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orn November 21, baptized November
30, 1783, and died March 8, 1832. His
home was on the western side of Broad
street, near the southern end, where the
widow of his grandson, Ellis D. Adams,
now resides. He married, August 28,
1804, Anna or Hannah Wolcott, born
April 17, 1785, died November 4, 1864,
daughter of Elisha and Mary (Welles)
Wolcott. Julia Ann Willard, daughter of
Deacon William Willard, born December
11, 1815, became the wife of Chauncey
Adams, as before noted. They were
the parents of two sons, Clarence Eugene
and Ellis Dwight Adams.
Clarence Eugene Adams was born Au-
gust 15, 1844, in the house adjoining his
present residence on the west side of
Broad street, Wethersfield. After attendance
at the local schools, he was a student
at Williston Seminary, Easthampton,
Massachusetts, and at Eastman's
Business College, Poughkeepsie, New
York. In 1856, at the age of nineteen
years, he left his books and began steady
labor upon the paternal farm, where he
had previously rendered active service
during vacations. He continued upon the
homestead and in time it was divided, one
part being occupied by his brother. In
1874 Mr. Adams erected the handsome
residence which he now occupies, a short
distance south of the house in which he
was born. He was an industrious and
successful farmer, but now rents his land
and lives in a well-earned retirement. He
has long been an active member of the
Wethersfield Congregational Church, of
which he was a deacon four years. He is
one of the founders of Wethersfield
Grange, No. 114, of which he is the pres-
ent chaplain, serving in that capacity for
about five years ; he was the first master
of the Grange, serving as such two years
since, but not consecutively, and was also
lecturer for one year. He was master of
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
377
Central Pomona Grange for two years, and
was deputy master of the Connecticut
State Grange for Hartford county for two
years. Having settled principles and con-
victions, he is naturally a partisan in
political matters, and has always acted
with the Republican party. For many
years he has served as tax collector, and
in 1891 represented the town in the State
Legislature, acting as a member of the
committee on agriculture. Of genial
nature and agreeable manners, Mr. Adams
enjoys the friendship and esteem of his
contemporaries.
Mr. Adams married, December 22, 1869,
Alice Sophia Bailey, born February 18,
1845, in Griswoldville, daughter of Arnold
and Nancy (Lockwood) Bailey. The
children of this marriage reflect credit
upon an honored ancestry and a worthy
parentage. 1. Lena Maud, born September
24, 1870, is the wife of Dr. John Prentice
Rand, living in Worcester, Massa-
chusetts. 2. Etta May, born March 16,
1872, died May 28, 1913, unmarried. 3.
Harriet Julia, born March 22, 1874, is now
residing in Chicago, Illinois, with her
brother. 4. Clarence W., born November
24, 1877, died in early infancy. 5. Alice
Lockwood, born May 25, 1879, is now
employed in the offices of the Phoenix
Insurance Company of Hartford, and
resides with her parents. 6. Willard,
born February 28, 1884, is an electrical
engineer, residing in Chicago ; he mar-
ried, December 23, 1912, Katherine Seig-
ler, who died September 11, 1916. 7. Jessie
Eugenia, born April 17, 1885 ; was
married in September, 1914, to Ralph P.
Chaffee, of Wethersfield and has a son,
Ralph Garrett Chaffee, born June 28, 1916.
The Bailey family was early in Connecticut,
founded by John Bailey, presumably
of English birth, who was in Hartford
as early as 1648, when he was viewer
of chimneys and ladders. He was con-