Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-01-17
DR.. SHELDON DEAD
IN HIS 6SRD YEAR

DR.. William H. Sheldon, identified for
two score years with the business life
of Middlebury and one of the most pop
ular citizens of the village, died at his
home on Main street at four o clock last
Sunday afternoon. He mad been in
failing health for number Of years,
but, although confined largely to the
house, he had overseen the manage
ment of his pharmacy until about a
month ago when he began to fail more
rapidly. He had been sufferer for
many years from asthma, and compli-
cations. On last Christmas Day he had
taken to his bed with his final illness.
DR.. Sheldon passed his 69rd year on
December 81, and practically all of his
life had been spent in Middlebury. He
was the son of Harmon A. and Mary
BASS Sheldon. His father, in l843,
established the Sheldon drug store at
the same location which it now has on
Main street. When Harmon Sheldon
died in 1880, the store was run by a
brother, Homer Sheldon, for ten years,
when DR.. Sheldon took ever the prop
erty.
Ir the meantime DR.. Sheldon had
completed an education which fitted
him particularly well for service as a
pharmacist. He had, as boy, attend
ed a school known as St. Clements Hall
at Elliott City, Md, in addition to the
local schools, and from 1876 to 1878 he
was student at Middlebury College.
The two succeeding years he spent at
the Bellevue Hospital Medical School
in New York, where he received the
degree of M. D., and in 1887 the degree
of Master of Arts was conferred upon
him at Middlebury College.
The old Sheldon homestead was what
is now known as the Darrow house on
Weybridge street. DR.. Sheldon grew
up there, and even as boy became
prominent in the village life because of
his fine tenor voice. He sang at St.
Stephens from boyhood until the early
90s, and was singer at the Congrega-
tional church for number of years
also until his voice began to fail him.
He was married January IA, 1885 to
Miss Jennie Sprague tarnsworth, of a
well-known New Haven family, and she
survives him. Their only child, Mar
gale ct, is the wife of Major Daniel NJ
Shrewbrooks, attached to West Point
Military Academy. Mrs Shrewbrooks,
who was formerly a trained nurse, was
here attending her father at the time
of his death, and Major Shrewbrooks
car this week to attend the funeral.
DR.. Sheldon had been in business here
longer than most of his fellow business
men. His unfailing good humor and
cordiality made him extremely popular
with all, and he had close friends both
in the college and village circles. He
was member of Union Lodge, F. and
A. M. of Potter Chapter No. %, R. A.
NJ, Mount Calvary Commandery, and
Knights Templar He was also MEM
ber of the Chi Psi fraternity at the
College.
While not recently conspicuous in
public life, he had held number of
town and village offices, including the
posts of auditor and trustee. Those
who knew him intimately knew of his
many acts of charity, which he worked
in the most unostentatious way.
The funeral, held at the home on
Wednesday afternoon, was conducted
by Rev. E. B Holmes, and burial was
in the West cemetery. The bearers
were John A. Fletcher, John H. Stew
art, DR.. S. S. Eddy, Robert F. Pinney,
Rufus Wainwright, and Lucius But
tolph.
In addition to his wife end daughter,
DIR. Sheldon is survived by one brother.
DR.. Samuel Sheldon, of the Brook
lyn Polytechnic Institute, and sister,
Mrs G. D. Miner of Middlebury. DR..
Samuel Sheldon is i'll in Brooklyn, and
was not here for the funeral.
The Register, inquiring of Mrs. Shell
don, if any plans had been made for the
further conduct of the Sheldon store,
was informed that the business would
be conducted as usual, and that no other
announcement could be made at this
time.