USA > Vermont > Windham County > Brattleboro > Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont; early history, with biographical sketches of some of its citizens > Part 30
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at the centennial celebration of Poultney, Sept. 21, 1861, upon the history of that town. The Hon. Hampden Cutts of Brat- tleboro read a carefully prepared sketch of the Hon. Paul Spooner, M. D., late of Hartland, Windsor County; after which Henry Clark, the orator of occasions, after some popular remarks on the suggestions made by Mr. Adams, at the morning ses- sion, introduced a resolution of sympathy and encouragement for Vermont geogra- phy and the civil and natural history of the State. The resolution, supported by the Hon. Geo. Folsom, LL. D., of Brat- tleboro, and the Burlington orator, who in his pertinent, persuasive, hurriedly elo- quent zeal, always took an audience up and carried them along with him, was adopted. The Hon. Hiland Hall, Presi- dent of the Society, in his grave, kind manner and way, then introduced the fol- lowing, which, on motion of Mr. Adams of Burlington, was adopted :
Resolved, That we commend to the at- tention and encouragement of our citizens the Vermont Historical Magazine, recently undertaken by Miss Abby Maria Hemen- way, of Ludlow, and now partially com- pleted. Collecting from sources that will ere long be inaccessible, a vast amount of historical matter that is now useful, and will soon become invaluable. Its own in- trinsic worth, as well as the persistent en- ergy and praiseworthy perseverance with which it has been prosecuted, all recom- mend the enterprise to our approval and to general encouragement and support."
This was the first public notice of the work by an historical body; the more fit- ting and pleasant, coming as first, from our own Vermont State Historical Society.
Mrs. Hampden Cutts gave the historical levec, a very pleasant feature in the meet- ings of those days, at her hospitable man- sion, the evening of the 16th. This meet- ing at Brattleboro was a specially interest- ing and genial one. Of the gentlemen named there present, all are now dead but Gov. Hall, of Bennington, and Henry Clark, now of Rutland. Others also, not herein specified, who were there are now demised. One, whose death left a blank in the Society, never yet filled, the live historical secretary, George F. Houghton, Esq., who was so much the soul of the meetings in his time, infusing. into them so largely his own earnest zeal and fine historical taste and feeling. "Sic transit gloria mundi."-ED,
ADDENDA TO BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HON. CHARLES KELLOGG FIELD. Died Sept. 16, 1880, aged 77 years.
To the persistent efforts of this gentle- man during the last two years of his life. we are indebted for a large portion of the portraits contained in this work. By age and infirmities retired from business, but so long as he had strength to move he continued his slow and daily walk through our busy streets, but ever manifesting a lively interest in the progress of our His- tory, since its publication was commenced by Mr. Leonard.
Fortunate, in 1876, in obtaining of Messrs. Bufford & Son, of Boston, accu- rate portraits for his history of Newfane, he wished to see equally good portraits of the old-time worthies of this town, whose well-remembered faces were familiar to him in the days of his youth and early manhood. Unsolicited, and without any reward for his services, he corresponded extensively with those more directly inter- ested, to assist in the accomplishment of his wishes. He also collected money by subscription to procure an engraving of the new Unitarian church, and wrote the biographical sketches of Capt. Samuel Root and Epaphro Seymour, on pages 121 and 123. But a few days before his death he said to the writer, "Well, I feel relieved, for I have collected the money, paid Bufford for the portraits, got his re- ceipt, and the matter is now all settled." With this labor of love his life has closed. Sadly and reluctantly, after a pleasant familiarity of twenty years, we take final leave of this remarkable man, who usually kept his worse side out and his best with- in. It may be truly said of him, as Byron said of Sheridan,
"God never made but one such man,
And broke the die in moulding Sheridan."
In the Vermont Phoenix of September 17, 1880, we find the following obituary notice :
"The well-known form of Charles K. Field has passed from among us forever. For many months his friends have been admonished by his faltering steps that the end was near, and his own remarks have indicated that he was fully conscious of the fact; but when it was reported that he
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was hopelessly ill, a feeling of sorrow set- tled over this community, which was great- ly deepened by the intelligence of his death.
Mere casual acquaintances were often repelled by his somewhat rough exterior and blunt remarks, but those who knew him intimately looked through the surface into his heart, esteemed and loved him.
He came of a distinguished family, his lineage being traceable to John Field, the astronomer, who was born in London about 1520, and who died at Ardsley, England, about 1587. His grandson, Zechariah Field, came to Massachusetts and settled in Dorchester about 1630, but a few years later moved to Hartford, Conn., and died in Hatfield, Mass., in 1666. From him the line is easily traced to Martin Field, the father of the subject of this sketch, who was born in Leverett, Mass., Feb. 12, 1773, graduated at Williams College in 1798, studied law with his uncle, Lucius Hub- bard, at Chester, Vt., and settled at New- fane at the opening of this century. He was a man of rare natural ability, of varied and extensive acquirements, and for thirty years was eminent in his profession and one of the leading men of the State. His wife was sister of the late Hon. Daniel Kellogg of this town. Their younger son, Roswell M. Field, was one of the most brilliant and able men Vermont ever pro- duced. He removed to St. Louis in 1839, and soon became the compeer of the most eminent lawyers of the West. For many years before his decease, in 1869, he was called the Nestor of the Missouri bar.
Charles K. Field, the oldest son, was born in Newfane, April 24, 1803, fitted for college at Amherst, Mass., entered Middle- bury College at the age of fifteen, and graduated in 1822. After studying law three years in the office of his father, he was admitted to the bar of this county and commenced the practice of his profession in Newfane; in 1828 he removed to Wil- mington, where he resided for ten years, representing that town in the legislature in 1835, '36, '37 and '38; he was a delegate from that town in the State Constitutional Convention in 1836. In 1838 he returned to Newfane, where he resided until 1861, representing that town in the legislature in 1853, '54, '55, and '60, and also repre- senting it in the Constitutional Convention
in 1843, '50 and '57. In 1861 he moved to this town, where he lias since resided. He was elected a member of the Council of Censors in 1869, and chosen President thereof at its first session, and in 1870 rep- resented Brattleboro in the Constitutional Convention. Thus it will be seen that he had large experience in legislative bodies, where he always exerted great influence and did much toward shaping the legisla- tion of the State.
Mr. Field inherited many of his fath- er's characteristics, especially his sarcasm, humor and faculty for relating stories, of which he possessed an inexhaustible store. He was a great reader, and the best ancient and modern authors were as familiar to hiin as were his village neighbors. His memory was wonderful: he remembered all of value that he ever read or heard, and had it at instant command; this, with his quick perception, originality, powers of description, wit and humor, made him a most entertaining man in conversation, a brilliant public speaker and a formidable adversary in forensic debate. His judg- ment of men was unerring; a distinguish- ed jurist of this State once said of him that it mnade little difference what men said to lim, he seemed to look right into their minds and read their real thoughts. He was a skillful lawyer, few men wield- ing a keener rapier than he, and he appar- ently possessed every requisite of a most effective jury advocate; but though lie al- ways commanded a large practice, lie mainly left the trial of jury cases to others, regarding that as an uncertain and unsat- isfactory field of enterprise. He was wide- ly known throughout this State and highly regarded for his brilliant abilities. He possessed a kind, sympathetic heart, re- tained the strongest attachment for his friends, and was an honest man. He was the last of that generation of mnen com- posed of the Bradleys, the Kelloggs, the Shafters and the Fields, who for more than half a century gave eminence to the Bar of Windham County, and whose names will always shine in the galaxy of Ver- mont's distinguished men.
Mr. Field was married in 1828 to Julia A. Kellogg of Cooperstown, N. Y., who survives him; he leaves three children, Mrs. E. P. Jewett and Heury K. Field of Montpelier and Mrs. H C. Willard of this town."
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ALBERT H. BULL,
A well-known citizen of Brattleboro, died July 29th, 1869, of heart disease, at the age of 64 years, while on his annual summer visit at Old Orchard Beach, near Saco, Maine. Mr. Bull was a native of Hartford, Ct., where for several years he was a successful druggist. He retired from business about 20 years ago, and since that time has resided in Brattleboro. In 1849, he married Sarah, youngest daughter of the late Col. Joseph Goodhue, who sur- vives him. The Brattleboro Phoenix says:
"Mr. Bull has laid the people of this village under great obligations by a gener- ous donation to the library, a few years since, of $2,000, to be paid in annual in- stallments of $100 each, for the purchase of books. The perusal of the books purchased by his liberality will exert a healthful influ- ence for long years to come, and keep his name in fresh and grateful remembrance. His remains were brought to this place, and buried in our beautiful cemetery."
A correspondent of the Portland Press writing from Orchard Beach, says of Mr. Bull: "For 17 years he had spent his sum- mers here, and had become interested in making the place attractive. When four years ago, the Park lot of forty acres, cov- ered with a pine growth, was purchased by Mr. Staples, proprietor of the Old Or- chard House, Mr. Bull conceived the idea of laying it out with walks and avenues, and supplying it with rustic seats and ar- bois. He had so nearly succeeded in car- rying out his design as to make it a spot of great interest to all who visit the beach. He labored with his own hands, and with his own money employed others to assist. In winters, at his home in Vermont, he had with his own hands painted signs for the names of the walks and shady nooks, among which we find "Fisherman's Hut" and "Parsons Lodge," &c., and many other similar names, that seemed to him appropriate to the various localities. His work was a purely disinterested one, and he could only have been prompted by his love of the beautiful. He is represented as a man of culture, and his works here abundantly show it. His age was sixty- five, and the exclamation of all is, 'he died too soon.'"
THE ACADEMY OF 1801.
Three buildings were occupied by Rev. Hiram Orcutt in the establishment of "Glenwood Seminary," at the West Vil- lage in 1860. One of the buildings, with gable in the center and wings upon each side, is the academy building constructed by a joint stock company in 1802, the charter of the company having been grant- ed by the State of Vermont in 1801. Ros- well Redfield, uncle of Capt. Benajah Dud- ley, assisted in its construction in 1802.
Capt. Dudley, now (1880) living in his ninetieth year, was one of the pupils at this academy in 1807, when it was under the administration of its first preceptor or instructor, Rev. Titus Hutchins of West- moreland, N. H. Built in the days of wrought nails, pod augers and flint-lock muskets, its antiquity and associations claim our attention. A large number of the collegiates of this town, whose names are on our list, page 58, fitted for college at this institution, under the instruction of Mr. Roswell Harris, who was its pre- ceptor over thirty years.
In by-gone days this academy was fa- mous for its exciting, thrilling exhibitions, in the ancient, spacious meeting-house (built in 1785 and destroyed by fire Febu- ary 2, 1845) and thereby a worthy rival of the old Chesterfield Academy, which, at its annual exhibitions, drew crowds of visitors from afar and near to see where "The great heroes of the buried past,
Their mighty shadows o'er the present cast, And fight their battles on the tented field,
Upon the lofty heights of Chesterfield."*
In the exhibitions at West Brattleboro, as at Chesterfield, tragedy was largely prom- inent and "thunder, blood and guns," the order of the day.
At the East Village there was but one school house in which was a public school, in operation about six months in a year, when it was currently reported among the scholars that at the coming exhibition of the Academy at the West Village, Theo- dore Green would, with a sword, cut off Goliah's head. Whether that now veteran Admiral in his youthful days acted the
*In November, 1842, there was acted by the stu- dents "The Emancipation of Europe," and Napo- leon, Wellington, Blucher and Alexander were rep- resented. About midnight the Burdett and Miller glee club, from Brattleboro, sang "Lutsow's Wild Hunt" with fine effect and loud applause.
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young David and carried out this part of the programme, we cannot say; but in after years we have seen acting by these students of such a character as to confirm us in the belief that somebody cut off the giant's head. In one scene we witnessed, the situation required the use of a terrible dagger, but in place thereof appeared a silver-plated butter-knife, and this was before the days of Mark Twain.
The annual June training sham fights were invariably upon the green in front of the Academy, and against its walls were placed canvas roofs, under which were re- tailers of various kinds of refreshments, such as yellow gingerbread, smoked her- ring, beer, cider, and the contents of those beautiful cut-glass decanters of the olden
time Mr. Lewis Amsden (one of the old spelling-book printers at the East Village) usually pitched his tent in this locality on the first Tuesday in June, where, in addi- tion to the sale of refreshments, as afore- named, he disposed of penknives, jack- knives, pencils, side-combs, etc.
In 1815 the school closed, and remained closed about two years. During this pe- riod the second story of the building was occupied as a cabinet furniture manufac- tory by Mr. Anthony Van Doorn. He continued his business there until he built a furniture manufactory at the West Vil- lage, where, or near where, is now the brick Baptist church. After the room was vacated by Mr. Van Doorn, the town, for a consideration, acquired the right to use the room for town meetings. From that time this was the town hall, and the only place for voting upon town and state affairs until 1855, when the brick building now used for that purpose was built and made ready at the East Village. Previous to the occupation of the old Academy by the town, we have not learned where the town meetings were held, but we surmise, as the old meeting-house was built by the town, they made use of it for that purpose.
Judge -, who lived at the East Village from 1789 until April, 1847-a period of 58 years-never in all that time failed to be present at town meetings but in two instances. The Judge was a man of marked ability, and for a long time con- trolled public opinion here; but as tle town increased in population and he in- creased in years, his position became more
and more difficult to maintain. He made many eloquent and effective speeches in that old hall, in defence of his opinions upon town affairs. At the conclusion of one such effort against a popular move- ment, Mr. John Birge, who rarely made remarks in public, arose and said: "Mr. Chairman, I move there be 3000 copies of his excellency's speech printed for circu- lation." No one man has so many times represented this town in the State Legisla- ture 'as the Judge. He has been heard to say he could not be true to the freeman's oath unless he voted for himself.
At the town-meeting in 1847 there was a long contested election for representa- tive, and not until near midnight did they succeed. Then, at the eleventh hour, a new candidate-John R. Blake, Esq.,-re- ceived the majority vote.
KILLED IN BATTLE .- Mr. S. T. R. Che- ney of West Brattleboro has recently lost two sons, one killed in the attack on Fort Steadman, in front of Petersburg, and the other died at Brooklyn, N. Y., the day after his marriage. Frederick S. Cliency, who was killed at Fort Steadman, was a corporal in Company C. 57th Massachu- setts Regiment. Captain George E. Bar- ton notified Mrs. Cheney of the death of her son, an extract of which we copy:
DEAR MADAME: It becomes my painful duty to inform you that your son, Freder- ick Cheney, a corporal in my Company, "C," detached on the "Color Guard," was killed in the action of the 25th of March, before Petersburg, Va. I cannot speak too highly of his many good qualities, both as a soldier and a young man of ex- cellent principles. Always kind and con- siderate towards his comrades, he won their love and respect, and as some of the company remarked in my presence, "I would have spared almost any one else, rather than him." Like many of our other brave boys, he fell at his post of duty, fighting for the Union and the old flag. 1 found his body after the fight and it was removed to the 1st Division Hospital bury- ing ground. He must have died instantly without much pain, as he was struck on the head by a piece of shell. His body lay within a few feet of Lieut. Murdock, who was killed while holding the colors. And now, dear madam, please accept the
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heartfelt sympathy for yourself and family in this your sad bereavement, and may the good Lord in his mercy help us all to do our duty, and enable us to say and feel "Thy will be done," so that whether on the field of battle or in our quiet New Eng- land homes, we should be "always ready" and like your son Frederick at our post of duty."-From an Old Brattleboro Paper.
HISTORICAL NUGGETS FROM BRATTLE- BORO .- The first postage stamps ever printed in this country came from Brattle- boro, in 1845 and 1846. About the same time Providence, R. I., and New York city issued a local carrier's stamp, but Postmaster Palmer, of Brattleboro, was the first to put in circulation a stamp to prepay postage. They were printed in sheets, upon light buff-colored paper in black ink, and were about the size of the present postage stamp. It is needless to say that in the years that have elapsed their value has largely appreciated. Be- fore their scarcity and antiquity was fully realized, seven of these stamps were sold for $1 each, and the same have been re- sold as high as $20 apiece, going to En- gland. A Bath (England) magazine has published a long article in regard to the stamps, mentioning the name of the en- graver (Thomas Chubbuck of Springfield, Mass.,) and having a wood-cut of their original .- Newspaper Item.
DEATH OF A PRODIGY .- George Ladd, Brattleboro's mathematical prodigy, died at the Poor Farm, February, 1878. His wonderful ability to solve the most diffi- cult mathematical problems, although without even a common school education, made him an interesting character. If given, for instance, the number of miles from Brattleboro to Washington, or any other point, he would immediately and accurately give the number of feet and inches.
A CURIOUS FIDDLE.
Not even Cremona's far-famed violins so cluster with reminiscences as this. It was natural that, while our boys were lying at Brandy Station, on the Rappahan- nock, during the gloomy winter of 1864-5, their thoughts should turn towards the more pleasant scenes of their native hills.
"Oh that we had a fiddle!" at length some one exclaimed.
"Well!" said a young fellow from Brat- tleboro, "I believe, boys, that I can make you a fiddle."
He had never attempted anything of the kind in his life.
"Can you?" shouted the boys. "Good!' you make one and we will send to Wash- ington for the strings."
George M. Colt, of Company C., 2d Ver- mont Volunteers, was the one who pro- posed to make the cheer-giving instrument; and with a hatchet, a jack knife, an old file and a piece of a junk bottle as his only tools, he got a piece of soft maple that grew upon the banks of the Rappa- hannock, and set to work. The bottom and side rim of the fiddle were made out of one single piece of maple, in the most approved style and form of the ordinary fiddle. It was a complete dug-out. The top was made of pine, which grew in the country. The bow was of maple, same as the larger part of the shell. The hairs were pulled from the tail of Col. Wal- bridge's white horse. The glue, some member of the company happened to have with him. In the course of some five weeks the instrument was completed. After having been wistfully eyed by the men of the company and regiment for a long time, during its construction, the in- strument at length gave forth its stirring strains. One of their comrades was called out of the hospital to give it a trial. He played two hours, until he was exhausted. Many stag dances it conjured up; to many headquarters it went of nights in a round of serenades. It was admired and cher- ished by the officers, and wondered at by that prince of tacticians and soldiers- General Getty .- Newspaper Article.
A CENTENARIAN .- 1879.
A notable event for West Brattleboro was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mrs. Sally Stockwell, which was celebrat- ed most becomingly, at her home, on Wednesday, April 30, 1879, by her numer- ous relatives and friends. Mrs. Stockwell was born at Chesterfield, N. H., April 30, 1779. She was a daughter of Abner Har- ris, whose father was one of the early set- tlers of that town, and who emigrated from Woodstock, Conn. She was married to Arad Stockwell when sixteen years of age. He died 23 years ago at the age of
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83 years. She has been the mother of ten children, five of whom are still living and were all present. There were also 34 grandchildren, 24 now living, and 37 great- grandchildren, 33 now living. Hundreds of her friends called upon her, with con- gratulations and many tokens of regard. A poem was also read by Rev. M. H. Har- ris, written for the occasion by Mrs. Abby R. Colburn of Brattleboro. The Brattle- boro photographers, Messrs. Howe and Parker, were on hand, and secured pictures of the old lady, the house, and the rela- tives and visitors present. The old lady received them with charming womanly simplicity and grace. She dined with her oldest friends, and after dinner she smoked her accustomed pipe. Her mind and memory are wonderfully clear for a cen -. tenarian, while there is little in her appear- ance to indicate that she has outlived three generations. Among the aged guests pres- ent were Eli Lee of Vernon, 93 years old; Rev. Samuel Fish, 90; Emory Pratt, 90; Benajah Dudley, 88; Sally Harris, 87; Timothy Adkins and wife, each 86; Maria Woodward, 85; Mrs. Emory Pratt, 84; Electa Bennett, 84; Saben Jones, 82; Wilder Harris, 82. Mrs. Stockwell is a living, unanswerable argument and exam- ple in favor of early marriages and large families. Married at 16, the mother of ten children, and 100 years old. What more can be said? Girls, go and do likewise- if you can. Another sad warning of the evils of tobacco. Mrs. Stockwell has smoked moderately for a time, "whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary." If she hadn't done so, prob- ably she would now be 200 years old in- stead of 1001-Brattleboro Paper.
THE TUSK OF AN ELEPHANT FOUND IN BRATTLEBORO.
The tusk of a fossil elephant was found in a muck bed, about five feet below the surface, on the farm of D. S. Pratt in this town, Saturday, Sept. 2, by a workman who was digging muck. The tusk is forty- four inches in length and eighteen inches in circumference at the largest end, and eleven inches at the smallest. It is in a fair state of preservation, although some parts of it crumbled after being exposed to the air. The workman on discovering it took a piece to Mr. Pratt, remarking as
he handed it to him, that he had found a curious piece of wood. Mr. Pratt, of looking at it, discovered its true nature. This tusk belonged to a species of elephants long since extinct, supposed to be the Ele- phas Primogenius (or manınioth) Blumen- back, that inhabited the northern part of Nortlı America, having wandered across the Siberian plains to the Arctic Ocean and Behring Straits and beyond to this country south to about the parallel of 40 degrees. Their bones show them to have been about twice the weight and one-third taller than our modern species.
The remains (tusks, teeth and several bones,) of one of these elephants were found at the summit of the Green Moun- tains, at Mount Holly, in 1848, by work- men engaged in building the railroad from Bellows Falls to Rutland. These remains were found in a muck bed, eleven feet be- low the surface and at an elevation of 1415 feet above tide water. Most of the bones found, including a molar tooth, were taken by the workmen and others and carried out of the State. The most perfect tusk was secured by Prof. Zadock Thompson, and is lodged in the State Cabinet at Mont- pelier. This tusk was 80 inches long and four inchies in diameter. The molar tooth. now in possession of Prof. Agassiz, weighs eight pounds and presents a grinding sur- face of eight inches long and four broad. A plaster cast of it is on exhibition with the tusk at our State Cabinet. - Brattleboro Paper.
Leonard Knapp was captain of the old Floodwood company, in 1831. His father -James Knapp-John Alexander and a Mr. Bennett went from Brattleboro to the battle of Bennington. Leonard Knapp said, when in the employ of Dr. Lemuel Dickerman, he heard the Dr. say he learned lis profession from Dr. Henry Wells, our first town clerk. Lemuel Dickerman, when a boy, was a bound apprentice to learn shoe- making, in Massachusetts. He left his em- ployer and travelled on foot to Brattleboro. After some time in service on the farm of Dr. Wells, he became so well accomplished by instructions from Wells, that he assisted him in practice, until so many patients pre- ferred the young doctor, that the old doctor sold out and went to Montague, Mass.
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