The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-01-29
RANDOLPH
Death of Willard Gay, One of Towns
Best Known Residents.

Death OF ,W1llaId Tdy, ohc Va AV"Hs
Best Known Residents.
/ Willard Gay, who since Saturday last
had been very i'll, passed peacefully to
his rest at o'clock on Wednesday morn
ing. No man in town had been more
actively engaged in business in former
years than Mr. Gay, and large circle
of business men will miss him, and yet
will point with pride to the record of
his career, which extended over so many
| wears. Mr.. Gay was one Of five children
| born to Daniel and Sally Baker Gay,
| in Stoekbridge, Oct. %, 1922. He re-
ceived his education in the village school
OF Gaysville and in his boyhood worked
on his fathers farm and at Gays Inn,
of which his father was the proprietor.
| When quite young, he entered a store
as clerk and there developed taste
/ for mercantile life, in which he was so
successful in later years. In 1851 he
came to Randolph and engaged in the
dry goods business with Harvey Spald-
ing under the firm of Spalding & Gay,
and in later years he was also a partner
in the firm of Badger & Gay. In the
year 1858 he bought the hardware BUSH
ness of r. 7. Dubois, the latter going
to Mortified to reside, and Mr.. Gay con-
tinued in this business until February,
| 1862, when the store was destroyed by
| fire. The same year Mr.. Dubois re-
turned from Northfield, and a partner
ship was formed under the name of
Dubois & Gay, which remained till his
death. In 1871 the hardware business
was sold to j. II. Lamson, and the firm
engaged in private banking until the
organization of the Randolph National
bank, and in this bank he has held the
office of ce-president and director since
that time. In politics Mr.. Gay was a
Democrat and was one OF the state COM
mittee of that party for four years and
was nominee of his party for state
| treasurer in 1882 He served the town
as lister for eight years and was one
of the trustees of the village four years.
He was greatly interested in the growth
and prosperity of the town and had
erected several dwelling houses and busi-
ness blocks, some of which he owned at
the time of his death. Mr.. Gay when
only 2l years of age joined the Odd
Fellows at Bethel, where there was a
lodge then working, and continued his
membership in that organization since
that time. He was the oldest member
| of Phoenix lodge, No. %, +. and A. NJ,
and was probably the oldest Mason in
| the state. Mr.. Gay was supporter
and attendant at the old Christian
church, and after its union with the Con-
gregational to form Bethany church, he
| still maintained his interest and sup
port, and although not able to be present
at its services was always pleased TO
hear of its progress. In January, 1852,
he married Susan s., daughter of Earl
and Anna (Lamson1 Dubois, and to
them were born two children, Mary
Alice, now the wife of DIR. f. o. Blan-
chard, and Frank Earl, who died in in
fancy. Mrs. Gay died in 1895 and since
that time his daughter and husband,
DIR. and Mrs. Blanchard, have been with
him and ministered to his every want.
Deceased is the last of his immediate
family, being survived by his daughter
and her husband, DIR. and Mrs. Blan-
chard, and granddaughter, Miss Helen
Gay Blanchard, and several nephews and
neces The funeral will be held from
his late home ON Main street at 2
o'clock on Friday afternoon Rev. Fraser
Metzger officiating, and interment will
be made in the family lot in Southview
cemetery. The Masonic lodge viii con-
duct the service, and the Odd Fellows
lodge viii attend in body.
Mr.. and Mrs. G. c. Clifford left on
Wednesday for Jacksonville, Fla, to re-
main few weeks through the cold
weather.
Mrs. A. c. Templeton. who has been
in Montpelier this week to visit her
mother, returned home on Wednesday.
Miss Ida Packard, guest of Ernest
Packard, her brother, left on Wednesday
for her home in Stoekbridge.
Miss Jennie Bell of Walden arrived
Wednesday for a several days stay with
Mrs. L. ii. Mason.
| Mrs. Mark Whitney of Chelsea is in
town this week, visiting her parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. L. d. Rhodes.
Silver Cross circle of Kings Daugh-
ters held its regular meeting at the
home of Mrs. w. r. Sargent on Tuesday
afternoon, with an attendance OF Is. IL
was decided to hold meeting once in
/ al