Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

not know where any of them were to be found, he was in sore perplexity for a time. On landing in New York City he called upon James Gordon Bennett, who had been a friend and college chum at Paris; but his reception was not as cordial as he had expected. He then turned his attention to the search for his family, and finally found them at Newtown, where he remained some eight months. He then joined the regular army, and from 1852 to 1857 served as a scout on the frontier. On his return to the East he learned of his mother's death, and after a three- months' sojourn he went South. At one time while in Texas he found himself penniless, but securing a position as a cattle drover he worked his way to St. Louis, Mo., where he entered the ordnance corps at the arsenal. Being an accom- plished linguist, speaking German, French and Spanish as well as English, he was appointed, at the outbreak of the Civil War, to the charge of all equipment issued from the department at St. Louis to the department of the Southwest and the forces under Generals Grant and Sherman, which position he held until the close of the war, with the rank of sergeant. When peace was re- stored he took charge of girls numbering about two hundred, whose duties were to remove the powder and balls from millions of cartridges, and he continued this work until his death, which occurred January 4, 1867. In 1861, while re- siding in St. Louis, he came East and married Miss Margaret Colgan, a native of Westmeath, Ireland, whose father, James Colgan, was a teacher in the national school there, and who died in the year 1863 at Newtown, Connecticut. Our subject, who was the only child of this marriage, was born in St. Louis, December 22, 1862. After his father's death his mother brought him to Newtown, arriving in August, 1868, and from his sixth to his sixteenth year he attended the public schools of that town. In the meantime his mother married a second husband, Joseph Lavery, boss machinist in the rubber fac- tory. In the fall of 1877 Doctor Gordon entered St. Charles College, at Ellicott City, Md., near Baltimore, and after completing a three-years' course there he pursued his studies at St. John's College at Fordham, N. Y., where he received the degree of A. B. in 1885. He then began his preparation for the medical profession in the office of Dr. Robert Hubbard, of Bridgeport, this county, and in October, 1885, he entered the medical department of the University of New York, where he attended lectures for three win- ters, his vacations being spent in study with Doc- tor Hubbard. In 1888, after securing the degree of M. D., he took the civil service examination COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. Til for a position on the staff of physicians attached to the asylums of New York City, and, the result being satisfactory, he obtained the coveted post, and at the end of the first year was promoted to the rank of first assistant. The work afforded most valuable opportunities for gaining pro- fessional knowledge and skill, and after two years and a half he resigned to engage in pri\ate practice in Bridgeport, where he remained about four years. As might be expected in the case of one of his attainments, he met with success from the start, and during his stay there he served as physician to the county jail for two years, and as one of the staff of the Emergency Hospital for three years. On July 15, 1895, he opened an office in Sandy Hook, where he speedily built up a large and lucrative practice. \\'hile his pro- fessional work occupies his time to the exclusion of other interests, he is in sympathy with all pro- gressive movements in his locality, and although he is not an office seeker he wields much influence in a quiet way as a member of the Democratic party. He has served on the board of education of Newtown, Conn., and he is one of the leading members of St. Rose's Catholic Church at New- town, Conn. He belongs to the Bridgeport Medical Society, the Fairfield County Meiiical Society, and the State Medical Society. In June, i8go, Doctor Gordon was married to Miss Louisa Telgmann, third daughter of Dr. Jene Ferdinand Telgmann, of Kingston, Ontario, a native of Germany, who was sent by the German Government to Canada to attend to matters re- lating to a settlement there. On the maternal side Mrs. Gordon is a great-granddaughter of Johan Jacob Leonardi, who served as minister of war in Germany during the time of Louis Na- poleon. One daughter, Margaret Doretta Leon- ardi Gordon, has blessed the union. THOMAS JUDD AND HIS Descend.^nts. Thomas Judd came from England in 1633 or 1634, and settled at Cambridge, Mass. His home lot of four acres, granted in August, 1634, was in that part of Cambridge called the "West I-2nd," on the northeast side of the highway to Watertown. He built a house upon this lot. His name was among those who were to receive their portion of the meadow ground, August 20, 1635, and also in the list of those who had a house or houses in Cambridge in February, 1636. He was admitted freeman of the Colony, May 25, 1636. In 1636, he removed to Hartford, and it is not improbable that he was one of that company, of about a hundred men, women and children, who departed from Cambridge on the last day of May, 1636, and traveled through the wilderness to the Con- necticut river, His house lot at Hartford is thus described in the records: "One parcel of land on which his dwelling house now standeth, with other outhouses, yards and gardens thereon be- ing, containing by estimation two acres, more or less. Abutting on the highway leading from Will- iam Gibbons's to the ox pasture on the east, on James Cole's land on the south, on the highway leading from John Moody's towards Wethersfield on the west, and on Mr. Willys's land on the north." Thomas Judd's house lot was on the south side of Willys's home lot, which is distin- guished by the Charter Oak, and both lots ex- tended westward to the highway leading toNVeth- ersfield. Thomas Judd was one of the first proprietors and settlers of Farmington. The year in which he removed from Hartford is not known, but it was apparently about 1644. His home lot was the third lot from the north end of the main street, on both sides of the street, and extended westward to the Farmington river. He was a substantial farmer and an influential man. Farm- ington first sent deputies, viz., Stephen Hart and Thomas Judd, to the General Court in May, 1647. Thomas Judd was subsequently a deputy at the May session, 1648; May, 1649; September, 1650; September, 165 1 ; February, 1657; October, 1658; October, 1659; May and October, 1661, 1662, 1663; May, 1666; October, 166S; October, 1670; May and October, 1677; May, 1678; and Octo- ber, 1G79. The wife of Thomas Judd died in Farming- ton, perhaps about 1678; her death is not re- corded. Thomas Mason, of North Hampton, died in 1678, leaving a widow (Cleuience) with a good estate, and no children. On December 2, 1679, Thomas Judd married Widow Clemence Mason, and he resided with her in North Hampton most of the time during the remainder of his life. Her homestead was on the east side of Pleasant street, the front extending from two or three rods below the great elm down to Hawley street, and she owned about forty acres of meadow land . Thomas Judd was one of the selectmen of North Hamp- ton in 1682. His youngest son, Samuel, came to North Hampton and lived with his father, and after his decease took care of his widow, Clem- ence, and she gave to him her estate. Thomas Judd was a member of the Church under the care of Rev. Thomas Hooker and Rev. Samuel Stone, both at Cambridge and Hartford, and his connection with the Hariford Church con- tinued until a Church was gathered at Farming- ton, October 13, 1652. Some of his children were carried from Farmington to Hartford to be 278 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. baptized. He was one of the seven pillars of the Church at Farmington at its organization, and ,his wife united in November, 1G52. The iirst pastor was Rev. Roger Newton, 1652, and the second Rev. Samuel Hooker, 1661. Stephen Hart was the first deacon, and Thomas Judd the the second. In what year the latter was chosen deacon is uncertain. He is styled " deacon " in the Connecticut Colony record, in 16G8 and after, and he bore the same title in North Hamp- ton. Deacon Thomas Judd died November 12, 1688. His death is not in the North Hampton record, but it was registered by the county clerk at Springfield. His age must have been about eighty, perhaps above. His second wife, Clem- ence, died November 22, 1696. He was prob- ably married before he came from England, bat neither the family name nor the Christian name of his first wife has been found. He settled his estate by deeds, and not by will. Several of his deeds to his children are dated in 1G83, 1684 and 1685. Deacon Thomas Judd was one of the eighty- four proprietors of Farmington ainong whom the lands of that e.xtensive township, no\v embracing five or six townships, were to be divided, accord- ing to an agreement made January 8, 1673. Many divisions were made after his decease, and administrators on his estate were appointed once or twice after 1708. I^arge tracts of his land were distributed to his children and grandchildren at several limes between 1708 and 1730. Five of his sons were also among the eighty-four pro- prietors. Samuel was not of age in 1673, and not a proprietor. In March, 1662, the General Court granted to Thomas judd, probably for sonie pub- lic service, 200 acres of land, which were located, and called Judd's Farm, but some years after the land was found to be within the bounds of Wal- lingford and was given up, an equivalent being taken elsewhere.