P. L. Cunningham |
COLONEL PETER L. CUNNINGHAM
was born Aug. 15, 1814, in New York City; and came to Norwalk
then called Old Well (now South Norwalk), Fairfield Co.,
Conn., in the spring of 1834. He has always been
prominently identified with local public affairs, and he took an
active part in the campaign of 1840. That year he was a
leader in the organization of a new military company, the First
Rifle Company (known throughout the State as the Mohican Rifle
Corps), of the Ninth Regiment, Fourth Brigade, C. S. S., and he
was favorably known as its commander for several years. IN
1858 he received the appointment of colonel on the staff of
Gov. William A. Buckingham, and in September, 1861, he was
appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Eighth Connecticut
Volunteers, resigning the latter office, however, after a
service of four months, and receiving an honorable discharge.
As a member of the Military Committee of the Legislature in
special session in 1861, he proposed that the sum of three
million dollars be appropriated for the defense of the Union,
and the measure was adopted by both branches of the legislative
body, little supposing that before the close of the war another
three million dollars would be required from the State of
Connecticut. As a factor in the city government Colonel
Cunningham was senior councilman of the city of South
Norwalk for the terms of 1877-78-79, and was mayor in 1883-84.
He has been a director in the Central National Bank from its
organization, has been a director in the First National Bank for
several years, and is also a director in the Norwalk Gas
Company.
Fraternally, Colonel Cunningham is widely known
as an active member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, to
which he was admitted May 11, 1843, uniting with Our Brothers
Lodge, No. 10. He is a charter member of the Kalosa
Encampment, which he joined Sept. 17, 1845. In 1853 and
1854 he was elected Grand Patriarch of the State of Connecticut;
in 1854 and 1855 Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of the
United States, held at Baltimore, Md.; in 1869 and 1870 Grand
Master of the State of Connecticut; and in 1870 and 1871 Grand
Representative to the United States Grand Lodge held at Chicago
and Baltimore. He was admitted to membership in the
Masonic Fraternity Apr. 29, 1847, joining St. John's Lodge, No.
6, Norwalk, Conn., became a member of Clinton Commandery,
Norwalk, on Feb. 11, 1853, and is also a Royal Arch Mason and a
Knight Templar. [Since the above was written, Col. C.
L. Cunningham died suddenly Apr. 22, 1899, at the Norwalk
Hospital, where he had gone to view the building then in course
of completion. He was seen to fall while going down a
decline back of the hospital, and lived only a short time after
being picked up. It is believed he was stricken with
apoplexy.]
Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield
Co., Connecticut, Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1899 - Page
12 |
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CHARLES D. CURTIS
(deceased) was for many years a prominent resident of Stratford,
and by his upright life and character he maintained the high
standard of citizenship which has been associated with the
family name from pioneer times. He was born in Stratford
in 1806 and was of the seventh generation in descent from
Elizabeth Curtis, a widow who came to Stratford at an early day
with her two sons, John and William.
II. William Curtis married and had a large
family, among whom was a son Josiah.
III. Josiah Curtis (1) was born Aug. 30,
1662, and died in 1745.
IV. Josial Curtis (2), son of Josiah (1),
was born in Stratford, Jan. 6, 1702 or 3.
V. Abner Curtis, son of Josiah (2), was
born in Stratford, Oct. 11, 1732. HE married a Miss
Selby, probably daughter of Thomas Selby, and had
several children, among whom was a son Isaac Judson.
VI. Isaac Judson Curtis,
our subject's father, was born in Stratford April 12, 1767, and
was baptized in June of the same year. He died July 17,
1845, and his wife, Charity Booth (daughter of Abel
Booth, son of Zachariah son of Joseph, son of
Richard Booth), to whom he was married Jan. 1, 1791, died
Dec. 16, 1846. They had eleven children, whose names with
dates of birth and death are here given:
(1) Polly, Apr. 13, 1792,
died Jan. 15, 1817, married Joel Jones;
(2) Catherine,
born Aug. 7, 1794, died June 17, 1855, married Marcus Curtis;
(3) Dillissena S.,
June 10, 1796, died June 14, 1817;
(4) Harriet, Nov.
30, 1799, died Feb. 28, 1856, married Samuel Barnum, of
Danbury;
(5) Rebecca, Dec.
14, 1801, died Nov. 27, 1835, married Lewis Beers;
(6) Isaac,
Jan. 6, 1803, died June 2, 1862, married Sarah L. Beers,
became a farmer, owning a large tract of land;
(7) Charity, May
2, 1805, died Aug. 19, 1805
(8) Charles D.,
born Jul. 6, 1806, died Apr. 2, 1888;
(9) Sidney, Jun.
23, 1808, married Christianna Demarest, and settled in
New York, engaging in mercantile business;
(10) Mary C., born
Sept. 25, 1811, died Aug. 20, 1852, was married Oct. 15, 1835,
to William Brooks, of Milford Conn.;
(11) Lucius, Feb.
22, 1814, died Oct. 18, 1848, became a carpenter by trade, and
was married Mar. 18, 1839, to Fannie Ufford.
VII. The late Charles D. Curtis
attained the advanced age of eighty-two years, and during his
active career as a contractor and builder he acquired a
considerable property, his ability and skill placing him in the
front rank of his chosen calling. While he was not
especially active in politics, he took keen interest in public
questions, and was a firm adherent of the Democratic party.
He and his family were identified with the Episcopal Church at
Stratford, in which he held the office of vestryman for many
years, and socially he was connected with St. John's Lodge No.
9, F. & A. M., at Stratford. On Nov. 20, 1830, he married
Miss Elizabeth C. Porter, daughter of Capt. Joseph
Porter, well-known citizen of that town. She died Nov.
27, 1859; he then married Julia A. Seeley, a member of an
old Stratford family, who died Apr. 16, 1892, leaving no
children. By his first marriage he had two daughters;
Christianna, who died Mar. 28, 1846, aged two years, and
Miss Alma C. a resident of Stratford.
Source: Commemorative
Biographical Record of Fairfield Co., Connecticut, Publ.
Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1899 - Page 11-12 |
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FRANK L. CURTIS,
undertaker and embalmer, Stratford, town of Stratford, Fairfield
county, Connecticut. Source: Commemorative Biographical Record of Fairfield
Co., Connecticut, Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1899 - Page
1329 |
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