CAPTAIN HENRY J. DONNELLY. Captain Henry J. Donnelly, whose title indicates his connection with the detective department and the bureau of investigation of New Haven, was born in Troy, New York, January 4, 1861, a son of the late Henry Donnelly, who was a native of Ireland and came to America about 1850. He settled in New York, where he followed the contracting and building business, winning very substantial success there. He died in 1888 at the age of fifty-two years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Maria Colton, was also a native of Ireland and came to this country with her husband. She passed away in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1892 at the age of fifty years. There were nine children born of their marriage, of whom three are yet living: Henry J.; Hugh F., a resident of New York city; and Mary, the wife of John H. Phillips, of New Haven. After attending the public schools of Bridgeport, Captain Donnelly became a student in the Yale Business College of New Haven, from which he was graduated with the class of 1881. He at once became connected with the grocery trade in New Haven in the employ of others and was thus engaged until 1888, when he engaged in the grocery business on his own account as a partner of his brother Hugh. That association was maintained until 1891, when Captain Donnelly was appointed a member of the police force as a supernumerary. On the 19th of January of that year he was made patrolman and was given a permanent place on the force on the 19th of January, 1892. He continued on the regular force until 1896 and in recognition of meritorious service was advanced to the secret service department on the 15th of April, 1897. In 1899 he was made a detective sergeant and filled that position until appointed captain on the 5th of February, 1913. He has since continuously and acceptably served in that position and the rigorous way in which he ferrets out crime and apprehends the criminals has done much in promoting law and order in this city. He belongs to the State Police Association and also to the Police Mutual Aid Society. In New Haven, Captain Donnelly was married to Miss Elizabeth Kiulan, a native of this city and a daughter of Bernard K. and Ann (McGinnis) Kiulan, both of whom are deceased. Both the Kiulan and McGinnis families have long been represented in New Haven, where the father was a well known contractor. Captain and Mrs. Donnelly have become the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living: Harry L., who is superintendent with the Sharfenburg-Robinson Company at Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Albert L., who is assistant engineer for the Connecticut Company of New Haven, a street railway company; Gertrude, at home; Walter J., who was advertising man with the New Haven Register but is now a lieutenant in the United States Army Aviation Corps; Madeline A., a high school pupil of New Haven; and Lewis A. and Urban M., both in the city. Agnes died in childhood, and Robert A. died at the promising age of seventeen and a half years, as the result of an automobile accident. He was a bright and likable lad and was attending high school at the time of his untimely demise, which was a great blow to his parents. The father of Captain Donnelly also died of an accident, stepping on a nail which penetrated his foot and caused lockjaw. Captain Donnelly and his family are communicants
of St. Mary’s at Hill House, which is in charge of the Dominican Fathers,
and he belongs to the Knights of Columbus, in which he has taken the fourth
degree. Captain Donnelly is respected by all law-abiding citizens and there
are many who have reason to appreciate his kindly spirit toward them when
his duty has led to their arrest. His capability in connection with the
police service is indicated in the fact that before he was advanced to
a captaincy he had thirty-five times received honorable mention for meritorious
conduct, holding the record in this respect. He also passed one hundred
per cent at the civil service examination and is known far and wide as
a most efficient and fearless officer. He has always made it a rule to
temper justice with charity and sympathy and in many hundreds of cases
of first offenders he has advised nonprosecution, so that many of these
were saved humiliation and were given another chance to keep out of the
criminal class. He is broad in his views, exemplifying in his life a Christian
spirit, and at all times he has been a close student and observer of human
nature. He has sympathy for the weaknesses and frailties of the human race
and is ever ready to put forth a helping hand to assist his fellowmen in
leading a better life. His own career is an illustration of what may be
accomplished through individual effort, ambition and determination. In
his boyhood he sold newspapers and did every other possible thing in order
to gain a start in life, attending business college at night to qualify
him for opportunities that might come his way. From the age of twelve he
has depended entirely upon his own labors and he had made for himself an
enviable position.
Modern History of New Haven
Illustrated Volume II New York – Chicago
pgs 736 - 737 |
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NEW HAVEN COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES pages / text are copyrighted by Elaine Kidd O'Leary & Anne Taylor-Czaplewski May 2002 |