Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-03-09
DR.CHAS. E. PRENTISS
DIED SUDDENLY AT HIS
HOME MONDAY AFTERNOON.
Had Been on Duty at the College
Library During the Forenoon
According to Usual Custom.

According to Usual Custom.
This village for many months has not
been stunned so suddenly as were our
people on Monday afternoon when with
out warning came the announcement
that DR.. Charles Edward Prentiss was
dead, at his home north of this village.
For moment those who heard the news
could hardly believe it as Doctor Prentiss
had been on duty at the College library
during the forenoon as usual and appar-
emily in his usual health. 1t dldpOt seem
possible that the man with whom every
one in town was more or less acquainted
and the majority of the townspeOple in
timately acquainted and associated with
in many ways, had passed from life's du-
ties so suddenly.
Attending to his duties as assistant
librarian at the College during the fore
noon Doctor Prentiss went to his home
for dinner at noon and shortly after the
midday meal while attending to some
household duties he was stricken with
heart disease and died within a few mo-
ments.
Doctor Prentiss was always blessed
with frame of mind that endeared him
not only to the students of his college but
to everyone with whom he came in con-
tact Always courteous, obligng and
apparently always seeking for an oppor-
tunity to do his felowmen some favor,
l. 10
ment at college, Doctor Prentiss' death
comes as distinct loss to Middlebury
and its College.
AS citizen the dead man was an ideal
specimen. Ever alert to say kind word
or do good deed yet conspicuous for his
unostentatiousness and unobtrusiveness
he had legion of friends and admirers
who will feel his loss keenly.
DIR. Prentiss was born al Weathersfield,
September "a, 1S43, and was the son of
Stephen and Nancy Robinson (Boynton)
Prentiss. He prepared for college at Co.
lumbia college, Washington, d. c. and
was graduated from Middlebury college
in the class of 1864. In 1S62-63 he was
employed as "a clerk in the quartermas-
ter's department at Washington. and
| from 1S65-6S he studied medicine at
Georgetown University, Washington.
From 1868 to 1872, he was assigned to-
duty as clerk in the registrars Office of
the treasury department, and in 1872 was
with the United States loan commission
to London. He was engaged in banking
and the insurance business at Washington
from 1872 to 1878 and the following four
years he practiced medicine at the
national capitol.
Returning to Vermont in 1882, he prac-
ticed medicine at Bridport for two years
and for the next 10 years engaged in
business here and in New York city.
Since 1896 DIR. Prentiss had been assist
ant librarian of Middlebury college and
the acting head of that department He
had received the degrees of A. B. and A.
NJ, from Middlebury college and that of
NJ. d. from Georgetown university. He
was member of the Delta Upslon fra
ternity and prominent in local Masonic
circles.
DIR. Prentiss leaves a widow and two
SONS, Albert N, of Seattle Washington,
and Charles w. Prentiss of Washington.
DC.
The funeral ceremonies were held from
the Congregational church Thursday
afternoon at two o'clock. For nearly an
hour previous to the opening of the SER
vice the remains lay in state in the vesti-
bule of the church and from the large
number that paused to gaze for mo
ment on the face of the dead, it was
easy to discern the profound respect and
tribute paid to our departed citizen.
NJ. d. Holmes and C. Def. Cushman,
members of the Doctors college frater-
nifty, acted as guard of honor while the
remains We're i'm state.
Preceded by. the faculty of the College
as bearers the remains were borne to the
altar as the Rev. Thomas Simms, pastor
of the church, repeated the impressive
burial service-"I am the resurrection
and the life" Following the invocation
by the pastor, Rev. George r. Stair, pas
tor of the Baptist Church, read from the
scriptures, and Mr.. Simms in brief but
touching tribute told of the characters
tics of the dead man, of his unselfish de
votion to those about him, and President
Brainerd of the College delivered a euo
gy that was particularly touching from
the fact that Doctor Prentiss was a class
mate of his, President Brainerd spok,
of the early college days of Doctor Prem
tiss, of his aspirations and ambitious ano
in closing paid deserved tribute to tn,