Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-10-29


although he may not be able to hear us
to-day, yet ] do believe that we are not
doing our duty unless we say that Broth
er George p. button was an honest, up
+ right, conscientious and noble man. Let
Us follow III his footsteps, 50 far as we
can, my brothers, emulate his virtues, and
so make life beautiful, as he has done.
When We take into account his beautiful
home, his green houses that he loved SO
well, and all the beautiful surroundings,
| all these beauties crowd about our memo
ries this afternoon, and we say we will try
and follow in the footsteps of our dear
brother.
REMARKS OF JUDGE l.. a. EMERY.
Gentlemen of the Bar:
| have listened with melancholy pleas
ure to your appreciative resolutions and
discourse upon the life and character of
our lately deceased Brother Dutton.
This occasion is OF sad interest to me as a
member of the court, and one OF peculiar
and touching interest to me as member
OF your own order. For nearly thirty Of
lie our deceased brot her was my intimate
associate and friend. He was my nearest
contemporary ut the bar, except perhaps
our Brother Burnham.
My association with him was unusually
intimate. Besides our membership OF
this most honorable order of men of the
law, We We're members of the same polit-
ical party, OF the same religious society,
and residents in the same city and ward.
| was also long associated with him on
the board of trustees OF the Ellsworth
/ city library, and on the board OF directors
OF the First national bank of Ellsworth.
Socially, also, we were intimate, meeting
often and familiarity at the homes OF
cit her and Of common friends.
In such close companionship came to
/ know him we'll, to esteem him highly, and
to regard him with strong affection. OF
course we often differed, and sometimes
were in conflict, but my esteem and re-
gard never wavered.
In reviewing with you his life and
| character, | am impelled for these reasons,
to speak first and principally Of him as a
man and citizen, for his activity was by
no means confined to his professional
/ practice
He was essentially home-lover.
! Though OF wide information and SYM
pat HES, he was not traveller. 1t was
difficult to move him without the home
/ sphere. Descended from English ances
tors through an honorable line, he in
herited he Englishman's attachment to
! the ancestral home. He chung to the
house in which he was born. When ad-
mtted to the bar he essayed to fix his life
and work in neighboring city, but his
love for the place OF his birth was too
strong, and soon brought him back. At
times afterwards, inducements We're held
out to him to remove to wider fields, but
he declared that no added material pros
perity could make him content else
/ where.
Upon the death of his parents he
assumed what was then to him a heavy
pecuniary burden, in order to retain the
old homestead for himself. This home he
loved. He was constantly at work upon
it. He improved and beautitied it, max
ing it one of the loveliest of the many
lovely homes in Ellsworth. In this house,
in which he was born and in which he
lived his life, he died. 1t is pathetic to
reflect he was not permitted to enjoy
longer the home upon which he bestowed
so much; but it may be that he found
his happiness in this very bestowal.
His attachment to home extended to
the whole town. He was proud that the
buttons came early to Ellsworth and
made so much of its history He was at
tached to the place. He was fond of Ellis
worth's hills, valleys, streams, meadows,
forests, fields, streets, squares, mills,
wharves, shops and dwellings. If any
industrial change had drawn off Els
worths entire population to other sec
tions, he would have been the last to
leave, and would have gone with much
lookn backward.
This affection for Ellsworth was not
merely sentimental. He ardently desired
its progress and Improvement. He was
foremost in preaching the gospel of good
roads, good schools, clean streets and
clean door yards. He accepted he thank
less office of mayor in order to push such
work. His labors seem now to be bearing
fruit.
Judge buttons father was for many
years respected and influential citizen,
and also an officer in, and a staunch sup
porter Of the Congregational church, the
oldest in Ellsworth. Judge Dutton took
his fathers place in town and church,
and carried on his fathers work. He