Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-08-15
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Chapter of Notes and Gossip

A Chapter of Notes and Gossip
About windhnm County Residents Of
the National Capital.
To the Editor of The Phpnir The fol
lowing contribution to personal journal
ism" is submitted in the belief that some in
nocent gossip, alias information, about
former denizeus of Windham county, Yer
mont, who, in recent years, have made the
national capital their temporary or per
manent home, will not be unpalatable to
your local readers
The oldest member of our small colony is
Mrs. Olive Robinson now in her S6th year
although the fresh brown of her hair, un
mixed with gray, does not tally with fact.
She was born and passed her youth in West
Brattleboro, but has seldom revisited it in
recent years. She came to Washington
over 25 years ago. She is the elder and
only remaining sister of Mrs. Arms ID. Put
nam Of Brattleboro Her memory of events
in her youth is excellent, and her relation
of them, spiced with quaint wit, very enter
tanning. Her recent great loss, in the death
Of her only daughter and remaining child,
Mrs J. II. Gridley, has excited the deep
sympathy Of her circle Of friends, to whom
her uniform amiability and kindly charita
BILE interest and feeling have specially en-
deared her.
Rev. c. b. Smith who was formerly
principal of Leland q Gray seminary,
at Townshend, and afterwards chaplain Of
the lst Vermont regiment of infantry has
been clerk in the treasury department
some - years. No man is more respected
for character. He is grand chaplain Of the
grand lodge f and A. NJ of the District Of
| Columbia His age is near 20, but it sits
| lightly Mrs. Smith looks much the same
AS in the iftes, when assistant principal at
| cold Leland Their son, Carroll is IA mer
chant, aud the daughter Nina, is married
to DR.. Little, physician of ability and
having merted reputation and practice il
this city
The wife Of the well known naval con
l
ant bureau in the navy department, Philip
Ilichborn, will be recalled to many Of your
readers bv her maiden name, Jennie Frank
lin She is a sister Of Hon. Alvin Franklin
Of Townshend Although too youthful for
the tnge Of silver in her abundant hair, it
is fair to presume that feature 50 "be
coming To- her is not considered an inilic
ton. Her handsome chldren-a daughter
| Of - and a sou Of about six years-are
natural aud merlted pride MIR. Hich
born is the trusted officer who was sent to
Europe some years ago, by the government,
TO inspect aud report upon naval matters
there and the new ships Of the squadron
Of evolution were mainly constructed from
designs he procured or assisted in making.
His elaborate report of his mission To Eu
rope has been reprinted the past year in an
edition Of 1000 volumes
Mrs Robert J Fisher was few years
ago know II a. Miss Hattie Tyler in her ma
tive locality, Wilmington, as well as in
Rrattleboro, where she once resided for a
short time Mr., Fisher, though yet young
man, is officially the assistant but at times
the acting or de JdciO commissioner of pa
tents-a position most laborious and exact
ing, and requiring not only great industry
and varied ability, but legal knowledge and
large experience in technical matters. His
decisions have given great satisfaction, es
pecally to those practcing before the pa
tent office and his chance for commission
| l. s., r .t.,l,.s oil
others Mr. and Mrs Fisher have an ele
CANT home at Washington Heights-an ee
waited and handsome suburban locality
They have given much attention TO some
modern languages and to current English
literature
Mr. Cornelius c. Billings of Brattleboro
is doubtless the youngest of our colony, and
has also probably resided here a shorter
time than any other. He is an intelligent,
active minded, diligent and efficient assist
ant examiner in the patent office, in the
class Of printing, etc, and is destined to
rise with years aud experience. He has
won good opinions from all associated with
him
Major Chas q Gould of Windham who,
when "A mere hoy in years, Won lasting re-
nown 10y meritorous service in the Army of
the Potomac occupies the very responsible
position of principal examiner in the patent
office, and his successive promotions thereto
have all been earned in competitive exam
nations His severe wounds received in
the final victorious assault on Petersburg,
April ., 1868, in which he led the Yer
mont brigade into the rebel works, have
in no sense an invalid. For his bravery on
the occasion Just referred to he has received
a medal of honor from the government, ac.
companied by very complimentary letter
from the acting Secretary of War, Gen.
L. A. Grant himself a Vermonter. His
amiable wife-the daughter of Hon VIM
Harris of Windham-and his II years old
daughter, hose drawing and painting have
received much commendatory notice at the
Corcoran art gallery, constitute his family
Regularly, with each recurring August
these two make pilgrimage to the Green
mountains, and the Major follows in Sep
temh,r, equipped with rod, gun, and n
batch Of new stories for the delrctation of
Vermont friends
Mr.. aud Mrs Il NJ, Taylor, of Grafton
and Brattleboro, have won many warm
friends in their brief residence here Mr.
Taylor fills the position Of clerk Of the Sen
ate committee on finance of which Sena
tor Morrill, is chairhtau.) with ability and
credit lie was a member Of the lst Yer
mont cavalry, aud saw much service. He
participated in the battle Of Gettysburg.
aud had afterwards the misfortune TO be
imprisoned in "Old Libby" " from the effects
of which he then came neur the dark portal,
and hns never fully recovered
Capt Fred Mack Of Windham, whose
sturdy, independent RepuhIicanisln was So
obnoxious to the Cleveland administration
as to lead to his resignation from the pen
sion Office, is now practiciug before that Of
fee, with the success which his high natural
ability warrants. Few men have greater
capacity TO follow a straight line in speech
to say what they think in plain terms, aud
avoid all dissinuation under any tempta
tion.
Col F. q. Butterfiell of Saxtons River
whose army service was meritorious has
held the high position of member of the
board of review in the pension office for
manu- wanna E.,.y Of hiy Al aonuaint