Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 11

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795

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Danbury; and Charles H., a bookkeeper in Mid- dletown, N. Y. (2) Miss Candace, a lady of unusual intellectual and social gifts, resides with her mother, and is identified in a helpful way with many important social and philanthropic movements.

The Hawley family, which is one of the old- est in this section, traces its descent from Jo- seph Hawley, a native of Derbyshire, England, who was born in 1603, and crossed the ocean in 1629, landing near Boston, Mass. He after- ward settled in Connecticut, and he died in Stratford in 1690. He left five sons: Ebe- nezer, Joseph, Samuel, Ephraim and John. Of these. Samuel, who was born in 1652, had seven children, among who was a son, Samuel, through whom our subject's line of descent is traced. He had ten children: Jonathan, Na- thaniel, Ephraim, Matthew, Obadiah, Francis, Richard, Nathan, Stephen and Benjamin.

Benjamin Hawley, who was born in 1694, had four sons: Ebenezer, Benjamin, Abel and William, who was born in 1732. William Haw- ley had four children: William, Anna, Daniel and Joseph.

Daniel Hawley, our subject's grandfather, had four children: Lucy, Eleazer, Charles S. and Sidney E.

Eleazer Hawley, the father of our subject, was born probably in Brookfield. In early man- hood he engaged in mercantile business in Troy, N. Y., but later he became a farmer in Brook- field. He married Miss Betsey Sherman, a member of another well-known Brookfield fam- ily, and had three children: (1) Margaret, mar- ried Dr. Eli Barnes, a physician in Brookfield; (2) George, who was a batter by trade, married Maranda Beardsley, of the town of Brookfield; (3) Abel S. being the youngest.

On the maternal side our subject was descend- ed from Samuel Sherman, who came to Amer- ica in 1634 from Dedham, County of Essex, England, accompanied by a brother John, and a first cousin of the same name. Samuel Sher- man was married after his arrival in this country to Sarah Mitchell, who crossed the ocean in the same ship, and they made their home at Stratford, Conn. Their descendants are now numerous, and among them we may name Hon. John Sher- man, for many years United States Senator from Ohio, and now (1897) Secretary of State under President Mckinley. The late Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, whose deeds make a glori- ous chapter in our country's history, was also a descendant of this worthy couple. To Sam- uel and Sarah Sherman eight children were born: Samuel, Theophilus, Edmond, John,

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David, Matthew, Nathaniel, and Benjamin. Of these, Samuel had a son Daniel, who had three sons: Ebenezer, Benoni, and Samuel, who was next in the line of descent which we are now tracing. Samuel Sherman had two sons: Jus- tin, and Jotham, our subject's great-grandfa- ther. Jotham Sherman had sons: Lewis, Sam- uel, Rufus, Jotham, Beers and Cyrus.

S NUMNER STOWE. This venerable gentle- man of the town of Redding, Fairfield coun- ty, is passing the evening of his life where its morning began eighty-seven years ago, he having been born March 16, 1812.

His ancestors were patriots in Colonial days, and again in the days of the early union of the States. Robert Stowe, his grandfather. was a native of England, where his young life was passed, and where his marriage occurred. He emigrated to America long before the trouble- some years of the Revolution, and settled in the town of Redding, near Bethel. Here he bought land and became engaged in agricultural pursuits. On the breaking out of the war of the Revolu- tion he left the plow in the furrow, and went forth to battle for that independence which the colonists felt was due them. He not only en- tered the service of the Continental army, but staid in it throughout the long struggle, and for gallantry and meritorious conduct rose to high rank and honors. His wife was Miss Annie Dar- row. who, too, was a native of England. To their union were born children, as follows: (1) · Sumner. by occupation a blacksmith, never mar- ried. (2) Daniel was born July 4. 1779. in the town of Redding. His chief occupation was farming, but being of a mechanical turn of mind he was engaged in a number of side lines, in con- nection with agricultural pursuits. He was a good carpenter and very handy wifh tools. In-

heriting patriotism from his father, he went into the war of 1812, and being a musician he served as filer. He married Lucy Hoyt, daughter of Thomas Hoyt, of Danbury, Conn., but later of Bethel. Their marriage was blessed with chil- dren, as follows: Robert H. married Mary A. Jarvis; Almira married Ira Williams; Sally mar- ried Jesse Banks; Harriet married Sillamon Judd; Lucy married Horace Couch; Mary married Ager Turney; Polly died in youth; and Sumner is the subject of this review. (3) Abram married Mrs. Julia (Andrews) Osborne. (4) Abigail married Israel Adams. (5) Hulda married Andrew An- drus. (6) Polly married Moses Parsons.

Sumner Stowe received his education in the public schools of his native town, learned the

business of comb-making, and worked at it for some years. Next he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and continued in same throughout his long active career, which has been a useful one- one full of good deeds. He has for years been a member of the M. E. Church, and has his name coupled with many movements which have arisen in the past having for their object the ele- vation of society and the advancement of the morals of the public.

Mr. Stowe married Miss Marinda Beers, born February 17, 1815, daughter of Elijah and Esther (Treadwell) Beers, farmers of New Fairfield, Conn. Mrs. Stowe was one of eleven children. Early in life she united with the Church, and re- mained a consistent Christian until life's close. Her life was full of good works, she was charita- ble and kind, ever considerate of others, and on April 1, 1892, when she was summoned higher, her death was keenly felt by a large circle of friends. By her marriage with our subject came the following children: Lorenzo, born October 9, 1835, married (first) Adelia Judson, and (sec- ond) Mrs. Sarah Boughton; Leander, born July 3, 1837. died in youth; Ruamah, born January 26, 1839, married William Cole; Leroy, born November 18, 1840, married Fannie Gregory; Lucy M., born February 28, 1844. married E. Albert Bartram; and George W., born January 1, 1854. married Addie Deane.

The Bartram family into which Miss Lucy M. Stowe married have resided for generations in Fairfield county. Isaac Bartrain, the grand- father of Albert Bartram, was born in the town of Redding. He served as an artificer in the Continental army during the war of the Revolu- tion. He was a blacksmith by trade, and this, in connection with farming. was his occupation through life. He married Miss Mollie Hamilton, of his native town, and to them were born chil- dren as follows: Isaac H., Daniel, Harry, Willis, Hulda, Lucy and Sally. Of these, Isaac Bartram was born in 1785 in the town of Redding. He learned the mason's trade, which he followed for some years, and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. His marriage with Miss Lydia Platt, daughter of Isaac Platt, who served as a blacksmith in the war of the Revolution, was blessed with the following children: Betsey (Mrs. Charles Rich), Mary (Mrs. Harrington), Sally (Mrs. Aaron Squires), Lillie (died in in- fancy), Lydia (Mrs. Levi Drew), Adaline (Mrs. Asahel Clapp), Abbie (Mrs. Perry Fairchild), Lucy (Mrs. Charles W. Lockwood),. Huldah (Mrs. Comfort S. Blake), Laura (Mrs. Joel Os- borne), Isaac N. (married Miss Helen D. Win- ans), and E. Albert. Of these,

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E. Albert Bartram is one of the well-to-do farmers and substantial citizens of Fairfield county. He was born in the town of Redding in 1843. After his school days were over, he learned the trade of brick mason, and also that of a stone mason. Later he carried on the milling business for eight years. Still later he became engaged in farming. Mr. Bartram was identi- fied with Eureka Lodge F. & A. M. at Bethel, but is now a member of Hamilton Lodge No. 54, of Sharon, Conn. He is also identified with the M. E. Church of Bethel. He married Miss Lucy M. Stowe, daughter of Sumner Stowe, a farmer of the town of Redding, and to them the follow- ing children were born: Arthur L., a machin- ist of Lee, married Jessie Porter, and has one child-Ethel B .; Leander H., a plumber at Sharon, Conn., married Sarah Brown, and had three children-Harry I., Wilber S., and Chester Raymond; Albert N., who is on a farm in Red- ding, Conn., married Sarah B. Cravagan, and has three children-A. Howard, Herbert L., and Bernice Alberta; and Eugene 1., in the machine shop at Salisbury. On December 22, 1897, he married Miss Ada Fenn, daughter of Lyman Fenn, of Salisbury, Connecticut.

W TILLIS TURNEY. who died June 30, 1879, was in his day one of the represent- ative, progressive, well-to-do men of his section of Fairfield county, Conn. He was born January 21, 1803, in Stepney, in the town of Monroe, in the house now occupied by Charles Nichols, and his father, Elijah Turney, was also born in the same place.

Elijah Turney married Eunice Thorp, and they reared a family of six children: Willis; William, who married Jane Hubbell; Walter. who died unmarried; Wakeman, who married Rachel Briscoe; Laura (Mrs. Sherman French); and Mary (Mrs. Wheeler Tousey), of Long Hill. The father was a painter by occupa- tion, following this calling all his life in the town of Stepney, where he was highly respected for his thorough integrity, industry and many sterl- ing qualities. He was also engaged to some ex- tent in carpenter work and cabinet making, and made each of his children a set of chairs. He died in 18-, an Episcopalian in religious faith.

In the common schools of Stepney and Easton, Willis Turney acquired in his youth a good practical English education, of which he made the best use. With Ira Hubbell, of Easton, he learned the trade of tailor, which vocation he followed as journeyman for some time after

reaching manhood. In 1832 he commenced business on his own account in . a modest little shop in Stepney, where by incessant industry and careful management he succeeded in time in build- ing .up a large trade, and, his workmanship being of the best, he became well known in his line all over this section. In 1855, however, he gave up his tailoring business and turned his attention to shirt manufacturing, being the first in that branch of industry in this part of the county, and selling the products of his factory to Judson Bros., who were the first shirt manufacturers in the United States. He was the first to put sew- ing machines in his establishment, where he em- ployed fourteen or fifteen hands, and his factory soon became noted for the fineness and superior quality of work turned out. Endowed with un- usual ability and discernment in business affairs. and strictly honest and straightforward in all his dealings, he acquired an enviable · reputation in his community, where none was held in higher esteem. His public-spiritedness led him into active public life, and he was honored by his fellow citizens with election to office in more than one capacity, his principal service, however, be- ing as representative from Monroe to the State Legislature during the " seventies." In Presi- dent Buchanan's term he was postmaster of Monroe.

On February 26, 1830, Willis Turney was united in marriage with Harriet Curtis, who was born March 5. 1805, daughter of David and Phebe Curtis, who lived on Cutler's farm, in the house now occupied by Frank Wales. Six chil- dren were born to this union, a brief record of whom is as follows: (1) Sylvia, born December 18, 1831, is married to Alonzo Eastwood, and lives in the old homestead of David Curtis; they have four children-John (who is mentioned farther on). James (an engineer on the Consoli- dated railroad), Miles (a carpenter in Naugatuck, Conn.), and Willis. (2) Eligah, born November 26. 1833, died January 30, 1834. (3) Burr, born December 13, 1834, died December 2, 1876, unmarried; he had a dental office in Boston. (4) Laura A., born August 1, 1837, married An- drew Patchen, of Bethel, Conn., and passed away October 22, 1895, aged fifty-eight years, two months and twenty-one days; she left two children-Cora E. (Mrs. Willard Oliver), and William T., who married Mary Dykeman. (5) John, born April 6, 1840, is a farmer of Hunt- ington, Fairfield Co., Conn .; he married Ida Walker, of Trumbull, and they have two daugh- ters (twins)-Ada Frances (who is the wife of Joseph Houghton, of Stratford), and Sarah Edith (Mrs. James Meachen). (6) Henrietta was born

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June 16, 1842. The mother of this family died April 27, 1859. .

In 1875, four years prior to her father's de- mise, Miss Henrietta Turney took hold of his busi- ness interests, associating with her her nephew, John Eastwood, and they have carried on the business ever since. Miss Turney has evidently inherited her father's financial ability and busi- ness capacity, for she has manifested a most sur- prising spirit of enterprise and progress in her management of the concern, to which she has given her personal attention and the greater part of her time. After the factory was provided with steam power, the trade was increased per- ceptibly, and as many as 150 hands are now given employment, the house meanwhile losing none of its former reputation for high-grade work. They turn out neglige shirts, which wholesale for $75 per dozen, have manufactured goods for John Wanamaker, and also made un- derwear for President Cleveland during his first administration. The industry is one of the most important in this part of the county, and is a credit to the family who founded it and have car- ried it on.

John Eastwood was married May 17. 1882, to Miss Mary Etta Birch, daughter of Amos Birch, of Brewster, N. Y .; she died in January, 1890, leaving two children-Ida Eliza and Elbert Randall. For his second wife, he was married. June 29. 1892, to Miss Agnes Park, by whom he has had one child, Edna Ruth.

W ALTER J. FITCH, one of the most venerable and highly-esteemed citizens, resides upon a pleasant homestead near Nor- walk, an ideal spot in which to spend the evening of one's life. He is a native of this county, having been born at Norwalk December 11, 1816. His family is of good old English stock, but his ancestors were early settlers in this section.

James Fitch, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Norwalk, and became a farmer in the eastern part of the town. He married Miss Esther Camp, of Norwalk, and had the follow- ing children: Burwell, who died near Norwalk, Ohio, where he had been engaged in farming; Esther, wife of George Nash, a farmer of West- port, this county; Stephen, our subject's father; Mary Ann, who married George Day, a potter of South Norwalk, and a son of Rev. Absalom Day, a Methodist minister; John H., deceased, for- merly a farmer in Norwalk; Julia and Susan (de- ceased). who never married.

Stephen Fitch, the father of our subject, was born in Norwalk May 7, 1792, and passed his

life in that locality, following agriculture as an occupation. During the war of 1812 he played an honorable part as a soldier, and throughout his life was an active worker in the Whig organ- ization, and in the Methodist Church in his neighborhood. On December 31, 1815, he married Miss Cornelia Hoyt, daughter of Wal- ter Hoyt, a farmer of the same township. Of the two children of this union, our subject was the elder. Cornelia H., the younger, married James K. Price, a native of Bethel, who is now a hatter in Oakland, Cal. The mother died Sep- tember 12, 1841, the father on March 31, 1869.

Mr. Fitch grew to manhood in the town of Norwalk, his education being obtained in the local schools. He learned the carriage maker's trade, but finding it uncongenial he did not fol- low it. On February 3, 1839, he married Miss Huldah A. Foot, who was born in Weston, this county, a daughter of Reuben Foot, a carpenter, and his wife, Mary. Soon after his marriage Mr. Fitch moved to New York, where he was engaged in the ice business until 1853. He then returned to Norwalk and continued that business for about fifteen years, but he has since lived a retired life. His present homestead was pur- chased soon after his return from New York, and he has made many improvements on the place including the comfortable residence. He and his wife have had three children, none of whom are now living. Mr. Fitch has not taken an especially active part in politics, but he has al- ways felt an interest as a citizen in the questions of his day, and he is a stanch believer in the principles and policy of the Republican party.

N ATHANIEL E. ADAMS (deceased). For several generations the name of Adams has been prominently identified with the local history of Fairfield county, and ancestors of this same family have for several centuries been closely connected with the history of England.

Nathaniel E. Adams was born in Greenwich, Conn., July 7, 1807, a son of John (3), a grand- son of John (2), both well-known citizens of Greenwich, and a great-grandson of John Adams (1), who settled in Greenwich in 1717.

John Adams was born April 17, 1779, in Greenwich, Conn., and died October 2, 1826. His entire life was passed in the town of his na- tivity, and there, on February 27, 1804, he wed- ded Mary Hobby, who was born February 14, 1774. Of this union the following children were born, their names, with dates of birth, being: Mary E., May 23, 1805; Nathaniel E .; Marilda H., September 15, 1809; Susan C., December

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25, 1810; Sarah H., August 10, 1812; John A., August 7, 1814; and Joseph H., January 1, 1817 -all now deceased.

Nathaniel E. Adams passed his boyhood days in his native town, attending the local schools, and the education he there obtained was but the broad foundation for the mental culture to which he attained by the persistent reading and study of a lifetime. When quite young he began the study of architecture, and for some time was lo- cated in New York City, where he was engaged in building. The ill health of his wife caused him to leave the great metropolis and seek some quieter home. Accordingly, in 1829, he re- moved to Stamford, where for a time he was in the coal and lumber business. He then began the real-estate business, by buying a tract of land, opening up and surveying streets, etc., and the section, Washington and Adams avenues, North and Franklin streets and Liberty place, is now a beautiful portion of the village. On the streets that he opened he caused to be planted large numbers of elm and other shade trees, and prob- ably did more than any other one man for the general improvement of Stamford real estate. His was a life of industry, and his last days were brightened by the competence his labors had wrought. True and trustworthy himself, he was a number of times the victim of over confidence in others, and was more than once compelled to go back to very near the foot of the ladder and begin over again. After the cares of the day, he found his recreation in his library, spending nearly all his evenings in study. His memory was almost phenomenal, and he formed the habit of using poetical quotations to aptly illustrate his conversation. He was particularly well versed in the Bible, and took an active part in the Sun- day-school work of the Congregational Church. He was first a Democrat, later becoming a Whig and Republican, and took an active part in poli- tics for many years, serving his fellow townsmen as justice of the peace.

On April 23, 1829, in New York City, Na- thaniel E. Adams was married, by Rev. Dr. Ver- milyea, to Miss Sarah A. Dixon. Six children came to bless this union: Charles W., New York City, born December 11, 1829, married Julia B. Elder, and they had two sons, Charles W. and George Elder; James E., born December 14, 1833, died August 5, 1834; Julia H., born March 14, 1835, is still residing in Stamford [see below]; James E., born February 7, 1840, died April 27, 1877; John, born June 14, 1841, died Septem- ber 24, 1889; and Franklyn, born December 27, 1845, residing in Stamford.

Charles W. Adams died September 30, 1898. The mother of this

family was born April 23, 1806, and died April 16, 1890. Mr. Adams passed to his last rest October 21, 1894. and Stamford as a town lost one of its best citizens, and the people a trusty, confidential friend and advisor.

JULIA H. ADAMS was married March 15, 1866. to Albert M. Powell, who was born in Berlin, Md., in 1835. He graduated from West Point in 1860, and remained in the United States service all his life. In "McClure's Magazine " for January, 1898, the late Charles A. Dana, Secretary of War during the Rebellion, in his article " Reminiscences of Men and Events of the Civil War," mentions Lieut .- Col. Albert M. Powell as an officer who "thoroughly under- stands his business and attends to it diligently." Colonel Powell served on General McPherson's staff, and was chief of artillery in the 17th Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee. He was promoted for his bravery and gallantry in action in the battles of New Madrid, Island No. Ten, Siege of Corinth, Iuka. Port Gibson, Ray- mond, Jackson, Champion Hills and Vicksburg, and was presented with a " Medal of Gold " after the siege of Vicksburg by order of Major-General McPherson; at the same time being breveted lieutenant-colonel. At Fort Stevenson, Dakota, on June 5, 1868, he was thrown from a new horse, and five days later were sounded his last "taps." Of his death General R. de Trobriand officially makes his report: .. A serious loss to the army, and will be especially felt among his comrades and associates in both the Volunteer and Regular service, who would better appreciate his merits as an officer, and his refined qualities as a gentleman." His remains were laid to rest in Woodland Cemetery, Stamford, August 23, 1868. The wedding tour of Lieutenant-Colonel Powell and his bride was to Fort Rice on the Missouri river in Dakota, then a frontier post among the Sioux Indians. One child gladdened the home of this soldier, Julie Adams.

H ON. EDWARD H. SMITH. Biographical sketches of those who have attained merited distinction, in any sphere of life, have a charm and force in them that commend them to every sound thinker. We naturally feel an interest in tracing the footsteps of those who have reached elevated positions in public confidence, and have wielded their influence for public good, and we thus take pleasure in giving prominent place in this work to the life record of the gentleman whose name here appears.

John (1) Smith (16- 1684), a settler of Mil- ford, Conn., in 1640, is presumed to have been one

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of several from Hertfordshire who could not leave England in 1637, when Rev. Peter Prudden and others from that section of England sailed in the company of Rev. John Davenport, Gov. The- ophilus Eaton, Dep .- Gov. Stephen Goodyear, and other persons from London who came to this country in the ships " Hector " and " Martin" in 1637. It is probable he came direct from England to New Haven in one of the three ships which sailed in 1639 to New Haven, viz .: the "St. Johns" (Captain Russell); the " Fair Weather," which reached New Haven before July 28, 1639; and the third ship (name unknown) which arrived soon after, probably bringing the company which settled in Southold, Long Island. From the amount of property (£513, 3, 9) left by him at his death in 1684, it is probable that he belonged to a family of some wealth in Eng- land. It has been suggested that he may have been one of the Smiths of Hadden Hall, some of whom came to this country. He married Grace Hawley, who was born in 16-, and died in 1690. By the will of Mrs. Grace Smith, dated Novem- ber 26, 1689, she gives her property of £61, 11, 7 to her four children, to wit: Ephraim, John, Mary, and Mehitable. Of these,

John (2) Smith (Sergeant), son of John (1) Smith, the settler, was born in 1646 and died in 1732; lived in Milford. He married, January 23, 1672-73, Phebe Canfield (born May 8, 1656, died May 3, 1730), daughter of Sergt. Thomas Canfield (died 1689) and Phebe (Crane) Canfield, of Milford. They are buried in Milford Ceme- tery. Children: John, Thomas, Samuel. Eben- ezer, Joseph, Abiah, Nathan and Joseph. Of these,

Ebenezer (3), born March 31, 1683, died November 4, 1744. In 1709 he removed from Milford to Ridgefield, Conn., and was one of the original settlers of that town. He married January 3, 1710-11, Sarah Collins, who died March 16, 1760. In the Whitney Family book Vol. I, page 27, he is said to be the grandson of John Smith (16- 1684), the settler, and Grace Hawley; this is the only record of the family name of Mrs. Grace Smith (16- 1690) found by the compiler. Their son Daniel (1719-1799) married Betty Whitney (1718-1798); their descendants to the number of over 500 are recorded in the Whitney Family book. Children: Phebe, Sarah, Abiah, Ebenezer, Daniel or David, Job, Abigail, John.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 11

Author: H. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1795

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795