Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

In early life Mr. Lockwood became interested in the cause of religion, under the influence of one Mary Ostrander, and united with the Method- ist Episcopal Church, under the ministry of Rev. William Jewett, becoming one of the most devout Christians and active workers in the Church at Greenwich, and laboring unceasingly throughout his life for the cause of Christ. From the very beginning of his identification with the Church he took hold of the work of his home Church, and remained to the day of his death officially connected therewith, having served in various capacities, among them as steward, trus- tee, recording secretary, licensed e.xhorter, and superintendent of the Sunday-school. His liber- ality to the Church was in keeping with his. I COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 81 earnestness a's a worker. He not only gave to his own Church but to the Churches of other denominations. He attributed his success in life more to his early Christian training than to any other cause, which, no doubt, led hiin to such close and liberal relations to it. He was also a friend to the poor, and gave much to charity. Mr. Lockwood was as prominent and influential in business circles as he was in the Church. He was a shrewd business man and financier, and met with eminent success in his undertakings; a good manager and far-sighted, his investments proved his wisdom in making them; success followed also his farming oper- ations. For years he served as president of the Greenwich Trust, Loan & Deposit Company, and to his efforts and ability is due the firm foundation on which that institution now rests. He was enterprising and progressive, and did much toward the advancement of the interests of his locality. A man of high honor and in- tegrity, and of great usefulness as a citizen, his death, January 27, 1896, caused a loss to the community which was keenly felt. He had so lived that "His death seemed to him a most pleasant event." Mr. Lockwood was twice married, his first wife, Susan (Nash), passing away October 27, 1869, and she was interred at Stanwich, Conn. On January 31, 1872, Mr. Lockwood was again married, this time to Mrs. Fannie Lounsbury, widow of S. D. F. Lounsbury, and daughter of William and Anna (Brown) Roscoe. Mrs. Fannie Lockwood was born in the town of Greenwich, but late in her 'teens moved with her father's family to Port Chester, N. Y. She is a great Methodist and a worker in the auxiliary societies of the Church at Greenwich; she united with the Church when a child of twelve years. Mrs. Lockwood is one of four children. For fourteen years she was successfully engaged in school teaching. To Hanford Lockwood and h* wife Fannie was born a son, William F. H. William F. H. Lockwood, whose name opens this article, is a native of the town of Green- wich, born May 22, 1875, on the old homestead where his father and grandfather first saw the light. He was liberally educated, receiving the advantages afforded by the best schools of the country, and inherits from his intelligent parents much of their ability. He is energetic, pro- gressive, ambitious, and a bright future evidently awaits him. He is one of the most prominent of the young men of Greenwich, and is simple in his bearing, entirely without ostentation. On De- cember 27, 1897, Mr. Lockwood was elected a member of the board of directors of the Green- wich Trust, Loan & Deposit Company, which company ranks high among such institutions in the United States, and to occupy such a position is no little honor to one so young. Mr. Lock- wood is a Republican in political preference. On December 18, 1895, our subject was mar- ried to Miss Daisy Lucile Jackson, of Middle- town, N. Y., whom he met at the Centenary Collegiate Institute, Hackettstown, New Jersey. REV. BENJAMIN MOWATT YARRING- TON, deceased. Through the clear silence of the moonless dark, Leaving no impress of the road it trod, Straight as an arrow cleaving to its mark, A soul went home to God. Alas! they cried, he never saw the morn, But fell asleej), outwearied with the strife- Nay, rather he arose and met the dawn Of everlasting life. On March 19, 1898, in the "first watch of the night," there passed from earth a beloved and venerated citizen of Greenwich, whose long and useful life has left a lasting impress upon that community. Mr. Yarrington had served fifty-six years as rector of Christ Church (Protest- ant Episcopal) and as rector emeritus for three years, making fifty-nine years continuous labor in that parish, and the present prosperity of the Church is due, in the main, to his untiring efforts. During his residence in Greenwich the little village developed into a wealthy and thriving town, and his sympathies and energies were freely given to advance its best interests. He was a man of fine intellectual gifts, courteous manners and commanding presence, and his self- denying zeal as a pastor and public-spirit as a citizen met with appreciative recognition by the people of all denominations. The Yarrington family is of English origin, and the American branches are descended from three brothers who settled in this country in Colonial times, one brother locating in Virginia, where his descendants are now numerous. Our subject's grandfather, William Yarrington, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and Uriah Yarrington, the father of our subject, served in the war of 1812, while during the Rebellion members of the family, including several of our subject's nephews, took part on both sides of the controversy. Uriah Yarrington was born January 24, 1780, one of a family of ten chil- dren, and became a builder by occupation. He was not blessed with a strong constitution, and he died at Flushing, L. I., at the early age of thirty-seven. His wife, Ann Tier, survived him many years, passing away at the age of eighty- 82 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. two in our subject's home at Greenwich. Five children were born to this estimable couple: Jacob, who died in California at the age of eighty-eight; Ann E. (deceased), who married Melancthon Hoyt, D. D., a noted clergyman of the Episcopal Church; William, who died in New York in early manhood; Benjamin M., our subject; and Charles, who died in New York. Rev. Mr. Yarrington was born at Flushing, L. I., March 15, 1812, and received his academ- ical education chiefly in New York City under Dr. Edmund U. Barry, a famous educator of that day, who conducted a classical school in which many able clergycnen were instructed in youth. From childhood Mr. Yarrington cher- ished the hope of entering the ministry, and on leaving Dr. Barry's school he pursued a course of study with Dr. Clarkson Dunn, of Newton, N. J., later entering the general theological sem- inary of the Episcopal Church located in New York City. When near the end of his course there, overwork brought on an illness which compelled him to abandon his books, but after "rusticating" for a time in western New York, he returned to his studies at the seminary. He was obliged to proceed slowly for fear of a relapse, but after two years he was ordained as a deacon on December 23, 1838, at St. Thomas Church, New York City, being presented by Dr. Hawks and ordained by Bishop Onderdonk. On April 28, 1839, he received a call to the Church at Greenwich, and his acceptance marked the be- ginning of one of the longest pastorates known in the history of the denomination. The Church had been in existence for many years, and previous to 1826 the building was located on the top of Put's Hill. It was around that building that the British gathered to watch Putnam's famous ride. In 1821 the old structure was blown down by a gale, and a small wooden building was erected at the present site. In 1856 the congre- g^ion had outgrown this building, and it was re- placed by the present handsome stone edifice, which was consecrated January 14, 1857. At that time it was considered one of tne finest churches in the State. In April, 1889, the church was enlarged by an addition on the southeast side, and it was consecrated in a service of blessing by Bishop Williams. This was a fitting memorial to crown Mr. Yarrington's work of fifty years in the parish. Mr. Yarrington could never be induced to take a vacation. Being a strong and robust man he did not feel the need of rest. He was rarely, if ever sick, and during all these years scarcely missed a Sunday. In 1884, altera severe attack of pneumonia, he was persuaded to take a short rest, and went to Saratoga, but a few weeks la- ter he came back with his health fully restored. He knew no Church or Creed when appealed ta by those in want or distress, and was always ready to officiate at a funeral or wedding, whether the parties were Church-goers or not. During the fifty-si.x years of his rectorship he baptized 1,235 persons, attended I,U2 funerals, performed 248 marriage ceremonies, confirmed 648 applicants, and made 12,646 pastoral calls among his pa- rishioners. P'rom the bare handful of communi- cants— twenty only — when Mr. Yarrington came to Greenwich, the parish has grown to 275 com- municants in the Mother Church, with Calvary Chapel, Round Hill; Emanuel, at Glenville, St. Paul's Riverside and Byram Chapel, prosperous auxiliaries of the present organization, 1,340 families having been under his pastoral care. A few years ago Riverside Chapel was made a dis- tinct Church, and as tfie time passed Mr. Yarring- ton's duties became so arduous that an assistant was appointed. On Sunday, February 10, 1895, Mr. Yarring- ton resigned as rector of Christ Church, having been its pastor for fifty-six years. He read his resignation from the pulpit, as follows: