Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

nally of the Saxon, meaning Golda's son,
Golda being one of the early Saxon chief-
tains.
Henry Goulding Drinkwater, son of
Thomas (2) and Jane Mary (Goulding)
Drinkwater, was born June 14, 1864, in
the village of King Stanley, Gloucester-
shire, England, where he received his
education in the public schools. Follow-
ing this, he worked for a time in the
butcher business, until he was nineteen
years of age. In 1883 the youth came to
America, locating first at Providence,
Rhode Island, and like most newcomers
to the land of opportunity, worked at
various things. In 1894 Mr. Drinkwater
became a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut,
where he has since resided. He
engaged in the feed business for a year,
but being alive to the possibilities of the
trucking business, Mr. Drinkwater gave
up his first venture to embark on the sec-
ond, in which he met with marked suc-
cess. With tireless energy he devoted
himself to the work of establishing his
business on a firm, upright basis. He
had to overcome many obstacles in the beginning
of his career, but his ambition
to succeed was so great he always found
a way of surmounting his difficulties.
About 1901 he began to operate a storage
warehouse in connection with his
teaming business. This business grew
rapidly and he was soon operating two
large warehouses. In 1909 he built one
of the beautiful residences of Greenwich,
on the crest of the hill, on Railroad ave-
nue, and since then the hill has been pop-
ularly known as "Drinkwater's Hill." In
1916 Mr. Drinkwater turned his business
over to his sons, and they are now oper-
ating two warehouses, seven auto vans,
and three express wagons. Since retiring
from the storage and trucking business,
Mr. Drinkwater has engaged successfully
in the real estate business.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
126
Mr. Drinkwater is a Democrat in poli-
tics, has served as a member of the Green-
wich Board of Burgesses for seven or
eight years, and previously served three
years on the Board of Assessors. Natur-
ally a public-spirited citizen, he entered
into his public service with the same zest
which characterized his private business.
He is also a director of the Greenwich
National Bank, and fraternally is a mem-
ber of the Benevolent and Protective
Order of Elks, Lodge No. 11 50; also the
Knights of Pythias, the Foresters of
America, and the Royal Arcanum.
Mr. Drinkwater married Annie Walsh,
daughter of Lawrence Walsh, of Limer-
ick, Ireland. They are the parents of nine
children, eight of whom survive: 1. Ella
Lawton, who married Frank J. White, of
Greenwich, and has three children: Rita
Francis, Lawrence J., Jonathan Francis.
2. Thomas W., who married Mary Ham-
ilton, and has three children : Thomas
W.,
Jr., Hamilton Jonathan, and Henry G.,
2nd. 3. Harry Francis, who married
Frances Hallahan, and has one child,
Hannah Elizabeth. 4. Jonathan Freder-
ick, who married Augusta Schwaner; he
served thirteen months in the Three
Hundred and Sixth Machine Gun Corps,
Seventy-seventh Division ; he was gassed,
and wounded in the knee. 5. Mary Eve-
lyn. 6. Margaret Elise. 7. Jane Frances.
8. Zita Stanleyetta.
The Drinkwater family are all members
of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.
WILSON, William Keen,
Factory Superintendent.
An example of perseverance and deter-
mination, unyielding in the face of diffi-
culties, is shown in the life of William K.
Wilson, superintendent of the R. & W.
Hat Shop of Norwalk. From his boyhood
Mr. Wilson has improved his opportuni-