History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 184

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noon, and worked incessantly, without sitting down to eat, or sleeping, until Tuesday at midnight. The day thereafter he was left in the rebels' hands with the wounded, but by them kept in the same place and service. This captivity lasted six weeks. Soon after he accompanied his regiment to Connecticut, and with it was mustered out of service on expiration of term of enlistment. He was soon selected as surgeon of board of enrollment in the Fourth District of Con- necticut, and placed on duty at Bridgeport. He attended so well to the duties that he held that posi- tion till the close of the war, when he was again honorably discharged, and returned to his home in Stamford. He resumed his professional practice, and from that time has been identified with the town, his practice and reputation for skill increasing yearly. Four of his children have attained maturity. The oldest, a teacher, is married and father of four chil- dren, yet Dr. Trowbridge remains young, and alert and active as of yore. His talents are those of solid- ity rather than brilliancy. He is not blatant, nor freely expressive of his knowledge, but well posted in his profession. He is not a boaster, and despises one as much as an intriguer or trickster, and is always on good terms with his brethren. He espe- cially excels in surgery and midwifery. In both his skill is from natural aptitude. His army experience has largely aided lis skill as a surgeon, while that of midwifery has grown upon him, through the excep- tionally large practice given him by his geutleness and kindliness of manner, aided by an untiring patience and a coolness that never flurries to hinder his success or make nervous his patient. In this department he stands at the head of his profession in this section. For many years he has numbered more than one hundred obstetric cases per annum, having in one year one hundred and forty-four, out of a total, in the town, of three hundred and fifty-four.

CHAUNCEY AYRES, M.D.

The ancestor of the Ayres family in this country was a Dr. Ayres, who was a surgeon in the British army. He came to America with his regiment dur- ing the Revolutionary war. After its close he re- signed his commission and permanently located here. He had a number of sons, one of whom settled in Stamford. The first of the name recorded in Stam- ford was Richard Ayres. He was a married man, and liis son Ebenezer, born in 1716 and married in 1739, had a son Reuben, born in 1741. Reuben was the father of Jonathan, who married Deborah Sco- field. They had nine children. Among thiese was Frederick, born in 1782. He married Rebecca Sey- mour, and of their numerous family of children Dr. Chauncey Ayres was oldest.

Chauncey Ayres, M.D., was born in New Canaan, Conn., Aug. 8, 1808. He graduated in medicine at Yale College in 1831 ; first opened an office in Green-

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Chauncey Oyes To

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749

STAMFORD.

wich, and afterwards in New York, and was one of the surgeons in the New York Cholera Hospital in 1832. He was for a time attached to the United States Coast Survey as a surgeon. In 1834 he settled permanently in Stamford, where he soon aequired a good practice, and where he has since been a resident. His first wife was daughter of Dr. Percival, of Darien. Their children were a son, now chief engineer United States Navy, and three daughters. The second wife was Julia A. Simpson, of Brooklyn, N. Y. They have had three children. Dr. Ayres is still in active practice, and is the oldest practicing physician, save one, in Fairfield County. Dr. Ayres has been located in Stamford for forty-six years, and of all who were practicing in the county in 1834, the year he located liere, all are dead but Dr. Ayres and Dr. Mead, of Greenwich.

Dr. Ayres has enjoyed the confidenee and esteem of the community through a very long professional life, has been called to fill various positions of honor and trust, and to-day, among the many aspirants for the popular good-will, none carry with them a greater portion than Dr. Ayres, and no professional man, for years, will have the broad eirele of friends and the extensive practice which he possesses.

CHARLES C. LOCKWOOD.

Charles C. Lockwood, son of Ebenezer and Polly Loekwood, was born Aug. 26, 1823, in Stamford, Conn. His father was a farmer and stock-dealer. He also was born in Stamford. Mrs. Lockwood died when Charles was three years old. After re- maining with his father till he was about twelve years of age, Charles went to Olean, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., with a cousin, Dr. Andrew Mead, and attended school two years. Returning to his father's home in Stamford, after a short attendance at school, he shipped as a common sailor on a vessel leaving New York. Following the sea two years, he returned to Stamford and taught distriet school for two years, and then engaged in the eattle trade with his father, buying cattle in Chicago, and other points in the West and New York State, and shipping them to various points in the Eastern States. After two years' connection with his father, he engaged in the business on his own account.

In 1858, while shipping cattle from Chicago, Mr. Lockwood was injured on the New York Central Railroad, from which injuries he has never fully recovered. He was going along the track, at night, looking for the number of a ear containing some of his cattle, when he fell into a road running under the track, and, among other injuries, received such a shock to his nervous system that his eyes never have had proper sight since. As soon as he could attend to business he instituted a suit for damages against the, railroad. This suit lasted fourteen years, going from court to court, and from district to district, until

Mr. Lockwood received a decision from the United States Supreme Court awarding him fifteen thousand dollars damages. This decision settled a question never before adjudicated, that the release signed by drovers to obtain transportation on a railroad docs not exonerate the company from damages for injuries arising from their own neglect. To successfully com- bat such a gigantic corporation, and carry on a case for so many years, required a will, an energy, and a persistency which shows Mr. Lockwood to be a per- son of no ordinary calibre. Men eminent in the law have said that there was not one other man in Ainer- ica who would have done this.

Since that decision was given Mr. Lockwood has lived on the old farm, near his place of birth, and is considered a live, progressive farmer, and, with his intelligent family, is making what may well be termed a typical New England home. Dec. 30, 1851, he married Eliza A., daughter of Elder. E. S. Ray- mond, a Baptist clergyman of Westchester Co., N. Y. She died Jan. 17, 1856. Their only child, Charles Stanley, is also dead. April 11, 1861, he married Anna Rosselle, daughter of Nicholas and Elizabeth Rosselle, of Lewis Co., N. Y. Their daughter Clara was born May 23, 1870. Mr. Lockwood was an old Henry Clay Whig, easting his first Presidential vote for that statesman. Since the formation of the Re- publican party he has acted and voted with it.

THEODORE J. DASKAM.

Theodore J. Daskam was born in Stamford, Conn., March 3, 1833. His grandfather, Capt. William Das- kam, served under La Fayette in the Revolution, and received his discharge direct from Washington. He commanded a company in the war of 1812, and for his services received a pension. His family consisted of thirteen children, of whom Benjamin J., father of Theodore, was youngest.

His birthplace was in that portion of Stamford since set off as the town of Darien, and he was born in January, 1810, and married Mary Ingraham, also a native of Stamford. They had seven children. Mr. Daskam first learned the carpenter's trade, but not liking it went to Brooklyn, N. Y., and as a clerk familiarized himself with mercantile pursuits. Re- turning to Stamford, he engaged in trade, and is to-day one of the oldest merchants here, having been in active business for forty consecutive years, for thirty years occupying the premises where he is now located. He has been for years one of Stamford's representative men, enjoying the confidence of his fellow-townsmen : has worthily filled all of the various local offices and represented his town in the State Legislature.

Mr. Daskam was the eldest of his father's family. and from his early youth assisted his father in his business, becoming chief manager, while his father attended to the purchase of goods in New York. All ardent believer in the principles of the Republican

750

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

party, he has ever been active in their support, and it is a token of the esteem and confidence with which that party held him, and the value they placed on his services, that he received one of the first appointments of President Lincoln. He was appointed postmaster of Stamford by commission dating April 17, 1861. This position he has held by commissions succes- sively from Lincoln (1861-65), Johnson (1866), Grant (1870-74), Hayes (1878), and is now one of the oldest of these officials in the United States, three others only dating back their appointment (approximatively) to the same time. He was United States Deputy Col- lector of Internal Revenue for nearly ten years, and, by request of the tax-payers of Stamford, was ap- pointed Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue. He held this office about three years, as long as there was a necessity for it. During this period Mr. Daskam was holding three Federal offices, and thus had three distinct franking privileges.

In 1864 he was engaged in the insurance business, and he now represents some of the best companies in fire insurance, and the "Mutual Life" of New York City.

He was one of the incorporators of the Gulf Stream Engine Company, No. 2, of Stamford. He was foreman of it for many years, and is now an active member. The only time he has been off the rolls of this company was while acting as chief engineer of Stamford, which office he held for several years.

He cast his first vote for William T. Minor, who was the Native American, or "Know-Nothing," candi- date for Governor. Since the Republican party was in existence he has supported its candidates, voting for John C. Fremont for President in 1856.

He has for ycars held membership in Union Lodge, No. 5, F. and A. M .; was Senior Warden in 1858, Master in 1860, and Treasurer from 1861 to 1864. For about twenty years he has been a member of Rip- powam Lodge, No. 24, I. O. O. F., and is a director in Stamford Savings Bank.

Mr. Daskam is a man of thorough business quali- ties, possessed of energy and force of character, and at the same time has winning social qualities and a large number of personal friends. He is always awake and active in anything tending to advance, elevate, or improve the interests of Stamford.

Mr. Daskam was married Dec. 6, 1864, to Sarah Remer, daughter of Edward T. and Sarah (Remer) Stanley, of New Haven, Conn. Their only child, Walter Duryee, was born Sept. 18, 1865.

CHAPTER LXXIV .. STRATFORD.

Geographical-Topographical-The Indians-The Indian Purchase-Set- tlement of the Town-Home-Lots and their Owners-Ecclesiastical Troubles-Detailed Account of the Schisms which Resulted in the Settlement of Woodbury-View of Ancient Stratford.

THIS town lics in the southeast part of the county, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Hunting- ton and Trumbull ; on the east by the Housatonic River, which separates it from the town of Milford, in New Haven County ; on the south by Long Island Sound; and on the west by the towns of Bridgeport and Trumbull. The town is generally level and re- markably free from stone when compared with many other towns in the county, and along the river and harbor the land is rich and very fertile.

THE INDIANS.

It is evident that this section was from a remote period a favorite resort for various Indian tribes, at- tracted hither no doubt by the abundance of shell and other fish. From time to time various relics of In- dian occupancy have been unearthed, such as pestles, stone hatchets, arrow-heads, etc., and vast deposits of bleached shells may still be found marking their favorite haunts.

Upon the advent of the white settler the natives were numerous, but seemed to constitute no distinct tribe, and were not of a warlike disposition. These Indians belonged to Pagusetts, whose dominion ex- tended to Derby, but were commonly styled Pequon- nocks.

THE INDIAN PURCHASE.

The first purchase of the Indians was made in 1639, and included an area of ten miles square. Upon the execution of this sale the Indians retired to their two reservations, one at Golden Hill, Bridgeport, and the other at Coram, on the borders of Huntington.

SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.

As stated above, the first purchase of lands was made in 1639, and in that year also the permanent settle- ment of the town was effected. The original proprie- tors were seventeen in number, but their names have not come to us. Neither did they all settle here. A number simply " entercd their rights" and sold.

The favorable location, abundance of fish, and fer- tility of the meadows, however, soon attracted the at- tention of others, and within ten years from the first planting of the settlement it numbered a list of forty- one names.

The following is a list of the early settlers, as they appear on the land-records, between the years 1654 and about 1668. The numbers refer to the accompa- nying map of ancient Stratford.

1. John Birdseye, Jr.

2. John Birdseye, Sr. The eastern half was in 1679 sold to Hezekiah Dickinson, ancestor of President Jonathan Dickinson, of Princeton Col- lege. H. Dickinson married a granddaughter of Rev. Adam Blakeman.

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K. 61

Road

common Street 52

66 6

6 acres

SiSherman

John Wilcoxson.

66a

6 acres

Daniel Titterton

difield

Creek

124

75 A

Neck

Little

Sich Streets as ar laid down on the map other- wis than as they nmr run arr restored to their Vormi and course in 1640 to 1616 sofar as Tr- Preuves to them in boundaries& c enablesto arrivain orconjecture them. 1862

RIVER

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Road on River Shore

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Original Road to Fas

Commons

Lundy's Lane Part of the 470

38a

Creek

Intack

Perry

Street or Commons

Gallows Brook D'Th Fairfield

Brook

Tanners

Ferry Roatt

Swamp

751

STRATFORD.

3: Thomas (and then his son John) Sherwood.

4. Elizabeth Beardsley (widow of -).

. 5 and 8. Jeremiah Judson.

G. Jolin Minor.

7. William Burritt.

9. Nathaniel Porter.

10. David Mitchell, ancestor of tho late Prof. Mitcholl, of North Carolina.

11. John Hurd.

12. 2 1st, Thomas Seabrook ; then, 12th, to Jolin Birdseye, Jr.,

13. S and, 13th, to Thomas Fairchild, Jr. .

14. John Peacock, and then to his daughters, Miss Phebe Burgess and Mrs. Deborah (James) Clarke.

15. Henry Wakelyn, now written Wakeleo.

16. Thomas Uffoot. This property is still in the family.

17. Robert Coe. Afterwards exchanged with Uffoot for a picco across the street, which Uffoot had bought, and whoro the Coes havo ever sinco lived.

18. Samuel Sherman ; thon John Picket. Mr. Sherman seems to liavo afterwards moved to the western part of Stratford (Pequounock), and tho Pickets were among the first settlers of Durham.

19. Philip Groves, the first and only ruling elder in Stratford church. 20. Rev. Adam Blakeman, first minister of Stratford. His descendants are written Blakeman and Blackman. HJis only daughter, Mary, mar- ried Joshua Atwater, of New Haven, and Rev. Thomas Higginson, of Salem, Mass.

21. John Barlow; then John Hurd; thon Uff'oot ; then Coe.

22. Mr. Bryan bought of James Harwood (original owner) and sold to Rev. Adam Blakeman, who gavo it to his son, Joseph B. Through J. Harwood the Blakemans became acquainted with Joshua Scottow, mor- chant of Boston, whose daughter, Rebecca, Bonjamin Blakeman married. 23. Edward Higbeo.

24. John Jenner; then John Wells; then Widow Elizabeth Curtis, who, with her two sons, William and John, originatod that name in Strat- ford.

25. Arthur Bostwick.

26. Jeremiah Judson. Ilis gravestone yet stands in Stratford.

27. Joshua Judson (brother of Jeremialı) ; then John Hurd.

28. Thomas Fairchild, Sr.

29. Richard Booth, whose land extended beyond tho lots north and ran northerly to the rocks.

30. Isaac Nichols, Sr., west side; Stiles Nichols, and then Caleb, east side.

31. Adam Hurd.

32. Francis Nichols; thon Caleb Nichols.

33. Thomas Quenby ; then Joshua Atwater ; then Henry Tomlinson.

34. William Curtis; afterwards, west end, Thomas Curtis, who subse- quently went, among the first settlers, to Wallingford.

35. Adam Hurd's duplicate lot.

36. John Beach, ancestor of the Wallingford and Stratford name.

37. Joseph Hawley's original lot.

38. John Thompson.

38a. Francis Jecockes.

39. William Read ; then, by exchange, Joseph Hawley.

40. William Crooker.

41. Joseph Judson ; in 1640, William Judson, tho father. The origi- nal stone house stood about four rods from the northeast corner.

42. Rev. Zacharialı Walker's half of parsonage lot.

43. Rev. Israel Chauncy's half of parsonage lot.

44. Huglı Griffin; then John Wheeler.

45. Richard Harvey ; then John Bostwick ; then Congregational so- ciety for parsonage.

46. Francis Hall.

47.

47a. John Blakeman.

48. A strip of lowland, given to widow of Abraham Kimberly in 1680. 49. Daniel Sherman, son of Samuel, Sr .; then Ebenezer Sherman.

50. Common or highway, now the west half of B. Fairchild's lot. It was originally tho outlet of a short highway (coeval with the town set- tlement) that passod from Main Street round tho low, wet land, now W. A. Booth's lot, and led into the old mill road through No. 50, as above said. Of this road tho presont burial-ground lano is all that encroach- ments have left, from Main Street to tho burial-place, thongh its width, resurveyed and confirmed in 1738, is above four rods.

51. Land of Isaac Nicols.

52. House-lot of Samuel Sherman, Jr. (now tho Roswell Judson lot).

53. Tho easteru soction of the strect, of which No. 50 was a portion.

54. John Beers; then Samuel Beers; then, after 1700, Burton, Prindle, Tomlinson, MeEwen.

55. Nathaniel Foote; then Benjamin Lewis; then Congregational parish, for Mr. Cutler ; then Rev. Mr. Gold.

56. Burial-place.

57. Daniel Titterton, Jr.

58. Timothy Willcoxgon.

59. Jabez Harger, who went to Derby at its settlement, 1670.

60. John Hull, ancestor of Commodore Isaac; went to Derby, 1670.

61. John Pickett; went to Durham,

62. Robert Lano; above him was John Cooke, bounded north by Esck Lanc or Street.

63. John Young, who died April, 1661, and his lot went to John Rose ; afterwards Robert Walker.

64. Thomas Wells, abovo whom James Blakeman owned eight acres.

65. John Thompson, who lived on No. 38.

66. John Wells.

66a. Daniel Titterton, Sr.

66b. John Willcoxson, Sr.

97. Jolın Peat (sometimes spelt Peake).

68. Moses Wheeler; then, very soon, Richard Harvey ; then his sone- in-law, Bonjamin Peat and Thomas Hicks, of Long Island. Hicks' wife first married, in 1655, John Washborne. Thomas Hicks was ancestor of Elias Hicks, the Quaker.

69. Thomas Curtis, from his father, John (now Chatfield and Gorham lots).

70. William Willcoxson, ancestor of all of that name in and of Strat- ford.

71. William Beardslee, ancestor of all of that name in and of Strat- ford.

72. John Brinsmade.

73. Nicholas Knell, whose wife was Gov. Francis Newman's daughter. 74. Robert Rise : then Wheeler ; then Richard Beach ; then Rev. Israel Chauncy.

75. First church edifice and burial-ground.

76. Originally Uffoot's, who in 1661 sold to Nicholas Gray, from Flash- ing, Long Island, who had a tide-mill where the lane or highway crosses Little Neck Creek.

77. Granted in 1671 by town to N. Gray, if he maintain his dam wide enough for a passable cartway.

78. Jehiel Preston, 1662.

79. Site of tho second church edifice, from 1679 to 1743. Whitefield preached in it, Octobor 26, 1740.

80. Site of tho third church cdifice, from 1743 till burned by lightning in 1785.

A. Site of first church edifice and burying-ground.

B. Site of second church edifice, from 1679 to 1743. Whitefield preached in it, Oct. 26, 1740.

C. Site of third church edifice, from 1743 till burned by lightning in 1785.

D. Sito of fourth church edifice, from 1786 to 1859. Sito of fifth church edifice. Erected in 1859.

E. Burial-place, opened 1678.

F. Site of first Episcopal church edifice iu Connecticut, 1723, with its graveyard, which still occupies the spot.

G. Site of second Episcopal church edifice, from 1744 to 1858. Sito of present Episcopal church edifice, erected in 1858.

HI. Methodist Episcopal church.

I. Richard Booth's house-lot.

J. Joseph Booth's house-lot.

K. John Booth's house-lot.

THE FIRST SETTLEMENT.

The first settlement was made at a place now known as Sandy Hollow, an arm of the Sound or creek, which penetrates a short distance from the Honsatonie River, the ancient name of which was Potatnek.

ECCLESIASTICAL TROUBLES.

From the settlement of the little town until 1665 nothing occurred to mar its peace and prosperity. In that year, however, a religious dissension arose which finally resulted in the secession of a large and

752

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

respectable number of the church and the coloniza- tion of Woodbury.

The history of this schism is condensed from Coth- crn's "History of Ancient Woodbury :"

"The first ministers in the colony being dead, and a new generation eoming on the stage of action, altera- tions in respeet to church membership, baptism, and the mode of church discipline were imperiously de- manded. Great dissensions on these subjects aceord- ingly arose in the churches at Hartford, Windsor, Wethersfield, and other places, and continued in va- rious parts of the colony from 1656 to about 1670. The discord not only affected all the churches, but it 'insinuated itself into all the affairs of societies, towns, and the whole commonwealth.'

" About 1664, while these contentions were going on at Hartford and other places, the people at Stratford fell into the same unhappy divisions and controver- sies in regard to the same subjects .. During the ad- ministrations of Mr. Blackman,* their first pastor, the church and town enjoyed great peace, and conducted their ecelesiastieal affairs with exemplary harmony. About 1663, being far advaneed in years, he became very infirm and unable to perform liis ministerial labors. The church, therefore, applied to Mr. Israel Chauney, son of President Charles Chauncy, of Cam- bridge, to make them a visit and preach among them. A majority of the church chose him for their pastor, and in 1665 he was ordained in the independent mode. But a large and respectable part of the church and town were opposed to his ordination. It was therefore agreed that if, after hearing Mr. Chauucy a certain time, they should continue to be dissatisfied with his ministry, they should have liberty to call and settle another minister, and have the same privileges in the meeting-house as the other party. Accord- ingly, after hearing Mr. Chauney the time agreed upon, and continuing to be dissatisfied with his min- istrations, they invited Mr. Zachariah Walker to preach to them, and finally chose him for their pastor. Both ministers performed publie worship in the same house. Mr. Chauncy performed his services at the usual hours, and Mr. Walker was allowed two hours in the middle of the day. But, after some time, it so hap- pened that one day Mr. Walker continued his services longer than usual. Mr. Chauney and his people, find- ing that Mr. Walker's exercises were not finished, re- tired to a private house, and there held their after- noon devotions. They were, however, so much dis- pleased that the next day they went over to Fairfield and made a complaint to Maj. Gold, one of the mag- istrates, against Mr. Walker. The major, upon hcar- ing the ease, advised pacific measures, and that Mr. Walker should be allowed three hours for the time of his public exercises.

In May, 1669, these disputes came before the Gen- eral Court, by petition of the parties, and

"'Upon the petition of the church of Stratford, this court doth de- clare that whereas ve church haue setled Mr. Chancey their officer and doe desire that they may peaceably enjoy the full improvement of their minister and administrations without hindreranse or disturbance, the court grants their petition therein, onely the court seriously aduiseth hoth parties to choose some indifferent persons of piety and learning to compose their differences and setle an agreement among them, and that till October Court there may he liberty for Mr. Walker to preach once in the day, as they haue hitherto done by their agreement, the church allowing him full three howers between the church two meetings for the same.'t

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572