Reinhold J. Dabergotz, proprietor of one of the leading fur stores of New Haven, now doing business at No. 138 Orange street, was born in Finsterwalde, Germany, September 20, 1861, and is the youngest in a family of nine children, whose parents were August and Julia (Richter) Dabergotz, lifelong residents of Germany. The father was a ladies’ tailor and quite successful in business. He died in March, 1862, at the age of fifty-six years, and the mother passed away in 1886 at the age of seventy-one.

  Reinhold J. Dabergotz attended school in his native city until fourteen years of age and then started out to make his own way in the world. He served a four years’ apprenticeship to the furrier’s trade and at the same time acquired a good general knowledge as well as a business training which has been of great value to him in later years. For some time he was employed as a furrier in Berlin, and Braunschweig, Germany; Basel and Geneva, Switzerland; Paris, France; and London, England; and in May, 1888, he arrived in America. For a time he worked at his trade in New York city and was similarly employed in Chicago for three years, but in 1901 came to New Haven, being for ten years in the fur department of the store of Friend E. Brooks. In 1911 Mr. Dabergotz embarked in the fur business on his own account at No. 138 Orange street, where he is still located. Although he started with a small stock he has gradually increased his business to meet the growing demands of his trade and is now one of the leading furriers of New Haven.

  On the 1st of May, 1898, Mr. Dabergotz was married in New York city to Miss Katharine Wagner, who was born in Vienna, Austria, December 27, 1862, and was reared and educated in that city. They have one daughter, Margaret, now the wife of Frederick Ahern of Springfield, Massachusetts.

  Before leaving his native land Mr. Dabergotz served for three years in the German army. Since becoming a naturalized citizen he has voted with the democratic party and is today a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Harugari and the New Haven Cremation Society. In religious faith he is a Lutheran. In 1909 he took a trip abroad, visiting Germany, Switzerland, Italy, England and France, and he has also traveled extensively over this country. While in Florida he met a number of Indians in the Everglades and negotiated with them to buy their furs but this contract was never carried out. He is a man of considerable business ability and is deserving of great credit for the success he has achieved for he came to this country empty handed and has built up a profitable business through his own well directed efforts.