The record-union., 1898-05-10
WHO DEWEY IS.
The Story of His Life-The STOCK
From Which He Sprung.

George Dewey so suddenly blazoned
to the world is only what those who
know of his origin, early training ana
subsequent history expected OF MIN.
He came of the best New England
stock, his birthplace being Montpelier,
VT, and his parents among the sturdlest
of the people of that noble little COM
monwealth.
His father, DR.. Edward Dewey, was
descended from a leader of the Green
Mountain Boys" of the pre-Revolution
period and this escendant-"Old DIR.
Dewey" as he was called by his neigh
bors as long ago as in the 'oOs-WaS
himself a member of a Vermont militia
company that went to the defense OF
Plattsburg He was a man of indie
pendent thought and action, but not
distinguished for brilliancy He was
just one of the common people, whom
Lincoln said God loved for their sterl-
ing good sense and manly honesty. He
was an able business man, and was still
comparatively young when he could
count up his many thousands of dollars.
These he invested in a small insurance
business which grew, and continued 10
grow. till it became the important con-
Vermont Mutual Insurance Company.
OF this small company he was for many
years the President, and was succeed
ed by Charles Dewey, one of his three
sons In religious attachment he was
an Episcopalian; and when his young
est son, George Dewey Che present
Commodore) was old enough to go
away from home to school, he sent him
to the Episcopal Military Academy at
Norwich, VT, a pretty town just oppo-
site Dartmouth College, at Hanover,
N. H. -
This military academy was founded
in the '4Os by Colonel Ransom, mag
nificent soldier who commanded regl-
ment in the Mexican War, and was shot
in the forehead and killed at the storm
| ing of Chapultepec He rode into that
fight in his full regimentals, and on a
white horse, as If on purpose to be an
easy mark for the enemy. After his
death the Epfscopalians purchased the
school and conducted it on lines similar
to those pursued by its brilliant found
er.
George Dewey studied for a term or
two at this school, and long enough to
imbibe the military spirit He was in
the same class as was a son of the
founder, who removed to Chicago in
the late sos and entered the service
! of the Illinois Central Railroad, and
was one of the earliest volunteers for
the War of the Rebellion. He was
made a Colonel of an Illinois regiment,
and was killed in battle. At the same
time Lieutenant Dewey was in the ma
oil Cd 10 fox hp
at Annapolis rather than that at West
Point. He performed well his subor-
dinate part in that war, and was sew
eral times named by his superior off1-
GERS to the Navy Department for spe-
cial acts of gallantry. Hence all who
have known him we'll all these years
have never doubted that he would
greatly distinguish himself whenever
an opportunity might offer.
That opportunity came to him with
| the beginning of the present war. How
well and bravely he has improved It,
the whole country and the world now
| knows. Before Manila, in command OF
his squadron, and looking on his des-
| tined conquest his Vermont blood must
have run faster and doubtless he
bethought him of Ethan Allen at T1con"
deroga. His demand for the surrender
| of Manila was not in Ethan Allen
high language-''in the name OF the
Great Jehovah and the Continental
Congress''-but it was not less impera-
tive 1t was, in spirit, If not in words
in the name of the Congress Of the
| United States and of humanity. so
| thus early in the present war, the
country has a true hero, to whom every
citizen can do merited honor.-Reno Ga
| zatfa