The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-02-07

Birney, equaled only by Waitsfeld
which cast the same number, and ex-
ceeded only by Randolph which polled
%. Since that time Mr.. Perham has
voted Free Soil, Republican and "anti-
secret" tickets. Always a stanch tenn
perance man and anti-tobacco, he voted
for the Maine law in 1852 and is now
prohibitionist He uses no tea or cof-
fee, is always in comfortable health,
can still walk to the neighbors, is in
his eighty-eighth year, never had a ply
scian visit him professionally, reads
considerably and much enjoys com
pany. John B. Perham, son of the
subject of this sketch, by request has
kindly furnished most of the above
data and has accompanied the same
with four-generation group photo
graph, in which the kindly features of
the veteran of the 3l9 are developed as
well as those of earnest and decisive
frmness, which have evidently been
his characteristics through life. Nor
must mention be omitted of the little
great-grandson in the group-a sober,
earnest and cute Young America
JOEL G. STIMsoN, now of Norwich,
was born in Greensboro, July %, 1912.
He lived in STAFFORD in 1910 and there,
with fifteen others, voted with the "im-
mortal 49," His first wife was Juliet
Walker They had one son, William
Fl. Mr.. Stimson's second wife was
Cynthia r. Stone of Cabot. Their
children were Edward Payson, ply.
sician, Charles W., a farmer living in
Norwich, Martin Luther, clergyman
and missionary to China, and Juliet W.,
graduate of Mt. Holyoke College. In
1874 Mr.. Stimson went TO Waterbury,
where he engaged in trade until 1868,
when he moved to Norwich where he
is today, and his name will be found
in Walton's Vermont Register for this
year 1900, as it has been for more than
half century, still in trade. January
10, 1900, in answer to inquiry Mr.. Slim
son writes very modest letter, in good
hand, and in speaking of 193S-4O says:
81 was Wing in my sentiments, but
on the advent of the Liberty Party l
Joined and voted as l prayed that the
oppressed might go Free" From other
sources many interesting incidents of
his life are learned. Among them s
one which, it is said, occurred at Water
bury. He is one who has practiced
what he has preached. One day a
young colored man and his wife arriv-
ed at the depot. They had travelled
nights from the South to escape slavery
and were foot-sore, hungry and penni-
less, and the woman sick. Mr.. Slim
son was hailed on the street, in sar-
casm and derisioD, about his love for
the negro-spelled with two g's-chal-
lenged to show his sincerity in this
case. Instantly he started for the de-
POI, found the fugitives, took them to
his home, and sent for his family phy.
stefan. In week the woman recov.
cred and Mr.. Stimson was warned by
fellow underground railroad" director
that United States marshal was on
The way to capture his guests and per-
haps make trouble for him, That
night he bundled them into an express
wagon in an unacceptable condition
and sent his eldest son, a lad of sixteen,
10 take them to another "station"-a
farm house-from which they soon es-
capped to the free land of Canada. On
one occasion an ardent Wing with CO.
oious tears appealed to him to vote
or Henry Clay, but he was more af
ected by the tears of the slave. Mr..
Stimson has ways been noted for his
iberality in the cause of humanity.
When the Civil War closed, he sent, at
lis own expense, two lady teachers
outh for the freedmen. One of these
vas Miss Lucia Garvin Swain. She
vent from Woodstock, was native of