USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v. 8 > Part 51
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(VIII) Lewis Vincent St. John, son of Darius and Elizabeth Ann (Crofoot) St. John, was born March 12, 1832, and died September 11, 1902. He learned the tan- ner's trade, which he followed until the death of an elder brother. The latter had been in charge of the home farm, and after his death, Lewis V. St. John as- sumed the responsibility. He specialized in dairying and sold the milk wholesale. He married, September 4, 1858, Hannah Kellogg Comstock, born February 17, 1835, daughter of George Edwin and Mary (Dibble) Comstock, and a descendant of William Comstock, the immigrant. Thus in two different lines the ancestry is traced to the Comstock immigrant, both being through the line of Christopher Comstock, of the second generation. Mr. and Mrs. St. John were the parents of the following children : Lewis W .; Darius A., of further mention; Edson Kellogg, of East Norwalk ; Anna Comstock. Mrs. St. John survives her husband, and with her family attends the Congregational church.
(IX) Darius Ayres St. John, son of Lewis Vincent and Hannah Kellogg (Comstock) St. John, was born in New Canaan, Connecticut, November 30, 1862. He was educated in the public schools. He followed in the footsteps of his fa- ther, making a specialty of milk produc- tion, and has been on the home farm all his life. On an average he keeps about twenty head of cattle and wholesales most of the milk. Aside from his farm duties, Mr. St. John has often found time to be of public service and has held the office of justice of the peace for several years, and has also been on the board of assessors for some time. He is a mem- , ber of the Congregational Church of New Canaan and has served on the board of
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trustees and served as deacon for many years. He is a charter member of New Canaan Grange, No. 38, of which he is past master, and is a charter member and past master of Pomona Grange, of Fair- field county, being a member of the sev- enth degree.
Mr. St. John married, November 3, 1886, Sarah Estella Selleck, born October 31, 1866, daughter of John Edwin and Mary E. (Crawford) Selleck, of New Can- aan. They are the parents of the follow- ing children: 1. Vincent Selleck, born June 17, 1892 ; during the World War he served in the artillery in France, acting as driver for a colonel ; he married Mildred Heath and they are the parents of three children: Ruth, Edwin Heath, and Rich- ard Vincent. 2. Lawrence Darius, born August 21, 1896; he was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- ogy ; when this country entered the World War, he was a student in college and at once enlisted in a college corp, but re- mained in college until after his gradua- tion ; he was then stationed in the Officers' Training Camp in Virginia, in the vicin- ity of the city of Washington, and there remained until the armistice was signed, when they were disbanded, and he re- turned to his home in New Canaan, Con- necticut ; he is now engaged in the experi- mental rooms of the Norwalk Tire and Rubber Company.
McCREADY, Robert Halsey, D. D. S., Served in World War.
Dr. McCready's active professional ca- reer began in the military service, and then, after reciving his degree in dentistry in June, 1920, he succeeded Dr. Cunning- ham in practice in New Canaan, Connec- ticut, his present home. Dr. McCready is a grandson of James McCready, who
spent his entire life in his Ireland home, Belfast, and a son of Robert Workman McCready.
Robert Workman McCready was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1860, and was there educated. As a youth of twelve years he began to make his own way in the world and when nineteen years of age came to the United States. After a short period spent in New York City he located at Little Falls, New York, and there fol- lowed the carpenter's trade, which he had learned in the shipyards of Harlem & Wolfe, at Belfast. He remained in Little Falls for a few years, then made his home in Sloatsburg, New York, where he has since resided. His business activities fol- lowed the line of contracting, and for thirty years he has conducted independent operations, principally residential work, being widely known in the district as a contractor and builder. Mr. McCready is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his wife, and he has been a zealous worker in the denomination, hav- ing served as president of the official board. He holds the thirty-second de- gree in the Masonic order, and is a mem- ber of Newburgh Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons ; Hudson River Command- ery, Knights Templar, of Newburgh, New York; and Mecca Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of New York City. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. McCready served as president of the school board for two years, and is president of the Builders' Union at the present time (1921).
Robert Workman McCready married Mary Finch, daughter of John H. and Catherine (Bowen) Finch, her father a veteran of the Civil War, having served in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty- Fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer
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Infantry. John H. Finch was a son of Thomas and Abigail Finch, his father a soldier of the War of 1812, and a grand- son of Solomon Finch, who enlisted in the Revolutionary War, but who was dis- charged to return to his occupation of iron worker on the ground that such serv- ice was more essential to the Colonial cause than his work as a soldier.
Robert Halsey McCready, son of Rob- ert Workman and Mary (Finch) Mc- Cready, was born in Sloatsburg, New York, May 10, 1895. After attending the public schools of Sloatsburg, he was a student in preparatory schools in Hack- ettstown and Pennington, New Jersey. After completing his freshman year in the dental school of the University of Penn- sylvania he transferred to the dental de- partment of the University of Louisville. He left college April 6, 1918, and enlisted during the World War in Dental Com- pany No. I, being assigned to duty at Camp Greenleaf, Chickamauga Park, Georgia, where his maternal grandfather, John H. Finch, had fought during the Civil War. Receiving an honorable dis- charge from the United States army, De- cember 20, 1919, he returned to college, was awarded the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in June, 1920, and estab- lished in practice in New Canaan, pur- chasing Dr. Cunningham's practice. Dr. McCready entered professional work with a thorough and comprehensive training, and his early work has gained him stand- ing and reputation in the community. He is a member of the Supreme Chapter of Delta Sigma Delta fraternity, Philoma- thean fraternity at Pennington, and Alpha Phi fraternity at Hackettstown.
Dr. McCready married Myrtle B. De- laney, of Frankfort, Kentucky, Decem- ber 22, 1917, at Louisville, Kentucky.
DURYEA, George W.,
Merchant, Public Official.
One of the representative citizens of New Canaan, Connecticut, is George W. Duryea, whose achievements have been accomplished through his own unaided efforts. He was born in New York City, September 16, 1866, son of Stephen Cor- nell and Mary Ann (Evanshearer) Dur- yea.
Stephen Cornell Duryea, father of George W. Duryea, also was born in New York City, September 5, 1814. He at- tended the public schools, and for many years of his life was engaged in the jew- elry business. Later he received an ap- pointment in the searcher's office of the county clerk, where he remained until 1879. In the latter year Mr. Duryea re- moved to Poundridge, New York, and there his death occurred, May 24, 1887. Mr. Duryea married, February 2, 1859, in New York City, Mary Ann Evanshear- er, born in that city, June 1, 1842, died in Jersey City, New Jersey, March 26, 1916.
George W. Duryea attended the schools of New York City, and after his father's removal to Poundridge, helped in the cultivation of the farm until he was twenty-one years old. At that time Mr. Duryea learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed, and subsequently formed a partnership with Samuel Brown, under the firm name of Brown & Duryea, to engage in contracting. Their business was largely in the adjoining town of New Canaan, Connecticut, and for twenty years the firm prospered. Mr. Duryea then en- tered the employ of Weed & Turner, then owners of the business of which he is now one of the proprietors, and in 1913, Mr. Duryea succeeded Mr. Turner as a member of the firm.
Mr. Duryea is a Republican in politics,
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and has been chairman of the Republican Town Committee for a number of years; for eight or ten years he was a member of the Board of Relief, and has been a delegate to county and State conven- tions.
Fraternally he is a member of Wooster Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, of which he is past grand, and has also served as district deputy of the Grand Lodge. Mr. Duryea is past chief patri- arch of Wahackma Encampment, and is a member of the Rebekas; he is also a member of Harmony Lodge, Free and Ac- cepted Masons.
Mr. Duryea married Alice E. Bulkley, daughter of Augustus and Emily (Wil- liams) Bulkley. They were the parents of three children : 1. Elsie, married Walter Johnson, and died at the age of twenty- one years. 2. Blanche, wife of Dr. E. G. Cunningham, of New Canaan, Connecti- cut, and the mother of a daughter, Blanche Weed. 3. G. Stanley, a student in the University of Louisville, class of 1924, in dentistry.
SELLECK, John Henry, Agriculturist, Public Official.
A prosperous farmer, who is at the same time a justice of the peace is always a figure of prominence in his community, and all his friends and neighbors of Dar- ien can testify that this is emphatically the case with Mr. Selleck. In township affairs Mr. Selleck has always been active, having in former years filled other local offices of trust and responsibility.
The race of the Sellecks is a very an- cient one, as appears from records of 1086, in which it is mentioned. The name is Cornish-British, which is a dialect of the Celtic, Belgic, or Cambrian, formerly spoken throughout Cornwall. It means
"an open view," conspicuous. Family records show that about the seventeenth century John Selyocke "declined knight- hood," and in the deed of Galdon Manor Robert Selleck is spoken of as "a trustie and well beloved friend." John Selioke, father and son, were mayors of St. Albans in 1684-1700. At that time "Selleck-on- the-Wye" is mentioned as a beautiful vil- lage.
Branches of the family of Selleck are found in different portions of the United States. David Selleck was one of the early settlers of Massachusetts, and it ap- pears from old records that Jonathan and John Sellicke were residents in the seven- teenth and eighteenth centuries of Rye, Westchester county, New York.
Benjamin Selleck, father of John Henry Selleck, was born in Poundridge, New York, and was a son of Major (not a mil- itary title) and Nancy (Jump) Selleck. Major Selleck was a native of Pound- ridge, which is situated in Westchester county, and was by trade a basket-maker. Basket-making was in fact one of the principal industries of the community, and it was this trade which Benjamin Selleck learned and which he followed all his life. About 1854 he removed to Darien, Connecticut, and engaged in the manu- facture of baskets on his own account. During the Civil War Mr. Selleck served in the Union army as a member of Com- pany H, Seventeenth Regiment, Connec- ticut Volunteer Infantry, being out three years and all that time remaining with his regiment. Mr. Selleck married Amel- ia Curtis, and their children were: Betsey J., married Holly H. Draper, of Darien ; Lois, became the wife of George Bates, of Darien; Kate, married Louis St. George; Ida, mrried Benjamin F. Offen, of New Canaan; and John Henry, men- tioned below. Mr. Selleck died in 1905.
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He was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. All his daughters, with the exception of the youngest, are now deceased.
John Henry Selleck, son of Benjamin and Amelia (Curtis) Selleck, was born June 17, 1859, in Darien, Connecticut. He was educated in the public schools of his birthplace. On reaching manhood he chose to devote himself to agricultural pursuits and has since followed them with marked success, making farming his life work. For many years he was associated with his father in the management of the homestead. About 1901 Mr. Selleck be- came superintendent for S. T. Mather and for fifteen years took charge of the es- tate, resigning about three years ago. In the sphere of politics, Mr. Selleck has al- ways remained loyal to the principles of the Republican party, but has never cared to participate actively in the work of the organization. Several times he has been called by his fellow-citizens to serve them in public positions. For some years he held the office of assessor, and in 1918 he was chosen first selectman. He is now serving his second term as justice of the peace. He affiliates with Butler Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of South Norwalk, and with the Improved Order of Red Men, of Norwalk. He is a member of the Congregational church.
Mr. Selleck married, June 13, 1888, Della V. Carrier, daughter of James A. Carrier, of Norwalk, and they are the par- ents of one son, Joseph Carrier Selleck.
The ancestors of John Henry Selleck, in the successive generations, have always stood for the best interests of their com- munities, and his record bears testimony that he has worthily followed their exam- ple, always manifesting, both as agricul- turist and citizen. that disinterested pub- lic spirit invariably expected of a loyal American.
CURTIS, Louis Julius,
Lawyer, Legislator.
Since the foundation of the nation by the pioneer from other lands, the most striking phase of her history has been developed in the capacity of her sons to adopt themselves from time to time to the exigencies of the moment. The high- souled ancestors came seeking relief from political oppression and freedom to wor- ship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. With expressions of spiritual fervor on their lips, they busied their hands with the most menial tasks. They met poverty with fortitude, they resisted attacks of Indians and wild ani- mals, they even turned in armed protest upon their mother country. The men of our day have shown the world that the spirit still lives, even in the world of busi- ness, and in the continual readjustment of public matters which the march of prog- ress involves. Louis Julius Curtis, promi- nent lawyer of Stamford, Connecticut, is an example of this spirit.
In the very early days there were many and varied methods of adopting surnames, among them being occupation, location of home and description. The first named are generally classed as "Occupational Names," the second as "Place Names," and the third, "Personal Qualities." It is to this latter classification that the sur- name of Curtis belongs. It is derived from a Norman-French word-curteis or curtois-meaning courteous, civil. In early records it is found spelled Curtice. The family were early settled in Kent, England.
(I) William Curtiss embarked in the ship "Lion," June 22, 1632, from England, landing December 16, 1632, at Scituate, Massachusetts. He brought with him four children : Thomas, Mary, John and Philip. They settled in Roxbury, Massachusetts,
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whence they removed to Stratford, Connecticut. From the records of Strat- ford, it appears that the father of these must have died before the removal of the family thither, and previous to that a son, William, was born. The first of the name that appears on those records are John, William, and their mother, Elizabeth Cur- tiss. The coat-of-arms of the Curtis family is as follows: Azure, a fess dancettee be- tween three crowns or. This is according to Cothren, the historian, and the motto of the family is : Saepere aude.
(II) William Curtis, the second son of the Widow Elizabeth Curtiss, was born June 21, 1618, in England, and came to Stratford, Connecticut, with his mother and brother John. His name appears among the property owners there in 1650. As well as being an original proprietor of Stratford, he was active in town affairs and held the rank of sergeant. William Curtis was representative to the General Court, commissioner and assistant. He was one of the original grantees of Wood- bury, although he never lived there. The first wife of William Curtis was Mary William Curtis died December 21, 1702.
(III) Josiah Curtis, ninth child and youngest son of William and Mary Curtis, was born August 30, 1662, in Stratford, where he died in 1745. He was captain of the Train Band, and had a saw mill. He also served as deputy to the General Court. He married (second) Mary Beach, daughter of Benjamin Beach, of Stratford, and granddaughter of John Beach, immigrant ancestor, born in Eng- land and settled in Stratford.
(IV) Benjamin Curtis, son of Josiah and Mary (Beach) Curtis, was born De- cember 15, 1704, in Stratford, and died July 28, 1782-83, in Newtown, where he settled about 1728. He was a leader in community affairs, and represented his
town in the General Court. He married (first) Elizabeth Birdsey, daughter of Abel and Comfort (Welles) Birdsey, of Stratford, August 27, 1727-28, and she died February 24, 1773.
(V) Benjamin (2) Curtis, son of Ben- jamin (1) and Elizabeth (Birdsey) Curtis, was born February 14, 1736, in Newtown, where he died February 20, 1817. He served as a private in Captain David Smith's company, April 21, 1776. He married (first) Phedina Nichols, daugh- ter of Nathaniel Nichols, of Newtown, November 23, 1758, and she died Febru- ary 15, 1773. Mrs. Curtis was descended from Sergeant Francis Nichols, ancestor of the family, who was born in England. Francis Nichols was in Stratford in 1639, an original proprietor, and first settler there. His son, Isaac Nichols, born in England, died in Stratford, in 1695. He married Margaret - and their son, Isaac Nichols, was born March 12, 1654, and died in 1690. In November, 1686, he owned a house and land in Stratford. He married Mary - --- , and their son, Rich- ard Nichols, was born November 26, 1678, and died September 20, 1756. Richard Nichols was one of the most prominent men of his day. He married, June 3, 1702, Comfort Sherman, daughter of Theophi- lus Sherman, who died February II, 1726-27. Nathaniel Nichols, their son, was born April 8, 1708. He settled at Newtown, and was the father of Phedina Nichols, who became the wife of Benja- min Curtis, as above stated.
(VI) Philo Curtis, son of Benjamin (2) and Phedina (Nichols) Curtis, was born June 27, 1760, and died March 7, 1818, in Newtown. He was selectman of New- town for six years, 1802-1807 and 1809. He married Huldah Hubbard, of Weston, and she died January 25, 1853, at the age of ninety-six years.
(VII) Nichols Curtis, eldest son of
ConD-8-24
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Philo and Huldah (Hubbard) Curtis, was born September 27, 1784, and died April 20, 1852. He married Sarah Ann Bennett, daughter of Amos Bennett, of Newtown, November 3, 1803, and she died October 29, 1858. Nichols Curtis was educated in the public schools and the Cheshire Acad- emy. He was a farmer by occupation and raised sheep on a large scale. A quiet, modest, retiring man, he was very domes- tic in his tastes. His education was con- siderably better than most men of his vicinity, and he was often called upon to draw up legal papers and his advice was sought on many matters.
(VIII) Julius Bolevar Curtis, only son of Nichols and Sarah Ann (Bennett) Cur- tis, was born December 10, 1825, in New- town, Connecticut. He attended the public schools of Newtown, the Newtown Academy, and a private academy. He studied alone to a large extent, and under the preceptorship of the Hon. Edward Hinman, of Southbury, he took up the study of law. That was in the year 1846, and Mr. Curtis walked fourteen miles every day to recite his law lessons. Sub- sequently he studied with Isaac M. Sturges and the Hon. Amos S. Treat. His legal studies were completed at a law school in Ballston Springs, Saratoga county, New York, and in 1850 he was admitted to the Fairfield county bar. Mr. Curtis engaged in practice in Greenwich, Connecticut, and was recognized as one of the foremost men of his profession in the State. His knowledge of substantiative law was broad and deep, and he was a strong pleader. In ability and accom- plishment he was comparable with the best lawyers at any period in the history of the bar of this State. He had an un- usually attractive personality, combined with great keenness of intellect that was allied with the judicial temperament, and won enviable reputation as a strong trial
lawyer. In 1864 Mr. Curtis removed to Stamford, Connecticut. In his youth he had been a strong Abolitionist and later a Free Soiler. He had an extensive cor- respondence with Horace Greeley, and also wrote many strong papers on im- portant issues of the day. He voted for Van Buren, and later was a member of the Republican party. In 1858 and 1860 he was a member of the State Senate; from 1861 to 1864 he served as a member of the military committee of the town of Greenwich, at whose meetings he was a very regular attendant. From 1867 to 1870 Mr. Curtis served as judge of probate in Stamford; from 1885 to 1889 he was vice-president of the American Bar Asso- ciation, and also served as chairman of the Fairfield County Bar Association. For several years he was a director of the Stamford Street Railway Company.
Mr. Curtis entered actively into patri- otic work at home, and was a warm per- sonal friend of Connecticut's great Civil War Governor, W. A. Buckingham, and was frequently in conference with him. Mr. Curtis was an earnest, industrious and thoughtful man. He gave the best that was in him to the task in hand, whether a case at law or a matter of public policy and interest. He was strong in his attachments. To hear him talk of his friends or of the Republican party, or of the bar association, was to feel con- vinced that love and loyalty were strong traits of his character. He loved books and literature, for he had a genuine ap- preciation of all true culture. He was especially devoted to his profession, and in its practice financial considerations were entirely secondary. He was not a lover of money and was not influenced in his views or activities by mercenary mo- tives. Such a personality cannot fail to win and hold friends, and Mr. Curtis was loved and trusted by all who knew him.
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Mr. Curtis married (first) October 30, 1854, Mary Acker, daughter of Peter and Mary Acker, of Greenwich; she died in 1884. There were two children: I. Sarah, born March 9, 1866, in Stamford; she married, in 1891, T. J. Mackay, of New York City. 2. Louis Julius, of fur- ther mention. Mr. Curtis married (sec- ond) Alice (Kneeland) Grain, widow of Francis H. Grain, and she died about a month after Mr. Curtis, which occurred at Stamford, June 10, 1907.
(IX) Louis Julius Curtis, son of Julius B. and Mary (Acker) Curtis, was born March II, 1869, in Stamford. He was fitted for college by the well known edu- cator, Hiram U. King, who conducted a noted private school in Stamford for many years, and was graduated from the Shef- field Scientific School of Yale College, in 1889, with the degree of Ph. B. He read law under the preceptorship of his father, and took a special course in the New York Law School. In 1892 Mr. Curtis was admitted to the bar in Connecticut; the following year he was appointed clerk of the City Court of Stamford, which office he held for ten years. From 1897 to 1904 Mr. Curtis was corporation coun- sel of Stamford, and also served as bor- ough counsel of New Canaan. In the general practice of his profession, Mr. Curtis has won a high place in legal cir- cles of his part of the State. His cases are prepared with careful attention to detail. Loyalty and sincerity, which win and hold confidence, are strong factors in his success. Like his father, he has al- ways taken an active interest in public affairs, believing that a man's ability to serve is the measure of his responsibility to society.
In 1901 Mr. Curtis was a member of the Legislature and served on the judiciary committee and committee on contested elections. He has been member of the
Town Board of Finance of Stamford for four years, 1919-1922. He has always taken an active interest in all that con- cerns the welfare and progressive de- velopment of Stamford. He was presi- dent of the Stamford Bar Association, 1919-1921. He organized the Fidelity Title and Trust Company, of which he has been a director since organization, and is now (1921) president. Mr. Curtis is president of the Stamford Realty Com- pany and president of the Curtis-French Realty Company. Fraternally, his affili- ations consist of membership in Union Lodge, No. 5, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Rittenhouse Chapter, No. 11, Royal Arch Masons; Washington Coun- cil, No. 6, Royal and Select Masters ; Puritan Lodge, No. 14, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Curtis has served the Suburban Club of Stamford as president, and is now a member of its board of governors. During the World War, Mr. Curtis sustained the family's prestige for patriotism by serving on the Legal Advisory Board of the Draft. He was a member of a team in all Liberty Loan drives, Red Cross drives, United War Work drive and Young Men's Chris- tian Association drive.
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