History of Colchester, (New London County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

William Adams, clergyman, was born at Colchester, Conn., Jan. 25, 1807, son of John and Elizabeth (Ripley) Adams. His father was for twenty-three years principal of Phillips academy, Andover, Mass. In 1827 the son was graduated from Yale college; in 1830 from Andover theological seminary. In 1831 he was ordained as pastor of the Congregational church at Brighton, Mass., which congregation he served for three years, and in 1834 became pastor of the Central Presbyterian church of New York, where he remained twenty years. In 1852 he was chosen moderator of the new-school general assembly of the Presbyterian church which met at Washington, D.C. In 1853, having outgrown their church building, the congregation founded the Madison square Presbyterian church, afterwards one of the largest church edifices in New York. Here he ministered to the congregation for twenty years, resigning in October, 1873, to take the chair of sacred rhetoric and pastoral theology in connection with the presidency of the Union theological seminary of New York city. As a man, Mr. Adams enjoyed an enviable reputation for charity and usefulness, and as a pulpit orator he ranked very high. He wrote several religious books and edited the works of Robert Hall (1830). His published works include: "The Three Gardens: Eden, Gethsemane, and Paradise" (1859); "The Spirit of Hebrew Poetry" (1861); "Thanksgiving: Memories of the Day and Helps to the Habit" (1865); and "Conversations of Jesus Christ with Representative Men" (1868). The University of the city of New York gave him the degree of D. D. in 1842, and Princeton college that of LL.D. in 1869. In 1871 Dr. Adams was sent by the evangelical alliance to intercede with the emperor of Russia in behalf of dissenters from the Greek church in the Baltic provinces, who claimed religious liberty, his mission being entirely successful, and the same year served as delegate from the general assembly of the Presbyterian church in America to the general assembly in Scotland, and to the Free church assembly. At the general council of the Presbyterian church, held at Edinburgh in 1877, he responded to the address of welcome by the lord provost of that city. He was a leader of the new-school board of the Presbyterian church, and in its efforts to reunite the two bodies, was a chief advocate. At the great gathering of representatives of the various Protestant churches of the world, at an evangelical alliance in New York city Oct. 3, 1873, Dr. Adams delivered the address of welcome, in which he announced his creed as follows: "We meet to express and manifest our Christian unity. Diverse are the names we bear, both as to countries and churches?German, French, Swiss, Dutch, English, Scotch, Irish, Lutheran, Reformed Anglican. Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, Independent, but we desire and intend to show that amid all this variety of form and circumstances, there is a real unity of faith and life, believing, according to the familiar expression of our common Christian creed. He was president of the New York institution for the deaf and dumb. He died in New York city, Aug. 31, 1880.

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

James Tift Champlin, educator, was born in Colchester, Conn., June 9, 1811. He was graduated as valedictorian of his class from Brown university in 1834, and served as a tutor in that institution from 1835 to 1838, when he became pastor of the Baptist church, Portland, Me., resigning his pastorate in 1841 to accept the chair of ancient languages in Waterville college, which he held until 1857, when he became president of the college, so remaining until 1872, when he settled at Portland, Me., and occupied himself with literary work. He prepared English and Greek grammars and other educational works, and from 1850 was a contributor to the Christian Review. He published: Demosthenes on the Crown (1843); Demosthenes' Select Orations (1848); ?schines on the Crown (1850); A Textbook of Intellectual Philosophy (1860); First Principles of Ethics (1861); A Text-book of Political Economy (1868); Scripture Reading-Lessons with Notes (1876); Constitution of the United States, with brief comments (1880). He died in Portland, Me., March 15, 1882.

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

Lyman Trumbull, senator, was born in Colchester, Conn., Oct. 12, 1813; son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Mather) Trumbull; grandson of the Rev. Benjamin Trumbull, the historian , and a lineal descendant of Increase Mather, and of John Trumbull, the immigrant. He attended Bacon academy; taught school in Connecticut, 1829-33, and studied and practised law in Greenville, Ga., 1833-36; continuing his practice in Belleville, St. Clair county, Ill., 1837-40. He was a Democratic representative in the Illinois legislature in 1840; secretary of state in 1841; justice of the state supreme court, 1848-53; was elected a Democratic representative in the 34th congress in 1854, but before his term began, was elected U.S. senator, defeating James Shields, Governor Matteson and Abraham Lincoln in 1855, and was twice re-?lected, his last term of service expiring March 3, 1873. While in the senate he was chairman for twelve years of the judiciary committees before and during the war and in the reconstruction period, acting with the Republican party; was the author of the civil rights bill; framed the 13th and 14th amendments to the constitution, and voted against the impeachment of President Johnson, which last course cost him re-election to the senate. He established a law practice in Chicago; was a candidate for the nomination for President before the Republican national convention at Chicago, in 1860, and supported Abraham Lincoln's administration. In 1872 he supported Horace Greeley for President, and afterward acted with the Democratic party, being the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for governor of Illinois in 1880. He was twice married: first, in 1843, to Julia Maria, daughter of Dr. Gershom and Sybil (Slater) Jayne of Springfield, Ill. She died in Washington, D.C., in 1868, and he was married, secondly, in 1877, to Mary, daughter of John Dickinson and Almira (Mather) Ingraham of Saybrook, Conn. He died in Chicago, Ill., June 25, 1896.

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

Ezra Hall Gillett, author, was born in Colchester, Conn., July 15, 1823; son of Ely Hall and Mary (Williams) Gillett. He was graduated from Yale in 1841, and from the Union theological seminary in 1844. After a post-graduate course at the latter institution he was licensed by the 4th Presbytery of New York, April 11, 1844, and on April 16, 1845, was ordained pastor of the Harlem (N.Y. city) Presbyterian church, where he remained until April 4, 1870. He was professor of political science in the University of the city of New York, 1870-75. He received the honorary degree of D.D. from Hamilton in 1864. Besides numerous contributions to periodicals and other minor works, he published The Life and Times of John Huss (2vols., 1863-64-67); History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (2 vols., 1864-67; rev. ed., 1875); Life Lessons in the School of Christian Duty (1864); England Two Hundred Years Ago (1866); Ancient Cities and Empires (1867); God in Human Thought (2 vols., 1874); and The Moral System (1874). He died in New York city, Sept. 2, 1875.

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