The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-11-23


or Tuesday. Y.
For the Register.
DIED-ln Whiting, Oct. 10th, at the
residence of her nephews, ). b. and Abel
Walker, Lydia Hall, aged % years and
months.
During her long and eventful life She
never called for medical aid but twice.
her health remained unimpaired until a
few months previous to her decease. Not
withstanding hor advanced age, her mind
and intellectual faculties appeared with
all of the strength and vigor of youth.
She read without glasses. She will long
be remembered for her many amiablc
qualities, for her frugality, industrious
habits, for her daily walk and conversa-
ton, and for her steady, exemplary life.
Her social qualities rendered her the life
and animation Of the circle Of acquain-
lance in which she moved. On herseventh
birthday, 50 years ago, she spun fourteen
knots of yarn thirty knots being days
work. On her Goth birth day she also
spun fourteen knots. For more than 80
years she made the dwelling melodious
with the hum of her spinning wheel.
She was the only surviving member Of
numerous family. She had three broth
ers and five sisters, who lived to mature
years and became useful members Of So
ciety. Her sisters were all left widows
and lived to advanced ages-thc youngest
being I and the Oldest 81 years old at
their decease. The late Capt John
Branch, of Whiting, was n brother OF
hers. Her husband, the late Jeremiah
Hall, of Middlebury, was mechanic and
possessed an inventive genius. About
fifty-eight years ago he invented and put
in operation in Nliddlebury, on the site
where the wooden factory now stands, the
first circular saw in the United States
1t was regarded at that time as very
remarkable invention, and attracted the
admiration Of gentlemen from the ada
cent States who called to examine it
Had he claimed and secured his lega
rights it would have placed him in indie
pendent circumstances for life. He never
secured a patent, therefore he never real
lied a dollar for his invention, Except hi
individual use) but gave and bequeathet
his most remarkable invention to tn,
United States and to the world, and dice
in extreme poverty about years ago. The
circular saw is an article that could no
be dispensed with in this advanced age o
the nineteenth century, when the marcl
of Mind is onward and upward, seeming
to verge towards Creative Power. The
old iron horse, the steam engine, how mys
terious, how life-like as it snorts anC
prances up and down the valley Of Ottel
Greek, within short distance Of the las
resting place of Jeremiah Hall, propelled
by fuel prepared by his inventive genins
Slow and tedious in the extreme would
be the process of preparing fuel for 30,
900 or 10000 miles of railroad in tn,
United States without the use Of the cir
cular saw. 1t has effected complete
revolution in the machine shops through
the length and breadth Of the Unite'
States, to say nothing Of the foreigl
countries.
Our country owes debt Of gratitude
to the memory of jeremiah Hall, and hi
name ought to be rescued from Oblivion
and recorded on the pages Of history a
one of the lasting benefactors Of mankind
As token of respect the Superintendent
of the Rutland and Burlington Railroa'
gave Mrs. Hall free pass 1t was
praiseworthy deed. A. W.