The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-06-19

the house, Rev. +. B. Leavitt official
ing, and the bearers being Maj. +. ".
ChiIds. W. n. Bracket, c. Ii. Pratt.
c.. A. Harris. II. A. Chaplin and FIX.
Barrows.
John W. Frost. began his active life
at the age of Is as tea her of the old
village school on the common, but a
year later he went into the old Brat
tleboro bank-which then stood just
north of the present residence of Geo,
H. Clapp on Main street,-a CLERK.
The cashier at that time was Epaphro
Seymour, one of the strongest charac
tiers and most accomplished gentlemen
of Brattleboro annals, brother of Sen
ator HoratiG Seymour, long the astute
Wing leader in Vermont, and who
measured wits so successfully with
William e. Bradley, the Democratic
leader in those days. and an uncle OF
Gov. Horatio Seymour of New York.
the Democratic statesman and candi
date for president in 1865. Mr.. Frost
remained in this position about two
wears, then went TO Boston for about a
year. and in 1884 engaged In business
at West Brattleboro as a member OF
the firm of Gregory Il Frost. lie re-
NAMED there three or our years and
then returned to the East Village
where he became clerk in the store of
Hall & Townsley standing on the site
of where F. r. Durgin's drug store
now is: and after this firm dissolved
two years later continued with Gardi-
ner C. Hall until in 1916 he went into
trade for himself, continuing IN 1T
steadily for nearby 35 years. building
up a large fourishing trade, winning
a repute all over this section OF the
state as one of Brattleboro's best busi-
ness men. of integrity u~ndoubted, whose
WORD was always as good as his bond.
Two or three years later. Col.
Goodhue bought a half interest in the
business and the firm was Frost X
Goodhue. In 1863 Col. Goodhue sold
his interest to Wells S. Frost. and IN
til Mr.. Frost's retirement in 1880 the
house was John W. Frost Il c.
Mr.. Frost was for a time engaged
with the late James F. Estey and u
or two other partners in the meal and
grain business and after his retire
from the grocery business he
was for several years president of the
Valley Mill Co. For a number OF
years after the war he was the active
and partner, with Jordan,
Marsh Il Co, in the wooden factory
business in the building now occupied
by W II. Fletcher's mill. in the man
ufacture of "almorels.
He held many positions of trust, be
ing for more than a generation tr ustee
of the Vermont Savings bank. re
peatedly village bai,if and also lister
for several years in the days of the ag-
itation of the new tax system, when his
plucS and conscientiousness counted
much for the good of the town. Be
sides. he was entrusted with the settle
ment os many estates. and indeed IN
his prime was a man of multifrious
activities and of broad and vigorous
pubic spirit. Always a man of strict
integrity, clearness and directness OF
opinion and abundant moral courage,
his life work was one of genuine use
in the community. Mr.. Frost
was first married in 1885 to Mary KY
an, step-daughter of Maj. Stehpeu
Greenleaf and sister Of Mrs. James
Fisk. Mrs. Frost died in 1861 and he
again welded in 1864 Anne Hall OF
Rutland, who survives him with fve
children Miss Lizzie Frost and Emma
wife of W. III. Minor of this place,
Love, wife of Gorham ID. Goodeli OF
Portland, Ore. John of st. Louis and
Cot Brattleboro.