Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-09
OBITUARY.
A. Il. skinner of Keene.

AFRO b. skinner leading merchant Of Keene,
] y. H, died IN Winchendou, Mass, by drowning
| last Saturday morning while under the ifinueuc.
! of an attack of acute melancholia Mr. Skinner
\ was the son Of Barton skinner a man Of leading
prominence in the affairs Of Wndham county
| The father early abolitionist and a leader
| IN religious and political affairs He was farmer
/ in Westmureland. register of deeds for Cheshire
! county from SO till 1852 and manufacturer Of
| bits and cotton fabrics at Chesterfield. The son
] was born IN Nestmorelaud in 1899. As a boy he
was bright. strong and active both physically
and intellectually. and "a he grew up he came in
to natural leadership In all affairs with which he
was connected lie began life as a teacher in
| Winchester In 1867 or socn after he became
connected with the long established general store
| times ana many years ago Mr. Skinner became
| its leading member. For many years the store
| has been known as the museum. and for q con
| siderable number OF years Mr. Skinner has been
its sole owner. Il was the largest store in k-ene
both IN size and in the variety and assortment of
goods dealt in, when it received that title and has
maintained its rank and always prospered under
| Mr.. SINNERS management Mr.. Skinner was a
devoted member of the first CONGREGATIONAL
church. and had been identified with all its work
with unusual earnestness and activity. Always
interested in education, he was a member of the
school board Of Union district several years and
was on the Washington street schoolhouse com
mittee, He was a member OF the common council
in 1867 and a representative IN 1895.
Mr. Skinner possessed a rarely attractive per
great strength and endurance of affection He
WAS man who put his whole strength and
energy into everything which he undertook and
In this way he constantly overtaxed his delicate
and sensitive nervous strength. Once before he
had given way 10 nervous exhaustion and de-
preston. Recently, suffering a similar attack
he went to a private retreat in Wnchendop for
treatment But the cloud did not lift, the burden
of life seemed too heavy to be borne. and he ended
it as already indicated, Mr.. Skinner married up-
wards of 81 years ago, Sophie daughter OF the
late Alonzo A. Welman of Hinsdale n H. who
survives him with three children, Carl Bessie and
Ruth. An older daughter Alice, came 10 her
death in the same sad manner as the fathers
while on visit in Hinsdae several years ago
John Langdon Pierce died at his home in Fitch.
burg, Mass, yesterday morning after only a brief
illness of pneumonia The funeral and burial are
TO be at West Chesterfield tomorrow. Mr. Pierce
born in Chesterfield Nov. Is, 1919 living there
until "a years Of age, when ne moved TO South
Londonderry, and lived there until 1874. when he
became resident of Chester and in 1881 went to
Fitchburg TO live. He was widely and favorably
known in this section Of Vermont and New
Hampshire. He accumulated a considerable
property through his stric; integrity and business
sagacity. He leaves a wife, a SON j. W. Pierce.
who is prominent business man of Chester and
a daughter, Miss Cora Pierce, of Fitchburg He
was for many years prominently identified with
the Masonic fraternity of the state
Sylvester A. Kemp Of North Adams died Tues.
day. He was born in Florida in October 1917
He passed mis- life in Florida until 1869, when he
moved 10 North Adams. He located In the eastern
part Of the town and soon acquired large tracts
of land. He developed these tracts and the
progress of the place soon had a small village
erected on the hill. The gap between IL and the
main part of the town soon closed, and now Kemp-
VILE named after its founder, is a thriving part
of the city. MIR. Kemp presented TO the city a fine
grove located on his property and several acres
of desirable land 70 be used as a public park
This is the only park North Adams has