Sideroads: The Remarkable Ripley's William Young Ripley, Part 2

Vermont Marble Co Quarry, West Rutland,
Vermont about 1865, by Carlos W. Nichols, photographer

See the first part of the story here.

William Young Ripley joined in partnership with a fellow named William F Barnes. Barnes had been the first in the area to marble quarry in about 1840. Marble was used in public building construction and high-end homes. The rich vein of carbonate lime was a boon to the area and the partnership flourished, enriching both, for over a decade. Barnes was the guy in charge of quarrying and Ripley the sawing, cutting, and marketing.

The quarry wasn't far from the Ripley home, called "The Center." As it is described in With Pen and Sword: Lives and Times of the Remarkable Rutland Ripley's, by Robert G. Steele, it had "four chimneys, one at each corner, ample and inviting porches on front and sides of the main building, and behind this a large greenhouse and spacious English garden with gravelled walks between the flower beds radiating from a magnificent elm in the center."

Rutland was the marble center of the state and some even said, of the country. The railroad built a spur into the quarry yard to help transport the marble to banks and courthouses all over the country.

The fruitful partnership came to an end in 1850  when Barnes sold his interest out to Vermont Marble Co. Ripley continue his work under his own name with the marble provided by Vermont Marble. In the meantime, not to rest on his really wealthy laurels, he became president of the Rutland County Bank at age 65. His boys were off serving in the Civil War. Upon their return, he turned the business over to his three sons. Charley, who was ill-suited, left soon thereafter to pursue other adventures. Edward eventually left for New York City, and William Young Warren Ripley remained behind, ultimately selling the marble business to Vermont Marble and Redfield Proctor.His son William also sat on the board of directors and later as president of the Bank.

In 1868, he built an opera house in Rutland.  It's reported in Steele's book to not have been a beautiful building and it may not have been needed in small Rutland, Ripley wouldn't allow it to be used for other musical entertainment, so it became a white elephant. It burned down - with little fanfare - in 1875 about the time he fell and broke his hip. He died at 77 of complications.

Each of his children would forge their own lives and each became an interesting historical subject on their own.  I'll share a couple of stories next.