Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

S\AMUEL W. BEARDSLEE, formerly pro- ^) bate judge of the town of Stratford, is one of the influential citizens of his locality, being prominent in business, political and social circles. During most of his life he has been in- terested in agricultural pursuits, but is now less active than in former years. His family is one of the oldest in Stratford, and his great-grand- father, Abraham Beardslee (2), was a native of the town. He was born in Stratford in 1726, a direct descendant of William Beardslee, who was one of the first settlers, locating in Stratford in 1639. He came from Stratford-on-Avon, Eng- land, and his descendants claim that in remem- brance of his old home he gave the name of Stratford to the town. Abraham Beardslee was a blacksmith by trade, and had also a high reputation as a gunsmith. His shop was located just across the street from where the subject of this sketch resides. He served in the war, and was at one time an inspector of gunpowder. In 1753 he married Bethia, daughter of Joseph Curtis, and had eight children. Abraham died in 181 5, his wife in 1801. Abijah Beardslee, our subject's grandfather, COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 213 was born in 1763, in Stratford, was reared there and became a successful farmer of that town. He married Nancy, daughter of Samuel Wilcox- son, and had several children, among whom was a son Oliver, our subject's father. Abijah Beardslee died in 1839, his wife in 181 1, and the remains of both were interred in Stratford. Oliver Beardslee was a native of Stratford, and always resided there. In early manhood he taught school for a time, but farming was his chief occupation. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, and in politics was a strong Democrat, holding various minor offices. He married Miss Mary Wilcoxson, of Stratford, a daughter of fCphraim John Wilco.xson, and a descendant of William Wilcoxson, a native of Lancashire, England, who came to this country about 1636, and settled in Stratford in 1640. Six children were born of this union: Sarah A. (deceased), who married John Hilton, of Strat- ford; Oliver, who died in 1859; Mary, who died single; Samuel W., our subject; Morton (de- ceased), who was a school teacher by occupa- tion; and Alfred, who died at the age of three years. The father passed away in 1865, the mother in 1875. Samuel W. Beardslee was born in Stratford, April 24, 1841, and was educated in the com- mon schools of the locality, also at the Stratford Academy. He is a Democrat, always active in politics, and one of the leading Democrats of the town, while his high standing as a citizen has made him a popular candidate for local office. He has served three terms as town clerk, three years as probate judge, one term as postmaster under President Cleveland, during his first term, has also been auditor of the town accounts, and for many years has served as registrar of voters. He is a leading member of the lipiscopal Church at Stratford, in which he has held the office of clerk, and for thirty years has served as vestry- man. In 1876 Mr. Beardslee married Miss Louisa Wilcoxson, daughter of Albert Wilcox- son, of Stratford, and they have one son, Oliver, who is at home. CHARLES E. BEERS. Contentment is a _' virtue that certainly brings its own reward, and the quiet routine of country life would seem to be the environment best adapted to its devel- opment and exercise. Many a man, after wandering over the earth in search of enjoy- ment, has realized at last that "home keeping hearts are happiest," and has envied those who have chosen to pass their lives amid familiar sur- roundings. The subject of this sketch, a prominent agri- culturist of Newtown township, has always resided at the old family homestead, and worthily rep- resents an ancestry which has been identified with that locality from an early date. Elias Beers, his grandfather, had his home at the present farm, which has been in the possession of the family for many years without interrup- tion. He was the twin brother of Eli Beers, and both were well-known citizens of the olden times. Elias Beers married (first) a Miss Peck and (second) Miss Betsey Botsford, of Newtown. By the first union he had two children, Zenas and Smith, and by the second the same number: Norman who is mentioned below, and Elias, Jr., who married Julia Beers and had three children — Cornelia, Mary Frances and Edgar, all of whom died at an early age. Norman Beers, our subject's father, was born at the present homestead December 21, 1803, and although he followed the combmaker's trade in his youth he later engaged in farming. For many years he resided at the homestead, his suc- cessful management of which gave him a high reputation as a substantial and thrifty man of business. He attended the Episcopal Church, and he was always much interested in all local affairs. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican, and as he was a man of strong convictions he wielded considerable influence among his associates. In 1833 he married Miss Betsey Dykeman, the daughter of Nathaniel Dykeman, of Lands End District, Newtown town- ship, and she passed away on February 20. 1867, after thirty-four years of wedded life. His death occurred some years later, on January 21, 1879. They had five children: (1) Sylvia Elizabeth, born January 17, 1834, died at an early age. (2) Julia Elizabeth was born March 7, 1839. (3) Sylvia Maria, born March 6, 1842, was married April 19, 1871, to Lambson B. Lake, of South Center District, who died March 9, 1897; they had two children — Grace Elizabeth, born March 8, 1873, and Florence Amelia, born January 2, 1880. (4) Charles E. is our subject. (5) Homer E., born December 2, 1848, died De- cember 10, 1849. Charles E. Beers was born October 18, 1844, at the old farm, and agriculture has been his only occupation. He has been successful as a general farmer and for ten years past has also been engaged in dairying with excellent results. As a citizen he has shown much public spirit, and throughout his active life he has given stanch support to the principles and policy of the Re- publican party. In 1872 and again in 1894 he was chosen to represent his party on the board 214 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. of selectmen, in which post of duty he did faith- ful service. On October lo, 1877, he married Miss Florence L. Burrett, who was born January 21, 1854, the daughter of Austin Daniel and Julia (Livingston) Burrett, of I^oxbury, Conn. Mr. Beers and his wife are prominent members of the Congregational Church of Newtown, but his sisters are of different religious faith, Miss Beers being an Episcopalian and ^^rs. Lake a Meth- odist, JBOTSFORD FAIRCHILD. Among the early settlers in this county was Thomas Fairchild, a native of England, who located at Stratford in 1639 and became one of the lead- ing pioneers of the place, being named by both Barber and Hollister as the first magistrate there. The family is of ancient origin, and its coat of arms indicates that three pilgrimages were made by some of its members to the Holy Land in the time of the Crusades, and that three captives were made by them during these chival- ric journeys. It is likely that the name was originally Fairbairn, and that the family went to England from Scotland at a very early period. Thomas Fairchild, the pioneer settler at Strat- ford, was twice married and had several children. About 1720 Edward I*'airchild removed from Stratford to Newtown, and made his home at the place afterward occupied by Arunah Fair- child, and later, in 1887, by John I. Hughes. Edward Fairchild had four sons: (i) Jonathan, who is mentioned below; (2) Moses, who settled in Sheffield, Mass. ; (3) James, who had three sons, Silas, Philo and James; and (4) Ebenezer, who had five sons, Edward, Peter, Clement, Truman and Abram. Jonathan Fairchild, the great-great-grand- father of the gentleman whose name opens this sketch, had three sons: Seth, Josiah and Zadoc. Of these, (i) Seth remained in Newtown until 1796, when he removed to Ulster county, N. Y. , with his sons, Jonathan, Abel, Daniel, Levi and Isaac. Some years later he sold his farm there, and with his eldest son, Jonathan, located at Butternuts, Otsego Co., N. Y., where he died in 181 5. His other sons settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio, but no information is given as to their descendants. Jonathan remained at the "But- ternuts " for six or eight years after the death of his father, and then went to Ohio with his three sons, Seth, Zerah and Elam. (2) Josiah, men- tioned above, had five sons: Adoniram, Wheeler, Sturges, Ira and Josiah. (3) Zadoc, the young- est of the sons of Jonathan, son of Edward, was the great-grandfather of our subject. Zadoc Fairchild, who became one of the prominent residents of Newtown, had ten sons, viz.: Havvley, Ezra, Ziba, Clark, Louis, Levi, Samuel, Burtis, Beers and Moss.