Trails to the Past

Vermont, Windsor County

 

 

 

Biographies of Windsor County Vermont

History of Windsor County Vermont
Lewis Cass Aldrich published in 1891

HALE, FRANK S , was born in West Windsor May 12, 1852. He descends the fifth generation from Samuel Hale, of Leominster, Mass., The latter had eight sons and one daughter, viz : Silas, Samuel, David. Benjamin, John, Israel, Levi, Joel, and Betsey. Samuel, the father, was a stalwart man, in stature six feet and three inches, well proportioned, and correspondingly powerful as he was large. Six of his sons were revolutionary soldiers Silas saw Major Andre hung, and David was with the army at Valley Forge. Silas, David, Benjamin and Israel came together in 1773 and settled on adjoining farms in the northwestern part of Windsor, now West Windsor, and all died on the farms upon which they settled. Like his father, Benjamin was a powerful man. It is said of him that he could easily lift into a cart a barrel of cider by the chimes. David Hale married Olive Bailey, and had six children, viz.: David, Samuel, Oliver, Levi, Eliza, and Eleanor. David, the eldest son, settled in Michigan. Oliver was a prominent man of Windsor, lived and died there. Levi settled at Holland Purchase, N. Y., and died there. David, the father, died in Windsor. Samuel, the second of his sons, grandfather of Frank S., married Hepsey Chapin, and had nine children, viz.: Olive, Calvin, Orlin, David, Vashti, Hulda, Sylvanus, Rhoda, and Oliver. All lived to adult age, and, except Rhoda, were married and reared families. Samuel Hale was a soldier in the War of 1812. He died in West Windsor. His wife also died there. Olive was the wife of Elisha Banister, of West Windsor. Vashti is the wife of Daniel Marcy, of Hartland. Hulda is the widow of Gustavus Lake and lives in Michigan. Calvin, David, Hulda and Oliver live in Michigan, Sylvanus in Missouri, and Rhoda with her sister, Mrs. Marcy. Orlin, born March 5, 1815, married Martha A., daughter of Chauncey and Matilda (Pierson) Hubbard. She was born December 13, 1825. Orlin was selectman during the war period, and was also town lister. Their children were, Alice S., born November 27, 1849, died aged eight years; Frank S., Marvin C, born February 18, 1854, married Addie K. Burk, and has children as follows : Sarah, Cora, and Clara (deceased), the two latter twins; Marvin C, owns and carries on the home farm, the only one of the four original Hale farms that has been kept in the family ; Harris, born June 13, 1860, single, lives in California; Willie L., born January 29, 1862, single, lives in California. Orlin Hale died at the old homestead June 4, 1876. His widow lives with her son, Frank S The latter received his education in the common schools of West Windsor, and at Green Mountain Perkin's Institute at South Woodstock. He lived at home until twenty years of age, when he went to Springfield, Mass , where, for six years, he was clerk for A. F. Miles and G. E. Mansfield. In 1876 he returned to West Windsor for the purpose of settling his father's estate, when he went back to Springfield for one year. He then purchased of the heirs the old homestead, and carried it on till 1880. He then went to Windsor and clerked in the store of M. C. & H. M. Hubbard In 1882 he sold to his brother the home farm and purchased what is known as the Nehemiah. Parker farm in West Windsor, and has resided there since. He is a Republican in politics, and has borne an active part in the public and political interests of the town. He has been lister six years, chairman of the board of selectmen in 1887-8-9 and 1890-91, overseer of the poor since 1883, and representative to the Legislature in 1884-5, also in 1888-9, the second on committee of public buildings the first term, and part of the time acting chairman of the general committee, and also on a special joint committee on temperance in 1888-9. He has served ten years on the town text book committee. He is a Master Mason, member of Vermont Lodge No. 18, Windsor. Mr. Hale married, November 2, 1880, Mary J., daughter of Joel P. and Emily A. (Waite) Hale. Mrs. Hale was born November 4, 1858, in West Windsor. Samuel Hale, of Leominster, is the ancestor of both Mr. and Mrs. Hale. Her line of descent is as follows: Samuel, Silas, Joel, who married Cloe Taylor, and had three children, viz.: Cloe, Joel P., and Simeon. Taylor. Joel P. and Emily A., her father and mother, lived and died in West Windsor. Their children were, Marcus E., John P. Dwight, (deceased), Mary J., and Herbert A. The two first are residents of Windsor, the latter of California. Mr. and Mrs. Hale have three children, viz.: Floyd O., born April 13, 1882 ; Glenn Joel, born February 13, 1884; and Carrie M., born May 29, 1886. Biographie Index

HALL, ALFRED . This gentleman descends in the sixth generation from John Hall, born in England, in 1627, died in Medford, Mass., October 18, 1701, married April 2, 1647, Elizabeth, daughter of Percival and Ellen Green. She died February 4, 1713. Of their ten children, Percival, born in Cambridge, Mass., February 11, 1672, died in Sutton, Mass., December 25, 1752, married October 18, 1697, Jane, daughter of Thomas and Grace (Fay) Willis, who was born October, 1677, and died October 28, 1757. Percival Hall "was a very prominent and efficient man in both church and town affairs." Of the twelve children of Percival and Jane Hall, Willis was their youngest child. He was born March 8, 1720, in Medford, Mass , died in Sutton, April 10, 1800, married, first, May 15, 1746, Martha Gibbs, of Hopkinton, Mass., who died February i, 1756. He married second, December 9, 1756, Anna, daughter of William and Anna Coye, who died April 7, 1800. Of Willis Hall it was written, " He was universally respected, and never had an enemy."

He had five children by his first marriage, and of his six children by his second wife, Jonathan, father of Alfred, was the eldest. He was born October 21, 1757, and died September 24, 1845. About 1780 he married Mercy Cady, who died December 19, i860. Jonathan came to Windsor, Vt., in 1788, and located on a farm near the village, which is still owned by his son Alfred. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He was a pleasant and social man, in personal appearance a rather spare form, a pleasant countenance, brown hair, with features modestly prominent.

Alfred Hall is the only one of his seven children living. He was born in Windsor, Vt., February 20, 1804. He has passed his whole life in Windsor, and, with but one exception, is the oldest native resident in the town. His principal occupation has been farming. He owns and occupies the old Hall homestead. He was president of the Windsor Savings Bank for many years, has filled the positions of overseer of the poor and selectman twenty years each. He has been a trustee of the bridge company at Windsor, and its treasurer for many years. In politics he is a Democrat, having cast his first presidential vote for Andrew Jackson. Successful as a business man, a safe »adviser, a genial, social disposition, Mr. Hall has always commanded the respect and esteem of the entire community in which he has passed a long life. He married August 26, 1833, Catharine Morgan, born June 16, 1815, died October 15, 1869. Their children are Rachel Morgan, born August 18, 1834, married Sarah Dorr, and has children as follows: Frank E., Jesse L,, deceased, Harry W., Mary and Allen M. He is overseer in the machinist department of Vermont State Prison ; Sophia Blood, born April 1, 1837, married Daniel A. Barnard, of Windsor; Licortus Brewer, born September 30, 1839, married August 14, 1888, Anna M. Camden. They have one child, Alfred Camden. Licortus B., is a graduate of Dartmouth College, was afterwards one of its professors, and is now a specialist in the treatment of the eye and ear in Philadelphia; Eugene C. born September 20, 1844, married, first, Ella Knowlton. They had one child, Fred M. He married, second, Etta Alton, of Worcester, Mass. He is a machinist by trade, and lives in Worcester; Charles Alfred, born January 25, 1850, married December 31, 1871, Flora Belle Harris. They have one child, Cora Belle. He is also a machinist and resides in Worcester; Adgelon K., born November 26, 1855, married October 7, 1877, Lilla Belle, daughter of M. L. Horton, of Windsor. He lives at the homestead, carrying on the home farm, and is overseer of the poor for the town of Windsor. Biographie Index

HARLOW, HERMON W ., was born in Charlestown, N. H., November 16, 1835, and is the only son of Willard B. and Lucretia (Britton) Harlow. His father removed to Springfield in 1836, he being a native of that town. Our subject's education was attained at the public schools of Springfield and Windsor, and he was also a student at the Springfield Wesleyan Seminary He has been engaged in mercantile business in Springfield and New York city, but since 1865 has been a permanent resident of Springfield. A Republican in politics, he has been called upon to fill various positions. He was Representative from Springfield in the Legislature of 1890, and was chairman of the House committee on grand list. He has been many times moderator of the annual town meetings ; also has held the offices of town auditor, lister two years, member of the Windsor county board of education one year, was ten years committee of graded schools, and has held many other minor town and village offices. Mr. Harlow married, August 27, 1863, Miss Nettie L. Parks, the adopted daughter of Frederick Parks. They have two sons, viz : Frederick M. and Milan P. Biographie Index

HARLOW, Colonel HIRAM , was born in Rockingham, Vt, October 16, 1810, the oldest in a family of four children of William and Margaret (Campbell) Harlow. His father was twice married. He married, first, Margaret Campbell, and had children as follows : Hiram ; Amelia was the wife of Urbane Britton, of Springfield, Vt.; George died in Neenah, Wis.; and John died in New York city. He married, second, Amelia Fling and had eight children, viz.: Lucia, Alvord, Horace, Frank, Susan, Henry, Mary, and Ellen. William died in Windsor, his first wife in Rockingham, his second in Windsor. Colonel Harlow, as he was familiarly known, losing his mother when six years of age, lived with his grandfather, Campbell, until he was nineteen years of age. He then went to Springfield, where he learned the millwright trade, which he followed there for a few years, then purchased a farm and carried it on until 1845, when he was elected superintendent of the Vermont State prison, which necessitated his removal to Windsor. He had, while a resident of Springfield, taken an active part in public affairs, and represented that town in the Legislature in 1843-44 and 1845. He held the office of superintendent of the State prison eighteen years. This position was at first an arduous and trying one. Under his administration all of the affairs of the institution were systematized, and thenceforth conducted with that vigor, efficiency and integrity which characterized all his business transactions. He was widely and favorably known in business and political circles, and was repeatedly called to positions of trust and honor, not only by his townsmen, but by his county and State. He served in the Legislature as representative from Windsor in 1849, 1850 and 1851, and again in 1859. He was elected to the State Senate in 1866, and declined a nomination in 1857. In 1884 he was chosen one of the electors-at large in the presidential canvass. He was much interested in municipal affairs, and his judgment could be and was relied upon as to the best management of all public affairs. For twenty-two years he served as selectman, and to his prudence and sagacity much is due for the excellent condition of the town's finances. He was closely identified with many of the business interests of Windsor, and to him the village is chiefly indebted for the aqueduct, gas works, and other public improvements. He was deeply interested in the new cemetery, the land for which he presented to the town, and which, through his own generous contribution and earnest solicitations, has been so far improved and beautified. Upon the resignation of the Hon. Allen Wardner as president of the Ascutney National Bank, Colonel Harlow was chosen president, which office he acceptably filled till the bank went into voluntary liquidation. Later he was elected president of the Windsor National Bank, which office he held at the time of his decease. He was also president of the Jones-Lamson Machine Company and the Ascutney Cemetery Association. His high sense of honor and strict integrity inspired the fullest confidence of all with whom his business relations brought him in contact. Universally esteemed he deservedly occupied the high position he held in the community. Colonel Harlow died at his home in Windsor, July 26, 1886. On the occasion of his funeral all places of business were closed, and man}' people from neighboring towns joined with the residents of the place in paying the last token of respect to the deceased. Colonel Harlow married, March 23, 1835, Rachel S., daughter of Jeremiah and Sally (Farrar) Abbott. Mrs. Harlow was born in Springfield, Vt, August 24, 1813. Her paternal ancestor in this country was George Abbott, who emigrated from Yorkshire, England, about 1638, was among the first settlers of Andover, Mass., and died in 1657. Her grandfather, Jeremiah Abbott, married Susan Baldwin, of Tewksbury, Mass., August 19, 1768, and had nine children, of whom her father, Jeremiah, the eldest son, was born February 26, 1772. He married Sally Farrar in May, 1800. The latter was born April 17, 1775, died June 1, 1819. Jeremiah Abbott, her father, died in Springfield, Vt., October, 1850. Biographie Index

HARRINGTON, EDWIN , was born in Stockbridge, April 4, 1825, the second in a family of eight children of Enoch and Lucinda (Davis) Harrington. His father was born in Pomfret, Vt., and died in Pittsfield, Vt., a farmer by occupation. His mother was the daughter of Joshua and Polly (Smith) Davis. She died in Barnard. They are buried in the Ranney burial-ground, Stockbridge. Their children were Maria, wife of Alexander Packard, died in Stockbridge ; Edwin, Stephen, lives in Massachusetts; Martha, wife of Lyman Parmenter, died in Pittsfield, Vt.; Sherman C, farmer, resides in Gaysville ; Almira, wife of Philander Packard, died in Stockbridge; Orwell, resides in Gaysville, and Emma S. Woodard, resides in Bethel. Edwin Harrington passed his minority in Stockbridge, receiving his primary education in the district school, and completing a business education in a business college at Worcester, Mass. At the age of twenty he left home and went to Fitchburg, Mass., where he commenced to learn the machinist trade, remaining there one year. He continued to work at his trade, first at Clinton, Mass , then at Worcester, Mass., up to 1867. He then removed to Philadelphia, where he built up one of the most extensive machine manufactories in the country, employing in its different departments 250 men. A number of the machines manufactured were his own patents, such as portable hoists, overhead tramways, lathes, planes and drills. Mr. Harrington continued at the head of the business until 1889. In August of that year he received a stroke of paralysis, which compelled his withdrawal from active business, and from the effect of which he has not recovered. The business at Philadelphia is now carried on by his sons, under the firm name of Edwin Harrington, Sons & Co. In 1890 Mr. Harrington built a fine residence in Bethel, and makes his home there. He married, October 8, 1848, Mary E., daughter of Elihu and Lucy (Whitcomb) Holland. Mrs. Harrington was born in Stockbridge March 12, 1829. They have four children, viz.: Melvin H., born in Worcester, Mass., September 21, 1849, married, May 16, 1877, Mary E. Hobbs, of Worcester. They have three children, Allen H., Arthur M., and M. Helen. He is a partner in the firm of Edwin Harrington, Sons & Co. Edwin Leroy, born in Worcester, September 12, 1854, married Mary C. Jarden of Philadelphia, November 21, 1883; Mary Ella, born in Worcester, October 12, 1857. died in Philadelphia August 28, 1870, and Nellie Louise, born in Philadelphia, February 10, 1872, living at home. Biographie Index

HAYES, FRANCIS B ., was born at Boston, Mass., March 10, 1861, and is the only son of the late Hon. Francis B. and Margaret (Marriatt) Hayes. His father was a prominent attorney of Boston and largely interested in railroads throughout the country. Our subject was fitted for college at the Adams Academy at Quincy, Mass., also by private tutors. Owing to his father's death in 1883. which required his supervision of his father's affairs, he was obliged to relinquish his original idea of attending college. In 1887 he located in Weathersfield and since that time has become a permanent resident of Vermont. He is engaged in literary pursuits and is a correspondent for various Boston papers. Biographie Index

HAZELTON, DANIEL W., M. D., of Springfield, was born in Hebron, N. H., May 11, 1824, being the eighth child in a family of nine children, of Daniel and Mary (Walker) Hazelton. He had an academic course of study in his native town, and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Gilman Kimball of Lowell, Mass. He graduated from the Vermont Medical College, at Woodstock, Vt. in 1848. The following year he was appointed house physician of one of the city institutions of Boston, then located at South Boston, now on Deer Isle. He first started for himself in his chosen profession in 1850, at Antrim, N. H., remaining there three years, when he was obliged to relinquish his practice for a year owing to ill-health. In 1855 he located at Stoddard, N. H., where he practiced till the spring of 1857, when he removed to Cavendish, Vt. He remained at the latter place till 1878, when he removed to Springfield, where he is now located. In the fall of 1861 a large amount of sickness was prevalent among the troops of the First Vermont Brigade, and Dr. Hazelton was commissioned by Governor Holbrook, and ordered to report to the general of that brigade, which was then attached to the Army of the Potomac. Though never mustered into the United States' service Dr. Hazelton at different times during the war was engaged on the field of action. During the illness of the surgeon of the Fourth Vermont he occupied the position of surgeon in that regiment. He was present at the battles of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor and several others that took place in Virginia. He is a member of the State and Connecticut River Medical Associations. Dr. Hazelton married Laurette H. Hammond, and has one child, William F., born in Cavendish, Vt, January 5, 1860, who fitted for college at the Vermont Academy at Saxton's River, Vt., after which be studied medicine with his father, and attended the University of Vermont one year, graduating in 1884 from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, where he had been two years. He was on the house staff at the Bellevue Hospital, New York, eighteen months, and is now engaged in business with his father. Biographie Index

HEALD, DANIEL ADDISON , was born in Chester, Vt, May 4, 1818, and is of English descent. The emigrant ancestor of his family was John Heald, who came from Berwick-on-Tweed, England, to Concord, Mass., in 1635,  He was admitted a freeman of that county June 2, 1641. His wife's name was Dorothy, and they had thirteen children, eight of whom were sons. John died May 24, 1662. Of this family John, the eldest, was probably born in England, married June 10, 1661, Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Dean, of Concord. He became a resident of Chelmsford, Mass., and had four children, viz.: John, Gershom, Elizabeth and Sarah. The John last mentioned was born in 1666, and in 1690 married Mary, daughter of Roger and Mary (Simonds) Chandler. She was born March 3, 1672. They had nine children. John died November 25, 1721. Amos, the seventh child of the above family, married Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Billings, of Concord, Mass., and their son Daniel, born in 1737, was the pioneer settler in Chester, Vt. He was at the battles of Concord Bridge and Bunker Hill and afterwards stationed at Ticonderoga. He came to Chester during the Revolutionary War. His son Amos married Lydia, daughter of Captain Ebenezer Edwards, formerly of Acton, Mass., who was also at the battle of Concord Bridge, and was a soldier in the Continental Army during the greater part of the war.

Daniel A., the youngest son of Amos and Lydia (Edwards) Heald, spent the first sixteen years of his life on the paternal farm, sharing in every labor of the field. He was naturally studious, and neglected no opportunity for mental improvement. Under the circumstances that surrounded him it was not an easy task for him to obtain a classical education. After spending two years at preparatory school at Meriden, N. H., he entered Yale College, where he took the full academic course, graduating in 1841. During his senior year he commenced the study of law with Judge Daggett, of New Haven, Conn., which he subsequently continued in the office of Judge Washburn till May, 1843, when he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of his profession. At this time he also became agent for the Etna and other Hartford fire insurance companies. His business both in law and insurance became very extensive, and he became widely known throughout his native and other States. In 1856 he accepted an invitation from the Home Insurance Company of New York to become its general agent and in that year removed from Vermont to New York city. After twelve years of service in this capacity he was chosen second vice-president of the company, which position he filled till January, 1883, when he was promoted to the office of first vice-president. He filled the latter position till April 13, 1888, when he was elected president of the company to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of President Charles J. Martin. During Mr. Heald's residence in Vermont he represented the town of Ludlow in 1850 in the House of Representatives, and was one of Windsor county's senators in 1854. He married in 1843 Miss Sarah E. Washburn, a daughter of Judge Reuben Washburn of Ludlow. Of their five children three are living.

Mr. Heald has always retained an active interest in his native State, and is a large contributor to the erection of a new and beautiful house of worship for the Congregational church at Ludlow, of which he was an active member during his residence in that town. Fire insurance has been for almost half a century the life work of Mr. Heald, and by his energy, industry and perseverance he has raised himself to become the leading fire underwriter of the United States. Soon after his removal to New York city he saw the necessity of a more united action on the part of the different fire insurance companies in order to give better protection to the insured, and more profit to the insurers. Having this principle in mind, in 1866 he became conspicuous in the organization of the National Board of Fire Underwriters, which has done much toward placing fire insurance on an equal and paying basis. He has served with ability since the organization of that body either as chairman of the executive committee or as its president. His annual reports form a storehouse of fire insurance literature, and his addresses delivered before different conventions, among which we mention " Fire Underwriting as a Profession," delivered at Chicago, September, 1880, and his speech on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the National Board at New York in 1881, have never been equaled. It is now thirty-five years since Mr. Heald first became connected with the Home Insurance Company, and with due deference to others, it has been mainly through his energy, tact and business qualifications that the company holds to-day the foremost position among the fire insurance companies of this country. In 1856, the year Mr. Heald was first employed by the company, its capital stock was $500,000, and it had assets aggregating $872,823. To day the capital stock is $3,000,000, the assets over $9,000,000, has an annual income of $4,750,000, and its policies cover property valued at over $700,000,000. The Home is one of the four largest fire insurance companies of the world, and has passed through all the great conflagrations of the country, paying all its indebtedness in full. Success like the above is due to men's brains and energies under the control and guidance of one having the ability to produce practical results. That Mr. Heald has been the one to whom the success of the Home Insurance Company is mainly due, is acknowledged, not only by his associates, but by the whole of the fire insurance fraternity. It is only another case of one of the sons of the " Old Green Mountain State," who, having inherited a good constitution, clear head, energy and perseverance among her hills, has been able to make his name prominent, and obtain a position second to none among his business associates. Biographie Index

HILL. GEORGE SPARHAWK , was born in Walpole, N. H., May 1822. He received a common school and academy education. In October, 1835, his father removed to Cavendish, and our subject was first employed in the woolen mills in that town. He afterwards was engaged as a clerk in the general store of Davis & Wheeler, and subsequently was in business for himself. In 1850 he went to California by the way of the Isthmus, but stayed there only a few months. Returning to Cavendish he became a partner in the firm of Carey, Hill & Wheeler, who carried on a general store in Proctorsville. Mr. Hill was elected January 15, 1856, cashier of the Bank of Black River, which office he filled till March 26, 1878, when he was elected president of the National Black River Bank. To the latter position he has been elected continuously. He has held various town offices, and has been town treasurer for the last twenty years. Biographie Index

 

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