USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 2 > Part 11
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That a million of eyes are upon her."
The clouds - she had done them some service it seems Had fringed their dark robes with her silvery beams, And light on their pathway had cast ;
When they saw what was coming - incurtained her throne
And a mantle drew o'er her-sweet Charity's own- Till her transient misfortune was passed.
But the stars felt no sympathy-this was their day- So they burnished their spangles and twinkled away, Exulting it seemed, at her fall ;
She was subject to changes, they new from her birth,- And should she emerge from the shadow of Earth, They feared she mnight outshine them all.
But there was one thought-not a fanc. ful one, That the moon when thus darkened-sbut out from the sun,
Was an emblem though freble and dim;
Of the Soul, when estranged from the presence of God, It has wandered so far from its heaven-ward road, That the World gets between it and Him. O, then, let me count all afflictions as light, Though the billows of time in their uttermost might Unceasingly over me roll ;
But O! may I never the bitterness know, The depth of despair-inexpressible wo, Of a total eclipse of the soul.
MARY EDGERTON.
MAY-BLOOMS.
BY MARY ROBINSON.
Up the maple-shaded street, Comes the sound of children's feet, And their voices drop like rain, While the hills talk back again.
And they wander here and there, With their feet so brown and bare, Clasping bands brown as their feet, Up and down the shaded street.
There is Allie with dark eyes, Deeply shaded from the skies, And a heart ns gently kind As the flowers or the wind.
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Fannie's pink dress has a grace Like some beauty robed in lace; And the May-blooms 'round her head Give her feet a queenly tread.
Little Willie used to come- Now he's in the Sunset Home I And we miss him at our door Since his small feet come no more l
There's Ellie, with her shining head, And her brown feet's winsome tread, From her wee checked bonnet looks Volumes of sweet story-books.
In Kittie's hand I almost know May-bloonis in the spring time grow, And I think they are more fair When they bud and blossom therel
And Johnnie leads the little band, As they wander hand in hand With their sweet and childish faces And their winsome ways and graces.
So through every pleasant day, In the sweet young month of May, Comes the music of their feet Up the maple-shaded street.
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BONNIE JUNE. BY MARY ROBINSON.
She moves like the soft southern wind,
In fragrant drapery drest; And lingers a moment, to lift The leaves from the robin's nest. Down, down in the beautiful vale
' She bears her sunshine and flowers- A blessing for little children, A balm for life's weary hours. She twineth green leaves and mosses With buds, rose-tinted and blue- She strews them along the wayside, And fills their sweet eyes with dew. She carries her delicate gifts Away o'er mountain and hill, Till clovers and white fringed daisies The sunshiny meadows fill.
Oh, beautiful June, with her shining hours, Festooned with rose-tinted buds and flowers !
Under each little brown cover, All under the dead leaves dry,
She scatters a wealth of blossoms
As softly blue as the sky- And her small hands never weary
Of the pleasant task begun; Through the purple and golden hours She silently worketh on. We love to think as coming years Shall quietly pass away, Her eyes will bend above our forms As beautiful as to-day- Summer's roses will come again And swing to the river's tune,
But my heart grows sad when I think That Life has no second June ! Oli, weep for Life's beautiful summer fled- For the June that lies 'neath the roses, dead 1
HE IS GONE!
BY MARY ROBINSON.
"Hark ! through the dim woods dying With a moan; Faintly the winds are sighing, He is gone !
He sleeps ! thy brother hath lain down to rest, Hath folded Death's mantle close over his breast- He heeds not the storm as it stirreth around, Or the sobbing rain with its dreary sound. The bell in life's temple has long ceased to chime ; Its windows are closed and o'er grown thick with vine-
The hinges for rust can be turned nevermore; Ye can ne'er again loosen that golden door l Sweet be his slumbers, and soft be his bed 'Neath the young maple's shade where they've pillow- ed his head :
E'en cherish the daisy, that tenderly creeps To bless with its sweet eye the place where he sleeps. When gold gathers bright in the western sky, And day lieth down on her couch to die- When the little bird foldeth her wings to rest Aud twilight comes slowly in grey robe drest- Go, sit where he rests-not with tearful eye ! Why should ye be sad, his spirit is nigh ! Sing sweetly and low some dear olden song ; He'll join thee then as in days long gone. Do ye not know of that beautiful land, Where with perfumed breezes the flowers are fanned? Of waving palms, and vine-shaded seats- Of sparkling fountains and golden streets ? I can see him now as he sitteth there- And his face is young and passing fair ! He calls and waits on the " further shore"- Waits and watches from Heaven's door 1
Our fathers' leading idea was to grow wheat both for home use and with which to raise money to pay for their land. Brought up on the brown bread of old Connecticut, they hoped by coming here, to indulge in the wheaten loaf. But their high raised expec- tations were not fully realized. Most of the newly cleared fields produced wheat in lux- uriance, and some fields held out for a long series of years. But to speak generally wheat growing was a failure.
Many of our first settlers allured by the splendid reputation for the wheat growing of Orwell and other lake-towns, emigrated thither, among whom were several families of Clark's, Smith's, Cobb's, Perkin's, etc. Those clay-bottoms held out better than our soils.
By degrees our people had to fall back on the brown bread of their fathers. The coarser grains yielded abundant harvests, but were of small account for distant markets ; hence distilleries were introduced to absorb our surplus grain which was about as valua-
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ble for feed after the alcohol was extracted as before ; but in a few years, fromn 1820 to 1830, these crops sensibly diminished and a new
impetus was given to emigration. The west was now open for settlement and families em- igrated as they had never done before. Heavy canvas covered wagons, many of them drawn by oxen, could be seen en route for the West having the words " bound for the Ohio" en- blazoned on their sides. This caused a heavy drain on our population which our well- known reputation for "raising men," could not sustain and our population rapidly de- clined. Several considerable settlements in the more remote quarters of the town were abandoned and some highways discontinued.
The introduction of manufactures before, and during this period, partially stayed this tide of emigration, yet it has flowed out ever since and there has been no reflux, to the present day.
When our lands were in some measure worn out by a succession of grain crops, we betook ourselves to the dairy and sheepfold to recruit our exhausted fields.
Improved breeds of catttle and sheep were introduced and improved processes of cheese- making have been constantly going on till they have culminated in the establishment of cheese. factories. The cultivation of root- crops has been extended, particularly of pota- toes which have been raised in large quanti- ties, at first, for starch, and since the rail- road was opened, for shipment to city mar- kets.
scarce. However, improved varieties of apples, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries are being introduced, and the strawberry and other small fruits are being cultivated in gaat- dens and upon the whole, the present condi- tion and prospects of the town, though somne of our hillsides and badly manage i farms may be less productive than formerly, were never in a more flourishing condition than at the present time. The value of farms has appreciated full 25 per cent on the gold stand- ard within the last 5 years.
MANUFACTURES.
One of the earliest and not the least im- portant mannfactures of the town was the salts of ashes.
Along with this, was the manufacture of maple sugar and the same kettles served to boil down the sap which were used to make potash.
For nearly half a century most of the cloth used in families was made at home. The price for a week's work spinning was 4s. (663 cts.) and for housework 4s. 6d. A neighbor at my elbow relates this anecdote. His fath- er had occasion to call on Gov. Thomas Chit- tenden on public business, who it is well known kept a wayside tavern in Charlotte. After the Governor's wife had with her own hands prepared supper and cleared up things, she took her position by the kitchen fire and carded wool till a late hour, while the Gover- nor was in the bar-room alternately transact- ing official business and waiting on customers at the bar.
Fruit-growing has from the start received great attention. Apple orchards were every About 1800, the first carding-machine brought on this continent was set up at Mid- dle Granville, N. Y., by James Smith. The price of carding was 10 cents per pound. Ful- ling and cloth-dressing mills were in use at an early day, but how early we cannot say. There was one at West Pawlet, run by Wal- ter Jennings, in 1812, and we believe at the village at an earlier date. Jonathan Stevens and John Strong built a woolen-factory at West Pawlet in 1812, which was the first in town. About the same time Doct. John Sar- gent built a woolen-factory near the present sito of Enoch Colvin's factory. This latter was run several years by Royal Sargent and other parties until it fell into the hands of Asa S. and Joel Jones, who run it until it was burned, about 1842. Asa S. Jones soon after where planted in great abundance, and in virgin soil throve well with little care. As you pass through the town, some parts of which are deserted by its inhabitants, wher- ever you see a clump of apple trees you may be sure that near that spot some one under- took to establish for himself a home. The smaller fruits were not neglected and plums, cherries, grapes and pears flourished luxuri- antly ; strenuous but unavailing efforts were made to acclimate the peach. On newly cleared fields the blackberry and raspberry grew in abundance, while the meadows teemed with strawberries and the mountains with whortleberries ; but old age and the se- verity of our winters are fast destroying our apple-trees and other early planted fruits, and wild spontaneous fruits are growing | built the mill on the road, which he sold in
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1846, to Robert Blakely, who run it (the lat- ter part of the time in connection with his Bon William) until 1865, when it was sold to Enoch Colvin.
At an early day, Capt. Abner Lumbard run a fulling and cloth-dressing-mill at the vil- lage and also a woolen factory, part of the time in connection with his son Chester. About 1812, Willard Cobb built a factory on Wells brook near the bridge. Jonathan Ste- vens run the factory at West Pawlet 2 or 3 years, when he went into Cobb's factory, which was soon after burnt. The war with England brought all these factories into ex- istence; at its termination they were all com- pelled to stop. Jonathan Stevens continued the business in a small way until 1832, when he put up a large factory on Pawlet river near the lower covered bridge, which did a good business until it was burned in 1852. He then set up the business in Granville, N. Y,, which is still continued by his son Robert.
There have been 7 grist-mills in town, all but three on Pawlet river. The first was on Wells brook, built by Remember Baker about 1768; the next was built at the village, about the same time, by William Bradford, on Flower brook ; the next on the site of the Red mill, by Col Samuel Willard, in 1783, which was soon burned and the present mill erected; the next near the lower covered bridge on Pawlet river, about the same time, by Capt. Benoni Smith; the next, near the Frary bridge, about 1790, by William Hanks; the next near Sinith Hitts, by Seth Blossom, Ashbel Hollister and Safford Hascall. There was also a mill at West Pawlet, built by Ed- mund Whedon. Of these only one, the Red mill, is now in existence, run by Charles F. Edgerton. There have been 6 or 8 saw-mills in town, which are now reduced to the one at the village, run by David Andrus.
Several small establishments were set up in various parts of the town for the manufac- ture of leather ; one on Seely Brown's land, by Wesley Perkins; one near the Frary bridge, by Ebenezer Rollin, and one on our premises, by Ephraim Jones. These were short lived. There were three larger estab- lishments, one at the village, run by Asahel Fitch and others; one south of the village, run by David Weeks and his sons Rich and Seth B,, and one on Indian river on the premi- ses of C. S. Bardwell, by Palmer Cleveland & sons. There is now no tannery in town.
There were trip-hammers on Wells broo's, by William Maher; on Flower brook, by Nathaniel Robinson, and on Indian river, by C. S. Bardwell, for the manufacture of edge- tools and machinery. The latter is the only one in existence.
There have been 5 distilleries for the man- ufacture of whiskey from rye and corn. and brandy from cider ; one at the village. run by Dorastus Fitch ; one at West Pawlet. rua last by Theron Norton ; one on Alex. Clay- ton's premises, run by Leonard Utley, one near the centre of the town, by John Edger- ton and others ; one near Curtis Week's by Mr. Savage, but were all closed 30 years ago.
A flax-dressing mill was built in 1920, Uy Ashbel Hollister, which run a few years. A mill for cleaning clover-seed was built in 1807, by Seely Brown, which run 15 years, A linseed oil-mill in 1814, built by Samnel Wright, jr., and others, run some 20 years. A mill for making potato-starch, by Ira Marks on Indian river, was built in 1643. The next year one was set up on Pawlet river by ourself and Seth Stearns. Both these dil a large business several years. A stave-mill for the manufacture of shooks for the south- ern market was run near the lower covered bridge, by Ebenezer Hayward, which closed in 1865. Lime was burned in the south part of the town, by James Cook and others, quite a number of years. Provision-barrels were made several years on the premises of Stephen McFaddon by Samuel Baldwin and Jonathan Monroe, and cheese-casks and boxes jast above by Nathaniel G. Folger. Cheese-boxes were made at north Pawlet 2 or 3 years by machinery moved by steam. The only cheese- box-factory now in existence in town is at the village, by David Andrus. Hats were manufactured at the village by Maj. Sylvan- us Gregory and his son Silas Gregory, 4) or 50 years. A stocking-factory was run at the village several years by Ira Marks. Palmer Cleveland & Sons, about the year 1825, put in extensive machinery for dressing hemp and. flax, and constructed a pool for water- rotting them. This business was carried on several years. Florace and Leonard Johnson made cheese-boxes at West Pawlet 2 or 3 years, and Peter Goodspeed followed the same business near the Frary bridge.
EMIGRATION.
It has often been made the subject of regret, that so many of our people should emigrate,
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and so many of the old homesteads should be abandoned.
Westward between the parallels of 40 and 45 there is scarcely a county or even a town that has not a representation from this town. Notwithstanding the decadence of our me- chanical and manufacturing interests, and a loss of fifty per cent of our population, our primary schools keep step with the spirit of the age, and never before were our religious institutions so liberally sustained. Our peo- ple are mainly self-reliant and fewer instan- ces of destitution now exist than perhaps at any former period. Real estate never before sold higher on the gold standard. Though we have but one small factory and only one mill, a saw mill-stocked mainly from an- other town, we still live and our sensibil- ities are so obtuse we count ourselves a pros- perous pecple.
EDUCATION.
Schools were established as soon as a suffi- cient number of scholars could be gathered in any locality. The progress of the settle- ment can be better traced by the number of the school district than by any other means. Money scarce, the better qualified would fre- quently take turns in teaching with little or no compensation. If nothing better could be had a deserted log cabin would be fitted up for a school-room.
Our early schools were limited to reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic. It was rare that the latter was extended beyond the rule of three. For girls it was not common to learn arithmetic. Those who first learned grammar, perhaps, as early as 1810, were considered prodigies. Our district schools now, almost rival colleges in the extent of their course of study.
Provision was made in the charter of the town for one share (250 acres) for the benefit of schools, to which was added by state leg- islation the share reserved for a church glebe and the share reserved for the Society for Propagating the Gospel in foreign parts This last, was, however, taken from the town by a decision of the U. S. supreme court.
There have been 17 school districts in town. There are now I1; in but 10, schools are now kept. Besides, there are two frac- tional districts in connection with Rupert and Wells.
Many of the first settlers were educated men-several of them graduates of college.
Measures were taken about the beginning of this century for the establishment of an academy or grammar school. A commodi- ous brick edifice was erected near the village in which the higher branches were taught, usually two terms in the year, fall and win- ter, until its destruction by fire in 1845. We regret we cannot insert the names of its foun- ders. Only a few of the names of its precep- tors can be given, most of whom were grad- uates of college, or members of the senior class, among whom were Messrs Barber and Smith, Meeker, Ira M. Allen, Mervin Allen, John Stuart, Lamson Miner.
When the Methodist church on the hill was vacated in 1854, it was fitted up for an academy under the auspices of Rev. Jason F. Walker, its first principal. He was as- sisted and succeeded by Edwin I. Spink. The succession of principals has been about as follows : Henry H. Buxton, Samuel A. Burnham, A. J. Blakely, John L. Edgerton, John Wiseman, Collins Blakely and Mr. Fradenburgh, who have taught the school one or more terms each.
In 1869, an Academy was opened in West Pawlet which was built by subscription at the cost of $ 5.000.
Our citizens have not been unmindful of colleges and other literary institutions, and have contributed to endow Middlebury Col- lege, Troy Conference Academy, Hamilton Theological Seminary and other institutions.
The following persons, settlers and natives, have graduated at the several institutions named : (1) *Daniel Hascall, 1806, M .; * Hip- pocrates Rowe, 1808, M .; Fitch Chipman, 1808, M .; * John Sargent, jr., 1811, M .; Beriah Green, jr., 1819, M .; Miner Pratt, 1823, M., Elijah W. Plumb. 1821, M .; * Ferris Fitch, 1826, M .; * Rollin F. Strong, 1829, M,; Aza- riah R. Graves, 1833, M., *Jacob E. Blakely M,; Meritt Harmon, 1825. M .; Job H. Mar- tin, 1825; Azariah Hyde, 1838 ; Fayette Potter, U .; * Horace Allen, U .; Sheldon Blakely. U .; A. Judson Blakely, U .; Collins
(1.) M. for Middlebury College, U. for Union College, W. U. for Wesleyan University. C. M. for Castleton Medical College, C. A. for Castleton Academy, N. G. for North Granville Ladies Seminary, T. C. A. for Troy Conference Academy, G. S. for Glenwood Seminary, D. for Dartmouth College, Y. for Yale College, N. J. or New Jersey College, T. for Trinity College, A . C. C. for Albany Commercial College, U. V. for University of Vermont. A star * prefixed to those known to be doceased.
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Blakely, U .; Quincy Blakely, V. U .; * Festus Hanks; N. J .; Charles Winchester, W. U .; * Lucien B. Wright, T .; * Jonathan Brace, Y,; * Israel Smith, Y .; * Noah Smith, Y .; Warren B. Sargent, C. M ; Nathan Judson, C. M .; Isaac Munroe, C. M .; * Wm. U. Edgar- ton, C. M. John Cook, C. M .; Aaron Good- speed, C. M .; Socrates H. Tryon, C. M ;. Nel- son Munroe, C. M., R. G. Munroe, C. M .; Egbert H. Carver, A. C. C,; Sarah Allen, T. C. A .; Mary Allen, T. C. A .; Lucy B. Hurl- burt, T. C. A .; Lettie T. Lincoln, T. C. A .; Jane Bromley, T. C. A .; Louise Culver, N. G .; Helen M, Bromley, G. S .; Maria Conant, C. A .; Ann Smith, C. A .; Cornelia Hawkins, C. A Honorary-Ervin Hopkins, 1817, A. M. M .; Jonathan S. Green, A. M. M .: Fayette Shipherd, 1830, A. M. M,; Elijah W. Plumb, D. D. M .; Levi H. Stone, A. M. M.
About the time the academy was built a library was procured by subscription, which was first kept by Rev. John Griswold, but as far back as we can remember, by Dea. Eze- kiel Harmon. It was free only to subscri- bers, and it contained many choice books and was used until most of the books were worn out. In 1830, a library of periodicals was established at the village, comprising the American Encyclopedia of 13 volumes, and most of the higher class quarterly and month ly magazines published in this country. This continued a few years when the library was broken up. Soon after a neat and choice library was established at the village on $ 5, subscriptions, of which a few avail themselves.
During the earlier years of our town but few periodicals circulated, and those small country papers distributed weekly by post- riders. The citizens are now receiving through the post-office as follows : daily pa- pers, 5; semi-weekly, 29; weekly 283; bi-monthly, 73; monthly, 200, and tri- weekly, 1; embracing in the whole 591 copies.
Till within about 100 years New England music was traditional and not set to notes, the deacon lining the hymn, and the whole congregation joining in the song. The first attempt to introduce note singing encount. ered bitter hostility. The peace of churches was destroyed and in some instances they were broken up. The Revolution develop- ed a new style, called fugue music, in sympa- thy with the clash and excitement of the
day. New Jerusalem, which will be remem- bered by all our older citizens, is a represen- tative tune of this class. The parts falling in one after another, each part singing differ- ent words at the same time, are thought to represent the clangor and confusion of the battle field ; the bass the deep toned artii- lery, the tenor the rattling fire of musketr :, the counter the crack of the rifle, and the treble the bugle blast heard over all. The fastidious did not relish this medley of sound, and the first effort on record to intro- duce a different style was made by Joel Har- mon, jr., of this town, who published a sing- ing manual in 1809. The tunes in his book were of his own composition and in express opposition to what he styles " fuging " mu- sic. But this did not take and his book nev- er got into general use. Fugue music pre- vailed until about 1820, when it fell into disuse and substantially the style of music now in use was substituted.
The oldest teacher of musi : here, of whom we have any tradition, was Dea. Seth P. Sheldon, of Rupert, who taught as early as 1782. We next hear of Dea. Benoni Ad- ams, who taught in both parts of the town.
Joel Harmon, jr., before referred to, taught music classes and attempted to reform the style. Rev. John Griswold and Oliver Hanks also taught music over 60 years ago. About the beginning of this century, Eliakim Doolittle (uncle of Hon. James R. Doolittle, senator in congress from Wisconsin) also pub - lished a singing-book and taught singing. He was a child of song and no mean compo- ser. In his later years, nervous and sensi- tive, impulsive and excitable, in tattered garb, with untrimmed locks and beard, in a state bordering on insanity, he wandered through our streets for many a year, the ter- ror of timid women and children, and found rest only when lodged in his grave We will not undertake to mention the different teach - ers of music since 1820, when Rev. Lemon Andrus taught. A few good singers and teachers have been developed in this town, none of whom are better known and appre- ciated than James Whedon and Dr. A. Sid. ney Houghton.
The prejudice against instrumental church music, cherished by our puritan ancestry, has come down almost to our own time. A bass-viol was at first barely tolerated but now metodeons and cabinet organs are in nse in all our churches.
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An instrumental band was organized in 1802, which continued to play over thirty years. In 1841, a spirited brass band was got up by James Whedon in West Pawlet, which continued several years.
THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE.
A description of the school-house and school in which we received our education from 1811 to 1820; a plain plank building, on one end an immense stone-chimney, through which there was a grand prospect of the sky, and whose jaws would hold a half- cord of wood-a writing table running round next the wall, a row of benches in front made of slabs inverted, supported on pins like carpenters' horses, a few low benches in the center, a desk in the corner next the chimney on which lay the ferule.
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