Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

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