Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

August 6, 1 77 1, and her mother, whose maiden name was Mary Wood, was born August 14, 1776, a daughter of Benjamin Wood. Jeremiah Wilson died August 11, 1879, at the age of eighty-four, leaving an honorable record as a citi- zen. Ten children comprised his family: Israel Huson, our subject; James Smith, born Novem- ber 20, 18 1 8, died at Waterbury, January i, 1895; Milo (i), born October 13, i82i,diedin infancy; Milo (2), born May 11, 1823, is a resi- dent of Waterbury; Sarah, born April 30, 1825, died May 16, 1835; Albert, born September 4, 1828, resides at Mill Plain, this county; Mariette, born December 25, 1831, married George Brad- ley, of Danbury; George, born April 30, 1S33, died May 6, 1835; Emily, born August 31, 1835, married Albert Edwards, of Danbury; and Sam- uel, born July 28, 1837, is a resident of Water- bury. Mr. Wilson's boyhood was spent in Danbury, and at the age of fourteen he began to learn the business of cabinet making and undertaking with the firm of Goodsell & Starr, of Brookfield, remaining there until he was twenty-one. In 1836 he settled at Bethel, where he at first con- ducted an undertaking business, but after sixteen years he sold out and opened his temperance hotel, which he carried on successfully for about forty years. The temperance cause has always had a strong advocate in Mr. Wilson, and in 1852 he built a temperance hall in Bethel, pro- viding it with pulpit and bell. In 1885 he dis- continued his hotel business, and after spending some time in farming retired to his pleasant home in Bethel, which is the old home of Phin- eas Taylor, the grandfather of P. T. Barnum, and was built over one hundred years ago. On October 16, 1836, Mr. Wilson was mar- ried to Miss Sarah Lockwood, daughter of Jo- seph Lockwood, of Redding. She was born April 10, 1808, and died May 4, 1844. Mr. Wilson formed a second matrimonial union, this time with Miss Betsey Barnum, who was born May 7, 1815, a daughter of Asel Barnum, and died June 13, 1892. As Mr. Wilson had no chil- dren of his own he adopted a daughter, Helen A., who was born July 22, 1845; she was mar- ried (first) to Arthur C. Durant, and (second) to David B. Gary, of Stamford, Conn., who for thirty years has been agent of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad at that town. As a citizen Mr. Wilson is held in high es- teem, his excellent qualities of character winning him the regard of those whose good opinion is worth having. Since 1844 he has been a member of the Congregational Church at Bethel, "and throughout his life he has been a firm friend to temperance and other reforms. He belongs to the Sons of Temperance, and is also identified with the I. O. O. F. at Bethel. GEORGE W. FLINT, managing editor and 1 senior member of the firm of F"lint & Smith, proprietors and publishers of tfie Danbury A^c-ius, was born at St. Johnsbury, Vt., November 5, 1853. At the age of sixteen he entered the printing office of the St. Johnsbury Times, and two years later drifted to Brattleboro, Vt. , where, until 1873, he was employed in the office of the Record s.w^ Fanner. He then came to Danbury and began work on the Neivs, filling positions in all the mechanical departments of the paper un- til 1S80, when he was placed on the reportorial staff, and shortly after he was made city editor. In 1888 he was promoted to assistant manager, and his business qualifications soon won for him almost the sole management. He gave the paper his conscientious work, and in March, 1893, on the death of Mr. J. M. Bailey, the editor and proprietor of the paper, it was found that he had bequeathed to Mr. Flint an interest in the plant; shortly after, one of the other partners dying, our subject became half owner. The paper is conducted on the side of good morals, and is a first-class journal in all respects. The managing editor is a highly respected citizen, wide awake and progressive, and under his watchful eye the continued success of the Danbury News is as- sured. FREDERICK JUDD, Esq., justice of the peace in and for the town of Bethel, is one of the influential citizens of that locality, and worthily represents a family which has been prom- inent in the neighborhood since Colonial times. Although he has now passed the allotted limit of three-score years and ten, he is as active as ever in local affairs, and can illy be spared from his present post of duty. Thomas Judd, our subject's great-grandfather, was one of the early residents of Bethel. Elihu Judd, our subject's grandfather, was a farmer in the same town, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary army. Elihu Judd (2), the father of our subject, was born in that town March 10, 1794, and resided there all his life with the ex- ception of seven years in Easton township, this county. In early manhood he learned the shoe- maker's trade, but he did not follow it, his at- tention being given to agricultural pursuits. He served in the war of 1812, and as a citizen was held in high esteem. For some time he was a 162 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. grand juryman of the town of Bethel, and he was active in rehgious work as a member of the Methodist Church. On November 24, 1818, he married Miss Aurilla Fairchild, who was born December 25, 1797, and died September 24, 1837. They had nine children: Rev. George S., born August 17, 18 19, married Clara A. Benedict May 4, 1841, was a Methodist minister, and had charge of a Church at Bolton, Conn., where he died October 19, 1847; David J., born May 24, 1821, died May 18, 1832; Harriet, born February 15, 1823, died March 12, 1857; Betsey M., born May 18, 1825, died February 28, 1852; Frederick, our subject, is mentioned more fully below; Truman, F. , born August 22, 1 829, is aresi- ■dent of Bristol, Conn.; Alonzo, born August 7, 1831, died March 13, 1852; Eliza, born Novem- ber 2, 1833, married Oscar H. Hibbard, and they now reside in Bethel; and Maryett, born October i, 1835, married Henry Fairchild of Roxbury, Conn. On August 24, 1841, Elihu Judd married for his second wife Nancy Ann Boughton, who died, and on April 21, 1847, he formed a third matrimonial union, this time with Eliza Ann Gregory, by whom he had three chil- dren; Jane E., born August 29, 1848, Charles H., born April 29, 1850; and Julia M., born March 13, 1852, of whom Charles alone grew to ma- turity. The subject of our sketch was born September 29, 1827, at the old home in Center District, Bethel, and was educated in the schools of Easton, I^ethel, Ivoxbury, and Georgetown. At the age of seventeen he began to learn the hat- ter's trade with Isaac H. Seeley & Son, of Bethel, and until November, 1892, he was almost con- tinuously employed in that business in different shops in Bethel. He has taken an active part in local affairs, and in addition to his duties as justice of the peace he is now serving as assessor. At various times he has been a member of the board of assessors, member of the board of relief, grand juryman, and for twelve years he was selectman, during eight years of that time being first selectman, while he has held the office of assessor for ten years past. In politics he was a Whig in early life, but he has supported Repub- lican principles ever since the organization of that party. He is a leading member of the Con- gregational Church, for many years was a teacher in the Sabbath-school, and he has also been prominent in reform work as a member of the Sons of Temperance and the Good Templars. On November 28, 1848, Mr. Judd was mar- ried in the town of Bethel to his first wife, Miss Harriet M. Smith, who was born September 7, "^1828, and died March 4, 1864, and on May 17, 1866, he married Mrs. Alza A. Barnes, daughter of Benjamin and Alniena (Wickvvire) Dunning, of Morris township, Litchfield Co., Conn. Mr. Judd is the father of five children, all by the first mar- riage: (i) George S., born December 22, 1849, died October 17, 1863. (2) Esther A., born February 6, 185 i, died April 26, 1852. (3) Fred- rick A. born April 14. 1853, is a hatter by trade, and he resides in Danbury, where he holds the position of general superintendent with Rundle & White. He was married in Bethel to Miss Har- riet Mayhew, daughter of Theodore and Betsy Mayhew, and she departed this life, leaving two children — George F. and Tneodore H. — both living. On October 26, 1882, he was married again, this time to Louisa W. Sanford, daughter of George A. and Carrie (Banks) Sanford, of Red- ding, and they have one child, Frederick A. Mr. Judd is a member of the Masonic I'raternity. (4) Melville T., born August 14, 1855, died August 14, 1862. (5) William H.. born Janu- ary II, 1861, married Elizabeth Smith, and died August 21, 1891, leaving a widow and two chil- dren, of whom one, Richard M., still survives. MOWLAND BRADLEY LACEY (deceased). The passing away on March 31, 1897, of Mr. Lacey ended the life of one of the best known residents of Bridgeport and of Fairfield county, a life of activity and usefulness, and marked the end of a kindly and lovable man. Mr. Lacey was born April 6, 181 8, in Eas- ton, Conn., Iseing the only son of Jesse and Edna (Munson) Lacey, and descended from Edward Lacey, who with his wife Sarah was admitted to the Fairfield (Conn.) Church January 13, 1694. Our subject was of the sixth generation from Ed- ward Lacey, the line of his descent being through John, Edward, Zachariah and Jesse Lacey.