Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-10-30
DEATH OF EX-GOv. PAGE.
Sudden End of an Active, Prominent and
Useful Life.

on Saturday, announced the sud |
den tlecease of Hon. John b. Page of Rut- |
land While attending the meeting of the
American Board of Missions, in Boston,
week before last, Gov. Page caught II
cold, which developed, after his return
home, into an attack of pneumonia which
confined him to his house for several days.
1t was yielding to the remedies admins
tered, and no serious result was anticipat-
ed. Between and q O'Clock on Saturday
morning his wife discovered that he was
change had taken place. His son and
physicians were Immediately summoned,
but he had ceased to breathe before they
reached his bedside. His death is not at
tributed to his preFio illness; but to
some sudden stoppagc of the action of the
heart probably the result of an apOplectic
attack.
Sketch of GOV. Pages Life.
John Boardman Page was born in Rut-
land, February 20, 1926. His father was
the late William Page, long the cashier Of
the Bank of Rutland, and for many years
treasurer of the town OF Rutland, and his
mother, whose maiden name was Cynthia
! lllCkOk, was, we think, Il niece of the late
Deacon Samuel Hichuk of Burlington. He
was in school till the age OF Ii or z years,
when, having thus early shown decided
taste and capacity for business he was
made teller of the bank. In November,
| 1913, while in his 22d year, he succeeded
his father as cashier Of the bank and soon
established a reputation as an able and
successful tinaucier. He held the cashier
ship for thirteen years. till, in 1861, he was
promoted to the presidency of the bank
which Office he held for over twenty years.
In 1852 he was the Wing candidate for town
representative, and represented Rut land
with ability in the Legislatures of lS52-3
and t. In 1850 he was nominated for
State treasurer on the Republican ticket,
and held that responsible office during the
| war, and till 1866. The cNigenCicS of that
/ period, when the financial transactions of
| the State rose from thousands to millions,
| called for the highest ability: and in the ne
! gOtiatiOn of loans, the sale of state bonds,
and the heavy disbursements for war
purposes. Mr.. Page demonstrated marked
ability and efficiency. He was also allOt-
/ ment commissioner ana disbursinG agent
of the Estate pay to the Vermont troops,
| in which capacity millions of dollars pass
| ed through his hands Succeeding Il de
| fauter in the Office of State treasurer, he
restored order and responsibility in the
office, and left it with the financial credit
of the State raised to an equality with that
of the strongest States, ana with Il person
! al reputation for industry, capacity and
| fidelity which gave him high place in
! E
/ Largely in recognition of his patriotic ser
vices, he was elevated to the governorship
| in 1867, and reelected in 1865, and served
! with credit to himself and the State. Gov.
| Pages connection with the Rutland rail
| road also gave him high prominence in Yer
mont and throughout New England. He
became heavily interested, financially. in
the Rutland ana burlington road in 1850,
and in 1863, in connection with Mr.. Blrchard
took control of the road as trustee of the
second mortgage. Upon the reorganization
| the road, under the Citle OF the Rutland
Railroad company, III lS67, he was elected
| president of the company, and held that
Office till two years ago. His controlling
| position in the Rutland road gave him
| extensive relations with connecting roads,
| and he was at various times a director IN
| the Vermont Valley, sullivan and Cen
| trail Vermont roads, and was for several
| years IL director and Vice-preSident of the
Champlain Transportation company. The
lease of the Rutland road to the Vermont
Central, in 1871, relieved him of much of
his care and responsibility as Il railroad
manager, and he turned his attention in
other directions. Some seven or eight
years ago he conceived the project of pur-
chasing controlling interest in the Howe
| Scale works in Brandon, and removing
them to Rutland, and this he accomplish
ed, though at very serious pecuniary cost
to himself. He was "A large stakeholder
III lhe company pttt the enterprise III,
volVcd IL heavy additional purchase of
STOCK ana the raising OF a large amount OF
capital; me deal Oh Boston capitalist,
Whom ne had relleu on TO share the man
burden of the enterprise with himself,
leit us chIel WtlSht upon nun. lhls
win some uhtrodWclNe investments
III rcai estate IN brooklyn ana ota
ten Island, an" a CONNECTION WIN
the West 0hore RlIlrnad CONSTRUCTION
company, Drought upon MN serious losses
ana Il NeIEhl ol H"ancl;u trouble Wnlci
would nave broken uoWn man Oh less
elasticity ana COURAGE ne discovery o.
an oNeflssue Oh SloCN ana ueIaIcatloh III th'
treasury Oh uhe nut i'lllu railroad, Tor Whcl
It's late treasurer, >. VI: HaVen, Is uhdel
lmdlctment, adued 10 ms elhparrassheht
me presidency Oh me pahN ana the pleNl
dehcN OF the railroad passed 10 otheI
hands ana ne louh" himself the respond
eht III criminal Prosecution ana the ue
iehqaht III heaFy CIV SUITS; conscious
ms innocence ana OF MS abllllN To shoN
that the railroad company was ms deoto
instead OF MS creditor, ne met these SUIT