A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II, Part 16

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor]
Number of Pages: 904

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II > Part 16

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For several years he was Clerk of the Courts in Fairfield county, and in 1839 married Harriet Jones, daughter of Ben- jamin Brooks, Esq., of Bridgeport. In 1846 he was State's Attorney for Fairfield county. In 1850 he was nominated by the Democratic party for Congress, but his large majority in Fairfield county was offset by the adverse vote of Litchfield county.

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position he was in command of brigades in various raids in different parts of Florida, breaking up Confederate recruiting stations and drilling camps, and on various expeditions under ·Generals Birney, Gordon, Hatch, and others. On December 24, 1864, he was captured by rebel guerillas while crossing to St. Augustine from Jacksonville, where he had been sum- moned as a witness on a court martial, and although every effort was made by the forces in East Florida to recapture him, he was taken first to Tallahassee, imprisoned for a while at Macon, Ga., and about the middle of February sent to Ander- sonville and confined in the officers' prison. They were making every effort to effect their escape when the order for a general exchange of prisoners brought about their release about the middle of April.

Colonel Noble came out with a thousand men fresh from the horrors of the prison pen of Andersonville. They went first to Vicksburg, whence he was ordered east in charge of a thousand of the released Union troops to Annapolis, Md., in June, 1865, and was about that time, by recommendation of General Grant, commissioned by Congress as brigadier- general by brevet. He then returned to Florida to look after his ordnance account, and was mustered out of service with his regiment on the 19th of July, 1865, at Hilton Head, S. C. Thus closed the service of a regiment in whose field, staff and line, or in whose ranks were many of Bridgeport's most honored citizens and of which the Adjutant General of Con- necticut in his final report says: "the superior of which in intelligence, morale, courage and endurance was not found in the army."

Every year since its service one or another town of Fairfield County has entertained its veterans at their annual reunions, and in 1884 the regiment erected at Gettysburg a memorial tablet to those of its number who fell in that battle. As chairman of its executive committee General Noble re- ceived the monument and submitted it to the care of the Gettysburg Memorial Association, through the vice-president, Judge D. A. Buchler, in the presence of a large concourse of people who had assembled on Barlow's Knoll to witness the unveiling of the monument.

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Since the war, although much reduced in health by his three years of hard service, General Noble has followed his profession and filled various public trusts. Has been an alderman or common councilman of the city at various peri- ods, chairman of the board of park commissioners for many years, and member of the Legislature in 1884, in which he was chairman of the military committee of the House and one of the committee of the ceremonies at the unveiling of the statue of Governor Buckingham in the Capitol. In the midst of a busy life he has found time to devote a great deal of attention to horticulture and fruit-growing, having, probably, the largest variety of pears in the State. At the request of the State Pomologist he exhibited specimens of his fruit in the Connecticut collection at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia, and in the New Orleans Exposition of 1884-85.

Rev. Ethan Ferris Bishop, son of Alfred and Mary (Ferris) Bishop, was born in Madison, N. J., March 27, 1825, and died in Bridgeport, Conn., December 7, 1883. He entered Yale College in 1845 in the same class with his brother, now the Hon. William D. Bishop, who was some years his junior ; but soon relinquished study on account of impaired sight, caused by an accident in his early youth. He acted with his brother in closing the accounts relating to the New York and New Haven, the Naugatuck, and the Washington and Sara- toga Railroads, with which their father had been connector Ethan Ferris Bishop was president of the Naugatuck Rail- road from 1851 to 1855, when he resigned and became inter- ested in Western railroads, chiefly the Milwaukee and Chi- cago, Milwaukee and Watertown, and the Dubuque and Sioux City. At first Hon. William D. Bishop was associated with him in these enterprises, but taking a wide interest in politics he withdrew and became representative of his district in the National Congress, then Commissioner of Patents, while still quite young; was president of the Naugatuck railroad for some time and president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Consolidated road, being quite distin- guished in business and political circles.

Ethan Ferris Bishop was admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1851, but never practiced that profession. He then pur-

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sued the study of theology, for which he had a natural apti- tude. Although of Presbyterian parentage he was advanced in his ideas of churchmanship and showed the bent of his mind in this direction as early as 1843 or 4, when eighteen years of age, he then being a member of the Bridgeport Lyceum, took part in a discussion of Catholicity against Protestantism, on the side of Catholicity, with such earnestness as to leave no doubt in the minds of the audience-made up partly of ladies, who were admitted at that time-what his true opinions were. Among the speakers who took the side of Protestantism were the Rev. Bronson B. Beardsley, of Bridgeport, and Hon. Henry B. Graves, of Litchfield, Conn.

Mr. E. F. Bishop was president of the Naugatuck railroad at the time of his death and had just resigned that of the Bridgeport Steamboat Company, which he had held for many years. He was a member of Hamilton Commandery, St. John's Lodge of F. and A. M., Jerusalem Council and Jerusa- lem Chapter, R. A. M.

Rev. Nathaniel Bouton, an apprentice to Stiles Nich- ols, a printer of Bridgeport. He was converted under the labors of Mr. Peter Lockwood, then a student at Yale. Through the efforts of Mr. Lockwood and his father, Lambert Lockwood, the time of Mr. Bouton was bought of his em- ployer and he, by the help of friends and great perseverance, Cited for college. During vacations he, like Mr. P. Lockwood, engaged in holding meetings and aiding ministers in the neighboring towns. "Upon leaving the theological seminary he accepted a call to the first church of Concord, N. H., and continued the faithful and beloved pastor of that church for forty-two years. His influence was widely spread and his labors abundantly blessed, and it may be said that the Rev. J. P. Gulliver, D.D., ascribes his conversion to a sermon of Dr. Bouton's, preached from the text, 'Choose ye this day whom ye will serve.'" This sermon was known by Dr. Bou- ton to have been the direct means of the conversion of no less than eighty-three persons.11

Captain John Brooks, of Bridgeport, was induced to. attend the meetings held by Peter Lockwood, a student in

11 Memorial of Rev. Peter Lockwood, 21.

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theology, by which his life was changed and he became a different man, zealous for the interests of the church. He was firm and resolute in his adherence to evangelical doc- trines, giving liberally of his increasing wealth, and in the latter part of his life he aided much in building a church in a new part of the city of Bridgeport. Upon this building being destroyed by fire he rebuilt it largely at his own expense."

Major Frederick Frye was the son of Daniel M. Frye, Esq., of New York City, grandson of Capt. Frederick Frye and great-grandson of Colonel James Frye of Andover, Mass., who died from wounds received at the battle of Bunker Hill; and he was thus the last of a race of citizen soldiers who had taken active and honorable part in the wars of the last century and a half in this country. At the break- ing out of the late war Major Frye was practicing law in Bridgeport in company with General W. H. Noble. He immediately enlisted, serving as a Captain in the Third Con- necticut Volunteers through the first campaign and after- wards raised a company for the Ninth regiment with which he served as Captain and Major. He served with honor through the war and at its close settled in New Orleans where he resumed the practice of the law, being at one time Justice of the Sixth District of that city. Failing health at length compelled him to abandon the profession, and he took a clerkship in the Custom House, which he filled at the time of his death, June 22d, 1881. Major Frye was graduated at Columbia college, New York, was a man of culture and attainments, of manly character and genial disposition and was greatly beloved by his many friends. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati and preserved unsullied the enviable record of his ancestors." He married Matilda, daugh-

13 Memorial of Rev. Peter Lockwood, 22.

13 The following article from the Bridgeport "Standard " of April 30th, 1861, gives an account of an affair in which Major Frye was an important actor :

One of the most interesting occasions which we have ever known in Bridge- port, occurred last evening at Washington Hall. Company D, 3d Regiment, Conn. Volunteers, were marched into the crowded hall at 7/2 o'clock, and a public presentation took place of the following articles from the ladies of Bridge- port : A sword and belt and pair of epaulets to Captain Frye, and Lieutenant's epaulets to the two Lieutenants of the Company-from Samuel Baldwin, Esq., a

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ter of the late Benjamin Brooks of Bridgeport, who survived him, with two daughters, Mrs. George C. Waldo of Bridge- port, and Mrs. J. W. Hillman of Hope Villa, Louisiana. He was fifty-seven years of age at the time of his death. Major Frye left no brother but he had three sisters, Mrs. J. E. Rock- well of Staten Island, Mrs. Geo. K. Sistare of New York City, and Mrs. Hanford Lyon of Bridgeport.

The Ancient Commissions granted to James Frye" under George the 2d and George the 3d, by Phipps, Shirley and

revolver to Captain Frye. A revolver was also presented to Orderly Sergeant Doane and some other articles to other members of the Company. The presen- tation address was made by H. T. Blake, Esq., and Captain Frye and his officers happily responded, after which Rev. Mr. Thompson addressed the Volunteers in some appropriate and eloquent remarks. Captain Frye who leaves a large and excellent law practice in this city, and a most interesting family, in order to serve his country, comes of a gallant and distinguished lineage, his ancestors for five generations back having served as officers in the various wars of our country's history.

In 1698, James Frye served as Captain in the Massachusetts troops against the Indians. In 1744, his son, James Frye, was present as a Lieutenant from Massachusetts at the capture of Louisburg, and was afterwards Colonel in the "Old French Wars." An original draft of the terms of the capitulation of Louis- burg is still in the possession of the family. In 1775, his son, James Frye, was present as Colonel at the battle of Bunker Hill, and with him there was his son, Frederick Frye (then 18 years of age), who afterwards received a Lieutenant's commission in the Revolutionary Army. The latter was in command at Gover- nor's Island during the War of 1812, and his son, Daniel M. Frye, father of the present Captain Frye, served as captain in the same war. We had the pleasure of examining last evening the original commissions that were issued to these gallant men bearing the autographs of Wm. Stoughton, Wm. Shirley, John Hancock, Joseph Warren, Geo. Washington and others. We were also shown the badge and certificate of the Order of Cincinnati, received by Lieutenant Frye in 1784, and of which order Captain Frye is at present a member. This certificate is signed by Geo. Washington, who was president of the society at the time it was issued. One of the epaulets worn by Colonel Frye at the battle of Bunker Hill was also exhibited. Captain Frye has raised his company by his own exertions, and left with them this morning for Hartford. He is followed by the warm regards of a host of friends, and from our own knowledge of his many noble and manly qual- ities, we feel assured that he will approve himself a worthy representative of his illustrious ancestry.

14 The Salem, Mass., "Gazette," in an issue during 1875 makes the following allusion to the Frye family :

Colonel James Frye .- One of the Heroes of Bunker Hill.

Among the notices which have been made of the recent celebration in Boston, the name of Colonel Frye is simply given, while many who bore a far less impor-

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Harrison Gray, his commission as Colonel of Continental Troops, signed by Joseph Warren just before the battle of Bunker Hill, and another signed by John Hancock the week after the battle, the epaulet worn at the battle by Colonel Frye, the draft of the capitulation of Louisburg, the certifi- cate of membership in the Order of the Cincinnati signed by Washington and Knox, Major Frederick Frye's service sword, the sword presented to him by the ladies of Bridgeport, as related below, his commissions in the Federal army, etc., etc., are, with many other family documents and relics, in posses- sion of George C. Waldo, of Bridgeport, son-in-law of Major Frye.

Hon. Epaphras Burr Goodsell was born in Brook- field, Conn., near the close of the year 1817, and his early education was obtained in the schools of that town. At the age of thirteen he left home to make his own way in the

tant part in the first great battle of the Revolution have been made the subject of special and extended notice.

In Alden Bradford's account of the battle of Bunker Hill, referring to the offi- cers who particularly distinguished themselves by their activity, zeal and courage, he says: "We may justly name General Israel Putnam, Colonel William Pres- cott, Ebenezer Bridge, James Frye, and Moses Little," etc. Why the name of Colonel Frye should have been wholly omitted in the historical notices and orations of the present celebration can only be accounted for by the fact that none of his family are now around Boston to call attention to his history.

He was the fourth in his line who had held office and done service in the old Continental armies during the French and Indian wars. His ancestors had settled in New England early in the 17th century and the family lived in Salem and after- wards in Andover, where was a famous elm which stood near the mansion, long known as the Frye tree. When the war of the Revolution began, Colonel Frye at once placed himself and his soldiers at the service of his country, and was called into action at the battle of Bunker Hill. Here he received a wound which resulted in his death about three months after. But although his career was thus early terminated his name and family continued to be represented in the army. On the night before the battle, his son, Frederick Frye, then a mere youth, accom- panied him to the field as a volunteer, and for his bravery was shortly after pro- moted to a captaincy, in which capacity he served during the war. Captain Frye afterwards had command at Governor's Island in New York harbor, and at Fort Mifflin. He died in the city of New York at the residence of his son, D. M. Frye, Esq., about the year 1830. His grandson, Frederick Frye, named after him, enlisted in the army at the first call for volunteers during the late civil war, served as captain in the battle of Bull Run, and during the rest of the war was major of the 9th Connecticut regiment. He was the sixth in his line who had been in the army.

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world. He became a merchant and was a manufacturer of iron furnaces, in the town of Kent, was interested in the fur- nace at Bull's Bridge, and at one time was postmaster. About 1848 he came to Bridgeport and soon his interest in public affairs brought him prominently forward as a politician, and he was appointed in 1852 postmaster of this city by President Franklin Pierce, serving four years, and again in 1856 by President Buchanan, holding the office until the accession of President Lincoln-eight years in all. He was popular and efficient, and his office was excellently conducted. He was mayor of the city in 1871-72-73, and filled many minor city offices. He was one of the founders of Trinity Episcopal Church, was long a Vestryman, and at the time of his death was its Junior Warden. Mr. Goodsell died October 10th, 1884, at Brookfield Center, in the house in which he was born. Through life he had manifested a strong attachment for his birthplace, and seemed happiest while among the objects which brought to his mind memories of it. In matur- ity this feeling grew stronger and he decided to improve and embellish the place, which he did, afterwards repairing there each successive season. It became known as the Goodsell House, and many a city-seeker for pleasure has been charmed by its situation and natural beauties.

Mr. Goodsell was a man of genial temperament, kind, considerate and hospitable, and possessed a host of friends. He had seen Bridgeport grow from a little village to a large city and had taken an active and honorable part in its develop- ment. A self-made man, working up from small beginnings and limited opportunities, he secured the respect and esteem of his fellow-citizens and was honored for his excellent char- acter as a man, his fidelity in every public trust, and his con- sistent illustration of the faith which he professed. His family consisted of his wife, four sons, Zalmon, Granville W., Perry S. and E. B. Goodsell, Jr., and one daughter, Mrs. Samuel S. Banks, all of Bridgeport."

15 The Goodsell family .- R. B. Lacey, Esq., President of the Fairfield County Historical Society, furnishes the following record of the family of the Hon. E. B. Goodsell : Epaphras Burr Goodsell was fifth in descent from the first or original settler of the Goodsell name in this country, from whom a very numerous and worthy family has descended. Thomas Goodsell, of Wales, emigrated from Liver-

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Robert Hubbard, M.D., was born in upper Middle- town, now the town of Cromwell, Conn., April 27, 1826, being the son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Hubbard. His father was a sea captain for many years in the West India trade, but finally left the sea and gave his whole time to the cultiva- tion of his farm. He was descended from a prominent line of the Hubbard family which came to Boston about 1634, and afterwards removed to the vicinity of Hartford or Middle- town. The mother of Robert Hubbard was Elizabeth Roberts, whose father was a farmer of Middletown, Conn., and whose land possessions included the beautiful site now occupied by the Connecticut Hospital for the Insane.

Robert Hubbard was reared on the farm, attending public school winters, as was the custom at the time, until he was seventeen years of age, when he entered the academy at Cromwell, Conn., Mr. Jared O. Knapp-afterwards a clergy- man-being principal, and whose special favor was of great value to the young student, who gave every energy to the improvement of his opportunities for education, during the two succeeding years, employing his vacations on the farm and in other ways to replenish the continued depleted treasury. At the end of three years he had prepared himself, and entered Yale College in 1846. At the end of the Freshman year he was offered the position of principal in the Durham Academy, which he accepted intending to return to college after securing funds for that purpose. During the first year in the academy he continued his college studies, but was then induced by Doct. Benjamin Fowler to enter upon a course of medical study, and at the end of the second year in the academy he entered Doctor Fowler's office as a medical stu- dent. From the first he manifested peculiar aptness .in this study, and hence success in it was no difficult attainment. At the end of one year with Doctor Fowler, he removed to New Haven and entered the office of Doct. Nathan B. Ives, where he continued his studies, and also attended Medical lectures at Yale College, where he was graduated in 1851, as Valedictorian of his class.

In the autumn of 1851 he settled in Bridgeport as a physi- cian and hung his sign in the shutter of a drug store in Wall

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street and boarded with Capt. Hinman, then proprietor of the City Hotel. He rapidly secured friends and an established practice and in May, 1854, formed a co-partnership with Doct. David H. Nash, which continued successfully for seventeen years. On April 25, 1855, he married Cornelia Boardman, youngest daughter of Sherman and Sophia Hartwell, and they have one son and two daughters, all residents of Bridge- port.

In 1861, upon recommendation of the State Medical Society, he was appointed by Governor Buckingham one of the eight Medical Examiners of Surgeons and assistant Sur- geons for regiments raised in this State. In 1862 he was commissioned Surgeon of the 17th Regiment, Conn. Volunteer Infantry. After a few months service in this capacity he was promoted to be Surgeon of brigade under General Howard and shortly before the battle of Chancellorsville was pro- moted to be Surgeon of General Devon's division. For meritorious conduct at Chancellorsville he was again pro- moted to Medical Inspector-assistant medical director-on his staff. At the battle of Gettysburg he served as Medical Director in charge of the 11th corps, after which he joined his regiment at Collett's Station, Va. When the 11th corps was ordered to Lookout Mountain he again served as its Medical Director under General Hooker and in that capacity took part in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and. Ringold. Shortly after this campaign he was forced, on account of ill health, to resign his commission and return to his practice at Bridgeport. In 1870 a severe attack of sciatica impelled him to spend some months in Germany. In 1871, his wife, Mrs. Hubbard, died, and the same year his partnership with Doctor Nash was dissolved. In 1874 and also in 1876 he represented the city of Bridgeport in the General Assembly, and twice he was nominated on the repub- lican ticket for the 4th Congressional district. In 1879 he was elected president of the Connecticut Medical Society. In 1883, he spent the summer in European travel, and again in 1885 he went abroad for a short time. Doctor Hubbard, notwithstanding his thirty-five years of constant labor in his profession is still engaged in active labor as a physician.

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William B. Hall, son of Wm. Stewart Hall, for- merly of Wallingford, is a native of Springfield, Mass. He began his mercantile life as clerk in the store of T. P. Chap- man of New Haven, on the 15th day of July, 1846, which gives him just forty years of experience in business life. Mr. T. P. Chapman's wife was the daughter of Sherman Hart- well, of Bridgeport, and hence began Mr. Hall's acquaint- ance in this city, to which he came after serving four years at

pool, Eng., to this country about 1678. His name first appears in the records of Branford, or East Haven, Conn., 1679. In 1705 he was taxed on £128 estate. In 1708-9 on {157-the highest on the list of that town. He was a prominent and influential man. In 1679, at the age of thirty-three years, he married Sarah Hemingway. Their sons were Samuel, born 1685 ; Rev. Thomas, born 1702, and Rev. John, born December 21, 1705. 'John was educated at Yale College, mar- ried in 1724 Mary Lewis, of Stratford (Old Mill) and was settled as the first minister of the Church of Christ on Greenfield Hill (Fairfield) at its organization in May, 1726. This was his only settlement. His ashes repose in the Greenfield Cemetery under the slab with this simple inscription :

" Here lies buried the body of the Rev. Mr. John Goodsell, who departed this life December 26th, 1763, Aged 57 years."

Rev. John and Mary (Lewis) Goodsell had ten children, of whom Epaphras was the fifth, or of the sons the second. He married Burr and had six children, three of whom were sons and of whom Zalmon was the youngest. Zalmon married Eliza Cornwall, of Brookfield, Conn., where he spent most of his life and raised a family of two sons and five daughters. Hon. E. B. Goodsell was the second son of Zalmon and was born in 1817, as has been stated, in the same house in which he died.

Captain William Goodsell of Bridgeport was an older brother of Zalmon. He was in the butchering business here in the early part of this century and the pio- neer in that line. He lived on Main street where Congress street enters it. His slaughter house stood on the bank in the rear of the present C. W. Fox property extending over tide water supported by high posts. In later years we have heard a great deal about Captain Goodsell's " old slaughter house yard " in the contro- versies of Mr. Benjamin Ray vs. others as to title of land in that vicinity.

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A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II, Part 16

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor] Number of Pages: 904

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor]
Number of Pages: 904