Virgil A. Willard was born in Cuba, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1838, and passed from this life at Belmont, N. Y., Nov. 12, 1903.
He was the son of Dr. Ambrose P. Willard and Mary J. Wilcox Willard. The father died when Virgil was four years old. Virgil attended school in Friendship. Rushford, Alfred University, and the Albany Law School. On Dec. 23, 1872, he married Mary J. Lanphear of Alfred. For nearly fifty years Mr. Willard has been identified with the interests of Belmont, having held important offices. He was supervisor of the town of Amity, postmaster of the village of Belmont, and at the time of his death he was a member of the Board of Education. He was a prominent practicing attorney and well known as editor and writer. For many years he edited the Genesee Valley Post, formerly published at Belmont. Later he established the Belmont Courier which continued until almost a year ago. The esteem in which he was held is suggested by the great throng which assembled to pay the tribute of love to his memory. The casket was buried in flowers, one bouquet intended for his sick room coming from the Pacific coast.
Mr. Willard was a man of conscience, sincere and outspoken. Among those who differed from him in opinion, none will deny him the title of honest man, true to the core. Higher public honors might readily have been his if he had been with the majority. He stood by his convictions, whatever the cost, and any man who does this is a success. He was an earnest man. He knew what it was to have an unfortunate natural desire for stimulants an to feel the grip of early habit fastened upon him. Like a hero he fought the enemy throughout his later years and continuously conquered. He hated the saloon for the havoc it wrought. He has done a great work for temperance.
He was a man of faith. He believed in his mother's God. It was in his home that his noble characteristics shone out best. He has had a royal helpmeet of whose constant assistance and inspiration he has been lovingly appreciative. As is true of us all, whatever in him was true and noble bore the divine stamp and proclaimed the divine origin. L. C. R.
