History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

M'is/ihii/f,,,! Dh-isUiu, XoA,S. of r.— Ajiril 10, 1X43, the (Trund Division of the State of New York granted a charter for the first division of this order in the State of Connecticut, and April 2.')th the officers of the Grand Division of the State of New York instituted, at Danbury, Washington Division, No. l.Sousof Tem- perance, with the following charter members; Wm. Adams, Elbert Birdsall, Juda P. Crosby, John T. Earl, Ira Hodges, John D. Raymond, J(din Scribner, Amos Bishop, Robert Browning, Joel Clark, Joseph P. Foote, Charles Me;uler, Hiram Sturdevant, Thur- man Trowbridge. May 11, 1S44, the Grand Division of Connecticut was organized, and in 1S4.">, by unani- mous vote, AV;u-<hington Division surrendered to New York and was reorganized under the banner of Con- necticut. Until Jan. 1, 1853, it continued in a most flourishing condition, when all traces of lu'r records are missing until Aug. S, 18(34. Some time during this period she surrendered her charter, and on the Sth day of August was reorganized with the following charter members: Juda P. Crosby, Peter M. Holms, Sanuiel ( r. Raymond, Amos Purdy, Aaron Morehouse, Charles Burr, Charles Hinman, Rev. W. T. Hill, H. W. Hinnman, John Whittlesey, Elias B. Stevens, Joseph Roliins(Ui, William S. Cnjsby, Henry Hinnman, Silas Tyrell, Alfred Short, JI. D. Smith, Rev. J. H. Shep- ard, Benj. C. Cables. From this time until the present she has continued harmonious and prosperous. From organization to date .she has admitted 17(jl mendiers. The first Worthy Patriarch wa.s Juda P. Crosby. The present (July, 1880) Worthy Patriarch is John Clapp. Mi'iiiiiridI LoJ:/'\ Xo. I'.ll, /. 0. of G. T., was insti- tuted Friday evening, March 22, 1878, by Mary F. Peek, Stale Deputy, assisted by W. W. Perkins, J. P. Blacknum, C. B. Taylor, E. H. Bennett, and Ella Peck. There were twenty-fiiur charter mcnd)ers initiated. The charter mcndiers were Ira Wildnum, James Hyatt, Joseph Brown, Robert Davis, Charles H. Moffet, I'^rederick A. Brush, Andrew J. Frazer, Vincent King, Henry Policy, Mrs. William Know Is, Mrs. .J( dm Smith, William Knowls, Edward Scofield, Frederick P.ailey, Charles S. Bray, Frederick Hull, Samuel A. Clark, William Wildman, Charles Cables, Mrs. Ira Wihhuan, Mrs. James Hyatt, Mrs. Joseph Brown, Mrs. J. W. Corsie, Jlrs. A. B. Hull, Miss Emma Squire, Miss Julia Hoag, Miss Nancy Russell. The Worthy Chief Templars since its organization are Ira Wildman, James Kelly, Joseph Brown, William Knowls, Fred- erick Brush, John Benton, and L. W. Godfrey. iSamarifan Lodi;c, Ao. 7, /. O. if 0. F. — This lodge was organized April 14, 1842. It surrendered its charter in 185f>, but was reorganized Sejit. 1, 1.S73, with the following officers : D. B. Booth, N. G. ; S. G. Barley, V. G. ; Charles Bennett, Sec. ; John P. Alibott, Treas. The present officers arc C. T. Anson, N. G. ; William C. Hart, V. G. ; H. E. Comes, Sec. ; John II. C(jsier, Treas. 232 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Danlniry Agricultural Society was organized in the summer of 1869, and lia.s since lield annual fairs for the exhibition of stock and farm-produce as well as articles of useful and ornamental industry. The society has been very prosperous. It is free from debt, and receives annually from admission-fees and disburses for j)remiums a greater sum than any other similar organization in the State. More than sixteen thousand admission-tickets have been taken at the gates during the continuance of a single fair. The grounds are |)lcasantly located and supplied. with all the necessary buildings. There is also an excellent half-mile track. Much credit is due the enterprising progenitors and those through whose influence it has been sustained and prospered. BANKS. XATIO.NAL PAIIQLIOQUE BANK. This bank wsis organized as the Pahquioque Bank, May 1, 18.54, with the following board of directors: Aaron Seeley, William Montgomery, Charles Hull, Hiram L. Sturdevant, L. H. IJoughlou, W. F. Taylor, Oliver Stone, Frederick S. Wildman. Capital, $100,000. Aaron Seeley was the first president, and his son Augustus was the first casliier. It was voted that subscribers should pay fifty ])er cent, on subscrib- ing and ten per cent, every sixty days afterwards until paid. Oct. 2.'), 1854, the capital was increased to j!200,- 000, and in 18')" to $2.50,000. Augustus Seeley resigned as cashier in January, 1857, when his brother, Wil- liam P. Seeley, succeeded him, and is the present in- cumbent. Aaron Seeley remained ])resident of the bank until his death, in 1872. IJarnabius .Vllen then became president, and continued in the otiice until January, l.S71>, when he wa.s succeeded by the present incumbent, ISarzillai I?. Kellogg. It was reorganized as a national bank March 25, 1865, with the follow- ing directors: Charles Hull, B. B. Kellogg, A. S. Pcarce, James E. Hoyt, Aaron Seeley, W. F. Taylor, Bamabits Allen, W. F. Lacey, Nathaniel Selleck. The present board of directors are as follows: B. B. Kellogg, M. H. Griffing, Henry Crofut, S. C. Holley, B. A. Hough, C. F. Starr, Benjamin Selleck, Charles Hull, and Barnabas Allen. DANBURY NATIONAL BA.NK. The Fairfield County Branch Bank, located at Dan- bury, was organized for business on the 24th day of August, 1824, by the election of Zalmon Wildman, Esq., as its first president, the several directors being elected by the mother-bank at Norwalk, Conn. The election of cashier was delayed until Sept. 20, 1824, when Curtis Clark, Esq., wivs chosen and began his duties immciliatdy. The business of the bank was conducted in the house of Dr. Daniel Comstock, who then lived in the building now occupied by Mrs. Amos N. Stebbins. July 29, 1825, action was taken by the directors in regard to building a banking-house, and Aug. 29, 1825, David Foot was appointed a committee to procure the necessary stone for the vault, hearth, steps, and underpinning, and on Nov. 17, 1825, he was appointed the agent to superintend the building of the banking-house, which was done, and is now the residence of Mrs. Charles E. Andrews, corner of Bank and Main Streets. May 20, 1826, Zalmon Wildman resigned the office of president, and June 22, 1>12(1, Samuel Tweedy, Esq., was elected president, anil wa- re-elected each year as president till July 7, 18;M. when David Foot wiis elected and served that year, and June 20, 1835, Samuel Tweedy Wiis again elected president, and was re-elected to the oflice each year until the Branch wiis merged into the Danbury Bank, July 1, 1844, and was re-elected as i)resident of tlie Danbury Bank each year until June, 1864, when the infirmities of age required his declination as a director of the bank. June 12, 1827, the following-named persons were elected directors of the bank (the record of the elec- tion ofdirectors previously being at Norwalk) : Samuel Tweedy, Elijah Gregory, Elijah Sanford, Thomas T. Whittlesey, Samuel Wildman, Richard Randall, and Henry Beers. The following names ap2)car as directors of the Branch Bank for a year or more : Abel 1!. Blackman, Reuben Booth, David N. B. Baldwin, Friend Starr, John F. King, Isaac H. Seeley, .Vbner Gilbert, Starr Ferry, Samuel Stebbins, Starr Nichols, James Brush, William Hawley, Chandler Smith, Russel B. Botsford, Russel Hoyt, Eli T. Hoyt, Edgar S. Tweedy. Curtis Clark remained as cashier until 1837. .hiiie 20, 1835, Geo. W. Ives was appointed a.ssistant cashier, and remained as such until 1837. Aaron Seeley, Esq., was then apjiointed cashier, an<l remained such until the Branch Bank was merged into the Danbury Bank, in 1844, and as cashier of that bank until June 1, 1854, when he organized the Pahquioque Bank. He was president of that bank until his death, in 1872. On Dec. 12, 1842, it was unanimously resolved by the directors of the Branch Bank to ajjpoint Starr Ferry, Esq., a committee and agent to do all the neces- sary business of obtaining signers to a petition to dissolve the Branch Bank and attend to the ap- pointing of commissioners, and do everything neces- sary to eft'ect and complete a separation of the Branch from the bank at Norwalk. The above action wius successful in the obtaining of a charter for the Danbury Bank at the session of the State Legislature in 1844, and the appointing of Nel- son Brewster bank commissioner, and E. B. Bennett and Harvey Smith committee to divide the stock and assets of the two banks. The first board of directors of the Danbury Hank was as follows: Samuel Tweedy, President; Russel Hoyt, Isaac H. Seeley, Eli T. Hoyt, Starr Ferri", Samuel Stebbins, Edgar S. Tweedy. Hours of busi- ness, 9 to 12 A.M. and 1 to 4 p..\i. Discount days, Mondav and Thursdav. DANBTTEY. 233 The following names uppcar as diroctors, for one or more years, of the Daiibiiry Bank until its reorgani- zation as a national liank, Ajiril 1, l.Sli') : 8amuel Twecrly, Isaac H. Seeley, Starr Ferry, Edgar S. Tweedy, Lucius P. Hoyt, Judge Brownson, Daniel K. B. Baldwin, Charles F. Starr, Lyman Keeler, Pieree A. Sutton, Basse! Hoyt, Kli T. Hoyt, Samuel Stebhins, Reuben P>ootli, Abner (lilbert, Niram Wild- man, Smith Tweedy, William Wildman, Charles Hull, Henry Benedict, Frederick S. Wildmau, Amzi Rogers, Samuel C. Wildmau, Levi S. Benedict, George Starr, George Hull, Oliver Stone, Elias S. Sanford, W. R. White, Roger Avcrill, David P. Nichols. Lucius P. Hoj-t was elected vice-president of the bank Dee. 27, 1802, and continued as such until his election as president, June 18, 18()4, and continued as such until the reorganization as a national bank, April, ISl').), and has annu.ally been re-elected as president to this date, July, 1880, the liank Iiaving had but four presidents since 1824, viz. : Zalmon Wildman, two years ; Samuel Tweedy, tliirty-seven years ; David Foot, one year ; Lucius P. Hoyt, six- teen years. The bank has had but four cashiers in its history since 1824, viz. : Curtis Clark, thirteen years; Aaron Seeley, seventeen years; Ephraim Gregory, one year; Jabez Amsliury, twenty-five years. Cieorge W. Ives was assistant cashier, appointed June 20, LSSo, and resigned 18^7, and Augustus Seeley, Dec. 1, 1X02, and continued as such until his appointment as ca-shier of the Pahquioque Bank, June 1, 18.54.