Captain Noah, the father, was a man of great physical strength and endurance, and of sound common sense, a man strictly honest and upright in all his dealings and taught his children to be truthful, honest, and industrious, both by precept and example. His business in early life was farming till he was about thirty, when by an accident he lost one limb below the knee. After that, his business was mostly that of shoe making, and harness making, until his death. Seven of this family were living in January 1885. Silas, whose name stands at the head of this biography, was married to Josephine M. Kingsly, daughter of Alonzo and Sophia H. Kingsly-December 31, 1863she was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke seminary, class of 1857-a lady of rare abilities and education. She died June 19, 1872, aged thirty-seven, leaving one child, an infant, Ashley A. Hardy. The following members of the family are living in this county. Noah W., Silas, Frank B., Caroline M. Pratt, wife of R. K. Pratt, and E. P. Hardy; the latter being the baby, and the noted manager and proprietor of Whitmore & Clarks minstrel troupe, whose fame is well known in New England; Abby M. Stone, wife of Addison Stone, and Augustus F. living out of the state.