Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Denton Gregory, Jr., our subject's father, was born at the homestead, and continued to re- side there throughout his life. For some time he conducted a hat factory on the farm, but later he •devoted his attention entirely to agricultural work. He took much interest in the questions of his day, and was a Democrat in political faith. His death occurred there August 9, 1844. His wife, whose maiden name was Polly Jelliff, was born in the town of Norwalk, a daughter of Will- iam Jelliff, a merchant and farmer residing near the Gregory homestead. Our subject was the youngest of si.x children, of whom an account is given as follows: Lewis, born April 12, 1804, and who became a hatter in Wilton, this county, was accidentally killed by the cars some years ago. Lura, born December i, 1806, married David S. Hubbell, a contractor and builder of Westport, this county. Gould, born December 28, 181 1, was a carpenter in Westport. Rachel, born March 28, 1813, married James Hyatt, a hatter of Wilton. Elizabeth, born October 14, 1823, married Nicholas Banks, a farmer in the town of Weston, this county. William Gregory, our subject, was born April 12, 1824, at the homestead which he now oc- cupies and cultivates. When he was seventeen years of age he left the parental roof in order to serve an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade with his brother in Westport, and on becoming proficient in the work he returned home, where he followed the trade of contractor and builder some forty years. At present he is engaged in farming e.xclusively, and his attractive little farm near the village of Cranbury shows the results of many years of affectionate care that it has re- ceived from him and his ancestors. In politics he is a steadfast Republican, and he and his fam- ily are identified with the Methodist Church, in which he has been a leading worker for years. His wife, who passed to the unseen life April 3, 1897, was formerly Miss Louisa Betts. She was a member of a well-known family of this county, and was born in Norwalk, where her father, William Betts, was engaged in business as a shoe- maker. Of the eight children born to our sub- ject and his estimable wife, the eldest, Franklin, born April 28, 1848, is a carpenter and builder in Norwalk; James L. , born March 3, 1850, is the foreman of a large factory in Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Eudora, born December 12, 1852, married John B. Gregory, a carpenter, and died Sep- tember 8, 1890; Ernest, born June 17, 1855, fol- lowed the trade of wagon-builder until his death, which occurred January 4, 1877; an infant, born March i, 1859, died unnamed; Carrie L., born December 17, 1 861, married William N. Craw, of South Norwalk, and died March 29, 1874; William T., born May 6, 1864, is a carpenter and resides at home; and Edgar, born August 6, 1867, became a shoe cutter by trade, but died F'ebruary 4, 1888, in early manhood. E\LIJAH N. FILLOW (deceased), who in his '/ lifetime was a prominent resident of Bethel, made his own way to success, having started in life without other capital than what his abilities and energy represented. By close attention to COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 255 business, and a careful investment of his savings, he secured a comfortable competence, while at the same time he gained a high standing as a citizen. Mr. Fillovv was a native of this county, hav- ing been born at Westport, August 14, 1827. When he was seven years old the family removed to the town of Redding, and here he obtained a district-school education. He was reared to farm work by his father; but desiring to enter business life he went to Bethel at the age of fif- teen, and began to learn the hatter's trade with Orrin Benedict, with whom he remained several years. In 1850 he formed the partnership known as Farnham & Pillow, and engaged in the manu- facture of soft hats, continuing same until the Civil war broke out. The firm then went out of business, and Mr. Pillow conducted a livery stable until 1873, being also interested during this time in dealing in horses. In 1886 he suc- ceeded Col. George S. Crofut in the coal and truck business at Bethel, which he carried on successfully up to his death. Mr. Pillow was married in Bethel to Miss Emily Bassett, who died some years ago, and he afterward wedded Miss Martha Walker, of Bethel. He had two children, both by his first marriage: P'rank L. , who is now employed as foreman by Durant & Andrews, of Bethel, and Emily Alice, the wife of Edward Pelton, of Nor- walk. Socially, Mr. Pillow was identified with Eureka Chapter No. 83, P. & A. M., and he justly held the esteem, of a large circle of friends. Mr. Pillow died May 3, 1899, after an illness of two months, and was deeply mourned, being greatly beloved by all who knew him. G HOPKINS PERRIS. There is no citizen in Sound Beach who stands higher in the esteem and respect of his fellow men than Mr. Ferris, who since 1890 has been living retired in that town, spending his days in peaceful enjoy- ment and laudable efforts to improve the com- munity. He is a native of Fairfield county. Conn., born August 21, 183 1, in Riverside, and is a son of Deacon Samuel Ferris and grandson of Samuel Ferris, both of whom were well- known men in their respective generations. Samuel has been a family name for generations, and the Perrises are of old New England stock. Samuel Ferris, grandfather of the gentleman whose name introduces these lines, was a pros- perous merchant, owning the old mill at Mianus, this county, and vessels which plied between that town and New York City, carrying the product of the mill to the store which he con- ducted there. He had three children: Samuel, Peter and Deborah, of whom, Peter was a prom- inent citizen of Greenwich township, which he represented in the State Legislature. Deborah married Gen. Gilbert Hopkins, who was an offi- cer in the war of 181 2, and a prominent merchant and public man of New York City, where he served at one time as president of the board of aldermen; he was grand marshal of the day at the celebration of the completion of the Croton Water Works; he is buried at Sound Beach, and his monmuent was the first in the Congregational cemetery there. Deacon Samuel Ferris, also known as Cap- tain Ferris, was born in New York, and from his boyhood was familiar with the boat business, working in his father's employ. He finally be- came the owner of a packet which plied be- tween New York City and Mianus, and later, at different times, he owned the "Greyhound," the "Atlantic" and the "Isabella." He mar- ried Isabella Whiting, who was born at River- side, and was a granddaughter of Dr. Whiting, of Revolutionary fame, and they passed the greater part of their wedded life at Sound Beach, where Mr. Ferris passed away, at the age of seventy- one years. His widow died June, 1898, at the advanced age of ninety-four. Eight children blessed their union, viz. : Adeline, Mrs. Kim- berly Ferris, of Sound Beach; G. H. ; Edwin, who is engaged in business in New York City and resides in Mt. Clair, N. J.; Samuel, of Brooklyn; Phoebe, unmarried, who lives with her brother, G. H.; Franklin, of Mt. Clair, N. J.; Sherwood, living in Lakewood, N. Y. ; and Mur- ray W., of Orange, N. J. Deacon Samuel Ferris was originally a Democrat in political faith, but at the time of the Slavery agitation he became a stanch Abolitionist, fearless in the defense of his principles, and he finally joined the ranks of the Republican party. In religious connec- tion he was a Congregationalist, being one of the most prominent and active members of the First Congregational Church of Sound Beach, in whose affairs he took a deep inter- est, and he was an office holder, serving as deacon for thirty years prior to his decease, and also in other capacities. G. H. Ferris received his education in the district schools of his boyhood where John W. Hendrie and Mr. Hawes were among his early teachers, and in Greenwich Academy, where he studied for five years under the able instruction of Prof. Philander Button. When eighteen he was just about ready to enter Yale, but lack of means and various responsibilities led him to change his plans, so he went to Brooklyn and 256 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. entered the navy yard to learn the trade of ship carpenter. There he remained three years as an apprentice, working at first for $2. 50 per week and receiving an increased salary as he became proficient, and then continued in the same employ for a year after completing his trade, after which he began business for himself. He hung out his first " shingle " at the foot of Mont- gomery street, beginning as a ship repairer, and one year later built a floating dry-dock located at the foot of Bridge street, whence he finally re- mo\ed his business to the Erie Basin, in Brook- lyn, where he engaged in shipbuilding as well as repairing. Mr. Ferris had no capital to com- mence with, but he had a good stock of energy and self-confidence, and he prospered from the start, increasing his business from year to year, and he continued as a shipbuilder and repairer until 1876, when he abandoned that branch and took up river and harbor work, buying an outfit of dredges, etc. In this line he engaged until 1888, being extensively employed with contracts in various harbors all along the Atlantic coast, and subsequently organized a stock company for this work, his interest in which he sold out, abandoning active business life in 1890. Dur- ing his e.xperience in river and harbor work he was superintendent for J. E. Simpson, of New York, in building large dry-docks, such as the one for the Newport News Transportation Co. at Newport News, Va. ; and he also directed the work on the Government dock at League Island, Philadelphia. Mr. Ferris was active in the busi- ness world for forty long years, and he has since lived retired in the pleasant town of Sound Beach, occasionally doing a little work in the insurance line, but engaging in no arduous e.xer- tion of any kind. He still has an interest in the H. P. Smith Publishing Co. of New York City.