Samuel William Henry Boyce, president of the James N. Boyce Garage, Incorporated, doing business at 915 State street in New Haven, comes of a family noted for mechanical skill and ingenuity. His grandfather, Samuel William Henry Boyce, for whom he was named, was a noted inventor of his day and one of his inventions was a machine for weaving figured in fine damask and linens, including table cloths, napkins, etc. This machine is still generally in use. The father, James N. Boyce, was the founder of the business now carried on by S. W. H. Boyce of this review. He, too, was a prominent mechanic of New Haven and was originally a builder of steam engines, some of which are still in use, including the engines in the Moran Laundry, the Nonpareil Laundry and those of the New Haven Dairy Company, the Bauman Rubber Company and others. He also built one of the first dynamos, two of which are still doing service in New Haven. He was a mechanic of marked ability and was offered positions by many prominent manufacturers but preferred to work independently. His reputation as an expert mechanic was not confined to New England. In 1898 he established a bicycle business at No. 938 State street and ten years later, having outgrown those quarters through the development of a rapidly growing automobile business, he purchased land at 915 State street and erected a building there. He wedded Mary C. Doherty, who is the secretary and treasurer of the company. The other members are: Mrs. Lillian Boyce Kimberly, a married sister, who is the vice president; and Samuel W. H. Boyce, who is the president.
     The last named was born in New Haven, February 8, 1896, and acquired his education through attendance at the public schools, passing through consecutive grades to the high school. He had entered the garage when but a boy and all his spare time when not at school was spent there. He is now actively connected with the business, which is one of the oldest of the kind in New Haven. They employ eight men and have capacity for the storage of twenty-five cars besides their own. They also handle bicycles and are agents for the Pope wheels. They carry a complete stock of supplies and automobile accessories, including a large line of tires, and are agents in New Haven for the United States, the Diamond and the Goodrich tires. The company specializes on first-class repairing, with Felix T. Bergeron in charge of the repair department. He has been with the company since its inception. In their garage are two steam engines which were built by the founder of the business, James N. Boyce. The Sheffield school attempted to get one of these engines for demonstrating purposes but Mr. Boyce would not sell.
     In January, 1917, occurred the marriage of Samuel W. H. Boyce and, Miss Grace E. McAllen, of New Haven. They attend St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church and they are well known socially in the city, where they have many friends. Throughout the entire period of his business career Mr. Boyce has concentrated his efforts along a single line. He gives great credit to his father, whose mechanical skill was undoubtedly of high quality, while the influence and counsel of his mother has been no small factor in the son's progress, but Mr. Boyce also deserves recognition for his successful and able management of the business, which under his guidance has grown and expanded.