Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

pupils. Mr. Fulton has the happy faculty
of knowing how to interest the young
mind in broadening itself and equipping
the youth for his way in the world ;
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
he is
conscientious and takes a personal inter-
est in each student. He is a Mason, a
member of King Hiram Lodge, No. 12,
Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of
Derby, Connecticut, and was demitted to
Union Lodge, No. 5, of Stamford; he is
also a member of the Royal Arch Chapter
in Derby.
Mr. Fulton married Hattie May Brown,
daughter of George Walter Brown, of
Georgetown, Massachusetts, and they are
the parents of a daughter, Elizabeth May,
who was born October 8, 1918. With his
family, Mr. Fulton attends the Baptist
church of Stamford, Connecticut, and aids
in its support.
ARTHUR, William Henry,
Civil Engineer, Contractor.
Men of aggressive spirit and mental
power are men of action. In one way or
another every man expresses himself in
his work. Where that work is of such a
nature as to serve the convenience, health
or happiness of his fellowmen, then it is
a matter of simple justice to spread upon
the pages of history the story of his life.
When the man's achievements include the
really important examples of modern
progress, the story is one of fascinating
interest. Such a story is that of William
Henry Arthur, of Stamford, who has done
some of the most remarkable engineering
work in this section.
The name of Arthur is of very ancient
origin. When King Henry II., of England,
invaded Ireland, A. D., 1172, he
granted to Hugh De Lacey the Kingdom
of Meath, thus dispossessing the Harts of
their patrimony in that kingdom. Thus
the family was scattered. Some settled
71
in England, some in Scotland, France and
Germany, others, more tenacious of their
family traditions, remained in Ireland.
Those who settled in Leinster clung to the
name of Hart, or used it in the form of
Hort and Hartey ; in England the form
became Harte ; in France, Le Hart ; in
Germany, Hartl or Hartz. In Scotland
the name was Anglicized into Artho and
later Arthur. The motto of the family is
Fae et opera, meaning "act and work."
Mr. Arthur's grandfather, John Arthur,
was a native of Ireland, and one of twelve
brothers who went to different parts of
the world to carve out their fortunes.
John Arthur, coming to America, landed
in South Carolina. As was natural he
went to different parts of the country, and
was at one time proprietor of a large gro-
cery store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Later, he removed to New York City,
where he was interested in various busi-
ness enterprises. He was an active,
ambitious man, never content to idle away
his time. His death occurred in New
York City as the result of sun-stroke. He
was married in Ireland before coming to
America ; his second wife was Sarah (Os-
trander) Arthur, a member of an old
Dutch family.
William Arthur, son of John and Sarah
(Ostrander) Arthur, was born in New
York City, October 12, 1825. He received
a common school education, then learned
the trade of shoemaker. Later on he became
clerk in a shoe store owned by
David Wiggins, whose daughter he afterwards
married. He remained with Mr.
Wiggins for some years and, being a
young man of pleasant address and in-
dustrious, was very successful in the
capacity of salesman. He then removed
to Norwalk, Connecticut, where he followed
his trade, establishing himself in
a very satisfactory little business by his
excellent work and his invariable courtesy