Benefactor of Morrisville, Vermont. His father George, the owner of the Hotel Morrisville, was killed in 1864 while residing in Montana Territory. His mother remarried, but died when he was 10. Copley lived with relatives and dropped out of school to work odd jobs. Having learned the pharmacy business, in the 1880s he relocated to Hanover, New Hampshire, then to Milton, Massachusetts to work as a pharmacist. Copley soon opened his own store, which was such a success that he began investing in others. In 1886 he married Lucy Page, the niece of Vermont Governor and US Senator Carroll Page. Copley continued to operate his store chain, which grew to 52 locations, and then began investing in other businesses. In 1901 he purchased Thomas Hill in Morristown, Vermont, intending to build a summer house. His wife died in 1906 and Copley continued to spend summers in Morrisville. He eventually relocated to Morrisville, and in 1928 he decided to make a gift to the town, offering to construct a new building for People's Academy on Thomas Hill, now Academy Hill. Copley was also the largest benefactor of Morrisville's hospital, which was named for him after construction was complete in 1932. In 1934 he purchased and donated to Morristown 38 acres which became the Lamoille County Airport and a country club. His health failed in his later years and he was blind and almost totally deaf, bur he continued assisting Morristown and Morrisville with donations. The Copley Trust he endowed for this purpose still operates and had a principal balance in 2005 of more than $1 million.
Benefactor of Morrisville, Vermont. His father George, the owner of the Hotel Morrisville, was killed in 1864 while residing in Montana Territory. His mother remarried, but died when he was 10. Copley lived with relatives and dropped out of school to work odd jobs. Having learned the pharmacy business, in the 1880s he relocated to Hanover, New Hampshire, then to Milton, Massachusetts to work as a pharmacist. Copley soon opened his own store, which was such a success that he began investing in others. In 1886 he married Lucy Page, the niece of Vermont Governor and US Senator Carroll Page. Copley continued to operate his store chain, which grew to 52 locations, and then began investing in other businesses. In 1901 he purchased Thomas Hill in Morristown, Vermont, intending to build a summer house. His wife died in 1906 and Copley continued to spend summers in Morrisville. He eventually relocated to Morrisville, and in 1928 he decided to make a gift to the town, offering to construct a new building for People's Academy on Thomas Hill, now Academy Hill. Copley was also the largest benefactor of Morrisville's hospital, which was named for him after construction was complete in 1932. In 1934 he purchased and donated to Morristown 38 acres which became the Lamoille County Airport and a country club. His health failed in his later years and he was blind and almost totally deaf, bur he continued assisting Morristown and Morrisville with donations. The Copley Trust he endowed for this purpose still operates and had a principal balance in 2005 of more than $1 million.
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