Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

he is a member of the Knights of Pythias,
of Port Chester.
Mr. Meilinggaard married Dorothea
Petersen, daughter of Nels Petersen, and
they are the parents of two sons, Martin,
born July 4, 1904, and Elmer, born December
11, 1905. The family attend the
Danish Lutheran church, of Greenwich,
and Mr. Meilinggaard also serves this in-
stitution as trustee.
HALPIN, William Alex,
Business Executive.
A career, which in the retrospect brings
satisfaction to the one who has created it
also proves a source of pride to a man's
descendants. There is much in the life and
career of William Alex Halpin to hold the
attention. The story of a man's rise from
a lowly position to the owner of a profit-
able business is always interesting, and is
particularly true in this instance.
Mr. Halpin was born in Stamford, Connecticut,
January 6, 1862, son of William
and Mary (Holmes) Halpin. His father,
William Halpin, was born in County
Wicklow, near Dublin, Ireland, and in the
latter city he was brought up. He attended
school, and later in life was employed
by the father of Charles Stewart
Parnell. Upon coming to America, he lo-
cated first in Stamford, Connecticut,
where he was employed by the Stamford
Foundry Company, and where he remained
until about twenty years before
his death, when he retired. Mr. Halpin
enlisted in the Civil War as a member of
the Sixth Connecticut Company, Volun-
teer Infantry, and received his discharge
at the expiration of his term of service.
Subsequently he reenlisted in the 28th
Regiment. Roth enlistments were from
Stamford, and Mr. Halpin was trans-
ferred to the company from Greenwich.
He suffered the loss of an eye through his
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
362
services. He was a charter member of
Hobbie Post, Grand Army of the Republic,
of Stamford. He married Mary
Holmes, and they were the parents of six
children, five of whom grew to maturity.
They were: 1. Mary, who is the wife of
John Fawcett, of Stamford. 2. Elizabeth,
who married Augustus Lyons, of Water-
bury. 3. William Alex, who receives extended
mention below. 4. John, of Stam-
ford. 5. Emma, wife of W. R. Willetts,
of Waterbury.
William Alex Halpin grew to manhood
in Stamford, Connecticut. There he attended
the public schools, and after com-
pleting the courses learned the trade of
iron moulder. This occupation he followed
for twelve years in the Stamford
Iron Foundry. Desiring work which
would take him into the open air, he gave
up his trade and became associated with
John McNally, a well known liveryman of
that time, as manager of the depot branch
of his business. For fifteen years he remained
with Mr. McNally, preparing him-
self for independent business operations.
His opportunity came when he incorpor-
ated the W. A. Halpin Company in 1906,
and there followed ten successful years,
until 1916. About that time the automobile
was becoming so popular that the livery
business was no longer profitable, and ac-
cordingly Mr. Halpin opened a garage in
connection with his livery business, which
finally replaced the livery business alto-
gether. Mr. Halpin is the treasurer of
the concern, whose present fine brick
garage of two stories and basement was
built in 191 1. Mr. Halpin holds a well
deserved place among the leading business
men of the city of Stamford. He
takes a keen and active interest in all
community affairs, and although not a
seeker for public office is nevertheless de-
sirous of aiding in any way possible.
Mr. Halpin married Georgia A. Shearer,