History of Berlin, (Hartford County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

James Gates Percival, geologist, was born in Berlin, Conn., Sept. 15, 1795. He was graduated from Yale in 1815, and his tragedy "Zamor" was presented at the commencement exercises. He taught school in Philadelphia, Pa., and was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, M.D., in 1820. He established himself in practice in Charleston, S.C.; was appointed assistant surgeon in the U.S. army and professor of chemistry, mineralogy and geology in the U.S. Military academy in 1824, resigning his professorship in a few months to become examining surgeon in the recruiting service in Boston, Mass. He removed to New Haven, Conn., in 1827, engaged in literary work and continued the study of geology. He explored the ranges of trap rock in Connecticut in 1834, and with Prof. Charles M. Shepard made a geological and mineralogical survey of the state in 1835. He was state geologist of Connecticut, 1835-42, and state geologist of Wisconsin, 1853-56. He edited Knox's Elegant Extracts (1826); assisted in compiling Noah Webster's Dictionary, and is the author of: Prometheus; Clio (1834); Report of the Geological Survey of Connecticut (1842); Dream of a Day (1843); Report of the Geological Survey of Wisconsin (1855), and many minor poems including: The Coral Grove; The Graves of the Patriots, and Setting Sail. He contributed largely to journals and magazines. He was never married. He died in Hazel Green, Wis., May 2, 1856.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Charles Hooker, physician, was born in Berlin, Conn., March 22, 1799; son of William and Hannah (Jones) Hooker; grandson of Seth and Sarah (Burnham) Hooker, and a descendant of the Rev. Thomas Hooker, a founder of Hartford, Conn., and pastor of the first church there. He was graduated from Yale with honor in 1820; studied medicine under Dr. Eli Ives, and attended lectures at Yale Medical college, where he received the degree of M.D. in 1823. He settled in practice in New Haven and rose to eminence both as physician and surgeon. He was married in 1823 to Eliza, daughter of Nathan Beers. He was professor of anatomy and physiology at Yale, 1838-63, and also served as dean of the faculty of the medical school. He was a member of the American Medical association, of the Connecticut Medical society, of the New Haven City Medical association and of the Connecticut Hospital society, of which last he was elected a director and physician and surgeon in 1832. Among his noteworthy essays are: Intestinal Auscultation (1849); Diet for the Sick (1855). He died in New Haven, Conn., March 19, 1863.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Richard Dudley Hubbard, governor of Connecticut, was born in Berlin, Conn., Sept. 7, 1818; son of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Dudley) Hubbard. He was graduated at Yale in 1839; entered the law office of Hungerford & Cone at Hartford and qualified himself as a lawyer. He settled in practice in East Hartford, and was a representative in the general assembly in 1842. He then removed to Hartford and represented that town in the general assembly, 1855-58. He was state's attorney for Hartford county, 1846-68; a representative in the 40th congress, 1867-69, declining re-election; was the defeated Democratic candidate for governor of the state in 1872; was governor, 1876-78, and the defeated candidate in 1878. He was a trustee of Trinity college, 1856-58. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Trinity in 1851 and that of LL.D. from Yale in 1877. He died in Hartford, Conn., Feb. 28, 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Almira (Hart) Lincoln Phelps, educator, was born in Berlin, Conn., July 15, 1793; daughter of Capt. Samuel and Lydia (Hinsdale) Hart; granddaughter of Lieut. Samuel and Mary (Hooker) Hart and of Capt. John and Elizabeth (Cole) Hinsdale, and a descendant of Thomas Hooker and of Stephen Hart, who came from Essex, England, to Massachusetts about 1632, settled first at Braintree and then in Newtown, and was an original proprietor of Hartford, Conn., in 1635. She was instructed by her sister, Mrs. Emma Hart Willard , whom she assisted at Middlebury, Vt., and completed her education in the Female academy, Pittsfield, Mass. She taught a private school at Middletown, Conn., was again with her sister at Middlebury and was principal of the Sandy Hill, N.Y., Female academy, 1815-17. She was married, Oct. 15, 1817, to Simeon Lincoln, Jr., and after his death she became head teacher in the department of natural science in Mrs. Willard's seminary at Troy, N.Y., and vice-principal of the seminary in 1827, managing it while her sister was in Europe. She was married secondly, in 1831, to Judge John Phelps of Vermont, and retired from active educational work until 1838, when she became principal of the West Chester, Pa., Female seminary. She was subsequently principal of a private school at Rahway, N.J., and conducted, with her husband, the Patapsco institute, a diocesan female school at Baltimore, Md., 1841-1849, where she remained alone, 1849-56. She was the second woman to be elected a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and read before that body papers on the religious and scientific character and writings of Edward Hitchcock (1866), and the "Infidel Tendencies of Modern Science" (1878). She was also a member of the Maryland Academy of Science, to which society she gave her herbarium containing about 600 specimens. She is the author of: Familiar Lectures on Botany (1829); Dictionary of Chemistry (1830); Botany for Beginners (1831); Geology for Beginners (1832); Female Student or Fireside Friend (1833); Chemistry for Beginners (1834); Lectures on Natural Philosophy (1835); Lectures on Chemistry (1837); Natural Philosophy for Beginners (1837); Ida Norman (1850); Christian Households (1860); Hours with My Pupils (1869); Autumn Fruits (1873), and Preserved in the Winter of Life (1873). She also edited: Our Country, in its Relation to the Past, Present and Future (1868), and the proceeds from its sale were devoted to the Christian and sanitary commissions. She died in Baltimore, Md., July 15, 1884.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor