Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 89

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 89


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Francis J. Rogers, our subject, passed a por-


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tion of his boyhood at Carlisle, Ohio, and at- tended the common schools there. Subsequently he was a pupil for four years in the public schools of Philadelphia, and in the parochial schools of the Roman Catholic Church, later attending the public schools at Warren, R. I. As he was but a mere boy when his father died, he was placed under the care of an uncle, who it seems disap- proved of his enlisting in the army during the Civil war, much as the lad desired it. In order that he might be weaned of his military ardor, Francis was sent to the College of the Holy Cross, at Worcester, Mass., from which insti- tution he was graduated in 1870, and here he numbered among his class-mates Bishop Beven, of Springfield, Mass., Bishop Bradley, of Man- chester, and Bishop Michaud, of Vermont. In 1875 the Faculty of this College conferred upon our subject the degree of A. M. He began the study of medicine in the University of Pennsyl- vania, Philadelphia, where he was graduated in 1873, and he subsequently went to St. Mary's Hospital for one year, spending six months in the city dispensary.


Doctor F. J. Rogers began the active prac- tice of his profession at Providence, R. I., in 1875, and June 1, 1877, he located in Stamford, Conn., and he has ever since been there engaged in the duties of his chosen calling. He has been prosperous in business affairs, and stands high both professionally and as a citizen. The Doctor is a man of generous disposition, and the suppli- cation of the worthy poor never falls unheeded on his sympathetic ear, for he has the reputation in the town of being a friend to the needy, and many a heart has been gladdened by his bounty. His friends are legion. He has gained consider- able prominence as a public speaker, and en- dowed as he is with a keen sense of humor, his name is always a welcome one on any program, for in his many speeches he has seldom failed to create wholesome amusement coupled with ex- treme good feeling. In personal appearance Doctor Rogers resembles ex-President Cleveland, and on one occasion in Washington, D. C., he was mistaken for him. Our subject is a member of the State, County and City Medical Societies.


Doctor Rogers takes great interest in all local matters, and has devoted considerable time to politics and other public affairs, being a fore- most advocate of all improvements afoot in the community. Since May, 1898, he has been a member of the common council, representing the First ward of his city, and is chairman of the committee on Streets, Sidewalks, and Sewers. Previously the Doctor served many terms as member of the old borough council, and he has


been a member of the school board of Stamford for eighteen years. His interest in public schools has been marked, and he has done much to bring about the high standard of ex- cellence reached by the Stamford schools of to- . day. Some years ago he established, and still maintains at his own expense, a system of prize- giving to the pupils standing highest in the various studies of the course, stimulating them to earnest action and greater efficiency. There are seven prizes in all. It was Doctor Rogers who presented to the Franklin street school the first United States flag that floated from any public-school building in Stamford. The Doctor has been a member of the Stamford board of health for twelve years, and at the present time is health officer of the town.


Doctor Rogers' political connection is with the Republican party, though he was formerly a prominent Democrat, and he was a delegate of his party to each of the three conventions that nominated Grover Cleveland for the Presidency. He is examining surgeon for the Benevolent Legion Society; a member of and examining surgeon for the Knights of Columbus; a member of Lodge No. 999, Royal Arcanum; Court Philip H. Sheridan, Foresters of America. In religious faith he belongs to the Roman Catholic Church.


In 1880 Doctor Rogers was married at St. Francis' Roman Catholic Church, New York City, to Miss Margaret Brennan, daughter of ex- Commissioner Owen W. Brennan, and niece of ex-Sheriff Matthew Brennan, both of that city. To their marriage have come children as follows: Harry, who died in infancy: Frank, "born June 30, 1885; Charles, born December 12, 1890; and Alice, deceased.


P HILO HURD SKIDMORE. In modern times the qualities which constitute "gen- eralship " find their best field of activity in busi- ness life, and the bloodless victories of our great promoters deserve to be chronicled as of more value to the race than the cruel and destructive movements in which nations too often engage for the sake of greed or glory. The man who seeks to broaden the channels of trade and industry is to be commended, and no one can read the fol- lowing history without feeling admiration for the ability, energy and persistence shown in worthy lines of effort by the well-known citizen of New- town whose career it briefly reviews.


Mr. Skidmore was born October 1, 1817, in Bethlehemn, Litchfield Co., Conn., but his an- cestors were early settlers in Fairfield county. Abel Skidmore, the grandfather of our subject,


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was a native of the town of Newtown, and for many years was engaged in farming "on the Neck," in the northwestern section of the town. He was a thrifty man, acquired a fair com- ยท petence, and held an honorable place among the old-time residents of the locality. In religious faith he was an Episcopalian, but he was not especially active in Church work. He died Sep- tember 30, 1846, aged ninety-two years, and his wife, Bethiah (Glover), who was a woman of much ability and force of character, died July 18, 1853. They had thirteen children, twelve of whom lived to adult age, their names, so far as can now be ascertained, being: John, Booth, Charles, Daniel, Glover, Zerah, Bennett, Annis (who married Henry J. Okson), Mrs. Samuel Blackman, Mary Ann (who married Glover Bots- ford), Mrs. Lake, and one whose history is not known. All married, some more than once, and John was married three times. With the ex- ception of Bennett and Zerah, all lived and died in the vicinity of Newtown, and all were identi- fied more or less closely with the agricultural element of the community. . The sons displayed in a marked degree qualities of industry, economy and energy, and maintained an excellent stand- ing as citizens.


Zerah Skidmore, our subject's father, was born in Newtown, and throughout life was inter- ested in agricultural pursuits. About 1805 he removed to Bethlehem, where he purchased a farm of forty or fifty acres, and when that tract was paid for he bought another in the center of the town. He was a sturdy, thorough-going man, showing the thrifty characteristics of his race, and was highly esteemed by his associates. He was noted for his independence in thought and action, and was fond of argument upon relig- ious topics, being a close student of the Bible. He was always active in Church work, belonging to the Episcopal Church, and in politics was a firm supporter of Democratic principles. By his wife, Bernice (Hurd), he had five children, one of whom died in infancy, the others being as fol- lows: Homer, born in 1807; Julia, born in 1810, married Roswell A. Morse, and is still liv- ing; Wealthy. born in 1813, married Lucius Shelton; and Philo Hurd, our subject.


The Hurd family is well known in this coun- ty, and Jabez Hurd, the maternal grandfather of our subject. was a prosperous farmer of the town of Brookfield. He married Lucy Black man and had five children-two daughters and three sons. Of the latter: (1) William B. is a dentist in Brooklyn, N. Y., and has one son, William, who has recently been appointed judge. (2) Philo had three children-Mrs. J. E. Dun-


ham, of Bridgeport; Mrs. Meeker, of New York City; and Melancthon, a member of the firm of Hurd & Houghton, of New York and Boston. (3) Ferris S. had two children-Henry, who married a daughter of P. T. Barnum, and resides in New York; and Catharine, wife of Doctor Hewett, of Bridgeport.


Our subject spent his early years in Bethle- hem, and received all his education at the local schools. When about fifteen years old he went to Norwalk, and for four months was employed there as a clerk, in the following winter securing a similar position in New Haven, in the whole- sale grocery store of Henry Oakes, where he re- mained until he attained his majority. He then engaged in business for himself in partnership with N. C. Hall, purchasing the interest of Mr. Kittston, this arrangement continuing five years. when Mr. Skidmore returned to Bethlehem and opened a general store, the enterprise proving so successful that at the end of one year he bought out his only competitor in business. Under these flattering prospects he established a home of his own, marrying Miss Abigail N. Ives, of Cheshire, Conn., who shared his joys and sor- rows until her death, which occurred July 16, 1893. He carried on his business in Bethlehem successfully until 1853, when the failure of the Woodbury Bank, of which he was a director, in- volved him in serious loss. As a result he re- moved to Bridgeport in September, 1853, think- ing to retrieve his losses by engaging in business with J. E. Dunham; but the partnership lasted only one month, Mr. Skidmore deciding to accept a position as secretary and treasurer of the Pacific Iron Works at Bridgeport. The post entailed considerable responsibility, as he was to be the executive head of the enterprise, and the offer was quite a compliment to his ability. The times were unpropitious, for of forty stock com- panies organized in that locality about that date only two survived, but the Pacific Iron Works was one of the fortunate ones, continuing on its original plan until 1861. The company then took a contract for building the machinery for the gunboat "Kanawha," the amount involved being $45.500, which so alarmed some of the stockholders that a number of changes were made in the company, resulting finally in the acquirement by Mr. Skidmore of the sole owner- ship of the business, though rather by chance than by foresight. During the year 1861 Mr. Skidmore went to Washington in connection with the contract referred to, and had an inter- view with the Secretary of the Navy.


On the establishment of the Wheeler & Wil- son sewing-machine shops at Bridgeport, the


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Pacific Iron Works gained additional contracts of a profitable kind, and, later, Mr. Skidmore de- voted his attention to the manufacture of sta- tionary engines and boilers, becoming the leader in that line of business in the world. He re- tained the management of the works until 1884, employing from one hundred to one hundred and sixty men, and in the meantime he took advan- tage of other openings to turn an honest penny or two. In January, 1870, he made a visit to Florida and other Southern States, spending some time in Tallahassee, New Orleans, Mobile and Montgomery, and on his way home he stopped in Washington, where the first colored senator was then attracting attention. His trip through the South had impressed Mr. Skidmore with the possibilities of that region as a field for the judicious investment of capital, and he at once began the construction of the St. John's railroad, leading from St. John's river to St. Au- gustine, Fla., a distance of fifteen miles. After five years he sold out his interest in the enter- prise at a handsome profit. In 1880, having built some steam fire engines for Galveston and New Orleans, he went South with them and spent two months. During this time he invested heavily in real estate in New Orleans at low prices, and this investment yielded satisfactory returns. At present he is the chief stockholder in the New Orleans Cold Storage Company, and has large property interests in other portions of the "Sunny South, "including an extensive plan- tation above Carrollton, La. Altogether his career has been a remarkable one, his keen per- ceptions being seldom or never at fault in de- termining the value of an investment, or the probable outcome of a business contract.


Notwithstanding his business cares Mr. Skid- more has always been a reader, and he has kept well informed upon general topics. In politics he has been a lifelong Democrat, but during the Civil war he gave his support to the government in its efforts to suppress the Rebellion. He has never taken an active part in local politics, al- though at one time he served as a member of the Bridgeport council, and was a member of the State Legislature; also for several years was chief engineer of the fire department at Bridge- port. For many years he has been a leading worker in Trinity Episcopal Church at Newtown, in which he has held office continuously, and at the time the new edifice was built he was one of ten men to contribute the greater portion of the cost. Socially, the family is prominent. and our subject is a member of the I. O. O. F., and .of Quepeack Lodge No. 1, F. & A. M., at New Haven.


Mr. and Mrs. Skidmore had seven children, viz .: Stella A., wife of E. L. Beard, of Cam- bridge, Mass .; Julius W., a hat block manu- facturer in Bridgeport; Philo Hurd, Jr., mana- ger of the Pacific Iron Works; Abigail (deceased), who married the late Henry T. Nichols, and had four children; William, who died at the age of three years; Eddie, who died at the age of six; and Herbert M., who died in 1887 at the age of twenty-two.


C CHARLES D. DAVIS, member of The Davis & Hawley Company, jewelers, was born in Derby, Conn., Sept. 5, 1863, the only child of John B. and Josephine (Chatfield) Davis.


John B. Davis, Sr., grandfather of our sub- ject, was one of the most prominent men of the town of Derby, was well known as " Deacon Davis," and was a very earnest member of the Presbyterian Church. John B. Davis, Jr., the father of Charles D., was born in Derby, and there grew to manhood, engaging in business with his father, who had become a celebrated grower of peaches, the expert cultivation of which was carried on with general farm- ing. Mr. Davis was also a member of the Weed family of Stamford, Conn., who are descendants of Jonas Weed, who came over in the same ship with Sir Richard Salstonstall, accompanying him to Watertown, Mass., was admitted Freeman May 18, 1631, dismissed from Watertown Church to Wethersfield, Conn., May 29, 1635, thence to Stamford in 1642.


Charles D. Davis was brought to Bridgeport at the age of four years. As a young man he entered the jewelry store of E. W. Button, as a clerk, continuing as such until 1887 when he was admitted as a partner. In 1890 he purchased an interest in the present store, the firm being known as Parker & Davis, but has subsequently been incorporated under the name of The Davis & Hawley Company. In 1891 Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Susan J. Hawley, who was born in Bridgeport, a daughter of Frederick B. Hawley, of that place. To their union three children have been born: Constance H., who died May 4, 1896; Bronson Hawley, born March 2, 1896; and Esther Kinney, born June 18, 1897. Mr. Davis is identified with the Masonic Frater- nity, is a member of Hamilton Commandery No. 5, K. T., and Lafayette Consistory, A. A. S. R .; is also a member of Pequonnock Lodge No. 4, I. O. O. F. He is a member of the Universalist Church, and served as clerk of the parish a num- ber of years. He occupies a high position in the estimation of the citizens of Bridgeport for his business integrity.


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REDERICK D. BENEDICT, member of the Legislature of Connecticut, for Wilton, was born in that town April 30, 1843, and re- ceived his education there first in the common schools. Afterward, during the years 1861-62, he entered Wilton Academy under Professor Olmstead, and then entered Yale College, in class of '67, and passed through the freshman and sophomore years of 1863-64-65, leaving at the end of the sophomore year, thus securing a liberal and valuable education.


After leaving Yale College Mr. Benedict taught school for a few years in different places, viz .: in Wilton, Norwalk and New Canaan, and still later attended Danville Theological Seminary in Ken- tucky, for one year; but owing to ill health he did not complete his course. In fact it was ow- ing to the condition of his health that he took up farming on the Benedict homestead, and this oc- cupation he has since followed in Wilton. Po- litically Mr. Benedict is a Republican of the stanchest kind, and as such he has held numer- ous town offices such, as selectman, assessor and member of the board of relief. In 1896 he was elected to represent his town in the Legislature of the State, was a member of the committee on Judicial Nomination, also on the committee on Unfinished Business. Mr. Benedict is a member of the Congregational Church at Wilton, is one of the deacons in same, and has been its treasurer since 1879. In 1882 Mr. Benedict was married to Miss H. Lucretia Gregory, daughter of Will- iam D. and Sarah A. (Middlebrook) Gregory, of Wilton. Mr. and Mrs. Benedict have no children.


Isaac Benedict, great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was born August 7, 1746, and died August 10, 1813. He married Elizabeth Burchard, and names and dates of birth of their children are as follows: Esther, July 21, 1770; Adah, May 24, 1772; Elizabeth, May 24, 1774; Isaac, May 9, 1776, died May 23, 1776; Huldah, March 19, 1779; Isaac, brief sketch of whom follows; and Nancy, September 26, 1783.


Isaac Benedict, grandfather of Frederick D., was born June 24, 1781, in the town of Lewis- boro (then South Salem), Westchester Co., N. Y., and died on his farm January 25, 1858. After leaving school he adopted farming as his life occupation and always adhered to it, being an unusually successful man in his calling. He married Huldah Hoyt, who was born September 29, 1784, and had children as follows: Syrene, born. March 7, 1804, married Henry Holmes; Darius, born July 18, 1805, married Harriet Fuller; Nancy, born March 18, 1811; and Isaac N., a sketch of whom follows:


Isaac N. Benedict, father of our subject, was born April 21, 1813, in the town of Lewisboro, N. Y., and there received his education in the common schools of the locality. Leaving school he learned shoemaking, and worked at his trade for a number of years. Later he purchased a farm in the town of Wilton, Conn., upon which he resided the remainder of his life. He died January 20, 1882.


Politically, Mr. Benedict was a Republican, and was honored at different times by his fellow citizens with election to offices in his town, viz .: selectman, assessor, on the board of relief, etc. He married Miss Emily A. Keeler, who was born November 25, 1817, in Wilton, a daughter of Isaiah and Lucy (Watrous) Keeler, the former of whom was a prosperous farmer of Wilton. By this union there were children as follows: Lucy W., born October 19, 1841, who died single; Frederick D., the subject of this sketch; Arthur N., born May 13, 1845, who married Lucy E. Brown; and Emily K., born September 4, 1849, who died in infancy.


ARTHUR N. BENEDICT, brother of our sub- ject, was born in the town of Wilton, and was- there educated in the common schools. Adopt- ing farming for a living, he has always followed that occupation. By his wife, Lucy E. (Brown) he has had four children: Harry D., Edward S., Robert N. and Frank C.


WILLIAM D. GREGORY, father of Mrs. F. D. Benedict, was born in the town of Wilton, March 18, 1823. His early education was received in the common schools of that place, and after- ward he commenced farming. Soon thereafter he built a grist and saw mill, which he conducted for some years, or until it was burned down, and then returned to farming, which he for the most part followed during the remainder of his life. As a Republican he held numerous town offices, such as town clerk, and he served several terms- as a member of the Legislature. He was also. secretary of the Fairfield County Agricultural Society for a number of years, and in all of the- places in which he served he was so faithful in the discharge of the duties that the entire com- munity honored and respected him. He was a. justice of the peace, an Odd Fellow and a mem- ber of the Congregational Church of Wilton.


For his first wife Mr. Gregory married Miss Henrietta Middlebrook, May 30, 1845. She was. born May 15, 1824, and died November 12, 1846, leaving one child, Henrietta M., born No- vember 9, 1846, and died August 4, 1847. For his second wife Mr. Gregory married Miss Sarah A. Middlebrook, born January 21, 1826, a sister of his first wife, this second marriage taking.


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place June 18, 1848. She became the mother of the following children: Annie M., born Sep- tember 8, 1852, married George N. Pike, and has one son, Clarence G. Pike, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Daniel W., born May 23, 1854, died Sep- tember 18, 1854: H. Lucretia, born September 13, 1855. married the subject of this sketch; Emma S., born June 15, 1857, died single in May, 1891; Elwin H., born June 18, 1861, mar- ried Lizzie McCartey; and George C. M., born January 26, 1867, married Josephine G. Todd.


ADWARDS M. SMITH, M. D. Professional life brings a severe test of one's innate capacities, success being less easily won than in other callings where extraneous advantages can he made to re-enforce personal efforts, and this well-known physician of Newtown may feel a justifiable pride in the high standing gained by him as a practitioner.


Doctor Smith is a native of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., born January 19, 1860, and is descended from an old Scottish family, the ancestral home having been located near the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. William Smith, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a lifelong resident of that country, but James Smith, the grandfather, who was born near Edinburgh, came to the New World about 1833, and after remaining for short periods at Quebec (Canada), and in Vermont, near the Canadian line, he settled in Pough- keepsie, N. Y., early in the "forties." He was a confectioner by occupation, and being a thrifty, energetic man he soon established a fine busi- ness at his new home, the name of the firm undergoing change from James Smith to James Smith & Sons, during his lifetime, after his death becoming first James Smith's Sons, and later taking its present form of Smith Brothers. The business has now grown to large proportions, and even in the time of its founder was one of the substantial concerns of the city. As a citizen he was held in the highest esteem, and like all of his family he was a firm supporter of the Presby- terian faith, being for years a leading member of the local Church. He married Ann Black, by whom he had two daughters and three sons. Of the latter, William W. is prominent in public affairs in New York State, and was at one time the candidate of the Prohibition party for the office of governor; James, our subject's father, is mentioned more fully below, and Andrew, who resided in Poughkeepsie was a member of the firm of Smith Brothers, but died in October, 1895.


Col. James Smith, the father of our subject, was born in 1834, in Quebec, Canada, and died


at Newtown, Conn., in December, 1896. In bis youth he learned the confectioner's trade to such good purpose that he originated the formula for the now world-famed Smith Brothers' Cough Drops, once known as Pectoral drops. He re- mained with the firm through its various changes until 1872, when he retired from that line of business and engaged in hotel-keeping, spending the summers in the Catskills and the winter seasons in Florida. In all his enterprises he met with marked success, and the " Glen Ridge House," at Cornwall, N. Y., was for many years a popular hostelry under his judicious manage- ment. Since 1888 he has not been especially active in business life. He has always been in- terested in all that pertains to the advancement of the community in which he has resided, and in religious faith he is a devout Methodist. For many years he was connected with the New York State Militia, and served as colonel of the 21st Regiment, at Poughkeepsie. Politically he has been a Republican since the date of the organi- zation of the party, and while he has not given much time to party work, he held office as super- visor in Poughkeepsie for two terms. He mar- ried Miss Frances Edwards, daughter of Ward Edwards, a leading citizen of Newburg, N. Y., and they have had two children: Edwards M., our subject, and Lem A., who is now engaged in the electrical business in New York City.


Doctor Smith's academic education was ob- tained in his native place, in the public schools and the Military Institute, which was then under the control of Professor Jewett. He also spent about a year and a half with a private tutor, his studies being chosen with special reference to his professional career, but later he completed a high-school course. The next two years he spent in the office of Dr. Edward H. Parker, one of the prominent physicians of Poughkeepsie, and with this preparation Doctor Smith went to New York City, in 1880, and matriculated in the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, the medical de- partment of Columbia College. While there his work was chosen with a view to general practice, and in 1882 he was graduated with the degree of M. D. After a year at home, he came, in the latter part of 1883, to this county, locating first at Danbury. In January, 1886, he removed to Newtown and associated himself with Dr. W. C. Wile, a physician of about fourteen years' prac- tice, and a year later, when Doctor Wile with- drew, Doctor Smith took charge of the business. This he has continued successfully ever since, building up an extensive and lucrative country practice, one of the largest in the northern part of the county. For twelve years he has held the .




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