The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-08
". B. SHELDON, 81,
DIED TODAY At HIS
HOME IN DORSET.
Bennington Lawyer for Half a
Century
BACK TO HIS EARLY HOME
Mr.. Sheldon Had Appeared In
Many Important Cases in
His Long Life
BACK TO HIS EARLY HOME

William h. Sheldon, for fifty years
one of the well.known citizens of Ben.
nington and Bennington county, died
this morning at Dorset where he
moved last summer from Bennington
after selling his home here and retir.
ing from active ilfe.He was In his
eighty-frst year.
Mr. Sheldon suffered a shock nearly
two years ago and has been In fail
ing health since that time though he
was still able TO walk around and go
to the postoffice UP TO the time he
left Bennington. Both he and Mrs.
Sheldon had previously lived In Dor
set and decided to go there after his
retirement.
Mr.. Sheldon grew up In Dorset but
attended school in Manchester and
studied law there and afterwards In
Bennington. After his admission TO
the bar. over fifty years ago, he open
ed an office in North Bennington
where he practiced for several years.
coming later to Bennington where he
was a resident for forty years or
more.
He was one Of the attorneys in the
famous Battle Monument lawsuit" in
which the late Charles NJ. Bliss was
the plaintiff and sought to recover pay
for his years of effort In getting the
battle monument built. Mr.. Sheldon
was attorney for Mr.. Bliss though af.
terwards several other prominent
lawyers were associated with him.
On the other side was the Battle Mon.
ument Association In which at that
time the late Major A. h. Valentine
and II. G. Root took leading part
This legal struggle went on for
years In the county and state courts
and Mr.. Sheldon was one OF the most
prominent figures in fighting the
case. Later he took promi.
earnestly pushed some twenty-five
years ago to force the late Henry w.
Putnam to sell the wafer works TO
the village of Bennington. Mr.. Shell.
don also served as village trustee and
in other village and town offices and
was moderator OF the graded school
district for quarter of century.
Mr.. Sheldon was twice married, his
first wife being Il sister of the late II.
c. Simmons OF North Bennington. AT.
ter her death he married Miss Holley
Iof Dorset who survives him.
The funeral will be held at his re-
cent home in Dorset at two o'clock
Monday afternoon.
Mr. Sheldon was for many years a
member of the Second Congregational
church and actively interested in the
work of the society. In his political
views he was Republican and par.
ticipated in the councils of the local
Organization with exceptional zeal.
In 1876 he was elected TO the office
OF states attorney for Bennington
county and for two years was regis.
ter of probate for the south shire of
this county.
He was unusually painstaking in
the practice Of his profession and was
capable OF mastering large amount
OF detail. His faith in his own convic
tions was strong, characteristic
that was apparent In the numerous
complicated cases in which he ap
peared as advocate die was a force
full speaker and possessed an adroir
ability In presenting an argument. Ii
town and village meetings he fre
quently led In debates over importan
questions and on many occasions car
ried the point for which he sought.