Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-01-19

and he gave up business about that time.
He had been under the care of a nurse,
but was able to make occasional trips to
his paper mill and to the post office
until very recently. He was confined to
his bed only a few days.
William Robertson was born in Hart
ford, Conn, June 10, 1922, and was
son of the late George and Margaret
Robertson. He was of Scotch ancestry
and his paternal grandfather spent his
entire life in Scotland George Robert
son came from Scotland to America
when a young man and in 1921 his
mother Joined him in this country. In
that same year George Robertson mar
ried Margaret Benson and they settled
in Hartford Conn. The family started
for Canada the next year. but on reach
ing st. Johnsbury the mother died and
settled in Putney. He formed here
partnership with his brother in the man.
ufacture of paper, and subsequently
erected a mill in the village, in which
paper was made by hand, but freshet
destroyed the plant in 1928. A new mill
was built and in 1887 Mr.. Robertson add
ed to his production line of straw pa
per. In 1910 he was forced to give up
his business through financial reVerses
and his son, William bought the entire
plant.
Captain Robertson had lived in Put
ney since coming here in his infancy.
On leaving school he learned the trade
of a papermaker under his fathers di
rection and at the age of about 20, with
no funds of his own, he leased the plant
and began business on his own account,
afterwards buying the property. He
continued making the same line of pa
per until 1865. Establishing then new
mill with the most approved pattern of
machinery he began the manufacture of
hinh hn lnH with
constantly increasing success.
The early methods We're primitive. The
paper was taken off the machines and
dried on poles, the pastepoard was dried
in the fields. Mr. Robertson used to
draw his paper to Boston, bringing back
loads of general supplies. The paper is
now made of wood fibre and shipped in
large, heavy rolls to all parts of the
country.
When the state militia was organized
soon after the st. Adams raid, Mr.. Rob-
ertson was commissioned captain of
Company B. 18th regiment, by Gov. Peter
T. Robertson, serving eight years. Since
then he had been called universally
Captain" Robertson. He always iden-
titled himself with the Republican party
and had served as representative from
Putney to the state legislature. He was
a member of the Masonic fraternity, be-
ing a member of Golden Rule lodge, No.
80. F. and A. M, of Putney, and Fort
Drummer chapter, No. II, r. A. NJ, Con-
necticut Valley council, No. 16, R. and
s. M, and Beausant Commandery, K.
T., of Brattleboro. He was a stockhold-
err of the Vermont National bank.
In 1854 Captain Robertson married Miss
Abbie A. Benson, daughter of DR.. Amora
and Abigail Orown) Benson of Land
grove, and their home has been a centre
of hospitality. Mrs Robertson and their
Pol
son and Frank NJ Robertson, who have
been associated with their father in
business, and Helen M, wife of Herbert
L. Bailey of this town.
In the death of Capt. Robertson this
town has lost the last of it's old time
business men who have remained in con-
tinuous service In his younger days he
was one of a group of men who made
the town of Putney widely known for
its business activity and whose names
were household names throughout this
section of the country. He stood for a
square deal in business and his integ-
rity was unquestoned in the paper
trade. He was a man of sound judg-
ment, who identified himself with the
best interests of the town, guarded Its
reputation to the best of his ability ant
generously supported every movement
which was calculated to uplift the com
munity. Although not physically rug
geo IN the past rev years, MS acqualnt
ances of a generation ago will remem
Der him as possessing marked endur
ance, as being alert and energetic ant
as being always ready to set his owl
hands to any task that needed to b.
done. He greatly admired good horse
and at different times owned animal
which were capable of doing fast mile
In the days of his prime manhood an
even in his advancing years he enjoy
driving in little brushes on the high
.---Yays and on several occasions he he'll