USA > Vermont > Franklin County > St Albans > A centennial history of St. Albans, Vermont > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
17
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
block. Aldis & Gadcomb did business north of the residence of the late Mr. Gadcomb. There was also a store on the corner of Main and Fair- fax Streets, one on the corner of Newton Street, and another on the three-cornered lot on the road to Swanton Falls. These two sets of early busi- ness men were followed by Taylor Bros., Messrs. E. L. Jones, W. O. Gadcomb, L. L. Dutcher, Orange Adams, W. S. Wetmore, S. P. Eastman, H. B. Soules, S. H. Barlow, A. C. Potwin, Wm. Farrar, G. G. & H. G. Smith, Hyde & Beardsley, T. W. Smith, C. J. & J. G. Saxe, C. H. Safford, V. Atwood. As it would not be according to the original plan of this work to advertise our present business men, the author will state, and he states it sincerely, that our tradesmen, mechanics and business men generally, are honorable men and deserving of patronage.
Previous to 1849 there were fifteen dry goods and grocery stores in the village ; but let no one ridicule this statement by replying that the stocks must have been small to combine the two branches. This is a mistake, for most of our merchants sold at wholesale to Canada merchants and our more extensive farmers. At this time there were five at the Bay, with a bank, two hotels, two physi- cians, a church, a hat store and a seminary. Time has indeed wrought great changes. With
18
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
our early tradesmen business was conducted to a great extent, on the credit system ; small farmers, by barter, or exchanging their commodities for goods ; while the larger land owners would pay their accounts and notes with grain, to be deliv- ered at so much a bushel on January Ist, or with cattle in the street, on such an hour the first day of October. The drovers would be on hand the very hour specified, mounted on horse back, armed and equipped to relieve the merchants of their burden, who, if not just ready to drive the cattle to the city markets, would always find pas- turage near by at low rates.
Butter and honey were then sold at ten cents per pound, at which time the traveller and christ- ian wayfarer could find short-cake and honey in the most humble abode. Cheese and maple sugar from six to eight. Eggs were ten cents a dozen, and straw hats at one dollar a dozen. The good farm wives paid for their rose-scented snuff, quilt- ing tea, and chocolate-colored bandannas in mit- tens and socks, at twenty-five cents a pair, and not one would have cheated a stitch for even a new gown.
In those days the farmers were all engaged in clearing new land, which naturally produced a large quantity of ashes, and many traders manu- factured potash, where the farmer who did not
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT. 19
make his own, always found a ready sale. This was the article the farmer relied on for money to pay his taxes, even in St. Albans ; and his minis- ter, although the clergy in early times received compensation for their spiritual services as the the merchant did, in the substantial elements of life. Starch factories used up the surplus pota- toes, and the distilleries the corn and rye.
The question very naturally arises, why and wherefore so many distilleries? Why such a de- mand for liquors ? All the merchants sold liquors in our town until the great temperance cyclone of 1829-31 swept through New England. Yes, sold them, which they never would have done had there not been a corresponding demand for them, in addition to those sold by the old-time taverns.
But in this connection, there appears to be a semblance of apology, for in those days the liquors were pure, especially whiskey at one shilling a gallon, and the customs were so different from those which have guided public opinion within the last half century.
I am well aware our good temperance folks and the rising generation outside the pale of modern reform, with some propriety ask, how did the cus- toms vary from those of the present progressive age?
Well, to begin, most of the clergy drank, and
20
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
a family who failed to place before his pastor or any other minister, the decanter of rum or cider brandy and bowl of lump sugar, chip'd off from one of those old-fashioned pyramids of snowy sweetness, was considered lacking in hos- pitality ; and in these days of Auld Lang Syne, no one could be honestly born or spliced for life, un- less all concerned were moved by the spirit. Raisings and movings, seed time, haying and har- vesting, husking and pareing bees elections and turkey raffles, and even the bearers to a funeral, in some localities, had to be braced up with cider brandy or with cake and wine.
Also, on ordination occasions, which generally concluded with a ball, spirits were generally cir- culated. This is substantiated by the present pastor of Beechers Church, in Brooklyn, Rev. Dr. Lyman Abbott, in his able article entitled, "The New Reformation," published in "The Century," for November, 1888, who states, "That the churches paid for drinks on occasions of dedica- tions and ordinations, and the minister's sideboard took on the aspect of a public bar."
In Lyman Beecher's autobiography we read, " When the consociation arrived, they always took something round ; also, before public service, and always on their return. As they could not all drink at once, they were obliged to stand and
2I
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
wait, as people do when they go to mill. There was a decanter of spirits, also, on the dinner table to help digestion."
But those days of primitive simplicity have passed away. Since then many organizations have been created to disseminate the principles of mor- ality among our people.
While the secret orders of Masons and Odd Fellows have performed miracles in their respec- tive spheres of usefulness, many of our temper- ance and moral reform organizations have been equally successful, of which it is pleasant to notice in these pages "The Secret Society of Recha- bites," that flourished here along about 1847-8, which today members of old families allude to with grateful memory, and many wish, yea, sin- cerely wish " that organization " might be revived. There was just enough in the ceremonies and regalia to keep up an interest in the society. As far as doing a certain amount of good is concerned, "our present Reform Club" is the nearest approach to the Rechabite Club, although divested of special garbs and ceremonies, it is justly entitled to the encouragement of all well-meaning and thoughtful residents of St. Albans. It is unneces- sary to add our old business men quit the liquor business voluntarily, not by compulsion, and all
22
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
became cordial supporters of the temperance cause.
With this credit system each merchant had his regular customers, yet I never heard of an account being disputed. If a customer wished to cheat a business man to the amount of twenty-five dollars, he would run away in the night to Canada, but now if it is for as many thousands, he has so much faith in public opinion he remains at home. Small crimes have since been regarded with so much in- difference, they have lead to greater ones, and " we now see villiany outreach and trample ingen- uous nobility and helpless innocence, and the bold minions of selfishness, with seared consciences and nerves of iron, plucking 'the forbidden fruits of pleasure,' wearing the diadem of society and sweeping through the world in pomp."
This is owing to example not to precept, for they have never taught villainy in
OUR SCHOOLS
of which there is a record of one as early as 1792. The Rev. Roswell Mears records in his diary " that when a licentiate he preached in St. Albans in 1792, when on a visit to his former pastor, the Rev. Eben Hibbard, who was located here, and he it was who taught our first school for two years in a log house near the marble shop on the corner of Main and East Street, now Congress.
23
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
Those early log school houses were warmed by huge fire-places with back logs, which the schol- ars covered up at the close of the school by turns. The seats were generally arranged on an inclined plane, the smallest in front, ascending by age up- ward to the largest, thus enabling the teacher to see every head.
At that time down to the writers attendance, the Testament was a text book in our common schools, for once a week, generally on Monday morning, each pupil arose in his seat and recited a verse, and there was no profanity in those days at the corners and before our public buildings.
Some attention was devoted to the manners of the scholars. When they were out at recess, each boy took off his cap and bowed to the inmates of a team, and the girls courteseyed. We naturally smile at this Chesterfieldian strain, but would it not be preferable even now, to having lads in their teens at the corners of our streets, and even schools insulting strangers, as well as our own people.
From that time, through the district school sys- tem, the teacher boarded around, so many days for each one. Whenever a family had several children at school they became very strict in the matter, and if they thought a teacher's time was fairly up, they never hesitated to tell him so ; yet, I never
24
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
heard of any family here being so particular as the one in another town in our state, of whom it is re- lated, that on the occasion of the teacher's time be- ing just out as they were eating a meal, "the man told the school-master he was entitled to about half a meal, but he might finish it as he didn't want to be mean about it."
And a few years later than the school of Mr. Hibbard, one was taught by the daughter of Col. Taylor, of park memory. It is also known that when our town was chartered in 1763, one share was designated for that purpose ; as in many other towns. The first law in relation to schools in our State was passed in the legislature Oct. 22d, 1782.
Mr. Kingman gave the first lot for a primary school in town. Lotteries were also legalized by our legislature over sixty years ago, to raise money for the support of common schools.
Some seventy-five years ago a school was taught in the north-east corner of the Stranahan lot, as individuals now verging on octogenarianism in- form me, who attended the school, and that the mode of correction varied somewhat from that of the present age. " The old-time school-marm." according to the customs of the age, wore three heavy quilted petticoats, and about twelve o'clock, not being the possessor of a watch, would, with much pomp, make a "noon mark," and they who
25
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
presumed to smile at this gymnastic performance would receive a slap from her slipper. This was her usual mode of inflicting punishment, for about twice a week she would take off her slipper, and go the grand rounds and slap the chops of the scholars. Inasmuch as the
FRANKLIN COUNTY GRAMMAR SCHOOL
was chartered in 1799, it is reasonable to infer there existed feeders for it in the form of private and district schools before it opened in 1803, be- tween which time and 1825, there were several. Previous to 1825 our first Female Seminary was opened in the little building east of the Blaisdell store.
In 1842, it was decided to build a larger Female Seminary, in connection with the Franklin County Grammar School. It having been decided to locate it north of the Kendall house, it became necessary to remove the old bake shop in the cor- ner, and who among us recalls that memorable event ? A double row of oxen, fifty yoke in a row, lead by the Trustees in their shirt sleeves, wearing ten cent straw hats, dragging "that treasured re- lict" through Main Street. I well remember the occasion, as it seemed like a funeral procession ; every gee and haw was the death knell of our gin- gerbread. Who has forgotten those unctious
lt S
e
h 0
P
F
r
26
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
morsels? Oh, gingerbread of our youth ; sweet solace ; gentle tickler of the palate; so fair, so chaste ; so free from meal ; so free from sawdust ; we ne'er shall see thy like again.
And who to that ever beheld "the quaint old pedagogue," at the head of " the institution " from 1842 to 1846, will soon forget him. Methinks I see him now, in that swallow-tail coat reaching to his heels, and the huge stock, with a collar above it, the two about eleven inches high, and oh ! that majestic tuft of hair, soaring afar up to the ceiling, which could only be compared to an Egyptian obelisk. I tell you, my friends, what that dignified and scholarly man didn't teach us of orthography, we made up in sin-tax.
But this picture would remain unfinished with- out some notice of " the Saintly Dame," who pre- pared us for this higher hall of education. And who remembers
Good Aunt Ruth ? " The Mentor of our Youth."
And the drawing of those maps on our slates ? The boxes of paints, with which we placed on paper all the states in course. And then to those marches, clapping our hands around the stove, re- peating the multiplication table in rhyme.
Twice one is two, I'll teach you something new. Twice two are four, we repeat it o'er and o'er. Twice three are six, we pick up sticks.
27
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
Twice four are eight, we lay them straight. Twice five are ten, a good fat hen.
Good old soul. Her name is enrolled among the saints. Well may we who knew her best ex- claim " Requiescat in pace."
A PLEA FOR TEACHERS.
Being conscious of what most of our teachers have to contend with, I am convinced that if there is a class that are entitled to a pension it is the teachers, and the author has frequently thought if he should ever descend to the level of politics, his first petition would be, that any teacher who should spend thirty continuous years in the State at that occupation should receive a pension of fifteen hun- dred dollars a year. We would then retain the services of our most efficient instructors in our own state, who would be enabled to create a home, and their surplus could be expended in books, and cultivating the powers of observation, and have a pension to anticipate, as a solace for their declin- ing years. Or in language still more pertinent to the subject, there is one thing on which we cannot insist with too much earnestness, as it contains un- questionably a main cause of many existing evils. I refer to the insufficient salaries of teachers in many localities. If there are any men in the com- munity who toil hard, with stubborn materials,
)
e
r
28
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
with few encouragements, and with many annoy- ances, and whose pecuniary remuneration is en- tirely disproportionate to the value of their labor. it is the public teacher, and this with the same propriety includes the female teachers. Why is it so? Do they deserve to be more meanly paid than the members of other professions? Ought their rank in society to be lower than that of the members of other professions? Do they not de- serve the comforts of social life, and the respect of society as much as our clergy, our physicians and our lawyers, whose attainments and genius are often inferior ? It is believed if the people would reply practically to these queries, by doing to others as they might justly expect others would do to them in similar circumstances. I believe if this were done, that the condition of the teachers would be meliorated, by a reasonable augmenta- tion of their hard-earned income. By raising the emoluments of public instruction there would be less inducement to abandon the business of tuition for the other professions or for other occupations, of which we have had examples here, which, being more lucrative, are almost invariably sought after. Teachers would limit their ambition to the princi- palship of higher schools and professorships of colleges ; and thus the services of competent and experienced teachers would be secured, during
29
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
life, to the public. At present, as soon as individ- uals begin to acquire some celebrity as teachers, they are invited and attracted by some position which offers a larger income.
OUR PRESENT SYSTEM.
The management of our schools at the present time are striving to have them commensurate with the progress of the age, yet the mode of instruc- tion fifty years ago was better calculated to pre- pare the youth, living under a republican govern- ment, to face the stern realities of life than our more modern system.
Our past history as well as the personal obser- vations of our older residents demonstrates this fact, as we know our past schools have furnished many brilliant and useful members who have at- tained eminence in their chosen occupations, and notwithstanding the slight encouragement given here to learning, genius, and culture, yet every state in the Union has received the benefit from our St. Albans schools.
There is no doubt concerning the qualifications of our present teachers. But there are some changes that might be made that would conduce to the future benefit of the students, and here at the shire it is to begin. For it is an undisputed fact that our greatest men and our most accomplished
t
30
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
women received their best education, and can attribute their success in life to the district schools and academies, instead of the higher and more fashionable seats of instruction. For at either of the former both sexes can graduate, and then take up a judicious course of reading on history, the arts and sciences, botany, poetry, the drama, and the ancient classics, and in one-half the time, and for half the expense usually spent in a university or fashionable boarding-school, they will be better stocked with useful information and general intel- ligence than if they graduated from either.
I am conscious it will be asked, what does life in a fashionable boarding-school amount to. Well, it is generally, not always, a mere place where young ladies are crammed for exhibition like Thanksgiving turkeys for market; and thousands of wives and mothers are annually sent out into society, who are never so much amazed at any- thing, as at the depth of their own learning, while in reality they are mere pigmies in knowledge, mere empty sciolists, padded with affectation, stif- fened with philosophical buckram, and arrayed in a pompous patchwork of innumerable shreds, taken from the modern rag bag of popular catechisms. Carlyle thus endorses the value of the course of reading just recommended. " All that a university or final highest school can do for us is still but
3 1
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
what the first school began doing-teach us to read. We learn to read in various languages, in various sciences ; we learn the alphabet and letters of all manners of books. But the place where we are to get knowledge, even theoretic knowledge, is the books themselves. It depends on what we read, after all manner of professors have done their best for us. The true university of these days is a collection of books." Hence the necessity of making our primary schools and academies as near perfection as possible ; and that every town con- taining four or five thousand inhabitants should be provided with a library of useful books.
I would suggest the following changes in our present schools : Restore the New Testament as a text book ; abrogate the dead languages, as the English translations of the ancient classics are now within the reach of all ; consume no time in prayer and sacred song, the place for them is the home and Sunday-school ; but revive the old-fashioned singing, spelling, writing and debating schools, for evening recreation, and introduce into schools of every grade a work on " Common Law," the study of which would save many pupils much trouble, and their parents much mortification, being a study which should be regarded full as important as the one recently adopted by our school boards. The writer, however, admits that a perceptible change
L
32
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
for the better has transpired of late in our schools. He is also conscious that all he might state in bracing up a mere theory of education, would not deter many from attending colleges and boarding- schools. He therefore cordially endorses our own State Universities, Normal Schools and Female Seminaries, where the advantages are superior to most, and equal to those in all other states.
OUR WRITERS.
We have had but few men among us whose lit- erary efforts have been published, but among the number we can mention John G. Saxe, who attend- ยท ed our Academy, and several years afterward as a citizen, wrote here his celebrated poem, entitled " Progress," by which he acquired his first reputa- tion as a poet. He was also the author of several other poems, sonnets and epigrams, among which are the following :
RHYME OF THE RAIL.
Singing through the forests, Rattling over ridges, Shooting under arches, Rumbling over bridges, Whizzing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale, Bless me ! this is pleasant, Riding on the Rail !
33
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
Men of different stations, In the eye of fame Here are very quickly Coming to the same. High and lowly people, Birds of every feather, On a common level Travelling together ! Gentlemen in shorts, Looming very tall , Gentlemen at large, Talking very small ; Gentlemen in tights, With a loosish mien ;
Gentlemen in gray, Looking rather green.
Gentlemen quite old, Asking for the news ; Gentlemen in black, In a fit of blues ; Gentlemen in claret, Sober as a vicar ; Gentlemen in tweed, Dreadfully in liquor !
Stranger on the right, Looking very sunny, Obviously reading Something rather funny. Now the smiles are thicker, Wonder what they mean ? Faith, he's got the Knicker- Bocker Magazine !
t
n e
e
3
d
h
34
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
Stranger on the left, Closing up his peepers : Now he snores amain Like the seven sleepers : At his feet a volume Gives the explanation How the man grew stupid From association !
Ancient maiden lady Anxiously remarks, That there must be peril 'Mong so many sparks, Roguish-looking fellow. Turning to stranger, Says it's his opinion She is out of danger !
Woman with her baby, Sitting vis-a-vis ;
Baby keeps a squalling, Woman looks at me ; Asks about the distance, Says it's tiresome talking. Noises of the cars Are so very shocking !
Market woman careful Of the precious casket,
Knowing eggs are eggs, Tightly holds her basket ; Feeling that a smash If it came, would surely Send her eggs to pot Rather prematurely !
35
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
Singing through the forests, Rattling over ridges, Shooting under arches, Rumbling over bridges, Whizzing through the mountains, Buzzing o'er the vale ; Bless me ! this is pleasant, Riding on the Rail ! 1255307
SONNET TO A CLAM. Dum tacent Clamant.
Inglorious friend ! most confident I am Thy life is one of very little ease ; Albeit men mock thee with their similes And prate of being happy as a clam ! What though thy shell protects thy fragile head From the sharp bailiffs of the briny sea ?
Thy valves are, sure, no safety-valves to thee, While rakes are free to desecrate thy bed, And bear thee off-as foremen take their spoil,- Far from thy friends and family to roam ; Forced, like a Hessian, from thy native home, To meet destruction in a foreign broil ! Though thou art tender, yet thy humble bard Declares, O, clam ! thy case is shocking hard !
It is also pleasant to record that we now have among us, females who were educated here, who possess talents, which, if more fully developed, would place them upon the very pinnacle of liter- ary fame. Also others, who for a long time were of us, but went out from us. Among this number
36
A CENTENNIAL HISTORY
is a lady near by, who was one of our highly es- teemed inhabitants for many years, of whom the historian of Vermont describes as " The most gift- ed lady writer in the State," and of whom another writes as follows : "I know not another woman of more deep and sweet culture in the state." In which we recognize Mrs. Julia P-S-, the wife of a once leading lawyer in St. Albans, whose poetry if published, would place the refined and modest authoress on the apex of poetic re- nown. And still another of the same family, who resided here so long, and our present writers be- ing so scarce, it is hoped the people of a neigh- boring town will excuse the author for claiming the following touching lines as a part of our own history.
LAURA'S LAMENT FOR HER NIECE.
BY LAURA P. SMALLEY.
Tis ever thus-oh ! ever thus, The blossoms of today,
The loved, the bright, the beautiful, Are first to fade away. Oh ! why, all Righteous Father, why? Wake " unconscious dust ;"
Why raise our expectations high, Then disappoint our trust ?
Was it in mercy, or in wrath, This transient flower was lent
37
OF ST. ALBANS, VERMONT.
To shed its fragrance o'er our path, Then leave us to lament ? Oh ! better far without the ray Of joy that ends in pain ; Of hopes that blossom for a day, Then turn to dust again.
But, hush ! rebellious heart be still ; Be every thought subdued Submissive to his holy will, The Father chastens whom he loves, He takes what he has given ; The children whom he most approves He earliest marks for heaven.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.