Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-03-07
of the Late Oscar
Shafter.

For the Bellows Fails Times
The recent death of Oscar l.. Shafter,
at Florence, Italy, late one of the Judges
of the Supreme Court of California,
brings to mind some "reminiscences of the
past, which may be of interest to the
readers of the TIMES. i remember hear
ing my grandfather, forty years ago,
himself one Of the earliest settlers of the
town of Athens, often speak Of the Shat
ter family as being no ordinary one, the
ancestor James Shafter, somewhere be-
tween 1850 and 1890 fixing his home
away on the hills in that part of Athens
toward Townshend. He was poor, but
had vigorous physical and mental con-
stitution, and shrank from no labor of
head or hand which those early days
rendered necessary to be performed to
insure success, or even to support life
In few years he became rich, at least
owning large acres of land, and herd
of cattle to which his neighbors looked
with fond admiration. He was for twen-
ty years town representative to the Cen
eral Assembly Of the State, and said if
he could be elected one more year it
would complete his majority and make
him twenty-one years old in legislative
experience. But, if l recollect right, on
account of the infrmities of age or for
some cause his towpsmen failed to give
him that election. After his death, his
son John remained farmer during his
lifetime, at or near the old homestead.
The father of Oscar, Hon. VIM. r. Shat
ter, also, was as long ago as | can remem-
Der, one OF the assistant judges of Wind
ham County Court, and was the first can
didate of the liberty party in Vermont
for governor, aud a merchant in Towns
hend in 1886. Oscar was then a law stu
dent in the Office of the late John Rob-
erts, for many years democratic candi-
date for governor.
About that time the eldest son, Hugh,
went to kalamazoo, Mich, near to which
place he now resides as an independant
farmer, one of the first settlers of that
neighborhood. James Mem, next young
er to Oscar, also studied law, was repre-
sentative to Montpelier from Townshend,
elected Secretary of State and settled at
Burlington, was a law partner of that
eccentric lawyer Jacob Mack, but soon
removed to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and
as representative from that place, was
for term or two speaker of the House
of Representatives at Madison, but ulti-
mately drifted to California, where he
now resides. Newton the youngest son
also, went West from Vermont, and
Mary the only daughter, married ply
sician successful in his profession. who
died several years ago at Fayetteville,
when she too, followed her brothers to
California, which is her present home.
On his admission to the bar at New
fame, as lawyer, Oscar opened an Office
for the practice of his profession at Will
mington, and at once took the foremost
rank over and above all others in the
County. Avoiding politics. though it
was said his leanings were to the demo-
Gratis, till the formation of the liberty
party in 1910, his ambition seemed to be
to so excel as lawyer as to have no su-
perior around him, and he did that, just
that. His party politically called then
!" third party" by both wings and demo-
Gratis, nominated him for governor, but
he kept away from political gatherings,
and preferred the perusal of Blackstone,
Kent's Commentaries, or. the reported
d. cissions of Marshall, Story, or the
eminent judges of his own State, to the
political harangue of the day, neither
the cry of Smiley and bank REFORM"
nor the songs of "Tipicanoe and Tyler
too" had such charms as to induce him
to turn aside from his purpose. remem-
Der it was confidently stated by prom
inent men of all parties then, at the
time Carlos Coolidge of Windsor, was
chosen governor, that if Shafter would
only show himself at Montpelier and to
the people, that he could be placed in
the governors chair at once. Not till
1858 did Mr.. Shafter accept an office,
and then he appeared at the capital as
representative from the town of Will
mington. Gov. Fairbanks had failed of
reelection by the people on account of
the passage Of the Main Liquor law by
the legislature of 1852, and the liberty
party held the balance of power between
the wings and democrats. An election
of the State ticket was to be made by
the General Assembly. Strong men OF
all parties came to the front. Old sta
gers and striplings. the proud and the
poor, the wicked and the wise, anybody
and every body supposed to have any in
fuence at the capital or away from the
capital was called on to exert that in.
a - II