St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-08-02
A NOTABLE VERMONT WOMAN.
sketch of her Career and her Remark
nbIe Will.

The Burlington News gives the follow
ing interesting sketch of a Caledonia
county woman:
A Vermont woman who at one time
made a conspicuous figure in the world,
died in Littleton July %.
She was Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson,
born at Lyndon nearly 80 years ago.
Her career was romantic. She was the
daughter of farmer named Samuel
RoYell. When she was nine years old
she became maid of all work in the
house OF neighbour receiving rs cents a
week as wages. Even under these cir
cumstances she managed to educate her
self, almost entirely unaided. She was a
very beautiful woman, when, in 1843,
she made a visit to Boston, and was
there seen by Thomas Thompson, a
wealthy man of that city. He was so
impressed by her appearance and bearing
that he sought her acquaintance and
early in 1874 married her.
Mr.. Thompson was 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 500, 900 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 a
commission authorized by congress to
investigate the yellow fever. She found
ed the town of Long Mont, at the foot
of the Rocky Mountains, and gave $40
acres of land and $500 to each colonist.
F. B. Carpenters well.known painting,
"Signing 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 $25, 900
for the advancement of scientific re-
search. She was 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 abb
stinence, one of which, entitled Figures
OF He'll" and contained various Stats
tics, was circulated over the entire
world.
Concerning her will the following is
condensed from the Brattlebo.o Phenix {:
By her death there is brought before
the courts a will bequeathing an estate
Of 81 900, 900, one halt to 60 toward the
relief and support of poor seamstresses,
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 oil Thomas Thompson,
a Boston man of wealth and cultivation,
who died in 1869. The will gave legacies
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 Miuot and William Minot, ir.,
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 d
the trustees it amounted to about $780,.
900. 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 $S50,OO0
1t probably amounts to over 81 100000
at the present time. The net income
from the estate after paving all expenses
is proba bly, about $500 year.
The Phenix says that while Mr.
Thompson had no children and no heir:
of close kinship it has been we'll under
stood that his heirs at law would, upor
Mrs. Thompson's death, contest the viii
and set up claim for division of thu
estate among themselves. Soon after
Mr.. Thompson's death application wa:
of such heirs to be put on record, anc
applications were filed establishing thu
claims of the several individuals.
Mr.. Minot stated that upon the deat(
of Mrs. Thompson the people of Brattle
boro would be formally notified of thei
interest in the estate, with request tt
appear and be heard by counsel. Nc
trustee, he said, would ever presume te
take action toward a division of tn,
estate without first applying to the su
preme court for full instructions as tC
how to proceed in the matter. Wher
this is done the whole case will come up
the contestants will appear, and thu
matter will be decided.
Whether Brattleboro will get the bene
.. fit of the property to the amount of $25,
900 year. or more, remains to be seen
The doubtful thing about the will Sc
| (o, 30, ,,1I;,n +1t ba &c.
cerned, is the very indefinite manner il
which the will is drawn, There is Sigh
similarity between this will and tn
Samuel J. Tilden will which was broker
after long contest because of it's indie
tiriteness.
Thomas Thompson, Philanthropist
born in Boston, Mass, Aug. 81, 1898
died in New York city March 2S, 1869
He was graduated at Harvard in 1917
and studied divinity under William Eler,
Charming, but abandoned 1t to devot
himself to fine arts. His first collection
of pictures, which was said to be tn
finest in Boston at that time, and valued
at 500 900, was destroyed in the burn
ing Of fremont Temple in 1852. H
,, gathered another collection worth $500,
900, and besides this, possessed propert,
valued at nearly 81 900 900. He hat
, bequeathed this to form fund, the in
!, come OF which should be used to aid poo
, needle women in Boston, but because hi
, property was taxed in that city at wha
he thought an exorbitant rate he remov
ed to New York in 1860, cancelled hi
will and made another in favor of til
needle women of Brattleboro, VT, an,