Connecticut western news., 1885-02-04
LITCHFIELD COUNTY
 REPRESENTATIVES.
From North Canaan and NeishBOring
 Towns.

Among the sketches of members of the present Connecticut House of Rep resentatives in the Hartford Post Sup plement, are the following of local interest =
 NORTH William J. Ferguson was born in Sheffield. Mass, May %, 1926, educated in the common schools. and brought up to the business of n farmer, which he is now following. Fol ten years he was selectman, and is now member of the board of relief. He Is democrat. e
 CANAAN-Samuel w Bradley is Hor- ace Greeley democrat, who was born a' Cornwall, July 26, 1S47, served, in the House of 1879, and in that of 1882, and is now and has been for the past IA years, secretary and superintendent of the Hunts Lyman iron company, He studied in the common and select schools and received thorough business train ing.
 NoRFo1K-1. Joseph Selden, re publican, widely known in connection with silk manufacturing, was born iI West Hartford, October IT, 1928, He studied in the common schools, and took several terms in the academy, closing with course at Westield, Mass. He i, now agent of the Etna silk company. and has been selectman, member. O. the board of relief, as we'll as incumbent of other town offices.
 2. Rufus P Seymour is republican, born at Norfolk April 13, 1927, and sent to the common schools. He is farmer and an undertaken. For eight years Inc was collector, and for two years an as- Sessor, which office he still holds.
 SALIsBURY.-1. Erastus D. Goodwin of Falls Village, is an independent dem ncrat. He was the only farmer inter viewed by the last Congressional Tariff Commission, and holds advanced views with regard to taxation, state and na- tional, desiring capital taxed more and labor less He spoke against the short haul bill before a committee of the last legislature, and cannot therefore sit up on the railroad committee. Any com- mittee having to do with taxation would suit him. He was born in Sharon Jan- nary ', 1923, and is therefore 62 years old. He attended common schools in winter and worked hard in summer. He has served in many town trusts, but has never solicited office. He served in the House of 1869.
 2. Andrew Jackson Spur was born in Sheffield, Mass, on the 14th of June, 1888; therefore is 56 years old. He is the fifth son of Moses and Diadema Jones Spur, and came from tile old Puritanic stock. His father was a suc- cessful farmer, leaving an estate of 422 acres on the Spur grant, and died from a severe accident on the Sd of June. 1846, at the age of 65. His parental grandfather came from Taghkanic, N Y. when ten years old, 120 years ago. Hay ing received a common school education and his father dying when he was eighteen years old, he worked out as common laborer for five years upon the farm, when he married Miss Sarahett, only daughter of Amos NJ. and Sarah Johnson of Cornwall. In April 1851. he bought his present farm in Chapinville, town of Salisbury. Agriculture is his avocation, striving to be one of the best farmers in his town. His wife died on the 11th of September, 1870. To Mir and Mrs Spur were born five children {; two sons, Arthur J. and Earnest C.. aged 21 and 16 respectively. are the only liv- ing members with himself, who remains a widower. MT Spur has held the office of assessor, trial justice, constable, com missioner of the superior court, grand juror, and trustee In savings bank; was selectman in 1869 and TO, with his pres ent colleague, E. D. Goodwin. He is now a justice of the peace, grand juror, and commissioner of the superior court. This is his first year in the general as- sembly. He received 456 votes, or 127 over his competitor. He was made a voter in Sheffield, and cast his first pres idental vote for Franklin Pierce, and has voted for every democratic nominee from Pierce down to, and for Grover Cleve- land. Being named after the seventh president, who said to his cabinet, ''Gentlemen, by the Eternal God, call l you here to advise with me, and not to dictate" he has Inherited those princi- pies, therefore will act with the demo- cratic party.
 SHARoN.-1. Erastus A. Deming was born In Sharon, August g, 1928. and is a farmer. He had the advantages of the common school, and in 1858 and 1878 was sent to the legislature. He is g | democrat.
 2. James B. Reed, a democrat and farmer, is a son of Baldwin Reed, 2d, 6 representative in 1870 and 1875. He was born in Sharon, July 29, 1856, and educated in the common and select schools.
 CoRNwALL.-Yictory c. Beers of Corn
 wall Bridge, was born at Cornwall, Sep tember %, 1882 and is a farmer ant
 dealer in leaf tobacco He is a demo
 crat with independent proclivities, wa
 educated in the common schools ant
 academy, Is town treasurer, has beer
 such since 1881, and in the senate O
 1870 from the old seventeenth district