Sept. 28, 1847, and was given good school ad-
vantages, attending the higher grades in the schools
at Norwich, Conn., where he graduated when only
fourteen years old. One year later he removed to
Meriden, and immediately found employment in E.
Miller's brass works, where he remained for one
year. In 1866 he came to Yalesville and entered
the spoon factory of G. J. Mix & Co., and in the
employ of this firm he continued for twenty-six
years, receiving promotions until he became fore-
man of his department.
On account of health. Mr. Lamb decided to
make a change in his business, and with this end
in view, removed to Medfield, Mass.. where he
opened up a provision and meat store, which be
conducted but a short time, and then came back
among his old friends in Yalesville and entered
the shipping room of the piano stool depart-
ment of the Charles Parker Co., and remained here
for eight years, resigning this position to engage in
the shoe business as a silent partner with his sons
at Leominster, Mass., which liusiness was con-
ducted under the firm name of Lamb Bros.
Charles R. Lamb was married in Yalesville,
Conn., to Miss Alice M. Jeralds, who was born in
Prospect, Conn., a daughter of Bennett Jeralds, one
of the best-known citizens of Yalesville. Eight
children have been born of this union : Eva T-i who
married Wallace A. Shipton, of Newton, Mass.;
Wilbur R., who married .\nnie Farrell, of Hart-
ford, and has one cbilil, Wilbur Raymond, Jr.;
Lharles S., of the shoe firm of Lamb Bros., of Leo-
minster, Mass. ; Clifton Jeralds, engaged in the
piano stool department of the Charles Parker Co. ;
Roscoe Edward, a bookkeeper; Dexter, in the
Parker factory in Yalesville ; Mary, who attends
high school in Meriden ; and Alice. Both the young
ladies are at home, and with their estimable mother
are among the most cultivated and intellectual mem-
bers of social life in Yalesville.
Mr. Lamb has long been one of the most acti\e
members of the Yalesville Methodist Church, and
jor a number of years has been a trustee and one
of the faithful stewards. He was a member of the
building committee of the new church, erected in
1899. Not only is Mr. Lamb prominent in church
matters, but he has been conspicuous in public af-
fairs, and has been selectman, grand juror, and for
twelve years has been the efficient and reliable con-
stable of Wallingford. In 1884 his popularity in
the Republican party was attested by his selection
as its candidate for the State Legislature. Soci-
ally he is connected with the Pilgrim's Harbor
\_ouncil. No. 543, Royal .\rcanum, of Meriden.
Mr. Lamb has succeeded in many lines of work,
and his ability as a mechanic has been developed in
his son, Charles, in the line of invention. An in-
genious invention of the latter, which has been
patented and has come into general use, is the auto-
matic self-closing window grip, and this is but one
of this talented young man's ideas.
The Jeralds family, of which Mrs. Lamb is a
member, is one well known through this part of
Connecticut. Bennett Jeralds. the father of Mrs.
Lamb ,was born in Watertown. Conn.. Oct. 10,
1 818, a son of Ransom Jeralds. a native of Cheshire,
Conn., whose father, a seafaring man. lost his life
on the water.
Ransom Jeralds grew up in Cheshire, and
throughout his life was a very successful farmer,
operating in Wallingford, but the last years of his
life were spent in Yalesville, where he owned an
estate. His death, at the age of seventy-six years,
occurred in 1870, in Yalesville, where he was re-
spected by the connnunity. Mr. Jeralds, also, was
a man who held to his convictions of right ; early
in life he embraced the jirinciplcs of the Democratic
])arty, but was a free-soil man, and possessed anti-
slavery views, and later became a stanch Republi-
can. Temperate in all things, honest and upright
in life, he was one of the most consistent members
of the M. E. Church. He served as a soldier in the
war of 1 81 2. Ransom Jeralds married .Mma Judd,
of Bethany (then Woodhridge), a daughter of
Isaac Judd, and to this union ten children were
born, all of whbm have passed away with the ex-
ception of four: Bennett: Patience Juliet, widow
of Lewis W. Turner, of Yalesville ; Orrin, of New
York : and Edward, a manufacturer of Cheshire.
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
1051
'J'hc beloved mother died in Wallinsi^ford, at the age
of eighty-two years, after a life filled with good
deeds of charity and neighborly kindness. She was
formerly connected with the Episcoiial Church, later
with the M. E. Church.
Isaac Judd worked in summer as a stone mason
and was a teacher during many winter terms, num-
bering his own children and grandchildren among
his ])upils. In early life he held a lieutenant's com-
mission in the King's militia, and at the opening
of the Revolution organized a company of minute
men at what is now Xaugatuck. He was almost
constantly in the service of the Colonies during that
struggle, although he was not enrolled in the regu-
lar service. He was also active in civil life, and
served many years as a magistrate, both before and
after the Revolution.
Bennett Jcralds received his schooling in Pieth-
any and Pros])ect, Conn., but it was limited, as
at the age of thirteen he was hired out to worl<
during the summer months, and could only attend
school during the short winter sessions. Until he
was eighteen he worked at different places, and then
entered the employ of William Mix. at Prospect,
Conn., who was the first spoon manufacturer in the
United States, and with him he remained three
years. During these years of toil the fertile brain
of Mr. Jeraids was at work, and when he reached
his majority he began the manufacture of Britan-
nia spoons on his own account, in Yalesville, and
continued in this business until 1845, when he
formed a partnership with Eli Ives, of Meriden,
and the business was successfully continued until
1853. During that year .Mr. Jeraids bought out
the interest of Mr. Ives and managed alone until
he sold the business to Charles Parker, of Meriden,
and immediately became the capa;ble superintend-
ent of the factory, which was removed to Walling-
ford in 1854, retaining the position until 1876, when
the contract system was inaugurated. .\t this time
Mr. Jeraids became a contractor in the establish-
ment, which position lie filled initil iSSri, when he
retired from activity. Through the application of
sound business principles and individual enterprise,
he has accumulated large means, and is personally
one of the most esteemed citizens of this locality.
Bennett Jeraids was married first in 1840, to
Lucy Mix. a daughter of William Mix, and to this
union three children were born: Laura, deceased,
who married Henry C. Wooding; Lucy, wife of
George S. .Mien ; and Cornelia, who married Ed-
win P. Smith. Eor his second wife Mr. Jeraids
wedded .-\rvilla Raymond, a daughter of Lincoln
Raymond, and four children were the result of this
union: .Mice ^[., who married Charles R. Lamb;
Ellen, wife of Erederick Wilcox; Erank, who died
at the age of four; and P'anny, who married Will-
iam Kingford. By his third wife, Mary M. Ad-
ams. Mr. Jeraids has a son, Arthur, who resides in
^Vallingford. The fourth marriage of Mr. Jer-
aids was to Lucv Wilcox, widow of Oliver Wil-
cox, and his fifth wife was Mary B. \\'ilcox, widow
of Charles Sherman.
In politics Mr. Jeraids identified himself with
the l-"ree Soil party, and was defeated as a candi-
date for the Legislature, in 185 1, by a very small
majority, although this party was greatly in the
minority ; in fact, one vote decided the contest
against him. Since the organization of the Re-
publican party he has been an active member. For
years he was justice of the peace, and has always
l)een interested in educational matters, and has held
many offices of public trust. Eor thirty-three years
he has been a warden in the Episcopal Church, at
Yalesville, and is fraternally connected with Com-
pass Lodge, A. F. & A. M., in Wallingford.
CHARLES ROBERTS, a well-known horse
dealer and the popular proprietor of the "Roberts
1 louse," of liamden, is a native of New Haven
county, born in the town of Wallingford, June 13,
1842. His father, Ephraim Roberts, was born
and reared in Meriden, Conn., and when a
young man renidved to Wallingford, where he
engaged in the butcher business for many years,
selling his meat in the towns of Cheshire and Wall-
ingford. His [Kilitical sup])ort was given the men
and measures of the Democratic party. He died
suddenly m Southington, in 1S72, at the age of
seventy-two years. For his first wife he married
Susan Ellis, a sister of William Ellis, of New
Haven, and to them were born nine children,
namely : Amanda, wife of Zadock Morgan ; Ho-
ratio, deceased; Harriet, deceased wife of James-
Ik'll ; Louise, deceased wife of Charles Pardee ;
ICmily. deceased wife of F. F. Bailey ; Ralph, a resi-
dent of Forestville, Conn.; Nancy, deceased wife of
Frederick Minott ; Charles, our subject; and Susan,
widow of R. L. Lake. The mother died in Wall-
ingford, and the father subsequently married Polly
Dunham, by whom he had two children: James,
deceased; and John, a resident of Meriden.
Charles Roberts ac(iuired a limited education in
the district schools of \\'allingford. and at the age
of nine years started out to make his own way in
the world by working as a farm hand, being thus
emi)loyed until he attained his fifteenth year, when
he learned the blacksmith's trade with John R.
Henshaw, of Middletown, with whom he spent two
years. The following year he worked at his trade
in Meriden. He was one of the first to offer his
services to his country at the opening of the Civil
war, enlisting in i86r, at Meriden, for three
months, in Company F, ist Conn. V. I., under Col.
R. Tyler and Capt. By.xrbee. He participated in
the first battle of Bull Run, and was then detailed
for horse shoeing.
On the expiration of his term of eidistment, Mr.
Roberts returned home and followed his trade un-
til February, 1862, when he went to New York
City and entered the em]>loy of the Sixth Avenue
Railroad Co., with which he was connected for iwo
ao;
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
years. In 1864 he went to California, intending to
stop at Isicaragua, but on account of the hostility
,of the natives proceeded to San Francisco, where
he remained only a short time, and then went south
to Santa Barbara and San Bernardino, where he
tilled the position of station agent. He was also
connected with the mail service between Los An-
geles and San Diego for a time, but on account of
ill health he returned to San Francisco, where he
remained several months, and then came East. He
was conductor on the street railroad in New York
City until 1869, when he again came to New Haven
cou'ntv, Conn., and purchased a farm in Cheshire,
which' he operated for two years. On selling out,
in 1871, he embarked in the livery business in Ham-
den, and has since devoted much of his time to
dealing in horses, buying his stock principally in
the West and selling the same in Hamdcn and east-
ern markets. In 1889 he opened the "Roberts
House." which he has since conducted with marked
success, as under his able management it has be-
come one of the leading hotels of the locality. His
genial, pleasant manner makes him quite popular
with his guests, and wherever known he is held in
high regard. Socially he is a member of Day
Spring Lodge, No. 30, F. & A. M., of Ilamden,
and i>oIiticaily he is identified with the Republican
partv. The success that he has achieved in life
is due to his own well-directed and energetic efforts,
and he may well be classed among the self-made
men of the county.
SAMUEL GRIFFIXG COOKE, a prominent
farmer and fruit grower of Branford. was born in
Honey Creek township, .\dams Co., 111., Aug. 31,
1835. son of Increase W. and Harriet D. (Griffing)
Cooke, natives of North Guilford and Branford,
respectively. He is descended from Henry Cooke,
who came from the west of England, and was in
Plymouth, Mass.. before 1640. His son. Samuel
Cooke, married Hope Parker. Their son, Samuel
Cooke, married I lannali Ives. Their son, Aaron
Cooke, married Ruth I'urrage. Their soni. Aaron
â– Cooke, the great-grandfather of our fubjcct, mar-
ried Lucretia Dudley. Kilburn Cooke, grandfather
of Samuel G., was a native of Guilford, was reared
to farming and followed that occupation all his
â– davs. He married Eunice Williams.
The maternal great-grandparents of Samuel
Griffing Cooke were Aaron and Elizabeth (Palmer)
Griffing. .Aaron Griffing was a son of Samuel and
Martha (Vail) Griffing, grandson of Robert and
Susanna Griffing, and a great-grandson of Jasper
and Hannah Griffing.
Increase W'. Cooke, whose name appears above
as the father of Sanniel G., was born in North
Guilford in December, 1S07, and was married in
Branford in May, 1832. to Harriet D.. daughter of
Capt. -Samuel and Statira (I'risbie) Griffing. They
had three children who lived to maturity : ( 1 )
Harriet A., who married Samuel Beach; (2) Sam-
uel G. ; and (3) Sara E., who became Mrs. John
.\. Leggett, and died in 1870. Mr. Cooke died in
1847. His widow, who subsequently married
Jehiel Norton, died in 1849.
Samuel (iriffing Cooke was reared in Illinois
until he reached the age of twelve years, when the
mother and children returned to Brantord, in 1848.
He received his education from the teachers of the
public schools, and early in life began his career as
an apprentice to the carpenter's trade in New
Haven. In the spring of 1855 he went West and
located in Adams county. III., where he was engaged
in farming in the township of Honey Creek for six
years. On Oct. 13, 1861, Mr. Cooke enlisted in
the United States service as a member of Company
A, 50th 111. V. I., soon became corporal, and in
I'ebruary, 1862, was made sergeant. On Oct. 4,
1862, he and another sergeant took nine prisoners,
seven privates, one first and one second lieutenant
of the 1st Arkansas Infantry. He participated in
the battles of I'ort Henry, b'ort Donelson (where
he was slightly wounded), Shiloh. Corinth (Oct.
3-4, 1862), sieges of Corinth and \'icksburg, and
was on the Atlanta campaign under Gen. Shennan
in 1864. He was on detached duty three months.
On June 7, 1864, he was discharged that he might
be commissioned second lieutenant. In August of
the same year he was promoted to first lieutenant,
and transferred from the Department of the Ten-
nessee to the Department of the Cumberland, by
order of Gen. O. O. Howard, and given connnand
of Company I, 44th U. S. C. T. Lieut. Cooke was
captured by Gen. Hood Oct. 13. 1864, and was re-
leased on parole. This parole was not recognized
by the government, and he at once reported for
duty at Chattanooga, Tenn. He was in the battle
of Nashville, in December, 1864, and was honorably
discharged at Chattanooga, Mav 25, 1865, though
he was not relieved from duty until well into
the following month. From the time of his en-
liiitment, Oct. 13, 1861, Mr. Cooke was active and
faithful in all the duties of a soldier, and made a
record admiralily clean and good.
.\fter the war Mr. Cooke was engaged in the
oil business for two years at 'Indian Neck, and has
since devoted himself to agricultural pursuit.* in
Branford. He bought his present place in 1872,
after leasing it for two years. The farm com-
prises 148 acres of fine land, highly cultivated, and
improved with substantial buildings.
The marriage of Mr. Cooke and Cornelia A.
Palmer occurred Oct. 20, 18(18. ^Irs. Cooke is a
daughter of Wilman and Susan C. (Bradlev)
Palmer. They have become the parents of five chil-
dren : Charles W., Lizzie L., Susie B., Harry G.
and .-\d(lison T.
From 1856 to 1866 Mr. Cooke was a member
of the Congregational Church of Mendon, HI.
Since 1866 Mr. Cooke has been a member of the
Congregational Church at Branford. to which his
family also belong. Our subject has been superin-
I
^
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
105;
tendent of die Sunday-sctiool four years, and his
son, Charles W., is a deacon in the church. Mr.
Cooke is regarded as one of the upright and honor-
able men of the community. He belongs to Mason
Rogers Post, No. 7, G. A. R., of which he was
commander for two years, and is now senior vice-
commander. In politics he is a Republican.
HORATIO NELSON CLARKE, a leading
citizen and one of the most energetic, enterprising
and successful agriculturists of Prospect, New
Ilavcn county, was born in that town, Nov. 14,
1841, and belongs to a family of English origin,
which was early founded in New England, and unc
.of the first established in this county.
Amos Clarke, his grandfather, was born in Mil-
ford, now the town of Orange, about 1-758, and
spent his entire life in that section, his time and
attention being devoted to farming. His wife,
Eunice, a woman of strong character, died Aug.
30, 1838, and he departed this life Nov. 14, 1841,
the remains of both being interred m Orange ceme-
tery. They had four children: Amos, born May
31,' 1791, died in August, 1828; Ira Miles, born
June 15, 1793, died in September, 1850; Selah, fa-
.ther of our subject, was next in order of birth; and
Lanson, born Sept. 4, 1797. died in May, 1876.
Selah Clarke, our subject's father, was born in
the town of Milford, now Orange, Feb. 14, 1795,
and there grew to manhood, remaining upon his
father's farm until 1823.. when he came to Prospect
and located upon the Piatt farm — a tract of 115
acres in the southern part of the town — where he
spent the remainder of his life engaged in agri-
civltural pursuits. He was a man noted for his in-
austry, honor and honorable dealings, and though
he received only a limited education, he kept
abreast of the times and was well posted on all
leading events. He took a deep interest in town
affairs, and was a stanch supporter of the Demo-
cratic party, but never sought political honors. He
was an earnest Christian and a consistent member
of the Congregational Church. He died at his home
in Prospect, Aug. 29, 1880, and was laid to rest in
the Prospect cemetery.
In North Milford, April 25, 1821, Selah Clarke
married Miss Hannah Stone Smith, who was born
in Milford, Aug. 26, 1800, and died on the home
farm in Prospect, Sept. 30, 1877, her remains being
interred by the side of those of her husband in
Prospect cemetery. She was a good Christian wo-
man and a faithful wife and mother. She too, be-
longed to an old and honored family of New Eng-
land, being a descendant of Rev. Samuel Stone, the
first of the name in America, and from him she
traced her ancestry through the following: John
and Mary Stone; John and Susana (Newton)
Stone: Ezekiel and Hannah (Merriman) Stone;
and Samuel and Damaris (Beach) Stone. She
was a daughter of Miles and Lucretia (Downs)
Smith, and a granddaughter of John and Hannah
(Stone) Downs. Horatio N. Clarke is the young-
est in a family of eight children, the others being
as follows: (i) Smith Selah, born in Milford,
Feb. 14, 1822, died Feb. 7, 1900. (2) Miles, born
in Prospect, June 8, 1825, resides in Naugatuck,
Conn. (3) Harriette Eliza, born Sept. 25, 1828, is
the wife of Lucius Russell, a son of Ransom Rus-
sell, and resides in New Haven. (4) Spencer
Amos, born Feb. 20, 1833, is a contractor and
builder of New Haven. (5) Charlotte Emily, born
:3ept. 20, 1835, married Julius Smith, deceased, who
was a needle manufacturer of New Haven. (6)
Lillian Adella, born April 14, 1837, is the wife of
ucorge De h'orest Hissell, a retired citizen of Naug-
atuck. (7) Sarah De Ette, born July 7, 1839, was
educated in a normal school and became a noted
teacher of languages and music; sne married Al-
phonsc Charpiot, a master car builder for the
ueorgia Central railroad, and died in Macon,
Georgia.
During his boyhood and youth Horatio N.
Clarke attended the district schools of Prospect
Mills, a preparatory school of New Haven, and the
Naugatuck high school, where he acquired a good
practical education. He grew to manhood on the
homestead and early acquired an excellent knowl-
edge of every department of farm work. At the
age of eighteen years he took charge of his father's
business and cared for his parents during their de-
clining years.
On Dec. 24, 1864, in Bethany, Conn., Air. Clarke
was united in marriage with Miss Laura De Ette
Perkins, who was born in the old hotel at that place,
and is a representative of an old and highly re-
spected family of this county, being a daughter of
Guy and Laura (Doolittle) Perkins, and a grand-
daughter of Archibald and Sarah ( iMxnch) Per-
kins. Her grandfather was a hotel keeper and
farmer of Bethany, where he died March 4, 1842,
his wife Sept. 27, 1846. His father was Azariah
Perkins, a native of New Haven county, and the
son of an Englishman. Mrs. Clarke's maternal
grandparents were Jesse and Betsey (Wooding)
Doolittle, the former a son of Caleb and Hannah
(Merriman) Doolittle, and the latter a daughter of
Edward and Ann (Peck) Wooding. To Mr. and
.Mrs. Clarke have l)een horn five children, viz.:
Maude Genevieve, born in Bethany, Oct. 8, 1868,
is at home; Walton Perkins, born Dec. 26, 1870,
was married July 12, 1898, to Nellie Maria Page,
(laughter of John M. Page, of Naugatuck, and is
employed in a rubber shop in Naugatuck ; RoUin
i'erkins, born June 14, 1880, is a graduate of the
higli school of Naugatuck : Laura Eloise, born Dec.
19, 1881, is possessed of some musical and artistic
abilitv, and is at home; and Edith May, born April
12, 1883, died May 9, 1887. All have attended the
Naugatuck high school and are well educated.
After his marriage Mr. Clarke located on what
was known as the Hotchkiss farm, and upon that
place he still resides, having made extensive im-
I054
COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
provements thereon which add greatly to its value
and attractive appearance. After the death of his
parents he bought the old homestead and other
lands owned by his father, and to-day he is one of
tne largest landowners in Prospect, his possessions
aggregating 600 hundred acres in that town. In
connection with general farming, he is extensively
engaged in stock tlealing and the dairy business,
and has upon his place some fine Jersey stock. He
also does a large business as a dealer in wood, for
which he finds a ready market in Waterbury.
Politically Mr. Clarke has been a life-long Dem-
ocrat, but at local elections votes for the men whom
he considers best qualified to fill the offices regard-
less of party lines, lie is public-spirited and pro-
gressive, and gives his sujiport to every enterprise
.which he believes calculated to prove of public
benefit. He has taken quite an active and promi-
nent part in town politics, and has served as as-
sessor five years; tax collector nine years; justice
of the peace; grand juror; member of the board of
relief; and member of the board of selectmen sev-
eral terms, being still connected with the last. He
has been instrumental in securing the rural free
delivery soon to be established in the town. Fra-
ternally, he is a member of Beacon Valley Grange,
and his wife and children are members of the
Episcopal Church. The record of JMr. Clarke is
that of a man who by his own well-directed efforts
has worked his way upward. His life has been one
of industry and perseverance, and the systematic
and honorable business methods he has followed
have won him the respect and confidence of all.
ALFRED CARLSON. As an example of
what may be accomplished by honesty, energy and
j>erseverance, under most discouraging circum-
stances, the life of Alfred Carlson, the subject of
this sketch, offers a very interesting and instructive
narrative.
^Ir. Carlson was born at Holmboe, Smoland,
Sweden, Sept. 5, 1842, a son of Carl and Katherina
(Scott) Carlson, the former of whom was a farmer,
and lived and died in the little village of his birth,
near the city of Cutlenberg. The cliildren born
to these worthy people were : Charlotte, widow of
Edwin Anderson, lives in Naugatuck, Conn.; Caro-
line, widow of Andrew IMonson, who was killed by
an accident in Canada; Alfred; and Gustavus, who
lives in Middletown. Connecticut.
Alfred Carlson received but a limited educa-
tion, as his father died when he was quite young,
and, being the oldest son, he naturally assumed the
responsibility of his own support. I-'acing the situ-
ation bravely, he left school and engaged as a
helper in a tannery, where he worked for a year
and one-half, but as this brought him only his