USA > New Jersey > Memorial cyclopedia of New Jersey, Volume III > Part 27
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Elizabeth Bailey, married Amos Wood- ward, and had :
William Amos Woodward, married Frances Mary Evertson, and had :
Mary Nicoll Woodward, married Eras- tus Gaylord Putnam.
(Park Ancestry).
Arms-Azure, a fesse chequy argent and gules, between three cinquefoils of the second, and a buck's head cabossed or, in base.
Crest-A sinister hand holding up an open book proper.
Motto-Sapienter et pie.
(Burke's General Armory.)
(I) Robert Park (or Sir Robert, as he has sometimes been called), was born in Preston, England, in 1580. He was a personal friend of Governor John Win- throp, to whom he wrote a letter relative to his proposed journey to New England in February, 1629-30, dated at Easter- keale, Lincolnshire. A copy of the letter is printed in the "Park Genealogy" (p. 25). He sailed from Cowes, Isle of Wight, on the ship "Arabella," March 29, 1630, and landed in Boston on June 17, 1630, living afterward at Roxbury for a time. He returned to England, carrying an order from the colonial government to his son John, probably the first bill of
exchange drawn in America. In 1639 he settled at Wethersfield, Connecticut. In 1649 he moved to Pequot, now New Lon- don, Connecticut, where he lived six years, and then located on lands which he owned on Mystic river, Connecticut. He
*Notes of Terry Families by Stephen Terry, A. M., Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Conn., 1887.
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was given the title of "Mr.," then used years. His will, dated September 5, 1707, only for ministers and men of distinction. > bequeathed to wife Dorothy, children John, Nathaniel, William, Martha, Doro- thy and Alice; grandson Samuel (son of Thomas) and James (son of Robert). He was granted one hundred acres, March 30, 1680. The first services in New London were held in his barn. He was admitted a free- man in April, 1640; was deputy to the General Court in 1641 and 1642 and 1652; selectman 1651. In 1658 he was select- man of Stonington, then Southertown.
He married (first) Martha Chaplin, daughter of Captain Robert and Eliza- beth (Ansty) Chaplin, of Bury, England Her father gave her a dowry of three hundred pounds. He married (second) at Wethersfield, about 1644, Alice Thomp- son, of Preston, England, widow of john. He died at Mystic, February 4, 1664-65, aged eighty-four years. His will is dated May 14, 1660, and proved March 14, 1664- 65, bequeathing to children. William, Samuel and Thomas. Children: Wil- liam, Thomas, mentioned below ; Samuel, mentioned below.
(II) Thomas Park, son of Robert, was born in Preston, England, came with his father to Wethersfield; married Dorothy Thompson, whose mother was the second wife of his father. About 1650 he settled in New London, Connecticut, and became deacon of the church there. Six years later he moved to Stonington. A letter that he wrote from Stonington is to be seen on pages 30-31 of the "Park Gene- alogy" (N. E. Reg. xxxi, p. 176-77, 1877). After residing at Stonington a number of years he moved with his son Thomas, in 1680 or earlier, to the north part of New London, and in 1681 was collector of taxes of New London. In October, 1686. he was one of the petitioners for the in- corporation of that section as the town of Preston, a petition that three sons also signed-Thomas, Nathaniel and John. In 1698 he and his sons, Robert and John, and nine others, formed the church at Preston, and he became the first deacon. He died July 30, 1709, aged about ninety
Children: Martha, born October 27, 1646; Thomas, born April 18, 1648; Rob- ert, mentioned below; Nathaniel; Doro- thy, born March 6, 1652; William, bap- tized 1654; John; Alice.
(III) Robert Park, son of Thomas, was born in New London about 1651. He lived in the north part of Groton, Con- necticut, where he owned large tracts of land. He also owned a farm at Pachaug. For a number of years he attended the church at Stonington, where two chil- dren were baptized. In 1698 he was one of the founders of the Preston church, and afterward attended it.
He married (first ) in Norwich, Novem- ber 24, 1681, Rachel Leffingwell, eldest daughter of Lieutenant Thomas and Mary Leffingwell. She was born in Say- brook, March 17, 1648; (second) Mary Rose, daughter of Thomas, of Norwich. He was a soldier in King Philip's war. Children by first wife : Rebecca, born Sep- tember 7, 1682 ; James ; Joanna, born 1692, married David Rude; by second wife : Hezekiah; Jemima, baptized at Stoning- ton, July 15, 1694; Robert, baptized Oc- tober 10, 1697; Keziah, born at Preston about 1700; Margaret, baptized June 7, 1702, married Benjamin Rockwell; Doro- thy, baptized April 15, 1704, married, May 18, 1725, Thomas Woodward, lived at Preston; Rose, baptized March 30, 1707; Mary, married Enoch Badger. Thomas and Dorothy (Park) Woodward had children: Park Woodward, born March 21, 1726; Joanna Woodward, born February 8, 1729; Hezekiah Woodward, baptized June 20, 1731; Dorothy. born
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November 28, 1734; Jonas, born March . 21, 1737; Mary, baptized June 14, 1741 ; Caleb ; Thomas; Elkanah.
(II) Samuel Park, son of Robert (I), was born in England, and came with his father and brothers to Connecticut. It was one of the conditions of his father's will that his son Samuel should settle on certain land that he gave him. He was a farmer in Stonington, 1672-85.
Children : Samuel; Martha, born June 5, 1674; Robert, mentioned below; Wil- liam, born July 11, 1678; Thomas, born April 11, 1680; Joseph, born January 7, 1682; Elizabeth, married John Bennett.
(III) Robert Park, son of Samuel, was born in Stonington, May 6, 1676; mar- ried Tamsen (Parker) Brumley, widow of Luke Brumley. He was a farmer in Stonington until 1711, when he moved to Plainfield, Connecticut, where he bought land of William Douglas, October 6, 1711, afterwards moving to Voluntown, Con- necticut, where he received land for mili- tary service in colonial wars. He was a lieutenant. He died May 12, 1752.
Children: Robert, born February 2, 1699; John, mentioned below; Martha, September 25, 1703 ; Elizabeth, born Sep- tember 8, 1705; Joseph, born June II, 1708; Deborah, born March 14, 1709-10; Benjamin, born February 12, 1711-12; Jemima, born March 1, 1716-17.
(IV) John Park, son of Robert, was born at Stonington, July 5. 1701. He married Abigail Parish. Children: Tem- perance. born April 30, 1725 : Zilpah, men- tioned below : Abel, born July 18, 1730.
(V) Zilpah Park, born January II, 1728-29, married, March 13, 1746, Park Woodward, and had :
(VI) Amos Woodward, married Eliza- beth Bailey, and had :
(VII) William Amos Woodward, mar- ried Frances Mary Evertson, and had :
(VIII) Mary Nicoll Woodward, mar- ried Erastus Gaylord Putnam.
(Redfyne Ancestry).º
Arms-Argent, a fesse gules between three fleurs-de-lis azure.
Crest-Fleur-de-lis azure.
(I) William Redfin, or Redfen, or Red- fyn, or Redfyne, as it is variously ren- dered in the uncertain orthography of the early records, was probably one of the early emigrants from England to the colony of Massachusetts. The year of his arrival is unknown, but as early as 1639 and perhaps earlier, he occupied a house and four acres of land on the south side of Charles river, about six miles from Boston. He was one of the first settlers on that side of the river. The location can be readily identified and is not far from the foot of Nonantum Hill, on which Eliot, the Indian apostle, a few years later first preached the gospel of Christ to the sachem Wauban and his people. It was near the northwesterly corner of what is now the town of Bridgton, sloping from Nonantum to the meadows of Charles river, and afforded a fine view eastward toward Boston and its vicinity. His dwelling house and land were confirmed to him on the records of the Proprietors of Cambridge in 1642, and the same rec- ords show that in September, 1646, he sold his place to Edward Jackson. Hence- forth his name disappears from Massa- chusetts. With Cary Latham and others of his neighbors, he probably followed the stream of migration which, under the auspices of the younger Winthrop, was now directed from Massachusetts towards the fair river and harbor of Pequot, or as it was afterward called, New London, in the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Colony. But though the first settlement in Pequot was made in 1646, we have no positive evidence of William Redfin's presence there till about 1653. Jonathan Brewster, son of Elder William Brewster, who
* Redfield Genealogy by John Howard Redfield.
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landed at Plymouth from the "May- flower" in December, 1620, one of the earliest settlers at Pequot, had estab- lished a trading house with the Mohegan Indians, at a point on the east side of the river, opposite to their principal settle- ment. At this place (which is still called by his name, Brewster's Neck, and lies upon the north side of Poquetannuck Cove, about seven miles north of the pres- ent city of New London, in the present town of Ledyard), Brewster having ob- tained title from Uncas, the Mohegan chief, laid out for himself a large farm. Here William Redfin built himself a house, probably about 1653, at the solici- tation perhaps of Brewster himself, for on the 29th of May, 1654, Brewster conveyed to him "ten acres of arable land lying at Munhegan, of the plane of said Brew- ster's land and on the north side thereof, etc., with the ground whereon the said Redfin hath built a house, with a small garden thereto belonging, already fenced in." His family at this time consisted of his wife Rebecca, daughters Lydia, Re- becca and Judith ; and son James. Lydia was married in the following year to Thomas Bayley, of New London.
In April, 1657, William Redfin bought of Richard Houghton a parcel of land containing four acres, more or less, with a stone house upon it. This was situated on the western side of the river, north of the present city of New London, west of the present road between New London and Norwich. To this purchase the town added a grant of six acres in the rear, and he probably removed to this new location, which was contiguous to the residence of his son-in-law. His death took place about April or May, 1662, and was prob- ably not unexpected, for in March of that year he had conveyed his house to Thomas Roach, who had married his daughter Re- becca, and on the Ist of April he had pro-
vided for his son by apprenticing him in the trade of tanner.
His widow Rebecca survived him, how many years we know not. In June, 1663, she applied to the town for a grant of a certain piece of land, containing six acres, which was made to her in September of that year. This land she sold in Decem- ber, 1666. The last record of her is in 1667.
We have thus far spoken of this family as bearing the name of Redfin, and so it is written (though with varying orthog- raphy) both in the records of Cambridge, and in the records of New London previ- ous to 1662; but while the family resided in the latter town, the name seems gradu- ally to have assumed the form of Red- field. Whether this was a corruption arising from a carelessness in pronuncia- tion not uncommon at that day, or was a voluntary change, it is not now easy to determine. The evidence of the change is, however, conclusive, and sufficient to satisfy the most cautious and critical an- tiquarians.
Children : I. Lydia Redfin or Redfield, born as is supposed about 1636. 2. Re- becca Redfin or Redfield, born, as is sup- posed, about 1641; married Thomas Roach, at N. W., December 12, 1661. 3. James Redfin or Redfield, born as is sup- posed, about 1646, married, May, 1669, Elizabeth How. 4. Judith Redfin or Red- field, born, as is supposed, about 1649, married. June 17, 1667, Alexander Peygan. (II) Lydia Redfin, or Redfield, eldest daughter of William (I), was married at New London, January 10, 1655-56, to Thomas Bayley, of that town (see Bay- ley). He was a soldier under Lothrop, and was slain by the Indians in the com- bat at Bloody Brook, Massachusetts, Sep- tember 18. 1675. His widow married, in 1676, William Thorne, from Dorsetshire, Old England. It is not known whether she had any children by the latter (Miss
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Caulkins' History of New London, pp. 290-291).
Children (by first husband) : 1. Mary Bayley, born February 14, 1656-57 ; mar- ried before 1684, Andrew Davis, of New London. 2. Thomas Bayley, born March 5, 1658-59 ; left descendants. 3. John Bay- ley, born April, 1661 ; left descendants. 4. William Bayley, born April 17, 1664; left descendants. 5. James Bayley, born September 26, 1666. 6. Joseph Bayley. 7. Lydia Bayley, baptized August 3, 1673; married Andrew Lester.
Marriage of Lydia Redfin and Thomas Bayley .* The entry of this marriage upon the records of New London reads thus : "1655. Thomas Bayley was marryed to Lyddia the daughter of James Redfin, the Ioth of January." That there is a clerical error here, and that for James we should read William, is evident from the follow- ing considerations : Thomas Bayley had a grant of land made him in 1657. In the description of its bounds it is said to lie "over against his father's land at Mo- hegan." This undoubtedly means father- in-law, for frequent instances occur in the same records where the word father is thus used. No other Bayley had any grant of lands at that time. Moreover, when this Bayley grant was afterwards »sold, it is described as being nigh the Red- field land. But no James Redfield or Red- fin had any grant of lands recorded in New London, nor does his name appear as buyer or seller, grantor or grantee of any lands within its bounds. This cor- rection, which is suggested by Miss Caulkins, disposes of the supposed older James Redfield alluded to in her "History of New London," p. 279, and adds greatly to the probability that James, the son of William Redfin, is identical with the James Redfield, afterwards recorded in other places. Miss Caulkins' "History of New London," pp. 290-291.
BENNETT, Volney G., Man of High Character.
The months that have passed since the death of Volney G. Bennett have served to bring home to those who were wont to depend upon his support and counsel in business, in church, and in social life. the severity of the loss his community sustained when, on March 14, 1914, he was called from earthly walks. For more than fifty years he was identified with the lumber trade in Camden, New Jersey, nearly four decades of that time being spent as an independent dealer, first as owner of the Central Lumber Yard, then as president of the Bennett Lumber Com- pany, and during that period gained an extensive business acquaintance in Phil- adelphia, entering also into the social activities of Pennsylvania's metropolis. His position among the leading business men of his city gave him strong and widely spread influence in the world of trade, and this he used in fostering the commercial and industrial welfare of Cam- den, not the least successful of his efforts being in the work of the Board of Trade, of which he was a founder and president. Former business colleagues bear loving and enthusiastic witness of the value of his life in accomplishment and in exam- ple, and in all the paths in which he moved, the memory of his upright, manly character and sterling merit remains firmly fixed.
Volney G. Bennett was a descendant of New England ancestry, Connecticut, the family home, his line being brought to Pennsylvania by his grandfather, Stephen Bennett, who came from Connecticut prior to the Revolution and settled near the present town of Palmyra, Pike coun- ty, Pennsylvania. His wife, Mary Gates, experienced the dangers of the Wyoming massacre, it being she who brought the warning of the Indian attack. They were the parents of eight children, among them
·Redfield Genealogy, page 7.
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**
Halter @ Vliet
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Jared, father of Volney G. Bennett. Jared also for several years treasurer of the Bennett was a farmer, also engaging in Franklin Building and Loan Association. lumbering, and married Esther Killam, who bore him six children.
Volney G. Bennett, son of Jared and Esther (Killam) Bennett, was born on the Pike county homestead, April 9, 1837, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 14, 1914. He was educated in the schools in the vicinity of his home, and until attaining his majority was his father's assistant on the home estate, then leaving home to work out his own career. His first position was obtained in the line to which he devoted his after years, lumber dealing, and he entered the employ of McKeen & Bingham, of Camden, remain- ing with this firm until 1876. On June I, 1876, he began his independent operations as a lumber dealer, his yard located at Second and Cherry streets, and from the first, success attended his transactions. The Bennett Lumber Company, of which Mr. Bennett was president, was the out- growth of the Central Lumber Yard, of which he was the owner, and until his death he carefully and devotedly cher- ished the reputation for fair and straight- forward dealing of the firm that bore his name. The large . business of this con- cern was his personal care, and to it he gave the wise direction that experience alone makes possible, and the standard in all departments of the business, in the mills, in the office, and among the sales force, was as high as the tireless efforts of a man of honor and integrity could make it. His fellows were also the bene- ficiaries of his excellent business judg- ment and forceful energy, and the Cam- den Board of Trade, the city's most use- ful and efficient business organization was largely the result of his vision and crea- tive power. After its organization and the formation of a plan of procedure, he served a term as president, his leadership one of strength and purpose. He was
It is indicative of the kindliness of his manner and the friendly qualities of his personality that he was loved and rever- enced by those who served him and whose interests were very dear to him. He was generous in all things, gave freely of his means, his time, and his service to the support of every good cause, and was a loyal member of the First Baptist Church of Camden. He was a Democrat in political belief, but held no public office, discharg- in his duties as a citizen at the polls and in the support of worthy candidates and rightful measures. His long life of sev- enty-five years contained no chapter at which all may not gaze, and in the full view of his fellows and in their constant approbation the long and useful years were passed.
He married, July 27, 1864, Emeline, daughter of Captain Thomas and Ange- line Davis, of Port Elizabeth, New Jer- sey, who survives him with children : Vol- ney, his successor as head of the Bennett Lumber Company, formerly vice-presi- dent and treasurer ; Alfred K., ex-mayor of Merchantville, New Jersey ; Killam E., president of Munger & Bennett, Inc., Camden, New Jersey ; Emily J., married E. M. Linnard, and resides at Pasadena, California ; Olive E., married E. J. Wallis, and lives at San Francisco, California.
FLINT, Walter Alvin, Enterprising Citizen.
Walter A. Flint, one of the selfmade men of West Orange, New Jersey, in- herited from sturdy English ancestry those qualities of industry, thrift and shrewdness which carried him to success. Thomas Flint, the immigrant ancestor, is supposed to have come from Wales, and is mentioned in the town records of Salem, Massachusetts, for the first time.
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in 1650. It is quite probable that he ar- rived prior to that year, and there are reasons for believing that his mother was in New England as early as 1642. He was one of the first to settle in that part of Salem Village, or Danvers, which is now the town of Peabody, where he pur- chased land January 1, 1662. This has continued in the possession of his de- scendants to the present time. He died April 15, 1663. The Christian name of his wife was Ann, and their third son, John Flint, born October 3, 1655, was a free- man in Salem Village in April. 1690, and died in April, 1730. His wife Elizabeth bore him nine children. The second of these and their second child was John Flint, born February 8, 1681. He settled in Windham, Connecticut, in that part which is now Hampton, and was a farmer. He married (first) May 5, 1709. Christian Reed, who died September 27, 1721. Their second child and eldest son was Samuel Flint, born April 9. 1712, and after 1772 removed to Randolph, Ver- mont, where he died in 1802. He married (first) April 13, 1736, Mary Lamphere. who died January 1, 1744, and he mar- ried (second) April 11, 1745, Mary Hall. Ilis fourth son and the fourth child of Mary Hall was James Flint, born August IO, 1751, in Windham (now Hampton), and died in Randolph, Vermont. He re- sided in Hampton till 1782, when he sold out his farm and removed to Randolph. Vermont, settling near his brother, Dea- con Samuel Flint, who was also a pioneer of that town. He married, April 22, 1773, Jerusha, daughter of Elisha and Huldah (Tilden) Lillie, born May 20, 1757, in Scotland, Connecticut, formerly a part of Windham. Their fourth child, James Flint, was born March 10, 1779, in Hamp- ton, removed with his parents to Ran- dolph, and settled in the neighboring town of Williamstown, Vermont, where
he died. He married (first) March 31, 1803. Hannan Ford, born May 22, 1779. Children: Abel James, Warren Ford, Al- vin and Calvin (twins), Nabby Wood- ard, Julia, Hannah, Jerusha Little, Den- nison, Major Dennison. He married (sec- ond) June 9, 1822, Sally Kelsey, and they were the parents of two daughters, Nancy and Sarah. Alvin Flint, one of the twin sons of James and Hannah (Ford) Flint. married Orinda Peck, and they were the parents of Lewis Willard Flint, born 1838, in Williamstown, died July 15, 1886. He married Emagene Aldrich Webster, and they were the parents of: Myron Eugene, Inez Alma and Walter Alvin, who is the subject of this sketch.
Walter Alvin Flint was born May 27. 1870, in Williamstown, and died October 27, 1913, as the result of injuries received in an accident. He attended the country schools, and was subsequently a student at Montpelier Seminary. His father died when he was but seventeen years of age. and he was then obliged to leave school and engage in some active occupation in order to sustain himself. He found em- ployment in a general country store where he had an excellent schooling in salesman- ship, and after three years removed to Newark, New Jersey, where he engaged in the grocery business with a small capi- tal. His store was in the center of the business section of Newark, and here he conducted business about three years. He then sold his grocery business and ac- cepted a position as salesman for a whole- sale butter house. In the meantime he saw great possibilities in the trade in but- ter and eggs. He resigned his position and established his headquarters in New- ark, New Jersey. He maintained wagons, which delivered fresh supplies of butter and eggs to the householders of Newark, the Oranges, Bloomfield, Montclair, Cald- well, and additional sections around these
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towns. In course of time his brother, M. E. Flint, was admitted as a partner, and the firm became known as M. E. & W. A. Flint. Soon after they moved their head- quarters to West Orange. After about two years they again changed their busi- ness location to Orange road, Montclair, New Jersey, where this most harmonious and successful relation continued up to the death of Walter A. Flint, upon which his brother, M. E. Flint, bought out his interest and came into possession of the entire business.
Walter A. Flint was a man of many re- sources, and as his business grew he con- tinued to give it his personal attention. He was possessed of those genial qualities which gained and retained friendships, and his keen business ability and upright methods naturally proved beneficial to the business. Everything that he undertook was made a success because he gave to it industrious care, and his judgment and foresight prevented any disaster. Mr. Flint came to be known in connection with other lines of endeavor beside his private business. He was the founder of the West Orange National Bank, and continued to be its vice-president until his death. This stands now as one of his monuments, and as an evidence of his public spirit. He was one of the incor- porators and a most industrious worker for the success of the Llewellyn Building and Loan Association of Orange, and was for many years a notary public of West Orange. Mr. Flint was ever imbued with a desire to promote the happiness and prosperity of individuals as well as the community, and was one of the founders of the Methodist Episcopal church of West Orange, in which for fourteen years he was superintendent of the Sunday school, a member of the official board of the church, and very active in all church works. He was later a member of the
Central Presbyterian Church of Orange. He was a director of the New Jersey Fire Insurance Company of Newark, and his counsel was frequently sought by his neighbors and friends because of their faith in the soundness of his judgment. He became early active in political move- ments, and exercised a large influence in the community, being popular with both Democrats and Republicans. He acted with the latter, and in 1909 was elected mayor of West Orange, the only Repub- lican to ever receive that office. This he filled with credit to himself and satisfac- tion to his constituents. He was ever ready to aid in the development of West Orange, and was prominent in all move- ments tending to promote the public wel- fare. He was a member of Union Lodge, No. 11, Free and Accepted Masons, of Orange, and of the General Chester Coun- cil, Junior Order of United American Me- chanics. In both orders he was very en- thusiastic and active, and was advanced in the Masonic fraternity to the Royal Arch degree. He passed all the chairs in the Mechanics' Council, and was an active member of the Fifth Ward Improvement Association.
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