YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

/..:-.

THE

HISTORY

UNION, CONN.,
FOUNDED ON MATERIAL GATHERED BV
REV. CHARLES HAMMOND, LL. D.
PRINCIPAL OF MONSON ACADEMY.

— COMPILED BY —

REV. HARVEY M. LAWSON, Ph. B.

WITH ASSISTANCE FROM MANY OTHERS.

PBEBS OF PRICE, LEB * ADKIHg CO.
NEW HAVEN, CONN.
1893.

PREFACE.

The history which is now offered to the public is composed of the
niaterial which Mr. Hammond gathered, with additions from all sources
from which anything could be obtained. As is well known, Mr. Ham
mond made efforts for a long series of years, to glean all the facts which
he could find relative to the history of his native town. These efforts
were mainly directed in the line of investigating the history and gene
alogies of the old families in town. Here his labors were invaluable ;
fur had he not gathered the facts when he did, many of them would
have been forever lost. Most of the matter in the genealogies, then,
comes from Mr. Hammoud. Many additions have been inserted and
the attempt has been made to bring the records down to date. In the
preparation of the other portions of the history use has been made of
IMr. Hammond's historical addresses, especially the one on the Revolu
tion, delivered at Mashapaug Lake, July 4th, 1853, and the one on the
History of Union, also g^iven at Mashapaug in August, 1876. Mr. Ham
mond also left in a. crude form considerable material which he had
gathered from the town and church records, the State archives, old
papers and conversation. All this has been worked over, and every
thing of value has been inserted in its proper place in the history.
After Mr. Hammond's death, his widow sent all this historical mate
rial to Wm. Corbin. He in turn put it into the bands of Rev. J. P. Wat
son who was interested in the history of town and who began to make
further investigations, especially in regard to the families. Mr. Watson
made notes of the facts which he gathered, but they were for his own
use and it has been hard to make them out in all cases. When Mr. Wat
son died in iSS3, the material was returned by his brother to Mr. Corbin.
In the summer of 1890 the writer borrowed the books from Mr. Corbin
and commenced to study up the history. As there seemed to be no one
else to do it, he resolved, in the limited time at his disposal, to attempt
to put the work in shape for publication. The compiler is painfully con>

iv PREFACE.
scious of many imperfections in the book, as he now offers it to the pub
lic. The time which he has had in which to prepare it has been limited
to the vacations in his theological course, which have also been occupied
with other duties. And the expectation of soon leaving the country to
engage in missionary service has made it necessary to complete the
work in the shortest possible time. Hence it has been impossible tn
bring the work to that state of literary perfection which long painstak
ing alone can give. Doubtless many errors will be discovered in the
book. It is impossible to avoid them in a work of this kind. But Ihe
attempt has been made to have everything as correct as possiblo. THl-
great motive of the compiler in undertaking the work has been tu ni;ikr
the results of Mr. Hammond's labors available to the publi.c. Ho lins
sought to do this in the best way possible in the limited time which 1k'
has had. Perhaps some future historian will one day rise up in town,
who will take the material which is now saved from oblivion and put it
into a form more worthy of the town and the noble men which it has
produced. Acknowledgment is made of the assistance which has been cordially
rendered in the preparation of this work by many different pcrsoiT^.
The compiler has been compelled to seek for-infotmation from a Uirge
number of people, who have uniformly sought to aid him in all tho ways
which lay in their power. Thanks are due to Mr. E. H. Lockwcmd of
New Haven, who has drawn the map of the town, without hope of com
pensation. Rev. Geo. Curtiss of Mayville, Nprth Dakota, has kindly
furnished to the writer a sketch of his father's life^.aml pastorate in
Union, together with severalTrther things. —
Some people may feel dissatisfied that they or flicTr f.iniilies do imi
receive fuller mention in the genealogies. The writer wishes it under
stood that, if in some cases he has traced out some families farther than
others, or has given a fuller account of the lives of some persons than of
others equally prominent, -it has been because he has had the material
at hand in one case and not in the other. He has i;ndeavored to make
the genealogies as complete as possible, Buf a little" reflection will show
that to make them absolutely complete in all their ramifications would
be an endless as well as an impossible task. Hence any defects of this
kind are due not to partiality but to lack of time and opportunity.
Of course raixny mistakes will be found in the genealogies. The

PREFACE. V
writer's brother, Dr. George N. Lawson, whose present address is Mid
dle Haddam, Conn., has offered to receive all corrections which anyone
would like to make, and make a corrected copy of the book which can be
used if a new edition is ever published.
With these remarks the writer gladly offers his work to those who
are interested in his native town. HARVEY M. LAWSON.
Yale Divinity School,
New Haven, Conn., March Isi, iSgj.

TABLE. OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY.
A Sketch of the Life and Labors of Rev. Charli s
Hammond, LL.D. — i;
CHAPTER L - -  -
The Physical Ff.aturf.s of U*rr6N.
Interesting' Character — Size — Boundaries — Elevation —
Bald Hill — Other Hills — Mashapaug Lake— Celebra
tions Held Here — Summer Resorts — Water Sheds in
Union — The Breakneck Region — Cat Rocks — Roads in
Union — Forests — Plants and Birds. — 16.
CHAPTER II.
Settle.me.mt and Early History of Union.
Date of Settlement — Lead iline — Boundary with Jlassa-
chusetts — Name of Union — Land of Content — Sale of
Union Lands — Action of the Proprietors — Reservation
for Public Uses— The Home Lots— First Settlers— The
Scotch-Irish — Puritan Families. — 36.
CHAPTER III.
Ecclf.siastical History.
I. The Congregational Church at Union.
Connection with the History of the Town — Worship by the
Early Settlers — Petition for Incorporation — Act of
Incorporation — Order for the Tax — Conflict with the
Proprietors — The Colonel Brown Controversy — Disa
greement Concerning Minister — Memorial to the As
sembly — Rev. Samuel Terry — Call of Rev. Ebenezer
Wyman — Organization of the Church — Places of Early
Worship — Building of the Meeting House — Death of
Mr. Wyman — His Character — Rev. Caleb Hitchcock —
Rev. Ezra Horton — Difficulties in the Church— Dis
missal of Mr. Horton — Preachers who Followed Him —
Low State of the Church — Rev. David Avcrj' — Forma-

TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii
tion of the Society — Rev. Nehemiah Beardsley — Revival
of 1 83 1— Building of the New Meeting-House — Rev. S.
I. Curtiss — Temperance Reform — Remodeling of the
Church — Dismissal ot Mr. Curtiss — Rev. J. P. Watson —
Rev. George Curtiss — Rev. William Howard — Rev. I. P.
Smith — Anniversary of the Organization — Deafcons of
the Church — Future Prospects — Funds of the Church —
List of Members. — 47.
II. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Mashapaug.
Old Methodist Church-^Organization of the Present Church
— Its Pastors — Causes which have made the Church
Weak — Prospects for the Future — List of Members —
List of Pastors. — 105.
CHAPTER IV.
Military History of Union.
I. Union in the Revolution.
Xccd of Militia — French and Indian War — Training — Cases
of Tory Discipline — Colonel Abijah Willard — ^Timothy
Holton — Battle of Lexington — Rally and March of
Union Men — Enlistment of Soldiers — Lieutenant
Sprague — Bunker Hill — Hardships of the Soldiers —
¦ Captain Lawson's Company — Campaign against Bur-
goyne — Hardships at Home — Raising Taxes — List of
Revolutionary Soldiers. — iii.
II. Union in the War of 18x2.
Men who went from Union. — 138.
III. The Trainings. — 139.
IV. Union in the Rebellion.
Company I, Sixteenth Regiment — David Corbin's Company
G, Twenty-Second Regiment — List of Union Soldiers —
Soldiers who have Lived in Union since the War —
The D. P. Corbin Post— 141.
CHAPTER V.
Biographical Sketches.
Jesse Olney, A.M. — Dr. Shubael Hammond — Deacon Samuel
Crawford — Judge I. W. Crawford — Eleazer Foster —
Eleazer K. Foster — Rev. S. I. Curtiss — Rev. George
Curtiss — Prof. S. I. Curtiss— Captain Chauncey Paul —

viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Harvey Walker — Hannah Moore — Mrs. Calista Holman
Vinton — Rev. Thomas Holman — Moses G. Leonard — '
Tared D. Sessions — Joseph M. Griggs — Sarah A. Paul —
David P. Corbin, A.M.^=WiffiaTtr MrtTorbin — Justus \'.
Lawson — Charles F. Morse — Rev. Isaac Booth, D.D. —
Philip D. Armour — Andrew W. Armour — Dwi^ht
Marcy — Philip Corbin-^^I. A. Marcy — Joel H. Reed. —
'SI- CHAPTER VI.
Industrial History of Union.
I. Agriculture: Farming bythe- Early Settlers — Crops
Raised-^Markets — Wild Animals — Present Condition
of Agriculture.; — 221. ,_. _ .
II. Lumbering: Importance in UnlonTrrThe Saw-Mills in
Town. — 229.
III. The Store and Shoe Business: Merrick Marcy— Busi
ness of His Sons — Burning of the Block at Union — The
Busitiess at Mashapaug': Moses White— Hai'vej* Walker
— Jared Sessions — William Corbin — Cessation of the
Shoe Manufacture-Mother Industries at Mashapaug. —
CHAPTER VII.,
The Schools of Union.
The Early Schools— The School Society — Teacher.s- -Pres
ent Condition of Schools — The Select Schools of Unior.
— Names of Teachers — List of College Students from
Union. — 240.
CHAPTER Vin.
The Ce.meteries of Union.
The Old Cemetery— The North Cemetery— The New
Cemetery — The East Cemetery. — 248.
CHAPTER IX.
Genealogies of the Fa.milies. — 252.
CHAPTER X.
List of Town Officers, Etc.
Representatives in Legislature from the Town. of Union —
Selectmen — Town Clerks and Treasurers — Population
of the Town. — 501.

INTRODUCTORY.
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND LABORS OF
REV. CHARLES HAMMOND, LL. D.
(iaken mainly from the memorial discourse of. elbridge
s.mith, delivered before the Massachusetts teachers'
association, DECEMBER 31, 1879).
CHARLES HAMMOND, to whom the origin of this
history is due, was born in Union, June 15, 1813. He
was the oldest child of Dr. Shubaei Hammond, who for
fifty years was the physician of the town. (See the sketch
of his life). Dr. Hammond lived on the place now occu-
]3icd by Mr. Mason Horton, and it was here that Charles
was born. He became very closely attached to his boy
hood home, and was always glad to revisit it. In telling the
story of the digging of the well on the place, he speaks of
sometimes "longing for the water of that well as David
longed for the water by the gate of Bethlehem." With the
rest of the family he attended the Congregational church
at Union. He publicly professed his faith in Christ, and
joined the church Nov. 20, 1831, when he was eighteen
years old. It appears that he always retained his member
ship in the church of his youth. He was ever one of its
warmest friends.
In his early years, his kindness of heart and quickness
of intellect, his love of study and his indiffe^rence to play,
seemed to mark him for a different life from that of the
farm or the workshop. But the physician of seventy years
ago, as he rode in saddle or sulky, in storm or sunshine, in
heat or cold, through mud and dust, by night and by day,
received no three or five dollar fees for prescription or
medicine. The expense of a collegiate education on the
basis of so small an income, seemed to Dr. Hammond more

2 SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAJLVOND.
than prudence or honesty would justify; he accordingly
felt obliged, though with great reluctance, to advise his
son to make the most-af--the.districtjSdlQoLand of the pri
vate high school, which frequently flourished in New Eng
land towns during the autumn months, and not attempt
a more extended or expensive course. But the prudence
of the father was overborne by the partiality of friends
and neighbors, a mother's affection, a sister's pride and a
sister's love; sacrifices were made, new means devised,
new toils were welcomed and the task undertaken. At the
age of seventeen he taught successfully a district school in
Willington, Conn., and the next summer beg<in the more
direct preparatory studies for college at Monson Academy.
It was with great joy to himself that he rode with his
father on a June morning in 1 831, fifteen miles over hill
and valley to ]\Ionson. The father was doubtless question
ing with himself what manner of man his boy should
become; what would be the end of that new departure in
the voyage of life. While the son, buoyant with hope, was
rejoicing as a strong man to run a race in the new prospect
now opening for the exercise of his powers. He had come
to Monson for no idle day dreaming, but for a purpose to
be realized only by studious toil and patient endurance.
Here he continued his preparatory studies at intervals for
five years. It was during his school life at Monson Uial
his religious life assumed a positive and determined form,
and that generous and earnest faith which gave a new
direction and greater force to his life work first took eoni-
plete possession of his soul.
In 1835, at the mature age of twenty-two, he entered
Yale College, Here he was known as a modest, respectable
scholar, of a very sociable, genial nature among friend.s, ;i
fine writer, broad thinker, and a prominent singer in the
college choir. During his college course he was obliged to
devote a part of his time to teaching in order to gain
means for his support. This to such an enthusiastic
scholar as Mr. Hammond, was a deprivation. But it helped
to develop the sturdy qualities of the man.

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 3
In the spring of 1839 the preceptorship of Monson
Academy became vacant, and his alma mater had not for
gotten, during his four years' absence, the promise of his
academic life, and without waiting for his graduation from
college, which was to take place in the summer, recalled
him to her service. In accepting this important position,
however, it was not with the intention of making teaching
his permanent occupation. The purpose previously enter
tained of studying theology remained undisturbed, and the
two and a half years which he spent at ^lonson was a
ripening period of his life. He thoroughly reviewed his
college studies in connection with the branches which he
taught. Self-interest and pleasure alike combined to ren
der his teaching earnest, thorough and delightful. His
associate at this time was one who had been his classmate
at the academy, and one who has since become one of the
brightest ornaments of the American pulpit, the Rev.
Richard S. Storrs, D.D., of Brooklyn, N. Y.
In the autumn of 1841 Mr. Hammond began the study
of theology at Andover. After spending a year under the
instruction of Moses Stuart, Bela B. Edwards, and others,
he returned to New Haven and completed his course at the
Yale Seminary. Here he received instruction from Dr.
Nathaniel W. Taylor, at that time the greatest, name in
New England theology. On completing his course of pro
fessional study in 1844, he was licensed to preach by the
Tolland County Association, and was in readiness to enter
upon his work whenever the right field should open to his
view. While waiting for this opening, the preceptorship
of Monson Academy again fell vacant, and he was again
summoned to that familiar post. One reason which led
him to devote himself to teaching, instead of preaching,
was a natural timidity and shrinking from public speaking
which seemed to baffle his first efforts, and which he
found great difficulty in mastering. He seemed utterly
unconscious of the advantages which he possessed in his
rich voice, his superior presence and powerful pen. There
is scarcely a pulpit in the land which would not have

^ SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND.
sought his ministrations after a few years' Exercise of his
natural and acquired powers. He should have remembered
such examples as Daniel-Web&ter7-^vho-said— t-ha-t— be got
along very well .it school with everything except declama
tion, and that he never could do. But let us not criticise
or complain; the pulpit's loss has been the schoolroom's
gain. The bashful young clergyman, unable to face an
audience to his satisfaction, has infused the sacred lire
into hundreds of young minds now fillin,g the pulpit, plead
ing at the bar, or swaying fi-otrr-thc-platfomr delighlcd
thousands who hang upon their lips. It is pleasant to
notice that Dr. Hammond was the first to predict the gre;it
eminence of his early classmate and associate, — that
divine who holds, in the estimation of many, the first
place in the American pulpit, — the Rev. Dr. Storrs, of
Brooklyn. He little thought how near he might have
come to an honorable rivalry with him. He was
ordained as an evangelist, October 9th, 1855, but onlj-
preached occasionally.
Hence when Mr. Hammond assumed the principaLship
of Monson Academy in 1844, it was Vvith the high aim to
do the very best in his power in the profession which he had
chosen for his life-work. He became a great admirer of
Thomas Arnold, the distinguished headmaster of the
Rugby school in old England. There were just beginning
to develop in his own character the same classical spirit,
the same noble enthusiasm, and the same historic taste
which Arnold possessed. Probably he saw his Rugby at
Monson. He found the school in a very depressed condi
tion. For forty years the building had borne, without
important repairs, the buffetings of the storms without and
the busy and sometimes mischievous life within. The
return of Mr. Hammond was signalized by a complete ren
ovation, and a large increase of apparatus in the English
department. The attendance upon the school had sunk
very low, competing institutions at no great distance, had
made large drafts on its former patronage. But the people
of the town rallied to the support of their school. Confi-

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 5
dent in the abilities and character of their preceptor whom
they had long known, they nobly resolved to hold their
own and not allow an institution which had so well Served
the town, the country, the state and the nation, to be
eclipsed. The efforts of the trustees, teachers, and citizens
were attended with the most gratifying success. The tide
soon turned ; the attendance in the English department
rose to a higher point than it had ever before attained,
while the number of graduates in the classical department
steadily increased from two in 1845, to eighteen in 1852.
Mr. Hammond tells us that during these years his " policy
was shaped by the constant and unremitting endeavor to
solve successfully the problem whether Monson Academy
could be made to live and thrive as a classical institution,
and as such to subser'V'e, not merely the educational inter
ests of the town, but of all that part of New England not
within the proper limits and influence of other classical
schools of established reputation." Among the rival insti
tutions with which Monson Academy had. to contend were
the Williston Seminary at Easthampton, Mt. Holyoke Semi-
n.iry for young ladies, the coeducational institutions at
Wilbraham and Suffield, and numerous high schools which
were springing up in the vicinity. Hence, it is natural
that a broader field with ample resources should present
great attractions to such an enthusiastic and aspiring
educator as Mr. Hammond. In 1852 the preceptorship of
Lawrence Academy at Groton, Mass., became vacant and
the trustees offered the position to the successful teacher
at Monson. The actual and prospective promise at Groton,
to an enterprising scholar, was not surpassed by that of
.iny institution in the state. The result of the negotia
tions between Mr. Hammond and the trustees at Groton
was his appointment to the preceptorship in 1852 and his
removal thither in 1853. He brought with him the valu
able experience of his previous career, together with his
.great energy and enthusiasm in his work. Here for eleven
years he remained in the successful prosecution of his
task. His preceptorship at Groton was the longest contin
uous term of service that this academy had received.

6 SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND.
We have now to notice what rarely occurs in the life of
any public servant. Twice we have already seen him
called to the preceptorship of-^Ionson, — We-have— now to
notice the beginning of a third term, longer than the sum
of' the two preceding, and which was to terminate only
with his life. The funds of Monson Academy had always
been limited. It had always lived and flourished more by
its good behavior than by the strength of its pecuniary
foundation. In 1S63 its resources had become so narrow-
that it was found necessary to close Iho school for a time
and gather strength for a higher llight. The return of Mr.
Hammond in 1845 had been characterized by xi great
revival in interest and increase in the means of the school.
His return in 186-3 was still more marked jn these respects.
The building was so transformed that no trace of "the
original structure remained; ten thousand dollars were
added to the permanent fund of the institution, and the
apparatus was enlarged by the expenditure of eleven hun
dred dollars; and last and greatest, it would seem, by the
presence of the teacher who had gained their confidence,
and who.se leadership they seemed to regard as essential to
success. With this emphatic expression of confidence and
regard, Mr. Hammond entered upon his last fifteen years
of teaching on the very spot where his academic life
began thirty-two years before.
During this term of service at Monson, Mr. H.ammond
became the educator of the first Chinese, and also the first
Japanese students ever sent to America to be educated.
Rev. Samnel Robbins Brown, a native of Monson and a
missionary to China, was responsible for the sending over
of both delegations, although they came at an interval of
a number of years. One of the first of these Chinese
pupils, which were under the personal supervision of ^Ir.
Hammond, was Yung Wing. He fitted for an American
college, gained its diploma, and returned to his country
men resolved to replace by western science and western
thought the obsolete civilization based upon the philoso
phy of Confucius. It was a bold enterprise, but it was sue-

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 7
cessful, and in the wake of his influence, and by the light
of his example, scores of his countrymen have found their
way to our schools and colleges. And afterward that
lonely boy, ripened into a broad Christian manhood, in
company with another of his race, from the same teacher
and the same school, became a mediator between the
oldest and the youngest of nations, between sunrise and
sunset, and for many years moved in the highest circles of
diplomacy at Washington. This man, the Hon. Yung
Wing, thus speaks of his old teacher : " I found in Mr.
Hammond a strong friend from first to last. I recall him
uitli feelings of udmirntion as a noble man in every sense
of the word. His voice was clear and sonorous, and every
tone of it was filled with a deep sympathy, flowing
naturally from a great heart. He had a highly cultivated
mind, and his thoughts were those of a strong man. His
taste for everything that is beautiful in art, nature and lit
erature was highly cultivated, and he was peculiarly gifted
to inspire his pupils with noble aspirations, and to instill
into 'them a love of the truth."
The work which Mr. Hammond did for Yung Wing, and
for his Chinese and Japanese associates, was in no respect
different in kind from what he did for every boy and girl
u'ho came under his tuition. Send a few educated and
liigh-souled youths to China and Japan, and those ancient
despotisms begin to crumble and teem with new life.
They appear great by contrast. Send the same to an
enlightened state, and they blend so quietly with its
liigher life that they almost escape notice.
Mr. Hammond was built on a large plan in every way,
physically, intellectually and morally. His face and figure
^vould attract attention in any circle. Those large physi
cal proportions, massive head, and most expressive face,
marked a man of princely intellect and noble heart. His
Irank and genial manners were the natural language of his
nature, without the slightest trace of art. His social
(|ualities were of the very best; open and accessible to
all, he was a capital talker, and, what is still more rare,

8 8KETCJT0F REV. CHARLES HAMMOND.
an equally good listener. He was always ready to
instruct and no less earnest to be instructed. He.
appeared to great, advantage in social discussion and
never more so thkrrwlien he -encountei-ed a vigorous'ahd
healthy opposition. He had in large measure, the qualities
which we sometimes call magnetic in their influence.
His emotional nature was one of great richness and
strength. His love was fervent and his friendships choice
and permanent. Sometimes the quiet simle would light uj)
his eyes and spread over his pquntenance like sunshine over
the hills, or some stfongelr \\*1ive'~6f"f&;ling'woiild break
into the quiet, heart)' laugh in which'his -whole body took
a part, and in -ft'lvich the whole company, moved by conta
gion, joined. Then again the shadows would gather, deep
shadows, sometimes like the shades-seen settling over the
forests of pines. Indeed his countenanee in repose as seen
in some of the pictures of bim, had tlie tender mournful
look of one who often felt the force of mental depression.
It is impossible to tell why but it is true that many young-
men and women of large intellect and strong emotions
have felt an tindertow of uri.T.ccountable melancholy.
Mr. Hammond always cherished a tender regard for his
native town. He loved its hills and speaks of looking at
them from other places as upon the '^'^ Delectable Moun
tains." The clear song of the Woodland' thrush which he
heard there, always thrilled his soul. He became intensely
interested in the stories of the early settlers of the place,
and began while still a young man, to gather the informa
tion concerning the history of the town which bas devel
oped into the present work. The. reeiprocal attachment
between him and his native town continued through life.
When the people of Union repaired and dedicated their
meeting-house, it was Mr, Hammond who was summoned
to preach' the sermon; if they were to celebrate the fourth
of July, Ml-. H.immond was their bfator; if Tolland County
would celebrate the great centennial of 1776, it must be
with a profusion of antiquarian and historical lore which
Mr. Hammond alone could furnish. When the trustees of

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 9
.Monson Academy would celebrate their semi-centennial
anniversary, they recalled Mr. Hammond from Groton to
icview its history. When the trustees at Groton would
fjedicate their new academy building, they sent to Monson
for Mr. Hammond to come and teach them the history of
academic education in New England. And when the shot
I if the assassin destroyed the nation's chief magistrate, the
people of Monson, forgetting sect and party, rushed to the
swelling heart and eloquent lips of their preceptor to find
utterance for their grief and righteous indignation. These
facts show how strongly his character impressed itself
wherever it had been felt, and that the close of official rela
tions was no hindrance to the continued exercise of love
;ind friendship; the man remained after the teacher had
departed. But it was in his domestic life that the depth of
his character is shown. A blow which almost wrecked his
life was the loss of an only son in whom he had discovered
"a salient, living spring of generous and manly action."
riiis event, the death of his ten-year-old son Charles, took
])lace July 26,- 1866; the day after Mr. Hammond preached
ilie rededicatory sermon at the church at Union. Into that
sermon he threw his whole soul, and displayed how deep
vvas his sympathy with the religious welfare of his native
town. AVhen he returned home to his son's bedside to see
liim die, his sorrow was overwhelming. He felt as though
the storm had gone over him, and left him like a prostrate
' lak uprooted in the hurricane. He never fully recovered
i rom the blow, and the last twelve years of his life were
linged by its effect.
As a teacher Mr. Hammond was a thorough scholar, a
latient worker, more distinguished for broad views, sound
iiidgment and enlarged culture, than minuteness of drill.
I )nc of his pupils testifies, " Genial, energetic and
¦ liorough ; these are the words that must be used to charac-
' erizc his manner in the classroom. If it were possible to
waken interest he developed it; if any latent ability
urkcd in the nature of bis pupils he stirred it to action.
lis prayers were earnest and devout, his reading of Scrip-

10 SKETCH OF BEV. VHABLKSJUMMONp.
ture impressive and reverential. His power was that of a
pure, cultivated and honest man. His prevailii3;g mood was
eminently cheerful, with no shading of frivolity. 11 is.
smile was over ready "wRcn a sniilo was AppropftorcTf'iinil
when occasion called for it, he was capable of a 'sternness
which a recreant pupil would not readily prtivokc the sec
ond time. He was an excellent disciplinarian, although he
was sometimes accused of too great atisterity by' those who
did not fully understand his character,"
His personal interest, in his pupils .was intense., The
poor boy, fighting his way through poverty'to get an
education, found -him. a. fathcj flS^ vxeilLas_,a teacher; ,he
poured out his money like water ta aid .such pupils, 'rhe
last words that fell from his lips_ W£.re g; in-es^a^e to a
deserving pupil, who was struggling?. fi5r._aiv ^educatiou
without money andvvithout^friends..,,,,,..-,.-^-,-^-.. _- ,_
Rev. R. H. Howard says of him: ".Withpnt a doubl,
Mr. Hammond was one of the. leading. educators of tlic '
commonwealth. As a teacher, his specialty was classics.
Think of the long-line of young men which this royal
teacher has fitted for college.. ;.Npr .did., ever a student sil
at his feet that he did not put his; impress o.n.. He couhi
. invest minute linguisticdctaiLs.with sueh;aii interest cis to
inspire even the dullard with a passionate ardo.r for class i
cal pursuits. He was one of Nature's noblemen, as lar.i;c
hearted as he was largo brained. -.Jilodest,.. simple, frank,
generous to a fault ; self-sacrilicing, dovoted'to his rriend:;;
aiul kiml, helpful and sympathetic towards all; the verv
soul of candor, of honor andof truth ; -no. man more cor
dially abominated bigotry, meanness, or pretense than be,
or more heartily appreciated- reaL worth.— ? .* * His
commanding form only fittingly expressed- the largeness
of his manhood, the breadth of his- liberality, ,antb the
power and urgency of his conVicti&ns, As to his methods
and theories, whether as an -educator, or in.-.regard to
social, political or religious- matters,^^r, Hammoud was
conservative. The good -old- -ways wcllwarked, weregood
enough for him,' not that he arbitrarily or unreasonahlv

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. n
repelled all new things. . He was not by any means averse
I'l true progress. He felt inclined, however, to make haste
very slowly." The same writer speaks of the fine human
ity in Mr. Hammond, which was illustrated on one
occasion when he sat " a whole hour and that when other
duties were pressing, and late in the evening, engaged
with a youth who had applied for admission to the
academy, and who was extremely anxious to succeed,
j^ently leading him to a full realization of what was at a
glance only too ob-vious to the examiner — his utter unfit
ness as yet for such a promotion. And then, when at
length the disappointed child burst into tears, the fatherly
tenderness with which the great teacher soothed, and
encouraged the boy not to despond, but by and by try
ci.^ain, was touching and beautiful indeed."
Mr. Hammond was closely identified with the educa
tional interests of the state. He was one of the founders of
the Massachusetts State Teachers' Association, and was one
<if its officers in some line of service continuously till his
death. He attended punctually the meetings, took an
.ictive part in its deliberations and discussions, reading
many able papers before that society.
Mr. Hammond had a library of great value, into which
lie put a large share of his surplus earnings. It contained
many rare books, valuable because of their rarity, and
m.T.ny valuable pamphlets.
Mr. Hammond received the honorary degree of LL. D.,
ill 1877, from Iowa College.
In September, 1878, he entered upon his last academic
\ car, with the expectation and purpose that it should be
1 is last year of teaching. He had taught thirty-six years,
; nd was hoping for a peaceful retirement in a green old
: ge, with leisure in which to complete the history of his
I ative town. This plan he had long cherished, and had
1 een gathering the material for that purpose throughout
i.iany years. What a pity that his plan could not have
1 een carried out ! His ripe culture, his skill as a writer,
1 is whole-souled love for his native town, his familiarity

12 SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND.
with many of its people, and the impressions of its his
tory which he carried in mind, all fitted him far bet
ter than any one else to be its historian. It is safe to sa;
that the work which he would have left behind him woulf
have been of in-terest-,-4iGt-©n4y-t«-tb©se-^who^were-pers(m
ally connected with the town, but to the general literarx
public as well. But his fond hopes were not to be realized
A few weeks after the beginning of the term ho was pros
trated by a capricious and treacherous disease — that of tlu
kidneys. He rallied for a time, so far as to leave lii-
chamber, go down to his library for a few hours, and .ga/i
upon the volumes through which he had so long cum
muned with the wise and good of every country and o;
evcrj' age. ^
The feelings of that hour can only be imagined by oik
who has witnessed, his love for books,— who has seen liim
unconsciously clasp to his bosom a choice new volume.
with the same warmth with which he would grasp tlu
hand of a friend.
But he was soon satisfied that all that remained for him
to do was to set his house in order, and be in readiness foi-
the summons; and this he did with the ¦firmness of a man
and the faith of a Christian. Tie suffered much for se\era'
weeks, and the light of reason was for a tiine eloudcil
The ruling passion was strong in death, (fathering ih,
poor remains of his wasted strength with a resolute effni-i,
he gave a messtige of love for a beloved pupil, and as ihi,
words left his lips he ])assed away, November 7th, iSyS, to
a higher service, in a nearer presence, and with ransonu->i
powers. His funeral rites were solemnized with that simplicitx
and tenderness which befitted his character. His friend
and classmate, Dr, I, N. Tarbox, told the story of his life
and drew the lessons which it taught. Rev, John W
Harding, of Longmeadow, one of the trustees of l^lonson
Academy, spoke of his long and faithful services to tin
academy. There was a large audience of students, grad
uates from the institution, friends from abroad, and towns

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 13
people, gathered to pay the last tribute of respect and
affection to. the man they had known and loved so well.
The trustees of the academy to which he had come as a
piiiiil forty-seven years before, and which he had served as
pfcccptor a quarter of a century, followed by mourning
friends and reverent pupils, old and young, bore him to
his grave, to rest where his work was done.
The Rev. John W. Harding, of Longmeadow, has kindly
furnished for the history the following reminiscences of
Mr. Hammond :
^ly memories of Mr. Hammond date back to the period
of his graduation from the Yale Theological School.
While an under-graduate in the college, I got from his
personal friends and class mates the impression that he
was a superior man and particularly so in his chaste and
elegant use of good English. He was rated highly as a
jjood writer and belle-lettres scholar. Becoming quite
well acquainted with him during his later occupancy of
the principalship of Monson Academy, my early impres
sions were thoroughly confirmed. He possessed a fine
mastery of expression, enhanced in point of beauty and
strength by his enthusiastic study of the Latin and Greek
: L-l assies. As an educator, the forte in which he achieved
' his largest distinction, he was eminently successful. Not
so much however by dint of accurate scholarship, and the
, advantage of communicating well what he knew, as by his
.L;-i-and personality. His massive frame, broad shoulders,
superb head and ponderous stride were matched by a
; lustrous and penetrating eye, now- revealing deep wellsof
thought, and anon twinkling with a subtle humor. His
n- ibile mouth, whether firmly compressed, or wreathed
w'th smiles never suggested an approach to weakness or
V. cuity. He was in every point of view a large pattern of
a man, but without the least apparent consciousness of it.
T itally destitute of any affected dignity, he was charming
ii' a grand simplicity that made him become even as a
li tie child in the guileless transparency through which

14 SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND.
shone his great heart. How intense were his affection .,
was touchingly revealed in the crushing sorrow- that fo
lowed the loss of his young son in whom were fondl,-
garnered his longing expectations. In teaching his boys
and especially the class fitting for college, he gave l"
them richly out of the fullness of his delicate pereeptio
and enthusiastic appreciation of whatsoever was good ar.,!
beautiful and true. United with his warm affection was
quick and tender conscience and a high sense of honor.
Such educators possessing his inspiring and magnetic
quality are few. He deserves to be classed with Thoma-
Arnold of Rugby, and Osgood Johnson, or Samuel Taylor,
of Andover, The testimony of his pupils who lia\c
achieved success in the higher walks of life is his he-;
eulogy. They might forget his words, they never for-,,i
him. Through all their after years their hearts wo '
back to Mt)nson or to Groton to thank him who soaltiuu ¦!
their souls to finer issues and lifted for them the stanclah
of a true manhood, "'
In the ))ul]Mt he loved to handle such deep themes ;:
the book of Job. His sermons were- too ponderous witf
thought for the camp meeting, but delightsome to the fit
audience though few of elect thinkers.
It was not in his chosen profession merely that I"
became a power. The community not only of educators.
but of churches and pastors and all good citizens w-hi.
knew him, were touched by his pervasive and uneon
scious influence. Although separated from him bv ll •.
space of many miles my knowledge of him was a constai ;
help and inspiration. His fellow townsmen were tone :
up to a nobler public spirit by his presence. The savor of
his good name lifted many into a higher atmosphere of
social, civic and spiritual life.
JOHN W. HARDING,
Longmeadow, September 3, 1892.

SKETCH OF REV. CHARLES HAMMOND. 15
LIST OF publications BV DR. HAMMOND.
1. American Puritanism, New Efiglander, July, 1843.
2. Ebenezer Porter Mason, New Englander, July, 1845.
3. Common Schools and their relation to Higher Semi
naries, New Englander, July, 1848.
4. New England Academies and Classical Schools.
I Introduction to a History of Incorporated Academies pro
jected by Hcniy Barnard in 1852 and printed in the Amer
ican Journal of Education 1866, and in the Circular of
l.'ommissioner of Education, in 1867.]
5. Historical Discourse at the Semi-Centennial Anniver
sary of Monson Academy, July, 1854.
6. Address at Re-Dedication of Monson Academy, July
ij, 1864.
7. History of Groton Academy, Barnard's Journal of
I'xlucation, 1856.
8. Sermon on the Life and Character of Abraham Lin
coln, Preached at Monson, June i, 1865.
9. vScrmon preached at the Re-Dedication of the Church
at Union, Conn., July 25, 1866.
10, History of Monson Academy, Barnard's Journal of
l''.dncation, 1867,
II, Address at the Re- Dedication of Lawrence Acade
my, June 29, 1871,
12, History of Phillips Academy at Andover, Report
of Secretary of Mass. Board of Education, 1875-6.
13. Our County History. An Oration delivered at Tol
land, Conn., Tolland County Press, July 4, 1876.
14. Address at the Centennial Reunion, at Lake Masha-
1 aug, in Union, Conn., Tolland County Press, and South-
1 ridge Journal, August 30, 1876.
15. The Good Pastor. A Sermon preached at the Fune-
1 al of Rev. Abram Marsh, at Tolland, Conn., September 4,
1.S77. 16. Mashapaug Lake and the Surrounding Region. An
.\ddress delivered at Union, Conn., Tolland County Press,
July 4, 1878.

CHAPTER I.
THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
INTERESTING <;H AR ACTER  SIZE  BOUNDARIES  ELEVATION—
BALD HILL  OTHER HILLS — -MASHAPAUG LAKE  CELEnk.\-
TIONS HELD HERE — SU.MMER RESORTS  WATER-SHEDS l.\
UNIO.N  THE BREAKNECK REGION  CAT ROCKS  ROADS IN
UN ION — FORES'rS — pl.^nts'ITni) BIRD.S.
THERE is no town in this rcgiom.V-hich-is so interest
ing from a physical point, of view as Union. Its
high hills and low valleys, its rocks and precipices, its
beautiful lakes and streams, and its extensive forests, all
combine to make it a delightful locality for the lover oi
nature. The town is a trifle over five miles in width on the
north side and about seven on the south. The western
boundary is about five and a quarter miles in length am'
the eastern a little less than five miles. The^area of tlv.
town is thirty and a fifth square miles. ~'
Union is bounded on the north by Wales, Holland and
Sturbridge, on the cast by Woodstock, on the south b\
Eastford and Ashford, and on the west by Stafford.
One peculiarity of this region is its comparative eleva
tion. Union is the highest town in the state east of th'
Connecticut river. Streams flow from its hills into e\ cr\
border town. It is sometimes said in disparagement tha^
this town is out of the world. It is truly out of and ahove tin
common level of other jilaecs. Surel-yHt is no discredit t"
the people ui this town if they do really live a little ncari
heaven than any of their neighbors.
The liighest eminence in town and in this part of tlo
state is Hald hill, which rises to the height of i,2.Sr. f( c
above sea level. The view from its summit is perfectl-
panoramic. It extends in every direction to a remote hor-

I RATIO REDUCTION CHANGED TO 12X

BALD HILL.

17

1 /.on, like that at sea or on a western prairie. On the east
; he eye ranges far beyond the Quinnebaug, with its source
in Mashapaug Lake, through- all its windings, far down
towards its confluence with the Shetucket at Norwich, to
form the Thames. On the west the vale of tbe Williman-
iic is traced to its connection with the Bigelow, while far
iieyond is the broad valley of thfe Connecticut, limited by
the mountains of Litchfield and Berkshire. The northern
jirospect is defined by Wacliusett, Monadnock, and the
mountains of southern Vemont. On the south a large
part of the territory of eastern Connecticut is in sight.
A hundred steeples are said to be visible on a clear day,
but in such a locality the arithmetic is not apt to be
accurate. The following account of Bald hill is from the pen of
Rev. S. V. Curtiss :
" Of the several prominent hills in Union, Bald hill is, in many
respects, the most noted. Stickney hill, about a mile northeast, opens
to view a grand prospect of the surrounding country. Perhaps more
onii be seen (rom every point of the compass than from Bald hill, but
I laid hill has become the most distinguished and celebrated of all the
liills in Union or vicinity. It is easy of ascent on the north and south
skies. It slopes on the north to the road to Staffordville, spotted here
and there all the way to the summit with bare rocks just above the
:, round from which, perhaps, it derives its name. The south slope is
< overed with woods to the road leading to Stafford Springs. On this
^ ide is a road to the summit which -.nakes it easy of access. Those who
i.LVc been upon the top of the hjU in a cloudless morning, when the
.-.'.inosphere was without haze, to look upon the rising sun as it sent its
: lys upon the expansive scenery before them, say that it was of surpass-
' g loveliness. The prospect from the summit is on a magnificent scale.
' I a clear atmosphere there are many villages and churches to be seen
- ith the naked eye The hill sides and tops before you covered with
I rests, gradually rising one above another in the distance, dotted here
: ad there with clearings, farm houses and villages, form a picturesque
' 'ndscape captivating to the eye, and expanding to the mind. Bald hill
IS been honored above all other hills for many miles distant as better
cated from which, in connection with Mts. Tom and Monadnock, to
ike a survey of the seacoast in the direction of New London, and
nward to meet other surveys which had been made by men appointed
>r this purpose by the general government. The surveyors were upon
ic summit of Bald hill at different times for two or three years, just
2

1 8 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
before the late war, making surveys. The second time the company of
surveyors with their attendants and families to the number of thirty or
more, came with their equipments and spent five or six weeks in the
prosecution of their important business. At this time of observation
there were two other points^mamiedTJjne iB-Massachusetts-and the other
in New Hampshire, that an accurate survey of all the angles on the ci>ast
might be made. From these several points communication was maJe
•with each other by signals. The company on Bald hill used a theodo
lite (one of the best in the United States) which took from four to six
men to operate. With this instrument sight could be taken a hundred
miles or more. After this manner an accurate survey of the seacoast
was made upon all the Atlantic shore, of the land and water, and mapped
out, which was a special benefit in time of war, and will be useful to our
¦commerce in all time to come."
To the north of Bald hill is Stickney, so named from
an Amos Stickney who lived near its summit in the early
history of the town. It rises to a height of 1220 feet. To
the north of this the summit of the range west of Union
meeting-house has an altitude of 1200 feet. (These figures
are from the recent U. S. topographical srrr-vx;y). In the
east part of town the highest points are the Coyehill, and
Walker mountain, about a mile south of it, Tliese are
botli lo.p feet high, Fnnn the summit of Coye hill, a
magnilieent view of the suvroiinding coinUry can he
olitained, To the northeast are Charlton imd Dudley.
To the east the Baptist meeting-house at AVest Woodstock
looms up prominently, while beyond are the hills ol Wooil-
stoek, and of Thompson in tlie distant horizon. In the
southeast the view stretches away to Pomfrct, Brot)klyn
and I'^iistford, From the nortli brow of the hill (a point a lew-
rods southwest oC Milton Underwoods's place), a splendid
view can be obtained of the northeast section of town.
From that point Breakneck mountain appears with its
southern front bold, steep aiid deep. On its left side
Mashapaug Lake appears spread out in its length and
breadth. At the foot of the mountain is a gorgo which
can be tr.iced towards the northeast where a glimpse ol"
Breakneck pond appears in its deep seclusion as it rests in
its cradle of rocky ravines. At the .south this gorge runs
into the Bigelow valley with the pond lying at the foot of

MASHAPAUG LAKE.

19

the steep slopes. Bigelow pond lies about thirty feet
below Mashapaug, and were it not for the base of the
mountain between, the waters of Mashapaug would rush
down upon it in an overwhelming flood.
Beyond these lakes to the north lie the hills and fields
of Sturbridge, Holland, Brimfield and Brookfield, while in
the blue distance the solid form of Mt. Wachusett looms
up against the horizon. From the west side of the Coye
hill can be seen the center of the town with Bald hill,
Stickney, and the hills north rising up against the sky,
while the deep valley of Bigelow 400 feet below, separates
the observer from the central section of town. The eleva
tions of various other places in town are as follows :
David Newell's, loio feet; Union meeting-house, 980
feet; Lead-mine hill, 1130 feet; Foster school-house,
1020 feet; Henry Booth's, 1000 feet ; Jonathan Upham's,
940 feet ; Mashapaug pond, 690 feet ; Breakneck pond, 665
feet ; Breakneck mountain, 990 feet ; Bigelow pond, 660
feet ; E. N. Lawson's, 920 feet.
Mashapaug Lake, the largest in this vicinity, is about
a mile in length and averages half a mile in width. Its
size and capacity have been greatly increased by build
ing the dam and using it as a reservoir. The Indian
word, Mashapaug, means great water. There are two
ponds of the same name in Massachusetts, one at
Sharon and the other at Groton, also one at Killingly,
Conn. This Indian word in both its parts was spelled
variously by the. English. The word /rt/zy — al.so written
t<'S^ipo<'-Si ^"St boag, and baug — is the termination of many
names of ponds, lakes and streams in New England, and is
a generic word meaning water, though applied more com
monly to ponds than to streams. The prefix spelled
Masha, Afassa, and Afassi, signifies large or great. It is
found in the word Massachusetts, which signifies great
mountain, and was the Indian name of the Blue hills in
Milton and of the tribe of Indians who lived in the
vicinity. The word Quintubaug means long water. Connec
ticut was by the early colonists often spelled Quinnecticut
and means long river.

20 PHYSICAL FEATURES OP UNION.
The land along the northern shore of the lake consists
of a light, sandy soil, of easy cultivation. Upon this many
Indian relics have beeri^ discpvcrcd, such as stone arrow
heads, spear heads, and tomahawks. Mr. Herbert Smith
has a fine collection of these. Their discovery proves
that the plains around the lake were once inhabited by the
Nipnet Indians, a powerful tribe, who before King Phil
ip's war ruled all the region of the upper Quinnebaug
valley. There is a tradition of an interesting legend
which the Indians had concerning Mashapaijg Lake and
the small precipitous island near its north end.
Dr. George N. Lawson has incorporated this in a poem,
which we give : MASIIAI'AUC:.
Up among the hills of Union
Lies a lake of sparkling water.
Mashapaug, the Indians called It,
Quinnebaug they named the outlet.
Near the lake the Indian warrior,
Seated in his dusky wigwam.
With his campfire blazing near him,
With the young braves seated round him.
Used to tell a strange tradition
Which his fathers told before him,
Which his sous should teach their children,
As they sat round future campfires.
Once, in days long since forgotten
Save in stories of old warriors,
In the place where now the water
Pictures the surrounding forest,
Stood a mountain high and rocky,
With its summit clad in pine trees.
Near its foot a little stream ran,
Swift and sparkling down the hillside, .
By this stream there lived a people,
Once a powerful warlike nation ;
But their strength had now departed,
And their warriors were like women.

INDIAN TRADITION.
For they loved their feast and revel
More than warfare, more than hunting;
They were cowardly in combat.
And they feared not the Great Spirit
And their queen, the young Nokemo,
Fairest of the Indian maidens.
Ruled them not as wise queens govern,
But she led them in their feasting.
Near the summit of the mountain
Dwelt the prophetess Nakentis,
An old woman full of wisdom
Gathered through her eighty winters.
Her the mighty spirit honored
With the secrets of the future;
Secrets which the night-owl taught her;
Secrets which she read in storm clouds.
Many times had fair Nokemo
Visited the strange old woman;
Many questions had she asked her
Of the future of her people.
But Nakentis gave her only
One reply to all her questions.
Saying, " The Great Spirit tells me
That his anger has been growing;
" And his anger is not fruitless;
It is ripe and full of poison
Which will kill out wicked people.
And will show that he is powerful.
" When a swan shall sing his death song,
Sinking from the sky above you,
Falling at your feet and dying.
Then comes vengeance swift and mighty."
But the beautiful Nokemo
Paid no heed to old Nakentis;
Still her people grew more wicked,
Still she led them in their feasting.
Once Nokemo in October,
When the ash was tinged with yellow,
And the maple dyed with crimson.
Made a feast for all her people.

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
Venison she had provided.
Fish and nuts with corn just ripened;
Many other things they brought her,
Filled her lodge with food of alHrinds.
Then their festal fires were kindled
Half way up the leaf strewn mountain.
And the older women gathered,
Eager to prepare the banquet.
But the youths and maidens gathered
In a glen among the pine trees.
There to dance and sing and wanton, "
Led on by the fair Nokemo.
Thus they reveled through the whole day.
Wildly cursing the Great Spirit;
Till they gather round Nokemo,
Listening to this song she sang them:
" Life is like a river rolling
Swift and silent to the ocean.
We are like the warriors sailing
In their light canoes of birch bark.
" Some glide smoothly down the river.
Joyous in their lives' bright sunshine.
Some are toiling up the current,
Weary with the work of rowing.
" But the end to which we hasten.
The great hunting ground of nations,
Can be gained by lloatiiig downward.
Can be reached by toiling upward.
" How much better then, my people.
That we make the easier voyage;
Let us feast and dance and revel.
Revel as our boat glides down stream."
As Nokemo ceased her singing,
Suddenly the sky grew darker.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
And the wind roared through the forest.
Then between the peals of thunder.
Louder than the temijest's raging.
Heard they old Nakentis chanting
Wildly from the crag above them :

INDIAN TRADITION. 23
" See the hour of wrath approaching !
' See the dragons in those storm clouds !
Hear the Mighty Spirit speaking
Words of anger in his thunder !
" See the fated bird approaching
From the blackness of the tempest I
O my people ! O Nokemo !
Too far down stream have you floated I "
Then a sharper crash of thunder
Answered this wild hymn of warning.
And between the high pine branches
Sank a bird of snowy plumage.
Then the rocks began to tremble.
And the ground to heave and open;
How the thunder pealed above them I
How the lightning flashed around them !
Then came hurrying and screaming ;
Maidens clung to helpless brothers;
Some rushed one way, some another.
Some fell fainting in their terror.
But Nokemo made no motion,
Save to turn her eyes to heaven.
There she sat in wreaths of gentians.
As her youthful friends had crowned her.
When she saw the swan descending
From the sky where all was blackness.
Sinking at her feet and dying.
Then she thought of old Nakentis.
Then she thought of all her evil.
How she had not helped her people.
When she should have been their guardian;
And she clasped her' hands in anguish.
And the mountain with its people
Sank. And round its grinding edges
Poured up water in great torrents,
Rolling everything beneath it.
Thus the mountain -with its warriors.
With its sunshine, with its shadows.
All were buried in the waters
Save the pious old Nakentis.

24 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
She stood on the very summit,
With her hands stretch'd toward the tempest,
And the sunken mountain left her
Standing on an island praying^
Thus was Mashapaug created.
And the fisher oft at sunset,
When the light shines through the water,
Sees beneath him trees and wigwams.
And at eve they see Nakentis
With a torch glide o'er the meadows^
Seeking for her wayward people,
Seeking for her lost Nokemo. '
Besides this ancient legend, there is a trag.ic story con
nected with the lake in more recent times. , Oii August 14,
1840, four men, Lothrop Moore, Whiting iloore, Justus
Bugbee and David Ames, were fishing toward the north
end in a light boat. Somehow a hole was made in the bot
tom of the boat, through which the water began to pour
up. Three of the men became frightened and jumped
overboard to swim ashore. But Whiting Moore remained
in the boat and thrust his coat in the hole. He alone was
saved; the other three were drowned. Others have been
drowned in the Like besides these. One of them was a 1 1-
ycar-oUl lioy, Olis Merriiim, who Axair-clrowned July 17,
1803, There are two groves on the shores of Mashapaug Lake,
which are used for picnics, camping, and summer resorts.
One of these at the south end of the lake has long been
owned and conducted by Major Smith. There he h.ts enter
tained picnics and excursion parties innumerable, and
given shelter and food to the camper and fisherman. .-V
largo hotel building accommodates boarders or transients.
At this grove have iiccn held several notable celebrations.
The celebration of the Temperance Society, July 4tli,
1853, on which occasion Rev. Charles Hammond delivered
an interesting and jiatriotie address on the Revolution and
the part Union bore in it, was held just north of the dam.
This address was published in pamphlet form. On Au^'tist

CELEBRATION AT MASHAPAUG. 25
;oth, 1876, a great centennial was held at Smith's grove. A
arge concourse of the present and former inhabitants of
' he town gathered on this occasion and listened to a long
discourse by Mr. Hammond, on the "History of Union."
rhis was published in the Tolland County Press and the
Southbridge Journal. The town of Union was the only one
in the vicinity which carried out the idea of the proper
observance of the nation's centenary, in accordance with
President Grant's recommendation. The gathering was
noticeable in that it numbered all the elderly people in the
town as well as called home so many of the sons of Union
now residing elsewhere. Upon the platform besides the
luesident of the daj', Hon. William M. Corbin, and the vice-
]>rosidcnts, Samuel W. Moore, and George D. Colburn,
were many aged and prominent men of the town, includ
ing Ezra Horton, aged 83 years, the oldest man in town,
r.enjamin Corbin, aged 82, Capt. Chauncey Paul, aged 79,
1 "avid Lawson, aged 76, who had a most retentive memory
and who probably had more of Union's local history at
eo;nmand than any man living except Mr. Hammond, and
.vho was of gfreat service to the latter in making his collec
tion of facts; Ichabod T. Upham, Rev. S. I. Curtiss, Trenck
I'rawford, Newman Bugbee, Elijah Severj', and A. A. Wales,
dl upwards of 70. All these old men have now passed
.way. Among the guests from out of town were D. P.
"orbin of Hartford; Philip Corbin of New Britain, and
'-as son Hezekiah; Francis Hammond of Niles, Michi-
an, brother of the orator of the day; Dwight Craw-
ord of Wisconsin; Burt Crawford of Woodstock, and
drs. Eleazar Corbin of Philadelphia, children of Samuel
rawford; "Robert B. and ifarvin K. Paul of Geneseo,
Uinois; Wells Moore and Samuel Needham of Monson;
(ealy Corbin of Brimfield; Louisa and Rachel Foster
f Ellington; Jared Horton, of Albany, N. Y., son of
zra Horton; J. Henry Herman and wife of Boston;
alvin I. Thompson and wife of Somers; O. T. Crawford
f Worcester, and W. M. Crawford of Stafford Springs,
ons of Trenck Crawford; Hon. Sabin H. Wales of New

26 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
York, a native of Wales, Mass., but of Union ancestry; Lee
Blanchard of Monson; Dr. Silas F. Lindslcy of Dudley,
Mass.; Rev, John W, Allen of North Woodstock, son of
President Allen of Bowdoin College; Ossian Crawford of
Wales; Lucius Bugbee; Springfixrld; Wm: Bug^bce, Monson;
Elisha Kinney, Holland; Horace Kinney, Stalford; Harri
son Horton, Woodstock; Clinton Lawson, Southbridge;
Sessions Estabrooks, Webster; Lucius Agard, Brimfield;
Stephen Agard, Holland; Miner Corbin, Brimfield; Charles
Corbin, Wilbraham;'; Rev. George Curtiss and ^Irs. Lik'\
Ft)ster of llarwinton, Conn,; Edward Chamberlain, Wood
stock; L, A. Snow, Woonsoeket, R. I.; Albert Ik-lkiKip,
Southbridge; Elijah Shaw, Wales; Dea. H. llayne.s. Slur
bridge; Nathan and Albert Mor.se, Ezra May, G. C. Will
iams, West Woodstock; Elijah Fairman, Rufns Weston and
many others. Most of these were aecomp;inicd by their
families, Tile exercises wore opened by prtiyer olVefed liy ivev, S
1. Curtiss, Following tiiis was an address of welcome In
Geo. D, Colburn, who in a few well chosen words welcomed
all to Union's centenary reunion. Following this came the
address, dinner and after-dinner speeches, making it an
occasion long to be remembered. Two years later Jidy
4th, 1S7S, ^Ir. Hammond made an address hereon "Masli-
apaug Lake, and the Surrounding Region," which was
printed in the Tolland County /'rcss, and portions of w-hicii
are incorporated in this chapter.
The other summer resort is on "the island" at tlie
north end of the lake near the dam. Hartley Wall<ev
owncd the grove here for several years. About iS,s,) Mr,
Alvardo Howard of Stalford Springs, bought the propert\
and has since improved it by building a number of ne;it
and pretty cottages, a hotel, named the " Jilayllower," ,1
barn, .sheds, etc. The name of •' Mayland Park " has lieen
given to the place and it is beeomifig very popular espe
cially among the people of Stalford, Southbridge and vicini
ties. A drive has been made around the " ishind," and a
road leads oil from this over the little dam eomin.g out 011

OUTLETS OF MASHAPAUG. ij
flie road which leads to Smith's grove. The attractions of
Mayland Park are strong ones which will ever keep it in
itigh favor as a place to spend a summer outing. The lake
affords fine fishing, and to row upon it is always a pleasure,
the many islands and bays ever opening new vistas of
scenery. A place which visitors delight to visit is the
" Ravine " below the dam at the south end, along the
stream which leads to pigelow. Here on the east side is a
precipitous cliff, with the jutting rc"ks in the deep shade
covered with ferns. It is a very attractive place to one
who loves to be alone with Nature.
JIashapaug Lake is very interesting in this respect, that
it has two outlets. The main one at the north end forms
the Quinnebaug, which, after flowing through Holland,
Sturbridge, and Southbridge in Massachusetts, turns south
and becomes the east tributary to the Thames at Norwich.
The other outlet is at the south end where, when the pond
is full, the water flows down through a rocky gorge into
the Bigelow pond. Thence it flows on in the Bigelow to
unite with Still river to form the Nauchaug. The latter
liy a junction with the Willimantic forms the Shetucket
which flows into the Quinnebaug at Norwich and then the
united waters flow to the Sound in the broad channel of
1 he Thames. Thus we see how streams from the same lake
become separated and at times are thirty miles or more
ipart, but become reunited before reaching the sea. This
shows the elevated character of the region. Similar phe
nomena are noticeable all over town. In fact Union is a
.-¦egion of water-sheds. The water flows down the west
side of Breakneck' mountain into Mashapaug, down the
¦ ast side into Breakneck, thence northward by Break-
cck brook to the Quinnebaug at Westville, and on
lie south side into Bigelow. At the Newell place
lie water runs down west of the house into the Center
rook which empties into Mashapaug mill-pond, east
nto Gulf brook which flows into the Bigelow towards the
outh part of town, and south into the stream which runs
nto Bushmeadow brook and past Kinney's mills into the

28 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
Bigelow a little farther south. The west side of Bald aiul
Stickney hills arc drained by Roaring brook which empties
into the WillimantiCi and the east side-by-Bushmeiidow
brook, Coye hill is a water-shed between the Bigelow basin on
the west and that of Still river on the oast, The lall< r
flows through Kcnyonville and lilastford village and unites
with the Bigelow below Pheni.willc, to form the Ntiuehang
At the four corners near Fayette Crawford's, the water
flows north into Breakneck, west into Uigelow, and soutli
into Still river. West of the S. W, Moore place tliere is a
water-shed between tlic Roaring brook oh the south and the
stream on the north which drains tlie northwest district,
and empties into the Holland reservoir near the Back
place. There arc such high hills on the line between
Union and Stalford that streams cannot How into Stalford
except towards the south where Roaring brook crosses the
line. The largest stream which Hows into town and the
only one of note is the Lead Mine brook which Hows from
the Lead Mine pond in vSturbridge into the Mashap;ing
mill-pond. But about a mile and a half cast Breakneck
brook runs into Sturbridge to the Quinnebaug. Instances
similar to these might be multiplied, but snllicicnt liave
been given to show the interesting character of the dr;iiu-
age of Union.
The territory in the northeast part of town east oi
Mashapaug lake, including the breakneck region, is of a
wild, uninhabited character. This region can bo over
looked from the mountain cast of Mashapaug. From
that point Breakneck pond can be seen lying low in
its deep narrow ravine. It is a long, narrow lake, deep and
muddy, by turns. It is not as large as it used to be before
the dam gave way.
The drive through the Breakneck road with its sleej)
ups and downs is an interesting one, Str;ingers who arc-
not used to such hills usually prefer to walk down the
steep one by the pond rather than trust themselves to the
uncertainties of riding down such a steep grade, A glance

THE BREAKNECK REGION.

29

i 'ver the low railing down through the rocks and trees on
the precipice to the pond below, convinces one that the
region is appropriately named, for it would be so easy to
hrak one's neck there.
There is the following tradition as to how the region
got its name: A man by the name of Laflin, who lived on
the Prosper Smith place, owned some land. there, to which
he used to go across to work. One night as he was return
ing home after dark he fell down a precipice and injured
himself considerably. Hence he gave it the name of Neck-
break or Breakneck, which has since adhered to it. The
road through this region is not built in the best possible
location to avoid the hills. By going a little farther to the
cast many of the pitches might have been avoided. The
question arises in the minds of those who observe this fact,
why was the road unnecessarily built over such rough
places? The explanation is this: when the road was
Imilt about i8z6, the selectmen, two of whom resided in
the west part of town, were strongly opposed to it. Hence
they refused the more level route surveyed by Paul Law-
son, and laid it out over the hills expecting that it would
pot be accepted by the town. It was accepted, however,
and hence the road is where it is to-day, and probably
always will be.
This entire region is now destitute of an inhabitant;
I'ut in former times there were several houses between
lashapaug and Breakneck. Here lived Lemuel BoUes,
'dder Haskell, a Baptist minister, Ebenezer Lyon, Noah
¦inmp and some others. Peter Dickey, a Revolutionary
.soldier, lived north of Bigelow pond, and there reared his
f imily. Two of his sons were in the War of 1812.
About half a mile northwest of Breakneck pond are the
( at Rocks, which are doubtless the most wonderful of their
1 ind in Union. They are so named from the wild cats
^ hich lived there until quite recent times. They can best
'! e reached by following the path that turns east from the
i jad about a quarter of a mile south of the Badger cellar-
! ole. They are about half a mile from the road. They

30 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
are made up of bowlders and precipices forming the eas
side of a hill. Immense masses of rock as large as a hous
are piled over each other promiscuously, as if by som<
terrible convulsion of natureT -There are -many cave
underneath these rocks. Some of them are of consider
able size and would make a comfortable place to live in
Some are light and others dark. There are passag.
ways by which the explorer can pass under or between
these broken masses out into a now place of wonde;
beyond. It takes considerable time, and the jierson mtri
be a good climber to explore this -region thorou,ghty. It
would be magnifiocut place to play at hide and seek, or u<.
a person to hide from pursuers. The south part of the hil!
was cleared a few years .ago and the logs were slid down
to the steam mill iii the valley below, by means of an arti
ficial slide. Were not those rocks in such a wild, inacecs
sible place, they would have more visitors, and their
interesting character would be better appreciated.
There are many interesting places in the great Bigelo>
valley. Any one in passing over the road from Dea Law-
son's to Union Center, reaches the vialley by descending a
hill nearly a mile long. Half way down this hill is a largv
bowlder on the south side of the road, which bears tin
name of the " Ilor.soblock." It is now almost too high,
however, to mount a horse from. l'''roni a point in tin
valley, near the old shingled house, there is a boantirri
.view of the steep hillside oiiposito, covered with trees, ;iivi
sloping abruptly down to the cpiiet mill-pond below, witii
the sawmill and the piles of logs and boards at the lei'
The pond is full of stumps which have been there for .1
hundred years or more and have not rotted. There w.-i -
only a small natural pond here but the dam was easily eoi-
structed. It is said that a man began it by carrying earl 1
in a wheelbarrow. In former times the road did not go o\-c
the dam as it now docs, but went through the brook belo>
the mill, going up the hill farther south and coming out o 1
the present road near the top. The present road was bniii
about 1815. The steep hillside up which it climbs is a ver,

THE BIGELOW VALLEY. 31
]iieturesque place. The rocks on the height above look as
though they might easily be rolled down into the road. On
the other side there is an equally steep descent to the
V alley below. The story is told that once two men who
were strangers in the region, were driving up this hill after
(lark. One of them got out to cut a stick and unwarily step-
lied off the edge of the road and went tumbling and rolling
down towards the valley beneath. He tried to pick himself
up but kept stumbling and falling down still further. The
other man after waiting awhile called out, "Ain't you ever
canning back?" A voice came back from the. poor, strug-
L;ling man far below, "I hain't got done going yet."
.\nother story is told of some drunken men driving down
this hill at full speed. They were going so fast that they
eould not turn at the foot of the hill to go over the dam,
Imt horse, wagon, men and all, went right on into the pond.
We can imagine that the hilarity of the men was suddenly
moled. At the top of the steepest part of the hill a brook "
of pure, clear water crosses the road and dashes over the
rocks below. Just beyond is a beech tree covered with
autographs, most of which were cut by the boys of a pre-
\ iotis generation. A short distance south from the road
at this point, there is a precipice which rises almost perpen-
ilicularly to a height of some forty feet. It bears the name
' r the "Rattlesnake Rocks,'' from the tradition that rattle-
iiakes used to be killed there by the early settlers. West
"f this and southeast of Chelsey Youngs, there is a cave
nown as the " Wild-cat Den." Following the road on past'
I lulf Brook, the spot is passed near a barway on the south
ide where Arnold Paine hung himself from a pine tree.
\ climb up another long, steep hill brings one out to the
own street.
Another interesting drive through the Bigelow valley
ay be found on the south road, starting in by Thomas
indge's, or going over the Coye hill. After passing the
immit of the range, you begin to go down, down, down
Uo the valley below. At one point a fine view of it can be

32 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
obtained. Its sides seem to be entirely covered with foi
csts. Half way down the hill you come suddenly u])on :
house which is so situated Thar it TOcmsas thmrgh it ha.
climbud "Imlf wiiy iij) tho hill,
And lllon Hot down to roHt an If to say,
' I climb no fnrllior ujiwurd, como what may.'"
The steepest part of the hill comes below the hous.
from which point glimpses of the Bigelow river may hi
had, as it flows through the swamp below. Just beyond
the plain of the valley is the old David Lawson sawmill.
now in ruins, the lowest of the five sawmills which Bush
meadow brook used to turn. The old mill pond is filled
with sawdust and bits of board, which floated down from
the Kinney mills .above. North of the mill is a cellar hoK
where the house stood in which Captain Thomas Lawson
lived during a part of his life. There used to be ni;ig
nificent iiincs in this vicinity, but they are now entirel\
cut off. Northwest of the cellar hole, abtmt ten rods from
the road, just west of the swamp, there is a round hole in
the ledge, which averages about a foot and a half deep, ll
is an Indian mortar where the Indians used to grind tlieii
corn. It is usually filled with water, but when that is
dipped out, a smooth, well rounded bottom is shown, whieli
looks as though it might have been worn smooth by tin
stone pestle of the Indian squaws.
Passing on up the road one comes to the Kinney mills
where an extensive lumber business v^ras formerly carried
on. The sawmill stands over a channel in the rock, whieb
forms a natural flume. There is another channel worn ir
. the rock about a mile northwest which is far more inter
esting. It is along a brook (sometimes called Gulf brook
but not the same as the other), which flows down into thi
swamp northeast of the David Lawson house. The wate
has worn out a canon in the sblid rock, which is ffom three
to five feet deep and extends for several rods.
These are some of the most interesting localities 11
Union known to the writer. Among the general feature

THE LAUREL. 33
of the landscape which deserve mention, is the great
extent of forest land. There is no town in the region and
probably none in the state in which so large a proportion of
the land is covered with forests. The central and eastern
sections of the town especially, are largely covered with
pine woods. When one stands on the hilltops and gazes
on the surrounding regfion, he can see but few clearings to
break the monotony of the pine-clad hills and valleys.
Beneath these pines the laurel grows in great abundance,
forming dense, impenetrable thickets. Its beautiful white
and pink blossoms, make the landscape lovely in the month
of June. The curious structure of the flowers is described
in a poem (by H. M. Lawson), which we insert.
TO THE LAUREL.
O thou prettiest and best of the flowers of old Union,
More delicate, handsome and bright than them all.
Than the buttercup, daisy or little blue violet.
Or e'en than the golden-rod bright in the fall.
How wondrous thy structure, with pouched corolla
In which the ten stamens have hidden their tips.
Till an insect alight on thy beautiful surface,
To seek for the honey which lies in thy depths.
Then snap ! they recoil from their cramped position,
As the feet of the insect disturb their repose ;
And the pollen is thrown o'er his back and his feelers
To bo borne to tho next flower wherever he goes.
There he brushes against the tall style and its stigma,
And rubs ofT this dust on the latter's soft face.
Where it grows and sends rootlets down into the pistil.
Thus causing the seeds to develop apace.
For the seeds grow much better if pollen to start them
Is brought from the anthers of flowers outside ;
Thus we see how the plan for the exchange of pollen.
Is designed for the flower's own profit and good.
This leads us to see that there was a Designer,
Whose -wisdom and power are as great as can be.
If He thus made the flower which is so soon to perish.
How great is His love both to you and to me I

34 PHYSICAL FEATURES OF UNION.
We ought in connection with the laurel to speak of the
rhododendron which also grows in Union. It is found in
the woods northwest of the'CaptainPatil' place." There is
no other place known in this vicinity where it grows wild.
Its large, showy flowers are much sought after by those
who know where they grow.
Through these forest solitudes echoes the sound of the
woodland thi-ush whose song Mr. Hammond loved to hear
so well, and of which he said : " It is not a rare bird, yet in
some places it is never found. I have never heard that
one of the sweetest of American songsters except in my
¦native town. From modesty or from fear she shuns the
busy haunts of men and hides in deep forest dells. She has
been called the American nightingale, but the thrush is a
bird of the day and not of the night. She sings in the
early morning and when the still evening is coming on. In
warm, cloudy weather but not in storms her song is heai-d
at all hours of the da)^ Like all good musicians she waits
for the perfect silence of her auditors. iShe will not
breathe sweet loud music out of her little instrumental
throat, unless nature listens to her clear airs, her sweet
cadences, her prolonged closes and to the echo of those
warbling notes which the air, as if loth to lose, holds its
breath to hear.
I left home some years since to attend a Fourth of July
celebration at old Woodstock where Gen.' Grant was an
invited guest. At West Parish I was detained by sickness.
But I did not thus lose my chance of enjoyment on that
trip. I found that chance in the depths of the Bigelow
woods. There I heard once more after long jujars the
song of the woodland thrush. Not one bhlj- but many
sang, not in concert, but in responsive lays, as is their
habit. They sing and listen in rotation, each perched on
sprays apart, near and far, each having a diffeirent pitch or
key, each emulous of all in song. I verily believe these
thrushes knew of my coming to my old haunts and meant
to enchant me with the melodies and the memories of my
better days."

BEAUTIES OF UNION.

35

And there are many natives of Union who like Mr.
Hammond, have in their earlier years, listened to the song
of the woodland thrush, to the merry chirr of the chee-
wink and to the murmuring of the wind in the tall pine
tops ; they have tramped over its hills and through its
valleys; they have followed its streams and fished in its
ponds ; and they have engaged in the sterner tasks of cul
tivating its fields or felling its forests. To these there are
many pictures stored away in the mental gallery which
are a source of delight as they recall their youthful days.
And they are glad that they had the privilege of being
born in Union. There are also coming to be more and
more summer visitors attracted by the beauties and quiet
of the place. And if this chapter shall lead the residents
of the town to become more appreciative of the displays
which nature has placed around them, the chief purpose
of its writer will be accomplished.

CHAPTER II.

SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY OF UNION.
DATE OF SETTLEMENT  LEAD MINE  BOUNDARY WITH
MASSACHUSETTS — NAME OF UNION — LAND OF CONTENr —
SALE OF UNION LA>('nS — ACTION OF THE PROPRIETORS —
RESERVATION FOR PUIILIC USES — THE HOME LOTS — FlRSr
SETTLERS — THE SCOTCH-IRISH — PURITAN FAMILIES.
THE territory now occupied by the town of Union, cm
account of its rough and mountainous character and
its poor soil, was the last town in the state cast of the river
to be settled. Woodstock, with its excellent farming land,
had attracted settlers from Roxbury, Mass., as early as
1686. The other towns in the vicinity of Union were set
tled early in the i8th century.
But it was not till 1727 that the first actual settler came
to Union. But while there was nothing especially attract
ive from an agricultural standpoint here, there was some
thing else found in one section of the town which was con
sidered valuable at that time. In 1633 John Oldham, the
first I'vuropcan who ever tr.avclcd this section, obtained
from the Indians in this vicinity some specimens of blaek
load or graphite. It was found in two places in this vicin
ity; one in vSturbridge, near Mashapaug, the other on tlie
hill called Ocquebituque, south of where Mr. Henry Corbin
now lives, and lying partly in Union and partly in Ash
ford. As early as 1644 they were known to William Pyn-
chon, the founder of Springfield. He describes the one in
Union as being "five or six miles south of the one in Quas-
sink (Sturbridge), in Tantousque, and the lead is of better
quality.'' This mine was considered quite valuable. As
early as 1657 the General Court of Massachusetts Bay
granted the land upon which it was situated, as a reward
for public service, to Captain Thomas Clarke, of Boston,

THE LEAD MINE. 37
one of the richest merchants there. He and his heirs
improved and worked the mine for a considerable time.
During the Revolution 400 pounds of lead were taken from
the mine at or near Union by Wales and Elderkin, of
Windham, at the order of Governor Trumbull, for the use
of the cannon foundry at Salisbury. When it was granted
to Clarke, it was surveyed by two men, by order of the
court, and the following return made : " By the desire of
said Clarke, they laid out a hill called Ocquebituque about
twenty-eight miles from Windsor on this side w°h con-
taynes five hundred acres or more by estimation, but they
conceaving the court will allowe the overplus measure, the
whole being so on a mountayne have not taken out any
part thereof till we know the further minds of the court
leaving the footte of the hill for the bounds thereof."
The General Court approved this " retourne " and did
not take exception to the overplus of land, nor to its
indefinite bounds. Hence Captain Clarke was the first
while man who ever owned land in Union. His land, and
all of the Union land, came within the limits of the " dis
puted jurisdiction " caused by the so-called line contro
versy between the two colonies, which lasted a great
many years, and which was at times very bitter. The
town of Woodstock, being settled from Massachusetts,
remained for a considerable time, until 1747, under the
Massachusetts government. In 17 13 the line between the
two colonies was surveyed, and it was agreed by Connecti
cut, under certain conditions, that the towns settled by
Massachusetts should remain under her jurisdiction.
These towns wefe Woodstock, Somers, Enfield and Suffield.
Hence the northern line of Connecticut was for a time a
very crooked line. This arrangement created general
uneasiness in the towns in question, which increased till,
in 1747, they presented a memorial to the General Assem
bly of Connecticut, praying for annexation, in order that
they might enjoy the same privileges that the other citi
zens of the state possessed. After a vain attempt to make
an amicable agreement with Massachusetts, the General

38 SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY.
Assembly adopted a resolution that, as the agreement of
1713 had not received royal confirmation, it was not bind
ing, and the towns might be received jnto Connecticut.
Massachusetts remonstrated to the King, but his Majesty
took no action in the matter. Massachusetts never for
mally consented to the arrangement, but the towns contin
ued to be in Connecticut. So the north line of Connecticut
is straight, with the exception of the bend at Southwick.
ilost of the territorj' now within the limits of the town
of Union, was called by its present name long before its
settlement. It is referred to in old records and docu
ments as the " Union land," the " Union lands" and some
times as the " Union Right." On the western border was
a gore-shaped tract of common land containing 1800 acres
which was called from the earliest times, the "Land of
Content." Why these regions should have received the
names of Union and Content long before there were any
Christian inhabitants of European extraction to exercise
those amiable virtues is a mystery which has never been
explained. Perhaps Union derived its name by being
formed by a union of different sections which were left
over when the boundaries of the surrounding towns
became fixed.
¦ The Land of Content was not embraced in the town as
it was originally laid out, but was divided and allotted to
the towns of Union and Stafford not far from the year 1750.
The territory known as Union lands was sold by a com-
mitteee "appointed and impowercd by the General Assem
bly of his Majesty's Colony of Connecticut," at their Mav
session in 1719 "to sell certain lands for the raising money
for the encouraging of Yale College." They sold the town
on July I, 1720 to twelve proprietors, all of them residents
of the town of Windsor. Their names were Capt. Samuel
Mather, Mr. Samuel Allyn, Ensign Jonathan Ellsworth,
Lieut. John Ellsworth, Mr. Ebenezer Fitch, Mr. James
Eno, Mr. Simon Chapman, Mr. James Mcjcrrou, Mr.
David Bissel, Mr. Alexander Allyn, Mr. Jacob Drake
and Mr. John Smith. The consideration of the sale

SALE OF UNION. 39
was ^^307. On account of the fluctuating value of
money in the colonial days, it is difficult to tell just
how much this would amount to now, but it would prob
ably be not far from $1,400. This money was donated to
Yale College, which about this time had just moved from
Saybrook to New Haven, and was poor and in g^reat need
of assistance. The tract sold was five miles and twenty
rods in length from east to west and four miles in breadth
from north to south and was estimated to contain 12,500
acres. It was divided into thirteen shares, of which one
belonged to the whole number of proprietors, and one to
each of the twelve partners. Of these partners named in
the deed of sale only one, Mr. James Eno or Enos, was ,
an actual settler. Lieut. Jonathan Ellsworth, and his
nephew Capt. John Ellsworth were original grantees of
Tolland as was also Simon Chapman. They belonged to
families distinguished in the annals of Connecticut and in
the war of the Revolution.
There is one reservation in the deed to these twelve
grantees, which is rather interesting. It was provided
that " the fifth part of all the ore of silver and gold that may
at any time be found or gotten in said tract of land, is
hereby saved for our sovereign the king and his succes
sors, according to the royal charter by his late Majesty
King Charles." It is safe to say that no English monarch
has ever been enriched by Union gold. The deed of the
Union land was confirmed by a proclamation by the Gov
ernor, Gurdon Saltonstall, issued October 28, 1720. (The
deed, together with this proclamation are recorded in the
Colony Records of Conn., Lib. 3 of Deeds and Patents of
lands, folio 365-369.)
Most of the first proprietors sold their undivided rights
to land speculators and settlers. Probably but few of them
ever came to see their Union land. There was a great deal
of speculation in land at that time, as there is on the West
ern frontier to-day. During the succeeding period we find
the names of many persons in different parts of Connecti
cut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, who bought and sold

40 SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY.
land in Union. It was nine years before' any attempt was
made to divide up the land inttjlots" and" cttsfffbufe them
among the proprietors. Meanwhile three settlers, William
McNall, John Lawson and James Shearer, who had bought
rights in one share, had come to town, and taken land to
settle on, where they chose. The meeting to organize
"the proprietry of the Union right" was held in the house
of William Ward of Ashford, Dec. 26, 1729. There were
present at that meeting, in person or by their deputies,
several of the noted land agents of that period. Among
them was Col. John Chandler, Sr., of Woodstock; Capt.
John Ellsworth of Windsor and his brother-in-law Sitmuel
Wells, of East Hartford; William Ward and his son, Wm.
Ward, Jr., of Ashford; John Lawson, the pioneer settler;
Col. Samuel AVillard, of Lancaster, M.tss.; Hon. vSamuel
Brown, of S.ilem; Nathaniel Sessions, of Pomfret; Thomas
Tiffany, of Ashford; Col. John Fitch, of Windham, and
others. At this meeting James I'-nos was chosen modera
tor and Thomas Tiffany, clerk. Tho mooting having been
organized, the first matter cf busint^s was to choose a
committee " to see and secure the bounds of our land and
to perambulate with Mr. Hutchinson of Boston and others."
This Col. Edward Hutchinson was a grandson of Captain
Thomas Clarke and inherited a right in the lead mine
land. The commissioners appointed in 17 13, to determine
the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut, had
found that this land lay south of the dividing line. Hence
although it had been granted by ]\Iassachusetts, they eon-
firmed it to the heirs of Clarke. In the deed to the propri
etors of Union, a reservation was made of any grants of
land previously made and allowed by the commissioners.
So Col. Hutchinson had a just claim to his land in Union
and Ashford. But the boundaries of it were so indefinite
that it is natural that a dispute should arise concerning it.
The Union proprietors said that he "claimed in upon
them," and even disputed his claim. Hence he and Mary
Wolcott, the other heir of Capt. Clarke, sent in a petition
'to the General Assembly in May, 1732, setting forth their

LAND FOR PUBLIC USES. 41
claim, showing how it had been called in question, and
asking that it be confirmed by a patent. The Assembly
considered the claim a good one, recommended that an
exact survey of the land be made, and notified the propri
etors of Union to be present at the session of the Assembly
the next year, to show cause if any, why the memorial
should not be granted. In Oct., 1733, another memorial of
similar import was presented, which was rejected in both
houses of the Assembly. From this time we hear no more
of the dispute, but it is likely that Col. Hutchinson had to
give up at least a part of his claim. Another thing that
was done at the first meeting of the proprietors was to
appoint a committee to "lay out necessary and convenient
highways throughout said tract." It was also voted that
since several proprietors had already built and labored on
said tract, they being the proprietors of three shares, they
should have their respective patches laid out to them in
lots not exceeding four hundred acres, and that ten simi
lar lots be laid out for the other proprietors, it was
further voted that two hundred acres be laid out as near
the centre of the land as convenient, which two hundred
acres should be reserved for public uses. The history of
these two hundred acres is interesting and important, as a
small portion of it still remains in the hands of the town.
The original two hundred acres included, besides what the
town and church now ow-n, and the old cemetery, part of
the farm of Mr. Edwin Upham, and the parsonage place.
Ten acres of the two hundred were reserved at the east
end for a place for a meeting-house, a burying ground, a
parade ground, and other public uses. Then on the east
side of the remaining one hundred and ninety, were taken
out one hundred acres and given in 1736, to the first minis
ter who settled in town, Rev. Ebenezer Wyman. In 1738,
the rest was given to Mr. W}-man. This formed the place
which is now the parsonage. One of the objects for
which the ten acres was reserved was for a place on which
to set the meeting-house. This was originally set on the
hill which is now covered with pines. When the present

42 SETTLEMENT AND EARLY DISTORT.
Congregational church was built in 1833, the church took
the following portion of the public land upon which to set
its edifice; beginning a little ~soirfh"of" the oak ffeFih front
of the house of Edwin Upham, the line runs west past the
horse sheds, where it turns south west to the barway, then
it runs southeast to the old county road, then northeast to
the first mentioned bound. (The survey is given in the
church records). The portion now owned by the town is
included within the following boundary: beginning at the
above mentioned barway southwest of the horse sheds, it
runs southwest along the wall crossing the road which
runs west from the school-hpuse, and continuing for some
distance south, then running east for a short distance,
then running north along the place where the old north
and south road used to run to the pound, then follow
ing the road round northeast to the old county road,
then round the land owned by the church to the first
mentioned bound. If at any time in the future the Con
gregational church should wish to build a new edifice, it
could set it on any portion of the public land just men
tioned; but the land it now occupies would revert to the
town. The portion of the public land south of the east
and west road was that originally used for a parade
ground. At a meeting of the proprietors held in 1730, the town
street having been laid out running nearly north and south,
they proceeded to lay out lots along each side of it. These
they called the "Home lots," because they were intended
for the settlers to build on. There were eleven of these
laid out on the west side of the town street, and fifteen on
the cast side. Those on the east side' became the most
famous afterwards. Lot No. i was that which now consti
tutes a part of the Newell farm. It was 70 rods in width,
and ran cast 400 rods to Bigelow pond, containing 175
acres. It was laid out to Joseph Dewey. Home lot No. 2,
was of the same size and was laid out to William Ward.
The northeast corner was marked by a famous stone
marked W. W. Lots No. 3 and No. 4, following on the

THE FIRST SETTLERS. 43
north, were also 70 rods wide, and 400 long. No. 3, was
laid out to Nathaniel Walker, and No. 4 to Nathaniel Ses
sions. No. 5 could not extend 400 rods east, on account of
.Mashapaug pond. Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, followed until the Mass
achusetts line was reached. Then starting again at the
centre. No. 10 bordered No. i, on the south. At the west
end of the line between these was a chestnut tree marked
C, W., which was the starting point for the surveys. No.
10 was 60 rods in width, and extended south to a road
which was laid out east and west called the " Centre road."
This was never actually built, but it probably came out
somewhere near where Merrick Marcy's house now stands.
Nos. II to 15 followed each other on the south, east of the
town street. Thus the central portion of the land was
divided and each proprietor received a lot which he
could call his own. The rest of the land in town was
gradually divided among those who owned it in common.
Hut it was not till 1784 that this work was entirely accom
plished, and those who made the last division were an
entirely different set of men from those who made the
first. But we have anticipated. It is time we should tell
something of the actual settlement of the town. The first
white man who ever came to Union to live was James
McNall. He took land and built a cabin on the hill north
of the Healy Corbin place. His brother, William McNall,
oame very soon afterwards and settled in the south part
if town. This was in 1727. James Shearer was another
early settler who came about this time, but only staid a
lew years, removing to Palmer. In the spring of 1728,
lohn Lawson came to town from Worcester, Mass., where
\\Q had been living a few years after coming to this coun
ty. All these men belonged to the Scotch-Irish race. It
i probable that they came on the same ship. Anyway,
Villiam McNall also came from Worcester, and was a
¦riend of John Lawson's. He persuaded him to settle in
Union instead of going on to Windsor, as he had intended.
ohn Lawson brought' his wife and four childen to Union.

44 SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY.
Three of these children had been born before coming to
this country. The -youngesfy Th«mas7-afterwafds-Gaptain
Lawson, was born in Worcester, November 2, 1727, and was
hence a baby when he was brought to Union. There is an
interesting tradition that; when the family were moving to
town they had a bed on top of, their load of furniture, and
had laid the baby on the bed. As they were crossing a
stream the wagon jolted and threw the baby off into the
water. Thus the future Revolutionary captain had a nar
row escape.
John Lawson bought land of William ^IcNall, and lived
near him in the south part of town. The cellar hole can
still be seen south of the Horton sa.w-mill, just east of the
forks in the road where the old ro^d turns to the left to gn
to the Major Lawson place.
Robert Moor was one of the earliest settlers. He, loo,
belonged to the Seoleh-lrish race, and Was some conneeiinn
of the MeXalls. The Pauls wore also Seoteh-lri.sh. Rolnri
Paul, senior, came to Union in 1732, and lived at tin
Abbott iKHise, south of the centre school-house. Roberi
Paul, junior, so called to distingni.sh him from KolK-ri
Paul, senior, although no eonnoetion, came later and li\c'l
in the south part of town. James Armour was als(^ Seoleli
Irish, and settled on the Major Smith place, .So were the
Crawfords, who came about 1742. These are the principal
Scotch-Irish families who were among the earliest inhab
itants. These people were called Scotch-Irish bccansi.
they had left Scotland on account of their religion, and
lived for a time in the north of Ireland before coming to
America. Their homes in Scotland were in the south
western counties — that is, Argylshirc and Ayrshire, when
William Wallace, the Washington of Scotland, was b(jrn,
and where Burns sang on the "banks and braes of P.imns
Doon." llenee they were genuine Scotchmen, and had nn
trace of Ireland in their temperament, their synipathle,'
their prejudices, their language, their ]iolitics, or lluii
religion. They left Scotland about the same time that tlu
Pilgrims and the Puritans came to New England. The\

THE SCOTCH-IRISH. 45
larried with them to the north of Ireland, and they
brought with them here, their native Scotch qualities of
industry and thrift, frugality and personal independence.
They were in general persons of comfortable estates and
friends of good learning and education. Long before their
emigration to Ireland or this country, every Scotch hamlet
had its liberally educated minister and its liberally edu
cated schoolmaster. There was among their little com
pany of emigrants here a professional schoolmaster by the
name of McVine, who kept school summer and winter.
The Scotch-Irish emigration to this country began
about 1718 and continued till about 1730. Most of these
emigrants settled in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Car
olina, and in the southern counties of New Hampshire. A
few towns in Massachusetts were settled by them, but in
Connecticut, Union was the only town which they settled.
They were Presbyterians in their church polity, and
where they were sufficiehtly numerous, they formed Pres
byterian churches. But in Union there were so many
Puritans, that all joined together and formed a Congrega
tional church. We know of no religious disputes in this
town occasioned by these people. The Scotcb-Irish were
some of the best settlers of the country and many distin-
.L.'uished men have been descended from them. There
were ' no more jealous defenders of liberty, or patriotic
itizens in the Revolution than the Scotch-Irish. Coming
¦rom Ireland, the Scotch brought with them to America
wo institutions which were pure Irish and not Scotch and
A'hich were soon universally adopted. These were the
rish potato as food for man and the foot-wheel for spin-
ling flax. These soon proved to be of very great value to
• he country.
While many of the early settlers were Scotch, the Puri-
rin element has from the first been represented here by
hose who came from some of the oldest and best New
:i^ngland towns. William Ward and his son William and
tlso Nathaniel Walker, came from Ashford about 1730.
lOhn Hurley came from Windham about 1732 and settled

46 SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY.
in the southeast part of town. The Badgers came fron;
Pomfret about 1735, as did also the Sessionses soon aftei
vSamuel Strong came from Windsor in 1737. Danic,
Loomis came also from AVinidsDr in i74"i~aiid~'5etttcdnTorth-
east of the Newell place.
Caleb Loomis came from Lebanon about 1754 and lived
where Bruce Horton now does. Ebenezer Wales eaiui
from Windham with his large family in 1750. Nathaniel
Newell came to Union from Needham, JIass., in 1775. As
a full account of all these and otlier families is given in
the chapter of genealogies, it will not be necessary !¦¦
dwell longer on them here. 
In 1 734, as we learn from the petition for incorporation,
there were nineteen families already settled in town. In
1 756, when the first census of Connecticut was taken. Union
had a population of 500 more than it has at the present
time. As the incorporation of the town is closely connected
with the history of the church, we give tho account of it
under that head.
Union when first incorporated and formany- yeiirs after
was in Windham county. Tolland county was formed in
1786 from towns in Windham and Hartford counties. The
towns now in Tolland county but formerly in Windham
are, besides Union, Mansfield, Columbia and Coventry.

CHAPTER III.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
I. The Congreg.ational Church at Union.
connection WITH THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN — WORSHIP BY
THE EARLY SETTLERS— PETITION FOR INCORPORATION —
ACT OF INCORPORATION — ORDER FOR THE TAX — CONFLICT
WITH THE PROPRIETORS— THE COLONEL DROWN CONTRO
VERSY — DISAGREEMENT CONCERNING MINISTER — MEMORIAL
TO THE ASSEMBLY — REV. SAMUEL TERRY — CALL OF REV.
EBENEZER WYMAN  ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH 
PLACES OF EARLY WORSHIP  BUILDING OF THE MEETING
HOUSE — DEATH OF MR. WY.MAN — HIS CHARACTER — REV.
CALEB HITCHCOCK*— REV. EZRA HORTON  DIFFICULTIES IN
THE CHURCH — DISMISSAL OF MR. HORTON — PREACHERS
WHO FOLLOWED HIM — LOW STATE OF THE CHURCH— REV.
DAVID AVERY — FORMATION OF THE SOCIETY — REV. NEHE
MIAH BEARDSLEY  REVIVAL OF 183I  BUILDING OF THE
NEW MEETING-HOUSE — REV. S. I. CURTISS — TEMPERANCE
REFORM  REMODELING OF THE CHURCH  DISMISSAL OF MR.
CURTISS — REV. J. P. WATSON — REV. GEORGE CURTISS — REV.
WILLIAM HOWARD — REV. I. P. SMITH— ANNIVERSARY OF
THE ORGANIZATION — DEACONS OF THE CHURCH — FUTURE
PROSPECTS — FUNDS OF THE CHURCH — LIST OF MEMBERS.
n. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Mashapaug
ild methodist church — organization of the present
church— its pastors— causes which have made the
church weak — prospects for the future — list of
members — list of pastors.
History of the Church at Union.
rHE early history of the town and of the church are so
intimately connected, - that it is almost impossible
to separate them. One of the chief objects of the early

48 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
settlers was to establish a church, that they might enjoy
the privileges of the gospel. It was for that purpose that
the town was incorporated. The church affairs were man
aged by the town until 1816. Daniel Webster said in his
Plymouth address : " Let us not forget the religious char
acter of our origin." That counsel applies to the people
of Union, for if ever a town had a legal origin strictly
religious in its objects, it is this.
The first notice which we have in regard to preaching
of the gospel in Union is a mem&rial of- Rev. .Samuel Terry
and other residents of Union to the General Assembly,
dated October 10, 1734, for an act of Tn'cof poTation of the
town. The petitioners ask for town privileges, " that we
may build a decent house of public worship, settle God's
word and ordinances, and honor.ably maintain the same."
It seems that very soon after the first settlers came, in
1727, they formed the habit of observing. .tlie Sabbath by
gathering in some private house for worship. It is not
known when the first preacher, Rev. Samuel Terry, came
to town. But from a later reference we learn "that Rev.
Samuel Terry, before we were a town, for a small recom
pense and with great hardship, preached with universal
acceptance." It does not seem strange that those early
settlers, amidst all their hardship in clearing lands and
building homes in the wilderness, could not adequately
support their minister. Hence they wished for town pri\
ileges, that a tax might be levied on the land for the sup
port of the gospel. A large part of the land was owned by
wealthy non-resident proprietors. The settlers thought
that these proprietors would bo benefited by having th<.
gospel regularly preached, because it would attract settlers
to buy their lands. Hence they ought to help support it.
The following is a copy of the petition, for incorpora
tion, taken from the Connecticut State archives (Town,--
and Lands, Vol. 6th, Document No. 207):

INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN. 49
" Petition of sundry inhabitants of a tract called Union for an act o£
incorporation. To the Honorable General Assembly af His Majesty's Colony of Con
necticut in New England now sitting in New Haven, Oct. loth
'734 ¦•
The Petition of the Inhabitants of Union humbly showeth that in the
tract of land lying West of Woodstock being five miles square called
Union, there are nineteen familes already settled containing an hundred
and twenty souls, and several persons more make improvement of land
and are speedily coming to settle among us.
And that we labor under many and great inconveniences and difficul
ties upon many accounts for want of town privileges specially with
respect to the Gospel, the enjoyment whereof we greatly desire, but are
not able to settle or support it in our present unhappy circumstances.
Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that this great and honor*
able court would please take our distressed case and condition into your
wise consideration and incorporate the above said tract of land called
Union into a township and invest it with legal Town privileges, and lay
a reasonable tax of four pence per acre per annum upon the land for ten
years, that we may be enabled to build a. decent house for public wor
ship, settle God's word and ordinances among us, and honorably main
tain the same.
And your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.
Samuel Terry,
Nathaniel Badger,
Nathaniel Walker,
Robert Paul,
John Lawson,
William Ward,
James Fuller.
Nathaniel Tiffany.''
This Petition was promptly acted on by the Assembly
and' granted, with the exception that the tax levied was
three pence per acre, instead of four.
The following is a copy of the Act of Incorporation
(Id. Doc. 208):
ACT OF INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN OP UNION,
OCT., 1734.
" Upon the Memorial of Mr. Samuel Terry, William Ward, and sundry
others. Inhabitants and proprietors of a Tract of Land lying in the
northerly corner of this Government, and on the Northerly side of the
town of Ashford, commonly called and known by tbe name of Union,
representing to this Assembly that there are already a considerable
4

JO KCCLKSIASTICAL HISTORY.
numlier of families settled on said Tract of Land who labor under great
difficulties for want of Town privileges, etc., and praying that said
memorialists may have Town privileges granted to them ;
This Assembly grants and enacts—
That the said Tract of Land be made a Township and that the inhnbl.
tants thereof be allowed and invested with the rights and privileges
usually granted to other towns ; and that it be called by the name of
Union, and that the brand for the horses be the figure j£.
And forasmuch as the inhabitants of the said tract of Land are
desirous to have the worship of God set up and maintained amons
them, and do complain of their present low and indigent circumstances,
and their inability to support the same:
Ordered, that all persons claiming any Lands within the place cnlleil
Union shall enter the rights and claims to the lands in said Town, in tliu
Register's office in said town at or before the lirst day orilay next, upcm
penalty of forfeiting the sum of twenty shillings per month for each
neglect of such entries to be made, to be paid to the Treasurer of said
town. And the inhabitants of said Town of Union are allowed ami
empowered for the space of four years next ensuing to levy a tax of
three pence an acre on such persons as have or claim said Lands accord
ing to the directions of the laws directing for the gathering the minis
ters' rate : and if any person complain he is overrated, he or they ma\-
make their application to the county court in Windham county who are
empowered to hear and adjust these affairs.
Arid tl\e money thus raised as aforesaid shall by the Collector of said
town be paid unto the hands of Timothy Pierce, Esq., who, together
with Messrs. John Perry and Phillip Eastman are to improve the sums
in the manner following viz; two-thirds parts of the afores.iid sum to be
annually paid to such orthodox gospel minister as shall be improvc'l
among them, and the other third part to be improved for building a
meeting-house or other disbursements necessary for maintaining tho
worship of God in said Town. Passed in the upper house.
Teste, George Wvllvs, Secretary,
Concurred with in y° lower house.
Teste, John Bulklev, Clerk.
October, 1734."
This order for a tax on the land aroused strenuous oppo
sition among the non-resident proprietors. At the ne-xl
session of the Assembly in May, 1735, four of them, Thomas
Fitch and Thomas Steel, both of Boston, William Ward,
of Union, and Isaac Sholton, of Hartford, presented a
remonstrance against the tax. In it they said that b)- the
order for the tax,

REMONSTRANCE OF THE PROPRIETORS. 51
" We the memorialists are very much disturbed and aggrieved and we
suppose that this honorable Assembly in the passing the said act were
imposed upon by a misrepresentation of that case.
Whereupon wo pray your Honors to rovlow or reconsider that affair,
and upon a full undorstaiiding to pass such an act or order as shall be
most just and reasonable, and that the order of Assembly aforesaid, may
bo repealed, and that for the considerations following :
1st. The Proprietors of the said Land had long ago granted two hun
dred acres of their proprietors' land partly for the settling and partly for
the maintaining of a Gospel Minister in said town.
2nd. Two-third parts of said Tax is by said order to be for the sup
port of an Orthodox Minister which will amount to about the sum of
;£i2o or £i2i, without any other polls or rateable estate, and we are
assured that we can procure a Gospel minister able and Orthodox for
much less than that sum per annum. <
3rd. In laying out the proprietors' land in said Town, the land was
sized in proportion according to the goodness of the same, whereby it
comes to pass that some proprietors must pay by the said rate near j^20
per annum, and others not £12 per annum, and yet their favors arc about
equal in value or perhaps the least number of acres more valuable than
the greatest.
These considerations we hope will be sufKcient to show that the tax
so laid or to be levied is not necessary nor equal, and we humbly hope
that your honors will redress our grievances by abating part of the Tax
as aforesaid on the acre and find a method that our Rights may be Equal.
And we also pray that we may have a Liberty and voice in the calling
and settling the minister there.
Moreover we further pray that all the Land that is between Stafford
and Union containing about 1500 acres may be annexed to Union and
that the proprietors thereof may be ordered to pay a tax in proportion as
the proprietors of Union Lands shall by your honors' act now to be
made, be ordered to pay.
In granting which requests your Honors will redress our grievances
and we as in duty bound shall Pray, &c.
Union y 2nd of May,
A.D. 1735. James Ends \ Agents for the
Isaac Sheddon (. Proprietors
Natk'l Sessions ) of Union."
But this remonstrance did not secure the desired result;
f >r it was ordered to be dismissed by vote of both houses
> C the Legislature. The same petitioners, however, nothing
( aunted, sent in another memorial to the next session of

52

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

the General Assembly held in New Haven, in October, 1735
This was even more vigoroiis and^specific than'the former.
The petitioners say that the memorial for incorporation
and a tax was prepared without their knowledge; that so
large a tax was not necessary, first, because they had
already given two hundred acres for the settling and sup
port of a minister, and second, because it would raise a
much larger salary than many ministers of old parishes
have; that all the ratable estate of the inhabitants such
as polls, stock, etc., will (pro tempore) be wholly excused
from any contribution, toward the support of the Gospel.
They repeat the statement aTjout the division of the land
"according to the goodness of the sam«," and show how in
one case a proprietor must pa)' about a third greater lax
than another.
When this petition came before the Assembly it cited
" Robert Paul and William McNall, and other inhabitants
of Union," to appear at New Haven, on the first Tues
day after the first Thursday, and to show cause why the
prayer of the above named memorialists should not be
granted. The Selectmen of Union, Robert Paul and Nathaniel
Badger, presented at the same session of the Assembly :i
reply to the memorial of the proprietors. This is so vigor
ous and full of interest that we give it entire,
"A reply to the memorial of the proprietors of Union to be prefer
red to the General Assembly, at their sessitm at New Haven, on tlic
second Thursday of Oct., 1735, wherein they pray that the tax on their
lands may be removed or abated, setting forth the reasons why ttit-
prayer should not be granted
OITered by the selectmen of Union in behalf of the town.
First it is offered as a reason why the honorable Assembly shoiil '
reconsider the act for ta.\irig the land — because this court was iniimsi-ii
upon and things were misre])re.senled, the memorial of the inliabitnin
being preferred without the knowledge of thie proprietors and so tlu •
had not opportunity to lead the court into a ri^lit understanding of th
affair; but all this labors under a great mistake, for things were tnil
represented to the honorable Assembly and almost every propricl.
knew of the memorial and most of them petitioned -with the iiihabitiun
at the same time for the same thing— and many of them disliked th

ANSWER OF THE CITIZENS. 53
recent memorial and some entered their protest against it, and yet it is
offered in the name of all of them.
Secondly, it is observable that all the reason offered why the tax
should be abated is because such a tax is not necessary; and first, it is
offered that it is not necessary to procure a settlement for a minister
because the proprietors have granted 200 acres of land for that very
purpose viz. partly for a minister's settlement and partly for his sup
port. Now supposing it is to be — that 200 acres of land is granted
for the promotion of the gospel, yet in the first place it may be said with
truth it is a mean tract of land; it would not fetch if sold but about
;{^ioo, and if it were good land it could not be esteemed a suitable and
sufficient settlement for a minister, much less will it serve both for set
tlement and salary as tho memorialists design it shall, and so notwith
standing this reason, the tax, the whole of it and more too may be
necessary for the settlement of a minister if any of it could be parted
out of this salary for the purpose; but the real truth is they are mista
ken in saying they have laid out 200 acres of land for a minister's settle
ment or salary as their own records will show, for the words of the
records are ' 200 acres laid out for public use and service,' and not a
word of any land laid out for the ministry in all their book.
It is commonly said that it was designed by them for the encourage
ment of the gospel, and the inhabitants of the town, at a proprietors'
meeting last November, desired them to give it to the town for the pro
motion of the gospel, which they refused to do unless the town would
abate a third of the tax which is far more than the land is worth, and
some said we should never have it. It should be sold to pay for laying
out their land which is a public use, they said.
So that in truth two-thirds of the tax is all the town have to depend
upon to settle and maintain a minister withall, and yet it is less than
jiarishes give as a salary now-a-days by far.
2nd, It is offered that it is not necessary for a salary for a minister
lirst because ministers in many old parishes have not so much; secondly,
liecau.se they say they can procure a minister for less.
But those arguments are of no force, for it may be some old parishes
ilnn't give enough, and our neighbors' short-comings are not for our
example, and every one knows it is hard beginning a new place, and a
minister needs a bigger salary there if he could tell how to come at it,
and perhaps they could find themselves mistaken in their great confi-
ilence if they were to get a minister for Union.for Union is now forced to
Kive more than two-thirds of the tax and so do the destitute towns round
it whether new or old.
It is true many ministers have settled in many new places for a less
¦¦ alary, but then they have been encouraged by a right in the town
which often draws many hundred acres of land, but there is no such
.hing to be had in Union, no, not a foot of land, unless the proprietora

54 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
alter their declared mind, which it is to be hoped they will see it is
their duty to do, although the tax be not abated.. _ _  
As to the assertion ' that the ratable estate of the inhabitants by th'^
tax Is wholly excused- from supportihg the gospel, calling It unreasn;!
able, Wo answer, first:
Supposing it wore to bo, it would bo but just and ronHonnbIc, coiiiiiil
erlng the hardship and difficulties of beginning a now place, aiid th'-
vast advantage tho proprietors gain by a few porHoim Hcttljng In tin-
place, their lands rising thereby In n few years to throe limes llnii
vbIuo. 
Hut the Assembly will see from what is before olTercd that the iiihiili
Hants must contrilnite liberally in settling and supimrtlng the gospel,
besides what help they will have from the tax, especially in buildiiii; .i
meeting-house. With respect to tho injustice of the tax, on the account of the ililTii
ent number of acres belonging to the proprietors complained of, it m.-n
be replied; First, that legislators aim at the public good^aod yet some few i>ar
ticular subjects may be hurt in their acts; but they ought to be patient
and rejoice at the general good. This is no more than many have svif-
fered in other places, and yet the court never sought their relief.
Secondly:
Tho charge of coming to strict justice in this case by a commiltc
viewing the lands, would be greater than all the benefit any pro)>riiiMi
would get by it.
Thirdly; It is but justice that many, if not all, that have more acres thai.
others, should pay equally per acre, if not more, for (however it eume t.
pass) some proprietor.<, particularly Mr. Enos and Mr. Sessions, li.ive .->
many acres of good land in a farm, nay, better land than another pn.
prietor, and yet one of them have near an hundred, and the other ncu
two hundred acres more than some other proprietors, and thercui)"
they need not think it injustice to pay as much per acre as others, an i
perhaps it may be so with others, if the truth was known.
The proprietors' uneasiness at the tax, and trying to get it removeil.
has been a great discouragement to persons coming into the town, fc
many were fond of buying in the town when they heard the land w:ii
taxed, and so the gospel likely to be settled in it, who are now discoii
aged lest it should be difficult to settle and support the gospel, if th
court hear their prayer.
By what has been olTered, we doubt not but the honorable Asscmbl ,
will see that the proprietors arc mistaken in saying that they are liii:
by so large a tax, it being meant to make their land valuable if estui
lished, and that it is unlikely we should ever settle and support the gn-

CONTEST WITH THE PROPRIETORS.

55

pel honorably if the tax be diminished, yaa, farther, that if the act be
reconsidered, that the tax really needs to be increased and not lessened.
Robert Paul, I Selectmen, in behalf
Nathaniel Badger, ) of ye town."
There was appended to the above a note stating that
the proprietors had neglected to have their claims regis
tered in the town clerk's office, according to the act of the
Assembly; but the knowledge of their claims had been
gotten from their clerk, and begging that the collector be
empowered to sell their lands in ease the proprietors
refused to pay their tax (as they had just reason to think
many would do). And now it is interesting to note how
the matter came out. At the October session in 1735 the
petition of the proprietors was negatived by both houses.
But the matter came up again at the next session, in 1736,
and the preceding reply of the inhabitants did not avail,
biit the tax rate was changed from three to two pence per
acre for the remaining three years of the four for which
the tax was granted.
One of the large non-resident owners of land in Union
was Colonel William Brown, of Salem. He neglected to
pay the land tax for several years. In 1740 the town sent
Rev. Mr. Wyman to the Assembly to get authority to col
lect this tax. This was done by leasing his land. Land to
the amount of 2,240 acres was thus leased for 999 years to
sundry persons. These persons began to build and make
improvements on the land; but Colonel Brown very natur
ally objected to such proceedings. A compromise was
made between the parties, May 20, 1754, by a board of ref
erence, who appraised the value of the improvements made
by the occupants. Colonel Brown paid them for these
improvements in " Spanish milled dollars " to the amount
of $1,340.75, and they quitclaimed to him all titles acquired
by their leases.
But while this contest between the proprietors and
inhabitants concerning the tax was going on, the latter
were in a contention among themselves with regard to the
preacher. The winter of 1734-5 was one of discontent and

S6 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
division. There ,were two parties in town, one including
the selectmen and most of the communicants, who wished
to engage the Rev. Mr. Terry to-preaehr-for them. Tlie
other party disliked, Mr. Terry, and having got the control
into their hands, engaged as a preacher Lawyer Calkins, of
Lebanon, who was not approved by ministers to preach.
To remedy this bad condition of affairs, the selectmen,
Nathaniel Badger and William Ward, presented to the (Gen
eral Assembly, at its May session in 1735, a memorial
which tells its own story. They set forth, among other
things, that:
" Our infant town has fallen into unhappy circumstances, difficulties
and divisions respecting tho Gospel ministryamong us.
Rev. Samuel Terry, before we wore a town, for a .small rccompciihe
and with great hardship preached with universal acceptance. Hut a
certain man among us when he came to see the act of tho Court passed
last October for incorporating the place and taxing the land, was
greatly offended that his name was not particularly mentioned in it, and
because the tax money is ordered to be put into the hands of Judge
Pierce, and because two-thirds of the tax is ordered to be paid to the
minister, which three things he supposed Mr. Terry influenced tho court
to do; and would maintain this notion though the Ashford deputiei;
assured him that it was not so; Whereupon lie so influenced people, hi^¦
relfttivos and others, ns to got a major vote of the eighteen volors in
town to seek another minister after the town had voted lo treat with tlio
Rev. Mr. Terry about settling in tho ministry nmoitgiis, to the great
dissatisfaction of most of the people in the town, and all tho tinvii.';
around us. And most of the men that carried. .the, vote, rcfuseil to
reward him for his ministerial labors before we were a town.
Upon this vote, the selectmen, all the communicants save one, and
others in the town, desired Mr. Terry to continue preaching till the town
was better united and peaceably brought another minister into the town.
Each of the three men employed to get a minister, took their turns
to go after a minister but could get none becausethey had done so
unworthily by their former preacher. But about three months after, viz.
the last Sabbath in March, they brought a lawyer Calkins, who is not
approved by the ministers, to preach, and improve him still to preach
and half or more than half the town can't think it their duty to hear him
and so have not the word dispensed to them. We have great reason to fear
thsit we shall remain in great contention .ind confusion without the gospel
preached, that the interests of religion Will sutler, and the town will not
flourish, (for many that designed to buy and settle among us are dis
couraged at our divisions), unless this honorable Court will do somethintf

MEMORIAL TO THE ASSEMBLY. 57
for our help. Therefore, we humbly pray this honorable body to con
sider our difficulties and endeavor to relieve us by appointing and fixing
a minister among us during the four years tax, and we hope by that
time we shall grrow wiser and more peaceable and many good men -will
come into the town so that we shall be able and fit to act for ourselves,
like a Christian Society; or by some other method as your wisdom shall
direct. And we further, 3rdly, pray this honorable court to order Judge
Pierce, Capt. Perry and Justice Eastman, who are to dispose of our tax
money to put in a committee to build a meeting house for us, and to
appoint the place for it, and to give liberty to the inhabitants to pay
their tax in labor and in providing materials for it, the said committee,
setting a value upon what each person does toward the building of the
house; for many of us are ia low circumstances, and can't pay their tax
in money so easily as they can in labor. Nath. Badger, ) c,i,,,.„.„ ..
Wm. Ward, ') Selectmen.
Union, May 13th, 1735.
The following names are appended to a paper certify
ing to the facts of the above memorial as set forth by the
selectmen.
Samuel Terrv,
John Smith,
Enoch Badger,
John Ward,
Nathaniel Badger, Jr.
Daniel Wickom (Wickham),
John Lawson,
Robert Paul, Selectman. ,
Nath. Tiffanv.
But the above memorial, which is almost pathetic in its
refei-ences to the unhappy division in the struggling com
munity and the low circumstances of some, was dismissed
in both houses. The noble-hearted citizens who were
striving to establish thie preaching of the Gospel here
must have been' disappointed. They were not discouraged
however, but at the next s^ssionof the Assembly in Octo
ber, 173s, presented another memorial setting forth the
same facts, and asking the satne remedy, viz., the appoint
ment of the same men as a committee to "regulate us,

58 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
provide for us during the term of the tax, to appoint a
place for the meeting-house and a cornmittee to build it,
and that the inhabitants may pay for it in their labor, as
they were too poor to pay in money."
The memorialists complain that as there were "but
nineteen house-holders and eight of them, by the aid of
such as are not house-holders and have no freehold in
town, always carry the vote to our confusion, they put in a
committee last Christmas to provide preaching and they
have procured preaching but eight or ten days except
what Lawyer Calkins preached whom but few could think
their duty to hear. - - 
They have established the said committee for four
years during the whole term of the tax so that they arc
likely to continue in great contention and confusion
through the mismanagement of our committee who act in
their trust to the wonder and grief of the town and the
towns around us."
This is dated October loth, 1735, and signed by Nathan
iel Badger, William Ward, and Robert P.iul, Selectmen,
and by Samuel Terry, Nathaniel Tiffany, Samuel Downe,
Amos Stickney, Nathaniel Badger, Jr., Enoch Badger and
John Smith.
This petition was probably also dismissed like the first.
Then, May 20, 1736, comes a statement from disinter
ested parties, the committee appointed to receive tho tax,
consisting of Judge Timothy Pcrrcc (also written Pierce),
Justice Philip Eastman, and Captain John Perry. They
report to the General Assembly : "The inhabitants of said
town being small in No., and are unhappily fallen into
divisions which will prove fatal to them unless seasonably
directed. Some (they say) have hired Rev. Samuel Terry,
others James Calking of Lebanon. The Memorialists have
received ;£'ioo tax money. Some forbid paying Mr. Terry,
others are not willing Mr. Calking should have the money,
so the committee pray the general assembly to take the
whole premises into their wise consideration." The Gen
eral Assembly did so and with great impartiality directed

EARLY MINISTERS.

59

the committee to pay both men according to the time pf
their preaching. And so the gospel ship in the good old
days had to be launched through the breakers with great
peril. But it was launched. We hear no more of the dis
pute. It seenis that both Mr. Terry and Lawyer Calkins wisely
left town about this time. The Rev. Mr. Terry went to
Hebron, Conn. He graduated at Harvard in 1710, came
from Mendon to Union where he lived as a citizen and was
a large land-holder.
The next minister employed by the town, (the first
really after its incorporation in 1734, was Rev. Jacob Bacon,
who graduated at Harvard in 1731. He preached fifty-four
Sabbaths in the years 1735 ^^^ >736- ^^ was settled as
the first minister of Keene, N. H., in 1738 and after nine
years' service was driven away by the Indians who broke
up the settlement. He was then called by vote of the
town in May, 1748, to settle in Union as the successor of the
Rev. Mr. Wyman, with a salary of ;^3oo and a settlement
of jQsoo. He declined the call and settled the same year
at Plymouth, Mass., as the pastor of the Third Church,
where he spent most of his days. He died at Rowley,
Mass., in 1787, aged eighty -one years.
Two young men preached as candidates in Union in
1736. Mr. Hezekiah Bissel of Windsor, who graduated
from Yale, in 1733, and was settled at Wintonbury, Conn.
and Mr. Benjamin Throop, who graduated in 1734 and was
minister at Bozrah forty-seven years. In 1737 Rev.
Timothy Allen, who graduated at Yale in , the previous
year, began his noted career as a " candidate " in Union.
He was soon after settled at West Haven, Conn., became a
leader among the New Lights, was persecuted and deposed
by the conservative party, but settled in Ashford in 1757
and afterwards in Chesterfield, Mass.
The people seem to have been united in settling a minis
ter in 1738. The Rev. Ebenezer Wjrman was the first
pastor that was settled over the church. He was ordained
and installed December 13, 1738, in a private house in the

6o ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Rock Meadow district where Mr. Williams lived in recent
times. The church was organized at the same time,
December 13, 1738. The Tsothanhtvefsary" of' this event
was celebrated December 13, 1888.
The proprietors gave Mr. Wyman two hundred acres of
land (out of the tract reserved for public uses) and the town
voted to give him one hundred pounds to aid him in build
ing his house on condition "that he accepted their call"
besides his salary. This^piece of land was the farm where
Rev. S. I. Curtiss afterwards lived (the present parsonage
place). Mr. Wyman built a Tiou'se on this'phtce, on the
opposite side of the road from where the house how stands.
The old house stood until.about 1853, and Rev. Mr. Curtiss
lived in it awhile before he built the new one. It was no
doubt a decent house for the times and of the same style as
many houses of that day. It had huge timbers and a large
stone chimney, large enough for a monumental pile. There
were four rooms in the main building, two below and two
upstairs.. A lean-to or extension of one roof towards the
ground for a little more than a story, furnished space for sev
eral additional rooms. A low .wall ran along in front of the
parsonage yard. At one end of the house stood what was
once a magnificent mulberry tree, that furnished great
black luscious berries an inch in length, the delight of boys
and birds. The tradition is that Rev. Mr. Wyman received
a thimbleful of mulberry seed from some one who gave all
the ministers of his association a like quantity. He planted
the seed and one enormous tree was the result. It stood
long years after he was numbered with the dead.
In this house the services on the Sabbath were held a
part of the time during the earlier part of Mr. Wyman's
pastorate; that is until the first meeting-house was built in
1741. The rest of the time the people gathered for divine
worship in the house of Robert Paul, which stood until 1883,
south of the central school-house. How interestingit would
have been to have seen the company of settlers who gath
ered in these houses, coming on horseback and afoot over
the rough paths which ran to their houses. They must have

BUILDING THE MEETING-HOUSE. 6 1
prized the good gospel sermons which no doubt Rev. Mr.
Wyman dispensed to them.
But from the very first the people had been looking for
ward to the time when they could build a " meeting-house '"
for religious worship and all other gatherings of the inhab
itants. The iirst action of the town in relation to a meet
ing-house was at a meeting held October 27, 1737, when it
was voted to build, and a committee was appointed to pro
cure materials. At the same time it was voted to raise a
tax of 150 pounds to be paid in work and lumber at specified
prices. The price of a day's work at hewing was six shil
lings a day for "Brod ax men" and five .shillings for
"narrah ax men." The town also voted that the people
shall begin felling timber for the meeting-house on the 28th
of November next.
The meeting-house was not built until four years after
wards. For it seems that a higher authority than the town
had to legislate, was necessary at that day in order that a
meeting-house could be legally located or a church consti
tuted or a minister settled. So the General Assembly in
compliance with a memorial of the inhabitants, passed a
resolution at the October session in 1738, which gave liberty
" to the inhabitants of said Union to embody themselves
into a church estate with the approval of the neighboring
churches," and also allowed a tax of'two pence per acre
for four years on all the lands in Union for the support
of the gospel, and the Assembly also apppointed a com
mittee to "affix a place'! for a meeting-house. This com
mittee consisted of Mr. Joseph Strong, Capt. John Perry,
and Mr. Experience Porter, appointed at the expense of the
memorialists. This committee performed the duty for
which they were appointed and made the following report
to the Assembly at the May .session, 1739:
"Persuant thereto" (their commission by the Assembly) "we the
subscribers did upon the 14th day of November, A. D. 1738, repair to the
town aforesaid, viewed the circumstances, hearing the debates find them
universally united together in desiring the said house to be built upon
the southernmost hill in the ten acres of land appointed by the proprie
tors of said town for a place to build a meeting house, a training field, &c..

62 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Whereupon we beg leave to report to your honors that we think it
most convenient that a meeting house be erected and built on the hill
aforesaid, the sills thereof encompassing a certain stake set up one end
in the ground, marked U with stones abou^ it.
All which is submitted to your honors' approbation by your honors'
most obedient servants. Joseph Strong \
John Perry V Committee."
May, 1739. Experience Porter'
The power granted by the Assembly in October 1738, to
the town to form a church estate and settle a pastor, was
soon taken advantage of, and the church organized, apd '
Mr. Wyman settled over it December 13, 1738, as before
said. Within a month afterwards, January 8, 1739, a town
meeting was held to take measures towards carrying out
the project of building a meeting-house. Plans for the
building were considered and a committee chosen. But
the work was delayed because the proprietors of undivided
land were unwilling to paj' the land tax, a portion of which
was to be appropriated to the building of a meeting-house.
There was also a difficulty in obtaining the funds which
had alreadj' accrued from the commissioners who had
been appointed to receive them when the act of incorpora
tion was passed. The young pastor afforded efficient aid
in the endeavor to obtain these funds. He v^ras evidently
a man of great influence in the town. In 1740 he was sent
to the Assembly as agent for the town with Isaac Sheldon
and Joseph Gilbert, Jr., both of Hartford, agents for the
proprietors, to ask for a law compelling non-resident pro
prietors living in Boston, Salem and other places, owning
four thousand acres of land to pay their taxes which they
had uniformly refused to pay, the arrearages amounting
to the sum of ^^150. The Assembly in May, 1740, directed
the lands of those not paying taxes to be sold at vendue
after due notification.
At length about midsummer 1741, the way being clear
for the erection of the meeting-house, the town voted that
it should be raised on the 12th of August, 1741. In accord
ance with the custom of the times "rum and cyder" were

REV. EBENEZER WYMAN. 63
provided at the town's expense in honor of the occasion.
On the day before the great event took place there was a
large gathering of the citizens such as would be called in
our time a " bee," to make preparations for the raising in
leveling the ground, arranging the timbers, etc. The fol
lowing anecdote, handed down by tradition, is undoubtedly
true. At the close of the day, in accordance with the
sober habits of the times, it was proposed that prayer
should be offered before the men separated for their
homes. This being agreed to it was suggested that Deacon
Humphrey Cram should offer prayer, as he was an officer
in the church and a helper in the work, although he lived in
South Brimfield (now Holland and Wales), his farm being
just over the line. Whereupon James McNall, one of the
Scotch-Irish residents and land-proprietors, objected and
said "Deacon Cram must not pray for he did not own
a foot of land in the town." Hence Robert Moore made
the prayer. And so on the 14th of August 1741, the
first' meeting-house, which stood for about a hundred
years, was raised. It stood on the summit of the hill,
now covered with pines, south of the present meeting
house. The Rev. Mr. Wyman continued his labors until his
sudden and early death of pleurisy, January 9th, 1746, aged
thirty-seven. He was a man of good talents and accord
ing to Trumbull in his " History of Connecticut," his death
was greatly lamented. A document remains in the State
Archives bearing his signature written in a beautiful
hand. No people then or now would have reason to be
ashamed of his sign manual or of his intellectual ability.
His people seem to have been united in him and no doubt
the somewhat quaint epitaph on his grave-stone in the old
cemetery, is more true than the figures and poetry on the
slab are artistic :
" Lo here the sacred dust of Wyman lies,
W^ho fell to death a glorious sacrifice.
Humility and meekness were his robes.
His patience seemed to equal holy Job's,

64 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
His Master's service was his chief delight.
In which his strength he wasted day and night.
At length God calls ' My Wyman come away,'
His soul consents and springs to eternal day.''
The conditions of Mr. Wyman's settlement were that
he should receive 80 pounds a year for two years from the
time of his acceptance, of the call; that when two years are
expired he shall receive 15 pounds more each year until
the sum shall be 140 pounds, Which shall then be the reg
ular salary. The town also voted to raise 100 pounds to
aid in building his house, on condition that he accepted
the call. At a town meeting held June 23d, 1738, it was
voted "to send for Mr.. Wyman to come and give us his
answer to our call, we being orderly met together." Also
to accept the followiiig "conditions which Mr. Wyman pre
sented: I. "If the inhabitants of the town of Union will pro
cure for me a good warrantee deed of the sequestered land
lying in said town, excepting the burying place and meet
ing-house green.
2. If the town will fence in and clear ten acres of the
land suitable for ploughing and mowing.
3. If the town will provide my wood yearly and bring
it to my house fit for the fire, and the said inhabitants
shall have liberty to bring wood off my own land so long-
as I can spare the same. Ebenezer Wyman,
Rev. Mr. Wj'man seems to have been a man of large
property of his own, besides the ministerial lot given by
the original proprietors. His wife also had a dower from
her father.
After the death of Mr. Wyman, Nathaniel Trask, a
graduate of Harvard in 1742, and Alexander Phelps, a
graduate of Yale in 1744, preached as candidates. The
town voted to calllMr. Phelps, with a salary of ;^2oo and a
settlement of ;^40o, old tenor. He declined, and in 1747
was chosen tutor in Yale college. Mr. Nathaniel Drajx-r,
who graduated at Yale in 1745, received a call Aiignst

THE MINISTERS SALARY. 65
18th, 1747, which he declined. In May, 1748, the town
voted to call Rev. Jacob Bacon, who had supplied in 1735
and '36, but he declined, as previously stated. Then the
town voted to extend a call to Rev. Caleb Hitchcock, with
a salary of jQ^oo and a settlement of ;^7oo, old tenor. He
accepted the call. He belonged to a family of great worth
and respectability in New England. He was born at
Springfield and graduated at Harvard in 1743. He was
ordained at Union, June 21, 1749. His salary of ;£'4oo and
settlement of ;^7op seems large, until we know that it was
in continental money, which had greatly depreciated at
this time, so that ^^400 was no more than ;^ioo would have
been when Mr. Wyman was settled. Rev. George Curtiss
gives the following fact, to give an idea of what it would
buy. Rev. Mr. Pomeroy was settled in Hebron in 1737, at
a salary of ;^ioo, to be paid in grain or as grain goes in
the market. In 1747, two years before the settlement of
Mr. Hitchcock, it took ^420 lawful money to pay his
original jQioo salary. This ;^42o was payable in corn at
12 shillings per bushel, pork at 18 pence and beef at 11
pence per pound. It seems that since the purchasing
power of money was fluctuating, Mr. Hitchcock's salary
was stated not in a fixed sum, but in the value of an
amount of certain articles, viz., wheat, rye, Indian corn,
pork, beef, oats, barley, wool, flax and butter, which at the
time of settlement would be worth ^£'400. A committee
was appointed each year to " state the salary." The fol
lowing is a copy of such a statement in 1752:
"Union, April 2, 1752.
These may certify whom it may concern that according to the Prizes
of the Respective Articles on which Mr. Hitchcock's Salary was stated,
said Salary for the year ,1751-2 amounts to four Hundred and sixteen
Pounds, Seventeen Shillings and ten Pence old Tenor, as computed.
^416:17:10.]

WiixiAM Ward,
By us, Samuel Wood,

JosiAH SiMONDs(?), " Mr. Hitchcock' Sr

Abner Sessions,
Consented to by me,
Caleb Hitchcock."
5

Committee
for Stating

Salery.

66 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
In 1753 the salary amounted to ;^469. 13.2, and in 1754
to pf 474- 13-0.
Mr. Hitchcock was pastor of the church about nine
years, till 1738, when he was dismissed and deposed from
the ministry for intemperance. It seems' very bad to us
to-day that a minister of the gospel should be guilty of
drunkenness. It is indeed a sad record. But wo nitisi
ronicnibov that at that tiino all clns.ses Wore in tho haliil of
using intoxioating. liiitiors, As wo have observed, Uiey
were considered a necessity at the raising of tho nieeling-
hoiise; and at councils of ministers, ri!i:ii, etc., was always
provided. Hence we would tlirow llic mantle of eliaiit\-
ovor Mr. Ililchcook's memory, for who knows what tempta
tions beset him ? Tho spiritual results ol" Mr, I!ilchotiel<'s
ministry are indicated by tho fact that eight joined tlu-
church by profession and ninoteon by letter, and 126 eliil
dren were baptized. These facts show that it was a tinie
of growth in the town, by births and by immigration, as
the number of infant baptisms would indicate tho birth of
at least fifteen children a year. Also, it is said that
eighteen joined the church on the "half-way covenant"
plan. After Mr, Hitchcock's removal from tho ministry, In-
wont into business, but tailed, Ho also had donu-slie
inl'olicity. Ho removed lo liriinriold, whore ho tlied in an
cpitoplic fit, Doeomber 6, 1767. Had, the ymingost son of
the family, was tho father of Samuel A. Ililcheoek, the
founder of tho Ililcheoek Free High School,
Tho pastor who followed Mr. Ilitelicoek was Rev. l'>,i-a
Horton, who was born at Southold, L, 1,, Doeomber 25, i7_i_i,
and graduated at Nassau Hall (Prineoton), in 1754. He
was ordained and installed over tho church in Union, June
i4i •759- 'I'hcro was quite an interesting council convened
for liis solllemcnt on tho dtiy jirevious, which held a two
days' session beeauso tho people wore not agreed as to how
ho should bo sottlod. Tho final result of tho council leaves
us in doubt as lo how ho was sollled al last, The (ieiu-ral
Assomlilyof the slate in 1708, had iinpo.sotl onlho ohitrehes

REV. EZRA HORTON. 67
a certain confession of faith, and regulations for discipline
drawn up by a convention of ministers at Saybrook the
September before, a convention not larger in number than
many ordinary councils now. Those churches which united
in that confession and Heads of Agreement, as it was called,
were to be owned and acknowledged as established by law.
The first article for the administration of church disci
pline was somewhat ambiguous. It reads thus : That the
elder or elders of a particular church with the consent of
the brethren of the same, have power and ought to exercise
church discipline according to the rule of God's word in
relation to all scandals that fall within the same.
By some this article was interpreted according to the
usual Congregational custom, that is, that the pastor acts
according to the decision of the majority of the church.
Others, however, held that the pastor had a veto power on
the action of the church, the idea being that the member
ship of the church was a silent democracy and the pastors
a ruling aristocracy.
So we find the Union church stating to the council that
they were desirous that Mr. Ezra Horton be settled under
the ecclesiastical constitution, that is, the Saybrook plat
form, "with the exception that y" pastor shall not nega
tive y° brethren in y' church procedure." The council
considered this request and came to the following conclu
sion : " That the consciences of both the pastor and the
brethren are to be subject only to Jesus Christ ; and there
fore we mean not, by denying a negative voice to the
pastor to oblige the pastor to do or not do anything in
church matters or causes or put any vote of the church
into execution which may be against the conscience of
the pastor. And we are agreed in case of difference
between the pastor and the brethren to refer our differ
ences to a lesser Council than that of the Consocia
tion, if we can mutually agree upon it or otherwise
to the Consociation." This plan was pretty generally
agreed to, but two of the brethern and some of the inhab
itants dissented and wer6 desirous to have " the said Mr.

68 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Horton settled under the Presbyterian form of govern
ment," Whereupon tho council finally concluded that, " in
hopes that tho said dis.sonting brethren and inhabitiinls of
Union may he united inllTtr arlielos aforosiiitl, or if the
chnroh see (it in tlio Presbyterian form of govornnienl,
wo have thought it our duty, considering llio great tintin-
imity and affection there appears to exist in the Church and
Town for the said Mr. Horton, to proceed to the ordination
of the said Mr. Horton to the pastoral office in this place,"
It is probable that the church "united on the articles
aforesaid" rather than on the Presbyterian g-t>vernnienl,
for Nir. Horton certainly administered his office as a Con-
grogational minister.
1 luring Mr. Morton's pastorate, there wore many cases of
churoli discipline brought before the church. Members
were repeatedly called to account for long ooivlinned
absence from tlic Lord's Supper, A case which excited
considerable altontitni was the trial before tho eluiroli in
1764, of Joshitii Webb and Mrs. Sarah llitcheock for a viola
tion of the seventh oommandniont. Cases of disputes be
tween monibors wore brought before the church. Timothy
Wales was censured for taking some rum from his nei.i;h-
bor Backus' barrel when he was coming up from Wind
ham and taking it homo and drinking it privately.
These frequent cases of discipline and trial indicate
that it was a time of strong feeling in the town. Mr. Hor
ton had a hard place, but nevertheless he dwelt among his
people and loved them with a tender affection. He was
with them during the trying times of the Revolutionar}'
struggle, when his charge was so much straitened that
they became in debt to him for over two years' salary.
This was in 1776, Tho poverty of tho people in town at
this time is plainly brought out by a momoriiil to tho Gen
eral Assembly in that year, to abate the taxes in town.
Extracts from this are given in tho account of Union in
the Revolution, It mentions tho fact that "tho ])oople
gave their minister only 67 pounds money a year; yol snoli
is their distressed condition that he has thought it liis

CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 69
duty, and has, in fact, abated four or five pounds a year in
the last two settlements they have made, besides the
abatement of some very poor people's rates."
Mr. Horton seems to have been greatly beloved and
respected by most of his people. But there were some of
his prominent parishioners who became dissatisfied with
him and made the last years of his pastorate unpleasant.
In 1783 a council was called to consider the difficulties
which existed between the pastor of the church and sev
eral of its members, also a dispute between members, and
whether it was best thaf the pastor be dismissed. This
council had three sessions, on June 10, August 4 and 6,
respectively. After long consideration the council came
to the following conclusions with respect to the matters
which were brought before them: "In regard to brother
Solomon Wales, the council arc of the opinion that he has
not paid that sacred regard to the Sabbath and the insti
tuted worship of God, in some instances, which he ought
to have done. In respect to his treatment of Mr. Horton,
the pastor of the church, we are of the opinion that he has
been much to blame in relating his mind by letters at
unseasonable times, and much more by rash, undutif ul and
unchristian language. But most of all, for making a min
ister of Christ,- especially his own pastor, a subject of ridi
cule and mockery; and that the said Wales was guilty of
disorderly conduct in making objections to the church
against his brother Child's communing just before the
celebration of th«; Lord's Supper. And we have reason to
believe that he has at times used sUch language as is
unbecoming his civil, and much more his Christian char
acter, the bad example of which, in a man of his station, is
extensively pernicious.
All which things this council disapprove, and earnestly
desire Esquire Wales to reflect upon the evil nature and
fatal tendency of them, when found in a professor of
religion, especially in persons acting in a public character,
whose business it is to set good and discountenance evil
examples.

70 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
With regard to brother Ebenezer Child, the council are
of the opinion that he has given too much reason to sus
pect that he has sometimes induTgcd a^dogreeTmntem-
perance and profaneness that boar hard upon his Christ i;in
character, as well as an appearance of at least fraud in
some instances, which he ought to reflect upon as unbe
coming his Christian character, and to guard carefully
against, for the future e-xercising greater watchfulness in
his life and conversation.
With regard to the Rev. Mr. Horton, it appears to this
council that he has been unhappy in wording and in
timing some of his public performances; tihat he has used
some unbecoming expressions in his conversation with
Esquire Wales; that ho has used improper and diminutive
expressions when speaking of some other persons, and tliat
he has paid less attention in some instances to the exam-
ination of those who have sought communion in the
church, than he ought to have done — this council being of
the opinion that the examination of candidates for tbe
communion ought to be most faithfully attended to. We
trust, however, that the said duty of Mr. Horton will lead
him to make suitable reflection upon himself, in this
respect, and to guard against such improprieties and
imperfections for the future, and we earnestly entreat him
as a Christian brother so to do.
With respect to this important question, whether the
Rev. Mr. Horton's relations to this church and congrega
tion shall be dissolved or not, we have the following things
to observe :
We have endeavored to pay a particular attention to the
present state of this town, and, so far as we are able, to
look forward to the probable consequences of Mr. Horton's
continuance, as well as those of his dismission. Notwith
standing Mr. Horton's infirmities, we find them too sm.-ill
to become a justifiable ground for that uneasiness and dis
affection which has risen to such a height in this place,
much less for his dismission, as arising from any fault on
his part."

DISMISSAL OF MR. HORTON. 71
From this point the manuscript copy is wanting, and
the form of the result of the council, in their decision to
dismiss the Rev. Mr. Horton, is lost. It is well known,
however that he was dismissed for reasons of expediency,
August 6, 1783. The council gave him the following
recommendation : "The Rev. Mr. Horton is by this council
freely and fully recommended as a pious and faithful
minister of the gospel, wherever the providence of God
shall call him." The church also voted unanimously that
they would recommend him to the communion of the
churches and the work of the ministry. But Mr. Horton
never preached anywhere but in Union. He died here,
January 13, 1789, "much lamented." He was buried in the
old burying ground, and many of his former flock lie
around him.
When we consider the troublous times through which
the people of Union passed during the period of Mr. Hor
ton's ministry, we must call it an eminently successful one.
Seventy-two were added to the church during his pastorate
of twenty-four years.
After the dismission of Mr. Horton the church was
without a pastor for thirteen years. It was small in num
bers and rent with divisions. Mr. Gary served as supply in
1786;. Mr. Page in 1788. In 1789 Rev. David Rathbone, a
Baptist minister, supplied for a time, long enough to be
the means of starting a Baptist society, which was short
lived. In the years 1793 and 1794 Rev. Calvin Ingalls, son-
in-law of Rev. Mr. Horton, preached as stated supply. He
went to West Stafford. A Mr. Mosely supplied in 1795.
Some of the reasons for the disturbed and weakened
state of the church during this period and that following,
were the union of church and state, the " Half-way cov
enant" system, and the influence of the Revolutionary
war. As we have seen, the citizens of the town were taxed
tor the support of the church. The town had a joint
authority with the church in calling and dismissing the
minister, etc. Hence there was a party of non-Christian

72 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
men in the town who, since they paid taxes for the sup
port of the minister and were voters, could have a voice in
.the management of the church. These could, and often
did, make trouble. The church was not free to manage its
own affairs, as it saw fit, for its own spiritual good.
If there were members of other denominations in town,
who did not attend the Congregational church, these, of
course, would object to paying taxes for its support, and
support their own preachers besides. One of these was
Deacon Samuel Crawford, who was a Bajitist and attended
the Baptist church at West Woodstock. Upon one occasion
when he negleeted or refused to pay his assessment for the
support of the minister at Union, two of his cattle -were
taken and sold to collect it. Sueh proceedings, of eonrse,
led to hiird feeling, and thixnighout the country were a
powerful ftictor in loading to the separation of church and
state. In Conneetieiit, liowovor, a law had been passed as
early as i7-'9, allowing Baptists, Episcopalians and Quak
ers, in towns where they had ehnrehes, to pay taxes foi-
the support of their own denomination. This law was
doubtless what led to the attempt to esLiblish a Baptist
society in Union, so as to free its members from the tax
for the Congregational church. There were too few Bap
tists, however, and the attempt failed.
The " Il;tlf-way covenant " was a plan by whieli eluireh
membcrshi]) was granted to those wlio had been baptized
in infanc)', and who owned in person tho coventint made
in their behalf by tlieir jiaronts, but who made no jirolos-
sion of oxperimonttil religion. Tlie ohiidron of sueh mem
bers could be btiptized. This let a great many unregen-
eratc persons into the oliureh, and the effoot was disas
trous. The importance of repontanee was lowered, and
there was a tendency to lower the standard of cliureli
membership, and sweep the whole . population into the
church. Then there was a general spiritual decline in the
religious life of the church throughout the country during
and after the Revolutionary period. Tho absorbing topic
was the struggle for national independence. All spiritual

LOW STATE OF THE CHURCH.

73

interests languished. Money which would have flowed into
si)iritual channels was turned into the scanty treasuries of
the colonies for Washington's army. Then French infidel
ity, which was introduced during and after the war,
became a serious threat and harmed the cause of religion.
These influences were felt in nearly every parish. It was
not till the great revival of 1797-1803 swept over the coun
try that the condition of the church began to take on a
more hopeful aspect. These general influences, combined
with local causes, reduced the church in Union to the low
state in which we find it at the close of the last century.
The first settled pastor after Rev. Mr. Horton's dismis
sion was Rev. David Avery, who was called October 4,
1796, and who preached here till August, 1799, when
he "was in some sense dismissed," as Elder Curtiss
said. He graduated at Yale in 1769, was converted
under Whitfield, and was a chaplain in the Revolutionary
army, where he was a very popular preacher among the
.soldiers. Dr. Sprague, in his Annals, says of him: "I
remember him as a person of most commanding presence
and great animation in the pulpit.'' After leaving Union
he preached in Chaplain, Conn. There was only one per
son, the widow Elizabeth Coye, who joined the church dur
ing Mr. Avery's pastorate.
About 1800 the church applied to the town to repair the
meeting-house. The town declined to help, and the church
repaired it, lathed and plastered it, and put in pews instead
of benches. During the ten years from 1803 to 1813 the church sunk
to the lowest point it has ever reached. There were at one
time only seven resident members. During the twenty-
nine years between 1783 and 1812 only three had been
admitted. From 1803 to 1813 the Lord's Supper was not
administered. For about ten years the Rev. Nathaniel Chapin, a Meth
odist minister, supplied. Althougli the church had, in
1779, adopted a strict Calvinistic creed, its minister was
now a Methodist, and hence presumably an Arminian.

74 ECOLKSIASTWAL HISTORY,
In 1814 a revival occurred under the preaching of Rev.
Mr. Fuller and Elder Bloss, a Baptist. Sixteen were added
to the church diifihg that and the next year.
In 1816 tho Congregational Ecclesiastical Society was
organized. This began to lake the place of the town in
providing foi- iircaching. In 1818, two years later, a kiw
was passed in Conncciicut, .separating church and stale.
Thereafter the churoli received no aid from the town, but
depended on subscription ancl pew rent for the sujiporl of
the minister. It seems that tlie town "had raised only a
small part of tho minister's salary for many years before.
As early as 1794, an effort was made to raise ;f 1,000 for a
permanent fund, tho interest of which should be used to
support preaching. In 1795 a committee was appointed by
the town to devise a method of disposing of the "pews
and pow ground,'' in the meeting-house. This committee
recommended that they be sold at auction to tho highest
bidder, and the proceeds devoted towards forming a "dura
ble iind stibsttintial fund towards resettling and estaldish-
ing a gospel minister." The amotint roiilized U)V tho sale
was jCi,ot,o. The pews sold were 29 in ntimbor. The ])ews
wore first leased by the Congregtilional Eeclesiastieal Soei-
ety in 1817. Tho amount then rettlizod for their sale was
$100, The yoting society found it diflieult lo raise onotigh
monoy to support preaching and ai>|)liod to tho Tolland
County Consoeialioii for aid. This body voted that they
"viewed with peculiar interest the feeble state of the
church in Union," and appointed a committee to see what
assistance could be rendered them. In 1820 the Society
chose a committee to confer with the Domestic Missionary
Society of Connecticut to see what help could be ob
tained towards supporting preaching.
In 1817 Rev. Ludovicus Robbins preached as supply.
He was settled afterwards at West Avon, Conn., and later
served as a home missionary in destitute places in the
West. He died at Algansec, Mich., in 1850. Rev. Dr. Asahel
Nettlcton labored here successfully as a revivalist, in 1818,

REV. NEHEMIAH BEARDSLEY. 75
In 1820 Rev. Aaron Putnam preached here a few months,
immediately after he was licensed. He was graduated at
Brown in i8ii, and studied law before he entered the min
istry. He was the son of the Rev. Aaron Putnam of Pom
fret. He was an earnest, faithful preacher and rnost
successful laborer at Springfield, N. Y., and Oswego, N. Y.,
where he died in 1831. Rev. Daniel Kendrick, a graduate
of Brown in 1810, supplied in 1821. The Society voted "to
concur with the church in giving him a call to settle at
S400 a year, provided $100 could be obtained from the
Domestic Missionary Society; one-half of, said $400 to be
paid in money and the other half in house rent, wood and
such other articles as he may need." But he declined the
otfer. In 1822, there was considerable talk about building
a parsonage and it was actually voted to build one. But
probably owing to a lack of funds, the project was never
carried out.
In 1823, Rev. William Woodbridge preached during the
summer, and established the first Sabbath School and a
Bible class for the adult part of the congregation. He was
the son of Rev. Asahel Woodbridge of Glastonbury, gradu
ated from Yale in 1780, and was appointed the first princi
pal of Phillip's Exeter Academy in 1783. He was an
ordained minister but never a settled pastor. He was
noted as a teacher of female schools. He died at Franklin,
('onn., in 1836, at the house of his classmate and intimate
friend, Dr. Samuel Nott.
In Feb., 1824, the society voted to settle the Rev. Nehe
miah B. Beardsley as pastor with a salary of $350, $104
b-..ing received from the Missionary Society; of this $350,
81 50 was to be in money and $200 " in such articles as are
n,jcessary for family use, said articles to be at a fair market
P'ice." Rev. Mr. Beardsley was installed in April, 1824,
tie fifth pastor of the church at Union. He continued here
seven years, being dismissed April 18, 1831. He served
V.M and brought 12 into the church during his pastorate.
The prominent men of the Society, about this time were
I'lilip Corbin, Gideon Wales, William Foster, Capt. Arche-

76 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
laus W. Upham, Robert Lawson, Norman Horton, David
Coye, Samuel Moore, Capt. Joseph Snell and others.
In the fall of 1831 there came to town an attractive and
winning evangelist in the person of Rev. Andrew H. Reed,
a graduate of Amherst in 1826. He did excellent work,
winning many converts. The little church was doubled
in numbers by this revival, twenty-eight joining in 185 r
and 1832. Among these were some who became strong
supporters of tho church. There wore Paul Lawson and
wife, Charles Hammond, Elisha Griggs and wife, Ileal)-
Corbin and wife, Asa Coye, Sullivan Booth and wile.
Laura Griggs (afterwards Mrs. Dexter Moore, the oldest
member now living [1892] ) and others. — _--- -
Rev. Elliot Palmer, a pleasant spoken, godly man, min
istered to the church in 1S32. Ho afterwards settled in
West Staft'ord. While in Union he encouraged the jieoplc
to build a new mceting-hoiiso.
Tho old meeting-house had been in tiso for nearly -i
hundred years. It had been repaired ab(mt the year iSo n
and was said to be still in fairly good condition when the
ehureh abandoned it. Besides desiring a better and
more commodious place in which to worship, the ehureli
members had another reason for building a now edillec.
The old ineeting-houso was in the hands of the town. It
was built by the town and had beeit used not only for
church services but for town meetings and public gather
ings of every sort. This must have detracted somewhat
from the sacred character of the place. Anyway the-
church had no control over the building and could not call
their house of worship their own. Hence it was better in
many ways that they should build their own building ani'
have it undisturbed by other gatherings than those for
worship. The old meeting-house was 45 feet long and 35
feet wide. It had two doors, one on the east side, and
double doors on the south.
" No steeple graced its humble roof,
With upward pointing spire ;
Our villagers were far too meek
A steeple to desire.

THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE. 77
And never did the welcome tones
Of Sabbath morning bell,
Our humble village worshipers
The hour of worship tell."
Inside there were three aisles, and three galleries. The
stairs leading to these were called on the south side the
"men's stairs" and on the north side the "women's stairs."
The high ptilpit was on the north end and had a big sound-
ingboard overhead. The pews were nearly square and were
29 in number. There were several in the galleries. The
glass of the windows was said to have been imported
from England and to have been very clear. The
plastering remained white and clean, for there were
no stoves in the church, and no chimney. But the people
sat through the service in the cold winter days without
having the building warmed. Some of the women how
ever used to t.-ike their foot-stoves to church. In these
they put some live coals which gave out some heat. It was
the custom to stand through the long prayer. And it was
long. The subjects of the prayer were of great number.
Few indeed were the public events which were not remem
bered in the course of the long prayer. The custom of
standing during the prayer was continued long after the
new mcefing-house was built. One who remembers it tells
how tired he used to get before it was over standing " first
on one foot, then on the other." Deacon Paul Lawson con
tinued the habit of standing during the prayer as long as
he attended church. The singing in the old meeting
house was congregational. The psalm was started by a
man with a tuning fork. The people sat always during
the singing. There was an officer appointed annually
called the " tything man " whose duty it was to keep order
during the service. Men now living can remember how
as boys they were summoned into church, or if they got
uneasy and noisy in the gallery where they sat, were
tapped on the head by the rod of the "tything man."
But with all these peculiarities, as they seem to us now,
there was true heart worship in the old church on the hill.

78 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
How the early settlers must have rejoiced when after much
exertion, their meeting-house stood complete, and the\
had a place in wMch-to-worshjp God far more commodiou.-
than the rude and small private houses, in which they had
hitherto met. Doubtless they often returned to theii
homes from their worship there, with their faith strength
ened, and with more courage to clear the lands and buik;
homes,- and more resolution to lead noble lives and train
up their children in the fear of God. And during Hk
ninety-five years in Which the people of- the town worship
ed there, how many fervent prayers ascended, how man)
earnest sermons were preached iii the spot now covered
with pines! It was there that Elder Horton cheered ami
encouraged his flock during the hard and troublous time^
of the Revolutionary struggle, when every nerve had to be
strained in order to send men to the army, and maintain
their families at home. And it was there that inany j-oung
people became imbued with a just fear Of God and love for
their fellowmen, and went forth to lead lives of usefulness
and blessing here and elsewhere. It would be hard to esti
mate the amount of good done in the old meeting-house on
the hill.
It continued to stand for a number of years after the
new meeting-house was built. It was finally sold by the
town and removed.
It was on Jan. lo, 1833, that the Society voted to choo.sc
a committee to solicit subscriptions for a new meeting
house, and ascertain where a suitable place could be had
for the same. This committee consisted of William Foster.
Philip Corbin, Samuel Moore, Paul Lawson and Shubael
Hammond. On May 9, 1833, the committee reported rela
tiye to two pieces of ground. One was a tract of about
25 rods of land southwardly. of the old meeting-house
being the property of Mr. Robert Lawson, and staked om
so as to be conveniently seen by the members of the meet
ing. It was further reported that this would be given foi
the purpose of the Society, that is the use of said land foi-
a meeting-house site, so long as a meeting-house shall be

THE NEW MEETING-HOUSE. 79
wanted thereon, and on condition that said meeting-house
be so situated, that said Lawson and his son David would
give $50 worth of materials for it.
The Committee further reported that the other piece of
ground which they had viewed as best suitable for a meet
ing-house site, was situated northwardly from the old
meeting-house near Calvin Marcy's. (The survey of this
plat of ground is given in the church records). It com
prised about 48 rods of ground, being comprised in the 10
acres of ground which was reserved for a meeting-house
and green by the proprietors of Union Lands.
Upon hearing this report the Society voted first to
build a meeting-house. It was then moved to try the minds
of the Society relative to the situation of the meeting
house. After some debate the moderator (Philip Corbin),
stating that he took the sense of the Society to be in favor
of dividing the members of the house to ascertain said
vote, requested that those who favored the north situation
would be on the west side of the house, and those opposed
to that situation on the east side.' The members being
counted in their respective divisions, it was ascertained
that more than two-thirds of the members who were
present were on the west side of the house, and the mode
rator declared that they had voted to build the meeting
house at the place designated northwardly of the old meet
ing-house. Philip Corbin, Paul Lawson and Asa Coye were chosen
to let out the work and superintend the building of the
house. The plan which was followed for the building was one
which was drawn up by the minister. Rev. Eliot Palmer.
The following description of the house is from the pen
)f Rev. George Curtiss, who describes it as it looked in his
-hildhood: "The new meeting-house was unpainted on
':he inside, and the stove pipe went out of the window. A
large stove stood near the rear of the audience room, about
¦nid-way across. It was afterwards moved to the south-
¦>ast corner, then to the northwest corner, and finally gave

8o ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
place to two stoves, one in the southwest corner and one in
the southeast corner. There was a high gallery at one end
of the building, with a narrow and steep staircase leading
to it. Over this stairway was another leading up to the
belfry; this stairway was inclosed by a partition, through
which was a very low door. The pulpit was also high and
reached by a flight of steps, and underneath it was a sort
of cupboard where the Sunday school, books were kept,
which originally consisted largely -of bound volumes of
tracts. In front of the -pulpit was ' a long, high board
which tradition declared was taken from an old ilcthodisi
meeting-house. Its chief use, in the former times, was to
hold the communion service at communion seasons, and on
other Sundays to hold the motley collcetioiT of Sunda_\-
school books. The classes used to file up in front of this
high altar and help themselves to such library books as
they could find.
Foot-stoves used to bo seen in goodly numbers in thc
wintcr, and hot coals were in active demand. Gradually
the stoves wore superseded by soapstoncs. Tho bell, which
is probably the same as at present, was so hung as to be a
terror to ring, and had the perverse tendency, when run:;
by a tyro, to flop over the wrong way, and it required no
small skill to turn if back again.
The meeting-house was painted on the irtside a pea-
green, and a new kind of a structure devised for a sacra
mental table, about the same time that the town house was
built, about 1845."
The dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev.
George A. Calhoun, of North Coventry.
Rev. Al van Underwood, of West Woodstock, supplied ir
1833 and 1834, Rev. Abicl Williams, of Dudley, in 1835, and
Rev. Isaac E. Heaton in 1836 and 1837.
In the fall of 1839 Rev. Samuel Ives Curti.ss, of West
Woodstock, supplied for a few months. (For an account 01
his personal history see the biographical sketch). In the
following spring he moved to town, and lived first in tin
house with Anna and Mary Sessions (where Mr. Rindgi

SETTLEMENT OF MR. CURTISS. 81
now does). He afterwards moved to town and lived in
Merrick Marcy's house (at the south end of the block). It
was here that the sudden calamity of losing his wife and
daughter by a stroke of lightning befell him, March 25,
1842. In the fall of 1842 the church and society gave Mr. Cur
tiss a call to settle as their pastor, on a salary of $300, " as
all," he said, " they believed they were able to make up
with home missionary aid." The pastor accepted the call
because it was his impression that the church and society
were ready to do what they could, and because he was
interested in the field and felt that he had a providential
call to labor in this vineyard. He was installed April 12,
1843, "at which time the roads were blocked with snow
drifts." The services of the occasion were conducted as
follows : Rev. Benjamin Ober, of West Woodstock, offered
the introductory prayer; Rev. George Calhoun, of North
Coventry, preached the sermon; Rev. James Sanford, of
Holland, Mass., made the iristalling prayer; Rev. Eber
Carpenter, of Southbridge, Mass., gave the charge to the
pastor; Rev. George H. Woodward, of Stafford, gave the
right hand of fellowship; the Rev. David Bancroft, of
Willington, addressed the people, and the Rev. Elliot
Palmer, of West Stafford, made the concluding prayer.
When Mr. Curtiss took charge of the church, according
to his statement, it had been organized 103 years, and there
had been added 229 members. During his active ministry
of thirty-five years, eighty-six were added to the church,
fifteen by letter and seventy-one by profession. The
greater portion of these were brought in as the results
of special seasons of relig^ious interest. The following
account of such seasons is taken from historical sermons
by Mr. Curtiss :
"In the fall of 1850 we were visited from on high by a
precious revival. Many of the young people who were
children at the commencement of my ministry, were sub
jects. The instructions of the pulpit and the Sabbath
school had not been in vain. Some of the youth had been
6

82 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
alive to the concerns of their souls several years before
they forsook all for Jesus. During the spring and summer
there were several -who. indulged hope in Christ. In the
fall of this year. Mr. White, a theological student from
Andover, Mass., taught a select school. The young people
now came together under favorable influences for intel
lectual, and also moral and spiritual improvement. The
special presence of the Holy Spirit and their daily contact
with each other deepened the conviction of truth and duty
upon their minds so that, at a religious -meeting held at
my house, nearly all present, after service, expressed to
me, on inquiry, their great need of Christ, and soon found
hope in him. Meetings were held through the fall for the
benefit of those who had found hope in Christ and for
those who were still inquiring. The preceptors entered
heartily into the work with the pastor. This work of
grace included over twenty who professed to have found
Christ precious. Most of the subjects of this revival were
from religious families, and from others who availed them
selves of the ministry of the word. The revival spirit con
tinued, to some extent, until i860. Thirty-one united with
the church from 1850 to i860, mostly by profession. The
select schools continued for a number of years in the
fall, and were taught by young men of superior talents
and fervent piety. The preceptors were Messrs. Luther
White, Edwin Hall, Jr., Henry Pratt, Henry M. Parsons,
James T. Ford (two seasons), Stephen Harris, Henry J.
Bruce, missionary to India, Henry B. Ruggles, John O.
Barrows, for a time missionary to Turkey, and others."
" We had a precious outpouring of the Spirit in the
spring and summer of 1864. Several young men of our
town had been to the war, and were there led to reflect
seriously upon their condition in respect to the future.
Early in the spring of 1864 two of these young men called
on me for the purpose of learning what they should do to
be saved. Others were thinking on their ways; and, in
view of these things, we held a series of meetings during
the last of May. The Rev. Ezra D. Kinney, who was

TEMPERANCE REFORM. 83
preaching in Westford, assisted in these meetings. Twenty
or more indulged hope of having passed from death to life
at that time; many of them were heads of families. As
the fruit of this revival twenty were added to the church;
four of them had been to the war. There was also, great
religious interest in the fall of 1865. Mr. Potter, the evan
gelist, labored with the people in connection with the pas
tor. There were crowded meetings at the union services
held together with the Methodists. There were sixty
inquirers and valuable additions to the churches."
During the pastorate of Mr. Curtiss, a great temperance
reform took place in town. The church early adopted
temperance principles, and acted in accordance with them
in admitting members. Rev. Mr. Beardsley had been
instrumental in the formation of a temperance society in
1830. The following extract from its constitution shows
the attitude of its members towards the use of intoxica
ting liquors: "The members of this society believing that
the use of intoxicating liquors is, for persons in health not
only unnecessary but hurtful, that it is the cause of form
ing intemperate appetites and habits, and that while it is
continued, the evils of intemperance can never be pre
vented, do therefore agree that we will abstain from the
use of distilled liquors except as a medicine in case of
bodily hurt or sickness, that we will not allow the use of
them in our families, nor provide them for the entertain
ment of our friends, or for persons in our employment,
and that in all suitable ways we will discountenance the
use of them in society."
When we consider the character of the times a cen-
, tury ago with reference to the use of intoxicating liquors,
we see how these principles were a great advance on those
previously held. It used to be considered the proper thing
for the entertainment of visitors and ministers even, to
have rum and whiskey on the table. At the dinners which
followed installations, church councils, etc., they were
always provided. But as the evils of intemperance
increased, good people began to see the harm which such

84 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
customs wrought, and a change in their attitude took
place. Among the advocates of temperance at this time
were Dea. Ezra Horton, Joseph Sneir,' Da'VM La^vspn, Paul
Lawson, and others.
It used to be the ciistom for storekeepers to keep rum
and whiskey to sell, among their regular commodities. In
1840, Rev. Mr. Curtiss preached a temperance sermon dis
countenancing such practice. Among his hearers was ^Ir.
Harvey Walker, who had a store at Mashapaug and who
had hitherto followed the universal custom. But that ser
mon influenced him to give up selling liquor.* The follow
ing account of the temperance awakening which took
place in Union, is from the pen of Mr. Curtiss:
"In the town of Union, November, 1841, there com-
rhenccd a great temperance revival, in which the com
munity was greatly interested and took an active part.
Two of the leading men of the town, who bad used liquor
freely, were together at the hotel in the place, after town
meeting, the first Monday in October, 1841, where there
was a man just drunk enough to be noisy. The landlord
was annoyed and commanded silence, but the drunken
man would not be silent; whereupon the landlord luirled
him out of the house to the danger of his life. This sight
opened tho eyes of these gentlemen to the treatment they
might expect to reeeive in a similar situation. The oik-
said to the other: "You sec what wo are coming to."
" Yes," was the reply. They resolved from that hour to be
temperance men and to act upon temperance principles.
Upon consultation with each other they determined to
agitate the question and labor for the benefit of the fallen.
After the plan was matured, Captain Paul eng.aged a
reformed inebriate to lecture on a certain evening in the
meeting-house. There was a large audience, and the
lecturer gave a stin-ing discourse of what his experience

* It is said that after thisdecision, an old toper came into the store one day insisting tti.it lii^
jug should be filted with whiskey. Mr. Walker took the jug, slipped out at the hack door, .ind
going to the pond filled it with water. He return-ed and gave it to the man, saying there wa^
no charge for it, and thus got rid of him.

UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY. 85
had been, how he had been redeemed, and how others
might be saved from intemperance and all its horrors. His
lecture was well received and aroused his auditors to
immediate action. A committee was chosen to draft a con
stitution. They had it ready at the next meeting. It was
discussed and adopted, and many signed the pledge. This
temperance revival continued unabated till 1850." Lectures
were frequent and would always draw a full house.
Early in the spring of 1866 the people were aroused to
renewed efforts in the temperance cause. Several lectures
were delivered by Messrs. Pratt and Burleigh; a young
people's temperance society was formed, called the Band of
Hope, which continued for several years. The members
held quarterly meetings and were very active in securing
pledges against the use of intoxicants and tobacco. This
society also held yearly celebrations of the Fourth of July
on the shores of Mashapaug Lake.
During the early part, of Mr. Curtiss' pastorate there
was a Universalist society in existence in town. This had
been formed in 1832, under t-he name of the "First Uni
versalist Society of Union." The names of its members
were: Pain Cleveland, Israel Comstock, Thomas Tourte-
lotte, Luther Crawford, John Crawford, Trenck Crawford,
Joel Town, George W. .Town, Oliver W. Town, Herman
Town, Nathaniel Newell, David Newell, Elijah Wales,
Elbridge Cass, William Eaton, Newman Bugbee, Walter
Thomas, Moses C. Sessions, E. G. Lindsley, Smith Tourte-
lotte, Willard Blodgett, Nathan Kinney, John W. Moore,
Danford Morse, Orlin Nelson, Alvin Wales and Merrick
Marcy. This society seems to have kept up a form of
existence till about 1849, and to have had meetings with
preaching occasionally at Captain Newell's.
The church was repaired and remodeled in 1864. The
following is the pastor's account of that enterprise :
" The hand of God, I believe, moved in this work. He
put it into the heart of one of the sisters to go forward in
the work with a liberal hand, and also to interest others,
until all with united heart and voice said : ' Let us arise

86 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
and build.* After the carpenters commenced it was found
that the subscriptions wouMTiDteovcr the cost. It was
therefore decided that each one should double his sub
scription, which would amount to over a thousand dollars.
It was found, upon a careful estimate, that it would require
more than two thousand dollars to complete the work. The
pastor's son, Samuel Ives Curtiss, then a member of
Amherst college, solicited subscriptions abroad for the
object, and in the course of a few weeks raised a thousand
dollars. The newly repaired and remodeled church build
ing was rededicated the 2Sth of July, 1866, nearly thirty-
two years after its first dedication. The Rev. Charles
Hammond preached the rededicatory sermon. The day
for the latter occasion was favorable, the house was filled
to its utmost capacity, the sermon was able and instruct
ive, and the other services appropriate. The entertainment
at the Town hall, which followed, was generous and pleas
urable, and every way suited to close so important and joy
ful an occasion."
Tho Rev. Mr. Curtiss continued his labors for the
church at Union till 1874, when his resignation as aeting
pastor was accepted, and he was made pastor emeritus. Late
in the year it was voted to invite Rev. John P. Watson to
supply the pulpit. He accepted and began his labors Jan
uary I, 1875. He was born in Gilford, N. H., November 22,
1826. He was the third son of a large family, whose bur
dens in life were heavier than those usually allotted to man-
Under somewhat adverse circumstances he was prepared
for college at Gilford Academy, and graduated from Bow
doin College in 1856, with high honors as a scholar and
greatly esteemed for his Christian character. For three
years succeeding his coUeg-e course he was principal of the
academy at Limerick, Me., where one of his predecessors
was Rev. Samuel Harris, D.D., LL. D., formerly president
of Bowdoin College, and now a professor in the Yale
Divinity School. While here he distinguished himself as
a teacher of marked thoroughness and a superior disciplin
arian, bringing the institution into a very prosperous eon-

REV. J. P. WATSON. 87
dition. In 1859 he entered Bangor Theological Seminary,
remaining there only a year, however, but completing his
theological course at the Union Theological Seminary of
New York city, in i86i. While in this seminary he
changed his church relationship from the Free Baptist to
the Presbyterian. In 1861 he was ordained as an evangel
ist by the New York Presbytery. The same year he
became pastor of the Congregational church at Putnam
Heights, Conn. From there he removed to Cross Roads,
Pa., where he was engaged in teaching. In 1869, returning
to New England, he became pastor of the Congregational
church at Levorett, Mass., laboring there three years. He
then supplied for a year at Shutesbury, Mass. His next
pastorate was in Union. He was a gifted and eloquent
preacher, and his exceedingly interesting discourses will
be long remembered by those who had the privilege of
hearing him. He continued the custom of preaching two
sermons each Sunday. He took an active interest in the
Sunday school, which was then large and flourishing, there
being many children in the church. He had it thoroughly
organized and devoted himself to the work of librarian.
Never before or since has the Sunday school library been
in as good condition or so thoroughly regulated, as when
Mr. Watson had it in charge. A large number of new
books were added during this time. The entire school felt
the inspiration of Mr. Watson's energy and enthusiasm.
The church was in a very flourishing condition during the
three years of Mr. Watson's supply. The meetings were
largely attended. The society voted to give Mr. Watson a
salary of $700, which was the largest salary the church has
ever attempted to raise. Mr. Watson, however, for reasons
of his own, declined to receive that portion of this sum
which came from the Home Missionary Society, accepting
only $500. In 1875 the church voted to extend a call to
Mr. Watson to become their settled pastor, which, how
ever, he declined.
For a considerable portion of the time of Mr. Watson's
supply in Union, he was also acting school visitor. He

88 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
entered into the work with great zeal and energfy, deter
mining to improve the character of the schools in town.
He examined the candjdates for teachiers thoroughly, see
ing that only competent ones were employed. He visited
each school very frequently and became perfectly
acquainted with every detail. The same order and system
were manifested in his management of the schools which
were shown in the regulation of the Sunday school library.
He introduced new text books and made the teaching more
thorough. But people are slow to move. There were
many conservatives in town who were not ready for such
thorough and radical improvement and would rather have
things move on in the same old way. Then many were
offended because of his refusal to grant certificates to can
didates whom he believed incompetent to teach. Henec
towards the last part of his term he had to meet consider
able opposition. His stern manner at times, and his strict
requirements often made the school children, dread his
visits. But they have grown up to see how his action was
designed for their highest welfare and tq appreciate and
respect him. The writer, who was one of them, looks back
to the schools under, Mr. Watson's management as the best
regulated and superintended of any he ever attended in
town. It is safe to say that the town has never had an
Acting School Visitor ' who performed his work so
thoroughly or labored so much for the good of the schools
as Mr. Watson.
But the opposition which he' created in town lessened
his power for good in, the church, and the last part of his
period of supply was somewhat clouded. Moreover his
health began to fail. He continued preaching however
until the early part of the year 1878. Probably the church
at Union never h.td a preacher of greater ability than Mr.
Watson. His preaching was characterized as thoroughly
evangelical, scholarly, original and able, winnilig to him
thoughtful and earnest minds, deeply impressing them
with tho truths of the Gospel. He became greatly inter
ested in the town of Union and in its people during his

REV. GEORGE CURTISS. 89
residence here which was first with the family of Deacon
Lawson and afterwards that of Mr. William Corbin.
When Rev. Charles Hammond died in 1878, leaving the
work on the history of Union incomplete. Mr. Watson
took the materia,l into his hands with a view of completing
it. He spent many. an hour in talking with the old people
in town sueh as Captain Paul, about the old times. His
contribution to the history was mainly in adding to the
genealogies. He kept the material till his death.
After leaving Union, Mr. Watson traveled in Europe,
spending six months in visiting England, France and
Italy. Soon after his return he entered upon his fourth
and last pastorate at Wellfleet, Mass. After remaining
there four years he accepted the position as the Boston
agent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, having his
office in. the Congregational House, Boston. His health
gradually failed however during this time and he died of
Bright's disease, at Laconia, N. H., January 22, 1887.
About the time that Mr. Watson ceased preaching at
Union, Rev. George Curtiss came to town with his two
children on a visit to his father. He was then without a
charge, and the committee asked him to preach here. The
elder Mr, Curtiss and his wife were both sick and George
was not in very good health, but he consented to do what
he could. He did not assume the place of pastor or agree
to do more than he felt able to perform. He preached
only one sermon on Sunday. This was a departure from
the old custom and was not very well liked by some at first.
But people soon began to feel as though they derived as
much good by having more time in the Sunday school, as
by the old tedious way of holding another service after
Sunday school.
But as a matter of fact Mr. Curtiss did most that a min
ister usually does. He attended the Sunday school and the
Aveekly prayer meetings, visited the people to some extent,
attended the gatherings of the Ladies' Aid Society and
held a number of meetings in the school-houses. He did
what work he felt able to do and the people paid him what

90 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
they felt disposed. The church prospered while he was
supplying. Very pleasant relations existed between the
people and the minister as one who had grown up among
them, the son of their former beloved pastor. Extra meet
ings were held during the winter of '80 and '81 and perma
nent good was done. Several united with the church on
the first Sunday in May, 1881, at which time Mr. Curtiss
closed his labors here, having received a call to the
Wethersfield Avenue Congregational church at Hartford.
During the rest of the year of '81 the church had no
regular supply, although Rev. Mr, Avery of West Wood
stock preached several Sabbaths. In the spring of 1S82
the society voted to extend a call to Rev. William Howard,
which he accepted and began his labors here April 8, 1882.
He was born in Folkstone, Kent, England, September i,
1 83 1 and came to this country in June, 1852. He was
married March 19, 1854 and ordained as a Methodist minis
ter, April 19, 1859, in New Haven, by Bishop Edmund S.
Janes of the N. Y. East Conference. He preached in that
conference till 1864, in the following places : Southold, L.
I., Southampton, Litchfield, Wilton, Ansonia and Middle-
field, Conn. In 1864 he became a Congregationalist and
preached in the following Congregational churches : at
North Guilford, Northfield (in Litchfield), West Avon,
Quonnock (in Windsor) whence he came to Union. He
moved into the house of Rev. George Curtiss, which the
latter generously offered to sell to the society for a low
price. The society voted to accept his offer April 28, 1882,
and the following fall built a new barn on the place.
Mr. Howard remained in Union till November 23, 1884,
giving good satisfaction. as a preacher. He held week day
prayer meetings at the parsonage which were generally
well attended.
When Mr. Howard left Union he went to Lebanon,
Conn., where he preached till May 6, 18S8. After resting
in Hartford for a time he preached during the years '89
and '90 in Staffordville, living in Hartford most of the
time. During this time his wife's health declined and she
died August 24, 1890. They had two sons, John Edward,

REV. L P. SMITH. 91
who died March 2, 1878 and John, who is now (1892) a
physician in Hartford. In the spring of 1891 Rev. Mr.
Howard began preaching again in Union.
After he left town the first time the church was without
a minister till July 11, 1885, when Rev. Isaiah P. Smith
accepted the call of the church and moved to town with
his wife and three children, Perley, Charles and Brainerd.
He came from Falmouth, Me., where he had been preach
ing. He was a graduate of Bowdoin college and of
Bangor Theological Seminary. He continued preaching
here for about three years. During the fall of '86 revival
meetings were held and Rev. Mr. Whittier, an evangelist,
labored here for a time. Several of the young people
were converted and afterwards united with the church.
Mr. Smith continued preaching here till October 1888. He
went from Union to Southwick, Mass., and afterwards to
Wolcott, Conn.
Rev. Oscar Bissell of Westford preached during the
years 1889 and 1890. He preached at Union in the morn
ing and at Westford in the afternoon. In April, 1891, Rev.
Mr. Howard returned to Union and has supplied the pul
pit since that time (till 1892).
On December 13, 1888 the church celebrated the isoth
anniversary of its organization. Besides the people of
town there were a goodly number of former residents and
friends present. Rev. George Curtiss preached the anni
versary sermon, tracing the history of the church during
the 150 years of its existence. No other than he was so
well fitted to perform this duty, for his father having
been pastor of the church thirty-five years, he was reared
in it, and in later years himself preached in it awhile, so
that he could speak vividly and pleasantly of a consider
able portion of its history from personal reminiscence.
Interesting incidents were the reading of the following
letters: J^rom Prof. Curtiss of Chicago Theological Seminary.
' Chicago, December 8th, 1888.
I regret exceedingly that I cannot be present at the celebration of
die one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Congre
gational church at Union.

92 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
I am impressed with two things in this connection : i — with the won- '
derful longevity of Christian churches in general, and of -this church in
particular ; 2 — with the amount of good that has been accomplished by
the church for the town in improving its moral condition, and in traint
ing up young men and women for usefulness in other places. Surely
there is every reason for maintaining the church. May it be continued
as long as the town of Union shall exist. .
I feel personally grateful for my connection with the church, and
honor her as my spiritu.1l mother through whom I received niy tcligioifs
life. Give my kindest greetings and warmest congratulations to all my
old friends. •, Your affectionate brother,
Samuel Ives Cortiss.
From Union boys at Vale University.
New Haven, Decertibcr loth, iSS3.
To the Congregational church in Union.
Dear Frienhs -, — As we hoar that you are alxjut to celebrate the anni
versary of the organizatiori of th<; churchj our thoughts turn back in
grateful, rcmcmbr.ince to old Union, and our hearts are filled with
thanksgiving that our childhood was surrounded with such ennobling
Christian influences.
We wish to express our love for the church of ouryouth, and can say
heartily, in the words of the elder President Dwight,
" I love Thy kingdom. Lord,
The house of Thine abode,
The church our blest Redeemer saved
With His own precious blood."
We often think of the church at Union, earnestly desiring its welfare
and prosperity, especinlly in spiritual things ; that God who has planted
it and watered it may still continue to watch over it and bloss it, nnd
work through it for the salvation of souls in Union.
As wc think of the influence which tho church ot Christ in Union
exerted over our early lives, an influence which we intend shall spread
to all those we meet, wherever may be our pathway in life ; as we thinli
of all the noble men and womeh who spent their earlier years in Union
and went out to bless humanity ; as wo think of those who in the
impressible part of their lives are now receiving their ideas of Christian
ity from its members, and whose lives, directed in the right way, may
be powers in the world for good, we cannot help feeling that the church
of Christ in Union has done a noble work, and that it still has much to
do. May God grant that in His book, the pages which shall record the
next hundred and fifty years of this church may be written thick with
records of loving deeds and unselfish lives ; and that each one of us,

DEACONS OF THE CHURCH. 93
re.ilizing our responsibility and the influence we may exert for Him,
may so live that those -who are looking up to us for Christian teaching
may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and learned of
him. Geo. N. Lawson, 1 . , . ...
WM.H. Corbin, ( Members of the
Harvey M. Lawson. i church m Union.
The following pleasing sketch of the deacons of the
church was given by Rev. Mr. Curtiss on the above occa
sion :
"The first deacon elected after the church was organ
ized was William Ward. (He fell and died suddenly when
out after an armful of wood — probably in 1789).
In the course of the ministry of Mr. Horton, Messrs.
Ward and Cram were deacons. Deacon Cram was dis
missed and joined the church in Holland, Mass., and Abner
Sessions was chosen in his place. ' Levi Lyon was elected
in 1782 or '83.' The next deacons that appear, so far as I
can find, are Ezra Horton and Joseph Snell.
And now that I have come into the region of personal
reminiscences, the only way that you can get anything
fresh out of me, since many of you are familiar with the
same things, is to let me meander here and there at my
Own sweet will, and touch on those things, and only a few
of them, that touched me.
There was Deacon Horton. Many a time have I led the
.good old man home from prayer meeting. Large crutches
he had, and he leaned on them and walked slowly as the
little boy led, and he wore great green glasses or goggles
on his eyes. He was never cross at all, at least to me.
His voice was pleasant and his talk entertaining, and
sometimes he used to slip into my hand a great old-
fashioned cent. He was a fine talker, and people said that
he had a wonderful memory that ran away back to Revo
lutionary times. I wonder if they ever called him little
priest Horton in the old days when his father was a
iiinister; and if other boys told him that it was wicked
for him to laugh, because he was a minister's son. I guess
lie did laugh, though, for all that, and he lived to be a good

94 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
old man, and went to his rest, as father said, as a shock of
corn fully ripe  '. 
There was Deacon Booth, a young brown-haired,
bright-eyed, active kind of a man, a school teacher, a
farmer, and a glorious ininister's helper'. He died young, of
scarlet fever, or canker rash, as they called it. And the
older people wept, and the children were sorry. He left a
bright family of children, and one that was born after he
died, all, together with- his aged father, to the care of that
noble woman, his wife, who bravely brought up the chil
dren and cared for the infirm father till his death. Such
women as Minerva Booth maynot make much stir in the
world, but they arc worthy of all honor, and are God s
jewels. Away back in the farthcrest recess of nvcriiory stand-.
a good man of serene countenance, clad in a new farmer's
frock, that reached down toward his foot like the robe of .-i
high priest, a novelty to a lisping child, and he held a whi|)
in his hand, and wanted the little boy to kiss him, and he
came to move our goods to Union. That is perhaps the
oldest picture in all my mental gallery — my first sight of
Deacon Paul Lawson. But not the last sight, for every
Sunday and every prayer meeting when I was present I
saw him. And didn't he literally lift up holy hands with
out wrath and doubting, and those full lips would tremble
with the fervent prayer that he so reverently offered ?
Alas ! childhood is not always reverent, and occasionally
thinks prayers too long, especially when bound to stay on
its knees, and sometimes the blessed prayer would bring to
weary boyhood balmy sleep. How many other blessings
those prayers brought to us all we cannot tell.
His memory is fragrant with the sweet odor of his good
deeds in acts of faith and love. .He believed that 'pure
religion, and undefiled before our God and Father, is this
— to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and
to keep himself unspotted from the world."
He was admitted to the church November 20, 1831, and
was chosen deacon upon the resignation of Deacon Ezra

DEACONS OF THE CHURCH. 95
Horton, June 9, 1835. His pastor, among many other
words of appreciation and praise, says : ' I always found
him at his work, true and faithful in his callings.'
For twenty years before his death he was so blind as
not to be able to read his Bible, and in the latter part of
his life he was quite hard of hearing also. It was a great
trial, but it had its compensations. His experience in those
days reminds one of the lines of Alice Cary:
' My soul is full of whispered song;
My blindness is my sight ;
The shadows that I feared so long
Are all alive with light.'
Mr. Healy Corbin officiated at communion seasons for
some time as deacon, although declining an election to the
office. He was for a long time a valuable member of the
church, together with his wife. Both of them removed
from the place more than twenty years ago, and for ten
years have rested from their labors. All their six children
have belonged to this church; five of them survive, and
' one is not, for the Lord took her.'
Myron Kinney and E. N. Lawson were elected deacons
September 4, 1863. Deacon Kinney afterwards removed
from the town, leaving Deacon Lawson to fill the place of
his honored father.
It is an interesting fact in regard to the Lawson family
— that some of them have been members of the church
ever since it was formed — that the present Deacon E. N.
Lawson is the fifth and his children the sixth in direct
descent from John Lawson, one of the original settlers of
the town, and a communicant; and in the words of our
brother : ' In all the 150 years of the history of the church,
there has not been a time when there has lacked a male of
the name to stand before the Lord.' "
This sketch of the church at Union can no more fit
tingly be closed than by repeating the words which Rev.
George Curtiss used in closing his anniversary sermon :
"The influence of the church for good is not all
summed up in recording the numbers that have united

96 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
with the church. She has held forth the word of life for
150 years. Her influence has streamed afar._Her sons and
daughters have come to honor. The whole community has
been quickened by her presence. She has fostered the love
for learning, so that from her assemblies have- gone forth
men to sit in the halls of legislation, to preside over the
representatives of her State Legislature, to fill the chairs
of secular and sacred learning, to preach the everlasting
gospel, or to bear nobly^ their part in the more private but
no less worthy walks of life. Her daughters have filled
honored places as teachers, and bpen. the worthy wives of
ministers and mothers of a goodly race. Angels of mercy,
too, and gentle ministers of patience to walk among the
sick and suffering. It is a goodly record, and one that she
was able to make through the blessing of God and the aid
of sister churches in this commonwealth, through the
Home Missionary Society, during a period of more than
seventy years. 
And now, though outward circumstances may be
untoward, they are not worse, nay, much better than in
the early days. With her house of worship, with her par
sonage, recentl.y secured, with her many friends and the
vigorous life now shown by her younger members, above
all, with the blessing of God upon her, she still has a glo
rious mission before her.
Long may the altar of true devotion smoke with. the
sweet incense of prayer on this ancient hilltop, and the
people continue to go up to the house of the Lord. Long
may the good old town abide, and this beloved church send
forth her noble offspring to. bless the world with her holy
charities and godly deeds.
Still may she continue to preach the gospel to others
through the lips of her sons. And, as the waters that fall
on this high dividing ridge of land plow apart for a time,
as their course lies toward the Quinnebaug or Willimantic,
yet come together again Jn the marriage bond of a com
mon river, and thus onward to the great sea, so shall all
the drops and all the rills of holy influences that have sped

FUNDS OF THE CHURCH.

97

eastward, westward, to north and south, meet in that com
mon tide of love that flows toward the eternal throne.
O church of the living God ! O sweet mother of holy
souls! 'They shall prosper that love thee.' 'Peace be
within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For
my brethren and companions' sakes I will now say. Peace
be within thee.' "

The funds belonging to the Congregational church have
been received from the following persons, who shpuld be
held in grateful remembrance :
Miner Grant, of Stafford Street, . $ 200
Deacon Ezra Horton, .... 100
Susan Lawson,  30
Mary Lawson Blodgett, . . . . 50
Asa Coye,  400
Rev. Charles Hammond, . . 100
Philip D. Armour, of Chicago, . . 100
Mrs. Julia A. Walker  500
Total  $1,480
Some of this, however, was lost by the failure of the
savings bank at Stafford Springs.

/ list of church members.
Names of the members of the Church of Christ in
Union, Connecticut, who were admitted before the Rev.
Ezra Horton was ordained pastor, June 14th, 1759.
[Copied from the Union Church Records. There were other mem
bers at the time of organization not giren here].
William Ward, deacon ; Humphrey Cram, deacon (dis
missed); Rev. Caleb Hitchcock, predecessor of Rev. Mr.
Horton, dismissed for intemperance ; Sarah Hitchcock,
his wife, excommunicated for adultery with Joshua Webb;
Daniel Badger, Abner Sessions, deacon ; Mary Sessions,
his wife, widow of Rev. Ebenezer Wyman, the first minis-

98 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
ter ; her maiden name was Wright, born at AVoburn, Mass.;
Jeremiah Bishop, Martha Bishop, his - wife; Jeremiah
Bishop, Jr., Hannah Bishop, his wife ; MargaretCrawford,
Elizabeth Ward, Edward Houghton, Abigail Houghton,
his wife; Nehemiah Coy, Samuel. Wood, Lydia Wood,
his wife ; Ebenezer Wales, Deborah Wales, his wife ;
Joshua Burgcs, Elisha Waliss, Joshua Webb, Caleb
Loomis, Abigail Loomis, his wife; Charity Loomis, Tabi-
tha Sprague, Hannah Woodworth, Aaron Clark, Sarah
Clark, his wife; James Crawford, Hugh Crawford,
Nathaniel Walker, Dinah Walker, his wife.

Names of members of the church admitted during- the
pastorate of Rev. Ezra Horton.
Doeomber 1759 — Caleb Abbott, Elizabeth Abbott, his wife,
by letter.
January 30, 1760 — John Ilendrick, Abner Loomis, Robert
Crawford.
May I, 1760 — Mary Horton, Widow Sarah Loomis.
July 6, 1760 — Lydia Robbins, by letter.
August 10, 1760 — Abijah Lamed.
January 29, 1761 — Lucy Robbins, by letter.
July 12, 1761 — Mehetable Paul.
March 9, 1762 — Zerviah Walker.
June 15, 1762 — John Crawford.
August 17, 1762 — Nehemiah May, Anner May.
June 17, 1764 — Solomon Wales, Lucy Wales, Timothy
Wales, Sarah Wales.
July 29, 1764 — Snsanah Wales.
'June 3, 1765 — Elizabeth Bascom.
February 3, 1766— Mary Crawford.
May 23, 1766 — Abigail WillLams.
April 26, 1767 — Mary Marcy.
June 28, 1767 — Mary Abbott.
January 10, 1768 — Mary Hutchinson.
January 24, 1768 — Widow Jerusha Enos.
August 14, 1768 — Rebecca Walker.

LIST OF CHURCH MEMBERS. 99
August 28, 1768 — Phineas Love joy.
October 9, 1768 — Esther Wales.
March 25, 1770 — Nathan Abbott, Judith Abbott.
April IS, 1770 — Anna Ward.
May 20, 1770 — Lucy Cad y.
January 20, 1771 — Anna Hendricks.
August 4, 1771 — Samuel Abbott, Rachel Abbott.
August 1, 1773— Obadiah Lilly.
October 18, 1773 — Damaris Holton.
November 21, 1773 — John Sessions, Ellis Sessions, his wife.
May 15, 1774 — William Abbott, Mary Abbott.
June 5, 1774 — Jonas Drake. Sarah Moor, wife of John Moor.
February 5, 1775 — Richard Child, Abigail Child, his wife.
March 26, 1775 — Elizabeth Coburn, Daniel Coburn, by let
ters ; Rachel Coburn, his wife, by letter.
September 22, 1776 — Mary Horton.
May 25, 1777 — Hannah Moor.
July 20, 1777 — Martha Lilly, by letter.
August 3, 1777 — Mehetable Moor.
August 31, 1777 — Ziba Wintor.
June 7, 1778 — Hannah Hendrick.
July 8, 1779— Levi Lyon, Ruth Lyon, his wife.
July 2, 1780 — Nathaniel Sessions, Irene Sessions, his wife.
October 7, 1781 — Althea, wife of Ebenezer Stoddard.
November 7, 1782— Ebenezer Child.
April 4, 1783 — Hannah Bartlett, Robert Lawson, Anna
Lawson, his wife ; John Lilly, David Roberts and wife.
1778 — John Taylor and wife.
Rev. Ezra Horton was dismissed August 6, 1783.

Names of members admitted while the church was with
out a settled pastor, 1783 to 1797.
November 28, 1786 — Ezra Horton, Olive Horton, his wife.

Names of members admitted during the pastorate of Rev.
David Avery, April, 1797 to August, 1799.
1797 — Widow Elizabeth Coy.

loo ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Names of members admitted while the church was with
out a settled pastor, August, 1799 to April, 1824.
August, 1812 — Lydia,-wi€-e-of -Joseph-Snell, Sr.
April 18, 1813 — Joseph Snell, Jr., dismissed March 20, 1831.
July 5, 1814— Silence, wife of Nathaniel Newell ; Chloe, wife
Joel Kinney, Susannah Lawson.
August 28, 1814 — Bcthiah, wife of William Moor, dismissed
March 25, 1832; Betsey Snell.
April 30, 1815 — Samuel Moor, Anna, wife of Josiah Eaton,
Phebe Lawson, dismissed June 3, 1827, to join church
in Smithfiold, N. Y.; Lucinda Horton.
July 10, 1815 — Joseph Moor, Allice Moor, his wife, Sarah
Lawson, wife of David L.'iwson ; Asuba !Moor, wife of
Thomas Moor.
November 5, 1815 — Capt. Joseph Snell, Lydia Eaton, dis
missed September 14,. 1828; Nancy Moor.
June 15, 181 7 — Mary, wife of Dr. Shubael Hammond; Lovisa
Eaton, dismissed February 12, 1826; Sarah Moor.
September 21, 1817— Polly Sessions, Anna Griggs, Polly
Horton.
November 28, 1819 — Hannah',- wife of Joseph Snell, Jr.;
Daniel Atwood and his wife.

Names of members admitted during the pastorate of Rev.
Nehemiah B. Beardsley, April 14, 1824 to April 18,
1831.
November 7, 1824— Anna Eaton, by letter from First
Church in Ashford.
March 6, 1825 — Ataresta, wife of Elias Severy, by letter
from Church in Chaplin.
May 7, 1826 — Elias Severy, dismissed Decepiber 25, 1857;
Amy Moore, Lucinda Moore, Mary Lawson.
September 18, 1826 — Marjury Snell, wife of Capt. Joseph
Snell, by letter from West Stafford.
November 5, 1826 — Archelaus Upham, by letter from
Thompson ; Betsey Upham, his wife, by letter from
Thompson.

LIST OF CHURCH MEMBERS. loi
May 3, 1828— Ruth Hawes.
September 6, 1829 — Hannah Moore, dismissed January,
1842, and given a letter of recommendation to the
church in Dwight, Cherokee Nation ; Louisa Moore.

Names of members admitted while the church was without
a settled pastor, April 18, 1831 to April 12, 1843.
November 20, 1831 — Polly Boyden, by letter from Presby
terian Church, Vernon Centre, N. Y.; Paul Lawson,
Charles Hammond, Lydia Moore, Alexander Strong,
dismissed April 20, 1837; Lucinda Strong, his wife;
dismissed April 20, 1837; Thomas Moore, Austin Moore,
Esther Wales, Louisa Newell.
April 1, 1832 — Marshall Severy, (excommunicated Novem
ber 13, 1855, for stealing); Chloe Severy, Elisha Griggs,
Sarah Griggs, his wife; Hannah Griggs, Laura Griggs,
Healy Corbin, dismissed August 11, 1864; Nancy Cor
bin, his wife, dismissed August 11, 1864; .Widow Lucy
Coy, Cyrus Coy, Asa Coy, dismissed June 20, 1840; Lucy
Coy, Sullivan Booth, Minerva Booth, his wife; Joanna
Sessions.
July 13, 1832 — Mrs. Lydia Lawson.
November 4, 1832 — Mrs. Abigail Strong, Gideon Wales, Jr.
May 20, 1838 — Mrs. Elvira Marcy, wife of Calvin Marcy, by
letter from Church in "Chaplin.
June 3, 1838 — Joanna Moore, by letter from Dudley, Mass.
July 22, 1838— Mrs. Ann Bijirtl6tt,.by letter from Eastford.
May 2, 1841 — Mrs. Rebecca W.Walker, wife of Joseph Walker.
July 4, 1841 — Levi Severy, Sophia Severy, his wife; Lovisa
Lawson, dismissed; Louisa Bartlett, wife of John Bart
lett, by letter from Church in Westford.
December, 1841 — Harvey Walker, Julia W. Walker, his wife,
both by letter from Church in Westford.
September 25, 1842— Nancy Brown, by letter from Church
in East Stafford.
November 6, i842->-Lucy Kinney, wife of Nathan Kinney;
Lovisa R. Corbin.

102 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Names of members admitted during the pastorate of Rev.
Samuel I. Curtiss, from April 12, 1843 to 1875, and from
that date to 1892. 7~~
November 5, 1843 — Eliza Ives Curtiss, wife of Rev. Samuel
I. Curtis, by letter from Church in East Stafford.
May s, 1844 — Arnold Paine, excommunicated May 3, 1850,
for intemperance; Harriet Paine, his wife.
June 7, 1846 — Harriet Sessions, wife of Alexander Sessions,
by letter from Church in Brookfield, Mass.
September 5, 1847 — Nancy D. Corbin.
November 19, 1848 — Mrs. Lomena Paine, by letter from
Church in Monson, Mass.; Mrs. Martha Town, wife of
Joseph Town, by letter from Church in East Stafford.
January 6, 1850 — Adaline Paul.
October 3, 1850 — Mrs. Mary P. McNall Crawford, wife of
Fayette Crawford, by letter from Church in Scantic.
January 5, 1851 — Charlotte J. Corbin, dismissed June 22,
1862; Loretta Corbin, dismissed May 5, 1S61; Harriet
Bosworth, Sarah A. Paul, Mary Ann Smith, dismissed
1854; Ezra M. Horton, William Groves, withdrew and
joined Methodist Church, i860; Loretta A. Wales, dis
missed; Lucy R. Corbin, dismissed August 11, 186S;
Mary M. Corbin, dismissed March 28, 1875; Rebecca
Corbin, dismissed March 30, 1S68; Chloe E. Severy,
Elias Henry Severy, George Curtiss, dismissed Decem
ber 17, 1865.
March 2, 185 1 — Myron Kinney, dismissed Junes, 1881; Sarah
E. Upham.
May 4, 1 85 1 — Edwin W. Upham.
November 6, 1853 — Elvira Corbin, dismissed December 17,
1865.
March 9, i8s6, Mrs. Mary Ann Rindge, wife of Thomas
Rindg-e.
July s, i8s7 — Laura W. Walker, dismissed July 1865;
Josephine Walker.
November 7, 1858 — Edwin N. Lawson, Esther C. Lawson,
Mrs. Sophia Leland, wife of Benjamin Leland, dis
missed December 25, 1859; Sophia W. Leland, dismissed
i860; Sarah L. Leland, dismissed December 25, 1859.

LIST OF CHURCH MEMBERS.

103

March 6, i8s9-^Juliett Booth, dismissed; Samuel I. Curtiss,
Jr., dismissed November 3, 1867.
May 2, 1859 — Mrs. EmelineEldridge, dismissed June 30, 1861;
William M. Corbin.
January 6, i860 — Roswell Blodgett, dismissed May 4, i860.
July 6, 1 86 1 — Mrs. Betsy Howard, wife of Marvin Howard,
dismissed July 28, 1872.
July 3, 1864 — Miner H. Corbin, dismissed August 14, 1868;
Ichabod Upham, Abigail Upham, Philinde W. Corbin,
Milton H. Kinney, Martha M. Kinney, Aaron A. Wales,
Betsey M. Wales, Lucy Cleveland, Mary Ann Cleveland,
Leverett A. Snow, dismissed December 29, 1878; Rhoby
C. Snow, dismissed December 29, 1878; Armena C. Cor
bin, dismissed March 24, 1872; Elisha Severy, excom
municated November i, 1867; William Harrison Hor
ton, dismissed March 29, 1872; Jonathan C. Upham,
Robert Bruce Horton, Melvin Booth, dismissed 1885;
Abigail Simons, dismissed; Olive Longden, dismissed.
September 2, 1864 — Maria A. Upham, wife of Jonathan
Upham, by letter.
March 4, 1866 — Emily S. Severy, wife of Elisha Severy, by
letter from the First Baptist Church, Woodstock,
excommunicated November i, 1867; Herman Corbin,
Henry F. Corbin, Ann Maria Corbin, dismissed May 19,
1872; Francis O. Letcher, dismissed March 30, 1872.
September 2, 1866— Deborah H. G. Curtiss, by letter; Emily
H. Curtiss, by letter, dismissed November 22, 1868;
Ellen G. Wheeler, by letter, dismissed June 25, 1874.
January 6, 1867— Mary E. Horton, wife of R. B. Horton;
Lucy J. Wales, William P. Beeching, Stephen Agard,
baptized by immersion, dismissed March 30th, 1868.
January 2, 1869 — Emily Booth, wife of Melvin Booth, by
letter, dismissed 1885.
January 7, 1871 — Charles Root.
May 5, 1872 — Roscius Back, Harriet C. Back.
May 4, 1873 — Ada Leland, by letter; dismissed 1876.
1879— Lizzie ^- Upham.
May 2, 1 88 1 — Mrs. Mary Horton, wife of Mason Horton,
Lucy Horton, William H. Corbin, Harlow R. Back.

J04 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
September i, 1882 — Sarah E. Upham.
July, 1883 — Ella M. Corbin, Harvey M. Lawson.
September, 1883-^Sarah C. Lawson7~by letter from the
First Btiptist church, Woodstock.
1884— Mrs, Henry Booth, Mrs, M, A. Marcy, Lillian Bootli,
dismissed 1885,
July, 1884— Sarah Moore. .
July 4, 1886— George N, Lawson, Mary E. Lawson, Mrs.
Herman Corbin.
December 31, 1886— Rev. I. P. Smith, by letter, dismissed
March 3, 1889; Clara R. Smith, by letter, dismissed
March 3, 1889; Perley D. Smith, by letter, dismissed
March 3, 1889.
March 6, 18S7 — Charles Smith, dismissed March 3, 1SS9;
Brainerd Smith, dismissed March 3, 1889; Charlotte
Warren, excommunicated; Francis K^mpton, Char
lotte Withcrell, dismissed May 11, 1890; Clark W.
Watrous, by letter, dismissed July 22, 1888; Mary
Watrous, by letter, dismissed July 22, 1888,
June, 1887 — Henry B. Booth, Frank Young,

The members of the Congregational church in Union,
August ist, 1892, in the order of their joining, are :
males.
Ezra M. Horton, Edwin W. Upham, Edwin N, Lawson,
William M. Corbin (absent), Milton H. Kinney (absent),
Jonathan C. Upham, R. Bruce Horton, Henry F. Corbin,
William Beeching (absent), Roscius Back, William H, Cor
bin (absent), Harlow R. Back (absent), Harvey M. Lawson,
(absent), George N. Lawson (absent), Francis Kcmpton
(absent), Henry B. Booth, Frank Young (absent); males, 17.
FEMALES.
Mrs. Dexter Moore (absent), Mrs. E. W. Upham, Ada-
line Paul, Mrs, Fayette Crawford, Mrs, William Corbin
(absent), Mrs. Aaron A. Wales (absent), Mrs. Henry Corbin,
Mrs, Milton Kinney (absent), Mrs. Jonathan Upham,

HISTORY OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 105
Mrs. Roscius Back, Lizzie Upham, Mrs. Mason Horton,
Mrs. Lucy P. Aldrich, Mrs. Arthur C. Barrows (absent),
Mrs. Henry Booth, Mrs. M. A. Marcy, Sarah Moore
(absent), Mary E. Lawson. Present.
Females,  18 12
Males  17- 8
Total,  35 20

The clerk and treasurer of the Congregational church
and society of Union has been :
From 1816 to 1825 — Robert Lawson.
" 182s " 1828 — Norman Horton,
" 1829 " 1830 — Robert Lawson.
" 1830 " 1833 — Deacon Ezra Horton.
" 1833 " 1842 — Dr. Shubael Hammond.
" 1842 " 1849 — Paul Lawson.
" 1849 " 1858— Elias Severy.
" 1858 " 1862— E. M. Horton.
" 1862 " 1878— Myron Kinney.
" 1878 " 1890— Milton H. Kinney.
" 1890 "  Roscius Back.

HISTORY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH AT MASHAPAUG.
WRITTEN MAINLY BY REV. GEORGE W. HUNT.
From nearly the beginning of the century to about
i8so, there was a Methodist church in the town of Union,
'ocated on the road leading to" Kinney's Mills," a few rods
southeast of the present school building, on the north side
of the road about fifty feet east of a narrow swamp.
It was a small, rough building, resting on eight blocks,
sawn from the butts of large trees. The outside walls were
:lapboarded on the posts and studding, and the roof rough
boarded and shingled. The inside walls were the inside of

io6 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
those clapboards, with posts and studding bare. Ceiling
there was none. The rough beams and rafters were bare.
The floor was of roiigh boards, laid loosely down. The
pulpit consisted of two pieces of plank standing upright
on the floor, with a third piece laid across the top for a
desk. The pews or seats were planks laid on blocks sawed
off from logs. The windows were small, and without cur
tains or shutters. Under its eaves and among its rafters
the swallows built their nests. Sueh was the first ^leth-
odist church in Union.
This was not, however, according to the best informa
tion obtained, a Methodist Episcopal church. It seems that
services were held in it only a part of the time. The Rev.
Stephen Fairbanks was, a local preacher who often held
services there.
The date of the present organization extends back only
to 1867. There had been- services held by Methodist min
isters for several years prior to the nrganization of the
church. Some of the .circuit riders would occasionally
stop at the village and preach. Daniel Pratt and John
Carpenter, of Holland, a "local preacher," held meetings
in the school-house with more or less frequency both before
and sifter the church was regularly organized. A Mr.
Moulton also supplied the pulpit for a while.
In 1870 and 1871, Rev. S. V. B. Cross was the preacher
in charge. The first year he also supplied the Methodist
Society at West Woodstock.
In the \vinter of 1871, tinion revival services were held,
with the Congregational church, in Union, which resulted
in several additions to the churches, and the quickening of
the religious life of the town.
In the spring of 1872, ^Ir. Cross was removed to I'last-
ford, and for a few weeks the church was without a pastor.
Rev. George W. Hunt was '.appointed .to the charge about
May ist, iind remained to the close of the conference year,
Tho services were still hold in the school-house. L;irge
congregations. attended the services. Many times during
the summer more people would attend than could be

HISTORY OF THE METHODIST CHURCH. 107
accommodated within the school-house. The windows
would be raised and the people stand outside and listen to
the Gospel. Mr. Alden A. Fletcher was the' very, efficient
superintendent of the Sunday school at this time, which
was largely attended by both old and young. During Mr.
Hunt's pastorate an effort was made to secure an edifice.
Some $1,600 was raised on subscription, plans were drawn,
and accepted. But a disagreement arose in regard to the
location, and the whole matter was laid aside.
Mr. Hunt was followed in April, 1873, by Seth B. Chase,
a man whose labors were successful and greatly apprecia
ted. Mr. Chase was well along in years, yet was endowed
with youthful vigor of body and mind; He remained two
years. During his second year the old Methodist church
in Stafford Springs was purchased and torn down, and
removed to Mashapaug and re-erected, with slight changes,
on the lot of land on the south side of the pond facing the
village. The land was given to the Society by Mr. Milton
Kinney, a member of the Congregational Church at Union.
Rev. William A. Taylor followed Mr. Chase in the
spring of 1875. He remained three years. He did excellent
work, and was greatly beloved by the town's people. Dur
ing his pastorate the Society's progress was retarded by the
removal of several families. The shoe industry of the vil
lage ceased, and though not run on very extensive lines,
yet its stoppage was as serious a blow to the prosperity
of the village as some large financial disaster might be to
a larger place. This, coupled with the removal of the
shoe business from Union town, greatly crippled both
i-hurches. Mr. Taylor did much, however, to sustain the
".'aning interests of the church, and remained the full time
: llowed at that time by the denomination.
Upon his removal. Rev. S. V. B. Cross, returned to serve
the people a second time, and remained two years. A small
cbt on the property was removed and a bell hung in tho
\ ellfry, during his pastorate, largely through his efforts.
T, W. Douglas followed Mr. Cross and remained one
car. He was a man of much intellectual power, and was

io8 ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
much respected by the people generally. Ho left them at
the end of the first year much to their regret.
He was followed-in -thc-&pring^^f-jt88j— by—Jacob Belts,
who remained three years, the full length of the pastoral
term. Special revival services were held during his
third year, which resulted in several accessions to tho
chtirch, but owing to the lack of any manufacturing in the
town, which seems to necessitate frequent changes among
the families, the permanent benefit to the church has not
seemed so great. '  
Mr. Belts was followed in April, 1884, by H. S. Smith, a
man advanced in life, who,"for yeai:s,Tiad done good ser
vice in the ministry. He Was in poor" hiealth most of the
year, and spent considerable of the time away in the West.
He was succeeded in April, 1885, by Rev. John Pearee,
a young man, who did good," effectual service for two years,
and did much toward reviving the waning interests of the
Society. In May, i887,T. C. Denman was appointed tothe charge.
He remained one 3'ear. He did very conscientious work
in every department and strove hard to build up the
church in righteousness and to make it representative of
pure godliness.
For nearly a year and a half after his departure in the
the spring of i888 the Society was without a resident pas
tor. For apart of this period the pulpit was supplied by a
Mr. Nichols of Stafford Springs.
In the summer of 1890, C. A. Purdy was appointed to the
pastorate and in the spring of 1891 was re-appointed, the
charge being connected with Eastford, Mr. Purdy supply
ing in both places. He left in the spring of 1892, The
future of the church seems very uncertain, as it is with
many churches in our towns and villages that are so
isolated from manufacturing and railroad centres. But it
has done a good work in the past. Among its members
have been counted many well known citizens of the town .
And while for want of opportunity it may not be able to do
for future generations what it has done for the past, it

MEMBERS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH.

109

doubtless will stand as a beacon light to some souls in the
future. Below is a list of the names so far as they could be
gathered of all who have been members since its organiza
tion in 1867.
Prosper Smith, Monica Smith, Jesse L. Hall, Lois M.
Hall, Ira Walker, Maria Walker, Elijah Severy, Polly Severy,
George E. Webster, Jane L. Webster, Lucius A. Corbin,
Lucia M. Smith, Mary A. Smith, Emily Barbour, Walcott
Barbour, Gleason Allen, Emily Allen, Emma A. Allen, Jane
Walker, Eliza A. Hall, Newton Wallace, Jasper Miller,
I'Mdclia Miller, Fannie Miller, Elijah S. Severy, Lucy J.
Severy, Polly S. Russell, Pcrsis Curtiss, Amanda A. Butter-
worth, Marvin Kimball, Pruvia Kimball, Charles Jackson,
.'Vnnis Jackson, Addison Jackson, Pemelia Jackson, Harriet
Harbison, Benjamin Stone, Phebe Stone, Augustus Moore,
Lavinia H. Cleveland, Josephine Walker, Mary E. Braman,
Permelia Reed, Danforth Howard, Julia Howard, Dinah
Freeman, Philander Hall, Seth Clapp, Caroline Clapp, Jarvis
Mall, Hannah Clapp, Thomas Whittmore, Mary Whitt-
niore, Jennie Barbour, Martha Crawford, Sarah A. Whitt
more, Chloe Kimball, Marvin Howard, Betsy A. How-
;ird, Charles Howard, Oscar Howard, Ernest Howard,
Dennis Murphy, Alden A. Fletcher, Olive Fletcher,
Martha E. Crawford, Carrie E. Carpenter, Edward Blodget,
Mdclia Blodget, Maggie Belts, Esther Belcher, Howard
li. Barbour, Gracie W. Barbour, Wm. B. Chamberlain,
Sarah Chamberlain, Emma Chamberlain, Ida Chamberlain,
.\lmira Corbin, Amanda Chamberlain, Georgie A. Cross,
Addie C. Cross, Horace Courtiss, Mary Courtiss, Asaph
ilichards, Eva E. Sherman, Mary Severy, William Smith,
.-.trah Smith, Albert E. Weld, Celinda Weld, Ezra With-
< rell, Emma Witherell, John Winch, Ellen Winch, Charles
^. Webster, Belle Weld, Corey Weld, Nellie Winch, Wesley
'/inch, Lemuel, Willis, Abigail Willis, Moses Wilcox,
lelen G. Wilcox, Lowell Wilcox, Eva M. Chamberlain,
Ernest E. Corbin, Delia M. Douglass, Hansine Denman,
lartha S. Hewett, Lyman Hiscox, Laura Hiscox, Ella His-

no ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
cox, Emily Hewlett, Nettie E. Kinney, Carrie Lawson
Charles Lee, AnreHa-Lee, Byron Moore, ~ Em mn Moore
Caroline Marcy, David Perry, Clara Perry, Louis A. Perry.
William S. Webster, Robert E. Webster, Gilbert E. AVilli's.
Oscar E. Willis, Henry Vinton, Emily A. W. Vinton.
The preachers of the church have been as follows :
1867-1869, supplied by Daniel Pratt, George Carpenter.
Local Preachers. 1870-1871,8. V. B. Cross; 1871-1872, G.
W. Hunt; 1873-1874, S.B.-Chase ;:i 875-1877, W. A. Taylor:
1878-1779, S. V. B. Cross ; 1879-1880, T. W. Douglass ; 1881-
1883, Jacob Belts ; 1883-1884, H. S.Smith; 1885-1886, John
Pearee ; 1887-1888, T. C. Denman; 1888-1889, Mr^ Nicholls ;
1890-1891, C. A. Purdy ; 1S92, Oscar. Bissell (of Holland).
The membership of the church in 1891 -was fortj^-eight,
Of these thirty-nine are in the town and vicinity. The
remainder are scattered here and there throughout New
England.

CHAPTER IV.
MILITARY HISTORY OF UNION.
NEED OF MILITIA  FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR — TRAINING —
CASES OF TORY DISCIPLINE — COLONEL ABIJAH WILLARD —
TIMOTHY HOLTON — BATTLE OF LEXINGTON — RALLY AND
MARCH OF UNION MEN — ENLISTMENT OF SOLDIERS— LIEU
TENANT SPRAGUE — BUNKER HILL —HARDSHIPS OF THE SOL
DIERS— CAPTAIN lawson's COMPANY— CAMPAIGN AGAINST
IIURGOYNE — HARDSHIPS AT HOME — RAISING TAXES — LIST OF
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS — WAR OF l8l2 — MEN WHO WENT
FROM UNION— MILITARY TRAININGS  UNION MEN IN THE
REBELLION — COMPANY I, SIXTEENTH REGIMENT — DAVID
corbin's, COMPANY G, TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT — LIST
OF UNION SOLDIERS  SOLDIERS WHO HAVE LIVED IN
UNION SINCE THE WAR — THE U. P. CORBIN POST.
[N colonial times considerable attention was necessarily
paid to military matters. The settlers of New Eng
land were frequently compelled to take up arms in self-
defense against the Indians who surrounded them. King
William's war, from 1689 to 1697, in which Hannah Dustin
was captured; Queen Anne's war, 1702 to 1713, in which
' he Deerfield massacre took place, and King George's war,
¦744 to 1748, in which Louisburg was captured by New
linglanders, all served to arouse in the colonists a realiza-
: ion of the need of a well trained militia. Probably a
1 raining company was formed in Union as soon as there
\"cre men enough among its citizens. In the French and
ndian war, 1755 to 1760, a number of men from Union
00k part. Among them was James Sprague, who served
ith and was a friend of General Putnam. There is a
tmily tradition that Solomon Wales ran away from home
hen a boy to go with two older brothers to the French
nd Indian war; but as he was of age before that war
cgan, it must have been to King George's war that he

112 MILITARY HISTORY.
went without his parents' permission. He would have
been in his sixteenth^ J[car_at the first capture of Louis
burg. It is related that in the expedition he drifted from
the ship in an open boat, and in the effort to reach the ship
the oar broke' or was lost, so he had to save himself by
swimming some, distance in a wintry .sea.
Other soldiers in the French and Indian war were John
Lillie, Elisha Williams, and several more,
A valuable result of this war .was that it gave the colo
nists experience in warfare which proved very serviceable
when the Revolutionary struggle began., . _
On the 13th of October, 1770, Th-omas Lawson was
appointed by Governor Jonathan Trumbull, " Lieutenant
of the nth Company or Trainband in the sth Regiment in
this Colony." He was ordered to exercise his inferior offi
cers and soldiers in the use of their arms, according to the
discipline of war; commanding them to obey him as their
lieutenant in His M.ajcsty's service. It appears that he was
chosen captain of the oompany in Union about 1774, So
that when the Revolutionary war broke out, and tho men
of Union took up arms to help in defending the liberties
of America, they wore not unprepared for the struggle. A
fresh stimulus was given to training by the alarm which
the colonists felt at the attitude of tho British government
to establish its authority more firmly in America and take
away certain of their privileges. A convention of Wind
ham and New London counties, held at Norwich, Septem
ber 8, 1774, recommended tho towns to look after their
stock of ammunition and attend to training. The General
Assembly, in October, 1774, required the selectmen of each
town to provide a double quantity of "powder, balls and
flint." At the January session, 1775, the .\ssembly ordered
the militia to drill once a week for three months during
the "alarming crisis."
But before wc narrate the story of the response of the
people to the Lexington alarm, there are two incidents of
tory discipline to relate, which show the temper of the
people of Union and vicinity with regard to submitting to

TORY DISCIPLINE. iij
the tyrannical demands of England. These cases not only
show the tone of extreme exasperation prevalent just at
this crisis, but they bring out in full play a direct agency
in the Revolution, sanctioned by the people in their pri
mary assemblies — the towns. The popular proceedings
against the lories are often called mobs, but they were
not. Those who took part in them were law-abiding citi
zens. Their measures of discipline, more or less violent,
were considerately planned by the best men as a part of
the policy of patriotism against despotism. They served
to bring the strife between the colonies and the crown to a
([uick decision by the only mode possible — by arms.
These cases of tory discipline were managed by com
mittees of inspection appointed by the towns. This action
of the towns does not prove that they were in favor of any
public disorder, or of any real personal injury done to life,
limb or property. But the system was universally adopted
and proved to be a power so great as to prevent the carry
ing out of any arbitrary measure. It issued in the Revolu
tion itself.
A case of such discipline at Union somewhat afflicted
Col. Abijah Willard, of Lancaster, Mass. He was a man of
large wealth and' blameless repute until in an evil hour he
.accepted the position of Mandamus Councilor to Governor
'¦| age, being directly commissioned by the King. He was
appointed, with thirty-six others, to take the place of coun-
i-ilors elected by the people and who were displaced by
¦ iage because of their disloyalty. Therefore the people
determined that every one of these Mandamus Councilors
liould resign; which they did or left the country in terror.
Col. Willard was the joint owner of a landed estate of
,000 acres of wild land in Stafford, which he visited in the
ummer of 1774. He had two attorneys living in Wind-
am, and he made an appointment with them to meet him
¦t Union. Regarding him as a traitor, these attorneys
cfused to serve him any longer and undoubtedly reported
ns intended visit to Union to the committee of inspection
n the several towns.
8

1 1 4 MILITARY IIISTOR Y.
On his arrival at Union a crowd of five hundred men
gathered from all the .surrounding region, apprehended
him and guarded him till morning, when he was taken
across the pro-viTrce-Hneinta^imfieldj-wher&hewas taken
in hand by a council of Massachtisetts men, who proceeded
to try him and condemned him to imprisonment in the
Simsbury mines; and they carried him on the road thither
six miles when he relented, asked the forgiveness of all
honest men for having taken the oath of office, and prom
ised not to sit or act in council. He afterwards resigned.
It is knowm that Gov. Gage afterwards complained to Gov.
Trumbull of the treatment Willard received in Connecticut,
but received no satisfaction. Willard was a loyalist refugee
in Boston during the British occupation of that city. Just
before tho battle of Bunker Hill ho stood with Gage look
ing through a glass at the American forces. " Do you know-
any of those rag muffins over there and will they fight?"
asked Gage. Willard saw among the rest his own brother-
in-law. Col. Preseott, oncour.aging the men. " I cannot tell
what his men will do," said he, "but Preseott will fight you
to the very last drop of his blood."
When the British evacuated Boston, his property was
confiscated and he was forced lo flee to Nova Scotia where
he afterwards lived. After his death his family returned
to tho United States, and his son Samuel regained jiosscs-
sion of the ancestral estate al Lanctistcr. lie lived there
till his death at the ago of 97. He received from the Brit
ish government a pension as the son of a proscribed loyalist.
His sister died about the same time, .aged 95. She married
Benjamin Goodhue, of Salem, a senator of the U. S. from
Massachusetts, and in his youth a soldier of the Rcvolnlion,
As his widow she received a pension. She lived with her
brother years before her death, each of them pensioners of
conflicting governments in the time of the Revolution.
The other case of tory discipline in Union, occurred in
September, 1774. The subject was Timothy Holton. He
came from Killingly to Union, and lived on the Wyman
place, where there is now a cellar hole nearly opposite the

THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 115
Congregational parsonage. He was a tory and accounted
a man of no principle or honor. The following letter found
among Capt. Lawson's papers is self-explanatory:
" Sir, these lines by desire of Lieut. Daniel Loomis to let
you know that y" people are about to gather this night
abotit. son down or a little suner from Brimfield, Westford,
Sturbridge and Union, to pay Mr. Timothy Holton a visit
concerning his principles as Tory, &c., and I was to give
j'ou notis and as many moor as I could to be on y° gfround
neer s"* Holtoh''s by son down this night if you see cause.
Sir please' to let Mr. Archable Coye and Mr. Bartlett know
of it if you' can and as many moor as you can. These from
y' humble Serv* Sam' Marcy, Jun.
Union Sepf y" 22'"', 1774.
To Capt" Tho' Lawson,
Union,"
It would be interesting to know what they did to poor
Mr. Holton "about son down or a little suner," but we
have no further record of the occurrences and are left to
imagine what took place. It is said, however, that Mr.
Holton was disciplined by his patriotic neighbors during
the war. He went to Ellington or Windsor and became
respectable and a man of property.
These incidents show that the people of Union were not
one whit behind those of the rest of the country in the
spirit of resistance to the tyrannical demands of England.
So that when the war broke out, we are not surprised to
note the ready response which the Union people gave.
The Battle of Lexington Occurred Wednesday, April
19th, 1775. The news of it spread like wildfire. Messen
gers were dispatched from Watertown at 10 o'clock that
morning to alarm the country. Some of them passed
through this town the next day on their way to Hartford
and New York. An eyewitness of the occasion, Mr.- Eben
ezer Child, then five years old, whose father, Ebenezer, lived
on the Newell place, wrote a letter in his old age to Mr.
Hammond in which he gave some of the following facts:
A messenger -rode up in great haste and said, " The war

ii6 MILITARY HISTORY.
has begun; the British soldiers are on their way to hang
the head of every family who will not swear allegiance to
the King." The news spread like fire; all the people met,
the men at one house and fhe^woTOerTat^ano^fhefr 'PerscjnS
went at once in all directions; some to take the lead
weights from their clocks and cut them into bullets;
some to gather powder; some to procure and repair guns;
some were casting bullets; some making cartridges. All
were recruiting for volunteers. The women were as busy
as the men, some making knai5S.acks, others outfits; all
were at work the whole night long. In tho morning, Ajiril
2 ist, the volunteers gatheretV at the Centre, and paraded in
fnmt of the house of .Simeon Wright, which stood a few
rods northwest of wdicrc Mason llorton now lives. They
were equipped poorly enough. Some not having shoes
were supplied by tho spectators from their own feet.
Thomas Lawson, the captain of the training band was
unanimousl)' chosen on the spot to lead the expedition.
And so they marched, twenty-seven in all, friends young
and old being present to witness the departure.
The traditions of the town say that several waited not
for the sun to go down on the day in which the message
came. One man loft his team in tho field, seized his gam,
bade farewell, and when asked where he was going replied
"To see if I am not wanted." That man was Jeremiah
Badger, of Mashapaug, wdio had from childhood a limping
foot, but like justice, though lame his step was sure. His
promptness equaled that of Gen. Putnam, who as is well
known, left his plow in the field, mounted his horse and
spent the day in arousing Windham county, and consult
ing Gov. Trumbull at Lebanon, who told him to go to Con
cord at once and he would send the troops. He returned
to Pomfret and immediately sot out on horseback for Cam
bridge in his checked shirt unchanged. He made the
entire journey of one hundred miles that night and the
next forenoon. The same spirit of promptness and willing
ness was everywhere manifested, and shows bettor than
any language can the temper of the people at that time.
The men were self-levied and wore willing to offer not

THE LEXINGTON ALARM.

"7

their services only, but their lives if the country needed
the sacrifice. The number of men who went from Con
necticut to the " relief of Boston " as they said, was about
4,000. They did not know what the British might not do
to revenge their defeat and loss at Concord and Lexington.
But when they arrived at Cambridge they found that the
British had withdrawn within their intrenchments at Bos
ton, willing to remain quiet if they could be let alone. So
most of the alarm men returned home when they found
that their services were not needed. Some turned back
before reaching Cambridge. It was not thought best to
attack the British with the force they had. So the Amer
icans simply guarded Boston Neck strongly and kept the
British penned up in the city.
The state of Connecticut afterwards paid the men from
the state who marched at the Lexington alarm, according
to the time they were out. The following is a copy of a
valuable paper found among Captain Lawson's, which
gives the names of the men who went from Union, the
time they were out, and their expenses. The expenses are
not copied.
" The following is an Accompt of the Soulgers in ye 5th
Company in ye 22 Regiment Camebrig in ye alarum ye 21
day of April last & their expences :

Captain Thoms Lawson, 16
Lieut. Daniel Loomis, . 7
Sarg. James Sprague, . .16
" Archabel Coye, . 7
" Nathan Abbott, . 7
Clark (clerk) Isaac Booth, 16
Corp. Wm. Abbott, . . 7
Jeremiah Badger, ... 16
David Thompson, , . . 1 1
Lemuel Bolles  13
Jonathan Badger, ... 7
Abijah Sessions  7
Nath'l Sessions, ... 7
Simeon Wright, Jr., . . 7

James Armour, Jr.,
Jacob Burley, .
Penuel Child, .
Joseph Winter,
Caleb Barton, .
Samuel Burley,
Elisha Badger, .
John Felix, .
David Hiscock, .
Amasa Coye, .
Eleazer Wales, .
John Sessions,
Wm. Williams, .

7
6 22
2
6
'3
16 2
7
S 3
5

1 1 8 MILITAR Y HISTOR Y.
Two others, John Moor and Elijah Wales, had some
thing allowed them for an expense they had met at that
time. There is also an allowance to seventeen of the men
for "Travel for horses," mostly for forty miles. It seems
probable that they hired horses for a part of the way,
either going or returning. The alarm expedition was soon
over, but its moral results were of immense value. The
volunteers returned homo, but not to remain.. They came
back realizing that war was inevitable, and they prepared
at once and in earnest _foj:; the conflict. The General
Assembly, in May, voted to raise troops to carry on the
war, and the work of reerm-ting bega-n in evoTy town.
The following men from Union enlisted in the com
pany of Captain Knowlton, of Ashford, in May, 1775 :
Alexander McNall, James Walker,
William Allen, Jonathan Badger,
William Mcore, Jr., Eleazer Wales,
Asaph Burley, r Jacbb Burley,
Lemuel Bolles, Willi.am Williams, Jr.
Abraham Laflin,
The Eleazer Wales in the above- list was a son of Solo
mon Wales, and had marched to the Lexington alarm. His
brother John enlisted in February, 1776, for Cambridge. It
was in reference to these yqufig; men that their grand
mother, Deborah Wales, said to their father, Solomon : " I
would not send my boys whefe I dare not go myself." He
took the hint. He sent his boys and afterwards went him
self, and served fifteen months as captain.
Colonel Knowlton, of Ashford, under whom these eleven
men from Union served, was a very gallant and patriotic
officer. After participating in the battle of Bunker Hill
and the campaign around Boston, he served at New York.
He fell in the skirmish on Harlem Heights, in September,
1776. Washington said of him that "he would have been
an honor to any country, and that he fell gloriously, fight
ing at his post."
Besides these eleven men with Colonel Knowlton, there
were fourteen others from Union who were in the battle of

ENLISTING SOLDIERS.

119

Bunker Hill. The following story is told of the way in
which they enlisted : In May, 1775, a town meeting was
held to raise recruits for the army at Cambridge. The com
pany was addressed by Solomon Wales, Esq., a very active
jialriot, who ably set sorth the necessities of the army and
the importance of responding at once to the calls of the
country. His speech evidently produced conviction, and
there was no want of feeling, but the men were not quite
ready for action, for when the roll was called for volun
teers, no one answered as ready to enlist. Finding that an
inlluence was needed which he did not possess. Squire
Wales requested Lieutenant Sprague to see what he could
do. Sprague had been a soldier in the French war, and was
well known for his bravery and especially for his eccen
tricities of speech and dress. His uniform on this occasion
consisted of a ragged coat, a striped shirt, woolen kilt
trousers, shoes very poor, worn without stockings, and an
old hat without any rim except a small section which
served for a handle. As he stepped forward before the
company, he took off his hat and said, as he held it up :
" Do you see this hat ? And who of you will go with me
and this old hat to Cambridge?" There was no more
delay, and the following persons instantly gave their
names : Samuel Marcy, Thomas Taylor, Caleb Abbott,
William Thompson, David Thompson, Abijah Sessions,
Benjamin Sanger, Daniel Needham, Daniel Allen, Caleb
Barton, Joseph Li^ly, Ebenezer Lilly and Nehemiah Coy —
in all fourteen men. Squire Wales is said to have
remarked after the enrollment was made, that " Lieuten
ant Sprague, with his old hat and kilt trousers, could enlist
more men than he could with his best suit on." Lieuten
ant Sprague marched to Cambridge with his men in the
same garb in which he enlisted them. Soon after his
arrival he was met by General Putnam, who, without
taking the slightest exception to his dress, cried out:
" How are you, Sargeant Spragpie," and gave him the
hearty grip of a fellow soldier and comrade in the French
war.

1 20 MILITARY HISTORY.
We have a few traditions of Union men at Bunker Hill.
Among them was Lemuel Bolles, who used to tell how a
cannon ball came aiTd^sinrttefed his guiTto splinters. Gen
eral Putnam, who was there, directed him to pick up the
gun of a dead man who lay by, and go to firing. In the
interval between the second and third charges of the
British, when it became discovered that the ammunition of
the Americans had given out, and Putnam muttered in
desperation: "Powder! ye. gods, give us powder!" it is
said that Bolles cried out loud enough to be overheard by
the British : "Our powder is gone; we shall all be killed."
General Putnam silenced him by the forcible remark :
"You shut up, or I'll make daylight shine through you."
In llio retreat from tho third cliargo some of the Amer
ican soldiers escaped by swimming, Abijah Sessions had
just plunged into tho water when a soldier who did not
know how to swim jumped right on top of him. Both came
near drowning, and Sessions got so much of the salt water
in his lungs that his health was injured by it.
In the summer of 1776, there were absent from town,
seventy of its citizens, connected with the Continental army.
The population of the town at that time was but little over
five hundred. Hence more than one-eighth of the popula
tion or about one-half the legal voters took up arms in
defense of their country in one season.
The to-wn was then, as now, small and poor„and its inhab
itants were all of them farmers, deriving a scanty income
from a hard soil by hard labor. They dwelt remote from
the scenes of danger, and on these mountain heights their
abodes would never have been disturbed whether the con
test had been successful or not. But it is doubtful whether
any town did more relatively for the patriotic cause than
did the inhabitants of this retired town. During the
absence of the soldiers the severe labor of tho fields was
performed by women and children. The summer of 1776
was long remembered as the sickly season in this town,
more deaths occurring in that year than in any since, except
one. Four soldiers died in 1776, after their return from the

UNION MEN AT VALLEY FORGE. 121
camp, from fatigue and the fever which they had taken in
the army. Their names were James Bartlett, John Paul,
Jedediah Bugbee and Amasa Coye. Samuel Crawford was
in the public service in 1776, and was taken sick with the
fever. Hisbrother John came and took him home. Although
Samuel recovered, his brother John and father Hugh both
took the fever in attending him, and both died the same
day, October 13, 1776.
Those who are familiar with the history of the war will
remember that the New England troops in the summer of
1776, were employed in the fruitless attempt to defend
Long Island and force the British to evacuate New York.
How extensive was the sickness which prevailed is made
known from a letter of Washington, dated the 8th of
August, in which he says, "The army consisted of only
17,225 men, of whom 3,668 were sick." " Soon after " Judge
Marshall says, "the army was reinforced so as to amount to
27,000 men, one fourth of whom were sick."
Several Union men were with Washington during the
severe winter of 1777-8 at Valley Forge. Capt. Joseph
Snell, at that time of Ashford, but afterwards for a long
time a citizen of Union, used to tell Mr. Hammond of the
horrors of the Valle}' Forge Encampment — when it seemed
that ruin was ready to annihilate the American Army,
threatened not only by the arms of the foe, but by the irre
sistible powers of frost, fatigue and hunger. Cold and sick,
far from home, they wasted away by thousands, without
hope of relief, and in the most abject destitution. That
venerable soldier used to tell of the stern trials of the spirit
of patriotism in those gloomy days, far more severe than
the sufferings to which their bodies were exposed. He
repeated the arguments used by himself and others to
inspire hope in his comrades who were reduced to the
extreme of despondency at that dreadful crisis when even
Washington himself almost despaired of the salvation of
his country.
He told how they made up their minds not to leave
their cheerless camp, nor desert their noble commander,

122 MILITARY HISTORY.
nor fail in their duty to their country while life remained.
And it was this untiring devotion to liberty which frost
c^uld not chill nor-hungcr-starvt^hat-saved^ottr country
in this its darkest hour of all its history, and brought on
the dawn of a brighter day.
Of the soldiers in Union who did service during the Revo
lution there wore two classes; first, there was the militia, to
which every able-bodied man between the ages of iS and
so belonged. This was called out either as a whole or in
part many times durii*jj the' war lii times of special danger.
Tlicn from it men wore drafted to servo in the army at dif
ferent places for several months. Second, there were the
soldiers, who were regular members of, the Continental
Army and who enlisted mostly for three years or for the
war. An old report from Captain Lawson to Col. Chapman,
dated May, 1779, shows that at that time there were
twenty-two such soldiers from this town in the Continental
service. Their names with those of the other soldiers
may bo found in the table which follows.
As we have said, tho company of militia was called out
in whole or in part diiring times of special danger, m:tnv
times during the Revolution. The orders were sent from
Col. Samuel Chapman, of Tolland^ and the following is a
sample, given April 27, 1777, after the invasion and burn
ing of Banbury by the British:
"To Thomas Lawson, Capt. of the sth Militar)' Com
pany in the 22nd Rcgt. of Militia in tho State of Con
necticut, greeting: Whereas I have received certain Intel
ligence that the British troops landed at Fairfield on
Friday night last and marched directly to Danbnr)', and
have taken all our Stores and burnt the Town, those are
therefore to order you to march your Company forthwith,
without the least delay to tbe relief of that or any other
invaded place. You are lo carry Ammunition, flints, etc,,
as there is none in the Stores and about 6 Days' Provision
to each man, and be at Tolland on their m.arch tomorrow
if possible. Given under may hand in Tolland the 27th
day of April, 1777. Sa.ml. Chapman, Colonel."

REVOLUTIONARY ORDERS. I2j
From a pay abstract made out afterwards we learn that
there were twenty-two men who marched in obedience to
these orders. They were gone only two days, probably
receiving word that their services were not needed, before
they got as far as Hartford. Each private received two
shillings and ten pence a day, one shilling and four pence
being for wages and one shilling and six pence for sup
port. So we see that their pay was rather meagre.
Among Capt. Lawson's old papers the following orders
have been found which he received during the Revolution:
December 6, 1776 — Whole company ordered to march to
New London. After marching a day and a half, the
order was countermanded, as they were not needed,
and they returned home.
March, 1777^10 men ordered to go to Providence.
April 27, 1777 — ^Whole company ordered to march to the
relief of Danbury.
May s, 1777 — ^ of the company ordered to make ready and
march to New London.
July 22, 1777 — % of the company ordered to go to Tolland
ready for the defence, of any place.
August 23, 1777— Capt. Lawson ordered to march with 5
men from Union and 62 from other places,, to the
" Northward," to fight Burgoyne.
August, 1778 — Capt. Wales of the Alarm company ordered
to detatch one man to go to Providence for a month.
.\ugust 4, 1778—4 men ordered to join the army co-operat
ing with the French fleet at Newport.
September 5, i778^Whole company ordered to march to
New London.
September 15, 1778 — 3 men to march to New London.
October 17, 1778 — One man to go to New Haven for a
month.
April s, 1779— Company ordered to be in constant readiness
to march at the shortest notice to the defence of New
London.
July 10, 1779 — J4 the company thus to be ready to march to
New London.

124 MILITARY HISTORY.
October 7, 1779 — 6 men to be ready for the defence of any
part of the State.
August I, i78o^^J^themompany-t-o^ be -ready to march for
the defence of Rhode Island.
August 2, 1780— 5 men to join Col. Welle's Regiment.
March 22, 1781 — The recruits of the Reserve to join Col.
McClelland.
January, 1782—2 men to go to New London.
April II, 1782 — 2 men to serve in Conn. Line for 9 months.
May 31, 1782 — Men ordered to be sent to Hartford for the
Continental Army.
It seems that during at least the last part of the war
there was in town besides the company of Captain Lawson,
one under Capt. Solomon Wales. This is called in one
place an "Alarm Company."
At the time of Burgoyne's invasion, a compaii)' was
formed from the 22d regiment of militia, to which the
Union company under Capt. Lawson belonged, to join the
army which was resisting the invasion. Capt. Lawson was
put in command of the company, and had the responsibility
of conducting it to the American lines. Besides him there
were four others from Union. Their names wore, Parley
Child, Lomuol Bolles, Jacob Burley, and Samuel Lallin.
On tho9tliof Scptomber, 1777, they loft Union and marched
to Tolland, whore tho men from the dilToroiit towns were
to meet, Capt, Lawson kept a brief diary during tho expe
dition from which wo glean the following facts. Al Tol
land on the loth, ho had a tent made and borrowed a pot
for the Union people and one for the Willington people.
On the nth they marched from Tolland, and kept on till
they arrived at camp, September 21st, on Sunda)', Capt.
Lawson used to tell how there was a good deal of firing
going on as they drew near the camp. There were many
skirmishers and sharp-shooters in the vicinity which made
him afraid that he might not be able to got his oompany
into tho American camp without losing some of them. But
he succeeded in doing so and felt greatly relieved to be
safely inside the American lines. It was two days after the

CAMPAIGN AGAINST BURGOYNE. 125
first battle of Stillwater, that the Union company arrived.
From Capt. Lawson's diary we quote the following:
" On Tuesday, the 7th of October, 1777, we had a. severe battle
with the enemy, and gained their lines on their right wing.
On Thursday, the 9th of October, the enemy left their whole
encampment at the south end of Saratoga, and removed and settled at
the north end of the same.
On Friday, October 10th, the main body of our army removed from
Stillwater and encamped nigh Saratoga meeting-bouse.
. On Tuesday, October 14th, the enemy and our Gen. G. agreed on a
cessation of arms, and the enemy sent sundry flags for truce to agree on
a capitulation ; on Thursday, the i6th, they completed the agreement ;
on Friday, the 17th, the enemy laid down their arms and marched out
to our people ; on Saturday, the iSth, our people marched for Albany,
and arrived there on Sunday night."
The severe battle he mentions on the 7th of October,
was the second battle of Stillwater. It was in this battle
that Arnold, deprived of his command through the jealousy
of Gates, remained a looker-on as long as he was able; but
at last he could restrain himself no longer, and dashed
upon the foe, heading charge after charge, stimulating his
men to desperate deeds, carrying dismay into the hostile
ranks, challenging death, and falling at last severely
wounded, but not till the battle was won, in great part
by his valor. Capt. Lawson used to tell of seeing him
riding round there furiously, hatless, and apparently with
out aim.
Capt. Lawson's company was in Col. Cook's regiment.
There are 78 names given in the pay-roll, but some of these
did not serve the full time. In other places the number is
given as 67. One man was killed and one taken prisoner
in the second battle of Stillwater.
The time of service was two months and fifteen days.
This would make it November 24th when the men came
home. How they must have rejoiced, and what big stories
they would have to tell of how they helped to capture
Burgoyne I
The wages of the privates were two pounds a month.
Besides this they received an allowance of rum and sugar.

126 MILITARY HISTORY.
both on the march and in the camp. Each man received
half a pint per day. This shows the custom of the times.
There is one more case in which the company of militi:i
in Union was called out, which deserves mention. This
was in Soptcmbor, 1781, when tho British under tho iraitor
Arnold attacked Now London, and massacred the garri
son of Fort Griswold. Tho whole company was ordered
to march without the least delay to repel tho British inva
sion. Captain Lawson told -how,- when they were within a
few miles of New London, a messenger came riding up in
great haste sayin.g, "Captaiii Lawson, your company is
needed immediately." The captain, hungry and exhausted
with the hasty march, inquired whether there was any
house in the vicinity where- he could get refreshments.
He was told that there was one ahead. So he galloped on
and after a hasty lunch, wa? ready to go on with his jaded
men when they came up. They expected to have an
encounter with the British, but when they reached the
scene, they found that the British had finished their deadly
work, seized tho stores arid ^'ithdrawn to their ships.
There was an interesting incident which happened in
1777, in which John Ruby, of Union, took a part. lie was
one of the forty men, who under the command of Col. Bar
ton, of the Rhode Island militia, p)er.formed the bold feat
of taking Gen. Preseott of the British army, captive by sur
prising him while, as Judge Marshall saj-s, " he was indulg
ing himself in convenient quarters, rather distant from the
camp, and was remiss with respect to guards about his per
son." On the night of the loth of July, 1777, Col. Barton
with his party, passed from Warwick Neck, and after pro
ceeding ten miles by water, while several British ships of
war were in that quarter, they landed on Rhode Island
about midway between Newport and .Bristol Ferry, and
marching a mile to the quarters of Preseott, took him from
his bed and conveyed him to the main land in safety.
According to Mr. Ruby's account of the capture, tion, Pres
eott was awakened by his obtrusive visitors, with the
announcement that tho commander of the American forces

HARDSIUP AT HOME. 127
had sent him an invitation to breakfast with him the fol
lowing morning ! When the General asked if he might
dress himself for the occasion, he was told yes, if he would
do so in haste, otherwise he must go to breakfast without
being dressed.
But while the men in town were nearly all in service
at some time for a longer or shorter period, the women also
had work to do in providing clothing for the army. In May,
1779, the General Assembly resolved that each town should
provide a certain amount of clothing for the soldiers of the
Continental Army. This clothing was paid for by the
state, but it was manufactured in the homes and appor
tioned among the towns according to their quota in the
arm3^ The clothing consisted of shirts, overalls, shoes,
stockings, and frocks or hunting shirts. The women had
their task to do in spinning, weaving and making up these
garments. This with the fact that the out-door work was
largely performed by the women and children when the
soldiers were away, gives us some idea of the strenuous
exertion of all classes in securing the liberties of the
country. There is an interesting story told of how one man in
town was fitted out to go to the army. It was in the win
ter and he needed a warm frock to wear. But his family
had no cloth or wool from which to make it. So they went
to the barn and sheared a sheep, and to prevent the poor
animal from freezing, sewed some old cloth over it. Then
they carded and spun the wool, wove it into cloth, and made
the frock from it. Such was the process of fitting up a sol
dier for the Revolution!
Some of the families of soldiers who were in the Con
tinental Army came to be in dire distress during the war.
Measures were taken for their relief. Good Dea. Abner
Sessions used to visit such families and supply what they
needed. He was afterwards allowed pay for it by the
town. In addition to the exertion required to fit out and send
the soldiers the taxes were very high. The dark side of

128 MILITARY HISTORY.
the picture is on record in the state archives at Hartford,
drawn out at length by the selectmen, who memorialized
the General Assembly to abate their taxes. It seems that
they never had paid ta.xes to the colonial government before
the war and had never enjoyed representation in that body,
a fact which they remind the legislature of, and also that
they cannot conscientiously take the oath as it now stands.
In 1776, they, with other toWns, were required to make
out a list of taxable property and send to the General
Assembly for taxation. Some extracts from the memorials
and affidavits of 1776 and 1778 will tell their own story.
"The town was originally granted to thirteen propri
etors. One-fourth part of the proprietors refuse to have
their land improved, and it becomes a harbor for vermin
by which improved land is much less valuable." There is
mention made of this last fact by several memorialists and
indifferent persons called to substantiate the statements of
the selectmen. One states that the lands of the propri
etors and settlers are so intermixed that it is difficult to
get rid of the vermin which are so numerous as to consume
a quarter part of the fruits of the earth.
"Rough, rocky, mountainous, with numerous swamps
in all parts of the town, that breed vermin."
"A .shallow soil, the hardpan lying within twelve inches
of the surface." "A soil exhausted with two or three crops
so that then without great manure it will not pay the labor
of tillage, and of this unpromising soil, only a small part
is improved." "The snow comes soon in the fall and lies late in the
spring. The inhabitants have never raised grain enough
for their own use and the cost of transportation was great,
over svich hilly, boggy roads from the river towns.
The people relied upon the pine timber in the past to
help them out in their support, but now the supply is fail
ing and the market also.
Twenty-seven went into the Continental army the last
year (1777), and twenty are gone in the same this year.
Four of these twenty soldiers had large, shiftless families.

POVERTY OF THE INHABTTANIS. 129
whom they had to support, and the clothing for the sol
diers and care of their families cost them at the rate of two
shillings on the pound, which many of the inhabitants
were unable to pay and the wealthier paid it and more by
voluntary subscription.
One-third of the people were tenants to non-resident
proprietors, and very few of the people were able to fat
more cattle and swine than necessary for their own fam
ilies. Our families are very numerous, for the support of
which we are obliged to have more cows in proportion to
our other stock. Many of these cows are hired on the hard
condition of returning double their number in the term of
four years. True the quantity of land used seems larger, but
it is really overstocked. The truth is it is a miserable poor
township of land. To sum up, there are ninety families,
only thirty of whom are able to pay this tax for themselves,
Only twenty-four have more than three cows; sixteen have
exactly three, and twenty, one. The remaining thirty fam
ilies have none. Not more than forty families^ are able to
keep oxen."
In closing, the memorialists say: " It is unhappy and dis
agreeable to be in such a state of poverty, yet it is a fact
they are obliged to own. This situation is not for want of
industry or frugality on the part of the inhabitants, but is
the result of their circumstances."
The General Assembly was moved by this doleful peti
tion to abate the amount of the tax one-half, the abatement
being apportioned among the inhabitants by the selectmen,
as they most needed.
But nevertheless, the inhabitants of the town were
patriotic in their poverty, and willing to pay what they
could towards the expense of carrying on the war as the
following instance shows.
A town meeting was held in the fall of 1781, to act upon
a proposition or article in the warrant, to raise a tax of
two shillings and six pence on the pound, or twelve and a
half cents on the dollar, to be paid in produce or clothing
for the use of the army. The facts of the following inci-

130 MILITARY HISTORY.
dent in the debate which took place on that occasion were
related to Mr. Haminond by Dea. Ezra Horton, whose
strong memory retained them perfectly.
The article in the warrant of the meeting was opposed
by Mr. David Bates, and advocated by Solomon Wales, Esq.,
and Ensign Bugbee. Mr. Bates said in substance, "that it
was impossible to pay so high a ta.x as two shillings and
six pence on the pound. We have already paid enormons
taxes. And there seemed to be no prospect of relief. The
war had continued for ncarty seven years, and rather than
be obliged to pay so much and so often it would be better
to give it up. The British would not oppress us with
greater burdens." •
Before we allo-\v ourselves to find fault with this mur
mur of dissatisfaction that had been expressed, let us con
sider how we should- now feel in these da3's of prosperity
to be called upon to pay a tax every year of twelve and a
half cents on the dollar for the support of the National
Government. After a period of seven years of the hardest
of hard times of commercial depression, how man}' times
would the people of New England pay sueh a tax to show
their devotion to the Union ?
The reply of Squire Wales was short but full of tbe
spirit of the times. He began his reply to Mr. Bates bv
asking him how much stock. he kept. TIk; answer was,
fourteen or fifteen head of cattle and fifteen or twenty head
of sheep. "Aye," said Squire Wales, "about the same that
I keep." He then said, "When wc began this contest, the
general opinion was that if we could gain our liberties by
spending half of our property, it would bo better than to
remain as we were. For my part, I am willing to pay this
tax and another as large, and another still, rather than to
have the regulars come and take all and hang mo besides."
In reply lo a remark that, as the towp was small and
the inhabitants poor, they would not be expected to pay so
high a tax as other towns, Ensign Bugbee said that "that
was the very reason why we ought to pay, for being a small
town, we should thus sot a better example for those larger

RAISING THE TAXES.

131

and more able." The vote was then taken and the tax
assessed and paid.
The persons who took part in these proceedings were
unambitious of distinction. They aimed only to do their
duty, and were unconscious what would be thought or said
of their doings in the latter days. But it was in the town
meetings such as these, that public sentiment was formed,
and the determination arose to win our liberties even at
the greatest sacrifice. The blessings we enjoy to-day are
largely the result of the self-denying efforts of our fathers.
Such are the incidents which have been handed down
to us of the part Union bore in the Revolutionary struggle.
Wc can see that Union has rendered good service to the
country, and at the time of the Revolution, when the popu
lation of the whole country was small, the relative impor
tance of this town was far greater than now.
The following is a complete list as far as can be ascer
tained, of all the men from Union, who served in the Rev
olution either in the Continental Army or in the State
Militia, with the total length of their service in months,
the date of their enlistment or service, the place, the dura
tion of each period of service in months, and any remarks
concerning them. E stands for enlisted, and D for drafted.
Further information about most of these men can be
obtained from the genealogies. Most of the information
concerning these men was obtained from Capt. Thomas
Lawson's records, pay-rolls, etc. A civil list dated June 30,
1780, gave the time each man had served in the army up to
that date and the sum due each for his services.

132

MILITARY HISTORY.

Nah.

CO m
si a

It

s
We

Remarks.

1 Caleb Abbott.

S Nathan Abbott ..
8 William Abbott..

4 Caleb Allen,.

5 Daniel Allen 
6 Elisha Allen 

7 Reuben Allen ...
8 "William Allen .
9 Joseph Angell,..
10 David Armour .,

11 James Armonr, Sr.
12 James Armour, Jr.

18 Ellas Armstrong..
14 Daiilol Biulgor 

15 Elisha Badger..

16 Jeremiah Badger..,
17 Jonathan Badger..,

18 Josiah Badger..
19 Caleb Barton ...

20 John Barton 
21 James Bartlett...
23 David Bates, Jr..
23 Aaron Bccus 
24 Lemuel Bolles 

7+

25 Isaac Booth..

0n
14 3
3i
10lOi

17

12

EMay 1776

EJan. 1770

1779
17811775

E May 1775

1778

DEMay
D D .
D
E May
D I)
EE IJ
D
D
D EMayr>EFeb.
'EMay D

1781 1775

Cambridge .

CambrldsQ and
New 1,'ork 
Now Loudon...,
New, London.,,,
Cambridge 
Cambridge 

Served as a
minute man.
New London ..
Cambridge.

17791 
1782; New London..,
1779; New London..,
1775, (Jambrldgo 
1777jNow Limilon...
17Hl! Now London ,.,
1770! 
17701 1777] Now London ..,
1779, New London..,
177«l,17771779

17751777

Cont. Service,.,
Now London ...

Cambridge ..
North Uiver,
1770 Cambridge
1779 New Loiid<
1775
1777

E Feb. 1776

23 8 E
10 EMay
!D D
I

17791775
1777
17771777

don.
Cambridge 
New Loudon.

Cambridge .

New Loudon.
Cambridge 
Providence 
Taking ot Bur
goyne.
Providence 

Killed Jan. 8, 177s,
-while mounting
a breastwork.

12 Ensign.
o
11

H

Killed at Bunker
Hill.
Killed at Bunker
Hill.

Sergeant.

Died of camp fever.

SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.

133

Nakb.

H

003
r

Place of
Service.

1 a
1

RBHAR&a.

20 Benjamin Bullin 
1!7 Isaiah Bugbee 

3620

E 1770

Cont. Service.
Around N. Y. ..

28 Jedediah Bugbee 

Died of fever in

29 Warehain Bugbee....

1776.
Killed at New York

no Asaph Burley 

16 16 12 61 4 S
17

E 1775
E 1770
EMav 1775
D " 1777
D 1779
D 1777
D 1777
E 1780
D 1779
E Aug. 1781
E Feb. 1776 1776
D 1778

Cambridge 
Cambridge .
Taking of Bur
goyne.
New London ....
Providence 
New London ....
Cont. Service....
West Point.
Cambridge.Crown Point.
Fairfield 

77 2
U 2 8%
li 1
6 7
1286 68
U

;U Jacob Burley  _...
3-i John Burley 
33 Josiah Burley 
Corporal;
;M vSamuel Burley 
35 Frederick Carpenter
30 Daniel Gheeney 
37 Lemuel Cbaeney 
3S William Cheeney 
30 Ebenezer Child 
iO Parley Child 
2
D 1780
EFeb. 1770
EFeb. 1776
Horseneck.Cambridge.Cambridge. Taking of Bur
goyne.
Horseneck 
New London....
Cambridge.
a Penuel Child 
D 1777
D 1779
D 1779
EFeb. 177fl
E 17.0
6
) Daniel Colburn. 
'¦t Amasa Coye 
New York 
Crown Point ....
Horseneck. Cambridge 
Cambridge and
New York 
Cont. Service....
Providence 
New London 
Cambridge.Providence 
Cambridge and
New York.
Died itf ramn fever
¦: 1 Archibald Coye.. 
¦1,'. Levi Coye  _ 
•!-• Nehemiah Coye 
13 2
561422
17:7
D 17B0
EMay 177ft
EJan. 1776
EFeb. 1777 1778
E 1779
!• Feb. 1776
D 1777
EFeb. 1776
Nov. 0, 1778.
Sergi'iint.
¦ ' Hugh Crawford (son
of James) 
EllWd ill Virginia.
134

MILITARY HISTORY.

1.
II

,1
1
1 s

Name.

Dnte of
Enllsln- or
Service. Place of
Si-rvlce

Remahkb.

50 Samuel Crawford,,,
51 William Crawford,.,,
52 Esquire Darby ,

11 24 14

1770
n -1777

Around N. Y 
Providence.Served through

the 0
36 2 6

Taken with camp
fever and cam'
home.

53 Peter Dickey 

.. . 1 

entire war.

54 George Dilibe

GO iR 1771".

08 1
80 17 02
4 -J
EFeb. 1777
E Feb. 1781
D 1781
E 1780
E May 1777
D 1777
for Iho War.
Horseneck 
Cont. Service..,,
Cont. Service.
Now London.
56 Nathaniel Dodge 
58 Joshua Ephrnim 
59 Edward Fostei- 
60 Beriah Grandy 
01 David Grover 
03 Tiinotliy Green 
E '^ 1771)' Corn;. Sorvlco,...i SO
03 DiivUl lIlMCork 
-J ll) 1777 1 Now London.
04 Stephen Hlsi-ock 
05 Tlionms Ilolninu 
00 Ezra Horton 
07 James Houghton 
08 John Hunt 
11 !
14 1) 1777
2 1) 1777
17 EMay 1775
EMay 1777
13 D 1777
Now London ....
North Hlver.
Cambridijo.
font. .Service.
2 2 1
8 7
12 8
86 12 1
02
09 Abraham Laflin 
70 Charles Laflin 
D 1779 New London ,.„
D 1781 'Horseneck 
21 E May 1775, Cambridge 
E Jan. 1770 Cambridge and
( i New York 
8 D 1781 Horseneck 
81 12 EJan. 1770 Cambridge and
i New Y'ork.
4S EJan. 1776j Cambridge and
1 New York.
EFeb. 1777, Cont. Service,,.
17 E Jan. 1770 Cambridge and
[ ! Now York 
D 17771 Taking ot Bur-
i 1 go.vne.
1 17771 New Haven 
D 1779 New London ....
8 D 1781 i West Point.
4 iD 1777 North Itiver 
jD 1780' Horseneck 
15 1 i
72 John Laflin, Sr  _.,
73 John Laflin, Jr 
70 Ebenezer Lawson ...
77 John Lawson, 2d 
SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.

135

Naiie.

Jl o
B d
.3"

on

8
03 o8

RUARKS.

78 John Lawson, 3d..
79 Robert Lawson ....

80 Capt. Thos. Lawson

81 Ebenezer Lillie 
83 John Lillie 
83 Jonathan Lillie ..,
84 Joseph Lillie, Jr.,

85 Joseph Lillie, Sr..
80 Obadiah Lillie 
87 Nathan Lillie 

88 Daniel Iioomls.

89 Luther Loomis..
90 Elijah Loomis....
91 Levi Lyon 

93 Alvan Marcy 
93 Ichabod Marcy 
94 Samuel Marcy, Jr.

95 Joseph Marsh 
90 Alexander McNall.

97 Henry McNall.
98 James McNall...
99 Daniel Moore ...
00 James Moore 

01 John Moore 
1 03 Thomas Moore. 
.03 William Moore, Jr.

5
25

177717811777
17781781
E June 1777

D EMayED

17801775177017(8

10

21

E April 17771776

1777
1778177017781779 17T

K Feb.
DDEMayEFeb. 1770
D 17
D 1779
E 1770
D 1777
EMay 1775
EFeb. 1770
1777
E 1780
E May 1775
EJan. 1776

91 DB
6

23}
24
2066

17791780 1782
1779 1781
1779

EMay 1776
EJan. 177Q
E June 1777

Providence.,

Taking of Bur
goyne.
New London.
New London.
Cont. Service.
Horseneck.
Cambridge 

Cont. Service.

New London..
Fairfield 
Cambridge 

Cont. Service.
Cambridge.Providence 
New London ..

Providence 
Cambridge 
Cambridge.Crown Point.
Cont. Service.
Cambridge 
Cambridge and
New York 

Cont. Service.
Ne-w London.
New London...
New London ...

Cambridge.Cambridge and
New York.
Cont. Service.

Lieutenant.

Corporal.

Sergeant.

Killed tn Vtrglnia,
Deo. 1781.

136

MILITARY HISTORY.

Nahe.

SB o >

a
H-g otn
a

Remarks.

104 David Morse 
105 Ephralm Munger....
100 Daniel Needham
107 Jacob Newell  I 10
108 Nathaniel Newell..' 15
109 Jeremiah Parks  1 2
110 John Paul  I 
Ill Matthew Paul  i 24
112 Samnel Paul  ! 3

EMay 1775

Cambridge.

113 Robert Paul. Jr...
114 Robert Paul, 8d..
115 Eleazar Peagon ..
110 Thomas Pettee...,
117 Francis Pierce ...,
118 Isaac Roberts 
119 John Ruby 

1770 Around N. Y...

120 Benjamin Sanger ..
121 Abijah Sessions,..,
122 Abner Sessions 
123 Ebenezer Sessions.
124 John Sessions 
125 Nathaniel Sessions
120 Abel Simonds 
127 John Smallege ...
128 James Sprague...

129 Joseph Stone....
130 Samuel Stone,.

131 Alexander Strong ,
132 Samuel Strong 

133 John Taylor 
134 Samuel Taylor.

1880.3021 9
2
154-

13-

1779  _ 
1781 New London ..
j Cont. Service.
1778 Cont. Service.

D
EDDEMayE EMay
E D
D

E May
EJan.

1777 North River.
1776 
1777. Crown Point.
1779 New London .
1781 Horseneck 
1775 Cambridge.
1770 
1775 Cambridge ....
1776 
1781 West Point....
1779! New London ,

1775 Cambridge.
1770 Cambridge and
New Y^ork 

.lEMay,D ED

14
10

1777! Cont. Service.
1778 
1780 Cont. Service.
1 Fairfield 

D
E.
18 E
8iE D
.E

1777| Providence..

1778, Providence 
1779 
1780iCont. Service...,

Died of fever Oct ,
15, 1776.

1;
8 i -
I Killed at the battle
I of White Plains,
7 Ensign.
0

1! Ensign.

12

282
n 6 1
6

A Lieutenant and
avery bravenian.

SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.

m

Nave.

a
3.

REKABKa.

135 Thomas Taylor....
136 Abel Thompson..

137 David Thompson,..,
138 James Thompson.
139 Rufus Thompson....
140 David Twist 
141 Eleazar Wales ..,
143 Elijali Wales 
143 John Wales 

48

E May 1775 Cambridge
E Feb. 1776 Cambridge,
EAprill777 ~

D D EMayD

17771778 1779178017751779

144 Nathaniel Wales
145 Oliver Wales 
Mfi Capt.Solom'nWales
147 Benjamin Walker.
148 Ezra Walker 

349 James Walker .

150 Simonds Walker....

i,"il Abijah Williams...,
1 '-:; Asabel Williams ...,
!".3 EliphatWilliamB...,
¦] :l Wm. Williams, Jr.,
' ,"i Daniel Wheeler,,...,
' li Joseph Winter...,...,

John Wright..

1 ? Simeon Wright 
1 I Simeon Wright, Jr.

45

E 1780
O 1781
EMay 1775

Cont. Service.
Crown Point.

New London ...
Cont. Service...
Cambridge 
New London ...
Cont, Seryice.
Cont. Service.
New London...
Cambridge.

EFeb. 1776; Cambridge.
D 1779: New London.
D 1780, Horseneck 

D D D DDEMay 1775

Bi

161610
8+

DEFeb, D
DD D D
EFeb. 1776
EMay 1775

1775 New London ...
1781 New London ...
178l|New London...
1777| Providence 
17771 New London ...
Cambridge 
New London ...
Cont. Service...

1777 1781
1778 1779
1781 17801778

1777 1779

New London..,
New London ..
Horseneck. Fairfield.
Cambridge.Cambridge.

Providence 
New London..,

EFeb. 1776 Cambridge.
D ¦ 1777, Now London ...
E 1777 Served as a
minute man.
E Cont. Service.

EFeb. 1776 Cambridge .

Corpora].

Killed.

U

Captain.

H

Sergeant.

138 MILITARY HISTORY.
UNION MEN IN THE WAR OF l8l2.
During the War of rSii.iir the summer of 1814, the
British threatened to land at New London, and a call was
made on the militia for its defense. Fifteen men were
drafted from Union. Some of these did not go but pro
cured substitutes. The names of tlio-se who went were as
follows: Preston Armour, Paul Lawson, John Burley, (son
of Jacob), William Dickey, Walter Dickey, George Thomp
son, Joseph Wales, ATpheiis Saunders, Thomas Ruby, fifer,
Jason Hawes, Williard . Badger, Charles Foster, fifcr,
Cheeney Griggs, drummer, Alexander Strong, Edmund
Fuller, Cephas Howard.
The names of those who were drafted and procured
substitutes, were Thomas J^olman, Abijah Sessions, Jcde-
di.ih ]Morse, Manassah Howard, Rufus Holman and Benja
min Corbin. Those \ycre so situated that it was diflieult
for them to leave, and then the terrible massacre of Furt
Griswold was remembered and there was some fear lest it
might be repeated. These men afterwards petitioned the
town that recompense be allowed them for the expense
they had incurred in providing men to go, since "the war
being w.igcd for the common benefit of all, it shotild be
prosecuted at the common expense of all." But it seems
that the petition was not granted by the town.
The men who went to New London were there through
September, and were discharged Oct. 24th, 1814. They had
no actual fighting, since, although the British ships often
appeared outside the harbor, they made no attempt to land.
A story is told of the British firing a cannon ball from the
distance at a party of soldiers at Stonington, who, were
standing by a rail fence watching the ship. The ball came
with its force nearly spent and struck a rail upon which a
tall, lank fellow was sitting. He came tumbling down on
his head and hurt himself considerably. If the British
were watching through their glasses, they must have con
sidered it a great joke.
There are references to other drafts during the war
besides this particular one of men to go to New London,

TRAININGS IN UNION. 139
but the compiler has been unable to find out about
them. THE MILITARY TRAININGS.
During the entire period from before the Revolution to
about 1846, all the able bodied men in town, between the
ages of eighteen and thirty-five, were required to meet at
least once a year for the purpose of military drill. Those
between 35 and 45 must appear but n^ed not train. There
were company, regimental and brigade trainings. The
captains of the company in Union, as far as ascertained,
were, Thomas Lawson, Penuel Child, David Lawson,
Nathaniel Newell, Samuel Crawford, Jr., Samuel Corbin,
Charles Crawford, Moses C. Sessions, Trenck Crawford,
Burke Foster, Danford Morse, Harvey Walker, Judson
Smith, Andrew Wales, and Clinton Howard. During the
Revolution and subsequently, the company in Union was
the 5th of the 22d regiment, but from about the time of the
war of 1812 on, it was the Sth in the nth regiment. If the
men did not appear, to answer to the roll call on training
day, a fine was charged. The poor man who wrote the fol
lowing note seems to have had ample reason for being
excused for not appearing. His trouble did not come sin
gle, and besides, the perplexity he seems to have had about
how to spell the words ought to have excited commisera
tion. We copy the note word for word as it was written:
"Union, October the first, 1774. Capt. Lawson
Sur, I was warned to apar at the place of prade with arms
and amonashon. I take this oppertunity to write to you
that I am under Bad Sircomstancsas. I Have Lost a Goint
of my wright thum and cut of the cord of my Heal. So that
I have Not trained Sence. But Not with standing I should
be very Free to Sarve you in the Componey, But I Have No
Gun. But I mean to have one as soon as I can. I Beg your
Favor on the acount. So No more at present.
But I Remain your Humble Sarvint
Francis Goodhoe."

I40 MILITARY HISTORY.
The original place of parade was southwest of the old
meeting-house, on the south part of the ten acres reserved
for public uses. But. afterwards it used to be near
Nathaniel Newell's. In 1822 he gave the town a lease of a
part of the lot west of his hcmser for a 'parade ground, and
it was there that the trainings afterwards took place. •
Some of the men had uniforms and others \yere in their
everyday clothes, making a rather motley looking com
pany. One of the bad features of the trainings was that a
great deal of drinking took plaOe in connection with them.
It became the custom for the captain to treat the com
pany and give them a dinner. When Samuel Corbin was
chosen captain he did not conform to this custom. Instead
of taking his company to Newell's tavern, as usual, he
started them down towards Deacon Ezra Horton's temper
ance hotel. But a part of the company mutinied and
refused to obey him. A court-martial was held, Captain
Corbin was tried, and considerable excitement was roused.
For some reason Deacon Horton did not keep a hotel after
this occurrence.
An interesting story is told in connection with the
trainings, which shows how numerous the Moores were in
town. There were a dozen men, more or less, by that
name in the company. When the roll was called it took a
long time to get through with the list of men who bore
that name. At last, when it WJis completed'^ the rest of the
company would sing out : ."Are there any rnore of them ?"
There were two regimental trainings held in Union
about 1839-40, while Moses C. Sessions, of Union, was
colonel. The other companies which composed the regi
ment were from Woodstock, Thompson, Pomfret, etc. They
were dissatisfied because the training was held so far west,
SLvrny on one side of the region in which the men
belonging to the regiment lived, and hence they came to
Union very unwillingly. The second year a cold storm set
in during the training, and the men suffered consider.ably.
They returned to their homes in a very disgusted frame of
mind.

WAR OF THE REBELLION. 141
The trainings degenerated in character and became
more of a farce than anything else. Incompetent officers
were chosen and the discipline was poor. Hence it was a
relief to all good citizens when training was abolished
about 1846. union men in the rebellion.
Little more was thought of military matters till
1861, when the fall of Sumter and the President's call
for troops vividly impressed the minds of the young
men with the thought that it might be their lot to be
come soldiers.
The feeling of the time was expressed in a poem by one
of Union's sons, Elbridge G. Paul, entitled " Our Country."
The author of it enlisted for the defense of his country and
was with Sherman on his victorious " March to the Sea."
We give the following extracts from it:
" Full oft have poets sung thy praise,
And eulogized thy name,
Recounte-d thy historic past
Without a tinge of shame.
There's not a nation on the earth
But calls thee great and free.
Thy fame has spread from pole to pole;
Extends from sea to sea,
Where-e'er a nation craves that boon,
Well guarded liberty.
Upon thy once so "happy shore,
Has come a doleful change,
And many not expecting it.
Have deemed it wondrous strange;
Thy banner, which so proudly waved,
Is trailing in the dust;
A fratricidal war has come,
As causeless as unjust.
That thou'lt go down as Rome went down
There are many fear thou must.

142 MILITARY HISTORY.
And must thy future be submerged
In this sec'eSSfcJti'fl'crod ? -^ ^^
Thy very name be blotted out
In anarchy and blood ?
Forbid it every battle field,
Which cost so much to gain;
Forbid it all thy past career,
Our heritage of fame;
Forbid it ! Freedom's hosts respond,
With loud prolonged acclaim.
Oh loose the .shackles of the slave,
Proclaim the bondman free.
Let patriots know that every blow
AVill tell for liberty;
For many'U strike to shield the right
Who will not fight for fun;
A million freemen spring to arms,
When-e'er the deed is done.
And lest there's fear I'm not sincere,
Enroll my name as one."
There were none who enlisted directly from town in
1861, although there were several who had lived in Union
who enlisted from other places during that year. These
were, Albert Hiscox, who enlisted from Griswold, April
2sth, upon President Lincoln's call for 75,000 men for three
months; he was in Rifle Co. D, of the 3'rd regiment, and
was in the battle of Bull Run, where he received a slight
wound; Frank Letcher, who had shortly before gone froiti
Union to Suffield to school, and who enlisted May 23rd,
and was in Co. C, ist Regiment Conn. Vol. Heavy Artil
lery; he was out three years; also Allen W. Towne, who
was mustered December igtli, into Co. D, ist Rhode Island
Cavalry, and who served three years. Daniel Braman also
enlisted in Woodstock, in Co. K, 7th Reg., and Marcus L.
Braman enlisted June 21, 1861, and was in Co. F, 5th Reg.
In the summer of 1862, Union men began to enlist in
good earnest. In the latter part of Jul)' and first part of

UNION MEN AT ANTIETAM. 143
August, eleven men from Union enlisted for three years,
and on August 24th were mustered into Co. I, i6th Regi
ment. (Their names and other facts will be found in the
following table). The men in this regiment went to Wash
ington, August 29th, and were in camp at Arlington
Heights for a few days. About this time Lee made his
first invasion into Maryland, and the regiment was hurried
forward by forced marches to join the Army of the
Potomac in resisting him. On September 17th, the bloody
battle of Antietam was fought, and this green regiment
was thrown to the front. As it entered the fatal cornfield
it was met by a most terrific volley of musketry, and the
slaughter was appalling. Men fell by the score. The
colonel saw that the regiment woukl be annihilated if it
remained there, and gave the order, "Every man for him
self." Those who were uninjured broke away into a full
retreat. In this battle the Union boys suffered severely.
All except two were wounded. Stephen Himes was killed
outright, and James Himes was wounded so that he died a
few days later. Six of them were discharged for disability
early the next year. Only one, Nelson Young, was with
the remnant of the regiment when it was captured, April
20th, 1864, at Plymouth, N. C. He died in Andcrsonville
jirison, July 21, 1864.
In the latter part of August, 1862, a movement was
started in Union to enlist men in response to the Presi
dent's call for 300,000 militia to serve nine months, dated
Aug. 4, 1862. At this time David P. Corbin was in Suffield,
where he had be^n teaching. He enlisted Aug. 25th, and
came to Union to raise recruits. The town acted gener
ously towards those who should enlist. On August 23, it
voted to pay $100 bounty to any one who should enlist in
the military service of the United States, who was a resi
dent of town, and $2 a month to his wife and each of his
children under the age of fourteen, while he continued
ill the service. George D. Colburn, Daniel S. Crawford,
and David P. Corbin had been chosen August 2d, as a com
mittee to procure enlistments. Before September 10th

144 MILITARY HISTORY.
seventeen men had vol-yntjeered for nine months. On Sep
tember loth a draft was made to fill out the quota of the
town. The names of seven men were drawn. They were,
John Booth, Melven Booth, George Thayer, Washington
Sibley, Wm. Estcrbrooks, George 'Marcy, Albert Weld
and Danford Morse, Jr. Wm. Estcrbrooks, George Maix-\-,
and Albert Weld secured the following substitutes, respect
ively: Joseph White,^ George Holdworth and Charles
Knight. On October 6th, the town voted to pay $ioo to
each of the men recently drafted. These men or their sub
stitutes and those who had previously enlisted, twenty-
three in all, were mustered into, the 22d Regiment, Co. G,
on September 20, 1862. The other men in the company were
nearly all from Sufficed. On October 2d, the regiment left
Hartford for New York by steamer and thence proceeded
by rail to Washington. After camping in various places
in its vicinity, the regiment went into winter quarters at
Miner's Hill, Va., about eight miles from Washington.
Here the men lived in the log cabins which they had con
structed, from November 27, 1S62, till February 12, 1863.
During this time constant attention was given to drill. In
February and March the regiment was engaged in build
ing fortifications near Arlington. April 15, 1S63, it
embarked by steamer for Norfolk. In the vicinity of Suf
folk it remained for three weeks, expecting an attack at
any time. On May 3d, it Was transported to West Point,
on the York River, where it remained three weeks. On
June 9th, the regiment was in the advance toward Rich
mond, known as the " Blackberry Raid." Returning from
Yorktown, it embarked by steamer for Hartford, where it
arrived June 29th, and was mustered out July 7, 1863. This
regiment saw no fighting and consequently none of its
members were injured in action. Of the Union soldiers,
however, two, E. B. Foster and Frank Walker, died of
fever. There were no enlistments of Union men after 18O2,
although two drafts were made. The men drafted either
procured substitutes or paid their commutation fee. The

HIRING SOLDIERS. 145
town paid $300 to each man who went or procured a sub
stitute and $200 to each who paid the commutation. Feb.
10, 1864, David Newell, Aaron A. Wales, William M. Cor
bin, and Calvin Marcy were chosen agents for the town to
fill its quota; and June 27, 1864, David Newell was appoint
ed to fill the quota of the town in all future requisitions.
Men from out of town were hired for this purpose. It
made a great expense to the town and a debt had to be
contracted which was not paid up until about 1881.

LIST OF SOLDIERS FROM UNION IN THE REBELLION.

NAME.

Company and
Reoisiest.

Date of
exi.ist.ment.

1 Lunar W. Benson.. I, 16th  Aug. 11, '62
2 John O. Booth  G, 22d  Sept. 10,
3 Melven Booth  G, 22d  Sept. 10,
4 Joseph Boovia  G, 2-,?d ,,  Ang. 31,
r> Daniel Braman  K, 7th  Sept. 10,
6 Marcus L. Braman F, 0th  June 21,

7 William Braman ,„. K, 10th..
8 Lewis Bulgick  I, ICth,.,.

Sept.
Aug.

27,. 13,

9 Henry H. Burnett.. G, 22d  , Aug. 31,
10 Francis Cleveland,, G, 22d  Aug, 31,
11 Charles M. Corbin. B, 10th R. I. luf  May 2<!,
12 David P. Corbin  G, 22d  Aug. 25,

13 Miner H. Corbin, ., G, 22d  Sept,
14 Wm. F. Crawford (J, 22.1  Sept.
15 Albert L. Fisb  G, 22d  Kept.
16 Eleazar B. Fosler., O, 22d  Aug.
17 James Himea  I, Kith  Aug.
18 Stephen Himes  I, Ifith  Aug.
19 Albert Hiscox  D, 3d  April
G, \Hh  Jan,

20 John F. Hobbs  I,
21 George lloldworth <i

Ifith 2-2d.

Ang.
Sopt.

f),
30, i»,'¦>,
25,28, n.
HI.

REMARKS.

•ischarge

Paroled Sept. 13,
63. 1
Discharged for

Wounded Sept. 17, 'G2. at Antietam, Md. Discharged for
disability Jan. 10, '63.
, Mustered out July 7, '63.
' Mustered out July 7, '03.
Mustered out July 7, '6.3.
Discharged for disability Oct. 28, '62.
Captured .May 2~y, '62, at Winchester, Va.'
'62.; Discharged for disability Jan. 21,
DischargeiJ fpr disability Feb.--22, '63.
1 Wounded Sept. J7, '02. at Antietam, Md.
I disability •Pe)). 12, '03.
i Mustered out: July t '03.
I Mustered out July 7, '63. i
1 Discharged Sept. 1, '02. ; - 1
I Mustered as 1st Lieutenant. Promoted Captain March 2,
I '03. Mustered out July 7, '63.
i Mustered out July 7, '03. !
Mustered out July 7, '63.
Fifer. Mustered out July 7, '63.
.Sergeant. Died in hospital at Washington, Nov. 15, '62.
Wounded Sept. 17, '02, at .\nlietam, Md. Died Sept. 25, '62.
Killed Wept. 17, '02, at Antietam.
: Mustered out Aug. 12, '01.
Wounded at Piedmont, Va., June 5, '04. Mustered out
1 June 27, '05.
Died Sept, 28, '02.
(Of Wales, snljstilute for d-o, M.arcv), Mnstci-cd out Julv
7. 'fill

§

II

22 Kobert li, Ilorlon i;, 'J-.'d
23 Wm. H. Horton .. ¦ C, 2Jd
24 E. Lindscy James, 0, 22d„
85 Charles Knight ,, I O, L>2d,,
26 Marvin D. Kimball I, lOlh

87 Dexter C. Leland
28 Thomas J. Leonard

29 Frank Letcher..
80 Moses til. Read..
81 Joseph Rivers,...

82 E. Sanford Severy.
88 Elisha Severy 
84 Wash'g'n L. Sibley
8a Geo. W. Thayer,
86 Allen W. Town.

6l8t N, Y.,
D, 18th 

0, Ist C.V. H'vy Ar.
I, 161 h 

-Aug. 31. ¦fi-i
j Aug. 30, '02
I Sept. 4, '02
Sept. 10, '02
1 Aug. 0, '02

Aug. 8, '62

Jlay 23, '61
July 19, '02

87 Hiram Town..

88 Edwin Upham 
80 Nelson D. Young..

I, 16th  Aug. 9, '62

G, 22d 
I, 16t,h 
G, 22d 
O, 82d 
D, 1st K, I,

Cav..

I, 16th,,.
G, 22d...
I, 10th,.

G, 22d,,

40 Frank Walker 
41 Mllo P, J. Walker,, 0, 22d,,
43 Joseph White  ' G, 22d,,
48 James M. Woodart, 0, 22d,,

Aug.

81, '62

Aug.

9, '02

Sept.

10, '02

Sept.

10, '02

Mui

itered

Dec.

10, '01

July

28, '02

Sept.

0, '62

Aug.

11, '62

Sept. 1, '62
Aug. 80, '62
Sept. 10, '02
Sept. 9, '62

Mustcrud out July 7, '03,
Mustered out July 7, '03.
Mustered out July 7, '63.
Mustered out July 7, '03.
Wounded Sept. 17, '62, at Antietam. Discharged for dla-
I ability Jan. 4, '03.
Lieutenant. Died Nov. 29, '02.
, Wounded July 18, '64, at Snicker's Ford, Va. Discharged
Oct. 18, '64. Mustered 1st Lieutenant 127tb Reg. U. .S.
I Colored Infantry. Resigned Dec. 21, '64.
Promoted Corporal Jan. 10, '04, Discharged May 22, '64.
Wounded Sept. 17, '62, at Antietam. Discharged for dis-
I ability April 20, '63,
I Wounded May 3, '63, at Providence Church Road, Va. Died
I June 2, '03. Corporal.
Mustered out July 7, '03.
, Discharged for disability Feb. 29, '68.
Mustered out July 7, '03,
Mustered out July 7, '63.
Captured March 17, '68, Kelloy's Ford, Va, Exchanged.
Re-en. Jan. S, '64. Transferred to Co. D, 1st R. I. Inf.
Dec. 21, '64. Mustered out Aug. 3, '65.
Wounded Sept. 17, '62, at Antietam. Discharged for dis
ability March 4, '08.
Corporal. Mustered out July 7, '63.
Wounded Sept. 17, '62, at Antietam. Captured April 20, '04,
Plymouth, N. 0. Died July 21, '64, at Andorsonvllle, Ga.
(Went in place of John Corbin). Died April 6, '63.
Mustered out July 7, '63.
(Colored. Went for Wm. Esterbrooks). Mustered oat
July 7, '63.
Mnstered out July 7, '03.

I
i
M
I

148 MILITARY HISTORY.
An Ebehezer L. Belknap of Union (son of Simons), died
in the army.
George C. Leonafd, vrho was born and lived in Union,
enlisted in a Rhode Island Regiment. John F. James went
from Sufiield in Co. G, 22d Regiment. Besides the above,
there lie buried at Union, the following who lived in
Union during or after the war : Edward Baker, of Co. I,
i6th Reg. C. V. Inf., enlisted Aug. -ii, '62, discharged for
disability, April 23, '64; W. H. Belknap, Co. L, ist Mass.
cavalry; A. W. Perry, Co. D, nth U. S. Inf. There is also
a monument to the Bosworth brothers, although they were
buried in the South. They enlisted in Enfield, and were
in Co. D, 16th Reg. Both-%vcre t.ikcn pnsbiier.s. Francis
H. Boswortli died at Anii.ipolis, Md., Feb, 21, 1863, le 21;
Alonzo N. Bosworth died at^ Andcrsonville, Ga,, June 20,
1864, as 20.
In 1864, several colored men were hired by the town to
fill out its quota. Their names were Henry Antone, George
Johnson, John Wilson, and Thomas Wormsley. These
were all in the 29th colored C. V. Inf. There was also a
Thomas Wilson in Co. D, 15th C. V. Inf.

Li.-,! 01-- ,suLlUJ.Ii.-, IN niK CIVIL WAR, WHO WENT FROM OTHER PLACES, BUT WHO HAVE SINCE
LIVED IN UNION :

NAME.

C. H. Brown 
B. W. Brown 
Benj. R. Case 
Onrdou Chaffee 
David F. Cummings,
Ed. G. Hewett 
WlUis G. Howard 
Th. A. Hudson 
Frank Martin  _ 
GUbert McNoll 
Paul Newcomb 
Wm. W. Parks 
David Perry.
Wm. H. Scranton 
John P. Walker 
Newton Wallace
L. E. Weeks 
John W. Winch 
Joseph B. Winch 
Chelsea Young 

COMPASY AND ReQUIBNT.

Mustered in

F, 10th Conn. Infantry
P, 10th Conn. Infantry
H, Sth Conn. Infantry .,
P, 22d Conn. Infantry .,
E, 42d Mass. Infantry ..
H, 15th Mass. Infantry
O, 18th Conn. Infantry

E, 8d Conn. Infantry 
B, 1st Sqnadron C. V. Car,
D, 2d N. Y. Light Cav 
F, 19th Mass. Infantry .._.
I, 27th Mass. Infantry 
K, 33d Mass. Infantry 
I, 27th Mass. Infantry 
D, 67th Mass. Infantry 
K, 7th Conn. Infantry 
H, 12th Conn. Infantry 
E, 27th Mass. Infantry 
C, 25th Mass. Infantry 
P, 4th Mass. Cavalry 
E, 57th Mass. Infantry 
B, 11th Conn. Infantry ....

Sept. 9, '61
March 31, '64
June 27, '61
Sept. 10, '62
Sept. 13, '62
May 25, '61
Aug. 12, '63

April 25, '61
Aug. 14, '61
Reenlisted
Dec. 21, '63
Jan. Dec.

20, '62
7, '63
June 13, '62
Sept. 20, '61
Oct. 10, '62

Aug.Dec.Oct.Oct.
Jan.

30, '61
13, '62
15, '61
6, '61
4, '63

Sept. 13, '62
Oct. 17, '61

REMARKS.

Mustered out Aug. 25, '65.
Mustered out Aug. 26, "65.
Deserted June 4, '62, pardoned.
Mustered out July 7, '63.
Mustered out Aug. 20, '63. , . , ,
Mustered out Feb. 18, '63. Wounded m left cheek at
Fair Oaks, Va.
Captured June 15, '63 at Winchester, Va. Paroled
July 19, '63. Promoted Corporal Oct. 31, '64.
Mustered out June 27, '65.
Mustered out Aug 13, '61.
Mustered out June 25, '65. A Saddler and Wagoner.
Mustered out Aug 20, '65_.
Mustered out June 14, '65.
Mustered out June 30, '03.
Mustered out Oct. 10, '03.
Mustered out Aug. '65.
Mustered out July 20, '65.
Mustered out Dec. 13, '65.
Mustered out Oct. 29, '64.
Mustered out Dec. 13, '64.
Mustered out Nov. 14, '65.
Mustered out Aug. 20, '63.
Wounded Sept. 17, '63 at Antietam, Md. Transferred
to Co. P, 3d Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps,
Sept. 7, 68. Discharged Oct. 23, '64.

I aai 1^i

150 MILITARY HISTORY.
The D. P. Corbin Post, No. 74, G. A. R., of Union, was
chartered in the fall of 1884, with the following members:
J. W. Winch, W. G. Howard,-M__E._J^_Walker, C. Young, R,
B. Horton, N. Wallace, E. G. Hewett, T. A. Hudson, E. W.
Upham, E. S. Severy.
Its present members from Union are: J. W. Winch, W.
G. Howard, ]\I. P. J. Walker, G. W. Thayer. R, B. Horton,
F. Martin, T. A. Hudson, J. B. Winch, E. W. Upham, P. \\.
Newcomb, W. F. Cummings, E. W. Brown.
Besides these, there"^re a number of others from East
ford, Ashford, and Woodstock.
The commanders of the T'ost have been, J. W. Winch,
W. G. Howard, N. W. Wallace, R; B. Horton, F. W. Gordon.
The meetings are held on the evenings of the second
Tuesday of each month, at the Town Hall, at Union.
Since the Post has been in existence in Union, memo
rial day has been observed each year by appropriate exer
cises. The soldiers have tisually met at North Ashford,
and decorated the graves there, then proceeded to the East
Cemetery and decorated the graves of former soldiers,
especially of Captain Corbin, going thence to Union and
completing the work there. At noon a collation is held in
the Town Hall, and in the afternoon there are exercises in
the church, consisting of addresses, singing"; etc. The Post
usually holds a picnic at Mashapaug each summer.

CHAPTER V.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
JESSE OLNEY, A. M. — DR. SHUBAEL HAMMOND — DEACON SAMUEL
CRAWFORD  JUDGE I. W. CRAWFORD — ELEAZER FOSTER 
ELEAZER K. FOSTER  REV. S. I. CURTISS — REV. GEORGE
CURTISS — PROF. S. I. CURTISS, D. D. — CAPTAIN CHAUNCEY
PAUL — HARVEY WALKER — HANNAH MOORE — MRS. CALISTA
HOLMAN VINTON — REV. THOMAS HOLMAN — MOSES G. LEON
ARD  JARED D. SESSIONS  JOSEPH M. GRIGGS — SARAH A. PAUL
— DAVID P. CORDIN, A. M. — WILLIAM M. CORBIN — JUSTUS V.
LAWSON — CHARLES F. MORSE — REV. ISAAC BOOTH, D. D. —
PHILIP D. ARMOUR — ANDREW W. AJIMOUR — DWIGHT MARCY
— PHILIP CORBIN — M. A. MARCY — JOEL H. REED.
JESSE OLNEY, A. M.
THIS celebrated teacher and author was born in Union,
October lath, 1798. His birthplace was in the south
east part of town, where there is a cellar-hole on what is
known as the George Leonard place. His father, Ezekiel
Olney, was a poor man and could barely afford a primary
education for his children. When Jesse was nineteen years
old, impatient to be no longer a burden to the family, and
ambitious to mix in the world's great affairs, he asked from
his father a release from family duties ; this was cheerfully
accorded him, and, armed with this document, he started
forth single-handed and unaided, but stout of heart, to
" hew his way through the world," Though he was obliged
to struggle with poverty, he managed to get an education at
Whitesborough, N. Y. He taught there and at Bingham-
ton, N. Y. He also studied at Hamilton College, which
afterwards conferred on him the degree of A. M. In 1821,
he became principal of the Stone School at Hartford, where
he continued till 1831, In 1828, he brought out a " Geography

152

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

and AtlaSj" which was at once accepted as a standard work
and which for thirty yeat^jwas^usedjn^neariy^evjerjLpiiblic
and private school in the United States.. It was many times
enlarged and revised and ran through ninety-eight editions,
some of them numbering 80,000 copies. Millions of copies
have been sold and the popularity of "Olney 's Geography "has
been surpassed only by that of " Webster's Spelling Book."
This work has the distinction of having caused a complete
revolution in the methods of teaching geography. Mr.,
Olney was a practical instructor and was dissatisfied with
the existing class books and treatises, which began with an
exposition of the science of astronomy and making the cen
ter of the solar system the initial point, developed the
sehem.e until it finally included the earth. Mr. Olney
reversed this method. He began with the scholar's own
continent, in fact, in the very city, town or village where
he lived, and made clear by lucid definitions the natural
divisions of land and water; illustrating each instance by
the use of maps. His plan was to familiarize the child
with the surface of the earth by going from the near to the
distant, and from the concrete to the abstract. This sys
tem at once overthrew theoretic geography and introduced
the modern and practical science. The immediate success
of the work led Mr. Olney to give up teaching and devote
himself to authorship. In 1834, he removed to Southing-
ton, Conn., where he resided till 1854. Although he did
not teach here, he devoted himself to the cause of popular
education. The text-books which he published are besides
his geographies, a series of readers, "The National Pre
ceptor," "The Easy Reader," "The School Reader," "The
Little Reader;'" also "The Arithmetic and Child's Manual,"
a valuable " History of the United States," for the use of
schools, and "A Family Book of History." In the late years
he also compiled a little book of stirring poetry, breathing
the spirit of the age, entitled "Psalms of Life."
During the time which Mr. Olney lived at Southington,
he achieved a name and fame which was world wide, as a
man of broad and liberal views; as a man of letters; as a

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¦o'-tu-^y

DR. SHUBAEL HAMMOND. 153
zealous friend of education, as a leader in the councils of
his party. In politics he was an ardent Democrat, a follower
of Jackson, whom he greatly resembled in appearance and
character. He fourteen times represented his town in the
lower branch of the legislature. He was once a candidate
for Senator and once received the nomination for Secretary
of State. In 1867, after years of retirement, he was called
to serve the state for two successive terms in the respon
sible office of Comptroller of Public Accounts. In this posi
tion his honesty and unswerving integrity gained for him
the, title of "The Old Roman," and his advice was sought
and heeded by all the state officials and political leaders.
In all his official capacities he used his influence to build
up the system of public schools in Connecticut.
In religion he was a Baptist when he went to Southing-
ton; but being borne along upon the crest of the wave of
liberal thought which subsequently swept through New
England, he took strong ground for and became an earnest
advocate of the tenets of the Unitarian church. This
change of belief created a great deal of disturbance among
the inhabitants, for by his efforts a new society was formed
in this hot-bed of Calvinism, so to speak, followed by the
erection of a church edifice which he built and maintained
principally from his private purse.
In 1854, he removed from Southington to Stratford,
Conn., where he passed the rest of his life. He died July
31st, 1872, and lies buried at Stratford.
He married Elizabeth Barnes, of Southington, May 4th,
1829. They reared a family of six children.
DR. SHUBAEL HAMMOND.
Shubael Hammond was bom in Sturbridge, Mass., Feb.
20th, 177.6. It was the intention of his father to give
him a -liberal education, and with this end in view he sent
him to Leicester Academy. Disappointed in respect to a
course at Harvard, he studied medicine with Dr. Eaton of
Dudley, Mass., and commenced practice in Union in the
year 1800, where he remained until his death. In early life

154 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
he taught school, and retained his interest in education all
his days. He was very fond of flowers, and knew the
names and medicinal virtues of every plant, shrub, and tree.
He loved music and poetry, and wrote respectable compo
sitions in sacred music and verse. He was a close observer
of all natural phenomena, marking every unusual astro
nomical appearance. He studied the philosophy of his pro
fession, and was familiar with the various medical theories
of the ancient and modern practitioners. He lived in a
small town and had a practice limited by his circumstances;
and with a delicate physical constitution, he shrank often
from the toils and exposures of his profession, especially
in his old age. He feared no mortal man, but had an
instinctive dread of fierce winds and thunderstorms. He
had a smile the most genuine ever seen on human face, but
never was known to shed a tear. His forte was fortitude.
" He was scrupulously honest, honorable and conscientious,
and yet was not connected with any church. He had an
instinctive dread of vain, vapid talk on religious themes.
They were too serious with him to be trifled with, as they
really arc in a great many religious meetings. His views
were those of the orthodox denominations. He was a
model farmer and horticulturist. He was a man of few
words, especially in the rooms of the sick. His wife was
apt and judicious, and he was a most agreeable eonipanion.
He was a distinguished physician and a highly respectable
citizen." He died July 2Sth, 1857.
DEACON SAMUEL CRAWFORD.
(This sketch and that of Judge Crawford, were kindly furnished by
Ossian T. Crawford, of Worcester,' Mass., who has also given much
information to the compiler in regard to the Crawford family).
Deacon Samuel Crawford was very tall (over 6 feet),
and a man of great power of endurance. He was a man of
great mental ability. He represented his native town in
the State Legislature for a large portion of the time dur
ing 21 years, from 1788 to 1809. During this time there
were two sessions yearly, in May and Oct. Deacon Craw-

Shubael Hammond, M. D.

Hon. Ingolsbv W, CRAwroRD.

JUDGE L W. CRAWFORD. 155
ford was in twenty-two of these. He was selectman of
Union 17 years (from 1782 to 1804). He was a man of
wealth for his times, and at one time owned more than
rooo acres of land, a large portion of it covered with
the best pine timber. He lived where Willis Howard now
does. On the marriage of his children he would give them
a fafrm, and thijs the land he formerly owned was scattered
through a numerous family. He was positive in his relig
ious belief, and was a conscientious member and a deacon
of the Baptist church in West Woodstock for many years.
Baptist meetings were at one time held in Union, in what
was latterly the Eleazer Kinney house, west of the Newell
tavern. But there were not people enough of that belief to
continue them, so Mr. Crawford went to West Woodstock.
At that time all property was taxed to support the domi
nant church of the state. Deacon Crawford once had three
cows taken by the constables towards paying Rev. Mr.
Horton's salary. He was a firm man and had a strong will,
but a kind disposition, and no father would do more for his
children. He was an extraordinary man for the time and
opportunities, and surroundings of the remote country
town where he labored for the good of man. He was a
soldier in the Continental Army during the dark and troub
lesome days of the summer of 1776, when nearly one-
third of the army were sick with camp-fever. He was
taken down with it and when the report reached Union, his
brother John went and brought him home. Both John and
his father took the fever from Samuel, and died of it, while
he recovered. JUDGE INGOLDSBY WORK CRAWFORD.
Ingoldsby W. Crawford, the son of Deacon Samuel
Crawford, was born in Union, August 7th, 1786. He lived
most of his life on a farm given him by his father, in the
east part of the town, and partly in Woodstock. He
injured his back when young, and was unable to perform
any very laborious work. He had a fair education, which
he derived mostly from his own reading and study. He

156 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
held many offices of public trust; was Collector of the Port
of New London under the administration of Andrew
Jackson, of whom he was a warm supp&rter. He was asso
ciate justice of Tolland Co. Court; member of the State
Convention held in Hartford, in August, 1818, which
formed the State Constitution — one of the greatest bless
ings for the State. He was a prominent free mason, hold
ing high offices in both the grand lodge and grand chap
ter, and often attended the meetings of the bodies in
different parts of the country. He prepared an arithmetic
for publication, but owing to the cost declined to have it
printed; was much interested in the schools of his native
town, being a visitor, and a member of the Examining Com
mittee to license teachers. He was member of the State
Legislature in 1816, '17, '18, "19, '20, '22, '24, and '25. Toward
the end of his life he sold his place, and lived on the Dr.
Hammond place, where Mason Horton now lives (189 1).
In religion he was a Universalist. He died Nov. 24, 1S67,
and was buried in the East cemetery in Union.
ELEAZER FOSTER.
Eleazer Foster, the son of Edward Foster, was born in
Union, June 6, 1778. He was obliged to rely on his own
exertions to gain the means necessary for pursuing his
education, and he was never blessed with vigorous health.
Nevertheless, he graduated from Yale College in 1802, with
a high rank and character in a class noted for members
who in college and afterwards were distinguished; anion;,;
which were the names of Isaac C. Bates, Samuel Hubbard,
William Maxwell, Gideon Tomlinson, and Jeremiah Evarts.
Having served as an instructor for some time in Leicester
Academy, Mass., where he had fitted for college, he settled
as a lawyer in New Haven, Conn. Early after his admis
sion to the bar he gave such decided proofs of industry,
capacity, integrity, and discretion, that the public voice
called him to sustain many offices of importance to the wel
fare of the community. For the same reason the concerns
of individuals were committed to his management with a

JUDGE E. K. FOSTER. 157
confidence to an extent rarely witnessed. As executor of
wills, administrator on the estates of deceased persons,
assignee of debtors, agent for creditors, and in the execu
tion of many other trusts he was constantly employed, and
such was his undeviating rectitude that he uniformly
merited the approbation of all interested in the trusts.
For the higher stations of a magistrate and a represent
ative in the legislature, he was guided by that uprightness
and impartiality which fully evinced his love of justice and
his sacred regard for the true interests of the people.
To the poor, the humble and the helpless, the widow
and the fatherless, with whom in the discharge of duty he
often assoeiatedj he was ever kind, attentive and generous.
As a friend, a neighbor and a citizen, he was sincere, prud
ent and benevolent.
In all the dear and interesting relations of domestic
life, he was always affectionate and faithful. It is unneces
sary to add that he was universally beloved and respected.
He was a very exemplary and useful member of the church
of Christ, and lived under the steady influence of religious
principle. He died May 4th, 1819, in the forty-first year of
his age. Thus his career was short, and closed before the
fruits of early promise could be gathered. But his example
was not without its influence. In the sketch of the schools
of Union, we mention the fact that William L. Marcy, Sec
retary of State under President Pierce, received his first
impulse from Eleazer Foster. Union may well be proud
of this son of hers. JUDGE ELEAZER K. FOSTER.
This distinguished son of his distinguished father.
Eleazer Foster, was born in New Haven, May 20, 1813. His
mother, Ms^ry Pierpont, was a lineal descendant of Rev.
James Pierpont, who settled in the ministry in New Haven,
in 1684, and was one of the founders of Yale college; and
of Mary Hooker, daughter of , Rev. Samuel Hooker, of
Farmington. His family have al-«irays resided in New
Haven, and partly upon the origfinal homestead of Rev.

158 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mr. Pierpont. Graduating at Yale college in 1834, he
studied law, and was admitted to the bar in New Haven, in
March, 1837, and where he always resided. Thus closely
w!is he identified with that city.
Mr. Foster married Miss Mary Codrington, then of New
Haven, a lady of English birth, and formerly of Kingston,
Jamaica, January 2, 1838. Three sons survive him, all
graduates of Yale college; William ]•.., now an editor of the
BulTalo Commercial Advertiser, l-'leazer K.,u practicing lawvi-r
in Florida, und John I*. C-ii practiciTig--physician in New
Haven. A beloved daughter, Mary, died Dceeniber i.\
18O4, at the age of twcMity-onc. His wife died September
25, 1872.
Soon after his admission to the bar he was elected the
prosecuting grand juror of the town. He was ai)])ointi-(l
Judge of Probate for the New Haven district in the ye.-irs
1845, 1846, 1848, 1849, In 185^ he was apjxiinted .State
Attorney for New Haven county, and was nominated to
be liegister in Bankruptcy by Chief Justice Chase when
that office was created, and continued in both these pos-^i-
tions to the time of his death. He w.-is a member of the
Common Council of Now Haven during six years. Ik-
reprcsentcd the town in the General Assembly in the years
1844 and 1845, and in 1SC5, when he was chosen Speaker of
the House. In 1858, he was a candidate for the Republican
nomination for the office of Governor of this state, but was
defeated by (iovernor Buckingham, wlio received a few
more votes. Later his friends again proposed to him to
be a candidate, when he would probably have been nom
inated and elected, but he withdrew from the canvass for
private reasons.
This brief record of odiccs and honors convey no idea of
the man. At the bar, in public life, and in society. Judge
Foster was a man of mark. Tlie eminence that he attained
at the bar was not due to laborious application or systematic-
study. A noble presence, a grand voice, the graces of
oratory, wit and humor, the jiowcr of eloquence, a thorough
knowledge of human nature and full sympathy with all

REV. 8. L CURTISS, SR. 159
ranks of men, these were the gifts that always secured to
him a place in the front rank of the profession.
In many respects Judge Foster was peculiarly fitted
to adorn the highest positions in public life. And
this fitness was also recognized by the people. In pol
itics he was a Whig until the dissolution of that party;
after that always an earnest Republican. As a public and
political speaker he was necessarily a great favorite. The
political and public meetings and the ceremonious occasions
which he has graced with his presence and enlivened with
his wit and eloquence, were almost countless. While the
people Ipved him and honored him whenever they had
opportunity, those arts by which nominations are secured
he was not the master of, and less able and more contriving
men often grasped the prizes that might have been worthily
bestowed upon him.
He died June 13th, 1877, greatly lamented by the people
of the beautiful city where he lived.
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND LABORS OF THE REV. SAMUEL
IVES CURTISS.
(PREPARED BY REV. GEO. CURTISS).
The Rev. Samuel Ives Curtiss was born at Meriden,
Conn., March 5, 1803. His father owned a farm about two
miles west of the centre of the town, known as the Mur-
dock place at present. There the future minister spent his
early days, till he became of age. He was the oldest son in a
family of seven children. His father was frequently away
from home on business and the care of the farm at those
times devolved on Samuel, and thus he acquired an ability
to manage affairs, which was of great use to him in later
years. From early childhood he was noted for his sedate
deportment, and as always being a good boy. Of naturally
a serious turn of mind, he was often deeply interested in the
subject of religion, and was finally led to consecrate him
self publicly to Christ. After this, he felt sure that he had a
divine call to enter the ministry of the gospel, and so he pre
pared himself as best he could at Bangor and New Haven

i6o BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
seminaries. Ho was ordained, and installed pastor of the
Congregational church in East Hampton, Conn,, November,
1832, and continued there irbmrtfivc years. After supplying
at West Woodstock, he came to Union, first, to preach for
a few months in tho fall of 1839, and in the ensuing spring-
he took up his abode with tho people as their spiritual
teacher. There was no dwelling to be had near the centre,
and he was obliged to live beyond the great Bigelow gulf,
almost half way to Woodstock. The following is his lan
guage in reference to that circumstance: "For the privilege
and duty of battling for the Lord Jesus, in Union, the min
ister took up his abode on the outskirts of the town three
miles and a half southeast from the meeting-house. The
Lord, however, gave him health, courage, and faith to labor
so that neither storms of rain or snow hindered him from
appearing in the courts of the Lord every Sabbath to break
to, the people the bread of life. During these two years he
went from house to house (there were more than fifty fam
ilies to visit), and held weekly, evening meetings in the
several districts, that all the people might receive a por
tion of divine truth in due season; though in going back
and forth, he traveled ten or twelve miles when it was
exceedingly dangerous, on account of the thick darkness in
the woods and the glare ice which covered the hills." Once
in going down one of those steep hills his horse slipped
from under him, and beast and rider slid promiscuously and
alarmingly a long distance down the hill. Sometimes the
pastor and good Deacon Lawson, who lived in the neigh
borhood, would put a shovel in the sleigh, and start to
gether for the house of God. They were occasionally
obliged to dig their way, but they always succeeded in
reaching their destination, although they at times found
few, if any, but themselves present in the sanctuary. Tlie
home of the pastor in those years, however, was pleasant.
It was in the house of the Misses Sessions, Anna and ]\Iary.
The outlook was delightful, over the green billowy hills,
and good families lived in the neighborhood. An extract
from an article describing the aspect of the town as it

4^^

Rev. Samuel Ives Curti

ss.

REV. a. L CURTISS, SR. i6i
appeared to the young minister may be of interest to the
reader. It was written by Mr. Curtiss thirty years or more^
afterwards. His words are given with only slight changes.
" I came up to Union from West Woodstock in August,
1839. It was indeed a coming up, a gradual ascent all the
way, until I reached the centre of the town. After I came
within two miles of the centre, I entered the pine forests,
and there was nothing else to be seen beyond until I
reached the old tavern-stand on the hill. The sun was
scarcely permitted to shine on on« all the way. It was
cool and refreshing in the warmth of summer, to be
under the cooling shade of these massive pines, chestnuts
and oaks. When I came into these noble forests I was
upon the top of a high hill. The descent was gradual, but
rather steep, until I came to a saw-mill in the ravine, owned
and operated by the Crawfords. In this ravine, for miles
on cither side of the way, was a forest of as fine timber as
grows anywhere. From the saw-mill I began to, ascend
what would be called a mountain in Scripture. After the
first steep ascent there was a fine range of table land, with
a few acres cleared up, and a farm-house nestling among
the trees, which gave pleasure to the eyes from its rarity
and the neatness of its surroundings. Then, here I began to
ascend another mountain, hemmed in on either side by
lofty trees, till I came to the old tavern-stand, and here I
stood upon the peak of the first range of hills, for there
were more and higher to come. On this peak years ago,
one might have looked to the north, and south, and east,
and west, before, and behind, up and down, and forests
would have been the principal objects to meet the eye.
But within thirty years the woodman's axe has thinned
out these forests and made many and large openings in the
valleys and on the hill-tops." /
As to the moral and spiritual outlook in those times, the
minister in his later years wrote: "The church was small
and the members comparatively poor. There were eight
male members, four of whom were quite advanced in life.
Deacon Horton was nearly eighty and blind. Intoxicat-

,62 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ing liquors were sold to all who would drink, and some of
the more wealthy drank freely. The church had become
discouraged. They^cwTdTaiiebut a srnallsuih themselves,
' and could get but little from outside to sustain the gospel
from year to year." The young pastor, however, "put a
¦cheerful courage on." The next year after coming, he
preached an historical sermon from the text Ps. xvi. 0 —
-"The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant pl.iccs; yea, 1
have a goodly herit.ige;" in which he proved that the te.xt
would apply to the people in Union. ' Things began to take
on a more favorable aspect; the congregations were increas
ing and the Sunday school, which numbered only sixteen
when the pastor came, was thriving under his efficient
management. A good dwelling for the minister had also
been rented near by the meeting-house; and the beginning
of ^larch, 1842, found pastor and people full of courage,
and with bright prospects for the future. Then came ;i
most sudden calamity and distress. The story is thus told
by the pastor himself. "The 25th (of March, 1842), was a
day long to be remembered as one of sore bereavements.
It was the annual fast day. It was misty and dark; but in
our home it was bright and cheerful till about three or
four o'clock. There were several inches of snow on the
ground. My wife was never more cheerful and hopeful, in
respect to the work to be done in the future service of the
Master. I had never seen the children so happy in eaeli
other, so united and full of life and j.oy in their plav
together. Toward the close of the day I led my horse to
the watering place, and while there, chains of lightning
ran in several directions near the ground. Seeing this
play of lightning I hasterted in as soon as possible, and
took a seat in the L part of the house, near the door which
opened into the dining room (a room in the main building).
In a moment after, there came a vivid flash while the chil
dren were standing by the window, when Ann, (his daugli-
ter of eight years), turned and came to me and said, " Pa,
I am afraid." I replied you need not be afraid, and she sat
down close to my right side, and George (his son of fne

REV. S. I. CURTISS, SR. 163
years), seated himself by my left side. My wife, at this
instant, came in from another room with amazement
depicted on her countenance, and sat down at a little dis
tance from us (to the right of Ann) in a rocking chair, say
ing not a word, but. that look is as vivid to-day as the
moment it met my eyes. It was but a look and I was
blind, and deaf, and dumb, and senseless, until there
seemed to come over me a great pressure, and I felt a
crushing weight as though the house was falling on me,
when I began to hear my little son bemoaning in a loud
voice the death of his mother. Yet all was dark before me,
till after repeated efforts, sight came to me, and oh! what a
sight! I forbear to describe. Because the Lord did it,
' I opened not my mouth,' but bowed to his will, and his
grace was sufficient for me. She was the wife of my youth,
the choice of my heart, one in whom I reposed entire con
fidence, and who was a faithful co-worker in the vineyard."
ller maiden name was Rebecca Tuttle Hough. She was
one of two daughters in a family of eight children, and was
born at Wallingford, Conn., January 3, 1808. She was
betrothed to her husband at the time that he decided to
study for the ministry, and waited for him seven years,
loyal and true. They were married October 3, 1832, and
liad two children, Ann and George. Mrs. Curtiss, like
Rebecca of old, was very fair to look upon, and is remem
bered with admiration and love by those who recall her to
mind as once their teacher in the Sunday school. One of
her brothers, the Rev. Lent S. Hough, was for many years
.1 minister of the gospel, and served as pastor of several
churches in the state of Connecticut. Her son George has
.ilso. been a minister for nearly thirty years, and is now
pastor of the Congregational church in Mayville, North
! ).akota. She was very f amilar with the Scriptures so that
!er husband said of her, "She could repeat, from memory,
Umost the entire Bible. She was about as good to me as
. concordance. If I wanted to find a passage anywhere in
' he Bible and could give her a clause, or a word or two, she
. ould give me the book, chapter and verse where it was

i64 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
to be found." January 30, 1843, ^^r. Curtiss married Miss
Eliza Ives, the granddaughter of Rev. Jesse Ives, once pas
tor of the church in Monson, Mass. She was born in that
town, December 29, ^8o6.— She was a woman of superior
mind and fervent piety, a wise counselor, and an excel lenl
manager in household affairs, a true and faithful woman in
her family and in the church. She lived with her husband
a little over twenty-two years, and was very closely iden
tified with him in his work at Union during that period.
They had one son. Rev. Samuel Ives Curtiss, D. D., now
professor of Old Testament Literature in Chicago Tlic-o-
logical Seminary. Mrs. Curtiss died quite suddcnl}' of
apoplexy May 31, 1865.
In the fall of 1842, Mr. Curtiss" accepted the call of tlic
people to become their pastor, and was installed April 12th,
1843. The pastor lived for about six years in the house-
rented from Mr. Merrick Marcy and then purchased .a
place for his own. "In 1848 I bought the Rev. Wyman
house and a part of the farm which was given him by the
town as his settlement. The house was a httndred years
old. There was a large mulberry tree near the house
which bore the largest, juciest, and best mulberries thai I
ever ate," There is a tradition that Rev. Mr. Wyman
planted tlio seed from which that tree came. Soim- om-
gave each member of the ministerial association to wliii-h
Mr. Wyman belonged, a thimbleful of black mulberry
seeds from the shores of the Mediterranean sea, and thai
particular tree w.is the only one that lived from the thini
blcful of seed that Mr. Wyman planted. The ancient
house was patched up and made to answer for a honu- til'
November, 1854, when the minister moved into a new
house, which he had built across the way from the old onc
and which is now owned by the Society as a parsona;.;!--
This investment proved a profitable one, it furnished .<
home for the minister, and the increase in value of the
timber on the place materially added to the income of it,--
owner. A little more than a year after the death of lii,^
second wife, Mr. Curtiss married, June 15, 1S66, Mrs. D, II

BEV. 8. L CURTISS, SR. 165
G. Ciirtiss, formerly of Greenwich, Mass. Her maiden
name was Newton. She was born at Paxton, Mass., Dec.
5, 1805. Her husband said of her, "Her father died when
she was a babe, her mother when she was quite young.
Her mother was a minister's daughter, her grandfather
was a minister, and," at an advanced age, " took their infant
granddaughter to train for Christ. Her grandmother was
a minister's daughter. Her first husband was a minister,
and she had two uncles that were ministers. She has been
a successful teacher in the Sabbath School, and, in her
younger days, had a large class of young girls, who
through her faithfulness, under God, were all brought into
the fold of Christ, and some of them became minister's
wives." She was indeed a choice woman, full of faith and
good works. Her two daughters, by her first husband,
were in the pastor's family in Union, and aided materially
in the work of the church. She survived her husband
.about a year and a half, and died at Nunda, N. Y., where
her daughter and husband, the Rev. N. H. Bell, resided.
Mr. Curtiss continued his active ministry till January,
1S75, ^ period of thirty-five years. He still lived among
the people as pastor emeritus for several years longer, till
after a long illness, he died, of Bright's disease, March 26,
1S80. He was a faithful minister of the Lord Jesus, clear
and strong in his convictions, fixed in purpose, and unflinch
ing in the discharge of what he thought to be his duty.
Me was a man of vigorous constitution, of great energy
uid activity. He had a very great reverence for God and
sacred things and was of a very deep emotional nature.
[lis heart was always very tender and responsive to divine
(ruth, both when he preached the word himself or heard it
I rom the lips of others. He was of a very practical turn
>f mind, and entered heartily into all reformatory move-
ncnts that he thought would benefit his fellow men. The
listory of the church in Union is very closely interwoven
'.vith the story of his life and the success of his ministry as
ovinced by the prosperity of that church during the years

i66 BIOGRAPHICA.L SKETCHES.
of his pastorate is the best tribtite to his worth. When he
left the work to his succes.sor such had been the financial
gain that he said at that time the church could raise $500
for the support of tbe gospel more, easily than it could raise
§175 when he came to town.
He was blessed with remarkably good health. He
hardly ever took a vacation and was absent from home,
except on exchange, very few times during all his minis
try. Beside preaching twice on the Sabbath he frequently
held a third service at one of the five school-houses outside
the centre at five o'clock in the stimmer and at "early can
dle lighting" in the winter, beside meetings. at private
houses. The weekly prayer-meeting was sustained during
all those years, and often held at the pastor's house. For
many years he was acting school visitor and was greatly
interested in all educational efforts for the good' of the
young people in town. He was very etlieicnt in the early
days of his pastorate, in encouraging singing .schools for the
benefit of the service of song in the sanctuary, lie was wide
awake to the cause of missions at home and abniad. In order
to have a home he purchased a house with one hundred and
thirty acres of land mostly overgrown with bushes and
timber, but with sufficient arable land to support a horse
and cow, and to produce a good supply of vegetables for
the table. In the management of this pl.icc he .showed
enterpri.sc, energy and stimulated others to do likewise.
His memory is blessed, and his "works do follow him,"
kl-,V. lIKOKdl-, CURTISS,
Rev, George Curtiss, the son of Rev. Samuel Ives and
Rebecca Tuttle Curtiss, was born at East Hampton, in tho
town of Chatham, Conn., January 5, 1837. His parents
removed to Union when he was three years old. There he
spent his childhood and youth, and fitted for college. He
was graduated from Amherst college in 1S60. lie was
obliged to struggle on during his college course to obtain
means to complete his education. He was for two years
in the Theological Institute of Connecticut, now the Hart-

Rev. George Curtiss.

REV. GEORGE CURTISS. 167
ford Theological Seminary. In 1863 he graduated from
Andover Theological Seminary. He commenced preaching
for a few weeks at Oxford, Mass., and afterwards supplied
at Pepperell, Mass., for six months. After preaching in
Bristol, R. I., four months, he. began to minister to the Con
gregational church in East Avon in Nov. 1864. He was
ordained Dec. 28, 1865, and installed pastor of the church
at East Avon, June 26, 1866. He was dismissed Sept. 15,
1868. He was installed pastor of the Congregational
church at Harwinton, Conn., June 30, 1869, and continued
there eight years. In 1872 he was elected to the Connecti
cut House of Representatives from Harwinton.
He was dismissed from the church in Harwinton, May
21, 1877, and resided for a year in Amherst, Mass. In the
spring of 1878, he removed to Union and ministered to the
church here for about three years. In his sermon at the
150th anniversary of the formation of the church, he uses
the following language with reference to his ministry here:
"In the spring of 1878 the Providence of God led me
hither, and at your request I endeavored to break to you
the bread of life for about the space of three years. I
was glad to serve you, and you seemed glad to have me,
and the Lord blessed us both. It was a bright spot in
life on many accounts, though sickness and death cast at
times heavy shadows. It was a pleasure to address you,
to minister at the table of our Lord at times together with
the venerable and loved spiritual guide who had led us so
long. It was a privilege to go with him as far as possible
down into the dark valley and sec him safely through this
mortal strife. I parted from you with regret. It is pleas
ant to be with you to-day, and celebrate that church life
which for a long period we shared in common. Jan. 5,
1851, on my birth-day, with a number of others, I entered
into covenant with this church to serve the living God.
' High Heaven that heard the solemn vow.
That vow renewed shall daily hear
Till in life's latest hour I bow,
And bless in death a bond so dear.' "

i68 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
The pleasure he felt in being with the church was
reciprocated. His genial and affable nature made him
loved and esteemed by all those who knew_him. The
church at Union was sorry when he received a call which
he accepted, to the Wethersfield Avenue Congregational
church at Hartford. He began ministering to it in May,
1881, and continued there till 1889. On Jan. i, 1890, he
commenced work as pastor of the Congregational church
at Mayville, North Dakota, and was installed pastor in
September, of that year.
There have been few persons into whose lot has fallen
so much family bereavement as in that of Mr. Curtiss.
When he was five years old his good mother and elder sis
ter were stricken down by a stroke of lightning. Elvira
Corbin, the wife of his youth, and mother of four of his
children, died at Harwinton, April 17, 1875. She was a
very estimable woman, greatly beloved in all the places
where she lived. The next year their son George C. followed
his mother. (For dates see the genealogy). In 1877, Mr.
Curtiss married again, but his wife survived only a little
over three months, dying at Amherst, June 27th, three days
after the death of his youngest son John. The ne.xt year
the bereaved father and his two remaining children came
to Union. While there his father died. He married a
third time in 1880, Miss Martha A. Blakely of Bristol, Conn.
The)' had one child who died within a year. While Mr.
Curtiss was preaching the anniversary sermon at Union,
Dec. 13th, 1888, his wife lay on her death-bed, and died on
Dec. 24th. And hence his life has been filled with far more
than the usual amount of sorrow and affliction. But it has
doubtless developed in him such a character that he is able
far better to sympathize with his fellow-men and make his
life one of great usefulness in the Gospel ministrj'.
REV. SAMUF.L IVES CURTISS, PH. D., D. 1)., PROFESSOR OF OLD
TESTAMENT LITERATURE IN THE CHICAGO
THEOLOGICAL SE.MINARV.
Among the natives of Union, of whom the town may
well be proud, is Prof. S. I. Curtiss, of Chicago. He has

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V

' /¦¦'

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PROF. SAMUEL I. CURTISS, PH. D., D.D.

PROF. 8. I. CURTISS. 169
gone forth from these Union hills to become a great
Hebrew scholar, and one of the prominent theological
instructors of the country.
He was born in Union, February sth, 1844, being the
son of Rev. Samuel I. Curtiss and Eliza Ives Curtiss. His
mother was a granddaughter of Rev. Jesse Ives, a Congre
gational minister, who served the church at Monson, Mass.,
for thirty-two years.
The subject of this sketch was hindered in his early
studies by poor health, but neither this circumstance nor
the fact that he was largely dependent on himself for his
support prevented his preparing for college. He did this
at Monson Academy, Mass., where he graduated with the
highest honor. His college course' at Amherst, begfun in
1862, was interrupted by illness, and he was obliged to drop
his Studies fof a year. This time of enforced. absence from
college was spent in part in securing money to repair his
father's church in Union. He visited Hartford, New
Haven, New London and other places, interested people
in the church at Union and secured their subscriptions for
Its repair. In this work he was eminently successful, mani
festing a talent which in later years has rendered good ser
vice to the cause of City Missions in Chicago, and to the
Chicago Theological Seminary.
Young Curtiss completed his college course in 1867, with
honor. While ranking high as a student in college, he was
also among the most active in Christian work. And he
seems to have been successful in this, for he had a tempt
ing offer to leave college and go into city missionary work.
The year of graduation from Amherst was also the year of
entering the Union Theological Seminary at New York.
A tutorship in the family of Dr. John Hall led to his taking
charge of the Alexander chapel in the vacation between
Middle and Senior years. He continued this missionary
work during the last year of his Seminary course and the
two succeeding years. He entered with his whole heart
into this work and felt at the time that he had found his
calling. On May loth, 1870, he married Mrs. Laura W.

I70 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Sessions, widow of Jared D. Sessions. After two years, in
1872, he went abroad for further theological study. He
went to Leipzig, where he" remainedtill 1878. His location
in Leipzig after he had visited various German universities
was due to the attraction of Prof. Delitzsch, one of the
greatest of the German Old Testament scholars. From
the first Prof. Delitzsch showed him much kindness. He
not only directed his studies, but also gave him private
instruction an-iotinting to three or four hours a week. It
was r.ire good fortune to be permitted to work with him
year after year.
The work of Mr. Curtiss in Leipzig was characteristic
of the man. While studying the Semitic languages witli
enthusiasm, under the great German professors, he was
also actively engaged in behalf of the spiritual welfare of
the English-speaking community at Leipzig. He inaug-
tirated weekly prayer-meetings, which were held in his
rooms, and also founded the American chapel.
He took the degree of Ph. D., in 1876. He remained yet
two years in Leipzig, engaged in literary work. He pub
lished several works on Old Testament subjects.
In 1878, Dr. Curtiss was called to the chair of Biblical
Literature in Chicago Theological Seminary, to succeed
Prof. S. C. Bartlett, who had accepted a call to the presi
dency of Dartmouth College. Before leaving Germany he
-was granted the honorary degree of Licentiate of Theology
by the Berlin University.
Dr. Curtiss came to Chicago with the purpose to advance
the study of Semitic languages, more especially the study
of Hebrew. From the beginning of his professorship, he
has stimulated young men to prepare for advanced work
in the Seminary by mastering the elements of Hebrew
before entering the Seminary. He has always given freely
of his time to enable candidates to accomplish this desir
able end. He also established prizes for those who passed
the best entrance examinations iii Hebrew.
In addition to his work as an instructor in the Seminarv,
Prof. Curtiss has written on various topics. In 1880, he pub-

PROF. 8. L CURTISS. 171
lished a popular refutation of IngersoU's " The Mistakes of
Moses," also a translation of Delitzsch's Messianic Proph
ecies. In 1881, he published a monograph on "The Date
of our Gospels in the Light of the Latest Criticism," and
a translation of Delitzsch's Old Testament History of
Redemption. In 1883, with two of his colleagues he helped
to found the annual entitled Current Discussions in Theology.
To this he has contributed the article on Old Testament
Theology for seven years. In 1888-1889, he prepared man
uals for his students on Old Testament Introduction, Old
Testament Theology, the Major Prophets and the Old Tes
tament History of Redemption. In 1891, he published a
memorial volume on Franz Delitzsch, and a new edition
of Delitzch's Messianic Prophecies.
Professor Curtiss has had an important part in Chicago
city missionary work. By preaching in missionary chapels
and visiting from house to house, often accompanied by a
student, he has built up several self-supporting churches.
He has been a director, vice-president and president of the
Chicago City Missionary Society. The office of president
he has held since 1888.
Professor Curtiss has twice been called to a professorship
in the Andover Theological Seminary, but has declined the
call, preferring his work in Chicago.
With regard to theological views. Professor Curtiss is
at once progressive and conservative. He accepts the
results of the higher criticism as soon as they are sup
ported by sufficient evidence to warrant their acceptance.
The inspiration of the Old Testament writings does not
depend for him upon the vindication of their traditional
authorship. He does not regard the Pentateuch as the
work of Moses, but as made up of different documents by
unknown authors, excepting those passages which are
explicitly ascribed to Moses. He agrees with the majority
of critics that the second part of Isaiah is not the work of
that prophet, but originated much later. He has a firm
belief in the inspiration of the Bible, and believes that,
though there may be errors in details, it is the infallible

172 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
rule of faith and practice. His influence for good in train
ing young men for efficient servrceTurpro-mtrting the cause
of Christ, and in impressing upon them his own earnest
and devout spirit, is inestimable.
CAPTAIN CHAUNCEY PAUL.
There is no name perhaps more closely connected with
the history of Union, than that of Captain Chauncey Paul,
who spent his long life of 90 years entirely in town. He
was born in Union, Feb. loth, 1798. He received his edu
cation from the district schools of town, supplemented by
his wide reading. He had a taste for law and in his fre
quent connection with the courts acquired an extensive
and thorough knowledge of legal matters. He served as
deputy sheriff for a number of years, and his business
required him to spend a large part of his time away from
home. In his younger years he was captain of a compaii}'
of cavalry from Union, and the neighboring towns. He
ever afterwards went by the name of " Captain," or "Cap'n "
Paul. In early life, like his military associates (and in fact
like nearly every one in those days), he was of convivial
habits. But about the time of the temperance reform, upon
seeing on one occasion, a friend, overcome by drink, forci
bly ejected from the place where he had been made drunk,
he indignantly vowed to drink no more. He signed the
pledge and turned squarely round and was ever afterwards
a staunch advocate of temperance. He was foremost in
the temperance reform in town, and with Rev. Mr. Curtiss
and others, held meetings in every school-house, for the
purpose of getting people to take the pledge. He delivered
lectures on temperance in the vicinity for several years.
Up to the time that he signed the pledge, he had been a
democrat. He was told by a party leader that if he per
sisted in keeping his pledge he should never hold office in
Union again. This terrible threat was too much for a boon
companion who recanted, but the captain when telling the
incident afterwards would say, " I told them that they had
played their best trump, but I would take the trick." His

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Capt. Chauncey Paul.

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i3

Mrs. Chauncey Paul.

CAPTAIN CHAUNCEY PAUL. 173
later life commanded the more respect and he lived to
hold every important office which his townsmen could give
him. He was strong in his convictions, and always out
spoken. He hated rum and slavery, and was never back
ward about expressing this. He joined the republican
party at its organization^ and was a staunch republican the
rest of his life. He was often a judge of the probate court
for the district of Stafford and Union. He was town clerk
from 1842 to 1845, selectman in 1848, and representative in
the Legislature in the years 1862, 1868 and 1869. He was
a careful and judicious legislator and impressed his per
sonality strongly on those who were members of the legis
lature during those years. When Governor Buckingham
was chosen U. S. Senator, there had been some discussion
whether to elect General Hawley or Governor Buckingham
to that office. Captain Paul arose and said in substance,
" General Hawley is still young. He can afford to wait.
Governor Buckingham deserves this honor for the service
he has rendered. We will elect him." This won over a
number of votes and Governor Buckingham was elected.
The Captain was always in favor of the business of the
legislature moving along promptly. He opposed dallying
and delay. He used to move the previous question so
frequently that he came to be called by some " Old Previ
ous Question." Had he had the advantage of a liberal edu
cation he would have been a still greater power throughout
the state. He was a safe counselor. He administered
upon many estates, and the poor in need of advice went to
him and always got it. Widows with encumbered estates
to settle, soldiers entitled to pensions, neighbors in fear of
or engaged in litigation, all found in him a sympathetic
and wise adviser, always willing to give time to hearing
and counseling, without price. When disqualified by age
from serving as justice of the peace, he was made a com
missioner of the superior court, and annually re-appointed,
holding at the time of his death, a commission signed by
Governor Lounsbury. For over half a century he was a
director of the Tolland County Mutual Fire Insurance
Company.

174 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
He was a firm believer in an overruling Providence, but
was not a member of any church. His influence was
always in favor of the right,-and~he-wa&-much interested
in building up the society in which he lived. He was
looked up to as a man of firm convictions and integrity of
purpose, and he was a helper in every good work. He died
June i8th, 1888, at the age of 90.
HARVEY WALKER.
Harvey Walker was the son of Timothy Walker, of Ash
ford. He came to Union about 1827, and commenced work
in the store which iMoses White had started at Ma.shapati,^-.
He thus became established in business. This he enlarged
after a few years by beginning to manufacture boots and
shoes. About 1836, he formed a partnership with Mr. Jud
son Smith, which was continued till 1841. During his sub
sequent career he was associated in business with a number
of different persons. (.See the Industrial llistory). And
it may be said as indicating the ability and honesty of the
man, that he never had a partner who failed to be benefited
by his connection with him. He started poor, but by dili
gent work, persistent energy and strict integrity, won well
deserved success in his business, and rose to a position of
comparative wealth. He was thorough in whatever he
undertook to do. He not only looked after every detail of
his store and manuf.icturing business, but he was a good
farmer as well. Rev. S. I. Curtiss, his pastor, said of him:
"Mr. Harvey Walker was always in his seat on the .Sab
bath, when he was at home. As a business man he knew
just where he stood, and met promptly and honorably all
his liabilities, and tliercby had the confidence of the eoni-
munity .and of business men. Upon this method of doing
business, he accumulated from comparative poverty a large
estate." At the time of his death he was a partner in four
different concerns, viz.: Walker, Corbin & Tourtelotte, at
Mashapaug; Sessions, Carpenter & Co., of Toronto, Canada;
Bates, King & Co., of Fiskdale, Mass., and Sessions, Toby
& Co., tanners of sole leather, in Canada.

Harvey Walker.

HANNAH MOORE. 175
He was married to Miss Julia Ann White, daughter of
Moses White, May 16th, 1833. They had six children, four
of whom lived to grow up to maturity. In his family, he
was kind and affectionate. He was a true Christian man,
and a generous supporter of the church at Union. He died
suddenly of malignant pustule, March 4th, i860, aged 52.
Mrs. Julia Walker, his wife, was a niost estimable lady.
She was thoroughly devoted to the interests of the church,
and after her husband's death, took a leading part in secur
ing the repair of the meeting-house, giving liberally her
self and encouraging others to the work. After leaving
town to reside with her children, she still continued to
give freely of her means to help support the preaching of
the gospel in Union. She died Dec. 13, 1891, while with
her daughter Laura, the wife of Prof. S. I. Curtiss, D. D.,
at Chicago. Mrs. Walker manifested her interest in the church at
Union, by leaving a legacy of five hundred dollars, the
income of which wjis to go to support preaching at the
Congregational ehurcfi. HANNAH MOORE,
the daughter of Samuel and Amy Whiton Moore, was born
in Union, Nov. i2, 1808. She joined the Congregational
church at Union, Scjit. 6, 1829; where she continued her
membership till Jan. 1842, when she was dismissed to join
the church in Dwight, Cherokee nation. She went thither
from New York city, April 28, 1841, and continued there as
teacher till Jan., 1846, when she was transferred to Mt.
Pleasant, Choctaw nation, but left a few months later. She
was a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions among these tribes. She afterwards
went to West Africa as a missionary, where she labored for
ten years. She frequently sent letters describing her mis
sionary work, to the church at Union, in which she took a
warm interest. She died at Leland, Mich., March 2, 1868,
aged 59. She was a woman of great ability, and of a noble
and devoted Christian character.

176 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
MRS. CALISTA holman VINTON.
It is with great pleasure^that we -record the life of one
who went from Union to the distant land of Burmah, there
on the opposite side of the globe, to toil for the salvation
and elevation of the down-trodden Karen people. Union
may well be proud to be the birthplace of one whose strong
influence for good was felt so far away.
Calista Holman, daughter of Thomas and Lavinia Hol
man, was born April 19, 1807, at the house south of the east
school-house. When she was in her sixteenth year she had
a severe illness which lasted two years. During this pain
ful experience she was converted and became wholly sub
missive to the will of God. She desired baptism and was
baptized in March, 1822, in the brook by the roadside, cast
of the Putnam place. It was then supposed that she would
never recover but was near her end. She was taken to the
house where Squire Luther Crawford then lived, and
received into the Baptist church at West Woodstock. Elder
Grow, the pastor, in administering the Lord's Supper to
her, said: "This is our sister's first communion, and it will
probabl)' be her last. We now reeeive her into the church
militant. She will soon be in the church triumphant."
But so far from being about to enter the church triumph
ant, she had thirty years of Christian warfare before her.
The frail girl of eighteen, whose baptism was looked on as
the last important act of her life, was destined to cross the
ocean and for thirty years endure hardships, and perform
an amount of labor which would have broken down an
ordinary constitution.
Her recovery dated from her baptism. She became
restored to health and began to think that her life was
given to her for some noble purpose. After much prayer
and self-examination she resolved to devote herself to the
work of foreign missions. She was thrown upon her own
resources for the completion of her education, and that
special training necessary to fit her for the work of her
life. By teaching and studying alternately she obtained,
however, an education far in advance of that attained by

MRS. CALISTA H. VINTON. 177
most women of that day. She studied with the pastor at
West Woodstock, where she became acquainted with Justus
H. Vinton of Willington. He studied at the Hamilton
Literary and Theological Institute (now Colgate Univer
sity). Mr. Vinton and Miss Holman were married April 9,
1834. They had already chosen Burmah as the field of
their future labor, and had spent a year together at Hamil
ton, studying Karen with a native, Ko-chet-thaing, who
had come with Rev. Mr. Wade. They sailed in July, 1834,
for Burmah, in company with other missionaries. Their
devoted character is shown by the fact that on the passage,
they engaged in earnest and successful labor for the salva
tion of the crew. They landed in Maulmain in December,
1834, after a long passage of five months. They very soon
began work, traveling through the jungles .and preaching
in the Karen villages. They went separately in order to
reach more people. Their lives were those of great activ
ity and intense devotion to the work of preaching the
Gospel. They visited America in 1848, after fourteen years'
absence, and made addresses in many places, arousing
great missionary enthusiasm. They returned to Burmah,
in 1850. In 1852 the war between the English and the
Burmese broke out. The down-trodden Karens who looked
for deliverance to the English, were very cruelly treated
by the Burmese during the war. The Vintons had previ
ously worked in Maulmain and its vicinity. But now their
services were so greatly needed in .looking after the perse
cuted Christian Karens of Rangoon, that they changed
their field of labor td that city. After the war closed by
the triumph of the English, their mission station was
established at Kemmendine, a short distance out of Ran
goon. Here Mrs. Vinton taught a large High School, with
great ability and success. Mr. Vinton died March 31,
1858. After his death the responsibility of looking after
and guiding the infant churches devolved largely on Mrs.
Vinton. In 1859 she was joined by her daughter Calista,
who had been getting her education at Suffield, Conn. In
1 86 1, her son Brainerd finished his course at Madison Uni-

1 78 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
versity, married Julia A. Haswell, and returned to Buirmah.
The taxing labors which had devolved on Mrs. Vinton, h-ad
so broken down her healtluthat-in-j862 it became necessary
for her to return to America. She came by way of Eng
land, where she found many friends who had known of her
work in Burmah. While in America she was called upon
to make many missionary addresses, and allgwed herself
little rest. She not only spoke in many places in New-
England and the Middle States, but made a trip through
Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and portions of Canada. The
effect of her earnest words on the communities and
churches was thrilling. Enthusiasm was everywhere
aroused, and the missionary spirit quickened in man}-
places where it had almost ceased to exist. Hearts were
touched by the simple appeals of that gray-haired, widowed
missionary, who, having spent years of toil and privation
among the heathen, was about to return to them in all the
freshness of her sanctified zeal for God, there to finish her
toil and thence to ascend to her reward. Her friends would
gladly have had her remain longer in this country. But
licr heart was in Burmah, and in December, 1S63, she sailed
for England and thence by the " Overland Route," (?¦/<?
Egypt and the Red Sea), tb Calcutta and Rangoon, arrivin;^
in March, 1S64. She engaged in the work of the mission
with great hopefulness. 'But it soon became evident that
the old disease had not been eradicated from her system
by her brief visit to America. On Dec. 6, of the same year,
her daughter with her husband, Rev. R. M. Luther, arrived.
Her health steadily declined, and she died Dec. iS, 1864.
It has been said of her and her husband, "Seldom, if
ever, has there been an instance where a missionary and
his wife were both so eminently qualified for the work ami
so eminently successful, as Justus Hatch Vinton and
Calista Holman Vinton. To an uncommon strength of
wiind there was added in each a deep piety and a strong
and ardent faith. They entered upon the work purposim,;
to make great sacrifices and expecting through the Divine
assistance to have many souls for their hire, and in these

REV. THOMAS HOLMAN.

179

expectations they were not disappointed." Their son. Dr.
J. B. Vinton, continued their work till his death, June 23,
18S7. He was a man of remarkable ability and did a
great work. Mr. and Mrs. Luther remained there till 1872
when he took the jungle fever, and they were obliged to
return to America. He was afterwards unable to return
but became district secretary of the Baptist Missionary
Union, and now has a pastorate at Newark, N. J. Mrs.
Luther is a practicing physi.cian.
REV. THOMAS HOLMAN,
the j'oungest son of Thomas and Lavinia Howard Holman,
was born in Union, July 15, 1812. His mother was a noble
Christian woman who trained her children to habits of
industry and in the fear of God. He was converted and
joined the church at N. Ashford, when seventeen years of
age. In early life he evinced a strong desire to obtain an
education. By teaching and self-denial he was enabled to
-enter Madison University, now Colgate, at Hamilton, N. Y.,
in 1833, from which he graduated in 1838. He also studied
theology there, finishing the course in 1840, although his
health was frail during his student life. He was ordained
September 10, 1840, at Southbridge, Mass., and designated
to preach the gospel in destitute portions of the West.
The same year, in company with his brother-in-law and
sister, Rev. Rodolphus and Minerva H. Weston, he went to
Illinois, and located at Carthage, Hancock county. Here
he engaged in preaching and teaching. In 1845, he returned
to Connecticut, and was married August 6, 1846, to Maria
Louisa Cra-wford, daughter of Charles Crawford. They
went West that same year and settled in Bloomington, 111.,
where he preached two years, until failing health compelled
him to return East He preached at Tolland, Conn., for a
time, then at Stafford for five years, where he was very
successful and greatly beloved. He next preached at West
Woodstock for two years. In 1854, he went to Rockford,
III., and soon after to Beloit, Wis., where he labored five
vears both in the church and for the cause of education as

I So BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
superintendent of schools. Later he preached at Darling
ton, Madison, and Oshkosh, Wis.^ at which last place he
labored from 1866 to 1870. From this time to his death
poor health prevented him from taking a regular pastorate,
although he preached more or less in the vicinity of Rock-
ford, where he resided. He made a visit East in 1882, and
died October 4, 1883.
His was a life of toil and sacrifice, the compensation
paid by the pioneer churches being meagre, but one of use
fulness and consecrated devotion to the work of the Chris
tian ministry. His wife and daughter reside in Rockford.
The latter is a teacher of music and painting.
MOSES C. LEONARD,
son of Daniel, Sr., worked on his father's farm and attended
the district school till he was seventeen years of age, when
he began the profession of teaching. He taught first in
Vermont, then in Woodstock, and afterwards in Rockland
Co., N. Y., for four years. There he married Catherine
Barmore, He then moved to New York city, and after
teaching two years engaged in mercantile pursuits. From
1840 to 1850, he took an active part in the political affairs
of his city and state, being alderman, and for three years
sole commissioner of charities and priso.ns. In 1842, he
was elected Representative in the Twenty-seventh Con
gress of the United States. In 1849, he, was commissioned
to take charge of mercantile and mining operations in Cali
fornia. For nineteen years he conducted a farm in Rock
land Co., N. Y. During his mercantile life he was prom
inent in organizing and building up the Knickerbocker
and Washington Ice Companies. Of the former, he was
vice-president, secretary and treasurer, and of the latter,
president, until his retirement from business in 1873. He
is still living in Brooklyn, N. Y. He has had seven children.
JARED D. SESSIONS.
Among those men who have gone forth from Union to
achieve that eminent success which the qualities of steady

^-^--"-"^¦imiir iiirtiirfrmidiii'fffM
Jared D. Sessions.

JARED D. SESSIONS. i8i
industry, untiring energy and practical sagacity are sure
to bring, stands the name of Jared Dana Sessions.
Starting in life amidst narrow and unpromising circum
stances, with all the early influences of education, experi
ence, opportunity and fortune positively against him, strug
gling at first against difficulties insurmountable to less
determined men, never attempting anything but a strictly
legitimate business, and dying while yet in the prime of
manhood, he has left behind him, as a monument of his
perfect success, a munificent fortune, and a reputation
enviable not only for those peculiar qualities that insure
success in business, but for those other qualities of ster
ling integrity, general good sense, gentle deportment and
genial feeling, that mark the conscientious man and the
true gentleman.
Mr. Sessions was bom December 27, 1820. He was the
son of Abijah Sessions, who lived on the place south of
where Thomas Rindge now lives. Here his son Jared
passed his earlier life, working on his father's farm at
times, yet, even here, taking the initial steps, and, in some
sort, qualifying himself for the business undertakings
that were to follow, for even at that early period New Eng
land was literally the shoe-shop of the country, and " bot
toming brogans" had become a favorite occupation on
many of the secluded farms of Union. In this way he
took his first lessons in the shoe business, working on the
bench, and, acting on the maxim that he afterwards carried
so successfully through his whole life, that "whatever was
worth doing at all was worth doing well," he soon came to
know not only all the points of a good shoe, but also to
make one with his own hands.
This accomplished, at the advanced age of twenty-four,
he first started out to make the actual commencement of
his business, and entered in a subordinate capacity, into
the employ of Louis H. Bouton & Co., a shoe house in New
York. Here he remained for about six months, working
hard and picking up such scraps of experience as his
limited opportunities permitted. At the expiration of

i82 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
this period he returned to his native town, where, in the
little village of Mashapaug, he entered into a partnership
with the late Harvey Walker, then one of the lesser pio
neer manufacturers of brogans and russets. This, the
firm of Walker & Sessions, was the real starting point and
nucleus of all those extensive interests, with which he was
subsequently connected.
The business of Walker & Sessions, at first extremely
limited, rapidly expanded and prospered under the new and
united management, but not in proportion to the expand
ing experience and broadening views of !Mr. Sessions, who
soon helped to establish the firm of Sessions, Bates iv: Co.,
at Fiskdale, Mass., and this united field, before long, becom
ing in turn too limited for the plans of Mr. Sessions, the
branch firm of Carpenter & Co., was, in 1855, established
in Toronto, Canada, Mr. Vernon E. Carpenter taking the
active management, and Sessions, Bates & Co., stocking
the establishment.
This experiment proving a success, though in a moder
ate way, and promising still better things, a reorganization
was effected, and in 1856, !Mr. Sessions removed to Toronto
in person. Here his firm soon grew from its humble posi
tion into one of the largest, most influential and prosper
ous manufacturing and jobbing houses in Canada West.
No one who went into partnership with Mr. Sessions failed
to be materially prospered, in proportion to the extent of
his connection with the business.
While residing in Canada, Mr. Sessions engaged quite
extensively in tanning; his first undertaking in that busi
ness being with Mr. D. B. Simpson, of Binghamton, N. Y,,
and his subsequent and more extended operations with Jlr.
Warren Toby, in the provinces. The same careful and
energetic management in these new fields secured him the
same marked success as in another department of the busi
ness. In the spring of 1862, Mr. Sessions established his resi
dence in the flourishing little city of Binghamton, N. Y.
He had closed out his tanning business, but still retained

JARED D. SESSIONS. 183
his connection with the old firm in Toronto, and had pro
vided himself with an elegant home in Binghamton, with
the intention of throwing off the harness of business and
enjoying life more at leisure; but the working habits of
the old business proved too strong for him, and he soon
connected himself with Lester Brothers & Co., one of the
earliest and most successful boot and shoe houses of that
section. With this new infusion of capital and experience,
the business of the firm— largely manufacturing — gradually
grew from the moderate figures of seventy-five or a hundred
thousand dollars a year, into more than four-fold propor
tions. He also connected himself with several other firms.
^tr. Sessions afterwards went to Boston, and at the time of
his death, May, 1868, was living in Maiden, Mass.
The sudden decease of Mr. Sessions, while yet in the
meridian of hiS days, with his experience still ripening,
his powers all unimpaired, and his ambition contemplating
still more extensive purposes in the future, cast a gloom on
many a private circle, and took away a strong prop, that
could ill be spared, from many a scattered business inter
est. His individual friends lost one whose many quiet
virtues could be known only to themselves, and the great
shoe and leather fraternity one who, in all his acts and
aims, cherished and promoted its best interests.
He never allowed his credit to become jeopardized by
getting "cramped" or "hard up," but deliberately looking
tlirough each transaction to its legitimate result, always
had some provision for every pressure and contingency.
Notwithstanding his great amount of business he never
allowed himself to be driven or hurried. With the most
persistent and straightforward application, the most admir
able system and method, and an industry that never wearied
— attempting but one thing at a time, and everything at its
own proper time — he accomplished without apparent fric
tion or fatigfue, an amount of labor that would appall most
ordinary men. He made a fortune which at his death
amounted to over $300,000, the largest ever made by a
native of Union.

1 84 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
A very pleasant trait of character was exhibited in his
treatment of employes and subordinates. Always exact
ing what right required, yet never unreasonable; always
decided, yet never abrupt; quick to discover delinquencies
and needless short-comings, yet considerate and forbear
ing; always with a pleasant smile or kind greeting for the
most humble, ready at all times to listen to grievances and
rectify injustice; prompt to recognize the faithful and meri
torious, to comfort the distressed, and out of his own pri
vate pocket relieve the needy; .seeming to t.ikc a ])crson:il
interciit in tho welfare of each — and all this in such a
simple and unostentatious way that he never failed to win
the good-will and respect of all the h.inds in the establish
ment — he never left them but with their most general and
sincere regret.
But most prominentof all, perhaps, among those peculiar
traits that distinguished Mr. Sessions from too many of our
business men, was the considerate policy and uniform prac
tice of never attempting to build up his own interests at tlu
ruin or expense of others. Acting upon the manly "live
and let live '' principle that there was room enough for all,
and realizing that the true way to help one's self is often
by helping others, but few men have done so much in the
way of establishing new interests, building up new houses,
and in various ways, by capital, by influence, by experience
or advice, assisting such among his acquaintances as he
deemed worthy, to a favorable start in business.
With all his partners and business colleagues, scattered
in different sections of the country, a,nd greatly dift'ering
in tastes, temperaments and business ideas, he always pre
served the most pleasant relations, and at the end of all,
upon the final dissolution of all partnerships, to the s:>d
funcr.ll gathering at the Congregational church in West
Woodstock, being suddenly summoned from their respec
tive avocations, they came by ones and twos from dilVerent
points throughout the United States and Canada, to unite
in paying the last sad tribute to their lamented partner,
friend and benefactor.

A ¦ J',

',*).«i

¦'''S^7 -^^^

^ ^

¦ 'J/ ¦,¦ -'i -

f

J. Maitland Griggs.

JOSEPH M. GRIGGS. 185
What sincerer compliment, what more fitting testi
monial or nobler monument to private virtue or business
worth, than this spontaneous gathering of so many suc
cessful and honored businessmen!
JOSEPH MAITLAND GRIGGS,
the son of Joseph Cheney Griggs, was born in Union, Octo
ber 8, i8i6. The only school education which he received
was derived in the common schools of his native town.
In 1835, he went to Somers, Conn., and was employed there
as clerk in a general store for six years. In September,
1842, he entered the employ of the Boston and Albany Rail
road at Springfield, Mass., as clerk in the superintendent's
office. After about a year in the office he was appointed
ticket agent, and sold tickets in the depot at Springfield
for about eight years. With the increase of traffic on the
road Mr. Griggs found the duties of ticket seller too ex
acting for one man and resigned in the fall of 1851. He
was employed as book-keeper in the Phoenix bank of Hart
ford until the following spring. But he had shown himself
to be such an honest, able and valuable man that he was
soon recalled to the employ of the Boston and Albany road,
being appointed in the spring of 1852, receiving clerk
and ticket agent, and having charge of all the passenger
earnings of the line. He continued in these duties till 1868,
when he was relieved of the duties of receiver and made
general ticket agent, the two offices being divided. In that
year a complete reorganization of the ticket department was
made by Mr. Griggs, and the system was then established
which has been in vogue ever since. The tickets were
printed in series varying from 200 to 10,000, according to
the probable demand, and were numbered consecutively.
By this method an agent can tell at a glance how many he
has sold during the day, and the clerks who count the can
celled ones are aided in their work. Mr. Griggs also de
vised other points by which tickets were improved. His
autograph was printed on all the tickets (instead of their
being signed by the superintendent as at first), and thus

1 86 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
his name has become familiar to the public who travel over
the road. He has become better known by name than by
face, as few men have confined themselves more closely
and methodically to office work than he. His position was
a very important one, but in this as well as in all the others
which he had previously held, he discharged his duties
with entire satisfaction to all those interested in the man
agement of the road. In 1SS9, the main office of the road
was transferred to Boston, and Mr. Griggs resigned his
position and retired to private life. He now (1893), lives
in his elegant home in .Springfield, very much respected by
all who have had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He is
an example of a self-made man, who without the advan
tages of a wealthy parentage or a liberal education, rose
to a high position of trust and responsibility, which he
filled with entire satisfaction to the corporation and great
credit to himself. MISS. SARAH A. PAUL.
This energetic and talented woman was born September
7th, 1834, and was the eighth child of Captain Chauncey
Paul. She began her chosen occupation of teaching when
she was fifteen years of age, in the Hall district, in Staf
ford. She afterwards taught in three different districts in
Sturbridge, three terms in succession in Woodstock Val
ley, at North Ashford, and at the East district in Union.
She taught several terms both at Mashapaug and at the
Center, and also kept several select schools at the latter.
place. She was also an assistant teacher in a High School
in Brooklyn, Conn. ^
During the intervals of her teaching she improved her
own education by attending the select schools in town, and
the State Normal School at New Britain, for one term.
She fitted at Monson Academy for Mount Holyoke Semi
nary. She was at the latter place three years, and would
have graduated had not sickness and death prevented.
While she was there one of the buildings of the Seminary
took fire. She exerted severely, herself with the other stu-

Miss. Sarah Paul.

SARAH A. PAUL. 187
dents, in extinguishing the flames. She took cold and never
recovered, but after a long sickness died Feb. 14th, 1870.
Her ability as a teacher is well shown by a report of the
School Committee of Woodstock, concerning her school
there. It said:
" In many respects she was a superior teacher. No one
visiting her school for half a day could doubt her ability
as a teacher. Teaching is her employment, and we might
almost -say her meat and drink. Her standard is high,
what would satisfy others does not satisfy her. She devo
ted to her school a wonderful amount of labor and strength
hearing classes in the morning before school hours, during
intermission and then again after school, sometimes till
dark — then returning again to teach in the evening. She
has the faculty of eliciting thought and keeping the mind
constantly on the stretch. Her system and order were
excellent. There was no resort to corporal punishment, the
teacher's displeasure and sharp rebukes were punishment
enough for most scholars. The acting visitors were enthu
siastic in praise of this teacher and one of them declared
that for ability to arouse all the energies of a school and
to secure intense application of mind she had no rival
.-iniong all the other teachers he had ever known."
Her energy and enthusiasm were shown in connection
with the building of the new school-house at Mashapaug.
She was " the ruling spirit behind the throne,'' and secured
a unanimity and a heartiness among the people of the dis
trict, in regard to building the new house, which was
highly creditable. She formed the plan of the house and
had it so constructed as to be convenient, neat and pleasant
'.o the eye. When the house was finished she gave the
iieople no rest until the ground around was leveled and put
iUto good shape. Through her especial efforts she estab-
ished a valuable library. Among the substantial works
"or reference was the American Encyclopsedia. It was also
-ll rough her influence that the district purchased a twenty-
livc dollar eight-day clock. After the house was completed
^he invited a gentleman connected with the Normal School

i88 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
at New Britain, to give a lecture on education in the new
house. He came on the evening set apart for the occasion;
Rev. Mr. Curtiss was also present, and there was a large
audience. The new house was dedicated by prayer and
other appropriate exercises, to the cause of education in
the true import of the word, intellectual, moral and physi
cal. The following extracts are made from her funeral ser
mon which was preached by Rev. S. I. Curtiss:
"In all her secular pursuits she aimed to glorify God.
She so arranged and pursued them that she might increase
her usefulness in the church and the world, and to her best
ability fulfill the mission which Christ had given her to
perform. She believed that her special mission was teach
ing, and to be a good and successful teacher, she must be
as highly qualified in her mental and moral powers as pos
sible, and for the accomplishment of this object purposed
in her heart to obtain a liberal education in the Female
Seminary at South Hadley. ***** jj^t jigj. pur.
pose was made in faith and love to God and His cause and
she went forward step by step, as fast as the way opened,
and the way did open, until she finished her education.
But she toiled in. the school-room year after year, securing
her power and popularity as a teacher, that she might do
good to those committed to her charge. Though she
valued money as the means to the accomplishment of the
noble purpose of her soul, yet she loved to teach and had
rather do it than not. She had an enthusiasm in it. ¦* ''
* * * sjie stood firm for" the right everywhere. In
carrying out her plans to promote the well-being of the
community, she was energetic, persistent, and persevering,
until the work she had in hand was accomplished. * * *
* ¦* To the unthinking, the remote circumstances con
nected with her death may seem imprudent, if not rash.
But here is an instance in which she forgot herself in doing
good to others. The interests of the Seminary and all that
was connected with it, filled her mind, and nerved her with
almost supernatural strength until the great burden of her

s?

David P. Corbin, A. M.

DAVID P. CORBIN. 189
heart was rolled off in extingfuishing the fire through her
heroic efforts and those of her associates in learning.
Doubtless it will be seen in the wisdom of God, and the
wonderful plan of redemption, that this was no waste of
life any more than the alabaster box of ointment which the
woman in the Gospel took and poured upon the head of
Jesus, was a waste of money."
Though she died at the age of thirty-six, yet she accom
plished a noble work, the influence of which will be felt
for many years to come. DAVID p. corbin.
The subject of this sketch was born in Union, July nth,
1833, and was the oldest son of Benjamin and Maria P. Cor
bin. After attending the district school near his father's
house, he went to Ashford and Eastford to the select
schools which were held there in the falls of 1848 and 1849.
In 1850, he was instrumental in starting the select schools
in Union. He attended these three falls, and taught win
ters. In Union he taught in the Rock-meadow and South
west districts, and began to manifest those qualities which
afterwards made him so successful as a teacher. He inter
ested the scholars in study, and encouraged several to seek
for a liberal education. He pursued his own studies at
Groton Academy, where Rev. Charles Hammond was prin
cipal, and also for a short time at Madison University, at
Hamilton, N. Y., in company with Justus V. Lawson. He
finished his preparation for college at the Connecticut Lit
erary Institution at Suffield, Conn. In the fall of 1856, he
entered Brown University, at Providence, R. I., and grad
uated there in i860. After his graduation he taught a year
at Suffield and had just entered upon a second year when
the call came for 300,000 men to serve in the army for nine
months. Mr. Corbin was an intense patriot, and he enlisted
in the service of his country August 25th, 1862, to serve
nine months. He at once began to raise recruits in Suf
field, and soon after came to Union and secured a consider
able number of volunteers here. These men from Union,

190

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

with those from Suffield, were mustered into Company G,
of the 22nd Regiment., Mr. Corbin was appointed ist lieu
tenant. On March 2nd, 1863, he was promoted to the rank
of captain. (For an account of the regiment, see the mili
tary history). He was mustered out July 7th, 1863, In the
fall of that year he started a private high school in Willi
mantic, In this work Mr. Corbin proved his thorougli
capabilities ns a teacher, and ns a gentleman of eaiiability
and tact thoroughly comnieiulcd himself to Ihocomniunit)-.
In iiS65, he taught in liliist Hartford for 11 year. In llie
fall of 1.S65, he was called lo take eliarge of tlie new
Natehaug school at Willimantic, the higher depiirtmenl of
which was the outgrowth of his former school there. Ik-
set about at once to develop and perfect a graded system
in the new school. He gave it a thorough organization
and a lasting impetus. He had the faculty of impartin;,;-
to his pupils something of his own energy and enthusiasm.
He had many entert.iinments given by the scholars, and
interested parents and tlie public generally in the sclionl.
Tuition pupils begun to be attracted from the sun-ouiuling
towns. Hut Mr, Corbin's excessive disposilion to energy
was toogreat foi' his constitution and he overta.\ed himself.
Hence he ix'signcd in the fall of i,S6y, greally lo ihe re^;i-i-l
of the friends of tlie school. In the words of the resolii
lion passed at the .school-meeling whieli uiiwilliiigly dis
missed him, he had "jirovcd himself llionuighly eompe-
teiit for the position," had "satisfied both pareiils and
scholars," had given the school i\ "good name," and had
"laid the foundation of a long prosperity,"
After a short period of rest and diversion, Mr, Corbin
accepted the position of principal of the West Middle Pub
lic School at Hartford, which position he lield till his death.
Here he worked with the same energy and enthusiasm
which he had displayed at Willimantic, and won much the
same name and fame which he had there. His radical
measures were at first strongly opposed by some of the
lieoplc of the district (which includes many of the wealth
iest and most influential people in Hartford), but he lived

DAVID P. CORBIN.

191

to overcome all opposition and the success of his school
proved that his ways were best. At the time of his death
the Hartford Courant said of him, " His excellent qualifica
tions have as a man and a teacher won for him many
friends in this city." Mr. Corbin was never very vigorous
and robust physically. Toward the close of his career in
Hartford he began to be considerably troubled with pul
monary difficulties. In October, 1879, in company with his
brother, William M. Corbin, he went to Colorado to seek to
regain his health. The disease had progressed too far,
however, and his health continued to decline. His wife
was with him for a few weeks before his death, which
occurred March 15th, 1880, at Larned, Kansas. Funeral
services were held at Hartford, which were very impres
sive, the teachers and pupils of the West Middle Public
.School attending in a body. The services were conducted
by Dr. George M. Stone, pastor of the Asylum Avenue Bap
tist church, where Mr. Corbin was a member. Rev. Dr.
Twichell of the Congregational church, and Rev. Dr. S.
Dryden Phelps, editor of the Christian Secretary. The re
mains were then brought to Union where another service
was held Sunday, March 21st, at the Congregational church.
Rev. George Curtiss, a life-long friend of the deceased,
preached the sermon. Rev. Mr. Matthewson, of North Ash
ford, and Rev. William Randall, of Thompson, a very warm
friend of Mr, Corbin, were present. Mr. Curtiss said, among
other things, " David P. Corbin was a man of mental and
moral strength. That influence was always exerted for
the right and for the welfare of his fellows. He had a ten
der conscience and strong convictions of duty. There was
a moral earnestness about him that impressed one. He
was a lover of his native town and gave himself to his
country, served her faithfully and won promotion in her
service. He was ever pure in heart and companionable.
He early gave his heart to Christ, made a profession of
religion, and joined the Baptist church at North Ashford.
He was a sincere, earnest and manly Christian. His last
message to the teachers in his school was, ' Make more of
character than of scholarship.' "

192

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

He was buried in the east cemetery, near his birthplace.
He left a wife and one son, Frank, who was a most esti
mable young man, but wTib was cut off liy death, June 21,
1886. WILLIAM M. CORBIN.
Hon. William M. Corbin was born in Union, May 13th;
1835, being the second son of Dea. Benjamin and Maria P.
Corbin, who resided in the eastern part of the town. The
subject of this sketch received a common school education
in the schools of his native town, and outside of his own
school district, attended a select school at the Center four
fall terms, from 1850 to 1853, inclusive, thus preparing him
for the honorable and successful business career that has
followed. In 1853, at the age of eighteen, he left home and
took a clerkship in the store and shoe manufacturing estab
lishment of Walker, Sessions & Co., of Mashapaug, and
there remained three years. In 1856, at the age of twenty-
one, he became a member of the firm of Sessions, Bates \:
Co., of Fiskdale, Mass., who were also connected with
Walker, Sessions & Co., of Mashapaug, and Sessions, Car
penter & Co., of Toronto, Canada. In 1858, he returned to
Mashapaug, and the firm of Walker, Corbin & Tourtellotte
was formed to succeed the business of Walker, Sessions iV
Co. The death of Harvey Walker, the senior member,
occurring early in i860, left the management of the busi
ness in the hands of Mr. Corbin, who was made or appointed
the sole administrator of Mr. Walker's estate with its large
interests. This came to him at the age of twenty-five, and
was a responsibility that falls to few at so early an age,
and which he carried through in an able and thorough
business manner. The firm of Corbin & Tourtellotte suc
ceeded- the firm of Walker, Corbin & Tourtellotte in 1861,
and continued until i868, when Milton H. Kinney was
admitted, and the firm name became Corbin, Tourtellotte
I'v: Co, The business was continued until 1871, when Mr.
Tourtellotte retired, and the business at Mashapaug was
continued by the remaining partners under the name of
Corbin & Kinney, until 1881, when the firm dissolved, mak-

,j*^Ri,,

• -.-^'J?

m

n.

Hon. Wm. M. Corbin.

WILLIAM M. CORBIN.

193

ing twenty-eight years of active business life at Mashapaug,
including the time spent at Fiskdale and a partnership for
twenty-five years continuously. During his residence at
^lashapaug, he had a very honorable and successful record
in public life, acting as administrator, executor, and trustee
of estates, guardianships for minors, including the sons of
the late Harvey Walker, until they became twenty-one
years of age, and a director of Stafford Springs Bank from
its inauguration in 1872. In addition to these he held
various political offices in Union, such as selectman and
register of voters for several j'ears, also representative in
the legislature of 1868, declining a re- election. During his
legislative term, he served on the important Committee of
Railroads. For nearly eighteen years, from 1862 to 1880,
he was a deputy sheriff, and in the latter year elected
sheriff of Tolland county for three years, from June i, 1881.
In 1875 he was elected senator from the old Twentieth Dis
trict. In 1884 he was a delegate to the Republican conven
tion at Chicago, which nominated James A. Garfield for
President. He was for several years a member of the
Republican town committee of Union, and of the Repub
lican State Central Committee of Connecticut, represent
ing the old Twentieth District, and was a very strong
Republican in politics, holding a leading and influential
position in the councils of his party in Connecticut. He
joined the Congregational church of Union in 1859, and
has continued his membership there ever since, being a
liberal contributor to its support. He was active in the
extensive repairs of the church in 1865, taking a leading
fiart and assisting liberally towards the cost of the same.
After his election as sheriff of Tolland county, Mr. Corbin
was urged to make his headquarters at Rockville, the
largest centre in the county, and in i88i he bought out a
hardware business there and successfully continued the
business until failing health compelled his retirement in
1884, In 1881 he had taken his family to Hartford for edu
cational purposes, retaining his legal residence at Union
until 1884, since which time be has been a resident of Hart-
«3

194

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ford. His failing health would not admit of his being a
candidate for re-election for sheriff, .hence he declined a
renomination. For the next three years he was in very
poor health, and gave up all business interests and cares,
not expecting to live, having Bright's disease. In the fall
of 1887, came the failure of the Stafford National Bank,
which seriously affected the Stafford Savings Bank, on
account of its large holdings and interests in the stock of
the National B.ink, and other dimbtful .assets. Although
.still in impaired health and hardly able to leave his home,
Mr, Corbin was called to the presidency of the Savin;,.^s
Bank, and at a time when a receivership of the bank
>ieemed necessary nnd inevitable, lie at once direeled
hiniself to the straightening out of the niTairs of the bank,
where he rendered a very valuable service in lielping to
restore confidence and placing on a sound basis what is
to-day a very strong bank. He was also chosen chairman
of the stockholders' committee of the Stafford National
Bank to assist in rearranging the same. He gave to that
work and to the Savings Bank all of his time until the fol
lowing July, when he resigned the presidency of the Sav
ings Bank to take the cashiership of the First National
Bank, w-hich was organized in July, 1 888, .nnd commenced
business August 2nd, following, with a successful record
since. All of the work that he h.is done for the blinking
interests of Stafford Springs has had a very hearty suiiport
and approval of the people and business interests of that
section. His high character and honorable business record
has done much to place the finanei.tl institutions he has
been connected with on a sound and strong fooling with
the full confidence of the people. In October, iSSH, with
Cyril Johnson and Richard G. Beebe, of Stafford, Merrick
A. Marcy, of Union, and Samuel G. Adams, of Boston, he
organized the Central Woolen Co., of Stafford Springs, pur
chasing the Granite Mill Co. property and changing it to a
woolen mill. Mr. Corbin was chosen president of the com-
p.-iny, which has done very much to add to the business
interests of Stafford Springs, and has itself had a verv sue-

JUSTUS V. LAWSON. 195
cessful and profitable career. This covers the leading
points of his business record and public life, which have
been an honor both to himself and his native town of Union.
JUSTUS V. LAWSON.
This promising young man, who was cut off at the
beginning of a career which gave indications of being one
of great usefulness, was the fifth child of Deacon Paul and
Lydia H. Lawson. 'He was born April 4, 1834. When he
was sixteen yearsold he experienced religion, and became
very thoughtfuland earnest. On Mayj4th, 185 1, he joined
the Baptist church in Stafford of which his uncle Thomas
Holman was then pastor. He began to think earnestly of
devoting his life to the work of the Christian ministry, and
with the approval of the church entered upon a course of
preparation for it. , He had already attended select school
in Union. In the fall of 185 1 he entered Madison Univer
sity at Hamilton, N. Y., spending two years in the prepara
tory department and one in the college. At the close of
his Freshman year, he was taken sick with typhoid fever,
came home and died August 13th, 1854. He was an excel
lent scholar, and stood nearly at the head of his class. He
spent two of his vacations in work as a colporteur for the
American Tract Society. He traveled in Tompkins, Tioga
and Delaware counties, visiting the families, inquiring
about their religious condition and selling them Bibles and
other religious books. In] this work he was very happy
and earnest to do good to the people he visited. In his
short Christian career he gave evidence that his heart was
richly imbued with the love of Christ. His high Christian
character and the estimation in which he was held by his
friends, are shown in the resolutions which were adopted
by his classmates on hearing of his death. He is there
spoken of as "one whose virtues and nobleness of soul
endeared him to all, and whose industry, meekness, and
fidelity rendered him an^example worthy of imitation. His
superior proficiency in scholarship,"scholastic learning and
social deportment ever commanded our admiration, and

196 BIOGRAPHICAL. SKETCHES.
his unsullied reputation as an humble and devoted Chris
tian, AVill leave in the hearts of his classmates a hasting
remembrance of his name,'- 
CIIAUl.l-.S V. MORSK.
Charles F, Morse, the son of Amasa Morse, was born in
Union, September 5, 1844, After attending school in liis
native town, he went to Monson Academy where he was
under the cliargc of Rev, Charles Hammond, who look ,-i
great interest in him. He was a iieculiarly industrious
nnd serious scholar, and a young man of inirc and nobk-
character. lie had to depend largely on his own elVorts lo
obtain his education. Yet he graduated with honors ;il
Monson, and at Amherst in 1872. lie then entered the
Yale Divinity School, where he graduated in 1875. 1 le was
licensed to preach by the New Haven West Congregational
Association on Alay 5, 1874. After graduating from the
Seminary, he was called to supply the Congregatiqnal
church at Brookfield, Mass., nnd also to settle there perm;i-
ncntly, but instead of being ordained and installed he jire-
ferrcd to supply for one year before accepting the call. In
the middle of that year's siijiply he was cut down by lV\er
and died there on August 24th, 1876, He left a wife wliose
hand had hardly been removed from the bridal altar ere
the sacred bond was sundered. His funeral took place al
the Congregational church at Union, where the followiiii;
ministers were present: Rev, H. Davis, of Abington, who
preached the sermon; Rev. Mr. Blanchard, of Brookfield;
Rev. Mr. Butler, of Woodstock, and Rev. J. P. Watson, of
Union, besides Rev. Amasa ^lorse, the father of the
deceased. A few days after the funeral, the centennial reunion
was held at Mashapaug. Here Mr. Hammond in the course
of his remarks, alluded to Mr. Morse as follows: "It is,
indeed, an irrepartible loss, .and the saddest of all calami-
tics, when a young man, fitted by native gifts and ample
training of those gifts, for the Christian ministry, suddenly
falls in the full vigor of life, at the very outset of his

Rev. Charles Morse.

THE ARMOUR BROTHERS. 197
career. ****** It is some consolation to know
that a noble life though prematurely closed, long endures
ill its transmitted influences. Such a life cannot wholly
perish. Death cannot destroy the character of the faith
ful, blameless Christian scholar, who attained the foremost
rank at Monson, at Amherst and at the Divinity School at
Yale. Cherished and consecrated in the affections of sur
vivors, the name of Charles F. Morse will live forever in
the annals of his native town."
At the close of the speaking, the following resolutions,
offered by D. P. Corbin, of Hartford, were unanimously
adopted :
.. In view of the recent death of Rev. Charles Fitch Morse, a native
" of Union, a graduate of Monson Academy, Amherst College, and Yale
Theological Seminary, a man of sterling worth, and unusual abilities,
,wlio had in a short time won the deep respect and love of the people
'with whom he labored— and who was expected to take part in these
c-iercises to-day, —
Resolved, By his friends and acquaintances, in Centennial Reunion
here assembled.
That we deeply deplore his death, as a great loss to our town, and to
the community at large; cut down, as he seems to us to have been, in
the very outset of a career of great usefulness.
That we assure his relatives of our deep sympathy with them in the
loss of a loving husband, a filial son, and a devoted brother.
That copies of these resolutions be tendered his wife and parents.
THE ARMOUR BROTHERS.
Little did the people of Union think, when Danforth
Armour left town in 1825, that his sons were destined to
achieve such great success in business, or carry on so vast
an amount of it as they have done. Their history, espe
cially that of Philip D. Armour, the prince of American
business men, will be read with interest by the people of
Union, where the Armours lived for nearly a century.
The names of these sons of Danforth Armour are, Sim-
con Brooks, Andrew Wntson, Philip Danforth, Herman
Ossian nnd Joseph Francis. Only three of these arc now
living, Joseph F. Armour, having died in January, 1881,
and Andrew Watson Armour in May, 1893. There was

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,
198
another brother, Charles Eugene, who died in tho nrmy,
August lath, 1863.
As will appear in the following sketch, Simeon B.
Armour has been at the head of the business at Kansas
City, since that branch was established. He has now asso
ciated with him the two sons of Andrew Watson Armour,
viz.: Kirkland B. and Charles W. Armour, who are credited
with being among the best and foremost business men of
the West, and maintaining the reputation of the Armour
name. Philip Danforth is at Chicago, while Herman O.
has charge of the business in New York city. Joseph F.
Armour was in Chicago till his death.
The following sketch, (which we take from the Chicago
/ntcr-Ocean,) relates principally to Philip D. Armour:
All agree that Pliilip D. Armour is an extraordinary man. At the
age of 60 he continues active in business with undimmed mental vigor,
a recognized leader in the world of commerce, the guiding genius of an
enormous business that gives employment to 15,000 men, and a philan
thropist whose deeds are as unassuming as they are noble and generous.
If one succeed in catching the faintest outlines of so heroic a figure
there are plenty of others ready to fill in the shadows. Amid the crowd
of contemporary business leaders he towers, like a son of Anak, above
all his compeers.
First of all, Mr. Armour may be described as distinctively and
intensely American. So were his ancestors for generations back, both
lineal and collateral. In the early history of the paternal branch of the
family special mention is made of his ancestors as being " possessed of
bright ideas, and noted for their clever acts." John Plankinton was
quick to discover this same capacity in the beginning of Philip's busi
ness career. The maternal wing was of good old Puritan stock, and
credited with the possession of an unusual amount of sound common
sense. Some were gallant commanders in the most important battles of
the revolution. One who received his death wound while leading a bril
liant charge in 1776, W.IS referred to by General Washington as "the
gallant and brave Colonel Knowlton, who would have been an honor to
any country " Such, then, was the quality of blood whence spraiij;
, Danforth Armour and Julia Ann Hrooks, father and mother of Philip.
They left Union, Conn., in September, 1S25, and settled at Stock-
bridge, Madison County, N. Y., where Philip D, Armour was born May
16, 1832. There were six brothers and two sisters. Farming was their
occupation. Habitual frugality and industry were the fundamental
principles and characteristic features of the parents. These family

Mr. Philip D. Armour.

PHILIP D. ARMOUR.

199

tenets were laid down in their simplest forms and instilled with human
sunshine into the life of each child. Their school experience was the
best th^ local red school-house could afford. Some of the children were
fortunate enough to attend the neighboring village seminary. This was
the case with Philip, and many are the anecdotes that are related of him
by his schoolmates. He was genial to a. degree, healthy, resolute and
strong; he held his own wherever events found him; not a follower but
a leader of his schoolmates, as later events were bound to make him
among his fellowmen.
During the winter of 1851 and '52, the excitement attending the dis
covery of gold in California having spread over the country,, a party was
organized to make the overland trip. Mr. Armour was invited to join it,
and was influenced by a growing desire to get out into the world. A
country life on Stockbridge hills was too obscure and irksome for one so
tempered. He was just entering upon his manhood, and to go was only
to satisfy his ambition. The party left Oneida, N. Y., in the spring of
1S52 and reached California six months later. In making this trip they
were not exempt from the trials and dangers attending similar journeys.
A miner's life, as everyone knows, has its privations and uncomforta
ble surroundings. These were not to be endured in vain. The pitfalls
and vices that were so common in a country that was turned over to so
many adventurers, could not find lodgment with one of so resolute a
character and fixed a purpose. The vicissitudes of this early experience
rather tended to broaden his views and knit together bis dominant char
acteristics. In 1856 he returned to the East and visited his parents, whom he
always held in reverential affection. He minutely laid before them all
he had accomplished during his absence. To a few of the most intimate
friends of the family, the father whispered the fact of the young man
having brought back some money with him.
After remaining with them for a few weeks he once more turned
westward and finally located in Milwaukee, where he formed a copart
nership and entered the commission business with Frederick B. Miles.
After a successful run they dissolved in 1863. The dogmatic and per
sistent way in which be pursued his business, and his characteristic
manner of reaching out for new ideas, brought him prominently before
his fellow townspeople. Though yet young, he was looked upon by
many with almost envy for the prestige he had attained.
In the spring of 1863, there occurred what later years proved to be
the forerunner of a very successful business engagement in the joint
copartnership arrangement between John Plankinton and Philip
Armour. Mr. Plankinton had been for some years previously engaged
in the pork packing industry with Frederick Layton. This firm had dis
solved, as had also that of Miles & Armour, before mentioned. Mr.
Plankinton was Mr. Armour's senior, and had been a resident of Mil-

200 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
waukee for a much longer period.. He had established a most thrivinj;
business, which had been conducted with unerring judgment. He stood
high as a merchant, and commanded the respect of all as a public-spirit
ed citizen. This vras Mr. Armour's opportunity. How well he handled
himself and the business that fell to him, the history of the commercial
world is alone witness. To the pork packing business of Mr. Plankinton
he brought that unremitting labor and concentration of thought that were
so peculiarly his own. The fluctuations in the price of provisions at the
closing scenes of the war left the firm with a fortune. This, with the
development of the country, gave them an opportunity of extending
their growing business.
At Chicago, in 1S62, Mr. Armour's brother, Herman O. Armour, had
established himself in the grain commission business, but was induced
to surrender this to a younger brother, Joseph F. Armour, in i.^iCs and
take charge of a new firm in Now York then organized under the name
of Armour, Plankinton & Co. The reason for the organization of the
New York house was most obvious. The finanei.1l condition of the West
at that period did not permit of the large lines of credit necessarj' for
the conducting of a lousiness assuming such magnitude, and it was, there
fore, as events proved, most fortunate that the duties devolving upon
the head of this house should fall to one so well qualified to handle them.
He was not only equal to the emergency, but soon became favorably
known as a man possessing great financial ability, .and was in fact the
eastern financial agent of all the western houses.
The firm name of II. O. Armour & Co., was continued at Chicaj^o
until 1S70. They continued to handle grain and commenced packing
hogs in iS63. This part of the business, however, was conducted undur
the firm name of Armour & Co., and in 1870 they assumed all the busi
ness transacted at Chicago. The business of all these houses under llieir
efficient maniigcmeiit, grow to dimensions that were tho marvel of the
trade, Tlioir binnds became as well known in all tho maikcls of ilio
world ns at lionic.
It became evident in 1S71 that tho stock-producing power of tin-
country was migraliiig westward, and in order to keep abreast of tin.-
times Ihcy established at Kansas City the firm known ns Plankinton \
Armour. This enterprise was under the immediate supervision of Mr.
Simeon li. Armour, an elder brother. The failing health of Joseph at
Chicago, necessitated assistance, and Milwaukee, as we h.ive already
seen, had brains to spare; consequently Pliilip moved to Chicago in 1S75,
where he has since resided.
The fraternal feelings manifested on every occasion for the welfare
and prosperity of his own family wore notice.-ible in the organization of
the Armour Bros. Banking Company, at Kansas City, Mo,, in 1879. At
that time there remained at the old homestead at Stockbridge, but one
of the Armours, Andrew Watson. This new institution was created for

PHILIP D. ARMOUR. 201
this brother, and he assumed its presidency and its management, con
ducting its affairs with signal ability.
As an illustration of the acuteness and quick perception which is a
family trait, there is related an interesting incident of this brother.
Soon after first having been installed in office, a member of a Montreal
firm who had enjoyed extensive transactions with the Chicago house,
and stood high in commercial circles, while at Kansas City on his way
to a depot from his hotel, discovered that he had not sufficient money to
procure the necessary transportation to a point in Texas whither he was
en route. Looking around he noticed the banking sign and thought of his rela
tions with the Chicago house. It occurred to him that the bank might
bo induced to cash a draft on his Montreal house for ^2$, notwithstand
ing he was <t total stranger. He applied to the teller and related his
story, who promptly refused, but told him he had better see the cashier.
The cashier declined, but told him to lay the matter before Mr. Armour.
So, for the third time, he repeated his story to Mr. Armour, who asked
him if $25 was not a pretty small amount and if he would not be better
pleased with 1S50. He replied in the negative, and said $25 was suflS-
cient. As quick as a flash the farmer bank president told him he could
have the money. If he had been a rascal, Mr. Armour said, he would
have taken the S50. It is needless to say the draft was paid.
It is not to be wondered at that the management of the many millions
that were invested at the other points mentioned should take their cue
and follow in the footsteps of the wise and intrepid California pioneer at
Chicago. This was done invariably with alacrity, and so harmoniously
that it has made them all renowned. It is impossible to convey to one
not familiar with the scope of the business any idea of its magnitude.
The distributive sales of the Chicago house alone are in excess of the
gross receipts of any railroad corporation in the world. Even in a busi
ness of this magnitude there is nothing too great for Mr. Armour to
h.indle, notliing so small that he can overlook it.
Mr. Armour's capacity for work is something marvelous. He is at his
desk at 7 a. m. and frequently before. Fatigue is an unknown term.
He has traveled extensively, but wherever time has found him, it has
been among those who consimied his products and where necessarily his
agencies had been established; his mind would turn intuitively to his
industries, and thus his recreation became a source by which he qualified
himself as to the merits of his representatives, as well as the require
ments of the people and their condition. He is a close observer and can
give as clear and accurate a forecast of the coming financial condition of
the country as it is possible to do.
At the earnest solicitation of the late Alexander Mitchell he became
one of the directory of the St. Paul Railway. This is the only office he
has ever held. Political preferment is neither the bent of his mind nor

202 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
in the line of his ambition. He was never known to occupy a public
office. Mr. Armour was married to Miss Malvina Belle Ogdcn, at Cincinnati,
in October, 1862. She was the only daughter of Jonathan Ogdon. In
making mention of this circumstance, it must occur to any one who has
been fortunate enough to have been at all intimate with the family his
tory, that their home life has been singularly happy. Domestic economy
was no more truly one of tho hearthstones of Mr. Armour's inheritance
than it was of Mrs. Armour's. These family precepts were laid down
and fostered in every way. They have two sons, Jonathuu Ogden and
Philip D., both under 30 years of ago, and active partners with their
father. It can safely be said they will carry their honors gracefully and with
becoming modesty. They are quiet in manner; nothing can agitate
them, and it is pretty sure guessing that the name of Armour will never
be tarnished by their acts.
The father of these two brothers is one of the most affable of men.
He is approachable notwithstanding his great cares and responsibilities.
He leaves all of these at his otlice and enters his family circle to find
that joy and contentment which alone spring from an administration of
home life that is simple, gracious and of an unostentatious character.
Mr, Armour is one of tho most unwearying of workers. The coll of
his tremendous energy never scorns to run down, " Fow persons real-
i-/,e," said one who knows him intimately, " that Mr. Arnmur works
harder than any man who carries a tin pail, but it is nbsoliiloly trnu.'-
Most men who possess the keenness of intellect and the activity of iiiiiul
which distinguish him would have so many irons in the firo that they
would bo in perpetual confusion.
But no person is more neat and methodical than this great inci-cli:iiit.
He drives from his Prairie Avenue residence to his ofiice in the Home
Insurance Building every morning except Sunday before 7 o'clock.
Both he and Mrs. Armour are at breakfast by 5.30 or 5 45, though
of course guests who chance to be in the house are at perfect liberty
to sleep as late as they like and breakfast at any hour they may choose.
Occasionally, however, Mr. Armour has the pleasure of entertaining a
rural visitor from the Stockbridge hills, who is up and ready to eat
breakfast " by candle light." Though unaccustomed to city ways, these
old friends of his boyhood days back in Madison county, New York, are
always welcome, They say " Hello, Phil," when addressing Mr.
Armour, nud he takes them cordially by the hand, invites them to go
for a sight-seeing drive about town and to a pleasant corner in his home
during their stay. He could do no more for the President of the St.
Paul Railroad. In regard to these common courtesies of life and the
grace of hospit.ility, Mr. Armour has not changed with his change in con
dition. The hand of fellowship is still his; the spirit of comradeship still
starts a warm glow in his heart. Money has not dimmed the flame.

PHILIP D. ARMOUR. 203
There used to be a time in years gone by when Mr. Armour did not
retire to rest at 9 i>. m., as he does now, but he changed this order by dis
cussing the question with Mrs. Armour and deciding that they would
be getting up instead of going to bed as many society folk do, when the
chickens begin to crow for daylight. He is seldom away from home at
night unless attending u banquet of the Commercial Club or some
kindred entertainment in which he is specially interested. An im
portant meeting at the Armour Mission would perhaps keep him out
as late as anything, for his heart is in this work, and he gives it his care
ful personal supcr^'ision.
Thus ns the burden of years increases he is by his very habits of life
enabled to continue the enormous tasks for which his vigorous consti
tution so admirably qualified him in the beginning. Mr. Armour is a
kind of steam engine on two legs, with heart of fire and lungs of steel,
pursuing his unhasting and unresting way at a pace which leaves most
other men far behind. His distinguishing characteristics as a man of
business are an instinct of order that is very marked; an immense fac
ulty for eliciting the best services of executive men employed under him;
a phenomenally retentive memory; the power of concentration and of
diverting his thoughts from any subject at will, and a great faculty for
sleep. He is usually retiring to rest when other men are starting forth
to fashionable entertainments. Considering these things and the con
stitution of steel which he inherited from his rugged farmer ancestors,
who lived much in the open air, and a digestion that nothing seems to
impair, and you have some explanation of the amount of work which he
is able to do. As one of his most trusted young men said to the writer,
Mr. Armour's wonderful knowledge of details in his vast and varied
business operations is something perfectly astonishing to the heads of
department whom he calls up to question almost every day. Another
mighty advantage which he possesses for the dispatch of business is that
he is capable of entirely changing the current of his thoughts at a
moment's notice.
Nothing preoccupies him longer than he chooses to let it preoccupy
him. With one caller he may be discussing some question of policy
touching the management of the St. Paul Railroad, and with tbe next
some matter pertaining to the purchase of $500,000 worth of live
stock. But whether the caller have a mission of real importance or a.
grievance about a consignment of sausages he will find Mr. Armour
remarkably well informed on the matter to be discussed. Of course
the consignee of sausage would hardly be granted an interview if
any of Mr. Armour's secretaries found out what was wanted. But
whatever the subject may be on which he is engaged, he devotes him
self to it thoroughly; whatever he does, he does with his might, and
does with such concentration as to leave no room for thinking about
anything else.

204 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Although Mr. Armour is now beginning to shift some of the respon
sibilities of his enormous business more and more to the shoulders of
his two sons, who are his active partners and whom he expects lo suc
ceed him, he still manages to get down to work before any of his clerks.
But when the weather permits he now goes out every afternoon at 3
o'clock for a drive on the boulevards, and after dinner in the evening
he walks briskly awhile for physical exercise. These simple diver
sions are the sums of his recreations, except when he goes abroad for
his annual to-ur of Europe. Every morning when he reaches his desk in
his La Salle street office he is greeted by a handsome bouquet of roses
with a steer's polished horn for a holder.
There is no doubt that Mr. Armour is deeply interested in young
people, and is only too happy when he has the opportunity to encourage
the young and ambitious. He is ever ready to put forth special effort to
shape the character of those whose lives are in the most plastic period.
On a certain occasion when traveling to the East, it is s.aid, he became
deeply interested in a colored boy— a sleeping-car porter — whom he saw
trying to read a book. In his genial way he called the boy " Gener-il
Forest." " General," said he, " I'll give you ^5 if you will read one line of that
book without stopping to spell out the words."
The astonished boy grinned, but accepted the liberal offer and read a
lino without hesitation. lie not only received the $5, but on further
questioning disclosed a hungering and thirsting after knowledge that
caused Mr. Armour to propose a way for his education. The " General "
was taken from the sleeping-car service and sent to Oberlin College,
where he was educated at Mr. Armour's expense. It is said that he
became a very good scholar, and left college to enter tbe ministry.
Another very suggestive incident, which serves to illustrate Mr.
Armour's sympathy for the weak and unfortunate, occurred during one
of the many voyages lie has made in recent years to the old world. He
was traveling through France. One day in a manufacturing town he
entertained and instructed himself by going to visit a factory where sev
eral hundred girls were employed making lace curtains. Passing through
the workshop he saw that the employes appeared to be unhealthy ami
overworked. He was particularly struck by the pinched and worn
appearance of tho young girls. They seemed old and withered before
their time. He thought, indeed, that he had never seen a little army of
work-people so forlorn and hungry-looking, even in their hours of indus
try. It was a sight that weighed heavily upon his heart.
Before leaving the factory Mr. Armour called at tho office of tho
superintendent and requested the privilege of leaving a sum of money
to bo distributed among these employes whose wretched appearance had
so touched his sympathies. Ilis request was readily granted, lie
handed over a Imndsomo sum and before departing enjoyed tho pleasant

PHILIP D. ARMOUR.

205

sight of its distribution, as the girls were called forward to receive the
gift. The employes were grateful, and Mr. Armour went away a hap
pier and a better man.
He believes in relieving human misery so far as it is in his power, and
he turns a deaf ear to no deserving ease of charity. Of course, his
organized effort in this direction is represented by tho Armour Mission
and the Armour Institute, the latter not being quite completed. In this
respect it may truthfully be said that Philip D. Armour's life is an object
lesson of lofty ambition, integrity of purpose, and unfaltering faith in
God and trust in man. Not in vain has this life been lived. Wealth
alone does not give a man the greatest power. He must be high-souled
in his endeavors; he must be broad and liberal in mind; great in heart
and soul, and ready to advance the cause of all that is noble and
uplifting. One of Mr. Armour's friends called the writer's attention particularly
to the fact that he was blind as to creed distinctions and without preju
dice as to race distinctions. And this truth is shown very plainly in all
his charitable deeds. When he knows, or has it brought vividly to his
mind that there is a case of human suffering to relieve, he docs not stop
to ask whether the sufferer is Jew or Gentile, white or black, bond or
free. It has already been mentioned that Armour & Company employ
1 5, 0(xj men ill their packing nnd other industries. The results of each
day's business ore laid on Mr, Armour's desk by the heads of departments
and those ho compares with tho results ot preceding days, and gives
such orders as he may deem essential. The firm's main plants are at
Chicago (Union Stock Yards) and at Kansas City, yet the Chicago house
alone has about sixty branches scattered throughout Eastern and Middle
States, and not coming in contact with branches of the Western
house. In the general offices at the Stock Yards there are about 500
clerks, while in the La Salle street executive office nearly 200 men are
employed. Mr. Armour has also enormous interests in the grain trade. The
Armour Elevator Company owns six of the largest Chicago elevators,
having what is unquestionably the largest storage capacity in the world,
namely, 10,000,000 bushels.
He is also largely interested financially In a fleet of lake vessels, of
which R. P. Fitzgerald & Co., of Milwaukee, are managing owners.
Tho vessels of this fleet are all propellers, and are known as the P. D.
Armour, tho John Plankinton, the R. P. Fitzgerald, and the W, M,
Egan, Tbe wealth of this extraordinary business genius, mounting high into
the millions— how high each is at liberty to guess for himself — represents
the .tremendous possibilities of a single generation in this proud and
expanding Republic. The brain of a bom financier, of unlimite.d capo-

2o6 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
city for application and broad and fertile enough to invent new ideas,
will accomplish that which may be regarded as nothing short of the
marvelous. With telegraph operators upon his right hand and upon his
left, Mr. Armour may sit and direct the forces of his army of subordi
nates, extending to many parts of the civilized world, with that calm,
intuitive foresight and resolute judgment which will overcome every dif
ficulty and organize victory out of defeat. He is certainly not only a
man of extraordinary mcntol endowments, but one who.se place will bo
hard to fill when ho retires from tho active management of his enormous
interests. Ho is evidently training his sons for this vast responsibility.
Armour Mission was established in November, iSS6. It owes its oi-i-
gin to a provision in the will of the late Joseph F. Armour, who died in
January, lS8i, bequeathing $100,000 for the founding of such a charita
ble institution. He wisely directed that the carrying out of this benev
olent design should be chiefly intrusted to his brother, Mr. Philip U.
Armour, who. accepting tho trust so imposed, has given to it fho same
•energetic and critical attention that ho has given to his private affairs, Ile
has become so greatly interested in the work devolving upon him, with
the constantly recurring evidence of the good that the mission has
accomplished, and with its possibilities for good in the future, that he
has greatly enlarged upon the original design and, in consequence, has
added enough from his own resources, to his brother's bequest of Sioo,.
000, to make the present investment about Si. 000, 000.
Armour Mi.ssion is incorporated under the laws of Illinois, and is
managed by a board of five directors, which at present consists of Messrs,
Philip D. Armour, John C. Black, William J. Campbell, Jonotluin o.
Armour, and Philip I). Armour, Jr. In addition to tlie mission buiUlln>;
proper the Armour .Mission corporation owns aiul manages tUu well
known Armour Mission Flats, consisting of 194 seporate Hats. The entire
revenue derived from these fl.ats is used for the maintenance of the mis
sion and its departments.
Recently this endowment fund was increased by the addition ot seven
teen new flats, which represent an additional expenditure of l|;7oo,iwo.
They were provided by building nn additional story to one of tlio rows
on IJoarborn street, making tho total number ot apartments at present
211, These Hats are models of architectural skill. Thoy coiitaiM all
modern improvements nnd conveniences. They are rented at an aver
age ot $27 a month, and from their rental comes tho revciuio of tlio
mission. In the 211 flats are comfortably houHod nearly 1,000 souls.
The corporation also owns ground adjoining that occupied by the
mission and the flats upon which a new agency for good has been
erected. This is the Armour Institute, or Manual Training School, now
almost completed at the corner of Armour avenue and Thirty.third
street, and representing an investment of about $400,000. The ground
was bought from the city for the purposes of the Institute. The Insti-

PHILIP D. ARMOUR. 207
tute will soon be organized and equipped for work after the most
approved plans. The best instructors will be provided, and besides
manual training work, there will be departments of cooking, millinery,
dressmaking, etc., for girls. It is also the intention to organize and
conduct a night school in addition to the regular work. The tuition fee
will be nominal, and this fee will be charged only with the idea of put
ting the school on a plane that will give pupils a feeling of independence
instead of pauperism.
Armour Mission is a notable example of the consecration of large
individual wealth to high ends. Its object is to promote the physical,
intellectual and moral improvement of children and youth. The work
of the mission, as originally outlined, has been modified and enlarged,
but in its leading features remains substantially unchanged. In the
main it is an educational work, suffused with a humanitarian spirit, and
directed toward religious ends. On the broad, unsectarian platform of
practical Christianity this institution stands. It is free and open to all
to the full extent of its capacity, without any condition as to race, creed
or otherwise. Mr. Armour believes that the children develop into man
hood and womanhood according to their early training and surround
ings, and that much can be done for the advancement of mankind by
lending a helping hand to children and youth. His deep interest in the
welfare of the young has found expression in the mission, and no money
he has ever expended has yielded him more genuine satisfaction and
pleasure than the large sura he has here invested.
It is well worth a visit, and is certainly one of the most interesting
objects of study to be found in Chicago. It is situated at Armour ave
nue and Thirty-third street, fronting on the latter, the material used in
the building being pressed brick and brown stone. The interior wood
work is polished oak. and the complete furnishings are in entire harmony
with the solid character of the structure. The main audience hall on
the second floor, including gallery and side rooms, will accommodate an
audience of 1,300, or even more by throwing open the glass, partitions
between the gallery and lecture rooms. When taxed to its utmost capa
city the building will accommodate a Sunday school of 2,500 members.
The audience room is supplied with a large pipe organ.
Chief among tho agencies employed to secure the betterment of the
community life Is tho Sunday school, with an enrollment of over 2,200, a
staff of 170 teachers and officers, and an average attendance of 1,800.
Supplementary to the work of the Sunday school, the pastor of the mis
sion, the Rev. Howard H. Russell, conducts a meeting on Tuesday
evening for systematic Bible study and practical Christian work; another
on Thursday evening for boys and young men; and still another on Fri
day afternoon for children in connection with the public schools. The
music of the mission, which is made an attractive feature, is under the
leadership of Charles T. Wyckoff.

.2o8 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
While not a regularly constituted church. Armour Mission holds the
regular Sunday services, and provides the community with the usual
church privileges. The morning service is especially arranged for
"children and families." Object lesson sermons are frequently given.
That all things may be done decently and in order, a roll of communi
cants is kept, and the work usually performed by elders and deacons is
done by special committees. Nothing could be simpler than the organ-
¦ ization of this Christian Fellowship. To stimulate religious life and
secure union in Christian work the communicants sign a simple agree
ment pledging themselves to walk and work together according to the
will of the Lord.
One of the late developments along the line of progressive mission
work is the Boys' Battalion. This is the creation of Pastor Russell, at
the Tabernacle Church, Kansas City, some two years ago. The battalion
numbers i8o boys, ranging in age from 12 to 19 years. The four com
panies into which it is divided receive the regulation military drill of the
United States infantry, under Colonel N, C, Johnston, who devotes all
his time to the boys and their interests. The boys are provided with
handsome uniforms and they won prizes for their fine appearance in the
contests of the recent South Side field day.
Every recruit is required to sign this pledge: " I promise and pledge
that I will not use tobacco nor into.xicating liquors in any form; that I
will not use profane nor vulgar and indecent language; that I will obey
faithfully all the battalion rules; and that I will at all times set an
example of good conduct to my comrades and to other boys."
As an agency for attracting and holding the boys this military organ
ization has been an undoubted success. A marked improvement has
been noted in mannere and morals; and through this movement sixty
boys have been added to the Sunday school during the last few
months. In fact, the Boys' Battalion seems to have become to the
Armour Mission what the fifth form was to Rugby in the days of
Thomas Arnold. Companies of tho Boys' Army are being organi/.eil
throughout the country; six companies have already been formed in
this city.
In the general department work of the mission there is a reading
room, a creche or day nursery, a kindergarten, and an industrial school,
all of which are maintained in the highest efficiency. The kindergarterf
will accommodate 170 little pupils, and is open to children under the age
of seven. The Free Medical Dispensary, which is in charge of Dr. Sw.irtz and 0
corps of able assistants, deserves special mention. Treatment and advice .
are given and prescriptions filled without charge, when patients are not
able to pay. An average of forty patients o day are healed at the Dis
pensary, and every month an average of 1,000 prescriptions are written
and filled.

PHILIP D. ARMOUR. 209
^Ir Armour is an attendant at many of the mission meetings, thus
giving the teachers and children the inspiration of his presence. His
heart is in this noble work.
The Armour family are attendants of the Plymouth Congregational
church.' Here Joseph F. Armour attended. Both brothers were closely
identified with the financial history of the church.
This sketch gives the main characteristics of the man at the head of
a business the distributive sales of which are in excess of the gross
receipts of any railway corporation in the world. The traits, the prin
ciples and the features here related unite in contributing to the fame of
the man who has not only reached the zenith of his power and distinc
tion as one of the first of the world's merchants, but from whose munifi
cent influence and bequests posterity will accord the character of a
benefactor of mankind.
Since the above was written, the Armour Institute or
Manual Training School has been completed, and its pur
pose and methods have been publicly announced. The
undertaking is no chimerical scheme, born in the brain of a
dying man during a penitential spasm of benevolence, but
is a work wisely planned by a shrewd, sagacious business
man, who has given to it not only money but also the bene
fit of his strongest thought and ripest experience. The
object of the Institute is to aiford an opportunity to the
self-respecting young people of Chicago to secure the prac
tical training necessary to fit them for useful and inde
pendent lives. We cannot enter into a description of it
here. Suffice it to say that the building (which cost
§400,000), is perfectly adapted for the purposes of giving
instruction in the various trades, cooking, dressmaking, etc.
It is supported by a fund of a million dollars, given by
ilr. Armour.
Mr; Armour is evidently one of those men of wealth, in
whom there is a deepening sense of stewardship. He has
tasted the blessedness of ministering to others, and has
seen how a man's wealth may make his life flow through
the desert places of the world as a fertilizing stream. Men
like Philip D. Armour are our social saviors. While living
their name is honored and when dead their memory is
blessed. 14

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ANDREW WATSON ARMOUR.

Andrew W. Armour, the second son of Danforth and
Julia A. Armour, was born at Stockbridge, N. Y., Jan. 27,
1829. His opportunities for education were few and he
may truly be said to have been a self-made man. He was
engaged in the business of farming in Madison Co., N. Y,,
a large part of his life, and he always retained his love for
the country.
In 1878, at the earnest solicitation of his brothers, Philip
D. and Simeon B. Armour, he left his farm in N. Y., and
went to Kansas City, Mo., where he established the Armour
Bros. Bank, of which he became president. The times
were especially unpropitious, and yet he plunged boldly in
and met- with marked success. Under Mr. Armour's able
riianagcment the Bank at once assumed a prominent posi
tion among the leading institutions of the city. The cloud
of threatened disaster which might have deterred a less
clear headed man from making a venture, passed away.
The city grew rapidly, gaining wealth and population, and
Armour's Bank grew stronger with it.
That a man without training in finance should so con
spicuously pluck great success from unfavorable condi
tions, that he should cope on equal terms with men who
had devoted their lives to the systematic acquisition of
every detail of a most difficult business, requiring delicate
adjustment to constantly varying conditions, has ever been
a thing to marvel at among men who have looked appreci
atively on.
Nor did he bring to the discharge of new and unaccus
tomed labors that liking for them which is often half the
struggle. The open air, the sight of green verdure and
far stretching fields, the black, upturned earth, were all
more dear to him than the confined streets and ways
of city life. He labored with all the assiduity of one to
whom the occupation in which he wrought was congenial,
but his heart was ever in the country, and books and
money bags had no conquering ch.arms for him to chain
him dovi'n.

ANDREW W. ARMOUR. 211
Mr. Armour's prosperity kept pace with that of the city
which he did so much to make prosperous. The fortune
which he left was estimated to exceed $1,000,000. Yet he ,
remained ever a man of simple, quiet tastes, tasting little
of luxury, and continuing to be the same approachable,
unassuming, kindly man he had ever been.
His knowledge of human nature was extensive and
he seems to have had the key wherewith to open the minds
of others and see the real purposes which lay concealed
therein. He trusted much and never unwisely. Whether
his judgment or his intuition controlled the placing of that
trust, it was never abused. Hundreds of business men of
his city doubtless to-day, give silent testimony to his
kindly aid, rendered at times and under circumstances
when their own affairs did not justify their application for
assistance, but Mr. Armour lent more often on the security
of men's honesty than on the value of their worldly goods.
Nor did he content himself with the mere lending of
material things. He gave abundantly out of the stores of
his knowledge and experience, and no young man ever
went in vain to him for that shrewd advice which was
priceless. He was accessible to all who sought him and he
followed with delight the execution of plans by others
whom he had unselfishly aided and assisted with mind and
purse. The welfare and prosperity of Kansas City was singii-
larly dear to him. His modesty urged him to shun promi
nence in projects intended to promote the public good,
but he labored effectively and heartily, and his thoughts
dwelt always happily on plans for the advancement of the
city's welfare.
He continued at the head of Armour Bros.' Bank until
1889, when its deposits were $2,500,000. At that time it was
merged into the Midland National Bank, in which Mr.
Armour was a director, and the vice-president till his death.
Besides his banking business, he was a director in the
Armour Packing Co. of Kansas City, This business also
was very successfully carried on.

212 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Close application to the exacting duties as head of the
bank had caused his health to decline. Hence when he
was relieved from those duties in 1889, he took several trips
for recreation and rest. He visited, for the first time in
many years, his early home, and the burial place of his
parents. He took an extended trip in Europe, and also
visited the Yellowstone National park. He did not regain
his former health, however, and died very suddenly at
Excelsior Springs, near Kansas City, May 28, 1892. At the
time of his death he was preparing to enlarge the great
business with which he was identified. The news of hi.s
death produced a great shock among the people of the city
whose interests he h.ad so greatly promoted. He had been
known there for twelve years as a hard working, temperate,
honest, generous man. But this was not all. It was not
the millionaire, nor the banker, nor the public spirited busi
ness man who was missed so much as Mr. Armour, the
neighbor, the friend, the good man, who had a kind word
and look of encouragement for all who came in contact
with him. He took a special interest in young people, and
had a way of endearing himself to them. Many young men
received from him words of encouragement and advice
which led them into successful business careers. Prosperity
did not change him or cause him to despise and shrink
from the masses. His home was unpretentious, and its
hospitality the same that he had dispensed on his farm in
New York. He was a regular attendant at the Second Pres'-
byterian church of Kansas City, and a generous giver to
its charities. .Such men as he are the glory of our country.
DWlOHT MARCV.
[From Coles' " History of Tolland County."]
Dwight Marcy was born in Union, June 8, 1840, prepared
for college at Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass., was grad
uated from Yale University in 1863, and was admitted to
the bar in Tolland county, in 1865. He began the practice
of law at Central Village, Windham county, but after a

PHILIP CORBIN. 213
short stay there removed to Rockville, -where he continued
to practice his profession with success until his death, May
7, 1887. In 1867, he was appointed state attorney for
Tolland county, and held the office two years. He was
elected assistant clerk of the House of Representatives in
1867, and the following year clerk of the State Senate. He
represented the town of Vernon in the General Assembly
in 1878, 1879 and 1880, and in the latter year was chosen
speaker of the House. He was a delegate from Tolland
county to the Republican National Convention, in 1876.
He acquitted himself very creditably in all his public
trusts, and his private life was irreproachable. Had he
lived he would probably have become a judge of the Supe
rior Court. PHILIP CORBIN.
Philip Corbin, of New Britain, together with his brothers,
is one of the very successful business men who have sprung
from Union families. He was the third son of Philip Cor
bin 2d, of Un4on, and was born October 26, 1824, after his
father had removed to Willington. His father was a
farmer of small means; and his six boys became early
inured to hard work, thus developing vigorous physical
frames, industrious habits, self-reliance and enterprise,
which largely counterbalanced the disadvantages of their
limited education.
Besides attendance at the district school, Philip had
three terms at the West Hartford Academy, where his
father lived after he was seven years of age. In 1844 he
went to New Britain, and was apprenticed to North &
Stanley, hardware manufacturers in a small way. So
thoroughly did he apply himself to business, that when
he became of age, he applied for and secured a contract
for some of the best work given out. For five years he
went on from success to success, and then in 1849, with
bis brother Frank, who had joined him, he founded what
has grown into the extensive hardware manufactory of
P. & F. Corbin. It is one of the leading firms in the
country, and at the present time when in full operation

214 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
employs fourteen hundred men. Always at the head of
it has been Mr. Philip Corbin, carrying it through the
most discouraging circtimstances with a sagacity which
places him in the front rank of our captains of industry.
They manufacture a great variety of articles, among which
are the highest grade of ornamental metallic furnishings,
such as gas fixtures, door-knobs, escutcheons and other
trimmings. They have supplied not only private pur
chasers, but many public and government buildings includ
ing all the bronze hardware for the new State, War, and
Navy building in Washington, the Post-office and Sub-
treasury building at Boston, and the new Capitol at Hart
ford, A large number of designers arc employed to invent
new and artistic patterns.
The head of the firm, Philip Corbin, has not only been
a diligent and successful business man, but has also held
several civil offices, and has been a very useful citizen
of New Britain. In 1844, he represented the city in the
Legislature, and worked thoroughly for the good of tlie
Statc. Ill 1889 he was chosen State Senator, and in 189.'.
was one of the Republican electors for Connecticut.
ISAAC I'lllM.II'S liOOril, 1). ]).,
the subject of this sketch, was born in Union, Conn., .Sep
tember 10, 1843. He was the fourth son of Lydia Olney
(Phillips) and Is.iae Billings Booth, iind the fifth of then-
six children. His minority was spent with his parents,
and divided between work on the farm in summer and a
term at school in winter, or in teaching, which he began
in the winter of his sixteenth year, and which he continued
each winter until his majority. He early evinced a great
love for books, and the height of his ambition was to
obtain an education. But the financial circumstances of
his parents were such as to give him but little encour
agement. Hence, one term of school a year, three of which
were at a select school in his native town, and one at Mon
son Academy, Monson, Mass., was all the schooling of
which he was able to boast during his minority. But of

Rev. I. P. Booth, D. D.

ISAAC P. BOOTH, D. D. 215
this he made the most; and together with reading and
study snatched from the hours that often followed a day's
hard toil, he succeeded in obtaining a fairly good fit for
college. Receiving, however, but little encouragement to
purs.ue a college course, and being too poor as he thought
to undertake the task alone, he concluded to abandon the
idea, and settle down to a business life. So, soon after
he became of age, without business experience, and with
no means but the savings from a winter's term of teaching,
he embarked in a business venture; but with indifferent
success. Finding he had no taste for mercantile pursuits, in a
few months he sold out his business, and determined to
take up his much loved work of teaching.
. In the meantime (May i, 1866), he married Miss Julia
Eliza, youngest daughter of Mr. Laurens Crawford, of
Staffordville. In the spring of 1867, while on a visit to an
uncle in western New York, he conceived the idea of open
ing a select school in the then thriving town of White's
Corners, Erie county. Already ground had been broken
for a new graded and high school building there. Assisted
by his wife, he opened the school, and such was the success
of the venture, that he was elected principal of the new
school the following fall, which position he held for two
years. In the fall of 1869, he was called to take charge of the
Kent Grammar school. Portage Co., Ohio. Here he made
a name as an educator, and early took a prominent place
among the educators of the state. Besides attending to his
school duties, he spent his vacations and other spare time
in reading law, and in 1870 was admitted to the Portage
county bar. For the law he had no great love other than
the knowledge if gave him; but after two years in the Kent
Grammar school, he resigned and entered the law office
of M. S. Castle, Esq., Cleveland, Ohio.
For some time previous to his admittance to the bar,
he became interested in religious matters and seriously
contemplated entering the ministry. But his age and pre-

2i6 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
vious training seemed to him rather against such a move,
and he therefore turned to the law. But this, notwith
standing its attractions, he found uncongenial to him. He
therefore took counsel with several eminent divines of his
own faith — a course that resulted in his abandoning the
law after a few month's practice, and entering St. Law
rence University in the fall of 1871. Hero he pur.sucd his
studies with vigor, and in 1874 graduated with honor.
While here he practically took two courses; a theological
and a university. To aid him in defraying his expenses,
as at this time his family had been increased by the addi
tion of three children, he assumed the duties of college
librarian. Nearly three months before his graduation, he received
calls from the First Universalist church at Lewiston, Me.,
and at Huntington, L. I. He accepted the call from Hunt
ington, and upon his graduation in June, 1874, entered
upon the duties of the parish. Here he spent two- years,
when he accepted a call from the Universalist church at
j\Iorrisvillc, Vt. His interest in the schools soon brought
him forward as a school man, and he had been in town
but a few months when he was chosen Town Superin
tendent of Schools, a position which he held during the
five years he remained in that town. In 1880, he repre
sented the town of Morristown in the State Legislature,
serving as chairman of the general committee and on the
committee on education.
In i88i, he received a call from the First Universalist
church in Northfield, Vt., and rernoved thither in May of
that year. His reputation as an educator had preceded
him. He was there soon elected to the professorship of
Latin and Greek in Norwich Un.iversity, which position
he held four years — three years of this time serving also
as dean of the faculty. About the time of his entering
upon his duties as a professor, he was chosen Town Super
intendent of Schools for Northfield, serving as such until
the passage of the Vermont School Supervision Law in
1888. In 1884, he received the degree of A. M. from Nor-

MERRICK A. MARCY. 217
wich University. In 1885, he resigned his professorship and
became principal of the graded and high school, where he
remained until June 1889, when he resigned to take the
office of County Supervisor of Schools. About this time
he received from Norwich University the degree of D. D.
So arduous had become his duties in school work, that
the year previous to his election as supervisor he gave up
his preaching, except to attend occasional calls.
In 1886, he served as chaplain in the House of Represent
atives at Montpelier, and in 189a represented his town in
the same body. Here he served on the committee on edu
cation, and was one of the chief authors of the present
Vermont School Law,
Upon the office of Supervisor being changed to that of
Examiner of Teachers in 1890, he was chosen to the latter
office, and the next year again made principal of the
graded and high school, which positions he now holds.
In addition to this school work, he has the superintend-
ency of the other schools in town, some twenty in num
ber. In addition to these offices, he is pastor of a large
church in Stowe, Vt., school director, village trustee, and
master of the local Masonic lodge.
Though nearly fifty years of age, he is strong and
healthy, and is often mistaken for a man of forty years.
His ability to accomplish the work of his many offices lies
in the fact of his frugal and strictly temperate habits.
HON. MERRICK A. MARCV.
The subject of this sketch was born in Union, August
29, 1843, and was the oldest child of the late Merrick Marcy,
who was a leading citizen and business man of, the town,
(of which reference is made in this book), and who died
September 30, 1869.
He received his education in the schools of his native
town, and at a very early age commenced assisting his
father in his large business interests, taking an active and
prominent part in the management of the store and shoe
manufacturing interest, and early developing those busi-

2i8 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ness traits that have done so much to make his business
and public life so remarkably successful, and which have
placed him in the front rank of the strpng business and
public men of the State of Connecticut.
Early going into partnership with his father, at his
decease an unusual responsibility fell upon him, and when
only 26 years of age, he was engaged in carrying on the
business and assisting in the settlement of his father's
large estate, all of which was done in a very able and
highly creditable manner. He continued the shoe manu
facturing business in Union until 1874, when the firm of
Marcy Bros. & Co. removed to Hartford and Wethersfield,
employing labor at the Conn. State Prison,
The business has since been very successfully continued
in different co-partnerships, under the same firm name, and
has become a very large, prosperous and successful busi
ness, increasing in its volume every year, until to-day it
easily ranks among the leading manufacturing interests
of the state. A very large southern trade has been built
up, which was started under the able efforts of his two
brothers Morris H., and George C. Marcy, now deceased,
who developed great ability in this part of the business,
doing much to find a market for the large and increasing
production of the manufactured goods at Wethersfield.
Much prosperity has come to this firm from the strong
and successful features of Mr.- Marcy's business career,
from his close and thorough attention to details, his grasp
of the situation, and his keen forethought, all of which
have contributed much to his own success, and that of
those associated with him in business matters. In addi
tion to his business affairs, he has taken an active part
in political matters, early taking a prominent place in the
Democratic party in his own town, county, and state, and
continuing in the well known principles of his honored and
respected ancestry. His grandfather, the late Augustus
Moore, was a leader in his party, and many times a member
of the Legislature. Mr. Marcy was a representative to the
Legislature for four terms, in 1865, 1866, 1879 and 1880, and

MERRICK A. MARCY. 219
at his first election was only 21 years of age. In his first
two years he was one of the two youngest members, and
one of the few of the Democratic party who had repre
sented Union for several years prior. In the years 1873 and
1874, he represented the old 20th District in the Senate,
being one of the two youngest members of that body in the
first year, and the youngest in the latter year. From 1859,
to his election, the District had been represented only two
years by a senator of his party, and after his own two
years of honorable service he was succeeded by a Republi
can. He was the first senator elected from Union since
1848, a period of 25 years, when the late Judge Ingoldsby
W. Crawford represented the 20th District in his last term.
In the year 1880, he was the nominee of his party for the
important office of State Treasurer. Very few have had
more influence in the councils of his party. He has always
been a firm believer in its principles, and possessed the
confidence of its adherents in a full degree. He was for
many years a Director in the old Stafford National Bankj
has been until recently a Director of the First National
Bank of Stafford .Springs, from its organization in 1888,
and is at present its largest stockholder. He was one of
the original incorporators and a Director of the Central
Woolen Co., of Stafford Springs. He married Miss Jennie
Bicknell, Feb. 22, 1882. Mr. Marcy built a fine residence in
Union, several years ago, where he resides the greater part
of the year, retaining his legal residence there, and the
balance of the time he occupies his residence in Hartford.
He has done much for his native town in various ways,
holding important public positions, and taking an interest
in whatever has pertained to the benefit of its people. He
has been a supporter of the Congregational church, and
ever ready to help those in need of assistance. He is a
citizen of whom his town can well be proud.
JOEL H. REED,
the son of Levi Reed, was born in Eastford, January loth,
1850. In that same year his father removed to Union,

220 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
and there his boyhood was spent. He attended the public
and select schools of his native town. In the winter of
1867-8, he first commenced to te^ch in the East district in
Union, and continued to teach winters for a number of
years, relying on this as a principal means of support in
prosecuting his studies. In the fall of 1868, he attended a
select school at Ashford, taught by John D. Gaylord. The
next year, 1869, at the earnest solicitation of Rev. Charles
Hammond, he entered Monson Academy. After finishing
his studies there, tlpon the advice and suggestion of Mr.
Hammond, he entered in September, 187 1, upon the study
of law with Hon. Dwight Marcy, of Rockville, Conn., for
merly of Union. To the instruction and influence which
he received from this teacher, ilr. Reed ascribes in large
mea.sure, the success which he has had in his professional
career. He was admitted to the bar at Tolland at the
September term of the court in 1S74. He commenced thc
- practice of law in Stafford Springs, where he continued
till October, 1878, when he removed to Colchester, Conn.,
where he opened a law office. He remained there till
October, 1885, when he returned to Stafford Springs, where
he has since resided and practiced law. As a lawyer Mr.
Reed is warmly attached to his profession, and is thorough
and painstaking in the preparation of a case. He is
regarded as a safe counselor, and his advice is exten
sively sought, and his judgment relied on. In his personal
manner he is modest and unassuming, pleasant and agree
able. He is warmly attached to his old home in Union.
and has a kind interest in the people of the town.

CHAPTER VI.
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY OF UNION.
I, AGRICULTURE : FARMING BV THE EARLV SETTLERS — CROPS
RAISED — MARKETS — WILD ANIMALS — PRESENT CONDITION OF
AGRICULTURE.
II. LUMBERING : IMPORTANCE IN UNION — THE SAW-MILLS IN
TOWN.
III. THE STORE AND SHOE BUSINESS: MERRICK MARCV — BUSI
NESS OF HIS SONS — BURNING OF THE BLOCK AT UNION —
THE BUSINESS AT MASHAPAUG: MOSES -WHITE — HARVEY
WALKER — JARED SESSIONS  WM. CORBIN — CESSATION OF
THE SHOS MANUFACTURE — OTHER INDUSTRIES AT MASHA
PAUG. AGRICULTURE^ \
THE principal occupation of the inhabitants of the town
always has been, as it doubtless always will be, the
cultivation of the soil.
When the early settlers came here, they doubtless
selected such lands for their farms as were most open and
could most easily be brought under cultivation. It is said
that they found the entirfe town covered with forest, except
the Lead Mine hill (south of Henry Corbin's). Upon this,
sufficient grass grew so that the settlers used to mow it in
common. It is said that they were accustomed to go and
mow the first three days of the week, Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday, and rake and get in their hay on Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday. The settlers aimed, as soon as
possible, to clear the swamp lands so as to raise grass on
them. When cleared, the grass would come up rich and
luxuriant, and of a pretty good quality, and it did not fail
as soon as on the uplands. Hence it may be seen now how

222 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
nearly all the swamp land in town has been cleared and
mowed at some time or other. Many of these meadows are
now growing up, and with the improved cultivation of the
uplands, are not valued as highly as formerly.
The question arises, how did the settlers gain a living ?
What did they turn off from their farms to get the means
to buy what was necessary for their families ? In the first
place they had little to buy compared with what a family
needs nowa-days. Nearly everything the family needed
was raised or made at home. What was needed for food
was almost entirely raised on the farm. Potatoes were just
coming into common use when the town was settled.
There is a tradition handed down in the Lawson family,
that when the family of John Lawson the pioneer settler
first tried potatoes, they did not know how to season them,
or what to eat with them. So they tried some honey, which
presumably did not go very well. The quantity of pota
toes raised was rather srnall, turnips largely taking their
place. Bread wa,s made from rye and Indian meal, and rye-
flour. Very little wheat flour was used. Even within the
remembrance of persons now living, the prudent house
wives would make the lower crust of a pie of r5'e and the
upper of wheat. Rye was much more generally raised
than now. Each settler intended to clear a piece of land
each year, burn it over, and raise rye on it. A barrel of
wheat flour was made to last a family a year. Then the
garments that were worn were almost invariably of home
manufacture. The wool or flax was first spun into yarn
and then woven into coarse cloth. Of course, these pro
ducts were more generally raised than now. Every far
mer had a few sheep to supply wool for his family use.
Nearly every year too, he raised a patch of flax. This was
pulled and left on the ground to rot. After several weeks
it was gathered up some dry day and bound into bundles.
Then, usually during the winter, it was broken with an
oak instrument called the "break." Next came the pro
cess of "swingling" it to separate the fibre from the coarse
woody part called the "shives." Then it was combed with

EARLY MARKETS. 223
the "hatchel" by the women, and the long, clean fibre sep
arated from the short " tow." It was then ready to be spun
on the little flax wheels. Fe-w young people now-a-days
could go through the process of transforming the plant
into linen cloth. Boots and shoes, too, were usually made
at home. Sometimes the farmer would have a skin tanned
to furnish the leather. There was at one time a tannery^
in Union, opposite the new cemetery. Many other articles
were made at home, by those who were skillful, such as
the wooden plows which were used and other farm tools,
household furniture, etc. The principle of division of labor
was little practiced a hundred years ago, compared with
what it is now. Hence the things to be bought were much
fewer than at the present time. The places to which the^
people of Union had to go to trade were at quite a distance.
There were then no thriving villages like Southbridge and
Stafford Springs in the vicinity. Windham was one of the
nearest places of trade. Some used to go to Providence,^
Norwich, Boston, and especially Hartford. They usually
went with ox-tearns. The story is told of one of the early
residents of Union going to Boston to buy the various arti
cles which he needed. His wife had importuned him to
get her a large iron kettle, as she needed one very much.
When he had got nearly home, and was driving his steers
over the new, rough road in the dark, suddenly his cart
overturned, and the new kettle was thrown out on some
rocks and broken. "There goes Sal's kettle," exclaimed
the poor man with a sigh, as he thought of all the trouble
he had taken to get it. Trade was mostly by barter, as
money was scarce. The articles which the farmers sold
were boards and other lumber, beans, oats, flax-seed, bay-
berry tallow, butter, etc. And the things bought were salt,
sugar, flour, molasses, codfish, glass, crockery, nails, etc.
There was another article which unfortunately was bought
with about as . much regularity as any of these, and that
was rum. It was deemed necessary to have a supply of it
-on hand. It was a common custom for the Union farmers to drive

224 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
to Hartford oilce or tSvice a year, buy the things they
needed, and drive home the following day. Fat cattle were
often driven to Providence, and -sold in the markets there.
Some used to take loads of hoop-poles to sell there. The
Holmanswho lived on the Lawson place were coopers, and
made and sold many barrels. Potash used to be manufac
tured from ashes to some extent. Philip Corbin made
considerable quantities of this and sold it in Norwich. A
refined form of this was called pearlash, and was used in
cooking as saleratus is now.
The settlers of Union were considerably troubled with
wild animals for sometime after the settlement of the
town. A large part of the land remained unimproved in
the hands of non-resident owners and, as the people said,
"afforded a breeding placQ for vermin, so that it was diffi
cult to raise crops." Probably the raccoons, muskrats,
minks, woodchueks, skunks and foxes were more numerous
and aggressive than now. Then at first there were other
wild animals. Deer were sometimes seen and killed. There
were probably some bears. Wildcats were very common
in some localities, and have been shot within the mem
ory of persons now living. A stray wolf would now and
then come into the region in winter time, and work devasta
tion in the sheep-folds and among the young cattle.
Exciting were the chases which the men and boys had
after such a marauder. The following poem, by Uriah
Lyon, of Union, describes sueh a hunt, which took place in
the early part of the century. The hunt occurred in the
"Cedar Swamp," west of where Moses Gage now lives,
north of West Woodstock. It is said that Stephen Bugbee
had been away from home, and returned just as they had
got the wolf surrounded. He took his gun, loaded it with
a bullet cut in quarters and went to the place. But the
party there told him that as he had not helped surround
the wolf they did not want him in the line to help kill it.
So he retired a distance to a knoll from which a good view
could be obtained. Soon the wolf, escaping between some
of the men, came past him, and he shot it. Uriah Lyon, or

STORY OF THE WOLF-HUNT. 225
Riah Lyon, as he was called, was an odd genius, as the
poem indicates: " AN EULOGY ON THE DEATH OF A WOLF.
A wolf of late came through this state,
Destroying sheep and cattle;
The men, alarmed, equipped and armed.
And soon prepared for battle.
From town to town he traveled 'round.
Through swamps and fields did go,
Followed he was, by men and boys.
Who tracked him in the snow.
Some snapped their guns while others run.
When he came in their sight.
Thus while 'twas day around he'd stray,
And feed on sheep at night.
Until at last they got him fast,
'Twas in a neighboring wood,
A hundred men were gathered then.
So around him they all stood.
Thus 'round the wood well armed they stood.
While sorne on horns did blow.
Some make a shout to drive him out
And after him they go.
They soon did drive him from his hive.
And swiftly he did run.
But soon did fall, killed by a ball
From Stephen Bugbee's gun.
Soon as 'twas done the news did run
From one unto another.
Until they all had heard the call.
Then 'round him they did gather.
Then by command this numerous band
Prepared themselves to march.
And off they go, as pleased as though
They'd taken Bonaparte.
So down they came to drink some rum,
And celebrate the day.
In which was wrought that great exploit,
Of which you heard me say,"
>5

226 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
The last wolf which was seen in this vicinity came
through town in 1837. He came into town from Stafford,
and went through to Woodstock, killing sheep and sucking
their blood, at nearly every house. A large party of hun
ters followed his trail and finally surrounded him in a
swamp near where Luther Marcy lives. When the dogs
drove him out he passed between two men, one of whom
was scared and did not try to kill him. The other who
was Captain Danford Morse, made repeated efforts to fire
off his old flint-lock gun, but it failed him at just the
critical time, and the wolf escaped. He ^ was afterward
heard of away up in New Hampshire.
If a wolf should come to town now, he might starve
before he found any sheep tofeed on.
^ The character of agriculture in Union, and in all New
England as well, has greatly changed during the last fifty
years. The opening up of the West, and the growth of
the cities, have had a great effect on these old New Eng
land towns. Increased facilities of communication, and the
growth of sanitary science have rendered it possible for an
immense population to live within the limits of a city.
New inventions have caused the transfer of certain indus
tries formerly carried on in the home to large establish
ments, and the centralization of these industries in the
cities and larger towns, has caused a drift of population to
them from the back towns. The West has attracted many
of the young men from Union. Between the years 1825
and 1S30, or thereabouts, there was quite an extensive exo
dus of people from Union to Stockbridge, N. Y., and the
\ immediate vicinity. Among the young people from Union
who went thither, were the following: Preston, Lymar,
Volney, Danforth and Caroline Armour; Erastus, Philena,
Gurdon, Norm.an, Chauncey, Lawrence, Fidelia and Lucin
da Horton; James, Alfred, Lyman, Eli, Austin, Thomas,
Caroline and Dr. James Moore;- Edward Foster and family,
Charles Foster and family; John Potter, who married Dor
othy Foster; Elisha and Cheney Griggs; Elijah Kinney
and family, Cyrus Coye, Solomon Strong, who married

AGRICULTURAL DEPRESSION. 227
Philena Horton, Alexander Strong, Phebe Lawson who
married Lyman Moore, and others.
Among those who went to other places from Union,
were Roscius and Louisa Newell and Festus Moore and
family, to Ashtabula, Ohio; Stephen Fairbanks and family,
to Michigan; Dwight and Alvin Foster, to Wisconsin,
where Norman Horton afterwards went from Stockbridge.
Two sons of William Foster, William, Jr., and John N.,
Dwight Crawford and Francis Hammond, also went to
Wisconsin. These all made valuable citizens in the places
where they settled.
The result of this constant emigration from town hasj
been that in many cases the old farms have been deserted,
and left to grow. up. One reason for this has been the
depression in agriculture during the last twenty years.
The Civil war created a disturbance in prices and stimu
lated agriculture by calling, for the time being, many men
from the farms, and meanwhile the army had to be fed.
After the war and until about 1872 or 1873, farming had a
pericid of great prosperity. Then a cloud began to gather
over the business and the agricultural depression began.
One reason for this depression was the abnormally rapid
settling up of the West, with the consequent over-produc
tion of farm products. The facilities for transportation,
brought the Eastern and Western farmers into direct com
petition, with consequent disadvantage to the former
owing to the gjeater difficulties of production here.
Then again, an immense amount of government land has
been given away in the .West. This land has rapidly
risen in value, so that the Western farmer has had this in
direct advantage over the Eastern one, whose lands have
rather decreased than increased in value. The result of
all this has been that farming in the East has not been so
profitable during the Inst twenty-five years, as other forms
of industry. But probably the limit of this depression has
been reached. Very little valuable farming land remains
lo be given away by the government. As time goes on the
relations between the East and the West will become bet-

228 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
ter adjusted. Eastern farmers will find what they can
produce to best advantage; _ cattle ^breeding and cattle
feeding will undoubtedly revive, and better animals be
produced than formerly. Truck farming, the growing of
fruits, and emphatically the dairy interest, will all increase,
because the nearness to market gives an immense advantage
over the West. The market facilities of Union have greatly
increased during the last forty years, owing to the growth
of neighboring villages, especially Stafford Springs and
Southbridge. One of the' disadvantages of Union is the
distance from railroad. A hundred years ago tbe town
was no more "out of the world " than any other. But the
flocking of the population- to railroad towns has left Union
high and dry as it were. ^Nevertheless the railroad facili
ties of Stafford and Sou'thb.ridge have been of great value
to Union. - ,'
The changes in the methods ,bf agriculture are familiar
and need only to be referred' tp here. No good farmer
now considers himself eqjiipped unless he has a mowing
machine and a horse rake. Great 'improvement has also
taken place in other farm tools and machines. It has
become more and more necessary to have the fields clear of
the boulders which are so great a hindrance to their easy
cultivation. Where farmers have done this, they have
found that it has paid them even within a few years.
There is vast room for a greater improvement than has yet
taken place. More intelligence and enterprise should be
used and the results of the work of the State Agricultural
Experiment Stations be put to practice. The Grange
which has recently been started in Union, has a great field
for usefulness, in promoting a knowledge of the best
methods of farming, drawing the farmers into closer sym
pathy, and affording pleasant social advantages. Cer
tainly any one need not complain that his lot has been cast
in Union. Although there is little hope of acquiring, much
of this world's goods, still one may live a happy, useful,
and honorable life here. The number of able and useful
men which Union has sent out indicates that it is a good

LUMBERING. 229
place to be reared in. Here may be developed a sturdy
independence and self-reliance, and a strong, upright char
acter. Mr. Hammond, in his sermon at the rededication of
the church at Union, remarked: "If, as has been said, the
only product of this town, for exportation is men, then
there is need here of all the moral and religious forces
which tend to make men of the right stamp, men having
the sterling virtues of honesty, truth and temperance, men
who love their country, and live in the fear of God." May
the chief function of Union continue to be as it has been
in the past, to produce men of this kind.
LUMBERING.
The lumber business in Union has always been an
important one. Much of the land, on account of its rough
und hilly character, is unfitted for cultivation, and conse-
(|uently is better left to grow up to timber. Quite early
in the history of the town, the industry was started, of
the manufacture and sale of lumber. Of course the quan
tity sold was small compared with what it is now. Most
of it was drawn to Windham and sold there. Water saw
mills were built soon after the settlement of the town. The
one at Mashapaug was probably the first and was built
before 1740. Probably no town in the region, according
lo its size, has had so many saw-mills as Union. There
have been mills at seventeen different places, and as many
as thirteen have been running at one time.
A brief and imperfect account of these mills is as fol
lows: 1. The Mashapaug mill. The first mill on this site
•>,-as built by Capt. Daniel Badger, who had first settled on
hat is now the Mason Horton place, but who afterwards
-.-ent to Mashapaug. The Badgers owned it for a consid-
i. lable time. About 1825, it was owned by three men, Philip
t orbin, Robert Lawson, and Paul Lawson. This mill was
'urned. It stood nearer the road than the present one.
'I'here have been at least three different mills on this site.
The present one is owned by Lyman Moore and William

23°

INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.

Corbin. Previous owners have been Josiah Leland, Samuel
McAllister, and Albert Back.
2. The Bi-gelow mill. The dam here was built by Amos
Woodworth about 1760. He began work on it by hauling
earth in a wheelbarrow. It afterwards came into the hands
of the Crawfords, being owned first by Samuel Crawford,
Sr., then in part and finally entirely by Trenck Crawford.
In 1838 a new mill was built and a box-shop added. This
was burned a number of j'ears afterwards. The present
mill was built by James Herindeen. It was afterwards
owned by Frank Letcher and T. J. Youngs, and now b}'
Luther Marcy.
3. The Lawson mill. This mill, now in ruins, is at
least the second one on the site. The first mill here was
built by Edward Houghton, who came to town in 1744.
He also had a grist-mill here. It afterwards came into
the hands of the Lawsons. The present mill was built
by David Lawson about 1840.
4. The Kinnc)' mills. The present saw-mill is the third
one on the site. The second and perhaps the first, was built
by Arehabald Coye. The present one was built by Nathan
Kinney, about 1837. The box-shop, which w.is burned in
1885, was built about 1857, and the shingle-mill in 1865.
Quite an cctensivc lumber business was carried on here
by the Kinney brothers, Myron and Milton, especially dur
ing the years from 1S60 to 1870. The amount of lumber
sawed in the saw-mill during these years would average
about 200,000 feet, a year.
5. The Horton mill, situated on Bush meadow brook
near the Watkins place.
6. The Foster saw-mill, built by AVilliam Foster, after
wards run by Burke and Byron Foster. It is now owned
by the ]Mareys.
7. The Capt. Danford Morse mill, in the southwest cor
ner of town now owned by the Kieses.
8. The Goodell mill, built by the Bracketts, afterwards
run by Leonard Goodell, and now by David Matthews.
9. The Dexter Moore mill.

THE SAW-MILLS IN UNION. 231
10. The Harris or Colburn mill. This was built by
Harden G. Back about 1850. It has been owned since by
Isaiah Hiscock, George L. Marcy, Jarvis Hatch, Orrin
Walker, Newton Wallace and William H. Harris, and Geo.
D. Colburn. II. The Col. Moses C. Sessions mill, situated north of
the Newman Bugbee place.
1 2; The Cass or Wallace mill (near the Capt. Paul place).
There was a mill here before the present one built by
Robert Paul. The present one was built by Elbridge Cass,
and is now owned by Edwin Wallace.
13. The Cleveland mill, built by Solomon Cleveland,
and burned about 1890.
14. The Luther Crawford or Putnam mill which stood
on the road east of where Samuel Goodyear now lives.
It was built by Squire Luther Crawford early in the cen
tury. 15. The Sessions mill. In the early part of the cen
tury there was a saw-mill near Lost Pond, just east of
the road, owned by Abijah, William P., and Lyman Sessions.
16. The Leonard or Sherman mill. This was situated
in the southeast part of town east of the Leonard place.
The former mill here was owned by George Leonard, and
the present one was built by Henry Sherman.
17. Fayette Crawford built a mill south of his house in
1 864. The amount of water was small and he had a large
over-shot wheel. The mill is not now standing.
All the old saw-mills had the old-fashioned up-and-'i
down saw with its cumbrous machinery. It was impos
sible to saw very fast with this. There was about as much
difference between such an old saw-mill and the modern
steam saw-mill as there is between the old-fashioned stage
coach and the modern locomotive. The introduction of
the circular saw was a great improvement. But even then
the old water-mills could not compete with the movable
steam-mills which are placed right on the lot to be cleared
so that an immense saving is made in the hauling.
These steam-mills first began to be used in town about

232 INDUSTRIAL HIS WRY.
1870. Since then their use has steadily increased so that
at times there have been three or four different ones
running in town at the same time. If anyone contem
plates doing much in the lumber business, a steam-mill is
a matter of course. Perhaps the most extensive business
in this line has been done by Daniels & Aldrich, on the
David Lawson place. The steam-mills have so displaced
the old water-mills that only about five of the latter out of
the seventeen which there have been in town, arc ii.ow
running at all, and the amount of lumber sawed by these
is much smaller than formerly.
When wo think of the vast tracts in town wliieli uie
growing up to forest, such us the Breakneck region, the
Bigelow valley, and especinlly its entire eastern slope, we
are led to the conclusion that it will take a long time yet
for the ste;im-mills with ;ill their rapidity to strip the town.
The lumber business will be an important one for many
years to come. To be sure, all the old primitive growtli
has now been cut oil". But tliere are acres and acres u[
land, much of which was once used for pasture or culti
vation, which are now covered with a dense growtli of
trees. It was formerly the custom when a lot was cleared
to burn it over, raise rye and make a pasture of it. liut
now, when the lumbermen leave a lot, a new growth imme
diately springs up. If it is pine that has been cut off, it is
followed by the deciduous-leaved trees. The old pastures
and fields grow up mostly to pine.
Much of the land of Union is better fitted to grow trees
than to raise anything else on. It will probably be maiiy
ycars hence before much more is brought into cultivation
than there is at present. But it would p.ty those farmers
whose pastures are old and growing up to bayberry bushes,
pine trees, white birches, etc., to burn over some of the lots
which the steam-mills have left, .ind make pastures of them.
The .ishes enrich the soil, so that it grows excellent feeil
for tliirty ye;irs or more.
Culling (iiul .selling wood has been quite an iniporlaiit
business in town, especially before coal cume into general

MERRICK MARCY. 233
use in the neighboring villages. The west part of town
was nearly all cut over and the wood drawn to Stafford
for the use of the furnaces there before they began to use
coal. THE STORE AND SHOE BUSINESS.
We group these two industries, because in the two prin
cipal places where they were carried on, at Union Center,
and at Mashapaug, they were closely connected and can
hardly be separated. The business at the former place
centres about the career of Merrick Marcy. He was the
son of Calvin Marcy, and was born in Holland, Mass., Octo
ber nth, 1812. He commenced keeping store on a small
scale in what was later known as the Lindsey house (where
Edwin Upham now lives), not far from 1830. Warner
Howard had kept a store at Union for several years, start
ing at Newell's. He began building the house at the
south end of the block which Mr. Marcy afterwards owned,
about 1835, intending to have a store in the north wing.
But his wife died before he completed it, and he sold out
to Mr. ^larcy, who went on and finished it. The latter
kept his store in the north part of the building for a num
ber of years.
About 1847 he built the brick store in which he after
wards carried on his mercantile business. About the year
1845, he commenced in a small way the manufacture of
boots and shoes in connection with his general store busi
ness. This he increased as time went on, giving employ
ment to a number of men. But those w'no worked directly
in his shop were only a few compared to the number out
side to whom he gave employment. For he was accus
tomed to put out the work of fitting and bottoming.
^lany families in the vicinity took work of this kind to do.
They were paid out of the store, and here is where the
larger part of the profit was made.
Mr. Marcy's business was largest between the years
i860 and 1866, amounting to over $100,000 per annum. Dur
ing these years he gave employment regularly or iireguy
larly to about one hundred and fifty persons annually. ,Me

234 INDUSTRIAL IIISIVRY.
built ft shop north of the brick store and Inter a large stone
structure behind it. Ho erected houses still farther north
till finally he hud tx block about two huiulpcd and fifty feet
In long'th, besides two houses further up on the hill, lie built
his own house on tho hill in 1857. Tliut sumo year a iinaii-
ciul panic occurred which considerably injured his busi
ness, Uetwoun tho yours i860 und 1869, Ihounmunt of shoe
business which ho did was smull. Ho died Soploinbor ,(otii,
18O9, uged fifty-.sovon. lie wus u man of energy und push,
rising from very humble oireumstaneos to com|iarative
wealth. Ho sometimes appeared rough in manner, but the
worst part of his nature was on the outside, and he really
had a kind heart within. His business helped many jioor
people wlio thus found employment. Had he received a
proper training and a good education in his youth, with his
native ability and force, he would have been sure to have
made his mark in tho world.
After his death, his business was curried on by his sons,
Merrick, ^[<)rris and George. In 1874 thoy made u eon-
trad for a part of tho convict labor at tho state's jirisun,
at Wethersfield. They began with fifty men, for whose
labor they paid fifty cents apiece a day. They thus began
the shoe manufacture at Wethersfield, at the .same time
continuing it at Union. But the latter was soon found to
be unprofitable, owing to the changes that h.id come about
in the business, the distance from railroad, etc., and lieiK-e
they gave it up entirely about 1876. Their business has
gone on increasing till now they employ from one hundred
and seventy-five to two hundred convicts, and some fifty
other employes. They have their office at 14 Ford street,
Hartford. The amount of their business is from $350,000 to §400,000
annually. The firm name with which they started " Marcy
Bros. i\: Co.," has been continued although there have been
ehanges in its membership. It was first composed of Mer
rick, Morris and George Marcy, and George Baker, The
youngest brother, William, who was then not of ago, was
later taken in, and tho two brothers, Morris und (ieor;;e

Merrick Marckv.

THE BUSINESS AT MASHAPAUG. 235
have died. Mr. Rankins and Mr. Burnham are now mem
bers of the firm. Mr. Merrick Marcy is not at present a
member, but works on a salary. They sell their goods
mostly in the South, and employ seven salesmen.
We may refer here to the subsequent history of the
buildings at Union where the business was carried on by
^lerrick Marcy. A store was kept there by several differ
ent persons, among them a Mr. Barrett and Mr. John
Winch. It was while the latter was here that the build
ings were burned. This event, which changed the appear
ance of the center so much, took place on the night of Jan
uary 29th, 1881. The fire originated in the extreme north
end, where a family by the name of Stone lived. The father
was away at the time. It is supposed that the woman had
been drinking with others who were there and that a lamp
was upset. The fire was first discovered by Benjamin Case
who lived in the next part. But it was too late to get the
woman and the two children out from the burning rooms,
;ind they all perished. The Case family barely escaped.
The fire spread steadily southward towards the brick store.
It was a bitterly cold night and the fire burned slowly.
Ileiice it was possible to clear the store and the houses
south of it of everything of value before the fire reached
them. Mr, Winch continued his store for a short time in the
Lindsey house, but soon removed to Mashapaug. Since
then there has been no attempt to keep a store at Union.
The growth of the neighboring villages of Southbridge
and Stafford Springs, with their increasing market facili
ties, have rendered store-keeping in Union unprofitable.
THE BUSINESS AT MASHAPAUG.
Moses White had a store in Mashapaug village, some
where between the years 1820 and 1830. He was a native
of Uxbridge, Mass., and had come to Union about 1812.
He lived at first on the Dr. Hammond place where he was
employed as a merchant in company with Pearl & Taintor,
first as a clerk and afterwards as a partner. He removed to

236 INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
Westford not far from 1817. About the year 1827, Harvey
Walker, of Westford, came to Mashapaug, and was employed
as a clerk in Moses White's store there. He thus became
established in the business which he afterwards carried on.
In 1837 he entered into partnership with Judson Smith,
forming the firm of Smith & Walker, which continued till
1841. During this time they were engaged only in the
store business; but soon after Mr. Walker began the man
ufacture of boots and shoes, in connection with his store.
In 1846 he formed a partnership with Jared Sessions, who
was then twenty-five years of age, and who had been
engaged in the practical work of making shoes at his
father's home in Union. The firm of Walker & Sessions
started with a capital stock of $2,500. Their business was
at first extremely limited, but it rapidly expanded and
prospered under the new and united management. In 185 1
the firm became Walker, .Sessions & Co., and the partners
were Harvey Walker, J. D. Sessions and Lorenzo Morgan.
In 1853, Mr. Morgan went out and Alexander Sessions was
taken in. The business went on increasing and the plans
were enlarged. Mr. Jared Sessions, especially, became
instrumental in forming firms at Fiskdale, Mass,, and at
Toronto, Canada. From 1856 to 1858 there were three dif
ferent firms with one capital. They were Walker, .Sessions
& Co., of Mashapaug; .Sessions, Bates & Co., of Fiskdale, and
Sessions, Carpenter & Co., of Toronto. The partners in
these three firms were Harvey Walker, Jared .Sessions,
Alexander Sessions, E. L. Bates, Vernon E. Carpenter and
William M. Corbin. From 1858 to Jlr. Walker's death,
March 4th, i860, the firm at Mashapaug was Walker, Cor
bin & Tourtellotte, Mr. Reed Tourtellotte having become
a member. The business at Mashapaug under the leader
ship of !Mr. Walker and Mr. Sessions was conducted in a
thorough, energetic and business-like way, and met with
deserved success. It may be remarked here that Walker \
Sessions made the first unlined brogans ever shipped to
New York City. When the business was at its height in
Union, it amounted to $75,000 or $100,000 annually, and

DECLINE OF THE SHOE BUSINESS. z^j
Mashapaug village became quite a thriving centre. In
1857, a financial panic occurred throughout the country,
which greatly embarrassed the firm, but through which by
careful management it was able to pass.
In 1856, Mr. Sessions removed to Toronto, Canada, and
thereafter his business was mainly done there and in Bing
hamton, N. Y.
In 1859, Mr. Walker began building the new store and
shoe factory at Mashapaug. This was completed the fol
lowing year and was said to be the finest in Tolland county.
About the time of Mr. Walker's death there was consider
able financial uncertainty owing to the disturbed condition
of the South on the eve of the war. The goods were
sold largely in New York and the South. Hence it hap
pened that there were many losses both at the beginning
and throughout the war. Just after Mr. Walker's death
there were large losses by the failure of firms in New
York which did business in the South. But still the busi
ness went on at Mashapaug and was conducted from 1861
to 1867 under the firm name of Corbin & Tourtellotte. In
1867, by the addition of Mr. M. H. Kinney, it became Cor
bin, Tourtellotte & Co. But during these last years the
business began to decline, owing to various causes. The
iharacter of the shoe manufacture waS undergoing a great
ehange. Hitherto one man had done all, or nearly all the
work on a shoe. A large part of the work could be put
out and done in the home. But many machines began to
be invented to do the various parts of the work more easily
and cheaply than it could be done by hand. This necessi
tated the concentration of the work in factories, and the
-.livision of labor. Each person was given a certain part of
ihe work to do. He could thus acquire special skill in
I'oing that particular thing, so that the shoe could be made
much more quickly and economically than for one man to
lo the whole. In order to have this method work success-
' ally large factories were necessary. The large establish-
iients could afford to introduce the best machinery, and
. onsequently produce goods at a lower cost than the small

238 ' INDUSTRIAL HISTORY.
shops. They made competition so great and the profits so
small, that they drove the smaller factories out of exist
ence. In order for the firm at Mashapaug to have gone on
successfully with their business, it would have been neces
sary for them to have introduced new capital, made a larger
plant, nnd .secured tho best machinery. But n decisive rea
son why this should not bo done was the distance from rail
road, Tho cost of tr;uisportution und tho uncort;iiiUy oi
securing laborers, would have seriously diminished tlu
profits of the business, so that in all probability it would
not have succeeded. IleUec the firm at Mashapaug ceased
tho manufacture of shoes in 1871. Corbin i\: Kinney con
tinued the store business, however, for a number of years
But the diminishing population of the village and town,
the loss of trade with those who worked for the firm before,
and similar reasons caused the business to decline, and it
was given up entirely in 1881, Mr. Corbin in that year
removed to Hartford, where his family has since resided.
Since that time Mr, John ^Vineh has carried on a storr
on a small scale at Mashapaug, in connection with his otlu-r
busincss. We may speak here of some of the other industries
that have been carried on at Musliujiaug, Perhaps tlu
most important of those wus tho iiiunufueturoof axo-haiulU-s
which was eurriod on (|uito extensively for u iiunilu-i oi
yours, This wu.s started by Mr, Josiah Leluinl, who with
Jurvis Boies and a Mr. Carter, bought tho llhuu-huni pati-ni
of u lathe for turning irregular surfaces, e;ieh owning :i
third, Thoy licensed others besides themselves to use thi-,
patent und roeeivcd a royalty for its u,sc. Mr, Leland caiiu
to Union about 1845, and bought of the Quinnebaug Rcscr
voir Co. (now tho Hamilton Woolen Co.), the water privi
lego at Mashapaug, and the hou.se where ho afterwar(l,s
lived (now occupied by John Winch). Here he had his
axe-handle factory and did quite a thriving business, giv
ing employment to a large number of men.
Josiah Leland died in 1855, and the business fell iiiti-
the hands of his sons George A., Henry J., and John Slier.

OTHER INDUSTRIES AT MASHAPAUG. 239
man. In 1856 the business was sold to Mr. A. E. Weld,
who carried it on for a number of years till the buildings
were burned. One of the shops was never rebuilt. The
one which was rebuilt is now a grist-mill and bone factory
and is owned and run by J. W. Winch.
There was also at Mashapaug a mattress factory, started
by Charles Collar and run for several years by Roscius
Back and A. E. Weld, until the building was burned about
1864. It was never rebuilt.
Another industry which was carried on to a consider
able extent at Mashapaug was the manufacture of match-
cards. .This was started by Mr. Trask soon after Josiah
Leland's death in 1854. The firm for awhile was Leland
& Trask (George Leland), and afterwards Leland & Gilmore
(J. S. Leland).

CHAPTER VII.
THE SCHOOLS OF UNION.
THE EARLV SCHOOLS — THK SCHOOL SOCIKTV— TEACIIKKS— I'KKS-
ENT CONDITION OK SCHOOLS — THE SELECT SCHOOLS OK
UNION — NAMES OV TEACHEKS — LIST Of COLLEGE STUHKNTS
FROM UNION.
ATTENTION seems to have been given to educational
matters quite early in the history of the town. The
children of tho c.itly .settlers learned to read, write
and cipher, and some acquired a pretty fair education for
those days. The schools wore held in private houses,
Phobo Lawson, u duughter of tho pitinoor settlor, is said to
have taught school summer and wintor till she w;is lil'ty
yours of ago. Text-books wore source, nud tho teuelu-i-
wus eompellod to give orul lessons in sueh subjects ;is
urithmotie, or have tho rules written out for tho scholars'
use. Tho compiler hus several such homo-niude text-books
which huvo boon bunded down from curly times. One of
those is n treatise on geometry nnd surveying, written by
Robert Pnul, Sr,, whioh is very good, and shows its uuthor
to hnvc been a man of education and ability.
The first school-hou.so in town was built in tho "meet
ing-house district," in 1772. The money to build it with
was raised by subscription in the district nnd put into
tho hands of Thomas Luwson nud John Sessions, who had
charge of building it. It stood on tho summit of the hill
just ntu-thwost of tho old mocting-housc. It stood here
till uflor 1800. Then n second school-houso wus built on
tho soutli road to tho Houtliwost of whoro the present
sohool-houso stands. Tliis hud u four-sided roof, The
present school-houso in tho center district wus built about
1846. In tho east distriet (No. 2), which used to be called
the "over Bigelow district," the first school-house stood a

SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOLS. 241
few feet southwest of the barn on the Benjamin Corbin
place. A second was built in 1819, on the site of the pres
ent one. It was used till i860, when it was taken down and
set up as a dwelling house northeast of Fayette Crawford's,
where it now stands. The present school-house was built
that same year. The oldest school-house now standing in
town is the so-called Foster school-house in the southwest
district (No. 3). It is now no longer used. It was built in
1799. In it may be seen a remnant of the old plan of hav
ing the desks run right round against the wall. At these
the older scholars sat with their faces away from the rest
of the school. Inside and one step below were benches for
the younger scholars. The first school-house in Masha
paug (District No. 4), was built shortly after the Revolu
tion. It was set on fire by a tramp about 1800, and burned
to the ground. A new school-house was built which stood
till 1861, when it was taken down (after a vain attempt to
move it whole), and set up as a tenement house on the
Benj. Stone place: The present school-house was built in
1861, by John Stetson. It is a very pretty one and William
!M. Corbin spared no pains to make it one of the best that
could be found in any country place.
The schools were at first supported by taxes levied on
the inhabitants. As it was difficult to get money in those
days, teachers were mostly paid in boards, etc., which they
sold at Windham and elsewhere. But in 1796, the town
received in common with the other towns of Connecticut,
interest from a fund for education, derived from the sale
of the western lands belonging to the state. For the pur
pose of receiving and disposing of the money that was
received, a school society was formed in town in 1796. This
society continued in existence for over sixty years. It was
separate from the town and had its own officers, although
ivery citizen who could vote in town meeting could also
\.'ote in the meetings of the school society. In 1820, the
noney received from the above source by the different dis-
ricts, and the number of children between the ages of
four and sixteen in each, is shown in the follcmng table:
16

242

THE SCHOOLS OF UNION.

HUM » En or

AMOUNT RKOBIVED

fEnsONt.
rnOM BTATE.
District No.
I
61
$49- 10
a
66
5313
3
42
33-8'
4
35
28.17
5
18
I5-S9
6
43
34-6I
This table shows that the number of scholars in that
period was much larger than now. The town was more
thickly inhabited nnd the families were larger. The old
school-houses wore crowded at times, and the teacher li.id
his hands full. The boys and girls used to attend distriet
school longer in those days when their education was com
pleted in them, than now. The young men worked on the
farm in summer and went to school in winter. A male
teacher was usually employed in winter and a female in
summer. The wages were about forty dollars in winter,
and twenty in summer. The teacher "boarded round,"
dividing his time among the families of the district in pro
portion to the number of scholars which each sent.
Among the teachers of the early part of the century, one
of tho best was Ingoldsby W. Crnwford, Ho was afler-
wnrds for many yours n school visitor nnd ably fulfilled the
duties of tho olhco.
Among tho teachers between 1830 and i860, were the
following;
Trenck Crawford,
Calista "
Daniel T. "
Logan "
Ossian "
Alonzo "
Bert
Ossian T. "
Wm. M.
Marcia "
Harriet , "
Sullivan Booth,
Isaac B. "
Elam C. "
John O. "
Mason Coburn,
Benjamin Corbin,
David P.
Charlotte J. "
MaryElvira
Rebecca
NAMES OP TEACHERS. 243
Susan E. Crawford, Adaline Paul,
Mary Foster, Marvin K. "
Charles Hammond, Moses W. "
Francis " Sarah A. "
Samuel " R. Bruce "
Thomas Holman, Liberty "
Miranda Houghton, Marcia Ruby,
Ann E. Kinney, Nathaniel Sessions,
Lovisa Lawson, Chloe "
Paul C. " Maria "
Edwin N. " Edwin W. Upham,
Minerva " Jonathan C. "
Sam. Whiton Moore, Sarah E. "
E. Morris " Mary E. Wales,
Caroline S. Newell, Celinda "
There is one young man who taught in town early in
the century, who deserves mention here. This was Will
iam Larned Marcy, of Southbridge, who came to Union to
teach in what has been known as the Foster School Dis
trict. Near the school-house was the residence of Mr.
Edward Foster, the father of Eleazar Foster, who gradua
ted from Yale college in 1802, with high rank, and who
afterwards became a successful and highly esteemed law
yer in New Haven. Young Marcy, while pursuing his
career as a teacher in Union and residing in the family of
Mr. Edward Foster, and hearing the father speak with
honest pride of the success of his son, although before
unambitious, then first received that impulse and formed
those purposes, which made him what he afterwards
became. After finishing Ijis school, he commenced a. course
of study, and in 1808 was graduated as one of the alumni
of Brown University. Such was the first chapter in the
history of that jurist and statesman, who afterwards
became Governor of New York, and the Secretary of State
in the Cabinet of President Pierce, in 1853.
Probably there has been no other teacher in town who
has done so much for the cause of education here as Miss
Sarah A. Paul. A superb teacher herself, she also had the

244 ?™^ SCHOOLS OF UNION.
power of interesting others in the improvement of the
schools. It was due to her efforts and the interest which
she awakened that the school libraries were purchased,
which most of the districts now have. We have already
given a sketch of her life and her qualities as a teacher
among the biographies. To this sketch the- reader is here
referred. Rev. Samuel I. Citrtis was for many years a school vis
itor, and took an. active interest in the schools. From 1876
to 1878, Rev. J. P. Watson had charge of the schools in
Union. (See sketch of his life in the church history).
Probably the town never had a school visitor who labored
so thoroughly to improve the condition of the schools in
town as he. The report of his first year',s work which he
presented at town-meeting and which was afterwards pub
lished, is very thorough and lengthy, and indicates the
character of his work.
At the present time the number of pupils in the schools
is small. But nevertheless they deserve the careful atten
tion and interest of all good citizens. For in order that
the town may continue to raise up valuable citizens, the
proper education of the youth must be attended to. Care
should be taken that the money raised for this purpose is
applied so as to secure the best possible results. The
improved methods of education which are in vogue in other
places should be introduced and every effort made to raise
the standard of our schools.
THE SELECT SCHOOLS OF UNION.
The select schools which began in 1850, were very val
uable to the young people in town. In that year David
Corbin and Ossian T. Crawford visited every family in
town, and ascertained the number of scholars which could
be gathered for a school of higher grade than the ordinary
district schools. The efforts of these young men and of
others were successful. The first teacher was ^Mr. Luther
White of the Theological Seminary at East Windsor. The
school was held in the center school-house, which was new

THE SELECT SCHOOLS. 245
and furnished a pleasant room for study and recitation.
Mr. White was deeply interested in his scholars and spared
no pains to qualify himself to do his best for them. Other
able teachers followed Mr. White, some being more suc
cessful than others. Henry Pratt, also of the seminary at
East Windsor, taught in the fall of 1852. He was a man of
talents but had much more of a worldly mind than Mr.
White. He did not take so lively an interest in the welfare
of his school as either of them, but was popular with his
scholars. He was ordained at Dudley, Mass., in 1859, and
became an able, popular and successful pastor. He at
length turned his attention to secular in addition to his
pastoral duties. He went into speculation on a large scale,
became involved, involved others, resigned his pastorate,
signed over, and was able to pay but a small amount on the
dollar. James T. Ford, also from East Windsor Seminary,
taught here two seasons, in 1852 and 1853. He had taught
the classical department there for two or three years, and
was an accomplished teacher. He consecrated all his pow-
cr.s to the good of the school, and exerted a healthful
moral and religious influence upon the people of the place.
Mis winning ways made him many friends, and rendered
him so popular that in his second term he had sixty or
more pupils. He was ordained the pastor of a feeble
church in Stowe, Vt, in 1857, and continued there till
1869, Henry M. Parsons, from East Windsor, taught here one
term. He was popular with all classes of society, was
easji- and fluent in personal conversation, a ready and elo
quent speaker, graceful in manner and a man of power
over the minds of others. He was ordained and installed
pastor of the First Congregational church in Springfield
in 1854. Edwin Hall, also from the East Windsor (now Hart
ford) Seminary, taught here one fall. He was refined in
his manners and a gentleman in deportment. He took a
lively interest in the moral questions of the day, was devo-

246 THE SCHOOLS OF UNION.
ted and faithful to his school, but not decidedly popular
with his pupils. After he graduated from East Windsor,
he settled at New Hartford, where he was pastor for four
teen years.
Henry J. Bruce, of Amherst, taught here in the fall of
1858. He v.as a man of great abilities, precise in all his
ways and movements, a thorough and successful teacher.
He afterwards became a missionary of the American Board
and is now doing missionary service in the Marathi Mission
in Western India.
Other teachers were Henry B. Ruggles, John O. Barrows,
for a short time missionary to Turkey, George Goodell, from
Amherst, a Mr. Spaulding,.John O. Booth, Mrs. Wheeler,
(daughter of Mrs. Rev. S. I. Curtiss), Sarah C. Paul, and
others. In 1881, a new set of young people having grown up, the
select school was revived for one term. Deacon E. N. Law-
son went ahead in the matter, found about fifteen scholars
¦ who would attend, and secured the services of Mr. Arthur
C. Barrows, who had just completed the Freshman year at
Brown University, as a teacher. Although Mr. Barrows
was quite young, he took hold of the work with energy and
aroused the enthusiasm of his pupils. Several of them
continued their education, and have since graduated from
higher institutions.
Mr. Barrows was so well liked that he was induced to
remain and teach the distriet school during the winter and
spring terms, at the same time having pupils in the higher
studies of Latin, Algebra, Geometry, etc.
After graduating from Brown University, Mr. Barrows
became a teacher in the Providence High School. He is
now the principal of one of the public schools of Provi
dence. He married Miss Ella Corbin, one of his old pupils
at Union, and hence can look back on his career here as
marking an important epoch in his life.
In recent times many of the young people of Union have
attended the Hitchcock Free High School at Brimfield,
Mass. At one time there were nine pupils from Union in

STUDENTS FROM UNION.

247

.attendance there. Those who have graduated there from
this town are:
Harlow Back
Lucy Horton
George N. Lawson
Hartley R. Walker
Harvey M. Lawson
Harry E. Back

in 1885

1886 1 888

Herbert D. Smith in 1888
Lilian Booth " "
Lucy " " 1889
Olin " " 1890
Susie M. Lawson " 1892

A list of the persons from Union, who have received a
liberal education is as follows:

NAME.

IN8TrrUT.ON ATTENDED. 0^^'k°1<,«.

Jonathan Badger,

Nassau Hall (Princeton),

1751

Ivleazer Foster,

Yale College,

1802

Rinaldo Burleigh,

i< II

1803

Thomas Holman,

Madison University.

1838

Charles Hammond,

Yale College,
Andover Theological Seminary,

1839

Yale

1844

Justus 'V. Lawson,

Madison University, died Aug. 12,
1854, during his Sophomore year.

George Curtiss,

Amherst,

1S60

Andover Theological Seminary,

1863

1 lavid Corbin.

Brown University,

i860

SiU-is Foster Lindsey,

Yale Medical SchQOl, .

Henry Severy,
Amherst,
Samuel I. Curtiss,
"
1867
Union Theological Seminary,
1870
'"harles Morse,
Amherst,
187a
Yale Theological Seminary,
1875
Xathan Morse,
Amherst,
Merritt.'Walker,
¦•
V/illiam Herbert Corbin,
Yale University,
1889
.'i. Harlow Back,
Boston " Law Department,
1889
tieorge N. La-nrson,
Yale University,
1890
'¦ Medical School,
1893
ilarvey M. Lawson,
Yale University, Sheffield Scientific
School,
1890
Yale Divinity School,
1893
'.rnest E. Severy,
Yale University, Sheffield Scientific
School,
1890
Harry E. Back,
Boston University,
1892
CHAPTER VIII.
THE CEMETERIES OF UNION.
THE OLD CEMETERY — THE NORTH CEMETERY — THE NEW CEME
TERY — THE EAST CEMETERY.
TO the antiquarian the " old burying ground " at Uniov
is a more interesting spot than any other in town
For there, " 'Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."
This is the spot which the first settlers selected as c
place in which to bury their dead. It wns originally n pari
of the ton acres reserved for public uses. The first persm
ever buried in it was William Ward, Sr., who died June Sth
1731- His remains rest near tho centre of the yard, bu
the grave is marked by no stones. This is the case witl
a great many, perhaps the m.ijorlty of graves in this yard
Almost every spot in the yard is occupied by a grave
and one can hardly step without treading on one, Yei
there are very many of these which are marked by nt
stone, and hence it is impossible to tell who sleeps beneath
It would be impossible to tell how many people lie buriec
in the yard; but as it was the only burial place in town foi
over a hundred years, during which time the population o
town averaged about six hundred, there arc probably not Ics:
than fifteen hundred graves in the yard. When wc think o
it we see that those who are living in town now are but fcM
compared with the number of those who have been befon
them, and whose bodies now rest in this nnd the other come
terics in town. The first grnvo-stonos, where there wen
any, were often common, rude stone, with tho letters eu
into the smooth side. A few are of slnte or schist, an(
some of .sandstone. It is not until the beginning of fin
present century that marble seems to have been used.

THE CEMETERIES OF UNION. 249
Some of the noteworthy graves in the old cemetery are
the following: that of John Lawson, one of the very earli
est settlei's. This is situated on the east side, a little north
of the middle; Near by lies Capt. Thomas Lawson of Rev
olutionary fame. A little to the southeast is the head
stone which marks the grave of Rev. Ebenezer Wyman,
the firsi settled pastor of the church at Union. On it is
the quaint inscription, beginning,
• " Lo, here the sacred dust of Wyman lies."
Near by are the graves of the Wales family. Here lie Dea.
Ebenezer Wales, the father of eighteen children; Deborah
Wales, to whose patriotism in the Revolution we have
referred, and Capt. Solomon Wales, a man whose abilities
and public services are mentioned in the inscription on his
grave-stone. South from the centre of the yard is the
grave of Rev. Ezra Horton. This is covered by the large
tablet on which is inscribed an account of his life. North
west of this is-a granite moriument which marks the grave
of another pastor of the church in Union, Rev. S. I. Cur
tiss. His wife and daughter who were killed by lightning
and also his .second wife lie beside him. Just north is the
lot of the Armour's, where lie the ancestors of P. D. Armour
of Chicago. Many other interesting graves might be men
tioned, but these are among the most noteworthy.
The old cemetery becoming very much crowded, the
town decided in 1844, to lay out a new one. Hence the
land on which the north one is situated was bought of
I'aul Kinney at that time. It is a curious circumstance
that his son Joseph Kinney, who died June 17, 1844, was
*he first to be buried in the new yard.
Among the prominent persons buried here are Chauncey
I'aul, Merrick Marcy, Augustus Moore, William Foster,
Uarvey Walker, Dr. Shubael Hammond, David Lawson, etc.
The north cemetery having become pretty well filled
ip during the forty years in which it has been used as a
inirial place, a movement was started about the year 1885,
* 0 establish a new one. Lyman Moore, who was specially
interested in the matter, presented to the town for this

250 THE CEMETERIES OF UNION.
purpose, a piece of land north -of and adjoining the old
burying-ground. This has been prepared at a considerable
outlay of labor and expense to be the future burial place
of the residents of the town. It hardly seems as though so
large a tract was needed at present. With the town as
sparsely inhabited as it is, it will be sufficient for its needs
.for over a hundred years.
THE EAST CEMETERY OF UNION.
After the old burying-ground had been in use a hundred
years, it became so fully occupied that it was impossible
to find any space large enough for a family lot,-that was not
taken up. This difficulty, together with a desire to have
their friends buried nearer home, led a number of the
inhabitants of the east part of the town in 1835, to estab
lish a private cemetery there. The land for this purpose
was given by Joanna and Mary Sessions, and the .Sessions
family was the one principally interested in the undertak
ing. Those interested formed themselves into the " East
ern Cemetery Association," and the names of the original
proprietors were, William P. Sessions, Thomas Holman,
Samuel Crawford, Paul Lawson, Abijah Sessions, Benjamin
Corbin, Nehemiah Houghton, Isaiah Hiscox, George Leon
ard, Walter Lj'on, Silas P. Allen. The first person buried
in the yard was Salem Holman, who died at Hartford,
August 13th, 1835. The bodies of Abijah Sessions, Sr., and
one or two of his family were removed from the old ceme
tery at Union and re-interred here.
A constitution was adopted April 30, 1853, and the
Association has regular officers elected by the members.
Besides the original proprietors the owners of shares or
half shares have been John S. Estabrooks, I. W. Crawford,
Orrin Lyon Yz, Edwin N. Lawson, Lucius A. Corbin, Will
iam P. Chamberlain, Alexander H, Sessions, Cyprian S.
Lyon, Gurdon A. Chaffee, Oliver M. Angell ^, and Asa
Putnam. It is interesting to note the advanced age of many of
the persons buried in this yard, and it is an indication of

THE EAST CEMETERY. 251
the healthful nature of the locality, and the regular habits
of the people. Some of the ages are as follows: George
Leonard, 84; Daniel Leonard, 69; wife, 83; Silas Allen, 72;
Experience Allen, 86; Abijah Sessions, Sr., 91; wife, 91;
Mary Sessions, 74; Joanna, 91; William P., 81; 1st wife, 59,
2nd, 74; Sarah Griggs, 87; Lyman Sessions, 87; Abijah
Sessions, Jr., 86; David Corbin, 75; wife, 84; Benjamin Cor
bin, 85; Samuel Crawford, 79; wife, 70; Paul Lawson, 82;
wife, 88; Nehemiah Houghton, 84; wife, 83; John Crawford,
85; wife, 7s; Trenck Crawford, 83; I. W. Crawford, 81; wife,
71; Asa Putnam, 87; Th. Holman, 82; wife, 88; Lavinia H.
Carpenter, 78.
The number of graves in the yard September 18th, 1893,
was 131.

CHAPTER IX.
GENEALOGIES OF THE FAMILIES.
THE plan followed in the following lists is to trace out
all those of one generation before going on to the
next. For instance, in a family where there are several
brothers and sisters, the children of the first arc given, then
of the second, and so on through to the youngest. Then
the children of the children of the first, the children of the
children of the second, and so on down.
The abbreviations used are as follows: b., born; m., married; d., died;
ch., children. THE ABBE FAMILV.
Gideon Abbe, of Windham, bought land of Nathaniel
Badger, Jr., March 19, 1742. This land was on the west
side of town, bounded on the town line, and north on land
of William Ward, and contained one hundred acres. He
married Keziah  , and had one child born in Union,
viz.: Mary, born September 4, 1743.
John Abhe, son of John Abbe, of Windham, was born
April 20, 1691, and died January 16, 1770. In 1752, he
bought land in Union of Nathaniel Gould, which was the
homestead of said Gould; it was bounded west on Col.
Fitche's land, south on James McNall's, east on William
Gould's, and nprth on Vendue land, so-called. He also
bought land of Nath. Walker and Joshua Webb.
John Abbe married, ist, Mary Bingham, November 7,
1717. She died July 23, 1722; 2nd, Mary Palmer, March 12,
1723, who died November 30, 1750; 3d, Widow Abigail
Ripley, April 23, 1751, who died October 16, 1766; 4th,
Sarah Dodge, April 8, 1767; she died April 11, 1776.
Ch. I. John, b. July 4, 1722.
2. Hannah, b. September 17, 1724; m. Joshua Webb.
3. Mary, b. September 10, 1726.

THE ABBOTT FAMILIES. 253
4. Elizabeth, b. September 16, 1728; m. Jesse Ward,
May 22, 1754.
5. Richard, b. July i, 1730.
6. Eunice, b. August 20, 1732.
7. Tabitha, b. September 16, 1736.
THE ABBOTT FAMILIES.
The Abbott families came from Pomfret and Ashford,
and were the descendants of George Abbott, of Andover,
the first comer from Yorkshire, in England, about 1640.
Caleb Abbott, of Pomfret, bought land of Elisha Loomis,
of Windsor, in Union, June 22, 1749, and moved to Union
not long afterwards. He lived in the old red house which
stood until it was burned a few years ago, south of the
center school-house. He was born in Andover, Mass., in
1704; went to Pomfret in 1726; to Union in 1749, and died
at Union, January 31, 1778, aged 74. He was the eleventh
child of William Abbott of Andover, who was born Novem
ber II, 1657, and died October 21, 1713. The grandfather of
Caleb, of Union, was George Abbott, of Andover, who emi
grated from Yorkshire, England, about the year 1640, and
was one of the first settlers of Andover. He married
Hannah Chandler.
Caleb Abbott, of Andover and Union, married Eliza
beth Paine, December 3, 1730.
Ch. I. Caleb, b. September 9, 1731.
2. Elizabeth, b. March 12, 1733; d. October 31,
1742.
3. Hannah, b. October 27, 1734; d,-Jlpril 19, 1813;
m. John ^Hendricks, 1761.
4. Sarah, b. July 6, 1736; m. Jonathan Burke,
November 11, 1754; d. November 12, 1761.
5. Mary, b. March 21, 1739; m. John Capen, of
Hartland, Vt.; d. in Scipio, N. Y.
6. Samuel, b. March 4, 1743; d. September 25, 1826.
7. William, b. October — , 1745; d. July 25, 1832.
Caleb Abbott, son of Caleb of Union, served as waiter
to General Putnam, in the war of the Revolution; lost a

254 GENEALOGIES.
leg .by hazardously mounting a breastwork, and died in
consequence, January 3, 1778. He married Margaret Paul,
daughter of Robert Paul, Sr., and had no children. .She
died January 11, 1806.
Samuel Abbott, son of Caleb of Union, married Rachel
Ward, January 11, 1770, and moved to Windsor, Vt. She
died October 15, 1774.
Ch. I. Sarah, b. April 12, 1771; died July 3, 1772.
2. Sarah, b. April 15, 1773; m. December 3, 1795,
Caleb Hendrick, son of John Hendrick, and
Hannah, his wife.
Samuel Abbott moved from Windsor, Vt., to Hartland,
Vt., in 1778. He was much esteemed for his moral and
religious character; both he and all his descendants were
Baptists. William Abbott, son of Caleb of Union, moved in 1792,
to Cambridge, Wash. Co., N. Y., and in 1799, to Clinton,
Oneida Co., N. Y. He lived in Union on the place where
Jesse Hall afterwards did. He was a Revolutionary soldier.
He married the first time, Mary Coye, probably a daughter
of Nehemiah Coye, November 15, 1770. She died Decem
ber 10, 1776, aged 25 He married the second time, Esther
Green, of Willington, Conn. She died in Clinton, N. Y.,
December 23, 1839, aged 86.
Ch. I. Caleb, b. February 4, 1774, settled in Colden,
N. Y.
2. Nehemiah, b. May 20, 1776; d. September 25,
1776.
3. Mary, b. August — , 1779; never married.
4. Nehemiah, b. June 4, 1781; m. Esther Baker;
lived at Clinton, N. Y.
5. Paul, born March 7, 1783; d. much respected
March 19, 1831, at Lowville.
6. Esther, b. October 4, 1784; m. filisha Wakelee.
7. Orinda, b. May 1, 1786; m. Joel Hubbard.
8. Samuel, b, July 18, 1789.
9. William, b. December 2, 1792; d. in Clinton,
N. Y., October 2, 1819.

ABBOTT-ALLEN. 255
Nathan Abbott, of Union, was the son of Nathan, of
Ashford, and the grandson of Paul Abbott, of Pomfret, who
was a brother of Caleb, Sr., of Union. He married Judith
Stoddard, of Woodstock.
Ch. I. Elbe, baptized April i, 1770.
2. Hannah, baptized July 12, 1772.
3. Willard, b. April 20, 1774.
4. Harvey, b. September 8, 1778.
5. Sally, b. January 12, 1772.
Samuel Abbott was not a near relative of Caleb, though
thought to be a descendant of George, of Andover. He
afterwards moved to Ashford. He lived near Howard's
mills, was colonel of the militia, was very patriotic and per
formed important services in the Revolution. He married
Elizabeth Moore, of Union, October 29, 1766.
Ch. I. Chloe.
2. Sarah.
3. Laura.
4. Sarah.
5. Joseph.
6. William.

William Allen bought land in Union of Elisha Sprague,
October 22, 1755. This was situated northwest of the Rus-
sel James place. He was a Revolutionary soldier. He
married Sybil  .
Ch. I. Elisha, b. May 13, 1761.
2. Hannah, baptized September 23, 1766.
3. Reuben, baptized August 2, 1771.
4. John, baptized August 2, 1771.
Silas A,llen came from Mansfield to Union. He bought
of Stephen: Paine the Dorsett place (afterwards called the
McQiiade place-, southeast of Thomas Rindge's). He mar
ried Mary Lebhird, daughter of Daniel. He died January
8, 1883, aged' 71:
Ch. I. Edward.
, 2.' Melvin.

256 GENEALOGIES.
3. Catherine; m. James Tatem.
4. Elizabeth; m. Calvin Arnold.
5. Henry.
6. Halsey.
7. Charles M.; lives at Putnam.

Oliver M. Anuell came from Pomfret to Union, about
1840, and worked at George Leonard's. He married ,
Cemantha Houghton, daughter of Nehemiah, November
21, 1852. They had no children. They lived near North
Ashford a while, afterwards at Walter Lyon's and Benja
min Corbin's and lastly at the place east of Willis Howard's.
He was a faithful member of the Baptist church at North
Ashford, and was chosen deacon about 1872. He died
March 31, 1887, aged 66.

Lester Anderson came to Union from Willington and
lived on the Abner Howard place (the second house south
of Kinney's mills). He married Polly Howard, daughter
of Abner Howard, August 3, 1817. The Anderson family
were Adventists.
Ch. I. Abner Howard, b. September 16, 1818.
Abigail Apama, b.  , 1822; 0. May 21, 1841.
Ira Willard, b. March 16, 1824.
Roxie Alice, b. July 4, 1826.
Thomas Albury Philander, b. August 14, 1830;
drowned at Woodstock Valley.
the armour family.
James Armour, the first comer, was a native of Ireland
and one of the Scotch-Irish emigrants. He came first to
Philadelphia. He was among the early settlers of Union.
He lived where Major Smith now does. He was called
the "bog-trotter," possibly in allusion to the north of Ire
land whence he came. His father was a sailor and was
probably lost at sea, because the family tradition is that

THE ARMOUR FAMILY. 257
James never saw him. James Armour was an eccentric
man in some respects. He was very healthy and attrib
uted it to his baptism. He was accustomed to say, " I was
born on Sunday morning, baptized before eight o'clock,
and the devil a bit of any disease would never light upon
me." He married Margaret Anderson, the daughter of Will
iam Anderson, who came from England previous to 1720,
and married at Greenwich, Mass., a daughter of Samuel
Nevins, who was afterwards a land proprietor and settler
in Union, but soon moved to Palmer. William Anderson's
health having failed, he returned to England and died
soon after arriving. His daughter Margaret was born
after he sailed, so never saw him. His widow married a
Thompson, who treated her cruelly. William Anderson
had bought three several tracts of land in Union, but never
occupied them. They fell to his daughter Margaret, who
occupied them when she married James Armour. Their
children were :
Ch. I. Mary, b. June i, 1754; m. Ephraim Rice of
Montague, Mass.
2. James, b. April 4, 1756. (See below).
3. Jean or Jane, b. March 2, 1758; m. Barker, went
to Genesee, N. Y., and died October 12, 1828.
4. Martha, b. July 16, 1760; m. Job Ransom at
North Colerain, Mass.
5. David, b. November 12, 1761; m. Salome New
comb April 6, 1794; went to Genesee, N. Y.
6. John, b. February 25, 1765. (See next page.)
7. Margaret, b. May 28, 1767; m. Lyman Isbell;
went to Genesee, then to Illinois.
8. Robert, b. August 7, 1771 ; m. but died a Shaker.
Margaret, wife of James Armour, died November 20,
1775, aged $$. He married, second, Mrs. Hannah McNeil,
December 17, 1777.
James Armour, son of James, married Eunice Arnold,
October 18, 1776.
Ch. I. Sally, b. March 19, 1777; m. Charles Martin
June 34, 1804; died at West Stafford.
J?

258 GENEALOGIES.

James, b. December 26, 1778.

Lyman, b. January 24, 1781; died- young.
John, b. May 12, 1783; d. August 3, 1783.
William, b. June 24, 1784; died young.
Charles, b. July 12, 1787; went to sea.
Ira, b. March 24, 1789; had bone disease in a
leg; it was amputated several times, but he
never recovered.
8. Arnold, b. July 17, 1791; went to Wisconsin;
died at Milwaukee.
9. Samuel, b. October 8, 1794; d. 1802.
• 10. Maria, b. July 2, 1801; went to Genesee county,
N. Y.
James Armour died October 12, 1828, and was buried at
his own request by the roadside in a corner between the
Cleveland and the Major Smith place (formerly the old
Armour homestead).
John Armour, son of James, Sr., married Sarah Preston
of Ashford (b. March 22, 1767), September 10, 1792.
Ch. I. Preston, b. August 15, 1793; d. April 25, 1S79,
at Morrisville, N. Y.
2. Patty, b. November 22, 1794; d. April 9, 1878, at
Madison, N. Y.
3. Polly, b. October 24, 1796; m. Chauncey Paul;
d. August 25, 1883. (See Paul family).
4. Danforth, b. January 5, 1799; d. September i,
1873, at Woodstock, 111.
5. Almira, b. May 14, iSoi.
6. Lyman, b. April 23, 1803; d. May 12, 18S2, at
Smithfield, N. Y.
7. Volney, b. June 11, 1805.
8. John, b. June 5, 1807; d. October 9, 1872, in
Oswego county, N. Y.
9. Laura, b. June 20, 181 1; d. July 8, 1883, at
Wampsville, N. Y.
John Armour moved to Smithfield, N. Y., in 1820, where
he died April, 1849. Sarah P. Armour, his wife, died Sep
tember 30, 1847,

THE ARMOUR FAMILY.

259

Preston Armour, son of John, lived at Smithfield, N. Y.
He married Betsey Brown, and died April 25, 1879, at Mor
risville, N. Y.
Ch. I. Virgil Maro, b. November 13, 1818.
2. Esther, b. December 13, 1820.
3. Lucien Bonaparte, b. December i, 1822; m.
Lydia P. Townsend October 20, 1859.
4. William Wallace, b. June 9, 1826; d. February
14, 1844.
5. Volney, b. Augfust 4, 1829.
Patty Armour, daughter of John, married Stoddard
Washburn, December 19, 1813. He died November 17,
1865. Ch. I. Ramson A., b. April 28, 1814, at Colerain, Mass.
2. George Winslow, b. July 11, 1816, at Colerain,
Mass.
3. Daniel Willis, b. July 25, 1822, at Colerain,
" Mass.
4. Lydia Sophia, b. December 19, 1825, at Colerain,
Mass.
5. Edwin Ruthven, b. May 11, 1828, at Greenfield,
Mass.
6. Sarah Ann, b. July 15, 1830, at Greenfield, Mass.
7. Andrew Jackson, b. September 15, 1832, at
Smithfield, N. Y.
8. Marthnett, b. July 15, 1836, at Madison, N. Y.;
d. August 13, 1863, at Madison, N. Y.
9. Mary Rosette, b. July 29, 1839, at Oriskany
Falls, N. Y.; d. July 19, 1845.
Danforth Armour, son of John, married Julia Brooks
of Ashford, November 27, 1825. He went to Smithfield,
N. Y., and afterwards to Wisconsin. He died at Wood
stock, in., September i, 1873.
Ch. I. Simeon Brooks, b. February i, 1828.
2. Andrew Watson, b. January 27, 1829.
3. Lucy Maria, b. September 19, 1830; m. Wm. S.
Burleson; d. April 8, 1861.

26o GENEALOGIES.
4. Philip Danforth, b. May 16, 1832.
5. Marietta, b. November 27, 1833.
6. Charles Eugene, b. September 10, 1835.
7. Herman Ossian, b. March 8, 1837.
8. Joseph Francis, b. August 29, 1842,
Almira Armour, daughter of John, married Absalom
Gregg, Febniary 11, 1821. She died in Stockbridge, N. Y.,
in 1892, aged 91.
Ch. I. David, b. December 6, 1 82 1.
2. John, b. April 11, 1824.
3. Caroline, b. September 19, 1830; d. December 5,
1830.
4. Emeline, b. Aug. 13, 1834.
Lyman Armour, son of John, lived in Smithfield, N. Y.
He married Julia Bishop of Smithfield, April 27, 1828.
Ch. I. Alonzo Zelotcs, b. April 26, 1829.
2. Emily Sophia, b. February i, 1834; died Sep
tember 12, 1834.
3. Sarah Charlotte, b. May 2, 1838.
4. Austin Bishop, b. November 21, 1843; d. Octo
ber 13, 1844.
Volney Armour, son of John, married Sophia Bishop of
Smithfield, May 12, 1835. They had no children.
John Armour, son of John, married Caroline Matthew-
son of Smithfield, July 29, 1830.
Ch. I. Sally Ann, b. August 20, 1831; d. April 4, 1832.
2. Luzett, b. May 12, 1834.
3. Omer Eugene, b. September 14, 1837.
4. Oscar Danforth, b. November 2, 1839.
5. Orville Preston, b. November 2, 1839.
Laura Armour, daughter of John, married Orange
Bridge, July 29, 1830.
Ch. I. Almira, b. November 26, 1831.
2. Sariih Jane, b. June 14, 1835.
3. Infant son, b. November 28, 1838; d. December
7, 1838.

r^

. _^.^-.._

I ¦

J

Mr. Danforth Armour.

Mrs. Danforth Armour.

, THE ARMOUR FAMILY. 261
4. Ralph Ellen wood, b. November 4, 1839.
5. Laura Maria, b. March 8, 1842; d. June 17, i860.
6. William Lewes, b. September 17, 1844.
7. Emma Sophia, b. April 11, 1850; d. March 2,
1874.
Virgil Maro Armour, son of Preston, married, first,
Mary Baylis, January 7, 1846, at Smithfield, N. Y.; second.
Wealthy Jane Reeve, March 27, 1870.
Ch.. I. William Wallace, b. Sept. 25, 1847; d. February
S, i860.
2. Esther Eliza, b. Sept. 12, 1848.
3. Isabel Baylis, b. December 5, 1850; d. June 7,
1885.
4. Mary Elizabeth, b. March 9, 1855.
5. Adelphia Jane, b. September 20, 1857; d. March
10, 1863.
6. Minnie Blanche, b. September 30, 1859; d. June
I, 1889.
7. Virgil Maro, b. April 2, 187 1.
8. John, b. May 8, 1874.
VoLNEV Armour, son of Preston, married Lucinda
Wheeler Clock, January 20, 1856.
Ch. 1. Preston G., b. November 8, 1856, at Mt. Carroll,
III.
2. Capitola N. E., b. February 9, 1859, at Mt. Car
roll, 111.
3. Darwin Lucian, b. October i, i86i, at Mt. Car
roll, 111.; d. January 21, 1862, at Mt. Carroll,
111.
4. Richard V. M., b. November 27, 1862, at Mt.
Carroll, 111.
5. Duane Browne, b. June 28, 1868, at Mt. Carroll,
111.
6. Josepen Blanche, b. May 29, 1874, at Mt. Car
roll, 111.
Simeon B. Armour, son of Danforth, now resides in
Kansas City. He married Margaret Klock, June 19, 1886.

262 GENEALOGIES.
Andrew Watson Armour, son of Danforth, (see bio
graphical sketch), married Adalaine H. Simonds, May lo,
1853. He lived in Kansas City, Mo., and died May 28, 1892.
Ch. I. Kirkland Brook, b. April 10, 1854.
2. Maria Lucy, b. September 23, 1855; d. June 10,
1871.
3. Charles Waterman, b. June 10, 1857.
Philip Danforth Armour, son of Danforth, (see bio
graphical sketch), married Malvina Belle Ogden, October
16, 1862, at Cincinnati, O.
Ch. I. Jonath.in Ogden, b. November 11, 1863.
2. Joseph Francis, b. December 25, 1865; d. Sep
tember 15, i866.
3. Philip Danforth, b. January 11, 1869.
Marietta Armour, daughter of Danforth, married
Emory D. Chapin, May 14, 1856.
Ch. I. Alice, b. December 28, 1858.
2. Florence, b. March 3, .1S61; d. September 25,
1861.
3. Henry Franklin, b. April 6, 1863; d. March 25,
1S72.
4. Simeon Brooks, b. May 31, 1865.
5. Julia Belle, b. August 14, 1871.
Charles Eugene Armour, son of Danforth, was a soldier
in the Civil war in the Second Kansas Regiment, and died
in the hospital at RoUa, Miss., August 12, 1863.
Herman Ossian Armour, son of Danforth, married Mary
Jacks, November 20, 1862.
Ch. I. Julia Anna, b. July 12, 1864.
2. May, b. February 10, 1866.
3. Grace, b. December 5, 1870; d. May 26, 1875.
Mrs. H. O. Armour died December 29, 1870.
Joseph Francis Armour, son of Danforth, married
Amelia Gurnee, September 2, 1869, She died October 3,
1873.

THE ARMOUR FAMILY. 263
Joseph F. Armour married, second, Carrie Louise Gur
nee, May 3, 1875, at Geneva, Switzerland. He died January
S, 1881. Ch. I. Gurnee, b. May 10, 1876; d. November 16, 1879.
Alonzo Zelotes Armour, son of Lyman, married Har
riet Lucinda Getting, March 16, 1856.
Ch. I. Mary Julia, b. December 17, 1858.
2. William Lyman, b. July i, 1865.
3. Frederick Alonzo, b. July 17, 1867.
4. Frank, b. August 12, 1872; d. May 18, 1873.
They live at College Springs, Col.
Sarah Charlotte Armour, daughter of L)mian, mar
ried Chester Duane Austin, February 28, i860.
Ch. I. Sarah Nellie, b. March 7, 1861.
2. Chester Wilburn, b. July 23, 1862.
3. Mertoii, b. June 15, 1864.
4. Jessie Winona, b. April i, 1866.
5. Lucy Julia, b. March 29, 187 1.
Omer Eugene Armour, son of John, married Maryette
Cole, October 20, 1861.
Ch. I. Carrie L., b. September 28, 1862, at Volney,
N. Y.; d. October 2, 1863.
2. Fred E., b. August 20, 1866.
Oscar Danforth Armour, son of John, married, first,
Abbie Dubois, April 24, 1862; second, Emma Sumner,
April 18, 1876. They lived at Scriba, N. Y.
Ch. I. Artie H., b. March 19, 1869.
2. Jennie Luzett, b. September 14, 1870. •
3. Susan Maria, b. June 30, 1873; d. July 29, 1873.
Orville Preston Armour, son of John, married Lizetta
S. Armour, adopted daughter of Volney Armour and
Sophia Bishop, March 22, 1865.
Ch. I. Hattie Sophia, b. December 20, 1865, at Volney,
N. Y.; d. September 17, 1868.
2. Pardee D., b. March 20, 1867; d. July 10, 1888.
3. Winnie Luzett, b. July 5, 1869.
4. Josephine L., b. April 21, 1871.

264 GENEALOGIES.
Sarah Jane Bridge, daughter of Orange Bridge and
Laura Armour, married Milton Dayton Bligh, December
II, 1855- Ch. I. Fremont Dayton, b. October i, 1856.
2. Neva C, b. December 24, 1862.
3. Willie Orange, b. September 3, 1864; d. May 15,
1865.
4. Bertie Davis, b. September 13, 1868; d. March
2, 1875-
Emma Sophia Bridge, daughter of Orange Bridge and
Laura Armour, married Arnold Bishop, February 18, 1874.
Ch. I. Lena Bishop, b. Februarys, 1875; d. Septem
ber, 12, 1875.
Preston G. Armour, son of Volney (son of Preston),
married Eliza E. Riddle, June 5, 1880.
Ch. I. Franklin Chapman, b. June 22, 1882, at Logan,
Iowa.
2. Darwin Blaine, b. May 4, 1884, at Logan, Iowa.
3. Lucinda, b. September 30, 1887, at Logan, Iowa.
4. Josephine B,, b. November 15, 1889, at Logan,
Iowa.
Kirkland B. Armour, son of Andrew Watson, married
Annie P. Hearne, April 27, 1881.
Ch. 1. Andrew Watson, b. April 3, 1882.
2. Lawrence Hearne, b. March 8, i888.
3. Kirkland Brook, b. August 27, 1890; d. May 21,
1891.
Charles Waterman Armour, son of Andrew Watson,
married Annie Magie, June 3, 1885. She died in Milwau
kee, January 4, 1889.
Jonathan Ogden Armour, son of Philip D., married
Lolita Hughes Sheldon of Suffield, Conn., May 12, 1891.
Philip Danforth Armour, Jr., married May Elizabeth
Lester, November 6, 1889.

AVERY. ATWOOD, BACK. 265
Rev. David Avery was the fourth minister of Union.
He lived in the so-called Abbott house. He remained in
town two years from 1797 to 1799. He was born in Frank
lin, Conn., April 5, 1746; gfraduated at Yale in 1769; studied
theology under Rev. Dr. Wheelock, and was first settled at
Windsor, Vt, in 1773. In 1777 he became chaplain in the
Revolutionary army and was very popular among the sol
diers. He was the minister at Wrentham from 1786 to
1797. After leaving Union he went to Chaplin, Conn. He
married Hannah Chaplin of Mansfield, October 10, 1782.
He died at Middletown, Va,, October 28, 1817.
Ch. I. Mary, m. Wm. H. Smith of Providence.
2. David, graduated at Brown University.
3. Hannah, m. Chester D. Clarke.
4. Lydia, m. Lieut. Th. Hewitt of the U. S. Army.

Daniel Atwood lived in Union from 1817 to 1840, near
where H. F. Corbin now does (1891).
He married a Trumbull.
Ch. I. Elliot, d. at Worcester, May 28, 1830.
2. Maria, m. Bemis.
3. Nancy, m. first. Green; second, 
4. Erasmus.
5. Cindarilla, m. Sydney Work of Stafford.
6. Daniel.
7. Timothy.
8. Cynrietta.
9. Amanda, m. Geo. Rogers of Wales.
the back family.
Roscius Back, son of Lucius and Sophia M. Back, was
born February 4, 1837, at Holland, Mass. After working
at Colt's Armory, Hartford, in Holland and Sturbridge, he
came to Mashapaug and bought an interest in the mattress
.and grist mill factory at Jihe "long bridge" with A. E.
Weld, March 27, 1862. Messrs. Weld and Back continued

266 GENEALOGIES.
in business there until October, 1864, when the factory was
burned. Since 1864 Mr. Back has been in the farming and
lumber business. On Aug-ust 31, 1863, he married Miss
Harriet Cutler Robbins of Holland, Mass. (born June 2,
1840), at Three Rivers, Palmer, Mass. They lived at first
in the house at the top of the hill on the Holland road,
now known as the Methodist parsonage. Mr. Back began
building his present house in the fall of 1865, completing
it in the spring of the following year. Mr. Back repre
sented his town- in the State Legislature during the term
of 1891-1892. Ch. I. Roscius Harlow, b. May 28, 1865.
2. Harry Eugene, b. July 8, 1869.
R. H. Back graduated from the Hitchcock Free High
School, Brimfield, Mass., in 1885, and took a post-graduate
course there the year following. In the fall of 1886, he
entered the Boston University Law School, graduating in
June, 1889. On December 1, 1888, he married Katherine
Elizabeth Hart (born May 3, 1865, in Manchester, Eng
land). Since 1889 they have resided in Boston and he has
practiced law at 24 Congress street.
Harry E. Back graduated from the Hitchcock Free
High School in 18S8, and from the Boston University, Col
lege of Liberal Arts, in 1S92, taking the degree of B. A.
At the close of his college course he accepted a temporary
position as city editor of the New Hampshire Republican,
published at Nashua,- N. H. He is now an editor of the
Worcester Evening Post.

Josiah Backus came from Ashford to Union about 1790,
where he settled on the county road southeast of Bald hill.
He married Elizabeth Hilliard.
Ch. I. Zibeah, b. September 28, 1789.
Josiah, b. November 6, 1891.
Elizabeth, b. January 20, 1794.
Diana, b. February ii, 1796.
Aaron, b. January 11, 1798.
Abigail, b. April 28, 1800.
Joanna, b, June 16, 1803.

THE BADGER FAMILY. 267
THE badger family,
Nathaniel Badger, and four sons, Nathaniel, Daniel,
Enoch and Henry, came to Union, from Norwich Farms,
now the town of Franklin. Nathaniel Badger was born at
Newbury, Mass., January 16, 1675 (Savage says 1676). His
father was John Badger, called Sergeant John Badger, and
lived at Newbury. His first wife was named Elizabeth^
and by her he had four children. His second wife Svas
Hannah, daughter of Stephen Swett, by whom he had
nine children, of whom Nathaniel was the third. The
grandfather of Nathaniel was Giles Badger, who lived in
Newbury, as early as 1635. He had two brothers, Nathaniel
and Richard, all inhabitants of Newbury in 1647 (see
Farmer), and all came from England, about the year 1635.
Nathaniel Badger, son of John, married Mary Lunt,
March 27, 1693, and lived in Newbury until most of his
children were born, when he moved to Norwich Farms,
Conn., where his youngest son Henry, was born. His chil
dren were :
Ch. I. John, b. January 3, 1694.
2. Nathaniel, b. November 29, 1695 (called Joseph
by a writer in the American Quarterly Reg
ister).
3. Daniel, b. March 27, 1698.
4. Mehitabel, b. 1700, baptized August 18, 1700, m.
Daniel Haskins.
5. Edmund, b. April 2, 1703.
6. Mary, b. September 8, 1708.
7. Samuel, b. August 14, 17 10.
8. Anne, b. January 25, 17 12.
9. Enoch, b. probably in 1714.
10. Henry, b. March 23, 1717, at Norwich.
Nathaniel Badger was the ancestor through his son
Henry, of the Rev. Joseph Badger, bom at Wilbraham,
Mass., Februfiry 20, 1757, who settled in Wood county,
Ohio, and whose biography is published in the American
Quarterly Register for 1840-41.

268 GENEALOGIES
He was a very remarkable man. His biography is a
marvelous story of experience as a soldier in the Revolu
tion, as a student in Yale Qollege, as an ingenious, versatile
mechanic, as a teacher, as a minister of Blandford, Mass.,
and then as a most useful pioneer missionary in the West,
Two of Nathaniel Badger's sons, Samuel and Edmund, set
tled at Windham.. Thomas, son of Edmund of Windham,
(according to Weaver), was perhaps, the most talented man
ever born in Windham. He settled as a lawyer in North
Carolina, and was the father of Hon. George Edmund
Badger, LL. D., of Raleigh, N. C, Senator in Congress
from North Carolina, and Secretary of the Navy.
Hon. Samuel Badger of Philadelphia, was the fifth son
of Samuel, of Windham. Nathaniel Badger of Union, was
also the ancestor through his son Enoch of Union, and
afterwards of Coventry, Conn., of Rev. Milton Badger, D,
D., of New York, long Secretary of the Home Missionary
Society; also of Rev, Norman Badger. Enoch Badger was
for many years town clerk, and his records are made in a
beautiful hand. • .,
Nathaniel Badger bought land in Union, in 1734, of
Samuel Wells of Hartford. He must have lived at Union,
for he conveyed land to his son Henry, in a deed dated
April 6, 1741, in which he is said to be of Union and he
speaks of his love and fatherly affection for his son Henry.
This land was a lot of sixty acres on the north side of Bush-
meadow. Half of the saw-mill on Bushmeadow brook was
conveyed by the same deed to his son Henry.
Captain Daniel Badger, son of Nathaniel Badger, of
Norwich, Conn., was one of the first settlers of Union. He
first lived on the land afterwards owned by Dr. Shubael
Hammond, and now by Mason Horton. He built the first
house and dug the first well and cleared the land which he
bought of William Ward, being lot No. 2, of what were
called the home lots. This was situated entirely on the
east side of the town street. It extended east four hun
dred rods, and was about seventy rods wide. The north-

THE BADGER FAMILY. 269
east corner was marked by a stone on which were the let
ters W. W. "lying on the west side of a little brook." The
deed of sale was dated May 21, 1736. He sold this land
April i6, 1741, to Samuel Bartholomew. While digging the
well, his children came to the brink and cried for bread,
and he had none to give them. So he came up out of the
well and went through what was then a wilderness to
Brimfield, to buy bread for his little ones. This legend
about the well is a true story, for his daughter Patience,
who married Elias Armstrong, told it to Charles Ham
mond's mother — and she was one of the hungry little ones.
itr. Hammond could just remember this old Mrs. Arm
strong. Captain Badger moved from his first settlement in
Union, to the mill site at the outlet of Mashapaug, which
he was the first to improve. He died February 22, 1769,
aged 72. He married first Sarah Roath, October 22, 17 19,
by whom he had three children. For his second wife he
married Patience Durkee, June 28, 1727. She died Septem
ber 28, 1793.
Ch. I. Daniel, b. July 14, 1720.
2. Gideon, b. March 22, 1723.
3. David, b. January 8, 1725.
4. Jonathan, b. December 4, 1729, graduated at
Princeton, in 1751, was tutor there three
years, and died in Union, January 25, 1757.
5. Sarah, b. April 9, 1730, m. Robert Jennings, of
Ashford, December 20, 1749.
6. Patience, b. January 17, 1732, m. Elias Arm
strong.
7. Hannah, b. September 3, 1734, m. first, Henry
NcNeil; second, James Armour, December
17, 1777-
8. Elizabeth, b. at Union, November 28, 1737, d.
December 22, 1740.
9. Ann, b. September 20, 1740, m. Eleazar How
ard, of Sturbridge.
10. Jeremiah, b. December 13, 1742, m. Zeruiah
Peake.

270 GENEALOGIES.
Nathaniel Badger, Jr., son of Nathaniel of Norwich,
bought land in Union in 1^34. He served several years a,s
selectman. His wife's name was Rebecca.
Ch. I. Rebecca, b. November 22, 1728.
2. Rhoda,b. November 2, 1741.
Enoch Badger, son of Nathaniel, Sr., was town clerk
in Union from 1740 to 1747. In the latter year he sold his
farm in Union to Jeremiah Bishop, of Coventry, and moved
to Coventry, where he died in 1793. He married Mary
Rood, October 5, 1741.
Ch. I. Esther, b. September 24, 1742.
2. Eunice, b. March 22, 1744.
3. Lydia, b. July 17, 1746.
4. Abner, b. June 9, 1748,
5. Enoch, b. July 9, 1750.
6. Mary, b. .March 9, 1752.
Henry Badger, the youngest son of Nathaniel Badger,
of Norwich and Union, was married at Union, September
21, 1737, to Mary Langdon. Two children were born in
Union. Ch. I. Joseph, b. August, 1738.
2. Mary, b. March 17, 1740.
In 1 741, he sold his land in Union, and afterward.-;
resided in Wilbraham. Here he had a large family. The
names of the children were Jerusha, Nathaniel, Lamewell,
Joseph, Joseph, Jerusha, Louise. The last Joseph is tho
one who graduated at Yale in 1785, and became a useful
home missionary. In 1766 Henry Badger removed t"
Patridgefield, now Peru, Mass., where he died.
Daniel Badger, Jr., son of Captain Daniel, was one 01
the early settlers of Union, coming with his father from
Norwich. He married first, Elizabeth Fuller, in the Rhodo
Island government, November 23, 1739. By her five of hi-.
children were born. She died March 12, 1747. He then
married Philippe Hall, November 11, 1747.

THE BADGER FAMILY. 271
Ch. I. Elizabeth, b. December 29,1740, m. Archibald
Coy, d. May 29, 1806.
2. Ephraim, b. August 2, 1742.
3. Rhod^, b. June 9, 1744, d. June 17, 1744.
4. Daniel, b. May 19, 1745, d. August 11, 1747.
S. Abigail, b. March 10, 1747.
6. Daniel, b. August 9, 1748.
7. Elisha, b. February 3, 1750.
8. Josiah, b. August 25, 1751.
9. Ruth, b. February 22, 1760, m. Webber.
10. Mary, b. March 20, 1762.
II. Gideon, b. February 24, 1764.
12. Philippe, b. March 2, 1768.
David Badger, was one of the early settlers of Union.
It is probable that he was the son of Captain Daniel Bad
ger. He married Ann Modena, July 11, 174- ^datc partly
obliterated). Ch. 1. Sarah, b. October 10, 1746.
2. Miriam, b. September, 1748.
3. Joshua, b. June i, 1781.
Gideon Badger, son of. Captain Daniel, married Mrs.
Mary Dodge, December 17, 1784.
Ch. Lydia, b. September 15, 1755.
Lieut. Jeremiah Badger, son of Capt. Daniel, married
Zeruiah Peake, January 15, 1767. He lived at Mashapaug and
owned the saw-mill there. He was a Revolutionary soldier.
Ch. I. Giles, m. Olive Sprague.
2. Irena, b. September 9, 1767, m. Thursting Wells;
lived in Fenner, N. Y.
3. Willard.
4. Asher.
5. Abner, b. November 11, 1776, d. September 21,
1778.
6. Abner, b. September 24, 1778.
7. Lucinda, b. March i, 1787, m. Woodworth.
8. Melinda, b. June 11, 1788, m. Dunton.

272

GENEALOGIES.

Ephraim Badger, son of Daniel, Jr., married Keziah
Wakefield, September 6, 1774.
Ch. I. Anna, b. August 28, 1765.
2. , Eliza.beth, b. August 16, 1767.
3. Keziah, b. May 8, 1769.
Daniel Badger, son of Daniel, Jr., married Edward
Walker of Union, October 5, 1769.
Ch. I. David, t. August 27, 1770.
2. Ephraim, b. February 29, 1772.
3. Eunice, "b. December 26, 1775.
Elisha Badger, son of D.iniel, Jr., married Susannah
Chaffee of Norwich, July 20, 1769.
Ch. I. Keziah, b. February 28, 1773.
2. Ezra, b. November 26, 1775.
3. Susannah, b. September 25, 1779.
Josiah Badger, son of Daniel, Jr., married Silvana
Hatch. Ch. I. Christiana, b. September 11, 1774.
2. Susannah, b. March 14, 1777.
3. Ruth Garrett, b. May 3, 1779.
4. Andrew Hatch, b. November 28, 1780.
Jonathan Badger, whose relation to the others is
unknown, lived east of the mill pond near Badger's mills, so
called. He married Abigail Rice of Stafford, December 2,
1776. Ch. I. Caleb, b. February 21, 1778.
2. Enoch, b. June 2, 1780.
3. Amasa, b. December 9, 1782.
4. Anna, b. May 17, 1785.
Giles Badger, son of Jeremiah, married Olive Sprague,
daughter of Th. Sprague, of Union. He died at Presque
Isle, Pa.
Ch. I. Wyman, b. March 21, 1790.
2. Orpha.

THE BADGER FAMILY. 273
Willard Badger, son of Jeremiah* married Tabitha
Sprague, daughter of Thomas Sprague of Union. He
moved to Lenox, N. Y., and died at Presque Isle, Pa.
Ch. I. Marvin, b. February 10, 1795.
2. Eveline.
3. Freeman.
4. Orill.
5. Palmer.
6. Maverick.
7. Emmorette.
8. Lorette.
Asher Badger, son of Jeremiah, married Polly Goodale
of Holland. He lived where Felix Boovia now lives.
Ch. I. Roxa, b. December 13, 1796.
2. Augusta, b. January i, 1798.
3. Winthrop, b. September 28, 1801.
4. Dwight, b. April 5, 1803.
5. Cemantha, b. March 1, 1805.
6. Diantha, b. February 28, 1807.
7. Lorrin, b. March 12, 1809.
8. Hamilton, b. April 15, 1811.
9. Ransom, b. April 5, 1814.
10. Ichabod, b. 1816.
Most of the family moved away from Union, when they
were young. Some of the girls lived in Buffalo, N. Y,
Hamilton went to Indiana and became wealthy. Ichabod
went into the shoe business. He spent most of his life in
Southbridge, Mass., where he died March 26, 1892. Only
Ransom is now living (1892).
Abner Badger, son of Jeremiah, married Phebe How
ard, of Union.
Ch. I. Electa.
2. Almira.

George L. Baker, from Wales, lived in town several
years. He was the postmaster at Union for a few years,
and represented the town in the Legislature in 1884. He
18

274 GENEALOGIES.
married Mrs. Laura Marcy Taylor, daughter of Merrick
Marcy, January 13, 1875. "The family now reside in Hart
ford, but frequently spend the summer ,in Union. Mr.
Baker is a member of the firm of Marcy Bros. & Co.
Ch, 1, Lottie May, b. December 27, 1875.
2. George Merrick, b. July 10, 1878,
3. Louis Marcy, b. February 18, 1882.
harder family.
Frederick Wolcott Bakiier, son of George W. Bnrbcr,
was born July 8, 1828, at Perry (now Wyoming), Genesee
county, N. Y. He cnmo to Union in 1871, lived two years
at Prosper Smith's, then bought of Samuel A. Whipple the
Philip Corbin place, where ho has since resided. Ho mar
ried, first, Jane Elizabeth Bissell, daughter of James Bis
sell, of South Windsor, May 4, 1856. She died November 18,
1866. He married, second time, Emily Howard Smith,
daughter of Prosper Smith, of Union, September 5, 1868.
His children were :
Ch. I. Jennie Elizabeth, b. February 21, 1857; m.
John Hamilton; now lives in Monson, Mass,
2. Josephine Bonaparte, b. October 9, 1870; m.
George Towne.
3. Howard Grant, b. October 16, 1872.
4. Grace Winifred, b. August 20, 1878.
bartlett family.
Daniel Bartlett, son of William Bartlett, of Eastford,
was born February 19, 1812. He married Lucy P. Howard,
daughter of David Howard, of Woodstock, June, 1836. She
was born April 10, 1815.
Mr. Bartlett came to Union from Eastford in Decem
ber, 1877, nnd lived with his son-in-law, E. M. Horton. He
represented the town in the Legislature of 1880.
Their children were ;
Ch. I, Mary Jnnc, b. Februnry 14, 1838; m. E. Mason
llorton,
2, Priseilln Chnndlcr, b. March 12, 1842; m. David
Hollingsworth.

BARTLETT, BARTON, BASCOM. 275
Richard Bartlett, an early resident, died April ao,
1791. His wife, Elizabeth.died January 19, 1781.
James Bartlett lived southwest of the Fairbanks place.
He married Experience Houghton, June 13, 1771.
Ch. I. Sybil, baptized June 2, 1773.
2. Persis, d. November 9, 1776.

John Barton came from Oxford to Union about 1775,
and bought land of Thomas Taylor. He married Persis.
He served twelve months in the Revolutionary army.
Ch. I. Ruth, b. March 25, 1777.
2. John, b. February 13, 1779.
Caleb Barton lived in Union during the earlier part of
the Revolutionary war, and served nine months in the
army. In 17.79 h^ moved to Leicester, Mass.

Daniel Bascom, of Lebanon, bought 420 acres of land in
Union with Ephraim Wilcox, April 12, 1759. It belonged
originally to Thomas Fitch, of Boston, and was in the west
part of town. Two sons moved to Union, Daniel and John.
Daniel Bascom, Jr., married Elizabeth Ward, daughter
of Uriah, October 9, 1760.
Ch. I. Olive, b. July 15, 1761.
2. Uriah, b. April 9, 1764.
3. Abel, b. September 27, 1766.
4. Nathan, b. January io, 1770.
5. Daniel, b. Septeinber 17, 1772.
6. Samuel, b. May 29, 1775.
John Bascom, son of Daniel, of Lebanon, married Sarah
Burley, June 9, 1763.
Ch. I. Elias, b. May 4, 1764.
2. Miriam, b. May 12, 1766.
3. Alice, b. ..September 18, 1768.
4. Adaph;^bi July 16, 1776.
5, Ezekiel,' bajptized June 28, 1774.

276 GENEALOGIES.
Nehemiah Batchelor came from Grafton to Union in
1749, and bought land of John Ward. He married Expe-
rionco — — .
Ch. I. Elijah.
2. Sarah, b. November 7, 1751,
3. Rhodn, b. July 12, 1753.
4. John, b. July 29, 1757.
Elijah Batciielok, son of Nehemiah, married Eliza
beth, and had n daughter, Eliznbeth, born June 3, 1769.

Samuel Bartholemew, of Woodstock, bought of Captain
Daniel Badger the lot No. 2, on which he first settled in
1736. The deed was dated April 16, 1741. He was living
in Ashford in 1745.
Joseph Bartholemew came from Woodstock, and bought
land in Union of Paul Langdon, March 30, 1742. Ho mar
ried Susanna Turner, April 10, 1769.
Benjamin Bartholemew, of Woodstock, bought land of
his brother, Samuel, in 1745. These three were apparently
brothers, sons of Joseph Bartholemew, of Woodstock.

David Bates came to Union from Sutton, Mass., and
bought the farm of Hugh Crawford, where E. N. Lawson
now lives. The deed was dated December 18, 1776.
Ch. I. David; was a Revolutionary , soldier; was a
Baptist minister, and lived at Hardwick and
at Charlton.
2. John; was a Revolutionary soldier; afterwards
went to Vermont and became wealthy.
3. Lydia, m. Thomas Holman, Senior; after his
death she married — '  Clemens.
4. Judith, m. Thaddeus Gage, of Woodstock.
5. Abigail, m. John Harris, of Ashford, February
17, 1780.

BATES, BELKNAP. 277
David Bates died March 8, 1793, aged 76. His widow
died in 1834, aged 102 or 103 years.
Laban Bates, Sr., came from Bellingham, Mass., to
Union. He probably lived near the place whfere Timothy
Newell now lives.
Ch. I. Laban.
2. Eli.
3. Liberty; became a lawyer; lived at Charlton,
Mass., and Oswego, N. Y.
4. Nahum.
5. Peter.
6. Olive, m. Nathan Kelly.
7. Abigail.
8. Polly, m. William Allan; went West.
9. Smith.
Laban Bates, Jr., lived first at Pelham, Mass. He
married Chloe Sampson.
Their children, who all went to Cincinnati, O., were :
Ch. I. Smith, b. at Pelham, Mass, January 30, 1805.
2. Anna, b. at Union, April 30, 1807.
3. Sally, b. at Union, April 1 1, 1809.
4. Nathan Sampson, b. January 19, 1811.
5. Osro, b. April 30, 1813.

Daniel W. Belknap married Margaret Walker, daugh
ter of Simons Walker, February 18, 1807. They lived on
the Jesse Hall place.
Ch. 1. Sophia, b. January 18, 1810.
2. Lorin, b. September 19, 1811.
3. Simons Walker, b. July 29, 1813; m. Marcia
Herrendeen, d. 1868.
4. Chloe, b. March 5, 1816.
5. Daniel Ossian, b. November 8, 1821.
6. Asa, b. July 2, 1823.
7. Franklin Sherman, b. February 3, 1826.
8. Moses Chester, b. June 13, 1828.

278 GENEALOGIES.
Rev. Nehemiah Beach Beardsley was the fifth settled
minister of Union. He was settled April 14, 1824, and dis
missed April 18, 1831. He was born in Huntington, Conn.
His father was John Beardsley, of Hartford, Conn., the
third son of Abram Beardsley, of Stratford. The mother
of Rev. Mr. Beardsley was Jerusha Beach, the daughter of
Nehemiah Beach, of Stratford. Mr. Beardsley fitted for
college with Rev. David Ely, D.D., of Ripton parish, Hunt
ington: entered at Yale in 1801, and graduated in Septem
ber, 1805. He studied divinity with Rev. Joseph Lathrop,
D.D. of West Springfield, and was licensed in 1806. He
was first settled in Chester, a parish of Saybrook, in June,
i8i6. After his dismission from Union he preached in
Tolland, Mass., Windsor, Mass., and other places, as a
missionary. He spent his last years in Somers, Conn.,
where he died February 28, 1868, aged 87.
Rev, Nehemiah B. Beardsley married Mrs. Achsah
Chapin, widow of Samuel D. Chapin, of Somers, September
18, 1805. She died at Somers, February 15, 1868, aged 93.
Ch. I. Laurinda, b. September 19, 1806.
2. Lucius, b. January 24, 1809.
3. Horace Morgan, b. March 2, 1813.
4. Achsah, b. September 16, 1815.
Lucius Beardsley married in Burlington, Iowa, in 1849,
and died March 21, 1857.
Horace Morgan Beardsley niarried in New York in
1839, and died of consumption at St. Croix, W. I., in 1840.

Jeremiah Bishop came to Union from Coventry, Conn.,
nnd bought, in 1747, the farm of Enoch Bndgcr. His wife's
nnmc was Ulnrthn.
Ch. I, Jcrcminh.
2. Mnrtha; m. Isaac Holliday, of Suffield, October
18, .1759.
3. Joel, b. June 4, 1743 -
4. Eleazer, b. September 8, 1745.

BISHOP, BLANCHARD. 279
5. Rhoda, b. January 31, 1748.
6. Benjamin, b. March 4, 1750.
7. James, b. November 9, 1751.
8. Seth, b. July 30, 1754.
Jeremiah Bishop deeded most of his lands to his son
Jeremiah, November 9, 1861.
Jeremiah Bishop, Jr., married Hannah  .
Ch. I. Sarah, b. October 3, 1756.
2. Levi, baptized November 11, 1759.
3. Jeremiah, baptized May 30, 1762.
4. Martha, baptized August 26, 1764.
5. Zubah, baptized April 19, 1767.

Jonathan Blanchard came from Ashford or Abington
to Union, but was born at Andover, Mass. He was the son
of Jonathan Blanchard, of Andover, who was born May 25,
1664, the fifth son of Samuel Blanchard, who, according to
tradition, came from Wales with his father, Thomas, and
landed in New England, June 23, 1639, aged ten years.
Jonathan Blanchard, of Union, the grandson of the first
comer, married Sarah Osgood, of Andover, Mass. He lived
on the Eaton place, where Alden Williams now resides.
Jonathan Blanchard moved to Holland in 1774, and after
wards to Monson, where he died.
Ch. I. Sarah, b. at Abington; baptized May i, 1763, by
Rev. Mr. Horton.
2. Lydia, b. at Union, July 9, 1763; m. Mr. Moul
ton, of Monson.
3. Chester, b. at Union, December 6, 1765; lived
at Monson.
4. Jonathan, b. at Union, April 29, 1768; lived
-first at Monson, then went West.
5. ' Amasa, b. at Union, October 10, 1770.
6!. Deborah, b. at Union, February 20, 1774; d. at
Monson, May 29, 1868.
7. Nathan, b. at Holland in 1784 or 1785.
8. Polly, b. at Holland.

28o GENEALOGIES.
John Blanchard came to Union from Woodstock in
i8oi; lived whoro Deacon Burley now does; loft town
about 1830. He married for his second wife, Pcrsis Bur
ley, widow of John Burley, Junior. He had by his Second
wife, Phila, married Clark; Marcia, Marcena, Lucia, and a
son named Alastine. By a previous marriage he had a son
named John. -

Lemuel Bolles was a soldier of the Revolution; he was
at the battle of Bunker Hill, at the capture of Burgoyne,
and elsewhere. He lived south of Lake Mnshapaug and
east of Gulf hill, on what was originally lot No. 4. He
married Lucy Perkins, of Brookfield, Mass., February 16,
17S5. She died February 2, 1805. . •
Ch. I. Alanson,
2. Erastus; went West.
3. John.
4. Lemuel, b. September 28, 1792,
5. Nathaniel, b. August 19, 1794.
6. Leonard, b. August 12, 1796.
7. Jedediah Morse, b. January 23, 1799.
8. David H., b. August 14, 1800.
9, Abigail, b. September 25, 1802; m. Casper
Lnvater Lawson.

Wii.LARD BloiuiI-.tt cniuo from StnlTord to Union, Ik-
was tho son of Deacon Alden Blodgett, of Stafford. He
mnrried Elmira Bliss, dnughter of Reuben Bliss, of Mon
son, June 23, 1814. They lived on the hill west of Union-
town, where the Reagan family now does. He died March
19, 1877; she died April 7, 1855.
Ch. I. Austin, b. October 13, 1815; d. October 22, 1822,
2. Alden Willard, b. May 18, 1817; m., first,
Lucinda Hawkins; second, Phebe Harris; d.
at Monson.

BLODGETT, BOOTH. 281
3. Minerva Flint, b. November 18, i8i8; m. Perry
L. Goodale, of Sturbridge, July 4, 1845.
4. Sarah, b. November 24, 1821; m. Lathrop
Clark, of Monson, March 23, 1854; d. Feb
ruary 25, 1885.
5. Reuben B., b. November 16, 1823; m. Susan
Lair, at Blackstone, May 19, 1851.
6. Ruth, b. June 17, 1725; m. Aurelius Corbin,
March 20, 1848.
7. Almira, b. June 5, 1827.; m. Elam ElHthorpe, of
Stafford Springs, October 24, 1852; d,
November 20, 1888.
8. Hannah, b. January 18, 1829; m. Samuel F.
Bemis, of Fiskdale, April 17, 1859.
9. Lavina, b. May 16, 1831; m. Henry G. Kimball,
of Union, April 29, 1855. He died at Stafford
Springs, September 11, i860. She now (1893)
resides in Springfield, Mass.
the booth family.
Isaac Booth of Union was born at Enfield, March 9,
1739. He was the third child of Joseph Booth of Enfield
who married Mary Chandler, January 29, 1736. Joseph
was the sixth child of Zecheriah Booth, and with his twin
brother Benjamin was born April 10, 1710. Zecheriah
Booth and Mary his wife were married May 26, 1696. He
was the second son of Simon Booth of Enfield who settled
there as early as 1680; coming there from Hartford.
Farther back traditions are uncertain and conflicting. The
most probable, however, is that Simon Booth of England
married Rebecca Frost of Scotland and they came to this
country in 1642, settling first in Saco, Me., and afterwards
in Enfield. Isaac Booth, of Union married Deborah Hurlburt in
1764 and came to Union that same year. He died January
i3> 1798, and was buried in the old cemetery near the north
west comer, but has no headstone. His widow died at
Union, January 3, 1830.

282 GENEALOGIES.
Ch. I, Isaac, b. December 14, 1765.
2. Benjamin, b. May 17, 1768.
3. Sarah, b. April 15, 1770; m. Elisha Griggs and
died in 1861.
4. Job, b. September i, 1774; d. September 18, 1774.
5. Esther, b. February 22, 1776, m. Abner Sessions
and died in i860.
Isaac Booth, Jr., married Elizabeth Fosket of Stafford,
November 4, 1790. He died January 21, 1864, in his 99th
year. Eliznbeth his wife died December 15, 1825, aged 65.
Ch. I. Lydia, b. February 11, 1791.
2. Betsey, b. July 7, 1792.
3. Samuel Chandler, b. June 4, 1795.
4. Henry, b. October 22, 1798.
5. Elam, b. May 25, 1801.
6. Isaac Billings, b. February 3, 1805.
7, Sullivan,' b. June 5, 1808.
Samuel Chandler Booth, son of Isaac, went to East
Windsor. He married Eunice Day, daughter of Eli Day
of Northampton, Mass.
Ch. I. Albert, b. August 22, 1825, graduated at Yale
in 1850 and became a Methodist minister.
2. Harriot, b. November 29, 1836.
3. Clarissa, b. December 30, 1830; m. Ilonry W.
Trent, May, 1853,
4. Frnnklin, b. October 13, 1836.
Isaac Billings Booth, son of Isnac, married first JIary
G. Foskett, who died March 27, 1830, aged 20, leaving one
child. He then married Lydia O. Phillips of R. I. April 4,
1833. She died August 6, 1880. He died October 21, 1875.
Ch. I. Mary Elizabeth, b. August 18, 1830, m. Aaron
Buckland of Staffordville, April 6, 1848.
2. Henry Billings, b. August 25, 1834.
3. Elam Chandler, b. April 26, 1836.
4. John Othniel, b. September 27, 1838.

THE BOOTH FAMILY. 283
5. Lydia Sybil, b. November 14, 1841; d. June 7,
1851.
6. Isaac Phillips, b. September 10, 1843.
7. Adelbert Olney, b. August 8, 1847; d. May 20,
1851.
Dea. Sullivan Booth, son of Isaac, married Minerva
Coye, November 24, 1831. They joined the Congregational
church at Union in 1832 and he was elected a deacon soon
after. He was an earnest Christian worker in the church
and neighborhood, always ready for a good word or work.
He died August 7, 1845, aged 37, leaving a family of five
children to be brought up by his noble wife.
Ch. I. Sanford, b. April 14, 1838.
2. Melven, b. November 17, 1839.
3. Juliette, b. November 7, 1841; m. Stephen B.
Tift of Ashford, April 2, 1862.
4. Rosette, b. October 12, 1843; m. Miner Miller,
February 9, 1863.
5. Milo S., b. December 3, 1845.
Minerva C. Booth, died April 13, 1883, aged 70.
Henry B. Booth, son of Isaac B., married first Maria S.
Williams, August 25, 1858. She died January 28, 1863. He
married second, Adelia Williams, April 14, 1864. She died
March ri, 1877. He married third, Mrs. Mary Bugbee,
October 10, 1878. .He represented the town in the Legis
latures of '73, '74, and '87 and has been selectman several
terms and held other town offices.
Ch. I. Henry Adelbert, b. October 30, 1866.
2. George William, b. January i8, 1869; m. Louisa
Hill in 1888.
3. Clarence Elam, b. August 29, 1871.
4. Leon Billings, b. June 8, 1876.
John O. Booth, son of Isaac B., was educated in the
public and select schools of his native town, where he
resided until he was twenty-three years of age. In Sep
tember, 1862, he married Sarah J. Squier of Union. A few

284 GENEALOGIES.
days after his marriage he entered the United States ser
vice as a member of Co. G, 22nd Regt. Conn. Volunteers,
On his return from the army at the expiration of his term
of service, he located in Staffordville, Conn., where for
nearly eighteen years he was principal of the Staffordville
graded school, his wife having charge of the primary depart
ment of tho same school. In 1867 he cngngedin the mercan
tile business in Staffordville. After conducting the business
two years ho sold out, and resumed his former occupation of
teaching. In 1880 he was elected Judge of Probate for the
district of Stafford and Union, and held the office four
years. His wife died February 9th, 1885, leaving one child,
Florence L., who was born in Stafford, August 6th, 1874.
June ist, 1886, he married M. Lina Enright of Stafford,
who was born May 9th, 1861. As early as 1870 ho began
giving public lectures upon the subject of temperance and
later upon various' other subjects. During the past ten
years he has made tours in several states ns a lecturer
and public render, but has always retnincd his residence in
Stafford since ho first became n citizen of the town,
Rr.v. Isaac Piiii.i.ii's Booth, sou i)f Isnno B, (,sco bio
graphical skotoh), married Julhi 15. Crawford, daughter of
Lnurcns li. Crawford, (b, Fobruhry 9, 1845) Mny i, 1866,
Ch. I. Lydia I., b. May 2, 1868; d. August 17, 1868.
2. Ernest V., b. April 13, 1869; m. Alice J. Dow
of Northfield, Vt, September 14, 1890; d,
August 7, 1891.
3. Lamens C, b. June 17, 1870; died August 5,
1870.
4. Alfred F., b. September 7, 1872.
5. Clarence H., b. November 30, 1873; m. Minnie
D. Huniley of Burlington, Vt., November
23, 1892.
6. Louis P., b, June 14, 1875.
7. Edwin, b. May 18, 1877.
8. Frank L., b. October 14, 1878.
9. Maud G., b. June 4, 1880.

THE BOOTH FAMILY. 285
10. Anna M., b. November 8, 1881; d. August 29,
1882.
II. Ralph A., b. November lo, 1883.
12. Mabel E., b. January 3, 1885.
13. Julia B., b. December 29, 1886; d. March 26,
1888.
14. Paul C, b. April 4, 1891.
Sanford Booth, son of Sullivan, married Ellen A.
Moore, daughter of Dexter Moore, April 2, 1862. He
moved from Union to Longmeadow, Mass., in April, 1866,
from there back to Union in 1868, and thence to Brimfield
in May, 1873.
Ch. I. Elmer E., b. June 17, 1863.
2. Malora A., b. November a, 1864. Graduated
from the High School at Brimfield, Mass. in
1884.
3. Milo D., b. November 9, 1866.
4. Milton L., b. January 23, 1876.
Melven Booth, son of Sullivan, married Emily Cope-
land (b. April 26, 1842, at Hampton, Conn.), October 21,
1868. They lived in Union until March, 1885, when they
removed to Brimfield, and thence to Holliston, Mass., in
April, 1 89 1.
Ch. I. Lilian M., b. January 6, 1870, graduated from
the Hitchcock Free High School at Brim
field, Mass., in 1888.
2. Lucy M., b. October 4, 1871; graduated at
Hitchcock Free High School in 1889.
3. Olin R., b. February 11, 1873; g^raduated at
Hitchcock Free High School in 1890. A
member of Amherst College, class of '95.
4. Miner B., b. April 27, 1874.
S. Mary E.,b. May 31, 1876; d. July 17, 1877.
6. Ida M., b. May 11, 1881.
MiLO 8. Booth, son of Sullivan, married Elizabeth F.
Brown (b. May 12, 1847) September 24, 1869. They moved

286 GENEALOGIES.
'from Union to Windsorville, Ct., in April 1872, and thence
to Brimfield in April, 1874.
Ch. I. Homer S., b. Feblniary 26, 1873.
2. Hattie A., b. April 3, 1875.
3. Harry W., b. June 2, 1877.
4. Hubert F,, b. July 18, 1879.
5. Howard E., b. August 24, 1881.

David Brown, son of Othniel of Stafford, married
Lucy Converse of Stafford.
Ch. I. Freeman Munroe.b. February 26, 1817; lived at
Windsor Locks.
2. John, b. May 16, 1819.
3. David Richard, b. Nov. 18, 182 1.
4. ISaac.
S- Lucy.
6. George, lived at Providence and Windsor, died
September 17, 1892; 2 children: daughter
married Mr. Joslin of Hartford.
Olney Brown, son of Othniel of Stafford, married Sally
Converse. Ch. I. Washington.
2. Sybil.
3. Othniel.
Othniel Brown, Jr., was the son of Othniel of Staf
ford. It is said that his mother, the wife of Othniel, Sr.,
was killed by a hurricane. On her tombstone in the old
cemetery east of Putnam, is the following quaint inscrip
tion : " That awful day the hurricane.
When I was in my prime.
Blew down the house and I was slain,
And taken out of time."
Othniel Brown, Jr., married Annis Andrews of Wales.

BROWN, BUGBEE. 287
Ch. I. Eunice, b. April 26, 1817; m. Loomis Agard.
2. Holstein, b. February 26, 182 1; m. first Loretta
Bass; second, Mary Preston.
3. Mary, b. February 13, 1823; m. Gould of Stafford;
d. in 1878.
4. Annis Maria, b. September 24, 1826; m. Leonard
Goodell.
5. Robert Othniel, b. January 22, 1837.
6. Persis; m. Friend Smith.
Othniel Brown, Jr., died December 27, 1843.
the bugbee families.
Most of the Bugbee families who have owned land or
lived in Union, seem to have come from Woodstock. Jona
than Bugbee, of Woodstock, owned land in Union as early
as 1736, but did not live there. Jesse Bugbee, of Woodstock,
was a proprietor of land which he sold to Isaiah Bugbee, of
Woodstock. Abel Bugbee, of Sturbridge, was a large land
proprietor in Union, and sometimes lived there as in 1779
and in 1782. There were several other Bugbees who owned
land in Union.
Isaiah Bugbee, of Woodstock, bought land in Union as
early as 1750, and was a resident in Union many years in
the southeast part of town. He married Huldah  .
Ch. I. Elizabeth, m. Solomon Keyes.
2. Wareham, baptized October 7, 1759; died in the
Revolutionary army.
3. Anstes, b. 1754; m. David Hiscock.
Jedediah Bugbee, son of Jesse and Experience, was born
May 6, 1741. He married Molly Hiscox, October 29, 1767.
He lived in the southeast part of town near North Ashford.
He was a Revolutionary soldier and died of camp fever in
New York, October 24, 1776, aged 35.
Ch. 1. Jesse, b. November 2, 1768; m. Chloe Hayward.
3. Marcus, b. October 16, 1772.
3. Eleazar.
4. Mary, m. David Corbin.
5, Lois, b. January, 1777; m. Rosewell Chapman.

288 GENEALOGIES.
Abiel Bugbee was a brother of Jedediah. He married
Hannah Harwood, of Sutton, Mass., November 15, 1770.
Ch. I. Elisha, b. November 2, 1771.
2. Hannah, b. September 9, 1783.
Jesse Bugbee, son of Jedediah, lived near his brother
Eleazar, just over the line in Eastford. He married Chloe
Hayward. Ch. I. Jedediah; died young.
2. Hannah, m. John Kinney; went West.
3. Chloe, m. ist, Marcus Lyon, of Eastford; 2nd,
Smith, father of Miss Smith, the invalid.
4. Rhoda.
5. Lois, m. Joseph Marcy.
6. Elmira, m. Benjamin Chamberlain.
7. Jesse; went to Longmeadow, Mass.
8. Hiram.
9. Zenas, m. ist, Matilda Wood; lives at Mansfield.
10. Delotia, m. John Marcy.
II. Marcia.
12. Alvin, m. ist, Sarah Chamberlain; 2nd, Mary
Loomis.
Marcus Bugbee, son of Jedediah, married, ist, Sylvia
Corbin, born February 28, 1775. She died April 20, 1828.
He married, 2nd, Betsey Snell, March 4, 1830, and had one
son by his second marriage.
Ch. I. Newman, b. December 18, 1798.
2. Polly, b. January 3, 1801; m. Porter Vinton, July
27, 1828.
3. Jason, b. February 7, 1803.
4. Arminia, b. March 11, 1805.
5. Loring, b. April 20, 1807.
6. Elijah, b. April 3, 1809.
7. Willard, b. June 18, 1811.
8. Permilia, b. February 21, 1814; m. Luther His
cox, December 28, 1837; d. 1889.
9. Annis, b. September 13, 1816; m. Charles Jack
son.

THE BUGBEE FAMILY. 289
10. Jasper, b. June 2, 1821.
II. Justice, b. June 2, 182 1.
12. Joseph Sncll, b. March 23, 1832.
Widow Betsey Bugbco mnrried John Dixon, October 4,
1 842. Eleazar Buobef,, son of Jedediah, lived in the southeast
part of town, northwest of North Ashford. He married
Sarah Chapman, of Ashford,
Ch. T. Amos, b. July 20, 1802.
2. Lydia, b. September 7, 1804; m. John Hayward,
October 2, 1825.
3. Annis, b. June 12, 181 1; m. Aaron Gage, of Ash
ford, October 12, 1835.
Newman Bugbee, son of Marcus, married Eliza Smith.
Ch. I. Lucius Smith, b. June 9, 1826; m. Belinda A.
Benjamin, of Springfield.
2. William Harrison, b. April 16, 1828; m. Eveline
Marcy, of Holland.
3. Sylvia Corbin, b. April i, 1831; m. Arthur
Brewer.
4. Horatio Nelson; m. Mary Bicknell, April, 1873;
d. December, 1877.
5. Anson Allurein, b. February 27, 1837; d. Novem
ber 7, 1842.
6. Mary Ann Smith, b. June 9, 1840; d. November
27, 1842.
Amos Bugbee, son of Eleazar, married, 1st, Betsey Abbot;
2nd, Nancy Howard.
Ch. I. Eleazar Gilbert, b. March 18, 1823.
2. Olive, b. April 25, 1825; m. Erastus C. Burley,
October 27, 1844.
3. Edward Gilman, b. October 25, 1830.
4. Martha Ann Saviah, b. September 25, 1834; m.
Richmond Young.
Jonathan Bugbee came from Woodstock, and lived on
ihe Lieut. Abner Loomis place, where Eleazar Kinney lived
19

250 GENEALOGIES.
many years. He was a man of ready wit, and had a poetic
vein. Here is a rhyme with which he closed a letter to Dr.
Hammond, " Dear Doctor do remember
To come and see me in September."

He moved to Brookfield, Madison Co., N. Y.

about

1805.

He married Mary Dean.

Ch. I.

- Eunice, m. Fiske.

2.
Jonathan.
3-
Ira, d. January 25, 1801.
4-
Nathan. , '
S-
Charit}', m. Brown.
6.
Wyman.
7-
Simeon.
8.
Lucinda, m. Philip Allen.
9-
Lydia.
10.
Hannah, m. John Sessions.
Noah Bump lived in the country between Mashapaug
and Breakneck. He had three children, Shimei, Demetrius
and Jonathan.
Joshua Burgess came from Mansfield to Union, in 1747,
He married Dorothy  -.
Ch. I. Jonathan, b. January 29, 1748.,
Seth, b. March 31, 1750.
Mary, b. February 29, 1752.
Benjamin, b. April 6, 1754.
Abiel, b. September 19, 1756,
Jonathan Burke, was the son of Jonathan Burke, who
in the year 177 1, lived at Windsor, N. Y. Jonathan Burke,
of Union, bought land of Henry McNeil, December 26, 1770,
He married - Sarah Abbot, daughter of Caleb Abbott,
November n, 1754, She died November 12, 1761. He
married again and moved to Hartland, Vt.
THE BURLEY FAMILY. 291
Ch. I. Sarah.
2. Betsey, baptized August 10, 1760.
3. Abigail, b. November 12, 1761; d. October 16,
1800.
4. Jonathan, died in the army.
5. Joseph. the burley family.
John Burley was one of the earliest settlers of Union,
and the ancestor of a numerous posterity. He came from
England with Gov. Belcher, when about fourteen years of
ago, probably about 1708. The name is of English origin
and is spelled in a great variety of ways, the principal of
which are Burley, Burly, and Burleigh.
John Burley first leased land in Union of John Shaw, of
Pomfret, November 17, 1842, but he lived in Union at least
ten years previously. He married Miriam, daughter of
Nathaniel and Anna Fuller, of Windham. She was born
there March 10, 1708, and died December 4, 1787, at Union.
They lived in the southeast part of town near Lost Pond,
where Alexander Sessions afterwards built.
Ch. I. John, b. October 8, 1731.
2. Sarah, b. March 22, 1740; m. John Bascom, June
9. 1763.
3. Josiah, b. November 8, 1742.
4. ¦ Samuel, b. September 22, 1745.
5. Asaph, b. April 20, 1748.
6. Alathea, b. April 18, 1751; m. Elijah Loomis,
January 27, 1774.
7. Jacob, b. Junes, 1756.
John Burley Jr., lived in what is now Eastford, about
a mile south of North Ashford. He married Persis
liar wood, of Sutton, Mass., October 8, 1769. She was born
in 1747. After his death in 1784, she married John Blanch-
liid and had children.
Ch. I. Cyrus, b. August 11, 1770; m. Sally Sprague;
settled at Pittsford, N. Y., and had 12 chil
dren.

292

GENEALOGIES.

3.
4-S-6.

Belinda, b. February 11, 1772; m. Joab (or Jacob)
Guild, of Woodstock, December 1796: had 11
children, and died April 3, 1862.
Rinaldo, b. February 20, 1774.
Philena, b. February 11, 1776; d. January 6, i7'8i.
Pcrsis, b. x\pril 2, 1778; m. Asahel Marcy, of
West Woodstock, and had 6 children.
Joseph, b. June 9, 1780.

Josiah Burley, son of John Sr., married Hannah Hiscox,
December 12, 1765.
Ch. I. Cyril, b. April 9, 1767; m. Abigail Gleason, of
Warren, Mass.
Sarah, b. July 20, 1768; m. Rufus Thompson.
Huldah, b. November 24, 1769; d. May 31, 1786.
^latilda, b. February 12, 1772.
Irene, b. March 10, 1774.
Hann.ih, b. May 20, 1776.
Luke, b. ^lay 7, 1778; m. Ruhanna Perry, of
Stafford, and had 15 children, one of whom,
Hiram, became a Methodist minister.
Rhoda, b. August 12, 1780; m, Walter Child, and
settled in Cazenovia, N. Y.
Josiah, b. June 20, 1783; d. January 23, 1790.
Silas, b. April 20, 1786; m. Dorothy Perry, of
Stafford.
Willard, b. .September 19, 1789; wont to Ohio;
afterwards to Iowa.

8. 9-
10,

Samuel Burley,. son of John, Senior, was a farmer at
Union, and moved to Monson in 1797. He married Rachel
Roberts, of Union, May 16, 1775.
Ch. I. Abner, b. April 2, 1776.
2, Chloe, b. May 4, 1777; m. Joseph Enos, ol'
Marcellus, N. Y.; had 5 children, nnd dicti
January 19, 1843.
3, Mercy, b. November 7, 1780; m. Dnvid I'.oh-
bins, of Homer, N. Y., and had 9 children.

THE BURLEY FAMILY. 293
4. John, b. November 7, 1780; m. Martha Steb-
bins; lived in Bennington, N. Y., and had 8
children.
S. Nancy, b. March .3, 1783; d. December 2, 1787.
6. Mary, b. June 24, 1785; m. Amos Howard, of
Eastford, November 27, 1817, and had 4 chil
dren, Ephraim, Amos, Marvin and Reuben.
7. Phebe, b. March 14, 1789; m. Asa Beebe, of
Monson, Mass., and had 2 sons, Asa and
Almon.
8. Rachel, b. October 11, 1790; never married; d.
January 2, 1880.
9. Samuel, b. November 25, 1791; m. Aurelia M.
Walker, of Wilbraham, Mass, and d. at Mon
son, or Sturbridge, September 5, 1841.
10. Nancy, b. February 16, 1794; m. Orrin Steb-
bins, March 30, 1 819, and moved to Marcel
lus, N. Y.; 8 children.
II. Esther, b. October 26, 1796; not married; lived
in Monson.
12. Lois, b. at Monson, February 5, 1799; m.
Joseph C. Hicks, of Stafford; had 2 children,
and d. January 28, 1857.
13. Ira, b. April 7, 1801; m. Caroline Wood, of
Wilbraham, Mass.; went to Michigan, and
had 7 children.
Jacob Burley, son of John, Senior, lived in the red
house near the Mashapaug school-house. He joined the
Continental army in 1775, was in the battle of Bunker Hill,
and served through the entire war. He married Lucy
l^aflin (or McLaughlin), July 2, 1786.
Ch. I. Huldah, b. at Tolland, September 24, 1786.
2. Tryphena, b. March 25, 1788; m. Erastus Hor
ton, son of Deacon Ezra; they went to Cali
fornia in 1870; she died at her son's, A. E.
Horton; of San Diego, March 5, 1873.
3. Philena, b. February 16, 1790.

294 GENEALOGIES.
4. Ithiel, b. January 22, 1792; m. Jnnc Lawson,
daughter of Ebenezer, and lived in Rich-
ford, N. Y., where he was a surveyor, dis
tiller and farmer; had 13 children.
5. Austin, b. January 28, 1794.
6. John, b. May 25, 1796; m. Pnulinn Lnwrcnee;
ho wns a soldier in tho war of 1812; had 6
children.
7. Orrin Fairbanks, b. July 10, 1799; m. Joanna
Marybeth, January i, 1825; lived in Scott,
Wayne county, Pa.; had 16 children.
8. Asa, b. May 22, 1802; m. Laura Dorchester, of
Tolland.
9. Polly, b. May 22, 1802; m. Nathaniel Ormsby.
10. Hiram, b. M.iy 22, 1864; d. 1839; was n lawyer
in Ohio,
RiNAi.DO BuKMiicii, son of John, Junior, lost nn nrni in
n cider mill when ho wns a boy, Ho dotorniined to obtain
a liberal education. By dint of dilTlcult nnd persevering
exertion ho succeeded, almost unaided, in fitting himself
for college. He graduated from Yale in 1803, and became
one of the most successful of classical teachers. He acted
successively as principal of the academies of Plainfield,
Woodstock and Colchester. For over forty-five years he
was deacon of the Congregational church at Plainfield, .and
was among the first to advocate the abolition of slavery
and advocate other social reforms. During the last sixteen
years of his life he was afllieted with total blindness, ari.s-
ing from excessive study, and passed his last days on his
farm at Plainfield. He married Lydia Bradford, of Can
terbury, Conn., September 5, 1805.
I. Frances Mary Bradford, b. April i, 1807; m.
Jesse Ames.
2. Ashbel Green, b. April 4, 1808; d. August S,
1808.
3. John Oscar, b. June 8, 1809; m. Eveline Moore,
of Oxford, Mass. He was a teacher at

THE BURLEY FAMILY.

29$

Oxford, Brookline, and Grafton, and died
July 20, 1848.
4. Rev. Charles Calistus, b. November 3, 1810;
m. October 24, 1842, Gertrude Kimber, of
Pennsylvania. He was fitted for college
when II years old; commenced teaching
when 13, and was admitted to the bar of
Windham county when 21. He was a strong
anti-slavery advocate and as an extempora
neous speaker and reasoner he had few
1 equals. He lived successively at Plainfield,
Philadelphia, and Bristol, Penn., Canterbury,
Conn., Vermont, and Florence, Mass. He
died June, 1878.
5. Wjlliam Henry, b. at Woodstock, February 2,
181 2; m. ist, Harriet A. Frink, of Stonington;
2nd, Celia M. Burr, of Troy, N. Y., a famous
lady preacher. He was a strong, faithful
and conscientious worker for abolition,
temperance and human progress. He died
at Brooklyn, N. Y., March i8, 187 1. He left
7 children, one of whom, Francis J. L. Bur
ley, has been on the staff of the New York
World, Times, Tribune and Witness.
6. Rev. Lucian, b. December 3, 1817; m. April 4,
1843, Elizabeth M. Child, of East Woodstock,
and had 6 children. He was a well known
temperance lecturer in Connecticut, West
chester Co., N. Y., and Wisconsin. He was
principal of Plainfield Academy from 1854 to
1859. After preaching in several places he
became agent of the Connecticut Temperance
Union, in 1865, which position he occupied
till 1879.
7. Cyrus Moses, b. February 8, 1820, was also a
temperance lecturer, and died in 1855.
8. George Shepard, b. March 26, 1821; m. Mary
Burgess, and lived at Little Compton. He
was a writer.

296 GENEALOGIES.
Dea. Joseph Burley, son of John, Jr., lived where his
son John now does. He was chosen deacon of the Baptist
church at North Ashford, May 2, 1829. He married Alethc;i
Farnham, of Ashford, April 28, i8ii (she was born October
14, 1788). Joseph Burley died January 16, 1873. Alcthea
(or Althea), his wife, died October 2, 1883, aged 95, having
been for some time the oldest person in the town.
Ch. I. Eliza, b.'March 20, 1812; d. February 22, 1814.
2. William Palmer, b. August 28, 1813.
3. John, b. October 4, 1815.
4. Erastus Collins, b. June 22, 1820.
Silas Burley, son of Josiah, lived at Stafford; married
Dorothy Perry, of Stafford, July 2, 1808; 2nd, Azubah
Dean, of Stafford, January 22, 1851. He died January 15,
1855- Ch, I. Ferdinand Lethbridge, b. August 26, 1809; m.
Louis^, Colburn, of Wales, August 31, 1834.
He was first a school-teacher and farmer,
then a wool-sorter at Wales, Mass., where he
held many town oflSces. He had 3 children.
2. Cordelia, b. July 18, 1812; d. October 23, 1836.
3. Langdon E., b. December 18, 1813; d. April 4.
1838.
4. Elwell Perry, b. October 12, 1815; m. 1st, Char
lotte Partridge, of Holland, April 9, 1840:
2nd, Rebecca Sweetzer, March 26, 1850; lived
at Holland and had 4 children.
5. Ruhama v., b. August 31, 1817; d. January 16,
1836.
6. Josiah Hartwell, b. March 17, 1819; m. Elvira
Dorman, of Monson.
7. Lenora B., b. April 17, 1821; m. ist, William
Ruby; 2nd, Charles Russell, of Stafford; had
4 children.
Abner Burley, son of Samuel, m. ist, Lovisa Cleveland,
May 5, 1805; 2nd, Deborah Hawse, February i, 1826. He

THE BURLEY FAMILY. 297
was a farmer at Monson, Mass., and died at Wilbraham,
Mass., February 14, i860.
Ch. I. Abner Cleveland, b. June n, 1807; lived at
Hampden, Mass
2. Benjamin Arnold, b. January 13, 181 1; m. Han
nah Smith, of West Springfield; lived at Pal
mer, where he was an architect and a re
spected citizen. His son. Dr. William Elizur
(b. September 13, 1843), studied medicine at
Philadelphia, and graduated at Maryland
University, in 1865. He was a surgeon in
the army hospital, and afterwards practiced
medicine in New York city, Selma, Ala., St.
Louis, Mo., and San Francisco.
3. Lovisa Amelia, b. February 18, 1815; m. Abner
Read.
Children by Deborah Hawse.
4. Joseph, b. January 11, 1827; m. Nancy Whitney;
lives at Taunton, Mass.
5. Elizabeth, b. June 23, 1829; d. September 14,
1845.
6. Jacob, b. April 26, 1834; lives at Holland, Mass.
William Palmer Burley, son of Dea. Joseph, married
Mary Dorsett, of Woodstock, in 1835.
Ch. I. Joseph, b. September, 1836; m. Mary E. Bugbee,
September 18, 1862, and had 4 children, Will
iam A., Orlo A., John W., and Ernest.
2. John W., b. February, 1838; d. in the army, April
8, 1864.
3. Alvin L., b. February 24, 1840; m. Minnie Stod
dard.
Dea. John Burley is the only representative now in
town of the numerous descendants of John Burley, the first
settler. He has always lived where his father, Dea. Joseph
did. He was chosen deacon of the Baptist church at North
Ashford, February 3, 1867. He has also been clerk and

298 GENEALOGIES.
treasurer for nearly forty years, and is one of the strong
pillnrs of the church. He married Elmina Gnge, daughter
of Rev. Leonard Gnge, Februnry 8, 1842. They have no
children. Erastus C. Burley, son of Dea. Joseph, married Olive
Bugbee, daughter of Amos, October 27, 1844.
Ch. I. Emerson C, b. August 11, 1845; m. Delia John
son.
2. Charles Bugbee, b. May r6, 1853; d. October 27,
1863. ¦'
3. Frank P., b. February 1 1, 1863; d. August i, 1864.
4. Alethea Farnham, b. August 21, 1865.

Willia.\i Campbell came from Oxford, Mass. With
John Laflin of Stowe, Mass., he bought land in Union of
John Campbell, September 29, 1740.
Ch. I. William, lived at Southwick, Mass.
Joseph. '
Annis, m. Daniel Lee of Southwick, Mass.
Lucy, m. George Granger of Southwick, Mass.
Mary, m. John Nelson of Southwick, Mass.
Elizabeth, m. Joel Pease.

Alexander Campbell lived in the west part of town.
He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married Char
lotte Sands of Stafford. *
Ch. 1. Minerva, b. Jan. 27, 1816; m. Sands.
2. Almeda, b. March 26, 1818; m. Josiah R. James.
3. Alexander, b. February 29, 1820.
4. Charlotte, b. October 9, 1822.
5. Mason, b. October 12, 1830.
Uriah Carpenter, Jr., of Stafford, lived in Union. He
married Lucy Wyman, daughter of Rev. Eb. Wyman, De
cember 5, 1759.
Ch. I. Martha, b. November 30, 1761; m. Samuel
Laflin, January 10, 1782.

CARPENTER-CHAPFEE.

299

2. Frederick, b. January 6, 1766; lived at Warren
and Brimfield.
Palmer Carpenter, married Lydia

Ch. I. Charles Palmer, b. May 17, 1841.
2. Adeline Parmelia, b. June 5, 1843.
Horatio Carpenter of Woodstock, married for his
second wife Lavinia Holman Goodale, March 2, 1856. He
lived south of the East school-house till 1877, when he
moved to Woodstock. He died in 1884.
Waldo Carpknter, son of Horatio, married Justitia
Goodale. Ch, I. Grace, b. April 5, 1874.
2. Ethel.
3. Edith.
4. Inez.
Elbridge Cass came from Meriden to Union about the
year 1822, and lived first on the Eaton place, so called.
Then he removed to the Wm. Aisbott (Jesse Hall) place.
He built the saw-mill and house near Capt. Paul's.
Ch. I. Libeus, died September 27, 1844.
2. Elisha.
3. Sally. 
Samuel Chamberlain came to Union from Woburn,
Mass. He bought 150 acres of land with one-half the saw
mill of Edward Houghton, January 23, 1746. His wife's
name was Lydia.
Ch. I. Lydia, b. March 5, 1745.
2. Samuel, b. September 14, 1746.
3. Susanna, b. July 28, 1748.

Gurdon Chaffee, son of Amos of Ashford, bom May
10, 1837, married, first, Sarah Salome, daughter of Walter

300

GENEALOGIES.

Lyon, September 24, 1863. She died August 24, 1868. He
married; second, Caroline Capwell, July 4th, 1869. He had
been a soldier in the 22nd Regt. Conn. Volunteers. He
lived on the Coye hill until the house was burnt, July 4,
1886. Ch. I. Amos Francis, b. October i, 1864; m. Phebe
Capwell, widow of  ; has two children.
2. Elmer Ellsworth, b. December 21, 1866.
3. Walter Urigene, b. August 14, 1868; d. Sept. 12.
1868.
Gurdon Chaffee died May 5, 1889.
chapin family.
Rev. Nathaniel Chapin was born at Enfield, Conn., 1763.
and died at Warehouse Point, January, 1849.
He came to Union in April, 1803, and preached as stated
supply for several years. He belonged to the Methodist
denomination, although he preached for the Congrega
tional church for several years.
He moved to Somers in 1S15, then to Enfield, and finally
to Warehouse Point. He married, first, Cynthia Perkins of
Enfield; he married second time, Lovisa Saxton of Enfield.
Ch. I. Cynthia, m. Stephen Root of Enfield.
2. Henry, died.
3. Lovisa.
4. Henry, b. March 15, 1790.
5. Charlotte, b. October 29, 1792; m, Capt. Samuel
Corbin of Union.
6. Nathaniel, lived in Illinois.
7. Sibyl,
8. Charles, died.
9. Miranda.
10. Eliza, b. October 6, 1803, at Union.
II. Charles, b. February i6, 1806, at Union; lived
in Illinois.

THE CHILD FAMILY. 301
CHILD FAMILY.
Ebenezer Child, Sr., came from Woodstock to Union,
and bought of his son, Ebenezer, the farm called the Hitch
cock place, now owned by the Newclls, where he lived
several years. He was quite a prominent man during his
stay here, being a leading supporter of Rev. Mr. Horton
during those troubles which led to his dismission in 1783.
Ebenezer Child was the sixth child of Benjamin Child of
Roxbury, Mass., and was born September 7, 1693. He died
at Union in 1774. He married Elizabeth Bacon and had
9 children. Ebenezer Child, Jr., was bom April 17, 1729. He mar
ried, first. Charity Bugbee, May 9, 1754.
It is supposed that he married, second, Alice Cobb of
Union, November i, 1775. He bought land of Samuel
Peake May 6, 1769. This land was part of the house lot,
and the building owned by Rev. Caleb Hitchcock, where
the Newells now live. He sold this land to his father and
emigrated to Brandon, Vt.
Ch. 1. Sophia, b. March 7, 1755; m. Simeon Wright
October 6, 1774; d. July 19, 1781.
2. Penuel, b. May 7, 1757; d. at Brandon, Vt.,
August 22, 1842.
3. Pearly, b. December 5, 1760; d. May 30, 1812.
4. Ebenezer; died young.
5. Bethia; died young.
6. Elizabeth, b. December 29, 1766; d. May 31,
1844, at Marietta, O.
7. Ebenezer, b. August 17, 1770.
Capt. Penuel Child, son of Ebenezer, bought the
Marcy place just north of the old cemetery, in 1784, of
Daniel Loomis. Afterwards he bought of Elijah Torrey,
December 26, 1789, the farm where E. Mason Horton now
lives, and lived there some years, selling it April 19, 1796,
to Solomon and Jonathan Nelson of Northbridge, Mass.
Capt. Child moved not long after to Brandon, Vt. He

302

GENEALOGIES.

married Charlotte Loomis, eldest daughter of Lieut. Daniel
Loomis, October ii, 1781.
Ch. I. RelphaAdolphus,b. February 12, 1782, at Union.
2. John Burnap, b. June 25, 1786, at Union.
3. Fred. Augustus, b. December 11, 1788, at Union.
4. Putnam, b. at Brandon, Vt.
There have been several non-resident land-holders b)'
the name of Child, from Woodstock.
John Child of Woodstock bought land of Daniel Stowell,
March 21, 1768.
Shubael Child bought land of Jabez Hendrick, January
18, 1762. This was the lot east of the Gulf hill and south
of the pond, known as the " Benjamin Walker lot."
Parley Child, son of Ebenezer, Jr., bought land of Eben
ezer, Sr., August 18, 1784.

Aaron Clark of Lebanon, bought land of Nath. Walker,
December 4, 1734. This was the lot known as No. 3 of the
home lots, and originally contained 175 acres. The south
line of this lot was long a noted line having the famous
chestnut tree for its limit on the Town street and the more
famous rock W. W. for its eastern bound, "lying on the
east side of a litl brook;" Aaron Clark of Lebanon deeded
this lot to his son Aaron in 1735. Tho chestnut tree .'ibovc
referred to was in 1820 about y/j feet in diameter aiul
nearly dead. It was cut down about 1840, and a black oak
grew up in its place. This young oak Dr. Shubael Ham
mond regarded with great interest as being the successor
of the old chestnut. Aaron Clark, Jr., owned land west ol'
the road and is said to have lived in the vallej' between
the house of Dr. Hammond nnd the Kinney or Bugbee
place, west. He sold lot No. 3 to Peres Sprague in 175.).
He owned tho Chauncey Paul place, which he sold to Robl
Paul, Jr., in 1770, and removed to Salisbury, Conn. He
married in Lebanon, Sarah  .
Ch. I. Mary, b. September 19, 1743.
2. Sarah, b. June 15, 1745.

CLARK, CLEVELAND. 303
3. Aaron, b. Augtist 22, 1747.
4. David, b. July 3, 1749; d- January 27, 1754.
5. Esther, b. August 19, 1752.
6. David, b. August 20, 1756.
7. Elizabeth, b. July 27, 1759.
John Clark came from Woodstock to Union and lived
for many years on the place where Benjamin Corbin after
wards did. His wife was Sarah Chamberlain. He re
turned to Woodstock and died, aged about 93.
Ch. I. Lavinia, m. Ezra Lillie, Jr.
2. Thaddeus, m. Lucy Webber.
3. John, m. Polly Ledoyt.
4. Damaris, d. about 1801.
5. Damaris, 2d, m. Chester Marcy.

Pain Cleveland came from Tolland to Union, where
with Isaac Fellows he bought the place where E. M. Hor
ton now lives, October 26, 1796. This place he sold Jan
uary 2, 1802, to Levi Adams of Medbury, and moved to
the farm where he and his son Solomon afterwards lived.
He married Alice Cleveland, who was born December 16,
1767, and died October 18, 1820. Pain Cleveland was born
May 3, 1769, and died February 6, 1851.
Ch. I. Lorinda, b. September 7, 1792.
2. Church, b. July 17, 1794.
3. Orange, b. July 7, 1796; lived in Tolland.
4. Marlin, b. June 12, 1798.
5. Susanna, b. April 23, 1800; d. April 7, 1824.
6. Patty, b. March 28, 1802; d. April 22, 1833.
7. Freeman, b. March 16, 1804; d. October 13, 1830.
(Killed in lead mine).
8. John, b. May 1806; d. December 14, 1825.
9. Anna, b. April 20, 1808; m. Augustus Tourtel
lotte of Sturbridge, May 31, 1832; d. April
12, 1840.
10. Solomon, b. January 27, 1812.

3»4

GENEALOGIES.

Solomon Cleveland, son of Pain, married Lucy Reed
of Vernon, Conn., January 27, 1832. He died October 17,
1878. She died January 21, 1892.
Ch. I. Mary Ann, b. June 12, 1833; d. November 20,
1891.
Sarah Jane, b. January 24, 1835; m. Ephraim
W. Squire of Eastford, March 26, 1853.
Clarissa, b. February 23, 1838; m. Nelson Skin
ner of Monson, September 5, 1868.
Francis, b. March 23, 1843; in. Lavinia II.
Chaffee, November 13, 1864.
Rood, b. August 27, 1847.

John Cobb bought land of Amos Woodworth in 1764.
This Innd was in tho western part of No. 1, and was on the
east side of the road between the Newell and the Mason
Horton places. He sold it in 1785 to Th. Sprague.
Ch. I. Hannah, m. Th. Sprague, January 28, 1768.
2. Alice, m. Eb. Child, November 1, 1775.

George D. Colhtjrn, son of Daniel, was born in Staf
ford, February 11, 1819. He was engaged in the brass
foundry business for a time at New Haven. He came to
Union in 1848 and purchased the Samuel Strong place,
where he has since lived. Ho reprosonted tho town in Die
Legislnturos of 1857, '58, '62, '69 nnd '70, nnd has hold other
town offices. Ho mnrried Elizabeth Wnllacc, October 15,
1845. She died Jnnuary 8, 1892.
Ch. I. Georgiana E., b. August 7, 1846; m. Morgan
Reed, October 23, 1S76.
2. Ella A., b. May 8, 1848; m. Francis Upham,
April 12, 1872.
3. Marion E., b, March 2, 1850; m. Edwin G.
Goodell, April 12, 1877.
4. Alice F. E., b. June 27, 1S66; d. May 21, 1872.

m

nJ

George D. Colburn.

COMSTOCK, CONVERSE, CORBIN. 305
Israel Comstock came from Thompson to Union not
far from 1819. He first owned the Laflin (Prosper Smith)
place, and afterwards the Mashapaug mills.
His children, born before he came to Union, were :
Ch. I. George.
2. Israel, m. Deborah A. Walbridge.
3, Urilla, m. Grosvenor May of Holland, Septem
ber 29, 1827.
4. Ardilla, m. Ed. Aldrich of Thompson, February
22, 1830.
5. Hiram.
6. Janet, m. Goodale of Charlton, April 8, 1834.
7. Sally, m. Henry Stetson of Woodstock.
8. Martha, m. Roswell Goodale of Charlton,
March, 1838.
9. Almira.

Benjamin Converse came from Rhode Island to Union

about 1790.

Ch. I.

John.

2.

Polly or Mary, m. Abram Holman.

3-

,Rcbecca, m. Geo. Leonard.

4-

Henry, m. Mascraft.

S-

Cyprian, m. Laura Moore.

6.

Freelove, m. Eleazar Fiske.

7-

Benjamin, m. Hannah Ellis.

8.

Dorcas, m. Barlow.

9-

Palmer, m. Tyler.

10.

Enoch.

the corbin FAMILY.
David Corbin came from Woodstock, and settled in
Union, about the year 1793; he was the son of Asahel Cor
bin of Woodstock — ^bom March 5, 1739 or '40 — who married
Jerusha Morse. The father of Asahel was Benjamin Cor
bin, born March 33, 1703 or 4, and married Jemima Cutler,
April 19, 1 731, and had four children, of which Asahel was

3o6 GENEALOGIES.
the third. Benjamin Corbin was the seventh child of
Jabez Corbin, and his wife Mary Morse.
Jabez Corbin was a first settler of Woodstock, from
Roxbury. Miss Larned says that Jabez Corbin's lot was
No. 48, "and joined the lot of James Corbin," his father.
James Corbin was one of the most extensive and enter
prising land agents of Windham county. Prob.ably James
Corbin was the aneester of Mr. Philip Corbin.
Asahel Corbin, of Woodstock, the son of Benjamin.
married Jerusha Morse.
Ch. 1. David, b. February 16,1766.
2. Mollj', b. February 16, 1766.
3. Rhoda, b. March 10, 1768, m. Simeon Lillie.
4. Keziah, b. Maj' 20, 1770.
5. .Silvia, b. February 20, 1775, m. Marcus Bugbee,
6. Jerusha, b. December 7, 1778, m. Leonard
Goodell.
7. Amasa, m. Rebecca Hayward.
David Corbi.n, lived in Woodstock, on the place where
James Herindeen now lives. He came to Union about
1795, and bought of John Clark the place where he and his
son Benjamin afterwards lived. He married Mary Bugbee.
daughter of Jedediah. He died March 12, 1841. She died
March 24, 1855.
Ch. 1. Asa, b. at AVoodstoek, March 24, 1793.
2. Benjamin, b. at Woodstock, October 20, 1794,
3. Elias, b. at Union, May 25, 1797; m. Bethiah
Beebe.
4. Eleazar, b. at Union, May 5, 1799, m. Dieea
Cra\vford.
5. Nathan, b. at Union, August 11, 1801, m. Ann
Sumner, d. March 17, 1842.
6. Polly, b. at Union, December 25, 1804, m. David
Lawson, 1844,
7, Anna, b, at Union, Aug. 28, 1809, m. Charles W,
Moore, of Ellington, May 30, 1830.

Mrs. Benjamin Corbin,

/'Vf ¦

Benjamin Corbin.

THE CORBIN FAMILY.

307

Benjamin Corbin, son of David, was for many years a
IMominent and well known citizen of Union. He was
entrusted with many town offices, and performed his duties
faithfully, being a man of strict integrity. He represented
the town in the legislature six times, between 1828 and
1840. He was a member of the Baptist church at North
.¦\shford, and was a deacon of it for a number of years.
He was a man of strong convictions of right and wrong
and always wanted to see the right triumph. Men of his
firm character and solid Avorth are of value to every com
munity. He married Maria Potter (b. April 3, 1804), daugh
ter of Silas Potter, of Ashford, June 2, 1830. He died May
S, 1880. Ch. I. Emeline Maria, b. June ii, 1831, d. August 14,
1833-
2. Dayid Potter, b. July 11, 1833.
3. William Melvin, b. May 13, 1835.
4. Milton, b. December 23, 1838, d. December 27,
• 838.
5. Charles Mason, b. April i, 1840.
6. John Warren, b. July 7, 1844,
Daviii P. Coriun, son of Benjamin (sec biographical
sketch), married Mary Sheldon of Sufiiold, Conn. He died
at Lamed, Kansas, March 15, 1880.
Ch, Frank Warren, b. January 28, 1865. He graduated
from the Hartford High School in 1884, and
in the fall of that year commenced to study
medicine at the University of New York.
He died of quick consumption, June 21, 1886.
He was a promising youth of most excellent
character and his early death was greatly
lamented by those who knew him. When he
knew he could not live, he said his only
regret was " that his mother had not some
other child to love."

3o8 GENEALOGIES.
William M. Corbin, son of Benjamin (see biographical
sketch), married Josephine Walker, daughter of Harvey
Walker, June 27, i860.
Ch. I. William Herbert, b. July 20, 1864.
2. Annie Laura, b. May 31, 1867; graduated from
Hartford High School in 1886; married
James Allen Wiley, of Hartford, July 16,
1890, at Manchester, Conn.
3. Junius Benjamin, b. October 9, 1869; is in busi
ness in New York with his uncle, John W.
Corbin.
4. Harvey Walker, b. May 10, 1872; graduated
from Hartford High School, in 1890; is in
the bank of the Connecticut Trust Co., at
Hartford.
Charles Mason Coriiin, son of Benjamin, resides in
Philadelphia, Pa. He was in the army in the late war,
for three months, in 1862, in Co. B, loth R. I. Infantry.
He enlisted from Providence, where he was attending
Brown University. He went to Philadelphia, and was
many years engaged in the millinery business. He is
now the Philadelphia agent of the Tompkins' Cure for
Bright's Disease. He married Margaret Spendlove, of
New York, (b. October 22, 1843).
Ch. I. Harry Squire, b. March 22, 1869.
2. Edith Allison, b. September 15, 1885.
John Warren Corbin, the youngest son of Benjamin
and Maria Potter Corbin, was born in Union, July 7th, 1844.
He received the benefits of the common and select
schools of his native town, one term at Providence, R. I.,
and two years at the Connecticut Literary Institute at Suf
field, Conn., from which point he enlisted in the twenty-
second Regiment Conn. Volunteers.
He went into camp at Hartford, but on account of the
serious illness of his father, Frank Walker of Union, was
secured as a substitute, answering to the name of J, W,
Corbin, until the time of his death. Mr. Corbin afterwards

THE CORBIN FAMILY. 309
taught school, was engaged in business for himself in Wil
limantic and Providence, from which point in 1874, he
went to. Europe, where he traveled extensively in the
interest of the Atlantic Tubing Company of Providence,
R. I., going even to St. Petersburg in Russia, making a
very successful business and pleasure trip. Later he
arranged to travel for the Howe Scale Company of Phila
delphia, where he remained three years, when he was
olTcred the charge of the Southern Business of the Howe
Scale Company of New York, which position he accepted
and successfully held for eight years, spending eight
months Of each 3'ear in the Southern .States and Texas.
He resigned this position September ist, 1890, to form
the Tompkins Bright's Disease Cure Company in New
York, as the dfevelopment of the wonderful medicine that
saved the life of William M. Corbin, had been his greatest
ambition for the previous four years. In company with D.
W. Simpson of Aurora, Illinois, and William M. Corbin,
he formed an equal partnership with Mr. E. S. Tompkins,
and was at once appointed General Manager of the com-
])any, which position he at present continues to hold. The
record of the most remarkable cures of Bright's Disease
and also of Diabetes, by a separate and distinct remedy,
has no equal. No one can estimate the far reaching results
and the benefits already rendered by this company, and
there is no question but what these herbal preparations are
• imong the most important discoveries of the nineteenth
eentury. William H. Corbin, son of William M., graduated from
he Hartford High School, in 1884. He entered Yale col
lege in 1885, and graduated in 1889. While there he
''ccanie noted in athletics, being captain of the victorious
I'arsity foot-ball team of '88, and rowing on the winning
lioat crews of '88 and '89. He was active in the religious
work of the University, and had a strong influence for
'^ood on the students of Yale. He married Mary Williams
of Manchester, July 16, 1890, a classmate of his in the

31°

GENEALOGIES.

Hartford High School. He taught three years after grad
uating, at Dobb's Ferry, N. Y., and is now the head master
of the Pingry school, in Elizabeth, N. J.

Philip Coriun, son of Lemuel, and probably descended
from James Corbin, one of the first settlors of Woodstock
(also the ancestor of David Corbin), came to Union from
Dudley, Mass., in 1793. He bought land of James Thomp
son as early as 1795. He lived in a house which stood
west of the present one where Mr. Barber lives. He was :i
man of more than ordinary powers of body and mind,
which, guided by stern integrity, gave him an innuenc-e
largely felt wherever he went. He was a farmer, ownin-,'
a large tract of land. He used to manufacture potash in
considerable quantities, which he sold at Norwich. He at
one time owned part of the Mashapaug saw-mill. He was
selectman a number of years, and represented his town in
the Legislature in 1814 and 1815. He was a prominent and
influential member of the church at Union, and one of the
building committee of the present meeting-house. He mar
ried Rhoby Healy, of Dudley.
Ch. I. Samuel, b. at Dudley, February ii, 1792.
2. Polly, b. at Union, May 28, 1795; m. Joseph C.
Griggs.
3. Philip, b. at Union, April 4, 1797.
4. Healy, b. at Union, June 8, 1799.
5. Augustus, b. at Union, Septe^T.ber 18, 1801.
6. Hermon, b. at Union, May 20, 1806.
Philip Corbin died May 2, 1845, aged 80,
Rhoby Corbin died June 15, 1840, aged 72.
Captain Sa.mlf.l Corbin, son of Philip, married Char
lotte Chapin, daughter of Rev. Nathaniel Chapin, oi
Union, March 30, 1815.
Captain Corbin, after he was of age, settled on a farm
adjoining his father's (where his son Henry now lives).
He was the captain of the company of militia in town. IK-
was selectman a number of years, represented his town

7J;.-'Jl»5tt'.5SfC5-X'^^'J.i75||r^^^5=*^

/

J

Phillip Corbin.

THE CORBIN FAMILY. 311
in the Legislature of 1852, and held other town offices. He
was a man of good business ability and was respected by
his fellow townsmen. He died March 8, 1872, of paralysis.
Ch. I. Samuel Aurelius, b. January 28, 1816; d. June
10, 1817.
2. Charlotte Juliette, b. February 10, 181 7; d. May
12, 1828.
3. Samuel Merillo, b. December 15, i8i8.
4. Aurelius Orville, b. April 17, 1821.
5. • Lovicy Rhoby, b. March 16, 1823; m. Jonathan
T. Cummings, of Mansfield, November 6,
i860.
6. Charles Augustus, b. December 16, 1824.
7. Philo Roderick, b. January 25, 1827.
8. Henry Fielder, b. April 27, 1829.
9. Charlotte Juliette, b. February 23, 1834; m.
Isaac Johnson, of .Sturbridge (now of Wood
stock), October 28, 1887.
Philip Corbin, Jr., went from Union to Willington,
and afterwards (in 1833) to West Hartford, Conn. He
'narried Lois Chaffee, of Ashford, November 29, 1820.
He died July 24, 1881. She died September 9, 1872.
Ch. I. Hezekiah H., b. in Union, November 29, 182 1;
m. Maria Rider, of Willington.
2. Waldo, b. in Union, January 26, 1823; m. Emily
Curtiss, of New Britain; d. 1873.
3. Philip, b. in Willington, October 26, 1824; m.
Francina T. Whiting, of New Britain (see
biographical sketch).
4. Lois, b. in Willington, October 5, 1826.
5. Frank, b. in Willington, January 26, 1828; m.
Mary Beckley, of New Britain.
6. Angerona, b. in Willington, January 22, 1830.
7. William, b. in Willington, September 29,1831;
d. October 28, i860.
8. Andrew, b. in West Hartford, June 10, 1833; m.
Mary Moon, of New Britain.

312 GENEALOGIES.
9. George, b. in West Hartford, June 22, 1836 ; m
Clara Grecnleaf, of Boston, Mass.
10. Elbert E., b. in West Hartford, October 17,
1843; m. Charlotte Eckleford, of Philadel
phia.
Others died very young.
Healy Corbin, son of Philip, married Nancy Coye,
daughter of David Coye, October 13, 1825. Their children
were :
Ch. I. Rhoby, b. Septeinber 19, 1826; d. August 19.
1827.
2, Lucy Rhoby, b. April 2, 1828; m. Philip 1-"
Gage, of Woodstock, August 31, 1853. She
married, second time, Ebenezer Byron Fo^
ter, of Union, who died November 14, 1862.
at Trinitv .Soldiers' Hospital, Washington
D. C.
3. Nancy Deliza, b. December 19, 1829; m, Edwin
W. Upham, November 12, 1848.
4. Mary Minerva, b. October 29, 1831; m. Lucius
Agard, February 13, 1854.
5. Rebecca, b. September 23, 1834; m. Stephen
Agard, October 23, 1856.
6. Maria, b. August 26, 1836; d. November -';.
1836.
7. Elvira, b. June 14, 1838; m. Rev. George Curtiss
Jtinuary 13, 1864; d. M.ay, 1875.
8. ' Miner Healy, b, December 27, 1840.
Healy Corbin removed to Brimfield in 1868. He died
October 21, 1878.
N.ancy Corbin, his wife, died May 2, 1S78,
Augustus Coriun, son of Philip, married Pamelia Pies
ton and lived at Willington.
Ch. 1. Cleora; lives in Vermont.
2. Sarah, m, Lysander Taft; d. in Norwich, Conn.,
1890.
3. Silas; lives in Chicago, III.

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'¦f.

Qt; '^^

Healy Corbin.

THE CORBIN FAMILY. 313
4. Mar)'.
5. Persis; drowned.
Hermon Corbin, son of Philip, married, first time,
Calista Knowlton, who died September 19, 1846, aged 39.
By her he had three children. He then married Maria M.
Sherman, September 15, 1847, ^ud had one child. She died
January 9, 1863, aged 41. He married, third time, Mrs.
Sarah E. Kcnyon, April 28, 1869, and had one child. His
third wife died May 2, 1889.
Hermon Corbin died July 12, 1890, at Monson, Mass.
Ch. I. Lorette, b. April 6, 1834; m. Roswell Needham,
May 3, 1857.
2. Rhoby Amelia, b. June 29, 1838; m. Leverett
A. Snow, October 8, 1861.
3. Armena, b. March 4, 1842; m. William H. Hor
ton, February 13, 1866.
4. Ann M., b. July 25, 1851; m. Milton Young in
1871.
5. Alena Bell, b. October 29, 1870; m. Carlton
HoUingworth, of Staffordville, September
10, 1890.
Samuel Merii.i.o Coriun, son of Samuel, married May
20, 1841, Ann M. Stowell, of Clarksburg, Md.
Ch. I. Emma L., b. February 16, 1848; d. December
2, 1849.
2. Samuel P., b. August 3, 1849; d. December 17,
1849.
Aurelius O. Corbin, son of Samuel, married Ruth
Blodgett, March 29, 1848; lived at Springfield; was an
architect; died 1879.
Ch. I. Martha Jane, b. February i, 1849.
2. Harriet Maria, b. June 17, 1854.
3. Arthur Orville, b. March 15, i860.
Charles A. Corbin, son of Samuel, married Lovisa Law-
son, January 17, 1849. They lived first at East Hartford,
then at Vernon, and since at Wilbraham, Mass.

3,4 GENEALOGIES.
Ch. I. Frederick Charles, b. March 22, 1850; d. Novem
ber I, 1854.
2. Alice Marilla, b. July 13, 1852; m. James
Dyson; h.ave had 3 children.
3. Emma Minerva, b. October 29, 1855; m. James
Phelps; 3 children.
4. Harriet Louise, b. May 16, i860; d. January 20,
1861.
5. Elizabeth Charlotte, b. July 9, 1862; m. Ed
Chapman; 2 children.
6. Edith Louise, b. October 29, 1864.
7. Annie Lavinia, b. June 15, i868; m. Dana Pom
eroy, of Springfield.
Philo Roderick Corbin, son of Samuel, married Emma
P. Converse, of Stafford, May 14, 1855. He lived at Gales-
burg, III.
Ch. I. Jennie S., b. March 31, 1855.
2. Arthur M., b. February 19, i860.
Henry Fiei.dkr Coriun, son of Samuel, married
Philanda W. Buck, of Pomfret, Conn., November 8, 1853,
Ch. I. Edward Merillo, b. August 5, 1854.
2. Ella ^laria, b. October 27, 1861; m. August iS,
1886, Arthur Channing Barrows, of Provi
dence, R. I.; children, Florence Louise, b.
March 19, 1888; Raymond Corbin, b. Marcli
8, 1889.
Edward M. Corbin, son of Henry, married Sarah
Hoyle, May i, 1880; lives at Putnam, Conn.
Ch. I. Frederick Merillo, b. July 29,, 1882.
2. Harold St.andish, b. March 4, 1888.
3. Harlie Inez, b. November 26, 1890.
Miner Heai.v Coriun, son of Healy, settled in Brimfield,
Mass., April 8, 1868. Ho married, first, Jnne Betsey Dim-
mick (born nt West Stnfford, January i, 1849), March 2.).

THE COY FAMILY,

315

1868. She died July 2, 1880. He married, second, Sarah
Billings Brown, June 2, 1881.
Ch. I. Minnie Jane, b. November 26, 1871.
2. Herbert Miner, b. June 2, 1873.
3. Arthur, b. December 2, 1875; d. December 3,
i87S.
4. Walter Everett, b. October 28, 1885.
5. Erford Healy, b. February 26, 1889.
Lucius Anson Corbin, son of Deacon Penuel, Junior,
of Woodstock, came to Union in 1857, and bought of Bert
Crawford the place where he now lives. He has been select
man several times and held many other town offices. He
has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at
Mashapaug from its organization in 1867. He married
December 17, 1856, Elmira Sophia, daughter of Benjamin
Chamberlain. Ch. I. Bertha Lilian, b. August 18, 1864; m. Robert
Webster, 1886.
2. Ernest Albert, b. April 2, 1872.
THE COY family.
Nehemiah Mark Coy (or Coye) came from Pomfret to
Union. His father, Nehemiah, came from Scotland. The
son, Nehemiah, bought land in Union of Samuel Chamber
lain, April 6, 1749. He married, first, Sarah Church;
second, Mary Birch.
Ch. I. Nehemiah.
2. Amasa, d. November 6, 1776.
3. Archibald, b. May 6, 1741.
4. Abigail.
5. Margaret.
6. Mary (?), b. 1752.
Nehemiah Coy, son of Nehemiah, married Sarah Birch,
, -September 28, 1749.
' ,• Ch. I. Nehemiah, b. January 7, 1755.
- ' ¦ . 2. Abel, b. August 3, 1757.

3i6 GENEALOGIES.
Archibald Coye, son of Nehemiah, lived on the Allen
Wales place, south of the Kinney mills. He was a promi
nent citizen, holding many town offices. He married
Elizabeth Badger, daughter of Daniel Badger, Jr., Decem
ber 25, 1760, He died April i, 1794, aged 52. His wife,
Elizabeth, died May 28, 1806, aged 66.
Ch. I. Perley, b. June 28, 1761; d. in the Revolution
ary army, December, 1781.
2. Levi, b. March 31, 1763.
3. Luke, b. January 27, 1765.
4. Chloe, b. December 15, 1766; m. Joel Kinney.
5. Rufus, b. November 26, 1768; d. March 14. 18 13.
6. Molly, b. Februar)' 7, 1770.
7. David, b. March 2, 1772.
8. Irene Kinney, b. June 3, 1775 ;d. January 27, 1777.
9. Abigail, b. January 25, 1778; m. Abner Howard.
10. Nehemiah, b, March 5, 1780,
II. Elizabeth, b. May 31, 17S2.
A.masa Coye, son of Nehemiah, lived south pf the road
between the places where Thomas Rindge and George
Chandler now reside. He married Sarah Hill, of Ashford,
September 2, 1773. He died November 6, 1776.
Ch. I. Ariel, b. August 14, 1774.
2. Amasa, b. November 20, 1776.
Levi Coye, son of Archibald, lived on the hill where
Walter Lyon and Gurdon Chaffee afterwards did. He
married Hannah Lillie, February 15, 1785.
Ch. I. Irene, m. William Walker. -a\;)\ I'la'!,
Parley, m. Olive Underwood.
Eli, m. Nancy Walker, February 13, 1827.
Charlotte, b. June 27, 1791.
Amasa, b. April 30, 1798; m. Orinda Sessions,
Antony, b. Janu.ary 8, 1804.
Hannah, b. June 3, 1806.
David Covk, son of Archibald, lived east of Bigelow
river near the Allen Wales place. He married Lucy,

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 317
daughter of Nathan Kinney, TVffimhpr 7.(1, 1793 He died
September 18, 1831. Lucy Coye died January 31, 1881.
. Ch. I. Luranna, b. March i, 1798; m. Jason Hawes. ^)\|,U<!i5
z. Asa, b. September 17, 1799; m. Anna Griggs,
December 14, 1826; d. November 9, 1843.
3. Cyrus, b. January 27, 1802.
4. Nancy, b. December 16, 1803; m. Deacon Healy
Corbin.
, 5. Eliza, b. December 28, 1805.
6. Lucy, b. April 13, 1808; d. February 7, 1835.
7. Minerva, b. August 24, 181 2; m. Deacon Sulli
van Booth.

Deacon Humphrey Cram was one of the original mem
bers of the church at Union, and the first deacon. He lived
just over the line in South Brimfield, and it is about him
that the story is told of James McNall's objecting to his
praying at the raising of the meeting-house, because "he
did not own a foot of land in town." He married Hannah.
Ch. I. Sarah, m. John Rosebrooks, April 10, 1760.
2. Mehitable, b. April 15, 1745; m. Jonah Loomis,
October 18, 1764.
3. Jonah, b. March 9, 1747.
4. Chloe, b November 25, 1750.
the CRAWFORD FAMILY.
The name Crawford is Scotch in whatever country found.
The Crawfords who came to this country were of the Scotch-
Irish descent. The Crawford families of Rutland and Oak
ham, Mass., who came to this country in 17 13, were descended
from Aaron Crawford, who was born in the Parish of Cappy,
county of Tyrone, Ireland. Two brothers, James and John,
came to this country from Ireland. James Crawford first
settled in Newton, Mass., and afterwards in Union, where
he was voted an inhabitant in 1740, and land surveyor in
1743. He became a large land-holder, purchasing his Fand
of Samuel Wells of Hartford, January 26, 1742-43. He and

3i8 GENEALOGIES.
his sons owned and occupied the farms where Dea. Lawson
now lives, where Fayette Crawford lives, also the Walter
Lyon place, the Asa Putnam farm, and the Benjamin Cor
bin place (where George W. Thayer now lives).
In 1 769 they sold all their possessions in Union and moved
to Westminster, Vt, James Crawford, Jr., married Grace
Carpenter, of Ashford, a woman of great intelligence and
force of character. Their only son, Theophilus, who was
five years old when his father left Union, became promi
nent in the early histor}' of Vermont. When James Craw
ford and his sons left Union in 1769, the journey above
Hadley Falls was performed in a canoe or log boat. Reach
ing the old Fort Drummer in a rain storm, the boy Theophi
lus, five years old, was carried from the boat to the fort by
William French, of early Revolutionary fame, whose father
then occupied it as a dwelling house. Theophilus Craw
ford, son of James 2nd, is mentioned in Hall's history of
East Vermont, with respect. He was educated by his
mother, a woman of great character. He was highly
esteemed in public life. He died January 10, 1856, aged 91.
John Crawford, son of James, Sr., lived where George
Thayer now does (the Benjamin Corbin place). He married
Mary Rosebrooks, and emigrated with his father to \'er-
mont, where he settled, first at Brookline, and afterwards
at Guildhall, He had a large family, of which his son Abe!
was born at Union, December 31, 1766.
Abel Crawford moved to the White Mountains, where
he settled, first, at Nash and Sawyer's location, and then
moved to Hart's location in the White Mountains, N. II,
This place in modern times is called the "Notch." Abel
Crawford was, called the "Patriarch of the White Moun
tains," He was a member of the' New Hampshire Legisla
ture several times, twice after he was 80 years of age. He
always kept apublic house, Mt. Crawford, Crawford Notch,
and the Crawford House, are all named from him. He rode
at 75 years, the first horse that ever ascended to the top of
Mt. Washington, At 80 years of age, he would walk five
miles. He died July 15, 1851, aged 84, He married his

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 319
cousin, Hannah Rosebrooks, daughter of Eleazar Rose-
bi-ooks, of Union, and who afterwards settled in the White
Mountains, and was very enterprising. All of Abel Craw
ford's sons were over six feet high.
Ethan Allen Crawford, son of Abel, was nearly seven feet
tall and was called the "Giant of the Mountains." He could
carry a person up the steep mountain sides where scarcel)'
a man dared to follow. Many were the battles with bears
and other wild beasts which he had in those lone woods,
and in which he nearly always came off victorious. He was
a long time guide on the then perilous trips to the top of
Mt.. Washington, and made nearly all the bridle-paths of
the mountains.
The following is the genealogy of the descendants of
James Crawford:
James Crawford married Elizabeth Campbell. She was
the sister of Margaret Campbell, who married Hugh Craw
ford, nephew of James. They were also of Scotch descent,
though born in Ireland. They were Protestants, and Mar
garet C. Crawford told her grandson, Ingoldsby W., that
her grandmother suffered in the siege of Derry. The
Catholics came in the night, burned the house, and killed
her father and mother. She escaped from the chamber
window in her night clothes and was the only one of her
family saved. She wandered in the fields four weeks, living
on roots. While wandering she saw a company of mur
derers and took refuge under a bridge which they passed
' 'Ver, The children of James Crawford and Elizabeth Camp
bell were:
Ch. I. Robert, probably born in Ireland.
2. James, b. at Boston, 1733; d. at Putney, Vt., Jan
uary 10, 1807.
3. John, b. 1734; d. at Guildhall, Vt, August 15,
1817.
4. William, b. at Union, July 28, 1743.
5. Hugh.

320 GENEALOGIES.
6. Margaret, m. William Moore, son of Robert. , -
7. Jane, b. November 16, 1740; m. Gersham Rose
brooks, b. May 29, 1746, and father of Ezra,
Walter and William. „ ' ,
8. Andrew (?) . ' , '•
Robert Crawford, son of James, Sr., niarried Lydia
Pierce, June 16, 1757. He lived on what is now called the
Asa Putnam place.
Ch. 1. Jason, b. July 10, 1758.
2. Stephen, b. July 25, 1761.
3. Deborah, b. August 26, 1764.
4. Huldah, b. September 2, 1766.
James Crawford, Jr., son of James, married Grace Car
penter, September 8, 1755.
Ch. 1. Chester, b. January 26, 1758; d. February 1, 1759.
2. Frances or Fanny, b. April 30, 1760; m. Ephraim
Cook, of Salisbury, Vt.
3. Ann, b. July 20, 1762; m. Jonathan Baldwin.
4. Theophilus, b. April 25, 1764.
5. Sarah, b. April 2, 1768; m. John Wise; no chil
dren.
6. Elizabeth.
7. Lydia, b. at Westminster, Vt, November 21,
1772; m. Dea. Elijah Ranney, of Westminster.
John Crawford, son of James, Sr., married Mary Rose
brooks, December 14, 1758. He died August 15, 181 7. She
died July 16, 1815.
Ch. I. Elizabeth.
2. Sybil, b. August 8, 1762.
3. Polly, b. December 20, 1764.
4. Abel, b. December 31, 1766.
5. Jonathan, b. October 31, 1770; d. at Northumber
land, N. H., June 6, 1850.
6. Sarah, b. February 20, 1775.
7. John, b. August 27, 1776; d. at Guildhall, Vt„
May 28, 1837.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 321
Five others, Rosebrooks, Eleazar, Zerah, Calvin, and
Fanny were born in Brookline, Vt.
Andrew Crawford, probably a son of James, Sr., mar
ried Mary  .
Ch. I. John Lauman, b. March 5, 1766.
2. Olive, b. September 18, 1767.
3. Andrew, d. December 17, 1769.
4. Mary.
Hon. Theophilus Crawford, of Putney, Vt, son of
James 2nd, married Annie Johnson, of Irving's Grant,
Mass., October 26, 1788, at Westminster, Vt.
Ch. I. David, b. at Westminster, August 6, 1789; d.
1871.
2. Sally, b. at Westminster, June 6, 1791.
3. Henry, b. at Westminster, September 22, 1793.
4. Grace, b. at Westminster, December 9, 1795.
5. James, b. at Westminster, March 6, 1798.
6. Mark, b. at Putney, Vt, October 20, 1800.
7. Fanny, b. at Putney, February 6, 1803.
8. Lydia, b. at Putney, February 15, 1805.
9. Theophilus, b. at Putney, April 28, 1807.
10. Annie, b. at Putney, February 11, 1810.
Abel Crawford, son of John, married Hannah Rose
brooks in 1790.
Ch. I. Erastus, b. 1790.
2. Ethan Allen, b. 1793.
3. Stephen, b. 1796.
4. Everett, b. 1798.
5. Dearborn.
6. Thomas Jefferson.
7. Hannah Haynes.
8. Abel J.
9. William H.* Harrison.
John Crawford, the ancestor of all the Crawfords who.
have recently lived in Union, was the brother of James, Sr.

322

GENEALOGIES.

He emigrated from Scotland tothe North of Ireland, where
he lived till 1732, when he sailed from Belfast to Boston
with his family of a wife and four sons. They were ship
wrecked on Sable Island and his wife was drowned. He
settled in Boston as a merchant. His oldest son, John
Crawford, lived in Boston with his father; married but
had no children. One son settled in Townsend, Mass., and
another went to Pennsylvania. Another son of John .Sr.,
Hugh, was 19 years old when he came to this countr)'. Hi.-
lived a few years in Newton, Mass., married Margaret
Campbell, sister of Elizabeth, wife of James ist. She
came from Ireland in 1731. She died August 8, 1808.
Hugh Crawford bought land in Union of James Eno, in
1740. (T. R. Vol. I, p. 93). He was voted an inhabitant
December 13, 1743.
Ch. I. Elizabeth, b. at Newton, December 21, 1739; m.
William Martin, of Woodstock.
2. Sarah, b. at Union, October 18, 1745; m. Daniel
Loomis.
3. Samuel, b. at Union, July 22, 1748.
4. John, b. at Union, March 12, 1754.
Other children died 3'oung.
Hugh Crawford was a large land-holder. He lived
where Fayette now does. He was a weaver by trade. He
and his son John both died the same day, October 13, 1776.
of Camp fever. The son and brother Samuel who was in
the Revolutionary army in the viciniiy of New York, in
1776, was taken sick, and his brother John went after and
brought him home. John and his father nursed Samuel
back to health, but they both took the fever and died the
same day. They were buried at the same time in the
Union cemetery. Both Hugh Crawford and his wife and
children were of large stature. ' ,
Dea, Samuel Crawford, son of Hugh (see biographical
sketch), married, ist time, Sarah Work, daughter of
Ingoldsby Work, of Ashford, Conn., April 18, 1771. She
died May 25, 1793, aged 42, having had ten children. He

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 323
then married Olive Eddy, of Woodstock, December 26,
1793- Ch. 1. Luther, b. February 25, 1772.
2. Calvin, b. December 21, 1773; d. August 13, 1776,
from scalding.
3. Lavinia, b. August 26, 1775; m. Joseph P. Cor
bin; d. February 4, 1796.
4. John, b. April 17, 1777.
S. Samuel, b. July 4, 1779.
6. Benjamin, b. October 18, 1781; d. May 25, 1789.
7. Walter, b. January 30, 1784; d. March 10, 1786.
8. Ingoldsby Work, b. August 7, 1786.
9. Sarah, b. September 15, 1788; m. Benjamin
Chamberlain, of Woodstock.
10. Anna, b. March 29, 1791; m. Wheeler Phillips.
Children of Olive Eddy:
II. Polly, b. November 7, 1794; m. Nathan Preston,
of Ashford.
12. Charles, b. April 1, 1796; m. Polly Preston.
13. Chester, b. 1799; died young.
Dea. Samuel Crawford died May 11, 1824, at Sturbridge,
Mass., where he had gone to look at a farm for his daughter
Polly. John Crawford, son of Hugh, married Dorcas Ward
December 14, 1775, and had one daughter, Joanna, born
April 22, 1776; she went to Georgia, Vt., and married Jesse
Post. John Crawford died of camp fever taken by nursing
Ilis brother Samuel, October 13, 1776. His widow married
Xoah Loomis, of Windham, Vt, February 24, 1778.
Luther Crawford, Esq., son of Samuel, married Eliza
beth Wilbur, of Woodstock, June 14, 1792.
Ch. I. Sally, b. June 24, 1792; d. unmarried at Cleve
land, O., October 16, 1841.
2. Benjamin, b. April 24, 1794; m. first, Hannah
Randall; second, Lydia Clough. He died at

324

GENEALOGIES.

Cleveland, O., July 29, 1863, leaving 4 chil
dren, Jane, Francis, Lucien, and Clay.
3. Willard, b. February 5, 1796; m. Sarah A. Hos-
mer; d. at Cleveland, O., August 28, 1854.
4. Randall, b. February 24, 1798; m. first, Sarah
Ellis; .second, Hannah Lyons; d. at New
Albany, Ind., March 6, 1865.
5. Margaret, b. May 30, 1800; d. at Union, August
6, 1820.
6. Almira, b'. July 18, 1802; m. first, Lothrop Cor
bin, and had one child, Elmira; second, James
Phillips, nnd had five children; d, at Cleve
land, O., February 17, 1889.
7. Eliza, b. August 4, 1804; d. May 12, 1817.
8. Lucien, b. Janunry 26, 1S07; d. November i,s,
1827.
9. Newton, b. October 29, 1809; m. Lornnn Pratt.
10. Thomns, b. July 28, 1812; d. March 26, 1813.
Luther Crawford died at Cleveland, O., February :o,
1853. Elizabeth, his wife, died there March 30, 1855.
Luther Crawford was in his person very tall (6 feet 2
inches) and straight. He was a Jeffcrsonian Democrat.
He held many town offices, and represented the town in
the Legislature several times. He was quite wealthy and
built the large house on the Asa Putnam place, where he
lived. This when built was the best in town. He had a
strong will, as is shown by his action when at one time he
broke his leg while alone in Breakneck woods. He man
aged to get his horse, crawl upon a stump and throw
the broken leg over the horse's back. He then rode his
faithful horse towards homo, calling at tho door of his
brother Samuel to hnvc him go for the doctor. Ik- was
ever aftorwnrds somowhnt Inmc, His children went West,
nnd nbout 1835, he sold his Union possessions nnd went to
Cleveland, O. He had a wonderful memory, and could tel!
the exact ages of almost all his acquaintances.

John Crawford.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 325
JoH.vf Crawford, Esq., son of Deacon Samuel, married
Susannah Hayward (or Howard), of Ashford, Conn., daugh
ter of Jonathan Hayward, April 24, 1800.
Ch. I. Trenck, b. February 23, 1801.
2. Sidney, b. February 13, 1804.
3. Amanda, b. April 12, 1806; m. Benjamin Cham
berlain.
4. Laurens, b. January 24, 1809.
John Crawford died March 17, 1863. Susannah, his wife
died February 20, 1854, aged 75.
John Crawford, soon after his marriage, went to live on
a farm in the north part of Union, which had been given
him by his father. In 1817, he built an excellent house on
the place. This same house has since been removed to
Southbridge and stands on Sayles street.
He was very ingenious and used to make wooden plows
with steel points and straps of iron on the sides, long
before iron plows came into use. He was the coffin maker
and undertaker of the town. He used to make coffins for
$1.50 to $4.00 each, which price usually included pay for
attendance at the funeral. In 1802, he was appointed ser
geant in the 5th Co. Conn. Militia; in 1805, ensign; in 1806,
lieutenant, and in 1809, captain. These appointments were
signed by Jonathan Trumbull. He was selectman eight
times between the years 1805 and 1818, and was five times a
member of the Legislature. He was generous and in good
circumstances till, by becoming involved by signing notes,
he gave up his farm, and in 1836 removed to the Thomas
Lawson place in Bigelow hollow (where William Thayer
recently lived). Here he lived till 1841, when he came to
live with his son Trenck, west of Bigelow. In religion he
Aas a decided Universalist, and in politics a Jeffcrsonian
Democrat. He was' very polite and pleasant to all. He
helped many an old soldier of the Revolution about getting
a pension. CoL. Samuel Crawford, afterwards deacon, son of Dea.
Samuel, lived where his son Fayette now does. He mar-

326 GENEALOGIES.
ried Lydia Howard, of Ashford, daughter of Jonathan,
August 20, 1801.
Ch. I. Dieea, b. January 8, 1802; m. Eleazar Corbin,
June I, 1826.
2. Delotia, b. Februarj' 17, 1804; m. Seth Child, of
Woodstock, June 2, 1832; d. January 6, 1837.
3. Merrick, b. August 6, 1805; d. June 24, 1867.
4. Lavinia, b. October 28, 1807; d. January 15, 1830.
5. Anna, b. March 6, 181 1; d. January 18, 1S33.
6. Samuel Dwight, b. August 19, 1831.
7. Burt, b. Doccmbor 5, 1815.
8. Olive, b. July 29, 1818; m. George Clnrk, of
Woodstock, September 9, 1838.
9. Stephen Hay ward, b. Augu.st i, 1820; d. October
27, 1820.
10. Albert, b. April 15, 1822.
II. Fayette, b. May 30, 1824.
Samuel Crawford died June 21, 1858.
Lydia Crawford died August 22, 1851, aged 70.
Col. Samuel Crawford was respected by his fellow towns
men, and like his brothers, Luther and John, was select
man and Representative several terms. He was quite a
military man in his younger years, and rose to be Lieut,
Colonel. He was a member of the Baptist church in West
Woodstock, and for many years a deacon. Ho was a
wealthy man. For many years ho owned the Bigelow saw-
mill in company with his nephew Trenek.
Hon. Ingoldsby W. Crawford (see biographical sketch).
son of Dea. Samuel, married Rhoda Taft, May 29, iSio.
Ch. I. Calista, b. August 1, iSii; m. first, Sanford
Lyon, November 21, 1832; second, Abijah
Sessions.
2. Daniel Taft, b, August 27, 1813.
3. Caroline, b. January 17, 1816; m. David L-
Newell, November 29, 1835.
4. Sarah Ann, b. March 9, 1819; d. April 25, 183S.
5. Logan, b. January 13, 1822.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 327
6. Marcia, b. November 15, 1824; m. John Tyler
Converse, of Ashford, March 29, 1846.
7. Ossian, b. November 3, 1827.
8. , Harriet, b. March 19, 1831; m. Isaac Harbison.
9. Alonzo, b. March 3, 1834.
Hon. I. W. Crawford died November 24, 1867. Rhoda,
his wife, died April 6, 1864, aged 71.
Capt. Charles Crawford, son of Dea. Samuel, married
Polly Preston, of Ashford.
Ch. I. Samuel Preston, b. May 16, 1820.
2. Maria Louisa, b. March 21, 1823; m. Rev. Thomas
Holman.
3. Mary Eddy, b. March 30, 1826; m. first, Charles
Stoddard, February, 1847. He died Decem
ber 22; 1854; second, Isaac Niles.
4. Chester, died young.
Charles Crawford died at Rockford, III., September 18,
1864. Polly Preston Crawford died at Rockford, 111.,
April 6, 1864.
Charles Crawford lived when first married with his
father; afterwards removed to West Woodstock, where he
built a fine house (now burned), where John Chamberlain
afterwards lived. He afterwards sold his place and
removed to Rockford, III. While he lived in Woodstock
he was a prominent member of the Baptist church, where
his father and brother were for so many years deacons.
Willard Crawford, son of Luther, married Clara Ann
Hosmer, daughter of Judge Hosmer, of Newburg, O.
Ch. I. Randall.
2. Mary.
3. George; lived in Cleveland.
4. Helen; lived in Cleveland.
Willard Crawford died in Cleveland, August 28, 1854.
:Ie was a millwright and built mills and wheels all over
ihe state of Ohio.

328

GENEALOGIES.

Randall Crawford, son of Luther, married first, Sally
Ellis, nnd lived nt New Albnny, Ind.
Ch. I. Mary, b. 1833; m. Dr, Morrill.
2. Henry, a prominent railroad lawyer in Chicago,
3. Martha, m. Mr. Sunderland, and lives in Day
ton, O.
Randall Cr.awford married second time, Mrs. Hannah
Lyons, who hnd one child.
Randall Crnwford died March 6, 1865. Ho wns" one ol
tho most prominent Inwyors in tho state of Indiana, and
was United States District Judge. Ho became quite
wealthy. Newton Crawford, son of Luther, married Loran:i
Pratt; lived nt Rockford, 111., mnny yonrs, where he went
nmong the first settlors. He now lives nt Washington
D. C.
¦ Ch. I. William Henry, d. 1866, aged about 21.
2, Sarah Jane, in. Frank Gramlich, who is in
Treasury Department, Washington, D. C.
Trenck Crawford, son of John, married first, Zida
Webber, daughter of Bradley nnd Sibbel Webber, of llol-
Innd, Mnss., Jnnunry 1, 1829, She died April 26, iS66. He
mnrried second, Julia Chnifce, of Dudley.
Ch. I. Ossian Trenck, b. December 25, 1829.
'. 2. William Merrill, b. July 31, 1831.
3. Libcrtj' Webber, b. June 24, 1834.
4. Susan Zida, b. May 3, 1836; m. Lurancie Con
verse, of Westford, May 12, 1858. She died
April 24, 1865.
5. Susan Emily, b. November 3, 1841; m. Chelsea
Young, May 28, 1868.
Trenek Crawford taught school in his younger years,
beginning in Ashford, in 1819. He afterwards taught in
Monson, Holland, Sturbridge, Stafford, and the East dis
trict, in Union. He lived with his father after he was mar
ried, moving with him to the Thomas Lawson place, in

^xr-^r^'iM^VT*'^' '

Trenck Crawford.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY.

3^9

1836. In 1839, he bought the place where he afterwards
lived, that south of the road, of Mrs. Silence Leonard,
and that north, of Nathaniel Newell. He built the barn
and house in 1840. His father and mother came to live
in the new house in 1841. He held various offices in the
militia, from corporal to captain, being appointed to the
latter office in 1833, by Gov. Foot. His company, the 8th
of the nth Regiment, contained over 100 men. He led it
to Woodstock, to the regimental training in September,
1835. He received his discharge in 1836, and was suc
ceeded by Danford Morse. He owned one-half of the Bige
low saw-mill, his uncle Samuel owning the other half. In
1838, a new mill was built, which was burned some years
afterwards, at which time he owned it entirely. He sold
the privilege, reserving the land where the pond is, with
the right of fishing. He was a Democrat in politics, hold
ing many town offices. In religion he was a believer in
universal salvation. He died of dysentery, April 6, 1884.
His last wife died the 19th of the same month.
Sidney Crawford, son of John, married first, Maria
Fuller, at Stafford, February 12, 1828. She died January,
1S38, at Simsbur}', Conn. He married second, Pauline I.
Barnard, of Simsbury, October 20, 1840, who died December
26, 1855. Ch. I. Maria Pauline, b. October 3, 1841; d. September
I, 185 1, at Bloomfield.
2. Sidney Barnard, b. January 20, 1844; d., August
20, 185 1, at Bloomfield.
3. Elizabeth Rebecca, b. March 17, 1847; m. George
F. Chapman, April 26, 1870; 2 children, Nor
man S. and Albert G. She died April 6, 1880,
at Springfield.
Sidney Crawford married third time, Julia S. Cooley, at
Chicopee, Mass., August 26, 1856. She died at Springfield,
August 26, 1874.
Sidney Crawford died at Springfield, Mass., November
28, 1888. He learned the fuller's trade of Reuben Stevens,

33°

GENEALOGIES.

of Holland, Mass.; afterwards had a shop at Mashapaug,
then nt Enstford, and nt Brimfield, Mnss. In April, 1830,
he went to Glnstonbury (Eagle ville), where he had charge
of the fulling, &c., in a factory for five years. Ho after
wards live at Simsbury, Staffordville, Euclid, and East Cleve
land, O., Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield, Mass.
Laurens Crawford, son of John, married Amelia Smith,
daughter of Stephen, of Stafford, March 4, 1834. She died
January 18, 1855. He married second, Mary E. Hamilton,
daughter of Mr. Linus Wales, of Union, April 24, 1856. He
died February 3, 1893.
Ch. 1. Ellen, b. March 22, 1835; d. June 16, 1858.
2. Jane, b. May 10, 1837; m. Luther Crawford, son
of Daniel T., October 20, i86i.
3. Joanotto, b. September 18, 1839; d. September
15, i860.
4. James Munroo.b. December 28, i842;nmachinist.
5. Julia, b, February 16, 1845; m. Isaac B. Booth,
May 1, 1866.
6. Mary L., b. Mny 10, 1848; d. April 17, 1851,
7. Ann, b. March 14, 1851; died young.
8. Mary Isabel, b. June 22, 1861.
Laurens Crawford learned the cabinet maker's trade at
Charlton. He afterwards lived at Stafford Hollow, then
at Stafford Street, and for the past forty years at Staff'ord-
ville. He has worked at pattern making a large part of his
life, and is one of the best of machinists.
Samuel Dwuuit Crawtord, .son of Snmucl, married
Rcbeocn Foster, March 15, i8.(o. She died October 11, iS.j.-,
nt tho Thomas Lnwson, Jr., place, lie then niarried Lavinia
Goodell, daughter of A.Sa (loodoU, of Woodstock, lie
roniovod to Mayville, Wis,, where ho owned n farm and
reared n family of ohiidron, but died in another part of the
state. Children by Roboccn:
Ch, I. Samuel Edw.ard, b. Mnrch 30, 1841.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 331
2. William Foster, b. October 4, 1842; brought up
by E. B. Foster; went to the late war.
By Lavina: 3. Albert.
4. Mary.
5. Olive.
6. Louise.
Burt Crawford, son of Col. Samuel, married Sarah
Gage. They had one daughter, Julia, born March 26, 1848.
Burt Crawford, when first married, lived several years
at South Wilbraham. He then built the house and barns
on the place where Anson Corbin now lives. After living
there several years he sold the place and went to live in
Woodstock, where he built a house and bam. He died
.\ugust 21, 18S5. Sarah, his wife, died September 4, 1885.
Albert Crawford, son of Col. Samuel, married Mercy
Putnam, daughter of Asa Putnam, May 10, 1846.
Ch. I. Martha, b. September 23, 1840.
2. Charles Albert, b. January 13, 1843.
3. Mary, b. December, 1851.
Albert Crawford lived in the Crawford neighborhood
several years, and worked at shoemaking. He then learned
dentistry, and worked awhile in Union; removed to Put
nam, where he was successful. He died at Putnam, May
,1, 1861. Fayette Crawford, son of Col. Samuel, married Mary
McNall, daughter of Joseph McNall, a descendant of the
first settler, April i, 1846.
Ch. I. Myron Fayette, b. October 28, 1852; m. Lenora
Thayer; 2 children, William Myron, b. July
31, 1884; Olive Louise, b. April, 1891.
2. Mary Lavinia, b. December 25, 1858; m. R. B.
Horton, April 23, 1890.
Fayette Crawford has always lived on the place where
his father and his great-grandfather lived before him. The

332 GENEALOGIES.
old house where Hugh Crawford lived was burned soon
after the present one was built.
Daniel Taft Crawford, son of Ingoldsby, lived in Penn
sylvania, then with his father, nt Union, afterwards on the
Coye place (where Snnford Severy afterwards lived), at
Wales, at tho Abbott place in Union, nt Mashapaug, at Staf
ford, whence ho returned to Mashapaug, and lived from
1857, till his death, where his son George now does. He
died on a visit to Kansas, March 19, 1867, aged 53. He mar
ried the first time, Minerva Howard, of Woodstock; she
died January 30, 1837. She had one child-, Minerva, IK-
mnrricd second time, Martha Underwood, of Wales,
Ch. I, Minerva, b. Doccmbor 25, 1836; m, R, B. Slmud.
of Stafford, August sj, 1S61; she died Janu
ary 20, 1875, nt North Cirosvonor Dale,
2, Luther, b. August 29, 1839; m. Jnne Crawford.
daughter of Laurens; live at Staffordville,
3. Oscar, b. December 14, 1S40; m. Sarah J. Marey,
daughter of Plimpton Marcy.
4. Sarah Ann, b. March 4, 1843; m. Mny 1, 186,^,,
Dwight Whittemorc; hod. June 21, 1S64; oiu-
son, Dwight, b. May 14, 1864; graduated at
East Ciroonwlch Somiiiary, nnd nt tlic Modi-
cnl School of Boston University; now a
physicinn in Providence. Snrah A. Whitte
morc mnrried second time, Rev. Georgc
llunt, Jnnunry, 1876. Thoy have tho follow
ing children: Mattio E., b. Doc. 22, 187(1;
Geor;;-c L., b. July 23, 1S7S; Ruth W., b. Oct,
6, 1883.
5. George Washington, b. Mny 28, 1849.
6. Mnrthn Elizn, b. July 26, 1851; m. Rev. George
Hunt, February 10, 1874; she died January
2. 1875.
Logan Crawford, son of Ingoldsby W., married Helen
Marr Rising, September 22, 185 1. .

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY. 333
Ch. 1. Virginia, b. July 19, 1851; m. Charles Purcell; d.
April 7, 1889.
2. Penina, b. February 14, 1854; m. Marion Pur
cell.
3. Ira, b. November 19, 1856; m. Adaline Dam-
eecker.
4. Clinton, b. November 19, 1858; d. September
27, 1881.
5. Esther, b. January 8, 1865.
Logan Crawford was a fine scholar, taught school sev
eral years, then removed to Mayville, Wis., where he was
public surveyor for several years. He was married there;
removed to Calhoun, Harrison Co., Ia., but now lives at
Missouri Valley, la.
Ossian Crawford, son of Ingoldsby W., married Lavinia
Shepard, daughter of Samuel Shepard, of Sturbridge,
March 17, 1753.
Ch. I. William Ingoldsby, b. in Virginia, November
iSi 1853; died young.
2. Emma, b. April 27, 1855; m. Robert C. Lawson,
son of Robert, of New Bedford.
3. Charles William, b. March 12, 1862.
4. James Arthur, b. July, 1864; m. and lives in New
Haven, where he is in the laundry business.
5. George Eugene, b. 1867.
Ossian Crawford (called in boyhood " Ossian Judge " to
distinguish him from "Ossian Trenck"), taught school
many winters in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He is a
carpenter and wheelwright. He lived in Southbridge, and
now lives in Wales. He has been in San Antonio, Texas,
:'.t work, several years.
Alonzo Crawford, son of Ingoldsby W., married Caro
line Mann,' March, 1859, was divorced, and then married
Nellie A. Burdick, in California. She died and he married
Addie A. Sanford, April 8, 1883. His business is teach
ing.

334

GENEALOGIES.

Samuel Preston Crawford, son of Charles, married Phi
lena Chamberlain, daughter of John, December 22, 1845.
No children. He moved to Springfield, Mass., in 1848,
where he was a merchant for two years, returning to Con
necticut in 1850. In May, 1852, he moved to Rockford, 111.,
where he has since resided. He became prominent in the
business enterprises of the city, and showed his public spirit
and desire to aid in advancing its welfare. He was for ten
consecutive years an alderman, and so well did he fulfill his
duties, that at the end of that period, in 1881, the citizens
elected him mayor. In this office he used his energetic
and practical business qualities for the promotion of the
city's prosperity. Mr. Crawford has been a deacon of the
First Baptist church, of Rockford, for many 3'cars, and an
efficient Sunday school superintendent. He is a leader
in every good work and is highly respected by his fellow
citizens. Ossian T. Crawford, son of Trenck, married Vesta
Elvira Morey, daughter of Warren and Lucy Morej-, of
Ashford, Conn., at Staffordville, Conn., May 31, 185S. She
was born at Union, October 29, 1836.
Ch. I. Grace Lucy, b. September 22, 1868.
2. Bertie, b. November 30, 1872; d. in infancy.
Ossian T. Crawford received- his education in the com
mon schools in Union, in Districts No. 4, 2, and i, with his
uncle Ingoldsby, at the select schools in Ashford, Eastford,
and Union, and the Normal School at New Britain. In thc
summer of 1850, in company with David P. Corbin, he per
sonally visited every family in town, whom they thought
would have scholars to send to a select school, got the
names pledged, and succeeded in starting the first select
school, of which Mr. White, of East Windsor Hill was
teacher. Mr. Crawford began his career as a teacher in .1S47, at
District No. 4, Union. He afterwards taught in Holland,
Woodstock, and Stul-bridge. In the winter of 1S52-53, he
taught at the Center district. Union, and had 67 scholars.

^,^^'?^??^'if^''!',^^W,;^jifi!-Sg'.H>f\!fc<<>)''^

^'

Ossian T. Crawford.

THE CRAWFORD FAMILY.

335

and the next winter at West Woodstock, with 70 names on
the roll. This shows how the schools have dwindled since
that time. He afterwards taught in Pemberton, Burling
ton Co., N. J., and in Southbridge. In 1855, he gave up
teaching and entered the store of James Richmond, at
Westford, as clerk. In 1859, he removed to Worcester,
Mass., where he has since lived. He has been book-keeper
or clerk in hardware, flour, grain and grocery stores. Since
August I, 1866, he has been first clerk in the Union Store,
Front street, Worcester. He was Librarian of the First
Universalist Sunday school 20 years; has been clerk of the-
parish since 1866, and is now one of the deacons of the
church. He still has a lively interest in the old town of
Union, where he was born.
William Merrill Crawford, son of Trenck, married
Janette A. Potter, daughter of David Potter, at Union,
October 9, 1854.
Ch. I. Lilian Potter, b. June 27, 1857.
2. Herbert Merrill, b. August 13, 1868.
3. William Liberty, b. September 29, 1870.
W. Merrill Crawford learned the carpenter's trade; lived
in Southbridge a short time, then moved to Stafford Springs,
where he now resides. He had a sash and blind factory;
was afterwards in the hardware business, and is now a
traveling agent selling hardware in New England.
Liberty W. Crawford, son of Trenck, married Lurancie
Converse, May 12, 1858. They had one child, a son, who
died young. He learned the carpenter's trade; was in the
.s-ish and blind business at Stafford Springs; afterwards
vorked at his trade at Southbridge until hurt, when he
' 'ent into the store of William C. Barnes, at Southbridge.
He died there April 24, 1868.
George W. Crawford, son of Daniel, married Ida Marcy,
('aughter of Plimpton Marcy.
Ch. I. Mattie Ida, b.. October I, 1876; d. May 4, 1880.
2. Dwight Lu-ther, b. July 27, 1879.
3. Minerva Calista, b. July 9, i88i.

336 GENEALOGIES.
Rev. Samuel Ives Curtiss, the son of Ivah and Hannah
(Ives) Curtiss, was born in Meriden, March 5th, 1803. He-
was the sixth settled pastor of the church at Union. (Sec-
biographical sketch).
He married, first, Rebecca Tuttle Hough of Walling
ford, October 3, 1832, and had two children, Ann and
George. Mrs. Curtiss and her daughter Ann were instantly
killed by lightning March 25, 1842. Mr. Curtiss married,
second, Eliza Ives, daughter of Jesse Ives of Stafford, ami
granddaughter of Rev. Jesse Ives of Monson, Mass., Jan
uary 30, 1843. She died May 31, 1865, leaving one son,
Samuel. Mr. Curtiss married, third, Mrs. Deborah H. G,
Curtiss, widow of his brother. Rev. Erastus Curtiss, June 15,
1S66. She died in 1881. Rev. Mr. Curtiss died of Bright's
disease, March 26, 1880.
Ch. I. Ann, b. at East Hampton, March 21, 1834; d.
March 25, 1842.
2. George, b. at East Hampton, January 5, 1S37,
3. Samuel, b. at Union, February 5, 1844.
Rev. George Curtiss, son of Rev. S. I. Curtiss (sec
biographical sketch), married, first, Elvira Corbin, daugh
ter of Healy Corbin, January 13, 1864. She died at Har
winton, April 17, 1875. He married, second, Mrs, Phebe
M. Bishop of New Haven, March 8, 1877. She died at
Amherst, Mass., June 27, 1877. He married, third, Martha
A. Blakely of Bristol, Conn., September 15, 1880. She died
at Hartford, December 24, i'888.
Ch. I. Elsie Anne, b. September 29, 1865; graduated
from the Hartford High School in 18S5, and
from Oberlin college in 1889; m. Rev. Her
bert K. Job, September 10, 1891. Their son,
George Curtiss, was born June 3, 1892, at
North Middleboro, Mass.
2. George Corbin, b. June 19, 1868; d. November
,28, 1876, at Harwinton, Conn.
3. Mary Rebecca, b. June 9, 1873.

CURTISS, DICKEY, DRAKE. 337
4. John Hough, b. March 30, 1874; d. June 24,
1877, at Amherst, Mass.
5. Martha Eliza, b. July 25, 1881; d. January 26,
1882, at Hartford, Conn.
Rev. Samuel Ives Curtiss, son of Rev. Samuel Ives
Curtiss, was born at Union, February 5, 1844. (See bio
graphical sketch).
He married Mrs. Laura W. Sessions, widow of Jared D.
Sessions, May 10, 1870.
Ch. I. Paul Curtiss, b. in New York city, October 11,
1871; buried in Woodlawn cemetery. New
York.
2. Pauline, b. in Prussia, December 5, 1872; d.
March 7, 1890.
3. John Christlieb, b. September 29, 1874.
4. Victor Delitzsch, b. January 14, 1876; d. August
20, 1876; buried in Leipsic, Germany.

Peter Dickey lived north of Bigelow pond. He served
through the entire Revolutionary war. He had two sons
who served in the war of 181 2. He married Isabel Cumbo,
May 20, 1791. The family moved to Pennsylvania about
1830. Ch. I. William, b. November 25, 1791.
2. Walter, b. July 16, 1793.
3. Sibbel, b. July 16, 1796.
4. Clarissa, b. May 14, 1799.
5. Lucinda, b. October 7, 1802.
6. Lucy, b. November 25, 1804.

Jonah Drake lived in town during the Revolution and
served in the army. He married Sarah Ward, daughter of
John and granddaughter of William Ward. They had
several children and removed to Belchertown, Mass.

338 GENEALOGIES.
John Eaton came to. Union from Sturbridjro am'
bought land of Jool Kinney in 1796. This farm wns wc
of tho Wm, Abbott or Jes.so Hnll place. Ills ohiUlren wc-r>
Polly, Lucy, Azubnh And Erastus.
Josiah. Eaton came from Ashford to Union in 179;,
whore ho bought of James Thompson, land south of SticK-
ncy Hill. He married Anna Knowlton of Ashford.
Ch.' 1. Polly.
2. Josiah.
3. Ethlarinda.
4. Joshua; went to East AVindsor and Oneida.
N. Y. ' ¦ , ¦ •
5. Anna, m. James Olney.
6, Lovisa, m. Asn F, Snell in 1821.
7, Lydin, m, Snundors Ferry of Vernon, N, V,, in
1827,
JoHiAii Eaton, Jr., mnrried Lydin Webber, Soptomlici
II, 1806.
Ch. I. Elizn, b. November 3, 1807.
2. Cntherine, b. Jnnunry 26, 181 1.
3. Sabina, b. April 17, 1813.
4. William, b. Juno 18, 1816.
William E^aton came from Holland and lived north oi
Geo. Colburn's. He married Fanny Sessions, daughter i
Nathaniel, November 28, 1822,
Ch. I. Diana Porrin, b. December 21, 1824.
2. Fidelia, b. April 7, 1827.
3. Edwin Ruthven, b. December i, 1828.
4. Urilla, b. October 20, 1831.
5. Mary.

John Sessions Estabrooks, son of Jonathan of Woo !¦
stock, lived where Willis Howard now does and built the

ENOS.

339

house and barn there. He afterwards removed to Webster,
M^ss. He married Louisa Taft of Uxbridge.
•Ch. I. William, d. January 12, 1864.
2. Sarah Louisa, b. December 20, 1842.

James Enos was one of the original proprietors of the
town of Union and the only one who actually settled in
the town. His name is sixth in the list of twelve persons,
all from Windsor, to whom the legislature of Connecticut
deeded the town of Union. The first ancestor of James
Enos in Windsor was James, who came there as early as
1646. The name was sometimes spelt Eno or Enoe.
His son James had a large family. It was his oldest
son James (third) who came to Union. He was born Sep
tember 23, 1679, and died May 22, 1762. He lived in the
south part of town on the hillside between the Matthew
Paul place arid the one now occupied by Fred Barber. His
first wife was Mary Grant, whom he married April 5, 1703.
She died March 6, 1704. They had one child, James. He
married, second, Hannah Phelps, July 15, 1708. She died
July 13, 1760, aged 78.
Ch. I. James, b. December 3, 1703; died young.
2. Hannah, b. September 10, 1710; m. Job Enos of
Windsor.
3. James, b. December 30, 17 13.
4. Benjamin, b. March, 1715; died in infancy.
5. Sarah, b. November 7, 1717; m. Daniel Loomis
of Union.
6. Benjamin, b. October 5, 1719.
7. Joseph, b. January 20, 1721.
James Enos, son of James of Union, married Silence
Sessions, daughter of Abner, October 18, 1769. They moved
.0 Leicester, Addison county, N. Y., before 1795.
Ch. I. Erasmus, b. April 8, 1765.
2. Abner, b. November 14, 1766.
3. James, baptized April 23, 1769.

340 GENEALOGIES,
Benjamin Enos, son of James, married Jerusha Pinney.
Ch. I. Benjamin, b. December 2, 1741.
2. James, b. June 17, 1743.
3. Joab, b. March 6, 1745.
4. Abijah, b. November 4, 1747.
5. Mary, b. January 16, 1751.
6. Alexander, b. February i, 1753.
7. Elisha, b. May 18, 1755.
8. David, b. July, 1759.
Joseph Enos, son of James, married Rachel, daughter of
deacon Wm. Ward, July 15, 1746. They had one child,
Rachel. The mother died February 24, 1747. Joseph Enos
married, second, Eliznbeth White, Mnrch 7, 1750. She died
May 4, 1777. He married, third, Abigail Keyes of Ash
ford, December 21, 1778.
Ch. I. Rachel, b. February 15, 1747; m. first, Dr. Seth
Hovey, second, James Thompson,
2. Joseph, b. September 26, 1779; m. Chloe Burley,
3. Hannah, b. May 31, 1781.
4. James, b. September 26, 1783.
5. Jonathan, b. June 24, 1784.
Joab Enos, son of Benjamin, lived in Union awhile,
then moved to East Windsor. In 1780 he bought of his
brothers, Alexander, Elisha and David, their right derived
from their grandfather to "the gore" or "Content land"
between Stafford and Union. He married Susanna.
Ch. I. Ebenezer, b. May 4, 1765.
Aaron, b. March 2, 1767; d. March 15, 1767.
Mary, b. August 23, 1768.
Benjamin, b. April 16, 1771.
Henry Brown, b. June 3, 1773.
Abigail, b. February 21, 1779; <i- March 4, 1779.
Philomeda, b. June 24, 1783.

Joseph Fairbanks lived in Union as early as June S,
1764. He came from Framingham, Mass. He died Jan-

FAIRBANKS, FERRY, THE FOSTER FAMILY. 341
uary 4, 1817. He lived on the place south of the David
Lawson place. He married Tabitha Marcy, November 4,
1762. Ch. I. Stephen, b. March 4, 1763; d. July 17, 1783.
2. Joshua, b. December 23, 1764.
3. Molley, b. November 2, 1767.
4. Tabitha, b. October 14, 1770.
S. Joseph,b. July 13, 1773.
6. Sibbel, b. July 9, 1779.
7. Daniel, b. August 29, 1781.
8. Stephen, b. July 11, 1787.
9. Orrin.
Rev. Stephen Fairbanks, son of Joseph, was a local
preacher of the Methodist denomination. He married
Martha Sabin of Thompson, April 16, 1816.
Ch. I. Sarah Ann, b. December 31, 1816; m. Isaac
Agard of Stafford, July 25, 1838.
2. Sabitha, b. May 8, 1818.
3. Stephen Sabin, b. October 15, 1822.
4. Peter Fletcher, b. March 8, 1824.
5. Joseph Newton, b. November 2, 1826.
6. Orrin Milton, b. September 4, 1829; d. Decem
ber 9, 1831.

Jason Ferry came to Union from Stafford and bought
land of James Moor, January 22, 1801. He lived where
Samuel Whipple afterwards did. He married, first, Polly
Ruby, who died February 17, 1826, aged 46. He married,
second, Betsey River of Ashford, April i, 1829. He had
one son by each wife. He died December 27, 1831.
Ch. I. Justin, b. Augni.st 18, 1801.
2. Andrew, b. July 30, 1829; d. July 19, 1833.
the foster family.
Edward Foster came from Sturbridge and settled in
I'nion in 1777. He first bought land of Elijah Loomis

342 GENEALOGIES.
(200 a.), July 10, 1777. The father of Edward Foster was
Deacon Edward Foster, of Sturbridge. He lived within the
limits of the present town of Southbridge, near the mills
of Westville, which were built by his son Fletcher. His
farm was on the south side of the river there. His father's
name was Edward, who came from Chelmsford, Mass.
He was the Edward mentioned by Savage as the son of
Samuel, who was deacon and representative in Chelmsford
in 1679. Samuel Foster first lived at Wenham, Mass., where he
was made a freeman in 1650. He removed to Chelmsford
in 1655. His children were :
Ch. I. Hannah, b. about 1649.
2. Samuel, b. about 1650,
3. Eli, b. about 1653.
4. Edward, b. April 29, 1657.
5. Esthei", b. November i, 1659.
Edward Foster, son of Samuel, was the father of Dea
con Edward Foster, of Sturbridge, who was born February
9, 1714, and died February 9, 1775.
Edward Foster, of LTnion, son of Deacon Edward and
Rachel Foster, was born at Sturbridge, May 14, 1749. He
married at Sturbridge, November 4, 1773, Rachel Newell
(born May 24, 1747), daughter of Timothy Newell, of Need
ham, Mass., and sister of General Timothy Newell, of
Sturbridge. Edward Foster died at Union, March i, 1818.
His widow, Rachel, died June 7, 1835, aged 88.
Ch. I. William, b. August 17, 1774.
2. Edward, b. March 20, 1777.
3. Eleazar, b. June 6, 1778.
4. Charles, b. June 30, 1780.
5. Rachel, b. December 17, 1782; d. March 8, 1790.
6. Esther, b. February 26, 1785; d. March 21, 1790,
7. Rebecca, b. April 7, 1788; d. March 20, 1790,
8. Anna, b, September 11, 1793; m. Philip Gage,
of Monson, Mass., October 7, 1822.

THE FOSTER FAMILY. 343
William Foster, of Union, son of Edward, married
Keziah Mason, of Woodstock, November 10, 1799. He was
a man of noble character and a very valuable citizen. He
died August 25, 1848. Keziah Foster died August 17, 1857,
aged 78.
Ch. 1. Dorothy, b. January 27, 1800; m. John Porter,
of Stockbridge, N. Y., October 25, 1821.
2. Burke, b. March 26, 1802; m. Hannah Griggs,
October 28, 1820; d. December 8, 1865.
3. Esther, b. March 4, 1804; m. Ephraim H. Hyde,
of Stafford.
4. Elbert, b. October 21, 1805; m. Olive Horton.
5. Mary, b. October 7, 1807; m. Samuel S. Need
ham, of Monson.
6. William Mason, b. October 21, 1809; d. at May
ville, Wis., December 29, i860.
7. Rachel Ann, b. October 27, 181 1; d. February
2, 1893.
8. Rebecca, b. October 18, 1813; m. Samuel D.
Crawford, October 11, 1842.
9. John Newell, b. July 16, 1816.
10. Louisa, b. February 7, 1819; d. 1883.
II. Edward Henry, b. July i, 1821; d. May 15, 1848,
at Union.
12. Eleazar Byron, b. May 24, 1824; d. at the Hos
pital at Washington, D. C, November 14,
1862; he married Lucy Corbin Gage.
Edward Foster, son of Edward, went to New York,
then to Wisconsin. He married Rebecca Strong, Novem
ber 27, 1800.
Ch. I. Dwight, b. April 16, 1801; m. Almira, daughter
of Deacon Ezra Horton.
2. Alvan, b. March 33, 1805; d. July 15, 1867.
3. Edward Newell, b. at Springfield, Mass., July
10, 1 8 10.
4. William, b. at Augusta, N. Y., December 32,
1816; d. December 24, 1816.

344 GENEALOGIES.
5. Rebecca Strong, b. at A,ugu'sta, N. Y., June 3.
1813.
Eleazar Foster, son of Edward (see biographica'
sketch), married Mrs. Mary Pierpont O'Brien, of Nev,
Haven, January 12, 1806. He died May i, 1819. She died
January 29, 1852.
Ch. I. Mary Ann, b. October 24, 1806; d. July 20, 188,*-;
2. Pierpont Beers, b. September 8, 1809.
3. Jane Newell, b. August 16, 181 1; d. April n.
1884.
4. Eleazar Kingsbury, b. May 20, 1813.
5. Harriet Smith, b. March 4, 1815.
6. Caroline Hooker, b. April 2, 1817.
7. Edward William, b. March 28, 1819.
Charles Foster, son of Edward, went to Stockbridy\.
N. Y. He married Louisa, daughter of Colonel Abija.
Sessions, June 6, 1809.
Ch. I. Charles May, b. September 2, 181 1.
2. Hannah, b. June 7, 1813.
3. Louisa; b. March 21, 1816.
Elbert Foster, son of William, married Olive Horton
April 30, 1830.
Ch. I. Olive Lorinda, b. May 7, 1831; d. May 30, 1S35
2. Elbert Judson, b. October 3, 1834; d. March ^c
1836.
3. Edward Burke, b. December 31, 1837.
4. Olive Adelpha, b. May 10, 1842.
Pierpont Foster, son of Eleazar, lived in New Haven.
Conn. He married, first, Stella L. Bishop, July 16, iS^.s.
she died April 11, 1845 ; second, Cornelia A. Miller,
December 20, 1849; she died Sept. 29, i860; third, Eli/a
both A. Higgins, October 22, 1863; she died April, 1SS6
Pierpont Foster died August 4, i886.
Ch. I. William Law, b. April 26, 1841; d. June 23, 1881
He left one son, Pierpont. His widow mar

¦ y^'-v^

E. Byron Foster.

THE FOSTER FAMILY. FULLER. 345
ried Albert McClelland Matthewson, of
Woodstock, Conn.
Eleazar K. Foster, son of Eleazar (see biographical
sketch), married Mary Codrington, January 2, 1838. He
died June 13, 1877. She died September 25, 1872.
Ch. 1. William Edward, b. June 4, 1839.
2. Eleazar Kingsbury, b. October 31, 1842.
3^ Mary Thomsina, b. March 9, 1844; d. December
12, 1864.
4. John Pierpont Codrington, b. March 2, 1847.
Others died in infancy.
Edward William Foster, son of Eleazar, married Har
riet M. Partridge, November 16, 1843.
Ch. I. Henry Pierpont, b. February 18, 1846.
2. Mary P.

James Fuller wns one of the early settlers of Union.
He bought land of William Ward, March 9, 1733. He came
from Ashford. He married Abigail Youmans, December
12, 1717. He was town clerk in 1737.
Ch. I. Dinah, b. December 29, 1718; m, Nathaniel
Walker:
2. Abigail, m. Benjamin Walker.
3. Elizabeth, b. June 15, 1721; m. Daniel Badger,
Jr.
4. William, b. March 13, 1722-3.
5. Hezekiah, b. March 3, 1724-5.
William Fuller, son of James, married Mehitabel
Tyler, December 10, 1746.
Ch. I. Hezekiah, b. November 25, 1747; lived at Lan
caster, N. H.
2. Dorothy, b. October 21, 1751.
3. Isaac, b. February, 1756.
4. Calvin, b. May 6, 1758.

346 • GENEALOGIES.
S. Abigail, b. August 30, 1763.
6. Luther, b. Mny 10, 1766.
7. Abner, b. Februnry 29, 1768.
8. John, b. November 22, 1771.
Hezekiah Fuller, son of James, married Margaret
Tyler, February 14, 1748.
Ch. 1. Amos, b. July 10,1752.
2. Asn, b, M.arch 2^, 1758.
3. Eliznbeth, b. September 6, 1760,
4. James, b. Mnrch 21, 1763.
5. Phineas, b. August 28, 1765.
6. Adna, b. Mnrch 8, 1768.
Joseph Fuller, of Union, came from Newton, Mass.,
where his ancestors had lived from the earliest settle
ment of the colony. He was a merchant and lived
where afterwards Dr. Shubael Hammond did. He died
very suddenly, April 5, 1811, aged 33. The following epi
taph on his gravestone was composed by Dr. Shubael
Hammond, his intimate friend :
"Aspiring reader, cease thy cares,
Vex not thy soul with earth's affairs;
Nor life nor health secures thy breath.
One day may close thine eyes in death."
Mr. Fuller married Lucena Loring, of Barre, Mass., Feb
ruary 26, 1805.
Ch. I. Joanna, b. February 11, 1807; m. Captain Will
iam Shormnn, of Brimfield.
2. Adelphn, m. Jnmos, of New Hnven, Conn.
The widow of Joseph Fuller married Colonel Ezra
Allen, of Holland.

Nathaniel Gould was one of the early settlers of
Union. He bought land of William Ward in 1734. He
lived not far from the old cemetery. His wife's name was
Mary. His children's names were William, Nathaniel,
Mary, John, Seth, Phebe.

TUB GRIGGS FAMILY.

THE GRIGGS FAMILY.

347

Joseph Griggs first bought land in Union of John Ses
sions, May 26, 1779. He had lived in town several years
previous. He was a valuable citizen. On the 30th of
December, 1800, he sold his farm in Rockmeadow and
removed to Brimfield, where he spent the remainder of his
days. He was born in Ashford, March 12, 1751, and died
in Brimfield, August 26, 1840. He had three brothers,
Nathan, Ichabod and Lemuel, and one sister, Molley. He
niarried Penelope Goodell, born November 14, 1751, and
first settled in Ashford, where three of his children were
born. Ch. I. Elisha, b. October 12, 1770.
2. Albigence, b. December i, 1772; d. at Brimfield,
September 6, 1844.
3. Samuel, b. February 26, 1775.
4. Lucinda, b. March 12, 1777; d. February i, 1778.
5. Hannah, b. February 14, 1779; m. Eb. Wales,
son of Deacon Elijah Wales.
6. Polly, b. January 4, 1781.
7. Sarah, b. June 16, 1783.
8. James, b. April 7, 1785.
9. Bradford, b. April 27, 1786; d. at Morrisville, N.
Y., March, 1863.
10. Orlando.b. March 30, 1789; lived in Wales.
II. Lydia, b. March 14, 1791; m. Lyman Bruce.
12. Dorcas, b. January 18, 1793.
13. Lucina, b. September 30, 1794.
14. Annis, b. January 27, 1797; m. John C. Steb-
bins, of Springfield.
Elisha Griggs, son of Joseph, married Sarah Booth,
'laughter of Isaac. He moved lo Stockbridge, N. Y., where
he died March 31, 1864, aged 93.
Ch. I. Lucinda, b. February 8, 1793; m. Alexander
Strong.
2. Joseph Cheeney, b. February 16, 1795.
3. Anna, b. January 29, 1797; m. Asa Coye.

348 GENEALOGIES.
4. John, b. December 6, 1799; d. December 8, 1799
5. Esther, b. January 13, 1800; m. Norman Hor
ton.
6. Hannah, b. February 2, 1802; m. Burke Foster
7. Laura, b. April 10, 1804; m. Dexter Moore.
Albigence Griggs, son of Joseph, lived in Union with
his father, and moved with him to Brimfield. He married
Lydia Fletcher, of Wales.
Ch. I. Chester, b. February 21, 1794.
2. Lyman, b. March 30, 1797.
3. Mahalath, b. December (5, 1799; ™- Deacon
Robert Peekham, of Westminster.
4. A. Waldo, b. May 16, 1805.
5. Adeline, b. October 17, 1807; d. December 5.
1854.
6. Lydia A.
7. Orill, b. April 10, 1810.
8. Harvey Dwight, b. July 26, 1812.
Joseph Cheeney Griggs, son of Elisha, married Polly
Corbin, daughter of Philip. He moved to Stockbridge, X.
Y., not far from 1840.
Ch. I. Joseph Maitland, b. October 8, 1816.
2. Elisha Ela, b. June 6, 1818; lived in Spring
field, Mass.
3. Philip, b. May 7, 1820.
4. Elam, b. September 7, 1824; m, a Warner.
lives at Oriskany, N. Y.
5. Orlando, b. September 26, 1830; lives at Brook
lyn, N. Y.
6. Mary Rhoby, b. November 6, 1841.
Joseph Maitland Griggs, son of Joseph C. (see bio
graphical shetch) married, first, Elvira Fuller, of Somers,
in 1842; she died July, 1845. He married, second, Betsey
Bliss, of West Springfield, in September, 1847.
Ch. I. Joseph Fuller, b. in Springfield in 1845; d. Jul\
24, 1878. He married Helen M. Bagg, o.

THE HAMMOND FAMILY. 349
West Springfield, in May, 1868, and had two
children, (i) John Bagg, born February 8,
1870; (2) Maitland F., born February 12,
1872.
2. George Bliss, m. Nora Ball, of New Hamp
shire, in 1880. He graduated from Yale
College in 1872, and holds the position of
auditor of accounts of the Boston and
Albany railroad, living at Boston, Mass.
3. Elizabeth, m. James E. Nichols, a member of
the firm of Austin, Nichols & Co., New
York city. HAMMOND family.
Dr. Shubael Hammond was born in Sturbridge, Mass.,
February 29, 1776. He came to Union in December, 1799.
His father was Job Hamant, born at Medfield, June 29,
17.42, the youngest of the eleven children of Samuel
Hamant, of Medfield. Samuel Hamant was the son of
Timothy, and was born September 11, 1701, and died Jan
uary 6, 1755. Timothy Hamant was born November i,
1667, and was the son of Francis Hamant, who came from
England and settled in that part of Dedham which after
wards became Medfield, sometime prior to 1650. There
is a tradition that he came from Sheffield, Yorkshire, West
Riding. He died July 27, 1692, and his widow, Sarah
Hamant, died September 29, 1708. Savage, in his Gene
alogical Dictionary, gives an account of "Francis Ham-
niant." The family name is variously spelled, as Hamond,
Hammond, Haymond, Hammon, Hammans, Haman, Ham-
mant, Haimant, Hammett, Hamet, Hammitt, Hamit, etc.,
t'tc. The Medfield and Sturbridge families generally have
s;)elled it Hamant. The Med way branch spelled it Ham-
n.ond, as did also Dr. Hammond, of Union. The pronun
ciation of all the above names nearly coincides in sound,
and doubtless they were of common origin.
Dr. Hammond, of Union, studied medicine with Dr.

35°

GENEALOGIES.

Eaton, of Dudley, Mass., and commenced practice iii
Union in 1800, where he lived till his death, July 25, 1857.
He married Polly Paul, daughter of Robert Paul, of Union
October 4, 1812, who died August 18, 1863.
Ch. I. Charles, b. June 15, 1813.
2. Cynthia, b. August 4, 1814; m. Judson Smith.
3. Francis, b. January 21, 1816.
4. Samuel, b. April 18, 181 8.
5. Macia, b. February 26, 1820.
6. Persis, b. August 9, 1827; m. Marcus N. Potter.
of Stockbridge, N. Y., Fe"bruary 12, 1851.
Rev. Charles Hammond (see biographical sketch), son
of Dr. Shubael Hammond, married Adriana S. Allen.
daughter of Rev. William Allen, D.D., of Northampton,
Mass., March 27, 1855.
Ch. I. Charles, b. May 23, 1856; d. July 26, 1866.
2. William, b. May 23, 1856; d. July 14, 1856.
Francis Hammond, son of Dr. Shubael Hammond.
resided in Appleton, Wis. He married Mary Ann Foster.
daughter of Alvan Foster, of Applet9n. She died Apr;':
22, 1858. They had one son, Charles Foster, born August
19, 1854.
Samuel Hammond, son of Dr. Shubael Hammond.
resided at Dexter, Jefferson county, N. Y. He married.
first, Martha P. Bidwell, April 21, 1858. She died M.ay 2-1,
1861. He married, second, Betsey Lillibridge, of Willing
ton, Conn., August 31, 1862.
Ch. I. Francis Bidwell, b. June 24, 1859; d. Januar>
17, i860.
2. Martha, b. May 17, 1861; d. May 18, 1861.
3. Albert Lillibridge, b. August 8, 1863.
4. Francis Lincoln, b. April i, 1865.
5. Charles Shubael, b. April 27, 1867.

John Bliss Hatch was born in Union, June 2, 181 1. H
lived in the north part of town. He married Priscill

HATCH, HAWES. 351
Chapman, September 6, 1835. She was born January 12,
1810, in Ashford, and died August 18, 1867, in Union. He
died August 18, 1867, aged 57.
Ch. I. Sarah H., b. July 30, 1836; m. Constantine
Marble, August 30, 1857: 5 children.
2. Jarvis B., b. September 30, 1838.
3. Jairus R., b. October 28, 1841.
4. Emily A., b. May 26, 1845; m. Albert D. Mer-
ritt, December 6, 1865; one child, Rosa L., b.
November 20, 1867.
5. Lois A., b. January 5 , 1848; m. William Lom
bard, May 26, 1866, andd. May 13, 1868; one
child, who died.
6. Susan E., b. December 24, 1850; m. William
Ferry, November 15, 187 1.
Jarvis B. Hatch, son of John B., married Jane Colburn,
November 27, 1862. She was born April 10, 1845, in Staf
ford. Ch. I. Maro Z., b. December 33, 1863; m. Annie
Whiton.
Jairus R. Hatch, son of John B., married Sarah A. Pem-
bleton, November 5, 1863. She was born January 28, 1841.
Ch. I. Sophia P., b. December 18, 1864; d. May 14,
1868.
2. Emma S.,,b. March, 1867.

David Hawes, of Worcester, Mass., bought, in 1787, of
Lot Hutchinson, land in Union near Bushmeadow brook,
which he afterwards sold to his son Elijah.
Elijah Hawes, son of David, married Rebecca.
Ch. I. Betty, b. December 12, 1784; m. Luther Bass,
September 19, 1822.
2. Sally, b. October 23, 1786.
3. Jason, b. October 11, 1791; iri. Lurania Coye.

35 2

GENEALOGIES.

6.

Ruth, b. September 12, 1793; m. Hiram Wat-
kins, October 9, 1834.
Amos, b. January 25, 1796.
Polly, b.. August 23, 1798.

the hayward, or HOWARD FAMILY.
John Hayward, of North. Ashford* married Rebecca
Peak and had thirteen children.

Ch.

I.

7
8 9
10. II 12
13

Ephraim, b. 1759; m. Abigail Farnham; was
deacon of tho Baptist church at North x\sh- .
ford; d, 1831.
Ezra, m, Lydia Harwood'.
John, m. Betsey Mumford; no children.
Manasseh.Henry, in. Joanna Hayward; lived in Wood
stock.
Chloe, m. Jesse Bugbee; had 12 children.
Rebecca, m. Amasa Corbin; had 5 children.
Hannah, m. Deacon Penuel Corbin, of Wood
stock.
Esther, d., aged 22. - .
Lavinia, m. Thomas Holman; d. April 30, 1S66.
Anna, m. Roger F. Upham, of Belchertown.
Mercy, m. William Corbin, Jr.
Amos, m. Polly Burley; had 4 children.

Manasseh Hayward, son of John, lived in the southeast
part of Union. He married, first, Lucy Work; second,
Dorothy Corbin, daughter of William Corbin.
Ch. I, Ezra; went to Rochester, N. Y.
Esther, m. Elijah Wood, of Mansfield.
Eleazar, m.  Wood; lived in Illinois.

2.
3.
4- S-
6. 7-8.9-

Lucy, m. Reuben Preston, of Eastford.
Polly, m. Joseph Marcy.
Sally, m. Parley Walker, June 5, 1825.
Anna, m. Ezra Sheldon.
John. Augustus; went to New York.

HOWARD, HENDRICK. 353
' 10. Louisa, d. January 12, 1844.
II. William, m. Miranda Houghton; lived in Hard
wick.
12. Clinton, m. Lucretia Jackson and lived in
Hardwick.
John Howard, son of Manasseh, married Lydia Bugbee,
daughter of Eleazar, and lived where his father did. He
died October, 1873. His wife died April, 1864. He married,
second,  Chandler.
Ch. I. 
2. Danforth, m. Julia Day and has one son, Fred.

Israel Hendrick came from Norwich to Union in 1742,
when he bought lot No. 2 of Samuel Bartholemew. It then
included the Ben Walker lot, extending east 400 rods.
Israel Hendrick's wife's name was Anne.
Ch. I. Jabez, went to Springfield, Mass.
2. John, b. October 3, 1722.
3. Daniel, m. Mary Houghton, May 27, 1752.
4. Samuel, d. September 17, 1760.
5. Anna.
6. Benjamin, d. September 27, 1754.
Israel Hendrick removed to Springfield about 1760, and
lived with his son Jabez till his death. His wife, Anne,
died at Union, November 8, 1743.
John Hendrick, son of Israel, was a cabinet-maker. He
lived where his father did, and divided lot No. 2 among his
live children. He married Hannah Abbott, March 24, 1761.
He went to Hartland, Vt, and died November 8, 1810.
Ch. I. Ezra, b. February 21, 1762; d. January, 1770.
2. John, b. April 4, 1764; went to New York.
3. Mary, b. December 5, 1765.
4. Caleb, b. September 17, 1767; d. August 26,
1837.
5. Hannah, b. March 22, 1770; d. April, 1843.
23

354 GENEALOGIES.
6, Ezra, b. March 13, 1772; d. Deeember 28, 1799.
7. Elizabeth, b.- June II, 1775.
HISCOCK FAMILY.
The first mention of this name on the town records is
Nathan Hiscock, of Sutton, Mass., who bought land in
Union of Joab Enos, August 16, 1769. In May, 1770,
Nathan Hiscock, of Ashford, deeded this land to Nathan
Hiscock, Jr,, of Ashford, who Seems afterward to have
lived in Union, He married a widow, Hannah Gooddlc.
September 5, 1743. Nathan Hiscock was appointed sur
veyor in Union in 1746. He died aged 100 or 102 years.
They lived near North Ashford, on the so-called Vinton
place. Ch. I. Hannah, b. August 19, 1744.
2. Lydia, b. February 23, 1745.
3. Molly, b. September 3, 1747; m., first Jedediah
Bugbee, second, Nathan Morse.
4. Nathan, Jr., b. April 3, 1749; m. Rebecca
Keeney, January 9, 1772; lived in Staft'ord,
and was killed by his insane son, Robert,
January 11, 181 1.
5. David, b. 1751.
6, Stephen,
7, Sarah, m, Benj, Agnrd.
David Hiscock, son of Nathan Hiscock, was born 1751,
died Mnrch 3, 1839. Ho was a soldier of tho Revolution,
He married Anstiec Bugbee, daughter of Isaae Bugbee
January 13, 1774. She died June 19, 1817.
Ch. I. Huldah, b. September 28, 1774; lived in Ver
mont; d. March 7, 1873.
2. Warhtim, b. May 17, 1776; d. young.
3. David, Jr., b. February 5, 1778.
4. Isaiah, b. April 10, 1780.
5. Joanna, b. March 9, 1782; d. August 13, 186S.
6. Luke, b. 1784,
7. Mary, b. May 6, 1787; m. Joseph Dorsett,

THE HISCOCK FAMILY. 355
8. Anstice, b. October 12, 1793.
9. Stephen, b. January 9, 1795; m. Roxy Lawson;
d. April 29, i88i; was a preacher of the
Christian denomination.
David Hiscock, Jr., married Mrs, Ann Thompson, of
Union, May 10, 1805. He died February 16, 1864.
Ch. J., Lyman, b. December 29, 1805; m. Zerviah,
daughter of Uriah Lyon, March 22, 1832.
2. William, b. January 21, 1807.
3. Alba, b. May 5, 1808.
4. David Thompson, b. September 8, 1809.
5. Sophronia, b. April 30, 181 1; d. August 26, 1837.
6. Otis, b. July 15, 1812; m. Mervil Green, August
13, 1838; d. in California, May 26, 1865.
7. Freeman, b. November 4, 1813; merchant in
New York city.
Isaiah Hiscock, son of David, Sr., lived on the farm
north of E. N. Lawson's, and now owned by the latter. He
married Dolly Griggs, of Ashford, who was born May 29,
1782, and died September 7, 1847. Isaiah Hiscock died
January 28, 1871.
Ch. I. Mary, b.  ; m. William Richardson, of
Westford, January 11, 1838.
2. Rebecca, b.  ; m. Schuyler Spencer, Janu
ary I, 1829; now lives at East Woodstock.
3. Luther Rich, b. February 22, 1812; m. Permelia
Bugbee, of Union; lived in Charlton.
4. Almira, b.  ; m. Otis Lyon, of Woodstock,
¦ March 19, 1832.
S. Isaiah, b. September 26, 1813; d. August 14,
1846.
6. Osborn Renselear, b. April 16, 1815; m. Ange-
line Lee, of Vernon, Vt; lives in Leyden,
Mass.
7. Zelotes Plummer, b. June 23, 1816.
8. Dolly Ann, b. October 22, 1818; m. John P.
Griggs, of Ashford, February 33, 1838.

3s6 GENEALOGIES.
9. Lucian Griggs, b. June 17, 182 1; m. Permelia
Perrin, 1839; lives in Oregon.
10. Emeline, b. July i, 1823; m. John P. Griggs, 01
Ashford, January 20, 1845.
II. Fidelia, b. June 5, 1826; m.  Fay.
Luther R. Hiscock married Permelia Bugbee, daughter
of Marcus, December 28, 1837. He lived at Charlton and
died there. She died 1889. They had several children.
Alba Hiscox, born in Union, married Lucy Under
wood, of Woodstock, November 26, 1835. She was born
Atigust 2, 1815. Alba Hiscox lived at Woodstock Valley,
and was highly respected by his townsmen. He died Sep
tember 28, 1889.
Ch. I. Ellen, b. May 24, 1836; m. David Newhall.
2. Annette, b. December 2, 1839; m. Lucius
Childs.
3. Mary A., b. November 6, 1840; m. William II,
Lendum.
4. Abbie J., b. August 27, 1842; m. Rev. Hezekiah
Davis.
5. Marion, b. January 11, 1845.
6. Sarah, b. July 4, 1846; m. C. F. Davis.
7. Oliver, b. August 23, 1854; m. Lilli.an E. Briggs.
8. Willie, b. June 17, 1857; d. October 8, 1865.
Luke Hiscock, son of David, married  . He mar
ried, second time, Eliza Wakefield, of Stafford, June 15.
1845- Ch. I. Mary, m. James Walker, of Woodstock, Novein
ber 5, 1838.
2. Luke, Jr., m. Ruth Leonard (?); lived at Dover
Vt.
3. Stephen.
4. Mark McFarland.
5. David.
6. Isaiah, Jr.
7. Lyman.

THE HITCHCOCK FAMILY.

3S7

Zelotes Plummer Hiscock married Harmony C. Chaffee,
of Ashford, July 15, 1844. He lived and died where his
father did. He died July 9, 1848.
Ch. I. Albert, b. August 7, 1846.
2. Delotia, b. January 14, 1849; m. George Knight;
d. March 30, 1881.
The widow of Plummer Hiscock married Joseph Farn
ham, August 13, 1851. He died January 21, 1877, and Mrs.
Harmony C. Farnham died June 21, 1885.
Lyman Hiscock, son of Luke, married Cynthia J. Bur
ley, of Stafford, August 19, 1856. He lived in the west part
of Union. Ch. I. Amelia J., b. September 13, 1857; m. George W.
Bradway, of Stafford, February 26, 1882.
2. Julia A., b. November 12, 1864.
3. Ella A., b. October 8, 1867.
4. Laura S., b. February 26, 1870.
5. Grace B., b. April 15, 1873.
Stephen Hiscock, brother of Nathan, Jr., bought land
of George Hodges, of Woodstock, in Union, January 30,
1777. Also bought land of Elijah Wales in 1789. He lived
on Stickney Hill. He married Thankful More, of Stur
bridge. Ch. I. Joseph, d. February 4, 1792.
2. Thankful, m. Asa Adams, of Winchester, N. H-
3. Sylvester, b. June 11, 1780; moved to Vermont
in 1805; m. Clarissa  , 1803.
4. Rhoda, m. Duty Marsh.
the HITCHCOCK family.
Rev. Caleb Hitchcock, the second minister who was
sc.--.tled at Union, was born in Springfield, January 5, 1721,
aid died at Brimfield, December 6, 1797. He was descended
fr >m Luke Hitchcock, of New Haven and Wethersfield.
T]iis Luke Hitchcock I. had a son Luke, who was made
ficeman at Springfield in 1678. Luke II. had three sons.

35 8 GENEALOGIES.
Luke III., Ebenezer and Peletiah. Each of these three
sons had a son who graduated at Harvard and became a
minister of the gospel. Luke's son, Caleb, settled at
Union. The son of Ebenezer, Rev. Gad Hitchcock, D.D..
settled at Pembroke, Mass. The son of Peletiah was Rev.
Enos Hitchcock, D.D., of Providence. Rev. Caleb Hitcli
cock, of Union, had a brother, Luke, who would be Luk.
IV., who was the great-grandfather of Rev. Edward Hitch
cock, D.D.,_presideiit of Amherst College.
Rev. Caleb Hitchcock married Sarah Winchester,
November 30,' 1750. He lived where the Newells do.
Ch. 1. Luke, b. April 19, 1752.
2. Elizabeth, b. February 29, 1754.
3. Martha, b. December 9, 1755.
4. Molly, b. August 27, 1761.
5. Winchester, b. September 5, 1763.
6. Gad, b. July 10, 1766.
Luke was the ancestor of several families in Monson
and Palmer. Gad settled at Brimfield, and was the father
of Samuel A. Hitchcock, the founder of the Hitchcoc';
Free High School. the hol.man family.
Thomas Holman, was the son of Thomas Holman, f
Sutton and Newbtiryport, Mass. Thomas Holman, Jr.
came to Union April 13, 1778. He married Lydia i;,iti
daughter of David Bates, October 17, 1771, nnd lived for '
short time where Frederick Barber now resides. The
removed to Sutton, lived there a few years, then returnc'
to Union and lived where his father-in-law David Bati-
did, or where E. N. Lawson now resides.
Ch. I. Zilpha, b. October 16, 1772; m. Wyman Morris <
Woodstock and died soon after.
2. Thomas, b. May 19, 1774.
3. Abram, b. July 30, 1776.
4. John, b. 1778.
5. Rufus, b. October 20, 1780.
6. Jeremiah, b. February 25, 1789.

THE HOLMAN FAMILY. 359
Thomas Holman, 3D, son of Thomas Holman, Jr., mar
ried Lavinia Howard, daughter of John Howard, June 5,
1800, then bought the farm and built the house just south
of the east school-house. He died August 6, 1856. His
wife died April 30, 1866.
Ch. I. Lydia, b. June 2, 1801; m. Deacon Paul Law-
son, December 9, 1824; d. June 29, 1889.
2. Salem, b. July i, 1802.
3. Elijah, b. May 31, 1803.
4. Almira, b. May 19, 1804; m. Samuel Shepard, of
Sturbridge, Mass., October 16, 1827. She
died April 8, 1869. Her children were,
Lavinia, m. Ossian Crawford; Eliza, m. Clin
ton Lawson; Martha, m. Leonard Thomp
son; Marillo and Melven (twins); Marillo
died at 13 years of age; Melven m. Jennie
Butterworth, of Holland.
5. Calista, b. April 19, 1807; m. Rev. Justus Vin
ton'-, missionary to Burmah, April 9, 1834.
Two children, Brainerd, m. Julia Haswell,
and Calista m. Rev. Morris Luther. (See
biographical sketch).
6. Lavinia, b. April 10, 1810; m. first, Harvey
Goodale. Two children, Harvey, b. March
3, 1840; Lavinia Justitia, b. December 19,
1 841; m. Waldo Carpenter. Harve)' Goodale
died September, 1843. His widow married
Horatio Carpenter, March 2, 1856. She died
August 9, 1887.
7. Thomas, b. July 15, 1812.
,8. Minerva, b. March 4, 1816; m. Rev. Rudolphus
Weston, August 25, 1840. She died March
1$, 1851, leaving one son, Howard. Rev. R.
Weston preached at Steilacoom, Washing
ton, at the time of his death, April 3, 1892.

360

GENEALOGIES,

Abram Holman, son of Thomas, 2nd, went from Union
to Ashford. He married Polly Converse, daughter of Ben
jamin. Ch. I. David, became a physician at Oxford, Mass.
2. Lucy.
3. Abram, lived in Mansfield.
4. Justin.
5. William, b. 181 1, lived in Willington; was the
father of W. D. Holman, of Willington.

John Holman, son of Thomas, 2nd, built the house and
bam on the so-called Farnham place, north of Deacon Law-
son's. After living there a time he went to Eastford about
1817. He married Mary Bosworth, April 6, 1809.

Ch.

Newman, died young.
Roxanna, married and lived in Tolland.
Dieea, never married; died rather young,
John, lives near Crystal Lake, Eastford.
Mary. Emily, m. Nelson Clark, of Eastford.
Newton, lives in the south part of Eastford.

Rufus Holman, son- of Thomas, 2nd, lived where Dea
con Lawson now does. He was a cooper by trade and had
a shop there. About 1826 he removed to Willington, thence
to Vernon. He married Lucy Eddy of Monson, September
I, 1803. Ch. I. Chester, b. November i, 1804; d. April 19, 180S.
2. Lucina, b. April i, 1807; m. and went to Wis.
3. Annis, b. August 20, 1810; m. Solyman Sparks
of Tolland.
4. Palmer, b. February 20, 1813; went to Iowa.
where he kept hotel.
Amy, b. August 16, 18 15.
Clarissa, b. June 11, 1816; d. February 11, 1819.
Lucy, b. November, ii, 1820.
Rufus Milton, b. October 8, 1826; died young.

S- 6. 7-8.

THE HOLMAN FAMILY. 361
Jeremiah Holman, son of Thomas, lived in Charlton.
He perished in a snowstorm, March 30, 1823, just north of
where L. A. Corbin now lives, as he was on his way to the
home of his brother Rufus. He married Sally Mclntire,
December 14, 1809.
Ch. 1. Morris, b. February 11, 181 1.
2. Augustus, b. 1819, lived at Carthage, III.
3. Esther, b. 1822; m. Charles Morse of Charlton,
Mass. Had one daughter, Belle, who was an
art student, and died in Germany.
Salem Holman, son of Thomas, 3d, was a mechanic in
Hartford. He married Henrietta Holland, of Hartford, in
1831. He died at Hartford, August 13, 1835. He was the
first one to be buried in the east cemetery at Union.
Ch. I. Henrietta Calista, b. March, 1832; m. Thomas
Lee, M. D., of New York.
2. Lavinia Maria, b. February, 1836; now a teacher
in the Normal College of New York.
Elijah Holman, son of Thomas, 3d, married Hannah
Wilbur, January 5, 1834, who died July, 1859. He died
¦•"ebruary 28, 1837.
Ch. I. Sarah Crawford, b. December 18, 1834; d. March,
1845-
2. Henrietta Almira, b. February 4, 1836; m.
Horatio Carpenter, and now lives at Stur
bridge, Mass.
Rev. Thomas Holman, son of Thomas, 3d, married
Maria Louisa Crawford, daughter of Charles Crawford of
vVoodstock, August 6, 1846. He died October 4, 1883. (See
biographical sketch.) They had one child.
Ch. I. Marie Louise, b. August 5, 1850; is a teacher of
music and painting. She lives with her
mother, at Rockford, 111.
Rev. Morris Holman, son of Jeremiah, graduated at
.\mherst, in 1837, and at Andover Theological Seminary,

362 genealogies;' .
in 1840. He was' settled as a Congregational minister,
first at York, Me., subsequently at Kennebunkport, and at
Deering, N. H. He retired from the active ministry in
1875, and died at Antrim, N. ,H., August 25, 1889. He mar
ried JIary Weare Lunt, of York, Me., February 18, 1845.
Ch. I. Alfred Morris, b. Novembei' h8, 1845.
2. William Augustus, b. November 27, 1849.
3. Samuel Weare, b. June 5, 1^55.
4. Sarah Mclntire, b, October 27, 1857; d. October
9, 1883.

Timothy Hoi.ton, came from Killingly to Union, and
bought the Wyman place, or ministerial lot (now the Con
gregational parsonage), April 7, 1769. He- was a tory in
the Revolution, and accounted as a man of no principle or
honor. He was maltreated in the war of the Revolution.
by his patriotic neighbors. He went to Ellin.gton or ^Vind-
sor, and became respectable and a man of property. Ilis
wife was Damaris, daughter of Rev. Perley Howe, of Kill
ingly. Ch. 1. Damaris, b. at Killingly, September 3, 1768,
2. John, b. at Killingly, March 23, 1770.
3. Tamar, b. at Union, February 29, 1772.
THE HORTON FAMILY.
Rkv. Ezra Horton, was the third minister of Union
He was ordained June 14, 1759, '^^^ dismissed August (>,
1783. He was bom at Southold, L. I., Dec. 25, 1733, and died
at Union, Jan. 13, 1789, .at the age of 56. He lived on the
place where his great-grandson, Bruce Horton, now lives
Rev. Mr. Horton was the son of James Horton, the son
of Jonathan Horton, the son of Barnabas Horton who wa-
born at Mousley, in Leicestershire, in England, and died
in Southold, L. I,, July 13, 1600, aged 80.
The descend<ants of Barnabas Horton, are still so numer
ous at Southold, L. L, that the minister of that place. Rev
Mr. Whittaker, said in 1862, that one-seventh of his congrc-

THE HORTON FAMIL Y. 363
gation was made up of persons of the name of Horton,
while his blood was doubtless in the veins of half his con
gregation. Barnabas Horton came to Southold in 1640.
Rev. Ezra Horton graduated at Nassau Hall, Princeton,
in 1754, and received from Yale the honorary degree of A.
M., in 1772. He was a good writer, and a fine scholar in
the learning of his time. His last days were embittered
by the difficulties among his people, which, resulted in his
dismission after twenty-four years of service.
Rev. Mr. Horton married Mary Hempstead of South-
old, L. I., daughter of Robert Hempstead, of Southold. She
was born September 18, 1736, and died at West Stafford,
January 23, 1815, aged 79.
Ch. I. Mary, b. October i, 1759, ni. Calvin Ingals of
West Stafford, May 28, 1795, and died May
J 2. 1833, aged 74.
2. Ezra, b. April 12, 1761.
3. Anna, b. April 15, 1763, m. Robert Lawson,
Esq., January 30, 1783, d. December 14, 1841,
aged 78.
Deacon Ezra Horton, son of Rev. Ezra Horton, was a
soldier in the Revolution and retained through his long
life a most vivid recollection of the events of the Revolu
tion and of the persons in this town in any way connected
with the war. He was a man of decisive character, moral
worth, and tenacious memory. He could tell all the mis
sionaries by name, who had been sent abroad by the Ameri
can Board, the several places where they had. been sta
tioned, and much they had written for the Missionary Her
ald. For many years he served as deacon of the Congre
gational church, but in consequence of blindness and the
infirmity of old age, he resigned his charge about 1830, a
long time before his death. He married Olive May, of
Holland, December 12, 1785. He died May 31, 1848,
aged 87.
His wife Olive, died March 15, 1833.
Ch. I. Thomas, b. October 8, 1786; never married; d.

364 GENEALOGIES.
by drowning in Lake Erie, December 25,
1838.
2. Erastus, b. October 7, 1787 (just one year and
six minutes younger than Thomas).
3. Philena, b. June 12, 1789, m. Salmon Strong,
January 5, 1812; d. October 21, 1861.
4. Gurdon, b. February 24, 1791.
5. Lucinda, b. August 28, 1792; m. Alfred Moore,
January 28, 1819.
6. Ezra, b. June 12, 1794.
7. Norman, b. December 5, 1795.
8. Ch.auncey, b. May 13, 1797. ,
9. Mary, b. October 17, 1798; m. Elijah Kinney,
May 31, 1821.
10. Joseph, b. February 16, 1799; d. March 27, 1800.
II. Almira, b. April 27, 1801.
12. Eli, b. May 6, 1803; m. Katherine E. Ellsworth.
13. Olive, b. April i, 1805; m. Elbert Foster, April
30, 1830.
14. Lawrens, b. March 24, 1807; m. first, Almira
Coe, June ii, 1834; second, Laura Bennett.
15. Fidelia, b, January 5, 1809; m. Thomas Moore.
September 15, 1835.
Erastus Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, settled first (in
1815), in Oneida, N. Y., then in 1832, at Scriba, N. Y. In
1841, he moved to Jefferson Co., Wis., and in 1857 to San
Diego, where he died Feb. 18, 1875. He married Try
phena Burley, April 28, 1808.
Ch. I. Almira Minerva, b. June i, 1809, in Union.
2. Mary Emily, b. July 19, 181 1, in Union.
3. Alonzo Erastus, b. October' 24, 1813, in Union.
4. Ezra, b. February 12, 1816, at Augaista, N. Y.
5. Nelson B., b. March 27, 1818, at Smithfield, N, Y.
6. Thomas de Lafayette, b. December 16, 1824, at
New Haven, N. Y.
7. Lucy Jane, b. April 7, 1835, at Scriba, N. Y.

|ipSS»»«.v<:;

'¦%..

¦^^,^;^,/ "

THE HORTON FAMILY.

36s

Gurdon Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, married Lucy
Daviidson, of South Brimfield (now Wales), May i, 1816.
Ch.' I. Royal, b. July 31, 1819; d. September 25, 1820.
Theodore Dwight, b. August 3, 1821; died
March 13, 1863, in the hospital, at Washing
ton, D. C
Charles, b. May 31, 1823; d. September 10, 1830.
Herman M., b. February 23, 1825; d. October 8,
1825.
Olive, b. April 23, 1827; d. August 22, 1830.
William Morgan, b. July 6, 1829.
7. Francis G., b. July 6, 1829; d. October 26, 1833.
8. Eli, b. November 27, 1834.
9. Philena, b. August 22, ,1838.

2,

3-
4- S- 6.

Ezra Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, married Lucy Shep
ard, daughter of Whitmore, of East Windsor. She died
October 3, 187*1.
He was an invalid during the last part of his life, una
ble to leave bed. He died July 30, 1886, aged 92.

Ch.

Jared, b. January 18, 1822, at Windsor Locks.
Helen, b. August 3, 1823; m. Orrin Morse,
December i, 1843.
Thomas, b. May 4, 1825; m. Delight H. Wales,
April 29, 1850.
Edwin, b. 1826; d. 1827.
Elvira, b. July 30, 1828; m. Thomas P. Leonard.
Edward Haskell, b. July 27, 1830; d. Decem
ber 24, 1834.
Ezra Mason, b. June 3, 1832.
Charles, b. July 3, 1834.
Olive, b. June 27, 1836; m. Joseph H. Longden,
April 10, i860.
William Henry Hamson, b. October 10, 1839;
m. Armena Corbin, February 13, 1866.
Robert Bruce, b. October 13, 1843.

366 GENEALOGIES.
Norman Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, lived at Cold
spring, Wis. He married Esther Griggs, Nov. 21, 1823. lie
died in the fall of 1876.
Ch. I. Harriet, b. August 22, 1824; m. AVilliam Bar
row; d. September 3, 1855.
2. Carlo, b. February 13, 1826; d. at Koskononi;,
November 3, 1846.
3. Norman Sanford, b. April 17, 1828; m. Lucy
Lewis, December 25, 1855, resided at Owai
tonna, Minn.
4. Elisha Griggs, b. at Stockbridge, N. Y., August
20, 1830, was a physician at Whitewater.
Wis,; m, Harriet Rawson.
5. Ezra, b. Augtist 13, 1832, d. at Coldspring, Wis..
April 21, 1862.
6. Esther Ann, b. July 26, 1836; m. Frank Dclon-.
November 15, i860.
7. Sarah L., b. February 6, 1839,
8. Malvin M., b. at Koskonong, May 12, 1843; m.
Sophronia Cheesebro, December 24, 1863.
9. Charlotte, b. May 9, 1846; m. Charles Wilby.
April 6, 1S66.
Norman Horton lived at Coldspring, Wis., 1874. He
died at Whitewater, Wis., June i, 1878.
Chauncey Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, married, Sep
tember 30, 1824, Amanda Chaffee, of Ashford. He settled
first at Westford, and then at Stockbridge, N. Y., where he
died September 15, 1848, aged 51.
Ch. I. Sophronia, b. January 5, 1826; m. John J. Car
ver, of Stockbridge, N. Y.
2. Almira Amanda, b. January 20, 1828; m. H. -\
Coolidge, and had three children. She dici
in February, 1875.
3. Emeline, b. September 29, 1829; graduated a
Oberlin in 1853, and from the Woman's Med
ical College of Pennsylvania, in 1855; held
the Chair of Anatomy in that college from

TBE HORTON FAMIL Y. 367
1857 till 1862, when she was tranf erred to the
Chair of Obstetrics. She has been promi
nent in the management of the Hospital for
Women and Children at Philadelphia. She
has performed many important surgical ope
rations. She married March 8, 1854, Rev.
Giles B. Cleveland, and they have one son,
Arthur H., b. at Philadelphia, February 10,
1865.
4. Mary Ann, b. Feb. i, 1831; m. Rev. R. H. Clark,
May 16, 1854.
5. Cynthia, b. February 22, 1833; m. Justus Will
iams, of Fort Atkinson, Wis., August 27,
1857.
6. Chauncey Chaffee, b. March 24, 1835; ™- Eliza
beth Hurlburt, January- 18, 1854, and died
June 24, 1870.
7. Harvey L., b. April 26, 1837; m. Clarissa Chap
man, October 18, 1866.
8. Eunice Angeline, b. September 30, 1839; d.
February 4, 1841.
9. Gerritt Smith, b. September 9, 1841; d. Septem
ber 3, 1878.
Eli Horton, son of Deacon Ezra, settled first at Staf
ford Springs; then moved to Windsor Locks, where he
resides. His life has been characterized by industry,
economy and strict integrity. He has been an active busi
ness man, become wealthy, and has always shared largel)'
in the respect and esteem of his fellow men. He was the
inventor of an improved chuck for a turning lathe, which
he iiatented, and manufactured at a great profit. He also
in > ented a machine for setting pins, for which he secured
a (latent, and for the right he has been, offered $10,000.
He married Katherine E. Ellsworth, of East Windsor,
Januarj- 25, 1832. ,
Ch. I. Stoddard Ellsworth, b. March 31, 1833; m.
Fanny C. Chase, Novembier i, 1864.

368 GENEALOGIES.
2. Anna Ellsworth, b. September 17, 1835.
3. Kate Elsie, b. January 6, 1837; m. Ezra B. Bai
ley, of Franklin, Conn., December 14, 1870.
4. Eli, b. August 24, 1839; d. at Stafford, March ,.
1841.
Eli Horton died at Windsor Looks, December 13, 187,^.
Lawrens Horton, son of Dencon Ezra, settled a^
Oswego, N. Y.. He married, tho first time, Almira Cue
daughter of Albert Coe, of Scriba, N. Y., June 11, 1834, wh-i
died June 21, 1842. He married, second, Laura Bennett m
Kingston, Canada, who died July 5, 1867.
His children were by his first wife:
Ch. I. Emily, b. March 21, 1835.
2. William Henry, b. February 12, 1840; now i:;
the bee business at San Francisco, Cal.
By second marriage:
3. Almira, b. March 3, 1850.
4. Alvin, b. April i, 1853; d. May 8, 1855.
5. Nora, b. August 29, 1857.
6. Celia, b. September 8, 1861; d. September 2:.
1863.
Alonzo E. Horton, the "Father of San Diego, Califc -
nia," son of Erastus, was born and lived two years '
Union. Then (in 1815), he went forth with his parent-
and started on what has been perhaps the most remarkaM
and varied career of any native of the town. He live'
with his parents at Stockbridge, New Haven, and Scrib
N. Y. The little education he received was obtained frot
the common schools, his youth being one of toil. His fir.
enterprise was in purchasing a small vessel and cngagin
in the wheat trade between Oswego and Canada. In tli -
he was quite successful. He went to Milwaukee in iS.i
While there, by quick perception and prompt action 1
made a large profit on certain bank notes, and bare'
escaped being robbed afterwards. He engaged in variii- ,
employments, one of which was cattle dealing. He investe

THE HORTON FAMILY. 369
in land and'started a town in Wisconsin, which was named
llortonville after him. He made $7,188 on this enterprise.
In 1 85 1 he went to California and engaged in mining. He
made immense sums in trading in gold dust. His strong
point was trading, his quick foresight and ready perception
making him nearly always successful. He engaged in
trading in Panama, and was there in 1856, when the memo
rable rising of the natives took place. He conducted the
Americans, who were attacked, safely to the ship. Pro
ceeding to New York and Washington, he gave the Gov
ernment important testimony in deciding what reparation
Xew Grenada should pay the U. S. But the property he
lost there (some §10,000) was never restored. In 1861 he
started for the Pacific coast, visiting British Columbia.
Here he invested in a mine but it failed. He went to San
I'rancisco and upon arriving there had no capital what
ever. But he had the strength and elasticity of steel in
his spirit and nerves. He engaged in various mercantile
dealings, until hearing of San Diego and its advantages,
he was so impressed that he gathered all his capital, about
,^500, and went thither, where he arrived April 6, 1867. He
secured the desired land, 750 acres, for thirty-six cents an
acre ! He immediately commenced advertising it, and laid
out the streets for his workmen to clear of cactUs and sage
brush. His sales increased from $3,000 in 1867, to nearly
is-ij.ooo in 1870. As fast as the money was received it was
used in building up the place. He hnd used $300,000 for
that purpose previous to 1875. He lives to-day in the city
\,hich he has built up, and has earned the respect and
c>tocm of his fellow citizens.
He married, first Sally M. Wright, December 22, 1841,
.. Jefferson, Wis. She died December 29, 1846. He mar-
V ed second, Sarah W. Babe, July 29, 1846, at Keyport, N. J.
i le has no children.
Jared Horton, son of Ezra, moved to Albany, N. Y., in
S40, where he was a butcher by occupation. He died June
24

370 GENEALOGIES.
15, 1886. He married Harriet Tredeau, December 30, 1847,
at Albany. Ch. I. Ezra Tredeau, b. October 29, 1850.
2. Clara Ann, b. May 18, 1853.
3. Frederick, b. May 16, 1855.
4. Alaxie, b. September 27, 1857.
5. Edward Grant, b. November 4, 1866.
6. Harriet Louisa, b. July 29, i87i«
Thomas Horton, son of Ezra, married Delight H. Wales,
daughter of Aaron Allen, April 29, 1850. She died ilay 9,
1875. He then married Jane Needham of Monson.
Ch. I. Emma J,, b. August 2, 185 1; d. October i, 186S.
2. Ellsworth, b. January 2, 1862; died February
12, 1885.
Ezra Mason Horton, son of Ezra, married Mary Jane
Bartlett, daughter of Daniel, August 2, 1859. He settled
on the Dr. Hammond place, which he bought of Ossian
Crawford, He has been engaged in farming and lumber
ing. He is a valuable and respected citizen of the town,
and has held many town offices. He was town clerk from
1870 to 1874, and was in the Legislature of 1887. He is one
of the pillars of the church at Union.
Ch. I. Ralzamon Mason, b. March 15, 1862; lives in
California.
2. Emmons Bruce, b. Septeinber 17, 1863.
3. Lucy Paine, b. May 11, 1865; m. Frederick
Aldrich, November 21, 1887. They have had
two children. Herbert Daniel, b. October i,
1888 and Ida May, b. December 31, 1S90; d.
October 26, 189!';
4. .Mary Percy, b. Juno 24, 1868; d. August 12,
1870.
5. Martha Pricilla, b. June 24, 1868; d. July 16,
1868.
6. Knowlton Howard, b. August 16, 1871; d. June
28, 1872.
7. Adeline Sarah, b. May 27, 1874,

THE HOUGHTON FAMILY. 37,
Charles Horton, son of Ezra, now resides in New York
city. He married in Albany, N. Y., March 23, 1859, Jane
Frances Percy, daughter of John.
Ch. I, Florence Effie, b. in Albany, April 4, i860.
2. Frances Charlena, b. in Albany, November 13,
1863.
3. John Charles, b. in Brooklyn, N. Y., May 16,
1867.
4. Nelly, b. December 8, 1875.
Robert Bruce Horton, son of Ezra, was in the army,
the youngest man in the company of which David Corbin
became captain.
He married Mary E. Coon, daughter of Isaac, of Pom
frct, November 8, 1865. She died December i, 1885. He
niarried second, Mary Crawford, daughter of Fayette,
April 23, 1890.
Emmons Bruce Horton, son of E. Mason, married Min
nie G. Thayer, daughter of George, December 25, 1886.
Ch. I. George Mason, b. February 14, 1888.
2. Ralzamon Emmons, b. October, 1891.
the houghton family.
Edward HouGinoN came from England with a brother,
and a cousin Thomas, to Pomfret, and thence to Union. He
hought land of .Samuel Bartholomew, August 14, 1774. He
lived at the place called Lawson's mill, where he had a
:;'rist-mill and saw-mill.
The same year, 1774, Thomas Houghton of Harvard,
-Mass., bought land in Union of Edward Houghton. It is
: upposed they were relatives, probably cousins.
Edward Houghton died March 15, 1777, aged between
,0 and 80. Abigail Houghton, wife of Edward, died March
io. 1777- Ch. I. Cornelius.
3. Jonas.
3. James.

372 GENEALOGIES.
4. Asa.
5. Experience, m. James Bartlett.
6. Edward.
Jonas Houghton, son of Edward, settled in Union and
Woodstock. He married, November 29, 1768, Sarah Ab
bott of Woodstock, daughter of Joseph Abbott, the son of
Daniel Abbott of Ashford, the son of George Abbott, Jr.,
of Andover, the son of George Abbott of Andover, the
first comer. The register of the Abbott family is wrong
in making Sarah Abbptt the wife of James Houghton, in
stead of Jonas.
Ch. I. Amasa, b. at Union, February 17, 1769.
2. Sarah, b. at Union,- February 17, 1770.
3. Hannah, b. at Union, June 20, 1773.
4. Daniel, b. at Woodstock.
5. Polly, b. at Woodstock.
6. Wealthy, b. at Woodstock.
James Houghton, son of Edward, settled in Union. He
married Phebe Holt of Andover, September 11, 1755.
Ch. I. James, b, June 16, 1756.
2, Ephrnim, b. Mny 18, 1759.
3. Phebe, b, August 11, 1762.
4. Silvnnus, b. Juno 21, 1765.
5. Rinda, b. February 14, 1768.
6. Bethiah, b. March 8, 1771.
7. Ascnath, b. November 29, 1775.
8. Experience, b. February 8, 1777.
Asa Houghton, son of Edward, settled in Union and
then at Wales in 1779, lie married Sybil Davis, dnughter
of Tristram D.avis of South Brimfield, June 23, 176S. He
died at Wales, April 17, 1829, aged 87.
Ch. I. Cynthia, b. September 25, 1768.
2. Wnlter, b. Februnry 2, 1770.
3. Wnrohnm, b. December 15, 1771.
4. Abigail, b. July 2, 1775,
5. Asa, b. 1794; died April 2, 1855.

THE HOUGHTON FAMILY.

373

. Edward Houghton, Jr., son of Edward, Sr., married
Olive Russel, bom May 25, 1748; died November 13, 1829.
He lived in Thompson.
Ch. I. Molly, b. January 6, 1773; d. October 15, 1797.
2. Elias, b. October 9, 1774; d. August, 1805.
3. Olive, b. August 27, 1776; d. January 29, 1803.
4. Abial, b. October 25, 1778; d. October 25, 1807.
5. Polly, b. October 6, 1780; d. October i, 1855.
6. David, b. March 31, 1783; d. October 14, 1855.
7. Edward, b. April 9, 1785.
8. Hannah, b. May 1, 1787; d. September 15, 1788.
9 Hannah, b. July 12, 1789.
10. Nehemiah, b. June 10, 1791; d. October 9, 1875.
II. Betsey, b. July 22, 1793.
12. Ino, b. January 3, 1797.
Nehemiah Houghton, son of Edward, Jr., and Olive
Russel, was born at Pomfret, June 10, 1791, and died at
Union, October 9, 1875. He built on the place west of
Benjamin Corbin's, where he spent most of his life. He
married Esther Lawson, daughter of Thomas Lawson, Jr.,
March 27, 181 7. She died November 24, 1882.
Ch. I. Diana, b. June 17, 1817; m. Jedediah P.Webster
of Wilbraham, October 8, 1837; 2 children,
Mary J., b. October 8, 1839, d. 1887; Henry
G., b. July 4, 1845.
2. Lucy, b. December 31, 1818; m. Nathan Black-
mer of Woodstock; lives in Dudley.
Ch. Thomas, b. December 20, 1844; Anna,
b. February, 1847; Mary, b. May, 1849;
Charles, b. October 15, 1851; Andrew, b.
September 26, 1853; Melven C, b. November
II, 1856; Elmer, b. December 9, i860.
3. Miranda A., b. March 8, 1821; m. William How
ard of Union. She died February 11, 1846.
One child, died young.
4. Mary Anne, b. August 10, 1823; m. Hiram Steb-
bins of Wilbraham, April 9, 1844. She died

374 GENEALOGIES.
April 17, 1856. One child, Julia, b. 1846; d
October 22, 1869.
5. Cemantha, b. April 5, 1826; m. Oliver Angell,
6. Diantha, b. August 15, 1828; m. Eben Allen of
Maine, November, 1852, and had one son,
Amos, b. March 12, 1855. She died Septem
ber 6, 1856. Eben Allen died November .->,
1864.
7. Celinda, b. November 17, 1830; d. September
3, 1833-
8. Marcus Taft, b. July 28, 1833.
9. Celinda Ruth, b. December 27, 183-$'^
10. Dilana, b. July 6, 1S40; m. Frank Letcher.
II. Lecta Lcvada, b. August 29, 1842; m. Allien
Houscr; lived in Steptoe valley, Nevada; .(
children, William, Mary, Charles nnd Crane,
Marcus T. IIouiiiiTON, son of Neliominh, wont tu low,i
nbout 1856; lived first nt Powell, then at Vinton, wheiu:e
he went to Bentrioo, South Dakota, about 1885.
Ch. (living) i, Albert, b. Novombor 7, 1861,
2. Pnul, b. November 17, 1865.
3. Minnie, b. Juno 3, 1873.
4. Ernest.

Amnkk Howard, son of Elonznr of Sturbridge, came i-
Union not far from 1799, Ho wns born in Sturbrid.in
Doccmbor 16, 1771. His fnthcr Eleazar wns nn cxtei>si\<
land-holder in Sturbridge. His father, Thomas, lived ii
Mnnsficld and married Sarah Standish, n descoiulaiU m
Miles Slnndish.
Abner Howard of Union mnrried Abigail Coye, dnuj^h
ter of Archibald.
Ch. I. Polly, m. Lester Anderson, August 3, 1817.
Abner Howard lived south of the Kinney mills. II
died April 7, 1825. Abigail, his wife, died August 30, iS.(.
aged 64.

HOWARD, HUNT. 375
Marvin Howard, son of Amos Howard of Eastford and
Mary Burley, daughter of Samuel, was born .September 23,
1825. He came to Union and lived on the Fairbanks place.
He was a carpenter by trade. He was a steward and
trustee of the M. E. church at Mashapaug. He married
Betsey Maria Wales, daughter of Aaron Allen Wales, Octo
ber 26, 1 85 1. He removed to Eastford, and died there
March 29, 1883.
Ch. I. Oscar Allen, b. September 11, 1852; m. Almena,
daughter of Sylvanus Battey of Stafford,
February 26, 1873. He worked making boxes
for Myron Kinney at Putnam, Conn., and
was killed by being caught in a belt and
drawn over a shafting, February 7, 1878.
He was a very worthy young man. He left
two children, (i) Cora Louise, b. July 29,
1875, and (2) Arthur Oscar, b. September 20,
1878; d. September 17, 1883. His widow
married Lowell Wilcox.
2. Charles Amos, b. February 11, 1854; m. Novem
ber 14, 1877, Emma Chamberlain, daughter of
William, of West Woodstock. They live in
Barre, Mass. Their daughter, Lena Maude,
was born October 25, 1878.
3. Philo Thomas, b. December 11, 1855; d. Sep
tember 29, 1857.
4. Ernest Albert, b. April 17, i860; m. Etta Bes-
sey of Eastford, October 25, 1883. She died
September 12, 1887. He married, second,
Edith E. Swindell, January 14, 1891.

John HuN'r, son of John of Rehoboth, came to Union in
1 77 1. His farm was that now owned by Henry Corbin.
He married, first, Lydia Bullock of Worcester, April 2,
1775. She died May 3, 1790, and he married second, Anna
Weston of Willington, September 8, 1791. He was a Revo
lutionary soldier, serving 20 months.

376 GENEALOGIES.
Ch. I. John, b, April 21, 1776.
2. Lydia, b. March 9, 1780.
3. Salmon, b. Mnrch 5, 1783.
4. Susnnnn, b. Mnrch 24, 1785.
5. William, b. Doccmbor 10, 1787.
6. Daniel, b. October 12, 1792.
7. Jerethmol, b, Janunry 3, 1794.
8. Mary, b. June 14, 1795.
9. Ira, b. February 15, 1797; d. August 19, 1800,
10. Timothy Weston, b. July 18, 1799.
John Hunt moved to Now York from Union.

Rev. Calvin Ingalls of West Stnfford preaohcd somc
time ns stnted supply in Union. He was the son of Joseph
Ingalls and Snrah Abbott of Pomfrct, Conn,, and was born
November 22, 1760, He graduated at Dartmouth college
in 1792, wns sottlod in West Stafford in Decoiiiber, 179(1,
and dismissed in March, 1803, Ho died in West .Stafl'ord,
September 25, 1830. He mnrried Mnry Horton, eldesi
child of Rev. Ezra Horton, May 28, 1795. She died at
Grnnby, Mass,, Mny 12, 1833,
Ch, I. Cntherine, b. Juno 12, 1796; m. Wm. Thompson,
December i, 1815; d. September 25, 1830.
2. Polly, b, Juno 11, 1800; m. Milo Kniglit, M;iy
17, 1824.

led

Benjamin Jami-.s cnmo from Ashford to Union,
bought land of Wm, Williams, March 3, 1795. Ho man
Cynthia Rus,sell of Ashford, February H, 1794.
Ch. I. Diann, b. October 15, 1794; d. Mnrch 6, 1796,
2. Benj, Reynolds, b. November 22, 1796; d, De
comber 14, 1719.
3. Jonnth.an, b. x\pril 13, 1799; m, Permclin Moore
November 24, 1824.
4, Hnnnnh Dinnn, b, June 10, 1801; m, Ephraim S
Carpenter, Februnry 15, 1827,

JAMES. . 377
S. Rhoda, b. March 27, 1803; m. David Fuller,
December 25, 1823.
6. Rebecca, b. March 17, 1805; m. Joseph Walker.
7. Betsey, b. March 30, 1807.
8. Josiah Russell, b. September 12, 1809.
9. Aaron Rathbone, b. September 26, i8ii; m.
Jerusha Brown.
10. Elisha Benjamin, b. January 28, 1814.
Josiah Russell James, son of Benjamin, married, first,
Almeda Campbell, daughter of Alexander; second, Lucre
tia Watson, October 12, 1845.
Ch. I. Susan.
2. Charlotte.
3. Francis.
4. Lindsley, who died May 20, 187 1, aged 28.
Elisha B. Reynolds James, son of Benjamin (name
Reynolds added after the death of his brother of that
name), married Mary Ann Thomas of Willingfton, March
2.S, 1841. He died at Rockville, Conn., March 24, 1876, and
she died January 29, 1878.
Ch. I. Herbert Llewellyn, b. January 13, 1842; m.
Ann Frances Leavitt, October 10, 1865; had
4 children.
2. Sarah Maria, b. October 18, 1843; m. Lebbeus
E. Leavitt, December 17, 1878.
3. Albert Elisha, b. December 4, 1851; d. August
4. 1854-
Herbert L. James, son of Elisha B. R. James, was born
in Willington, January 13, 1842. His father moved to Col-
c :ester in 1844, and to Rockville in 1854. He attended
sv hool at Bacon Academy in Colchester, and the High
s hools of Middletown and Rockville. In 1856 he entered
t'.e employ of the Florence mills at Rockville, and steadily
1 se from one position to another, being book-keeper,
>' -sistant superintendent, treasurer, and agent. The last

378 QHNMALOaiES.
position he held from 1871 till i88i, when the business w.r.
sold to another company, White, Corbin Si Co., onvclo] c
manufacturers. He entered the employ of the Rock
Manufacturing Co., April 1, 1881, as secretary and treas
urer, which position he still;- holds. He is the general
manager of the business of the corporntion. Mr. James is
one of tho foremost business men of Rockville nnd is en-
thusinstie in promoting tho welfare of tho city, lie is ,1
corporator and director, of tho Savings Bank of Roekvillr,
director of tho I'^irst National Bank, president of the Rock
viUo Railroad Co., president of tho Rockville AquedncI
Co., member of tho cxoeutivo coinmitlco of the National
Association of Wool Manufacturers, etc , etc. He is a mem
ber of the Union Congregational church of Rockville, and
its treasurer; also tho trcasurorof tho Tolland County Con
forcnco of Congrcgationnl Churches, and vice-president ni
tho Connecticut Temperance Union, and is interested in
every good work.
Ho married Ann Frnncos Lonvitt, October 10, 1865. She
died Februnry 12, 1890.
Ch, 1. Hownrd Kellogg, b. July 20, 1867. Others died
young.

David Johnson lived south of tho Willnrd Blodgett
plneo. Ho used to mnko barrels, tunnels, etc. He nmnied
lluldnh Walker, daughter of Simon.
Ch. I. Dinah, m. Lyman Thompson, October 3, iS;;,
and had 2 children, David, and Flora, who m.
Rov. Alpheus Winter. Dinah Thompson
married, second, Daniel Freeman, October
24, 1842.
2. Huldah, b. September 28, 1820; m. David (!.
Whittemorc of Sturbridge, November Ji,
1849,

JOHNSON-KEYES.

379

Stephen Johnson came from Craftsbury, Vt, to South
Brimfield and then to Union in 1803, when he bought the
farm where Rev. Mr. Curtiss afterwards lived. He mar
ried Hannah Davidson of Wales, August 13, 1798.
Ch. I. Aaron, m. Munger; d. February 14, 1833; had
2 children, Lura, m. Dwight Dimmock, and
Freeman, d. February 15, 1828.
2. Truman.
3. Lyman, killed by the falling of a tree.
4. Dexter, lived at Southbridge; was intemperate.

John L. Kazan, son of John, was born November 10,
1810. He lived on the old Lafiin place where Prosper
Smith afterwards did. He was twice married. He used
to lead the singing at Union for several years. He after
wards went to New York.

Nathan Kelly came from Bellingham to Union, where
he was. a merchant. He lived first opposite where Tim
othy Newell now does, then between the graveyards. He
afterwards went to Providence, R. I. He married Olive
Bates. Ch. I. Wing, b. May 13, 1807.
2. Francis, b. February 5, 1810.

Solomon Keves came to Union about 1784, and also his
hrother Edward. He settled in the south part of town.
lie married Elizabeth Bugbee.
Ch. I. Elizabeth, b. July 18, 1781.
2. Cyril, b. November 14, 1782,
3. Edward Sumner, b. July 2, 1784.
4. Solomon.
5. Jeremiah.
6. Isaiah.
7. Persis.

380 GENEALOGIES.
8. Huldah.
9. David.
Cyril Keyes, son of Solomon, lived a few years in
Union in the so-called Abbott house, where he was a mer
chant. He married Margaret, daughter of Major David
Lawson, and had one child, Sarah Ann, born September
26, 1816. He afterwards lived at North Ashford.
the KINNEY FAMILY.
Nathan Kinney came to Union from Sutton, Mass. In
the deed of John Rosebrooks of South Brimfield, dated
October i, 1773, conveying land to Nathan Kinney, he was
said to be of Westboro, Mass. (T. R., Vol. 3, p. 139). This
land was situated north of the Bliss Hatch place. He lived
there first, then where his son Eleazar did. He married,
first, Abigail Williams, who died March 28, 1778; second.
Eunice; third, Anna Chaffee.
Ch. I. Joel, b. August i, 1769.
2. Eleazer, b, !Mareh 28, 177 1,
3. Ruth, b. August 14, 1772; m. Thomas Law-
son, Jr.
4, Lucy, b. December 4, 1774; m. David Coye.
5. John, b. May 30, 1776.
6. Alpheus, b. July 29, 1781.
7. Nathan, b. November 6, 1785; m. Roxa Thomp
son.
8. David, b. March 28, 1789.
Joel Kinney, son of Nathan, married Chloe Coye, JIa>
10, 1792. He died March 2, or 3, 1852. She died March 21
1834. He lived on the place where George Chandler now
does, which he bought in 1796 of Nehemiah and Mar.
Child of Woodstock.
Ch. I. Abigail, b. September 23, 1793; d. Septembe,
27, 1793-
2. Archibald, b. October 24, 1794.
3. Daniel, b, March 11, 1798; d. March 12, 1798.

THE KINNEY FAMILY. 381
4. Elizabeth, b. March 16, 1800; d. in infancy.
5. Elizabeth, b. September 26, 1 801; m. Moses C.
Sessions.
6. Nathan, b. November 28, 1803.
7. Elisha, b. October 11, 1808.
8. Danforth, b. November 30, 1809.
9. Horace, b. March 22, 1814.
Eleazar Kinney, son of Nathan, lived first on the Major
David Lawson place, then on the place northwest of the
Jesse Hall place, then opposite the house where Timothy
Newell now lives. He married Mary Paul, daughter of
Matthew. Ch. I. Abigail, b. March 18, 1792; d. April 5, 1792.
2. Elijah.
3. Elisha.
4. Paul.
Mary, wife of Eleazar Kinney, died February 9, 1848,
aged 83. He married again in his old age. May 21, 1849,
.Mrs. Phebe Moore, relict of Ichabod Moore. He died
March 31, 1850, aged 79.
John Kinney, son of Nathan, married Rhoda Cham
berlain, June 16, 1811.
Ch, I. Lovicc, b. November 21, i8i2.
Permelia, b. July 10, 1814; d. January 16, 1815.
Truman, b. July i, 1815.
Miram, b. February 23, 1818.
John, b. August 30, 1819.

Alpheus Kinney, son of Nathan, married Lucy Eaton,
d: ighter of John.
Ch. I. Warren, b. August 14, 1804.
2. Orren Jefferson, b. February 12, 1806.
3. Friend Scott, b. November 10, 1808.
4. Mairy Malacy, b. January 39, 181 1.
5. David, b. January s, 1813.
6. Sanford, b. March 13, 1815.

382 GENEALOGIES.
Archibald Kinney, son of Joel, went to Portland, Conn,
where he taught school . very successfully for twenty-five
years. His pupils became scattered from the Atlantic t-i
the Pacific, but they all testify to the good they received
from him. Many prominent men among them have said
that all that they are they owe to Mr. Kinney. Among his
pupils wore David Davis, who became n U.S. Senator from
Illinois, and Edward Nichols, who became a Rear Admiral
in the U. S. Navy. He is remembered with great respee 1
and affection by the people of "Portland. He was a man oi
great dignity, reserved in' manner, never giving an opinion
'on an important subject until he had given it careful con
sideration, and then he was'as firm a.z a rock in his belief.
He represented the town of Portland in the Legislature oin
term, and was for a long time a member of the school
board. In 1844 he moved to Suffield, Conn., where he con
tinued his edueation.al work. He died March 10, 1867.
He married Sarah Ranney, October 28, 1821. .She died
January 27, 1890.
Ch. I, Timothy W., b. July 22, 1822; died Deecmhei
28, 1885.
2. Sarah Olive, b. August 13, 1826.
3. Elizabeth Coy, b. June 16, 1828; d. May 20, i.s,;-
Nathan Kinnev, son of Joel, lived at first where hi-.
f.ather did (where Geo. Chandler now does), then built th.
house by the mills wlicro he nfterwnrds resided. He m:ii
ried Lucy Wales, daughter of Gideon. He died by drown
ing Jnnunry 5, 1852, nged 48. His widow died Deeembe
22, 1S63. Ch. I. Ann Eliz.a, b. April i, 1851; m. Robert Bni^
Pnul, March 16, 1852,
a, Myron, b, February 24, 1833,
3. i^laria Jnnc, b. Februnry 12, 1835; m. Edwai-
C. Chnmborlain, May 24, 1859.
.4. Milton Horace, b. July 9, 1837.
5. Albert H., b. August 15, 1839; m. Abby OInc}
January 14, 1864.

THE KINNEY FAMILY. 383
6. Esther H., b. May 6, 1842; m. Ripley Chamber
lain, March 14, 1861.
Ei.isha Kinney, son of Joel, lived at Holland and kept
the hotel there. He married Mary Ann Marcy, August 25,
1833 (or 1832). He died August 23, 1888, aged 83. She
died February 5, 1881, aged 68.
Ch. 1. Mary A. E., b. November 10, 1834; m. Francis
Wight and had two children, George H., b.
September 9, 1855; d. September 13, 1855,
and Everett E. K., b. July, 1858; d. March 7,
i860.
2. Francis E., b. February 14, 1841.
Danforth Kinney, son of Joel, lived. in Thompson. He
was a carpenter. He married Jane W. Holmes of Wood
stock, March 21, 1833. She died January 27, 1891. Hedied
August 27, 1880.
Ch. 1. Charles H., b. May 5, 1834; m. Maria Burton;
went to Illinois.
2. Elmira L., b. October 28, 1835; m. Artemus
Corbin; live in Putnam.
3. Harriet F., b. December 16, 1837; m. J. N. Kings
bury of Webster. Three children.
4. Sarah E., b. October 6, 1839; m. Augustine Bar
rett of Woodstock, September 19, 1861.
Seven children.
5. Ellen M., b. October 31, 1841; m. John Williams,
April I, 1862. They live in Providence.
Horace Kinney, son of Joel, lived in Stafford. He mar
ried Melicent B. Marcy, March 24, 1839.
Ch. I. Miner C, b. June 11,1841; m. Ann Hamilton,
January 17, 1871; d. February i, 1881.
2. Horace M., b. May 16, 1845; d. December 11,
1848.
3. Omer B., b. April 24, 185b; d. January 11, 1855.
4. Melicent E., b. May 11, 1859; d. July 15, 1861.

384 GENEALOGIES,
Elijah Kinney, son of Elonznr, married Mnry (Polly,
Horton, daughter of Dea. Ezra, May 31, 1821. They wen
to Wisconsin. She died at Ft. Atkinson, Wis., March ; .
1840. Ch. I. Elisha Edwin, b. September 25, 1822; d. March
27, 1828.
2. Mary Olive, b. December 12, 1823; d. June (¦.
1859.
3. Harrison, b. July 7, 1825.
4. Eli Edwin, b. July 20, 1827.
5. Decatur, b. October 30, 1830; d. September is,
1832.
6. Fidelia, b. Jnnuary 25, 1834; m. Joseph A. Slu-p
ard, n lawyer, nt San Diogo, Cal,, nnd cK-rL
of A. E. llorton,
Paul Kinnky, son of Elonznr, married Mnry Barrett "i
Woodstock. Ch. 1. Willinm P.
2. Mnry, m. Mnrous Town of Thompson.
3. Henry.
4. Emily, b. Februnry 13, 1833; m. Otis Barret in
Woodstock, August 16, 1848; d. December jo.
1874; hnd 10 children.
5. Libeus A.
6. Joseph, d. Juno 17, 1844; wns tho first persnn
buried in the north cemetery in Union.
Mvron Kinnev, son of Nnthnn, lived in Union till i."^;
and was engaged in an extensive lumber nnd box-niam
fncturing business. In thnt year ho moved to I'utnai-
Conn., whoro ho now hns n lumber ynrd. Ho was one ¦
the best citizens of Union nnd n stnunch upholder of e\-ci .
thing good. Ho wns elected deacon of the Congregation
church at Union in 1863, nnd is now n dencon in the Ci-r
gregational church at Putnam, where ho is held in hi;.-
rospoot by all who know him.

THE KINNEY FAMILY. 385
He married Mary Jane Corbin, daughter of Dea. Penuel
Corbin of West Woodstock, January 5, 1864.
Ch. I. Mary L., b. March 3, 1865; d. March 6, 1865.
2. Emma Jane, b. March 21, 1866, graduated at the
Putnam High School in 1886, and at the Con
necticut State Normal School at New Britain
in 1890. She is now engaged in teaching.
3. Ellen Lucy, b. March 29, 1868, graduated at the
Putnam High School in 1886, and at the
State Normal School in 1890. She is also
engaged in teaching.
4. Etta Louise, b. April 7, 1870, graduated at Put
nam High School in 1889.
5. Elbert Corbin, b. July 24, 1873.
Maria J. Kinney, daughter of Nathan, married Edward
C. Chamberlain of Woodstock, May 24, 1859.
Ch. I. Edward L., b. April 20, i860; m. May E. Stone
of Woodstock, June 5, 1890.
2. George B., b. January 23, 1862; d. November 13,
1865.
3. Moses G., b. April 14, 1864; d. November 18,
1865.
4. Myron Kinney, b. May 19, 1866.
5. George E., b. February 17, 1872.
6. Carl B., b. January 19, 1875.
Milton H. Kinney, son of Nathan, with his brother
M yron, was engaged in the lumber business at the mills
f'.f a number of years. In 1867 he moved to Mashapaug
and became a member of the firm of Corbin, Tourtellotte &
(-¦1., and later Corbin & Kinney, in the business of manu
facturing boots arid shoes and dealing in general mer-
c'landise. Mr. Kinney has held many town offices, and
^-. as deputy sheriff a number of years and represented the
t iwn in Legislature in 1871. In 1890 he removed to Stafford
-prings. He is a man of strict integrity, good business
f:i)ility, and is very highly esteemed by all who know him.
25

386 GENEALOGIES.
The town losesmuch when such men as he and his brother
move away.
He married Martha Moore, daughter of Charles Weslc}
Moore of Ellington.
Ch. I. Charles Milton, b. October 3, 1871; d. August
16, 1873.
2. Carlos Moore, b. July 3, 1874; d. August 25, 187.1,
3. Mattie Josephine, b. December 26, 1876.
They adopted Nettie Elizabeth Hnll, daughter of Phi
lander Hall of Vernon. She was born November 13, 1S6;,
and married Corey Weld, son of Albert Wold, October,
1887. I
Albert Kinney, son of Nathan, married Abbie Olney,
January 14, 1859.
Ch. I. Arthur D., b. December 12, 1865; d. June 4.
1889.
2. Mary E., b. November 28, 1869.
3. Winnifred M., b. April 12, 1876.
Esther Kinnev, daughter of Nathan, married Ripley
Chamberlain of Woodstock, March 14, 1861.
Ch. I. Esther Anna, b. April i, 1863; m. Frank .\,
Shepard of Southbridge, October 27, 1880,
2. John Chandler, b. Mny 12, 1865; d. October q,
1865.
3. Willie Ripley, b. April 29, 1867; d. May 1, 1.S6;,
4. Everett Milton, b. December 8, 1868; d. Novem
ber 15, 1874.
5. Albert Wales, b. September 5, 1872.
6. Charles Bertie, b. October 26, 1876; d. Novem
ber 25, 1S80.
7. Lizzie Jane, b. November 6, 1880.
8. Milton Kinney, b. December 7, 1887.
Francis E. Kinnev, son of Elisha of Holland, married
Olivia Parker, daughter of Sumner Parker of Brimfield
December 29, 1869. Ho died by drowning, March 10, 1890

THE KINNEY FAMILY-LANGDON. 387
Ch. 1. Mabel Parker, b. January 22, 1871; d. January
29, 1871.
2. Oscar Francis, b. October 7, 1872.
3. Walter Earl, b. September 10, 1874.
4. Grace Melicent, b. December 9, 1876.
5. Sumner 'Parker, b. July 13, 1880.
6. Frank Milton, b. October 28, 1882.
Charles H. Kinney, son of Danforth, married Marie B.
Burton, April 17, 1856. She was born April 6, 1834.
Ch. 1. Clarence Henry, b. April 17, 1856; m. Nancy M.
Emerson, August 17, 1885. They have three
children.
Wm. p. Kinney, son of Paul, married Eunice A. Bowen.
Ch. I. Charles E., b. April 9, 1870.
2. George, b. September 2, 1885.
Henry Kinney, son of Paul, married Lucy M. Chase of
Whitefield, Me., July 18, 1878.
Libeus A. Kinney, son of Paul, married Harriet Med
bury of Putnam.
Ch. I. EBa.
2. Lewellyn.
3. Ora.

Lieut. Paul Langdon, the seventh child and fifth son
of Philip Langdon, of Boston, a mariner, was one of the
early settlers in Union; He bought land of Joseph Rey
nolds, of Bristol, R. I., in 1736. The lot was No. 9, of the
home lots.
He was a man of great energy of character, a carpenter,
iiMllwright, and farmer. He was town clerk during the
y -ars 1736, 1739, and 1740. He .was secretary of the pro-
I'tietors of Union lands, and was appointed chorister by
v.ite of the town. He moved from Union to Wilbraham,
to which place he brought the first four-wheeled wagon.

388

GENEALOGIES.

the same in which he had moved his family and worldly
goods from Salem to Hopkinton, and to Union.
His wife's name was Mary Stacy, whom he married
August i8, 1718. He had seven children, the oldest of
whom, Mary (b. 17 19), married Henry Badger, of Union,
Only the two youngest were born in Union, Elizabeth and
Anna. They both died in 1840. A son, Paul, was a ea])-
tain in the Revolutionary army. A nephew of Lieut. Paid
Langdon, Rev. Samuel. Langdon, D.D., was president of
Harvard College.

John Laflin came from Stowe, Mass., to Union, where
he bought land in 1740, the place where Prosper .Smith
lived. He married Susannah Colbraith.
Ch. I. James, b. April 8, 1747; m. Rebecca Ward, Jan
uary 31, 1782.
2. Mary, b. February 13, 1749; i"- first, Edmuntl
Merriam, November 27, 1788; second, Samuel
Webber.
John, b. May .5, 1752; m. Elizabeth Kent, of
West Sufiiold, October 31, 1774; d. a va;4a-
bond.
Abraham, b. January 26, 1754; m. Elizabetli
Paul, December 16, 1780.
Susanna, b. July 24, 1755; m. Samuel Barthole
mew.
Samuel, b. April 7, 1757; m. Martha Carpentc:,
January 10, 1782.
H.annah, b. November 10, 1758; m. Benjamii'
Walker, April lo, 1777.
Nancy, b. April 5, 1760; d. March 27, 1783.
Lucy, b. February 2, 1762; m. Jacob Burley.
John Laflin and his four sons all served in the Revoli
tionary army. LARNED FAMILY.
Capt. Abi;ah Larned, came from Thompson, Com
and bought land of Ebenezer Wales, afterwards his fathe-

3-

THE LA WSON FAMILY.

389

in-law, March 24, 1753, He lived on what is sometimes
called the Hatch place.
He was a prominent citizen, being selectman for a num
ber of years. He moved to Northumberland, now Colum
bia, N. H., where he died. He married Anne Wales, daugh
ter of Dea. Ebenezer Wales, December 31, 1753.
Ch. I. David, b. July 28, 1754.
2. Abel, b. March 23, 1756.
3. Eunice, b. September 20, 1757; d. Augfust 21,
1758.
4. Abijah, b. February 2, 1760.
5. James, b. November 18, 1761.
6. Silvanus, b. May 26, 1763.
7. Irene, b. February 25, 1765.
8. Royal, b. February 28, 1767.
9. Anna, b. April 2, 1769; d. September 4, 1770.
10. Anna, baptized October 27, 1771.
II. Ebenezer, baptized October 6, 1776.

THE LAWSON FAMILY.
John Lawson, the third settler of Union, was born in
Lilhlingow, Scotland, in the year 1678. His wife, Janet
Young, was born in the same place in 1694.
They came to this country about 1724, with three young
children. They were intending to settle in Pennsylvania,
but were shipwrecked off the coast of Nova Scotia, and lost
all their effects. They found their way to Worcester, Mass.,
where they lived a short time. Here their son Thomas, who
afterwards became prominent in town, was born in the
year 1727. They came to Union in 1728, when the infant
Tiiomas was six months old. John Lawson bought of
William McNall one hundred acres of land, for which he
g, ve a two-year old colt. This tract, on which he lived the
n luaindcr of his life, is situated in the south part of town,
wiicre his grandson, Major David Lawson, afterwards
resided. John Lawson died November 14, 1774, aged 96
y ars. Janet Young,hiswife,died October 29, 1781. Their
daughter Phebe, was the first white child born in Union.

390 GENEALOGIES. «
The children of John and Janet Young Lawson were :
Ch, I. Rebecca, b. August 14, 1719; m. Robert Maklem;
went to Pelham, Mass.
2. Issabel, b. April 4, 1721; m. William Nelson of
Brimfield.
3. John, b. June 30, 1724.
4. Thomas, b. November 2, 1727.
5. Phebe, b. June 30, 1731; she is said to have
taught school until she was 50 years of age,
and then married Joseph Mann, of Hebron:
6. Mary, b. November 4, 1733; m. Matthew Paul,
November 13, 1755.
7. Martha, b. December 12, 1735; m. David Brat-
ten, of Palmer.
8. Samuel, b. August 16, 1740; d. September 9.
1747-
John Lawson, Jr., married Mary Brown, September 12,
1751. He lived in the south part of town near the Major
David Lawson place.
Ch. I. John, b. November 12, 1752; m. Keziah Whit
ney, June 5, 1781.
2. Samuel, b. July 2, 1756.
3. Thomas, b. January 7, 1758.
4. Ebenezer, b. January 26, 1760.
5. Joseph, b. May 9, 1764.
6. Rhoda, b. November 10, 1766.
7. Sarah, b. February 24, 1769.
8. Matthew, b. February 24, 1771; m. Rebecc. i
Ross, February 19, 1795.
9. James, b. May 28, 1775.
Tho.mas Lawson, son of John Lawson, Sr., afterward.-
became captain of the militia in Union, and led a compan\
to Cambridge after the Lexington Alarm; to the capture
of Burgoyne; to the defense of New London, and other
places. He became a large land-holder, owning the bes-,
timber land in the town. He was selectman for a numbe-.

THE LAWSON FAMILY.

391

of years, and held other town offices. He married Esther
Paul, daughter of Robert Paul, December 31, 1754.
Thomas Lawson died January 5, 1825; Esther Paul, his
wife died January 22, 1804.
Ch. 1. Hannah, b. June 22, 1756; d. June 22, 1756.
2. Margaret, b. May 19, 1757; d. April 18, 1758.
3. Robert, b. January ir, 1759.
4. Mehitable, b. March 1 7, 1 76 1 ; m. Stephen Bugbee.
5. David, b. February 17, 1763.
6. Martha, b. March 1 9, 1 765 ; m. John Moore, March
29, 1787.
7. Esther, b. February 7, 1767; m. Alpheus Twist,
February 3, 1795.
8. Thomas, b. March 22, 1769.
Ebenezer Lawson, son of John, Jr., inarried Elizabeth.
Ho was a blacksmith and lived in humble circumstances.
Ch. I. Jane Brown, b. September 28, 1795.
2. Sessions; went to Bolton, Conn., where he
became prominent.
3. Roxana, m. Rev. Stephen Hiscock.
4. Nicholas.
6. Casper Lavater, m. Abigail Bolles, daughter of
Lemuel, September 25, 1831. They had two
children, Nancy Elizabeth, born November
19, 1832, and Casper Munroe, boi*n December
8, 1835-
Robert Lawson, son of Capt. Thomas Lawson, was a
very prominent citizen. He was for a long time town clerk
and principal land surveyor. In this way he became fam-
ili.ar with thehistory of all the families and homesteads in
Union and to some extent in the surrounding towns. He
was a soldier of the Revolution. He married, January 30,
1783, Anna Horton, daughter of Rev. Ezra Horton. Robert
Lawson died April 19, 1835. Anna Horton Lawson died
December 14, 1841.
Ch. I. Margaret, b. December 3, 1783; m. Nathan How-

392 GENEALOGIES.
ard; removed to Pennsylvania; d. May 22.
1847.
2. Susannah, b. June 3, 1786; d. Febmary 8, 1857
3. Paul, b. March 31, 1789.
4. Phebe, b. February 12, 1792; m. Lyman- Moore
removed to New York; d. April 3, 1868.
5. Ira, b. July 4, 1796-
6. David, b. July 8, 1800.
7. Esther, b. March 14; 1803; m. John Moore.
8. Mary, b. March 14, 1803; m. Roswell Blodgett,
Major David Lawson, son of Thomas, was also a soldier
in the Revolution. Captain Lawson was so zealous in his
patriotism that he caused his son David to enlist as soon
as he was of proper age, thinking that the war might con
tinue many years, although it was really near its close.
Major Lawson was one of the guards of Major Andre while
a prisoner. Sidney Stanley, Esq., of Hartford, long a clerk in the
office of the Secretary of State and as familiar as any one
with the Revolutionary archives, says that when Major
Lawson was Representative in 1833 and 1834, no soldier
of the Revolution had served in this office for several years,
and he was the last Revolutionary soldier in the Legisla
ture, and probably the last who served the state in any
ofiice whatsoever. He lived in the south part of town on
tho farm which still goes by his nnmc. When he owned it.
it was said to be one of tho best farms in town.
He married Sarah Moore, daughter of John, August 1,
1786. He died January 19, 1836. His wife, Sarah, died Jul>
31, 1858, aged 92.
Ch. I. Amy, b. January 27, 1787; m. Nathaniel New
ell, Jr.
2. Margaret, b. October 19, 1796; m. Cyril Keyes.
3. Caleb, b. March 11, 1792; d. June 29, 1792.
4. Sarah Ann, b. December 6, 1806-,. d. March 1,;,
1810.

THE LAWSON FAMILY. 393
Thomas Lawson, son of Capt. Thomas, lived east of Bige
low pond, where William Thayer recently did. He married
Ruth Kinney, daughter of Nathan, January i, 1795.
He died December 20, 1819, aged 50. His widow, Ruth,
married Jonathan Blanchard, of Monson, Mass., October 6,
1828. Ch. I. Esther,b. May 6, 1799; m. Nehemiah Houghton.
Dea. Paul Lawson, son of Robert, like his father, was
a land surveyor. He served at New London in the war of
1812. He became deacon of the Congregational church in
1835. He married Lydia Holman, daughter of Thomas,
December 9, 1824. Several years after their marriage he
bought of Rufus Holman the place where he afterwards
lived. He was a man of high Christian character, a pillar
in the church at Union, and always ready to visit and
assist the sick or afflicted. During the last part of his life
he was almost totally blind. He died September 27, 1871.
Lydia, his wife died June 29, 1889.
Ch. 1. Lovisa, b. December 9, 1826; m. Charles A.
Corbin, January 17, 1849; lives at Wilbra
ham.
2. Paul Clinton, b. September 2, 1828.
3. Esther Calista, b. January 16, 1830; d. at
Union, July 14, 1878.
4. Edwin Newton, b. January 26, 1832.
5. Justus Vinton, b. April 4, 1834 ; he was a youth
of promise and was preparing for the min
istry at Madison University, Hamilton, N.Y.,
when he was taken sick with typhoid fever,
came home and died, August 13, 1854.
6. Minerva, b. March 18, 1837; m. Robert Smilie,
October 24, 1866. They now live in Spring
field, 111. They had two children who died.
7. Lydia Ann, b. November 15, 1839; d. March 26,
1840.
8. Susan, b. July 10, 1843; d. October i, 1858.
9. George Milton, b. August 32, 1847.

394

GENEALOGIES.

Ira Lawson, son of Robert, married, first. Amy H.
Remington, daughter, of Peleg of Cronston, R. I. She died
June 29, 1836. He married, second, Ann Bartlett of East
ford, January 15, 1837. He died November 25, 1865. His
wife, Ann, died February 23, i860.
Ch. I. Thomas, b. August 6, 1822; d. at Cincinnati, O.,
January 11, 1843.
2. Julia Ann, b. June 3, 1824; m. Origin Preseott;
lived at Litchfield, Minn,; d. about 1883.
3. Robert, b. May 8, 1827; went to sea for several
years; m. Eleanor Ann Harris, February 3,
1849. They live in New Bedford, Mass., and
have one son, Robert Clinton, who married
Emma Crawford, daughter of Ossian.
4. Caroline, b. May 29, 1828; d. August 6, 1831.
5. Adeline, b. March 31, 1830; m. Walter Alexan
der, January 10, 1849; d. at Nashville, Tonn.,
June, 1854.
6. Emeline, b, March 28, 1832; m. Horace Randall
of Woodstock. They wont west and lived
at Monticello, Minn., nnd nt Millbank, South
Dakota. In 1892 thoy returned to South
Woodstock. They had two sons, Adfor and
Olin, who died in 1881.
7. Ira Remington, b. April 25, 1834; lives with
the Shakers at West Pittsfield, Mass. He is
their trustee, having the management of
their financial interests, and is highly re
spected and esteemed by them.
8. Daniel Webster, b. January 12, 1838; m. first,
Eliza Clark; lives at Auburn, N, Y.; has
been married a second time and has several
children. He is a most excellent man and
is highly respected.
9. . Amy Hcflin, b. September 25, 1839; m,, first.
Amasa Trowbridge of Eastford. He per
ished in a burning building at Seymour,
Conn. She married, second, Etastus Horton,

THE LAWSON FAMILY. 395
who died at New Haven in May, 1890.
She has one son, Alfred T. Horton, with
whom she now resides at Millbank, South
Dakota.
10. John Fields, b. May 24, 1841; lives at Auburn,
N. Y., and has a family.
II. Thomas Ansel, b. July 3, 1844; he was a prom
ising youth, but died in the army at New
born, N. C, April 13, 1862.
12. Caroline, b. May 27, 1847; m. Henry Haskell
Hall in 1880; went to Iowa; died in 1888,
" leaving two sons.
David Lawson of Union, son of Robert, was a well-
known citizen of the town for many years. He always
lived on the old place where his ancestors had lived before
him. He was a man of strict religious and moral princi
ples, although on account of a strong dissatisfaction with
the location of the new church, he was not accustomed to
attend worship. He held many offices in town during his
long life here. During the latter part of his life he was
almost universally called "Uncle David." He married
Polly Corbin, daughter of David Corbin, November 17,
1844. He died February 7, i88i.
Paul Clinton Lawson, sou of Paul, married Almira E.
Shepard, daughter of Samuel of Sturbridge, February 12,
1851. They lived first at Brimfield, then at Woodstock till
about 1875, when they moved to Southbridge, where they
have since resided.
Ch. I. Maria Eva, b. January 14, 1852; m. John Craw
ley.
2. Frank Edward, b. March 26, 1853.
3. Adelaide Grace, b. April 29, 1855; m. Augustus
Bagley, who died in 1889.
4. Frederick Samuel, b. April 19, 1857; m. Lulu
Smith; lives in Southbridge.
5. Roger Clinton, b. June 30, 1863.
6. Jennie Martha, b. July 4, 1866.

396 GENEALOGIES.
7. Almira Fannie, b. April 7, 1869; m. Harry Old
ham of Southbridge, August, 1892. They
reside in Minneapolis, Minn.
Dea. Edwin Newton Lawson, son of Paul, has always
lived on the home place, the fourth generation (in the
Holman line) of those who have lived there. He was
elected deacon of the church at 'Union, September 4, 1863.
He has been superintendent of the Sunday school for more
than twenty years, and is one of the principal sustainers
of the church. He married Sarah E. Corbin, daughter of
Dea. Penuel of Woodstock, February 25, 1861. She died
December 31, 1885. He owns one of the best farms in
town and has demonstrated that farming even in Uni(m
will pay if rightly managed.
Ch. I. George Newton, b. July 2, 1865, graduated from
the Hitchcock Free High School, Brimfield,
Mass., in 1885; from Y.ale College in 1890.
and from the Yale Medical School in 1892.
He is now practicing medicine in Middle
Haddam, Conn.
2. Harvey Merrill, b. January 31, 1868; graduated
from the Hitchcock Free High School at
Brimfield in 1886, from the Sheffield Scien
tific School of Yale University in 1890, and
from the Yale Divinity School in 1893; ap
pointed a missionary of the A. B. C. F, M,
to India, February 21, 1893; ordained at New
Haven, May 18, 1893; married Dedic .S. Bald
win, of New Haven, May 23, 1893.
3. Mary Eva, b. December 19, 187 1.
4. Susie Minerva, b. April 4, 1874; graduated
from the Hitchcock Free High School in
1892.
George M. Lawson, son of Paul, lives in Springfield, 111,
He married Mattie Anderson, November, 187 1.
Ch. I. Edith Minnie, b. September 8, 1872.
2. Laura Grace, b. January 30, 1876.

REV. HARVEY M. LAWSON.

LELAND, THE LEONARD FAMILY. 397
3. Charles Edwin, b. March 14, 1878.
4. Clara Marion, b. April 13, 1883.
5. Paul Thomas, b. October 30, 1887.

Josiah Leland came from Palmer to Union about 1845,
and lived at Mashapaug where Mr. Winch now does. He
was engaged in the manufacture of axe-handles, having a
patent machine for the process, which he obtained from a
Mr. Blanchard of Palmer. The business was profitable,
and starting with nothing, Mr. Leland acquired a consid
erable fortune. His factory was located near where Mr.
Winch's shop now stands. It was twice burned. When
running in full blast it gave employment to as many as
thirty men.
Josiah Leland married, first, Sophia, who died Decem
ber 28, 1824; second, Almira, who died January 21, 1841,
aged 39; third, Miranda Neff. He died July 27, 1855.
Ch. I. Emilus, lived in Hartford.
By second wife —
2. George A., lived in New York city.
3. Henry J.
4. Dexter G., d. November 21, 1835, aged 2 years.
5. Dexter C, was a lieutenant in the 6ist Regi
ment of Now York Volunteers. He was
taken sick, came home and died, November
29, 1862, aged 25.
By third wife —
6. John Sherman, died about 1879.
THE LEONARD FAMILY.
Daniel Leonard, Sr., the son of Jacob, was born at
Taunton, Mass., March 28, 1773. He married Mehitable
Hicks, born in Rehobeth, Mass., February 11, 177 1. They
lived first at Woodstock, afterwards at Stafford, near the
Street. From the latter place he moved to Union, about
18 14, where he settled in the southeast part of town, on the
Olney place. Here he built a blacksmith's shop and worked

398 GENEALOGIES.
at that trade in connection with agricultural employments.
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard struggled nobly to bring up their
large family of children and give them as many advantages
as possible. Daniel Leonard died March 28, 1842, aged 6g,
His wife died February 9, 1853, aged 83. They are buried
in the East cemetery.
Their children were:
Ch. I. Halsey, b. at Woodstock, in 1795.
2. George, b. at Woodstock, April 9, 1798.
3. Daniel, b. at Woodstock, October 6, 1800.
4. Rhoda, b. at Woodstock, September 9, 1803; m.
Stephen Paine, and had 3 children, Milton,
Olive and John. She died in 1871.
5. Lucinda, b. at Stafford, June 12, 1806; m. Adams
Stewart, of Wales, Mass., and had 6 children.
6. Moses Gage, b. at Stafford, July 10, 1809. (See
biographical sketch).
7. Darius, b. at Stafford, December 24, 181 1; m.
Isabel Spencer, by whom he had 3 children.
He married twice afterwards. He was a
respected farmer at Lebanon, Conn. He d.
in 1889.
8. Mary, b. at Union, Maj' 14, 1816; m. Silas P.
Allen.
Halsey Leonard, son of Daniel, lived in the western
part of Woodstock. He was many years deacon of the Bap
tist church at West Woodstock. He died in Michigan, aged
92. He married Lavinia Corbin, daughter of Joseph, of
Woodstock, August 17, 1823.
Ch. I. Lavinia, m. William Preston, of Eastford. She
now (1892) lives in Michigan, and has had 6
children.
2. One child died in infancy.
George Leonard lived where his father did, east of Dea.
Burley's, where he built a new house and three barns, two
having been struck by lightning and burned on the same
spot. He was a very unfortunate man, losing seven bright

THE LEONARD FAMILY. 399
children. He moved to Woodstock Valley, in 1873, and
died December 15, 1882. He was a very well read man,
having a large library. He married first, Deborah Stewart
(b. December 20, 1796), who died February 6, 1836; second,
Nancy Dewing.
Ch. I. Halsey, b. 1823; d. September 22, 1847; studied
medicine in New York.
2. Olive, m. Charles Dean.
3. Isaac Newton, b. 1824; d. September 23, 1848.
4. Jane, m. 1st, Rev. Percival Mathewson; 2nd
Julius Lyon.
5. Joseph, b. June 19, 1832; d. August 29, 1837.
By second wife:
6. George Chapin.
7. Thomas Jefferson.
8. Zenas, b. April, 1846; d. October 4, 1848.
9. Susana, b. January, 1850; d. November 28, 1863.
10. Newton G., b. December, 1852; d. November 6,
1863.
11. Jessie E., b. 1858; d. December 17, 1863.
Daniel Leonard, Jr., married Isabel M. Place. She was
born March 25, 1803, and died September 7, 1859.
Ch. I. Mary Alcena, b. March 25, 1827; d. July 22,
1829.
2. Thomas Place, b. August 22, 1828.
3. Moses G., b. September 15, 1830.
4. William, b. November 11, 1832; m. Calista Has
kell,
5. Rhoda J., b. October 7, 1835; d. October 31, 1867.
Thomas Place Leonard, son of Daniel, w.as engaged in
Iho morcnntilo nnd shoo manufacturing business with his
hrothcrs at Woodstock, Conn., for sixteen years. He then
iuovod to Putnam, Conn., where ho was in the mercantile
business with his brother William till 1889, when he
retired from business on account of poor health. Mr.
Leonard occupies a high position of honesty and integrity

400

GENEALOGIES.

in the esteem of his fellow citizens. He married Elvira
Horton, daughter of Ezra, of Union, January 29, 185 1.
Ch. I. Ida Elvira, b. April 29, 1853.
2. Eugene Thomas, b. March 26, 1857.
3. Lucy Maria, b. February 2, 1861.
MosES G. Leonard, son of Daniel, Jr., lived in Union till
he was eleven years old, when he moved to Ashford (now
Enstford) with his parents. In 1853 he moved to Wood
stock Valley, where he wont into the general store busi
ness with his brother, Thomas P. Leonard. In 1854 their
younger brother, William, joined the partnership, and the
firm style became T. P. Leonard & Co. They enlarged
their business by starting the manufacture of shoes, which'
they carried on successfully for sixteen years. They sold
out their business, and Moses G. removed to Putnam,
Conn., in 1869, where he went into the dry goods business
with Mr. J. W. Manning, under the firm name of Manning;
& Leonard. They have continued successfully in this
business under the same firm name for twenty-four years.
Mr. Leonard is a man thoroughly respected and highly
esteemed in the community where he lives. He niarricil,
ist, Harriet C. Allen, of Eastford, June 6, 1852. She died
in September, 1855. He married, 2nd, Mary E. Childs, of
Woodstock, in October, 1858. She died in August, 1S80, He
married, 3rd, Jennie A. 'Tillinghast, of Providence, R. I,,
September 23, 1885.
Ch. I. Fannie C, b. February 3, 1861.
2. Frank C, b. July 22, 1874.
William Leonard, son of Daniel, Jr., wns in business i\\
Woodstock Valley (as stated above) until 1870, when h.
went to Putnam, and with his brother Thomas, conducted
a store which dealt in boots and shoes, gents' furnisliin;,.
goods, etc. In this they were quite successful, but on
account of poor health they were obliged to sell out i;
1887. They have now bought thirty acres of pasture lam
in Putnam, which thoy are cultivating, and find it ver)

THE LILLIE FAMILIES

401

beneficial to their health. All three of these brothers are
highly esteemed citizens of Putnam.
William Leonard married Calista Haskell (born March
12, 1840), December 14, 1858.
Ch. I. Emma L., b. October 12, 1852.
2. Mary A., b. April 17, 1865.
3. William D., b. February 29, 1873.
4. Florence M., b. July 27, 1875.
THE LILLIE >AMIt.IEB.
John Lillie came to Union from Dudley, Mass., and
bought in 1771, of Francis Pierce, the lots No. 18 and No.
19 in the third division, east of Bigelow river. He was a
very respectable man. He had three sons, John, Joseph,
and Ebenezer, who became a physician in Woodstock.
John Lillie, Jr., had the following children :
Ch, I. Benjamin.
2. Jonathan.
3. Simeon, m. Rhoda Corbin.
4. John.
5. Elizabeth, m. Parley Herring of Killingly,
Conn.
6. Abiathar.
7. Ebenezer.
Joseph Lillie, son of John, Sr., married, first, Deborah;
second, Prudy Kinney.
Ch. I. Ezra, b. August 13, 1780.
2. Hannah, m. Levi Coye.
Jonathan Lillie, son of John, Jr., had 3 children, Den
nis, Jonathan and Benoni. Jonathan, Jr., married Betty
Alclntire, and had 3 children. ¦
Ch. I. Phebe, m. Benj. Stone, April 17, 1842.
2. Relief, m. Nathan Walker, October 6, 1841,
3. Rhoda, m. Orrin Burnett, March 36, 1834.
26

402 GENEALOGIES,
John Lillie, 3D, married Rachel.
Ch. 1. Eleazar, b. in New Jersey, September 23, 1774,
3. Wm. Casterlino, b. in Now Jersey, November
28, 1778.
3. Rhodn, b, in Woodstock, March 22, 1780.
4. Adonijah, b. in Woodstock, June 12, 1782.
William Casterline Lillie, son of John, 3d, mnrried
Penelope Mclntire,
Ch. I. Nancy, m. Benj, M. Wontworth of Dorchester,
Mnss,
2. Polly, m. Elijah Severy, September 14, 1828.
3. John.
4. Olive, m.. Mr. George.

John Lillie, son of William

Casterline,

married

H.an-

nah Corey, November 29,

"S*7-

Ch. 1

Isaac.

2
John.
3
Mary.
4
Sarah.
5
Lucinda.
6
Alma.
7
Elijah.
Dr. Ebenezer Lindsey settled in Union in 1830. He
came from Preseott, Mass., where he had practiced for
some years.
Ho mnrried Susnn Foster, daughter of Silas, of Peter
sham. Ch. 1. Marynnne, d. Jnnuary 5, 1833,
2. Silns Foster.
Dr. Silas Foster Lindsey, son of Ebenezer, studied
medicine at Ynle and established himself as a physician in
Dudley, Mass. Ho died in 1891. He married Snlonu-
Chapmnn,
LETCHER, THE LOOMIS FAMILY. 403
Frank Letcher married Dilana Houghton, daughter of
Nehemiah, September 3, 1863. He was in the army. He
lived with his father-in-law until about 187 1, when he went
to Southbridge, where he now resides.
Ch. I. Rosa Virginia, b. July 21, 1864.
2. Elmer Francis, b. September 28, 1866; grad
uated at Yale in 1889.
3. Anna Elsworth, b. May 18, 1874.
4. Ethel Esther, b. December 17, i8;r5.
THE LOOMIS families IN UNION.
There were two Loomis families in Union, that of
Daniel who came from Windsor, and of Dea. Caleb Loomis
who came from Lebanon, Crank parish, now Columbia.
Daniel Loomis bought land in Union in 1741, and Caleb
Loomis in 1754. The common ancestor of both families
was doubtless Joseph of Windsor, who came from Bristol,
Eng,, before 1639. The line of Daniel is: Joseph, John,
Daniel, Daniel, Daniel.
Daniel Loomis of Union was born in Windsor, Novem
ber 2, 1710, and died in Union, January i, 1758. His
brother Elisha owned land in Union, though probably
never lived here. Daniel Loomis lived where Edward
Foster afterwards did, and with his brother Elisha owned
the Bush meadow saw-mill. He married Sarah Enos,
daughter of James Enos, one of the original proprietors.
Ch. I. Sarah, b. November 15, 1737; m. Timothy
Wales, November 11, 1762. >
2. Daniel, b. July 25, 1739.
3. Jonah, b. May 5, 1743; m. Mehitable Cram,
November 29, 1764, and had one child, Sarah.
4. Noah, b. January 13, 1745; m. Sibbel Williams,
February 4, 1773.
5. Elijah, b. August 7, 1747; m. Alathea Burley,
January 27, 1774; moved to Georgia in 1786.
6. Reuben, b. May 22, 1750; d. May 29, 1750.

404

GENEALOGIES.

Lieut. Daniel Loomis, son of Daniel, lived first north
of Capt. Newell's, on the west side of the road, and after
wards at the so-called Kinney or Bugbee place where he
built a new house. He married Sarah Crawford, daughter
of Hugh, February 9, 1764. She died November 18, 1784,
and he married a second time Sibella Knox, October 26.
1785. Ch. I. Chatlotte, b. January 3, 1765; m. Capt Penuel
Child.
2. Anna, b. January 19, 1767; m. Walter Sessions.
July 20, 1786.
3. Daniel, b. June 13, 1769; d. October 4, 1775.
4. Clara, b. January 19, 1772; m. Dr. Stephen
Preston.
5. Walter, b. Deeember 17, 1774; m. Hannah Ses
sions of Brimfield.
6. Sarah, b. May 8, 1777; m. Wm. Mahan.
7. George Washington, b. August 17, 1779.
8. Willard, b. March 30, 1782.
9. Sillina, b. October 8, 1784; d. October 27, 1784.
Dea. Caleb Loomis, bought the so-called Horton farm
east of the meeting-house in 1754. He married Abigail
Wright. Ch. 1. Abner, b. April 21, 1729.
2. Phebe, b. March 7, 1733; d. October 13, 1756.
3. Caleb, b. June 19, 1735; i"- Mary Wyman, Jan
uary 7, 1758, and moved to Brookfield.
Abner Loomis, son of Dea. Caleb, married Charit}
Sprague, July 12, 1754.
Ch. I. Israel, b. October 29, 1756.
2. Luther, b. July 25, 1758.
3. Abner, b. June 3, 1759.
4. Phebe, b. March 3, 1761; m. first, Ichaboi
Moore; second, Eleazar Kinney.
5. Abigail, bl February 7, 1763. .
Abner Loomis lived north of the burying ground. He
afterwards lived in Palmer.

THE LYON Family. 405
the lyon families.
Deacon Levi Lyon came to Union from Woodstock and
bought land August 22, 1774. He was chosen deacon of the
church at Union, March 15, 1782. He moved to Stafford
from Union. He married Ruth  .
Ch. I. Abner Fitch, d. November 3, 1775.
2. Charles, b. 1773; d. September 8, 1778.
3. Joseph, b. August, 1778; d. September 8, 1778.
4. Lucinda, baptized July 25, 1779.
5. John, baptized May 7, 1780.
6. Daniel, baptized December 20, 1781.
Perley Lyon, son of Captain Daniel, came from Wood
stock and lived in Union one year, in 1803. He kept store
at the Dr. Lindsey place.
Perley Lyon came from Holland to Union not far from
1830, and lived at the William Moore place. He peddled
fish for a while. He married Phebe Preston, who died
January, 1834.
Ch. 1. William; went to New York and engaged in
the importing dry goods business; became
wealthy.
2. Susan.
3. Maria.
4. Warren; m. Marietta Chaffee.
Stephen Lyon, son of Ebenezer, came from Holland,
JIass., to Union with his sons, and lived with them on the
Deacon Samuel Crawford place. He married Olive Stevens.
Ch. I. Salome, b. 1804; m. Rev. Urijah Underwood,
a Baptist minister; she d. 1852.
2. Orrin, b. 1808.
3. Walter.
4. Fanny; b. March 3, 181 3; m. Sullivan Under
wood.
5. C)rprian Stephen, b. July 3, 18 14.
Stephen Lyon died June 11, i860, aged 80. Sally, his

4o6 GENEALOGIES.
wife, died September 24, 1845, aged 65. The family arc
buried in the East cemetery.
Orrin Lyon, son of Stephen, married Matilda Snow.
September 3, 1837.
Ch. I. Emily Deliza, b. September 10, 1838; d. Sep
tember 29, 1842.
2. Maryanne Margaret, b. January 20, 1842; d.
March 10, 1885.
3. Harriet Lucinda, b. October 24, 1842; m., ist,
Myron Balcom; 2nd, Mnson Balcom,
4. Nancy Hannah, b. JInrch 8, 1846; m. Horace
Tucker.
5. George Melvin, b. August 22, 1848.
Orrin Lyon died March 10, 1885, aged 77. Mntilda, his
wife, died Atigust 25, 1868.
Walter Lyon, son of Stephen, lived most of his life on
the so-called Coye hill, in the cast pnrt of town. He left
Union about 1877 and went to Ellington. He married
Hannah Snow, of Woodstock, who died October i, 187.).
He married again.
Ch. I. Martha Ann, b. January .15,' 18404 d. Septem
ber, 1848.
2. Sarah Salome, b. May 21, 1843; lu- Gurdon
Chaffee.
Cyprian Stephen Lyon; son of Stephen, lived for souk
time on the Nathan Kinney plnce. He married Mnlind,;
Ingnlls, (born Mnrch 7th, 1817, nt Hnmpton, Conn,, in i.S-i^i
Hedied nt Union, July 6th, 1868, His widow nftcrwani
mnrried Scavor Gift'ord, nnd died December 5th, 18S0,
Ch. 1, Emily M,, b. October 25, 1844; m. Rev. L, I .
Goodell in 1886.
2. Olive M., b. March 27, 1846; d. September .,
1864.
3. L. Emmogene, b. August 18, 1847; m. Henrv
Upham in 1872.

THE LYON FAMILY. 407
4. Albert F., b. April 25, 1849.
5. Henry T., b. October 6, 1851; m. Alice Arnold,
in 1882.
6. Oliver G. Lyon, b. July 22, 1853; m. in 1886.
Ebenezer Lyon, son of Ebenezer, lived on the Haskel
place, east of Mashapaug.
Ch. I. Leonard.
2. Calvin, lived afterv^ards in Methuen, Mass.
3. Willard.
4. Diantha.
5. Semantha. There were other girls.
Uriah Lyon, came from Woodstock to Union, with his
children, and settled on the Armour (now the Major Smith)
place. His wife's name was Jerusha.
He died July 24, 1849, aged 79. His wife Jerusha, died
November 9, 1862, aged 82.
Ch. I. Thomas.
2. Lucy, m. Thomas Moore.
3, Sarah, m. Lyman Hiscock.
4. Elisha, (see below).
5. Elias; twin brother of Elisha ; never married;
drowned, 1878.
6. Lyman, (see below).
7. Waldo.
8. Charles.
Elisha Lyon, married  Bosworth.
Ch. I. Sarah.
2. George.
3. Frank.
4. Mary, m. John Jones.
There were other children.
Lyman Lyon, son of Uriah, lived where Sam. Whipple
afterwards did. He married Olive H. W. Buck (sister of
Mrs. Henry Corbin). They moved to Geneseo, 111.

4o8 GENEALOGIES.
Ch. I, Alvin Moore, b. July 3, 1843.
2. Mary Jerusha, b. April 24, 1845.
the marcy families of union.
There have been two families of this name in Union,
one the descendants of Samuel Marcy of Woodstock, the
other of Benjnmin of Mnnsficld. They may be remotely
connected. Samuel Marcy of Woodstock bought land in Union,
September 28, 1753, and settled there with a large family.
The following are the names of some of his children :
Ch., 1. Willinm, m. Lucy Bugbee, May 2, 1756.
2. ' Samuel.
3. Tabitha, m. Joseph Fairbnnks.
4. Sibbel, m. Moses Penke.
5. Zcruinh, m, Jnmos Pnul, December 28, 1768.
.Snmuol Mnrcy died July 31, 1783, aged 79.
Samuel Marcy, son of .Snmuol, mnrried Lois Pcnke,
daughter of Christopher, April 10, 1763,
Ch. I. Esther, b. August 28, 1763.
2. Alvan, b. Juno 22, 1765.
3. Prosper, b. July 26, 1767; d. January 26, 1770,
4. Avis, b. September 5, 1769.
5. Prosper, b. March i, 1772,
6. Orrin, b, August 25, 1774.
7, John SulHvnn, b, December 2, 1776.
8. Dorcas, b. Jnnunry 18, 1779.
9. Louis, b. Jnnunry 9, 1781.
10. Snmuol, b, April 22, 1783.
Calvin Marcy, son of Benjnmin of Mansfield, cnme to
Union about 1800, and settled north of the old burying
ground. He married Abigail Vinton of Sturbridge.
Ch. 1. D.avid,
2, Calvin,
3. Merrick, b. October 11, 1812, in Holland.

THE MARCY FAMILIES. 409
4. Plympton, b. June 26, 1819.
5. Freeman, m. Lydia Green.
6. Mary Ann.
David Marcy, son of Calvin, married Rhoda James,
daughter of Remington of Ashford.
Ch. I. Elvira, m. John Rich.
2. David Merrick, lived at Worcester.
Calvin Marcy, son of Calvin, lived in the house near
the Congregational church, where Edwin Upham now re
sides. He had a blacksmith shop in the forks of the roads
east of the house. He married Elvira Clarke of Chaplin,
Conn. She died September ii, i860, aged 52. He died
April 36, 1868, aged 60.
Ch. I. Laura, b. February 8, 1837.
2. Dwight, b. June 8, 1840; graduated at Yale in
1863, and was a lawyer at Rockville, Conn.
3. Emily Jane, d. September 4, 1890.
4. Cornelia, m. F. W. Eastman of Westford; d.
July 21, 1878, aged 30.
Merrick Marcy, son of Calvin, [for a sketch of his
business see the chapter on the industrial history], mar
ried Rinda Moore, daughter of Augustus, November 17,
1842. He died September 3, 1869.
Ch. I. Merrick Augustus, b. August 29, 1843.
2. Laura Ann, b. November 28, 1845; m. first, Ed
ward Taylor, August 26, 1869; second, George
Baker, January 13, 1875.
3. Morris Henry, b. October 18, 1848.
4. George Calvin, b. April 3, 1852.
5. William Pitt, b. August 21, 1856.
6. Rinda Maria, b, December 21, 1858; m. Ellery
Bumham of Eastford, November, 1883.
7. Harriet Louisa, b. January 5, i860; m. Edgar
M. Phillips of Southbridge, November 28,
1882.

410 GENEALOGIES.
Plympton Marcy, son of Calvin, married Caroline
Young in New London, February 25, 1844. He lived in
Sturbridge. Ch. I. Sarah Jane, b January 9, 1845; m. Oscar Craw
ford, son of Dnniol T.
i. Chnrlos Plympton, b. May 21, 1848; m. Martha
Goodnlo.
3. Jnmos Otis, b. May i, 1851.
4. Frederick Tudor, b. February 2, 1844; d, De
comber 14, 1856.
5. Ida Louisn, b. Februnry' 5,1859; m. Goo, Craw
ford of Union, August, 1875.
6, Ada Frances, b. December 13, i860.
Merrick A. Marcy, son of Merrick (sec biographical
sketch), married Jennie Bicknell, February 22, 1882.
Ch. I. Lulu Jennie, b. July 14, 1883.
2. Ethel May, b. March 30, 1885; d. August 2.;,
1S86.
3. Irene Rindn, b. October 24, 1885.
Morris H. Marcy, sou of Merrick, mnrried Mnrtha jatu-
Miller of Woodstock, Juno 6, 1873, lie died January 1,
i88.j, Ch. I. Ida Winnifred, b, Doccmbor 19, 1874; d. May i.|,
1876.
2. Merrick Tildon, b. March 3, 1877.
3. Morris Hendricks, b. November 22, 1879,
George C, Marcy, mnrried first, Ida Hamilton, second.
Abbie J. Collins of Ellington. He died July 8, 1885.
Ch. I. Alice, d. December, 1886.
William P. Marcy, son of Merrick, married Jennnic M.
Brown, of Hartford, Deeember 2, 1879.
Ch. I. Annie Rinda, b. Janunry 12, 1881; d. April,
1882.
2. Florence Joannie, b. June 8, 1883.

MATTHEWS, McALLISTER, McCLURE. 411
David S. Matthews, the 7th child of Nathan Matthews
of Killingly and Canterbury, was born December 19, 1837.
He came to Union in 1864, and bought of Leonard Goodell
the place in the west part of town where he now lives. He
married Mary Willis, daughter of Lemuel Willis, October
*3, 1859- Ch. I. Frank A.,b. October 15, i860; d. March 12. 1885.
2. Everett E., b. November 25, 1868.

Samuel Atkinson McAllister, was the son of Abiel.
and born in Montvillo, January 18, 1828. He came to
Union August 6, 1857, and bought the place of Henry and
Sherman Leland. He married Caroline Hewlett, daughter
of Sylvester of Holland, May 3, 185S.
Ch. I. Eva Estelle, b. May 3, i860.
Annie, b. Noveinber 14, 1862; d. April 11, 1863.
Frank Atkins, b. June 15, 1864.
Sarah Llicinda, b. August 4, 187 1.
Richard, born September 3, 1874.
George Shepard, b. July 14, 1876.
S. A. McAllister was in the lumber business, and owned
a steam saw-mill. About 1882 he removed to East Brim
field.

Dr. David McClure came from Brookfield, Mass., to
Union, where he first bought land of Wm. and Sibbel
Allen of Union, November 29, 1756. This was north of
Bush meadow, including the dam and mill. He lived in
Union several years; then he moved to Stafford about 1767.
He again lived in Union several years near the close of
the century, when he moved to Stafford again. During the
interval between his residences in Union, his place was
supplied by ' Drs. Preston and Rice. Dr. Hammond suc
ceeded him. During his last residence in Union he lived
on the so-called "ministerial place." He married Jane
Moor, June 4, 1761.

412 GENEALOGIES.
James McNall was the first settler of the town of
Union, and lived on the hill north of the house where Dea
con Healy Corbin lived (where Mr. Barber now does). He
was a native of Ireland, but moved to Union from Bedford,
Mass. He bought land of Nath. Walker, near Bush
meadow, which was the Jason Ferry or Whipple place, and
long continued to be occupied by the McNall family. He
was a man of eccentric character. It is not known
whether he had children. He was probably the brother of
Wm. McNall. He died July 23, 1781, aged about 75. His
wife Jean McNall, died December 30, 1773, in the 65th year
of her ago.
William McNall wns one of the earliest settlors of the
town of Union. He bought of Eb. Fitch, one of the pro
prietors, "one full twenty-sixth part of the town," May 24,
1722, (T. R. Vol. 1, p. 47). In this deed McNall is said to
bo from "Worcester, Mass,, nnd Into of Ireland." Ho was
probnbly in tho snuio compnny of omigrnnts with John
Lnwson, who remained nwhilo at Worcester before they
cnmo to Union. Ho sold Innd to John Lawson, July 7, 173-",
tho considerntion for 100 acres being a two-yenr old colt.
William McNall lived in the south part of town. He
married probably before he came to this country, and
brought most of his children with him. His wife's name
was Elizabeth. He died September 22, 1797. She died
September 13, 1799.
Ch. I. James.
2. Elizabeth, m. Robert Moore.
3. Arthur.
4. Margaret, m. Joseph Davis of Brimfield.
5. Cntherine, m, Isaac Mngoon, of Kingstown,
now Pnlmor.
6. Alcxnnder.
7. John, was non compos mentis, d. 1784.
Alexander McNall, son of William, mnrried, first, Eliz
abeth, who died March 12, 1740, and loft a son James, born
the day of her death, who probably died young. He seems

McNALL, McNEIL. 413
to have married, second, Mary, who had a daughter Mary,
April II, 1742. He married, third, Annie Moor, probably a
daughter of James, April 10, 1758. They had a daughter
Rachel, born February 12, 1762. She married John Hark-
ness of Pelham, Mass., November 22, 1781.
Alexander McNall died at Union, July 27, 1782, accord
ing to Rev. Ezra Horton, or July 23, 1783, according to the
gravestone. James McNall, son of Alexander, lived at the Ferry
place. He was the son of Ann, third wife of Alexander
McNall, and was baptized April 14, 1765. He married Han
nah Foskitt of Stafford. He was a politician and intem
perate. He enlisted in the war of 1812, and lost his life.
Ch. I. Alexander, b. July 21, 1789.
2. Lyman, b. December 14, 1791.
3. James, b. October 8, 1794.
4. Hannah, b. November 24, 1799.
5. Eliza, b. April 6, 1804.
Arthur McNall, son of Alexander, married Jane and
had two sons, Joseph, b. September 24, 1742, and Arthur.
Their grandfather gave them land in 1744. They went to
Palmer and sold their Union land to John Crawford, in
1765- 
Henry McNeil, was probably not connected with the
McNall family. He lived in the north part of town. He
married Hannah Badger, daughter of Captain Daniel.
Ch. I. Henry, born January 11, 1763, lived at Clinton,
N. Y., and was a very worthy man.
2. Charles, b. March 5, 1769
3. Mary.
4. Hannah.
Tradition says that Henry McNeil went to England and
was for many years unheard of. His wife, supposing him
to be dead, married James Armour, Sr., December 17, 1777,
whose first wife, Margaret, died November 20, 1775. But

414 GENEALOGIES.
after several years Henry McNeil returned and sued for his
wife. He did not succeed in getting her. He was after
wards found dead in a mud puddle, at Brookfield, Mass.,

Edmund Merriam, from Mendon, married Mary Laflin,
dnughter of John, November 27, 1788. He was in Shay's
Rebellion, He died July 24, 1801, ngcd 55.
Ch. 1. Hannah, b. Doccmbor 18, i789;d.Jnminry 30, 1803.
2. Otis, b. Mnrch 31, 1792; died by drowning in
Mnshnpnug, July 17, 1803.
3. Chnrlos, b. Jnnunry 31, 1794; d. April 8, 1814.
the MOORE FAMILIES.
As nonr ns onn be ascertnined, there are two branches
of the Moore'* fnmily of Union.
Robert Moore and Jnmcs Moore, were nmong tho cnrly
Scotch-Irish omigrnnts. Thoy were probnbly rolntivos, but
whether brothers or cousins hns not boon determined. In
tho nrrnngomont mndc for tho mnintonanco of John McNall
non compos, Jnmos Mooro bocnmo surety for Robert Moore
the brother-in-law of John McNall. The Moore families
and the McNalls Were connected. Thus Alexander McXall
married Ann Moore, the daughter of James ^loore, and
Robert Moore married Eliznbeth McNnll, tho dnughter of
Willinm McNnll.
RoiiERT Moore, with his wife Elizabeth, probnbly cnme
very enrly to Union with the McNnll fnmily. He had a
son, William, born April 6, 1749. It is supposed that the
, follo.wing wore his daughters, though tho evidence is not
now direct, viz.:
Elizabeth, who wns probnbly the Elizabeth Moore that
married Samuel Abbott of Ashford, October 29, 1766, al.so
Jane Mooro, who mnrried Jnmos King, of Palmer, Mass.,
Janunry 24, 1771, nnd
Hnnnnh, the second wife of Willinm, Senior, who joined
the church Mny 25, 1777.
Elizabeth, wife of Robert Mooro, died Februnry 29,
1784, nged 61.
*-|-|ic niuno it uftcn ¦pelted Mour.

THE MOORE FAMILY.

415

William Moore, son of Robert, was married to Marga
ret Crawford, daughter of James Crawford, Senior, Feb
ruary 13, 1772.
Ch. I. Alexander, b. February 15, 1773.
2. William, b. May 4, 1775.
3. Elizabeth, b. February 13, 1778.
William Moore, son of Robert, was called Junior on the
town records, to distinguish him from William, the son of
James, who was older than William, the son of Robert.
William Moore, son of Robert, died in November, 1781,
aged 32.
All the later Moore families are descended from James
Moore. They are so numerous that we give the following
diagram to assist in tracing relationships: 'Festus.

•John . . . ¦

lames

Ichabod John . . .
Noah ...

Augustus. Charles Wesley.

James. John W.
Thomas .
I John.

 I Lyt

1^ Samuel . ] Samuel W., etc.

William

.Thomas

Joseph

Marlin.

( Dexter, etc.
William | Wm. Weld.
James. David.

Thomas

Austin. Lyman, etc.

4i6 GENEALOGIES.
James Moore was born in Ireland, and lived at Grafton
awhile after his emigration to America. He first bought
land in Union, December 19, 1739. This was in the west
pnrt of town, in "the Content" so called. It was where his
descendants have since lived (the Dexter Mooro place).
James Moore died October 20, 17 7-, in tho 83rd year of
his age. His widow died January 22, 1785, aged 98.
Ch. I. John, b. 1717.
2. Willinm.
3. Thomns.
4. Anna, m. James McNnll.
5. Jane, m. Dr. McClure.
John Moore, son of James, was born on the passage to
America. When he bought land in Union, of his father,
December 15, 1744, he was living in Dorchester, Mass. He
died May 22, 1787. -He married Sarah Bliss, of Brimfield.
She died August 2, 1818, aged 84.
Ch. I. Ichabod, b. .October 9, 1759.
2. James, b, November 17, 1760.
3. John, b. July 21, 1762.
4. Janett, b. December 20, 1763.
5. Sarah, b. October 18, 1765; m. Major David
Lawson.
6. Noah, baptized March 30, 1769.
7. Eunice, baptized December 13, 1769.
8. Samuel, baptized July 14, 177 1.
9. Timothy, baptized May 8, 1773.
10. Stephen, baptized October 9, 1774; m. Polly
Laflin; went to New York.
II. Margeret, baptized May 24 1778.
12. Mehitable.
William Moore, son of James, married, ist, Sarah Rose
brooks, of Brimfield, September 30, 1762. She died Sep
tember 27, 1771. The church records show that the day
before her death all her children were baptized. He mar
ried, 2nd, Hannah Morse, of Woodstock, March 16, 1773.

THE MOORE FAMILY.

417

She was an aunt of Rev. Jedediah Morse, the author of the
geography. Ch. I. Joseph, b. March 5, 1763.
2. William, b. September 12, 1766.
3. Eleazar, b. August 15, 1768.
4. Mary, b. August 10, 1769.
5. Betsey, b. July 25, 1770.
By his second wife.
6. Walter, b. March 13, 1777; d. Juno 20, 1798.
7, Royal, b. June 11, 1778; d. November 9, 1798.
8. Pliny, b. January 28, 1781; d. April 28, 1802.
Walter Moore was a youth of promise, and wns n mem
ber of Phillips Academy, Andover, at the time of his death.
He returned home to die. The funeral sermon was preached
by the Rev. Dnvid Avery, and was printed, also a tribute
to the memory of his friend in verse, supposed to be by a
classmate at Andover.
Thomas MboRE, son of James, married, ist, Mehitable
Bliss, of Brimfield. Ho married a second wife.
Ch. I. David, baptized September 18, 1768.
2. James, baptized September 18, 1768.
3. Daniel, baptized April 14, i76s;d. March 37, 1783,
4. Thomas, baptized March 30, 1769.
S. Thaddeus, baptized March 30, 1769; was a
physician.
6. Shubael, baptized July 31, 1771.
7. Bliss, baptized August i, 1773; was a physician.
8. Abijah, baptized September 21, 1777.
9. Abner, baptized June 28, 1778.
10. Eli.
II. Elisha.
Ichabod Moore, son of John, married Phebe Loomis,
daughter of Abner Loomis. He lived where Loomis Agard
has since resided.
Ch. I. Philena, b. 1787; d. June 3, 1789.
3. Festus, b. April 10, 1789.
a?

41 8 GENEALOGIES.
3. Augustus, b. May 33, 1791.
4. Ernstus, b. Mnrch 5, 1793; insane.
5. Fanny, b, October 3, 1795; ^- Benjamin Agnrd.
6. Phobc, b. April 1 1, 1796; m. Webber, of Hollnnd.
-7. Sarnh, b. July 29, 1797; insane.
8. Chauncey, b. July 21, 1799.
9. Charles Wesley, b. August 14, 1802.
10. James, b. December 25, 1804.
II. Luther, b. May 26, 1806.
John Moore, son of John, married Martha Lawson,
daughter of Capt. Thomas Lawson, March 29, 1787.
John Moore died November 10, 1827.
Ch. I. Margaret, b. May 16, 178S; m. Eli Fisk, May 13,
1813.
¦2. Esther, b. April 4, 1790; m. Stephen Bugbee, of
Woodstock, February 11, 1819.
3. Mehitable, b. February 27, 1794; m. Theophilus
Brooks, September 4, 181 7.
4. John Wesley, b. December 21, 1802.
5. Thomas, b. February 5, 1806.
Noah Moore, son of John, married Polly Curtiss, of Ash
ford, June 15, 1794. He lived in Ashford.
Ch. I, Mary, m. Samuel Curtiss, of Ashford.
2. John, m. Esther Lawson, November 29, 1827.
3. Sally, m. Austin Moore.
4. Miltiah Permelia, m. Jarius Chapman.
Samuel MOore, son of John, married Amy Whiton, of
Ashford, January 30, 1798.
Ch. I. Amy Whiton, b. November 8, 1798; m. Rufus
Loomis, of Woodstock, March 28, 1844.
2. Rowena, b. March 17, 1800; d. February 27, 180,;,
3. Lydia, b. June 30, 1801.
4. Lucinda, m. Chauncey Whiton, of Ashford,
March 26, 1833.
5. Sophia, b. December 12, 1802; m. Lucius Back.
of Holland, Ja   O"

THE MOORE FAMILY. 4,9
6. Hannah, b. November 22, r8o8; became a mis
sionary to Africa. (See biographical sketch).
7. Louisa, b. June 28, 1810; m. John S. Bartlett, of
Ashford, November 27, 1834.
8. Joanna, b. August 8, 1812; d. April 9, 1842.
9. Lydia, b. March 28, 1814; m. Otis Lumbard, of
Ashford, October 8, 1844.
10. Samuel Whiton, b. August 38, 1817.
Joseph Moore, son of William, married Alice Bixby, of
Stafford. Ch. I. Laura, b. Juno 16, 1789.
2, Orrin, b. March 22, 1791.
3. Sydney, b. March 22, 1793.
4. Marlin, b. August 18, 1795.
\5. Marcia, b. 1797.
6. Walter, b. 1799.
7. Lothrop, b. August 31, 1805; drowned in Masha
paug, August 14, 1840.
8. Dexter, b. September 11, 1809.
William Moore, son of William, married Bethiah Weld,
of Sturbridge, May 30, 1796.
Ch. I. Permelia, b, April 6, 1797.
2. Sally R., b. October 22, 1798; m. Jonathan Ami-
down, of Southbridge, June 17, 1824.
3. Nancy, b. June 15, 1800.
4. Eleazar, b. December 19, 1802.
5. Calista, b. March 26, 1805; m. Morey Adams, of
Bolton, Mass., January i, 1828.
6. Persis, b. October 22, 1806; d. July 33, 1836.
7. William Weld, b. December 6, 1808.
8. Elmina, b. July 26, i8io.
9. Washington, b. May i, 1813.
10. Pliny, b. April 25, 1814.
James Moore, son of Thomas, married Esther Bixby, of
Stafford, August 18, 1785. He lived on Stickney Hill,

420

OENEALOOtES.

and afterwards moved to Vernon, N. Y., near Indian
Orchard, in Stockbridge, N. Y.
Ch. I. Orinda, d. May i, 1790.
2. Horace.
3. Lucinda.
4. Esther.
5. Jarvis.
6. Patty.
7. James.
David Moore, son of Thomas, married Louis Cody, Sep
tember II, 1783.
Ch. I. Daniel, b. January 11, 1784.
2. Isaae, b. April 12, 1785.
3. Lois, b. September 2, 1787.
4. Leonard, b. August 28, 1789.
5. Mehitabel, b. October 26, 1792.
6. Susanna, b. January 3, 1797.
Thomas Moore, son of Thomas, married Azubah Shaw,
daughter of Joshua, of Monson, Mass.
Ch. I. Alfred, b. January 16, 1796; m. Lucinda Horton,
January 28, 1819.
2. Lyman, b. January 3, 1798.
3. Eli, b, October 8, 1799.
4. Austin, b. June 7, 1802.
5. Azubah, b. January 25, 1804; d. January 5, 1805.
6. Thomas, b. October 6, 1806.
7. Caroline, b. February 6, 1809; m. Dr. James
Mooro, April 24, 1831.
Festus Moore, son of Ichabod, married Cynthia Under
wood, of Holland, July 8, 1829. He lived south of Loomis
Agard's. Then moved to Ashtabula, O.
Ch. I, Cynthia Jane, b. April 26, 1830.
2. Festus Reuben, b. April 15, 1833.
3, Alvan Underwood.
Augustus Moore, son of Ichabod, lived first in Rock-
meadow, then in 1830, moved to the Webster olace on Stick-

BWjj'irmitfj.^rap'pjHw*"

s™^.(^^^^wpi

K,','gji->^Wrj»,u.i-«.-.,-i.-.>..  r,j|-i..||ii II idlit

Augustus Moore.

THE MOORE FAMILY. 421
ney Hill. He was a judge of the Probate Court, and held
many town offices. He married first, Anna Morris, of Hol
land, daughter of Ebenezer, and second, Elizabeth Jakness,
of Oneida, N. Y., in 1865. His first wife, Anna, died April
6, 1864, aged 68. His second wife, Elizabeth, died May 10,
1871. Augustus Moore died May 17, 1872.
Ch. I. Ebenezer Morris, b. March 29, 1818; studied
medicine at Yale; married Magdalen Trueax,
and died at Union, September 20, 1848.
2. Rinda, b. August 22, 1820; m. Merrick Marcy,
November 17, 1842.
Charles Wesley Moore, son of Ichabod, lived in Elling
ton, Conn. He married Anna Corbin, daughter of David,
May 30, 1830.
Ch. I. Mariette, b. December 24, 183 1; m. Amos Pease,
May 24, 1849.
2. Marinette, b. January 30, 1833; m. Guy P. Col
lins, March 21, 1855.
3. Milton, b. August 8, 1834; d. August 31, 1834.
4. Martha, b. July 23, 1835; ™- Milton Kinney,
¦March 14, i860.
5. Marcia, b. July 23, 1835; d. March 19, 1837.
6. Charles C, b. June 9, 1837; m. Anna C. Clark,
October 18, 1865.
7. Amelia A., b. December 4, 1838; m. Everett P.
Russell, December 11, 1867.
8. Carlos C, b. May 27, 1840; d. September 14, 1842.
9. Romelia J., b. June 5, 1842; d. July 12, 1843.
10. Augusta J., b. May 20, 1844; m. William H. Bur
dick, November 27, 1866.
II. Adeline H., b. January 4, 1847; d. September 28,
1852.
12. Julia M., b. September 20, 1849; m. Malone G.
Moore, March, 1875.
13. Josephine Abbie, b. November 30, 1851.

422 GENEALOGIES.
14. Edwin C, b. March 20, 1854; d. September 5,
1855.
15. Frederick W., b. June 21, 1857.
Dr. James Moore, son of Ichabod, married Caroline
Moore, daughter of Thomas, April 24, 1831, and settled in
New York.
Ch. I. Maria, b. July 30, 1833; d. October 9, 1833.
2. Caroline Azubah, b. November 3, 1834; d, June
16, 1835.
3. Gordon, b. March 16, 1837; a Methodist min
ister.
4. S. Palmer, b. September 4, 1839; a physician,
5. James Emerson, b. October 29, 1851.
John Wesley Moore, son of John, married first, Try
phena Back, of Holland, June 12, 1826. She died November
10, 1832. He married second, Lucy Ann Chase, of South-
bridge, August 6, 1837.
Ch. I. John, b. January 17, 1828; d. September 13, 1830.
2. Elizabeth Tryphena, b. May 4, 1829.
3. Charles.
4. Mnry.
Thomas Moore, son of John, married Lucy Lyon, dnugh
ter of Uriah, M.arch 21, 1832. He died June 8, 1885. Lucy,
his wife, was born December 2, 1805; died September 4, 18S2,
Ch. I. Lyman, b. November 24, 1834.
2. Lucy, m. Oliver Marcy.
3. Alvan.
4. Martha, b. January 21, 1837; d. March 26, 1843.
5. Thomas, b. June 14, 1840; d. June 23, 1842.
6. George, b. February 11, 1842; d.June 16, 1842,
7. Esther, b. March 20, 1848; d. January 16, 1857,
Samuel Whiton Moore, son of Samuel, married Ange
line Ruby, November 7, 1842.
Ch. I. Henry Samuel, b. December 30, 1844.
2. Julia Angeline, b. January 9, 1846.

K^T^^?*' L«».WF^ ^ 'i.'WpwWPW<WBPBTOIWW!?ei^^PWI!|

Thomas Moore.

THE MOORE FAMILY. 423
3. Ella Amy, b. June 4, 1854.
4. Nellie Rosetta, b. August 8, 1858.
Lyman Moore, son of Thomas, married Phebe Lawson,
daughter of Robert, May3i, i827,and moved to Stockbridge,
N. Y. Mrs. Phebe Moore died April 3, 1868.
Ch. I. Lucius, b. April 28, 1828; d. 1891.
2. Mary Ann, b. September 6, 1831; m. Horton, in
1892.
Eli Moore, son of Thomas, married first, Betsey Gale,
December 19, 1822, and had one son, Eli G., born Septem
ber 27, 1823. Betsey Moore died October 13, 1823. He
married second, Lucy Wheeler, of Ashford, and they had
one son, Ambrose W. She died and he married third, Anna
Stoddard of Smithfield, N. Y., and had a son, James B.
Austin Moore, son of Thomas, married Sally Moore,
daughter of Noah, of Ashford, and went to Stockbridge,
N. Y.
Ch. I. Sally Louisa, b. March 7, 1827.
2. Austin Noah, b. March 24, 1832.
3. Horace Walter, b. April 19, 1836.
4. Betsy Ann.
5. James.
6. John.
Thomas Moore, son of Thomas, married Fidelia Horton,
daughter of Dea. Ezra, September 15, 1835, and lived in
Smithfield, N. Y.
Ch. I. Florilla Moore, b. July 10, 1835; m. Rev. Gordon
Moore, a Methodist minister.
2. Franklin, b. November 3, 1843; m. Mary M.
Clark, June 28, 1870.
Marlin Moore, son of Joseph, married Catherine Tyler,
cf Westford. Ch. 1. Emeline.
3. Harriet, m. Ossian Newell.

424 GENEALOGIES.
3. Clarissa.
4. .Dexter.
5. Asher.
6. Lorin.
7. Myra A.
Sydney Moore, son of Joseph, married Sophia Cone, of
Haddam, Conn.
Ch. Dorcas, Marcia, Minerva, Frances; Elorda, Jane.
Sydney, Henry, Eliza.
Dexter Moore, son of Joseph, married Laura Griggs.
daughter of Elisha, July 4, 1839. He was killed in his saw
mill November 5, 1884.
Ch. I. Ellen A., b. July 27, 1840; m. Sanford Booth.
2. Leslie M., b. July 17, 1848; d. January 29, 1864.
3. Malone G., b. January 10, 1851.
4. Emerson O., b. May 30, 1854.
Lyman Moork, son of Thomas, married Emma Fidelia
Blodgett, daughter of Edward, July i, 1872. She was born
May 6, 1852.
Ch. I. Fred Alvin, b, Jnnunry 21, 1874,
2. Eliza Martha, b. June 27, 1875.
3. Bell Frances, b, July 22, 1877,
4. Bessie CJertrudo, b. July 15, 1883.
Malone G. Moore, son of Dexter, married Julia M.
Moore, daughter of Charles Moore, of Ellington, March 12,
1875. She died November 7, 1875. He married second.
Lizzie F. Chapin, daughter of Warren Chapin, of Stafford
ville, Conn., April 20, 1882.
Ch. 1. Charles H., b. June 24, 1883.
2. Ethel M., b. April 15, 1889.

Nathaniel Morey came from Charlton to Union, where
he bought land of Eb. Wales, of Brimfield, December 17,

MOREY, THE MORSE FAMILY.

4»S

1801. He married Prudence Putney, daughter of Isaiah,
of Charlton and Union.
Ch. I. Resolved, m. Sally Stewart of Stafford; d.
November 30, 1836, aged 41.
2. Harvey.
3. Austin, d. February 6, 1829, aged 28.
4. Lucena, m. Erastus S. Eastman, of Ashford?
August 26, 1830.
S- Warren.
6. Sally, d. December 22, 1836, aged 32.
Nathaniel Morey died September 21, 1829, aged 80.
Harvey Morey, son of Nathaniel, married Asenath
Gurley, April 10, 1825.
Ch. I. Francis Newton, b. December 29, 1825.
2. Lucy Philena, b. March 19, 1827, d. June i, 1828.
3. Eliza Ann.
4. Harvey.
Warren Morey, son of Nathaniel, married Lucy James,
daughter of Remington, of Ashford, and had three children,
Elvira, Vesta Elvira and Harvey.
THE MORSE FAMILIES.
The ancestor of the Morses of Union, Ashford, Wood
stock, and Sturbridge was Samuel Morse of Medfield,
I^Iass., who was born in England in 1585. His posterity is
very numerous and the race in all its generations has had
tho general character of self-reliance and enterprise, of
substantial worth and independence. In some branches,
as in that of Woodstock, the name is distinguished, as in
the instance of Dr. Jedediah Morse, the " Father of Ameri
can Geography," and a leading divine, and his sons famed
as artists, editors and inventors (among them Prof. Samuel
Morse, the inventor of the telegraph).
Savage, in his Genealogical Dictionary, says that Sam
uel Morse came in the ship Increase from London, in 1635,
aged 50 years, with his wife Elizabeth, aged 48 years, and

426 GENEALOGIES.
with his son Joseph, but how the other children came is
uncertain. He died, according to one account, June 20,
1654. His wife died June 20, 1655. His will mentions as
his children, John, Daniel, and Mary, wife of Samuel Bul-
len, besides Ann, the widow of his son Joseph.
Joseph, son of Samuel, came from England with his
father in the ship Increase in 1635, at the age of 20. He
married Hannah or Ann Phillips of Watertown, and had
seven children, of whom the sixth was Jeremiah, who mar
ried Elizabeth Hammont, datighter of Francis Hammont,
the ancestor of all the Hammonts and Hammonds of Med
field, Medway, Sturbridge and Union.'
John Morse, son of Samuel, was born in England in
161 1. He had by his wife Annis, eleven children.
Ezra Morse was the. sixth child of John and was born
February 5, 1644. He was a great mill holder. He mar
ried Joanna Hoar.
His son David was born in 1709, and moved to Stur
bridge, then called New Medfield, of which town he was
one of the first settlers.
Nathan, son of David, was born in 1734. He moved to
Ashford, Conn., and married Widow Mary Bugbee of
Union, May 8, 1777.
Ch. I. Rebecca.
2. Nathan, b. September 14, 1780.
3. Jedediah, b. February 19, 1783.
4. David, b. February 12, 1785.
5. Jonathan, b. February 12, 1785.
Nathan Morse of Ashford died on a visit to his native
place, Sturbridge, in 1784, before the birth of his twin chil
dren, David and Jonathan.
Nathan Morse of Union was the son of Nathan of
Ashford. He marrjed Persis Robbins, daughter of Clark
Robbins of Ashford, March 25, 1802.
Ch. I. Danford, b. December 27, 1802; died 1862.
2. Lyman, b. September 11, 1804; killed by the
falling of a tree, February 23, 1828.

THE MORSE FAMILY. 427
3. Mary.
4. Jedediah, b. September 9, 1809.
5. Amasa, b. May 8, 18 14.
6. Nathan, b. January i, 1816.
7. Rebecca, b. July 10, 1819; m. David Potter.
8. Albert K., b. September 14, 1826.
Jedediah Morse, son of Nathan of Ashford, lived at
Union. He married Persis Chapman, daughter of Thomas
Chapman of Ashford, November 24, 1803.
Ch. I. Otis, b. February 25, 1805.
2. Maria, b. January 9, 1807; m. Ira Walker, March
II, 1830.
3. Lucius, b. January 14, 181 2.
4. Luke, b. January 24, 1820.
5. Orrin, b. January 27, 1822.
6. Ira, b. September 9, 1826.
Capt. Danford Morse of Union, son of Nathan, lived
near the Stafford line on the road to Stafford Springs. He
married Rebecca Walker, daughter of Perley Walker of
Ashford, April i, 1830.
Ch. I. Lyman, b. February 19, 1831; d. March 26, 1857.
2. Huldah, b. January 23, 1833; m. Freeman Put
nam, November 20, 1853.
3. Adeline, b. March 15, 1835; m. Nathaniel O.
Newell.
4. Emeline, b. January 20, 1838; m.  Baker.
5. Danford, b. December 3, 1841.
6. Elias, b. April 28, 1844.
Amasa Morse of Union, son of Nathan of Union, mar
ried Sarah A. Thomas, daughter of Roland G. Thomas of
Willington, Conn., November 22, 1835.
Ch. I. Herbert A., b. December 9, 1840; d. June, 1841.
2. Charles F., b. September 5, 1844; graduated at
Amherst in 1872; d. at Brookfield, August
24, 1876.
3. Sarah J., b. July 12, 1842; m. Milo P. J. Walker.

428 GENEALOGIES.
4. Henry, b. October, 1846; d. April, 1847.
5. Nathan, b. November 2, 1848.
6. John, b. August 21, 1850.
7. Mary, b. January 27, 1852; m. E. W. Brooks of
Stafford.
Nathan Morse of Union, son of Nathan, married Mary
J. Marcy, January i, 1839. She was a daughter of Zebediah
Marcy of Willington. He had one child by this marriage.
His second wife was Mary Lewis, whom he married March
15, 1840. Ch. I. Mary, b. September 27, 1839.
2. Martha, b. November 18, 1S41.
3. Maria, b. November 9, 1844.
Lucius Morse of Union, son of Jedediah of Union, mar
ried Lodisa Scarborough, daughter of James Scarborough,
November 25, 1830.
Ch. I. Stephen H., b. August 28, 1832.
2. Lovena O., b. November 4, 1834.
3. Merrick L., b. February 15, 1836.
4. James L., b. July 2, 1838.
5. Orrin H., b. April 3, 1841; d. in the army, April
15, 1862.
6. Susan E., b. April 17, 1843.
7. George A., b. May 21, 1845.
8. Charles M., b. March 6, 185 1.
Luke Morse, son of Jedediah of Union, married Huldah
Scarborough of Ashford, February i, 1841.
Ch. I. Everet L., b. in 1850.
2. Perriiilla, b. 1858.
Orrin Morse, son of Jedediah of Union, married Helen
Horton, daughter of Ezra Horton, December i, 1843.
Ch. 1. Sanford, b. April 29, 1845.
2. Helen J., b. June 9, 1848; m. Arthur Stetson,
June II, 1871.

MUNGER, NEEDHAM. 429
3. Seth Herbert, b. May 14, 1852.
4. Delpha Adell, b. July 23, 1864.

Ephraim Munger first, bought land in Union of Nath.
Munger of South Brimfield, April 30, 1778. He lived in
the riorthwest part of town. He married Johanna. She
died August 5, 1793. He served 14 months in the Revolu
tionary army.
Ch. I. Amasa, b. October 6, 1774.
2. David, b. February 20, 1776; m. Lucy Bliss,
June 25, 1800.
3. Susanna, b.. October 17, 1777; d. September 9,
1794.
4. Ephraim, b. June 7, 1779.
5. Rufus, b. June 3, 1781.
6. Eliab, b. August 17, 1785.
7. Salmon, b. August 5, 1791.
Ephraim Munger married, second, Sally Robbins of
Sturbridge, February 6, 1794.
Jonathan Munger first bought land in Union in 1790.
He lived where Felix Boovia now does. He married, first,
Rachel, who died in 1790; second, Elizabeth Paul, daugh
ter of Robert, December i, 1791.
Ch. I. James.
2. Elial.
3. Horace, b. October 24, 1792.
4. Zerah, d. January 5, 1794.
5. Palace, b. December 23, 1794.
6. Chauncey.

Elisha Needham of Union, son of Jeremiah of Wales,
married Chloe Strong, October 12, 1797. He died April 16,
1822, aged 52. His widow married George W. Cummings,
October 24, 1827.
- Chj I. .Marsena, b. July 12, 1800.

43°

GENEALOGIES.

2. Polly, b. November 26, 1802; m. Sylvester Rob
bins of Holland.
3. Samuel Strong, b. September 10, 1805.
4. Salmtin, b. July 20, 1808; m. Mary Ann Town
of Thompson.
5. Tryphena, b. November 22, 1813; m. Darius
Hill of Thompson, Conn.
6. Enoch Gardner, b. Februnry i, 1817; m. Cnro-
linc Cook of New Berlin, Wis.
7. Lurancy, b. April 3, 181 1; m. Caledonia AVest
of Albany, N. Y.
8. Jane Elizabeth, b. May 22, 1820; d. October 18,
1836.
Marsena Needham, son of Elisha, married Abigail
Wales, daughter of Gideon, January 29, 1823. He died at
Stafford, August 31, 1831. His widow died at Monson,
August, 1859.
Ch. I. Esther Burnet, b. July 23, 1826; m. Abram B.
Rogers of Hartford, November 23, 1853.
2, Abigail G., b. March 28, 1829; died young.
3. Marsena Wales, b. January 4, 1832; settled at
^lonson.
Samuel ,S. Needham, son of Elisha, married first, Esther
Wales, daughter of Gideon, December 13, 1836. She died
at Union, November 24, 1839. He married, second, Mary
Foster, daughter of William, April 6, 1841, and removed to
Monson, Mass.
Ch. I. Jane Elizabeth, b. August 19, 1837.
2. Esther Wales, b. November ii, 1839; m. Horace
Bumstead, and died May 21, 1874, at Monson,

the NEWELL FAMILY.

Nathaniel Newell, of Needham, Mass., bought land in
Union of his brother. General Timothy Newell, of Stur
bridge, June 22, 1775. (T. R., Vol. 3, p. 238).
The ancestry of the Newell families of Sturbridge and

THE NEWELL FAMILY.

431

Union has been traced by Joseph K. Newell, of Spring
field, Mass., back to Abraham Newell, who was born in
1585, and came from Ipswich, England, to this country in
1634. Savage, the great New England genealogist, says
that he was the first settler of Roxbury; that he came
from England in the ship Francis, bringing with him six
children, Faith, Grace, Abraham, John, Isaac, Jacob. The
fifth child, Isaac, had eight children, the eighth of whom,
Josiah, was born March 6, 1690. He settled at Dedham,
afterwards Needham, Mass. He married Hannah Fisher,
of Dedham, January 21, 1701-2.
He had three sons, Josiah, Ebenezer and Timothy; also
four daughters, Hannah, married Zerah Fuller, of Sharon;
Experience, married Joseph Daniels, of Needham;
Rebecca, married Joseph Chickering, of Dover, or Ded
ham; Mary, married Joseph Dewing, of Needham.
Josiah and Timothy, sons of Josiah, of Dedham, settled
in Needham, and Ebenezer, their brother, in Dover. Rev.
W. AV. Newell, D.D., of New York, was a descendant of
Ebenezer. Josiah, of Needham, married Sarah Mclntire and had
two sons, Josiah, whose descendants still live in Needham,
and Jonathan, who graduated at Harvard, and was for fifty
years minister of Stowe, Mass. His son. Dr. Jonathan,
graduated at Harvard, 1805, and settled as a physician in
his native town.
Timothy Newell, of Needham, and son of Josiah, of
Dedham, was born February 2, 1715, and died October 2,
1788. Lydia Kingsbury, his wife, was born March 11, 1717,
and died May 24, 1789. Their children were :
Ch. I. Lydia, b. September 16, 1740; d. March 22,
1817. She married Timothy Kingsbury, of
Needham.
2. Timothy, of Sturbridge. He was born Septem
ber II, 1743, and died February 5, 1819. He
married Miriam Marcy, daughter of Colonel
Moses Marcy, of Sturbridge, and had one

432 GENEALOGIES.
son, Timothy (Harvard College, 1862), and
eight daughters, one of whom, Lucinda, was
mnrried to Rev. Alfred Ely, D.D., of Mon
son, Mnss.
3. Rebecca, b. September 23, 1744; the wife of
Ichabod Ellis, of Dedham, Mass.
4. Rachel, wife of Edward Foster, of Union, b.
May 24, 1847; d. June 7, 1835. She had eight
children.
5. Nathaniel, settled in Union; b. September 15,
1749; d. February 11, 1817; m. Silence Keep,
of Longmeadow, December 13, 17 75, who was
born October 13, 1757, and died l.iarch 24,
1842. He had seven children.
6. Esther, wife of Thomas H. Townsend, had one
child, Mary Anne, who married Alpheus
Bigelow, of Weston, Mass.
7. Nathan, settled in Belchertown. He was born
January 25, 1754, and died at Dedham, July
7, 181 7. He had eight children, one of whom
was Rov. Chester Newell, who graduated at
Yale in 1832, and was a long time chaplain
in the United States navy. He afterwards
resided at Worcester, Mass.
8. Eleazar, b. February 12, 1758; d. February 20,
1759-
Nathaniel Nkwi-.m,, Sr., son of Timothy, came to Union
about 1770. He married Silence Keep, of Longmeadow,
Mass., December 13, 1775. Ho died in 1817, and she died
March 24, 1842.
Ch. I. Silence, b. February 22, 1777; m. Rufus
Leonard, June 22, 1808 (b. April 5, 1777; d.
1836).
2. Nathaniel, b. August 19, 1778; d. August 21,
1778.
3. Eleazar, b. August 19, 1778; d. August 19, 1778,
4. Timothy, b. August 19, 1779.

Capt. Nathaniel Newell.

Mrs. Nathaniel Newell.

THE NEWELL FAMILY. 433
5. Abigail, b. May 22, 1782; d. October 30, 1782.
6. Nathaniel, b. July 18, 1785.
7. Abigail, b. May 25, 1787; d. April 4, 1803.
Captain Timothy Newell, son of Nathaniel, married
Caroline Plympton (b. October 9, 1783), of Sturbridge, Sep
tember II, 1805.
Ch. I. Abigail Walcott, b. June 8, 1806; m. Joshua
Basconi, of Smithport, Penn.
2. Caroline, b. February 11, 1808; m. Horatio Bas
com, of Smithport, Penn.
3. Andrew Frederick, b. March 11, 1815; m.
Martha J. Van Gorder, of Warren, O.
Captain Nathaniel Newell, son of Nathaniel, married
Amy Lawson, daughter of Major David Lawson, December*
7, 1808. He kept tavern and store at Union. He was cap
tain of the company of militia in town for several years.
He was town clerk from 1823 to 1841, and held other town
offices. Ch. I. Amy Louisa, b. October 7, 1809; m. Daniel
Hubbard, of Middletown, Conn., afterwards
Orwell, O. They had three children.
2. David Lawson, b. June 6, 181 1.
3. Timothy Walcott, b. December 24, 181 2; d.
March 16, 1828.
4. Roscius Clinton, b. December 11, 1814.
5. Lucius Blakely, b. September 16, 1816; d. July
23, 1818.
6. Nathaniel Ossian, b. September 11, 1824; d.
October 22, 1824.
7. Nathaniel Ossian, b. December 14, 1825.
David L. Newell, son of Nathaniel, married Caroline
Crawford, daughter of Hon. Ingoldsby Crawford, Novem-
1 cr 29, 1835. He has kept store and post-office in Union
and held several town offices. He was town clerk and
t/'easurer from 1865 to 1870, and has held the office since
38

434

GENEALOGIES.

1874. He was a member of the General Assembly in 1877.
He died November 15, 1892.
Ch. I. Timothy Wolcott, b. July 17, 1836.
2. David Mellon, b. May 14, 1838.
3. Caroline Sophia, b. July 21, 1842; m. Henrj'
Herman, July 25, 1864.
4. Silas Wright, b. November 21, 1844.
5. Abby Calista, b. February 25, 1847; d. March 2,
1847.
Roscius Clinton Newell, son of Captain Nathaniel,
married Julia A. Pratt, daughter of Ezra Pratt, of
Orwell, O.
Ch. I. Louisa Silence, b. April i, 1846; m. Edwin
Goddard, of Orwell.
2. Fannie M., b. December 3, 1847; m. Trueman
Walters, of Orwell.
3. Mary C, b. November 20, 1853; m. Dr. Powers.
Nathaniel Ossian Newell, son of Captain Nathaniel,
lived in Union. He was town clerk from 1852 to 1857. He
married, ist, Harriet Moore, daughter of Marlin Moore,
September, 1843. She had two children. .She died October
21, 1855. He married, 2nd, Adeline Morse, daughter of
Captain Danford Morse, May 27, 1856, and they had one
child. Ch. I. Roscius Clinton, b. October 7, 1849.
2. Henry Laurens, b. April 22, 1853.
3. Ida Louisn, b. August 28, 1858.
Timothy W. Newell, son of Dnvid L., married Emma
Clapp. She died Februnry 7, 1889.
Ch. I. Nnthanicl Ossinn, b. Mnrch 8, 1863,
2. Clifton Terry, b. February 22, 1865.
3. Herbert Clinton, b. January 6, 1867.
4. Henry Lawson, b. May 17, 1869.
5. Timothy Olin, b. June 6, 1872.
6. Edith Leona, b. October 25, 1875; d. February
8, 1889.

TT

'WSi

*=***«<,

|5; ^'i/v^''^

David L. Newell.

THE NEWELL FAMILY. 435
7. Edgar Crawford, b. June 7, 1883; d. February
4, 1889.
8. Amy Caroline, b. December i, 1885; d. Febru
ary 6, 1889.
David Mellen Newell, son of David L., married Sarah
Marcy. Ch. I. Silas Henry, b. May 15, 1862.
2. Leon Murillo, b. October 11, 1864; d. June 13,
1868.
3. Caroline Sophia, b. December 27, 1865.
Silas W. Newell, son of David, married, ist, Ida Cor
bin, daughter of Isaac Corbin, of Woodstock, November 21,
1866. She died April 15, 1885. He married, 2nd, Mrs.
.Sadie Butler.
Ch. I. Silas Wright, b. November 11, 1867.
2. David Lawson, b. November 9, 1869.
3. Fred Emmons, b. February 1, 1872,
4. Myra Ida, b. October 15, 1881; d. February 7,
1883.
5. Isaac Corbin, b. March 14, 1884.
Roscius Clinton Newell, the son of Nathaniel Ossian
Newell, was born in Union, October 9, 1849. He left Union
.it the age of sixteen and was employed by the Agawam
Canal Company of West Springfield, Mass., May i, 1866. He
liccame paymaster and clerk in the office of the South-
worth Paper Company of West Springfield, April i, 1868.
On January i, 1875, he organized the Massachusetts Paper
Company, assuming the financial management in connec
tion with a partial, interest in the company until June i,
1377- He became paymaster of the Otis Company, November,
1S77, and superintendent of their mills at Three Rivers,
i^.lass., in October, 1881. He is a man of splendid business
ability and is highly respected by all who know him. He

436 GENEALOGIES.
married Sarah Alberton Cushman, daughter of Alden
Cushman, of Agawam, Mass., September 20, 1870.
Ch. I. Henry Clinton NewSll, b. October 12, "1875.
Henry Laurens Newell, son of Nathaniel Ossian
Newell, was born in Union, Conn., April 22, 1853. He left
Union and entered the employment of the Southworth
Paper Company of AVest Springfield, Mass., March 3, 1870.
He was superintendent of the AVorthy Paper Companies'
mills from January i, 1880, until May i, 1886, when he
engaged in the paper business in Springfield, Mass., on his
own account. He sold out his business in 1889 to com
mence the manufacture of envelopes. He organized the
Ohio Envelope Company of Dalton, Ohio, of which he
became president and manager, April i, iSgi. His present
residence is at Dalton, Ohio. He married Isabel Macauley,
May 8, 1877.
Ch. I. Roscius Clinton, b. June 3, 1878.
2. Amy Isabel, b. February 18, 1884.
3. Daughter (not yet named), b. October 12, 1892.
Jacob Newell came to Union from Sturbridge and
bought land of Obadiah Lillie, March 24, 1778. He lived
where Edwin Upham now does. He was a distant relative
of Nathaniel Newell. He married Chloe  .
Ch. I. Lucy, b. in Sturbridge; baptized October i,
1780.
2. Moses, b. in Sturbridge; baptized October i,
1780.
3. Abraham, b. May 24, 1780; d. May 14, 1786.
4. Harmony, b. December 10, 1782; d. March 28,
1783-
5. Harmony, b. March 26, 1784.
6. Molley, b. January i, 1786.
7. Abraham, b. September 30, 1789.

Ezekiel Olney came from Johnston, R. I., to Union in
1786. He had been a captain in the Revolutionary army.

OLNEY. 437
He lived in the southeast part of town (on what was after
wards the George Leonard place). He lived in Union from
1786 to about 1820, when he removed to Willington, where
he died October 21, 1826. He married, ist, Mary Warner;
2nd, Lydia Brown, born at Smithfield about 1754 and died
in 1833. Ch. I. Jeremiah,b. March 15, 1775; d. February II, 1826.
2. Susannah, b. May 28, 1778; m. Nathan Howard,
of Ashford; d. 1856.
3. Polly, b. March 28, 1782; m. Daniel Wilbur, and
d. 1849.
4. William, b. April 24, 1784; d. 1857.
5. Lydia, b. May 26, 1786; m. Cady Bartlett
6. James, b. June 29, 1788; m. Nancy Eaton.
7. Abilene, b. April 14, 1790; m. Elias Chapman,
of Westford.
8. Oliver, b. August 11, 1796.
9. Jesse, b. October 12, 1798.
10. Ezekiel, Jr., b. February i, i8oi; d. 1823.
II. Sally. Ann, b. January 29, 1806; m.  Crane.
Jesse Olney, son of Ezekiel, became a celebrated
teacher in Hartford, Conn. He was the author of several
school books, which were extensively used, particularly
his Geography and the National Preceptor, a reading book.
He afterwards lived in Southington, Conn., then in Strat
ford. He was a leading politician and for many years
State Comptroller. He married Elizabeth Barnes, May 4,
1829. Ch. I. Charles F., b. August 27, 183 1; teacher in New
York.
2. James B., b. July 20, 1833; lawyer in Catskill,
N. Y.
3. George A., b. May 29, 1835; merchant in New
York.
4. Julia Ann, b. July 21, 1837.
5. Ellen W., b. November 6, 1842; an authoress.
6. Mary H., b. September 8, 1849.

438 GENEALOGIES.
Arnold Paine married Harriet M. Hatch, April 20, 1841.
She died November ?8, 1847. He married, 2nd, 
Keep, of Monson. He died by siiicide, January 7, 185 1.
Ch. I. Mary Jane, b. March 9, 1842.
Lucy, b. January 30, 1843.
Maria, b. February 9, 1844.
Harriet, b. March 23, 1845.
Arnold Aaron, b. March 11, 1846.

Jeremiah Parks came to Union from Preston, New Lon
don county, in 1761. He lived in the northwest part of
town. He married Hannah  .
Ch. I. Shubael.

Elias, b. October 20, 1762.
Mary, b. September 23, 1767.
Eleanor, b. January 13, 1771.
James, b. February 25, 1778.

the PAUL families.
Robert Paul, Senior, was one of the first settlers of
Union. He lived in the so-called Abbott House south of
the old meeting-house. He was called Robert Paul Senior
to distinguish him from another Robert Paul his Junior
in age, but not related.
He bought the land (lot No. 13), on which he lived and
died, of James Enos, the original proprietor, January 4,
1732. In the deed of conveyance he is said to be from
"Needham, county of Suffolk, Mass. Bay." He was a native
of Ireland, but of Scotch-Irish extraction, and belonged to
the Scotch-Irish emigration. He was a man of ability
and influence in his day. A manuscript copy of a treatise
on Surveying and Navigation, with diagrams, written by
Robert Paul, is in the hands of Harvey Lawson, one of his
descendants. His wife's name was Mehitabel Osland.
Ch, I, Jennet, b. May 26, 1728.
2. Esther, b. October \&, 1729; m. Capt. Thomas
Lawson.

THE PAUL FAMILY. 439
3. Mehitabel, b. October 16, 1734; d. June 13, 1739.
4. Margaret, b. 1726; m. Caleb Abbott.
Robert Paul, Senior, died June 10, 1781, in the 85tli year
of his age. Mehitabel Paul, his wife, died December 18,
1796, in the 96th year of her age.
Matthew Paul, Senior, was one of the early settlers,
and was a brother of Robert Paul, Senior. He lived on
what in later times, was called the Fairbanks place, which
he bought of Edward Stallin of Norwich, July 2, 1734.
His wife was Sarah. Their children were :
Ch. I. Sarah, b. March 25, 1726.
2. Mary, b. March 26, 1728.
3. Sarah, b. 1730; d. April 25, 1755.
4. John, b. July 3, 1731, d. December i, 1755.
5. Jeane, b. August 20, 1734; d. May, 1754.
6. Elizabeth, removed to Walpole, N. H.
7. Matthew, b. May 28, 1739; removed to Walpole,
N. H.; d. February 18, 1793.
8. James, b. May 9, 1742; removed to Walpole, N.
H.; m. Zerriah Marcy, December 28, 1768.
Robert Paul, was an early settler in Union, but not
related to Robert Paul, Senior. He lived in the south part
of the town and must have been an extensive land-holder.
He was of the Scotch-Irish emigration, but it is not known
from whence he came directly to Union. He had two sons
who were both called " Junior," to distinguish them from
persons of the same name in town, but not related. It is
supposed he had daughters who settled at Palmer, Mass.
Dr. Hammond says: "I think it quite certain that this
family of the Union Pauls were related to the Pauls who
were among the first settlers of Palmer." The wife of
Robert Paul was Marion or Mary Ann  . He died
April 6, 1 738, and was probably young at the time of his
death. His widow died June 10, 1772.
Ch. I. Matthew, b. November 20, 1718.
2. Robert, b. November 16, 1738.

440 GENEALOGIES.
Matthew Paul, Junior, was the son of Robert Paul,
who lived in the south part of the town, on the place
owned in later time by his grandson Samuel Paul. He
was called Junior, to distinguish him from Matthew Paul,
Senior, who lived on the Fairbanks place, the brother of
Robert, Senior.
Matthew Paul, Junior, married Mary Lnwson, daughter
of John Lnw.son, the first of the Lnwsons in Union,
November 13, 1755.
Ch. I. Eunice, b. September 24, 1756; d. September 25,
1756.
2. Elizabeth, b. September 4, 1757; m. Abram Laf
lin, December 19, 1780.
3. John, b. March 13. 1759; d. October 15, 1776,
4. Robert, b. November 14, 1760.
5. Samuel, b. June 3, 1762.
6. Phebe, b. October 4, 1764.
7. Marj% b. May 28, 1766; m. Eleazar Kinney.
8. Ann, b. April 6, 1768; m. Alpheus Twist.
9. Sarah, b. February 15, 1770; m. Theophilus
Cutler of Stafford; d. August 9, 1865,
10. William, b. December 22, 1771.
II. Hannah, b. March 29, 1774; d. May 4, 1845.
12. Jennette, b. February 10, 1777; d. 1802.
Matthew Paul, Junior, died February 18, 1793. His
widow, Mary Lawson Paul, died April 2, 1797.
Robert Paul, Junior, son of Robert and brother of
Matthew, Junior, was called "Junior" not to distinguish
him from his father who died young, but from Robert
Paul, Sr., who long survived the father of Robert, Jr.
Robert Paul, Jr., was distinguished from the other Robert
Paul, by the phrase "tall Paul, the rake-maker." It is
related of Samuel Bass of Ashford, who lived just over
the line, and a near neighbor of the Paul's, that he was a
flaming new light disciple, and that in the meeting of that
sect he prayed for persons by name, and among others for
bis npi'o-Vihor Paul as follows- "Ob T.nrrl pnnvprt Robert

TBE PAUL FAMILY. 441
Paul ! Thou knowest whom I mean — tall Paul, the rake-
maker!" Robert Paul, Jr., married, November 23, 1752,
Elizabeth Watson (supposed to be from Leicester, Mass).
Robert Paul died June 10, 1804. His widow, Elizabeth,
died October 24, 1804.
Ch. I. Eunice, d. September 25, 1756.
2. William, b. April 27, 1758; d. April 29, 1758.
3. Mary Anne, b. May 21, 1759; m. Samuel Stone.
4. Elizabeth, b. November 18, 1760; m. Jonathan
Munger.
5. Martha, b. October 20, 1762.
6. Ruth, b. March 20, 1764.
7. Joseph, b. March 16, 1766; d. April 4, 1766.
8. Matthew, b. April 25, 1767.
Robert Paul, son of Matthew, Jr., settled on the place
where his son Chauncey recently lived. He married Anna
Sessions, daughter of Ebenezer, November 14, 1793. He
died of cancer, December 21, 1821. She died February 22,
1861, aged 87.
Ch. I. Polly, b. April 9, 1794; m. Dr. Shubael Ham
mond.
2. Elizabeth, b. October 9, 1795; m. Moses White.
3. Anna, d. March 26, 1802.
4. Chauncey, b. February 10, 1798.
5. Marcia, b. October 22, 1799; m. Lyman Ses
sions, January 16, 1823.
6. Newman, b. March i, 1803, never married; d.
October, 1859.
Samuel Paul, son of Matthew, Jr., lived in the south
part of town. He married Margaret Moore, daughter of
John, April 24, 1798.
He died April 2, 1844, aged 83.
Ch. I. Eltham, b. January 23, 1799.
2. Anson, b. April 11, 1800.
3. Amanda, b. December 35, 1801; m. Amasa Has
kell, Sept. 10, 1823.

442 GENEALOGIES.
4. Alantha, b. January 22, 1805; m. Abiel S. Pratt,
May 5, 1831.
5. Lumansa, b. September 18, 1807; d. June 30,
1835.
6. Samuel, b. August 2, 1809.
Chauncey Paul, son of Robert, (see biographical
sketch), married Polly Armour, September 17, 1820. He
died June 18, 1888.
Ch. I. Orlando, b. September 23, 1821; d. November
18, 1839.
2. Robert Bruce, b. June 5, 1823.
3. Liberty, b. November 16, 1824.
4. Moses AV^hite, b. May 30, 1826; died at time and
place unknown.
5. Adaline, b, October 23, 1827.
6. Marvin Knowlton, b. August 22, 1829,
7. Elbridge Gerry, b. Doccmbor 23, 1830; never
married, settled in Iowa; lives now (1892),
with his brother Bruce's family.
8. Sarah Ann, b. September 7, 1834; d. February
14, 1870. (See biographical sketch).
9. Chauncey, b. April 15, 1837; d. August 22, 1862.
- Eltham Paul, son of .Samuel, married Mary Anne
Richmond of Ashford, and lived first in Union and after
wards in Canada. He had four children.
Anson Paul, son of Samuel, settled in London, Canada
AA^est. He married first, Margaret Drake, second, Caroline
Childs of AVoodstock, and had two children.
Samuel Paul, son of Samuel, married first, Rebecca
Knowlton, who died February 3, 1840; second. Silence
Knowlton, April 17, 1842, both daughters of Marvin Knowl
ton. He lived at Union, and at London, Canada, and had
children.

THE PAUL FAMILY.

443

Robert Bruce Paul, son of Chauncey, was educated in
the schools at Dudley and Warren, Mass., and at Monson
Academy. He then engaged in teaching some years. He
married March i6, 1852, Ann Eliza Kinney, daughter of
Nathan. In 1886, he went West and settled in Edford, 111.,
on a farm. He afterwards moved to Geneseo, Henry Co., 111.,
and met with merited success in his business of farming.
He was a man of great moral worth, and his best efforts
were put forth in behalf of the moral, social, and material
advancement of his town and county. He died December
22, 1888. Ch. I. Addie Jane, b. August 23, 1866.
2. Chauncy Bruce, b. September 28, 1868; d.
March 14, 1870.
3. Emma Josephine, b. July 9, 1872; d. August 27,
1873.
Liberty Paul, son of Chauncey, married Hannah Keyes,
daughter of Edward Sumner Keyes, of Eastford, Novem
ber 28, 1850. In 1856, they went to Illinois and settled in
Edford, Henry county. Here he lived till his death, July
31, 1892. Ch. I. Ernest Jerome, b. October 13, 1851, at Union.
2. Sumner, b. March 12, 1854, at Townsend, Mass.
Marvin Knowlton Paul, son of Chauncey, married
Janette Fuller, daughter of Willard Fuller of Willington,
March 24, 1856. They live at Geneseo, III.
Ch. I. Jennie Luella, b. February 11, 1858; m. William
F. Jaqucs, September 14, i88i. They have one
child, Ewart Paul, b. November 22, 1888.
2. Marilla Villette, b. March 24, 1861.
3. Bernice Belle, b. March 9, 1868; d. August 22,
1870.
4. Eugene Everett, b. November 13, 1871; d. Jan
uary, 1875.
5. Nellie, b. June 24, 1876.

444

GENEALOGIES.

Ernest J. Paul, son of Liberty, married Elizabeth
Hughes, April 20, 1881.
Ch. I. Vera Z. E., b. November 2, 1883.

Christopher Peake came from Thompson to Union;
was one of the first settlers, and exterisive land-holder. He
bought land jointly with Ephraim Williams of Stock-
bridge, Mass., and AVilliam AVilliams of Mansfield, May 12,
1740. They owned 1727 acres, of which Peake owned 550
acres. Christopher Peake of Union, was probably the grandson
of Jonathan Peake of Roxbury, Mass., who was the son of
Christopher of Roxbury, who was made a freeman March
4. 1635- Christopher Peake lived for a time where Captain
Nathaniel Newell now lives, and afterwards where there is
now a cellar hole just south of the East cemetery. Most of
his real estate was in the southeast part of the town. He
owned the lands which the Sessions' afterwards did. He
, died not far from 1760, as appears from a deed of his sons,
Moses and Samuel, to John Sanger of AA^oodstock, dated
May 26, 1761.
Christopher Peake married Rebecca. His children as
far as ascertained were:
Ch. I. Rebecca, m. John Hayward,
2, Elijah, m,  ; d. April 7, 1757.
3. Anna, m. Ebenezer AVard, June 23, 1748.
4. Moses.
5. Samuel.
6. Zerniah, m. Jeremiah Badger, January 15,
1767.
7. Lois, m. Samuel Marcy, April 7, 1763.
MosEs Peake, son of Christopher, married Sibbil Marcy,
February 24, 1763, and had one child, Dorcas, b. March 19,
1763-

PEAKE-PLUMLEY. 445
Samuel Peake, son of Christopher, married Abigail
Fuller, December 6, 1764.
Ch. I. Martha, b. August 31, 1765.
2. Zerniah, b. March 30, 1767; d. April 13, 1767.

Captain Thomas Pettee, came from Northbridge tO'
Union, in 1779. He served 20 months in the Revolutionary
army. He had two children, Nancy and Susanna.

Benjamin Pitts bought land of Daniel Loomis, Novem
ber 27, 1783, containing "about one acre with a tanner's
yard, Bark house, currying shop." This tannery was at the
corner of the roads east of the old burying ground.

Francis Pierce came to Union in 1767. He was a prom
inent man in town, being selectman several years. He
served nine months in the Revolutionary army. He mar
ried Elizabeth.
Ch. I. Elizabeth, b. February 9, 1767; d. February 21,
1767.
2. Francis, b. May 10, 1768.
3. Elizabeth, b. August 17, 1770.
He married, second, Phebe Ainsworth of Union, April
27, 1780.

Daniel Plumley, was an early resident in town. He
lived on the Ruby place. He married Abigail.
Ch. I. Lydia, b. May 17, 1743.
2. John, b. February 24, 1745.
3. Daniel, b. December 7, 1747.
4. Alexander, b. September 27, 1749.
5. Joseph, b. January 2, 1751.
6. Abigail, b. October 26, 1753.
7. Ebenezer, b. May 22, 1758.

446

8.

upjxrj.a.L,K/vj.ai3.
Benjamin, b. April i, 1757.

9-

Samuel, b. September 6, 1758.

10.

Elizabeth, b. 1760.

II.

Jonathan, b. 1763.

12.

Mary, b. October 6, 1765.

Elisha Plympton came from Sturbridge to Union,
where he-lived several years on the so-called John Sessions
place. He then moved to Stafford, where he died. He married
Bathsheba Hitchcock, daughter of Jacob, of Brimfield, b,
October 4, 1775, nnd d. July 31, 1815. Ho married second,
Hannah Fiske of Stafford.
Ch. I. Mnry, b. November 10, 1796; m. Foskit.
2. Billings, b. March 7, 1797.
3. Elijah, b. June 16, 1801.
4. Aimed, b. July 16, 1803.
5. Dwight, b. August 24, 1805.
6. Perley, b. December 6, 1807; m. Minerva Hyde,
of Stafford.
7. Matilda, b. November 24, i8io.
8. Louisa, b. October 30, 1812.

Joseph Preston came from Ashford to Union and
bought land near the Jesse Hall farm, of AVilliam AVard, in
1743. He married Mary.
Ch. I. Aaron, b. April 22, 1741.
2. Mehitabel, b. September 29, 1743.
3. Joseph, b. March 15, 1746; d. June 28, 1747.
4. Mary, b. April, 1748.
He removed to South Hadky, Mass.
Dr. Stephen Preston came from Ashford to Union. He
was the son of Medina Preston of Ashford. He lived at
the so-called Robinson place, opposite from where E. M.
Horton now lives. Ho married Clarissa Loomis, daughter
of Lieut. Daniel Loomis.

PRESTON. PUTNAM. 447
He moved from Union to Sangerfield Center, N. Y.,
where he had a lucrative practice and a high reputation as
a man and a physician. He died about 1840. He had a
son, Medina, who was bom at Union, September 23, 1793,
and succeeded his father as a physician.

Asa Putnam, son of Asa, of Sutton, Mass., was born at
Sutton, June 13, 1795, °-^^ AxeA at Union, September 141
1882. He came to Union in 1836, and bought of Jacob
Morse the place east of Deacon Lawson's, where he after
wards lived. He married Patty Dudley, daughter of Ben
jamin Dudley of Douglass. She died March 10, 1845. He
married March 13, 1846, for his second wife, Lucy Works
Dean, born February 17, 1813, the daughter of Ezra Dean
of West Woodstock. She died February, 1884. His chil
dren, all by his first wife, were:
Ch. I. Collister, b. November i, 1817; d. November,
1836.
2. Benjamin Dudley, b. June 17, 1820.
3. Marcy, b. at Charlton, July 28, 1824; m. Albert
Crawford, April, 1847; three children, Mattie
J., Charles Albert, and Mary Olive; m.
second time, Burlingame of Pomfret.
4. Freeman, b. at Charlton, August 25, 1831.
Benjamin Putnam, lived at his father's till 1844; m. first
Eunice R. Brown of New London, who died July 28, 1849;
second, Lydia Chamberlain, daughter of Elisha Cham
berlain; she died February 12, 1887; third, Mrs. Cutting of
Southbridge, who died August, 1890.
His children, all by his first wife, were:
Ch. I. Emma Eunice, b. March 3, 1845; m. Samuel
B. Goodyear, October 3, 1883.
2. Lucy Dudley, b. June 5, 1847; m. Ed. Darling;
¦ second, Everet Darby of Putnam; third,
Theodore Brown.
3. Lydia Sophia, b. June 23, 1849; d. February 19,

448 GENEALOGIES.
1887; m. first, J. W. Gantz; second, Larkin
Vinton, of Southbridge; third, Bruce Morse
of Eastford.
Freeman Putnam, son of Asa, m. Huldah A. Morse,
daughter of Captain Danford Morse; live at North Ash
ford. Ch. I. Adeline, b. March 13, 1855; m. John Whipple
' of Union; three children, Harry, Edward
Leroy and Arthur.
2. Julia, b. October 14, 1859; m. Frank Jackson of
AVoodstock Valley. One child, Eva.
3. Charles, b. January 23, 187 1.

Ezra Putney was the son of Isaiah of Charlton, Mass.,
who removed to Union, and bought land of Joseph Griggs,
December 30, 1800. Prudence Putney, sister of Ezra, mar
ried Nath. Morey of Union. Ezra Putney married the
second time, Elizabeth Coye, daughter of Archibald, Octo
ber 6, 1807.
Ch. I. Nelson, b. August 22, 1808.
2. Mary Taylor, b. February 13, 181 1; d. March 19,
1811.
3. Ezra Alanson, b. April 9, 1812.
4. Rensalaer, b. May 9, 1814, became a Baptist
minister.
5. Eliza, b. April 17, 1817; m. Hiram AVallis of Hol
land, January 29, 1835.
6. Rufus Coye, b. August 17, 1820.
Ezra Putney died March 21, 1846. His wife, Elizabeth,
died October 29, 1845.
Ezra Alanson Putney, son of Ezra, lived at Union and
Stafford. He died June 14, 1853, at Rockford, III. He mar
ried Phila Wales, daughter of Lucius, April 18, 1833.
Ch. I. Lewis, b. January 26, 1834.
2. Andrew Nelson, b. April 24, 1836; d. September
8, 1838.

THE REED FAMILY.

449

3. Joseph, b. August 24, 1838; d. August 26, 1838.
4. Mary Taylor, b. August 21, 1839.
5. Elvira, b. February 14, 1842.
6. David Wales, b. June 2, 1844.
7. Agnes E., b. May 11, 1848.
8. Rufus Andrew, b. December 20, 1852.
the reed family.
The first one of this family in Union was Levi Reed, who
came to town in 1850. He was descended from Thomas Reed
of Colchester, Essex county, England, whose son Thomas
came to America about 1654, and settled in Sudbury, Mass.
His great-grandson, Nathaniel, born in 1702, settled in
Warren, Mass., and is the first ancestor of the Reed family
in that place. Reuben Reed, the grandfather of Levi Reed
of Union, lived in Warren, was known as " Major " Reed,
and is said to have been quite wealthy, being a large land
owner on Reed street in that place.
Levi Reed of AVarren, son of Reuben, was born July 17,
1773, and died October 19, 1819. He married Lucinda
Morgan. Ch. I. Lucinda, b. December 18, 1804; m. Charles
Bemis; d. September 22, 1859.
2. Anson, b. Feb. 11, 1808; went west
3. Levi, b. July 23, 181 1.
Levi Reed, son of Levi, came from Eastford to Union in
.\pril, 1850, and settled in the south part of town on the so-
called Samuel Paul place, where his son Morgan now lives.
His brother-in-law, Adolphus M. Cheney, purchased the
farm on the east side of the road. Levi Reed was a cur
rier by trade. He married Pamelia C. Allen, daughter of
Henry Allen of Fiskdale, Mass., July i, 1833. They lived
In Fiskdale many years and most of their children were
born there.
Ch. I. Josephine, bom April 9, 1834; m. Hartley
AValker; d. August i, 1873.
29

450 GENEALOGIES.
2. Moses Smith, b. October 7, 1836.
3. Anson Allen, b. December 17, 1838.
4. Mary Augusta, b. December 5, 1840; died in
infancy.
5. Mercy Ann, b. July 5, 1842; died in infancy.
6. Altha Jnnc, b. November 11, 1844; m. Sherman
E. Paine of Ashford, in August, 1869; d.
March 13, 1879, leaving four children, of
whom AA^illiam H. is now a cadet at AVest
Point.
7. Levi Morgan, b. June 28, 1847.
8. Joel Henry, b. January 10, 1850.
MosEs S. Reed, son of Levi, lived at home until the
time of the war, when he enlisted, August 9, 1862, and was
in Co. I, 1 6th Conn. A'ols. He was wounded at the battle
of Antietam, September 17, 1862, and was afterwards dis
charged. He married Clarissa AV. AA'atkins of Eastford,
and they had one child, Josephine, who died in infancy.
He died March 25, 1S66.
Anson A. Reed, son of Levi, is a machinist and lives at
AVoreester, Mass. He married Mary Lawrence of Auburn,
Mass. They have two sons.
Levi Morgan Reed, son of Levi, lives on the old place
in Union. He is a leading citizen in town and has held
many town offices, being selectman for a number of years
and a representative in the Legislature of 1885. He is a
member and has been chosen Master of the iMashapan;.,'
Lake Grange. He married Georgiana, daughter of George
D, Colburn in 1876. They have no children.
Joel H. Reed, son of Levi (see biogrnphicnl sketch),
married Lydia E. Willis, daughter of Lemuel AVillis of
Ashford, October 25th, 1872.
Ch. I. AVillis H., b. Mny 22, 1875.
2. Alice M., b. March 10, 1880,
3. Edna L., b, December 27, 1883.

RICE-RINDGE. 451
Dr. Noah Rice came to Union in 1796, and succeeded
Dr. Preston, living also at the Robinson place (west of
Mason Horton's). He was the physician of Union for sev
eral years. Dr. Rice sold his place to Peter Robinson, who
sold it to Dr. Jacob Corey, Sr., of Sturbridge, who retained
it for many years. About 1830 it was sold to Elbridge
Cass.

Asa Richardson was a shoemaker in Union several
years about the first of the century on the county road
southwest of the Foster place.
Ch. I. William Augustus, m. Dorothy Wyman.
2. Lysander.
3. Edwin.
4. Lucian.
S. Charlotte.

Eleazar Rosebrooks, was born in Grafton, Mass., in
1747, and came to Union in 1769. He married Hannah
Haynes of Brimfield, in March, 1772.
Ch. I. Mary, b. November 7, 1772.
2. Hannah, m. Abel Crawford.
He sold his land in Union to John Rosebrooks in 1773,
and went to the AVhite Mountain Notch, N. H., with the
Crawfords. David Roberts came from Killingly to Union in 1764.
Me lived in the southeast part of town. He had ten chil
dren. 
Peter Robinson came from Lebanon to Union and
bought, in 1796, of Dr. Noah Rice the place opposite where
Mason Horton now lives.

Thomas Rindge, son of Jonathan K. of Eastford, lived
during the early part of his life with Joanna and Mary

452

GENEALOGIES.

Sessions. He married Mary Ann Sessions, daughter of
Abijah, September 26, 1852.
Ch. I. Harriet Ellen, b. May 26, 1854; d. August 2O,
1855.
2. Thomas Herbert, b. August 2, 1856; d. Septem
ber 24, 1856.
3. Alice Louisa, b. August 2, 1857.
4. Charles Thomas, b. May 15, i860.
5. Mary Elizabeth, b. September 9, 1864; m. AVar
ren P. Keith of Eastford, January 27, 18S6.
Children, (i) Edward Sessions, b. May 25,
1S87. (2) Everett Dana, b. May 31, 1888.
Mrs. Mary Ann Rindge died March 18, 1888.

John Ruby was a soldier of the Revolution. He died
August 9, 1830. He married Esther Howe, June 19, 1777,
She died November 17, 1834.
Ch. I. James, b. September 28, 1777; m. Mary Lamb
of Ashford.
2. Thomas, b. September 28, 1777.
3. Polly, b. November 28, 1779; m. Jason Ferry.
4. John, b. April 9, 1784.
5. Esther, b. March 23, 1788; m. Chauncey Ferry,
May 6, 1805.
6. Lucinda, b. December 7, 1793; m. Daniel Steers,
March 29, 1829.
Thomas Ruby, son of John, lived in the southwest part
of town. He married Elizabeth Fuller of Stafford, Feb
ruary II, 1801. He died September 8, 1855. His wife
Elizabeth died July i, i860.
Ch. 1. Orrel, b. August 23, i8oi; m. Paris H. Bowers
of Thompson, March 14, 1824.
2. Amanda, b. October 24, 1802; m. Howard of
Palmer, April 18, 1827.
3. Betsey, b. January 7, 1804; m. Sibley.

RUBY, SANGER. 453
4. Annis, b. December 12, 1805; m. Daniel Steers,
November 3, 1825.
5. James, b. May 13, 1807; m. Nancy Daggett of
Willington, November, 1830.
6. Esther, b. December 9, 1808.
7. Thomas Howe, b. August 18, 181 1; m. Almeda
Porter of Willington.
8. Ariel Fuller, b. May 4, 1813; d. October 10, 183 1.
9. Achsa, b. June 6, 1815; m. William Harvey of
Palmer, May 22, 1834.
10. Edmund, b. November 18, 181 7.
II. Julianne, b. November 9, 1819; m. Wakeman
Sibley.
12. Angeline, b. January 9, 1822; m. Samuel W.
Moore, November 7, 1842.
13. William, b. October 22, 1823; m. Leonora Bur
ley.
14. Harriet, b. August 14, 1825; m. Nath. Sessions,
October 10, 1842.

Jonathan Sanger came from Woodstock to Union and
bought of Hanry Badger, April 14, 1741, the Bush meadow
farm and saw-mill.
Nathaniel and John Sanger came to Union at the same
time. John Sanger married Dorothy

Ch. I. Mary, b. September 13, 1743.
2. John, b. August 2, 1744.
3. Huldah, b. 1747.
4. Dorothy, b. April 25, 1749.
5. David, b. April 26, 1751.
6. Benjamin, probably also a son of John. He
joined the company of Abijah Sessions in
the army of the Revolution and was killed
in battle in 1776.

454 GENEALOGIES,
the SF.SSIOHS family.
The Sessions family is an ancient and honorable one.
The common ancestor of the Sessions of Union, Warren,
Mass,, AVilbraham, Mass., Tolland and Westford, Conn,,
was Nathaniel Sessions of Pomfret. He was born in
Andover, Mass., in 1680, settled in Pomfret on Mashomquet
Brook as early as 1704 and died in that town in 1771 aged
91 years. He was a farmer and an extensive land-holder.
In the obituary notice of Darius Sessions in the Provi
dence Gazette of April 29, 1809, it was said of Nathaniel, the
father of Darius, that ho was tho son of Samuel Sessions
who came from England with Paul Dudley, the first roy;il
governor of Massachusetts, nnd for nwhilo lived with him
nt Roxbury, but nfterw.ards went to Andover where his
largo fnmily of sons were born. The nntive plnce of
Samuel Sessions was at AVangate, England.
This account is not consistent with the brief notice of
the Sessions family as given by Savage. He makes Alex
ander Sessions of Andover the common ancestor, who mar
ried April 24, 1672, Elizabeth Spofford of Rowley. His
children were John, born in 1674, Alexander, Timothy,
Samuel, Nehemiah (should be Nathaniel), Josiah and
Joseph. He died February 26, 1689.
Samuel, son of Alexander, according to Savage, is not
the Samuel, father of Nathaniel, according to the Provi
dence Gazette. For according to later account, Nathaniel
of Pomfret was the son of Samuel of Andover, who was
born at AVangate, England, but according to the former
nccount, Samuel wns a nntive of this country nnd son of
Alexander tho first comer.
Tho fact that Alexander is so common n fnmily namc
fnvors Snvngc's nccount as probable. But if Savage's
nccount is to bo received ns far ns it goes, wc arc in the
dark ns to tlic ancestry of Nnthnniol of Pomfrct.
Nnthnniel .Sessions of Pomfret wns n Inrgo proprietor of
the town of Union. Ho bought, June 12,1721, of AVm. Mc
Coy of Pomfret, one-thirteenth part of the town of Union.

THE SESSIONS FAMILY.

455

It does not appear that he ever lived in Union, yet no
man was more interested in its settlement. He was a most
active member of the company of proprietors in laying the
divisions of lots and farms. He sold his lands in Union
to his son Darius, December 31, 1741, and two weeks after,
that is, January 13, 1742, the son deeded the lands back
again to his father.
Darius Sessions, son of Nathaniel of Pomfret, graduated
at Yale in 1737, settled in Providence and was many years
deputy governor of Rhode Island, at the time of the Revo
lution and afterwards. Bancroft says of him that at the
burning of the Gaspee (an affair like " the Boston tea-
party) " Darius Sessions and Stephen Hopkins were the
two pillars on which the liberty of Rhode Island depended.
The wife of Nathaniel Sessions of Pomfret was Joanna.
Their children were all born in Pomfret, viz.:
Ch. I. Elizabeth, b. December 15, 1707; d. May 26,
1767.
2. Nathaniel, b. October 22, 1709.
3. John, born August 14, 1711; d. May 24, 1737.
4. Alexander, b. October 4, 1713; settled in War
ren, Mass.
5. Amasa, b. August 13, 1715; d. April, 1799.
6. Dariu.s, b August 11, 1717; d. April, 1809.
7. Simeon, b. February 11, 1720.
8. Abner, b. May 4, 1722; settled in Union 1744;
d. February 18, 1781.
9. Mary, b. August 4, 1724.
10. Abijah, b. February i, 1726; settled in Union;
d. April 12, 1753.
II. Joanna, b. January 19, 1729.
Amasa Sessions, son of Nathaniel, settled in Pomfret.
He married Hannah Miller, born at Rehoboth, Mass.
Their children were:
Ch. I. John,b. June 17, 1745 ; lived at Union and Provi
dence; d. November, 1820.

456 GENEALOGIES.
2. Samuel, b. November 26; 1746; lived at Union
and Westford; d. November, 1818.
3. Amasa, b. August 12, 1748; settled at Tolland;
d. May 16, 18 16,
4. Nnthnniel, b. June 10, 1750; settled at Union;
d. October 5, 1824.
5. Robert, b. March 4, 1752; settled at AVilbraham;
d. Scptomber 26, 1836.
6. Hannah, b. February 2, 1754; d. May 18, 1773.
7. Susannah, b. November 16, 1755; d. 1783.
8. Squire, b. December 23, 1757; settled at Pom
fret; d. September 26, 1823.
9. Mary, b. February 8, 1761; d. 1845.,
10. Abner, b. 1763; d. 1763.
II. Abner, b. September 28, 1765; settled at
Granby; d. February, 1825.
Deacon Abner Sessions, son of Nathaniel of Pomfret,
bought land in Union of Isaac Sheldon of Hartford, Febru
ary 22, 1744. His father gave him land March 17, 1748.
He is reputed to have been one of the best citizens who
ever lived in town. He was town clerk, succeeding Enoch
Badger in 1747, until his death in. 178 1, a period of 34 years.
Ho wns Justice of tho Pence, Cnptnin of tho Militin and
Deacon of tho church nnd approved himself well in every
trust. He died Februnry 18, 1781, Ho mnrried Mrs. Mary
AVymnn, widow of Rev. Ebenezer Wyman and daughter of
Josiah Wright of Woburn, M.ass., March 13, 1747. He built
the house long occupied by Newman Paul, which stood
near the house of Captain Chauncey Paul.
Ch. I. Ebenezer, b. March 6, 1748; m. Huldah How
ard.
2. Silence, b. February i, 1749; married James
Enos, Jr.
3. Mary, b. February i, 1753; m. Henry Martin of
AVoodstock, November 14, 1771.
Abijah Sessions, son of Nathaniel of Pomfret, settled in
Union, receiving a gift deed of land there of 290 acres

THE SESSIONS FAMILY.

457

March 4, 1750, from his father. He married Joanna Dana,
daughter of Isaac Dana of Pomfret, as appears from her
father's gift deed dated April 8, 1757 (T. R., Vol. 2nd, p 134).
He died very suddenly April 12, 1753, in the twenty-seventh
year of his age. His widow never married and became
partially insane from the death of her husband. They
had one son, Abijah, born June 2, 1753, called afterwards
Col. Abijah Sessions. Widow Joanna Sessions died March
20, 1797, aged 66.
John Sessions, Esq., son of Amasa of Pomfret, married
Goodale of Pomfret, November 5, 1766.
Ch. I. Walter, b. May 29, 1767; d. April 23, 1768.
2. Walter, b. July 22, 1769; m. Anne Loomis, July
20, 1786.
3. Hannah, b. January 11, 1771.
4. Mary, b. July 21, 1772; d. July 30, 1777.
5. Alice, b. March 17, 1775; ^- August 16, 1777.
6. John, b. April 29, 1779; m. Hannah Bugbee.
7. Alanson, b. September 20, 1781.
8. Harvey, b. September 29, 1785; lived in New
port.
Nathaniel Sessions, son of Amasa of Pomfret, settled
in Union. He lived north of the Bliss Hatch place. He
married, first, Irene Wales, daughter of Dea. Ebenezer
Wales, November 16, 1775. Their children were five in
number. Mrs. Irene Sessions died December 3, 1793, in
the forty-third year of her age. He then married Fanny
Chandler of Woodstock, October 30, 1749. He died October
5, 1824, aged 74. His widow Fanny, died March 3, 1843.
His children by his first wife were:
Ch. I. Amasa, b. June 30, 1779.
2. Ebenezer, b. May 11, 1781.
3. Susannah, b. March 29, 1785; m. William
Wright.
4. Irene, b. April 12, 1787.
5. Lydia, b. March 5, 1 789.

458 GENEALOGIES.
6. Nathaniel, b. August 20, 1790.
By his second wife :
7. Fanny, b. August 4, 1795; m. William Eaton,
November 28, 1822.
8. Hannah, b. February 22, 1797.
9. Moses Chandler, b. Marfh 5, 1799.
10. Polly, b. January 19, 1801; d. October i, 1824.
11. Dariiis, b. May 8, 1801.
12. Elizabeth, b. April 2, 1807.
Ebenezer Sessions, son of Abner, married Huldah Hay
ward, daughter of John Hayward of Ashford, May 18, 1769.
Ch. I. Abner, b. February 22, 1770.
2. Anna, b. April i, 1773; m. Robert Paul; d. Feb
ruary 22, 186 1.
3. Polly, b. April 9, 1775.
4. Orinda, b. March 14, 1778; d. April 11, 1778.
5. Orindn, b. October 18, 1779; m. Amasa Coye;
d. April 27, 1845.
6. Ebenezer, b. May 7, 1782.
Ebenezer Sessions died August 28, 1824. His widow
PTuIdah died May 12, 1828.
Abner Sessions, son of Ebenezer, married Esther Booth,
daughter of Isaac Booth of Union.
Ch. I. John H., b. Juno 4, 1798.
2. Isaac Booth, b. May 26, 1799.
3. Polly, b. April 14, iSoi.
4. Abnor, b. August 12, 1803.
5, Elvira, b. December 20, 1805.
6. Sarah, b. May 28, 1808.
7. Otis, b. August 25, 1810.
8. Diantha, b. August 25, 1810.
9. Isaac Booth, b. January 7, 1813.
10. Martin, b. October 16, 1815.
II. Truman, b. February 20, i8i8.
12. April, b. April 16, 1820.

THE SESSIONS FAMILY.

45?

Ebenezer Sessions, son of Ebenezer, married Sally
Hawes, daughter of Elijah Hawes, November 21, 1805.
Ch. I. Orrell, b. July 6, 1806; m. Leonard M. Stock-
well of Sutton, March 19, 1828.
2. Gilbert, b. May 25, 1809.
3. Elijah, b. May 13, 181 1.
4. Caroline, b. February 20, 1815.
5. Mary Ann, b. July 9, 181 7.
6. Amos, b. July 17, 1819.
Walter Sessions, son of John, married Anne Loomis,
daughter of Lieut. Daniel Loomis of Union, July 20, 1786.
Ch. I. Alice, b. October 19, 1786.
2. Sarah, b. October 21, 1788.
3. Anne, b. January 9, 1793.
4. Charlotte, b. February 21, 1795.
5. John Schuyler, b. March 20, 1797.
6. Daniel Loomis, b. February i, 1800.
AValter Sessions lived where Newman Bugbee now lives.
CoL. Abijah Sessions, son of Abijah, married Hannah
May, daughter of Nehemiah May of Holland, February 8,
1778. Col. Sessions died May 22, 1834. His wife died April
14, 1845, aged 91.
Ch. i^ William Pitt, b. February 6, 1779.
2. Sarah Winchester, b. September 5, 1780; m.
Hendrick Griggs.
3. Louisa, b. March 10, 1782; m. Charles Foster
June 6, 1809, and lived in N. Y.
4. Joanna, b. February II, 1784; d. February 17,
1875-
5. Polly or Mary, b. February 18, 1786; d. April 7,
i860.
6. Hannah, b. December 11, 1789; m. Sumner
Keyes; d. July 14, 1830.
7. Abijah, b. April 12, 1791.
8. Lyman, b. April 7, 1793.
9. Olive, b. Noveinber 24, 1794; m. Asa Morse of
.Woodstock, May 20, 1824.

46o GENEALOGIES.
William Pitt Sessions, son of Col. Abijah, married
Elizabeth Keyes, who died July ii, 1840. He then mar
ried Laura Morris of Holland, Mass., January 19, 1841. He
died without children, March 9, 1861. Laura M. Sessions
died April 22, 1872.
Abijah Sessions, son of Col. Abijah, married Elizabeth
Childs of Woodstock, May 25, 1814. He married, second,
Mrs. Charles Crawford Lyon, February 4, 1866. She died
April 22, 1890. He died April 11,1874.
Ch. I. Alexander Hamilton, b. January 7, 1816.
2. Roxa Childs, b. September 17, 1818; d. Decem
ber 27, 1819.
3. Jared Dana, b. December 27, 1820.
4. Mcletiah, b. April 16, 1823; m. Elijah Jackson.
5. Bcthiah, b. February 22, 1827; d. August 25, 1863.
6. Mary Ann, b. October 11, 1829; m. Thomas
Rindge, September 26, 1852.
7. Louisa Foster, b. November ii, 1835; m. Daniel
Stockwell.
Lyman Sessions, son of Col. Abijah, married Marcia Paul,
daughter of Robert Paul of Union, January 16, 1823.
Ch. 1. Joanna, b. December i, 1826; d. June io, 1875,
2. Gilman Lyman, b. February 14, 1830.
3. Marcia, b. May 13, 1831; m. Stone; d. 1890.
Lyman Sessions died October 9, 1880.
Mrs. Marcia Paul Sessions died December 5, 1868.
Alexander Hamilton Sessions, son of Abijah, married
Harriet Hamilton of Brookfield, Mass. He died March 6,
1876. Ch. I. Harriet, b. November, 1856 ; m. October II, 1878,
Edward Hammond of AVoodstock.
Jared Dana Sessions, son of Abijah, settled at Union,
Sturbridge and Toronto. He first married Miranda Hamil
ton of Brookfield, Mass. She died August 26, 1861. He then

THE SESSIONS FAMILY. 461
married Laura Walker, daughter of Harvey Walker of
Union. Ch. I. Vera, b. March, 1856; m. W. L. Hallet.
2. Ada, b. February, 1859.
3. Frederick H., b December 19, 1857; d. August
22, 1858.
4. Robert Harvey, b. January, 1866; m. Fannie
Rice of Youngstown, O.
CoL. MosEs Chandler Sessions, son of Nathaniel, mar
ried, first, Elizabeth Kinney, daughter of Joel Kinney, Janu
ary 2, 1821. She died October 12, 1849. He married, sec
ond, widow of Nathan Corbin. He removed from Union to
Kansas in September, 1857, and died there September 14,
1868. Ch. I. Nathaniel, b. February 21, 1822.
2. Elizabeth Chloe, b. August 12, 1824; m. R. Fos
ter Towne of Union, August 22, 1843.
3. Maria Louisa, b. August 14, 1826; m. first Orlan
Nelson of Wales, October 9, 1844, and lived
in Douglas, Mass.
4. Horace Warner, b. July 24, 1882; m. Mary A.
Browne of Southbridge, Mass., in 1852; d.
January 29, 1890.
5. Amanda Melissa, b. June 29, 1836; m. Jared
Converse of AVestford, Conn., March 27, 1851,
second, Thomas Anderson.
6. Sarah Lucinda, b. December 21, 1832.
7. Susan Mary, b. May 21, 1835.
8. Ellen Jane, b. January 22, 1841.
9. Moses Chandler, b. July 30, 1844..
Nathaniel Sessions, son of Moses C, began teaching
school when seventeen years old and taught seventeen
terms. He married Harriet Ruby of Union, October, 1842,
and had two children, Elizabeth, who married Capt.
Thomas K. Bates, and Louisa, who died January, 1866.

462 GENEALOGIES.
Moses Chandler Sessions, Jr., was born in Union and
went to Kansas with his father in 1857. He went to Cali
fornia by the overland route April 20, 1863. He is now a
very prominent man and farmer at Butte, Col. He owns
1 100 acres of land and raises a large amount of wheat and
barley. He keeps a large number of horses and other
stock, using forty-eigHt work horses in carrying on his
business. He is very much respected where he resides and
his counsels are sought by many of those around him,
especially by those in sickness and trouble, to whom he is
very generous and kind as a friend and townsman.
He married Nancy Elmira Fox of Kansas, February
12, 1863. She was born March 7, 1843.
Ch. I, Presby Chandler, b, March 17, 1866; d. April 16,
1880.
2. Ellen Jane, b. June 28, 1868.
3. John AVarner, b. July 9, 1870.
4. Charles Frances, b. July 29, 1872.
5. lola Idcl, b. July 24, 1874.
6. Mary Elizabeth, b. August 21, 1876.
7. Nancy Isabell, b. August 13, 1880; burned to
death August 6, 1887.
8. Marion Clarence, b. May 22, 1883; burned to
death August 6, 1887.
9. Homer Lee, b. January 24, 1886.

Marshall Severv (or Savery, as the name is sometimes
called), came from Uxbridge, Mass,, to Union. He married
Chloe AValker of Union, August 30, 1801.
Ch. I. Elias, b. August 4, 1803.
Haman Severy, brother of Marshall, came from Ux
bridge, Mass., to Union. He married Jemima AValker, sis
ter of Chloe, May 11, 1S03.
Ch. I. Levi, b. March 15, 1804; m. Sophia Moultori.
2. Elijah, b. March 17, 1806.
3. Lucy, b. July 12, 1808.

SEVERY. 463
4. Harriet, b. January 17, 1810; d. January 20, 1828
5. Reuben, b. March 5, 181 2.
6. Fanny, b. October 13, 1816.
Elias Severy, son of Marshall, lived at the place west
of the parsonage, where the house is now burned. He was
for so'me time leader of the choir at Union. He afterwards
moved to' Willington. He married Ataresty Moulton, of
Chaplin. C,h. I. Eunice Emeline, b. May 24, 1825; m. Ashley D.
Studley, March 29, 1846.
2. William Clarke, b. March 23, 1829; d, March 11,
1830.
3. Henry E., b. 1835.
4. Martha Ataresty, b. July 10, 1846; m. Southwick.
Henry E. Severy, son of Elias, was converted in the
revival of 1850, when he was about fifteen or sixteen years
old. He was a tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed youth, who
trained himself for a teacher and pursued that calling for
a time with good success, but after a while he felt that he
ought to study for the ministry, and so attended Monson
Academy and spent a year of special training at AVilliams
College. He was intending to enter the Theological Sem
inary at East Windsor in the fall of i860, but died of a fever
during his summer vacation. He was thoroughly conse
crated to Christ and gave promise of great usefulness.
Elijah Severy, son of Haman, married Polly Lillie.
He died August 26, 1879. She died in 1882.
Ch. I. Fidelia", b. Decerijber 4, 1829; m. Jasper Miller
. of. Wales, May 8, 1847.
2. ' Fianny Polly, b. December 25, 1831; m. Harvey
',L. Holmes, November 7, 1852.
3. Lucy,b. December 29, 1835; m. Charles Shep
ard, of Sturbridge.
4. Polly, b. July 5, 1839; m. Richards.
5. ElLsha, b. September 15, 1842.

464 GENEALOGIES.
6. Elijah Sanford, b. August 9, 1844.
7. DeAVitt, b. 1846; m. Fanny Plank.
Elisha Severy, son of Elijah, married Emily Snow, in
1863. They now live in AVaterbury, Conn.
Ch. 1. Ernest Elisha, b. March 4, 1870; graduated from
the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale Uni
versity, in 1890. Is now (1892), a teacher
at Pennington, N. J.
2. Clarence, b. June 28, 1882.
Elijah Sanford Severy, son of Elijah, married Lucy
Jane Stone, August 13, 1865.
Ch. Mary, b, August 3, 1869; m. Fred Johnson, July,
1890.

James Shearer was one of the first settlers of Union.
The family soon moved to Palmer, Mass. Dr. Shearer was
a descendant.

Joseph S.malledge was an early resident He married
Jane  .
Ch. I. John, b. May 28, 1751.
2. Zecheriah.
John S.malledge was a Revolutionary soldier. He mar
ried Mary Goodhue.
Ch. I. Mary, b. March 4, 1778; m. Shaw.
2. Jane, b. February 29, 1780; m. Rogers.
3. Olive, b. February 24, 1782; m. Horace Walker.
4. James, b. April 17, 1785; m. Roxa Perry.
5. John.
John Smith was an early settler in Union, possibly the
original proprietor by that name. His wife's name was
Hannah, and his children, as far as known were:
Ch. I. Hannah, b. June 15, 1733.
2. John.

SMITH. 465
3. A daughter, b. August, 1738.
4. Thankful, b. April 22, 1740.
Recompense Smith was a contemporary of John. He
married Joanna Rood, May 31, 1737. She was probably a
sister of Mary Rood, who married Enoch Badger. He was
received as an inhabitant of the town at a town meeting
October 27, 1737. He went from Union to Tolland, where
he died. AVilliam Smith, of Stafford Springs, was a grand-

Judson Smith lived at Mashapaug. He went from Union
to Sturbridge, thence to Binghamton, N. Y. He married
Cynthia Hammond, daughter of Dr. Shubael, January 17,
1838. Ch. I. Charles Hammond, b. February 16, 1839.
2. Em.ily Cynthia, b. September 6, 1840.
3. Orlando Paul, b. September 5, 1841.
4. Herbert Edwards, b. August 24, 1844.
5. Albert Ellsworth, b. August 24, 1844.
6. Anna Sessions, b. January 27, 1846.
Judson Smith died at Binghamton, N. Y., March 27,
1883, aged 73 years. While living in Union he was captain
of the company of militia here. He was engaged in the
shoe business with Harvey Walker, from 1837 to 1841.
.Vfter living in Warren, Mass., for a year, he settled at
Fiskdale, Mass., where he was in the shoe business till 1852.
In that year he removed to Binghamton, N. Y., where he
also engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. Of
his children: Charles H. Smith nowlivesin Saginaw, Mich.;
limily C. Smith, lives with her mother at Binghamton;
Orlando P. Smith died April 20, 1843; Herbert E. Smith is
n Binghamton; Albert E. Smith is at Saginaw, Mich.;
.Vnna S. Smith married a Mr. Mather, and is living at
jlenwood Springs, Col.
Prosper Smith came from Woodstock to Union, about
[840, and settled on the Laflin place, which he bought of
30

466 GENEALOGIES.
Elisha Lyon. He married Monica Goodell, of Woodstock.
He died March ii, 1882. She died March, 1878.
Ch. I. Charles, b. December 21, 1822; m. Nancy M.
Mumford, of Eastford; is a Methodist
preacher.
2. Maria N., b. February 14, 1824; d. September,
1828.
3. Lucy Maria, b. January 12, 1827; d. November
15, 1846.
4. George A., b. January 21, 1829; d. September
28, 1831.
5. Major Goodell, b. March 10, 1831.
6. Mary A., b, October i, 1833; m. Rev. S. V. B.
Cross, 1880.
7. Emil)' Howard, b. July 22, 1838; m. Frederick
AV. Barber, September 5, 1868.
Major G. S.mith, son of Prosper, married Lucia Maria
Bullard, of Ashford, April 9, 1857.
Ch. I. Alice L., b. 1858; d. February 17, 1863.
2. AVillie DeForest, b. June 19, i860; d. May 17,
1869.
3. Minnette Eleanor, b. August 21, 1865; d. Janu
ary 23, 1883.
4. Herbert DeForest, b. May 29, 1870; graduated
from the Hitchcock Free High School, Brim
field, Mass., in 1888.

Capt. Joseph Snell came from Ashford to Union, in
the year 1781, and lived here the rest of his days. He was
a soldier in the Revolution and spent the winter of 1776-7
at Valley Forge. He married first, Abigail Barton, Feb
ruary 17, 1783, who died January 19, 1784. He married
second, Lydin Farnhnm, of AVestford, November 23, 1785.
who died January 15, 1819. He married third, in his old
nge, Margery, relict of Jonnthan Harwood, of AVc'st Staf
ford. She died July 25, 1848, aged 93.

SNELL. 467
Ch. I. Abigail, b. January 4, 1784; m. Roswell Eastman.
2. Thomas, b. November 26, 178.6.
3. Lydia, b. September 26, 1788; m. Parley Russell,
of AVillington, June 17, 1822.
4. Joseph, b. February 24, 1791.
5. Betsey, b. July 19, 1792; m. ist, Marcus Bugbee,
March 4, 1830; 2nd, John Dixon, October
4, 1842; 3rd, Jonathan Larned, September 2,
1852.
6. Asa Farnham, b. May 2, 1794; m. Lovisa Eaton,
December 6, 1821.
7. Erastus, b. May 27, 1795.
Thomas Snell, son of Joseph, married Hannah Strong,
February 30, 1812. He died May 30, 1826, aged 39.
Ch. I, Abigail Rice, b. May 28, 1813.
2. Edmund, b. January 2, 1815.
3. Persis Strong, b. February 25, 1818.
4. Hannah.
Dea. Joseph Snell, son of Joseph, married Hannah Chaf
fee, of Ashford, November 25, 1813. He moved to Eastford
in 1830, and was instantly killed in a factory.
Ch. I. Erastus Gilbert, b. December 11, 1814.
2. Mary Ann, b. September 24, 1816.
3. Harriet Sophronia, b. April 19, 1819.
4. Lois, b. July 12, 1822; m. William S. Weaver, of
AVillimantic; critic and genealogist.
5. Joseph William, b. March 12, 1824.
6. Eliza Minerva, b. 1827.
Asa Farnham Snell, son of Joseph, married Lovisa
Eaton, daughter of Josiah, December 6, 1821.
Ch. Milton, b, April 25, 1823 ; Ann, Lovisa, Newton,
Lovina, Susan, William, Wirt

468 GENEALOGIES.
the sprague families.
Two families by this name early settled in Union.
Elijah Sprague came from Lebanon, Crank Parish, now
Columbia, and bought of Daniel Loomis, Scptomber lo, 1751,
tho Bush meadow farm nnd sn\V-mill.
Pi-;ri-:s Spraguk, probnbly a brother of Elijah, came from
the same place nnd bought of Anron Clark, April 12, 1754,
the west part of lot No. 3, called in later times "Sprague
Orchard." The wife of Pores Sprague was Tabitha. He died April
3, 1758. His children, born before he came to Union, wore:
Ch. I. Thomas.
2. Peres.
3. James.
4. Calvin.
5. Tabitha, m. Samuel Hendrick, June 19, 1755.
. 6. Charity, m. Abner Loomis, July 12, 1754.
Thomas Sprague, son of Peres, married Hannah Cobb,
daughter of John-, Janunry 28, 1768. Ho lived cnst of tho
rond between David NowoU's nnd Mnson Horton's.
Ch. I. Snlly, m. Cyrus Burley.
2. Olive, b. August 9, 1768; m. Giles Badger.
3. Lucy.
4. Tabitha, m. Willard Badger.
5. Peres.
Lieut James Sprague, son of Peres, was one of the brav
est soldiers of the Revolution. It was he of whom Solomon
AVales snid, " Ho cnn recruit more men with his old hnt
nnd kilt trousers thnn I cnn with my best suit on." He
wns n favorite of Gen. Putnnm, serving with him in tho
French nnd Indinn AVnr, and in the Revolution. He served
43 months during tho Revolution. According to Mr. Ham
mond he lived on tho Roekmcadow rond north of tho Fos
ter place. But another tradition snys ho lived north of the

SPRA G UE-STODDA RD. 469
Trenck Crawford place. He married Mary Thompson,
daughter of David.
Ch. I. Sally, b. February 11, 1778.
3. Adolphus, b. June 26, 1781.
Calvin Si'racuk, son of Peres, lived at the "Sprague
Orchard." He married Elizabeth Wright, daughter of
Jonathan, September 11, 1766.
Ch. I. Peres, b. April 13, 1767.
2. Molley, baptized September 17, 1769.
Tradition relates the following story of Peres Sprague,
son of Calvin. AVhen he was a boy he was fond of going
fishing in Mashapaug. His anxious mother used to go to
the top of the hill north of the house, which overlooked the
pond and call out to him, " Peres! Peres! are you drownded ?
If you be drownded, don't tell ant for you'll scare me to death if you
do tell!"

Daniel Steers came from Rhode Island to Union, about
1828. He married first, Annie Ruby, daughter of Thomas,
November 3, 1825; second, Lucinda Ruby, daughter of John,
March 26, 1829. She died February 5, 1845, and he married
third, Hannah Youmans.

Amos Stickney was one of the earliest settlers of Union.
He came from Norwich and settled on the hill to this day
known as Stickney Hill. The name of his wife was Hepzi-
bah. They had one child born in Union, Sarah, born
November 10, 1735. He probably removed from town after
living here a few years. Rev. Mr. Wyman was ordained
at his house.

Ebenezer Stoddard, of Woodstock, obtained possession
of land in Union, by an execution on David Grover, whereby
Oliver Wales, constable, gave him possession of it by " turf
and twig," March 29, 1784. He married Alathea. He lived

470 GENEALOGIES.
in the southeast part of town, one year at the Col. Abijah
Sessions place, where his son Ebenezer was bom. His
children were Perley, Alithea, Polly, and Ebenezer.
Ebenezer became a distinguished lawyer, Lieut. Gov
ernor of the State and a member of Congress. He was the
only member of Congress ever born in Union, although
Moses G. Leonard was brought up here, but was born in
Stafford.

Joseph Stone came from Dudley to Union, where he
bought of Mary Laflin, November i6, 1774, land lying in
the northeast pnrt of town. This was the place where Geo.
Crawford lives now. He married Lydin, who died July 1,
1790. Ho died April 22, 1S18, ngcd 88.
Ch. Samuel.
Sa.muel .Si'one, son of Joseph, lived where Geo. Craw
ford now docs. He mnrried JInry Ann Pnul, dnughter of
Robert, Jr. She died September 13, 1842, nged 83.
Ch. I. Susanna, b. 1785; d. December 29, 1804.
2. Betsey, b. August 21, 1787.
3. Lydia, b. February 26, 1789.
4. Polly, b. June 11, 1790.
5. Joseph, b. November 27, 1792.
6. Benjamin, b. April 26, 1795; d. December 18, 1798.
7. Samuel, b. February 11, 1798.

Samuel Strong came to Union from AVindsor, whore ho
wns born July i6, 1705. Ho wns tho son of Samuel, the son
of Return, tho son of Elder John, who cnme from Englnnd
in 163O Snmuol Strong of Union cnmo to town in 1747,
nnd settled in Rockmeadow. His farm bordered on tho
west line of tho town. Ho mnrried Mnrtha .Stoughton, of
East AVindsor. Ho died Jnnunry 13, 1789, and his widow
March 5, 1798.
Ch. I. John, d. March 25, 1756.
2. David, b. 1737; d. at Stafford in 1807.

STRONG.

471

3. Samuel, b. 1743.
4. Alexander, b. 1749.
5. Hannah, b. 1750; m. Jonathan Rising, May 9,
1780; went to Vermont.
6. Return, b. 1755; went to Vermont.
7. Lucy, m. Solomon Wales, October 5, 1754.
8. Ruth, m. Paul Rising, of Suffield.
9. Marthy, m. Burke; went to Vermont.
Alexander Strong, son of Samuel, lived where Francis
Upham now does. He married Abigail Rice, of Brimfield,
July I, 1779. He served in the Revolution. He died Feb
ruary, 25ir$26. His widow died March 2, 1834, aged 76.
^'.' Ch. 1. .:Rebecca, b. June 22, 1780; m. Ed. Foster.
*; .' . 2. Persis, b. March 5, 1782.
,_ 3. Salmon, b. March i, 1784.
-- 4. Hannah, b. January 3, 1787; m. The. Snell.
5. Erastus, b. September 13, 1789.
6. Alexander, b. April 21, 1792.
7^ Alvin, b. January 9, 1795; d. January 14, 1803.
Samuel Strong, son of Samuel, married Anna Needham,
of South Brimfield, September 19, 1770. She died June 30,
1843, aged loi. He died January 28, 1828, aged 85. He was
a Revolutionary soldier.
Ch. I. Martha, b. July 22, 1771; m. Neheiniah May.
2. Mary, b. May 28, 1774; m. Walter Rosebrooks.
3. Chloe, b. January 13, 1779; m. Elisha Needham.
4. Anna.
5. Phebe, b. June 11, 1781.
6. Tryphena, b. January 4, 1784; m. Aaron Allen,
of Sturbridge.
Salmon Strong, son of Alexander, married Philena
Horton, daughter of Dea. Ezra, January 9, 1812. He went
to New York from Union.
Ch. I. Salmon Horton, b. October 12, 1812; d. January
18, 1834.
2. Philena, b. September 14, 1812; m. O. F. Ranney.

472 GENEALOGIES.
3. Alvin, b. February 14, 1817; m. Persis Powers.
4. Olive Adelpha, b. March 7, 1821; d. April 14,
1842.
5. Abigail, b. June 4, 1824; m. O. B. Kinne.
6. Julias A., b. November 20, 1826; m. Caroline
Powers.
7. Warren Groves, b. October, 1832; m. Fanny
Smith.
Alexander Strong, son of Alexander, married Lucinda
Griggs, dnughter of Elisha, November 28, 1816.
Ch, I. Alvin, b. January 17, 1818.
Diantha, b. May 16, 1820.
Arvine, b. August 31, 1822.
AVarren, b. November 19, 1824.
Alexander Stoughton, b. March 30, 1827.
Lucinda, b. May 23, 1830.
Horatio, b. February 16, 1833.

THAYER FAMILY.

William Thayer, son of Paley Thayer, of Woodstock,
was born December 14, 18 16; came to Union in i860, and
bought of James M. Herindeen, the farm east of Bigelow,
where he afterwards lived. He married first, Laura Bar
ton, April 4, 1843. She died September 4, 1854.
Ch. I. George AVilliam, b, April 14, 1844.
2. Charles Henry, b. October 9, 1847; m. Addie
Simmons, of North Ashford, October 9, 1877,
William Thayer married second time, Philena A. Davis
Young, November 26, 1854. They had one child, Martha,
who married Edward Hewett, and had three children, viz.:
Albert F., Agnes P., and George H. They lived with AA^'il-
liam Thayer, until 1890, when they removed to AVhitinsville,
Mass. AVilliam Thayer died May 23, 1892. Mrs. Philena Thayer
died May 14, 1873.

THAYER. THOMPSON. 473
George AV. Thayer lived in a house which he built near
his father's, until about 1876, when he removed to Kcnyon
ville. After living in several other places he returned to
Union, saying that he had made more money in Union
than anywhere else. In 1884, he bought the Benjamin Cor
bin place, where he has since resided. He married Louisa
V. Young. Their children were:
Ch. I. Leonora, m. Myron Crawford.
2. Minnie G., b. July 7, 1866; m. E. Bruce Horton,
December, 1886.
3. Eva A., b. October 27, 1877.

David Thompson came from Ashford, in 1768. He mar
ried Prudence Harrington.
Ch. David, William, James, Asa, Prudence, Elizabeth,
Molley, m. James Sprague.
William Thompson, son of David, came from Ashford in
1774. He lived on the north side of Stickney Hill.
Ch. I. Asahel.
2. Calvin^ b. 1757; d. October 2, 1777.
3. Rufus, m. Sarah Burley, November 20, 1785.
4, Luther.
5. Benjamin.
6. Calvin.
David Thompson, son of David, married Patience. He
with his sons James and Abel, and their cousin Rufus, were
in the Revolutionary army.
Ch. I. James.
2. Abel, b. 1 761; d. February 6, 1782.
3. Patience, b. 1762; d. September 26, 1777.
4. Eleazar.
5. David, b. 1773.
6. Deborah, b. November, 1776; d. September 20,
,1777-
7. David, b. October 7, 1778.

474

GENEALOGIES.

8. Joseph, b, March 21, 1781.
9. Abel, m. Ruth Thompsqn.
James Tho.mpson, son of David, first lived near the Fos
ter place on the Corbin road. He moved to Belchertown
about 1795. He married Mrs. Rachel Hovey, daughter of
Joseph Enos
Ch. I. Enos.
2, William, b. July 5, 1773; m. Experience Darling,
of Pnlmor.
3. Roswell, m. Anna Cleveland; lived in Belcher
town.
4, Rachel, b. December 30, 1776; m. Capt. Onias
Hoar, April 28, 1864.
5. Betsey, m. George Bennett, of Belchertown.
6. Asa, b. April 25, 1781; m. Louisa Cooke, of
Belchertown.
7. Dolly, m. Reuben Cleveland, of Belchertown.
8. Susannn, m. Loring Dutton, of Ludlow.

RuFus Thompson, son of Willinm, married Sarah Burley,
daughter of Josiah, November 24, 1785.
Ch. I. Huldah, b, Mnrch 10, 1787.
2, Hannah, b. l-'obrunry 26, 1789.
3. Grosvenor, b. Februnry 21, 1791.

Elijah Touicy cnmo from Sutton, Mnss., nnd bought in
1782, of Elijah Loomis, of East AVindsor, lot No. 2 (where
Mason Horton now lives). Ho sold it to Capt Penuel Child,
in 1789. Children born in Union:
Ch. I. Nnncy, b. September 17, 1782.
2. Elijnh, b. October 3, 1784.

Thomas Tourtei.ott onmc from Thompson to Union in
1820, nnd bought tho plnco previously owned by John
Armour. His unolo Stephen, a millwright, came to town

THE TOWN FAMILY.

475

later, but never owned a place here. Thomas Tourtelott
married Rebecca.
Ch. I. Thomas.
2. Smith, m. Sarah Leland, April 9, 1848.
3. Wright.
4. Squire.
S. Reed.
6. Adaline, m. Dwight AV. Whittemorc, of Stur
bridge, April 9, 1848.
the town families.
Joseph Town came from Thompson to Union about
1819. He lived in the northwest corner of town, where
Abiel now does. He was selectman in the years 1826, 1829
and 1835.
He married, first, Rhoda Chaffee, who died February 17,
1840. He married, second, Martha Bradley, who died
August 18, 1858, aged 58.
Joseph Town died July 13, 1865, aged 78.
His children (the first six born at Thompson, the rest
at Union), were:
Ch. I. Hiram, b. May 5, 1806.
2. Nancy, b. February 7, 1808; m. William G.
Young of Southbridge, October 14, 1833.
3. Hermon, b. August 30, 1810; d. in Wales.
4. Luther, b. December 20, 1812; lives in Spring
field.
5. Walter, b. April 3, 1815; d. December 29, i8i6.
6. Lucinda, b. March 13, 1818; lives in Brimfield.
7. Laura, b. April 2, 1820; d. November 27, 1829.
8. Mary Ann, b. August i, 1822; d. in Wales.
9. Lucy, b. January 26, 1825; m. Edwin S. Webber
of Holland, January 22, 1843.
10. Abiel, b. February 4, 1828.
II. Walter, b. August 15, 1830; d. September 19,
1830.
13. Esther Wales, b. January 9, 1832; m. Timothy
D. Butterworth of Holland, January 9, 185 1

476 GENEALOGIES.
Hiram Town, son of Joseph, married Betsey Wales,
daughter of Gideon, December 20, 1829. She died. August
31, 1844. Ho married, second,  Bonnet
Ch. I. Laurn, b. October 30, 1830; ni. F. B. Blodgett of
Hollnnd.
2. Hiram Judson, b. April 7, 1834; d. in the army,
December 28, 1862.
3. Allen AVales, b. April 23, 1836; lived in South-
bridge.
4. Merritt A., b. February 2, 1839; m. Abbie A.
Pratt, March, 1867.
5. Mary Ann, b. April 5, 1842; m. Andrew G.
Chaplin, August, 1862. He died December
8, 1862.
AiiiRL Town, son of Joseph, mnrried Frances AVhcclock.
Ch. 1, Emma, b, April 4, 1859,
2. Ella, b. November 19, i860.
3, Frank, b. Jnnunry 7, 1865.
4, Annie, b, ^Iny 3, 1867.
Joel Town was born in Oxford, Mnss., Mnrch 12, 1776.
He wns the son of Simon, the son of John, tho son of Jacob,
the son of William Town and Joanna Blessing, who came
from Yarmouth, England, as early as 1640. AVilliam Town
is the ancestor of nearly all the Towns in this country, and
a memorial of his descendants has been published. Joel
Town came from Dudley to Union not far from 1830. He
lived west of Timothy Newell's, where his son George AV.
afterwards did. He married Elizabeth (Betsey) Willard.
He died at Union or at Ashford, September 24, 1863,
aged 87.
Ch. I. Colostinn, b. October 8, 1801; m. John Pope of
Thompson, Jnnunry 20, 1822.
2. George AV., b. April 15, 1804; m. first, Snlly
Cass, daughter of Elbridge, April 12, 1847,
She died April II, 1851. Ho married, second,
widow Hannah Squires, Mnrch 20, 1853. He
died December 13, 1863, without children.

THE TOWN FAMILY.

477

3. Nelson Parker, b. November i, 1806.
4. Sennia P., b. August 24, 1809; m. Danforth
Childs, March 9, 1828.
5. Oliver W., b. March 29, 1812; m. Julia Stolen
6. Betsey, b. April 21, 1816; m. first, Gilbert Rose
brooks; second, Uriah P. Marcy.
7. Rejoice Foster, b. June 15, 1819.
Nelson P. Town was an excellent mechanic at Charl
ton, Mass. He married Julia A. Dresser, daughter of
Moses, September 10, 1828. He died November 24, 1846,
aged 40.
His sons were :
I. Alban Nelson, b. May 26, 1829. He is one of the
greatest railroad men in the country. He
began as a brakoman on the Chicago, Burling
ton and Quincy Railroad, and by his applica
tion, integrity and perseverance rose to the
position of assistant general superintendent.
In 1869 he became general superintendent
of the Central Pacific Railroad, which posi
tion he still holds (1892). It is a position of
great responsibility, but Mr. Town has shown
rare ability in the discharge of its multifari
ous duties and has acquired a large fortune.
He is highly respected by all who know him.
He lives in San Francisco, Cal.
2. Moses D., b. August 15, 1831. He was engaged
in railroad business, under the C. B. & Q.
• R. R. .
3. Lewis Willard, b. September 4, 1833. He has
been superintendent of several railroads in
the AVcst, and by his energetic labor has
won a position of profit and honor. By a
life of integrity he has endeared himself to
the best men of the country. He lives at
Kansas City, Mo.
4. Horace A., b.July 12, 1835, is another eminently

478 GENEALOGIES.
successful railroad man. He is the superin
tendent of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
He lives at Brainerd, Minn.
5. Marcus M., b. May 28, 1844, has also been a suc
cessful railroad superintendent and hotel
proprietqr in the AVest.
Rejoice Foster Town, son of Joel, lives on the old Fos
ter place in Union. He married Elizabeth C. Sessions,
daughter of Col. Moses C. She died November 2, 1888.
Ch. I. Andrew, b. June 28, 1844; d. April 4, 187 1.
2. Nelson, b. December 25, 1845; lives in AVilling
ton.
3. Albert, b. November 28, 1847; d. October 24,
1852,
4. Horace, b. February 19, 1850; m. Florence Bid-
well, November 25, 1873; one child, Arthur
Hor.aco, b. October 15, 1874.
5. Frank, b. September 4, 1852; killed by a falling
timber at South AVindsor, March, 1890. He
married Stella House and left two children,
Emma and Frank.
6. George, b. April 5, 1855; d. October 22, 1856.
7. George, b, June 8, 1862.
George Town, son of R. Foster, married Josephine Bar
bour, daughter of Frederick, November 28, 1888. They
have one child.
Ch. I. George Raymond, b. Septeinber 20, 1889.

Sullivan Underwood, a native of Monson, Mass., mar
ried Fanny Lyon, daughter of Stephen. They have lived
in many different places in the towns of Union, Holland,
AVoodstock, Pomfret, Eastford, Ashford and Stafford.
Ch. I. P.almer Stanton, b. February 18, 1836,
2. Milton Bradford, b, Janu.ary i, 1843; d. June 21,
1843-

THE UPHAM FAMILY. 479
3. Caroline Elizabeth, b. 1844; d. 1846.
4. Milton Allen, b. September, 1845; m. Nellie
Capwell; have three children.
the upham family.
Ichabod Town Upham, son of Nehemiah, was born in
Thompson, April 29, 1798, and died at Union. He married
Abigail Copeland, March 3, 1822. He came from Thomp
son to Union in 1822, and settled on the place where he
ever afterwards lived and where his son Jonathan now re
sides. Ch. I. Edwin Windson, b. May 3, 1823.
2. Jonathan Copeland, b. August 16, 1828.
3. Sarah Elizabeth, b. October 22, 1830; d. March
2, 1856.
Ichabod T. Upham died October 3, 1889. Abigail C.
Upham died January 2, 1882.
Edwin W. Upham married Nancy Deliza Corbin,
November 12, 1848. He lived a year in Monson and
a year in Brimfield; then he returned to Union and
in 1854 bought the Alexander Strong place in Rock
meadow, where his son Francis now lives. He lived there
until he moved to the Lindsey place in the fall of 1881,
where he now resides. He was a soldier in the late war,
being a corporal in Capt. Corbin's company. He has held
several town offices and represented his town in the Legis
lature of 1889.
Ch. I. Francis Leroy, b. April 30, 1853; m. Ella Ade
laide Colburn, daughter of George D. Col-
bum, April 12, 1875.
2. Lizzie Abbie, b. April 21, 1861.
Jonathan Copeland Upham, son of Ichabod, married
Maria T. Arnold of Killingly, October 27, 1857.
Ch. 1. George Washington, b. August 2, 1859.
2. Sarah Elizabeth, b. April 15, 1861; d. July 25,
1883.

48o GENEALOGIES.
George AV. Upha.m, son of Jonathan, married Cornelia
Youngs, daughter of Thomas, July 17, 1884. She died
April II, 1888., He married a second time Eliza Smith,
November 6, 1889.
Ch. (by first wife), Arthur Herbert, b. February 5, 1886.
Archelaus Upham, son of Nehemiah of Thompson, came
to Union with his brother Ichabod, with whom he lived
until 1829, when ho returned to Thompson. Ho \yas nn
active member of tho church while in town. Ho married
Betsey Richmond of Pomfret,
Ch, I, Nohominh, b. 1820; lived in Norwich, Conn.
2. Phobc, b. in 1821,
3, Maria Cummings, b. in 1822.
4. Lyman, b. in 1824.
5. Esther Arnold, b. in 1826.
6. Benjamin Morris, b. in 1828.
7. George, b. in 1830; lives in Athol.

Deacon Ebenezer AVales came from Windham to Union
not far from 1750. He was born in Milton, Mass., once a
part of Dorchester, in 1697, and died in Union, April 12,
1776, in tho 78th year of his ago. He left a widow and six
teen children, and had buried four. He left Milton with
his father when sixteen years old, who sottlod in AVind-
ham. Ebenezer Wales was deacon of the church at AVind-
ham for several yenrs before he came to Union. He was
noted for his piety, for his intellcctunl nbility nnd deep
sensibility, ns is proved by his printed ndvicc to his chil
dren. His "Counsels and Directions" were published at
Boston in 1813, in a tract of 24 pages, nearly 40 years nftor
his donth. They had remnincd in mnnuscript 76 years
before thoy wore printed, and arc now 127 years old (1864).
Tho tract wns printed, probnbly, for the use of his descend
ants, nnd ought to be republished for the goncrnl good of
mankind. The father of Ebenezer AVales wns Dencon
Nathaniel Wales, of Windhnm,n native of Milton, Mnss. Ho

WALES. 481
was born in 1658 and died June 22, 1744, in the 83rd year of
his age.
• Deacon Nathaniel AVales was the son of Timothy Wales,
of Milton, an eminently pious but eccentric man. He was
probably born in England, and came with his father, Dea
con Nathaniel Wales, who was one of the first settlers of
Dorchester, Mass. Deacon Nathaniel Wales, of Dorches
ter, was a fellow passenger with the Rev. Richard Mather,
in the ship "James of Bristol," which came over in 1635.
The details of that voyage were written by Mather, and
his "Journal" is printed in Young's Chronicles of Massachu
setts. His wife's name was Issobell, and she outlived him
only two weeks. His children, according to Savage, were
Timothy, John and Nathaniel, who came to America with
him. Whether any were born here is unknown. The
family traditions say he had a brother John; also a brother
Elkanah, who had two sons.
Deacon Ebenezer AVales, of Union, had two brothers,
Deacon Nathaniel AVales, of AVindham, and Rev. Eleazar
AVales. His first wife was Esther Smith, the mother of
ten of his children. She died October 10, 1737. He
then married Deborah Ward, October 13, 1741, who is said
to have had ten children, though only eight are enumer
ated in the following list.
Deborah AVales was a woman of great patriotism and
resolution. She was the one who said to her son, Solomon
AVales, when two of his sons were about starting to Cam
bridge at the time of the Lexington alarm : " I would not
send my boys where I dare ngt go myself." He took the
hint. He sent his boys and went himself, and served as
captain, at the age of 45, fifteen months. Deborah Wales
lies buried in the old cemetery at Union, just east of the
center. On the gravestone everything else is obliterated
except the name, "Mrs. Deborah Wales." Her grave is
now annually decorated by the local G. A. R. Post.
Deacon Ebenezer Wales died just as the American Rev
olution was ready to break out, viz., April 12, 1774. His
widow, Deborah, died March 13, 1779, aged 65.
31

482 GENEALOGIES.
The children of Deacon Ebenezer Wales nnd his two
wives, Esther and Deborah, wore ;
Ch. I, Anna, b. September 7, 1720; d. May 13, 1721.
3. Nathaniel, b. Mnrch 20, 1732; d. October ao,
I78.V
3. libcnczor, b. December 10, 1734; d. April 13,
>7Si'
4. Elishn, b. Mnrch 10, 1738; d, April 6, 1788.
5, Solomon, b. Novombor 19, 1729; d. March 20,
1805.
6. Elizabeth, b. September 28, 1730; d. April, 1763.
7. Eleazar, b. April 30, 1732.
8. .Seth, b. April 12, 1734; d. May 20, 1785.
9. Anna, b. July 27, 1735.
10. Timothy, b. October 7, 1737; m. Sarah Loomis,
November 11, 1762.
II. Susannah, b. July 9, 1742,
12. Oliver, b. February 23, 1744.
13. Esther, b. March 8, 1746; m. John Bliss, of
Brimfield, 1774; d. November 24, 1781.
14. Elijnh, b, Jnnuary 28, 1748.
15. Irene, b. August 3, 1750; d. Doeomber 3, 1793.
16. Lydia, b. March 9, 1752; d. Scptomber 20, 1781,
17. Shubael, b. October 6, 1754.
18. Sarnh, b. October 6, 1754.
There are two others who died young, whose nnmos nrc
not given. This is the largest family whioh we have to
record in this book.
Solomon Wales, son of Ebenezer, wns a mnn of remark
able ability. Probably no mnn hns over lived in town who
hns boon endowed with grcntor ncutonos.s nnd strength of
mind. Thoro Is a tradition thnt ho ran nwny from homo when
n boy to go with his two l)rothor,4 to tho French wnr, If
this bo truo, it immt hnvc boon tho "old French war," nH It
is often onllod, or King George's wnr. In this wnr tho for
tress of Louisburg, on Cnpo Breton Island, was, captured by

WALES. 483
a colonial army, June 17, 1745. At this time young Solo
mon would have been sixteen years old. This theory is
confirmed by the fact that he was on the coast when he went,
as the following incident shows : During the expedition he
drifted from the ship in an open boat. In his effort to
reach the ship his oar broke or was lost, and he was
obliged to save himself by swimming some distance in a
wintry sea. He was captain of a company for a part of the
time of the Revolution.
He probably lived in the north part of town, where his
son Gideon did. He married, ist, Lucy Strong, October 3,
1754. She died December 29, 1772, and he married, 2nd,
Dorothy Perrin, of Woodstock, September 2, 1773. He died
March 20, 1805.
Ch. I. Eleazer, b. July 30, 1755.
2. John, b. March 15, 1757; m. Jerusha Derby,
December 2, 1779.
3. Eunice, b. January 27, 1759; m. Rufus May, of
Holland, December 13, 1781.
4. Lucy, b. June 18, 1761, m. Chester May, of Hol
land, February 22, 1781.
5. Gideon, b. March 20, 1764.
6. Esther, b. February 13, 1768; m. Jacob Burnett;
d. August 25, 1835.
Eleazar AVales, son of Solomon, lived near the Foster
saw-mill. He married, ist, Deidameia Chaffee, of Union,
June 24, 1783. She died March 6, 1787. He married Mary
AVhiting, of Ashford, January 22, 1793.
Ch. I. Ervine, b. June 10, 1785; lived in Brookfield,
Wis.
2. Eleazar, b. May 16, 1794-
3. Solomon, b. March i, 1796.
4. John, b. January 12, 1798.
5. Samuel, b. December 17, 1800; lived in Brook
field, Wis.
6. Deidameia, b. June 9, 1803.
7. Eunice, b. May 17, 1805.
S. Derexa, b. February 16, 1809.

484 QKNUALOarh'S.
Timothy Wales, son of Dencon Ebenezer, married
Saroh Looml.s, November n, 176a.
Ch, I. lilizabcth, b. Mnrch so, 1764; ni. Chester Mor
ris, of Holland, March 24, 1785.
2. Timothy, baptized Mnrch 30, 1766.
3. Roger, b. Juno 19, 1769,
Oliver AVales, son of Dencon Ebenezer,' .settled first in
Union, and afterwards in South Brimfield,, in 1766. Hc
mnrriod, ist, Elizabeth Lnwronco, dnughter 6i Dr. Jnmcs,
of .South Brimfield, and 2nd, Ruth  . Ho died March
23, 1816. Ch. I. Jnmos Lnwronce, bocnmc n prominent citizen
of South Brimfield, so thnt in honor of him
the nnmc of tho town wns chnngcd from
South Brimfield to Wales, Februnry 20, 182S.
In recognition of tho honor ho bequeathed
$2,000 to the town. He died July 3, 1840,
aged 70.
2. Royal, d. August 30, 1857, aged 84.
3. Oliver, d. September 26, 1855, aged 76.
4. Irene.
5. Esther, m. Augustus Phelps, of Ashford.
6. Orrin, d. October 8, 1785.
7. Vine, d. February 20, 1784.
Deacon Elijah AVales, son of Deacon Ebenezer, was a
deacon of the Baptist church of South Brimfield. He mar-
riod.Rachcl NoKson, of .South Brimfield, April 14, 1773. He
died March a, 1826, Ilis wife died October 18, i8a8.
Ch. I. Nnncy, b, Mnrch 16, 1773; m. Dnvid Rnthbone,
a Baptist minister; d. Mny 16, 1826.
2. Tryphena, b, October 11, 1774; d. May 20, 1777.
3. Ebenezer, b. April 4, 1776; lived and died at
Fenner, N. Y.
4. Alvin, b. November 6, 1778; was a Baptist min
ister at Fenner; d. June 2, 1810.
5. Elijah, b. December 2, 1780; was a physician
and died at Union, August '^, '«ji"

WALES, 485
6. Linus, b. October 28, 1782.
7. Philena, b. April 24, 1785; m. Deacon Seward.
8. Palace, b. September 21, 1787; d. March 27, 1790.
9. Tryphena, b. January 5, 1790.
10. Joseph, b. August 14, 1792; went to college and
became a Baptist minister; d. young.
Gideon Wales, son of Solomon, lived on the Arnold
Paine place (the first house southeast of the Northwest
school-house). He married, ist, Abigail Gallup, of Mont
villo, Conn., January 2, 1798. She bore twin children and
died November 21, 1798. He married, 2nd, Betsey Allen,
of Sturbridge, October 30, 1800. He died October 12, 1837.
She died February 27, 1858.
Ch. I. Abigail, b. October 31, 1798; m. Massena Need
ham.
2. Gideon, b. October 31, 1798.
3. Lucy, b. February 6, 1803; m. Nathan Kinney.
4. Esther, b. January 22, 1805; m. Sam. S. Need
ham, of Monson.
5. Aaron Allen, b. November 6, 1808.
6. Betsey, b. March 28, 181 1; m. Hiram Town; d.
August 31, 1844.
Linus Wales, son of Deacon Elijah, married Mary Lor
ing, August II, 181 1. He died October 13, 1875. His wife
died Felsruary 10, 1865.
Ch. I. Phila, b. May 25, 1812; m. Ezra A. Putney.
3. Andrew Jackson, b. August 15, 1815.
3. Alvin, b. May 8, 181 7.
4. Mary Eliza, b. July 14, 1820; m. James T. Ham
ilton, of Stafford, March 6, 1844.
5. Nancy, b. September 20, 1825; d. September 15,
1830, by falling into a coal-pit.
6. Nancy, b. March 15, 1830; m. George Winter,
of Southbridge.

486 GENEALOGIES.
Gideon Wales, son of Gideon, married Polly Boyden,
January 19, 1830.
Ch. I. Abigail Semina, b. November 6, 1831.
2. Arvine Rensalaer, b. May 29, 1833.
3. Solomon Alexander, b. January 21, 1836.
Aaron Allen Wales, son of Gideon, married Betsey
Maria Harvey (b. March 6, 1809), April 3, 1830. He lived
south of the Kinney mills and afterwards on the county
road near Albert Weld's.
Ch. I. Betsey M., b. November 7, 1831; m. Marvin
Howard, October 26, i^.
2. Delight H.,b. January 3, 1833; m. Thomas Hor
ton, April 29, 1850.
3. Lorette Adelia, b. March 2, 1834; m. Linus
Smith, of Southbridge, May i, 1853.
4. Celinda, b. April 13, 1837; m. Albert E. AVeld.
5. Elvira Belinda, b. October 18, 1839; m. George
Spaulding, of AVoodstock.
6. Lucy Jane, b. November 11, 1844; d. April 10,
1869.
7. Emeline, b. May 22, 1849; d. November 27, 1849.
Alvin Wales, son of Linus, married Eliza AVarren,
August 7, 1842.
Ch. I. Viola, b. November 20, 1843.
2.. AVilliam, b. May 9, 1847.
3. George, b. December 15, 1850.
4. Lelia, b. March 8, 1854.
Alvin Wales died May 19, 1856.
Andrew J. Wales, son of Linus, married Roxanna
Moore, February 12, 1858. She was born March 8, 1828.
Ch. I. Lorinda, b. August 12, 1859.
2. Nancy, b. July 12, 1862.
3. Viola, b. October 31, 1864.
4. Anna, b. January 31, 1870.

Aaron A. Wales.

WALES, WALKER. 487
Lorette A. Wales, daughter of Allen A. Wales, mar
ried Linus Smith, of Southbridge, May i, 1853. He died
March 24, 1864.
Ch. I. Ella M., b. March 6, 1854; m. Samuel O. Sim
mons, of Southbridge, January i, 1879, and
had five children. She died December 29,
1889.
2. Mabel, d. in infancy.
3. Lucy, d. in infancy.
4. Sedalia E., b. September, 1862; d. September
29, 1873-
Lorette A. Smith married, 2nd, Albert M. Belknap, of
Southbridge, June 9, 1773.
Ch. I. Henry W., b. April 27, 1876.
2. Albert Belknap, d. May 10, 1892.
Elvira B. Wales, daughter of Aaron A. Wales, married
George A. Spaulding, March 18, 1869.
Ch. I. Jennie M., b. February 11, 1872; m. Archie
Campbell, January 30, 1891.
2. Anna H., b. June 9, 1878.

Nathaniel AValker, was one of the earliest settlers and
large proprietors of Union. He came from Ashford. He
bought land of Samuel Allen, one of the original proprie
tors, in 1729. This was 200 acres, three-quarters of a mile
northwest of Lead-mine hill. This would include the
region on the county road north of Henry Corbin's. Tra
dition says that he was the richest man that came to
Union in the first company of settlers. He paid for all his
land, stocked his farm well, and brought a barrel of rum.
But he had intemperate sons who squandered their patri
mony. He had two wives, Rebecca, by whom the first two
children were bom, and Jemima, the mother of the rest
He died July i, 1759, aged 84.
He brought seven children with him from Ashford.
Ch. I. Nathaniel, b. August 4, 1707.

488 GENEALOGIES.
2. Benjamin, b. August 4, 1709.
3. Obadiah, b. February 3, 1715.
4. Rebecca, b. March 7, 17 17.
5. Israel, b. March 18, 1719.
6. Abigail, b. May 11, 1721; m. John Ward, Octo
ber 10, 1739,
7. Hezekiah, b. July 8, 1723.
8. Edward, b. September 23, 1725.
Nathaniel AValker, son of Nathaniel, married Sarah
Fuller, May 30, 1736.
Ch. I. Phebe, b. December 13, 1736.
Judith, b. May 6, 1741.
3. Zerniah, b. December 20, 1742.
4. Rebecca, b. September 10, 1744.
5. Hezekiah, b. April 18, 1746; m. Jerusha Ames.
6. Stephen, b. January i, 1748.
James, b. February 9, 1755.
Ketraah, b. October 6, 1756.
Simonds ; lived in Hampton.
Benjamin Walker, son of Nathaniel, married Lydia.
She died January 19, 1747.
Ch. I. Benjamin, b. March 17, 1735.
2. Rebecca, b. November 3, 1738.
3. Elijah, b. July 23, 1743.
4. Elishfi, b. July 23, 1743.
5. Israel, b. March 16, 1745.
6. Asa, b. January 11,1747.
7. Eward, b. August 19, 1750; m. Daniel Badger,
3rd.
8. Benjamin, b. June 16, 1755.
9. Elizabeth, m. Simonds AValker.
Obadiah AValker, son of Nathaniel, ist, married Mary
Chaffee, March 20, 1739.
Ch. I. Ezra, b. March 29, 1741.

WALKER. 489
Edward Walker, son of Nathaniel, ist, married Mary.
Ch. I. Robert, b. March II, 1752.
2. Jacob, b. February 19, 1755.
3. Eunice, b. January 30, 1757.
4. Obadiah, b. May 18, 1760.
Simonds Walker, son of Nathaniel, Jr., lived on the
Elisha Severy place. He married Elizabeth Walker,
daughter of Benjamin, September 12, 1771.
Ch. I. Benoi, b. February 11, 1772.
2. Chloe, b. December 5, 1773.
3. Levi, b. April 27, 1775; m. Sarah Shumway.
4. Stephen, b. September 25, 1782.
5. Jemima, b. June 1, 1785; m. Heman Severy.
6. Margaret, b. September 9, 1787.
7. Elias, b. September 2, 1790; d. September 25,
1790.
8. Rachel, b. March 20, 1793; d. April 23, 1828.
9. Mehitabel, b. September 23, 1795.
Benjamin Walker, son of Benjamin, lived north of the
Trenck Crawford pldce. He married Hannah Laflin, April
10, 1777. He died June 11, 1830.
Ch. I. Ebenezer, b. November 17, 1777; d. at Fenner,
N. Y.
2. Susannah, b. December 16, 1779.
3. James, m. Polly Howard; d. 1817.
4. Polly.
5. Hannah.
Ezra Walker, son of Obadiah, married ist, Abigail, by
whom he had two children; second Anna Pitge.
Ch. I. Perley, b. July 22, 1767.
2. Olive.
3. Henry, b. July I, 1778.
4. Wyllys, b. February 21, 1784.
5. Olive, b. September 28, 1787.
6. Betsey, b. May i, 1792.
7, Leighton.

490 GENEALOGIES.
Benoni Walker, son of Simonds, married Abigail Kin
ney of Woodstock, November 14, 1799. He lived where A.
A. Wales did the latter part of his life.
Ch. 1. Sally, b. November 4, 1798; died young.
2. Ira, b. February 17, 1801.
3. AVilliam, b. February 24, 1804; m. Irene Coye
February 2, 1823; d. April 29, 1828.
4. Mary, m. Hiram Dodge of Medbury, Mass.,
November 8, 1837.
5. Mercy Oritta, b. February 16, 1814.
6. Sally, b. February 21, 1817.
7. Minerva, b. April 26, 1820.
Stephen AValker, son of Simonds, lived where Mr.
Richards does. He married Abigail Johnson.
Ch. I. Nathaniel, b. December 20, 1809; d. June, 1834.
2. Elizabeth, b. April 12, 1813; d. May 9, 1813.
3. Ebenezer.
Perley AValker, son of Ezra, married Rebecca Brough-
ton. Ch. I. AA^areham Bugbee, b. September 9, 1792.

Ezra, b. July 31, 1794.
Perley, b. August 28, 1796; m. Sally Howard.
Huldah Ainsworth, b. August 2, 1798.
Palmer, b. November 4, 1800.
John Newman, b. March 3, 1803.
Joseph.Rebecca, m. Danford Morse.

Ira AA'alker, son of Benoni, married Maria Morse March
II, 1830. Ch. I. Ira, b. June 18, 1833; d. June 15, 1835.
2. Persis, b. April 21, 1836; m. Marcus Curtis;
second, Wm. P. Park; d. February 9, 1892.
3. Orrin, b. June 5, 1839.
Joseph Walker, son of Perley, married Rebeoca James,
daughter of Benjamin, June 25, 1829.

WALKER. 491
Ch. I. Frank, b. December 27, 1830; d. in the army.
2. Emeline Jane, b. May 6, 1833.
3. Milo P. J., b. June 6, 1843.
John Newman Walker, son of Perley, married Nancy
Perry of Woodstock.
Ch. I. Danford Perry, b. September 26, 1827.
2. Parma, b. February 23, 1830.
3. John Quincy, b. July 25, 1832.
4. Rebecca, b. January 25, 1836.
5. Daniel, b. October 25, 1837.
Milo P. J. Walker, son of Joseph, was in the army in
the late war, being a member of Co. G. 22nd C. V. He
married Jennie S. Morse, daughter of Amasa, February 13,
1866. They lived in the house with her father till Deeem
ber, 1890, when they moved to Stafford Springs. While in
Union he held many town offices, being in the Legislature
of 187 1, and selectman for many years. He has been
County Commissioner for several years. He has always
been a Republican.
Ch. I. Frank H., b. October 19, 1868; d. June 22, 1871.
2. Herbert M., b. August 15, 1871; d. March 29,
1880.
3. Alice J., b. November 30, 1874.
4. Albert M., b. October 21, 1877.
5. Ruth N., b. November 10, 1880.
Harvey Walker, came to Union from Westford about
the year 1827. He was the son of Timothy of Westford, a
descendant of Philip of Rehoboth. He married Julia Ann
White, daughter of Moses White of Westford, May 16, 1833,
He died suddenly of malignant pustule, March 4, i860,
aged 52. Julia A., his wife, died at Chicago, III, December
13, 1891. Ch. I. Andrew White, b. April 17, 1836; d. October
33, 1838.
a. Laura White> b. July 14, 1839; m. first, Jared

492 GENEALOGIES.
Dana Sessions; second, Rev. Samuel I. Cur
tiss, May IO, 1870.
3. Josephine, b. March 30, 1841; m. William M.
Corbin, June 27, i860.
4. Andrew Dwight, b. January 29, 1843; d.
November 9, 1849.
5. Merrillo Harvey, b. March 28, 1850.
6. Frederick Hartwell, b. April i, i860; m. Capi
tola Hollingsworth.
Hartley Walker, son of Timothy of Ashford, lived at
Mashapaug. He married Josephine Reed. .She died
August I, 1873.
Ch. 1. Harriet Josephine, b. April 28, 1859; m. Fred
AV. Moore.
2. Hartley Reed, b. April 5, 1865; m. Belle Harris
of Fiskdale.
Frederick H. Walker, son of Harvey, married Capitola
Hollingsworth (born May 23, 1864) June 6, 1886.
Ch. I. Eugene, b. January 2, 1888.
2. Florence, b. May 3, 1890.

Newton AVallis, son of Hiram and Mary E. Putney
AVallis, was born in Holland, Mass., July 5, 1841. During
tho war he served from October 15, 1861, to November 27,
1864, in Co. I, 27th Mass. Vol. Inf., as private und corporal,
and was in the battles of Kingston, Whitehall, Goldsborot
nnd tho siege of AVasliington, N. C, also the battle of Port
AValthall, and the siege of Potcrsburgh, Va., in 1864, being
wounded at Port AValthall.
He lived in Union from 1865 to 1889, with the exception
of the years 1879 and 1880, when he lived in AVales. He
has always been engaged in some form of the lumber busi
ness. He held several town offices, and was one of the
charter members and a commander of the D. P. Corbin
G. A. R. Post of Union.

WALLIS, WARD. 493
He now (1893) lives in Ludlow, Mass. He married Dell
E. Harris, daughter of Dea. WiBiam H. Harris, of Holland,
November 18, 1869.
Ch. I. Edith A., b. October 12, 1876.
2. Lizzie D., b. March n, 1879.
3. Willie N., b. June 27, 1885.

Dea. AVilliam Ward was an early settler of Union, and
a large land proprietor. He was the son of William Ward,
who came to Union with his son. from Ashford, where he
was an influential man in town and church affairs. He died
June 8, 1 731, the first white person who died in town. He
was buried in the old burying ground near the center, but
has no headstone. He was 61 years of age. His widow,
Judith AVard, died in Union, January 21, 1746. William
AVard, Sr., was the son of Obadiah, the son of William Ward,
the common ancestor of a posterity in this country, which
in 185 1, numbered many thousand persons.
Dea. William Ward, of Union, was the oldest of a family
of seven children, born June 9, 1691, and died at Union,
September 11, 1780. His wife, Rachel, died February 6,
i779> aged 84. He was the first appointed deacon of the.
church, and universally respected as a wise and good man.
Dea. Horton remembered him as an old man of venerable
appearance, who on the Sabbath sat in the pulpit with the
minister, as he was hard of hearing. The descendants of
Dea. Ward were numerous and would now outnumber the
population of the town, but not one of them has lived in
Union for nearly a century. His children were:
Ch. I. Uriah, b. Februnry 24, 1715; m. Elizabeth
Ingraham.
2. John, b. November 9, 17 16; m. ist, Abigail
Walker; 2nd, Abigail Heath.
3. Ebenezer, b. April 9, 1719; m. Anna Peake.
4. Moses, b. September 16, 1722; m. Eunice Rood.
5. Obadiah, b. February 9, 1725; m. Esther Ruggles.
6. Rachel, b. April 23, 1727; m. Joseph Enos.

494

GENEALOGIES.

7. Jesse, b. August 6, 1729; m. Elizabeth Abbe.
8. Sarah, d. January 13, 1740.
9. William, d. April 23, 1735.
10. Benjamin, d. October 19, 1741.
Dea. William Ward lived on tho place afterwards owned
by Linus Wales.
Uriah AVard, son of Dea. AVilliam, settled first, at Union
He had eight children. He died at Monson, in 1790.
John AVard, son of Dea. William, lived in Union till 1848,
then moved to Belchertown. Ho had 16 children.
Ebenezer AVard, son of Dea. AVilliam, had 8 children,
and died in 1767, aged 48.
MosES AVard, son of Dea. AVilliam, had 8 children, and •
died before 1770.
Obadiah Ward, son of Dea. AVilliam, lived at Union,
Belchertown, South Hadley, and Cambridge, N. Y. " Ho
had 6 children.
Joshua AVeiih, came from Windhnm, nnd bought Innd of
Josiah Sumner, Juno 6, 1753. Ho married Hnnnnh, dnugh
ter of John Abbie,, -
Ch, 1. Eunice, b, -Novoniber 20, 1755.
2. Calvin, b, July 30, 1757; d. nt Rockinghnm, A't.
in 1854.
3. Mnry, b. Jnnunry 27, 1760.
4. Ann, b. August 21, 1761.
5. Luther, b. October 23, 1763.

George A. Webster came from Lancashire, Eng. He
lived in Springfield, Mass., whence he cnme to Union, in
February, 1861. He married Maria Rockwell; second, Mrs.
Jane L. Presby, of Springfield.
Ch. I. Charles Richard, b. January 3, 1855; m. Caro-

WEBSTER. WELD. WHITE. 495
line Blodgett, of Holland, February, 1884,
and has one child, Marion Gertrude, b. Au
gust 10, 1890.
2. Martha Maria, b. March 2, 1856; d. April 4, 1880.
3. William Sanford, b. February 21, 1858^
4. Robert Ellsworth, b. September 19, 1861; m.
Bertha Corbin, daughter of Anson, April 15,
1886.
Mr. Webster died 1891. Mrs. Webster died January,
1892. Albert E. AVeld married Celinda Wales, daughter of
Aaron A., March 29, 1859. They lived at Union till about
1887, when they went to Southbridge.
Ch. I. Isabel M., b. January 22, 1862; m. Rev. John
Pearee.
2. Benjamin Corey, b. July 5, 1863; m. Nettie E.
Kinney, October 23, 1887.
3. Flora M., b. July 27, 1868; d. May 10, 1870.
4. Everett A., b. January 17, 1870; d. May 13, 1870,
5. Clarence E., b. June 30, 1875; d. July 3, 1879.
Isabel M. Weld, daughter of Albert E. Weld, married
Rev. John Pearee, March 31, 1886.
Ch. I. Winnifred W., b. February 15, 1887; d. February
20, 1887.
2. Annie Belle, b. June 27, 1888.

MosEs White, son of Amariah, was born at Uxbridge,
Mass., April 26, r79o. He came to Union about 1812, and
lived at the place owned later by Dr. Hammond. There
in company with Pearl & Taintor, he was employed as a
merchant, first as clerk, then as partner. He removed to
Westford about 1817. He married Elizabeth Paul, daughter
of Robert, December i, 1814.
Ch. I. Julia Ann, b. April 16, 1816; ra. Harvey Walker,
May 16, 1833.

496 GENEALOGIES.
2. Lnurn, b. July 23, t8i8j m. Stephen Whiting,
October 29, 1839.
3. Marcia, b. December 3, 1821; m. Albert Knight,
March 3, 1847.
4. Moses AVood, b. June 15, 1828; m. Ellen Smith,
November 27, 1851.
5. Merritt Paul, b. Mnrch 4, 1831; m. Susan P.
Adams, February 16, i860.
6. Cornelia, b. Deeember 14, 1833; m. Francis
Adams, Oct. 4, 1S66.
Moses AVhite died August 31, 1867. His wife Elizabeth,
died July 7, i860. the WILLIA.MS FAMILY.
Colonel Ephraim AVilliams of Newton, together with
AVilliam AVilliams, of AVatertown, and Thomas Greenwood
of Newton, bought of Thomas Steel of Boston, a large
tract (1722 acres), of land in Union, in 1736. This Colonel
AVilliams afterwards moved to Stockbridge, Mass., and
became distinguished in the French war in which ho lost
his life in 1735, ^I"-' beciueathod his property to a school
in the town named nfter him, AVillinmstown, nnd thus
became the founder of AVilliams College. It is supposed
that AVilliam AVilliams of Watertown, and afterwards of
Mansfield, Conn., was a relative. Also, that said AVilliam
Williams had a son AVilliam, who was the following :
AVilliam AVilliams, of Mansfield, moved to Union-
where he lived some years, then returned to Mansfield.
He lived in the southwest part of town on the hill south
east of Mr. Joseph AValker's. He was a prominent citizen
while in town. He married Azubah Metcalf, February 17,
1747, and had 13 children.
Elisha AVilliams, probably a brother of the preceding,
came to Union from Mansfield. He was a soldier in the
old French war, and was called Lieut. Williams. He mar
ried Abigail, and had 8 children.

WILLIAMS, WINCH. 497
Allen Aaron Williams, was bom July 8, 1805. He mar
ried Sarah Whitehouse, Nov. 25, 1827. He came from Wil
lington iri 1850, and settled in Rockmeadow.
Ch. I. Anson Allen, b. February 2, 1831.
2. Alden Emery, b. August 3, 1833; m. Abigail
A. Cortis.
3. Martha Ann, b. April 20, 1836; d. August 13,
1838.
4. Sarah Maria, b. August 5, 1838; m. Henry B.
Booth, August 25, 1858.
5. John S., b. December 14, 1841.
6. Alice Ann, b. February 10, 1843; d. February
6, 1864.
7. Adelia, b. Augtist 3, 1844; m. Henry B. Booth
April 14, 1864.
8. George C, b. June 27, 1847.
9. Myron Eugene, b. August 6, 185 1; m. Kate
Needham; lives in Wales.

John Wesley Winch, son of Lovell P. and Clara H., was
born March 31, 1838, at Fall River, Mass. He married first,
Henrietta J. Ball, of Holden, Mass., July 17, 1861. She
died July 6, 1863. He married second, Helen M. Moore,
(widow of Otis P. Moore), February 15, 1865, at Auburn,
Mass. He came to Union, October 9, 1875, and settled first
at the AVatkins place. He kept store at Union awhile,
until he was burned out there. He soon after removed to
Mashapaug, where he has since resided and kept the post
office, and engaged in trading, lumbering, etc.
Ch. I. Wesley Winfield, b. September 26, 1866.
2. Nellie Adelaide, b. July 4, 1868; m. Gilbert
Willis.
3. John Mortimer, b. July i, 1870; d. November
16, 1871.

32

498 GENEALOGIES.
Samuel Wood, came from Oxford, Mass., to Union,
where he bought land of Nath. Sessions, in 1745. He sold it
in 1761. He married Lydia Ripley, January 11, 1750, and
had 7 children.

Amos AVoodworth, came from Lebanon, Crank Parish,
now Columbia, to Union, in 1754, and lived on Lot No. i,
(the Newell Farm, and extending east to Bigelow). He
was the one who first built Bigelow dam and mill.

Jonathan Wright, was an early resident of Union.
Simeon AVright with his two sons John and Simeon, served
in the Revolution. Simeon, Jr., had 10 children.

Rev. Ebenezer AVy.man, the first settled minister of
Union, was a native of AVoburn, Mass. He was bom May
5th, 1707, graduated at Harvard College, in 1731, and
ordained at Union, Deeember 13th, 1738, the same day the
church was organized. The grandfather of Rev. Eben
ezer AVyman was John AVyman, who with his brother Fran
cis Wyman, came from England and were among the first
settlers of AVoburn. Both were by trade tanners, an occu
pation in which a great many of the inhabitants of Woburn
have always been engaged. John AVyman married Mary
Niitt, November 5, 1644, and had ten children of which
Jacob Wyman, the tenth child, lived at Woburn, a tanner
by trade, and died there March 31, 1742. Ho married Eliza
beth Richardson of AVoburn, and had thirteen children,
of which tho Rev. Ebenezer AVyman of Union, was the
tenth. He had a brother John, who graduated at Harvard.
Rev. Mr. Wyman died suddenly at Union, January 29,
(or, according to the town records, January 30), 1746, at the
age of thirty-seven, after he had been established in the
ministry six years, one month and sixteen days. His
death was caused by an attack of pleurisy, brought on by

WYMAN. YOUNG. 499
exposure, after fatigfue in hunting, an amusement of which
he was fond.
He married Mary Wright of Woburn, daughter of
Josiah Wright, May 22, 1739. They had three daughters:
Ch. I, Mary, b. 1740; m. Caleb Loomis, January 7,
1758.
2. Lucy, b. January 2, 1742; m. Uriah Carpenter,
December 5, 1759.
3. Ruth, b. September 15, 1745; m. Thomas Hill,
April 10, 1766.
The widow of Rev. Mr. Wyman married Deacon Abner
Sessions of Union, May 13, 1747. By him she had three
children, Ebenezer, named for her first husband, and two
daughters. Silence and Mary. She died April 26, 1782.
Levi Wyman, came from Charlton to Union, about 1800.
He was descended from the Wymans of Woburn, and hence
distantly related to Rev. Ebenezer. He lived in humble
circumstances. He married Mehitabel Twiss or Twist. ¦
Ch. I. Ebenezer, b. January 22, 1787.
2. Asa, b. April 6, 1793.
3. Dorothy, b. November 9, 1796; m. Eb. Sumner,
February 7, 1813.
Ebenezer AVyman, son of Levi, married Rosanna Sev
ery, November 29, 1807.
Ch. 1. John, b. April 30, 1808; m. Charlotte Rich
ardson.
2. Matilda, b. September 22, 1810.
3. Deroy, b. July 9, 1813.
4. Malinda, b. December 8, 1815; m. Leonard Will
iams, August 11,1833.
5. Ezekiel.

Thomas J. Young, came from Springfield to Union,
about 187 1, and settled on the Nehemiah Houghton place.
He was selectman, representative, etc. while in town. He
33

500 GENEALOGIES.
married Sarah Alderman. The family left town in 1882 and
went to North Grosvenordale, and afterwards to Lincoln,
Nebraska. Ch. I. Duncan.
2. Cornelia, m. George Upham, July 17, 1884; d.
April II, 1888.
3. Verona, m. George Unangst of Nebraska; one
child.
4. Altena.
5. Corbin.
6. Aycr.
7. lona.

CHAPTER X.
LISTS OF TOAVN OFFICERS, ETC.
representatives in legislature from the town of union.
October, 1780, Captain Thomas Lawson, 'William 'Williams. May,
1781, John .Sessions, Captain Solomon 'Wales. October, 17S1, John Ses
sions, Captain Thom.-is Lawson. May, 1782, Captain Solomon Wales,
Captain Thomas Lawson. October, 1782, May, 1783, January, 1784,
May, 1784, October, 17S4, May, I785, Captain Solomon 'Wales.
October, 1785, Samuel Crawford. May, 1786, October, 1786, May,
17S7, October, 1787, John Sessions. May, 1788, Samuel Crawford.
October, 1788, May, 1789, October, 1789, May, 1790, October, 1790, John
Sessions. May, 1791, Edward Foster. October, 1791, May, 1792, Samuel
Crawford. October, 1792, May, 1793, Abijah Sessions. October, 1793,
May, 1794, May, 1795, October, 1795, Samuel Crawford. May, 1796,
October, 1796, Abijah Sessions, Edward Foster. May, 1797, October,
1797, May, 1798, Abijah Sessions, Samuel Crawford. October, 1798,
May, 1799, Robert Paul, Jr., Samuel Crawford. Octbber, 1799, Abijah
Sessions, Samuel Crawford. May, 1800, October, 1800, May, 1801, Rob
ert Paul, Jr., Abijah Sessions. October, 1801, May, 1802, Robert Paul,
Jr., Nathaniel Newell. October, 1802, David Lawson, Joseph Snell.
May. 1803, Samuel Crawford, Robert Paul. October, 1803, Samuel
Crawford, Samuel Paul. May, 1804, Elijah Wales, Samuel Paul.
October, 1S04, Elijah Wales, Samuel Paul. 1805, May, Robert Paul,
Luthor Crawford; October, Samuel Paul, Elijah Wales. 180O, May, Robert
Paul, Luther Crawford; October, Robert Paul, Samuel Crowford. 1807,
May, Elijah Wales, Samuel Crawford; October, Robert Paul, Samuel
Crawford. 1808, May, Robert Paul, Samuel Crawford; October, Robert
Paul, Samuel Crowford, 1809, May, Samuel Paul, Nathaniel Newell;
October, Somucl Paul, Samuel Crawford, 1810, May, Nathaniel Newell,
John Crawford; October, Samuel Poul, John Crawford, 1811, May,
Thomas Lawson, Jr., John Crawford; October, Thomas Lawson, Jr.,
John Crowford. 1813, May, Thomas Lawson, Jr., Samuel Paul; August,
Thomas Lawson, Jr., Samuel Paul ; October, Elijah Wales, Nathaniel
Chapin, 1813, May, Robert Poul, Nathaniel Chapin; October, Samuel
Crawford, Jr., Samuel Paul. 1814, May, Samuel Crowford, Jr., Josiah
Eaton; October, David Coye, Philip Corbin. 1815, January, David
Coye, Philip Corbin; May, Elijah Woles, Asher Badger; October, Elijah
Wales, Asher Badger. i8i6. May, Ingoldsby W. Crawford, Robert Paul;

502 TOWN OFFICERS.
October, Ingoldsby W. Crawford, Nathaniel Newell, Jr. 1817, May,
Luther Crawford, Nathaniel Newell, Jr.; October, Ingoldsby W. Craw
ford, Nathaniel Newell, Jr. 1818, May, Ingoldsby W. Crawford; Nath
aniel Newell. Jr.; October, John Crawford, Eleazar Bugbee. 1819.
May, Ingoldsby W, Crawford, Nathaniel Xewell. 1820, May, Ingoldsby
W. Crawford, Eleazar Bugbee, 1821, May, David Lawson, Manasseh
Howard, 1822, May, David Lawson, Ingoldsby W. Crawford. 1823, May,
Robert Lawson, Eleazar Bugbee. 1824. May, Ingoldsby W. Crawford,
William Foster, 1825, May, Ingoldsby W. Crawford, William Foster.
1826, May, Augustus Moore, William Pitt Sessions. 1827, May, Philip
Corbin, Willinm Pitt Sessions, 1H2S, May, AiiRimtim Mooro, Heiijiimin
Corbin, 1829, May, Augustus Jlooro, IJonjaniin Corbin, 1830, May,
Wlllitim Pitt Sessions, Joseph C. Griggs, 1831, Mny, Benjamin Corbin,
Joseph C, Griggs, 1832, May, Benjamin Corbin, Shubael Hammond,
M, 1), 1833, May, Luthor Crawford, Uavld Lawson, 1K34, May, Uavid
Lnwson, 1835, Mny, Hciijnmlii Corbin, Augustus Mooro, iH3(i, Mny,
William Pitt Sessions, Nathaniel Newell; December, William Pitt Ses
sions, Nathaniel Newell, 1837, May, Augustus Moore, Abijah Sessions,
1838, May, Augustus Moore, Abljnh Sessions, 1S39, Jlay, William Fos
ter, William Pitt Sessions, 1840, May, Joseph C, Griggs, Benjnmin
Corbin'. 1S41, May, Willard Blodgett, Moses C. Sessions. 1S42, May,
Danforth Morse, Moses C, .Sessions ; October, Danforth Morse, Moses C.
Sessions, 1843, May, Danforth Morse, Nathan Kinney. 1S44, May,
Samuel Crawford, Nuthan Kinney. 1.845, Mny, Samuel Crawford, Ezra
A. Putney. x84('i, May, Burke Foster, Abijah Sessions, 1847, May, Burke
Foster, Abljnh Sessions. 184S, Jlay, Samuel Hammond, Silas P. Allen.
1849, Jlay, Samuel Hammond, John N, Foster. 1850, Jlay, Augustus
Jloore, John N, Foster. 1851, Jliiy, Henly Corbin, Burt Crawford. 1S52,
Mny, Healy Corbin, S.imucl Corbin, 1853, Jlay, Nathaniel O, NcwcU, Dan
ford Jlorse. 1S54, May, Nathnnlel O, Newell, Dnnford Morse. 1.S55, Jlay,
Philo G. Corbin, Leonard S, Goodell. iSsf), May, Thomns Mooro, E, Byron
Foster, 1S57, May, George D, Colburn, E, Byron Foster. 1858, May,
George D. Colburn, John Burley. 1S59, Jlay, Anron A, Wales, John
Burley. 1S60, Jlay, Amasa Jlorse, Nuthanlel O. Newell. 18O1, May,
Amasa Jlorse, Charles Collar. 1862, May, George D, Colburn, Chaun
cey Paul, 1863, May, Augustus Jloore, Samuel Jloore. 1864, Jlay,
Loomis Agard, Albert E, Weld. 1S65, May, Jlerrick A. Marey, John S.
Leland, i366, Jlay, Merrick A. JIarcy, John S. Leland. 1867, May,
Thomas Jloore, Andrew Towne, 1868, Jlay, William M, Corbin, Chaun
cey Paul. 1869, Jlay, George D. Colburn, Chauncey Paul. 1S70, Jlay,
George D. Colburn, A. Harendeen. 1871, Jlay, M. H. Kinney, M. P. J.
Walker, 1872, May, John B. Hatch, Jlorris H. JIarcy. 1S73, May,
Henry B. Booth, Horatio Carpenter. 1S74, Jlay, Henry B. Booth, J. N.
Whipple, 1S75, May, Samuel W. Jloore, George C. JIarcy. 1S76, Jlay,

SELECTMEN. 503
Samuel W. Moore, George C. Marcy. 1877, January, David L. Newell,
Josiah R. James. 1878, January, Horatio N. Bugbee, William P. Marcy.
1879, January, Abiel Towne, Merrick A. Marcy. 1880, January, Daniel
Bartlett, Merrick A. Marcy. 1881, January, Silas W. Newell, Abiel
Towne. 18S2, January, Hartley Walker, Thomas J. Youngs. 1883,
January, Andrew J. Wales, Thomas Rindge. 1884, January, George
Baker, Albert Weld. 18S5, January, Silas W. Newell, L. Morgan Reed.
1886, Lyman Jloore, John Winch. 1887, Mason Horton, Henry Booth.
(Since 1887 the sessions have been biennial). 1889, Edwin Upham,
Myron Heck. 1891, Roscius Back, Elam C. Booth. 1893, Major Smith,
Fred Walker.
SELECTMEN OF THE TOAVN OF UNION.
1754, S.amuel Wood, Daniel Badger, Abner Sessions. 1755-6, Sam
uel Wood, Joshua Webb. 1757, James Jloore, Eb. AVales, Samuel Wood.
175S, James Jloore, Caleb Loomis. 1759, Eb. AVales, Samuel Strong,
AVilliam AVilliams, Samuel AA'ood, Abner Sessions. 1 760-1-2, Joshua
AVebb, Samuel Strong, William Williams. 1763, Eb. AVales, Joseph Enos,
Hugh Crawford. 1764, Abijah Lained, Robert Paul, Joseph Enos. 1765,
Abijah Lained, Robert Paul, A'bner Sessions. 1766, Abijah Lained,
Abner Sessions, Elisha AVilliams. 1767, Abijah Lained, Abner Sessions,
Robert Paul. 1768, Abijah Lained, Hugh Crawford, AVillian^ Williams.
1769, Francis Pierce, Phineas Lovejoy. AVilliam Williams. 1770, Francis
Pierce, Robert Paul, Thomas Lawson. 1771. Abijah Larned, John
Jloore. Thomas Lawson. 1772, Abijah Lamed, Abner Sessions,
Thomas Lawson. 1773-4, Solomon AVales, Abner Sessions, Thomas
Lawson. 1775, Solomon AVales, Abner Sessions, John Sessions. 1776,
Thomas Lawson, Abner Sessions, John Sessions. 1777, Solomon AVales,
Abner Sessions, John Sessions. 1778, William AVilliams, Thom.is Moore,
Thomas Lawson. 1779, Abner Sessions, Thomas Lawson, Ebenezer
Child. 17S0, Abner Sessions, Thomas Lawson, John Sessions. 17S1,
AVilliam AVilliams, Thomas Lawson, John Sessions. 1782, Samuel Craw
ford, Thomas Jloore, Thomas Lawson. 1783, Samuel Crawford, Thomas
Jloore, John Hunt. 1784, Samuel Crawford, Abijah Sessions. John
Hunt. 1785, Samuel Crawford, Abijah Sessions, Nathaniel Newell.
1786, Thomas Lawson, Archabel Coye, Samuel Crawford. 1787, Samuel
Crawford, Elijah AVales. Ed. Foster. 17SS, Samuel Crawford, AVilliam
AVilliams, Thomas Liwson, John Hunt. 1789, Thomas Lawson, Archa
bel Coye, Abijah Sessions. 1790. Samuel Crawford, Archabel Coye,
Thomas Lawson, Abijah Sessions, Elijah Wales. 1791, Samuel Craw
ford, Thomas Lawson, Archabel Coye, Abijah Sessions, Elijah Wales.
1792, Samuel Crawford, John Hunt. Samuel Strong, Abijah Sessions,
Elijah AVales. 1793-4, Samuel Crawford, John Hunt, Abijah
Sessions. 1795, Samuel Crawford, Abijah Sessions, John Hunt

504 SELECTMEN.
1796-7, Samuel Crawford, Abijah Sessions, Elijah Wales. 1798, Samuel
Crawford, Abijah Sessions, Thomas Lawson. 1799-1800, Robert Paul,
Jr., Abijah Sessions, David Lawson. 1801, Robert Paul. Jr., Abijah
Sessions, Samuel Crawford. 1802, David Lawson, Nathaniel Newell,
Samuel Crawford. 1803, David Lawson, Captain Joseph Snell. Samuel
Crawford. 1804, Samuel Paul. Elijah AA^ales, Samuel Crawford. 1805,
Samuel Paul, John Crawford, Elijah AVales. 1S06-7-8, Samuel Paul,
John Crawford, Nathaniel Newell. 1809, Robert Paul, Luther Craw
ford, JIanasseh Howard. 1810, Robert Paul, Samuel Crawford. Jr.,
Jlanasseh Howard. 1811, Elijah H-awes, Samuel Crawford, Jr.,
Thomas Lawson, Jr. 1S12, Philip Corbin. Ichabod Moore, William P.
Sessions. 1813, Samuel Paul, Ichabod Jloore, John Crawford. 1814,
David Corbin, Nathaniel Newell, John Crawford. 1815, John Craw
ford. William Foster, Robert Paul, Josiah Eaton. 1816, David Coye,
Philip Corbin, William P. Sessions. 1817, David Coye. Philip Corbin,
Eleazer Bugbee. iSiS, John Crawford, Philip Corbin, Eleazer Bugbee.
1S19, Nathaniel Newell. Pain Cleveland, Judson Metcalf. 1S20, Nathan
iel Newell, Abijah Sessions, Judson Jletcalf. 1S21, David Lawson,
Abijah Sessions, Jason Ferry. 1822, David Lawson, David Coye, Ezra
Putney. 1S23, Elijah Hawes, David Coye, Nathan Jlorse. 1S24, Elijah
Hawes, Dnvid Lawson, Joseph Dorsett. 1S25, Samuel Cr.iwford,
Charles Foster, Paul Lawson. 1S26, Samuel Crawford, Joseph Tovn,
AVilliam Foster. 1S27, AVilli.im P. Sessions, AVill.ird Blodgett, Pain
Cleveland. 1S28, David Coye, Archelaus AV. Upham, AVilliam P. Ses
sions. 1829, Joseph Town, I, AV. Crawford, AVillard Blodgett. 1830,
Robert Lawson, Benjamin Corbin, Joseph C. Griggs. 1S31, Paul Law-
son, Benjamin Corbin, Joseph C. Griggs. 1S32, Benjamin Corbin,. Ste
phen Fairbank, Joseph Burley. 1S33, Paul Lawson, Ale.Kander Strong,
Joseph Burley. 1S34, Samuel Crawford, Stephen Fairb.-ink, Newman
Bugbee. 1835, Samuel Crawford, Joseph Town, AViUard Blodgett,
183O-7, Augustus Moore, Abijah Sessions, Nathan Morse. 1S3S, Ben
jamin Corbin, Samuel Corbin, Willard Blodgett. 1S39, Augustus Moore,
Samuel Corbin, AVillard Blodgett, 1840, Augustus Jloore, Pain Cleve
land, Ezra Horton. 1S41, AVilliam P. Sessions, Samuel S. Needham,
Sullivan Booth. 1842, Nathan Jlorse, Samuel S. Needham, Sulliv.-in
Booth. 1S43, Nathan Kinney, Newman Bugbee, Asa Putnam, 1S44,
Joseph Walker, Newman Bugbee, John Crawford. 1S45, Burk Foster,
Daniel T. Crawford, Ezra A. Putney. 1846-7, Abijah Sessions, Th.
Jloore, Samuel Wl Moore. 1S48, Chauncey Paul, Burk Foster. Ben
jamin Corbin. 1849, Healy Corbin, Burk Foster, Benjamin Corbin.
1850, Samuel Crawford, Silas P. Allen, Aaron A. AVales, 1851, Samuel
Crawford, Burk Foster, Lyman Hisco.'c, 1852, Benjamin Corbin,
Lyman Hiscox, John Burley, 1853-4. Th, Jloore, Nathaniel Newell,
George Leonard, 1S55-6, Samuel Corbin,. A, J. Wales, Augustus

TOWN CLERKS AND TREASURERS. 505
Jloore. 1857, Benjamin Corbin, George Leonard, Dexter Jloore. 1858,
Dexter Moore, David Lawson, John S. Easterbrooks. 1859, Daniel T.
Crawford, David Lawson, John S. Easterbrooks. i860, Benjamin Cor
bin, Eleazar B. Foster, Andrew J. Wales, 1861, Benjamin Corbin,
Eleazar B. Foster, Alexander H. Sessions. 1862, Abijah Sessions, David
Lawson, Chauncey Paul. 1863, George D. Colburn, John Burley, Th.
Moore. 1864, Aaron A. Wales, Calvin Marcy, Daniel T. Crawford.
1865, Daniel T. Crawford, Jesse T. Hall. 1866. Samuel Moore, Reed
Tourtelott, Asa Putnam. 1S67, Thomas Moore, S. W. Moore. Newman
Bugbee. 1S68. Thomas Moore, Trenck Crawford, Henry B. Booth.
1869, Reied Tourtellott, Henry B. Booth. Hartley AValker. 1870, AVilliam
M, Corbin, Hartley AA''alker, Merrick A. Marcy. 1871, AVilliam JI. Cor
bin, A. E. AVeld, E. W. Upham. 1872, AVilliam M. Corbin, S. W.
Moore, M. H. Marcy. 1873-4, M- P- J- AValker, Horatio Carpenter, JI.
H. Kinney. 1875, Trenck Crawford, Samuel AV. Moore, Andrew J.
AVales. 1876, Trenck Crawford, S. AV. Moore, A. J. Wales. 1877, Sam
uel AV. Jloore, Henry B. Booth, Abiel Town. 1878-9, M. H. Kinney,
S. AV. Moore. L. A. Corbin. 1880, S. AV. Moore, H. C. Booth, J. W.
AVinch. 1881, J. W. AVinch. H. B. Booth, Reuben JI. Barton. 1882, M.
P. J. Walker, Henry F. Corbin, Henry B. Booth. 1883, JI. P. J. AValker,
H. B. Booth, J. W. AVinch. 1SS4, M. P. J. Walker. Lyman Moore, J.
AV. AVinch. 1885, M. P. J. Walker, J. W. Winch, Lyman Jloore. 1886,
E, M. Horton, H. F. Corbin, Lyman Moore. 1887, M. H. Kinney, L. JI.
Reed. H. B. Booth. 18S8, M. H. Kinney. L. M. Reed, H. B. Booth,
Lyman Moore. 1889, JI. H. Kinney, H. B. Booth, L. M. Reed. 1890-1,
L. A. Corbin, L. M. Reed, Henry Booth. 1892, L. A. Corbin, L. M.
Reed, Abiel Town.
TOAVN CLERKS" AND TREASURERS.
1735-1741. Paul Langdon. 1741-1747, Enoch Badger. 1747-1781,
Abner Sessions. 17S1-1784, Abijah Sessions. 1784-1787, Solomon
Wales. 1787-1788, John Hunt. 1789-1823, Robert Lawson. 1823-1841,
Nathaniel Newell. 1S41-1842, David Lawson. 1842-1845, Chauncey
Paul. 1845-1851, Samuel Hammond. 1851-1852, Shubael Hammond.
1852-1857, Nathaniel Ossian Newell. 1857-1865, Ingoldsby W. Craw.
ford. 1865-1870, David L. Newell. 1870-1874, Mason Horton. 1874-
i8ga, David L. Newell.

5o6 POPULATION.
POPULATION OF UNION.
The population of town in the years when a census has
been taken is as follows :
Year. Pop. Year. Pop.
1756,  500 J830,  .7"
1774,  514 1840  . 669
1782  552 1850,  728
1790. •  631 i860, ....... 732
1800  767 1870,  627
1810  752 1880, ....... 539
1820,  757 1890  431
Thus we see that the town reached its maximum popu
lation in 1800, when it was 767, and its minimum at the
last census, when it was smallerthan at any other time since
the first census was taken. From 1756 to iSoo there was a
steady growth. From 1800 to i860 there was some varia
tion, but on the whole it continued about the same. Since
1S60 there has been a steady decline. This has been
owing to various causes, the principal of which are the
decline and removal of the shoe industry and the desertion
of the farms for the AVest or for cities and villages. The
question arises : AVill the population still continue to
decrease? It is the opinion of the compiler that the
decrease has about reached its limit, and that we may
expect an increase, not in the immediate future, but after
a number of years.

INDEX.

¦ACB

PACE

AVERY, Rev. David. ,

73

GENEALOGIES, .

251

Armour, Andrew W,, .

210

Grand Army Post,

150

Armour, Philip D 

197

Griggs, Joseph M., .

185

Agriculture,

221

HAMMOND. Rev. Charles,

BALD Hill,

17

sketch of his life.

I

Battle of Lexington, .

"5

Hammond, Dr. Shubael, .

153

Beardsley, Rev. Nehemiah, .

75

Hitchcock, Rev. Caleb, .

65

Bigelow Valley, .

30

Holman, Rev. Thomas,

179

Booth, Rev. Isaac,

214

Home Lots,

43

Boundary with Massachusetts,

37

Horton, Rev. Ezra,

66

Breakneck 

28

Howard, Rev. Wm.,

90

Burgoyne, campaign against.

124

INCORPORATION, peUtion

CALKINS, Lawyer,
56
for, .
. 49
Cat Rocks 
29
act of, ...
49
Celebrations at Mashapaug, .
24
Industries at Mashapaug,
. 238
Cemeteries 
248
LAND for public uses.
41
Church, Congregational,
47
Land of Content,
• 38
150th anniversary of,
deacons of , .
funds of , .
9193 97
Land-tax, opposition to,
reply of selectmen,
Laurel, the 
50
• 52
34
members of,
97
Lawson, Justus V., .
• 195
clerk and treasurer, .
105
Lead mine, ....
35
Corbin, David P.; .
189
Leonard, Moses G.,
. 180
Corbin, Philip, .
Corbin, William M.,
213 192
Lumbering,
229
Coye Hill, ....
I8
MARCY, Dwight, .
. 212
Crawford, Dea. Samuel, .
154
Marcy, Merrick, .
233
Crawford, Judge I. W.,
155
Marcy, Merrick A., .
• 217
Curtiss, Rev. George, . 89
166
Mashapaug Lake,
>9
Curtiss, Rev. S. L, Sr., 80
159
oame.
• 19
Curtiss, Rev. S. I., Jr., .
168
tradition of,
20
celebration at.
24
DRIVES 
30
outlets of, .
27
ECCLESIASTICAL Society,
74
Meeting-house, first, building
of, 61
description of,
. 75
FOSTER, Eleazer, .
156
building of the new, .
78
Foster, Judge E. K., .
34
157
remodeling of.
. 85
5o8

INDEX.

Members of Congregational
Church, . . .97
of the Methodist Church, 109
Methodist Episcopal Church at
Mashapaug, history of, 105
Moore, Hannah, . -175
Morse, Charles F,, . . 196
OLNEY, James, , . .151
PAUL, Capt, Chauncey, 172
Paul, Sarah A,, . . . 186
Physical Features, . . 16
Proprietors, action of, . . 40
REED, Joel H., ... 219
Revolution, hardships during, 127
Revolutionary orders, . .123
Revolutionary soldiers, . 132
SALE of Union lands, , 38
Saw-mills  229
Schools, ..... 240
select, , , , 244
Scotch-Irish  44
Sessions, Jared D., . 180, 236

PAGE

Settlers, first, .

• 243,245

Shoe business,

• • 233

Smith, Rev. I. P., .

. 91

Sprague, Lieut., .

119

Stores in Union,

233. 235

Summer resorts, .

24

TEJIPERANCE reform. . 83
Terry, Rev. Samuel, . . 48, 5ft
Tory discipline, . . .112
Trainings, the military, 139

UNIVERSALIST Society, . 85
VINTON, Calista H., . 176
WALKER, Harvey, . 174, 236
AVar of 1812, Union men in, 138
AA'nr of the Rebellion, Union
men in, . 141, 146
AVatcrsheds  27
AVatson, Rev. J. P., , , .S6
AVillard, Col, Abijah, . .113
AVoodland thrush, . . 34
Wyman, Rev. Ebenezer, 59, 63

ERRATA.

Page 233, near bottom, where it reads: " Mr. Marcy's
business was largest between the years 1S60 and 1866" it
should be "between the years 1850 and 1S56."
Page 255, Sally, fifth child of Nathan Abbott, was born
in 1J82, instead of 1772.
Page 326, Samuel Dwight, son of Samuel Crawford, was
born in 1813 instead of 1831.
Page 328, it was Liberty AV. Crawford, son of Trenck,
instead of Susan Zida, who married Lurancie Converse.
Su.san Z. died unmarried.
Page T,2,3. Ossian Crawford married Lavinia Shepard
March 17, 1853 instead of 1753.
Page 369, Alonzo E. Horton married Sarah AV. Babe in
i86t instead of 1846.
Page 410, Irene Rinda, third child of Merrick A. Marcy,
was born in 1887 instead of 1885.
Page 447, Emma Putnam married Samuel B. Goodier,
(not Goodyear).

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