USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > History of Chittenden County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 32
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110
He was a man of great reading and research, not only in his own profes- sion and cognate subjects, but also in general literature. He kept himself thoroughly acquainted with the most advanced progress in medicine, but did
264
HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
not acquire a very extensive practice, partly owing to impaired health and partly to his modest and retiring disposition, studious habits and aversion to pushing himself forward among his competitors. Yet he was highly respected by his associates in practice, and his counsel sought after by them.
Dr. Matthew Cole was born in Richmond December 24, 1801, and died October 1, 1879, at the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington. His grand- father and father were physicians. He first practiced with his father in Rich- mond a few years, then he practiced in Huntington, then in Williston, and the latter part of his life in Burlington.
He exhibited great energy and fortitude of character under many sore trials. Twice during his lifetime his homes were burned over his head, but phoenix- like he rose from the ashes, and undaunted began anew the battle of life. He had an almost sublime devotion to his professon, and faith in the infallibility of medicine for the cure of disease.
Dr. F. M. Knox was born in Tunbridge, Vt., March 18, 1820, and died in Richmond, Vt., in 1875. He was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1849, and received his degree of M. D. at Castleton Medical College, in 1851. He practiced in Richmond for a few years and afterward in Burlington until his last sickness. He was a man of fine education, sound judgment, unpreten- tious manners and gentlemanly deportment.
Dr. H. H. Langdon was born in 1827, and died in 1881. He received his degree of M. D. from Castleton Medical College] in 1851. He practiced in Shelburne, Vt., in New York State, and lastly in Burlington. He was surgeon of the Seventh Vermont Regiment in the War of the Rebellion, health officer of the city of Burlington at one time, and member of the United States Board of Examining Surgeons for Pensions at the time of his death.
Dr. Samuel White Thayer was born in Braintree, Vt., May 21, 1817, and died in Burlington, Vt., November 14, 1882. He was the eldest son of Dr. Samuel W. and Ruth (Packard) Thayer. He resided in his native town, at- tending in his boyhood the common schools until the year 1832, when, with the rest of his family, he removed to Thetford, Vt., and there went through the course of education prescribed by its excellent academy. He began the study of medicine in 1835 in his father's office, attending lectures at the Dart- mouth and Woodstock medical schools, and in 1838 received from the latter the degree of M. D. From 1837 until 1841 he was demonstrator of anatomy at the Woodstock school. After practicing medicine at Woodstock for two years he removed to Northfield, Vt., at the solicitation of Governor Paine, where by his friendly and influential patronage, coupled with his own industry and merit, he at once established himself in practice. The critical and thorough knowledge of anatomy acquired as demonstrator of anatomy in a medical school for a term of years, with the opportunities for practice in cases of railroad injuries, secured for him by Governor Paine, who was then engaged
3
265
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
in building the Vermont Central Railroad, admirably fitted him for the de- partment of surgery, in which ever afterwards during his life he was distin- guished throughout the State. Yet he did not at all confine himself to this branch of medicine, but received and retained the confidence of his fellow prac- titioners, and of the people generally, in all branches.
In 1854 he removed to Burlington. It was here that he did his largest and best life-work. Three or four years before going to Burlington to reside, Dr. Thayer was planning and earnestly striving to reorganize the medical depart- ment of the University of Vermont, which had been dormant for many years, and his success, after persistent effort against many discouraging obstacles, was doubtless a prominent motive for his change of residence. In this new under- taking Dr. Thayer and Dr. Walter Carpenter were associated together to pro- mote its welfare and enlarge the boundaries of medical learning; the one planning and organizing wisely, the other keeping it off the shoals by cautious and prudent business management; and they both lived to see it take rank with the most flourishing medical schools in the land outside of the largest cities. It owes a large debt of gratitude to Dr. Thayer for its second birth, and to both for its growth and present prosperity.
In 1861 at the commencement of the War of the Rebellion Governor Erastus Fairbanks appointed Dr. Thayer chairman of the State Board of Med- ical Examiners, established for the purpose of securing for the Vermont troops competent medical officers. In 1864 the office of surgeon-general was created, and Dr. Thayer first held the office by appointment of Governor Smith. The duties being new, brought into requisition again his superior qualifications for organization, and exemplified his customary industry and energy. He estab- lished and brought into systematic working order the three military hospitals located at Burlington, Brattleboro and Montpelier. He not only did well these patriotic duties at home, but went to the front and performed efficient service in the field hospitals. He also received from the general government the ap- pointment of assistant surgeon of the United States army, and was brevetted at the close of the war. He was the first health officer of the city of Burling- ton, and here also he was the skillful organizer of a new department. He devoted much time to the study of sanitary science, and lectured upon this subject at the medical college the last two years of his life. He earnestly en- deavored to induce the Legislature of Vermont to establish a State Board of Health, but did not live long enough to succeed. In 1858 he was commissioner of the insane of the State. In 1870 he was appointed medical director of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and resided temporarily in Minnesota nearly three years, after which he returned to Burlington. He was at one time or another president of the State Medical Society, and Burlington Medical and Surgical Club. He was also honorary member of several societies of other States, and the recipient of the degree of A. M. from Dartmouth College, and of LL. D.
266
HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
from the University of Vermont. At the time of his death he was a member of the Board of United States Examining Surgeons for Pensions, and consult- ing surgeon of the Mary Fletcher Hospital.
In social life Dr. Thayer was an especial favorite, always genial in manner and entertaining in conversation, with an ample fund of pleasing anecdotes and general information. His home was one of unbounded hospitality. He was generous to the extreme ; in some cases, doubtless, without proper discrimina- tion. His gratuitous practice was large; services to the clergy of all denomin- ations, many of whom had larger surplus revenue than he; to the servant girls who expended upon dress, finery and frivolities what was his just due ; to the deserving poor and to the dead-beat-all appeared to fare about alike at his hands. It would have been better for him and many of his objects of charity if he had mingled justice in larger proportion with his generosity, but this, if reckoned a fault in his character, can easily be forgiven. Thus has been given barely more than the warp and woof of a conscientious, busy and useful life. The filling in, the beautiful coloring, the completeness, is left to be supplied from the inner consciousness of those who personally knew him.
Other physicians who have practiced in Burlington successfully and with credit, and are now deceased, have been as follows : Drs. Horace Hall, A. P. Barber, Nathan Ward, A. S. Pitkin, George W. Ward and N. H. Ballou.
Surgeons of the War of the Rebellion. - Newton H. Ballou, of Burlington, aged forty-five years, surgeon Second Regiment; mustered in, June 1I, 1861 ; resigned, December 18, 1862.
Arthur F. Burdick, of Underhill, aged thirty-three years, assistant surgeon Fifth Regiment ; mustered in, September 22, 1862; resigned, May 26, 1863.
Walter B. Carpenter, of Burlington, aged twenty- five, assistant surgeon Second Vermont Volunteers ; mustered in, June 11, 1861 ; surgeon, June 21, 1862 ; resigned, November 4, 1864.
Cornelius A. Chapin, of Williston, aged twenty-one, assistant surgeon Sixth Regiment; mustered in, July 8, 1863 ; died, September 14, 1863, at New York city, of disease.
Alwyn H. Chesmore, of Huntington, aged twenty-five, assistant surgeon Fifth Regiment ; mustered in, September 25, 1862; surgeon, March 1, 1863 ; mustered out of service, September 15, 1864.
Dan L. C. Colburn, of Burlington, aged thirty, assistant surgeon Fifth Regiment ; mustered in, August 18, 1863 ; mustered out of service, June 29, 1865.
Granville P. Conn, of Richmond, aged thirty-one, assistant surgeon Twelfth Regiment ; mustered in, September 19, 1862 ; mustered out of service, July 14, 1863.
Edwin M. Curtis, of Burlington, aged twenty-one, hospital steward Fourth Regiment ; mustered in, September 21, 1861; assistant surgeon Sixth Vermont
267
THE PRESS.
Volunteers, January 29, 1863 ; surgeon, August 15, 1864; mustered out of service, July 13, 1865.
Henry H. Langdon, of Burlington, aged thirty-five, assistant surgeon Sev- enth Regiment ; mustered in, October 3, 1862 ; resigned, March 27, 1863.
Edward B. Nims, of Burlington, aged twenty-six, assistant surgeon First Cavalry ; mustered in, May 9, 1864 ; mustered out of service, August 9, 1865.
Azro M. Plant, of Burlington, aged twenty-seven, assistant surgeon Four- teenth Regiment ; mustered in, January 29, 1863 ; mustered out of service, July 30, 1865.
Edwin W. Trueworthy, of Burlington, aged twenty-four, assistant surgeon Seventh Regiment ; mustered in, June 17, 1865 ; surgeon, October 1, 1865; mustered out of service, March 14, 1866.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE PRESS OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.1
Fewer Newspapers than Formerly - Political Energy the Condition - Permanence - The- Earlier Journals were of a Literary Type - Sketches of Early Papers, Including the Sentinel - The Burlington Free Press and Times - Influence of the Telegraph - The Burlington Clipper- The Burlington Independent - The Autograph and Remarker - Value of Stale News in Early Days-Curious Editorials-Interesting Advertisements-Humor-Early Customs and Manners - Political History of the Press.
G LANCING over the history of the press of Chittenden county, one is struck with two somewhat remarkable facts : First, that there has been a gradual diminution in the number of newspapers and other journals published in the county from the earlier part of the present century until now ; and, sec- ondly, that the journals which have longest survived have been those with a determinate political basis. The first of these facts is certainly remarkable as a mere statement ; the second is remarkable because it might be supposed that independence in journalism, especially before party lines were as clearly and strongly drawn as they are to-day, would be the broader and surer foundation for a newspaper's prosperity in a community where readers were at best so few.
We find that at the expiration of the first quarter of the present century the journalistic enterprise of Chittenden county was at its height - so far as that enterprise may be gauged by the number of journals which were published at the time. In the second quarter of the century-between 1825 and 1850- there appear to have been in existence no less than nine journals-news, liter- ary and miscellaneous-as compared with four at the present time. Most of these nine journals, to be sure, were exceedingly short-lived. Some of them
1 Prepared by Mr. James Buckham, of Burlington.
268
HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
never lived to have a second anniversary. Some struggled along for a few years, and then, scarcely noticed by the public, ceased publication.
A majority of these earlier journals were of a distinctively literary type -- a style of periodical that prevailed quite extensively in this country at the time. It was before the day of that omnivorous, news-gorging, electric wonder, the modern newspaper ; and editors had more time, as well as more necessity, for miscellaneous and literary work. Take even the so-called newspaper at this early time, and you will find it largely composed of editorials and literary and miscellaneous matter -very little news of any sort, general or local, and what there is, quite apt to be "belated," uncertain, lacking in detail, and very often treated as a matter of secondary importance. It is not surprising, then, that the purely literary journal should have sprung up and made a desperate attempt to flourish in the somewhat barren soil afforded by the stern, practical life of New England three-quarters of a century ago.
Of the nine journals which enjoyed a longer or shorter lease of life in Chit- tenden county, during the twenty-five years between 1825 and 1850, four at least seem to have been either of a purely literary character or devoted to some special subject. Nor would the contents of their more practical contemporaries fairly entitle them to be called newspapers at the present day. The latter con- tained a good deal of readable miscellany, a mass of editorial matter, written in the diffuse and turgid style of the day, a collection of curiously-worded ad- vertisements, and a little news-most of it so old as quite to belie the title.
To name all the journals which have been published in Chittenden county up to the present day implies at least quite a long list of more or less impress- ive titles, most of which, to be sure, are only titles, as a large majority of the journalistic ventures in this section of Vermont have been so short-lived as to have hardly left a record of themselves. So far as can be ascertained, how- ever, the following is a complete list of all the public prints which have been issued in Chittenden county up to the present year (1886), with a brief history of the most important :
The Burlington Mercury, the oldest periodical in Chittenden county and one of the oldest in the State, was established by Donelly & Hill in 1797, and continued by them until 1799, when its publication was ceased. The Mercury was a small sheet issued weekly, with a literary and miscellaneous table of con- tents. It was published at Burlington.
The Sentinel, or Centinel, as it was at first spelled, was established in 1801 by John K. Baker. The office of publication was at Burlington and the first number was published on Thursday, March 19, 1801. This journal is the third oldest newspaper in Vermont, the Vermont Gasette and the Rutland Herald being its only predecessors. It still survives, under the name of the Rhode Island Democrat, at Providence, R. I., whither it was removed in June, 1872, by its last proprietor and editor, Albion N. Merchant. It was started as a Dem-
269
THE PRESS.
ocratic paper and has always remained Democratic in politics. Between the date of its establishment and 1830, although the politics and general character of the paper remained the same, it enjoyed frequent changes of proprietorship, and a kaleidoscopic play upon the original name which, at least, redeemed it from the charge of monotony. It was started by Mr. Baker as the Vermont Centinel. In 1840 Mr. Baker relinquished the proprietorship of the paper to Josiah King, but remained in charge of the Centinel as its editor. In 1805 Mr. King resigned the entire charge of the paper to Mr. Baker, who printed it thereafter " for the proprietors " until early in the following year, 1806, when the paper was purchased by Daniel Greenleaf & Co., reorganized a few weeks later as Greenleaf & Mills, the members of the firm being Daniel Greenleaf and Samuel Mills. Under this management the Centinel was enlarged and improved. Mr. Mills bought out Mr. Greenleaf in 1806 and became sole pro- prietor of the paper. In 1806 Mr. Mills, being dissatisfied with the title Ver- mont Centinel, adopted by Mr. Baker, changed the name of the paper to North- ern Centinel. This, however, did not exactly satisfy him, and two years later he dropped the " Northern," and the paper started out on its new volume with the dignified and conservative name of The Centinel. In January, 1814, Mr. Mills resumed the name Northern Sentinel, but modernized the spelling as above and embodied the title in a curiously figured heading. At the close of the same volume the plain heading reappears. In 1818 Mr. Mills sold out his interest in the Sentinel to his brothers, Ephraim and Thomas Mills, who pub- lished the paper for eighteen years, again changing the name in 1830 to the Burlington Sentinel, and then sold it to Nahum Stone. The paper remained in Mr. Stone's hands for two years and was then sold to Sylvanus Parsons, who, after publishing it for one year, sold to Azro Bishop. The several proprietors of the Sentinel now followed each other in rapid succession. Mr. Bishop, after two years, sold the Sentinel to Dana Winslow, its editor under his management. Three years subsequently Winslow sold it to George Howard Paul, who be- came involved in pecuniary embarrassments and resigned the paper with other property to an assignee. It was at the assignee's sale, in 1851, that the well- known poet and wit, John G. Saxe, purchased the Sentinel. It continued in his hands with considerably more brilliant editorial than business management until 1855, when it was purchased by Douglass A. Danforth. In 1859 Mr. Danforth disposed of a half interest in the paper to E. Marvin Smalley, and it was published by the firm of Danforth & Smalley until March, 1861. Mr. Smalley's interest was then purchased by William Henry Hoyt, and shortly after Mr. Danforth also sold his share to Mr. Hoyt. In October, 1861, Will- iam Hoyt associated with him C. A. Hoyt, and the paper was published for a short time under the firm name of W. H. & C. A. Hoyt & Co. William Eaton was the next proprietor of the Sentinel, and under his efficient manage- ment it was discontinued in 1868. For three years it lay dormant, but ap-
18
270
HISTORY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY.
peared again in 1871 under the management of Henry C. Fay. Mr. Fay sold the paper the succeeding year to its present owner, Albion N. Merchant, of Champlain, N. Y., who, after publishing the paper for a short time in Burling- ton, removed it to Providence, R. I., retaining the name of Burlington Sentinel. Subsequently Mr. Merchant enlarged the paper and changed its name to the Rhode Island Democrat, under which title it is still (1886) published.
The Sentinel was a weekly paper except for some four years during the period of its publication by Mr. Paul and Mr. Saxe, who ambitiously attempted to sustain a daily edition. Their attempts failed, however, pecuniarily, and were abandoned.
Next in order of establishment to the Sentinel was the Burlington Gazette, a small weekly paper, published by Hinckley & Fish. This paper lived less than three years - from September 9, 1814, until February, 1817.
The Repertory, published by Jeduthan Spooner, was a weekly which sur- vived only a few issues. The first number appeared October 1, 1821.
The first number of the Burlington Free Press - from the day of its estab- lishment the leading newspaper in Chittenden county - was issued June 15> 1827. The Free Press was first published and edited by Luman Foote, a lead- ing and influential citizen of Burlington. The principal cause of its establish- ment was the desire among the majority of the people of Burlington and vi- cinity for a local organ which should more nearly represent their political sen- timents. There was also at the time of the establishment of the Free Press, a general dissatisfaction with the management of the Sentinel, which found ex- pression in an urgent demand for a new local newspaper. Under such favor- able auspices the Free Press rapidly extended its circulation and its influence, not only in Burlington and the county, but throughout the northern part of the State. The editorial ability and consistency of the Free Press, and the uniformly readable character of its contents, gave it great influence and popu- larity throughout the section in which it circulated, and it soon gained a repu- tation, which it has sustained ever since, as one of the most influential of Ver- mont newspapers.
The Burlington Free Press was originally started as a weekly, and was con- tinued as such for the first twenty-one years of its existence. In 1848, how- ever, an event occurred which, besides its intrinsic importance to the com- munity, resulted in the issue of a daily edition of the Free Press, thus greatly adding to the influence and value of that journal. This event was the opening of telegraphic communication between Burlington and the large cities of the seaboard, by way of Troy. It was a great day for Burlington when the first messages of greeting and congratulation passed over the wire. The weekly Free Press of Friday, February 4, 1848, appears with the cut of a courier at full speed, bearing the announcement of news extraordinary, the significance of which is thus set forth by the editor :
271
THE PRESS.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE TELEGRAPH IN BURLINGTON .- This afternoon, February 2d, the Magnetic Telegraph was "taken in and done for" as far north as Burlington. Messages were sent without any apparent straining of the wires, to Vergennes, Middlebury, Orwell, Whitehall, Rutland, Manchester, Bennington, Troy, New York, Buffalo, and Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Dodge, our excellent operator, held the reins of his celestial steed as though he was " used to thunder ;" while the little hammer rattled off its magnetic alphabet like anything but a beginner. Prof. Benedict, the superintendent, and Messrs. Cornell, J. H. Peck and Rice, were all in attendance to wit- ness the result, thus far, of their labors for the company and the public, which have certainly answered every reasonable expectation or hope. Burlington has " wheeled into line," and gives respectful notice to all other well-magnetized communities that they can "fire away." We can Dodge the sharpest shooters among them all.
Among the communications already received and replied to, is the following profane one to ourself, from our inveterate friend, Governor Barber, dated " Middlebury this minute."
" Governor Barber's compliments ; you feel mightily tickled with your new telegraph at Burlington. " To Brigadier-General Hail Columbia Clark, esq., Editor, etc."
If our friend Lieutenant-Governor Yankee Doodle Barber supposes we are particularly " tickled " in Burlington, he has not studied us attentively. We handle lightning with appropriate gravity ; " it goes off," as a gentleman from Ripton sensibly remarked, "so all-fired quick, somebody may get hurt ! "
We give below the pleasant and gentlemanly greeting sent by the executive of Burlington to her sister towns on the line, together with such replies and other news as have been received at the time of our going to press.
" The Selectmen of Burlington, in behalf of the citizens of their town, send greeting to the citizens of Vergennes, Middlebury, Orwell, Whitehall, Castleton, Rutland, Manchester, Bennington and Troy ; and congratulate them severally on the establishment of the means of instantaneous communication between us ; a miracle in any other age than this. May it be not only the faithful agent of our wants, but the promoter and bearer of our good wishes and our sympathies.
" JOHN N. POMEROY, " SAMUEL NICHOLS, " HENRY B. STACY,
" Selectmen."
" To Burlington :
BENNINGTON."
"The compliments of your next door neighbor.
.. From the city of Troy to city of Burlington, greeting: We do sincerely congratulate you on hav- ing become thus early, one of those favored communities united hy the life blood of speedy communi- cation ; and as sincerely congratulate ourselves on being able to salute face to face, the Queen City of Champlain."
In accordance with a previous prospectus, the weekly Free Press announces, in its issue of Friday, March 24, 1848 : " We shall commence, to-morrow, the pub- lication of a Daily paper, in conformity with the intentions set forth in the Pro- spectus we issued some weeks since. As therein proposed, the Daily FREE PRESS will be issued every evening. Our citizens will therefore possess the ad- vantage (should it prove to be one) of a daily morning (the Daily Sentinel) and evening paper, an arrangement which will certainly tend to keep them up with the march of events, both at home and abroad."
The first number of the Daily Free Press is a four-page sheet, each page 12 by 15 inches. The first page is devoted to selected miscellaneous matter, and contains a poem by Park Benjamin, entitled, "Press On "; a story, "The Lost Glove," by Mrs. Jane C. Campbell ; an article giving the depths of the prin- cipal American lakes, and some readable paragraphs. The second page is completely taken up with editorials and news. In introducing the new daily
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.