Letter from LARKIN GOLDSMITH MEAD to JOHN NORTON POMEROY, dated March 22, 1858.
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Mr Pomeroy
Dear Sir;
I send a little sketch of Allen, which expresses my idea of his general character; [Image] A fearless man; who was ready to undertake anything. -- I do not think he should be represented in any particular act.-- that would not be justice to his whole life of heroic deeds. --To represent him at the door of Fort Ticonderoga would certainly tell of one great victory in his life, but it would not tell the whole history of the man. --
The sword is the weapon of a warrior, but Allen's most powerful weapon was his strong will and determination, I believe his greatest victories were achieved without bloodshed Perhaps your ideas are entirely different, and if so, I shall be very glad to know them, for I may be in error. -- PS I wrote you a line last week asking you to furnish me a small drawing of the monument by a scale. Hoping I may hear from you when convenient I remain
Yours respectfullyLarkin G. Mead Jr.
Dear Sir,
What I have said on the front page is the first idea which occurred to me respecting the Statue; -- Instead of being a final decision of what I think the Statue should be, it is only a commencement of the subject which of course requires much study? It is almost impossible that anything satisfactory can be expressed in a sketch. A small model would express everything clearly! A sketch (No 2) enclosed, is of a different design, but not being properly drawn it does not express the idea intended.
Please excuse my awkward manner of expressing myself.
Yours respectfully
L. G. Mead Jr
Mr John N. Pomeroy
Burlington
References in this letter:
The lawyer, John Norton Pomeroy, (1792-1881) was a lawyer and prominent resident of Burlington, Vermont. He held several position in Vermont state government and was named chairman of the Statuary Committee to oversee the construction of the monument placed over the grave of Ethan Allen in Green Mount Cemetery in Burlington.
In 1855 the Vermont legislature appointed a committee to be in charge of a monument over the grave of Ethan Allen in the Green Mount Cemetery in Burlington. John Norton Pomeroy was appointed chair and Marsh served with him. Larkin Goldsmith Mead was chosen to create a figure of Allen for the monument. Unable to raise the necessary funds, the project was not completed until 1873. Mead's statue was instead placed on the portico of the State House and another figure, by Boston sculptor Peter Stephenson, surmounted the granite base erected in Burlington.