Connecticut

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 Stephen Oliver Bowen

Stephen and Rebecca Bowen were the grandparents of the subject of this biography. His parents were Oliver and Betsey Bowen, the former having removed to Eastford in 1822, where he resided until his death, in 1879. He was during his active life a successful farmer and produce dealer. His wife survived him and is still a resident of Eastford. Their son, Stephen O. Bowen, was born in Eastford, April 8th, 1840. He received an elementary education, and afterward spent a season at the State Normal school, pursuing his studies with a view to proficiency as a teacher. The succeeding ten … 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 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 Guilford Smith

Joshua Smith, the grandfather of Guilford Smith, and a native of Lebanon, New London county, subsequently moved to Windham county, Connecticut, where he was both a weaver and a farmer, and in connection with his trade wove cloth for the soldiers during the war of 1812. His children were three sons, Chandler, Charles and Marvin, and five daughters, Myra, Lydia, Laura, Emily and Mary. Charles, of this number, was born in Windham, and early learned the trade of a millwright. In 1828 he began the manufacture of machinery at Stafford Hollow, in Tolland county, and two years later, having built … 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 George Buck

David Buck removed from Massachusetts to the part of Killingly now embraced in the town of Putnam, where he conducted a farm and also carried on the trade of a joiner. He was known as an enterprising and successful business man. His children by a first marriage were three sons, David, Jonathan and Aaron, and four daughters, Mrs. Josiah Dean, Mrs. Benjamin Cutler, and two who married Resolved Wheaton. By a second marriage was born a son, David, and a daughter, Eliza, who became Mrs. Henry Adams. Aaron, of this number, was born on the homestead farm in Killingly, upon … Read more

Biography of Gustavus Davis Bates

Tyler Bates, the grandfather of Gustavus D. Bates, was a prosperous farmer in Thompson. His children were Erastus, William, ‘Welcome, Holman, George T., Ann, Chloe, Betsey and Sally. Welcome Bates, also a resident of Thompson, was formerly engaged in teaching, and in his later years became a farmer. He married Jemima E., daughter of Reverend James Grow, of Vermont. Their children are: Elizabeth G., Hannah Augusta, wife of Horatio H. Hutchins; Sarah, deceased; Marvin G., Gustavus Davis, Sarah Jane 2d, deceased, and Welcome E. Gustavus Davis Bates was born October 2d, 1839, in Thompson, where he remained until his twentieth … Read more

Biography of John A. Carpenter

Robert Carpenter, of Greenwich, R. I., the great-grandfather of John A. Carpenter, on the 26th of October, 1755, married Charity Roberts, of Warwick, in the same state. Their children were: Christopher, John, Phebe and Marcy. John of this number, who resided in West Greenwich, married Sarah Stone, and had children: Christopher, Phebe, Patience, Robert and Amos. The last-named and youngest of these children, Amos, on the 19th of June, 1813, married Mary, daughter of Joseph Bailey, of West Greenwich. Their children were: Maria, Sarah C., Marcy S., Patience S., Olive B., George W., John A., Charles B. and Mary E., … Read more

Biography of John O. Fox

John O. Fox was the son of Captain Abiel Fox and his wife Judith Perry. He was born in West Woodstock, July 5th, 1817, and received his education at the common schools near his home, and at the Nichols Academy, at Dudley. His father kept a store at Woodstock, but later removed to Providence, where he was the landlord of a popular public house, well known as ” Fox’s Tavern.” On his decease the family returned to Woodstock. Mr. Fox, before his majority was attained, had formed a copartnership with his brother-in-law, John P. Chamberlin, in trade, and in the … Read more

Biography of Lucius H. Fuller

Both English and Scotch blood coursed through the veins of Mr. Fuller’s ancestors. His great-grandfather, Deacon Abijah Fuller, had the honor of assisting in the fortification of Bunker Hill, on which occasion he directed the throwing up of the earthworks the night before the battle. He died in 1835 in Hampton, where he was a farmer and a leading citizen. He married Abigail Meacham, whose children were Abigail, Lois, Arthur, Seymour, Clarissa and Luther. Seymour Fuller resided in Hampton, his birthplace, until 1816, the date of his removal to Tolland, Conn. He married in 1811, Louisa, daughter of William Butler … 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 James Winchell Manning

The earliest representative of the Manning family in America emigrated from England in 1634 and settled in the suburbs of Boston, Mass. Ephraim, representing the third generation in line of descent, located in Woodstock, Windham county, where he lived and died. His sop William was a patriot, held a commission as captain during the war of the revolution, and served until , the close of the conflict. His children were six daughters and two sons, William H., the youngest son, being a native of Woodstock, where his birth occurred September 10th, 1776. He later removed to Pomfret, where he died … Read more

Biography of Milton Stratton Morse

Oliver Morse, the father of Milton Stratton Morse, and a native of Sharon, Massachusetts, was first a carpenter, then a farmer. He married Waitstill Stratton, of Foxboro, where their son, Milton Stratton, was born, December 25th, 1799. When very young his father removed to Wrentham, Massachusetts, the scene of Milton’s earliest connection with cotton manufacturing. He began work in a small factory, his first task being that of picking cotton and placing it on the cards, which labor was continued for two years. He was then apprenticed to the blacksmith’s trade, but the terms of the contract not being complied … 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

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 Chandler A. Spalding

Obed Spalding married Margaret Ames. Their son, Eleazer Spalding, married Sarah Parks and resided in Killingly, now Putnam, where he owned a farm, and also during the winter months engaged in teaching. He had two children, a son, Chandler A., and a daughter, Mary Ann, wife of George W. Keith. Chandler A. Spalding was born April 24th, 1810, on the farm in Killingly, and in the residence occupied by him during his lifetime. Having the misfortune to lose his father when but twelve years of age, he began active labor at the age of fourteen, and such was his aptitude … Read more

Biography of Edward Aldrich

Edward Aldrich, the grandfather of the subject of this biography, resided on the homestead farm in Thompson. His son Easick, a native of Douglas, spent the chief portion of his life in Thompson. He married Miriam Howland, of Burrillville, R. I., whose children were: Elizabeth, Edward, John, Viletta and Eddy. Edward Aldrich, the eldest of these sons, was born on the 25th of July, 1808, in Thompson, where he became a pupil of the neighboring school and afterward pursued his studies for one or more terms at Dudley, Mass. His education was, however, more the result of judicious reading and … 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 Sully Beebe

William Sully Beebe was born at Ithaca, N. Y., in 1341, and educated with a view to his appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. He was one of the president’s appointments there in 1858, on account of the services of his uncle and adopted father, Captain John C. Casey, himself a graduate of 1829, a member of the board of visitors of 1843, chief commissary on General Taylor’s staff in Mexico, ” whose zeal, intelligence and devotion to duty to the hour of his death, gave a peculiar claim and promise of faithful service to his young relative.” … Read more