Biography for Ayres Derby Lundy
Born in Fort Dodge, Iowa on May 25, 1861.
Parents were Albert D and Jenny (Ayres) Lundy.
He was “fitted for college at the Willston Seminary in Easthampton, Massachusetts.”
From the Princeton Alumni Weekly, October 28, 1949:
He was “older than most of us when he entered college, but his quiet unassuming ways made him a general favorite. We shall always remember his kindly thoughtful interesting face. “
He was educated at Princeton University in the class of 1884 and got his Master’s Degree at Cornell University in 1887.
He married Mary Thompson on August 8, 1988 and had one daughter (see below)
After his Master’s Degree, he worked in the electrification of the railways as the Chief Engineer of the Sprague Electrical Equipment Company of Chicago from 1888 - 1890. He installed electric railways in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and several southern states. Many of these were the first electric railways in those states.
He joined Frederick Sargent in 1891 to from an electrical engineering firm. They were instrumental in the electrification of Chicago by building the Harrison Street Station.
He was one of the designers of the electrical power system used at the Chicago Exhibition of 1893. He went on to build electrical railways and electrical power plants. (from the Princeton Alumni Weekly, October 28, 1949)
He was married with one daughter, Esther Ayres Lundy, with 3 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren.
Died July 12, 1949 in La Grange, Illinois
Resources:
Has a photo of Ayres D Lundy
Biography of Ayres Lundy
Family history of Ayres Lundy
The Sargent & Lundy Story
By Alf Kolflat and Robert W. Patterson
Sargent & Lundy, 1987
Sargent & Lundy are still in business !
From Ayres D Lundy of Sargent & Lundy
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
1412 Edison Building, Chicago
To Hamilton Chase
Campbell Apartments
Winfield, Kansas
November 16, 1929
Dear Hamilton,
The enclosed check $ 250.00 is particularly intended to make certain that your wife and child shall receive the very best medical attention during and previous to the coming event.
It may also be considered as an additional wedding present, and Christmas present, should there be any surplus.
Your Aunt Mary and I hope to see you next summer when we plan to drive to Topeka, and to Winfield.
Yours Sincerely,
Uncle Ayres
A D Lundy
(There is a note next to this letter in Lieuween’s scrapbook from 1930 and it reads:
It is impossible to state how happy and thankful Hamilton and I were to receive the letter and check from our dear Uncle Ayres. His generosity made us feel that there really was a Santa Claus. )
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| Ayres D Lundy with his sister-in-law, Annie Thompson Chase (early 1920s ?) |
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From Ayres D Lundy of Sargent & Lundy
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois
To Mrs. Hamilton Chase
Main Street, Winfield, Kansas
December 7, 1930
Dear Lieuween,
Your handkerchiefs, mit stiches fine
Deserve a fairer nose than mine.
But, though unworthy I may feel,
I have an urge toward an ideal
Of beauty worked in every hem
And, in time, may live up to them.
Lovingly, Uncle Ayres
______________________________________________________________
From Ayres D Lundy of Sargent & Lundy
Mechanical and Electrical Engineers
20 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
1225 East 11th Street
Winfield, Kansas
December 31, 1931
Lieuween and Hamilton,
I’m grateful for your disposition
Relieving my matchless condition.
And when I am smoking
Or otherwise stoking
I’ll think “Merry Christmas” your “mishin”
I received matches from three different sources, but a thousand would not be enough.
Your with love,
________________________________________________________
To Hamilton Chase, c/o Annie T. Chase, 1257 Western Ave, Topeka, Kansas
From George Newcomb, Speedway Manufacturing Company, 1834 South 52nd Ave, Cicero, Illinois.
George was Annie’s nephew, who married Esther Lundy, daughter of Ayres and
Mary T. Lundy (Mary was Annie’s sister). George was writing just after Annie T. Chase died in January 1944
January 12, 1944
Dear Hamilton,
I think it was swell of you to have written me as you did yours of the 11th - and while, of course, the news therein was not good, I was most interested.
…..
Lee is most happily married, to a swell gal, whom we are in hope of making us a visit again shortly. He is out again on his destroyer, on routine convoy and sub-hunting activities. Betty is well and happy with her three nice children. Phil is in the midst of things in the S.W. Pacific -- much a misnomer -- and reports daily raids, with the flack now only “interesting” and only a sunburn from a 32 hour stretch on a life raft.
Sure do hope you and yours, and Ethel and hers, are well and contented -- and I want you to know that I greatly sympathize in your loss.
Sincerely,
George Newcomb
