Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 266

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

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C HARLES SKIDMORE. late of Newtown,

was, born August 14. 1Sos. in Lake George | and, like his father before him, is a blacksmith District. a son of Abel and Bethiah Skidmore, the former of whom lived to be ninety-two years of 1 age.

Our subject passed his boyhood in Lake | Flora E. French, who died March 11. 1880, aged thirty-one years, and (second) he wedded Minnie E. Joyce. Five children were born to I the first marriage, and two to the second.

George District, and on October 16, 1833, he was married to Mary Fairchild. The young couple began housekeeping with Mr. Skidmore's parents, but later our subject built what in after years was known as the Turner house. In those days. Lake George was quite a business center, and Mr. Skidmore was an active man there. He conducted a grist, cider and saw mill, later em- barking in the comb business. in which he was successful. entering into partnership with Bennett Blackman (who had been in his employ for three years) and, later. with James Blackman, which enterprise was carried on under the firm name of Skidmore & Blackman.

D IMON FAMILY. The Dimons are of Scottish origin, and several generations of the family have lived and died in Newtown.

Gould Dimon, who was one of the early set- tlers in Fairfield county. came from Greenfield to Huntingtown district. where he settled on a farm and followed agricultural pursuits throughout ' lite. He died March 14, 1842, aged eighty-five vars. In 1776 he married Abigail Burr, and their children were: Patty, born August 10, 1776;

Mr. Skidmore was the latest survivor of a large family-seven sons and four daughters-the | Gould, July 3, 1778; B --. May S. 1781; others being: Daniel, who lived in Taunton, on : Betsey. August 29, 1783: Charity. September 9, 1785; Charlotte, January 13, 1788: Sarah, Feb- ruary 9. 1791: Gershom, December 10, 1792; and Hannah, June 11, 1796. what is known as the Edwin Camp place: Zera; Bennett: Mrs. Annis Jackson. who lived in Beth- ! lehem: Booth, who lived in Newtown, and man- ufactured combs: Glover. who lived at Hawley- Gershom Dimon, son of Gould Dimon, was ville, on the place now owned by James Coles; I born December 10, 1792, in Newtown. He mar-

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I children died September 23, 1864, in his fifty- fourth year. and the mother on August 10, 1884, in her seventieth year. In religious faith, Henry Nichols was an Episcopalian; in politics, he was a Democrat.

Jerome Nichols occupies the old home place, and farmer. and a Democrat. He was born in 1847. and has since lived in Huntingtown Dis- trict. He has been twice married, (first) to

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Newtown and towns adjoining. He was well- read in his profession, kind, generous and sympa- thetic, an independent thinker, a ready debater. and loval to the core to whatever cause he es- p. used A man of strong convictions, he made some letter enemies, but he also made hosts of warn, and true friends, and when he died genuine " flow reigned for a time in many a household. where for years he had ever been, in all kinds of trouble, a welcome adviser, counselor and friend.

W II IAM & TAYLOR, an aged and preati -esteemed citizen of Newtown. forced away on August 6, 1883. his birthday, at the age of eighty-one years. He had been mar- red hity the years

Just a year prior to his death Mr. Taylor's children and grand children gathered at his Pales. the home on a surprise visit, to celebrate the completion of his tourscore years of life. Our subvert began his trade with Amos Parmelee, a wagenmaker, who lived at the place now occu- pred by Andrew Igan, and became a the !- auch millwright He was born August o. IN :. Ins parents being Baruch and Eunice istay, Javier He was married, January 1. 1825. 10 Lucy Shepard a daughter of Joseph Shepard . who was born September 23. 1808, and died in February, 1888. aged seventy-nine years. In 1838 Mr. Tavlor went to Virginia to build a mill. but returned the next spring. He built the ma- chinery for the lower Rubber Shop, which was Turned, and he heiped to build the first water - wheel that was used in Ansonia. He also worked for a time with H. W. Tucker, the old-time Sandy Hook manufacturer, and was at one time in company with the late Sidney Middlebrooks. at the ". Hook." in the lumber business. He bought his Palestine home of Thaddeus Staples. who had become bankrupt. Mr. Taylor was a steady, straightforward man, one whose word was to be depended on, and he was industrious to the last

The children of our subject were: (1) Her- mon Taylor, born February 15. 1829. (2) Jo- seph Taylor was born June 21, 1834, and was reated in Palestine District, Newtown, where he made his home until a few years after his mar- nage, thence removing to Birmingham, Conn .. where he has since resided. He is a carpenter. . and this trade has been his life occupation. On May s. 1538. he was married to Mary Osborn. and their children are -Anna, Lucy and Will- laim. Joseph Tavior is a Republican in his pr - litical views. Like the family of his father in

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Sylvia Taylor was born January 29. 1837. and on February 2, 1859. was married to Seth A. Downs, and their children are-Ernest, Sylvia and Charles. They reside in Danbury, Conn. (4) George Taylor was born April 23, 1839, and died August 13, 1841. (5) Emma Taylor was born July 14, 1841, and on December 31, 1862, was married to Edgar Weed. of Bethel. Their children are-Julia and Nettie. (6) Louise Taylor was born October 30, 1848, married Har- lowe S. Benedict. of Bethel. and has had three children-Mary (now deceased), Gertrude and Starr. They reside on the old homestead.

R B. PRINDLE, M. D., was born in New- town, August 2, 1822. and about 1835 went with his father's family to Unadilla, N. Y. He read medicine in the office of Doctor Matte- son. in Mt. Upton, and later graduated at the Geneva Medical College. He hrst practiced in Pharsalia, in 1849 moved to East Coventry, and soon after located in West Coventry, where he practiced until 1864. in which year he went to Norwich to assist in the management of the Che- nango Chronicle, a paper established at that time by E. H. Prindle (his brother) and George C. Rice, which position he held one year. From that time up to his death he was not in active business, but gave his time to literary pursuits and to inventions, he having obtained several valuable patents. He was twice married. He had two brothers-Hon. Elizur H .. of Chenango, and Samuel B., of Chicago. Doctor Prindle was a man of culture and pleasing address.

BRAHAM K. FAIRCHILD, son of Tru- man Fairchild, and at the time of his death, February 18, 1871, a resident of the town of Monroe, in Fairchild county, was a good type of a New England farmer, though by trade he was a comb maker. He was born February 5, 1802, in Newtown, in which town his father was a sub- stantial farmer, and where he himself resided the greater part of his life. being an esteemed and respected citizen. On November 22. 1823, our subject was married to Sylvia Dykeman. who was born October 6, 1803, in Newtown, and died April 7. 1889; both she and her husband are buried in Stepney. Their children were: (1)

. Harriet C., born November 16. 1824. married, September 12, 1847, John Nichols. who died April 26, 1882. (2) George S .. born September 5. 1826. died, unmarried, January 9. 1849. (3) Nathaniel P., born August 5, 1829, married, June 15. 1851, Abby Bartram, and died June 22,

1878. (4) Sarah, born August 28, 1832, died July 15. 1858. (5) Henry H., born May 4. 1841, in Newtown, has been occupied principally in farming. For many years he kept the toll. gate near the Newtown and Monroe line. On November 26. 1862, he was married to Lydia. daughter of Orin Platt, of Stepney, she being born in 1842, in Patterson, N. Y. To this mar- riage were born children as follows: George ( now deceased) married Florence Sirine; William H .. a farmer, married Nettie Ward; Alice P. married Ernest Sherman; Hobert C. married Mary L. Botsford, and is a farmer residing in the south- ern part of Newtown; Sarah L. married Arthur L. Sirine: Edwin C., a brakeman on the Berk. shire division, married Grace McDowell: and Perry E. was married, March 1, 1899. to M Belle Smith.

C OLONEL ROBERT B. FAIRCHILD, who died some years ago in Bridgeport. was well and favorably known in Newtown.

Colonel Fairchild was a son of Burton Fair- child. who was killed by the blasting of a rock. when Bruce (as he was familiarly called) was quite young. The Colonel's grandfather was Kiah B. Fairchild, of Taunton District. town of Newtown. Our subject was a dutiful and affer- tionate son. His mother died when he was eleven years old. and he was then given a home in the family of Rufus Couch, of Bethel. After one year with them he began work in Bridgeport. He became a noble example of self-sacrifice. When grown to manhood he was a salesman in the house of Birdsey & Co. At the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the 23d Conn. Vols., and went in the General Butler expedition to Louisiana. where he was taken prisoner same time that Capt. Julius Sanford and his company were captured. Later he was connected with the militia at Bridgeport. He had unusual executive ability. and was often sought to fill important po- sitions of trust. At the time of his death he was colonel of the 4th Regiment, C. N. G., and was in a fair way to be promoted in due time to the highest military position in the State. For sev. enteen years he was superintendent of the Sab- bath-school of the Bridgeport Washington Park M. E. Church, and exerted great influence for good.

M MATTHEW FAIRCHILD, who died at Bridgeport. October 8, 1889, at the agt of seventy-three years, and whose remains were buried in Taunton District, town of Newtown.

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was a well-known citizen in Newtown, his native place. At one time he was engaged in the comb- making business, then Newtown's leading indus- try, being associated with Isaac Beers. Later he was interested in the button business in Berk- shirt.

A LBERT W. FAIRCHILD, a farmer in Taunton District, town of Newtown, is liv- ing on the farm on which his father and grand- father before him resided. Born August 20, 1845. on that farm, he is a son of Peter Warren Fairchild and a grandson of Peter Fairchild, who descended from one of the pioneer families of Newtown and of the country.

Peter Fairchild was born in Taunton, March 12. 1756, on the farm now occupied by John S. Hewes. He was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, having served seven years; was a corporal, and, it is said, served for a time on General Washington's staff. He passed one winter in Putnam Park with General Putnam, and was in the Lansdown Brigade. In 1784 he purchased the property now the home of his grandson, Albert, was a farmer throughout life, and became one of the richest men of the town. He married Eunice Buckley. of New York State, who was a descendant of General Warren, of Bunker Hill fame, and their children were: Marcus. born December 5. 1784: Fanny. De- cember 9. 1786; Rufus, May 10. 1790; William B .. September 10, 1792; Nabby, June 30, 1795, a brief sketch of whom follows; Walter, Septem- ber 13. 1797: Hermon, April 5, 1800: and Peter Warren. November 27, 1808. The sons were all comb makers. The father of these died September 20, 1833, and the mother passed away January 18, 1820.

Peter Warren Fairchild followed his trade until he was about thirty years of age, then en- gaged in farming on the homestead. which, with a small tract of land, fell to him in the division of the estate. Early in life he was a Jacksonian Democrat, but on the organization of the Repub- lican party was one of the first of the town to espouse its principles. He was one of the build- ing committee that erected the Universalist church in Newtown village. which building is now the town hall. On December 27, 1829, he was married to Caroline Briscoe. a daughter of Isaac and Anna (Sherman) Briscoe, of South Center District, and their children were: Emily, born May 1, 1831, married Charles Gray, and died August 6, 1861; Juliette, born August 5, IS32. married Hosea Northrop; Robert, born January 20, 1837, married Frances Smith, of

Stamford; Margaret C., born April 28, 1838, mar- ried, June 4. 1872, Benjamin Lewis, of New York; Jerome B., born January 19, 1840, died September 28, 1893; and Albert W., born August 28, 1845. The father of these children died Feb- ruary 29, 1SS4, and the mother on November 11. of the same year.

Albert W. Fairchild was educated in the schools of Taunton District and in the Newtown Academy, and is a lifelong farmer. He is a well- read, well-iniormed man. In politics he is a Republican, in Church connection a Congrega- tionalist. On October 11, 1865, he married Mary J. Green, a daughter of William H. Green, of Danbury. Conn., and they have two children, namely: Arthur D., who married Emily Smith, daughter of the late Rev. H. B. Smith (they have children as follows-Mary H., Arthur W. and Robert D.); and Adelade, who married Ernest Wilson, of New Haven (they have two daughters-Edith F. and Edna L.).

MRS. NABBY FAIRCHILD, who was born June 30, 1795, and died October 30, 1885, in New- town, was then the oldest person in the town. She survived six brothers and sisters. and for fifty-five years lived a widow, her husband. James B. Fairchild, having been drowned in Taunton Lake while fishing, when aged thirty-six. She was married in 1819, and to the union were born five children, namely: Mary E., who mar- ried a Mr. Wasson, of Shelton; a daughter who married William A. Maynard, of Taunton Dis- trict; Susan, who married a Mr. Warner; Smith B., who died at Alexandria, Va., during the Civil war; and Edward, who resides in Bridge- port.

W ILLIAM JOSEPH TRACEY, M. D., physician and surgeon, Norwalk. Fairfield county, Connecticut.

AIRMAN PECK, son of Turney Peck, died at Bethel some years ago, at the age of sev- enty-three years. He was of the seventh gener- ation from Joseph Peck. of Milford, his line of descent being through John, Joseph, John, Tur- ney and Israel. [See "Connecticut Pecks."]

Our subject, it is said, was one of the first to build a house in Hattertown, or, as it was then called. .. Gregory's Orchard." He resided in Hattertown until some years before his death. and then removed to Bethel. His first wife was Julia Tomlinson. of Plymouth, Conn. She was the mother of the following children: Spencer died in Chicago; Jerome was a resident of Chi-

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cago some years ago; Amanda married L. H. Bevens; Nancy is deceased; Edwin died in Texas; and two sons died in infancy. The second wife of our subject was Mrs. Nancy Bigelow, and their children were: Sophia. Lena and Libby.

C HARLES FAIRCHILD, who died in New- town, in November, 1883, aged nearly sev- enty years, was a son of Ezra Fairchild.

Ezra Fairchild's children were: Sophia, who married an Allen, of Woodbury; Ezra G., who went to California and was never after heard from; Betsey M., who became the wife of Hiram Vail, of Bethel; Lucretia, who married George F. Redstone; Mary A .: Catharine. who married Charles B. Glover; Eliza; and Charles. Our subject was married to Jerusha Edmunds, of Southbury, and had children: Charles and James F.

E EDWIN CLARK SMITH, who for the past fifty years or more has been engaged in the VI. Alvah Smith learned the trade of har- ness making with his father, and followed it the greater part of his lifetime. He was a member of the Congregational Church, and was a Whig in politics. On January 17, 1816, he married Polly Parker, born July 28, 1792, a daughter of harness business in the town of Brookfield, Fair- field county, where he has also carried on farm- ing to some extent, is descended from one of the old families of the town of Brookfield. He is of the seventh generation from John Smith, who was one of the first settlers of Milford, Conn., ; Abner Parker, and their children were: Anson, and his line of descent is through John (2), Jo- seph, Richard, Joseph and Alvah.

John Smith married Grace --- , and had ! beth C. (adopted), born June 21. 1823. and died children: Ephraim, born October 12, 1644; | December 1, 1839. Alvah Smith died October John. born August 27, 1646: Mary, born 1648; | 6, 1800.

born December 5. 1652; and Mehitable, born I district school for a time, went to the Newtown

Ebenezer, born November 10, 1650; Mercy, March 4. 1655. The father. who was a man of high standing, died in November, 1684.

II. John Smith bought the property where our subject now resides, and it has ever since re- mained in the family. Being mischievous and a little wild in his youth, he. with the assistance of George Clark, pulled down the Indian Fort at Milford, for which they were severely punished and fined by the county court. He married, January 23, 1673, Phebe Canfield, daughter of

Thomas Canfield, of Milford, and had five chil- | their children are: Mary A. (Mrs. H. W. Green); dren: John. born June 18. 1674: Thomas, born | Edward Keeler (married to Nellie Ford): Lucy; March 17, 1677; Samuel. born October 8, 1679; Joseph, who died when young: and Joseph (2). born April 15, 1694.

III. Joseph Smith was quite a prominent man, and bore the title of lieutenant. On De- cember 26, 1741, he purchased four hundred acres of land in Brookfield. for which he paid one thousand eight hundred and sixty pounds.

IV. Richard Smith married (first) Sabro

Sherman, daughter of Samuel Sherman, of New- town, captain in J. P. Cook's regiment, Army of American Revolution, and (second) Hannah Bostwick, widow of Levi Bostwick. His child by the first wife was Sherman, born May 10, 1761: and the children by the second wife were Gersham, born February 1, 1763; Joseph, born September 17, 1764; Benjamin, born March 29. 1767; Rufus, born January 8, 1770; and Rich- ard, born July 3, 1775. Richard Smith died December 19, 1819.

V. Joseph Smith by occupation was a tanner and harness maker. He belonged to the Con- gregational Church. On May 20, 1785, he mar- ried Rebecca Parker, and had children: Mary Ann. born June 8, 1786; Thomas Parker, born April 21, 1788: Benjamin, born April 18, 1792; Alvah, born December 10, 1794; Orla, born No- vember 14, 1797; Caroline, born August 29, 1805; and Rebecca, born December 25. 1808. Joseph Smith died February 5, 1830, and his wife passed away December 13, 1825.

born February 13. 1818, died December 23. 1861; Edwin C., born February 11, 1823; and Eliza-

VI]. Edwin C. Smith, after attending the Academy. then to a private school in New Haven. He learned the harness-making trade with his father and brother Anson, and became a partner of the latter, so remaining until Anson's death, in 1861. since which time he has carried on busi- ness alone. He has a farm of some one hundred and fifty acres. He is an esteemed citizen, a member of the Congregational Church, and in politics is a Republican. On October 21, 1846. he was married to Lucy Ann Peck, and

Joseph Cornelius (a graduate of Yale College, I class of 1885. now in the office of the Boston Globe): Anna Florine, born May 17. 1848, died April 5. 1857: Alfred Peck, born September 25. 1854. died June 23, 1860; William Joseph, born : December 9, 1857, died April 8, 1865: and Henry Alfred. born February 8, 1861. died April 17. 1802.

Anson Smith, mentioned above. was married.

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October 7, 1840, to Susan Curtis, and had four children: Salena Elizabeth, died March 11, 1842, aged six months; Henry C., No. 49 Van Buren St., Brooklyn, N. Y .; Anson P., a phy- sician, Cosmopolitan Hotel, New York City; and Mrs. Alice H. Clark, of Shelton, Connecticut.

0 LIVER PECK, who died May 26, 1857, in Newtown, when aged seventy-four years, was of the sixth generation from Joseph Peck, of Milford. The line of his descent was through John, Joseph, John and Israel. Oliver Peck resided on a farm in the southern part of the town. He married (first) Charity Raymon, and (second) Polly Sanford, but left no children. Polly (Sanford) Peck died January 11, 1854. in the seventy-third year of her age. Mr. Peck was a substantial man and good citizen.

E ALON BOOTH (deceased) was a native of Fairfield county. born in the town of Mon- roe, just below the Newtown line. His parents were Andrew and Anna Booth, and their chil- dren were: Elon, Orville, Russell, and Delana. who married C. Newell Brinsmade. The last named was the only survivor when our subject died, March 23, 1890, at the age of seventy-nine years. All three brothers were large and mass- ive men, capable of enduring heavy and fatigu- ing labor, Elon being six feet, three inches in height. He was an unremitting laborer and de- voted his entire life to the sole idea of amassing a fortune, and though he succeeded, he enjoyed none of the benefits of wealth, except in getting it. It was his boast that he never spent a cent for a book or a newspaper. and that he never had a cent of money given him; yet by his industry and parsimony he amassed a large property which, at the time of his death inventoried $150,000.

honorable and upright, and well-disposed people, justly meriting the respect in which they have been held. Thomas Bradley, Sr .. who was a quiet, industrious, unassuming man, passed his life as a farmer; in politics, he was a Democrat. The sons have been among the best of New- I town's farmers. Patrick, who resides in North Center District, married Margaret Madigan, and their children are: Thomas, Michael and John. Michael, who married Margaret Keane, is a res- ident of Hanover District, and their children are: Michael, John and Mary A.

J TOHN ALBERT SANFORD, who died in Hanover District, of the town of Newtown, November 16, 1887, was in the sixty-eighth year of his age. He was born January 14, 1820, and lived his lifetime at the old homestead that had been occupied by his father and grandfather.

Jonathan and Rebecca Sanford, his grand- parents, commenced life on that place in 1768. They had eight children, all daughters save one, who by name was Zalmon. This son, who re- mained on the homestead, was born in 1775, and in 1814 married Hannah Curtis. He died in 1844. leaving two children, Julia and our subject, the former of whom died in 1857: the mother was called from earth in 1861.

A lifelong bachelor, our subject led a life of comparative solitude. In his early manhood he was an industrious and practical farmer, and was very fond of the raising and care of stock. Many a colt under his training became a valuable horse, and no one could turn off better-trained, well developed oxen than he. Upright and honorable in all his dealings, his word was as good as a bond, and his well-kept farm attested to his industry, devotedness and good judgment.

YOHN SANFORD, who died at his home in Sandy Hook, Newtown. in July, 1883, was born September 8, 1799.

HOMAS BRADLEY. formerly of Newtown, died October 25. 1888, aged eighty-four Isaac Sanford, his father, was a wheelwright, ing spinning wheels. He went out selling and years, and Nancy, his wife, died September 27. I and the son John was taught the business of mak- 1891, aged eighty-eight years.

Both of these aged people were natives of i trading the wheels made at home. and subse- Loop Head, County Clare. Ireland. Mrs. Brad- ; quently went into the store of a Mr. Edwards, at Stepney, as clerk, remaining there three or four years. Those were the days of the pushing Yankee peddler, and Mr. Sanford found his field on Long Island, fancy goods and dry goods being his stock in trade. After that he dealt in horses with Capt. John Beers, brother of Harry Beers. Dick & Sanford's shop was then standing across

ley's maiden name was Quinlivan, she being a daughter of John and Mary (McMahon) Quin- livan, farming people. In the spring of 1850, Thomas Bradley, wife and two sons, Patrick and Michael, came to America and settled in New- town, and later, a daughter. Mary A., was born to them in that village. All have since re- mained there, and have made the best of citizens, | the road from Mr. Woffenden's house, and Mr.

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Sanford worked at broadcloth there. and then in the carding room of A. B. Beecher's satinet fac- tory, now the Niantic mills, where he colored the goods for a number of years, finally making boxes, | repairing looms and doing other light work.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 266

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