The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-29
Complete List of Memorial
Day Orators i'm Brat
tleborO
FIRST GIVEN BY
EX-GOV. HOLBROOK
Many of the Early Addresses Were
Delivered in Prospect Hill Cemetery
Dedication of Fisk Monument Was
Feature One Year,

AedVeIeu IN prospect Hill Cemetery
Dedication Of Fisk Monument Was
Feature One Year.
While Memorial day always has
been observed in Brattleboro on Nav /
80, or the day previous or the day fol
lowing in case May 30 fell on Sunday
as this year, the day observed at first
differed with the various states.
Usage has settled on Nav 80. which
is legal holiday in most states. This
day is said TO have been chosen be- |
cause it was the date of the discharge
of the last soldier Of the Union army |
in the Civil war Originally it was
called Memorial day then it came to |
be called Decoration day, and now the |
designation Memorial dav again seems |
to be preferred.
search through the files of the |
Vermont Phoenix shows that the first |
general observance in Brattleboro was |
on Saturday, May so, 1865. The exer.
cises took place in Prospect Hill GEM |
etery, where a United States govern |
ment burial lot had been established. /
Most Of the celebrations in the earlier |
years were held in the cemetery, the |
custom later changing so that the adj |
dresses and some other exercises were |
held indoors but there has been a pro |
cession every year exceut in case of |
rain.
At the first observance there were
three short addresses, the first being
| by exGov. Frederick Holbrook of
Brattleboro. Vermont s Civil war gov
ernor and the others being by Major |
| John G. Tyler and Rev n MighiIl. |
Since then the memorial address has
| been given by one speaker each year
| In 1874, previous to the memorial
/ exercises proper, the James Fisk mon
ument in Prospect Hill cemetery, scul-
ptured by Larkin c. Mead of this
| town, was dedicated in the presence
| of thousands of persons. The monu-
ment was surrounded by more than
81 600 worth of flowers.
| Following IS a list of the Memorial
day speakers in Brattleboro, their res
idenee being Brattleboro unless other
wise specified:
| 1865, Ex.Goy. Frederick Holbrook,
Major John c. Tyler, Rev. n.
Mighill.
1869, Rev. Y. Mighill.
1870 Col. Kittredge Haskins.
/ 1871, Col. Charles H. Joyce of Rutland,
formerly commander of the I'd
:. Vermont regiment.
1872, Rev. NJ H Harris
I1S73, Col. Kittredge Haskins.
: 1874, Col. W. G. Veazey of Rutland,
formerly commander of the
10th Vermont regiment
1879, Rev. u. n. Glazier of Montpel
ier
1876, Rev. Horace Burchard
1877, Rev n. F. Perry
1878, Rev. D. A. Mack of Franklin,
. 1879, Rev. George f. Martin
T 1880 Rev. f. W. Whitney address de-
E livered in Fisk's tent on
Frost s meadow.
r 1881, Rev. j. B. Green CENTRE address
l in the form of poem.)
) 1882, Rev. George B. Cow.
!, 1888, Rev. A. B. Truax
0 1884, Judge James NJ. Tyler.
1885, Col, William c. Holbrook of New
e York city, son of ex-Gov. Hol-
a brook and formerly colonel of
d the 7th Vermont regiment.
$ 1886, Rev. l. NJ. Foster of Brooklyn,
i n Y
1887, George A. Brown of Bellows
d Falls.
Y 1855, Rev. F. J. Parry
II 1889, Col George 7. ChiIds of st. Al
10 pans.
1890, DIR. G. F. Branch of Newport
1891, Gen. Horatio c. King of Brook,
lvn, n. Y.
1892, Capt. G. H. Buffam of Boston
Mass.
Y 1898, Judge James L. Martin
1894, Rev. Hal d. Maxwell.
1895, Col. Joel G. Baker of Rutland
: 1896, Col. George w. Hooker, who wa!
- mustered out with the rank o1
lieutenant colonel.
1897, Judge Lavant NJ Read of Bel
lows Falls.
IF 1898, Col. Joseph n. Goulding of Will
70 mington.
- 1899, Rev. Fred E. Marble.
ar 1900, Rev Reignald K Marvin
~ 1901, Rev. Charles O. Day.
1902, Rev Edward T. Mathison.
1908, James Fisk Hooker.
1904, Rev. Luther NJ. Keneston o
Sc West Brattleboro.
~ 1906 Rev. Father Michael j. Carmody
:. 1906, Rev. Frank L. Masseck.
= 1907, Rev. Alfred H. Webb.
1908, Rev. George B. Lawson.
1909, Rev. Delmar E. Trout.
ar 1910, Rev. Roy NJ. Houghton.
It's 1911, Rev. Edwin j. Lewis of Yves
Brattleboro.
,rs 1912, Attorney Ernest w. Gibson.
To 1913, Attorney Clarke G. Fits
he 1914, Rev Thomas W. Owens.