USA > Vermont > Vermonters : a book of biographies > Part 19
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a judge of Rutland County Court. Doctor Williams was pastor of the Rutland Congregational Church from January, 1789, to October, 1795. A few years after Doctor Wil- liams came into Vermont, with his townsman, Samuel Wil- liams, he purchased a newspaper. THE FARMERS' LIBRARY, from James Lyon, son of Colonel Matthew Lyon. The name was changed to THE RUTLAND HERALD, or VERMONT MERCURY, and the Rev. Samuel Williams, its editor, became a strong supporter of the Federalist party.
Doctor Williams began the task of writing his NATURAL AND CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT as early as 1792, for in that year he wrote Ira Allen asking for information concerning the early history of the state and Allen aided in assembling historical data for the work. It was published originally in one volume, in 1794. This volume was printed at Walpole, New Hampshire, and bore the imprint of Isaiah Thomas and David Carlisle, Jr. In 1808, a second volume was issued. The first volume contained a map of Vermont, prepared for the history by James Whitelaw, who succeeded Ira Allen as Surveyor-General. In 1795 and in 1796, he published the RU- RAL MAGAZINE, which has been bound in two volumes. These magazines contain some Vermont material and considerable miscellany. The historian had the advantage of a personal acquaintance with not a few of the men who had founded the state and secured its admission to the Federal Union. During the few years of his residence in Vermont he had familiarized himself with the plants and trees, the birds and animals of the state, and this scholarly work was creditable alike to the author and to the commonwealth.
The coming of Doctor Williams to Vermont coincided with the growing sentiment in favor of establishing here an in- stitution of higher learning. In 1790, he aided Ira Allen in making plans for a college, and he was appointed a member of a commitee to receive subscriptions for such an institution. It is said that he was active in endeavoring to secure its loca-
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tion at Rutland. For two years, 1807-08, Doctor Williams was a member of the faculty of the University of Vermont, lecturing on natural philosophy and astronomy, and preached in Burlington during those years. In his address on the oc- casion of the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the graduation of the first class, President John Wheeler declared that, "the creative mind of Dr. Samuel Williams . . . had worked for the University of Vermont and in it."
In 1805, Governor Tichenor was authorized to appoint some competent person to ascertain by celestial observation where the 45th parallel of north latitude crossed Lake Memphre- magog and intersected the Connecticut River. He appointed Doctor Williams, who reported in 1806, following an investi- gation, that the boundary line was not properly located.
. E. P. Walton, in his valuable editorial notes in RECORDS OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY AND GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL OF THE STATE OF VERMONT, said of Doctor Williams:
He was unquestionably the most learned man of Vermont in his day, and for his labors and influence in behalf of education and piety, he was also one of the most useful.
John A. Graham, at one time a resident of Rutland, in his DESCRIPTIVE SKETCH OF THE PRESENT STATE OF VERMONT, published in London in 1797, commented on Doctor Williams, as follows:
It may with propriety be said that he is the most enlightened man in the state in every branch of philosophy and polite learning, and it is doing him no more than justice to say there are very few in the United States possessed of greater abilities or more extensive in- formation; added to which, he is a most excellent orator. ... In politeness, ease and elegance of manners, Doctor Williams is not in- ferior to the most polished English gentleman.
The Rev. Samuel Williams died at Rutland in January, 1817, and was buried in the North Main Street Cemetery. A son,
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Charles K. Williams, served the state as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and as governor.
Vermont was fortunate, indeed, that among those who established homes in this state at an early period were men like Samuel Williams and Royall Tyler, representing scholar- ship and culture of the highest type to be found in the United States during the early years of the nineteenth century.
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AUTHORS INDEX
ABBOTT, LAWRENCE F., New York City. Director New York Life Insurance Company; former president of The Outlook Company; author of IMPRESSIONS OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT, TWELVE GREAT MODERNISTS.
AINSWORTH, LILLIAN (PETTES). Writer; journalist; member staff RUTI.AND HERALD. See VERMONT VERSE, AN ANTHOLOGY, (The Green Mountain Series).
BARRETT, MARY, Burlington, Vt. Student in Trinity College.
BASSETT, SAMUEL E., Burlington, Vt. Professor of Greek in the Uni- versity of Vermont.
CADY, DANIEL L., Burlington, Vt. Lawyer; poet; author of RHYMES "OF RURAL LIFE (Three Series), and other poems. See VERMONTERS: A BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES, (Green Mountain Series) .
COATES, WALTER JOHN., See VERMONT VERSE; AN ANTHOLOGY, (The Green Mountain Series) .
CONANT, HARRISON J., Montpelier, Vt. Lawyer; State Librarian.
COOK, GENEVRA E., Burlington, Vt. Member staff University of Vermont Library; writer of short stories.
CRANE, CHARLES E., Brattleboro, Vt. Columnist; member editorial staff BRATTLEBORO REFORMER; editor of Pen-Drift Column.
CRANE, EDWARD F., Burlington, Vt. Member editorial staff BUR- LINGTON FREE PRESS; editor of Book Chat Column.
CROCKETT, WALTER H., Burlington, Vt. Editor and lecturer, Uni- versity of Vermont; author of HISTORY OF VERMONT, HISTORY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN.
CUSHING, JOHN T., Boston, Mass. Publisher BOSTON RECORD; former editor, ST. ALBANS (VT.) MESSENGER.
DAVENPORT, WALTER R., Montpelier, Vt. Methodist Episcopal clergyman; author of THOMAS DAVENPORT, INVENTOR, HISTORY OF NEWBURY (VT.) SEMINARY.
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DEAN, PROF. LEON W., Burlington, Vt. Member of English staff, University of Vermont; editor of Alumni Weekly; author of numerous short stories and articles.
FAHNESTOCK, ZEPHINE HUMPHREY, Dorset, Vt. Author of OVER AGAINST GREEN PEAK, MOUNTAIN VERITIES, THE STORY OF DORSET, WINTERWISE, THE BELOVED COMMUNITY.
FENTON, WALTER S., Rutland, Vt. Lawyer; member of Vermont legislature; student of Vermont history.
FLANDERS, RALPH E., Springfield, Vt. Manufacturer; engineer; offi- cial American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
FISHER, DOROTHY CANFIELD, Arlington, Vt. Author of THE BENT TWIG, UNDERSTOOD BETSY, HOME FIRES IN FRANCE, THE DAY OF GLORY, THE BRIMMING CUP, ROUGH HEWN, HER SON'S WIFE, THE DEEPENING STREAM.
FLINT, K. R. B., Northfield, Vt. Professor of Political Science, Nor- wich University; author of POOR RELIEF IN VERMONT, TOWN PLAN- NING.
GIFFORD, A. R., Burlington, Vt. Professor of Philosophy, University of Vermont.
GILCHRIST, BETH B., Rutland, Vt. Author of THE LIFE OF MARY LYON, HELEN OVER THE WALL, HELEN AND THE UNINVITED GUESTS, HELEN AND THE FIND OUT CLUB, HELEN AND THE FIFTH COUSINS, THE CAMERONS OF HIGHBORO, CINDERELLA'S GRANDDAUGHTER, KIT, PAL AND A FEW BOYS, THE TRAIL'S END.
HILLS, JOSEPH L., Burlington, Vt. Dean College of Agriculture, University of Vermont.
KENT, DORMAN B. E., Montpelier, Vt. Historian; vice president of The Vermont Historical Society; author of ONE THOUSAND MEN, and .numerous historical articles.
KINGSLEY, DARWIN P., New York City. Chairman board of di- rectors and for many years president New York Life Insurance Company ; author of various monographs.
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MARSH, EDWARD S., Brandon, Vt. Lawyer; historical student.
MATHEWSON, O. D., Lyndon, Vt. Principal Lyndon Institute.
MOULTON, SHERMAN R., Burlington, Vt. Justice Supreme Court of Vermont.
MOWER, EDMUND C., Burlington, Vt. Professor of Political Science, University of Vermont; author of INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
ORTON, VREST T., Brattleboro, Vt. Publisher; editor Stephen Daye Press; former member staff of AMERICAN MERCURY; one of the editors of THE COLOPHON. See VERMONT VERSE: AN ANTHOLOGY (The Green Mountain Series).
PARTRIDGE, FRANK C., Proctor, Vt. Lawyer; president Vermont Marble Company; former solicitor United States State Department ; former Consul General to Tangier, Morocco; former United States Minister to Venezuela; former United States Senator.
PEACH, ARTHUR WALLACE, Northfield, Vt. Professor of English, Norwich University; critic; poet; author of THE HILL TRAILS, CON- TEMPORARY VERMONT WRITERS, SELECTIONS FROM THOMAS PAINE. Sec VERMONT VERSE: AN ANTHOLOGY (The Green Mountain Series ) .
PHELPS, JOHN, Northfield, Mass. Writer; book collector. Son of General John Wolcott Phelps.
SHAW, HARRY CHASE, Keene, N. H. Editor of various newspapers in Vermont, now editor of THE KEENE SENTINEL, Mr. Shaw was an in- timate friend of Colonel Harvey and was in almost daily conference with the former ambassador for several weeks, this association suddenh terminating with Harvey's death. At the request of the late Melville E Stone long the general manager of The Associated Press. Mr. Shaw prepared the report of the funeral services for Colonel Harvey and #4: pall bearer, the only newspaper man acting in this capacity.
SPARGO, JOHN, Bennington, Vt. Author; president, Vemment Ho torical Society; author of AMERICANISM AND SOCIAL DEMOCRACY, NO: MARX, HIS LIFE AND WORK, THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BOLSHEVISM, AN. THONY HASWELL, HISTORY OF THE POTTERS AND POTTERY OF BEN. NINGTON.
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SPARGO, MARY, Bennington, Vt. Writer; member of staff of BRIDGE- PORT (Conn.) POST.
STONE, ARTHUR F., St. Johnsbury, Vt. Former editor ST. JOHNSBURY CALEDONIAN; author of THE VERMONT OF TODAY: member of Vermont legislature.
TERRILL, BERTHA M., Burlington, Vt. Professor of Home Economics, University of Vermont.
THOMAS, EVAN, Burlington, Vt. Professor Emeritus of Mathematics. University of Vermont.
THOMPSON, CHARLES M., Cambridge, Mass. Former editor YOUTH'S COMPANION; associated with the Riverside Press; author and translator.
TUPPER, FREDERICK, Burlington, Vt. Professor of English, Univer- sity of Vermont; author of GRANDMOTHER TYLER'S BOOK, TYPES OF SO- CIETY IN MEDIEVAL LITERATURE, and editor of numerous literary texts.
WELLS, FREDERIC P., Newbury, Vt. Author of HISTORY OF NEW- BURY, VT., HISTORY OF BARNET, VT., HISTORY OF RYEGATE, VT.
WRIGHT, CHARLES B., Middlebury, Vt. Professor Emeritus Rhetoric and English Literature, Middlebury College; author of A TEACHER'S AVO- CATIONS, GLEANINGS FROM FOREFATHERS, THE MAKING OF NOTE- BOOKS.
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