Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 87

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 87

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Canada. By the third marriage, to Eunice Perry, of Weston township, there were no chil- dren.

Henry M. Wheeler was born August 10, 1836, in Redding township, near the Easton line, and was educated in the schools of that locality, David Smith being his first teacher. He attended school chiefly in the Foundry District in Easton, and was an apt scholar, frequently gaining prizes for proficiency. He remained at the homestead until he reached the age of twenty-five, his father allowing him $100 per year after his fifteenth year, and on leaving home he took charge of a farm in Easton belonging to his aunt, Mrs. Andrew Perry. On March 29, 1863, he married his first wife, Miss Delia Squires, of Weston, and about that time he purchased a small farm in Easton, where his wife died February 16, 1866, leaving one child, Martha L., now Mrs. Dwight M. Banks. On July 29, 1867, he married Miss Mary F. Wood, of Greenfield Hill, and soon afterward he located on the farm of Thomas Wood, his wife's father. He bought another small farm near by the old homestead, and put up the build- ings thereon, and his residence is comfortable and attractive. While his time is mainly devoted to the cultivation of his estate, he is a natural mechanic and has provided himself with a set of carpenter's tools, with which he does much of his own work in the repairing and construction of buildings and fences. He has always been active in promoting the interests of agriculturists as a class, and is a charter member of Greenfield Hill Grange, in which he has served as a member of the executive committee ever since its organiza- tion. He has held other offices, including that of assistant steward for two years, and is over- seer at the present time. He and his wife are prominently identified with the Congregational Church at Greenfield, and he is a member of the Church committee. In politics he is a Demo- crat so far as national affairs are concerned, but in local matters he votes independently. In 1862 he served on the Democratic Town Com- mittee. He has served on the grand jury, and at the present time is a justice of the peace. During the Civil war he was drafted twice, first time for nine months, and second time, August 22. 1863, for three years, but furnished a sub- stitute, paying him the sum of four hundred dollars.

RTHUR EDWARDS PLUMB, formerly a representative in the State Legislature from the town of Trumbull, is one of the leaders in the business, political and social life of that

locality, and few men of his years have achieved as wide a popularity.

Mr. Plumb comes of good old Colonial stock, his ancestors having settled in the town of Trum- bull at an early period. Eli Plumb, his great- grandfather, was born November 25, 1777. and and died October 14, 1865. He married Betsey Booth, and had six children: (1) Pixley J., born December 6, 1800, died July 28, 1826. He was married on May 16, 1822, to Susan Hurd, by whom he had one daughter, Delia Judson, born May 26, 1825; she was married February 12, 1850, to Charles H. Hall, and has had one child, Ella E., born February 24, 1871. (2) Birdsey B., our subject's grandfather, is mentioned below. (3) Almon E., born April 1, 1807, was married January 17, 1828, to Betsey Sterling. (4) Bet- sey Ann, born in 1811, died January 27, 1827. (5) Harriet A., born in 1816, was married Novem- ber 10, 1835, to Benjamin Burton, and died May 27, 1854. (6) Mary Ann, born March 23, 1821, was married January 26, 1846, to Lucius C. Booth. They had one daughter, Lacira, born March 20, 1847, who married Edmond H. Hurd, and died December 11, 1872, leaving one child, Lillian Lacira, now the wife of Edward T. Hen- drickson, of No. 619 Noble avenue, Bridgeport.

Birdsey B. Plumb, our subject's grandfather, was born August 8, 1804, and followed farming in Trumbull for many years, his death occurring February 12, 1891. On March 8, 1828, he mar- ried Miss Emeline Mallett, who died December 24, 1890. They had two children: Betsey Ann and Charles Elliott. The former was born De- cember 15, 1827, and died January 17, 1864. She was married November 21, 1854. to Thomas C. Wordin, and had two children: Birdsey Plumb, born January 10, 1857, died March 8, 187.5; and Elizabeth Chapelle, born January 15, 1860, who was married February 14, 1884, to Frederick J. Lockwood (now deceased).

Charles Elliott Plumb, our subject's father, was born in Trumbull, June 12, 1832. at the homestead now occupied by our subject, and died June 24, 1873. He made his home in Trum- bull, and in early manhood followed farming there, but later he became a civil engineer, be- ing connected with the United States coast sur- vey for many years. He served as a soldier during the Civil war, in Company D, 23rd Conn. V. I., and his brief career was in all respects worthy of admiration. In religious faith he was a Congregationalist, and he and his wife were active members of the Church of that denomi- nation in Trumbull. On May 5, 1856, he mar- ried Miss Susan Ann Hall (daughter of Alanson Hall, of Chestnut Hill), who died February 11,

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1895. Of their five children: (1) Willard Shel- ton, born July 21, 1857, was educated in the public schools of Trumbull, also in a private school conducted by Emory F. Strong, and since 1884 he has been connected with the City Sav- ings Bank at Bridgeport; he was married No- vember 15, 1883, to Miss Ida Grace Summers. (2) Charles Edward, born April 24, 1859, died October 29, 1863. (3) Charles Franklin, born January 19, 1865, was married November 19, 1889, to Miss Elizabeth C. Tait, and resides in Bridgeport. (4) Arthur E. is the subject proper of this sketch. (5) Howard, born January 26, 1870, died March 29 of the same year.

Our subject was born March 1, 1866, at his present homestead, and his education was chiefly obtained in the schools of that town, a course in a business college at Bridgeport giving him a technical knowledge of practical busi- ness methods. On leaving school he assisted his grandfather for some time in the management of the homestead, but in 1887 he was appointed station agent at Trumbull. This position he held until 1891 when he engaged in general mer- cantile business with his brother, Charles F., and this enterprise has met with increasing success. From an early age he has always been prominent in the work of the Republican party in his locality. In 1895 he was appointed deputy sher- iff by Sheriff Sidney E. Hawley, and he resigned the position January 5. 1897, but was again ap- pointed late in June of the same year. In 1896 he was elected representative from Trumbull in the General Assembly, and he served one term ac- ceptably. Socially, he is identified with the Order of Red Men, and he is an active member of the Grange. On November 28, 1889, he mar- ried Miss Charlotte C. Bennett, who died April 25. 1894, leaving one daughter, Charlotte Ben- nett Plumb.

JAMES FRANCIS WALSH was born in JLewisboro, Westchester Co., N. Y., March 15, 1864, a son of James F. and Anne E. Walsh. His boyhood days were spent in Ridge- field, Conn., to which place his parents removed shortly after his birth.

Educated in the local schools of this latter place, at the age of eighteen years Mr. Walsh re- moved to Greenwich, entering the law office of his brother, the Hon. R. Jay Walsh, as a student. He was admitted to the Bar January 20, 1888, continuing the practice of his profession in part- nership with his brother until January, 1890, when he opened an office of his own.

Mr. Walsh enjoys a large and lucrative prac-

tice, and, notwithstanding his business engage- ments, has still time to devote himself to the public welfare. In politics a Republican, he not only stands well in the councils of his party, but is an active worker in the political battlefield. He entered public life at a time when Greenwich was changing from a staid New England town to her present self, and is one of a number of the young business and professional men who have done so much to advance the welfare of the town and borough, in the face of the opposition of the older conservatism, now happily almost a thing of the past.

Mr. Walsh has not only preached-he has practiced. Energetic in his dealings in real es- state, as in business, he has succeeded in amass- ing a competency. He is a director in and treas- urer of the Byram Land Improvement Company; a director in and secretary of the Greenwich Gas and Electric Lighting Company, and a director in and attorney for the National Investment Com- pany. He is also prosecuting agent for the county commissioners, which position he has held since 1888; and since the organization of the borough court, in 1888, he has been prosecuting attorney.

On April 11, 1893, Mr. Walsh was married to Emily Gene Tweedale, a lady who has won for herself an entrée to the hearts of both the rich and poor in the community.

H ENRY FAIRCHILD (deceased), a lifelong resident of the old Fairchild farm, near the village of Newtown, with which locality his family had been identified for many years, was born there July 20, 1818, and died July 26, 1897. Josiah Fairchild, the grandfather of our sub- ject, born November 27, 1754, was an extensive landowner in the town, and followed farming throughout life, his residence being on the " flat road " on the place now occupied by Charles Brisco. He was not only one of the wealthiest men of the town, but he took an active and in- fluential part in local politics and in various public movements, being prominent in religious work as a member of Trinity Episcopal Church. His property was divided among his five sons: Wheeler, who built the house occupied later by Henry; Adoniram, who lived on the hill east of the old place; Ira and Cyrus, who lived on the "flat road," and Jonathan Sturgis, our subject's father, who is mentioned more fully below. All the sons remained upon the farms thus acquired and all married and left descendants.

Hon. Jonathan Sturgis Fairchild, our sub- ject's father, was born January 27, 1783, and in- herited that portion of the old homestead which

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is now occupied by his son William. He died November 7. 1826, in his forty-fourth year, but .even at that comparatively early age he had be- come one of the leading men of the community. His real-estate holdings in various parts of the town were valuable, and as an agriculturist he was uniformly successful. His fine mental abil- ity enabled him to secure an excellent education in spite of somewhat limited opportunities, and his jovial disposition won for him a host of friends. In politics he was a Democrat, and in addition to holding numerous offices in his town, from constable up, he served as a member of the State Legislature in 1824-25. For many years he was an active worker in Hiram Lodge No. 18, F. & A. M. (formerly of Newtown, but now of the Sandy Hook branch of that fraternity), with which his father had also been identified. His wife, whose maiden name was Lucy Wheeler, .died May 27, 1860. Her father, Joseph Wheeler, a well-known resident of Newtown, was born June 26, 1763, and died in 1837; her mother, Anne (Botsford), was born January 19, 1765, and died December 18, 1842. Jonathan S. and Lucy Fairchild had a family of eight children, viz .: Joseph B. was born March 7, 1806; Anna, born December 24, 1808, died January 10, 1825; Mary (1), born May 13, 1811, died July 3, of the same year; Mary (2), born January 27, 1816, married Charles Skidmore, and died December 29, 1893; Henry, our subject, is the next in order of birth; William was born October 4, 1821; Lucy, born July 15, 1823, married David Beers; and Anna Emeline, born April 2, 1826, married Edwin Terrill, of Brookfield. Of the above, the only survivors (1899), are Deacon William Fairchild and Mrs. Lucy Beers.

As will be seen, Henry Fairchild, our subject, was eight years old when deprived by death of his father, and the training of the children fell to the widowed mother. She was a woman of re- markable sweetness of character, a trait that was freely imparted to her son Henry. His educa- tion was restricted to the district schools of that period, and among his teachers may be men- tioned Daniel Burhans (son of Rev. David Bur- hans), A. M. Hubbell, Daniel Leavenworth and A. M. Higgins, of Zoar. In those days the Taun- ton school house was located near the "hook," not far from the site of the chapel. As a boy and young man Henry Fairchild was a hard worker in both his studies at school and his duties on the farm, in which latter connection it is pleasing to note that under the management of the mother and her two sons-Henry and William-the homestead increased in acreage, becoming one of the finest of its size in the

county. When he was only sixteen years of age Henry began buying land from the other heirs of the estate, and became interested in farming on his own account. About 1847 the arrangement with his brother William was discontinued, the latter taking the portion of the homestead which included the site of the old residence. In 1849 our subject bought the Wheeler Fairchild farm, and about 1865 he purchased the Harry Beers farm and the Clark farm, comprising together nearly ninety acres, which added to his previous possessions made a fine property of 190 acres, regarded as one of the best in the town. He gave much attention to stock raising, and dur- ing some of the later years of his life was inter- ested in dairying, conducting both lines of busi- ness successfully and profitably. While a man of public spirit, he never entered the political arena, and his devotion to principles was un- tainted with any desire for party rewards. In early life he was a Democrat, but during the agi- tation over the "Missouri Compromise" he be- came a Republican, and ever afterward voted with that party. In religious faith he was a Congregationalist, and for many years he was a leading member of the Church at Newtown, holding every office in the organization, includ- ing that of deacon, in which he has served for forty years.

At the age of about twenty-seven years Mr. Fairchild married Caroline Booth, daughter of Horace Booth, of Brookfield, Fairfield Co., Conn., and by her had children as follows: Anna Frances and Jane Elizabeth, both of whom sur- vive. Anna F. is the wife of Andrew C. Moore, and is living on the homestead; they had three children: Henry Fairchild, born June 9, 1877, who is in the employ of the Manhattan Type- writer Company. Newark, N. J .; Arthur Hill, born December 20, 1878, who is employed in the office of the Bridgeport Brass Company, at Bridgeport; and Elsie May, born February 19, 1883. Jane Elizabeth married Col. J. W. Knowl- ton, of Bridgeport, who was postmaster of that city sixteen years. The mother of these died in 1869, and in 1872 Mr. Fairchild married Eliza- beth Peck, who survives him.

Mr. Fairchild, our subject, passed his entire life in Newtown. In 1843 he united with the Congregational Church, and October 20, 1857, he was elected a deacon in same, serving in that capacity for the long period of nearly forty years, in all his ways and acts proving himself to be a devout Christian. He left an honored and un- sullied name, the purest and best of all heritages, and is remembered as one of the most kindly, genial and sweetly patient of men.

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S SAMUEL A. DAVIS, attorney and counsellor at law, Danbury, is a native of that city, having been born there October 14, 1865.

Mr. Davis received his education in part at Danbury High School, where he graduated in 1882, and in part at Harvard University, where he spent one year, after which he attended Yale Law School, from which institution he graduated in 1893. On June 30, 1893, he was admitted to the Bar at Bridgeport, and immediately entered into partnership with Judge Lyman D. Brewster, at Danbury, which partnership still continues.

In March, 1894, Mr. Davis was appointed as- sistant prosecuting attorney of the city court of Danbury. In February, 1897, he was elected, by the Legislature, associate judge of the city court of Danbury, and re-elected in 1899.

W ILLIAM BOTSFORD. The name of Botsford appears in the records of New- town as early as 1712, and the family has been prominent for several generations in the social, business and political movements of that locality. Moses Botsford, the grandfather of the well- known citizen whose history is outlined below, was born in Newtown, and for many years was a leading agriculturist of Zoar District. He married Huldah Winton, and had the following children: Thomas, who never married; Theophilus, our subject's father; Daniel, who married Lucena Twitchell; Phoebe (Mrs. Ebenezer Beers); Sally, wife of Harry Downs; and Aurelia (Mrs. Isaac Peck).

Theophilus Botsford, the father of our subject, was born in Newtown about 1785, and through- out his active life was engaged in farming in the same town. After his marriage he removed from Zoar District to North Center District, where his remaining years were spent, his death occurring December 28, 1827. He was quite successful in business and was prominent in local affairs, hold- ing numerous offices. In religious faith he was a Universalist, and as he was a man of fine mental ability and much force of character, he drew around him a superior class of friends. His wife, Lucy Ann (Peck), who died September 4, 1870, was a daughter of Elnathan Peck, a prosperous agriculturist of North Center District, and the owner of a large tract of land. They had a family of three children: (1) Julia, born August 24, 1808, married John Russell Skidmore; (2) Mary, born December 25, 1811, married Joseph Blackman; and (3) William.

Mr. Botsford, our subject, was born Decem- ber 10, 1813, at the old homestead in Newtown, and his education was chiefly obtained in the

common schools of North Center District, al- though he also attended the select school in a building which stood on the present site of the "Grand Central Hotel," his teacher being Judge Samuel C. Blackman. When about eighteen years old he left school, and for some time he de- voted his attention to farm work at the home- stead. In 1850 he removed with his family to Sturgis, Mich., then a little hamlet, and pur- chased a farm within a half-mile of the center of the place. His first investment included only forty acres, but as time passed he bought more land until he owned between two and three hun- dred acres. He remained there five years, meet- ing with success in his various undertakings, and during this time he took an active part in the de- velopment of the little town, holding office as jus- tice of the peace. In 1856 he returned to New- town, but soon afterward sold the homestead, and in the fall of that year he removed to Comanche, Clinton Co., lowa, a small town on the Missis- sippi river. He purchased between two and three hundred acres of land about four miles from the village, and for four years he made his home there, renting his land, however, to others. On June 3, 1860, a tornado swept over the neighbor- hood, destroying the village and fatally injuring thirty people. Mr. Botsford's house was taken off its foundations and totally wrecked, but for- tunately the family, having found refuge in the cellar, escaped serious injury. That locality having no further charms lor them, Mrs. Bots- ford returned at once to Connecticut, Mr. Bots- ford remaining in Iowa only long enough to settle up his business affairs. In 1862 he made a trip to Oregon and Washington Territory, joining a cara- van at Omaha, and making the journey across the plains with a team. Finding the prospects good, he spent some time in Washington Territory in min- ing on the Upper Columbia river, and later he went to Salt Lake, where he became interested in silver, which was at that time as profitable to the miner as gold. He discovered one mine that assayed over $4,678 to the ton, and he remained in that locality nearly seven years, during which time he took up about twenty claims. In 1872, satisfied with his success, he disposed of all his Western interests and returned to Newtown to en- joy the results of his labors, and since 1875 he has occupied his present handsome residence there. While he does not now take part in busi- ness enterprises with his former energy, his advice is valued in financial circles, and at present he is a director in the Newtown Savings Bank.

Politically, Mr. Botsford was in early life a Whig, later becoming identified with the Republic- an party. Since his return to Newtown he has

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not been active in politics, but in other places he has taken much interest in such matters. His public service while at Sturgis, Mich., has been already noted, and at the time of the tornado at Comanche, Iowa, he was mayor of that place. In religion he is inclined toward the Universalist faith, but his wife is an Episcopalian. The mar- riage of our subject occurred November 21, 1841. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Sophia Terrill, was born January 8, 1823, a daughter of Abel Booth and Sophia (Botsford) Terrill, and granddaughter of James and Esther (Booth) Ter- rill. Mr. and Mrs. Botsford have two sons, both of whom are in business in the West: (1) Henry Booth Botsford, born October 15, 1842, is inter- ested in mines in the mountains of the " Desert " in California. He was married (first) in 1872 to Elizabeth V. Saunders, and (second) in 1884 to Mrs. Mattie E. Jones; he has two children: Frank Leroy, born in 1874 at Los Angeles, Cal .; and Lulu Kate, born in 1879. (2) Frank Ter- rill Botsford, born November 19, 1858, is in the real-estate business at San Diego, Cal .; he mar- ried Adelaide L. Tanner.

REV. JOHN DOLBY SKENE, rector of St. James Episcopal Church at Danbury, is one of the ablest among the talented divines of that city. Faithful and untiring in pastoral work, he is also an eloquent and impressive speaker, draw- ing his inspiration from his subject rather than from his audience. As he is wholly independent of manuscript, not even using notes, the manner as well as the subject-matter of his addresses pro- duces a powerful effect.

Mr. Skene is a descendant of an old Scottish family concerning which an interesting and ro- mantic account is given in history. It appears that when Malcolm II, King of Scotland, was re- turning from the defeat of the Danes at Mort- loch, in Morayshire, in 1010, he was pursued by a ravenous wolf, which was about to attack him, when a son of Donald of the Isles thrust his arm, which was wound in his plaid, into the wolf's mouth, and with his dagger slew the beast. The King, appreciating the boldness of the action, gave to the young man certain lands, which now form the parish of Skene, in Aberdeenshire. This inci- dent gave rise to the family name, Sgain, which means a dagger, or a dirk, and which occupies, to- gether with three wolves' heads, a very conspicu- ous place in the family armorial bearings. John De Skene, in the thirteenth century, joined the forces of the Usurper, Donald Bain, but after- ward proved his loyalty to his King, Alexander, and was forthwith restored to the royal favor.

His great-grandson, John, who lived during the reign of Alexander III, was so well informed po- litically, and so esteemed for his impartial virtue, as to be chosen one of the arbiters between Bruce and Baliol, both of whom were contestants for the crown. A grandson, Robert De Skene, was a firm friend of Bruce, fought at Bannockburn, and received a charter from his leader in 1318. Coming down through the centuries, we find Alexander Skene fighting at the side of King James during the celebrated battle of Flodden, and later we see James Skene, his direct de- scendant, leading the charges at the battle of Pinkie, where he fell in 1547. Maj. George Skene distinguished himself, under the Duke of Marlborough, in the wars that were fought dur- ing the reign of Queen Anne, and in 1720 pur- chased the estate of Careston, in Forfarshire. Two more Skenes were soldiers, and both died fighting, one in Spain and another at the battle of Preston, in 1745.

While in the early history of the Skene family we find warriors plentiful, it must be remembered that there were litterateurs and lawyers also, though their attainments did not shine with the luster of the martial doings, a fact that was ow- ing, in great measure, to the turbulent condition of the times. However, at a later date, the non- martial of the Skenes found fame and fortune in the pursuance of their respective professions. In 1575 history records the fact that John Skene and Sir James Balfour were appointed a commis- sion by the Regent Morton to examine and make a general digest of the laws of Scotland. So thoroughly was the work done that Skene, who performed the more arduous duties connected with the undertaking, received a public commendation, and was pensioned, in addition. In 1587, so great was his favor with the King, he was chosen to proceed to Denmark for the purpose of con- cluding a marriage with the Princess Anne. This Skene is reputed to have been a very scholarly man. According to Sir James Melville, who wrote a short biography of him, he was able to harangue in Latin, and was without doubt the most celebrated of the Skene litterateurs. Com- ing down to 1590 we read of one Gilbert Skene, who was a professor of medicine in King's College, Aberdeen, and afterward physician to the King, which position he resigned in 1594. He was afterward knighted. One of the most interesting of the Skene family was James Skene, the long and faithful friend of Sir Walter Scott, co-worker and co-partner with him, and respon- sible for many of the most interesting scenes which Scott has so cleverly portrayed. Andrew Skene, who in 1834 succeeded Lord Cockburn

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 87

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