The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-12-24


Mr.. Walton was born in Montpelier, Feb
ruary II, 1872 and was the oldest son OF
General Ezekiel Parker Walton. Spending
his boyhood in Montpelier, he fitted for col
lege at the Washington County Grammar
School. He did not enter college however.
but, on the completion of his academic
training, he began the study of law in the
office OF Samuel and Samuel b. Prentiss at
the time when Judge Prentiss was in the
United States senate. 1t was in this office
That he gained an extensive and thorough
knowledge of national politics, as well as
sufficient grasp of the elements of law. But
1t was in his fathers printing Office that he
obtained the greater part of his education.
From very early age, when he was so
small that he had to stand in chair to reach
the case" he worked in vacations and at
odd moments at the printers trade. In
1851 he spent year in Essex, n. Y, where
he edited and printed his first newspaper, a
single issue of the ESse1 County Republican,
The story is, that the editor and publisher
were away, and had made arrangements for
emitting one number of the paper. Mr..
Walton, however, set up matter enough,
partly written and partly composed at the
case, to fill the paper. Taking proofs, he
submitted them to General Henry H. Ross
then member of congress. General Ross
read the proofs and then went to the office,
his face wreathed with smiles and putting
both hands on the boys shoulders said:
" Print it, boy Print itl' From this time
on, Mr. Walton devoted himself chiefly TO
the newspaper business. On becoming OF
age, in 1888, he became partner with his
father in the publication of the Vermont
Wdtchman and state Gazette and the news
paper and printing departments were hence
forth in the hands of the younger Walton.
In 1850 the paper, which had become the
Wdtctnldn and State Journal, passed exclu-
svely into his hands, where it remained
until sold to the Messrs. Poland in 1868.
During all this time and for many years
afterwards Mr.. Walton was editor of Wal
toms Vermont Register" The Vermont
Capitol" published in 1857, consisted prin-
cipally of his reports, and volume two of
Society was edited by bin, as were also the
eight volumes of the Records of the Gov
ernor and Council" together with docu-
ments touching the early history of the
state. Mr., Walton was not an Office
seeker, but on many occasions Office sought
him. In 1853 he was elected as the repre-
sentative of Montpelier in the legislature.
In 1886 he was urged by Senator Foot and
others to become a candidate for congress in
the first district. He reluctantly consented
was elected and served three terms, after
which he refused another election. In 1870
he was the delegate from Montpelier to the
constitutional convention, and from 1874
to 1878 he was a senator from Washington
county. The honorary degree of master of
arts was conferred upon him by the Uni
lege. He was president of the Publishers
and Editors Association of Vermont from
its formation until 1881, and he was also
president of the Vermont Historical So
ciety for many years. Mr.. Walton made
numerous addresses and speeches on anni-
versary and other occasions He did the
state signal service by correcting the con-
gressional apportionment of 1860, so that
Vermont retained three members of the
house instead of having her delegation re-
duced to two. The apportionment bill had
passed both houses, when Mr.. Walton, who
had examined the subject carefully, repre-
sented to Senator Collamer that it violated
| the constitution and did injustice to eight
states, including Vermont. Under the
lead of Senator Collamer, supplementary
bill was passed by which the eight states
| received an additional representative. In
| 1870 the same injustice was done these
states. Again Mr.. Walton Strengthened the
matter out, Senators Edmunds and Thur
man putting through an amendment to the
! house bill which corrected its defects. His
letter to Senator Edmunds on this subject
in 1872 was printed by order of the senate.
| Mr.. Walton married, on June &, 1886, Sarah
! Sophia daughter of Hon. Joseph Howes Of
! Montpelier, who died on September 3, 1880.
On October 10, 1882, he married Mrs. Clara
| Field of Columbus, Ohio, who survives him.
1t is a hard matter to say in the WATCH
MAN, which before the days of impersonal
| journalism was for more than third of
century the alter ego of Mr.. Walton, the
| things that its longtime editor deserves to
have said of him. The NeU York Tribune
| bears, on every copy printed, the words
Founded by Horace Greeley" The main
| life-work of each of these men was to make
| firm the foundation of a newspaper that in
its field Should be power for good and in
each issue to WELD that power. They were
like types of American citizenship.
The true editor knows, even If he
! = hlpd tbinul. he
must be " myriad minded" Mr.. Walton
so knew, and was so minded. To his fell
low members of congress he came to be
| known as their walking encyclopedia"
And not only with his townsmen but very
! largely with men of intelligence all over the
state, when the thing unknown but know
able eluded search and research, " Ask Mr.,
Walton " brought it to light. To men who
| knew him, whatever may be here said must
seem, as it is, the merest cleaning, remem-
! bering as they do what was the full har-
vest of his life.
The man was the main thing. The posi-
tious he held in societies, in the state and
| in the nation were mere circumstance, show
ing that his fellowmen knew some what Of
| what the man was and wherein he would
be of help to them. His education, founded
| in the old-fashoned New England schools
and in the old-fashioned New England
| ways, rounded at the printing case and in
the editors chair, and deepened by ac-
qualntanCe with attalrS ana men OF aialrs,
was greater than any university or college
combined or sole could give--and all was
crowned by the faith of the old New
| England church The result was knuwl-
edgeable man-one who, if he did not take
all knowledge to be his province, knew
more of its varied fields than his fellows
and, best of ALL character, so that he was
g integer Uite SceleriSque pltriS"
There was in him the simplicity of
strength of directness and of >ocial charm
He had respect for humanity and sympathy
with his fellow mankind-and he knew his
! kind and liked it and was liked by it from
the printers devil to Abraham Lincoln
And that great name calls to mind the fact
! that Mr.. Walton's service in congress COW
cred the organization, outbreak and great
est rise to bad eminence of the shareholders
rebellion; and, knowing its spirit, its
methods and its results, it is little wonder
that towards it and its promoters his kindly
spirit took on other than its wonted forms
of thought and feeling. He loved his own
state, but his love for 1t was subject to
greater loyalty and love for the whole
Union, and those who sought to destroy it
were the enemies to whom he was an enemy.
He did well his work i'm businasS aoriatv