Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-04-05
WILLIAM G. CROSBY.

William Godfrey Crosby. Sc. died early
Sunday morning in the home of O. F.
Bailey, 30 Canal street. where he had
boarded more than "A year. He spent his
boyhood in Brattleboro and returned here
four years ago after an active and event
full life as a teacher OF languages and as
"A sailor on board a whaling vessel. Mr..
Crosby had a remarkable retentive mind
and kept up his teaching of languages
until his SD year.
He was the third of the six children of
Thomas and Catherine (Burke) Crosby
and was born July 81. 1920. on what is
still known as the Tom Crosby place off
Guilford street His father was known
throughout the town as one of the most
energetic and fearless citizens who work
ed In all wcathers and seasons The son
inherited many OF his fathers character
istics and won his way in the world by
sheer force of character.
He attended the BrattleboTo academy
in West BrattlcbOro and Westfield acad-
envy and at the age OF 16 began teaching
school He taught in several towns but
after a few years his health was not good
and he took a sea voyage to restore it,
on the voyage he became interested in
the sailors life and as a result he ship
ped on whaling vessel He served as
an active whaler seven years. making
two long voyages in which he visited the
Philippine Islands, Australia, New Zea-
/ land and Siberia.
While a student in the Brattleboro
academy he had formed a boyish attach
ment for another student, Miss Mary
Ann Mayo. from Cape Cod. They kept
up correspon ence and after the COM
pletion Of his second voyage on the
whaler she persuaded him to return to
teaching and not accept the opportunity
offered him to ship again as a full fedged
| sea captain. Several years later, after
he had taught in New London and Nor
wich, Conn, Stoughton and Maiden,
Mass they were married and lived long
/ and happily together. Their marriage
! took place I'm Stoughton Mass. March 20.
! 1853, while Mr. Crosby was principal of
| the Maiden high school. His wife died
on the anniversary of their wedding in
| 1898.
Mr. Crosby had always been a fine stu
/ dent in languages and about 1876 he took
! a position as professor of languages I'm
/ the Granger Place school for young wom-
/ en- in Canandaigua, N Y He taught
/ there until after the death of his wife.
when he took a trip abroad and spent
some time studying in Paris. On his re-
turn he took a position in Forest Park
/ university in ST. Louis, Mo, and after
wards taught languages in Underwood
/ college near st. Louis. He remained
/ there teaching languages and biology I'M
I'll four years ago, when he came to Brat
! tleboro.
While on the whaler he met with an
accident which had made him a partial
| cripple ever since. A whale had crush
ed boat and though Mr.. Crosby es-
| capped with his life one OF his legs was
badly hurt of late years he had beer
so lame that he could hardly get about
at all and his continued reading had cost
him the sight of one eye His spirits re-
manned good, however, and he was not
seriously i'll until few days before his
death The only near relative who sur.
wives his is sister, Mrs. Hannah Cros-
by Taylor of this town.
The funeral was held Tuesday after.
noon at 100 O'Clock in the West Brattle.
boro Congregational church. Rev. DR.
George r. Martin of Lowell, a nephew OF
Mr. Crosby, oficiated and the burial wa.
in the West Brattleboro cemetery.