Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-09-24
vermontars in Chicago,


WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY CANE fGoM
WHAT THEY AEE DOING. AND WHAT THEY
AMOUNT To ~ cHICAGo-sKETcHEs OF
col. EDGAR DENMAN SWAIN, MAJOR
LrcIUs II. DEUEy, CAPT. va. HENRY
SMITH, CAPT. FRANK b. DAVIS.
CHICAGO, Aug, 1850,
! To iae E!iicr OF the Free Press and Times:
Most Veimonters, especially those from
Northern Vermont, were born amid sur
roundings tending to produce sturdy, intelli-
gent and energetic men. The physical char
acteris,ics and climate of country deter
NINE in n great measure the character Of its
people. Grand scenery, waterfalls, hills,
lakes mountains and bracing at
mospherc produce men and women
of a different type and character
from those who are born, reared
and dwell where the land is dead level and
the streams are all s!uggards. We associate
heroes like Bruce, Wallace and Tell with
the Highlands of Scotland and the noun
tains of Switzerland and not with regions
of country where the outline is unbroken
and the horizon appears as continuation OF
the earth These men from that part of New
England are of necessity, almost, the pioneers
of this latitude, since the conformation of the
country and the water courses compelled
them to pass down into the middle belt of
States when they cmigratcd westward.
| The coast line of the St Lawrence River
and the lakes must be their line of travel
until they reach Chicago, and from here they
can 90 in any direction. This is one of the
great advantages Chicago has in the matter
Of geographical position. We stand ready
and willing to receive all such citizens, COM
ing from that section as are willing to stop
and bide with us. They are among the best
we have have mentioned several notable
Vernon:crs in preceding letters of late, and
now propose to mention others in the col
Imns of the Free Pass.
| col. EDGAR DENMAN SWAIN.
have often had occasion 10 refer to the
valor, courage and bravery of the "Green
Mountain Boys, in these pleasantries about
notable Nermonters in Chicago These historic
traits seem 10 have been transmitted TO sue
ceedine generations in all their fullness. This
remark is Introductory TO what | have to
say of another noteworthy NermOnter who
has been Il success in this city. refer TO
| Col. Edgar Denman Swain, dentist by
profession, and a successful one. He was
born in Westfor,i, Chttenden county, in
| 1896. His father was practising physician
ing country and presume the many who
read these lines will do so with pleasure and
recall the name of Dr. Marcus Swain. Col.
Swain was educated primarily in the schools
of his native town and finally in Chester
academy and at Swauton. At seventeen
! years of age lac went to Saratoga Springs and
commenced the study of dentistry, and re-
manned there three years. From there he
went to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with his father
and established himself in the practice of his
profession. In ISIS he moved to Aurora, in
this State, and soon after TO Batavia, where
he remained until 1861. When Sumter was
fired upon, his spirit of patriotism, inherited
from an ancestry of patriots was aroused,
and lie Immediately organized a company
and was elected its captain and assigned to
the 42d Regiment, ILL., Inf, Go. l., serving
under Gen. Fremont in 1861, and later un-
der Gen. Pope; was at the capture Of Island
| No. 10, and later under Gems. IIalleck and
Sherman before Corinth, and participated in
most of the great historic battles in the De
partment of the Cumberland in Gen. Phil
Shcridan's division. After the battle of Mis-
sion Ridge he was commissioned Lieutenant
Colonel. in January, 1864, and IN March fol
! lowing hrrrettoi Colonel. II the close of
| the war he was ordered to Texas, and on ar
irving in New Orleans, on his way there, was
| placed in command of the 2d Brigade of the
2d Division of the 4th Army Corps, July %,
/ in which command he continued until De
cember, 1865, when he and his brigade were
| ordered home. and mustered out at Spring
field, III, in January, 1866. lie then came
1" Chicago and resumed the practice of den
/ tistry, and is now 50 engaged. being one Of
the most popular and successful in this city
and State. Since 1870 he has been alone in
practice. lie is not only Il skiful and thor
gives attention to whatever pertains
directly to the science OF his pro-
tcsslOn, but has devoted consider
able attention to microscopy and
1 histology and has evidenced a knowledge Of
these subjects which indicates more than
ordinary research. lie has written Il number
Of papers on these subjects and that of den
/ tlstry, which have attracted wide attention.
lie has been president of the Chicago Dental
| Society and of the Illinois Dental Associa-
| ton, and occupied other positions which in
dicate his standing in his profession. In
/ short, he is devoted TO his profession, has
mastered il and now ranks among the first
and best in the Northwest
! In March, 1877, he was commissioned
major OF the First Regiment Illinois
| National Guards and soon after lieu
tenant colonel, and in December following
colonel OF the same regiment, and il
such to-day. lie is now in his third term as
commander of the Grand Army of the Re
public. department of Illinois, and has in
fused new life into that organization since he
/ has taken hold of il, and ii IS now in a
/ ilourshing condition in consequcncc-t!u
] largely TO his efforts. Colonel Swain is L
notable Ncrmontcr, proud of his native
/ State. He was valOrous soldier is an ac
complishcd man in his profession and in
society, ana is respected by all who know
! him.
! MAJOR LUTIUi II. DEUEY.
/ Another pronounced Ncrmontcr, who is
widely known, and appreciated wherever
known, rs a man, Il soldier, wit, humorist
and genial and companionable gentleman,
is Lucius H. Drury. lie was born at High
gate on December Goth, 1924, and is about
/ tifty-siX wears of age, though he passes for
a much younger man, being as much OF a
boy, as far as outside appearances indicate, AS
when twenty-five years of age vivacious,
active, hale and in all respects well prcserv
ed. He was educated mainly in printing
Office having entered the old 4itosRgsr
o!lice al st. Adams, when but twelve years
of age, where he remained four years, srry-
Ing in nil branches of the 'arl prcscrvative
of all arts. He was rapid type-sctter and
an adept in the printing business in all de
partmcnts. In 1871 he worked in the Bur
lington FGEE Pass office, and in 1915 went
South and edited papers in North Carolina,
at Newborn in Camden, Arkansas where
hr founded the original .lrkaHsrs TraelHer,
in company with the late James A. Warner.
formerly Of Castlrton, Vt, and al Dckal5.
kcmper county, Mississippi. In these wan-
dcrinss and publishing and typographical eX-
pcIirnccs his brother IL. N. Drury, now Of
Burlington, was his companion. In 1871 he
started the frdHkiiH county UtTHM ut
Swanton, VI. 1t being an unfavorablc
period IN the history Of the Nation and an
unfnvorillc locality ior the publication of II
Democratic newspaper, he did not make Il
permanent success OF She undertaking. In
1896 lr was engaged on the DHLg -lHyOrI
at Zlncsyillc. and the IHcit at Ntropolis at
Chiliicothc, in Ohio In 1851 he moved To
Wisconsin and started the Green Lake
Ut0,Ocr,H nj Berlin; cncuuntcring there
another financial and Democratic depression
and crisis AT the outbreak OF the war
Governor \. W. Randall gave him Il commits
sion Ia raise a portion Of a battery. SiX days
subsequent TO the receipt Ot the commission
La. lac. enlisted II full httt,rv pf hundred