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

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Biographies:

Eben Edwards Beardsley, clergyman, was born at Stepney, Conn., in 1808; the son of a prosperous farmer and landholder. He was graduated from Trinity college, Hartford, in 1832, as honor man of his class. After serving for three years as master of a classical school in Hartford, and as tutor in Trinity college, he was ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal church, his first incumbency being that of St. Peter's church, Cheshire, Conn. He continued in charge of this parish until he was elected principal of the Episcopal academy in that place, an office which he held for several years. In 1848 he accepted the rectorship of St. Thomas's church, New Haven, and continued there until the time of his death, a period of forty-three years. Trinity college conferred upon him the degree of D.D. in 1854, and Columbia college that of LL.D. in 1874, in recognition of his valuable contributions to the history of the college in his "Life and Correspondence of Samuel Johnson, D.D., Missionary of the Church of England in Connecticut and First President of King's College, New York" (1874), and "Life and Times of William Samuel Johnson, president of Columbia college, New York" (1876). In historical research of the church in Connecticut he became a recognized authority. He published the "History of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, from the Settlement of the Colony to the Death of Bishop Brownell, in 1865" (2 vols., 1865), and the "Life and Correspondence of the Rt. Rev. Samuel Seabury, D.D., First Bishop of Connecticut, and of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America" (1881). Resides his parochial and literary labors, Dr. Beardsley took the deepest interest in diocesan and general ecclesiastical affairs. For thirty-four years he was a member of the standing committee, and for twenty-three years a delegate to the general convention of the church from Connecticut, and in 1880 to 1883 he was president of the House of deputies. He died Dec. 21, 1891.

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

Daniel B. Fayerweather, philanthropist, was born in Stepney, Conn., in 1821. His early education was confined to a brief period in the district school. He was apprenticed to a farmer and on reaching his majority learned the trade of a shoemaker, working at Bridgeport, Conn. In 1854 he entered the employ of Hoyt Brothers, leather dealers of New York city, and in 1870 was admitted into partnership, the firm name being J. B. Hoyt & Co. Subsequently the senior partner withdrew and the style of the firm was changed to Fayerweather & Ladew. Mr. Fayerweather accumulated an estate estimated to aggregate $5,500,000, a large proportion of which was bequeathed to colleges and hospitals. Litigation was begun by the immediate heirs which continued until January, 1897, when the property was distributed as follows: Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Williams and Amherst colleges, Wesleyan university (Conn.), Hamilton college, University of Rochester, Lincoln (Pa.), Virginia (Charlotteville) and Hampton (Va.), universities and Maryville (Tenn.), college, $100,000 each; Yale, $300,000; Columbia, $200,000; Cornell, $200,000; Lafayette, (Pa.), Marietta (Oltio), Adelbert (Ohio), Wabash (Ind.), Park (Mo.), colleges, and Union theological seminary, $50,000 each. In another article of the will Mr. Fayerweather directed that the residue of his estate?after the payment of private bequests?amounting to $2,500,000 be held in trust, and be divided equally among the twenty colleges already mentioned. This article was revoked by codicils made as late as the date of Mr. Fayerweather's decease and the residue was bequeathed to "Justus L. Bulkeley, Thomas G. Ritch and Henry B. Vaughan, to them and their heirs forever." The three residuary legatees did not retain this bequest for themselves, but after increasing the bequests of the immediate heirs, distributed by deed of gift the remainder of the residue, amounting to about $2,150,000, among several colleges and charitable institutions. Mr. Fayerweather died in New York city, Nov. 15, 1890.

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