Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-02-10

VERMONT MOURNS.
Death of Governor Washburn.

expected duty in announcing the death o.
the Chief Magistrate of our Common
wealth, Hon. Peter T. Washburn, which
took place at his residence in Woodstock
b on Monday morning at o'clock, after 6
painful illness of several weeks.
The decease of prominent individual
of such conspicuous ability, who has occu
pied so large space before the public eye
and whose name was so intimately identifi
ed with Vermoat in the most critical and
important period of our country's history
should be made known in the most fitting
terms. We may mourn for the death o.
an honored Executive. We may bedew
his grave with the tears of gratitude, and
our sympathies may mingle with the sor
rowings of those who sit in the dark
places of the home where happiness and
love have dwelt. But not unto us shall
be given the power to portray the deeds
of him for whom we mourn. The pen OF
the historian will record the evidences OF
his ability, of his unyielding courage, OF
his iron will, of his indomitable persist
etDe and endurance, and of his colossal
powers
Peter Thaoher Washburn was born in
Lynn, Massachusetts, September 7th,
1914. He was a son of Hon. Reuben
Washburn, who was born in Leicester,
Massachusetts,, Dec. 80, 1881, and Hannah
Blaney Thacher, daughter of Rev. Thomas
G. Thacher, of Lynn, Mass, and grand.
daughter of Rev. Peter Thatcher, D. D.,
for many years pastor of Brattle street
church, Boston. In February, 1917, the
father of Peter T. WashLurn removed
with his family to Chester, Vermont, and
after remaining there a short time, re-
moved to lCavendish, and from there, in
1926, to Ludlow, where he died April 23,
1860.
Governor Washburn, or as he was more
Iamiliarly known in Vermont, General
Washburn, graduated at Dartmouth sCol-
lege in 1885, and Immediately after grad
uation commenced the study of law with
his father, with whom he remained, ex-
cept for some three months, when he was
in the Office of Hon. VIM. Upham, an
eminent lawyer at Montpelier, and after
wards United States Senator from Yer
n.5nt, until he was admitted to the bar at
the December term, 1888, of Windsor
county court.
January 1st, 1889, he opened an office
and commenced the practice of his pro-
fession at Ludlow, where he remained
with a constantly increasing business and
reputation, until 1874, when he removed
to Woodstock, where he has since re-
sided.
Il 1874, he was elected by the general
assembly, reporter of the decisions of the
Supreme Court, and was annually re-elect-
ed to, and including 1851. He published
eight volumes, being all the cases argued
before and determined by the Supreme
Court from 1914 to 1851. He also during
the same time, published in two volumes
digest of Vermont reports, down to and
including the 21st volume, and at the
time of his death, had prepared and near
ly ready for the press a third volume,
which will complete the work, bringing
it down so as to include the last published
volume of these reports.
In 1858 and 1854 he represented
Woodstock in the House of Representa-
tives of Vermont, and was a distinguished
and useful member, serving as chairman
of the Judiciary committee. His imme-
date predecessor as Governor, Hon. John
B. Page, was a member of the same legis-
lature, and was his room-mate during
both sessions.
In April, 1861, when the call was made
for volunteers, Governor Washburn, then
busily engaged in the practice of his pro-
fession, which was large and lucrative,-l
not only in his own Court in the
adjoining counties of Windham and Or
ange, with more or less business in
nearly, if not all the remaining counties
Of the State. He had, however, for some
years taken great interest in the re-
organization of the militia, and had as
sisted in the formation of independent
companies in different parts of the State,
lie at the same time being Captain of the
Woodstock Light Infantry. Que regi-
ment of three months men was organized
from the uniformed militia of Vermont,
osnd with Gen John w. Phelps as Colonel
and Gen. Washburn as Lieutenant Colo
mel, were mustered into the United States
service and ordered to Fortress Monroe.
he was in command of the Vermont
regiment at Big Bethel and "distin-
guished himself for GOODNESS and bravery"
In October, 1861, he was elected Adju-
tant and Inspector General of the State,
and continued as such, by annual re-elec-
tions until the close of the war.
1t was in the discharge of the duties of
this Office that he gained the confidence
OF the people of the State, and obtained
that hold on their affections to which he
owed his almost unanimous nomination
for Governor. 1t has been said that no
Adiutant Generals office in the whole
country was conducted with such sytem-
attic order and signal ability as that of
Gen. Washburn. His reports are en-
braced in three bound q vo.) volumes and
three pamphlets, and in his final report he
leaves only serenty.fge men unaccounted
for out of the htrty,f0otr thousand taco
hHndred and thirty. eight men furnished by
Vermont.
In addition to the positions already
mentioned, Gen. Washburn was, at his
death, President of the Woodstock Rail-
road Company, also Director in the
Rutland Il Woodstock Railroad, and one
of the Trustees of the University of Yer
mont and State Agricultural College.
His administration of the office of Gov
eernor during his brief term has been of
marked and distinctive character. His
inaugural address was a state paper of