History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

•Tosup I>. WaktiiKin was a son of Jesup Wakeman, and was born in Soutliport, Conn., June 17, ISOli. }le received an academic education. He married Amelia A., daughter of James Jarvis, of New York C'ity, Dec. 30, 1830, and to them were born three children, — viz., James J., Julia F.,and Henry J., — all of whom are dead. •Soon after his marriafre he settled on a farm, where he continued to lead a quiet, unassuming life until his death, March (i, 1S78. He was a member of the Epis- copal Church at .^outhport. In politics he was a Re- publican. He never held any official positions, always preferring the (|uiet of home to official honors. He was a firm frlcnil, a good citizen, and a kind husband. For a more extended history of the Wakeman I'aniily, see biography of ^Villiam W. Wakeman. CAPTAINS EIiWIX AND CYKU.'* eilEKWOOD. - Away back in the early histoiy of Kngland !^her- wood Forest has often mention, and from the jiro- prietors of that historic ground are descended the Sherwoods of Fairfield, Conn. It is an (dd, old family of good repute always, and leal and loyal ever. Thomas Sherwood, progenitor of the American .Sher- woods, came to Fairfield from England before the or- ganization of tlie town. He died about 1G75. His 8on Thomas died about KiOS. His son was Samuel. He had a son Daniel. This Daniel had a son who bore his own name, D.uiiel, and whose son, William, was the father of Ca;)t. Edwin and Cvrus. The original place of .settlement of Thomas was Hull's Farms, and here for two or three generations his posterity was born. Daniel (2d) graduati'il from Yale College in 1756. His diploma, yet in existence, gives as the faculty at that time : Thomas Clajip, I'res- ident, .Tared Eliot, Ben Lord, Solomon Williams, and Noah Hobart. He married Aliigail, daughter of Deacon John Andrews, of (irecn's Farms. He was a farmer and a magistrate, an office of dignity in those days. Their children were Abigail, born A)>ril 21, 17()0, married 1779, died Dec. 24, lS-14, mother of four children; Eleanor, born April Hi, 177o, — no children; Elizabeth, born July 24, 1771, iHcmI Sept. 11, 1S2(),— no children; Daniel (lid), born June 8, 17(51; Ralph, born Nov. 19, 1704; Justice, born Aug. 13, 1768; Abraham, born May 15, 17(;:i, died Oct. 18, 1799; Walter, born Sept. 12, 1773, died Oct. 20, 1799, leaving no children; Aaron, born Nov. 28, ]76(); Stephen, born March 2, 1779, had no children; Wil- liam, born March 23, 1777. William Sherwood was a farmer and merchant. In politics, a Whig. He rcnmincd on the old home- stead with his father until his marriage with Abigail Ccnich. She was born at Green's Farms, Aug. 14, 1782, was a member of the Congregational Church, and lioth her husband and herself died at Hull's Farms. His death occurred in April, ]S44. From an old manuscript now in possession of I 'apt. Edwin Sherwood we give a synopsis of the American line of her descent. Thomas and Simon Couch were ap- l>rentices to a tailor in England. (.)iie finishing his api)renticeshi2>, the other ran away, secreteil himself on board of a vessel, and came to America with his brother. They landed at or near New Haven, and, holding up a stick, let it fall to direct them. Thomas went eastward, Simon, westward, as fiir as (Ireefl's Farms. The people at this place wanting a tailor, gave him a lot of land to settle with them. This lot lay on the hill near the bridge built over one of the branches of the New Creek, and commonly called Bridge Hill. He soon kept an inn, and, having mar- ried, had three sons, Thomas, Simon, and Samuel. Thomas received the best education the times and circumstances of the family could afiiml. Their father dying when they were young, unmarried men, Simon and Samuel agreed to send their elder brother to England (he having the best education) to receive an inheritance of five million dollars, which had there fallen. But at this time France and England were at war, and Thomas wa.s taken at sea, carrieil into France, and never again heard of Samuel settled at Benja- min Hill, about a mile northwest of the old burying- ground in (irecn's Farms. Simon had two sons — Thomas and Simon — and four daughters. Fourth generation r Simon Couch occupied his father's place at Turkey Hill; had four sons — Thomas, Simon, Gideon, Stephen — and three daugliters, Sarah, Eliza- beth, and Mary. So far the old manuscript. From another record we compile as follows : Simon Couch, 364 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. grandfather of Mrs. William Sherwood, lived in a house on Great Lot, near the sea-nhorc, which was burned l)y the British during the Itevolution. He afterwards removed to Redding Kidge, and married a daughter of old Capt. Nash, who lived near Green's Farms, on a place now belonging to Daniel Burr's estate. His son Simon was born at Green's Farms, in a house which was built by his father, in 1743. He married Abigail Chapman, Nov. iO, 1779. She was born Oct. 10, 1758. Their cliildrcn were Simon, William, and Abigail, mother of Uapt. Edwin and Cyrus Sherwood. All of the nine children — Simon, William, Edwin, Cyrus, Aaron, Albert, Abby, Eliza- beth, and Mary — -were born at Hull's Farms. Edwin .Sherwood, son of William and Abigail (Couch) Sherwood, was born Feb. 24, 180.5. He had a common-school education ; at the age of seventeen left his father's farm and shipped as a sailor before the niiUit on a vessel plying between New York, Boston, and the Southern cities. He was mate for two years, and was master of a sloop of sixty tons, called "John," owned by Meeker & Sherwood, be- fore he was twenty-one. About 1827 he became fourth owner of the brig " America," carrying one hundred and forty-seven tons, of which he was made captain. He ran her about four years; then pur- chasing an interest in the schooner "Georgia," two hundred tons, running between New York and Sav- annah, commanded her four years. Capt. Sherwood then superseded the "Georgia" by a brig carrying fjur hundred tons, which he built expressly for this route and commanded ten years, when he .sold it, and hiis not been on active duty since 1845 or 1850. Capt. Sherwood is now a director of Danbury and Norwalk Railroad, and vice-president of Southport Silvings Bank, and, with his wife, belongs to the Congregational Church. He married Mary A., daughter of Deacon Joseph Hyde, Dec. 12, 1837. Their children are Edwin H. and Simon C. Edwin H. is a farmer at Omaha, Nebraska, and Simon also a farmer at the old home. Mrs. Sherwood w:i.s born at Green's Farms, July 12, 1813. .. She claims direct descent from Humphrey Hyde, whose name appears on the early records of the town of Fairfield as one of it.s earlic-'*t tax-payers, having possession of a large tract of land in what was called the '" long lots." Her ancestors originally came from England, where, at dilleront places, they have inipres.sed their name on various locations, a.s Hyde Park, and left property valued at millions of dollars. Her father, Joseph, was horn in 1701, married Arete Jc.sup, and had a family of ftmrtecn children, of which Mrs. Sherwood was youngest. Her grandfather wa-s Joseph, born in 17.'!'.t, and marrie<l Betty Sherwoixl. Her great-grand- father was J(din, tliird of the name, the father of the first being the Humphrey Hyde above spoken of. He wa-s born in l(>i>2»and married Rachel Holme*. John Hyde (2) wa^ l>orn in IGliS, and married Rachel Ramsey. John Hyde, son of Humphrey, married I Elizabeth , and inherited from his father vari- ous tracts of land, in connection witli his sisters, Han- ■ nab and Sarah, under will bearing date May 8, 1666, and recorded in records of the town of Fairfield on the same day. Cyrus Sherwood, son of William and Abigail (Couch) Sherwood, was born Aug. 24, 1807. He re- mained on the farm with his father, receiving a com- mon-school education, until he wa.s about twenty years old, when he shi|)ped as sailor before the mast on a vessel making trips from Southi)ort to Provi- dence. Shortly after ho became captain of the sloop " Cornelia," running between Southport and New York. Following this for a year or so, he discovered that it was not good for man to be alone, and mar- ried, on March 6, 1831, Sally Bradley, daughter of Lyman and Amelia Hull, of Fairfield. For nearly fifty years this worthy pair have trodden life's path- way together, in peace and harmony with all, and with " kindness to all and malice to none" as a guid- ing maxim of their life. Soon after their marriage they settled on the old homestead of her ancestors. He left it once to engage with Wakenian B. Meeker and Simon Sherwood as captain of sloop " John." Selling his interest, he bought a share, with Capt. Joseph Jennings, in the .sloop " Gange-s." He was afterwards a mercliant for a short time, but after he sold his store to Caj)!. Jusi'|>h .Icnnings he has made his home permanently on the farm. Mr. Sherwood is a Republican in politics ; has been selectman several years, member of the Legislature, and magistrate for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood have only one chilil, Mary C, who married John Dinion Bradley, of Easton. She hiLs one son, who is named Cyrus Sherwootl, in honor of his grandfiither. Mr. Sherwood is a good citizen, a staunch friend, a kind neighbor, and has the esteem of a large circle of friends. LYM.\N HILL. Lyman Hull, son of John and Eleanor (Sherwood) Hull, was born in the town of Fairfield, Aug. 22, 1776. He was a farmer, and resided always in the town of his birth. He was a ([uiet, undemonstrative man, caring little about publicity, and strong in his attach- ment for home and its surroundings. In 17!iS he mar- ried Amelia Bulkley. Their children were Benjamin S., Eliza (Mrs. Simon Sherwood), .Vmelia Eleanor (Mrs. Capt. Joseph Jennings), Sally Bradley (Mrs. Cyrus Sherwood), Delia Maria (second wife of Capt. Joseph Jennings), Mary Catharine (Mrs. William Wakcman). Mr. Hull was an attendant of the Congregational Church, and in his day was well considered by his associates. He was upright, generous, honest, and blessed not only with a fair share of this world's goods, but, better far, with that spirit of content » JW"!"'' 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