Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-09-01
Obituary

III luo GGdtl VI lAl-s AAiIN L. 4tttAtl
our community met with loss that j. NOR
and more felt a. time move on. Mrs
Fletcher was the daughter of William Peas
lee, OF chinatown, n H.. d man Of sub
stantial character and merit. Her brother
the Hon. C. II Peaslee. was twice elected
to Congress. in New Hampshire. and wa,
for some years Collector Of the port Of Bos-
ton. Mass. and was man Of ability. who,
bat tor failing health, which sent him South
for a milder climate, where be died. would
have stood high among New England great
men Mrs r fletcher had good blood in her
veins but being woman. she ALWAYS main
tanned that her sphere was in no wise pub
lie and that her way of influencing the
the world was through her husband and
family She Stunned on principle all pub
LEFTY. and feeling and believing as she did,
she could never grace any grand display
and only shone to advantage and in full
power in the home circle. A. the adviser
and counsellor of her husband, the late
| Thsddeus T. Fletcher, she manifested her
ability and was greatly appreciated. To
| what extent her advice and influence con-
| trlbuted 20 the accumulation of the fine es-
tate he left, no one will ever know, nor
will they ever know how far her influence
moved him to the generous gifts he made
during the last year Of bis life. All do
know, however. that he aad implicit con-
fdsnce in her Judgment and ability and left
her wholly untrsmmelled in respect to the
final disposal of his estate. The founding
Of the Fletcher Free Library by Mrs. Fetch
er and her daughter Mary, soon alter his
decease. was the carrying out Of one of the
plans which he and they together had been
for some time maturing. Mrs Fletcher had
watched with great interest the developing
influence of this library and had added con-
siderable TO the original gift. and it is
believed she would have added still more
to it il her life had been spared. She was
anxious TO see ii located more conveniently
and in an appropriate and safe building.
She died, however. in the childhood of this
institution, and without fully realizing how
great a work she had laid the foundation
for. The daughter who survives her and
who was Joint founder With her of this
Library. it il hoped NAV live to see the wide
and ever widening influence of this great
charity.
1t is known that Mrs. Fletcher had been
maturing plans for bestOwlng considerable
sums OF money upon other great and needed
charities in this community. but 1t Is feared
Der plans were incomplete and the gift not
actually made. Death came suddenly, with
out the slightest warning and all these
great works and plans are left unreslized. |
These interests and plans are left to be |
looked after and promoted by her daughter |
who now inherits the whole estate.
Mrs. Fletcher was born in 1910. and mar
- 4 IT. hAr
in Essex till 1851, when her husband gave |
up business there and moved TO Burlington.
She was the mother of fiSe children, only |
one of whom survives her. She had been |
for twenty-five years n member of the Wi
nooski Avenue Congregational church, and
as such was highly appreciated by all who
had the pleasure and privilege Of familiar
Beng Ai rather delicate
she was unable TO attend &c the
outward ordinances of the church with
much regu larity or system. Her pastors
have always learned to love and appreciate
her Christian character and have priced her
She made no display OF her wealth and
was in no wa y pulled up thereby, and there
,eemed to be for one with her temperament
md ways but little truth in the passage
aging it is easier Tor a camel to 90
through the eye OF needle than for rich
nan TO enter the kingdom of heaven"
She was liberal. generous. free hearted, but
lever gave merely because others gave. nor
10 be known tor giving. She gave to the
DOOR literally bat aixays secretly 1t has
ecently transpirei that she supported. al
most entirely. few yeGrs since, q large
amilY through one winter, and even sup
,lied them with clothing, no one else in
own knowing Of their wants, and the fact
las come ont recently. not by her diyulging
t. 1t is presumed there are many similar
herities which will never be made known
ill the great day. that shall reveal ali So
rets, shall declare them. Hers, in many
ssser ways. was also truly 6 Helping Hsn5.
or her own ease and comfort she never es- {
ended money any more freely than she I
Iould have done if she had simply been the
wner of a cottage and few hundred dol I
.rs. The day she died she was engaged in /
ousehoii 3ut;ee-had assisted in doing the
onlng for her small isG.il7 irst as she had
ways done from the days when shs Wa .
Dung and comparatively penniless. .
1t may be said finally of Mrs. Fletcher 7
lat she was woman Of a strong Chris !;
an character. in which purity and unaf- +
ote5 simplicity shone brightest that !
ls had hesrt tor any ana all good works. >
1t was not much in sympathy with the as !
rations of this age. but believed 10 and =
we'd the simpler and purer ways of her \
lceetors. - !