Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-12-29
BRIGHTON'S REPRESENTATIVE
Some Incidents i'm the Life of
j. S.Sweeney, Who Will Repre-
sent This Town in the Legisla-
ture that C0nvenes January3d.

ture that COnvenes January3d.
Brighton's representative, j. s.
Sweeney. isa man of affairs. He is
interested in local industries and az.
tive in their successful operation.
He believes in the advancement of
all public work that is for the uplift
and betterment of the people.
John 5. Sweeney was born in Can
ada in 1851, the son of Mr.. and Mrs.
Franklin Sweeney. He came to
Charleston in 1868, when IL years of
age, and went to work for Eliphalet
Prescott on a farm. He was educa-
ted in the public schools of that day
and worked farming, in mills and
stores. He bought a store and con-
Quoted a mercantile business from
1870 to 1898 in Charleston.
In 1875 he married Miss Rose Ste-
vens of Charleston, daughter of Col.
c. D. Stevens One daughter was
born to thu m, Iva, the wife of Dr.
A. E. Parlin Of this place, and they
have an adopted daughter, Miss
Esefa Chappell, a trained nurse of
St. Johnsbury.
Mr.. Sweeney was very active in
the business enterprises of Charles
ten, and fulfilled his duties as citi-
zen, winning the confidence and es-
TEEN of his toWnsmen. He held every
office in the administration of town
affairs in Charleston except that of
town clerk, and was elected repre-
sentative from that town in 1888.
He held the office of postmaster from
1875 to 1898, except during the ad-
ministration of Grover Cleveland.
In 1898 he came to Island Pond and
has taken an active part in the in
dustrial progress and community
uplift of the place. For two years
he was foreman for the Fitzgefaid
Lumber Company. He entered into
the real estate business with Por ter
H. Dale, soon after moving to town
and the partnership continues at the
present time. He was in company
with Porter H. Dale, L. A. Cobb and
0. S. Eaton in developing the electric
light plant at Charleston and con-
tinues an active member of that
corporation. He was charter
member of the Island Pond National
Bank and is at the present time its
vice president. He was postmaster
here for eight years and is the pres
ent commissioner of the unorganized
towns and cores in Essex county.
Mr.. Sweeney was active in devel-
oping thePeople's telephone line and
was associated with Sidney Fletcher
of Holland, C. S. Herman of Charles.
ton and Frank Moore of Morgan in
this work. This was one of the first
telephone lines in this section and
Mr.. Sweeney installed the first pri-
vate telephone in this place in his
home. Later this line was sold tc
George Valley, who sold to O. T
Davis. Mr.. Davis sold to the Pas
sumpsic Telephone company, which
today is the only telephone system
in operation here.
Mr.. Sweeney is a steward anC
trustee of the Methodist church anC
very active worker of that society
He was thrown on his own resources
at an early age, his home being
broken up by his father going to t
front in 1862, as a member of the
Massachusetts heavy artillery. HI
served through the war, and soor
after returning home died from tn,
hardships Of the service. Thus win
ming his way by perseverance, in
tegrity, geniality, and sympatheti
helpful interest in, his fe lowmen, h
has become citizen esteemed an,
respected by his feIlowtownsmen, ant
the large number with whom his ex
tensive business dealings has Erough
him in contact, and in every sense o
the term is a self-made man. Thi
, is the man Brighton sends to tn
legislature and he will be an earnest
conscientious worker in that body.
, SERGEANT.AT.ARMS