History of Danbury, (Fairfield County) Connecticut United States of America

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Biographies:

Samuel James Andrews, clergyman, was born at Danbury, Conn., July 31, 1817. He was graduated from Williams college in 1839, and opened a law office in New York city, but after practising a short time he entered the Congregational ministry. He afterwards occupied the place of tutor in Trinity college, Hartford. He finally adopted the Irvingite doctrine, and in 1868 became minister of the Catholic Apostolic church in Hartford. In 1879 he received the degree D.D. from Union college. He wrote "Life of Our Lord upon Earth" "God's Revelation of Himself to Men"; "Christianity and Anti-Christianity" " The Church and Its Organic Ministries."

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Robert Sandeman, religious leader, was born in Perth, Scotland, in 1718. He was educated in the University of Edinburgh, engaged in the linen trade, and married Catharine, daughter of the Rev. John and Katharine (Black) Glass. The Rev. John Glass was the founder of the sect known first as the Glassites, and later as the Sandemanians. Robert Sandeman systematized the opinion of Glass and was made an elder, establishing churches in the principal cities of Scotland, in London, and other towns in England. He came to America accompanied by Mr. James Cargill in 1764, and was mainly instrumental in the establishment of several churches in New England, one of which was located in Danbury, another in Boston, Mass., and a third in Portsmouth, N.H. Subsequently Taunton and Newton, Mass., held congregations. In 1765 he located in Danbury, Conn., where much controversy was aroused by his views. Among the distinctive practices of the sect are community of goods, abstinence from blood and from things strangled, love-feasts, and weekly celebration of the communion. The main cause of the decline of this sect was its division into two parties, one being called the Osbornites from their teacher, Levi Osborne, and the other the Baptist Sandemanians from their practice of baptism. During the Revolution the Sandemanians were principally loyalists. Robert Sandeman died at Danbury, Conn., April 2, 1771.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Joseph Platt Cooke, delegate, was born in Danbury, Conn., Jan. 4, 1730; son of the Rev. Samuel (Yale, 1705) and Elizabeth (Platt) Cooke; and grandson of Thomas and Sarah (Mason) Cooke, and of Joseph Platt. He was graduated from Yale in 1750 and settled in his native town, where he became a wealthy and influential citizen. He represented Danbury in about thirty sessions of the general assembly between the years 1763 and 1783, and from 1784 to 1803 he served as a member of the governor's council. In 1771 he was appointed colonel of the 16th regiment of militia and accompanied General Wolcott's force to New York in 1776. He engaged in the effort to repulse the British in their raid on Danbury in April, 1777, and on the death of General Wooster the command of the retreat devolved upon him. He was also probably in Putnam's force on the Hudson during the campaign against Burgoyne, but resigned his colonelcy early in 1778. He was a member of the council of safety in 1778; judge of probate for the Danbury district, 1776-1813, and a delegate to the Continental congress, 1784-88. He was married, Nov. 22, 1759, to Sarah, daughter of Capt. Daniel and Sarah (Hickok) Benedict. He died in Danbury, Conn., Feb. 3, 1816.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor