Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-09


farm at Kirby at I o'clock this morning
in his 9th year. The immediate cause of
his death was heart failure, though a
seven weeks attack of gastritis had
taken all his strength away. He leaves
four brothers and three sisters George
and ex-Gov. Josiah of Derby, Theophilus
of Boston, James of Kirby, Mrs. George
lford also Of Kirby. Mrs. Mary Dwinell
of Maiden. Mass. Miss Victoria Grout of
Kirby.
The funeral will be held at his late
home Thursday afternoon at l o'clock,
and the burial will be at East st. Johns
bury.
SKETCH OF GEN. CIRCUITS LIFE.
William Writ Grout was born at Comp
ton. +. c.. May "a, 1886. of American pa
rents, both fa.her and mother having
been born in Caledonia county. Vt.
where they returned when William was
~ years of age. He traced his ancestry
on his fathers side to DR.. John Grout,
who came from England in 1890 and set
tied In WATERFOWL, Mass, and on his
mothers side to the Ayers. who settled
in Haverhil, Mass, about the same time
There were four brothers, with numerous
progeny, and Chase. in his history of
Haverhill. says in 100 it was supposed
that nearly one-third of the inhabitants
OF the town were of that name. They
We're mostly farmers" His greatgrand-
father, Elijah Grout of Charlestown, y.
H., served as a commissary in the Rev
olutionary War, and fitted Stark out on
his march to Bennington. His grand
father, Theophilus Grout, settled on the
Moose river in the new State of Yer
mont, upon and afterward included in
the present town OF Kirby, in the year
1893, and there cleared a large farm
William w. circuit received a common
school and academic education and was
graduated at the Poughkeepsic law
school. New York, in 1857. with the de-
gree OF LII. b. He was admitted to the
bar the same year. and began the prac-
tce OF law at Barton, in 1853. In 1862 he
was nominated States attorney by the
republicans of Orleans county but de-
clined the nomination and enlisted in a
company then being raised in Barton for
the war. He was made captain of the
company, and later lieutenant colonel of
the 18th regiment, which was assigned to
STANDARDS brigade In August, 1864 Col.
Grout was mustered out with his regi-
ment on account of expiration of term
OF service. In the fall of that year the
enemy raided st. Adams, robbing banks
ETC.. and by order of Governor Smith
Colonel Grout was placed in command o,
the provisional forces raised on the east
side of the mountain to guard the Can
adian frontier. The Legislature then in
session, organized three grades of militia,
and Colonel Grout was elected brigader-
general and assigned by the governor to
the command Of one of them.
In 1865 he was elected States attorney
OIL Orleans county, and was reelected in
1866. In 1868 he was elected member OF
the lower mouse of the Legislature and
reelected to a fourth term In 1876 he
was elected to the State Senate from the
county of Orleans, and on organiza ton
was made president pro TEN. of that
body.
In 1878 he was nominated for Congress
by the republicans of the third district.
but was beaten by Bradley Barlow.
greenbacker In 1880 he was elected to the
47th Congress from the third district and
was a candidate for nomination in the
second district in 1852. but was defeated
| by Judge Poland. In 1884 General Grout
was nominated by the republicans of the
second district and was elected to the
10Th Congress by a majority of over IS 900,
and was reelected to the 50th. 5lst SD,
9th. 55th and seth Congresses, invaria bly,
running ahead of his ticket His ajority
in 1896 was only eight votes short of 20 :
! 000.
He served on the committee on terri
tories levees and improvements of the
Mississippi river, education, District of
Columbia (of which he was chairman in
the 5lst Congress>. expenditures In the
interior and treasury and war depart
ments, and upon the committee on ap-
preparations also on several important
select committees.
His first speech in the House was in
favor of elevating the bureau Of agricul-
ture to a cabinet position. Among his
| other speeches was one on the Geneva
award, one on French spoiations. which
was reprinted by those interested in the
claims; several on the tariff and cur
rency. one on the oleomargarine bill that
became a law. several on pensions, 495 900
copies of one of which were distributed
by the congressional campaign commit
tee in the campaign of 1894. and one on
the presentation of the statues of Stark
and Webster, which was called for large
| ~ by teachers in the public schools and
academies of the State as presenting an
| interesting chapter of Vermont history.
Meantime, General Grout was engaged
in active law practice until 1883 when he
retired from active practice and took up
| his residence on his farm near East St.
Johnsbury. where his grandfather set
| tied in 1899, and which has been in tho
family ever since.
General Grout by Norwich University in
| 1897
The great disappointment of General
| CIRCUITS life was his defeat in the election
| for United States senator before the gen
era assembly in 1900. The candidates
| were ex-dON. W lllldTl L. i'lIllnSnuTn OF
| Waterbury, the Hon. Charles A. Prouty
of Newport, interstate commerce COM
missioner. the Hon. Jonathan Ross of St.
| Johnsbury then serving as United States
| senator by appointment of the governor
| to fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Justin S, Morrill,. Seneca Haselton of
Burlington, the democratic candidate,
| and General Grout. The first ballot. taken
October l6, resulted; Dillingham;, 100.
| Grout, SIS; Haselton, ~; Prouty, II: Ross.
/ To- The next day the vote stood: Dlling-
ham, los: Grout. l02: Haselton, IS; Prouty,
| 90: Ross. 10, Dillingham; was chosen on
| the third day. the vote standing: Dilling-
ham, l62; Grout, 96; Haselton. s. Ross. 5;
Prouty. /. The canvass for the office of
United States senator and the election
that closed 1t made up one of the most
| exciting and eventful political contests
| ever held in Vermont and arrayed on all
| sides the most conspicuous leaders and
| politicians In Vermont life. 'r.
In 1860 General Grout married Lorraine
NJ. Smith. who died in 1868. Two children
| were born to them but both died In in
fancy.
MISSIONARY MEETING AT NORTH
FIELD.
Northfeid. Oct THE annual conven-
| ton of the Vermont Branch Woman's
Auxiliary to the board Of missions opened
this evening at s o'clock with evening
| prayer conducted by the Rev. Paul r.
Hoffman and Bishop Hall. The Rev. Jo-
seph Reynold of Trinity Church of Rut-
land gave an address on mission work
among the poor whites of the South
6eventy-five delegates from various
parishes Of the State are in attendance.
Gna nj taI I.xr III,