Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-01-21

were written no man was better qualified
then he to estimate fairly the worth
OF the life and literary labors " Daniel
Z. Thompson.
Daniel Pierce Thompson, son OF Daniel
and Rebekah Thompson, was born Octo-
Der !, 1875, at Charlestown, Mass. near
historic Bunker Hill He came of patri-
otto ancestry, his grandfather having
been slain in the battle of Lexington At
an early age he came to Vermont, in 1900,
with his parents. and practically his
whole life was passed in the Green Noun
tain State. AS a lad he was ambitious TO
obtain an education, but the family in
come was small, and 1t was necessary for
him to pay his own way very largely.
After taking some preparatory studies at
Randolph and Danville. he entered Mid
dlebury College, and was graduated in
the class of 1920
Going South, he became a tutor in
Virginia for several years where he
studied law, and was admitted to the
bar. He then returned to Vermont and
located in Montpelier for the practice
of his profession. At one time he lived
| on Barre street In this city, where the
stands, but some time was spent on a
farm between Montpelier and Barre, in
the town Of Berlin On this farm, under
pine tree still standing. IT is said that
Thompson performed some of his liter.
ary work.
In 1925. soon after he opened law
office in Montpelier, he was appointed
register of probate. which position he
held until 1899. He was engrossng clerk
of the House Of Representatives from
1890 until 1888 and again from 1884 to 1926
He was judge of probate for Washington
county from 1887 to 1S4o and during the
years of 1S4l-42. Other Offices which he
held include clerk of Washington county
court, 1896. and secretary of state, 1853
80. In 1893 he was appointed to compile
the laws of Vermont from 1924 TO 1894 in
, elusive. From 1s49 to 1856 he edited the
Green Mountain Freeman In which paper
he published many historical reminiscent
| ces. Mr. Thompson was n popular lee
turer and orator on public occasions. lie
| loved the fields and woods and all out-of-
door life He was an ardent fisherman,
and liked to spend much time with his
rod along the streams in this vicinity.
| The literary career Of Daniel p. Thomp-
! son may be said to have begun with the
writing Of May Martin or the Money
Diggers,' which won a prize offered by
the New England Galaxy, a Boston
newspaper. This story was published in
book form in Montpelier in 1896 and was
reprinted later in London The Ad-
ventures of Timothy Peacock" satirica,
novel dealing with the anti Masonic
1895 THE Green Mountain Boys" was
the next Of his novels to appear 1t was
dedicated to the Hon. Heman Allen.
United States minister to Chill. The
preface is dated March, 1889, and the
book was published at Montpelier in 1910,
being reprinted In Boston and London.
Locke Amsden,' designed to bring
about a reform OF the school system. was
published In Boston in 1876. Lucy Hos-
mer or the Guardian and the Ghost -
was published in lS4s The Rangers. or
the Tory's Daughter" In which the Bat
tie OF Bennington and incidents OF the
northern campaign of TIT were descrlb-
ed, was published in 1850 Tales Of the
Green Mountains" appeared in 1882
'Caut Curley, Tale Of the Umbagog,"
In 1857; '"rhe Doomed Chief. or King
Philip In 1sCo: and "Centeola." pub
lished in New York, In 1884. His "IIis-
tory OF Montpelier was published in
Montpelier in 1860, and in addition TO
local matters contains an excellent dis
cusson Of the Indian occupation Of Ver-
mont According to Appleton's Cyclopae-
dia OF biography Thompson left an I'M
finished novel, entitled 1.-The Honest
Lawyer, or the Fair Castaway"
MT Thompson died at his home in
Montpelier, June 6. 1868. aged nearly
seventy-three years. as a result OF
partial strokes Of paralysis. which had
impaired his health
MT Thompson married Eunice Rob-
inson OF Troy, Vt, by whom he had
i've children, George, Alma, Frances.
william and Daniel In personal ap-
pearance he was tall and slender. He
was a man OF very genial and pleasant
ways and there are residents Of Mont
pelier now living who remember that
no was such a fascinating story teller,
and 30 fond Of children. that he would
hold the attention OF restless lads by
the hour With his tales Of the stirring
times OF long ago.