and died March 24, 1885. Two children were born
of this union: Andrew D., born Sept. 7, 1862,
married May 21, 1885, Lucy A. Bishop, born July
10. 1861, a daughter of Erus and Charlotte
(Thorpe) Bishop and has a son Charles, born
March 15, 1901 ; and Ida L., born Aug. 30, 1871.
married Heinrich \'ollhardt. born in Frankfort,
Germany, July 21, 1870, and has had five children-
Frieda A. (born Sept. 9, 1895), Philip H. (born
Aug. 24, 1896), Edwin Clinton (born Dec. 13,
1897), Cornelia (born Dec. 31, 1899, died in Feb-
ruary. 1901), and Alfred (born Julv 24, 1901").
For his second wife, Edwin Jesse Clinton married
Jan. 20, 1886, Eliza J. Arthur, who was born in
Kingston, Jamaica, W. I., Dec. 18, 1853, a daughter
of Joseph Arthur (a native of Cornwall, England)
and his wife Elizabeth (Haling) Arthur (daughter
of William and Abigail (Hall) Haling), of Chat-
ham, Conn. One child, Joseph Arthur, born June
12, 1888, has blessed this union.
Edwin Jesse Clinton was reared on the old Clin-
ton homestead, and received his education in tlie dis-
trict schools. For four years after leaving the
school room, he was employed in the Clintonville
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
853
Agricultural Works, and then became foreman for '
T. 1". P.arncs, of North Haven. During these eight
years he had carefully studied business methods,
and had thoroughly acquired that practical training
for the business world, that cannot be obtained by
years of study in the class room. He then entered
the business world for himself, building a mill and
factorv near the home in Clintonville, and here for j
thirtv-five years he has been engaged in the manu-
facture of carriage wood work. For a part of this
time he had as his partner, his brother Isaac B., and
lately his son, Andrew D.. has been associated with j
him. He built a fine dwelling house and has made I
many improvements upon his home place, making it
one of the ideal homes in this vicinity. Mr. Clinton
has a fine reputation as an honorable business man,
and counts his friends as an army in the village and
surrounding country. For many years he has kept
a diarv, and his notes of passing events are some-
times very valuable for reference. Socially Mr.
Clinton belongs to the O. L". A. M., and both he
and his wife are members of the Grange. Mrs.
Clinton is a lady of cultured literary tastes, and has
made a sjiecialty of the study of genealogy, spend-
ing much time in its investigation.
CALEB T. MERWIX, for many years a prom-
inent agriculturist of the town of Milford, was a
representative of one of the oldest and best known
families of that locality. The first of the name to
settle in this section was Miles Merwin, and the
line of descent is traced as follows: Miles (2),
Miles (3), Miles (4). and An;on, our subject's
father, all natives of IMilford.
Miles Merwin (4) married Miss Abigail Beach,
of Milford, and settled on the present homestead in
the southern part of the town on Long Island
Sound. They had eight children : Mary, who mar-
ried Rev. Mr. Atwater, of Branford ; Anna, who
married Richard Hepburn, of Milford; Daniel, a
farmer in the town of Orange; Sanniel, a clerg)'-
man. who preached many years in New Haven,
Conn., and later in Wilton, Conn., where he died ;
Anson, our subject's father; Nathan, a fanner in
Oxfdrd, Conn., and later a hotel-keeper in Milford,
where he died some years ago ; Benedict, who was
a farmer in Milford: and Miles (5), formerly a
butcher in Milford.
Anson Merwin, the father of our subject, was
born in Milford March 24, 1787, and followed
farming at the old homestead throughout his life.
He died July 7. 1867. His wife, Calena (Tomlin-
son) who died March 4. 1866. was a native of Mil-
ford, and a daughter of Caleb Tomlinson, a sea-
faring man. Of their five children the eldest, An-
son W., engaged in the carriage business in Louis-
ville. Kv., where he died April 20, 1854: Caleb T.
is mentioned more fully below : Samuel M. was a
coal dealer in Louisville and died in 1898 : Louisa
is the widow of Andrew Lincoln, of Massachu-
setts, who engaged in the furniture business in
Louisville, but afterward became a farmer in Han-
cock county, 111. (his remains are buried in Mil-
ford) ; Mary E. died Dec. 14, 1877, unmarried.
Caleb T' Merwin was born Jan. 11, 1823, at
Pond Point, and grew to manhood upon the farm,
receiving his education in a district school. He
taught school for about eight seasons in Milford
and Orange townships, afterward giving his whole
attention to agricultural pursuits, making a spe-
cialtv of raising garden seeds. His farm contained
about 125 acres, and is situated on a high elevation
overlooking Long Island Sound.
On April 20, 1852, Mr. Merwin married Miss
Maria A. Wheeler, daughter of Ezra Wheeler, a
well-known farmer in Bridgeport. Seven children
blessed this union: Mary L., who died Sept. 3,
1856, at the age of three years; Ida M., who died
July 12, 1889 ; Mary C. ; Jane W. ; Walter L. : Laura
H.; and Sherman T. In 1839 Mr. Merwin united
with the First Congregational Church of Milford,
and for many years was one of the leading mem-
bers, holding most of the offices, including that of
deacon for fifteen years. The family are also iden-
tified with that church. In politics Mr. Merwin
was first a Whig and later a Republican, and in
i860 and 1861 he represented his town in the State
Legislature. He passed away Dec. 23, 1899.
HARRY WOODING (deceased), a represent-
ative farmer and highly esteemed citizen of Chesh-
ire, was born in Woodbridge, Nov. 12, 1829, and
was a great-grandson of John Wooding, a native
of New Haven, who, about 1750, removed from
North Haven to Woodbridge, and was the first of
the family to locate in the latter town.
Elijah Wooding, son of John, was born iii
Woodbridge. He was twice married, his first wife
being Thirza Hotchkiss, of Cheshire, by whom he
had two sons, Levi and Stephen. For his second
wife he married Emma Bradley, and to them were
born four children, namely : Eunice, Olive, Thirza
and Uriah.
Stephen Wooding, son of Elijah, and father of
our subject, was born, reared and educated in
Woodbridge, now Bethany, and throughout his ac-
tive business life engaged in farming in that sec-
tion of the county. He married Miss Deborah
Bradley, also a native of Woodbridge, who died
in Bethany in 1832, and he died in Woodbridge, in
1859. Thev had' four children : Henry, who was
born in 1818 ; Mi'lo, who went to California; Mrs.
Eliza Tuttle, who died in Naugatuck, Conn.; and
Harrv.
Reared in Bethany, Harry Wooding obtamed
his education in the common schools of that town,
and later learned the machinist's trade, at which he
worked in different places in Connecticut and Mas-
sachusetts. Coming to Cheshire in 1857. he pur-
chased a farm, and in connection with its operation
continued to work at his trade for some years.
Mr. Wooding was married in Cheshire, in 1865,
8S4
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
to Miss Irene J. Watson, a native of Torringford,
Conn., and a daughter of George and Jane (Belden)
Watson. He father died in Roseville, 111., and her
mother, a daughter of Jeremiah and Love (Dean)
Belden, of Canaan (now Falls X'illage), Conn., died
in Norfolk, Conn. To our subject and wife were
born two ciiildren : Ida, widow of Benjamin Chat-
field has two children, Gladys W., and Lorin, and
lives in New Haven ; and Waldo, a machinist resid-
ing in Cheshire. Religiously, Mr. Wooding was a
member of the Episcopal Church, of which his wife
is also a communicant. Politically he was a stanch
supporter of the Democratic party. In all the rela-
tions of life he was found true to every trust re-
jX)sed in him, and he commanded the respect and
confidence of those with whom he came in contact.
Brave and patient under the sufferings of his last
illness, he was ever considerate of those about him,
and when the end came, Nov. 9, 1900, a dearly be-
loved father and husband entered into rest, leaving
behind him a vacant chair to be filled only in that
last Grand Reunion.
ALFRED BARNETT. Among the worthy
men whose histories add interest to this volume,
none stand higher in public esteem than this well-
known resident of Ansonia, who is passing in retire-
ment the evening of a long and useful life. He was
born Aug. 22, 1823, in Birmingham, England, a
son of Joseph and Catherine (Withington) Barnett.
Joseph Barnett, who was born in London, England,
became a shoemaker by trade and for many years
conducted a store in London, amassing a handsome
competence. He then retired and spent the remain-
der of his life in Birmingham, where he died at the
advanced age of eighty years. Catherine (With-
ington) liarnett was born in Shiffnal, Shropshire,
England, and lived to be eighty years old. Joseph
Barnett and his wife had a family of four children,
two of whom are still living: David, a resident of
Kansas: and Alfred, our subject. Both parents
were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and were highly esteemed in the community.
Alfred Barnett passed the earlier years of his
life in Birmingham, England, and at the age of
fourteen began to learn the trade of fine wire draw-
ing, which required an apprenticeship of seven
years. He continued in this business as a journey-
man, and at the age of twenty-five removed "to New
York, where however he remained only a short
time. In 1849 he went to Greenwich, Conn., but
soon afterward removed to Birmingham, now
Derby, and entered the employ of Wallace & Sons,
where he remained until 1851. During that year he
visited England, and on returning he resumed his
work for Wallace & Sons in their new mill in .\n-
sonia. In 1861 a desire to try the life of a farmer
tempted him to Wisconsin, where he remained four
years, but he then returned to his former position
with Wallace & Sons. Two years later, in 1867, he
was given the position of superintendent, or con-
tractor, for the fine wire department, being the
overseer of a number of men. He continued in this
work for many years, and only left it in 1887 to go
into complete retirement from business. His pres-
ent dwelling house was built in 1874. During his
long residence in the city it has grown from a farm-
ing community of only a few houses, to a city of
13,000 inhabitants.
In 1851 Mr. Barnett married his first wife, Mary
A. Robinson, of Birmingham, England, daughter
of John Robinson, who died in 1865, in the West.
His second wife, ]\Iary Selby, was born in Ireland,
a daughter of William Selby, a farmer, and died at
the age of sixty years. Both were members of the
Episcopal Church of which Mr. Barnett is a regular
attendant. By his first marriage he had three chil-
dren : Mary married Henry Miner (deceased) and
had two children — Hattie (who married and has
one child) and Edward: John: Alfred T. (de-
ceased) married and had two children — Mabel and
Ethel. There were two children by the second mar-
riage, viz. : Maria, who married M. P. Fillingham,
a draughtsman, and has one child, Alfred Barnett ;
Melvina, who married P. K. Leng, a merchant in
Xew York, and has had two children. Alfred Steeles
and Mary. Mr. Barnett is a Republican in politics,
has been a burgess of the borough for three years,
and has served a number of times on the jury.
SMITH S. CLARK (deceased) passed his last
years in the enjoyment of a rest which he truly
earned and richly deserved by reason of his indus-
trious efforts of former years. Accomplishment
and progress ever imply labor, energy and diligence,
and it was those ([ualities that enabled our subject
to rise from the ranks of the many and to stand
among the successful few.
A native of New Haven county, Mr. Clark was
born in the town of Milford (now Orange) Feb.
14, 1822, a son of Celah and Hannah Stone (Smith)
Clark, whose sketch is given in connection with that
of Horatio N. Clark, elsewhere. During his child-
hood our subject removed with his parents to Pros-
pect, where he obtained his education in the dis-
tfict schools. He remained under the parental roof
until he reached manhood, and then learned the
painter's trade, which he continued to follow to
some extent for a number of years, in Cheshire and
in other places. Later in life he turned his atten-
tion to farming in I'rospect. near the old home-
stead, where at the time of his death he owned a
iValuablc farm of 200 acres, upon which he had made
many improvements. He carried on general farm-
ing and stock raising, also engaging in the wood
business, and during the spring and fall continued
to work at his trade. He was noted for his indus-
trious and thrifty habits, and prosi)cred in his un-
dertakings, becoming one of the substantial citizens
of the comnninity.
In Prospect, Mr. Clark married Miss Abigail
Williams, a native of Cheshire, and a daughter of
f
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
855
Albert Williams. She died leaving no children, and
was buried in Prospect cemetery. In 1859 he was
again married, his second union being with Miss
Sarah E. Thomas, a native of W'oodbridge, daugh-
ter of Xoyes H. and Hmnia (Baldwin) Thomas,
and granddaughter of Abner Baldwin. To this
union were born two children : Welleford Selden,
a painter of Straitsville, Conn., who married Alta
Dickerman, and has four children, Percy, Florence,
Leon and Hazel ; and Adelbert Smith, who operates
the home farm.
Mr. Clark was a member of the Congregational
Church, to which his widow belongs. He ever
took an active and prominent part in church work,
was a member of the society committee for a quar-
ter of a century, and was also clerk and treasurer of
the church. All the family have been well-known
and highly respected throughout the community in
which they live. Politicall\' Mr. Clark was indenti-
lied with the Republican ])arty, served as tax collec-
tor, and was selectman of his town for twelve years.
He was ahvavs enterprising in promoting agricul-
tural interests, and was a member of the Grange, as
are his widow and son, Adelbert. Mr. Clark's up-
right and honorable life won for him the confidence
and respect of all with whom he came in contact,
and he well deserved the high regard in which he
was uniformly held.
JOHX \"AIL, a well-known and highly-es-
teemed citizen of Waterbury, residing on Washing-
ton avenue, was born in Riverhead, Long Island,
Aug. 4, 1832, son of Capt. Jasper \'ail, also a na-
tive of Long Island, and owner and master of a
coasting vessel engaged in local trade. The father
was a Whig in politics, and was liberal in his re-
ligious views. He married Sophrona Edwards,
and they continued to make their home throughout
life on Long Island. Their children were Halsie,
now deceased ; Griffin ; Charles, who was a resident
of New London, Conn., was engaged in the coast-
ing trade, and was drowned during the seventies,
his vessel having capsized; Peter; Francis; John;
George; David; Andrew; Fanny; and Mehitable.
Our subject obtained his education in the dis-
trict schools of Long Island. At the age of eight
years he commenced working for his board and
clothes, and was thus employed until he was sixteen
years of age. He then accepted a position as cabin
boy on a coasting vessel, continuing thus for two
years, and on leaving the water, in 1850, came to
Connecticut. After spending two years in Bristol
and adjoining towns, he took up his residence in
\\'aterbury, where he has since made his home. He
was successfully engaged in house painting until
1888, and also carried on farming to some extent,
having for half a century owned and operated a
farm on Town Plot, Washington avenue. Since
his retirement from the painting business he has de-
voted much of his time to dairying, and in that
undertaking has met with good success.
In 1855 Mr. Vail was united in marriage with
Miss Mary Adams, who was born in Watertown,
Litchfield Co., Conn., a daughter of Seymour
Adams. They have become the parents of four
children, namely: Ella Rossette, now the wife of
Charles Dikeman, of Torrington, Conn.; Jessie
Rosalyn, wife of Dwight Roliinson ; Charles, who
married Susie Wilson ; and George, who married
Miss Ada Hunter.
Mr. Vail was a member of the school commit-
tee of Town Plot during seven of its most progres-
sive years. He was one of the first in Waterbury
to join the Republican party, voted for Fremont in
1856. and has since been one of its stalwart support-
ers, but has never been a politician in the sense of
office seeking. He has always been found true to
every trust reposed in him, and receives and merits
the confidence and respect of his fellow citizens.
ISAAC BASSETT CLINTOX, one of the
best-known citizens and successful general farmers
and dairymen of the town of Wallingford, was
born July 2, 1834, on the old homestead, near where
he now resides.
Jesse Clinton, the grandfather of our subject,
was a large land owner near Clintonville, where he
spent his life, and added to his income very consid-
erably by cattle raising. His son, Jesse, the father
of our subject, was born on the old homestead, and
was the youngest of the famil)-. His early days
were spent in school, and he became interested in
farming, which he continued all his life. During
his management of the farm, cons'sting of' 150
acres, he made many improvements, and became
well known as a raiser of fine stock. He married,
in X'orth Haven, Rosanna Bassett, a daughter of
Isaac Bassett, and six children were born of this
union : Merritt, George, John, Isaac, Edwin and
Elizur. Mr. Clinton's connection with the Congre-
gational Church of North Haven began in his
youth, and he lived an honest and upright life.
During his early youth our sulijcct was a pupil
in the district school, and later attended the North
Haven Academy. He remained at home until he
was eighteen, at which time he entered the factory
at Clintonville, and later, with his brother, formed
the partnership of Clinton Bros, in the manufactur-
ing of carriage woodwork, prosecuting this suc-
cessfully for twenty-five years, at which time Mr.
Clinton's health failed and he gave it up. .-\ life on
the farm seemed to promise a return to good health,
and he then went into. the dairy and fruit growing
business on a tract of sixty acres of the original
homestead farm. That his hopes were realized his
present excellent health attests, the only medicine
he needed being fresh air, sunshine and contact
with Nature. Mr. Clinton has proved that the Bib-
lical assertion that man shall cat his bread in the
sweat of his face is sometimes the greatest of bless-
ings.
On Mav 12, i8s8. Mr. Clinton was married, in
856
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
W'allingford. to Grace Ann Allen, who was born
in that town. Three children have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Clinton: Evelyn B., born May 7,
1859, is a dairyman and peach grower; he was mar-
ried Feb. 14, 1888, to Florence A. Redfield, who
was born July 10. 1863, and they have one child,
Leroy W., born Nov. 25, 1889. Friend is a manu-
facturer of witch hazel at Iligganuni. Conn.; he
married Helen li. Clark, of that place. Elbert mar-
ried Clara G. Sanford, of Hamden, where they re-
side. Both Mr. Clinton and wife are members of
the North Haven Grange, where their social quali-
ties are much appreciated ; they are connected with
the North Haven Episcopal Church.
Mrs. Clinton is descended from an old and
prominent family. Roger Allen came to New Eng-
land in 1638. The parents of Mrs. Clinton were
Hiram and Nancy (Button) Allen, the former born
in 1806. and the latter in 1805; she died in 1885.
Children as follows came to Mr. and Mrs. Allen :
Franklin, born in 1832 ; Frances Augusta, born in
1836: Hiram; Grace Ann. born July 18, 1839; and
Elenora Melvina, born in 1842. The maternal
grandfather of Mrs. Clinton, Newberry Button, was
a native of North Haven ; he was a fifer during the
Revolutionary war. and was at Fort Griswold.
Later he Ix-came a seafaring man. He married a
daughter of James Tierpont, of North Haven.
WILLIAM H. TERKINS, an enterprising and
progressive gentleman farmer of Bucks Hill, has
spent his entire life in Waterbury, where he was
born Nov. 3. 1848. He is a worthy descendant of
an old and highly respected New York family.
\\'illiam Perkins, his father, was born in Butter-
nuts, now GillKTtsville. Otsego Co., N. Y., a son of
Benonia Perkins. \N'hen nine months old he was
brought by his i>arents to Bethany, New Haven
Co., Conn., where his father engaged in farming
ami died. William Perkins was educated in the
schools of Bethany, and was fifteen years of age
on coming to Waterbury, which town was then in
its infancy. Here and in Prospect he learned the
cari)enter's and joiner's trade, and in time became
the best-known contractor and builder in the Nau-
gatuck \"alley. When he was twenty-one years of
age he formed a partnership with Archibald and
Elisha Rice. He erected several of the public build-
ings in Waterbury, including the "Scovill House,"
the First Congregational church, and the Scovill fac-
tory. His work was done with great dispatch, and
he put up nine houses in ten davs in Waterbury.
For several years he also engaged in the manufac-
ture of sash and blinds at his factory at City Mills.
He was a large land owner, having property at Lake
Wood, now known as Perkins avenue, and al.so at
Watervillc. He was quite prominent in politics,
and was a recognizetl leader of the Democratic party
in Waterbury. taking a deep interest in all public
matters. He served thirteen years as selectman, to
which office he was nominated and elected bv both
the Democratic and Republican ])arties, and in the
discharge of his duties gave eminent satisfaction
to all concerned. He was first selectman five years.
He was public spirited and progressive, and gave
his support to all measures calculated to advance
the educational, moral or material welfare of his
town and county. He was a man of independent
thought, and had the courage of his convictions,
doing ever what he deemed best for the general
good. Mr. Perkins died at his home on North Main
street, Waterbury, in 1875, ^"d was laid to rest in
Riverside cemetery. He attended the Episcopal
Church, and was a member of the Independent Or-
der of Odd Fellows. For his first wife Mr. Perkins
married Mary Tuttlc. who was born on North Main
street, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Juddl
Tuttle, and his second wife was Almira Jerome, of
Waterbury ; she is buried in Riverside cemetery.
He had four children : ( i ) Elizabeth, who was edu-
cated at the Waterbury Academy and Miss Draper's
boarding-school, is now the widow of John H.
.'^mith, a son of Hon. Nathan Smith, a Congress-
man from New Haven, and makes her home in
Waterbury. She is a member of the Daughters of
the American Revolution. She had two cliildren —
Mary Elizabeth, who died in infancy; and William
Easton, a merchant of Waterbury. (2) William
H. is our subject. The other two children died in
infancN'.
During his boyhood and youth William H. Per-
kins was given excellent educational advantages, at-
tending the public and select schools of Watcrburv :
the Ejjiscopal Academy at Cheshire: and the New
Haven Military Institute, under Gen. Russell. In
early life he learned the carpenter's trade with D.
H. Meloy, a well-known architect aiul builder of
Waterbury, with nnich success, and followed that
occupation for several years. In 1887 he removed
to what is now known as Perkins avenue, on Bucks
Hill, and turned his attention to the operation of
the Holt farm, upon which he has made extensive
improvements, inchvding the erection of a fine resi-
dence, beautifully located, and supplied with all
modern conveniences. He has built an artificial lake
which is well stocked with fine fish, and on which
he has a pleasure boat. He keeps about twenty
head of cattle, to supply the family wants. Fancy
dogs and game chickens are bred here with much
success, and Mr. Perkins' Great Dane "Gover" is
one of the best dogs in New England. At the
present time Mr. Perkins is erecting, regardless of
expense, extensive chicken barns, completely fur-
nished with numerous incubators and all the latest
appliances, with the intention of supplying Water-
bury with chickens. This business is managed by
his son Harry, who has familiarized himself with
the culture of chickens, and the enteri)rise is ex-
pected to prove a big success.
As a hunter and fisherman Mr. Perkins has few
equals in Connecticut. All his life he has been a
sportsman, and in his younger days was a noted ath-
WILLIAM PERKINS.
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