History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 142

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 142

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The following were drafted in 1862:

Gordon J. Peet, Cyrenus Hunter, Albert F. Roberts, William E. Brown, Albert Scott, Daniel P. Griswold, Newton Bump, Aaron H. Dunhar, George W. Birdsell, William E. Marsh, Frederick Northrup, Charles P. St. John, Charles B. Everitt, Joshua B. Chaffee, Ezekiel S. Whit- ney, John Van Dusen, George D. Williams, Charles W. Reed, Rich- ard Woodward, As& Smith, Chesterfield Chapman, Hilan B. Eggles- ton, Richard F. Everitt, Elias B. Reed, Henry Bush, William Bush, William Chapman, Baldwin Reed (2d), James Kelly, and Charles Hotchkiss.

All of the above named procured substitutes except William Chapman, son of the late Lovell W. Chap- man, who died in the hospital in Washington within a few weeks after being mustered into the service.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN C. JACKSON.

John C. Jackson was born in Sharon, June 3, 1813. He is a direct descendant of Deacon Ebenezer Jack- son, who came from Norwalk and settled in an early day on the same lot on Sharon Mountain now in possession of his descendants. Deacon Ebenezer was early chosen deacon of the church (the second who held that office in Sharon), and was a highly-esteemed and useful citizen. He had six sons, most of whom settled in the eastern part of Sharon. An uncommon interest attaches to the place on which he settled, from the fact that it has been held by only two fam- ilies from its settlement to the present time.

John C. was eldest son of Calvin and Mary (Wil- liams) Jackson, and has resided during his whole life within half a mile of his birthplace. His education was confined to such attendance at the primitive schools of Sharon as could be obtained by a hard- working farmer's boy, and that acquired by practice with the axe and plow. He was brought up to thor- oughly understand farming, and has never desired to change his avocation. Nov. 18, 1840, he married Jane, daughter of James Jarvis and Mrs. Lucy

Sandford, his wife, whose maiden name was Platt. They have six children, one other dying in early life; they are Helen (Mrs. Hannon Fairchild, of Corn- wall), Julia (Mrs. Martin Hungerford, of Gaylords- ville), John C. (who married Fanny, daughter of Nelson Landon), Frances (Mrs. Levi Blydenburgh, of New Haven), Florence (Mrs. William Hawley, of Sherman), and Charles Sedgwick, who lives with his parents. Mr. Jackson has never wanted to attract public attention, has never taken office, but patiently, steadily, and unostentatiously has pursued a quiet life, and has been highly favored with success in his calling. In politics is a Republican; before that party was formed a Whig.

We add some further facts of the early family here. Ebenezer Jackson's grandson John settled where John Jackson, Jr., now lives. He was a thoroughly unselfish man, and would always disoblige himself to accommodate a neighbor. It was a common saying, quaint but expressive, "He always took hold of the butt end of the log." He was particularly noted for his strict honesty, which trait was also prominent in his descendants, and strongly manifested in his son Calvin, father of the present John Jackson. The Jacksons were peaceable men, attending strictly to their own business, yet always ready to extend a help- ing hand to any one in time of need.

The Jarvis family, to which Mrs. Jackson belongs, is one of the oldest and proudest families in America. They are found in nearly every one of the United States, and consequence of the firm loyalty to the crown of some of those living in the Revolutionary days, in the British provinces as well. It is generally conceded that they are of English extraction, coming to England from Normandy at the time of William the Conquer- or. The Norman spelling of the name was Gervais. The first name found is Jean Gervais, resident at Bretagne about 1400. The changes of the name from Gervasius, or Gervais, to Jervis, Jarvie, Jarvis, . have by no means clouded or in any way thrown doubt upon its identity. It has been strikingly the same through all its variations, as well as the features and peculiar characteristics of the people. In every generation have been found men of talent and exalted worth. Probably a greater number of the name have been professional men-clergymen, lawyers, judges- than of any other family now resident on this conti- nent. "The name has given dignity to the bench and bar; it has graced the professions of medicine and surgery ; it has adorned the pulpit and the stage; it has entwined its garlands of poetry with music and painting ; it has thundered its deeds of daring over the ocean wave, and among the distant isles of the sea."

Mrs. Jackson is a lineal descendant, in the sixth generation, from William Jarvis, of Huntingdon, L. I., whose sons, William and Samuel, and daughter, Mary Seymour, settled in Norwalk, Conn., in the early part of the eighteenth century. It is a pleasing task

福

RESIDENCE OF S. B. JEWETT, SHARON CONN.

JOHN S. JEWETT.

Nelfile Deming

591

SHARON.

to record the virtues and excellences of the brave men and loyal women who have borne the name of Jarvis, and to find the same characteristics in the present as in the oldtime generations, showing the same dis- tinctive qualities of integrity, honor, and love of coun- try. To show the atmosphere in which Mrs. Jarvis was reared, we quote the following from a letter writ- ten by her brother, David S. Jarvis :

"On the breaking out of the Rebellion I was on a visit to my parents, whom I never failed to visit once a year. I told them it was a critical time for our country (this was in 1862), when both became much ex- cited. They hoped I could give them some good news; but I could not. My mother exclaimed, 'David, you have three good boys, Abram, Charles, and Howard: go yourself, with them, to the war, and I will go, as I can take care of the sick, or make lint for the wounded,-this government must be preserved ! Your forefather was of Revolutionary stock, and the coun- try must live!' My father also added that he hoped to live long enough to see the Rebellion crushed, when he would be willing to die. He wanted to feel. that he had left a country untorn by civil war, and as it was designed by the founders of the republic."

All three of the sons mentioned went to the war, and one of them died in Charleston. The mother, above alluded to, was then over seventy years old, and the spirit she manifested would have honored many a younger woman. It is a pleasure to add that both she and her husband lived to see the long, dark night of war succeeded by the sunshine of peace and the triumph of the Union.

JOHN S. JEWETT.

Capt. Caleb Jewett was from Norwich, now Lisbon, in 1743. He first purchased the lot on which George Smith lived, but sold it in 1744 to Deacon Elmer, and bought the farm now in possession of his great- grandson, Simeon B. Jewett. He was selectman of the town twelve years, and representative to the Gen- eral Assembly at eleven sessions. He was a man of energy, and useful in his day and generation. He died Jan. 18, 1778, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. He had sons,-Caleb, Nathan, Thaddeus, and Alpheus.

Alpheus married Abigail Sears, Feb. 15, 1781, and in Rev. Fitch Reed's "History of Methodism in Sharon" occurs the following : "Mr. Alpheus Jewett (father of Rev. William Jewett, of New York Con- ference, and of Hon. Judge Jewett, of Skaneateles, N. Y.) and his wife were the first persons who joined the Methodist Church in Connecticut. Freeborn Garretson was the first Methodist preacher who visited that section." Mr. Jewett had a long life of much public employment and of great usefulness, and died Oct. 5, 1841, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He had the great satisfaction of seeing his children filling some of the most responsible positions with credit to themselves, and to the thorough training of their Christian parents.

John S. Jewett was born in Sharon, Sept. 19, 1806. His years of childhood were passed on the homestead, which has been for four generations in possession of the family. He was educated at the public and private schools of Sharon, and always resided on the place where he was born. He was twice married, first to Julia Ann Stephens, April 15, 1832, by whom he had two children,-Mary W. (Mrs. John Sears, of Cornwall, Ill.) and Julia A. S. (Mrs. V. G. Sears, of East Bloomfield, N. Y.). She died March 8, 1835. March 10, 1838, he married Caroline, daughter of Henry Johnson, of Norwalk, Conn. They had four children,-Nathan H., Simeon B. (born June 22, 1846), Rebecca G., and William. Simeon is the only one surviving. When he was of age, Mr. Jewett as- sumed the management of his father's farm, and was ever after identified with the farming interests of Sharon. About 1835 he engaged in manufacturing at Sharon Valley, and continued for several years making goods of malleable iron. After selling out this business he remained a farmer only until his death. He was a good and shrewd business man, was often chosen to hold the various responsible offices of the town, represented Sharon in the Legislature, and was a railroad commissioner for the State of Con- necticut. He died Oct. 13, 1878, of an apopleetic stroke.

RALPII DEMING, M.D.

The first ancestor of Dr. Deming in this country was John Deming, who settled at Wethersfield, Conn., as early as 1635. He was a prominent man, often a member of the colonial Legislature from 1641 to 1661, and his name appears in the charter of 1662. His wife was daughter of Richard Treat, an early settler of distinction, and sister of Governor Robert Treat, well known for his civil and military record, and for fifteen years the chief magistrate of the Con- neeticut colony.

Dr. Deming's father, Daniel Deming, came from Saybrook to Sharon in 1782, and here Ralph was born, Oct. 19, 1798. From a very early age he mani- fested the traits of thoroughness and energy which marked his whole life, and by his own exertions obtained a good academic education. He studied medicine under the instruction of Dr. John Sears, attending medient lectures at the Medical Department of Yale College, New Haven, where he was gradu- ated Feb. 25, 1824. Returning to Sharon, he com- inenced his professional life, which lasted for more than half a century, during which time he attained a professional standing second to none in the State. One who knew him well says, "He possessed a thoroughi knowledge of disease, its points of ditfer- ence from other diseases, its symptoms, their relations to each other, and to the state of the different organs and functions of the body, generally comprehended under the title of diagnosis in works of medical re-

592

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

search. He carefully studied the constitutions of his patients, and adapted his treatment to the varied temperaments of different and opposite physical or- ganizations. This insured him wonderful success in cases often of extraordinary delicacy of system." While Dr. Deming was moderate and conservative in his theory and practice, he at the same time studied with attention the works of the great writers, and was often called in council by the ablest of the profession, and his advice was heeded as that of a wise and safe counselor. He was a good thinker, a careful ob- server, and a close reasoner. His motives were right, and he thoroughly believed in the power of con- scientious action in the ministrations of his profes- sion. " Character, Christian character," he used to say, "adds to the ability and power of the physician." Dr. Deming was an active member of the Connecticut Medical Society, often a fellow of the State Society, and for years a permanent member of the American Medical Association, and was a delegate from Con- necticut to a meeting of the last-named body at Chi- cago.

Dr. Deming married, June 5, 1827, Miss Mary T. Cornwall, of Paterson, N. Y. Two children, Erastus A. and H. Eliza, survive him, and now reside in Sharon.

Dr. Deming was as strong and prominent in politics as in his profession. Believing, with Andrew Jackson, that Democracy gave the "greatest good to the greatest number," he was unswerving in his allegiance to its principles. He represented Sharon in the Legis- latures of 1835, 1839, and 1867, and his district in the State Senates of 1853 and 1854.

Dr. Deming commenced life with absolutely noth- ing, acquired a large landed estate, was fond of agri- culture and its improvement, and when he died left a handsome property to his descendants. From early manhood he was connected with the Episcopal Church, and was for twenty-seveu years a warden, and contributed liberally to its support.

A wise physician, a cherished neighbor, a worthy Christian, a kind and loving husband and father, he died July 21, 1877, universally mourned, at the ad- vanced age of seventy-nine years.

GAMALIEL H. ST. JOHN.

Gamaliel H. St. Johu was born Sept. 2, 1804, on the same place, in Sharon, as his brother. When about seven years old he had a severe attack of the terrible epidemic which then raged in Sharon, and never fully recovered. Being thus left weak, and not fitted for the rough work of the farmers of that day, he applied himself to study diligently at the district schools, and under instruction of Rev. Mr. Gridley, then pastor of the Congregational Church. He was an apt student, and made good progress. He read medicine with Dr. Clark Chapman, attended medical lectures at Yale College, and was graduated from

that celebrated school as M.D. about 1826. Shortly after he commenced the practice of his profession at Gaylordsville, and by his attention to his patients, and the skill manifested by him, he soon acquired a large practice, which he held many years. He worked hard, never sparing himself when suffering humanity called for his aid. He was prospered finan- cially, and at his death (as he was never married) he was able to give (and did do so) substantial tokens of remembrance to his near relatives. In 1873 he re- moved to Sharon, retiring from practice, and made his home with his sister, Mrs. Gibbs W. Skiff, of Ellsworth. His death occurred Aug. 15, 1877, and a handsome monument in the little cemetery of Ells- worth, bearing his name and the inscription, "The Beloved Physician," testifies to the general belief of his worthiness.

THE PECK FAMILY.

William Peck, the first of this family in America, arrived in Boston, from England, June 26, 1637, with his wife Elizabeth and son Jeremiah. He was born in London or vicinity in 1601, and was there married, about 1622. In 1638 he became one of the original proprietors of New Haven, Conn., and his signature is affixed to the agreement or constitution for the gov- ernment of that colony, dated June 4, 1639. He was made a freeman of the colony Oct. 20, 1640, and was evidently a man of means and high social standing. He was a merchant, and was also trustee, treasurer, and general business manager of the "Colony Colle- giate School." In the old records he is recorded as "Mr.," then a title of honor and distinction. From 1659 until his death, Oct. 4, 1694, at the advanced age of ninety-three years, he was a deacon of the New Haven Church. His four children, Jeremiah, John, Joseph, and Elizabeth, all children of his first wife, Elizabeth, survived him. His grave is in that part of the old burial-ground now under the Centre church, in New Haven.

Jeremiah was born in London or vicinity in 1623. He had a classical education, and had been preaching or teaching school at Guilford, Conn., for some time, when, Nov. 12, 1656, he married Johanna, daughter of Robert Kitchell, a prominent man, and one of the founders of Guilford. He continued in the same calling until 1660, when he was invited to take charge of the collegiate school at New Haven, Conn., insti- tuted by the General Court in 1659 as a classical school for the colony. It was not supported properly, was temporarily suspended, afterwards revived, and comes down to the present generation as "Hopkins Grammar School." After a few years' settlement as pastor at Saybrook, he became one of the first settlers of Newark, N. J., and finally was settled at Elizabeth- town, N. J., about 1670, as their first minister. After numerous calls to pastorates in divers places, in Octo- ber, 1678, he accepted one from Greenwich, Conn.,

GAMALIEL ST. JOHN.

ENOCH P. PECK.

& R. Čech.

Charles IN Pack

593

SHARON.

and became the first settled minister in that town. His pastorate was a useful one, but, owing to differ- ences in views about baptisms, he resigned his charge in 1689. He then commenced preaching in Water- bury, Conn., received and accepted the unanimous call of the residents of that town to settle with them in the ministry, removed thither in 1690, and became the first settled minister in that town also. He was then nearly seventy years of age, was always pos- sessed of much energy and ability, and did much good, both as teacher and minister. He continued, with failing health, to discharge his official duties until his decease, in Waterbury, June 7, 1699. His wife survived him twelve years. Their children were Samuel, Ruth, Caleb, Anne, Jeremiah, and Joshua.

Samuel,1 eldest son of Rev. Jeremiah, was born in Guilford, Conn., Jan. 18, 1659; came to Greenwich, Conn., with his father, in 1678; was well educated ; married, Nov. 27, 1686, Rnth, daughter of Peter, and granddaughter of Jeffrey Ferris, of Stamford, Conn .; became a man of large wealth and influence; for fifty years was justice of the peace, held other prominent positions, and was the progenitor of the numerous Peck families of Greenwich, where he died, April 28, 1746, leaving children,-Samuel,? Jeremiah, Joseph. David, Nathaniel, Eliphalet, Theophilus, Peter, and Robert.

Samuel Peck2 was born in Greenwich, March, 1688 ; married in 1715; was a carpenter, and also a farmer. He lived in Greenwich during his life, and died in December, 1733. (His widow married John Clogston in 1735, soon removed to Redding, Conn., where she died, leaving two daughters, born in Redding, one of whom, Abigail, married Capt. Enech Parsons, and died in Sharon, June 6, 1807. Betsy, their daughter, was the wife of Deacon Calvin Peck, spoken of far- ther on in this sketch.) The children of Samuel2 and his wife Elizabeth were Mary, John, Samuels, and Ruth.

Samuel Peck3 was born in Greenwich, Conn., in April, 1720, and married Mary, daughter of James Ferris, of the same town. Mr. Peck resided in old Greenwich, was a valuable citizen, a man of great force and decision of character, and for years was deacon of the First Congregational Church in Green- wich. His death occurred Jan. 29, 1793. He left nine children, of whom Calvin was seventh child and fourth son.

Calvin Peck was born in Greenwich, Dec. 4, 1764, and married, as above stated, Betsy, daughter of Capt. Enoch Parsons. Mr. Peck became a resident of Sharon about 1788. He was a soldier in the Rev- olutionary war, a carpenter by trade, and deacon of the Congregational Church in Sharon. He was an honest, industrious man, and held in high esteem by his fellow-townsmen, and was intrusted with numer- ous public trusts. He had nine children, of whom Enoch P. was eldest son, and died Sept. 1, 1837.

Enoch Parsons Peck was born in Greenwich, Nov.

14, 1787, and came in infancy with his parents to Sharon. He early learned the carpenter trade of his father, and continued that avocation until about forty years of age, earning by it the money which pur- chased the place now owned and occupied by his son, Augustus L., and after the death of his father he bought the interests of the other heirs in the old home- stead. He afterwards purchased the Tanner farm, and became the owner of about four hundred and forty acres of land in Sharon. He was married, Nov. 7, 1815, to Mary, daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah (Lockwood) Peck, of Greenwich, and had three chil- dren,-Augustus L., Elias R., and Charles W. He at various times held important town offices, was a lifelong member of the Congregational Church, and for many years was connected with that of Sharon. He was an "Old-Line" Whig, as was his father, and none of his sons have ever deviated from his princi- ples. He died Aug. 24, 1858, in the same house that his father built on his settlement in Sharon, and where he also died. Mrs. Peck survived him, dying March 28, 1866.

Augustus L. Peck was born in Sharon, Sept. 8, 1816. He spent his boyhood with his father on the farm ; had common-school advantages; stayed with his father until his marriage to Mary, youngest daugh- ter of Freeman W. Parsons, Jan. 6, 1841,* when he moved to the place where he now resides. He always has been a farmer, and has taken pride in his calling. He has particularly devoted himself to producing fine cattle, and has received very large prices for them. He has never accepted office, but has been a hard-working, energetic citizen of independent thought and action. Knowing the secret of taking care of property, as well as acquiring it, he is to-day in the front rank of Sharon's representative agriculturists, and possessed of a hand- some property. He has been an active Republican from the organization of that party.

Elias R. Peck was born Oct. 10, 1824. He was ed- ucated at public and private schools in Sharen, worked as a farmer at home till he was thirty years old, when, Oct. 28, 1854, he married Miss Euphemia E. Nodine, and soon moved to Stamford, Conn., and entered into trade as a merchant in company with Hiram Reynolds. He afterwards moved to South Norwalk, was a merchant there a few years, but the salt air not agreeing with him, he returned to Sharon, and after his father's death occupied a portion of the old homestead, where he died, Oct. 21, 1864, leaving ne children.

Charles W. Peck was born Dec. 18, 1831. 11e always lived with his father, working the farm for the two years previous to his father's death in 1858. Hle had the instruction given at district schools, and also attended a private school taught in Cornwall by a Mr. llowe. He married, Nov. 3, 1858, Julia M., daugh- ter of Austin and Thirza D. (Jackson) Cartwright.

* See biographical sketch of Charles MI. and F. L. Pierson.

594

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

This family is one of Sharon's old families, and Mrs. Peck is a distant relative of the celebrated Rev. Peter Cartwright. Mr. Peck is a successful farmer, attend- ing strictly to business, and by inheritance and dili- gence, economy and industry, he is now in posses- sion of a fine property. While a strong Republican, he is not a politician, and voted for Horace Greeley for President in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Peck have but one child now living, Ella M., who was born Sept. 29, 1873.

LEMUEL PECK.

Julius Peck, son of Amiel Peck, was born in Brookfield, Conn. He was a tanner and currier, and also a farmer. He married Sarah Dunning, and had nine children,-Polly (deceased), Amiel, Betsy (deceased), Lemuel, Sarah (deceased), Amanda (de- ceased), Harriet, Julius B., and Cyrenus H.

Amiel now resides in Ohio, Julius B. in Illinois, and Cyrenus H. in Brookfield, Conn.

Julius Peck settled in Sharon, on the farm now owned by his son Lemuel, and where all the family, save the eldest, were born. He died March 23, 1823, aged fifty-eight years. Amiel, Sr., was a tanner and currier, and shoemaker and farmer. He died far ad- vanced in life.

Lemuel Peck was born July 25, 1802. He had no other educational advantages than those secured by ' attendance at the common schools of Sharon, and ahout 1819 he began to learn the trade of country cloth-dressing, and had finished it in 1822. For three or four seasons he has worked at his trade, but farm- ing has been his principal business. He was the eldest son, and by his father's death the responsibil- ity of "head of the family" devolved on him, and faithfully did he discharge this duty, changing for this the whole tenor of this life. His infirm mother and maiden sisters have never lost his care nor ceased to experience his affectionate solicitude.

In politics Mr. Peck has been a lifelong Democrat, and has been called to fill various town offices. He lias been frugal, and is in possession of a handsome property.

CHARLES M. PARSONS AND F. L. PIERSON.

Stephen Pierson (called Parsons), who died in Derby, Conn., May 14, 1739, aged ninety-four years, is the oldest ancestor that can be traced of this family. His will was dated Sept. 2, 1733. He married Mary Tomlinson, of Stratford, Conn., who died Sept. 25, 1715. His second wife, Esther, survived him. He had six children (perhaps more),-Stephen, Abraham (called Sergeant), John, Mary, who married Josiah Baldwin, Sept. 19, 1700; Sarah, married to John Twitchell, Jan. 21, 1679; Bathsheba (Mrs. Adam Blackman, of Stratford). Mary Tomlinson was daughter of Henry Tomlinson and Alice, his wife. They removed from Watertown, Mass., about 1644, to Milford about 1652, to Stratford about 1665, where

he died, March 16, 1681. His widow married John Birdsey, under a contract of Oct. 8, 1688.

Stephen Pierson was born in England about 1645, was apprenticed by his mother, probably a widow, to Thomas Mulliner, of Branford, Conn., to learn the carpenter's trade, and came to New Haven about 1654. The colonial records say he testified in court at New Haven on a case of witchcraft, June 30, 1657. He was a resident of Derby, then Pangasset, on March 15, 1667, and was probably there in 1666. The reservoir in Derby covers a part of the home-lot of four acres where Stephen first resided in that town.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 142

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532