USA > Vermont > Caledonia County > St Johnsbury > The town of St. Johnsbury, Vt. ; a review of one hundred twenty-five years to the anniversary pageant 1912 > Part 17
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XVI
UP AT THE BRICK HOUSE
EPHRAIM PADDOCK-STICK AND BUNDLE-LOST IN THE WOODS- A HOUSE OF CHARACTER-NEW MUSIC-HOSPITALITIES- ROMPING GIRLS-THE FEMALE ACADEMY-AN INFANT SCHOOL -THE BELL FAIR.
AN UPRIGHT JUDGE
One summer morning in 1846 a lad of ten years was sent on an errand up to Judge Paddock's. Arriving at the door of the square brick house he was kindly accosted by the man, standing, as always, straight as an arrow. "Straighten up ! Edward," said he ; "you're growing round shouldered ; I was crooked once, but I determined to be straight."
That determination was characteristic of the man, and it pre- vailed. At the age of seventy a more upright figure was not seen on our streets ; a more upright judge did not sit on the bench. He was a man of marked personality ; tall, slender, somewhat reserved, of dignified step and bearing, mild voice and the fine old time courtesy. He combined a sensitive organism and refined taste with strength and originality of mind and ready activity for the public welfare ; withal he was an accomplished musician.
Born in Holland, Mass., 1780, Ephraim Paddock came up to Vermont on foot and alone, with nothing but his stick and "a bundle whose contents included but three articles of dress most essential for a change." He made up for lack of early education by insistent application to study ; for some while he was a pupil
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and instructor in Peacham Academy ; he entered a law office in Danville, was duly admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession in St. Johnsbury, Dec. 1807. His character and abilities commanded public confidence and a good standing among the strong men of the Caledonia bar. He continued to perfect himself in legal studies and took rank among the leading lawyers of the state. In 1828 he arrived at the supreme bench ; from 1821 1826 inclusive he represented this town in the legislature ; he was member of the Constitutional convention in 1828, and one of the Council of Censors in 1841.
For more than half a century Judge Paddock's dignified and guiding influence was felt in the affairs of this town; shaping public sentiment, bettering civil and social conditions, fostering education and religion, music and good manners. He died July 27, 1859 in his 80th year. His portrait appropriately hangs on the wall of the Court Room, and, though painted from a small photograph after his death, it gives from the canvas an excellent likeness.
BOY AND GIRL AND INDIANS
The ancestry of the Paddock family by way of Zachariah Pad- dock, born 1636, runs back thro the families of Sayer, Knyvet, and Bourchier to Ann Plantagenet, granddaughter of King Edward III. Zachariah Paddock was among the earliest settlers in Scitu- ate, Mass. ; his children a boy of ten and a girl of twelve years, wandered into the forest one day gathering ground nuts. They finally lost their way and when overtaken by darkness curled themselves up under a log and slept there thro the night. In early morning they were awakened by the barking of hounds ; starting up they saw a deer badly wounded with arrows in his side coming near them. They caught up some big sticks, ran to the deer, and managed to knock him down. By the time the Indian hunters arrived they had pounded the life out of the deer. The Indians claimed the deer as their game; the children insisted that he belonged to them because they had killed him, and so stoutly did they maintain their claim, that the Indians who were friendly finally skinned the deer, cut off one quarter for them and showed them the way home. They came up to the fort bearing
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their trophy between them. This boy of ten grew to vigorous manhood, and was great-grandfather of Ephraim Paddock. It was the same well defined family characteristic of resoluteness and tenacity that brought Ephraim on foot with stick and bundle up into Vermont and to a successful career ; that reappeared in the three sons of his sister Phebe, who in spite of reverses and difficulties built up the industry that has given fame to our town.
A COLONIAL MANSION
Sitting in quiet dignity apart from the street, the residence built by Ephraim Paddock in 1820, still retains unique interest as the one building of true colonial type in the town. When it first rose to view the spacious grounds included not only the adjacent lots on either side, but also real estate from Passumpsic River to Observatory Knob, including Boynton Hill, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and the Penniman farm. The brick of which this house was con- structed were made on the premises by brickmakers from Con- necticut under superintendence of William Gage of Walpole, N. H. ; it is asserted that the quality of these brick has never been excelled in any brick yards of the town. The blinds and parts of the wood finish were hand-made by Thaddeus Fairbanks.
People came from near and distant towns to see this first brick house which in its day was a notable structure; they admir- ed the ornamental portico, the balustraded roof, the large windows with white caps, the high rooms, the stylish fender at the fire- place, the stationary kettles and kitchen conveniences, above all the wonderful landscape paper on the parlor walls depicting Mount Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples. The house, and all its appointments betokened the standing and embodied the ideas of its builder ; a man of individuality and dignity of character, of plain and cultivated tastes, whose home and personality gave dignity to the place.
A further interest was awakened in this house somewhat later by a novelty that had arrived. Not content with his well strung violin the Judge introduced an instrument hitherto unknown in the town. Respecting this, a man at that time in his boyhood writes, "that house contained, what I was intensely interested to
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see-A PIANO, the only one in town. I well remember how my curiosity was whetted, as, many a time when passing by, I lin- gered near the grounds to hear its tones. Charlotte, the daughter of the house, a comely and dignified maiden, was the musical en- chantress." Here was given the first strong impulse toward the cultivation of music for which our village soon became quite famous. There was a time when "the walls of this house resound- ed to the tones of five different piano fortes."
There were ever open doors and abounding hospitality under the roof of this house-"up at the brick house," was a familiar phrase. The mistress of the mansion was "dear Aunt Abba" to everybody. She was buxom and lively, over-flowing with merri- ment and kindliness. "Her blessed heart was never troubled with the worriments of ordinary housekeepers," notwithstanding the large family, including a houseful of teachers and girls of the Female Academy. Lawyers, ministers, business men coming to town were entertained here; the unexpected guest was cordially welcomed; there was always one more pie waiting for somebody or a nice cake that must be attended to before getting old and dry. On one occasion when the party of invited guests were shaking with laughter at one of her stories between courses, she unconsciously shoved back her chair, whereat all rose and re- tired to the parlor ; till, in she rushed exclaiming that the pie had been forgotten ! all must come back and sit down again to pie. After dining her snuff box would be passed around as we now pass the bon-bon dish.
SPORTS OF THE GIRLS
Merry times those were when the girls of the village came to play with the gifted and loveable daughter of the house. From one of them, Mrs. Helen Martin Chadwick, we have this reminis- cence given in 1896. "Charlotte was full of life and fertile in plans for our amusement ; every nook and corner of the building resounded with our mirth and jollity. The old shed chamber was a favorite place where we could make the diagrams on the floor and play hop-scotch ; the greatest feat was to walk across the beam at the head of the kitchen stairs, this was a test of courage
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and steadiness, so was the delight of flying through the air in jumping from one scaffold to another in the big barn. Grace hoops, battledore and shuttlecock were then in vogue, and jump- ing the rope in all sorts of ways. There was the fun of going out on the piazza roof, of hiding in the dark chamber where were stored the apples, cheese and maple sugar, then down to the pan- try for some of Aunt Abba's cookies, then to gather front of the bright fire place with its pretty fender which was rare in those days, and most exquisite of all, to hear Charlotte play on the new Chickering piano, while we gazed at the scenery-paper on the parlor walls ; where, some years after, she was united in marriage to Rev. Mr. Thayer right under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius ; where, seven years later she quietly fell asleep during the night and in the morning the vapor floating up from the mountain top seemed pointing where the spirit had fled."
ST. JOHNSBURY FEMALE ACADEMY
The General Assembly passed an Act, Oct. 27, 1824, estab- lishing the St. Johnsbury Female Academy. The principal movers in this enterprise were Dea. Luther Clark and Judge Eph- raim Paddock, who to a large extent assumed the expenses that were liable to be incurred. Associated with them as original Trustees were Dr. Morrill Stevens and Judge Presbury West of this town, and seven others from neighboring towns. It was enact- ed that "all real and personal estate, to the amount of one thousand dollars, which shall at any time, be held by said corporation for the benefit of said institution, shall be free and exempt from all taxes." No funds however were ever held by the institution ; tuition was $6 a term and arrears were made up by the Trustees.
The opening session was held in the south west chamber of the Brick House, Judge Paddock's, in 1825; the same year a suitable Hall was fitted up in Capt. Martin's new house on the site now occupied by D. D. Patterson; this was known as Study Hall. From the first the school took high rank and held the same for seventeen years ; this was chiefly due to the qualifications and character of the instructors. There was very little advertising, but the merits of the school became known, pupils were attracted
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to it from towns in Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Can- ada, some came up from the state of Georgia. There were nine different principals : Miss Trowbridge of Worcester, Miss Giles of Walpole, Miss Newcomb of Keene, Miss Almira Taylor of Derry, Misses Susan and Catharine Clark of St. Johnsbury, Misses Bradlee and Worcester of Peacham, Miss Hobart of Berlin. The superior qualities and culture of these ladies was one occasion of the frequent changes ; their hand being sought by other admirers than School Boards. Cupid's darts, says a writer of that period, were unerring in those days.
From the Farmer's Herald of 1829 :-
"This institution has had a flourishing season. Examinations were held last Thursday; Study Hall was tastefully decorated with drawings and paintings done by the young ladies of the school. They were examined in Geography, History, Arithmetic, Rhetoric, Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Logic, Mental Philosophy, Latin, French, Composition and Music. They shewed promptness and accuracy in all ; the compositions were particularly admired for the tact and judgment in selection of subjects and for delicacy and ability of treatment."
A contemporary description written by one of the pupils is as follows :-
"There is a very pleasant School at St. Johnsbury Plain. It is kept in a long Hall the outside of which is painted red. On both sides are seats for the young ladies. At the farther end of the Hall is a black board and a table for the teacher. The table is covered with green baize and behind it is the teacher's arm chair. In the middle of the room is rather a rusty stove but it answers its purpose very well. There are four windows on each side and blinds are on the west side to keep the sun from coming in. There is also a small room to study in for it is much easier to be alone when we are study- ing. The young ladies come to this school from many states as well as many from our own state, which makes it very pleasant ; how can it be otherwise with our present teacher." S. F.
Under a different teacher we have this inside view, given in a school girl's letter :--
"You want to know how things are progressing at Study Hall. We have a very accomplished teacher. She is more strict than any we ever had before. We are not allowed to convey ideas in any way whatever-either by writing, or by making letters with our fingers or by signs of any sort. Our lights must be extinguished by ten o'clock every night, we are not to read or
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UP AT THE BRICK HOUSE
study after that hour. I am studying Astronomy, Mental Philosophy, Arith- metic, Grammar, U. S. History and Political Class Book."
Another girl of the period who lived in a more rural part of the town, did not have the privilege of absorbing such various knowledge under discipline so nicely adjusted. She left this reminiscence :-
"At Captain Martin's there was a Ladies' School; it was a good thing to go to a Ladies' School, but I never went."
The enlargement of educational interests in the town finally led up to the discontinuance of this school and the establishment of the St. Johnsbury Academy in 1842.
SCHOOLS OTHER THAN DISTRICT SCHOOLS
"An Infant School" was opened on the Plain, Dec. 1829, by Miss Dascomb. That it bid fair to equal the most sanguine ex- pectations was publicly announced, but who the infants were and what the methods used with them does not appear. It is inter- esting to know that ten years before Froebel inaugurated the kindergarten, Miss Dascomb was experimenting with infant edu- cation in our town.
In 1830, John H. Slack set up a Private High School on the Plain. At $3 a quarter instruction was given in the branches of literature and science usually taught in Academies and High Schools. For $6 tuition instruction was offered in French, Span- ish and Hebrew.
From a family letter it appears that Mr. Cushman had a pri- vate school on the Plain in 1834. That year there were twenty pupils, among whom was a future governor of the State.
THE BELL FAIR OF 1833
There was no bell in the town. To aid in securing one for the Meeting House on the Plain a Fair was held in the hall of Abel Rice's hotel, interesting details of which are preserved in letters dated Sept. 20 and Nov. 16, 1833. The writer is address- ing her cousin, J. P. Fairbanks, who had recently gone to Water- ville, Maine.
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"You ask me to tell you all about the Bell Fair. Well, itexceeded all ex- pectations and has been the general topic of conversation ever since. Money enough was raised at the Fair with subscriptions afterward to purchase a bell and we sent for it the fifth day after. The doors of the Hall were opened at 2 o'clock and men, women and children came flocking in. At the farther end of the Hall was Charlotte Paddock's piano and the Judge's magnifying glass. Charlotte, Julia Ann and John played, and played well. Then came singing and playing again, and the Battle of Prague, Dr. Calvin Jewett read- ing the parts-the march, the bugle call for cavalry, the cannon, the battle, etc.
There was a long table, covered with needle books, bags, pin cushions, caps, squawms, aprons, shoes black and red, ladies' neck things, indian boxes, etc., a sofa and a ship. Over the table was a line on which were hung men's things, collars, stocks, footings, etc. Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Thaddeus Fairbanks, Miss Betsey Jewett and Miss Lavinia Chamberlin, attended at this table. At the other end of the Hall was a table loaded with cakes of all kinds, a large loaf in the middle covered with frosting and sugar plums and a large sprig of artificial flowers at the top. Coffee was poured at another table and served by Mrs. Paddock, Mrs. Barney and Mrs. Curtis. Nothing was wanting to make all happy and pleasant. About $15 was taken at the door, $22 at the food table, $85 at the trinket table, $2 at the magnifying glass, altogether about $127. Next day made up by subscriptions to $200. Mr. Davis was up from Barnet and was very liberal with his money ; he drank six cups of coffee during the afternoon and for the last one he paid a dollar. A gentleman who was here from Boston told us that our Fair ex- celled the Boston ones, and I assure you we felt proud to hear that. Every- body was happy and tried to make others so."
The bell arrived shortly after and was hung in the tower where it remained till the building was removed fourteen years later to its present location south of the Court House. The later history of this bell is included with the annals of the bells of the town on a subsequent page.
XVII
NOTES OF PROGRESS
A CONVERTED DISTILLERY-NEW MEETING HOUSE-A LOOK INSIDE-WOOD AND OIL-SELLING THE TOLLING-BANNS OF MARRIAGE-FACING THE SITUATION- MISTAKEN SOULS- ANTI RUM-61 AUTOGRAPHS-MORMANS ARRIVE-EXCITEMENT IN CHESTERFIELD-THE OLD BARN-THE CALEDONIAN.
LITTLE HOUSE OF MEETING
"And it came to pass that every one that sought Jehovah went out unto the Tent of Meeting." Exodus 33:7.
Before the erection of the Tabernacle on the Plain of Sinai there was this temporary Tent of Meeting. On the Plain of St. Johnsbury they had a House of Meeting before the real Meeting House was built.
There was a small house at the head of the Plain which tradi- tion says had been used successively as a dwelling, a store, a distillery, a meat market. All this did not exhaust the variety of uses to which it was destined. In 1818 it was moved down to a spot near the head of what is now Maple street and made over by David Smith for a temporary house of worship. This was done chiefly at the expense of Luther Clark. There were rows of benches, a platform and a desk at the upper end, also a Canadian box stove, the first one that ever contributed warmth to a relig- ious service in the town. Hubbard Lawrence attended to the stove ; he brought bark and fire wood from his tannery, kindled
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the fire, then set out with his long sleigh to pick up those who could not walk and bring them in. This became the place of wor- ship for people living on the Plain who had hitherto gone up to the Old Meeting House on the Hill. Seven years later nineteen members of the old First Church were set off as a colony, con- stituting the second, now the North Church, which for two years longer occupied this little building. Here two of the active men of the community, Hezekiah Martin and Lovell Moore, were mar- ried at the close of the evening meeting, April 14, 1819. Her temperance meetings and debating societies, clubs and miscel- laneous gatherings brought people together more easily and frequently than ever before.
AN INSIDE GLIMPSE
Mrs. Lydia Jones gave the writer these reminiscences. On one side of the platform was the pulpit and on the other the singers' seats, a low fence or partition between them. Near it Mr. Melvin used to stand; he was ninety years old and so deaf that he stood holding his ear trumpet by the side of the minister the entire time that he was speaking. On the other side was a chair sometimes occupied by the minister's wife, sometimes by in- firm women like the blind man's wife; she used to go up the whole length of the aisle bowed down nearly to the top of her staff ; she wore a short scarlet cloak trimmed with black, and with a hood; when she had taken her seat she removed her bon- net and let the red hood fall back. In his prayer the minister, Mr. Johnson, said: "Raise up those that are bowed down, relieve the distressed, succor the tempted, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow, remember all who are sick and such as are old and grey-headed in sin, may they yet be brought in as shocks of corn fully ripe." The keen memory of the narrator also brought up over sixty intervening years, words that were spoken in the prayer meeting by Joseph Fairbanks, Senior. She added that the chances for sleeping during the sermon were not very good in those days, recalling how her aunt Mrs. Nat. Brown of the Four Corners rose from her seat one Sunday, reached over the heads of people front of her, and roused good Deacon Clark from his nap with the point of her umbrella.
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NOTES OF PROGRESS
After nine years' service for religious purposes the Little House of Meeting reverted to its former estate as a store; then it became a school house, in which Jonathan Arnold's daughter Freelove was mistress; then in 1837, it was equipped with a printing press from which issued the first volumes of The Cale- donian; then it again returned to private use as a dwelling house, occupied by Russell Hallett ; in those days it was decorated with strings of straw hats braided by the expert hands of Mrs. Hallett ; then it was moved down the street and was the home of Mrs. Grinnell and of William Fuller the stage driver, till 1885, when its varied career was terminated by the men who tore it down to make way for the Passumpsic Savings Bank Block.
MEETING HOUSE ON THE PLAIN
In the summer of 1827 the building called by this name was erected on the spot where the North Church now stands. The lot, valued at $300, was given by Dea. Luther Clark. The east gable end of the building fronted the street ; there was no vesti- bule ; the bell rope hung down beside the pulpit; the boys of the congregation got more entertainment out of the gyrations of the bell ringer than from some other parts of the service. The pulpit was between the two entrance doors; the singer's gallery was high up across the west end. On entering, one had to meet the gaze of the congregation which ordinarily filled the house. The pews were high backed with doors rising nearly three feet from the floor. The congregation stood during the long prayer, the length of which went on toward half an hour. During the singing, turning their backs to the pulpit they faced the twenty to thirty singers who filled the gallery behind the turkey-red screens.
There were four services, all well attended. Nearly all the congregation remained for the Sunday School, merely changing their seats. Erastus Fairbanks was Superintendent, and later his younger brother Joseph. James Johnson was the first minister, and after him John H. Worcester, whose father, Rev. Leonard Worcester of Peacham, might be seen occasionally sitting on the platform, his long silvery locks crowning a dignified and striking figure.
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This meeting house had the first bell in the town, also the first organ ; some incidents relating to these are given elsewhere. In 1847 the building was rolled down the street and planted on the edge of the old burial ground, where it now stands directly south of the Court House. In 1856 it became by gift the property of the Academy.
GETTING WOOD AND OIL
"Voted, to sell the furnishing of two cords of dry and four cords of green hard wood cut fit for the stoves at the meeting house and to be put in to the shed at said house, at auction, and Ephraim Jewett bid it off at ten and six- pence ($1.75) per cord solid measure.
"Voted, to sell the furnishing of oil for the meeting house at auction ; and Ephraim Jewett bid it off at one dollar and thirty-two cents per gallon, to be good oil-whale oil.
"Voted, to sell the tolling of the bell for funerals at auction ; and Heze- kiah Martin bid it off at twenty five cents each time.
"The bell ringing for meetings, building of fires, sweeping paths in winter and trimming and filling of lamps in the meeting house for one year, was bid off at fourteen dollars."
Records Jan. 21, 1839.
PROCLAMATION OF THE BANNS
Formerly the publishing of the banns of marriage was a state ordinance. The required announcement might be posted on the church doors or given out from the pulpit. In the early settle- ment there were no church doors nor pulpits from which to publish these intentions. The banns were probably given out by the town clerk, a legal certificate handed to the groom, and entry made on the town records. The record of the first marriage in the town in 1793, states that a certificate of legal publication hav- ing been produced, the parties were married by Dr. Arnold. We find that Josias L. Arnold and Susan Perkins were legally pub- lished in February 1795. In December of the same year Samuel Ladd of Haverhill and Cynthia Hastings, widow of Jonathan Arnold were legally published. William C. Arnold and Lucy Gardiner were published legally for marriage 15th of November
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NOTES OF PROGRESS
1796. It says they were married 13th of November 1796, by Dr. Joseph Lord, in the presence of witnesses. If we admit the cor- rectness of both these dates, here was a marriage ceremony two days before the publishing of the banns. Probably November 13, was intended for both entries.
In 1822, there being no minister, Dea. Luther Clark, Town Clerk, had the conduct of the Sunday service. At the close he faced the situation resolutely, saying, "I wish to announce that Miss Pamelia Porter and myself intend marriage." Rev. John H. Worcester in 1843, intending to marry Martha Clark, daughter of the aforesaid Luther and Pamelia Clark, escaped the ordeal of publishing the banns by exchanging pulpits the Sunday preceed- ing the marriage. His supply, an elderly brother, said after the long prayer-"marriage is intended between Rev. John H. Wor- cester and Miss Martha P. Clark. We will sing hymn 140."
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