History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Judge Chapman was born Sept. 2, 1770, fitted for college with Rev. Frederick W. Hotchkiss, and grad- uated at Yale in the class of 1792, and shared the highest honors of his class with the Hon. Roger M. Sherman. After he graduated, he taught for a time in the academy of North Salem, and also at Norwalk, and continued to teach while in the practice of his l)rofcssion. He studied his profession with the Hon. Tajiping Reeve, of Litchfield, and was admitted to the bar in 1795, settled in tlie practice of the law at 14 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. Newtown, and was repeatedly elected the representa- tive of that town to the General Assembly of the State, and in 1817 was elected a member of the Gov- ernor's Council, comprising at that time twelve mem- bers. In 1818 he was elected judjie of the Superior Court and Court of Errors, which office he held until his death, in New Haven, on Sept. 25, 1825, leaving a widow, who died in 1850, and three sons, the eldest of whom (Charles Chapman, the well-known lawyer of Hartford) had attained the years of manhood. Judge Chapman married, at Newtown, Jli.ss Mary Perrj', a daughter of Bennet Perry, M.D., by whom he had five children (four sons and one daughter). He possessed a vigorous mind and was prompt in his official duties. Charles Chapman, his eldest son, died in Hart- ford in 1870, at the age of seventy years, and will be re- membered by many of our readers as a lawyer of dis- tinction and one of the most witty and genial men of his time. He .studied law with Judge Williams, of Hartford, and subsequently with Judges Reeve and Gould, of Litchfield ; was admitted to the bar in 1820. He several times represented the city of Hart- ford in the State Legislature, and represented his dis- trict in the Thirty-second Congress of the United States. RErBEN Booth was born in Newtown, Conn., Nov. 26, 1794. While quite young his parents re- moved to Kent, in this State. He as.sisted his father at wool-carding until he was about seventeen years of age, when he commenced the preparatory studies for a collegiate course, and in 181.'? entered the sophomore class in Yale College. Soon after, his father was drowned in the Housatonic River, and young Booth hastened home, e.xpecting to abandon his collegiate course, as he was unwilling to reduce the slender means of his mother ; but a few friends in Kent gener- ously loaneil him the amount requisite to complete his course, and he returned to college. He was gradu- ated at the commencement in 181fi, being the last at which President Dwight presided. Upon leaving college he entered the law -office of David S. Board- man, at New Milford, where he remained about a year, and then removed to Danburj- and continued his studies with Moses Hatch, Esq. At the same time he was employed as an instructor in the academy at Danburj-. He was admitted to the bar in 1818, and immedi- ately openeil an office for the practice of his profes- sion in D.inburj-. In 1822 he represented the town in the (ieneral Assembly, and in the same year was appointed judge of Probate of the district of Danbury. He continued in this office until 1835. He was fleeted State senator in 18^(1, and in 1844 and 184-'> wiLs lieutenant-governor of the State. At the time of his death his ])racticc was as large as that of any member of the bar in the county. He wius distinguislied for his industry ; his cases were al- ways thoroughly prepared^ and his knowledge of the law was accurate. He was at once zealous for hia client and courteous to his attorney. He was well known in this State as a leading and active politician, but his policy was always conserva- tive. During the two years that he was presiding officer of the Senate of this State, the members of that body who were his political opponents felt and acknowledged his liberality of sentiment and conduct. He was always firm in his principles, but when ])rin- ciples were not concerned he regarded and treated his political opponents as friends. He was a warm and generous-hearted man. Remembering that in early life he was indebted to others for aid, no de- serving young man ever asked in vain for a loan from him which it was in his power to make. He was simple, unostentatious in his manner, and kind and benevolent in his disposition. He loved the young, and they never feared to approach him, as they knew that his sympathies were with them. He died at Danbury, Aug. 14, 1848, after a brief illness of about two days. Epaphras W. Bull came to Danbury from Hart- ford in about 1800, and removed to Ohio in 1841. Mo.SES H.\T€H came to Danbury from Kent; was an able lawyer, and, with .Vsa Chapman, defended the negro Amos Adams, who was lianged at Danbury in 1817. He soort after removed to Kent, where he died. Elisha Whittlesey was also a prominent lawyer in Danbury at the close of the last century. Matthew B. Whittlesey commenced practice in Danbury at about the beginning of the present cen- tuni', and wiis a prominent and influential citizen. He held various official positions, among which were meml)er of the Legislature and State's attorney. Lyman Denxisox Brewsteh wa.s born in Salis- bury, Conn., July 31, 1832. He entered the Freshman class of Yale College; graduated in the class of 1855; studied law with Hon. Roger Averill, of Danbury ; was admitted to the bar Jan. 21, 1858, ami has since practiced his profession in Danbury. He was judge of Probate in 1868, a member of the Legislature in 1870, judge of the Court of Common Plciis, Fairfield County, 1870-74; was elected State senator in 1879 for 1880-81. He was married, Jan. 1, 1868, to Miss Sarah A. Ives, of Danbury. Roger Averill was born in Salisbury, Conn., Aug. 14, 1809. He was educated at Union College, graduating in the class of 1832. He studied law with Chief JiLstice Samuel Church, of Salisbury, Conn. He was admitted to the Litchfield County bar, and I)nieticed in Salisbury fill, in 1849, he removed to Danbury, where he hits since practiced, in 1843 he represented the town of Salisbury in the State Legis- lature, and was elected judge of Probate, District of Danbury, which position beheld for three years; he also held the office of trustee of the State Normal School for thirteen consecutive years. He was elected Lieutenant-Ctcivernor in lS()2-«>5, and represented Dan- bury in the Legislature in 1868. He was appointed HON. SIDNEY H. BEAK0SLEY. BENCH AND BAR. 15 commissioner for the State of Coniivcticut to the ■\Vorhrs Fair to be held in New York in ISSy, on tlic one hnndredth anniversary of tlie treaty of peace and recognition of American independence. Mr. Averill was twice married, — first to !\Iiss Jlaria D. AVlute, of Danbury. By this marriage he liad fonr children, — Artluir H., a practicing lawyer with his father, in Daiibnry; John C, practicing with Jere- miah Halsey, of Norwich ; Harriet E., and Minnie W. His second wife was ^Mi.ss Slary A. Perry, of South- port, Conn. Daniel B. Booth, son of Renben Bcjotli, studied law in the office of his father, and is now a practicing attorney in Danbury. He has occuiiied various official positions; has been a representative several terms, judge (if Probate, town clerk, etc. THE FAIRFIELD BAR IN 1707. The following were iiracticing attorneys in the county in 1797 : Fairfield. — David Burr, .loscph Noyes, l.,ewis B. Sturges, and Samuel Rowland. Diinbiinj.—'EWAvA 'Whittlesey and Matthew B. Whittlesey. Nfii'foti'ii. — William Edmond. A'nrwa//:. — Taylor and Roger M. Sherman. J^ediliiH/.—Seth S. Smith, William H. Hawley. Sliiiiij'di-d. — John Davenport, Jr., and John T. Bene- dict. Strafford. — Thaddcus Benedict and .Tosejih Walker. Weston. — Samuel B. Sherwood. Hex. Thaddeus Betts was b(n-n in Norwalk ; was twice elected lieutentant-governor of Connecticut, and at the time of his decease was United States senator. Cyrus H. Beaepsi-EY, fiither of the Hon. Sidney B. Beardsley, was born in Monroe, July 4, 17911, and died in August, 1852. He graduated at York in 1818, in the class with the late Henry Dutton an<l Thomas C. Perkins. He occupied many official iiositions, and was a man of commanding influence in the county and State. He was rejieatcdly a member of the ( ien- eral Assendjly, and Speaker in 1S4G. He was a judge of the County Court, State senator, etc., etc. He nmrried Maria Burr, who is .still living. Sidney B. Beard.sley was born in Monroe, Fair- field Co., Aug. 20, 1822. He was educated at Wilton Academy and Yale College. He studied his profes- sion with Reuben Bf>oth, of Danbury, and was ad- mitted to the bar in Augu.st, 1S43. He commenced practice in Norwalk, where he remained until 1840, during which period ho was judge of Probate. In 1846 he removed to Bridgeport, wliere lie has .since resided. He has had associated with him at different tinu's as copartners in practice Judge De Forrest, William K. Seeley, and Col. S. B. Sumner. In 1858 he was elected State senator, and has also been a can- didate for Congress. In 1874 he was elected by tlie Legislature judge of the Superior Court, which term cxjiires in 1882. Orris S. Ferry was born at r.rtlicl, Aug. 15, 1S2;1. At the age of seventeen he entered Yale College, and graduated in 1844 with high honors. He comnu'iieed the study of the law with Judge Osliorne, of Fairfield, and subsequently continued it witli Hon. Thonuis 1!. Butler, of Norwalk. He was admitted to the bar in 184lj, and for a short time was in ]iartnership with Judge Butler. He rose rapidly in his profession, ami, in the language of Asa B. W Iward, Fscp, "while