Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

than Lyman and Abigail Hunt i
Eldridge)
Dunham, was born in Mansfield, Connecticut,
April 24, [846, and died in Hart-
ford, October 26, [915. His early educa-
tion was obtained in Ohio, where his par-
ENCYCLt IPEDIA < >F BIOGR \I1IV
recovering complete title to 70,000 a>
Of arable land and tO the irrigating canal-.
feeding them, together with a judgment
for S'jD.ooo. Other companies shared in
this success, and Mr. Dunham became
ents resided for a time, returning to their secretary-treasurer of the holding corn-
home State when the son was eleven
years old. He was for a \ ear a Student
at Mount Union College, but his educa-
tion was principally self-acquired, he having
a penchant for the best authors. For
a couple of years he taught school, then
entered the Normal School at X'ew Bri-
tain, from which he graduated at the head
of his class in the year he came of age.
He then became editor of the "New Bri-
tain Record," and was clerk of the City
Court for three years, meantime studying
law in the office of Charles E. Mitchell.
In 1S71 he was admitted to the bar. and
for some years practiced with a partner,
Henry C. Robinson, in Hartford, also
serving as city attorney for two years.
Returning to New Britain, he was for a
time secretary of the Corbin Company,
and became associated with its successor,
the American Hardware Company, of
whose directorate he was a member at the
time of his death. During these years he
had made fine reputation as a lawyer, and
on the installation of the legal department
of the Travelers' Insurance Company in
[885, he was called to the position of gen-
eral counsel, and removed to Hartford,
the seat of the company, and where was
his home ever after. His labors in his
new position were extremely arduous,
taking him into almost every State of the
Union. The company had invested largely
in irrigation projects in Colorado, and
became involved in litigation in a suit
brought against it for more than a million
dollars. He gave this case practically his
entire time for seven years, involving
twenty-seven trips to Colorado, in the end
bringing his case to a successful issue,
295
panies formed, the Travelers' being the
principal Stockholder. Such service found
its reward, as hereinbefore related.
Arrived at the presidenc) of the Trav-
eler-', he came to the command of an
army of subordinates, with the interests
of thousands of policy holders to be con-
served, and $33,000,000 in assets to be
safeguarded. He was more than equal to
every requirement, and during the fourteen
years of hi- administration he had
increased the company's assets to $100,-
000,000, nearly trebling the sum for
which he was responsible at the outset.
While his service to the Travelers' .
his principal business crown, that did not
bound his activities. He had served as
president of the American Board of Casualty
and Surety Underwriters; and was
a leading figure in the Association of Life
Insurance Presidents, president of the
Travelers' Bank and Trust Company,
vice-president of the National Kxchange
and was a member of
Bank of Hartford :
the directorates of the Metropolitan Bank,
and the American Surety Company, both
of New York; the United Gas and Electric
Corporation, and the American Hard-
ware Company, both of New Britain
the Glastonbury- Knitting Company, the
Phoenix Fire Insurance Company, the
Hartford City Gaslight Company, Colt's
Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company,
the Underwood Typewriter Company,
and the First Reinsurance Company
of Connecticut.
Outside the realm of business, Mr.
Dunham was widely known, his genial
social nature leading him into various
clubs, while his patriotic ancestry opened
;