Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-15
Obituary..

Died, IN 81. Johnsbury, the morning Of the sabpah'
October ~, zESAs WOOD, aged eighty three years
II needs but few words to tell the close Of q lie
which has run thrstgh the greater part OF cen
tury hut when this life has been true aud cody
something more may he fittingly said.
Mr. Wood has been a resident OF this village
since 1870. His older brothers, Cyrus and John,
come year or two earlier For nearly fifty
years he was engaged In active business, aud
from the beginning was consistent member OF
the church Of Christ In all this time ! do not
know that lis truth, his integrity, or his piety
were ever called in question. It Is believed that
those who gathered at his funeral last Tuesday
week, and who followed him reverently to his
grave could say 49, those who had known him
best and longest with the deepest conviction -
" good man has passed away"
Mr. Wood came Of the old Puritan stock His
ancestors for seven generations had resided in
Concord Mass Two Of his uncles we're in the
battles Of Concord and Bunker Hill As he stood
in 1861 in the house where his mother was born,
It WAS told him, "Out Of this house men Of your
family have gone for six generations to fight the
battles Of their country"
Zenas was the youngest Of six sons born in Leo
minister, Mass, all OF whom reached maturity.
As the youngest Of the family he was brought
more directly and constantly under the influence
of his mother, a woman Of rare sweetness and
yet Of uncommon sagacity and decision OF char
acter In whose eyes waste was the twin brother
Of want, aud sioth the synonym Of sin His
father a man Of ordinary education, had In his
library such books ~ "Pools Annorltions,
" Bishop sherlocks Sermons and Buffers
Analogy" not a common thing for 4 mechanic
seventy years ago
These were the antecedonts. We turn TO the
man who has just passed away. In looking at
this rounded life I note a fSedness Of principle,
which took counsel Of duty, and held, with firm
ness that could not be easily shaken, to what he
believed to be right and true. lie was firm
anti-slavery man In days when the very name Of
aboitionist was scarcely heard without sheer
lie was one Of the earliest members, and perhaps
the most substantial helper OF the Free church
In Montpelier, and IL any questioned the wisdom
Of his course, none could doubt the purity Of
bis motives.
There was an integrity In this man which, while
it was not backward in the maintenance Of what
he believed to be his own rights, never seemed to
dream Of tie possibility that he could in any way
be false or fathless to the trusts reposed in him
sought rather to promote the convenience and
comfort Of others than to secure his own.
But most and best Of all was an humble and
consistent pietg which sought to walk humby
with God, and keep himself unspotted from the
world lie must have been young when he cher
ished the hope Of pardon, and assumed the VOWS
Of a Christian profession. Less demonstrative
than many Others few have shown more fully
than he the power Of religion in controlling and
shaping the whole life lie was not to
give way to ecstasies indulge in visionary rap
lures lie belonged TO a generation who had
more of practice than profession more of principle
than Of impulse, more of Substance than OF show.
Yet do not know Of one instance in fifty years
where he failed or faltered in the acknowledgment
Of his Saviour II he made mistakes and no man
was quicker to see or regret them than himself, it
was not in the way 81 sacrificing principle to in
terest or the claims Of religion to the favor
Of men
Mr. Wood was led, in consequence Of the de
strnction of his house by fire, to remove to St
Johnsburya year or two since, where, in the home
of his children lie found every attention and COM
fort which love and care could give him. His last
illness--a gradual sinking away from lfe-was
horne with characteristic patience, and the re-
ligion Of Christ which permeates the very frame
work Of our being shed its light and hope over
the scene till God gave His beloved sleep.
Loving hands brought him back TO slumber
among his kindred and there, in that beautiful
cemetery whose hilltop is kissed by the skies,
where the gentle river rolls lovingly at its feet
he waits with many others theaneel trumpet and
the resurrection morning
Mr.. Wood twice married-to Olive Wash
burn Of Randolph, and after her decease, to Mrs
Eliza Kimball, Of Montpelier lie leaves two
daughters Mrs T. NJ. Howard, and Mrs. +. d.
Blodgett Of st. Johnsbury. A w