USA > Vermont > Grand Isle County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 34
USA > Vermont > Franklin County > History of Franklin and Grand Isle counties, Vermont : With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers. > Part 34
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During the year 1799 the people in town meeting took action relative to the formation of school districts, and the establishment and mainte- nance of schools therein. This was the first action on the part of the town, and by it the territory was erected into six districts. And during this same year there was brought into existence an institution that has been, though with many viscissitudes, maintained to the present day. This has always been known as the Franklin County Grammar School, but as such specialty it has lost its identity, and is now known as the St. Albans High School, maintained and supported mainly by the resi- dents of School District No. 4, of the town of St. Albans, under the direction of the prudential committee as from year to year constituted and established.
For the following narrative of the history of the Franklin County Grammar School the writer has made bold piracy upon the sketch
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
prepared by Mr. Houghton and published in the Vermont Gazetteer, which, with slight modifications, was as follows: In the towns of "Berk- shire, Enosburgh, Fletcher, Franklin, Montgomery, and Richford there are lands reserved in the charters for the use and benefit of the 'County Grammar School'; and the rights or shares of land were appropriated by a special act of the legislature, passed November 7, 1815, 'to the use of the Franklin County Grammar School, instituted and established at St. Albans.'"
The Franklin County Grammar School was established at St. Albans, by an act of the General Assembly of Vermont, passed November 9, 1799. Board of trustees named in the charter : Silas Hathaway, Levi House, Joseph Jones, Nathan Green, Seth Pomeroy, Jonathan Hoyt, Elisha Sheldon, and Joseph Robinson. The first building erected at St. Albans, for the use of the Franklin County Grammar School, was a capacious and tasteful wooden one, with a large hall in the second story, built under the direction of Joseph Jones, Levi House, and Jona- than Hoyt, a committee appointed by the trustees. It stood near the site of the present Union school-house, and after several years was re- moved upon the public green, where it remained several months, and was then removed to Main street, having been in recent times furnished with a brick front, and converted into stores and occupied until burnt in January, 1865.
In place of the wooden building so removed the trustees erected a two-story brick building in the year 1828, which was used until 1860, when it was sold to Benjamin F. Rugg, who removed it to Lake street, and converted it into a building which is now occupied for mercantile purposes. In 1861, the premises having been leased by the Franklin County Grammar School to Union School District Number Four, in St. Albans, a committee of said district, consisting of Bradley Barlow, John Gregory Smith, and William W. White, erected the large building now standing thereon. By the terms of the lease the Union School District is bound to provide, free of rent, on the first or second floor in said building, a capacious and conveniently furnished room or rooms, to ac- commodate at least 100 students, for the exclusive use, occupancy, and control at all times of the trustees and their successors in office ; and subject to the further proviso : "That said district shall not use or oc- cupy any portion of said premises for other than school purposes."
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However much this parent school has lost its identity, by reason of the lease to School District No. 4, would be difficult, perhaps, to accu- rately determine, but it is still one of the recognized institutions of the locality; it is still in existence, in combination with the succeeding school, so harmonized and managed that to the average attendant he recognizes neither one from the other.
During the year 1884 the legislature passed an act that nearly de- prived this institution of the rental of some of the lands that the act of 1815 had granted. In the last named year the Richford Grammar School was incorporated, and the act that effected that end contemplated the turning of the land rents of Richford, Fletcher, and Montgomery to the benefit of that institution. This proposition led to litigation, with the final result that the act of 1884 was declared to be unconstitutional : that lands once granted forever could not be diverted to the use of an- other purpose.
The present educational system of St. Albans contemplates the main- tenance of two schools, the high school and the Elm street school. The first has four departments, designated respectively primary, intermedi- ate, grammar, and high ; and each division is graded according to the advancement of its pupils-the primary comprising the first and second grades ; the intermediate the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh ; the grammar the eighth, ninth, and tenth; and the high the grades called freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. The Elm street school has two departments only, primary and grammar, the first comprising the first, second, and third grades, and the latter the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. Pupils farther advanced than the course at this school contemplates are required to attend the high school on Church street.
The members of the last prudential committee, Messrs. M. Magiff, Homer E. Bentley, and F. F. Twitchell, in their recommendation to the district regarding the expenses for the current year of 1890, suggested a tax of forty-five cents on the dollar on the grand list of $25,692.31. They also placed the probable expense of the schools, for the year, at $14,105, but to be reduced by tuitions, $500; grammar school fund, $65 ; and public moneys, $2,400 ; leaving to be provided by assessed tax the sum of $11,040.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The Banking Institutions of St. Albans .- The history of the banks of St. Albans has been one of remarkable events. The first concern of the kind, of which there appears any reliable tradition or record, is said to have been established somewhere about the year 1807, as a branch of the Vermont State Bank, having its place of business at the corner of Main and Congress streets. There is, however, some doubt expressed concerning the relation of the local bank to the state bank, for the latter was not brought into existence until 1806, when branches were established at Woodstock and Middlebury ; and in 1807 other branches were organ- ized at Burlington and Westminster only. The more probable theory is that the bank here was some sort of a moneyed concern, started in the town about the time named, but was of a private character, and without organization 'or perpetuity.
In 1825 the Bank of St. Albans was organized under and in pursu- ance of a special charter, which was secured October 29th of that year, with an apparent capital stock of $100,000, but with a paid in capital of $50,000. It was organized by the election of Nehemiah W. Kingman as president, and A. Plympton as cashier. In 1829 Abel Houghton came to St. Albans, and was chosen cashier ; and he, with Lawrence Brainerd as president, retained their respective positions during the after- existence of the institution. The bank ceased active business at the expiration of its charter, on January 1, 1855. The Bank of St. Albans issued bills which were secured by the responsibility of the association and the individual bonds of its directors. These bills circulated quite extensively, and were given additional circulation by means of their re- demption by the Suffolk Bank of Boston, to which tribute had to be paid by all Vermont banks for that service.
This local bank was a great convenience to the business men of the community, and proved a profitable investment to its stockholders, under the able management of its principal executive officer, Abel Houghton, during its almost entire existence. It had some losses by burglary and failures, but these were partially recovered under pecul- iarly favorable circumstances. Its safe was once broken open by a French Canadian called Bodra, during its early existence, and robbed of the sum of $3,000. The burglar, who was a blacksmith in the town, evaded all suspicion and detection for some time, but eventually came
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under surveillance by reason of having been seen under suspicious cir- cumstances in the town of Highgate about the time of the robbery. This led to an investigation before one of the justices of the peace, who, from that circumstance alone, " bound him up " for further investigation by the grand jury of the county, and for want of bail he was committed to jail. The prisoner at once sent for Hon. Henry Adams, an attorney of the firm of Smalley & Adams, through whom the fact subsequently became understood that Bodra desired that his whereabouts should not become known to the Canadian authorities; and, as the price of his freedom, he offered to disclose the place in which the stolen money was hidden. The money was recovered and the burglar released, but only to be subsequently arrested, tried, and hanged for murder in St. Louis, Mo. Subsequently this same bank suffered heavy losses through the failure of its redeeming agent in New York city, but of this loss it partially recovered.
In 1849 Oscar A. Burton secured a special charter for the Franklin County Bank at St. Albans Bay, with a capital stock of $100,000, which was fully paid in. The bank was organized by the choice of a board of directors, of which Mr. Burton was made president, and Edward W. Parker, cashier. Subsequently, in 1853, this bank was removed to St. Albans village, and did a successful business under the same manage- ment, (with the exception that Marcus W. Beardsley afterwards became cashier, and N. A. Lassell, Eben Barlow, and Albert Sowles, tellers, in the successive order named,) until it was entered by a band of raiders, under command of Lieutenant Bennett H. Young, on the 19th of Octo- ber, 1864, and about $72,000 of money was taken from its tills and vault, the money consisting largely of the bank's own currency, to stop the payment of which it became necessary to suspend and cease business. After the bank was plundered the cashier, Mr. Beardsley, and one Jackson Clark were placed in the vault and then locked in, and remained until their assailants had fled from the town. This bank afterward secured about $30,000 of its loss from the Canadian government
At the October session of the legislature of 1853 Hiram B. Sowles secured a special charter for the St. Albans Bank, with a capital stock of $150,000, which was fully paid in and the bank organized by the choice of Hiram B. Sowles as president, and Henry Howes as cashier.
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Subsequently, in January, 1857, Mr. Howes resigned as cashier, and Bradley Barlow was appointed in his stead. The bank remained thus officered until it was plundered by the Confederate raiders under Lieu- tenant Young, on the 19th of October. 1864. Its tellers, Martin A. Seymour and Cyrus N. Bishop, were overpowered by the raiders, and after being relieved of about $87,000 of currency they were compelled to take the oath of allegiance to the Southern Confederacy, and the banditti made their escape with the plunder.
This bank was unable to avoid the payment of its currency, in that it was so indiscriminately mixed with the currency of other banks that it could not be designated, for the want of "ear marks"; and the bank continued to do business until it was compelled to suspend by reason of the rigid and discriminating provisions of the National Bank Act, which placed a direct tax on all circulating currency of state banks, amounting to a practical prohibition against the issuance of circulation, which was the principal source of profit to the bank. It received from the Cana- dian government about $20,000 in gold, for which the bank realized about $30,000.
On the 24th of February, 1864, the First National Bank of St. Albans was organized under the National Banking Act, having a capital stock of $100,000, and with Hiram Bellows as president and Albert Sowles as cashier. The charter bore the date of February 8, 1864 This bank was a designated depository and financial agent of the United States, and received subscriptions, as such agent, to the extent of about $1,500,- 000 of bonds for the government during the Rebellion. This bank was likewise raided on the eventful 19th of October, 1864, and relieved of about $57,500 of United States currency, bank bills, United States bonds and treasury notes. The latter were held in trust for the United States, and after ten years of hard labor, before the next commission under the twelfth section of the treaty of Washington, for the settlement of Ameri- can and British claims, occasioned by depredations committed by al- leged breaches of neutrality on American territory and citizens during the war of 1861-65, the claim was disallowed by reason of contributory negligence on the part of citizens of the United States in connection with the depredations. Congress, however, appropriated the sum of $28,650 to partially make good the bank's loss.
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The year 1883 witnessed great financial crises in the banking insti- tutions of St. Albans, which resulted in the failure of the St. Albans Trust Company and the Vermont National Bank of St. Albans, on the 7th day of August of that year. The First National Bank weathered the storm for some eight months, when, through an unfortunate occur- rence, brought about in part by the treachery of one of its correspond- ents, one of its drafts went to protest, and the concern soon passed into the hands of Receiver Daniel Roberts, but afterward superceded by Chester W. Witters, followed with all the consequences of a receivership. An examination into the affairs of this bank also disclosed the fact that its officers, as well as those of other banks, had seriously impaired its solid- ity by speculative indulgences, unauthorized and unwarrantable, which, of themselves, independent of other occurrences, were sufficient to work its downfall and ruin.
The Vermont National Bank of St. Albans, the immediate successor to the St. Albans Bank, was organized under the National Banking Act in October, 1865, with a capital stock of $200,000 ; and its doors were opened for business on June 1, 1866, with Worthington C. Smith, presi- dent, and Bradley Barlow, cashier. Subsequently Mr. Barlow became its principal owner and president, with Cyrus N. Bishop as cashier ; and so continued until the collapse on the 7th of August, 1883, when the bank and the St. Albans Trust Company suspended business at the same time. The downfall of the Vermont National was almost directly at- tributable to railroad speculations in Canada, which proved disastrous.
These events cast a gloom over the entire business community, and well-nigh brought disaster to many other interests and industries, as it did to some. The deposits of this bank at the time amounted to about $450,000, and that of the Trust Company was about $580,000, which were principally owned by depositors residing in the immediate vicinity, many of whom became nearly frantic over their misfortunes, and sus- picious of all like institutions to such an extent that other banks in the region became demoralized and adversely affected by their action. Comptroller of the Currency John J. Knox immediately visited St. Al- bans, and at once decided to and did appoint Hon. George W. Hendee receiver of this bank, the Vermont National, and the affairs of the same are still in process of liquidation.
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HISTORY OF FRANKLIN AND GRAND ISLE COUNTIES.
The St. Albans Trust Company, the succeeding institution of the National Trust Company, (the United States statutes prohibiting the use of " national " in designating any other than a national bank,) was organized in pursuance of an act of the Vermont legislature, on the 18th day of November, 1868, as a quasi- bank with a capital stock of $100,000, and with Lawrence Brainerd as president, and Martin O. Seymour as treasurer, the latter being afterward succeeded by H. E. Burgess. The disaster to this institution was precipitated by its executive officers becoming extensively involved in various schemes, swapping accommoda- tions, and more particularly in the Norwood Lumber Company, of Nor- wood, N. Y., of which Mr. Brainerd was likewise president and princi- pal owner. The embarrassment of this bank resulted in an application to Chancellor Homer E. Royce for the appointment of a receiver, and Charles W. Rich was shortly thereafter so appointed. At his decease, in 1889, Henry M. Stevens succeeded to the position, and he after much effort succeeded in closing the affairs of the institution by an order of the Court of Chancery.
The Welden National Bank of St. Albans was organized under the national bank laws, on the 26th day of April, 1886, having a capital stock of $100,000. The first board of directors were John Gregory Smith, Ed- ward C. Smith, J. W. Hobart, J. M. Foss, Henry L. Millis, D. D. Ran- lett, and Frank O. Squire. This board chose officers as follows: Presi- dent, J. Gregory Smith ; vice-president, Edward C. Smith; cashier, F. Stewart Stranahan ; assistant cashier, John C. Stranahan.
From the first election of officers to the present time there has been no change, but in the directory Mr. Millis and Mr. Squire have re- tired, and their places filled by the selection of Bradley B. Smalley of Burlington, and F. Stewart Stranahan of St. Albans. The Welden Na- tional Bank is certainly in a prosperous condition under its present man- agement, having a surplus of $10,000, and undivided profits amounting to $10,400.
The People's Trust Company of St. Albans was brought into existence by virtue of a special act of the Vermont legislature, passed and ap- proved November 12th, 1886, by which act J. M. Foss, John Branch, Chester W. Witters, Henry R. Start, and Olin Merrill were designated commissioners to open books and receive stock subscriptions. Having
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performed their duties the commissioners called a meeting of the stock- holders to be held on the Ist of January, 1887, for the purpose of elect- ing a board of directors, and turning over the stock books and charter from the state to the completed organization. The board of directors elected were these : J. Gregory Smith, D. D. Ranlett, J. M. Foss, C. W. Witters, Olin Merrill, A. W. Woodworth, Edward C. Smith. The offi- cers were elected as follows : President, J. Gregory Smith ; vice-presi- dent, D, D. Ranlett; treasurer and clerk, John Branch. In the directory A. W. Woodworth has retired, and Henry M. Stevens appointed in his stead ; other than this there has been no change in the personnel of the board or officers of the company. The statement of the condition of the Trust Company, as shown by the report at the close of business June 30th, 1890, was as follows : Assets, loans on real estate all in Ver- mont, $102,607.66 ; loans on town orders, $11,979.75 ; loans on town bonds, $8,726; loans on personal security, $26,607.01 ; loans on mort- gage collateral, $12,700 ; loans on bank stock collateral, $1,000; loans on deposit books, $250; town, village, and school bonds, $115,855 ; U. S. bonds, $50; cash on hand, $6,940 27. Liabilities : Capital paid in, $40,000 ; due 955 depositors, $233,299.64 ; surplus, $10,000; profit and loss, $3,416.05.
The Warner Home .- In the northeast part of the village of St. Al- bans, on a commanding elevation that overlooks the entire western part of the town, and as well the waters of the lake with its beautiful island towns, stands the Home for Little Wanderers, a lasting monument to the generosity and public spiritedness of Chauncey Warner, of Cambridge, Vt. In 1881 Mr. Warner made a magnificent donation of money, to the amount of $25,000, to the ladies of St. Albans who should become properly organized and associated for its receipt for the purpose of es- tablishing the Home, but on condition that the Ladies' Association should raise the additional sum of $5,000 by subscription for the pur- chase of a site. This was done and the Home in due season established on the site now occupied by it. The institution, being purely charitable in its character, is under the direction of trustees and a board of mana- gers, and is in all respects a worthy home for indigent children.
St. Albans Hospital .- In the year 1882 Chauncey Warner, of Cam- bridge, made the magnificent gift of the sum of $25,000 to an associa-
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tion for the purpose of establishing a general hospital for sick and injured persons in the village of St. Albans. For the purpose of carry- ing out the objects of this contribution the legislature passed an act November 28, 1882, by which John Gregory Smith, Bradley Barlow, Theodore R. Waugh, George Dunsmore, A. M. Brown, Silas P. Carpen- ter, George A. Ballard, A. G. Soule, and Reuben Brush were named in- corporators. The Hospital Association was duly organized thereafter, and purchased the Edward A. Smith homestead on Main and Ferris streets, at a cost of $8,000, which was remodeled to the extent neces- sary to convert it into hospital use and appointments.
But notwithstanding the worthy character and object of this institu- tion it was not exempted from misfortune, for in February, 1888, it was virtually destroyed by an unfortunate fire, and not rebuilt until July following ; but when it was again established and furnished it appeared second to none of its kind in the state. Its management was and is en- trusted to competent officers, those for the year 1890 being as follows : John Gregory Smith, James M. Foss, Silas P. Carpenter, George Dunsmore, George A. Ballard, Theodore R. Waugh, M. P. Perley, Reuben Brush, and E. M. Brown, directors ; George Dunsmore, G. A. Ballard, J. M. Foss, executive committee of directors ; John Gregory Smith, president; J. M. Foss, vice-president; Charles D. Wat- son, secretary ; Theodore R. Waugh, treasurer and superintendent ; H. D. Belden, assistant superintendent; Dunsmore, Brush, and Watson, trustees. In addition to the $25,000 first given by Mr. Warner for the establishment of the hospital the same generous person afterward en- larged the same by giving to the management a fine farm in Lamoille county and an extensive tract of woodland near Belvidere, Vt. The funds and property are invested and controlled by the trustees, and the institution derives an annual income from about $20,000. The whole property and estate of the Hospital Association are estimated to be worth about $49,000.
Taylor Park was so named in honor of its principal donor, Colonel Halloway Taylor, a pioneer and likewise extensive land owner in this vicinity. The name Taylor Park, however, is of comparatively recent application, and was brought about by action of the town meeting. The park itself has become one of the institutions of the village, and a locality
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the fair name and fame of which are known throughout the state. In 1792, on the 28th of June, Robert Cochran and Seth Ford "set out the stake" for the center of the town, and brought into being the green, around which should be laid out the division of town lots for a village site ; but little did those worthies think that they were in fact designat- ing the location for one of the most beautiful parks in Vermont; never- theless such was the fact. The park in size is twenty by fifty rods, but was not so according to the original intention, the legal construction and interpretation of what constitutes a donation to public use having some- thing to do with its present area.
The park tract was once 'known as the "green," and has subsequently passed through the stages and conditions of " green " and "common," and thereafter became the modern park. During its existence as a green there was built and maintained for a time within its limits the stocks and whipping-post, recollections of ages passed and gone. These stood in its northwest corner, about opposite to the Brainerd block. The pound, likewise, was in the same tract, but only for a very short time. The only public building that ever stood within the park was the old school-house, which was moved there by force of circumstances, pro- duced by litigations ; but this was only a temporary occupancy.
The magnificent double row of maple and elm trees that now grace and adorn this locality were planted in 1838; but the southern-central portions of the park were kept free even from trees, for here was the common, which was brought into use on market days and other occa- sions for such uses as caravans, public assemblages, and the like. Foot- ball, a modern pastime, comparatively, is here at present indulged in by the grace of the local civil authorities.
But Taylor Park has received much of its later adornment from the efforts of the civil officers of the village, and from the generous labors of the Improvement Society. The laying out of walks and promenades, in which was displayed much skill in that special art, was the work of Mr. Marshall Mason, the superintendent of streets and of the water works of the village. The magnificent display fountain, which is constructed in the northern portion of the park, was the generous gift of John Gregory Smith to his native village. South of the fountain is a pretty little arti- ficial lake, spanned by a substantial iron bridge, the latter the gift of the Vermont Construction Company.
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