buryport, Mass. They are the parents of three chil-
dren. — Edmund Otis, one of the curators of the
New York Museum of Natural History in Central
Park ; Helen Carter, wife of Rev. Henry F. Ellin-
wood, of Medina, N. Y. ; and Clara, wife of Rev.
Royal W. Raymond, of Stratford, Conn. (3) Mary
J. is Mrs. William Ludden, of Brooklyn, N. Y. ;
thev have had no children, but have an adopted
daughter, Gertrude. (4) Ann Elizabeth, who died
June 19, 1892, was the wife of Alexander Emery,
of the firm of Steel & Emery, New Haven. They
had* several children — Jacob E., now deceased, who
was in the employ of S. L. Blatchley & Sons ; Mary
C, deceased ; Alice S. ; Charles A., of Bridgeport ;
Louise and Elizabeth, twins, both deceased ; Helen,
deceased ; Joel, deceased ; and Sanuiel W., of New
Haven. (5) Alice C, who died Nov. 15, 1877, un-
married, was a teacher in the Woodward high
school, Cincinnati. (8) Sarah Louise, who died
March 13, 1873, vvas a member and valedictorian
of the first class graduated from Vassar. (9) Clara
L died unmarried Dec. 28, 1882.
Charles Carroll Blatchley, a son of Samuel
L., and late of tiie firm of S. L. Blatchley & Sons,
was born July 28, 1841, in North Madison, Conn.
His parent.-; having removed to New Haven when
he was but a lad, he there passed his boyhood, at-
tending the ))ublic schools, and was graduated from
the high school. Then he entered Yale College,
from which he was graduated in 1863, studied law
in New York, and was admitted to the Bar in that
city in December, 1864. In May, 1865, he opened
an office in New Haven, but after several years'
practice in that ])lace he associated himself with his
father and brother, Sanmel R., in the real estate
business, which engrossed his entire attention, and
in which he was most successful. Mr. Blatchley
was a director and large owner in the State Streat
Horse Railroad, and vvas a life member and sec-
retary of the East Rock I'ark commission, and a
director in the Young Men's Institute. About the
middle of January, 1887, Mr. Blatchley became
seriously ill with Bright's disease, and died at
his home March 5, 1887, in his forty-sixth year.
On Nov. 27, 1863, Mr. Blatchley was married
to Susannah, daughter of Jacob Emery, of Hogans-
burg, N. Y., who survives him with five children.
Of their family Catherine E., a graduate of the
Musical Department of Yale, is a music teacher and
musical supervisor of the Westville schools. Mary
Nancy graduated from high school, and is now an
eighth grade teacher in the Strong school. Susan
L. and Charles C. are deceased. Jacob Emery and
Samuel L. were twins, and the latter is decease!:
the former is a member of the firm of Blatchley &
I Shepard. Alice is deceased. William Joel is a
I sophomore in the Sheffield Scientific Schonl.
' Charles Alexander is attending the Boardman
Training School for Boys. Henry died in infanc).
Charles C. Blatchley was a man of correct moral-.
I and of the highest integrity, possessed good judg-
ment, and was an excellent business man. He was
straightforward and true in his friendships.
Samuel Robinson Blatchley was born nt
North Madison Nov. 15; 1839, ^"^1 spent his scho'l
days in New Haven and Cincinnati, attending the
high schools in both cities, passed through the Hop-
kins grammar school in New Haven, and graduatcil
at Yale in 1862. For five years he taught school in
Cincinnati, and then returned to New Haven. Mr.
Blatchley was president of the old Horse Railro.iil
Company at the time of its sale to the syndicait-,
and his brother Charles had previously served in
the same capacity. He now deals extensively in red
estate, laying out lots, etc., having a large interc-t
on Prospect street, where in company with D'.
Phillips he owns thirty-two acres. On June 2,v
1864, he was married, in Cincinnati, to Miss Xan.\
McM. Evans, a daughter of Hugh Evans, of that
city.
JARED A. BASSETT (deceased), an energetic
and skillful agriculturist, who owned and operated
a fine farm of forty acres on Dixwell avenue, I lam-
den, was born Nov. i, 1832, a son of Jarcd and
Eliza (Bradley) Bassett, and grandson of Timothy
Bassett. His birth occurred in the same house i"«i
which he lived all his life, and in which he died
Dec. 31, 1899.
Jared Bassett, the father, was also born upon
the same farm, and throughout life successfully
engaged in agricultural nursuits. He was a good
sized man, being five feet, eleven inches in height
and weighing 165 pounds. Being one of the lead-
COMMEMORATIVE- BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
963
ing and influential citizens of his community, he
was called upon to serve his fellow citizens as se-
lectman of Hamden, and member of the Legislature.
In religious faith he was an Episcopalian and a
member of the church of that denomination in Ham-
den. He died at the age of si.xty-si.x years, and
his wife at the age of fifty-five. In their family
were three children, namely: Eunice, deceased
wife of James T. Mix, of New Haven ; Cornelia.
who died at about the age of sixty years; and
Jared A., our subject.
Upon the home farm Jared A. Bassctt early be-
came familiar with all the duties which fall to the
lot of the agriculturist, and his literary education
was obtained in the common schools of Hamden
and Everest's private school of Ccnterville. He as-
sisted in the operation of the farm until his father's
death, and then took complete charge of the same.
He engaged in general farming and the dairy busi-
ness, and in his labors met with well-deserved
success.
Mr. Bassett was married, Feb. 26, 1862, to Miss
Elizabeth A. Percy, of Watertown, Conn., and to
them was born a daughter, Annie E., who died at
the age of twenty-one years. The Democratic party
always found in Mr. Bassett a stanch supporter of
its principles, and as a citizen he was ever ready
to discharge any duty that devolved upon him.
LYMAN A. GRANNISS, a well-known and
reliable contractor and builder at No. 116 Franklin
street. New Haven, was born in the house where
he now lives in East Haven, March 3, 1837, a son
of Joseph Granniss, wlio was also born in East
Haven, as was also his father, Samuel. The latter
was probably a farmer, and died at a great age.
Joseph Granniss was one of a number of chil-
dren, and was reared on a farm. His life was de-
voted to the cultivation of the soil, though for a
number of years he was largely engaged in the
oyster business, carrying oysters from New Haven
to Albany, N. Y., by team, and later from Bridge-
f)ort to the same destination by boat. He lived in
East Haven all his life, and died there at the ad-
vanced age of eighty-five years. His wife, Louisa
Luddington, was born in East Haven, a daughter
of one of the old families of that section. She be-
came the mother of thirteen children, of whom three
only arc living: Daniel H., Colhs B. and L\nian
A., all of whom arc now residing in New Haven.
Mrs. Granniss died at the age of si.xty-five years.
Both she and her husband belonged to the Con-
gregational Church. Politically he was a Repub-
lican.
Lyman A. Granniss spent his early years at
home, where he had his education in the local
schools. After the demise of his father, he bought
out the other heirs, and still owns the old home-
stead. Under his energetic management the farm is
well cultivated, and produces fine crops. About
1880 Mr. Granniss began a contract business, very
largely in street work, laying macadam, setting
telegraph poles, and doing similar work, in company
with E. J. Upson. In i8yo he took up the ice busi-
ness, and for ten years did both a large wholesale
and retail business. He has been a director of the
Hygienic Ice Co. since its organization, and he is
also interested in the Swift Beef Co., of New Haven
and Chicago.
Mr. Granniss was married, in April, 1862, to
Antoinette Thompson, a native of East Haven, and
a daughter of Elizer Thompson, for years the keeper
of the New Haven Light House, and previous to
that a groceryman. Mrs. Granniss was one of a
family of nine children, and is herself the mother
of two children, both of whom are dead. Mr.
Granniss is a Republican, and was elected first se-
lectman in 1868, a position he held until 1875, hav-
ing been chosen to this on several subsequent oc-
casions. In the General Assembly of 1871 he held
a seat with credit. Mr. and Mrs. Granniss attend
the Old Street Congregational Church of East
Haven.
JOHN PINNEY PHELPS, until the spring of
1 90 1, was one of Hamden's worthy citizens and
prominent dairy farmers. He was born in the town
of Winchester, Conn., Dec. 24, 1834, and is de-
scended from one of the old and honored families
of New England. His father, Ralzemon Phelps,
was a native of West Granville, Mass., and a son
of John and Betsey (Bingham) Phelps, both of
whom were born in Enfield, Conn., and at an early
day removed from West Granville, Mass.. to Ohio,
locating in Granville, Licking county, where they
spent their remaining days. The father of our sub-
ject was but two years old on the removal of the
family to Ohio, and in Granville he grew to man-
hood and learned the carpenter's and joiner's trade.
On attaining his majority he returned East and
toak up liis residence in Colebrook, Litchfield Co.,
Conn., and after his marriage he located in the
town of W'inchester, Conn., where he continued to
make his home throughout life. There he followed
his trade and also conducted a hotel and store with
marked success, and became the owner of prop-
erty in that town. In his religious views he was a
Universalist, and in political sentiment was a Dem-
ocrat. He married Miss Emma Pinnev, daughter
of Asaph Pinney, and to them were born two chil-
dren : Emeret E., who died at the age of twelve
years ; and John P., our subject. Both parents died
in Winchester, and were laid to rest in the cemetery
at Colebrook. Connecticut.
John P. Phelps received his education in the
district schools of his native town, and began his
business career as an cniDloye in the factory of the
Winsted .Auger Co., of Winsted, Conn., where he
remained until 1861. After the death of his father
he located on the home farm, and engaged in its
cultivation until 1885, when he came to the town of
Hamden, New Haven county, where until April,
964
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1901, he was extensively engaged in general farm-
ing, dairying and stock raising, owning and operat-
ing a fine farm of eighty-seven acres, which he .
])laced nndcr a higli state of cultivation. When he
left the farm in lyoi he moved to Centerville, and
is now living retired.
On Nov. 21, 1854, in Hamden, Mr. Phelps was
united in marriage with Miss Xancy Gorham, a
native of that town and a daughter of William and
Lucretia ( Dorman ) ("lorhani. For the past thirty
years she has been an invalid, having lost the use
of her limbs by locomotor ataxia, but she bears
her sutTering with great patience. Mr. and Mrs.
Phelps had two children: (i) Cora E., born Dec.
21, 1857, was married on Jan. 6, 1876, to Luther
C. Phelps, and they have one child, Emma Pinney,
born June 3. 1888. Luther C. Phelps died Jan. 23,
1800, and his widow now lives at home with her
parents. {2) Charles J., the younger child of our
subject, was born Nov. 5, 1875, and died the same
month.
Mr. Phelps is a supporter of the Democratic
party, and has served as a member of the board of
relief and as justice of the peace. He is a broad-
minded man and liberal in his religious views, and
he attends the Episcopal Church. Fraternally he
is a member of Hamden (Irangc. and he gives an
earnest support to every enterprise which he be-
lieves calculated to advance the moral, intellectual
or material welfare of his town and county. He i?
therefore numbered among the useful and valued
citizens, and is well and favorably known.
THEODORE r.RISTOL, a well-known busi-
ness man of Milford, New Haven county, was born
in that town F"eb. 18, 1837, son of Johnson and
Elizabeth (Davidson) Bristol. His family has been
identified with Milford from an early date, his
grandfather, Jehial Bristol, who attained the ad-
vanced age of ninety-four years, having been a
farmer and shoemaker there. This worthy pioneer
married Miss Martha Beecher, a native of Orange,
New Haven Co., Conn., for his first wife, and they
had children as follows: Miranda, who married
John Welch, of Milford; Clarinda. who died in
childhood ; Willis, who conducted a wholesale and
retail shoe business in New Haven until his death,
and was a prominent man in local ])olitics as a
member of the Whig and Republican parties ; John-
son, our fubjict's father: and Martha C, who mar-
ried William Thomas, of Fair Haven, an oyster
dealer. By his second wife, Flavid, daughter of
Dr. Austin, also of Milford, Jehial Bristol had two
children: Hiram, a shoemaker by trade, who died
in New Haven: and Lucia, who married Samuel
Sanford, son f>f Capt. William Sanford, of Milford.
Johnson Bristol, our subject's father, was born
in Milford Nov. 19, 1807, and died Dec. 16, i89r.
For thirty years he conducted a grocery business
in Milford. but his last years were spent in retire-
ment. Politicallv he was a Democrat, and as a citi-
zen was held in high esteem bv his fellow towns-
men. His wife, Elizabeth ( Davidson), who died in
Milford July 10, 1893, was a native of Milford, and
daughter of Richard T. Davidson, a carpenter, whi>
lived to the age of ninety-four years. Of their nine
children, the eldest, Henry, is a grocer in Milt\)r(l :
the second and third died in, infancy; Jane married
Monson Himnan, of Bridgeport, Conn. ; Theodore,
our subject, is mentioned more fully below ; Har-
riet died at the age of sixteen years ; Charles is
in the employ of our subject: Elizabeth married
Edward Burleigh, of Milford; and Edson is a
farmer in Milford.
Theodore Bristol was reared in Milford, and fur
twenty-three 3'ears was employed by N. A. P.ald-
win, a straw hat manufacturer in t'hat town, but in
1872 he purchased his present livery business, in
which he has met with decided success. He attends
Plymouth Congregational Church, and is an active
member of the Masonic fraternity, while ]:)oliticaH\'
he affiliates with the Democratic party. Mr. Bristol
married for his first wife Caroline A. Merwin.
daughter of Mark Merwin, of Milford ; at her death
she left one child, Julia E., now the wife of Walter
M. Irving, contractor and builder, of Milford. By
his second wife, Rachel C. Wright, of Clinton.
Conn., Mr. Bristol has had two children: (irace
L., who married George R. Clarke, a meat dealer
in Milford; and Royal M,, who died at the age of
six years.
FRANK BRAZOS has carried on a thriving
business as a contractor in New Haven for the
past six years, and his success has been commeii-
surate to that enjoyed bv the other members of this
well known family.
Antoine Brazos, his father, the senior member
and founder of the firm of Brazos & Sons, Middle-
town, is probably one of the best examples of a
self-made man that Middletown can present at the
present time. \\'hen all the circumstances of his
history are considered, his early life and lack of ed-
ucational advantages, and his beginning life afresii
in a new country, it is doubtful if a parallel case
can be found in all Connecticut. A man's success
in life ought not to be determined by the hei.ghts
to which he has climbed, but by the depths from
which he arose.
Mr. Brazos was born at Pico, Azore Islands,
Aug. 15. 1826. His parents, Joseph and Rosa
Brazos, were both natives of the Islands, and his
father was a farmer. It was in that far away cor-
ner of the earth that Antoine spent the first nine-
teen years of his life. Instead of common schooN
for all the people, as is the rule in this country, he
had never seen an institution of that character until
he came to the United States. His education has
been gained entirely in the .great school of experi-
ence. ^\'hen nineteen years of age Mr. Brazos came
to the L'nited States, where his brother had already
preceded him, and had attained a good position as
p
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
965
mate of the schooner "Smith D. Bellows," plying
lietween the Connecticut river and the coast points.
Antoine made the voyage across the ocean on the
bark "Azore," hound for Boston. He lantlcd in that
city, expcclinq; to find his brother Manuel. A ship-
wreck delayed his arrival, and .\ntoine was a strang-
er in the city, not alile to speak one work of English.
His predicament was anything but pleasant. He se-
cured work, however, on a vessel, and began a ca-
reer as a sailor which lasted some seven or eight
years, and was an eventful period in his history. He
had many narrow escapes, and more than once
was saved with but a few of the crew. One ship
on which he was a sailor was wrecked on the ex-
treme lower coast of h'lorida, and he with two com
panions were all iliat escaped death out of a crew
of twelve men. .\t another time his ship was blown
far (iut to sea. and badly damaged, and for seven
â– weeks the crew were without food, and suffered
Ijreatly from lack of water.
Comiiuuiication with his brother Manuel had
long been established, and that gentleman fmallv
persuatled his brother to give up a sea-faring life
and come to -Midilletown. Manuel Brazos was one
of the founders 01 the Hartford and New York
Transportation Co., and was its general manager
tor a number of years. He died in Hartford.
Frank Brazos, another older brother of Antoine, also
came to the United States, and died in Hartford
when about forty years old.
Mr. Brazos began business in Mid
1854, and his beginning was a very modest one.
He bought out Philo Clark in a stevedore business,
and had three horses as his principal working force.
In 1872 his business had so increased that he re-
solved to make still farther extension and took all
kinds of contracting, such as rai.-ing sunken ves-
sels, general trucking, railroad building antl sewer
construction, not only in Middletown, but anywhere
in the United States. He gave up the stevedore
business a number of years ago, and as his sons
became old enough he took them into business. At
the present time the firm of Brazos & Sons is cotn-
]X)sed' of the father and five sons. Joseph, Manuel
A.. Louis, John and ( ieorge. Brazos & Sons have
a department in their business devoted to ice in
Middletown, which requires six wagons in season.
In Middletown they have constructed twenty-seven
houses from start to finish, a magnificent record for
the firm. Many thousands of dollars have passed
through their hands as wages for their employes.
At the ])reseni time their pay roll is about $3,000
a month. The senior member of the firm has been
])articularly fortunate in the ability possessed by all
his sons, and their devotion to the business.
Antoine Brazos was married, in 1855, to Miss
-Ann Xeale, a native of County Carlovv, Ireland, and
a daughter of James Xeale. They are the parents
of a numerous family : Eunice J. married W. \V.
Hulse, a real estate man of Amityville, Long Isl-
2ind. Julia A. graduated from Wesle3"an Uni-
versity, and is now a teacher in the Middletown
high school. Joseph is a member of the firm men-
tioned above. Mary is a teacher in Middletown,
where she was educated in the high school. Frank
is our subject. Manuel A. is a memlier of the firm.
Annie E. is a trained nurse at Hartford. Alice R.
graduated from the Middletown high school in i88<^.
Louis belongs to the firm as do also John and
George. Mr. Brazos has a beautiful home at the
corner of High and Loveland streets, which was
built in 1890. He is a Repulilican politically, and
lie attends the Ei)isco]ial Cluirch.
I'Vank Brazos was born in Middletown April 8,
1864, and s])cnt his early years in his native tow-n,
where he received his education. At the age of
eleven years lie began working for his father. For
five years he was with the Chichester estate, in the
real estate business in \'ew York City. He then
became a member of the firm of Brazos & Sons,
and so continued until May, 1895, since which time
he has engaged in general contracting business, in-
dependently. He enjoys a large patronage, employ-
ing an average force of one hundred men. He has
resided in New Haven for seventeen years. Mr.
Brazos is a Republican politically, and a member of
the Union League and the Young Men's Republican
Clubs. He was married, in Xew Haven, to Miss
Ida Englehart. of that city, and they reside at Xo.
808 Elm street, where he built a home in 1894.
PORTER (\\\ A.vn IIEXRY ADELBERT
HULL, worthy representatives of an old and hon-
orable Xew England family, are great-grandsons
of Benjamin Hull.
I'enjamin Hull was born about 1725, was a
farmer by occupation, and resided on the old Hull
homestead, which lies about one-eighth of a mile
southwest of the present home. It is related that the
said Benjamin and a son were one day at work in
the fields, during the Revolutionary war, when three
British soldiers came by on horseback, and that
they captured both Benjamin and his son, who were
never seen or heard of again. Benjamin Hull mar-
ried Amy Hill, who was born July 6, 1726, and
died Dec. I, 1826. The fourth son in their family
of seven children was r.enjamin, who married Han-
nah Humiston, the records telling of her baptism
in St. John's Church in 1781, and of her death in
1845. Benjamin Hull was a farmer, and passed
his life on the homestead. He left a familv of nine
children, the seventh being Jarvis, father of the
gentleman whose name opens this article.
Jarvis Hull was born June 15, 1800, on the
home farm, and had only the limited educational
advantages obtained in the primitive schools of the
locality. Selecting the trade of shoemaker, he soon
became an expert, and. as the custom was in those
days, would go with his bag of tools from house
to house, remaining luilil the whole family had been
shod. Later he established a shop on his own farm,
engaging in cultivating his land during the sum-
966
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
mers and in the winter time attending to his shoe-
making. One of his specialties was the making of
wedding gear, and he successfully manufactured
neat and dressy boots and shoes from leather, gain-
ing considerable reputation in the vicinity. Mr.
Hull died June 25, 1872. and was buried in North
Haven. In politics he had always been a stanch
Democrat. He reared his whole family in the faith
of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Hull married Eliza
Gay, who was born in i8og, in Meredith, Delaware
Co., N. Y., daughter of Lucian Gay, a farmer there.
She died April 8, 1874, a member of the Episcopal
Church. The children born to this union were :
Julia A. is the widow of Charles Hine, and now re-
sides in Northford; Porter Gay is mentioned be-
low: Jane E. married Smith Tyler; Celia E. mar-
ried Jasper E. HiglMc, of Meriden, and both are
deceased! ; Henry Adclbert is mentioned below; and
Harriet A. resides in North Haven.
Porter Gay Hull was born Sept. 5. 1832, and
enjoyed the educational advantages of the -district
schools. While still a young man he engaged in
business with his uncle, Orrin Hull, at City Point,
at which time City Point had but three houses from
the liridgc down to the Sound. Ten years later he
relurned to North Haven and was employed by
Sharon Bassett, who had a shop on the farm now
owned by George Morgan, where he engaged in the
making of wagon bolts, by horse power. After
two years at this place Mr. Hull removed to Bir-
mingham, Mr. Bassett changing his location to that
place, and continued with him in the same business.
An opportunity offering, he left Mr. Bassett to enter
upon the trade of machinist with the ITamden Iron
Co., one year later going to W'aterbury, Conn.
There he engaged in the manufacture of cotton gins,
but his career here was interrupted, the company
going out of business, and he was then employed by
Blake Bros., of Westville, manufacturers of hard-
ware, with whom he remained eight years. He was
thus employed when I-'ort Sumter was fired upon,
the works closing down on that day. By this time
Mr. Hull was a skilled mechanic, and easily secured
employment with Eli Whitney, of Whitneyville,
with whom he remained some four years, in the
manufacture of guns, pistols and other fire arms
for which there was great demand on account of
the progress of the Civil war. While engaged in
these works he was called upon to assist in guard-
ing the factory, as fears were entertained that at-
tempt might be made to burn or loot it. Leaving
this factory, Mr. Hull went to New Haven, where