ECKFORD DAVIS.

  Eckford Davis is one of the honored residents of Branford and one if its most venerable citizens. He has passed the eighty-first milestone on life’s journey, his birth having occurred in Killingworth, Middlesex county, Connecticut, May 12, 1836. His parents were Lewis T. and Sarah (Burr) Davis. The father was born in Killingworth, Connecticut, and there acquired his education, after which he took up the occupation of farming, which he followed throughout his remaining days in Killingworth. His wife was born in Higganum, Connecticut, was there educated and, like her husband, spent her last days in Killingworth.

  Eckford Davis passed the period of his boyhood and youth upon his father’s farm at Killingworth and is indebted to the public school system of that locality for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. In 1857, when a young man of twenty years, he went west to Coffey county, Kansas, hoping to locate there, but did not like the locality and returned to his native city, whence he removed to Branford in 1860. He began farming east of Branford and afterward married Sarah Elizabeth Beach and later came into possession of the old Beach homestead, which he yet owns. He concentrated his efforts and attention upon its further cultivation and development until 1906, when he retired from active life but still occupies the farm.

  It was on the 4th of November, 1860, that Mr. Davis was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Elizabeth Beach, who was born in Branford, upon the farm which is now the property of her husband. She was a daughter of Eber and Mary (Tyler) Beach, who were also natives of Branford, where her father followed the occupations of farming and shoemaking, making shoes upon his place to ship to the West Indies. Both he and his wife died upon the old homestead and their daughter, Mrs. Davis, passed away August 1, 1900. She was an only child and by her marriage had but one child, Mary Tyler, who was born on the old Beach farmstead and became the wife of Elon Bragg, who now farms the place. Mr. Bragg was born in Devonshire, England, and at the age of eighteen years came to America, making his way to Norwalk, Connecticut, whence he afterward removed to Branford, where he married. He was formerly a brass finisher in the employ of the Branford Lock Works but is now concentrating his efforts and attention upon agricultural pursuits. To Mr. and Mrs. Bragg have been born three children, of whom one died in infancy. Sarah Elizabeth was born in the same house as her mother and grandmother. She is the wife of Abner Sandquist, a photo engraver, and they have two children, Mary Elonia and Lillian Elizabeth. They reside in New Haven. Vincent Elon Davis Bragg was born in the same house as his mother, was graduated from the high school of Branford and from the University of Pennsylvania, in which he completed a course in the dental department. He became assistant professor of oral surgery in the University of Pennsylvania and practiced dentistry in Philadelphia, but is now a first lieutenant in the Dental Reserve Corps and post surgeon at Fort Riley, Kansas. Mrs. Bragg has been very active as a worker in the First Congregational church. She has ever been a devoted wife and mother and has every reason to be proud of the splendid record made by her son in the educational world and in the professional field.

  Mr. Davis has long been a stalwart champion of the republican party but would never consent to become a candidate for office, preferring that his public service should be done as a private citizen. Since 1864 he has been a consistent member of the First Congregational church and for more than forty years served as one of its ushers, while for an extended period he acted as treasurer of the church and for many years was a member of the society committee. In a word he took a very active and helpful part in all the lines and departments of church work and his labors have been effective in promoting the growth and development of the organization. He is a very strong temperance worker and belonged to the Sons of Temperance and also to the Knights of Honor. His life has been characterized by good deeds. He has ever been most charitable and his record contains many evidences of his benevolent spirit. Throughout his life he has found time to visit those in need, contributing to their support and welfare. It is not difficult to speak of Mr. Davis, for his life and his character are as clear as the sunlight. His friends, and they are many, know him as a man who has cherished a high ideal of duty and lived up to it. He has constantly labored for the right and from his earliest youth has devoted a large portion of his time to the service of others. To him have come “the blest accompaniments of age--honor, riches, troops of friends.”
 

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