Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-15
WESTERLY

orlal Pubic library on Tffoad street
 from 1894 to 1908, died at S.30 o'clock Friday morning at his honla on Grove
 avenue. Ha- had been in laiiing health fer two yeacs but not unfl three months ago was he confined to his in November when he presided at the | meeting of the Westerly Hi,torical so ciety.
 Mir. Wilcox. the son of Silas and | Eunice Swan Wilcox. was horn July 5 | lS41, in Norwich. Conn His father l
 died when he was two yours old. leav- ] ing the nao'her with six children to | care for.
 Ethan. next to the youngest child, l although early put to work to help | in the support of the family, man aged to secure the rudirnents of an ed ucation. For a time be attended tho WestF'ly High School when A. i. Eos | ter was principal At that time pu 1 pills had to pay tuition | Mir. Wilcox began lis career in i Westerly in the White Rock mill in 1857. His fidelity to duty was soon recognized, and he was made general manager of inc compans's store in ! White Rock, where ne remained for 1 many years. In 1877 he moved into l Westerly and started in business for 1 himself in the old Barber building on | High street. He conduCtc;I q. general ! merchandise store until his place was ! burned out ill the big f7lc Of 1SGt when 1 three blocks Were destrt,ytl. He then i became manager Of the Smith Granite I cor1pany store on Quarry Till where | he remained until called to take up the duties of librarian of the Wester- l ly public library in 1891.
 l NIT. WiicoE's interest in library
 work began r12Tly years 2 go when the | old Pawcatlicll Library association was in existence. In 1882 he served as
 9 member of the -orgarizarion com m1ttee of tho association. From that 1 time he served as librarian of the as 1 sociation until it's disbandrlent. All
 thee books of the cid Pavr.tGck Mora
 ary were purchansed by Stephen Will 1 COX and nada the nucleus Of the pres
 ent public\ library
 1 From 1894 to 1908 MT " iIcox serv- | ed as librarian during which time the ] library grew from 5001 volumes to nearly 21 000. In 1908 he was made lt- | brG%4n emeritus. He served Gs vice l president anl president of the Rhode l ls1agd Library assocation, and was for i many years one of the editCrs Of the 1 Rhode Island Library Bulletin. He 1 was also q member Of the American l Library association.
 | MT. Wilcox was 9 charter member of the Westerly, Historical society and
 it's president Fihcc t914. Fer years he
 was Q member of the New England
 Historical and Chronological soc;ety.
 From 1891 to 1901 Ng. Wilcox serv-
 ed the town as Overseer of the poor He declined reelection. Jle was also
 superintendent Of health from 1894 to | 1897. Fer years he served 5s one of the record commissioners with the late A. L. Chester.
 He became q member Of the White Rock Sunday school ia 1857, served as it's clerk and treasurer. wee sUpeE.A- tendent aud superintendent He was Baptized into the membership of the First Baptist church hv Fey. F7red- nriek DenisCn. March 1S.t955 lie WAS ordained deacon of th3 church De combert275. He was eiacted clerk
 of he church in 1899, and served for 20 E years.
 For over 5 years he gavo his untir- , ing efforts to the work Of .7lrer ntead- ing the school. On raticing frl IT inc superintendeDCy in May. 1912. Ec was made honorary superintendent fo~ lifa
 He married Ruth Jchnsnn C~eene 0i l Westerly November 24. I&fa, and she = died May s. 1909.
 He leaves 2 sister MT. Dwight r t Coates of ATiddlebnro. Mass. who is Q 84 years old a son. F7re5ar'cE F WI [ COX. clerk in the freight 0f7fee of the l | New Haven road; a daughter. Miss |: Fannie F. Wilcox, reference librarian I ] at the Westerly public library. a1t 2 | three grandchildren.
 Il Vern AIde", who claimed Spekana
 Wash. as hi7 home vas in tha Tht~f 7. District court before .I.j5ea Oliver T l. Williams, Friday afternoon charged = ! with being q tramp. l4a was sen . i tenCrd to ono year in the stata aGi i 7 house. Al62n was arrested hy De 7. tectiVe Kane Of the Nav Haven read . and was brought t0 Vss-erlv by Con i stable Thomnson and s"Ire3 oyer te
 | Officer Fred T. Mitchell. Tha ;rforr1- i ation came frer Providence. that A. l den was ad there for eEa,irg .Ae
 draft. Chief cf Police H' r. Drour ,. l took the man to that cit. Friday aft
 ] eCa"on for examination at inc de !, l p2rtnent of justice. n l convcrSa !, tion with Officer Mitchell Allen sa;j | that he had nat worked for s year anC }, did not intend to work os long 2s D,
 could get by without t. When aef7as :, f he was m " W. Allen. accord. Q certainly was and that la was prcul l. of il.
 e Governor F. :. Beeol,nen corr
 manicr- n chief oi tha 1nf,'l.a 0
 Rhode Island has ordered an i1
 snoction Of the Rhode ls,2nd Stat
 Guard Regiment. Gel. A. A .HarEe c. paid q visit io the Fourth Comp2n7 Is of Westerly Thursday night at thei l. artncry en D'xon street nn6 state e that the inspection of that Crganiza q tion would be held on ThursEav even 7r ing, March 20 The insnccjion vii
 consist of insrectio or of arms an
 equipment; close order drill. Ield a1 Is combat exercises which will ino1Bd t advance Euard; forming for attack a
 P opponents pcEition, guard mount = ing, posting relief. sentinel duty an = book ana papers.
 7 Sunday afternoon at c'ciock tE7 E members of the West erly Sanitar k corps and the Fourth Comrany, R. E :. C., will witness the not/n D!ctUr, Fit to Fight" at the C9rtral thea 3 tre. Dr Harry Kimbau of Provi E dence will deliver a lecture on clean I l'ness and conditions noces s8rE 10 goo { health, Men and boys of IS years C X age will be admitted free Of charge
 \ All kinds Of useful e4npioyment ar