Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

active man on the board. He had an im-
portant part in the work prior to the
building of the school presented to Greenwich
by Mr. and Mrs. Henry O. Havemeyer,
and which bears their name. Mr.
Dayton also took an active part in connection
with the high school. It is un-
doubtedly true that Mr. Dayton put a
greater impress upon the work of the
school board than any other man of his
day. He encountered much opposition
to many of his ideas, particularly in
bringing in many teachers from other
towns. In this he was greatly opposed,
as there were many who believed that this
patronage should be distributed among
the daughters of the town, but Mr. Day-
ton maintained that teachers from other
fields- would bring in many new ideas
that would strengthen and broaden the
work of the schools. Mr. Dayton was
chairman of the School Committee that
built the high school building. He is a
trustee of the Havemeyer fund left for
the upkeep of the school.
Mr. Dayton has ever been in great demand
as a public speaker. He is a gifted
speaker, with a fine command of English
and a sense of humor which gives great
delight to his audiences. He is familiar
with the best of literature and possesses
a sound judgment. During the recent
World War he gave freely of his services
in many instances. His oratory helped
the sales of the Liberty Bonds, and his
public spirit was an example to his fel-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
low-citizens.
Mr. Dayton married Elizabeth Davies,
daughter of John L. Davies. Mrs. Dayton
was born in New York City, her father a
native of Wales, her mother, Annie Rogan,
a native of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs.
Dayton were the parents of two children
I. Charles H., born August 6, 1881 ; married,
June 10, 1915, Alice Francis Smythe,
and they are the parents of a son, John
: ;
361
they reside in Riverside, Connecticut. 2.
Edith Elizabeth, born January 6, 1883;
married Godfrey V. D. Titsworth, of Milwaukee,
and they have four sons : Godfrey
V. D., Jr. ; Henry Dayton ; John Ran-
dolph ; and Eugene Whittemore ; and one
daughter, Ann Titsworth. The family at-
tend the Congregational church, and Mr.
Dayton has held many of the offices of
this church.
The following is a contribution from
Rev. Oliver Huckel, D. D., Mr. Dayton's
pastor, on the occasion of Mr. Dayton's
eighty-sixth birthday
Has he drunk from some old fountain
Such as Ponce de Leon knew?
Or, mayhap, is the old birth-record
In the Bible, not quite true?
Here he is, as hale and hearty
As a youth of gay eighteen,
Straight and slender as a poplar
Have you e'er his equal seen?
Brain as crisp and keen as ever,
Memory a treasure store;
Tongue still eloquent and golden.
Wit as sparkling as of yore.
Hair and beard a little snov^y,
But his eye as bright and gay.
Hand and heart as warm as ever
"Hot for business" every day.
What's the secret of this wonder
This perpetual youth fulness?
I have questioned 'til I learned it,
Tho' perhaps you'd never guess.
:
—
— —
First, he always loved the children
That's the big part of the truth—
And he keeps young as he loves them
And absorbs their glow of youth.
Second, he always lived religion.
That's his second source of wealth
Loves his church and loves God's precepts,
Says a true life makes for health.
Third, he always loved old Greenwich
That's the third and crowning word,
All his life he's lived in Greenwich
Even in New York, I've heard.