HON. EDWARD WILLIAMS TWICHELL was born
in the town of Southington Nov. 5, 1839, and is a descendant of Joseph
Twichell, the common ancestor of all who bear the name in this country.
Joseph Twichell came from England about 1630,
and located in Dorchester, Mass., where he was admitted as a freeman May
14, 1634. He probably died there. His son Benjamin removed from Dorchester
to Bogiston about 1663, and purchased 100 acres of land in what is now
Sherborn, Mass. Soon after this he moved to Lancaster, same State, where
he is supposed to have died, or was killed by the Indians. His son, Abiele
Twichell, was born in November, 1663, and was the father of Benoni Twichell,
who was born about 1684, and was one of the thirty original grantees of
Oxford, Mass. In 1722 and 1723 he was styled an inn-holder on the Oxford
records, and between 1720 and 1740 was largely engaged in the transfer
of real estate in Oxford and vicinity. In 1727 he purchased 100 acres of
land in Woodstock, Conn., with a mansion in Oxford which he had previously
owned, and in 1740 became proprietor of lands in Poquiog (now Athol), Mass.
He is supposed to have died in Killingly (now Thompson), Conn. On April
18, 1705, he married Hannah Alen. Their son, Joseph Twichell, married Elizabeth
Thompson. Among their children was Isaac Twichell, who was born in Oxford,
Mass., and about 1767 located in Southington, Conn., where he died Feb.
10, 1776. Isaac Twichell married Deborah Alcox, and they were the parents
of Joseph Twichell, grandfather of our subject, who was born in Wolcott,
Hartford county, July 15, 1769, and died March 14, 1824. He first married
Electa, daughter of Simeon Hopkins, of Wolcott, and for his second wife
he married Phebe, daughter of Joseph and Phebe (Hall) Atkins. The latter
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