New Britain herald., 1914-04-06
M., the Royal Arcanum and the New Britain club.
 Was Self Made Man.

Was Self Made Man.
 The life history of Bob Risley is that of a self made man and it wa!s entirely through his own energy, abll- ity and determination that he at tained for himself that position which he held in the social and bus. mess world. While boy he attend- ed the country schools and academy at Waterville, N. Y., and in this con- nection. he was wont to tell funny story of his capers. Himself prof. cient in the deaf and dumb alphabet he taught the members of his classes which in those days were not as large as they are today, the sign language and in this way everyone who was in young Risley's classes could "whisper" behind their books without being seen by the teacher.
 During his later life this knowledge of the deaf and dumb symbols again stood him in good stead. One of his head clerks was also good at that and when any important question came up the two would flash their views to each other while the man one was conversing with was in total ignorance that anything unusual was going on. In this way the two men worked together in perfect accord and by their knowledge saved on many deals in which the old adage of two heads are better than one' was used.
 A Boyhood Story.
 When young lad, Mir. Risley told his friends, he wanted to .osve school but prominent physician in his vil Ia hi 1nt. toie win persuaded him to stick to his studies. It was this same physician who gave him his first remunerative employ ment, which was keeping the snow cleared from off the walk in front of his office. For these services the boy would receive ten cents each time t showed and stopped, no matter if it stopped dozen times a day and then started up again. Some days I made as much as forty and fifty cents," MT. Risley would laughingly say. He was a husky yourgster and was cor- sidered one of the bes. athletes and wrestlers in his town.
 Strikes Out For Himself.
 It was about 1886 that young Ris- ley determined to strike out into the world to seek his life's work He went to New York and there he taught school for about a year. In 1888 he came to this city where he lived until the time of his death. His first occupation here was in the old New York and New England railroad freight house. In 1893 he departed from the steam road and became a clerk for the New Britain Electric Light company and was later made it's superintendent.
 His Rise in Business.
 When this company merged in with the New Britain Tramway com pany MT. Risley's services were re- tained and when the Central railway and Electric company was organized MT. Risley became one of it's most valued servants. Through the various company changes, which included the Central Railway and Electric com pany selling out to the Connecticut Lighting and Power company and then becoming the Connecticut Rail- way and Lighting company MT. Ris- ley conducted the lighting end of the business.
 When F. l.. Terry, in 1904, left town suddenly and at the same time left the Connecticut Railway and Lighting company without manager MT. Risley stepped into the breach and strengthened up the affairs. He then became superintendent of both the lighting and the trolley business.
 Marries Local Girl.
 While young man about the town he was very popular and was we'll liked by al1 even as he was in later life. On May 4, 1899, he was mar