USA > Vermont > Bennington County > History of Bennington County, Vt. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 25
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"The following is a copy of the minutes of the meeting of the associations as above recommended by the historical society, taken from the records of the association, with the notice that appeared in the newspapers: 'A regular meet- ing of the Bennington Battle Monument Association will be held at the court- house in Bennington, on Wednesday, August 12, 1885, at 9 o'clock, A. M., to act upon the question of a design for the monument, with the erection of which the association is charged. Bennington, Vt., July 21, 1885. Olin Scott, Rec. Sec.'
"Pursuant to the foregoing notice a meeting of the Bennington Battle Mon- ument Association was held at the court-house in Bennington. A large number of the members were present, including His Excellency Governor Samuel E. Pingree, and Lieutenant-Governor E. J. Ormsbee, of Vermont ; ex-Governor Hiland Hall, and Redfield Proctor, of Vermont; Hon. Justin S. Morrill, senator from Vermont; Hon. William M. Evarts, senator from New York; Hon. E. P. Walton, Homer Goodhue and others of Vermont., The following were also pres- ent: Hon. Henry G. Root, Major Alonzo B. Valentine, General John G. McCul- lough, Colonel Mason S. Colburn, Professor Arthur L. Perry, Asaph P. Childs, Milo C. Huling, George W. Farwell, Cyrus Jennings, John L. Mason, William E. Hawks, 2d, Olin Scott, Alfred Robinson, John T. Shurtleff, Charles E. Dewey, Charles A. Pierce, L. F. Abbott, James K. Batchelder, Luman P. Nor- ton, George W. Robinson, Charles M. Bliss. The meeting was called to order by Hon. Hiland Hall, vice-president of the association, who asked to be ex- cused from serving as chairman on account of the infirmities of age, and nomi-
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nated His Excellency, Governor Pingree, as president pro tem. Governor Pin- gree was unanimously elected and took the chair. The minutes of the annual meeting held in January, 1885, were read by the secretary, and by vote ap- proved.
"General John G. Mccullough, on behalf of the board of directors, withdrew from the consideration of the meeting the design of Professor Weir, to which the meeting assented. Hon. E. P. Walton offered the following resolution, the words in parenthesis being incorporated on motion of Hon. William M. Evarts, of New York : 'Resolved, That the design for a structure three hundred feet high, recommended by the advisory committee of the Bennington Historical Society to this association be adopted, subject to such modification as the (con- mittee of the) association (now to be appointed) shall hereafter make; and also to such reduction in size (if need be) as will secure the payment of the appro- priation from Congress, and from the States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, which have already been made.' The resolution was seconded by A. P. Childs. The adoption of the resolution was advocated by Professor Perry. Remarks were made by Hon. William M. Evarts, Hon. J. S. Morrill, Hon. Hiland Hall, and others, after which the resolution was unanimously adopted.
"Professor Perry offered the following resolution: 'Resolved, That Charles M. Bliss, George W. Robinson, Milo C. Huling, John V. Hall, and John T. Shurt- leff are hereby appointed a committee to ascertain what evidence of the plan of the monument and its cost, built of the stone of the vicinity, will be required by the president of the United States, and the governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, to entitle the association to call for and receive the appropria- tions for the monument which have been made by Congress and the said States; also to satisfy the governor of Vermont that the conditions of the act of 1884 are complied with, and to take such measures as they may find necessary and proper to comply with such requirements, and that such committee make report of their doings at the next annual meeting of the association. And in case said committee shall find themselves prepared to make their report at an earlier day, they are authorized to have a meeting of the association called at any time prior to such annual meeting, by the recording secretary, who shall cause notice theteof to be placed in both of the newspapers published in Ben- nington, and the corresponding secretary shall also cause notices thereof to be mailed to each member of the association not less than ten days previous to such meeting; and such meeting so notified to hear the report of said commit- tee, may transact any other business found necessary and proper.' The reso- lution was adopted by a unanimous vote.
"On the ensuing 13th of January, 1886, the regular annual meeting of the association was held at the court-house in Bennington. In addition to the elec- tion of officers and the transaction of other important business it was moved
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by Alfred Robinson that the committee appointed at the meeting held August 12, 1885, be continued with the same duties and powers, and the motion was carried. Also the committee on plans and estimates reported that estimates and bids had been offered by competent and responsible parties to erect the masonry of a monument three hundred feet high, according to the plans of Mr. Rinn, but not including the interior work for the moneys within reach of the association, provided the State of Massachusetts renew its appropriation, the same having lapsed. At this meeting the subject came up for consideration of the lapse of the appropriation made by Massachusetts of $7,500 on account of delay of the association to fulfill the conditions of payment to it of the said ap- propriation by force of a general statute of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts. The message of Governor Robinson to the Legislature, so much of it as pertained to this subject, in which the governor strongly recommended the re- enactment of the appropriation, was read to the meeting.
"On motion of Charles M. Bliss, resolutions were adopted by the associa- tion, and the corresponding secretary, Mr. Bliss, was directed to send copies of the same to Governor Robinson and other official members of the Massa- chusetts Legislature. Mr. Bliss also proceeded to Boston to attend personally to this business. In March, following, the Massachusetts Legislature renewed the appropriation, enlarging it to ten thousand dollars.
" Also the appropriation by Congress of $40,000 was delayed for a time by the want of entire satisfaction that the conditions of it had been met, particu- larly as to the funds of the association being sufficient to build the monument according to the design; but at length this difficulty was successfully over- come.
" From the minutes of a meeting held August 4, 1886, and adjourned to the succeeding day, the following is taken : The association again assembled at the court-house, and Professer A. L. Perry, of Williamstown, Mass., was called to the chair ; and on motion the meeting adjourned to the Putnam House parlor.
"Special meeting called to order at the Putnam House, in Bennington, pursuant to the foregoing adjournment; present, ex-Governor Horace Fair- banks, H. G. Root, Luther R. Graves, Milo C. Huling, George W. Farwell, L. F. Abbott, John V. Hall, Mason S. Colburn, Olin Scott, Arthur L. Perry, Pro- fessor Rinn, Professor Olin L. Warner, Rev. Isaac Jennings, Dr. B. F. Mor- gan, James K. Batchelder, Alfred Robinson, Samuel Sanford, Charles M. Bliss, and John T. Shurtleff. On motion of Rev. Isaac Jennings, ex-Governor Horace Fairbanks was elected to preside.
"The following resolution was first offered by Professor Perry, but afterward withdrawn, and then was renewed by John V. Hall. 'Resolved, That the monument be located in the center of the highway, on the crest of the hill, as nearly opposite the site of the old Continental storehouse as practicable.' The resolution was unanimously adopted.
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" Professor Perry offered the following resolution : 'Resolved, That the working committee raised in 1885, be empowered, in co-operation with the board of directors, to proceed at once to lay the foundation of the monument, of the design already adopted, with full power to make contracts, and cause the erection and completion of the monument.' Resolution unanimously adopted.
" At the annual meeting regularly held at the court house in Bennington, on January 12, 1887, the following persons were present : Arthur L. Perry, Henry G. Root, Luther R. Graves, John V. Hall, Milo C. Huling, Rev. Isaac Jennings, Mason S. Colburn, Alonzo B. Valentine, John T. Shurtleff, Lyman F. Abbott, Alfred Robinson, Charles E. Dewey, Charles A. Pierce, William E. Hawkes, 2d, George W. Farwell, Charles M. Bliss, Olin Scott. In addition to other important business transacted, an amendment of the by-laws previously proposed, was, on motion of Major Valentine, unanimously adopted, adding three members to the board of directors.
"The following officers were duly elected by ballot for the ensuing year : President, Hon. B. F. Prescott; vice-president, Rev. Isaac Jennings ; corres- ponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; recording secretary, Olin Scott ; treas- urer, Luther R. Graves; directors, B. F. Prescott, Henry G. Root, Horace Fairbanks, John V. Hall, Milo C. Huling, John T. Shurtleff, Rev. Isaac Jen- nings, General John G. Mccullough, Major Alonzo B. Valentine, and Charles M. Bliss. The governors of the three States, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, respectively, being directors, ex-officio.
"Hon. John V. Hall offered the following resolution : ' Resolved, That the committee of five appointed at the August meeting in 1885, be, at their own request, discharged ; and that all the powers and functions heretofore granted to said committee be granted to and reside in the board of directors; and the association hereby confers upon said board full power and authority to make contracts, build the monument, to be substantially after the design heretofore approved by the association, and do all other things necessary to carry out the spirit of the resolution, as well as in respect to the release of the funds for such monument, and procuring and collecting funds for monumental and other pur- poses connected therewith.' The resolution was unanimously adopted.
" A meeting of the directors of the association was held at Bennington Cen- ter, April 12, 1887, at the residence of Rev. Isaac Jennings. Present, Messrs. Root, Valentine, Hall, Shurtleff, Bliss, Huling and Jennings. Organized by the election of John V. Hall, president pro tem, and Rev. Isaac Jennings, secre- tary. Among the proceedings the following resolution was moved by Henry G. Root, and unanimously adopted : 'Resolved, That a nominating committee of three be appointed by the chair to nominate a building committee, also a finance committee. The building committee to consist of three members, to whom shall be referred all subjects relating to the building of the monument, such as design, size of the monument, contracts for stone and labor, employ-
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ment of engineers, and the collecting of all moneys now appropriated into the treasury of the association. The finance committee to consist of three mem- bers, to whom all subjects shall be referred relating to the raising of further money. Both committees to be subject to the direction and supervision of the board of directors."
"In accordance with the above resolution, the president appointed the nominating committee as follows: Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, and Charles M. Bliss. The committee retired, and after consultation reported the following names for the aforesaid committees: For the building committee, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, Milo C. Huling. For the finance com- mittee, Charles M. Bliss, John V. Hall. John T. Shurtleff. The report of the nominating committee was accepted, and the gentlemen named elected accord- ingly. Charles M. Bliss, esq., declined to serve, whereupon it was voted that he be excused, and General John G. Mccullough was substituted in his place.
" An adjourned meeting of the directors of the monument association was held at the office of Hon. John V. Hall, in Bennington, April 26, 1887, at ten o'clock A. M. Present, Governor Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John V. Hall, John T. Shurtleff, Charles M. Bliss, Milo C. Huling, and Rev. Isaac Jennings. On motion of Mr, Hall, Governor Orms- bee was elected president pro tem.
" Among other proceedings, Alonzo B. Valentine, on behalf of the building committee, presented a form of contract and proposals, and a bid for building the monument, received by the committee from William H. Ward, of Lowell, Mass. The same was read at length to the meeting by Mr. Hall. A list of references given to the building committee by Contractor Ward was read by Major Valentine ; also L. A. Roby, of Nassau, Mass., and Samuel Sweet, of Lowell, Mass, were stated by Mr. Valentine to be the bondsmen furnished by Mr. Ward for the faithful performance of the contract. The subject of the said contract and bid by Mr. Ward, were discussed by the president, Governor Ormsbee, and by Messrs. Hall, Root, Valentine, and others. A resolution on the subject, afterwards amended, was offered by Major Valentine. After dis- cussion and informal amendments, the resolution was made to read thus: 'Re- solved, That the building committee be authorized to close a contract with W. H. Ward for the building of the Bennington battle monument, at the price bid by him; and in case of failure by said Ward to furnish suitable bondsmen for the faithful performance of the work, or if for any cause there should be a fail- ure to consummate the contract, the committee are hereby empowered to make a contract with any other suitable party for the building of the monument ; provided, however, that it shall be the duty of the committee to report to the board of directors for further instructions unless the contract for the monument can be made at a figure not exceeding $76,000, and for a height not less than three hundred feet, and substantially in accordance with the Rinn plan. The
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contract price to include the quarries, stone, and all other material, which are to be furnished by the contractor, and not by the association. The contract to be conditional upon the release of the funds by the United States, and the States of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.'
"It was moved by Mr. Bliss that this resolution be laid upon the table until there can be a full meeting of the board, perhaps at Boston. After remarks it was moved by John V. Hall that the motion of Mr. Bliss be tabled, which mo- tion was adopted. The resolution offered by Alonzo B. Valentine, as amended aforesaid, was then adopted.
"Early in the year 1886 the working committee secured the approval of the design. by the president of the United States; and subsequently the payment of the appropriation of $40,000 by Congress was effected. The moneys of the three States was released on the basis of the contract with Mr. Ward, for a monument three hundred feet high. These appropriations and the $5,000 obtained by subscription for the twenty thousand dollar fund, were materially increased by other private contributions obtained through the labors of George W. Robinson and others. The gross fund was also considerably enlarged by the profitable investment thereof in different localities.
"By an act approved November 23, 1886, the General Assembly of Vermont appointed John L. Barstow, Levi K. Fuller, Aldace F. Walker, L. H. Thomp- son, and the president of the monumental association, commissioners to deter- mine what lands and buildings adjoining the site selected by the association for the erection of the monument were required in order to secure to the structure freedom from objectionable surroundings; also, in section two, the last four named persons, with Milo C. Huling, to agree, if possible, with the owners of said property as to the price ; and if unable to agree, to apply to any judge of the Supreme Court for the appointment of commissioners of appraisal. Also section six authorized the auditor of accounts to pay for the property not to exceed, in the aggregate, $10,000, on condition that the association furnish a guarantee to the commissioners named in section two that the monument shall be commenced within six months after the site contemplated in section one is secured to their use, and will be completed within five years thereafter. These provisions and conditions have been complied with.
"Pursuant to a notice sent by the secretary to all the members of the board, a meeting of the directors of the association was held at the Putnam House in Bennington, June 4, 1887, at nine o'clock A. M., at which there were present Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John V. Hall, John T. Shurtleff, Charles M. Bliss, Milo C. Huling, John G. Mccullough, and Rev. Isaac Jennings. John V. Hall was elected president pro tem. Mr. Valentine moved that a commit- tee be appointed by the chair to nominate a committee to invest the funds of the association. The president appointed Major Valentine, General McCul- lough and Mr. Bliss, and they nominated as the investing committee, Henry
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G. Root, John T. Shurtleff, and Milo C. Huling, who were elected accordingly. The committee, on motion of Major Valentine, were instructed to invest the funds of the association in such manner as they should decm best for the in- terests of the association.
"Among other proceedings it was moved by Mr. Bliss that the board of di- rectors invite the citizens of Bennington to meet them at Library Hall and join in perfecting arrangements for the celebration of the laying of the corner stone of the monument on the 16th of August, 1887. The motion was adopted.
"On motion of Major Valentine it was ' Resolved, That the board of directors extend an invitation to the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ver- mont to participate in the laying of the corner stone of the monument." The said resolution and invitation of the directors were in due form forwarded to the grand secretary of the Grand Lodge, as aforesaid, and by him presented to the Grand Lodge at a subsequent session held at Burlington, and on motion referred to a committee consisting of four of the leading officers of the Grand Lodge, viz .: Marshal O. Perkins, Alfred A. Hall, George W. Irving, and Delos W. Bacon, who reported the following resolution, which, on motion of the grand secretary, was unanimously adopted, viz .: 'Resolved, That the Grand Lodge of Vermont feels honored by the invitation, and will gladly accept it, and partici- pate in the exercises under the rules and usages of the fraternity ; and the grand secretary is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution, and the action of the Grand Lodge thereon to the secretary of the board of directors.' The official report of the proceedings and resolution of the Grand Lodge were duly forwarded by the grand secretary, Lavent M. Read, to the secretary of the board of directors, and placed on file.
" At a meeting of the board of directors of the association, held at the Put- nam House, June 15, 1887, at eleven o'clock A. M., Governor Ormsbee was chosen president pro tem. Among other proceedings on motion of Major Val- entine, and seconded by Rev. Isaac Jennings, it was unanimously ' Resolved, That the Hon. Benjamin F. Prescott, ex-governor of New Hampshire, and presi- dent of the Bennington Battle Monument Association, be invited to act as president of the day on the occasion of laying the corner stone of the mon- ument.'"
This ends the narrative of the events of the history of the Bennington Bat- tle Monument, and the Monument Association, as well, as prepared by Rev. Isaac Jennings, the original manuscript of which was deposited in the corner stone receptacle on the 16th day of August, 1887.
" Laying the Corner Stone .- The ceremony of laying the corner stone of the Bennington Battle Monument on the 16th day of August, 1887, the one hun- dred and tenth anniversary of the day on which that battle was fought, caused another season of rejoicing and enthusiasm on the part of the usually quiet citizens of the town. Contractor Ward had faithfully fulfilled his promise to
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have everything in readiness for the occasion ; therefore all that the people could ask for in order to complete their happiness was that the weather should be fair, and in this too they were accommodated.
An additional interest was created on the day named from the fact that the Soldiers' Home was to be dedicated to its new use at that time. Moreover, the State National Guard were in attendance and encamped on the home grounds. The Masonic and. Odd Fellows societies were largely represented upon the oc- casion, and the knowledge that the corner stone was to be laid with Masonic rites served to impress all with the beauty, solemnity and grandeur of the ceremony. The local committee charged with the duty of preparing for the event had everything in readiness, and the day passed without any embarrassing accident either to the association or to the visiting multitude. The programme was car- ried out as it had been arranged.
The day's celebration was begun with the ringing of bells and firing a salute by Fuller's Battery, who were in camp here. At ten o'clock in the morning Governor Ormsbee reviewed the troops of the State, after which followed the inspection by General Greenleaf. " At eleven o'clock the formalties attending the dedication of the Vermont Soldiers' Home took place. The governors of Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire," says a cotemporaneous report, " and most of the prominent military guests, together with the militia officers and many old soldiers, assembled at the Soldiers' Home where, after music, General William Wells, chairman of the board of trustees, called the assemblage to order and introduced Colonel Z. M. Mansur of Island Pond, who, in behalf of the board, addressed Governor Ormsbee and formally delivered the prop- erty to the State of Vermont."
Governor Ormsbee responded to the presentation address, accepting the institution as the property of the State, and thanking the generous donors, the heirs of the late Trenor W. Park. Addresses were also made by Senator George F. Edmunds and ex-Governor Pingree. Soon after the hour of twelve, at noon, the preparations for the afternoon's exercises were commenced. The first in order was the almost indispensible procession of societies, orders and organiza- tions, both civil and military, under the direction of Colonel George W. Hooker, chief marshal. At one o'clock, precisely at the time designated, the column moved, the various organizations falling in at their appointed places. The line of march lay from Bennington village to the Center, thence up the hill to the place where the ceremonies were to be conducted on the monument foundation.
The exercises commenced by a brief introductory address by ex-Governor Prescott of New Hampshire, who then introduced Alfred A. Hall, grand mast- er of the Grand Lodge of Vermont Masons, under whose direction the stone was laid in place, the following being an abstract of the proceedings: Prayer by the grand chaplain ; directions to the grand senior warden, and by the lat- ter communicated to the grand junior warden, and thence to the craftsmen ;
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singing, "What Shines so Bright?" by double male quartette ; reading the list of contents of the box placed in the corner stone; contents, Holy Bible, Hiland Hall's " Early History of Vermont ;" Rev. Isaac Jennings's " Memorials of a Century ;" Rev. Isaac Jennings's historical account relating to the Battle Mon- ument; manuscript copy of the contract for the erection of the monument ; " Biographical Encyclopedia Nineteenth Century, Vermont ;" copies Benning- ton Banner, newspaper ; copies Bennington Reformer, newspaper ; other Ver- mont newspapers; Troy and New York newspapers; printed laws relating to monument ; Battle of Bennington and Vermont Centennial; Forbes's Vermont Centennial; history of Odd Fellowship; report of Masonic Grand Lodge of Ver- mont, 1887; official programme of laying corner stone, August 16, 1887 ; Ma- sonic ceremonies of laying corner stone; Bennington Centennial Memorial Medal ; bank notes of banks in Bennington; copper coins ; brigade order and roster; regimental order from adjutant general's office for muster of 1887.
The box was then placed in its proper receptacle, after which the double quartette sang the national hymn, " America." Then, under the direction of the grand officers, the craftsmen lowered the corner stone to its place, after which the deputy grand master applied the jewel of his office-the " square ;" the grand senior warden the jewel of his office-the "level ;" the grand junior warden the jewel of his office-the "plumb," and each reported that "the crafts- men had performed their duty." Then, having the assent to the report from the grand masters of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the grand master of Vermont declared the stone " well formed, true and trusty, and correctly laid according to our ancient craft."
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