Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 44

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 44

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Edmund Esch Sage, son of Charles E. and Mary A. (Esch) Sage, is a graduate of the New Jersey State Normal School, holding a life certificate, and is now principal of the Diamond Hill school of Summit, New Jersey.

Frederick Henry Sage, son of Charles E. and Mary A. (Esch) Sage, also holds a State Normal life certificate, and is principal of the Long Hill school, in Gillette, Morris Co., N. J., where he resides.

NOAH MERWIN, younger son of Miles Merwin, Sr., and Phebe (Camp) Merwin, al- ways resided in Durham, his native town. He followed the employment of his father, pur- chasing a farm near the old homestead. A man of strong convictions, he refused to go with his party when that party selected as a candidate a slave holder and duelist (Henry Clay), and became an Abolitionist when Abo- litionists were unpopular, even though he thereby, for a time, alienated some of his best friends. Conscientious in the performance of his Christian duties, he was a constant attend-

ant at the Sabbath services and at the prayer. meeting.

Mr. Merwin married November 24, 1837 Olive Stowe (born November 25, 1809, diec May 12, 1884), of Middlefield, Conn. Their children: Lucy Stowe, born November 7 1839 (died August 30, 1840) ; Lucy Stowe June 30, 1841; Edward Payson, March 23 1844; Charles Baldwin, August 3, 1848.

LUCY STOWE MERWIN, daughter of Noal and Olive (Stowe) Merwin, was educated a the Durham Academy, Ipswich Female Semi- nary and Mt. Holyoke Seminary, of which lat- ter she is a graduate. For thirty-eight years she was engaged in teaching, most of the time in the public schools, in the higher grammar grades and the high school department. For twenty-five years she taught in her native State ; for two years was assistant principal of the Bucksville Academy, in Kentucky ; for five years taught in the middle West, in Pueblo Colo., and Cheyenne, Wyo., the last two years as principal of the high school; and for four years taught in Portland, Oregon.

Fond of travelling, she improved her va- cations in visiting Alaska, the Hawaiian Isl- ands, and interesting points in Colorado, Wy- oming, Utah and California. She has crossed the continent six times. One year she spent in the Adirondacks.

EDWARD PAYSON MERWIN, son of Noat and Olive (Stowe) Merwin, was educated at Durham Academy and the Indianapolis High School. For some years he was with Colt': Fire Arms Company in Hartford, and after- ward was for three years in New Jersey ; ther for thirteen years with the Wheeler & Wilsor Company, of Bridgeport, Conn .; and for the last twenty years has been with the Morley Button Sewing Machine Company of Ports- mouth, N. H., where he resides. He has made some important and valuable inventions or. sewing machines.

His aunt, Mrs. Phebe C. White, had a life estate in the Merwin homestead, and after her decease, in 1884, it passed to the children o: Noah Merwin. Edward P. Merwin, being the elder son, purchased the interest of his brother and sister, and is now' the owner, occupying it during his vacations. The entire Merwir family hope it may long continue in the Mer. win name. He was married June 10, 1884, to

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

M tha L. Hulme (born December 22, 1843). r daughter, Jennie, born July 28, 1885, August 9, of the same year.

T1 di CHARLES BALDWIN MERWIN, son of Noah an Olive (Stowe) Merwin, was educated at Dinam Academy. He was for a time in the en loy of the Boston & New York Air Line Raroad Company. In 1873 he went to New Yor and was for five years in the establish- me: of P. S. Smith; then went into business onhis own account, as a manufacturing sta- tioer and printer, in lines requiring the best skil and utmost care. He makes a specialty of of in applying seminaries and colleges, and also gal printing. He is held in high esteem oth business and social relations. He re- sid in Bayonne, N. J., and is a member of the Newark Bay Boat Club. He was married Aufist 3, 1871, to Ella Jane Crowell (born Ap 17, 1851, died January 2, 1892), of Dur- hai Conn. He married (second) October 18, 180, Ada Emeline Ballard (born November 29, 868), of New York City.

TANCY MARIA MERWIN, youngest daughter of Miles Merwin, Sr., and Phebe (Chp) Merwin, married December 5, 1838, Gabord Newton (born July 31, 1804, died De nber 16, 1883), in whose school she had bec a pupil. Before her marriage she taught in e district school of Durham, and was a teater in the Sunday-school as long as she was able to be there. She was a member of the hoir, and always helpful in church and neig borhood; always ready in sickness and troile to do for others more than her strength WO1

admit ; always cheerful and happy, bra and uncomplaining, and absolutely con- scie ious. She viewed the slow approach of cert n death as calmly as if she were about to 1 :e a journey to a neighboring state; to her st hour thoughtful for the welfare of the hus nd and children she was leaving. Their en: Ellen Maria, born June 24, 1841 October 7, 1863) ; Henry Gleason, June chil (di 5. 1 .3; Caroline Gaylord, January 21, 1845. LEN MARIA NEWTON, daughter of Gay- lord the nd Nancy M. (Merwin) Newton, from 'e of fourteen had charge of the house- Gifted with an especially fine ear for she became church organist in her early girll od. Quick-witted and sprightly, she was sually associated with those older than

herself, and was a universal favorite, but best loved where best known. She had a class in Sunday-school, and among her latest acts was vriting a letter to each scholar, her strength sailing before she had completed the last let- ter.

HENRY GLEASON NEWTON, only son of Gaylord and Nancy M. (Merwin) Newton, was named in memory of Rev. Henry Gleason, who united them in marriage, and during whose short ministry, ended by his death, the church in Durham doubled its membership. He was married September 11, 1885, to Sar- ah Allen Baldwin, M. D. (before men- tioned). He was educated in Durham Acad- emy, entered Wesleyan University, in Middle- town, Conn., in 1861, but, his health failing, left in the first year. He taught the South school in Durham in 1862; entered college again in 1863, when his health again failed; taught the Sonth school in Northford in 1865 and 1866, where his great-uncle Burwell New- ton had taught many years before in the same building, and to which said Burwell left a fund for the aid of the school. He entered Wesleyan again in 1867, graduating in 1870, being a member of the Eclectic Fraternity and the Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from the Yale Law School in 1872, taking two essay prizes in Civil and Common Law, and the valedictory at class day, and was admitted to the Bar. He has practiced law in New Ha- ven since that time, retaining his residence in Durham for a long time. He was for ten years acting school visitor in Durham, and has been attorney for the town most of the time for thirty years. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1885. when he was chairman of the Judiciary committee, and leader of the House. Declared elected the next year by one vote, he claimed a mis- count, contested his own election as attorney for his competitor, and succeeded in having himself unseated, and his opponent seated, at the opening of the second day of the session, the shortest time on record. He was elected to the General Assembly from New Haven in 1895, and was chairman of committee on Hu- mane Institutions; obtained the passage of a bill for a State Reformatory, and the adop- tion by the House of an amendment revising the State Constitution (both of which meas- ures were killed at the next session ), as well as

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

several other important laws which still sur- vive. Mr. Newton is the author of some le- gal treatises; chairman of the board of direc- tors of the City Missionary Association of New Haven from its organization; director and a member of the board of trustees in the New Haven Y. M. C. A .; director of and at- torney for the National New Haven Bank; trustee of the Farmers' & Mechanics' Sav- ings Bank of Middletown; member of the Sons of the American Revolution and Sons . of the Colonial Wars; Referee in Bankruptcy for New Haven county; member of State Board of Health. He has been active in Plymouth Church and Sunday-school for thir- ty years, and is deacon of the Congregation- al Church in Durham. He is the author of the "History of Durham" in the "History of Middlesex County," published by J. B. Beers & Co. He was president of the day at the celebration of the Durham Bi-Centennial, held July 4, 1899.

CAROLINE GAYLORD NEWTON, daughter of Gaylord and Nancy M. ( Merwin) Newton, was educated at the Durham Academy in its palmy days, and taught for several terms in Durham and Wallingford before her marriage to Henry Huntington Newton, December 9, 1864. In 1866 Mr. Newton purchased the former home of Benjamin H. Coe, the artist, where they have resided ever since. Several pictures painted by Mr. Coe over seventy-five years ago are still in the house.

After her sister's death, she was for many years church organist, and until recently has been a member of the choir. She early had a class in Sunday-school and now has charge of the junior department, and is active in ev- ery department of church work.

She has never missed a meeting of the Historical Society, formed in 1899 at the cel- ebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of the town, and has been especially active in its maintenance, and one of the principal contributors to its list of historical sketches, and is also a valued and frequent contributor to the pleasure of the literary circle.

NEWTON. The Newton family of Dur- ham, Middlesex Co., Conn., one of the oldest in either Connecticut or New England, is of English origin, and traces its existence in America to as far back as 1638.

ROGER NEWTON, the first of the family come from England to America, arrived Cambridge, Mass., about the time mention above, and studied at Harvard College. Co ing thence to Hartford, Conn., he studied tl ology under Rev. Thomas Hooker, the fi minister of the first church in Hartford, a married Mary Hooker, his eldest daught about 1644. In 1645 he was ordained fi minister of the church in Farmington, bei one of the "Seven Pillars" in the founding that church, and one of the first settlers in t town. He remained there twelve years, th moved to Milford, Conn., where he was aga ordained, August 22, 1660, as the seco pastor of the First Church in that place, which capacity he officiated until his decea June 7, 1683. A memorial tablet of brass this church says of him, "A good minister Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of ti faith, and of the good doctrine."

He received into his study young men prepare them for the ministry, and Abrah: Pierson, first president of Yale College, i! one of his pupils. His library of more th two hundred volumes was a remarkable c for the time. A list of the titles of the boc is printed in the last edition of Atwate "History of New Haven Colony."

Roger Newton left seven children, most whom married and remained in and near M ford. SAMUEL, the eldest, was especially pro inent in military affairs, serving as ensign- King Philip's war, and afterward as capta Samuel had eight children, of whom 1 youngest, ABNER, born in 1700, married Ma Burwell, and removed to Durham. The B wells were connected with the English nobil and the royal family, and they brought co siderable property to this country, Mary's sha of which helped the young couple to a co fortable settlement in Durham. Abner is cal. a "cordwainer" in Milford deeds, but did 1 apparently continue that occupation in D. ham, for he purchased the mill-pond with cornmill and bolting-mill with "ye privilege damnefie Alling's Brook."

In 1724 he sold half this right, and p chased a farm in the part of Haddam wh was in 1773 made a part of Durham and 1 ;. since been called Haddam Quarter. T; farm has remained in the possession of family nearly 180 years, and is now owned

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

J Edward Newton, Abner's great-great- ndson. The old house which had sheltered g ee generations of Newtons was torn down tl ut 1825, and a new one built a little west a ofthe old site.

ABNER NEWTON had five sons, Abner, John, E well, Samuel, and Roger. John and Roger removed to Greenfield, Mass., Roger being mister of the church in that place. He re- cured the degree of D. D. from Dartmouth C lege, though he was a graduate of Yale.

BURWELL NEWTON, the ancestor of all the Durham Newtons, remained on the old home- st .d. He married Eunice Johnson, who was

a randdaughter of Nathaniel Sutliff, one of th thirty-four original proprietors of Durham, a1 a great-great-granddaughter of Robert Jonson, who was born in England in 1599 and w) a householder in New Haven, Conn., in ICI. She bore him five sons and two daugh- te, of whom ABNER, the third son, born De- ce ber 29, 1764, is the ancestor of the branch othe family which this sketch principally con- cefis.

ABNER NEWTON was eleven years, six m

ths old when the Declaration of Independ- en, was signed, but though only a child he was vel țh

patriotic. The father, Burwell, entered army, but remained only a short time, miching up the North River to a place which wa then called Sopus, but which is now the cit of Kingston, in a company under the com- d of Capt. Charles Norton. Burwell had no alate, and his inability to make himself un- de tood by strangers made his situation in the ary extremely dangerous, as he could not gi' the countersign, or say anything distinct- nd Col. Timothy Stone signed an order ly, tha hie be excused from further military duty. Howas not satisfied with this, and after his reten he asked his young son, Abner, who was by hat time almost fifteen, whether he was wing to serve in his father's place.

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To quote the quaint wording of Abner's record, "Glowing with zeal for the ac- tion of our independence, I readily acceded s request, and was accepted by his com- ler. The first call I received was to New 'n when Arnold and his troops visited that pla. The next was to Fairfield when that pla was burned by the enemy, but receiving cotter orders I was dismissed at New Haven. 16

I was next called to Guilford, at the time the enemy took the fort at Groton, near New Lon- don, and passed down the Sound to New York. In August of the same year, 1781, I marched to Stratford, and was there placed under the command of Captain Bunnell of Cheshire. The next year, 1782, I again marched to Strat- ford, and was placed under the command of Capt. Charles Norton of Durham. I contin- ued at Stratford for some time, when orders were received to march." [Here a bit of the manuscript is torn off, and the next place of service is not known. ] In 1783 he again en- listed, "to aid in dislodging the enemy from Long Island," but peace was declared and they were dismissed informally without discharge papers.

Soon after his first enlistment, while at Stratford, the British were known to be near, and volunteers were called for to patrol the shore. He says, "I readily turned out, it not being my turn to guard, and patrolled until morning. When returned to my quarters in the morning I was reproved by the older sol- diers for not remaining in quarters, and re- freshing myself with sleep as they had."

At another time, "while at West Haven, several British sails were discovered one day, and danger apprehended. That night I was- stationed about half a mile from the guard house upon a point of rocks extending into the Sound. After remaining there for some time,. I distinctly heard the oars of a boat making: along the shore, but could not see, it being ex- tremely dark. I accordingly hailed, but re -. ceived no answer : when repeated, fired. Others: of the guard heard the same, and I was soon after visited by the patrol, who informed me that the sergeant of the guard, whose name was Rice, together with the soldiers who were to be my relief, had through fear deserted the guard house. I was therefore left upon the. rocks to guard until morning."

This was the occasion referred to in Prof. Fowler's "History of Durham," when the cap- tain invited him to "take a knock in the jaw, meaning a glass of bitters."

At this time, "after marching into New Haven several of our company went out in a vessel after fuel, the weather being cold, and were taken."

After peace was declared, Abner returned to the farm house, where he remained until

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

his marriage to Abigail Fairchild, March 4, 1788. She had more cruel cause than he to remember the war. She was the daughter of Elisha Fairchild, who lived not far from the Newtons, but in the bounds of Middletown. Late in 1776 the British had captured many men from Middletown and nearby places, and held them prisoners in Fort Washington and on shipboard in New York harbor. They were poorly fed and cared for, and many died from disease, especially from smallpox. A message was sent to the coast towns that some of these sick ones would be released if their friends would come for them, and two hundred were landed at Milford harbor in the dead of win- ter, January 2, 1777. It would seem as if no lives could be saved after such an exposure, but some were. Elisha Fairchild had a good team of horses, and he drove down, and brought home a pitiful load, how many is not known, but certainly one of them survived, William Butler, who received a pension until a good old age. Fair- child came home to his wife and four chil- dren for the last time. He had never had the smallpox, and vaccination was unknown. He had been faithful in that which seemed his duty, and now he laid down his life for his friends and his country. Within the month, on January 25, 1777, he died of smallpox, and was buried in his own home lot at Long Hill, Middletown, where his gravestone still stands, in perfect condition.

When he was twenty-three and she was twenty-one, Abner Newton and Abigail Fair- child were married; they moved to Hart- land, returning to Durham thirteen years later, and purchasing a house and farm of Curtis Bates. While in Hartland he became ensign and afterward captain in the militia, and soon after his return, in 1803, he was chosen deacon of the First Church in Durham. He was rep- resentative from Durham in the General As- sembly in the years 1812, 1813, and 1815.

They had seven children, Content, Parnel, Elisha Fairchild, Abner, Horace, Gaylord and Roger Watson.

CONTENT NEWTON, born January 6, 1789, never married, and lived in her father's house until her death, January 15, 1859.

PARNEL NEWTON, born July 25, 1791, married John Ward, and died July 9, 1880.

She was the mother of George Newton War Henry Ward, Sarah Content Ward and Ha riet Elizabeth Ward Loomis. Sketches of th families of George Newton Ward and Henr Ward appear elsewhere.

SARAH CONTENT WARD still owns the fan ily homestead on Hunting Hill, in Middletown but resides with her sister-in-law, Mrs. Georg N. Ward, on Main street.

HARRIET ELIZABETH WARD, born April 1823, married Joab Loomis, of Bloomfield Conn., September 16, 1851, and died Marc 22, 1895. Two children survive them: Hele Elizabeth, born November 23, 1852, marrie William Franklin Pettibone, of Hartford Conn., October 10, 1877. Their only child Frederick Loomis Pettibone, was born Sex tember 4, 1878, and died December 13, 189;

Robert Ward Loomis, born December 1862, married Mrs. Anna Dickenson Fu ler, October 13, 1897. They have two chi dren, Robert Loomis and Helen Loomis.

ELISHA' FAIRCHILD NEWTON wa born August 7, 1793, in Hartland, Hartfor Co., Conn., during the period of the residenc of his parents there. He was a boy when the returned to Durham. After his marriage h first located on the Samuel Newton farm, an later he acquired one-half of the farm then or cupied by Roger Newton, to which place ht moved, and they operated the farm togethe until the death of Roger. Elisha then carr into full possession of the place, and was ther engaged until his death, which occurred (2 the result of pneumonia) October 8, 1868 The widow of Roger Newton survived to th age of ninety-nine years, dying at the home ( Israel C. Newton, in Durham. Elisha F. New ton was a successful farmer, and a man muc beloved by all. There was in his life suc unmistakable evidence of sterling integrity an all the essential attributes of upright manhoo that he best represented the highest type c the ideal citizen. He held the unbounded cor fidence and esteem of his fellowmen, and h set a good example of an upright Christia life, being a very active member and supporte of the Congregational Church, and living u to the teachings of the Bible. In politics 1: was first a Whig and later a Republican, an though he never sought office he was calle upon to represent his town one term in tl-

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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Le slature. Mr. Newton married Sally Cap, daughter of Israel and Rhoda (Smith- so Camp, and she died March 27, 1882, aged eig ty-six years. She and her husband are bufed at Durham Centre. Their children WE: Israel Camp and Abigail Maria.

SRAEL CAMP NEWTON was born March [822, in Durham, on the Deacon Samuel ton place. He attended the district school

23 Ne an Durham Academy, and assisted in the farm w/c: at home up to the age of eighteen years, what he went to Middletown and was employed as IV: erk in the dry-goods store of his uncle, am S. Camp, where he remained several yeah, acquiring a good knowledge of the bus- ine In 1845 he left there, going to New Yol, where he engaged in the wholesale un- (leifear and hosiery business in company with Joli- Hinchman. They continued together unt 1852, when, because of failing health, Mr Newton gave up the business and returned to : arham, and a short time later he engaged wit his brother-in-law, Henry Ward, in the meintile business at South Farm, Middle- tow where they remained together for sev- era ner pos i11 I.

ears. Mr. Newton bought out his part- interest in 1856, and soon afterward dis- of the business on account of failing heal1. He then returned to the home farm rham, assuming its management until his fatl' 's death, when he came into possession theroof. He made quite extensive improve- on the farm, which he brought to a high of cultivation, remaining there until abot 1880, when the place was disposed of. Aft a short residence at Durham, he re- 11 ) 1, in June, 1881, to Meriden, and resided with his daughter until his death, which oc- June 7, 1900; he is buried at Durham. g his residence in Meriden Mr. Newton Was ngaged as a bookkeeper and clerk, but aboy

stat

two years previous to his demise his hen began to slowly fail. He was a capable man and during his residence in Durham was activ in the affairs of the town as a stanch offic serv and 'r of the Republican party. He held the of first selectman for a number of years, a like term on the board of assessors, eld other minor offices; lie represented wh two years-1873 and 1874-in the Leg tture. He was an active member of the 1.irs Ecclesiastical Society, and was a man respected.

April 18, 1849, Mr. Newton was mar-

ried, at Hartford, to Clarissa Treadway Sill, - daughter of Micah and Susan Casey (Starr) Sill. She died September 3, 1879, aged fifty- two years. Their home was blessed with the following children: William' Camp, Freder- ick Sill, Frank Bowman, Sarah Louise, Isaac and Harriet T.

William Camp Newton was born Jan- uary 23, 1850, in New York City, and was two years old when his parents returned to Connecticut. He attended the district school of Durham, and also the Durham Academy, under Dr. Jewett and Miss Mary Jane Camp. He began his business career in the store of his uncle, Henry Ward, at Middletown, in the capacity of clerk, and remained there three years, returning then to the home farm and assisting in the work of the place until the age of twenty-four years. Having devised an ingenious window attachment, he immediately began its manufacture, which was done at Waterbury, Conn., by the Waterbury Brass Company. He made application for a patent, but other similar devices had been applied for before his, and he could not obtain one. While the others were pending he took ad- vantage of the time, and placed agents in dif- ferent parts of the country, and he had a large sale for the article, which continued for four years. He traveled through the New England States and eastern New York, and his business proved quite profitable. The granting of a patent to another contrivance compelled Mr. Newton to abandon the manufacture of those articles. He then returned to the home farm, and assisted his father until the latter disposed of the farm, William buying a portion of it, on which he was engaged in farming until 1885, when he gave it up, though he still owns the farm. During the season of 1886 he was assistant farm superintendent at the Industrial School at Middletown, and then entered the employ of the Metropolitan Wringer Com- pany, at Middlefield, Conn., where he was em- ployed five and one-half years, when the factory was disposed of to the trust and the machinery moved away. Hle then entered the employ of the Merriam Manufacturing Company, at Durham, Conn., where he remained until the fall of 1892, when he went to New Haven. and until the spring of 1804 he was acting treasurer of the Builders' Supply Company. Returning to Durham, he again entered the employ of the Merriam Manufacturing Com-

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Commemorative biographical record of Middlesex County, Connecticut : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families, Part 44

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Beers Number of Pages: 1502

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Beers
Number of Pages: 1502