IDE, ELMORE TIMOTHY, son of Jacob and Ladoski (KNIGHTS) IDE, was
born in Barnet, Vermont, in 1839. The IDE family in America all descended
from Nicholas IDE, who came from England in 1636, and settled in Rehoboth,
Massachusetts, in 1643. He was a commissioner on behalf of the colony to
settle with the renowned King Philip. John IDE, a descendant of the fourth
generation, was a soldier of the Revolution, and at the close of the war
came to St. Johnsbury and settled on Barker hill, in 1792. He was the great-grandfather
of Elmore T. IDE. In 1813 Timothy, son of John IDE, bought the gristmill
at Passumpsic. He was the father of a family of twelve children, of whom
Jacob, the youngest son, remained at home and succeeded to the owership
of the gristmill, which he conducted until succeeded by his sons.
Jacob was station agent and post-master at Passumpsic many years.
A noted teacher in his younger days, and eminently practical in all his
undertakings, he retained his bodily and mental faculties almost unimpaired
until his death in 1900, aged ninety-three.
The three sons of Jacob and Ladoski (KNIGHTS) IDE, were Elmore Timothy,
Horace Knights, and Henry Clay IDE (see the image of Henry Clay Ide
in this section).
General H. K. IDE, born in 1842, was a gallant officer in the First
Vermont cavalry, later quartermaster-general of Vermont, represented Barnet
in the legislature, was a trustee of the village of St. Johnsbury, and
a member, until his death, of the firm of E. T. & H. K. IDE. He married,
in 1867, Margaret Hidden CHAMBERLAIN, and died in 1897, leaving a widow
and one son, Dr. Philip Sheridan IDE of Wayland, Massachusetts.
Elmore T. IDE was educated in the public schools of Barnet, and
at St. Johnsbury academy. In 1866 E. T. and H. K. IDE bought the grist-mill
at Passumpsic of their father, and greatly enlarged the business; so that
at the present time it is one of the leading mills in northern New England,
having one of the best water powers in the state, and a business extending
from Canada to Massachusetts. The title to IDE's mills has not changed
hands, except from father to son, since 1813. After the death of H. K.
the business had so increased that it was incorporated with a capital of
$50,000, with E. T. IDE as president and principal stockholder.
The headquarters has been for several years in the large elevator
on Bay street, St. Johnsbury, adjoining the coal pockets, which, together,
constitute one of the best plants for the line of business followed by
this corporation to be found. The elevator is equipped with latest improvements
for handling grain and feed, with electric power, automatic grain shovels,
grain and platform elevators.
Mr. IDE not only built these buildings, but “made” the land on which
they stand, so to speak. In 1894 he purchased three acres of mill pond
and swamp between the railroad and Portland street -- the cesspool of the
village -- that had become a grave danger to public health and seemed of
no use; but at great expense the whole tract has been redeemed, and through
it runs Bay street, one of the busiest streets in town.
This part of the village is sometimes called Ide Addition, but Mr.
IDE calls it his "Back Bay." There are now on this street besides the Ide
plant, the Farmers' Mutual creamery, George C. CARY's extensive warehouses,
Harry H. CARR's cold storage plant, JONES & SHIELD's furniture shop,
A. L. BRAGG's shop, a large blacksmith shop and two tenements, with several
valuable lots for business blocks, on Portland street, Bay street, and
the railroad.
E.T. IDE possesses the highest order of executive ability and great
industry, and his well-directed energies have been an important factor
in the financial, political, and religious affairs of St. Johnsbury. He
has been president of the Caledonia County Fair Ground Co., of the Republican
club, of the Board of Trade, and is president of the Merchants National
bank, and director for Caledonia county of the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance
Co.; also a director of the Tredegar National bank of Jacksonville, Alabama.
Mr. IDE married, in 1862, Cynthia, daughter of William and Mary (FELCH)
ADAMS of Waterford, scion of a staunch and pioneer family.
Their union has been blessed by three sons and three daughters:
Katherine D. is the wife of George M. GRAY, vice-president and secretary
of the Ide corporation; George Peabody IDE is a banker and superintendent
of a manufactory at Jacksonville, Alabama; Henry C., 2d, is a physician
at McIndoes, Vermont; Mary Ellen is curator of Fairbanks Museum; Fanny
is an artist, and William Adams is a director and bookkeeper of the Ide
corporation.
Source: Successful Vermonters,
William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company,
1904, page 65-67.
Prepared
by Tom Dunn December 2004
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