Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 114

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

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Mr. Lyon was educated chiefly in the district schools near his early home, his course there be- ing supplemented by one term in a writing school in Bridgeport conducted by Ebenezer French. He was especially apt in mathematics. During boyhood he became familiar with all the details of farm management, also of work in the shoe shop. and for a number of years he continued with his father and brother in both lines of enterprise. working hard during his early life. After the death of the others he succeeded to the owner- ship of the property and business, but for a num- ber of years he has given no attention to the shoe business, and of late he has practically retired, turning the active work of managing his two farms into other hands. An honorable and up- right life, marked by many kindly acts, has won him many friends and with unimpaired faculties he can look foward to many years of leisurely enjoyment of life in his charming home, where he has resided since 1868. No man in his section has taken a keener interest than he in the gen- eral welfare, yet he has never held a public office, having invariably declined to become a candi- date. In early life he was a Whig, and since the organization of the Republican party he has been a steadfast supporter of its policy.

In 1856 Mr. Lyon married for his first wife Miss Catherine E. Bradley. daughter of Abra- ham Bradley, of Weston, this county. She died December 21, 1893, aged fifty-eight years, leav- ing no children, and her remains were laid to rest in Mountain Grove cemetery. On December 1, 1897, Mr. Lyon married Miss Flora E. Nichols, a daughter of Jerome and Flora E. (French) Nichols, the former of whom is a well-known citizen of Newtown. Mrs. Lyon's grandfather, Perkins French, resides in Easton. She is a member of the Baptist Church at Bridgeport. and is much esteemed among a large circle of acquaintances.

C HARLES M. BOYCE. one of the citizens of Danbury whose nativity occurred in the Empire State, was born in the town of Patter- son, Putnam Co .. N. Y., January 23. 1853, a son of James W. Boyce.

The Boyce family is of French descent, and representatives located in Dutchess county. N. Y .. where James W. Boyce, the father of our subject, was born. He learned the carpenter's trade, and followed it in Westchester county. N. Y'. As his parents were not in a position to aid him, he had to carve out his own fortune. In Patterson, Putnam Co., N. Y., he married Miss Clarissa Roberts, a daughter of Lemuel and Phobe( Foster) Roberts, and to them three children were born; Phoebe, who died at the age of three years: James Lemuel, deceased at the age of thirty-seven: and Charles M., our subject. The fa- ther of this family was a stanch Republican in his political faith. He died June 15. 1889, only six months after the death of his noble and devoted helpmeet, who passed away January 4, 1889.

Lemuel Roberts, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was a shoemaker in the town of Pat- terson, Putnam Co., N. Y., and he also to some extent carried on farming there. He married Phoebe Foster, and became the father of eleven children, as follows: (1) Fannie was twice wed- ded, first to Alfred Crosby, and at his death she married Thomas Foster, also now deceased; both were farmers of Putnam county. (2) Maria married William Richards, of the Peekskill Mes- senger. and both are deceased. (3) Laura mar- ried Crosby Foster, a farmer of the town of Southeast, Putnam county; she and her husband now rest side by side in the Old Southeast cem- etery at Southeast, N. Y. (4) Willis was a merchant in Putnam county, finally going to Il- linois, where he died. (5) John B. (deceased) was a partner of Willis. (6) Salina, (7) Betsey, (8) Sally, all three died single. (9) Levi was a merchant and a fire and life insurance agent. (10) Clarissa was the mother of our subject; and (11) Hannah married John Hoyt, a farmer and carpenter of Fairfield county. The Roberts fam- ily are of old Puritan stock, the founder of the family in America having come over in the " May- flower." The spirit of independence that prompt- ed that breaking off of home ties and taking up life in the wilderness is still a marked trait in the character of the family. John Roberts, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the Revolution, and was starved to death in the old sugar house, in New York, that served as a prison.

Charles M. Boyce passed the first three years of his life on a farm, and was then taken by his

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parents to Milltown, Putnam county, where he grew to manhood. He attended the district schools, and supplemented the learning there acquired by attendance at the Chappaque school. On the completion of his literary education he en- tered his father's grist and saw mill, engaging thus for twenty years, and on April 16, 1890, he came with his family to Danbury, embarking in the trucking business.

On October 15, 1879, Mr. Boyce was united in marriage with Miss Maria B. Barry, a daugh- ter of Henry Barry, a sketch of whom follows. To the union of our subject and wife came four bright and interesting children: Harry Milton, Willis Roberts, Christine Barry and Lemuel Huyler, all at home, except Willis R., who died April 29, 1899, of spinal meningitis. The entire family are interested in the work of the Methodist Church, to the support of which they contribute liberally. Their removal to Dan- bury was occasioned by the purchase by New York City of the Putnam county mill property, which was used in the construction of the Croton reservoir, that supplies New York City with wa- ter. Mr. Boyce is an active supporter of the men and measures advocated by the Republican party. but is not ambitious to enter public life as an official. He is highly respected, and is re- garded as one of the firm, progressive citizens of Danbury. He was one of the charter members of the Danbury Ice Company, of which he is a director. Socially he is a member of Union Lodge No. 40, F. & A. M.

H TENRY BARRY, one of the most prominent citizens of the town of Danbury, is a native of the State of New York, where, in Yates, Or- leans county, he was born February 27, 1824, a son of Richard Barry.

1808, are both farmers in Orleans county, N. Y .; Ransom. born in 1811, was a resident of Yates, and died in 1852; Samuel, born in 1813, a farmer, lives in Niagara county, N. Y .; Jane, born in 1815, was twice married, first to G. D. Church, of Yates, and, on his decease, married Archibald Church, of the same place, and he is also deceased (though both husbands bore the name of Church, they were not related); George, born in 1817; Sena, born in 1819, is the widow of William Church, of Yates; Hannah, born in 1821, married Francis H. Daniels, of Orleans county, and he is now deceased; Henry, our sub- ject: and Charles, born in 1826, is a farmer at Medina, N. Y. Richard Barry served in the war of 1812, and died in 1868, just ten years after the death of his wife. He was a Democrat in politics, and took an active part in the work of his party. The family all inclined to the faith of the Methodist Church, and were highly re- spected citizens. Eight members of this family are still living, the eldest being eighty-eight, and the youngest seventy-one. The New York World, some time since, printed a cut of the children. They have lived simple, temperate lives, and now at advanced ages are hale and hearty, keenly alive to the interests of to-day, with a happy enjoyment of the pleasures reaped by the sowing of honest, upright characters.

Henry Barry, the subject proper of this sketch, remained on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age. His education was | obtained in the district schools and at Yates Academy. On leaving the farm, he began to learn the carpenter's trade, and for eight years he followed that occupation. In 1860 he came to Danbury, and on September 5, 1862, he en- listed in Company B, 23d Regiment Conn. Vol. Inf., and the regiment was at once sent to the front. It was largely through his instrumentality that this company was raised. New Orleans proved to be the objective point for this regi- ment, and near that city occurred the only battle in which our subject took part. It was, how- ever, one of the fiercest fights during the war- a hand-to-hand conflict. The regiment remained | in New Orleans and its vicinity the greater part of a year. In August, 1863, at Hartford, Conn., I orable discharge. In all the years of his resi- dence in Danbury, he has followed the trade of carpentering, and many of the beautiful build- ings in that city bear the marks of his superior workmanship. Among the noted buildings erected by him may be mentioned the Methodist and Baptist churches. His reputation as a builder

Richard Barry. the father of our subject, was born May 12, 1785, in Montgomery county, N. Y., where his father. Benjamin Barry, was a farmer. The latter was of Irish extraction, and was one of the patriots of the Revolution; he 1 married, and settled in Montgomery county, N. 1 Y., reared a family of nine children, all of whom were farmers. Richard Barry passed his entire life on a farm. On attaining man's estate he | Mr. Barry was mustered out and given his hon- married Elizabeth (Munsey), who was also born and reared in New York State. After their i marriage they settled on a farm in Orleans county, N. Y., and later moved to Yates, that county. Eleven children came to bless their union: Cynthia, born in 1806, married Benjamin Bullock, a farmer of Michigan, where they both died; Benjamin and Nathaniel (twins), born in | has brought him much work outside of Danbury,

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and he has uniformly given the best of satisfac- tion.

Mr. Barry has been twice married, the first time, in 1853, when Miss Mary Bennett, of Dan- bury, became his wife. She was a daughter of Nathan Bennett, one of the prominent citizens of the town. Five children were born of this union, three of whom died in infancy; the re- maining two are: Maria, the wife of Charles M. Boyce, sketch of whom precedes this, and Win- field C., traveling salesman for Larter, Elcox & Co., leading jewelers of New York. Mrs. Barry passed from earth November 5, 1882, and for his second wife Mr. Barry, on September 23, 1885, was united in marriage with Harriet A. Brockett, who was born in Woodbury, Con- necticut.

The first Presidential candidate for whom Mr. Barry voted was Zachary Taylor, and until the formation of the Republican party he cast his ballot in the interest of the Whigs. He has always been interested in politics, and has fre- quently been the choice of his party for local office. He served as town clerk of Yates, N. Y., and since his residence in Danbury has served six years in succession on the board of burgesses, before Danbury became a city; he has also served as selectman. With other comrades of the war he takes a keen interest in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, and finds great pleasure in meeting with the "boys in blue " around the old " camp-fire." Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, of which he is now serving as trustee. Wherever he has lived he has been prominent in municipal affairs, his talents peculiarly fitting him for such a line of work. Of undoubted integrity, and of genial, courteous manner, Mr. Barry is passing the evening of his life in the peaceful rest that follows a work well done.

7 ABAH V. HEWITT. The prosperity of our people, and even the stability of our form of government, is based upon the welfare of the great middle class, and any one who contributes in any degree toward that end is worthy of hearty commendation. The building of com- fortable homes on terms within the reach of people in moderate circumstances is a branch of business which profits him who sells and him who buys, and in this line of enterprise the sub- ject of this sketch, a well-known contractor of Bridgeport, is a leader in his locality.

Mr. Hewitt is of English ancestry in the direct paterna! line, the first of the family to come to America being his great-grandfather

Hewitt, who settled in the northern part of Virginia, and engaged in business as a tanner and currier. His son George, grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia. During the Revolutionary war he was captured by the Eng- lish and imprisoned in the West Indies for about nine months. After his release he joined a mer- chant ship, but was wrecked near Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. He there married Elizabeth Hayden, whose mother was a Mackenzie, of an old Scottish family, and she became the grand- mother of our subject. George Hewitt settled at Green Harbor, Nova Scotia, and about thirty years afterward moved to St. Mary's River. where he died many years ago at the age of eighty-seven years. His wife survived him, passing away in her ninety-seventh year. He was a sea-faring man, and was senior member of the ship-building firm of Hewitt & Sons. He had four children: Zabah, who followed the sea in early life, and afterward became a miner in Nova Scotia, but is now deceased; John, our subject's father; George, who was drowned in early manhood; and Sarah Ann.

Capt. John Hewitt, the father of our subject. was born in 1819 in Nova Scotia, and died there May 7, 1896. For about thirty-five years he was a sea captain, and during much of his life he was extensively interested in mining and in the shipping business. His wife, Elizabeth (Dixon), who died in Boston in February, 1897, was a daughter of Capt. David Dixon, of Nova Scotia, whose father, Robert Dixon, was of Irish birth.

Our subject was born February 12, 1853, in Nova Scotia, and his early education was obtained there in the schools of Sherbrooke. When yet a boy he made a trip to Labrador with his father. and remained there a year and a half, hunting and trapping with the Indians in the interior. Later he went to Halifax, intending to ship on board the "Topaz " for the West Indies, but his uncle would not let him go. As the vessel stranded during that voyage and all on board perished, he had cause to congratulate himself on the failure of his plan. However, he took passage on another vessel, bound for Prince Edward Island, where his parents were then re- siding temporarily, and for some time he re- mained at home. At the age of nineteen he was employed by A. P. Mills and Mr. Gaffney, of Summerside, P. E. I., to take charge of a schooner, with instructions to proceed to St. Mary's Bay for a load of cordwood which he was to carry to Boston and sell, then on his return trip was to bring a load of merchandise. He was the youngest man that ever sailed a vessel out of the

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port of Summerside, and the able discharge of his commission reflected great credit upon him. But a "life on the ocean wave " not offering for him a congenial prospect, he in 1873 began to learn the carpenter's trade in Summerside, and after completing his apprenticeship be located at Moncton, New Brunswick, where he followed his trade for thirteen years. Since 1887 he has been in business in Bridgeport, with the exception of short residence in Florida and Brazil. While in Florida he conducted a wood-working factory for nine months, when he disposed of his interest and returned to the North. He spent fourteen months at Pernambuco, Brazil, and during that time built a sugar factory. On first coming to Bridgeport he was employed for some time as foreman by H. H. Nettleton, and in 1897 he be- gan contracting on his own account, his reputa- tion for ability and skill enabling him to speedily gain a large business in general lines as well as in building. In politics he is a strong Republi- can, but his business occupies his attention to the exclusion of party work.

In 1874 Mr. Hewitt married Miss Amanda Hillison, daughter of George_Hillison, of Prince Edward Island, and member of an old English family. Nine children have blessed this union: Elizabeth (wife of Sterling R. Hamilton, of Bridgeport ), Florence (deceased). George, William, Frederick, Gertrude, Beulah (de- ceased), Spurgeon and Mildred. The family is held in high esteem in social life, and Mr. Hewitt is a member of the I. O. O. F., having united with the order in New Brunswick.

A BRAM CURTIS LEWIS. This venerable and highly-esteemed citizen of Stratford is a representative of an old and honored family of that locality, and is descended from Benjamin Lewis (supposed to be seventh son of Edmund Lewis, and to have been born at Wallingford, Conn.), who came from Wallingford. Conn., in 1676 to make his home upon a farm in Stratford. This worthy pioneer married Hannah Curtis, daughter of Serg. John Curtis, and had eleven children: John, Mary, James, Edmund, Mary, Joseph, Martha, Hannah, Benjamin, Joseph Jones and Eunice.

II. Capt. James Lewis, our subject's great- great-grandfather. was born in 1679 and died 1766, married Hannah Judson, daughter of James Judson, and had six children : John, Mary, James, David, Abigail and Ephraim. He was a promi- nent citizen of Stratford in his day. being especi- ally active in military affairs, and the following

is a copy of a document which is cherished by his descendants:

Gurdon Saltonstall, Esq., Governor and Commander- in-Chief of His Majestie's Colony of Connecticut, in New England. To James Lewiss, Gent., Greeting :-

You, being by the General Assembly of this Colony, ac- cepted to be Captain of the Second Company or Trainband in the Town of Stratford, Reposing special Trust and Con- fidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, I do by Virtue of the Letters Patents from the Crown of England to this Corporation, me thereunto Enabling, Appoint and Im- power you to take the said Trainband into your Care and Charge, as their Captain, Carefully and Diligently to dis. charge that Trust, Exercising your inferior Officers and Sol- diers in the use of their Arms and Commanding them to obey you as their Captain for his Majestie's Service.

And you are to observe all such Orders and Directions as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from Me or from other your Superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby Re- posed in you.

Given under my hand and the Seal of this Colony, in New Haven, the 26th. Day of October. In the fourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign, Lord George, King of Great Britain, &c., Annoque Domini, 1717.

(Signed) G. SALTONSTALL.

III. John Lewis, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in 1703. He married Sarah Sherman, daughter of Nathaniel Sherman. and a relative of General Sherman, and of Hon. John Sherman. the famous statesman. They had eight children: Nathan, Nathaniel Sherman. Amy, Sarah, John (1), Judson, John (2), and Stephen.

IV. Stephen Lewis, our subject's grand- father, married Jerusha Curtis, daughter of Stephen Curtis, and had the following children: Chary, who married Joseph Shelton, a farmer in the town of Huntington; Caty, who married Elisha Mills, a merchant in Huntington; Anne, and Betty, deceased, who never married; Abram J C., our subject's father; and Stephen, who is a farmer in Stratford, and is married to Hannah Wheeler. The father of this family was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary war.

V. Abram C. Lewis, our subject's father. was born December 6, 1777, and became a farmer in Stratford, where his death occurred December 9, 1845. His wife, Julianna Judson. wilo died May 16, 1849, was a daughter of Capt. Stiles Judson, of Stratford. They had twelve children: Sidney J., born in 1807, who followed farming in Stratford; Stephen, 1809, who set- | tled in Elmira, N. Y., where he followed the carpenter's trade; Catherine, 1811, who married Hamilton Burton, of Stratford; Julianna, 1813. wife of William Beach, of Trumbull; Angeline. 1815, who died in childhood; George, 1816, who became a carriage trimmer by trade, and died in Bridgeport; Ellen M., 1819, wife of Samuel Hubbell, of Elmira, N. Y .; Abram C., our sub- ject; Jane, born in 1823, who married William Curtis, a farmer; Rebecca, 1825, who died un-

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Samuel C. Lowers.

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married; and Edwin and Edward (twins), born in 1827, the former of whom died in childhood, and the latter went to California, where he fol- lowed the carriage trimmer's trade until his death.

in different parts of the country has given him a wide acquaintance, and on the organization of the National Association of credit men at Toledo, Ohio, in June, 1896, he took a leading part and became a member of the Executive Committee. At present he is vice-president for Connecticut in that association.

VI. Abram C. Lewis, our subject. was born May 29. 1821, at the old homestead in Stratford. where he grew to manhood, gaining a thorough knowledge of agricultural work by assisting in Mr. Mallory was born in Danbury. Conn., March 31, 1856, a son of Ezra A. and Hannah (Mallory). His family is of English origin, the head of this branch having come to America with a brother, during Colonial times, to settle at Redding, Conn., the brother locating in one the labors of the farm. For many years he has been successfully engaged in general farming. his estate comprising eighty acres of excellent land; but of late he has turned the active work of the place over to younger hands. At one time 1 he dealt extensively in Jersey cattle, and he is a | of the Southern colonies. Samuel Mallory, our member of the American Jersey Cattle . Club. | subject s great-grandfather, married Hannah Hull. Their son, Ezra, the grandfather of our subject, was born at Redding in 1785, and in early manhood engaged in business as a cattle dealer and drover, but later established a hat factory at Great Plain, Conn. He died in 1845, and his wife, Eliza (Andrews), a daughter of Eden and Deborah (Knapp) Andrews, died in 1 1876. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, and he has always been ready to "lend a hand" to any worthy movement in his community, contributing of his means to the work of the Congregational Church and other organizations. On October 22, 1850, he married Miss Maria Curtis, daugh- ter of Samuel Curtis, of Huntington, and a mem- ber of a well-known family. She died April. 1891. sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends. Of their four children, the first two. '

Ezra A. Mallory, our subject's father, was born June 4, 1820, at Great Plain, and from the age Jane and Harriet (1), died in infancy. Harriet | of thirteen has been almost continuously con- (2), born in 1853. married Dr. Benjamin F. Bronson, of Bridgeport. Samuel L .. born Sep- tember 7. 1855. now resides at the homestead with his father. nected with the business of hat manufacturing. The present factory is one of the largest in the city of Danbury, and even in dull times they em- ploy about three hundred hands. the manage- ment of the enterprise showing the shrewdness and business acumen of its founder. In 1843 Mr. Mallory married Miss Hannah Mallory. daughter of William and Mary (Judd) Mallory. of Wilton. Conn., and four sons and one daughter were born of the union, three dying in infancy, the two sons still living being Charles A. and William E., who now compose the present firm, their father, Ezra A., having retired from active business in 1896.

VII. Samuel C. Lewis is a substantial and public-spirited citizen, and quite prominent in various ways. He has held various town offices: Has served as first selectman two years, and since the expiration of his terin as such, he has for the past eight years been auditor of township accounts. He was, practically. the organizer and first master of the local Grange, and for the past six years had been an ofncer of the State Grange. Socially, he is prominent in the ranks of the I. O. O. F., a member of the Orinoko Lodge No. 90, of Stratford, and has filled almost every chair in the lodge; has also served as dis- trict deputy grand master. He is president of the Cupheag Social Club, of Stratford. On No- vember 5, 1881, Mr. Lewis married Miss Jennie Smith, daughter of Elbert Smith, of Stratford. and two children have been born to this union: Pauline and Florence Margery. Mr. Lewis cares for the home farm, which is one of the best in the township.

William E. Mallory was educated in the pub- lic schools of Danbury and at Weston Military Institute, at Weston, Conn .. where he was grad- uated in 1874. On returning home he began to work at the printer's trade in the office of the Danbury News, and after a year there he estab- lished a printing office of his own at Bethel. The paper, which he named the Bethel Press, was the second started in that town, the first being the Herald of Freedom, published by the great showman, P. T. Barnum. In 1877 Mr. Mallory bought out The Dauburian, and re- moved his office to Danbury and for about six months conducted The Danburian in connec- tion with the Bethel Press. He then went to Arlington, N. J., and became identified with

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 114

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