Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-10-08
REV. MERRILL nLANCHARD.

The North Abingdon IuuIlC ld0 NV
following biography of Rev Merrill
Blanchard, who died in Shoreham. Sept. {:
Merrill Blanchard was born In
this village April II, 1892 Ills par
ents were Dean Blanchard and Betsey
(Holbrook) Blanchard and they lived in
the house where DR.. Hutchinson now
resides. and carried on the farm on land
now largely owned by NJ y. Arnold.
He was profoundly converted and Joined
the Congregational church when four
teen wears old. and from that time he
lived a thoroughly religious life. lie
earnestly desired to study for the minis
try but when he was 10 years old his
father died i'm the bayfield, instantly OF
apopleXV, and when he was Is his older
brother died of typhoid fever after only
a weeks illness, and it was so evident
to him his duty, as the only living child,
to take care of his mother, that he gave
up all thought of a course OF study and
devoted himself to business.
In July, 1871. he married a daughter of
Rev. Benjamin Dodge, who had been for
some wears pastor of the Congregational
church here, then the only church in the
village. After having been for awhile
clerk for Gleason and Greenwood in the
store where the Greenwoods now are, he
formed partnership with Edwin Den
ham in the early summer of 1919 and
they bought out that firm.
Early in December, 1876, his second
child was born about Christmas his
mother died. and about three weeks after
his wife died. In the spring OF 1917 he
sold out to his partner, taught school IN
the west part that summer, and en-
couraged by his pastor. determined TO
IL. -. f1ae tf II
and prepare for the ministry. 10 this
end he arranged to place his children
with their grandparents in Maine, where
Mr.. Dodge was then pastor. But Just
as they were to 90 the infant died and
was buried beside its mother. The older
child, Benjamin. went as was planu, q.
Thus at - years of age Mr.. Blanchard
entered upon his true life work, a trained
and prepared man quite as much as if he
had gone through college. In september,
/ 1877, ne entered Bangor Theological sem
mary, and pursued the full course OF
three years there.
Some two years ago his health gave
out, and for long time he was unable
to preach at all. He had literally con
sumed his vitality in OVerwOrk. The
case was perhaps in some meaSC?e like
that of Mr.. Bowles at the Centre 4 few
years ago. After long rest he so fan
recovered as to resume his lGbOrs. bu
it was soon evident that the work wa'
TOO great for his strength. SO he tool
advantage of last summers vacation ant
sought pastOrate in the thriving tow
of Shoreham, Vt, which borders on
Lake Champaign, about 20 miles from
Whitehall at the head of the lake. lie
preached his first sermon the first Sab
bath in July, and that week the people
gave him a call. which he accepted. III
preached the second and third Sabbaths
but when he had gone through TIT
preliminary exercises on the fourth Sab
bath it became evident that he had no
strength to proceed and with atfectiOnat'
tenderness he was assisted into car
riage and taken TO the home of one o
his parishiOnerS. Meantime his tamil,
were making the necessary preparation
to move, and reached the place on Thurs
day afternoon. August u. As soon a
Mrs. Blanchard saw him she knew tina
he had preached his last sermon. The,
moved at once into the parsonage. whicl
is partly furnished by the society, un
packed few things, and the pitifu
Watching at the bedside of the dyini
man began. Just four weeks to an hOu
from the time when Mrs. Blanchar
reached the place she started away wit
all that was mortal of her husband; an
the funeral took place here as has bee
: related.