Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-06-09
Charles w, Willard.

1 ut was hOOuN ms lOOiht fho ~ A''AS AN'NA
failed of being for years though his hold
on life has been so slender. but began
failing and from that time sank rapidly.
His mind had all its native clearness till
within three or four hours before his death
when he became unconscious.
Charles Wesley Willard was the son of
josiah Willard and Abigail (Carpenter)
Willard and was born in Lyndon, Yer
mont, June IS, 1927. lie graduated at
Dartmouth college in 1851 and soon after
leaving college came to Montpelier where
he studied law in the office of Peck &
Colby and was admitted to the Washing
ton county bar in 1853. lie became II
partner of Ferrand F. Merrill for time
after his admission.
In 1855 and 1856 he was secretary of
state and after that declined n reelection.
In 1860 and 1861 he was member of the
Senate for this county. In the latter year
he became editor and proprietor of the
FREEMAN and so remained until 1873.
About 1865 he for time was in Milwau-
kee, Wisconsin, in the editorial chair of
the Sentinel. And during his later years
his pen has not been idle as some of the
leading journals of the country could say.
The columns of this paper have also
been favored now and then by COOL doc
trine and wise words over his well known
initials.
In 1868 Mr.. Willard was elected to con-
gress and represented this district from
March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1875. He was
laborious in legislation, as in all things,
and his congressional work told on his
constitution and since his retirement he
has been in very delicate health. Visits
to Colorado and elsewhere failed to rees-
tablish his health. But he was not man
to give up or rust out and last year he
accepted an appointment rs one of the
commissioners to revise the statutes. Col.
Veazey, the other commissioner having
gone upon the bench, the burden of the
work fell upon Mr.. Willard. He took it
and the work was done and well done
the copy all prepared and about three
fourths Of it put to press under his super
! sion-before he was taken away. He
liked to work; like any good workman
he knew he could do good work and we
rejoice to know that the activities of the
past year cheered his last days with the
thought and knowledge that be was yet
doing II mans work among men.
Of Mr.. Wizards home life here in
Montpelier among his neighbors and
friends we need not speak. lie was
known of his townsmen and many more
had personal knowledge of his straight
forward kindness than the casual observer
Of his reserved ways would over suspect.
He was member of the Bethany Con-
gregational Church. In 1865 he married
Miss Emily Doane, daughter of Hezekiah
ii. Reed. Mrs. Willard has left with her
four children, Miss Mary; Ashton r. (who
graduated at Dartmouth las. year,; Eliza
May; and Charles Wesley. Mr.. Willard
leaves brother, A. j. Willard of St.
Johnsbury, and Il sister, Mrs. Hannah
Flint of Conc ord, N. IL. surviving him.
To say the things that should be said of
Mr.. Willard we are not able. To say the
truth and not to say that which to those
who did not know him. might seem to
come from affection instead of judgment,
| from the heart and not from the head is
hard task. But the people of Vermont,
and especially those who for so many years
knew through the columns of this paper
Mr.. Wizards every day thoughts will
make no mistake in this matter. They
will know that when it is said he was the
" first citizen of the state the words are
words of truth and soberness and not those
of over Jealous friendship.
He had their well deserved esteem. con-
fidence and indeed affection. The quail
ties that gave these to him were not those
of the magnetic order, he captivated
by no studied arts, by no assumed elusive
ness of manner but rather in spite of the
total lack of those too common attributes,
He was refined, scholarly; in manner as
in mind he was the gentleman
Mr.. Willard hal this good Judgment Of
his fellow citizens. and with it their atfec.
ton, rs any one may find who will &C
among the people of the state in the villa
yes and on the farms, because of the hon
esty of his purpose and of his act because
of his fearlessness in maintaining what he
thought was right and because of the
strength which was in his fearless blow. A
: private citizen in after years and holding
to life by the lightest thread he was looked
to for counsel by those in the full strength
of manhood, and honored by II following o
his tn ought which fails to come to most O
those in high places. His later life laugh
well the lesson that 1.-the post of honor i
the private station"
To give even the briefest history of Mr.
Wizards work would require much time
q and labor To give even what he die
while in congress the merest mention
= would require time and space and study
. that are not at command. He was care
= full legislator and one whose counsel Dor
= fruit in the halls oflegslation when given
When he spoke he spoke for effect Oh
5 legislation, and that, at times, he wa
I overborne was because he stood up agains
n friend and foe when he thought what the
" wanted was wrong Had he Away
thought with his party, had he Away
consented to costly schemes which fellow
r members urged, instead of always stand
Y ing for what he believed was right an,
: trying to head off unnecessary appropria
2 tons, he might have been more popula
n in congress-he could not have been NOR,
n useful. But he did rs he did and he di,
e well. For it is better to have lived as h
lived, to leave as he left good name tina
will for many II year be held as the syno