Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-01-26
MORRILL's EARLY LIFE.
A BoyhoOd Friend Writes Interest
ingly of His Youth.

The following Renaissance of th
: late Senator Morrill, was contribute,
TO the Batavia, H., News by n. S
Young, an old acquaintance ofthe sen
ators 1t brings out the generally
overlooked early life Of the senator ii
a way that will be especially pleasing
to older people of this vicinity.
En-. NEWS: At your request | have
written out for publication my earliest
recollections of the life of Senator jus
tin Smith Morrill,, who died at Wash.
ington the 2Sth of December, 1898, al
the advanced age Of IS years. months
and II days.
He was born in the town of STRAIT
ford, Orange county, Vt, April 18th,
1910, in one of the most picturesque,
quiet villages in the state of Vermont.
A railroad has never been nearer than
six miles TO this village, thus necessi-
tating the old-fashioned stage driver
with coach and two horses to carry the
mail pouch and passengers everyday to
| the railway station at Sharon, six miles
distant, returning with the mail to the
STAFFORD postofiice.
in this quiet village in the year 1918,
and Senator Morrill, and myself learned
our b c'S in the same brick school
house in the village.
The Morrill, family are of English de-
scent, coming from England and set
Ting first in Salisbury, Mass, remov-
ing from there to Chichester, n. H.,
and later, in 1895, the grandfather,
Smith Morrill, with his five sons and
two daughters, moved to and settled
in the town of STAFFORD. Joseph,
David and Daniel Morrill, settled in
South StrailorG, two miles distant; Ma
thaniel and Stephen Morrill, with their
father, Smith Morrill,, made homes i'm
STAFFORD, the upper village. Smith
and Nathaniel lived together. They
built a dam across the OmpomDanoO-
sue river, which ran through the vii
lage, to make a water power; they
built large blacksmith shop inside OF
which they erected a trip hammer
which could be heard all over the vii
lage when used. They made axes,
scythes, hoes, shod horses and oxen.
They had frame in which TO shoe OK
en-a windlass at one end with rope
to pull out and tie around the horns of
the OK, then wind up on the windlass
and the OK was sure to trudge slowly |
into the frame, Ca sight often wit |
nessed) Joseph Morrill, at the lower |
village erected buildings aud put i'm a |
trip hammer, so both villages had that
substantial music Tor great many |
years.
Justin $. Morrill, was the eldest son
of Nathaniel Morrill, ana his first
schooling was in the brick schoolhcuse |
but few rods distant from his ia
theirs house. The grandfather, Smith |
Morrill,, died in ls43, aged SO years.
Justin S.Morrill attended the village |
school few years, and then one term |
at the Randolph academy and one term
at the academy at Thetford Then we
find him at work rs clerk in STAFFORD /
in the store OF j. III. Harris. continu-
INC there two years; receiving $50 for
the first year ana $40 for the second
year. Then, with one of his cousins.
he went to Portland, Me-, and found
in the mercantile trade
until he was nearly p years old. then
to his old home i'm Strafford.
In the spring of 1881 store and stock
Of goods was for sale j. H.. Harris
agreed on a partnership under the
name of Harris q Morrill,, purchased
the store and goods and Justin at once
as manager. j. HHarris,
being a rich man, furnished all the
money so that the new firm could pay
cash for the goods bought i'm Boston.
The location of this store was such that
il commanded and received more Gus
-Omers and trade than any other two
stores in town. About the time Mr.. /,
Morrill, commenced selling goods at
south STAFFORD in 1881. he began the
of a private library. Every
rip he made to Boston for goods, he !
bought one or more volumes to add TO .
{. The workmen at Copperas Hill, Ii
me and half miles away, were near I
st to this store to spend their money. 7
from fifty to two hundred hands were !
constantly employed.
Mr. Morrill, began life as merchant ,
m strictly honest basis. He com I
nenced on opening the store to state 1
My what he believed to be the truth
n recommending his goods to his Gus 3
Omers This he did in such a cheer /
nj and conscientious manner. so agree 1
bic and pleasing, that he soon secured