Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Charles N. Kuggles received his education at the public schools of Bridgeport and at the New- town Academy. When his father died he was taken to New York city, and there began his first labors for self support. For two years he clerked in a wholesale clothing house, and then entered the employ of the Golden Hill Shirt Factory, where he remained until 1S62. That year he began the livery business at Bridgeport, and for thirty years this engaged his time and attention. 'He was careful in the management of his affairs, and when, in 1892, his building was desired by the city for use as an emergency hospital, he was able to sell his stock and retire on a comfortable competence. Mr. Ruggles has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Arretta Remington, of South Norwalk, by whom he had one son, Lawrence K. After the death of his first wife he was united in marriage with Mrs. Lizzie Peet, a daughter of Gilljert Wordin. Benevolent and public-spirited, Mr. Ruggles occupies a prominent place in the city. He affiliates with the Democratic party, and has filled a number of local offices. In 1883 he acceptably served as councilman, and in 1897 was alderman for his ward. Mayor Taylor appointed him as- sessor, but he resigned. Fraternally he is a member of the I. O. O. F. ; socially he belongs to the Algonquin and Pequonnock Clubs. What he has he has acquired through his own efforts, and if he stands high in the estimation of those who know him best, the credit is all his own. [ON. LEWIS CURTIS SEYMOUR. Polit- ical differences form so strong a barrier to friendship, that a man who commands the es- teem and confidence of his fellow citizens with- out regard to party lines must possess unusual ability and high character. The subject of this sketch, a well-known citizen of Ridgetield, is one of those happily-constituted individuals whose genial temperament wins good will, while his ability and integrity are recognized by all. Mr. Seymour has been frequently chosen to offices of trust and responsibility, and his twenty-four years of continuous service as treasurer of Ridgefield township is in itself a convincing evidence of his personal worth and high standing. He was born February 11, 1835, in the town of Ridgefield, the son of Lewis C. Seymour, and grandson of Nathaniel Seymour. Lewis C. Seymour [i), our subject's father, was born in Ridgefield April 22, 1801, and be- came a farmer there, but later removed to Wil- ton, where he followed the mason's trade for some time. He was married in Wilton to his second wife, Mrs. Eliza (Morgan) Hoyt, daughter of Joel and Eunice Morgan. His death occurred April 8, 1859, and his wife died October 27, 1 86 1. Our subject was the only child of this union, but by a previous marriage, to Almira Betts, his father had two children: (i) Jonathan H., who married and went to the South, where he died leaving two children — Lillie and Helen. (2) Emily A., who married Edwin Rile, of Ro- wayton, this county, and died leaving two chil- dren-^Curtis and Emily, both residents of Roway- ton. Our subject's mother also had two children by her first marriage: (1) Betsey M. Hoyt, now the widow of Philip Barhite, and W. M. Hoyt, the latter of whom is deceased, and the former resides in Ridgefield (she has one son, William C. Barhite, a merchant in that town, and one daughter, Emma Barhite, who married I'rancis Stafford (now deceased), and has one son, Philip, a resident of Ridgefield). Mr. Seymour's boyhood was spent chiefly in the town of Wilton, where he learned the shoe- maker's trade. This he followed for eight or ten years when he became interested in farming, but later he engaged in the canning of fruit at Port Chester and Wilton, continuing the busi- ness about two years. In 1865 he located at Ridgefield, where he engaged in general mer- cantile business with Philip Barhite. The part- nership lasted until the death of Mr. Barhite, whose son, W. C. Barhite, then entered the firm, which was continued under the name of Sey- mour & Barhite. In 1890 Mr. Seymour sold his interest and retired from business. Politically, he is a stanch Republican, his connection with the party dating back to its organization, but his first Presidential vote was cast for the candi- date of the "Know Nothing" party. Since 1874 he has held the office of township treasurer, and in 1874 he was elected as a representative from his town to the State Legislature, where he served one term with credit to himself and sat- isfaction to his constituents. Mr. Seymour married Miss Martha L. Keeler, ^ ^^/V;j-7^.^y-:?-^'^^ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 281 of Wilton, hut no children were born of the union. Socially, Mr. Seymour is identified with the I. O. O. F., Pilgrim Lodge No. 46, at Ridge- field, in which he holds the office of treasurer, and with the Masonic Fraternitj', having been for thirty-one years an active member of Jerusalem Lodge No. 49, F. & A. M., at Ridgefield, in which he has served as treasurer. lENRY H. NICHOLS. This leading and enterprising resident is conspicuous not only as such, but as one of the best known and widely- respected citizens in this portion of the State. Mr. Nichols is a native of Fairfield county, born August 28, 1856, in the town of Weston, and received a liberal education at the common schools of the place, subsequently graduating at the Episcopal Institute, Cheshire, Conn. His first business occupation was in the capacity of bookkeeper for a New York wholesale firm, with I whom he remained over three years, and then re- turned to Weston. Learning the hatter's trade, he has since continued in that line successfully at Danbury. In 1876, Mr. Nichols was united in marriage with Miss Lillie A. Sproul, who was born June 13, 1856, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Humphreys) Sproul, the former of whom is a coal dealer in Uanbury, and four children have blessed this union, of which, Harry H., born March 9, 1881, and Frank M., born February 25, 1884, are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols attend the services of the Episcopal Church. In politics he is a stanch Republican, but no office seeker. Socially, he is a member of the I. O. O. F. , Progressive Lodge No. 18, Danbury, of which he is past grand; is past chief patriarch of Devotion Encampment No. 5; district deputy grand master of the State; grand conductor of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, I. O. O. F., and member of Echo Lodge, Order of Rebekah, No. 30, Danbury (auxiliary to the I. O. O. F. ). He is also a member of Court Danbury No. 71, A. O. F. of A. Hanford Nichols, grandfather of our subject, was born in 1797, in the town of Weston, was a lifelong farmer, and died in 1868. He was very prominent in Church work, and materially as- sisted in the organization of the Episcopal Church at Lyons Plains, which he attended all his life. In politics he was a Whig; for several terms he represented his district in the State Senate, and he also held various town offices. He was thrice married: first, to Betsey Wakeman; second, to Laura Chapman; and third, to Lorinda Chap- man. By his first wife he had three children: Henry, married to Mary L. Sutton; Laura, wife of David W. Sherwood; and Lloyd, who died young. By his second wife Mr. Nichols had two children: Evaline, wife of Albin B. Sherwood; and Mary Betsey, wife of Edgar Giles. Henry Nichols, father of our subject, was born February 29, 1824, in the town of Weston, Fair- field county, and, like his father, followed agri- cultural pursuits all his days. In politics he was an ardent Republican, in religious faith a mem- ber of the Episcopal Church at Weston, of which he was vestryman, clerk and organist. In 1846 he married Miss Mary L. Sutton, who was born March 31, 1825, a daughter of Daniel M. and Polly B. Sutton, prosperous farming people of Wilton, and Henry H., our subject, is their only child. The father died June 3, 1869; the mother on July 15, 1887. MON. ELI JAMES MORRIS. The Morris family residence, near Sandy Hook, stands on historic ground, and the house itself, which is more than a century old, has sheltered many dis- tinguished men, including, as residents, a con- gressman, Hobart Curtis, and a governor of Con- necticut, the late Luzon B. Morris, a brother of the well-known gentleman whose name opens this sketch. The family has been prominent from an early day in this section, and is noted not only for ability but for longevity. By a singular co- incidence our subject's grandfather, great-grand- father, and great-great-grandfather, each of whom was named Daniel Morris, attained the same age — seventy-seven. The great-grand- father was born May 7, 1715, in Bridgeport, this county, and on July 9, 1741, married for his first wife Sarah Mackhard, who died April 16, 1761; his death occurred March i, 1792. His second union was with a widow, Mrs. Jackson. By his first marriage he had seven children, whose names with dates of birth and death are as fol- lows: Mary, December i, 1742, November 30, 1776; Sarah, September i, 1745, March 21, 1 771; Amos, November 30, 1747, December 7, 1747; Daniel, March 8, 1749, May 7, 1749; Daniel (2), December 13, 1750, March 28, 1828; James, June 14, 1753, who when last heard from was an admiral in the British navy, North American station; and Matthew Mackhard, July 25, 1757, September 28, 1762. By the second wife there was one son, Amos, born September 28, 1762. Daniel Morris (2), the grandfather of our subject, was born in Bridgeport, and was the first of the family to locate in Newtown, although his 282 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.