USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 42
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CHAPTER XXXV.
PUBLIC BENEFACTIONS.
Among the notable gifts received by this town is the David R. Campbell Legacy Fund, amounting to $20,000, received in 1886 from the estate of David Richard Campbell, a native of Rockingham. Mr. Campbell had accumulated a fortune in the meat and provision trade in Boston and the West, and, having no immediate relatives, in 1876, he divided $28,000 between the towns of Windsor, Grafton, Westminster, Athens, Chester and Springfield. Athens received $3,000, the others $5,000 each, the income of which was to be applied to the relief of the poor under simi- lar terms as that later devised to Rockingham.
By his will, dated October 26, 1881, and probated in Windsor county, May 19, 1885, he bequeathed to this and other towns as follows :
"I give the inhabitants and their successors of my native town of Rock- ingham in Windham county and state of Vermont, $20,000, wishing the law- ful authorities and their successors of said town of Rockingham to invest the amount of this bequest and keep it safely invested in productive real estate or interest paying securities, and use the annual income of the investment in aid and support of the Indigent Poor and Paupers of said town of Rocking- ham ; I give the inhabitants and their successors of four towns in Windsor county, Vermont, as follows, to the inhabitants and their successors of Balti- more, $4,000 ; to the inhabitants and their successors of Weathersfield, $5,000 ; to the inhabitants and their successors of West Windsor, $6,000; to the inhabitants and their successors of Hartland, $5,000.
I desire that the lawful authorities and successors of each of these said towns in Windsor county shall invest and keep safely invested in productive real estate, or interest paying securities, the amount of their here bequest, and use the annual income of the investment in aid and support of the Indi- gent Poor and Paupers of said towns."
The terms of the earlier gifts were similar to those of the will above quoted, except that any investment was to be made upon mortgage on "real estate in New England."
A special town meeting was held June 28, 1886, for the purpose of accepting the bequest at which it was :
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"RESOLVED-That the town of Rockingham accepts the legacy fund of $20,000 given by the late David R. Campbell in the spirit and for the pur- pose for which the same has been given and will forever keep said fund judi- ciously invested, separate and distinct from the other financial affairs of said town, and that said fund and securities for the same shall forever be named and known as " The David R. Campbell Legacy Fund."
RESOLVED - That said town hereby adopts as a method for the invest- ment, custody of said fund and the income thereof, and the distribution of the income of said fund the following : For the custody, care and investment of said fund and the income thereof, said town will elect an agent and custo- dian of said fund and all securities and evidence of investments of the same, and the income therefrom, and whose further authority and duty shall be to make, with the approval in writing of the Committee or Board of Trust, from time to time, investments of said fund or any portion thereof as may be necessary, and to have all securities for said investments, and all papers and accounts connected therewith, distinctly marked or labelled with the words ' The David R. Campbell Legacy Fund,' and whose further duty shall be to collect the income arising from said fund, and pay the same out only upon the orders of the Committee or Board of Trust hereinafter provided for.
RESOLVED - That said town hereby requires of its said Agent and Custo- dian a bond with good surety or securities running to said town in the sum of $20,000, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his duties as such Agent, Custodian and disbursing officer of said fund.
RESOLVED -That said town does hereby create a Committee or Board of Trust consisting of three in number whose duty it shall be to approve or disapprove in writing of such investments as the Agent and Custodian may propose in writing to make out of said fund or a portion thereof; and whose further duty shall be from time to time to distribute the income of said fund or such portions thereof as they may judge necessary among the Indigent Poor and Paupers of said town and to draw their orders on said Agent and Custodian for the same whose duty it shall be to pay the same."
The custodian early invested the $20,000 in Rockingham town bonds payable April 1, 1912, with interest semi-annually at four per cent. Thus the trustees are enabled to distribute $400 April Ist and October Ist of each year. It is not given to those who are otherwise supported by the town, but to assist the worthy poor in their efforts to avoid becoming town charges.
The first agent and custodian was Oscar D. Olcott and the present official is Charles E. Capron. One of the board of three trustees is elected annually for three years. The first board consisted of Charles B. Eddy, Henry C. Wiley and Martin R. Lawrence. The present board consists of Lyman S. Hayes, Fay S. Fuller and Charles E. Weeden.
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The Campbell and Howard Funds
An account of the payments made to each person has each year been printed in the town report.
In 1895, Luther G. Howard notified the village of Bel- lows Falls that he had decided to make a substantial gift as a perpetual memorial of his late wife, Sarah Burr Howard. The details of this gift are shown in the following communi- cation which was received from him and laid before a special meeting of the Bellows Falls Village Corporation, April 18, 1895.
To the Bellows Falls Village Corporation :-
I, Luther G. Howard, now of North Reading in the state of Massachu- setts, formerly of said Bellows Falls, propose to donate to said village the sum of $10,000-$5,000 thereof to be paid January 1, 1900, to be evidenced by my promissory note for that sum made payable to said corporation on the first day of January, 1900, without interest, and $5,000 thereof to be paid at my decease, and to be evidenced by my promissory note for that sum payable to said corporation at my decease without interest ;- ON CONDITION that said corporation at a meeting legally warned and holden for the purpose, will vote to accept the same,-and when said sums are paid, to keep and hold the same as a fund to be forever known as the " Sarah Burr Howard Memorial Fund," and the annual income thereof to the amount of at least 4 per cent per annum to be expended under the direction of a committee consisting in part of men and in part of women, to be elected or appointed for that purpose, in aid of the poor who are residents of said village, and who are not supported in whole or in part by the state or by any town or county.
L. G. Howard.
At the special meeting referred to above, the gift was accepted. The moderator of the annual village meeting in 1901 made the appointment of the following as the first com- mittee of seven to distribute the income, these two acts con- stituting the only public acknowledgment : Charles E. How- ard, Mrs. George L. Burnside, Mrs. Henry E. Stilwell, Mrs. Daniel Beaton, Mrs. George H. Gorham, Eugene E. Keefe and Elijah W. Brown. The present board is the same with the exception of the substitution of Dr. J. T. Rud- den in place of Eugene E. Keefe, resigned.
In April, 1901, the heirs of Dr. Daniel Campbell and John Robertson, earlier leading residents of the town, presented to Rockingham an expensive town clock of the Seth Thomas make, and a bell connected therewith. These were placed
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in the tower of the opera house block in Bellows Falls, and bear the following inscription :
" Presented to the Town of Rockingham in memory of DANIEL CAMPBELL and JOHN ROBERTSON by their heirs April, 1901."
These two men were life-long friends and both were descendants of noted Scottish clans. Their family histories are shown in the biographical department of this book.
This beautiful memorial of two highly esteemed citizens is a constant reminder to many present residents of a kindly natured, broad-minded, genial and tender-hearted practitioner, whose professional visits were personal benedictions to hun- dreds of the last and present generation, and of a public- spirited, benevolent and successful manufacturer and man-of- affairs.
Early in 1905, the widely known philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, notified representatives of the town of his willing- ness to send here $15,000 for use in erecting a substantial town library building. The terms of this gift were that the town should furnish a suitable site for the building, and annually appropriate $1,500 for the support of the library. Contradictory action has been taken by the town at three different town meetings, and the terms of the gift have not yet been complied with.
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MRS. JULIA A. (HALL) CAMPBELL. IS24-1901.
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500
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DR. DANIEL CAMPBELL.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
LIBRARIES
During a large part of the history of Rockingham, there have been one or more library associations of varying size and importance, previous to the establishment of the Rock- ingham Free Public Library in 1887.
As early as October 28, 1799, the legislature incorporated " The Rockingham Library Society," the citizens named in the act being Rev. Samuel Whiting, the first town minister ; Dr. Levi Sabin, a well known practitioner ; Jonathan Burt, then town clerk ; Eliphalet Felt; Samuel Emery, who was then owner of the mills on Williams river now known as Lawrence Mills ; James Walker, Jonathan Barron, and Jehiel Webb, Jr. Mr. Webb was authorized to call the first meet- ing and it was probably held at the hotel of which he was proprietor in the village of Rockingham. The library was located in the centre of the town, although at least two of the incorporators were residents of Saxtons River village. This society was in existence as late as 1816, as an assessment of one dollar per share was laid March 9th of that year.
In January, 1856, was formed the Bellows Falls Library association, of which James H. Williams was president and James H. Wentworth, treasurer. This library was organized through the efforts of P. B. Goodsell, the first principal of the high school, and the books were kept in the first high school building, erected in 1854. After Mr. Goodsell left town in 1857, the books were kept in the drug store of Dr. Samuel Nichols in the Wightman building on the east side of Rock- ingham street.
When Bellows Falls began to feel the impetus of its new manufacturing industries after 1870, the need of an extensive public library was often discussed. During the year 1887, while the opera house building was in process of erection,
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History of Rockingham
the citizens of the town united in a strong effort to raise funds and occupy a portion of the building for library purposes. At that time there were two library associations in existence : in the village, with a small number of books in the possession of each. With these exceptions the town had no public library facilities.
In April, 1882, a Library Association Dramatic club was formed for the purpose of raising money for the enterprise, and sixty dollars was raised and deposited in the savings bank, the first money for the purpose. Many young people prominent at that time in affairs of the town took part in the play and in the effort to raise funds. Possibly one of the most enthusiastic and hard working persons was Edward D. Murphy, an enterprising but deformed man who sold pop- corn on the Connecticut river railroad line. After the play had been given and a full account of the same published in the Bellowe's Falls Times, he went to the office and expressed the hope that at some future day some public-spirited person might make a present of a library building to the town. He procured a copy of the Times of that week containing the account, and the printed program of the play. "The Two Orphans," showing the names of the actors ; placed the same in a wrapper neatly labeled, and put the package in the safe of a public office of the village, that the account might be perserved and deposited when the corner-stone of any library building should be laid. The opportunity for depositing the package did not occur during the lifetime of Mr. Murphy.
To the enthusiasm and hard work of A. N. Swain, dur- ing the year 1887 (which enthusiasm and work has been continued throughout every succeeding year), is largely due the raising of funds and successful establishment in that year of the present Rockingham Free Public Library. The agita- tion of the subject through the columns of his newspaper also had a great influence upon public sentiment.
During the summer of 1887, the Bellows Falls Library association and the Bellows Falls Library Association Dra- matic club were organized for the purpose of securing funds.
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the citizens of the town united in a strong effort to raise funds and occupy a portion of the building for library purposes. At that time there were two library associations in existence ยท in the village, with a small number of books in the possession of each. With these exceptions the town had no public library facilities.
In April, 1882, a Library Association Dramatic club was formed for the purpose of raising money for the enterprise, and sixty dollars was raised and deposited in the savings bank, the first money for the purpose. Many young people prominent at that time in affairs of the town took part in the play and in the effort to raise funds. Possibly one of the most enthusiastic and hard working persons was Edward D. Murphy, an enterprising but deformed man who sold pop- corn on the Connecticut river railroad line. After the play had been given and a full account of the same published in the Bellowes Falls Times, he went to the office and expressed the hope that at some future day some public-spirited person might make a present of a library building to the town. He procured a copy of the Times of that week containing the account, and the printed program of the play. "The Two Orphans," showing the names of the actors ; placed the same in a wrapper neatly labeled, and put the package in the safe of a public office of the village, that the account might be perserved and deposited when the corner-stone of any library building should be laid. The opportunity for depositing the package did not occur during the lifetime of Mr. Murphy.
To the enthusiasm and hard work of A. N. Swain, dur- ing the year 1887 (which enthusiasm and work has been continued throughout every succeeding year), is largely due the raising of funds and successful establishment in that year of the present Rockingham Free Public Library. The agita- tion of the subject through the columns of his newspaper also had a great influence upon public sentiment.
During the summer of 1887, the Bellows Falls Library association and the Bellows Falls Library Association Dra- matic club were organized for the purpose of securing funds.
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BIRDSEYE VIEW OF BELLOWS FALLS, 1905
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Rockingham Free Public Library Established
At the first public meeting of any kind held in the opera house, September 6, 1887, these two organizations were merged into one, adopting the name of Bellows Falls Library association. A. N. Swain was chosen chairman and Dr. E. R. Campbell, secretary. There were seven hundred and twenty-five people present and over seven hundred dollars was raised by subscription before adjournment of this meet- ing, six citizens giving one hundred dollars each.
At this time arrangements were made for a three days' festival or "kirmess." This was held in the town building, beginning September 28, and resulted in the addition of a little over $1,025 to the fund. This festival was in the nature of a fair and sale of all varieties of articles contributed by citizens, and three evening entertainments, a large number of the leading women of the town giving many days of hard work to contribute to its success. A daily paper in the inter- est of the fair was published during those days.
By the middle of October the library fund had reached $3,350. November 28, the association voted over to the town all funds in its hands, upon condition that the town would accept it and maintain a library for ten years. A special town meeting was held December 27, and the follow- ing was on that date adopted :
"Ist. RESOLVED, That the town of Rockingham establish and maintain within said town a Free Public Library for the use of the inhabitants thereof.
2nd. WHEREAS, the Rockingham Library Association, by vote of said association, has proposed to donate the moneys and subscription in its pos- session, given in aid of a Library to be established in this town, upon condi- tion that said sum be expended in the purchase of books for the use of such Library and upon the further condition that the town will furnish the Library Room in the town hall for the use of said Library, and heat and light the same for a period of ten years, and shall also furnish said room with the necessary book-cases, tables, chairs and furniture for the use of said Library.
Resolved, That said donation be and is hereby accepted upon the above named conditions, and that the town will furnish and light and heat said room, and supply the necessary furniture as named in said conditions."
The board of trustees chosen at the same meeting were as follows : For three years-A. N. Swain, L. M. Read, Prof. H. M. Willard : for two years-L. G. Howard, H. D. 32
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History of Rockingham
Ryder, H. B. Davis ; for one year-Dr. E. H. Pettengill, J. C. Clair, Rev. J. N. Emery.
Early in the following February, the late Hon. William A. Russell gave $1,000 to add to this fund, besides other valuable assistance. Luther G. Howard had donated $500 in cash, and sixteen other citizens had donated $100 each. With smaller amounts given, and the proceeds of the kirmess and other entertainments, the amount of the fund when it was turned over to the town was a little more than $5,000.
At the first meeting of the trustees, held December 30, 1887, A. N. Swain was elected president and has since con- tinued in that office.
The room on the first floor of the opera house building was fitted up for library purposes, the books purchased and circulation commenced in July, 1888. Miss Helen N. Hib- bard of this town, now Mrs. S. G. Day of Cleveland, O., was the first librarian.
In August, 1888, Mrs. Margaret Hubbard of this village presented the library with a creditable memorial calendar clock for use in the room, in memory of her son Edward D. Murphy, who had taken so prominent a part in the interest of the library at its inception.
The number of volumes at the present time in the library is about nine thousand.
Early in the year 1905, a communication from Andrew Carnegie, the philanthrophist, notified President Swain of the board of trustees that he was ready to present the town with a library building costing $15,000, if the town would provide a site for the same and annually appropriate $1,500 for its maintenance. At a special town meeting held May 15, 1906, the offer was accepted by the town, and $3,000 was appro- priated toward paying for a lot designated on the south side of Henry street. A building committee was chosen, consisting of Myron H. Ray, Edward L. Walker and Charles W. Osgood, to have full charge of all the details of the erection and furnishing of the building.
A later special town meeting rescinded the above action, and the offer of Mr. Carnegie is at this time unaccepted.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
FREE MASONRY
Ancient Craft Masonry in the town of Rockingham dates from October, 1816, when, upon the petition of Rev. Joseph Elliott of Saxtons River, Thomas Gould, Henry Lake, Jr., and Col. Ethan B. Webb, Jonathan Nye, the Grand Master of Vermont, granted a charter for an organization here under the name of "King Solomon's Lodge No. 44." This original charter now adorns the walls of the lodge room of the present masonic bodies of the town.
The first meeting of the order in Rockingham was held Monday, February 16, 1817, under authority of a dispensa- tion granted by Jonathan Nye above mentioned. It was held in the second story of Col. Ethan B. Webb's new hotel which had been erected that year on the site of the present Hotel Windham, on the east side of the Square in Bellows Falls. The officers present at that meeting were Rev. Joseph Elliott, W. M. ; Thomas Gould, S. W. ; Dr. John H. Wells, J. W. ; Joseph Bellows, treasurer, pro tem ; Amos Hitch- cock, secretary, pro tem ; Jonathan Barron, S. D., pro tem ; Jeremiah W. Cone, J. D., pro tem ; Solomon Snow and Jonathan Morrison, stewards, pro tem. The following other citizens and members of the order were present and took part in this meeting for organization ; Eliphalet Felt, Hiram Davis, Barnabas Wright, Henry Lake, Jr., Levi Hoit, Horace Bax- ter, Lewis Marsh and Isaac Cobb. Applications for member- ship were received from the following who were already members of the order elsewhere; Horace Baxter, John Leach, Levi Hoit, Solomon Snow, Capt. Charles Church, Isaac Cobb, and Lewis Marsh. Applications were received from the following citizens to be made Masons; Daniel Kellogg, Benjamin Smith, Jr., Samuel Adams, Jesse Burdett and Elijah Goodale. Rev. Mr. Elliott and Dr. Wells were
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History of Rockingham
chosen a committee to procure jewels and other necessary articles for the lodge. Dr. Wells and Amos Hitchcock, as a committee to procure a lodge room, "Reported their stipulations with Ethan B. Webb to be $12 per year for the use of his Hall, fire-wood and candles sufficient for the Lodge."
At the next regular meeting, held March 3, 1817, the election of officers resulted in choosing those named above in the record of the preceding meeting.
During the year 1817, the meetings were all held in Col. Webb's hall, which was known as " Masons' Hall," Bellows Falls, except that of September. The meetings were called at 2 P. M. and all business was transacted while the lodge was at labor upon the first degree. Candidates were voted for before they were advanced to each degree. All visitors to the lodge were required to pay a fee of twelve and one- half cents each time they attended after the first.
The meeting of September 22, 1817, was held " At Br Levi Hoit's Hall in Rockingham," the hotel hall of Rocking- ham village. The lodge was opened on the first degree with twenty members present, and they "Marched to the North Meeting House where the above named officers were pub- lically Installed by R. W. Lemuel Whitney Dep. Grand Master (in due form"), and a sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Smilie.
During the year 1818. the lodge occupied Levi Hoit's Hall in Rockingham. In January, 1819, Daniel Kellogg, a leading attorney of this county, at that time practicing in Saxtons River, was chosen master, and the lodge voted to hold its meetings in the hall of George Wilson of Saxtons River. During the year 1820, Mr. Kellogg remained as master, and the lodge held its meetings in the same hall, probably the one in the old " Yellow Tavern" that stood on Main street, where Taft's photograph studio is at the present time.
In 1821, Thomas Gould was master, Horace Baxter sec- retary, and the meetings were held in Joel Barry's hall in Saxtons River. In 1822, Col. E. B. Webb was the presiding
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Earliest Masonic Meetings
officer, the meetings still being held in Barry's hall, until May 6, when the location was again changed to the hall of George Wilson. In 1823, Jonathan Barron, a leading business man of Saxtons River, was master, and also in 1824. David R. Campbell, later to become Rockingham's philan- thropist, was initiated into the mysteries of the order August II of the latter year.
December 5, 1824, it is evident that the " Masonic Light" became dim, as it was " Voted that the Secretary be directed to purchase two common Brass Candle stick, Snuffers & Tray, for the use of this Lodge."
In 1825 Jeremiah W. Cone was master, and in 1826 Henry Lake, Jr., succeeded to the office. In 1827 David Chandler, who was the tanner of Saxtons River village and later a senator from Windham county, was chosen master. In Jan- uary of 1828, Mr. Chandler was re-elected, the other officers that year being Henry Lake, Jr., S. W .; John Farnsworth, J. W. ; Timothy Clark, treasurer ; Horace Baxter, secretary ; John Cone, S. D .; Gideon Palmer, J. D. ; William Palmer and I. S. Osgood, stewards, and Ward Clark, tyler. The standing committee consisted of Hiram Davis, Henry Lake, Jr., and the master.
Those present at the last meeting held in June, 1828, were Henry Lake, Jr., Colonel Ethan B. Webb, J. W. Cone, Ebenezer McIlvain, Calvin Fairbrother, I. S. Osgood, Ward Clark, and Horace Baxter.
In June, 1828, the lodge was removed to Carter Whit- comb's hall in Saxtons River, and the last meeting of the order was held on the twenty-third of that month. While nothing in the record shows the intention to suspend, or any trace of the Masonic excitement of that year and a few following, known as the "Anti-Masonic Craze," this is probably the correct date of the last meeting of Masons held in this town for nearly thirty years.
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