USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v.2 > Part 49
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Coincident with his retirement from the Naugautuck road in 1867, was his eleva- tion to the presidency of the New York, New Haven & Hartford road, an office he held from May, 1867, until March 1, 1879. During that period he completed law studies, was admitted to the Connecticut bar, served in both Houses of the State Legislature and drafted a model general railroad law which was passed. During his twelve years as president of the road and also as member of Legislature the act was passed consolidating the New York & New Haven and the Hartford and Springfield lines; the Shore line was leased, the Harlem & Port Chester and
the Hartford & Connecticut Valley Rail- road acquired and in 1887 the Naugau- tuck road was leased. The expansion of the road was accompanied by vast im- provements, in roadbed, rolling stock, station and terminal improvements, per- haps no period of the great system being attended with greater prosperity. Mr. Bishop was also a director of the Housa- tonic road for many years; was a director of the Bridgeport Steamboat Company, and when the Eastern Railroad Associ- ation was formed to protect the roads of the East against patent suits, he was elected its president, an office he held until death. Failing health compelled his re- tirement from the executive management of the New York, New Haven & Hart- ford on March 1, 1879, but in 1885 he re- turned to the presidency of the Naugau- tuck road, holding the same until his resignation a few months prior to his death.
A Democrat in political faith, Mr. Bishop was elected to Congress in 1857, one of the youngest and one of the most eloquent and forceful members of the house. He failed of reëlection in 1859 and was appointed United States commis- sioner of patents by President Buchanan, an office he held until the incoming of the first Lincoln administration, his tenure of office marked by a great advance in sys- tematizing the work of the patent office. In 1871 he was elected a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from Bridgeport, and in 1877-78 he was State Senator, his greatest legislative achievement the passage of a general rail- road law.
Mr. Bishop married Julia Ann Tomlin- son, daughter of Russell and Martha N. Tomlinson. They were the parents of six children : Mary Ferris; Alfred, died in infancy; Dr. Russell Tomlinson Bishop ; William Darius, Jr .; Henry Alfred (q. v.) ; Nathaniel W. Bishop.
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BISHOP, Henry Alfred,
Captain of Industry.
At the age of twenty-one, Henry A. Bishop began his career as a railroad offi- cial with the Naugautuck road of which his grandfather was the builder, his father, uncle and brother at different times president. From that beginning he has gone forward in an ever widening circle of influence, his railroad and business in- terests now covering a vast field of in- dustrial enterprise. Not less valuable has been his public service, and in the field of philanthropy his work for the cause of humanity has been untiring. Now in the full prime of his manhood he is the in- terested, helpful citizen, not sordidly seeking to further enrich himself, but in church, society, fraternity and philan- thropy gives full rein to his scholarly, cultured nature.
Henry Alfred Bishop, son of William D. and Julia Ann (Tomlinson) Bishop, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, De- cember 4, 1860, and has ever made that city his home. After preparation at the Hillside School, Bridgeport, Hurlburt's School, Lime Rock, and Russell's Mili- tary School, New Haven, he entered Yale University, class of "84." He only spent one year at Yale, withdrawing to enter business life, and on September 21, 1881, was appointed general ticket agent of the Naugautuck Railroad. In 1883 he was also made purchasing agent for the road and in 1885 assistant superintendent, holding all of these positions until Feb- ruary, 1886. In the latter year he was appointed superintendent of the Housa- tonic Railroad, and later general super- intendent of that road and all its branches. On April 1, 1887, he was appointed pur- chasing agent of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, a position he held until his resignation, March 1.
1903. In the meantime he had become a member of a syndicate which had acquired the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh & Western railroads and it was to become acting vice-president of those roads that he resigned his position as purchasing agent. He was later made vice-president of both, but his father's health was such that he resigned and de- voted himself to lightening the business cares of his father who died in February, 1904.
After his father's death. Mr. Bishop administered the estate and has acquired many and varied interests. He is presi- dent of the Connecticut Press Company. the MeNah Company, the Pennsylvania. New York & New Jersey Power Com- pany, and the Read Carpet Company . vice-president of the Brady Brass Com- pany, the Connecticut National Bank, the Consolidated Telephone Company and the Pacific Iron Works ( Inc }: director of the American District Telegraph Com- pany, Automatic Machine Company, Bridgeport Gas Light Company, Bridge- port Trust Company. City of Ponce Gas Company, Collin Valve Company. Porto Rico Gas Company, Texas & Pacific Rail- way Company. Westchester Street Rail- way Company. Western Union Telegraph Company; and trustee of the People's Savings Bank.
To his weighty business engagements as outlined. Mr. Bishop adds an active interest in many organizations and socie- ties. He is a member of the Bridgeport Board of Trade and its president during 1000 and went : is president of the Bridge- port Public Library, and of the Boys' Club : a director of Bridgeport Hospital. St. Vincent's Hospital and the Connecti- cut Humane Society : a trustee of the Bridgeport Orphan Asylum : member of Lincoln Farm Association, Sons of the American Revolution, Society of Colonial
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Wars, Bridgeport Scientific and Histor- ical Society; and in religious faith an Episcopalian.
In the Masonic order, Mr. Bishop holds all degrees of the York Rite, and in the Scottish Rite has attained the thirty-sec- ond degree. He is an affiliated member of Corinthian Lodge, Jerusalem Chapter, Jerusalem Council, Hamilton Command- ery, DeWitt Clinton Lodge of Perfection, Pequonnock Chapter of Rose Croix, and Lafayette Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He is also a member of Pyramid Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His college fraternities are Delta Kappa Epsilon, Hay Boulay and Psi Up- silon. He is a well known clubman, be- longing to the Algonquin, Seaside, Brook- lawn, University and Bridgeport Yacht clubs, all of Bridgeport ; Governors Staff Association of Connecticut; Metabet- chouan, Fishing and Game Club of Can- ada; Union, Yacht and Strollers clubs of New York; New England Railroad Club of Boston ; Maryland Club of Baltimore ; Democratic Association of Bridgeport.
In politics Mr. Bishop has long been a Democrat and active in public affairs. He served his city as alderman prior to 1886, in which year he represented Bridgeport in the State Legislature from 1888 until 1890; was president of the Board of Po- lice Commissioners ; in 1888 was the can- didate of his party for Secretary of State, and in 1904 for Lieutenant-Governor, and in 1893-94 was paymaster-general on the staff of Governor Morgan.
Mr. Bishop married, February 6, 1883, Jessie Alvord Trubee, daughter of Wil- liam E. Trubee, of Bridgeport. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop have three children: Mar- guerite Alvord, Henrietta and Henry Alfred (2). The family home is in Bridge- port.
WRIGHT, Daniel Muzzarelli,
Enterprising Business Man.
There has been nothing approaching monotony in Mr. Wright's business life, in fact, until making permanent settle- ment in Hartford in 1895 it was a record of interesting change of scene and line. But with the year 1895, he became an official of the American Specialty Com- pany, and when that company could no longer hold its place in the business world he took over the company in partnership with R. G. Henry, the Henry & Wright Company of Hartford resulting. As sec- retary-treasurer of the latter company, Mr. Wright is intimately connected with the operation of one of Hartford's im- portant and successful enterprises. The company are patentees and builders of special machines, devices and tools, mak- ing a specialty of drilling machines, their inventions revolutionizing certain classes of drilling machinery.
While of old and honorable Connecticut family, Mr. Wright's parents were mar- ried in Belleville, Illinois, and he was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a grandson of Jonathan Wright, of Litchfield county, Connecticut, and a son of George Frederick Wright, born in Washington, Litchfield county, Connecti- cut, died in Hartford, Connecticut, aged fifty. George F. Wright, an artist of repute in his youthful manhood, traveled West and in Belleville, Illinois, married Elina Muzzarelli, born in Florence, Italy. Later they resided in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania ; in 1873, moved to Staten Island, New York, and a year later made Hart- ford, Connecticut, their home, Mr. Wright having a studio there until his death.
Daniel Muzzarelli Wright was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 5, 1870, and in 1874 was brought by his parents
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to Hartford. He was educated in the city grade and high schools, beginning busi- ness life with Brown & Gross, booksellers and stationers of Hartford. He spent one year in the bookstore, followed by four years' service with Blodgett & Clapp. Hle then became correspondent for the D. S. Walton Paper Company in New York City, then became a traveling salesman. covering Eastern territory in the interest of a large concern manufacturing surgical instruments. From the East he went to the far West and spent two years pros- pecting for gold, his journeyings taking him along the gold bearing regions of the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Southern California and Mexico. After this extended tour he returned to Hart- ford in 1895, a veteran in experience. although a young man of but twenty-five years. On his return to Hartford in 1895. Mr. Wright entered the employ of the American Specialty Company and later became its secretary and treasurer. When the corporation, The Henry & Wright Company, was organized to suc- ceed to the business of the American Specialty Company, he became one of the incorporators, principal stockholders and secretary-treasurer of the new company. and in May, 1916, he purchased the in- terest of Mr. Henry, and since that time has been general manager. The history of the company has been one of continued success, although the beginning was a very modest one. The company at first confined themselves to experimental work for others, built special tools and fixtures, but for several years have been manufac- turers of drilling machines of patented and exclusive design and ownership. Their ball bearing drilling machine was the first of its kind on the market. and they were also the first to build and intro- duce a drilling machine with all its parts removable and interchangeable. These
innovations and inventions were severely criticised by knowing rivals and financial disaster was predicted for Henry & Wright, but their theories were founded on solid mechanical principles and their drilling machines are in such demand that a force of one hundred and fifty men 15 required at their shops to meet that de- mand. The company has taken out many patents, and manufactures under nther patents not its own, one of these the invention of Charles D Rice, giving inir speeds with two pulleys, involvel so ress a mechanical idea that there was NO proper classification for it in the United States patent office. Mr. Wright is a director of Hartford Morris Plan Bank, vice-president of the Hartford Chamber of Commerce, president of the Hartford branch of the National Metal Tralles At- sociation, vice-president of the National Machine Tool Builders Association, and an ex-president of the Hartford Board of Trade. He allied himself with the Pre- gressive movement of 1912, was a dele- gate to the national convention of the party in 1912 and 1916: member of the Connecticut State Central Committee since its organization, and in 1912 was the Progressive candidate for the State Assembly from Hartford He is a mem- ber of Christ Episcopal Church
Mr. Wright married Eleanor Hunt. daughter of Milo Hunt, of Hartford They are the parents of a daughter Eleanor.
BURPEE, Lucien Francis,
Lawyer. Jurist. War Veteran.
Learned in his profession, prominent in military, political and legal activities. Colonel Burpee worthily bears the same brought from England to America in 1644 by Thomas Burpee. from whom he descends in the seventh American gen-
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eration. He is a son of Colonel Thomas Francis Burpee, who fell at Cold Harbor, Virginia, who was slain by the bullet of a Confederate sharpshooter, and whose epitaph by Connecticut's great war Gov- ernor, William A. Buckingham, reads : "In the hour of national peril he gave his life to his country, leaving this testimony : that he was a pure patriot, a faithful sol- dier and a sincere Christian." He is a great-grandson of Moses Burpee, a sol- dier of the Revolution, and a grandson of Thomas (3) Burpee. the first of his direct line to settle in Connecticut.
Colonel Thomas Francis Burpee was born at Stafford, Connecticut, February 17, 1830. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a woolen cloth manufacturer in Rockville, Connecticut, but abandoning his business he voluntered for service with the company of which he was cap- tain. Later he was mustered in as cap- tain of Company D, Fourteenth Regi- ment Connecticut Volunteers ; later was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-first Connecticut Regiment, then became its colonel, and continued to be its commander until his death. In the battle of Drury's Bluff, May 16, 1864, his skillful handling of his command and stubborn resistance, left alone with his regiment for an hour and a half to cope with the enemy in front and on both flanks, saved the right wing of the Fed- eral army under General Butler from de- struction. He gallantly led his men into the murderous assaults at the battle of Cold Harbor, receiving no wound, but a week after the battle, while on duty in the trenches as field officer of the day. was singled out by a sharpshooter and mortally wounded, Thursday morning, June 9. 1864. He died at White House, Virginia. June II, following. Colonel Burpee married, November 28, 1852, Ade- line M. Harwood, a descendant of Henry
Harwood, who came to Boston with John Winthrop in 1630.
Lucien Francis Burpee. son of Colonel Thomas Francis and Adeline M. (Har- wood) Burpee, was born at Rockville, Tolland county, Connecticut, October 12, 1855. For a time in 1863-64 he was with his father in camps in Virginia, there amusing himself watching the drills and parades and in studying tactics, thus early developing the love for military affairs that has always abided with him. His youth was spent in acquiring an educa- tion, but every available hour was spent out-of-doors, a strong body developing with intellectual growth. He finished the Rockville public school courses, and after graduating at its High School, entered Yale College, whence he was graduated with high honors in the class of "79." At Yale he was one of the editors of the "Yale Record" and of the "Yale Literary Magazine," made the senior society of Skull and Bones, and was a Phi Beta Kappa. He then spent a year at Yale Law School, and at Hamilton College, and in 1880 received his degree LI .. B. The following year he spent at Yale, tak- ing a post-graduate course in American history.
In 1881 he began the practice of law at Waterbury, Connecticut, first with ex- Congressman S. W. Kellogg, and later with his son in a partnership known as Kellogg, Burpee & Kellogg, which was dissolved in 1889. He quickly acquired public favor, and in 1883 was appointed city prosecuting attorney, serving in that capacity until 1890. He was then elected corporation counsel of the city, and in 1897 appointed judge of the Waterbury . city court, an office he held until 1909, de- clining in 1905 the judgeship of the Waterbury District Court. In 1909 he was appointed judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut and so continues,
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his mind eminently judicial, well-balanced and adapted to the hearing of intricate cases. He has few superiors in the weighing of evidence, and no matter how grievously disappointed a party or attor- ney may feel over an adverse decision, no one has ever charged Judge Burpee with being influenced by fear or favor or friendship ; justice, absolute justice being his sole aim and endeavor. He is now (1917) a resident of Hartford, having re- moved thither in September. 1915.
As indicated, his military ardor was kindled at an early day by life with his father in camp and by study of the history of his country. In 1874 he enlisted in the First Regiment Connecticut National Guard, while living in Rockville, and in 1878 was discharged for non-residence. In March, 1886, he was commissioned second lieutenant, Company A. Second Regiment Connecticut National Guard, in Waterbury ; first lieutenant, June, 1886; captain, June, 1887: major. February, 1890 ; lieutenant-colonel, May, 1893 : colo- nel. July, 1895. retaining command of his regiment until his retirement in Novem- ber, 1899. As colonel of the Second, he brought the regiment to a high state of discipline and drill, United States army officers assigned to inspect State military organizations rating it as one of the very best.
At the outbreak of the Spanish-Ameri- can War he recruited the Second to the full legal maximum and tendered its services to the Governor of Connecticut. April 25. 1898, "for any time, in any place." Not being called into immediate action, Colonel Burpee obtained leave of absence from the State authorities and accepted a commission as lieutenant-colo- nel in the United States Volunteer Army at the hands of President Mckinley. He served throughout the campaign in Porto Rico on the staffs of Major-General Nel- son A. Miles, commanding the United
States Army, and Major General James 11. Wilson, commanding the First Dist- sion, First Army Corps In otrolal dos patches to the Government. Columnel Bur pee received honorable mention for " be tinguished service." General Wilson sly- ing his conduct "refleered prest credit." and that he "would not have faded to reach the highest destination had the wxr lasted." In October, 198, colonel Rit- pee was assigned topluty on the stad of General Wilson, serving with him in Kes- tucky and Georgis until January 1. 150 when he resigned and was honoralds ofte charged. He has four times served under appointment of the Governor vi Connec: - cut to revise the militi laws and regu- lations of the State, and is the promseserir of the medal awarded by Congress for foreign service in the Spanish War
He has taken an interest and active part in public affairs, solche an & vit- zen desiring to fulfill Fis sobliganons not as a seeker for office and never at a candidate for political preferment Ho has always supported the Republican party except in 1581. when he cast his vote for Grover Cleveland He is d mem- ber of the Congregational church, the Masonic and Odd Fellows urilece Sane of Veterans, was commander of the Con- necticut Division, 1885 Sz Sachety uf Loyal Legion of the United Sexich, Foreign Wars : Military Order of the United Spanish War Veterans, of which he was junior vice-commander in i&n Society of the Porto Rican Expedition Naval and Military Order of the Spanish War, of which he was commander of Connecticut Commandery in 1919. 4nd Sons of the Revolution, His clubs are the Waterbury and Gralludies of New Haven, Army and Navy, and United States Military Service Institution of New York City, and the University ni Hartford.
Colonel Burpee married. September 20.
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1882, Lida (Eliza) Wood, who died July 23, 1889, daughter of Stephen W. and Catherine C. B. (Ring) Wood, of Colo- nial descent; he married, April 28, 1904, Irene A. Fitch, daughter of Martin P. and Exene (Tobey) Fitch, a descendant of Roger de Knapp, knighted by Henry VIII. in 1540. Children of first marriage : Lida, who married John S. Ellsworth, of Simsbury, Connecticut ; Helen, wife of Dr. Walter M. Silleck, of New York City ; and Francis, who married Edith A. Rob- erts, of New Rochelle, New York, Sep- tember 15, 1915.
HART, Otis Jerome, Public Official.
A man in business, professional, public or private life becomes known to the com- munity through that which has given him prominence in his chosen calling, and as one long identified with the public inter- ests of Hartford, Otis Jerome Hart, who is serving in the capacity of tax collector, needs no introduction to the readers of this volume. He is a man of integrity and honor, faithful in the discharge of every duty and obligation, therefore worthy of the esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.
The members of the Hart family trace their lineage to Germany, and it was there, in the city of Oldenburg, that George Hart, grandfather of Otis J. Hart, was born. He was reared and educated in his native place, learned the trade of shoemaker, which he followed through- out the active years of his life, and served his time in the German army, which is required of all natives of that country. He married Catherine Kirchmeyer, a native of Oldenburg, Germany. George Hart died in his native land, in the prime of life, at the early age of forty-five years, before the birth of his son, Henry F. Hart, father of Otis J. Hart.
Henry F. Hart was born in Oldenburg, Prussia, September 18, 1845. When three years of age he was brought to this coun- try by his mother, who located in New York City. He attended the public schools of that city, and during his boyhood the great struggle between the North and South broke out. Although a native of a foreign land, he was loyal and true to the land of his adoption, and at the early age of fifteen years and seven months enlisted in Company E, Twenty-fifth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and par- ticipated in all their battles and skir- mishes until the batttle of Gettysburg. He was honorably discharged from the service of the country in New York City directly after the New York riots He then served an apprenticeship at the trade of machinist, which line of work he fol- lowed until 1915. In 1865, after his mar- riage, he went to Meriden, Connecticut, and worked for the Charles Parker Com- pany for a period of twelve years. He then changed his place of residence to Hartford, Connecticut, and entered the employ of the William Rogers Manufac- turing Company as foreman, serving in that responsible capacity for thirty-six years, the last twelve years, 1902-14, in Meriden. He is a Republican in politics, served two years in the Common Council during Mayor Preston's first administra- tion, was a member of the Board of Al- dermen for two years, and was a candi- date for the Legislature in 1914, but was defeated. He is a member of Hartford Lodge, No. 88, Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons; Eastern Star, of that order; junior vice-president of the De- partment of Connecticut. State of Con- necticut Grand Army of the Republic, and is past commander of Robert O. Tyler Post, of Hartford. Mr. Hart married, June 16, 1867, Bertha Bold, born in Fritz- lau, Prussia, July 15, 1848, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Siebert) Bold. She
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came to this country in 1855. She is a member of Ivanhoe Chapter. Order of Eastern Star, and R. O. Tyler Post Women's Relief Corps. Children : Charles H., Henry L., Otis J., Louis M., Albert B., of New London : William S., and Raymond F. The family are members of the North Congregational Church.
Otis Jerome Hart was born in Meriden, Connecticut, November 15, 1872. He re- ceived an excellent education by attend- ance at the public schools of Meriden, the Hartford High School, Hanum's Business College and Morse's Business College. He then entered the employ of Talcott & Frisbie, wholesale druggists, with whom he remained for three years, dur . ing which time he became familiar with the details of that line of business. He then entered the employ of J. W. Service. a retail druggist, with whom he remained about two years, then was an employee of Parker & Company, wholesale and retail grocers, and with Woodward & Company. being one of the office force in the last two mentioned firms. In 1896 he entered the town clerk's office : in 1898 was ap- pointed clerk in the collector's office, with which he has been connected ever since. and in September. 1905, was appointed collector by the Board of Aldermen to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Fitzgerald, and has been reelected to that office ever since, a fact which testifies to his efficiency and popularity. He has always taken an active interest in politics, and has served on ward committees. He is a member of Lafayette Lodge. No. 100, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is past master; Washington Commandery, Knights Templar : Pytha- goras Chapter. Royal Arch Masons ; Wol- cott Council, Royal and Select Masters ; Connecticut Consistory : Sphinx Temple : Royal Arcanum; B. H. Webb Council. of which he is past regent ; Benevolent
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