History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 8

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 8
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 8

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).

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

1823-8, stated services; James Keeler, 1828-9, resident minister; Wil- liam T. Potter, 1830, stated services; Edward J. Ives, 1831-2, stated services; David Baldwin, 1834-8, stated services; Levi H. Carson, 1838- 40, entire services; Pascal P. Kidder, 1840-3, resident rector; Frederick Miller, 1844-9, resident minister: William H. Rees, 1850, resident rec- tor; Henry Olmstead, Jr., 1851-62, resident rector; Clayton Eddy, 1862- 4, resident rector; Frederick D. Lewin, 1864, resident rector; David Bishop, 1866-9, resident rector; George C. Griswold, 1870 2, resident rector; Henry Olmstead, D.D., 1872-82, resident rector; Charles H. Plummer, 1882-3, one year; Melville K. Bailey, 1885-91, resident rec- tor; F. B. Whitcomb, since June, 1891.

The longest ministry was that of Reverend Henry Olmstead, who died in the service of the church October 30th, 1882. An appropriate tablet, commemorating the 21 years of service which he gave the par- ish, has been placed in the church. His age was 64 years. In his ministry the Chapel of Grace, at Branford Point, built mainly by Isaac H. Brown and his friends, of Grace church, New York, was donated to the parish. Another well-beloved pastor was Frederick Miller, who died as rector of this church October 3d, 1849, aged 39 years. Both are buried beneath the chancel of the church.

In the ministry of Reverend John M. Garfield the Sunday school was founded, about 1826, and soon had 50 members. After a few years it went down, and in 1834 it was reorganized by Isaac H. Tuttle. Eli F. Rogers became the superintendent and acted continuously until 1865. Samuel E. Linsley then became the superintendent and served until his death, September 22d, 1883. Since 1834 Eli F. Rogers has been an officer of the Sunday school, which has about 160 members.

The Branford Baptist Church was constituted in 1838. In the year 1836 Mrs. Nicholas Andrews, a devout member of the Wallingford Baptist church, lived in Branford, and at her request her pastor, Rev- erend Simeon Shailer, visited the town and preached. He was fol- lowed, in 1837, by Reverend Amos D. Watrous, whose services at- tracted many, but also awakened some hostile feeling and acts of violence towards him and his property. Not disheartened, Reverend David T. Shailer came next, beginning regular Sabbath services in the old Academy building, in December, 1837. The following spring a large chamber in the Andrews house was fitted up as a place of worship, and April Sth, 1838, occurred the first public baptism in the village, Woodward Page and Abigail Johnson being immersed in the river, near the Neck bridge, in the presence of a great throng of peo- ple. The same season were also baptized Charles Hopson, George W. Johnson, Betsy Beers, Nicholas Andrews, Nelson J. Linsley, James Barker and wife, Mary Ann Goodrich, Irene Page, Maria Russell, Char- lotte Covert, Mary Beers and Nancy Hopson. These and ten others were, on the 19th of December, 1838, constituted as the foregoing church.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

A larger place for meetings having become necessary, the town yielded its consent that a house should be built on the site of the old whipping post on the " green," and the members gave materials and labor toward building the house, Mr. Shailer himself helping to hew some of the timbers. Nelson J. Linsley supervised the work of build- ing. The church edifice was dedicated July 11th, 1840, but not free from debt. It was more or less a burden on the society for twenty years, being finally lifted by the Ladies' Aid Society, of which Mrs. Martha Barker was the president. In 1859, in the pastorate of the Reverend P. G. Wightman, the house was remodelled, the interior es- pecially being much changed. In 1866 the work of bettering the church building was still further carried on at an outlay of $1,800. A baptistery was built in 1888 and more repairs were made at an outlay of $1,000. The property is worth $3,500, and the church has 300 sit- tings.

In 1876 a fine parsonage was built on Rogers street, which is valued at $3,000, $1,500 being contributed by Ara Baldwin and Mrs. James Barker.

The church has been reasonably prosperous, having now about 150 members. It has had but two clerks-James Barker, from 1838 until 1882, and James Fowler since that time.

Those elected as deacons were: in 1838, Nicholas Andrews; 1843, James Barker, Nelson J. Linsley; 1853, Samuel D. Linsley, Giles T. Baldwin; 1868, James Palmer; 1874, Philander Hopson;# 1879, Har- vey Beach, Henry W. Hubbard," Elizur Johnson .*

For many years Giles Baldwin had a Sabbath school at Stony Creek, and after 1874 Deacon Philander Hopson continued the good work a number of years at both Branford and Stony Creek. Of the former school H.W. Hubbard was the superintendent in 1889, and the scholars numbered about 100.

The ministers of the church have been the following: Reverend D. T. Shailer until April, 1844, when the church had 62 members; A. C. Wheat, 1845, for three and a half years; Calvin Topliff, one year; Lucius Atwater, 1850-4; R. H. Bolles, 1855-6; D. T. Shailer, supply, 1857; P. G. Wightman, 1858-63; A. H. Simons, 1864-7; Curtis Keeney, eight months; Henry A. Wildridge, eight months; Warren Mason, 1870-3; five supplies in 1874 7; Melville Thwing, first to occupy the parsonage; C. C. Smith, July, 1877, to May, 1885; J. A. Bailey, supply 13 years; P. G. Wightman, supply from October, 1886, to April, 1887, and pastor since that time. From his historical sermon, preached on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the church, in 1888, this ac- count has been compiled.

Attempts were made by the Methodists as early as 1836 and since to establish a church at Branford, but for many years without success. In 1875 the effort was renewed, and a small congregation was organ-

*Present deacons.

IHISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

ized, which built a house of worship on the street on the south side of the green. Unfortunately the organization of this society was not long continued, and in 1878 it disbanded. The building was later purchased by Doctor Gaylord, who converted it into a neat public hall.

The Tabor Church (Swedish Evangelical Lutheran) occupies a commanding location in the southern part of the village. It is a Gothic frame edifice, 40 by 58 feet, with a brick basement and hand- some corner tower. The corner stone was laid October 20th, 1889, and the church was formally dedicated August 10th, 1890. The interior is handsomely finished, and the entire property cost $5,152. It was built mainly by the efforts of the Swedes and Finlanders in this locality, the building committee being composed of P. A. R. Engquist, Gustaf Dahlgren, Joseph Mattson, Peter Palson, Herman Mickelson, H. Jacob- son, John Gulland, Charles Damberg. The congregation occupying this house was organized in the fall of 1887, with a few members. But there has been a steady and encouraging increase, there being now more than one hundred members belonging. The meetings were first held in the basement of the Congregational meeting house, Rev- erend Henry Jacobson being the minister.

St. Mary's Church (Roman Catholic). The mass of the Catholic church was first said in Branford at the house of Francis Harding, in the summer of 1851. That family was one of the first professing the Catholic faith to take up its abode in the town, and a son, Michael Patrick Harding, who was born April 15th, 1850, was the first native Irish-American of Branford. The officiating priest at this mass was the Reverend Father John Sheridan, who came from New Haven, aud was followed by Father Matthew Hart, of St. Patrick's church of the same city, who opened the ground for the church, which was raised in 1855, while Father John Lynch was in charge of the mission, which was now here maintained by St. Patrick's parish. In 1861 Reverend James Bohen was assigned to the parish, composed of the shore towns east of New Haven, and in 1862 was followed by Reverend Thomas Quinn. Reverend James F. Campbell became the priest in 1865 and enlarged the church building. After three years he was followed by Reverend Thomas Mullen. Since September 1st, 1876, the resident priest has been Reverend Edward Martin. Branford became a dis- tinct parish in the spring of 1887, when Guilford was set off. It con- tained, in 1890, 177 families and 1,200 persons, and was growing in numbers and influence.

Besides the church building the parish owns a fine priest's house and two places of interments. The old cemetery, in the northern part of the village, is well filled, and contains a number of handsome mon- uments. The new one of 14 acres is east of the village, and was pur- chased in 1889 for $2,500.

Until the present century the town had but one public place of burial-the cemetery at Branford village. On the 30th of November,

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

1810, the burial place at Mill Plain was occupied, young Ammi Beach being the first interred there. The area is small, but the ground is well enclosed and filled with graves, many being marked with head- stones. These indicate the burial at that place of members of the Beach, Baldwin, Bartholomew, Barker, Downs, Frisbie, Hoadley, Nor- ton, Tyler, Towner and Rogers families. The third place of burial was opened at Damascus, June 18th, 1812, and Mrs. Lucretia Day was the first person buried at that place. After the dates named the latter two places were used mainly by the inhabitants of the Stony Creek section until 1876, when the cemetery was opened in that locality.

The Catholics have a place of burial at Branford village, and another east of Branford river, on the Guilford road.

The old cemetery has been used from the time of settlement. It contains many graves, some of which are unmarked. The area has been increased from time to time, a large addition being made after 1850. Mrs. Sally Gillett gave $2.000 as a fund for the care of the cem- etery, and that proper attention might be paid to the graves of her- self and consort. A brown sandstone monument marks this resting place in the new part of the cemetery, and the inscriptions are as follows:

REV. TIMOTHY P. GILLETT, DIED Nov. 5, 1866, AGED 86 YR'S,

A preacher of the Gospel 61 years, and pastor of the First Cong'l Church in Bran- ford 58 years. "I know in whom I have believed." MRS. SALLY GILLETT, WIFE OF REV. TIMOTHY P. GILLETT. DIED MAY 20, 1887. AGED 100 YEARS & 2 MONTHS.

In the old part of the cemetery, near the spot where stood the first meeting house, is the table monument to the memory of Reverend Samuel Russell and his wife. In the same part of the cemetery are the graves of Reverend George L. Russell, who died in 1844, and of Reverend Rutherford Russell, who died in 1876. In this cemetery is also the well marked grave of Reverend Philemon Robbins, who died August 13th, 1781.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Daniel Averill, born in 1817, is a son of David and Polly (Morris) Averill, and grandson of Daniel Averill, who was a drummer in the revolutionary war. Mr. Averill followed the sea in coasting and West India trade until 1877. He married Jane, daughter of Seth Bradley, of East Chatham, N. Y. They have two children: Delbert C. and La- verne S. Delbert married Estella Shepard, of Branford, and has one

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

son, Roy Victor, born in 1880. Laverne married Samuel Hodgkinson of England, and has one son, Harold Daniel, born 1890.

'Henry W. Averill, born in 1851, is a son of Samuel and Myrtie (Fowler) Averill, and grandson of Daniel Averill. Mr. Averill is a farmer. He married Hattie, daughter of Albert C. Gardiner, of Rhode Island.

John U. Baldwin, born in 1836 at Carmel, N. Y., is a son of Arvah and Harriet (Carpenter) Baldwin. He came to Guilford with his parents when a boy, and after his marriage settled at his present home in Branford. He is a farmer and butcher. He married Mary E., daughter of Alva Kelsey. Their children are: A. Earle and Mel- vina C.

Harvey R. Barker is the only son of James and Martha (Beach) Barker, and grandson of Captain Archilus Barker, who was a revolu- tionary soldier and sea captain. Mr. Barker is a farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of Richard Hubbard. They have three children: James, who is a farmer with his father; Elizabeth A., now Mrs. Fred Smith; and Susan J., now Mrs. E. R. Monroe.

David Beach, born in 1817. is a son of John and Sally (Harrison) Beach, and grandson of John H. Beach. Mr. Beach is a farmer, though the two sons operate the farm at present. He married Sylvia Baldwin. Their children were: Betsey B., John H., who married Car- rie Linsley; Frank E., who married Alida Duncan; and two that died in infancy.

John Bishop, son of Jonathan C. and Lydia (Tyler) Bishop, and grandson of James Bishop, was born in 1818, and is the youngest of five children. Mr. Bishop is a farmer. For twelve years he was select- man of Branford. He married Thankful K., daughter of Elias Gould. They have two children living: Elias G. and Sarah E. (Mrs. William Whiting); and two died in infancy.

John Augustus Blackstone is a son of Augustus and Esther (Lins- ley) Blackstone, and grandson of John, whose father, John, was a son of John Blackstone, who died in 1785, and is supposed to be a grand- son of William Blackstone, who came to New England in the early part of the seventeenth century. Mr. Blackstone was born in 1829. He was married in 1855 to H. Minerva, daughter of Rewel Andrews. They have two sons: Charles A. and Ruel A., both married and fol- lowing the business of farming with their father. Mr. Blackstone has held the office of selectman eiglit successive years, also tax collector, assessor and town agent.

Ralph Blackstone, born in 1825, is a son of Ralph and Saily (Pond) Blackstone, and grandson of John, whose father, John, was a son of John, a descendant of William Blackstone. Mr. Blackstone is a far- mer. He married Mary, daughter of Orrin Hoadley. She died, leav- ing two daughters, Valnette and Emeline E.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Richard Bradley, born in 1850, is a son of Gurdon and Ann M. (Spink) Bradley, and grandson of Timothy¿Bradley. Mr. Bradley is a contractor and builder, and has worked at carpentering for twenty years. He was selectman one year. He married Mary C., daughter of Leonard and Harriet E. (Yale) Smith. Their children are: Frank S., Harriet E. and Charles, who died in infancy.

Frank E. Brainard, son of John W. and Esther L. (Bailey) Brain- ard, grandson of Deanthiuem Brainard, and great-grandson of Sylves- ter O. Brainard, was born in 1861. Mr. Brainard has been a merchant at Stony Creek since 1884. He married Anna, daughter of Ira M. Brown. They have one daughter, Florence.

Terence Brannigan came from Ireland in 1868. He is an iron moulder by trade. He has lived in Branford since 1876, and since 1888 has kept a dry goods and clothing store. He married Catharine A. Winnithan. They have five children: Angeline, Daniel, Jeremiah, Terence and Catharine.

Ebenezer J. Coe, who died in 1889, aged 72 years, came from Mid- dlefield to Stony Creek in 1854. He married Phebe, daughter of John and Esther (Coe) Burdsey. Their children are: Ruth B. (Mrs. Els- worth Austin), John W. (of Meriden), Mattie R. (Mrs. W. C. Maynard), and Fannie R. (Mrs. W. Wallace). Mr. Coe kept the " Three Elms House" for several years prior to his death, and his widow and daugh- ter now keep it.

Elbert H. Coe, born in 1820 in Middlefield, Conn., is a son of Amos and Harriet (Johnson) Coe, and grandson of Seth Coe. Mr. Coe, in 1859, came from Middlefield to Stony Creek, where he has since been a farmer. He married Louisa C., daughter of Alfred Bailey. Their children are: Ellen (Mrs. Joseph Howard), Harriet (Mrs. Lembert Chidsey), Timothy A., Phebe (Mrs. Walter Foote), and one daughter that died, Ida. Timothy A. Coe was born in 1857, and is a farmer and milkman. He married Martha, daughter of Bela Foote.

Samuel S. Cook, born in 1825, is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Hobert) Cook, and grandson of Joseph Cook. Mr. Cook was a shoe manufacturer until the war began. He was in the army in Company B. 27th Connecticut Volunteers, as sergeant nine months. He then followed the sea for twelve years, after which he was foreman of the packing department of the Malleable Iron Fittings Company for ten years. He married Caroline C., daughter of Chandler and Lucy Lor- etta (Collins) Page. They had four children: Alice E. (Mrs. L. J. Nichols), Anderson S., and two sons that died-Everett E. and Ever- ett A.

Eckford Davis, born in 1836 in Killingworth, is a son of Lewis and Sally (Burr) Davis, and grandson of Peter Davis. Mr. Davis came from Killingworth to Branford in 1860, where he has been a farmer. Ile married Sarah E., daughter of Eber Beach, granddaughter of An- drew, and great-granddaughter of Ephraim, whose father, Andrew

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

Beach, in 1737, came to Branford and settled near where Mr. and Mrs. Davis now live. Their only daughter, Mary T., is now Mrs. Elon Bragg.

C. Wilbur Field, son of Danforth C. and Lucretia (Griswold) Field, grandson of James E. and great-grandson of Samuel Field, was born in 1837. Mr. Field is a farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of George Bailey. Their children were: George W. (deceased), Charles M. (deceased), Minnie I., Homer W. (deceased), Fannie E., James C., Wallace D., Elsie J. and Lillia L.

George C. Field, son of Danforth and Lucretia (Griswold) Field, was born in 1836, and is a blacksmith and farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of George L. Dowd. They have an adopted son, George I.

William R. Foote, oldest living son of Samuel and Sarah E. (Rus- sell) Foote, was born in 1848, and is a farmer. He was two years selectman, and has held other town offices. He married Nettie, daugh- ter of Samuel Averill. Their children are: Wallace H. and Mabel L., living; and Ada and Roland T., deceased.

CHARLES WOODWARD GAYLORD, M.D., was born in Wallingford, this county, August 28th, 1846, and his parents are still residents of that town. He was the eldest of three children born to David and Bertha (Bartholomew) Gaylord, the other members of the family being Wil- liam Bartholomew, who became a business man of Meriden, where he died in October, 1889, aged 40 years; and a daughter, Ida, who married Frank Brown, of Meriden. Charles W. Gaylord is grandson of John Gaylord, whose father, John, was one of three brothers-Elias, Nathan and John-who came from England and settled in Cheshire and Wal- lingford, in the locality long known as Gaylord hill. In the war of the revolution the grandfather, John, served in defense of the colony of Connecticut, having warmly espoused the patriot cause.

Doctor Gaylord spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, until he was 18 years old, when he went to the Connecticut Literary Insti- tution at Suffield, where he was two years preparing for college. In the fall of 1866 he entered Yale, and graduated from that institution in 1870. He soon after began to qualify himself for the medical pro- fession, beginning his studies in the Yale Medical School, and pursu- ing also a course in the Bellevue Hospital and the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons, in the city of New York. In the summer of 1872 he graduated from the Yale school, and for a few months assisted Doctor Benjamin Franklin Harrison, of Wallingford, in his practice. In November, 1872, he located at Branford, where he established an independent practice, which soon grew to large proportions, and which has been successfully continued in this and the adjoining towns. Although comparatively a young man, Doctor Gaylord ranks as one of the leading country practitioners in the county. He is a member of the Connecticut State and New Haven County Medical Societies. Since the passage of the new coroner's law, he has served as medical examiner for the towns of Branford and North Branford.

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

On the 27th of February, 1873, Doctor Gaylord was married to Miss Anna Rose, of Essex, Conn. Two sons and three daughters have come to bless this union, viz .: Lynde Vincent, January 31st, 1874; Bertha Rose, June 5th, 1876; Anna Evangeline, July 8th, 1884; Charles William, February 27th, 1889: Ruth Marguerite, March 21st, 1891.

Doctor Gaylord is enterprising, progressive and public-spirited, and has warmly identified himself with the best interests of his adopted home. He was an active member of the Branford Village Im- provement Society as long as it existed, and to its efforts can be attrib- uted much of the changes wrought in the appearance of the place. He was also interested in the establishment and maintenance of a vil- lage lyceum, under whose auspices several instructive courses of lec- tures were held. In the furtherance of this purpose to provide for the entertainment and instruction of the community, he fitted up, in 1879, a public hall, which he has since made one of the most cosy little opera houses in smaller places. He has taken an unabated interest in schools, serving as chairman of the board of education, and for a num- ber of years was the acting school visitor. In this period the schools were greatly improved and are yearly advanced to a higher plane. Since being at Branford, Doctor Gaylord has been a member of the Congregational church, and gives it a warm support. His political preferences have allied him to the republican party, but he is in no sense a partisan when the interests of the town are at stake. In this relation he has endeavored, at all times, to conform his life to the best standard of true citizenship-to be energetic and progressive in his own affairs, but ever to be mindful of his obligations to his town and the state which protects his home.

Charles H. Grannis, son of John and Sally Griffin Grannis, was born in 1851. His grandfather was Jared Grannis. Mr. Grannis has been twelve years in the meat business, and since November, 1888, has owned a market of his own.

Michael P. Harding, son of Francis and Ellen Harding, was born in 1850, and was the first child born in Branford of Irish parentage. Mr. Harding succeeded his father in the mercantile trade in 1871, the latter dying in August of that year. He was representative in 1876 of general assembly. At present he stands the fifth highest taxpayer of the town taxes. He is vice-president of the Branford Savings Bank, and has held a number of different public offices in the town.

Henry G. Harrison, born in 1831, is a son of John and Betsey Har- rison. He was married April 11th, 1869, to Harriet L., daughter of Harry and Nancy (Towner) Rogers, and granddaughter of Jarus Rogers.

William H. Hartley, born in 1844, in New Haven, is a son of William and Sarah (White) Hartley, and grandson of William Hartley. Mr. Hartley is a farmer. In 1871 he bought the old Governor Salton- stall homestead, at the foot of Saltonstall lake, where he now lives.

C. MYandre m.q

HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

He married Mary Woods. They have six children: Mary A., Saralı G., Annie M., Theresa, Josephine and William.

Benjamin A. Hosley, son of Loring D. and Anna A. (Beach) Hosley, was born in 1823, and is a farmer. He was married in 1849 to Lois W., daughter of William Ward, of Vermont. Their children are: Benjamin F., Anna M. (Mrs. George W. Dory), John H., M. Carrie (Mrs. G. W. McClunie), William H., Edward K., and one that died- Judith E. Benjamin F. Hosley, eldest son of Benjamin A., was born in 1852, and is a contractor and builder. He married Idella, daughter of Russell and Lydia (Tyler) Pond.

Henry W. Hubbard, born in 1833, in Hartford, is a son of Richard and Rebecca Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard is a blacksmitlı and wagon maker. He came from Middletown, Conn., to Branford in 1855, and has worked at his trade since that time, with the exception of nine months, when he was in the civil war, in Company B, 27th Connecti- cut Volunteers. He married Emma P., daughter of James Linsley. They have three daughters: Ida P., Henrietta W. and Luella L.

Frederick Jourdan, born in 1822, at Basel, Switzerland, came to Branford in 1850, where he was a butcher and farmer until 1876, when he began the lumber and coal business, which he and his son have since conducted. He married Fannie E., daughter of Edward Lins- ley. They have one son, Henry F. Mr. Jourdan has been a mem- ber of the school board for a number of years, and has held other town offices.

George W. Lanfair, born in 1830, is a son of Oliver and Chloe (Steele) Lanfair, and grandson of Oliver Lanfair. Mr. Lanfair is a carriage maker by trade. He is now a farmer, owning and occupying the homestead of his father and grandfather, at Double Beach. His first wife was Emily Augur, who died leaving four children: Charles, Edna, Nellie aud Sadie. His present wife was Mattie, daughter of Sheldon Hitchcock.

Peter A. Lundquist, born in Sweden in 1846, is the son of P. J. Lund- quist. He came to Connecticut in 1872, and to Stony Creek in 1878, where he has since been a stone masoil. His wife was Sophia Johnson.

Daniel O'Brien, born in 1845 in Ireland, is a son of John O'Brien. He came to Branford in 1854. He has been employed in the knob department of the Branford Lock Works since 1862, and since 1874 has been foreman of the department. He has been selectman three terms, and a member of the school board twelve years. He married Kate O'Donnell and has twelve children.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 8

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138