Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

over the State of Connecticut, and he is a worthy descendant of one of her oldest families. Deacon Joseph Gary, his direct ancestor, settled in Wind- ham prior to 1694, and it will thus be seen that the Carys have been identified with this Common- wealth for over two centuries. The father of our subject, John W. Cary, went west in early man- hood and settled in Wisconsin, thence moving to Chicago, and at the time of his death he was one of the most prominent lawyers in that city. Melbert B. Cary was born in Racine, Wis., July 23, 1852. At nineteen years of age he graduated from Princeton College — the second youngest in a class of over one hundred mem- bers, standing second in his class during the- senior year. After graduating he took up the study of law, and practiced his profession in the West for several years, finally removing to New York City and opening an office there. He made his home, however, in Ridgefield, Conn. In 1891 he relinquished active professional work in order to give his time to literary and business interests, with which he has since been occupied. He was the publisher several years ago of the Cyclopedia of Political Science, Political Economy and United States History, edited by John J. Lalor, which work is a standard authority on such subjects. Mr. Cary is equally active and popular in polit- ical circles. Since 1876, when he first exerted himself in that line, making speeches for Tilden, he has been recognized as a leading man in the Democratic party. He has neither sought nor held office. In 1892 he was chosen to represent the Twelfth Senatorial District on the State Democratic Committee, and the lively campaign which followed and ended in a large Democratic increase for that district was mainly the result of his earnest labors in behalf of his party. He has made a thorough and exhaustive study of consti- tutional reform in Connecticut, of which cause he has been an influential champion, and he is an acknowledged authority on the subject. The prominence he acquired in this connection led many of the Democratic newspapers to urge his nomination for Governor in 1894, but he would not permit his name to go befoie the convention. He was afterward nominated candidate for sen- ator from the Twelfth District, and, though he did not wish the noinination, he accepted it, feel- ing that he must respond to his party's call in order to aid the rest of the ticket. The district was a Republican stronghold, and his fearless- ness in leading a forlorn hope in a Republican district, no less than the aggressive and intellec- tual manner in which the campaign was con- ducted, won him the hearty commendation of fellow Democrats throughout Connecticut. He has always been loyal to the foundation princi- ples of his party, and has never swerved front them to take sides with any minor wing or fac- tion. In September, 1898, he was unanimously elected chairman of the Democratic State Cen- tral Committee of Connecticut. - Mr. Cary owns and operates a farm of one hundred acres near Ridgefield, and the old- fashioned Colonial house which he has erected thereon, and in which he makes his home, is a well-known landmark in the neighborhood. Per- sonally, he is of medium height and slender in build, and his dark hair is now slightly tinged with gray. COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 139 HON. J. HENRY BEACH, superintendent of the Bridgeport Hospital, and formerly a member of the Connecticut Legislature, is a rep- resentative of one of the oldest and most highly esteemed families, being of the seventh genera- tion of the name in this country. The first an- cestors, of whom we have any definite account, was John Beach, whose name appears in the rec- ord of New Haven for 1843, and who afterward settled at Stratford. II. Nathaniel Beach, the next in the line of descent, was born in 1662. III. David Beach, born in 1692, married Hannah Sherman, daugh- ter of Matthew Sherman. IV. Jabez Beach, born in 1720, married (tirst) Mary Bassett and (second) Eunice . V. Jabez Beach, our subject's grandfather, was born in 1760, in Stratford, and made his home in later years in Chestnut Hill District, of the town of Trumbull. He was engaged in business there as a tanner and manufacturer of shoes, and became an extensive real-estate holder. He mar- ried Parthenia Somers, and had five children: Eunice, who married Aaron Mallett; David, our subject's father; Mary, wife of Isaac Hall and mother of Col. O. B. Hall, of Bridgeport; Ste- phen and Rhody. VI. David Beach, father of our subject, was born January 27, 1785, in Chestnut Hill Dis- trict, of the town of Trumbull, where he resided throughout his life, much of his time being de- voted to the care of his farm. During the winter seasons he often taught school, and his ability and high character caused him to be frequently chosen to the office by his fellow townsmen. For sixteen years he was town clerk, and he has also served many years as justice of peace, while at the time of his death, which occurred September 30, 1847, he held the office of town treasurer. Politically he was a Democrat, and in religious faith he was an Episcopalian, being a leading member of the Church of that denomination at Long Hill, in which he served as warden. By his first wife, Abigail (Fayerweather), he had two children, one of whom, Mrs. Austin, of Suffield, Conn., is now living, and our subject was the only child of his second wife, who was Miss Ruth Bulkley, of Southport. VII. John Henry Beach, our subject, was born January 5, 1839, at the old home in Chest- nut Hill District, town of Trumbull, and there his youth was spent. In early manhood he engaged in contract work with the W. F. Swords Lum- ber Co., Bridgeport, continuing twenty years, and in 1891 he was appointed to his present posi- tion by the executive committee of the Bridge- port Hospital board. He is a most capable offi- cial, and every detail of hospital management comes under his personal care except the medical and surgical work. As a citizen he is public- spirited, taking keen interest in political ques- tions, and in 1875 he was elected to the Legis- lature from the town of Trumbull. His wife, whose maiden name was Emma L. Keeler, is a daughter of Giles O. Keeler, a well-known resi- dent of Bridgeport. Their only child, Medora C, is now the wife of Frank W. Bolande, of Bridgeport. "OOBERT SIMEON HAWLEY (deceased). .Tx "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die," and a man could ask no better monu- ment in a community than the ideal of a well- spent life and a manly character associated with his memory. The subject of this brief memoir was a leading agriculturist of Newtown township, and although his quiet disposition made public life distasteful to him, his influence as a citizen was always recognized as a factor in the inter- ests of progress. His family has been prominent in this county from an early date, and his farm near Hawleyville has been held in the family name for several generations. Robert Nichols Hawley, the father of our subject, was a prosperous agriculturist, owning about 250 acres of land near Hawleyville, most of which he had inherited from his father, and at the time of his death his estate was inventoried at $40,000. He was noted for his good judg- ment in public matters as well as in business, and for many years he was active in local affairs, being regarded as one of the representative men of the town. For a long period he held the office of first selectman, and from the organization of the Republican party he took an earnest interest in its success. He was also prominent in relig- ieus work as a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, at Newtown, to which he gave liberally of his means and time. He died January 7, 1888, and his wife, whose maiden name was Harriet Blackman, died March 9, 1898. They had three children, our subject being second in the order of birth. Angeline E. , the eldest, mar- ried Frederick Beers, city surveyor of Brooklyn, N. Y., and Harriet S. married William F. Hurd, of Bridgdport. Our subject was born October 24, 1844, at the old homestead, and was educated in the common schools of the Lands End District, also in the academies at Newtown and Bethel. He was always fond of reading, and with this prac- tical training in the English branches as a foun- dation he secured a valuable fund of information 140 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. on general topics, keeping well-abreast of the thought of the day. As he was the only son, he remained upon the homestead, and for years was active in its management. His portion of the estate, consisting of two hundred and fifty acres and the homestead, is considered one of the best farms in the township. In politics he was a stanch Republican, and his ability and sagacity made him a valued member of the local or- ganization. In religious faith he was an Epis- copalian, and a member of Trinity Church at Newtown. He died Debember 19, 1886, at the comparatively early age of forty-two, and was sincerely mourned by all classes in the commu- nity where he had spent his life. On October 20, 1874, Mr. Hawley married Miss Ida E. Stoddard, daughter of Seth Stod- dard, a well-known merchant of Cornwall, Conn. Her family is prominent in business and social life, and Elizabeth Stoddard, an aunt of Mrs. Hawley, was the first wife of C. P. Huntmgton. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Haw- ley, all of whom survive to comfort the widowed mother: Asa Huntington, born August 8, 1875, is at home on the farm; Julia Minerva, born Feb- ruary 28, 1879, is attending school in Bridgeport; Robert Norton, born December 23, 1881, and Collis Stoddard, born October 16, 1883, are at home. Of these, Asa Huntington Hawley, May 10, 1898, married Sarah Anna Camp, daughter of Lemuel F. Camp, of Newtown, Conn. He re- sides at the homestead, and follows in the path of his ancestors.