Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 186

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 186

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RANFORD STARR BEACH, of the town of Trumbull. is a young man whose ability and judgment have won for him an enviable standing in busmess circles, and whose influence is a recognized factor in local progress.

Mr. Beach was born March 11, 1868, in the White Plains District of the town of Trumbull, and is a descendant of a well-known English fam- ! ily. His ancestors were early settlers in Fair- field county, and his great-great-grandfather. | Ephraim Beach, a Revolutionary soldier, was born there and made his home upon a farm in the town of Trumbull. Rice E. Beach, the great- grandfather of our subject, was born in Trumbull in 1779, and Charles Beach, our subject s grand- father, was born at Daniels Farms, in the same town, on January 7. 1805. William Frederick Beach, our subject's father, was born in 1842 in the White Plains District, and was educated there and at Easton Academy. In early manhood he clerked for a short time in Wessels Bros.' grocery in Water street. Bridgeport, but later he engaged in farming in Trumbull. He married Miss Mary J. Rowland. daughter of John Rowland, of Easton, and had seven children: Frederick R., a resident of Easton; Mary; wife of Miles L. Shelton, of Oxford, Conn .; Miss Cora Esther, who resides in Trumbull; Banford S., our sub- ject; Burr F., a resident of Trumbull; John L., a ticket agent at Trumbull, and Howard S., a a partner of our subject.

During his boyhood our subject attended the public schools of his native town, and from an early age he has been interested in agricultural pursuits For five years he was engaged in the milk business with his uncle, Stephen C. Beach, whose interest he purchased later. After con- tinuing the business alone for two years he formed a partnership with his brother Howard, and they have since carried on an extensive dairy business in connection with farming. In the fall of 1894, Mr. Beach bought his present homestead at

George Burns was educated in the Grand Street school in Bridgeport, and at an early age beran to display the business acumen for which he is now noted. For nine years he was assist- ant street commissioner of Bridgeport, and since that time he has carried on a general contracting business. While he has not been an office seek- ! Daniels Farms, and in 1895 he built his attract-

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ive residence. He is a member of the Trumbull 'Grange, and has always taken an active interest in local affairs. In 1897 he was elected to the office of selectman on the Democratic ticket, and he has also served acceptably as justice of the peace. He was married in Norwalk, this county, to Miss Harriet Merrill, daughter of Edward Merrill, a well-known citizen of that place. Two children have blessed the union: Edward Merrill, born January 14, 1894, and Dorothy, born February 14. 1898.

E STARR SANFORD, junior member of the firm of Davis & Sanford, photographers, at No. 246 Fifth avenue, New York, is a "Danbury boy." In its particular line, that of portrait work, this firm has one of the largest busi- nesses in the world, their customers being mainly found among society people. They employ about thirty assistants, occupy three floors at the above number, and the immense volume of their business is the more remarkable from the fact that their studio was only established in April, 1892. Mr. Sanford, our subject, notwith- standing these interests, has not entirely deserted Danbury as a place of business, for he is a part- ner in the firm of Elbridge, Gerry & Co., Li- brary Place, Danbury, dealers in hatters supplies.

Mr. Sanford was born September 27, 1861, and the public schools of his native place afforded him an education. At the age of fourteen he began to learn the art of photography with J. H. Folsom, of Danbury, with whom he remained thirteen years. He then established a business of his own in the same city, meeting with signal success for four years, when the building was de- stroved by fire. He met this disaster with larger .plans for the future, and, forming a partnership with Charles H. Davis, entered into business at itheir present location.

Mr. Sanford married Miss Emma Gray, daughter of John and Mary Gray, and one son, Charles G., blesses their union. They live at Danbury. Socially, Mr. Sanford and his wife are popular, and are members of the Second Baptist Church there. He belongs to numerous fraternal orders: The Knights of Honor; Pro- :gressive Lodge No. 18, I. O. O. F .; Union Lodge No. 40, F. & A. M .; Eureka Chapter No. 23, R. A. M .; Wooster Council, R. & S. M .; Cru- sader Commandery No. 10, K. T .; Pyramid Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and is also a life member of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Politically, the is a Republican.

Mr. Sanford is of the eighth generation in di-

rect descent from Thomas Sanford, who came from Gloucester, England, in 1631, locating at Boston, where he died in October, 1681, his wife, Sarah, passing away in the same year. Their son Ephraim was married November 18, 1667, to Mary Powell, of New Haven, Conn .. and one of their sons. Samuel, was married in November, 1695, to Hannah, daughter of Na- thaniel Baldwin, of Milford. They had a son Samuel, of whom but little is known except that he had a son Seth, who served as a soldier in Wash- ington's army during the Revolutionary war, and whose wife. Rebecca (Burr), was a native of Redding, Conn. Their son Elijah (our subject's great-grandfather) married Betsey Starr, by whom he had a son, Elias S. (our subject's grandfather), who married Elizabeth Wilcox.

Charles H. Sanford, father of E. S. Sanford. was born at Danbury, March 14, 1826, and died April 20, 1886. He was for many years libra- rian of the Danville Library. He married Miss Mary Emmons, a native of Cornwall, Conn., born December 15, 1836, who survives him, now residing in Library Place, Danbury. They had seven children: Emma, E. Starr, Mary, Grace, Kate, Martha and Fred.

TAMES J. LINEHAN, an enterprising and suc- cessful business man of Bridgeport, is the proprietor of a well-patronized grocery and liquor store, and for some years has been the local agent for Pabst's beer.

Mr. Linehan was born March 26, 1862, in Newtown, this county, and is of Irish ancestry. The late Daniel Linehan, father of our subject, was a native of Cork, Ireland, and in early man- hood came to this country, locating in Newtown. where he followed the business of a gardener for many years, his death occurring in 189 ;. His wife, Hannah (Quailey), a native of County Clare, Ireland, died in 1896 in Newtown. They had three children: John, who is now clerking for our subject; Michael, who died in infancy; and James J.

Our subject was educated in Newtown and Sandy Hook, and at an early age began to con- tribute to the support of the family, taking care of his mother seven years. As a young man he clerked a year and a half for J. H. Warner, of Sandy Hook, and then, after working two years in a rubber factory spent a year with Edward Taylor. the landlord and undertaker. In 1884 be removed to Bridgeport and entered the em- ploy of his cousins, E. & J. Linehan, as a clerk in their grocery and liquor store. In 1886 he be- came a partner in the business with E. L. Line-

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han under the firm name of E. & J. Linchan, ' ham, Mass., and later he was a short time with and two years later he purchased the latter's in- , the Russell Paper Company, at Lawrence, Mass. terest. Since that time he has conducted the ' He then visited different places, working at the business alone at No. 139 Myrtle avenue, and ; paper business as opportunity offered, and for six his excellent stock of goods shows his sound judg- years he was employed by the Derby Paper Com- pany, at Birmingham, Conn. In 1888 he re- : moved to Bridgeport, and became connected with the Eaton. Cole & Burnham Company, re- maining until 1895, when he established his pres- I ent business at the corner of Broad and Cannon ; streets. Politically. he is an Independent, and ment and enterprise. He is much respected for his honesty, and while in business with his cousin he paid off many debts which he could not have been compelled to meet had he chosen to repu- diate them. In 1892 he married Miss Anna Mar- tin, daughter of Neal Martin, who was for many years keeper of the lighthouse at Bridgeport. I he and his wife, who was formerly Miss Jennie Five children have blessed this union: Frank, I Doyle, of Wethersfield. Conn., are popular in Alice. Helen, Mary and Leo. The family is social life. He is a member of various fraternal

identified with the Catholic Church at Bridge- port, of which Mr. Linehan is a leading member. having been appointed for eight successive years 1 also a member of the Order of Foresters of Amer- ica and of various Catholic fraternities. Politic- - ally, he affiliates with the Democratic party.

P DETER J. DOYLE, a prominent citizen of Stamford, is manager for the establishment of James E. Quinn, at No. 25 Manhattan street, Stamford, Connecticut.

Mr. Doyle was born October 22, 1866, at wholesale and retail hquor business, making a | Rondout, N. Y., and is of Irish descent in both paternal and maternal lines. His father, the late Nicholas Doyle, was a native of Wexford, Ireland, but came to America in early life, lo- cating first at Rondout, N. Y., where he was engaged in business for many years as a cooper. Later he removed to Stamford, this county, and his death occurred there September 7, 1892. His wife, Julia (Boland), to whom he was mar- ried in Rondout, was also a native of Ireland. This worthy couple had seven children, our sub- ject being the youngest.

Mr .. Doyle's boyhood was chiefly spent in East Kingston, N. Y., his education being obtained (Flaherty,, was a native of the Isle of Arran. i in the schools of that locality. On leaving

, school he learned the cooper's trade with his father, but after working at the business for two years, he. in 1880, went to Greenpoint, L. I., ' and for nine months was employed in the oil I works there. On May 2, 1881, he came to Stam- ! ford, and after working for six months in Collen- der Billiard Factory he entered the employ of the Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, spend- ing two years and a half in " Department A " of near Stow, Mass; and Miss Mary resides at Stow. their shops. His next employment was as a

Our subject spent the first eight years of his . clerk in John McCormick's grocery and liquor

life at Somerville, Mass., where his education store, and on giving up that position he went to New York City and worked for one year for the Consolidated Gas Company. Returning then to Stamford, he for a considerable length of time was employed in the market of James R. Eells, was begun. He then accompanied his parents to Stow, and there he continued his studies un- ! til he reached the age of fourteen, when he was graduated from the Hale High School. For a year he was employed in a paper mill at Walt- i on Main street, and then accepted his present

I societies, including the 1. O. O. F .. the B. P. O. E., the Order of Foresters, the Red Men, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Arions, the

to take up the collections in the Church. He is ! Rambling Wheel Club, and several others.

T HOMAS J. CARR, a well-known resident of Bridgeport, is engaged in an extensive specialty of bottling high-grade native wines and liquors for medical and family use. He is agent for the famous brand of Kentucky whiskey known as the " Thomas Jefferson." and the .. Pride of Jefferson," and for the Wiener and lager beer of the F. &. M. Schaefer Brewing Company, while he manufactures on his own account a popular wine, called " Carr's Wild Cherry Wine."

Mr. Carr was born February 7. 1863. in Som- erville, Mass., and is of Irish ancestry. Robert Carr, the father of our subject, was a native of County Cavan, Ireland, and came to America at the age of fourteen, while his wife, Marie They met and were married in this country, and soon afterward settled in Somerville, Mass., but later removed to Stow, Mass. Both are still liv- ing (1898) at an advanced age. the father being ninety-six and the mother ninety years old. Of their six children. John died in infancy: Thomas J., our subject, is mentioned more fully below; ' Maggie died in infancy; James R. is connected with our subject's business; Edward is a farmer

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position, which he has now been occupying some six years. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and he is both active and influential in local affairs, having been a member of the town and borough committees, while at this writing (1898) he is serving his second term as town auditor. Socially, he is popular, and he is identified with various fraternal orders, including the Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Foresters, and the different guilds connected with St. John's Catholic Church. In 1896 he was married at Stamford to Miss Mary E. Kane, and their home is brightened by an attractive little daughter, Katherine Elizabeth.

B BENJAMIN A. BURNS, a well-known resi- dent of Shelton, has for many years held the position of foreman of the chasing department of i the Derby Silver Company, his fine artistic taste and rare executive ability being highly appre- ciated by his employers.

The Burns family is of Scotch-Irish origin, and our subject's grandfather, Henry Burns. was a native of Scotland, whence in early manhood he came to America, locating in New York City. He married soon after coming to this country, and after ten years both parents died, leaving four orphans: Elizabeth, Margaret, Andrew and Patrick Henry.

Patrick Henry Burns, our subject's father, | folk, England, and a daughter of Robert and was born and reared in New York City. and at the age of nineteen he removed to Middletown, 1 | Mary Garrod. Five children have blessed this union: Andrew G., Charles A., Allan H., Lola | A., and Harold B. (deceased). . Since 1892 Mr. Conn., where he still resides. By occupation he is foreman of the tin department of the J. O. | Burns has made his home in Shelton, and he Smith Manufacturing Company, of Middletown, | and his wife are identified with the Congrega- tional Church at that place. He isa member of Echo Hose Company of Shelton, and of Ousa- tonic Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F., of Derby, while in politics is a strong Republican. Conn., having retained this position for more than fifty years. Politically, he is a Republican, and he and his estimable wife are both members of the Congregational Church. He married Miss Lola Addis, a native of Cromwell, Conn., and had seven children: Edgar H., who married Edith Meldrum, of Berlin, Conn .; Jane, who married L. C. Hinman, an enterprising attorney of Meriden, Conn .; Andrew J., located in New York City; Benjamin A. ; William H. ; Edward M. (deceased): and Lola A. (deceased).

The Addis family is of English stock. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Benjamin Addis, { was engaged for many years in the manufacture of brick at Cromwell. but later became interested in agriculture. His wife, Emily Stevens, of Deep River. Conn., was of English descent, and her ancestors were early settlers in the vicinity i atonic Park, while St. Mary's school at Derby. of Deep River. Her maternal grandfather was 1 which was begun March 25, 1897, is an admir- I able specimen of his work, its completion adding David Thompson. who served in the Revolu- tionary war as sergeant of Captain Elv's com- I another attraction to that charming little city.

pany, and later in the same capacity in Captain Humphrey's company. His daughter, Harriet Thompson, married Appleton Stevens, one of I their daughters being Emily Stevens. To Ben- jamin and Emily Addis the following children were born: Mariette, who married Merritt Corn- well, a farmer of near Middletown, now de- i ceased; Lola, our subject's mother; Jane, wife of Minor Treat, a farmer of near West Cromwell; | Margaret, who married Isaac Cornwell, a livery- man at Middletown, where he has held the office i of postmaster and is prominent in municipal af- I fairs: and Charles, a mechanic and farmer, who married Emily Fessenden, and settled in West- field, Connecticut.

Mr. Burns, our subject, was born November 15, 1863, in Middletown, where he received his i early education, his attendance at school contin- uing until he reached the age of seventeen. In 1880 he went to Derby to learn the art of en- | graving on silver, and for eleven years he was in the employ of the Derby Silver Company. In 1891 he returned to Middletown, taking the posi- tion of foreinan in the engraving and chasing de- partment of the Middletown Silver Plate Com- pany, but after one year he again entered the i employ of the Derby Silver Company, becoming 1 foreman of the chasing department.

On December 24. 1883, Mr. Burns married Miss Alice V. Garrod, a native of Ipswich, Suf-

M AX A. DURRSCHMIDT, an enterprising and successful business man of Shelton, is gaining more than local fame as a contractor and builder. As the senior member of the firm of M. A. Durrschmidt & Co., he has control of a large i and constantly increasing business, and among the many buildings erected under his supervision are some of the best in Shelton, Derby, Ansonia and other towns. Among these, we mention Germania Hall at Ansonia, built in 1892, and the large pavilion and boat house at Lake Hous-

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Mr. Durrschmidt seems to have inherited his time the leading heating engineer and plumber of inclination toward his profession, as his father, . New England, remaining with Mr. Hopkins for Frederick A. Durrschmidt, who died in 1883, seven years. At the end of this time desiring a was a successful contractor and builder at Glau- change. he carried on the grocery business successfully for about a year, at the end of that time giving the business to his father and return- ing to his trade as foreman for M. R. Leaven- worth. of Bridgeport, Conn., where he remained chau. Germany. Our subjects mother, whose maiden name was Johanna Crasselt, and who is vet living. is a native of Glauchau. This worthy couple had eight children, five of whom grew to maturity. our subject being the youngest. Gus- | for about three years. tav has been a detective in the employ of the

Having now reached the age of manhood German Government for twenty-five years; Annie ' (being about twenty-five years old). and being is the wife of Bernard Henschel, a public official in Germany; Ernest is a merchant and shoe manu- facturer at Halle, Germany; and Franz is a ma- | chinist at Chemnitz, Germany. ambitious to advance, he left Mr. Leavenworth and formed a partnership with his brother George for the purpose of doing a general plumbing and furnace business. But the partnership not being . satisfactory he at the end of one year left the firm and started for himself at No. 46 Kossuth Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Our subject was born January 1. 1866, at Glauchau, Germany, and his education was ob- taimed in the public schools of that city. From childhood he cherished the desire to come to America, and on October S. 18ho. when only fourteen years old, he landed in New York City. and began the struggle for a livelihood Going mg a partnership with Peter Reilly under the

Here he gradually built up a profitable and substantial busmess till the autumn of 1897, when he formed a partnership with N. B. Curtis (men- tioned more fully elsewhere) under the firm name directly to Hartford. Conn .. he entered upon any of Curtis & Wellington, located at No. 459 East Main street, Bridgeport, Conn., where his strict honesty and thorough knowledge of the business. coupled with years of experience, are bringing

apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade with | Mr Kone bros., with whom he remamed about ten years, their work taking him to different parts of this State. "In the fall of 1889 be located at I their sure reward.

Shelton and engaged in business on his own ac- In 1887 Mr. Wellington married Miss Georgie (cunt as a contractor and builder. in 1806 form- | Wells, daughter of Guerdon Wells, of Bridge- i port, Conn. Mrs. Wellington died September 24, present firm name. Mr. Durrschmidt is much 1 1893, and, for his second wife, he married Miss esteemed as a citizen, and is prominent in the | Martha J. Arbuckle, daughter of John and Lucy Democratic organization in the town of Hunt- i ngton, having served as township assessor for four years. from 1892 to 1501. Arbuckle One daughter, Ellen, has blessed their union. Mr. Wellington is a member of I the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Bridge- port, and of the Samuel Harris Lodge of Odd Fellows . He is a Republican in politics.

In 1888 he married Miss Mary Hill, a lady of English descent, and a daughter of Thomas Hill, a well-known resident of Shelton. Six children

The parents of Mr. Wellington were both brighten our subject's home: Albert, Henry, I born in England. William Wellington, father Frank, Frederick, Dorothy and Ahce. The i of Abram, came to America when about twenty- family is identified with the Catholic Church at Derby, of which Mr. Durrschmidt is an active | having an occasion to visit Boston, made the member, and he belongs to the Knights of Col- I umbus, a Catholic organization. two years of age, landing in New York, and, trip thither by stage. In answer to an adver- tisement he went to Long Island to work at stone masonry, which occupation he continued with farming, and those two he followed through- out his life, dying May 22, 1894, aged eighty-

A BRAM WELLINGTON was born at Great Neck, Long Island. August 7, 1864. At ! two.

the age of ten years he was obliged to contrib- ute to his own support, doing so by selling pa- | when five years old. The children born to them pers for Charles Rawlings (now an eminent phy- sician of New Haven), delivering more than two hundred every evening. At the age of fourteen, | having spent two years with The John S. Way | Mary is the wife of George Bowe, a millwright Manufacturing Company of Bridgeport, Conn .. I of Shelton: Charles is a steam fitter of Bridge- he engaged to learn the plumbing business with , port; Matilda is the wife of Charles Fanning, a Alfred Hopkins. of Bridgeport, Conn., at that i carpenter of Bridgeport; Jane is the wife of

His wife, Mary (Ratcliffe), came to America were as follows: The eldest died at infancy; Will- iam is a blacksmith, of Nichols, Fairfield county: George is a plumber in New Haven;

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William Potter, a quarryman of Ansonia; and Abram is our subject. The mother of this family lives among her children.

E NDGAR E. HAMILTON, an enterprising, suc- cessful young business man of Danbury, con- ducts one of the best-equipped and best-managed printing offices in that town, at No. 268 Main street. While he makes a specialty of hatters' printing, he has the reputation of doing the finest work of every description for manufacturers, mer- chants and business men in general.

Mr. Hamilton was born in Danbury, Septem- ber 13, 1860, and is of an old Scottish family. He is of the seventh generation in direct descent from William Hamilton, son of Gallatin Hamil- ton, of Glasgow, Scotland. William was born in Glasgow in 1643; came early to New England; settled on Cape Cod, and was persecuted as one who dealt with evil spirits, for having killed the first whale on the New England coast. He came to Danbury, where he died in 1746, aged one- hundred and three years.

Silas Hamilton, the next in order of descent. was born on Cape Cod, whence he came with his father to Danbury. and settled in Pembroke Dis- trict. His son, John Hamilton, the great-great- grandfather of our subject, was born in Pembroke District, and made his home there throughout his life, following carpentering as an occupation. He served as a soldier during the entire Revolu- tionary war, enlisting twice. At the burning of Danbury by the British, during that war, Silas Hamilton, Jr., brother of John, had a piece of red flannel cloth at a fuller's, on South street. Hearing of the approach of the enemy he started post haste for his goods. As he emerged from the shop with his cloth, the British forces were close upon him. Remounting his horse he flew up Main street with the troopers in full pursuits, and steadily gaining ground on him; one in ad- vance and close upon him swung his sword to cut him down, when a singular but most fortunate accident occurred. Silas lost a part of his hold upon the roll of cloth, and it flew out like a giant ribbon, frightened the pursuing animals so that he escaped with his life and-cloth!

Eli Hamilton, our subject's great-grandfather, was born and reared in Danbury township, and died there. He married Hannah Barnum, of Putnam county, N. Y., and settled upon a farm, the greater portion of his life being devoted to agricultural pursuits. Of his three sons, Nor- man, our subject's grandfather, was the eldest. George W., who became a farmer at the old homestead, was a prominent man in his day,

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 186

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