The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-06-12
Obituary.

FIFIELD-By the death of Colonel Orange
Fifeld a commanding figure and a famous
character has disappeared from the stage
of mortal activities. OF robust physical
frame, he had prolonged the personal man
agement of his estate far beyond the period
when mans active participation in affairs
ends. Thrown from a carriage some years
ago, and receiving injuries that materially
crippled his energies and enfeebed him,
accident seemed to prevail where time and
the strain of busy life had failed to make
their powers felt. The fatal enemy of
many elderly people, pneumonia, assailed
him, and on Wednesday morning, June 3,
his vital forces surrendered. Colonel
Orange Fifeld was descended from old New
England stock. His parents, Colonel Sam
uel Fifield and Sarah Davis Fifeld, came
from Hopkinton, n H., and settled in
Orange, Vt, in 1897, when this land, now
threaded by highways and railroads, was a
wilderness and the blazed tree was the set
tiers guide-post. In the " forest primeval !"
Mr.. Fiield was born April ., 1903, and he
had the primitive advantages for education
possessed by the Vermont boys of that day
Nature had literally endowed the youth
with qualities that found a rapid develop
ment amid the opportunities for traffic pc
culiar to newly-settled country. He had an
aptitude for trade, and became leading
operator in the staple articles of mer-
chandise of half a century ago. A shrewd-
ness that became proverbial, a judgment
that was rarely at fault, an enterprise that
was never timid were his leading charac-
teristics as a tradesman. He was for many
years postmaster at Orange and repre-
sented the town in the legislature. He i'm
bibed the martial spirit of his times and be-
came colonel of regiment of state militia,
and also commander of a brigade in the
palmy days of the old New England mus
ter. His business and financial sagacity
made him a director in the old Orange
81.
peer of the notable men of the county. Mr..
Fiied possessed an intelligence that was
peculiarly his own, and he had faculty of
discovering the strong points in a case and
of stating them in language that was dis
tinguished by its terseness, lucidity and
picturesque force. His formulas for attain
ing success in business, his unique en-
bodiment of everyday wisdom in striking
phrase may not have been classic, but they
were instinct with originality and compact
common sense. The generations among
which he lived will not soon forget his
maxims and pungent sayings, by reason OF
their inherent wisdom, as well as of the
grotesque garb in which he clothed them
In 1866 Colonel Fifield moved to Mont
pelier. In 1889 he married Melissa Nelson
whose death occurred some years ago
Four of their six children survive-B. F.
Fifeld, Esq, Henry E. Fifeld and Miss
Sarah Fifeld of Montpelier, and Mrs
Charles d. Mather of Boston. Funeral
services were held at his late residence on
Friday, Rev. G. w. Gallagher, assisted by
Rev. Howard f. Hill, officiating.
CARPENTER.-J. II. Carpenter, aged fifty
eight years, died in Marshfeld June 7. He
was a good man aud a useful citizen. He
served in the army nearly three years, anC
incurred diseases from which he suffered
until his death. He had held various town
offices for good many years. All speak o
him as a kind, exemplary man and ont
who will be greatly missed. The funera
services were held in the Universalis
church, of which he was a member, Rev
S. G. Hayford officiating. Members of the
Grand Army post were present at the
! funeral