Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-03-14

We are panied to learn Of the sudden
death of Hon. Charles Reed. Of Montpelier,
which occurred at his home at o. clock on
Friday morning. A few weeks ago he was
exposed in extinguishing fire, from which
his dwelling narrowly escaped, but heIhad
been able TO attend to his usual duties. and
on Tuesday last took part in the annual
town meeting. Here he took cold, was soon
Frustrated, and died, as we have recorded,
ofcongestion Of the lur.gs.
Mr. Reed was born at Thetford, Vermont,
eldest son Of the lite Hon Joseph Reed.
He removed to Montpelier in his boyhood,
with his father There he fitted for col
lege He graduated at Dartmouth after a
full course, and afterwards completed the
usual professional course in the Law
School at Cambridge. He then entered
upon his professional and domestic life at
Montpelier, marrying q daughter of the
Hon. Daniel Baldwin. Mr.. Reed was nat
urally of a very quiet and etiring DISPOSE
ton, never ambitious of pu bic di splay
public honors. but by steady attention to his
business he acquired com potency, in add
ton to a handsome patriu iony, and in due
time his intelligence and integrity com
mended him to public confidence. He rep
resented his town in l5a2-63, and was
member Of the Senate in l564-65-66.
Some years before this he had been ap-
pointed Librarian and Trustee of the State
Library and also Librarian, Curator, and
one Of the Publishing Committee Of the
Vermont Historical Society. For these
Offices Mr. Reed was admirably Ssted by his
knowledge of books and his fine literary
taste. Under his charge, the State Library,
which, when he came into it, was mainly a
mass oflegislatiye and congressional vecords
and documents, with fragments Of b istory
only, became, without great cost and arge-
ly by exchanges. an exceedingly vail lable
collection. and probably one of the laost
complete in the country in the departm ent
Of judicial reports 1t is indispensable II Nv
to the legal profs ssion, and especially to t. le
judges. For works OF history also, especial y
everything connected with Vermont, Mr..
Reed had sharp and apprecative eye,
which nothing could escape. Tho history
Of Burgoyne's Invasion of III, in the first
volume Of the collections Of the Vermont
Historical Society, was gathered by Mr..
Reed, and he aided in every other depart
ment of that and the succeeding volume.
For the few months preceding his death he
was engaged in collecting all that he could
find to complete or illustrate the forth
coming volumes on the Vermont Council Of
Safety and the Governor and Council. He
will be greatly missed by all his associates
in the Historical Society, nor is easy to see
how his place can be made good. Mr..
Reed took an early and strong interest in
the Vermont Reform School, and has beer
one Of the Trustees of that humane institu-
ton from the first. Hewas a member Of tn,
thirteenth and last Council of Censors. II,
was a public benefaetor to a much large,
extent than has been generally known, anC
u wide circle of acquaintance and friends
including many public mer, and leading
citizens of the State who have been calle'
to Montpelier by their pubic duties durinl
the sessions of the Legislat ure, will sincere
y mourn his loss He wis in his ffty-nint
year.