Windham County CT

Windham County occupies the northeastern corner of the state of Connecticut, bordering Worcester county, Massachusetts, lying on the north, and Providence and Kent counties in Rhode Island on the east. New London county bounds it on the south and Tolland on the west. Its greatest length, from north to south, is twenty-seven miles, and its greatest width, from east to west, is twenty-three miles. Its north, east and south sides are nearly straight lines, while on the west side its territory interchanges offsets with Tolland. The greatest. variation in the line made by these offsets, however, does not exceed six miles. This occurs on the northwest corner, where the town of Union makes an advance of about the distance mentioned. We may explain that the longest north and south line would be drawn from the northwest corner of Thompson to the southwest corner of Plainfield, and the longest east and west line would be drawn from the northwest corner of Windham to the Rhode Island line, about the middle of Sterling. The county as now constituted contains the towns of Ashford, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Eastford, Hampton, Killingly, Plainfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Scotland, Sterling, Thompson, Windham and Woodstock, fifteen in all; and included in these towns are the incorporated boroughs of Danielsonville and Willimantic.

Biography of Joseph M. Morse

The progenitor of the Morse family in Woodstock is Anthony Morse, who, on his emigration to America, settled in Newbury, Mass., in 1635, and died in 1686. His son, Deacon Benjamin Morse, born in March, 1640, married Ruth Sawyer. His son, Benjamin, Jr., born in 1668, married Susannah Merrill. Their son, Abel, was united in marriage to Grace Parker, whose son, Doctor Parker Morse, A.M., married Hannah Huse, and became the father of eight children, one of whom was Abel Morse, who married Sarah Holbrook, and had twelve children. Leonard Morse, a son by the latter union, was born October … 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

Biography of Edgar S. Lincoln

Jonah Lincoln, the great-grandfather of Edgar S. Lincoln, was in his day a man of prominence in his town. He was for a long time judge of probate for what are now the towns of Hampton, Windham and Chaplin, and held various other offices of trust. He was the father of Dan Lincoln, who in 1812 married Mehitable Flint. Among their eight children was a son Jared, born September 8th, 1823, in Windham, from whence he removed to Scotland and later to Chaplin. He was in early life a teacher, and afterward engaged in mercantile pursuits in Chaplin. He has … 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

Biography of Edwin Milner

John Milner, the father of Edwin Milner, married Charlotte Dews, to whom were born four children: Edwin, Hannah, wife of Christopher Richardson, of Newark, New Jersey; Sarah, deceased, and John H., of Moosup, who married Mary Fidler. Edwin, the eldest of these children, was born in Horbury, Yorkshire, England, December 1st, 1842, and in his fourth year emigrated with his parents to America, landing in Boston, from whence they soon after removed to East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and resided in that borough until 1854. In 1856 Westerly in the same state became the home of the family, where at the … Read more

Hughes Cemetery, Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut

Farm is at the junction of the Westford Hill Willington Road and an old road leading to the Samuel Walker farm. Near the road is a small cemetery, not easily seen, with several graves in it. The only reference I have found with names states the following: Resting Place of Orin Hughes and Family The Barbour Collection of Ashford Vital Records gives the birth of Orrene Hughes d. Jonathan and Eunice on 14 Nov 1778. This was probably a mistake in the gender and instead of a daughter was a son, Orrin who married Mehitable and had the following children: … Read more

Biography of George S. Moulton

The subject of this sketch, George S. Moulton, was the son of Harvey Moulton and Anna M. Turner, who were married October 29th, 1828. He was born in the town of Mansfield, Tolland county, Conn., on the 13th of September, 1829, and was the eldest of six children. He received a thorough elementary education, and in youth spent several years on a farm. Being, however, ambitious for a wider field of activity than was open to him in the country, he went to Willimantic and entered the Windham Company’s stores, of which (after a few years of service) he became … Read more

Biography of George M. Morse

George M. Morse, the second son of Milton S. and Susanna Blake Morse, spent his youth in and about the city of Providence. His early years were devoted to study at the schools of Providence, where he remained until the age of eighteen, when on removing to Putnam he interested himself for a year in the store belonging to the company with which his father was connected. Again making Providence his home, he spent several years in that city, and at Putnam, ultimately locating in the spring of 1856 in the latter place, where he was made the superintendent of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Almond M. Paine

Benjamin Paine, the grandfather of Judge Almond M. Paine, was a successful farmer in Glocester, R. I. By his marriage to Phebe Aldrich were born a numerous family of children. The birth of his son, Ransom Paine, occurred December 13th, 1787, and his death on the 15th of January, 1854, in Glocester, where he followed the trade of a wheelwright, and spent the latter years of his life as a farmer. He married Phebe, daughter of Thomas Smith, of the same town, who was born June 12th, 1794, and died March 12th, 1860. Their children are: Almond M., Mary Ann, … 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

Biography of Darius Wood

Levi Wood, the grandfather of Darius Wood, removed from Swansea, Massachusetts, to Foster, Rhode Island, where for years he followed his trade of stone mason. By his union with a Miss Mason -were born children: Nathan, Levi, Jr., Wheaton, Ira, Olney, Albert, Hiram, Polly, Delight, Huldah, Louisa, and one who died in youth. Levi, Jr., was born in 1795 in Foster, and during the early period of his active life, combined the trade of a mason with the employments of a farmer. On his removal at a later day to Canterbury, he was for years the landlord of the Canterbury … Read more

Biography of William Lyon, 4th

The progenitor of the Lyon family in Connecticut was William Lyon, born in 1675, who when fourteen years of age, came with an uncle to Woodstock and settled on the homestead farm now owned by Mrs. William Lyon and Mrs. Emma Lyon Frink. William Lyon, his eldest son, born in 1700, was the father of eight children, of whom Elijah, born in 1727, had among his children a son William, born November 11th, 1778, who was the father of William 4th, the subject of this biography, born October 7th, 1801. His birthplace was the homestead farm, which has passed by … Read more

Biography of John McClellan

General Samuel McClellan, the father of the subject of this biography, was born in the town of Worcester, Massachusetts, January 4th, 1730, his parents having emigrated from Kircudbright, on the Firth of Solway, in Scotland. In the French war he served as an ensign and lieutenant of a company, during which service he was wounded. On his return from the provincial campaign he purchased a farm in Woodstock, and there married and settled. At a later date he engaged in mercantile business and established an extensive trade, not only importing his own goods but supplying other merchants as well. The … Read more

Biography of Henry Elliott

The progenitor of the Elliott family in Thompson was Francis Elliott, a mariner, who settled in Salem, Mass., in 1686, and the same year married Abigail, daughter of John Nichols. Their son Thomas, who early in life resided at Middletown, in the same state, in 1723 married Lucy Flint. With his son Joseph he came to Thompson parish in 1749. Joseph Elliott was a revolutionary soldier, and commanded a company at the battle of Bunker Hill. He married Jesusha Bury, whose son Thomas was born in 1759 and died in 1843. He married Chloe, daughter of Issacher Bates, and had … Read more

Biography of Jerome E. Bates

Clement Bates, of Hertfordshire, England, aged 40, with his wife Ann, and their children, James, Clement, Rachel, Joseph and Benjamin, came to America in the ship Elisabeth,” April 6th, 1635, and settled in Hingham, Mass. Clement Bates died in Hingham, September 17th, 1671. His son Joseph, by wife Hester, was the father of Joseph, who was the father of eight children, settled in that part of Scituate now Hanover, in 1695, and died there July 9th, 1740. His son, Joseph, married Mary Bowker, who died a widow, July 30th, 1759. Jacob Bates, the ancestor of the Thompson branch of the … Read more

Biography of William S. Arnold

Andrew Arnold, the grandfather of William S. Arnold, married Catherine Reynolds, of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Their children were two in number, Philip being the survivor. He was born in Warwick, and married Catherine, daughter of William Searls, and granddaughter of Richard Searls, of Cranston, Rhode Island. The children of Philip and Catherine Arnold were: Andrew R., born in 1810; William S., November 3d, 1811; Albert H., in 1813; George E., in 1816; Jabez, in 1818; Susan E., in 1821; Henry R., in 1823; and Catherine M., in 1827. William S. Arnold, who is a native of Warwick, Rhode Island, … Read more

Biography of Keith W. White

Keith Wood White, a retired farmer now residing in Grangeville, is a native of the far-off state of Connecticut, his birth having occurred in the town of Ashford, Windham County, on the 15th of May 1838. His ancestors came from old England and settled in New England at an early epoch in the history of this country, and there the family remained for several generations. Keith W. White, the father of our subject, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, and married Catharine Farnum, a native of Connecticut. They became the parents of two children, and the father provided for their support … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James B. Abbott, Maj.

Maj. James B. Abbott, one of the pioneer colonists of Lawrence and legislators of the territory and state, was born at Hampton, Connecticut, December 3, 1818, and grew to manhood in his native state. He was a member of the third party of emigrants from New England, which reached Lawrence on October 10, 1854, and soon became recognized as a free state leader. Major Abbott took up a claim about half a mile south of Blanton’s bridge, on the road to Hickory Point, and his house was a favorite meeting place of the free state men in that neighborhood. He … Read more

Hutchinson Family of Norwich Vermont

Hutchinson is an old and numerous family in Norwich, as well as in other parts of the country. They were among the early settlers of Massachusetts and were in Lynn and Salem in that colony as early as 1628, or 1629. A descendant of these early colonists, named Abijah, who was a tailor, removed from Salem to Windham early in the eighteenth century. His son Samuel, born about 1719, in company with his son, John, came to Norwich in 1765. They cleared an island in the Connecticut River, opposite the present residency of John W. Loveland, and planted it with … Read more

Genealogy of Joseph Baker of Marshfield Massachusetts

Z173. NICHOLAS BAKER: probable father of Z174 SAMUEL BAKER: made Freeman in 1657; m. Eleanor Winslow. Z175 KENELIN BAKER: b. 1657; m. Sarah Bradford. Z176. KENELIN BAKER: b. 1695; m. Patience Dolen. Z177 WILLIAM BAKER: b. Oct. 16, 1734; m. Hannah Lincoln. Z178 WILLIAM BAKER: b. Sept. 10, 1759; m. Abigail Low. Z179 JOSEPH BAKER: b. Marshfield, Mass., Sept. 24, 1794; m. Olive Cushing. Z180 JOSEPH BAKER: b. Marshfield, Mass., Feb. 27, 1827; m. Martha Jane Perrin. Sarah James: b. Thompson, Conn. a181 JAMES BAKER: b. Nov. 28, 1824; m. Lydia Ann Mentzer, b. Jan. 8, 1826; had John, James, … Read more