Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-20
COOLIDGE UNCLE
DEAD in VERMONT
John Wilder Gained Fame
Late in Life as Old Time
Fiddler.
BY EDMARp J. KELLEY.

PLYMOUTH, Vt, September 10 (P)
Uncle John" Wilder, fiddler, farme
and uncle of q President, died today il
his home at the center of this littlI
town which gave a Chief Executive tx
the Nation.
Births and deaths are few in thi.
hamlet of 80 souls in Plymouth Town
ship, but since 1920 the deaths have
become a matter Of interest to tht
world outside, since most of the de-
ceased have been in some way related
to Calvin Coolidge.
So when ''Uncle John" breathed hi:
last today the general store became tho
focus for telephone calls, fiurries OF
which have disturbed the quiet OF MIS-
Florence Cilley on numerous occasions
since Mr.. Coolidge first became a ma
tional figure.
Between trips to that section of hel
store serving as a post ONCE and OUT
past the big stove in the center to wait
on customers, Miss Cilley answered the
telephone to confirm the deatn o.
uncle john"
Married 81 Years Ago.
Alone in the little farmhouse, Mrs.
Wilder sat throughout the day accept
ing the condolences of neighbors &c Fne
death of the man she had married 81
wears ago when John was "a.
Before her marriage she was MISS
Gratia Moor and she could recall the
day she had told Uncle john tnas
her sister, Mrs. John Coolidge, had
become a mother and the son was to
he called Calvin. That was in the days
when 'Uncle John" worked hard at nus
farming and at night played on MS
fiddle to entertain her and her triends,
for John Wilder was as good hooler
&c there was hereaboutS in those days:
wears later Mrs. Wilder encouraged
her husband when he organized the
wilder Ouadrille Band and played LOT
dances in Plymouth and nearby towns
and villages. His pride was vlonn
which was then close to 100 years oIu;
The band functioned Tor ~ years aLeo
then s'Uncle John" devoted all his Tune
to farming. So.
aud spend the remainder of his lie
IN the ouietude of his native village,
but fate was Just steering MN INTO
courses he never would have believed
he would take.
Played for Henry Ford.
II was at this time that old-tme
fiddlers took the fancy OF the sopnlsu-
Gates beyond the Vermont Nils. Mel
lie' D1Inham of Maine came into prom
inence and Plymouth advanced Uncle
John" as a challenger to defend It's
standards against the encroachment OF
the Maine fiddler Wilder was a man
of few words and when he came 70
Boston and heard Nellie" play his
only comment was, Lots better fiddlers
SUncle John" performed for the Bos-
ton folks ON the stage OF theater
and then came an invitation TO play
for Henry Ford, the automobile mag
nate John went up TO the state mousse
ernor. Alvan T. Fuller, of MaSsachu-
sets and explained the difference be-
tween that and Turkey in the Straw"
which Durham had played for the Gov
ernor a short time before.
The stage called and Uncle John"
could not resist. He toured a large
theatrical circuit with 1.-THE Plymouth
Old Time Dance Orchestra, an organ
ization which included i've relatives
and schoolmates of the then Presi-
dent Coolidge AT Washington the
idge at the White House.
Returned to Old Home.
After this fare at fame and fortune,
''Uncle john returned to Plymouth to
devote his attention to living the long
and peaceful life most Of his friends
and relatives had lived IN Vermont's
hills.
Monday he will be buried in the VII
iage cemetery, close by the grave OF
Col John Coolidge, father OF the for
mer President, and the man who adj
ministered the oath Of Office as Presi-
dent to his son in the small hours Of
the morning in the house just back Of
where "Uncle John" had lived his life.