Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

The subject of this sketch, a prominent busi- ness man of Belle Haven, in the town of Green- wich, is of the eighth generation in direct descent from John Mead (1), who came from England about 1642 [other authorities say 1635], and set- tled in Greenwich in 1660 with his two sons, John and Joseph. The line of descent is traced through John, son of the pioneer; Ebenezer (1); Ebenezer (2); Abraham, who served as an officer in the Revolutionary army; Isaac, the grandfather of our subject; and Hon. Augustus Mead, our subject's father, who was for many years a lead- ing citizen of Greenwich, serving as a repre- sentative from the town in the State Legislature and as probate judge of his district. Our sub- ject's mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth L. Mead, was also a descendant of John, the pioneer, the line being traced through Ebenezer (2) to Deliverance Mead, her grandfather, and Ephraim Mead, her father, w'ho was a well-known resident of Greenwich in his day. The father of our subject died April 22, 1864, and the mother passed away April 4, 1890. This worthy couple had four children: Nelson B., now a resident of Belle Haven; Augustus I., our subject; his twin brother, Oliver Z., who died in infancy; and Sam- uel Close, who also died in infancy. Augustus I. Mead was born November 21, 1861, at the old homestead in Field Point, where his family have owned a large tract of land since the days of his great-grandfather, Captain Abram, the Revolutionary hero. Our subject's youth was spent mainly at the old homestead, which still remains in the possession of the family, and after a preparatory course in the academy at Greenwich he attended the " Gunnery," at Wash- ington, Conn. On leaving this institution he returned to Belle Haven, and remained at the homestead with his widowed mother for a time; but in 1886 he built a handsome dwelling in Field Point road, where he has since resided. He gives his attention to the real-estate business, his con- servative management giving him a high standing in financial circles. Before he attained his ma- jority Mr. Mead was appointed clerk and assist- ant in the Probate office in Greenwich, a position which he filled acceptably for about ten years. In manner he is quiet and undemonstrative, and he has never sought prominence in public life. While he is a firm believer in the principles of the Republican party, and gives his support to the State and National ticket, he is not a strict party man in local affairs, preferring to vote for the candidate whose personal fitness ensures sat- isfaction. In 1886 Mr. Mead was married, in Green- wich, to Miss Mary E. Mead, daughter of Solo- mon Mead, a leading resident of that town. Two children have blessed this union: Mildred and Stewart Augustus. Mr. Mead and his wife are prominent in the best social circles of the local- ity, and both are members of the Congregational Church at Greenwich. BOCTOR RALPH N. HETTS, Jr., of Sandy Hook, for about thirty years was prominent as a dentist, his practice being one of the most extensive in this region, but of late he has turned his attention to mercantile pursuits in Sandy Hook. He has won success in that line also, and 840 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. his wide popularity among tiie people of his vicinity is doubtless a factor in the development of the trade enjoyed by him. Thk Bhtts Family Genealogy.* Thomas Betts, the ancestor of the family, was b^rn in Smithfield, London, England, in i6iS. He brought to America with him a Bible, dated i 591, which is still in the possession of a descendant of the family. He died in Norwalk, Conn., in 1688, aged seventy years. He was one of the forty original planters of the town of Guilford, Conn., 1639, being then but twenty-one years of age. His house lot in Guilford was opposite the old stone house built by Rev. Henry Whitfield, 1639, that served as a fort for the planters, and it is still (1899) standing. The Betts house was taken down in 1895. Thomas Betts remained in Guil- ford about twenty-one years, when he went to Mil- ford, Conn., where he remained about one year. From there he moved to Norwalk, and in the rec- ords of that locality, 1 661, he is described as a "planter inhabiting in Norwalk." His name appears in May, 1672, at the head of a list of fourteen residents of Norwalk, who petitioned for and received a grant of land, for the beginning of a plantation, which was afterward known as the town of Wilton, and there many of his descend- ants lived. The names and dates of birth of the children of Thomas and Mary Betts are as follows: Thomas, 1644; Mary, 1646; John, 1650; Hannah, 1652; Stephen, 1655; Daniel, 1659; Samuel, April 4, 1660; James, 1663; and Sarah, 16 — . The first six were born in Guilford, Conn., Samuel in Milford, and James and Sarah in Norwalk. Samuel, seventh child of Thomas and Mary Betts, born at Milford April 4, 1660, married Judith Reynolds, December 10, 1692. Their children were: Mary, Samuel, Stephen, Nathan, Hephzibah and Judith. Samuel, second child of Samuel and Judith Betts, married Dorothy [last name not traced]; children: Stephen, Thaddeus, Samuel, Rebecca and David. Of these, Stephen married Mary Burwell April 14, 1747; Thaddeus [not traced, supposed to have been a bachelor]; Samuel married Sarah Raymond; Rebecca mar- ried Hezekiah de Forest; David married Betty Cole, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Belden) Cole, of Norwalk; they settled in Wilton, Fair- field county, where David died December, 1767, aged thirty-seven; his widow, Betty (Cole) Betts, married in 1770 Capt. Caleb Baldwin, of New- town, and had one child, Caleb, born October » Kiimily Seal— Worthiim Hall, Suffolk County, "Uettb. " Uoat of Arras— Sable on a bend urgunt, three cinque-foils, gules; all wtthlu a border eniiraiUd on the scrawl. Crest— Cut of a Ducal coronet, gold on a buck's Lead gules attired gold 15, 1772, and died December 10, 1844; she died June 20, 1787, aged fifty-six. The children of David and Betty (Cole) Betts were: (i) Jared, baptized March 23, 1755, married twice; no children. (2) Nathan, baptized January 15, 1758, killed in the war of 1776-77. (3) Mary, baptized April 5, 1761, married Capt. Josiah Lacey, of Bridgeport, 1776. (4) Abner (great- grandfather of our subject), baptized August 21, 1763, married Huldah Northrop, daughter of John Northrop, of Newtown, Conn. Abner died November 6, 1802, his wife on October 15, 1804. Their children were: David, born February 15, 1786, died January 6, 1877, aged ninety-one; Nathaniel (our subject's grandfather), born Febru- ary 2, 1788, died September 15, 185 1, aged sixty-three; Betsey, born January 12, 1789, died April 17, 1818, aged twenty-nine; Polly, born December 28, 1792, died July 14, 1798, aged six years; John, born December 12, 1794, died December 31, 1829, aged thirty-five. Abner, the father of these, removed froin Wilton to New- town, locating in Palestine District, where his last years were spent. Of his sons were David, Nathaniel and John, of whom David and Na- thaniel were reared in Woodbury, Conn., by their uncle. Deacon Elijah Sherman, and both were taught the tanner's trade, which they fol- lowed as their life vocation. David Betts, first child of Abner and Huldah (Northrop) Betts, married Anna Maria de For- est, daughter of John and Abigail (Walker) de Forest, of Woodbury, Conn., and they had nine children: Charles, Cornelia, George, David, Mary Ann, Marcus, Henry, Sarah and John. David Betts died January 6, 1877; his wife, Anna Maria de Forest, passed away October 27, 1870. Nathaniel, second son of Abner and Huldah Betts, and the grandfather of our subject, mar- ried Marinda Masters, who died January 2, 1854, aged sixty-three, and their children were: (i) Caroline, born March 28, 18 10, died October II, 1828. She was at school in Schenectady, N. Y. , and died at the home of her great-uncle, Jared Betts, who for his second wife married a widow, the mother of General Wool. (2) Ralph Nathaniel (subject's father), of whom further mention will presently be made. (3) Alfred Betts, second son of Nathaniel and Marinda (Masters) Betts, married (first) Frances Amanda Miner October 14, 1840. She died Oc- tober 28, 1850, aged twenty-six. Their children were: Frances Sabrina, Gilbert, Walter W. and Edwin M. Alfred Betts married (second) Julia Lake, who died October 17, 1887, aged fifty- two; their children were: Perry, Jennie, Hattie COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 841 and Wilson. Alfred Betts died March 26, 1S80, aged sixty-five. (4) Charles Betts, son of Nathaniel and Ma- xinda (Masters) Betts, born February 17, 1826, and died September 2, 1894, married Rebecca Barnard; no children. Betsey Betts, daughter of Abner and Huldah (Northrop) Betts, born January 12, 1789, died April 17, 1818, aged twenty-nine. She married Deacon Nathaniel Miner, of Woodbury, Conn., and had one child, Julia Miner, who married Amos Eno Allen February 8, 1832. She died October 3, 1844, aged thirty-two. Their chil- dren were: Emily W., Mary J. and Chauncey F. John Betts, son of Abner and Huldah (North- rop) Betts, born December 12, 1794, died De- cember 31, 1829, aged thirty-five. He married Mary Ann Peck, of Sandy Hook, Conn., who died aged ninety-one. They had one child, Charlotte Betts, who married (first) a Mr. Evarts and had two children; wedded (second) a Mr. Savoy. [Number of children not reconied.] Nathaniel Betts, our subject's grandfather [see above], was about twelve years old when he went to Woodbury, where he made his perma- nent home. He became one of the substantial citizens of the town, owning a tannery and a farm, which he conducted successfully, and in later years he was also interested in the manufacture of shoes. In religious faith he was an Episco- palian.