The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-10
A BENEAFCTOR.
Home for Aged Men Mama
gers Pay Tribute.


The board Of managers Of the Home
for Aged Men of Worcester held its
first meeting since the death of Albert
Curtis, the president of the board, Sat-
urday afternoon, and the following me-
mortal of Mr.. Curtis, which was pre-
scented by Dr. Thomas H. Gage, the
vice president, was adopted by a un~
animous vote:
Gentlemen-It is my painful duty to
make official announcement at this
meeting of the death of cur venerable
and greatly respected president, Mr..
Albert Curtis, who had Deen for many
years the presiding officer of this
board and of the corporation it repre-
sents. He died at his home in this city
in the night of the Goth OF July, 1898,
having apparently passed peacefully
and painlessly away in his sleep He
had retired to his room IN the evening
of the 26th in his usual health after a
day spent in recreation and social en-
joyment, and had been found dead in
his bed in the morning.
Mr. Curtis was born in Worcester 81
years ago, when what is now "a great
city was a very small town; and here,
with few brief and unimportant alb
sences, he spent his whole life In his
youth he served an apprenticeship to
expert and ingenious mechanic, COM
handing and receiving the highest day
wages then paid to workmen of that
class But it did not long satisfy him
to be in the service of others, even
upon such favorable terms. He was
ambitious to become an employer, and
to command and control the labor of
other men, and this led aim very early
in his life into the broader field of man
NTEa rAYr la
and, with others, became q founder and
one of the principal proprietors of the
extensive and important LEGAL industry
with which his name has been for more
than half a century and is Still asso-
clated Here success, uninterrupted, at
tended him. Whatever he PUT his hand
to prospered. He became g. great man.
ufacturer. And, according to my APP
prehension of it, the secret of this sue
cess lay not exclusively in the eXer-
else of an indomitable will, conspieu-
Gus as must have been the influence Of
this striking element Of his charac-
ter, nor yet in the habits Of industry
and close application TO business which
characterized his whole career nor yet
again in the constantly urging spirit Of
enterprise and laudable ambition that
pushed him on, but chiefly and most
obviously in the scrupulous exact and
habitual uprightness and integrity
which shone out in all his dealings with
his fellowmen, and won for him their
unquestioning confidence.
Certain it is that these high qualities,
favored as they were exceedingly by
circumstances of time and place, led in.
his case, as they have often done in
others, to honorable recognition at the
hands of his fellow -citzens and to
wealth. Few, very few, have been
more favored than he in receiving
through a long life, with scarce any
Interruptions, the pecuniary rewards
of diligence and faithfulness in BUSH
ness. And few have been more honored
in manifestations of public confidence
and regard. or called more frequently
to positions of responsibility and trust
None has been more deserving or faith
full in such relations.
But one of the most marked features
of Mr.. Curtis character perhaps the
most marked. and certainly that for
which he will be longest and most
pleasantly remembered, was his benev-
olence. He was good man and viewed
in strong religious light the RESPONSE
bilities of wealth, giving Conscientious
3ly and freely of his abundance during
life, and, by his will at his death, to
many and various charitable and relig-
ious causes. To such, indeed he gave
at his death the bulk, of his great. esg
tate, not forgetting this particular
charity over which he had so long pre-
sided, and to which he had previously
given literally in his life. This insti-
tuition and all it's interests lay always
near his heart.
Mr.. Curtis will be long remembered
in Worcester as a worthy and honor
able citizen and a staunch supporter
of every good cause-in the churches
of the city and the various organized
benevolences maintained by them as
generous and cheerful contributor and
steadfast friend-and mere in the Home
for Aged Men, as one Of the earliest
and most munificent Of it's benefactors.