Meet Harry Armitage Conant

Hon. Harry Armitage Conant

Those were the good old days 

The photo was taken September 9th 1908 on Helen Conant Armitage’s 80th Birthday. Helen is at the end of the table sitting between the European Servants. At this end, with the napkin on his knee, is Helen’s Brother, Harry Armitage Conant. He is the Father of Marguerite who married Charles Shepard Withey. To Harry’s right is his wife, Mary Morris Thurber. On her right is William Shubael Conant, the Son of John Shubael Conant who is sitting accross the table looking at the camera. On John Shubael’s left is Tally Conant Hogarth. This is her home. On John’s right is his wife, Mary McLaren. I’ll write a few things from the large amount if info on hand. William S. Conant was a Cellist- Princeton Class of 1890 Bachelor of Arts and 1892 Electrical Engineering. “Cellist William Shubael Conant 1890 eventually pursued a successful career as a consulting engineer, and on his death in 1951 left the University a Shit Load of money to endow the music professorship that bears his name. The William Shubael Conant Professor of Music chair at Princeton University” From Alexander Leitch, A Princeton Companion, copyright Princeton University Press (1978). I replaced 250,000.00 with Shit Load. His Burial Memorial states 750,000.00, Lee M Withey. He worked 3 years for Westinghouse in Pittsburgh including the Long Distance Power Transmission Exhibit at the Chicago World’s Fair. Later, in Detroit, he formed partnership Jesse Merrick Smith, later President of American Society of Mechanical Engineers. They designed and supervised the construction of electric light and power units, steam plants, interurban railways, factory, hotel and office building installations. After Jesse M. Smith moved to New York William continued and later became connected in a technical and managerial capacity with a number of manufacturing enterprises in the expanding city of Detroit. He served as Major of Ordnance during World War 1 at Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, where he was made officer in charge of construction. His wife, Frances Elizabeth was the daughter of Lecturer and Writer, George R. Wendling. After retirement in 1923 they sold their house in Detroit, ​traveled in Europe and later purchased another home in Washington D.C. and a summer cottage in Bay Head New Jersey. His father, John Shubael was Captain in first Brigade 23rd Army Corps and engaged in the battle Tibbs Bend under General Moore and the battle of Franklin and Nashville under General Shofield. He was later in command of the Military Prison at Louisville. This was actually a short military enlistment. He was a successful in business and also did extensive traveling in Europe with his wife. Later in life he was elected Commander of the Michigan Commandery of the Loyal Legion. Ok, I’ll condense the following. My Great Grandfather, Harry Armitage Conant Studied Law at U of M. Afterwards, he was elected Alderman , Mayor, State Senator and Secretary of State of Michigan for two consecutive terms. In 1880 he went to Naples Italy, as U.S. Consul and many years later he held a long appointment as Consul in Windsor Ontario. He was Vice President of First National Bank of Monroe and for many years until his death served as Director of the Union Trust Company of Detroit. Their only son, Thurber Died in 1891 while attending Princeton University. Their daughter Marguerite married Charles S. Withey. They were my Great Grandparents.