Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 91

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 91

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

J OHN D. HERTZ, D. D. S., a skillful and proficient young dentist of some seven-years' practice at Stamford, Fairfield county, is de- scended from German ancestry, his immediate forefathers, however, having resided in the State of Pennsylvania.

Rev. Daniel Hertz, his grandfather, was a clergyman of the German Reformed Church. D. Rhine Hertz, a son of the clergyman, and the father of our subject, was born at Ephrata, Lan- caster Co., Penn. He married Elizabeth Hibsh- man. He was prepared for the practice of dentistry, and has honored the profession.

John D. Hertz is a native of Lancaster county, Penn., having been born there Decem- ber 27, 1870, and was reared and schooled at Ephrata, Penn. When but sixteen years of age he began the study of dentistry in his father's office, and remained at home under the profes- sional care of his father until he was nineteen. He then went into the office of W. H. Hertz, his

Digitized by Google

448

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

cousin, a dentist at Hazleton, Penn., remaining there for a year and a half. At the expiration of that time he entered Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, Philadelphia, from which he was graduated in 1893. After his graduation he prac- ticed at Philadelphia for a short time, then, in the same year, came to Stamford, and here as- sociated himself with Dr. A. G. Weed, and has ever since practiced at that point. Socially, he is a member of Union Lodge No. 5, F. & A. M., and of Puritan Lodge No. 43, I. O. O. F. Doc- tor Hertz is quite popular, and holds high rank in his profession.

L EVI C. MORRIS, member of the well-known mercantile firm of Prindle & Morris, of New- town, is an energetic and successful business man.

Mr. Morris is a descendant of one of the prominent families of Litchfield county, Conn., his great-grandfather, Amos Morris, having been a leading resident of Bridgewater. This worthy pioneer was born September 28, 1762, and was married February 16, 1785, to Eunice Clark. His death occurred April 2, 1841, when he was seventy-eight years of age, and his wife, who was born February 17, 1765, died March 27, 1841, aged seventy-six years. They had four children: (1) Levi, born December 6, 1785, died Sep- tember 24, 1850, at the age of sixty-four; he was married September 24, 1807, to Polly H. Smith, who died August 16, 1862, aged seventy-seven years. (2) Roswell, born May 27, 1795, was married November 27, 1818, to Laura Canfield. .(3) Curtis, our subject's grandfather, is men- tioned more fully below. (4) Patty, born De- cember 6, 1799, was married February 4, 1819, to Orange Smith, who was born August 29, 1797.

Curtis Morris, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Bridgewater February 7, 1797, and for many years was engaged in mercantile busi- ness, also conducting a small farm. He was a man of fine mental ability, and his excellent judgment caused him to be consulted by his fellow-townsmen on various important matters. For some time he held the office of judge of pro- bate, and he was frequently called upon to draw up wills, deeds and other legal papers. He died March 19, 1869, aged seventy-two years. On November 2, 1819, Curtis Morris married for his first wife Abigail Curtis, who was born February 23, 1797, and died May 8, 1827, aged thirty years. On September 2, 1827, he married (second) Cynthia J. Fink, who was born October 1, 1793, and died November 24, 1871, aged

seventy-nine years. By the first union he had two children: Levi C., born October 24, 1822, was a merchant at Hawleyville and later at Sandy Hook, but died December 13, 1856, at the early age of thirty-four years; Catharina A., born December 1, 1825, was married, April 22, 1845, to Andrew Northrop, a leading citizen of Brookfield, this county. By the second marriage there was one son, Eli F., our subject's father.

Eli F. Morris was born in Brookfield Oc- tober 31, 1833, and in early manhood engaged in the general mercantile business at Sandy Hook, in partnership with his brother, Levi C. On the death of the latter he purchased the entire inter- est, and continued the business until his death, which occurred October 27, 1866, when he was aged thirty-three. He possessed unusual ability, being an original thinker on all subjects, and in business was remarkably successful, as he began with small capital, and in a few years acquired a handsome competence. In politics he was a strong Democrat, while in religion he always in- clined to the Episcopal faith, in which he was reared. On November 12, 1856, he married Miss Emily M. Platt, who was born May 20, 1836, daughter of Judson and Laura Platt, of Newtown, and is still living. Of their two chil- dren our subject was the elder; Jennie, born April 1, 1861, was married March 4, 1885, to Arthur T. Nettleton, and died in St. Paul, Minn., April 5, 1885, in her twenty-fifth year.

The subject of this biography was born June 28, 1858, in Sandy Hook District, of the town of Newtown. He began his education in the public school, also attended Newtown Academy, and for two and one-half years attended a boarding school at Greenwich, this county, his course of study giving him a fair knowledge of general sub- jects which has been well supplemented by his private reading. In 1876 he entered upon his business career as clerk for Sanford & Hawley, in the ' corner store " at Newtown, and on leaving them, in 1880, he was employed in the store of L. B. Booth. In October, 1891, he was ap- pointed trustee to settle up the business. On completing this task, Mr. Morris, in April, 1892, engaged in his present business, in partnership with William H. Prindle. Their trade is now extensive, and they send their teams to various parts of the surrounding territory to take orders and deliver goods. Their stock of general mer- chandise is well selected, and is in itself a sufficient guarantee of success.

On October 1, 1879, Mr. Morris married Miss Fanny C. Peck, a daughter of John B. and Char- lotte C. Peck, well-known residents of Newtown, and three children bless their union: Curtis Peck,

Digitized by Google

444

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mabel and Levi Phillips. The family is identi- fied with the Congregational Church, of which, with the exception of two years, Mr. Morris has been treasurer for twelve years past. He is a man of public spirit, taking keen interest in local affairs, but he has not sought or held office. He is a firm believer in the principles of the Repub- lican party.

TRA COLE. Nearly half a contury ago, in in the office of the shirt factory of T. A. Mor- rison & Hoyt, of Norwalk, Fairfield county, there might have been found a bright-eyed little office boy who looked intelligently into the work of the factory, and became well informed on the minutest details of the work. To-day that office boy is known as the vice-president of the incor- porated company that is the outgrowth of the old firm, and we here present a brief review of the life history of that so phenomenally success- ful a man-Ira Cole.

Thomas Cole, his grandfather, was one of the grand old patriots of the Revolution, and was with the Continental army when it was occupy- ing New York City. He married Mary Ressigue, a daughter of Alexander Ressigue (who was a son of Alexander Ressigue, who married a daughter of Pierre Bontecue, a Huguenot of France), and in their family of children was Sherman, who was born June 4; 1804, and died in 1879. Sherman Cole passed his early days in Wilton, where for many years he engaged in the manufacture of carriages and carriage hubs, the firm being Cole, Nichols & Co. In 1854 he retired from business and came to Norwalk, where he made his home until his death. He married Susan Hurlbutt, a daughter of Louis Hurlbutt, of Wilton, and they became the parents of eleven children, as fol- lows: (1) Emily married Charles Van Hoosier, of Norwalk, and died in 1892. (2) Jane married William B. Osborn, of Wilton, and is now living in Manchester, Mich. (3) Eliza married Will- iam A. Ambler, of Norwalk, a veteran of the Civil war. (4) Ira is our subject. (5) Mary E. married Willis McDonald, of Brooklyn, also a soldier in the war of the Rebellion. (6) Theo- dore died at the age of two years. (7) Henry married Mary Vaille, and died in 1890. (8) Har- riet married P. R. Dusenberre, of Stamford; he is now deceased. (9) Lydia married Henry S. Selleck, of Norwalk. (10) Allee married Lizzie Martin, of Norwalk, where he is superintendent in a factory. (11) Victor married Kate Hall, of Long Hill, this county. Sherman Cole was a prominent man in the public affairs of Wilton, holding a number of town offices. He was first

a Whig, later voting with the Republicans. For a number of years he was selectman of the town, and also represented his district in the State Legislature. A high compliment was paid him in selecting him for this last position, one that is seldom paid to a man in politics-he received the endorsement of both parties in his own town-a tribute, indeed, to his faithfulness, in- tegrity and popularity, pointing him out as a man worthy of the perfect faith and confidence of those who knew him best. . In all the work of the Methodist Church, he was found an energetic helper, and he contributed materially to its sup- port.

Ira Cole, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in the town of Wilton, this county, May 4, 1836, and there spent the first years of his life. In 1853 he went to New York, where he entered the clothing house of Brooks Brothers, as bookkeeper, remaining with them one year. He then returned to Connecticut, and coming to Norwalk entered the employ of T. A. Morrison & Hoyt, shirt manufacturers, as office boy. Steady application and careful attention to busi- ness were the stepping stones by which he mounted, and in 1883 he bought out one of the partners, the firm becoming Hutchinson, Cole & Co. This firm continued to prosper, and in 1895 a joint-stock company was incorporated, under the name of Hutchinson, Pierce & Co., with a capital stock of $600,000, and Mr. Cole, who holds a large interest, was elected vice-president of the company. They employ about 300 hands in the factory and 600 outside. the product be- ing over 25,000 dozen garments per year; the company also have a larger factory at Bridge- port, which has a capacity of over 30,000 dozen pieces per year, and of course a larger force of help. They manufacture the celebrated "Star" goods, shirts, shirtwaists and underwear of the highest grade, supplying the first-class retailers, such as Rogers, Peet & Co., Brokaw Brothers, Stern Brothers and others, of New York City, also the leading houses of Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and other cities of the West and South, and they have a store of their own in New York. Mr. Cole attends to the management of the factories. Having devoted so much of his life to the interests of this concern, his knowledge of finance and his business acumen have been widely recognized, and he has been called upon to lend his services to other corporations; he is a director of the Fairfield County National Bank. also of the Norwalk Savings Society.

In 1868 Ira Cole was united in marriage with Rebecca I. Hill, daughter of Dr. Asa and Susan (Isaacs) Hill, the former a leading dentist in

Digitized by Google

:: : ...

. :

Ana Cole

Digitized by

Google

Digitized by

Google

445

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Norwalk, and the latter a daughter of Charles Isaacs. Three interesting children have come to brighten their home life: Lena H., Annie L. and Alice I. Mr. Cole has always been a Repub- lican, and he keeps well informed on all the political issues. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and of the Odd Fellows; in religious connection he is a Congregationalist. He is thoroughly up-to-date, and interested in any movements for the advancement of the moral or material welfare of his town. His steady rise in the world has brought him in contact with all classes and conditions of men, and given him a broad sympathy which prompts many charitable acts of which the people at large will be forever ignorant.

WILLIAM F. GILBERT was born in Weston, Conn., December 29, 1822. In that town he received a good common-school education, and after leaving school he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked for eleven years. In 1852 he entered the employ of the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company, of Georgetown, Conn., and remained with them forty-five years, during a greater part of that time having charge of one of the departments of the business. During the Civil war of the Rebellion he was drafted into the army, but did not serve. Politically he was in his earlier days a Whig, in 1840 voting for William Henry Harrison for President of the United States. Later in life he became a Republican, and still adheres to that party, but takes no active interest in its affairs. He is a devout member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of Cannon's Station, and is steward and trustee in same.

Mr. Gilbert married Miss Mary E. Sterling, a daughter of William S. and Polly (Jelliff) Sterl- ing, the former of whom is a prosperous farmer of the town of Wilton. Mary E. Sterling was bornin Wilton, May 8, 1830. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert have come the following children: Georgiana, born January 22, 1852, married O. I. See, of Bridgeport; she was edu- cated in Wilton. Mary L., born April 2, 1854, married to Chester Benedict; they have one child, Harold, born in August, 1884. William B., born October 27. 1862; and Samuel, who died in infancy. William B. Gilbert, only son of William F. Gilbert, the subject of this sketch, was born in the town of Wilton, educated there in the common schools, and is now engaged in the hardware business in East Bridgeport, Conn. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the Park-street Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is steward, treasurer and trustee; is also the

librarian of the Church. He married Miss Ella Coester, by whom he has one child, Nina, born in August, 1890.

Ebenezer Gilbert, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Ridgefield, Conn., and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He married Ruth Hurlbut, by whom he had the fol- lowing children: Nathan, who married Abigail Terrell; Benjamin, who married Charlotte Burch- ard; Daniel, who married Betsey Hurlbut; Ebenezer, who married a Miss Abbott; Pitt, who married Miss Abigail Schofield; Hannah, who married a Mr. Manie; Anna, wife of Hulbut Burchard; and Naomi, who married Eliphalet Whitlock.

Nathan Gilbert, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in the town of Weston, Conn., educated in the common schools of that place, and after leaving school learned the trade of shoemaker, at which he worked for many years. Religiously he was a member of the Methodist. Episcopal Church of Weston. He married Abigail Terrell, a daughter of Samuel and Rachel (Bennett) Terrell, the former of whom was a carpenter of Wilton, and a highly respectable. man. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Gilbert were the. parents of the following children: Brewer, who married Emma Godfrey; William, who died in. infancy; Louisa, who married Lorenzo Jones; Caroline, wife of Sylvester Olmstead; Marietta, who married Aaron Fellow; Rachel, Emily, Ann, all three of whom died young; and William F., the subject of this sketch.

Thaddeus Sterling, grandfather of the wife of the subject of this sketch, was born in England, educated there and there learned the trade of blacksmith. When yet quite young he came to. the United States, and all that is really known of his first place of residence in this country is that he lived in the town of Wilton, Conn. In that town he carried on the trade of blacksmith the remainder of his life. He married Miss Mary St. John, of Wilton, by whom he had children as. follows: Sherman, who married Ann Joyce; Hawley, who married Maria Williams; and Will- iam S., who married Polly Jelliff.

William S. Sterling, father of our subject's. wife, was born in the town of Wilton, Conn., in 1810. He was there educated in the common schools, and learned the shoemaker's trade; but. though he worked at same to some extent, yet he devoted most of his life to farming, and was. known far and near as the best farmer of his sec- tion of the country. Religiously he was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wil- ton, and was a steward and trustee of his Church. He married Miss Polly Jelliff, a daugh-

Digitized by Google

446

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ter of Salmon and Rebecca (Gregory) Jelliff, the former of whom was a stonemason of Wilton. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were the parents of the following children: Mary E., wife of the subject of this sketch; Sherman, who married (first) Cath- arine Burrows, and (second) Jessie Manie; Theo- dore, who remains single; Andrew, who married Mary Woodruff; Anne, who married George Lathrop; Rodman, who married Mary Bennett; Odell, who married Minnie Lathrop; and Albert and Freddie, both of whom died in infancy.

D AVID D. HAWLEY. The profitable man- agement of a farm requires business talent of a high order, and this is notably displayed by the subject of this sketch, a leading agriculturist of the town of Danbury. Mr. Hawley is not only a success as a general farmer, dairyman and cattle breeder, but he deals extensively in agri- cultural implements, being agent for the Worces- ter Buckeye Mower, the Bullard Hay Tedder, and the Champion Farm Wagon. In his various lines he is ably assisted by his son, Edson H., with whom he is in partnership, under the style of D. D. Hawley & Son.

Mr. Hawley was born July 18, 1840, in Put- nam county, N. Y., a son of Orin and Charlotte (Weeks) Hawley, and remained at his native place until he was nine years old. From that time until he reached the age of seventeen he lived upon a farm in the town of Monroe, Fair- field Co., Conn. During his early manhood he followed the hatter's trade for ten years, but in 1868 he settled upon his present farm, a beauti- ful estate of 164 acres. As has been said, he raises general crops, but of all the products of his farm it is likely that his fine breed of Holstein Friesian cattle is the best known.

On November 13, 1867, Mr. Hawley married Miss Julia A. Hoyt, who was born at their pres- ent homestead, the daughter of A. E. Hoyt and granddaughter of Ezra Hoyt. Four children have blessed this union: Edson H., who is in business with his father, married Sarah E. Miller, of Bethel; David D., Jr., a hatter by trade, mar- ried Miss Laura Hurlbert, of Danbury; Mary J. is the wife of George G. Knapp, a farmer in Newtown; and Julia E. is at home. The family is identified with the Disciples Church, in which Mr. Hawley holds the office of deacon. In poli- tics he is a Republican, but he has never taken any specially active share in party work.

Mr. Hawley traces his descent from an hon- orable ancestry, the head of the family in this country being Joseph Hawley, who was born in 1603 in Derbyshire, England, and landed near

Boston, Mass., in 1629. Later he settled in Connecticut, and he died at Stratford in 1690, leaving five sons: (1) Ebenezer and (2) Joseph left no issue; (3) Samuel, born in .1652, had seven children; (4) Ephraim, born in 1659, had four sons; (5) Capt. John Hawley, born in 1661, had six children.

Isaac Hawley, our subject's grandfather, was born in Roxbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., and be- came an agriculturist by occupation. Some years after his marriage to Elizabeth Warner, daughter of Doctor Warner, of Newtown, he removed with his family to New York State, remaining there some years, and returning to New Milford, Conn., where he died. He had six children: Orin, our subject's father; David, who died in Danbury, Stephen, a farmer in Roxbury; Eliza, who mar- ried Edmund Garlic, a farmer and tailor in Rox- bury; Caroline, who married George Dean, a farmer of Patterson, N. Y; and Nancy, who married William H. Curtis, a farmer in the town of Monroe, this county.

Orin Hawley, the father of our subject, was born in Roxbury, where for many years he con- ducted a general store, and later followed the carpenter's trade. He was a Democrat in poli- tics, and was prominent in local affairs, although he was never an office-seeker. His death oc- curred in 1888. He married Miss Charlotte Weeks, of Bridgeport, a lady of English descent, who died in 1882, and they had thirteen chil- dren, of whom the first three died in infancy; Bennett S. is a farmer in the town of Danbury; Caroline, deceased, married James Zarr, a farm- er of Bedford Station, this county: Eliza mar- ried a Mr. Gettis, of Bridgeport, and both are now deceased; Helen is the wife of David H. Briggs, of Bridgeport; the twins, David D. and Daniel D., were next in the order of birth, and the latter is now a resident of Bridgeport; William, deceased, was a farmer by occupation; Henry is engaged in the livery business at Bridge- port; Charlotte married David Wanzer, a farmer of New Milford; Isabelle, deceased, was the wife of Austin Phelps, of Danbury.

J AMES STAPLES. To the student of human nature the history of a self-made man is of surpassing interest. To some men early ad- versity inflicts a blow never recovered from, a wound never healed or cured. Their energy is crippled, their elasticity of spirit destroyed, their hope crushed. To others it comes as a test of native vigor, as an incentive to effort, creating a spirit of resistance against accident and fate, and inspiring with a determination to overcome every

Digitized by Google

447

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

stumbling block in the path to success. To the subject of this sketch, now a leading business man of Bridgeport, early misfortunes proved to be the key to a prosperous life. In them he found, as many a man has before him, a knowl- edge of his powers, a chart of the shoals and quicksands of business to be avoided, a will hardened and strengthened-as the mascle is- by exercise and work, an ambition to overcome that proves to so many their final fall.

Mr. Staples comes of excellent ancestry, and is a descendant of Peter Staples, who came from England in 1640 with two brothers, and settled at the present site of the town of Kittery, Maine. Miles Staples, the great-grandfather of our sub- ject, was born September 22, 1729, and made his home in Prospect, Maine (now Stockton), where he died February 11, 1810. He was mar- ried there on June 11, 1753, to Sarah Tre- fethenen.

Miles Staples (2), our subject's grandfather, was born at Prospect, but after his marriage to Jane Nickerson he removed to Swanville, Maine, where his remaining years were spent.

Capt. Hezekiah Staples, father of our sub- ject, followed the sea, and for thirty years was a captain. He married Elizabeth Treat, of Maine, whose grandfather resided at Prospect, on a farm adjoining that of his own grandfather.

James Staples, son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Treat) Staples, and one of twelve children, was born in Swanville, January 19, 1824, and was educated in the public schools of that place, high school at Searsport and academy at Belfast, all in the State of Maine. At the age of seven- teen he began to teach school, and until 1853 was engaged in that profession in Monroe, Swan- ville, Searsport and Belfast, during the next year teaching in Hyannis, Mass. In 1854 he removed to Bridgeport, Conn., where he established him- self in the lumber business. Though hopefully prosperous for three years, the severe financial crisis of 1857 caused his failure, and once more he was obliged to start on a business career. At that time, as the financial clouds were gradually swept away, operations in real estate became quickened in and about Bridgeport, and, as agent and commission merchant in the real estate field, he once more established himself in the confi- dence of the community, and built up a large and increasing business.

Finding his time and capabilities far from ex- hausted by his dealing in realties, Mr. Staples added the business of an insurance agent to his other operations, and soon became one of the most trusted agents in that line in the State. After carrying on his business alone for several

years he associated with himself his brother, George A. Staples, under the firm-name of J. & G. A. Staples. In 1874 the firm still further ex- tended its operations, and established a private banking business in addition to its real-estate and insurance enterprises. George A. Staples having gone out of the firm, T. R. Cruttenden became a partner in the new firm of Staples & Co., but after Mr. Cruttenden's death, in 1882, Mr. Staples continued alone until 1884, his son, Frank T. Staples, taking charge of the banking department. In October of that year Philip L. Holzer and Frank T. Staples became associated with him in the firm of James Staples & Co., which has continued up to the present time. Mr. Holzer is a native of Bridgeport, and after the formation of the firm of J. & G. A. Staples, was a clerk in their house until 1870, when he was appointed clerk in the Connecticut National Bank in Bridgeport, remaining with that institu- tion until he became a partner in the firm of James Staples & Co.

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

Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 91

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