The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-02-25
Col. Fred {. Smith Of Mont
pelier Died Yesterday
ILL BUT A SHORT TIME
Was President Of Vermont Mutual Fire
Insurance Company and of First
National Bank Of Montpelier
Was 7e Years Old.

Col. Fred =. Smith, one Of MontpeIier's
leading citizens, and one who has been
identified with business iii the capitaf
for nearly 60 years, died Yesterday morn.
ling after brief illness. heart failure
being the cause. Col. Smith was slightly
lindisposed dmring the middle Of last week
and dld not 20 to his desk in the Ner-
mont Mutual Fire Insurance Office. He
was about the house Thursday and Fri
gay, and II was not until Saturday that
MS illness became at all serious. AT
noon OF that day he was cheerful ana
foid the other officers in the insurance
company not to hesitate to consult him
about business. On Saturday night.
however the weakness Of his heart be-
gan TO initiate against him. and 1T $50
Sunday morning his nurse, who had left
MS side for a short time returned to
find that Col. Smith had risen from the
bed and had been attacked by 4 severe
spell Of heart weakness. From that
time he lapsed into Inconsistencies. ana
died fifteen minutes later.
Col. Smith was rs years of are. hav-
ing been born in Mortified. June III.
1880. His early life was spent in that
town, and about the first work that he
dld was to drive one-horse tip-cart in
the construction Of the Central Vermont
railroad. AT the age of is years he
weis ta Montpelier and engaged as drug
clerk for Loomis s. Camp. Five wears
later he entered the drug business for
himself, succeeding the vetran druggist.
Dr. s. X. Collins
AT the breaking out of the Civil war
he was appointed quartermaster Of the
Eighth, Regiment Vermont Volunteers.
In October OF that year, under commits
sion from Governor Fairbanks. he went
to the Army Of the Potomac to make
settlements with soldiers, closing up ae-
counts which had been left by the hur-
ried departure of the men for the front.
He served in various capacities with the
army, and at the close Of the war he
returned to Montpelier, where he had
since made his home, with the exception
of two years spent IN New York CITY in
the book and stationery business. A
few years after his return To Mont
pelier again he became associated with
the Vermont Fire Insurance company.
and later became allied with many Of
the leading industries and concerns OF
that place. He was elected director of
the Vermont Fire Insurance company
IN 1875, and two years later became vice
president IN 1856 he was elected presi-
dent filling that position until 1891,
when he retired because of in health
During this period of retirement from
.he insurance company he was in Maple
wood, Tenn. much Of the time, and be-
same interested in project to build up
hat place, being president of the Maple-
wood Improvement company. In 1895
ie was again elected president 81 the
Vermont Fire, a position which be was
illing at the time OF his DEATH
He was also president of the First
National bank of Montpelier a director
# the National Life Insurance company
md a member Of the finance committee
4 that company, q director of the II. G..
bowers Granite company, also OF the
Netmore & Morse Granite company,
rustee of the Episcopal diocese Of Yer
mont, senior warden of Christ church. a
member Of the Loyal Legion, of the
reunion Society Of Vermont Officers and
IS secretary for 25 years, q trustee of
he Washington county grammar school,
nd its secretary for 81 years, mem
~ VI tHf 6bIH VI bNH American heNO-
ltion, the Vermont Historical society
nd all the Masonic orders in Montpelier.
including Mt. Sinai temple, member of
he Apollo club When the Colby Wiring
/ company was operating in Montpelier
ol. Smith was largely interested as be
'as also in the old Montpelier Cab COM
any. lie has also been largely inter
sted in an irrigation company ia Cali.
1rnia.
In civil life Col Smith served Wash
lgton county IN The Senate during The
ienHial terms Of 1856 and 1855 and
e was delcgaterat large to the Repub-
can national convention IN 1892.
He WAS married to Abba NJ. Hale of
anville in 1852, and she survives him.
hree sons were born to them, many
ears ago. One brother, =. Elliott Suith
Portland Me-. also survives.
The funeral will be held Tuesday af
'moon at two o'clock.
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