The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-12-30
MANUFACTURER DEAD.
Clark Holden Expires at Hospital
After Operation.


Clark Holden one of the Oldest res
idents of this city, died at o'clock
Saturday morning at his home at IA
South Main street Two weeks ago
last Thursday he was taken to the
City Hospital and the following day
underwent an operation for hernia.
In spite of his advanced age he stood
the operation well and the prospects
for his recovery looked very encour-
aging to his physicians and family.
The wound healed rapidly, so that he
was able to be moved to his home last
Wednesday, The shock of the opera
ton, however, weakened his mind 50
that he was unable to rest properly
and this finally brought on nervous
collapse Friday evening and then all
hopes for his recovery was given up.
Mr.. Holden was born November Il,
1894, on a farm on the road to Will
Jamestown, just out of the present
village of South Barre. From a young
had been an active business man and
had held office after office of public
trust in the early days of the town
and village corporation. After he
death of his father, William Holden,
he lived for four years in the Family
of Israel Wood, and from there he
went to live with Orvis French and
until he was of age clerked in Mr..
French's store.
On becoming of age he bought out
the store and conducted the business
Until 1865, when he, together with
Frank A Stafford bought out the fork
shop on South Main street and estab
lished the Stafford, Holden & Com
pany firm, which was conducted I'M
til 1876, when a stock company was
formed under the name of the Stat
ford & Holden Manufacturing Com
pany until 1885 when he was appoint
ed postmaster by President Cleve-
land,
He was postmaster for five years
and three months.
In 1889. Mr.. Holden and John Trow
established the well-known firm of
Trow & Holden, granite tool manu-
facturers, which business they con-
tinued until July, 1906, when they
sold to Mr.. Holden's son, William M.
Holden, who on account of the bust
ness having become too extensive for
the old plant on Granite street, pur-
chased the old fork shop building
and now has the largest and most
modern plants for the manufacture
Of granite tools in the State.
Besides being postmaster, Mr. Hol-
den was the first town clerk and
treasurer of Barre village in 1860, to
which office he was elected sixteen
times. He also served the village as
bailiff, justice of the peace, member
of the school board and cemetery
! commissioner. He was town clerk
and treasurer at the time the town
bonded to have the Central Vermont
railroad run into the village.
He was married January 6, 1857
to Miss Myra d. Albee, who survives
I him. Two years ago he celebrated
the golden wedding anniversary He
also leaves a son. William NJ. Holden
and daughter. Mrs. George n. Til
den, brother, George, and a sister
Mrs. George Whitcomb, of Claremont
n. H.
The funeral will be held from tn,
late home Tuesday afternoon at two
o'clock, the Rev. f. A. Poole, of Wor
cester, Mass, formerly pastor of tn,
Congregational church in this city
will officiate. The service will be il
charge of Granite Lodge of Mason
Of which Mr. Holden was the frs
: secretary The interment will be il
the Elmwood cemetery.