The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-10-05
Obituary.

Lauren Drake, died June 22d, 1869
in Owen, ILL.,, and was born in Weybridge
Vt. Jan. 18th 1900
The writer has waited for some notice
Of his worth by more suitable pen. Not
that eulogies should be lavished indis-
criminately upon persons who die, to graf
ify unwarranted expectations of friends.
But occasionally men depart from common
life, when the conviction is forced upon
thinking minds that their powers might
have been made vastly more of, for the
good of the world.
An uneducated man by the name Of
Kent had such native strength, such force
of intellect, such deep and strong thought,
that one who saw him buried was COM
PEELED to believe, that with like culture
and opportunities he would have surpassed
even the chancellor.
Many rough unwrought block of mar
Bile would doubtless have outshone the
Apollo Belvidere and the Venus dc Ne-
dici, had the same skill of the artist pass
ed upon them.
Our friend had gifts not only undevel-
oped but hidden by retirement, such re-
tirement that had he been unmasked, he
would have surprised, not his neigh
bors only, but his near friends and him
self.
He belonged to a class of whom it is
true, that mems "eyes are held and
they do not know them. A plain farmer
of moderate means, with special detentions
at home, he was little known, although he
took his turn in representing his native
town in the Legislature of the State. But
his faculties would not wholly submit to
concealment. They would work them
selves out. He was shoemaker, black
smith, mason, musician, and anything to
which he was drawn. He could construct
a bridge, or run a mill, any work offered,
found in him the requisite capacity.
He had control of the English language,
rare for a common man, giving no atten-
ton to literature. He had command
of words copious, chaste and correct, which
with a rich, melodious and capacious
voice, are elements of power for the mind
which is behind them, of the highest or
der.
But not to enlarge upon talent Or other
qualities he was good man in his home,
neighborhood and church. His sympa-
thies were quick, too quick for cool calcu-
lation and hence he seemed impulsive ;
but he was candid and conscientious, even
conservative, and of course, reliable, a
fast friend of order and not easily misled
by specious novelties. His early training
was of the good old Puritan type, conse-
quently he was well anchored against the
false winds which assal social order, and
true religion.
He spent most of his life in Weybridge
a few years in Ripton, fewer in Middle
bury, and recently had removed to Hi
nois where an injury received from horse
caused his death. For weeks, his system
struggled to recover, and at times prom
ised success, so that he strongly hoped
soon to begin an anticipated journey to
the east where resides his only
daughter Mrs. U. D. Twitchell and his
only son l.. G. Drake and also large
circle of relatives, including his aged
father, now ninety-four; but all were to
be disappointed. Worse sysmptoms unox-
pectedly supervened and in three days he
was dead
All best acquainted with him feel that
he was good man, and has gone to a
better land
A daughters love, failing to reach him
alive, so suddenly came death, faltered at
at no obstacle in bringing his remains to
repose beneath the monument erected by
himself in his native town. There he
sleeps in the most fitting of all places, his
tomb-home, where sleep his kindred his
lifetime acquaintance and fellow wor-
shippers; in cemetery seldom surpassed
in views of natural scenery, comprised of
rich landscapes, mountains and vallies with
an outline Of vast range stretching from
the bold western slope ofthe Green Noun
tains to the distant Adirondacks, sweep
ing in the vallies of Otter and of Cham
plain. Wealth and art have greatly
ornamented other grounds, but here God
has strown around wreaths of power and
and grandeur and beauty, such as must
attract and charm angels.