Genealogical and family history of the state of Vermont; a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol I, Part 95

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1032

USA > Vermont > Genealogical and family history of the state of Vermont; a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol I > Part 95

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The marriage of our subject and Miss Daisy A. Ray was solemnized in 1890. The lady is a native of Hinesburg, Chittenden county, and a daughter of Willard and Susan L. (Crossman) Ray, the latter of whom is still living. Mrs. Cain is her parents' only child, and by her marriage she became the mother of two children. but the son, Seward R., died at the age of four years. The daughter is Rena L. By his ballot Mr. Cain supports the men and measures of the Republican party, and he has served as a school director and lister and has many times been a delegate to county and state conventions. He is a charter member and foreman of the Munsill Hose Company. His genial temperament, cour- teous manners and broad-minded principles ren-

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

der him a favorite with all, and the circle of his friends is almost co-extensive with the circle of his acquaintances.

HON. QUIMBY S. BACKUS.

Hon. Quimby S. Backus, an enterprising and successful business man of Brandon, Vermont, who has established a reputation in the commer- cial circles of the United States, is a descendant of William Backus, a native of Saybrook, Con- necticut, where he was born in 1638. The line of descent is as follows: William Stephen. born in 1660, later received the title of lieutenant and was one of the sixteen Norwich legatees of Joshua Arms, one of the original proprietors of Norwich, Connecticut. In 1693 Lieutenant Backus settled in Windham, Connecticut, being one of the first twenty-two inhabitants of that town. Samuel, born in 1693, married Sarah Gard in 1719, and nine children were born to them. Nathaniel, born January 13, 1728, married M. Elizabeth Hebard, a daughter of Robert Hebard, the ceremony being performed probably in 1750, and his death occurred December 14, 1815. Elijah, born July 23, 1755, was an active participant during the Revolutionary war, being engaged in the battles of Germantown and Mon- mouth. On April 21, 1786, he was united in marriage to M. Trifina Cross.

Gurdon Backus, father of Quimby S. Backus, was born in Windham county, Connecticut. in 1800, and, after acquiring a literary education in the common schools of his native town, en- tered a theological seminary and was ordained a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal denom- ination. He officiated as pastor at Bridgewater and also acted in the capacity of presiding elder for a number of years. The Rev. Mr. Backus was married three times, his first wife having been Wealthy Ann Hoisington, mother of Hon. Quim- by S. Backus. The second wife of the Rev. Mr. Backus was Perley Flint, and his third wife was Sarah Chapman, to whom the following named children were born: Phoebe Hawkins, Caroline, Emeline, Justin, Harriet, Anna, Rev. Gurdon, Joseph, Clark, and Martin Backus. The Rev. Mr. Backus died at Brandon, Vermont, in 1871, at the age of seventy-one years.

Quimby S. Backus, son of Gurdon and

Wealthy Ann Backus, was born July 23, 1838, at Bridgewater, Vermont. His preliminary ed- ucation was obtained in the public schools of his native town, and this was supplemented by at- tendance at the public schools of Brandon and the Brandon Seminary, from which institution he was graduated at the age of sixteen years. He then removed to Woodstock, Vermont, where he learned the trade of machinist, which he fol- lowed with success for many years, being em- ployed by the Howe Scale Company and having the distinction of making the first scales made in Brandon for the company. In 1861 he was engaged as a tool-maker in a gun shop in Wind- sor, the firm having a contract for supplying guns to the United States government ; later he was employed in the railroad shops at Rutland, Ver- mont, and subsequently engaged in the manu- facture of all kinds of machinery at Winchen- don, Massachusetts. Mr. Backus patented and was for several years employed in the manufac- ture of vises ; he later patented a bit brace, the first made that could be adjustable to any size of bit. He then removed to Millers Falls, where he manufactured machine specialties, which were all his own patents, and in this line of business he continued until 1876; he invented the Backus heater and established a manufactory in Philadel- phiia, in 1888, remaining until 1892. He next located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where he conducted the business until 1901, removing at that time to Brandon, Vermont, where he erected a large manufactory and foundry, which gives employment to sixty-five people. The plant and yards cover an area of five acres, and they established offices or stores in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, San Francisco and other large cit- ies, besides giving the agency of the heater to private dealers throughout the country.

Mr. Backus is a staunch adherent of the prin- ciples of the Republican party, a strong local op- tion man, and takes an active part in all cam- paigns. He was elected senator from Rutland county in 1902, was a member of the committee on claims and the standing committee of the Manufacturers' Library, and also served in the capacity of chairman of the committee on joint rules, taking an aggressive part in all discussions. He is a member and serves as second lieutenant of the "Allen Grays," a company of Vermont

20, 5 Backus.

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

militia, but, being engaged in making guns dur- ing the progress of the Civil war, was exempt from active service, but sent a substitute. He has attained a prominent position in the Masonic fraternity, having taken the thirty-second de- gree in the Scottish Rite, and is a Noble of the Mystic Shrine.

In 1858 Mr. Backus was united in marriage to Lavina A. Lawrence, a daughter of (Oliver E. and Emeline (Wood) Lawrence, the former named being born in Chittenden county, Ver- mont, and the latter in Brandon, Vermont. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence were the parents of the fol- lowing named children: Samuel L., a resident of Rutland, Vermont; James, who resided in Hubardton, Vermont; Charles, a citizen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Lavina A., wife of Quimby S. Backus; Ellen, de- ceased, and Porter Lawrence, deceased. The mother of these children died at the age of eighty- two years ; both Mr. Lawrence and his wife were members of the Baptist church. Amos Lawrence, grandfather of Mrs. Backus, was a shoemaker by trade, served in the Revolutionary war, and his death occurred at Brandon, Vermont, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Backus are: Fred Ells- worth, born at Brandon, August 3, 1861, who ac- quired his education at Brandon and later at Stebbins' Institute, a business college of Spring- field, Massachusetts. At the present time ( 1903) he is a member of the firm of the Backus Com- pany, founded by Quimby S. Backus, he having the management of the manufacturing depart- ment, while his father attends to the financial and sales departments. He, like his father, is con- nected with all the Masonic bodies up to and in- cluding the thirty-second degree, has been sec- retary of the chapter, senior deacon of blue lodge and held offices in the consistory. In June, 1898, Mr. Fred E. Backus married Maud M. Peck, who was born in Brandon, Vermont, a daughter of Darwin Peck ; they have one daughter, Beat- rice Carile Backus, born July 19, 1900.

Nellie Everetta, youngest child of Hon. Quimby S. and Lavina A. Backus, born at Windsor, Vermont, married John O. Bowman, a prominent lawyer of Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia, and their children are: Fred Quimby and Miriam Lawrence Bowman.

Mr. Quimby S. Backus came from genuine old New England stock; he was the son of Rev. Gurdon Backus, a highly useful local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church in his day, and Wealthy Ann Hoisington Backus; the latter was a direct descendant of Captain Joseph Hawkins, who was given a large tract of land to settle in Bridgewater, Vermont. The Hawkins family trace their lineage to the En- glish general, James Wolfe, who was killed at the battle of Quebec, September 13, 1759. in the hour of his victory. The Backus family were old Puriant stock and came from Connecticut, where they were original owners of one-twentieth of the site of the city of Norwich, Connecticut.

JOHN ELIAKIM WEEKS.

Among the representative citizens of Addison county, esteemed alike for his sterling worth of character and his activity in the business world is John E. Weeks, a member of the well-known firm of Thomas & Weeks, wholesale dealers in hay and retailers of feed. He is a worthy son of an hon- ored family, and his paternal grandfather, Eliakim Weeks, was numbered among the early pioneers of Salisbury, Addison county. Vermont, where he followed the tilling of the soil. He was a native of Brooklyn, Connecticut, where he was born March 6, 1771. His wife. Rebeckah, daugh- ter of Ephraim and Fanny Crook, came from Westminster, Vermont, to Salisbury in 1793. She was seventeen years old when married to Mr. Weeks, and died July 3. 1835, in Salisbury. She was born October 5, 1780. Mr. Weeks held many of the important offices of the town, and was an active and energetic man. At the time of his death, September 30. 1820, he was one of the selectmen of the town. He was the son of Hol- land Weeks, who was married September 4. 1766, in Hampton, Connecticut. to Hannah, fourth child of Nathaniel and Sarah (Capin) Moseley. The latter was the eighth child of John Capin and Ruth Thayer, his wife. Ruth Thayer was the eighth child of Ephraim Thayer. whose wife, Sarah. was the seventh child of John Bass and Ruth Alden. The latter was the seventh child of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, whose romantic courtship in the Mayflower colony at

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Plymouth, Massachusetts, is known to every stil- dent of American history.

Holland Weeks was born January 29, 1744, in Pomfret, Connectient, a son of Ebeneezer Weeks and. Anna Holland. Ebeneezer was a son of Joseph Weeks, who came from England. Ebeneezer died March 3, 1788, and his wife in 1803, aged eighty-six years. Hol- land Weeks was a pioneer settler of Salisbury, and here his son Eliakim, aided in clearing up a large farm in the western part of the town. This re- mained in the family until after the death of his youngest son, John M. Weeks, in 1858. At the age of about twenty years, Eliakim Weeks began business for himself. He was a self-trained ma- chanic, and did considerable work as a joiner, but farming was his chief occupation. After buying and selling several farms, he came into possession of a tract of about three hundred acres in Salis- bury village, on which was a dilapidated saw- mill. This he rebuilt and made it a source of con- siderable income. He built a large two-story house in the village, but did not live to see it completed. He was the father of twelve children, the last two being twins. The eighth child and fourth son, Ebeneezer Holland Weeks, was born September 14. 1812, in Salisbury, and he, too, chose the noble art of husbandry as his life occupation, becoming the owner of three hun- dred acres of valuable land. His fellow towns- men, recognizing his worth and ability, elected him to many offices of honor trust, and he served as town clerk for the long period of twenty-five years; was also a selectman and lister, for two terms was called upon to represent his town in the legislature and was made associate judge of the Addison county courts, thus gaining the title of judge by which he was afterwards known. He was also called upon to settle a large number of estates, and was recog- nized as a leader of the Republican party in this county. For his wife Judge Weeks chose Eliza- beth Dyer, a native of Leicester, Addison county, Vermont, and a daughter of Gideon Dyer, also a native of that town, whose death occurred in Pittsford, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Weeks became the parents of eight children. but only the sub- ject of this sketch is now living. The mother still survives and makes her home in Brandon, Vermont, being now eighty-four years of age.

The father passed away May 19, 1881, at the age of sixty-nine years, having long been a faith- ful supporter of the Congregational church, with which his widow is also identified.

John E. Weeks was born in Salisbury, Ver- mont, on the 14th of June, 1853, and in that town he was reared and received his early educational training, becoming later a student in the Middle- bury high school. Remaining in his native place until 1876, he spent the following three years in Brandon, returning thence to Salisbury, and was there engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1898. For many years previously he had devoted much of his time to the settling of estates, and he is yet prominent in that line of work. In 1892 he em- barked in the business of pressing and shipping hay. The firm of Thomas & Weeks is now recog- nized as a leader in its line, and ships an everage of a carload per day. In addition Mr. Weeks also owns and operates three hundred acres of rich and fertile land near Salisbury village. In many other lines of endeavor he has been equally promi- nent, and now represents the Vermont Mutual Insurance Company of Salisbury and Middle- bury. He was appointed associate judge of the Addison county courts in 1892 and 1894,

served as assistant door-keeper in the sen- ate of 1884, and in 1888 was elected to rep- resent his town in the legislature, during which time he served as a member of the committee on manufacturing and other special committees. Being elected to the senate in 1896, he served as a member of the committees on rail- roads and claims. In 1898 Mr. Weeks was ap- pointed trustee of the Industrial School, in which position he is still serving, and is also a trustee of the village of Middlebury, being president of the board.

The marriage of Mr. Weeks was celebrated in 1879, when Hattie J .- Dyer became his wife. She was born in Salisbury and is a daughter of Frank L. Dyer, for many years a prominent farmer of Salisbury but now deceased. His wid- ow, Lucretia D., nee Graves, now makes her home with our subject. The Republican party receives Mr. Week's hearty support and co-opera- tion, and in return it honored him with many high official positions. In his fraternal relations he is a member of the Masonic order, being con· nected with Union Lodge, No. 2, of Middlebury.

KConverse

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

Religiously he affiliates with the Congregational church, in which he is serving as chairman of the financial committee. He is interested in whatever is designed for the public welfare, and is a pub- lic-spirited, progressive citizen who merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held.

THE CONVERSE FAMILY.

REV. JOHN KENDRICK CONVERSE (VI), -- Joel (V), Thomas (IV), Samuel (III), Ser- geant Samuel (II), Deacon Edward (I),-was born in Lyme, Grafton county New Hampshire, June 15, 1801, and was the son of Joel and Elizabeth (Bixby) Converse .* The pecuniary obstacles to obtaining an education, attending the farm life of that period, were overcome by him by industry and close study ; and he fitted for college at Thetford, Vermont, under the tuition of Rev. John Fitch. He entered Dart- mouth College in the class of 1827. The closest

*Rev. John Kendrick Converse was descended from Deacon Edward Convers of Woburn, Massachusetts, as follows: Deacon Edward Convers (I), Sergeant Samuel Convers (II), Samuel Convers (III), Thomas Converse (IV), Joel Converse (V), Rev. John Ken- drick Converse (VI).

DEACON EDWARD CONVERS (I), came to Massachu- setts in the ship Lion, with Winthrop, in 1630, and set- tled in Charlestown, where he was one of the select- men, and established the first ferry to Boston, which he donated for the support of Harvard College, whose founder, John Harvard, was his personal friend. He joined others in founding the town of Woburn, Massachusetts, and establishing the first church of Woburn, of which he was made deacon ; served town as selectman ; and in 1660 was deputy to the general court. His grandson, Major James Convers (son of Lieutenant James Convers), distinguished himself by his gallant defense of Storers' Garrison, at Wells, during the war against the French and Eastern Indians, known as the Ten Years' war, and was promoted by Governor Phipps to the command of all the military forces of Massa- chusetts in Maine. From Major James were descended Colonel Israel Converse of Randolph, Vermont, Gov- ernor Julius Converse, Larkin G. Mead, the sculptor, Mrs. Justin S Morrill, Mrs. William Dean Howells and Commodore George Albert Converse.

SERGEANT SAMUEL CONVERS (II), married Judith, daughter of Rev. Thomas Carter, pastor of the church in Woburn.

SAMUEL CONVERS (III), was founder of town of Thompson, Connecticut, named after the family of Deacon Edward Convers's daughter, Mary Convers, who married Simon Thompson, and whose descendant became distinguished as Sir Benjamin Thompson and Count Rumford. Samuel Convers married Dorcas The researches of Representative Alva S. Wood, of Woburn, lead to the conclusion that she was

application marked his college course. He de- veloped fine scholarship and literary ability, and was deeply interested in the discussions and de- bates of the college literary society of which he was a member, which doubtless contributed largely to the facility in extemporaneous speak- ing which characterized his subsequent efforts in the pulpit. During the winter of his second year at college he taught a school at Acton, Massa- chusetts, and the necessity of self-support led to his leaving Dartmouth after two years to be- come the principal of a large school at Keene, New Hampshire ; and, later in the same year, he conducted a classical school in Nottoway county, Virginia, at the same time pursuing his college studies. He spent the last year of his college course at Hampden-Sidney College in Virginia, where he graduated in 1827, Dartmouth College also subsequently conferring upon him the de- gree of A. B. Upon his graduation at Hampden- Sidney, he pronounced an English oration on

Dorcas Cleveland, daughter of Aaron Cleveland, the ancestor of ex-President Cleveland. One of the sons of Samuel Convers was Pain Convers, who had a son, Pain, Jr., and Pain Jr .. served in the American army in the Revolutionary war as Ensign from Killingly, Con- necticut, at the Lexington alarm, as lieutenant in com- mand of a company in the Eleventh Regiment of Mili- tia at New York in 1776, and as captain in Fourth Bat- talion, (John Ely, colonel), State regiments in Con- necticut and Rhode Island, under Generals Spencer and Wooster. 1776-1777. He removed to Bridport, Ver- mont, about 1790, and was the progenitor of the Con- verse family there.

THOMAS CONVERSE'S (IV) son, Thomas Converse Jr., was, during the Revolutionary war, captain of Seventh Company, Connecticut Line: served under Washington at Valley Forge, where he was appointed sub-inspector, Huntington's Brigade: was also adjutant. After the war he was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati in Connecticut. He removed to Rutland, New York, where he was deacon in the Presbyterian church, and colonel of a regiment of militia.

JOEL. CONVERSE (V). removed from Thompson, Connecticut, to Lyme, New Hampshire, where he was a farmer.

REV. JOHN KENDRICK CONVERSE (VI).

( The above from Sewell's History of Woburn, Massachusetts. Family Record of Deacons James and Elisha S. Convers, by William G. Hill. Savage's Genealogical Dictionary. Family History in the line of Joseph Convers, of Bedford Massachusetts, by Rev. John Jay Putnam. Sketch of Deacon Edward Con- verse in January, 1895, number of New York Gencalogi- cal and Biographical Record. Ephraim and Pamela (Convers) Morris, their ancestors and descendants. by Seymour Morris of Chicago, Illinois. Revolution- ary War Records in the office of the Adjutant General of Connecticut ).

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

the subject of "Classical Education," and, on the evening of the same day, a valedictory ora- tion before the Philanthropie Society on "The Origin and Influence of Literary Societies."

After graduation he continued teaching the school in Nottoway county for a year. Among his pupils was a quiet, studious lad, whose mis- taken zeal for his native state of Virginia led, later in life, to an act of aggression, of which he doubtless afterwards repented-Edmund Ruffin. Preparatory to a course of theological study, Mr. Converse at the end of the year, resigned the Not- toway county school, and for nearly two years assisted his brother, Amasa* in the editorial charge of The Southern Religious Telegraph and The Literary and Evangelical Magasine, at Rich- mond, Virginia. During a portion of this time he had been studying theology. which he con- . tinued at the Princeton Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 1832. During that year he received calls to the pastorate of the neighbor- ing historic church of the sainted Tennent, and to churches in Burlington, Vermont, and Tren- ton, New Jersey. On August 8, 1832, he was installed as pastor of the Congregational church in Burlington, Vermont, now known as the White Street Congregational church. He was its pastor for twelve years. During the third year of his pastorate his acceptance of a call to the Congregational church of Providence, Rhode Island, was prevented by the burning of his church in Burlington, and his sense of duty to continue in a field where his labors were then so much more needed in consequence of that catastrophe. He labored with untiring energy during these years, and the growth of the society was rapid and constant. During his pastorate a portion of the church was set off to form a new church in the adjoining town of Winooski, in which he always felt a deep interest. During the same period he laid the foundation for the Congregational church at West Milton, Vermont.

A pastor who had been a contemporary of Mr. Converse (the Rev. James Buckham), says of him, in preface to the memoir of him written by his eldest daughter and published in 1881 :-

"Cowper's description of the preacher-such as Paul, were he,on earth, would hear, approve and own-was fully exemplified, I think, in Mr. Con- verse, as almost any other minister that I have known :-

"Simple, grave, sincere,

In doctrine incorrupt ; in language plain, And plain in manner, decent, solemn, chaste, And natural in gesture; much impressed Himself, as conscious of his awful charge, And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds May feel it too; affectionate in look, And tender in address, as well becomes A messenger of grace to guilty men."

On May 21, 1834, he was married in Bur- lington, by Rev. Joseph Torrey, of the Univer- sity of Vermont, to Sarah Allen, who was born in Milton, Vermont, August 13, 1810, and was the daughter of Heman and Sarah ( Prentis) Allen .*

*Sarah Allen's descent from Corporal Edward Allen, Valentine Prentis, James Rogers, Mathew Griswold and Henry Wolcott, has much of interest, and is as follows : CORPORAL EDWARD ALLEN (I), of Dedham, Ipswich and Suffield, Massachusetts, according to tradition, came from Scotland, and had been a soldier under Crom- well. He was one of the selectmen of Suffield, and is mentioned in the church records as "Corporall Edward Allyn." He married Sarah Kimball, of Ipswich, whose sister's great-granddaughter was the mother of Daniel Webster, the statesman.

EDWARD ALLEN, JR. (II), of Deerfield, Massachu- setts, town clerk, clerk of the market, selectman, and seater in "ye meeting house," was active in defense of Deerfield during the various Indian wars; served on committees on fortifications, and locating houses and cellars within forts; was sent by Governor Dudley to Canada, with John Sheldon, to recover the return of English captivcs there, during Queen Anne's war. The colonial records include his petition to Lieutenant Gov- ernor Dummer for exemption from watching, on ac- count of the infirmities of age, after having watched for forty-six years.

SAMUEL. ALLEN (III), of Deerfield, Massachusetts, was in the King's service, in Father Rasle's war, in Captain Joseph Kellogg's Company; was wounded in Father Rasle's war; and, during the old French war, was killed while resisting an Indian attack at "The Bars," Deerfield, August 25, 1746. He married Hannah, daughter of Deacon Eleazer Hawks, who was a soldier under Captain Turner in "ye Falls Fight."

CORPORAL ENOCH ALLEN (IV), of Ashfield. Massa- chusetts, marched to Lexington as a private in Lieu- tenant Samuel Bartlett's Company; served during the siege of Boston in Captain Ebenezer Webber's Com- pany, Colonel John Fellow's Regiment; and served in the campaign to resist the Burgoyne invasion, as cor- poral in Captain Ephraim Jennings' Company, Colonel

*Rev. Amasa Converse. D. D., founder of the Christian Observer, the leading Presbyterian journal of the Southern states.

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THE STATE OF VERMONT.

She died in Burlington, Vermont, April 14, 1873. In youth she was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal church, Burlington. It may be in- teresting to recall that the church at that time had no organ, but the instrumental music was furnished by an orchestra composed of a bass viol, violin and two flutes, in which her brother George Allen (afterwards professor of Greek and Latin in the University of Pennsylvania), played the violin, and her brother, Charles Pren- tis Allen played second flute. She subsequently united with the Congregational church of Bur- lington.

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Genealogical and family history of the state of Vermont; a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Vol I, Part 95

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed Publication date: 1903 Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1032

Author: Carleton, Hiram, 1838- ed
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: New York, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1032