Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 179

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

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Shrub Oak. three years: at the last natned place. Republican, and in religious faith he was an however, he engaged in the carriage business. Episcopalian. Mrs. Bailey was called to her His health failing at this more confining work. i long rest March 10, 1892, and on November 13. he again resumed his trade. later coming to ' 1893. Mr. Bailey. too, was translated to that Brookfield. For some time he worked for Fos- , sphere in which is found perfect peace.

ter Bros .. of Danbury. but in 1893 he opened the shop in Brookfield where he has since con- tinued.

Mr. Pinckney has been twice married, the hrst time, in Peekskill. to Miss Ella Walters. who died in February. 1885. For his second wife he chose Miss Estella Bailey, daughter of Reuben and Harnet E. (Peck) Bailey, of Brook- . field. To this union have come three interesting '

and attractive children: Lillian. Robert and . in a factory at Philadelphia. About the year Frances.

Mr. Pinckney is quite a musician, and for a number of years was leader of the 16th Battalion , pauk, in which capacity he remained some nine- Band at Peekskill, also of the band at Lake Ma- I teen years. After his marriage to Miss Mary A. hopac. He has been very successful as a teacher . Becroft, who was a native of England, they lived of both vocal and instrumental music, and in his | for some time near Philadelphia, where the eld- pleasant home, presided over by its gracious est of their five children was born, the birthplace mistress, there are many social gatherings where , of the others being at Winnipauk. A brief " music crowns the hour." In politics Mr. record of the family is as follows: Thomas is a Pinckney has cast his ballot ever in support of the ; hatter in Philadelphia; Alfred is our subject; Republican party, but. outside of his valuable | Charles died in Winnipauk, August 21, 1863; services as grand juror. has never sought office. Wilham is a butcher. also in Philadelphia; The entire family attend the divine service at St. ' Gladys married Arthur Hubbs, of Cold Springs, Paul's Episcopal Church.

| N. Y .. and died October 14. 1896. The parents

Reuben Bailey. the father of Mrs. Charles M. ) of this family passed away, the father on March Pinckney, is a native of the town of Southeast, | 5, 1879, and the mother on July 16, 1890. They were consistent members of the Congregational

Putnam county. N. Y., where he was born July 24. 1822. the second in the family of nine chil- I Church, and Mr. Avison held office in the Sons dren born to John and Sophia (Cowan) Bailey. i of Temperance Society; in politics he was a Re- the former of whom was born and reared in the | publican.

Alfred Avison, the subject proper of this re- and stone mason. The other eight children in ; view, received a liberal education at the public

same town, where he passed his life as a farmer this family were: Calistia. Anson Warren, schools of his native village, after which, his father having bought out a meat market there, Alfred conducted same for two years, doing a opened a business on Centre avenue, finally, in Maria. Jane. John. Asher, Sarah and Charley. | Reuben B. Bailey passed his boyhood days at his birthplace, but at the age of twenty-two years he , leading business. He was then in the employ of left the old home to seek his livelihood elsewhere, ; G. & S. H. Holmes, wholesale grocers, Norwalk, | some six years, at the end of which time, fall of 1883. he embarked in the butchering business for " his own account in Winnipauk, but at the close and accordingly came to Brookfield, Conn., where two years later he was united in marriage with Miss Harriet E. Peck. daughter of Michael and Polly Peck Nine children came to brighten i of a year he once more moved to Norwalk, and their home, of whom the following is the record: Emily Frances married Frank Pinckney, and had 1 September, 1889, coming to No. 158 Main nine children-Charies. William. Ida. Hattie. , street, having built his present commodious market and pleasant residence in that year. He has a really fine market, equipped with all mod- ern appliances and fixtures, including steam-heat for winter, a system of fans for summer, etc., and he is meeting with well-merited success.

Susie. George. Florence, John and Ada K. (2) Harriet. (3 John died in infancy. (4) Es. tella (Mrs. Charles M. Pinckney). (5) Reuben Starr. (6) George \' and (7) Georgiana both died in infancy. (8, Eli Henry (deceased). (9. Ada married Andrew Bradley. of New Milford, Conn. Mr. Bailey farmed for several years, and then engaged in comb making. In politics he was a

On July 19. 1882. Alfred Avison was married to Miss Ardella Daniels, who was born in New York State, a daughter of G. D. Daniels, a

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A LFRED AVISON. the well-known hustling marketman. of No. 158 Main street, Norwalk, is a native of Connecticut, born May 1, 1859. in Winnipauk, Fairfield county.

Thomas H. Avison, father of our subject, was born in England, emigrating to the United States when a young man, and for a time worked

1857 he came to Norwalk, and became foreman in Lounsbury & Bissell Company's factory at Winni-

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shoemaker by trade, and a member of one of the old families of Westchester county. Two | commissioner of the Electric Light Company of | South Norwalk. In politics he is a Democrat, I and he is now serving his second term as justice of the peace, his fellow-townsmen being fully satisfied with his able discharge of duty in that office.

children have blessed this union: George A., born May 6, 1885, and Lelia M., born Septem- ber 27, 1892. Mrs. Avison is a member of the Methodist Church, Mr. Avison of the Congre- gational. Socially, he is affiliated with the Royal Arcanum, and served as warden; is a member of the Norwalk Club. the Knob Out- ing Club, the Norwalk Fire Police Company, and the Norwalk Chess Club (of which latter he was elected treasurer in December, 1897, and re- elected in December, 1898). In October, 1898, he was elected councilman of the city of Nor- walk, polling the highest vote of anyone in the city except one man. Politically. he is a Repub- lican. Mr. Avison is one of the bright, young. progressive men of the county, and has secured his success simply by hard work, close applica- tion to business, at all times keeping the best of stock, and judiciously catering to the require- ments of his many customers.

C OL. LESLIE SMITH. This gallant soldier, whose record covers forty years of honora- able service in the United States army, is now a resident of South Norwalk, where he has chosen an ideally beautiful home in which to pass the | then transferred to the principal recruiting depot quiet afternoon of his life.

Situated upon a hill overlooking the city, the residence commands a most charming view, includ- ing as it does the wide-stretching waters of the Sound with the coast line of Long Island in the distance. Since locating at South Norwalk the Colonel has identified himself with the best in- terests of the community, and is regarded as a decided acquisition to the forces that tend to ad- vancement in educational, philanthropical and religious work, while in social life he and his ac- complished wife are recognized as leaders. They are members of the Episcopal Church, in which the Colonel has held the office of vestryman ever since his removal to the city, and for some years past he has been treasurer of the parish. He is also the treasurer of the village Improvement Society, and a director of the South Norwalk work, serving as cashier for four years. Among the social organizations in which he is enrolled. we may mention the New York branch of the Loyal Legion of the United States, army officers only being eligible to membership, and for some time he was an official in the Gentlemen's Club of South Norwalk. Although he is not desirous of prominence in the world of business, his sound judgment makes him a valued adviser in finan-

cial affairs, and at present he is treasurer and

Colonel Smith was born May 15, 1827, in County Antrim. Ireland, a son of Leslie and Fannie Harbison Smith, who were both natives of the Emerald Isle. In 1840 his parents went to Canada to settle upon a farm, and there they died during the Civil war in this country. There were five sons and five daughters, and of this family six are now living, our subject being the youngest but one. William is a farmer in Cana- da; Margaret (Mrs. Cameron) and Catherine (Mrs. McCann) married farmers in Canada, and are now widows; Fannie is the widow of a Mr. Conners, of Chicago; and Eliza married a Mr. Donahue, of lowa, who is living in retirement. The first thirteen years of our subject's life were spent in his native land, where he attended school for a time. In 1840 he crossed the Atlan- tic, and for nine years was employed as a clerk in various places in Canada. In 1849 he en- tered the United States army as a private, being enrolled at Philadelphia July 27 of that year. and at Governor's Island, New York Harbor. The following account is mainly taken from a work entitled "Records of Living Officers of the Unit- ed States Army," published before the Colonel's retirement from the service. In August, 1849. he was detailed as a clerk at that depot, and in September he received a promotion to the rank of corporal. In July, 1850, he was made chief clerk of the depot, and continued to perform the duties of that office until July, 1854, having been promoted in the meantime, in July, 1851, to the rank of sergeant. At the expiration of his term in July, 1854. he was discharged, but soon after- ward he was appointed paymaster's clerk by Ma- jor R. H. Chilton, paymaster in the United States army, and this position he held until 1861, most of the time being spent in Texas.

Library, for which he has done much active . active service in the army, and on the following

On April 29, 1861, he resigned to enter upon | day he was commissioned as second lieutenant I of the First Regiment United States Infantry. He reported for duty May 10, 1861, at Washing- I ton, and was assigned to service in the commis- sary department, his work being the receiving I and issuing of subsistence stores to the large bod- ies of soldiers concentrated at the capital. This position he filled until October, 1863, accounting in that time for more than twenty-one million

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dollars worth of goods, and his books were closed engineering force which was sent out to survey six months later without one error-not even ' the Cheyenne river. The regiment was next one cent being lost to the United States under . ordered to service in Texas, and on May 13. his management. He was appointed first heu- 1880, our subject left Fort Mead with his four companies, which he returned to the regimental commander at Fort Randall, Dakota, on May 22. 1880. On May 21, 1880. he was promoted to the post of major of the Second United States Infantry, and granted four months' leave of absence. However, he remained in command of four companies of the First Infan.ry during the ' trip from Fort Randall to Yankton, Dakota, and . remained with the regiment until its arrival at St Joseph. Mo .. on June 1, 1880. At the ex- , piration of his leave of absence, on October 6. tenant July 28. 1861. then as captain on April 6. 1862, and on October 31, 1863. he reported for duty with his regiment at New Orleans. From November 22, 1863. until February 29. 1864. he was provost marshal of Algiers, La .. and he then remained with his regiment until April 26. 1804. when he was ordered to the headquarters of the Department of the South as commissary of musters He reported for this duty at Hilton Head. S. C., May 26, 1804. and remained on this assignment until September, 1866, the last year being spent at Charleston, S. C. where ' 1880. he reported for duty to the commanding he performed the duties of mustering officer in , general of the Department of the Columbia. addition to those of commissary of musters On Vancouver Barracks. W. T., and was assigned to duty at headquarters as chief commissary of subsistence. On November 15 he was relieved. and from December 13, 1880. to September 30, 1882. he was in. command of Fort Spokane. He was then transferred to the command of Fort Lapwai, Idaho, where he remained until October 24. 1884. and after breaking up this post he was ordered to Fort Klamath, Oregon. In 1885 he received another well-merited promotion, being appointed heutenant-colonel of the Twentieth U'mted States Infantry, and he commanded Fort May 13. 1865. he was appointed major. by brevet. " for faithful and meritonous services during the war.' and after being relieved from his post in the commissary department he went to Jackson barracks. New Orleans, where he was engaged from January, 1807. until September of the same year in trying charges against citizens. While he was stationed there, yellow fever car- ned off one-fourth of the command in two months, and he did not entirely escape the epi- demic. but fortunately recovered. His regiment was transferred to the Department of the Lakes. ' McGinnis. Mont., for three years, retiring with arriving at Fort Wayne, Detroit, Mich., April 5. I this rank in 1889. 1869. From May 13. of that year. until June In 1863 Colonel Smith married Miss Louise Allen, daughter of H. A. Allen, a prominent Mich., and on the transfer of his regiment to Da- ' resident of Brooklyn, N. Y., and a member of a family which is well known in the Eastern States. 22. 18;4. he was in command of Fort Mackinac. kota, he was in command of Fort Rice during July and August, 18;4. From September of the same year until December, 1877. he was stationed with his regiment at Fort Sully, Dakota, except for a five months' leave of absence in 1870. which he spent in Europe

In the fall of 1876 he was in command of four companies in the field. disarming the Sioux Indians, and during his stay at Fort Sully he was in command of the post from May, 1877. to No- vember of that year. In the following winter a march was made from that point to Standing Rock. Dakota, and as they had the misfortune to be caught in the blizzard of January 3. 18;8, two men were frozen to death. while all suffered more or less from frost. On finally arriving at Stand- ing Rock our subject remained until May. 1879. when he was transferred with his command to Bear Butte. in the Black Hills, to spend three ! Jonah and Timothy.

months, from June 22 to September 20. He was then stationed at Fort Mead. Dakota. until the completion of the post, a part of the time being spent with his company as escort for an 56

J OHN EVERETT KEELER. In glancing over the history of Fairfield county, we find. on the pages relating to the town of Ridge- field, that the name of Keeler is of so frequent occurrence. that the prominence of the family cannot be doubted. On August 20, 1672, Ralph Keeler, according to the Fairfield Probate Rec- ord. made his will, which was probated the fol- lowing November. In this will bequests were made to John. Ralph and Samuel Keeler, and aiso to Elizabeth and Rebecca. Samuel. the son of Ralph, became one of the original twenty- hive proprietors of Ridgefield, holding the grant to the lower part of the town. He married and became the father of Samuel (2), Joseph and

Timothy Keeler made his will August 30. 1748. and it was proved September 22, 1748. He had three sons-Timothy (2). Benjamin and Jeremiah-and the property was equally divided,

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one-third to each with the exception of the por- tion reserved for his wife. Jeremiah, the young- est son, succeeded to the home property, and in 1750 built the house ever since occupied by the descendants of the family. He married Hannah Seymour, and by her had the following children: Jeremiah (2), Thaddeus, and Hannah (Mrs. Trues- dell). In his will Jeremiah Keeler bequeathed to his wife " my negro wench named Ellen ". and to Jeremiah (2) the land at Flat Rock, as a birth- right.

Jeremiah Keeler (2) married Sarah St. John, and. they became the parents of: Benjamin, born March 2, 1792; Samuel, who went to Jack- sonville, Florida; Sarah, who married Smith Scott, of Stamford; and Esther. The will of Jeremiah Keeler (2), probated August 29, 1837, gives the following legacies: $100 to his son Benjamin: to his daughter Sarah $500 in value of his real estate; to his daughter Esther $500 in value of his real estate, and the residue to go to his sons Benjamin and Samuel in equal por- tions.

After the death of his mother, Sarah (St. John) Keeler. Benjamin Keeler succeeded to the estate. He engaged in the coasting trade, and was also connected with a pottery at Hunting- ton, L. ] .. but later became a farmer. In 1819 he married Sarah Slessor, who was born Octo- ber 13, 1799. and their union was blessed with three sons: William Edgar, born September 15. JS20. died September 9, 1836; Samuel S .; and John S., born August 3, 1829, mention of whom is made elsewhere. Benjamin Keeler died Au- gust 23. 1804. and his wife passed away May 5, 1875.

Samuel S. Keeler was born February 8. 1826, and at the age of four years was brought to Stamford, where he passed the remainder of his life. His education was obtained in the public schools of that town, and on leaving school he learned the trade of saddler and harness maker, which he afterward followed. He married Mary Jane June, a native of Stamford. and they be- came the parents of the following children: John Everett: and Edith Egerton, born January 22, 1859. died February 27, 1896.

John Everett Keeler was born at Stamford, Conn .. February 26, 1856, and received his preliminary education in the schools of that town. In 1877 he graduated from the classical course at Yale College, and then began the study of law under the able direction of Galvin G. Child. Esq., of Stamford. In 1879 he was admitted to the Fairfield Bar. One year after his admission to the Bar, he was made borough attorney, which office he has held for two years,

and from 1883 to 1887 he was judge of the bor- ough court.

On October 14. 1885, Mr. Keeler was mar- ried to Miss Harriet Alice Horne, a daughter of. William and Harriet J. (Dodge) Horne, of Mor- ristown, N. J .. and they have two children: Ralph and Margery.

A LLEE COLE, one of the self-made men. whose lives present many lessons worthy of emulation, was born in the town of Wilton, Fairfield Co., Conn., January 16, 1850, a son of Sherman and Susan (Hurlbutt) Cole, a sketch of whose lives will be found in connection with that of Ira Cole elsewhere.

When Allee Cole was four years of age his parents moved from Wilton to Norwalk, and here our subject grew to manhood. attending the I district schools until at the age of fifteen years. when he entered the grocery store of Stephen G. Seymour, as clerk. He remained for six months. and then entered the shirt factory of Morison & Hoyt, as office boy. and here in this same factory. by dint of industry and perseverance, he now holds the position of superintendent. Thirty- one years in one establishment is a good record. and speaks well for the confidence in which he is held by his employer. He is a man of sound judgment, and possessed of an ability to oversee the work, and at the same time retain the respect of the men under him.

On July 10, 1883, Mr. Cole married Miss Elizabeth E. Martin, a daughter of William B. and Elizabeth E. (Ripley) Martin, of Vermont The Ripley family is one of the oldest in Mont- pelier, Vermont, and they are of English extrac- tion. Elizabeth E. (Ripley) Martin was the daughter of Sylvanus Ripley. The Martin fam- ily is of English extraction.

In politics Mr. Cole is strictly an Inde- pendent, voting for the men and measures that in his judgment will produce good and lasting fe- sults. He is a man much interested in religious i matters, and contributes liberally to the Churches regardless of denomination. His charities are many, but he is one of those who boast but little of his good deeds. Fraternally, he belongs to Our Brothers Lodge of Odd Fellows.

0 SCAR PECK, a successful farmer and well- .known citizen of Peck's Land, Greenwich township, was born March 1, 1847. on the farm which he now owns and occupies-the old homt- stead of his father, William Peck. He belongs to the Peck family for whom Peck's Land was

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named, that family being very numerous there in : a militia company formed at Greenwich. He an early day. They no doubt removed there . was widely known, and stood high in the estima- from what was then called Old Greenwich. and i tion of his fellow citizens. the first of whom we have any authentic record In the Peck's Land school. with Miss Bemis as teacher. Oscar Peck began his literary educa- tion; subsequently he attended the Greenwich public schools and the academy at North Green- I wich. At the age of eighteen years he entered a as locating in Peck's Land was Theophilus Peck. the great. great-grandfather of our subject. He had six sons. Israel, Isaac, Abram, benjamin, , Theophilus and Samuel-all of whom settled in that vicinity with the exception of Abram, who I carriage factory at Riversville to learn the trade, removed to the Hudson river. Of these. Ben- ; and remained there as a trusted employe for

jamin was the great-grandfather of our subject. : twenty-five years. He operated drilling ma- ful farmer and well-to-do citizen of Clapboard , per day, but as he became more proficient his

chines, at first receiving only seventy-five cents wages were gradually raised, and he was able to

The grandfather. Elias Peck, was a very success- Ridre. and owned one of the first (if not the firsttour-wheeled carriages in the town of Green- I save a part of his earnings. wich. it being manufactured at Ridgefield. ( on- necticut

In December. 1888, Mr. Peck married Miss : Eva R. Husted. a native of Greenwich township,

Wilham Peck, our subject's father. was born , and a daughter of Nathan L. and Carrie (Brun- on Clapboard Ridge. November 6. 1809. and ; dage) Husted. They began their domestic life was one of a large family of children When a , upon his father's farm, and when the place was young man he learned the shoemaker's trade, , sold he purchased the interest of the other heirs. which he followed quite extensively, manufacture ' He now owns the old homestead of sixty-two ing shoes in Greenwich for the New York trade . acres, besides twenty- four acres in the Clapboard and employing a number of hands He had en- ! Ridge District. He continued to work at the tire supervision of the work, and was familiar | Riversville carnage works until July, 1892. since with the business in every detail. The business i which time he has devoted his energies exclu- prospered until the advent of machine- made i sively to agricultural pursuits. He has been the shoes, when he abandoned it and removed to a , architect of his own fortune, and the success farm in Peck's Land, which he had purchased | that has crowned his labors is due entirely to his some time previously, and where he spent his re- I own well-directed efforts. He is a member and maining days. On January 2. 1838, he married past master of Acacia Lodge No. 85. F. & A. membership in the Second Congregational Church at that place, while, politically, he is identified with the Republican party. Miss Caroline Sherwood, who was born April 26. I M., at Greenwich, and both he and his wife hold 1813. near Riversville. Her father, Benjamin Sherwood, lived to be eighty-eight years of age. and he had two sisters who reached the advanced age of ninety-tive. The children born to Will- iam and Caroline (Sherwood) Peck were as fol- lows: Juha A .. born October 15. 1839. married Jared Peck and died December 11. 1873: Elias S .. born February 6. 1842. was a member of

A MOS EDGAR BRUSH, a leading resident of Cos Cob. Greenwich township, is an enterprising business man, and for sixteen years Company I. Tenth Connecticut Volunteer In- 1 has held a position with Tiffany & Co., of New York City. His long service with that well- known firm is in itself a sufficient evidence of ability and worth, and his success has added one I more to the lengthy list of "Fairfield County boys.'

fantry, during the Civil war, and is now engaged in the hardware, tin and plumbing business in Greenwich; Harriet E., born July 20, 1544. is now Mrs. H. La Forge. of Greenwich: Oscar is the next of the family; John W .. born October 28. 1849. died in infancy; Mary C., born Sep- tember 12, 1851. lives in Greenwich; and Albert that place. The father died March 3. 1885.

Mr. Brush was born July 12, 1854. at Cos Cob, in a house that stands near the site of his M., born September 19, 1853. is a tinsmith, of present dwelling. and he is connected with some of our most prominent families. On the paternal and the mother departed this life November 28, : side he is a great-great-grandson of Edward 18Q'. He was first a Whig. later a Republican. | Brush, who came to Greenwich trom Long but took no active part in politics aside from # Island about 1700. Amos Mead Brush, our sub- voting. He was a prominent member of the | ject's father (of whom further mention is made Congregational Church of Greenwich, for a long : elsewhere), married Miss Sarah Purdy Mead. time was a member of the choir, also of the | and had five sons, our subject being the third Church Society. At one time he was captain of | child and the first who lived to adult age. On

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 179

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