History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 37

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 37

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The latter, Daniel Nash, who lived to the advanced age of ninety-six years, and from whom Mr. Morgan received his name, when seventy-four years of age

walked from New York to Westport in one day, a distance of forty-four miles.

June 10, 1868, Mr. Morgan united in marriage with Medora H., daughter of Capt. William A. Judson, a native of Huntington. Capt. Judson is a prominent and influential man, and lias officiated in various ca- pacities within the gift of his fellow-citizens. He has been senator and representative, and has served as justice of the peace nearly forty years.

The ancestors of both Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were sterling patriots during the Revolution. Agur Jud- son, great-grandfather of Mrs. Morgan, was a colonel in the war of the Revolution, and served from the be- ginning to the close of that arduous struggle.

Zedekiah Morgan, great-grandfather of Daniel N., was a captain in the Revolution and an active and determined patriot. During the war he kept a num- ber of cavalry horses on a portion of the place still known in Newtown as the Morgan farm.

SHERMAN HARTWELL.

The subject of this sketch was born in the town of Washington, Litchfield Co., Conn., Dec. 2, 1790. Through his grandmother on the father's side he was connected with the Sherman family of Dedham, England. Several representatives of this family came to New England in 1634, and settled in Watertown, Mass., now Cambridge. Mr. Hartwell's particular line is through Capt. John Sherman, as distinguished from that of Pastor John of the same town, and of Samuel, brother of the latter, who removed and be- came a resident of Stratford, Conn. The grandmother of Mr. Hartwell was Rebecca Sherman, sister of the celebrated Roger Sherman, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and the family line may be traced as follows: 1. Capt. John Sherman, born 1613, in Dedham, England; 2. Joseph, born 1650, in Watertown, Mass .; 3. William, born 1692, married Rebecca Cutler (4. Roger, born 1721, married Eliza- beth Hartwell); 4. Rebecca, married Joseph Hart- well; 5. Isaac Hartwell, born 1768, married Mary Pitcher ; 6. Sherman Hartwell, born 1790, married Sophia Todd, daughter of Eli Todd, of New Milford. Roger Sherman spent his early life in New Milford.

The Hartwell family came also to Litchfield County from the vicinity of Boston in the early part of the eighteenth century, and were among its most substan- tial citizens. This branch of the Sherman family and the Hartwell family seem to have been intimately connected, as the wife of Roger Sherman was the sister of Joseph Hartwell.

The early years of Mr. Sherman Hartwell were spent on his father's farm in Washington. His edu- cational advantages were only such as were afforded by the district schools of his native town. He made such proficiency, however, as to fit himself acceptably as a teacher, and taught school in Kingston, N. Y.,

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one or more years, when he was about twenty years of age. Returning therefrom to Connecticut, he entered the store of Mr. Eli Todd, in New Milford, where he continued several years.

In 1813, assisted by Mr. Todd, Mr. Hartwell started a country store in the town of Warren, adjoining his native town. Here he continued business by himself and in successive partnerships with a Mr. Starr and Burton Gilbert for twenty-five years, and by patient toil, frugality, and thrift laid the foundation of his ample estate.

In 1838, Mr. Hartwell removed to Bridgeport, rather as an experiment for the benefit of the health of Mrs. Hartwell. The change proving beneficial, he made his permanent residence here, and thereafter became thoroughly identified with Bridgeport and its institu- tions. For a short time he engaged in merchandising on Water Street, in connection with the late Charles De Forest. In 1844 we find him on the "council of safety" (with twelve others of the most substantial men of the city) to advise in all matters relative to the city bonds issued in aid of the Housatonic Rail- road Company. This subject presented a problem of appalling financial interest at that period, and in its treatment Mr. Hartwell rendered valuable aid. It was manfully grappled with, and by a wise and care- ful management time has wrought a comparatively easy solution.

From 1840 to 1848 he was nearly all the time a member of the Common Council of the city and par- ticipated actively in city affairs, especially in matters of finance. He was agent for the management of the funded indebtedness of the city and the payment of interest on the same from 1848 to 1858.

It was, however, in connection with our banking interests that Mr. Hartwell was best and most favor- ably known. On the reconstruction of the old Bridge- port Bank after the disastrous period of 1837, he became an active and efficient director, and contributed largely in bringing it up to the position it soon attained as one of the soundest and most prosperous institutions in the State. On the death of Silvanus Sterling, Esq., in 1848, Mr. Hartwell became president, and filled that position ably and successfully until 1869, when he positively declined a re-election. His active con- nection with this bank thus covered a period of thirty- one years. During this time there were many scasons of financial stringency and embarrassment, sometimes very trying. Mr. Hartwell so thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and confidence of leading bankers in New York-the late R. Withers, president of the old Bank of the State of New York, E. G., and others-as to be of great service in such periods. In the discharge of his often delicate duties Mr. Hartwell exhibited great urbanity and kindness, mingled with firm- ness, and his superior judgment and ability were recognized. On his relinquishment of his official relations to the bank he was tendered the free use at his pleasure of his chair and desk in the directors'

room, of which he availed himself more or less quite to the close of his lengthened life.

Mr. Hartwell was also an active trustee of the Bridgeport Savings Bank for a number of years. On the organization of the City Savings Bank, in 1859, he became identified with that institution, and con- tinued a trustee and vice-president to the time of his death, Jan. 16, 1876. He was very methodical and careful in all his transactions, and retained his interest in affairs to the last.

Mr. Hartwell united with the Congregational Church in Warren, Conn., during his residence there. Soon after his removal to Bridgeport, he and his family became connected with the First Congrega- tional Church and Society, where they have ever been a pillar of strength.

The following are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell, only one of whom survives : Mary,* born 1818, married Hon. Simcon B. Chittenden; Rachel Todd,* born 1822, married Timothy P. Chap- man ; Eli Merwin,* born 1827, dicd 1829; Sophia, born 1830, married John N. Bonesteel; Sidney,* born 1832, died 1833; Cornelia,* born 1834, married Robert Hubbard, M.D.

I. DE VER WARNER, M.D.

Dr. I. De Ver Warner was born in Linckaleen, Che- nango Co., N. Y., March 26, 1840. He received a common-school and academic education, and, having decided upon the medical profession as a life-work, entered the office of Dr. C. M. Kingman, a leading physician and surgeon residing at McGrawville, Cort- land Co., N. Y. He pursued his studies with dili- gence and attention, and subsequently, when only twenty-one years of age, graduated at the Geneva Medical College, and was valedictorian of his class.

He commenced the practice of his profession at Nineveh, Broome Co., N. Y., where he remained about two years, when he returned to McGrawville, and succeeded to the practice of his former preceptor, Dr. Kingman. An active practice soon convinced Dr. Warner that the masses should be taught concerning their physical organization, and he at once instituted a series of popular lectures, which he delivered with marked success throughout New England and the Middle States. Being a thorough master of his pro- fession and a fine speaker, he drew large and intelli- gent audiences, and continued in the lecture-field about ten years. During this time he became con- vinced that many of the diseases of women were the result of illy-contrived corsets, and at once set about to institute tlie much-needed reform, and became the inventor of the celebrated Warner health corset. The manufacture of this corset was commenced at Me- Grawville, N. Y., where it was continued until 1876.

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The corset at once became immensely popular, and, desiring increased facilities for manufacture and ship- ping, Dr. Warner decided to locate in this city, and after selecting a site the erection of their present large brick factory was commenced in August, and on the 5th of the following October the manufacture of cor- sets was begun. Not content with producing a corset which worked a revolution in the manufacture of this much-needed article, he still gave it liis study, and three years ago patented and began the manufacture of the famous flexible-hip corset, the improvement being that the bones run around the body instead of up and down. He has also other patents in embryo. From a small shop, where six hands were employed, the business has rapidly increased, until at the present time they employ over one thousand persons, and the daily capacity is three hundred and fifty dozen cor- sets. They operate five hundred Wheeler & Wilson sewing-machines. The firm has a large store in New York, and also one in Chicago, which is the only cx- clusive jobbing corsct-house in the West. The junior member of the firm, Dr. L. C. Warner, is at present in Europe, and has completed arrangements for the manufacture of the Warner corset by the large firm of Footman, Pretty & Nicholson, of Ipswich, England. The manufacture is also to be introduced into Paris.

Thus, within an almost incredibly short period, this energetic firm has inaugurated an industrial enter- prise of vast proportions, of which not only Bridge- port, but New England and the entire country, may justly feel proud. It is the largest establishment of its kind in America, and justly merits its success. By a strict attention to business, coupled with an indom- itable will and the manufacture of the best quality of goods, Dr. Warner has succeeded in building up in this city the largest corset-manufactory in the world.

Sept. 24, 1862, he united in marriage with Lucetta M. Greenman, a native of McGrawville, Cortland Co., N. Y., and has three children,-Annie L., De Ver H., and Hugh F. The last named died May 1, 1879.

JARRATT MORFORD.

A man who entirely by his own efforts has risen to affluence and social position, and through all the changing events of an active business life has pre- served his integrity unimpeached, well deserves the pen of the historian. Such an one is Jarratt Mor- ford, the subject of this sketch. Without the advan- tages of inherited aid he worked the problem of his own fortune, and lives to enjoy the fruition of a successful business carecr.

He was born in Shrewsbury, N. J., March 29, 1817, and was one of a family of eight children of George Morford and Maria Wardell .* His boyhood was

passed in his native town, like the youth of that period generally, working at farm labor during the summer season and attending school in the winter. When only twelve years of age he entered as a clerk the retail grocery establishment of Klots & Traf- ford in New York City. Here he remained six years, and then became a clerk in the store of C. & R. War- dell & Co., wholesale grocers in New York, and after a service here of six years came to Bridgeport, then a small village, as clerk for the late D. H. Sterling, who was a wholesale grocer, and for that day doing a large business. He remained in the employ of Mr. Sterling about four years, and on the 12th of April, 1845, thirty-five years ago, commenced business for himself as a member of the firm of Morford, Blake- man & Co., wholesale grocers. Mr. Blakeman, who is now a member of the firm of Ivison, Blakeman, Phinney & Co., publishers, of New York, continued with the firm only about six months, and disposed of his interest to Mr. L. C. Northrop, and the business was conducted under the firm-name of Morford, Northrop & Co., the "Co." being Mr. Philo Hurd, about four years, when Mr. Samuel C. and David Trubee purchased Mr. Northrop's interest. Samuel C. remained with the firm but a few years, when he retired, and this large business has since been carried on under the name, familiar to business men through- out Connecticut and Massachusetts, of Morford & Tru- bee. During the long career of this firm they have occupied only two stores, the old one, No. 346, and the present one, first occupied in 1870, 356 and 358 Water Street.

At the beginning of business the sales were meagre, amounting to about seventy-five thousand dollars per year, and as an illustration of the rapid development of the business, it is stated that the value of the an- nual sales now reaches from six hundred thousand to eight hundred thousand dollars, while at times their monthly sales reach the sum of ninety-five thousand dollars. The house handles an immense amount of flour and sugar, and also owns a flouring-mill at Kalamazoo, Mich., with a capacity of nine hundred barrels per week. While the success of this business has been something remarkable, it has not been at- tained without the exercise of good judgment and a strict attention to the business in all its details. From the beginning Mr. Morford has given the business his personal attention, and to this fact, which is too much undervalued by many young business men of to-day, is attributed much of his success. During the various financial panics which have swept over the country this house remained firm, and, remarkable as it may appear in the life of an active business man, from the beginning to the present time not a year has elapsed that Mr. Morford has not made more than his ex- penses.

Mr. Morford has educated numerous young men in business, many of whom have become successful in their various spheres. Among the number may be

* Mr. Morford's ancestors were among the pioneers of Shrewsbury, and the present town of Red Bank is located upon a portion of his father's original purchase.

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mentioned Melanctha M. Hurd, now a member of the celebrated publishing house of Hurd & Houghton.

Mr. Morford is a public-spirited and generous citi- zen, popular with the masses, and manifests a deep interest in all matters tending to advance the interests of the city of Bridgeport.

Politically he is a Democrat, and an earnest advo- cate of the principles of that party. In 1858 he was elected first selectman of the town, and held the office three years, the second year being nominated by both parties. Mr. Morford established the present system of taking care of the town-poor, and reduced the pauper expenses in one year from twenty-two thousand dollars to five thousand five hundred dol- lars. He was elected mayor in 1864, and it was largely through his influence, and during his admin- istration as mayor, that Seaside Park, one of the finest in the country, also Washington and Beardsley Parks, were commenced.

Mayor Morford also manifests a lively interest in ecclesiastical matters. He is a churchman, was ju- nior warden in St. John's Church, was one of the founders of Trinity Church, and has been senior warden since its organization, in 1863.

Nov. 19, 1844, he united in marriage with Anna Eliza Annin, a native of New York City, and has two children living,-Esther Holmes and George, both of whom reside in Bridgeport. Mrs. Morford is a descendant of John Annin, one of the pioneers of Basking Ridge, N. J., and Jonathan Dickinson, the founder and first president of Princeton College. The old Annin homestead is still standing, which was erected over one hundred and fifty years ago. The Annins were of the Scotch nobility.

Mr. Morford's life has been one of steady and active devotion to business, and his great success has been the natural result of his ability to examine and readily comprehend any subject presented to him, power to decide promptly, and courage to act with vigor and persistency in accordance with his convictions.

CHARLES KETCHUM AVERILL.

The subject of this sketch is descended from an old New England family, dating from an ancestor, Isaac Averill, who, in 1700, with two brothers, emigrated from Milford Haven, Wales, and settled in Topsfield, Mass.

Nathan Averill, father of Charles K., was born April 10, 1774, in New Preston, Litchfield Co., Conn., and married Polly Ketchum, of Salisbury, Conn., both of whom lived to a ripe old age, the former dying at the age of ninety-two, and the latter at the age of ninety. Their family consisted of nine chil- dren,-six sons and three daughters. Their eldest son, Henry, married a niece of Chancellor Kent, and their eldest daughter married Chancellor Walworth, the eminent jurist of New York.

Charles K. Averill was born in Granville, N. Y., Oct. 6, 1812. His boyhood was passed in the village of Plattsburgh, N. Y., where he was educated at the Plattsburgh Academy, at that time the leading edu- cational institution in Northern New York.

In early life he exhibited a fondness for mercantile pursuits and the counting-room. At the age of thir- teen he accepted a clerkship in a store at Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and in 1830 removed to the city of New York, and became a clerk in the wholesale job- bing-house of Joseph B. Varnum, 165 Pearl Street. While here, as a branch of education, he took up during his leisure hours the science of double-entry book-keeping, and became-familiar with books and accounts. After a few months he was promoted to assistant book-keeper, and finally became the book- keeper for the concern.

In the winter of 1862 he accepted an invitation from the late Morris Ketchum, Esq., to come to Bridgeport and reside, and on the 14th of March of the same year he was unanimously elected treasurer of the Housatonic Railroad Company, and has since held that office. He is also treasurer of the " Bridge- port Steamboat Company," and has held that office for fifteen years.

Mr. Averill has always prominently identified hin- self with the community wherein he has resided, and has held at various times the office of recorder and acting mayor of Michigan City, Ind .; postmaster in Vermont; and councilman, alderman, assessor, and police commissioner in this city. While in New York he held a commission from Governor William L. Marcy as captain in the One Hundred and Forty- Second Regiment of infantry, and his company was chiefly composed of Pearl Street clerks.

Mr. Averill is a staunch Democrat, whose first vote was given for Andrew Jackson, hard money, and the honest payment of all debts.

He is a consistent churchman, a member of St. John's Church-Protestant Episcopal-in this city, in which he is now senior warden. He is also treas- urer of the parish. April 9, 1838, he united in mar- riage with Jane M., seventh daughter of John H. Sumner, of Claremont, N. H., and their family con- sists of five children : Lucy, Mary, Henry D., Jane, and Charles. Henry D. is general ticket agent of the Housatonic Railroad.

ISAAC SHERMAN.

Isaac Sherman was born in the parish of Stratfield, now Bridgeport, Sept. 25, 1788. He was the youngest son of David and Rebecca (French) Sherman. The paternal residence was on Division Street, now Park Avenue, a short distance above North Avenue, on the site of the present residence of Mr. John H. Beach. It was the homestead of three generations bearing the honored name of David Sherman, in direct succession,

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all of them men of mark in their time. This family | at a glance his descent, on his father's side, from Matthew Sherman (son of Samuel) and Jacob Ster- ling, and on his mother's side from Samuel French and John Edwards, heads of four families of first settlers here, with the collateral branches in each generation. came from Samuel Sherman, the first settler of the name in Stratford, Conn., through Matthew, one of his eight sons, who very early came to Stratfield, and lo- cated at or near the above-mentioned spot. Matthew Sherman was one of the constituent members of the Stratfield Church (now the First Congregational At the lower right-hand corner is represented the dren with the mother at the door, and at a short dis- tance in the clearing is the husband and father, with uplifted axe felling the forest-tree. Church of Bridgeport) at its organization in 1695, ; log house of the original settler, a large group of chil- and with others brought his letter of dismission from Stratford. Samuel, the father of Matthew, emigrated to Boston from Dedham, in Essex, England, in 1634, in company with his distinguished brother, Rev. John At the left hand, surrounded by significant en- blems, is engrossed the following : Sherman, and their cousin, Capt. John Sherman. While both the latter settled in Watertown, Mass., "This genealogical table was designed and executed by Isaac Sherman . . . from motives of duty and filial affection for his ancestors, whose names are remem- bered with respect and honor in this new country, of which they were among the first settlers." Samuel, who was married to Sarah Mitchell (daughter of Matthew Mitchell and - -), pushed on to Connecticut, first to Wethersfield, and from thence to Stratford. Here he reared his family of eight sons and one daughter, all or nearly all heads of fami- lies, having their representatives in all parts of the country.

At the risk of digression, it may be of interest to note here that John, one of the sons of Samuel, who went from Stratford to Woodbury, Conn., was the ancestor of W. T. Sherman, General of the United States army, and of the distinguished Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. John Sherman, of Ohio, their father and grandfather having removed to Cleveland about 1820.

The family line of Isaac Sherman may be given as follows :

In England, Henry Sherman, of Dedham, England, married Agnes Butler. He died 1580.

In England, son Edmund first married, in 1569, Ann Pellett; second marriage, in 1584, to Ann Clark.

In England, son Edmund married, in 1611, Judith Angier; came to this country in 1634; some time in Watertown, Mass., and died at New Haven, Conn., in 1641.

In Stratford, first, Samuel, baptized 1618; married Sarah Mitchell.

In Stratfield, second, Matthew, born 1645; married Hannah

In Stratfield, third, Lieut. David, born 1692; married, second, Sarah Thompson.

In Stratfield, fourth, David, born 1736; married Mary Sterling.

In Stratfield, fifth, David, born 1757; married Rebecca French.

In Stratfield, sixtlı, Isaac, born 1788; married, 1810, Maria Burrouglis.

The children of Isaac and Maria ( Burroughs) Sher- man were as follows, none of whom survive: Mary, born 1812, died 1857; David, born 1814, died 1815; Eliza, born 1816, married Darwin Warner, died in 1845; Jane Eleanor, born 1819, married Rowland B. Lacey, died in 1857; Harriet, born 1825, died 1825.

Very early in life Mr. Sherman compiled and ex- ecuted quite artistically a genealogical chart, showing

This tribute, which is preserved and cherished by Mr. Sherman's descendants, shows a drift of mind which was more fully developed in after-years, and will be again referred to.

The son was not wanting in respect for his father, but Mr. Sherman was accustomed to acknowledge his indebtedness to his mother more than to any earthly friend for the formation of his character and the foundation of his religious life. His school education was limited, such only as was afforded by the district school at the four corners (now of Park and North Avenues). It had been the intention of his father to give him a liberal education, but the loss of a valuable vessel and cargo crippled him financially, and the idea was abandoned.

Almost the only avenue open to an aspiring young man without capital was the sea. Despite its risks, Isaac betook himself to this, with the approbation of his parents, at the age of sixteen years. He followed it with varying success for upwards of four years, having twice been shipwrecked on the New Jersey coast, with the loss of all things except his dauntless purpose to rise. At the end of this period he came out with ninety-five dollars ahead. To this his good mother added five dollars, thus giving him a capital of one hundred dollars. Observant of his manly qualities, his excellent uncle, Dr. James Eaton Beach, furnished nine hundred dollars additional capital, and thus started the firm of Beach & Sherman, located on Water Street, in a grocery business, conducted solely by Mr. Sherman. So successful was he that the capital of the firm was doubled by his profits the first year.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 37

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