Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 233

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

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Church and contribute generously to its support. In political faith Mr. Vinson is a Republican, but he has never given much time to the work of the party. He is an active member of the I. O. O. F .. and helped to organize Progressive Lodge, of Danbury.

G GEORGE H. CROFUT, a rising young busi- ness man of Bethel, is now the junior mem- ber of the Judd & Dunning Hat Company of that place. Practical work at the hatter's trade has given him a thorough knowledge of all its details, and he takes a responsible part in the management of the establishment.

Mr. Crofut is a member of a well-known family of this locality, and his father, the late Col. George Smith Crofut, was born in the bor- ough of Bethel, and received his education in the public schools of his native place. When a young man he spent some years in the merchant marine. Later he served an apprenticeship in the hat manufacturing business with Capt. Isaac Seeley, of Bethel, and previous to the Civil war was en- gaged in that business in Newark, N. J. During the hostilities between the North and South he was captain of Company G, 23d Conn. Regiment, and after the close of the struggle he became colonel of the Fourth Regiment of the State militia. His later years were spent at Bethel, where he followed the hatting business for some time, but he finally engaged in the coal, wood and trucking business at the place now occupied by E. N. Fillow, continuing this until his death. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church at Bethel, and socially he belonged to Eureka Lodge, F. & A. M., and to the G. A. R., at Danbury. In politics he was a Republi- can, and he took an active part in local affairs, serving as town clerk and judge of probate. Colonel Crofut was married in Bethel to Miss Mary A. Foster, a native of the town of Danbury, who died in 1874, and he formed a second union, with Miss Fannie A. Price. Of his five children, all born to the first marriage, our subject is the youngest: Georgianna married Jefferson Hunt, of Bethel; Mary Virginia married Theodore R. Smith, of South Norwalk, and has had three children-Bessie, Dwight and Florence: David F .. engineer at the Standard Oil Works, at South Norwalk, married Miss Sarah Wolf, and has one daughter, Mignon; Edward F., who died at the age of twenty-one years, married Miss Jessie Foster, and had one son. Edward.

George H. Crofut was born August 4. 1867, in the borough of Bethel, were he spent his boy- hood, obtaining his education in the public

schools. At an early age he learned the hatters trade, and for about nine months served as fore- man in the trimming department of the Judd & Dunning factory; but the death of his father caused him to give up that position in order to give attention to the latter's coal and lumber business. On resuming his trade he was employ- ed for some time in the trimming departments of various shops, finally becoming bookkeeper for Baird & Levy, and then bookkeeper and New York City salesman for Judd & Dunning. On January 1, 1894, he was taken into the last- named firm as a partner, and at present he is sub-manager under F. A. Judd.

On June 21, 1888, Mr. Crofut was married to Miss Effie L. Lockwood, daughter of Hon. A. B. Lockwood, of Bethel. She died January 26, 1892, leaving no children, and on June 10, 1896, Mr. Crofut married Miss Edith A. Dibble, daughter of H. V. Dibble, of Bethel. In rt- ligious connection Mr. Crofut is a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church at Bethel. He is public-spirited, and has always shown sympathy with every movement which promises to promote the best interests of the community.

G WOULD A. SEYMOUR. The Seymour family is one of the oldest in this county. and the subject of this biography, a well-known citizen of South Norwalk, enjoys the distinction of owning an estate which is a portion of an original pur- chase made by an ancestor from the Indians. The head of the family came from France at an early date, and about 1640 settled at the present site of the city of Norwalk, acquiring a large tract of land and engaging in farming.

Seth Seymour, our subject's grandfather, was reared at the old home at Norwalk, and his life was mainly spent in the locality. During the Revolutionary war he served as a soldier in the American army, and he is known to have had a personal acquaintance with General Washing- ton. He owned three hundred acres of land where Norwalk now stands, and much of his time was given to agriculture, but he followed the carpenter's trade extensively. He married, and had three children: Alfred was for many years a jeweler in New York City, and died in Norwalk, Conn .: Stephen, formerly a farmer at Norwalk; and Uriah, our subject's father.

Uriah Seymour was a lifelong resident of the town of Norwalk, and like his ancestors he de- voted his time chiefly to agricultural pursuits. His wife, whose maiden name was Esther Thatcher, was a native of the same locality, a daughter of Josiah Thatcher, a leading resident.

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This family was of English origin. Our subject was the youngest of four children, none of whom ever married: George (deceased) was the fore- man of a hat factory in Danbury; Augusta is de- ceased; and Miss Harriet resides in South Nor- walk.

Mr. Seymour, our subject, was educated in the schools near his home, and being reared to farm life naturally turned to that occupation on arriving at mature age. He owns about one hundred acres of land, and as the rapid growth of the city has made the land valuable for build- ing purposes it has greatly added to his wealth. He resides upon the most fashionable street in South Norwalk, and has other choice pieces of property in the city. Notwithstanding their abundant means, he and his sister are quite un- assuming in manner, and delight in conforming to the old-fashioned ways. They manifest a generous sympathy in various worthy movements, and are identified with the Congregational Church at South Norwalk. In politics as in other things, Mr. Seymour does his own thinking, and he is known as an independent voter.

W E. PECK conducts the oldest and most and lives on land in Greenwich township which has been in the family for several generations. The section in which his farm lies is called Peck's Land, being so named on account of the numer- ous members of the family who make their home there.

Mr. Peck is a son of Edward A. and Frances M. (Scofield) Peck, both of whom were natives of Greenwich. the former born October 22, 1837, on the farm occupied by our subject. Arod Peck, the grandfather, was a lifelong agriculturist, and he brought his son Edward up to the same voca- tion, the latter passing his life on the homestead. In addition to farming he engaged in the dairy business, and by good management, industry and thrift he acquired a comfortable property and made a good living for his family. In Green- wich he was married to Frances M. Scofield, and they became the parents of two chil- dren: W. E., and Ella, who died young. The mother is still living, highly esteemed by her friends and neighbors, and makes her home with her son; the father died at the age of fifty-one years, and was laid to rest in the Union ceme- tery, at Greenwich. He was a member of the Congregational Church, to which the mother also belongs, and politically he was a Republican, though he took no part in politics beyond casting his vote.

W. E. Peck was born November 27, 1866, on the home farm, and here he was reared to manhood, falling naturally in the lines of busi- ness followed by his father, as he was the only son, and assisted at home from boyhood. He began his studies in the Peck's Land school, a Miss Kellogg being his first teacher, and when in his "teens" became a pupil at the school in Greenwich village, where he finished his educa- tion. After leaving school he gave all his time to his father's business, thus becoming thoroughly familiar with every detail of the work in early life, and since his father's death has continued to carry on the farm and dairy work alone. In the latter line he has the leading trade in Greenwich; it was established forty years ago, and from a modest start has reached good proportions, Mr. Peck having a herd of from fifteen to twenty cows and running two wagons. "Nothing suc- ceeds like success," and the reputation of his father as a good manager and reliable man was worth a great deal in gaining confidence and pat- ronage, but the son has proved himself an able successor, and is a worthy representative of the Peck family in Greenwich township.

Mr. Peck was married, at the age of twenty- five years, to Miss Lillian M. Brundage, of New

important dairy business in Greenwich, I Castle, Westchester Co., N. Y., who belongs to an excellent family, and is the daughter of Will- iam H. Brundage. Mr. and Mrs. Peck are mem- bers of the Congregational Church at Greenwich. In politics he is a stanch Republican and votes regularly, but he is not active in party affairs.

G EORGE H. BECK, the proprietor of "Beck's Lakeside Inn," in the town ,of Stamford, Fairfield Co., Conn., has been widely known to pleasure seekers throughout this sec- tion for the past five or six years. He came to Stamford in 1890, and commenced business there by opening a café on Main street, which he conducted for one year, in 1891 establishing the "Lakeside Inn," which he has ever since car- ried on.

Mr. Beck is a native of Connecticut, born December 25. 1854, in Bridgeport, where his father, Jacob Beck, followed the carpenter's business. The latter was born in Germany, came to America when a young man, and became a highly respected resident of Bridgeport, where he was foreman at the depot for some time. He built the track at Seaside Park. Jacob Beck married Catherine Connors, and by her had thirteen children, of whom we have record of seven as follows: John (who resides in Norwich, Conn.), George H., Jennie, Willie, Walter, Julia

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and Catherine. The father passed away in 1879. the mother in 1880.

George H. Beck received a good practical training in the public schools of his native city. After commencing work he was engaged as a bricklayer for a short time, and then for eight or nine years was employed as a waiter in a res- taurant. He now branched out on his own ac- count, for ten years carrying on a wholesale and retail fruit business in Fairfield avenue under the firm style of the Bridgeport Fruit Company. During the next ten years he was similarly en- gaged in Danbury, Conn., whence he returned to Bridgeport, still continuing the fruit business. His next removal was to Darien, where for a year and a half he conducted the *Columbia Hotel," and he has since been a resident of Stam- ford. Mr. Beck has, in addition to the inn, full control of Woodside Park. It is his intention for the coming season to enlarge the "Lakeside Inn," which has become a popular resort for pleasure parties, and which Mr. Beck has taken pains to render attractive in every possible way. The inn is especially noted for its "shore din- ners," and its patrons have been increasing yearly in a most encouraging degree, a fact which is due as much to the proprietor's pleasant manner of treating his guests as to the satisfactory ser- vice afforded by his house.

Mr. Beck has been twice married, first time in Bridgeport, to Mary Feeney, by whom he had two children: Maggie and Katie. He was subse- quently united in marriage at Farmington, Conn., to Evaline Burns.

J YOHN K. SCHWARZ, one of the prosperous self-made men of Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Conn., is a typical native of the Fatherland, industrious, economical, thrifty and persevering, and he is one of the respected residents of his adopted town, where he has lived for over a quarter of a century. Mr. Schwarz was born |

nine pursuing his studies in a private school, where in addition to the elementary branches he I studied Latin, French, music, etc. He learned rapidly, and when he left school, at the age of thirteen, was well advanced. His father wished him to study for the ministry, but it was his am- bition to become a physician, and, as the parents could not afford to give him a medical education, he decided to leave school. He commenced work by helping his father at farming, at which he continued for some time. He did not wish to be compelled to enter the army, so in 1867 he bade adieu to his home and friends. and set out for the United States, embarking at Bremen in the steamer " Werra," bound for New York City. where he landed a stranger in a strange land, with nothing but his clothes and seventy-five cents in money. However, he had learned the butcher trade thoroughly in Germany, and he found work at same in Hudson City, N. J., re- ceiving ten dollars a month for his services, which at that time he considered good wages. It was not long before he commenced to grow homesick, and he became so restless and discontented that he left his position after working one month, buy- ing clothing with the money he had earned and expecting to find other employment without any trouble. He proceeded to New York City, but after his money was gone he experienced a harder time than he had anticipated, and he will never forget the hardships of his first winter in Amer- ica, for he had no work for months, and for sev- eral weeks he did not taste warm food. He finally found employment at South Orange, N. J., as general utility man for a Mr. Wilson, with whom he remained one year, proving a steady, faithful worker. Following this he worked at | his trade at Albany, N. Y., in a lumber yard, in a brick yard, and in a brewery, after which he went as a deckhand on the steamer "St. John," plying between Albany and New York City. The next winter he worked at his trade in Brunswick, N. J., thence coming to Bridgeport, Conn., where

December 23, 1847, in Sachsen-Meiningen, Ger- | he was engaged for a vear and several months many, the eldest in the family of Herman and i with Andrew Snyder, a butcher, in Bank street.

Maria (Gottwald) Schwarz, which consisted of four children, viz .: John K .; Elizabeth, who | Fairfield, where he commenced to work on April lives in Germany: Ernest, who died in Hamburg, Germany; and Matilda, married, living in Ger- i tinued for six years. For the next eleven years many. The father, who was a well-to-do, re- he was coachman for Mrs. Theodore Saltus, and spected farmer, died at the age of sixty-six in : after her removal from Fairfield he engaged in Germany; the mother is still living there.

In the spring of 1871 Mr. Schwarz settled in I Ist for Samuel Glover, in whose employ he con-

I the poultry business; but as he did not succeed so well in the local markets he commenced taking trips a week, and in this way he drifted into the

Mr. Schwarz, our subject, as will be seen, 1 was the only one of the family to come to the | his products to New York City, making three United States. He was reared and educated in : his native country, attending during his earlier i messenger business, which he has since carried years the public schools, and after the age of i on very profitably. In addition to attending to

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this work he furnishes choice fruit and fresh eggs to the best trade in New York, keeps bees, and sells the honey in New York, and, altogether, has built up a large and thriving trade, which yields him a comfortable income. Mr. Schwarz handles only the choicest products for the high-class trade, and he has gained his present standing by thorough honesty and reliability in all his deal- ings, and close attention to the details of his business, which is growing steadily.

Mr. Schwarz was married in New York City to Miss Margaret Rose, who was born in Schles- wig-Holstein, Germany, and came to this coun- try when a young woman. Four children have blessed this union, namely: Annie, Lena, Fred H. and Maggie, all of whom are at home with their parents. The family attend the Presby- terian Church, of which the daughters are mem- bers. Mr. Schwarz is a Republican in political sentiment, though he is not a strict party man.

M ORRIS WHEELER, a prominent con- tractor and builder of Bridgeport, is a representative of an old and highly-respected family of the town of Easton, his ancestors having taken an active part in the various movements which have tended to the lasting benefit of the community, and in the course of his career he has shown the same enterprise and thrift which have characterized the family from the early days.

Mr. Wheeler is descended from John Wheeler, a pioneer farmer of Easton. His son, Samuel Wheeler, the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Easton and followed farming there. During the Revolutionary war he was active in preparing for the defense of this section from the threatened attacks of the British, and was among those captured by General Tryon in his famous raid on Danbury, but was released after being carried two miles.

Silas Wheeler, our subject's grandfather, was a lifelong resident of Easton, where he was en- gaged in agriculture. He married a Miss Sanford, of the same town, and they had eleven children, of whom ten lived to adult age. The majority of them settled on farms in Easton, but David, one of the sons, located in Bridgeport and be- came the founder of what is now the Bridgeport Malleable Iron Works. Another son, Ebenezer, engaged in the manufacture of shovels, and later in the sewer-pipe business.

four children, of whom our subject was the youngest. Marcus is a farmer at Greenfield Hill, this county; Franklin S. is a carpenter in Bridge- port; and Benjamin S., now deceased, made his home in Canada. The parents of this family are both buried in Easton.

Morris Wheeler was born November 15, 1837, at the old homestead, and during boyhood at- tended the neighboring district school. As farm work was not to his liking he began to learn the carpenter's trade at the age of sixteen, finally locating in Bridgeport, where he soon established himself in an independent business as a con- tractor. He owns and rents considerable prop- erty in the city, and is regarded as a substantial citizen. In politics Mr. Wheeler is a Republican, and he and his wife are leading members of the Episcopal Church in Bridgeport, his family having been adherents of that faith from an early period. His wife, who was formerly Miss Rosanna Burns, is a native of Dublin, Ireland, and they have one daughter, Marietta, who married John Crounan, of Bridgeport.

FRANK E. DOWNES. This enterprising and successful young merchant, now the propri- etor of a general store at Stamford, is a worthy representative of one of the pioneer families of the county, being a descendant of - Downes, who came from Scotland at an early day and set- tled at Stanwich, in the town of Greenwich. Seth Brush Downes, the grandfather of our subject, was born in the town of Greenwich, and resided there throughout his life, being engaged in busi- ness as a blacksmith and farmer. He married Miss Mamie Scofield, of Stanwich.

Silas Smith Downes, our subject's father, was born in North Greenwich, and now resides upon a farm. In addition to his agricultural work, he is engaged in teaming and in the blacksmith's trade, the family characteristics of thrift and in- dustry being well illustrated in his career. He married Miss Mary Jane White, and had seven children, viz .: Frank E., Frederick E., Addie E., Charles E., Elmer E., Arthur E. and Mabel E.

Our subject was born September 1, 1867, at the old homestead in North Greenwich, and his education was acquired in the schools of that locality. During his boyhood he assisted his father on the farm and in the blacksmith shop, and at the age of eighteen years he secured em- ployment as a clerk in Webster Haight's grocery at Glenville, with a view to gaining experience in business. After two months in that position he I removed to Stamford, where he was employed

Sanford Wheeler, the father of our subject, was born and reared in Easton, and spent his life in farming there. He married Miss Marietta Banks, daughter of Solomon O. Banks, a well- known agriculturist of the town, and they had | as a clerk by Greenwood & Slater for two and

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one-half years, and in August, 1888, having ob- | tained a thorough knowledge of the business, he opened a general store at Noroton. This he con- ducted successfully for about two years, and dur- ing that time he served as postmaster at the vil- lage. In April, 1890, he sold out his business there and returned to Stamford to engage in a similar enterprise at the corner of Myrtle avenue and Main street. Success attended the venture from the start, and on July 25, 1891, he pur- chased a lot at No. 42 Myrtle avenue, where he built his present commodious and convenient store. He is regarded as one of the substantial citizens of the town, and his popularity, which extends to all classes, is based upon the sure foundation of well-proven merit.

At Pound Ridge, N. Y., Mr. Downes was married to Miss Ida F. Knapp, daughter of Will- iam E. Knapp, a prominent resident of Stamford, and he and his wife are much esteemed in the | died young; and Carrie, who married F. M. social circles of the locality. He is connected | with various fraternal orders, including the I. O. O. F., Rippewam Lodge, of Stamford.

G EORGE F. STEVENSON. The Stevenson family is of English origin, and the ancestors of this well-known resident of Bridgeport were among the earliest settlers of Westchester coun- ty, New York.

subject; John, a resident of Bridgeport, now liv- ing retired; and Emeline, who died unmarried.

George F. Stevenson was born October 7, 1819, in New York City, where he resided dur- ing his youth and early manhood. After leaving school he learned the jeweler's trade, and on leaving New York he went to Detroit, Mich., | where he was employed in that business for a year. He then established a plant in Brooklyn, N. Y., for the manufacture of jewelry and gold pens, continuing same until his removal to Bridgeport, where he has made his home since 1854, conducting a prosperous jewelry business in the city.

In 1847 Mr. Stevenson married Miss Susan | Middlebrook, a sister of H. B. Middlebrook, of | Bridgeport, and three children have blessed the union: Charles F., who is now associated with I his father in the jewelry business; Shore E., who

Goodell, of Bridgeport. The family is much es- I teemed socially, and Mr. Stevenson and his wife are leading members of the Congregational Church. Though not a politician, Mr. Steven- son is a firm believer in the principles and policy of the Republican party.

A RTHUR E. TWEEDY. The Tweedy family has been so long and so extensively identi- fied with the business of hat manufacturing that its members may be regarded as pioneers in that line, and the subject of this sketch, an enterpris- | ing young business man of Danbury, is now a | leader in one of the allied branches of the trade . - that of manufacturing hat trimmings. It is a

Frederick Stevenson, our subject's grand- father, was born in Westchester county, N. Y., and for many years was engaged in mercantile business there and in New York City. During the Revolutionary war he entered the army, and he took part in the battle of Long Island. His wife, Hannah Brown, of Westchester county, I comparatively new line of work, but few factories was also of English descent, and was a native of | in the United States being devoted to it, and Mr. Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn. They had nine | Tweedy's plant on East Franklin street, Dan- children, six daughters and three sons, of whom | bury, has special interest on that account to a Ferdinand, the eldest, was lost at sea. John, visitor. the youngest, died at the age of twenty. Abijah E. Tweedy, our subject's grandfather,

Shore E. Stevenson, our subject's father. I was one of the most prominent hat manu- was born in New York City. He was a man of | facturers in the country in his day. He was fine ability and attainments, being specially 1 a native and a lifelong resident of Dan- bury, and did much to make that place a center of industry. He married Mary M. Bost- noted as a linguist, and at the time of his death, about 1850, he was district attorney for New 1 various positions under the general government,

York City. During his active career he held | wick, and their family consisted of five children, and for many years he was connected with the i of Edmund Tweedy in hat manufacturing; Will- New York custom house. In politics he was a i iam, also a hat manufacturer at Danbury; Oliver Jacksonian Democrat, and in religious faith he | P., our subject's father; and Susan, who married and his wife were members of the Episcopal | Dr. Charles Skiff. The late Oliver P. Tweedy was born and reared Church. He married Miss Ophelia Hunt, of : Westchester county, N. Y., and had four chil- i in Danbury, and followed exclusively the business dren: Frederick W., deceased, who was formerly | of dealer in hat trimmings. He married Miss a bank clerk in New York City; George F., our | Annabella S. Nichols, a native of Danbury, whose

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 233

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