John Wesley Stearns (1835 - 1909)

Born 24 Aug 1835 in Westford, VT, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Isabella (Hammond) Stearns — married 12 Jan 1864 in St Albans, Franklin County, VT, USA

Descendants

Died 22 Nov 1909 at age 74 in Rutland, Rutland, Vermont, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Margaret Stearns [send private message]

Biography

John Wesley Stearns.. "attended the public schools of his native town (Westford, Vt) and the Hampton Seminary, Fairfax, Vermont. About 1859, he removed to Boston, Massachusetts, and learned the carpenter's trade. In 1864 he came to Rutland, Vermont, where he resided the remainder of his days. For a number of years he worked at his trade in Rutland. In 1869 he engaged in business as a dealer in furniture and undertaker and built up a large and successful business. He was active in municipal affairs and held various offices of trust and responsibility. Under the town government he served on the board of selectmen." ^[1] The report that John Stearns was elected mayor of Rutland City when it incorporated in 1893 is untrue. The incorporated City of Rutland includes the municipalities of Rutland, West Rutland and Proctor. John Stearns was likely the effectual "mayor" of Rutland Village during his years of leadership on the town selectboard before the government of the three municipalities combined to form the City of Rutland. John Abner Mead was the first mayor of Rutland City.^[2]

In 1864 John Wesley Stearns and Canadian-born Isabella Hammond were married in St Albans, Franklin County, VT. They lived the remainder of their lives in Rutland, contributing greatly to the city's economic and civic development. In 1897 John was involved in "furniture, carpets, oilcloth, upholstery goods, coffins, caskets. etc" His only child, John Burnham Stearns, was working with him. His brother, Artemus, had also moved to Rutland and established a family and a related business in upholstery. ^[3]

Death and Burial

John Wesley Stearns died in 1909 and was buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Rutland, Rutland County, Vermont.^[4]

Sources

• http://archive.org/stream/RutlandDirectory1872-1873

• Cutter, William Richard, Cutter's NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES published 1913 by Lewis Historical Publishing Company [3]

• Family record received personally by me, Margaret Stearns, directly through my husband, John B Stearns

references

1. ↑ Cutter's NEW ENGLAND FAMILIES page 387
2. ↑ Rutland Historical Society Quarterly Vol.12, No.2, 1982, p2 [1]
3. ↑ Rutland Directory 1897-1898, page 51 [2]
4. ↑ Find-A-Grave Memorial #87418041 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=87418041

Acknowledgements

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