History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854, Part 40

Author: Cothren, William, 1819-1898
Publication date: 1854
Publisher: Waterbury, Conn., Bronson brothers
Number of Pages: 870


USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854 > Part 40


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DOCT. SAMUEL S. MASTERS,


Was educated as a physician, and practiced his profession in sev- eral places for a number of years, with good success. But the great blight and curse of society, the demon of intemperance, laid his with- ering hand upon him, and he fell from his position of respectability and usefulness. IIe has for several years been the tenant of the poor-house in this town. Ilis case furnishes a warning to others to take heed, that they do not, in like manner, offend against the laws of deceney and their own good. It is a sad sight to behold any man, made in the image of his Maker, descend from a position of sobriety, respectability and usefulness, to a level beneath the brutes that per- ish ; but when we see those of superior education and abilities, stand-


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ing in professional and responsible relations to their fellow-men, hav- ing their lives, character, or happiness in their keeping, walking in the ways of drunkenness and folly, and perhaps giving themselves up to kindred vices, we see a spectacle that angels might shudder at. A thinking soul must ever be affected with sympathy, not unmingled, perhaps, with reproachful feelings, toward one who thus debases the glorious image of God in his better nature, when he beholds him giv- ing himself up a willing captive to a diseased appetite for which him- self alone is responsible. God help such infatuated men-there is no aid in an earthly hand.


DOCT. DANIEL MUNN,


Was born in Woodbury in 1684. Ilis name does not appear in the tax lists as doctor, till 1738, but he was probably in practice some years earlier. No records remain to tell us of his standing as a phy- sician in this community, and none are living to give us even legend- ary information in regard to him. He died June 11, 1761, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, and children, Daniel, John, Anna Allen, Mary Walker and Sarah Sherman.


DOCT. NATHAN MUNN,


Came to Woodbury about the same time with the preceding, and the same remarks will apply to him as to the former. He was a nephew of Doet. Daniel. He died, February, 1765, leaving a widow, Mary, and children-all minors-Thomas, Abigail, Mary. Hannalı, and Lois.


IION. MATTHEW MINOR, JR.,


Was the son of Dea. Matthew Minor, and born at Woodbury ; was a graduate of Yale College in the class of 1801; studied law under the direction of Hon. Noah B. Benedict, and was admitted to the bar in 1804. He commenced practice in his native town, and continued in his profession until his death, Dec. 11, 1839, at the age of fifty- eight. He was a member of the House of Representatives, in 1830 and 1832. He was also a member of the Senate, in 1837. He was always much engaged in the public business of the town, having a


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large share of the confidence of his fellow-citizens. IIe was a man of great uprightness of character, and discharged all the duties of life with serupulous fidelity.


SAMUEL MINOR, ESQ.,


Son of the preceding, was born at Woodbury, Mar. 27, 1823, gradua- ted at Yale College in 1844, studied law in the offices of two or three different practicing lawyers, and at the law school connected with Yale College, and was admitted to the bar of New Haven county, in March, 1847. Ile immediately commenced the practice of his profession in Woodbury, occupying the office formerly occupied by his father. He remained here six months, when not finding practice in this town cor- responding with his qualifications, he removed to Sandusky City, Ohio, where he continues to reside, engaged in an extensive and lu- crative practice.


LOOMIS NORTH, M. D.,


Received his medical education at Cherry Valley, N. Y., and re- moved to Bethlem in 1836, on the death of Lymar. Catlin, M. D., and continned there in the practice of his profession till 1848, when he removed to Bristol, Conn., where he now resides. He is considered a skillful physician. He was born at Cornwall, Conn., where his father practiced as a physician. He has also two brothers, who are physicians.


SHADRACHI OSBORN, ESQ.,


Son of Timothy Osborn, was born in the parish of Southbury, April 14, 1747. Nothing of note beyond the ordinary occurrences in the life of other men, in a retired country place, is known of him till the period of the Revolution. His services during that eventful period were laborious in the extreme. He was engaged during most of the war in the purchasing and issuing commissary departments, one of the most important and useful posts during the war. In the early part of the year 1775, he went north with the army to Ticonde- roga, in a twofold capacity, as commissary and sutler. In November, 1776, he was in the service as a quarter-master of a regiment of mi-


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litia, stationed at Rye, in the state of New York, under the command of Major-Gen. Wooster. While there, Joseph Trumbull, then com- missary-general, and Jeremiah Wadsworth, afterward appointed to the same office, returning from the head-quarters of the army, visited the post at Rye, and employed him to act as purchasing commissary to provide provisions for the army, giving him orders to apply to Col. Peter Colt, of New Haven, for further directions. \ He accordingly obtained a discharge from the service, and continued a purchaser un- der this and a subsequent appointment, till the spring of 1780, when the continental currency became so much depreciated, that many people would not take it for their provisions. At this critical june- ture, the General Assembly held a special session, and resolved to emit a paper currency, redeemable in specie, and to take the purchas- ing of provisions for the army within the state, into its own hands. Most of the old commissaries were appointed state purchasers, among whom Mr. Osborn was one, and so continued during the war. Though he had thus become a state purchaser, his duties as an as- sistant commissary, under the authority of the United States, did not cease. He had provisions and other public property on hand, and large unsettled accounts remaining, some of which were not closed till the final termination of the war. He also served, as stated, as an issuing commissary within his district, by particular directions, from May, 1777, till February, 1781 ; and as the principal route from Boston to the western posts of the army, passed through his district, he was engaged in issuing provisions to many marching parties, to conductors of teams, to parties stationed in various places on partie- ular duties, and to other bodies of troops in winter quarters. Fre- quently, parties were stationed for the protection of the supplies that had been purchased for the army. After the British forces burned Danbury, military stores were kept further inland for their protec- tion. A party of soldiers were thus stationed in a hollow, south-east of Southbury meeting-house, for the protection of a large quantity of pork, which was there concealed. The locality has been known by the name of " Pork Hollow," ever since. Mr. Osborn died August 27, 1838, in the ninety-first year of his age. Besides his military offices, he had borne many others of a public character, and possessed to the day of his death, the unbounded confidence of his fellow- citizens.


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DOCTOR SAMUEL ORTON,


Son of John Orton, was born in Woodbury, December 8th, 1738. Hle commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Joseph Perry, at an early age, and having completed his education, settled in his native town, in the practice of his profession. He became a useful and skill- ful physician, and was also much employed in the public business of the town. Ile was a member of the state convention for the ratifi- cation of the constitution of the United States. A large number of medical students received their instruction from him. IIe had five sons and three daughters. All the sons were educated by him as physicians. John settled at Sherman, Conn. ; Samuel, at Bridgewa- ter, a society in New Milford; Henry T., in Washington, Duchess Co., N. Y .; David J. resides in Woodbury ; and James settled at Caldwell, N. J. Doctor Orton departed this life at Woodbury, in 1819.


DOCTOR JOSEPHI PERRY,


Was born about the year 1727, and died April 29th, 1793, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. He prepared himself for the practice of medicine, and settled in his native town for that purpose, about 1750. He built the house where Hon. N. B. Smith resides, which was his homestead for a number of years. His name first appears in the tax list as a landholder in 1755. For more than forty years he was the leading physician of the town and vicinity. He was frequently called into the neighboring towns in critical cases. In this manner he was once called to visit Rev. Thomas Davies, at New Milford. He fitted many, during his long practice, for the practice of the profession he so much adorned. He also had much interest in the civil affairs of the town, and was frequently engaged in its public business. IIe died at a good old age, leaving a numerous and respectable posterity.


NATHANIEL PERRY, M. D.,


Was the son of the preceding, born February 8th, 1761; studied medicine with his father, and commenced the practice of the profes- sion shortly after the Revolutionary War. Yale College conferred on him the honorary degree of doctor of medicine, in 1816. He con- tinned practice for about forty years, till his death, June 13th, 1820. He was a man of plain, sound, practical common-sense. He had no


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concealments, but spoke plainly though kindly to his patients, and indeed to all. An instance of this is thus related. A Mr. Hitchcock once applied to him for advice, and after an examination of his symp- toms, Dr. Perry said to him, " You do not need that I should tell you how you have lived; you know that yourself. But if you wish to know how you will die, I will tell you. When you and I die, it will be instantaneously." Time proved the correctness of the prophecy in both cases. He was very much respected as a man and a physi- cian, and spent a useful life among his fellow-townsmen.


HON. NATHANIEL PERRY,


Was a son of Doctor Nathaniel, mentioned above, and born at Woodbury. He read law with the late John Strong, Esq., of his na- tive place, for about eighteen months, and completed his studies with Asa Chapman, Esq., then a practitioner of law at Newtown, Conn., and afterward a judge of the superior court. IIe was admitted to the bar in Fairfield county, in April, 1816. Soon after his admis- sion, he commenced the practice of law at Woodbury, and continued there until the year 1823, when he removed to New Milford, where he remained in practice till his death, a few years since. He was elected a member of the General Assembly in 1832, and was once clerk of the House of Representatives. IIe was appointed judge of probate for the district of New Milford, in 1832, '33, '38 to '41, '44 and '45.1


IION. NATIIAN PRESTON,


Was born at Woodbury, April 20th, 1756, and graduated at Yale College in 1776. Impelled by a patriotic desire to serve his country, he entered the army of the Revolution, and about 1780 was trans- ferred to the commissary department. IIe was admitted to the bar in Litchfield county, in 1782 ; opened an office in his native town, and there continued to practice his profession till about the year 1796. Ile was town-clerk thirty-nine years ; was elected a member of the IIouse of Representatives in October, 1791, and for eleven sessions, at intervals, afterward. He was appointed judge of probate in 1795, and continued to discharge the duties of that office until 1805. In


1 13 Connecticut Reports, Appendix, p. 11.


26


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1818, he was again appointed to that office, and performed its duties till his death, September. 1822.


HON. CHARLES B. PHIELPS.


Was born at Chatham, now Portland, Conn., in May, 1788 ; pur- sued his professional studies under the direction of Judge Reeve and HIon. Noah B. Benedict, and was admitted to the bar of Litchfield county, in September, 1809. He entered into the practice of his profession soon after his admission, and has continued to reside here in an extended and lucrative practice till the present time, a period of more than forty years. He was appointed judge of probate, in May, 1823, and was annually reappointed until May, 1834. He was reappointed in 1835, '36, '37, '42, '43, '46, and has held the office from 1849 to the present time-a period of twenty-one years. He is celebrated as a probate judge, and is much consulted in that capacity. He was a member of the House of Representatives, in 1831, '37 and '52. In the latter year he was elected speaker of the house. IIe was also elected to the Senate of the state in 1843, acted as president pro tem. of that body most of the session, and was postmaster from 1831 to 1841. In 1850, he was appointed judge of the county court for Litchfield county, was reappointed in 1852, and still continues to perform the duties of that office. He was many years since admit- ted to the bar of the supreme court in the state of New York. He has been noted during his long and somewhat eventful career, as a keen and sagacious lawyer. IIe has a good knowledge of human na- ture, in its several varieties, and a quick perception of the character and intent of men. He is ardent in his temperament, strong in his attachments, kind as a neighbor, and ready to relieve the distressed, when occasion offers. Possessing strong common-sense, and good mother-wit, he is noted for an unlimited fund of mirth, humor and witheying sarcasm, when the occasion demands it. IIe has great command over his temper, and "keeps good-natured to the end of the chapter." He possesses striking and original traits of character, which distinguish him in a marked degree from every other man ; but as most readers of this volume are well acquainted with the original, portraiture would be useless.


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JOSEPH M. PALMER, ESQ.,


Was a native of New Milford, commenced the study of law in 1808, under D. S. Boardman, Esq., and subsequently under Noah B. Benedict, Esq., and Judge Chapman. He was admitted to the bar in Fairfield county, in 1809, and commenced practice at Woodbury, where he continued till 1816, when he removed to Fredericktown, Md., and now sustains a high character in his profession. He has been a member of the Maryland legislature, and was nominated as candidate for governor, in 1851, which he declined, choosing to ad- here to his professional labors.


BENJAMIN STILES, ESQ.,


Was a native of that part of Woodbury now included in the town of Southbury, and was born February 11th, 1720. He graduated at Yale College, in 1740, studied law and settled in the practice of the profession in his native town immediately, where he continued to re- side and to enjoy an extended practice, for the times, till his death. He was frequently engaged in important and difficult causes, and attained a very respectable position at the bar. During the Revolu- tion, he was suspected of being somewhat conservative in his views in regard to the mother country, and some inconvenience to him arose from it. IIe was cited before the General Assembly on one occa- sion for " contempt of Government," the complaint charging him with having said that the " three Colony representatives in the Con- tinental Congress were three good-for-nothing dogs, and no more fit for the place than his sick negro Jeff."1


BENJAMIN STILES, JR., ESQ.,


Son of the preceding, was born in Southbury parish, August 28th, 1756, graduated at Yale College in 1776, studied law with his father and commenced practice in his native town, where he continued to reside till his death, February 12th, 1817. He was much relied up- on in the preparation of cases, and did a large amount of office busi- ness.


1 State Archives, Rev. War, vol. 1, p. 428.


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DOCTOR DANIEL SHELDON,


Son of Doctor Daniel Sheldon, of Litchfield, was a most excellent man and physician. He practiced his profession in Judea for many years, after which he was appointed secretary of legation, at France, where he died.


DOCTOR HENRY SKILTON,


Was born in the parish of St. Michael's, Coventry, England, No- vember 19th, 1718, and baptized in the established church, Decem- ber 3d, 1718. He removed with his parents to Rumsey, Hampshire county, when eight years of age, with a younger brother and sister. At Rumsey another sister was born, and his mother died. His father having obtained a place in the British navy soon after, Henry left home March 31st, 1734, and England, April 1st, 1735, in a gunship. He left the ship the same year at Boston, remained awhile in Rox- bury, and is next heard of in Preston, Conn., where he married Tab- itha Avery, July 9th, 1741. He removed to Southington about the year 1749, or 1750, where he bought lands. Having procured some medical books, he commenced the study of medicine as early as 1748, and having fitted himself for the duties of the profession, he com- menced practice as the first physician in Southington. He sold lands to Samuel Smith, in Southington, but did not sell all he owned till several years after his removal to Woodbury, which took place about 1760, as his name first appears in the tax list of this town the next year. In Woodbury he practiced medicine many years. While here he took the place of his son Avery, who had been drafted into the service about the period of the battle of Bunker IIill. The de- tachment which he joined, and in which he was a commissioned offi- cer, was stationed at Roxbury Neck, Mass. ITis purchases of land in Woodbury extend from 1761 to 1773. In old age he made his last change of residence by removing to Watertown, in 1788. He died at the latter place, June 7th, 1802, aged eighty-four. His resi- dence in Woodbury was near Rock House Hill, which is a round hill a little west of Hermon Judson's dwelling-house.


Dr. Skilton's preferences in religion were for the Congregational or Calvinistic doctrines, but he did not approve some of the disci- plinary customs of his brethren, nor did he accept the form of church government in use among them. Hence he became a "Separate,"


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY. 397


and held meetings at various places, teaching his followers in the " things of religion." In Prospect, Conn., the remnant of a church of his organizing existed as late as 1831, in the person of an aged lady who still revered her former pastor's name.


HON. JOHN STRONG,


Was a son of Lieut. Jolin Strong, of Revolutionary memory, and was born at Woodbury. He graduated at Yale College, in 1806, read law with Hon. Noalı B. Benedict, and was admitted to the bar of Litchfield county, in December, 1808. He opened an office in Woodbury, and continued in the active discharge of his professional duties till his death in November, 1834. He was a member of the House of Representatives, in May, 1813, in 1825 and 1826. He was judge of probate in 1816, 1817 and 1834.


His death was an irreparable loss to his family and friends, to the society to which he belonged, to the profession of which he was an ornament, and to the public at large. Few men have occupied a higher place in the confidence and affections of the community. He was a man of strict integrity and unsullied purity. He possessed a mind clear, acute, respectably imbued with legal science, fitted to grapple with any subject to which his attention might be called in the exigencies of his profession. His arguments were in many in- stances very successful, and received commendations from the beneh of which any man might be justly proud. But in consequence of an innate modesty, and unobtrusiveness of manners, Mr. Strong was one of those men who did not do entire justice to himself in the eyes of the world, by seizing with a species of violence, upon that eminence which more daring but less able men often occupy. No man ever gave more disinterested advice to a client. The confidence that was reposed in him in this respect was unbounded. His head was cool, his heart pure, his hands clean, and his whole life regulated upon the principle of doing good.1


THOMAS T. SEELYE, M. D.,


Came to Woodbury from Danbury, Con., commeneed the prae- tice of medicine about the year 1842, and closed his medical la-


1 Manuscript letter.


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bors in 1848. Having changed his views of medical science, he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, and took charge of a water-cure estab- lishment, where he still remains.


HARMON W. SHOVE, M. D.,


Was born in Warren, Conn. He commenced the study of medi- eine under the instruction of J. G. Beckwith, M. D., of Litchfield, continued it under Charles H. Webb, M. D., of Woodbury, and John J. Abernethy, M. D., United States Navy surgeon, at Brooklyn, N. Y., heard two courses of medical lectures at one of the medical schools in New York, and one in the medical department of Yale College, where he received the degree of doctor of medicine, Janu- ary, 1853, and is now practicing his profession in Woodbury.


DOCTOR ISRAEL STODDARD,


Grandson of Rev. Anthony Stoddard, the second minister, was born in Woodbury, prepared himself for the practice of medicine, and set- tled in Judea. He was a jovial, good-natured man, somewhat ad- dieted to free living, and died young.


HON. LEMAN B. SPRAGUE,


Studied law under the direction of Hon. Truman Smith, of Litch- field, and was admitted to the bar in the year 1842. He immediate- ly opened an office in Litchfield, for the practice of his profession, where he remained a few months, when he removed to Woodbury. He continued to practice in this town till his death in August, 1845. In May, 1844, he was appointed judge of probate, which office he held till a short time before his death.


HON. NATHANIEL SMITH.


We come now to the consideration of the life and character of by far the most distinguished native of the territory of " Ancient Wood-


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bury ;" an ornament and a glory to the town that gave him birth, to the profession which he adorned, to the beneh on which he sat with unsullied purity, rectitude of purpose, and unbending devotion to the demands of justice, and to his friends who clustered thickly around him. Perhaps the history and character of no other man could be more profitably studied by the youth of ardent aspirations, feeling the fire of genius burning within him, and struggling under the frowns of adverse circumstances for an honorable position in society, than that of Mr. Smith. Ile furnishes a brilliant example of what the innate force of a mighty intellect can accomplish, though surrounded by diffi- culties and obstaeles.


The father of Mr. Smith was poor, and like other men of small means, he was frequently removing, and lived in several parts of the ancient town after his first emigration to it. Thus a part of his fam- ily was born in Judea, and a part in Roxbury society. Nathaniel, the subject of this sketch, was the son of Richard Smith, and born in Judea society, in what is called " Calhoun Street," January 6, 1762. For the reason stated above, his means of education were extremely limited, and he was left to seek his fortune at an early age. Ile and a brother of his engaged in peddling and trading between Philadel- phia and the northern parts of New England. On one occasion they went from Philadelphia toward the north by different routes, agree- ing to meet at the court house in Rutland, Vermont, on a day named. Nathaniel arrived at the place agreed on before his brother, and as court was in session, he went in to see what was going on. A eanse was on trial, and it struck him that the case was not well managed by either of the opposing lawyers. On meeting his brother, he rela- ted the circumstance, and remarked to him that this "was the last time he should go to Philadelphia to sell new rum,"-his mind was decided and he should be a lawyer ; that if it took no more sagacity to practice that profession than had been displayed in the court-house. he had no doubt he should succeed, for he believed that uninformed as he then was, he could have managed the case better than either of them. This simple ineident changed the whole plan of his life. During a part of the Revolution he had been engaged in the service as a teamster. After that period he had made some money, and he now applied to Judge Reeve, of Litelifield, for admission to his office as a student of law. Judge Reeve having entered into an examina- tion of his qualifications, and perceiving the defectiveness of his edu- cation, endeavored to dissuade him from the undertaking. But he persisted with such decided energy in urging him to receive him as a


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student, that the judge gave him a copy of some historical work, directing him to read that with care. and come again at the end of a week, when he would converse with him further on the subject. At the time appointed he returned, the judge gave him a careful exam- ination on what he had read, and discovering the native strength and vigor of his intellectual powers, he gave up his objections, and re- ceived him into his office. Here his progress was so rapid that with- in a period short of what was allowed by the rules of the bar, in con- sequence of the representations of his instructor, and the favorable opinion entertained of him by the members of the bar with whom he had become acquainted, he was admitted into the profession in 1787. He immediately after commenced the practice of his profession in Woodbury, where he continued to reside till his death, March 9th, 1822.




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