Prominent among the influential citizens and leading business men of Branford is numbered William Russell Foote, who was born in that place on the 3d of June, 1848, and belongs to an old an honored family of Branford, his parents being Samuel and Sarah Elizabeth (Russell) Foote. He is a descendant in the eighth generation of Nathaniel Foote, who was born in England and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1633, but afterward removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut, where he reared his family. He was a freeman. His son, who bore the name of Robert, became a resident of New Haven and from there removed to Branford, where seven generations of the family have now lived. Here our subject’s parents spent their entire lives, the father following the occupation of farming on the same property which Robert Foote purchased in 1668. He was a son of Ephraim and Polly (Hobart) Foote.

  William Russell Foote began his education in the district schools of Branford and later attended the old Branford Academy, the Hudson River Institute at Claverick, New York, the Cheshire Military Academy at Cheshire, Connecticut, and took a business course at a commercial school in New Haven. On the 17th of December, 1873, in Branford, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Foote and Miss Nettie Averill, a native of Branford, which was also the birthplace of her parents, Samuel and Myrta (Fowler) Averill. To Mr. and Mrs. Foote have been born four children but only two are now living, namely: Wallace H., treasurer of the Branford Savings Bank; and Mabel L., at home.

  In early life William R. Foote was variously employed for some time, but mainly gave his attention to farming and the raising of berries until 1892, when he retired from agricultural pursuits. When his brother Walter died in 1899, William R. Foote succeeded him in the office of town clerk of Branford and filled that position for several terms, at the same time serving as judge of the probate court and treasurer of the Branford Savings Bank from 1899 until 1912. He saw the opportunity for organizing another bank in the village and when his last term as town clerk expired he resigned as judge of the probate court and with others organized The Branford Trust Company in 1911, since which time he has served as its treasurer. The Trust Company is now capitalized for twenty-five thousand dollars and has a surplus of seventeen thousand dollars. Mr. Foote is now assistant treasurer and director of the Branford Savings Bank, which was organized in 1891 and until 1911 transacted all of its business in the Town Hall, where it was first located. Today, however, The Branford Trust Company and the Branford Savings Bank occupy the same building, a very substantial and well equipped structure erected for the purpose. In addition to his banking interests Mr. Foote is senior member of the fire insurance firm of William R. Foote & Son, controlling one of the largest insurance businesses of Branford. He is likewise an extensive real estate owner, his city holdings including the telephone building, many business blocks and in addition several seashore properties. His progressiveness is tempered by a safe conservatism and he is considered an authority upon real estate values.

  In politics Mr. Foote is an independent democrat and he has always taken a very active and influential part in local politics. He was influential in securing from the legislature the charter for the borough of Branford, the Branford town court, and the board of finance. He has served as selectman of Branford and from 1899 until 1917 filled the office of town treasurer. He has been warden of the Episcopal church and prominently identified with its work, doing all in his power to promote the moral and material welfare of his community. Fraternally he is connected with the Widows Son Lodge, No. 66, A. F. & A. M., of which he is past master, and is a member of Franklin Chapter, R. A. M., and Harmony Council, of New Haven; also Woodland Lodge, K. P., of Branford. He has traveled extensively and is a man of very broad and liberal education, which is constantly being augmented by his powers of observation and his retentive memory. He is a man of remarkable personality and strength of character, widely recognized as a strong man--strong in his honor and his good name, strong in his ability to plan and perform. He is regarded as one of Branford’s most distinguished citizens who has the welfare of the community at heart and probably no other resident of the town has done more for its upbuilding and development along various lines.