The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-08-21
Who is Gen, RansCm?

From most abusive and scurrlIous attack which
has lately been made by federal print upon Gen.
RANSOM, we are induced to give the freemen of
this district brief answer to the question which
heads this article.
Major General TRUMAN b. RANSOM, the pres
ent democratic candidate for Congress in this Dis
trict, was born in the village of South Woodstock,
VT. in the year 1904. Hi, ancestors cmigrated
from England, and settled in Connecticut where
the commencement of the American Revolution
found them. On the breaking out of the revolution,
his great grandfather with his two sons Immediate
y entered the army and were in the memorable
expedition under Arnold, which penetrated through
the wilderness to the walls of Quebec.
In the desperate assault made by Montgomery,
the venerable old gentleman lost his life mingling
his blood with that of his gallant commander. His
sons, the grandfather and great uncle of the Gen.,
continued in the army until the close of the contest,
and are still remembered with respect and kindness
by many Of the present inhabitants of Woodstock
and its vicinity. AT the close of the revolution,
Connecticut, and took up portion of land on the
spot on which the village of South Woodstock now
stands. They were therefore, amongst the earliest
settlers Of Woodstock; and though but few of their
owned have passed into other hands, yet they will
long be remembered as having been in their day
and generation, race of active, patriotic and in
dustrous citizens. The father of Gen. Ransom
was for many years a merchant in the South vii
lage of Woodstock, and died leaving the subject of
this memoir with five sisters penniless and unpro-
teced. At the age of thirteen, young Ransom was
placed by his friends in the shop of Mr.. ARENAS
Lawrence, of Woodstock, to learn the business of
chair-maker and painter In very early life he
gave evidence of an enquiring mind, and improved
every leisure moment in reading and study. For
tunately for him, Mr.. Lawrence was man of con-
siderable literary tase and encouraged, rather than
rcpressed, this laudable thirst for knowledge; so
much so, that during the first years of his appren-
ticeship, he had caused Ransom to read aloud to
him and his family on winter evenings nearly all
the standard historical authors. His appetite for
knowledge, instead Of being satisfied, "grew with
what it fed on" until he came to the resolution of
abandoning his trade and acquiring a liberal educa-
ton To this end he applied to Mr.. Lawrence to
release him from his engagements. This, the lat
ter, who was strongly attached to Ransom, and
who was moreover principally indebted to his labor
for the support of himself and family, being in an
infrm state of health, positively refused Ransom
then made him the offer to labor for him every al
ternate quarter, and to do double the amount of
labor that was usual, provided, he would allow
him to attend school one half of the time. From
kindness to Ransom, and confidence that he would
accomplish what he proposed, ne agreed TO this
arrangement, and Ransom joined the Academy at
Norwich This arrangement was in operation for
period of nearly three years, until the premature
death of Mr.. L., and never during that period did
he complain that the terms were not fully complied
with on the part of the apprentice. To accomplish
this double amount of ordinary labor, it was neccs-
sary that Ransom should work early and late, and
deprive himself not only of the necessary recrea-
tons enjoyed by his classmates but also of much
of the rcpose so essential to the health and enjoy
mcnt of a laboring man. Supported, however, by
naturally robust constitution, he succeeded in
completing his task and during the intervals of la
Dor in laying the foundation of scientific educa-
ton which was to qualify him for much further use
fnlness in society. The facts of this case are per-
fectly well known to many inhabitants of Wood
stock and Hartford who can attest to their accu-
racy.
After having pursued this course of alternate Ia
Dor and study for nearly three years, Mr.. Lawrence
died, and Ransom took his shop and business, with
the intention of abandoning it when he should have
realized sufficient sum to enable him to complete
his education. lie carried on the business with
success for few months, and had made furniture,
which would have brought enough, as he supposed,
with occasional labor to carry him through College
when fire occurred in building where his prop
erty was stored, and wholly destroyed it. Nowise
discouraged by this accident, he resolved to give up
his business and complete his education, trusting to
providence to provide the means. With the wreck
of his property amounting to less than one hundred
dollars, he re-entered the Academy at Torwch
where he continued until it was remove, 10 Mid |
dletown, paying for his instruction by attaching
himseft to the Military Band, and for his board by
occasional labor at his trade. During this period
his application to his studies was intense, and his
progress so great particularly in science and topo
graphical engineering, that he was one of four of
the most advanced in that branch, selected by the
Connecticut River Steamboat Navigation Compa-
ny to survey the Connecticut River: his map
Of that survey, executed in style not to be sur
passed, is now in Hartford, Conn Shortly after
this survey and map were completed, the Military
Academy at Middletown, Conn. having been OPEN
ed, he was offered the situation of Teacher of
Mathematics and tactics in that Institution, which
he accepted and retained until it was discontinued
After this, in conjunction with his friend Dunbar,
he established one of similar character in Orange,
New Jersey. During the existence of this lnstitu-