Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1, Part 53

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1 > Part 53

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But the one brave deed which, above all others, made the Major famous then and has caused his name to be remembered since, was his prompt and efficient action at the time of the famous St. Pat- rick's night "town and gown" riot of 1854. To the Major, and probably to him alone, was it due that the old South College in New Haven was not that night razed to the ground, and many lives lost instead of one. There had been considerable feel- ing between the town boys and the college boys for years, and on Thursday, March 16th, during a performance at Homan's Athenaeum, words were exchanged which led to a scrimmage after the close of the theater. The following night about fifty stu- dents attended the theater in a body, and, trouble being anticipated, a letter was circulated among them requesting them not to leave until the rest of the audience had retired. They agreed, but. the town boys waited for them. On asking Major Bissell, who was then chief of police, for advice, they were told to cross the street and march quickly and quietly to the campus in a solid line. The crowd followed, jeering and hooting, and when the line of students reached Fitch's book store (where the great dry- goods establishment of William Neely & Co. is now located) they were assailed with a storm of bricks and stones, and a number were hurt. Several of the students fired pistols, and a man fell. At the moment it was thought he was shot. Capt. Bissell carried him to the watch-house, where he expired

almost immediately, and on examination it was found he had been stabbed by a large dirk. After this incident the students hurried back to their quar- ters, but the mob had by this time been greatly aug- mented, and excitement was running high. A false alarm of fire had been given earlier in the evening, in order to draw people into the streets, and now several attempted to force their way into the churches to ring the bells. They succeeded in ring- ing the bells in two churches, which had the de- sired effect of adding to their numbers. Deter- mined on revenge for the death of their leader, as the unfortunate man was recognized, they proceeded to the gun house and took out two pieces belonging to the Artillery Company, the National Blues. Loading these almost to the muzzle with powder, stones and brickbats, they dragged them into Chapel street, where they halted and organized by choosing a captain. The Major, hearing the rattling of a caisson of a piece of artillery passing in the street, divined what the sound meant, and went along with the rioters. He leaped upon one of the guns and ordered the crowd to desist, but although they as- sured him they had every respect for him they re- fused to be advised, and proceeded along toward the college grounds, where the gun was leveled at the front of old South College. Meantime the Major had not been inactive. Seeing that the mob was too frenzied to be quieted, he had with a couple of rat-tail files succeeded in spiking the guns, and the rioters were entirely ignorant of the fact until they were ready to fire. A howl of disappointment arose when the strategy was discovered, but in this in- stance they were impotent. An attempt was made to storm the building, but the students had barri- caded the entrances well, and this plan aiso failed. In their rage they broke windows and did what damage they could, but the riot was over. and be- fore morning peace was effectually restored. No such outbreak ever again disturbed the quiet of the city.

On March 3, 1855, the regular army of the United States having been largely increased. Capt. Lyman Bissell was made first lieutenant in the new 9th Regiment, which in the following December was sent to Oregon on account of an Indian outbreak. There he was commissioned captain March 15, 1861. and during the Civil war was stationed with his company on the Island of San Juan, in Puget Sound, living a lonely life for nearly four years, all the rest of the officers being in the east on recruit- ing service. On March 4, 1864. Capt. Bissell was commissioned Major, and ordered to join his regi- ment in New York, but the order did not reach him for over a year, until the summer of 1865. Owing to disabilities incurred in the line of his duty. Major Bissell was placed on the retired list Dec. 31, 1870, while in Texas, and he returned to his home in New Haven, where he passed the remainder of his days. His death occurred Nov. 22. 1888, at his home. No. 308 Crown street. The disability men- tioned originated with his experiences in Mexico,

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and was very much aggravated by the hardships of a midwinter march, in 1860-61, with the thermom- eter below zero, from Fort Colville, on the Colum- bia river, to Fort Vancouver, 480 miles away. Ma- jor Bissell broke through the ice of a stream, and took a cold from which he never entirely recovered. The sword which he carried on this march was placed on his coffin, which was draped with the American flag, and on which were also placed his hat, sword belt, gauntlets and sash. He was in- terred in the family lot in Evergreen cemetery.

Shortly after Major Bissell's death the following article, under the heading. "A Strange Coincidence, appeared in the New Haven Evening Register :

The recent death of Major Lyman Bissell. New Ha- ven's chief officer in the Mexican war, who also served in the Civil war, recalls the very unique position he occupied in a great historical event. connected with the Rebellion, in which Dr. E. L. Bissell, his son. was also connected. Not until his last few house did Major Bissell tell Dr. Bissell, his son, all the facts in the story.

Those people whose memory reaches back to the lat- ter days of the war remember the excitement attending the trial of Capt. Turner, who was the keeper of Libby prison, and, as alleged. inflicted wrongs and tortures upon Union soldiers. Dr. Bissell was surgeon of the 5th Connecticut Volunteers, and participated in Gen. Banks' Shenandoah campaign. He was captured at the battle of Winchester, in 1862, and on account of his youth the Confederates doubted that he was a surgeon. but he was sent to operate on their wounded as a test, and soon convinced them that he was a surgeon. He was released on parole and reported to Gen. Banks, who, much to his surprise, ordered him back to his regiment for duty. Dr. Bissell protested on account of his parole, but Banks was inexorable and back the surgeon went. At the battle of Cedar Mountain, while attending wounded on the field. a few months later, Dr. Bissell was captured again. The Rebels proposed to shoot him at once for violating the parole. but finally they sent him to Castle Thunder and afterward they sent him to Libby prison, where he was tortured by Capt. Turner. Once or twice they took him out to be shot, but for some reason or other the Rebels thought better of it and his life was spared. Once when Turner sneered in Dr. Bis- sell's face and told him his time was short. the Doctor replied: "Do what you want with me. but remember that there is a God in Israel." These remarks probably flashed through Turner's mind when he, in after years. received a sentence of death from the lips of the father of the man he had persecuted.

Here is the strange coincidence: Major Lyman Bis- sell was appointed president of the court martial which tried Capt. Turner for his inhumanities. Dr. Bissell was very anxious to appear before the court martial and testify. but his father would not allow him to do so. He could not understand why his father refused, and did not know until recently.

The court martial found Turner guilty, and Major Bissell sentenced him to death. President Johnson after- ward pardoned him. Several days before his death Major Bissell told his son that he would not allow him to testify before the court martial, because it might be said that the verdict of the court was affected by the evidence of the son, and the old war horse was satisfied that Turner would be convicted without his son's evidence.

Major Bissell was married, Sept. 12, 1835, to Theresa Maria Skeele, of New Durham, Greene Co., N. Y., and to them was born one child, Evelyn L., of whom mention is made on another page.

GEN. EVELYN L. BISSELL, M. D., was born Sept. 10, 1836, in Litchfield, Conn. He de- veloped an early taste for military studies, and at- tended the military school at New Haven taught by Gen. W. H. Russell, a school of celebrity in the old days. Later he gave up a cherished plan of going to West Point, and, taking up the study of medicine, was graduated from Yale Medical School in 1860. That year he served as surgeon on a Liver- pool packet-ship, but the breaking out of the Civil war rekindled the military spirit in the young Doc- tor's heart, and on May 8, 1862, he was mustered into the United States service as assistant surgeon of the 5th Conn. V. I. He participated in the active service of the campaign in the valley of the Shenandoah, and was taken prisoner at Winchester May 25, 1862. While confined in that city he was entrusted with the duty of caring for the Rebel wounded. Gen. Bissell was one of seven surgeons to sign the first cartel by which medical officers were recognized as non-combatants. In July, 1862, he was released on parole, and, reporting to Gen. Banks, was ordered back to his regiment. He went under protest, believing that if he should again, by any of the fortunes of war, fall into Rebel hands, he would be shot. At Cedar Mountain, while attend- ing the wounded soldiers on the field of battle, Dr. Bissell was again captured, was recognized by the Rebels, and sent to Richmond, where he was placed in solitary confinement in a tobacco warehouse op- posite. Castle Thunder, under the risk of being shot for apparent violation of his parole. There, after his transfer to Libby, he saw seven prisoners shot by the Rebel government. He was finally released, his case and others similar having been made the matter of a special agreement between Washington and Richmond. Rejoining his regiment at Fred- erick City, he participated in several of the great battles of the war, among them Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. On his last field of slaughter he dis- tinguished himself by his bravery in caring for the wounded, which became the subject of a distinct recognition in the report of the adjutant general. Dr. Bissell was in the Army of the Cumberland, and had charge of the field hospital, in which there were about one thousand cots. He was in the various en- gagements at Wanhatchie, Resaca. Pumpkin Vine Creek, Dallas. Cassville and Kenesaw Mountain. At the point last named he attracted the attention of Gen. Hooker by his brave conduct in removing two hundred wounded soldiers in the face of a deadly fire from a masked Rebel battery. From that time he was specially detailed to remain on the medical staff of Gen. Hooker, and he was also on the surgeon's staff of Gen. Thomas, with whom he . continued for eight months. Remaining at Nash- ville from the onward movement of Gen. Sherman south until the close of the war, he was mustered otit July 10. 1865, after a most honorable, useful and highly creditable career.

Since the close of the war the Doctor has prac- ticed medicine in New Haven, where he has made

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a brilliant success of his professional work. From 1868 to 1872 lie served as surgeon of the 2d Con- necticut Regiment, and again held that position from 1875 to 1883. In January, 1883, he was made surgeon general on the staff of Gov. Thomas M. Waller, serving in this capacity during 1883 and 1884, after which he was again and for the third time made surgeon of the 2d Connecticut, and is still retained in that incumbency. From 1871 to 1875 Dr. Bissell was absent from the country, hav- ing been called by the Peruvian government to care for the men engaged in the public works in the city of Lima. He wrote a history of Peru, illus- trated with maps and drawings. The Doctor was in that country during two revolutions, and was an eye witness to the killing of the Guitezras brothers, who were the brothers of the Dictator Thomas Guitezras. Their bodies were stripped of all cloth- ing, dragged through the dusty streets of Lima, and then hung from the steeple of the church on the main plaza, for two days, after which they were cut down and burned upon a pile of railroad ties. The bones were thrown into the river. Gen. Bissell has presented to the Art Gallery two large paint- ings, one showing them suspended from the steeple of the church, the other a picture of the burning. At this time all the foreigners in Peru were being put to death, but Gen. Bissell managed to escape through the friendship of an English Jew, who had been located there for several years, and who was on intimate terms with the governing officials.

Dr. Bissell served as acting brigade surgeon in the Centennial Encampment of 1876, and since that time has held the same position at several State En- campments. For many years he was examining surgeon for the United States Pension Department. He has been registrar of vital statistics of the town of New Haven, has also served as police commis- sioner of the city of New Haven, and is still a member of the board of health. Socially he is a prominent member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, New York State Commandery; the Grand Army of the Republic; the Society of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Cum- berland; and the Masonic fraternity. He has all his life been an extremely busy and industrious man, and the qualities of patriotism, manliness and fidel- ity to friends and duty, which have made his life conspicuous, have won him a multitude of friends.

Dr. Bissell was married Nov. 23, 1865, to Sarah M., daughter of Hezekiah Noyes, of Woodbury, Conn. She died July 19, 1883, leaving one daugh- ter, Beata Wetmore, who is still residing with her father.

E. KNIGHT SPERRY. There are many per- sons in every community who will show interest and express admiration for a favorite horse or an intelligent dog, and will entirely agree in the pro- prietary rights of a State as to its game birds, but

not all of these worthy people are willing to de- vote time and means to the study of these, our daily companions of the brute creation, although an occasional enthusiast can tell why educated study in this line will yield the greatest of pleasure and unexpected tangible results.

The subject of this short biography, E. Knight Sperry, of New Haven, Conn., has been interested in nature, particularly animate nature, all his life, and has become well known on account of his very remarkable control over the equine race, his most valuable studies of the dog, and also his efforts for the preservation of game in his native State. Mr. Sperry was born in Woodbridge, Conn., Dec. II, 1837, a son of Enoch Sperry, and his early days were spent on a farm in his native town, where, no doubt, was fostered the instinct which he developed later in life. During the summer time his days were spent in the usual employments of lads of his age, and he very well remembers the seasons of "weed pulling," and he attended the winter sessions of school in the old district school, later walking three miles to pursue his studies in the village academy. In October, 1852, he removed to New Haven, and entered a grocery store as a clerk, remaining for the following four years, but in July, 1856, he em- braced the opportunity of entering the Hartford Savings Bank and Building Association, at Hart- ford, this concern later being merged into the State Savings Bank, when Mr. Sperry became clerk and bookkeeper. He remained with this institution un- til the spring of 1860, when he accepted a position as bookkeeper in the city Bank, of New Haven, where he remained until ill health forced him to resign.

Under President Lincoln Mr. Sperry entered then the New Haven post office, where for one year he held the important position of manager of the general delivery and the carriers. In the follow- ing fall was appointed as United States consul to the port of Barbadoes, West Indies, remaining in the office a year or two, but resigned the posi- tion while home on a furlough. The climate bene- fited him very much and he returned to New Ha- ven much improved in health.

Mr. Sperry was of too active mind to remain idle, and for a time after his return engaged in the retail meat business, but later again entered in Hartford the State Savings Bank, remaining until he commenced the manufacture of brushes, in con- nection with a combination liolder, of which he was the inventor. For eighteen years he successfully operated and developed this manufacturing busi- ness, but for the past ten years has been retired from active life, engaged principally in looking after large real-estate holdings.

Aside from all these business cares and public duties, our subject found time to pursue his fa- vorite hobby, taking his recreation in the way of patient investigation of the brute creation, as rep-

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resented by the horse and dog. His management of the former animals has been phenomenal, and his reputation has gone beyond the State, never, however, being connected in any way with low sporting contests. His studies of dogs, particularly of the hunting breeds, are acknowledged to be of the greatest scientific value, and are consulted con- tinually by those who are similarly interested. As an ornithologist, his knowledge is comprehensive and of the greatest value, his discoveries and in- vestigations being thorough and reliable. His ef- forts to stock Connecticut with game birds, such as quail and partridge, have met with commendation, and his discoveries as to the habits and life of these shy dwellers in field and covert are of the most in- teresting description. Mr. Sperry has now a bill before the State Legislature, which, if passed, will place in each town in the State a reserve for the propagation of these birds. Mr. Sperry has prob- ably done more for the preservation of game in his State than any other citizen. As a lover of and encourager of field sports and athletics he has con- sented to serve as president of the Connecticut Field Trial Club of New England, the object of which is to test the merits of different breeds and ages of dogs, its membership consisting of many of the prominent lovers of sport from all over the country. Fraternally he is connected with the Ma- sonic fraternity, while in politics he has always been a Republican, although he reserves the right to vote independently, when his judgment urges him to do so.

Mr. Sperry was married first Nov. 10, 1863, to Miss Sarah A. Treat, a daughter of J. N. Treat, of New Haven, and she died April 8, 1877, leaving one daughter, Edith A., who married Walter H. Mitchell, of Boston, Mass., now connected with the National Security Bank. Mr. Sperry afterward married Miss Mary M. Webster, a daughter of Edward Webster, a patentee and contractor of hot air furnaces, who became a substantial citizen of Hartford. The religious connection of our subject is with the Church of the Redeemer, of New Ha- ven, which place he has always considered his home.

Mr. Sperry has an individual and characteristic way of writing of his discoveries and investiga- tions, and his articles are sure of a warm welcome from the sporting papers, in which they are widely read. His commendable efforts for the preserva- tion of game in his native State will long be re- membered not only by game lovers, but by others who are anxious that no desirable species of nature's handiwork should be permitted to disappear. He has recently invented an arrangement whereby he can keep feed (grain) before the birds in the wilds ; however deep the snow may be the feed is always upon a level with the top of the snow and not dis- turbed or contaminated in any way by it. The birds can walk on the crust, or surface of the snow, and find their feed on a level with it, and always in good condition.

LEWIS BEARDSLEY, one of the most re- spected of the retired business men of Waterbury, Conn., is a native of Roxbury, Litchfield county, born April 25, 1823, son of Ira Beardsley, a native of Roxbury.

Ira Beardsley was a farmer by vocation. He wedded Aner Lewis, a native of Huntington, Fair- field Co., Conn., and became the father of six chil- dren, as follows: Lewis (whose name opens this biography), Henry, Alonzo, Mary, Miles and Saralı. Of this family, Henry, now deceased. was a con- tractor, being largely engaged in dredging, and was the originator of the new water company in Bridge- port ; he also built the street railroad to Stratford. Alonzo, who formerly assisted Henry in business, now resides in Bridgeport. Mary is the wife of Orlando Bartram, of the same city. Miles is a contractor in Bridgeport. Sarah "is the wife of Phineas Austin. All of the family are in good circumstances, and all are higlily esteemed in the communities in which they live. Both Ira Beardsley and his good wife have long since passed away.

Lewis Beardsley was but a young boy when he first located in Huntington, Fairfield Co., Conn., and there he grew to manhood on a farm. His edu- cation was acquired in the district school and in Huntington Center, and after its completion he worked for a while in a factory, and also had some experience as clerk in a store in Birmingham. In 186t lie located in Waterbury, which has since been his home. The first business to engage the attention of Mr. Beardsley in Waterbury was the running of a stage between that village and the city of New Haven, but shortly afterward he purchased the trucking business that had been conducted previous- ly by Chancey B. Webster. At the time of his pur- chase but nine horses were required to meet the de- mands of the business, but under Mr. Beardsley's able management the enterprise was so successful that when he sold 'out, in 1882, forty horses were kept constantly busy. That Mr. Beardsley indus- triously, skillfully and intelligently managed this immense concern is evidenced by the fact that, in the year last named, he was able to retire perma- nently from the activities of life, and to pass his remaining days in ease and conifort.

On Feb. 14, 1846, in the Methodist Church in Birmingham, Conn., Mr. Beardsley was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lacey, a daughter of Joseph and Martha (Scribner) Lacey, of Wilton, Conn. The only child of this union, Willie, died at the age of four years. Mrs. Beardsley died March 5, 1901, dearly loved and sincerely mourned by all who knew her.

The Lacey family came to America from Eng- land several generations ago. James Lacey, grand- father of Mrs. Beardsley, died Nov. 28, 1828. His wife, Luraney, died Sept. 22, 1829. Their son Jo- seph was born April 15, 1800. on Jan. 16, 1821, mar- ried Martha Scribner, and died Feb. 27, 1887. The children born to this union were four in number: (1) Sylvester married a Miss Wells, of Stratford,

Assois Brandsley

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and moved to Marshalltown, Iowa, where he be- came president of a bank : he is now deceased. (2) Sara A. married Henry Benedict (now deceased), who was a merchant in Marshalltown, lowa. (3) Mary, who became Mrs. Beardsley, was born May 28, 1827, in Wilton, Conn. (4) David A. went to Marshalltown, Iowa, and was proprietor of a hotel there until his death.

In his fraternal relations Lewis Beardsley is a Knight Templar Mason. Politically he is a stanch Republican, and has served in the common council, and also as road commissioner, to the satisfaction of all concerned. He is a consistent member of the First Congregational Church, as was also his wife, and socially is a man highly respected.

HON. FENNER BUSH, deceased. The late Fenner Bush, whose death occurred at his home in Meriden Feb. 19, 1882, where his long, active busi- ness life and useful citizenship were mainly spent, had a most remarkable career, especially remarkable in the number of disadvantages surrounding his childhood, and in an almost continuous chain of obstacles and difficulties which characterized his later business career, and still more remarkable in a force of character that arose equal to each and every emergency, and, like Banquo's ghost, would not be downed; again remarkable for its final triumph.

Mr. Bush came of good New England stock, although his parents were not blessed with means. His birth occurred June 26, 1791, in the historic old town of East Lyme, Conn., a son of John and Bathsheba (Dodge) Bush. Deprived of his father when very young, the child at six years of age was in a manner thrown out in the world to do for him- self, being put out to live with a family, where he was to assist in the chores and later in the farm work. At eleven years he was transferred to the family of a ship-builder, and when old enough was to be taught the trade, but conditions and circum- stances threw him back to the previous family. Then he went to live with the family of a joiner, with the view of learning the trade, and when eighteen years of age his master furnished him with a suit of clothes and, for the first time, he at- tended church. His apprenticeship lasted nine years, during the last four of which he was treated by his master with less rigor, but his situation was far from being comfortable.

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Commemorative biographical record of New Haven county, Connecticut, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens and of many of the early settled families, V. I, Pt 1, Part 53

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040