The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-05-14
VETERANS, MILITIA,
CIVILIANS PRESENT
Finally Body Was Laid to
Rest in Little Cemetery
Beside the Church, as Col
ors Were Dipped, Salute
Fired, and Band Played
Nearer My God to Thee

/ Highgate Center, May l4--In this, his
native town and boyhood home, marked
honor was paid to-day to Rufus Edward
Percy, the U. S. marine who was killed
on April 22, when the United States
forces took possession Of the city of
/ Vera Cruz. There was a great gather
ing of people here from the whole north
western part of the state. The body
was brought early this afternoon from
Swanton, where it had arrived early this
morning from Boston, after being trans
ferred from the cruiser Montana
The train bearing the remains of the
young marine reached Swanton shortly
after o'clock and was met by the mem
bers of Jesse A. Jewett post, g. A. r.
Later in the forenoon, the members of
the post and 800 school children formed
in line and escorted the body to the
home of the young marines aunt, Mrs.
Lillian Mccarthy. On arriving at the
house. members of the post bore the
caskct 10 the house, where a Salvation
Army service was held under direction
of Adjutant w. A. Antran Of Boston,
The service was most impressive. The
marines father, Miles S. Percy, his
mother, Mrs. Minnie Il. Percy, and his
brother, G. Cleveland Percy, were pres
cnt and all deeply moved throughout
the service. AT the close the Swanton
school children sang America
Early this afternoon the body was
kta k1y 4A vii Ia kasx
met by the school children of the town
and escorted to the Congregational
church.
Several Military Delegations.
Meanwhile special train had brought
large party of people from st. Al
"A. r., the Spanish War Veterans, Co. B
of the Vermont National Guard, the st.
Adams Brigade band, Adiutant General
Lee S. Tillotson, Col. Herbert T.. John
son, Major II. S. Watson and Capt. l.. j.
Mygatt, all Of whom are connected with
the Vermont National Guard. There
also was a large delegation of citizens
on board the train.
The Congrega tional church had been
decorated with wildfowers gathered by
the children, and the edifce was more
than filled by the throng who had gath
cred to pay honor to the dead hero.
The funeral Grafton was delivered by
Rev. F. Wilson Day OF Franklin
the service there was deep
display of emotion by all.
Body Consigned to Grave,
At the close of the service, Co. B
formed i'm double line and presented |
arms az the body of the marine and |
the mourners passed out of the church. |
Spanish war veterans acted as bearers |
and the body was taken to the cemetery |
near the church, under escort of Co. b, |
which had reformed after the funeral
party had passed out of the church. /
The casket was draped in the stars and |
stripes. At the grave the company was
brought 20 attention, and then three
volleys were fired, taps was sounded.
eolors were dipped, the Brigade band
played Nearer, My God, to Thee" and /
the body was consigned to the grave.
The Young Mans Record.
Rufus Edward Percy, who was thus
20 signslly honored, was born on the old
Percy homestead, farm about a quar-
Ter of a mile from this village, on June I
J, 1889. He attended the public schools
1t Highgate Center and five years ago
vent to Hopkinton, n. a., to live. He
vas employed at George Putnam's
,reamery in that town for Is months,
Ind while the family were there the
,oy's father and mother separated, the
mother going to Concord, N. H., and
aking the younger son, G. Cleveland,
With her. +
After working at the Putnam cream
ry, Rufus went to Concord and for four
months was employed in the state hos
,ital in that city. Then he went to
Boston and enlisted in the United States
lavy, and he had served two years, four
months and seven days when he was
navy yard, he was detailed
o Cuba, and there he served five months.
IN returning to Boston, he was sent,
fter few days, to Nicaragua and then /
o Panama, spending one year in those /
aces. Later he was detailed to Tam {
ico in the Chester, and still later to I
EZRA Cruz with the Utah. 1t
In the engagement at Vera Cruz on
Ipril %, young Percy received bullet "
n the brain at 10 a. M, dying almost i
instantly. His body was taken aboard t
he Solace and later was transferred to c
he cruiser Montana, BY which it was In
rought TO New York, together with ID !
ther bodies of Americans killed at Vera a
rBz. The young man leaves no other