USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > A modern history of New Haven and eastern New Haven County, Vol. II > Part 33
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On the 18th of June, 1901, in Cornwall, Dr. Ives was united in marriage to Miss Agnes E. Cochrane, a native of that place and a daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Cochrane, the latter a representative of an old Cornwall family. Dr. and Mrs. Ives have one son, John Harrison, who was born in Milford, May 9, 1909.
In his political views Dr. Ives is a republican. supporting the party where national issues are involved, but at local elections where only the capability of the candidate is to be considered he casts an independent ballot. While in Cornwall he filled the position of health
DR. JOHN W. IVES
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officer for five years. He also had charge of the schools there, including the employment of teachers. He has ever been interested in matters relating to the public welfare and he stands for all that is most worth while in the life of the community. He has worked his way upward from boyhood, being self-supporting from the age of sixteen years. His sustained power in his profession is due in part to the fact that he is constantly adding to his knowl- edge through association as a member of the New Haven Medical Society, the Connecticut State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Experience, too, is constantly broadening his knowledge and promoting his efficiency and, moreover, he has always ad- hered to the highest professional ethics and standards, so that he enjoys in marked degree the respect and confidence of his colleagues and contemporaries.
GEORGE WATSON THORPE.
George Watson Thorpe, a prominent business man of Cheshire, was born in the town of Hamden, July 16, 1875, a son of Sereno and Josephine (Merriman) Thorpe, natives, respectively, of North Haven and Prospect. For more than twenty-seven years the father engaged in the milk business in Hamden but is now living retired. He traces his descent back to William Thorpe, who in 1635 emigrated from England to America and three years later settled at New Haven, since which time the family has been identified with the growth and development of Connecticut. The Merriman family, to which Mrs. Thorpe belongs, was established in Wallingford in 1675 by Captain Nathaniel Merriman, one of the first settlers of that town.
George W. Thorpe passed the days of his boybood and youth in Hamden and after completing the course offered in the public schools attended a business college at New Haven. In 1893, when eighteen years old, he began his independent career as an employe of I. W. Beers, a well known feed dealer of Hamden. For sixteen years he was connected with that business but in 1909 came to Cheshire and established a business of his own in West Cheshire. He has since dealt in coal, wood, grain, hay, feed, seeds, cement, sewer pipe, lime and poultry supplies, and as the years have passed his trade has increased. He gives the most careful attention to the management of his affairs and has always followed a policy toward his customers that bas commended him to their further patronage.
Mr. Thorpe was married September 26, 1894. to Miss Maude Edgerton, of Mount Carmel, a danghter of Jared and Julia (Burr) Edgerton, natives of Wisconsin. In young manhood the father removed to the east in order to accept a position in the building department of the New Haven Railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe have a son, Linwood W.
Mr. Thorpe is somewhat independent in politics and has no desire whatever to hold public office, preferring to discharge his obligations to the community as a private citizen. He can be counted upon to further movements seeking tbe upbuilding and development of Cheshire and has been especially active in the fire department, which he aided in organizing and of which he is now chief. In religious faith he is a Congregationalist and is a member of the board of trustees of his church. He has no lodge connections, preferring to spend his leisure time at home. He is a man of fine qualities and has gained and holds the friendship of many.
SAMUEL CAMPNER.
Samuel Campner is known professionally as a leading attorney of New Haven; in political circles is recognized as an influential republican, but is perhaps even more widely known because of the active and helpful part which he has taken in promoting Hebrew charities. His activities along any one of these lines would entitle him to representation among the well known and leading residents of Connecticut.
Mr. Campner was born in Courland, Russia, in 1887 but during his infancy was brought to the United States by his parents, who are still numbered among the highly respected residents of New Haven, where they took up their abode on coming to the United States.
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In this city, therefore, Samuel Camper was reared. He is a Yale alumnus of 1908, having completed a law course in the university in that year. Immediately he sought and secured admission to the bar and in the intervening years has continuously engaged in practice, winning more than local distinction through the ability with which he has handled the legal interests-ofttimes of a most important character-entrusted to his care. In the trial of a case he is always ready to meet an unexpected emergency, a fact that indicates the care with which he prepares for the work in court. He has also been active as a leader in republican circles. He became an advocate of the party principles on attaining his majority and his position upon any vital question is never an equivocal one, for he stands fearlessly in support of what he believes to be right. In 1911 he was elected as alderman of New Haven and has twice been reelected. His third term would have expired January 1, 1918, but as president of the board he was called to the position of mayor on the death of Mayor Frank J. Rice, taking the oath of office on the 31st of January, 1917. He is there- fore chief executive of the city and is giving to New Haven a businesslike and progressive administration based upon thoughtful and earnest consideration of all the varied interests which feature in the life of a cosmopolitan municipality.
On the 2d of May, 1915, Mr. Campner was married in New Britain, Connecticut, to Miss Annie Pouzzner, a daughter of Israel Pouzzner. Fraternally he is connected with Hiram Lodge A. F. & A. M., and he is a past president of Horeb Lodge, No. 25, I. O. B. B., of New Haven. He is likewise a past president of the local organization of the Yale Lodge, I. O. B. A., and the Young Men's Republican Club. He has always taken a most active and helpful interest in benevolent work and is vice president of the Hebrew Charities, while his church relationship is with Temple Mishkan Israel.
His hand is continually outreaching to assist a fellow traveler on life's journey and there are many who have reason to bless him for his timely assistance. His interests have been broad and varied and he is found in those gatherings where intelligent men are met in the discussion of vital problems. He is a member of the American Historical Society, of the New Haven Bar Association and of the American Bar Association, and the nature and character of his activities have made him widely known.
JEREMIAH J. COHANE, M. D.
Dr. Jeremiah J. Cohane, of New Haven, who has won distinction and honor in the field of ophthalmology, was born August 18, 1875, in the city where he is now actively and successfully engaged in practice. His father, Sylvester Cohane, was a native of Cork, Ireland, and came to America in 1869, making his way direct to New Haven, where he conducted business as a carpenter and builder. He wedded Mary Hayes, a native of this city and a daughter of John and Bridget (Raleigh) Hayes, both of whom were of Irish birth and came to America about 1845, being among the first of the Irish settlers of New Haven. Mrs. Mary Cohane is still living and by her marriage she had a family of eight children, whom she has carefully reared.
Dr. Cohane, the second in order of birth, was a student in the public and high schools of New Haven and in 1894 entered Yale, preparatory to engaging in the practice of medicine. He pursued the regular four years' course and was graduated in 1898. He then entered the New Haven Hospital and also spent some time in the Backus Hospital at Nor- wick, Connecticut. In 1900 he located for practice in New Haven, where he continued in active general practice until 1912, when he went abroad for further study, spending fifteen months in Vienna, Berlin, Paris and London in special study of diseases of the eye and ear. He completed his studies there and then returned to New Haven, where he has since specialized in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat. He has gained distinction in this field, his ability enabling him to pass beyond the point of mediocrity and take his place among the successful few. In addition to his private practice he is serving as ophthalmologist of St. Raphael's Hospital.
On the 25th of June, 1907, in St. Patrick's church, Dr. Cohane was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Creegan, a daughter of John and Mary (Hayes) Creegan, the former deceased. John Creegan was brought from Ireland when three years of age by his parents, who were
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among the first of the Irish residents of New Haven. His wife is a native of Windsor Locks, Connecticut. To Dr. and Mrs. Cohane have been born four children, Mary Hayes, Elizabeth Rose, John Philip and Jeremiah J., Jr., all born in New Haven.
The parents are of the Catholic faith and Dr. Cohane has membership with the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of St. Patrick. He belongs to the Racebrook Country Club. In politics he maintains an independent course, and the only public office which he has filled is that of medical inspector of the schools of New Haven from 1904 until 1912. He belongs to various professional societies and while in Vienna was president of the American Medical Association of that city, which was part of the foreign branch of the association, having at that time a membership of two hundred.
EDMUND L. BABCOCK.
Many of New Haven's native sons have come into prominence in connection with her public affairs and have proven most loyal to the city of their birth, promoting its interests in every possible way. To this number belongs Edmund L. Babeock, who was born February 22, 1873. His father, who also bore the name of Edmund Babeoek, was a native of Lebanon, Connecticut, and traced his aneestry back through several generations in this state to the time when an English Babcock became the founder of the family in the new world. Crossing the Atlantic in the Mayflower, he settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and since then the family has been represented on this side the water. The paternal grand- father, Charles Babcock, was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, and was an ax maker by trade. He wedded Mary Wilcox, of Westerly, Rhode Island. Edmund Babeock, Sr., was a whole- sale fruit dealer who condneted a profitable business to the time of his death, which occurred June 19, 1913, in New Haven, when he was sixty-nine years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Hattie E. Sherman, was a daughter of Lewis S. and Esther E. (Meloy) Sherman, who were also descended from old Connecticut families, the Shermans being of English lineage, while the Meloys were from the north of Ireland. Both families were established in New Haven at an early period in its settlement, coming here in the first half of the seventeenth century. The maternal grandfather was a bootmaker and followed that business throughout his entire life. Ile served in the Civil war, becoming a private of Company D, Fifteenth Connecticut Infantry, with which he remained until the elose of hostilities. His death occurred in 1876, when he was fifty-nine years of age. The maternal grandmother of Edmund L. Babeoek was born in 1824 and is still hale and hearty at the age of ninety-three years. Her daughter, Mrs. Babcock, is still living and by her marriage she became the mother of two children. Rev. Harry L. Babeock, the younger, is a resident of New Haven and is the editor of the Herald of Life, a religious publication of the Adventist church.
In the acquirement of his education Edmund L. Babeock attended the graded and high schools of New Haven and when a youth of fifteen started out to make his own living in the world, being no longer content to attend school although necessity did not force him into business at that time. He was first employed by the North American Mercantile Agency as office boy and later he took up mercantile lines, becoming a traveling salesman for a wholesale beef and poultry business. He continued in that line of work for eighteen years and is still connected with the business in a financial way. He also served for four years as steward of the old New Haven House. In October, 1915, he was elected to his present position, that of collector of the city of New Haven, for a two years' term and was the first republican chosen to the position in a half century. He is the secretary and treasurer of the E. L. Babcock Company, Ine. He has never stopped short of successful accomplishment in anything that he has undertaken and unfaltering diligence and deter- mination have brought good results in all of his business activities.
In New York city, Mr. Babcock was married to Miss Daisy Deane Swan, a native of East Haddam, Connecticut, and a daughter of George W. and Lorena (Burnham) Swan. They, too, were representatives of old Connectieut families here represented since the early part of the seventeenth century and among the ancestors of Mrs. Babcock were those who served in the Revolutionary war.
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Mr. Babcock is a member of the Church of the Second Advent. He belongs to the Union League Club and also to the Sons of Veterans. His political allegiance has always been given to the republican party, of which he is an active supporter. He served for two terms as alderman and was filling the position at the time of his election to his present office. His excellent record as an alderman led to his strong endorsement for the position of collector, bringing him the unique but well merited honor of being the first republican in the office in a half century.
ALEXANDER TROUP.
Alexander Troup, editor and publisher of the New Haven Union, was born June 2, 1878, in New Haven, a son of the late Alexander Troup, who was a native of Halifax but for many years figured prominently in the publie life of this city. He took a very active and helpful interest in promoting political and civie improvements and he was the founder of the New Haven Union, which has long been recognized as one of the leading daily papers of the city. He exerted a wide-felt and beneficial influence in community affairs, and, standing at all times for advancement and improvement, for justice and for all eivie ideals, he swayed men by the foree of his example. Ile married Augusta Lewis, a native of Brooklyn, New York, who belonged to one of the old families of the Empire state, of Dutch lineage. She is still living and five of her seven children also survive.
Of this family Alexander Troup was the second. After leaving the New Haven high school he entered the employ of his father and thoroughly learned the publishing and news- paper business in all of its departments, starting out in a humble eapaeity and working his way upward through merit. His advancement came to him as he mastered one set of duties in order to qualify for added responsibilities. Today as editor and publisher of the New Haven Union he is recognized as one of the leading journalists of New England. He is likewise the president of the Reading (Pa.) Printing Company, which controls the Telegram and the News-Times of Reading. He holds personal membership in the Associated Press and is a prominent factor in twentieth century journalism.
On the 30th of November, 1909, Mr. Troup was married in New Haven to Miss Medora H. Beardsley, a native of Stratford and a daughter of DeWitt C. and Martha (Avery) Beards- ley, representatives of old Connecticut families, to which belonged General Avery of Revolutionary fame.
Mr. Troup has membership in the Elks lodge of New Haven, also with the Race Brook Country, New Haven Yacht and New Haven Automobile Clubs. In politics he is a democrat and for the past six years has been a member of the New Haven eity civil service board. He also has membership in the chamber of commerce and he is actively interested in and supports its well defined plans and measures, which reach out along the lines of modern city building and of civie progress.
I. HENRY MAG.
I. Henry Mag, corporation counsel of the eity of Meriden, is of Russian birth. and his lite record indieates what it is possible to accomplish in a land where effort and ambition are not hampered by caste or class. He was born June 3, 1883, a son of Elias and Essia (Fenger) Mag, both of whom are now deceased. Their family numbered five sons and four daughters, namely: Jacob H., who is living in Springfield, Massachusetts; Nathan E., a resident of New Britain, Connecticut; Samuel, who is living in Meriden; Morris, deceased; I. Henry, of this review; Dora, a resident of Springfield, Massachusetts; Esther, whose home is in Meriden; Ida, living in Springfield; and Sarah, also of Meriden. It was in the year 1885 that the father left Russia with his family and erossed the Atlantie to the new world, establishing his home in Meriden.
1. Henry Mag was at that time but two years of age. He pursued his education in the public schools, becoming a high school pupil, and his law course was pursued in Yale. The
I. HENRY MAG
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following year he practiced law in New York city, remaining there until 1907, when he opened an office in Meriden, becoming the junior partner of I. C. Hinman. He succeeded to the business of the firm upon his partner's death and is now at the head of a very ex- tensive and important practice that eonneets him with much litigation heard in the courts of his eity, eounty. and state. In 1913 he was assistant prosecuting attorney of the Meriden police court, and was a candidate for deputy judge in the police and eity court in the same year. On the 1st of January, 1916, he was appointed assistant corporation counsel by Mayor Cooke, and on May 1, 1916, was appointed corporation counsel and is still oceupying that posi- tion. He was again a candidate for judge of the Meriden police and eity court before the legislative session of 1917. Mr. Mag deserves mueh credit for what he has accomplished, as his advancement is attributable entirely to his own efforts, perserveranee and determin- ation. He entered a profession in which progress is made only as the result of individual merit, and his colleagues and contemporaries recognize in him one of the rising young members of the Meriden bar. In addition to his practice, which also extends to the United States courts, he has become quite a heavy investor in real estate and now owns considerable property in Meriden.
Mr. Mag is a member of the Jewish synagogue and is a charter member of the Meriden Nest of Owls, for which organization he drew up the charter. He belongs also to the Meri- den Lodge of Elks, the Meriden Wheel Club, and to the Amaranth Club, honorary member of the Army and Navy Union, which he received for defending one of its members at a general court martial ease at Fort Wright, New York, and he is identified with the Hebrew Char- itable Society, of New Haven. His political endorsement is given to the democratic party and of its principles he is a staneh advocate. Along the lines of his profession his membership is with the Meriden, the County and State Bar Associations. He is careful to conform his practice to the highest standards of professional ethics and has proven him- self an able minister in the temple of justice. In January, 1918, he was again appointed corporation counsel for the city of Meriden, under the newly eleeted mayor, Judge Harry T. King.
On July 9. 1917. Mr. Mag was married to Rose Dorothy Ziering of Denver, Colorado.
REV. A. ALFRED ENGDAHL.
Rev. A. Alfred Engdahl, pastor of the Swedish Baptist church of Meriden, was born in Dalsland, Sweden, December 14, 1872, a son of Erie and Anna (Roth) Engdahl, both of whom have passed away, the former having died in 1913 and the latter in 1894. Their son, A. A., attended the public schools of Sweden and following his graduation began to work. but while employed attended a night business school. After pursuing his business course he secured employment with a big construction company, with which he worked for four years in Christiania, Norway. He spent altogether six years in Norway and then decided to study for the ministry. He returned to Sweden in 1897 and entered the Baptist Bethel Seminary at Stockholm, where he simultaneously pursued four years' theologieal and collegiate courses. He took both courses at the same time and was busy from early morning until late at night. He was graduated in 1901, winning his certificate of gradua- tion, the college conferring no degrees. He was ordained in August of the same year by Dr. K. O. Braady, who was the famous Colonel Braady of the Union army during the Civil war in the United States. He had been superintendent of the Baptist Seminary in Sweden for years and is still oeeupying that position, althoughi he is now very old and most of his duties have been delegated to others.
Rev. Engdalıl's first charge was at Lesjöfors, Sweden, in the province of Vermland, where he remained for two and a half years. He then became pastor of the church at Borås, in the province of Vestergötland, where he continued from 1903 until 1907. He next accepted the pastorate of the First Baptist church at Örebro, Sweden, where he labored until 1911, when he accepted a call to the Harlem Street Baptist church in Woreester, Massa- chusetts, there continuing from the 1st of September, 1911, until the 1st of September, 1916. At the latter date he came to Meriden as pastor of the Swedish Baptist church. He speaks English, Swedish and Norwegian, and delivers his sermons in both Swedish and English.
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The church in Meriden has a membership of one hundred and sixty-seven well-to-do people. There are no poor in the church, although Rev. Engdahl seeks out those who need aid else- where and does much charitable work. The church property is valued at eighteen thousand dollars, upon which there is no indebtedness, and the church edifice has a seating capacity of four hundred and fifty. The work of the church is thoroughly organized in its various departments and he has the hearty cooperation and support of his people.
On the 14th of May, 1904. Rev. Engdahl was married to Miss Anna Elenor Rudquist, of Sweden, a daughter of Andrew and Martha (Rudquist) Rudquist, both of whom have passed away. Her father was a corporal in the Swedish army and Mrs. Engdahl before her marriage was a trained nurse attached to the Red Cross in Sweden for eight years. Rev. and Mrs. Engdahl have become the parents of three children who are living: Samuel Alfred, born December 28, 1906; Erie Alfred, born April 13, 1911; and Martha Elenor, a twin of Eric. Rev. and Mrs. Engdahl also Jost two children: Martha Elenor, who died in infancy; and Folke Alfred, who died at the age of sixteen months.
Rev. Engdahl is doing excellent work among his people. He is a man of broad and scholarly attainments, of liberal culture and of high purpose, and he commands the respect and confidence of people of other denominations as well as of those with whom he labors for the moral development and progress of the community.
WALTER LANOUE.
Walter Lanoue, a building contractor of Meriden and also its fire marshal, was born in the province of Quebec, Canada, on the 20th of June, 1862, and comes of French Canadian ancestry. Spending his youthful days in his native country, he attended the district schools there and when fourteen years of age began to provide for his own support, making his initial step in the business world at that time. He was first employed in a flour mill and in 1886 crossed the border into the United States, settling at Iron Mountain, Michigan. He was then employed as a burnisher by the International Silver Company for three years, during which period he thoroughly learned the trade. When work became slack he took up the carpenter's trade in Michigan. He then again came to Meriden, where he was employed at carpentering by the Morehouse Company and later by the H. Wales Lines Company. Ambitious to engage in business on his own account, he carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him sufficient capital to begin for himself. In 1893 he started contracting, with only a few men in his employ. Something of the rapid de- velopment of his business is shown in the fact that through the busy season he now employs forty men and he has built from twelve to sixteen residences each year. He has also built store rooms in Meriden and in Wallingford. He did not have a dollar to start on and solely through his own efforts, his persistency of purpose, his laudable ambition and his indefatigable energy he has reached the creditable place which he now occupies in the industrial circles of Meriden.
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