Starr, Edward C. (Edward Comfort), 1844-1941

Edward C. Starr (1844-1941): minister and missionary; B.A.,Yale, 1866, B.D., 1870; home missionary in the West, 1870-1871; ordained in 1871; minister in Waseca, Minn., 1871-1875: minister in Hartford, Conn., 1876-1880, Northfield, Conn., 1881-1887, and Cornwall, Conn. 1888-1915.

Edward C. Starr (1844-1941): minister and missionary; B.A.,Yale, 1866, B.D., 1870; home missionary in the West, 1870-1871; ordained in 1871; minister in Waseca, Minn., 1871-1875: minister in Hartford, Conn., 1876-1880, Northfield, Conn., 1881-1887, and Cornwall, Conn. 1888-1915.

Edward Comfort Starr, B.A. 1866.

Born January 12, 1844, in Guilford, Conn.

Died January 16, 1941, in Cornwall, Conn.

Father, John Shipman Starr, a farmer in Guilford; son of Comfort and Sally (Pratt) Starr of Guilford. Mother, Lydia Austin (Lay) Starr; daughter of Steuben and Martha (Wright) Lay of Westbrook, Conn. Yale relatives include: Thomas Ruggles (B.A. 1723) and Nathaniel Ruggles (B.A. 1732) (great-great-great-uncles); John W. Starr, '71 (brother); and John K. H. DeForest, '68 (brother-in-law).

Guilford Institute. First colloquy appointment Junior year; second dispute appointment Senior year; member Kappa Sigma Epsilon, Linonia, and Delta Kappa Epsilon.

Teacher at Royalton (Vt.) Academy 1866-67; attended Yale Divinity School 1867-68, 1869-70 (B.D. 1870), and Andover Theological Seminary 1868-69; home missionary in the West 1870-71; ordained in Congregational church, Waseca, Minn., March 20, 1871, and minister there 1871-75; minister Wethersfield Avenue Church, Hartford, Conn., 1876-80, Northfield, Conn., 1881-87, and First Congregational Church, Cornwall, 1888 until retirement 1915; superintendent of the Sunday School 1891-1904 and 1921-23; author: A Catechetical Introduction to the Pentateuch (1881), A General Introduction to the Holy Scriptures, An Introduction to the Sunday School Lessons (1886), and A History of Cornwall, Connecticut... (1926); editor: Parish Papers of the Northfield Congregational Church (1882-87); supplied notes for Diary of Ebenezer Dibble (1903); president Cornwall Water Company 1915-30 and Village Improvement Society; treasurer and member executive committee Cornwall Library 1888-1913; member Cornwall Library Association 1888-1935 (president 1913-35); trustee Housatonic Valley Institute 1907-30; chairman school board for many years; moderator of town meeting; president Cornwall University Club and Cornwall Law and Order League; vice-president Litchfield County University Club.

Married January 12, 1878, in Hartford, Emily Amelia, daughter of Charles Jackson and Martha Delia (Winship) Shew. Children: Charles Comfort, '00 S., Edward Burgis, '07, and Mabel Emily. Mrs. Starr died March 9, 1937.

Death due to old age. Buried in Cornwall Cemetery. Survived by children, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Mr. Starr was the last surviving member of his Class. Since February 8, 1940, he had enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest living graduate of Yale.

(Taken from Yale University Obituary Record, 1940-43, pp. 5-6).