from
History of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Biographical
NY: The American Historical Society, Inc.
1920
pp. 230 - 231:
"JOEL RILFORD FRITZ, D. D. S. -- Barring the implication which a name may
convey, both Dr. Fritz and his ancestors for many generations are free from
all German relationships, his collateral lines leading into those sterling
American families - Slocum, Brown, Banks, and other well-known ancient and
honorable New England families. He is a native of Nova Scotia, the younger
son of William Henry and Elizabeth (Banks) Fritz, his father deceased, his
mother still living near the old Fritz homestead in Annapolis county,
Canada, aged eighty-two. William H. Fritz was a substantial farmer in
Annapolis county, and gave his children the advantages of education. They
had four children: Emdon, medical specialist at Manchester, N. H.; Oscar
M., on homestead; Inghram, deceased; and Joel Rilford, of whom further.
Joel Rilford Fritz was born at the homestead in Annapolis county, N. S.,
Canada, February 16, 1863. He spent his youth at the home farm, and there
was educated in the public schools and a private school, completing the
course in the latter in 1881. In 1884, he entered Normal School at Truro,
N. S., there qualifying to teach, and receiving his authority at graduation
in 1885. He taught before and after his normal training in the public
schools of Annapolis county for several years, then decided to use the fund
he had accumulated in financing a dental education. He selected
Philadelphia Dental College (Philadelphia, Pa.), as his alma mater, and in
1888 was graduated D. D. S. After graduation he began practice at Digby, a
port of entry, watering place, and county seat of Digby county, N. S., one
hundred and fifty miles west of Halifax, and at the western end of the
famous Annapolis basin up which DeMonts sailed in 1604 to found the town
that is now Annapolis Royal (old Port Royal). There he remained until the
spring of 1893, when he entered practice in a larger town, Yarmouth, in
Yarmouth county, then came to Rhode Island, in 1907, locating in Providence,
at No. 12 Olneyville square, where he has successfully continued for the
past eleven years. Dr. Fritz is a public spirited citizen and endorses all
things promoting the welfare of the city. He is a member of the West Side
Dental Association of Providence, Rhode Island Dental Society, and American
Dental Association; is a member of the Masonic order; the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows; is an independent in politics, and is a deacon of Broadway
Baptist Church, Providence.
Dr. Fritz married in Halifax county, N. S., August 22, 1888, Isabel H.
Thompson. They are the parents of five sons and a daughter: Ernest St.
Clair, died at the age of thirteen; William Clifford, a civil engineer,
graduate of McGill University, Montreal; Earl Gladstone, an architectural
draughtsman; Carl Edwin, now a soldier serving in France with the Eighth
Canadian Siege Artillery; Willis Otto, a student; a and Elizabeth Louise, a
student. William Clifford and Earl Gladstone are now in training (1918) at
Toronto, Canada, as members of the Royal air force, and Willis Otto, who is
registered from Nova Scotia, will soon answer the call of his country."
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Beth Hurd
Johnston, RI USA
beth(a)the-hurds.com
http://www.the-hurds.com
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