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 p15  John H. Philbrick
No. 2670. Class of 1877.
Died, July 24, 1890, at Madison Barracks, N. Y., aged 37.

Lieutenant Philbrick was born in Maine and appointed Cadet from the same State in 1873. At West Point he excelled in languages, leading his class in both French and Spanish. He graduated number thirty and was assigned as Second Lieutenant to the Eleventh Infantry. He became a First Lieutenant in 1886. He served with his regiment in Dakota from 1877 to 1879. From 1879 to August, 1883, he was instructor of French at the Military Academy. In the fall of 1883 he rejoined his regiment in Dakota. In 1887 the Eleventh Infantry was ordered to New York, with headquarters at Madison Barracks. Lieut. Philbrick was the Regimental Adjutant at the time of his death.

A more extended notice of the deceased was promised by one of his classmates, and after waiting for it as long as possible the above brief record was taken from Cullum's Register.

Secretary of the Association.

 p95  [The following was received too late for insertion in its proper place in the Necrology.]

John H. Philbrick, son of John W. and Julia S. Philbrick, was born in Waterville, Maine, July 12, 1853. His early life was spent in his native town, where he laid the foundation of his education and formed the studious and thoughtful habits that afterwards developed the ripe scholar.

He prepared for college at the Waterville Classical Institute, and in 1869 entered Colby University in the same city.

With an excellent general aptitude, he was most fond of the languages, in which he excelled. This talent appeared in his high standing in the modern languages at West Point as well as in the study of the dead languages in seminary and college. No one  p96 who ever heard him explain the beauty of his class motto, Et Minerva, Et Marte, suggested by him, could doubt his extraordinary love for linguistic work. He was happy, in being ordered back to West Point, on duty in the Department of Modern Languages, where he was enabled to pursue his favorite studies from 1879 until 1883, to the great benefit of many graduates of the Military Academy.

His appointment as a cadet was dated July 1, 1873. His gentle disposition, winning manners and high moral character made him many warm friends in all the classes with which he was associated in his four years' course at the Academy. He was always a most welcome guest with his own classmates, who seemed to save their brightest smiles and most cheerful greetings for him. The friends he once made he never lost — they are his forever.

He graduated June 15, 1877, and was assigned as Second Lieutenant to the Eleventh Infantry, which he joined after the long graduating leave of that class, at the Cheyenne Agency, D. T., December 17th of that year. Then came his service of four years at the Military Academy. He rejoined his regiment at Fort Bennett, D. T., where he served until June 8, 1886, and then at Fort Sully, D. T., until August 9, 1887. He then came East with his regiment and served at Madison Barracks, N. Y., until the time of his death. In evidence of the appreciation of his military merit, he was appointed Adjutant of his regiment December 1, 1889.

He married a sister of F. Jarvis Patten, a classmate at West Point, March 13, 1879. His wife and four children survive him and mourn a tender husband and devoted father.

Few who knew him can realize that his gentle spirit has taken flight and that his kind and encouraging voice shall be heard no more, but it is of such as he that one says: "Though he is dead, he yet speaks."

W. W. G.

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