Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

On November 17, 1863, Thomas H. Morison was married to Miss Julia Sheffield, who though a native of Rhode Island had lived since four years of age in Brooklyn. Mrs. Morison was a daughter of Thomas T. Sheffield (a tea merchant in New York City), and his wife, Ann (Peckham), both of English extraction. The Sheffield and Peckham families were active and prominent through the Colonial and Revolutionary periods, being resolute and determined adherents of the policy of the Continental Congress. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Morison were born three children: Thomas S., born June 22, 1865, died April 21, 1894; Charles H., born November 10, 1868, died September 26, 1869; and Frederick A. , born September 3, 1870, died May 24, 1879. In the city of his adoption Mr. Morison was keenly interested, and his progressive ideas have left their impression on the material improve- ments of the town. He introduced the present system of water works; was instrumental in starting the Central Bank of Norwalk, and was also connected with the Gas Company. He served as a bank director nearly all of his busi- ness life. Twice he was warden of the borough, and ever active in the best interests of his chosen political faith, the Democratic. The poor and needy ever found in him the helpful friend, and many a poverty-stricken family has cause to bless his name. He was liberal in his charity, and giving for sweet charity's sake, instead of fame, the world will never know how large his boun- ties were. To churches of all denominations he gave freely, and found his own religion chiefly in the beautiful words of the Master: " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto Me." On February 10, 1884, at the city of Nassau in the Bahama Islands, he answered the final summons, and the soul of Thomas H. Morison passed out to meet its God. E\DWIN HOYT (deceased). On Main street, 'I about the center of the city of Norwalk, in Fairfield county, stands the Hoyt residence, which one hundred and forty years ago was built by Goold Hoyt, grandfather of our subject, in .^^j^F ^'l BBSft is . M BcnAi -^jW^** £ i wf^^JS^^I^Bk fl P' ' J / i^Bfl^^^l 1 RIw^^^k£v.' ^' / >^ •' ^' "■^i^'w^ ^B* COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 25 what was then a mere wilderness, Main street being then a pioneer road winding round the hill like the letter S. In this time-honored house have lived and died the representati\es of three generations. Simon Hoyt, the first of the family in Amer- ica, came with his brothers from Dorsetshire, England, when thirty-five years old, making the trip on the " Abigail," or the " George," arriving October S, 1628-29. From him the line is traced through Walter, Zerrubbal, Joseph, James, Goold, Ebenezer Diamond, Edwin and Ebenezer Diamond, who as will be seen is of the ninth generation. James Hoyt, great-grand- father of Edwin, established a permanent home in Norwalk. Goold Hoyt, his son, was born January 9, 1738, in Fairfield county, married Miss Elizabeth Diamond, daughter of Ebenezer Diamond, and then took his bride to live in the home he had built. Here were born to them five children, named respectively: Thomas, Goold, Esther, Ebenezer D. and Monson. The father of this family, and also his sons, carried on farm- ing where Norwalk now stands, owning extensive property, and there he died. Ebenezer D. Hoyt, father of Edwin, was born in this house August 3, 1776, and received his education at the primitive schools of the neighborhood. He married Huldah Hanford, who was born in that locality, a daughter of John and Mehitabel Hanford, and they took up their abode in the Hoyt house, where was born to them a family of eight children, namely: Edwin will he mentioned farther on; Eliza (deceased), married Charles Hoyt, of Norwalk (a second cousin); Monson died in California, whither he had gone during the ''gold fever" epidemic; Goold and William G. both died in infancy; Mary became the second wife of Charles Hoyt, husband of her deceased sister Eliza; William T. died single; Harriet married John Cleveland, of Massachusetts. The father of this family, who, in addition to farming, owned sloops, and carried freight to New York, died August 11, 1823, his wife on March 8, 1828. Edwin Hoyt, the subject-proper of this mem- oir, and whose name appears at the opening of the sketch, was born at the old Hojt homestead, February 18, 1800, and, like his father before him, followed farming, and did a freight-carrying business, chiefly to and from New York. He married Eliza S. Smith, of Ridgefield, Fairfield county, a daughter of Josiah Smith, of the same locality, and his wife, Abigail (Beers), of Nor- walk, and after marriage they made their home in the Hoyt house, where a family of ten chil- dren came to them, to wit: Charlotte, Ebenezer D., Emily A., Elizabeth H., Monson, Frederick E. , \\'illiam T. , Margaret, Eliza G. and Henry A. Of these, Charlotte married John J. Thomas, of Norwich, Conn, (he is now deceased). Eben- ezer D. died September 13, 1871; he was a jeweler in New York City. Emily A. married Charles B. Mott, of Norwalk, who is now de- ceased. Elizabeth H. has remained single, and is still living at the old Hoyt home. Monson en- listed in Company E, 5th Conn. Regiment, and saw two years' active service; on his return from the war he carried on a drug store in Norwalk, where he died November 30, 1896; he was a very prominent man, kind-hearted and generous to a fault; in politics he was a stanch Repub- lican. Frederick E. is a resident of Marshall, Mich. William T. died November 18, 1869; he was a druggist in New York. Margaret died in infancy. Eliza G. died single, February 10, ) 1875. Henry A. died October 10, i860, at the age of sixteen. The father of this interesting family was called from earth September 8, 1880, the mother on October 2, 1889. The family throughout, in their political associations, have been Whigs or Republicans, and in religious faith have always been strict Episcopalians. W BRAM P. BRADLEY, a highly esteemed ^^\. resident of Shelton, is a man whose industry and thrift have secured for him a comfortable competence, and, having entered upon his seventh decade, he is enjoying in well-earned leisure the fruits of his labors. Mr. Bradley comes of good old Colonial stock, and his grandfather, Abraham Bradley, who was born probably at New Haven, was an extensive land owner in that vicinity, his farm being now included within the city limits. He married Miss Mary Punchard, a native of that lo- cality, and their remaining years were spent at their homestead. William Bradley, the only son of this worthy couple, was born on the farm at New Haven, in 1804, and in his youth learned the trade of a tanner and currier, which he followed throughout life. He was a Democrat in politics, and in re- ligious faith he and his estimable wife were Meth- odists. In 1826 he married Miss Caroline Mun- son, a native of Stratford, this county, and a descendant of an old English family. She was one of thirteen children, and her father, Isaac Munson, and all of her brothers, were sea-faring men. William Bradley died at his home at New Haven in 1874, and his wife passed away Decem- ber 28, 1872. They had a large family of chil- I dren, of whom six lived to adult age: Abram 26 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. P., our subject; William, a mechanic in the rail- road shops at New Haven; Catharine, wife of Philando Armstrong; Emeline, who married Frank Harris, a wholesale liquor dealer; Mary, who married Albert Ramsdell, a carriagemaker; and Caroline, wife of Leaman Anthony. Ail ex- cept our subject are residents of New Haven. Mr. Bradley was born March 6, 1827, at the old home in New Haven, where he grew to man- hood. He learned the blacksmith's trade, and, in 1848, went to Charleston, S. C, but a year later he returned home. Soon afterward he es- tablished himself in business in Newtown, this county, and in 1852 he removed to Birmingham (now known as Derby), where he remained about twenty years. In 1872 he located in Shelton, and until his retirement he carried on his trade successfully there. While he is not a politician in the strict sense of the term, he takes an in- telligent interest in the questions of the day, and is a supporter of the Republican party. In 185 1 he married Miss Caroline Hubbell, daughter of Lewis Hubbell, a prominent agriculturist of the town of Huntington. Two sons were born of this union: Adelbert, formerly a piano maker in Derby, who is now serving as deputy sheriff of New Haven county; and William, a silversmith in Wallingford, Conn. The family is identified with the Methodist Church, of which Mrs. Brad- ley has been an active member for many years. »\ LBERT HAMILTON EMERY, the distin- nL guished inventor, now residing at Stam- ford, Fairfield, Co., Conn., is a descendant of an old English family, and belongs to the eighth generation in direct descent from John Emery, the head of the American branch, who was prominent among the early settlers at Newbury, Massachusetts. John Emery was born Sept. 29, 1598, at Rornsey, Hants, England, the son of John and Agnes Emery, and had a younger brother, An- thony, born at Hants, who came to America with him; he also settled at Newbury, but later removed to Kittery, Maine. John Emery sailed for America on April 3, 1635, in the ship "James," of London, landing at Boston on June 3 of the same year, and immediately located at Newbury, where he had a grant of one-half acre of land, being one of ninety-one freeholders. He seems to have been a man of liberal mind and independent character, as on March 16, 1663, he was brought before the court at Ipswich, Mass., by Henry Jaques, constable of Newbury, on the charge of entertaining travelers [Quakers.] On May 5th of that year the case was referred to