Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Daniel A. Nichols was born March 4, 1S14, in the town of Huntington, where he spent his youth and early manhood. In about 1854 he removed to Monroe, where he purchased a i 80- acre tract at what was known as Barn Hill, which was considered one of the best, if not the best, farms in the town, and here he carried on 7oi: il.! lif ■:■, ;,„ .H ........... ;'ii '! ; 'I rv.'on-', -j : ■■■ (', Mfy:iU'luA ; ! ''11 I IIjIH-. iv/ ...'iiM, ;i uTOlf 1 hi;;. VI I. ■-.:-.' :;; ' ^1! .r'li.l jjj c) /'.-lii/ i; ill"' ■ 1 . ., i. ':.■■■■ '■[■::' IJ !■ 'l! •: '.].:i- r ; ^ .•;:. 1 ■.."■',/ (Kri ,11' ''i'.. H'VJ i. ■■:'■: I, ;,■;,.:-' ^;.'. '■ ' i • fn.i ■:,i; ";<: av m;ii <, /'.'■■ i ■■I'l :-i i i! <oi;i:-!.k I ;■■' ,i. /■■-I ' i-ji • I,;, ill -r: i( nr.ti 268 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. agricultural pursuits until his retirement from acti\e lile. He has also been extensively inter- ested in cattle droving and dealing, bringing stock to the Eastern markets, and combined his two principal branches of business very success- fully, acquiring a comfortable competence for his declining years. As an example of a typical self-made man he stands foremost among the well-to-do citizens of his town and county, for he began life with no money, no brilliant pros- pects, and no capital but his own good charac- ter, industry, thrift and sobriety. His first wages were fifty cents per day, but as the years went by he rose from one degree of prosperity to another, and finally found himself the possessor of a fine property. In about 1889 he sold his Barn Hill farm, and has since led a compara- tively retired life, taking the ease which he well deserves, and enjoying the universal respect and esteem of his neighbors and friends. Mr. Nichols was first married October 12, •1S37, to Nancy Tomlinson, who became the mother of one son, which died in childhood, and his second wife was Selina Treadwell (daughter of Ebenezer Treadwell, and granddaughter of Ebenezer Treadwell, Sr. ), to whom he was mar- ried February23, 1853. To this union also came one son, David A. In 1S77 he wedded Mrs. Elizabeth (Lewis) Clarke, widow of William Clarke. Mr. Nichols is a member of the Con- gregational Church of Monroe, and in his polit- ical predilections he is a stanch Republican, taking a deep interest in the welfare of his party. He is no politician in the sense of being an office-seeker, however, although he has served his town creditably as selectman and member of the board of relief. David A. Nichols commenced his educational training in the schools of Monroe, and later at- tended, for six months, the private school at Riverside, kept by R. S. Hinmans (who is now (1897) assistant Secretary of the State of Con- necticut), finishing with a course at the Eastman Business College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. , from which institution he was graduated February 9, 1875. Returning home, he took up farn.ing, which he followed until he was twenty-three years old, when, in the fall of 1879, he was first elected to the office which he has so ably filled ever since — that of town clerk. He has been re-elected every year up to the present, and for the past twelve years without opposition — a rec- ord which speaks more highly for his ability, trustworthiness and fitness than could any words. In 1896 his fellow citizens further honored Imn with election to the State Legislature, on the Republican ticket, though on that occasion, also, he had no opposition, and was again elected to the General Assembly in the fall of 1898. In the session of 1897 he was on the committee of Finance and Judicial Nominations, and was a member of the Special States Prison investigating committee. In the session of 1899 he was a member of the committee on Cities and Bor- oughs. Mr. Nichols has never sought office in any way, and his continued popularity is ample evidence that he has not disappointed his con- stituents in the estimation of either his personal qualities or practical talents. For a number of years he has carried on a fine insurance business, representing six of the best companies in the State, and he has a large agency which extends all over Fairfield county, and brings him a sub- stantial income, this, like all his other affairs, being managed with unusual success. In 18S4 or 1885 he became interested in the raising of fancy chickens, principally black cochins and black cochin bantams, and he still continues this business with profit and pleasure. He has been a leader in the American Poultry Associa- tion, of which, without solicitation on his part, he was elected president for one year January i, 1897. As may be judged, he is enthusiastic in any cause to which he gives his time or atten- tion, progressive, public-spirited and faithful in his civic life and well liked everywhere. On January i, 1883, Mr. Nichols was married to Miss Elsie E. Beardsley, a daughter of Agur and Elizabeth (Lewis) Beardsley, of Monroe, and granddaughter of Elihu Beardsley; her family is one of the oldest in Monroe, Conn. Agur and Pllizabeth Beardsley had three children: Elsie Edwards, William Agur (who is rector of St. Thomas Church, New Haven), and Edward Sher- man. To Mr. and Mrs. Nichols have also been born three children, whose names with dates of birth are as follows: Daniel Alonzo, June 9, 1886; Morris Beardsley, March 30, 1890; and Selina Elizabeth, December 4, 1891. The family at- tend the Congregational Church. TT^RANK H. BARNES, M. D., is, in his labors ^' as a physician in charge and the proprietor of Grey Towers Sanitarium, located at Stam- ford, Fairfield Co., Conn., carrying on a work which is daily becoming more and more appre- ciated. The physician's life is always considered an especially interesting and useful one, filled with opportunities for noble and charitable deeds, but in these days, when the fields of science are so broad that no one man can thoroughly explore them all, it is the specialists who, from a strictly professional standpoint, do the most direct good. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 269 And it is in this connection that we introduce Dr. Barnes and the institution of which he is the head, and without mention of which no history of Stamford would be complete. Dr. Barnes is a native of New York State, born at Mohawk, Herkimer county, a son of Charles T. and Flora A. (Johnson) Barnes, the former of whom was one of the corps of Institute Instructors of New York State. There were four children in the family: Margaret E., who lives in Sauquoit, N. Y. ; Frank H.; Charles A., of Little Falls, N. Y. ; and Harry L., of Sauquoit. The grandfather, Charles L. Barnes, was also a resi- dent of New York State, for a time enf:;aging in the hotel business in Westchester county and later farming at Norwich Corners, in Herkimer county. He married a Miss Ludlow, and they had seven children, four of whom are yet living, viz.: Charles Tapan;and George D., James L. and Richard S., all of whom make their home at Norwich Corners. Frank H. Barnes spent his childhood at Sauquoit, N. Y., and in his youth attended the public and private schools and the Utica free academy. At Utica he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. Aaron Osborne, with whom he continued for one year, and then for a year was in the employ of the Aetna Insurance Co., at Utica, N. Y. He finished his professional preparation at a New York medical college, from which he was graduated, and he shortly afterward came to the Grey Towers Sanitarium, where he was assistant physician until March, 1897. He then became proprietor. The Grey Towers Sanitarium was established in 1893 by Dr. J. J. Kindred, and was duly in- corporated by a special Act of the State Legisla- ture of Connecticut as the Darien Home, being really a physician's home for the private care and treatment of patients suffering from mental and nervous diseases. The institution is constructed on the detached-cottage plan, with special de- partments for alcoholic and narcotic habitues, who may 'here receive the most modern treat- ment in comfortable homelike surroundings; and the number of actual cures of this nature which have been effected is really wonderful. Situated as it is, in Summer street in the suburbs of Stam- ford, on Long Island Sound, within easy reach of New York City, the Home could not be other- wise than popular for those desiring such a re- treat. The rare scenery of the beautiful hill country of this region, the surroundings, health- ful as only rural surroundings with the extra ad- vantage of fresh sea air can be, and yet affording all the modern comforts and conveniences of a city home, make a combination which could not