USA > Vermont > Windham County > Brattleboro > Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont; early history, with biographical sketches of some of its citizens > Part 25
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May 24, 1833, Mr. Blake married his cousin, Anna Hull, daughter of Joshua Blake, of Boston, a prominent and suc- cessful merchant, doing business with the Mediterranean ports. They were married at her father's house in Winthrop Place, by the Rev. F. W. P. Greenwood, of King's Chapel, at which church Mr. Blake then, and during his whole life, at- tended service, acting for several years as vestryman, and always taking a deep and lively interest in the church and its several clergymen.
In these early years in England, Mr. Blake made the acquaintance of Richard Cobden, the distinguished English states- man, then, in 1835, partner in a cotton printing establishment near Manchester, where he had built up a prosperous busi- ness. Mr. Blake at this time bought goods of Mr. Cobden, and had a great admiration for the qualities which later won him such distinction as a legislator and political economist. Mr. Blake gave full adherence to Mr. Cobden's free trade views, and was always of the opinion that for any country custom duties were only to be justified by
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the need of revenue. He recognized, how- ever, for the United States, that reform in this direction, in justice to large vested interests, must be somewhat gradual; but looked confidently to absolute free trade for all nations, and believed that in the not distant future, the United States, un- der a free trade policy, would be cotton manufacturers for the world.
The children of this marriage were nine, of whom the two first born died in infancy, and the youngest of all, bearing the name of his paternal grandfather, John Welland, died in 1861, aged nearly 15 years. The other children, four sons and two daugh- ters, are still surviving, in the year 1880, and all the sons were for years partners in their father's firms in Boston, New York and London. This business is still con- tinued by the sons and their associates selected by Mr. Blake, essentially as established by him.
Mr. Blake, after leaving the firm of Ed- ward Clarke & Co., formed a copartnership for the importation of dry goods with Mr. William Almy, under the firm name of Almy, Blake & Co., and during this time and subsequently was constantly crossing the Atlantic for the prosecution of his business in buying goods through England, France and Belgium. He next formed a copartnership with David Nevins and Edward H. R. Lyman, under the firm name of George B. Blake & Co., also im- porters of dry goods. Both these gentle- men still survive, Mr. Nevins living near Boston, carrying on a large manufacturing business, and Mr. Lyman in Brooklyn, N. Y., has been long associated with his brother-in-law, Mr. A. A. Low, in the firm of A. A. Low & Bros., the prominent China firm.
About the year 1846, Mr. Blake's health, which had always been delicate, failing him, he was obliged to give up active business, and in the spring of 1847, he bought an estate in Brookline, near Bos- ton, where he lived the rest of his life excepting during the winters of the last few years; these were passed at his house in Boston.
During the three or four years' interval in his active business career, Mr. Blake be- came a director in the Boston & Worcester Railroad, and took a most active interest
in the affairs of that corporation, giving much of his time and energy to the devel- opment of its growing business. He was one of the very earliest to favor and pro- mote the joining of this railroad with the Western road. In 1850, Mr. Blake associated himself with Mr. Addison Gil- more, president of the Western (now Boston & Albany) road, and Mr. George Cabot Ward, son of Thomas G. Ward, Boston agent of Baring Bros. & Co., of London, for the prosecution of a foreign and domestic banking business. The firm name was Gilmore, Blake & Ward. Mr. Gilmore dying very suddenly shortly after this firm was established, the name was changed to Blake, Ward & Co., and later to Blake, Howe & Co. At this time his brother, John Rice Blake, came from Brattleboro and joined him as partner, the firm name being later changed to Blake Brothers & Co., the three eldest sons join- ing as partners about the year 1860.
One of the leading aims of Mr. Blake, throughout his business career, was to advance in every possible way the com- mercial interests of Boston. He was largely instrumental in securing and main- taining the regular visits of the Cunard steamers to that port.
During the civil war he was always most warmly interested in the maintenance of the Union. Originally a Whig in politics, and voting for Henry Clay in the presi- dential election, Mr. Blake early sympa- thized in the views of Garrison, Sumner and the others who looked upon African slavery in the United States as a barbarism. With many other law-abiding citizens of Massachusetts, his sense of justice was shocked by the enforcement of the fugitive slave law in Boston, by the returning of Anthony Burns into servitude. He en- deavored to prevent this by offering, through a friend, to buy Burns of his owner, who then refused to sell his prop- erty at any price.
When the State of Massachusetts was rapidly forwarding troops for the sup- pression of the Rebellion, and incurring a large debt for bounties and other war ex- penses, the money market had become exceedingly active, so that the State, for providing money on their notes having a few months to run, paid as high as 12 per cent. per annum. At this time it became
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necessary for funding her bounty loan indebtedness, that the State should prompt- ly secure some three or four millions of dollars. This was finally done by a sale to Mr. Blake, by Gov. Andrew and his council, of two millions of five per cent. sterling bonds, with a short option for another million and a half at the price agreed upon. Mr. Blake was then made, by Gov. Andrew, agent for the State for the negotiation of this loan, which he was authorized to domiciliate for payment of principal and interest in London, with either of several firms selected by Mr. Blake and approved by the State authori- ties, foremost among whom were the Barings and Rothschilds. Mr. Blake went at once to London on this mission, but found the times most unfavorable for such negotiations, the Bank of England having suddenly advanced the rate of interest to ten per cent. Finally he succeeded in inducing the Barings to take a joint in- terest in this purchase of two millions. Owing to the condition of the London money market, however, no bonds had been sold up to the time when the option to take the further amount was maturing. Mr. Blake, however, took the further re- sponsibility of assuming the additional amount. He always felt that the de- served high credit of Massachusetts was largely due to the strong sense and high integrity of Gov. Andrew, insisting upon the payment of gold for the principal and interest of the State debt throughout the suspension of specie payment by the United States government.
Mr. Blake died at his house in Brook- line, Aug. 6, 1875, his death resulting from a severe attack of paralysis at his office in Boston two days before. His wife had died two years previous, June 7, 1873, at the Brookline home.
GEO. B. BLAKE.
[From the Boston Daily Advertiser of August 11, 1875. Written by Gamaliel Bradford].
The recent removal by death of Mr. George Baty Blake from business circles, will turn back the memories of many men over the last fifty years of the commercial history of Boston. The youngest of nine children, of a highly respectable family in Brattleboro, Vt., he came to Boston in 1821, with nothing but his own exertions
to depend upon. Amid the numerous temptations which a city life offers to young men, he kept himself pure and his moral character free from reproach. His aspirations were high and were aided by an innate refinement, which distinguished him through life. His manners and bear- ing were always those of a gentleman, and nothing coarse or vulgar ever found favor with him.
Probably there is no society in the world where the English language is spoken, in which Mr. Blake would not have borne himself with credit. Of his commercial sagacity there is no need to speak. In the long course of his business career he never failed to meet his engagements promptly, and during the years in which he acted as a director of the Boston & Worcester Rail- road, his judgment, energy and decision were such as to command the respect of his associates in an unusual degree.
Mr. Blake delighted to select young men, to give them a chance of advance- ment, and to feel that they owed their success to him. During an acquaintance of nearly 30 years, of which 17 were passed in close and daily intercourse, the writer of this notice never received from him a harsh or unkind word. To his inferiors in station he was uniformly kind and cour- teous, a fact to which many attached dependants can bear witness. In his family relations he was affectionate, almost without limit, and, as a father, at once in- dulgent and firm. If the tree is to be judged by its fruit, he needs no other monument than the character of the group of children who received his last adieus.
Without theological bigotry, Mr. Blake was decidedly a religious man. His at- tendance at church was regular and quite as much from pleasure as duty. He has often been heard to speak with emotion of sermons which particularly pleased him. His reverence for sacred things, though unostentatious, was real, and any man who acted from conscientious motives was sure of respectful treatment from him. He professed to be, and we believe was, governed by a sense of responsibility to a higher power. We are quite sure that his descendants will attach less value to the pecuniary inheritance which devolves upon them, than to the memory which they can thus cherish and hold in honor.
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REV. JOHN CALVIN HOLBROOK, D. D.,
Brother of Ex-Gov. Holbrook, was born in this town June 7, 1808. His father, Dea. John Holbrook, of whom is a brief account in this work, commencing on page 34, was the first publisher of the 4to Bible in the United States who made use of stereotype plates. Said plates were im- ported from England about 1816, and first put in use in this, then small village, in the remarkably successful enterprize.
John C. was fortunate in his mental and physical organization, and well improved his opportunities for intellectual culture. He was full of life, activity and good hu- mor, and invariably a leading spirit with his associates. He was two years a stu- dent at Hopkins Academy, in Hadley, Mass., under Rev. Dan Huntington, father of Bishop Huntington, of Central New York; one year under the tuition of Rev. E. H. Newton, and two years a cadet in Capt. Partridge's Military Academy. Nor- wich, Vt., at the most prosperous period of that institution.
Soon after he entered as clerk in the book store of Messrs. Holbrook & Fessen- den.
He became a member of the Congrega- tional Church under the ministration of Rev. Jonathan McGee. After a few years he succeeded his father in the book pub- lishing and paper making business. Sub- sequently he became a member of the firm of Richardson, Lord & Holbrook, in Boston, one of the oldest and most exten- sive book selling houses in the United States, and removed to that city, where he conceived the plan of the Comprehen- sive Commentary on the Bible, in 6 royal 8vo volumes, and of the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge and the Polyglot Family Bible, which were prepared under his direction. He sold out his interest in Boston and returned to Brattleboro to publish the aforementioned and other works. From about this time his action seemed wholly under the control of a high ideal. However it might be with his per- sonal interests, he seemed determined to leave this world in a better moral condi- tion than he found it. His publications were all of a religious character, and liis undertakings great; but he would rather
fail, and even perish, in a good cause than to succeed in a bad one. Success in busi- ness was mainly desirable that he miglit have the ability to forward his religious and beneficent plans. While prosperity attended him, he assisted several young men in fitting for the ministry.
In the days of his youth, some fifty years ago, his mind was much exercised in re- gard to the great west, for he believed the time not distant when she would control in our national councils. Therefore, not only the welfare of the union, but of the world, demanded that the ideas of religious and political freedom, inculcated by the fathers of New England, be early implanted in the growing communities of the west.
His last great business undertaking proved too much for his means, and the Brattleboro Typographic Co. was incor- porated, of which he was President, to continue the business. Before 1840 he gave up this position and removed to Dav- enport, Iowa. While there he was licensed to preach by the Congregational Associa- tion, and became pastor of a church in the city of Dubuque in the same State, and in 1842 was ordained. Here lie labored eleven years and was instrumental in building up one of the strongest churches in the State. He was then invited to remove to Chicago- and establish and edit the Congregational Herald, and to establish the New England Congregational Church, now one of the leading churches of the city and State. After three years of labor there he was re-called to the pastorate of his former church in Dubuque, where he labored eleven years longer.
Being solicited to undertake the rais- ing of an endowment fund for Iowa Col- lege, he removed to Boston, and, in a little more than a year, collected upwards of forty thousand dollars for that purpose. While engaged in this work, he was called to become pastor of the old and large Con- gregational Church in Homer, N. Y. Dur- ing his ministration of six years in Homer, he was induced, by the American Mission- ary Association, of New York City, to visit Great Britain and address meetings, held for raising funds for the education of the lately liberated slaves of this country. He accepted this invitation, having leave
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of absence from his church, and was ena- bled to send home about thirty thousand dollars for this object. During his ab- sence he visited the principal parts of England and Scotland, portions of Ireland and the continent, going to Paris and thence to Italy, as far south as Naples, and returning through Switzerland. While absent he wrote a series of letters for the Boston Recorder, and occasionally one for the Congregationalist and New York Independent, as well as for the Dubuque Daily Times.
From Homer he was called to the pas- torate of the Congregational Church in Stockton, one of the chief cities of Cali- fornia, and after two years' labor there, was chosen by the General Association of New York State, in 1872, Secretary of the newly formed Home Missionary Society, and removed to Syracuse, where he has since resided in the discharge of the duties of this important office.
'Mr. Holbrook was married in 1829, to Miss Cynthia S. Tuttle, of Windsor, Vt., by whom he had four children, all de- ceased. She died in Davenport, Iowa, of consumption. His present wife was Miss Ann L. Clark, of Platteville, Wis. They have no children, but adopted and brought up as their own, two sisters, both now married and settled in Stockton and Du- buque.
While living in Brattleboro, Mr. Hol- brook was chosen deacon at the same time his father was in that office in the same church, (a rare case,) and was super- intendent of the Sunday School.
In Boston he was a member of Dr. Ly- man Beecher's church, and for a time the clerk of it.
While in the west he aided in founding Iowa College, and was one of its trustees while he lived in the State. In Chicago he also co-operated in originating and founding the flourishing Chicago Theolog- ical Seminary, and was one of its directors, and for a time Vice President of the Board.
In 1863, the honorary degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Williams Col- lege, of which Dr. Mark Hopkins was President.
The grandmother of Mr. Holbrook, Sybil Lane, was a lineal descendant of Gov. Bradford, of Plymouth Colony.
Since 1856 he has been a corporate m em- ber of the American Board of Commis- sioners for Foreign Missions. He was one of the originators and members of the His- toric Albany Convention of Congregation- alists, and has several times been delegate to the National Council of that denomina- tion.
While he resided in Brattleboro he man- ifested much interest in all public im provements, and was active in the project- ed railroad from Brattleboro to Troy. He was also appointed by the Governor of Vermont, Commissioner to superintend the expenditure of three thousand dollars, granted by the Legislature to procure a preliminary survey of a route for a railroad from the south line of the State, north on the west bank of the Connecticut, which was accomplished by Prof. Twining, of New Haven, Conn., and which prepared the way of the present Connecticut and Valley Railroads.
He was also one of the four original Trustees of the Vermont Asylum for the Insane, under the will of the founder, Mrs. Marsh, and by the act of incorporation. He took a deep interest in the establish- ment and progress of this important insti- tution, and, in spite of discouragement, it was largely owing to his influence and persistent efforts that it went into opera- tion.
Mr. Holbrook is still, at the age of 72, (1880,) actively engaged in superintending the operations of the New York Home Missionary Society, of which he is Secre- tary, having charge of all its affairs in the State.
LIEUT. COL. ADDISON BROWN
Was born at Brattleboro, Vt., June 6, 1838, and was, at the time of his death, in his 26th year. His father, the Rev. Addison Brown, of Brattleboro, Vt., was well and favorably known throughout the State.
Armed with the rudiments of a good ed- ucation, impressed with the moral and re- ligious teachings of his home, and with the spirit of enterprise not uncommon to American youths, young Brown left the paternal roof at an early period in life, and sought his fortune in the Western States. At Rockford, Ill., and on the up- per Mississippi in Minnesota, he prosecuted business with an industry and intelligence
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that gave promise to future success. Re- turning to visit his friends in Vermont, he was induced to remain in the East for a time, and the breaking out of the war of the rebellion, in April, 1861, found him in the city of New York.
Filled with an ardent love of country, and true to the principles of Republican liberty, he volunteered at the first beat of the drum, and enlisted as a private in the 12th Regiment, New York Volunteer Mil- itia, a three month's Regiment, command- ed by Colonel, afterwards Maj. General Butterfield. The Regiment took part in Patterson's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley.
After the muster out of said Regiment, private Brown returned to Brattleboro, assisted in raising a company, and, in Sep- tember, 1861, again entered the service as Captain of Co. F, 4th Vermont Volun- teers.
The winter of 1861-2, one of great mor- tality to Vermont troops, Capt. Brown fell a victim to disease, and for several weeks remained in a critical condition, but before the opening of the spring was able to be with his command.
In March, 1862. he accompanied his command to Fortress Monroe, and up the Peninsula to Warwick Creek, where the first engagement of note took place, April 16, 1862, on which occasion Capt. Brown, though not in the most active part of the engagement, displayed, under heavy fire and trying circumstances, the calm and deliberate enthusiasm for which he was afterwards so justly distinguished. At the battles of Williamsburgh, Golding's Farm and Savage Station, he bore an hon- orable part with his Regiment.
At the battle of Crampton's Gap, (Smith Mountain,) Sept. 14, 1862, in the charge that drove the rebels from their chosen position, the 4th Vermont scaled the heights, and captured a Virginia Regiment almost entire. In this brilliant affair Capt. Brown bore an active and distinguished part.
At the battles of Antietam, Fredericks- burg, Bank's Ford, Gettysburg, Funks- town, Orange Grove, Opequan and the Wilderness, Capt. Brown was always where duty called him, and showed quick comprehension, great presence of mind and justly won great praise. M
Sept. 20, 1864, the term of service of the 4th Vermont expired. His commission as Lieut. Colonel of the 5th Regiment, had not reached him; under these circumstan- ces, in obedience to existing orders, he had but one course to pursue, and that was to return to Vermont with that portion of the Regiment ordered there to be mustered out. Arriving in Vermont with the 4th Regiment, Col. Brown spent a short time with his friends, and, upon receiving word that his commission as Lieut. Colonel of the 5th Regiment had been forwarded to the army in the field, he left home for ac- tive service again.
At the time Col. Brown left for Ver- mont with the 4th Regiment, his health was considerably impaired, but it was not anticipated that it was seriously so. It was hoped that a few weeks of rest from the cares, arduous labors and severe expos- ures of the service would restore him to health again. He returned to the field with renewed hope and zeal, it is true, but with unrestored health. A leave of ab- sence was granted him, and he left his command Dec. 8, 1864, for Rockford, Ill., to regain his health and strength and re- turned to duty again. But he had ended his last campaign, he had fought his last battle. The severity of the service had been too much for his physical system, and he who had stood firm while others quailed, at last yielded to disease. Acting upon medical advice, he started with his devoted wife for the coast of Florida. He had not proceeded far when it became evident that his strength was too rapidly falling for so long a journey, and stop- ped for the night at Harrisburg, Penn., where he died March 3, 1865.
His example was for good, and his daily conduct was worthy of imitation. He never yielded to the use of intoxicating drinks, so prevalent in the army, and on no occasion was Col. Brown ever heard to use a profane or licentious word. His conversation was direct and agreeable, and his language pure and simple. He was very particular to do exact justice to all, and he would spare no pains to see that the humblest soldier of his command had full justice done him. While he was kind to all, he frowned indignantly upon any act of cowardice or disposition to shirk
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the performance of duty. He was an af- fectionate man. He remembered home and friends, and would often speak of the loved ones there in terms of fond endear- ment.
In the winter of 1862-3 he married the accomplished daughter of Melancthon Starr, Esq., of Rockford, Ill., to whom he was devotedly attached. During the se- verest campaigns he would find a few moments time, nearly or quite every day, usually just before seeking rest by sleep, to write a few lines to her and other friends, how it went with him and his country's cause.
In the death of Col. Brown, Vermont lost one of her noblest sons, a true soldier and an honest man .- Extract from Vermont Phoenix.
GROUT FAMILY IN BRATTLEBORO.
The genealogy and history of the Grout family, of Westminster and Newfane, and afterwards of West Brattleboro, Vt., is briefly as follows:
DEA. JOHN GROUT was born in West- minster, Vt., August 17, 1788, went to live in Newfane about 1810, moved to West Brattleboro in 1836, and died here Octo- ber 16, 1851. He was son of John Grout, of Westminster, Vt., who was the son of Thomas, of Spencer, Mass., who was the son of John, of Sudbury, Mass., who was the son of John, of the same town, who was the son of Capt. John, of Watertown and Dudley, who came over from England to America, about 1634, at the age of eigh- teen, who is believed to have been the son of Richard Grout, or Groutte, of Walton, in the county of Derby, England, whose family is supposed to have settled in Corn- wall, in the west part of England, during the reign of Henry II., 1154-89, and to have originated in Germany, where they bore the name of Grotius, or Groot, alias Grote, Gross, Gros, or Graus, who are be- lieved to be the descendants of the Grudii, or the Great, of whom Cæsar speaks as among the daring tribes of Belgic Gaul, upwards of fifty years previous to the Christian era.
John Grout was married to Azubah, daughter of Jonathan Dunklee, of Brattle- boro, May 28, 1811, and had nine children, of whom eight were sons. His wife, Azu-
bah, died in West Brattleboro, July 24, 1866, aged 73 years; his own age, at the time of his death, being 63 years.
LEWIS, the eldest of the children, was born January 28, 1815; fitted for college, in part, at Brattleboro Academy, and in part at Burr Seminary, Manchester, Vt .; graduated at Yale in 1842. Having taught nearly two years at West Point, N. Y., he studied theology at New Haven two years, graduated at Andover (Ms.) Theolog- ical Seminary in 1846, and was ordained October 8, same year, as a missionary to South Africa, and married to Miss Lydia Bates, in Springfield, Vt., whence he and his wife started, the same day, for mission work, under the auspices of the American Board, among the Zulus, in Natal. Two months' sailing brought them to the Cape of Good Hope, where they spent six weeks, then set sail for the rest of the voyage, and reached their desired haven February 15, 1847. Mr. Grout's mission life was one of much activity, labor and study, of a pio- neer character, full of solid reality, yet not a little diversified with what, in America, would be regarded as wild and romantic. He gave much time and attention to the study of African languages, especially the Zulu, of which it became his duty, by ap- pointment of the mission of which he was a member, to prepare a grammar. He translated the Scriptures and prepared oth- er books in the Zulu tongue, for the na- tives; having charge of the printing press for a time at his station, Umsunduzi. He was also engaged in teaching and preach- ing, traveling and exploring; establishing a station and organizing a church where there had never been a trace of civilization or Christianity; and so obliged to be, for himself and his people, architect and car- penter, brickmaker and mason, wheel- wright and blacksmith, tamer and trainer of oxen and horses, physician and dentist, farmer and magistrate-to say nothing of finding and building roads, fording rivers, and trapping leopards, and nothing of in- cidental studies in Natural History, of pre- paring a sketch of the native tribes, of having now and then a controversial bout with the Colonial Government in behalf of Aboriginal rights; or with Bishop Colenso on Biblical teaching, moral science, and the proper way of treating polygamy among
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