The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-03-15
HOMER w. HEATON.
Services BY The Washington
County Bar.

The members of Washington County bar
held memorial service in honor of the late
Homer W. Heston at the County Court
room, Wednesday evening. This service
| was held in accordance with a resolution
adopted by the bar at the time of Mr..
| Heaton's death in January last. Judge
Thompson, Assistant Judges Mears and
EdgertoD, and large representation OF the
| bar we're present.
| States Attorney X. A. Hoar presided
Mr.. Hoar stated the object of the meeting,
and called on II. A. Huse, who presented
| the following resolution:
"The bar of Washington County respect
| fully asks that the Court direct that there
| be spread upon its records: That the bar in
the death of its oldest member, Homer w.
| Heatop, has lost one who for more than
| threescore years did 1t honor; one in whom
| honesty, persistence and PROFESSIONAL abi-
| ity we're strongly combined, one who had
| the personal affection of his brethren of the
bar az we'll as their profound respect; and
| one who by his life OF success attained by
| industry, by his personal qualities and by
the wise and bene6cent use to which he
| put much Of what he had acquired will be
long remembered and held In honor. not
only by the bar but by the city in which he
| lived 30 long"
| In speaking on this resolution Mr.. Huse
| gave comprehensive sketch of Mr.. Hea-
toms life dwelling particularly upon his
early struggles with poverty at the time he
|
| Huse thought that Mr.. Heaton obtained
some OF his sturdy characteristics from his
| association with such man as Peckham
Miller. Mr.. Huse succintly traced Mr.. Hea-
| toms professional career during his law
practice az member OF the firm OF Miller
Il Heaton and later of his success as a
member of the firm of Heaton & Reed OF
| his knowledge of men and OF his ability to
| get into the jury box.
Mr.. Huse referred particularly to the ten
| 4 "A, -.
| of his life at the hands of Mrs. q. Ii. Hea.
| ton, who was indeed q daughter in whom
! he took delight. He reviewed his career as
| States attorney for Washington county and
| referred to his candidacy for governor and
| congressman on the democratic ticket.
Thrift, economy and benevolence charac.
| terized the man, and these enabled him in
the later years of his life to expend more
than $4,000 to found the hospital that bears
| his name. He had the affection as we'll as
the respect OF his fellow lawyers, and the
| bar does honor tonight to man who, by
his own life for almost two-thirds of a CEN
fury did great honor to it.
Judge M. e. Smile referred to the fact
that there is not now Judge on the bench
who was there when MIR. Heston ceased the
active practice OF the law. Judge Smile,
with II. A. Huse, studied law in Mr.. Heat
| on's office. He said he never knew a man,
| whether q member of the bar or not, to
quarrel with MIR. Heaton. He never had
an unpleasant word for any one. He was
was always kind, always pleasant, and his
integrity was unquestioned. Judge Smile
said that Mr.. Huse had fairly EXPIRE ised the
| feeling of the bar and of this community
| towards Mr.. Heaton.
Judge Hiram Carleton said Mr.. Heaton
was the first lawyer in Montpelier with
| whom he became acquainted He was al
ways kind to young lawyers. Judge Garlic
ton heartily subscribed to what Mr.. Huse
had said, and referred to the great influence
that Mr.. Heaton exerted upon the bar, The
speaker had always felt personally indebt-
during the early days of his practice. He
was good and safe counsellor for young
lawyers and always ready to help them.
W. A. Lord said that Mr.. Heaton was as
ISOLATED in his mind with Peck Colby and
Reed. AS boy Mr.. Heaton impressed
him by the skill and diplomacy he exhibit
ed in handling cases. He had vein of dry
wit and humor that often cropped out I'M
expectly. His kindness towards young
lawyers was proverbial. His predominant
characteristic as man and as practition-
or was industry. Mr.. Heaton's accumula-
tioDs represented to his mind the result Of
honest toll. There was nothing small or
miserly about him, he accumulated proper
ty, but not to hoard it. He has left q MEM
DRY behind him that will be cherished by
those nearest to him, and there is not a
man, woman or child in this community
who has any thought but that Of respect for
Mr.. Heaton, or who speak Of him except
with tenderness.
Ex-Gov. W. P. Dillingham; said that dur
ing the four years he was States attorney
he had more trouble in getting verdicts
when Mr.. Heaton was defending than with
all the rest OF the bar. Mr.. Heaton's uni
versal courtesy and shrewdness gave him
the power to obtain verdicts possessed by
very few men. Gov. Dillingham; related
striking examples OF this in Washington
County Court and closed with a tender
tribute to Mr.. Heaton's memory.
Col. j. I'll. Lucia referred to the business
relations he had with Mr.. Heaton, and
spoke feelingly of his integrity and unfail-
ing good nature. He spoke OF Mr.. Heaton' 8
generosity long before his public benevo-
lences had made his name household
word in this community. He was generous
to fault and was never disposed to let his
left hand know what his right hand did
T. r. Gordon spoke briefly OF his relations
! with Mr.. Heaton as a neighbor and friend,
and bore testimony to the respect and con-
fidence Mr.. Heaton always mmanded.
Judge Thompson said in part; "Speak-
ing for the Court, / regret that i never
knew Mr.. Heaton. When / came TO the
bar in 1871 Mr.. Heaton's name was one to
conjure by. ! used to hear Judge I. P.
Red6eld speak of him and of the way he
conducted his business. Mr.. Heaton be.
longs TO list OF remarkable men this State
has produced Paul Dillingham;, Tracy
| OhuorWoou, Ioldnu, harsni OOlDyi feck-
names that will always be an ornament to
the legal history of this State. Although
Mr.. Heaton passed his days in a quiet way
in Vermont, he has seen great deal of
life. He has seen slavery blOtted out; he
has seen this country expand from ocean to
ocean, and he lived to see 1T reach out for
the islands OF the sea. Mellowed with
years Of resping he showed his apprecia-
ton OF the day and generation in which he
lived by leaving behind him an institution
that will cause generations yet to come to
rise up and call him blessed. Mr.. Clerk,
you will enter upon the records of the
Court the resolution presented by Mr..
| Hnaap