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

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

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 William H. Putnam

Mr. Putnam is a lineal descendant of that brave general and distinguished patriot, Israel Putnam, whose son, Daniel Putnam, was the grandfather of the subject of this biography. William, one of his sons, married Mary Spalding, whose children were: Caroline M., Harriet W., William H., Elizabeth, Asa S., Jane, Anne, and three who died in early life. William H. Putnam was born February 2d, 1812, in Holland, Massachusetts, and in childhood removed to Brooklyn, where the residue of his life was passed. The best schools obtainable at that early day afforded him a knowledge of the elementary branches, and the … Read more

Biography of Floyd Cranska

James Cranska, the father of Floyd Cranska, a native of Portland, in the state of Maine, removed to Providence when a boy, and at a later date made Thompson, in Windham county, his home. Here he embarked in the shoe business, continuing in the same for nearly thirty years, and was for twenty years station agent at Grosvenor Dale, as also postmaster of the village. He married Asenath, daughter of Calvin Randall, manager and proprietor of mills in the eastern part of Thompson, Windham county. Their children were five sons and three daughters, of whom Floyd Cranska was born September … Read more

Biography of William Clitus Witter

Son of Doctor William Witter and Emily Bingham, his wife, was born at Willimantic, Conn., November 13th, 1842, in the substantial brick house now standing at the corner of Main and Witter (now called High) streets. His ancestry, both on the father’s and the mother’s side, is given with some detail in the sketch of Doctor William Witter at pages 201203 of this volume, where it is seen that he comes from some of the best and oldest New England families, the Witter, the Waldo and the Bingham. The mother of Mr. Witter died when he was five years old … Read more

Biography of Edward Spicer Cleveland

The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Hampton, in Windham county, Connecticut, on the 22d of May, A. D. 1825. He was the son of the Hon. Mason Cleveland, who was a man of much influence, and universally respected throughout the state, having been both a representative from his town and a senator from his district, also comptroller of the state and subsequently school fund commissioner. He died in the year 1855, soon after thee expiration of his term as school fund commissioner. E. S. Cleveland was a nephew of Hon. Chauncey F. Cleveland, also of … Read more

Biography of James Pike

John Pike, the common ancestor of the branch of the Pike family residing in Connecticut, settled in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1664. He was the progenitor of Jonas Pike, of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, who married a descendant of Peregrine White, the first white child born in New England. Their four sons were: David, Ephraim, Jonas and Jesse. There was also one daughter, Amy. David married Elizabeth Pitman, of Newport, Rhode Island. Their children were two sons, William and James Pitman; and two daughters, Lucy, wife of David Bayless, and Nancy, who married Abijah Prouty. William Pike left Sturbridge in 1810 and settled … 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

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

Biography of Waldo Tillinghast

Pardon Tillinghast, the grandfather of Waldo Tillinghast, was an early resident of West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and for forty years a deacon of the Baptist church. He married Mary Sweet, of East Greenwich, to whom were born twelve children. Thomas of this number was a farmer in his native town of West Greenwich, and an ordained minister of the Six Principle Baptist church. He was three times married, his first wife being Mary Howard, of Woodstock, whose children are: Harriet S., Waldo, Henry S., Jared and Caleb E. Waldo Tillinghast was born June 10th, 1833, in Killingly, and when a … Read more

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

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 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

Lewis and Palmer Cemetery, Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut

Small cemetery located near the Eastford town line. Lewis Lewis, Israel, d. 17 Mar 1840. Lewis, Mary, d.22 Apr 1844, @50. Owen Owen, Emily Maria, d. 20 Aug 1845, @27 [wife of David K. Owen, and dau. of Israel and Mary Lewis] Palmer Palmer, Mrs. Mary, d. 20 Oct. 1846, @77 [wife of Nathan Palmer]. Palmer, Nathan, d. 6 Mar 1852, @85.

Biography of William C. Jillson

The first ancestor of the Jillson family is said to have come over from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066. The earliest member of the family to sail for New England was William Gilson, who came from Kent county, England, and settled in Scituate, Massachusetts, in 1631. The next on the list to emigrate are Joseph and James Gilson, the latter of whom settled in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, about the year 1666. He is the progenitor of the branch of the family represented by the subject of this biography. James and his wife Mary died about 1712. Their son, Nathaniel, … Read more

Biography of George W. Holt, Jr.

Jonathan Holt, a soldier of the revolution, was the father of Josiah Holt, a native of Hampton, Conn. who during his active life followed the trade of a machinist. He married Mary Prior, who became the mother of a large family, the eldest son, William L., being well-known as a successful manufacturer, and a man of much mechanical skill, both in New England and in the South, to which section he subsequently removed. Another son, George W. Holt, the father of the subject of this biography, was born March 16th, 1816, in Plainfield, Conn., and in 1831 removed to Slatersville, … Read more

Biography of Doctor William Grosvenor

The subject of this biography, was a descendant in the fifth generation from the original purchaser of the Mashamoquet tract. He was the son of Doctor Robert Grosvenor, and was born in Killingly, Conn., April 30th, 1810. He attended the best academies of his native state, and his father, needing his early assistance in the practice of his profession, sent him first to the Chemical Laboratory of Yale College, and afterward to Philadelphia, where, for three years, he had special advantages in connection with the hospitals of the city, and attended the lectures of the Jefferson Medical School, at which … Read more

Windham County Connecticut Biographies

Windham County occupies the northeastern corner of the state of Connecticut, bordering Worcester county, Massachusetts, tying 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 … 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