Whitney Alfred Todd8, (Orrin K.7, William6, Simeon5, Joel4, Ithamar3, Michael2, Christopher1) born 1874, married Jan. 6, 1902, Zadelle Lucretia, daughter of Charles Billings Smith, at South Meriden, Conn.
He had a fair education but went to work early. He was a powerfully built fellow, and not fully comprehending the throbbing impulse of his varied ambitions was somewhat unusual in his activities to satisfy them.
At the age of eighteen he enlisted in K Company, 2nd Regiment C. N. G. and served 8 years. Enlisted in L Company, 1st Connecticut U. S. Volunteers in 1898 and served during the Spanish-American War. Enlisted in the 43rd U. S. Volunteers in 1899 and served two years in the Philippine Islands. Was honorably discharged from this service at San Francisco in July 1901. Enlisted in the 123rd Coast Artillery, U. S. Army in 1904. Transferred to 54th Company (Torpedo School of Submarine Defense) for one year course, and was then transferred to the 95th Torpedo Company as instructor in submarine torpedo work. It will be noted that Whit, as he was familiarly called, took several leaps across parts of the world in the service of the Government. All this work was full fraught with daring and danger, but that thought seemed to seldom come to him. He strongly desired to work out his own destiny on these lines and his always fine demonstrations covered a broad basis of time, space and action, and his work was commended. On his final discharge he located at Yalesville, Conn.–the populous suburb of the busy and somewhat aristocratic manufacturing and residence Borough of Wallingford.
Whitney Alfred, always retained his unusual physical vigor and was also the fortunate possessor of marvelous powers of endurance which enabled him to outserve almost any other man in many of the difficult army and war tasks assigned to him. His many sided activities seem to have given satisfaction for he was promoted to the rank of instructor both while in the Philippines and in the Submarine School at home. These patriotic jobs were full of intense interest to him and he extolls them as well worthy his time and strength. All these experiences he regards as not without a large reflex value to himself, and as also a veritable and fairly complete asset in many ways for his plans for the rest of his life.
Vocationally, he is connected with R. Wallace Son’s cutlery department being responsible for quality of product and in charge of machines, tools and equipment, a position requiring experience of a peculiar kind, patience of very positive sort, alertness and speed of vision and action and special mental and mechanical abilities that are in constant demand. The work is important and the income commensurate. His careful attention to detail and ready accountability give satisfaction here, and his warm interest in home and community matters make him a jolly and sought for companion for any part of an unusual hour or two that needs a little spice injected into it. But he takes a deep and abiding interest in the welfare of his family and not much of his leisure finds him outside the threshold of his home except when they are with him. The family are active with the M. E. Church at Yalesville.
Child:
2447. Dorothy May, b. Sept. 13, 1902, she is now, 1920, a student at the Lyman High School, Wallingford.
