Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

of three kindred words, the Gothic vitau,
meaning to take heed; the taglo-Saxon
witau, to know, the English, wit ;
ENi VCD UT.DIA OF BK IGRAPHY
the
German arte, meaning wit, acuteness,
good sense The necessity of a guide
being one who takes heed, sees and
knows, gives an .added assurance that
these records are correct.
(I) Going back to the earliest pioneer
of this name in America, we find that Mr.
John Viets came from F.urope previous
to 1700. We find him settled in New
York, and there he married Catherine
Meyers, April 24, 1700. In 1710 he removed
with his family to Simsbury, Con-
necticut, and lived there until his death,
November 18, 1723. His wife, Catherine
(Meyers) Yiets, died March 6, 1734.
(II) Captain John (2) Viets, son of
Dr. John (1) Viets, was born November
3, 17 12, in Simsbury. He was given a
good education, then was employed in
the copper mines at Newgate, and later
lived for a time in YVestfield, Massachu-
setts. He was a farmer and hotel keeper,
and is credited with introducing potato
culture into Connecticut. He was a man
interested in public affairs, lieutenant and
captain of militia, and selectman in 1753.
He was appointed keeper of the Newgate
prison in 1773, and held that position for
two years. He did good work during the
Revolution imprisoning Tories. Before
his death he became quite a rich man.
He died of smallpox, April 8, 1777. He
married, December 12. 1734, Lois Phelps.
born March 10, 1718, a daughter of Na-
thaniel and Lois Phelps, a descendant of
William Phelps, one of the early settlers
of Windsor. She died November 12,
1810.
(III) Captain Abner Yiets. son of Captain
John (2) Viets, was born February
15, 1747, and died July 2j, 1826. He was
an extensive farmer, owned a farm of four
103
hundred acres, besides which be wa
lawyer and surveyor; was also captain of
militia. Me married, in 1771, Mary,
daughter of I'.etioni and Martha (Moore)
Viets, born June , 27 1751, died Septem-
ber, [825.
(IV) Man VietS, son of Captain Aimer
Viets, was bom October 17, 17^3. and
died in December, [866. lie was a farmer
and also a stone cutter. He was a public
spirited man and built a highway from
Granby to bast Granby. Me married,
January 1, 1812, Beulah Phelps, daughter
of Deacon Judah and Abigail (Bishop)
I 'helps. Deacon Judah Phelps served in
the Revolution. Beulah (Phelps) Viets
was bom February 21, 1790.
(V) Benjamin Lrskine Viets, son of
Dan VietS, was the youngest of nine chil-
dren, and was born June 12, 1828.
IU' attended the district schools of
his native town. At different periods he
was a resident of Granby, East Granby,
Suffield, Connecticut, and Springfield,
Massachusetts. He married (first) September
1, 1853, Anna Hubbard, born
March 18, 1828, in Bloomfield, daughter
of Benoni and Abigail (Francis) Hubbard,
a descendant of John Hub-
bard, one of the early settlers of Hartford
and one of the first to live in Bloomfield.
Of this marriage there were three sons,
Francis Hubbard, Edward Bradford, and
Scott Benjamin, of whom further.
(VI) Scott Benjamin Viets, son of
Benjamin Erskine Viets, was born in
East Granby. May 4, 1850. He attended
the public schools, after which he com-
pleted his education at the Connecticut
Literary Institute. In 1881 he went to
Waterbury and was employed there for
a year by the American Ring Company,
but except for this has always been engaged
in farming. The Viets farm lies
on either side of East Granby street, and