Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

business, which at the time, due to the growing and progressive character of the place, offered great inducements for profitable investments, and it requires the citation of but two incidents to demonstrate his ability and acumen in his newly chosen line of traffic, one being the fa- mous Long Beach, now known as "Pleasure Beach," purchase, with its accompanying inci- dents, which were duly chronicled in the local and State press at the time; the other was the noted purchase, in 1886, in company with for- mer Mayor Walter B. Bostwick, of the so-called " Wordin tract," located at that section of Bridgeport designated the West End. This pur- chase was at the time regarded as the largest and most important single land deal ever consum- mated in Bridgeport, or for that matter since, and immediately resulted in creating a " boom," which in turn advanced the price of land in the section named at least fourfold. Mr. Nichols is regarded as one of the most astute real-estate experts in the State, his services in that line be- ing constantly in demand on the part of execu- tors and administrators in the adjustment of com- plex questions of equity in the distribution of land under their respective functions. In the year 1893 Mr. Bostwick, who was then mayor, recognizing Mr. Nichols' eminent fitness for the position, appointed him a member of the local Board of Appraisal of Benefits and Dam- ages in company with John J. Ryburn, Esq., a leading merchant and extensive real-estate owner, and Hon. Frederick S. Stevens, the prom- inent local druggist; Mr. Stevens was in 1895 appointed, by his excellency Governor Coffin, a member of the famous committee whose function was to formulate and execute an agreement be- tween the city of Bridgeport and the New York, New Haven & Hudson River Railroad Company as to the manner and expense of eliminating grade crossings within the city's limits. Not- withstanding the fact that Mr. Nichols' private business, together with his official duties, are seemingly all-sufficient to engross his whole at- tention, he frequently finds time to indulge in literary work, such as newspaper correspondence and the fabrication of short stories of an imagi- native order which find a ready market, and which on account of their original and novel character have frequently been reproduced in the columns of the press throughout the country. [ONROE JUDSON, M. D. This, in his lifetime, well-known physician was a mem- ber of a family which has long been prominent in professional circles, several of the name hav- ing, won distinction among the medical practi- tioners of this and other States. The first American ancestor was William Judson, who came from England in 1634, and died in New Haven in 1662. He was accompanied on his voyage across the Atlantic by his wife and three sons, Joseph, Jeremiah and Joshua. Joseph, who died in 1696, married Sarah Judson, and reared a family of children, of whom a son, James, the eldest, is the next in the line of descent to our subject. James, who was born in 1650 and died in 1 71 7, married, and had several sons, among whom was David, the great-great-grandfather of our subject. David was born in 1693, and by his marriage with Phtebe Stiles had four children, as follows: David, born in 171 5; Phctbe (Mrs. Matthew Curtis), born in 17 17; Abel, born in 1721, and Agur, born in 1724. Abel, the great-grandfather of our subject, was married May 7, 1744, to Sarah Burton, by whom he had four children, viz.: John, born in 1745, who married Patience Fairman and reared a family of children; Abel, who is mentioned more fully below; Sarah (Mrs. Ashur Peck), born in 1749, and Ruth (Mrs. Henry Fairman), born in 1752. Abel (2), our subject's grandfather, was born in Stratford, this county, in 1746, and became a leading farmer, owning an estate of two hundred acres on Mile Hill, in the town of Newtown, now occupied by Daniel G. Beers. He was a man of independent thought, and was active in religious work as a member of the Sandemanian Church. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Ann Bennett, had a family of fifteen children, of whom we have the following record: (i) Ruth, born November 17, 1769, married a Mr. Hard, and had a son, who became a successful phy- sician at Hunter, N. Y., among the Catskills. (2) Bennett, born February 12, 1771. (3) Bet- sey, born December 22, 1772, married a Mr. Prindle. (4) Rufus, born December 27, 1774, married and settled in Ohio. (5) Abner, born October 17, 1776, married (first) a Miss Hard, (second) a Miss Judson, and (third) a Mrs. Shep- hard. (6) Abel, born in 1778. (7) Marcus, born February 3, 1780. (8) Laura, born December 8, 1 78 1, married Zera Blackman. (9) Jerusha, born September 22, 1783, married Eleazer Starr. (10) Silence, born Aj ril 3, 1785, marrjed Daniel Wells, a shoemaker, who resided in Zoar, this county. (11) Isaac, born February 3, i^8j. (12) John, our subject's father, is mentioned be- low more fully. (13) Martin, born in February, 1 79 1, was a miller by occupation, and made his COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 221 home at Sandy Hook. (14) Zenas J., born March 28, 1793, was a tailor by trade; he mar- ried. (15) Anna, born January 6, 1795, married Thomas Seeley, a shoemaker and hotel keeper at Newtown. Dr. John Judson, our subject's father, was born in Newtown, February 11, 1789, and re- ceived his literary education there under the care of Doctor Shephard, of the Sandeinanian Church. He then studied medicine, securing a diploma from Yale College, and on October 8, 18 1 2, was licensed to practice. Two years he spent in South Britain, Conn., afterward locating in Newtown, where he established a large prac- tice, being known as one of the leading physi- cians of this section. As he was obliged to con- tend-with financial discouragements in early life, his success reflects much credit upon him. Like all his family, he was identified with the Episco- pal Church, and at all times he manifested an interest in the progress of the community. He died July 29, 1839. His wife, Philena(Hubbell), to whom he was married in 18 13, was a daughter of John Hubbell, a prominent citizen of Sandy Hook, and she died February i, 1881, at the age of ninety years. They had four sons, namely: (i) George, born March 11, 1814, graduated from Bellevue Medical College, New York City, in 1837, and became a successful physician of Newtown, continuing his practice until his death, April 22, 1853; he married Miss Jane Hitchcock, of Danbury. (2) Monroe, our subject, is mentioned more fully below. (3) Jerome, born April 29, 1828, was a merchant of Sandy Hook, but is now deceased; he was un- married. (4) John, born June 23, 1830, was engaged in mercantile business at Sandy Hook with his brother Jerome for a number of years previous to his death on February 27, 1881; he married (first) Cornelia Peck, and (second) Julia Colt, of Harwinton, Connecticut. Dr. Monroe .Judson was born January 17, 1820, at the old homestead in Newtown, which occupied the site of the present town hall. He was carefully educated, especially in the sciences and languages, by Daniel Burhans, a son of Reverend Burhans, and one of the most noted teachers of his day. When about eighteen years old our subject began his medical studies with his father, and after the death of the latter he continued them under the direction of his brother George. In 1841 he entered Yale Med- ical College, and after taking three terms of lect- ures was graduated in January, 1843. In the following year he established himself in practice in Newtown, and on the death of his brotlier George, in 1853, he succeeded to his business. His practice from that time was very large until in 1888, finding himself in need of rest, he re- tired from professional work. He then spent six months in California for his health, but the greater portion of the time afterward he passed quietly in his home in Newtown. Notwithstand- ing his arduous labors in his profession. Doctor Judson took an active part in local affairs, being one of the chief advisers on the Democratic or- ganization of his town. From 1849 to 1854 he served as town clerk, and from 1848 to 1850 he was assistant postmaster; in 1849 he was chosen to represent his town in the State Legislature, and about the same time he was appointed clerk of the probate court, by Jacob Beers. From 1850 to i860 he was judge of the same court, and from 1879 to 1887 he again held that office. He was a member of Trinity Church of New- town, in which he was always an active worker, serving as vestryman for many years. On May i, 1844, Doctor Judson married Miss Sarah M. Blackman, who was born May 22, 1824, a daughter of Ziba Blackman. She died February 25, 1867, and on February 2, 1869, the Doctor formed a second matrimonial union, this time with Miss Sarah Curtis, daughter of Gould Curtis. Four children came of the first marriage: (i) Jerome, born April 3, 1845, died September 14, 1846. (2) Martha J., born January 15, 1849, married Edward P. Taylor, now a resident of Oakland, Cal., and has three daughters and one son. (3) John M., born January 25, 1854, is a traveling salesman, and resides in Newtown, Conn. (4) George B., born November 10, 1862, died March 16, 1865. By the second union there was one child that died when three months old. Doctor Judson was called from earth March 28, 1898. The Curtis family is well known in this coun- ty, and Mrs. Judson traces her descent from Matthew Curtis, of Stratford, who died in New- town, Conn., in 1796, at the age of eighty-four years. He married Phcebe Judson, and had the following children: Phoebe (Mrs. John Beach), born in 1737; David, 1741; Niram, 1744; Mat- thew, 1746; Stiles, 1748; Jonah, 1750; Josiah, 1752; Abner, 1754; and Reuben, 1757. The mother of this family died in 1758, and in the following year Matthew Curtis married Abigail Thompson, by whom he had one son, Gould, Mrs. Judson's grandfather. Gould Curtis was born December 17, 1763, and died March 5, 1840. He married Elizabeth Gould, of Fairfield, this county, on December 12, 1781, and had ten children, viz.: Abigail (Mrs. Cyrus Hard), born October 14, 1782; Bet- sey, born March 13, 1784, died July 16, 1807; ,0 vl