WILLIAM H. CADY

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. 1107

WILLIAM H. CADY, chief of police in Rockville, Tolland county, who is distinguished as being the first incumbent of the office after the city was formed, is a native of Massachusetts, born Dec. 25, 1842, in Brimfield.

The Cady family was founded in America by Nicholas Cady, who is supposed to have come hither from England some time between the years 1635 and 1640. He settled in Watertown, Mass., and the records show that he owned lands there in 1645. He married Judith Knapp, daughter of William Knapp, of that place, and they had these children: John, born Jan. 15, 1650; Judith, born Sept. 2, 1653; James, born Aug. 28, 1655; Nicholas, born Aug. 2, 1657; Daniel, born Nov. 7, 1659; Ezekiel, born June 14, 1662; Nicholas, born Feb. 20, 1664; and Capt. Joseph, born May 28, 1666. Nicholas Cady removed to Groton, Mass., in 1683.

(II) James Cady, son of Nicholas, was born at Watertown, Mass. On June 19, 1678, he married Hannah Barron and died at Groton, Mass., Dec. 2, 1690. His children were: James, born at Groton, Mass., April 1, 1679; John; Daniel; Abigail; Elizabeth, born April 10, 1686; and Aaron, born April 4, 1688.

(III) Daniel Cady, son of James, was born in Groton, Mass., about 1682, and married Abigail Cady, daughter of John Cady, of Killingly, Conn., April 24, 1704. She was probably a cousin. They first resided in Groton, but in 1707 they moved to Killingly and in 1721 they were residents of Tolland, Conn. In 1725 they removed to Canterbury, Conn., and about 1730 returned to Killingly. Their children were: Ephraim, born Feb. 19, 1705; Amos, born April 13, 1707; Zeeruiah, born in Killingly, Sept. 7, 1711; Timothy, born Nov. 25, 1714; Sarah and Abigail, twins, born in 1716; Jonas, born Oct. 18, 1719; Jedediah, born 1724; and Lydia, born June 30, 1728.

In the spring of 1741, Daniel Cady and his son Timothy of Killingly, purchased of Samuel Chapman, of Tolland, Conn., 245 acres of land in the town of Stafford, its description being: "Said land lieth toward the north-west in the said township." The consideration paid was: "Four
hundred and thirty pounds, current money." The deed was dated April 21, 1741, and recorded March 26, 1742, in Stafford. They were the first persons of the name to own land in Stafford. Its location as near as can be ascertained was on an abandoned road north of what is known as Pond Hill and a mile or more south-west of the school house in Ziclag. This land was deeded to the two sons of Daniel Cady, Timothy and Jonas. They owned the land in partnership until 1752, when they divided and became separate owners.

(IV) Jonas Cady, son of Daniel, married Mary Green of Killingly, Oct. 27, 1746. Their home was located as above described. At the session of the General Court of Connecticut, Jonas Cady was appointed and commissioned Ensign of the 13th Co. of the 5th Reg., of the Colonial army. He died Feb. 28, 1775, in the fifty-sixth year of his age, and is buried in the old cemetery in West Stafford. His grave stone bears this inscription:

"Father, I give my spirit up and trust it in thy hand, This dying flesh shall rest in hope and rise at thy command."

His widow afterward married Benjamin Davis. She was cared for in her old age by her son, Jedediah Cady, and died at his home, June 6, 1823, aged ninety-four years, and was buried in the Old cemetery, at Stafford. Jonas Cady's children were: Hezekiah, Jesse, Asa, Jedediah, Timothy, and twin daughters who died in infancy.

(V) Judge Jesse Cady, son of Jonas, was born in 1751, in Stafford. He was a very highly esteemed and useful citizen of Stafford and was early called upon to occupy positions of responsibility. He was justice of the peace, judge of probate and judge of the court of Tolland county. From 1781 to 1798 he was a member of the Legislature and served as State's Attorney from 1798 until May 8, 1810, when his death occurred. His record shows him to have been a broad-minded, intelligent man. While his education was confined to the teaching of the common schools, he received much assistance through acquaintance and friendship with the Rev. Mr. Willard, a Congregational minister at Stafford, who was a brother of President Willard of Harvard University. In his younger days Jesse Cady was the librarian of Stafford and these gentlemen, particularly the clergyman, took pleasure in developing his mental gifts.

Judge Cady was a man of kind and sympathetic nature, yet never permitted the softer elements of his character to sway him in the administration of justice. He was the main supporter of the Congregational Church in Stafford, was active in promoting its field of usefulness, and was one of its deacons until his death. On many occasions, during the absence of the pastor, he conducted the services with dignity and reverence.

In 1773 Judge Cady was married to Jerusha Chapin, who died July 22, 1829, aged eighty years. Their children were: (1) Polly, named Mary, born Dec. 1, 1774, died Sept. 2, 1850, unmarried. (2) David, born April 6, 1777, married Abigail Chapin, March 1, 1804. He was a farmer in Somers, where he died April 4, 1857. He was a very devout Christian and was deacon in Somers Congregational Church many years previous to his death. He held many of the local town offices and was land surveyor for many years. In character he was a man of unswerving integrity, firm in his views, a strong advocate of temperance and a man with the courage of his convictions. Of his several
children, only one now survives, Mary, born Oct. 28, 1816, the widow of Spencer Davis, residing in Somers. This venerable lady retains all her faculties, has a remarkably clear memory and is a genealogist with a wide fund of information regarding the early families and citizens of Somers. She is often consulted by acquaintances for information and to her is due the completeness and authentic history of the Cady family. (3) Lois Cady, born Feb. 20, 1779, married Nov. 16, 1797, Persis Austin, who was a farmer in Canterbury, where she died. (4) Anna Cady, born April 9, 1781, married March 31, 1807, Eber Spellman. From Stafford they moved to Moscow, Livingston Co., N.Y., where she died July 6, 1862. He was a farmer and died there also. (5) Abigail, born Feb. 18, 1783, died unmarried Oct. 29, 1835. (6) Jerusha, born Nov. 22, 1785, died Feb. 25, 1803. (7) Ruth, born Sept. 10, 1787, married July 10, 1810, Deacon Wilder Pease and resided in Enfield, where he was a farmer. She died March 27, 1865. (8) Jesse, became the grandfather of Mr. Cady, of Rockville, and was born April 3, 1791. (9) Moses C., the youngest of this family, was born April 3, 1794, and married Rachel Bartlett, Oct. 31, 1850. By trade he was a joiner. His death occurred in Somers. Dec. 23, 1877.

(VI) Jesse Cady, son of Judge Jesse, was born in Stafford. After learning the tanner's trade in South Wilbraham, Mass., he located in Somers, in the north-east portion of the town, and converted an old still into a tannery; he owned also a small tract of land, which he farmed in addition to carrying on the tannery and working at shoemaking. Although he was a man of such energy and industry, Jesse Cady was a cripple, having fallen upon a broad axe when a child, severing some of the tendons of his left knee. His whole life was spent on the farm, although he was never in excellent health, in addition to other troubles being a sufferer from asthma. His death occurred on his farm, after a short illness, Nov. 17, 1866, and he was interred in the North cemetery at Somers. He was well known in Republican politics, but he never sought office.

The first marriage of Jesse Cady was in 1816, to Abigail Williams, born in South Wilbraham, Mass., daughter of Eleazer Williams. She was a descendant of Rev. John Williams, who was taken prisoner by the Indians at Deerfield, Mass., during Queen Anne's war, in 1704, and was carried into Canada. Stephen Williams, son of Rev. John, was the first minister in Long Meadow, Mass. Abigail Williams Cady died Feb. 11, 1835, aged forty-one years. The children born of this marriage were: Julia, born June 30, 1817, married May 4, 1836, Simeon Prior, and died in Somers April 27, 1873. Although crippled Mr. Prior was an excellent shoemaker. W.D.; Sarah, born March 9, 1821, was the wife of Cyrus Lee, of Somers, whose sketch appears elsewhere; Sophia, born March 17, 1825, married in April, 1852, Jefferson Dunham, and died in Mansfield, Conn., Feb. 26, 1875. The second marriage of Jesse Cady was in 1835, to Persis Chapin, who died July 22, 1842, aged forty-seven years, leaving one child, Mary Ann, born June 26, 1836, who resides in Hartford, a maiden lady. The third marriage was in May, 1843, to Jerusha Welsh, who died in 1873, aged eighty years.

(VII) W.D. Cady, son of Jesse Cady, was born April 2, 1819, in Monson, Mass. The tanning trade he learned in Somers, Conn., whither his parents had removed when W.D. was but a boy. The latter was married in Canterbury, Conn., to Lois Austin, a native of Plainfield, Conn. For some time the family resided at Brimfield, Mass., and then removed to Warren, Mass., after which Mr. Cady followed the trade of shoemaker. Later he made a short trip to Nebraska, and after his return to Connecticut, contracted fever and ague from which he never fully recovered. On account of failing health he tried farming and lived for a time on a farm in Westford, Conn., but this labor was too hard for him and he returned to Somers where he died July 18, 1888, at the age of sixty-nine years. He was buried in New cemetery, at Somers. His wife died at Lakewood, N.J., aged about sixty years.

Mr. Cady was a staunch Abolitionist and was known as such far and wide. His home was open to escaping slaves and more than once his cellars sheltered them. His connection with the "Underground Railway" and his anti-slavery utterances caused trouble in the church which at that time held opposite views. Mr. Cady claimed that the major portion of reforms start outside the church. On one occasion at a prayer meeting, which he always attended, he listened to a long prayer from one of the deacons in which he heard prayers for almost everything and everyone except the American slave. This impressed him no little. Mr. Cady was a man who had the courage of his convictions, was outspoken and extremely conscientious; whatever he thought was right he would endorse and champion. His anti-slavery views made him
enemies, yet he lived to see the triumph of those views, and his bitterest opponents join him finally in what at one time they considered impractical and fanatic ideas.

W.D. Cady's family consisted of three children, namely: William H., of Rockville; Lambert W., who for years was a blacksmith at Somers, where he died, has a memorial sketch in this volume; and Mary E., who is the widow of Capt. C.A. Parks, of Sag Harbor, is now a resident of Rockville.

(VIII) William H. Cady son of W.D., was but an infant when his parents removed to Warren, Mass., from Brimfield. His education was acquired at Quaboag Seminary, at Warren, and at the age of seventeen he began factory work in the woolen mill of Knowles & Sibley, of Warren. Mr. Knowles was the great loom-maker and a man who was as well known as any other in woolen manufacture. For two years Mr. Cady remained in that factory and later worked in Somers, Conn., in mill work. He then went into the palm-leaf business, the great Shaker industry of the making of the Quaker hoods. For ten years he was in the employ of T.M. Gowdy in that line of work which was then extensively carried in. On account of impaired health, Mr. Cady then went to Lakewood, N.J., where he secured out-door employment and his health greatly improved. For eighteen years he was a resident of Lakewood, during which time he was for a number of years in the employ of a cracker firm, selling goods on the road. He saw Lakewood develop from its infancy into one of the most popular winter resorts of the North, being really one of the pioneers of that place.

Mr. Cady embarked in the bakery business upon his return to Connecticut, at Hazardville and later at Somerville, where he also conducted the company eating-house. Mr. Cady remained in Somerville until 1888, when he came to Rockville. His first employment there was with Carlos Doane in baker work, but soon after went into business for himself, opening a first class bakery on High street, this being purchased later by Yost & Regan.

In 1889 when Rockville was incorporated as a city, Mr. Cady was appointed by Samuel Fitch, the city's first mayor, to the position of chief of police. This position he has efficiently filled ever since, his administration of the office reflecting credit upon himself and honor upon the city. In politics Mr. Cady has always been a Republican. During his residence in Lakewood, N.J., he became a member of the order of Odd Fellows, and he also belongs to the A.O.U.W. organization.

On June 8, 1863, Mr. Cady was married, in Stafford, Conn., to Emma Jane Hulburt, born Aug. 14, 1843, in Somerville, Conn., daughter of Henry and Emeline (Fields) Hulburt, natives of Somers, the latter a daughter of Daniel and Cherry (Wood) Fields. Henry Hulburt was a son of Job Hulburt, who was born in August, 1781, in Somers and who married Lucinda Collins, daughter of Deacon Jabez Collins. The parents of Job Hulburt were Job and Dorcas (Spencer) Hulburt, this family being one of the oldest in Somers. Mrs. Cady was reared in her native town of Somers, was educated there and lived there some years after marriage. The children born to Mr. And Mrs. Cady were: Nellie, born Feb. 18, 1864, the wife of F.J. Cooley, whose sketch is given elsewhere as one of the prominent citizens of Rockville; Clarence W., born Dec. 24, 1873, the head designer of the New England mill at Rockville; and Charles L., who died at the age of ten years.

Mr. Cady is everywhere recognized as one of the city's most useful citizens. A man of courtesy and education, he has many personal friends, while his long career in his present official position has made him well known. Under his pleasant exterior lie hidden those same attributes which made his father firm in the support of right, and Chief Cady can not be swerved from the path which he deems it wisest, for the city's good, to have pursued.

Reproduced by:

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