Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

tion in all quarters. Of social nature and
genial spirit, his companionship was
much sought after. Possessed of all the
domestic virtues, his greatest happiness
was found in his own household, but his
death was felt as a loss throughout the
community. ' He was married, January
30, 1877, to Alice Belle Main, of Brooklyn,
Connecticut, a daughter of Elias H.
and Sarah S. (Dorrance) Main, of that
town. They were the parents of three
children : Robert Joseph, Leonora, and
Dorothy Belle.
Robert Joseph Allyn, only son of Robert
and Alice Belle (Main) Allyn, was
born October 21, 1877, m Hartford, and
succeeded to the management of the
large estate which came down from his
grandfather. His education was largely
supplied by private schools, and before
attaining his majority he became asso-
ciated with his father in the conduct of
the Allyn House. This popular hostelry,
many years known as the leading hotel
of Hartford, has continued under his
management to the present time, and has
fully maintained its standards and reputa-
tion. He takes an interest in Hart-
ford and its institutions ; is a director
of the Phoenix Insurance Company
and of Spring Grove Cemetery ; a
member of the Connecticut Society,
Sons of the American Revolution ; Hartford
Club, Hartford Golf Club, Country
Club of Farmington, Automobile Club of
Hartford, Gun Club, and Automobile
Club of America. He married Louise,
daughter of Francis Gordon and Mary
Royal (McCurry) Graham, born in
Louisville, Kentucky, granddaughter of
the late Judge Duncan Graham, of Car-
lisle, Pennsylvania, of Scottish antece-
dents, a kinsman of the present Duke of
Montrose, who for some twenty-five years
has been Lord Clerk Registrar of Scotland
and present chief of Clan Graham.
Conn—5— 10
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
145
They have one daughter, Mary Belle
Allyn, born June 3, 1914.
The Mather family, from which Mr.
Allyn is descended, is one of the oldest
and most interesting in Connecticut,
descended from a very ancient English
family. The name Mather is derived
from the Anglo-Saxon word Math, which
means "honor, reverence." The family
is of ancient English descent, and is found
also in Scotland, where at least two fami-
lies of this name bore arms. The coat-
of-arms used by the early Mathers of
Boston is : Ermine on a fesse wavy
azure, three lions rampant or. Crest : a
lion sedant or. This coat-of-arms was
recorded as belonging to William Mather
in 1602. Motto: Sunt fortia pectora
nobis. Also : Virtus vera nobilitas est.
John Mather was of Lowton, Winwick
parish, Lancashire, England. His son,
Thomas Mather, was of the same place,
and had wife Margaret. Their son, Rev.
Richard Mather, was born 1596, in Lowton,
Winwick parish, Lancashire, Eng-
land. His parents, though poor, determined
to give their son a good education
and sent him to Winwick School, about
four miles from their home. In the win-
ter he boarded at Winwick, but in the
summer he traveled the distance on foot
every day, and attended this school until
he was fifteen years old. In 161 1 he
became a teacher in a school at Toxteth
Park, near Liverpool. He lived with the
family of Mr. Edward Aspinwall in
1614, and while there was converted and
decided to become a minister. He con-
tinued his studies under the teaching of
Mr. Aspinwall, who was a learned scholar,
and then went to Brazenose College, Oxford.
Before he had been long at Oxford
he received a call to preach at Toxteth,
where he had been teaching school. On
November 30, 1618, he preached his first
sermon and was ordained a minister of