History of Coventry, (Tolland County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

Nathan Hale, patriot spy, was born in Coventry, Conn., June 6, 1755; son of Deacon Richard and Elizabeth (Strong) Hale; grandson of Samuel and Apphia (Moody) Hale; great grandson of the Rev. John (Harvard, 1757) and Sarah (Noyes) Hale; and great2 grandson of Deacon Robert Hale, who came to Massachusetts from Hertfordshire, England, in 1632, was among those who set off from the first church in Boston to form the first church in Charlestown in 1632; and was appointed surveyor of new plantations by the general court, serving until his death in 1659. Nathan Hale was educated for the ministry, but after graduating from Yale in 1773 and teaching for two years, while continuing his studies, the news of the battle of Lexington fired his patriotic spirit and he addressed a public meeting called to gain a knowledge of public sentiment, and in the course of his remarks he said: "Let us march immediately and never lay down our arms until we have gained our independence." When the speaking was over he was among the first to enroll as a volunteer in the cause of America. He was soon promoted lieutenant in the regiment of Col. Charles Webb, marched to Boston, and was an active participant in the siege of that city. He was promoted captain by brevet for gallantry in January, 1776. He restored order in his company by dividing among them his pay in order to secure their service for a month longer, was appointed to the 19th Continental regiment of foot, and when Boston was evacuated, March 17, 1776, he accompanied Washington's army to New York and took part in the battle of Long Island. While there, with a boat's crew of picked men, he defied the British man-of-war Asia, boarded a sloop under her guns, loaded with provisions, secured the crew and brought the vessel and her cargo to shore, distributing the food among his famished companions. He was made captain of "Congress's Own," a company of Connecticut rangers, made up of picked men, and with this company took part in scouting duty. Learning that Washington had an important service for which he asked for volunteers, he was directed to the commander-in-chief at the house of Robert Murray, a Quaker merchant on Murray Hill. Here he was entrusted with a secret mission on which he volunteered despite the efforts of his friends to dissuade him. His reply to their warnings was: "Gentlemen, I owe to my country the accomplishment of an object so important and so much desired by the commander of our armies. I know no mode of obtaining the information but by assuming a disguise and passing into the enemy's camp. I am fully sensible of the consequences of discovery and capture in such a situation. I wish to be useful and every kind of service necessary for the public good becomes honorable by being necessary." He visited the British camp on Long Island disguised as a Tory school-teacher, obtained drawings of the fortifications, and retired across the island to Huntington on the north shore expecting there a boat to ferry him to Norwalk, Conn., when he was captured, carried to the Halifax, a British guard-ship, and taken before Gen. William Howe at the residence of James Beekmart at Mount Pleasant, New York city, on the East river. The information he had gained was concealed between the soles of his shoes and when it was secured he was condemned as a spy and sentenced to be hanged the next morning. Committed to the care of the British provost marshal, William Cunningham, he was confined in the greenhouse of the Beekman mansion, and he was denied the attendance of a minister, the privilege of the possession of a Bible, or the assurance of the delivery of letters written to friends; and his last messages of love to mother, sister and betrothed were destroyed before his eyes. On Sunday morning, Sept. 22, 1776, he was taken to the apple orchard on the premises and with the fatal noose about his neck he was directed to mount a short ladder and from this he spoke his last message to mankind: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." His body was placed in an unmarked grave and its location was never disclosed. A rude stone was set up beside his father's grave in the Coventry churchyard and in 1837 the Hale monument association was organized and a monument of Quincy granite was erected in 1846 at a cost of $3,734. The state of Connecticut erected a statue of Hale in the capitol grounds, Hartford, at a cost of $5,000, and the Sons of the Revolution commissioned the sculptor McMonnies to execute a statue in bronze which was erected in City Hall Park, New York city, and unveiled Nov. 25, 1893. The place of his execution is located by the best authorities at the junction of Market street and East Broadway, New York city, and the date is Sept. 22, 1776.

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

Charles W. Copeland, engineer, was born in Coventry, Conn., in 1815; son of Daniel Copeland. He was educated as a draughtsman, and when a young man was given the superintendency of his father's engine and boiler manufactory in Hartford, Conn. He became an efficient designer of engines and steamers, and in 1836 was designing and constructing engineer of the West Point foundry, N.Y. He built the first iron hull ever made in the United States and his skill won him the appointment of constructing engineer, U.S.N., in 1839. The steamers comprising the "Mosquito fleet," used in the Mexican war, were built by him. Subsequently he resigned his position in the navy and became superintending engineer of the Allaire works, N.Y. city. While there he designed steamers for the Pacific lines and for Long Island Sound, and also the Harriet Lane, used in the U.S. revenue service. He rendered practical service to the navy during the civil war, 1861-65, and subsequently became consulting and superintending engineer to the U.S. lighthouse board and to the Norwich & New York transportation company. He died in Brooklyn, N.Y., Feb. 5, 1895.

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

Silas Lawrence Loomis, educator, was born in Coventry, Conn., May 22, 1822; son of Silas and Esther (Case) Loomis; grandson of Daniel and Mary (Hibbard) Loomis; great grandson of Daniel and Mary (Sprague) Loomis, and a descendant of Joseph Loomis, the immigrant. He prepared for college, was instructor in mathematics and natural science at Holliston academy, Mass., and university, where he was graduated in 1844. He was associate principal of Adelphian academy at Brockton, Mass., mathematics at Dunbarton academy, D.C., in 1854, and principal of Western academy, Washington, D.C., 1855-59. He was married Jan. 22, 1847, to Betsy Ann, daughter of Daniel Tidd, who died in 1850, and secondly, May 28, 1851, to Abigail C., daughter of Isaac Paine. He was graduated from Georgetown college, D.C., M.D., 1856; was astronomer to the lake coast survey, 1857, and professor of physiology in the medical department of Georgetown college, 1859-60. He was special instructor in mathematics to the U.S. naval cadets while on a cruise in 1860; and was professor of chemistry and toxicology at Georgetown college, 1861-67, serving meantime as surgeon on the staff of General McClellan in 1862, and as acting assistant surgeon in hospitals in Washington, 1863-65. He was a professor of the practice of medicine in the medical department of Howard university, Washington, D.C., in 1867; dean of Howard university, 1867-69, and professor of chemistry and toxicology there, 1868-72. He was president of the department of physics and chemistry in the American Union Academy of Literature, Science and Art at Washington, 1869-73, and president of the institution in 1872, he practised medicine in Washington, 1873-77; was president of the Swede Iron and Coal company, 1877-81, and while so engaged discovered a process by which the ores of chronium, theretofore valueless, were utilized, and he organized and was the first president of the Massiquoit Chrome company, 1879-81. He discovered a process and invented machinery for producing a textile fabric from palmetto, and organized and was president of the Palm Fibre company at Washington, D.C., 1878-81. In 1880 he invented improvements in arcometers. He was president of the Washington Scientific association in 1862; member of the American Medical association, 1862-72; a delegate to the convention of American medical colleges in 1867; chairman of a special committee to examine the mathematical and chemical instruments to be used in the revenue service, and a delegate to the decennial convention for the revision of the United States pharmacopeia in 1870. He is the author of: Normal Arithmetic (1859); Analytical Arithmetic (1860); Key to the Normal Course of Arithmetic (1867). He died in Fernandina Fla. June 22 1896.

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

Lafayette Charles Loomis, educator, was born in Coventry, Conn., July 7, 1824; son of Silas and Esther (Case) Loomis, and a descendant of Israel Loomis, three of whose sons served in the Continental army, 1776-84; of Sergeant Benjamin Case, minute-man and neighbor of Capt. Nathan Hale, and of Joseph Loomis, the immigrant. He was graduated from Wesleyan university, A.B., 1844, A.M., 1847, and was the cofounder and associate principal with his brother Silas L. Loomis of the Adelphian academy at Brocton, Mass., 1844-50, one of the first academies in New England to be conducted independent of ecclesiastical supervision and control. He was a teacher in Mount Hollis seminary, Holliston, Mass., in 1851; vice-principal of the Irving institute at Tarrytown, N.Y., in 1852, and principal in 1853. He was professor of natural science and belles-lettres in Wesleyan Female college, Wilmington, Del., 1854-57; president of the college, 1857-58, and principal of Lafayette institute, Washington, D.C., 1859-63. He was graduated from Georgetown college, D.C., M.D., 1863; and was acting assistant surgeon of the Army of the Potomac in 1864. He was president of Wheeling Female college, West Virginia, 1865-68; and professor of physiology at Howard university, Washington, D.C., in 1868. He studied and traveled in Europe, 1875-95, and occasionally lectured on art. He was married Oct. 1, 1847, to Esther Lucretia, daughter of Calvin Lincoln of Holliston, Mass., and secondly Oct. 20, 1870, to Mary, daughter of Dr. Thomas Williams of Canandaigua, N.Y. He is the author of: Mizpah, Prayer and Friendship (1858); Mental and Social Culture (1867), which was subsequently printed for the blind; Index Guide to Travel and Art in Europe (1882); Myself: the Great Teachers of Mankind on the Nature of Mind and the Laws of Life; The Founders, Defenders and Benefactors of the Great Republic (MS. 1901), and contributions to magazines.

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