Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-23

NOV Aul. W OOuhalA LuGu hu4TG5stl the
assemblage. We take from his address the
following interesting sketch Of MIR. Clark's
life and character
REMARKS OF REV. }. II. WOODWARD.
1t was my fortune to know the deceased for fifty
years,-ior forty Years somewhat Intimately. l
shall therefore speak my impressions OF him with
great freedom. Mr.. Joseph Clark a have learn
ed from himself and his family, was born in Ad-
Olson county, VT, Feb. 3, 1875. lie was the eldest
son of nine children, His father poor and had
hard struggle properly to take care OF his numer-
ous family. He removed when Joseph was but two
years Old to Madison county, in Central Now
York, thea Il comparatively new country. Here
Joseph spent his youth, receiving but a limited
common school education. When twenty years OF
age he bought his time OF his father for one hun
dred dollars, And seon after, hearing that consid
cradle numbering was going on, on the shore Of
Lake Champlain, IN Vermont, he took his axe upon
his shoulder and his estra wardrobe in 4 pocket
handkerchief, and footed il some two hundred
miles, arriving in Milton (xherr an uncle resided
with one dollar in his pocket. He found empll yment
first in saw-mill, in Colchester, where he remain
ed for year or two. working by the month. In
ls2O he came back 10 Milton, and began a business
best business zen o! the state. It was not
accomplished without 4 struggle. lie saw
dark days. In the huctuating and extremely
hazardous business OF lumberman he not
unfrequently met with heavy losses, that would
have carried down many man with more means
than he possessed, into hopeless bankruptcy. But
uauuleu. ne pre5-eu on anu Kept his credit
good. No man lost dollar by him and finally his
eaOris were crowned with 4 large success. The
young who have only known him in his declining
years, amid hi- growing infrmities surrounded By
his abundance and walking among as a prince,
have greatly wondered and have sired TO know
the secret OF such results.
can do 10 better service than to tell this
First-God gave him strong, well balanced
mind, in strong, well-iormed body and he took
care Of them and used them Constantly and with
great energy to the ends h. had 10 view lie was
~ Dr Ha MT
above any honest industry. He was not without
well considered AID we'll formed plans of effort
He had large and far reaching forecast, kind of
natural intuition Of the possibilities and probable
tiles Of given enterprise lnere was nothing rash
reckless or visionary in his undertakings. lie
could assign seasons Tor what he was doing. lie
accomplished mis- purposes not by intrigue or low
cunning but upon broad and open business princi-
pies and by the energy Of nature that knew no
repulses. In a notice Of him in the FREE PRESS
these words point this matter fOrcibly and well
HE had at mis- start in li.e) what worth more
than money, or influence, for in this country they
are sure IN time to command both-tire less indus
try, great energy, genuine enterprise good habits
sterling honesty.
On october I'd Is13, as soon As lie had gotten MS
business fairly under way. he married Miss Lois
Lyon, ofColcnester, by whom he had six children,
only two Of whom survive him-a son and daugh-
ter, who have watched over his declining years and
days with great devotion till his eyes were closed
in "a sleep that knows no waking. She made him
not only an excellent but every way suitable wife
having as much energy and business capacity in
her sphere as her husband had in his. She was a
woman in whom her husband could safely confde
She looked we'll TO her household, was a lady of
cultivated tastes and OF decided religious conyic-
tons, being very constant in her attendance upon
the house Of God. She a mother greatly
beloved by her children. But no ties and
no affections could longer hold her here She
sickened and died October IL, ISIS. Mr.. CLARK
with such Il helpmate pursued his constantly in
creasing business. This beautiful river that waters
this valley, was his home He lived upon its
banks At different points. best suited his conven
fence. Mills and mill privileges fell into his hands
He began his operations near the lake and worked
upstream. with his eye upon these falls. Men Of
capital, enyous OF his growing power. resisted FOR
while his coming, but he came, and the prize
now teemng with tne active and substantial works
OF his hand, was his. What he undertook to do, he
did, and yet without any detrment or CONFUSION to
business OF the town. 1t was not I'LL lsi7 that he
moved 10 this village, and 10 these grounds, al
though he had owned the property some little time.
All the water powers, and they are munyon's and
grand between this and the lake were his and be-
long to his estate. About this time, the Vermont
and Canada railroad was projected and built BY
b and the Hon. John smith, the Hon. Lawrence
Brsinerd, and :ex kindred spirits who knew each
other and were LIE long friends. From that time |
lie who had been the successful luuberman, mer-
chant and manufacturer very largely absorbed |
IN railroads lie was large stakeholder one OF the
nrs directors OF the road and o, Its trustees and
when the management of the Vermont Central |
passed into the hands OF the Vermont and Canada |
he was made one OF the trustees and mana gers OF
the two roads, which position he held m u his /
death.
Mr.. Clark was genial. able and conservative |
adviser in the great and the most intricate matters
Of business. lie was trusted because he was lust,
honest, capable and honorable. lie was model In /
lnodeSty, in purity OF conversation and manners |
lie was always sentlemlnly di snitied cons.derate
and retiring. Ills heart wa warm and generous
and his hand was open and liberal to the poor and
10 every good object. think for the past ten years
his offerings for various charities have been nearly
'ne third o. the contributions of the re ous sOcie
y with which he has been more particularly indsn-
lhed. l never went TO Mr.. Clark Tor help for a
benevolent object when it was denied, and almost |
Always received more than had faith 10 ASK or
,xpect.
As a citizen and q neighbOr he was rarely sur
lassed, ever ready Tor all needed Improvements
or building OF school housrsbridgcs. and churches
or the support OF good schools, religion, morality
iw and order. Tnous h mln OF great influence IN |
he town, and capable vi Carrying almost any |
Measure ne desired, he wa seldom known to oh
'uue MS opinions upon all assembly Of ireemen, or
y any questionable means to control their votes.
10 was not lifted up by his into pride and
Ncluslyeness, but ever met the people on level
With common men.
Rehgiously he was sOmew hat peculiar. lie never
vas IN the habit OF attending religious gatherings.
xcrpt on funeral occasions. This matter OF
est't ana sOrrOH 10 many OF his friends. | have |
10 apology to make for HIM, except to say, Icannot
sci that It was the result OF hostility to religion in
: most evangelical forms, but rather rs he claimed
he power OF habit lie came TO town a ditidcnt
Dung mana stranse and iell under the influence
Or the most par. OF careless and irrelisious lum |
ermen whose sabbaths wrrr their holidays. and
10 the formative period Of his lie he was mould |
i into a ErslvctOr vi public worship. But he was
item known TO say - his men on Sabbath morn
ny Nv rb 10 Ssa.sn have sat th,r, and help
rei, and took in what he considered a. essential in
~ as near ri.ht as he could. but sSnleious thai
simr Snort n, Iay PTayeT' IN h,s own wUrd
feeling that taa DO no more leave myself
e.' Oar conversations were frequent Tor the last
led to impress "1on hs mimi IL ts anu nscsssty If
IN in the Lord Jesu. in order to salvation HI
tied. and don't understand.r i iskei him one ms,
OIL lie ~ saIS YES snI rs a rom
iown to US in some way, hardly know
,atodly in substance i Il don't know why Il is
,asi ,h 20 Iread o. neetn tod No. ear 9, d n;
,anse Of heart. hut somehow II is well will me
3, ns sivcn to me- lis daughter intorms me.
fson ey .s0 sa T,os' pa''n' aA' uh''nipa'nlns
From the time OF his wife's death, MIR. CLARK !
on him but r1sduss vearn out oil lie lies
T tn u nou Ih s. SATURDAY The IN day 81 TINS
III thoPocti ,
, HIS hie Wa -eatle, and the ,!ement-