Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 62

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

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(3) Nathaniel Briscoe, born September 22, 1784, died January 5, 1869. He had a remark- able memory, and was known as " Preacher Briscoe " from the fact that as a child he would mount a chair on returning from Church and

repeat the sermon verbatim. For many years he taught school with marked success. About 1862 he made his home in Palestine with a son who had purchased Mrs. Jerusha Skidmore's homestead. He was married (first) on October 2, 1808, to Hannah Leach, and their children were: Susan, born March 20, 1810, married October 23, 1828, Alfred Wixon; and Mary, born in March, 1812, married Joseph G. Ferris, of Newtown. On September 17, 1820, he married Sally D. Raymond, who died August 2, 1869, aged seventy-six years and six months. The children by the second wife were: Priscilla Eliza- beth, born June 28, 1823, died December 6, 1842; Bradley D., born March 17, 1825, died March 11, 1871; Miranda, born 1827, married Deransel Hall, and died April 18, 1886.

Lewis S. Briscoe, son of Isaac Briscoe, was a resident of Taunton District, where he farmed and dealt extensively in cattle. He was one of the active business men of his town at that time. He was born August 23, 1803, and died January 27, 1880. In 1855 he served as selectman. He married November 6, 1824, Jane E. Pettis, who died August 30, 1895, aged ninety years, and their children were: Isaac, born August 29, 1825, married on February 5, 1849, Cornelia Fair- child, of Newtown; Cornelia E., born Dec. 14, 1827, married Dec. 25, 1850, Edward Crofut, who died August 19, 1859, aged thirty-three, and she died June 24. 1895; Theodore, born June, 1831, died January 25. 1832; Gustavus, born December, 1835. married November 27, 1855, to Susan Tay- lor, daughter of Hoyt Taylor. and died Septem- ber 25, 1863; Louisa S., born March 31, 1837, married February 27, 1855, Leroy Taylor, and died June 1. 1861 ; Charles L., born February 6, 1845, married June 12, 1864, Jenette Taylor, daughter of Hovt Taylor.

Charles Briscoe, son of Isaac Briscoe, born February 7, 1805, married, in 1826, Mary Davi- son, of Milford, Conn. He died in Newtown, Conn., November 28, 1843, and she died in En- field, Conn., March 7, 1889. She was a mem -. ber of the Congregational Church. After her daughter Mary's death she made her home with her son, Judge Charles H. Briscoe. Charles Briscoe was a tanner, and owned a tannery in Newtown village; also owned the home next to that of the late Marcus C. Hawley in the Street. He had four children: (1) Harriet Briscoe mar- ried July 28, 1851, Henry Mygatt, and moved to California. (2) Mary E. Briscoe died July 31, 1881, aged fifty-three years. (3) Hon. Charles Henry Briscoe was born December 20, 1831, in Newtown. He read law with Amos S. Treat, and was admitted to the Bar in Fairfield county

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in 1854. In September of the same year he lo- cated in Enfield, Conn., in practice, and has ever since resided there, but in 1868 he removed his office to Hartford. In 1857, 1864 and 1878 he represented Enfield in the General Assembly, being speaker of the House in 1878. He was a member of the State Senate in 1861, and served as chairman of the committee on Military Affairs. He was the first judge of the court of common pleas for Hartford county, serving from 1869 to 1875. In 1855 Judge Briscoe was married to Anna J. Traver, of Newark, N. J. She died in March, 1875, and June 18, 1878, he married Alice E. Bradley, daughter of George W. Brad- ley, of Newtown, Conn. His children by the first marriage were: Willis A., Annie T. and Alice M. (4) Willis Briscoe died in Panama.

C URTISS C. HOYT, M. D., a leading physi- cian and surgeon of Bridgeport, is well wor- thy of prominent mention in this volume, not only because of his success as a medical practi- tioner, but also as a citizen whose public spirit has been manifested in hearty support of the best interests of the community.

The Hoyt family is of Colonial stock, and Noah Hoyt, the Doctor's great-great-grandfather, was born probably in America and, according to some authorities, made his home at or near the site of Danbury. He died at the age of one hun- dred and seven years. Jesse Hoyt, our subject's great-grandfather, was probably a native of Dan- bury, and he was a farmer by occupation; he died at the age of one hundred and one years. Lewis Stephen Hoyt, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born at Danbury, and became a farmer there. He was also a noted surveyor of the early day, and laid out the city of Danbury. He was a member of the Legislature, a deacon in the Presbyterian Church, and was known as "Dea- con Lewis." He was a strong, forcible character, and a leader among men. He died about 1859 or '60.

Lewis Clark Hoyt. our subject's father, was born in 1824, and reared at Danbury. After spending some years as a school teacher, he engaged in surveying and in the insurance busi- ness, being the only agent there for many years, and he was the first one in the place. He was known as " Clark Hoyt," and was a successful man in all his dealings. In addition to all this, he was a burgess of Danbury, and city surveyor. He died in that city April 1, 1865. His wife, Sarah M. (Hough), was born in Trenton, N. J., of English descent, a daughter of William Case Hough, a resident of Madison, Wis., at the time

of his death, a surveyor by occupation, which he followed all through the State of Wisconsin. She died May 10, 1887. Our subject was one of a family of five children, the others being Sarah E., who married James Cummings, and died in Danbury in 1886; Carrie, who died in 1862; Hattie M., who became a trained nurse, and aft- erward married Dr. Frederick Lyons, of New York City; and Lewis C., an engineer on the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad.

Doctor Hoyt was born July 28, 1852, at the old home in Danbury, the public schools of which city he attended until he reached the age of twelve years. He then found employment, and was engaged in different occupations; but his cherished wish to enter the medical profession was sustained through all discouragements. In 1883 he began a study by preparatory reading with Dr. A. E. Adams, of Danbury, with whom he remained a year and a half, and later, Octo- ber 1, 1885, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, graduating May 10, 1887, being the last man who graduated from this college in a two-years' course. On June 3 of the same year he located in Bridgeport, where he speedily gained a desirable practice. He is a member of the City, State and County Medical Associations, and for four years was president of the Bridgeport Board of Health. In politics he is a Democrat, and wherever he has resided he has taken a keen interest in local affairs. While in Danbury he served as justice of the peace, and for some time was chief engineer of the fire de- department. His first wife, who was Miss Anna E. Crofut, daughter of George and Mary Crofut, of Danbury, died in 1887, and he after- ward married Miss Hattie M. Rees, of Bridge- port, who was born in Massachusetts, daughter of Abram L. and Pauline Rees. His only child, the offspring of the first wife, died in infancy. Socially, the Doctor and his wife are prominent, and he is connected with various organizations, including the I. O. O. F., in which he has passed the chairs, is noble grand in the subordinate lodge and in the degree of Rebekah, also high priest in the Encampment No. 5. He is also a member of Arcanum Lodge No. 41, I. O. O. F .; of St. John's Lodge No. 3. F. and A. M., and Jerusalem Chapter No. 13, R. A. M .; is also a member of the Foresters of America, Court Waldemere No. 19, and is a physician of Ca- talpa Circle, Companion of the Forest Court Norden No. 129, F. of A.

The Doctor is one of the self-made men of his city, and has been very successful. He at- tributes his success to perseverance in a pre- arranged course laid out years ago.

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C HARLES WHEELER WILSON, an agri- culturist of this section, has a fine farm in the town of Fairfield. His systematic and progressive management seems to produce good results, and the farm is kept in a high state of cultivation.

Mr. Wilson was born February 13, 1831, in Burr's District, Fairfield township, a son of Wake- man Wilson, grandson of Samuel Wilson, and great-grandson of Isaac Wilson. Samuel Wilson, the grandfather, was born November 1, 1761, and became a successful farmer of Fairfield township, owning property on what was known as Wilson's Highway. During the struggle for independ- ence he served with the Colonial forces. being called out at the time of the burning of Fair- field by the British. Politically he was always a 1 stanch Democrat. The Bridgeport Farmer was : subscribed for by him at an early date, when the paper was first started, and has ever since been taken by the family, his son, Wakeman, and. later on, our subject, continuing the subscription down to the present time. Samuel Wilson was a large man, well-built, possessing a heavy voice, and an excellent constitution, as he lived to the i advanced age of eighty-one, his death occurring Nathan Wheeler, our subject's grandfather, was the son of Thomas, who was the son of Joseph, a descendant of Thomas Wheeler. Sr., who came from England to Concord, Mass., about 1636, and early removed to Fairfield, : where he bought a home lot in Pequonnock, April 11, 1842. His wife, Eleanor (Lyon), died July 12 of the same year, and their remains now rest side by side in the old cemetery at Green- field Hill. She was born in April. 1764. a daughter of Eliphalet and Esther (Wakeman) Lyon, of Fairfield. The children of Samuel and | upper part of Bridgeport. Joseph, with his fam- Eleanor Wilson were: Samuel, born November i ily, in 1724. moved from Black Rock to Jen- 19, 1784. who became a noted gunsmith, and lived to his ninety-seventh year: Eunice, born August 17, 1786, who married Bryant Glover, and died at an advanced age; Wakeman, our subject's father; and Eleanor, born November 30. 1792, who also attained a good old age.

Wakeman Wilson was born February 9, 1790, in Burr's District, town of Fairfield, and as he possessed remarkable mechanical skill he devoted much of his attention to the carpenter's trade, limiting his efforts, however, to the finer branches of the work. He drew all his plans for buildings, and notwithstanding the fact that he was self-taught, he made a decided success. When a boy he learned to play the violin, and. being extremely fond of music, he often played for entertainments. In his later years he played upon a bass viol which he manufactured for him- self, and which is now in the possession of our subject. From the age of twenty he made his home upon a farm in his native district, and his industry and thrift enabled him to secure a fine Our subject was educated in the schools of Burr's District, town of Fairfield, and among ·competence. He enjoyed robust health until a short time previous to his death, which occurred ! his early teachers were Miss Turney, of Eas-

September 10, 1851, his remains being interred at Greenfield Hill. As a citizen he was much esteemed, and while he was not an office seeker, he was a strong supporter of the Democratic party, voting regularly for its candidates. When twenty years old he married Miss Betsey A. Glover, of Plattsville, who died some years later, her burial taking place at Greenfield Hill. By this marriage there were three sons: Morris, born September 18, 1813, who died in childhood; Henry G., born August 23. 1819, who conducted a sawmill for many years in Burr's District, where he died May 12, 1890; and Silas, born July 8, 1822, who followed the carpenter's trade in Bridge- port. and died there November 28, 1880. Mr. Wilson for his second wife married Miss Eunice Wheeler, who was born in Fairfield, February 19. 1790, a daughter of Nathan and Mabel (Bulkley) Wheeler, the former of whom was a successful agriculturist of near Samp Mortar Rock, owning a farm at what was known as Wheeler's Mill, in Jennings Wood District. She died January 19, 1869, and was buried in Oak Lawn cemetery. Our subject was the only child of this union.

nings Wood District, and settled near Samp Mortar Rock, and about that time built a grist- mill. Mabel Bulkley, wife of Nathan Wheeler, was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (White- head) Bulkley, of Southport, and granddaughter of Peter Bulkley, whose ancestor, the Rev. Peter, son of Rev. Edward Bulkley, of Bedford- shire, England, came to Massachusetts in the year 1635, settling at Concord, where he died March 9, 1659, aged seventy-six years. Nathan ! Wheeler died November 12, 1812, aged sixty- eight years; Mabel, his wife, passed away De- ' cember 14. 1827, aged sixty-two years. Their family were as follows: Esther, Nathan, Sam- uel. Sanford, Eunice, Howkin (who was a sea . captain in his early life, later becoming a farmer), Sarah, Moses, Mary, and William (who for some forty-eight years practiced medicine in Merrick, L. 1.); there were two by the name of Charles, who both died young. Tradition says the Wheelers were originally from Wales.

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Chat Dr. Wilson

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ton, Miss Ellen Nichols; Uriah Bulkley. Abram daughters: Sarah (1). who died aged seven and one-half years; Mary, who died in infancy; Annie, widow of David DeForest, of Bridgeport; Frances J. (Mrs. Wilson); Flora, who died in 1 1 infancy; Sarah (2), who married Carmi Hart, and died in Bridgeport: Mary W., who died unmar- ried; and Caroline C., who married Simon Cron- Sherwood, Nathan Bulkley and David Gould. At the age of four years he was taken to the home of an uncle, William Jennings, who occupied our subject's present homestead, but in 1851. after the death of his father, he returned home and remained until the winter of 1854-55, since which ! time he has resided on his present farm. He | enberger, of Bridgeport, and died there some 1 years ago.

seems to have inherited his father's mechanical genius, and after picking up the carpenter's trade he followed it successfully for some years, but of late his time has been given mainly to the man- agement of his farm. While he is a steadfast believer in Democratic principles, so far as Na- tional affairs are concerned, he often selects the best man in local elections, irrespective of party. He has won an enviable reputation for upright dealing. his word never being questioned. His family is prominent socially, and he and his wife are members of the Congregational Church at Greenfield Hill.

On May 31. 1852, Mr. Wilson was married at Greenfield Hill, by Rev. Thomas B. Sturges. to Miss Frances J. Banks, and six children have blessed the union, the four living being still at home. They are as follows: William W .. born June 23. 1853, is unmarried; Mary E .; Charles W., Jr. (a school teacher), born April 14. 1859, died November 5, 1893, unmarried; Frances ] .; George B., born August 21, 1865, died November 14, 1892; and Samuel F., born October 26, 1875. The last named is a musician of both vocal and instrumental attainments, and possesses a fine tenor voice; he has been connected with the choir of Greenfield Hill Church five years. Mr. Wilson has sold a portion of his former holdings, but he retains the farm, which comprises some eighty acres.

Mrs. Wilson was born May 14. 1831, in Burr's District, town of Fairfield, a daughter of William Banks, a well-known farmer and shoe- maker, who died at the age of forty-four years. William Banks was the son of Elija, who, with his brother Hyatt, was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war, and was the son of Gershom, whose ancestor. John Banks, a lawyer, was an early settler of Fairfield, and one of the richest and most prominent men of his time. Mrs. Julia (Banks) Wilson, daughter of Elija, was pre- sented with a gold spoon by the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is now over ninety years of age. Harriet (Fairman), wife of William Banks, and who survived him, living to her sixty-first year, was a daughter of Richard and Sarah (Wakeman) Fairman, the former a native of Newtown and, later, a resident of Fair- field. William and Harriet Banks had eight

Mrs. Wilson's maternal grandmother, Sarah (Wakeman) Fairman, was the daughter of Eb- enezer Wakeman, and granddaughter of John Wakeman, both of Fairfield township, and de- scendants of the Rev. Samuel Wakeman, who was prominent in Colonial days. Ebenezer Wakeman was a farmer, and he also engaged in the making of fine shoes, at the same time oper- ating a tannery. He was a thorough business man. His first wife was a Miss Webb, and their children were: Ebenezer, Eunice and Betsy. For his second wife Ebenezer married Mrs. Sarah (Shelton) Hawley, widow of Eli Hawley, and they had three children: Jonathan, an at- torney; Abijah. who became a farmer, and Sarah, who married Richard Fairman. Mrs. Sarah (Shelton) Wakeman owned slaves which she brought to Greenfield from Stratford, and she afterward sold and freed some of them. She was a native of Huntington, Conn., and a de- scendant of Daniel Shelton, who emigrated to this country with his brother Richard, from Yorkshire, England, in the year 1690. He set- tled in Stratford, Conn. Richard went to Virginia.

J JOHN HENRY SHERWOOD, a well-known horticulturist of Fairfield township, is the owner of a valuable farm near Southport, which he manages with rare skill and judgment. He is thoroughly progressive in his methods, and has made notable improvements in his chosen line of work, being the originator of the cele- brated "Pequot strawberry," one of the finest varieties known of that fruit.

Mr. Sherwood comes of good old pioneer stock, being of the seventh generation in descent from Thomas Sherwood who came from England and settled in what is now Fairfield township before the organization of the town. In all the movements relating to the settlement of the locality he took an active part, his death occurring about 1675. and his descendants have always been characterized by the qualities that constitute good citizenship.

Benjamin Sherwood (1), through whom the line of descent to our subject is continued, was

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a wealthy land owner of Fairfield township, his estate covering the entire circuit of Mill Hill, and his residence stood on the knoll inside the present limits of Oak Lawn cemetery, near the gate.

Benjamin Sherwood (2), the next in the line of descent, was born in 1699. and died January 19, 1763. His wife, Eleanor (Bradley), was born in 1707, and died March 20, 1793. They had the following children: John, who is mentioned 'below: Seth, who was married three times; Benja- min, who never married; Ellen (Mrs. Hull); Sarah (Mrs. Burr); and Mehitable (Mrs. Hill).

John Sherwood, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a prominent citizen of Fairfield in his day, and was especially active in religious work, the first meeting of the congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church at Southport being held in his house. He lived to the age of sixty- four, and his wife, Sarah (Hill), who survived him, attained the age of eighty-five. They had nine children: John, who married Hannah Bradley; Eliphalet, who married Abigail Sherwood; Ben- jamin, who is mentioned more fully below; Zal- mon, who married Sarah Ogden; Increase, who married a Mr. Gould; Nehemiah, who died in childhood; William, who married Abigail Burr; Abigail; and Sarah, wife of Samuel Dimon.

Benjamin Sherwood, our subject's grand- father, was born April 13, 1760, on a farm east of Oak Lawn cemetery, and throughout his act- ive life he followed farming on Mill Hill. He was an excellent citizen, industrious and law- abiding, and was much esteemed by his neigh- bors. He was six feet tall and weighed two hun- dred pounds. In 1782 he married Anna Hull, who was born August 17, 1760, the daughter of Peter Hull and his wife, Jerusha (Sturges), a daughter of Solomon Sturges. Benjamin and Anna (Hull) Sherwood had a family of six chil- dren, as follows: Joel (September 6, 1783-May 9, 1825), was married November 13. 1806, to Abby Hall; Jerusha (September 19, 1786-April 19, 1813) was married September 25, 1801, to Jesse Banks; Lucretia (January 4, 1789-Octo- ber 30. 1839) was married September 6, 1807, to Walter Sherwood; Hull, our subject's father, is mentioned below; Eunice (October 10, 1794- February 13, 1839) was married in November, 1813. to Edmund Darrow; Eleanor (October 9, 1801 -- December 24, 1843) was married in 1825 to James Bulkley. Benjamin Sherwood, the father of this family, enlisted in the Revolu- tionary army at the age of seventeen years, sub- sequently re-enlisting, and Anna Hull. whom he married, was seventeen years of age at the time of the burning of Fairfield, and from a high rock,

now on the land of C: Buckingham, saw her home burn.

Hull Sherwood, the father of our subject, was born December 31, 1791, and died March 1, 1864. He was reared as a farmer, after the old- fashioned methods, but in many respects he an- ticipated, in the management of his own land in later life, the conclusions of modern science as applied to agriculture. His progressive ideas were often met with sneers by his less enterpris- ing neighbors; but they have been vindicated by the practice of the best farmers of the present day. He was extremely fond of flowers, and the yard around his house was nicely kept, while in all parts of his farm evidences of taste and systematic management were to be found. On one occasion, at a fair where a prize was offered for the best bouquet of flowers, he gained the coveted distinction against the competition of the best florists of the county, amateur and pro- fessional, his bouquet containing one hundred and fifty varieties of choice flowers. He was five feet ten inches in height and weighed one hundred and sixty-five pounds, while intellectu- ally he was much superior to the average man. Theological questions interested him greatly, and ministers frequently said that he was the best in- formed layman they had ever met. For forty years he was warden of Trinity Episcopal Church at Southport. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican, but he did not take an active share in party work. From the time of his marriage he resided upon a farm ad- joining that of his father, and in 1816 he built the house in which our subject was born. On April 30, 1818, he married Caroline Burr, who was born in February, 1798, and died May 29, 1882, the remains of both being interred in Oak Lawn cemetery. [The Burr family has been prominent in this section from the earliest times, and Mrs. Sherwood's father, Amos Burr, grand- father, Ozias Burr, and great-grandfather. Col. John Burr, were well-known citizens of their re- spective periods.] Of the five children of this marriage, the eldest, Cornelia A., born August 16, 1819, was married February 15, 1859, 10 Rev. David Hawkins Short (now deceased); Cor- nelia A. died November 12, 1898. (2) Caroline B., born November 8, 1822, was married April 23, 1846, to Henry A. Knapp (now deceased), and she is also deceased. (3) J. H., our subject. is mentioned more fully below. (4) David H .. born June 29, 1829, died April 11, 1892, was married October 7. 1856, to Marie Antoinette Beardsley, and died April 11, 1892; they had three children: Mary B., Antoinette B. (now dead), and Alice H. (5) Arthur H., born July

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8, 1839, is a farmer on Mill Hill; he was twice married, first time December 31. 1861, to Julia A. Bulkley, who died July 30, 1885, and on No- vember 4, 1886, he wedded Florine Olivia Bulk- ley; he has one son, Albert B., by his first marriage.

J. H. Sherwood, whose name introduces this sketch, was born August 6, 1825, and was reared at the old homestead, becoming familiar with all branches of agricultural work. He first at- tended the district school at Mill Plain, Burr Betts and Abram Sherwood being among his early teachers, and on leaving that school he spent three years as a student in Fairfield Academy, of which Daniel March was then prin- cipal. Until he reached the age of twenty-eight he assisted his father at the home farm, and the latter then gave him seven acres of land, with one very large oak tree upon it. This little tract became the nucleus of the present farm, additions having been made from time to time until Mr. Sherwood now has fifty acres of land under cul- tivation. In 1850 he built his barn, and in 1853, the year of his marriage, he erected his residence. He inherited his father's originality and sound judgment, and his management of his farm has brought to him a good income. He and his family enjoy life, and he has given his children the best educational privileges within his reach, their success in life being a source of greater pleasure to him than any material wealth would supply. On October 13, 1853, he married Miss Salina Beecher, daughter of Beri and Mary (Chatfield) Beecher, of Bethany, Conn., and a member of one of the leading families of that section. Three children have blessed the union: Nellis H., born November 29, 1859, now a resi- dent of Mill Hill, near his father's place, is one of the most progressive farmers in the State, and is also a noted fruit grower and florist, growing flowers under glass; Anna C., born December 31, 1862, wife of Conrad Buckingham, of South- port; and Herbert B., born August 22, 1870, a merchant of Southport.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 62

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