Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10
SPERRY, OLDEST
REPRESENTATIVE
- REPRESENTATIVE

the distinction of being the Oldest
man in the House Of Representatives. He
will be eighty-one years old next July. A
few weeks ago, for brief period, he was
the oldest man not only in the House.
but in Congress-. and when his attention
was called to the fact that he was the
father of the present Congress" his reply
was: Eyes, that is the way things go.
can remember when 1 was usually the
youngest man in a crowd, and now 1 am
generally the Oldest
And, yet, many a man in the House.
whose years are fewer. is less erect than
Mr. Sperry. and few have more faithfully
attended the daily sessions of the House.
He takes as much interest in public af-
fairs now as he did when first he started
his political career
Mr.. Sperry was born among the hills
of the little town of Woodbridge, near
New Haven, Conn. and he has often been
called the woodbridge Oak" He is
Justly proud Of his ancestry. for he is a
direct descendant of Richard Sperry
who came to this country about 1850 and
settled in Woodbridge. 1t was Richard
Sperry. who fed and cared for the regi-
cides-Goffe. Whaley and Dixwell-the
judges who condemned King Charles to
death. Three streets in New Haven are
named after these judges, and fourth
street. named Sperry, connects them.
Began Life Teaching School.
Richard sperry owned large tract OF
land. bought from the Indians. and
known to this day as the Sperry farm
Here he also had small mill. where the
colonists brought their grist to be
ground into -four Richard Sperry was
not only a farmer, but a manufacturer
~ 1t
sheep. and from the wool wove the cloth
for his family's use. In recent years
the place has been more or less of a
picnic ground. and Mr.. Sperry's father
Is the last one who lived there. 1t is
now out of the beaten track OF travel
and only those who know the beauty of
the spot and the famous Sperry falls
ever go there. Last summer Mr.. Sperry
and the other heirs gave the home place
to the town Of Woodbridge, to be used
for country park
Mr.. Sperry grew up as a farmers boy
He received his education in the public
schools and in the private schools OF
Prof Amos Smith of New Haven. He
In the first school he ever taught some
Of the older boys we're bigger than he.
and the first day he took hold they
cheerfully told him that the last teacher
Sperry promptly retorted that they were
not going to throw him out, and soon
he had to show his mettle, when the
bully of the school refused to obey Or
ders. From all accounts 1t was battle
royal, but the bully was beaten, and
Mr.. Sperry taught that school all WIN
ter long without further trouble
Career as a Builder.
Teaching school, however. was not the
ambition of the young man. and soon ne
left the country for the larger field OF
New Haven. Here he learned the trade
Of stone mason and builder, and When he
was twenty years old started In business
as a contractor and builder. He has been
in that business ever since. and many OF
the magnificent buildings of Yale Univer-
sity are monuments to his business en-
ergy.
Mr.. Sperry was not satisfied to devote
himself to a business career exclusively.
and he turned early to politics. In 1893
he was elected to the common council OF
New Haven and in 1854 was an alderman.
He identified himself with the younger
element in politics. and in 1855 was Of
fered the nomination for governor OF Con-
necticut, but refused, owing to his youth.
He did, however, accept the nomination
for secretary Of state. and was elected
when only twenty-eight years of age. He
was reelected the following year. and
then began his political life in earnest.
This was the period just before the civil
war, when the old parties were broken
up and the republican party was formed.
Mr.. Sperry at once threw himself into the
fray, and was one Of the founders of that
party. He was elected chairman of the
republican state centraH committee Of
Connecticut. and for many years ran the
campaign in that state.
1t was while chairman of this commit
tee that Mr.. Sperry first met Abraham
Lincoln. Through Mr.. Sperry's efforts Mr..
Lincoln came to Connecticut and deliv-
cred three speeches in the state. the first
one being in New Haven. The speech was
a memorable one, and to this day Mr.
Sperry can remember parts of it. From
that time dates the close friendship he.