Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-04-23


away fr,m the activities OF the presen
life the immortal spirit of Joshua Silsby
an old and respected citizen Of Lunen
burg. VT. lie had been complaining .
La grippe but lew days. lie had beer
around attending to his business all the
week up till within few hours of his
death. On Saturday evening about !
O'Clock he felt weakness in the region
of his heart. lie was ut once put TO bed
and DIR. Scott summoned by telephone
The doctorresponded quickly and worked
over his patient faithfully for an hour,
using the very best means which medical
science placed at his disposal but all his
efforts failed and the patient succumbed
to heart failure about p. IN. So closed
an eventful life.
Mr. Silsby was born in the town OF
Lunenburg in 1923, and resided here
most of the time with the exception of a
few years which he spent in the South
before the war, where he carried on an
extensive business in Mobile, Ala. After
the war broke out and hostilities had
been well under way he returned with
his wife and two daughters TO Lunen-
burg where he purchased farm near the
village. where his son James now resides.
The main reason which constrained him
to come North was he was unwilling to
take sides with the Coniederacy in its
efforts to overthrow the Union, and he
was against the maintenance of slavery.
When he reached his northern Vermont
home in 1861 he was worth $4,000 in
gold and would have been worth twice
as much had he not sacrificed all in his
efforts to leave that part of the country
W which was so excited at the commence
ment of the war. He at once engaged in
farming and extensive numbering business
in Essex County, which gave employ
ment to a large number of men during
the fall and winter months in the woods
and at his mills in MOble--so named
after his southern home-during spring
and summer.
1t is safe to say that Joshua Silsby was
one of the kndest and most generous
hearted men that this town has ever
known, and in the years to come will be
greatly missed by those who knew him
best. AS a man he was frank and affable
to everybody. Naturally optimistic, gen.
erous to a fault and full of good i'm
pulses, nature had indeed endowed him
with many gifts which all persons do
not possess, which made him count every
one in need as his neighbor. Seldom was
there ever a case of suffering and want
presented to him without he at once re-
spending with generous help to relieve
the needy ones. And it is a fact which
can be borne out by many persons in this
that no POOR family ever SUI
fered for want of fuel or home from
winters desolation, nor would their
children go hungry very long if Joshua
Silsby knew it. Many sack OF -four
and other small gifts of money did he
give awayto poor families in the hour OF
need of which he made no record, and
which shall never be known this side OF
eternity. But he gave without any show
whatever. His motto was, Let not thy
left hand know what thy right hand
doeth." One of Mr.. Silsby's failings, if
we may call it by that name, although |
in these days it is q real virtue, he would |
not deal sharply with anyone. He pre-
terred to suffer pecuniary losses himself
rather than crowd" poor man who
owed him money. He was generous
along this line, SO much so, that if one
went to him with tale of woe, no mat |
ter how much he owed him he would !
share with him his last dollar or divide |
t he last loaf of bread he had in the world. |
For over forty years he did business with |
all classes Of people in this county and |
made hundreds Of friends no will sim
cerely mourn his sudden death.
His funeral, which took place Tuesday |
April 10, was largely attended and was |
in charge of the masonic brethren who |
came from this and neighboring towns
to pay their last respects to an honored |,
friend and brother who had been asso-
ciated with them for many years. 1t was
a large funeral Besides nearly sixty of
the masonic order who followed the re-
mains there were his widow, FIVE sons,
several daughters, daughters in law,
grandchildren, relatives and friends from
New York, Boston and other parts of
New England.
Mr.. Sisby was "a years OF age. NJ.
The following from the Rockford, (Ill.)
Star, of March 25, will be OF
interest to the many friends OF +. w.
Chandler, residing in Vermont. Greasy
+. Chandler was the only grandson of
Hon. William Chandler of Lunenburg,