History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 99

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 99

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

at Washington, N. C., Oct. 22, 1862; Seaman; Abi- gail R., Mrs. Benjamin Wright ; Elizabeth H., Mrs. Henry Webb; Delia, Mrs. William E. Mead ; Zo- phar; and Lucinda P.

In politics, Col. Mead has always been a Whig and Republican, and as such has been one of the leading men of Greenwich. He was an assessor ten years, selectman a number of years, member of the State Legislature two terms, 1852 and 1872, and during his last term served on the committee of railroads, and county commissioner two terms. He has often been appointed an appraiser for different railroads, a jury- man a great many times on important cases, and has settled a great many estates to the satisfaction of those interested. He and wife are members of the Congre- gational Church at Greenwich.

For many years he was a colonel of a regiment of State militia. In all the various positions that he has been called upon to fill he has performed his duty faithfully,-alike a credit to himself and a satis- faction to his constituents.

He reviews the past with some degree of satisfac- tion, and looks forward to the future with no appre- hension.

ALVAN MEAD.

The subject of this sketch is a lineal descendant of the sixth generation from one John Mead, who, with his two sons, John and Josepli, emigrated from Eng- land and settled in Massachusetts, in 1642, thence to Hempstead, L. I., where they remained until October, 1660, when all of them settled in the town of Green- wich, Conn. (See biography of Col. Thomas A. Mead for further notice of the ancestors.) Some of the family think that the above Joseph had children, and that he settled in the north-central part of Fair- field County, as the Meads there claim to be descended from Joseph.

The grandfather of Alvan Mead, Ebenezer Mead (2d), was born Oct. 25, 1692, and died May 3, 1775. He was a representative man of his town, and a great many times represented his town in the Colonial Legislature. He was a farmer by occupation. He married Hannah Brown, of Rye, N. Y., Dec. 12, 1717, and had twelve children,-viz. : Ebenezer, Silas, Abra- hain (1st), Jonas, Solomon, Deliverance, Amos, Ed- mund, Hannah, Jabez, Jared, and Abraham (2d).

Jared Mead was the tenth son in a family of twelve children, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Conn., in the same house where he always lived through a long and honorable life, and died June 8, 1832. He was a farmer by occupation, and owned his father's farm.

He married Lydia, daughter of Daniel Smitlı, and had seven children, namely : Zette, Lydia, Alma, Daniel, Hannah, Jared, and Alvan, all of whom are now (1880) dead except Alvan. He held various town offices. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mead were members

of the Congregational Church at Greenwich, Conn. Mrs. Mead died May 27, 1827.

Alvan Mead was born in Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 30, 1794. His advantages for an education were limited to the common schools of his day, working on the farm summers and attending school winters until he was seventeen years of age, when he took charge of his father's farm, as he was the only son left at home.

He was a farmer on the same place where his father and grandfather lived until 1851, since which he has resided in the borough of Greenwich, Conn. He married Eliza, daughter of Nathaniel Peck, Dec. 18, 1821.

Their children were Ralph P., who went to Cali- fornia in 1849, married, and had two sons,-namely, Charles C. and Ralph R.,-who together with their mother reside in Portland, Oregon.

Ralph P. died Oct. 7, 1862; Warren B. resides at Wichita, Kansas, married, and has three children,- namely, Alvan E., Edgar S., and Mary P .; Melanch- thon W. died May 30, 1878, leaving a widow and two children, Frank A. and Frederick B., who reside in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Cornelia G., who married Stephen G. White, and now resides with her father; their children are Warren P., Lucy M., Elam C. (de- ceased).

In politics, Mr. Mead has always been a stauncli Whig and Republican. He has been a magistrate of Greenwich for many years, besides holding several other town offices. His wife was a member of the Congregational Church. She died Sept. 22, 1864.

Mr. Mead is one of the oldest if not the oldest man in the town. He has the entire confidence of his fellow- townsmen, and has lived a long and useful life. He is a regular attendant of the Congregational Church ; though not a member, he contributes to its support.

LYMAN MEAD.

Lyman Mead is the son of Zenas Mead and Mary Lashley, and was born in Greenwich, Conu., March 26, 1824. His father was a son of Deliverance Mead, who was the sixth son of the second Ebenezer Mead (see biography of Col. Thomas A. Mead), and was born in 1782 (another record says 1779), and died June, 1858. He married Mary Lashley, and had the following children,-viz., Abigail, who married Jonas Mead; Lucretia, died young; Deborah (deceased), Henry (deceased), Julia, married Isaac Peck; Eliza (deceased), married Lockwood P. Clark, and Lyman.

Zenas Mead was a farmer; in politics a Whig, and as such was a representative man. He was town treas- urer for many years, and member of the Assembly two terms. He and wife were members of the Second Congregational Church at Greenwich, Conn. She died in November, 1860.

Lyman Mcad was rearcd on the farm, receiving the advantages of a common-school education. He is

Lyman Mead

alivian

Conblin Auster

Solomon Head

399

GREENWICHI.

one of the substantial farmers and business men of the town, and whatever he has undertaken he has been successful in. He has been twice married, first to Sarah F., daughter of Peter Acker, March 1, 1830, by whom he had three children,-viz., Sarah M., Julia A. (deceased), and Emma F. Mrs. Mead was a mem- ber of the Second Congregational Church. She died July 26, 1857, having been born March 1, 1830. Mr. Mead married for his second wife Harriet R., daugh- ter of Jabez Mead, Dec. 21, 1858. She was born Dec. 19, 1837. Their children are Ida F., Hattie J., Isa- dora M. (deceased), Frederick G. C., Nellie R., Martha H. (deceased), Annabelle L., Laura D., Rolland E., and Lucretia G., all of whom were born on the farm where Mr. Mead now resides.

Mr. Mead has been a staunch Whig and Republi- can. He has represented his town three times (1855, 1879, and 1880) in the State Legislature. He has been a delegate to county and State conventions. IIe is a director in the Greenwich Savings Bank, besides having been a director in other important business enterprises. He is and has been the treasurer of his school district for many years.

Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Mead are members of the Congregational Church at Greenwich, Conn., and he is one of its best supporters.

SOLOMON MEAD.

Solomon Mead is a lineal descendant on both pa- ternal and maternal side from John Mead, an Eng- lishman, who came to America and settled in Massa- chusetts in 1642, and at Hempstead, L. I., soon after, where he remained until October, 1660, when he came, in all probability, to Greenwich, Conn., in company with his two sons, John and Joseph. (For a full history of Solomon Mead's ancestors, see biography of Col. Thos. A. Mead.)

Solomon Mead is an only son of Joshua Mead by his second wife, Hannah Mead, who was a daughter of Deliverance Mead, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., Jan. 15, 1808. His paternal grandfather was Nathaniel Mead, who mar- ried Prudence Wood and had several children, one of whom was named Joshua.

Very little or nothing is known of the ancestors of Nathaniel Mead, more than that they were good, industrious citizens and generally members of the Congregational Church, as was Nathaniel, who died at an advanced age.

Joshua Mead was born in Greenwich, Conn., May 16, 1751, married Hannah Mead Nov. 15, 1804, and died May 30, 1812. His wife died March 14, 1844. They had one child,-Solomon.

Joshua Mcad was a good farmer, a true patriot and citizen, and a member of the Congregational Church. He rendered valuable aid to the American army dur- ing the Revolutionary war, though he was not a sol- dier. He was a strong Federalist and Whig.

Solomon Mead was reared on his father's farm, re- ceiving the advantages of an education such as the common schools of his day afforded, supplemented with a few terms at the Greenwich Academy. When he was sixteen years of age-in 1824-he settled on the place now owned by Mr. Titus Mcad, in the borough of Greenwich, where he remained until about 1845, when he settled on the place where he now (1880) resides, but which he had purchased sev- eral years before. He began building his present house in 1858, and in December, 1860, moved into it. He purchased his present place of the Seymour family, which he has made one of the most attractive in the borough, as it stands on an eminence near the Second Congregational church, which is said to be the most elevated place on the Sound between New York and Boston. From the observatory on his house one has a grand view of all the surrounding country, even across the Sound on to Long Island. A view of his residence may be seen in another part of this work. Mr. Mead has devoted his attention entirely to agri- culture, and has been very successful.

On the 22d of April, 1856, he married Mary E., daughter of David and Elizabeth Dayton. Their children are as follows,-viz. : Hannah More, Abram N., Mary E., Emily J., Solomon Christy, Sarah L., Everett D., and Chas. H. (deceased).

Mr. and Mrs. Mead are members of the Sceond Congregational Church of Greenwich, Conn., and he is one of its main supporters.

He was a Whig until 1856, since which time he lias been a staunch Republican. He has held various town offices, and is a trustee of the Greenwich Sav- ings Bank. He has often been a delegate to county and State conventions, and takes an interest in all matters relating to the best interest of his town.

COL. CONKLIN HIUSTED

is a son of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Dayton, and grandson of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Newman, and was born in Greenwich, Conn., Dec. 7, 1790. His father was a native of Greenwich, Conn .; was a farmer by occupation ; married Sarah Dayton, by whom he had the following children,-viz., David D., Hannah, Benjamin, Martha, William, Conklin, Mary, Roswell, and Raeliel. He was a Revolutionary soldier; was a Quaker in religion. He died August, 1834, at a great age. His wife was a member of the Congregational Church, and died September, 1838, at an advanced age. (For history of Benjamin Husted "the first," see biography of James Husted.)

Conklin Husted worked on his father's farm sum- mers and attended the district schools winters until he was nineteen years of age, when he commenced teaching school at fifteen dollars a month, and fol- lowed it more or less winters until he was married, April 28, 1834, to Mary Ann, daughter of Abram and Mary Close. She was born Ang. 7, 1799, and died

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

November, 1876. Their children are Julia E., who married William H. Briggs, a farmer in Greenwich, Conn., and Eveline C., who married Allen Brundage, a farmer of North Castle, N. Y. They have one son, -Chauncey Conklin.

Mr. Husted was a very large and successful farmer, and took charge of his farm till 1869, when he retired, to be succeeded by his son-in-law, William H. Briggs, with whom he is now (1880) living. In politics he was a Jeffersonian Democrat until 1856, when he be- came a strong supporter of the Republican party. He has held all the important offices of his town to the general satisfaction of his constituents, among which we mention those of assessor and selectman for many years, magistrate for more than twenty-five years; was a member of the board of relief for a long time, and during his long life he has settled a great many estates. Hc has been a member of the State Legis- lature eight terms, and while there served on impor- tant committees. He has represented his constituents many times in county and State conventions. Hc always took an active and leading part iu military matters. He was a captain of the fourth company of the Third Regiment Connecticut Flying Artillery for many years, was promoted to the colonelcy of the same regiment, and had the distinguished honor of commandiug that regiment which escorted Gen. Lafayette from the State line of New York through to Stamford the last time the general ever visited America. He was always a great admirer of a fine horse, and took great pride in military affairs. He is now almost ninety years of age, but his mind is good, and he recouuts the struggles of a long and useful life with a great deal of interest. He has been a strong pillar in society, both politically and religiously. He united with the Methodist Episcopal Church more than sixty years ago, and has been one of its most liberal supporters. He has held every office in the church which falls to the lot of a layman. His wife was an adherent of the Episcopal Church. Col. Husted reviews the past with no apprehension of the future, and is only waiting to hear his Master say, " It's enough; come up higher."

CAPT. BENJAMIN HUSTED

was a son of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Dayton, and was born in Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., April 1, 1784. Early in life lic devoted his time to general merchandising, and for many years was a cap- tain of a vessel making trips between New York and Boston and the intervening ports; later in life he devoted himself to agriculture.

Hc was one of the prominent men in town, several times representing his constituents in the State Legis- lature, besides holding all the more important town offices. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and gave liberally to its support.

He married Olivia, daughter of Samuel Mills.

Their children were Samuel, Lydia (married Robert Scott), Sarah (married Zacharius Close), Benjamin, and Mary E. (married Samuel Dayton). Of these only Samuel and Sarah are now (1880) living.

Capt. Husted dicd in Feburary, 1871, and his wife died in 1874.

JAMES HUSTED.

The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Benjamin Husted (1), who married Sarah Newman, and had the following children,-viz. : Benjamin, Na- thaniel, Sarah, who married Titus Reynolds; Deborah, who married Nathaniel Reynolds; Martha, who mar- ried James Brush ; Rachel, who married John Dela- van ; Mary, who married Jona Mead; and Zuba, who married Stephen Palmner, all of whom were born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn.

Benjamin Husted was a farmer by occupation, lived an honorable life, and died at an advanced age. His son Nathaniel married Ruth Sniffin, and had the following children,-viz. : James, Nathaniel, Samuel, Benjamin, Jonathan, Rachel, and Mary, all born in Greenwich, Conn. He was also a farmer.

James Husted, son of Nathaniel, was born in June, 1786, and died Sept. 23, 1852. He always resided on the old farm, now owned and occupied by his aged widow. He was one of the successful farmers of the town, and blessed the community in which he lived by his generous dceds.

Very carly in life he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Round Hill, where he resided, and became oue of its most active and leading sup- porters. He was known by his hospitality, and many are the ministers who found his house a welcome place. He was a steward, class-leader, and superin- tendent of the Sunday-school for a great many years.

On the 12th of January, 1825, he married Mary B., daughter of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Dayton, and granddaughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Newman) Husted. She was born in the town of Greenwich, Conn., May 22, 1793, and now (October, 1880), like her brother, Col. Conklin Husted, retains her faculties remarkably well. She has been a life-long member of the Congregational Church, but attended the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JAMES HUSTED, JR.

James Husted, fourth son of Samuel and Nancy Husted, was boru in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., on the 28th of September, 1828. His father was the third son of Nathaniel and Ruth (Sniffin) Husted. He is a farmer by occupation, and now resides in Ontario Co., N. Y. His children are as follows,-viz .: Amos, Nathaniel, Eunice, Elizabeth, Johu, James, Samuel, and Mary, all of whom are living.

James Husted left his father's home at eleven ycars of age (1839) to live with his uncle, James Husted,

BENJAMIN HUSTED.

JAMES HUSTED, JR.

Benjamin W Hustel

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GREENWICH.

after whom he was named. His advantages for an education were limited to the common schools of his day. He has continued to reside on the farm with unele and aunt, except a few years while he was at Tarrytown, N. Y., and Rushville, N. Y., engaged in merchandising. On the 12th of September, 1860, he married Stella P., daughter of Joseph and Sarah A. (Mead) Brush. She was born May 22, 1838, in Green- wich, Conn. Their children are James F. (deecased), Joseph B., Sarah E., Emily M., Eunice L., James H., and Hellen. In politics Mr. Husted is a Democrat, but takes no active part in political matters.

WILLIAM A. IIUSTED.

William A. Husted is an only son of Elnathan and Nancy (Close) Husted, and was born in Greenwich, Conn., Dec. 31, 1801. His grandfather was named Peter Husted, who married Eunice Lyon, of Green-

William ASSusted

wich, Conn. They had six sons and two daughters,- viz., Elnathan, Amos, Cyntha, Peter, Moses, Aaron, Eunice, and Caleb. (See history of James Husted, Sr.)

Elnathan Husted was a successful farmer and drover, married Naney Close, and had one son, Wil- liam A. He was a member of the Second Congrega- tional Church at Greenwich, Conn., and was a man respected. He died in 1825, aged fifty years. His wife died at seventy-three years of age.

William A. was reared on his father's farm, and farming has been his business nearly all his life. He owns the old homestead of two hundred acres where

he was born. A view of his present house, which he built in 1871, may be seen in another part of this work. In politics a Republican.

On the 12th of December, 1822, be married Susannah Caroline Hobby, daughter of Squire Hobby. She was born Nov. 23, 1803, in the town of Greenwich, Conn. Their children are :

(1) Elnathan, who was a soldier in the Rebellion, and died March 4, 1864, leaving a wife and two daugh- ters,-Caroline and Augusta.

(2) William F., married, and has four children, and resides at Davenport, Iowa, with Lyman B., who has one son, and is a farmer.

(3) George, died young.

(4) Susannah.

(5) Lyman B.

(6) Squire Jerome, who has one son, and is living at Oyster Bay, L. I.

(7) Mortimer, died Nov. 21, 1876, leaving a wife and one son.

(8) Nancy E., married John Andrews, a lawyer in Brooklyn, and has one son and two daughters.

CAPT. BENJAMIN W. HUSTED

is the only living son of William Husted and Mary Lyon, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Conn., Jan. 15, 1808. His great-grandfather was David Husted (see history of James Husted, Sr.), who had a son Abraham, who married Hannah Knapp, and had two children, one of whom was William Husted. Abraham was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, and was a farmer by occupation. William Husted was born in 1783, in the town of Greenwich, Com., and died in 1838. He married Mary Lyon, and had the following children,-viz., Benjamin W., Israel, Han- nah, who married Husted Hobby ; Phebe Aun, mar- ried Caleb W. Merritt ; David, and William H., all of whom are now (1880) dead except Benjamin W. and Phebe Ann.

Mr. Husted was a farmer, and lived one mile south of where his son Benjamin W. now resides, on a farm which was in the family several generations.

Benjamin W. has always been a practical farmer, receiving the advantages of a common-school educa- tion till he was fifteen years of age. On the 24th of Dee., 1827, he married Rachel P., daughter of Enon and Elizabeth (Webb) Lyon. She was born Nov. 16, 1806. Their children are as follows,-viz., Julia (deceased), Israel G., who does business in New York City ; Theophilus P. (deceased) and Eliphalet P., who is a farmer (twins) ; William E., also a farmer.

Nathaniel L. was a soldier in Company I, Tenth Connecticut Volunteer Regiment ; served three years, was in all the engagements of his regiment, and was wounded in both ankles and in his left knee at the same time, and received an honorable discharge Oet. 2, 1864, since which time he has resided at home on the farm.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Mary E. married Alexander G. Knapp, who is a farmer near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Husted set- tled on his present farm in 1828. He is a Republican in politics, though he cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson at his second election. Mr. and Mrs. Husted are members of the Congregational Church at Greenwich, Conn.

He has held several town offices, and was a captain of a company of State militia for a great many years, and is known as Capt. Benjamin Husted. He is one of Greenwich's best citizens, a man universally re- spected.

HANFORD LOCKWOOD.

The name of Lockwood is traced back as far as 1470, when Annie, only daughter of Richard Lock- wood, married Thomas Henshaw, who thereby became possessed of a large estate in Staffordshire, England. Those of the name in Greenwich, Stamford, Brun- dridge, and probably those of the name at Norwalk and other parts of the county, are descended from Edmund Lockwood, freeman, May 18, 1631. Was of Cambridge, Mass., in 1632, and probably removed to Connecticut with Messrs. Hooker and Stone. Lieut. Jonathan Lockwood and Lieut. Gershom Lockwood were in their day prominent and influential men in Greenwich, Conn.

Hanford Lockwood is a son of Ira and Clemendine (Mills) Lockwood and grandson of Thaddeus Lock- wood, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Fair- field Co., Conn., two and a half miles north of where he now resides, June 7, 1808.

His father was born at the same place Oct. 19, 1769, and died April 18, 1846, having lived nearly seventy- seven years on the same farm. He was one of the most successful farmers in the town, though not a large one. He commenced life poor, but by energy and economy became well off. It is related of him that at one time during the Revolutionary war he was standing guard, though not a soldier, and one dark night he heard the footsteps of something coming, and three times said, "Who comes there?" No an- swer came, and he fired, when he discovered he had shot a colt, thinking it was a Tory. He had four sons and one daughter,-viz., Alva, Lydia, Ira, Ralph, and Hanford, all of whom were born in the town of Green- wich, and all are now (1880) dead except Hanford. Lydia married Isaac Ostrander, of New York City, and had a large family of children.

Ira Lockwood, Sr., was a Whig in politics, and was a constable and collector of Greenwich a number of years. During the earlier part of his life he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church, but later were members of the Episcopal Church.

Thaddeus Lockwood, grandfather of Hanford Lock- wood, was a farmer by occupation, married, and had a large family. He died about 1812 to 1814, aged ninety-three years.

Hanford Lockwood worked on his father's farm |

summers and attended the district school winters until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to New York City, and became a clerk in the employ of William J. Romer, a grocer, for five dollars a month. At the end of the first year he had saved more than thirty dollars, which he gave to his father, besides having properly clothed himself. This was the begin- ning of a successful business life. On account of sick- uess he returned home and remained two years, work- ing on his father's farm; subsequently returned to New York, and entered the grocery-store of his brother- in-law, Isaac Ostrander, as clerk at eight dollars a month for one year, then received twelve dollars for his second year, and fifteen dollars for his third year's work.

The summer that he was twenty years of age he spent at home, and during the fall and winter follow- ing taught school at twelve dollars a month, and the following spring engaged for one year to teach in what was known as the Nash District at fifteen dollars a month, and "boarded around." He relates that he had a good time and made many warm friends. Dur- ing this time he made the acquaintance of Susan, daughter of James Nash, the man who had engaged him to teach the school, and on the 6th of October, 1830, they were married. In the month of April, 1831, he commenced business as a grocer in the city of New York, and continued in that business for twenty-four years, when he retired from active em- ployment and returned to his native town, and resided on the old homestead where he first saw the light of day until February, 1878, when he settled where he now (1880) resides. During his residence in the city he made good investments in real estate, which have greatly increased in value on his hands. He was a first-class business man, and attributes his success in life more to the fact that at an early age he became interested in the cause of religion, under the influ- ence of one Mary Ostrander, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church under the ministry of the Rev. William Jewett. He is one of the most worthy and influential members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Greenwich. He has held in the past and holds to-day the various offices of his church, such as steward, trustee, recording secretary, licensed exhorter, Sunday-school superintendent for many years, and a worker in the Sunday-school as teacher or superintendent the most of the time since he united with the church. He has always been very liberal to his church as well as to other denomina- tions, and the poor have in him a true friend, and they go not empty away. He is the possessor of more than five hundred acres of land, two hundred and fifteen of which are in his present beautiful farm, called Grandview. (See view of his place on another page.) He has been twice married. His first wife died Oct. 27, 1869, and was buried at Stanwich, Conn., where a fine marble monument marks her resting- place. He married for his second wife Fanny Louns-

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 99

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