Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-05-12
JAY SHEPHERD GATES.
Death of Man whom a Good Many
Windham County People Remember


Well.
A Freeport, Ill, paper contains notice of the
death or Jay Shepherd Gates, prominent hotel
keeper and citizen of that place, and a man who
Is well and kindly remembered In Bratteboro and
the West River valley towns by many of the old.
er men, especially those who in earlier days
we're interested In hotels, stages and horses In
Brattleboro the first recollection of "Shep Gates"
by his oldtme companions is that he was trav-
eler or agent for some Massachusetts house,
ready to turn his hand at anything which prom.
ised profit or diversion. He kept the hotel at
West Townshend for two or three years, was
then at West Dummerston for year or two, and
afterward kept the American House in Brattle-
boro for two years or more. He went West q
years ago, keeping hotel at Patvile, Wis, for
a while, and was then in Chicago in the same
business until just before the great fire, by which
he lost some property. In that year, 1871, he
went to Freeport where he has ever since lived,
and where he built up the Brewster House into a
hotel with large business and fine reputation.
Mr. Gates was born in Manchester, this state, in
1881. His boyhood was passed in Gardner, Mass,
where his parents removed in his infancy He
began to ork at the chair business but was
obliged to give this up for an outdoor life and he
became interested in buying and selling horses,
carriages and cattle, and travelled all New
England The Freeport paper, after speaking Of
his long illness, says: he was so well known, so
universally respected and honored that he had
large circle of friends and his death is not only
regretted by those most dear to him, but by every
body. His death is indeed public calamity, and
er all others had failed, TO give Freeport hotel
second to none in the West He was eminently
fitted for the business he was engaged in-that OF
hotel keeper-and Known far and wide as
one of the most successful landlords. He a
great favorite with the travelling fraternity; he
knew just how to take care of men who were
the road and there are many of them who will
bear testimony to the fact that Mr.. Gates was
friend that was good to have. No one ever suf
fered for a room a meal in his house, and on
occasions like the snow blockade several years
ago when trains were not running and the wires
we're down he advanced money to men who were
at his house, many Of whom were strangers to
him. He had a happy faculty of making friends;
his disposition was TO please, rather than dis
please and his friends In consequence were le-
gon HIS sole object in life was to do the square
thing" by his felowmen, and he wanted the
same treatment in return, He was always the
same-good natured, happy, joyial and pleasant
Though j. S. Gates is dead, the Brewster
House is a fitting monument TO his Industry and
enterprise
Mr. Gates was prominent Mason, and that fra
ternity took charge of his funeral He was
twice married His first marriage was not hap
py one and he separated from his wife, marrying
! a woman from Hnsda'e. who survives him. He
never forgot his old Windham county friends and
! always urged ''the boys" TO come and see him.
| telling them it would not cost them cent TO
stay az his house as long as they chose.