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York. His death occurred February 26,
1901. Mr. and Mrs. Brush were the parents
of the following children : Abbott
Purdy, of Greenwich ; Ralph Emerson, of
further mention ; Gladys Merrill, wife of
G. Lawrence Redman, of Greenwich ; and
Marjorie E. On June 6, 1904, Mr. Brush
passed away at the comparatively early
age of forty-two.
Ralph Emerson Brush, son of August-
us Mead and Sarah (Hodgman) Brush,
was born July 10, 1886, in New York
City, and received his earliest education
in the private school of Miss Elliott, passing
thence, successively, to grammar and
high schools. He studied for his profes-
sion in the New York Law School, graduating
on June 18, 1908, with the degree
of Bachelor of Laws. The same year he
was admitted to the New York bar, and
the following year became a member of
the bar of Connecticut. After practicing
in New York four years in association
with the firm of Wells & Snedeker, he
opened his own office in Greenwich, but
still maintains an office in New York
City.
The professional progress of Mr. Brush
has been both assured and rapid. For
two years he filled the office of prosecuting
attorney in Greenwich, and his private
practice has steadily increased, keeping
pace with the excellent reputation which
he has built up alike with his legal associates
and the general public. He was
one of the organizers of the Putnam
Trust Company and is now a director
and also counsel for the company. He is
a director of the Putnam Cemetery Association,
and of the Title Insurance and
Mortgage Company.
The interest of Mr. Brush in politics is
from the standpoint of what is for the
best good of the community. In movements
for good government he takes an
active part. He affiliates with Acacia
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
438
Lodge, No. 89, Ancient Free and Accep-
ted Masons, and belongs to the Indian
Harbor Yacht Club, and the Greenwich
Country Club. He is a member of Christ
Protestant Episcopal Church.
On November 6, 19 17, Mr. Brush en-
listed in the United States Navy, receiv-
ing a commission as ensign in the United
States Naval Reserves. In view of the
fact that he had been very active in
yachting and had made a study of navi-
gation, he was assigned to the Merchants'
Auxiliary at Pelham Bay, as instructor
in navigation. In June, 1918, he was promoted
to lieutenant, junior grade, and in
September was assigned to the United
States Troop Transport "America," sail-
ing for Brest, France. His duties on
shipboard were those involved in the
charge of fire control. Returning from
France in the latter part of October, he
arrived in New York harbor on a Friday,
and on the following Monday, at four
o'clock in the morning, the ship on which
he came sank at her pier in Hoboken.
When the armistice was signed Mr. Brush
was sent back to Pelham, and was placed
on the inactive list, December 31, 1918.
In May, 1919, he resumed his law prac-
tice in Greenwich and New York City.
Mr. Brush married, April 29, 1916.
Electa Harper, daughter of John A. and
Flora (Sherbourne) Harper, of Pittsburgh,
and they are the parents of one
child : Electa Harper Brush, born July
2, 1918.
Able as he is to look back upon a career
of patriotic service, as well as upon a
record of professional success, Mr. Brush's
life-story has opened under the happiest
auspices. Ever)'thing indicates that the
results which have already crowned his
work at the bars of two states will be followed
by others larger and more satisfy-
ing as the years go on.