Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 99

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

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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).

William Brown was born November 6, 1794. in the town of Greenwich, where he was given a good practical education in his youth. On leaving school he learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed successfully throughout his active business career, many of the best resi- dences of Greenwich being built by him. As a citizen he was held in high esteem, and he was frequently chosen to fill offices of trust and re- sponsibility in the town. In politics he was a strong Democrat. He married Miss Sallie Betsey Penney, daughter of Robert and Abigail (Heb- bard) Penney, and nine children blessed the union: Albert J. was educated in the schools of

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Greenwich, and afterward served an apprentice- ship to the bricklayer's trade; this occupation led him to various places where large structures were being erected, and he met his death at Bridge- port while employed in building a hotel; he had a habit of walking in his sleep, and one night he raised a window while unconscious and fell forty feet to the ground, his injuries resulting fatally. Oliver F. attended the schools of Greenwich during his boyhood, and afterward learned the carpenter's trade in Danbury; in early manhood he went West, where he had a varied career, and in the prime of life he was killed on a rail- road while in the employ of the St. Louis Trans- fer Company; after his removal to the West he married Miss Mary Batterton, by whom he had four children. David R. received a common- school education in the town of Greenwich, and then learned the hatter's trade, which he fol- lowed for many years; after twenty years passed as superintendent of a large hat factory belong- ing to George Cowperthwaite & Co., he became connected with the American Waterproof Com- pany, at Williamsburg, N. Y .; but during the Civil war he was engaged in business in New York City as a fur broker; later he purchased an estate on Greenfield Hill, this county, and de- voted his attention to farming; he married Miss Julia Donaldson and had three children. Clar- issa A. William M. Darius P. (1), who died at an early age. Darius P. (2), a resident of Danbury, married Miss Mary Shut. Hibbard W. and Elijah P.

DEARCE. Ancestry of Edward H. Pearce, of New Fairfield, Conn. Contributed by Edward H. Pearce. Alexander Beebe, of Great Addington, England (d. 1623), and Elizabeth, his wife (d. 1633), had a son John (d. 1634), who m. Alice -, and had a son, John, Jr. (b. 1600, d. May 18, 1650, while on his way to America). His will, filed in Hartford, Conn., mentions wife Rebekah and five sons and two daughters, among them Samuel, baptized in Broughton, Northampton, England, June 23, 1633 (d. in New London, Conn., 1712), m. Mary (b. 1640), dau. of William (b. 1601, d. 1662), and Agnes (b. 1599, d. 1662) Keeney or Keney.

Their children: Mary, b. abt. 1657, d. abt. 1686; m. abt. 1678 Aaron Fountain; Samuel, Jr., b. abt. 1659, m. Feb. 9, 1681-82, Elizabeth Rogers; Susannah, b. abt. 1661, m. abt. 1688, Aaron Fountain ; William, b. abt. 1663, m. abt. 1698, Ruth Rogers; Agnes, b. abt. 1665, m. Dec. 3, 1685, John Daniels; Nathaniel, b.

abt. 1667 [did he marry Elizabeth Wheeler July 2, 1697?]; Ann, b. abt. 1670, m. Apr. 23, 1700, Thomas Crocker; Johnathan, b. abt. 1673, m. abt. 1692 Bridget Brockway; Mercy, b. abt. 1677, m. Apr. 8. 1702, Richard Tozor; Thomas, b. abt. 1680, m. Dec. 17, 1707, Ann Hobson. Aaron Fountain (above mentioned), first heard of in New London, Conn., about 1680, and his second wife, Susannah Beebe, had a son, Aaron, Jr., baptized in Fairfield, Conn., June 5, 1698, m. about 1719 Elizabeth -, and had Hannah, b. April 2, 1729. m. at Greens Farms, Conn., Jan. 1, 1749-50; Abel (b. 1720), son of David and Sarah (Meeker) Sherwood.

Thomas Sherwood, of Sherwood Forest, b. in England in 1586, d. at Fairfield, Conn., 1655; came from Ipswich, England, with his wife, Alice -, and children-Ann, Rose, Thomas and Rebecca-in the ship "Frances," of which Cutting was the master or captain; landed at Cape Cod in April, 1634.

Thomas Sherwood., Jr., b. in England 1624, d. in Fairfield, Conn., 1697, was the first miller on Mill river. Fairfield; came from Massachu- setts; was in Fairfield as early as 1645; bought land in Fairfield, 1653. He m. (first) -, dau. of Thomas and Ann -- Wheeler; m. (second) Mary, dau. of Benjamin and Mary - Turney; m. (third) Elizabeth, widow of John Cable, Jr .; m. (fourth) Sarah, dau. of Humphrey and Ann Hide, and widow of Johnathan Fanton and Peter Coley. (I am descended from Sarah Hide through her first husband, Johnathan Fanton, on my mother's side).

Thomas' Sherwood, Jr., left fourteen children -eight by his first wife and six by his second wife. Their names are Jane, Thomasine, Marge- rite, Sarah, Hannah, Rose, Thomas, Rebecca, Stephen, Mathew, Mary, Ruth, Abigail and Isaac:

Isaac Sherwood, youngest son of Thomas, Jr., and Mary (Turney) Sherwood, m. Elizabeth, dau. of John Jackson, and had a son David, who m. Sarah, dau. of John Meeker, and had a son Abel, b. Dec. 20, 1720, d. 1761. Abel was a soldier in the French and Indian war, and died from a wound received in the service; entered April 12, 1761, discharged Sept. 28, 1761; Capt. Hobby, 6th Company 2nd Reg., Conn. [See pay rolls in State Capitol, Hartford.] He was a New Fairfield man, and lived in the southwestern part of the town near Corner Pond, and near the northeastern corner of the "Betty " Grant, then part of Ridgefield, but now (since 1846) part of Danbury, on what is known as the Hubbel farm, and owned at present (1897) by Nelson L. Fuller.

The children of Abel and Hannah (Fountain) Sherwood were: Abel, Jr., b. 1754 (d. Oct. 14,

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1819), Molly (or Polly), Jemimah, Hannah and Elijah. Molly m. Phineas Taylor, of Bethel, and thus became the grandmother of P. T. Barnum, the great showman. Jemimah m. Silas Taylor, a cousin of Phineas. Hannah m. Elisha Clark, of Southington, Conn., and had several children. Elijah is supposed to have died unmarried.

After the death of Abel Sherwood, his widow, Hannah Fountain, m. before Feb. 12, 1762, no doubt in New Fairfield, Conn., Elisha, Jr. (b. June 25, 1731, in Sandwich, Cape Cod), son of Elisha, Sr., and grandson of John, who was the son of Ezra Perry. The children of Elisha, Jr., and Hannah (Fountain) Perry were: Amy or Ruhamah (b. in New Fairfield, Conn., June 6, 1773), John, Cloe and Ann. Amy or Ruhamah m. about 1802, Obediah (b. abt. 1771), son of Isaac, Jr., and grandson of Isaac, Sr., Chase, and had a dau. Betsey Goldsmith, b. October, 1805, who m. June 9, 1830, Joseph, son of John Maltby. The mother of Elisha Perry, Jr., was Ann Saunders.

Abel Sherwood, Jr. (b. 1754), was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was with Gen. Richard Montgomery's expedition against Canada, was no doubt one of his aids-de-camp, and was one of the two men who caught the General in their arms as he fell at Quebec at daybreak, Dec. 31, 1775. He was a remarkably strong man, said to be the strongest man in his regiment. He was injured by falling over a fence just south of the Wilson place (now owned by Oliver D. Taylor), and died in a few days from the effects of the injury. His wife, Kesiah Hodge (b. 1754), was thrown from a horse's back into the brook near what is known as the lane bridge, just west of the old Sherwood homestead, and died in a few days from the effects of the fall.

Abel Sherwood, Jr .. m. 1775, Kesiah, dau. of Abeland Rebecca (Trowbridge) Hodge. Names and dates of birth and death of their children: Abel Montgomery, May 26, 1777. Apr. 12, 1866; Elijah Washington, Feb. 8, 1780, Sept. 26, 1865; Rebecca, Sept. 10, 1782, Feb. 22, 1825; Thomas Wayne, Sept. 20, 1784, Nov. 27, 1841; Noah Scuyler, Oct. 26, 1787, Oct. 8, 1873; Hannah, May 17, 1789, Feb. 5, 1875; Laura, Aug. 6, 1794, Dec. 14, 1876.

Abel Montgomery m. Betsey, dau. of Joseph, Sr., and Phebe (Pepper) Disbrow, and left chil- dren, among them Louisa, who m. Hiram Hop- kins, of New Fairfield, Conn., and left only one child, Lewis LeGrand Hopkins, who became the first mayor of the city of Danbury, and is at pres- ent (1897) judge of probate for the District of Danbury.

Elijah W. m. Mary, dan. of Joseph Morgan, and removed to Schuyler county, N. Y .; Noah. S. m. Rebecca, dau. of Squire Whitlock, and re- moved to Schuyler county, N. Y. Rebecca m. Nathaniel S. Pearce; Thomas W. m. Jerusha, dau. of Timothy and Jerusha (Barnum) Benedict ;. Hannah m. Habias, son of Chauncey Lacy; Laura m. Barnum, son of Abner Elwell.

Thomas Hodge, supposed to have been born in Branford, Conn., 1689, removed to New Fair- field when quite young, and became one of the first three settlers at Ball's Pond. One of the. others was Allyn Ball, who came from England. abt. 1692. The Indian name of Ball's Pond was Ha-lah-wah, named from a medicine man who lived on the mountain bearing that name, at the north end of the lake.

Thomas Hodge d. 1771. His wife, Jane, b. 1693. d. 1779. They had several children, among them Kesiah. who m. Joseph Barnum, and Abel, who m. Rebecca Trowbridge, and had children. as follows: Thaddeus, Abel, Jr. (1730-1802), Kesiah (1754-1823), Rebecca, Anna, Phazina, Sybil, Mary, Keturah, and Thomas (1764-1832), who m. Abigail, dau. of Abner Elwell, and had fourteen children, as follows: Anna, 1785; Eber, 1787; Jabez, 1789; Lewis, 1790; Zadoc, 1792 ;. Sabina, 1794; Abigail, 1795; Pamela, 1797; Reuben, 1799; Rebecca, 1801; Thomas K., 1803 ;. Sally. 1805; Hiram, 1807; and Phebe, 1809.

The will of Abel Hodge, dated May 24, 1795, mentions four sons: Abel, Thomas, Thaddeus. and Daniel; also six daughters: Rebecca (wife to Benajah Beardsley), Kesiah (wife to Abel Sher- wood), Anna (late the wife of Elijah Sperry), Mary (wife to Squire Whitlock), Sybil (wife to- Timothy Driskill), and Forasina (wife to William Bruster).

Benjamin Stevens, who settled in Danbury, Conn., some time before 1715, and built the first house at Mill Plain, had previously lived in Darien, Conn., and Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y. He had a son, Nathaniel, who d. in 1743. In the will of Nathaniel Stevens, dated Febru- ary 1, 1743, he mentions wife Ruth and sons- Nathaniel, Nathan, Abraham, Timothy, John and Ezra, daughter Hannah and granddaughter Elizabeth Stevens. His second son, Nathan, had a dau. Phebe, who married

David Pearce, who was a soldier and com- missary in the Revolutionary war, and after our French allies arrived, was detailed as commis- sary and conductor of the supply train under LaFayette in his marches and campaigns from New York to Yorktown, at the capture of Lord Cornwallis. At. the close of the war he returned to his- family, and. resided in.

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Danbury, and followed farming during the rest of his life. He lived in what is known as Danbury Boggs. His house stood on the ground now occupied by the barn of Benjamin Rob- erts, and opposite the residence of Mrs. Gil- bert. He was a very pious and exemplary man, much respected, and for many years was deacon of the First Baptist Church, at King Street. His grave can be found in the cemetery near that church.

The children of Deacon David and Phebe (Stevens) Pearce were: Aaron (1762-1788), Joshua (1765-1820), David, Jr. (1774-1840). Phebe (1775-1793), Nathaniel Stevens (1781- 1822), Caleb (1788-1846), Tamar and Elizabeth. Of these, Aaron and Phebe died unmarried. Joshua m. Lanis Lindley, and had Lewis, Hart, Mathew L. (perhaps more). Caleb m. Kesiah Benedict, and had Elizabeth, David (1), Jerusha, David (2), Phebe, Hosea Otis, Achsah, Lurana Ann, Rachel B., an infant son, and Harriet B. Of these, Elizabeth m. Richard Rockwell; David (2) m. Caroline Sellick; Hosea Otis m. Nancy Stone; Achsah m. Reuben Johnson; Lurana Ann m. Hiram Pulling; Harriet B. m. John M. Signor, of Bethel. David Pearce, Jr. (1774) m. Lucy, dau. of Timothy Benedict. Tamar married Eli- jah Benedict. Elizabeth m. Silas Abbott.

Nathaniel Stevens Pearce (b. 1781) m. Rebecca (b. 1782) dau. of Abel (b. 1754) and Kesiak (b. 1754) (Hodge) Sherwood. Their children were: Alvah Sherwood (b. 1803, d. 1875), Ambrose Bryant (1805-1879), Harrison (1813-1816), and Mary (1820-1821).

Alvah S. Pearce m. (first) Jan. 20, 1825, Amy, dau. of Ebeneser (b. 1772) and Betsey (Nash) Barnum, and had Amzi Harrison, b. Sept. 27, 1828, still living. and Betsey Lavenda, b. Sept. 24, 1832, d. July 4, 1870. Alvah S. Pearce married (second) Sept. 26, 1838, Ann, daughter of Thaddeus (b. 1778) and Abigail {Stevens) Barnum, and had Josephine (b. 1840, d. 1869), Thaddeus Wayne (b. 1843, d. 1856), Valeria (b. 1845. still living), Alvah S. Jr. (b. 1855, still living), and Elmer Elsworth (b. 1862, d. 1897).

Amzi H. Pearce (b. 1828), m. Dec. 2, 1849, Frances Jane (b. 1828), dau. of Ira and Betsey (Bradley) Barnum, and they have Benjamin Franklin (b. 1854), and EDWARD HOWES, b. May 25, 1862, the contributor of this article.

B. Franklin Pearce m. Harriet Ida, dau. of Warren and Delia (Cree) Gay. of Southeast, N. Y., and they have one child, Hortense Octavia, b. July 19, 1876, she being the thirteenth in de- scent from Alexander Beebe.

Betsey L. Pearce m. Hendrick, son of Towner

(b. 1803) and Ann (Hendricks) Barnum, and left Harvey Towner (1865), Flora Lavenda (1867), and James Howard (1870).

Josephine Pearce m. John Hull, son of John and Mary (Nichols) Fanton, and left Anna, the wife of George W. Sayers, of Danbury, Conn., and Mary Elizabeth, still unmarried.

Valeria Pearce m. Oliver Dawson, son of Ezra and Betsey (Banks) Taylor, and has Jose- phine (widow of Samuel T. Penney), Grace and Oliver P. still unmarried.

Alvah S. Pearce, Jr., m. Harriet Elizabeth, dau. of James and Sarah (Haviland) Partrick, and has Valeria Christina and Leon, both unmarried (1897).

Elmer E. Pearce m. Carrie Jane, dau. of John J. and Clarinda (Wildman) Durga, and left Anna Clarinda.

Ambrose B. Pearce (b. 1805) m. Eveline, daughter of Thaddeus and Abigail (Stevens) Bar- num, and had Harriet Ann, Mary Jane, David, Ira B., George N., and Philo S. Ira B. and Philo S. are all that have descendants living.

The name Barnum was originally Barnham, meaning "field of the barn," and our first Bar- num ancestor was Thomas Barnham, who after- ward spelled his name Barnam, and, still later in life. Barnum. Born in England about 1625. d. in Danbury, Conn., December 26, 1695, the first of the original eight settlers that died. He is supposed to have come from Danebury, Eng- land. We know nothing of his parentage, but suppose he was the son of Sir Richard Barnham, a member of Parliament. The family of Barn- ham was of good repute and high standing, some of them being members of Parliament, sheriffs, etc.

Thomas Barnum, undoubtedly the ancestor of all the Barnums in America, came to this country when quite young, and the first place where he is known to have settled is Springfield, Mass. (then known as Agawam), abt. 1640. Springfield was for a while claimed to be under the jurisdiction of the Connecticut Colony. About 1643 he came to Fairfield, Conn., and re- moved to Norwalk about 1660, where he was ap- pointed tything man in 1661. He was m. twice, but nothing is known of his first wife. His second wife was Sarah, widow of John Hurd, of Stratford, who after his death returned to Strat- field in Stratford, where she died in 1718, aged seventy-six years.

Thomas Barnum had five sons and five daughters. The names of sons in order of their ages were Thomas. Francis, Richard, John and Ebenezer. One of his daughters was Hannab; names of others unknown. The dates of birth

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can only be given of four of his children. Thomas, b. July 9, 1663; John, Feb. 24, 1667; Hannah, Oct. 29, 1680; Ebenezer. May 29, 1682.

When Danbury was settled in 1684, Thomas Barnum, who had adopted that way of spelling in Norwalk, removed to Danbury and became one of the eight families that settled that town. They settled at the lower or south end of what is now Main street. Thomas Barnum lived a few doors north of what is now South street. Two of his sons, Richard and Francis, afterward represented Danbury in the Colonial Legislature.

The second son of Thomas Barnum, whose name was Francis, m. Mary -, and had six sons and one daughter. Sons were Isaac, David, Samuel, Thomas, Nathan and Abel. Abel was the last grandson of the first Thomas, and d. in New Fairfield May 26, 1799, aged eighty-two years. His wife Ruth d. October 31, 1788, aged seventy-two years.

Francis Barnum divided property by deed among six sons, Sept. 4, 1736, and d. between then and May 20, 1741. Nathan, fifth son of Francis, m. Rebecca Lockwood, of Norwalk. He and his brother Abel removed to New Fairfield in 1742. Nathan had two or more sons. Nathan, Jr., who was a Tory, m. Mary Wheeler, of New Fairfield (after the war he settled in Canada), and David Barnum, born in Danbury. March 20, 1733. d. in New Fairfield, Jan. 28, 1822.

David Barnum, fourth in descent from the first Thomas Barnham, m. July 13, 1756, for his first wife, Anna, dau. of Samuel Towner, of the upper or north seven miles or Society of New Fairfield (incorporated as the town of Sherman 1802). Names and dates of birth and death of their children: Nathan, Mar. 28, 1757, Sept. 13, 1758; David, Jr., Aug. 9, 1758, Dec. 31, 1793; Rebecca, Nov. 3. 1760, Oct. 20, 1817; Amy, Oct. 21, 1762, Dec. 7, 1793; Diantha, Sept. 11, 1764. Mar. 24, 1834.

David Barnum m. for his second wife, Jemimah, dau. of Capt. Ebenezer and Mehitable (Peck) Stevens and widow of Serajah Beardsley. Names and dates of birth and death of their children: Serajah Beardsley, Nov. 30, 1769, Feb. 16, 1831; Samuel Towner, Nov. 18, 1770, Jan. 15, 1859: Ebenezer, Oct. 31, 1772, Oct. 4, 1846; Jemimah, May 12, 1775, May 8, 1873; Thaddeus, Feb. 8, 1778, Aug. 13, 1825. Me- hitable (Peck) Stevens was a dau. of Benjamin Peck and granddaughter of Henry Peck, who set- tled in New Haven as one of the first settlers in 1638.

(wife of Anthony Wanzer), Jemimah (widow of Serajah Beardsley, and later the wife of David Barnum), and Esther (wife of Alexander Fair- child). Capt. Ebeneser Stevens, in his old age m. a widow named Esther (do not know her maiden or widow name).

David Barnum (b. 1733) was something of a wit and poet. He said of his four sons by his last wife:

One was a captain [Serajah B.], And one a " Squire." (Samuel T.], One was a fool [ Ebenezer ], And the other a liar. [ Thaddeus.]

The second child of David Barnum (David, Jr.) m. Ann, dau. of Isaac Hawley, and has Silas, Enoch, Ethiel, Ebenezer and David H. The third child (Rebecca L.) m. Henry Disbrow, and had four sons (do not know their names). The fourth child (Amy) m. John Hendricks, Jr. The fifth child (Diantha) m. Gideon Hubbel, and had no children. Capt. Serajah B. Barnum m. Rachel Stevens and d. without children.

Samuel T. Barnum, familiarly known as "Squire " Towner, was justice of the peace and town clerk many years, and represented New Fairfield in the State Legislature eleven terms. He m. Alice, dau. of Captain Eliakim and Anna (Whitlock) Nash, and had two children: David and Betsey (twins), b. April 27, 1794. David became a prominent physician of New Fairfield, and m. Lucenia, dau. of David and Susannah (Nash) Lane, and had three children: Stansbury Lane Barnum, late of Chappaqua, N. Y .; Samuel Alonzo, of Danbury, Conn .; and Susan Alice, late of New Fairfield. Betsey Barnum m. Colonel Amzi, son of Rev. Medad and Rachel (Baldwin) Rogers, and had David B., Samuel T., Theodore D., Elizabeth A., Emily, Harriet and Rachel.

Edward Nash, an early settler of Norwalk, had a son John, supposed to have been the first white child born at Norwalk, who m. Mary Burly, and had a son John, Jr., b. at Norwalk, Dec. 25, 1688, who m. Abigail, dau. of Eben- ezer Blakely, of New Haven, and had a son Ebenezer, who had a son Capt. Eliakim Nash, b. at Wilton, Conn., who m. Anna Whitlock, and had Eliakim, Jr., James, Abel, Alice and Betsey.

Ebenezer Barnum (b. 1772) m. Betsey, dau. of Capt. Eliakim Nash. and had Amy (b. May 10, 1801. d. May 14, 1838), Towner (1803, 1875), Amasa (1807, 1889), Homer B. (1809, 1864), | Horace (1811, 1872), Eliakim N. Harvey and Ebenezer. Jr. Ebenezer Barnum (1772) m. had George, John and Luther M. Amy Barnum

The children of Capt. Ebenezer and Mchitabel | (second) Rebecca, dau. of Rev. Uriah Mead, and (Peck) Stevens were Ebenezer, Daniel. Hezekiah, joseph, Mabel (wife of William Porter), Mary | (b. 1801) m. Alvah S. Pearce. Thaddeus Barnum

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(b. 1778) m. (first) Anna, dau. of Dimon and Charity Wheeler Bradley, and had Dimon B., Ira and Willis. Thaddeus Barnum m. (second) Abigail Stevens, and had Evaline, Azor, Ann, David S. and Harriet. Ira Barnum (b. 1803) m. Betsey, dau. of Eli and Hannah (Fanton) Bradley, and had one child, Frances Jane, who m. Amzi H., son of Alvah S. and Amy (Bar- num) Pearce. Dimon Bradley, formerly of Red- ding, Conn., b. Apr. 14, 1753, d. November 17, 1785, m. Charity, dau. of Enoch and Elizabeth Wheeler, and had Anna, who m. Thaddeus Bar- num, and Huldah, who d. unmarried.

John Lacey, one of the early settlers of Strat- field Parish (now Bridgeport), had a son Edward, who m .- Jackson, and had a son Edward, Jr., who m. Abigail Gregory, and was one of the first settlers of New Fairfield. They had a dau., Abigail Lacey, who m. Samuel Wheeler, and had Jedediah, Enoch, Edward, Samuel, Jr., and Anna (who m. James Pardee).

Enoch Wheeler (b. 1740, d. 1811) m. Elisa- beth, and had Huldah (who m. Daniel Stevens) and Charity (who m. Dimon Bradley), James, Nehemiah, and Elizabeth (who m. James Hen- dricks).

Johnathan Fanton m. Sarah, widow of Peter Coley, and dau. of Humphrey and Ann Hide, and had a son John, baptized in Fairfield, Conn., October 10, 1708, who m. October 28, 1732, Mary Rowland, and had Johnathan, b. at Green- field Hill, Conn., November 14, 1738, d. Nov. 25. 1810, m. Betscy-, and had Abel, Mary, Rowland, Levi, Johnathan, Jr., Simeon, and Betsey and Hannah (twins), born February 17, 1784. Hannah died February 23, 1824.

Eliphalet Bradley (b. 1761, d. 1813) m. Eunice, and had Eli (b. 1786, d. 1826,) Alba (1789-1829), Tolman (1797-1843), Morris S. (1799-1872), Sally (1794-1868). Eli m. Hannah Fanton, and had Betsey (b. 1809, d. 1866), Minerva, Eliphalet H., Johnathan H .. Leander and Lorenzo Dow. Betsey Bradley (b. 1809) m. . Ira, son of Thaddeus Barnum (1778), and had Frances Jane, who m. Amzi H. Pearce, and have B. Franklin and EDWARD HOWES PEARCE.

[Having spent considerable time in tracing my ancestry, and being desirous that the data I have thus far obtained shall be perpetuated for the benefit of generations to come to whom it may be of interest, I contribute this article not as an Autobiography but on account of the Genea- logical records it contains.

I also wish to acknowledge my gratitude and extend my thanks to many who have assisted me in this work, especially my old and esteemed

friends and kinsman, Theodore D. Rogers, of Norwalk, William A. Eardley-Thomas, editor of the Genealogical department of the " Connecticut Quarterly," Judge Lewis L. Hopkins, of Dan- bury, and many others .- E. H. P.

A LVAH S. PEARCE. Alvah Sherwood Pearce was born May 9. 1803, on the north side of Clapboard Ridge, about a quarter of a mile southeast of the First Baptist Church at King Street, Danbury, Conn., in a house that stood, until 1893, on the ground now occupied by a barn on the farm owned at present (1897) by John Fry.

Mr. Pearce was a self-educated man, having attended the district school only a few months. When about nine years old he lived with his uncle, Caleb Pearce, for a while. When about eighteen years of age he went to sea, and made one voyage to the West Indies. While on the way home the ship went to pieces in a storm off the Barnegat coast, in which the entire crew came near losing their lives. This experience ended his career as a sailor.

In 1819, his father, Nathaniel S. Pearce, pur- chased the old Hodge homestead on the west side of Ball's Pond in New Fairfield; Conn., of Daniel Hodge, whose grandfather, Thomas Hodge, settled there as one of the first settlers about 1710. (Daniel Hodge was an uncle of A. S. Pearce's mother). Here his father, Nathaniel S., died in 1822. After the death of his mother in 1825, he came into possession of the farm, and soon after started a country store, doing quite an extensive business until his death in 1875. For many years he ran a market wagon to Peekskill-on-the-Hudson, a distance of twenty- eight miles, taking sumac, grain, calves, poultry, eggs, butter, etc., to the sloop, and shipping them to New York City, and bringing back mo- lasses, rum, salt, dry goods, etc. About 1830 he started a comb shop, employing five or six hands, and continued in the business about ten years. For over twenty years he followed the business of cattle drover in company with Col. Amzi Rogers, handling from one to four droves of from one to four hundred head each every year, often going far into the Canadas, when it took four weeks to drive the cattle home. He acted as surveyor when the line between Danbury and New Fairfield was run about 1836, assisted by the venerable Thomas Hoyt, who is still (1897) living at King Street, aged ninety-one years.

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut, Part 99

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