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 2, Part 6

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1010

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 2 > Part 6

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CORNELIUS C. RYDER, a representative and prominent farmer of Oxford, Conn., is a native of this State, born in Greenfield, Aug. 19. 1835, a son of Ralph and Harriet E. (Chapman ) Ryder, in whose family were nine children, six sons and three daughters. Those living are Henry A., town treas- urer of Seymour ; Mary P .; Stephen, a resident of Seymour ; and Cornelius C.

During the childhood of our subject, the family removed to Danbury, Conn., and at the age of nine years he went to Thomaston. Later he spent a short time in Seymour, and then returned to Dan- bury, where he was employed on a farm until eight- een, when he again went to Seymour. He found employment in the Globe Mills, and engaged in the manufacture of augers for three years. In 1857 he removed to the farm in Oxford where he has since made his home. He now owns 150 acres, one- half of which is valley land under a high state of cultivation, and upon which he is successfully en- gaged in general farming and dairying. For ten years or more he was also interested in the butcher

business, but now devotes his entire time and atten- tion to agricultural pursuits with most gratifying results.

On Sept. 21, 1856, Mr. Ryder was united in mar- riage with Miss Sarah B. Tomlinson, by whom he had seven children, one, William T., now deceased. Those living are Lillian O., Ralph W., Bennet H., John J., Martha E. and Cornelins C. He was again married, Nov. 7, 1883, his second union being with Mrs. Emma V. Shippy, daughter of Marcus Mer- win, of Woodmont. In his political affiliations, Mr. Ryder is a Democrat, and he has been quite prom- inently identified with local politics. He served as selectman of Oxford in 1893 and 1894, as justice of the peace for many years, and as grand juror for over ten years. . He is an active and influential member of the Episcopal Church, of which he is now senior warden, and is held in high regard by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.

JAMES H. PECK, Warden of the Borough of West Haven in the town of Orange, and one of its most prominent and substantial citizens, comes of Revolutionary stock, his grandfather, a farmer of Middlebury, having served in the War for Independ- ence.

Ward Peck, his grandfather, was born in New Haven near where the Tontine hotel now stands. His father, Ward Peck, Sr., was there shot in his own dooryard by British soldiers, and this so en- raged his sons that one and all volunteered for ser- vice in the Continental army. Although Ward was but fourteen at this time, he joined his brothers and tried to enlist. He was too short, however, and on going home revolved in his mind various ways by which he could outwit the examiner, in order to enter the service. He presented himself for examin- ation a second time, having increased his height by stuffing his boots with paper, and was accepted, and served seven years, participating in the hardships at Valley Forge, and at Stony Point. He helped to carry Gen. Lafayette off the field when the latter was wounded. In 1822, when the French General made his memorable visit to America, he visited Mr. Peck, who was transformed from a mere stripling into a man six feet three inches tall and weighing three hundred pounds. He went to Middlebury and there died. Prominent in public affairs, he repre- sented his town in the State Legislature several times. His wife, Dorcas Bronson, bore him twelve children. Ward Peck was a namesake of his uncle, Artemus Ward, who had charge of the forces at Bunker Hill. The remains of Ward Peck, Sr., were laid to rest under old Center Church on the New Haven "Green."

William Augustus Peck, father of James H., a native of Waterbury, was a man of shrewd busi- ness foresight and great energy of character. Reared upon a farm and educated in the district schools, at the age of twenty-one he began his business career as a common carrier. That was before the com-

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pletion of the New York & New Haven Railroad, and young Peck engaged in hauling freight by teams. He had thirty horses, and carried to New Haven, Farmington, Tannersville, Meriden and Southington. He was strict with his men, insisting that they must neither smoke nor drink, and, above all, must be Whigs in political sentiment. His teams brought the first organ and the first sticking machine (for putting pins in papers) ever brought to that part of the country. The latter machine had aroused considerable curiosity, and, to prevent its being injured or stolen, an armed man walked be- side the wagon all the way from Meriden to Water- bury. Mr. Peck's enterprise proved profitable until the coming of the iron horse, when he abandoned it. Then, going to Fairhaven, he purchased a large tract of land, which he subdivided, partially im- proved and sold as building lots; he opened Peck street, and had the trees set out along the road there. From that point he removed to West Haven, where he bought about 100 acres, which he disposed of in the same manner ; here he threw twenty acres into streets, naming them after the members of his family. He was a man of broad public spirit and universally esteemed. He passed the remainder of his life there, dying in June, 1891, at the ripe old age of eighty-six. Both he and his wife were members of the Congregational Church. Mrs. Peck, whose maiden name was Lucretia Leete, was born in North Haven, and was a great-grand- daughter of Gov. Leete, of Colonial days, whose home was near Leete's Island. She died in her fifty-seventh year. 'To Mr. and Mrs. Peck were born ten children, six members of which large family are yet living. Their names in order of their birth are as follows: George L., a resident of Jamaica, Long Island; William A., Jr., who died in 1897 : Eliza J., now Mrs. Joseph Andrews, a widow of West Haven ; Caroline D., who became Mrs. George M. Anderson, of the same place; Nancy A., widow of Capt. Albert Chase, of that borough; James H .; Emma L., unmarried, also of West Haven; Clara, who died at Jamaica, L. I., aged twenty-five; an in- fant son that died unnamed ; and Sherman, who died in the 'sixties.

Gov. Leete, mentioned above, was at first deputy governor under Gov. Winthrop, and later governor of the Colony. His brother was one of the judges at the trial of Charles I, but later came to America, and died in this country. .

James H. Peck remained at home and attended school until he was fourteen years old, when he shipped before the mast. He followed the life of a sailor for six years, a part of the time being spent in the coasting trade and a part on vessels bound for foreign ports. Growing weary of the sea, he returned to West Haven, and started in business as a contractor for house painting. In 1877, however, a longing for new scenes once more took possession of him, and he made a trip to California, and for a year he engaged in various enterprises, returning to

Connecticut in 1878. From that time until 1884 he served as deputy sheriff of his native county, under John C. Bixby, of Meriden, and in the year last named was appointed gauger and inspector in the Internal Revenue District, which was then the whole State, under the first administration of President Cleveland. After three and a half years he resigned this post, and in 1888 made a second visit to Cali- fornia, remaining until the spring of 1890. On his return to West Haven Sheriff Charles A. Tomlin- son, of Milford, made him his deputy, Mr. Peck serving during the remainder of the term, which expired in 1894. He is a Democrat in politics, and one of the most active and influential of his party's leaders in New Haven county. From 1878 to the present time (1901) he has been registrar of voters, with the exception of the two years which he spent in California. During the greater portion of the last twenty years he has been chairman of his party's town committee, and is now serving his second term as a member of the State Central Committee. He was first elected warden in 1897, and re-elected in 1898 and 1899.

Mr. Peck is a man of sterling worth and social, happy temperament, who has a wide circle of ac- quaintances and hosts of friends. He is a mem- ber of numerous fraternal lodges, among them be- ing Annawon Lodge, No. 115, F. & A. M. of West Haven, in which he has filled all the chairs, and is now Past Master, and of Joseph Andrews Chapter, R. A. M., of which he is a charter mem- ber and Past High Priest ; he is also a member of Crawford Council, of New Haven ; of the Order of O. U. A. M., of which he is likewise a charter mem- ber, and in which order he has taken all the degrees and filled all the chairs. His business career has been a prosperous one. He has dealt largely in real property, and has built wholly upon lines sug- gested by himself one of the finest residences in the village, at the corner of Savin avenue and Church street.

In September, 1869, Mr. Peck married Miss Henrietta M. Thompson, youngest child of Capt. John Thompson, of West Haven, well known in the merchant marine service. Mrs. Peck is one of six children, the others being Louise J., wife of Henry M. Alling, of New Haven; John W., of Lathrop Cal .; Henry A., of Oakland, Cal .; Walter. W. ("Capt." Thompson). of West Haven; and Sarah M., wife of Theron Ford, of Milford. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Peck has been blessed with a daughter. Louisa Lucretia. who is the wife of Edwin S. Thomas, Esq., of New Haven, a leading member of the Bar, as well as a justice of the peace and ex-member of the State Legislature. One daughter, Roberta, died in infancy.

DANIEL MEIGS WEBB, M. D., the oldest medical practitioner on the shore line, and for over half a century a physician and surgeon of Madi- son, New Haven county, is a native of that town,

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born April 6, 1822. He is a member of one of the oldest families of America, and comes of English ancestry.

(I) Richard Webb, the first of the name in America, came in 1626 from Dorsetshire, Eng- land, to Cambridge, Mass., thence moving to Bos- ton, where he was made a freeman in 1632. In Boston he remained until 1635, in that year coming to Connecticut and locating on the banks of the Connecticut river, in Hartford county, there mak- ing his home until 1650, when he moved to Fair- field county, locating in Norwalk until 1655. In that year he took up his residence in Stamford, same county, but did not live long afterward, dy- ing Jan. 1, 1656. In 1655 he was a deputy. He mar- ried Elizabeth Gregory, daughter of John Gregory, and eight children were born to them: (1) Jo- seph, who married Hannah Scofield, died in 1685; (2) Richard, the next, died March 15, 1676; (3) Caleb died May 24, 1704; (4) Mary died Sept. 18, 1706; (5) John died May 19, 1670; (6) Joshua; (7) Samuel is mentioned below ; (8) Sarah, became the wife of John Marshall. The mother of these died Jan. 24, 1680.

(II) Samuel Webb, born March 30, 1662, lived all his days in Stamford. Conn., dying there Oct. 7, 1729. By his wife Hannah he had six children : (1) Waitstill, born Jan. 6, 1691, married Jan. 18, 1713, Joseph Holly; (2) Samuel, sketch of whom follows ; (3) Mercy, born April 11, 1695, married June 18, 1713, Francis Brown: (4) Charles, born March 12, 1697, married May 23, 1723, Mary Smith ; (5) Mary, born Jan. 7, 1699, married May 13, 1722, John Bates; (6) Nathaniel, born Nov. 6, 1700, married (first) April 20, 1724, Sarah Webster, (second) Sarah Webb, and (third) Deborah Lockwood.

(III) Samuel Webb, born Nov. 16, 1692, in the town of Stamford, died there in January, 1731. He married Dec. 8, 1720, Abigail Slason, born March 8, 1700, who died in 1760. Children: (1) Abigail, born in January. 1722, married Jan. I, 1749, Francis Holly; (2) Samuel, sketch of whom follows; (3) Elizabeth, born Jan. 16, 1725; (4) Charles. born April 19. 1730, died April 19, 1730.

(IV) Samuel Webb, born Nov. 14. 1723. in Stamford, Conn., thence removed in manhood to · Chester, Middlesex countv, where he was a land . owner and farmer. and where he died in October, 1762. He married in 1744. and his wife. Mary, who was born in 1722. died in 1770. Children : (1) Samuel, born in 1745, died in November. 1778: (2) Jemima: (3) Stephen, born in 1746, married Lucy Spencer, and died Aug. 1, 1826; (4) Mary was born in 1749: (5) Ann married Martin Southworth: (6) Esther married a Mr. Douglas ; (7) Reynolds, sketch of whom follows; (8) Isaac: (9) James. .

(V) Reynolds Webb, born Oct. 9, 1759. in the town of Chester, Middlesex county, was a farmer and land owner, and took a very active part in the

Revolutionary war. He enlisted June 2, 1777, in Capt. Kirkland's Company, Col. William Douglas' Regiment, 6th Connecticut Line; was discharged in January, 1778; during the latter part of the. war, he was transferred to the French army under Gen. LaFayette, and was present at the battle of York- town and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He was a pensioner in 1818; died March 20, 1834, and was buried in Chester, Conn. He married Nov. 15, 1787, Catherine Parmelee, born June 30, 1768, who died July 15, 1851. Their children: (1) Samuel Parmelee, born Oct. 24, 1788, died Nov. 24, 1812. (2) Reynold, sketch of whom follows. (3) Sally, born Dec. 4, 1792, married Deacon George Weed, and died May 18, 1876. (4) Cath- erine, born April 20, 1795, married Joseph Mather, and died Sept. 16. 1825. (5) Isaac, born Jan. 15, 1798, was a graduate of Yale College, where he took the degrees of B. A. and M. A. in 1822 and 1826, respectively ; was tutor, 1825-27 ; he was twice married, first to Mary McClellan, second to Sarah McClellan. (6) Mary, born April 29, 1801, mar- ried Noah Shipman, and died Oct. 27, 1851. (7) Ambrose, born Dec. 9, 1803, married first Eliza- beth W. Pratt, and second Sarah Tower, and died April 27, 1879. (8) Ann, born March 6, 1806, married Rev. Emory Shailor, and died Jan. 16, 1891. (9) William Jones, born April 11, 1808, died July 10, 1836, of consumption, and was buried at sea while on his passage home from Naples, Italy. (VI) Dr. Reynold Webb, father of Dr. Daniel M. Webb, was born Jan. 3, 1791, in the town of Chester, Middlesex county, where he was educated and prepared for college, after which he attended Yale Medical School, where he graduated in 1819 with the degree of M. D. He then commenced the practice of his profession at Essex, and was later at Madison. From there in a short time he returned to Essex, Conn., but after a sojourn there he returned to Madison and passed the rest of his days in that town, in the full practice of medicine and surgery. He died July 1, 1856, aged sixty- five years, and was buried in Deep River cem- etery. In church views he was liberal and in pol- itics a Democrat. He represented the town of Madison in the State Legislature; was probate judge from 1836 to 1842, also from 1850 to 1852; was justice of the peace, and a selectman of the town. Socially he was a member of the Connecti- cut Medical Society, and of the American Medical Association ; in fraternal predilections he was affil- iated with the I. O. O. F., and at one time was grand master of the State. During the war of 1812 he was a musician from July 5 to 14, 1813, in Col. Elisha Sill's Regiment attached to Capt. Zachariah Clarke's Company .. He was at all times active in public life, a good citizen, noted for his honorable and upright character.

On March 8, 1821. Dr. Reynold Webb was married to Deborah Hopson Meigs, born May 24, 1797, in East Guilford (now the town of Madi-

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son), a daughter of Capt. Daniel and Millicent (Hopson) Meigs, the former of whom was in the Revolutionary war, and a sergeant in the "Lexing- ton alarm." Mrs. Webb died Dec. 7, 1859, and was buried in Deep River cemetery. She was a lady of refinement and culture, a loving wife and mother, beloved by all. Two children came to Dr. Webb and his wife: Daniel Meigs was born April 6, 1822. Catherine Millicent, born June 13, 1832, married June 17, 1855, Col. Vincent Meigs Wilcox, of the 132d P. V. I .; she died April 1, 1860, the mother of Dr. Reynold Webb Wilcox, M. D., LL. D., of New York City.

(VII) Dr. Daniel Meigs Webb, the subject proper of this sketch, commenced to attend school at the very early age of four years, and when ten he entered Lee's Academy, later studying at Clinton Academy, Middlesex county, where he pre- pared himself for college. In 1842 he entered Yale College, taking an academic course, and in 1846 received the degree of B. A. (afterward that of M. A.), after which he entered the Medical De- partment, and there graduated in 1849 with the degree of M. D. Returning now to Madison, he began the practice of his chosen profession with his father, and at the latter's death continued it. He has now been a physician and surgeon in his native town for over half a century, his ride ex- tending to Clinton, Guilford, Madison and North Madison.

On April 29, 1849, at Clinton, Conn., Dr. Webb married Mary Elizabeth Elderkin, born in Clin- ton, March 20, 1825, daughter of Buckminster Brintnall Elderkin, of that town. Dr. Webb is a fellow of the State Medical Society ; is affiliated with the F. & A. M. Lodge, No. 87, Madison. of which he was medical examiner; is a Knight Templar, member of New Haven Commandery, No. 2; and for several years was identified with the I. O. O. F. In politics he is a Republican, but no office seeker, in religious faith a member of the Episcopal Church, of which he is one of the war- dens. He is a broad-minded man, highly cultured, being master of several languages, extremely pop- ular both in and outside of his profession, and highly respected.

EDWARD RUTHERFORD HAYES (de- ceased) was in his lifetime one of the most re- spected and useful citizens of Connecticut, a man of sterling worth and integrity. He was born Jan. 30, 1822, in New Haven. The Hayes family be- gins its history in this country with the advent of George Hayes, who went from Scotland to Derby- shire, England, and came to this country, and ap- pears at Windsor, Conn., very early in the history of the Colony. His first marriage was to Sarah (surname not known), who died in 1683, and he married for his second wife Abigail, a daughter of Samuel Dibble, of Windsor and. Simsbury, the same year. About 1698 the family removed to

Salmon Brook, in the town of Simsbury, which is now a part of Granby. He died in Simsbury, Sept. 22, 1725. His second wife and eleven children survived him.

Daniel Hayes, a son of George, was born April 26, 1686, in Windsor. In 1716 he married Martha Holcomb, who died the year following. In 1721 he married Sarah. Lee, of Wheatfield, Mass., who died in 1738. In 1739 Mr. Hayes married his third wife, Mary. Mr. Hayes died in Simsbury in 1756. During Queen Anne's war Daniel Hayes was taken prison by the Indians almost within sight of his own home, and carried to Canada, where he was kept in captivity more than five years, when he was re- leased, and he returned to his home as one risen from the dead.

Ezekiel Hayes (1), son of Daniel, born Nov. 21, 1724, married in 1749 Rebecca, a daughter of Rev. Samuel Russell, of Branford. Mr. Hayes was an early .settler in New Haven, where he owned and occupied a home on Court street. He was a prominent citizen, and a large proprietor in New Haven. He lived many years at Bran- ford, where in 1756 he built a handsome brick residence, which is still standing. His death oc- curred in New Haven Oct. 17, 1807. From 1749 until after the Revolution his home was in Bran- ford the most of the time. He served as a captain in the Revolution, and was present at the surren- der of Lord Cornwallis, at Yorktown. A grand- son of Ezekiel (I) was Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States.

Ezekiel Hayes (2), son of the above, was born in Branford in 1753, and married June 1, 1775, to Mary Hemingway. Wealthy (Trowbridge) Barnes became his wife June 21, 1800. She was the widow of Samuel Barnes and a daughter of Rutherford Trowbridge and Dorothy Hitchcock. Elizabeth, the widow of Archibald Rice, became his third wife, Dec. 8, 1822, and she survived him. Mr. Hayes, like his father, was a blacksmith and scythe maker. Mr. Hayes resided in Court street, New Haven, where he died Oct. 20, 1828.

John Hayes, son of Ezekiel (2), born Nov. 17, 1786, in New Haven, was married June 28, 1810, to Elizabeth Bills, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Thompson) Bills; she was born Jan. 8, 1790, and died Dec. 5, 1872. Mr. Hayes was a merchant tailor, and died July 23, 1836. His chil- dren were as follows: Ezekiel; William Bills; Susan, who married a Williard; Elizabeth T., who married a Johnson ; John Hemingway; Edward Rutherford: Charles Russell; Harriet Rebecca ; and Mary B., who married Edward T. Mix, men- tion of whom will be made further on. All were born in New Haven.

Edward Rutherford Haves, son of John, was for many years the efficient bookkeeper and ac- countant of the firm of Henry Trowbridge & Sons, one of the most substantial and best-known con- cerns in New England. He retired from active

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life in 1889, and died on Dec. 9, 1895. On Oct. I, 1849, he was married to Anna Cooke Silliman, who was born Jan. 5, 1825, at Mt. Pleasant. N. Y., a daughter of Elisha and Amelia (Cooke) Silli- man, of New Haven. She died May 9. 1876. To them were born: (1) Martha Silliman, who is a daughter of the American Revolution; (2) Caro- line Rutherford, who died Aug. 1, 1858. Mr. Hayes was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, which he served as a vestryman many years. In early life he was captain of a militia company. In politics he was a Republican, and belonged to the Republican Club. His great-grandfather built the old brick house, one of the famous taverns in Branford in the early days.

The grandmother of Mrs. Anna C. (Silliman) Hayes was a great-grandchild of Gen. Lyon, who came to America very early in the colonial history. The family are all connected with the Sillimans of Yale College. The mother of Mrs. Hayes was a member of a family of ten children, three of whom are living, two in New York, and one in Pennsylvania.

EDWARD TOWNSEND MIX, who was an architect of Milwaukee, learned his profession of Sidney Stone, and became one of the leading architects of the Northwest. His biography appears in the National Cyclopedia of American Biography. Mr. Mix was born at New Haven, Conn., May 13, 1831. His father and grandfather followed the sea, and were navigators of distinction, the exploits of each being named in the annals of the New Haven Colony Historical Society. In 1836 young Mix went West with his parents, who settled in An- dover, Ill., on a large farm which his father had purchased. In 1845 the family returned to New York, where Edward T. began his education in the city schools, and completed it in the Collegiate School, in Batavia, N. Y. In 1848, while on a visit to New Haven, he became acquainted with one of the leading architects of New England, whose office he entered as a student. At the ex- piration of seven years he refused a partnership with his instructor, and settled in Chicago, Il1. In 1856 he went to Milwaukee, Wis., where his ability as an architect was speedily recognized, and his application to his profession, with his unswerv- ing fidelity in discharging its duties, brought him, in a very few years, into the front rank of his pro- fession. In 1868 Gov. Fairchild appointed him State architect of Wisconsin, and he had charge of the construction of the State buildings until 1879, when he resigned. His reputation was not confined to Milwaukee, but extended to other cities, East and West, and received for him engagements where pro- fessional talent and experience of the highest order were required. Mr. Mix was a leading member of New York Institute of Architects, and was presi- dent of Wisconsin State Architectural League from 1888 to 1890. A great number and variety of noble and stately buildings in Milwaukee, Min-

neapolis and other western cities, bear testimony of his high attainments. Among many of the finest buildings in Milwaukee which he designed are the Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul's Church, Mitchell's Bank, the St. Paul R. R. Depot, Plank- ington House, and St. Grace's Church at Minne- apolis. He was also the architect of the Guar- antee Loan Building, costing $1,000,000. He married Mary Haves, of New Haven, Conn., a relative of ex-President Haves. Edward Town- send Mix died Sept. 23, 1890, at Minneapolis, Minnesota.

FRANKLIN HENRY HART, than whom there are few better known business men in New Haven, is one of the sterling residents of that city, where his long and honorable career has placed him in a foremost position in the commercial circle.

Mr. Hart comes from one of the old and honor- able families of New England, and one of the very oldest in Connecticut, he being a representative of the seventh generation from Deacon Stephen Hart, who was the progenitor of this family in America. His line is from Deacon Stephen through Thomas, Hawkins, Samuel, Samuel (2), and William Au- gustus.

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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 2, Part 6

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1010

Author: Beers (J.H.) & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1010