USA > Connecticut > Representative citizens of Connecticut, biographical memorial > Part 23
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Another sphere of activities in which Mr. Gay's abilities and character shone with peculiar lustre was that of politics. He was one of the original members of the Republican party, when it was founded in 1854, and that party held his allegiance until his death, or rather the principles for which the party stood, for Mr. Gay was far too independent a character to follow save where his reason and judgment led. He was always active in local affairs, and his voice was one of the most influential in the local Republican councils. The party was not slow in realizing that Mr. Gay's prominence and universal popularity would make him the strongest available candidate for
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many offices within the gift of the State. He was nominated and duly elected six times to represent the town of Winchester, in the State Legislature, serving in that body from 1875 to 1877, and later in the years 1879, 1885 and 1889. His well known mastery of the banking situation in the State caused him to be placed upon the legislative committee on finance, where he served as chairman, during his last term.
Mr. Gay was married, May 20, 1857, when twenty-three years of age, to Charlotte E. Watson, a native of New Hartford, Connecticut, where she was born January 8, 1835, and a daughter of Thomas and Emeline (Curtis) Watson, of that place. Mrs. Gay, who survives her husband, is a member of a well known Connecticut family, which migrated from England to that colony sometime prior to 1644, in which year the name of John Watson appears in the Hartford records as a juror. To Mr. and Mrs. Gay was born one child, Mary Watson Gay, born June 19, 1860, died August 25, 1901 ; married Dr. Edward L. Pratt, a prominent physician of Winsted. Their son, Henry Gay Pratt, who was born May 25, 1891, graduated from the Winsted High School when eighteen, then spent a year traveling abroad, then entered Colby College and graduated from there June, 1914, and is now a student in the University of Law, at Boston, Massachusetts.
Upon the personality of Henry Gay no clearer light can be thrown than that contained in the phrase he used to employ to describe his work in life, "making rough ground smooth." And let it be quickly admitted that there are few more noble functions. His appearance bore out well the implication contained in the words. The kindly, great hearted gentleman is disclosed in his genial smile and level, candid eyes, the man who knows the world too well to entertain an intolerant thought for his fellows, the man who would do what he could to render the paths which we mortals tread more easy, who would make "rough ground smooth" as well as he might. He possessed great business capacity, and was looked up to for his advice by all his asso- ciates in that world, but there are many of whom this may be said; he was of unimpeachable integrity in all the relations of life, but so are many men. What gave him his especial distinction was that charitable outlook upon life which is shared by but few of us, that milk of human kindness which made him ready to listen to all men high and low, because they were men, and con- sequently his brothers, which made him lend a helping hand to so many and make the ground smooth for all who associated with him. There was scarcely a department of life in the community which did not feel his death a very real loss, each in its own way missed him, from the family of which he was so beloved a member to the community at large, every member of which had something to feel grateful to him for, even if it were only the most casual contact with a personality which irradiated good cheer. For over fifty years Mr. Gay was a member of the Second Congregational Church of Winsted, and during the entire time he was active in the work of the congregation. His religion was a very important factor in his life, and it was that true religion which, not content with occasional profession, be- comes part and parcel of the daily life.
henry Austin Botsford
A HISTORY OF the lives of well known men of the State of Connecticut would be incomplete did it not contain a record of Henry Austin Botsford, late of Hartford, Connecticut. As a man and as a citizen he displayed a personal worth and an excellence of character that not only commanded the respect of those with whom he was associated but won him the warmest personal admiration and the staunchest friend- ships. With a mind and heart deeply concerned with the affairs of life, the interests of humanity in general, and those problems bearing upon the wel- fare of the race, he nevertheless possessed good business capacity and pro- vided well for his family, becoming a highly successful man in the accepted sense of the term of gaining wealth. Aside from his business affairs, how- ever, he found time for the championship of many progressive public meas- ures, recognized the opportunities for reform, advancement and improve- ment, and labored effectively and earnestly for the general good. Mr. Bots- ford was a descendant of an old Connecticut family.
His father, William Botsford, was born in that State, and was the owner of a farm at Watertown, which he sold, purchased one in Salisbury, and lived on that until his death. He married Fanny Baldwin, of Litchfield.
Henry Austin Botsford was born on the homestead in Watertown, Con- necticut, April 23, 1821, and died on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1895. He was very young when he removed to Salisbury with his parents, and received his school education in that town. This was the usual one of a farmer's son in those days, which meant that he attended the district school for a short period each winter, and devoted his entire time during the summer months to the cultivation of the farm. Later he became a clerk for his brother, who conducted a store in the State of New York. Returning to his native State in 1851, he purchased and conducted a large hotel at Falls Village, and lived there three years. He was deputy sheriff of Litchfield county, Connecticut, for ten years; sheriff four years, succeeding the late General Leverett W. Wessels; tax collector for a time; and held other public offices. During the Civil War he was appointed assistant provost marshal of the Fourth Dis- trict, by Governor Buckingham, and was stationed at Bridgeport, Connec- ticut, under Henry Wessels. His next occupation was that of running a stage line between Litchfield and East Litchfield. He was the proprietor of two hotels, and the conduct and management of these consumed so much of his time that he sold his stage route to George Kinney, one of his employees. Mr. Botsford also had important banking interests at Falls Village, being a director of the village bank, and it was one of his greatest pleasures to assist young men just starting out in life. He lived in Winsted until 1872, when he removed to Hartford, Connecticut, with the interests of which city he was identified until his death. He established himself in the hay and grain business, entering into a partnership with Smith, Northam & Robin- son, the firm name being changed to read H. A. Botsford & Company, and
Henry A. Botsford.
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he shipped the first car load of dressed beef in New England. November I, 1875, Smith, Northam & Robinson disposed of their interest in the business to Clarence B. Ingrahanı, the firm becoming Botsford & Ingraham, and re- mained so until 1882, when it was changed to Botsford, Ingraham & Swift, by the admission to partnership of G. F. Swift, of Chicago, and E. C. Swift, of Boston. For several years the firm conducted business at the foot of Windsor street, but about 1900 abandoned the hay and feed department and removed to Church street because of the superior shipping facilities of this location.
Mr. Botsford had a number of other business interests. He was a director in the Charter Oak National Bank and the Connecticut Western Railroad Company ; had been a director in the Loan & Guarantee Company of Connecticut, at Hartford ; a member of the Board of Trade and of the Merchants' Exchange. The Young Men's Christian Association had his cordial support, and he gave liberally of his time as well as of his means. While he continued to give his political support to the Republican party, he never held public office in Hartford. For many years he had been a regular attendant at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church. His fraternal mem- bership was with St. Paul's Lodge, No. II, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Litchfield, Connecticut. He was a great lover, and a fine judge, of good horses, cattle, etc., and he always had many valuable horses in his stables. He had traveled extensively, had been a keen observer, and could talk very entertainingly of what he had seen. He was an affectionate and devoted husband and father, and in spite of the important nature of many of his business transactions would never allow any business matter to interfere with any arrangement he had made for the pleasure of his family.
Mr. Botsford married, May 30, 1850, Hannah Holmes, who died Janu- ary 28, 1901, a daughter of Reuben and - - ( Krains) Holmes, of North East, Dutchess county, New York. One child blessed this union, Mary Baldwin, to whom we are greatly indebted for the information she has furnished, and who resides at 121 Sigourney street.
Following are copies of resolutions adopted at the time of the death of Mr. Botsford, which show conclusively the high esteem in which he was held:
At a meeting of the directors of the Charter Oak National Bank, held Monday, April 15, 1895, the following action was taken regarding the death of Henry A. Botsford :
We have learned of the death, after a long and painful illness, of Mr. Henry A. Botsford, one of our associates, and we now place on record the estimation in which we held his character as an associate, friend and citizen, and his services as a director. Mr. Botsford was punctual and faithful in the discharge of the duties of his position, candid, considerate and discriminating in his judgment. His disposition was genial and kindly, his bearing patient and quiet, his friendship of great value. He was a man to be trusted implicitly. We greatly regret that the association so highly esteemed is now broken.
At a special meeting of the Retail Marketmen's Association of Hart- ford, held April 15, 1895, it was voted:
Whereas, in view of the loss we have sustained by the death of Henry A. Botsford, who in the course of many years of business association we have come to regard as a
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kind and sympathetic friend in trouble, a faithful counsellor in business matters and at all times an honorable Christian gentleman, and of the still greater loss sustained by those who were nearest and dearest to him, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is but a just tribute to the memory of the departed to say that in regretting his removal from our midst, we mourn for one who was in every way worthy of our respect and regard.
Resolved, That we sincerely condole with the family of the deceased, on the dispen- sation with which it has pleased Divine Providence to afflict them, and commend them for consolation to Him who orders all things for the best and whose chastisements are meant in mercy.
Resolved, That a delegation from this association attend the funeral services and that we close our places of business from two to four o'clock P. M. on Tuesday.
Resolved, That this heartfelt testimonial of our sympathy and sorrow be forwarded to the family of our departed friend by the secretary of this association.
Charles ting
Charles King
T HE DEATH of Charles King, or Deacon Charles King, as he was familiarly known, on June 9, 1913, caused the loss to Hartford, Connecticut, of one of its most honored citizens, a patriarchal figure who for many long years was identified with all that was best and worthiest in the life of the com- munity. He was a member of the old King family of Enfield, Connecticut, his parents being Seth and Marcia (Bugbee) King, who spent the greater part of their lives in Hartford, where the father was connected with the Aetna Fire Insurance Company for a period of over forty years. His wife's family, the Bugbees, were of old Vermont stock, both families bearing an enviable reputation in the several communities of their residence. A son of Seth King, William H. King, following in his father's footsteps, became connected with the Aetna Company, and finally was elected vice-president thereof.
Charles King was born May 8, 1825, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, but while still a little child went with his parents to live in Hartford, which subsequently formed his home during the remainder of his active life. He attended, for a time the excellent public schools of the city, but at the age of fifteen years left his studies and turned his attention to the serious busi- ness of life. He secured a position with Smith, Bourne & Company. now Smith & Weathington, dealers in saddlery and leather goods, and there learned the business in all its detail, his aptitude and capacity for hard work making him highly valued by his employers. He received rapid promotion at their hands, and in due course of time was admitted by them into part- nership. He continued as a member of the firm until the year 1870, when he severed his connection with the concern and went west for a time. He stayed in Chicago for a few weeks, being in that city during the great fire, and then returned to Hartford and bought out the business of William Phillips, a dealer in stoves, furnaces and tinware generally. The store was on Main street, next door to the old Fourth Congregational Church, and Mr. King did not alter the location, remaining there for a period of fully twenty years, during which time the business prospered greatly under his capable management. His business policy was of a nature to gain and secure the best type of trade, as he always put the very best quality of work and material into his jobs, living up to the spirit as well as the letter of his con- tracts. After twenty years of most deserved prosperity, he retired entirely from active business, having made a prominent position for himself in mer- cantile and commercial circles in Hartford. In 1898 he built the handsome residence in which he died, and which is still the family home, on Windsor avenue, one of the finest residential districts in the city. Mr. King was a deeply religious man and one who gave much of his time and attention to the cause of his church. He was for many years a member of the Windsor Avenue Congregational Church, and was indeed a charter member, being
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one of the prime movers in the founding of the church in the year 1870. Four years later he was elected deacon, an office he held during the rest of his life. He was always active in the work of the congregation, serving in the Sunday school as a teacher and generously contributing to the support of the many benevolences and philanthropies connected with the congrega- tion. He was not of that type of Christians who are content with a profes- sion of their faith once a week, but rather strove to translate his beliefs into the terms of everyday conduct and make them a practical guide in life. In this task he succeeded well and whether it was in the realm of business or the more personal relations of life, he was in all things and at all times a staunch and upright Christian man.
Mr. King was married, June 17, 1850, to Maria C. Olmsted, of Enfield, Connecticut, a daughter of Norton and Clarissa M. (Allen) Olmsted, of that place. To Mr. and Mrs. King were born five children, as follows: Emma M .; Charles O .; George Allen, married Harriet Cleveland, who bore him two children, Dorothy C. and Louis C .; Sarah Adelaide, became Mrs. Isaac Bragaw, of Hartford, and the mother of six children, Allan C., Charles K., Alice K., Emma K., Mary A. and Louis K .; Louis Henry, who died at the age of twenty years.
Though not a native of Hartford, Mr. King was one of the most familiar and most honored figures in the life of the city. He added to the rugged and simple strength of his character, the graces and amenities most potent in winning men's affections, without sacrificing any of the former virtue. It was through his own unaided efforts that he won his place in the world, yet despite the ability to mingle successfully with his fellowmen, he found his chief happiness in his family circle, and the hours he most enjoyed were spent by his own hearth. He was greatly devoted to nature and the great outdoors in all its aspects, and was especially fond of flowers.
It seems appropriate to end this sketch with a quotation from the "Little Minister," the periodical published by the Windsor Avenue Congre- gational Church, of which Deacon King had been so long a member. On the occasion of his death, "The Little Minister" says in a special article :
The passing from us of Deacon Charles King, on June 9, after a lingering illness, has left our entire church family mourning the loss. To realize that he has gone beyond returning and that we are still to press forward in the life and work of the church he so much loved and to which he gave his life and thought, brings a sense of great and solemn loneliness and grief.
He has stood for this church in all its life and activities, having been a charter member in 1870. He was first elected a deacon in 1874, serving in that office until the day of his death.
He was a teacher in the Sunday school for many years. A number of our promi- nent members were boys in his classes and remember gratefully his teachings and earn- est interest in their spiritual welfare.
He was not given to the spectacular, but to the quiet, steady service of every day work and helpfulness.
His was an unswerving loyalty and quiet fervency of spirit, which acted as the patriarchal head of the spiritual forces of the church life, yet lacked nothing of the busi- ness interest and ability without which even the church would be stranded, and fail to reach its best development.
We remember with delight the occasions when his voice has been raised in the dis- cussion of ways and means, and his words of wisdom and strength carried the lagging
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courage over the hard places where lack of faith had made stumblings and hesitations. He had the courage and power of conviction.
We shall miss his earnest and uplifting prayers in the family gatherings when he took us with him up to the very throne of God in the petitions which seemed made up of each individual's longings for the better way and the closer walk with God.
We shall miss his friendship. That sincere interest in the life and action of those about him, and the fund of quiet humor which made him an interesting and interested factor in every gathering of family sociability and in every social function of the church.
We shall miss that enthusiasm which kept him young even to the ripe old age of eighty-eight years, and which inspired us all to renewed effort from year to year to bring the church up to its fullest capacity for Christian service in this community.
We shall miss his comings and goings, but shall continue to feel his presence among us; the spirit of his consecration and love will go on still, blessing and cheering and help- ing, since he belongs by right of character and life among those of whom it has been said "They shall not see death." He has lived well, and will continue to live in the lives of those with whom he came in contact.
To his family we would extend our most heartfelt sympathy and love in this time of separation and grief. May the God of him who has gone before, continue to bless, guide and comfort their households of faith and hope.
So be our passing The task accomplished and the long day done,
The wages taken, and in the heart Some late lark singing. Let us be gathered to the quiet west
The sundown splendid and serene.
John Stanley Parsons
T HERE HAS ALWAYS been a tendency to associate together the names of places and the men who lived there, especially in olden times when the one was often transferred to the other, especially in the case of men and families being called after those places in which they made their homes. This was doubtless natural in consideration of the long periods of time that families would remain in one place or district, until they had, as it were, taken root. It is interesting to note that much the same tendency, though not carried so far, is to be discovered in a modern com- munity, in which families have a tendency to long residence, so that in New England are found families closely identified with certain localities and thought of in the popular mind as almost a part and parcel of them.
The old Connecticut family of Parsons is an example of this, the repre- sentatives of which for generations have made their home in the town of Unionville in that State until to mention the name Parsons anywhere in the region suggests the place and its environs. Luther T. Parsons was a man of prominence in Unionville during the early decades of the past century, tak- ing part in the affairs of the community and making himself much respected and admired. He was the owner of a three hundred acre farm on the edge of the village, in the direction of Farmington, where he followed the manly and wholesome occupation of agriculture, making an ample living, without ever becoming wealthy. He held many positions of trust in Unionville and three times represented it in the Connecticut State Legislature. His wife was a Miss Louisa Bull, a member of another old Connecticut house, and both of them lived and died on the farm, he at the age of sixty-eight and she when seventy-two years old. They were the parents of thirteen children, one of whom was the father of the gentleman whose name heads this article. They were Martin L., Mary, Prescott, Charles, Edgar, Julius, Sarah, An- toinette, all of whom are deceased, and Cornelia, Julia, Frances, Kate and Alice.
Martin L. Parsons, the father of John Stanley Parsons, was born on his father's fine farm of three hundred acres, where his childhood was spent in healthy labor. Later in life he entered business for himself, and through his own efforts developed a large contracting and building trade, in connection with which he also kept a lumber and general merchandise store. His busi- ness prospered greatly and he erected some of the largest and handsomest buildings in the vicinity. His wife, who was Miss Georgia A. Thompson before her marriage, is still living in Unionville.
John Stanley Parsons, the second son of Martin L .. and Georgia A. (Thompson) Parsons, was born August 2, 1863, in Unionville, and there passed his childhood and early youth in acquiring an education in the local public schools. He was naturally a bright, earnest lad, and made the best of his advantages, and would doubtless have succeeded in any career which opportunity had opened to him. As it was, upon leaving school, his father
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employed him in his own flourishing business, the youth quickly mastering the details and making himself in all respects very useful. He also learned the trade of carpenter, and some time later went to Mount Vernon, New York, where there was an excellent position awaiting him. He did not remain in that city for a great while, however, as his father offered him a partnership in his business if he would return to Unionville in 1888. This offer the young man accepted at once, and he thus became connected with the business in which he was to continue during the remainder of his life. After the death of the elder man, Mr. Parsons continued to run both the contracting end of the business and the store, in partnership with a younger brother, L. A. Parsons. This partnership was finally dissolved by the pur- chase of his brother's interest by Mr. Parsons, after which he continued the sole owner until his death. Under the very able management of Mr. Par- sons both departments of the business thrived greatly, and he erected a great number of buildings in the rapidly growing region of Unionville and the adjacent country side. Upon the death of Mr. Parsons, September 5, 1908, the business passed into the hands of two of his brothers, L. A. Parsons, who had already been connected with it, and Guy R. Parsons, who have continued it successfully down to the present time.
John Stanley Parsons married, July, 1882, Alice Latimer, a daughter of Amon and Lucia Amanda (Case) Latimer, of Simsbury, Connecticut, where Mr. Latimer was regarded as one of the most substantial and pros- perous farmers in the neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons were the parents of three children, as follows: Edna L .; Ward C., who married Cloffie M. St. Cyr, and is now a resident of Unionville; and Robert E., who married J. Marie Swanston, and resides in Unionville. Mr. Parsons is survived by his wife and children. During his life he constructed a very handsome dwell- ing for himself and family situated on Farmington avenue, Unionville, and this is now occupied by his sons, Ward C. and Robert E. Parsons and fami- lies, Mrs. Parsons, Sr., having built another handsome residence for her own use since her husband's death, which she now occupies.
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