The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-11-24

sion just about S4S 43S, which is about $4,000
less than for the session of saturdays
Journal
Obituary.
JOHN BALDWIN THURsToN of Montpelier,
who died in Sandwich Mass, November IS,
1886, was born in Montpelier, February 10,
1S49. He was the son of James T. Thurston
and Fanny Witherel Thurston, and was
educated in the Montpelier Union school
and Amherst college, graduating from the
latter institution in 1870. He began work
in the National Life Insurance company's
Office soon after graduation, and was after
few years made actuary of that company,
which position he held until, in September
1888, he was by sickness ncapacitated for
work. November, 2S, 1872, he married
Lucy f. Fiske of Bethel, who died Septem-
Der 30, 1877, leaving two children who are
! yet lving-Harrison Bingham (born in
1879 and Robert (born in 1870. In August,
1881, Mr.. Thurston married Mrs. Ruth
Rolfe, who survives him. He thoroughly
understood the business of life insurance
and was a competent, panstaking and pro-
gressve officer of the company which he
| served. For something more than three
years before his death Mr.. Thurston was
unable to do business, but his melancholy
was not such that he was not clear in mind
as to all matters unless, perhaps the state
of his health Scholarly and of quick per-
ception when in full health, he retained in
his sickness his full alertness of mind, Last
! September it was thought that change of
scene would benefit him and he went to
Sandwich, Mass, into the family of DIR.
William M. Bass, physician of skill and
judgment Mr.. Thurston became much
attached to DR.. Bass-an attachment that
was reciprocated-and the great progress
that he had made under the doctors care
created a confidence in both of them that
Mr.. Thurston would soon be restored to
complete health. This progress was seen
to be substantial when Mr.. Charles 7.
Sabn, cousin of Mr.. Thurston's, visited
him at Sandwich on the 4th of November
The extreme melancholy, which had seemed
the only thing to be overcome, was then
largely gone and after Mr. Sabins return
the gain continued. Mrs. Thurston and
the children were to have spent Thanks
giving with him in Sandwich and all seemed
well until the dispatch came, announcing
his death last Wednesday from catarrhal
pneumonia. The funeral services, conducted
by Rev. Mr.. Hincks, We're held Saturday at
Mr.. Thurstons late residence in Montpe-
| lier-whence his remains were taken to
Green Mount cemetery.
Hon. JOHN PORTER, son of William and
Mary (Hodges) Porter, was born in Hart
ford April $, 179S, and died in Hartford,
November II, 1886, aged eighty-eight years,
seven months and four days. Judge Porter
was one of the descendants in the fifth gen
Grafton of John Porter, who was born in
1890 at WraXhall Abbey, near Kenilworth,
in the county of Warwick, England. He
sailed from London with his wife and chill
dren and arrived in Dorchester, Mass, on
the 30th of May, 1927. Remaining in Dor
chester until 1875 they removed in that year
to Windsor, Conn. Their descendants were
among the pioneer settlers of Windsor,
| Hartford and Lebanon Conn. William, the
father of Judge Porter, was born i'll Leb-
anon, Conn, September, 4, 1740, removed
from there to Hartford, VT, in 1880, and
afterward married Mary Hodges. Nine chill
dren, all of whom We're sons constituted
the issue of this union. John, their son,
received the best education the common
schools of this vicinity afforded, and thor
| oughly mastered the elementary branches
of science therein taught. At the age of
| eighteen he taught school in the vicinity of
his native town. Soon after that he taught
| school in Rodman, Jefferson county, New
York, and upon two occasions made the en-
tire journey (three hundred mies) there and
back on foot In 1910, Al, '42 he represented
the town of Hartford in the general assem-
bly,. In 1Si3-'44 he was member of the
state senate from Windsor county, and
again represented Hartford in the general
assembly in 1S45-4S and 40. In 1851 he
was elected director of the Vermont state
prison, and again III 1892. In 1880 he sue
ceeded Hon. George +. Wales as Judge of
probate for the district of Hartford in Wind
sor county, an Office which he continued to
hold to the date of his decease In 1859 he
was appointed one of the commissioners to
prepare a plan for the construction of the
present state capitol building. On the or
ganization of the republican party in 1856
he was chosen one of the presidential
electors for Vermont He was for many
years one of the directors of the Woodstock
National Bank. From the time that Judge
| Porter took the freeman's oath until his de-
cease he occupied some important public
Office. AS constable, lister selectman, town
agent for prosecuting and defending suits,
and trustee of the surplus revenue in his
own town, and in higher and more response
BILE county and state offices, he discharged
every duty with an infexibility of purpose,
a tirmness in action, fidelity to every
trust reposed in him, and with that success
aud ability which won the respect and con-
tidence of his constituents and an enviable
reputation throughout the state. Judge
Porter married Jane Frances, daughter of
Fordyce Foster of Hartford, on the 30th of
May, 1881. Six children We're the fruit of
this union, three of whom are now living,
viz: Jennie F., wife of Charles +. Smith of
Colchester, Conn, Louisa A, wife of John
IL. Dennison of New Bedford, Mass, and
Charles W., present secretary of state, who
resides at Montpeler,-W W. HoDdrd Tucker
in the Landmark,
CoBuRN.-Died in Cabot, Monday -, An
son Coburn, aged eighty-siX years. In the
death of Mr. Coburn passes away another
of the walking landmarks of the town.
His parents came, in 1880, from Charles
town, Mass. to Montpelier, where the sub
ject of this notice was born, They remained
there a short time and then came to Cabot,
His father was the first man that drove
wheel vehicle from Plainfield to Cabot. 1t
consisted of a pair of cart wheels with heavy
shafts for horse. They settled on the
southwest hill and here he grew to man
hood and saw the heavy-timbered forests
brought to fertile farms. He was one of
the fourteen men that lived in town twenty
years ago that was born in 1900. OF the
number two remain. In his religious belief
he was Congregationalist and united with
that church in this town January Is, 1888,
since which time he has been consistent
and worthy member.