Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 191

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 191


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Mr. Stevens was married in December, 1865, at Stamford, Conn., to Miss Kate Lockwood, daughter of Lyman Lockwood, and one child, Fannie L. (wife of Stephen S. Chadeayne), was born to them. This wife dying in 1884, Mr. Stevens for his second wife wedded Miss Mary E. Lockwood, danghter of Lyman Lockwood. Mr. Stevens has served as selectman four years (1888-1891), and on the board of burgesses one vear. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church of Stamford, and in poli- tics he is a Republican. His home has been at No. 53 Summer street, since 1873. when he built his house.


HARLES G. BURR was born September 8, 1839, in Plymouth, Wayne Co., Mich., a son of Hanford and Clarissa F. (Twitchell) Burr, the former of whom was born in the town of Monroe, near Upper Stepney, January 4. 1806. Hanford Burr was a son of Stratton Burr and his wife. Huldah (Northrop), the former of whom was a native of Monroe township, a son of Ho- sea and Hepsibah Burr, the former of whom was born April 27, 1747. Hosea Burr was a son of James and Deborah (Turney) Burr. the former of whom was a son of Daniel and Mary Burr. Daniel Burr was a son of Jehu and Mary (Ward) Burr, of Fairfield county, and Jehu Burr was a son of Jehu Burr, whose wife's maiden name was Steadman, both of whom came from England.


Stratton Burr, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer of Monroe township,


and, as will have been seen from the above genealogy, was a member of one of the old fam- ilies of his part of the State. He and his wife had the following children: Hanford, Harry, Mary A. (who married Thomas Eaton, of New York City), Huldah, Halsey, Charles G., Eras- tus, and Rosella (who married Charles Staples, of Monroe township).


Hanford Burr, father of the subject, was a tailor by trade, following this occupation until he was sixty-five years of age, after which time he took up farming. While he followed the earlier occupation he had a shop of his own at Wood- bury for some time, and then he followed cutting for some years in the City of New York. For the most of his life he was one of the substan- tial citizens of Monroe township, where he died in 1889. While not particularly active in pub- lic affairs, yet he was always interested therein, and performed his duties as a citizen in a quiet but effective manner. In religion he was a Meth- odist. He married Clarissa F. Twitchell, of Oxford, Conn .. a daughter of Gilbert Twitchell. He and his wife had the following children: Harriet, who died at the age of six years; Charles Gould, the subject of this sketch; Andrew Lewis. who is one of the selectmen of the town of Mon- roe; Mary A., widow of Doctor Scott, formerly of Meriden, but who died at Union City; Sarah S., who married Mortimer Hubbell, of Hunting- ton, White Hills: and Rosa Belle, widow of Syl- vanus Downs, of Monroe, and who is now a resi- dent of St. Paul. Minn .; Arthur died when eight years of age.' Mrs. Hanford Burr is still living. at the age of eighty-three years.


Charles Gould Burr was educated in the pub- lic schools of Derby, attending until sixteen years of age, and continuing to be a reader and student of general history and literature down to the present time. For some years after leaving school he worked in various factories. among them those of Shelton & Osborne, and Osborne & Cheesman. Afterward he embarked in the hoop-skirt manufacturing business in a small way on his own account. From 1872 10 1880 he was shipping clerk for the Shelton Bolt Company, and in the latter year began working for the Birmingham Corset Company as shipping clerk, which position he held until 1885, when he was advanced to the position of superintend- ent of the company. This firm employed on the average about 200 hands. Mr. Burr is a master of King Hiram Lodge No. 12, F. & A. M., and Is a member of Solomon Chapter No. 3, of Union Council No. 27, and of New Haven Command- ery No. 2: also member of Ousatonic Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F., and of Kellogg Post, G. A.


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R. He is entitled to membership in the Grand i He was presiding elder three terms, twelve Army of the Republic because of his service in I years, after being at Port Chester, and before Battery K. United States Fourth Light Artillery, | going to Riverhead the last time. After he gave having enlisted in 1861. He was detailed as up preaching he made his home in Norwalk, hospital steward for a short time. He is a mem- i Connecticut.


ber of St. Pauls Episcopal Church of Hunting- ton. Conn., of which he has served as vestry- man, treasurer and warden.


On August 13, 1804. Mr. Burr was married


to Miss Mary Jeannette Birdsey, daughter of ! Mary E., Thomas G., Isabella C. and Thom- Joseph Birdsey, of Huntington, and had one son, I as S. Of these, Mary E. married Henry Storer, Arthur, born November 30, 1865, who died in + of Brooklyn (formerly of New Haven), Thomas infancy. Clifford Birdsey Burr. his other son, I G. died in infancy and Isabella about eleven was born July 24. 18;3. and is an electrician in , years art . The mother of this family died Au- Shelton. I pust 25. 1857. the father on February 27, 1888.


Thomas S. Osborn, of whom this sketch more particularly relates, was reared in River- head. L. 1 .. until he was about eleven years of are, but was educated chiefly at Norwalk, Conn. Returning to Long Island in 1876, he there


T HOMAS S. OSBORN, a widely known suc- cessful contractor and builder of much ex- perience in his line, with residence at Norwalk. Fairfield county, is a native of New York City. ; learned carpentry; but after three years he once born August 4, 1857. mote came to Norwalk, and worked at his trade


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until 1885, when he commenced in the contract-


Rev. Thomas G. Osborn, father of our sub- ject, was born October 15. 1820, at Riverhead, , me and building line, which he has continued Long Island, a son of Dr. The mas Osborn, also . ever since with gratifying success.


of Long Island birth, who was a son of Daniel


On October 1, 1890, Mr. Osbern married Osborn (born January 24. 1741. died July 11, ; Ada M. Wakelee, who was born in the town of I201, who was a son of Capt. Daniel Osborn ' Huntington, Fairfield Co., Conn., a daughter of


(born August 13. 1713. died August 5. 17791.


George Wakelee, of that place (son of Charles Wakeleel. and Emily J. (Jones) Wakelee, who was born in Sheffield, Mass. Five children graced this union: Helen G., Thomas G., Clara W. and Isabella F. and Ruth. Ruth died in infan-


Daniel Osborn, father of Capt. Daniel Os- born. a carpenter and joner by trade, came from . Maidstone, Kent, England, phor to 1649, and settled at Lyme. Mass. In that year a certain Thomas Osborn moved from that city to New , Cy. Mr. and Mrs. Osborn are members of the M. Haven, where he took a small colt ny and settled ; E. Church at Norwalk; socially, he is affiliated with at East Hampton, Long Island. Our subject's great-grandfather Osborn was a graduate of Yale, the 1. O. O. F .; politically, like his father before him. he is a Republican. He is highly respected and about 1783. also later. was a member of the | in the community in which he lives as a public- Assembly. His name appears as supervisor of | spinted. loval and useful citizen.


the town of Southold, Long Island, from 1789 to 1790. Our subject's grandfather was a prac- ticing physician at Riverhead, L. L, and was a very prominent man in his time


E DGAR S. WOOSTER. The Wooster fam- ily has long been identified with the town of Huntington, and its members in every generation have shown the qualities which constitute good


Rev. Thomas G. Osborn. father of our sub- ject. received his earlier education at the neigh- boring schools of his place of birth, and after- I citizenship. ward entering the Wesleyan College, at Middle-


Lieut. Ephraim Wooster, of Revolutionary town, Conn., graduated from that institution at : fame. the grandfather of the venerable and highly the age of nineteen years. Deciding to make , esteemed citizen whose name opens this sketch. preaching of the Gospel his life work, in the Methodist field of labor. he studied theology, was born April 8, 1755, probably in the town of Huntington, and for many years he was a lead- and becoming duly qualified commenced his ing farmer of the town, where his death occurred studies at Southampton, afterward stationed at : August 27, 1838. His wife, Abigail E. (Mills), Bridgehampton, Patchoque. Birmingham, Conn., was born February 24, 1756, and died April 29, 1831. They had ten children: Abbie B., born in 1776, who married William Hawley, a farmer Bridgeport, Waterbury. Brooklyn, New Haven, Riverhead, Port Chester and Riverhead, L. 1., last of all at Norwalk, Conn., as presiding elder. . of Huntington; Elizabeth A., 1779, wife of


In 1846 Rev. T. G. Osborn married Miss Jer- usha Cook, who was born at Bridgehampton, 1 .. 1 .. a daughter of John Cook, of that locality, ; and four children were born to them, namely:


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Hezekiah Curtis, a farmer in Huntington, who was for many years a deacon in the Congrega- tional Church; Ephraim, 1781, who died in childhood in New Haven; Artecretia, 1784, who married Samuel Beard, afterward a farmer in Pennsylvania; Philo M., our subject's father; Laura, 1788, who married Ezra De Forest, of Huntington, a deacon in the Congregational Church; Sylvester, 1790, a physician at Lyme, Conn .; Sally, 1792, who married Dr. Rufus Turner, of Killingworth, Conn .; Julia, 1795, who married David De Forest, a wealthy resident of New Haven; and Adeline, 1797, who never married.


Philo M. Wooster, our subject's father, was born in Huntington January 6, 1787, and his life was chiefly spent in farming at the present homestead, where he died July 14, 1849. He : was a Republican in politics, a Congregationalist ! in religion, and he and his wife were much esteemed for their excellent qualities of charac- During his school days, which lasted until he was about eighteen years of age. Mr. Wheeler 1 taught school several terms in Fairfield, and I after leaving school altogether he continued to I teach in Easton, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Rockville and Nichols, most of these being graded schools. ter. He married Miss Ruth Ann Cogswell. daughter of Stephen Cogswell, a farmer of New Preston, Conn., and she survived him many years, passing away April 12, 1884. Our subject was the eldest in a family of six children, the i others being: Mary A. married Edward Norton, | Mr. Wheeler was unusually successful in his pro- of Goshen. Conn., a manufacturer of the far- I fession, and has continually added to the knowl- famed pineapple cheese, which was originated by i his father, Lewis M. Norton; Louisa H., who | best informed men of his section. Having re- edge obtained in school, so that he is one of the died January 21, 1896, unmarried; Sarah E. I tired from the profession of teaching he estab- married Theodore Mallett, a farmer of Trumbull I lished himself in the grocery business at Shelton. | forming a partnership with his brother, William township; Julia M. married Edward Dimon, who served in the navy during the Civil war, and for ! S. Wheeler, the firm name being Wheeler Bros. a time was a mechanic in New Hartford, and is | Later he formed a partnership with John H. now in Florida on an orange plantation raising | French, of Easton, Conn., which continued some garden truck, etc .; and Ephraim D., engaged in | four years. Then selling his interest to his part- agriculture in the town of Huntington (is un- married).


Edgar S. Wooster was born June 4, 1821, at his present farm, and his education was obtained in the local schools. He made good use of his opportunities, and for some time he taught school in his native town. On October 16, 1849, he married Miss Angeline B. Hyde, who was born near Huntington Center, and is a member of one of the old pioneer families of the town. Her great-grandfather. Daniel Hyde, grandla- ther, Elisha Hyde, and father, Obediah Hyde, were all agriculturists in that town, while her mother, whose maiden name was Mabel Bristol, was a native of Dutchess county, N. Y. After his marriage Mr. Wooster settled at the home- stead in his present residence which he and his wife have now occupied for nearly half a century. He has about 200 acres of land in different parts of the town, and has been successful as a general


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farmer, but of late years he has left the active work of his estate to younger hands. He is an excellent citizen, public-spirited and reliable, and at one time he served as selectman of his town. In politics he is a strong Republican. His home has been brightened with four children: Francis W., now engaged in farming in Huntington; El- i eanora E., at home; Frederick M., a farmer in | Huntington; and Charles E., who died at the age of three years.


ORACE WHEELER, postmaster at Shel- ton, Conn., was born March 23, 1844, in Fairfield, Conn., the family removing to Easton when he was about six months old. He is a son of John Wheeler, whose ancestral history is given in full below. Horace Wheeler was educated in Staples Academy at Easton, where he received a good academic education.


ner, he purchased the coal business of H. H. Warner, at the end of one year adding thereto a grocery department, which he continued to con- duct for about fourteen years, or until he was burned out, his location being where the Hunt- ington Piano Company now is. In 1890 he bought out a grocery business which was where Burkhardt now is, and in 1892 he sold his gro- cery business to the Burkhardt Company, which has continued it to the present time, Mr. Whee- ler remaining in his coal business.


In February, 1894, Mr. Wheeler was appoint- ed postmaster of Shelton by Postmaster-General Bissell, the office being of the fourth class, and being established at this time, Shelton having previously been supplied from Birmingham. The post office was opened for the first time in April. 1894, and has ever since shown a steady and healthy growth under his administration. He i was largely instrumental in securing its establish-


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ment, and hence the appropriateness of his ap- Their children are given in the Fairfield book of pointment. The office becoming third class, he . marriages and births as follows: John, born 1694. was appointed postmaster by President Cleveland , died 1726; Sarah, born 1696; Abigail, born 1698, July 1, 1895, and confirmed by the Senate Decem- ber 17. 1805 married Samuel Marvin, 1722; Mary, born 1701. died 1714: Elizabeth, born 1703, married John Dimon, 1727: Ann, born 1706. Abigail. wife of Lieut. John Wheeler, died February 7, 1911-12, and in October, 1712, he married Lydia Por- ter, of Windsor. and by her had: Mary, born 1713. died 1721; Obadiah, born 1718, died 1753: Daniel, born 1720; Jabez, born 1722, mar- ried Charity Beach, 1742; Ichabod, born 1725.


Mr. Wheeler is a member of King Hiram Lodge No. 12. F. & A. M., of Derby. of Ousa- tonic Lodge No. 6. 1. O. O. F. He is a direct- or in the Plumb Library. In 1822 he was mar- Tied to Sarah A. Mallett. daughter of John Clark Mallett, and has children as follows: Alice E. and Franklin L. Mr. Wheeler has always been a Democrat with liberal tendencies, and he attends . married Deborah Burr 1752, daughter of Capt. the Congregational Church. -


John Burr; John, 2nd, born 1729."


To the above the compiler adds the following account of his ancestors: John Wheeler (2),


In 1885 Horace Wheeler was appointed, without request or suggestion on his part, deputy sheriff of Fairfield county, by Sheriff Swartz, . born in 1729. son of Lieut. John Wheeler and and later he was reappointed by Sheriff Clarkson Abigail burr, as derived from family tradition; he is said to have had five wives, the last one being the Widow Turney, of Fairfield. He had for the two terms he held the ofice He was court officer of the Superior and Common Pieas courts for both terms, and he may justly feel . three sons, so far as found: Stephen, Samuel and proud that during his ten years of oficial service John. Jr .; and five daughters: Lois, who mar- ried Jesse Atwood and removed to Maine; Eu- nice, who married Philo Mallett, of Trumbull: Lydia, who married John Sanford, of Redding: Sallie, who married Ezekiel Wakeman, of Wes- ton; and Abbie, who married Lyman Somers, of Weston. no cause ever miscarried through error of neglect on his part. Mr. Wheeler has been a member of the school board of the town of Huntington for twenty-five years. He served two terms as member of the Legislature, also as burgess of the borough of Shelton, etc.


Regarding the ancestry of the Wheeler fam-


Stephen Wheeler was a man of note, judge ily. it should be stated that the following inter- I of the Superior Court of Connecticut, and be- esting account of the family was, in response to sides filled other offices with honor. He mar- a letter of mquiry from the compiler, furnished | ried Eleanor Wakeman, daughter of Samuel by Justice Joseph P. Bradley, of the United !


Wakeman, and had children as follows: Willis, States Supreme Court, Washington, D. C., , Burr, Sanford, Mabel, Nancy, George, Charles. whose mother was a Wheeler.


.. Thomas Wheeler, who first settled at Con- i Eliza F. Fairchild, and had children as follows:


Samuel Wakeman and Mary. Willis married Frederick R., Rufus. Arthur Martin, now pro- fessor of History in Yale College; James W. and Stephen D.


- cord. removed to Fairfield in 1049, in the com- pany headed by Rev. Mr. Jones. He left his son Thomas at Concord, but brought with him to Faitheld his son Capt. John Wheeler, of Samuel Wheeler, son of John, married (first) -, and (second) Esther -, who died January 5. 1860, aged ninety-nine years, eight months and twenty days. By his first wife he had the following children: Silas, and Anna. who married David Sherwood, of Bridgeport; and, by his second wife, the following children: Wheeler. Daniel, Fannie, Sarah and Polly. Si- las married Deborah Sanford, of Weston, and had the following children: Samuel, Sallie, San- ford, Esther. David, Eloisa, Ebenezer, Edwin. John, Burritt and Lydia. Samuel married and removed to Canada: had two children, Algernon and Silas. Sallie married Bradley Burr. San- Black Rock, and his nephew Ephraim Wheeler, of Fairfield. There was a contemporary Thomas Wheeler. of Milford, and his brother William. of Stratford; but old Fairfield town and Redding were generously supplied with Wheelers from the sources I have named, and mostly from Cap- tain John, of Black Rock. He died in 1690, leaving his wife, Elizabeth, and thirteen chil- dren, whose names and ages are preserved in the records and published by Savage [Vol. IV, 498, top of page. ] Calvin Wheeler, my great-grand- father, was descended from the third son and seventh child, Joseph; but I have a partial rec- ord of the descendants of the oldest son, John, I ford married (first) Marietta Banks, (second) called Lieut. John Wheeler, who was born in


Laureny Wilson, and (third) - Perry, and had 1663, and who married Abigail Burr. March 12, ! four sons. Esther married Gershon Bradley San- 1692 (no doubt daughter of Jehu Burr, 2nd). | ford, of Redding, their only child being Mary .


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Burr, born at Redding August 29, 1830, and who, on September 3, 1848, married William Burr Wright, then of New Milford, Conn .; in 1862, Mr. Wright, having acquired a competence, re- tired from business, and with his wife removed to Westport, which place continued to be their residence until their death; they had but two children, a son, William B., who died at seven- teen while traveling in the West, and a daugh- ter, Elizabeth, who is married to Eli C. Smith, Esq., of Bridgeport, Conn., and has several sons and daughters; Mr. Wright passed away in 1883, and Mrs. Wright died suddenly at Westport August 2, 1890. David married Eunice Wor- den, and had children as follows: Elizabeth, El- mer and Worden. Eloisa married John Hull, of Easton, and had children as follows: Jeanette and Irving. Ebenezer married (first) Eliza Nichols, and (second) Eunice Gould; his chil- dien were James and Harriet. Edwin married Lucinda Thorpe, and had one son, Andrew. John married Malvina Smith, and had the fol- lowing children: Horace, Burritt, Esther and William.


John Wheeler has been quite prominent in public affairs, having several times represented his town in the Legislature of the State; his son Horace is a merchant in Birmingham, Conn., and has served creditably as deputy sheriff and in other offices; his daughter Esther married Frank Sherwood, who was for many years post- master at Southport, Conn .; Lydia married Will- jam Sanford, of Weston, and her children are Mason, Emma and Frederick. Samuel Wheeler was a strong Episcopalian. His portly form on a big grey steed riding up to the Episcopal Church in Weston, with a favorite granddaugh- ter on a pillion behind, was a familiar sight for years.


M AJOR GILBERT L. FITCH, a resident of Stamford, has been connected for a num- ber of years with business enterprises in New York City, and at present he has charge of the interests of the New York Life Insurance Com- pany in the State of Connecticut, his offices being located at No. 769 Chapel street, New Haven. Although a young man, his tact, judg- ment and rare executive ability have already been recognized, and he doubtless has a bright future before him. As a citizen he is held in high esteem, and in military circles he is both active and influential.


Mr. Fitch comes of old Connecticut stock. His grandfather, Francis B. Fitch, was a native of this State, and for some years was engaged in


educational work there; but later he entered politics, and held various important positions under the general government. He died in 1872, and his wife, Eliza W. (Dean), a native of Albany, N. Y., died in 1838.


Francis Stewart Fitch, our subject's father. was born in New Jersey in 1826, and married (first) Miss Sarah Faulkner, and (second) Miss Esther L. Oliver, both residents of Buffalo, N. Y. By his first marriage he had three children: Francis S., Benjamin L., and Caroline, now Mrs. W. T. Andrews. By the second marriage he had five children: Sarah E. F. (now Mrs. J. C. Johnston), William H., Gilbert L., Esther and Charlotte D. For many years he carried on an extensive mercantile business, and at present he is living in retirement at Darien, this county.


Major Fitch was born December 3, 1869, at Corfu, N. Y., and the first seven years of his life were spent at Buffalo, but his education was mainly acquired at Noroton, Conn., in a private school. At the age of fifteen he went to New York City to learn the machinist's trade, but finding the occupation uncongenial he secured a position in a wholesale paper warehouse, after- ward engaging in the drug business. Later he became connected with the New York Life Insurance Company, remaining three years, and then for a time he was engaged in the dry-goods business at Hoosick Falls, N. Y., with a brother. In February, 1890, he returned to the New York Life Insurance Company, with which he has ever since been connected. In May, 1897, he was appointed agency director for the State of Connecticut, taking charge of all their agents here, and this position he has filled to the entire satisfaction of the company.


On October 1, 1896, Mr. Fitch was married to Miss Carrie O. Wood, a daughter of William E. Wood, a citizen of Stamford. The Major has been identified with Puritan Lodge No. 43. I. O. O. F., at Stamford since June, 1896, and his military service dates back to November 19. 1888, when he enlisted in Company C, 4th Con- necticut National Guards, as a private. On Au- gust 3, 1891, he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and later he received rapid advance- ment, being appointed to second lieutenant on August 24, 1891 ; to first lieutenant on November 18, 1892, and to captain on July 19. 1893. On December 17, 1894, he resigned, but on January 9, 1896, he was elected captain of the company. and on January 18, 1897, he was promoted to the rank of major of the 2nd Battalion, of the 4th Regiment. Mustered major 3d Regiment Conn. Volunteer Infantry July 3, 1898; honor- ably discharged September 19, 1898.


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J JOSEPH C. RANDLE, who for thirty-seven . dle & Brother. This co-partnership lasted until years has held the office of postmaster at : 1802, when George withdrew, that he might en- Winmipauk, town of Norwalk. Fairfield county, was born in the town of Wilton, same county. September 24. 1833. a son of Samuel P. Randi. a member of an ancient English family. ter the army. Joseph C. continued the business, and now has a general store that is one of the most popular trading places in the county, the genial manners of the proprietor, and his will- ingness to oblige everyone, winning the best and ! most substantial patronage. Mr. Randle is a Republican in politics, having voted for Fremont ! for President in 1856. For five years he was as- sistant postmaster, and is now nearing the two- score mark in his career as postmaster. It is unnecessary to add that he has been prominent in the politics of his town, and his place in com- mercial and financial circles extends beyond the 'Bank of Norwalk, and in the Fairfield County of Wilton. They became the parents of seven I Savings Bank. He is also president of the Nor- walk Pottery Company, and one of the directors




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