Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

CsAPTAIN WILLIAM H. HOYT, of South ^' Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Conn., is at the head of one of the leading business enterprises of that city, being the senior member of the firm of W. H. Hoyt & Son, planters, exporters and whole- sale dealers in East River oysters and seed. The Captain is regarded as a veteran in his line, having begun the business when only four- teen years old, with an elder brother, George A. Hoyt, afterward being in partnership with Charles W. Hoyt, under the firm name of Hoyt Brothers, for eight years. He was also con- nected with a similar enterprise at New Haven, in addition to his business at South Norwalk. The latter was established in 1865, and in July, 1880, a stock company was formed under the name of The Hoyt Brothers Company, the sub- scribers being Charles W. and William H. Hoyt and George H. Townsend. In 1887 this firm was succeeded by that of W. H. Hoyt & Son, and the trade has been constantly extended by them, their seed trade and European orders tak- ing their entire product. They own large oyster beds in Long Island Sound, and the bivalves, after being packed in the establishment at South Norwalk, are shipped by propellers from the firm's docks to steamships at New York, by which they are carried to the European consign- ees. The firm has built several fine steamers ; the last one, the "Mildred," is a remarkable ■Ah z^^^^^^:^^^ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 249 boat, designed on scientific principles to meet all of the special features required to bring the work of the oyster industry to a fine point. Her equipment is as fine as that of any steamer afioat, and in point of speed she is the fastest in the oyster business. She is used in the trans- planting and cultivation of the product, and in catching the oysters for market. A large force of workmen is needed to carry on the business of the firm, and the partners, who are e.xperts, give their whole attention to the management. The plant at the foot of Raymond street, South Nor- walk, including docks, barges and store houses, is fitted with every known device for facilitating the proper handling and packing of the oysters. The business has always been conducted in a way tocommand the respect and confidence of cus- tomers, reliability and fair dealing having been the watchword of its management from the start. Captain Hoyt was born in Norvvalk in 1836, his youth was spent in S. Norwalk, and during that time he became acquainted with the details of the carpenter's trade; but as he thought the oyster business more congenial and promised greater profits, he worked only three months at his trade, and he has every reason to be satisfied with the result of his choice. He is fond of travel, and has made many trips to Europe. Politically he is a stanch Republican, as was his father before hiin, but he has never held office. The Captain mar- ried Miss Mary Bull, daughter of Ezra D. Bull, of Danbury. Captain Hoyt's father, the late Major George Hoyt, was also a native of Norwalk, and was identified with all its interests. He was a pio- neer in Methodism, and the itinerant preacher always found a welcome at his home. He mar- ried Miss Lorinda Smith, daughter of Ephraim and Sally Smith, of Wilton, and they died at the advanced ages of seventy-nine and eighty-two years, respectively, after fifty-eight years of happy wedded life. They had four sons and one daugh- ter, of whom George A., a pioneer in the oyster business, became a soldier in the Civil war, and after serving in many battles, died on his way home. Charles W. is a boat builder, and is also engaged in the oyster business at Bridgeport. James W. is an oysterman of South Norwalk. The daughter is the wife of George N. Burbank, of Stratford. JOHN H. ROMAINE, who is in the employ of the Yale & Towne Company in Stamford, as chief clerk of Department A, has during his residence in that city identified himself with several of her important interests, and earned a place among her public-spirited and reliable citi- zens. Mr. Romaine's father, Joseph Romaine, was born on what is now the corner of First and the Bowery, New York, but was then the Romaine family farm. The property had been obtained by patent from the Dutch in 1668. Joseph I\o- maine was married in New York City to Phebe A. Vredenburg, of White Plains, N. Y., and their family consisted of eight sons, of whom John H. was the second youngest. They were well represented in the Civil war, the father and four of the sons enlisting in the Union service, Mr. Romaine as a member of the First Regi- ment of New York City Volunteers. He was wounded at the battle of Big Bethel, and died from the effects of his injuries eight years later. During the greater part of his life he was en- gaged in the manufacture of shoes, but for some time he was a detective in the central office of New York City. John H. Romaine was born December 20, 1850, in New York City, and was brought up there, attending the public schools, and graduat- ing from the grammar school when twelve years of age. He then entered the employ of the East New York Boot & Shoe Company, with whom he remained for a time, later finding work with a flour firm, and after that doing clerical work in the publishing department of a news- paper concern. For two years he was with the publishers of IVn- Saturday Night, subsequently giving his attention to the publication of city guides, directories and souvenirs, and then be- coming weigh-master for the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company. In April, 1889, he came to Stamford, Conn., where he was given the position of clerk in the special order depart- ment of the Yale & Towne Company, from which comparatively humble beginning he has made steady advancement until he is now holding the responsible position of chief clerk in Department A, an incumbency he is thoroughly qualified to fill. Mr. Romaine has also given his attention to various interests which have proved a benefit and credit to the city, and is a member and di- rector of the Stamford Co-operative Building & Loan Association, and a stockholder in the Stam- ford Telegram. In fraternal circles he is well- known and popular, being a member of Puritan Lodge, I. O. O. F., the Yale & Towne Mutual Benefit Society, and the New England Order of Protection in Stamford. Mr. Romaine was married June 26, 1895, in Stamford to Mrs. Carrie A. (Smith) Hoyt, and they make their home in the comfortable resi- WH' 250 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. dence at No. 6 Woodland avenue, Stamford. Mrs. Romaine has six children by her first mar- riage. Our subject gives his political support to the Republican party; in religious faith he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. BANIEL A. NICHOLS. Ability and energy . are at a premium in any line of effort, and the subject of this sketch, a leading agriculturist and dairyman of the town of Huntington, has given abundant evidence that he possesses these admirable qualities. Having inherited a fine es- tate, he has made judicious use of his advantages, and is now regarded as one of the wealthiest citi- zens of his locality. The Nichols family is one of the oldest in Huntington, and Daniel Nichols, our subject's grandfather, was born and reared there. After his marriage to Miss Hannah Bennett, also a na- tive of that locality, he settled permanently upon a farm in the western part of the town. He had four children: George L., a farmer of Hunting- ton, who died there at the age of eighty-five years; Nathan B., our subject's father; Daniel A., a farmer and speculator, residing in the town of Monroe; and Clarinda, who married a Mr. fjur- ton, a farmer in the town of Trumbull. Nathan B. Nichols, our subject's father, was born August 12, 18 10, and grew to manhood at the old homestead. About 1833 he located on his late farm near the Center, and resided there till his death, which occurred when he was nearly eighty-nine years of age. As a citizen he was held in high esteem, and for many years he was a leading member of the Congregational Church. Politically, he was a stanch Republican, and throughout his life he took an interest in the various questions of his time. His real-estate holdings were extensive. On December 21, 184 1, he married Miss Phcebe A. Drew, who was born May II, 1819, in Dutchess county, N. Y., a daughter of James Drew, a prosperous farmer. Five children were born to the union, viz. : Nancy M., wife of Oliver Beard, a farmer in Huntington township; Hannah E., married to Charles B. Nichols, a farmer in the town of Trumbull; Dan- iel A., our subject; Alsadie, who died in early womanhood, unmarried; and Phoebe L. , at home. • Daniel A. Nichols, our subject, was born September i, 1850, and has always resided at the present homestead. After completing the course offered in the district schools of his locality he attended a select school in Huntington for a time, securing a good practical education. He owns about 250 acres of land in different parts of the town of Huntington, much of it being under cultivation, and for some time he has made a specialty of dairying, keeping about thirty cows. At present he conducts a milk route, suppl)'ing various points in his vicinity. He is one of the leading workers in the Republican party in • his town, and he has held the office of assessor some fifteen years, a longer term than any other man has served in that position. His popularity is due no less to his genial manners than to his ■business-like way of discharging his duties, and his efficient service is appreciated by all classes of people. On November 7, 1883, Mr. Nichols married Miss Ella M. Hawley, daughter of Deacon Ros- well Hawley, a well-known citizen of Hunting- ton; no children have blessed the union. Mr. Nichols and his wife are both members of the Congregational Church at Huntington, and he is now serving as treasurer of that society. LEWIS E. FUNNELL, principal of the ' Elm street school in Stamford, Conn., is a