CHARLES ERSKINE BRAYTON, M.D.,
of Stonington, son of Atwood Randall and Sally M. (Davis) Brayton, was
born in this town, February 11, 1851. He represents the eighth generation
of his family in this country, being a lineal descendant of Francis Brayton,
born in England in 1611 or 1612, who in 1643 became an inhabitant of Portsmouth,
R.I. Succeeding Francis in this line were: Francis(2); Thomas,(3) born
1681; Francis,(4) born 1721; Benjamin,(5) of Fall River, born 1746; George,(6)
born 1786; Atwood(7) Randall Brayton, born December 2, 1806.
George Brayton, the Doctor's grandfather,
died of pneumonia at his home in Johnson, now a part of Providence, R.I.,
when but thirty-five years of age. He was survived by his wife, formerly
Nancy Randall, and five children, three sons and two daughters. After her
husband's death Mrs. Nancy R. Brayton married a Mr. Carey, a widower with
twelve children, and, outliving him also, died a widow at the age of sixty-seven.
She was a descendant of Roger Williams, three of whose great-grand-daughters
— Mercy, Lydia, and Martha Williams—married respectively William, Joseph,
and John Randall. Atwood Randall, eldest son of George and Nancy R. Brayton,
was born in Providence, December 2, 1806. By trade a mason, he was also
a contractor and builder. He built the stone work of the old Baptist, Congregational,
and Episcopal churches, and most of the other stone buildings of that time,
He built his own dwelling-house in 1840. Although he began life a poor
boy, his unremitting industry enabled him to retire from business at the
age of seventy-seven, a well-to-do man. He died at the age of eighty-four
and a half, having survived all of his brothers and sisters. His wife,
Sally Maria, was born in what is now North Stonington, January 25, 1811,
being the youngest of thirteen children of Samuel and Lucy (Dewey) Davis.
She is the only one of the family now living. Her father was a soldier
of the Revolution. He enlisted at the age of seventeen, was in the battles
at Princeton and Trenton, and was at Groton, his three brothers also being
in the army. Their father, John Davis, who married Patience Palmer, was
a son of Peter Davis, Sr., of Westerly, R.I., a noted preacher of the Society
of Friends, who went on a mission to England. Samuel Davis died at the
age of sixty-eight; and his widow died in 1857, ninety-four years old.
Their daughter married Atwood Randall Brayton, October 2, 1831.
Mr. and Mrs. Atwood R. Brayton had eleven
children, four of whom died in infancy or childhood; and one, the eldest-born,
a daughter Sarah, died in 1895, a maiden lady of sixty-two years. The survivors
are: Atwood W., the eldest son, and his father's successor in business,
unmarried and living at the old home; Frances Almira and the youngest sister
Adelaide, also living at home; George, a house painter and decorator, who
is married and has two children; and Charles Erskine, the subject of this
sketch. The three sisters were successful teachers for many years.
Charles Erskine, the tenth child and the
third Charles, was sent to private and public schools until he reached
the age of twelve, when he was placed under the instruction of a private
tutor, Dr. Hart, of Stonington, for five years. He worked at his father's
trade four summers, and when he was eighteen years old he taught school
one term before he began the study of medicine with Dr. William Hyde. He
was graduated from the medical department of Columbia College in 1873,
having been a private pupil of Professor William Parker. He began practising
in Stonington the same year as assistant to Dr. William Hyde, who died
in a few months. He then succeeded to his practice, and remained in his
office seven years. In 1880 Dr. Brayton erected a large and handsome building,
where he has some fine offices and sleeping apartments. On the first floor
of this building there is a drug store, on the second dental parlors and
a great hall, where the G. A. R. Post and other societies hold their meetings.
The Doctor lives in this building, but takes his meals at the family home,
in the house built by his father, which he has remodelled and modernized,
and where his mother is still living. He owns a number of tenements and
several vacant lots.
Dr. Brayton is a busy man; and he has held
many positions, both in public life and within the scope of his profession.
He has been president of the New London County Medical Society, is a member
of the State Medical Society, of the American Medical Association, and
of the National Association of Railway Surgeons, and has been Health Officer
for six years. He was chief of the railroad surgeons of the New York, Providence
& Boston Railway until that was merged into the N. Y., N. H. &
H. R.R., and examiner for several life insurance companies. In politics
he is a Democrat, and he has been a Burgess of the borough six years. He
is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and is Past Regent and life member of
the Grand Council of Connecticut. He is also connected with the Sons of
the Revolution. Dr. Brayton is an active member of the Second Congregational
Church, is treasurer of the society, and a member of the society committee.
(Photo attached)
Biographical Review Volume
XXVI
Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens
of
New London County Connecticut
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1898
pg 50 - 52
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