Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-01-04

brought from Haskins & Schwenk's Of
fee, on which Mr.. Merrifed reclined,
and DIR. Miller was summoned at once.
Mr.. Merrifield seemed at this time to be
suffering from acute indigestion and there
was nothing alarming in his heart ac-
ton. He continued to be i'm great pain,
but sat up long enough to write certain
directions to Mrs. Merrifield of things
which he wished done i'm case anything Sc
rious happened to him. He also talked
to Mr. Brooks about affairs pertaining
to his estate. About o'clock, accom-
panied by Mr.. Brooks he walked to the
Brooks House and was given room on
the second floor, where he went to bed
Mrs. Merrifield was summoned by tele
phone and was brought to Brattleboro by
team. arriving here about $50. Or. Mil
Ter was in attendance at different times
throughout the afternoon. Mr. Merrifed
was in great pain but perfectly conscious
up to the moment Of his death. the end
coming just as he had lain back on his
pillow saying that a warm drink had
made him feel worse.
The body was taken to Bonds under
taking rooms Saturday evening and to his
Williamsville home on Sunday.
Birth, Ancestry and Early Life.
John II. Merrfed was born in Will
Evansville June -. 1S47, and was the sec
OHu VI lHG lOuI SbIlS VI JOHll a. anu
Louisa w (Willams) Merrfield. Their
first child died at the age of four years.
but the other three sons lived 10 maturity.
The Merritield ancestry is of ilustrious
Colonial stock. John II. Merriield was
lineal descendant of two Massachusetts
Colonial governors who rendered import
ant public service during the constructive
period of the colony of Massa chusetts-
Thomas Dudley, fourth governor of the
colony, and Simon Bradstreet, who served
10 years governor and in many other
public capacities.
Mr.. Merrifields paternal grandfather
was Ichabod Merrifeld, born in Medford,
Mass, April L. 1855 He married Eliza
beth Morse of Newfane i'm December 1893.
He settled on farm in the south part Of
Newfane. His death took place April 90,
1886. Mr.. Merrifeld's maternal grand
father, William II. Williams, from whom
Williamsvile was named, was born in
Chester, Mass, Feb. "a. 1876, and came
to Newfane in October, 1891 He engaged
in manufacturing, was in mercantile bust
ness more than 40 years, represented the
town in the general assembly, filled many
public offices, and was man Of high
standing and influence. He married Alb
igail Robinson Oct. II, 1902, and nine
children were born to them, Mr.. Merri-
fields mother, Louisa, being the sixth.
Mr.. Williams's second wife was Rosanna
Miller who had no children. Mrs. Will
Mrs. Williams died Dec. .. 1866.
JOnn ii. Me1Glnelu was DOTH IN tnc
house which was his home at the time of
his death. This capacious and substan-
tial house, perfectly preserved to the
present day, and suggesting plenty and
comfort and homelike good cheer, was the
residence of his grandfather, William II.
Williams, in whose family Johns child
hood was spent.
In addition to attending the village
schools in Wiiamsville Mr., Mortified
was for time student in the institu-
ton then known as the Springfield Wes-
leyan seminary in Springfield, VT. He
also took an extended course of study in
B. G. Howe's business school in Worces-
ter, Mass. While he was there Mr.. Howe,
the proprietor, became i'll and Mr.. Mer-
rifeld remained in Worcester two or
three years being virtually manager of
the school while Mr.. Howe was incapaci-
tated AS a boy he worked on his grand =
fathers farm and finally carried on the
farm on his own account He bought the
general store in Williamsvile. now owned
by II. A. Williams, and was its proprietor
three of four years selling out to c. r.
Park in 1881.
The following year he was instrumental
with r. M. Sherman in organizing the
Vermont Loan & Trust company, and for
four years he was located most of the
time in Grand Forks, North Dakota, en-
gagged in the business of the company as
its president Owing to the period of
hard times which swept over the north
west section of the country, the business
of the company became depressed, and
Mr.. Merrifield, feeling that he had in
duced his friends to make investments
which did not fulfil his guaranty, returned
home saddened and discouraged, his sem
sitiveness and high sense of honor MAX
ing him heap reproaches on himself which
others felt were not deserved. The af-
fairs of the company which he had found
ed prospered under the direction of
others, and the company is today one OF
state Through the rise in values after
the hard times the loans placed by Mr.
Merriheld, on which the interest was foI
a time defaulted, eventually became good
investments.
On returning from the West Mr.. Mer-
rifield again took up his farm work and
i'm 1887 he became acting station agent OF
the Brattleboro e Whitehall railroad al
Willamsville station, a position which he
continued to fiji until he was appointed
county clerk in 1897, after the death OF
Judge Royal Tyler of Brattleboro. He
also engaged I'm numbering operations
He had interests in numbering at differ
ent times during a long term of years
and at the time of his death had charge
for his brother, Webster Merrifeld, OF
operations in the so-called Oregon" dis
trict, four miles from Williamsville.
Legislative and Other Public Services.
Soon after attaining his majority Mr.
Merrifeld was called upon for duty as a
town official, He was town superintend-
ent Of schools in Newfane 1870, II and
70. He was one of the town auditors
continuously from 1872 to 1882 and again