Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-05-07
OBTTUARY


Rev. Silas Ketchum, formerly Of this town,
died in Boston, Mass, April 9th. From an
obituary notice in the Boston journal of Mon
day we obtain the following particulars of his
life
Mr.. Ketchum was born in Barre. Vt, Dec
(, 1888. In 1851 he removed to IIopkinton,
n. H., where he learned and followed the
trade of a shoemaker till his fathers death in
1851. Being then released from the duty of
supporting his parents, he entered Hopkin-
ton Academy, and after two terms of study
taught his first school. Mr.. Ketchum was fit
ted to enter Dartmouth College in 1858, but
being stricken with sickness, was constrained
to forego that advantage and studied under
private instructors, taking all the col
lege studies except the higher mathematics.
He also acquired sufficient knowledge to be
able to read in French Spanish and Italian.
In 1860 he entered Bangor Theological Semi
nary, pursuing the full course, supporting
himself and wife by working at his trade, and
graduating in 1868. In December of that
year he located with the church in Wardsboro,
Vt. and during a ministry of 21 months the
congregation was largely increased. He then
removed to Brattleboro, and edited, in con-
junction with d. L. Milliken, the Vermont
Record, till called to the church in Bristol, n.
H. in 1866. In 1873, worn with labor he re-
small church in Maplewood, Mass, leaving it
in October, 1876. His last pastorate was
with the Second Congregational Church in
Windsor, CT, from 10Th July, 1877, till with
in a few weeks of his death.
During his whole career rs a student and
minister he had been a diligent collector of
rare and curious books and an omniverous
reader in science and history. From his own
collection he presented to the New Hamp-
4. II
New Hampshire Antiquarian Society 300
volumes and 5000 pamphlets, and to the
American Congregational Association Boston
3j2. His own library now numbers 250O
volumes.
Mr.. Ketchum was a member Of many learn
ed and benevolent societies, and was active in
securing the New Hampshire Orphans Home
the old home of Daniel Webster-of which
corporation he was a life member.
For many years he was connected with the
press as correspondent, essayist and reviewer.
His published works are % A Farewell
Discourse, Wardsboro, Vt, 1868 (2) History
of the Phomathic Club, Bristol, 1875 (3)
Eulogy on Henry Wilson, Maiden, 1876; o.
Diary of the Invasion of Canada by the Amer
lean Army 177j, Contoocook, 1876 90
Special Geography of New Hampshire, Har-
per IL Bros, 1877: 90 Paul on Mars Hill
| 1879. He had also in preparation histories Of
the Kotchum family and of the Doty family
in America aud an elaborate dictionary of
New Hampshire Biography. In the prepara-
of the last mentioned work he had gathered
complete and accurate data and written out
in full, upward of one thousand distinct biog-
raphical sketches and gathered partial data
for twice as many more This is the crown
| ing work of his life, and for the completion
of which he labored in season, and, alas! out
of season. Undoubtedly his great desire to
be able to complete this work materially has
tened his death Mr. Ketchum married, 9TH
| April, 1860 Georgia c., daughter of Elbridge
Hardy, of Amherst, N. H., who with two
sons. survives him.