W. M. LOVELL, a farmer and dairyman
of the town of Windsor, was born in Rockville, Conn., Jan. 31, 1854, and
is a son of W. A. Lovell, a native of Millbury, Mass., who at different
times was superintendent of the Rock, American and Windermere Mills, at
Rockville. The grandfather, Ezra Lovell, engaged in school teaching the
greater part of his life, and at one time was also a merchant.
During the childhood of our subject his father
removed to Windsor and accepted the superintendency of the Windsor Mills,
but in 1860 went to near Dover, Penn., as superintendent of a mill at that
place. Later he returned to Millbury, Mass., from there went to Westerly,
R. I., where he had charge of the mills of Babcock & Morse, and on
leaving their employ spent a short time in Laconia, N. H. On again going
to Millbury, Mass., he severed his connection with the milling business,
with which he had so long been connected as superintendent. He received
calls from various parts of the country to start new mills, to do which
successfully required great skill and a thorough knowledge of the business.
He became well acquainted with dry-goods men in New York and Boston, and
by them was tendered high salaries to establish mills in different parts
of the United States. Seldom, if ever, did the mills under his direction
prove unprofitable. Coming to Windsor in 1872, he purchased a small piece
of land, on which he is now living. In Millbury, Mass., he married Miss
Mary A. Mallalieu, a native of that place, and a daughter of John Mallalieu,
a pioneer manufacturer of cotton cloth in Massachusetts or, in fact, New
England. She was a sister of Bishop Mallalieu, who, in searching the history
of the family in his travels finds them to be of French Huguenot extraction.
The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lovell were as follows: Louisa, now the
wife of Dr. S. A. Wilson, of Windsor; Alvira, wife of M. B. Belden, of
Brooklyn, N. Y.; George, a wool sorter by trade; Edward J., a resident
of Brooklyn ; W. M., our subject; Charles F., a resident of Windsor; Emma
A., wife of C. T. Welch, of Windsor; and George, Emma and Frederick, who
all died young. The mother departed this life May 1, 1897; the father,
who was born in November, 1815, is still living, honored and respected
by all who know him. In politics he is a Republican.
W. M. Lovell, whose name introduces this sketch,
received the greater part of his education at Millsbury, Mass., where he
attended the high school. During his boyhood he spent much of his time
around the mills of which his father had charge, and quite frequently worked
in the same. He often spent the summer months at the home of his brother-in-law,
Jasper Morgan, in Windsor, and during his 'teens worked for him. In 1880
he went to New York, and entered the employ of another brother-in-law,
Mr. Belden, who was engaged in the wholesale paper business. Two years
later he returned to Windsor, and in December, 1882, bought his present
place, known as the Capt. James Loomis farm. It was once a large farm,
but part of it has since been sold. Here Mr. Lovell is now engaged in the
raising of tobacco and in the dairy business. He was one of the original
stockholders of the Windsor Creamery Co., and was also a stockholder of
the Windsor Canning Factory when it was owned by a stock company.
On April 25, 1880, Mr. Lovell married Miss Emma
A. Briggs, who was born at White Pigeon, Mich., Jan. 31, 1853, a daughter
of Henry S. and Elmyra (Fay) Briggs, natives of Boston and Ware, Mass.,
respectively. The father was born in February, 1826, and from Springfield,
Mass., removed to Michigan, where he served as conductor on the Southern
Michigan railroad for some years. Later he went to Terre Haute,
Ind., where he spent eleven years in the machine shops, and then returned
to Springfield, Mass. About 1864 he came to Hartford, and for some time
was engaged in the restaurant business on Main street, between Pratt and
Church streets, conducting a very popular resort and one of the largest
businesses of the kind in the city up to that time. He now makes his home
with Mr. and Mrs. Lovell; his wife died at the age of fifty-two years.
In their family were two children, the younger being Otis H., now superintendent
of a paper-mill at Holyoke, Mass. Mrs. Lovell is a graduate of the
Hartford Public High School. They have a family of four children: Edith
F., born June 21, 1881; Fay M., July 17, 1883; Arthur W., March 12, 1889;
and Jarvis B., June 9, 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Lovell are both faithful members
of the Congregational Church at Windsor, and are well-known and highly
respected. In politics he is a stanch Republican.
Commemorative
Biographical Record
of
Hartford County,
Connecticut
Illustrated
Chicago
J. H. Beers & Co.
1901
pg 1218 - 1219
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