USA > Vermont > Bennington County > History of Bennington County, Vt. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 43
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The Congregational Church .- The first meetings of the people of this de- nomination for divine worship were held during the first years of the town's settlement, and at such place as best suited the convenience of the few resi- dents of the locality, and it was not until the year 1782 that the society be- came regularly organized, and not until two years later that a church home for the society was erected. Among the earliest workers for the welfare of the society was the Rev. Job Swift, and it was largely through his efforts that the church edifice was built. In this building the society meetings were held until the year 1829, at which time the congregation had grown too large for the small church and a better and more commodious one was erected. Again, in 1870, a still larger and more attractive building was erected on the site of the former. For its construction generous contributions were made by inter- ested persons not permanent residents of the town, and added to this the pro- vision made by the society proper enabled the trustees to erect the present large and well furnished Congregational Church edifice that now adorns the town. The bell, the weight of which is nearly two tons, was donated by Hon. Mark Skinner of Chicago; the clock by H. A. Hurlburt of New York. For the organ, which cost about two thousand dollars, Pierpont Isham of New York, and Edward S. Isham of Chicago, contributed five hundred dollars. Others gave liberally of their means for the work, to all of whom the building stands a monument of generosity. Its entire cost was about twenty-six thou- sand dollars, and the aggregate value of the church property amounts to about thirty-five thousand dollars. The edifice has a seating capacity sufficient for five hundred persons. From the time of its first organization the growth in church membership in the society lias been gradual, yet healthful, so that at the present time the number of members in regular standing reaches about two hundred.
St. John's Church (Episcopal.)-This society is practically an offshoot of the mother church at Manchester Centre, although the original church was founded in this village, and was organized to meet the desire of the church's people living in that locality, and for the further purpose of providing for the visitors of that faith that annually seek rest and quiet at the village of Man- chester, and who may not feel inclined to travel to the older church at the Cen - tre. The parish, however, is wholly independent of that of Manchester Cen- tre. The edifice occupies a pleasant location on Seminary avenue not far from the main street. Its cost was about five thousand dollars. The society at no time has been numerically strong, and its organization dates back only to about the year 1867.
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Music Hall .- This building, the purpose of which is to provide a suital,". place for public gatherings for amusement and entertainment, was built at t !. direction and expense of Franklin 11. Orvis in the year 1868. Its interior : arranged and equipped with a sufficient stage, and all necessary paraphernali .. incident to a well ordered opera house and theater.
Banks .- Among the institutions and business interests formerly having . seat of operations in Manchester there should be made some mention of i:, banks, although at the present time the town cannot lay claim to the possession of one. The old Bank of Manchester was incorporated November 7, 1832, with a capital stock of $100,000. The bank did a successful business for ; number of years. In 1838 William P. Black was made cashier, and upon him devolved the burden of the work, care and responsibility connected with its management. He outlived the institution, and subsequently occupied the same position in connection with the Battenkill Bank and the Battenkill Na- tional Bank both of which are now numbered with the things of the past.
The Press .- The first attempt, of which we have a record, looking to the founding of a newspaper at Manchester, was made during the year 1830, by Edward C. Purdy, who brought into existence The Horn of the Green Moun- tains ; but after a fecble existence of about a year the Horn failed to blow good returns to its worthy and enterprising founder and thereupon its publication was discontinued.
Next in the succession of evanescent journalism at Manchester appeared The Vermont Express, under the editorial control of A. L. Miner, esq. Al- though purporting to be a newspaper of this town, and being issued as such, the Express was printed at Salem, N. Y. It was not a long lived paper and soon discontinued publication.
Some months later, in the early part of the year 1837, and while the doc- trines taught by the Whig party were being watched and pretty generally ac- cepted by the majority of the people, there appeared in Manchester the first issue of The Bennington County Whig, which, as its headline indicated, espoused the cause of the Whig party. The editor, B. C. Crandall, a former resident of Salem, N. Y., acted as editor for a few weeks and then suddenly left the town and his embryo publication. Orlando Squires then conducted the paper for a short time, but was succeeded by John C. Osborn, a practical printer, who liad been in the office, but he having no extensive understanding of editorial work discontinued the paper sometime during the year 1838.
The Manchester Journal .- Of the four newspaper publications that have from time to time been started the Journal is the only one that has a present existence in Manchester; and from its founding to this present the paper lias enjoyed a paying subscription list. More than that it is recognized as one of the leading papers of the county, and as such finds a place in a very large number of families in the whole county, and especially in the northern section.
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VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER.
The Journal is a firm and thorough exponent of the doctrines of Republicanism, yet its circulation is by no means confined to Republican patrons. The paper was founded in 1861, its first edition being published on May 28th of that year. C. A. Pierce was the founder, and H. E. Miner the editor during the first year. In 1865 E. W. Pierce became a part owner, and the firm style changed to C. A. Pierce & Co. In 1871, this firm having purchased the Bennington Banner, the Journal was sold to Orvis & Co., F. II. Orvis being the chief owner. Dur- ing his control of the paper Loveland Munson, esq. filled for a time its edi- torial chair. D. K. Simonds also was associated with the editorial department, but in September, 1871, the latter became owner and proprietor, and under his management the paper has ever since been successfully conducted.
Dellwood Cemetery.1-" When the old churchyard in the village became filled with graves, a beautiful spot was selected at the south end of the village for a new graveyard, and this too in time became overcrowded. The Hon. Mark Skinner of Chicago, and Hon. Helmus Wells of New York, former residents of the village, seeing the necessity of enlarging the grounds, purchased adjoin- ing land and presented it to an association that would improve and ornament it. In 1865 Dellwood Cemetery Association was incorporated, by an act of the Legislature, and the land, about thirteen acres, was conveyed to the asso- ciation by Messrs. Skinner and Wells. About six thousand dollars was sub- scribed for the embellishment of the grounds, and the work was accomplished under the supervision of Burton A. Thomas, a skillful rural architect. The avenues and walks wind about artistically over the more elevated ground and into the valleys beneath, and along the beautiful creek, by the damming of which a pond is formed at either end of the cemetery, and along the course of which are one or more waterfalls. The stream is spanned by several rustic bridges. Under the bluff, with a broad carriage way in front, is situated the receiving vault, surmounted by bronze griffins. Hedges of cedar, hemlock, and arbor vitæ in various parts of the grounds add beauty and picturesqueness to the view. In summer the margins of the walks are lined with beautiful flowers and foliage plants from the greenhouse of the association. Many handsome monuments and vases adorn the grounds. The highly ornamental gateway at the main entrance was the gift of Judge Skinner. Just outside the gate, on the left, stands a marble pedestal surmounted by a statue of "Mourning" de- positing flowers. On the right, on a similar pedestal, a statue of "Gabriel" with trumpet in hand, personates the "Resurrection." On the large gate-posts are ornamental bronze vases, from which in summer time flowers and vines grow in harmonious profusion. In keeping with the other appointments of Dellwood is the beautiful residence occupied by the superintendent. This is a substantial
1 For the above well written sketch of Dellwood, the silent city of the dead, we are indebted to the "County Gazetteer," published during the years 1880-'S1, extracting therefrom such re- marks as sufficiently describe this beautiful spot.
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
stone structure standing near the north end of the grounds. It is occupied by Mr. George Smith, under whose care and attention the cemetery increases in beauty with each succeeding year."
The general statement has heretofore been made that the village of Man- chester contains no manufacturing industries ; and while this may be regarded as substantially correct, yet a possible exception must be made on account of the industry established many years ago and still carried on by Charles F. Orvis, in the manufacture of fine fishing rods and other supplies commonly used by the followers of the sport supposed to liave been introduced by Isaak Walton. Something like thirty years ago Mr. Orvis commenced in a small way the manufacture of a superior quality of jointed fishing rods, and without an orig- inal intention of conducting the business to any considerable extent ; but as the worth and quality of his production became known a general demand was cre- ated, to supply which the proprietor found himself busily occupied, and from that to the present time he has actively engaged in this special manufacture.
Succession of Postmasters at Manchester .- From information derived from the post-office department at Washington, the fact appears that a post-office was established at Manchester in 1793, or two years after the admission of Vermont into the Federal Union. The following list will show who have been the post- masters from that until the present time, with their respective dates of appoint- ment : Abel Allis, March 20, 1793 ; Joel Pratt, jr., July 1, 1803; Nathan Bur- ton, January 1, 1809; Calvin Sheldon, January 1, 1815; Leonard Sargeant, January 1, 1819; Walter I. Shepard, January 16, 1826; Henry Robinson, Jan- uary 10, 1833 ; Levi C. Orvis, November 19, 1833; Darwin Andrews, July 1, 1841 ; Levi C. Orvis, July 13, 1843; William Henry Andrews, May 23, 1849; Fowler W. Hoyt, May 10, 1853; William B. Burton, February 11, 1863; Da- vid K. Simonds, June 16, 1875 ; Charles F. Orvis, June 18, 1885.
THE VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER CENTRE.
While unquestionably less celebrated as a resort, and possibly less calcu- lated for such purpose, the village now known as Manchester Centre comes to view as the most prominent business center of the busy township of Manches- ter; and while the enterprising residents of the village have made no special effort at the adornment thereof, nature has provided them with a situation which for health, attractiveness and desirability is unsurpassed in the township. Dur- ing late years there seems to have been developed, on the part of some of the residents here at least, an inclination to make this point a resort; and this tendency would seem to be confirmed by the fact that within a few years past the name of the village has been changed from that given it many years ago -Factory Point.
It is a well established fact that the average summer visitor, whose chief aim is to find rest and quiet away from the busy scenes of city life has no desire to
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VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER CENTRE.
... 't a place at which manufacturing is carried on to any considerable extent, . xi as the name " Factory Point " would seem to indicate a manufacturing lo- « dity it could not, under such circumstances, become at all popular as a resort. To remove this objection a number of the influential men of the village (for the place is not lacking of such) quietly, but effectually, besought the powers at Washington to change the name of the post-office from Factory Point to Manchester Centre, all of which was speedily accomplished. The name of the office having been changed by competent authority, common consent changed the name of the village, and having no corporate existence no power was re- quired to effect the latter change. All this has been done within the last few years.
The village of Manchester Centre occupies a position in the township a lit- tle to the northeast of its geographical center, and about one and one-fourth miles from the village of Manchester. The West Branch Creek passes through the town, which stream by damming, and the natural fall of its waters, afforded an excellent power for the numerous factories that have from time to time lined its banks. This power still exists, but it is not utilized to the tenth part of the extent of twenty or thirty years ago. The village contains a population of about five hundred persons, a number never before reaclied, although the mills and factories have not been in active operation for a number of years.
The lands on which the village stands were settled and improved at about the same period as were the other parts of the township. Timothy Mcad was the pioneer, and his possessions embraced the greater part of the village tract. Although a progressive person Mr. Mead was greatly opposed to selling his lands, thus retarding the early growth of the village. His house was located on the site now occupied by the Colburn House. Using the excellent water- power afforded by the West Branch Mr. Mead built a saw-mill and soon after- wards a grist-mill, the latter being the first of its kind in the township. It was built on the same side of the stream that the present mill occupies, but further down, while the saw-mill was above it. When the present grist-mill was erected in 1840, so far as could be the material of the old mill was used. Mr. Mead also built a fulling-mill on the site now covered by the large and unoccu- pied factory building ; he built a store in the town at which Joel Pratt carried on business for a number of years.
At that time the road from Manchester turned to the right immediately after crossing the stream, and passed along in front of where the present mill stands. This old road is still used in getting to the rear of the several business houses along Main street, and in reaching the shops standing on the bank of the creek, although, as is well known, the present main thoroughifare passes a few rods farther north.
When the commissioners appointed for the purpose of selecting a site for the court-house and jail, were casting about for a suitable location they determined
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
upon locating them on Mr. Mead's land, at a point near where the Bay Church now stands, but the worthy proprietor refused to part with the la: for that purpose, and thus to this village was lost an opportunity that w.o .. . have greatly enhanced its carly growth. Mr. Mead did, however, convey lan to the Baptist Society on which a church edifice was built, while Isaac a . Jeremiah Whelpley and Timothy Soper gave lands for the purpose of a bury ;. ground. "The site of the old meeting-house," says Judge Munson's addr: "can readily be located on the westerly side of the present cemetery ground The road on which it stood was then the main highway ; the street past ti! Episcopal Church not being in existence until long after."
" Mr. Mead died in 1802. His real estate was divided among his children. and soon passed into other hands. But the early growth of the place was slou. and in 1812 it could hardly be called a village. The old grist-mill and the fu!". ing-mill were still in operation. The original saw-mill had done its work, and. been succeeded by another on the opposite side of the stream, about where tl :.. west end of the tannery stands. The store building was no longer occupied a- such, and had been used as a school-room while the first school house of ti :: district was being erected. Where the wagon shop is located stood a distillery. and adjoining it was the carding-mill of Chester Clark. Benjamin Mattison. the owner of the saw- mill and fulling-mill, lived in the Timothy Mead house. James Borland, who carried on business at the grist-mill and leased the dis- tillery to other parties, lived in a house which stood just east of the old store building. The dwelling-house nearest the mills, on the road leading to the village (Manchester), stood on the top of the hill south of the present residence of Deacon Burritt. On the road toward Dorset the first dwelling was that of William Smith, where the Lester house now (1875) stands. A few rods east of the residence of A. G. Clark, was a good sized house, usually occupied by two families; and a little further on was a house of smaller size. The Jacob Mead house was then occupied by David Brooks, who was about building a tavern on the lot now owned by Mr. Adams. The next building was the Bap- tist meeting-house, an edifice of moderate size, divided into great square pews, and embellished with a sounding-board. The society was then in charge of Elder Calvin Chamberlain, a Revolutionary pensioner, and a man of great in- fluence among the Baptist Churches of the State. Just beyond the meeting- house, at the northeast corner of the burying ground, stood the district school- house. About on the spot where Joseph Lugene, jr., has recently erected . house lived Peletiah Soper, one of the old settlers. Near the site of Deacon Ames's house stood a small store in which James Whelpley traded, and just north of it was a dwelling. Imagine these few scattered buildings partially surrounded by a dense forest at no great distance, and you have the Factory Point of 1812."
During this period a great improvement was being carried out in the con-
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VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER CENTRE.
struction of a highway directly connecting the two villages. This project was the more remarkable from the fact that the proposed route of the road lay across the low and swampy glebe lands, and the building of a road across this tract was by many thought to be impracticable, if not hazardous. Prior to its construction travelers between these villages used the old west road as far Noble J. Purdy's place ; thence east through Marbleville to the center road near where Judge Munson now resides, and thence north to Factory Point.
These lands, or as they have been called, the glebe lands, through which the road passed, now comprise some of the richest farming tracts in the town- ship. The author of the pamphlet history of Manchester, to whom we are in- debted for many of the facts herein stated, owns a considerable tract of land in this vicinity, and John Battis, whose residence stands near the central part of the " glebe," is also the owner of an excellent farm, made from what was formerly thought to be unavailable lands.
But however much the early settlement and growth of Factory Point may have been retarded by the peculiar actions of Timothy Mead, the place has long since been the most populous of any of the three villages of Manchester ; and to no single family is due the credit of having built up and increased the value of property in the village more than Myron Clark, and those who have managed the estate since his decease. Mr. Clark came to Factory Point fromn the town of Rupert some time prior to the year 1840. He purchased the old mills, distillery and power. He rebuilt the grist-mill in 1840, as is indicated on the marble cap over the entrance. His son, Augustus G. Clark, about this time became associated with the business, and so continued until Judge Clark's death about 1869, and then succeeded to the proprietorship thereof. Ten years later, 1879, Augustus G. Clark died, and since that event Colonel Mason S. Colburn and John H. Whipple, sons-in-law of Augustus G. Clark, have man- aged the business and estate. The tannery building standing on the south bank of the West Branch was built by A. G. Clark and by him operated. Of late years, however, the tanning business has not been regularly carried on at this place, the scarcity of material and unsatisfactory condition of the markets both contributing to the necessity of discontinuing the business for a time at least. Also on the south side of the stream and west of the road stands an- other large idle factory. This was built originally by Harris and Jennings, and designed for an extensive fulling-mill and carding-mill. About the time of the close of the late war other machinery was added and a knitting department started. Since these manufactures were discontinued the building has been used occasionally, but not to any great extent.
Opposite the carding-mill, on the north bank of the stream, and about where the ice-house now stands, once stood a small tannery building; but all evidences of its occupancy are now destroyed, and its location is hidden from view by the large Colburn House barns.
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HISTORY OF BENNINGTON COUNTY.
On the spot where Timothy Mead's dwelling house stood, is now the hotel called the Colburn House, the property of Lorenzo Shaffner. This worthy host is a comparatively new resident in Manchester, but notwithstanding that he has the faculty of making himself agreeably known, and his house one of the most popular hostleries of the county. Connected with this hotel is a livery owned and managed by James A. Thayer. Farther up Main street, and occupying a prominent site, is Thayer's Hotel, with a livery attached. This is by many years the older house, and has long been conducted by Land. lord Stephen E. Thayer.
The Baptist Church .- The society of the Baptists of Manchester Centre is the senior of the religious societies of the township, having been organized June 22, 1781, under the direction of Rev. Nathan Mason. He was not, how- ever, the first resident pastor, that distinction having been accorded to Rev. Joseph Cornell, and in consequence thereof he became entitled to the lands set apart for the first settled minister of the Gospel, as provided by the charter granted by Governor Wentworth. During the first four years of the existence of this society the members held service in the upper part of a building on Glebe Brook, near the falls; but in 1785 a small meeting-house was built on the westerly side of the cemetery grounds. This was regularly used by the society until the year 1833, at which time the brick edifice was erected at the corner of the main street and the road leading to Dorset. At the time of organization the society had something like sixty or sixty-five regular mem- bers, and from that to the present the membership has increased to about one hundred and sixty.
Zion Protestant Episcopal Church .- The foundation for the organization of Zion Church was laid by the following proceeding, dated at Manchester, October 4, 1782 : " These may certify that we, whose names are underwritten, inhabitants of the town of Manchester, in the county of Bennington, are pro- fessors of the Church of England, and do put ourselves under the pastoral care of the Rev. Gideon Bostwick. In testimony whereof we have hereunto sub- scribed our names. Eleazer Baldwin, Arthur Bostwick, John Hitchcock, Wil- liam Drew, Jabez Hawley, Charles W. Bostwick, Charles Bulless, Peter French, Jeremiah French, Moses Sperry, Job Giddings, Henry Bulless, Abel Bristoll, Daniel Jones, Nathaniel Bostwick, Josiah Lockwood, Joseph French, Samuel French, jr., Nehemiah Lo ---- , (blotted), Reuben French, Charles French, Elijah French, Samuel French, Benjamin Purdy, jr." Following this appears the certificate of the Rev. Gideon Bostwick, rector of the new society, dated at Manchester, October 4, 1782 : " These may certify that Eleazer Baldwin, Ar- thur Bostwick, John Hitchcock, William Drew, Jabez Hawley, Job Giddings, Henry Bulless, Abel Bristoll, Daniel Jones, Nathaniel Bostwick, Josiah Lock- wood, John W. Bostwick, Charles Bulless, Peter French, Jeremiah French, Moses Sperry, Samuel French, jr., are professors of the Church of England, and have put themselves under my care. GIDEON BOSTWICK."
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VILLAGE OF MANCHESTER CENTRE.
As will be seen this society was organized at a period when Factory Point had no population worth mentioning, and then no immediate prospect of any. The church was organized as one of the institutions of Manchester, and de- signed to have an edifice at that village, although the parish embraced mem- bers from the whole township. The early meetings were held in the old court- house and elsewhere at private residences, and it was not until the year 1819 that a church home was provided, and then erected on the main street at Fac- tory Point. In 1863 the building was remodeled and its capacity enlarged. The rectory is adjoining the church.
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