History of Oxford, (New Haven County) Connecticut United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Oxford, (New Haven County) Connecticut, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

Sheldon Clark, philanthropist, was born at Oxford, Conn., Jan. 31, 1785. At an early age he was adopted by his grandfather, Thomas Clark, who trained him to be a farmer. He was educated at the common schools, and in the season of 1811-12 attended lectures at Yale college and received instruction from President Dwight. He returned to the farm and devoted his time to agricultural labors and to private study. In 1823 he deposited for Yale college $5000, to be placed at compound interest for twenty-four years, and the amount to be used to found the Clark professorship of moral philosophy and metaphysics. In 1824 he gave $1000 to establish scholarships in Yale college, the sum to stand at compound interest for twenty-four years. In 1829 the college received from him $1200 for the purchase of a telescope. He was elected to the state legislature in 1825 and several times re-elected. He bequeathed to Yale college property and money to the value of $15,000. He is the author of: A Cure for Arminianism (1815); Essay on Volition; Essays (1823); and Free Agency, Predestination and Knowledge (1839). See Notice of the late Sheldon Clark by Prof. Silliman, in The American Journal of Science (XLI, 217). He died at Oxford, Conn., April 10, 1840.

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

Mary Harrison (Browne) Seymour, author, was born in Oxford, Conn., Sept. 7, 1835; daughter of the Rev. Abraham and Lucy Maria (Harrison) Browne; granddaughter of Abraham and Anna (Hale) Browne and of Simeon and Hannah (Farnum) Harrison. She attended the academies of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Baltimore, Md., and was married, June 20, 1861, to the Rev. Storrs O. Seymour of Litchfield, Conn. She contributed many stories to children's magazines and is the author of: Sunshine and Starlight (1869); Ned, Nellie and Amy (1870); Mollie's Christmas Stocking (1877); Posy Vinton's Picnic (1877); Every Day (1877); Recompense (1881); Through the Darkness (1893).

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

Oscar Harger, paleontologist, was born in Oxford, Conn., Jan. 12, 1843. He was graduated at Yale, A.B., 1868, A.M., 1871. He was assistant to Prof. Othniel Charles Marsh, paleontologist at Yale, 1870-87. He was a proficient botanist; pursued zo?1ogical studies under Professor Verrill, and did much original work in vertebrate paleontology, and in invertebrate zo?1ogy. He was secretary of the Connecticut academy of arts and sciences, 1875-77. He published reports on the Marine Isopoda of New England and Adjacent Waters (1880), and on The lsopoda of the Blake Dredgings on the Eastern Coast of the United States (1883). He died in New Haven, Conn., Nov. 6, 1887.

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

Horace Chauncey Johnson, painter, was born in Oxford, Conn., Feb. 1, 1820; son of Almon and Luestra (Jordan) Johnson; grandson of Timothy and Amy (Terrell) Johnson, and a descendant of Col. Ebenezer Johnson, of Derby, Conn. He attended school at Cheshire, Conn., and received his first instruction in art from Alfred H. Emmons, of Hartford, Conn., subsequently taking a course in the antique school of the National Academy of Design, New York city. In 1856 he went to Rome, Italy, where he received instruction from Ferraro; also studying at the English life school, and portrait-painting under William Page. He maintained studios in Rome, Italy, and at Waterbury, Conn. His works include: Roman Mother (1857); Roman Peasants on the Campagna (1858); Grape Gatherers of Gensano (1858); Italian Kitchen (1865); Betrothal of Joseph and Mary (1865); Italian Girls at the Fountain (1885); Azrael (1885); Rebecca at the Well (1886), all of which are figure paintings.

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