St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-05-02
RYE0ATE.
Edward Miller.

At the time of Mr.. Miller's death,
which took place Feb. 18TH, at bis nome
III Ryegate. | was asked to write some
thing about my personal acquaintance
with him, for the CALIFORNIAN. l could
not very we'll attend to the matter then,
but now, somewhat late, comply with
| the request.
Ny acquaintance with him began some
eight or ten years ago, when few er-
rors which had made in writing about
some aged people for the CALIFORNIAN at
tracted his notice, and drew forth his
correction. This led to some correspond
ence, and later to considerable init
macy.
l had previously known of him as
writer upon the local history OF Rygate,
and the Scotch settlers OF the surround
ing towns, and had admired the interest
ing character of the sketches he contrib
uted TO the press.
He wrote as only a man could who
knew we'll the people of whom he spoke,
had worked with them, had sat at their
tables, had known their fathers and their
grandfathers, and had taught their
| children.
He knew. not only the people, but their
farms, who cleared them, lived and died
upon them, who had built the houses, had
laid out the road, and taught the school;
the sketches were full of interesting remi-
niscence and local allusion.
Many years ago, one George Mason
began history of Ryegate, but died De-
fore the work was half completed, HIS
papers fell into Mr.. Miller's hands, ne
conceived the idea OF carrying out the de-
sign, and upon this he had expended
much labor during twenty years.
But Woodworking farmer flnds little
time for the research and correspondence
which are indispensable for such a task,
and failing health found the work I'M
completed.
He had acquired the habit of putting
into writing every fact and circumstance
which he could gather, concerning the
history of the town, and the results are
included in several carefully written and
indexed manuscript volumes.
These collections should not be allowed
to be scattered or destroyed, and there
must be several persons in Ryegate who
could take up and complete the work
which Mr.. Mason began, and which Mr..
Miller so we'll advanced. Ryegate shares
with Barnet the honor of being the only
towns in Vermont settled by a colony
from beyond the Atlantic, and the his
tory could be made intensely interest
ing.
When began similar work for the
town of Newbury, Mr.. Miller was greatly
interested, and rendered the free use OF
all his collections, and | was glad, in re-
turn, to add to his information concern
ing the Ryegate families which over
flowed into Newbury.
Mr. Miller, whose father, Edward Mil
Ter, came from Scotland, was born in
Ryegate, in 1926, and excepting brief in
tervals, spent his entire life there. He
had a district school education, supple
mented by a term or two at Newbury
Seminary, and was, all his life, a grea t
reader. He also taught school nine win
tiers.
He married in 1852, Eliza Gates, whose
grandfather, Ezra Gates, was wounded
at the time of an attempt to take Gen.
Jacob Bayley a prisoner, in Newbury
by British soldiers and tories, June 15
1882.
They were the parents of ten children
OF whom seven are living. Mrs. Miller
died in 1873.
Mr.. Miller owned a large farm, and
transacted a great deal of town business
He also did much surveying, and once
represented Ryegate in the legislature
He had been a member of the Presby'
terrain church nearly fifty years, and in
his death a somewhat remarkable man
has passed away.
| F p WELLS