Major George Warren Dresser (September 15, 1837 – May 27, 1883) was an American soldier and
civil engineer who was prominent in New York and Newport society.
Early life
Dresser was born on September 15, 1837, at
Abington, Windham County, Connecticut. He was a son of attorney George Andrew Dresser (1814–1891) and Hannah W. (
née Brown) Dresser (1814–1855), who married in August 1835.[1] His father, who was originally from
Brooklyn, New York, was connected with the Queens Insurance Company of London.[2] Among his siblings were Charles Andrew Dresser, William Clark Dresser, Jacqueline Dresser, Mary L. (née Dresser) Randall, and Frances (née Dresser) Smith.
His paternal grandparents were Samuel Dresser and Dorothy (née Ingalls) Dresser. The Dresser family first settled in America in
Rowley, Massachusetts, in spring 1639 with Rev.
Ezekiel Rogers and sixty other families.[2] His maternal grandparents were Clark Brown and Sally (née Sherman) Brown.[3]
Dresser was
brevettedcaptain in August 1864 for "gallant services during the operations on the
Weldon (Virginia) Railroad", and
Major in March 1865 for "good conduct and gallant services during the rebellion." He resigned on October 13, 1865.[4]
From 1870 to 1873, he worked on the
Croton Aqueduct from
92nd Street to
113th Street.[6] In October 1875, he began serving as editor of the American Gas Light Journal and retained this position until his death in 1883.[4] Dresser was described as "a very enthusiastic member of the
American Society of Civil Engineers, and took and active interest in the discussions of papers, and also in its annual conventions."[4] He was also involved with
Fort Adams in Newport.[7]
His wife died at their home in New York City on April 4, 1883.[23] The following month, Dresser died at the "Reitz cottage" on John Street in
Newport on May 27, 1883.[24][25] After a funeral at
Trinity Church,[26] he was buried at
Island Cemetery in Newport.[7] At his funeral, the city of New York was represented by then Mayor
Franklin Edson.[a] After their deaths, the children were raised by Susan's mother.[27]
Through his daughter Natalie, he was a grandfather of
John Nicholas Brown II (1900–1979), who was dubbed the "richest baby in America" after the death of his father and uncle within months of each other. Brown later became the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President
Harry S. Truman.[29]
References
Notes
^The pallbearers at his funeral were Major Throckmorton, Captain Morris, Captain
C.C. Churchill, Mr. A. Smith (Superintendent), and Mr. V. Smith (engineer of the Manhattan Gas Works), Mr. Greenough (engineer of the Boston Gas Light Company), Captain F. A. Judson, Mr. Edward A. Crocker, Mr. W. D. King, and Mr. H. A. Bentley.[7]
^"John Nicholas Brown II".
Brown University. Archived from
the original on 2007-12-18. Retrieved 2011-04-22. John Nicholas Brown II (1900-1979) was born February 21, 1900. Two months later, his father John Nicholas Brown I died of typhoid fever, followed two weeks later by the unexpected death of his uncle Harold Brown. Thus, as an infant JNB became heir of his family's fortune and was dubbed by the public the "richest baby in America". John Nicholas Brown traveled the world in his youth and would continue to do so throughout his life." ...