JOHN CUNLIFFE, Jr.

  John Cunliffe, Jr., attorney at law of New Haven, was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, April 5, 1882, a son of John Cunliffe, Sr., who was likewise born in the old Bay state. The grandfather, however, was a native of England but became the founder of the family in the new world. Through an active business life John Cunliffe, Sr., has been engaged in the bakery business and in general merchandising at Lawrence and at Methuen, Massachusetts. His political support is given to the republican party and he has been quite an active worker in behalf of political and civic matters. He wedded Martha Ainsworth, a native of England. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Craven, was a descendant of Lord Craven, at one time lord mayor of London. Mrs. Cunliffe passed away in Methuen, Massachusetts, in June, 1909, leaving six children, namely: John; Bessie, who is a teacher of Methuen; George, who is traveling auditor for the firm of Wilson & Company of Chicago; Mary, who is acting as housekeeper for her father in Methuen; Robert S., who is associated with his father in business; and Selina, who is teaching school in Methuen.

  John Cunliffe, Jr., after attending public and high schools of Methuen, continued his education in the evening high school at Lawrence, Massachusetts, and in Dempsey’s Commercial College of that place. He received his early business training as assistant in his father’s store, where he worked from early boyhood. On starting out independently in September, 1901, he took up the study of civil engineering and was actively engaged along the line of that profession until January, 1914. His first engineering work was that of assistant inspector of sewers in the town of Dedham, Massachusetts, and money earned in that connection provided him with the means of pursuing a university course. He was also employed as engineer at Swampscott, Massachusetts, at Mount Vernon, New York, and at other points. In January, 1908, he entered the law class at Yale and was graduated with the LL. B. (cum laude) degree in 1910. In January, 1911, he was admitted to practice in all the courts. After his graduation he became chief engineer for contractors at the Morris dam and continued his work until the fall of 1913 or until the completion of the contract at Thomaston, Connecticut. In January, 1914, he entered actively upon the practice of law, in which he has since continued. He has deep interest in his profession and prepares his cases with thoroughness and care, is resourceful and ever ready to meet any emergency. The strength of his argument is based upon a recognition of the value of all the points of evidence, together with a thorough understanding of the legal principles accurately applied to the points at issue.

  On the 2d of March, 1907, Mr. Cunliffe was married to Miss Jennie Marshall McClay, a native of Scotland. They belong to the East Haven Congregational church, and Mr. Cunliffe is identified with the Knights of Pythias lodge of Branford, Connecticut, in the social circles of which place they hold an enviable position. He belongs to the Boston Society of Civil Engineers, to the New Haven County Bar Association, the Connecticut State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. In politics he is an active republican, keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the day, and he takes a most helpful interest in civic affairs, supporting all those plans and measures which he deems of benefit along progressive lines. On the 15th of November, 1915, he enlisted for three years’ service in Battery A of the Tenth Regiment of Military Field Artillery of the Connecticut National Guard and on the 24th of March, 1916, was made quartermaster sergeant. He thus served until July 8, 1916, when he was honorably discharged upon a surgeon’s certificate of disability. Mr. Cunliffe has made for himself a creditable position in professional circles and is well known as an advocate of all those interests and forces which work for municipal progress and for the benefit and upbuilding of the district in which he lives.

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