The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-03-20
Obituary.

Died in London, England, on Friday
last. He was a native of New Haven
Mllls, this county, where some years
since he built school. house and gave
1t to the village. lie was born Sept.
Il, 1906 a published account of his
career says: "Little is known of his
parentage, and less of his early life.
That he was early inclined to hunting,
and earned from time to time an hon.
est dollar by selling the skins of his
booty, there can be little doubt. The
traffic he found profitable, for at the
early age of nineteen he arrived at the
port or London in Canadian ugger
called the Betsy, of 290 tons measure
ment, heavily laden with peltry. He
and the craft of which he was SUPER
cargo hailed from Boston. The year
previous he had joined party of trap
pers and halt-breeds in Canada, and
failing to find a ready sale for their
skins either in Montreal or Boston, he
embarked for London. His indomit-
able energy enabled him to find a pur-
chaser for his cargo at prices 50 remu-
nerative that he repeated the voyage
several times. His business interests
kept him in London, and there, on the
east side of Queen street just out of
Cannon street, along an unfrequented
lane leading from Guildhall to South
wark Bridge, in four-stored ware.
house, he established what became the
largest depot in peltry III Europe Stat
ed sales at auction were held, and on
these occasions the quiet neighborhood
assumed cosmopolitan look, for Turks,
Arabs, Greeks, Poles, Armenians, Rus
nn tN,, Il,
pete for the rare furs which were Of
tered for sale. 1t was here in this rath-
er dingy store that the Vermont boy
passed many years of his business life
through active manhood to middle age
He retained the cut and peculiarities
OF his race. AT the age OF sixty-fve
he was thin, tall man, with a smooth
shsven face and gray hair. His per-
sonal appearance was rather command
ing, and though he became natural
lied British subject in 1S4S, he never
lost his love of his native land and was
loyal TO her interests during the civil
war. lie built up large fortune, not
at the expense of his integrity, for he
early in life established a reputation for
fair dealing, which characterized all
his mercantile transactions. He was
great friend OF Mr.. George Peabody.
On one occasion these two had spoken
well of an American railroad enter
prise, and upon the strength of their
words the road bought largely of iron
on credit. 1t turned out to be an un-
fortunate enterprise. The iron mast
ers, who had no claim upon either Mr..
Lampson or Mr. Peabody, were sur
prised later to have their accounts set
tied by these two Americans, who were
neither legally nor morally bound to
assume any responsibility. Mr.. Lamp
son was, next to the interchangeable Cy-
rus w. Field, sthe most efficient pro-
moter of the laying of the Atlantic ca
bles. He was never discouraged.
When the first cable was lost, sinking
for him thousands of pounds, he WAS
alive for the second. When that cea sed
to transmit and DeSautry was believed
to be myth, he came again to the res
cue. lie was confident that anv hour
might renew the telegraphic signals.
Conflicting rumors filled Chapel court.
From 100 down TO 800, 700, 600, 500,
the prices continued t. fall until upon
dispatch sent from Vaencit that more
favorable signs were noticeable, it went
up again TO 75O. The news, however,
was not confirmed, and on the third
day holders of Atlantic telegraph stock,
which had cost them thousand sOver-
eigns share, could not have pledged
them for the price of city lunch. Mr..
Lampson stood unmoved, others had
sold, but not he. The disaster, now
twice repeated, discouraged the direct
ors. They had lost money, credit and
faith, and were abandoning a hopeless
enterprise. So was not Mr.. Lampson.
lie called meeting AT his counting
DOM, urged public meeting of the
stockholders, expressed his profound
belief not only in the successful laying
of another cable within twelvemonth,
but in the recovery and restoration of
this; and at subsequent public meet
ing carried without dissenting voice
the series of resolutions he had pre-
pared. Success crowned the persistent
efforts of the Green Mountain boy, and
when the queen recognized his energy
and his sacrifices by creating him
baronet, there were none to deny that
the recognition was most honorably
deserved. Mr.. Lampson became a
thorough Englishman, and his title was
no doubt great pleasure to him. He
was no' ai OuuOatSu ndll, Dul ue WAS
fond of literature and was more partial
of his library than to his dinner table,
though he had passion in years gone
by for good horses and the sports of
the turf and the field. He was "a char
table man, aud many unfortunate
Americans have experienced the benefit
of his helping hand. He was one of
the directors of the Cable company, he
was deputy governor of the Hudson
Bay company and was trusteee of the,
Peabody fund. He celebrated his gold
en- wedding some few years since at his
place, Rowlant, in Sussex. One of his
daughters is the wife of Mr.. Frederick