Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-06-20
BELLOWS FALLS NEWS.
DEATH OF JUDGE |. M. READ,
Tribute to a Man of Rare Streneth
and Worth

and Worth.
Judge l.. NJ. Read died at his home
on Westminster Terrace Tuesday
morning shortly after o'clock. The
cause of death was heart disease, from
which Judge Read had been a great
sufferer for several months. He had
been confined to his room for about
six weeks.
Lavant Murray Read was born in
Wardsboro, Dec. 26, 1912, received a
| common school education in his native
town, studied in the Leland & Gray
Seminary in Townshend, read law in
the office of Hon. Hoyt H. Wheeler,
and was admitted to the bar of Wind
ham county in 1862 He began the
practice of law in Jamaica, having
formed a partnership with the Hon.
Hoyt II. Wheeler, but removed to Bel
lows Falls in 1872
In 1886 he was elected Judge of
probate for the district of Westmin-
ster in Windham county. and had held
the office since. He was states attor-
ney for Windham county in 1SS0-S1,
He represented the town of Rocking
ham in the general assembly in 1892
and was reelected in 1894 During his
first term he was made a member of
the committee on judiciary, and chair
man of the committee on railroads,
and the committee on the revision of
bills. During his second term he was
chairman of the committee on Judi
ciary, the most important committee
of the house. Under a statute of 1894.
entitled can act to provide for the
publication of the Vermont statutes"
he was appointed one of committee
of three to edit and superintend the
publication of the Vermont statutes.
He was chosen president of the Yer
mont bar association in 1892 and was
grand secretary of the grand lodge of
Masons of Vermont in 1SS6-7-S, and
grand master in 1S79-S0-S1. He is
veteran of the War of the Rebellion
with an honorable record, having en-
listed in 1863 in Co. H of the I'd Yer
mont Volunteers. He participated in
the battles of Rappahannock station,
Nine Run, and the Wilderness, was
wounded in the latter contest, and dis
charged Aug. 20, 1865.
Judge Read was a candidate for
Congress in 1898 against w. w. Grout.
receiving 40 votes out of a total of
1896. In this contest he was accorded the
high honor of solid delegation from
his own county of Windham. He was
also a prominent candidate in 1900 but
withdrew before the convention. He
was a delegate at large to the Repub-
lican national convention in 1900
He married. Dec. 10, 1876, Miss
Sarah A. Perkins of Bellows Falls. and
one daughter was born to them.
Judge Reads death is a great loss
to this town, where his sturdy quail.
ties and uncompromising adherence
to principle were so well known. He
was always found on the right side of
moral questions. In town matters he
was progressive and reliable. He was
largely instrumental, by his eloquence
and forceful presentation OF its bene-
fits, in securing action by the town to
secure the establishment of our fine
town library, of which he was a trus-
tee from its inception.
His standing in his profession was
high, and of late years very important
cases were referred to him from all
over the state. Litigants and their
counsel always felt that in placing
their causes before him they could
have full confidence in a trained pro-
fessional intelligence and an unswerv-
ing honesty of purpose. He was one
OF that class of men who have given
to Vermont her prominence in moral
and political matters which exists to
such a remarkable degree A COM
munity can i'll afford to lose the exam
pie and service of such a man, but his
example of good citizenship is one that
all can look back to with feelings of
gratitude that such a man has lived in
and exerted his influence for good in
our town.
The funeral will be held Saturday af-
ternoon at ? o'clock. at the house with
burial in Oak Hill cemetery The Lodge
of the Temple, of which Judge Read was
an active member will attend in a body.