Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-08-16
The Late Simeon Leland.

Simeon Leland, native Of Chester,
and we'll known in this section, died on
the third inst. We copy the following
notice of him from the New York Her
aid
Mr.. Leland was in the fifty-sixth year
of his age His life career terminated
suddenly last Saturday. He was a ma
tive of the town of Chester, VT, and
born in the year 1916. His father was
one of those hardy pioneers of the Unit
ed States mail service, and first to estab-
lish line of mail coaches across the
Geeen mountains. While engaged in
this laborious enterprise he acquired an
acquaintance with the people that was
co-extensive with the State, and secured
their undivided esteem. The elder Lee
land was born in Holliston, Mass, bro
Their of an ex-lieutenant governor of
Vermont, and allied in family to the late
Rev. John Leland. As is the custom
with the Vermont and New England IA
theirs, the elder Leland taught his sons,
early in life. that they must depend upon
their own history for resources and sue
cess that idleness produces no good
| fruit. This lesson was early impressed
on Simeon, and in the year 1887, with
no other capital than what fatherly adj
monition had furnished, he started for
New York city" to seek his fortune.
Whilst wandering about, he stepped into
the Clinton Holel, then occupied by Mr..
Preston Hodges, and asked that famous
publican IF he didn't want to hire ?''
Mr.. Hodges looked at the youthful ap.
plicant, surveyed him from head to foot,
put on his glasses and made a second
survey, and then, with all that suavity
and delicacy of expression for which he
was proverbial, said to Leland Well
my son, you may go into the house, and
we'll see what we can do for you" Sim.
con obeyed the mandate, and thus laid
the foundation for that success which
attended him. The Clinton House had
under the management of Preston Hodg
es, acquired an exalted reputation, and
was one of the best hotels in the United
States. This reputation had been hon
estly acquired; for Mr.. Hodges, with &C.
centricities and political prejudices, was
a perfect hotel master, and in a very few
years secured some 100000. Simeon LIE
land had not been with Hodges many
months before his worth and talent were
perceived, and he was promoted to the
position of barkeeper and cashier. Here
he speedily won the respect and good
: will of everybody who visited the Gin.
ton Hotel. After serving in that capa
city short time he was placed at the
head of affairs, and, finally, Mr.. Hodge.
vested the sole control of the establish
ment in his hands. In 1915 Mr.. LELAND
left the Clinton for short period. TIL,
house was rapidly going down, for Mr.
: Hodges had become too wealthy to at
tend to it persona ly; and in obedience
to the dictates of interest and inclina
ton, in 1913 he sold it out to Mr.. Leland
The building was erected in the year 1885,
by Philip Hone, Esq, and was then
with the exception of the City Hotel
the largest establishment of the kind il
New York. Its original occupant, Mr.
Bispman, died of cholera in 1882, wher
1t passed into the hands of Mr.. Hodges
who secured for it that high reputation
that MIR. Leland so successfully upheld
Mr.. Leland was then in the thirty-sec
! ond year of his age. He perfected him
I self in his profession, for with him hote
keeping was made grand profession
and rose in name and fame rapidly
crowning his glory as caterer in tht
: Metropolitan Hotel. He experiences
the shades and shadows " of the world
to some extent, as well as its ioyousness
but it may be said truly that half the
world will deplore his loss.