Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 261

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 261

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Reuben Blackman. his father, was a descend- ant of Rev. Adam Blackman, of the Stratford family. and was one of several brothers who located in Woodbury, Conn. He was twice married, his first wife being Hannah Botsford, who died January 22, 1816, aged sixty-two years. His second wife was a Fairchild. The follow-

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og- named children were born to the first mar- of Boston, daughter of a Baptist minister, and rage Reuben. Thomas, Annis, Judah, Sarah, all of whom are now dead, and their children, with the exception of the daughter of Reuben. There were none bwin to the second marriage. Recben Backnan, the father of these children, died on April 20. 18:4. aged eighty one years. two months and filtern dass

Col. Reuben Blackman in early life learned the trade of a silversmith at Woodbury, Conn .. with a cousin, a Mr Botsford He located on Mt. Pleasant. in Newtown, where he passed his life occupied in the pursuit of his trade as silver- smith and jeweler. In the training day's he was a member of the State militia, being active in it's affairs, and it was in the militia that he ar- quited the title of colonel He was a genial. whole-souled gentleman of the old type. es- termed and respected by all In his political views. he was a bettersat (Conel Biackman was married fest) to Chants, daughter of Jo- seph Clark, a sea captain who was lost at sea. She died September 22. 1828. aged fifty years. and Colonel Blackman subsequently wedded Flo- nila Leavenworth, who died January 17. 18;3. | tery: aged sixty-eight Colonel Blackmans children. ail by the first wife, were (I. Walter, who al. ways lived on the home piace, and died unmar- red. October 17, 1852. aged seventy five years 1 1: Caroline, married to Bryant South, a lawyer of Brookfield, she died December 20, 18;2, aged sixty seven years, ten months (3) Sheldon. married to Julia Noble, of New Milford, he learned the trade of silversmith and jeweler in the same shop as did his father, with Mr. Bots- ford, at Woodbury, and located in the business at New Milford. Cann, which he followed throughout life. He died November 18, 1879. aged sixty-nine years (4) Judge Daniel Black- man was born December 31, 1822. in Newtown, Conn . where his elementary education was re- ceived For a time he taught in the Newtown 1 Academy, then went to Southbury, were he also 1 1 taught school and studied law under Joel Hin- man. He was admitted to the Bar in Fairfield when quite young, and located in the practice in Danbury, Conn .. where he remained seven years. From Danbury he went to Cassopolis. Mich .. and for two years edited the Cassopolis Democrat. He was elected circuit judge, which position he held a number of years, but the duties becoming too arduous for the state of his health he resigned the face. He then went to Chicago, Ill., and practiced law until his death. which occurred January 11. 1896. Judge Black- man was highly esteemed as a citizen and in the profession. He married Abby Maginnes, a native

they had one daughter. Elizabeth, who married Rev. C. R. Hager. M. D., of the South China Mission, and died within a year after going to that country. ( 5) Emily Blackman married Wheeler Beers (now deceased). a son of Burton Beers, of Easton, Conn., and resides in Bridge- port, Conn .. with her only son. Frank W. Beers. She is the only grandchild of Reuben Blackman, Sr .. now living out of nineteen grandchildren.

J UDGE SAMUEL C. BLACKMAN, who was born March 22. 1768, and died November 17, 1858, was one of Newtown's prominent citizens, his late home being on the present site of the ". Central Hotel." A lawyer by profession, he. for seventeen years-from 1820 to 1837 -- held the office of Probate judge, and altogether he was a useful man in the community. For years he was school visitor. He was an upright Christian man, a leader in the Presbyterian Church. The following is taken from the tomb- stone marking his grave in the Newtown Ceme-

A graduate of Yale College, and many wears an upright judge. Purity of char. acter adorned his life, immortal hopes in. spored his death.

Judge Blackman was married to Sarah Toucy, who was born in Newtown April 23. 1777, and died December 6, 1835. Their chil- dren were: Caroline, Sarah, George. Alfred, William and Samuel.

N ICHOLS. There lived in Stratford, Conn., in 1639. one Sergt. Francis Nicolls (for so he spelled his name), with four children-three sons and a daughter. Isaac Nicols, one of his sons, married and had a son Isaac, born in 1654. Isaac (2) had a son Richard, who was born in 1678. in Stratford; Richard was married in 1702 to Comfort Sherman, daughter of Theophilus Sherman, of Wethersfield. Comfort (Sherman) Nichols died in 1726, and Richard again married, his second wife's Christian name being Eliza- beth.

Nathaniel Nichols, son of Richard and Com- fort Nichols, born in 1707, settled in Newtown, Conn., and in 1730 he was married to Ann Booth. Their children were: (1) Esther, born September 25. 1731. (2) Peter. born in New- town, March 1. 1733. married Rebecca Camp, and died in 1799: she died in 1793. Their daughter. Phedima, born in 1775. married Sim- eon Beers. Nathaniel Nichols (a son of Peter),

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born in 1769, married Grace Sherman, daughter of Jotham Sherman. (3) Philo, born February 27, 1734. (4) Phedima, born February 9, 1736. (5) Richard, born May 15, 1739, married Abigail Gold, and had children-Ann, born in 1763; Austin, in 1766; Huldah, in 1769; Daniel, in 1773, and Hannah, in 1775. (6) Austin, born July 2, 1741. (7) Elijah, born August 12, 1743. (8) Ann, born September 1. 1745. (9) Theo- philus, born in 1748, married Sarah Meeker. (10) Joseph, born July 22, 1750. Nathaniel Nichols died May 10, 1785, aged seventy-eight years; his wife passed away January 5, 1780, aged seventy years.

CAPT. JAMES NICHOLS (deceased) was born September 9, 1775, in Newtown, and died there November 4, 1852.

The line of his descent for several genera- tions, from an early New England ancestry, is from Isaac, of Stratford, through Isaac (2), Rich- ard, Nathaniel and Theophilus.

Isaac was several times deputy to the Gen- eral Court from Stratford. He was the son of Francis, who appeared in Stratford in 1639. Of these ancestors, Richard, born in 1678, in Strat- ford, married, in 1702. Comfort Sherman, daugh- ter of Theophilus Sherman, of Wethersfield. Richard died in 1756, and Comfort in 1726. Nathaniel, their son, born April 8, 1707, settled in Newtown. He married Ann Booth, and one of their sons, Theophilus, born May 13, 1748, married "Sarah Meeker, and became the father of our subject.

Capt. James Nichols married Lucy Beach, eldest daughter of John Beach (3) and Mabel (Beers) Beach. Their children were: Theophi- lus B., born 1800, died 1840; Isaac, born April 19, 1802; William, born November 6, 1803, died December 24, 1824; Drusus, born March 2, 1805; Rev. Abel, born May 25. 1807, died December 16, 1859; Thaddeus H., born June 1, 1809, died February 5, 1856; James A. F., born June 10. 1812; John, born October 28, 1814; Philo, born November 5, 1815; and Susan, born December 24, 1818.

Captain Nichols was a large landowner and a good farmer. He dealt largely in cattle. He was one of the most prominent farmers of his time in Newtown. A man of good judgment, he served as selectman, though he was not an office seeker. He was a Whig in his political views, and, religiously, a member of the Episco- pal Church. He was often called on in the set- tlement of estates.

ISAAC NICHOLS, son of Capt. James and Lucy Beach Nichols, was born April 19, 1802. in New- town, and died there September 17, 1853. He

was married (first) in 1827 to Betsey Platt, daugh- ter of Moses and Anna (Judson) Platt. She was born in 1798, and died October 6, 1835. Their children were: Henry, born May 8, 1829: James, born December 24, 1830; William, born Febru- ary 11, 1833; and Mary B., born October 3, 1835.

Isaac Nichols for his second wife married, March 20, 1838, Louisa Bartlett, daughter of John and Sarah (Bennett) Bartlett. She was born April 4, 1812, and died October 21, 1894. Their children were: Augusta, born February 22, 1839; Sarah, born May 29, 1840; Margaret, born March 20, 1842; Beach Nichols, born February 8, 1844; Louisa B., born September 7, 1845; William, born August 18, 1847; Arthur, born April 2, 1849; and Grace, born November 26, 1851.

Isaac Nichols was reared at the old Nichols homestead, which was just south of the Beers Sherman place. In his early life for some years he was engaged in business at Bridgeport, having associated with Gideon Thompson. Along in the latter part of the 'thirties he returned to the homestead, and there farmed the rest of his life. He was a good substantial farmer and citizen. He did not care for official position, and was not active in public affairs. In politics, he was a Whig, and, in his religious views, an Episcopa- lian.

C HARLES BLACKMAN NICHOLS, whose death occurred in January. 1895, was one of Newtown's old citizens.

Born in 1817, in the house where he died, Mr. Nichols was the son of Peter and Polly (Black- man) Nichols, the latter of whom was a daugh- ter of Eli Blackman, of Huntington. Peter Nichols, the father, who was a manufacturer of satinet, died when our subject was fourteen years of age. The business was carried on for some fifteen years after the father's death, and our subject then for a time engaged in the manu- facture of stocking yarn, and also carded wool. The factory and mill were sold to the late William Platt, and for some years thereafter our subject carried on the manufacture of buttons in a small factory not far from his residence, con- tinuing in such some seven years. He finally closed out the business, and gave his time to the improvement of his place at Cold Spring, a typical New England homestead.

In 1848 Mr. Nichols was married to Mary E. Botsford, who died January 13, 1886. Mr. Nichols was pre-eminently a religious man, a Christian of the noblest type. He was a mem-

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ber of the Congregational Church, and was of a type of citizenship that is an honor to our New England towns. His upright business life, his singularly pure and inspiring spirit of domestic happiness as seen in his home, his large-hearted generosity toward the Church of Christ, and the cheerfulness which went out from his sunny nature to all who needed his help, are factors to be considered as we measure a life like his.

J OSEPH NICHOLS (deceased) once stood first and foremost as a merchant and a man of fortune in Newtown. His residence was on the corner by the old Episcopal church, which house he sold on his removal from the town to David V. B. Baldwin, upon whose death it passed into the hands of Philo Skidmore, the present owner. The store in which Mr. Nichols acquired his fortune occupied the site covered later by the store of Henry Sanford, and he va- cated same to embark in the dry-goods business in Pearl street, New York City, associating with himself his younger brother, Charles, who after- ward held a consulship abroad. However, a revolution in commercial affairs occurring not long after, the firm, along with hosts of others, met with disaster from which it was unable to extricate itself. Mr. Nichols retired to Green- field Hill, Conn., where he passed the remainder of his life in straitened circumstances, yet retain- ing all that family pride which he exhibited in his most palmy days.

Mr. Nichols was truly a gentleman of the old school, and no man in the State stood higher than he for unblemished integrity and sound judgment ; hence it was the custom among his fellow-citizens, in matters of dispute between them, to choose him as referee or umpire, thus avoiding expensive litigation. It is hardly neces- sary to say that his decisions were uniformly so just that an appeal from them was seldom, if ever, attempted. In the cemetery near Newtown vil- lage there is the grave of a Joseph Nichols, who died March 12, 1855, aged 81 years, and whose wife Sarah died August 10, 1848, aged 67 years. By members of the present generation it is thought that in this grave lie the remains of the subject of this sketch and his wife.

= HEOPHILUS NICHOLS, who died in the village of Newtown, November 18, 1870, aged seventy-five years, was a native of the town.

Peter Nichols, father of our subject, was a farmer, and resided in the southern part of the

town. His children other than our subject were: Peter, married to Polly Blackman; Hester, wife of William Edwards; Margary, married to David Griffin; Sally, who never married; John; and Simeon.

Theophilus Nichols was a farmer residing in the vicinity of Cold Spring, Newtown, until he entered public life, when he moved to New- towd village, and there resided the rest of his lifetime. He was a merchant tailor. On the incorporation of Newtown borough in 1824 he was made its first bailiff; was elected to the office of judge of probate, and served as such from 1838 to 1842 and from 1844 to 1846. He was a good officer, and held the esteem of the community. He was a vestryman in the Episco- pal Church. Judge Nichols married Lucinda Noble, and had children: (1) Charlotte, who never married, lives on Mount Pleasant, New- town. (2) William N. Nichols. (3) Frances (de- ceased) married Rev. George Rumney. (4) Ann. (5) Henry T. was educated at the Newtown Academy. On the death of Henry Beers Glover, in 1870, Henry T. Nichols succeeded him in the position of secretary and treasurer of the New- town Savings Bank, which relations he sustained to the bank until his death, which occurred August 1, 1887, when he was aged forty-eight years. He was town clerk in 1882. Mr. Nichols was identified with Trinity Episcopal Church, in which for years he was the organist. He was a useful man in the community, and his death was keenly felt. He married Abigail, daughter of Philo H. Skidmore, of Newtown, and they had children as follows: Stella married Frederick W. Hall. of Bridgeport, and they have two chil- dren-Pauline N. and Ruth S .; Henry S., a dentist in New Haven, Conn., married Harriett G. Nichols, of Newtown, and they have one child -Jessie L .; Walter M. married Eva Birdsall, of Bridgeport, and they have one child-Hazel; Philo H. is unmarried; Jessie A. died in 1881, in her seventh year; and Arthur T. died in 1886, in his sixth year. The mother of these children passed away December 29, 1889, aged forty years.

(2) William N. Nichols was born, reared and educated in Newtown. When a young man he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, which he ever after- ward made his home, and was in the fur business, firm of Lockwood, Nichols & Tice, of that city. He was twice married, first to Belle, daughter of Dr. George Blackman, of Cincinnati, Ohio; and second to Fanny, daughter of Doctor Dodge, of the same city. There were two sons, William T. and Henry D., born to the first marriage, and a daughter, Florence (now deceased), born to the

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second marriage. William T. Nichols was edu- cated at Yale, class of '84, and is now manag- ing editor of the Manchester Union, Manchester. N. H. He married Helen Hull, and they have one child, Florence. Henry D. Nichols is un- married.

J JOSEPH HAWLEY was born in Derbyshire, England, in 1603, and in 1629 came to Amer- ica, locating first in Boston, and later in Stratford, this county, where he died in 1690. He had five sons, as follows: Ebenezer; Joseph; Samuel, who is mentioned more fully in the next paragraph; Ephraim, born in 1659, who had four sons-Jehiel, Abiah, Gideon and Daniel; and Capt. John, born in 1661, who had six children, among whom were Nathan, John, Jr., and Henry.

II. Samuel Hawley was born in 1652, and reared a family of eight sons: Benjamin, Nathan, Ephraim, Joseph, Matthew, Thomas (the father of Ezra, Thomas, Ebenezer and Samuel), Eben- ezer and Samuel, Jr.

III. Samuel Hawley, Jr., who was born in 1674, had the following-named children: Rich- ard, Stephen (the father of Nehemiah, Hezekiah and Benjamin), Jonathan, Francis, Ephraim, Nathaniel, Obadiah, Matthew. Nathan and Ben- jamin [Francis ?]. Of these Nathan had sons as follows: Ephraim, Samuel, Nehemiah, Abraham, Andrew and Nathan.

IV. Benjamin Hawley, son of Samuel, Jr., was born in 1694, and had four sons: Ebenezer, William, Abel and Benjamin, Jr. Of these, Abel had three children-Lemuel, Jotham and Betsey. V. Benjamin, Jr., the great-grandfather of our subject, was born in 1730, and his children were Sallie, Phoebe, Jerusha and Jabez.

VI. Jabez Hawley was born in 1767, and became a prosperous farmer, owning a large tract of land at Hawleyville. He married Par- thena Booth, who was born in 1773 and died in 1851, and they had seven children, all but one of whom married: (1) Sallie, born December 7, 1798, married Philo Beers, and moved to Mich- igan. (2) Anna, born May 29, 1800, died unmar- ried. (3) Mary, born March 15, 1802, married Granville S. Glover, and had two children-Ann Elizabeth, wife of Henry I. Gilbert, and Jabez Hawley, who married Mary Elizabeth Peck. (4) Benjamin, born October 23, 1803, married Eme- line Glover, and had eight children-Mary, Fred- erick. Susan, Juliette, William, Margaret, Anna and Sarah. (5) Daniel B., born May 15, 1805. married Olive Hawley, and had three children- Esther, Elmer and Henry S. (6) Isaac N., our subject's father, is mentioned more fully below.

(7) Robert N., born in December. 1811, married Harriet Blackman, and had three children-An- geline, Robert S. (deceased, father of Asa H.) and Harriet S.

VII. Isaac N. Hawley was born February 15, 1807, and inherited part of his father's estate, owning a farm of about two hundred acres. where he followed agricultural pursuits throughout his life. He was a thrifty man, quite successful in his enterprises, and was highly esteemed as a citizen. In politics he. was a Republican, though he never took any prominent place as a party worker, and for many years he was a leading member of Trinity Episcopal Church, of New- town. He married Avis Jane Shepard, who was born November 23, 1812, a daughter of Abraham Ferris Shepard, and died October 23, 1885; his death occurred August 1, 1894. They had four sons: Edson N., Homer A., Edgar F. and Arthur. Edson married Margaret Nichols, and had chil- dren-Clara, Arthur, Julia, Clarence and John Beach. Homer married Grace Nichols, and had three children-Willis N. (deceased), born Au- gust 9, 1875; Sarah L., born June 21, 1879; and James S., born January 6, 1881. Edgar F. Hawley was born July 26, 1847, at Hawleyville. On November 29, 1879, he married Miss Sarah McMahon, daughter of George McMahon, of New Milford, and their home has been brightened by three children-Jessie McMahon, George Shep- ard and Florence Avis.

G LOVER HAWLEY died at Hawleyville, town of Newtown, September 22, 1881, at the age of seventy-seven years and eleven months. He was a grand character, and his genial smile and kindly words will long be re- membered.

Mr. Hawley was a native of Hawleyville, and descended from Joseph Hawley, of Stratford, the line of his descent being through Samuel, Sam- uel, Jr., Benjamin, William and Joseph.

Benjamin Hawley, it is said, gave the name to the Lands End District. town of Newtown. As the story goes, he got mired there at the end of a day's exploration on horseback from Strat- ford, and, camping for the night, was so well pleased with the prospect next morning that he returned to Stratford and informed his neighbors that he had reached the end of the land.

Glover Hawley had remarkable inventive faculty, being able to do almost anything with wood and iron, and, after the customary educa- tion in the common schools, he exercised his taste in mechanical lines, though he still lived at home and worked on the farm (his father being

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quite an extensive farmer) He built fanning- mills, como-shellers and ploughs, and sometimes went about the country hamveit, dispensing of the products of his industry He and his brother Withham invented the principle of the corn- sheller still in use, and Gloves made the first cast . i. nghe ugh in Newtown He was laughed at a good deal for his venture, the expectation be- ing that cast iron would break in the stony soil of Connecticut, but Mr. Hawley was not a man to give up a settled purpose for popular desfavor. and, going to Poughkeepsie, be prepared the cast. ings and put them together. Simeon B Pech's father was one of the first to buy one of these ploughs, and did so with some hesitation He came out swinging his hat, however, when Mr. Hawies was passing sr n after, and gleefully in- formed hm that the pouch had been run through some of the worst kind of ground, and was still sound Mr Hawley was of quite an adventures me disposition for the quiet times. and early went to Carthage. IN. where his br thes William had settled, to are if that coun- try suited his taste also & B Peck accom- on horseback. stop ping en route at Chicago, then a small hamlet of a few houses The prospect de ! not enchant the young men, and in conse. quence Newtown retained two worthy citizens

The gold lever in 1849 enticed Mr. Hawley to California. Leaving his wife and two chil- dren at home. he started for the New Eldorado by the way of Cape Horn, on a tedious passage of ac 3 days He built a store in Sacramento. afterward seeking his fortune in the " diggings' farther up the Sacramento river. He was gone two years, and came home, unlike many, in good health and somewhat better in fortune, via the

He was a pioneer in railroad affairs, and when the Housatonic railroad was built, along in the "thirties," he was one of its warmest sup- porters. He piloted the surveyors through this part of the town, and gave the right of way over a quarter of a mile through his farm, also land for the necessary depot buildings-in fact he did all in his power to further the interest of the road He was a warm friend of every public enterprise having for its object the goed of the community. When he and Hart Shepard were selectmen of the town he projected and pushed to completion, through much opposition, the brick building now occupied for the records and offices. He was a lifelong member of the Episco- pal Church. In politics, in youth and middle age

he was a Jacksonian Democrat, but at the time of the Kan-as trouble he became a strong Re- publican; and when the Civil war broke out he gave consent for his only son. then about twenty- one. to assist in putting down the Rebellion. The death of his son in 1863, from exposure and disease in the service, was one of the greatest aff ctions of his life.

At the age of thirty-eight Mr. Hawley was married to Mariette Fairchild, and their chil- dren were: William G., Martha E., and Mar- iette H. Of these. Martha E. married Minot A Blakeman, of Stratford, Conn .; and Mar- tette H. married Martin L. Lum, of Newark, N. J. by whom she has children-William D., Mabel A. and Mariette H. In the family circle Mr. Hawley was an affectionate husband and loving father Mrs. Hawley, who was born February 10. 1820. died February 11, 1892.

C HARLES LAKE SHERMAN. eldest child of Ornan and Clara Lake Sherman [see Sher- man sketch . was born in Hawleyville, in the town pamed him, and the twain went across Michigan ' of Newtown. March 20, 1814, and two or three : years later the family settled in Danbury, buying a farm in the eastern portion of the township. known as Long Bridge District. The ten children were all born in this home, which has remained in the family, the property of Samuel, the young- est son. Built a century ago. its hospitable roof - has sheltered not only the merry family of young people reared under it, but guests galore, who made merry in the large old-fashioned ball-room - and enjoyed the music of the host's ancient violin.

Charles Lake Sherman, unlike many of his ancestors and kin, was in no sense a public man, 1 Nicaragua route across the Isthmus. During his I nor was he widely known outside his own county; absence his mother had died, at the age of eighty- six years.

he preferred the more quiet walks of life, not- withstanding rare qualities of mind and heart which placed him pre-eminent a man of influence, and he was greatly beloved by his fellow men.

He received the education the district school afforded. after which he was apprenticed for four years to learn the carpenter's trade, which busi- ness he followed until about 1875. Many sub- stantial residences built about the middle of the present century are evidences of his work, the original owners having mostly passed away. Buy- ing about fifty acres of valuable land, situated on an eminence a quarter of a mile northeast of the family homestead, Charles Sherman built a com- fortable home in 1843. and on January 21, 1844, he married Miss Eliza Blackman, born April 6, 1819, the daughter of Simeon Seeley and Lucy Northrop Blackman, of Hawleyville. She sur-

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 261

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