The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-06-28
VERMONT Boys CAREER.
Curtis Lampson Was KDighted BY
Queen Victoria.


It was Yermonter who furnished
the money that laid the first Atlantic
cable, for, but for the encouragement
and financial aid rendered Cyrus Field
BY bis friend, Curtis Lampson. his
stalwart undertaking might not have
proved the immense success that it real
IN was. For the part taken in the gigan-
tic scheme by MI. Lampson he was
knighted by Queen Victoria with the
title OF ~Sir.
Curtis Lampson was born IN 1893 At
New Haven MiIls-a thrifty little wilt
lage on the New Haven river between
Middlebury and Bristol in Addison
county. He was the youngest son of
Riley Lampson, who was the first i'm.
porter OF the famous Merino sheep into
New England, and was az that time re-
puted to be very wealthy. In an unfor-
tanate venture be lost his property, and,
his health failing soon after the family
OF Young Lamps0n was in extreme pow
eFtv. Riley I4ainpson, ir., the eldest
son. had formed a partnership previously
with q Young man Of equal energy and
hardihood, and was trading IN fnrs with
the Indians IN the west and bad formed
the company that later developed into
the Northwestern Fur Co. With no
means OF communication with tho son
in the west, who could have assisted his
family, he was IN ignorance Of the pov-
erty, illness, and death even Of bis faith
er
These were times of extreme trial in
the Iampson home; to Young Curtis es-
peeiallv the pressure of adversely was
most severe. He was ambitious. and de-
sired an education, but IN those days the
school tax was levied upon the pupil
not the grand list-and as the mother
could not pay the required Sc 4 year
Young l.ampson made an arrangement
l1vith the school committee whereby he
was TO have the privilege Of attending
school for building the fires at the school
house. taking up the ashes, and ringing
the bell. This he did for three years,
/ from the age Of 10 TO 3 years, and Of
ten far too thinly clad in winter TO pre-
vent his suffering from cold. Against all
this adversely he won a high place IN
the sehool-~at II years old he was IN
classes with pupils Of i6 to IS years old.
and leading them. Then the older broth
er came home for visit and when The
lstruggle with poverty was over Curtis
returned with lis brother to Buffalo N.
Y, where q branch Of the company was
established. At the age Of eighteen years
! lie was sent to New York city to take
1.-The management OF that branch, AZ TWEEN,
itv.eight he was promoted To the London
Offices. ANA his fortune assured, as hc
twas now made the junior partner Of the
/ firm.
1 He visited Vermont several times dur
ling his career, once bringing his wife, the
daughter OF London millionaire, beau
itiful and accomplished woman. He never
forgot the friends OF Ms childhood and
ttD show his regard fog his Old home and
lthe educational interest he held for the
generation TO follow he gave tie sum Of
+ $40, 500 to the New Haven Mills school
district for school building. The sum
twas iudiciously laid out and as result
New Haven Mills has tha hest equipped
school building III Vermont faf q district
school beautiful monument to the
memory 81 Sir Curtis l.amps0n. thc bare
foot school boy who became en- English
knight Following IS the inscription on
the bell
presented BY
Sir Curtis Af laMpsou
London. England,
juno, 1859
To School District
No. O.
New Haven Mills, VT