Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Samuel Merwin, his grandfather, was of the sturdy Scotch race, and was born on the eastern shores of the broad Atlantic. In the early days of the eighteenth century he came to the New World, and locating on a farm in Brookfield, Fair- field Co., Conn., passed the rest of his life in agricultural pursuits, acquiring a large amount of property. His wife was a native of Wales, and in their family were the following children: Samuel, Isaac, Nathan, Andrew, Levi and Philo. Of these, Nathan and Andrew were among those patriots who shouldered the musket, and endured the hardships of the soldier's life in the war that freed the Colonies from English oppression. The entire family were faithful adherents to the doctrines of the Congregational Church. Philo Merwin was born in the town of Brook- field, and there received his education. The art of healing proving a fascination to him, he at an early age began to read medicine with Dr. Wood, and for thirty years he was one of the foremost physicians in the county. After so long a faith- ful service in ministering to all ills the flesh is heir to, he attempted to retire from active prac- tice, but until the day of his death in 1848, when he had reached the advanced age of eighty-three years and seven months, his services were in almost constant requisition among his old friends and relatives. He was married Novem- ber 27, 1796 (when thirty years old), to Miss Polly Starr, daughter of Elijah Starr, and to them were born six children: Samuel, who died at the age of thirty-five; Minerva (deceased), who was twice married, (first) to Isaac T. Wise, and after his death she wedded George Tread way; Laura (deceased), who became the wife of Sherman Smith; Philo C, whose name introduces this sketch; Caroline (deceased), who married Ralph B. Peck; and Polly, deceased, who became Mrs. John S. Graves. The mother of this family lived to the age of seventy-six years, ten months and ten days. In his early life Mr. Merwin inclined to the faith of his fathers, and 16 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. attended the Congregational Church, but in later life he turned to the mother Church, and became a communicant in the Episcopal Church. In politics he was a Democrat. Major Philo C. Merwin received his earlier education in the district school of Brookfield, later attending a private school. He attained his business education in that best of all commercial- training schools — the arena of actual business. He clerked for some time, and then built a groc- ery store at Bridgeport, where he continued in business nntil 1837. In 1839, being impelled by the ambition for the -larger profits of the West, f\e took a stock of good to Galveston and Hous- ton, Texas, but a year later he returned to the older civilization of New England, and took up his residence in his native town. His life has been a busy one; for some time he traveled m the South with Turner, Bailey & Co.'s Circus, of which he was a partner; he bought the right of way on the Boston, Hartford & Erie K. R. from Waterbury to the New York State line. His legal business has been extensive. In 1850 Mr. Merwin was united in marriage with Julia A. Shepherd, a native of Bethel, and daughter of Oliver Shepherd. To bless this union there came two children: Florida S., who is the wife of Barzillai Kellogg, of New Fairfield; and Julia B., who is unmarried and living at home. In politics Major Merwin has always been a Democrat, and has taken an active interest in party work all his life. From 1841 up to the time he was seventy years old, he was one of the officers of the town; in 1863 and '64 he served as a member of the Legislature,, and as such left a lasting record in the House as an able, conscien- tious official. For many years he served as a member of the State Militia, and was appointed, by Governor Tomlinson, major in the Connecti- cut militia. He was a member of the New Hav- en Grays of New Haven, Conn. In spite of his advanced years Major Merwin still stands among the foremost men of Brookfield, quick of mind, alert and watchful, he has maintained an honor- able place in the history of Connecticut for many years, and now, with his race so nearly run, finds himself able to say " It is finished." W INFIELD SCOTT MOODY. The value of an upright character is not to be set down in words, but the influence of such a per- sonality as was that of Winfield Scott Moody, of Norwalk, is one that the most casual observer must recognize as a power for good in any com- munity. In a study of the life and character of the late Mr. Moody it is clear that the hidden springs of the outward actions which made him notable came from the strength of a sturdy pio- neer ancestry, the name of the family having been early associated with ideal citizenship. The family originated in Wales. William Moody, the head of the American line, came to this country in 1633, and in 1635 was one of the first settlers of Newbury, Mass., in which vicinity his descendants may still be found. Josiah Moody, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was born in 1746. He served in Col. John Stark's regiment of New Hampshire militia in 1775, and afterward in the Fifth Regiment New Hampshire Continental Infantry under Col. John Waldron. Coming to the site of the present vil- lage of Unity, N. H., he selected a place on the wooded hills adjacent, where he laid the founda- tion of his future home, and to which he brought his young wife. He lived to see an energetic community spring up around him, and he left his son, Laurin Moody, the inheritor of his acres and the upholder of an honored name. Of the five children of Laurin Moody who grew to man- hood or womanhood, the subject of this memoir was the eldest son. ■ Winfield Scott Moody was born October 23, 1815, at the old homestead in New Hampshire, and received an academic education, chiefly in his native State. In 1835 he went to New York City as a clerk in a tea store, and after two years' experience he established a business of his own, first leasing, then buying and rebuilding, to meet the re<iuirernents of a prosperous trade, the busi- ness house which he conducted until the spring of 1861, when he retired from business. In 1865 he moved with his family to Norwalk. On the organization of the Norwalk Mills Company he was induced to take a pecuniary and personal interest in that corporation. He served for a decade as its president, and, by his sound judgment and knowledge of affairs, he did his full share in making it one of the well- established and thriving industries of Connecti- cut. At the time of his death he was a director in the National Bank of Norwalk, and president of the Fairfield County Savings Bank, also of Nor- walk. In politics he was a conservative sup- porter of Republican principles. He was deeply interested in all that concerned his city and town, and served fifteen years as water commis- sioner. While never a candidate for office which might be considered a political reward, he did efficient and conscientious work for the public good. He was a member of Grace Church (Episcopal) Parish, and was an attendant at and supporter of its services. On August 30, 1894, . ' illl ,!ol fr'-: ,-!,,''; > ill/ ;ji: :( V'j .ii'i.. i'iri'iii>1iS'i^liyv*ti ■ ^».^|BH HH '^^^</^^^^t^l^--^^^---g?(^ COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 17 peacefully and serenely as he had lived, he passed to the unseen world in the 79th year of his age. , On October 5, 1854, Mr. Moody was married to Abby A. Perkins, who survives him with three sons, Winfield Scott, Joseph Perkins and Ralph. She still occupies the beautiful resilience on East avenue, -Norwalk. Mrs. Moody traces, as did her husband, a direct lineage from the first of the family name in New England. John Perkins, a fellow passenger with Ivoger Williams, sailed from Bristol, England, in the ship "Lyon" December i, 1630, and landed at Nantasket on February 5, 163 1. The family name is promi- nent in the early annals of Massachusetts. Her grandfather, Jacob Perkins, came from Topsfield, Mass. , about the year 1785, and settled on a farm at West Unity, where he brought up a family of fourteen children. Her father, Hon. Amos Perkins, was a farmer by occupation. He was one of the best known and most respected citizens of Sullivan county, taking active interest in political affairs to the very close of his 95 years of life. He repre- \ sented unity in the State I^egislature several years, and held almost every office in the gift of his fellow townsmen, and also filled various other positions of trust and honor. SIMON WILLARD OLEY, M. D. The phy- _i sician occupies one of the most responsible, as well as confidential, relations in our social ex- istence. To him are entrusted our innermost secrets, as well as the lives and welfare of our dearest friends. To worthily and acceptably fill such a position is one of the most difficult tasks ever imposed upon man. Such a task we find successfully assumed by Dr. Simon W. Oley, of whom we write. Dr. Oley's ancestors were among the early settlers of New York State. His paternal great- great-grandfather was born in Germany, and emi- grating to this country became one of the early settlers of Albany, N. Y., where a son, Christo- pher Oley, was born to him. This son married Sarah Van Ant Wer Pen, daughter of Maria Van Ant Wer Pen, a Holland woman, who brought into the family a Dutch Bible, printed in Amster- dam in 1682. It is stained with water and shows the effects of having been underground, the Oley ancestors having buried it at the time of the burning of Schenectady, N. Y., during the French and Indian war in 1690. This large Bible is now in the possession of Dr. Oley. To Christopher and Sarah (Van Ant Wer Pen) Oley were born four children, via.: Sarah Maria Oley; John