Charles A. Meigs

Meigs Homestead Quaker Farms Road, Oxford, CT, Built 1696

Oxfordshire Great Hill Rd, Oxford,  CT. Built in 1736, Owned by Stephen B. Church

Charles E. Meigs Son of Charles A. Meigs

Judge Meigs Obituary

Bernice Riggs married Charles Augustus Meigs on January 3, 1867. His family was very involved in the industrial and mercantile business. His father, Samuel Meigs, was born in Bethlehem, CT and moved to Oxford when he was twenty years old. His grandfather, David Tomlinson, conducted a mercantile business in Oxford. In addition to this, Mr. Tomlinson was engaged in the West Indies trade and owned many vessels that sailed between Derby, New Haven and those islands. David Tomlinson also owned 2,300 acres of land, mostly in the town of Oxford. He was wealthy and influential, serving for a time as a Senator in the State Legislature. Samuel Meigs died in 1855 at his homestead in Quaker Farms, in Oxford. A picture of the Meigs Homestead is pictured above.

Charles A. Meigs was born on March 6, 1825 in Quaker Farms, Oxford, CT. When he was sixteen he went to Birmingham, CT and worked as a tailor's apprentice, but health problems prevented him from following this occupation. When he returned to Oxford, he taught school for a brief period and in 1849 he moved to Waterbury, where he started the first bakery in that city. In 1857, he went into partnership with John T. Trott, and he named the bakery business, "Meigs and Trott." This business operated for over thirty years and was very well known throughout the State, especially in the manufacture of crackers. He also owned an extensive farm in Quaker Farms and was very interested in agriculture. He often divided his time between his business in Waterbury and his farm in Oxford. Mr. Meigs was a prominent citizen of Oxford and was considered wealthy and influential member of the town. He married Bernice Riggs on January 3, 1867 and together they had three children, David, Mary and Charles E. Their son David died as an infant and their daughter Mary resided in Waterbury. Their son Charles E. was born on June 1, 1872 and was a prosecuting attorney and district court judge in Waterbury. He was a graduate of the Scientific Department at Yale University, and was a student at both Yale and Harvard Law Schools. He died suddenly at home in Waterbury at the age of 53 from a short illness.

Lucinda Riggs married Henry Church of Seymour, CT. His family was extensively engaged in the timber and wood business.  Shelden Church, Henry's father, was born in Oxford on January 30, 1798. He was a farmer and supplied vessel frames for ships and took them to New York to be sold. He also supplied wooden frames for many buildings, factories and residences in Ansonia, CT from timber cut by sawmills he owned on his property. He was well respected and held a number of offices of trust in connection with town affairs. He married Laura E. Lines and together they had six children: Henry, William, John, Charles, Noyes and Alice. When he was 50 years old, he moved to Seymour and retired. He died on November 8, 1873.

Henry Church was born January 11, 1827.  He married Lucinda Riggs of Oxford and together they had six children. They lived for many years in the old Church homestead on Oxford Road, in Oxford. Henry Church, like his father, Sheldon, was involved in the farming and  timber business. Henry's brother, John Church had a son named Stephen B. Church, who was involved in engineering and contracting for a water supply company that used artesian wells and other specialized deep well pumping machinery. He was the owner of Oxfordshire and donated millions to the Town of Oxford to build the Oxford Town Hall. A picture of Oxfordshire is pictured above.
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