The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-09
DEATH OF ELIJAH
DEWEY OCCURRED
THIS MORNING
Last of His Generation In His
torically Prominent Family
WAS OVER 81 YEARS OLD
Had Been Failing for Several Months
and News OF His Death Oc-
casions No Surprise

Elijah Dewey, the last member of
his generation of the family that has
been so prominent in the history OF
Bennington, passed away at the old
Dewey residence on West Main
street at 4.30 O'Clock this morning.
He was born in Bennington June
26, 1888, the son of Captain Jedediah
Dewey and Hannah Eldredge Dewey,
and was therefore few days more
than 81 years old.
Until the past winter he had been
in remarkably good health for a mar.
who had passed the four score year
mark Early in the winter he con- :
tracted severe cold and in January
left here with the intention of pass
ing the remainder of the cold wealth
er in the Bermudas. His condition
was such after arriving in New York,
however, that he did not complete
the proposed journey and returned
here in a feeble condition. During
the past five months he failed rapidly
and the news of his death occasioned
no surprise.
After leaving school Mr.. Dewey
then a boy of717, was employed as a
clerk by Lyman, Fenton & Park in
store which stood opposite the pre-
sent Free Library building. Later he
became teller in the Stark bank and
it was from this position that he re-
signed and went to California where
he was for five years in the offia6.af.
the celebrated law firm of Hal
Billings, Peachy & Park.
The junior member of the
Trenor w. Park of Bennington,
attorney for the vigilance commi
which restored order in San Franz
co in the late SOS and Mr.. Dew
was closely identified with many
the stirring scenes of that day.
Mr.. Dewey was accustomed al
times to write short sketches dsscrit
ing his experiences ON the Pacih
coast during the days following Il
big rush of 1S49. One of them
scribes a trip taken by himself a
two other men across San Francis
bay in q rowboat for the purpose
delivering $4,000 at the court hous
in San Rafael. The money was
meet a payment by his firm in tn
purchase OF rance of 10000 acre
Upon his return from California I
assisted his father in the ochre bus
ness. Mr.. Dewey believed that h
was organizer of one of the frspV
trusts" in America At that time,
early in the SOS there we're four
firms mining and shipping ochre from
Bennington. Competition was sharp
and the price had been cut so closk
that there was not large margin d
the four ochre firms entered into an
agreement to raise the price SO Az
ton. lie was appointed selling agent
for the combination and acted in
that capacity for several years. Thei
ochre was largely used in the manu-
facture of oil cloth. One day SONG
experimentor found that ground sla,
would answer the purpose and I'd
slump in prices that followed put Il
ochre trust out of business.
For some years Mr.. Dewey was
New York, a member of the brol1
age firm OF Wheeler, Dewey & Ish
which had Offices in Wall street.
returned to Bennington more than
years ago and had since devoted
time to the care of the family pro
ty much OF which is in agricult
land.
Mr.. Dewey had a thorough H
ledge Of the early history of Benr
ton and took keen interest in
work Of preserving the landmarks
those early days.
lie was a member of the Benn
ton Battle Monument and HisforicS
society and a regular attendant at
all meetings. lie was an optimis-
tic citizen who believed that the
community has an extensive indus 4
trial future and took keen delightA
in every evidence Of progress. -
the present generation he will be ~
membered as a genial. kind hearted
little old man who. in spite of the
fact that he had progressed beypshd =
the allotted three score and hen
years. was always looking forward
for better days to come and who
spoke IN Of no one.
Mr.. Dewey was member OF the
old First church on the hill.
The funeral arrangements have n
been made