Biographies of Prominent Families
Town of Monroe
Fairfield County Connecticut
Transcribed by Jeffrey Tooley
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Biographies of Prominent Families in the Town of Monroe, Connecticut, extracted from, The History of Fairfield County Connecticut of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, by D. Hamilton Hurd, 1881.
Wheeler, Charles B.
Charles B. Wheeler, son of Eli and Cyntha (Banks) Wheeler, was born in the town of Easton (formerly "Weston), Fairfield Co., Conn., April 11, 1821. His father was a farmer in Easton, married Cyntha Banks, and had a family of seven children, of whom Charles B. is the third. He died at the age of fifty years.
Charles B. remained at home, working at farming summers and attending the common school winters, until he was sixteen years of age, Avlien he commenced to learn the boot-and-shoe business, which he has followed more or less ever since. In 1851 he began to manufacture for himself, and during our great civil war manufactured boots and shoes for the United States army, and had in his employ about seventy-five men. He is still engaged in the boot-and-shoe trade.
In politics he is an uncompromising Republican, and as such is the leader of his party in his town. He has twice been a member of the State Legislature, being the first Republican representative ever elected in Monroe, one term of which he was chairman of the committee on federal relations. In 1879 he was selected by the Legislature to be a commissioner of Fairfield County for the three years ensuing. He has been a selectman of Monroe, collector of the town taxes for twelve years, commissioner by appointment by the Supreme Court, chairman of the Republican committee of the town for a number of years, besides other town offices. He was a candidate for the State Senate in 1872, and though defeated he ran far ahead of his ticket in many towns. He is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has held various offices therein. He married Parmelia, daughter of Elam Beard, Nov. 19, 1851, and at the present time is living in Upper Stepney, town of Monroe, where he settled Sept. 5, 1850.
The Wheeler family is one of the oldest in this part of the county, having settled in Fairfield County with the first colonists. The mother of Mr. Wheeler is still living, and is in good health, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. She resides with her son Ezra B.
Wheeler, Frederick
Fredrick Wheeler. Intimately connected with the early settlement and development of Fairfield Co., Conn., may be found the name of Wheeler, from whom have descended some of the best citizens of the county or State.
Frederick W. Wheeler is the only son of Chauncey Wheeler and Laura J. Lum, and was born in the town of Monroe, Conn., in August, 1841, at the "old homestead," which has been in the family for five generations. " His great-grandfather was named Joseph Wheeler, his grandfather William Wheeler, and his father Chauncey (who died April 29, 1880, aged seventy-six), all of whom were industrious men and good citizens, and left the best of legacies, 'a good name.'"
His advantages for an education were such as the common schools of his town afforded, which he diligently improved. At an early age he engaged in business, dealing in horses and cattle, which, added to farming, constitutes his chief business at present. He is one of the leading agriculturists in the town, and his judgment is often sought in matters of business.
Very early in life Mr. Wheeler took an active part in political matters, being both by choice and inlieritance a Jeffersonian Democrat. He was elected in 1866 to the office of selectman, and continued in that position for five consecutive years. In 1872 he was elected town clerk, and held that position until 1879. In 1872 he was chosen to represent his town in the State Legislature, where, by his genial disposition, rare integrity of character, and sound judgment, he made many warm friends.
He is a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Monroe, and has been warden for several years.
In 1861 he married Estelle E. Brewster, a lineal descendant of the "Mayflower" pilgrim, and five children are the fruit of this happy union.
Beardsley, Dr. E. M.
Dr. E. M. Beardsley, only son of Samuel B. and Abigail McEwen, was born in Danbury, Conn., March 5, 1823. He is a lineal descendant of Samuel Beardsley, who was born at Stratford, Conn., June 20, 1718. He was a farmer in Stratford. He married Anna French. They had a large family of sons and one daughter. He died June 20, 1790.
One of his sons was named Samuel, who was born in Monroe, Conn., May 14, 1760. Like his father, he was a farmer. He married Phebe, daughter of Silas Curtis. She was born Jan. 19, 1767, and died in 1857. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was several times a representative to the State Legislature. He was magistrate and selectman of his town for a great many years. He and his wife were esteemed members of the Congregational Church of Monroe. He died July 20, 1836, aged seventy-six years. They had six children, viz., — Silas C, Elisha, Agur, Samuel B., Nancy, and Maria. Silas C. was a farmer, and died at seventy-six. Elisha was a farmer, and died at seventy- eight. Agur was a farmer in Monroe, and died at eighty-one.
Samuel B., the father of Dr. Edward M., was born in Monroe, Jan. 22, 1795, graduated from Yale College in 1815, and followed the noble profession of teaching for more than forty-seven years. He taught at Snow Hill, Md., from 1815 to 1819, then in Bridgeport for many years; then he went to Danbury, Conn., and taught several years, then returned to Monroe and taught a select school until 1861. He was a very successful teacher, as hundreds of his pupils will attest. He was, as his fathers before him, a Jeffersonian Democrat until the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, when he became a staunch Whig, and later a Republican. He married Abigail, daughter of Lemuel McEwen, Feb. 20, 1819. They have two children, — viz., Edward M. and Elma A., who married John G. Stevens, now of Monroe, Conn.
Mrs. Beardsley was born in Monroe, formerly New Stratford, Feb. 27, 1798. She is still hale and hearty and living with her son Edward M. Samuel B. died Sept. 17, 1873. Dr. E. M. Beardsley was educated by his father, and graduated from the Yale Medical College in 1844. During the time he was getting his education he was an assistant teacher to his father, and in that capacity made many warm friends. Soon after his graduation he was engaged in the drug business for some two and a half years in New Haven, when he returned to Monroe and followed the profession of teaching and the practice of medicine until 1861, since which time he has devoted himself to his profession. His practice has been very extensive, reaching far into the adjoining towns, and many are the families in Monroe and elsewhere that look to him with gratitude for his wise and timely aid.
Of late he has retired from the active duties of his profession and devotes himself to agriculture. In politics he has always been a staunch Republican, but has never taken an active part in politics. In the fall of 1879 he was elected by the Republicans of his town to the State Legislature. He served as a member of the committee on foreign relations. He married Elizabeth A., daughter of David 0. Gray,, of Monroe, April 22, 1855. They have seven children, — viz., Samuel B., Edward G., Charles M., Sarah A., Louis B., Elizabeth A., and Mary L.
Johnson, James C.
James C. Johnson. The subject of this sketch is the only son and eldest child of Albert and Mary L. (Wheeler) Johnson, and was born in the town of Newtown, Fairfield Co., Conn., Dec. 8, 1883. His father was a son of Joseph W. Johnson, and was born in Newtown, Conn., March, 1798, and died at his residence in the town of Monroe, Fairfield Co., Conn., on the 14th of February, 1871. He was a farmer and cooper by trade, a man universally respected by those who knew him. In politics a Democrat, and in religion he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Mary L. Wheeler, and to them Were born three children, — viz., James C, Mary J., and Huldah F. Mrs. Johnson still resides on the "old homestead" with her daughter, Mrs. Huldah F. Edwards.
James C. Johnson was reared on the farm, and early learned those principles which have been the chief characteristics of his life. His advantages for an education were confined to the common schools of his town, except a few terms spent at an academy. During the time spent in obtaining his education he worked on the farm and in his father's cooper-shop summers, and went to school winters. He taught school two winters, and now recalls with pleasure the time thus spent.
On the 26th of September, 1855, he married Marietta C, daughter of Miles and Eloisa Beardsley, of Trumbull, Conn. She was born in Trumbull, Conn., June 8, 1834. They have four children, — viz., Miles B., Mary E., Seymour J., and Merwin W.
Mr. Johnson purchased his present farm of one hundred and thirty acres in 1856, built his house in the summer of 1857, and in September of that year settled where he has continued to reside, and where his children have been born. He has made nearly all the improvements on his farm, and is to-day regarded one of the best men and farmers in this town. He is a man well proportioned, about six feet in height, and will weigh about two hundred pounds. He possesses great force of character and a vast amount of energy. Physically he has not his supe- rior in the town, and probably no man of his years in the town or county has done more hard manual labor. He enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow townsmen, and he is generally regarded one of the leading men in the town. He is one of the leading Democrats of his town, and as such has been constable, magistrate, assessor, and a member of the State Legislature in 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are members of the Congregational Church of Monroe Centre, and he is one of the liberal supporters of the same. Very little is known of his early ancestors in this country, but it is well known that President Andrew Johnson and Hon. Jas. E. Johnson are descendants of the same Johnson in this country.