History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

ing the district school in the winter, and reading medicine in his hours from school and during the re- iniiindcr of tho.se two yearn. In the winter of 1X31- '■^2 he attended a course of medical lectures in New Haven, and in Marcii, 18.S2, was licensed to ])ractice. Locating in (jreene Co., N. Y., he i)racticed there a few months when lie removed to Brookfield, Fairfield Co., Conn., where he has lived and followed his ))ro- fe.ssion since March 1, 1833. Eight years afterwards, in 1840, he attended a course of lectures and gradu- ated at .Tefferson Medical College, l'liila<lcliiliia. Oct. 16, 1833, he married Miss Sarah .1., liaiighter of Daniel and Lucy (Gregory) Holley, of Brooktield. Tlie children horn to them have been Ellen F., Julia G., AVilliam II. II., and Florence H. It may he truthfully said of Dr. Williams that he is a self-made man. Conimcncing the practice of his profession uniler ailverse circumstances, he has, by careful study and close attention to his professional duties, won for himself the position of trust and honor which he now occupies. AMOS I,. WILLIAMS. Dr. .Vmos L. Williams is of Welsh de-scent, his an- cestors coming to .\merica and settling in New Eng- land at an early day. His father, William Williams, was a native of Lebanon, New London Co., Conn., who followed farming, and took to wife Miss Lydia Looniis of Leb- anon. Salmon L., William C, l..ydia, Harriet, Gil- bert, and Amos L. were_ the names of their children. Amos L. Williams was born Jan, 11, 1811. His father died when he wius but seven years of ivge. He remained with his motliL-r until he was sixteen, when he took up his residence with his brother. Dr. Wil- liam C. Williams, at tllitt time a practicing physician in Roxbury, Conn. He reniaineil two years, teach- EZRA W. WILDMAN. Ezra W. AVildman, son of Edward and Anna A. (Bennett) Wildman, was born Dec. 2, 1818, in New Fairfield, where his parents were temporarily residing, litiving lived in Brookfield prior to and returning there soon after Ezra's birth. Edward Wildman pursued the calling of farming. He was married to Anna A., daughter of Ste])hen and Hannah (Lacy) Bennett, of Brookfield, by whom he had seven children. Ezra, the eldest son, lived with his father, attending the ilistriet school and assisting in tlu' farm-work, until reaching the age of nineteen, when he began the business of manufac- turing curriers' knives with Jlr. Tomlinson in Brook- field. At tlie age of twenty-one he entered into partner- ship with Mr. Tomlinson ami his uncle, Mr. John F. Uinnett, and did business under the firm-name of I'. Tomlinson & Co. This connection lasted until the "big freshet" in 18.'i3, which carried away the firm's dam, when, Mr. Tomlinson retiring, the firm became Bennett & Wildman ; tlie dam was rebuilt and busi- ness resumed. In 18(57, 5Ir. Wildman sold his in- terest in the establishment, and devoted his time to farming. In February, 1841, Mr. Wildman marrieil Mi.'W Harriet, daughter of Hiram Barlow, of Bridgewater, C<mn. Their children were Emily M., Sarah E., Laura A., Henrietta E. His first wife dying in 18.')0, the following year he married Miss Sarah J., (laughter of .Ubert and Hannah iHllscol Stevens, of New Canaan, by whom he has had the following- named children : Harriet N., Henry S., Josephine, Ida C, and William E. The family of Stevens are of English origin. .Al- bert Stevens was a public educator, devoting a long DANBURY. 'attcrsdii, life 111 tlic anluiiiis calling, teaehiiiir Vista, anil (■Iscwlifrr. Til |)(>litic.s, Mr. Wililiuan is Kc])uli]ii'aii. He is an attendant at the Reformed eliureli, Brooktield, of whieli Jlrs. Wildnuin and several of the ehildren arc meinhers. CHAPTER XVI. DANBURY. Geographical — Topographical — Kohliins' Oritnry Sermnn — Oii^riiial Name— riih.iui.i.iut— The Firet Settlere— Hate .if Settlement— The Fii^t rh.vsieian—l'iret Survey of the Town— The Patent— "John li.i-il, the Lawyer"— Kii^t I'rohate .Tmlge— The I'ioneer Seliool— The Kevo- lution— Fii>t I'nhlie I.ihiary—Eeelesia'itiial— Sketch of Jlr. llolihin.— Danhnry in 1770— I,i>t of Inliahitants in 17n;:. I).\N)UMiY lies in the northern ]iart of the i-oiinlv. and is hounded as follows: On the north l>v Nc» Fairtield; on the east hy Rrookfield and Hi'llicl ; on the south hy Reddino- and RidoetieM ; and on the \ve>t hy Ridfietield and I'utiiam Co., X. V. The snrfaee is diversified with hills and valleys, and the soil is fertile. Jn presentinjr the liistory of Danhnry it is drrnied advisalile to re]iroduee, as introdiletory. a eentniy ser- mon delivered hy Rev. Thomas Rohliins, A.M.. .Ian. 1, 1801, wherein was emliodied intiny fiets In-ariiio upon the early history (jf the town whieh ean he oh- tained from no other source. Mr. Rohhins was at tlie time teni]iorarily sn|i|dyini;' the ]iul]iit of the ('onore- pitional Clinreh. Jlewtis an (.■nthu^iasl in iiiattei> of liistorie lore, and in the languafre of Jlr. liailey. of the Xi'iiv, "He huilded hetter than he knew, anil de- livered a sermon that will li\'e a^ lono- as Danhnry it- self luis an existenee." THE SERJIO.X. "Tlie original Tinlian name of this place wa.*) Palniiiiocine. Tlie fust Bettlemeiit of this town was begun in the .siimniei- of the year ir.s4.* The Hettlen* came tliat year and begun some iini>roveinentK in bnililin;;s. Bowing grain, ami other tilings necessary. Senile of the familie!^ nioveil here that summer, anil contiimeil through the winter; others diil not move till tlie spiing following. It may therefore he saiil that the lirst permanent settlement was ni.aile in the spring of the year lr>s.'i, hy eiglit families. The names of tin- iii.n were. Thomas Taylor, Franeis llnsh- nell, Thomas Bariinin, .lohn Iloyt. .lames Itenediet, Saniiiel Itene.liet. James Becbe, anil Jinlali Gregory. They lived near togetlier. at the sontli end of Town Street. ISeginniiig at the south end, Taylor. Ilii»liiiell, Barnnin, and Hoyt lived on the west ?ide : thetw<j Heneiliets, Iteehe. and Ciregory on the east. .Ml except James Beehe came from Norwiilk; he was from Stratfonl. They purchased their lan.Is from llie Indian laii- prietoi-s. Mr. Taylor h:nl seven sons, from whom all ot that name now in town Jesc.'nded. Mr. linslinell had a family of sev.ii .langhteis. but no son. Thcie have therefore been none of the name' iti tbi> town siiae, only as it is still borne np in several Christian names. Mi. Harniim hud five sons, fnim whom are the families of that name. Mr, llijllell .-ix sons, who are the ancestors of the families of lliat name now li\iiig. .Mr. .lamea Kinieilict lert tlilci' sons, from whom are a part of the Hem- did families whi h survive, partienlaily those in which tbi' t^hristian name James fre.|Uenlly occurs. His eldest son James was tlie Hist Kiig- lish male chihl horn in town. Tlie sons of .Samuel Heneilict were four. From them arc those families of BeinHlicts in \vhi.:h tlie I'luistian name Samuel is ofti-n found. Soon after these first familic- settled here, Ilaniel Benedict, a brother of the other two of that name, . anie and b.cann- a * In this I iim positive, for three separate and indepei information all agree. dent souivesof settler. He was not one of tb<> tii-st. as has been supposed. He h-ll but one son, llaniel.f From liiin are the families in whi.li thai rbiislian name is often found, of whom there are as many families now in town as from either of the othel-s. ^Ir. Beebe had two sons, — lames ami Salnmd. From his two sons sprung the families of lieebes now in town. The sons of Samuel moved to Litchfield, and afterwards began the settle- ment of the town of Canaan. Mr. fJregory bad two s.nis, from whom are the nnlnerons families of that name." TIIK FIRST 1'11VSICI.\X. "I hie of the first settlers after the lii>it eight families wa.s Pr. .Samnet Wood, a regular-bred physician, born and educated in Kngland. Abb- and skillful iu his profession, he was very useful in the town for many yeai-s. From him are the families of that name now in town, " 3Ir. Josiah Starr came to this biwn from Long Lsland soon .after its tiist settlement. He had si.v s»uis, from whom the many families ol that name have descended. Joseph Mygatt, from Hartford, afterwards niai- lied Klizabcth, daughter of Benjamin .Starr, ehlest son of Josiaii, and settled ill this town, from wbollt ale the families of that name. The families of Picket, Knapp, and Wildinan are ancient families in the t<o\ n, the latter of whom are now veiy iiunierons. Siinie of the grand- sons id' the original settlers are now living. Mr. Iiinid Taylor, of \S'e>- b'li. and Mr. David Benedict, of this town, are grandsons of Mr. Thomas ■!;n Iu] . Mr. I)a\ id Shove is a grandson of Mr. liusbliell. ('apt. Comfort Hoyt. Tbaddeiis Benedict, Ks.|., Mr. Isaac Heneilict, and Mr. JoM-pb r.eebi — the two latterof Bethel— are grandsons of the first settlers Hoyt. the two lienedicts, and Beebe. Mr. .Vbel Bariinm, who died about a year ago at New Fairtield, was the last grandson of the first settler Barmim. 'I'lie la.-t glanilMin of the first settler tiregory was .Samuel tiregory, Ksq., \Oio ba.s been dead about eighteen ,vears." FIRST Sl'RVEY OF THE TOWN.— THE P.\TENT. "The first settlers, having purchased their lands of the Indian owners, bri anil' pioprietoi^ of tlie town. The town wa.s surveyed iu Feliriiary. li.^i:',. liV .bibii I'latt and Samuel Hifii'es, of Korwalk. The survey bill ileilaie^tbe length to be eight miles from north to siiuUi, and the breadth six miles from east to west. At the session of the Ceneral .\sseiiibly iu Blay, 17112, a jiatent wad granted, giving town-privileges to tlie inhab. itants and propiietors of Hanbuiy. The patentees named are James liecbe, Thomas Tavloi, Samuel Benedict, James Benedict, John Hoyt, and Joshih Starr. In this act the bi.uudaiies were li.vcil according to the lormer survey.