Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-11-15


tiers, and some of his neighbors and
friends called to extend Fluctuations,
among them being Moses Smith of ths
| village, whose sister was Mr. Whit
| combs wife and who will be Sc the last
| day of December. The gifts and post
| cards came from various towns in this
! state and Massachusetts, also from
| Philadelphia.
Luther ALBANIAN Whtcomb holds a
| prominent place in the esteem of his
| townspeope Pleasing i'm personality.
| kindly toward all mankind, man of
unquestioned character ana principles,
his record is clean and like an open
book. He received the unanimous vote
| OF the Republicans of the town for
representative in the Legislature in 1894
serving on the public buildings commit
tee, and for about 80 years he has been
| a steward of the Methodist church and
trustee of its funds He has been a
member of that church since 1919. 1t
was never his ambition to hold office,
hut in addition to the positions men
toned he served several terms as high
way surveyor in district No. 2. on East
hill, under the old highway system.
Mr.. Whitcomb has "A remarkable
memory, recalling not only events in
the history of this town, but of going
with his father from their home to the
village of South Londonderry when he
was but six years old. He always has
been in good health, and since coming
to this village 16 years ago he has de-
voted himself to gardening and other
light work. He did most of the work
in a large garden the past summer
showing no lack of energy or ambition.
His hearing is only slightly impaired,
and he reads The Phoenix regularly
Il can see bee a good ways off" ne
said to a representative of The Phoenix
In the political campaign which has
just closed Mr.. Whitcomb took lively
interest and cast his vote for President
Taft. He was Wing until the Repub-
lican party was formed, casting his first
vote for President in 1874 for Henry
Clay, who was defeated by James K
Polk. Democrat. He has voted at every
presidential election since then, identi-
flying himself with the Republican party
since it came into being
1t was in South Londonderry that
Mr.. WhitcOmb first saw the light of
day, Nov. II, 1922. His father was Luther
Whitcomb and his mother Polly Hazel
ton, and they had eight children of
whom the subject of this sketch is the
only survivor. His grandfather Jona-
thaN Whitcomb, came from France,
about the time General Lafayette came,
and was soldier in the Revolution.
afterwards IA pensioner, and was buried
in Newfane. Polly Hazelton is said to
have been the first white girl born in
the town of Jamaica Her husband, the
elder Luther Whitcomb, was cloth
dresser and worked four years learning
his trade in a cloth dressing mill in
Williamsvile He worked at the bust
ness in mills in West Townshend, South
Londonderry and Wardsboro and his
son remembers visiting different mills
of the kind when a boy, including the
one in the town. These mills ceased to
exist many years ago
In the spring after the younger
Luther Whitcomb was six years old the
family moved to a farm in South Wind
ham, the father following the occupa-
tion of farming, which he began in the
latter part OF his residence in South
Londonderry A year later they moved
to South Wardshoro and the father AMI
mother both died in this town. The
father and son, the latter then seven
years old. came from South Windham a
day ahead of the rest of the family
and Travelled about II miles on foot
driving two old hogs. 10 pigs a pair Of
Yearling steers and one cow. Their route
was to West Townshend the upper
West river bridge and into this village
past the John Watson and Abital
Pierce places. That was before the
Branch road was built. They stayed over
night a mile and a half south of this
village and went to their destinatio
next morning.
The boy learned farming in South
Wardsboro, AMI the family lived near
the old Oscar Doolittle place in the
south part Of the town when the young
man married, March %, 1916, Aurilla
Smith, daughter of Gardner and Annie
(kenneY smith The young couple then
moved to the old Samuel Kenney farm
in the east part of the town. The bride
was granddaughter of Samuel Ken
ney' Mr.. kenney was an ensign in the
Revolution and never would take pen
sion from the government but after his
death his widow drew 1t, with back
pay.
Five children were born to Mr.. and
Mrs. Whitcomb of whom three are liv-
ing. They are Lizzie E.. wife of Lot
f. Barber of ,Townshend Edgar A.
Whitcomb, who lives with the family
here and Annie B., wife of George W.
Briggs well-known merchant of this
place. son, Frederick Kenney Whit.
comb, was born in 1850 and died in 1880
and another son. Lester Luther Whit
comb, was born In 1855 and died in 1863.
Mr.. and Mrs. Whitcomb observed their
silver wedding anniversary in 1871 Mrs.
Whtcomb died on the Kenney farm
June 49, 1880 and since then the daugh-
ter, Mrs Briggs, has made a home for
her father and brother
Mr.. Whitcomb lived on the Kenney
farm 50 years, lacking two or three
weeks. working long and late. He in
tended TO get his cows to pasture by
sunrise. Then he moved to the Widow
Philena Holden place In the north end
of this village and two years later
place near the hotel. which has been his