Walter Phelps Warren City of Troy |
WALTER PHELPS WARREN—In the city of Troy, New York, the name of Warren has for more than a century been associated with good citizenship and upright manhood. One of those who fully measured up to the family standard of ability, integrity and service was the late Walter Phelps Warren, whose death on August 8, 1914, caused deep and sincere grief among his many friends and associates. Throughout his active career he was identified with the stove manufacturing industry. As president of the Fuller & Warren Company, Inc., locally known at that time as the Clinton Foundry, he was at the head of one of the largest stove manufacturing plants in the country, and as president of the Stove Manufacturers' Association of the United States, he exerted a strong and beneficial influence among stove manufacturers throughout the country. Diligent, patriotic, and resolute, he was a recognized leader in public affairs, and his influence was always cast on the side of material progress and moral and civil advancement.
The first Warren who came from Normandy to England was William de Warrene, who was a near relative of the Conqueror. There were eight Earls of Warren and Surrey. The original seat of the Warrens was in Cheshire, although from there they migrated to different parts of England. The name Warren and Waring are both used by descendants in this country, although it has been clearly proven that in England there are two separate families, their ancient armorial bearings being totally different.
(I) Richard Waring, the progenitor of the line herein followed, arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on the ship "Endeavor" in 1664, and shortly afterwards settled on Long Island.
(II) Edmund Warren, son of Richard Waring, was born on Long Island in 1673, and died in Norwalk, Connecticut, August 5, 1749. His wife, Elizabeth (Bouton) Warren, bore him twelve children, among whom was Eliakim, through whom the line descends.
(III) Eliakim Warren, son of Edmund and Elizabeth (Bouton) Warren, was born in Oyster Bay, Long Island, July 8, 1717, and died in Norwalk, Connecticut, August 5, 1779. He married Ann Reed, of Norwalk, and they were the parents of Eliakim, Jr., of whom further.
(IV) Eliakim Warren, Jr., son of Eliakim and Ann (Reed) Warren, was born in Norwalk. Connecticut, February 9, 1747, and died in Troy, New York, September 4, 1824. In 1798, the year of his removal from Connecticut, Troy contained three hundred houses and 1,802 inhabitants. He married Phebe Bouton, who bore him six children, among them Stephen, of whom further.
(V) Stephen Warren, son of Eliakim, Jr., and Phebe (Bouton) Warren, was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1783, and died in Troy, New York, May 9, 1847. He was an influential citizen of Troy, business man, financier, member of the State Legislature in 1823, and a presidential elector. He married Martha Cornell Mabbett, of Lansingburg, New York, who bore him six children, among whom was Hon Joseph Mabbett Warren, father of Walter Phelps Warren, of whom further.
(VI) Hon. Joseph Mabbett Warren, son of Stephen and Martha Cornell (Mabbett) Warren, was born in Troy, New York, January 28, 1813, and died in that city September 9. 1896. He graduated from Washington (now Trinity) College. On March i, 1840, he was admitted to the firm of Hart, Lesley & Warren, which style was changed to Warren, Hart & Lesley, then to J. M. Warren & Company, with Joseph M. Warren as president, so continuing until his death. He was one of a committee of nine to arrange for the sale by the city of Troy of the Schenectady & Troy railroad; was the first president and a director of the United National Bank of Troy; a trustee of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; water commissioner of the city of Troy from 1851-52; one of the organizers and member of the board of managers of the Troy Club. He married, September 9, 1835, Elizabeth Adelaide Phelps, born March 3, 1815, died July 20, 1891, daughter of Walter and Julia Steel (Beach) Phelps, of Hartford, Connecticut. They were the parents of seven children: Stephen, Mary Mabbett, Walter Phelps, of
whom furthe; Josephine, Phebe McKean, Anna and Stephen.
(VII) Walter Phelps Warren, son of Hon. Joseph M. and Elizabeth A. (Phelps) Warren, was born in Troy, New York, June 13, 1841. Hewas educated at the Troy Academy, and at Walnut Hill School, Geneva, New York. In February, 1864, he was admitted a member of the firm of J. M. Warren & Company, of Troy, withdrawing therefrom in 1871. He then became associated with Fuller, Warren & Company, of Troy, which firm was incorporated in tSSi under the name of Fuller & Warren Company, Inc., manufacturers of stoves and furnaces, whose works, covering six acres in Troy, were known as the Clinton Foundry. Mr. Warren was trustee and vice-president of the original corporation, and on the death of Joseph W. Fuller, the president, in 1890, was elected president, which office he filled for many years.
Among Mr. Warren's many other business activities were the following:
President of the National Association of Stove Manufacturers of the United States, and of the Troy Citizens' Association; vice-president of the Troy Savings Bank, Troy Chamber of Commerce, and Troy Centennial Association; director of the Fuller-Warren Company of Milwaukee, Rensselaer & Saratoga Railroad Company, Albany & Vermont Railroad Company, Saratoga & Schenectady Railroad Company, Troy & Cohoes Railroad Company, the National City Bank of Troy, the Samaritan Hospital, and of the Church Home; trustee of the Troy Orphan Asylum; and member of the Public Improvement Commission of Troy. He was a member of the Citizens' Corps, and was elected president of the reorganization in 1878, and lieutenant in the Sixth Separate Company, now Company A, Second Regiment, New York National Guard. From 1864 to 1868 he served on the staff of Governor Hofifman, with the rank of colonel. Through his Revolutionary and Colonial ancestry he derived membership in the patriotic orders. He was regent of William Floyd Chapter, Sons of the Revolution; a member of the Founders and Patriots, Colonial Wars, and Colonial Governors and Mayflower societies. He was also a member of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. His clubs were the Union and
Manhattan of New York City; the Philadelphia, Lenox and Troy, having
served as president of the latter for seventeen years. He was a member of the Episcopal church, founded in Troy by his ancestors, and was a trustee of St. Paul's Free Chapel (later St. Barnabas Chapel, an independent organization), was appointed by the vestry of St. Paul's Church to manage the affairs of the chapel, then a mission of the mother church. In politics Mr. Warren was a Democrat, and always took a deep interest in all reform movements affecting municipal. Federal or State politics. He was a ready, effective and pleasing public speaker, and an untiring worker for the interests of his native city.
Mr. Warren married, July 11, 1866, Martha Mabbett Warren, born December 22, 1842, daughter of William Henry and Mary (Rogers) Warren, of Moreau, New York. Children: 1. William Henry, a sketch of whom follows. 2. Joseph Mabbett, born December 14, 1868, died March 7, 1872. 3. Mary Eliza, born February 5, 1870; married, November 5, 1896, Thomas Vail. 4. John Hobart, horn May 9, 1873, died June 10, 1873. 5. Walter Phelps, Jr., a sketch of whom appears on following pages. 6. Elizabeth, born April 14, 1876, died February 3, 1878. 7. Chester Ingersoll, a sketch of whom appears on following pages.