Windham County Connecticut Biographies Collections – Page 4 of 5

Biography of Captain Alfred M. Parker

Captain Alfred M. Parker is a lineal descendant of Captain John Parker, who commanded a detachment of colonial troops at the eventful battle of Lexington during the war of the revolution. Among the children of his son Eben, who resided in Boston, was John, also a resident of the same city, who married Rebecca Young of Boston. Their children are: Horace B., a member of the firm of Parker, Holmes & Co., of Boston; Alfred M.., and two daughters, Isabella L., wife of George J. Tufts, and Ella J. Alfred M. Parker was born October 26th, 1852, in Boston, where … Read more

Biography of Benjamin F. Phipps

Deacon Jason Phipps was at an early day an extensive landholder and farmer in Thompson parish, as also a justice of the peace, who exercised his prerogative with an inflexible hand. His son Jason, a soldier of the revolution, married Mary Healy, of Dudley, Mass., whose children were: Peyton Randolph, Salem T., Jason, Polly, Hannah, Mary Ann, Rebecca and Persis. Mr. Phipps resided in Thompson, where he became the owner of much valuable land. His son, Captain Peyton Randolph, was born July 29th, 1789, in the same town, and spent his life as a farmer. He also bore an active … Read more

Biography of Avery A. Stanton

The subject of this sketch was born in Preston, Conn., in 1837, is a son of Lodowick Stanton, and the great-great-grandson of General Thomas Stanton, who came from England and settled in Stonington, Conn. His great-grandfather, John Stanton (known as Warrior Stanton), served in the French and Indian war and also fought in the revolutionary war, coming from battle with eighteen bullet holes shot through his coat. The mother of Avery A. Stanton was a daughter of Deacon John Stanton, who was a son f Joshua Stanton, whose father Washington also came from England. His brothers are Captain John L. … Read more

Biography of Ambrose H. Bates

William Bates, who resided in Coventry, Rhode Island, married Mary Hopkins. To this union were born twelve children, of whom Ambrose H. is the subject of this sketch. His birth occurred February 21st, 1832, in Coventry, where he resided until his eighteenth year. He enjoyed but limited opportunities for acquiring an education, but in later years by careful and intelligent reading of the best literature, in a measure made amends for the want of early advantages, and thus possessed a well-stored and disciplined mind. At the age of eighteen he entered the whaling service and for twenty years followed a … Read more

Biography of Albert C. Greene

Abel Greene, the grandfather of Albert C. Greene, resided in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. Jeremiah Greene, a son of the former, also a resident for years of West Greenwich, where he engaged in the milling business, and was also a skillful carpenter, married Freelove Hopkins, of the same town. Their children were five sons and seven daughters, the youngest with one exception being Albert C. Greene, who was born in West Greenwich, February 21st, 1823, and in infancy removed with his parents to Plainfield. His education was such as the common schools afforded, and very limited. His father’s death during … Read more

Biography of Abel Child

Benjamin Child emigrated from Great Britain to America in 1630, and became the head of most of the families of that name. A type of character patriarchal in the best sense, earnest in purpose, and in the promotion of that Puritanic stamp of piety for which the Massachusetts settlers were distinguished, he was one of the thirty who contributed toward the erection of the first church in Roxbury. Bearing the name of the youngest son of the head of the Israelites, like that patriarch, ” in the land wherein he was a stranger,” he became the father of twelve children, … Read more

Biography of Aaron White

Aaron White died at Quinebaug, in the town of Thompson, April 15th, 1886, aged 87 years and six months. He was born in Boylston, Mass., October 8th, 1798, and was the eldest of ten children, seven sons and three daughters, of Aaron and Mary White. His ancestry were of the early puritan settlers of Eastern Massachusetts, and among them on the side of his mother, were the Adams’ of Boston, her grandmother being a sister of Governor Samuel Adams, a distinguished patriot of the revolution. His father kept a country store, cultivated an adjoining farm, was a leading man in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Ross

The subject of this biography was the son of Elnathan Ross, who was born June 15th, 1772, and married Olive Storrs, whose birth occurred December 7th, 1774. The children of this marriage were eleven in number, as follows Roxana, born in 1796; Harriet, in 1797; Ebenezer Storrs, in 1798. Olive, in 1800; Schuyler, in 1801; Earl, in 1808; Lydia Storrs, in 1805; Almyra, in 1S06; William, November 24th, 1807: Caroline, in 1810; and Austin, in 1812. William, the fourth son in order of birth, was a native of Chaplin, where the chief part of his life was passed. He received … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William F. Palmer

Vaniah Palmer, the grandfather of William F. Palmer, resided in Scotland, then the town of Windham. He married Cynthia Fitch, whose son John, born in Scotland on the 12th of March, 17795, in 1820 married Charlotte G. Bingham. Their children were : Emily C., William F., Henry W., Lewis C., Sanford K., John P. and Charlotte E. William F. Palmer was born June 29th, 1824, in Scotland, and with the exception of seven years in Springfield, Massachusetts, has passed the whole of his life in his native town. After an elementary education received at the schools near his home, he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William A Atwood

William A Atwood was one of the most prominent figures in the industrial interests of Killingly. His grandparents were Kimball and Selinda Colgrove Atwood. His father was John Atwood, who married Julia A. Battey. Their son, William Allen, was born August 4th, 1833, in Williamsville, in the town of Killingly, and received more than an elementary education. First entering the Danielsonville High School, he continued his studies at the Scituate Seminary in Rhode Island, and at Wilbraham, Mass., completing his academic education at Middleboro, Mass. He early entered the Williamsville mills, then under the superintendence of his father, and having … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Timothy Earle Hopkins

The grandparents of Mr. Hopkins were Timothy Hopkins, born in 1751, and Sarah Carver, daughter of Captain Joseph Carver. His father was Carver Hopkins, born October 26th, 1799, who married Abby K. Manchester. Their children, seven in number, were: Israel M., Florinda A., Sarah C., Abby E., Ann E., Timothy E. and Lillian P., of whom all but the eldest son are still living. Timothy Earle Hopkins was born in Burrillville, R. I., December 5th, 1835, of which place he continued a resident until 1682. His education was received in the public schools and at New Hampton, N. H., where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas J. Evans

Thomas J. Evans, who was born May 17th, 1826, in Brooklyn, Connecticut, is the son of Elijah Evans, and the grandson of Elisha Evans. His active career was begun at the age of seventeen, as a teacher in Killingly, where he continued for ten successive years, his last term at Dayville having closed with an interesting exhibition, the proceeds of which aided greatly in the purchase of a library and other school supplies. For five years he was engaged in the clothing business in the above village, and his capital was afterward invested in a livery stable which he successfully … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Strong Moseley

The Moseley family are among the oldest and most prominent in the town of Hampton. The father of the subject of this biography, Ebenezer Moseley, was a preacher of considerable repute in his day. His son, Samuel Strong Moseley, was born at the homestead of the family in Hampton, in 1786, and in his native town the whole of his active life was spent. He received an academic education, and early embarked in mercantile pursuits, to which he later added farming. In both of these branches of industry he brought to bear the ability and thrift which were the inevitable … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel B. Sprague

Samuel and Ruhamah Borden Sprague were the grandparents of the subject of this biography. His father, William B. Sprague, was born in South Killingly, and some years later removed to the town of Scotland, then a part of the town of Windham. He married Hannah, daughter of Ebenezer Fuller, of Scotland. The children of this union who grew to mature years were : Samuel B., Hannah M. and James W. Samuel Borden Sprague was born on the 15th of October, 1823, in South Killingly, and after a common school and an academic education spent some time as a teacher. Preferring, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Oliver H. Perry

Judge Perry’s ancestors first settled in Massachusetts, his grandfather, Daniel Perry, having removed when a young man from Rehoboth, in that state, to Woodstock, where he became the owner of a valuable farm and the breeder of choice stock, which he shipped to the West Indies. He married Judith Hunt, of Rehoboth, whose children were John, Otis, Daniel, Judith, Sally and Nancy. Otis, of this number, was a native of West Woodstock, where, with the exception of a brief period in Greenfield, he engaged in the varied pursuits of miller and farmer. He married Polly, daughter of Chester Carpenter, of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nathan E. Morse

Nathan E. Morse is a descendant of Anthony Morse mentioned in the preceding sketch. His grandfather, Abel Morse, married Sarah Holbrook. Their son Nathan, born October 14th, 1785, was twice married, first in 1822, to Rebecca Child, and second to Mary Mills. By his first wife he had three childrenAbel, George and Nathan E. Abel, born August 20th, 1823, married Mary Elliott, of Thompson, and died February 25th, 1858. George, born May 19th, 1825, married Sylvia C. May, of Woodstock, and is county commissioner. Nathan Eugene Morse was born in Woodstock November 12th, 1829, and was married August 29th, 1850, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of L. E. Baldwin

John Baldwin, one of the first thirty-five settlers of Norwich in 1659, Was the ancestor of that branch of the family to which the subject of this notice belongs. John Baldwin, 2nd, grandson of. John, settled in New Concord, then a part of Norwich, but incorporated into the town of Bozrah in 1775, his son Eliphalet succeeding him in the occupancy of the homestead where the father of the subject of this notice was born in 1787. Upon attaining his majority, having qualified himself for his business, Eliphalet, Jr., removed to Norwich, and was extensively engaged in the manufacture of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Hatch

Samuel Hatch, the grandfather of the subject of this biography, married Naomi Phelps. Their son Jonathan, a resident of Lebanon, Connecticut, was married to Betsey Payne of the same town. The children of this union were Samuel 0., Eliza, Chester P., Jonathan, and James C., of whom Chester P. and Jonathan are the only survivors. The latter was born in Lebanon, October 21st, 1817, and until’ the age of sixteen resided on the homestead farm. He received a rudimentary education, and on deciding to encourage his taste for mechanics, entered the shops of Phelps & Spafford at South Windham as … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. Dwight Chaffee

The Chaffee family have for several generations resided in the town of Mansfield, Tolland county, Conn. Frederick Chaffee, the grandfather of J. Dwight Chaffee, a prosperous farmer in that town, married Elizabeth Knowlton. Their son, Orwell S., was born in Ashford, Windham county, Conn., and for some years resided in Northampton, Mass., where he was engaged in the manufacture -of silk thread. Later he was similarly interested in Mansfield, and was a man of prominence in that locality, serving his constituents in the state legislature and filling other important offices. He married Lucinda A., daughter of Joseph Conant of Mansfield, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Westcott

James Westcott, the grandfather of Henry Westcott, familiarly known as the ” Captain,” was born March 5th, 1740, and married Martha Tillinghast. Their son Joseph, whose birth occurred April 9th, 1779, in Glocester, Rhode Island, married Esther Richmond of the same town. The children of this union were: Henry; Almira, wife of Jude Sabin; Elizabeth, married to James Wood; and David. Henry, the eldest son, was born April 18th, 1801, in Glocester, and in early childhood removed to East Killingly, where the primitive schools of the day afforded him a beginning for that practical education which was chiefly the growth … Read more