The subject of this biography is a splendid example of sturdy young manhood; and although he has his record yet to make, his qualifications and attainments and opportunities are such as to give promise of the most gratifying results.
He was born at Newtonville, Massachusetts, August 24, 1870, the son of William Guerin and Martha Keep (Snow) Sinclair. His father, now deceased, was a native of Newtonville, and was of Scotch ancestry. He was a man of rare business ability and was a prominent woolen and cotton manufacturer in Boston, and later in New York. Our subject's mother was born at Providence, Rhode Island, the daughter of Charles and Mary (Howland) Snow. Her mother was a daughter of Henry Howland, who was a lineal descendant of one Henry Howland, who immigrated from England on board the Mayflower in 1620. Henry Howland, the great-great-grandfather of our subject, was one of the early settlers of Providence, and with his wife still lives on the old homestead in that city, where they heartily enjoy the visits of the three generations of their descendants. Frederick William, a brother of our subject, is now pursuing a course of studies at Dresden, Germany.
Harold, after leaving the high school, pursued scientific and classical studies at Orange, New Jersey, and then completed his education in the schools of Hanover, Berlin and Dresden, Germany, spending one year in the Royal Conservatory of Music at Dresden. He is a skillful and accomplished performer on the violin, and besides playing on the occasion of numerous charitable entertainments connected with Mr. Beecher's church in Brooklyn, has done a vast amount of concert work.
He began his business career in the office of Messrs. Willett and Gray, prominent sugar brokers in Wall Street, New York, and recognized statisticians on sugar in this country. The senior member of this firm being a personal friend of Mr. Sinclair, he enjoyed unusual advantages for acquiring a thorough knowledge of the sugar business and made good use of his opportunities, acquiring an insight into the business and familiarity with its details that else could have been obtained only by years of diligent application.
His employers sent him on important missions and on one occasion he was sent to New Orleans in their interests. He represented the American Sugar Refining Company at a convention held in Dubuque, Iowa, being one of the youngest members there. A few years since he took charge of the Davenport branch of Mr. P. I. Earl, well-known throughout the State of Iowa, and still (1894) holds his position.
Mr. Sinclair's wide range of studies and extensive travels, both in his own country and in Europe, have given him a broad and comprehensive view of life and of men and affairs. In religion he holds to no creed, but entertains the most liberal opinions. He has a high ideal of moral worth and integrity; acts from conscientious motives and in all his dealings with others seeks to carry out the spirit of the Golden Rule. In political sentiment he is an Independent Republican, but is in no sense a partisan ; and in using his privileges as a citizen he looks more to men and principles than to party, and supports for office only those whom he believes to be worthy. Mr. Sinclair has personal and social qualities of a high order, and is strongly attached to his friends. He has a sturdy, well- developed physique, and a determined will that yields to no obstacles. He is a lover of books and in his social relations seeks his intimates from among those of like tastes, who seek to make the most and best of their powers of heart and mind. He expects to make Davenport his permanent home, and with his opportunities for advancement, and his splendid abilities, there is every reason to predict for him a prominent place among her successful and reliable business men.
BIOGRAPHIES