of Prospect, New Haven Co., Conn., was born in
Sag Harbor, Long Island, Nov. i. 1856. a son of
Emaiuiel and Emma Terry, both of whom died on
Long Islanil. During his Ixnhood our subject at-
tended the schools of New York City, and began
life for himself as a clerk -in a dry goods store
there. After following that occupation for two
years, he became a sailor in the coasting trade and
spent the following three years in that manner, after
which he learned the cigar-maker's trade in Brook-
lyn. N. Y., and clerked in a cigar store for some
time. He was next employed as clerk in a hotel
at New London, Conn., and from there removed
to New Haven, where he was employed in dye
works for two years. In 1881 he went to Water-
bury, where he worked in the w^atch factory until
coming to Prospect in 1892, when he took up his
residence on the John Swarlz farm, which is the
property of his wife. He is engaged through the
winter months at his trade in Watcrbury.
In 1880. in Philadelphia. Penn.. Mr. Terry mar-
ried Miss Emelie Adalinc Kvscr. a native of St.
Louis, Mo., and a daughter of the late Charles F.
Kyser, who was born in Germanv and was a well-
known translator of the German, French and Latin
languages. To Mr. and Mrs. Terry were born
five children, namely : Lotta. Vera. Emily and
Harold, all living; and Robert, who died in infancy.
Mr. Terry is a member of the K. of L., and m
identified with the Democratic party.
PERRY CHAUNCEY MORRIS, ex-first se-
lectman and ex-town treasurer of W'aterbury. w-as
born Aug. 12, 1847, in that part of the town now
known as Waterville. a son of Miles Morris, who
was bom in the town of Canaan. Litchfield Co.,
Conn., and is now living in Watcrbury.
Russell Morris, father of Miles, was of English
extraction, and was born in Danbury, C( nn. By
occupation he was a farmer. He married Harriet
Holcomb, and settled on his farm in Canaan, where
he reared a family of twelve children, named, in
the order of their birth. Miles, Theodore, Samuel,
Edmunrl, Sidney, Chauncey, David, Amanda, Julia,
Susan, Elizabeth and Mary. Of this family. Miles,
the eldest, is the father of our subject; Theodore
was an employe of the Housatonic Railway Co. at
Falls Village, and there met his death bv accident ;
Samuel, who was also a railroad man. died in Chi-
cago ; Edmund lives in the town of South Lee,
Mass., where he is employed on a railroad ; Sidney
is a farmer in Falls Village; Chauncey lives in re-
tirement in Bridgeport; David died at the age of
eighteen years ; Amanda is deceased : Julia, de-
ceased, was the wife of Roliert Ross; Susan, who
was a school teacher, has also entered into rest;
Elizabeth has been twice married, first to a Mr.
Reed, and later to Charles Phillips, a railroad con-
ductor ; Mary is the wife of John Sturgcs, of Bridgi^
port.
Miles Morris came to Watcrbury in 1840, and
has since been in the employ of the Waterville Knife
Co., and Brown & Bros. He married Jane M. For-
rest, who was born in Watcrbury, a daughter of
Samuel Forrest, who came from Birmingham, Eng-
land. To this union were born two children: Perry
Chauncey and Frederick M., the latter born in
Bridgejxjrt, and now a machinist in W'aterbury.
The wife and mother j)assed away July 25, 1887, and
was buried in Waterville.
Perrv Chauncey Morris was educated in the lo-
cal schools of W'aterlniry and Waterville. after leav-
ing which he entered the brass works of Brown &
Bros., with whom he remained about twenty-five
years. He then engaged in the grocery business on
the Watertown road, which he continued with much
success until his removal to Watcrbury. Always
taking a keen interest in public affairs, he has been
active in the work of his chosen ])olitical party — the
Democratic — and was honored by election to the
office of town treasurer for the term of two years.
So satisfactorily did he fill the duties of the office
of treasurer that immediately after the expiration
of his term he was. in 1S94. electedfirst selectman,
which office ficcupied all his attention up to 1900.
Since that time he has been obliged to devote his
time to his personal affairs, his property interests
demanding considerable attention. He is popular
with all parties, and as People's candidate received
the sup]X)rt of both Democrats and Rei^ublicans, the
entire po]>ulation having the most implicit confi-
dence in his unflinching honesty.
On. Aug. 4, 1870, Mr. ^lorris married Miss Ma-
tilda E. Slade, of Waterljury. daughter of George
and Matilda (Stevens) Slade, natives of England.
To this marriage has been born one child, Frances
E. Fraternally Mr. Morris is a member of Har-
mony Lodge. No. 42, F. & A. M., at Watcrbury,
of the Knights Temj)lars, and is also a Mystic Shrin-
er. In religious connection he belongs to Trinity
Episcopal Church, lie is one of the most progres-
sive men of W'aterbury, and is identified with every
project designed to promote the public interest,
J.\MES W. CONE, one of tne leading druggists
of W'aterbury. has a fine establishment and caters
to the best people of the city.
Mr. Cone was born May 30. 1848. in Winstcd,
Conn., son of John Cone, who was born in Norfolk,
this State, in 18 17. Deacon Samuel Cone, the
grandfather of James W., was born in W'inchester,
Conn., a son of Daniel H. Cone, who was a soldier
in the Revolutior.ary war. Samuel was a scythe
maker, who followed that business in Norfolk ;
there he married Clarissa Munger, of Norfolk,
Conn., and they reared a family of thirteen children,
'Nj^-')— > — y' i^
r
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1005
all of whom are dcceasctl but John, the father of
James W.
John Cone grew to manhood in Norfolk, where
ho married Harriet A. Watson, a daiiglUer of
Abijah and Margaret Watson, farming people of
Norfolk. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cone
settled in the village of Winsted, Conn., where he
carried on his business, and where he is now living
retired. Mrs. Cone died May 20, 1880. Three
children were born to them : James, who died at
the age of five years ; James \\'. ; and Maria E.,
who (lied April 13, 1901.
James W. Cone grew up in Winsted, where he
attended the public school, and later was a student
in the Eastman Business College, at Poughkeepsie,
N. Y. As an apprentice to the druggist's business,
he spent four years with David Fuller, at Water-
bury, and for six years after leaving Mr. Fuller
was engaged in various places. During four years
of this time he was in business for himself at
Winsted. In 1884 he came back to Waterbury,
and purchased the drug store of Dr. J. J. Jacques,
at No. II West Main street, and continued for ten
years at the old location, moving in 1896 to his pres-
ent quarters, corner of West Main and Dank .Streets.
Here he carries a fine stock, and appeals to thj
most fastidious as well as to the great public, offer-
ing the best of goods at a modest price, and treating
all who come with equal courtesy and fairness.
Mr. Cone and Aliss Caroline Woodward were
married Nov. 24. 1873. Mrs. Cone was a daughter
of Andrew Woodward, and a native of Thomaston,
Conn., where her father has been engaged in the
tannery business many years. She died Dec. 17,
1888, leaving three children : Emma L., who is the
wife of Dr. C. FL Rust, of Cleveland, Ohio; John
S., who died July 26, 1899, at the age of twenty
years ; and Harriet A., a student in the Waterbur)^
schools. On Sept. 24, 1890, Mr. Cone married
Miss Minnie Manwaring, who was born in Water-
ford, Conn., daughter of Ansel ^lanwaring, for
many years town treasurer. She is a capable and
well educated lady, and was a school teacher be-
fore her marriage. Mr. Cone is a Republican and
a prominent Mason, having reached the Shrine.
The family attend the Second Congregational
C hurch, of which they are all members.
RICHARD CHRISTOPHER WILCOX, se-
nior member of the widely known firm of R. C.
W^ilcox & Sons, dairy farmers and stock raisers,
Guilford, is a native of Connecticut, born June 22,
1846, in the town of Guilford, New Haven county.
The Wilcox family are old settlers of the New
England States .and the name has been spelled in
various ways — Wilcox, Wilcocks, Wilcoxson and
Willcox. (i) William W^ilcox (or W'ilcoxson), the
first of the name in Connecticut, was born in i6or
at St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, whence in
1635 he came to America in the ship "Planter,"
having a certificate from the minister of his native
city. Landing at Boston, he there became a freeman
in 1636; three years later (1639) he came to Con-
necticut, locating at Stratford, h'airfield county,
where he ])assed the rest of his days, d)ing in 1652.
In 1647 he was a representative at Hartford. He
and his wife, Margaret, had six children, as fol-
lows: (i) John, bom in 1633; (2) Joseph, who
died in 1703; (3) Samuel, deceased March 12,
â– 7131 (4) Sarah, Mrs. John Meigs, who died Nov.
24, 1691; (5) Obadiah, sketch of whom follows;
and (0) Timothy, deceased June 13, 1713.
I II) Obadiah Wilcox, son of (Ij William, was
born in 1641 in the town of Stratford, Conn.,
whence in early manhood he came to Guilford, set-
tling in the eastern part of the town, now known
as Madison, and following farming. In 1672 he
was made a freeman. He died in 1713, and was
buried in Madison. Mr. Wilcox was twice mar-
ried, and by his first wife, Mary, had thirteen chil-
dren, as follows: (i) Mary, born Dec. 11, 1676,
married Thomas Munson, of New Haven; (2)
Lydia, born Oct. 14, 1678, died Nov. 4, 1698; (3)
Obadiah was born Dec. 14, 1679; (4) Ebenezer was
born Sept. 20, 1682; (5) Ephraim : (6) Mindwell
was married April 20, 1714, to Daniel Hill, and
died Feb. -3, 1770; (7) Timothy was born Nov. 15,
1690; (8) Silence; (9) John, sketch of whom fol-
lows; (10) Joseph, born in 1694, married Hannah
Goodale, and died July 15, 1770; (11) Isaac settled
in Middletown ; (12) Jemima was born Oct. 30,
1699; (13) E.xperience. By his second wife,
Silence, Mr. \\ilcox had one child, (14) Thankful,
born April 4, 1702, who was married Sept. 6, 1722,
to Samuel Norton.
(III) John Wilcox, son of (II) Obadiah, was
born Nov. 9, 1692, in East Guilford, where he
passed all his days in agricultural pursuits, dying
May I, 1753. On Jan. 11, 1719. he married De-
borah Parmelee, born in 1699, who died in 1792.
Their children: (i) Obadiah, born April 15. 1720,
married Lydia Wilcox, and died in 1771 ; (2)
.Sarah was born Nov. 10, 1723 ; (3) John, born .'\ug.
17, 1726, married Martha Coe; (4) Ezra, sketch of
whom follows; (5) Mary, born Dec. i, 1731, mar-
ried in November, 1753, Enos French, and died
Sept. 28, 1777; (6) Asabel was born Dec. 9, i7'?5.
(IV) Ezra Wilcox, son of (III) John, boVn
Oct. 20, 1728, passed all his days in East Guilford,
dying there March 14, 1805. He married Nov. 9,
1757. Esther Meigs, who was born March 19, 1734,
a daughter of Janna and Elizabeth (Dudlej-) Meigs,
and died Sept. 8, 1809. Children as follows were
born to them: (i) Lavinia, born July 17, 1758,
married Bela Dudley; (2) Ezra, born in 1762, mar-
ried Rebecca Brown, and died ^lay i, 1836; (3)
Esther, married John Williams; (4) Elzah, boVn
March 8, 1765, married Lois Field, and died Feb.
24, 1828; (5) Julius; (6) Elizabeth, married John
Spencer; (7) Return, sketch of whom follows.
(V) Return Wilco.x, son of (IV) Ezra, and the
grandfather of Richard C. Wilcox, was born in
ICX36
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1 77 1, in what is now the town of Madison, Xew
liaven county, and died there Nov. 28. 1846. He
was a lifelong farmer. By his wife, A1)ip;ail, born
May 23, 1780, died May 31, 1845, 'i*^ '^^^ seven
children, as follows: (1) Alva Orrin. horn Aug.
22, 1799. died July 10, 1887; (2) Polly Maria, born
Aug. 2, 1801. married Ehenczer Merrill, of Clinton,
Conn.: (3) Elizabeth, born Sept. 8, 1803. marrie
Sept. 4, 1828, Edward E. Kelsey, of Madison, and
died March 15, 1888: (4 1 Jerusha, born in July,
1806, married in August, 1824, Samuel K. Dowd,
and died June 3, 1841: (5) Almon Orrill, sketch
of whom follows; (6) Susan Abigail, born in 1815,
married Sept. 19, 1838, Achilles Dowd, of Madi-
son: (7) Samuel -Augustus, born July 19, 1819. died
Dec. 13, 1876.
{\l) Almon Orrill Wilcox, son of (V) Return,
and the father of Richard C, was born April 24,
1808, in the town of Madison, Xew Haven county,
there attended the district school, and worked on a
farm until he was twenty-five years old, when he
came to (iuilford. Here his first employment was
as a farm latiorer at $5 per month. I.ater he pur-
chased a small farm, where he continued agricul-
tural pursuits the rest of his life, dying Sept. 16,
1874 : his remains were interred in Xut Plains
cemetery. Noted for his industry and honesty, he
was highly respected in the community in which
he lived. In politics he was first a ^^'hig, later a
Republican, and in religious faith he was a con-
sistent member of the Congregational Church.
In Guilford, Oct. 6, 1830, .\lmon O. Wilco.x was
married to Ruth D. Kennedy, who was born May
3, 1812, and died Jan. 28, 1875. She was a daugh-
ter of Anson Kennedy, of Guilford. Their chil-
. dren : (i) Sarah Dorcas, born Nov. 2, 1833, mar-
ried Jan. 13, 1855, Charles M. \\'ilco.\, and died
March 26, 1857; (2) Charlotte Abigail, born Nov.
25. 1836, is the widow of .Kndrew Ward I'oote,
Jate of Guilford (he was born April 27, 1833, and
died Dec. 16, 1880): (3) Helen Sophia, born July
21, 1844, died March 14, 1865; (4) Richard Chris-
topher, a sketch of whom follows; (5) George
Howard, born March 21, 1849, married Marv E.
Bishop, and died Nov. 14, 1888: (6) Walter Wes-
ley, born Dec. 14, 185 1, married Lucy M. livarts.
(\II) Richard C. Wilco.x. whose name opens
this memoir, received his education in ])art at the
district schools of Nut Plains, in part at Guilford
Academy, where he attended four terms. Pie
worked at home until of age, when with aid from
his father, he bought the farm on which he now
lives, known as "Cloverdale Dairy Farm." a tract
of fifty-si.x acres foriuerly owned by Juston Dudley,
and which was then a wilderness. Here he built
a home in 1870, and since then has erected barns,
outhouses and a dairy ice house, etc., costing in
all over $12,000. His home and surroundings are
among the finest in Guilford. Until i8c)4 he carried
on general farming, and then embarked in dairying,
butler-making a specialty, and from time to time
i has increased the capacity of his business until he
I now owns the largest dairy farm on the shore line.
I He manufactures and sells over $1,700 worth of
I butter per annum, anil sells $1,600 worth of milk
and cream in the same period. Since his first pur-
chase of land he has bought another farm of 100
acres near the homestead, and has leased several
other farms. He has now ( 1901 ) a herd of thirty-
si.x Jerseys and grade Jersey cows, and a fine Jersey
bull of his own raising. The following sketch of
"Cloverdale Dairy Earm" appeared in the report of
the Dairy Commissioner for 1898:
"The Cloverdale Dairy Earm originated about
si.x years ago with four cows. The cream from tlie
milk of those cows was sold to the Guilford Cream-
ery for about five months, when it was decided to
make butter in a small way. The butter for the
first year was sold for two cents below the whole-
sale creamery price, because the grocers could not
pay the creamery prices. The last vear nearly
the entire make has been sold to families at thirty
cents per pound' the year around, and in fact, it has
been so tlie last four years. Mr. Wilcox is now
selling cream, new milk, skim milk and buttermilk,
one of his sons running a wagon daily in the town.
He uses a DeLaval cream separator, which enables
him to have sweet skim milk e.very day. His herd
consists of twenty-eight Jerseys and grade Jerseys,
feeding bay and dry food, not having a silo. Mr.
Wilcox manufactiued over three tons of butter in
1897, which was nearly all disposed' of at prices
above mentioned."
Mr. Wilcox is a man of enter])rise and progress,
and takes a leading part all things ])ertaining to
farming and dairying, and to the town in general.
He is one of the most active members of the State
Creamery Association and of the State Dairy .Asso-
ciation. Pieing a well-read man, he is well posted
on all the leading events of tlie day, and has made
a suocess of life entirely by his own efforts, persever-
ance and good management. Though a stanch
Republican in ])olitics, he is no party man ; in re-
ligious faith he is a member of the First Congrega-
tional Church. Socially he is affiliated with the
Royal .\rcanum and New England Order of Pro-
tection.
In Branford, Conn.. Oct. 5. 1870. Richard C.
Wilcox was married to Lucy Caroline Page, a native
of that town, and a daughter of Edgar and Jane G.
(Robinson) Page. Four children, all sons, have
blessed this union, their names and dates of birth
being as follows: Lewis Cornelius, Feb. 6, 1872;
Elmer Ellsworth, Sept. 8, 1874 ; Edgar .'\lmon, .Vug.
18, 1877; and Richard Lester, April 28, 1879,
All arc well educated, and all excepting Richard
L. are engaged in their father's dairying and stock-
raising business, proving themselves to be worthy
sons of worthy parents, as well as progressive and
advanced farmers. Mrs. \\'ilcox is a lady of re-
finement, a devoted helpmeet to her husband, a
loving mother, and kind, hos])itable neighbor.
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1007
JOSEPH P. COLWELL. one of the leading'
business men of Derby, was born in Hartford, April
j(>, 1845, and g-rew to manhood there. His early
I'diicational advantaijcs were of a very limited sort,
lU'cessitv compelling:; liim to begin work at an early
age. While vet a young Ixiy he found employment
in the carjjet factory, and the outbreak of the Civil
War found him a servant in the household of Dr.
M. T. Xewton. P.eing too young to enlist, yet de-
sirous of going to the front, he accompanied the
Doctor in the same capacity, and was thus able 10
serve three years. On his return from the army he
went to work for the Colt Arms Co., with whom he
remained for about two years. In iSWi be removed
to Derby, which city, as has been said, is still his
home. Here, too, his life for many years was one
of hard and constant toil. In 1887 he entered the
employ of Mr. Thomas Finn, an undertaker, and in
i8yi embarked in the same line of business for him-
self, having as a ])artner Peter Reilly,-an(l the firm
name being Colwell & Reilly. The partnership
*\as dissolved after three years, and since 1894 Mr.
C'olwell has carried on the business alone. Under
bis judicious management it has prospered greatly,
and he is now reaping the well earned reward of a
life of patient industry and unfailing integrity.
In 1873 .Mr. Colwell was married to Miss Mary
Ann Kelledy, of Derby, whose father, Matthew
Kelledy, w-as born in Ireland. His married life
lasted but twelve years, Mrs. Colwell dying in
1885. Of their union there are three children liv-
ing. Henry, Joseph and Mary. Mr. Colwell is a
I )emocrat in politics, and in religious faith a Cath-
' lie, being a communicant at St. Mary's Church.
I'or thirty years he has been a member of the
Storm Hose Company, of Derby, and has risen
from the ranks to hold the position of chief engin-
eer. He is of a genial, generous nature, and
social in his proclivities and mode of life, and is an
influential and honored member of various societies.
.\mong these organizations are the Knights of Col-
umbus (of which order he is a past master), the
I'oresters of America, the Knights of Maccabees,
and the Catholic Benevolent Legion of .America.
MRS. CLAR.V A. BOND, of Woodbridge, be-
longs to an old and honored Xew Haven county
family, which was founded here by one Richard
Sperry, who came from England about 1660. Her
paternal great-grandfather, Ebenezer Sperry. was a
native of Woodbridge, born July 27, 1773, on what
I is known as the Sperry farm and is still owned by
the Sperry family. The house standing thereon
was built when be was a child of five years. He
wedded Mary Newton Booth, also a native of
i Woodbridge and a daughter of Walter and Mary
I (Newton) Booth. He died Oct. 26, 1855. and she
' departed this life Feb. 2, 1865, at the age of eighty-
i two years. They had two children, of whom Cal-
I vin, tlie grandfather of our subject, was the young-
! est. Eunice married Edward Hine. of Woodbridge,
I and to ilieiH were born three children: Catherine
Mary, who wedded the late Riley Peck, of Xew
I Haven, and died Xov. 5, lyoi, aged seventy-four
years: Sarah Antoinette, widow of Birdsey Brad-
' ley, of Hamden : and N'ehna. wife of Lewis Hitch-
cock, of Woodbridge.
I ...
I Calvin Sperry was born on the old homestead,
in December, 1807, and there spent his entire life
engaged in agricultural pursuits. In addition to
general farming he was also engaged in the milk
business for a time, and in his undertakings met
with fair success. He was a standi su])porter of the
Republican party and its princijDles, and was a con-
sistent member of the Congregational Church of
Wo(5dbri(lge. .\fter an honorable and useful career,
he died May 28, 1871, in his si.xty-fourth year. He
was three times married, his first wife being Sarah
.\. Carrington, daughter of Liverus and Lowly Car-
rington. She died Jan. 23, 1853, at the age of forty-
four years, and be next married Cynthia Riggs, by
whom he had one daughter, Eleanor, now deceased.
The third wife was Parentha Baldwin. There were
three children by the first marriage, namely : Elizur
L., father of our subject; Almira E., now Mrs.
George Turner, of Woodbridge : and Sarah An-
geline, who died .\pril U). i84(), at the age of ten
years.
b'lizur L. Sperry was born I-"eb. 5, 1831, on the
old homestead in the town of Woodbridge, where
Mrs. Ilond now lives, and he was given the best edu-
cational advantages, being a graduate of Yale. On
Jan. 16, 1856, he was married in Dudley, Mass.,
to Miss Sarah Loretta Williams, who was born
April 10, 1831, and soon after his marriage he
moved to X'andalia, 111., where he was engaged in
farming for several years — an occupation lie thor-
oughly understood, having been trained to it on
the home farm. i'"ri)m Illinois, he returned to
Woodbridge. and here engaged in general farming.
In 1890 he visited a son in Florida, and being
pleased with the climate and State, he decided to
make it his winter liome. Accordingly, the follow-
ing year he bought an orange grove of twenty-five
acres, and spent the great part of the time in Florida
until his death Aug. iC). lyoi, at the age of seventy
years. Politically he was a stanch Re]niblican, anrl
as one of the prominent and influential men of his
community, he was called upon to fill many of the
town offices, such as selectman, member of the
.school board, and for many years justice of the
peace. In his family were four children: (i)
William I., born June 16, 1857, died June 22. 1857.
(2) Clara A., our subject, is mentioned below. (3)
Calvin Waldo, born r)ct. 20. 1863. married H.
Louie Keys, and they have three children: Sarah
L., born April 10, 1890; Marion K., born Aug. 28,
1892; and Carlton, born April 22, 1895. (4)
Sarah Adeline, born Mav fi. 1867, died Dec. 26,
1884.
Mrs. Bond was born Feb. 4, 1861, and was mar-
ried Aug. 15, 1883, to Charles Bond, a native of
lOoS
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Oxford, ^[ass., by whom she has two children :
Herbert L., born Sept. 28, 18S4; and Mabel Sperry,
born July 31, 1890. Mr. Bond is an extensive
and successful farmer of Woodbridge, cultivating
the flats long known as the Sperry farm, and also
operates a cider and sawmill, lie is a wide-awake,
energetic business man, of progressive ideas, and is
quite ])roniinent in the community where he resides.
In politics he is a Republican.
Dr. EMELIXE ROBERTS JONES, of New
Haven, has the distinction of being the pioneer
wo:rn'i dctitist — the first woman to open independ-
ently an office and offer her services to the public
as a competent dentist.
Dr. Jones was born July 26, 1836, in Winches-
ter, Conn., daughter of John Eno and Deborah
Hungerford (Blakeslee) Roberts, and is descended
in Ijoth paternal and maternal lines from honorable
New England ancestry. Samuel Roberts, her ear-
liest ancestor of that name on American soil, came
from luigland about 1636 and settled in New Haven.
His son, (H) Samuel Roberts, married Catherine
. His son, (HI) Samuel Roberts, mar-
ried Sept. 22, 1691, Mary Blake. His son, (IV)
Samuel Roberts, married March 22, 17 16-17, Ra-
chel Webb. His son, (V) Joel Roberts, married
Esther Loomis. His son, (VI) Judah Roberts,