USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 33
USA > Vermont > Essex County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 33
USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties, containing an historical review of the several towns and a series of biographical sketches > Part 33
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
While Mr. Jones has never taken the bar examinations, he is convers- ant with common and statute law, and has considerable oratorieal abil- ity, being a fluent yet eoneise speaker, ever keeping to the thread of his argument and bringing out the main points in a foreeful man- ner. He takes a lively interest in educational matters, being a mem- her of the board of trustees of the
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
public library and one of the local school directors. Considering his age, Mr. Jones stands well as a finan- cier, being a stockholder in the
LEONARD B. JONES.
Jones Clothing Store at Island Pond, and a director of the Cushman Rankin Leather-board company, at Lyndon, Vt.
Whatever success Mr. Jones may have attained may be attributed to his natural energy and ability. Hav- ing contributed largely to the ex- pense of his education, he learned the value of both time and money, and has since utilized each to good advantage.
BOSWORTH. A. W., JR., son of A. W. and Emeline D. Bosworth, was born at Gallion, O., October 31. 1853. When four years of age his parents moved to Wisconsin and in 1873 he went to St. Croix county and engaged in the retail hardware trade until 1898, when he accepted
a traveling position with a heavy hardware house of St. Paul.
January 1, 1900, Mr. Bosworth purchased the Brighton Store com- pany's business and organized the Bosworth Store company in April of that year. The house at once took, and has constantly held a leading place in the retail trade resources of Essex county. Mr. Bosworth en- joys a marked degree of popularity among the commercial men of Island Pond and is president of the Busi- ness Men's association, a live so- ciety for the building and shaping of the industrial and commercial life of the town.
Mr. Bosworth married Miss Lilla J. Robinson of Island Pond. By the union one son was born, Robin-
A. W. BOSWORTH.
son Bosworth, a medical student in Jefferson Medical college of Phila- delphia. Mrs. Bosworth died De- cember 4, 1901.
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ESSEX COUNTY.
DAVIS, MORTIMER C., was born in the town of Elmore, Vermont, in 1836, son of Samuel and Laura Davis. He was educated in the common schools of his native town and Charleston, to which place he moved when twelve years of age.
Twenty years ago Mr. Davis lo- cated in Brighton and few men are better or more favorably known. Seldom has one brought to the busy career a better physique than he, and coupled with natural push, en- ergy, and an aptitude for large things, he has probably done as much as any other one man in the building up of Island Pond village.
For fifteen years Mr. Davis con- dueted the Essex House and for ten years he served Essex county as a deputy sheriff, and Brighton as col- lector of taxes. Forty-three years ago he married May Eveline Cole of East Charleston, and went into business for himself, running store, hotel, mills, and farming, and did more building in that place in twenty years than any other six men.
Ile had five children, born at East Charleston, all deceased except O -- car. Ile has now dropped nearly all outside business and attends to his farms, of which he has quite a number. situated in Brighton, Charleston, and Morgan.
Oscar Davis was born in 1865. Ile was educated in the common schools of Charleston and Derby academy. Ile taught school one winter and was clerk in the Essex llouse ten years.
He inherited many of the splen- did traits of his father-independ- ence, willingness to hustle, and work -which brought him, for a young man, a marked degree of success.
Ile is proprietor of the Holland
and Morgan Telephone company and under his proprietorship im- provement has been the order of the day until it is recognized as one of the best conducted lines in New England.
In 1891 he was married to Mary MeGookin of Manchester, New Hampshire, and there he learned the photograph business and then came back to Island Pond and built
MORTIMER C. DAVIS.
the Photograph block, where he now lives. He has, with the help of his wife and others, done a pay- ing business in that line for the past ten years. He is also coal dealer, having already handled over fifty thousand dollars' worth of coal.
CLARK, GEORGE L., was born in Holland. Vt., August 3, 1835, son of Leonard and Wealthy (Remick) Clark. His education, so far as re- lates to the outward forms, was had in the common schools, but the ac-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
quisition of the substances and prac- and enjoys a justly earned popu- larity.
ticable essentials of education lie continued in every-day life until he acquired more than an ordinary practical education. He taught school seven terms very success- fully.
Mr. Clark came to Island Pond in 1864 and with his brother, Henry, built the Clark bloek. Ile has al-
GEORGE L. CLARK.
ways been on the working side of everything. He has taken a lively interest in local public affairs, and has been thorough, energetic, and absolutely independent.
President Mckinley appointed him postmaster of Island Pond, and under his administration much im- provement in the office was noted. Always courteous and considerate, over ready to accommodate and aid. Mr. Clark has won a host of friends
HALL, REV. THOMAS. The Rev. Thomas Hall, pastor of the Congregational church, Brighton (Island Pond), was born and edu- cated in Ireland. His first pastor- ate was in the city of Dublin. From there he was sent by the Colonial Missionary society, London, to St. John's, Newfoundland, as pastor of that historie church, and superin- tendent of education and missions in that country. He remained in this position for thirteen years, when he was called to the pastorate of the Second Congregational church in the city of Kingston. After a short pastorate he was elected superin- tendent of home missions for the Dominion, which position he filled with great success and aeeeptanee for a period of eight years.
He had a brief pastorate in Clay- ton, N. Y. During this time the church erected a beautiful edifice and doubled its membership.
The Congregationalists of Mon- treal decided to have a new cause in Point St. Charles, and after opening a church, free of debt. the eommit- tee chose Mr. Hall for the work. Here he remained five years and left a membership of two hundred and a Sunday-school of similar dimen- sions and a large congregation.
Ilis next field of labor was Mel- bourne, Quebec, where he spent about four years. A dual pastorate. with churches seven miles apart, proved too laborious and he accepted a call to his present charge four years ago. He has identified him- self most thoroughly with both local and state interests. His eongrega- tion has grown considerably and is influential for good in the town.
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ESSEX COUNTY.
He is a staunch teetotaler and an ardent advocate of prohibition. He is evangelical in doctrine and evan- gelistie in spirit and takes a constant interest in the young, both in the public school and the Sunday- school. His wife, a charming woman, is a daughter of the late Robert Buchanan, Esq., J. P., of Levis, Quebec. They have had a
REV. THOMAS HALL.
family of five sons and four daugh- ters. The eldest daughter, Martha Craford, deceased nine years ago, and one of his sons, James Oliver, was killed in action in 1900 while his regiment, the Ninth U. S. infan- try, was forcing an entrance into Peking. China, to relieve the foreign legations and missionaries imper- iled by the Boxer rising. Mr. Hall is over sixty. but vigorous and youthful in manner and matter.
ANDREW, JOSEPH, was born in Bradley's Vale (now Concord), Vt., June 1, 1834. At the age of twenty years (in 1855) he married Miss Lu- cinda Jenkins of East Burke, who died January 5, 1880, leaving a daughter, Mrs. Leone R. Cook, of Yarmouth, Me. November 23. 1881, he married Miss Mabelle Peckham of Lynn, Mass. To them four children were born, three of whom are living.
Ile came to Island Pond to reside in 1856, and the year following he entered the service of the Grand Trunk Railway company, and his quick mastery of the philosophy which pertains to the construction and use of the engine soon promoted him to the position of engineer, which position he held until 1895, when failing health compelled hin to relinquish it. He was a cool, careful, attentive, and industrious man in respect to his work. He was, everywhere that he was known, recognized as a genius in his line and work. He was a man of exact and sedulous deportment before the public and was much respected.
Ile represented Brighton in the state legislature in 1868 and 1876, and he applied his characteristic care and industry to the work of legislation.
He was a member of the Masonie lodge, and as master in 1869-70 and again in 1882-183, and in whatever position he held in it, he did thorough. systematic work.
He was much interested in the cause of education and did much to improve the condition of the schools, occupying different positions in the school system, including chairman of the board, and contributed good
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
work to make the town system of schools popular.
In March, 1881, he united with the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOSEPH ANDREW.
He was highly esteemed by the church for his loyalty to it and in- terest in its success.
In his intercourse with others he was genial, friendly, kind, and ac- commodating, generous to the poor and unfortunate, and always con- ducted himself in the presence of his associates and acquaintances in a gentlemanly and dignified man- ner.
Thus passed away a kind husband, father, and friend, and a man who left in the memory of all the im- press of a positive, thorough, and efficient man in whatever he under- took.
HOBSON, NATHAN, was born in Ifollis, Maine, April 3, 1823, son of William and Ann Hobson. He at- tended the old district school and is
a striking illustration of what-not much advanced schooling but a gen- erous amount of brains and integ- rity will do. In 1847 he married Betsey Smith of Buxton, Maine. There were three children born to them, Anna, now Mrs. W. W. Lom- bard, Frank W. of Minneapolis, and a girl, who died in infancy.
In 1859 Mr. Hobson came to Island Pond as agent for the Island Pond Lumber Co., with whom he re- mained six years. He was then appointed customs inspector and re- mained in the service of the govern- ment for ten years, since which time he has followed a mercantile career. He has served the town in the vari- ous offices, and for forty years has been a justice of the peace. In
NATHAN HOBSON.
1890 he represented Brighton in the general assembly of Vermont. In 1902 he was elected assistant judge of Essex county, which office he still
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ESSEX COUNTY.
holds. He has been a director of the Island Pond National bank ever since the chartering of that institu- tion and is its present vice-president.
In 1892 he was altenate delegate to the national convention at Min- neapolis, Minnesota; is steward of M. E. church.
appreciative community, whose in- terests he has always so faithfully served.
CARPENTER, ORA M. The pres- ent postmaster of Island Pond, Ora M. Carpenter, son of Hon. Charles and Betsey N. (Hinman) Carpenter, was born at West Charleston,
ORA M. CARPENTER.
Mr. Hobson has always enjoyed to a marked degree, the public confi- denee and esteem, and has been ever foremost in all publie matters. Faithful and conscientious in every trust reposed upon him, he is now enjoying the " well done " from an
November 23, 1861. He attended the public schools of West Charles- ton and the St. Johnsbury academy. After completing his education, a year was spent at Newport, two years at Lisbon. N. H., after which he returned to West Charleston.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Having a strong desire to see the great West, Mr. Carpenter spent three and a half years in western Kansas and four years at St. Joseph. Missouri. Returning to Vermont, he located at Island Pond. He has, until recently, always been con- nected with the mercantile business, and was for a time associated with his father at West Charleston.
For three years prior to Septem- ber 1, 1901, he was assistant post- master of Island Pond. Upon the resignation of Postmaster George L. Clark, President MeKinley, on Au- gust 12, 1901, appointed Mr. Car- penter postmaster, and his commis- sion bears one of the last sixteen official signatures of our martyred president. January 13, 1902, Presi- dent Roosevelt reappointed Mr. Carpenter for four years.
In 1886 he married Miss Jennie C. Clark of West Charleston, Ver- mont.
HOBSON, SAMUEL DECATUR, of Island Pond, son of Samuel and Hannah (Sawyer) Hobson, was born in Hollis, Maine, October 5th, 1830.
Mr. Hobson is of English descent and was educated in the common schools and at Limerick academy. In 1852 he removed to Island Pond and aided in the erection of the first building in the village. He con- tinued the business of builder and contractor until 1857. when he was engaged by Isaac Dyer of Portland as foreman in his mill and lumber business, and he remained with him two years, when he became the agent of St. John Smith of the same place, whose interest he soon pur- chased. After continuing here for three years Mr. Hobson bought the Woodbury mills at East Brighton,
in 1866. The mill burned in Sep- tember, 1891, but he still resides at East Brighton, directing the work on his large farm.
Mr. Hobson was united in mar- riage in January, 1854, to Mary E., daughter of Eben and Sarah (Haley) Sawyer, of Hollis, Maine. To them have been born Harry How- ard, Helen M. (Mrs. K. B. Fletcher, Jr., of Lancaster, New Hampshire), John E. (deceased), Eugene F. (now of the firm of Robert O. Law & Company, 351 Dearborn street, Chicago, Illinois), Sarah M. (now practising medicine at ?14 Fifty- first street, Chicago, Illinois), Al- bion W. (now of the firm of Scott, Foresman & Company. educational publishers, 388 Wabash avenue, Chicago, Illinois), Mary C. (Mrs. C. B. Tewksbury, 14 Landseer street, West Roxbury, Massachusetts), El- sie G. (at the head of the Michigan seminary, Kalamazoo, Michigan).
Mr. Hobson is an active and in- fluential Republican. Having per- formed the duties of the various town offices he was chosen to the legislature in 1856 and again in 1882 and 1883. The following year he was elected to the senate from Essex county, and was appointed by Governor Dillingham a member of the board of trustees to locate and build the new state asylum for the insane. In 1860 he received the honor of an election as assistant judge of the county court.
Judge Hobson is a liberal and public-spirited man, of strong tem- perance views and a consistent mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church. Ile possesses good judg- ment and remarkable energy, in consequence of which he has been financially successful.
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S. D. H obsen
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ESSEX COUNTY.
SWEENEY, JonN S., first saw the light of day in Canada in 1851, and when twelve years of age he came to Charleston and " grew up
JOHN S. SWEENEY.
with the country." For thirty-five years Charleston was the scene of his many operations. Born with a restless, energetic disposition, at an early age we find him engaged in mercantile pursuits, conducting a sawmill and various other enter- prises. While a resident of Charles- ton he held all the varions town of- fices and in 1888 represented the town in the state legislature where he was a commanding figure and left the impress of his active and well-trained mind on much of the important legislation of that session.
In 1898 he located in Island Pond village, that he might have a larger field of operation and be at a rail- road center. and during his resi- dence here he has probably done A-3
inore to increase the grand list of Brighton than any other man. He has built buildings, laid out streets, improved real estate generally, un- til to-day he is regarded, and justly, too, as a foremost citizen of the town.
In 1875 he married Rose E. Stev- ens of Charleston. One child has been the fruit of the union, Iva B. (now Mrs. Dr. A. E. Parlin of Bar- ton Landing).
Mr. Sweeney conducts a large real estate business and is one of the promoters of the electric light plant at West Charleston.
MARKS, S. EVERETT. Mr. Marks was born at Blue Hill, Me., March 2, 1844, son of Newall A. and Mar- garet S. Marks.
S. EVERETT MARKS.
At the age of sixteen Mr. Marks began his career as a teacher in the district schools of his native town, since which time he has been princi-
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
pal of the grammar school at Blue Hill, Me .; principal of School Street grammar school, Ellsworth, Me .; principal Blue Hill academy, Blue Hill, Me .; principal Limington academy, Limington, Me .; vice-prin- cipal Greely institute, Cumberland Centre. Maine.
than doubled, which fact is a good indication of his popularity as an educator.
Ile was united in marriage No- vember 18. 1901, to Miss Lucy M. Emery of Limington, Maine.
THURSTON, JOHN W., was born in Portland, Maine, November 10th,
JOHN W. THURSTON.
At present writing Mr. Marks is superintendent of public schools of the town of Brighton, Vt., and prin- cipal of the high and graded school of that town.
Mr. Marks came to Vermont in September, 1902, and since assum- ing his present position the attend- anee at the high school has more
1859, and came to Island Pond with his parents in early childhood. He received his education in the public schools and then entered the em- ploy of the Grand Trunk railway, where he remained for eleven years, having been advanced from one position to another until he was familiar with all the important
35
ESSEX COUNTY.
clerical positions in the various of- fices. In 1886 he was appointed to a position in the customs service and remained in office during Presi- dent Cleveland's first administra- tion. In 1890 he, in company with Henry Fitzgerald, bought out the drug business of J. C. Rawson; in 1893 he bought out Mr. Fitzger- ald's interest and under his sole pro- prietorship this establishment has done an ever-increasing business. In 1893, when President Cleveland again came into office, Mr. Thurs- ton was appointed deputy in charge of the customs service, port of Is- land Pond, and held this office to the entire satisfaction of all con- cerned until 1892.
Mr. Thurston has held the vari- ous town offices and is now select- man. In 1902 he was elected to represent Brighton in the state leg- islature. In 1881 he married Miss Kate Furber of Canaan, Maine.
ROBINSON, GEORGE S., is one of Island Pond's most respected and conservative citizens. A man of un- assuming manner but genial and cheery personality he has become a fixture in the town's progress and an important factor in its continued prosperity.
Mr. Robinson was born in the town of Brownington, the son of Dr. Elijah and Eliza (Smith) Robinson, on the 16th of January, 1839, but his parents moved to the neighbor- ing town of Charleston while he was Vet an infant. Here he passed his boyhood and early manhood. It was in Charleston that he east his first ballot and it was for the elec- tion of Abraham Lincoln. Soon after, under President Lincoln's ad- ministration, he was appointed post- master of his town and held this of-
fice until he moved to Island Pond, several years later. Here, in com- pany with his brother, Dr. D. A. Robinson, now of Coaticook, P. Q., he opened a drug store and for eight years devoted himself to it. Then, in 1876, he was elected town clerk of the town of Brighton, which of- fice he has annually been reëlected to. In 1877 Mr. Robinson was made town treasurer and has admin- istered the affairs of these two im-
1
GEORGE S. ROBINSON.
portant positions in a manner that admitted of no questioning.
In addition to the offices of town clerk and treasurer, Mr. Robinson has devoted some time to the insur- ance business, representing some of the best known and most reliable companies, as would be character- istic of him in any representative ca- pacity. In 1885 Mr. Robinson was united in marriage to Miss Flora Clark of Charleston. Vermont.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
Mr. Robinson joined the Masons in this town in 1860 and is one of the men oldest in the order in town. For nearly twenty-five years he has been a conscientious upholder and member of the Methodist church,
Mr. Parsons' parents removed to Boston, Massachusetts. It was here that he obtained his education, grad- nating from the English High school. After completing his school course he entered the employ of
EDWARD J. PARSONS.
mueh of this time one of the stew- ards of the society. He was sent to the legislature as representative of his town in 1888.
PARSONS, EDWARD J., was born in Portland, Maine, October 7th, 1856, son of Charles E. and Mary 1. Parsons. When three years of age
George B. James, a lumber dealer. He was later sent to Norton Mills. Vermont, to look after the interests of Mr. James, but remained only eight months, when he was trans- ferred to Island Pond in a like ca- pacity. Two years later he entered the employ of George II. Fitzgerald ..
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ESSEX COUNTY.
with whom he has been constantly connected for a quarter of a cen- tury. l'pon the organization of the Fitzgerald Lumber company, he be- came its secretary and treasurer, which position he still holds.
For twenty-one years he has held the office of justice of the peace and has conducted the major part of the business of the justice's court of Is- land Pond during that time. The luties devolving upon him have been discharged with firmness and ability and yet tempered with merey and a splendid consideration for the unfortunate.
In 1848 Mr. Parsons was united in marriage with Miss Minnie 1. Nelson of Boston. One child. a girl. Lona, has blessed the union.
He has long been identified with the fraternal life of his town, being im Odd Fellow, a Knight Templar, a 32° Mason, and a member of the Eastern Star, and has served the latter body as its Grand Patron.
STORRS, JUDGE DAVID S .. # was a son of AAaron and Eliza (Smith) Storrs. He was born at Randolph, Vermont, December 4. 1834: and educated at the local schools, at the Orange county gram- mar school and at Meriden. New Hampshire. He read law with Ly- man C. Chandler at Rockaway, New Jersey, with Hon. Philander Perrin at Randolph, and with the late Colo- nel R. C. Benton at Hyde Park, Ver- mont. June 1, 1861, he was ap- pointed collector of customs at the port of Island Pond, and in 1864 he resigned that position and went into full practice. lle was state's at- torney for Essex county from 1864 to 1868, and then postmaster for the town of Brighton, which town he
represented in the state legislature in 1874, and then represented the county in the senate in 1876. 1Ie was judge of probate for the district of Essex from 1880 to 1884, and was again elected to that office in 1892 and 1894. He was tax commis- sjoner for the unorganized lands in the county for many years and was constantly engaged in other offices and business. He was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity.
On the 4th day of September, 1863, he married Sarah A. Robinson, a daughter of the late J. C. Robin- son. To them were born two sons. Carl R. and George E. The eldest married a daughter of former Lieu- tenant-Governor Mansur, and is con- noeted with the United States ens- toms service at Newport, Vermont. The younger, a brilliant and schol- arly young man, became principal of the Bethel school and suddenly died, amid sanguine hopes of the future, on the 28th day of November, 1894.
A- a lawyer, Judge Storrs was fearless and thorough, close, epi- grammatie, and terse. As an office lawyer he was among the very best. Although he had high ideals of pro- fessional accomplishment- and re- wards and was somewhat impatient at their slow coming, he quickly adapted himself to realities. He very soon brought respect for his work and opinions, and himself into close contact with his surroundings. No man went from him unheard be- cause of poverty. Ile despised no man's cause simply because others did. In all his encounters with others he was incisive, plucky, and sometimes rash, but always just and generous. If he ever rained bitter words, they cleared away at once and
*Sketch by Hon. George N. Dale.
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SUCCESSFUL VERMONTERS.
were followed by demonstrations most kind and friendly.
His life seemed short and busy. Yet almost every bark that started on the sea of life with him went
Our friend met everything in life squarely, and on July 2, 1895, he met death in the same manner. When death assails a man, then re- turns to its attacks with open pur-
offrons
down before his, and whether in storm or in ealm, on the wave in the hollow of the sea, he never lost his courage or his fidelity to friend, client, party, or eause.
pose- and designs, and compels him to constant resistance for many long months with a full knowledge of the terrible odds against him, ever pur- suing him, never retreating, always
39
ESSEX COUNTY.
afllicting, never relieving, and in the midst of its overwhelming imposi- tions strikes down a valiant son by his side, it is terrible, and incredible that it can be met with consistency and courage. Yet it was by our friend who in his last hours as calmly and as deliberately considered his situation as he ever did any sub- ject in his life. How can his sorrow- ing friends be despondent in the presence of such magnificent cour- age, and while they remember him saying. "For myself I am content; I only feel for those I leave behind me."
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