Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 151

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

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In 1875 Mr. O'Brien's first wife passed to the unseen world, and later he married Mrs. Rosa (McDermott) Foran, widow of Michael Foran. He has had ten children, all by his first marriage, but none are now living except the following: Catherine, who married John G. Merritt, of Greenwich; Ellen, wife of Thomas Johnson, of Greenwich; and Margaret, who married Thomas Driscoll, of Massachusetts. The family is identi- fied with the Catholic Church, at Greenwich, Mr. O'Brien and his wife both being active members.

A BRAHAM SLATER, than whom there is no more highly respected citizen in Greenwich township, is an industrious, thrifty, successful farmer, who, through his own efforts. has reached the enviable degree of prosperity he now enjoys.

Mr. Slater is a native of New York State, born July 1, 1832, in Rye township, Westchester county, where his parents, Abraham and Hannab (Newman) Slater, carried on farming. Abraham was reared to farm life, in his earlier years re- ceiving. when he could be spared from work, such educational advantages as the neighboring schools afforded. At that day the public schools had none of the modern facilities for teaching "the young idea," and the instruction was far from complete even in the elementary branches; but he availed himself of the opportunities, such as they were, and finished his literary training with a brief attendance at a school in the county conducted by Professor Hollis, in Regent Street. When seventeen years old he left the farm for New York City, where he commenced his ap- prenticeship at the carpenter's trade, receiving at first the meager wages of $35 per annum and his board in the family of Samuel Adams, his em- ployer; but he was fortunately able to make a little extra money by doing odd jobs, and man- aged to support himself until he became a full- fledged carpenter and able to command man's wages. He was economical and industrious, and after commencing work as a journeyman man- aged to save part of his earnings, which finally amounted to enough to start him in business on his own account. From that time his success was assured, and he worked steadily on, buying lots, building on them and selling, and by hon- orable dealing and satisfactory work gaining the good will of employes, patrons and all with whom he came in contact. Mr. Slater continued to live in New York City until moving, in 1874, to Green- wich township, Fairfield Co., Conn., where be located on a farm in King Street, and took up agricultural pursuits. In 1880 he came thence

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ʹ to his present farm, which is located on the Post road, a short distance west of Greenwich village, and he carries on farming with the same results which attended his work at his trade. Mr. Sla- ter's parents were well-to-do people, but they nevertheless provided no capital for him to start out in life with, so that whatever means or pros- perity he can now lay claim to have been won by his own perseverance, frugality and industry. During his long residence in Greenwich he has gained the respect and friendship of all who know him, and is regarded as a man whom any com- munity would be proud to claim.

In June, 1868. Mr. Slater was united in mar- . riage, in his native township, with Miss Eva Schmaling, who was born there March 11, 1845, - daughter of John B. and Mary J. (Hopp) Schmal- .. ing, whose farm was opposite his parents', and was reared and educated in Rye township. Five children have blessed this union, namely : Han- nah M., who died at the age of three years; William N., who is engaged in the lumber busi- ness in Harrison township, Westchester Co., N. . Y .; Mary G. and Abraham H., who live at home; and John H., who died when two years old. . The family are regular attendants at the Port Chester Baptist Church, of which Mr. and Mrs. Slater are both prominent members; he has been especially active in Church affairs, and has served as trustee, deacon and treasurer. Politically, Mr. Slater is a Democrat in sentiment, support- ing his party stanchly in State and National issues, but in local affairs he votes as his con- science dictates.

S STEPHEN P. HUBBARD is best known in Greenwich township, Fairfield county. as the owner and occupant of the ". Josephus Palmer farm." His mercantile interests are in New York City, where he is a member of the firm of S. P. Hubbard & Son. He is descended on both paternal and maternal sides from families old and well known in this part of the county. being a son of Abraham Hubbard and a grandson of Henry Hubbard.

Our subject was born October 7, 1836, on the farm which was also the birthplace of his fa- ther and grandfather, the date of the latter's birth being February 13, 1750. Abraham Hub- bard, the father, first saw the light February 1, 1800, and carried on agricultural pursuits on the Hubbard homestead during the earlier years of his life. In 1854 he removed with his family to New York City, where he embarked in the feed business, carrying it on in different locations for a number of years. He died in 1885, at the age

of eighty-five years and twenty-nine days. For his first wife Abraham Hubbard married Amy Palmer. who was born on the farm which is now the home of Stephen P. Hubbard, daughter of Nathaniel and Rachel (Marshall) Palmer, and she passed away in 1838, leaving two children: Ellen F., who is the wife of Henry Reed and lives in New York City; and Stephen P. The second wife, Mrs. Lydia (Lyons) Hubbard, died in 1877.

Stephen P. Hubbard spent his early life in the usual manner of farmer boys, receiving a good practical education in the common schools, and when a young man removed with the family to New York City. Here he commenced clerking for his uncle, Stephen Palmer, in the grocery busi- ness and in the grocery and feed business, finally embarking on his own account in the line in which he has since continued-the manufacture of fur- niture polish. He has built up an extensive trade in this branch of industry, and the firm of S. P. Hubbard & Son, No. 550 Third avenue, New York City, do a prosperous and profitable business. In May, 1895. Mr. Hubbard returned to Greenwich to reside, having inherited the farm from his uncle, Josephus Palmer, and he engages in agriculture to some extent, at the same time continuing to devote a large share of his attention to his manufacturing interests in New York. His industrious application to work and business, however, have not impaired his health in any way, and he is unusually well pre- served and active for one of his years, "Father Time " having apparently dealt very lightly with him.

In May, 1867, in New York City, Mr. Hub- bard wedded Margaret A. McFall, who was born in that city, daughter of Henry McFall. Their union was blessed with one child, Albert S., now a resident of Belleville, N. J. He is an electrical and mechanical engineer by occupation, and has the reputation of being more than ordinarily skillful in his line; he is a member of the Amer- ican Institute of Electrical Engineers, of New York. Stephen P. Hubbard is a Democrat in his political sympathies, but he takes no active part whatever in political-affairs.

A LONZO D. DAVIS, the prominent man- ufacturer of ale and porter, Bridgeport, comes of a long line of ancestors who followed the sea as an occupation. He was born in Suf- folk county, N. Y, July 9, 1839, a son of William and Ann (Smith) Davis.

James Davis, the grandfather of our subject, was probably a native of Dutchess county, N.

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Y., where he followed farming in his later life. He had been a sailor in his earlier days, was a shipowner, and was familiarly known as "Cap- tain Davis." He married, and reared a large family, among whom were five boys who became seafaring men.

William Davis, the father of Alonzo Davis, was born in Verbank. Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1808. He passed his boyhood days in his native home, attended the public schools, and then the adventurous blood, the heritage of a long line of hardy seafaring ancestry, was made manifest by his determination to go to sea, which he accord- ingly did. He became quite a wealthy ship- owner, owning at one time five vessels running from New York to the Carolinas. He was noted for his great physical strength. For his help- meet in life he wedded Miss Ann Smith, a daugh- ter of Capt. James Smith, of Greenport, Long Island. After his marriage be settled in Suffolk county, N. Y .. where their family of five sons and one daughter were born, to wit: Charles E., who became a sailor, and was drowned at sea; George M., who is a United States coast pilot, and lives at Camden. N. J .; William S., a carpenter, now deceased; Alonzo D., our subject; Lewis W., who is the captain of an Atlantic sail ship running between the United States and Eu- rope (all Channel ports); and Caroline, who mar- ried Daniel L. Robbins, of Bridgeport. The fa- ther of this family died in 1878; the mother had long preceded him, having passed away in May, 1848. In politics he was a stanch adherent of the principles promulgated by the Republican party; in religious faith he and his wife were act- ive workers and loyal supporters of the Presby- terian Church.

Alonzo D. Davis, whose name opens this sketch, spent the first twelve years of his life in Suffolk county, N. Y., and attended the public schools, which in those days furnished a practical but limited education. At the close of his school life he, like his father before him, chose the sea as a profession, and entered upon his career on a vessel bound for New Orleans. From there he went to Cuba, thence to Marseilles, France, where he happened to be at the time of the Crimean war. During the Civil war in this country he was second mate of a steam vessel running south. In 1867 he abandoned the sea, and in the following year came to Bridgeport, becoming a carpenter and builder. In this he has been very successful, and the " Hurd House" stands as a monument to his work. He also built the Bridgeport elevators and many refrig- erators. He continued at this work until 1895, when he opened his present place for the manu-

facture of ale and porter. In 1861 he married Miss Ann E. L'Homme Dieu, a lady of French descent and a daughter of Ira L'Homme Dien, of Suffolk county, N. Y. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis, of whom the following is the record: William I. operates a cider distillery at Long Hill, this county; Lewis W. is in the brewery at Bridgeport; Charles E. is also in his father's brewery; Grace E. is at home, and Jessie A. is in Brooklyn, New York.

Surrounded by his interesting family, Mr. Davis finds his true comfort and happiness in his home. In his political relations he is an Inde- pendent, voting for the men and measures he thinks best calculated to increase the prosperity of the community, and he has no desire for the honors and emoluments of public office. He is very public spirited, always contributes freely to all worthy matters, and is highly esteemed for his conscientious performance of duty.

W ILLIAM HICKEY, a well-to-do resident of Bridgeport, like many of the enter- prising, self-made citizens of the county, is of Irish blood, the home of his ancestors having been in County Carlow, Ireland. Patrick Hickey, our subject's father, was born and reared in Coun- ty Carlow, and during some years of his early manhood he was employed as a laborer there. In 1852 he came to America, locating in Milford, Conn., where his death occurred March 11, 1864. In politics he was a Democrat, and be and his wife were devout members of the Catho- lic Church. He was married in Ireland to Miss Elizabeth Bahane, a native of County Carlow, who survived him many years, passing away in 1880. Of their eleven children only three are now living: William, our subject; Martin, a partner in our subject's business; and John, ? resident of San Francisco, California.

Mr. Hickey, our subject, was born Septem- ber 26, 1847, at the old home in County Car- low, Ireland, and was about four years old when his parents removed to Milford. In 1864, at the age of seventeen, he removed to Bridgeport; where he was employed for some time in the fac- tory of the Wheeler & Wilson Machine Com- pany. In 1869 he engaged in business in East Bridgeport as a dealer in groceries and liquors, but after continuing it alone for more than twen- ty years he disposed of it in 1890, and in the fall of that year he opened his present saloon, corner of Water street and Fairfield avenue, Bridgeport, in partnership with his brother. He has always taken an interest in political questions, and he is an active worker in the local Democratic organi-

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zation, having been chairman of the Democratic committee of the Sixth ward, Bridgeport, for many years. For eight years he served as a member of the town board of charities, but he recently re- signed. Socially, he is identified with several orders, including the Knights of Columbus, and

. the Foresters of America.

In October. 1886, Mr. Hickey married Miss Mary Brannigan, a native of Bridgeport.

E DWIN G. TURNER, one of the leading Re- publicans of the town of Brookfield, was born at Jamestown, N. Y., January 6, 1846, a son of George J. and Jane (Coe) Turner. .

The father of the subject of this sketch was born at Laona, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., where he . . passed his school days, later going to Jamestown where he learned blacksmithing. He made rapid progress at his trade, and soon became one of the experts in that locality, having charge of six fires, finally becoming a wagon and carriage maker. He married Jane Coe, of Union City, Penn., a daughter of Samuel and Sally Coe, and died in 1884, followed six years later by his

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. wife. In politics George J. Turner affiliated with the Whigs, and later, on the organization of the Republican party, voted that ticket. He was a man of very decided views, and it was a difficult matter to produce any effect on his ideas by way of argument. In his religious views he adhered to the faith of the Adventists.

Edwin G. Turner, the only offspring of the above mentioned union, passed his early days at his home in Jamestown, N. Y., and then attend- ed school. On leaving school he, too, learned the blacksmith's trade, serving an apprenticeship under his father. In 1874 he secured employ- ment in the shop of Dick Marill, on Orchard street, Danbury, where he remained for one year. He then moved to Brookfield, Conn .. where for eight years he was in the employ of John Barlow, when he went into business for himself.

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At Busti, N. Y., Mr. Turner was married to Miss Jennie Sherman, who died in 1871, leaving one child, John, now at Jamestown, N. Y. For his second wife Mr. Turner wedded Miss Ellen Sweeney, and by her has become the father of two children: A. Susie and Andrew J., both at home. His social relations are with St. Peters Lodge, F. & A. M., and Fountain Chapter, both at New Milford. Politically, he has played a prominent part in the organization and manage- ment of the Republican party, and has served his neighbors as constable. As an official he has proved himself faithful and conscientious in the performance of every duty, and won the admira-

tion of even his political opponents. In his re- ligious faith he adheres to the tenets of the Episcopal Church.

G NEORGE STRANGWARD. Among the most successful of the foreign-born citizens of Fairfield county is the subject of this biogra- phy, who is now a prominent resident of Noroton. He is descended from an old English family, the ancestral home of the Strangwards, at Shobden, having been owned and occupied by his people for several generations. His parents, Henry and Susan Price Strangward, were lifelong residents of England, and none of their children came to America except our subject, and a brother, William, who met a soldier's death during our Civil war.

Mr. Strangward, our subject, was born and reared in England, and at the age of twenty came to the United States. He remained in New York City for some time after his arrival, but in 1869 he settled at Noroton, Conn., where he has since been engaged in business as a con- tractor. He also owns and cultivates a farm in that vicinity, and is regarded as one of the sub- stantial business men of the locality. In 1876 he married Miss Mary A. Snape, a native of Eng- land, by whom he has had three children: Phoebe Grace, Mary Ward and William George. The family is prominent socially, and Mr. Strangward and his wife are both active members of the Episcopal Church. He takes much inter- est in the political issues of the day, and is a firm believer in the principles and policy of the Republican party.

C WHARLES F. JUDSON, of Stratford, has been in the employ of the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company for more than a quarter of a century, and for a number of years has held responsible positions of foreman, having the over- sight of their extensive plant at Bridgeport. This long term of service is in itself a convincing evi- dence of personal worth and integrity, but as a citizen Mr. Judson has been no less worthy of commendation, his influence being always cast on the side of progress.

Mr. Judson was born January 12, 1846, in Stratford, where his father, Curtis Judson, and grandfather, Ephraim Judson, were lifelong resi- dents. He was educated in that town, attending the public schools, also a private institution and, later, the academy, and on leaving school he be- came a clerk in the drug store of L. W. Booth, of Bridgeport, with whom he remained eight

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years, being the chief prescription clerk for some time. He then spent one year in Chicago as clerk for Beers & Rockwell, druggists, and on his return to Stratford in 1871 he entered the em- ploy of the Wheeler & Wilson Company. He began in a subordinate position, but his ability and skill brought him speedy promotion until he attained his present post of foreman. He has been active in local affairs and in the Republican organization, and his interest in educational mat- ters has been shown by two years of service on the school committee. For eight years he has served as vestryman of Christ Episcopal Church at Stratford, in which he previously held the office of clerk for some time. Socially, he is connected with the Masonic Fraternity, being a member of St. John's Lodge No. 8, F. & A. M., at Strat- ford.

On December 23, 1869, Mr. Judson married Miss Annie Spall, a native of New York City, whose father, Capt. George S. Spall, came from London, England, in early manhood. Two sons were born of this marriage: John E., bookkeeper for the Bridgeport Copper Company, married to Miss Florence Curtis, daughter of E. O. Curtis; and Bernard S., employed as a brass caster by the Bridgeport Brass Company.

HEODOSIUS FOWLER SECOR, better known in business circles as T. F. Secor. Among the men whose active lives have been spent in wider fields, and to. whom the advan- tages of Greenwich as a residence place have suc- cessfully appealed, when the tide of success had warranted and approved a measure of rest and enjoyment, must be enrolled the name of T. F. Secor. He is a self-made man, and the field of his material and masterful achievement has been one which is now commanding the supreme at- tention of the nation-the construction of a pow- erful merchant marine. In the years before the Civil war, when American commerce flourished to a degree that has never since been reached, and when opportunity abounded for men of me- chanical genius and daring. Mr. Secor rose from the bottom of the ladder of influence to the man- agement of an extensive marine engineering plant, conspicuously famed for the merit and worth of its products. He was associated in business with Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose start in founding a princely fortune was gained along these same lines of vessel construc- tion and operation.

Mr. Secor is a native of East Chester town- ship, Westchester Co., N. Y., a descendant of one of the early French Huguenot families who

became the pioneer and almost exclusive settlers of New Rochelle, N. Y. Two brothers of this name came with their countrymen to New Ro- chelle in 1666. One of them subsequently re- moved to Boston, Mass. The other founded, at New Rochelle, a family of which our subject is now a worthy representative. The latter is the son of Oliver and Jane (Pease) Secor. The fa- ther was by trade a carpenter and millwright, but also followed the vocation, common in his day. of farming. He removed to New York City when our subject was a mere lad, and there the boy attained a fair school education. He was one of a large family of children, and now the sole survivor. The parents were of limited means, and early in his " teens" our subject be- gan to earn his own livelihood. He clerked for a time at small wages in a grocery store, and at the age of sixteen began the trade of machinist in making steam engines. Five years he spent in the shops of James P. Allaire on Cherry street, near East river, New York City, as apprentice and afterward as journeyman mechanic. He was naturally gifted along mechanical lines, and had good opportunity for the development of his tal- ent, for the James P. Allaire plant was the then pioneer manufactory of its kind in the United States, and became one of the most famous. It manufactured many of the parts used in the con- struction of Robert Fulton's first steamboat, the " Clermont."

Mr. Secor showed such ability even while an apprentice that he was given the supervision of important work in the shop, and the erection of the engines in the steamboats at the wharf. Soon after he was of age he was sent to superin- tend the erection of engines in Mobile, Ala., Charleston, S. C., Savannah, Ga., and also to the Island of Cuba with engines and machinery for large sugar estates. This gave him a large and varied experience and an acquaintance with owners, captains and engineers of steamboats, and with planters and manufacturers which be turned to good advantage when, in September. 1836, he started a small shop on his own account in Washington street, near Morris street, New York City. The first work done by him was re- pairs to the steamboat "Water Witch " and steamboat "Cinderella," both owned by Com- modore Vanderbilt, who afterward became so celebrated. From this time he did all the work of building new engines and the re- pairs to all the vessels built by Commodore Vanderbilt until he retired from steamships to embark in railroads. For two years he success- fully conducted the small shop, and then, in 1838, formed a partnership with Charles Morgan (who

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in his day was one of the largest steamship own- ers in the United States), and William H. Calk- ins, under the firm name of T. F. Secor & Co .. and erected large shops at the foot of Ninth street, East River, New York. Among the first engines the firm built were those for the ocean steamer .. Savannah" for the Charleston trade. and steamboats, the .. Troy " and the " Empire." of the Troy line, the " Hendrick Hudson. " of the Albany line, the "Columbia," of the Hudson line, and the " Thomas Powell" of the Newburgh line. These were all crack boats in their day develop- ing great speed. and it is a fact worthy of notice. that even at the present time but few faster boats have been built. They prosecuted the business with such success, that in 1846, finding the factory too small. the entire block bounded by Ninth and Tenth streets, Avenue D and East River, was purchased, also a half block on the south side of Ninth street from Avenue D to East River. The hrm employed a large force of men, and among the many engines built, were those for the steamboat .. C. Vanderbilt." now a towboat on the North river. the steamboat "New World." steamship " United States' (the first steamber built in this country to cross the Atlantic ocean since the .. Savannah." which crossed in 1819), and the steamships . Crescent City " and " Empire City," also the United States mail steamships " Georgia " and "Ohio." The latter plied between New York and Isthmus of Panama points, during the early days of the rush to the California gold fields, frequently carrying three thousand passengers per trip.

In 1850 Mr. Secor retired from the firm of T. F. Secor & Co., and immediately, in connection with Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, bought the " Allaire Works," a corporation each having an equal amount of the capital stock, and continued the building of steam engines more extensively than before. Mr. Secor was now at the head of the large concern, which he had years before en- tered as a poor apprentice. They built all the engines for Vanderbilt's vessels as well as for the steamers " Baltic." "Pacific," "Illinois," " Panama," "Isaac Newton." "Bay State," "Empire City," the "Drew" (built in 1866 for the Peoples line and still in the North river trade), and many others. In 1853 they built the great Cornish engines for the Cleveland (Ohio) Water Works, and which machines are yet doing the best of work after forty-five years' service; its career is without an equal in America. They also built the engine for the New Orleans Water Works. Many engines were also built for the Government. . A propeller engine was built for the iron-clad .. Puritan," and had two engines,

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 151

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