Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-26
OBITUARY.

BS the death of James E. Parker, Who
passed away in the early morning. of
the>3d inst, the town of Whiting has
met with no inconsiderable loss. He
was born April 10, 1926, and spent near
ly all of his sixty-six years within a few
rods of the place where he breathed his
last. A brief period in his early man
hood was spent in Rutland and in Mil
ford, Mass. He also served in the
Union army during the rebellion as
corporal in Co. E. of the I'd regiment
u. S. sharpshooters. After his dis
charge from the army he became active
ly engaged in breeding and selling the
celebrated Vermont Merino sheep. In
this business he met with large degree
of success, making several ioui neys
through the West and to California with
heavy consignments of these noted ami
mails, in the days when the Uaion Pacific
railroad trains excited the wonder and
antlpathy of the primitive red men, who.
failing to outstrip them in speed, fire.
quently vented their displeasure in
showers of deadly arrows or rifle balls.
By the decline in the sheep industry Mr..
Parker, like many others, met with
heavy losses, but he never entirely lost
his interest in the business, in which he
was an expert, always keeping a small
but select flock. At the opening of the
Addison railroad he was appointed station
agent, and held the position until his
decease, through all the changes of adj
ministration, with credit to himself and
to the satisfaction of the officials, who
frequently bore appreciative testimony
to his courtesy and fidelity. Strangers
coming to his station were certain of re-
ceiving careful attention and many of
them have abundant reason to remem-
Der his kindness and generous hospitali-
ty, often granted before asked for which
the only recompense he desired or re-
ceived was the satisfaction of doing a
kind act to fellow man. AS member
of Shoreham lodge F. q A. Masons he
honored the craft by his fidelity to his
vows and devotion to the interests of
the order, so that those who circled
about his hower-clad grave may well
feel that comparatively few wear the
"whte apron more worthiy. In poll
tics he was a Democrat, conscientious
ly loyal to the best interests of the
country, and honored by his party few
years ago with nomination for a coun-
ty senatorship in the legislature of Yer
mont. He possessed mechanical talent
of no mean order, patenting bag-hold-
er, so simple and yet so effective as to
commend itself to almost universal use.
At the time of his death he was getting
another patent On an improved ticket
case, which would undoubtedly have
been of advantage to both himself and
the public. In many respects he was
model citizen. Every worthy enter
prise IN the town found in him ready
and liberal helper. If a case of destitu-
ton was revealed, any one in trouble OF
sick, Mr.. Parker and his good wife were
quickly on the way thither, ready to
give relief, comfort or care as the case
might require. His domestic life grew
to be singularly pleasant and happy, his
chief aim being to make all who came
within his doors feel at home, and that
in no artificial way, but, as it were, by
ushering them into real and natural
home atmosphere. Though not a men,
Der of the church, he has been regular
and reverent attendant, a liberal sup
porter and sincere well-wisher. He
firmly believed in God and in Jesus
Christ was the foundation of his hope
for the future. OF his remains, we may,
with Longfellow. say:
"Take them o Death, and bear away,
Whatever thou canst call thine own,
Thine image, stamped upon this clay,
Doth give thee that and that alone"