Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-08-19
MISS MARY c. SALISBURY.
Death Of the Oldest Member Of the Brat
tleboro Methodist Church.


Miss Mary c. Salisbury, &c. one Of the
oldest women in Bratteboro, died Satur-
day night in her home in the Edwards
building on Elliot street after a brief
Illness. For "A woman in her advanced
years she was in remarkably good health
and spirits and her interest in the affairs
of the town was undated even in her
last Illness. Although she had been un-
able to see well a number Of years her
hearing was good and her mind was
bright and clear. She was the oldest
member OF the Brattleboro Methodist
church, both in years and in the length
Of time since she became a member.
In her younger days she was one Of the
most active workers in the church and
even in her later years she had done
much for it in various ways She had
been a regular attendant at all the SER
vices until few years ago and she had
attended at intervals since and main
tanned n keen interest in all its work.
She was able to go to church few
times the past spring and only a few
days before her death she questioned
visitor eagerly about some of the church
affairs and people. Her recollections Of
the early days in the church were Keen
and she told many an amusing story Of
her girlhood She was a member OF the
woman's auxiliary to the Y. NJ. c. A:
many years and she had been affiliated
with nearly all the benevolent interests
Of the community.
She was born in Brattloboro April IA,
1921, and was next to the youngest OF
the eight children OF Jonathan and
Hannah (Butterheld) Salisbury She at
tended the public schools and when
young woman learned the tailoress trade.
In her later years she was fond of telling
the younger generation of the hours
which the girls had to work at the trade.
from early in the morning until about
o'clock at night being considered days
work She was an expert in the trade
and was much sought after on account of
the excellence of her work. When she
was stil a young woman she gave up
her regular trade and went to New York
to assist in caring for the children of her
brother, Col. Javan b. Salisbury. She re
NAMED there until about 30 years ago
when she returned to Brattleboro and
lived with her sister, Mrs Fanny y.
Edwards. Since Mrs. Edwards's death
years ago she had kept house for herself
with the assistance of her niece, Mrs. II.
w Sargent, who occupies part of the
same house. She was the last survivor Of
the family. which was an unusually long
lived one. All of the children excepting
Mrs Sargent's mother. Mrs. Charlotte a.
Mack, and Alonzo Salisbury, who died
when about 80 years old, lived to be more
than so Col. Salisbury was 81 when
he died and the eldest sister, Miss Susan
b. Salisbury, lived to be 9S. The other
brothers and sister were Alonzo Sails
bury of Omaha, Neb., and Mrs. Eliza c.
Stearns of Bratteboro and Leroy Sails
bury, for many years a prominent farmer
in Chesterfield.
Miss Salisbury was taken with an at
tack of neurtis nearly two months ago
and she had been failing since. For the
past two weeks she had been confined to
her bed and she was very weak although
her faculties were not noticeably affected
She died about $50 o'clock Saturday
night, only a short time after she had
| asked in an interested way about what
| had happened through the day.
Rev. \. II. Webb of Mortified, this
| state a former pastor of the Methodist
| church in Brattleboro who ofiiciated at
| the funeral, held in the church Tuesday
| afternoon, said that more improvements
and discoveries had been made in Miss
| Salisbury's life time than in all the pre-
| ceding ages. At the time of her birth
there was not a single mile Of railroad in
| the world, London bridge had just been
| lighted with gas, there We're no tele-
| graphs or telephones, no elcctrics, no
! steamboats,, while today there is easy
! transportation TO all parts of the world.
! He said he had been a minister Of the
! Methodist church in Vermont 80 years
! and had never met member SO loyal and
| interested as Miss Salisbury. Her memory
| extended far beyond the local churchs
| records, and she was In reality a link
| connecting us with the past He also
| referred TO Miss Salisbury as "a great stu
| dent of the Bible with a wonderful MEM
| DRY in all matters concerning the church.
! Miss Gertrude Matthews sang Beautiful
| Land on High" and Beautiful Land Of
| Somewhere" The bearers We're Frank Il.
| Salisbury of Orange, y. j., H. W. Sar-
| gent \. +. Atwood and Or. c. G. Wheeler.
The wide circle of friends who have
| looked on Miss Salisbury with affection