YOUR SILENT NEIGHBORS
Warren D. Mead, Shopkeeper, Collins Company Worker
by David K. Leff
Town Poet Laureate & Deputy Town Historian

An inveterate joiner, Warren D. Mead (1860-1905) was a member of the Knights Templar, Sphinx Temple, Village Lodge of Masons, Columbia Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, the Odd Fellows, the local order of Red Men, and the Collinsville Congregational Church. He was born in Wantage, New Jersey, one of ten children. He began life on his own while quite young, finding work in Pennsylvania before moving to Collinsville at age 18.

Mead worked on Cyrus Harvey’s farm for about a year before finding employment with the Collins Company. Later he went in to business with Jarvis P. Harrington who ran a store selling groceries, dry goods, glassware, footwear, and animal feed. He was with the business for seven or eight years, and when Harrington died in 1900 he took sole ownership of the store. After closing the store, he moved to Waterbury for a couple years only to return and work again for the Collins Company.

Mead was married to Nellie Jenkins for about 18 years and the couple had no children. Dying at age 45, he was sick for two weeks before the end came. “From the first of his sickness,” a newspaper reported, “symptoms developed of an alarming nature, which made his family and friends fearful that recovery was impossible.” In addition to his wife, he was survived by his father, two brothers and four sisters. The funeral was held at his home.

Warren D. Mead is buried in the Village Cemetery, Collinsville.

“Your Silent Neighbors” introduces readers to people out of Canton’s past.  Readers are encouraged to visit these gravesites and pay their respects to the people who have helped make our community what it is today.