Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-01-26
BRATTLEB0R0 LOCAL
EMIL APFELBAUM DEAD.
cure BuiIdlngs-Man Of Exceptional
Helght-Inmate Of Odd Fellows Home.

FORMER manager ana owner OF WATER
cure 6ulIdngs-Man OF Exceptional
Heleht-Inmate Of Odd Fellows Home.
Emil Apfelbaum, SO, who was promi-
nent German resident of Brattleboro until
he became an inmate of the Gill ODD
Fellows home in Ludlow over IL years
ago, died in the home Saturday morning
after brief illness with pneumonia. He
had been in his usual health until short
time ago. He became prominent in this
town through his connection with the
Lawrence and Wesselhoeft watercure
buildings on Elliot street, being at one
time an owner of one and at different
times manager of both and for rs years
or more he was employed by the Estey
Organ company, in the packing depart
ment
He was striking in appearance, being
about six and a half feet tall and he
was inherently gentleman, never for
getting to be courteous and always maxi
ing a good impression upon the minds of
all with whom he came in contact Many
years ago he Joined Wantastiquet lodge
of Odd Fellows, and he maintained an in
terest in the lodge. Greetings from him
were read in the recent installation of
officers.
Mr.. Apfelbaums wife and adopted
daughter died some years ago and on
June Q, 1899, he entered the Gill home,
but he had visited in this town several
times since I0en. A DTlel IuneTal SeTVlCe
was held in the home at $50 Sunday
afternoon, Rev. william ]. Ballou off,
ciating, and the body was brought to
Brattleboro Monday morning Rev An
drew Harper, jr., rector, officiated at
services in St. Michael's Episcopal
church and the body was placed in the
tomb in Prospect Hill cemetery. The
bearers were L. E. Boyce of Ludlow and
A. l.. Maynard, F. S. Knight, Fred Dunk
lee, August Rohde and Francis e. Perry
of this town, Odd Fellows.
A sketch of Mr.. Apfelbaum, written
Nov. g. 1895, by the Brattleboro corre-
spondent Of the Springfield Republican,
was published in that paper Nov. 10 of
that year, follows:
Among the passengers of the Hamburg
steamer DANA, which sailed today from
New York, was Emil Apfelbaum, Brattle-
boro's tallest man, who at the time the
watercures flourished here was very much
in society life and who has always been
a respected citizen of the town. He goes
back to Germany to visit his relatives
and in the hope of restoring his impaired
health. He carries with him the good
wishes and kindly sympathy of his
townsmen, and especially those of his
countrymen by whom he was most highly
esteemed
MIR. Apfelbaum was born in Dantzig,
Prussia, in 1929. After leaving school
he was employed in a wholesale estab-
when he began the study Of law, which
he continued for two years His health
falling, he went on the road as a travel
ing salesman for large wine merchant.
Four years later, his father having died,
he went to England but finding no en-
ployment there he went back to Ger
many and took passage for America on
the ship of a schoolmate. Discouraged
by the outlook here, he about concluded
to enlist in the English foreign league,
which was about ready to go to Crimea.
At this juncture he received a PROPOSE
ton from DR.. James c. Jackson to go to
the Glen Haven watercure. This he &C
copied and for, four years he remained
with the doctor in the study of hydro
pathy. He then went to Philadelphia for
short time and finally, in 1857, he came
with DIR. Grau, head physician of the
Lawrence watercure, to Brattleboro
DIR. Grau being unable, on account Of
poor health, to give instructions to the
students. the proprietor of the establish
ment, Joseph Davidson of New York.
who had bough it of Bayard Clark, the
founder and builder in 1852, engaged Mr..
Apfelbaum as superintendent of the
house, Charles Cheney, now of Hoosac
Falls, N. Y, being the head clerk Here
Mr.. Apfelbaum remained until 1860, when
he went across the way to the Vessel
hoeft watercure as superintendent for p.
b. Francis, who had succeeded DR.. Wes-
sehoeft, who opened this stablishment
in 1S45. In 1861 DIR. Davidson failed and
the Lawrence watercure was transferred
to William Browne, who held the mort
gage. Mr. Browne engaged Mr.. APPEL
baum as manager, and two years later
he and Ernst Hoppe of New York bought
the institution and continued its success
full career for five years, when Mr.. APPEL
baum sold his interest to his partner
though he was retained as manager an
other year, when Mr.. Knowlton, brother
L. SfI L n taofa hon fhn co
Mr.. Apfelbaum continued as manager
until 1870, when he entered the employ OF
the Estey Organ company, where he has
been for 25 years.
During the winters of 1862 and 1868
Mr.. Apfelbaum was agent for the United
States sanitary commission with the
Army of the Potomac at Aqua Creek, Va
He spent the winters of 1865 and 1866 in
Germany. He married in 1870 Miss Au-
gusta Appel, teacher of languages in
Glenwood seminary and Col C. A. Miles's
military school, She had taught Ian
Mrs. Rowland and st. Agnes's school in
Bellows Falls and in Miss Stevens rs
school in Greenfield
During Mr. Apfelbaums administra-
ton of the watercures several prominent
people were guests of the two houses
among them being the Buckners of New
Orleans, Mrs. Eustis, Gen. Mcclellan, the
Prussian, Austrian and Belgium minis
tiers, Count Gurowsky secretary of the
Russian legation, finished linguist, and
political writer of distinction, who
finally became secretary Stewards private
secretary, Peter B. Sweeney, the Tam.
many sachem, Miles O'Riley, DIR. Kane
the Arctic explorer, and a number o.
noted southerners, who kept up theil
visits here until the breaking out of tn,
war. The guests of the watercure wer,
given to great social activity in thos'
days, and their masquerades were uniqu,
and expensive parties. Mr.. Apfelbaun
was a man OF great physical strength
and a little story well illustrates his pow
err One night in the midst of a gentee
company of dancers, burly fellow whit
had found his way unbidden into tn
ball room began to disturb the party
Mr.. Apfelbaum approached the intrude
and clasping him tightly and lifting hin
bodily from the floor carried him OUTSIDE
and sat him down In the mud, while tn,
dance continued without further inter
ruption.
'Mr. Apfelbaum frequently sang II
public here. He had a good musical edu
cation, and in boyhood was a member o
choir in his native place. He is
member Of the Arian and Lieder Kran
societies OF New York"
New York city, according to the censu
bureau, has ceased to be an Irish ant
German city, so far as its foreign ori
population Is concerned and has hecom