Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-08-11
FRIDAY, AUGUST II, 1905.
PROMINENT ARCHITECT,
Sketch of Late Clinton Smith of washing.
ton, ID. G.


ton, ID. G.
Clinton Smith was born on the home
stead farm of his family in the east part
of this town May 6, 1916. He was the
oldest son of George and Julia will
marth) Smith. He was descended from
those who have been identified with the
history of Vermont from the earliest
times. His maternal ancestors made a
record in the war of the Revolution and
the war of 1912. His paternal grandfather
came to Middlebury before the true site
of the town was determined His father
George Smith will be remembered in
Addison Co. as an educator and a con-
tracing builder. The subject of this
sketch followed the same occupation.
Clinton Smith was the architect and
builder of many of the best buildings in
this town such as the court house, town
hall, Methodist church, Baptist church,
Beckwith block, Dyer block and many
residences. His first work of conse-
quence was the erection of Shard Villa,
the stone residence in Salisbury of
Columbus Smith. He was widely known
throughout the state also in adjacent
parts of New Hampshire and New York,
as a builder of churches and public
buildings, among them the library annex
to the Capitol building in Montpelier,
and the asylum for the insane at Water
bury.
In 1891 he accepted a position in the
War Department at Washington as
Chief of Construction and Repair under
Hon. Redtield Proctor, then secretary of
War in Harrison's administration, and
with his family removed to the Capitol
city where he has since resided He
served the government acceptably eX-
actly fourteen years when he resigned
his position partly on account of i'm.
paired health and partly from wish to
accept another position under Senator
Redfield Proctor which offered him out
side exercise and air of which so much
desk work deprived him. His desk
work, however, had been constantly al
leviated by long trips to inspect buildings
under construction at army posts anC
reservations in all parts of the United
States, thus he became known to a wide
circle of friends in every walk in life.
His resignation took effect June 1st.
1905 and he became one of the incor
porators of ''The Taplin Construction
in nd . h.
erection of its first building a large
marble apartment house the "Cham
plain" on K street in that city.
This furnished him congenial and alb
sorbng occupation until he was stricken
by an alarming illness on July % last
Two trained nurses and his family at
tended his bedside. All that medica
skill could accomplish was employed in
vain. His disease was pronounced
typhoid fever of a virulent type. He
suffered hemorrhage after hemorrhagt
yet made a gallant fight for life til
weakness Frustrated every faculty anC
he breathed his last on the evening o.
Wednesday, Aug. I'd. This was his thirt
attack of that dread disease. The frs
one was at the age of IA years, the mex
10 years later, and the third one was a
this time. Each attack was exceptionally
severe and heightened by complications
His funeral was attended at his suburban
residence" Smitholm" Friday Aug. 4th
Floral offerings were heaped upon anC
around the casket. All of his children
were present. His only daughter
Helena, wife of Prof. Charles j. Bullocl