Bonnie (Bean) Lefebvre saved this article from The Northfield News, April 29, 1930. She found the paper in her Grandmother Bean's home which Bonnie now owns. Bonnie's paternal Grandfather was Ernest Bean who bought the Houston farm on No. Main Street. Her maternal Grandmother was Margaret Holland Connarn.

"Dr. William Barnabas Mayo, 76, a practicing physician in Northfield for 52 years and during all that time an outstanding leader in the affairs of this community— so much so that Northfield's upbuilding and prosperity resulted largely through his foresight— died Friday afternoon shortly after 4 o'clock at his home on Main Street following an illness of seven months. Dr. Mayo is regarded as one of Northfield's most outstanding men of all time. At Norwich University, too, where he served as a member of the board of trustees, his name is written with those of men upon whose efforts the very existence of the century-old institution had depended.

"When Dr. Mayo completed a half century of medical practice in Northfield three years ago—on April 15, 1927—he was accorded a public reception that demonstrated convincingly the lofty regard for him by the people of this town and neighboring communities. For three and one-half hours a thousand people filled the Armory Hall to overflowing to pay tribute to Dr. Mayo. It is considered doubtful if any other Northfield man during life was ever accorded a testimonial that sprang from the hearts of the people as did that which gave him the high esteem in which he was held. The sum of $500, raised by public subscription, was presented to him to be known as the 'Dr William B. Mayo Hospital Fund' with the hope that accretions to it might eventually swell it to size sufficient to give Northfield a hospital— a need whose fulfillment long had been close to the doctor's heart.

"Outstanding not only as a physician but as a banker, business man and public-spirited citizen, Dr. Mayo engaged in a wide variety of activity during his more than a half century of residence in Northfield. He was president of the Northfield trust Company, built and owned the four largest business buildings in town with the result that he was Northfield's largest individual taxpayer and served the town four times and the county once in the Vermont Legislature besides holding numerous town and village offices. And in addition to all this, he worked ceaselessly in the interest of Norwich University.

Dr. Mayo was born in Moretown Jan. 3, 1854, son of Barnabas and Mary (Howes) Mayo. He attended the public schools of his native town and graduated from the old State Normal School at Randolph in 1874. While a student at the latter institution he studied medicine with Dr. L. A. Noyes. Following graduation, he entered the Homeopathic College in New York City…, graduating with a degree of M.D. in 1877.

"Dr. Mayo was a young man of 23 years when he opened an office in Northfield April 16, 1877. Heavily in debt as a result of his medical education, he began his practice here under conditions of hard work and sacrifice. During his first three and one-half years as a doctor, he did not leave his work for a full 24 hour period…

"Early recognized as a leader in community affair, he was first sent to the legislature at the age of 30 years. Though a Democrat in a rock-ribbed Republican state, Dr. Mayo won election to the Vermont House of Representatives four times, 1n 1884, 1886, 1900 and 1915, and to the State Senate in 1902.

Dr. Mayo's associations included the Vermont Medical Association (held offices: President, Secretary and Treasurer), DeWitt Clinton Lodge F. & A.M. (Past Master); a member of the Conversational Club and the Universalist Church, where he was a Trustee.

Dr. Mayo's property holdings in Northfield's business district included the original post office building, a four-story brick structure; the one-story brick Trust Company Building; the three-story brick store and apartment building on East Street; and the three-story brick armory building.

Dr. Mayo married two times. His first wife, Emma Lynde, died in 1911. Four children born of this marriage died in infancy. The couple adopted two of the Orphan Train Children written about in a former issue. He and L. Prudence (Stickney) Mayo had five children: Anna, William, Deborah, Thomas and Edgar.

Next week will include more of Dr. Mayo's accomplishments and the contributions he made for Northfield and Norwich University, as printed in the Northfield News, 1930.