Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-17
Deman Thompson Laid al
Rest at West Swanzey.
Simple Services in Response TO
Mr.. Thompson's Wishes.
Hundreds in Line OF Mourners.-Flor.
al Tributes Banked to Ceiling.

West SWanZey, n. H., April 16-Den-
man Thompson, creator and portrayer
of that homely New England charac
ter "Uncle Joshua Whitcomb," which
he had endeared to theater goers all
over the country, was laid at rest here
today. Burial was in the little ceme-
terry across the road from the vener
able actors home, in which have rest
ed for some years the bodies of those
who in life gave Mr.. Thompson the in
spiration for Uncle Josh" and his kim
dred characters.
The services were as simple as it
was possible to make them. This was
in strict keeping with Mr.. Thompson's
wish, expressed just before his death.
In response to the actors request
the members of the "Old Homestead
Company, who attended in a body.
participated only as mourners. 1t had
been expected the famous farm hand
quartet would sing their late leaders
requiem. The even tenor of the ser
vice in the parlor of the Thompson
homestead was broken only by sobs
as Rev. II. Sumner Mitchell pastor of
the Unitarian church "a Keene, recited
Whittier's poem ITO G, l.. s.
For the warmest of hearts is frozen,
The freest of hands is still,
And the gap in our pick and chosen
The long years may not NIL
1t seemed today as if the entire coun-
tryside from West Swanzey which he
had enshrined in the hearts of thousands
as the scene of The Old Homestead"
and most of Cheshire county had come to
attend the funeral services. Out-of-town
friends, and there were several hundred
of them from all New England and be-
yond, came here on a special train from
Keene. The members of THE Old Home
stead" company and scores of friends
from Boston Were amohg those on this
train.
For more than half an hour stream
of mourners filed past the open casket in
the parlor of the Thompson homestead
which was banked TO fhe ceiling with
magnificent floral tributes.
The services consisted only of a scrip
tural reading, prayer. the reading of
prose selection, "Old Age" by Will
liam Newell and Whittiers poem. all by
Rev. Mr.. Mitchell When the casket was
borne to its last resting place in the lit
tie cemetery nearly across the street the
entire assembly fell III behind the hearSe
and stood with barred heads by the grave
during the commitment.
The pallbearers were Charles Fox of
New York, Henry A. Wyman of Boston.
Walter Gale of New York, y. Paul Keith
Of Boston. Frank Knapp of Lake Placid,
y. y. and Patrick Redmond of Provi-
dence. l. /. Mr.. Gale was an original
member of Mr.. Thompson's company and
Mr. Knapp was a member of the COM
pany within a few years of its start Both
were lifelong friends of the departed
actor Mr.. Wyman was Mr.. Thompson's
attorney for years, and it was the veter-
an actors wish that his lawyer and
friend speak at his funeral. But Mr.. Wy
man today was so overcome by his emo
tions that he could not fulfill the desire
of the dead.
Just as the casket was being lowered
into the grave there was waited to tfH
ears of the assembled sorrowers the tune
of the hymn "Nearer my God to Thee.
PLAYED on the chimes of the Catholic
church. Mr.. Thompson presented the
chimes to the church several years ago.