USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 10 > Part 39
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(II) Roelif Eltinge, eldest son of Jan and Jacomyntze (Slecht) Elten, was bap- tized January 27, 1678. He left Kingston for New Paltz, about 1720, and tradition states that he wore a belt of gold when he came to the latter town. He was a justice of Ulster county, New York, and although the exact date of his death is unknown, his will was dated 1745 and proved in 1747. Roelif Eltinge married, in Kingston, New York, June 13, 1703, Sarah DuBois, born in New Paltz, bap- tized in Kingston, June 20, 1682, daughter of Abraham DuBois. The latter was born in Mennheim, Germany, and was one of the twelve patentees of New Paltz ; he married Mary Deyo.
(III) Josias, or Josiah, Eltinge, as it is
sometimes found, son of Roelif and Sarah (DuBois) Eltinge, was baptized October 12, 1712, and was a very prominent man in his day. In a tax list of 1765, his name appears as the wealthiest man of the town. Josias Eltinge married, July 15, 1734, Helena DuBois, daughter of Solomon and Tryntze (Gerritse) DuBois, baptized April 17, 1705.
(IV) Abram Eltinge, son of Josias and Helena (DuBois) Eltinge, married Dinah DuBois, daughter of Hendricus DuBois, of Nescatack.
(V) Josiah Eltinge, son of Abram and Dinah (DuBois) Eltinge, born about 1761, died May 15, 1813. He married Hester Broadhead, and she died in 1848 at the age of eighty-six years.
(VI) Charles Eltinge, son of Josiah and Hester (Broadhead) Eltinge, made his home on part of the original homestead. He married and was the father of Nathan- iel, of whom further.
(VII) Nathaniel Eltinge, son of Charles Eltinge, in his youth was a school teacher in Libertyville and New Paltz, New York. For several years subse- quently he was a general merchant, and then formed a partnership with Abraham Hasbrouck to run a barge from Roundout and Poughkeepsie to New York City. In this venture they were very successful. Nathaniel Eltinge married Ann Maria Wurtz.
(VIII) Watson Eltinge, son of Na- thaniel and Ann Maria (Wurtz) Eltinge, was born in Libertyville, New York. He was a farmer, active in the pursuit of his calling until 1915, in which year he re- tired. He married Agnes Crawford, daughter of Robert Crawford, of Burling- ham, Sullivan county, New York, and they were the parents of nine children : Charles Robert, Emma J., Anna W., C. Martin, Watson, Agnes, Marguerite, de-
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ceased; Ida, Gerow. Mr. and Mrs. El- FREY, Conrad P.,
tinge are regular attendants of the Dutch Reformed church, and are both active in church work.
(IX) Charles Robert Eltinge, son of Watson and Agnes (Crawford) Eltinge, was born on the old Eltinge homestead, September 28, 1885. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. Thence he went to Brooklyn, New York, and studied for a short time in a college of pharmacy. From the time that he left school, Mr. Eltinge had taken care of the home farm for his father and seemd fitted for this work, in which he was very suc- cessful. He returned to the homestead, and after his marriage took over the run- ning of the farm on his own account. In 1916 he came to New Canaan, Connecti- cut, and bought the Elm Shade Dairy, having previously taken over their milk business. Subsequently he bought his present place and built the present dairy buildings, which are kept in the most san- itary condition and are equipped with the latest devices for handling milk quickly in a scientific and hygienic manner. Mr. Eltinge is both progressive and aggres- sive, and he has enlarged his business con- siderably; the name is now Sunnyside Dairy. While a resident of New Paltz, he was active in political matters, and since coming to New Canaan, although as keenly interested, has not had suffi- cient time to devote to outside interests. He is a member of Harmony Lodge, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons, and of the New Canaan Grange.
Mr. Eltinge married Ann Deverill, daughter of William J. Deverill, of Tar- rytown, New York, and they are the par- ents of a son, Charles Robert, Jr. The religious affiliations of the family are with the Dutch Reformed church.
Insurance Actuary.
Conrad P. Frey, general agent for Fairfield county of the Connecticut Gen- eral Life Insurance Company, was born in Brooklyn, New York, May 22, 1877. He is very well equipped for his career in the business world. Alert, and well- poised, Mr. Frey is a master of detail, necessary qualitifications to one who would succeed, especially in the business of insurance.
Daniel Frey, father of Conrad P. Frey, was born in Germany, and at the age of sixteen years came to America, locating in New York City. There he learned the trade of tailor and later that of cutter. After serving some years at this business, he was able to engage in a business of his own, and for over forty years was among the best known merchant tailors of Brooklyn, New York. Mr. Frey was also among the prominent citizens of Brook- lyn, ever interested in its welfare. Al- though in no sense of the word a poli- tician, Mr. Frey was always willing to do his share of public service. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, for many years, almost half a century. He was past grand of Wallen- stein Lodge, No. 28, of Brooklyn, and was treasurer of this lodge for thirty-three years, and delegate to the Grand Lodge for thirty-five years. Mr. Frey was also past chancellor patron of Roland En- campment, of Brooklyn, and a trustee of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows home in Westchester county. Other fra- ternal connections of Mr. Frey were with Von Mench Lodge, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, of Brooklyn, and Mrs. Frey is a member of Eastern Star, Daughters of Rebekah, and Lady Wash- ington Circle of Red Men.
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Mr. Frey was a man who was very do- mestic in his tastes, his chief enjoyment being found in his family circle. He was the father of eight children, six of whom grew to maturity. They were: I. Henry, who is a resident of Brooklyn. 2. Wil- liam, married Celia Stamm, and has two children. 3. Daniel, married Mary Pow- ers; he is now deceased. 4. Conrad P., of further mention. 5: Herman F., mar- ried Adelaide Hartdgen, and has two children. 6. Annie, who lives at home.
Conrad P. Frey was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, and until he was twenty-four years of age was asso- ciated with his father in the tailoring busi- ness. At that time he entered the employ of the Prudential Insurance Company, where he remained for sixteen years. He was in the industrial department and rose to be assistant superintendent of his division in Brooklyn, which is in itself sufficient warranty of his ability. In 1915, Mr. Frey was transferred to South Norwalk, Con- necticut, and two years later became iden- tified with the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. He is now holding a very responsible position, that of general agent, with the latter firm, and is well and favorably known among the business men of South Norwalk. During the years Mr. Frey has been a resident of South Nor- walk, he has entered actively into the social and business life of the city. In politics he is a Republican. Previous to his removal to Connecticut, he had be- come a member of the great Masonic fra- ternity, holding membership in Common- wealth Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of Brooklyn, and also was a member of Monker Grotto, No. 56. Other connections of Mr. Frey are : Member of Butler Lodge, No. 97, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of South Norwalk; Re- bekah Lodge, of Brooklyn; Orpha Chap- ter, Eastern Star, of South Norwalk;
South Norwalk Club, and the Craftsmen's Club, of Norwalk.
Mr. Frey married Isabella G. Wardlaw, daughter of Charles H. Wardlaw. The latter was a native of the North of Ire- land. Mr. and Mrs. Frey are the parents of two children : Everett C. and Dorothy E. Frey.
It is not always that a church is so for- tunate as to have men possessed of busi- ness ability active in the management of its affairs. The South Norwalk Congre- gational Church has known and appreci- ated the services of Mr. Frey in many respects. Previous to coming to the city, he was active in church work in Brook- lyn, being assistant superintendent of the Sunday school there for several years. In South Norwalk, he is a member of the business committee of the church, and was assistant superintendent of the Sun- day school.
BRUSH, Joseph,
Business Man, Public Official.
Financier, business man and public of- ficial. This is, in brief, a summary of the career of the well known citizen of Green- wich, Connecticut, whose name heads this article. Mr. Brush has loyally made his native city, which was also the home town of his ancestors, the scene of his various activities, and in all he has done has given proof that he had at heart the best inter- ests of his community.
The name of Brush, which is another form of Bruce, appears to have been de- rived from the French Brues, Bruys, Brus, or Brousse, meaning brushwood, or thicket.
(1) Thomas Brush, born about 1610, probably in Nottinghamshire, England, came to New England in 1638, with John Conklin. After a short stay in Salem, Massachusetts, he moved to Southold,
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Long Island, where he owned land in 1653, but sold it in 1658, and removed to Huntington, Long Island, where he died in 1670. He married Rebecca Conklin, daughter of John and Mary Conklin.
(II) Richard Brush, son of Thomas and Rebecca (Conklin) Brush, was born about 1643, and married, in 1669, Johanna Corey.
(III) Benjamin Brush, son of Richard and Johanna (Corey) Brush, was born October 20, 1682, at Huntington, Long Island, and removed to Greenwich, Con- necticut, where he bought land in 1726. His wife, whose name was Mary, died in May, 1759. The death of Benjamin Brush occurred in December of the same year, and his will was probated at Stam- ford, Connecticut.
(IV) Edward Brush, son of Benjamin and Mary Brush, was born about 1731, and married Deborah Wood, of Ingersoll. Edward Brush died November 18, 1772.
(V) Benjamin (2) Brush, son of Ed- ward and Deborah (Wood) Brush, was born July 5, 1764, and was a farmer in Stanwich, Connecticut. He married, in 1784, Samantha Reynolds, a descendant of John Reynolds, the latter born in Eng- land, in 1612, and came to America in 1633. He settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, removing first to Wethersfield, then to Stamford, and finally to Greenwich, all these places being situated in Connecticut. He died in Greenwich about 1660. Ben- jamin Brush died March 8, 1847, and his widow passed away November 15, 1849.
(VI) Joseph Brush, son of Benjamin (2) and Samantha (Reynolds) Brush, was born August 3, 1792, in Stanwich, Con- necticut, and was reared on the farm until fourteen, when he went to live with his Grandfather Reynolds in North Cos Cob, remaining a member of that household until the age of twenty. He then became a schoolmaster in North Greenwich and
Greenwich, and about 1820 formed a part- nership with Reuben R. Finch for dealing in dry goods and groceries. They be- came, eventually, pioneer meat-packers at Cos Cob, slaughtering cattle at their own place and shipping meats to foreign coun- tries. After a time Mr. Finch withdrew, but Mr. Brush continued the business as long as he led an active life. He then retired, his sons, Amos and Benjamin, succeeding to the proprietorship of the enterprise. Their foreign trade was chiefly with the West Indies. Mr. Brush was a Democrat and held a number of local offices, among them those of justice of the peace and town clerk, both of which he filled for many years. He built the original edifice of Christ Protestant Epis- copal Church. He married, in 1823, Sarah Elizabeth Mead, whose ancestral record is appended to this biography, and their children were: Amos, Richard, Elizabeth Sarah, Mary Louisa, Joseph E. B., Emily C .; Benjamin Platt, mentioned below; Stella P., George Webb, Julia, and Cath- erine C. Joseph Brush, the father, died November 21, 1870, and his widow passed away August 19, 1877.
(VII) Benjamin Platt Brush, son of Joseph and Sarah Elizabeth (Mead) Brush, was born October 2, 1836, at Cos Cob, Connecticut, and received his edu- cation in the district schools and at Green- wich Academy, then presided over by Philander Button. Mr. Brush began his business career by assisting his father in the store at Cos Cob and after a time engaged in the meat business in Stamford. Ere long he returned to Cos Cob and formed a partnership with his brother Amos, their intention being to conduct a general store and meat market. His last years were spent in Greenwich Village, where for some time he was the proprie- tor of a meat market. Like his father he was a Democrat. He married Sarah A.
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Mead, whose ancestral record is included in the biography of her brother, Charles N. Mead, which appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Brush passed away June 19, 1875, leaving the record of an excellent citizen and a truly successful man.
(VIII) Joseph (2) Brush, son of Ben- jamin Platt and Sarah A. (Mead) Brush, was born April 30, 1866, at Cos Cob, Con- necticut, and received his earliest edu- cation in a private school, afterward at- tending a public school in Greenwich, where it might almost be said that his whole life, thus far, has been spent, as it was in his childhood that his parents moved there. At the age of sixteen Mr. Brush accepted a desirable position in New York City, but after retaining it about six years he returned to Greenwich to become teller in the Greenwich Trust and Deposit Company. After the lapse of about five years he found himself in circumstances which justified him in mak- ing an independent business venture and in 1893 he resigned his position. Imme- diately, thereafter, he organized the firm of Banks, Brush & Mead, buying out Waterbury & June. In 1895 the firm be- came Banks & Brush, Mr. Mead having retired, and in 1896 it absorbed the trade of another firm. In April, 1910, Mr. Brush disposed of the business to Maher Broth- ers, Inc.
The political principles of Mr. Brush were those upheld by the Republican party and in public affairs he has always taken the keenest interest, invariably adding the weight of his influence to any movement having for its object the pro- motion of needed reforms and the ad- vancement of the general welfare. His fellow-citizens testified to their confidence in him by making him township auditor, and since 1915 he has been a member of the board of assessors. He is identified with the Amogerone Fire Company. He
and his wife and family are members of the Congregational church.
Mr. Brush married Ella H. Lyon, whose ancestral record is appended to this bi- ography, and they are the parents of two daughters : Annie Louise, and Ruth Sea- man. Joseph Brush is the bearer of a name old and honored in Greenwich township, and by his career both as busi- ness man and citizen has done much for the maintenance of its ancient prestige.
(The Mead Line).
The first mention of this historic family is found in Norman records of the twelfth century and it appears in English records from the close of that century to the pres- ent time. The name, in its various forms, Mead, Meade, Mede and Meads, is the English translation of the Norman de Prato, meaning meadow. The escutch- eon of the family is as follows :
Arms-Sable, a chevron between three pelicans or, vulned gules.
Crest-An eagle displayed.
Motto-Semper paratus.
Thomas Meade, Esq., was the first of the family who came from Somersetshire, England, into County Essex in the reign of Henry VI. He settled at Elmdon, where his descendants were numbered among the leading families of the county. In other counties, also, the Meades were represented, some of them attaining dis- tinction in various walks of life.
(I) William Mead, founder of the Fair- field county and Greenwich Meads, is thought to have sailed from Lydd, County of Kent, in the ship "Elizabeth," in April, 1635, with Gabriel, or Goodman, Mead, whose brother he is supposed to have been. When they arrived in Massachu- setts Gabriel remained there, but Wil- liam proceeded to Connecticut, settling, probably at Wethersfield, and in 1641 re- moving to Stamford, where he received
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from the town a home-lot and five acres of land. His wife died in Stamford, in 1657. No record of his own death has been found.
(II) John Mead, son of William Mead, was born about 1634, and was one of the early settlers of Connecticut, being made a freeman of Greenwich in 1670. In 1679- 80-86 he was a member of Assembly. He married, probably in 1660, Hannah Potter, daughter of William Potter, of Stamford, Connecticut, who was the owner of Ship- pan Point. Thus, through his wife, John Mead came into possession of a large amount of property. He died February 5, 1699.
(III) Ebenezer Mead, son of John and Hannah (Potter) Mead, was born in 1663, and was the proprietor of the Greenwich tavern. He married, in 1691, Sarah Knapp, of Stamford, Connecticut, and his death occurred in 1728.
(IV) Ebenezer (2) Mead, son of Eb- enezer and Sarah (Knapp) Mead, was born October 25, 1692, and married, in 1717, Hannah Brown, of Rye, New York. Ebenezer (2) Mead died May 3, 1775.
(V) Dr. Amos Mead, son of Ebenezer (2) and Hannah (Brown) Mead, was born February 22, 1730, and married, in 1753, Ruth Bush, daughter of Justus Bush. The death of Dr. Mead occurred February 24, 1807.
(VI) Richard Mead, son of Dr. Amos and Ruth (Bush) Mead, was born in 1753, and married (first), in 1776, Sarah Mead, daughter of Nehemiah Mead, who died November 28, 1777, leaving one daughter, Sophia. Mr. Mead married (second), in 1798, Rachel (Mead) Mead, daughter of Deliverance Mead and widow of Whit- man Mead. Richard Mead died April 20, 1826, and his widow passed away Septem- ber 25, 1831.
(VII) Sarah E. Mead, daughter of
Richard and Rachel (Mead-Mead) Mead, was born January 9, 1803, and on March 18, 1823, became the wife of Joseph Brush, as stated above.
(The Lyon Line).
This name, sometimes written Lyons, is of French origin and first appears in history as De Lyons, the family taking the name of the castle and forest of Lyons, France. Ingelram de Lyons accompanied William the Conqueror to England.
(I) Thomas Lyon, called "of Rye" dur- ing the latter years of his life, was born about 1621, in England, and is supposed to have come first to the Massachusetts colony. He is known to have been in Stamford, Connecticut, in 1647. He mar- ried (first) Martha Joanna Winthrop, who died about 1653, daughter of Henry Win- throp and granddaughter of Governor John Winthrop, of Salem, Massachusetts. He married (second), about 1654, Mary Hoyt, daughter of Simon Hoyt, of Stam- ford, Connecticut. Thomas Lyon re- moved from that place and died in 1690, at Byram Point, Greenwich, Connecticut. (II) John Lyon, son of Thomas and Mary (Hoyt) Lyon, was born about 1655, probably at Fairfield, Connecticut. From 1725 to 1730 he was deputy from that town to the General Assembly of Con- necticut, a fact which shows him to have been a prominent man in the community. The name of his wife is unknown. John Lyon died in 1736, in Greenwich, Con- necticut.
(III) Thomas (2) Lyon, son of John Lyon, was born before 1689, at Byram Point, Greenwich, Connecticut, and mar- ried Rebecca Hobby, daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Hobby. Thomas Lyon died in 1732 or 1733, and his widow became the second wife of Samuel Banks.
(IV) Caleb Lyon, son of Thomas (2)
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and Rebecca (Hobby) Lyon, was born October 20, 1718, in Greenwich, Connec- ticut, and was a farmer and blacksmith. On January 2, 1782, he was one of the signers of a petition against allowing forces which had served in the British army to return as citizens of either Stam- ford or Greenwich. He married Eunice Mead, daughter of Elnathan Mead, of Greenwich, who died April 9, 1803. The death of Caleb Lyon occurred at Green- wich, August 30, 1809.
(V) Job Lyon, son of Caleb and Eunice (Mead) Lyon, was born November 16, 1758, at Greenwich, Connecticut, and was by occupation a tailor. Inheriting the homestead, he made it his lifelong home. During the Revolutionary War he served in the Continental army. He married, in 1786, Elizabeth Mead, daughter of De- liverance and Abigail (Howe) Mead. Mrs. Lyon died May 31, 1823, and the death of Mr. Lyon occurred September 23, 1841.
(VI) Isaac Lyon, son of Job and Eliz- abeth (Mead) Lyon, was born May 12, 1795, and married (first), in 1828, Amelia Mead, daughter of Zophar and Huldah Mead, who died February 28, 1833. He married (second), in 1840, Eliza W. Mead, daughter of Job and Elsie Mead, who died February 15, 1847. Isaac Lyon died July 3 or 30, 1873.
(VII) Edwin Lyon, son of Isaac and Eliza W. (Mead) Lyon, was born Feb- ruary 21, 1842, at Greenwich, Connecticut, and married Mary A. Seaman, daughter of Charles H. and Mary A. (Mead) Seaman. Mr. Lyon died July 12, 1892.
(VIII) Ella H. Lyon, daughter of Ed- win and Mary A. (Seaman) Lyon, was born June 21, 1874, and became the wife of Joseph Brush, as stated above. Mrs. Brush, like her husband, is a native of Greenwich.
FAIRTY FAMILY,
Ancestral History.
Ambition is a noble comrade; it walks beside a man as a faithful friend, and yet every man who would succeed must first overcome many difficulties.
James Fairty, grandfather of the broth- ers, Thomas J. and Charles H. Fairty, believed that greater opportunities awaited him in America, and when a youth of eighteen years came to this country. He had not found it easy to leave his native land and friends, but the realization of the benefits to be derived encouraged him. Mr. Fairty settled in New Canaan, becoming a resident of the section known as Silver Mine. There he married, January 19, 1830, Eliza Monroe, daughter of Nathan and Sally (Jarvis) Monroe, and she died November 6, 1894, aged eighty-four years. James Fairty went to New York City in 1862, during the Civil War, and was run over and killed by a mob in one of the streets there. In his early days in New Canaan, he had been a shoemaker, and it was this occu- pation which the son followed for many years.
Thomas Monroe Fairty, son of James Fairty, was born in Silver Mine, August 28, 1832, and died in September, 1906. As before stated, he followed his father's occupation and had a small shop of his own. He made fine work for local manu- facturers, and during the Civil War worked on army shoes. After the war, he established himself in the meat and grocery business, which he continued in- terested in until about five years before his death. He was succeeded in his trade by his son, a sketch of whom follows. In politics Mr. Fairty was a Democrat, and was active in public affairs. He served as selectman for several years, and was
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an incorporator of the Lakeview Ceme- tery Association.
Mr. Fairty married Margaret C. Geddes, daughter of Jeremiah Geddes, of Silver Mine, and their children were two sons, both of whom receive extended mention below.
FAIRTY, Thomas J., Retired.
Thomas J. Fairty, son of Thomas Mon- roe and Margaret C. (Geddes) Fairty, was born in the town of Wilton, Connec- ticut, March 10, 1856. He attended school in that town and in Silver Mine. When he was twelve years old he went to the Center School in New Canaan. After leaving school he entered the store of his father, where he made himself generally useful and at the same time learned the business in detail. In 1880, Mr. Fairty went to Stamford and there established himself in the meat business, continuing successfully for seven years. At the end of this time he returned again to New Canaan and was with his father until his retirement in 1896. Mr. Fairty is a Demo- crat in politics, and in his young manhood served several years as tax collector. He is an incorporator of Lakeview Cemetery Association, and one of the active mem- bers of St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
Mr. Fairty married, October 20, 1880, Caroline Elizabeth Lockwood, a direct descendant of Robert Lockwood, the im- migrant ancestor. Mr. and Mrs. Fairty are the parents of a daughter, Flora Lou- ise, born September 22, 1881. She mar- ried Herbert A. Sibley, of Westfield, Massachusetts, and has one daughter, Juliet Lockwood, born September 26, 19II.
(The Lockwood Line).
The name of Lockwood is one of the most ancient surnames found on English
records in the County Yorkshire, record being found as early as the fourteenth century. In the beginning the spelling of the name differed and in many in- stances it is found spelled Lokewood and Lockewood. The derivation of the name is from Locke or Lock, referring to a dwelling in or by an enclosure or confine -- and wod, which is the old English form of wood. Hence a remote ancestor dwelt in a clearing or by the side of a large wood, and derived his surname from the location of his home.
(I) Robert Lockwood, the ancestor of the family, came to New England about 1630, and settled in Watertown, Massa- chusetts. He was made a freeman, March 9, 1636-37, and in 1646 removed to Fair- field, Connecticut, where he died in 1658. On May 20, 1652, he was made a freeman there. His wife, whose Christian name was Susannah, died December 23, 1660, in Greenwich.
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