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

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Biographies:

Francis Granger, statesman, was born in Suffield, Conn., Dec. 1, 1792; son of Gideon and Mindwell P. Granger. He was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1811; was admitted to the bar in 1816, and practised law in Ontario county, N.Y. He was a member of the state assembly for five terms and was twice the unsuccessful Whig candidate for governor of the state, being defeated in 1830 by Enos T. Throop, and in 1832 by William L. Marcy. He was a representative in the 24th congress, 1835-37, and in 1836 the Whig national convention made him candidate for Vice-President on the ticket with William Henry Harrison for President and he received seventy seven electoral votes, four more than the candidate for President. He again represented his district in the 26th congress, 1839-41. In March, 1841, he was selected by President Harrison as postmaster-general in his cabinet. On the death of Harrison, President Tyler retained him, but on the disruption of Tyler's cabinet, Sept. 11, 1841, Granger, with Ewing, Bell, Badger and Crittenden, resigned, and he was succeeded by Charles A. Wickliffe of Kentucky. He declined a foreign mission at the hands of President Tyler, and was elected a representative from his district in the 27th congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Greig. He opposed the policy of Seward, Weed and Greeley, and his faction of the Whig party became known as "Silver Greys" from the conspicuous silver hair covering the head of their leader, the opposition receiving, from their abolition proclivity, the name of "Wooley Heads." In 1850 the Whig party on the meeting of their state convention divided on the question of sustaining the administration of President Fillmore and the "Silver Greys" gave him their support, while Seward and Weed opposed and carried the convention seventy six to forty. The administration party bolted and calling Granger to the chair endorsed Fillmore and compromise. He was a delegate to the peace congress of 1861 in Washington, by appointment of Governor Morgan. Afterward he supported President Lincoln in putting down the rebellion and assisted in raising troops in western New York. He was married to Cornelia Rutson, daughter of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer. He received the degree of A.M. from Yale in 1831. He died in Canandaigua, N.Y., Aug. 28, 1868.

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

Humphrey Howe Leavitt, jurist, was born in Suffield, Conn., June 18, 1796 ;son of Capt. Jetta and?(Fitch) Leavitt, and a descendant of John Leavitt, who was born in Hingham, England, 1608, came to Boston, 1628, settled in Hingham, Mass., 1635, and died there, 169L Capt. John Leavitt removed from Connecticut to the Northwest Territory in 1800, and settled in what became Trumbull county, Ohio. Humphrey Howe Leavitt received a classical education from a Dartmouth graduate, and was admitted to the bar in 1817. He was married Dec. 25, 1821, to Maria Antoinette, daughter of Dr. John McDowell of Steubenville, Ohio. He practised law, first in Cadiz, removing in a short time to Steubenville. He was a Democratic representative in the state legislature, 1825-26, state senator, 1827-29, and a representative from the eleventh district of Ohio in the 21st, 22d, and 23d congresses, 1829-34, resigning July 10, 1834, to accept the office of judge of the U.S. disttdct court from President Jackson, which office he held until March 31, 1871, when he resigned. He presided over the Vallandigham trial in 1863. He was a delegate to the Presbyterian general assembly during eleven sessions. He wrote all the opinions in "Bond's Reports" and many in "McLean's Reports." He died in Springfield, Ohio, March 15, 1873.

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

Benjamin Pomeroy, clergyman, was born in Suffield, Conn., Nov. 19, 1704; son of Joseph and Hannah (Seymour) Pomeroy; grandson of Medard and Experience (Woodward) Pomeroy of Northampton, Mass., and of Richard Seymour of Hartford, Conn., and great-grandson of Eltwed Pomeroy, who came from Devonshire, England, to Dorchester, Mass.,, about 1632; settled in Northampton, Mass., about 1635, and later removed to Windsor, Conn. Bejamin Pomeroy was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1733, A.M., 1736, and was one of the first Yale graduates to claim the Bishop Berkeley scholarship for the classics. He was married, Oct. 24, 1734, to Abigail, daughter of Ralph and Ruth (Huntington) Wheelock of Windham, Conn. He was ordained at Hebron, Conn., Dec. 16, 1735; was active in the revival of 1840, and after being tried for "disorderly conduct" in preaching at Stratford, was acquitted. At a second trial in 1744, he was found guilty and compelled to pay the costs of prosecution. About this time he preached in Colchester without consent from the resident minister, and this act cost him seven years' salary. He was chaplain in the British army during the French and Indian war, and in the Continental army during the Revolution. He was active in the establishment of the Indian Charity school, was a trustee of Dartmouth, 1769-84, and received the degree D.D. from there in 1774. He died in Hebron, Conn., Dec. 22, 1784.

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

Gideon Granger, statesman, was born in Suffield, Conn., July 19, 1767; son of Gideon Granger, who was graduated at Yale in 1760, and died in 1800. He was graduated at Yale college in 1787; studied law and practised in Connecticut, 1790-180l. He was a representative in the state legislature and the father of the public school fund of Connecticut. In November, 1801, President Jefferson appointed him postmaster-general in his cabinet to succeed Joseph Habersham, resigned, and he was continued in that office by President Madison, resigning the office in March, 1814. He then settled in Canandaigua county, N.Y., where he practised his profession. He was elected to the state senate, where he ably seconded De Witt Clinton in his efforts to organize a system of canals for the internal improvement of the state. He resigned his seat in the state senate in 1821, by reason of failing health. He died in Canandaigua, N.Y., Dec. 31, 1822.

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