The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-11-13
NUMBER Is.
DEATH OF w. II. ALEXANDER.
A Remarkable Character Model for the
statue OF Ethan Allen Whom He Much
Kesembled In Mind and Make up.

A Remarkable Character Model for the
statue of Ethan Allen Whom He Much
Kesembled In Mind and Make up.
willard ii. Alexander, who has for two
years past evidently been nearing his end ,
died early Tuesday morning at his Canal
street home But the remarkable mind which
has always been his remained clear and ac-
tive and prolific of epigrams almost to the
last lie had carefully and long since made
all his calculations and preparations for
death, even to debating obituary notes to the
Republican correspondent. During the
night Monday he had told bis attendants that
he should probably die before morning and
frequent humorous illusions to his
approaching dissolution. One Of them was
that II Gov. Russell should be reelected he
should be willing to go, though he should
like to stay to see Grover Cleveland 10 the
| White House once more.
willard Huntington Alexander was one of
the remarkable characters of BrattlebOro his
| Tory. Intense In his convictions, as Illus
trated by these political remarks, original In
his way OF viewing things, with genius for
| effective statement, and a magnetic power
that was sure 10 capture an audience when
ever he arose before 1t, nature patterned
him for very great man. If be could have
had the advantages of early education and
cultured association to round off some of the
roughnesses that became defects in his charac-
ter, II he could have been spared the conlro-
versies that exaggerated these defects, and
the msfortunes that kept him in treadmll
of debt.paying through his earlier manhood,
there Is no telling what might have been his
achievements. No one could look upon that
strong face or catch the flash of that genius
III eye without feeling that he was In the
presence OF man OF power. And when
young Larkin q. Mead came to make the
statue of Ethan Allen now In the state house,
1t was Mr.. AleXander's head and form that
he took for his model. 1t was a happy
thought. The character of Allen, as
history knows him, was markedly like tina:
of Mr.. Alexander. and one can not stand be.
fore the statue of Allen, with its noble pro-
portions, and the inspiring memories 1t
brings up, without feeling something of the
quality Of W. Ii. Alexander. akin to that of
the rugged OLD hero who demanded the sur
render Of Tconderoga ''in the name of the
Great Jehovah and the continental congress-"
The very eorms of expression of the two men
were similar.
Mr.. Alexander was born Sept. Il. 1906 at
Montague, Mass, where one sister, Mrs.
Scott. now lives at the age of 81. He was the
son of Ebenezer and Rhoda Scott Alex
ander and one of II children. When II
years old he went to Chesterfield. N. H.,
where be went to work for Capt. Brown, a
Revolutionary soldier. In 1929 he welded
Eunice l.. Scott, who survives him after 90
years of devoted married life, and took Capt.
Browns farm agreeing TO take care of the
however. when he was 36 years old, as the
result of signing notes to favor others. but
faithful to his contract he leased 1t, and kept
his aged wards there to the end of their days.
He was for several years also engaged In the
manufacture of boots at Chesterfield, and
was becoming very prosperous when the
failure OF large costumers out west who were
owing him heavily, ruined him financially
again and kept him back for many years.
He was also In his Younger days school
master In Hinsdale for seven years and
among his pupils were Marshall Jewell, Gov
ernor of Connecticut and Postmaster General,
and Harvey Jewell for many years speaker
Ing to hear him tell about his first advent to
the school and the can-can the big BOYS struck
S. 1p ,sDdGg tasir nesis ss nesr ar his nose ss
was very apt to do anywhere
In 1850 be moved to BrattleborO and built
The Canal street house where he has since
Iived Nearly the whole section OF the VIII
lage now called Prospect hill he bought, used
for time market gardening and then opened
up for building lots. He. himself constructed
the Prospect and Washington street roads
there being only one house on the hill. that now
owned by Mrs. l.. A. CapeD-and presented
them to The town TO further his project OF
extension. Later be bought tract of land
one mile south of The village and continued
for several years the wsrk of gardening and
uDJtl ne nad reacDeu the age OF oU,
He served for four years as village billif
and -FOUR years as town grand juror making
things lively during the latter term by his ef-
forts to enforce the prohibtery law. which
he didn't believe ia but at whose violations
ne would not officially wink as long as 1t was
oD the statute books.
He always took an active part In public af-
fairs, and when he was in full vigoriew were
the town meetings where his voice was not
heard. and his ready wit In play, while the
schools and other matters Of community
Interest held his attention. They tell
story OF an encounter he once had In the
'ourt room over In New Hampshire with
Franklin Pierce. who had broken down an
The witnesses on that side of the case with his
skilful questioning and thought he had got
Alexander In a corner. But Gen. Pierce got
he worst of 1t.
He was kind hearted man and though ne
gave and took hard blows In controversy and
MS arguments were apt to be of the knock
lown kind, be never harbored malice. 1t
uccor to the needy. but ALWAYS on the quiet.
md 1t was about the only kind of thing he
was afraid of having found out
He took the lead In organizing the old
yceum that afforded so much interest to our
people with its meetings In the lower town
1all % years ago. and the debates In which
,e and WinsIow Ward, David Miller and
Lewis Putnam were the frequent disputants.
lad Zsst and power that was peculiar to
themselves and formed an interesting chapter
If local life.
In his younger days he did a good deal Of
detective work and all his days he had a bent
II mind for 1t. Many an interesting tale
,ould be told of the skill and persistence with
which he worked out difficult cases, and cap
ured the perpetrators of crime Ia both Cnes-
erfed and this town. 1t was only another
,roof Of the mental keenness ana cODcentra-
i've power that marked him In so many
venues OF life. He had decided fOndness
or music and TOR years be led the choir at
chesterfield. He was also for some time cap
ain of the militia company there.
Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander celebrated their
olJen wedding IN 1889, when nearly the
whole town teudered congratulations. Be-
i,,es his widow, four children survive. in
iudlng Frank. now living In Georgia; Charles
J. ip Guilford, the oldest: Serotia, living at
ome, anu John f.. the well known Ssxtons-
river manufacturer. Two other sons Elijah
i, Chicago millionaire and Prof. Henry W.,
n accomplished teacher of0musc, have died
within few wears and one daughter Eunice
augusta died at the age of II In 1858.
The funeral was ht Id from his late resi-
ence Yesterday afternoon Rev. +. w.
prague aud Rev. f.. l.. Phaen officiating
nd a large conceurse of people being present
0 pay their respects.