Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Nathaniel E. Adams passed his boyhood days in his native town, attending the local schools, and the education he there obtained was but the broad foundation for the mental culture to which he attained by the persistent reading and study of a lifetime. When quite young he began the study of architecture, and for some time was lo- cated in New York City, where he was engaged in building. The ill health of his wife caused him to leave the great metropolis and seek some quieter home. Accordingly, in 1829, he re- moved to Stamford, where for a time he was iu the coal and lumber business. He then began the real-estate business, by buying a tract of land, opening up and surveying streets, etc., and the section, Washington and Adams avenues. North and Franklin streets and Liberty place, is now a beautiful portion of the village. On the streets that he opened he caused to be planted large numbers of elm and other shade trees, and prob- ably did more than any other one man for the general improvement of Stamford real estate. His was a life of industry, and his last days were brightened by the competence his labors had wrought. True and trustworthy Ifimself, he was a number of times the victim of over confidence in others, and was more than once compelled to go back to very near the foot of the ladder and begin over again. After the cares of the day, he found his recreation in his library, spending nearly all his evenings in study. His memory was almost phenomenal, and he formed the habit of using poetical quotations to aptly illustrate his conversation. He was particularly well versed in the Bible, and took an active part in the Sun- day-school work of the Congregational Church. He was first a Democrat, later becoming a Whig and Republican, and took an active part in poli- tics for many years, serving his fellow townsmen as justice of the peace. On April 23, 1829, in New York City, Na- thaniel E. Adams was married, by Rev. Dr. Ver- milyea, to Miss Sarah A. Dixon. Six children came to bless this union: Charles W., New York City, born December 11, 1^829, married Julia B. Elder, and they had two sons, Charles W. and George Elder; James E., born December 14, 1833, died August 5, 1834; Julia H., born March 14, 1835, is still residing in Stamford [see below] ; James E., born February 7, 1840, died April 27, 1877; John, born June 14, 1841, died Septem- ber 24, 1889; and Franklyn, born December 27, 1845, residing in Stamford. Charles W. Adams died September 30, 1898. The mother of this family was born April 23, 1806, and died April 16, 1890. Mr. Adams passed to his last rest October 21, 1894, and Stamford as a town lost one of its best citizens, and the people a trusty, confidential friend and advisor. Julia H. Adams was married March 15, 1866, to Albert M. Powell, who was born in Berlin, Md., in 1835. He graduated from West Point in i860, and remained in the United States service air his life. In " McClure's Magazine" for January, 1898, the late Charles A. Dana, Secretary of War during the Rebellion, in his article "Reminiscences of Men and Events of the Civil War," mentions Lieut. -Col. Albert M. Powell as an officer who "thoroughly under- stands his business and attends to it diligently." Colonel Powell served on General McPherson's staff, and was chief of artillery in the 17th Army Corps, Department of the Tennessee. He was promoted for his bravery and gallantry in action in the battles of New Madrid, Island No. Ten, Siege of Corinth, luka, Port Gibson, Ray- mond, Jackson, Champion Hills and Vicksburg, and was presented with a " Medal of Gold " after the siege of Vicksburg by order of Major-General McPherson; at the same time being breveted lieutenant-colonel. At Fort Stevenson, Dakota, on June 5, 1868, he was thrown from a new horse, and five days later were sounded his last "taps." Of his death General R. de Trobriand officially makes his report: "A serious loss to the army, and will be especially felt among his comrades and associates in both the Volunteer and Regular service, who would better appreciate his merits as an officer, and his refined qualities as a gentleman." His remains were laid to rest in Woodland Cemetery, Stamford, August 23, 1868. The wedding tour of Lieutenant-Colonel Powell and his bride was to Fort Rice on the Missouri river in Dakota, then a frontier post among the Sioux Indians. One child gladdened the home of this soldier, Julie Adams. HON. EDWARD H. SMITH. Biographical sketches of those who have attained merited distinction, in any sphere of life, have a charm and force in them that commend them to every sound thinker. We naturally feel an interest in tracing the footsteps of those who have reached elevated positions in public confidence, and have wielded their influeuce for public good, and we thus take pleasure in giving prominent place in this work to the life record of the gentleman whose name here appears. John (i) Smith (16— 1684), a settler of Mil- ford, Conn., in 1640, is presumed to have been one 54 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. of several from Hertfordshire who could not leave England in 1637, when Rev. Peter Prudden and others from that section of England sailed in the company of Rev. John Davenport, Gov. The- ophilus Eaton, Dep.-Gov. Stephen Goodyear, and other persons from London who came to this country in the ships " Hector " and " Martin " in 1637. It is probable he came direct from England to New Haven in one of the three ships which sailed in 1639 to New Haven, viz.: the "St. Johns" (Captain Russell); the "Fair Weather," which reached New Haven before July 28, 1639; and the third ship (name unknown) which arrived soon after, probably bringing the company which settled in Southold, Long Island. From the amount of property (;^5i3, 3, 9) left by him at his death in 1684, it is probable that he belonged to a family of some wealth in Eng- land. It has been suggested that he may have been one of the Smiths of Hadden Hall, some of whom came to this country. He married Grace Hawley, who was born in 16 — , and died in 1690. By the will of Mrs. Grace Smith, dated Novem- ber 26, 1689, she gives her property of i^6 1, 11,7 to her four children, to wit: Ephraim, John, Mary, and Mehitable. Of these, John (2) Smith (Sergeant), son'of John (i) Smith, the settler, was born in 1646 and died in 1732; lived in Milford. He married, January 23, 1672-73, Phebe Canfield (born May 8, 1656, died May 3, 1730), daughter of Sergt. Thomas Canfield (died 1689) and Phebe (Crane) Canfield, of Milford. They are buried in Milford Ceme- tery. Children: John, Thomas, Samuel, Eben- ezer, Joseph, Abiah, Nathan and Joseph. Of these, Ebenezer (3), born March 31, 1683, died November 4, 1744. In 1709 he removed from Milford to Ridgeheld, Conn., and was one of the original settlers of that town. He married January 3, 17 10— 11, Sarah Collins, who died March 16, 1760. IntheWhitney Family book Vol. I, page 27, he is said to be the grandson of John Smith (16 — 1684), thesettler,and Grace Hawley; this is the only record of the family name of Mrs. Grace Smith (16 — 1690) found by the compiler. Their son Daniel (1719-1799) married Betty Whitney (1718-1798); their 'descendants to the number of over 500 are recorded in the Whitney Family book. Children: Phebe, Sarah, Abiah, Ebenezer, Daniel or David, Job, Abigail, John. Samuel Smith (of Norwalk) was one of the first or original proprietors of the town of Ridge- field.Conn. ; was married to Sarah , June 13, 1717. Samuel Smith, their son, was born July 9, 1719. The mother died October 22, 1719, and June 21, 1722, the father married Elizabeth 1723. Children: married Rachel, born March 27, - Northrop; Sarah, born March 24, 1724, married (first) Job Smith, and (second) Nathan Olmsted; Patience, born Feb- ruary 19, 1727, married Benjamin Hoyt. The father of these died January 25, 1764, his wife Elizabeth in 17 — . (The home lot No. 23, in the village of Ridgefield, assigned by lot to Sam- uel Smith, in quantity about J^ acres, situated on the corner where the carriage shop now stands, bounded on the south by Daniel Olm- sted's lot No. 24, both of which were too moist to build on. They both purchased and built their first homes on lot No. 2; Samuel Smith's house was south of A. Holmes' present resi- dence). Samuel Smith, Jr., was married May 18, 1743, to Mary Northrop. Children: Samuel, born December 21, 1743; Daniel, born June 17, 1745, married Mary Smith; Sarah, born June 3, 1748, married Daniel Scribner, of ; Mary, born August 24, 1750; Rachel, born October 23, 1752. The parents of these both died of small- pox, the father on January 20, 1782, the mother on December 26, 1781. Of the above family: Daniel Smith was married February 25, 1767, to Mary Smith, daughter of David and Mary (Thorp) Smith. Children: Daniel, born Jan- uary 24, 1768, married Phebe Whitney January 20, 1788; Azor, born October 9, 1769, married Mehitable Fairbanks; Dolly, born September 17, 177 — , married John Scott; Sarah, born April 17. ^777> married Caleb Smith; Noah, born March 12, 1774, married Rachel St. John. The^ mother of these died May 7, 1780, and the father afterward wedded, March i, 1781, Mrs. Eliza- beth Northrop, a widow. Children: Mary, born March 17, 1782; Samuel Andrews, born July 11, 1784; Betsey, born , married (first) Belden Scott, and (second) Mathew Whitlock. Daniel Smith died March 7, 1795, in his fiftieth year, and his widow subsequently married Abra- ham Nash. Edward H. Smith, the subject proper of this memoir, was born December 27, 1827, in West- port, Fairfield Co., Conn., a son of Samuel Smith, who was born in 1798, and a grandson of Col. Daniel Smith. Our subject received his education in part at Grammar School No. 14, New York City, under the principalship of Leonard Hazleton, and in part at Wilton, Conn. At about the age of seventeen he left school, and proceeding south to Mobile, Ala., clerked for five years with Henry Smith, clothing manufacturer, with a retail store in Mobile. Henry Smith, relinquishing his busi- ness in Mobile, our subject went into the employ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 55