The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-04-05
DAVID X. SIMONDS DEAD
One Of This Towns Most Prominent
Men--Lawyer, Soldier, Editor, Pub
lie Official--Passes Away.

Men-Lawyer, Soldier, Editor, Pub
i lie Official-Passes Away.
On Thursday morning, March 29th
David Kendall Simonds, one Of thil
towns most prominent citizens, pass
ed quietly away at his home here aftel
an illness Of about year Of exhaus
ton due TO his age.
| David Kendall Simonds was born If
the town Of Peru on the 9Th day Of
April, 1889, son Of the late Deacon
David Simonds Of that town. His boy.
hood was spent in his native town anc
there his early education was planned
After having attended the village
schools for several years he went 10
Burr and Burton Seminary in Man
chester for his academic education
and here he prepared for Middlebury
College, which he entered at once and
from which he graduated with honors
in 1862, being Phi Beta Kappa man.
After graduation he taught school,
a little later on going to Tennessee
where in 1863 he enlisted in the End
Tennessee regiment from which he
was honorably discharged in Febru-
airy, 1864.
Mr.. Simonds then came back to his
native state and took up the study Of
law in the Offices of Crane & Bisbee at
Newport. He was editor of the New
port Express & Standard 1866.
In 1870 he came to Manchester and
took the position as editor of the
Manchester Journal which was then
owned by the late Franklin H. Orvis.
In 1871 Mr.. Simonds purchased the
Journal and continued in its sole
ownership from that time until 1905
when he sold the property to Otto r.
Bennett, who now owns it.
He was appointed postmaster by
President Grant in 1872 and with the
exception of during President Cleve-
lands two terms, was postmaster
continually until 1918.
He was chosen town clerk in 1873,
having been appointed deputy clerk
by Loveland Munson who at that time
was town clerk, and was retained in
that position for 35 years when he re-
signed.
Mr.. Simonds was chosen the secre-
tary of the old Battenkill Valley Fair
Association when it was first organ
lied and continued as such for many
years. He represented Manchester in
the General Assembly in 1886 and was
senator from Bennington County in
1888. For eight years he was county
examiner Of teachers. He was trus-
tee Of Burr and Burton Seminary and
a Fellow Of Middlebury College for
many years previous and up to the
time Of his death. He also served the
cd fire district as its clerk for a
great many years and when the vii
lage was incorporated was chosen its
clerk and so continued until about six
years since.
He was active in the fraternal
world, being a member of Adoniram
Lodge No. AZ F. "a. NJ, Adoniram
Chapter, r. A. NJ, and Adoniram 0.
Z. s., all of Manchester; Taft Com
X. T. of Bennington. He had
been Past High Priest Of his Chapter
and was Grand Patron Of the o. E. S.
Grand Chapter of Vermont in 1888.
Mr.. Simonds was member Of Skin
ner Post No. "a G. A. r. from its or
ganization up to the time of his death,
and was also a member for many
years Of the Bar Association Of Ben
nington County.
Being a great lover Of music Mr..
Simonds was a member Of the choir of
the Congregational Church Of this vii
lage for great many years, and dur
ing the last years of his life he had
been one Of the deacons Of the church.
In 1873 Mr.. Simonds was married TO
Miss Elem Louise Clark, daughter Of
the late Rev. Asa F. Clark for IL |
years minister Of the Congregation
al Church in Peru, but at that time Of
Leverett, Mass. who with daughter,
Mrs. George 0rvis Of New York City
and Manchester, son, Clark d. Sim
,nds Of Portland, Oregon, and three
grand children. one Of whom Master
Franklin Orvis, was able 10 be here
md be present at the funeral services,
survive.