History of Canaan, (Litchfield County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

William Porter Burrall, railroad president, was born in Canaan, Conn., in 1806. He was graduated at Yale in 1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1829. Ten years of successful practice followed, and in 1839 he became the president of the Housatonic railroad company, retaining that office for fifteen years. He was treasurer and afterward president of the Illinois central railroad company, vice-president and subsequently president of the Hartford and New Haven railroad company, and upon the consolidation of the two roads he became vice-president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford company. In 1859 he took up his residence in Salisbury, Conn., and served several terms in the assembly and for one term in the state senate. He died in Hartford, Conn., March 3, 1874.

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

Samuel Beckley Holabird, soldier, was born in Canaan, Conn., July 16, 1826. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy, brevetted 2d lieutenant and assigned to the let infantry, July 1, 1849; commissioned 2d lieutenant, June 10, 1850; 1st lieutenant, May 31, 1855; captain and assistant quartermaster, May 13, 1861; lieutenant-colonel and department quartermaster, July 29, 1866; colonel and assistant quartermaster-general, Jan. 22, 1881; brigadier-general and quartermaster-general, July 1, 1883, and retired, June 16, 1890. In the volunteer service he was made major and acting aide-de-camp, July 2, 1862; and colonel and acting aide-de-camp, July 11, 1862, and he was honorably mustered out, May 31, 1866. He was brevetted major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel and brigadier-general, March 13, 1865, for faithful and meritorious services during the war. He was on duty at the U.S. Military academy as adjutant, 1859-61; was assistant quartermaster in the army in northern Virginia, 1861-62; served in the Maryland campaign, 1862; was chief quartermaster in the Department of the Gulf, 1862-65; depot quartermaster at New Orleans, La., 1865; chief quartermaster in the Department of Louisiana, 1865-66; deputy quarter-master-general at Washington, D.C., 1806-81, and quartermaster-general, 1881-83. He translated General Jomini's Treatise on Grand Military Operations (1865).

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

Edward Pitkin Cowles, jurist, was born in Canaan, Conn., in January, 1815. He was graduated at Yale in 1836 and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He practised law in Hudson, N.Y., in partnership with his brother, David S. Cowles, afterward colonel of the 128th N.Y. volunteers, who was killed at Port Hudson, Miss., in 1863. He removed to New York city in 1853 and was appointed a justice of the supreme court by Governor Clarke, and at the close of his term was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Justice Morris, deceased. After the close of his second judicial term he practised law in New York city. He died in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 2, 1874.

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

Calvin Pease, educator, was born in Canaan, Conn., Aug. 12, 1813. He removed with his parents to Charlotte, Vt., in 1826, attended Hinesburgh academy, and was graduated from the University of Vermont, A.B., 1838, A.M., 1841. He was principal of the academy at Montpelier, Vt., 1838-42; professor of Latin and Greek at the University of Vermont, 1842-55, and librarian of the university, 1847-53. He was licensed to preach in 1851, and in December, 1853, was elected president of the University of Vermont, to succeed the Rev. Worthington Smith. He presided during the monetary crisis of 1857-58, and resigned on account of failing health in 1861. He was pastor of the First Presbyterian church, Rochester, N.Y., 1861-63. He was a member of the Vermont board of education; president of the Vermont Teachers' association, and a member of the American Philosophical society. The honorary degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Middlebury college in 1856. He is the author of: A Discourse on the Import and Value of the Popular Lecturing of the Day (1840); Address Before the Medical Department of the University (1856); Baccalaureate Sermons (1856-60), and many contributions to the "Bibliotheca Sacra." He died in Burlington, Vt., Sept. 17, 1863.

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