Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Russell G. Raymond, Jr., grew to manhood upon a farm, following that occupation in con- nection with grist milling. He died in Novem- ber, 1851. His wife, Sally M. Dann, a daugh- ter of Cook Dann, a farcner in New Canaan, died June 28, 1863. They had four children: Arza, who served three years in Company H, 1 7th Conn. Vol., and for twenty years was an agent for the Adams Express Company, is now a resident of New Canaan; Julia M. is the wife of Samuel Malkin, of Norwalk; Cyrus, our subject, is the third in order of birth; Sarah A., who married George Badger, of Michigan, died in 1884. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 245 Our subject's youth was spent in the town of New Canaan, where he attended school, and he afterward worked in a gristmill, becoming thoroughly familiar with the details of that busi- ness. In April, 1862, he removed to Danbury and was employed for a few months in a mill be- longing to George Crofutt. On August 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, 17th Conn. V. I., from New Canaan, and went to the front where he saw much severe fighting, taking part in nu- merous battles including those of Chancellors- ville and Gettysburg. At the latter place he was taken prisoner on July 2, 1863, and he remained in captivity until August 22, of that year. His experiences so injured his health that he was obliged to stay in hospital for a time, but he finally rejoined his regiment, which was then in Florida, and remained in active service until mustered out July 19, 1865. On returning to Connecticut, he received his discharge from the State service at New Haven, on August i, 1865. The ne.xt three years he spent in Danbury, where he carried on a trucking business, but August i, 1868, he went to New Canaan to enter the em- ploy of the Adams Express Company. After two years in this business he returned to Danbury where he was employed some 14 years by the Tweedy Manufacturing Company. While there he began the business of designing, engraving and printing on special order work in a small way, and as his business increased he enlarged and improved his equipment, and since 1884 he has devoted his attention entirely to that line of business. Hi's work is most artistic in design and finish, as he makes a specialty of embossing and other high grades of work, printing in gold and silver, steel engravings, and in ink on silk and other materials. The hatters of Danbury ' give him many orders for fine printing, as his work is especially fitted for tips and other ma- terials used in the trade. Mr. Raymond's indus- try has brought him excellent financial returns, and among his investments we may mention an ■orange grove in Florida. In 1862 Mr. Raymond married Miss Mary J. Slawson, daughter of Eleazer Slawson, of Pond Ridge, West Chester Co., N. Y. Seven children were born of this union, two of whom died in in- fancy. Of the others: C. Frank, a residentof Dan- bury, is an engineer by occupation; G. Bert is also an engineer; Mary L. married C. R. Morse, former- ly of Portland, N. Y., but now in the tip-print- ing business at Bethel, this county; Sarah I. married John T. Boughton, of Danbury; and Miss Jennie E. is at home. In politics Mr. Raymond is an Independent with inclinations toward the Greenback move- ment. In 1886 he was a member of the State Legislature, and he has also taken an active part in municipal affairs, having served two years as alderman from the First ward of Danbury, and in 1895 he was made superintendent of public works. In social as well as in public life he is highly esteemed, and he is a member of the G. A. R. and the Union Veteran Legion. E^DWy-^ H. ABRAMS, editor of T/u^ Grn-it- 'I 7L'if/i Ahjvs, was born June i, 1861, at Cro- ton Falls, Westchester Co., N. Y. , son of George W. and Susan M. (Reeve) Abrams. His ances- tors, who were of English origin, settled in New York State probably early in 1700. His great- grandfather, John Abrams, who lived at Rossville, Ulster Co., N. Y., took part in the Revolutionary war, fighting for American liberty. Mr. Abrams' maternal ancestors for several generations lived on Long Island, his maternal grandfather, Hew- lett Reeve, residing at Southampton. The Reeves were also an English family, and came to Long Island among the early settlers. Mr. Abrams lived at Croton Falls until 1888, being engaged in newspaper work as publisher of the Crotcui Falls Folio, and coming to Green- wich in that year he assumed control of The Grccinuich Nczvs, which had been recently es- tablished. In 1889 he purchased the paper, which he has since edited and published. S\TEPHEN C. PECK. Among the prominent J residents of Greenwich township a century ago none perhaps were better known, certainly none lived more worthily, than the Rev. David Peck. In his day the assumption of ministerial duties did not always involve the abandonment of more material pursuits, and in addition to the religious charge of the First Congregational Church at Greenwich, Rev. Peck engaged in the work of farmer. He owned a farm on the river road in Greenwich township, and rode on horse- back to and from Greenwich, where he was the minister of the First Congregational Church. His son, David, was a farmer. Stephen C. Peck a son of the latter, and the subject of this sketch, was born April 2, 1836, and early acquired the habits of industry, patience and thrift, which have crowned his life. Rev. David Peck was the son of Eliphalet Peck. David was twice married and had twenty- one children — ten by his first wife, and eleven by his second wife. David, a son by the second wife, was born March 16, 1805, and was reared on the farm. His educational opportunities ■f£ ■ .■-.a-..\\' '"-'<{ brio bf)^l:i -. i.i-' ci,V, ;;,,. 1. M 246 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. were quite limited, for he attended the district schools only for a short period during the winter months. His summers were devoted wholly to farming. David Peck was married March ii, 1829, to Miss Mary B. Miller, who was born July 19, 1806, in Bedford, N. Y., a daughter of Lewis Miller, a blacksmith. After his marriage David began housekeeping just across Byram river from his father's farm, and frequently both he and his wife forded the stream on horseback before the construction of a bridge. He remained on this farm till his death, which occurred Au- gust 15, 1888. His wife, mother of our subject, died April 10, 1879, ^"d both are buried in the Baptist cemetery on I"ving Street, Greenwich. David Peck was by political faith a Democrat uhtil the Civil war, when he became a Republic- an. From 1840 he was deacon of the Baptist Church, and until death was devout in his Church life. He followed farming throughout life, and was highly esteemed for his many estimable qualities. The children of David and Mary B. (Miller) Peck were as follows: Cephas, born Jan- uary 3, 1830, was a carpenter at Brookville, and died April 14, 1894; Andrew, born May 7, 1831, died September 15, 1831; Annie A. , born Septem- ber 9, 1833, is now living at Port Chester, N. Y. , the widow of Samuel Peck; Mary A., born January 27, 1835, is the wife of Samuel K. Wil- cox, of Bridgeport; Stephen C. is the subject of our sketch; Clarissa R., born October 9, 1838, died October 19, 1839; Catherine M., born De- cember 30, 1839, died March 4, 1863; Sarah M., born January 29, 1841, died in childhood; Alvord, born June 26, 1843, is a farmer of Alamo, Mich.; Elizabeth C, born June 25, 1847, married Frank Bronson, and died at Port Chester. Stephen C. Peck in his boyhood attended the Riverside school, and (or a few weeks was a student at Greenwich Academy, but he was attacked with quinsy, and so reluctantly was obliged to forego further instruction. He was a ready pupil, and acquired his limited education easily. Returning to the home farm, he was "put into harness" early in life, and assumed the obligations and hardships with cheerfulness. Stephen remained on the home farm until his marriage, at the age of twenty-nine years. In youth, after the home work was done, he was al- lowed the use of the oxen to earn money else- where. He was married November 20, 1865, to Miss Eliza B. Sherwood, who was born, in 1840, near Glenville, a daughter of William B. and Eliza (Burns) Sherwood. Mr. Sherwood was by trade a shoemaker, but he following farming, and lived at Greenwich to the age of eighty-three. Our subject, in the spring of 1866, began housekeeping. He had purchased sixty-five acres of land off the John B. Wilson farm, and there he resided until he removed to his present home, near Glenville, the Sherwood homestead. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Peck: Eme- line, now Mrs. Daniel Denton, of Greenwich; Frank, who died at the age of four years; Will- iam D., at home; and Frederick C, who died an infant. In politics Mr. Peck is non-partisan. He has strong convictions, and votes from principle. Both behind his wife are prominent members of the Congregational Church of Greenwich. He is a total abstainer from the liquor habit. He worthily represents one of the oldest families of Fairfield county, is a substantial farmer, well- known and well-esteemed, intelligent in his grasp of public affairs, and fearless in his support of measures of right and justice. ILO MEAD, a highly esteemed resident of j3?lL the town of Greenwich, is a man whose personality and achievements have left an in- delible impression upon that locality, his work and influence having been potent factors in the development of the thriving villages in the south- western part of the town. Coming of good old pioneer ancestry, Mr. Mead preserves the tra- ditions of his race in his handsome, finely pro- portioned physique, full of vigor and life, and in the sound judgment, enterprise and public spirit which have always characterized his actions. Mr. Mead is of the seventh generation in de- scent from John Mead, who came from England in 1642, bringing his son John with him, and, after a temporary residence in Massachusetts and on Long Island, located in 1660 in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn., with two sons, John (2) and Joseph. The younger son after- ward removed to New Jersey.