Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 37

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 37

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).

In November of that year he went to teach in Windsor, Conn., continuing into the following year. and while there he was the organizer of the High School; the next year he taught in the graded schools of Broad Brook, a delightful manufacturing town a little above Hartford. From 1879 to 1883, inclusive, he was superin- tendent of schools and principal of high school at Milford, Conn., and subsequently for two years was in control of the Fairfield Academy at Fair- field, Conn. Desiring once more to enter public school work, he accepted a position as principal of the Prospect Street Grammar School, Bridge- port, having twenty teachers and from one thou- sand to twelve hundred pupils under him. In this incumbency he remained six years, when he was chosen principal of the high school, and he has just completed a most successful eighth year in this position. In 1893 Mr. Simonds was elected superintendent of the city schools, but declined, preferring to keep his place as principal of the high school. He is one of those instructors whose pupils follow intuitively the course he di- rects, and he has therefore attained success far above the average in his chosen field.

In 1884 Mr. Simonds married Miss Fannie A. Tibbals, daughter of George Lemuel and Mary Ann (Hurlbut) Tibbals, of Milford, Conn. (she was assistant teacher in the high school at Mil- ford during his term as superintendent). To this union three children have been born: Elsie Hurl- but, Helen Walker and Bruce Tibbals. Mr. and Mrs. Simonds are liberal supporters of the First Congregational Church, in which he is a deacon and also a teacher in the Sunday-school. For ten years he has served as recording secretary of the Y. M. C. A., in which organization he also has charge of the Civic Club as lecturer. In his

social relations he is a member of the F. & A. M., belonging to Ansantawae Lodge No. 89, of Mil- ford, of which he is past master; of King Solo- mon's Chapter, Birmingham, Conn .; and is a Knight Templar, New Haven Commandery, New Haven. Politically Mr. Simonds is an ardent and enthusiastic Republican, though in no way does he desire political preferment. He is a public-spirited man, and he labors through his schoolroom for the uplifting of humanity, en- deavoring to overcome by careful teaching and example the possible weakness inherent in his pupils. His whole life has been devoted to this work, and "in scorn for miserable aims that end with self."

COLONEL SAMUEL DASKAM. This well known, long-time resident of Norwalk, Conn., is a native of that city, having been born there January 31, 1823, a son of Capt. Samuel Daskam, who commanded a packet, about that time plying between Norwalk and New York. Our subject's mother, whose maiden name was Lucretia Fitch, was a great-grandniece of Thom- as Fitch, who was governor of Connecticut from 1754 to 1766. Grandfather Daskam fought in the Revolutionary war.

Col. Samuel Daskam received a liberal edu- cation, and graduated from Lovell's school at New Haven. At one time he was employed in one of the ". Elm City's" big jewelry stores. On October 4, 1847. he married Arrietta M. Rogers, a native of Utica, N. Y., and daughter of Col. Henry Rogers. a prosperous business man, who removed his family to New Haven in the early 'forties. Some time after their marriage Colonel and Mrs. Daskam removed to New York, and subsequently he purchased a jewelry store in Troy, N. Y. (at that time populated by many former residents of Norwalk), and there met with considerable success. Returning to Fairfield county, Conn., he for many years was a resident of Ridgefield, where he had charge of the Ridge- field station, and for that reason, if for no other, everybody thereabouts is familiar with the Col- onel's tall, straight form, and his genial, court- eous manner.

In chronological order we here give a por- tion of our subject's public record: In 1842 he led the National Blues from New Haven to Bos- ton, the Boston Lancers and Boston Tigers re- ceiving them. 1846-was one of the five marsh- als appointed to receive James K. Polk, Presi- dent of the United States, and James Buchanan, Secretary of State, on the occasion of the public dinner held at the " Tontin Hotel." 1853-was

Digitized by Google

SAM.

le 1 2

2. Ver

Samuel Paskam

Google

Digitized by

Google

177

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

appointed United States marshal by Franklin Pierce, President of the United States. In 1865 he was elected mayor of Norwalk, and again in 1866. In 1888-89-90-91-92-93 and '94 he was a selectman of Norwalk. In 1896 he was one of the managers of the State Society. Sons of the American Revolution. 1897-was elected dele- gate to the National convention, Sons of the American Revolution, at Morristown, N. J. ; and in 1898 was elected a delegate to the National Society's convention, Sons of the American Rev- olution, at Detroit, Mich. In politics it is al- most unnecessary to add that the Colone! is a stanch Democrat, one of the old school. He has one daughter, Jennie May Daskam, married to James Lawrence Stevens, of Norwalk, and one granddaughter, Eunice Daskam Stevens.

D .R. EDWARD A. STRATTON, of Danbury, is a decendant of good New England stock, and has been successful in his profession.

H ON. ROBERT ADAMS CLARK. If the true value of life is to be found in the de- velopment of character, we must count as most fortunate those to whom early limitations have lent their stern aid by bringing their energies into practical and effective use. The subject of this biography, now a prosperous agriculturist of New- town, has made his own way in life, attaining, with his present enviable position, a name worthy of his sires, beloved and widely known in his native State, a name none mention but to praise.

Mr. Clark is a native of Newtown township, having been born in Zoar District April 9, 1832, and he belongs to one of the prominent families of that locality. The first ancestor of whom we have a record is James Clarke, who was one of the signers of the Fundamental Arti- cles of Agreement when New Haven was settled in 1639, his wife. one daughter and two sons, John and James, constituting his family at that time. James, Jr., the earliest settler of the name in Fairfield county, moved to Stratford, where his father made his home prior to his death. All the early ancestors spelled the name Clarke, but in the present generation it is written with and without the final "e."

James (2) was married about 1662 to Deborah Peacock, daughter of John Peacock, of Strat- ford, this county, and his remaining years were spent there. His wife died December 14, 1705, at the age of sixty-one years. He died February 29, 1712.

James Clarke (3), a son of James and De- 12

borah Clarke, was born in Stratford February 12, 1664. and was married May 24. 1698, to Jane Griffin (widow of Thomas), by whom he had a son, Zachariah.

Zachariah Clarke was born in Stratford June 8, 1702, and on November 21. 1727, was mar- ried to Eunice Staples. of Fairfield. He died October 4. 1785.

Zachariah Clarke (2), a son of Zachariah and Eunice Clarke. was born in Stratford in May, 1739. and was in his prime during the Revolu- tionary war. He settled in Zoar District, of Newtown, where he engaged in agriculture, and became quite influential in local affairs. Like many of the old-time residents of this county he was a slaveholder, and at his death he bequeathed a small estate to one of his bondsmen, named Asa. On February 4. 1761. he married Mary Bacon. who was born in Middletown, Conn., July 13, 1737. daughter of Daniel and Hannah Beardsley Bacon. She died in 1800, and his death occurred August 12, 1831, when he was ninety-two years and four months of age. Their children were Andrew. who settled in Newtown; Daniel. born November 10, 17-, who made his home in Southbury. Conn .; James, our subject's grandfather; Zachariah, a resident of Newtown; Polly, who married Isaac Beardsley and resided in Tioga county, N. Y .; Pamelia, wife of David Beardsley, also of Tioga county, N. Y .; Mehita- bel, born March 21, 1762, who married Philo Sherman, of Newtown; Hannah, born March 10, 1764, who married Elias Beardsley; and Esther, born June 23, 1766.

James Clarke, our subject's grandfather, was born June 13, 1769, in Zoar, and followed farm- ing in that locality, being the owner of a large tract of land. In his manner he was quiet and unassuming, but his sterling qualities of charac- ter gained him the esteem of his fellow citizens, and to such a marked degree that he wielded much influence in the community. He died No- vember 1, 1857, and his wife, whose maiden name was Polly Sherman, died March 11, 1848, aged seventy-nine years. She was a daughter of Nathaniel Sherman. of Monroe, who was mar- ried in December. 1754, to Jerusha Thompson, born May 7. 1735. the daughter of Joseph Thompson, of Monroe, this county, and a de- scendant of Governor Welles, one of the early governors of the Colony of Connecticut. James and Polly Clarke had the following named chil- dren: (1) Grandison, born March 16, 1794, married Hannah Hard; (2) Lucius, born August 26, 1795; (3) Everett, born June 29, 1797, was married in Bethel to Ann Barnum; (4) Eliza, born September 13, 1799, married Levi Ed-

Digitized by Google

178

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

wards, a merchant and influential politician of Monroe, who died December 18, 1896, leaving one daughter, Hepsey, now the wife of Le Grand G. Beers; (5) Polly, born November 6, 1801, married Abijah Hard, and removed to New York State; (6) John, born November 3, 1803, mar- ried (first) Mary Curtis and (second) Sally French, and became the father of A. F. Clarke; (7) William, our subject's father, is mentioned more fully below; (8) Zachariah, born August 27, 1808, married (first) Sarah Ann Camp and (second) Sarah Ann Gregory; (9) Anna Maria, born January 7, 1811, married Charles C. War- ner; (10) Huldah, born May 20, 1813, married James B. Beers, of Brooklyn, N. Y .: and (11) James, Jr., born April 14, 1815. married Sarah Munson, of Hamden, Conn. The children set- tled mainly in the vicinity of the old homestead, James. Grandison, William and Anna Maria re- maining in Newtown; Everett and Zachariah in Bethel; Eliza, John and Lucius in Monroe. All belonged to the Episcopal Church and were prominent in that organization in their respective localities, those who remained at Newtown being members of St. James Church at Zoar.

William Clarke. the father of our subject, was born December 15, 1805, in Zoar, and al- ways resided at the old homestead. While he engaged in farming to some extent, he was a cabinet maker by trade, and his time was chiefly given to that work until his health failed. He was an active, energetic man, very ambitious, and possessed decided talent in his line, but his death, which occurred April 27, 1846, at the comparatively early age of forty, cut short a most promising career. On September 18, 1828, he married Miss Nancy Jannette Adams, by whom he had one son, our subject. The history of the Adams family will be given below, and we will now proceed with the account of our sub- ject's life.

Robert A. Clark commenced his education in the district schools near his home, and later at- tended the academy at Newtown village, then conducted by Professor Keeler. He made good use of these opportunities and has always been an extensive reader, keeping well informed on all current events. On leaving school, at the age of eighteen, he entered upon the serious work of earning a livelihood, and for four and one-half years was employed by S. Curtis in a comb fac- tory at Berkshire, Conn. He then settled upon a farm in the town of Monroe, near Stepney, where he remained for six years, and later he taught school for a year. The following year he spent in Brookfield, and in 1862 he purchased from the heirs of Glover Skidmore about fifty

acres of land near Hawleyville, to which he has added as time passed until he now owns a fine farm of 125 acres. He has made many improve- ments on the place, the buildings having been remodeled or rebuilt, and by his judicious man- agement of the property he has won substantial rewards in a financial way. General farming has occupied his attention during the greater part of his life, although for some years public busi- ness and the charge of numerous estates entrust- ed to him have claimed his almost exclusive at- tention.

In politics our subject has always been a Democrat. and his ability and public spirit are recognized by his fellow-citizens, who have fre- quently chosen him to positions of trust and re- sponsibility. In 1868 he represented his town in the General Assembly, his colleague being Hon. Ezra Morgan, father of Hon. D. N. Mor- gan, United States Treasurer. He has held the office of assessor for four terms, and for about ten years has been tax collector, his election to that post for two years past having been unani- mous, both parties uniting upon him as a candi- date. In religious faith he is an Episcopalian, and for many years he has been a leading mem- ber of Trinity Church at Newtown.

On December 23, 1856, Mr. Clark married Miss Emeline L. Blackman, daughter of Simeon S. and Lucy Blackman, of Newtown, and of the four children born to this union three are living: (1) Ellen L., born July 2, 1860, married Morti- mer B. Terrill, of Sandy Hook, and they have five children-Edna, Helen, Clark, Grace and Herbert. (2) Julia E., born March 27, 1862, married Chester Howard Brush, of Danbury, Conn., who was a postoffice inspector during the Harrison administration, and in March, 1897, was appointed recorder of the General Land Office by President Mckinley. (3) William B., born April 30, 1868, died in 1872. (4) Herbert S .. born July 19, 1870, is in New York City.

Mrs. Emeline L. Blackman Clark is a direct descendant of Rev. Adam Blakeman, who, com- ing from Staffordshire, Engl., with his little flock, founded the settlement of Stratford in 1639. (2) John married Dorothy, daughter of Rev. Henry Smith, of Wethersfield, about 1653. He died in 1662; she died in 1706, after thrice re- marrying. (3) Ebenezer married Patience Wil- coxson (daughter of John Wilcoxson), October 24, 1681. He died in 1715. From this union (4) John, born April 4. 1685, married Abigail Beers (daughter of Joseph), of Fairfield, born April 24, 1692. and died March 27, 1762. They were among the original settlers of Newtown. (5) John, born in Newtown, September 27, 1720.

Digitized by Google

179

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

died August 26, 1807. He married Margery Glover (daughter of John), who was born about 1725, and died March 29, 1804. (6) John, born in Newtown about 1745, died July 9, 1824. He married Dimah Seeley, who was born about 1750, and died April 10, 1785. (7) Simeon Seeley Blackman (later generations spelled the name Blackman) was born March 16, 1785, and died January 12, 1852. He married, December 21, 1814, Lucy Northrop (daughter of Ezra Nor- throp and Lucina (Dibble), his wife, of Brook- field), who was born February 24, 1791, and died March 25, 1869. (8) Emeline L. Black- man was born December 28. 1831. The family residence of Mr. and Mrs. Clark was the home of Mrs. Clark's parents-the house in which she was born and married.

Our subject's mother, Mrs. Nancy Jannette (Adams) Clark, was born March 6, 1808, in Nau- gatuck, near Waterbury, Conn., and died April 10, 1892, aged eighty-four years and one month. She was a descendant of Freegrace Adams, an early resident of Newtown, who was born in the seventeenth century, and was a landowner in Rye, Westchester Co., N. Y. On July 26, 1711, he purchased from Thomas Sanford a tract of land in Newtown, and he probably located there about that time, as his name appears in the rec- ords not long afterward. He was married in Stratford, January 8, 1700, to Mary Gilpin, and in his will, made August 3, 1750, he constitutes his "trusty and loving cousin, Samuel Adams, of Stratford," his sole executor. His children were Samuel, Ephraim, Abraham, Mrs. Abigail Kim- berly, Mrs. Experience Hard, Mrs. Elizabeth Hull, Mrs. Sarah Stevens, Miss Mehitabel Adams and Abiah.

Abraham Adams, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Nancy J. Clark, was married May 14, 1753, to Hannah Warner, of Waterbury, where they reside and where their children were born. She was born August 20, 1729, and died February 21, 1817.

Eli Adams, Mrs. Clark's grandfather, was born January 28, 1756, and died July 29, 1830. He was married November 15, 1775, to Anna Baldwin, who was born in 1755, the daughter of Matthew Baldwin, and died December 17, 1841, her remains being interred in the Gunntown Cemetery at Naugatuck, Connecticut.

Truman Adams, Mrs. Clark's father, was born in Naugatuck, April 17, 1786, and became a farmer by occupation. He died November 5, 1863, and was buried at Stepney, this county. His wife, whose maiden name was Minerva Por- ter, was born in Naugatuck, October 24, 1788, and died August 28, 1885, aged ninety-six years

and ten months. Her last days were spent at Hawleyville, and her remains now rest in the cemetery there.

M ARK MEAD, deceased. The subject of this brief memoir, who passed to the un- seen life December 25, 1896, was for many years a leading resident of the town of Green- wich. His life, which was extended beyond the allotted limit of man's years, was free from am- bitious efforts to attract public notice, yet in its quiet usefulness it made an impression upon the community which will remain as an inspiration for good among all who knew him.

Mr. Mead was born August 14, 1817, at In- dian Field, in the town of Greenwich, son of Deacon Jonas Mead and his second wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Mead. The Mead family is one of the oldest and most prominent in this section, our subject having been of the seventh generation in direct descent from John Mead, the well-known pioneer [other authorities say William]. A more extended account of the family appears elsewhere. In 1820 our subject's parents removed from the old homestead at In- dian Field to another farm, at Byron Shore, in the extreme southwestern part of the township, and there Mr. Mead grew to manhood amid the wholesome surroundings of a typical country home. His education was obtained in the com- mon schools of the locality, and during his youth he became familiar with the details of farm man- agement through assisting his father in the work of the homestead. He and his only brother, Milo Mead, now a resident of the township, succeeded to the estate, which was greatly in- creased in value in late years owing to the rapid settlement of the locality. The village of New Lebanon, a portion of East Port Chester, is built upon land which was formerly a part of the homestead. In November, 1845. Mr. Mead married Miss Deborah Howe, with whom he spent more than half a century of happy wedded life. They began housekeeping upon the farm in the same house that is now occupied by his widow, but later he purchased a farm on King Street, in the town of Greenwich, where he spent his remaining years. While he was not an office seeker, he took much interest in all that concerned the welfare of his country. keeping well-informed upon the political issues of the day. In 1840 he gave his Presidential vote to John G. Birney, the candidate of the Liberty party, and his earnest opposition to slavery led him to sup- port the Republican party from its organization. He was active in religious work as a member of

Digitized by Google

180

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the Congregational Church at Greenwich, to which his family has contributed from pioneer times, and his remains now rest in the Congre- gational cemetery in that town.

Mrs. Mead, who is held in high esteem in the community, was born September 5, 1817, at Peck's Land, in the town of Greenwich, where her father, Jonas Howe, was a prominent agri- culturist. Her mother, whose maiden name was Anna Mead, was a descendant of John Mead, the pioneer. This worthy couple had four children: Deborah (now Mrs. Mead); and Allen, Isaac and Lewis, all three deceased. Soon after the death of our subject, Mrs. Mead fell and broke her hip, inflicting an injury which she has not yet re- covered from, but with this exception she enjoys excellent health, and her bright and clever in- tellect and well-preserved physique would make a new acquaintance think her thirty years younger than the date of her birth would indi- cate. At present she resides in the old home made dear by the memories of her early married life, althought the surroundings are now much changed, the village of East Port Chester having encroached upon the farm. She has no children, but her declining years are blessed with every material comfort, her husband having left a val- nable estate at his death. The Howe family dates from pioneer times, and is numerously rep- resented in the county, as will be seen from other biographies in this volume.

C AHARLES C. BETTS, a leading citizen of Norwalk, has been for many years a promi- nent figure in business circles, having been con- nected for nearly half a century with the Louns- bury & Bissell Company, of Winnipauk, of which he is now president. He is an extensive land-owner, also, and in fact enjoys the reputa- tion of being an excellent farmer, his estates showing the results of judicious supervision.

The ancestry of Mr. Betts includes several of the oldest and most highly esteemed families of this section. During the skirmish with the Brit- ish forces at Norwalk, in 1779, Capt. Stephen Betts was in command of a company of militia and fifty soldiers of the regular army, and Thad- deus Betts, as justice of the peace, afterward took his testimony as to the events of that period, the record being preserved at Hartford. Thad- deus Betts is credited with having brought six cannon to the town two years previous, and these did effective service in repelling the invad- ers. The head of the family in America is Thomas Betts, who came from England in 1639 with his wife, Mary, settling at Guilford, New

Haven Co., Conn. Among the eight children of this pioneer couple was a son, John, who was born in Guilford, in 1652, but became a resi- dent of Norwalk and rendered distinguished serv- ice as a representative from that town in the Colonial General Assembly at Hartford, in the sessions of October, 1731; October, 1736; May, 1739; May and October, 1741; May, 1742, and May. 1743. On May 10, 1739, the General As- sembly elected him one of the auditors to exam- ine the accounts of the treasurer of the Colony, and later he was appointed by the same body to the office of justice, which he held from May, 1746, to 1748. He married Damaris Lockwood, and had a son. Thaddeus, of whom an account is given as follows:

Dr. Thaddeus Betts was born in Norwalk, and there practiced medicine for many years with great success. His first wife, Mary (Gold), died November 20, 1752, and his second, Eliza- beth (Maltby), passed away February 8, 1789. His third wife, Eleanor Fairchild, survived him, attaining the advanced age of ninety-four. He had three children: Sarah, William M. and Mary, all by his second marriage.

Hon. William Maltby Betts, our subject's grandfather, made his home in Norwalk, and for many years served as postmaster, and judge of probate (he also was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war). He represented the town in the State Legislature in 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1809 and 1810. His wife, Lucretia (Gregory), was a native of Norwalk, and they had three children: William G., Thaddeus and Angeline.

Hon. Thaddeus Betts, our subject's father. was born in Norwalk, February 4, 1789, and after graduating from Yale College, in 1807, studied law, and was admitted to the Bar in 1810. He continued to reside in Norwalk, but his death occurred at Washington, D. C., April 7, 1840. Like all of his family, he took much interest in religious work, and for years he was a leading member of the Congregational Church at Nor- walk. In politics he was a Whig, and his abili- ties as a statesman were recognized in the higher councils of the party. At one time he was Lieu- tenant - Governor of Connecticut, and he also served as United States Senator from this State. His standing among his associates is well shown by the remarks of Hon. Thomas B. Osborne, of Fairfield, in the State House: "Mr. Betts was distinguished for acuteness of intellect, vigor of understanding, and the soundness and probity of his life. He was early brought in contact with the most eminent men that ever adorned the Bar of New England. It is sufficient to say that he sustained and distinguished himself among such

Digitized by Google

181

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

men as Daggett, Sherman, Smith and Sherwood." Mr. Betts married Miss Antoinette Cannon, of Norwalk, a daughter of John Cannon, Jr., and a member of one of the old families of the locality. The Cannons are of French descent, and have been identified with the Episcopal Church from the early days. Six children were born of this marriage: Sally, John M., Harriet, Eliza, Charles C. and Frederick T., the last two being now the only survivors.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 37

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