USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II > Part 18
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HON. CHARLES F. HOLABIRD).
Hon. Charles F. Holabird is one of the prominent farmers of North Branford and, more- over, is identified with all the progressive and public-spirited movements which have eon- tributed to the upbuilding and development of the community and of the commonwealth. His fellow townsmen, appreciative of his worth, have on various occasions called him to pub- lic office, in which he has demonstrated his marked fidelity to the best interests of town and state. He was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, March 5, 1856, and is a son of lTiram and Mariette (Voshurgh) Holabird. He is a representative of one of the old Connecticut families, tracing bis lineage from John and Mary (Belden) Holabird, of Litchfield county, Connecticut. They were the parents of Charles H. Holabird, who wedded Sarah Butler, and both were natives of Canaan, Connecticut. Their son, Hiram Holabird, was born in Canaan, July 21, 1822, and followed the occupation of farming as a life work. He was identified with agri- cultural pursuits at Canaan for a considerable period and afterward removed to Sheffield, Massachusetts, where he also followed farming. Later he became a resident of North Bran- ford, Connecticut, where his last days were passed.
Charles F. Holabird acquired his education in the schools of Sheffield, Massachusetts, pursuing his studies to the age of seventeen years, when he accompanied his parents to Northi Branford. He there took up farm work and has since given his attention to general farnt- ing and stock raising. In addition to the cultivation of his own land he operates the old Russell farm and he is regarded as one of the most enterprising and progressive agricul- turists of this section of New Haven county. He has closely studied modern scientific metli- ods and his labors are wisely and carefully directed, so that his efforts are attended by the utmost measure of success possible.
On the 25th of December. 1877, at North Branford, Connecticut, Mr. Holabird was united in marriage to Miss Bertha Russell, who was born at North Branford, where she has spent her entire life, acquiring her education in its public schools and in Miss Emeline Harrison's private school at No. 110 Howe street in New Haven, while for a time she was also a student in a private school at Peoria, Illinois. She is a daughter of Alfred and Caroline Russell. To Mr. and Mrs. Holabird have been born seven children. Roy Russell, born April 25, 1879, is manager for the Strongheart-Barnes Company of New Haven and married Lillian John- son, of New Haven. Charles Lovell, born October 19, 1883, is a musician of New York city. Douglas Butler, born January 6, 1886, married Leila Byington, of North Guilford and follows farming at North Branford. Ralph Harrison, born May 23, 1888, married Carrie Thorpe, of Philadelphia, and is connected with the Winchester Arms Company of New Haven. Lucy Russell, born October 27, 1892, is engaged in teaching. Mary Vosburgh, born July 5, 1897, and Effie Rose, born November 23, 1900, are still at home. All were born in North Branford.
Mr. Holabird gives his political endorsement to the republican party and has been a prominent and active worker in its ranks. He was the first selectman of North Branford. which office he held for eight years, and his administration was characterized by marked devo- tion to the general good. He practiced close economy yet did not hamper this by useless retrenchment. However, he kept the town out of debt and largely furthered its interests in many ways. In 1913 he was chosen to represent his district in the state legislature and
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he served on the excise committee. Both Mr. and Mrs. Holabird attend the Congregational church and he belongs to Totocket Grange, of which he is a past master. Mrs. Holabird is recognized as the chief authority upon the history of North Branford and has in her pos- session valuable historical data and records covering the period of early settlement and on down to the present.
FREDERICK HENRY ROLF.
Frederick Henry Rolf. who is leaving the impress of his individuality upon the political and commercial history of the state, makes his home in Guilford, where he was born Jan- nutary 29, 1876, his parents being George P. and Mary S. (Storer; Rolf. The father was born in England and in his boyhood days came to America with his parents, who settled in Guil- ford, where he was reared and educated. There he learned the stonemason's trade, which he followed for many years, and later he engaged in the livery business, conducting a livery and sales barn. At the present time he is carrying on a large live stock sales business at No. 190 Grand avenue, in New Haven but continues to make his home in Guilford, where he has taken a prominent part in public affairs, filling various positions of honor and trust, including the offices of burgess, selectman, mayor and member of the finance board. His wife, who was born in Le Roy, New York. is also living.
Frederick H. Rolf, their only child, passed through consecutive grades in the Guilford schools to the high school and later became a student in the Yale Business College, after which he turned his attention to the drug business, in which he engaged for a short time in New Haven. He did not find that pursuit congenial and for a brief period engaged in office railroad work. In 1897, at the age of twenty-one, he purchased the Sachems Head Canning Company of Guilford and also a grain, feed and coal business. The canning company was established in 1874 by D. N. Benton and at the time of Mr. Rolf's purchase was a small con- cern but had a well established reputation for the quality of its products. Mr. Rolf built up the business from that point until the plant today has a capacity of a half million cans of tomatoes per year and also packs apples, squash, pumpkins and other lines. The Guilford brand of canned tomatoes has the reputation of being the highest quality of canned toma- toes on the market. The factory is equipped with all modern devices for the sanitarv handling of the vegetables, everything is done with the utmost care and after the prelim- inary stages the vegetables are not handled by any person but through machinery processes the packing is completed. During the canning season the plant employs from seventy-five to one hundred operatives. Mr. Rolf owns an extensive farm and grows his own tomatoes, also buying from other growers in this vicinity. The canning factory is only operated during the season when the vegetables are upon the market but the feed, grain and coal business is conducted throughout the year and in that line Mr. Rolf enjoys an extensive, gratifying and growing patronage. He is a man of resourceful ability, alert and enterprising, and he is a trustee of the Eagle Hose Company of Guilford and is secretary and treasurer of the Guil- ford Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which he aided in organizing.
In June, 1907, Mr. Rolf was married to Miss Mabel Carpenter Hubbard, of Guilford, where she was born. She is a daughter of John B. and Eva (Goldsmith) Hubbard, who were natives of Guilford, where her father passed away, but her mother is still living. Both were repre- sentatives of old and prominent families of Guilford.
In politics Mr. Rolf is a stalwart republican and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have frequently called upon him to serve in public offices. He has been borough clerk, burgess and auditor and in 1904. when twenty-eight years of age, he was elected to represent his district in the state legislature, being the youngest member of the house during the session of 1905. In the fall of 1916 he was elected state senator and is now chairman of the labor committee and a member of the finance committee. As chair- man of the former he has made an exhaustive study of labor conditions in the state and put forth effective work in this connection for the benefit of all classes. He belongs to the Third Congregational church, for many years has been superintendent of its Sunday school and is very active in other departments of the church work. He likewise belongs to St. Albans Lodge, F. & A. M., and to the Royal Arch Chapter of Guilford and is a member of Menunea-
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A MODERN HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN
tuck Lodge, 1. O. O. F., and was the youngest incumbent in the office of noble grand in that organization. He likewise belongs to Hollis Encampment, No. 34, and he is a member of the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. He cooperates in all of its well defined plans for the upbuilding and development of his eity and he keeps in touch with all of those broad ques- tions which affect the general interests of society. He is a broadminded man, the spirit of progress dominating him in his connection with commercial interests, municipal affairs and the welfare of the commonwealth.
WALTER IRVING RUSSELL, M. D.
Dr. Walter Irving Russell. actively engaged in the practice of medieine and surgery in New Haven, with office at No. 116 Whalley avenue, was born in Mystic, Connecticut, March 11, 1886, a son of John Russell, a native of Rhode Island and a grandson of John Russell who was a native of England and became the founder of the family in the new world. John Russell was a boss dyer of woolen goods, following that line of business for twenty- eight years, but is now living retired. He was also a Civil war veteran, having served for three years in a Rhode Island regiment, after which he was honorably discharged. About 1878 he removed from Rhode Island to Mystie, Connecticut, where he still makes his home and he holds membership in the Grand Army of the Republie there, thus maintaining pleasant relations with his old military comrades. He wedded Mary Ann France, a native of England, who came to the United States with her parents when three years of age and settled at Fall River, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Russell were married at Potter Hill, May 25, 1867 and in May, 1917, celebrated their golden wedding. They became the parents of two children, the brother of Dr. Russell being Bernard A. Russell, who was born in 1872 and now resides in Mystic.
Dr. Russell was educated in the public schools of Mystie and in the Bulkeley school of New London, a private school in which he studied for two years. In preparation for his pro- fessional career he entered the medical department of Yale and was graduated in 1909. Following his graduation he received his first appointment in the New Haven Hospital, where be remained for eighteen months and then took up special work in the Lying-In Hospital of New York. In the fall of 1910 he began the private practice of medicine at No. 98 Shel- ton avenue, New Haven, and has continued in general practice in this city since that date. He has made steady progress for his efficiency has been promoted through experience, wide reading and close stndy.
On the 8th of October, 1913, in New Haven, Dr. Russell was married to Miss Lillie Wolfe, a native of Branford, Connectient, and a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Wolfe. The latter, now deceased, belonged to an old English family at one time very prominent and wealthy, living in the suburbs of London, where they had a country home and large estate, but they lost the greater part of their fortune. Dr. and Mrs. Russell have become the parents of a daughter, Charlotte France, born July 10, 1914.
Dr. Russell exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the republican party. He belongs to the Alpha Kappa Kappa. a college fraternity; also to Wooster Lodge, No. 79, F. & A. M .; to American Lodge, No. 52. K. P .; to the Loyal Order of Moose, and to Manchester Unity Lodge, I. O. O. F. Aside from his professional in- terests his position is one which indicates his popularity among his fellowmen. for he has a large circle of friends in this section of the state. He holds to high ideals in his chosen life work and is ever careful to conform his praetiee to advanced professional ethics.
WILLIAM SPENCER MURRAY.
William Spencer Murray was born in Annapolis, Maryland. at the United States Naval Academy, August 4, 1873, a son of the late James D. Murray, pay director, United States navy, who was a native of Annapolis and a descendant of one of the old families of Maryland of Scotch descent, the ancestral line being traced back to William Murray, who came to the
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new world in the early part of the seventeenth century and settled at Chestertown, on the eastern shore of Maryland. Representatives of the family-participated in the Revolutionary war and James D. Murray was a soldier of the Civil war, prominently connected with the navy. He died December 11, 1906, at the age of seventy-six years, his birth having occurred in 1830. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth M. Spencer, was a native of Maryland, born on the eastern shore, and was a descendant of an old English family. She belonged to the Carmichel family of Maryland. Iler death occurred April 11, 1906, at the age of sixty-six years.
William S. Murray, who was the youngest of a family of five children, began his education in the schools of his native state. He attended St. John's College at Annapolis and. afterward attended Lehigh University of Pennsylvania, in which he completed the elec- trical engineering course with the class of 1895. He then accepted a position in the shops of the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, where he served as an apprentice for two years and from that position was graduated to the testing department, whence he passed on to the construction department and was later placed in charge of engineering and construe- tion for the New England district of his company. Later he was chosen among many for the work on the first high tension transmission plants in the east, the economic feature of which suggested to Mr. Murray at that time the application of the high voltage overhead system to railroad electrification, which several years later he had the pleasure of installing on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. This system has now been adopted as standard on all the Swiss government railroads and is also standard with the Pennsylvania system. Mr. Murray was directly connected with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com- pany as their electrical engineer for eight years and on the 1st of January, 1917, accepted the office of assistant to the president of the Housatonic Power Company and was later elected to its presidency.
Prior to Mr. Murray's association with the Housatonic Power Company, in 1913. he resigned his position as electrical engineer with the New Haven road to form the firm of McHenry & Murray, engineers, of New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. MeHenry resigning his office as engineering vice president of the New Haven road at the same time. This firm took over all the electrical engineering and construction of the New Haven road and finished the electrifications between New York and New Haven in 1914. This firm also actively took up the matter of the development of the Housatonic river for the purpose of supplying the New Haven road with the additional electric power necessary to operating all trains electrically on its New York division. Mr. Murray's and Mr. MeHenry's interest in this proposed Housa- tonic river development has led to their association with the Connecticut Light & Power Company of Waterbury, Connecticut, of which Mr. Murray is now chief engineer, in charge of engineering construction and power production, and in which company Mr. McHenry is a director. The Connectient Light & Power Company is now developing the powers in which Mr. Murray and Mr. McHenry have been interested and at Stevenson, Connecticut, on the Housatonie river, there is being constructed a hydro-electric plant capable of developing thirty-six thousand horse power of electrical energy.
It might be asked why, after twelve years of development work in the electric traction field, Mr. Murray was willing to divoree himself from this, the most interesting branch of all the electrical engineering arts. However, the answer is simple. The effort to establish and standardize the most economie system of trunk line electrie train propulsion was com- pleted when the New Haven single phase system was accepted and installed on the Penn- sylvania Railroad for this country and by the Swiss government for the roads abroad. It has been apparent also, since the war began, that the electrification for trunk line roads will be held in abeyance for the present. In the interim he has become greatly interested, both professionally and financially, in the development of a power system by means of which the great industrial centers of Connecticut may be supplied with reliable and economical electrical energy. The recent abnormal growth in power demand in these distriets must be met by the construction of steam-electric and hydro-electric plants with their complement of intercon -. necting transmission systems; all of which will furnish Mr. Murray with plenty to think about and do while his headquarters are at Waterbury.
On the 23d of December. 1905. at Catskill, New York, Mr. Murray was married to Miss Ella Day Rush, a daughter of Richard and Ella (Day) Rush and a descendant of Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and surgeon of the Continental
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A MODERN HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN
army under General Washington. Mr. and Mrs. Murray have become the parents of three sons: Richard Rush, John Manadier and William Spencer, all born in New Haven.
Mr. Murray is a member of the New York Engineers Club, the Graduates Club of New Haven, the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, the New Haven Country Club, the Quinnipiac Club and other organizations, His religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. His high professional standing is indicated in the fact that he was honored with the vice presidency of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, of which he is a fellow. Outside of his achievements in construction and development work, he has written and contributed many scientific articles to publications of the day, preparing papers presented before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. He prepared "The log of the New Haven electrification," the American and European disenssions of which are in the transactions of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. He has written on "Conditions affecting the success of main line electrification," also "Electrification analyzed and its practical application to trunk line roads, inclusive of freight and passenger opera- tion." Mr. Murray is a man of very modest demeanor and quiet tastes. His career has been characterized by great thoroughness in everything that he has undertaken, setting the science of his profession and the accomplishment of the purposes which he has sought far in ad- vance of material gains. Throughout his entire career, from the initial point of his appren- ticeship to the mastery of his profession, he has made sacrifices in order that he might take up various other branches of electrical engineering. To this end he has accepted in- ferior positions and remuneration to those that he was already holding in order that he might acquaint himself with other branches of the work, having but the one idea in mind- that of complete knowledge and efficiency in all departments. The resuits that he has attained show that in this course he chose wisely and well. and though through the periods in which he has been a student of different branches of the work, he has been called upon to make sacrifices, he has accomplished as a whole results that place him in the highest rank of the profession because of the extent and breadth of his knowledge and the ability to apply it.
CHARLES W. VISHNO, M. D:
The name of Vishno has figured prominently in medical circles in New Haven through many decades and the record of Charles W. Vishno adds new laurels thereto, for he is most careful to conform his practice to a high standard of professional ethics and, moreover, broad reading and study keep him in touch with the latest scientific researches and dis- coveries. He was born in Townsend, Massachusetts, February 23, 1861, a son of Charles and Delina (Osborn) Vishno, the latter a native of West Suffield, Connecticut, and both descended from early New England ancestors who lived in Massachusetts and in this state. The Vishno family came from France at an early period in the colonization of the new world and the old family homestead was established in Massachusetts. The grand- father of Dr. Charles W. Vishno was a railroad contractor and was active in the eon- struetion of many of the railroads of Massachusetts, being accidentally killed while engaged in such work. Dr. Charles Vishno. Sr., was then but a child. He was reared by friends of his father in a home where he was surrounded by the tender care and attention .which would have been given him by his own parents. After completing a preparatory course at the Suffield Literary Institute at Suffield, Connecticut, he became a student in the Homeopathic Medical College of New York city and following his graduation entered at once upon active practice, in which he is still engaged, being today the oldest practitioner of the city of New Haven and one of the most highly respected. He still follows his chosen calling, although he has reached the venerable age of eighty-three years. Old age, however, need not necessarily suggest idleness nor want of occupation. There is an old age which grows stronger and brighter mentally and morally as the years go on and gives out of its rich stores of wisdom and experience for the benefit of others, and such has been the record of Dr. Vishno. In. West Sutfield, Connecticut, he wedded Delina Osborn, daughter of James and Harriett (Pease) Osborn, and she has now reached the age of seventy-eight years. In their family are two daughters and a son: Hattie, now Mrs.
DR. CHARLES W. VISHNO
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George Hubble, living in Springfield, Massachusetts; Charles W .; and Carrie L., now Mrs. Fred Stanley, a resident of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
In his boyhood days the son attended Hopkins grammar school of New Haven and, electing to follow in his father's professional footsteps, he tben entered the medical depart- ment of Yale University, from which he was graduated with the class of 1885. Immediately afterward he entered upon active practice in New Haven, where he has built up a business scarcely second to any in the city. His knowledge, skill and ability have long been widely recognized, as he has proven his power to cope with the intricate problems that continually confront the physician. In addition to a large private practice he renders active service as a member of the staff of the Grace Hospital of New Haven. He enjoys in large measure the regard of his professional brethren and he has membership in the New Haven Medical Society, the Connecticut State Medical Society and the American Medical Association.
On the 25th of June, 1890, Dr. Vishno was married to Miss Jessamine Whittemore Spock, of New Haven, a daughter of William H. and Annie E. Spock. The father was at one time well known in journalistic circles, being connected with the New Haven Register. He passed away in 1907 and is still survived by his widow. Dr. and Mrs. Vishno had two children but lost their elder daughter, Ruth Osborn, who passed away in 1910, at the age of eighteen years, while a student in the high school. The younger daughter, Eleanor Erskine, born in New Haven in July, 1899, is now attending Bradford Academy in Massa- chusetts The family occupies a prominent position in the social life of the city and Dr. Vishno is also widely and prominently known in musical circles, being a member of the New Haven String Orchestra, of which he is the president, and he was also one of the founders of the New Haven Orchestral Club. The String Orchestra has become one of the well known musical organizations of the state and through his activities Dr. Vishno has done much to raise the standard of musical taste in his city. Fraternally he is con- nected with Sterling Lodge, A. O. U. W., and is a charter member of the Royal Arcanum, while his religious faith is indicated in his membership in the United church. Practically his entire life has been passed in New Haven and his sterling qualities of manhood and citizenship, his professional skill and his publie spirit have made him one of the valued and honored residents here.
CHARLES DAUENHAUER.
Charles Dauenhauer, who is meeting with success as a contractor and is also connected with other business interests of West Haven, was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, Ger- many, April 16, 1860. a son of Fred and Louise (Sattler) Dauenhauer, the former born in Bavaria and the latter in Alsace. The father was well educated and came from an ex- cellent family. By occupation he was a buikler and interior worker on fine bniklings.
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