Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 96

Author: H. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1899
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1795

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FREDERICK F. ECKART (or EHRSAM), a member of the well-known firm of Eckart Brothers, of Bridgeport, manufacturers of lager beer, is a man of energy and enterprise, and has made his way to financial success in spite of the discouragements attending straightened means in youth.

Our subject was born April 20, 1843, in Sachsen-Weimar, Germany, and his parents, Valentine and Henrietta (Koehler) Ehrsam, were also natives of that Province. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, died when our sub- ject was an infant, and the mother afterward married Christian Eckart, a farmer of the same locality. Frederick F. was the youngest in a family of six children of the first marriage, the others being as follows: Christina married Henry Stoehr, of New York City; Henrietta married Otto Rife, and still resides in Germany; Eliza-

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beth married Frank Daisenberger, of New York City; Herman, who did not marry, died in this country; and William is a civil engineer in New York City.

In 1854 our subject came to America with his stepfather, locating first in Pittsfield, Mass. In 1857 they removed to Bridgeport, where Mr. Eckart was engaged in gardening for some time. Our subject worked for several years at various callings as opportunity offered, and from 1863 to 1880 he was a clerk in a wholesale grocery store on Water street, Bridgeport. In the meantime he formed a partnership with his half-brother, George F. Eckart, and in 1874 they engaged in the manufacture of lager beer in a small way under the firm name of Eckart Brothers. The business prospered from the start, and since 1880 our subject has devoted his attention exclusively to its management. In 1890 his brother died, leaving a widow and children, who have inherited his interest. [Since the above was put in type, Mr. F. Ehrsam writes that he has sold his in- terest in the business .- Editor. ]

Our subject is popular socially. and is identi- fied with several organizations, including the German Singing Society and the Turn Verein. Politically he affiliates with the Democrats, but he is not blindly subservient to party leadership. He is unmarried.

D SMITH GAGE, who conducts the largest general store in Ridgefield, is a native of that town, born December 6, 1844. The two or three preceding generations of the Gage family lived in New York State, Selah Gage, grand- father of Smith, having been born in the town of Southeast, Putnam Co., New York.

Grandfather Selah Gage, better known as "Captain " Gage, was a farmer by occupation, and was in his day a man of considerable local prominence. He was a member of the New York State militia, holding the rank of captain. He married Ester Lockwood, and they became the parents of seven children, viz. : Thomas, who went to Spring Prairie, Wis .; Levi, who removed to the western part of New York State; Abigail, who married Jarvis Foster, of Southeast; Eve- lyn, who married Benedict Sherman, of the town of New Fairfield; Lydia, who became the wife of Joseph Palmer, of Dungle Ridge; Matilda, who married Josiah Smith; and Selah, the father of our subject.

worked for Stephen Monk. In 1839 he married Loraney Smith, daughter of David Smith, a farmer of Ridgefield, Conn., and in 1852 re- moved from New York and took up his per- manent abode here. They had two children- D. Smith, and Henry C., who is a clerk with the- Hull & Hoyt Company. During the early part of the war of the Rebellion, Selah Gage enlisted at Ridgefield in the service of his country, joining Company G, 23d Conn. V. I., with which he went to the front. He lived but a short time after entering the army, dying of sick- ness in Florida in 1862. He was a man much respected in his community, and was possessed of considerable natural ability. His widow still makes her home in Ridgefield.

D. Smith Gage had no lack of good educa- tional facilities in his youth. He began his school life in the common schools of Ridgefield, and. completed it in the Select School conducted by Rev. D. H. Short, leaving his studies when about. sixteen years of age. The following year, in De- cember, 1861, he engaged as clerk with Lewis H. Bailey at the "Old Hundred" store, and con- tinued with him in that capacity until January, 1868, when he was admitted as partner by Mr. Bailey with a half-interest in the business. This- relationship continued until November, 1880, when Mr. Bailey retired, Mr. Gage buying his interest in the store. The business was conducted at the old stand until in April, 1884, it was re- moved to the new store building, which was- erected in 1882-83, aud here it continued to grow and flourish until December 8, 1895, when the entire building was destroyed by fire. Mr. Gage, however, lost no time in re-establishing the busi- ness, and it still continues to be what it always- has been, the principle general store of the town. It was established in 1785 by Gen. Joshua King, and until the fire above spoken of went on with- out the interruption of a single day. William. Hawley, son-in-law of the General, succeeded him, and he in turn was succeeded by Lewis H. Bailey, Mr. Gage's predecessor.

Mr. Gage has attained more than the ordinary measure of success in life, and by close applica- tion to business and a steady adherence to sound principles of honesty and integrity has placed himself in the ranks of the prosperous merchants in this county. He began work as a humble clerk. receiving forty dollars a year and his board, and the comfortable circumstances which he now en- joys are the reward of years of patient and per- severing industry in his earlier manhood; from December, 1861 until 1876, he never had a day's- vacation. He has been equally successful in

Selah Gage, the youngest of the above-men- tioned family, was born, in 1819. in the town of Southeast. He was a shoemaker by trade, carried on the business at one time at Lake Mahopac, and i other business enterprises, has made several good.

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investments, and as a result has some good real- estate holdings, etc. He has also been promi- nently connected with the Ridgefield Savings Bank, of which he was treasurer for two years.

Mr. Gage was married in November, 1879, to Miss Clara Hoyt, daughter of Stephen Hoyt, of Wilton, and one daughter was born to them, Nellie F., who lives at home. Mrs. Gage passed away in April, 1883. Our subject is a public- spirited citizen, and has always taken a keen in- terest in the progress and welfare of his com- munity. He has not been particularly active in politics, and is no office-seeker, but he was elected assessor on the Democratic ticket, and served for three years in that position. Socially he is a member of Jerusalem Lodge No. 49, F. & A. M., Ridgefield, of which he is pastmaster. The family are Methodists in religious connection.

NDREW BELL FANCHER. Success in life should be judged by relative, not abso- lute, standards, for the man who starts without capital or other extraneous advantages is much more deserving of credit for attaining a place among the substantial business men of his com- munity than one whose pathway is smoothed for him by others. Having made his own way from boyhood, beginning when most youths are still in school, this well-known merchant of Hawley- ville may justly take pride in his achievements, and the following brief review of his history may encourage others to similar efforts.

Mr. Fancher was born April 30, 1849, at Black Rock, Fairfield county, and his educational opportunities were limited to the district schools of that locality. When about thirteen years old he began to earn a livelihood as a deck hand on the sloop "Wonder," sailing in Long Island Sound, and later he served as steward on differ- ent schooners, the "George" and "Edgar," the " Henry Remson, " and the "Champion." After spending about four years in this calling, he be- came weary of a seafaring life and decided to re- turn to land. In 1867, Mr. Fancher married Emma Pauline Bradley, daughter of John Brad- ley, then of Newburg, N. Y., but formerly of Weston, this county, and he soon after went to Niles, Mich., locating upon a farm where he remained about a year. He then removed to the vicinity of Grand Rapids, Mich., and spent two years in agricultural work, in January, 1871, returning to his native county with his health much broken, and for six months he was unable to engage in any occupation. On his recovery he followed painting for one season, and spent the next four years as a steward on the schooner

" Ella Jane," in Long Island Sound. He then secured a position in a restaurant at Bridgeport, this county, taking charge of the culinary de- partment, and after two years there became a clerk in a fish and produce market in the same place, continuing thus for one year. Later he was employed in the shop of Bellknap Bros., at Bridgeport, for about a year and a half, but ill health compelled him to give up that work for an outdoor life, and in 1880 he removed to Hawley- ville to take charge of the farm of Asa N. Haw- ley on a salary, remaining there eight years. In 1888 he removed to a farm on Botsford Hill, and a year later returned to Hawleyville, where he soon afterward entered H. S. Blackman's gen- eral store as a clerk. In October, 1891, he pur- chased the business, which he has ever since suc- cessfully conducted, enjoying an excellent trade. In addition to the management of his store he has held the office of postmaster for several years, having been appointed under President Harrison's administration and continued by Pres- ident Cleveland. Politically, he is a stanch Re- publican, and, while he is not especially active in party affairs, he takes much interest in all that concerns the public welfare.

Fraternally, Mr. Fancher is identified with the Order of United Friends, Charter Oak Lodge, of Bridgeport, also with the Golden Rule Alli- ance, of Boston, Mass., and he is a leading mem- ber of the Congregational Church at Newtown, having been a member of the Church committee for two years, and superintendent of the Sunday- school for the same length of time. Mr. and Mrs. Fancher have three children: Frances Car- oline, wife of Moses Oakley Gregory, of Bridge- port; Henry Wilson, who is in business with his father, and William Sherman. The Fancher family has been represented in this section many years, and our subject's grandfather Fancher was at one time a resident of New Canaan, where Henry Wilson Fancher, the father of our sub- ject, was born in 1806.

N ATHANIEL BURTON ROGERS. Dan- bury has been so closely identified with the hat industry in the past that, as a rule, other lines of trade have found difficulty in gaining a foothold, and it remained for the Rogers Silver Plating Company, under the energetic and judi- cious management of its present head, N. Burton Rogers, to "break the record " and establish a permanent and profitable business. Prophecies of failure were plentiful when in 1886 the firm began operations in Danbury with but one ex- perienced workman, "green hands" being em-

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ployed to complete the force; yet from the first success crowned the enterprise. The subject of this biography is the only one of the original members of the firm to continue throughout this interval, but he modestly attributes the marvel- ous growth of the business to the loyal support of the citizens of the town rather than to his own pluck and ability.

Mr. Rogers was born July 6, 1848, at Say: brook, Conn., a son of Harvey and Elizabeth (Tryon) Rogers, and in both paternal and ma- ternal lines is of honorable ancestry, his father being a descendant of John Rogers, who was burned at the stake for his religious convictions during the reign of " Bloody Mary," while the Tryon family is traced through many generations in Flanders. Harvey Rogers was a native of Essex county, Conn., born in 1806, and for many years was engaged in the hotel business at Meriden, in this State. He died in 1882, and his wife, who was born in 1812, survived him seven years. They had nine children, our sub- ject being the youngest. The others were: George Washington, who died in 1880, served as post- master at Meriden under appointment of Presi- dent Lincoln, and later was assistant doorkeeper of the House of Representatives at Washington when General Banks was speaker; Harvey still resides in Meriden; Virginia died in childhood; Watson was lost at sea in 1857 while returning from Europe; Cephas Brainard comes next; Gil- bert and Wilbert F. constitute the firm of C. Rogers & Brothers, the well-known silver plate manufacturers at Meriden; and Isabella Virginia married a Mr. Young, of Meriden, and has one son, Harvey.

Mr. Rogers, our subject, began his education in the public schools of his native town, and was in the high school when, a lad of fifteen, he gave up his books to enlist as a drummer boy in Com- pany C, 7th Conn. Vol. Inf., under the com- mand of Governor Hawley, now United States Senator from Connecticut. He joined his regi- ment at Hilton Head, S. C., and then went to Jacksonville, Fla., and from that time until the end of the war he was in active service, partici- pating in some important engagements, including the battles of Chester Station on the Richmond and Petersburg turnpike; Drury's Bluff, where General Butler was in command; Bermuda Hundred; and Strawberry Plain; while he also spent three months before Petersburg during the memorable siege. He was a member of the force that captured Fort Fisher and the city of Wilmington, and there the regiment was assigned to duty as provost guard until the war ended. Mr. Rogers fortunately received no wounds, and

on being mustered out of the service at New Haven he resumed his studies, taking a two-years' course at Russell's Military School, New Haven. He then took a situation with C. Rogers & Brothers of Meriden as a traveling salesman in the Western and Middle States, but in 1870 he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., to engage in the pro- vision business as senior member of the firm of Rogers & Karcher. Failing health caused Mr. Rogers to retire from business in 1877, and sell- ing his interest to Mr. Karcher he took a trip to Europe, finally locating at London, as European agent for C. Rogers & Brothers. After an ab- sence of six months he returned, and was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Beach, daughter of Orrin M. Beach, of No. 508 Bedford avenue, Brook- lyn, N. Y., who is treasurer of the Higgins Car- pet Company, on White street, New York. Her mother, whose maiden name was Jeanette John- son, was a daughter of William Johnson, for- merly a partner of Thurlow Weed in the pub- lishing of a newspaper at Albany, New York.

Mr. Rogers and his bride made their home in London until 1882, when he located in Brook- lyn, joining the Stock Exchange, and for three years he was engaged in a brokerage business. In 1885 he helped to organize the Rogers Silver Plate Company, and in December, 1886, he moved to Danbury to establish a plant, the firm then consisting of Dwight E. Rogers, president; F. A. Hall, treasurer; and N. B. Rogers, secre- tary. The business was located for a time in what is now the Tweedy Manufacturing Com- pany's plant on River street, but the buildings having been destroyed by fire the firm purchased the present property on Round street, and reor- ganized by the election of N. B. Rogers, presi- dent; C. A. Mallory, treasurer; and Charles Ryder, secretary. At present it consists of N. B. Rogers, president; G. Mortimer Rundle, treasurer; and George H. Eastman, secretary. The business was originally started on a capital of $10,000, but now represents an investment of $150,000, the volume of its trade being second to that of no other firm in the city. From 150 to 220 hands are employed, and the factory is a three-story building, thirty feet wide and more than six hundred and fifty feet in length.

Mr. Rogers has lately made extensive im- provements and additions to his handsome resi- dence at No. 37 Fairview avenue, which is one of the largest in the city. The dining-room is 30x 18, and another room of the same size is de- voted to the children's games. The home is a center of hospitality, and Mr. Rogers and his wife are prominent in the social life of the local- ity. They are members of the First Congrega-

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tional Church of Danbury, in which he has held various minor offices. Of their nine children, two-Annie Pomeroy and Cephas P .-- were born in London; Sarah Cornelia was born in Garden City, Long Island, where they resided two years; Mary Hoffman, the fourth in order of birth, was also born in Garden City; and Jeanette Beach, Dorothy Millard, Elizabeth Beach, and Margaret Clarke and Nathalie Burton (twins, born in 1896), are all natives of Danbury.

As might be inferred from his war record Mr. Rogers takes an ardent interest in the G. A. R., and for two years was commander of James E. Moore Post No. 18, at Danbury. He is also active in political work as a supporter of the Republican party; has been chairman of the city committee, and for five years has been at the head of the committee of the Second ward. In 1896 he was elected alderman of that ward, and has since been elected chairman of the Repub- lican town committee. As a councilman he is chairman of the finance committee, of the police, the gas, and electric light committees. In 1896 he was chairman of the delegation from his dis- trict to the Republican State Convention held September 1 at Hartford.

G GEORGE W. GODFREY, the world-re- nowned trainer of horses and breaker of colts, and at the present time serving as select- man of the town of Wilton, is a native of Fair- field county, born July 16, 1852, in the town of Wilton.

Mr. Godfrey received his earlier education at the schools of his native place, whence when he was twelve years old, having lost his father by death, he moved to Lee, Mass., in the common schools of which city he continued his studies. At the age of twelve years he commenced the business of horse training and colt breaking in Lee, under the superintendence of his uncle, with whom he remained some ten years, at the end of that time returning to Connecticut and settling in Georgetown, Fairfield county. Here he com- menced for himself in the same line, making a specialty of training and breaking high-bred and trotting stock. Among the many prominent people and noted horsemen throughout the United States for whom he has trained horses may be mentioned David Bonner; and some of the most famous horses of the American turf were broken and trained by him. In the winter of 1897-98 he had some nineteen horses under his charge and training, during the summer months a much larger number occupying his stables, which are located at Branchville.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Godfrey takes an active interest in the affairs of the party, has served as constable four or five years, and has been, and is now, selectman of the town of Wilton. Socially he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F., Pilgrim Lodge No. 46, Ridgefield, and no man is more popular or public-spirited in the community in which he lives. On July 1, 1874, Mr. Godfrey married Miss Anna B. Meeker, who was born August 9, 1858, daughter of Andrew and Catherine (Bennett) Meeker, and they have had one child, Charles Mallory, born January 13, 1876, in the town of Wilton. He was educated chiefly in Bridgeport, Conn., studied bookkeeping in that city, and is now foreman in a dye works at Stamford, Conn. In 1894 he married Miss Ida Williams, daughter of John Williams, of Branchville, Connecticut.

Jeremiah Godfrey, grandfather of our subject, was born in the town of Weston, Conn., and followed the trade of shoemaker all his life. In religious faith he was a strong Methodist. Of the children born to him and his wife, Hannah (Patchin), George M. Godfrey, father of our subject, was a native of the town of Weston, Conn. He learned the trade of blacksmith, but after a time abandoned it and took up school teaching, which profession he followed the rest of his days. In 1861 he enlisted for nine months' service in Company E, Twenty-third Conn. V. I., but at La Fourche Crossing, La., he was taken sick and died. By his wife, Mary J., daughter of William and Mary (Judd) Mallory, he had chil- dren as follows: (1) William F., born in the town of Wilton, is a hatter by trade; for five years he was a member of the State militia. He married Jennie Baldwin, and has one child Marguireta Godfrey. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias. (2) Mary E. married Edgar Davis, a sawyer of Bethel, Conn., and they have children: Minnie, married to Lewis Lyon; and Nellie, unmarried. (3) Eva wedded Fred Taylor; they have no children. (4) Effa married Stephen Gregory, a boss carpenter of Stamford, Conn., and now connected with the Stamford Manufacturing Company's mills in that city. They have two children-Harry and Frank. (5) George W. is our subject.

G EORGE WOOSTER PULLING, a pros- perous dairyman and agriculturist of Middle River District, in the town of Danbury, was born June 9, 1854, on the farm which he now owns and occupies. On the paternal side he is of French descent.

We first hear of the Pullings in Boston, where

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Abram Pulling, of that city, married Mary (Elgin) Ward, widow, in September, 1703. She died in 1715, aged forty-eight years, and he subsequently went to Stratford, where, on March 8, 1722-23, he wedded Elizabeth (Beardslee) Pulford, widow. Tradition says that this Abram Pulling lived to be one hundred years old. He was buried in Ridgefield, Ridgebury parish. There is record of an Abram Pulling, born in Boston December 9, 1705, who was probably a son of the first Abram, and came with his father to Stratford. On November 10, 1743, he married Abigail Beers, of Fairfield, and they had children: Mary, Augustus, William, Abel (who died early), Abi- gail, Abraham and Abel, all born in Fairfield; and Sarah and Beers, born afterward in Ridge- field. The father died August 4, 1787. in Ridge- field. Of this family Abraham, the ancestor of our subject, was born August 14, 1758. He married (first), April 7. 1778, Susannah Wood, and they had three children, born as follows: David (grandfather of our subject), August 26, 1779; Elias, September 2, 1781; and Susannah, March 28, 1786. On October 12, 1787, Abra- ham Pulling married (second) Esther Seeley Hyatt, and they had two children, Josiah and Abel. By his third union, with Mercy Stevens Barnum, were born Samuel, Abraham, Mary and Matthew.

David Pulling was a resident of Ridgefield. He attained the good old age of nearly ninety- one years, his death occurring March 27, 1870, in Danbury, while his wife, Sally (Scott), who was of Scotch blood, lived to her eighty-second year, dying April 8, 1864; they were both buried in Danbury. They had four children: Wooster, who is now (1897) living at Bridgeport at the age of eighty-two; Lucretia, Mrs. David Dykeman, of Ridgefield, now eighty years old; Smith, our subject's father, and Hiram, a hatter, residing on Franklin street, Danbury. As will be seen the family is unusually long-lived, but Smith Pulling, the father of our subject, was unfortu- nately an exception. He was born August 21, 1820, and never knew a day's illness until he was forty-eight years old, when he had an attack of measles. and, quick consumption resulting, he was taken away at a comparatively early age, his death occurring July 20, 1869. In early manhood he had followed the hatter's trade, but his last years were spent at the present home- stead in agricultural pursuits. His wife, Wealthy Ann (Stone) Pulling, was born July 9, 1823, the daughter of Alanson and Anna Wood Stone, and is still living in New Fairfield, Conn .; she is now the wife of G. H. Knowles, a farmer. Our sub- ject was the eldest of three children, and is now

the only survivor: Charles H., born November 29, 1856, died February 17, 1858; Mary E., born December 3, 1861, died December 16, 1874.

George Wooster Pulling was educated in the common schools of his district, and as he grew to manhood received training in farm work of all kinds. After his father's death the homestead came into his possession, and he has since con- ducted it, while from 1871 to 1893 he was also engaged in the hatter's trade. He now gives his undivided attention to the farm, which contains about seventy acres. A fine apple orchard is a notable feature of the place, and the dairy is also a source of profit, Mr. Pulling keeping ten head of cattle; he is also a breeder of and dealer in Berkshire and Chester White swine. Three horses are required for the work on the estate, every part of which shows the effects of careful management.

On December 20, 1876, Mr. Pulling married Miss Lillie Gilbert, of Pawling, Dutchess Co., N. Y., the only child of Charles H. Gilbert and his wife Antionette (Hungerford), who was a native of Sherman, Conn., and a daughter of Urian and Julia (Barnes) Hungerford. Mr. and Mrs. Pull- ing have one daughter, Mary E., born August 13, 1882. The family attend the M. E. Church, and fraternally Mr. Pulling is an active member of Samaritan Lodge No. 7, I. O. O. F., at Dan- bury. While his preference is for a quiet life, free from political struggles, he takes much in- terest as a citizen in all the movements of the time, and in sentiment he is a stanch Repub- lican.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 96

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