Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Caroline St. Leon Sumner, born at Great
Batrington, Maslsachusetts, September lo,
1858, daughter of Colonel Samuel B. Sumner
of Bridgeport. They are the parents
of a daughter, Carrie Lucille Godfrey.
CHILD, Chester R.,
Iiumber Dealer, Financier.
Chester E. Child, late of Putnam, Con-
necticut, ranks in that city's history as
one of its most prominent citizens, he
having done much to aid in the city's
commercial and financial progress.
Chester E. Child was born on the old
Child family homestead at North Woodstock,
Connecticut, August i, 1872, a son
of Ezra Carpenter and Abby E. (Child)
Child. The father was a native of Woodstock,
and a descendant of one of Con-
necticut's oldest families. His entire life
was devoted to farming, although his community
interests led him to enter public
life at different times when he filled the
position of selectman and other offices in
his town. He died in Woodstock in 1876.
His wife was also a native of Woodstock,
but now lives in Putnam.
The son, Chester E. Child, lived on the
old farm until he was eleven years of age,
when he removed to Putnam. There he
completed his education in the city and
high schools, after which he took up the
profession of teaching. He taught school
in Pomfret Center for six weeks, when he
was offered a position by the officials of
the First National Bank. The offer
seemed promising, so in 1889 he resigned
his position as teacher and took up that of
clerk in the First National Bank, where
he remained continuously until his resig-
nation, November i, 1898, at which time
he held the position of paying teller. He
resigned, however, to enter the lumber
business, and later organized the Child
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
Lumber Corporation, with which company
he was actively connected for a
number of years and developed many
business interests of importance. In fact,
from the time when he entered upon this
active connection with business interests
in Putnam until his death, he occupied a
central place in the city's activities, and
his interests were ever of a character that
contributed to public progress and improvement
as well as to individual suc-
cess. In July, 1915, he became president
of the Putnam Savings Bank, and remained
at the head of that institution until
his demise on May 10, 1917, bending
his efforts to executive direction and ad-
ministrative control. He recognized the
fact that the bank which most carefully
safeguards the interests of its depositors
is most worthy of public patronage, and
he did everything in his power to render
the patrons of the bank secure.
Politically Mr. Child was a staunch Re-
publican, believing firmly in the principles
of the party, but he never cared to accept
an office. He held membership in the
Second Congregational Church, and his
entire life was guided by its teachings. In
fact, to know him was to respect and
honor him, for his career at all times
measured up to the highest standards of
manhood and of citizenship, and the same
irreproachable rules governed him in his
business relations and his home associa-
tions.
On November 8, 1895, Mr. Child mar-
ried Annie Chandler Carpenter, of Putnam,
Connecticut, who was born, reared
and educated in that city, a daughter of
John Anthony and Marcia J. (Chandler)
Carpenter. Mr. Carpenter has always
been spoken of as one of Putnam's lead-
ing citizens, and he is also a descendant of
one of New England's old families. A
more detailed account of the Carpenter
70