Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-04-18
MR- EsTEY's LIFE AND CAREER
H'. Htrth aad Hs,hosd.

n.
Mr. Estey was born IA Hu.sdale. n. Il.
sept j0. 1874. anu was the son OF Isaa
and Patty Forbes Estel The Este, al
cestrv came from England ~ the early
part OF the seventeenth century ana settled
IN the Massachusetts colony. From there
Isaac Estev moved 10 Hinsdaie IA the early
part OF the present century hIs iarui. Oh.
which jacob was born. wa on tue east
road reading b. Chesterfield There were
seven cnIlureu Iu the family In
Jacobs early childhood financial reverse.
overlook ms father ana at tour wears old
he was adopted los Alvin shattuck. hin.
dale nelgnpor. FOR time he was the pet
90 the family. but the wear, went ul
harsh treatment ana positive cruelty took
the place OF kindness. and at Is wears old
when he could endure It no longer the t1y
jacob deliberately ran away DI Tins De-
Rod oi ms life Mr.. EsJey now speaks with
reluctance. lie oniv says "a ms pialn SIN
pie way. / thought tney whipped me to-
much when dIuu deserve d
The Crisis came a. AprIl l-1-. when
ohattucE lett nome one Monday morning
g. take drive of logs down the Connect
cut Inc usual sunday interview with
onattucE and ms wife on the dav before
had left cruel marks on tine t.1y s back and
iegs, ana when these came 60 the ewes of
the hired man. VINO vas left IN charge Of
the farm. the latter promised the nov a.
slstance III getting away. 10 was lust a.
daVnreak on tine next sunday morning
April ia. that. with ms bundle of clothes
under ms arm and two doilars III his u1ck
e.. he took % tine woods a lev davs later
he brought up IN Worcester. Mass where
al elder brother was living For the next
four wears ne worked al farming IN vArl-
Gus towns ~ the vicinity. earning the gen
erous wages OF 50 d month. afterwards b..
creased % Sl% or SO. During the winters
ne contrlved TO get little schooling nv DO.
ing chores Tor his board For the rirst Sly
months after ne ran away ne suffered tor
lures lest the onattuCKs should pursue MN
ana take MN BACK 30 hinsdaie. but these
apprehension were finally uuleted uv the
solemn declaration Of farm nand 70 whom
ne cOntided ms troubles why. Jacob -
lac said, 4 never would let them take Won
DacE IN TINS world would spill my last
drop OF blood for YOU before thev should
do o.
AAoW and " NJ kAe Came 10 BrattIebsrs.
AT Il Young Estey went 10 Worcester
and learned OF Ihomas sutton nat would
nov be called the plumber trade AT
that time TINS consisted OF tine making and
putting IN OF lead pipe and copper puUnp.
~ the primitive methods OF those davs lead
pipe was made Dv pouring the melted lead
into mould and then drawing DC out u
any desired size over steel rod Three
wears later ON Dec. 81. 1854 when jacob
was 20 ms father aIed ana ne came up 10
hlnsdaie 10 the funeral rom thence he
came over % brattleDoro ana naUuralI,
sought out Stephen Parker who had & lead
pipe ana pump shop here Parker said b.
was tired of the business he would sell IL
for mali what 1t was worth. and named
S2Uu as has price Dung Estey then mad
Just TINS sum due nm al Worcester. and
taxing a refusal Of the business for slx
weeks at that price went back 10 Worces
Ter 70 consult ms employer Mr. sutton
told nm the chance was a good one and
offered 70 help MN with letters OF credit b.
Boston ana New \ ork parties When the
Young man got back 20 brartisboro. nov
ever. Mr. Parker backed out Of ms trade
bus SAID ne would sell ms business If b,.
could sell ms house also. The price on the
whole be n1el at $3.50. TINS looked
large sum 10 tine Young plumber but ms
Judgment told nm there was money Ia the
trade, and al Farkers suggestion the two
went into heyes a bradley s Office and mai
d contract for tine sale drawn NJ Both
parties signed II. with tine forfeit liked al
S1uu The deed once done Young Jacobs
soul was filled with a deadly fear lest b..
had assumed an obligation which he could
never tulul. anu he went % HinsdAle 10
consult the friend of ms boyhood the late
John ateaTns, VINO was twelve wears ms
senior. Uncle John told hlm that he mai
probably got cheated but ii Won nave
not, he said, I'm help you out On the
following Monday morning. a dav in Feb
ruary. 1883. Air. Stsarns and Oliver Adams
came over with their Young friend. 10 IN
Vestigate BY that time Mr. Parker mad
slckened OF ms second trade ana wanted 10
back out by paying 500 whereupau Mr.
Stearns bluutiy told MN that he would ei
ther deed over tine property or pay the full
s1Nu. Inc upsnot of II all was thai the
parties went 10 stephen Greenieaf. the
town clerk. who lived on what Is now the
IhurDer place beyond West Brattlebor0
and had the papers made out. and the mon
ey, furnished by Mr. Stearns and Mr. Adj
ANS. was paid down. Mr. kstey took Dos
session April !, 1888. few months be
tore he was p, anu thus became a resident
OF brattleboro. Inc Parker house was a
small cottage standing on the site Of Mr.
Esteys present residence his shop was
m what Was then the Old tannery building
known 20 TINS generation as the Valley mill
building which fell victim 10 the flames
an December 1856
BeEinhinE Rhd SarsWth 81 the 8rEan
haaineas.
Nsan Hhaa.H a.II d -.