The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-08-26
John A. Page Dead.


peier early Sunday morning. MIR. rage |
had been in feeble health for some years,
though he was confined to his bed in his last
illness but about two weeks. His death re- |
moves wel-known figure in the political
and business life of the state, and large |
circle of friends will keenly feel his loss, |
while sympathizing fully with the family in
its bereavement.
Mr.. Page was native of Haverhill, n. H.,
where he was born on June H. 1914. He |
was thus little over seventy-seven years
of age at his death. His father was Hon:
John Page of Haverhill, who represented
New Hampshire in the United states SEN
ate during an unexpired term, and was
governor of the state from 1879 TO lol2
Mr.. Page passed his boyhood in his native
place, attending the common schools and
afterward Haverhill academy, where he
completed his academic education. AT the
age of thirteen he entered dry-goods store
as clerk, and remained in that position for
two years. leaving to continue his studies
at the academy. In 1881 he went to Port
land Maine, to accept CerkShlp in
wholesale dry-goods house Here his BUSH
ness capacity showed itself in his complete
grasp of the department OF work assigned
him. ana he was soon put i'll charge OF The
countng-room, and made confidential and
financial clerk. But he did not remain long
at Portland. In the following year he re-
ceived and accepted an offer of partnership
in store at Haverhill. This partnership
continued until the fall of 1886, when Mr..
rage y impaired utdlLu maui ~ hNtVooiiS
for him to take a trip to the South. Re
turning from the South through Illinois,
where a brother resided he was so pleased
with the country that he made Preparations
to purchase land and devote himself to
farming. This purpose, however, he aban-
doned after closing out his business in Ha-
verhill, having received an offer of the cash
iership of the Grafton Bank at Haverhill,
which he accepted, retaining the position
until 1914 when the banks charter expired.
In this year Mr.. Page changed his place of
residence to Danvlle, VT, where he became
cashier of the Caledonia Bank. He was
also treasurer of Danville for three years.
and in 1913 he represented the town in the
lowe branch of the legislature. In the fall
of that year he was induced by Governor
Erastus Fairbanks to become the financial
agent of the Connecticut & Passumpsic
Rivers railroad This change of business
compelled him to make New curry his home.
The new position involved work which
properly belonged to the Office of superin-
tendent, and Mr.. Page found, in the course
of the following winter, that the response
bilities were too heavy for one man. He
therefore resigned in March, 1919, and ac-
cepted the office of cashier of the Vermont
Bank at Montpelier. This town then be-
came his home from that time until his
death, and with the interests of Montpelier
he became identified very closely. The
Vermont Bank closed its accounts in April,
1865, when its business was transferred to
the First National Bank, its successor. Mr..
Page was the active agent in making the
change from the old bank to the new, and
he became director and also the president
of the latter, retaining the Office of director
up to the time of his DEATH and continuing
as president until last j anuary, when he re-
fused reelection. Much of the best work
of the active business life of Mr.. Page was
done in the interest of this bank, whose
prosperity is evidence of the most convinc-
ing nature that master-hand has been
back of all its most important investments.
The remarkable success which he had
achieved in private business served to COM
mend him to the attention of the legislature
which was called upon, in the fall of 1858,
to elect a state treasurer, the election by the
people having given no choice. He was
elected as a democrat, his political prefer
ences up to the time of the war being with
that party, and, as the republican party
came into power in the following year, he
was succeeded after years service, by
republican. With the breaking out of the
war, Mr.. Pages views on politics under
went a revolution. He, with his father and
all his brothers, left the democratic party to
become republicans, and from that time UNI
til his death he was closely identified with
the republican party. In 1866 he was again
elected state treasurer, this time, OF course,
by republican votes, and from that year
until October, 1882, he was honored with
repeated reflections. For personal and
domestic reasons he in the latter year re-
fused another reelection, and from this
time until his death he had no further
active connection with public service. In
the Office of treasurer Mr.. Pages remark
able skill a tinancier had abundant op-
portunity for exercise. When he assumed
the Office the debt of the state VS. 81 500 600,
and when he left it this debt had been
practically eXtinguished. Those best COM
petent to judge give Mr.. Page the greater
part of the credit for effecting this happy
result The state owes much to his able
and far.sighted policies in conserving its
financial integrity.
Personally, Mr.. Page was a man of strict
honesty and sterling Christian character.
He had for number of years been an ac-
tive member of Bethany (CongregationaD
church, of which he was also deacon. He
was actively and earnestly interested in the
various missionary organizations of the
church, for many years being treasurer of
the Vermont Bible Society. Thos with
whom he was closely associated in business,
church and social life bear universal testi-
mony to his generous and conscientious
fidelity to honor, and his devotion in doing
good works wherever he found opportunity.
He was widely known in the state, and all
who came to know him well were impressed
with the scrupulous care with which he met
the obligations imposed on him, either by
official position or social relation. Mont
pelier, especially, where he had made his
home for so many years, will miss his famil-
lar face on her streets. The best euogy
that, in behalf of his friends and neighbors
we can pronounce upon him. is that he did
good and useful work, filling up his years
with honorable service to his state aud the
community in which he lived. Dying thus
with the record of seventy-seven long years
of active life to look back upon, he may
well be hOnored to-day, and his memory be
cherished in the years to come. Mr. Page
was married on September A, 1889, to Mar
tina MITCHELL daughter of Captain Trial
Ward of Haverhill n. Ii. Mrs. Page was
the companion of her husband through
nearly the whole of his life, she having dice
a little over a year ago. They have haC
three children, two of whom are now dead
while the third, Mr.. John w. Page, ha
been with his father in his last illness.
The funeral was held yesterday afternoon
at two o'clock at the late residence of tn,
deceased, Rev. G. w. Gallagher officiating