Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 161

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

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut > Part 161

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1858, in Pawling, Dutchess Co., N. Y., married Nelson T. Hungerford, of Sherman, this county; they have one child, Elsie.

Mrs. Lucy A. (Hurd) Durgy was born April 4, 1815, daughter of Charles D. and Abigail Hurd, prosperous farming people of the town c: Sherman. There were seven children: William. who married Laura -; George, who did not marry; Lucy A. (Mrs. Durgy); Minerva, wife of Daniel Wanzer; Clara, wife of Albert Osborn: Ophelia, wife of Henry Burroughs; and Abigail. who did not marry.

Our subject was born August 11, 1854, in the town of Pawling, Duchess Co., N. Y., and dur- ing his youth he attended school at various places, finishing his education at a private school in New Milford, Conn. On completing his studies he engaged in farming which he has ever since fol- lowed in connection with the cattle business, meeting with notable success in both occupations. and his extensive farm shows the results of good management. In politics he is a Republican, and he has always been influential as a worker in local affairs, serving on the board of relief, besides holding other offices; for some time he held the position of assessor in his town. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church a: Sherman. On December 15. 1886, Mr. Durgy was married to Miss Mary Treadwell Wanzer. by whom he has had three children: Dwight Wan- zer, born May 13, 1888; Carolin T., born Jano- ary 13, 1890; and Alice E,, born November 21. 1891.

Mrs. G. W. Durgy was born June 23, 1839 in New Milford, Conn., where she received her education. Her father, Charles H. Wanzer. was one who could appreciate the advantages of intellectual training, and gave his children as good opportunities as lay in his power. He was born in New Milford, March 31, 1834. a son of William Wanzer, and began his education in the common schools of his native town. later attend- ing a private school where he received excellen: instruction. For some time he taught success. fully, and he also did considerable work as a surveyor, but his energies were chiefly devoted to farming at New Milford, as he owned real es- tate in that vicinity. In religious faith he was a Quaker, as were his ancestors before him. He died March 20, 1871, at the age of thirty-sur years, and his wife, whose maiden name was Caroline E. Treadwell, died September 14, 186 ;. aged twenty-nine years. Mrs. Durgy was the eldest of five children, of whom three are Dow living: (2) William D., born September 14. 1860, at New Milford, attended school there for a time, and completed his studies at the Friends

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Boarding School, at Providence, R. I. He is now engaged in farming and tobacco growing in New Milford, where he is a respected citizen. He married Miss Adelle H. McMahon, of New Milford; they have no children. (3) Charles E., born November 18, 1862. died September 3. 1863. (4) Alice C., born April 3, 1866, in New Milford, was educated there in a private school. and is now a successful teacher. (5) Elizabeth. born August 22, 1867, died December 15, same vear.

Mrs. Durgy is descended through her pater- nal grandmother, Hannah Ferris, from Zachariah Ferriss, who was one of the first twelve settlers of the town of New Milford in 1708. He was a very efficient business man, was placed on com- mittees of importance, served in many official ca- pacities, and surveyed more land apparently than any other man in the town during the first one hundred years. He was town treasurer a num- ber of years when taxes were paid in various kinds of grains, which were stored and sometimes accumulated on hand from year to year. He might have been styled. or would be at the pres- ent day, president of the Bank of Town Deposits. He married Sarah Read. Their son, Joseph Ferriss, married Hannah Welch. Their son, Zachariah Ferriss, married Phoebe Gaylord. Their son, Zachariah (2). married Hannah Marsh. Their danghter, Hannah. became the wife of William Wanzer, grandfather of Mrs. G. W. Durgy. William Wanzer was a surveyor by oc- cupation. He was an Abolitionist, and his home was one of the " stations " of the "underground railway " of those days. The homestead of the late Diamon Durgy, now occupied by George W. Durgy, his son, is the old home place of the first Wanzer. His name was Abraham. The place passed from father to son for four genera- tions, after which it was owned by Jarvis Wan- zer, from him going to his sister's son, Diamon Durgy. the children of George W. Durgy making the seventh generation of Wanzers and their de- scendants that have lived there.

A brief mention of the Treadwell family will be of interest in this connection. Mrs. Caroline E. Wanzer was born November 15, 1837, a daughter of David and Almira (Briggs) Tread- well. of Sherman, who also had two sons, Ed- ward and Stephen, the latter born in November, 1839. Almira Briggs was one of eight children: Willis, who married Jane Sherwood; Daniel, who died at the age of thirty-six, unmarried; Mary, wife of Northrop Mallory; Sarah A., wife of Marshall Treadwell; Stephen, who married Nancy Stuart; Almira, who married David Tread- well; Caroline, who did not marry; and Charles,

who married Jeannette Marsh. David Tread- well was a descendant of Edward Treadwell, tracing his lineage through Benjamin, David and Jabez Treadwell.

A LBERT C. INNIS, a leading horticulturist, dairyman and market gardener of the town of Stratford, is a man whose ability and worth are seen in both private and public life. Although comparatively a new comer in this section, he has already won recognition as a public-spirited citizen, and he is now serving his second term as a selectman for his town.

Mr. Innis was born May 7, 1853. at Rosendale, Fond du Lac Co., Wis., and is descended from an old family of Orange county, N. Y., his ances- tors having settled there at an early day. The original ancestor, James Innis, a native of Scot- land. was brought to America in 1737 by his mother and sisters, who located in Little Britain, Orange county, N. Y. He married Miss Sybil Ross, of Morristown, N. J., and they became resi- dents of Newburg. Orange county, in 1780. Ten children were born to them: James, Jane, Keziah, Mrs. Lydia Hanmore, Peter, Benjamin, Elsie, Aaron, Sarah and William.

William Innis, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Orange county, N. Y .. and passed his life there in agricultural pursuits. William T. Innis, our subject's father, was also a native of Orange county, where he spent his youth upon the old farm. He married Miss Catherine Jessup, of the same county, a daughter of Silas and Mary Ann Jessup, and soon afterward (in 1849) re- moved to Wisconsin, then a frontier region. He settled upon a tract of land which he cleared and cultivated as a homestead, passing through all the hardships of pioneer life, but some years ago he retired, and he and his wife are now residing in Ripon, Wis. They are devout members of the Congregational Church, and Mr. Innis has always been prominent in public affairs, wherever he has made his home. He was one of the earliest champions of the Free Soil movement in Wiscon- sin, and helped to organize the Republican party in his section, while he was very active in raising troops during the Civil war. He and his wife had three children, viz. : Albert C., our subject; Florine, who married Fred Scofield, then a farm- er. now a resident of Austin, Minn. ; and Ida, wife of Harry Higbee, a farmer in Wisconsin.

Albert C. Innis spent his youth in Wisconsin, his education being secured in the schools near his home and in the college at Ripon. On leav- ing the latter institution he assisted in the work of the homestead for two or three years, but at

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the age of twenty-one he went to Orange county, N. Y., where he remained about two years. On February 10, 1876, he married Miss Lydia Bax- ter, a native of that county and a daughter of Wellington and Rachel Baxter, highly esteemed residents of that section. Mr. Innis and his bride went to Wisconsin to make their home upon a farm, but after one year they returned to Orange county, where he taught school two years. The next two years he spent in Wisconsin; then, in 1881, removed to New York City and engaged in the express business, in which he continued five years. He then became interested in mercantile business, after six years retiring, and in April, 1893, he located at Stratford, purchasing his present homestead. This comprises about forty acres of land, which he devotes to fruit raising, making a specialty of berries and peaches. In addition to this line of work he has been building up a dairy business, in which he is meeting with

success. He also represents the Bowker's Fer- tilizing Company and the D. M. Osborne Machine Company, finding a profitable market for their wares. Like his father. he is a stanch Repub- lican, and soon after his arrival in Stratford he was elected to the office of constable, which he still holds. In 1896 he was elected as second selectman, and in 1897 he was again chosen to that position. Socially, he is identified with the Grange, the Order of American Mechanics, and the I. O. O. F., Oronoque Lodge No. 90, at Stratford, while he is also an active member of the Mutual Hook and Ladder Hose Company, of Stratford. He and his family are members of the Baptist Church at Bridgeport. Two attractive daughters brighten his home: Eva L., a graduate of the New York City High School and the New Haven Normal School, and now teaching in the public schools of Stratford; and Edna, a graduate of the Stratford High School.

JOHN HENRY JENNINGS, one of the lead- ing citizens and most influential men of Westport, Fairfield county, and among the most extensive farmers of the town, was born there August 5, 1840. Both his father and grandfather before him were natives of the same town, and farmers by occupation. Burr Jen- nings, the grandfather, married Mercy Morehouse, a native of Westport, and the children born to them are as follows: Matilda, Betsey, Eunice, Ellen, Marietta, Alethea, Burr (who was a farmer of Westport), and John Morehouse (re- ferred to farther on). . The father of this family died June 19. 1845, aged seventy-seven years, and the mother on February 9, 1842.

John Morehouse Jennings, the father of our subject, was born December 9, 1798, on his fa- ther's farm, and on reaching manhood married Miss Mary Osborn, born January 13, 1804, who died April 16, 1830. His second wife was Miss Anna B. Jennings, also a native of the town of Westport, born September 15, 1804. After their marriage they settled on the farm on which their son John H. now resides, and here reared their six children, namely: Mary, who married Nel- son Alvord; Jarvis, a farmer, who died in Vir- ginia; Susan, who married Henry Hull; Eliza, who married Austin Jennings; and Emily, wife of Ebenezer Beers. The father of these children died January 10, 1883, and the mother on Octo- ber 10, 1890. Both were good people, living lives of usefulness. They were identified with the Congregational Church, as are all their children.

John Henry Jennings was reared on the home farm, attending first the neighborhood schools. and as he became older he went for a time to the Green's Farms Academy, his school days ceasing when he was eighteen years of age. At twenty he assumed the management of the farm, and has ever since conducted it. By his indus- trious habits and perseverance, together with wise management, he has prospered. He is a man of business ability, and his good judgment and tact shown in the successful management of his own affairs have brought him into notice, and coupled his name with some of the leading enter- prises and financial institutions of the locality. He is a director in the Westport National Bank; is president of the Creamery Association; also president of the Green's Farms Farmers Club. for twelve years. In politics he is a Republican. has served his town as selectman, and filled most of the offices in the gift of his town. He is representing his town in the present session (1899) of the Connecticut House of Representa- tives at Hartford. He is a member of the Con- gregational Church, and for twenty years served as chairman of the Society's committee. He is a man of the strictest integrity and honor, and has had the settling up of many estates. He is the owner of a fine farm of some one hundred acres of well-improved land, and of a consider- able number of houses.

On November 20, 1867, Mr. Jennings was married to Mary C. Burr, a daughter of Eben Burr, a farmer of the town of Fairfield, and they have been blessed with children as follows: Oliver H., a farmer, married to Bertha S. Coley. of Wilton; Mary A., married to Albert E. Birks, of Bridgeport; and Anna B., unmarried, living at home.

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C ORNELIUS G. TAYLOR, one of the lead- ing dairymen of New Canaan, Fairfield county, was born December 1, 1856, at White Plains, Westchester Co., N. Y., and has lived in New Canaan since he was ten years old.

Sandusky Taylor, father of our subject. was also a native of Westchester county, born in the town of Pound Ridge, where his father, David Taylor, carried on blacksmithing. There he spent the period of his youth and early manhood, and for a number of years was engaged in boat- ing, afterward following railroading. in New Jer- sey. He married Oriantha Julier, a lady of French ancestry, and two children were born to them: Eva and Cornelius G. The daughter is the wife of Charles Tooker, and has five chil- dren-Sumner, Ella, William. Walter and Leon. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor passed away in 1864 and 1860, respectively.

Cornelius G. Taylor lived at Hoboken, N. J .. until he was ten years old, at which time he came to New Canaan, and here for several years he worked with Stephen Raymond on a farm, in the meantime attending the district school when- ever possible. At the age of eighteen years he went to New York City, where for two years he worked in a tin shop. finally return- ing to New Canaan. In 1877 he was married in that town to Nancy E. Tallmadge, daughter of William H. Tallmadge, and they have one child, Lorena T. Mr. Taylor has carried on the dairy business in New Canaan for a number of years, and has a prosperous and steadily grow- ing trade, and a regular demand for the output of his dairy, which he sells wholesale to parties in Stamford. He is recognized as one of the substantial, valuable men of the community in which he resides, and his fellow citizens have shown their appreciation of his worth by elect- ing him to various public offices, such as assess- or, selectman, member of the school board, etc., which he has filled to their satisfaction. He is a Democrat in political faith, and socially he is a member of the Grange at New Canaan, and Wooster Lodge No. 37, 1. O. O. F., of New Canaan.

W ILLIAM A. GILBERT, one of the young- er of the business men of the town of Ridgefield, and a member of the firm of Osborn & Gilbert, which is one of the substantial and prominent business concerns of the county, was born in what is now Brooklyn, New York, Janu- ary 17, 1853.

Mr. Gilbert is of the fifth generation of the family who have dwelt in Connecticut. Ebenezer

Gilbert, his great-great-grandfather, married Rebecca Dayton, and their children were: Heze- kiah, born October 14, 1735; Elisha, born May 4. 1738; Rebecca, born November 14, 1740; Isaac, born October 21, 1742; Abner, born Janu- ary 10, 1745, died March 1, 1820; Joel, born February 21, 1747; Ebenezer, born February 6. 1749; Samuel, born August 17, 1752; and David. The father of these died April 18, 1798, and the mother passed away in 1801.

William A. Gilbert is in line of descent from Abner Gilbert, who married Martha Baxter, she dying April 10. 1808. Their children were: Abner, born April 28, 1772, died September 9. 1778; Daton, born August 14, 1774, died August 31, 1778; Martha, born. December 7, 1776, died November 26, 1801; Abner (2), born November 15, 1780, died October 1, 1855; Huldah, born November 25, 1781; Daton (2), born September 19, 1783; and Harvey, born October 3, 1786, died June 14, 1837.

Abner Gilbert (2), the direct ancestor of William A. Gilbert, married Laura Baker, who was born January 11, 1787, and died February 3. 1844. Their children were: Patty, born July 4. 1806, died November 3. 1875; Abner (3), born February 24, 1808, died November 23, 1892; Joel Abbott, born March 22, 1811, died August 6, 1825; Sarah, born July 11, 1813, died May 5, 1.882; Laura Baker, born June 22, 1815, died October 25, 1893; Elizabeth Baxter, born May 31, 1818, died September 10, 1873; Richard Lee, born March 5, 1820, died December 18, 1889; Martha, born April 16, 1821, died November 1, 1825; Henry Augustus, born August 17, 1823, died March 11, 1886; John Adams, born Decem- ber 24, 1825; Rebecca Dayton, born January 10, 1829, died January 19, 1892; and Amos Baker, born January 9, 1831, died October 28, 1889. Abner Gilbert (2) was a man of prominence in the county, and one of the leading merchants and citizens in the community in which he lived. His business descended to other generations, and was carried on by them up to about 1859 or 1860. In 1812 he built the house now (1898) owned by George H. Newton. Prior to that he resided where Taylor Bates now lives. His wife was one of the leading women and a very active member of the M. E. Church of the locality in which she lived. She was a daughter of Dr. Amos Baker, the man who propagated and in- troduced what became known as the Baker apple. He was one of the leading practitioners of medi- cine in that section. He married Sarah Stebbins. who was born December 27, 1760, and died May 14. 1804. The Doctor died March 31, 1823. Their children were: Benjamin, born November

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15, 1780, died December 27, 1780; Sarah, born January 27, 1782, died February 2, 1809; Eliza- beth, born March 7, 1785. died February 19, 1844; Laura, born January 11, 1787, died Feb- ruary 3, 1844; and Amos, born December 6, 1789.

Abner Gilbert (3): the father of William A., on September 1, 1838, married Frances M. Lewis, daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Keeler) Lewis, and their children are: Lizzie, born July 9, 1839, died unmarried September 4, 1895; Abner (4), born September 3, 1841, died June 22, 1854; and William A., mentioned more fully farther on. The father of these went to Danbury in about 1838, and became engaged in the lumber busi- ness. He followed this line of business for some vears, then went to New York City and carried on a hat store. In 1859 or 1860 he moved to the town of Ridgefield, and was occupied in farming, residing, after one year, on the Dr. Amos Baker homestead. After moving to the Baker homestead he followed gardening for the markets. He was a man of good business ability, one of the substantial citizens of the community and commanded the esteem and respect of all. He was very systematic and methodical in all his business affairs. In his political views he was first a Whig, then a Republican; was identi- fied with the Methodist Church, and reared his children to follow in his footsteps. He read a good deal, and was a man of good information.

William A. Gilbert received a good English education, attending first the common schools of the town, and finishing in the High Ridge board- ing school-a school for boys taught by William O. Seymour. He closed his school days at about seventeen, but remained at home until about 1884. He then began clerking for Sey- mour & Barhite, with whom he remained em- ploved some eight years. In 1892 he went to the home place, where he remained until March 1, 1895; then became one of the firm of Osborn & Gilbert, successors to Isaac Osborn & Son, in the lumber business. Mr. Gilbert is a represent- ative business man of the town, intelligent, capable, and enterprising. He is identified with the M. E. Church. He has never married.

J TAMES E. HUBBELL, a leading merchant of Saugatuck, is a citizen whose character fully justifies the high esteem in which he is held in his community. In early manhood he demonstrated his patriotism and courage as a soldier in the Union army, serving with such gallantry as to win promotion from the ranks to the grade of captain, and throughout his life he

has shown in every position that he possesses the qualities of the true American.

Captain Hubbell was born May 2, 1842, Westport, this county, where his youth was mainly spent. His father, David S. Hubbell, a native of the town of Easton, this county, be- came a carpenter by occupation, and for mas; years resided in Westport, where his death or- curred in 1853. He was a man of intelligence, taking much interest in political issues of bis day, and while he was a Whig in early life, be afterward joined the Republican party. He mar- ried Miss Lura Gregory, of Norwalk, and had seven children, as follows: Lewis is engaged In the lumber business in Norwalk; John (deceased. was a carpenter in Westport; Nelson resides in Norwalk, where he follows the carpenter's trade: Sarah died unmarried; William is a tinsmith z Norwalk; James E., our subject, is mentioned more fully below; and Miss Rachel is a resider: of Middletown, Connecticut.

The Captain obtained a common-school ed- ucation during boyhood, and at the age of fifteen he became a clerk in A. L. Winton's gen- eral store in Saugatuck, Conn .. After spending four years there, he went to South Norwalk to take a similar position, and remained until he enlistment as a private in Company E, I;tt Conn. V. I. He was mustered into servite August 28, 1862, and soon afterward was promoted to the rank of first sergeant. passing later through the grades of second and first lieutenant to that of captain. Some severe fighting fell to his lot, and among the engagements in which he took part were the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Charleston. He received but one wound, al- though the saber hanging at his side was struck twice. In August, 1865, he was discharged troca the service, and in September of that year be bought out the store at Saugatuck which he has since conducted. For six months he was in pan- nership with A. L. Winton, and later was asso- | ciated for sixteen years with Rufus Wakeman. but since that he has had Frederick Bradley as a partner. Their business is extensive, a genera store being combined with a trade in coal, wood and mason's materials, and their judicious mas- agement promises to bring even greater reicro in the future. Mr. Hubbell is identified with other business enterprises. his sound judgment: being recognized among his associates, and he now serving as a director of the First Nationa. Bank at Westport, and trustee of the Savings Bank at Westport. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and for twenty-five years he bas held the office of postmaster at Saugatuck. !:

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present he is a member of the executive board of the Saugatuck High School, and all measures for the benefit of his town receive his hearty sympathy and co-operation. As might be sup- posed from his military record, he is active in the G. A. R., and he and his family are de- servedly popular in the best social circles of the neighborhood.

On May 16, 1866, Mr. Hubbell married Miss Amelia A. Taylor, daughter of E. W. Taylor, a well-known citizen of Westport, and their home is brightened by two children: Edward W. and Robert H.

G EORGE FRANKLIN COOK. It is a pleas- ure to record for posterity the personal his- tories of the honored veterans of the Civil war. and among those mentioned in this volume one cannot fail to note the large number of foreign- born citizens, who, like this well-known resident of Bridgeport, risked their lives freely in the cause of liberty.

Mr. Cook was born April 30, 1843, at Birm- ingham, England, and comes of thrifty, indus- trious stock. His grandfather. Richard Capton Cook, was a miller at Manchester, England, where he resided for many years, he and his wife Maria rearing a family of three children: Richard Capton (2), Thomas and Maria.

Richard Capton Cook (2). our subject's fa- ther, was born in 1817, at Manchester, England, and was married in England to Mary Anstey. In 1847 he came to America with his family and lo- cated in Bridgeport, where he engaged in busi- ness as a baker. His death occurred there, in 1855, from injuries received in a runaway acci- dent while driving his delivery wagon. His widow died in 1884. Of his six children, four were born in England, namely: Thomas W. (born Decem- ber 18, 1841), George F., John Henry, and Mary Ann; while two-Emma Jane and Matilda Eliza- beth-were born in Bridgeport.

Our subject was only four years old when he came to Bridgeport. His education was chiefly obtained in the public schools of that city, although he had attended a private school in Birmingham for a short time. At the age of twelve years he left school, and took up farming. In 1861, when eighteen years old. he enlisted as a private in Company 1. 9th Conn. V. I. . At the expiration of his term, in 1864, he re-enlisted in the same regiment, and served until discharged on August 3, 1865. He was assigned to special duty as wagon master, being the only one that his regiment ever had; but whenever his com- rades were called into active service he shoul-

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 161

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