Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

In 1853 Mr. Redman was married, by Rev. William M. Adams, to Miss Cecelia Allen, of New York, and two children blessed this union, namely: James K., now of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; and Mary A., Mrs. Robert M. Mitchill, Jr., of Ora- dell, N. J., who has two children — Robert M. and Cecelia R. Mrs. Redman passed away in 1874, and in 1881 Mr. Redman married a widow, Mrs. William H. Hollingshead, lu'e Henrietta Manning. She had two children by her first marriage — Charles G., of New York; and Carrie B., Mrs. Clarence W. Taylor, also of New York. Mrs. Redman is an active member of the Meth- odist Church at Mianus, Fairfield county, to which her husband also belonged. He was a Re- publican in political belief, a regular voter but no politician, though he took a deep interest in the success of his party. While in Brooklyn he was a member of the Ward Association. On September 14, 1847, Mr. Redman joined what was then Company B of the Tw&nty-seventh Regiment, and which became afterward the fa- mous Seventh Regiment, and rose from the ranks to the position of orderly sergeant. This military organization is one of the best-known in New York City, and is the same which his father be- longed to when it was known as the Eleventh Regiment. At the time of his decease he was a veteran member in good standing. HON. DAVID H. MILL&R, ex-member of the General Assembly from the Redding dis- trict of Fairfield county, who for many years has been a prominent business man of Georgetown, is a native of England, born in the City of Lon- don, August 12, 1831. Capt. John H. Miller, his father, was born in London, England, and throughout his lifetime was connected with the English army. He was captain of a company stationed in the West Indies. He married Sarah Nevill, and to them were born as follows: (i) John H. was a native of London, came to America, and for a time was engaged in the manufacture of showcases in New York. Later he became a farmer, and in 1849, on the discovery of gold in California, he was one of the pioneers in that field. He visited various countries, and died some years ago in the city of Buenos Ayres, Argentine Confederation, South America. He was a delegate from California to the National Convention at which General Fre- mont was nominated for the Presidency of the United States. Mr. Miller was an educated man. He spoke a number of languages, and was at one time the editor of one of the Sacramento news- papers. (2) David H. is the subject of this sketch. Nathaniel Nevill, the father of Mrs. Sarah Miller, was born in Pewsey, County of Wilts, England, where he served a five-years' apprenticeship at the business of boot and shoe manufacturing and tanning. Having served out his time, he began carrying on the same business for himself, and soon became one of the promi- nent men in that line of business in London, the '1(1. ,i (r.i ■;ii J iiriJ .i. ril' COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 109 product of his factory going to various countries, including the United States and Canada. He married Sarah Pulbrook, and their children were: Richard, Eliza and Sarah. David H. Miller attended private schools in his native city until he was twelve years of age. His father having died when he was but a lad, he was taken when about twelve years old by his stepfather into his office, where he was employed through the day, at night attending school. He obtained a knowledge of the banking and im- porting business in London, and at the age of fourteen years came to the United States with D. M. Peyser. Immediately on his arrival in New York he was made cashier in D. M. Peyser's stor^ in that city. He held this position some years, and was then engaged in the manufactur- ing of show cases until 1851. In that year he returned to London, England, and entered the employ of his stepfather, with whom he learned the curled-hair business. After becoming thor- oughly skilled in this, he returned to the United States in 1852 and established on Pecks Slip, New York City, a factory for carrying on the business he had just learned. Some time after this he became acquainted with Edwin Gilbert, of Georgetown, Conn., and becoming interested in the factories at Georgetown he transferred his business from New York to that point. He has since resided there, and for forty-three years he has figured quite conspicuously in the social, business and public affairs of the village and county. He is extensively and favorably known throughout this section of the country. Before the Civil war he was a member of the Eighth Regiment New York Washington Grays. During the war he was major of the 23d Conn. V. I., and served upward of one year. He has served four years as justice of the peace, and at the present time he holds a commission as notary public. He is secretary and treasurer of the school district; is vice-president of the Fairfield County National Bank at Norwalk, and is vice- president and secretary of the Gilbert & Bennett Manufacturing Company, of Georgetown. Mr. Miller is a stanch Republican, and was instru- mental in organizing the first Republican Club of Georgetown during the Fremont campaign. In 1 88 1 he was elected to the General Assembly from Fairfield county, and served one t£fm with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents. Mr. Miller is a staff officer in the Putnam Phalanx, of Hartford, which was or- ganized in 1858. He is a member of James E. Moore Post No. 18, G. A. R., of Danbury, also of the Army and Navy Club; fraternally, he affiliates with Ark Lodge No. 39, F. & A. M., of which he has been secretary for the past twenty- nine years; is a member of Crusader Command- ery No. 10, Knights Templar, and of Pyramid Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of Bridgeport. In his religious views he is an Episcopalian. In 1 85 5 Mr. Miller was married to Miss Catherine Welling, who was born in Dublin, Ire- land, in 1833, and coming when a child to New York City. The children born to the marriage are: (i) Samuel J., born November 18, 1856, received a good common-school education, and in boyhood learned the wire business. Begin- ning at the " bottom round," he was steadily ad- vanced from one position to another until h& became director and superintendent of the com- pany's works at Georgetown, Conn., and Chi- cago, 111. He served five years as regimental clerk to the Connecticut National Guard. In his religious affiliations he is a member of the Episcopal Church of Wilton, of which he is treasurer. He married Miss Esther A. Cannon, of Cannon Station, a daughter of Charles Can- non, of the town of Wilton, and had two chil- dren— D. Henry and Mary C. (2) Mary C. mar- ried Joseph A. Gray, a prominent lawyer of Norwalk, and they have six children. (3) David H., Jr., is engaged in the oyster business at Norwalk. He is vice-president and treasurer of the Raymond & Comstock Hat Mnfg. Com- pany, and interested in the Blacking Cabinet Manufactory, both of South Norwalk. He is a member of the Old Well Hook and Ladder Fire Company of South Norwalk. He married Miss Josephine Getler, and they have one child. (4), Catherine W. is at home. (5) Louis P. Miller was born April 10, 1865, at Georgetown, re- ceived his education in the village schools, and by his own efforts has worked his way up to the very creditable position he now occupies — that of assistant superintendent of the Gilbert & Ben- nett Manufacturing Company, of Georgetown. He is a member of Ark Lodge, No. 39, F. & A. M., of Georgetown, of Crusader Commandery No. 10, K. T., and of Pyramid Temple of the Mystic Shrine, of Bridgeport, also of Pilgrim Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Ridgefield. He mar- ried Miss Etta Bates, daughter of Seth P. Bates, of Kansas, but formerly of Redding, Conn., and they had one child that died in infancy. (6) Charles J. is still single, and is the manager of the Chicago store for Gil- bert & Bennett Manufacturing Company. (7) Julius W. learned the machinist's trade, and established himself in that business at South Norwalk. He is unmarried. (8) Sarah J. is also single. She is a graduate of the South Nor- walk High School (having been valedictorian of 110 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. her class), also of the State Normal School, and is now engaged in teaching in the schools of Stamford, this county. (9) Bessie E. graduated from the South Norwalk High School, and was also valedictorian of her class; later she was graduated from the State Normal School; she is now teaching in the schools of Stamford. H' fON. MOSES SHERWOOD. This well- known agriculturist is a worthy represent- ative of one of the oldest and most highly es- teemed families of this county, and many of its members for several generations past have made their home on Sherwood's Island, in the town of Westport. He is a direct descendant of Thomas Sherwood, who came from England in 1634, set- tling in this county, the line of descent being traced through Thomas (2), a son of the pioneer; Samuel; Daniel; William; Daniel; and Silas B. Sherwood, our subject's father. Daniel Sherwood, our subject's grandfather, was born in the town of Fairfield, but settled in early manhood upon Sherwood's Island, then a wilderness. He married Catherine Burr, of the town of Westport, and had ten children, all now deceased: Ebenezer, a miller and farmer in the district of Compo, town of Westport; Catherine, who married Ebenezer Diamond, of Brooklyn, N. Y. , a merchant and shipowner; Eunice, wife of Ephraim Barr, a farmer of Fairfield township; Daniel, a farmer in Westport; Abigail, who died in infancy; Abraham, a merchant at Westport, who also ran a "market boat;" Silas B., our subject's father; ?nd Francis, Frederick and Franklin (triplets), who were sea-faring men.