DEACON CHARLES N. LOOMIS

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES.

PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 447

DEACON CHARLES N. LOOMIS is a well-known farmer at Bolton Center, Tolland county, Conn., and comes of an old and honored family.

Thomas Loomis, the great-grandfather of Deacon Loomis, lived in the eastern part of the town of Bolton, and there built a house near the location of the present home of William H. Loomis. This place was in the family name for several generations. Thomas Loomis was an extensive farmer, and owned and operated a distillery, at that time a leading industry in Bolton.

George Loomis, son of Thomas, was a native of Bolton, but when he was but three months old his parents removed to Lenox, N.Y., where he was reared, and where he became a farmer, owning land in Lenox. He was married in Columbia to Anna Driggs, who died, and he married again in Lenox. Politically he was a Democrat, and religiously, with his family, was connected with the Congregational Church.

George Loomis, son of George and father of Deacon Loomis, was born in a house across the street from the old homestead built by his grandfather. After the death of his father, George Loomis returned to Connecticut, to make his home with his grandfather in Bolton. On the death of the latter he came into possession of the estate, a farm consisting of a hundred acres on which the greater part of his life was spent.

In his politics Mr. Loomis was a Democrat, and held various local positions, including that of selectman, member of the board of relief and other offices. In Colchester he married Sally Maria Northam, daughter of Charles and Sally (Harvey) Northam. They attended the Congregational Church, of which she was a member. Mrs. Loomis died in 1879, and on her death Mr. Loomis was married to Mrs. Clarissa (Hunt) Fitch. To the first marriage were born the following children: George T., a joiner and builder at Westerly, R.I., married for his second wife, Frances Davis; Charles Northam; and William H., a farmer in Bolton.

Charles Northam Loomis was born on the old Loomis homestead in Bolton Sept. 17, 1840, and was there reared to manhood, having his education in the local school, and in Westchester, continuing in attendance at school more or less constantly until he was twenty years old.

On Nov. 28, 1866, Mr. Loomis was married to Elizabeth C. Hickman, a daughter of William and Eliza (Davis) Hickman. William Hickman was born May 22, 1801, in southern Delaware, and died March 7, 1873; his father was a native of Delaware, of English parentage, and married Mary Bennett. Eliza Davis was born Jan. 22, 1804, daughter of Manlove and Mary (Wilkbank) Davis, and she died March 10, 1886. The Davis family in Delaware were of Finnish descent, and an account is given of them in "The History of Delaware." In 1850 the father moved to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in the grocery business for a number of years, and where his death occurred. Mr. And Mrs.
Hickman had the following family: Mary died at the age of six years; William (deceased) lived in Philadelphia; Miriam, living in Medina, Ohio, is the wife of John W. Massey; Mark D. is of Ocean Grove, N.J.; Joseph lives in Cambridge, N.J.; Margaret married Thomas Lillagore, of Philadelphia, and died at the age of fifty-two years; Job T. lives in Pennsylvania; John F. died in 1890, at the age of fifty years; Elizabeth C., born Feb. 10, 1844, is the wife of Deacon Loomis; David T. lives at Stratford, N.J.; and three others died in infancy.

To Deacon Loomis and wife have come the following children: Adelia Nelson, born Jan. 8, 1868, is at home; Charles Northam Jr., born Aug. 22, 1872, who received his education at home and in Huntsinger's Business College at Hartford, is a bookkeeper for the Vernon Woolen Company, and has become a prominent man in the town, having held a number of town offices and having served as representative in the General Assembly in 1899; and Eliza Maria, born Oct. 28, 1876, married William Stetson, a farmer of Andover, Conn., by whom she has two children, Catherine Elizabeth (born Feb. 14, 1897) and Clarence Loomis (born March 2, 1900).

When a young man Deacon Loomis was employed at farm work, both at home and on the neighboring farms. After his marriage he lived on the old homestead thirteen years, and was engaged in its cultivation. In 1881 he bought his present home farm, which was then known as the Henry Alvord homestead. His farming is carried on extensively, and has proved very successful. Deacon Loomis has always been a Democrat, and was a member of the General Assembly of 1885, where he served on the committee on Railroads. For eight years he was treasurer of the town, as well as of the Deposit Fund, and was on the board of relief some ten years. Mr. And Mrs. Loomis and their daughters are members of the Bolton Congregational Church, in which he has been a Deacon for the last twenty-four years, and has often served on prominent committees. This church was organized in 1725, and is one of the historic churches of the State. Its first two houses of worship had no chimneys, nor spires, and no means of warming them in winter for more than a hundred years. The present house of worship was dedicated Nov. 14, 1848. The entire family belong to the Bolton Grange, of which Deacon and Mrs. Loomis are charter members. He has been chaplain of the Grange much of the time since its organization, also filling a similar office in the Pomona.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel great-great granddaughter of Cyrus White of Rockville, Ct.