Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-04-14
DAVID L. MANSFIELD DEAD.
He Was the Historian Of Dummerston
and Was a School Teacher Many Years.

He Was the Historian Of Dummerston
and Was School Teacher Many Years.
David L. Mansfield, 81, school teacher,
! historian and genealogist died yesterday
| morning at his home in Dummerston
! Centre near the church on the hill. The
| cause of his death was chronic rheuma-
! tism, which brought on complications
| Mr.. Mansfield had been afflicted with
! rheumatism many years, and had been
confined to his home several months His
most important historical work was his
| history of Dummerston. published sep
arately and in volume five of Abbie Maria
Hemenways Vermont Historical Gazette
| er in 1891. In that history is published
Mr.. Mansfields autobiography, written
at the request of the editor of the Ga
zetteer and of others 1t is as follows:
David l.. Mansfield was born in Sails
bury. n. H., Sept II, 1897, and is the old
est and onIy one living OF six children
sons of Jesse ]. and Hannah Lufkin)
Mansfield. Three were soldiers in the
late war for the Union" 80 THE sub
1ect of this sketch had few advantages
for schooling until after IA years of age.
Beginning in 1852, he worked on a farm
during the greater portion of each wear
and attended school for three winters in
the village of Walpole N H, where he
had the advantages of a high school,
Six terms of school under the instruction
of Prof. l.. f. Ward at Westminster two
at Papermill Village, N. H., and one at
Powers Institute, Bernardston Mass
concluded his academical course of study
Money enough was saved from his wages
10 meet all the expenses and also nav a
considerable sum to his parents for time
purchased before he was of age. The
misfortune of i'll health, caused by rheu-
matism, changed his course of life at the
age of % years. Instead Of being a far
mer, as anticipated, he engaged in school
teaching, which, thus far in life, has been
his principal occupation.
In 1861 he became a resident of Dunn
merston, March IL, 1873, he married Clar-
issa (Farr) Estabrook Beginning in 1857,
he taught district schools four successive
winters in Walpole, N. H.. where he was
a resident from 1852 until he removed TO
Dummerston. Since that time he has been
connected with the schools of this town,
Il years as teacher and Is years as town
superintendent"
Mr.. Mansields grandparents were
Aaron and Betsey (Jaquith) Mansfield.
who were married in Alstead, N H. and
his great grandparents were Deacon Ezra
and Rebecca (I<enney) Mansfield, who
were married in New Ipswich, N. II. He
leaves a widow. Mr.. Mansfield had been
chairman of the board of school directors
also town auditor for long series OF
years. He was a member of the Congre-
gatonal church of Dummerston and was
church treasurer
Mr.. Mansfield possessed a studious
painstaking mind, and had done a large
amount of valuable work in his study of
local history and genealogy. Besides his
Dummerston history, his history of the
kathan family, and other work recurring
original researches, he contributed his
torical articles to The Phoenix throuqb a
long series of years. All of this work was |
done in the most faithful and conscientious
way and In the face of serious physical |
inhrmities which would have been AL |
lowed to discourage and disqualify a man |
OF less energy and devotion.