St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-23
LUNENBUR0.
Joshua SiIsby.

Susan (Blood) Silsby, was born in Lunen-
burg VT, January FL, 1923, and died at
Lunenburg, April 10, 1897. John Wen
dell, the father, came to this town from
Charlestown in 1899, and here he spent
his life, making his home the last few
years of his life with his son Joshua. He
was the youngest son in a family of nine
children and was the last of the family at
the time of his death. In those earlier
days the struggle for success was largely
along other lines than those which are
most noticeable in the lie OF today; a
short childhood; short boyhood with
just little schooling in the old log
schoolhouse, and this mixed with good
deal of hard work mornings and evenings
and during vacation. Then the boy be-
him like an open book. He knew that
the hoped for success was to be found
somewhere if at all along the highway OF
earnest effort and persistent toll. Hard
work then seemed to be the only KEY
with which TO open the door through
which one must pass if they ever came
into the realm OF hoped for success and
thus it was with Mr.. Silsbv. Childhood
passed as it does to all of us. like short
dream which is broken by a too early
awakening; the active boyhood quickly
passed aud as soon as he became OF age
we find him entering the great business
world at Mobile, Alabama. engaging in
the business OF stevedore i'll which BUSH
ness he met with marked success and ac-
cumulated a comfortable fortune for a
Young man. Here he married Josephine
Breitling, June Is, 1850, and to them
were born nine children, of whom eight
are now living. He continued his bust
ness in Mobile until short time before
the king out OF the Civil war; when
he returns with his family to Lunen-
burg, where he has ever since resided.
For ten years he wasextensively engaged
in farming, owning the farm now occu-
pied and owned by his son James H. In
1865 he invested his means in the lumber
business, then an industry almost new to
this town. That was before the rail-
roads were built and Mr.. Silsby had to
draw his manufactured lumber by team
to the nearest railroad station, Littleton,
N. H. Those were days spent under
great difficulties and burdens, and called
for a restless activity and an energy
which would not submit to be defeated
For nearly thirty years he continued in
the lumber business in some of its many
branches, and also engaged quite extern
sively in farming, clearing the lands cut
over to make a larm. Few men have
worked harder, or suffered more severe
reverses of fortune than Mr. Slsby, his
mills being three times destroyed by fire,
but all this did not seem to lessen his
courage or weaken the power OF an in
domitable will, but to the end his was an
active, busy life Of toll. His mills were
on Meals brook about one mile from
Lunenburg Corner, and there he built up
quite little village, always known as
Mobile. His vile died January 8, 1886.
November 2, 1898, he married Mrs.
ANGELA Martin OF Haverhill, Mass, who
survives him. He also leaves eight chill
dren, Mary L., MRS. Howard Coburn),
Clara E., (Mrs. Nelson Dodge, George
c., Walter S., John H. and James II.
living in this town, Herbert 7. in New
York, and Mrs. Herbert Lougee in New
port, VT. The suddenness of his death
he being in his usual health until short
time before, was a great shock to the
community, in which his life had beer
such an active factor for so many years
Mr.. Silsby was man OF Usually
cheerful disposition, and when the sur
was shining had kind words Tor all and g
good Joke and hearty laughter were oft
times safety valve to his intense activ
ity He was not member OF any church
but OF his means he aided in the support
of the churches, and members of his tam
ilv were members and constant attend
ants. For nearly thirty years he ha'
been a free and accepted Mason, belong
ing TO Moose River Lodge of West Con
cord. A very large number OF his broth
ers of the order attended his funeral
which was from the Congregations
church, April 18Th and he was given tn
honors of Masonic burial, as token o
their brotherlv love and esteem. At tn
church the services were conducted b,
Rev, L. f. Blackmer, the pastor, must
bv the male quartette, The services wer
largely attended by his fellow towns
people as a mark of their regard.
John p. Dawson has sold his farm o.
Baptist Hill to Burt Silsby OF New York
but will remain on the place until tall.
Mrs. Arthur Strain has recently bee
spending week with her family here
but returned to Groveton Monday.
A large number of people came IIor
out of town to attend the funeral {
Joshua Silsby last week Tuesday.
George Hill received the sad news las