The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-05-06

Every community naturally and right
| fully prides itself as regards the men and
women, who, either in their native place or
| elsewhere, attain for themselves any of the
distinctions which come to honorable man
| hood Particularly is this true of our own
Vermont, whose people ever welcome the
successes in life which her children gain,
whether it be within our own borders Or in
other sections of our common country, and
| no apology is called for in our presentation
of a brief outline of the life and individual
| attainments OF one who is well known to
so many of our readers-Hon. Frank Car
roll Churchill.
Mr.. Churchill was born in West Fairlee
in 1850. his parents then residing in what is
known as the Wild Hill neighbOrhOOd, and
| the home of his bOyhOOd is still standing at
the head of Middle Brook. 1t was emphat-
| ically typical New England home of the
period, into which luxury had not come,
but where the daily life was such as has
produced class of people who have made
their impress upon our whole national eX-
| istence-a home where the struggles for
the necessities and few comforts of life re-
| quired rigid practice of economy, supple
mented with the virtues notably possessed
by our sturdy yeomanry. His father, Ben
jamin p. Churchill and his mother, Susan
nah Thompson Churchill, (the latter now
Mrs. Benjamin Niles of West Fairlee) are
pleasantly remembered by very many of
the residents of this vicinity. Indeed, the
Churchill family has been intimately con-
nected with the entire town history of
Fairlee and West Fairlee, dating back to
the first settlement in the last century,
when Frank Churchill came from Ply
mouth, Mass. His son, Capt. William L.
Churchill, father of Benjamin p, was a
prominent citizen, as were the others, and
in his day was noted Old-time abolitiOniSt.
When Frank c., was lad of but IA years
90 fn4I lfnI Il
er brother, William A., now postmaster at
Lebanon, n. III. fell the stern realities of
life. There was no other choice Happily
for the two boys a nlotkeft1 waSlStilE theirs,
whose counsel and loving care was now
doubly essential, and in all the after strug-!
gle was never found lacking. From the
death of the father it required from the
and gain the necessities of life both for
themselves and the mother, and though
young in years they cOurageOuSly faced
the situation. Young Frank worked on
the farm for two years, attending school
winters according to the old New England
custom, and taught one term of winter
school in the Kidder neighbOrhOOd, just Fl
years from the time his father had taught
the same school. AS did other teachers in
those days he 'boarded round, and though
the school was a difficult one for any in
StructOr, the term was successful. Follow
Ing J1lS Uc WbuJ W IN. LES SuttfiuS
into the employ Of D. c. Churchill q. Co.,
country merchants, where he remained for
two years, gaining his first mercantile ex-
perience, and in 1870 went 70 Lebanon, N.
H., which town has since been his home.
For nearly eight years he remained with
and steadily developed the qualities which
have made his commercial, social and po-
litical life eminently successful. In. 1877
he associated himself with Hon. William
D Carter, under the firm name of Carter 81 |
Churchill, name now most fav0rably
known over a large territory, as wholesale
dealers in small wares and manufacturers
of Overalis and other garments for mems !
use. For five years he covered a large part
of New England as a salesman, until the |
largely increasing business demanded the |
personal attention of both members of the |
firm at their establishments which to-day |
gives employment to something like 100
people, and is one of LebanOn's most pros |
porous Industries
Politically, Mr.. Churchill is republican |
of the Vermont type, and has always ac-
lively entered into the various campaigns |
with every energy. In 1878 he was a mem
Der of Coy. Matt Heads official staff, with
the rank of Colonel. In 1889 he was elected
member of Gov. G0Odel'S executive |
council, being chosen from the fourth coun-
cillor district by large vote. and served |
most efficiently in that capacity. He was
chairman of the New Hampshire Republic
can state committee in 1890, which position
he now holds, and his executive ability was
of great value to his party in the hotly con-
tested election of that year. He also heads
the delegation from New Hampshire which
is to attend the Minneapolis convention.
being chosen by reclamation.
Col. Churchill married in 1874, Miss
Clara G. Turner of Lebanon, a lady of rare
AID their home has been
the center of much of the social life of that
community. Both have travelled very ex-
tensively all over the country.
Such is the epitOme of the life of Green
Mountain boy in our neighboring State,
who has made for himself what he is and
has. Actively interested in everything
that appeals to the intelligence of men,
liberal in his every impulse and thoroughly
alive in every undertaking of his town and
state-a leader everywhere-he unques
tiOnably has other honors and successes in
store for him, concerning which the friends
of his youth ON the west bank of the Con-
necticut will learn with more than ordi-
nary pleasure.