Thirteenth Generation

826. Catherine "Kate" GRIGGS was born on 26 January 1836 in North Haven, New Haven County, CT.^162,168 She appeared in the census in 1840 in North Haven, New Haven County, CT.⁴¹¹ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Millbury, Worcester County, MA.⁴¹² Kate appeared in the census in 1860 in Vernon, Tolland County, CT.⁵ She appeared in the census in 1880 in Vernon, Tolland County, CT.⁵ She died on 14 April 1887 at the age of 51 in Vernon, Tolland County, CT.^132,162 in the Grove Hill Cemetery. Kate was buried in Vernon, Tolland County, CT.⁵ in the Grove Hill Cemetery.

Catherine "Kate" GRIGGS and Judge Benezet Hough BILL were married on 2 November 1859.¹³² Judge Benezet Hough BILL was born on 26 February 1829 in New Milford, Susquehanna County, PA.¹³² He died on 21 August 1904 at the age of 75 in Tolland County, CT.¹⁶² Obituary Notes: "Benezet Hough Bill was born Feb. 26, 1829, in New Milford, Susquehanna Co., Pa., and received his primary education in the State of his birth. When but six years old he made the trip to Connecticut with his parents, and his first school teacher in Vernon was his father. Later he attended the Lebanon Academy, and from there went to Worcester, Mass., and to the Suffield Literary Institute, both of these being schools of note at that time, going thence to the Academy at Wilbraham, Mass.

While still a young man he taught school at Lebanon, Conn., at Sandwich, Mass., and at the academy at Vernon, but in 1851 he entered the law office of Hon. Dwight Loomis, of Rockville, and was graduated from the Yale Law School at New Haven in the class of 1854, with the degree of B. L.

For three years, beginning in 1855, Mr. Bill was associated with his preceptor, Judge Loomis, in the practice of the law at Rockville. Possessing fine natural talent and superior qualifications adapted to the successful practice of his profession, he established, in a very brief period, not only a remunerative business, but a most excellent reputation as a citizen. Proving himself to be an honorable and public-spirited gentleman, as well as an able attorney, his townsmen were not slow to recognize his abilities and signify the confidence which they have ever since continued to repose in him. In 1869 he was appointed State's attorney for Tolland county and held the office for twenty-four years. He held the position of judge of the Rockville city court, for many years, resigning in 1899, owing to the age limit. For a number of years he was corporation counsel. He has been prosecuting attorney for some years.

On Nov. 2, 1859, Judge Bill was married to Kate, daughter of Rev. Leverett Griggs, D. D., and Catherine (Stearns) Griggs, of Bristol, Conn., who died April 13, 1887. On July 10, 1890, Judge Bill was married to Lucinda R., daughter of Charles R. and Falla (Roberts) Bronson, of Waterbury, Conn., where she was born and reared. The children of Judge Bill were: Lila Loomis, born Aug. 16, 1861, who married Hon. Charles Phelps of Rockville, ex-Secretary of State, and ex-Attorney General, and who died in 1888; and Katie Elizabeth, born in 1864, who married Dr. Thomas F. Rockwell"

Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland and Windham Counties Connecticut Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and of Many of the Early Settled Families, Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1903, p. 9.

He was buried in Rockville, Tolland County, CT.¹⁶² in the Grove Hill Cemetery.