The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-09
AN ITALlAN-AMERIcAN
Theophlle E. comba, Formerly a Res
dent of Dorset

Italian boys grow up mere. Inc ola
friends of Mr.. Theophile e. Comba
have been glad to have him in Dor
set again during the past winter.
They recall the boy of II who in
the autumn of 1868 with heavy
shawl wound about him in jaunty for
eign fashion walked up the middle
aisle to Mr. Pratt's pew in the old
church and caused curious comment
among the good people who knew
nothing about his father or his grand
father and all too little about the
sunny Italy from which he came.
Charles Field brought him over to
Dorset from the Vermont-ltalian quar-
ries where he was not quite satisfied
with his work and found his pick axe
and shovel, like Daniel Webster's
scythe, hung best on a tree.
During the winter he studied Eng
fish and his older brother who was
with him taught French to class in
the tavern" now known as the Dor
set Inn. French and Italian they
were equally familiar with and at
first gave their name with the French
accent as Combe. In good plain Yer
mont language this spelled Comb,
and the name Theophile, which the
aspiring French students were taught
to pronounce as If it were spelled
Taofeel, degenerated to dull and un-
accustomed ears to Deerfieldl So
Deerfield Comb found himself indeed
in strange land, and when they f.
palfv odnnfad tha italian enolIfno, 30
Comba some doubtful ones shook
their heads and wondered how many
aliases these foreign born brothers
might have. The older brother in
the spring went on with his wife to
California, but the young man, Theo-
phile, remained in Dorset, and with
faults and virtues, abundant vitality,
deep vein of humor and withal an
attractive and winning personality,
he found his way to confidence and
appreciation in many homes.
We recall the dear housewife who
mended his stockings along with her
own boys and made up her mind def
initely that he must have good
mother, all his clothes had such a
carefully embroidered C. done by her
own hand. BY degrees we learned
that his father was Waldensian
teacher and later minister to an in
dependent congregation in Angrogna
that a brother Emile, educated in
Geneva under Mere D'Anblque, was a
professor in the Waldensian TheolOg-
ical Seminary at Florence and had
written history of the Waldenses,
while younger brother was also a
minister, receiving his education. in
Edinburgh and Berlin. Our young
man worked on Dorset farms long
enough TO get acquainted with the
soil and the hang OF our vernacular
as well as the hang of a scythe but
soon found his way TO the Seminary
at Manchester where he studied and
taught for two years, leaving there
for Mr.. Sigler's school In Newburgh.
He married Miss Matte Gray OF Dor
set and from 1872 to 1887 he was EN-.
ployed in teaching French. Italian
and music in schools Of Hudson, New
burgh and Brooklyn, also during six
years of this period the Summer
School of Languages under DR.. Sau
veur at Amherst, Mass.
In 1887 he entered the employ oil
the Gould Manufacturing company Of
Seneca Falls. n. Y. travelling exten
sively for them in all parts OF Europe
from Dublin to Moscow, from Chris
tlania 10 Smyrna and also in Cuba
| Mexico and Yucatan. He represent
ed them at the Paris Exposition II
$50, and at the Worlds Fair in Chi
cago in 1898. Later he came to New
York and was connected with tn
book concern OF Hanson, Truslove 4
Comba, to which John Lane succeed
ed In 1901 with Mr.. Comba as mana
ger until 1908 when he became fol
eign correspondent for the Nationa
fAssociation of Manufacturers wher
he has been for the past seven years
resigning his position last summer
And this winter In Vermont anon
the associations of his early days 4
America has been a most happy on
for him and for his old friends Fon
OF his books he has rejolced in IN
leisure for reading and study Will
he has found his axe as stimulatin
as the golf grounds in the height Q
the season with the added satlsfa,
ton Of growing wood pile.
Mr.. Comba with his wife sails froI
New York on April 30 for Genoa Ital
They go on the "Duca di Genoa" Z
the Italian navigation line. calling q
Gibralter and Naples on the way Iii
object is two fold. to visit brother an
friends in Italy and England and I
represent some American manufa,
turers who are interested In develoI
ing their foreign trade In Europe.
For this his previous experienc
eminently fits him, and his man
friends will wish him and his goo
wife bon voyage, and In the autumn
safe return.