLES PHELPS. supreme courts. He is a member of the Methodist church, and a graduate of Wesleyan University. While in college he was a member of the Psi Upsi- lon fraternity, and is now connected with the order of Odd Fellows. The wife of Mr. Phelps, who died
Sept. 30, 1888, was Miss Leila L. Bill, daughter of States Attorney Benezet H. Bill, and niece of Judge Loomis of the supreme court. The father of Cor- oner Phelps was the Rev. B. C. Phelps, a Metho- dist clergyman, who is still living at the age of eighty years. The subject of this sketch was born in East Hartford, Aug. 10, 1852, and has resided at Wethersfield, East Greenwich, R. I., Middletown, and Rockville. He is a gentleman of superior training, and is held in marked esteem by the mem- bers of his profession.
HENRY R. PALMER, STONINGTON: Journalist; on editorial staff of "Providence Journal."
Henry Robinson Palmer is a native of Stoning- ton, and was born Oct. 15, 1867. He is a son of Ira Hart and Harriet Trumbull Palmer, and a direct descendant of Roger Sher- man of Connecticut, who signed the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Federation, and the Constitution. He is a grandson of the Hon. John F. Trumbull, who was well known through- out the state as an anti- slavery and early repub- lican leader. Mr. Palmer is also a nephew of Hon. H. R. PALMER. Henry C. Robinson of Hartford. He is a prohibitionist in politics, and was nominated for secretary of state by that party in 1890. He received the highest vote of any can- didate on the ticket. He has been the president of the Clinton B. Fisk club at Stonington since its or- ganization in 1888, and was the prohibition candi- date for the legislature in Stonington the same year. He is a member of the Second Congrega- tional church in that town, member of the Connec- ticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolu- tion, and of the college Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Mr. Palmer is a graduate of Brown University, receiving his diploma in 1890 a few weeks prior to his nomination for secretary of state. He was chairman, while in college, of the board of editors of The Brunonian, and editor- in-chief of The Brown Magazine, the literary monthly of the university. He was the class poet of 1890, and a speaker at commencement, and his literary qualities are of a superior order. At gradua- ation he was offered and accepted a position on the editorial staff of The Providence Journal, the leading newspaper in Rhode Island, and will probably make journalism his life profession. But few young men in the state possess a brighter future.
BIOGRAPHY OF CONNECTICUT.
369
B. C. PATTERSON, TORRINGTON : Wholesale and Retail Grain Merchant.
Burton C. Patterson was born in Cornwall, Sep- tember 10, 1839, and received a common school edu- cation. He is engaged in the retail and wholesale lumber trade, in addition to his business as a builder and farmer. He was a member of the legislature in 1884, representing the town of Torrington in the house, and is a republican in politics. He has also been a member of the board of selectmen, and is at present the town auditor. Mr. Patterson is prominently associated with the Patrons of Hus- B. C. PATTERSON. bandry, being treasurer of the Mutual Fire Insurance Company belonging to the order, and is chairman of the State Grange executive committee, and State Grange purchasing agent. He is also a member of the United Order of American Mechanics, and is thoroughly inter- ested in the elevation of the working classes. Mr. Patterson has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Hattie M. Beach, daughter of Amzi Beach of Goshen, Conn. The second wife, who is still living, was Miss Annie M. Merwin, daughter of Samuel T. Merwin of New Milford. There is one son by the first wife and two by the second. Mr. Patterson is connected with the Congregational church in Torrington, where most of his life has been spent.
S. H. SEWARD, PUTNAM: Attorney-at-Law.
Major Samuel H. Seward was in the Fourteenth Connecticut regiment during the war and won a most creditable record in the field. He was wounded four times in action, losing his left arm; and after leaving active service in the field, and in recognition of his gal- lantry, he received the rank of major and was assigned to the pay- master's department. He is at present one of the leading members of the Grand Army in eastern Connecticut, and during IS86, and again in 1890, S. 11. SEWARD. was judge advocate of He was born in the Department of Connecticut. Guilford, Conn., April 16, 1835, and was admitted to the bar in New Haven county in 1869. The
most of his professional life has been spent at Staf- ford and Putnam. Since 1885 he has been the clerk of courts for Windham county. In 1881 he represented Putnam in the legislature, winning more than commonly falls to the lot of members during the first session. Ile was an able debater on the floor and his influence was felt from the be- ginning to the end of the legislative proceedings. Major Seward is a descendant of William Seward, who emigrated from England to Lowell, Mass., prior to 1643 and removed to New Haven in 1651. Soon afterwards he settled in Guilford, where the family has been represented from that time till now. The grandfather of Major Seward, Timothy Seward, was a soldier of the revolution. The wife of the major, who is still living, was Miss Sarah M. Watson of Beloit, Wis. There is one son, who is now engaged in business in California, being lo- cated at San Francisco. Major Seward is a repub- lican in politics and a member of the Congrega- tional church.
WILFRED HOPKINS NETTLETON, BRISTOL: Manufacturer of Clock Parts and Sewing Ma- chines.
W. H. Nettleton was born in Waterbury, June 2, IS25. After attendance at the public sehools of Waterbury and Bristol, to which latter place his parents removed when he was twelve years old, he went to work in a elock factory at the age of sev- enteen, engaging to re- main for one year at eight dollars per month and board. After the expira- tion of his apprenticeship he entered into a contract to make certain parts of clock movements. In the execution of this contract he conceived the idea of W. 11. NETTLETON. automatic machinery for making the " pillars," " shafts," and " arbors," and by patience and perseverance succeeded in perfect- ing machines, and obtaining patents thereon, which saved about one-half the labor and performed the work much better than by the old hand method. For many years he supplied nearly all the clock manufacturers in the country with those parts; also with the finer wire-work which regulates the strik- ing part of the clock movement, called " lock- work," using on an average about half a ton of clock wire per day - which will give some idea of the number of clocks made in this country. About the year 1859 he engaged in manufacturing sewing machines in Brattleborough, Vt., with Charles
24
ne a-
joe*
ine the
tor-
-
of
370
AN ILLUSTRATED POPULAR
Raymond, who had been his machinist and inventor for several years. After building up a very profit- able business, he sold out, rather than to leave Bristol and his clock business. Soon after, the sewing-machine business was removed to Guelph, Ontario, where Mr. Raymond has been very suc- cessful, employing two hundred workmen or more. After prosecuting the clock business in Bristol about twenty-five years, Mr. Nettleton sold out, on account of poor health, to George A. Jones, of New York, who removed to Bristol and conducted the business.
Mr. Nettleton is married. His wife was Miss Harriet Newell Tuttle. They have no children. He is a member of the Bristol Congregational church, and of the republican party. He is a director in the Bristol National Bank, and has been since its incorporation. He has social con- nections with the Republican League Club of New Haven and with the Masonic fraternity.
SAMUEL L. BLOSS, BETHLEHEM : Farmer.
Mr. Bloss is a native of Bethlehem, and was born July 1, 1820. His education was in the common and high schools of Bethlehem and Woodbury, and he has followed agri- cultural pursuits. He held a military commission as lieutenant in the cavalry in the old "training days " of 1842-43. He is a democrat, and was ap- pointed a justice of the peace when quite a young man, trying a large pro- portion of the cases in the town. He has been often honored by the S. L. BLOSS. votes of his townsmen, and has held nearly every office in their gift. In 1860 he was a mem- ber of the lower house of the Connecticut legislature, and in 1875 was elected to the state senate. After holding the office of justice of the peace for twenty years, Governor Jewell for- warded to him a commission as notary public, un- sought. He has been a member of the Crocodile Club of Hartford county and its vice-president since its organization in 1876. This is a social club of some 300 members, who meet annually in the early part of September at Compounce Lake, in the town of Southington, for a sheep bake or barbecue. He is also a member of the Legislative Club of 1875. Mr. Bloss has been twice married, his second wife, who is still living, being Mary Tyler of Middlebury. He has five children, one son and four daughters, all living. He is connected with the Congrega- tional church. In politics a democrat.
HENRY E. H. GILBERT, COVENTRY: Merchant and Farmer.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.