Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-05-16
The Huntington Bequest.

readers this week copy of the will o
Arunah Huntington, the donor of the
above mentioned bequest, amounting tC
over two hundred thousand dollars, whc
has recently como into the possession o.
the state, and from papers in the treas
urer's office and from Mr.. Dubois, who
received the fund from the executor, We
learn the following facts in connection
with the life of Mr.. huntington:
He was born in Roxbury, Washington
Co., Vt, February %, 1894. His father
died when he was child and he lived
with his grandfather until he was eleven
years of age, when he went to live with
Uncle Downer Supposed to have lived in
Sharon working on farm until he was
sixteen years old. He afterwards worked
at tanning leather and shoemaking, teach
ing school in the winter months, until
about the year 1928, when he had saved
five hundred dollars, and went to Brant-
ford, province of Ontario, Canada. He
there started n shoemaking business,
employing four or five journeymen shoe
makers, boarding them in his own house
and working hard himself with them. 1t
became profitable and he soon had money
to invest outside his regular business and
with it he purchased building lots in the,
then, young but growing city of Brantford.
| His investments proved profitable and in
| l843 ne was worth thirty thousand dollars.
In 1861 he was worth about eighty thou.
sand dollars and having great faith in
the financial soundness of the United
States. he purchased heavily of American
securities, at that time so depressed,
particularly in Canada, and in this man.
ner and by great economy all his life, and
not enjoying, giving away or spending
money himself from day to day, he finally
at his death had accumulated property
of two hundred thousand dollars in value,
all of which Gas will be seen by his willy
he intended his native state should have.
Mr., Huntington was twice married.
His first wife's name was Mary Hershay,
a Vermont woman, and by her he had
five children, all of whom died previous
to his death. His second wife, TO whom
he was married in 1871, was a Canadian,
and had her marriage settlement, at the
time of their marriage; giving her twelve
thousand dollars She survives him and
is now the wife of a physician in Buffalo,
Ny
Mr.. Huntington was for five years
before his death, which occurred January
10, 1877, a delicate man and tho executor
of his will, for some years previous to his
death, assisted him about his affairs. He
once went to Europe but had not visited
Vermont for many years, and the first
that was known of his desire to beeueath
his property to his native state was during
the latter part of the Legislature of 1876,
when Gov. Fairbanks received letter
from him in relation to it. Later Gov.
Fairbanks sent his private secretary, II.
E. Rankin, Esq, to Brantford, TO confer
with him, he arriving there on the day of
Mr.. Uuntington's funeral. Distant rela-
tives contested the will and for the last
six years the case has been in the cou,ts
in Canada, and only until within month
has final decree been issued-giving the
personal property and its accumulations
10 the state, and the real estate amounting
to some forty thousand dollars, to his
heirs, under The Montmain act, so called,
of Canada.
1t will be noticed that the details of his
recommendations in his will, are quite
peculiar and can hardly be carried out to
the letter. but that the income of the fund
should 60 for the benefit and use of the
common schools of the state there can be
no doubt.
"This is the last will and testament of
Arunah Huntington of the town of Brant,
ford, in the county of Brant, Esquire.
|, Arunah Huntington, of the town Of
Brantford, in the county of Brant, and III
the province of Ontario, Esquire, being Of
sound mind and memory, declare the
following to be my last will and testament
1st. | give unto my wife, Johanna
Olivia Huntington, all my household
goods, furniture and wearing apparel,
except my watch and safe hereinafter
mentioned, to have and to hold the same
for her own use and benefit absolutely.
I'd. give, devise and bequeath all the
rest residue and remainder of my estate
both real and person |, unto my executor
hereinafter named, upon the trust herein
after mentioned.
Sd. 1t is my wish that my said execu-
tor shall, SO soon after aly decease as may
be found convenient, sell and convert ali
all my said estate into cash and after
paying my funeral and testamentary
expenses and of proving and registering
this my will. pay and deliver the rest and
residue thereof to the government and
legislature of the state of Vermont, one
of the United States of America, 10 be
disposed of by the government and legis-
latare, as they shall deem best having
regardto the recommendations hereinafter
contained.
4th. recommend the said government
and its legislature, to appoint three trus-
tees. under regulations to be approved of,
and settled by the said legislature, for the
management, control and distribution of
The said fund and in accordance, as far as
may be, with my wishes hereinafter
expressed.
First. | would suggest and recommend
TO the said government and legislature,
and to the trustees TO be so appointed, the
propriety OF employing the capital of the
said fund in the establishment Of bank
ing institution to be called the "Vermont
district school BANK or of an institution
for investing the said capital in mortgages
on real estate.
Second. l would further suggest and
recommend, that the profits to arise from
the investment Of the said funds, as afore-
said, should be added to the principal
until the total accumulation shall amount
to sum sufficient, when distributed, to
pay to each county in the said state, the
sum of one hundred thousand dollars.
Third. l would further suggest and
recommend that thereafter the profits
arising annually, from the investments of
the said capital, shall be divided by the
said government and legislature, as afore- |
said, equally among the several counties
the said state of Vermont, for
the use and benefit of common or district
schools.
Fourth. l would also suggest and |
recommend to the said government and |
legislature, the propriety Of repeating the
usury laws of the said state and Of not
assessing for school purposes any person
whose assessment (P) does not amount
to at least one thousand dollars.
Fifth. | give and bequeath to Fletcher
Stanton Whitaker of Youngstown. N. Y,
my gold watch and chain
which now wear.
Sixth. give and bequeath unto Ebe.
nezer Roy, of the town of Brantford,
aforesaid, Esquire, my iron safe.
Lastly. | hereby appoint the said |
Ebenezer Roy, the sole executor of this