Davis, Elijah W.
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MILITARY SERVICE Age: 21, credited to Brighton, VT Unit(s): 15th VT INF Service: enl 9/15/62, m/i 10/22/62, Pvt, Co. E, 15th VT INF, m/o 8/5/63 See Legend for expansion of abbreviations VITALSBirth: 11/02/1840, Brighton, VT Death: 07/07/1896 Burial: Old Protestant Cemetery, Island Pond, VT Marker/Plot: Not recorded Gravestone photographer: Bev Lasure Findagrave Memorial #: 181069407 MORE INFORMATION Alias?: None noted Pension?: Yes, 7/21/1890, VT, not approved; widow Mary, 11/9/1896, VT Portrait?: Unknown College?: Not Found Veterans Home?: Not Found (If there are state digraphs above, this soldier spent some time in a state or national soldiers' home in that state after the war) Remarks: None DESCENDANTS (Are you a descendant, but not listed? Register today) |
BURIAL: Copyright notice  Old Protestant Cemetery, Island Pond, VT Check the cemetery for location/directions and other veterans who may be buried there. |
Obituary
ELIJAH W. DAVIS
Elijah W. Davis, of whose death circumstances last week permitted us only to make a brief mention, died at his residence in Island Pond on Tuesday the 7th inst., at the age of 55 years and 7 months.
He belonged to a large family, the parents of which settled in this town almost back at the time of its first beginnings. He was a member of Island Pond Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 44, and of Erastus Buck Post, G. A. R., No. 78. He also belonged to a large class of locomotive engineers, who created and have always maintained so large a portion of the animating spirit of our railroad enterprise; who at the same time are physically hardened by toil and made generous, kind and tender of heart by peril and watchful care of others; who share the fruits of their toil with those who, they meet in short successive furloughs, ever interrupted by sudden departure and who, like their engines, (which seem to them to be living beings and for which the driver has a fond affection),strong as they are, wear out by their lively fractional employment. Many like their machines go suddenly, and while yet external evidences of failure have scarcely been discovered. Of such was our friend, who belonged to a class concerning which much that would be interesting might be said, but it is of the dead one we are now moved to speak.
It is true that what is said of the dead is a matter of entire indifference to them. They are beyond censure or praise. To be pleasantly remembered and spoken of after one's death seems to the prospective subject of such memories in the minds of some, important to the object on which such sentiments are bestowed. This is mere fancy, imagination. So far as it is a pleasing anticipation to the individual while living it is well to enjoy it. But when speaking of the dead, to consider that were are speaking in their behalf in any sense seems idle. Let imagination make these things seem as it may an apostrophe to the dead is in fact but addressing the living by indirection. But the memory of the good that men do in their lives should be sacredly preserved by the living and for the living. All the pleasing associations, kind and charitable deeds, just and faithful actions of those gone should continue to warm, cheer and correct their survivors. Otherwise the teachings, the merits, the worth excellence and even the glory of the past would be lost. Among the tests of how much and how favorable consideration shall be bestowed on a man as he out of the world is the inquiry how much good did his life bring into the world as compared with what he got from it in return. This is not a cold commercial calculation, but a warm generous and just measurement of a good man's life. The good is only valuable and that only ought to be taken account of, for memories good and bad each breed their kind in their influence on the living.
These reflections are the natural inducements which lend to thoughts suggested by the recent death of our friend, and which by reason of his usefulness to the community, faithful care of his family, sound, healthy and strong society and industrial relations has occasioned a universal sadness. As some of the nicest and most excellent things in nature are found in humility, so are some of the most commendable actions of men found in humble life. To say that a man has been industrious all his life, that he has regarded and practiced consistently and respect all the family and society relations with which he came in contact, that the restraining influence of the law has never been invoked through any irregularity of his life, that he has neither by himself nor any of his dependents rested in any way as a burden on anybody else, that he ash improved every spot on which he made a local habitation, thus adding to the aggregate wealth and comfort of his town, that he has met all his obligations in his individual transactions, and that without hope of glory in the darkest hour of his country's peril he left the harmonious and genial conditions of a peaceful life to face the storms and perils of war, is much to say of any man. But all this can truthfully be said concerning our friend who has just left us. All his life he labored, and his efforts were productive. He went away before he was a burden to any human being. True to wife, children and friends, they sadly grieve at their unexpected separation from him. But let then reflect that they cannot wish their grief was less without wishing that he was less worthy of their sad affection. No man's life can be more successful than that of him the plain statement of whose qualities or the simple story of whose life is his highest eulogy.
Source: Essex County Herald, July 17, 1896.
Courtesy of Tom Boudreau.