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Smith. Simon Brainerd, second son of
Abiah and Esther, was a farmer in
Chatham (now Portland), built saw and
grist mills, and died after September ii,
1806. He married Hepsibah, daughter of
. Nathaniel Spencer of Haddam, and their
fourth son was Silas Brainerd. He was
born April 12, 1767, in Chatham and was
a carpenter, living successively in East
Haddam, Catskill and other points in
Greene County, New York, dying July 20,
1847, in Middle Haddam. He opened
stone quarries in Saugerties, New York.
His wife was Lucinda Brainerd, born in
1765, died April 9, 1816, daughter of Jo-
siah and Lois (Hurlburt) Brainerd, of
Haddam Neck.
Erastus Brainerd, eldest son of Silas
and Lucinda, born October 16, 1791, bap-
tized February 5, 1792, in Portland (then
part of Chatham), was one of the most
active and useful citizens of his native
place, and died June 15, 1861. The first
to develop the famous brownstone quar-
ries of Portland on an extensive scale,
he continued to be interested in their oper-
ation until his death. He was a director
of the Middletown Bank from 1847 to
1861, vice-president of the agricultural
society in 1858-59, representative in 1843-
1844, and one of the corporators of the
Union Mills. He married, December 25,
1815, Mary Wells Stancliff, born December
I, 1793, died May 11, 1880, daughter
of James and Meribah (Wells) Stancliff.
-y^ Benjamin Franklin Brainerd, third son of
Erastus, was born November 29, 1823,
at the family homestead in Portland, and
was interested in the quarries all his life.
At the time of his death he was treasurer
of the quarry corporation, now known as
Brainerd, Shailer & Hall. A lifelong
member of Trinity parish, he was inter-
ested in all its good works. Not a seeker
for public office, he devoted himself to
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
230
business and was a director of the Port-
land National Bank and Freestone Sav-
ings Bank, whose judgment was respected
by his associates. He married, March
28, 1851, Amelia Ann Davis, born July 8,
1822, in Portland, daughter of Asa and
Mary (Diggins) Davis, and they were the
parents of six children.
LeRoy Brainerd, son of Erastus, born
March 12, 1840, in Portland, was a stu-
dent in Woodford's School at Meriden,
Connecticut, and the Skinner School in
New Haven. Before attaining his major-
ity, he left school and began work in the
Portland quarries, later was interested a
few years in business in New Haven. He
became treasurer and general manager of
the Middletown & Portland Ferry Com-
pany. This was replaced by the present
highway bridge, shortly before his death,
which occurred April 4, 1903. He was
also president of the quarry company,
above mentioned. He was a vestryman
in Trinity Church of Portland, one of the
founders of the Portland Social Club and
a member of the Warren Lodge, No. 51,
Free and Accepted Masons of Portland.
Politically, he was a Republican, but did
not desire any part in the conduct of pub-
lic affairs. He married, April .28, 1869,
Amelia D. Freeman, born November 23,
1845, i" Cherry Valley, New York, died
February 28, 1918, in New Jersey, buried
in Portland, daughter of Rodney B. and
Mary (Davis) Freeman, the former a
native of Massachusetts, and the latter of
Portland. Their children were : Elsie ;
Fannie, died in 1900; Clara, died in 1922;
and Erastus LeRoy.
Erastus LeRoy Brainerd, only son of
LeRoy and Amelia, was reared in Portland,
where he was a student in Miss
White's Private School. He was four
years a student in the public schools and
attended the Middletown High School