History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Imndred to three thousand bushels. In 1846 he started the first milk-route in New Canaan. In 1848 he formed a partnership with a Mr. Scofield for the purpose of starting a nursery in New Canaan. Seeds were sown and every arrangement made for growing nursery stock. This was the beginning of the cele- brated nursery of Stephen Iloyt's Sons, now carried on by James & Kdwin Hoyt, who have more than one hundred acres exclusively devoted to the growing of young trees. Kind-hearted and liberal, no man of his generation in New Canaan was more identified with its interests ; and he was ever ready to lend a iielping hand to those seeking his aid. He gave employment to a large number, many of whom were with him continuously for nearly thirty years. Of his ten children seven are still living, thrive having died in infancy. Oct. 23, 1873, Capt. Hoyt celebrated his golden wedding, which was participated in by nearly two hundred guests, and was a social occasion long to be remembered. He died Feb. 24, 1879, thus ending the career of an energetic, persevering, and good man. AAUOX JKLLIFF, Jii. Aaron Jellifl", .Ir., was born in Wilton, Fairfield Co., Conn., March 2, 1839. His father, also named Aanm, was a hatter by trade, following it for some year> in his native town, Wilton, also in Pennsylvania. Re- linquishing the hat business, he began in a small way the manufacture of wire sieves. He was married to Miss Caroline Dunning, of Wil- ton, and became the father of nine cliildren, of whom Aaron w;is the fifth child and fourth sou. His second wife was Mrs. Bartram, of Redding. Of this uni"ii there wiis no issue. Aaron Jellifl" Jr., learned the business of sie\' • making from his father, whom he assisted up to and after his marriage, which took i)lace on his reachini his twenty-first birthday, to Samantha, daughter 'f Major and Hannah (Keeler) Dickens, of Reddirij;. The only child which has been born to them is George H., born Dec. 18, 1861. After his marriage Mr. Jelliir commenced the nuinufacture of brush- blocks in Georgetown, soon after removing to Wilton, where he continued the business until 1868, when he connected with it the business of making eoal-sieves, weaving his own cloth and making his own frames. To this small business he has added from time to time, until now the product of the factory consi.sts of coal- and flour-sieves, of muzzles, wire-doth, and the celebrated "Rival Ash-Sifter." This latter business has reached such proportions as to crowd out the brush-block business almost entirely. In 1869, Mr. Jellifl moved to the town of New Ca- naan, and took jio.sse.ssion of what is known :is Water- bury's Mills, which, in company with his lirother &k OtA^<r^^ J •^///' riioto- by WiUoo, BridgaporU Q^^^»-v>x^ '^ ^<^^^»^ ^;^^t^^ a^to '/. Phow. l>j G. S. Nurth, Soath Norwalk. z^^ C^Z-L, ^<:?-^C^^^' NEW CANAAN. 453 C'hnrU-^, he had recently purelui^nl. The iirci]jerty was ill a sad stateof dilaiiidation, — " Nothing' local, as one mijrht say," but the wlnde having, not a mild, but a strong and most pronounced, flavor ot'decay. ])Ut the brothers were not of the kind easily disconrajted, and set about repairing the place as well as their limited means would allow. First they were obliged to build a house to live in, which done they turned their at- tention to the mill, finding it necessary to sul)stitute a new wheel lor the ones in the mill in order to get the iiower reijuisite Cor their business. They put in a " Letle" wheel twenty -three inches in <liaineter, by wliicli they get over fifteen-horse power, and by the aid (jf wliich they do all the sawing and planing for their frames. S.\MUEL COMSTOCK. Sanuiel Conistock is descended fniin the pioni'er of that name who was one of the earliest settlers of Norwalk. Abijah ('omstock, the jiaternal grandfather of Samuel, settled in New Canaan on the farm which has ever since been owned and occujiied by his descendants. His wife's name was Deborah liene- diet, and their children were eight, four sons and four daughters, of whom the father of our subject, also luimed Samuel, was the youngest ; he was a far- mer by occupation, but bore the title of major, jirob- ably of militia. He was also engaged in mercantile pursuits to some extent. He was born .July 15, 1767; married, Dec. 0, 1793, to Catharine, daughter of Jon- athan and Sarah (Green) Clock. .Joseph Green, father of 8aruh, was a soldier in the Rev(dution:u-y war and was killed at Compo, April ;!0, 1777, in the fifty-seventh year of his age. The children of .Samuel and Catharine (Clock) Comstoek were eight, four sons and fcjur daughters, as in the preceding generation, of whom the subject of this memoir was son. He was born .July 4, 1802, and died March 11, 1871. The fanuly of which he w.as a mend)er consisted of Del)orah, Dinah (deceased), Hannah (deceased), Ruth (deceased), Samuel (deceased), William (de- ceased), David, a Congregational minister, now liv- ing retired in Stamford, Conn., and Thomas An- thony, living in Brooklyn, and the father of Antliony Comstoek, agent for the Society for the Suj>pression of Vice. Samuel Comstoek's edu<-ation was deriveil from tlie common school of his native town jirincipally, with a short academical term in New Canaan Academy. At his father's deatli, wliich occurred wlii'U he was sixteen, he was obliged to withdraw from his studies, which he never afterwards found time to resume, and assume charge of the farm, us the eldest son. His father, just previous to his death, wliieli oc- curred suddenly, had been engaged in rejjairs and improvements at considerable expense, which left the estate somewhat encumbered. This encumbrance young Samuel, by his industry, prudence, and fore- sight, ably assisted by his motlier, an energetic woman of excellent judgment, soon renifived, and was able to assist his younger brother. At the age of thirty- five Samuel was married to Sarah, daughter of David and Cynthia (Abbott) Comstoek, of Norwalk. Their children were Hannah (deceased), Sarah, Eliza, .Tosephine, Clementine, and Samuel. In politics Mr. Comstoek was a Whig, but, altlumgh taking a lively interest in political matters, he persistently re- fuseil office. In religious matters he was very liberal. He wa.s a regular attendant at the Ccjiigregational eliurih in New Canaan, and a member of "the society." Dinah Comstoek, second sister of Samuel, was the wife of Rev. Chester Isham, at the time of his death .set- tled over Trinitarian Church, Taunton, Mass. Uuth, the youngest sister, kejit a young ladies' boarding- school ill New Haven for more than twenty years. Tills school was started by Dinah (Mrs. Ishaui) and Ruth C<uiistoek, and was known as Dwight I'lace Seminary, also as Miss Comstoek's school, and on the death <if ilrs. Isham was continued by Ruth Com- stoek, as stated above. The school had an enviable reputation, and educated ladies from all parts of the United States. FRAXCLS E. CHICHESTER. Throughout the entire history of the southern por- tion of Connecticut the name of Chichester figures. It is an English name and found among the original settlers of Norwalk. The paternal grandfatlier of Francis E. Chichester was David Chichester, aud on his mother's side, Enos Weed, both natives and life- long residents of the town of New Canaan, Fairlleld Co. David Chichester was a soldier in the Revolution, and took part in the battle of Ridgelield. The action was quite severe, David, however, escaping with no greater damage than two bullet-holes through his coat. His widow' after his death was a pensioner of that war. David was the father of a large family, all of whom reached an advanced age, the youngest being sixty before a deatli occurred among the chil- dren. Enos Weed was three times married, — first to a Jliss Powers, of New t'anaan ; his sec(Uid aud third wives were sisters, named Andrews, of Daricn. The eldestson of David Chichester, Isaac,was a Pres- byterian minister, and at his death was setth'd at Ben- nington, N. Y. Alanson Chichester, third son, was tlu' father of the subject of our sketch. He was a liirmer l)y occupation, a man of much force of character, though retiring in his manner. He was married early in life to Salty, eldest daughter of Enos and Kesiali ( Powers) Weed, of New Canaan. Their eliildreu were Han- nah, Francis E., George A. (merchant in Danbury), 454 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. Sarah (deceased), David N. (living on the homestead in Pound Ridjre), and Jliiry P. Francis E. Chichester was tlie eldest son and was born Nov. 15, 1822, in New (lanaan, where he lived until his fifth year, when his father removed to Pound Ridge, Westeliester Co., N. Y. Here Francis re- mained till his marriage, Jan. 29, 1845, to Jliss Adelia J., second daughter of Frederick and Polly (St. John) Barrett, of Bedford, N. Y. Francis' boyhood was .spent in helping his flither with his farm work and in attending school. After his marriage he returned to his native town and began farming on his grandfatlicr Weed's farm, working it on shares at first, afterwards buying it, it being his home at the present time. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Chichester have been Amelia J. (now Mrs. Samuel JT^. ■\Vlialcy, of New Canaan) and Helen F. (deceased). In politics Mr. Chichester is Republican, and by his party has l)een elected to fill various town offices. Tlie entire family are members of the Congrega- tional Church of New Canaan, to the support of which they liberally contribute. CHAPTER XLV. NE-W FAIRFIELD. GeograpliicM — Toiwfrnpliical — Originnl Gmiit — Ebenezor Hurt — First Survc.v — Iiidini) Villiigo — Tntlfim niiryinp-Grouml — The Pioncore — Tlio Prniii Coinpnny — Kcclo«iuitticnl — Fin*t Crtiigregftlioiial Cliiircli — hht of Iteprcsc'iiUUived. The town of New Fairfield lies in the northern part of the county, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Sherman ; on the east by Litdifield County and the town of Brookfield ; on the south by Dan- bury ; and on the west by Putnam Co., N. Y. The .surface of the town is generally hilly, and the soil fertile.