USA > Vermont > Bennington County > History of Bennington County, Vt. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 26
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Then followed the pouring on of corn, and wine, and oil, by the officiating grand officers, after which the stone was dedicated to virtue, loyalty and pa- triotism, and the blessing of Heaven invoked upon the noble work here begun. Addresses were then made by Grand Master Hall, Governor Ormsbee of Ver- mont, ex-Governor Prescott of New Hampshire, president of the day, Hon. John W. Stewart, and the benediction by the Rev. Isaac Jennings.
Thus ended the public ceremony of this eventful day. The work thus au- spiciously begun has continued without interruption until the present time, and no serious accident has interfered with its progress thus far. In its up- ward construction the monument has now reached well on toward one hun- dred and fifty feet, the entire height contemplated being three hundred feet. Just when it will be completed no person can accurately determine, but, not- withstanding this, the gentlemen of the association, the board of directors, and the people are anticipating that event, and propose, at the proper time, to cele- brate the occasion of completion and dedication with such a display as the State of Vermont has not yet witnessed.
A description of the monument is unecessary in these pages, as there are but few, if any, of the people of Bennington county who have not an under-
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
standing of its character and contemplated dimensions. The site upon which it stands is certainly a most historic one, for while not within some miles of the scene of the battle of Bennington, it marks the spot of the old military store- house with its goodly contents-military supplies, ammunition, arms, and pro- visions, the latter being eagerly hoped for by Burgoyne's half-famished army; and it was the knowledge of this supply, conveyed to him by the treacherous Tory, that induced the British commander to send the detachment under Col- onel Baum to drive the Americans from the village and possess himself of the contents of the building But the astute Briton reckoned too lightly upon the defense that could and would be made, and the brave Baum found himself op- posed by the sturdy militiamen of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as of Vermont, and all under the command of the gallant Stark, a taste of whose metal they had had before at Bunker Hill.
At that time the little hamlet on the hill-the village of Bennington-was the virtual seat of government of the newly created State, and should that fall to the common enemy what future hope could the authorities entertain for the safety or maintenance of their institutions. Bennington must be defended -must be held. This spirit animated General Stark when he marched his forces out on the " road toward Cambridge," and when he saw the enemy he determined upon attacking them, and, in order to instill something of his own determined spirit into the minds of his men, he gave utterance to that historic sentence, "There are the redcoats, and they are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow."
To the work of erecting the Bennington Battle Monument the people of the county have been devoted until the same became assured. But there have been some, on whose part extraordinary exertions have been made, and with- out whose efforts it is probable the work would not have been accomplished. These were the members of the board of directors of the association, and the various committees created by the board, and their efforts were materially seconded and aided by the Bennington Historical Society and its committees. Of the members of the society seven were annually elected as members of the monument association, mention of whom will also be made.
As was naturally to be expected, and as is almost always the case when great enterprises have been under consideration, there have been differences of opinion concerning various matters pertaining to the monument and the de- sign of the same; but this was an honest, fair difference ; both sides were ably represented and fully advocated, and the right, the majority, prevailed ; all fac- tions had the same end in view-the building of a grand structure; and the main difference appeared to be in the selection of a suitable design, and that alone.
The incorporation of the monument association has been sufficiently referred to heretofore in this chapter, but there has not been made mention of the suc-
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cession of officers of the association and the boards of directors as they were elected from year to year. The organization meeting of the association, at which officers were elected, was held at Bennington on the second Wednesday of January, 1877, but the first board of directors was not created until the 23d of that month, and at an adjourned meeting of the association. From the year 1877 until the year 1888, both inclusive, the following named persons have constituted the officers of the association and the board of directors of the Ben- nington Battle Monument Association :
1877 .- President, Horace Fairbanks, governor of the State; vice president, Hiland Hall; secretary, Charles M. Bliss; assistant secretary, John T. Shurt- leff ; treasurer, Milo C. Huling; board of directors, Abraham B. Gardner, Al- onzo B. Valentine, Olin Scott, Charles E. Dewey, Asaph P. Childs.
1878 .-- President, Horace Fairbanks ; vice-president, Hiland Hall; record- ing secrecary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treas- urer, Milo C. Huling ; board of directors, Horace Fairbanks, Benjamin F. Pres- cott, Alexander H. Rice, Abraham B. Gardner, Edward J. Phelps, Henry G. Root, Rev. Isaac Jennings.
1879 .- President, Governor Benjamin F. Prescott, of New Hampshire; vice- president, Hiland Hall; recording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secre- tary, Charles M. Bliss ; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Gov- ernor Redfield Proctor of Vermont, Governor Thomas Talbot of Massachusetts, Governor Benjamin F. Prescott of New Hampshire, Edward J. Phelps, Abra- ham B. Gardner, Henry G. Root, Isaac Jennings, Trenor W. Park, Alonzo B. Valentine.
1880 .-- The annual meeting of the association for this year was provided to be held on the 14th of January; but at the time not sufficient members were present to constitute a quorum, whereupon an adjournment was had until the 27 th of the same month. On that day, " in consequence of a severe snow. storm," the meeting could not be held, and there was no further attempt at a meeting by the association for the election of officers during that year. The officers, therefore, who were elected in January, 1879, held over until January, 1881.
1881 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott ; vice-president, Hiland Hall; re- cording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss ; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Ed- ward J. Phelps, Abraham B. Gardner, Henry G. Root, Isaac Jennings, Trenor W. Park, Alonzo B. Valentine, and, ex-officio, the governors of the three States, John D. Long, of Massachusetts; Natt Head, of New Hampshire ; and Roswell Farnham, of Vermont.
1882 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice-president, Ililand Hall; re- cording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Ed-
30
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
ward J. Phelps, Henry G. Root, Isaac Jennings, Trenor W. Park, Alonzo B. Valentine, and, ex officio, John D. Long, of Massachusetts; Charles H. Bell, of New Hampshire, and Roswell Farnham, of Vermont.
1883 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott ; vice-president, Hiland Hall; re- cording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Ed- J. Phelps, Isaac Jennings, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John G. Mc- Cullough, Samuel B. Sanford, and, ex-officio, Benjamin F. Butler, of Massachu- setts; Charles H. Bell, of New Hampshire, and John L. Barstow, of Vermont.
1884 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice-president, Hiland Hall; re- cording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Ed- ward J. Phelps, Isaac Jennings, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John G. Mccullough, Samuel B. Sanford, and, ex-officio, George D. Robinson, of Mas- sachusetts; Samuel W. Hale, of New Hampshire, and Samuel E. Pingree, of Vermont.
1885 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice president, Hiland Hall; re- cording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Ed- ward J. Phelps, Isaac Jennings, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John G. Mccullough, Samuel B. Sanford, and, ex-officio, Governor Robinson, of Massa- chusetts; Governor Hale, of New Hampshire, and Governor Pingree, of Ver- mont.
1886 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice-president, Rev. Isaac Jen- nings; recording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Isaac Jennings, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John G Mccullough, Horace Fairbanks, Charles M. Bliss, and, ex-officio, Governor Robinson, of Massachusetts; Governor Hale, of New Hampshire, and Governor Pingree, of Vermont.
1887 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice-president, Isaac Jennings ; recording secretary, Olin Scott; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss ; treasurer, Luther R. Graves; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Isaac Jennings, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, John G. Mccullough, Horace Fairbanks, Charles M. Bliss, John V. Hall, Milo C. Huling, John T. Shurtleff, and, ex-officio, Governor Oliver Ames, of Massachusetts; Governor Moody Currier, of New Hampshire, and Governor Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, of Vermont.
1888 .- President, Benjamin F. Prescott; vice-president, Henry G. Root; recording secretary, Olin Scott ; corresponding secretary, John V. Hall; treas- urer, Luther R. Graves ; board of directors, Benjamin F. Prescott, Henry G. Root, Alonzo B. Valentine, Horace Fairbanks,1 John G. McCullough, John V.
' Deceased ; Olin Scott elected to fill the vacancy.
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THE BENNINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Hall,1 Milo C. Huling John T. Shurtleff, James K. Batchelder, Charles E. Dewey, and, ex-officio, Governor Ames, of Massachusetts; Currier, of New Hampshire, and Ormsbee, of Vermont.
The Bennington Historical Society .- To the earnest and untiring efforts of the members of this society is largely due the success of the monument pro- ject ; in fact, it has been said, and with much reason, that without the co-oper- ation of this society it is more than probable that the monument would not have been built. As has already been stated in the early part of this chapter, the first attempt to secure the erection of the Bennington battle monument was made during the year 1853, and while the efforts then made were undoubtedly well directed, the plan, nevertheless, proved futile ; and further than some leg- islative action, conditional in its nature, and considerable agitation on the part of a few patriotic citizens of Bennington, nothing was done in the matter, and the subject was soon afterwards dropped. But with the gradual approach of the centennial year, and the earnest attention which that event was receiving on all sides, some of the people of the town felt that the organization of a so- ciety of some sort was necessary, that the matter of a centennial celebration and other important historic subjects should receive the right kind of consid- eration, and that whatever action might be taken should be systematic and regular. More than this, the organization of an historical society was neces- sary for the collection and preservation of such of the valuable historical ma- terial of the locality as would unquestionably be lost if much longer neglected ; and it was thought desirable, too, that the scenes of the many historic events and buildings should be properly marked in some substantial manner, and that in after years and ages these monuments to the events of the eighteenth cen- tury should survive material decay and the treacherous memory of man. These and other considerations which were the subjects of discussion at that time led to the organization of the Bennington Historical Society.
The first movement in the direction of the society organization was made during the fall of 1875, when, on the 28th day of October, a call for a meeting was published, signed by " many citizens," to the effect that all persons inter- ested in the matter of the organization of a "Town Historical Society " should meet at the office of John V. Hall on the succeeding Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock, " for consultation concerning the proposed organization." In accor- dance with the notice a goodly number of citizens met at the time and place mentioned. A temporary organization was effected by the election of Rev. Chauncey H. Hubbard, as chairman, and Colonel John E. Pratt, secretary. After a full discussion of the subject of the meeting it was decided to complete the organization of the society ; and Thomas White, Charles E. Welling, Al- fred Robinson, J. Seymour Merrill, and J. Halsey Cushman were appointed a committee to prepare and report a plan of permanent organization, after which
1 Deceased ; vacancy not filled,
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the persons comprising the committee just named. At a subsequent meeting held November 16, 1875, the committee made their report of a constitution, which was adopted. Arti- cle I provided that "this society shall be known as the Bennington Historical Society." From the second article the following extracts are taken: "The object of this society shall be, first, to assist in the proper observance of the centennial anniversary of the battle of Bennington. Second, to revive and bring to a successful consummation the long cherished project of erecting an ap- propriate monument at Bennington Center, to commemorate the deeds of the heroes of the battle of Bennington. Third, to mark by stone pillars and other suitable tokens, with appropriate inscriptions, the many historic localities of the town and vicinity, such as the battlefield itself with its two engagements ; the site of Landlord Fay's tavern, where the Council of Safety met; the camp- ing ground of General Stark's brigade previous to the battle, and a score of others ; also to incite our local authorities to the performance of their duties in keeping in repair the cemeteries where our heroes are buried. Fourth, to col- lect documents, books, pamphlets, records, journals, and papers relating to the history of our town, both early and late ; also relics and mementoes of all our wars, and to provide a suitable room or building for their preservation. Fifth, to procure a genealogical record of the older families of the town. Sixth, to publish a volume of the transactions of the society, embracing a complete town history with suitable geneological tables in readiness, on or before August 16, 1877. Seventh, to provide in the future for the erection of a soldiers' monu- ment, commemorative of Bennington men who fell in the late war of the rebel- lion.
For the faithful carrying out of all these enterprises the society, by the provisions of its constitution, became pledged. The first, and perhaps the most important of these, was the pledge to assist in the "proper observance of the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the battle of Bennington; " and second to that, even if it could be termed a secondary measure, was the pledge by which the society was to revive the subject of the erection of a battle mon- ument, and, if possible, make its construction a fact. This the society has done, and during the period of agitation and discussion of the subject every person knows full well the important part borne by the society, even though the mon- ument association was directly charged by the State with that duty. The Legislature of the State seems to have recognized not only the existence of the society in the act incorporating the association, but also realized the importance of having the assistance and co-operation of its members in bring- ing the monument project to a successful consummation. To this end the act provided that there should annually be chosen, by the society, seven persons who should be members of the monument association. The names of those who were annually elected in accordance with this provision will be found re- corded in this chapter.
DARson&C" Syracuse NY
H. G. Root
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THE BENNINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
From the time of the close of the centennial celebration to this present, the attention of the society has been wholly absorbed in the erection of the monu- ment, so that the other matters to which the members are pledged have, for the tinie, been suspended, but in due season they will be taken up and com- pleted according to the promise.
In the year 1882 it was deemed advisable to amend the constitution of the society, and for this purpose a committee consisting of Alonzo B, Valentine, Henry A. Harmon, and Henry G. Root was appointed to prepare the proposed amendments. The report of the committee was in due season presented to the society, and on the 2Ist of February was adopted. But instead of being an amendment to the original constitution the society found that such changes had been made that the new was more of a substitution for the old, and it was so accepted, thus was the society practically reorganized. A brief reference to some of the leading clauses of the new constitution will serve to show what modifications or changes were made from the old. Section two of article two reads: "To revive and bring to the attention of their successors the memor- able deeds, the public services, and the private virtues of the heroes of the battle of Bennington, and of the pioneers in the settlement of this State." Section three of the same article says: "To assist in bringing to a success- ful consummation the long cherished project of erecting an appropriate monu- ment at Bennington Center to commemorate the deeds of the heroes of the battle of Bennington."
As has already been stated in this chapter the Bennington Historical So- ciety was authorized by the Legislature in the act incorporating the Benning- ton Battle Monument Association, to annually elect seven of its members to membership in the association. This has been done regularly from the time of the incorporation of the association.
It would be impossible as well as impracticable to refer to the detail of operations of the society in connection with the monument project, or to the many actions of the society in connection with the objects for which it was organized; but this sketch would not be complete without some reference to those persons who have been its working officers through all these years and important events; therefore, the appended record is arranged to show who have been the officers of the society, the persons annually elected to the mon- ument association, and, also, some of the most important committees of the society. It may be well to state, however, that under the constitution adopted upon the organization of the society in 1875, it was provided that " the offi- cers of the society shall be a president, as many vice presidents as the board of directors may determine, a corresponding secretary, a treasurer, a recording secretary, three auditors, a board of directors, a genealogical board." And further, that the board of directors shall consist of twenty-five members annu- ally elected, together with the president and past-president, the secretaries and
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
the chairmen of the several boards and standing committees. The standing committees were a committee on solicitation, a committee on printing and pub- lishing, and such others as the board of directors might determine.
It must be understood that the society was, and now is, a somewhat large and unwieldy body ; and therefore it became necessary that the power of the society should be vested in some committee of such number as could conven- iently be assembled to transact the business that might become urgent with- out assembling the whole society for such purpose. Therefore the board of directors was created.
Under the old constitution any person, a resident of the town of Benning- ton, and any person not a citizen of the town " who shall have been elected to any office in the society or appointed a member of any committee in it may become a resident member by signifying his wish in writing," etc. The new constitution, however, confined the regular membership to residents of the town, while all others were honorary members, the latter having no vote. The new constitution also provided that the officers should be a president, three vice presidents, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, a treas- urer, and an executive committee of five. The latter replaced the board of directors provided by the old constitution. The officers of the Bennington His- torical Society have been as follows :
1875 .- President, Hiland Hall; vice-presidents, Rev. Isaac Jennings, Seth B. Hunt, Rev. Chauncey H. Hubbard, Dr. B. F. Morgan, T. W. Park, A. B. Gardner, S. H. Brown, C. E. Houghton, B. R. Sears, M. G. Selden, Z. L. Taft, Thomas White, J. S. Merrill, H. G. Root, Charles Thatcher, jr., Tarrant Sibley, William E. Hawks, H. H Harwood, Hiram Bingham, Frank Blackmer, Edward Norton, H. W. Putnam, P. L. Robinson, A. P. Lyman, H. E. Brad- ford, S. B. McEowen, David F. Squires, E. D. Fillmore, C. G. Lincoln, Bar- ber Chase, Enos Adams, John H. Flagg ; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; recording secretary, M. B. Morgan; treasurer, Daniel McEowen ; di- rectors, A. B. Valentine, Alfred Robinson, James H. Walbridge, C. E. Dewey, Edward Kinsley, A. J. Mattison, J. V. D. S. Merrill, C. R. Sanford, H. T. Cushman, Asaph P. Childs, George A. Wood, Olin Scott, J. Halsey Cushman, George W. Robinson, Milo C. Huling, L. P. Norton, A. C. Hubbel, E. O. Cole, L. S. Chandler, L. F. Abbott, William E. Hawks, 2d, O. D. Adams.
The above named officers were chosen in the latter part of 1875, and were to serve in their respective offices until the January meeting in 1877; they were, therefore, officers for 1875-6. There seems, too, to have been a break in the records, the minutes of the meetings at which officers for the years 1877- 1878 and 1879 being omitted ; therefore it is impossible to compile them for the missing years.
1880 .- President, Hiland Hall ; vice presidents, Isaac Jennings, Seth B. Hunt, B. F. Morgan, T. W. Park, A. B. Gardner, S. H. Brown, C. E. Hough-
-------
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. THE BENNINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ton, B. R. Sears, M. G. Selden, Z. L. Taft, Thomas White, H. G. Root, Charles Thatcher, Tarrant Sibley, William E. Hawks, H. H. Harwood, Frank Black- mer, Edward Norton, H. W. Putnam, P. L. Robinson, A. P. Lyman, S. B. McEowen, David F. Squires, E. D. Fillmore, C. G. Lincoln, Enos Adams, John H. Flagg; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; recording secre- tary, Henry A. Harman ; treasurer, Daniel McEowen; directors, A. B. Val- entine, H. G. Root, J. T. Shurtleff, Milo C. Huling, A. J. Mattison, E. O. Cole, H. T. Cushman, William E. Hawks, Olin Scott, J. H. Walbridge, George W. Robinson, Edward Kinsley, A. C. Hubbel, C. R. Sanford, L. F. Abbott, George A. Wood, Alfred Robinson, John V. Hall, C. E. Dewey, L. P. Norton, J. V. D. S. Merrill, Edward Chandler, A. P. Childs, O. D. Adams. No new officers were chosen at the annual meeting in 1881, but those elected for 1880 were continued in office for another year.
In February, 1882 the society was reorganized, a new constitution adopted, and officers under it elected as follows : 1882 .- President, Hiland Hall; vice- presidents, Isaac Jennings, Thomas White and Alonzo B. Valentine; record- ing secretary, Henry A. Harman ; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss ; treasurer, Ellis A. Cobb ; executive committee, Olin Scott (chairman), Charles Thatcher, Asaph P'. Childs, Lyman F. Abbott, Arthur J. Dewey.
In September, 1882 an election was held for the officers for the year next ensuing as follows: President, Hiland Hall; vice-presidents, Isaac Jennings, Thomas White, Alonzo B. Valentine; recording secretary, Edward L. Bates ; corresponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss ; treasurer, Ellis A. Cobb; execu- tive committee, Olin Scott, Charles Thatcher, Asaph P'. Childs,- Lyman F. Abbott, Arthur J. Dewey.
In 1883, at a meeting held on August 17, the officers chosen at the last election were continued for another year.
1884 .- President, Hiland Hall; vice-presidents, Isaac Jennings, Thomas White, Alonzo B. Valentine ; recording secretary, Edward L. Bates; corre- sponding secretary, Charles M. Bliss; treasurer, Ellis A. Cobb; executive committee, Olin Scott, Charles Thatcher, Lyman F. Abbott, Alfred Robinson, Arthur J. Dewey.
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