History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Mr. Hiisted was a very large and successful farmer, and took charfrc of his farm till 1809, when he retired, to be sueeeeded by his son-in-law, William H. Briggs, with whom he is now (1880) living. In polities he was a Jetl'ersonian Democrat until 18.3G, when he be- came a strong supporter of the Republican party. He has held all the important olfiees of his town to the general satisfaction of his constituents, among which we mention those of assessor and selectman for many years, magistrate for more than twenty-five years ; was a member of the board of relief for a long time, and during his long life he ha.s settled a great many estates. He has been a member of the State Legis- lature eight terms, and while there served on impor- tant committees. He has represented his constituents many times in county and State conventions. He always took an active and leading jiart in military matters. He was a captain of the fourth company of the Third Kegiment Connecticut Flying Artillery for many years, was promoted to the colonelcy of the same regiment, and had the distinguished honor of commanding that regiment which escorted Gen. Lafayette from the State line of New York through to Stamford the last time the general ever visited An^erica. He was always a great admirer of a fine horse, and took great pride in military afiairs. He is now almost ninety years of age, but his mind is good, and he recounts the struggles of a long and useful life with a great deal of interest. He has been a strong pillar in society, both i)olitically and religiously. He united witli the Methodist Episcopal Church more than si.xty years ago, and has been one of its most liberal supporters. He has held every office in the church which falls to the lot of a layman. His wife was an adlicrent of the Episcojial Church. Col. Hasted reviews the p.ast.with no apprehension of the future, and is only waiting to hear his Master say, "//'« enough; come up higher." CAPT. BENJAMIN IIUiSTED was a son of Benjamin Husted and Sarah D.ayton, and wiis born in (ireenwieh, Fairfield Co., Conn., April 1, 1784. Early in life he devoted liis time to general merchandising, and for many years wjis a cap- tain of a vessel making trips between New York and Boston and the intervening ports; later in life he devoted himself to agriculture. He was one of the prominent men in town, several times representing liis constituents in the State Legis- lature, besides holding all the more important town 9 a member of the ) ,ve liberally to its s He married Olivia, daughter of Samuel Mills. Their children were Samuel, Lydia (married Robert Scott), Sarah (married Zacharius Close), Benjamin, and Mary E. (married .Samuel Dayton). Of these only Samuel and Sarah are now (1880) living. Capt. Husted died iu Feburary. 1871, ami his wife died in 1874. JAMES nUSTED. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Benjamin Husted (1), who married Sarah Newman, and had the following children, — viz. : Benjamin, Na- thaniel, Sarah, who married Titus Reynolds ; Deborah, who married Nathaniel Reynolds ; JIartha, who mar- ried James Brush ; Rachel, who married John Dela- van ; IMary, who married .lona Mead; and Zuba, who married Stephen Palmer, all of whom were born in the town of Greenwich, Fairfield Co., Conn. Benjamin Husted was a farmer by occupation, lived an honorable life, and died at an advanced age. His son Nathaniel married Ruth Sniftin, and had the following children, — viz. : James, Nathaniel, Samuel, Benjamin, .loiiathau, Rachel, and JIary, all born in Greenwich, Conn. He was also a farmer. James Husted, son of Nathaniel, wsls born in June, 1780, and died Sept. 23, 1852. He always resided on the old form, now owned and occu|)ied by his aged widow. He was one of the successful farmers of the town, and blessed the community in which he lived by his generous deeds. Very early in life he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Round Hill, where he resided, and became one of its most active and leading sup- porters. He was known by his hospitality, and many are the ministers who found his house a welcome l)lace. He was a steward, class-leader, and superin- tendent of tlic Sunday-school for a great many years. On the 12th of January, 182o, he married Mary B., daughter of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Dayton, and granddaughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Newman) Husted. She was born in the town of Greenwich, Conn., May 22, 1793, and now (October, 1880), like her brother, Col. Conklin Husted, retains her faculties remarkably well. She has beeti a life-long member of the Congregational Church, but attended the Methodist Episcopal Church. oflices. He was a member of the Jlethodist Episcopal Church, and gave liberally to its sujiport. JAMES UUSTED, Jn. James Husted, fourth son of Samuel and Nancy Husted, was born in the town of Greenwieli, Fairfield Co., Conn., on the 28th of September, 1828. His father was the third son of Nathaniel and Ruth (Snitlin) Husted. He is a farmer by occupation, and now resides in Ontario Co., N. Y. His children are as follows, — viz.: Amos, Nathaniel, Eunice, Elizabeth, John, James, Samuel, and ilary, all of whom are living. James Husted left his father's home at eleven years of age (1839) to live with his uncle, James Husted, BEXJAMIN HOSTED. JAMKS IIUSTEJ), .in. I ■■" -\1t' ^'" - i^a~>nr^s^ /t^^ "^M^'fTjl GREENWICH. 401 after whom ho was named. His advautanos inr an cihication were liniite<l to tlie commcui si-IhioIs cif liis (lay. He has eoiitinued to reside on the I'anii with unelo and annt, e.xeept a tew years wliiU' lie was at Tarrytown, N. Y., and Riishville, N. Y., en^a.^ed in mereliandisin.!;. (.)n tlie l"2th of Septenilx'r, 1S(!(I, he married Htelhi P., dauirliter of Josejili and Sarali A. (Mead) Brush. She was Ijorn May 22, IS.'JS, in (iroen- wich, Conn. Tlieir eliildri-n are James V. (deeeased), .Iiiseph ]!., Sarali K., Kiiiily M., Enniee L., .lames H., and Helleii. In polities Mr. Hnsted is a Itemoerat, l)tit takes uo active part in pulitieal matters. WILLIAM A. IIl'STED. William A. Hnsted is an only s(ni of Elnathan and Xaney (Close) Hnsted, and was horn in (ireeiiwieh, ('<inn., Dee. 31, IStll. His grandfather was named Peter Husted, who married Eunice Lyon, of Cireen- lie was horn. A view of his present house, wliirh hi' hiiilt in 1S71, may he seen in another part nf this work. Ill polities a Reimhlicaii. ( >n the 12th of Decenilier, 1S22, he married Susannah Caroline Hohhy, daughter (d' Squire Holihy. Slie was horn Nov. 2'!, 1S(I8, in the ti^wii of (ireeiiwieh, ( 'onn. Their ehildreu are : (1) Elnathan, who was a soldier in the lu'liellioii, and died Jlandi 4, l.S(i4, leaving a wife and two daiigli- ters, — Caridine and Augusta. (2) William F., married, ami has four children, and resides at Davenport, Iowa, with Lyman 1!., who has one son, and is a tanner. (.')) (ieorge, died young. (4) Susannah. (■")) Lyman P>. (<i) Sipiire .Terome, who has one son, ami is living at Oyster l!ay, L. I. (7) ^[ortimer, died Nov. 21, IXTtj, leaving a wife and one son. (.S) Nancy E., married .lohn Andrews, a lawyer in Brooklyn, and has one sou and two daughters. wieli. ( 'linn. They had si.\ sons and two daugliters, — \i/... I'",lnatliaii, .Vinos, Cyntlia, Peter, Moses, .\ariiii, Eunice, and Caleli. iSee historv of .lames llusted, Sr.) Elnathan Husted wa.s a successful farmer and drover, married Naney Close, and hud one son, Wil- liam .v. He was a niemlier of tlie Second Congrega- tional Church at lireenwicli. Conn., and was a man res|)ccted. He died in 182.'), aged fifty years. His wife died at seventy-three years of age. William A. was reared on his father's farm, anil farming has henn his husiness nearly all Ids life, lie owns the old homestead of two hundred acres where CAI'T. BEN.JAMIN W. HUSTED is the only living son of William Husted and ^Fary Lyon, and was horn in the town of ( Ireenwich, Conn., Jan. I'l, 1S(I,S. His great-grandfather w:is David Husted (see history of James Hnsted, Sr.), who had a, son .\hraham, whii married Hannah Knapp, and had two children, one of whom was William Husted. Aliraliaiii was a lieutenant in the Pevolutionary war, and was a farmer hy occupation. William Husted w.-is horn in 17.s;j, in the town of (ireenwich, (,'onii., and died in ]x:is. He married JIary Lyon, and liad the lollowing children, — viz., Benjamin W., IsiacI, Han- nah, who married Hnsted Holihy ; Pliehe Ann, iiiar- ried Caleh W. Jlerritt ; David, and William II.. all of wliom are now (l^SO) dead except lieiijamin W. and I'hehc .\iin. Mr. Husted was a farmer, and lived one mile sniitli of wdiere his son ]5enjaiiiin W. now resides, on a farm which was in the family several generations. Benjamin W. has always heen a jiractieal tiirmer, receiving the advantages of a common-school educa- tion till lie was lifteen years of age. ()ii the 24th of Dec, I.S27, he married Rachel I'., ihinghter of laion and Elizaheth (Webh) Lyon. She was liorii Nov. It), ISIK). Their (diildren are as follows, — viz., .Inlia (deeeased), Israel (i., who does husiness in New York City; Theophilns P. (deceased) and ICliphalet I'., who is a farmer (twins) ; William E., also a farmer. Nathaniel L. was a soldier in ('umpany I, Tenth Connci'licnt N'olnnteer Regiment ; served thi'ic years, was in all the engagements of his regiment, and was wounded in lioth ankles and in his Iclt knee at the same time, and received an honiu'ahle ilischarge Oct. 2, 1.SI14, since which time he has resided at Innue on the larm. 402 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. Mary E. mnrried Alexander G. Knapp, who is a farmer near Coiinoil Bluffs, Iowa. Mr. Husted set- tled on his present farm in 1828. He is a Kopublican in politics, though he cast liis first Presidential vote for Gen. Jackson at his second election. Mr. and Mrs. Husted are members of the Congregational Church at Greenwich, Conn. He has held several town offices, and was a captain of a company of State militia for u great many years, and is known as Cajit. Uenjamin Husted. He is 07ie of Greenwich's best citizens, a man universally re- spected. IIANFORD LOCKWOOD.