The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-11-27
REV. E. wILMoT CUMMINGS.
First Pastor of Barre Presbyterian
Church and Respected Citizen.

Rev. +. Wilmot Cummings. retired
clergyman of the Presbyterian church
1 and founder Of the Barre Presbyterian
church, passed away yesterday after
noon at 2 o'clock at his residence, AZ
jefferson street, after nearly five years
of i'll health from arterio-sclerosis. He
had been gradually failing during that
time; but on Friday morning there
was sudden turn for the worse and
he lived but few hours after that
marked decline. On Thursday he was
about the house.
Elbert Wilmot Cummings was born in
Palmyra, n. Y, Nov. S, 1S47, one of
five children born to Horace and Lucy
(Thompson) Cummings, His early life
was spent in that place and when he
was II years of age the family moved
to Paw Paw, Mich, where he resided
until entering Hamilton college, Clin-
ton, N Y. While in college he gained
high rank in scholarship, winning the
second classical prize and being hon
ored at graduation, in 1871, with cleo
tion to the honorary scholarship soci-
ETY., Phi Beta Kappa. He also was q
member of the Theta Delta Chi fratei-
nifty while an undergraduate.
During year and half's absence
from college, prior TO graduation, he
engaged in teaching and was the first
principal of the Southhold, l.. l., acad-
emy. Following his graduation from
Hamilton he entered the Union Theo-
logical seminary, New York. and was
graduated from that Institution in
1874, being ordained by the presbytery
of Lyons the following year. From
1876 to 1850 he was engaged in preach
ing at West Fayette, n. Y, and from
1850 to 1880 at Elba, n. Y,
In 1889 Rev Mr.. Cummings was sent
to Barre to start the Presbyterian
church and here he labored assiduously
for seven years, retiring from the pas
torate in 1896, but not until the initial
steps had been taken toward the erec-
tion of the present church edifice at tie
corner of Summer and Seminary
streets He also extended his efforts
TO Graniteville and was instrumental
in the organizing of a Presbyterian
church in that community.
After resigning the pastorate of the
local Presbyterian churches he did not
re-engage actively In the ministry but
was called upon to serve in capacities of
public and semi public nature He served
the city of Barre as school commits
sioner. as assessor and as cemetery
commissioner, giving faithful and we'll
considered service In 1904 he engaged
in the job printing business in Barre
and continued in that activity for II
years. retiring in 1916 because of tie
coming of i'll health
Here in Barre Rev. Mr.. Cummings
was held in the highest esteem and le
maintained many firm friendships
among the older people of the commu-
nifty. He was absolutely answering in
his integrity, was eonscientiously de-
voted to every duty he was called upon
to perform and was a real examplar Of
high type of citizenship. II can BE-
said of him in all truth that the world
is better Tor the sort of life he lived,
Rev Mr.. Cummings was the last of
FIVE children. He was married on Sep.
"a, 1874. to Annie Maria Smith az
Greensport, Long Island, and the wid
ow and three children are left to mourn
his loss. One child died many years
ago. The other three are Mrs. f, L.
Thorpe of Lisbon, y. H., Mrs Ralph
Wales of Worcester. Mass, and Mrs.
William Cole of A. jefferson street.
The funeral Is to be held at the
house Sunday afternoon at o'clock
and interment is to be in Hope GENE
tery. Friends are requested not to send
flowers