Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-12-06
The Late Gov. Fairbanks.

iecease Of Tx Gov. FAIRBiNKS His death has
been widely noticed, and his life and character
have been iavorably spoken Of by the press every
where And he earned and deserved the good
reputation which he enjoyed, his popularity be-
ng founded on his real merits and MT being |
The result Of any Of The arts or tricks by which |
many men got themselves pulled into conse
quencs Success in business Is r0st excellent
ties; OF a mans general ability, and Nj. lair
banks was an eminently successful man. But
he did Infinitely more than to merely acouaiu
late abun ,ant means he employed the wealth
which he had earned with the most generous
liberelity, and the most intelligent usefulness
lie seemed to DO nothing simply for display, but
be vas in the best sense oil the word, Unitarian
10 his employment OF wealth, aud it was this
excellence in h.s cbarac or and HE, and the con-
Gdenc5 which people had that he was an honest
worker for tie good OF his race, and not a sham
ptoten1er seeking really only selfish end', which
placed him 50 high in public estimation, and
gave him such evidences Of hearty popular Ia
yor. aud which now, when he has ceased his la
bors have thrown 50 many flowers upon his
grave. We copy below portion Of an aPpFe
eiat.ve notice Of GOV. Fairbanks, which we Ind
10 the 5, Joanobury Ceiejonan, giving asketch
Of his lite
ERAsTt, FAlRuANES the Oldest son ot bis par
euts, Joseph and Phele Fairbanks, was born at
Brimfeld Mas oct. ., 1898. Ills early
mems Of education were very limited and con
fined wholly to the common school But such
facilities az this furnished for his education 10
tho only branches then taught in ", including
moth ng ct9n1 reading, spelling arithmetic and
English grammar, were most diligently lmpto-
ye1 BY them IA hs own expressive words N
aliuson to this early par. OF MS history, % lie
went thoroughly Trough oil the stages OF fresh
man, sophomore junior, and senior classes oil
this institution and graduated At the age Of
seventeen. With a knowledge OF these branches
as foundation he adds, " ever considered
myself a student al Iarge, capable OF acquiring
and bound to acquire, knowledge OF other SCI
enccg more " less til rough, AMI an acquan-
tance with whatever is requisite to quality my
"
idence of God may be called to occupy
Noble words and prophetic, doubtless, oil the
large acquisition and liberal culture, es well as
of the eminent positions IN pubic lie to when
/ he subsequently, attained. In 1917, at tho age
/ of nineteen he lett his home in Brlmholdi Mas ,
| aad entered as student the law once OF his
maternal cousin, the late Judge Ephrsim Pad.
dock Of ST. Johnsbury, 4 serious affection Of
/ the eyes obliged him - abandon his studies and
/ and engage in other pursuits. After several
| years, varlously employed IN teaching school
and other pursuits in ST. JOhnsbury, he enga geo
| in mercantile business in company with lredei-
1 lex Phelps, at " heelock w. subsequently N
/ ISIS, having formed partnership wl.h Mess's
| John and Luther Clark then the leading
merchants at 81. JObnsbury Plan, be moved TO
: Eas. st. Jobnsbury, and from thence the TO-
loving year t. Blrnet, whefc he renamed 10
buglEc.s until 1926 Ills suo'ets in the mcr.
camille business had been very moderate, leav-
/ in. him, on Tho settlement vi his business At
! Barnet. according to his Oen statement, only
one thousand dollars property at lh' age OF
| thirty SIX years But notwithstanding h bus.
mes. had failed to procure for him hitherto ma
| teria wealth, il had, IN tho meantime, esab.
lshed for him a reputation in all the surround
ing community lor Christian integrity aud scru.
puious fidelity to all his social and pecuniary
obligations, that was 70 him worth infinitely
more.
I Ga the settlement o. his business in Barnet
| he returned to St. JONI ebuIJ AID formed a con
nection in business with bis next younger broth
CT. Ia this partnership, 70 which were sabJe-
quentiy added his younger brother, the late la
mented Joseph z. Fairbanks, and more recently
his own three sud sole surviving sons, he con
tnued to the time Of his death Tie remarka-
Bic snec "a secured by himself and bis associates
in the prosecution Of their business in this con
neclion are too we'll known to need recapltula-
ton.
In 1896 he was elected to represent this town
in the legislature OF the State, and reelected to
the same Office for the two succeeding years
In 1911 he was chosen by the people Of the
State an eector OF President and s.Presldent
Of the United States, and rschosen 10 the same
Office at the next Presd 'n,al election in lS4S.
In lS49, on the organization Of the PAsumpslc
& Connecuicut Rivers Railroad corporation, he
was chosen ts president and contlnusd IN that
Office until his private business constrained him
10 decline a re election. Ia 1852 he was nolni-
mated to the tlhce OF Governor of the State by
the Wing party, but owing 10 the party divisions
Mt the time failed Of an election BY the people.
On the assembling q the Legislature, upon
whom was deSOlvol the choice OF Governor from
the three unsuccessful candidates before the peo-
pie he was elected upon the frs: ballot The
next year be was again candidate Tor the same
okce but owing to party complications failed
ola reelection to the chair Of State In 1860
through the partlahty oil hls numerous friends,
be Was once more a candidate Tor the same office,
and was trumphantly elected BY the ireemen of
the State.
But not alone, or chiefly from his elevation
to civil CGce, aud bis tried fidelity in dscharg-
ing the duties resulting ihererom, has Gov.
! Fairbanks won the proiOundost respect and rev
erence that have been Justly accorded 10 him by
his fellow men. Ia the exhibition rather Of that
comprehensive and generous Christian sympa-
thy With suffering humanity, bOtd at home and
in foreign lands, whlch have 50 long ass clted
his namo and efforts with the Leading missona.
~ enterprises undertaken for its relief and,
IN narrower sphere, IN his unlring zeal and
liberal contributions, to improve the intellectual
social and religious condition Of the state and
community in which he lived and, more than
all IN his uniformly exemplary and consistent
Christian department at homo and abroad, In
all the relations Of his public and private life,
we shall find the chief source, doubtless, of that
deep and reyerential regard that mas been 60
long paid to him wherever he was known. 10
tins community, where no lived and abored 20
long, aud among his immediate neighbors, By
whom he was best known, will the void which
hs removal has created be mos deeply felt