USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stamford > History of Stamford, Connecticut : from its settlement in 1641, to the present time, including Darien, which was one of its parishes until 1820 > Part 30
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FREDERICK SCOFIELD, son of Benjamin, and brother of our venerable townsman, Selleck Scofield, was born, Angust 13, 1778. Ile graduated at Yale, in 1801, and entered the legal profession, and for a few years had an office here. He subse- quently became a teacher in Philadelphia, where he died in 1841.
WOOD, JOSEPH, was a descendant in the sixth generation, of
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
Jonas Wood, one of the pioneers of the settlement in Stamford. Joseph Wood, second, a great grandson of the pioneer, removed from Hempsted to Stanwich, where Joseph was born, March 24, 1779. His father David, son of the above Joseph, second, was among the respectable farmers of Stanwich, a man of intel- ligence and piety. His mother, Sarah Ingersoll, was noted for her cheerful and amiable disposition.
Brought up on his father's farm, he acquired habits of indus- try, and being of an inquisitive turn of mind, he commenced in his seventeenth year fitting for college. He graduated at Yale in 1801, and devoted himself to the legal profession. His law teacher was Judge Chauncy, of New Haven. He was admit- ted to the bar of New Haven, when he selected Stamford as the field for commencing his professional career. Here he opened an office in 1803, where he continued to practice until 1829. During his stay here, he was held in esteem as a good citizen, and honorable in his profession. Ile represented the town in the state legislature, and was judge of probate several years.
While here, he married, May 10, 1809, Frances, second daughter of Chief-Justice Oliver Ellsworth. She was born in Windsor, August 31, 1786, and died March 14, 1868, in New Haven, much revered and loved for her many excellent qualities both of her head and heart. Their children, six in number, were all born in Stamford. Their residence was the stone house, which has recently been transformed into the elegant mansion of our enterprising townsman, George A. Hoyt.
Frances Wolcott, their oldest daughter, was born, March 25, 1810, and is now the wife of Rev. S. Cowles, of Gowanda, N. Y.
Oliver Ellsworth, b. April 14, 1812, resides in New York city, where he has for years been well known in business circles.
George Ingersoll, b. May 20, 1814, graduated in Yale, in 1833, and is a congregational minister.
Delia Williams, b. September 20, 1820, is now the wife of Prof. C. S. Lyman, of Yale College ; and William Cowper, b.
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November 10, 1822, married Miss Lawrence, of Brooklyn, L. I., and is now living at Joliet, Ill.
In 1826, Mr. Wood removed to Bridgeport, thence to New York city in 1837, and from this city, in 1841, to New Haven, where he spent the remainder of his life. Here he stood among the first citizens of the classic city, in intelligence and social worth. He joined Dr. Bacon's church in 1843, by a public profession of the faith he had long cherished; and the confi- dence he won for his Christian character is best shown by his selection to fill a deaconship in that ancient church in 1848.
After his removal to New Haven, he was appointed judge of the county court, in which office he showed eminent qualities as jurist. His stern and sterling integrity never forsook him here. He was still later chosen to the office of the city clerk. His tastes were especially literary. While in New York he had edited an agricultural periodical. He had also gathered large- ly the materials for a memoir of his father-in-law, but never published it.
He died Nov. 13, 1856, during a session of the literary club at the residence of Rev. Pres. Day, just after an interesting dis- cussion in which he had taken part.
BENJAMIN T. SHELTON is reported as a practicing lawyers here in 1812.
CHALRES HAWLEY was born June 15, 1792, in what is now the town of Monroe, formerly Huntington, and still earlier Stratford. His ancestors were among the early settlers of that old town, and both on his father's and mother's side,they were among the most respectable and honored of the settlers. Joseph Hawley, the progenitor of the family in this country, came to Stratford, probably with the pioneers of the town, and for many years was a leading man in the new colony. He represented the town several times in the state general assembly. In his will in 1689, he gives to his son Samuel all his " buildings and lands in Parwidge, Derbyshire, in old England," indicating thus, no doubt, the early English locality of the family.
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
On his mother's side, Mr. Hawley was descended from Wil- liam Curtiss, another of the prominent settlers of Stratford. He also numbered among his Stratford ancestors, Henry De Forest, who fled from France on the revocation of the ediet of Nantes, in 1655, and Richard Booth, the ancestor of another honored line.
Thus Mr. Hawley is found to belong to the best names of which our country can boast. From a record of his ancestry, gathered by him with much pains and care, we learn the follow- ing facts. His great, great grandmother, Bethia Booth, was born in 1658, and lived until 1759. At the time of her death, her grandson, Milton Hawley, the grandfather of Charles, was twenty-four years of age; and at the date of his death in 1819, Charles was twenty-six. Thus it was made possible for Mr. Hawley in 1865, to report from the lips of his grandfather, the the story which he had learned from the lips of his grand- mother, of events coming under her personal observation, as far back as 1665.
Possibly so rare an opportunity of learning the family story, may account for one of the most marked characteristics of Mr. Hawley's later years, his strong family affection.
Mr. Hawley graduated at Yale college in 1816, and entered on the study of law in the Litehfield law school. On being admitted to the bar, he established himself in Stamford in 1819. From the first, his diligence in business, and his zeal in working, won the confidence of the public. That he might fit himself locally, for his profession, he made himself early familiar with the records and traditions of the town; and even became so much interested in these gleanings for professional use, as to form a plan of the history of the town. But he rose so rapidly in his profession that he found himself obliged to abandon this attempt ; and so the opportunity of presevering much of the material for such a history, which then existed, was forever lost to the town.
Giving himself wholly to his professional work, he soon
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placed himself among the first jurists of the State. From the very beginning of his professional career he was thorough, ex- aet and exhaustive in whatever cause he undertook. His sense of right and justice was as keen a's his discriminations of false- hood and truth ; and this made him one of the most persistent and inexorable of advocates. A cause accepted by him became a bond on his conscience ; and he could do no less than his best in its management.
He was never a politician, yet few men of the age had more carefully studied the whole science of government. Without seeking or wishing office he represented his adopted town in seven sessions of the state legislature, and onee represented his senatorial district in the state senate. Once, also, he served the state as its Lieutenant-Governor.
But his tastes and aims were pre-eminently professional ; and his success and reward, both in professional eminence and in sub- stantial wealth, were very great. His estate was one of the largest ever gathered in the town, and it was as solid as it was large.
Of Mr. Hawley's fine literary tastes almost every plea he made for the last half of his professional career; and indeed his most ordinary conversation on ordinary topies, gave most abundant proofs. His language was exceedingly terse and ex- act, rising often under the glow; of earnest feeling, to a high degree of strong and fervid cloquence.
In his religious experience, Mr. Hawley's record is peculiarly one of the conscience and heart. Educated early in the faith of the Congregational church, to the day of his death he accepted and cordially endorsed that faith. Without ever making a pub- lic profession of religion, few men have given better evidence of the control of religious principles ; and both his lips and his life modestly, yet unequivocally assured those who knew him best, that his was the faith of Jesus.
Mr. Hawley was married Jan. 28, 1821, by the Rev. Jona- than Judd, rector of St. John's church in Stamford, to Mary S., daughter of David Holly, Esq., of Stamford. Their children
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were ; Charles Augustus ; Martha Coggshall, now Mrs. Brant- ingham ; Jane De Forest, now Mrs. Windle ; Marianna Clarke, now Mrs. Charles W. Brown; Emmeline Smith ; Elizabeth King ; Maria Adelaide and Francis Milton. (See list of graduates.) With the exceptions of Mrs. Windle, and Maria who is dead the family are all now living in Stamford.
ALFRED A. HOLLY, son of John Wm. and Rebecca (Welles) Holly, of Stamford, graduated at Union college in 1818, was admitted to the bar, and began practice here. He soon left the profession, and since then has been connected with the Stamford and Savings Banks of the town.
JOUN BISSEL, was a student of law in the office of Charles Hawley, and after being admitted to the bar, opened an office here, but soon went to New York city.
JOSHUA B. FERRIS, a native of Greenwich, graduated at Yale in 1823. He commenced life in Stamford as a teacher, and af- terwards, when admitted to the bar, opened here an office. 'He has been successful in his profession, taking high rank as an . advocate among our Connecticut lawyers. He has represented the town in the state legislature, and his district in the senate He was for years judge of probate and state's attorney. He married in 1823, Sally H. daughter of Wm. B. Peters, Esq., and grand daughter of Rev. Dr. Peters, of Hebron. Their children have been : Harriet, who died young ; Samuel J., who was lost at sea ; Isadore W .; Joshua B., who was drowned ; Elizabeth J., now Mrs. Wm. R. Fosdick, of Stamford ; Mary, L., now wife of Rev. E. O. Flagg, of New York; Samuel P. now major in the U. S. A. (see Stamford soldier's memorial ); and Henry J., now in the insurance business in New York.
MINOR, WILLIAM THOMAS, LL.D., the second son of Simeon H., of this town. See preceding sketch. He graduated at Yale, in 1834, and studied law with his father. After being admitted to the bar, he commenced practice in his native town where he has continued to reside. Ile has always been popular at home ; and his townsmen from the first have looked to him
Very Perfectfully Jours Nichau . Mine.
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as a leader for them in all local movements for the prosperity of the town. He has represented the town in the state legislature seven times ; and once, his district, in the state senate. In 1855, he was chosen governor of Connecticut, and re-elected the next year. Ile received in 1855 the honorary LL.D. from the Wes- leyan University at Middletown. In 1864 he was appointed by President Lincoln consul-general to Ilavana, which office he re- signed in 1867.
Ife married here, April 16, 1849, Mary C., daughter of Johu W. Leeds, Esq., of Stamford. They have had five children, of whom only two are now living-a son, Charles W., now in the university of Munich, Bavaria, and a daughter.
On returning to his native town, he was chosen to represent the town in the state legislature; and by the legislature he was appointed judge of the superior court of the state.
HENRY A. MITCHELL, of New Canaan, was here in 1842 and 1843. Hle was judge of probate, and went to Bristol, where he still resides.
JAMES H. OLMSTED, a native of Ridgefield, came to Stam- ford as a teacher and student at law. He was admitted to the bar, and located himself here, where he has been successful in his profession. He married here a daughter of Col. Lorenzo Meeker, and has had four children.
FRANCIS M. HAWLEY, son of the Hon. Charles, a native of Stamford, graduated at Trinity College, studied law with his father, was admitted to the bar in 1864, and opened here a law office.
CURTIS, JULIUS B., son of Nicholas Curtis, of Stamford. After practicing in his profession for several years in Greenwich, Ct., removed to Stamford, in 1866.
CHILD, CALVIN G., son of Asa Child, Esq., a native of Nor wich, Ct., graduated at Yale, 1855 ; was a practicing lawyer in New York city until 1866, when he formed a business partner- ship with J. B. Ferris, Esq., of this place.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
LATER BIOGRAPHY.
AMBLER, DAVID, son of Stephen and Deborah Ambler, was born in Stamford, April 29, 1739. He spent the first thirty-four years of his life in his native town, and won here a good name. In 1766 he united with the Congregational church. Our re- cords, both church and town, show him to have been an active and efficient man, and when he removed to Woodbury, he soou won for himself there the reputation of a thorough, practical man, and was held in great esteem and honor. He was proba- bly a grandson of our Abraham Ambler. He married in 1761, Olive A., sister of Rev. Benjamin Wildman, of Southbury, and in 1773, removed to Bethlehem society, then in the town of Woodbury, but since incorporated as a separate town. Hle re- presented his adopted town in ten sessions of the state legisla- ture. Cothren's History of Woodbury says of him :
"He had for a long period the supervision of the town affairs in the sec- tion where he resided ; was an efficient magistrate, and during the revolu- tion rendered important services to the country, as committee of safety and in procuring and forwarding supplies to the army. He died January 8, 1808."
His widow moved to Bridgewater, N. Y., where she lived many years with her daughter. They had ten children.
BELL, THADDEUS, was the son of Thaddeus and Mary (Leeds) Bell, and was born in Stamford, March 18, 1758-9. He was early brought forward into public lite, and for a period of a half century, was one of the most noted men in the town. For eleven
Respectfully yours
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sessions he represented the town in the legislature, and was much of his life employed in public business, for his town and county. But he is best known as one of the most earnest of our revolutionary patriots. The following tribute to his sery- ices in that struggle, is from the pen of G. C. Hathorn, Esq., late of Williamsburg, who married a daughter of Mr. Bell.
"He was attached to the coast guard during the revolutionary war, and for a considerable portion of the time was orderly sergeant in the company to which he belonged. He was present on several noted occasions in the war, such as the burning of Danbury, he being one of the small number who com- pelled the British forces to retreat precipitate ly through Saugatuck, now Westport, to Compo, the place of their embarkation. He also participated in an attempted defense, on the firing ot Norwalk by the British, and was among the number who reinforced the brave Gen. Putman after his famous descent on horseback of the precipice now known as " Put's Hill." He re-
membered having seen the holes in the General's hat prodnecd by a ball fired at him in his daring descent, and often reiterated the exclamation of brave "Old Pnt" when he in turn became the pursuer, and waving bis sword shouted, "come on brave boys." He was also, with a number of his fellow parishoners, and their venerable pastor, Doctor Mather, taken un- armed from the house in which he was worshiping on the Sabbath by a band of tories aud British, and conveyed to New York, where he suffered impris- onment for upwards of four months, among felons of the lowest grade. His own brother died on his way home, and he himself was so low and emaci- ated that he was unable to walk and had to be carrie.I to his home and family upon a litter."
Mr. Bell married here, May 4, 1780, Elizabeth How. Their children were: Hannah, b. September 14, 1781; James, b. Oc- tober 7, 1783; and Sarah, b. May 6, 1787. He died, after a use- ful life, in great peace, and with a firm hope, October 31, 1851.
BISHOP, ALFRED, descended from our second minister, Rev. John Bishop, was son of William and Susanna (Scofield) Bish. op, and was born here, December 21, 1798. His boyhood was noted for nothing more than its quiet and respectful deportment. At an early age, he commenced his self-reliant career as a teacher in one of our public schools. He taught but a short time, when he went into New Jersey with the intention of spending his days in farming. While thus employed, he made presonal experiments with his piek ax, shovel, and wheelbarrow,
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from which he accurately estimated the cost of removing vari- ous masses of earth to different distances. In this way he pre- pared himself for the great work of his life, as canal and rail- road contractor. Among the public works on which he was engaged, and which constitute the best monument to his name, are the Morris canal, in New Jersey ; the great bridge over the Raritan, at New Brunswick; the Housatonie, Berkshire, Wash- ington and Saratoga, Naugatuck, and the New York and New Haven railroads.
He removed from New Jersey to Bridgeport, Ct., where he spent the rest of his life. It is not claiming too much for him to say, that this flourishing city owes much to his enterprise and public spirit. Mr. Bishop readily inspired confidence in his plans for public improvements, and at- his eall the largest snms were cheerfully supplied.
But in the very midst of his extensive operations, and while forming plans for still greater works, he was suddenly arrested by his last siekness. From the first he felt that it would prove fatal ; and now, still more than while in health, he displayed his remarkable talents in arranging and planning all the details of a complicated operation. In the midst of great physical suffering, he detailed with minuteness the necessary steps for closing np all his extensive business engagements, laying out the work for his executors, as he would plan the details of an ordinary contraet for a railroad. He then, in the same business manner, distributed his large estate. One quarter of it he dis- posed of in gratuities, outside of his own family, partly to his more distant relatives, partly to his personal friends who had been unfortunate, and partly to strictly benevolent uses. His pastor was remembered with a hundred dollars annuity. The American Bible Society received $10,000, and the Female Ben- evolent Society, of Bridgeport, $5,000. After thus distributing one-fourth of the estate, he entailed the balance upon his wife and children.
Mr. Bishop married Mary, daughter of Ethan Ferris, of Green- wich, and had three sons, all born in New Jersey.
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LATER BIOGRAPHY.
Ethan Ferris, who was educated at Yale, and took his mas- er's degre e at Trinity, took orders in the Episcopal church, and has had charge of a parish in Bridgeport, Ct., where he es- tablished St. Luke's college for the education of orphans and destitute boys.
William Darius graduated at Yale, 1849, and has once re- presented his district in the national congress, and is now pre- sident of the New York and New Haven railroad ; and Henry, who was educated at Trinity college, Hartford, and now lives in Bridgeport. The widow, who is now traveling in Europe, still occupies the elegant residence built by her husband, on Golden Hill, in Bridgeport.
DAVENPORT, HON. ABRAHAM, was born in Stamford, in 1715, the eighth child of the Rev. John Davenport, by his second wife, Mrs. Elizabeth (Morris) Maltby. He graduated at Yale in 1732, and we soon find him at home filling such offices in the gift of his townsmen, as the most promising young man of the times were allowed to hold. Our town records, from that date to the end of his eminent and honored life, are full of witnesses to the esteem with which the people regarded him, and the uni- versal trust reposed in him. In the most trying period of our history, that of our revolution, he seems to have been the one to whom the town looked for counsel and defense. No man has ever served the town as one of its selectmen as long as he. He also represented the town in the state legislature for twenty-five ses- sions, and at several of them was elerk of the house. He was state senator from 1766 to 1784. Ile was judge of probate for several years, and at his death was judge of the county court. . He was, also, very active in religion, being a deacon in the Con- gregational church from 1759 to 1789.
In 1776 he and his son John and Thaddeus Burr, were sent to the army under Washington, to assist in " arranging it into companies and regiments," and to commission the officers ap- pointed by the assembly for the battalions raised by the state. He was likewise empowered to arrest and bring to trial persons suspected of irresolution or disloyalty.
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HISTORY OF STAMFORD.
In 1777 he was one of the committee of safety for the state ; and he was always consulted by Governor Trumbull and Gen- eral Washington as one of the wisest counselors in our most trying days.
He married his first wife, November 16, 1750, Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel Jabez Huntington, of Windham. Their children were : John, whose biographical sketch will appear in its place; Abraham, who died in infancy ; Elizabeth, wife of Dr. Cogswell, whose record is among our physicians ; James, whose sketch will follow in its place; and Huntington, who died in childhood. After the death of his first wife, December 17, 1773, he married August 8, 1776, Mrs. Martha, widow of Dr. Perez Fitch, of this town.
The following is the estimate in which he was held by a man as competent to judge as the eminent Dr. Dwight. The testi- monial deserves a place in our local history.
" Col. Davenport was possessed of a vigorous understanding and invinci- ble firmness of mind, of integrity and justice unquestioned, even by bis enemies ; of veracity exact in a degree nearly singular ; and of a weight of character which for many years decided in this county almost every ques- tion to which it was lent. He was early a professor of the christian reli gion, and adorned its doctrines by an exemplary conformity to its precepts. He was often styled a rough diamond, and the appellation was, perhaps, never given with more propriety. His virtues were all of the masculme kind ; less soft, graceful and alluring than his friends wished, but more ex- tensively productive of real good to mankind than those of almost any man who has been distinguished for gentleness of character. It would be happy for this or any other country, if the magistracy should execute ity laws with the exactness for which he was distinguished. Col. Davenport acquired property with diligence, and preserved it with frugality ; and hence was by many persons supposed to regard it with an improper attach- ment. This, however, was a very erroneous opinion. Of what was merely ornamental, he was, I think, too regardless ; but the poor found nowhere a more liberal benefactor, nor the stranger a more hospitable host. I say this from a personal knowledge, acquired by a long-continued and mtimate acquaintance with him and his family. While the war had its principal seat in the state of New York, he took the entire superintendence of the sick soldiers, who were returning home ; filled his own house with them, and devoted to their relief his own time and that of his family, while he
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provided elsewhere the best accommodations for such as he could not re- ceive. In a season when an expectation of approaching scarcity had raised the price of bread coru to an enormous height, he not only sold the produce off his own farms to the poor, at the former customary price, but bought corn extensively. and sold this also. as he had sold bis own. His alms were at the same time rarely rivaled in their extent.
"Two instances of Col. Davenport's firmness deserved to be mentioned. The 19th of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were lighted in many houses ; the birds were silent, and disappeared ; the fowls retired to roost. The legislature was then in session nt Hartford. A very general opinion prevailed that the Day of Judgment was at hand. The house of representatives being unable to transact their business, adjourned. A pro- posal to adjourn the council was under consideration, when the opinion of Col. Davenport was asked. He answered :
"*Iam agaiust an adjournment. The Day of Judgment is either ap- proaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment ; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish, therefore, that can dles may be brought.'
"The other instance took place at Danbury, at the court of common pleas, of which he was chief-justice. This venerable man, after he was struck with death, heard a considerable part of a trial, gave the charge to the jury, and took notice of an article in the testimony which had escaped the attention of the counsel on both sides. He then retired from the bench, and was soon after found dead in his bed.
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