Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-08-11
A NOTABLE VERMONT WOMAN,
sketch of her Career and Her Remark
able VIII.

A Vermont woman, who at one time
made conspicuous figure in the world,
died in Lttleton July %.
She was Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson.
born at Lyndon nearly so years ago.
Her career was romantic. She was the
daughter of a farmer named Samuel
Howell. When she was nine years old
she became maid of all work in the
house of neighbor, receiving % cents
week as wages. Even under these cir
cumstances che managed to educate her.
self. almost entirely unaided. She was
very beautiful woman, when, in 1913,
she made a visit to Boston, and was
there seen by Thomas Thompson,
wealthy man of that city. He was so
impressed by her appearance and bearing
that he sought her acquaintance and
early in 1914 married her.
Mr.. Thompson was a well-known phil
anthropist, and much of his income was
spent for benevolent purposes. He died
in 1869, and the income of the whole of
his immense estate was left to his wife.
She followed her husbands example,
contributing literally to all kinds of
charities and donating large sums for
purposes of national interest. Mrs.
Thompson spent more than 100000 in
providing openings In business for men
with families, hundreds of business men
now In comfortable circumstances
owing their start In life to her. She
gave $4,000 to pay the expenses of
commission authorized by congress to
investigate the yellow fever. She found
| od tho of 7 Of ho
of the Rocky Mountains, and gave GAO
acres of land and $500 to each colopist.
F. B. Carpenters wel-known painting,
"Slgning the Emancipation Proclama-
ton by Lincoln in the presence of his
Cabinet was bought by her and pre-
sented to congress. In consequence of
this the freedom of the floor of the
house was granted to Mrs. Thompson.
In 1885 Mrs. Thompson gave S25, 1000
for the advancement of scientific re-
search. She was a strong advocate of
an international republic, and journal
advocating her views was started In
England. She was also an earnest up
holder of temperance, and gave large
sums to that cause. She wrote number
of tracts and pamphlets on total alb
silence, one of which. entitled Figures
of He'll and contained various statis-
tics, was circulated over the entire
world.
Concerning her will the following is
condensed from the Brattleboro Phenix:
By her death there is brought before
the courts will bequeathing an estate
of 81 900, 600, one half to go toward the
ro1iaf nd Of
needle women and shop girls In Brattle-
boro, and one-half to similar persons in
Rhinebeck. on-the-Hudson, n. Y.
The will is that of Thomas Thompson,
a Boston man of wealth and cultivation,
who died in 1863. The will gave legaces
to several relatives, and left the income
of the estate for the use of the wife dur.
ing her life time, and on her death to go
as above Indicated.
William Mlnot and William Minot, Jr.,
of Boston are the trustees of the estate.
They are men of great prominence who
had many financial trusts committed to
them. Mr.. Minot, senior, stated that
when the estate came into the hands of
the trustees it amounted to about $780,
600. This was invested largely in Bos-
ton real estate which had greatly appre-
ciated in value, and the amount of the
property in 1891 was about $50 O0O
1t probably amounts to over $1,000, 900
at the present time. The net income
from The estate after paying all expenses
is probably about $4,000 year.
The PheniX says that while Mr..
Thompson had no children and no heirs
of close kinship it has been well under
stood that his heirs at law would, upon
Mrs. Thompson's death, contest the will
and set up claim for a division of the
estate among themselves. Soon after
Mr. Thompson's death application was
made by these heirs to the court for a list
of such heirs to be put on record, and
applications were filed establishing the
claims of the several individuals.
Mr.. Minot stated that upon the death
Of Mrs. Thompson the people of Brattle-
boro would be formally notified of their
interest in the estate, with request TO
appear and be heard by council. No
trustee, he said, would ever presume to
take action tow yard a division of the
estate without first applying to the SUI
preme court for full instructions as to
how to proceed in the matter. When
this is done the whole case will come up,
the contestants will appear, and the
matter will be decided.
Whether Brattleboro will get the bene-
fit of the property to the amount of S25,
900 year, or more, remains to be seen.
The doubtful thing about the will so
far as its application to the town is con-
cerned, is the very indefinite manner in
which the will is drawn. There Is slight
similarity between this will and the
Samuel j. Tilden will which was broken
after long contest because of its indeti.
niteness.
Thomas Thompson, philanthropist, was
born in Boston, Mass, Aug. p, l79s
died in New York city March rs, 1868
lie was a graduate at Harvard in 1871