St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-10
Tribute to the Late John Reece.


n The Boston Advertiser of April &c
It had the following tribute to the late
= Tohn Reece, which will be Of especia
S interest to St. Johnsbury people:
t John Rcece was poor machnist when
c he invented his buttonhole machine.
:. He was fairly good workman, and
had been receiving fairly good wages
, until he started in to develop his idea oil
making, sewing and finishing button
holes by machine.
He was estimated as being worth
100000. He did not make this
money without many hard struggles
He was frozen" out once by capital
lists who got control OF the company he
, organized to exploit his invention, but
without the guiding intelligence OF the
inventor the stocI OF the company went
down rapidly in value.
When it had touched very low figure
he, with the assistance of some moneyed
friends, quietly bought up controlling
interest in the concern and was elected
president OF the company, in which posi-
ton he remained untildeath
The stock went up again, the company
was rcorganized and its capital increased
several times, until all who went in with
him made very large amount OF money.
He was also obliged to go through
several patent litigations, in which he was
almost invariably successful.
He was man of great energy, and
what is rare among inventors, also
good business man.
Mr.. Rcece was born in Stanstead,
Canada, in 1854, and lived there until
he was over 20 years of age, when he
came to Boston, where his life since has
been spent.
Even as child his inventive genius
was at work, and when but a Young
man he had invented church organ and
sewing machine. AS soon as he came
to Boston he became interested in ma
chintry, and his inventive genius, COM
bined with his business ability. led to the
success that in 1881 resulted in the for
nation of the Rcece Burton Hole
Machine Co., a stock company formed
by Mr.. Reece, who has made it what il
is today.
Upon Aug. 16, 1892. Mr.. Reece was
married to Miss Marietta Shea of Bos-
ton. He leaves three children, ali of
whom are boys, the eldest being II years
of age.
Mr.. Reece was member of the Algon.
quin club and member OF the prudential
committee of the Harvard Congrega.
tional church OF Brookine.
Mr.. Reece was the inventor OF all the
patents held by the company, both the
original ones and those additions which }
have since made the business about the
most profitable oil any OF the New Eng
land industrial corporations. He had
not only invented the machine which has !
made his name famous, but has fought
arrangements on his patents through all
he courts to those of the last resort.
Last fall he won notable victory
'ver the Singer Sewing Machine Co., bv
which they gave up all claims to button |
lole machines OF every SORT His death
vas particularly tragic in that it d
occurred in the new building Of the com.
'any into which the business was to be $
moved within a few DAYS. <
This new building had been under the Il
ersonal supervision of Mr.. Reece in the
natter OF construction and was finely 4
dapted for the business. Although the Z
ompany is lett without his leadership,
ne brunt OF the contests in the courts
which the company has had have already n
cen won, and he has had associated d
'Ith him tor many years the other off. -
als OF the company, who will now
AIRY on the business. They are all !,
experienced men and have the confidence G
investors. n
One could scarcely have been removed e
ON a more rarely attractive home than
hat OF Mr.. Reece on Still street, Brook =,
ne. L
Mr. Reece was great lover OF pictures. u
nd there are scattered in profusion all IL
yer the house exquisite oil and water ly
'lors, with rare engravings and etch- m
gs. And here, too, one feels that
tmosphere OF perfect taste and quiet n
egance which seemed to be one of the +
ost conspicuous qualities of the million.
ire.
A gentleman who has been in the EN-.
oy OF the Reece Buttonhole Machine 1T
o. Tor over decade, and one who has -
en very intimate with Mr.. Reece for n
any years, said yesterday that too -
UGH could not be said about the latter n
9TH as man and as mechanic. n
He ALWAYS diSnlaved nra,. o