USA > Connecticut > History of Connecticut, Volume III > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52
. Mr. Plant was one of Berkeley's most loyal and active supporters and responded with promptness and efficiency to any call made upon him in Berkeley's behalf. During the year 1951-1952, when the school had no bursar, he stepped into the breach and without monetary compensation he carried on in that office.
Throughout his whole connection with the school his financial help was generously and continually forthcoming. It was perhaps in the Finance Com- mittee that he spent himself most tirelessly. So great was his love for the School and so selflessly did he serve it that in 1949 he was made an honorary member of the Berkeley Alumni Association.
He left an equally impressive record of achievement and service in each of his other connections.
POMEROY DAY
Formerly a member of the well-known Hartford firm of Ro- binson, Robinson and Cole, Pomeroy Day has practiced in the city since the beginning of his career. In addition to his law practice, he serves a number of corporations in official capacities, and is now executive vice president of the Connecticut Bank and Trust Com- pany. He is a veteran of military service in World War II, in the course of which he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
A Hartford native, Mr. Day was born on June 21, 1906, and is a son of Arthur Pomeroy and Lucy (Bunce) Day. He received both his advanced academic and his professional training at Yale University, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1928, and his Bachelor of Laws degree three years later. Admitted to the Connecticut bar in 1931, he commenced his practice at Hartford, and he was a member of the firm of Robinson, Robinson and Cole from 1936 to 1958. This is one of the larger Hartford partnerships, engaged in a general practice of law. Mr. Day was one of eleven full members, and there are also several associates. Since August 1958, Mr. Day has been executive vice president of the Connecticut Bank and Trust Company of Hartford.
A member of the State Bar Association of Connecticut, Mr. Day
246
CONNECTICUT
was chairman of its committee on corporation law from 1952 to 1956, and was appointed by the legislature to a special corporate law revi- sion commission in 1957.
At the time of World War II, Mr. Day served in Military In- telligence, Army of the United States, in which he earned his com- mission of lieutenant colonel, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal while serving in the India-Burma Theater. He was in service from 1942 to 1945.
He serves on the boards of directors of Allied Thermal Corpora- tion, Arrow-Hart and Hegeman Electric Company, Connecticut Bank and Trust Company, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Fafnir Bearing Company, Hartford Accident and Indemnity Com- pany, Hartford Fire Insurance Company. Hartford Gas Company, J. M. Ney Company, Spencer Turbine Company, and Taylor and Fenn Company. He is a trustee of Hartford Hospital, Wadsworth Atheneum, Smith College, and Kingswood School.
Mr. Day's memberships include The Hartford Club, of which he was president in 1955-1956; Hartford Golf Club; and Woods Hole Golf Club. He attends the Episcopal Church.
Miss Katherine Flateau Long, daughter of George C. Long, Jr., and Winnie Davis (Flateau) Long, became the wife of Pomeroy Day on February II, 1938. They have four children: 1. Pamela, born on March 2, 1939. 2. Elizabeth, born on June 13, 1941. 3. Roger P., born on April 23, 1945. 4. George C., born on July 24, 1948.
GRAHAM JONES
Active in the investment banking and counselling field from the early years of his career, Graham Jones is now partner in the Hartford investment firm of Cooley and Company, which has its offices at 100 Pearl Street.
He is a native of Hartford, and was born on January 24, 1906, son of the late Russell L. and Harriet (Ingersoll) Jones. His father, who passed away September 11, 1958, was a retired insurance execu- tive. Miss Ingersoll, whom he married, was born in Haddam. Graham Jones graduated from Kent School before entering Princeton Uni- versity. There he graduated in the Class of 1929, and received his degree of Bachelor of Arts.
Immediately after graduation, Mr. Jones joined the staff of the First National City Bank of New York, working in its foreign ex- change department until 1933. In that year he formed a connection with the firm of Clarke, Sinsabaugh and Company, investment counse-
247
CONNECTICUT
lors, with which he remained until 1936. He then came to Hartford and became a partner in Cooley and Company.
Besides this major business interest, Mr. Jones is a director of the Phoenix Insurance Company and of the Connecticut Fire Insur- ance Company. He is a trustee of the State Savings Bank. All of these are Hartford organizations. From 1937 to 1955, he was a mem- ber of the Board of Union Settlement of his city, and was president of that board from 1948 to 1953.
In August, 1942, Mr. Jones entered active service in the United States Navy, in which he was commissioned a lieutenant commander. He remained in uniform until September, 1945, and served in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters.
Mr. Jones is a member of The Hartford Club, Hartford Golf Club, and the Farmington Country Club. In line with his calling, he also belongs to the Investment Bankers Association of America. He is a communicant of the First Church of Christ, Congregational, at Farmington. Fond of the out-of-doors, he enjoys the sports of tennis and golf, hunting and fishing.
In New York City, on June 6, 1930, Graham Jones married Helen Adelaide Stewart of that city, daughter of William D. and Adelaide (Gilbert) Stewart. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have two children: 1. Graham Ely, who was born in New York City on January 31, 1933. He grad- uated from Phillips Exeter Academy and from Princeton University, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1955. Thereafter until September, 1957, he served in the United States Marine Corps. 2. Judith Ingersoll, born at Farmington, on May 2, 1937. She attended Garrison Forest School in Baltimore, Maryland, and the University of Colorado, Class of 1959.
FRAZAR B. WILDE
For over two decades, Frazar B. Wilde has been president of Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, a firm which he joined at the beginning of his business career, and in which he advanced steadily on his own merits. He has served on other boards as well, and has proved himself a useful citizen in many connections.
A native of Boston, Massachusetts, he was born on January 26, 1895, son of Edwin F. and Caroline (Brooks) Wilde of that city. His forebears came to New England in Colonial times. The Wildes moved to West Hartford in 1905, and the future insurance executive completed his elementary education which had been begun in Boston. He graduated from Hartford Public High School in 1914. In the
248
CONNECTICUT
summer of 1914 he worked as a reporter on the staff of The Hartford Courant, covering the shore resort news.
On October 5 of the same year he began his connection with the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, working first as an office clerk in the mailing room. Soon he was assigned to miscellaneous work by the office supervisor, J. C. Gorton. He next became utility clerk for the Agency Statistical Department, after which he was pro- moted to statistical clerk, dealing with contracts and the like, under G. E. Bulkiey.
In June, 1916, Mr. Wilde entered military service with Troop B of the Hartford Cavalry, which was assigned to patrol duty on the Arizona-Mexican border. He remained until October. Resuming his connection with Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, he had worked in its Agency Department only a short time when he was once again called up for active duty in the summer of 1917. Sent to Officers Training Camp, he was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Field Artillery. Ordered to Camp Devens, Massachusetts, in Decem- ber, 1917, he was assigned to the 30Ist Field Artillery. That winter he was placed on detached duty as instructor and battery commander in the Officers Candidate Training School for artillery officers. July, 1918, found him on his way overseas to join the American Expedi- tionary Forces in France. There he took the field artillery courses offered by the French military service before being sent to the Reserve Artillery Corps in the Neuf-Chateau area.
In February, 1919, Mr. Wilde returned to civilian activities and rejoined the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company at its Hart- ford office. After training in the cashier's department, he went out on auditing in the field. In 1920 he became claim adjuster, and by 1924 had become manager of the claim department. In 1925, Mr. Wilde was promoted to secretary of the accident department. In 1927 he became secretary of Connecticut General in charge of the accident department, group insurance and personnel activities. In 1932 he was placed in charge of the agency department, and was also elected vice president and secretary of the company, retaining his control of the agency department. He was named president of the company in 1936, and has filled that position continuously since. Mr. Wilde is a director of the Connecticut Bank and Trust Company, the Bankers Trust Company in New York, the Emhart Manufacturing Company and the Plax Corporation, both of Hartford, and the Holyoke ( Massa- chusetts) Water Power Company. He has been active in the program of the Committee on Economic Development, which he has served as
249
CONNECTICUT
chairman of the Research and Policy Committee and Program Com- mittee. He is a trustee of C.E.D. and former vice chairman of the Board of Trustees. He is chairman of the Commission on Money and Credit initiated by C.E.D. This Commission is undertaking the first thorough survey of United States public and private monetary and financial policies and institutions since the work of the Aldrich Com- mission in 1908-1911. Some years ago, he served three years as a member of the board of finance of West Hartford, and remained chairman of that board thereafter until 1939. He is chairman of the board of trustees of Connecticut College. His memberships include The Hartford Club and Hartford Golf Club. He is fond of yachting as well as golf. He is a Republican, and a communicant of St. John's Church. Mr. and Mrs. Wilde have a summer home in Maine. Their residence is at 65 Walbridge Road, West Hartford.
She is the former Miss Mildred Taylor, daughter of William F. and Ellen ( MacFadyen) Taylor of Hartford, and it was in that city that she was married to Frazar B. Wilde on March 18, 1916. They became the parents of four children: I. William Watrous; 2. Frazar B., Jr .; 3. Caroline; 4. Cornelia.
JOHN CALDWELL PARSONS
Member of the prominent Hartford law firm of Robinson, Ro- binson and Cole, John Caldwell Parsons has been practicing in the capital city since the beginning of his career. He has held municipal office, and has rendered valuable service on educational and civic boards.
A native of Hartford, Mr. Parsons was born on April 26, 1900, son of Francis and Elizabeth A. (Hutchins) Parsons. Both of his parents are deceased. He completed his preparatory studies at Pom- fret School, then entered Yale College, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1922. In 1926 he received his Bachelor of Laws degree, also at Yale.
He began his career in Hartford shortly afterwards, and in 1931 joined the firm of Robinson, Robinson and Cole. With eleven full members and five associates, it engages in a general practice of law, with offices at 750 Main Street. Mr. Parsons is a member of the Amer- ican Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Hart- ford County Bar Association.
A Republican in politics, he served his city of Hartford as an alderman from 1931 to 1935. He also has a number of business in- terests, being a trustee of the Society for Savings. Welfare and cul- tural causes have received their due share of his time and energies.
250
CONNECTICUT
He is currently president of the Hartford Public Library Board; is also president of the board of trustees of the Watkinson Library, now at Trinity College; and is a trustee of the Newington Home and Hospital for Crippled Children. He is likewise a trustee of the Wat- kinson School, and the Hartford Grammar School. His memberships include the Century Association of New York, the Monday Evening Club, The Hartford Club, and Hartford Country Club.
During the World War I period, Mr. Parsons was at Yale, and he served in the Student Army Training Corps. During World War II he served in the legal division and as associate general counsel of the War Production Board in Washington, D. C., 1943-1945. He is fond of active sports-mountain climbing, squash racquets and golf. He and his wife attend the First Church of Christ, Congregational, in Hartford.
She is the former Miss Katharine Bunker, daughter of George and Jeanne Polhemus (Cobb) Bunker, and she became the wife of John C. Parsons in New York City, on December 6, 1939.
WILLIAM AVERY ELLIS, M.D.
Dr. William Avery Ellis of West Hartford has won a reputation as one of the leading specialists in surgery of the capital city area. He is a native of Warwick, Rhode Island, and was born on November I, 1914, son of William A. and Mary V. Brennan Ellis. Attending local public schools, he began his advanced academic and premedical studies at Rhode Island State College, and received his degree of Bache- lor of Science in 1936. For his professional training he entered Jeffer- son Medical School, and there took his degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1940.
He interned at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford in 1940-1941; and during 1941-1942, was a Teaching Fellow in Pathology at George- town University. He next accepted appointment as Assistant Resident Surgeon at the North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, remaining on the staff there from 1942 to 1944. He was Resident Surgeon at the Mary Hitchcock Hospital and Clinic at Hanover, New Hampshire, from 1944 to 1946. Dr. Ellis next accept- ed appointment as staff Associate in General and Thoracic Surgery at that same hospital. He was Attending Surgeon at White River Junc- tion Veterans Administration Hospital in 1947.
In 1948 he returned to Hartford and became an Assistant Sur- geon at St. Francis Hospital, later being appointed as an Associate in Surgery. In 1948 he was appointed an Assistant Surgeon at the
Rolandin Biler
251
CONNECTICUT
J. McCook Hospital in Hartford; and he has also been Consultant in Thoracic Surgery at St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury.
In addition to his teaching fellowship at Georgetown, Dr. Ellis was privileged to have two other academic appointments.
From 1942 to 1944 he was an Instructor in Surgery at Bowman Gray Medical School in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and from 1944 to 1947 was an Instructor in Anatomy at Dartmouth Medical College. While he has specialized primarily in General Surgery, Dr. Ellis has retained his interest in Thoracic Surgery as a subspecialty.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery; and a member of numerous national, state and county medical societies.
Dr. Ellis has actively pursued his interests in the conservation of natural resources and the management of fish and game. He is an active member of county and state sportsmen's organizations, and in 1958 was appointed to the Advisory Council to the Connecticut State Department of Fisheries and Game. He organized and developed Limestone Trout Club, Inc.
He was married on July 15, 1943 to Claire C. Sullivan, and they have five children: I. Richard Rogers, born September 4, 1944. 2. Robert Michael, born September 5, 1945. 3. Stephen Jay, born Decem- ber 29, 1946. 4. Patricia Ann, born October 10, 1955. 5. Barbara Ann, born December 17, 1959.
ROLAND M. BIXLER
Since J-B-T Instruments, Inc., established its plant at New Haven, Roland M. Bixler has been active in its management and at the age of twenty-eight, he became president of the corporation, a key producer of meters, automatic switches, and testing equipment. He is an official of other organizations as well, and takes a full and con- structive part in civic, educational and welfare activities.
Born at Bluffton, Ohio, on November 17, 1913, he is a son of David Wilson and Dora (Tschantz) Bixler. Both of his parents were natives of Dalton, Ohio, where his mother was born on April I, 1885, and his father on March 8 of the following year. Attending the public schools of his native city, Roland M. Bixler graduated from Bluffton Senior High School in 1931. He then began his ad- vanced studies at Bluffton College, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1935.
He began his career in that year as managing editor of the Ex- change Club Magazine, a periodical of national circulation published at Toledo, Ohio. Until 1939, he remained in that position, and left
Conn.III-21
252
CONNECTICUT
in that year to come to the East and make a survey to determine the location of a plant for J-B-T Instruments, Inc., of which he was a founder. He is the only one of the founders active in its management at the present time. It takes its designation from the initial letters of the three founders' names, Mr. Bixler being represented by the "B" in J-B-T. He chose New Haven as the site for the plant be- cause of its good transportation and communication facilities, and its proximity to Eastern markets and suppliers. At its plant at 133 Hamil- ton Street, its manufacturing schedule produces, as major products, vibrating frequency meters, rotary selector and lever-action switches, toggle switches, indicating pyrometers, elapsed-time and running-time meters, appliance temperature testers, and special testing equipment.
Initially, the company began operations with what has been des- cribed in a small brochure-history as "some ideas, moderate capital, two employees, and two rooms in one section of its present location." Today, well over one hundred persons are employed. It has established an excellent record in employee relations. Distribution of its products is carried out internationally through twenty-five foreign and domes- tic representatives, and four hundred and fifty distributors. J-B-T Instruments, Inc., also own and operates Shurite Meters, with a plant at 130 Wallace Street in New Haven. This latter firm makes small electrical panel meters. The company's plants have won awards spon- sored by the New Haven Safety Council, for the high standards ad- hered to in its manufacturing operations.
In addition to his connection with the above firms, Mr. Bixler is president and director of the Branford Manufacturing Company, producer of electro-mechanical parts, and a director of Rite Box Manufacturing Company, Inc., of Hamden. He is a corporator of Connecticut Savings Bank. He has taken a lively interest in the pro- grams of industrialists' groups. He serves on the board of directors of Electronic Industries Association, the national trade group of his industry, and in December, 1958 was elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers. He is a charter mem- ber of the Young Presidents' Organization, also a national body, and since 1954 he has attended the annual seminars of this organization, held at graduate schools at Harvard, Northwestern, and the Uni- versity of Virginia. In the year 1958, he was program chairman of the Eighth Annual School for Presidents, the meeting of which was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, in April, 1958.
In the local sphere, Mr. Bixler rendered valuable service as chairman of production and industry of the Postwar Council of the
253
CONNECTICUT
New Haven area. In 1946 he served as president of the New Haven Junior Chamber of Commerce, and he was co-chairman of the New Haven Symphony's first pop concerts at the Yale Bowl. Deeply in- terested in the cause of education, he is currently chairman of the board of governors of New Haven College, a member of the board of trustees of his alma mater, Bluffton College, and a member of the board of education at Woodbridge, Connecticut, where he makes his home. He is a member of the board of Congregational Community, Inc., a home for retired people being developed at New Haven. He is interested in working for the young as well as on behalf of senior citizens; and serves on the Quinnipiac Council, Boy Scouts of Amer- ica, and as a member of the board of directors of the New Haven Young Men's Christian Association. He is a communicant of. the Church of the Redeemer, Congregational, at New Haven. His local memberships include the Exchange Club, the Quinnipiac Club, and the Woodbridge Club.
In his native city of Bluffton, Ohio, on July 1, 1939, Roland M. Bixler married Margaret Mabel Triplett, daughter of Ray L. and Etta (Lantz) Triplett. Her father, a native of Ohio, was born on November 8, 1883, and her mother was born in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Bixler are the parents of two children: I. Katharine Anne, who was born on February 22, 1948. 2. David Ray, born April 1, 1953.
CHARLES J. ZIMMERMAN
Charles J. Zimmerman, president of The Connecticut Mutual. Life Insurance Company at Hartford, joined the organization about three decades ago, shortly after he entered the insurance field. He has. to his credit an unusual record of achievement in insurance sales and management, and also in civic affairs.
A native of New York City, he was born on January 9, 1902; son of Charles J. and Sophie (Huber) Zimmerman. Graduating from New Rochelle High School in Westchester County, New York, he entered Dartmouth College, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Science in 1923. The following year he graduated from the Tuck School of Business Administration and Finance with the degree of Master of Commercial Science. In October, 1952, he was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree by Dartmouth College.
He immediately entered the life insurance business as executive manager of the New York Life Underwriters Association. In. 1926 he entered field work as an agent for the Fraser agency of the Con- necticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, and in 1928, having made
254
CONNECTICUT
an outstanding record as a personal producer, he opened a branch office for the agency in Bridgeport, there developing an organization producing over two million a year by 1930. In that year he was recalled to New York as manager of the agency there. He received the Char- tered Life Underwriter degree in 1931. In that year, Mr. Zimmerman was appointed general agent of the Connecticut Mutual in Newark, and by 1937 he had built up production from five hundred thousand to seven million dollars per year. In 1935 he was selected by Forbes Magazine as one of "America's Outstanding Salesmen."
In 1937 he was transferred to Chicago as Connecticut Mutual general agent. He again performed a superlative agency-building job, raising that agency from thirty-third to second place in the company's ranks in the short space of five years. Throughout this period he was very active in the National Association of Life Underwriters, being elected a trustee from 1934 through 1936, secretary in 1937, vice president in 1938, and president in 1939, the youngest ever elected to that office. He is also a past director of the National Chapter of Chartered Life Underwriters. During his period as president of the National Association of Life Underwriters, he vigorously advocated many progressive steps which have since been taken. Among the most important of these recognized was the need for revising agent's com- pensation to include adequate pensions and continuous service fees for the life underwriter. As a result of his vigorous leadership, a compensa - tion committee representing all segments of the business was appointed and began a thorough study of this subject, which has since resulted in fundamental changes in the compensation schedules of many com- panies.
Mr. Zimmerman represented the life insurance field in 1940, ap- pearing as a witness before the Temporary National Economic Com- mittee in Washington. During 1941 and 1942, he appeared as a witness before the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee on numerous occasions in connection with life insurance taxation, Social Security, and other matters of interest to the life insurance business.
In 1940 he was selected by the Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of "America's Outstanding Young Men." He has addressed in- surance and civic organizations throughout the United States and Canada, has written numerous insurance articles, and has been active in the institutional phases of life insurance. He has played a leading part in the growth of the American College of Life Underwriters and in 1941 was elected a trustee of that organization. In 1942 he
255
CONNECTICUT
was selected by The Insurance Field, a periodical, as "Insurance Man of the Year."
Early in 1942, he was commissioned a lieutenant commander by the United States Navy. In connection with the Navy Personal Fi- nance Program, he traveled throughout South America and the Pacific in 1943, 1944 and 1945. He was separated from the Navy in April, 1946, with the rank of captain, and with the title of Coordinator of Savings Bonds for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. During his four years of service, he received numerous commendations from the United States Army, Navy, and Treasury Departments and prior to his release to inactive duty received a special commendation and ribbon from the Secretary of the Navy.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.