Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-02-23
Hon. yoseph w. Colburn.

especially to the people Of the Eastern
section Of the State-one largely identi-
fed with the agricultural interests of the
Commonwealth, and with the financial
affairs Of the immediate community, in
which he lived, Hon. Joseph W. Colburn OF
Springfield, who died at his residence,
(Mont Vale,) on Friday, at the age of II
years.
Joseph w. Colburn was born in Clare.
mont, N. H., on the 18th Of April, 1900.
His parents had been reduced to extreme
poverty by misfortunes, before his birth.
At the age of ten years he was thrown
upon his own resources for livelihood,
and after he was fifteen years of age ap-
propriated all his earnings, excepting
those needed for his own board and scanty
clothing, to aid his distressed parents. At
the age of twenty-five his father died,
after which for seventeen years he sup
ported, with the assistance of younger
brother, an aged and infrm mother, when
she too was gathered with the dead.
Having no money or opportunities for
gaining an education, except those at
forded by the district schools of that day,
he awaited himself of these privileges for
two or three months in each year, until
he had attained his eighteenth year. His
natural taste for reading, and great de-
sire for knowledge, induced him to read
carefully all the books within his reach
and at very early age he devoted his
first earnings to the purchase of an in
terest in a public library. His life affords
an eminent example how the public
i library will influence the life and shape
the character of youth struggling with
poverty, but thirsting for knowledge and
culture.
Strongly attached to agricultural life
he has devoted himself to farming, and
has long been known as one of the most
successful farmers of the State, never
having forgotten his early reading of that
renowned maxim, Time is money, econo-
my is wealth"
While steadily following the pursuit
of farmer he has often been called upon
to occupy honorable positions, in the town
county and State, all of which he filled to
the acceptance of the people, and made
himself master of every position to which
he was called by the suffrages of his fell
low citizens. He was three years Sem
ator from Windsor county, he was mark
ed as a thinker of remarkable elearness
and a comprehensive writer upon import.
ant public questions. AS chairman of 8
special committee of the Senate he made
an able and exhaustive report upon the
intricate question of tariff. This docu-
ment was widely noticed in the press OF
the State, and is published in Senate
Journal of 1910. He was one of the As
sistant Judges of the Windsor County
Court for four conservative years-and
it was the earnest desire of the people to
retain him in that position, but he declin-
ed, his love of the farm and domestic life
presented stronger attractions. He was
successful as a fnancier, and was one OF
the founders of the Exchange Bank at
Springfield, and was its President from it,
organization until ii was supplsnted by
the First National Bank of Springfield, in
which he was director at the time of his
death. He was a member of the Council
of Censors in 1869, and was one of it.
foremost members, taking large part in
its deliberations.
Judge Colburp, as an agricultural writ
er, was we'll known, and his articles in
the public journals attracted wide stten-
ton, as they always gave evidence of a
discriminating mind and afforded profit
able suggestions. He had at one time ar
another contributed to the columns
of nearly every agricultural journal
in the country. His articles in 1865
and 1867 upon protection to Ameri-
can Wool Growers" were very gener-
ally read and were of great influence in
shaping the national legislation upon that
subject.
The Vermont State Agricultural Socie-
ty, in his death, loses another of its ear
Hest and faithful friends and officers
Reyes, Hammond, Colburn, co-laborers
for more than score of years, have fol-
lowed each other to the tomb in rapid
succession. They are borne honorably |
upon the records of that Society and of |
the State, which can lily afford to lose
the benefit of their wisdom and counsel. /
Judge Colburn was one of the founders of |
the State Agricultural Society, and has
been one of its directors from its first or
ganization, now twenty years, and for the
last ten years its treasurer. He was its
President in 1865 and 1866. He guarded
its interests and funds with watchful
care in such a manner that it has never
failed to pay its premiums and has gone
from an empty treasury when he took it,
to fund of more than ten thousand dol
lars.
He settled on his farm on the banks of
the Connecticut, in the town of Spring.
field, in 1888, and to which he had given
the name of "Mont Vale," and from
which many of his communications were
inscribed.
There was nothing extraordinary to
mark the life of Judge Colburn living in
a quiet and transformations way, devoting
his leisure hours for the benefit of the in
dustrial classes. But from this quiet life
there is lesson of encouragement for
young men, left in early life without
means or friends to aid them. Patience
and perseverance in bis, like hundreds of
similar cases overcame what seemed TO be
an insurmountable difficulties.
He has often remarked to the writer of
this article that he never cnuld have mas