Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

On May 31, 1849, Mr. Wildman was married to 'Miss Esther A. Beers, of the town of New Fairfield, a daughter of Elijah Beers, who came from Easton, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Wild- man at once began their married life on the homestead, and there reared one child: William A. ; three others died in infancy. Active in the work of the Methodist Church, our subject and his wife are identified with the principal religious and charitable enterprises of the place. In poli- tics Mr. Wildman is a stanch Republican, but, though one of the workers of his party, he uni- formly refuses to accept the offices his friends have so often offered him. He is highly re- spected and esteemed by his friends and neigh- bors, and the citizens of Danbury look upon him as one of the substantial farmers and public- spirited men of the place — one who shirks no duty of citizenship, but scorns the paltry aims that are the offspring of petty ambition and selfish gain. William A. Wildman, the only child of our subject, was born June 17, 1850, and on reach- ing maturity was united in marriage with Miss Frances L. Nash, a daughter of Harry W. Nash, a farmer of the town of Wilton. William A. Wildman is engaged in the meat business in Danbury, and is regarded as one of the enterpris- ing citizens of the town. He and his wife reside with his parents on the old farm, and there look after the comfort and welfare of that aged and honored couple. A Republican in political faith, and in the same commendable way as his father, he gives liberally of time and means to all worthy enterprises. WILLIAM J. BEECHER, a well-known member of the Fairfield County Bar, was born March 5, 1859, at Bridgeport, this county, a son of John and Margaret Beecher, and his life has been mainly spent in this section. During his boyhood Mr. Beecher attended the schools near his early home, and his academic education was completed in Staples Institute, at Easton, this county. Having decided upon en- tering the legal profession, he pursued a course in the Yale Law School, graduating in 1880. On Jujy I of that year he was admitted, at New Haven, to practice in all the courts of the State. In August, 1880, he opened an office in Bridge- port, where he remained through the trying first months of idleness and discouragement which every briefless young lawyer must undergo, but on January 17, 1881, he removed to Newtown. There he had some difficulty in securing a suit- able office, his first location, over the old tin- shop, being far from desirable, but he finally ob- tained pleasanter quarters above the store now occupied by Mr. Beers. By sheer force of merit Mr. Beecher has made his way to a flourishing practice, and he can now look back with amuse- ment upon his early experiences. In his first case, events took a somewhat unusual turn, as he arrested his own client. In November, 1886, he was elected judge of probate on the Demo- cratic ticket, and this office he held for four years. For a short time he served as town clerk, having been appointed to fill a vacancy, and for four or five years he was assistant town clerk. He con- tinued his practice in Newtown until October 1, 1S92, when he opened an office at Bridgeport. In October, 1894, he formed a partnership with Frank M. Canfi^eld, Esq., under the firm name of Beecher & Canfield, and they have since enjoyed a constantly-increasing clientele of a general na- ture. On April 3, 1891, Mr. Beecher married Miss Mary B. Glover, daughter of the late Henry Beers Glover, and their home has been bright- ened by three children: Florence Glover, Henry Glover (who died November 4, 1897) ^"^ Mar- guerite Katharine. The late Henry B. Glover was for many years a leading resident of Newtown, and his father, Abel Booth Glover, was in his day a prominent merchant of the place, occupying a store at the site of Charles H. Peck's residence After re- ceiving an academic education in the schools of his native town, Henry Glover entered Yale College, where he was graduated in September, 1820. On completing his education he spent some time in Cleveland, Ohio, but later settled at New- town, and his remarkable abilities as a financier were shown in variou.s enterprises requiring fore- sight and sound judgment. He never took an active part in politics, and although he was a firm supporter of the Republican party so far as national issues were concerned, he voted inde- pendently on local questions. He felt a deep in- COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 327 terest in all that relate to the welfare of his town, and for many years was an active worker in Trniity Episcopal Church of Newtown, being one of the most liberal contributors at the time of the building of the new edifice. His business enterprises included the organization of the New- town Savings Bank, and from its foundation until his death he held the positions of secretary and treasurer in that institution, with the exception of one year. For a number of years he was identified with the First National Bank at Bridge- port, serving as a director. He died March 6, 1870, at the age of forty-five, and his wife, whose maiden name was Eliza Blakeslee, died May 17, 1875, aged forty-nine. Many tributes of respect were paid to his memory, and at a special meet- ing of the board of directors of the First Na- tional Bank of Bridgeport, held March 28, 1870, the following resolutions were passed: Whereas, It has pleased an All-wise Providence to re- move by death our late friend and associate, Mr. Henry Beers Glover, who for many years was a prominent and efficient director of this bank, Uesulvid, That we sincerely deplore the loss of our esteemed friend, endeared to us as he was by his superior business capacity and his many social virtues, and whose manly deportment has commanded our highest regard. Ilesolnd, That we tender to the family and relatives of the deceased our sympathy in their afthction, knowing that the Hank and the community in which he lived, as well as his deeply afflicted family, havej-'xperienced an irreparable loss. liiaoh-ed. That the President, Cashier and Messrs. Toin- linson and Nichcjis be appointed a committee to attend the funeral services of our deceased friend at his late residence in Newtown, tt>-morrow at 2 o'clock P. M. Itimdnd, That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be transmitted to the friends of the deceased, be entered upon the records of this bank, and published in the papers of the city. D|R. EDWARD A. STRATTON, of Danbury, J is a descendant of good New England stock, and has been successful in his profession. CHARLES P. TURNEY, who for nearly half _ a century has been intimately identified with the growth and prosperity of the city of Nor- walk, Fairfield county, as a contractor and builder, as well as an enterprising citizen, is a native of the county, born March 14, 1826, in the town of New Fairfield, of an old and honor- able Connecticut family. John Turney, grandfather of our subject, was born in Fairfield county, where he was a lifelong farmer, and he died at Easton, in 1847. In religious faith he was a Baptist. His son, Andrew, father of our subject, was born, in 1801, in what is now the town of Easton, I'air- field county, and was reared on a farm. He married Paulina Gregory, a daughter of Elijah Gregory, who was a blacksmith by trade, and two children came of this union: Melinda, who married Lewis Hayes, a farmer in the town of New Fairfield, Fairfield county (they are both now deceased, Mr. Hayes dying in 1884, Mrs. Hayes in 1886); and Charles P., still living. In 1835 the parents moved with their fainily into the town of Redding, and settled on a farm. In 1837 they came to Norwalk, whence, in 1845, they moved to Fairfax county, Va. , where the father again took up agricultural pursuits, and followed same till his death, on February 14, 1 861; he was originally a Whig in politics, later, on the organization of the party, uniting with the Republicans. His widow died January 5, 1879. The subject proper of this memoir, whose name opens the sketch, was reared on his father's farm in the town of New Fairfield, and received a good, substantial district-school edu- cation. He then commenced learning the car- penter's trade, which he has followed ever since, in connection with contracting and building, for five years in Virginia, and since 1850 in Norwalk. On September 11, 1851, Mr. Turney was united in marriage with Miss Rhoda A. Sturges, of Norwalk, daughter of Joel Sturges, a farmer of the town of Weston, Fairfield county. No children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Turney. He is a consistent member of the Baptist Church, Mrs. Turney being a Methodist, while in his political predilections he was originally a Whig, later a Republican, and at the time Norwalk was a borough he held the office of burgess five years. They have their home in an elegant and com- fortable dwelling fronting on Union Park. Dur- ing his long residence in Norwalk Mr. Turney has put up many dwelling houses and other build- ings in the place, more, in fact, than any other man, and has owned and sold many houses in that time. That he has been an all-round suc- cessful man goes without saying, thanks to the active qualities of his nature — enterprise, energy, business tact and public spirit, to which may be added thorough judgment, honest work, and hon- orable dealing. ICHAEL J. HOULIHAN, proprietor of _ _ the "Grand Central Hotel," Newtown, is one of the most popular men to be found in Fair- field county, and his fellow-citizens have on many occasions given proof of their esteem by choosing him to itnportant offices of public trust. Mr. Houlihan is a native of Newtown, born January 7, 1858, but his ancestry is Irish, the Ti.:- 328 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.