Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY<br />
Fifth District. At present, Senator Pier- <strong>of</strong> John Stebbins, <strong>of</strong> Watertown, Massa-<br />
son is chairman <strong>of</strong> the excise committee.<br />
Fraternally, he is a member <strong>of</strong> the Benev-<br />
olent and Protective Order <strong>of</strong> Elks ; <strong>of</strong><br />
the Independent Order <strong>of</strong> Odd Fellows<br />
and <strong>of</strong> the Knights <strong>of</strong> Pythias, lodge and<br />
uniform rank.<br />
Mr. Pierson married Alma, daughter <strong>of</strong><br />
Carl Benson, <strong>of</strong> New Britain. Mr. and<br />
Mrs. Pierson are members <strong>of</strong> the Luth-<br />
eran church.<br />
WILLIAMS, Ernest Russell,<br />
Manufacturer.<br />
Mr. Williams is a descendent <strong>of</strong> an old<br />
New England family, probably <strong>of</strong> Matthew<br />
Williams, some <strong>of</strong> whose descend-<br />
ants located in Glastonbury, <strong>Connecticut</strong>.<br />
Matthew Williams was first located at<br />
Watertown, Massachusetts, and settled<br />
in Wethersfield before 1645. He was a<br />
brick maker and farmer, and after 1655<br />
dwelt for a time on Long Island, remov-<br />
ing later to Barbadoes, but retaining his<br />
residence in Wethersfield. It is presumable<br />
that he was engaged in commerce.<br />
He was dead in 1680, and was survived<br />
by a widow, Susannah.<br />
Their eldest son, Amos Williams, was<br />
born March 14, 1646, in Wethersfield,<br />
where he owned considerable land, and<br />
was also a landholder in Orange, New<br />
Jersey, but did not settle there. In 1668<br />
he was town crier. He was an early settler<br />
in the Rocky Hill section <strong>of</strong> Weth-<br />
ersfield. The inventory <strong>of</strong> his estate, filed<br />
in 1683 in Hartford, amounted to £217<br />
15s. He married, June 29, 1670, Eliza-<br />
beth, whose surname is not preserved.<br />
After his death she married Lieutenant<br />
Thomas Hollister.<br />
Samuel Williams, second son, was born<br />
June 25, 1675, * n Wethersfield, and married,<br />
June 24, 1697, Mary Stebbins, daughter<br />
<strong>of</strong> John Stebbins, and granddaughter<br />
;<br />
chusetts.<br />
Their second son was Samuel Williams,<br />
born February 3, 1702, in Wethersfield,<br />
settled in Glastonbury, where he was<br />
married, January 17, 1733, to Susanna,<br />
daughter <strong>of</strong> John Potts. They were the<br />
229<br />
ancestors <strong>of</strong> those <strong>of</strong> the name living in<br />
Glastonbury.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> their descendants lived in Catskill,<br />
New York, where was born, about<br />
1800, Robert Williams, who died in Meri-<br />
den at the age <strong>of</strong> eighty years. His parents<br />
died when he was a youth. He<br />
learned the trade <strong>of</strong> cooper. Later in life<br />
he engaged in business on his own<br />
account, and traveled through the South<br />
with a tin peddler's wagon, such as is<br />
now familiar only to the older generation.<br />
He did an extensive business in the South<br />
and acquired some capital, with which he<br />
engaged in business as a tinsmith in Meri-<br />
den, <strong>Connecticut</strong>. Subsequently he also<br />
engaged in farming. He married Rachel<br />
Baldwin, born about 1807-10, in what is<br />
now Meriden, daughter <strong>of</strong> Samuel Bald-<br />
win, and a descendant <strong>of</strong> Joseph Baldwin,<br />
who was among the original settlers <strong>of</strong><br />
Milford, <strong>Connecticut</strong>. He was a son <strong>of</strong><br />
Richard Baldwin, <strong>of</strong> Cholesbury, near<br />
Ashton Clinton, County <strong>of</strong> Bucks, Eng-<br />
land, and was <strong>of</strong> record in Milford in<br />
1639. His wife Hannah joined the<br />
church there, January 23, 1644, and at<br />
that time their first four children were<br />
baptized. About 1663, Joseph Baldwin<br />
removed with his family to Hadley, Mas-<br />
sachusetts, where he and his son, Joseph<br />
Baldwin, were admitted freemen in 1666.<br />
His seventh child was Jonathan Baldwin,<br />
born February 15, 1649, m Milford, baptized<br />
two days later, lived in that town,<br />
and married there, November 2, 1677,<br />
Hannah, daughter <strong>of</strong> John Ward. Their<br />
fourth son was Daniel Baldwin, baptized<br />
March 3, 1689, who settled, in 1728, in