David T. Stiles Obituary
Resident of Bank Village
October 17, 1898
BANK VILLAGE DEATH OF DAVID T. STILES. When it was generally known that, on Oct. 13, David T. Stiles bad been rendered help less and speechless by paralysis, a feeling of sympathy was manifested by all who knew him. For some weeks the family had noticed unmistakable warnings of the fatal shock, which seized him just as he entered his home in late afternoon from a call at a neighbor's. During the two first days he, at times, recognized the family, but after Saturday night he remained apparently unconscious of everything about him. He was a native of Wilton, N. H., and was one of a family of three sons and three daughters of Asa and Polly Tapley Stiles, of whom only the oldest, Warren Stiles of Milford, N. H., and the youngest, Mrs. Moses M. Balch of New Ipswich, are left. He was born Dec. 8, 1827, and when ready to start in life for himself, went to Woodstock, Vt., where he learned the carpenter's trade, and also became acquainted with Miss Laura Capron of Bridgewater, Vt., to whom he was married Sept. 10, 1855 At various times the family lived in Vermont, in Wilton and Keene, besides some nine or ten years' residence in Fitchburg, from whence they moved to Bank Village in February, 1895. He was kind and indulgent in his home, very accommodating and very helpful in many ways as a neighbor, and will be much missed as a citizen. A widow survives him. Their children were Eddie S., (deceased); Mrs. Ida M. Frye of Bank Village; John Asa of Holyoke; Frank A, (deceased); Will A., one of the nation's heroes at Santiago; Charles A. of Springfield and Mrs. Hattie A. Preston of Greenville. Nine children called him grandpa. Funeral services were held at his residence, Thursday morning, attended by relatives and representatives from nearly every American home in the two villages. The exercises were conducted by Revs. George F. Bradford and W. K. Thompson. The following selections were sung: "Nearer my God to Thee," "Brother thou art gone to rest" and "Oh Paradise." Beautiful floral tokens graced the casket, viz.: A standard wreath of Mermot roses and white carnation pinks, from the wife; sheaf of wheat, tied with lavender ribbon and inscribed "At Rest," from the children; crescent of lilies, roses and pinks, from Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Ely; spray of white carnation pinks, from Dr. and Mrs. B. D. Pease; galax wreath and pinks, from C. E. Mansfield and family; crescent, from Mrs. R. O. Stiles and Mr. and Mrs. William Chandler; sheaf of wheat, from Mrs Charles B. Preston; crescent of ivy leaves, a from Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Balch and family. William E. Preston was conductor and the Ihe three sons, with the two sons-in-law Edwin Frye and Charles A. Preston-as bearers. The interment was in the Main cemetery. Mrs. David Stiles and family most kindly appreciate the great kindness of their friends during the trying days before and after the death of the husband and father, and to each and every one tender their heartfelt thanks.
Bank Village Group
No photo of David, but his daughter Hattie is in this group photo taken in Bank Village.
One Hundred Formulas
Stephen A. Thayer’s “One Hundred Formulas” was published in 1883. It contains recipes from everything from printing ink to pain killers. Constipated?
EDITORS NOTE:
You know what Aristotle said to Alexander the Great in 325 B.C.? 'Come here Alex, I have something to show you'. And he showed him a plant. It was the Socotrine aloe, which originated from the island of Socotra, east of the horn of Africa. Aristotle had learned that the juice of the plant had an amazing effect. It was a purgative. You drank a little and everything came out. This was an important finding at the time because it was widely believed that illnesses could be cured by cleaning out the body. Alexander thought so much of this effect that he sent investigators to Socotra to find out if a purgative could be mass produced from the plants.
WARNING: Please don’t try any of these “remedies”, many contain ingredients which have been shown to be harmful.
James Roger diary entry
November 24rd 1908 (Tuesday)
Very fine mild day quite spring like. Wind west. David ploughing ground for potatoes in incubator field and helping Royce to put up the poles alongside of sidewalk on our orchard ground. I fixed Hall for lecture tonight. Professor Chandler working in Selectmen’s press in town hall. From paper signed by President Jefferson Sept 23 1808. Mrs. Sampson called today with a parcel for the bairns at Ayer. Church at Miss. Taylor’s at 3pm. Deacon Chas Wheeler appointed delegate to receive the Davis bequest, also the Bushly legacy and Sawyer legacy. Got letters from Jim, Jimmie, and May. The lecture on Alaska was very interesting and the pictures were very good.