Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-08-30
WESTMINSTER.
rHE NEW WILLARD MEMORIAL.
Beautiful Marble Monument, including
"The Recording Angel by Mead,
Erected by Henry X. Willard.


"The Recording Angel" by Mead,
Erected by Henry x. Willard.
beloved sons veneration for the |
memory of his honored father AMI moth |
| err, which has been shown many times |
| by Henry X. Willard, son Of the late |
Henry Augustus Willard and Sarah Brad |
| ley Willard, Is further demonstrated by |
! the erection of a massive and beautiful |
marble monument in the cemtery In this
village by Mr.. Willard as a memorial to
| his parents. The work Of putting the
memorial In place was completed Mon
| day of this week by skilled workmen en-
| ployed by the Vermont Marble company
| of Proctor The monument Is rectangu-
lar in shape, IA feet high, and in a niche
| on the west side Is a statue sculptured
in Florence, Italy, by the late Larkin G.
| Mead, 1t being a reproduction in marble
| of THE Recording Angel" the snow fig
| ure which Mr.. Mead formed at the juno
| ton of North Main and Linden Streets
| Bratteboro, on the last night in Deem
ber 1856, the making Of which was the
most memorable and picturesque cpl
sode in the life of the great sculptor.
In the latter part of April, 1910, six
months before Mr.. Mead's death, Henry
| X. Willard visited the artist In his stu
| do in Florence and asked for a sugges-
ton for a memorial for his father and
mother. Requiring a little time for con-
| SluerauOn, MT. mead asked Mr. Willard
| to return next day. when he expressed
the idea that a figure of THE Recording
| Angel" which was then complete in the
studio, would be especially suitable. Mr..
Willard was favorably impressed with
the idea and bought the statue and en-
gagged Mr.. Mead to design a monument,
into one side of which should be cut
niche to receive the statue.
After giving the order for 1.-THE Re-
cording Angel Mr. Willard commission
ed Mr.. Mead to chisel a replica of the
statue, to be placed in the Unitarian
church of Brattleboro, as memorial to
his parents, which is now in its perma-
nent position, also to execute in marble
a bust of Henry Augustus Willard, which
has been placed in the Garfield hospital
in Washington, D. c., of which institu-
ton he was one of the founders in 1881
and was a vice president from then until
his death. These three are practically
8 the last works executed by Mr.. Mead.
The commission for cutting and erecting
the monument was given to the Vermont
: Marble company and the blocks we're
quarried in West Rutland and finished
, in the shops at Centre Rutland. The
, completed monument, including the
statue is regarded by the company as
the most artistic cemetery memorial In
Vermont. 1t was erected under the direc-
ton of H. c. Bloomer foreman of the
finishing department.
$ as Vermont statuary marble, being near
ly pure white. For certain parts of 1t
t several blocks were quarried before
i those Of the desired color were obtained.
: There are four bases, a die and a cap.
e the whole weighing about IL tons and
= standing IA feet high. The bottom base
= is seven feet and four inches long by
= six feet and four inches wide. The die,
or upright part, is five feet high, three
feet and four inches one way and two
feet and two inches the other. The niche.
which Is on the west side, Is four feet
II high and the cap is four feet and two
inches by three feet. The lettering,
a which is on the top base and the one
= below 1t. is in rounded inscription letters
" in full relief and reads as follows:
). Henry Augustus Willard
May IA, 1922
December 4, 1909
h Sarah Bradley Willard
h August IT, 1881
November g. 1909
l. The family name, WILLARD, is in.
,e scribed on the east side. Above it, or
e. the die, the names of the various mem.
a bers of the family will be cut at latel
a. date.
- Finest quality of Carrara marble wal
. used by the sculptor in fashioning tn,
figure of The Recording Angel" 1
Is three feet and six inches tall ant
~ stands enclosed in the niche cut out o
"a the marble die, being protected in from
s. by a glass panel. 1t is wrought alon,
Of lines of exquisite beauty. and the grace
Ill full poise, the radiant face. the folde,
wings and the dove nesting on on
n shoulder all are suggestive of peace an,
n rest.
ne In front of the memorial. the face o
n the angel turned toward them, are tn
or two large headstones which mark tn
resting places Of the remains Of thos
s. whose memory is thus perpetuated. Tn
st angel also looks out over broad field
of and wide range of distant hills, a Sd
I'd lent sentinel as the sunsets and twi
la lights fade and leave the earth in dark
ng ness
Another part Of the Willard lot con
or tains a monument representing an ange
a. also made Of Carrara marble, but
h. does not equal the Mead angel in beaut
=, or workmanship
~ The first statue Of THE Racordin
20 Angel Is now owned by Mrs. Sim
"a In Maryland. There are six copies {
N the original in this country.
Henry Augustus Willard was a native q
ay Westminster and became an eminent hots
p proprietor and one Of the foremost eli
m m liens In Washington, d. c. Sarah Bra.a
" ley Willard was born in Saxtons Rive
OF but lived in Westminster from the ag
- Of nine months until she was "A year
oiu gong as prloe 10 washington
o. Henry Kellogg Willard, the son, hs
es been lifelong resident Of washington
~: Between two and three years ago h
nd bought back into the family the OF
K Bradley homestead in this village an
a. restored 1t as nearly as possible to II
IL former condition when II was the HON
Of Judge William c. Bradley Henr
X. Wizards great grandfather In n
day a noted member OF the bar an
IN bench.
ng Mr.. and Mrs. Judd are visiting in Ho
r. yoke.
Mrs. George Howard and daughter al
visiting in Springfield.
Mrs. Dr.) Hitchcock Of Bennington
an guest at Mr.. and Mrs. q. H. Walker
tn Mrs. L. A. Lewis and children hay
returned from their visit In Winchendol
Ia Mass.
d. Mr.. and Mrs. George Chase of SomeI
to vile, Mass, have been visiting at Nj
and Mrs. Charles Rices.
sy Mark Arnold OF st. Louis joined Mr.
VS. Arnold Saturday at the home Of HI