History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Mr. Barnum has ever manifested a lively interest in all measures looking to the advancement of the interests of the city, and has devoted much labor and money in public improvementu generally. He was the progenitor (jf Seaside Park, one of the most beautiful jiarks in New England, and it was {)rinci- pally through his influence that the improvement was consummated. "To Mr. P. T. Barnum," says the Bridgeport Standiinl, " \\\' l>elieve. is awardcil the credit of originating this beautiful improvement, and certainly to his untiring, constant, and persevering personal efi'orts arc we indebted for its being tinally consummated." Jlr. Barnum purchased tlie land from the owners at nominal prices, amounting in all to less than five thousand dollars, of which he ])aid the largest share and obtained private subscriptions for the balance, and thus the jiark was presented to the city free of cost. In the summer of 1878 he expended aliout twenty- five thousand dollars in the purchase and reclamation of a large tract of salt marsh adjoining Seaside Park and the grounds of Waldemere on the we.st. Although he well knew that he would never be reimbursed for half of his expenditures, he could see that the im- jirovement would be a great public benefit, and he bent his energy to the task. He built this dyke straight across a channel which let in the tide-water every twelve hours and ecjvereil an immense tract of low salt meadow. He made it seventy-five feet wide at the bottom and of sufficient width on the top to form a line street leading from one of the city avcmics to the beach on Long Island >Sound. This extension of Sea- side Park, forming a boulevard for carriages and promenade on the very edge of Long Island Sound, where the flashing waves may be seen, heard, and en- joyed for all time, is one of the finest ImprovemeTits of its kind on the Atlantic coast. He also secured to the city of Bridgeport tlie beau- tifid Slountain Grove Cemetery. He has laid out nuiuy streets and planted hundreds of trees in Bridge- ]iort jiroper, and built hundreds of houses, many of which he sold to mechanics, giving them years in which to make the payments, and in annual sums e(|ual only to about their usual rents. In 1846 and 1847 he erected the well known " Iran- istan"* palace for his residence. It was modeled after the (Oriental architecture, and was the first of this peculiar style introduced in America. Its interior and exterior decorations were of the finest style, and it was singularly complete in all its ap|iointments. The whole was built and established by Mr. Barnum liter- ally " regardless of expense," for hi' had no desire even to ascertain the entire cost. This wa.s one of the iieiist country-seats in New England, and itwas indeed a great loss to Mr. Barnum when, on the night of Dec. 17, 1857, it was burned to the ground. He subse- quently built Lindencroft, which was his residence for a number of years, ami finally, in 1SG8, erected a house, laid out walks, etc., on a dcdightful spot overlooking Long Island Sound and Seaside Park, and christened it "Waldemere" (" woods-by-the- sea"), preferring to give this initive child of his own concejition an American name of his own creation. He removed to "Waldemere" in LStilt, where he has since resided. Nov. 8, 1829, Mr. Barinim united in marriage with Charity Hallctt, a native ni' B<'thel, by whom he had three daughters. Mrs. Barimm died Nov. lit, 187.''.. In the autumn of 1874 he married again. His wife is the daughter of his old English friend John Fish, Esq., wdiom he has emlialmed in his " Recollections" under the title of " An Enterprising Englishman." Mr. Barnum's career has bei'n a remarkable one. He has been up and down and uji again the financial lailder, and now the Bethel boy who at the age of fif- teen vears was so poor that he att<'nded his father's funeral in borrowed shoes is reputed to be worth sev- eral millions, and his name is a household word throughout the civilized world. * Signifying Oriental villa. 142 IIIST()i:V OK FAll{l'li;iJ> COUNTY', CONNECTICUT. Hon. AUivil li. Bcirs wiis lioni at New Rochelle, N. Y., April 2:i, ISt."), and is tlu- .son of .Vlfml Uecr.s now a resident ol' Stratford, ("onn., and wlio luw been identified with the Naugatuek Jtailroad since 1851. The ancestry of Mr. Beers upon the male side of the line is traced ))aek to James Beers, of (Jravescnd, Kent, Enjrland, who died in IG.'l.^, leavinu; two sons, James and .Viitliony, who emi>rrated shortly after to Watertown, Mass., and removed from there to Fair- field, Conn., in 1059. Anthony was a mariner, and wiLS lost at sea in 1676, leaving a son Ephraim, who was born 164S, and died, leavinji; a .son Ephraim, ■who died in 175i), leaving a son Daniel, who was born 1745, who removed to Ridjrefield, Conn., and served in the (,'oiitinental army and was present at the attack on Danhury and en^rajiement at Uidjrefield by Tryon, in 1777, and died 1S20. Jle left a son Edmund, born 1768, who died in 1843, leaving a son Jonathan, horn 17S!>, who settled at Vi.sta. West- chester Co., N. Y., and ilied in LSiiS, and wlio w.i-s the grandfather of the snlijeet of this sketeli. His mother's maiden name was Mary K. Hishoj), her father being Leander I!isho]>, of Stamford, C<mn., who was a brother of Alfred Bisho|), late of Bridgeport, Conn., now deceiuscd, n well-known contractor and builder of railroads, especially of the Naugatuck Railroad ; their father wa.s William Bishop, of Stamford, Conn. The grandfather of his molhiT upon her mother's .side was Dr. Charles McDonald, of live. X. Y.. a Scotchman by birth, who came to this country shortly before the Revolutionary war, and ui)on the breaking out of hostilities enlisted in the Continental army and served during the entire war, participating in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, and also in tlie battle of Wliite Vlains, N. Y., in 1776, where he di.stinguislied liiniself by liis bravery. Alter the close of the war he entered the medical profession, and practiced sui- cessfuUy until his death, which occurred about 1842. Alfred B. Beers removed to Bridgeport in 1851, anil was educated in the public and select schools of that lity. lie entered the volunteer army, Sept. 5, 18(il, as private in Company I, Sixth Connecticut Volun- teers. This regiment was attached to the Tenth Army Corps, and participated in the bombardment of Hilton Head, S. C, battle of Pocataligo, S. C. I he was honorably mentioned in regimental orders for bravery and meritorious conduct in that engagement), also in the siege of Fort Pulaski, Oa., actions at James Island, S. C'., Morris Island, Fort Wagner, and siege of Charleston, S. C. ; re-enlisted as a veteran volunteer in same regiment in 1864, and was engaged in the Bermuda Hundred, Va., campaign against Rich- mond, siege of Petersburg, Va., engagements at Deei' Bottom, Deep linn, Chapin's Farm, and Laurel Hill, on the north side of the James River, in 1864; was promoted from first sergeant of Company I to captain of Company B in same regiment, and Wius engaged in the bombardment, charge, and cajiture of Fort Fisher, N. C, January, 1865, capture of Wilmington, Febru- ary, 1865, and advance uimn Goldsboro', X. C, April, 1865, and was discharged from the service at Xew Haven, Conn., Aug. 21, 1865, being then about twenty years of age. He then engaged in general business and in study until 1868, when he commenced the study of law, and wits admitted to the Fairfield County bar in 1871. In 1872 he was clerk of the City Court, in 1875 a.ssistant city attorney. In 1877 he was elected by the Legislature judge of the City Court of the city of Bridgeport, re-elected in 1879, and still holds that office. He has been prominently connected with the Grand Army organization since 1868, and is now the Senior Vice-Commander of the State of Connecticut, and will jirobably be elected Connnander in 1881. He was uuirried Feb. 29, 1872, to Callie T. House, of Vineland, X. J., daughter of William House, who was one of the .settlers of Little Meadows, Pa., and wiis a brother of Royal E. House, the inventor of the House ))rinting telegraph sy.stem, with whom he was interestvd, and also took part in the construction of the first telegraph line erected in this country, being the line from Baltimore to Wiish- ington. Two children are the result of the marriage, —Alfred B. Beers, Jr., born Feb. 16, 1873, ami Harry H. Beers, born March 27, 1876. As a lawyer, .ludge Beers is devoted to his chosen profes,sion, and brings to its practii'C a clear and logi- cal mind, a retentive memory, confidence in his cause upon its merits, and a thorough hatred of trickery and ^ JyL ^ I'holo. bjr Wilwn, Bridgeport. ct/ UlillMIKPORT. 143 sIkhiis, Hi' is onivl'iil in the |iri'i>ar:itioM dl' his cmscs, n-Lidy ill s|i(H'rli iii an ailvncatc, ami liniirsl in his claims lor liis cliiiit. As a jiiilge he has dischargcil tlic ihiliis nl' that ]iMsitinn witli marivod fidelity and iiiHcxililr hnnrsty. Ilr lidhls tlic scales iif justice evenly lialamed, and renders his ilecisimis nnmnved liy syiii|iatliy and mi- awed liy elaimir. I'cissessed of a genial and kind nature, atl'alile in intercourse with his fellows, with a iiersonal character above repniaidi, he is csteenie<l and honored as a pri- vate citizen no lc,-s than as an alile lawyer and an li|>rii;ht and eon^cieiitions judge. DAN'UOL WIlITEIlKAli KISSA.M.