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| COUPLE MARRIED 66 YEARS - MR. AND MRS. GILBERT C. LUCIER |
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| NORTH TROY, Oct. 3. - Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert C. Lucier quietly observed the 66th anniversary of their marriage at their home in Jay village, today. Mr. and Mrs. Lucier were married in Enosburg Falls, October 3, 1868. With the exception of a, few years spent in Boston, they have lived all the years since their marriage in Jay. Mr. Lucier is the eldest and one of only two surviving members of a family of 12 children born to Charles and Helen (Labor) Lucier of Enosburg. Mrs. Lucy (King) Lucier is one of a family of 13 children born to Mr. and Mrs. William King of Dunham, Quebec. Both Mrs. Lucier's parents reached the age of 98 years. |
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| Both Gilbert C. and his father, Charles Lucier, saw service in the Civil War, the latter as a member of Company "G", First Vermont Sharpshooters and the former as a member of Company "F", 11th Vermont Regiment. He was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor. For several years he was the foreman of the extensive lumber interests of B. F. Paine. He represented Jay in the legislature of 1882, and again, after a lapse of 38 years, in 1920. The offices of selectman, school director and road commissioner Mr. Lucier has held to the satisfaction of his townsmen. Mr. and Mrs. Lucier's surviving children are two daughters, Mrs. Mabel Nason of Needham, Mass., and Mrs. Maud Lucia of Tewksbury, Mass. |
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| GILBERT LUCIER, LAST CIVIL WAR VETERAN IN VERMONT DIES - 97 YEARS OF AGE - WAS NEARLY LIFE LONG RESIDENT OF JAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 1944. |
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| JAY, Sept. 22, (Special) - Gilbert Lucier, 97, of this town, last surviving member of the Grand Army of the Republic in Vermont and the state's last Civil War veteran, died at the Orleans County Memorial hospital early this morning. Nearly a life long resident of this town, Lucier enlisted at the age of 16 with his father, the late Charles Lucier, in the Union cause and served in the 11th Vermont regiment, Company F, for 2 years and 3 months. He participated in the battles of the Wilderness and Cold Harbor, where he was wounded in action on June 1, 1864. |
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| In the late months of 1863 he was stationed on guard duty at St. Albans where he was an armed guard at the time of the famous and fantastic raid of Confederate troops on banks and other institutions of that city. |
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| He was honorably discharged in 1865 at Burlington. In July of 1938 he attended the 75th reunion of Civil War veterans at Gettysburg, PA, accompanied by his nephew, Graham Lucier of this town, a veteran of World War I. |
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| Lucier had vivid recollections of both President Lincoln and commander-in-chief of the Union armies, General Ulysses S. Grant. |
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| Born in Enosburg Falls, his family moved to Jay when he was a mere youngster. He married Lucy A. King, who died in 1941. Prior to the death of Mrs. Lucier, the well-known couple were honored by their many friends on the attainment of their 72nd wedding anniversary on October 3rd, 1940. |
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| The last of the Grand Army of the Republic in Vermont, Mr. Lucier was a charter member of Bailey Post, North Troy, which at one time contained the names of 116 Civil War veterans. He was one of 39 Jay men who volunteered their services to save the Union. The town also had several citizens who enlisted to swell the quotas of other towns and states. |
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| In recent years Mr. Lucier had spent the winters with his two daughters, Mrs. Arthur Lucia and Mrs. Ed Nason, in Wamesit and Needham, Mass., but had pleasurably returned each summer to his life-long home here beneath the shadows of Jay Peak. |
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| For one of his years, Mr. Lucier had been in remarkably good health. This past summer, however, his advanced age brought on disabilities which gradually weakened him until his death early this morning. An attack of pneumonia a few years ago which would have overcome men his junior, was survived and he was able to carry on again as vigorously as many younger, continuing a keen interest in the affairs of his native town and state and always a firm supporter of the fortunes of his country. |
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| Mr. Lucier had held many responsible elected offices in Jay in addition to being a man of varied farming and business interests throughout his long lifetime. He had been town representative, selectman and road commissioner among other public trusts. |
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| Until recent years he had largely tended his own garden and even lately had supervised the summer garden plot. |
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| In addition to his two daughters, Mabel E. Nason, Needham, Mass., who has been caring for him this summer, and Mrs. Maude A. Lucia, Wamesit, Mass., Mr. Lucier is survived by one brother, Walter Lucier of Brattleboro, and several nephews and nieces. |
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| With his fast dwindling band of comrades of 1861-65, Mr. Lucier held for nearly four score years, a warm place in the hearts of the succeeding generations of school children in the Missisquoi river valley who came to look upon these stalwart men as embodying the highest type of self-sacrifice and patriotism. |
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| Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family later. |
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| ORLEANS COUNTY PAYS FINE TRIBUTE TO GILBERT LUCIER - FULL MILITARY HONORS FOR CIVIL WAR VET SOLEMN FUNERAL SERVICES, SEPTEMBER 25, 1944. |
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| JAY, Sept., 25 (Special) - Orleans county paid deserved tribute to the late Gilbert Lucier, 97, with full military honors for the state's last veteran of the Civil War in solemn funeral services held at the veteran's late home, here, Sunday afternoon. The love and devotion of a reverently grateful people were in evidence at the final rites and committal for Vermont's sole surviving representative of the Grand Army of the Republic who was laid tenderly to eternal rest beneath the green sod of the hills he loved. |
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| Every bud, every blossom, every wreath which banked the last resting place of this honored veteran seemed to symbolize not only the memory of the one departed but also of all those heroes of '61-'65 of Cold Harbor, The Wilderness, Gettysburg, who have been recruited to that army invisible; the deeds of which are today the source of inspiration to those called upon to valiantly uphold the traditions of the glorious past, so dear to the heart of every true American. |
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| The large throng which gathered to pay their last respects to this honored and much loved old veteran was silent testimony to his high character and neighborly ways. The Reverend Robert C. Yoh, pastor of the North Troy Congregational Church, officiated and Olin Miller of North Troy sang two favorite hymns of the deceased during the service. Mr. Lucier was laid to rest beside his late wife in the Jay cemetery with Reverend Mr. Yoh giving the committal service. |
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| The honorary bearers were Harry Drown, representing the Sons of Union Veterans, John Rocque of Newport and E. Taylor of Newport Center, representing the Spanish American War veterans, Byron Herrick of Derby Line, representing Foster Cosby Post, American Legion. |
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| The active bearers were, Walker Degree, commander of the Jay Peak Post, American Legion, North Troy; Everett Martin, North Troy, Fred McAllister, Westfield, and Graham Lucier, Jay, all members of Jay Peak Post and the last named a nephew of the late Mr. Lucier. |
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| The county commander of the American Legion, Warren Hopkins of Newport was in charge of the color bearers and color guards. The color bearers were Earl Westover, Jay, Leslie Leach, Newport, and the guards were N. P. Mayo, Newport, and George Hunter, Newport, all members of the American Legion. |
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| District American Legion commander Grant Reed, of Newport was also in attendance. |
| The firing squad, Sgt. McMullen, Sgt. Davio, Sgt. Parker , and Cpl. Marsh, were supplied by the Vermont state guard through the courtesy of Capt. Earl Cheney, Newport. Sounding taps at the grave, the soldier's military honor, was Pvt. Carpenter, bugler, Co. L, Newport, and the echo sounded in the distance by George Paulette of North Troy. |
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| Among the members of the Women's Relief Corps, auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, who were present to pay their tribute to Bailey Post's last member were: Mrs. John Rocque, past department president of Newport; Mrs. B. H. Doran, national delegate at large of Newport; Mrs. T. H. Ouimet, conductor, all of Baxter Post W. R. C., of Newport, also Mrs. Harvey Bolton, Mrs. Norman Toof, Mrs. Louise Marsh and Mrs. Lueen Manual of Bailey Post W. R. C., North Troy. |
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| Among other friends from out of town in attendance were: Mrs. Mabel Nason, formerly of Needham, Mass., Mrs. Maude Lucia, Wamesit, Mass., Walter Lucier, Brattleboro, Mrs. Alice King, Tewksbury, Mass., Miss Catherine McGinnis, Brattleboro, Mrs. Louise Chamberlain, Westboro, Mass., Mrs. Violet Gallup, Mrs. C. A. Briggs, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Cobleigh, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Day, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Mooney, and Harold Chamberlain, all of Newport. |
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| Special thanks go out to the family of John and Martha King, who provided me with the photographs on these pages. As I receive more information I will update this page. |
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| For more information on these and other King Family members, check the database on my homepage. |
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