cessful raiser of the best breeds of cattle.
On Nov. 28, 1872, Mr. Stillman was united in
marriage, in Southington, to Miss Julia L. Hart,
of that town, a daughter of Roswell and Permelia
(Amsdcn) Hart, the latter a native of Boston, the
former of Southington. To Mr. and Mrs. Stillman
five children were born : Harry Hart, born Feb. 5,
1875, f'is'^ 'â– ^ug. 5, the same year; Marion, born
Sept. 19, 1879, died Sept. 13, 1881 : I'lora P., Iwrn
Sept. 25, 1884: Dorwin. born April 11, 1886, died
Nov. 2, 1890; and Elsie Julia, born Dec. 2r, 1887.
Both of the survivors are attending school. In
political preference Mr. Stillman is a Republican
and both he and his amiable wife are members of
the Meriden Grange and have long been valued
7^4
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
membcr.s oi the LlaiJti.Nt Lliiinli. In the ci>minuiiiiy
Mr. Stilliiiaii staiuls hi^li. ami he is justly con-
sidered one of the representative men of the town
of Meridcn.
CHARLKS LEE SCRANTON, retired agri-
culturist, and one of the must highly respected citi-
zens of the town of Madison, is a native of the
same, born l-'eb. 2\. i8_'5, in the Xcck District.
lie is an honoreil meml)er of one of the oldest and
most highly respected families in New JIaven
coimty.
( 1) |ohn Scranlon, the first of the name in
Guilford, hail a son (II) John (Capt.), who had a
son (111) Ebenezcr, born March i6, 1696, in Guil-
ford, whence he in early manhood removed to
North (Juilford. there passing the rest of his days
in fanning pursuits, dying Ucl. (>, 1774. at the age
-of seventy-eight years. His wife. Ann. born in
1693. died July 2, 1780, aged eighty-seven years.
Both were buried in the North Guilford cemetery.
Four children constituted their family: (i) John,
born Aug. 2y, 1726. died in November. 1736; (2)
Ebenezer, born Aug. 17, 1728, settled in the east-
ern part of Connecticut or in Rhode Island; (3)
Ann. born March 31. 1731, married, in 1751, John
Dibble, of Uoston; (4) Jared is mentioned below.
(I\') Jared Scranton, born in North Guilford
June 25. 1733. was a lifelong farmer there,
died Nov. 12, 1816, and was buried in the North
Guilford cemetery. On Jan. i, 1766, he married
Lucretia UusscU.' who died June 14, 1813. Chil-
dren: ( I ) John Russell, born Jidy 14. 1769, who
married Zcrviah Fowler and died Dec. 21, 1820;
(2) Jared, sketch of whom follows: and (3)
Ebenezer, born Sept. (\ I'JTZ' who was drowned in
Quincbaug pond, Guilford, May 21, 1794.
(\') Jared Scranton, grandfather of Charles
L., was born May \(\ 1771, in North Guilford,
on the old homestead, and received his earlier edu-
cation at the district schools of the neighborhood,
after which he attended Vale College, graduating
therefrom in 1795. with the degree of .\. D. Like
his forefathers, he was a tiller of the soil all his
days in North (iuilford, dying there March 15,
1851. He married Rachel Fowler, born in North
Guilford, a daughter of .\sher Fowler, and nine
children were 1)orn to them, as follow-s : ( i )
I'rilirick William, sketch of whom follows: (2)
l'.\('yn. born .\ug. 9. 1798. who married (first)
Susan Newkirk and (second) Eunice Davis; (3)
Eliza .\nn. iiorn March 2, 1800; (4) .\sher Fowler,
bom Sept. 20, 1801, who when a young man left
home for the West: (5) Cvnthia Russell, born
Oct. 12, 1803; (6) Juliette, born May 24. 1805;
(7) Jared, born ,\])ril 20. 1807. who marrieil Lucy
T-Mwards and lived in Oomwell. Conn.: (81
IvMiiH'fi, born Dec. 27. i8cx>, who died May 14.
1827; and (g) Elnathan, born March 27, 1814.
( VI ) Frederick W. Scranton, father of Charles
I... was I)orn Aug. 15. 1796, and at the age "''
three years was adopted by his uncle and aunt,
Capt. b'rederick and Ann Lee, of Madison, with
whom he grew to maiduwd. l-'or a time, in early
manhood, he was a clerk in the New Haven post
office, and then returning to the Lee homestead
(Capt. Lee appointing him his heir) took charge of
the farm, and cared for his foster father in his
declining years. He diedi in 1877, a Democrat in
politics and a member of the Episcopal Church of
(juilford. Mr. Scranton married Hannah P.arker.
a native of Branford, and a daughter of Archillis
and Mary Barker, well-known citizens of that lo-
cality. She died in Madison, .Xug. 9, 1890, and
her remains were laid beside those of her husband
in the West cemetery, Madison. Their children:
(i) Charles Lee, a sketch of wdioni follows; (2)
Harriet, born Feb. 26, 1826, who died Oct. 27,
1846; and (3) Romeo, born May 14, 1829, who
died March 4. 1832.
(\'H) Charles Lee Scranton, the subject proper
of these lines, received his education in part at the
district schools of Madison, in part at Lee"s Acad-
emy, and remained on the home farm with his par-
ents, taking care of them in their old age. For
many years he followed agricultural pursuits on
his father's farm, known as the Capt. Frederick
Lee homestead, but he is now living retired at the
advanced age of over seventy-six years, yet hale
and active, and well posted on all the leading events
of the day. In politics he is a lifelong Democrat,
in religious faith a member of the Episcopal Church
of Guilford, and a vestryman in the same.
On May 17. 1854, at North Lyme. New^ London
Co., Conn.. Charles L. Scranton was imited in
marriage with Louisa Stark, a native of that place
and a daughter of Christopher and Phcbe (Jewett)
Stark, and one child graced their union, Anna
Louise, who died in 1880, at the age of twenty-one
years, deeply mourned not only by her parents but
by a wide circle of friends, by whom she was much
admired and beloved. Mr. and Mrs. Scranton are
a most estimable couple, and deservedly enjoy the
friendship and esteem of the best people of the
community in which they live.
WALLACE S. CHASE, the efficient librarian
of the Taylor library in Milford, was born Jan. 28.
1847, in Paxlon, Worcester Co., Mass., a son of
John and grandson of Nathan Chase.
The familv traces its descent from one of three
brothers whc came from England at an early period
and settled in Rhode Island.
Nathan Chase, grandfather of our subject, re-
sided near Providence. R. I., and his wife. Content
.\nthony. was a native of that State. They hail
two sons: Rufiis. a shoemaker in Paxton, Mass.,
who died in 1864, and John S., our subject's father.
.Nathan Chase died when the latter was a young
man.
John S. Chase was born May 18. 1819. at his
t'lti,, v'^ honv; and died in Paxton, Mass., Nov. 23,
CAPT. FREDERICK LEE.
^ e^^ ^
^ CP& QjOt/4/^1^^^7^
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
725
1901. His boyhood was mainly spent at I'axton,
^[ass., wliere lie learned tiic shoemaker's trade.
He married Miss Amey E. Warren, a native of
Paxton, and they had six children: \\'allacf S.. our
subject ; Charles E., who died at the age of twenty-
one: Carrie E.. wife of Almon Pingjrce, of Uenmark,
Oxford Co., Me.; Emma (;., who died aged eight-
een; George, who died aged two years; and Em-
mons W., a resident of ^lilford.
Amey E. (Warren) Chase was born Dec. 12,
1828, daughter of John Warren, of Paxton, and a
land in 1783, and located at .Marlboro, Mass. Her
mother, Lucretia -Merrick, traced her descent from
John Merrick, a native of Wales, who came to
America in 1614. The line of descent is John Mer-
rick, born 1^)55: James, born 1699: Elisha, born
Sept. 13, 1735; Telly, the father of Lucretia.
Wallace S. Chase was educated in the public
schools of Paxton, attending until nearlv the age of
seventeen. In November, 1863. he enlisted at Pax-
ton in Co. L, 2d Mass. Heavy Artillery, with which
he served nearly two years, being nuistcrctl out
Sept. 3. 1865, at Smithville, X. C."^ The following
year was spent at Paxton and for two vears he
worked in a shoe factory at Barre, MasS. He then
went to Xorwalk, Conn., where he was employed for
two years in a hat factory and in 1870 he came to
Milford. After working two years in a hat factory
there he entered the Paldwin shoe shop and two
years later he went to Albany, X. Y.. lo take charge
of a retail shoe store, remaining about a year. Re-
turning to Milford he worked in the shoe shop
n-iost of the time until 1894 when he was elected to
Ills present position as librarian of the Tavlor li-
brary.
On Feb. 14. 1868. Mr. Chase married Miss
lunma Chickcring, of Rutland, ^Mass.,. daughter of
Salmon Chickering, a well-known resident of that
town. Thev have one son, Charles R. Mr. Chase
is a Republican in politics and he and his wife are
prominent in social life. He belongs to the Masonic'
fraternity; the G. A. R. : the Order of American
Mechanics; and is an active worker in the ^[eth-
odist Episcopal Church, being a trustee at the pres-
ent time.
WILT JAM H. FORS^'TH. president and treas-
urer of the Pond Lilly Co. For forty years and
more the name of Forsyth has been mo.st closelv as-
sociated with the business interests and growth of
X^ew Haven, the late Thomas Forsvth establishing
litre in 1868, the well-known Elm City Dye \\^orks,
which he and his sons, following him, have devel-
oped into one of the largest and most complete es-
tablishments of its kind in the country. Xo name
in X'ew Haven stood higher than that of Thomas
Forsyth, carrying with it sucli suggestions of honor
and integrity and all the other qualities that go to
make up a sound business life. His sons, one of
v.hom is still identified with the business, and wliose
name appears at the opening of tiiis article, were
identified with many important business enterprises
in the city.
The late Thomas I-"orsytli was born in Paisley,
Scotland, .March 26, 1830, a son of Thomas Gordon
and Mary ( .McCunnel ) l-'orsyth, both highly re-
spected citizens of their community. Thev were
in moderate circumstances and Thomas received but
a limited schooling, but being of a bright and studi-
ous disposition he read much and became familiar
with the best literature of the language. When he
was twelve years of age he hcgan learning the dye-
ing and bleaching trade, but soon turned to weaving
at Paisley, where he worked for five years in the
factory that produced the celebrated Paisley shawls.
His extensive reading had stirred within him a spirit
of independence and in 1848 he was involved in the
Chartist movement. He was finally moved to see'K
a_ fairer field in the United States. Landing in New
York in .Xovember. 1848, with but a half penny in
his pocket, the beginning of his career in this coun-
try was attended with every discouragement.
Friends in Springfield whom he had expected to
find had gone away ; weeks passed without his find-
ing employment ; finally he discovered a young coun-
tryman at Maiden, Mass., with whom he had worked
in a Paisley dyeing shop and who was carrying on
a small dye shop at Maiden. He gave young For-
syth employment but after two months the enterprise
pro^'cd a failure and all the wages Mr. l-"orsytli had
earned during the entire period were lost and he
was three months indebted to his landlord. Mr.
Forsyth secured employment with Barrett Brothers,
then the largest dyers and bleachers in -Maiden, who
later moved to Somcrvillc, and remained with them
eighteen years, learning the business from start to
finish.
Thomas Forsyth was energetic, frugal and in-
dustrious, and by saving his moncv was able to
start in 1867 for Saccarappa, Maine, accompanied by
Abial Foster, for the purpose of starting in business
for himself in the line in which he had been so long
engaged. This partnership was of but short duration
as Mr. Forsyth, owing to poor health, was obliged
to retire from business for a time. In 1868 Mr.
Forsyth located in Xcw Haven, where he was as-
sociated with Henry Fisher in the establishment of
the business with w*hich he was so long successfully
and prominently associated, under the firm name of
For.syth & I'isher. It was later carried on under
the name of the Forsyth Dyeing, Laundering and
Bleaching Co. In the beginning the concern was
a small affair and its first location was at the corner
of Elm and Orchard streets, .\ftcr a time the firm
erected a building of their own near their present
location. In 1870 a steam laundry department was
added and they were the first laundry company in
the State to do business by machinery. On the death
of Mr. Fisher, in 1876. Mr. Forsyth became sole
proprietor, his sons gradually coming into the busi-
ness and relieving him of the active management ami
726
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
responsibility. In 1882 the dcniantl of tlic business
for more coninioilious quarters was answered by
the erection of a commodious brick building on the
comer of State and Lawrence streets, the plant cov-
eriiiff nearly an acre of ground and answering all de-
mands for dyeing and bleaching, principally dye-
ing for rubber shoe manufacturers. Their customers
in this line at one time included a dozen or more of
tlic largest rubber concerns in that line in the
United States, and in the year 1885 there were
colored and sent out from this house more than four
million yards of cloth fifty-two inches in width. The
laundry could handle 500 shirts. 17,000 cuffs and
collars a day and 10,000 pieces of unstarched goods
at the same time. Carpet cleaning was also an im-
])ortant branch of the business and the house could
handle 20,000 yartls of carpet a day. In 1887 the
firm was incor|x>ratcd under the name of the For-
syth Dyeing, Laundering & Illeaching Co., with
a capital of $25,000. In i8y6 .Mr. W. H. Forsyth
withdrew from the managenient of the For.syth
Dyeing. Laundering & Bleaching Co. and organ-
ized the r
the fi inner business, buying out their machinery and
real estate.
Thomas Forsyth was a Republican and took de-
light in the thought that he was a Republican be-
fore the organization of the party, having been a
Whig and an .\bolitionist, and at one time an as-
sociate with John Brown, in Kansas. In his re-
ligion he was a Presbyterian.
Mr. Forsyth was married in March, i860, at
St. John's, Xew IVunswick, to Miss Agnes White,
who died in 1895 in Paisley, Scotland. To this
union were bom the following named children :
William H. : Leslie W., who died in 1887; Thomas
Gordon, now in Bridgeport ; and Janet, who mar-
ried Franklin K. Ilickok, of Xew Haven. /Ml the
sons grew up in the business and were identified
with it at one time or another.
William II. Forsyth, one of the surviving sons.
and now the active head of the Forsyth estate, was
educated in Xew Haven, where his early life was
spent. He was a student in the Dwight school and
afterward in the Workley school at Fairhaven. His
prejjarations for business were made in a business
college. For two years he had private teachers and
v,-as liberally educated in the lousiness that he was
to follow. In i8
and purchased from his brother the other business
in 1899. The Pond Lilly Co. docs general cotton
dveing for manufacturers. Mr. Forsvth is president
of the Pond Lilly Co., of which William C. Har-
mon is secretary and treasurer, and president of the
Pond Lilly Laimdry Co., which occupies the plant
<>{ the old Forsyth Dyeing, Laundering & Bleach-
ing Co., corner of Lawrence and Mechanic streets.
George A. Kcyes is secretary, and C. R. Whedors,
Jr., treasurer of this company. Fraternallv Mr.
^V. H. Forsvth is coimected with Olive Branch
Lodge, F. &'A. M.; Pyramid Lodge, A. O. U. W.;
the Heptasophs ; and the Woodmen of the World.
In 1887 Mr. Forsyth was married in New Haven
to Mary L. Easton, a granddaughter of Joseph Fair-
child, one of the old and prominent citizens of Xew
Haven. To this marriage have been born three
children, Lesley Easton, Thomas and Donald \\'.
CH.\RLES FLKAXAII PADDOCK, one of
Meriden's well-known farmers and dairymen, was
born on his father's farm in Meriden Aug. -31.
1844, and is a representative of a very honorable
family of his locality.
Throughout the last century the name of Pad-
dock has been identified with the history of Meriden.
where have dwelt the family of the late Samuel
I'addock, the latter for si.xty and more years one of
the active and influential men of the town. He was
succeeded by his son, Charles L. Paddock, who
passed away full of years and good deeds.
Zachariah Paddock, from Wales, says tradition,
came to New England along in the eighteenth cen-
tury, landing on the Rhode Island coast, and thence
later came to Middletown, Conn., where he passed
the remainder of his life and died May 13, 1800.
when in the seventy-third year of his age. His
wife, Hannah, survived him until 1819, dying
March 3, of that year, aged eighty-one years.
Samuel Paddock, son of Zachariah. the emi-
grant, born June 18, 1758, rcsiilcd in Micklletown.
On May 12, 1782, he married Mehitabel Loveland.
who was born Jan. 29, I759.
Samuel Paddock (2), son of Samuel, liorn Feb.
22, 1784, in Middletown, married (first) Aug. 30,
1806, Polly Scars, who was horn Dec. 2, 1782. In
1806 they removed to Meriden and made that town
their home the balance of their lives, saving a few
years' residence in Wallingford. There Mrs. Pad-
dock died Oct. 26, 1822. On Jan. 22, 1823, ^Ir.
Paddock married Charlotte Yale. As above stated,
for more than sixty years Mr. Paddock was an in-
fluential man of the town, holding a number of
offices in the gift of his fellow men and proving
worthy of the civic trusts bestowed upon him. For
many years he was extensively engaged in agricul-
tural pursuits.
Charles L. Paddock, son of Samuel (2) and
father of the subject of this biograi)hy. was born
on the old Paddock hojnestead in the town of Meri-
den June 6. 1807, and was engaged in farming all
his life. He was a successful agriculturist and
well-known citizen and was the owner of one of
the largest farms in East Meriden when he died,
March 13, 1879. He married Elizabeth Day Hall,
a daugjiter of F.lkanah Hall, of Wallingford, and
a granddaughter of David Mall, and to tliis union
four sons and three daughters were born : El-
bridge G., deceased : Frances E., who married Jus-
tin Bradley, of East Haven, and is now deceased ;
Sarah, now deceased, wife of Horace Hemingway,
of Fairhaven: Marv A., deceased, was the wife of
Seth Hotchkiss, of Georgia; Charles Elkanah ; John-
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
727
M., a fanner of East ^reriden : and Joel IT., a
prominent fruit grower of \\'allingford.
Charles Elkanali PaddocU was reared upon the
old family farm, attended the district schools and
also Meriden Academy and has sjjent almost all of
his life on the farm. I'or several years he worked
as a mechanic an
the old homestead, built a nice residence and has
successfully followed i^eneral farming, market gar-
dening anil dairying.
Jn July, 1866, Mr. Paddock was married to
Miss Ellen Jcnnette lluhhard, a native of Meriden.
daughter of Asaph lluhhard and a member of one
of the oldest families in Connecticut. They adopted
one daughter, Nellie M., who is a highly educated
yiiung laily. and was engaged as a stenogra])hcr
and typewriter in Hartford for several years, and
on Oct. 17, 1901, she was married to L. Morelle
Cooke, of Waliingford, Connecticut.
Like his father Mr. Paddock is in symjiathy
with the Democratic party hut has always declined
office at its hands. His religious membership is
with the Congregational Church and Mrs. Paddock
is a member of the First Baptist Church, of Meri-
den. Pioth arc valued members of the Meriden
Grange. Mr. Paddock is a rei>rescntative cilizeii,
lionest and upright in his dealings, of exemplary
life and enjoys the esteem of the whdle community.
WARD II. SAXFORD, ^\. D. Among the
prominent young professional men of the city of
Xew Haven the subject of this brief biography. Dr.
Ward H. Sanfor
the com]jaratively short time since his graduation
and location in this city he has built up a practice
larger and more satisfactory than tliat of many
older practitioners.
Dr. Sanford was born in Liberty, N. Y., Aug.
27, 1859, a son of Elias W. Sanford, who was born
in Fulton Settlenient Jan. 29, 182 r, and died in
1900, a worthy son of Hiram Sanford who, with
his wife, Phoebe \\ arren, was born in Connecticut.
Grandmother \\'arren was a cousin of the brave
Gen. Warren, of Revolutionary fame. Elias W.
Sanford, the father, settled in Liberty, N. Y., and
attended the common schools, later going to school
in New York City. All his life he was a great stu-
dent of history and every moment that he could
spare from business was devoted to the enjoyment
of this taste. Mr. Sanford learned the trade of tan-
ner at Liberty Falls and worked at it at Cochecton,
N. Y., later becoming the first postmaster of that
village, holdiner the ofifice many years. He married
Mary T., daughter of the late Capt. H. P. Horton,
of Bethel, X. Y. In 1861, with his family, he re-
moved to Xew York and was there appointed
weigher and inspector for the government for the
Xew Jersey division and as he was exceedingly well-
fjualilied for such a position he held it for five years.
In 1877 lie removed to Whiite Lake and purchased
the old John Linson farm, which is now known as
Koneonga Place. In 1892 he sold this and returned
to Liberty, where his wife died Oct. i, 1895.
^Ir. Sanford was a consistent member of the
M. E. Church for a period of fifty years.. The
children who snr\ive their parents are: Ward H..
our subject ; Bruce E. and ^Mice M., both of whom
reside in Liberty.
Ward H. Sanford spent bis boyhood days at
\\'hite Lake and attended jjrivate schools both
there and at Walton. X. Y.. entering the University
of \ermont, although previous to this time he had
pursued special studies under private tutors at Utica,
.N. Y., for several years. Leaving the University of
Vermont before graduation he entered the Baltimore
Medical College and graduateil in the class of 1895,
coming immediately to Xew Haven. In this city Dr.
Sanford soon found there were plenty of patients
awaiting his skill and he has built up a still grow-
ing practice.
On May 24. 1889. Dr. Sanford was married to
Miss Rosa Rhine, a native of Watertown, X. Y.
With his brother physicians our subject is held in
high esteem and is very often called in consultation
ui)on subjects of which he has made a special study.
He is connected with a number of societies, among
these, Hiram Lodge, F. & A. M., of Xew Haven ;
I. O. O. F., of Utica : Royal Arcanum, of Utica :
New I'.ngland Order of Protection ; State and coun-
ty Medical and Xew Haven Medical Societies: also
the Xew York State Pharmaceutical Association.
In politics Dr. Sanford has long been connected
with the Republican party, but his professional du-
ties are so urgent that he takes only a voter's inter-
est in the contests at the polls.
JOHN T. KICNT. Tiie large industrial com-
panies reach out and select as foremen and super-
intendents of their various departments the best
men they can find for their responsible places. It
is a guarantee of superior abilitv for one to hold a
position of that nature. I'or nineteen years the sub-
ject of this sketch has been foreman in the wood-
working department of the Farrcll foundry at An-
sonia.
Mr. Kent was born in Meriden, Conn., Dec. 27,
1 85 1, a son of Timothy and Ellen (Rowan) Kent.
The father, a native of Ireland, migrated when a
young man to America, locating first in Massachu-
setts an
and builder and worked as a journeyman until his
death at Ansonia at the age of forty-eight years.
His wife, also a native of Ireland, lived to the age
of fifty-three years. To Timothy and Ellen Kent
were born five children, three of whom, John T.,
Anna and Nora, survived. Anna married William
Conklyn, of Waterbury; and Xora is married and
lives in Bridgeport.
John T. Kent, when ten years of age, left his
home and worked as a farmer in Cheshire, Conn.,
until he was sixteen years old, attending the com-
mon schools. He then liegan to learn his trade with
728
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
liis lather, rcmaininjjf witli him an
1871. He then came to Ansonia with his father an-l
lierc worked at his trade, first with John Dixhurv
and later successively with D. l". Johnson and I'latt,
Lines & Co., with the latter comi)anv actinjj occa-
sionally as foreman and he was sent hy them to
Farrell I-'onndry and was enijatjed in its construc-
tion ahout a year. He was then emi)l(iyed hy the
Farrell Foundry and a few months later, in 18&),
was maile foreman of the wood-w