Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-01-12
LYMAN WALKER PEET.

LYMAN WALKER PEET.
The community was shocked ant
saddened by the announcement of tn,
death on Thursday, January 9TH O.
Lyman W. Peet. He had been in fail
ing health for several weeks, but no
considered seriously i'll until few hours
previous to the end.
He was born in Cornwall January Ia
1888, a son of the late Loren StebbinS
Peet, and Electa Linsley Poet, and haC
one sister Roxana, wife of the late
Loren Mead, and brother, the late
E. Warren Peet of California. Mr..
Peet was married three times, first to
Ellen c. Wolcott of Talmage, Ohio,
who lived only a short time, the second
to Elizabeth Russell of Missouri, who
died, also their son, Clarence A., a
small lad. On September 2S, 1876 he
married Mary r. Hamilton, daughter
of William and Marcia Murray
Hamilton, who passed from this life in
February, 1915. Two children were
born to them, Edward Hamilton Peet,
who lives on the home farm and Ger
trude E. who died in 1903.
Mr.. Peet was fitted for college at
Burr and Burton seminary in Manches-
ter, and was graduated from Middle
bury College in the class of 1861 The
next twelve years he spent in teaching,
first at Tarrytown, N. Y, and then
successfully at Hoboken, N. j.,
Chattanooga, Tenn, and the Middle
West. Returning home in 1875 he set
tied down on the ancestral farm, the
original pitch taken up by his great
grandsire, Ebenezer Stebbins, just 100
years previous. He took up scientific
and intensive farming to which pursuit
he devoted the remainder of his life.
He at once got close to nature and
natures ways. He was greatly inter-
ested in agricultural Investigations and
developed an oat that has been widely
grown, was a successful grower and
exhibitor of corn, at local and New
England agricultural expositions, win
ming many prizes, and was awarded a
medal by the Pan American Exposition
as the champion corn grower of YER
mont.
Mr.. Peet was ever loyal to his alma
mater and has record which is unique,
having been present at every com
of Middlebury College dur
ing the past 40 years. Only three of
his classmates, James b. Smith of
Chicago, Robert Donaldson of Califor-
MIA and John B. Young of Davenport,
Ia, survive him.
Mr.. Peet was one of the most promi-
lent and influential citizens of Corn
wall, and since 1882 had held the
position of magistrate, he also served
Is school director and superintendent of
schools for term of years, and filled
learly all the other positions of trust
within the gift of the town. He was the
representative in the General Assembly
n 1898. He discharged his public duties
With clear and discriminating judg-
nent and with promptness and fidelity
which won for him general commenda-
ion. His public as well as his private
fe was without bemish or reproach.
lis character was one of quiet, rugged
Mr.. Peet ever took an active interest
| the social, political and religious in I
srests of the town, Congregationalist $
y profession. He had been for the past 6
ecade trustee o. the Cornwall Free y
brary and his untiring zeal for the y
and increased usefulness of {
was most marked. G
A man of scholarly attainment, his A
.erarY tastes were extensive, many d
ere the contributions to the press from
s pen, not only in poetry, but on scien-
ic, agricultural, economic and political
bjects. y
With his vigorous independence of n
ought, he always welcomed an op- "
rtunity for discussion and argu- K
ent. .
A large and representative assem- u
age of citizens and relatives gathered N
his late home on Saturday afternoon, =
nuary 6, to pay their last tribute of b