History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 68

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 68

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Humbly then, Sir, but with sincere hearts would we wish to add to the gratulations of our cities, our rustic salutations of welcome, and thus to express a nation's gratitude to its early benefactor.

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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT

We bless the day on which we are permitted to behold you, for your name and services we have long been accustomed to associate and identify with those of the Father of our country."

It is regretted that "the appropriate reply" of Gen. La- fayette was not given in the same account in which the speech of Judge Collamer was found. It was doubtless brief, as the General made the trip from Windsor to Montpelier in one day, arriving at nine p. m.

After the formal part of the welcome was over, about twenty Revolutionary soldiers were introduced to Lafayette, whom he delighted by calling some of them by name. A general introduc- tion followed, and then came refreshments, after which the party was escorted from the town by Capt. Eaton's company.

Probably Royalton will never see within her borders again the pomp and splendor of that day. The brilliant uniforms, the richly-caparisoned horses, the courtly grace of the visitors, and the no less courtly manners of the men and dames of those days, all conspired to render this a unique occasion in the history of the town. The village of Royalton still in its maidenhood, the beautiful sloping lawns facing the hotel, and the picturesque pinnacle, looking down upon the scene, must have been a pleas- ant sight to the General, who would recall the time when this was nearly all a vast wilderness, the silence broken only by the cries of wild animals, the tread of the savage, or the far-away rumble of the enemy's cannon.

The fact that Royalton was able to secure a visit from La- fayette indicates her importance among the towns of the state at that time. There was then but the one village, in a thriving condition, numbering among its residents some of the finest minds in the state.

A little more than three-quarters of a century later a new village in the town, vigorous and growing, extended its hand of welcome to a nation's head. It is nothing new now for a Presi- dent of the United States to step into a special car, and speed away on a far-off trip, but it is not every little place that suc- ceeds in persuading him to halt and say a word of greeting. Accordingly South Royalton was proud and happy, when she was assured in the fall of 1902, that Theodore Roosevelt would make a brief stop in the village on his way through Vermont.

On the thirtieth of August a large crowd of people, with Tunbridge Cornet Band in attendance, had gathered to see and hear this popular President. No runners needed to be sent out. to announce his coming, but all eyes watched the long stretch of track, and ears were listening for the first faint whistle which should say, "He is coming !" Finally the iron horse was sighted, and almost as soon as seen it thundered past the waiting crowd at the station. Faces took on a blank expression of disappoint-

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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT

ment, as it appeared as if he were not going to stop, but soon the engine slowed down, and left the rear end of the car not far from the gathered crowd. The train backed, and the re- ceiving committee hastened to the rear platform, where the President stood with hat in hand. He alighted, and mounting the gayly decorated platform prepared for the occasion, he de- lighted the people with the following speech, reported by Rev. Joel F. Whitney :

"My fellow citizens :- I am very glad to have the chance of greet- ing you today. I have greatly enjoyed my visit to your state. I am glad to see the school children and to greet the veterans of the Civil War, as well as my comrades in the last war. It is a mighty good thing to have the other products, too, but children are the very best. I am glad to see these veterans; I like to connect them with the school children.

Now what we want is to have things done. Preaching is a first- class thing, but a better thing is to have things done. It is good to be able to have in your town people to whom you can point with pride, because their metal rang true when in the time of strife they did so much. They did well in war, because they had done well in peace. It is given to but few people to see fighting. Most of the work is in other ways; but now and then comes the chance to do the good work which has sometimes to be done in war. It will not be worth while to send men to war if they have not done well in peace before- hand.

A poor man is he who will do nothing now, but is going to wait until some opportunity offers for some great deed. He could do some- thing heroic if he only had a chance. The man who amounts to any- thing as a citizen is the man who does his work well as the work comes up to be done.

It is the same in the camp. The men who were not afraid of any task, however menial, even to the digging of the kitchen sink, were those who proved to be good men when the day of battle came. The days of battle were but few compared to the days of preparation and waiting. The men that had good stuff in them, that shone to advan- tage when the crisis came, were the men who were prepared by service for this work.

The state is what its citizens make it, and needs citizens who are willing and ready to do their duty as there is need. They must be true at all times and in every way. They must do their duty in private life. They must do their duty as fathers in their homes. They must be true men as husbands in their own families. They must be true men as neighbors in the community, and they must do their duty to the state.

I have not much confidence in the man who is ready to reform the earth, but leaves his own family destitute. Let him remember that there are other duties too. More than one quality is necessary in order to do these duties well. One of them is honesty. This is a necessity. He must have that quality. If he is not honest he is not a good citizen. If he has not this true honesty and the power of square living, the greater his education and other advantages, the more dangerous he becomes.

But he needs also to have courage. An honest man who runs away would be no good in the day of battle. There is need also of something more. A man may be honest and have courage, but if he is a natural

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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT

born fool he would be able to accomplish but little. He should have patriotism, but he must stay put. He needs in all the walks of life, as a citizen or in any place where he is called to act, the saving grace of COMMON SENSE."

The President departed amidst thunderous applause from the 5,000 people gathered about the station. He was accompanied by his private secretary, Mr. Cortelyou, Secretary Shaw, Gov. Stickney, Senators Proctor and Dillingham, and Gen. Gilmore.

The reception committee was composed of J. O. Belknap, William Skinner, Dr. E. J. Fish, who introduced the President, and C. E. Black. On the arrival of the train a salute of twenty- one guns was fired.

THE VERMONT ADVOCATE.

What one has the least of, one prizes the most. Royalton can boast of but little in the line of publications, therefore she cherishes the memory of the one lone paper that was published here in the 1820's with more than ordinary affection. Wyman Spooner will be gratefully remembered as having conceived the idea of printing a paper in Royalton, and as staunchly advocating the advantages of the town, and the fitness of its citizens for responsible positions.

The Spooner family holds a unique place in the develop- ment of newspapers in Vermont. Wyman's uncle Alden learned the trade of printer with Samuel Green of New London, Conn. In 1778 he removed to Westminster, Vt., and with his brother, Judah, was appointed printer for the General Assembly of Ver- mont, which position he held for about twenty-five years. He had brought his press from Connecticut, the first press, it is claimed, ever used in New England. It had been set up in Cam- bridge, Mass., by Stephen Daye in 1630. Mr. Spooner secured it in 1772, and on it the youthful Wyman learned to print. On Jan. 1, 1781, appeared the first number of the Vermont Gazette. Mr. Spooner went to Windsor in 1783, and in August the first number of the Vermont Journal and Universal Advertiser was issued, of the size of common foolscap paper. In 1817 Wyman became associated with his uncle, but they dissolved partnership the next year, and Wyman was sole proprietor of the Journal until Aug. 5, 1826.

In November of that year he began the publication of the Vermont Advocate in Royalton. In what building this was set up, no one seems to know. The paper was published here until 1829, when it was removed to Chelsea, and it was finally merged in Walton's Montpelier Watchman in 1834 or 1835.

In the issue of Dec. 21, 1826, Mr. Spooner asks for pay in advance to meet the expense incurred for the "establishment."

VERMONT

ADVOCATE .

And Sethite-Biber Aubertiser.

VOLIMR 1.

MEASURES .... NOT .MEN.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1827.

THE STATE .... NOT INDIVIDUALE.

POPISH SUPERSTITION.

PUBLISHED WEEKLY, .T. WYMMAN SPOONER, Editor and Proprictor. ROTALTON, VT. TERMS-The price of the Acocele, le single mbreribera, whe receive their paper at the office, and Chose mat by mail, sa tura dollars, y peid inithin the year. if not paid until after the expiration of the war, brenty Öne cento vi be added.

Their instincte lead them to construct above them- [ bim on the floor, and tied bis banda behind him. | their tendence in Ava was in consequence of the wives a covering (tente) of extreme dinences, but The scene now became dreadful. The httle

nevertheless, fra enough to be wopenetrable by | children were screaming with fear-"The Bur- air; which covering ennennily bo detached from tune in their employ running here and there, en- the.a. The inventor bes made those intoets work | dearored to escape the hands of thome unfeeling on e suspended paper model to which he gives | wretches -- and the Bengut servants mate with a. exactly the form and size which he requires."Heimasement and horror at the situation In which has thus obtained, at plunture, among other arti- they now their master. Iodered money to the cten, equare shawis of the dimensions of an ell; executioner, and entrested inun to untie Mr." Jed- white prisoners suffer equally with your husband. | vented the destruction of the cay. They have ale by bus personel pressoce a food of burang lera, coolly raid, "Your case se not singular : the other that was making xe way to Napies, and then pee-

Ta companies of ira, or mert, who rrecive their popero at the estor. 01,50, V průd in sirenes, er

shawls twoclis in length, and one in width; to erostatic balloon, four feet high by two in hon- contal diameter ; « ludir's entire dress with sleevee

guarded'by ten men who had received strut or- but without seatt. When he wishes to give to ! dere te confine me clone, and let no one go in or out. I retired to my room, and attempted to pour got my soul to Him who for, our sakes, was bouns and led away to execution ; and even in that dreadful rouavent I experienced a degree of consolation hardly to be expected.

con; bnt in vain were my entreatics : they led |I will however present your petition to ber maj- ao a tradition that when the mat vis bebesomt, him away, I knew not whether; and I was left |esty the queen : come again to-morrow.". I went | his autor, who was in the crowd, and approached from ber with a Little hope ; and, fait as it was, 1 endeavored to commonk ate the same to Mr. Jud con, but my adouttance wan strictly forbidden by the writer to whom I bad gived the two hundred tickale.

very near the piace of trecutam, gebemed sp ace of his blood, which sbr mot mscreciy pro- served in a bottle. "From the moment sua bo- came pomoused of tids trescore," says the mary, *her house was distinguished from all other hours

att. Those without directions, will be continued until forbid, and charged accordingly.

the fabric any prescribed shape, ali that he finds nocomery ia to touch the limits which ought not to be passed, with od ; for which the caterpillars have a natural ropuguance vo straage, that they will not come in contact with it. The fabric af- though perfectly consistent, warpamsee the finest rsmine in ligstucen. The balloon which we bare mentioned weight lows than five graine- The warmoth of the hand is sufficient innantif to

"Bot this employment win of-short duration The magistrate for the part of Ais in which se lived was in the verandah, continually calling oo me to come out, and submit to his examination .- Inttate it; and the dame of a sumgde tuatch, held |Sopposing that all our letters would be examined,

"The next morning I mw three of the king's at Patacoh, the town where he y ao bebrsdeč, and officers para; and was informed that they had at war soon aprend abrund that she was under the gone to take possession of Gauger's property, and | immediate protection of some superior power, The that on the morrow our house would be searched. I spent the day, therefore, in making theprepare- tions to receive them; arranging and æcreting

people st Benevento, who bad the body vẻ the ming hương the noederini pores lint wert toi u: Patzuoh « ere determand to pet the thương to the as Diany articles es posible, knowing that we | proof and they had the head of the muint conveyed should be in a state of starvation, uniras some of there ; supposiog that if the old woman's bottle carr property conkt be preserved. . Inguin endeav- really contested the mint's blood, mowe sympathy ored to &a;n admittance to Mr. Jadson, but was | would be manifested when they were brought to refused.

We are all on a journey. The world through which we are pasting se ia some respertr hke . turnpike-ali along which Vice and Folly hare e- Irctot toll gates, for the secondtuodation of those u ho choose to call in as they go -- and there are very few of all the hvout of travellers who do not occasionally utny a latie at mune one or another of

under it for a few erconde, is engh to rewe it to a very considerable height. whence it will not de- wend for half an hour. When a shawl of the nie of' s sepsare ell has been o ell stretched, it has been bloin into the air by means of a month pair of bel- "I towa and renebles a light minche, subject to the chylcent agitation if the apusphere,

From the ! London) Christian Olorrer, Vor. IPah | all ofca slaves of the king, aguin ordered the

ante cownmy name, age and country, with the the day before of Mr. Ganger's property, now nunes of my four huile burmes parks, and shower ut two Bengalee serrents; and then pronounced guard to watch me closely un! departed. li ou tow nearly evening : with what anxiety I wanted

chỉ to thị precious pompssice the Svet avre :ts preservation frons thu destructne firm of Tesen-

toll-gatherera Pay wore ne lem, I say, because Covre re a great variety as well.in the emoons .. an the kind of toli exacted at these different stop- pinz places

the return of our faithful Meeng Ing, who bad greatest ese. They first demanded my silver, followed Mr. Judson at a short distance, to wel gold and jewels ; I replied that gold I had nome- wirst become of him ! I had then no doubt but I |jewele I had never worn mace my remdence in could procure the release of Mit. Jodvon d be had their country- but bere uns the key of . trenk not been exernteć, by getung a peution present | which coutsmed the silver, open and look for I also was a priacner. and | thrumelves. They mened pleased'with my offer-

ed to the queen; but

could int get out of the house. Ader dark, Moung Ing returned, « ab the nutelligence that he saw Mr. Judwasancucted to the court hoore. abd thence to the dend-prisco, the gates of whar h were then chand, and he saw no more. What a

tightawar mow before me ! The uncertainty of Mr. Judeon' fate, my own umprotected situation I and the savage conduct of tra Burmans, all con- spared to make it the most dieseful might I ever passed. I berred the door and retired with the | I rephed: "the house is at your dieporti.' .. /Have four Burman children into the inner room.

trunk, and that only one person should be allowed io enter my inner room to take an socount of the property. And here justice obbges me lo may, that the conduct of these Burman officers in the transaction par more humane and chilused then any other which J witnessed in Ava. The miser was »cigbed and laid ande. "liste jos no more!" enid sa.door of thets. "Brarch for youmehren,'

for the purpose of murotaining is its full vy got the faith of the mhelstants of Napien. An Partsà Vet, then describes the ceremonies. We say il from hcs letter in the Congregationi Magurine for September-WY. Y, Charter,

I went to the church of Santa Chiara 'St. Cher) on ft. Gennaro's or Sk. Jancarino' day, to me the In Tying ofthe mint's blood, which the progi

· Istemperance plays the part of a storde vidamm | who's the very worst to gatherer is the med- for he Đối ngày gete trom hà commoners the mo- pey gó the health, but be robe them cổ then bruine 'The men por aneet in the rand, ragged ant rained ta frame and fortune, are his suitors. . And no I m cht to onenumerating many other

The perdoun situation of the American Mit- vinstries in Ava, during the inte war, has excited wach geperst alarm and dumpstay in their betall that we take the varien opportunity of laying before our mesdere ca anthese mrrative of their vofkring, and denterem*, to related in a highly interestmy commanirshva from Mrs. Judwos, to the late Mir. Intrera ortă That truy pour thổ Jesevalent mas hed gore to buy heavenly reward. before the le ter rosivà fine country. . No person feit more anxicosy than Mir, Butterworth, 1+ pechar the uncertain fate of the Mussmanes, In Ass ; suut no one would hate femiced more warm- De. bod be baço mpared, to learn, that great as has born their amtietoen, yet cost of them sli the Ined hata delivered thera." . Mont happy are we to Jeam free Mm. Jumon'y better, that the Amer: isa Mansionanita, far from touring in devponden- Tey from a webe where they have a ffered to greatly in their tmidy exalted vorkuon, are locking forward to new and increased exertions, fully

and feeling concious of having noted don't every occurrence vite my arrival i Avs, 1 mgantiy destroyed every thing of the kind, having no tant to make a selection; and then went out to re- ceivethe officer. This writer was on'ered to

"The there officers, who had taken pomermna

gether. The event turned out as they chipcui ; an voos so the bend approached the hale, the blood which was before dry, began to bettie ut came to take an account of ours. Among them with a lively "py. A treasure bie then nao ant to was one (Koung-tong myoo-ton,) who memed to take on intercet in my foriora condition, and who man. The city of Naples took poweanos of it, be allowed to remain in the cottage of an sie me- prevented the others from takmg many articles,! which were she twards during our long trinh, of the

patron of the city, and longer and mote forTend prayers are addressed to bem than to icy etser asint in the calender. On the day pertice.triy devoted to hm, s grand procenmon is formed, kad the prople masemble in the râarch to pimmo uld

ing theta the Ley, requested I would open the |liquifying ofthe mint's blood, whath the google

Pride and fashion teke heavy tolis of the parse -many a win har become a beggar by parfog et their gaten -- the ordinary rates they charge are besvy, sot the road that way in none of the bert. Preacare offers a very smouth, denghtint road in therouteet ; nho terapie the traveller with wany farr promisen, and wus thonvande. But the taxes mitboul mervy :. Like an artfal robber, che allores Đối she gete bet victim in her ponet, and then strip him of benith and money, and turns him off. a mowersble object, Into the very wort and most rugged roud of life.

with whom should I deposit tresure ?"- Where It your watch ?' I prodoved an cid que of Mr. Jud- won's, which had been out of cve for a long time ; The ; you zot depouted money and jewels in the bands zurresconstantly order ing me to amber the gates of others ? "I have no friends in this country ? and some out, as they cruis not be amures of my safety. i I remu.tre w .thu, They next threat. rned In go in, and inform the magistrate that I anticipating the blessed porod when Purinas and | had secreted myself'; And that they must not be bot which answered their purpose just as well,

maintain in fall nger the farth of the inhabitants of Naples. The ndes of the chercher were row ed by the proclacewhen I arrived; but the centre was kept clear by soldiers, who made way for ne

SAMPLE PAGE OF THE VERMONT ADVOCATE. Printed in Royalton Village, 1827-30.

King's command. In vainf atrose to work on her feelings, by requesting ber to imagine her, that Nt Jennarna in the patron of protecting mit self in my mitustion-a stranger in a foreign land, [ of the enty of Napice. The Catbedre Ny that and deprived of the protection of an only fnend, who without any alleged crime wsi thrown into the old maint war hting. be went out and stopped during a tremendous eroptin ol Venerst. .... prince aud fetters, che unfolded the present, and

.Vo paper wat ha discontinued, but at the option the publisher, unfit att duen are peid.

JOB PROTIDTG In all itt variety, handsomely crecuted af the ADVOCATE OFFICE.

The Barn which the Indians tried to burn on the Timothy Durkee Farm. (The building in front).

Kettles found when the Indians camped in Randolph. Owned by Mrs. Hannah Benson, a grand-daughter of Lorenza Havens.

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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT

The subscription price was $2.00, in clubs of ten, $1.50 in ad- vance. Mr. Spooner combined other business with his press work, and on Mar. 26, 1827, he offered to act as agent in pro- curing tickets for the Hartford Lottery. The year before an act was passed by the legislature requiring licenses for vending lottery tickets, the fund to be used for the benefit of common schools.

The editor of the Observer printed at Woodstock, in his issue of Jan. 9, 1827, spoke of Mr. Spooner's venture as a "new and neat paper at Royalton," and then criticized Mr. Spooner's tendency to "extempore warfare," and said, "He should remem- ber that the first duty of an editor is to be just." This remark was caused by exceptions taken by Mr. Spooner regarding the printing of probate notices. The Observer explains :

"On the 28th day of December last, the will of Horace Cheney late of Royalton, deceased, was presented to the Court for probate. The Court had appointed a session at Royalton on the 3d Wednesday in January inst., and the executor who presented the will was anxious that it should be proved there, as the witnesses were in the vicinity. He also desired that the necessary previous notice should be inserted in the Advocate, if there was sufficient time, but as the law required the notice to be published three weeks, and as the Advocate was printed on Thursday, a publication could not be made in that paper in such season that the will could be proved on the 17th inst .- and therefore the notice was, on motion of the executor, ordered to be published in the Observer. Mr. Spooner seeing the aforesaid notice in this paper immediately uncases one of his hair triggers, and discharges the fol- lowing shot point blank at the Probate Court for the District of Hart- ford: 'We supposed the object of publishing Probate Notices was, to advise those concerned in the estate, of the time and place of courts and meetings to make progress in its settlement; but we find in this District it is converted into a mere sinecure for the benefit of the paper at Woodstock. We are determined, however, that our subscribers shall lose nothing from this arbitrary course of procedure, as we shall pub- lish, without fee or reward, such notices as may particularly interest them not ordered for the Advocate. The following being in our im- mediate vicinity, where none of the Woodstock papers are found, is supposed to be of this class.'"

Then follows the advertisement of the probate notice to which allusion has been made.

Mr. Spooner's retort to this was :

"I was just to the public, and particularly to those concerned in the matter of that advertisement, and to the inhabitants of the valley of White River-a people whom the God of nature never designed as tributaries to the Caesars over the hill and far away."

This will give some idea of the independence of Mr. Spooner, and the vigor of his rather caustic quill. The people of the "valley" did not lack for sensational reading, while supplied with the Advocate, which many continued to take after its re- moval to Chelsea, Josiah Wheeler and Isaac Parkhurst acting as agents in obtaining subscribers.

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HISTORY OF ROYALTON, VERMONT

Another reason for the wordy warfare that went on between the Advocate and the Observer was the candidacy of Daniel Rix, Esq., for election as one of the Council of Censors in 1827. Mr. Spooner seems to have been the one proposing Mr. Rix for this position. A writer in the Observer, Mar. 20, 1827, acknowledges that the caucus nominated Mr. Rix, but says the caucus was held in Woodstock, made up of four "wise men" of Windsor County and one over the mountain, and claims it was not the voice of the people. He says of Mr. Spooner, "He appears to be per- forming the three 'Singletons' or more at Royalton, being pro- prietor, editor, correspondent, and printer of a weakly 'advo- cate' in that village." The opposition to Mr. Rix seems to have arisen over the question of amending the constitution of Ver- mont, his opponents claiming that he was not in favor of amend- ing. Mr. Spooner retorted, denying that Mr. Rix was not in favor of amendments, and the same correspondent of the Ob- server answered that Mr. Spooner "all in a whew calls hard names, attempts to satirize, and finally gives the lie direct."

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History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911, Part 68

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Lovejoy, Mary Evelyn Wood, 1847-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Burlington, Vt., Free press printing company
Number of Pages: 1280