History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

This son of Josiah Sanford was subjected to the same vigorous, wholesome training of his brothers. Having a fondness for machinery he was longer re- tained in his father's factory than were his brothers. When about eighteen years of age, however, he re- paired to Naugatuck to learn the machinist's trade in the shops of Warucr & Isbel. Having served his apprenticeship, he returned to Sandy Hook and en- gaged with Moses Parsons to learn the hatter's trade. He remained witli Mr. Parsons several years, be- coming in the iiaaiiuhile thoroughly acquainted with the procc-ss of hat manufacture. On leaving Mr. Parsons, Julius obtained from him his daughter Mary in marriage and his good-will in business, and immediately began in the same village manufacturing on his own account. For a time he made nap-, fur-, and silk-hats com- plete, and in abundance; but owing to reverses oc- casioned by the failure of contracting parties in New York, and at the suggestion and with the co-operation of his father, he changed his business to the special and more profitable branch of manufacture, — "form- ing" wool-felts for .soft hats. He was applying him- self with ardor to this industry at the time of the great crisis that was pending just prior to the break- ing out of the Rebellion of 18t>l. When it absolutely became apparent that the Southern States were seriously meditating on the dis,solntion and destruction of the nation and cradle of liberty, that they were positively bereft of patri- otism, reason, and justice, — when this news, wafted i as it were by the wings of the wind, came to his eais he answered with alacrity in response to the nation's call, and enlisted upon the side of liberty and the perpetuity of the Union, and the preservation of American institutions. He was complimented by his feliows-iu-arms in a unanimous vote that lie should accept the captaincy. NEWTOWN. 47' It is also worthy of nott' tluit his sword contained the following inscription : " Presented to Captain Julius 8anl'ord by many citizens of Newtown, Conn." The Twenty-third Connecticut Infantry had no braver or more pojiular ofHcer than the ca]>tain of Company " C" of Newtown. The fortunes of war, however, were disastrous; for, while guarding a large amount (jf stores at Brazier City, La., Capt. Stanford and all of the guard with him were compelled to capitulate to a superior f<jrce of the enemy. The surrender did not take place, how- ever, until the stores were destroyed by fire. Capt. Sanford was incarcerated at the military prison of Camp Ford, near Tyler, Texas, and sufl'ered all the rigoi"s of a prison life for fourteen months. His ex- istence during this period was only made tcderable by indirect benefits that were secured through Masonic infiuence. Fortunately, friends and fellow-prisoners of Cajit. Sanford were the recipients of favors that were obtained through the above-named fraternity. I'])on his return home Capt. Sanford took early steps to gain membership with an order that w-ould not sufter sectional animosity in time of war to deter its brotherhood from practically illustrating the beautiful features of its mission. He applied himself with assiduity in familiarizing himself with the principles and work of the frater- nity, and prosecuted his work with such success as to early become a master spirit and blaster JIason in the society. He w.as a charter member and a Wor- shipful Master of Hiram Lodge of Newtown. After the war Capt. Sanford was nitire domestic in his taste. Always fond of his family and attentive to their wants, and to gratify the wishes of his wife, he removed to New Haven, Conn., and, with other business, assumed charge of a nuisie store, where he remained until his death, Nov. 1, ISTli. In politics and religion, Capt. Sanford was in full sympathy with his father and brothers. He died from disease con- tracted while in prison. FREDERICK SANFORD. This representative of an old New England name is the fourth sou of .Tosiah Sanford, and was born in Newtown, Sept. 18, 1825. A full account of Mr. San- ford's varied business and traveling experience would make quite a little volume in itself, and one of no mean interest. Complete data can be had for this did the limits of this sketch admit, for, by nature, by education, and long hal)it, he is methodical, and his day-book is a complete history of his life, his busi- ness, his travels, what he has seen, anil whom he has met. Like thousands of others of New England, he left its crowded walks to seek elsewliere his fortune; returning, however, content and satisfied to remain under its old roof-tree. So the year 1880 finds him at the old homestead, where for five generations his fam- ily have lived. His education was received at the pub- lic and private schools and the academy of his town. At eighteen he was jjlaced with John H. Tweedy i^ Co., of Danbury, to learn the mercantile business. These gentlemen manufactured clothing for tlieir wholesale and jobbing houses at New York City and Charleston, S. C, and in conjunction carrieil on a general store. In 184."), .Tohn II. Tweedy withdrew and was succeedi'd by Edgar S. Tweedy, from which time Frederick was in charge of the business until his majority, when he went with Alvah Merriam, who carried on a general couutry store at Woo<lbury, remaining with Mr. Jlerriam two years. In Sei>tem- ber, 1849, hi^ went South, and engaged in book-keep- ing for the hat-jobbing bouse of I). A. Andder, at Charleston, S. C. Receiving a very excellent ofli'r from Haviland, Ilarral & Co., he went to live with this firm. These gentlemen were wdiolesale druggists, with branch houses in Atlanta and Augusta, (ia., and a house in New York under the firm-name of Havi- land, Keese & C'o., and a fine retail st(n'e, in addi- tion to their wholesale house, in Charleston, lly reason of their having been long establislicd and well and favorably known, Haviland, Harral i^' Co. had an exceptionally fine class of customers, and Jlr. Sanford looks upon this period of his life as a very pleasant one, indeed. The S<aith at this time was at a high degree of prosperity, and he had many opportunities of becoming familiar with tin- lialiit-i and customs of the people, and seeing tiie diU'erent phases of slavery and the manners and customs of the slaves, and especially their (juaint religious doings and their jollifications on Christmas and other holidays. At ditfereut times of life, and during dilferont tri])s South and West, Mr. Sanford has visited nearly every section of the American Union, and witnessed some of the most im])Osing of our political and national pageantries and "receptions," and has heard Webster, Clay, and Calhoun on the floor of the Senate. His first initiation South was an attack of yellow fever, from which, by the skill of his physician, the celebrated Dr. Kobertson, and good nursing, he reco\- ered. The following season he had the " break-bone" fever, after which lie was considered pretty well accli- mated. His father's health failing, he returned home just in time to see him die, July 2(1, 1851. At the solicitation of his fanuly, and to assist in winding up his father's estate, he remained in New- I town, engaging in the manufacture of hatting-felts, — j first with his brother Henry, then Henry antl Juliits, I aiul then alone from 1859 to 1865, wdien he leased his ! factory to Horr & Mitchell, wool-hat manufacturers, of Boston, Mass. These gentlemen operated his fac- tory till January, 18(57, wdion it was destroyed by fire. Since this time Mr. Sanford has retired from active business-life. Keared as a Whig, he votes and acts witli the Re- publican party, but his ac(piaintance with and knowl- edge of the [icople of dilferent sections of our common country jirevent his taking an active part in the sec- 478 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONXECTICUT. tional politics of the day. He has filled many town offices and other positions of trust. He is a member of Trinity Episcopal Clmrcli, being the present treas- urer of tluit society. Tlie peculiar management and training of liis chil- dren by Josiah .Sanford is elsewhere remarked, and perhaps its effect is not more marked upon any of them than the subject of this sketch. He has kept a cash account and diary since his fourteenth year, and has not been of one dollar expense to his father since. As before remarked, this diary is a complete kaleido- scope, as it were, of the events of his life. JO.SI.\K .SAXFORD. Samuel Sanford, the father of .Josiah Sanford, had a shop opposite the old Sanford homestead, where Frederick Sanford now lives, and was engaged in the manufacture of sjjinning-wheels, reels, and looms for spinning thread and weaving cloth, carjiets, etc. He was succeeded by his son Josiah, who followed the same business till the year 1830, when he entered into tlie manufacture of broadcloth, cassimercs, and satinets, in tiie village of Sandy ilook. He remained in this business, extending it from time to time, till 1842. Between the years 18.30 and 1842 he did a very heavy business, building and causing the erec- tion of a large part of the village of Sandy Hook. In addition to his factory he ran a large general store, and bought a considerable tract of land and ran an extensive farm.