Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

€>URTISS C. HOYT, M. D., a leading physi- _ cian and surgeon of Bridgeport, is well wor- thy of prominent mention in this volume, not only because of his success as a medical practi- tioner, but also as a citii;en whose public spirit has been manifested in hearty support of the best interests of the community. The Hoyt family is of Colonial stock, and Noah Hoyt, the Doctor's great-great-grandfather, was born probably in America and, according to some authorities, made his home at or near the site of Danbury. He died at the age of one hun- dred and seven years. Jesse Hoyt, our subject's great-grandfather, was probably a native of Uan- bury, and he was a farmer by occupation; he died at the age of one hundred and one years. Lewis Stephen Hoyt, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born at Danbury, and became a farmer there. He was also a noted surveyor of the early day, and laid out the city of Danbury. He was a member of the Legislature, a deacon in the Presbyterian Church, and was known as " Dea- con Lewis." He was a strong, forcible character, and a leader among men. He died about 1859 or '60. Lewis Clark Hoyt, our subject's father, was born in 1824, and reared at Danbury. After spending some years as a school teacher, he engaged in surveying and in the insurance busi- ness, being the only agent there for many years, and he was the first one in the place. He was known as "Clark Hoyt," and was a successful man in all his dealings. In addition to all this, he was a burgess of Danbury, and city surveyor. He died in that city April i, 1865. His wife, Sarah M. (Hough), was born in Trenton, N. J., of English descent, a daughter of William Case Hough, a resident of Madison, Wis., at the time of his death, a surveyor by occupation, which he followed all through the State of Wisconsin. She died May 10, 1887. Our subject was one of a family of five children, the others being Sarah E.,who married James Cummings, and died in Danbury in 1886; Carrie, who died in 1S62; Hattie M., who became a trained nurse, and aft- erward married Dr. Frederick Lyons, of New York City; and Lewis C. , an engineer on the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad. Doctor Hoyt was born July 28, 1852, at the old home in Danbury, the public schools of which city he attended until he reached the age of twelve years. He then found employment, and was engaged in different occupations; but his cherished wish to enter the medical profession was sustained through all discouragements. In 1883 he began a study by preparatory reading with Dr. A. E. Adams, of Danbury, with whom he remained a year and a half, and later, Octo- ber I, 1885, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, graduating May 10, 1887, being the last man who graduated from this college in a two-years' course. On June 3 of the same year he located in Bridgeport, where he speedily gained a desirable practice. He is a member of the City, State and County Medical Associations, and for four years was president of the Bridgeport Board of Health. In politics he is a Democrat, and wherever he has resided he has taken a keen interest in local affairs. While in Danbury he served as justice of the peace, and for some time was chief engineer of the fire de- department. His first wife, who was Miss Anna E. Crofut, daughter of George and Mary Crofut, of Danbury, died in 1887, and he after- ward married Miss Hattie M. Rees, of Bridge- port, who was born in Massachusetts, daughter of Abram L. and Pauline Rees. His only child, the offspring of the first wife, died in infancy. Socially, the Doctor and his wife are prominent, and he is connected with various organizations, including the I. O. O. F. , in which he has passed: the chairs, is noble grand in the subordinate lodge and in the degree of Rebekah, also high priest in the Encampment No. 5. He is also a member of Arcanum Lodge No. 41, I. O. O. F. ; of St. John's Lodge No. 3, F. and A. M., and Jerusalem Chapter No. 13, R. A. M. ; is also a member of the Foresters of America, Court Waldemere No. 19, and is a physician of Ca- talpa Circle, Companion of the Forest Court Norden No. 129, F. of A. The Doctor is one of the self-made men of his city, and has been very successful. He at- tributes his success to perseverance in a pre- arranged course laid out years ago. soo COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. CHARLES WHEELER WILSON, an agri- culturist of this section, has a fine farm in the town of Fairfield. His systematic and progressive management seems to produce good results, and the farm is kept in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Wilson was born February 13, 1831, in Burr's District, Fairfield township, a son of Wake- man Wilson, grandson of Samuel Wilson, and great-grandson of Isaac Wilson. Samuel Wilson, the grandfather, was born November i, 1761, and became a successful farmer of Fairfield township, owning property on what was known as Wilson's Highway. During the struggle for independ- ence he served with the Colonial forces, being called out at the time of the burning of Fair- field by the British. Politically he was always a stanch Democrat. The Bridgeport Farmer was subscribed for by him at an early date, when the paper was first started, and has ever since been taken by the family, his son, Wakeman, and, later on, our subject, continuing the subscription down to the present time. Samuel Wilson was a large man, well-built, possessing a heavy voice, and an excellent constitution, as he lived to the advanced age of eighty-one, his death occurring April II, 1842. His wife, Eleanor (Lyon), died July 12 of the same year, and their remains now rest side by side in the old cemetery at Green- field Hill. She was born in April, 1764, a daughter of Eliphalet and Esther (Wakeman) Lyon, of Fairfield. The children of Samuel and Eleanor Wilson were: Samuel, born November 19, 1784, who became a noted gunsmith, and lived to his ninety-seventh year; Eunice, born August 17, 1786, who married Bryant Glover, and died at an advanced age; Wakeman, our subject's father; and Eleanor, born November 30, 1792, who also attained a good old age. Wakeman Wilson was born February 9, 1790, in Burr's District, town of Fairfield, and as he possessed remarkable mechanical skill he devoted much of his attention to the carpenter's trade, limiting his efforts, however, to the finer branches of the work. He drew all his plans for buildings, and notwithstanding the fact that he was self-taught, he made a decided success. When a boy he learned to play the violin, and, being extremely fond of music, he often played for entertainments. In his later years he pla)'ed upon a bass viol which he manufactured for him- self, and which is now in the possession of our subject. I'rom the age of twenty he made his home upon a farm in his native district, and his industry and thrift enabled him to secure a line competence. He enjoyed robust health until a short time previous to his death, which occurred September 10, 1851, his remains being interred at Greenheld Hill. As a citizen he was much esteemed, and while he was not an oflice seeker, he was a strong supporter of the Democratic party, voting regularly for its candidates. When twenty j-ears old he married Miss Betsey A. Glover, of Plattsville, who died some years later, her burial taking place at Greenfield Hill. By this marriage there were three sons: Morris, born September 18, 181 3, who died in childhood; Henry G., born August 23, 1819, who conducted a sawmill for many years in Burr's District, where he died May 12, 1890; and Silas, born July 8, 1822, who followed the carpenter's trade in Bridge- port, and died there November 28, 1880. Mr. Wilson for his second wife married Miss Eunice Wheeler, who was born in Fairfield, February 19, 1790, a daughter of Nathan and Mabel (Bulkley) Wheeler, the former of whom was a successful agriculturist of near Samp Mortar Rock, owning a farm at what was known as Wheeler's Mill, in Jennings Wood District. She died January 19, 1869, and was buried in Oak Lawn cemetery. Our subject was the only child of this union. Nathan Wheeler, our subject's grandfather, was the son of Thomas, who was the son of Joseph, a descendant of Thomas Wheeler, Sr. , who came from England to Concord, Mass., about 1636, and early removed to Fairfield, where he bought a home lot in Pequonnock, upper part of Bridgeport. Joseph, with his fam- ily, in 1724, moved from Black Rock to Jen- nings Wood District, and settled near Samp Mortar Rock, and about that time built a grist- mill. Mabel Bulkley, wife of Nathan Wheeler, was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (White- head) Bulkley, of Southport, and granddaughter of Peter Bulkley, whose ancestor, the Rev. Peter, son of Rev. Edward Bulkley, of Bedford- shire, England, came to Massachusetts in the year 1635, settling at Concord, where he died March 9, 1659, aged seventy-six years. Nathan Wheeler died November 12, 1812, aged sixty- eight years; Mabel, his wife, passed away De- cember 14, 1827, aged sixty-two years. Their family were as follows: Esther, Nathan, Sam- uel, Sanford, Eunice, Howkin (who was a sea captain in his early life, later becoming a farmer), Sarah, Moses, Mary, and William (who for some forty-eight years practiced medicine in Merrick, L. I.); there were two by the name of Charles, who both died young. Tradition says the \\'heelers were originally from Wales. Our subject was educated in the schools of Burr's District, town of Fairfield, and among his early teachers were Miss Turney, of Eas- '^'^^. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 301