Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-02-05
MARGARET Foote Reynolds Dead.

Died in Proctor, Vt. Saturday, Jan. 80,
1904. Mrs Martha Jane Foote) Rey-
nolds, widow of Morris Reynolds of Proc
tor, who died March 10, 1887.
She was the fifth child and daughter
of Dea. Martin N. and Mrs. Betsey Board
MANI Foote, and was born in Middlebury
March 3, 1924. Her father, Dea. Martin
N. Foote, was a congratulate member of
the large class of 1913, in Middlebury
College, which had forty-four members
and included Prof. Solomon NJ. Allen,
President Cossitt, Rev. DIR. o. S. Hoyt
Sylvester Larned of unique fame Hon.
Samuel Nelson, Judge of the United
States Supreme Court, the poet Rev.
Carlos Wilcox, Hon. John Willard of the
Supreme Court of New York, and Lieut..
Governor Ranney of Vt. He was a
grandson of Daniel Foote, a leading pio-
neer settler of Middlebury, who came
from Dalton, Mass, and acquired several
of the best lots near the center of the
new township. Daniel Foote built
house in 1774 in Middlebury, on No.
South West, from his subsequent resi-
dence, year before the outbreak of the
Revolutionary war, only one year before
Daniel Foote, Benjamin Smalley, a
brother of the Rev. DR.. Smalley of Ber-
lin Ct, had built the first house in Mid
dlebury, at the mouth of Middlebury
river, where it enters the Otter Creek.
1t is now across the line, on the northern
border of Salisbury the remains of the
| foundation of the.original house of Dan
! iel Foote, IVA, are still to be seen. 1t is
said that he owned before the war thou
sand acres in Mddlebury. In 1884 he ac-
quired the water power and built the
first bridge across the Otter Creek at the
village for which he was compensated
by both Middlebury and Cornwall. Hav-
ing divided his lands among his children
while engaged, at eighty years of age, in
new enterprise for the settlement of
Canton, n. Y, he died in the forest. His
son, Martin, built in 1856, the house in
which he died in 1854. Dea. Martin N
Foote the father of Mrs. Reynolds, built
on part of the same farm the house in
which his children were born and which
is now occupied by his grandson, Mr..
Martin Boyce. The romantic era of Mid
dlebury history was in its first twenty
five years, just preceding and preparing
the way for the foundation of Middle
bury College. Such collection of super
Tor men as gathered in Middlebury from
Yale Harvard, Dartmouth and Williams
Colleges in the first quarter of the 10Th
century was probably unequaled else
where in the state; and is very rare in
any new settlement. Judge Swift in his
history of Middlebury, says, "The enter
prise and energy of the Foote family
were of great service in the settlement
and organization of the town" Martha
Jane Foote early became a member of
the Congregational church and was an
earnest, active, consistent and cheerful
Christian to the end. She was deeply
afflicted in the death, in youth, Of her
son and daughter, her only children. She
was evidently refined and elevated as
well as sustained and strengthened by
these experiences. Dea. Foote and his
family were ardently attached to theii
pastor, DR.. Thomas A. Merrill, and were
efficient supporters of his ministry After
century from his installation over that
church, DR.. Merrill still lives in the affec
tionate remembrance and in the lives OF
those decended from his parishioners.
Tried, purified, exalted, richly blest,
Affections furnace, but refining fire;
Gone home to heavens sweet eternal rest
What better can the human hearts de sire.
Now with her children in the Fathers home
Beyond the realm OF sorrow, slus and tears
No lighi s and shadows to alternate come
But Liz Int unshadowed banishing all fears.
Parents, and ancestors in Christ, receive,
Each bright new conner to the heavenly
shore,
The blisful harbor for all who believe,
Whence they, forever, shall go out no more
No more the sun or moon shall give then
light;
, Nor shall they need these temples made
with hand,
/ In that best world, there shall be no mor'
night,
. And boundless pleasures, exceed all demands
Forever with the Lord; seeing Him face t.
face;
No age; no weakness; never more pain;
At last, made perfect, by redeeming grace,
1t surely is fulfilled, "to die Is gain"
), -