Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-08-06
A VERMONT BARON.
From the Potato Field to a Lord
ship.
The story OF the Rise of New Haven
Boy who Was instrumental in Build
ing the Atlantic Gable.

The story OF the Rise of New Haven
Boy who Was instrumental in Build
ing the Atlantic Cable.
William Lampson, the Leroy, y. Y,
millionaire, who died recently, left the
bulk OF his estate to Yale university. His
relatives are contesting the will. Mr..
Lampson is a relative OF Curtis Lampson,
the only Nermonter who ever became
British lord. Curtis Lampson was born
in New Haven, in Addison county, in
1906. He attended the district school and
worked on his fathers farm and it is said
that the first money he ever earned was by
making soap, the ashes from the school
house in which young Lampson built the
fires being used in the manufacture.
Leaving school the boy entered the EN-
ploy of his uncle, his stipend being s.
month and board. While at work in the
potato field one day he threw the hoe
aside and declared that he would seek
livelihood in some other occupation. After
consultation with his parents he walked
TO Montreal, where his older brother lived.
He found employment as a porter in
warehouse, in six months was promoted
to a clerkship, and in less than year was
sent into Upper Canada by the Northwest
Fur company. There he became friend
of Ramsey Crooks, one of John. Jacob
Astor's agents.
When Crooks was transferred to New
York he secured the appointment Of Curtis
Lampson to succeed him in the Canadian
agency of the Aston company. Before
Lampson was 20 he showed his business
sagacity by his disposal of the Betsy's
cargo. The Betsy was Canadian luggeT
,,fs Mil in I
sons charge. He could find no market
for the ss ms in either Montreal or Boston,
so he determined to try London. There
lie managed to dispose of his pets at a
large profit, and in consequence, made like
trips regularly.
Two years after his appointment as
agent by John Jacob Astor he was made
the resident London representative of the
business. This was in 1880. He retained
this position until his employers death,
when he engaged in business for himself.
Thus this Vermont boy came to be the
owner of a four-story warehouse in Lon
don. 1t was situated on the east side of
Queen street. This establishment became
the largest depot for furs in Europe. Here
the singular abilities of the proprietor
found their full scope. His agents made
purchases everywhere, and at certain
stated intervals the accumulated pelts
were sold at auction 10 the highest bidders.
These stated sales became of worldwide
| reputation among furriers, so that, in time,
at the appointed seasons, the quiet lane
took on a busting, cosmopolitan air.
Among the motley crowds of buyers were
to be seen representatives of almost every
nationality, including Turks, Greeks, Ar
menians, Russians, Poles and Mongolians,
met to compete for the possession of the
rare and beautiful furs that were sure to
be found there and nowhere else.
Within the distinctly gloomy confines of
| this storehouse the whilom Vermonter la
bored indefatigably throughout the years
of early manhood, and far on into the pc
| riod of middle age, until he had accumu-
lated fortune that was reckoned in mil
/ lions of pounds sterling. Then, like a
/ sensible man, he abandoned the unremit-
'ting pursuit of wealth and devoted him
self to wholesome enjoyment of the fruit
| of his labOrs, He acquired a magnificent
estate, "Rowlant," in Sussex, and there
| dispensed a charming hospitality. In 1S4S
/ he became a naturaliZed British subject,
| but he in no wise lost his loyalty to his ma
/ tive country. He often returned to it and
on each occasion visited his relatives in
New Haven, whom he always regarded
with evident affection, and during the Civ
! il war his energetic support was given to
the Union cause.
Lampson was no less Jealous than Cy-
rus w. Field in his labors in behalf of the
Atlantic cable, and it w9s his zeal in this
cause that secured for him the honor of a
baronetcy.
He 1t was that sent the one solitary des-
patch borne through the ocean by the first
unfortunate cable. When the first cable
broke and was lost, he therefore lost thous,
ands of pounds, but he was not discour.
aged. On the contrary, he was one of the
chief workers in the second attempt
When, finally, the second cable seemed tC
be failure, he alone retained seeming
confidence in success. Conflicting IumOrs
filled Chapel Court. Stock fell with start
ling rapidity, to 500, 700, 600, 500, con
stantly lower. Then favorable Telegram
from Valenci carried it up to $50, anC
there it stopped, for the message was no
confirmed. For three days this suspens,
continued, and holders of the American
stock, bought for a thousand pounds
share, could not find purchasers at any
price. But Lampson was undismayed
Others in London sold their stock; he die
not dispose of single share. None shared
his bravery. This second disaster over
whelmed his associates. The Director