Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Jairus Collins Hildreth, son of Jacob
and Lucy Hildreth, was born March 5,
1816, in Londonderry, Vermont, and was
a painter and builder. He lived for many
years in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and
died February 5, 1878, in Lowell, that
State. He married, November 18, 1838,
Ruth Emmeline Watson. Their son, John
Homer Hildreth, was born November 25,
1847, m Lawrence, Massachusetts. He
is of pure New England stock, some of
the family having been actively engaged
in the Revolutionary struggle, his ma-
ternal grandfather having fought at
Bunker Hill. He prepared for college at
Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
Having removed to New York
City, he enter Columbia College Law
School, and was graduated in 1869 with
the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was
admitted to practice in both the Supreme
Court and the United States Courts soon
afterward, and speedily achieved prominence
in his chosen profession. Though
a Republican in politics, he never held
public office, but in many ways he rendered
public service. For years he was
a member of the Bronx Board of Trade,
and was one of the incorporators, and at
the time of his death, November 3, 1919,
was vice-president and director. For
many years, he was a vestryman of St.
Ann's Church, New York City. He was
also prominent in the Bronx Building and
Loan Association as its counsel. He was
actively interested in the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Free
and Accepted Masons. He was a Fellow
of the American Geological Society, and
the New England Society of New York.
He often served as referee ; was president
of the Bronx Bar Association, and member
of the American Bar Association. He
married Fannie Johns Benner, born June
13, 1850, at Red Hook, New York, daugh-
ter of William and Mary Benner, descend-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
396
ants of ancient Dutch families of that
State. She died in New York City, No-
vember 1, 1879, aged twenty-nine years.
He married a second wife, Corrilla Julia
Birch, February 16, 1882. She died March
22, 1916.
Homer Wesley Hildreth, son of John
Homer and Fannie Johns (Benner) Hildreth,
was born August 24, 1871, in New
York City. His preparatory work was in
the public schools of his native city, and
his academic work was begun at Mt. Hermon
School (Massachusetts). Later on
his studies took him to Bangor, Maine,
and to Union Theological Seminary, New
York. He graduated from the latter in-
stitution of learning in 1897, having the
distinction of being the youngest member
of his class. Before graduating, he
was assistant pastor to the Rev. Dr. Samuel
H. Virgin, of the Pilgrim Church,
New York City, and since his graduation
he has served in the ministry as pastor of
the Congregational churches in Vermont
and Connecticut, his first two charges
having been in Vermont. In one of the
pastorates—Rochester, Vermont—he was
the author of the church's one hundred
years' history, and he did a similar work
for the Cromwell (Connecticut) Church
at the time of its bi-centennial. During
the Great War, he did considerable work
as one of the "Four-Minute Men" of the
State. Besides this, he was chaplain of
the Connecticut House of Representatives
(1919-1920), and also served as regimental
chaplain of the Sixth Regiment, Con-
necticut State Guard. He was an en-
listed member of D Company, C. S. G., of
Cromwell, being one of the six men who
brought about its organization, and until
the time that he was commissioned regimental
chaplain never missed a company
drill. He was also enlisted by the State
Council of Defense during: the war for