The Republican journal., 1903-03-12
James Staples Dead.
A Native of Waldo County he had for half
Century been foremost in promoting the
Progress of Bridgeport, Ct.

W
From Bridgeport. Ct, Daily Standard
James Staples, probably the most
widely known of Bridgeport's business
men, died at 4 40 A. NJ. Feb. 2Sth at his
home, $40 East Main street, after illness
which had confined him to his house for
the past three months. Death was due
to heart failure and general break
down induced by long struggle with
sciatica. Mr.. Staples began to fail
rapidly on Sunday, and at that time it
was thought to be practically impossible
to prolong his life.
In the death of Mr. Staples this city
loses business man who typilied In
himself the strong, energetic New Eng
land character. He started with prac-
tically nothing, gained an education
while working on farm in Maine, and
through business Sagacity, tact and
energy founded a real estate, banking
and insurance firm which is known all
over Connecticut and outside. While
Mr.. Staples was not a native of this
city, he took more than an aliens pride
in the city of his adoption, and he has
done, individually, probably more
toward encouraging the growth OF IN
dustrial Bridgeport than any other
resident of the city.
The primary cause OF Mr.. Staples
death was fall sustained in the early
summer of 1902. Workmen engaged in
the railroad improvements near the
depot had left lumber piled near the
footpath, the ends of some OF the plank
ing being left extending across the path.
Mr.. Staples, while walking along the
path, struck his left leg against pro-
jecting piece of timber and sustained a
bad fall AS a result of the fall there
was deep bruise made upon the LETT
shin.
The bruise did not heal readily, and
it later developed that there had been
by the fall Shortly after the accident
sciatica developed and while Mr..
Staples was able to get about, his con-
dition gradually grew worse. During
the past three months Mr.. Staples has
been practically confined to his house,
and it has been only at intervals that
he has been able to get out for a short
ride.
The whole life of Mr.. Staples has
been one of accomplishment, due solely
to a vigor and energy which would
never succumb to any obstacle. his
education was obtained in his early life
by hard study, at small district school,
during the winter months when he was
not working on his fathers farm, and
later educated himself by studying at
night until his health broke down under
the strain, and forced him to give up
his desire for an academic education
and degree.
Mr.. Staples was one of the compare
lively few men who learn lessons from
their experiences, and the history of
his career is notable in that while he
made mistakes, he never made the same
mistake twice. AS young man each
new experience taught him what to
avoid, and how to accomplish set pur
pose without encountering the pitfalls
which threatened. He developed dur
ing his early life that foresight and
ability in business matters, which as
member of the board of trade he later
turned to such excellent account III the
enlarging OF and increasing of Bridge
ports Industries.
James Staples was born in SWanvile,
Maine. January 10, 1924. He was the
son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth Treat
Stables. and traced his ancestry in this
country back to Peter Staples, VINO in
1910 settled in what is now kittery,
Maine. Mr. Staples received his early
education in the district school of Swan
vile. studying for six weeks during
each winter, and working On his faith
er's farm through the spring, summer
and fall That was continued until he
was IA year. old. When he was II his
special aptitude i'll the studies enabled
him to enter the high school at Sears
port. Me-, where he stadied for three
terms, and for two terms more he
studied at the Academy at Belfast.
4 Jealous desire to make the most of
his educational opportunities led to an
overappication to his studies, and that
overwork broke down his health, fore
ing him to give up his academy life ard
10 abandon his idea of attending college
and gaining an academic degree. When
his health forced him to give up his
position in the academy classes at Bel
fast he returned to SWanvllle, and from
his seventeenth to his tWenty-tifth year
he taught school during the winters and
worked on his fathers farm in summer.
His father, who was sea captain, gave
entire charge of the farm to his son.
When be was 25 years old he was of
fered and accepted a position as school !
teacher at Belfast, Me-, and he taught |
school continuously for four years in
that city, giving up that position to ac-
cept better one at Hyannis, Mass,
where he remained one year. Again a
too close application to his duties and |
studies broke down his health, and |
forced him to change his plans and to
abandon his position as teacher.
IN 1854 Mr.. Staples came to this city,
and opened lumber yard, which he
conducted successfully until the crash
of 1857 swamped that with many other
enterprises. Two years later he saw
that Bridgeport was bound to grow, and
develop rapidly when once it started,
and in 1861, ignoring the unfavorable
prognostications which attended his
action, he opened the first real estate
office in Bridgeport. That business was
en1inently successful from the start.
The energy and ability of its founder
inspired people with confidence and the
growth of the business was rapid.
Not only were tracts of land placed
in NJ Staples's hands for sale, but he
was given charge of various important
properties, and in order to meet the de-
mand and supply need in his business
he added an insurance department in
1868. Like the real estate business that
was successful and grew rapidly, and in
1874 the final branch, that OF banking
was added making an ideal
business combination That was the
foundation of the firm of James Staples