Sargent family papers

Henry B. Sargent: manufacturer; Ph.B., Yale, 1871; immediately after graduation became connected with Sargent & Company as general inspector of products and in a short time was made assistant superintendent; became vice-president in 1887 and was president from 1917-1927.

Born March 4, 1851 in New York City.

Died February 3, 1927 in New Haven, Conn.

Father, Joseph Bradford Sargent; founder and head of Sargent & Company, hardware manufacturers, of New Haven; mayor of New Haven 1891-1895; son of Joseph Denny and Mindwell (Jones) Sargent; descendant of William Sargent, who came from Northampton, England, to Malden, Mass., in 1638. Mother, Elizabeth Collier (Lewis) Sargent; daughter of Curtis and Jane (Collier) Lewis; descendant of Benjamin Lewis, who went from New Haven to Wallingford, Conn., in 1669 and thence to Stratford, Conn., during 1676-77. Yale relatives include: Henry Sargent (B.A. 1841) (uncle); Russell S. Fenn, ex- '10, Richard C. Sargent, '11, Sydney F. Sargent, ex- '11 S., Lawton G. Sargent, '12 S., Howard L. Sargent, ex-'18 S., Robert Lewis Fisher, C. Forbes Sargent, and J. Weir Sargent, all '20, and Thomas D. and Wiliam F. Sargent, both '25 (nephews); and Wilfrid S. Lewis, '19, and Leicester S. Lewis, '27 S. (cousins).

Hillhouse High School. Chemical course; second lieutenant Undine Boat Club Junior year and first lieutenant Senior year; pulled bow oar on its six-oared crew; in 1871 personally built the sliding seats used in winning the spring races, the first ever used in a Yale rowing shell; captain Scientific Baseball Club; member Class Dinner Committee and Book and Snake; honorary member Aurelian Honor Society; in 1870 member of Professor Othniel C. Marsh's paleontological expedition west of the Mississippi.

Immediately after graduation became connected with Sargent & Company as general inspector of product and in a short time was made assistant superintendent; became vice-president of the company in 1887 and had been president since 1917; trustee and a corporator of National Savings Bank 1906-1907; director of City Bank from 1904 until its consolidation with New Haven and County banks in 1915 and since then a director of New Haven Bank; vice-president New Haven County Employers Association; director of Organized Charities of New Haven 1888-1900; original member of board incorporators of New Haven Community Chest in 1921, a director 1921-1925, and member of executive committee of the campaign organization 1921-1926; director New Haven Dispensary and New Haven Chamber of Commerce; councilman 1883-85; member of board of Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Conn., for ten years and chairman of board for the past few years; member of Yale Corporation 1902-1920; graduate member Yale University Athletic Committee 1878-1912, serving as its secretary for many years; treasurer and a director of Yale Field Corporation 1880-1899; secretary of Class of 1871 S. since graduation; honorary M.A. Yale 1907; member American Society of Mechanical Engineers since 1898 and vice-president of the society 1918-1920; served on many committees, took an active part in the founding and operation of the New Haven section, and was interested in the New Haven Machine Tool Exhibition; member Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, and Century Association of New York.

Married December 4, 1879, in New Haven, Harriet Amelia, daughter of Charles Henry and Rhoda (Miles) Oaks, and sister of Henry A. Oaks, '75. Children: Elizabeth Collier; Ziegler, '03; Rhoda Miles (Mrs. Tilney); Murray, '05; and Bradford (died in childhood).

Death, due to septicaemia, occurred after an illness of only a few days. Buried in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven. Survived by wife, two daughters, two sons, six grandchildren, one of whom is Bradford S. Tilney, '30, stepmother, four sisters, Ellen S. Fenn, the wife of Bruce Fenn, '77 S., May S. Rice, the wife of William A. Rice, '86 S., Margaret S. Fisher, the wife of Samuel H. Fisher, '89, and Miss Laura Sargent, of New Haven, and four brothers, Edward R. Sargent, '80 S., G. Lewis and Joseph D. Sargent, both '81 S., and John Sargent, '94 S. Another brother, Russell Sargent, '84 S., died in 1904.

Source: Yale Obituary Record, No. 86, pp. 217-218.

George Lewis Sargent was born on July 26, 1862, in New Britain, Connecticut, graduated from Yale, Class of 1881S, and died on February 5, 1944, in New Haven. Worked in the family hardware business.

Ziegler Sargent was born on December 10, 1881, in New Haven, Connecticut. He attended Hopkins Grammar School and graduated from Yale (Class of 1903), serving as class secretary fom 1903-1909. Upon graduation, he joined Sargent and Company attaining the position of treasurer in 1917. He was inducted into military service in 1918, serving in the Field Artillery Service at Camp Zachary Taylor for six weeks. Upon his discharge, he returned to Sargent and Company. Sargent died in 1955.

Murray Sargent was born on August 30, 1884, in New Haven, Connecticut. He was educated at Hillhouse High School and Hopkins Grammar School. Upon graduation from Yale (Class of 1905), he joined the family hardware business, Sargent and Company, becoming chairman of the board in 1944. Sargent and other retired executives formed a consulting firm, Management Counselors, which closed in 1955.

Henry Bradford Sargent, II, was born on February 10, 1917, in New Haven, Connecticut, grandson of Henry Bradford Sargent, (Yale Class of 1871S). He was educated at New Haven High School and the Taft School, and studied at Yale for two years in the Class of 1940. He was employed with the United Press and the publishing firm of Sargent-Collett.

Sources for information on family members other than Henry B. Sargent: various Yale yearbooks and reunion pamphlets.