Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-06-24
Town Histories.


We are glad to see an awakening in
ferest manifested in this county III regard |
to compiling and publishing the facts that
have transpired in the early history OF
the several towns that compose IT. We
know Of no occupation in which the his
torian can engage, that is likely to prove
OF such lasting and positive benefit to
poslerity as the labor Of searching for
the old and musty records of the first
years in the existence Of any town. II
IL useful because all history is gsefaL and
81 Is positive benefit because AZ relieves
the historian on a larger scale Of search
ing every town record, and relieves him
from brushing away the dust of years,
and even Of ages, which he otherwise
would be obliged to do. The historian Of
a State would have The material Of hand.
All lac would be compelled TO do, would
be to condense. bring them into tangi-
bic shape, cloihe them in bis own Ian
guage. and inv st them with his own ideas.
Somebody has said that Posterity de-
lights in details" and he uttered n great
truth in few words. But how can " Pos
terity" ever delight" in the " dctails" Of
the history of the little State Of Vermont
for instance, if some patriotic historian
does not secure the details" from the
fading memories of the old patriarchs who
arc Just on the eve of covering their bod
les with that soil which their hands help
ed to clear when a wilderness, and which
gave them sustenance through life Of
trials and the thousand vexations incident
to a pioneer life, for by that class ofpeo-
pie has nearly every town in our State
been settled. Such details" are relia-
bic. The historian can have no doubt
about accepting them. A history of q
town can be written thousand years af-
ter its first settlement. but the author
copies drafts upon his imagination 10 sup
ply the details" Great events are not
always the most interesting. They are
not untrequendy dependent upon the
smaller affairs Of life for their prominence.
Then We should try to preserve every
item in our power that may serve to make
an interesting and reliable history Of
the early settlement Of any town. Let
MS have a correct history of its first eras
and there viii be little DANGER Of the sue.
ceeding ones being wrongly written.
Coventry has taken the initiative il
procuring her early civil and ecclesiastical
history to be written, which has beer
undertaken by the Rev. Pliny II. White
and it will be issued from our press in a.
neat manner as we are capable of doing
it, between this aud the first of Angus
next. The town at the last March meet
ing voted to have It written and 30t
copies printed at its expense. In thi
vote we think the people of Coventr
have shown their usual good sense, an
ia the selection Of the man TO write thg
history, they could not possibly hav
done better. Mr.. White is a gentlema
in every way qualified to undertake an
to complete the task. His forte is i
digging out and exhuming from the tom
Of forgettulness, antiquated document
fishing for facts well nigh forgotten, an
has the rare talent Of putting them t,
gether in an attractive form. We hoT
to see other towns initiating the worth
example set by neighbor Coyentry-vo
the printing OF the various histories, al
then magnanmously footing the BILL
Orleans County has a history which whit
written will amply repay perusal, al
she has men within her borders who a
abundautly capable of writing it. v
hope soon 10 see them about their bu
mess.