Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-02-26
OBITUARY.
ROYAL.G. WOOD.
An Aged but Active BrattIebero Native
zen Man of Decided Views aud
Strouu p.rsouuIi,y

An Aged but Active BrRttleberO Native
Zen Man of Decided views and
strong Personality.
Royal G.. Wood died at his well-known
home on the Wood farm yesterday after
noon at half-past 3. He had been in fail
ing health for several months. Mr.. Wood
was a native Of Brattleboro, born March
II, 1907. He would, therefore, have been
80 years old had he lived only three weeks
longer He was the youngest of family
of II children and was the last survivor of
that family lie came of Puritan and
Revolutionary stock His paternal grand
father was a Baptist minister over one of
the oldest churches in Massachusetts,. His
mother was a daughter of Dea. Jonathan
Pierce, who is said to have been the first
deacon in town. His father Philip Wood,
was a Revolutionary soldier, and one of
the earliest 81 lttleboro settlers. He bought
and cleared farm in the west part of the
town, which he occupied until about the
year 1914, where he moved to what has
long been known as the Wood
farm, the attractive place mile south of
the village and no. far from the site OF old
Fort Dummer The village of Brattleboro
was at that time in an embryo state. There
was no church in the village, but meetings
were occasionally held in the small school
house on the common which is now the
Chase street school building. Mr.. Wood
used often to go "up in town" to church
with his elder brothers and sisters After
the church was built on the common he at
tended there, but upon the organization of
the Baptist church he became one of the
active members and remained so until his
death.
HE Of ALLAN titnag and pf
the progress which has marked the 70
years since his childhood days was vivid
and accurate. 1t was pleasure to hear
bis accounts of the surroundings and
events of his youth, told in his own origi-
nal way, with many sharp thrust of fun
and sly humor. In those days a district
schoohouse stood on what is now the
Hunt farm. The school building had been
a cooper's shop. 1t was not very warm in
winter, and when the weather was severe
the 40 pupils used to gather with their
books in front of the big fireplace, in which
four-foot green logs were burned. Fort
Drummer had disappeared when the Wood
family moved down from the West village,
but Mr.. Wood could recall one of the two
smaller forts, or blockhouses, then in a
state of ruin, which stood two miles be-
low. He had powed up many arrow
heads and other Indian relics on his farm.
He remembered well DR.. John Wilson, the
notorious Thunderbolt, and recalled the
circumstances of his death. He remem-
bered the old days Of Hat boating on the
Connecticut, and the unsuccessful at
tempts to run a steamboat up the river
from Hartford. He was "high private,
as he used to say, in the Old Floodwood
militia, and had no wish to reach a higher
rank in the service
Mr.. Wood was man OF unique person
alty and he will be missed as a CHEEKY and
familiar figure on our streets He was a
man of deep convictions and fearless in
their expression when they concerned the
| right. He was a temperance man when it
was not popular to train in the temperance
ranks, and an out-spOken anti-slavery man
when it was decidedly unpopular to es-
pouse that cause. He was man of peace
and believed wars to be entirely unneces-
sary. He was one Of the most proficient
, Bible students which Blattleboro has
known, and the spirit and precepts of holy
writ he made the sincere guide of his life
He was thrifty, industrious farmer, who
believed in hard work, and in frugaliiyand
simplicity of life. The reward of his labors
was a beautiful farm-home, with comfort
and competence, the love of his family, and
the respect of the entire community. He
had no desire for public life or service, but
was a manof broad intelligence and well read
in all the affairs of the day. He was a friend
and associate of the late Gen. John w.
/ Phelps, and earnestly sympathized with
him in his pronounced anti Masonic and
antisecret society views. These views he
held as a matter of religion and conscience
and he could maintain them In a keen, in
csive way which commanded respect for
the sincerity of the man and put one on
his mettle to combat his arguments. To
the very end of his active days he main
tanned youthful and CHEEKY heart and
was, in a very true sense, the stay and r,-
lance of his family.
Mr.. Wood married Alkaline Conant.
daughter of Levi Conant, formerly of Cav
endish. The wife died 20 years ago. Mr.
and Mrs. Wood had five children, of whom
the three daughters, Adaliza Wood, Mrs.
Lucy A. Cox and Sarah Jane Wood, survive.
A son, Sanford, who enlisted in the AID Mas
sachusetts regiment, was taken prisoner
on arrival of the regiment in Galveston,
Texas, and remained a prisoner during
nearly the whole term of his nine months
service. After his return home he was at
traCted to Montana by the gold excitement
in the far-away wilderness. In the last
letter received by his family he spoke of
death and suffering from the cold and no
tidings have been heard from him in the
80 years intervening. His friends believe
he died in the mines. A younger son,
Philip, bright and winning boy, was
found dead from heart disease, undoubted-
ly, in the Office of the late Dr. Ketchum,
with whom he was then studying medi-
cine. Mr.. Wood is also survived by a
nephew and by a grandson, Charles f.
Cox, son of Mrs. Lucy Cox.
The funeral will be held at the house
SUNDAY afternoon at 2:30.