Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 82

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 82

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following children, all by the first union: Henry L., formerly a merchant in New York City, who died in Greenwich, unmarried; Rachel, our sub- ject's mother; Whitman, who died in early man- hood at the beginning of what seemed a most promising career; Abigail, who married Gilbert Lent; Mary A., now Mrs. Charles Seaman, of Greenwich; William, who is not married and re- sides in Greenwich; and Thomas, who married Miss Sarah Kimball, of Fayetteville, N. C., and died in New York, leaving three daughters.

(VIII.) Whitman S. Mead was born April 17, 1841, at the old homestead at East Port Chester, but the greater portion of his boyhood was spent at Indian Field. His education was begun in the district school at Cos Cob, with a Mr. Treat as his first teacher, and at the age of twelve years he entered the academy at Greenwich, which was then conducted by that popular and efficient ed- ucator, Philander Button. On leaving school at the age of eighteen he became a clerk in a whole- sale dry-goods house in New York City, but did not remain long, as the firm was composed en- tirely of Southern men who were even then pre- paring to close out the business in anticipation of war between the North and South, and who at once dissolved partnership on the election of Lin- coln. Our subject then returned home, and for some time he gave his attention to the manage- ment of his father's farm, but of late years he has contented himself with simply overseeing the work in a general way, his other interests occu- pying his time. He is one of the trustees of the Greenwich Trust and Loan Company, also a director in the Rippowam Woolen Manufacturing Company, and at times has been interested in other business enterprises. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and has ever since been a firm supporter of the principles of his party. His sound judgment and well-known public spirit have made him a popular candidate, and he has held various offices, including those of registrar of voters, and selectman. In July, 1891, he was appointed county commissioner by M. G. Bulkeley, as a result of a dead-lock then existing, and so well did he perform his duties that he has been kept in office ever since, on July 1, 1897, being chosen for another term of four years. In January, 1897, he assumed the duties of judge of probate, an office which he is well-qualified to fill acceptably, and in all these positions he has shown a rare fidelity to the in- terests of the public. Like all of his family, he shows ready sympathy with any beneficial work, and for a number of years he has been an active member of the Congregational Church at Green- wich. On February 9, 1871, he was married to

Miss Sarah Sackett, who was born September 11, 1845, daughter of J. Ralph and Mary E. (Mead) Sackett, well-known residents of Green- wich. Since his marriage he has continued to reside on the old homestead at Indian Field, which has been in the possession of his family from its purchase in 1686. Four attractive daughters brighten his home: Julia B., Clara B., Helen F. and Marion E.

ALI H. STEVENS, one of the prominent and substantial farmers of the town of Brook- field, has resided for nearly forty years on the farm where he still makes his home. He is a de- scendant of Benjamin Stevens, who received a grant of a house lot from the town of Stamford for services against the common enemy, and whose father, Thomas Stevens, died in Stamford in 1658.

Zalmon Stevens, his grandfather, was a na- tive of Brookfield, where he grew to manhood and married Paulina Warner. By this union were born three children, namely: Lucy, Bet- sey and Solomon Warner. The mother dying, Mr. Stevens was again married, the second choice being Lydia Williams, by whom he became the father of eight children: Caroline, Barlow, Charles, Almira, Alonzo, Edwin, George and Eliza. Zalmon Stevens was a man of fair edu- cation, and ranked high as an honest man and worthy member of the community. In politics he was a Democrat; he was a faithful and consist- ent member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and served as warden for a number of years. Solomon Warner Stevens, his son, was born May 27, 1801, and died October 6, 1856. His boyhood and youth were passed on a farm in the town of Brookfield, and on reaching man's estate he was married to Polly Ann Kellogg, a daughter of Ira Kellogg. This union was blessed with three children: Henry, who served through the Civil war, but is now deceased; Eli H., mentioned below; and Samuel B., now also deceased. The father of the family spent twelve years of his life burning lime at New Mil- ford, and then passed the remainder of his days tilling the soil in his native town. He was prom- inent in local politics, casting his ballot in sup- port of the Democratic party, and was honored by his neighbors and friends by being elected to a number of minor offices. Like his father be- fore him, he, too, became warden in St. Paul's Church.

Eli H. Stevens, whose name appears at the opening of this sketch, was born in the town of Sherman, Fairfield Co., Conn., May 9, 1831,

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and his early days were all passed in this county in the towns of New Milford and Brookfield. He received his education in the district schools, and at the age of eighteen went to Naugatuck, in New Haven Co., Conn., where he learned the trade of a machinist. Later he was located for a time at various places-Mt. Carmel, in the town of Hamden, Bridgeport, and finally at Bir- mingham, Conn. In 1857 the steady applica- tion to his trade undermined his once robust con- stitution, and he returned to Brookfield and began farming. Mr. Stevens was twice married, his first wife being Miss Sarah M. Hubbard, of Nor- walk, Conn .; she died in 1857, leaving one child, Seth Warner, who married Eleanor Logan, and has one child, J. Watson. After the death of his wife Mr. Stevens was wedded to Miss Cath- erine L. Stevens, a daughter of Ira Stevens. One child, a daughter, Sarah Catherine (now the wife of Nile Hendrickson, by whom she had one child, George), blessed this union. In 1862 Mr. Stevens removed to his present farm, and its well-cared-for fields indicate the industry and thrift of its owner. The place has been greatly improved under his management, and is one of the comfortable and beautiful spots in Brookfield.

At New Haven Mr. Stevens was a member of Harmony Lodge, I. O. O. F., and of the En- .campment at Birmingham. Politically, he affili- ates with the Republican party, and takes a keen interest in the political issues of the day. He is now serving as a member of the Board of Relief of the town. Wise in the administration of his own affairs, careful of the interests of others en- trusted to him, he stands high in the estimation of the best element of the community.

OSES S. MATHER, the senior member of the well-known firm of Mather & Grum- man, general merchants at Darien, is one of the leading citizens of that locality, and the follow- ing sketch of his life will be read with more than usual interest.

Mr. Mather is a representative of an old family of Fairfield county, and some of his an- cestors took a prominent part in the various movements which resulted in the establishment of our present religious and social institutions. Rev. Moses Mather, D. D., who organized the Congregational Church in Darien on June 5, 1744, was the great-great-grandfather of our subject. George Mather, father of Moses S., was a native of the town of Darien, and for many years conducted a prosperous mercantile business there. He was much esteemed in the ·community and often held local offices, serving

for a number of years as a justice of the peace. He died in 1878, and his wife, Mary Ann (Whit- ney), who was also born in the town of Darien, passed to the unseen life in 1885. They had seven children who lived to mature age: Charles Milton; Moses S .; Mary F., deceased wife of Zalmon Richards; George M .; Cordelia A., de- ceased; Sarah A., wife of Albert H. Scofield, a member of one of the oldest families of the town; and John C., of Darien, who is in business in New York City.

Mr. Mather, our subject, was born in 1831 in Darien, and received his education in the local schools. When twenty years old he went to Ohio, but remained only a year, and on his re- turn engaged in the mercantile business in which he has ever since been interested.

In 1859 he married Miss Mary Ellen Stevens, daughter of James Stevens, of New York City. The only child of this union, Emily C., is now the wife of Franklin A. Smith, of South Nor- walk, Conn. Mr. Mather and his wife are mem- bers of the Congregational Church at South Norwalk, and have always taken a generous in- terest in its work. Politically, Mr. Mather is a Republican, but he does not give especial atten- tion to the cause, as his business requires his entire time.

G URDON B. LEE. Prominent among the names connected with the history of Con- necticut and Fairfield county we find those of Sanford, Bartram and Lee, and we here present a short story of the life of Gurdon B. Lee, in whose veins is the blood of each of the above- mentioned families. He was born in the town of Redding, Fairfield Co., Conn., November 29, 1831, one of the two children of Milo and Lucy A. (Bartram) Lee; the other was Mary L., now the widow of Samuel B. Osborne, of Redding.

Daniel Lee, the paternal grandfather of Gur- don B. Lee, was a resident of the Colony of Massachusetts. He was a stanch patriot, and during the dark days of the Revolution he served as a drummer boy in the Continental Army, for which services he was pensioned by the new gov- ernment. He was twice married, first to Ann Page, by whom he had eight children, and (sec- ond) to Hannah Butts, who bore him thirteen children. After the close of the Revolution he removed from Massachusetts and settled in Otsego county, New York State, and there Milo, the father of our subject, was born August 9, 1805. Milo Lee came to Fairfield county at the age of nineteen and engaged in the manufacture of hats, which business he continued until 1836 or '37, when he began traveling, dealing in patent rights.

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He was a selectman of his town, and for two terms served as a member of the Connecticut Legislature. He was a very prominent citizen because of his business ability, and also because of the very active interest he betrayed in the success of the Democratic party. He died May 12, 1877. His wife was Lucy A. Bartram, a native of the town of Redding, where she was born August 27, 1806, the daughter of Gurdon and Loraine (Sanford) Bartram. She is still liv- ing in Redding, making her home with her daughter, and now at the advanced age of ninety- one she passes her days quietly, and by careful reading keeps well posted on current events, while surrounded by the younger generations she presents the type of "noble womanhood, glory crowned." Gurdon Bartram, the maternal grand- father of our subject, was born September 21. 1776, the son of Daniel and Ann (Merchant) Bartram, the former of whom, a tanner and cur- rier by trade, was a son of David Bartram, who came to Fairfield county in 1733. Loraine (Sanford) Bartram was the daughter of Oliver and Rachel (Coley) Sanford, of Redding, the former a son of Ephraim Sanford, who, accord- ing to tradition, had the first store in Redding. That he was a large landowner is shown by deeds now in the possession of the family, dating back to the early days of the eighteenth century. Ephraim Sanford married Elizabeth Mix, and the parish record gives the baptismal record of eight children, while his will mentions three more. A portion of Redding is now known as Sanfordtown.

Gurdon B. Lee, the subject proper of this review, received his elementary instruction in the common and private schools of Redding, later attending a boarding school at Danbury, and also one at Easton, where he completed his education. At the age of seventeen he was ap- prenticed to learn the carriage-manufacturing business, at which he served until he was twenty- one, subsequently working at his trade until the winters of 1854 and 1855. during which he taught school. In April, 1855, he was elected to the State Legislature, and sat in the House of Rep- resentatives at Hartford. he being the youngest member of the House. This was the first year of the Know-Nothing rule in this State, to which, as a Democrat, Mr. Lee was opposed. In 1856 he came to Bridgeport and began to work at his trade, leaving it again in order to teach school in that city, in 1857. Up to 1890 he was en- gaged the greater part of his time at coach mak- ing, for sixteen years as foreman of Wood Broth- ers and, later, of their successors, Hincks & Johnson, who still carry on the business.

In politics Mr. Lee is a Democrat, and his active interest in the welfare of his party has re- peatedly placed him before the public as a can- didate for political honors. In 1892 he was elected tax collector and served two terms; the duties of this office include the collection of all city and town taxes. In April, 1895, he was elected town clerk for a term of two years. He is faithful in the discharge of his duties, and, believing that a public office is a public trust, he makes it his business to see that that trust shall not be violated. His integrity has never been assailed even by his political opponents.

On February 22, 1854, Mr. Lee was married to Miss Caroline E. Gorham, daughter of Col. Joseph W. and Eliza (Goodrich) Gorham, and by this marriage he has become the father of two children: Ella, who was a teacher in the Bridge- port public schools until her death, which oc- curred in 1883, when she was aged twenty-four years; and Laura, who was also a teacher in the public schools (she married Charles H. Arm- strong, and has had two children, one of whom is living, Frank Lee; Gurdon Chapman died at the age of five years). Socially, Mr. Lee is a member of St. John's Lodge No. 3. F. & A. M., of Jerusalem Chapter No. 13, R. A. M., and of Jerusalem Council No. 16, Select Masters; in the early 'fifties he joined the I. O. O. F. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are living quietly in the cosy home at No. 12 Armstrong Place, and there they de- light in receiving their many friends. They are highly respected for their many excellencies of character, and hold an enviable place in the social world.

H ON. WILLIAM HOMER HUBBELL. The Hubbell family, which has for many years been prominent in the county, traces its descent from one Richard Hubbell, who was born in Great Britain in 1627 or 1628, and came to America between 1645 and 1647. On March 7, 1647, he took the oath of fidelity to the government of the New Haven Colony, and on February 25, 1653 or 1654, he was admitted as a planter into the settlement at Guilford, Conn., where he died October 23, 1699. In 1650 he married Eliza- beth Meigs, daughter of John Meigs, and grand- daughter of Vincent Meigs, a native of Dorset- shire, England, who emigrated to America and became one of the earliest settlers at Weymouth, Mass. By this marriage Richard Hubbell had eight children, viz .: John, Richard, James, Sam- uel, Elizabeth, Ebenczer, Mary and Martha. By his second wife, Esther (or Elizabeth), whose surname is not known, he had four children: Samuel, Abigail, Sarah and James.

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II. Samuel Hubbell, the next in the line of descent which we are now tracing, was born November 6. 1657, at Guilford, Conn., and died September 18, 1713. He was married April 4, 1687, to Elizabeth Wilson, who died January 4, 1688, leaving one son, Benoni. On April 17, 1688, Samuel Hubbell married Temperance Preston, by whom he had the following children: Elizabeth, Jehiel, Daniel, Katherine, Ephraim, Stephen. David, Abiel, Tabitha and Joseph.

III. Stephen Hubbell was born in 1695, and passed his life mainly at Stratford, where he died April 20, 1792. He was married January 10, 1720, to Abigail Squire, who died leaving three sons: Nehemiah, Jabez and Gershom. By his second wife, Rebecca [surname unknown], he had one child, Rebecca.

IV. Nehemiah Hubbell was born in 1722, and made his home during the greater portion of his life in the town of Weston, this county. He married Hannah Treadwell, and had the follow- ing children: Stephen, Nathaniel, Abigail (who married Stephen Tyrrell), Hannah, David, Isaac (who was captured by the Indians, and died May 5, 1842), Huldah, Rebecca, Billy, Nehemiah and Rachel.

V. Billy Hubbell, the great-grandfather of the well-known gentleman whose name opens this sketch, was born in 1759, in the town of Monroe, this county, and died April 2, 1848, his remains being interred at Newtown. He married Mary Booth and had three children: Ezra, Jere- miah and Ruamy.

VI. Jeremiah Hubbell, our subject's grand- father, was born in 1787, in the town of Monroe, and died in 1852. By occupation he was a black- smith, and he possessed excellent mental abilities, being an original thinker and a man of wide read- ing for that time. In religious faith he was a Universalist, but he did not take active part in Church work or in political affairs. His wife, Marcia (Toucey), who died October 24, 1853, was a native of Newtown, and a cousin of Isaac Toucey, formerly governor of Connecticut, United States Senator and a member of the cab- inets of Presidents Polk and Buchanan. Of the six children of this marriage, the eldest, Ruamy, born May 5, 1810, married Benjamin Burr; Mary, born September 16, 1812, married Osmund N. Crane; William, our subject's father, is men- tioned more fully below; Philo Toucey, born September 6, 1816, was a merchant at Vicks- burg, Miss., where he died April 18, 1846, leav- ing an adopted daughter named Marcia; Charles Lewis, born October 28, 1818, married Amelia Lewis; and Sylvia, born December 6, 1820, mar- ried David Northrop. Charles Lewis and Sylvia

are the only survivors of this family, and at pres- ent they occupy the old homestead at Stepney, in the town of Monroe, this county, the property being owned by our subject.

VII. Hon. William Hubbell, our subject's father, was born July 30, 1814, at the old home- stead, and in his youth learned the blacksmith's trade under his father's instructions. For some years of his early manhood he traveled through North Carolina and Virginia as a dealer in " Yan- kee notions," which were manufactured in Con- necticut, later engaging in the manufacture of carriages at Stepney. For five or six years he continued this business successfully, but the panic of 1857 caused him to sell out, and during the remainder of his life he worked at his trade. He was a man of fine mental gifts, and was promi- nent in political affairs as a member of the Dem- ocratic party, being at one time a representative of his town in the State Legislature. While he was not a Church member, he was in thorough sympathy with all truly religious effort, and he was held in high esteem by his associates. His death occurred May 25, 1869. His first wife, Jane Eliza (Winton), to whom he was married August 20, 1840, was a daughter of Marcena Winton, of Stepney, Conn. She died January 30, 1861, and on January 31, 1864, he married Maria Williams. By his first marriage he had four children, of whom our subject is the eldest. The others were: Jane Elizabeth, born April 2, 1843, married John Oliver; Franklin Jeremiah, born June 23, 1845, became a messenger for the Adams Express Company between New York and Boston, and was twice married, but has no living children; and Frances Augusta, born No- vember 11, 1854, died November 21, 1895. By the second marriage there was one daughter, Minnie Belle, born March 15, 1867.

VIII. The subject of this sketch was born: June 5, 1841, at the family homestead in the town of Monroe, and his early educational op- portunities were limited to the district schools of that locality. He attended during the winter terms until he reached the age of seventeen, making such good use of his time that he was then prepared to teach. After conducting a school for one winter at Afton, Chenango Co., N. Y., he returned home for a short time, and then went to Brooklyn, N. Y., to take a position in the hat factory of James H. Prentice, and was soon promoted to the post of foreman, which he held for three years. Ill health causing him to leave the city, he entered the employ of a mapmaking firm, F. W. Beers & Co., after- ward Beers, Ellis & Soule, representing them in the oil regions of Pennsylvania and various other

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places, first as canvasser, later as collector. With the exception of a brief period, he contin- ued this business from 1865 to 1875, and in No- vember . of that year he located at Newtown, where he and his brother-in-law, Mr. Taylor, purchased a coal and feed business from Jabez Botsford. This venture proved an entire suc- cess, as they have continued with a constantly increasing trade, and they are also associated to- gether in railroad business. As Mr. Hubbell has made his own way in the world. he is entitled to great credit for his success, and it should be noted that he has not allowed business cares to prevent him from keeping well informed upon the topics which command the attention of in- telligent people, his reading being quite exten- sive. He also takes a keen interest in all that pertains to the welfare of his community. Polit- ically, he has always been a Democrat. In 1885 -session of 1886-he was elected to the State Legislature, has served as assessor, and in 1896 was chosen on the Citizens' ticket to the office of first selectman, serving one year and declining a renomination. Socially, he is identified with the Masonic Fraternity, belonging to Fortitude Lodge No. 19, F. & A. M., at Brooklyn, N. Y.

In 1865 Mr. Hubbell was married to Miss Sarah J. Brisco, daughter of Harvey Brisco, a well-known citizen of Newtown. She died Febru- ary 21, 1892, and April 2, 1895, Mr. Hubbell was united in marriage with Miss Ida M. Taylor. He has had four children, all by the first mar- riage: (1) Frederick Brisco, born February 21, 1871, graduated in 1893 from Trinity College, and is now the superintendent of the Light and Water Company at Westport, this county. He was married in 1893 to Miss Grace M. Goodsell, of Newtown, and they have two sons. (2) Miss Mary Josephine Hubbell, born September 12, 4 873, is a graduate of the Kindergarten depart- ment of the State Normal school at New Britain. (3) Nellie Caroline, born September 15, 1875, a graduate of Yale Art School, married Hervey W. Wheeler, of Newtown, who is now a postal messenger between New York and Boston, and resides at Newtown. She died March 17, 1898, leaving a young son. (4) Herbert Carlton, born April 13, 1882, and now a student at Bridgeport high school, lives at home.

W ILLIAM S. WHITE. One of the most familiar of names in the ecclesiastical history of Danbury is that of Rev. Ebenezer White, who on March 10, 1736, was ordained pastor of the First Congregational Church. For twenty-five years he faithfully labored in the

parish, and harmony between the minister and people prevailed. The growth of the town and Church necessitated the enlargement of the meet- ing-house; following their pastor's example, the people of the parish became noted for their mor- ality and charity. After a quarter of a century, however, the Rev. Mr. White's views of religion became more liberal, his mind broadened too rapidly for the people he had directed so many years, and, after due deliberation, a council of the Church found him guilty of heresy. A ma- jority of the Church, however, adhered to Mr. White and declared themselves independent, forming a new Church organization known as the "New Danbury Church." In 1779, Rev. Eben- ezer White was called to his long rest from earthly labors, and the "New Danbury Church" became extinct, though the example set by the untiring pastor, who, like Chaucer's " good man of religion, preached, but first he practiced it him- self " bore fruit, and left its indelible impress on the community.

Thomas P. White was a son of Rev. Ebenez- er White, and was born and reared in Danbury. He married Ann Booth, of Stratford, and became the father of nine children, namely: John, a law- yer of South Carolina, where he died; Frederick, also a lawyer; Samuel, a hotel keeper in Nor- walk; Philo B., mentioned more fully below; Charles L., a drover, who died on the homestead; Prosper, a merchant and woolen manufacturer who also served as town clerk , of Danbury; Elizabeth, who became the wife of Asher Starr, a farmer of Brookfield; Sarah, who died unmar- ried; and Phœbe, who became the wife of Zadoc Stevens, of Danbury.

Philo B. White was reared on the old home- stead. He married Miss Clara Andrews, who was born in the town of Bethel, a daughter of Eden Andrews, a hatter of that town. They continued to reside on the home farm and there raised their family of six children: (1) Cyrus A. was a farmer and hatter in that town, and for a time was also in the ice business; he died in Georgia in 1894. (2) Mary A. married Samuel D. Platt, of Danbury, and both are now deceased. (3) Eloise married Isaac I. Ives, of Meriden; he is now deceased, and she makes her home in Danbury. (4) Homer (1) died in infancy. (5) Homer (2) died in California at the age of twenty- eight. (6) William S. is the subject proper of this review. The father of this family was first a Whig and later a Republican, and held a num- ber of offices. He died in 1879; the mother passed away in 1875.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 82

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