Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

His early days were remote from our times: the hugh fireplace with immense sticks of wood, the wool and linen raised and spun on the farm, the horseback rides in his mother's arms on the pillion back of his father's saddle, and later, when eight years old, sent on horseback with a grist of rye or corn to the mill a mile and a half away. In course of time his father purchased a red lumber-box wagon and also a " one-hoss chaise." Lumber-box wagons were very scarce in those days, and were in great demand to bor- row for a funeral, which were lent in those prim- itive times as a neighborly kindness. The re- mains, at time of funerals, had previously been borne on men's shoulders. Mr. Lewis, when a young man, furnished his own horse in front of this wagon several times, and drove the remains of various neighbors to the burying place ("this wagon on these occasions preceding the hearse of more modern times). This assistance given one's neighbors was voluntarily bestowed in the same spirit as one in these times might send flowers as an act of sympathy and helpfulness. About 1827 to 1830 the price of a day's labor for a man and yoke of oxen for ploughing were sev- enty-five cents for the man, and the same price for the use of the oxen — the board of man and team not included. A Yankee shilling (sixteen and two-thirds cents) was the price for weaving a yard of linen. In those days of long ago Mr. Lewis, when young and strong, thought nothing of furnishing the timber from his own land and putting in small bridges on the highways, the cross-roads, when it was for the convenience of himself and the general public, without expect- ing or receiving compensation; he also in the same manner many times on the traveled high- ways, did labor much exceeding the amount of his tax. About 1848-49 he, with the gentlemen of the immediate neighborhood — the Wilcoxsons, Judsons, Lewises and Curtises — gave a day in a public-spirited manner, dug the elm tress, chiefly donated from Capt. Stiles Judso^i's land, planted them on Paridise Green for the enjoyment of their posterity and the world of fifty years later. On the site of his grandfather's house on the hill overlooking Long Island Sound, on June 11, 122 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 1842, Mr. Lewis' own dwelling house was raised, an old-fashioned raising when the neighbors from quite a distance were invited to assist in raising the timbers cut on the (arm; it was a very cold, chilly day; the men wore their overciuits and needed them, for it snowed that afternoon. The company, after the house-raising, went to his father's house for refreshments — cake, home- made cheese and cider — where they warmed and rubbed their chilled hands over the fire on the hearth. It was nothing uncommon to see a dozen Indians around this locality, peddling their baskets, afterward becoming happy from too copious use of fire-water, and, later, quarrel- some. The Pann tribe of Indians lived in the vicinity. Mr. Lewis was educated in the public and private schools of the town; in politics was a Whig, later a Republican; for a time he was a member of the vestry of Christ Church. The following account of a visit to New York, City in 1823, shows the wide difference between then and now in invention, progress and popula- tion. Saturday after Thanksgiving, 1823, a party of young men from Stratford and Hunting- ton took a trip to New York City with Capt. Levi Wheeler on his coasting vessel, which was carrying down a cargo of wood and Hax-seed, while the passengers took with them quite a sup- ply of Thanksgiving goodies. The party was composed of the following gentlemen: Isaac Wells, Charles Curtis, Walker Curtis, Selim Booth, Sydney Lewis, Willis Curtis, John Wil- co.xon, Levi Curtis and Eli Lewis, of Stratford, with Edwin Shelton, Newton Shelton and Sydney DeForest, of Huntington, Conn. Alter a fair voyage the city was reached in a little more than twenty-four hours, and there they took in the sights for about eight days, leaving for home on the second Tuesday. It was quite warm weather, and they greatly enjoyed the society of several of their former fellow-towns- men and school mates who had a year or two previously gone to New York to earn a livelihood, hoping to make their fortunes. These former Stratford boys were Isaac Lewis, James Lang- don Curtis, Frederick A. Benjamin and Alfred Fairchild. A young man named Hyde, from Huntington, had made a home for himself in the metropolis. The New York boys cordially wel- comed their guests from Connecticut, and accord- ing to their ability entertained them. William A. Booth took Selim Booth and Eli Lewis to Chatham Theater one evening, while the other boys had some other plans and place in view. Of these New York young men — former Stratford residents — Alfred Fairchild died while quite a young man, Isaac Lewis, Frederick A. Benjamin, William A. Booth and James L. Curtis lived to old age and amassed large fortunes. Mr. Hyde, formerly of Huntington, lived many years in com- fortable circumstances. It is supposed that William A. Booth and James L. Curtis are }'et (1899) living. Most of the Stratford gentlemen above mentioned lived to a good age, and died in comfortable cirumstances. Mr. Lewis possessed a remarkable memory for ancient events and dates, together with a great taste for reading, and enjoyed the leading magazines of the day, reading without spectacles until rather more than a year previous to his decease. The last paper he read was the Bridge- port JVc'c-i'/y Staiiciaiu^, nineteen days before his death. This paper stated that the Bridgeport Horse Railway Company had obtained a charter to e.xtend its roadway to the Congregational church in Stratford. The Lewis race from which Mr. Lewis sprang is an honorable lineage (whether tracing back across the ocean to a long line of kings, as is claimed by some, or of a more humble race), and his descendants are more proud of the near-an- cestry— parents — grandparents and great-grand- parents of the Lewis family — than of any other race to which they belong, no matter how illus- trious. They trace back to Colonial ancestry, to Loyalist also, in company with many of those who belong to early New England settlers; on the side of both grandmothers to ancestry that gives entry to the Daughters of the Revolution, on one side through Abraham Beardsley, a great- grandfather of Mrs. Lewis, and on the other side through Rev. Nathan Birdseye, great-grand- father of Mr. Lewis, who held a civil office — a government appointment — during the war of the Revolution, that entitles to membership. Mr. Lewis and his ancestors did well for the times in which they lived. They builded well for pos- terity. QEORGE H. WHITE, a highly respected citizen of Danbury, Fairfield county, is now enjoying in well-earned leisure the rewards of many years of toil. He was born September 6, 1820, in Hindon, England, where his father, John V. White, and grandfather, John C. White, were well-known residents. John V. White was born January 5, 1788, and married Miss Penelope Norton, a native of England, born October 15, 1788, a daughter of Thomas Norton. They haditen children, of whom six died in England in childhood or in- fancy. The others — John, Charles, George H. and Eliza — came to America, our subject and his brother Charles being now the only survivors. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 123 In 1837 John V. White crossed the ocean with his wife and family to seek a new home in the United States. He was a landscape gardener and, finding in the wealthy and cultured resi- dents of this section most appreciative employ- ers, he located at Danbury, Conn., where he and his wife lived to the advanced ages of eighty and seventy-four years, respectively, Mr. White dying September 19, 1868, and Mrs. White on October 8, 1862. As George H. White was but a lad when he came to Danbury, his education was continued there in the common schools, which he attended in the evenings, his days being spent in working with his father. In 1840 he left the paternal roof and went to New York City, where for twelve years he was engaged in the painting busi- ness at the corner of Eighth avenue and Twen- tieth street. On returning to Danbury in 1852, he established himself in a house and sign painting business, which he continued successfully until his retirement in 1889. For about eight years he was interested also in photography, in which he had a fine custom. He has acquired a goodly competence, and owns a number of houses in the city of Danbury, while his own residence, at No. 103 Rose Hill, Danbury, is a beautiful place, the grounds, comprising about two acres, show- ing his artistic taste in arrangement. The fine large trees were planted by his own hand, and the beautifying of the place has been a pleasant occupation for his spare time for many years. When he purchased the property in 185 1 it was a farm, his house being the only one within some distance, but it is now in the city, and is built up closely with residences. Nearly all the large trees on the hill were planted by Mr. White, and he has straightened and opened streets through his property, being ever ready to do all in his power to improve and beautify, not only his own place, but the neighborhood in general. The in- terior of his house is adorned with numerous oil paintings of considerable merit, the work of his own hand. Mr. White has been twice married. His first wife, Caroline Michaels, daughter of John and Amelia Michaels, of New Hurley, N. Y., died in April, 1874, leaving one daughter, Caroline, who married William Jacobus, a hardware merchant at No. 90 Chambers street, New York City; they have one child, George Richard Jacobus. In 1882 Mr. White married Miss Anna M. l\iU:h, and by this union he has one son, George Ritch, who is still at home. Mr. White is a member of the Episcopal Church; his wife is a Methodist. In politics he is a Republican, and for many years he has been prominent in fraternal society