Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-28
DR.N0RMAN SEAVER
DEAD At RUTLAND
Noted Preacher Had Exchanged
Pulpits with Henry Ward
Beecher-Was Man of
Broad Mind.

Rutland, Jan. 21.-The Re- Dr. Norman
Seaver Of this city noted orator and
savant died suddenly this morning at
his home on South Main street, having
been Ill in bed for two weeks. Dr. Seaver
seemed better last evening than he had
been for some time and his death, which
occurred almost instantly, was entirely
unexpected, The funeral will be held
Sunday afternoon at 2:3o o'clock at the
Rutland Congregational Church, of which
he was formerly pastor
Dr. Seaver was born in Groton, Mass.
April %, 1884, and with his family moved
at an early age to Boston. lie was the
son of Norman Seavcr, a lawyer, and
Anna Maria Lawrence, a member of the
famous Lawrence family of Massa-
chusetts. cousin Is Bishop William
Lawrence of Massachusetts and another
cousin is DR.. a. Lawrence Lowell. presl-
dent of Harvard University. Nearly all
Of the Lawrence and Seaver men were
graduates of Harvard College with the
exception Of Or. Seavor, who graduated
at Williams.
WAS FIRST a LAWYER
Or. Seaver attended Boston Latin
school and thence went to Williams Col
lege, whore he graduated in 1854 After
his graduation he studied law with a
prominent firm in Boston and was ad-
| mittcd to the bar ut the age Of 81 years.
He practiced at his profession for two
years and then, feeling a call for the
/ ministry, he went to Andover Theological
Seminary Later. in 1850 Or. Seaver
came to Rutland as assistant to DR.. Sias
| Aiken, pastor - the Congregational
Church, when Or Aiken retired two
| years later, DR.. Seaver was made pas
tor, filing that position for eight Years
From Rutland he was called to the
! First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn,
n Y, where he was a contemporary of
Henry Ward Beecher with whom he
frequently exchanged pulpits. For eight
years he retained that pas'oratc At
tho end Of that time the Rutland church
again tried to secure his services, but
he had pledged himself to 20 to SYRIA
cuse. y. Y, where he served another
eight years pastorate, leaving there to
go to st Paul, MINI. DIR. Seaver felt
that eight years was sufficiently long
for a pastor to remain in one church and
at the end Of another period of that
length he left st. Paul. returning TO this
city, where he intended to live and give
iup pastoral work. He was asked to
supply one Sunday in the Montpelier
church and he made such an impression
upon that parish that upon urgent re-
quest he served them for eight years
going 70 that citv from Rutland, whore
he kept his residence.
HAD BREADTH or MIND.
Since severing his connection with the
MONTPELIER Church DR.. Seaver had lived
in Rutland and had supplied at different
times nearly every evangelical church In
the state HIS broadminded view of
Christianity fitted him to fill acceptably
any pulpit. 1t is stated that for a week
in Chicago he preached in a Jewish syna-
gogue.
In 1866 Middlebury College conferred the
degree of doctor of divinity upon him
While Or. Seaver was pastor in Rutland
he preached memorable sermon at the
time Of President Llncoln's assassination,
even the pulpit steps being used to seat
the thronC of people who crowded to hear
him. and 1t the memorial service, com
memoratng the 50th anniversary of that
tragedy, he gave in the same church the
memorial address.
DR.. Seaver was married to Caroline Is
Daniels Of Rutland, who died January !
1876 In 1905 DR.. Seaver married Mrs
Ellen : Pond, who survives him.
DR.. SeaVer was prominent Mason
and an odd Fellow, having held offices ir
both of these orders. He was also :
member of the Knights of PNthias II,
belonged to the Sigma PM College frater'
nifty and. in his prime, was an athlete OF
recognized proves
DR. Seaver received maany honors. be-
ing selected orator at many GATHERINGS
of prominence He was loved by tbs
common people and many are the reminis
censes of the older residents of Rutland
of how he held his audiences speellboun
moving them alternately to tears anc
laughter by his words