WALTER  H.  GOODRICH

   Walter H. Goodrich, engaged in the oil business in New Haven, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, July 22, 1875, a son of William C. and Mary Ann (Bell) Goodrich, the former a native of Connecticut. The latter, a native of Ireland, came to America in her girlhood days. William C. Goodrich removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1860 and became a well known contractor there, passing away in that city May 16, 1916, at the age of seventy-two years. In 1862 he enlisted at Hartford, Connecticut, as a member of Company C, Fourteenth Connecticut Regiment, and took honorable part in winning the cause for the Union. He was severely wounded at Antietam, losing his left hand. He kept in touch with his comrades of the battlefields of the south as a member of E. K. Wilcox Post, G. A. R., of Springfield, Massachusetts. The ancestry of the Goodrich family can be traced back to the ninth century. The first record of one of the name places the family in England. In 1636 two brothers of the name crossed the Atlantic to America and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, one of these becoming the founder of the branch of the family to which Walter H. Goodrich belongs. Many representatives of this family have become well known and some of the number served in the early colonial wars, in the Revolutionary war and in the War of 1812. Mrs. Mary Ann Goodrich is still living, making her home in Springfield, Massachusetts. By her marriage she became the mother of five children.
     Walter H. Goodrich, who was the third in order of birth in that family, attended school in Springfield, passing through consecutive grades until he had mastered the work of the high school of the first two years. His textbooks were then put aside in order that he might earn his living and he secured a position as office boy at the munificent salary of five dollars per week with the Gilbert and Barker Manufacturing Company. He continued with that firm for three and one-half years, after which he secured a position with the Standard Oil Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, remaining with that company for ten years. He was for one and one-half years connected with the Springfield (Mass.) branch of that com-pany, then transferred to New Haven and soon afterward was made manager for the local branch and continued to discharge his duties in that connection for six years. Having gained a thorough knowledge of the oil business in all of its branches, he then decided to embark in business on his own account and on the 1st of January, 1906, established himself in the retail oil trade. Through close application and persistent effort he finally gained a foothold and then branched out on a much larger scale, selling to both the wholesale and retail trade. He has established auto service stations in various places in New Haven and his business has now grown to large and extensive proportions. In fact he is the leading oil man in the city today and has a business that is most gratifying. This is due entirely to his persistency of purpose, his energy and indefatigable effort. His business methods are such as will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny and he deserves great credit for what he has accomplished. His record should serve to inspire and encourage others; showing what may be done by the man of energy and laudable ambition.
     On the 22d of March, 1899, Mr. Goodrich was married to Miss Mildred Hindsley, a daughter of George and Martha Hindsley, of New Haven. They have one child, Raymond H., who was born January 27, 1900, and is attending high school, being now in his senior year. In politics Mr. Goodrich has always maintained an independent course, voting according to the dictates of his judgment. He belongs to the State Street Baptist church of Springfield, Massachusetts. Fraternally he is a Mason and an Elk and he is connected with the Automobile Club and also with the Governor's Foot Guard. He is a self-made man and deserves great credit for what he has accomplished and, moreover, he has those attractive social qualities which render him personally popular.

(Photo attached)