Pendelton Family History & Genealogy

Eugene Allen Pendleton, a Waterbury citizen who has been identified with various business activities and whose life record covers service during the last year of the Civil War, following an enlistment when but eighteen years of age, was born at Stow Ohio October 26, 1845, a son of John Handley and Phoebe Shepard,both of whom were natives of Connecticut. At the usual age he entered the public schools of his native town and afterwards spent a year in Hiram College in Ohio. He was a Lad of eighteen when, on the 10th of march 1864, he responded to the countries call for aid, enlisting as a private in the Ninth Ohio Independent Battery, Light Artillery. He participated in the battles of Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville, together with several skirmishes with guerillas and following the close of the war was honorably discharged at Cleveland Ohio July 25, 1865.
It was in the year 1866 that Mr. Pendleton came to Waterbury, where he
has made his home for more than a half a century. He spent two years in
connection with the City Manufacturing Company and later was
connected with T. F. Judson in the conduct of a dry goods business
under the firm style of Judson & Pendleton. A year later he accepted
a position with the Elton Banking Company and so continued from
January 1869 until the company went out of business in 1877. He
continued to assist J. S. Elton in the management of his private
investments until July 1879, when he became also an
accountant with the Waterbury Brass Company, and later
was head of the clerical force of the company. In the late
90's he left the Brass Company and has since been identified
with J. S. Elton in the control of his private affairs. He also
served as a director of the Waterbury Gaslight Company
from January 1879 to January 1911, when he resigned
that position.
Mr. Pendleton was united in marriage to Miss Jennie
Elizabeth Knight, a daughter of Dr. Elam C. Knight, and they
became the parents of two sons and a daughter, Lewis Wayland,
Lucy Elton, and William Knight. After attending the Waterbury
High School, the sons entered business and are now with the
Waterbury Brass Company. The elder married Leona Gray,
while the younger wedded Barbara Mintie of Waterbury, and
has one child, Eleanor K., born October 24, 1914.
Mr. Pendleton served as a member of the school board
of Waterbury in 1898 and 1899, receiving the second highest
vote of the seven members elected. He has never been deeply
interested in matters of civic progress and improvement and
his influence has been a factor in the upbuilding of
Waterbury's business interests. He has always maintained
the deepest interest in the welfare of his old army comrades
and he is the author of two volumes, one of which is
entitled "Personal Histories," written concerning members
of the Grand Army of the Republic of Waterbury and
of the Wadhams Post, No. 49, in which organization
he has held many offices, including that of
commander. He has been historian of the post
for many years and the volume covers the
personal history of many of its members,
in which connection he has done especially
fine work.  The other volume is known as
the "Post Album" and includes photographs
of over two hundred  of the post members.
 These two have been presented to the
Mattatuck Historical Society by vote of the
post. The books remain, however,  in
Mr. Pendleton's possession and he adds
to the records continuously, keeping them up to date.
They are done in his own handwriting, ,
both volumes having been specially prepared.
The book in which personal histories are written
was a gift to the post and cost one hundred
and fifty dollars. It is about twelve and a half
by seventeen inches in dimensions.
The album was also made especially
for the purpose intended and
both are of the greatest
historical value.

History of Waterbury
Connecticut and
the Naugatuck Valley
page 178 / 179