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WALSH, Hon. Robert Jay,
Attorney and Statesman,
In all histories of public progress and
personal achievement, there are many
names which it is the delight of the biographer
to record. These names are
fraught with significance to the commun-
ity, the State, the nation. They repre-
sent lives of dignity and beneficence,
spirits strong to lead, wise to guide, capable
of handling great issues in such a way
as to avert disaster. The city of Green-
wich, Connecticut, can point to her share
of these names, among which the Honor-
able Robert Jay Walsh holds a high place.
While the fact that the story of his life
is now a memorial record, gives it a
tinge of sadness, still it gives opportunity
to picture with greater freedom the beauty
and fineness of the character which made
him a true leader among men.
Born August i, 1854, in Lewisboro,
Westchester county. New York, his boyhood
was spent in a section which
abounds with historical interest; and perhaps
it was only natural that the early
impressions should give him an impulse
toward the public service, in which his
brilliant mentality was to become such
an important factor in later years. He
was a son of James F. and Annie E.
Walsh, highly respected citizens of the
town of Lewisboro. The boy was only
ten years old when the family removed
to Ridgefield, Connecticut. He was a
studious child, and having attended
school regularly, was now well advanced
in the elementary studies, which he con-
tinued in the public schools of the town.
When twelve years of age he entered the
High Ridge Institute at Ridgefield, a
school widely known for its thorough ex-
cellence. The learned Prof. William O.
Seymour, later railroad commissioner of
Connecticut, was then principal of the
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439
institution, and took a personal interest
in the lad.
In the life of the school he was a leader,
being popular with his companions, and
interested in all the activities of the in-
stitution. But it was not within the na-
ture of the boy to let the social interests
of the school outweigh the intellectual.
He never neglected his studies, and his
work was always characterized by that
precision which bespeaks careful and
thorough preparation. He was always
cordially loyal to the ideals of the insti-
tution, and in sport as well as in study
stood for right and honesty. He attended
this school for two years, during which
time he gained a practical knowledge of
the higher branches, then became anxious
to strike out into the world of men and
afifairs and make a place for himself which
should count towards his future. In all
the later life of the man the most idle ob-
server could note a strong vein of practical
common sense. And now, as a mere
boy, it was definitely apparent in his
choice of an occupation. Sturdy and wellgrown,
he delighted in athletic activities
and tests of strength, and he realized that
skill in some branch of industry was an
excellent foundation for a useful career.
Possessing a great fondness for animals,
he chose the blacksmith's trade, and entered
an apprenticeship. He by no means
dropped his studies, but spent many hours
of his spare time in reading and study.
As he grew towards manhood the in-
tellectual pursuits held stronger appeal,
and when he had mastered his trade, he
sought the advice of Dr. William S. Todd,
then a prominent Ridgefield physician.
He reviewed his English studies with the
doctor, and with this preparation and at
the age of seventeen taught school for a
year. Appreciating to the full the responsibilities
connected with this vocation, he
entered the State Normal School to gain