Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-02-17

which occurred yesterday morning at half
past six O'clock noble man and citizen and
public benefactor has passed away, man
whose name will be long and justly honored
and esteemed. He died full of years, after
long and useful life, and his memory lives
after him. He had lived to see and enjoy
some of the fruits of his foresight public
spirit and benevolence, and his evening of
life was bright and peaceful He passed away
after about months Illness The immediate
cause of death was Bright's disease. He bore
suffering with fortitude, and met his end with
peaceful resignation and hope of better life.
The city will regret his loss, and in all parts
of the nation his name, as the founder and
benefactor of the Sheffield Scientific School,
will be honored and cherished Mr. Sheffield
up to a recent date, though in his s9th year,
was able to ride out and transact such bust
sness matters as required his personal cogni-
zance, and his dignifed presence and nobility
of countenance were familiar to the business
portion of the public. The deceased was a
native of Southport, Conn, born june 10,
1893. His father and grandfather were ex-
tensive shipowners and had taken an active
part in the war of the Revolution in an armed
vessel which was commissioned by Congress,
but was equipped and sailed by themselves.
His mother, Mabel Thorp, was the daughter
of Captain Walter Thorp, also of Southport
a shipmaster and shipowner who was engaged
in the West India trade. The extensive bust
ness of both the Shefields and of Captain
Thorp was crippled and almost destroyed by
the Berlin and Milan DEGREES of Napoleon.
In 1903 young Sheffield, having shown a
marked inclination to enter upon business
life, though not yet fifteen years of age, be-
came a clerk in the store of Mr.. Stephen
Fowler, in Newbern, N. G. Here he dis
played such ability that in 1913 he found no
difficulty in forming partnership with a
house in New York, residing himself in New
bern and attending to the business of the firm
in that city. His success, especially at the
time of the revulsions which followed the
peace of 1876, and which swept into bank
ruptcy very many of his neighbors, gave early
evidence of the energy and wisdom which
have since characterized, in remarkable de-
gree, all his operations. 49,
In carrying out his plans he rode on horse
back over thousand miles through what was
then the frontier country of North Carolina
and Georgia to Fort Claiborne, on the Ala
bama river, and on this expedition visited
the city of Mobile, which was then place of
only Thousand inhabitants. Detecting at
once the advantages of its situation, he trans
ferred his business there, and soon, in con-
nection with men since prominent in mercan-
tile life, and especially in connection with Mr..
Henry Kneeland, an old and respected mer-
chant of New York, whose acquaintance he
made in 1922, he became one of the largest
shippers of cotton in the country, and the
confidential adviser of Mr.. Nicholas Biddle in
the direction of the Mobile branch of the
United States bank. In consequence of the
services which he rendered to Mr.. Biddle he
was offered the presidency of the Mobile
branch, which, however, he refused. In
1885, when his commercial standing was at
its height and his business connections such
as to promise very large returns, he deter
mined to remove to the North. He had mar
ried in 1922 Miss Maria st. John, daughter
of Colonel 7. st. John, of Walton, Delaware
county, N. Y. On returning to Connecticut
in the summer of 1886 he established himself
in New Haven, having purchased the house
on the green which had been built by Hon.
Nathan Smith. After occupying this house
about twenty years he removed to the beauti-
full residence on Hillhouse avenue which had
been built by Mr.. Ithiel Town, the architect,
where ne was residing at the time of his
death
Mr.. Shefield's important connection with
the Pennington canal is we'll remembered by
our old residents. He became interested in
this enterprise, which had been projected
by Hon. James Hillhouse, and which
had broken down through want of
funds. Mr.. Sheffield with other gentle
men obtained control of the enterprise,
and advancing money literally, the canal was
completed and put in full operation as far as
Northampton. Mr.. Henry Farnam, of this
city, was associated with Mr.. Sheffield in
this enterprise, in charge of the engineering
operations The difficulties Mr.. Sheffield
overcame in accomplishing this work stamped
him as no ordinary man. The substitution
of what is now the New Haven and North
ampton railroad for the canal came in due
time, when railroad facilities began to as
sumo importance. Mr.. Sheffield obtained
new charter and making the necessary adj
vances, with the assistance of his friend, Mr..
Farnam, in charge of the engineering, the
change was consummated and the Canal
railroad equipped and put in operation. Mr..
Sheffield overcame great obstacles in &C
oomplishing the building of the Canal road.
His energy, sagacity and far-sightedness
gained for New Haven the southern terminus
of the road. He became director in the
Canal company in 1871, and with him were
elected Seth P. Staples, Horace R. Hotchkiss,
Henry Farnam and Isaac Fl. Townsend. In
1912 the canal was opened throughout the
whole business season of eight months
This year the business was extended by the
establishment of line of boats to run from
Northampton to BrattIeboro, vt. In 1874
Mr.. Sheffield was chosen president and Will
liam G.. Hooker secretary. The canal had
been in operation under the new arrange
ment four years, and it's business was in
creasing. But expenses were heavy and
stock assessments had to be made. Bonds
were issued to stockholders to reimburse
them for their assessments Year after year
difficulties of a most discouraging nature |
were encountered and overcome by the pru- |
dence and financial skill of Mr.. Sheffield. |
His resignation was rendered in 1845 and |
from that time his energies were directed to |
the conversion of its existing interest into |
the railroad. The survey for the road was |
made by Alexander G. Twining. In 1916 |
Mr.. Sheffield bought from New York holders !
q large share of the stock, and was chosen
president of the new organization. Work
was commenced on the road in 1S47, and the |
road opened to Plainville in January, 1s4s, |
and to Collinsville February %, 1850. What
it has been worth to the people of New Ha-
ven, in opening up various avenues of bust
ness, is too we'll understood to need recapitu-
lstion here.
Mr.. Sheffield was prominent and of great
service in the building and institution of the
New York and New Haven railroad. Anoth-
er of the great enterprises of his life was his
of and equipment of the Chi
cago and Rock Island railroad, in which work
Mr.. Farnam was prominent with him. The
road was finished, at an expense of over five
ILL I.e1e