Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-06-29
The 3rte Rress.
OUR BENEFACTOR.
John Purple Howard and His
Career.
His Magnificent Gifts to Public
Institutions.

a catalogue of some Generous Gins'
1t is more than generation ago that n
young Burlingtonian named John Purple
Howard left his native city to seek his
fortune in New York. He was as little
encountered with baggage as Wilmington
himself, for he carried all his earthly pos
sessions in bandbox, rs in ssafter years
lie was fond of saying. But, though poor,
he possessed the qualities that always
and everywhere command success F.; and,
beginning in humble way as an inn
keeper, like his father and elder brother
before him, he rose step by step, until at
the time of his retirement from active
life he was at the head of one OF New
York's largest hotels, and had accumula-
ted II princely fortune.
Mr. Howard is Of sterling New Eng
land stock His father, the late John
Howard of famous memory, was n direct
descendant of Roger Williams. the found
err of Rhode Island, and his mother,
Hannah Earl Howard, was descendant
OF that Philip Sherman who was nssocia-
ted with Williams in the colonization of
Rhode Island John Purple Howard was
born June 3, 1914 in the old "Howard's
hotel" which stood on the site nov occu-
pied by the Messrs. Turks store, and he
was the youngest of four brothers. In
1891, at the age of twenty, Mr.. Howard
went to New York. whittier his brother,
Daniel Dye Howard, had preceded him.
and entered the latter's employ in the
Exchange Hotel, which stood on the site
of the present Stock Exchange. From
this the brothers went'to the Howard no.
tel, ON the corner Of broadway and Maid
en- Lane. and thence to the Irving House.
In 1851, having accumulated ample for
turcs, the brothers retired from active
business. Since that time much OF John
i. Towards time has been spent in tray
el. He has crossed the ocean more than
thirty times and has visited all parts of
Europe, has extended his travels into
Asia aud Africa aud las made trip
through South America.
As the burden of years increased, Mr..
Howard determined, us he said, to be his
own executor, and to give no inconsider-
able share OF his fortune for public uses.
His benciiccnce has extended chiefly to
the city in which he was born and which
he loves and he has indissolubly linked
his name with that of Burlington. -Four
years since he built the opera house
which bears his name and which is one of
the most beautiful aud substantial edi-
fees of the kind i'll New England, and
such one, probably, rs exists in no 9th
er city of no greater size i'll the country
- Tor it is to be remembered that Bur
liugton is only miniature city, having q
population of considerably less than
twelve thousand This magnificent build
ing, costing 1925, 900, he subsequently
Savc'to the Home for Destitute Children,
upon two conditions, expressed as follows
in tie decd
''As the Opera IioUse nall which constitutes
the upper Part Of the building on sad land, was
built 10y ne with the design of furnishing 20 IN.
citizens Of Burlington suitable and attractive
place for concerts lectures, theatrical and ierary
Entertainments and .other amusements OF high
toned and elevated character therefore in further.
ance OF guch design, this decd is male upon two
conditons-hrst ,n0t the said grantee shall not
ALLEVIATE said conveyed premises within twenty
years from the date of this instrument, provided
said bgildlng shall NOT be substantially destroyed
Hall shall during sai period, provided the same
shalt not he substantially destroyed during tina,
time, he maintained and used IN broad and liberal
manner for the purposes OF It's construction above
mentioned consistently with u due revenue there
,tnn mo iI nm, .ir, W witch "a The grca n
Jcct Oi this cunrcyHuce-an1 10 tins end trust
and this copycSoucr ID made witt, the expectation
and conlhcrcc that the general management OF
said Opera Hal aud rs Gppurtcninces, Including
ihe letting o! the same for either shor or long
periods, Shall vest IN, and he exercised 10y the trus-
ices Of the permanent fund of said Home for Des-
tiiute Chilhicn aud their successors, either person
ally or by such aproniees rs they may from time "a
time select
For st. Paul's Epi icopal church, already
his debtor for splendid gifts, Mr.. How.
ard built Il beautiful stone chapel, cost
ing $4,000 His gifts to the church ag-
gregatc about $4,000. To the Univer.
sity of Vermont he gave fifty thousand
dollars for the endowment OF Il Natural
History protessorship and for other pur.
poses ; he rebuilt its main building, ut {
cost of $4,000 lac gave it the Lafayette
statue, which cost about $2j, 900. Mr.
Towards muniiicence is further attestet
by costly public fountains in the city,
three parks and in the cemetery, where
stately monument marks his familys las
resting place. To enumerate his minol
benefactions would be an almost endless
task, so many and SO varied are they
and his plans for the future, it is under
stood, include public gifts as liberal a
those of the past. Forever blessed il
the name of such u benefactor of the hu
man race and fortunate above its fel
lows is the little city which number
among its sons a philanthropist 60 gener
Gus and noble. Long may he live to wit
ness the beneficent results Of his gener