History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Benjamin Brush was a tanner and farmer by occu- pation, a AVhig in politics, and a member of the Congregational Church at Stanwich. He died in Septeml)er, 1852, and Itis wife in March, 1853. AVilliam Brush, son of Benjamin and Rachel Brush, wa-i born at Stanwich, Conn., Sept. 26, 1802. He worked at tlic boot aiul shoe trade and tanner and currier till 1832, when he settled on a farm, working it summers and at his trade winters until 1838, when he settled where he now resides. In politics he is a Republican. ilr. Brush is a liberal man, seeking to bestow his money where it will do good. He is a good citizen, and is universally respected. JOHN O. UKYNOLDS. John G. Rcyn(dds is a lineal descendant of the fifth generation from one of ftmr brothers who came from England and settled in Greenwich, Conn., per- II /^^T^T^o^- -^/(^^ ^^i-^J^^ ^^^^ i GREENWICH. 403 li:i|is iiHirc tluin two Imiidred yoars -.v^o, or thv latter ])art (if tlu' sovi-iiteenth century. We are imt able to give the names oC the four brothers, but they married, and one of them luul the followinir eliildren, viz., Natlianiel, Nez.er, Enos, Tim- othy, Kebeeea, Deborah, and Al.)i,irail, the eldrst of whom, Nathaniel, was the great-prandfather of .John (i. Reynolds. This Nathaniel nuirried Sarah Lock- wood, and had the fcdlowing ehildren, viz.: Nathaniel, born Sept. 7, 174"), died June t>, ISiii'; Kzekiel, born Oet. i;!, 1747, died Nov. 24, 1S;«; Abigail, born Dee. 11, 174!l, died Mareh 27, IS.'W; Benjamin, killed in battle in lU'volutioiuiry war; Plio'be, Imrn A]iril Ki, 17-'i7,(lie(| .luiie 10. 1.S21); .lames, born .Ajiril IC, 17(14, died Mareh 2, lS:i;', ; Sarah, born Feb. S, 17(;2, dieil -Vug. XI, 1X4!); Philemon, born Fell. 21, 17(:4, died .Inly 2.'!, IS.So; !Nezer died young; Deborah, born May IZ, 177(), and lived to be nearly one liundred years of age; and Loekwood, born Ajiril 20, 1708, died June 7, 1.S27. The first Nathaniel Reynolds was a farnu'r, and owned a large tract of land near Staiiwieh, ( Ireen- wich, Conn. This was subdivided among his chil- dren, many of whom were farmers also. Nathaniel Reynolds (the third) married Deborah Hasted, daughter of Benjamin Husted and Sarah Newman (see biograjdiy of James Husted), for his second wife, and had several children, viz., Aril, Har- riet, Benjamin, and Husted. He died in 1K24, and she many years later. .\rd Reynolds was born al)out a mile south of Stanwicli, Conn., March 20, 17.S1. On the 13th of Decendier, 1810, he married Anna Kliza Docll, a native of (iermany, who came to America and scttU'd in Albany, N. Y., at nine years of age. Their children were: Elizabeth P., who married Rev. Warner Hoyt, of Danhury, Conn. ; S:dly D., who mar-' ried Tomiikins Close, of tireenwicli, Conn. ; Benjamin H., wdio was killed at eight years of age; Ann Eliza (deceased); John (r. ; Harriet K., married Charles S. Guion, of Bedford, N. Y. ; Julia H., who marrieil Rev. Senica Rowland, of New York ; and JIaria S. (deceased). In jiolities Mr. Reynolds was a Whig, and as sucdi was one of the leading men of his town. He held the various town olliees, such as magistrate and se- lectman, and was known as 'Sijuirc Reynolds. He represented his town in the State Legislature, and took an active part while there. Mr. and Mrs. Rey- nolds were members of the Methodist Episco]ial Church of Stanwieh, and he was one of the leading men of the same. His home was always open to min- isters, and many there wore who fouiul it a welcome place. He died" Aj.ril 2(i, 1857, and his wife Feb. 25, 1858, and both lie buried in the jirivato cemetery on the " home farm." John Godfried Reynolds was born on the place where he now resides, a mile south of Stanwieh, in the town of Greenwicii, Conn., March 25, 1821. Jle received a common-school education, with a i'cw terms at the Stamford Academy, at Slamford. Conn. On the 2t;th of August, 1851, he nuirried Mrs. Jidia R., widow of Augustus L. Reynolds, and daughter of Jared Smith. He was a Whig in ])olitics until 185(1, since which time he has been a Democrat. He has held nearly all of the town otlices to the general sat- isfaction of liis constituents, among which we nuiy nu'ution those of nuigistratc for a number of ye:irs, treasurer for eleven years, and register of voters since the ailoption of the present system. He re]ircsented his town in the Assembly during those trving vears of ISti.'H and '(U, and again in '74, '75, ancl '77. and while there occu[iie<l important phices <in dilferent committees, and was chairman <>]i eilucation one term. He is a trustee and director of the ( Ireenwich Savings Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are members of the Episcojial Church at Greenwich, Conn., and he has been a vestrynum for nuiny years, and at the jiresent time is junior warden. WILLIAM T. REYNOI.D.';. William T. Reynolds is a son of Ezekie! ami Phelte Reynidds, and was born in the town of (ireenwich, Conn., July 18, 1814. His paternal gran<lfather, .lames Reynolds, was born in Greenwich, Conn., and married Abigail Knapp, Oct. 18, 1780. She was born in Greenwich, Oct. 4, 1755. Their children were as follows: Stephen, Ezekiel, James, Josiali, Silas, Nezer or Ebenezer, Enoch, Aliigail, Reuben, Rachel, Hanlbrd, Loekwood, Josejih, Sarah, and Anuinda. This large family was born in (Jreenwich, and many of tliem have jiassed away. James Reynolds, Sr, was a ianiier liy occupation, reared his large family to industry and economy, and they became some of Fairfield County's best citizens. Mr. Reynolds died at an a<lvanced age. (See history of .lohn (i. Rey- nolds.) Ezekiel (second son of James) was born Aug. 7, 1788; nuirried Phebe Reynolds, Dec. 24, ISdi). They have had tive children, all of wlumi were born in Greenwich, Conn. Names of their children are as follows, viz. : Adaline, wdio married Erastiis Riindle, iunl has two sons and a daughter; James, died voung; William T., Stephen, and Elkanan M. Mr. ReyiKdds was a farmer, is a st;iuuch Rc]iul)- lican, and is a memlier of the Methodist E]iiseoiial (.'hurch, and so was his wife. He lias always been very liberal to tliepoor and to the church. He is now (1880) ninety-two years and some months old, and he hits lived to see nearly three generations pass away. He is living with a bright hope of a hapjiy future, when soon the Master will say, " It's enough, come up higher." William T. Reynolds remained at home until lie was married, receiving such advantages for an educa- tion as the district schools afforded. On the 2:id of February, 1830, he married Mary A., daughter of Steiihen and Rachel (Browu) Halsey. She was born 406 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. in the city of New York, Miiy 29, 1818. Her father was a ship-carpenter and merchant, and was born on Long Island. Mr. and Jlrs. Reynolds have the fol- lowing children, viz.: Louisa II., Mary B., Julia R., Sarah W., William E. (deceased), Ezekiel, Jr., Isa- bella E., Frederick AV. (deceased), Halsey W., and Louis E. In the spring of 183G, Mr. Reynolds settled on the place where he now resides, and which was formerly owned by Mrs. Josiah Brown, grandmother of Mrs. Reynolds. He has a fine farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, which is in a good state of cultiva- tion. In 18.50 he built his present house, in which the family still reside. Mr. Reynolds is a strong believer in the principles of the Republican party. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Congregational Church of Stanwich, and he is one of its main supporters. He has never sought political honors, preferring the quiet of home. I JOHN R. GRIGG is a son of Henry Grigg and Elizabeth Bush, and grandson of Henry Grigg, and was born in the town of Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 25, 180.5. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Fairfield County. His father was born about 1760, wiis one of a large family of children, an<l married Elizabeth Bush, by whom he had the following chiUlren, — viz.: David (deceased), William (deceased), Sarah (deceased), Mary (deceased), Henry D., born Jan. 8, 1800, and was for more than fifty years on the water as cajitain ; Ann Elizji, John R., James, an<l Rebecca, who married Nelson Seymour, and is now dead. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was a farmer by occupation. He died in 1844, aged eighty-four years, and his wife in.l84C. John R. Grigg worked on his father's farm summers, receiving such advantages for an education as the district schools of his day aflbrded. During many years of the earlier part of his life he was engaged in quarrj-- ing stone for New York and Fort Schuyler at Frog's Point. Since the death of his mother he has devoted himself to farming, which is his present em|)loyment. He nnirried Opheliu A., daughter of John and Elizabeth Banks, April 2(5, 18.'5G. She wiis born in Greenwich, Sept. 2, 1809. Their children are Mary A. (decea.sed), Matilda (who married Alexander Mead), George W., Ann E. (deceased), Grace O., and Fannie B. In politics, Mr. Grigg is a Democrat. He and wife are members of the Episcopal Church at (ireenwich, of which he is a vestryman and one of its liberal sup- porters. Mr. Grigg is a plain, unassuming man, one who at- tends strictly to his business and never wits an aspirant for any political office, though he has held some minor ones. He is generous, Ikind, and industrious, and a man universally respected. CAPT. GEORGE A. PALMER is a grandson of Denham Palmer, who came from England in company with his wife and settled in the town of Greenwich, Conn., and reared a large family. Denham I'almer, the first, was a farmer by occupa- tion, living to l)e well advanced in years. His chil- dren were as follows, viz. : Denham (2d), Henry, and James, and perhaps others. Denham (2d) was born Aug. 12, 176(5, married Mary Lockwood, who was born Sept. 12, 1767. Their children were as follows: (1) Maria, born Jan. 1, 1797, married Robert Clark and had eleven children ; she died Nov. 2, 1879. (2) Lockwood, born April 7, 1798 ; deceased. (3) Solomon, born Nov. 7, 1799; deceased. (4) Deborah A., born Dec. 9, 1801 ; deceased. (5) Frances, born Sept. 10, 1803, marrie<l Chandler Comings, of Boston ; died and left four children. (6) Lewis, born April 7, 1805; decea.scd.