Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 93

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 93

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).

Mr. Shepard has a beautiful residence in Dodgingtown, town of Newtown, and its interior is painted and decorated most artistically in ac- cordance with his own designs. In this respect it rivals any residence in the county, and it is evident that if its owner had chosen to devote his attention to that line of effort, he would have made a decided success of it. On March 5, 1854. Mr. Shepard married Miss Martha A. Smith, daughter of William and Annis Smith, of New- town. Two children have blessed. this union: Mary Frank and Florence A.

J OHN K. GRAY, a member of a prominent family of Connecticut, was born in the town of Wilton, Conn., September 20, 1833. His early education was obtained in the public schools, and after leaving school he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked until his fortieth year, after which time he gave his atten- tion to farming. In politics he is a strong Republican, but he has never held office. Re-

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ligiously, he is a member of the Bald Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, and is steward and trustee of same, as well as superintendent of the Sunday-school; in years gone by he was class leader, and throughout his entire life he has taken great interest in Church work.

Mr. Gray married Miss Mary J. Hoyt, who was born in Pound Ridge, N. Y., October 13, 1828, a daughter of Linus and Lydia A. (Weeks) Hoyt, the former of whom .was a shoemaker of Pound Ridge, N. Y. By this union there are two children: Jonathan D., born October 22, 1862, and Frederick, born September 26, 1864, both of whom are unmarried. Of these, Jonathan D. was born in the town of Wilton, was edu- cated in the district schools, and for some time was engaged by a railway company in Boston; he is now residing on a farm in Wilton. Frederick, since finishing his education in Wilton, has been engaged in farming.

Jonathan D. Gray, father of the subject of this sketch, was born January 21, 1803, and was educated in the common schools. After com- pleting his education he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked the remainder of his life. He was a Republican, but never held office, and in his religious belief, he was a strong Methodist, greatly interested in the work of his Church. He married Miss Fannie Keeler, daughter of John and Ruth Keeler, the former of whom was a blacksmith and farmer of the town of Wilton. The children born to this marriage were as follows: Henry died in infancy: Cyrus H .; Ruth; Sarah; and John K., the subject of this sketch. Of these, Cyrus H. was born in the town of Wilton, was educated there in the common schools, and then learned the shoe- maker's trade, at which he has worked most of his life, but of late years he has been engaged in farming; he married Cornelia Dykeman, by whom he has no children. Ruth married Rufus Keeler, and has had the following children: Sarah, who married John Barr; Fannie, wife of Herbert Smith; Georgiana, who married George Seymour; and William, deceased in infancy. Sarah Gray married Abram Nash, and has had the following children: Jennie; Samuel, who married Mary -, and Katie, wife of Albert Avery.

The genealogy of the Hoyt family, to which the wife of the subject belongs, is unusually in- teresting. It is traced back to Lyman Hoyt, who was born in England in 1585. His son, Walter, emigrated to America, and became a resident of Norwalk, Conn., where he died in 1698. From his son, Zerubbabel, descended the distinguished Gen. W. T. Sherman, and the

present Secretary of State, John Sherman. Daniel Hoyt, son of Zerubbabel, had a son, Ab- ner, whose son Uriah was a soldier in the army of the Revolutionary war. Matthew Hoyt, son of Uriah, was born July 31, 1780, and married Elizabeth Brown, daughter of Benijah Brown, and lived at Pound Ridge, N. Y., for many years. Matthew Hoyt learned the carpenter's trade, and worked at same all his life. He lived a most consistent, upright life, and was a member of the Protestant Methodist Church of Pound Ridge. The children born to Matthew and Elizabeth (Brown) Hoyt were as follows: Linus, who mar- ried Lydia A. Weeks; Louisa, who married David Pinnay; Sarah, who married a Mr. Caldwell; Ruamie, who married William Sellick; Rufus, who married Catharine Stiles; Mary, who mar- ried (first) a Mr. Dana, and (second) Benjamin Weed; Smith, who married (first) Eliza Morgan, and (second) Mary De Forest; and Betsey, who married Andrew J. Brown.

Linus Hoyt, father of the wife of our subject, was born at Pound Ridge, Westchester Co., N. Y., January 19, 1804. After obtaining his edu- cation he learned the shoemaker's trade, at which he worked most of his life. In politics he was first a Whig, later a Republican, and has ad- hered to that party ever since. While he is of a retiring disposition, yet he is well-known to the entire community as a man of integrity and strong character. All his life he has been a devout member of the Methodist Protestant Church. He married Lydia A. Weeks, who was born May 6, 1805, a daughter of Holly and Olive (Beebe) Weeks, and by her had the following children: Hester Ann, born August 15, 1829; Hannah Maria, June 15, 1831; Lydia Catherine, October 2, 1834; Mary Jane, October 13. 1838; Adelia, February 8, 1844; and Adeline, July 8, 1846.

Lydia A. (Weeks), the mother of the above- named children, was born May 6, 1805, and was married to Linus Hoyt, June 17, 1827. They lived together happily in that portion pf the town known as East Woods for forty-seven years, and she died March 22, 1874. She was a faithful and constant friend of the ministry, and many a weary preacher of the Gospel found in her home a place of encouragement and rest. She was a woman of unusual strength and sweet- ness of character, and was loved by all who knew her. "She was buried at Sellick's Corners, where she rests until the bright resurrection morn when we hope to meet her once more."

Hester Ann Hoyt married Erastus Fancher, December 8, 1848, and he died October 16, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Fancher had five children: W.W., born January 23, 1850, died January 1, 1875;

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Mary E., born May 17, 1852; married Antone Stommel, January 13, 1875, and died April 19, 1876; Ida Emma, born January 25, 1855; Hu- bert L., born September 9, 1860, died July 24, 1879; and Herman R., born May 31, 1864.

Hannah Maria Hoyt married Harrison Whit- ney, July 4, 1853. Harrison Whitney afterward distinguished himself as a soldier, as a member of the 2d Conn. Heavy Artillery, and was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor, June 1, 1864. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitney were as follows: Charles Fremont, born July 22, 1856. died in Waterbury, Conn., August 21, 1878. George D., born August 8, 1858, married (first). July 24, 1879, Ella S. Palmer; she died March 3, 1886, having had two children-Charles Day- ton Whitney, born May 11, 1880, and Jennie May, born September 15, 1882, and died Febru- ary 21, 1883. Mr. Whitney afterward, June 2, 1888, married Mrs. Martha L. Munson, the mar- riage ceremony being performed at Bridgeport, Conn., by Rev. J. W. Davis, who compiled the genealogy of the Hoyt family from which this is taken. Jennie M. Whitney, born October 19, 1860, died January 10, 1873. Hester Ann Whitney, born October 7, 1862, died October 17, 1863. Edith May, born July 24, 1870.

Lydia Catherine Hoyt was married to Charles H. Ruscoe, December 8, 1853, and died Novem- ber 12, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Ruscoe had the following children: Lydia Ann, born May 3, 1855, married Capt. W. L. Weeks, January 1, 1880; Lavinia F., born October 25, 1856, mar- ried Charles S. Betts, October 11, 1885, and has one child, Charles Russell, born October 30, 1889; Winfield S. Ruscoe, born July 27, 1858, married Hattie A. Betts, March 15, 1882, and has three children-Grace May, born December 20, 1882; Hubert W., born June 15, 1884, and Chester B., born September 15, 1889; Ada E. Ruscoe, born August 2, 1860, married Joseph R. Fancher, June 6. 1880, and has one child, Willie H., born October 18, 1886.

Mary Jane Hoyt married John K. Gray, Jan- uary 1, 1860. The names of her children have already been given.

Adelia Hoyt was married February 6, 1867, to Henry A. Pinney, who was born at Milford, Penn., October 23, 1836. They had three chil- dren, viz .: Gertrude A., born June 23, 1868; Frederick W., born September 6, 1870, died March 23, 1871; and Augusta A., born July 3, 1876, died April 25. 1877. The family reside in New Canaan, Conn.

(Hoyt) Davis. He served in the 12th Conn. V. V. I. in the war of the Rebellion, and now re- sides at No. 172 Park street, Bridgeport, Conn., where he is pastor of the Advent Christian Church. Rev. and Mrs. Davis have three chil- dren: Frank W., born October 23, 1866, mar- ried Laura E. Beckweth, September 11, 1889, and they have one daughter, Laura Jennie, born May 13, 1890; Addie E. Davis, born April 19, 1869, married Jay C. Holden, January 31, 1886, and they have one child, Eula J., born October 9, 1889. Jennie E. Davis was born April 2, 1877.

The following summary of the family of Linus and Lydia A. Hoyt is of special interest in this connection: Children, 6; grandchildren, 22; great-grandchildren, 9; immediate descendants, 37; married into the family, 15; grand total, 52. Immediate descendants living June 6, 1891: Children, 6; grandchildren, 14; great-grandchil- dren, 8; deaths, 11. Number June 6, 1891, in- cluding father, 47.

A reunion of the family was held at Norwalk May 6, 1890, at which there were gathered around Linus Hoyt, then hale and hearty at eighty-six years of age, five children, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. On that day Rev. J. W. Davis read the geneal- ogy of the family which he had prepared, going back eleven generations.

0 RMAN J. DREW, a successful agriculturist of the town of Trumbull, resides upon the old Drew homestead, near Long Hill, and by his judicious management of the place has won well- deserved prosperity.

Mr. Drew was born March 9, 1835, at Peeks- kill, Westchester Co., N. Y., where his ancestors settled at an early day. James Drew, the grand- father of our subject, was born in that county and resided there for some years, but in later life he and his wife, Charity (Barrett), removed to this county and made their home in the town of Monroe.

Isaac Drew, our subject's father, was born in Westchester county, N. Y., and was educated in the schools of Peekskill. He married Miss Alza- die Olmstead, and in 1838 he removed with his family to Southbury, Conn., where he spent about fifteen years in agricultural pursuits. He then settled in this county, locating first in Mon- roe and later in Trumbull, where he and his wife passed their last days. They were devout mem- bers of the Baptist Church, and were much I esteemed among their acquaintances. Our sub-

Adeline Hoyt married James W. Davis, Sep- tember 17, 1865. Mr. Davis was born January 1, 1844, and is a son of Hiram and Catherine | ject is the eldest of three children, the others

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being: Ann E., who married Stiles Nichols, of Huntington; and James, a resident of Bridge- port.

The early education of our subject was ob- tained in the schools of Southbury, Monroe and Trumbull townships, and on completing his course of study he engaged in farming, which he has since followed without interruption. He was married in Monroe to Miss Susan R. Lamphear, a native of that town, and one daughter was born of the union, Cora May, who died at the age of fifteen. For ten years after his marriage Mr. Drew resided upon a farm in Monroe town- ship, but he then removed to Huntington, and a few years later he settled at the old homestead in Trumbull. He is an excellent citizen, and, although he has never taken an active part in · politics, he is in sympathy with the progressive movements of the day.

B OBERT KERR. The Scotch race, which is noted for sound intellect, hardy and vigorous physique, and unconquerable courage, has given to America many valued citizens, and the subject of this sketch, now a leading resident of Stamford, Fairfield Co., Conn., does honor to "Auld Scotia," the land of his birth. In both war and peace he has shown sturdy devotion to principle, and we are glad to count him among our representative men.

Mr. Kerr was born December 14, 1836, at Paisley, Scotland, son of William and Mary (Parker) Kerr. The family came to America in 1843, and the father was for some time engaged in business in New York City, thence removing to Sullivan county, N. Y. Later he returned to New York City, whence he again moved, in 1848, to Mason, Hillsboro Co., N. H., and he finally settled in Jersey City, N. J., where he died in 1888. Robert Kerr commenced his edu- cation in the schools of New York City, and he also attended a school at Mason, N. H. At the age of seventeen he went to Norwich, Conn., then called Greenville, and there learned the weaver's trade, which he followed. until the breaking out of the Civil war. Four days after Fort Sumter was fired upon he enlisted, under the three-months' call, in the 2d Conn. V. I., and he participated in the first battle of Bull Run. At the expiration of his term of enlist- ment the regiment was discharged, and in 1862 he re-enlisted, this time in the 18th Conn. V. I., being given the rank of orderly sergeant of Com- pany A. At the battle of Piedmont he was pro- moted " for bravery" to the rank of lieutenant. On June 15, 1863, during the battle of Win-

chester, he was captured by the enemy and sent to Libby prison, where he remained until re- leased on parole on July 2 and sent forward to Annapolis. In September, 1863, he rejoined and took command of Company A at Martins- burg, Va., continuing thus to the close of the war. Mr. Kerr was in all the important engage- ments in which his regiment participated, at Winchester performing one of the bravest feats

of the war. He was on duty on the skirmish line, opposing Lee's army, in the outskirts of the town, when a dispatch bearer was sent to him by the colonel of the regiment to be directed to the town. Mr. Kerr pointed out the shortest way, which lay through an open field in full view of the enemy, who were hidden in the woods near by. The messenger, Quartermaster Dwight W. Hakes, of the 18th Conn. V. I., naturally hesitated, but told Mr. Kerr that he would try the path if he (Mr. Kerr) would go ahead and take down a fence that blocked the way. Our brave Scotch-American was not the man to shrink from even such a seemingly foolhardy task as this, and under a fierce fire from the enemy, the bullets pattering around him like hail, he walked to the fence, took it down, and returned to his station. The officers confined at Libby prison voted this to be the most cour- ageous act of which they had then heard.

On retiring from the service in 1865, Mr. Kerr returned to Norwich, and in partnership with Governor Buckingham and others established the Norwich Lock Works, since transferred to Ro- anoke, Va. After a year and a half he sold his interest in this firm to the Governor, and engaged in the lock-manufacturing business at Branford, Conn., where he spent a year, returning to Nor- wich to take charge of the lock works for three months. He spent a year and a half in Brook- lyn, N. Y., where he established a jobbing shop in partnership with a Mr. Brady under the name of the Brady Manufacturing Company, and on leaving that city he engaged for a time in the butcher's trade in Jersey City. Later he became interested in the hotel business in New York City, and for sixteen years past he has conducted sev- eral hotels and lodging houses, being now the proprietor of three hotels in that city. In 1886 Mr. Kerr removed to Stamford, purchasing the Rippowam Spring Farm, a fine homestead in Newfield avenue, four miles from the town of Stamford. The residence site is one of the high- est points on the Newfield road, one hundred and eighty feet above tide water. Mr. Kerr has made extensive real-estate purchases in Stamford township, owning some two hundred and twenty acres, comprising several farms, the greater part

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of which he uses for his dairy business, which is the largest in this part of Fairfield county. He gives employment to from eight to fourteen men, and his herd numbers some sixty cows. He has nine horses for the business.

On January 2. 1859, Mr. Kerr was married to Miss Maryett Dorrance, and they have one son, Arthur Farnsworth, who is married to Miss Hattie L. Knickerbocker, of Westminster, Conn., and resides with his parents. The family is highly esteemed socially. Mr. Kerr is a member of Hobbie Post No. 23, G. A. R., at Stamford, and of Somerset Lodge No. 34, F. & A. M., of Norwich, Conn., which he joined in the year 1866.

C APTAIN CHARLES W. HALL is the senior member of the well-known flourishing firm of Hall & Godfrey, manufacturers of carriages and trucks, John street, Bridgeport.

A native of Connecticut, Captain Hall was born September 20, 1831, in the town of Easton, Fairfield county, of English descent, his great- grandfather, Abel Hall (1), having emigrated to this country from England prior to the Revolu- tionary war, in which he took sides with the "Tories." Col. Abel Hall (2), his son, and the grandfather of our subject, was born in Easton, Conn., became a large farmer and stock raiser in Easton, as his father was before him, and died in 1837. He was a leader in the old Tashua Episcopal Church of Easton; was a Freemason, and was colonel of a regiment of troopers. He married Sally Sherwood, of Easton, a descendant of one of three early families of that locality -the Halls, Staples and Sherwoods-and three children were born to them: Col. Abel (3), and Mabel and Sally, who both died young.

Col. Abel Hall (3), father of Capt. C. W. Hall, was born in 1803, in Easton, Conn., and passed his boyhood on the home farm, attending school at Easton Center. He followed farming and stock raising all his life, which was compara- tively short, however, as he died in 1837. when only thirty- four years old. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, and was colonel of a regi- ment of troopers. He was married in Easton to Polly J. Sherwood, daughter of Deacon David Sherwood, of the old North Congregational Church of Bridgeport, and four children were born of this union: Abel (4), Fannie M., Capt. Charles W. and Henry S., all living in Bridge- port except Henry S., who makes his home in Springfield. Massachusetts.

Capt. C. W. Hall passed his boyhood in Easton up to the time of his father's death, he

being a six-year-old lad, and he then went to live with his grandfather Sherwood on his farm at the west end of Bridgeport, in the meantime at- tending the district school in Fairfield, also John- son's private school in the basement of the South Congregational Church building. After a resi- dence of ten years with his grandfather, he was apprenticed to J. Mott & Co., of Bridgeport, to learn the coach maker's trade, serving five years, at the close of which he went to California, where he followed mining some seven years. Returning to Bridgeport in 1858, he opened out a carriage shop on the corner of Fairfield and Middle streets, from there moving later to Elm street, having bought the factory of George Keeler. For a time his brother Henry was as- sociated with him in the business.

In 1861 our subject, assisted by a Mr. Wardin . and a Mr. Nichols, raised a company of one hun- dred and fifteen men, one hundred of whom were mustered in at Camp Buckingham, New Haven, as Company D, 23rd Conn. V. I., Mr. Hall be- ing elected captain, he having been a member of the City Guard of Bridgeport. In June, 1862, he left Company D, being detached as acting assistant commissary, in charge of $3,000,000 worth of commissary stores. Later in the same year he was sent to New Orleans to take charge of the troops there, and in August he was placed in charge of a vessel running up the Mississippi to take troops home. He then once more re- turned to Bridgeport and resumed work with his brother until 1870. About this time a stock company, known as the Hall Brothers Manu- facturing Company, was formed, which lasted two years, at the end of which period Captain Hall again returned to his Elm street factory and remained there six years. His next place of business was on Nousatoma avenue, and in the meantime, in 1891, E. A. Godfrey became a partner in the concern, and the firm has since been known as Hall & Godfrey. In 1896 they removed to their present premises on John street, and they find their business continually ex- panding.

In June, 1861, Captain Hall was married to Miss Gertrude W. Purcelle, daughter of John Purcelle, and children as follows have been born to them: Gertrude, who married Louis C. Kiefer, of Chicago, Ill., and has one child, Kenneth; Louie, who married John T. Snyder, of Chicago, Ill., and has one son, Charles Hall; and Sophie, wife of Frank C. Gernert, by whom she has one son, Harold Hall.

Captain and Mrs. Hall, in religious faith, are identified with the First Baptist Church at Bridgeport; socially, he is a charter member of

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Elias Howe, Jr., Post No. 3, G. A. R., and he is also identified with the United Friends of Bridge- port. No better, more patriotic or popular citi- zen can be found in central Connecticut, and he justly merits the high regard in which he is uni- versally held.

M OSES E. BANKS. Not alone is there particular interest attaching to the career of this gentleman as one of the leading citizens and ex-educators of Fairfield county, but in re- viewing his genealogical record we find his line- age tracing back to the Colonial history of the nation, and to that great period which marked the inception of this great Republic. Through such sources have we attained the true American type, and along this line must our investigation proceed if we would learn of the steadfast and unyielding elements which constitute the basis upon which has been reared the lofty and mag- .nificent superstructure of an enlightened and favored commonwealth.

Mr. Banks is a native of Connecticut, having been born June 15, 1835, in the town of Easton ·(at that time known as Weston), a son of Will- iam Banks, and a grandson of Hezekiah and Rhuanna (Betts) Banks, both of whom were born in Fairfield, Conn. They had a family of six children, viz .: Moses B. and Hezekiah, both farmers at Greenfield Hill, Conn .; Eliza G., who died unmarried; Mary, deceased wife of Ezra Peet; William, the father of our subject, and Anna, who died in childhood.

William Banks was born in the town of Weston, Conn., in 1808, and followed agricult- ural pursuits all his life. In 1833 he married Ellen Burr, also a native of Weston, daughter of Moses Burr, of the same locality. Moses Burr, a very prominent man in his day, was Judge of Probate until reaching the limit age, when he was made clerk. Two children were born to William and Ellen (Burr) Banks, to wit: Moses E., our subject; and Eliza M., who married Minott Tuttle, of Bridgeport, and is now a widow. The parents of our subject are both deceased, the father having died in 1882, in the town of Fair- field, the mother passing away in 1883. They were Congregationalists in religious faith, and in politics Mr. Banks was first a Democrat, later a Republican.

Moses E. Banks, whose name introduces this memoir, was reared till the age of fifteen upon his father's farm, his education being secured at the old Staples Academy, and at New Britain Normal School, Hartford county, after which he taught two years in Redding, Fairfield county.

He then taught a private school in Stepney, same county, one year, at the end of that time opening a boarding school in Easton, known as Wash- ington Institute, wbich he conducted until 1858. He then taught in Black Rock, two years; in Fairfield and Southport four or five years; then in Derby until 1869, in that year retiring from scholastic work on account of impaired health. He then became connected with the publishing house of Ivison, Blakeman & Taylor, of New York, and after a fifteen-years' association with that firm he united, as stockholder, with Silver, Burdett & Co., publishers of school books, music, etc., in New York, of which extensive firm he is now a director. For the past seventeen years he has lived on the edge of Bridgeport, going to and from New York each business day. He has also a fine farm in the town of Easton, where he and his family rusticate during the hot summer weather " far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, " and in quiet repose.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Banks is an ardent supporter of his party, his first Presidential vote having been cast for Fremont. In 1856 he served as vice-president of the Republican Club of Easton (the first one organized in that town), and the following year he ran for representative of his district, but was defeated, although he suc- ceeded in securing more than the party vote. For over seven years he has been a member of the town school committee of Fairfield, and for four years has been its secretary. Socially he has been affiliated for the past thirty-three years with King Hiram Lodge No. 12, F. & A. M., at Derby, Conn. In religious faith he is a member of the Congregational Church.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 93

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