Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

field. He received his education in that
town, passed through grammar school,
and spent one year at the Hartford High
School. Ever since leaving school he has
been engaged in agriculture upon the pa-
ternal homestead, at South Wethersfield
(formerly South Lane), and has been
active and useful in many capacities in
the public service. As a young man he
taught fifteen winter terms of school.
From 1900 to 1912 he was superintendent
of the local schools, and since 1892 has
been secretary of the school board. For
more than twenty years he has been treas-
urer of the Wethersfield public library,
from its organization. In 1903-04, he rep-
resented the town in the State Legisla-
ture. His political associations have
always been with the Republican party,
because he accepts its principles and poli-
cies as best calculated, in his opinion, to
promote the general welfare. He is a
member of St. John's Lodge, No. 4, Ancient
Free and Accepted Masons, of Hartford,
and of the Connecticut Society, Sons
of the American Revolution. With his
family, Mr. Adams has always attended
and sustained the Congregational church
at Wethersfield.
Mr. Adams married, June 5, 1895, Jen-
nie Wilson Havens, born February 3,
1855, daughter of Frederick A. and Jemimah
(Dunham) Havens, and died March
22, 1916.
ADAMS, Clarence Eugene,
Retired Farmer, Public Servant.
From several of the pioneer settlers of
Wethersfield, Mr. Adams has inherited
those qualities of enterprise, energy and
intelligence which lead to success. The
early generations of his ancestry are very
fully covered in the preceding sketch.
Chauncey Adams, fourth son of William
and Mary (Wells) Adams, was born
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
375
November 6, 1808, in South Lane, now
known as South Wethersfield, and died in
the latter part of June, 1883. His educa-
tion was supplied by the public schools of
his native town, and his life work was
farming. In early years he was accustomed
to assist his father in the tillage of
the homestead, and after his marriage he
settled on the Willard Farm near the
south end of Broad street, Wethersfield,
where he continued until his death. He
was a faithful member of the Congrega-
tional church ; in politics a Republican, he
served as selectman and in various other
town offices, and in 1856 represented the
town in the session of the Legislature at
New Haven. He married, October 10,
1843, J
— :
u lia Ann Willard, born December
11, 1815, died March 14, 1871, daughter of
Deacon William and Anna or Hannah
(Wolcott) Willard. The Willard family
is an ancient one in New England,
founded by Major Simon Willard, an
early resident of Wethersfield. This is a
personal name which in time became a
surname, having been used in England as
a place name. The ancient coat-ofarms
is
Arms—Argent, a chevron sable between three
Fish Weels proper, five ermine spots.
Crest—A Griffin's head erased argent.
Motto Quadet Patientia Duris.
Richard Willard was a yeoman at
Brentley, England, where he made his will,
September 18, 1558, proved October 24,
following. His fourth son, Richard Willard,
lived at Horsmonden, Kent, Eng-
land, and had three wives. His second
wife, May, died February 12, 1608. She
was the mother of Major Simon Willard,
born in 1605, at Horsmonden, baptized
December 14, 1614; a soldier in Kent
when a young man. In April, 1634, he
came to New England in company with
his brother-in-law, Dolor Davis, the