USA > New Hampshire > The Connecticut River Valley in southern Vermont and New Hampshire; historical sketches > Part 14
USA > Vermont > The Connecticut River Valley in southern Vermont and New Hampshire; historical sketches > Part 14
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"Notice-John Parks Finney and Lydia Archer, of Rockingham, came to my house, and having been pub- lished agreeably to law, but he being a minor and not having his father's consent, I refused to marry them. They, however, declared that they took and considered each other as husband and wife, meaning to live and do for each other accordingly.
"SAMUEL WHITING, "Minister."
This may be considered as the first free love mar- riage that ever took place in this county. In the year 1800 the census showed the number of inhabitants in the town to be 1,634, while the number of school children enrolled in the 16 districts of the town in 1805 was 736.
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LANGDON, N. H .- ACCIDENT AT CHURCH RAIS- ING-TRADITION OF LARGE ELM TREE
Our neighboring town of Langdon, N. H., so named in honor of a former governor, although not having a large citizenship, has a fund of history and tradition which make interesting reading. Among the notable incidents there were those connected with the raising, on or about June 1st, 1842, of the Congregational church, which is still in use there.
The "raising" of the frame of any building in olden times was always an event of importance, calling for the gathering of a large number of men to assist. The style of construction was then entirely different from present methods. Buildings were always "framed" while lying upon the ground, and with very heavy timbers. Each of the four sides constituted a "bent" in early parlance. These were put together firmly by themselves, lying on the ground in proper position, so when they were "raised" they made the four sides of the building, and the sides were firmly secured together with wooden pins at the corners.
An unusually large gathering of strong men had come to the raising of this church building on that day, called together by interest in the building because of its expected use, and by the hope of partaking in the usual "refreshments" always served in those days, for churches as well as any other building. The main part of the building had been raised and pinned in its proper position and a portion of the belfry was being added, when some of the timbers gave way and precipitated 15 or 20 men to the ground with the falling timbers.
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One man, Jonas Blood, was killed in the fall and about a dozen others were severely injured, one with a broken leg, another with broken ribs, and others more or less seriously hurt.
Early in the year 1878 a giant elm was cut down which had stood on the farm of Mr. Charles Holden in Langdon. It was a notable one and had been one of the old landmarks in that part of the state for over a hun- dred years. Its height was 100 feet; its girth two feet from the ground was seventeen feet; thirty-four feet from the ground twelve feet; forty-eight feet up to the first limb. At sixty feet from the ground six limbs branched out, each measuring six feet in circumference. A section of the trunk twelve feet long was estimated to weigh eight tons, and required nine yoke of oxen to draw it. The whole tree contained sixteen cords of wood.
There was an old legend connected with this noble tree which tradition had carefully preserved, and which had been believed in, and handed down from father to son for the previous 125 years. It was as follows :-
During the old French and Indian war, a detach- ment of soldiers was sent out from Boston to join their regiment, which had a few days before started for Que- bec. The detachment consisted of fourteen men and all expected, with long and rapid marches, to overtake the regiment in a short time.
On the third day one of their number fell sick, and was left in the hands of friendly Indians, in the town of Langdon. In a short time he recovered, but again fell, this time in love with a beautiful Indian squaw, who was soon to become the wife of an Indian brave. The warrior grew jealous, and watched his chance. One
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evening while the young soldier and beautiful Indian girl sat under this noble elm, gazing at the moon, and talking of love, an arrow swift and unerring from the bow of the Indian lover, smites the white man through the heart, and pins him to the tree. The maiden with her own hand draws out the arrow, digs the grave, and with her own hands lays her white lover in it, covering him with her own beautiful skirts of fur, which she takes from her person, and with her own hands heaps the cold earth upon him who had taken her young heart captive. She never left that noble tree, never again tasted food, and on the seventh day was found dead upon the grave of her lover.
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THREE BELLOWS FALLS RESIDENTS BECAME GENERALS IN THE CIVIL WAR
When the Civil War broke out there were three young men living in Bellows Falls who became during its progress prominent in military circles, and each retired holding commissions as generals. Lewis Addison Grant became a major general, and both Edwin Henry Stoughton and his brother, Charles Bradley Stoughton, became brigadier generals, each giving conspicuous service to the government.
Major General Lewis Addison Grant had lived here since 1857, practicing law in company with Hon. H. E. Stoughton, the firm name being Stoughton & Grant. He was born in Winhall, Vt., a son of James Grant, a native of Wrentham, Mass., and Elizabeth Wyman of Peru, Vt. His education was in the common school and before the open fire place of the Winhall home in the long winter evenings; at Leland & Gray Seminary at Townshend, and at Chester, Vt., Academy. He taught school several years in neighboring towns, and in Wash- ington, N. J., Harvard, Mass., and in Boston. While teaching he began the study of law with Mr. Stoughton, then in Chester, Vt., and was admitted to the bar in Windsor county in 1855, and the supreme court of the state in 1857.
At the outbreak of the war he entered the volun- teer service, his first commission being that of major in the 5th Vermont regiment, Aug. 15th, 1861. He organized the regiment which was mustered into the U. S. service at St. Albans, Vt., Sept. 16, 1861. He was rapidly promoted, his commission as lieutenant colonel
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bearing date of Sept. 25th, 1861; colonel of the same regiment Sept. 16, 1862; in February, 1862, he was given the command of the "Old Vermont Brigade," and with this most noted organization he made a record which was equalled by few brigades of the army. He continued in command of this brigade, and of the divi- sion to which it belonged, during the remainder of the war, being brevetted as a major general on October 19th, 1864, the date of the battle of Cedar Creek where he commanded the division that checked and held the rebel advance and saved the day.
The "Old Brigade" was in 30 battles, in all of which he was in command except two. He was wounded twice, at the battle of Fredericksburg and again at the battle of Petersburg. He was honorably discharged August 24th, 1865, and returned to Bellows Falls for a time, later removing to Chicago and becoming interested in various improvement and investment companies in the West. He was appointed assistant secretary of war in 1890 under President Harrison's administration, serving also during a portion of President Cleveland's term. During 1888 and 1889 he traveled extensively in this country and abroad.
The last years of the general's life were spent in Minneapolis, where he was for several years president and manager of an investment company. He died there March 20, 1918, in his 90th year. He left a daughter, S. Augusta, who married George W. Stone of Minnea- polis, and two sons, Ulysses Sherman, a prominent pro- fessor of geology in the North Western University at Evanston, Ill., and James Colfax, a practicing attorney of Minneapolis. The General was twice married, 1st to
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S. Augusta Hartwell of Harvard, Mass., and 2nd, to M. Helen Pierce, of Hartland, Vt. The latter died March 20th, 1927, in Minneapolis at the age of 80 years. During his later years he made a visit to Vermont and the legislature being in session he was entertained in a remarkable manner by the state and its government officials.
Of the three Bellows Falls citizens who became generals in the Civil War, Lewis A. Grant,, Edwin H. Stoughton and Charles Bradley Stoughton, the last two were sons of the Hon. H. E. Stoughton, one of the lead- ing lawyers of Vermont in his day. Their home was what has in later years been known as the Hetty Green place near the intersection of Westminster and Church Streets. The father was an ardent "Union" Democrat, always outspoken in favor of sustaining the Union, in striking contrast to the large number of Democrats who opposed the prosecution of the war. He was a cripple from seven years and studied law on a cobbler's bench. The family came here from Chester, Vt., in 1853.
The son, Edwin H., was born in Chester in 1838, entered West Point Military Academy in 1854 and graduated in 1859. He was appointed then a lieutenant in the 6th Infantry of the regular army, located at various military posts in the West, serving there until the war broke out. He then returned to Bellows Falls, after having resigned his position in the regular army, and organized and drilled the 4th Vermont Regiment. He was appointed its colonel and his record, as well as that of his regiment, was a brilliant one, taking part in numerous engagements, and they were often com- mended in general orders.
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He was promoted to brigadier-general of volunteers in 1862, and assigned to the command of the 2nd Ver- mont Brigade. In March of 1863 the Rebel Captain, John S. Mosby, with a party of 29 men, raided his head- quarters in the village of Fairfax Court House, Va., access to the village being gained through a gap in the picket line. The capture occasioned much criticism in military circles, it being at first reported that his headquarters were established outside the Union lines, and that he was rash in thus establishing his position. General Stoughton's mother and two sisters were with him in the village, in a house a short distance away, and they were not disturbed. They had spent the previous evening with him in his room, not leaving until a late hour. The general had retired immediately, and Col. Mosby awakened him by entering his room about 3 A. M., having captured Lieut. Prentiss, the guard, who opened the door when Mosby knocked.
With the general were captured about 25 men and 55 horses. He was taken to Richmond where he was accorded all the courtesies and privileges that could be allowed a prisoner by his old class-mate at West Point, Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee. He was confined in Libby prison, from which he was exchanged May 7th, 1863, but he never returned to the army. He studied law with his father in Bellows Falls and was admitted to the Wind- ham County bar in 1864. He later removed to New York city, where he practiced law with his uncle Hon. E. W. Stoughton. He never fully recovered from the effects of his confinement in Libby prison and died of consumption on Christmas Day of 1868. His remains are buried in the family lot in Immanuel Cemetery in
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this village. He was a popular officer with his men and when the Grand Army Post was organized in Bellows Falls it was named "E. H. Stoughton Post" in honor of a brave officer, which name it has always borne. The general never married.
In 1906 in a personal letter to the writer from General Mosby, who was then employed by the govern- ment in Washington, he wrote that "great injustice has been done him (Stoughton). He was entirely blameless. If anyone was to blame it was Wyndham, who com- manded the cavalry outposts and let me slip in." Gen. Mosby also wrote a facetious account of his finding Gen. Stoughton so sound asleep that he turned down the bed clothes and awakened him with a smart slap.
General Charles Bradley Stoughton, a brother of Edwin H., and the third officer to be raised to the rank of general credited to Bellows Falls, was also born in Chester and came to Bellows Falls with his parents in 1853 at the age of 12 years. He attended the local schools, fitting for college here and graduated from the University of Vermont in 1861. He was active in drill- ing troops for the Civil War and was commissioned as adjutant of the 4th Vermont Regiment in August of that year, his brother being colonel of the same organiza- tion. He was made a lieutenant colonel in July of 1862, colonel in November of the same year when only 21 years of age, one of the youngest officers in the service. He was often referred to by his superior officers as "espe- cially distinguished on the field of battle." By a wound received at Funkstown, Md., July 10, 1863, he lost the use of his right eye. He was honorably discharged in
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1864, and brevetted a brigadier-general in 1865 for "gallantry on the field."
After the war, with his brother, Edwin H., he studied law in the office of his father in Bellows Falls, and later practiced in New York with his uncle, Hon. E. W. Stoughton. He died January 17, 1898, and is buried in the family lot in Immanuel church cemetery here. He married Ada Ripley, daughter of Robert C. Hooper of Boston. They had six children.
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INCIDENTS OF BELLOWS FALLS AND VICINITY DURING THE WAR OF THE REBELLION
During the days immediately preceding the Civil War, and while it was in progress, many most interest- ing incidents occurred in Bellows Falls and vicinity of which only a few of the older residents have recollection.
There had been for several years previous to the war an active and somewhat noted company of militia here, known as "The Green Mountain Guards" having the state designation of "Company E," 12th Vermont Regi- ment, which happens to be the same letter by which the local company is designated today. The Green Mountain Guards went to the state muster on Langdon Meadow near Montpelier in the summer of 1860. It was a brigade muster and under command of General Alonzo Jackman, the well known head of Vermont University. The local armory of Company E was the second story of a large building near the head of the canal, the first story of which was then used for storage of wool. In 1861 nearly the entire company went to the war, a thrilling incident being the forming of the company in line and after an address by the captain the order was given that any who were not willing to enlist should "step two paces to the rear." Only three or four of the entire company stepped back.
During the war 243 men were credited to this town, of whom 5 were killed in action, 7 died of wounds, 9 died of disease, and 3 died in Confederate prisons. Twenty-eight were wounded in battle, 12 taken prisoners, 3 men were drafted and 25 furnished substitutes.
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A. N. Swain was editor of the Bellows Falls Times, a strong Union newspaper, and Hiram Atkins was editor of the Bellows Falls Argus, noted as a strong anti-war or "Copperhead" paper. The files of these two papers of those years show interesting incidents, and many strong expressions used on both sides. At one time the two men met in the post office and getting into a heated argument it resulted in blows and a lively scrimmage, long remembered by those present at the time.
During the Lincoln campaign for the presidency a party flag with his name on it was cut down one night from its pole on the lawn in front of the Baptist church. This caused intense excitement for weeks, a sizable re- ward being offered for the "miscreant." For years no knowledge was had as to the real facts. In 1906 a man named Lucius B. Wright, then of Everett, Mass., wrote of his participancy in the episode. He told of a party of young fellows, of good Union families, who had been over to Drewsville to a dance that night and returning, seeing the flag, one dared another to cut it down, which was done, and the boys, hearing "Otis Arms and Mr. Beard, the miller, coming," ran to the pine hill back of Immanuel Church and each climbed pine trees, from which they listened to the excitement of the crowd that had gathered. Getting to their respective homes, later, the village tailor, "Cal" Newcomb, had several hard jobs in cleaning the pitch off the trousers the next day. Each participant kept his own counsel, and this was the first exposé made of the real facts.
The first troops passing through Bellows Falls for the seat of war were from Claremont, April 29, 1861, followed three days later by a company from Bradford,
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Vt., of which Roswell Farnham, later the governor, was the captain.
Two residents who went into the army from here each lost a leg by the same cannon ball; one was the right leg and the other the left. Both returned here and lived many years, being well known citizens. They were Daniel Higgins, grandfather of Charles D. Higgins of the present paper mill firm of Blake & Higgins, and Henry W. Corlew, for many years a harness maker at Saxtons River village.
For several years during the war, particularly fol- lowing the noted raid of Fenians on the city of St. Albans on October 19th, 1864, many fears were enter- tained in the Connecticut river valley of trouble from similar causes. While the fears were not so marked as in towns nearer the Canadian border apprehensions were felt in Bellows Falls and many false alarms occurred. For some time an organized body of local men, number- ing seventy, guarded the streets here by night in squads of seven men each. They had a headquarters in the north store of what was at that time called Farr's block between Rockingham and Canal Streets, using it as an arsenal also, and for some months there were one thou- sand Belgian muskets stored there. The day and night trains were all carefully watched, and they carried frequent detachments of soldiers from the south going to guard the frontier.
Several years ago one of the few survivors of that Bellows Falls guard told a number of amusing ex- periences of the time and among other incidents he told of the only arrest made by them. It was the arrest of a lunatic being carried on the night train to the Brattle-
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boro asylum. He ran from the train when it stopped here, jumped into the canal and disappeared. Some hours later he was discovered by the patrol clinging to some bushes under a stump that was in the canal about opposite what was then known as the old organ factory, which had for many years been operated by William Nutting, just above Bridge Street. Many laughable errors were told of apprehending belated business men of the village, and many frights were occasioned by rumors of the coming of the enemy.
For many years previous to the war the citizens of Bellows Falls had owned a cannon of some size which had done duty in Fourth of July celebrations, and in celebrating other important events. During the war it was often used to express the joy of the people over any important Union victory. It was last used in cele- brating the Gettysburg victory, and the next day its whereabouts became a mystery. It was not found until August 28th, 1868, when workmen employed in dredg- ing the canal brought it to the surface from the bottom. It was always generally understood that some of the sympathizers with the Southern cause threw it into the canal during the night following the victory.
The town of Rockingham expended $81,480.72 in support of the war, all soldiers' families being well cared for. The town had 54 men whose income at that time was large enough so they had to pay a "Special Income Tax" levied by the government. The largest payer on the list was Wyman Flint, later many years a paper mill owner here. Henry S. Blake, later a well Inown locomotive engineer between here and Spring- field, Mass., was the first man to enlist in town. "Jack" Russell was the first man from here to be killed in battle.
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A LOCAL CIVIL WAR INCIDENT-"HURRAH FOR MOTHER WITH THE RASPBERRY PIE"
On Monday, the 24th day of September, 1861, the 5th Vermont regiment broke camp at St. Albans and passed through Bellows Falls on its way to Brattleboro, and from thence to Washington, there to join the 2d and 3d regiments which were in camp at Chain Bridge. They were a fine body of men, stout, hard and gentlemanly. Bellows Falls had more than an ordinary interest in this regiment for it gave one of its best citizens and most prominent lawyers for one of its leading officers. Maj .- Gen. Lewis A. Grant was its first major.
On arriving in Bellows Falls at about 6 in the even- ing, an incident occurred long remembered by many of the large crowd which had gathered to greet the soldiers. For many years it was referred to and discussed by several who were on the platform and witnessed it. The soldiers were given a lunch at the depot by local people, the train stopping for the purpose 20 minutes.
While the ladies were distributing the food, an elderly woman very plainly and unfashionably dressed, with a thin face and whitening hair, quietly elbowed her way through the crowd with a huge basket hung on her arm. The car windows and platforms were filled with soldiers, and one sang out, "What ye got in your basket, mother?" With an expression of satisfaction on her worn face, which a bystander described over 30 years ago to the writer, saying he "remembered it as if it was but yesterday," she, without speaking, handed him a raspberry pie. One taste was a signal for more calls, and she passed up and down the platform till the im-
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mense basket was emptied and still the call came from the boys, "Hand up another pie, mother," and as the train moved on, hands and caps went up with "Hurrah for the mother with the raspberry pie," and "God bless you, mother."
She turned away with a smile and a tear, her face beaming with happiness no words can express, as though no benediction would ever be half so holy. The by- stander who rehearsed the story 30 years later added, "I often wonder who she might be; was she a mother ? Had she a boy gone out before, waiting in camp for McClellan to move on, or early sleeping near the Poto- mac? Or was she already made childless or a widow by the war? She was a stranger and in the humbler walks of life; her deed was not a great one, but her patriotism is immortal. She has doubtless long since gone on her long journey, from which there is no return, but 'the cup of cold water' has its reward." Certain it is that these memories of home, and such incidents in the Green Mountain State, added to the quiet courage, bravery and energy of our boys in blue and made the Old Vermont brigade the one notably recognized by the brave and lamented Gen. John Sedgwick in the Wilder- ness, when he said, "Keep the column closed up and put the Vermonters ahead."
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FOURTH OF JULY PRANKS IN EARLY TIMES NEAR BELLOWS FALLS
If records and traditions are correct, the "Young America" of the present generation, in all this vicinity, is not up to that of a century or so ago in its shrewd- ness and real humor in the annual celebrations of the Fourth of July. It used to be an ingenious practice in this section of the Connecticut river valley to steal the few cannon then in use, and held as public property by the different villages, for such celebrations, if they could not be borrowed. Sometimes, in addition to its being a contest of wits between different villages in Vermont, the strife was extended across the river to rivalry be- tween the different villages of the two states, thus ma- terially increasing the interest in the result of victory. The strife was not confined to the boys but was a part of the annual fun of more mature ages.
One year, while the village of Rockingham was the most populous one in this township, the celebration of the year before had left the possession of the town cannon with them, and the Bellows Falls men wanted it. They were denied it, and it was a great mystery where it was stored. These two villages were each anxious for the field piece, that it might be first heard on the morning of Independence Day from their locality, and this would be considered as a much prized victory. Bellows Falls heard the report that the much wanted piece of artillery was under a certain pile of lumber in the tannery yard of Manessah Divoll, where citizens of Rockingham village had hidden it. A large party was made up and after dark, the night of the 3rd, marched up the four
.
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miles to capture it. They took along a team to bring it back, but the whole village was hunted over without find- ing it. Captain Walter Taylor, who was always promi- nent in such pranks, told the boys all to hide and he would see if he could find it by strategy. He aroused Samuel L. Billings, then town clerk, who, he thought, would know where it was hidden. He came to his door very sleepily and was told by the Captain that he under- stood that the Saxtons River boys had taken their cannon. His sleepiness disappeared quickly as he said, "Hold on a minute and I will get my lantern and see."
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