Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-12-05

Natural and Civil History.

the more important anu Hi'SlS o''"o ~ Y
pears, until we come to recommend the
study to all our citizens. There are
many facts in the history of every town,
which are well worth preserving. They
are generally, up to this day unwritten,
and saved only in the memory of our
old men,-that portion of the population
that are now fast passing away. 1t
might be profitable labor for these long
winter evenings to gather up some of the
facts connected with the early settlement
of each town, bring them into form, and
preserve them for posterity. We ven
ture to say there are incidents worth pre-
serving and recording in some durable
form in all our towns. Take for instance
the early history of Irasburgh. 1t was
given, so says history, 10 Ira Allen, by
the Legislature of this State, for his en-
inent services in the Revolution. At
forwards the whole town was sold to pay
its taxes, and the Legislature passed a
special law to make the sale good. Ii
is also said that Mr.. Allen, after being
appointed commander of the militia in
the State, went to France and purchased
10000 stand of arms, pledging his lands
here and elsewhese for the payment
These arms were taken by the British
government and held till they were use
less, when they were given up to him
with a great deal of magnanimity! The
consequence was that suit was brought
for the payment of the debt, and when
they came to look at the property here,
they concluded that the town was not
worth setting off on execution" and
they attached his body.
II would be both interesting and profit
able to have the history of this transac-
ton written in connection with that of the
town to which he gave a name. There
is also, necessarily considerable interest
attached to the early pioneers of every
town, their tolls and peculiar hardships
and it would be well for every town IL
gather up these and preserve them.
So also there are other things like tn,
discovery of the " shirt of MALI described
in Thompson's Vermont" found in thu
west part Of this town, well known by tht
older people, but very little understood
by the young. This curious relic wa
discovered by Shubael GoodeII in thu
west part of this town in the spring O
1927. 1t was rolled together and lyin:
at the foot Of large birch tree, between
two considerable roots. The story goe
that Mr.. Goodell, at work near by, sc
down his jug upon This very relic, an
that when he again took up his drink h
heard the jingle or saw the chains which
on further examination proved TO be
regular shirt of mail, no doubt Of Ell
ropean manufacture. The upper pal
WIS made of iron or steel, after the mar
Rer Of steel money purses, but MUG
thicker, with rings about one fourth of a
inch in diameter, and the lower part wa
made in the same manner, Of gilt or bra:
wire, the shoulders of double Thickness
1t was evidently well calculated TO prt
teet the wearer about the body and shou
ders against the arrows or spears of a
enemy. When found it was much CO.
roded with rust, but retained its entii
shape, although giving evidence of ha7
ing laid there 4 long time. 1t was sui
sequenly purchased by Lieut.. Wilson
the Z. S. Artillery, for the purpose
being deposited in tie National NIuseu
at Washington. What a host of curio,
conjecture cluster around this ancier
relic! Did some wanderer, long. Ion
ago, lost, benighted in the wilderness, $
down there to rest, and then, frightene
by savage, or wild beast, fy and leay
it behind him? Or did some SAVAGE a
ter having taken it from his victim as
trophy, tire of carrying his prize, lay
down there to abandon it, or to be reco
cred at some future time? Could III
shirt of mail speak, what tale ii won
unfold p
And the geological history, or conditit
of each town is not without its intere.
A description of the granite quarry
the west part Of this town, and the d
post Of boulders, no doubt transport,
from this bed by the action of the foo
are well worthy of notice.
1t is said by the Rutland Herald til
some individual had discovered real 90
in one of the brooks running down fro
the hills in the north part of the Stat,
and many are the traditions of mines
gold and silver once known on the
mountains, now lost. Should some
our amateur sportsmen look at geolo.
sufficiently to enable them to examir
and then devote some of the time tb,
sH..nI l. L...: