The Irish standard., 1905-04-08
LAETARE MEDAL
N0tre Dame University HonoFs
Thomas B. Fitzpatrick
Pen Picture Of Boston's Popular
Man Of Business

Medal-NOtre Danes supreme dis
tinction annually conferred upon a
conspicuous member of the Catholic
laity in Neutrality-suspicious. of the
honor have stood for eminence in some
specific field of literature, science or
art, or for notable achievement in the
sphere of broad philanthropic effort.
says the Notre Dame Scholastica.
Without at all lowering the standard
of excellence upon which originally
fixed as the minimum upon which
she would set the seal of her high
est approval, our University turns
ity hitherto neglected in the bestowal
of her Mid-Lenten tribute, and choos-
es her medallist from the commercial
world. Any one of the larger sorts
of legitimate and honorable business
is unquestionably, in our day, a voca-
ton Offering ample scope for the most
varied intellectual powers, furnish
ing a splendid test of the righteous
ness that is based on religious
motives, and exercising widespread
influence, beneficient or otherwise,
throughout the community in which
it's functions are performed. Among
hundreds of notable Catholics en-
gagged in business in these United
States. Notre Dame takes especial
pleasure in Signalling one whose
name is synonymous with spotless in
tegrity, unblemished honor, and the
highest sense of religious duty; a
Catholic whose influence is uniformly
eXerted for the uplifting of younger
neighbors and the betterment of his
fellow-citiZens generally; a benefactor
whose hidden charities are largely in
excess of what is credited to his
public generosity: a faithfully con-
sistent son of the Church and a zeal
GUS promtoer OF every religious work;
an illustrious representative, in short,
of all that is worthiest in the ideal
Catholic business man. Thomas B.
Fitzpatrick of Boston.
Mr.. Thomas b. Fitzpatrick. New
England's leading Catholic merchant.
is the senior member of the firm of
Brown, Durrell e. Co. of Boston and
New York, the largest wholesale dry
goods house of its kind east of Chi.
cago. He was born in the small town
of Grafton. Massa chusetts. Dec. II,
1914. His early years We're spent on
Many a morning the stars were still
visible when our future merchant ac-
companied his father and older
brother into the field, where they
spent the day digging out stumps or
cultiyating he soil II was also a
practice OF the Industrious youth to
collect berries from his neishb0rs and
travel by night with his wagon load
to the Boston market. Il distanc" OF
some forty miles. This was the school
of industry that prepared him for
success i'm after life His education
was begun in the district school and
finished in the village high school of
HopkintOn. He made the most of his
opportunities. and WAS graduated with
inction--the first Catholic boy TO
receive diploma from the high
school Of Hopkinton. His proficiency
in English composition secured him
the honor of valcdic,orian oi his class.
At eighteen. young Fitzpatrick came
to Boston. where he began his APP
premiership in the dry goods bust
ness. We are told that he started
on the lowest round of the ladder. and
worked at first for two dollars IL week.
The acquaintance which he formed
with another boy of his own age.
Oliver H. Durrell, grew into a strong
friendship. During their spare mo-
ments. and on their way to and from
the store. they talked of their plans
for the future. Both young men adj
vanced rapidly. In 1865. Mr.. FitZ-
patrick accepted Il position as travel
ing salesman for the Mason, Tucker
& Co. Wholesale Fancy Goods. He
worked for tins firm seven years, con-
filming his travels to New England
territory. Alter the great Boston fire
of 1872 the old firm of Brown. But
ton & Co. was re-establshed under
the name OF Brown, Durrell & Co.,
with Mr.. Fitzpatrick as Il third
member. He held an equal interest
with his two partners. Fortune smiled
on the new concern, and it soon won
it's way in Boston business circles az
one of the foremost houses in the dry
started into business with small CAPT
tai, but with great ability and persist
ent application. Temperance in
tegrity and industry always win in
commercial life; and the members of
the new firm. notably the subject of
this sketch, possessed these qualities
in an eminent degree.
To-day Mr.. Thomas B. Fitzpatrick
is one of Boston's most prominent
Catholics and best known business
men. His zeal for religion, his
thorough knowledge of affairs, his
administrative ability, his untiring
energy, and the facilities afforded him