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Charles Harris, son of Sylvester and
Mary Ann (Johnson) Harris, was born in
Southbury, Connecticut, November 23,
1849. He grew to manhood in East Vil-
lage, Monroe, and went to school there.
He also attended Hinman's private
school. His first employment was in the
yarn mill at Newtown, and later he
clerked in various retail stores until he
came to Westport, when he was about
twenty years of age. There he entered
the employ of D. A. Salmon & Company,
dry-goods merchants. Soon after the
Civil War he went into business for himself
in partnership with Dwight Fenton,
under the firm name of Fenton & Harris.
This arrangement lasted for about two
years, until the stringent times of 1873
forced them to discontinue business.
From that time until his appointment as
postmaster of Westport, in 1900, Mr.
Harris traveled on the road as a salesman.
He held the office of postmaster
for sixteen years, resigning to go into
the retail shoe business. He started the
Westport Shoe Shop, and still retains a
financial interest in the business.
Mr. Harris is a Republican, and one of
the most public-spirited citizens of Westport.
He is a member of Temple Lodge,
Free and Accepted Masons, of which he
is past master, and a member of Aspetuck
Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Harris married. May 6, 1871, Chloe
Esther Goodsell, daughter of John and
Betsey Ann (Taylor) Goodsell, born
March 11, 1846. John Goodsell was the
sixth John Goodsell in direct descent. He
was a son of John and Rachel (Meeker)
Goodsell, and a grandson of John Good-
sell, who was killed by the Hessians at
the burning of Fairfield, July 8, 1779. He
married, January 28, 1834, Betsey Ann
Taylor, daughter of Alfred and Chloe
(Gregory) Taylor, born December 9,
1812. Captain Alfred Taylor was born
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282
November 24, 1791, son of Jonathan, Jr.,
and Nancy (Taylor) Taylor. He was selectman
in Westport in 1839 and 1849,
and first voted for James Monroe, in 1816,
and last for Grover Cleveland. His name
appears among the incorporators of West-
port, and he received his title of captain
from commanding a company of State
Militia for three years. For fifty-five
years he served as vestryman at Christ
Church. He married, April 23, 1812,
Chloe Gregory, bom February 3, 1796,
daughter of Moses and Polly (Fillow)
Gregory. Moses Gregory was born Feb-
ruary 22, 1771, and died May 5, 1881, son
of Stephen and Molly (Benedict) Greg-
ory. About 1795 he married Polly Fil-
low, born February 14, 1779, died June
14, 1859.
Charles Harris and his wife, Chloe Esther
Goodsell, were members of the Methodist
Episcopal church, of which Mr. Harris
was a trustee for many years. Their
only child was Channing Page Harris,
of further mention.
Channing Page Harris was educated
in the Westport public schools, and was
one of the pupils of the first class graduated
from the Staples High School. Then
he took a course in Martin's Business
College at Bridgeport, and was in the
office of the Bryant Electric Company for
almost seven years. He then became
identified with the banking firm of Marsh,
Merwin & Lemmon of Bridgeport, where
he spent about the same number of years.
In May, 1904, he entered the employ of
the First National Bank of Westport.
His years of experience were of untold
value to him in this work, and in due
course of time he was promoted to the
office of cashier. In 1913, when the bank
was reorganized as the Westport Bank
and Trust Company, Mr. Harris became
secretary and treasurer, and also a director
of the new corporation. Other