Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-12-15

!, ed them In relation TO tiIIing the soil, n
4 occupied by us. Incidents in the history
those old fathers, who out of the wildero,
carved our homes, and the hardships {
countered by them, if they could be fit
presented by one who fully understood the
would be material enough for an interestil
address. The remembrance of the hardship
and the stern viz ues of our fathers, should
kept vivid in the minds of each generation
young people. | can however but brief
refer to these, as | have only a limite
portion of time which can be devoted to tn
subject.
The settlement of the town commence dj
June 1874. The first inhabitants were job
!, Paine, John Smith, Jos. Crane, Josiah L,
man, and soon after Elijah Paine move
here. In February, 1855, Penuel Denim
moved in with his family, which was the frs
IN town. The same winter the families O
Jos. Crane, and Josiah Lyman came here
and the mothers in these three families drew
the three lots given by the proprietors as al
inducement toward settlement The wive
OF Mr. Deming and Lyman, w+re drawn her,
through the forest on hand-sleds, and Mrs
Crane came on snow-shoes.
There is no record of the number of settler,
that came here each year, but in 1888. fou,
years after the first settlement, there were
twenty families. In 1871 here were one
hundred and forty-six people in town. In
1870 the number had increased to EIGHT
hundred and thirty-nine. In 1902 there
were two hundred Taxpayers, and in 1904,
two hundred and twenty. In 1910, the
population was 1858, in 1920 it was 1881.
in 1880, 1887 in 1910, 1920. Since 1910
the population has decreased.
The prices of land as bought by the first
settlers Of the old proprietors, varied accord.
ing to the location. The highest price paid
for lot was sixty pounds, this was paid for
the "Woodard Lot" part of the Judge
Paine Farm /; the lowest price was six
pounds,-the usual price however was thirtv-
five pounds; this was between the years Ills
and 1890. After 1890 the average price
for good lots increased to fifty pounds. After
some improvements had been made land rose
rapidly in value. As an instance of this.
Mr. Aaron Martin, Familiarity known to us
as " Uncle Aaron" bought lot Of land for
twenty-eight pounds; kept it two or three
years, built log house, cleared a few acres
and sold it for two hundred pounds.
The trials endured by our fathers can only
be imagined by lis who have never encounter.
ed anything of the kind. We must recollect
when the settlement first commenced here
that not only this town was an unbroken
wilderness, but that there was not a settlers
cabin, in any of the towns adjoining save
Brookheld, and there but little improvements
had been made. There was no place nearer
than Royalton where those who first com.
menced here could obtain any of the absolute
necessities of life. Those of us whose expe.
rlence dates back only few years, knew but
little of the trials of those who preceded us
-hardships on account of the condition of
The country. We have seen every enterprise
undertaken by our people progress rapidly on
owards completion, and wealth sufficient to.
give impetus to every industrial pursuit. All
are nov payable in money, and all
rade is carried on by this medium. The
aborer now receives money for his labor,
nd the beggar boy even jingles his silver
ieces in his pocket.
Formerly this was not the case. At the
me of the settlement of this town, the
revolutionary War had just closed. All of
lie capital of the country both public and
rivate, was exhausted, and very little
oney could be obtained. Many of the first
ttlers were obliged to 90 to Randolph, or
me OF the older to ~ns, and work out by
e day, in order to obtain little money
it'll which to pay their taxes. If men Of 7
ealth emigrate to new country, their
cans will soften their trials and hardships,
It'll they can surround themselves with the
'cessaries of life, and make themselves a
'me; But he who goes with little wealth.
lying out his last dollar, or running into
'bt for his home, and then from off that,
ldertakes to obtain a living, must meet
lals with bare hands. Upon such an one
'kness, heavy rains, frosts, and drouth,
ar heavily. Nearly all of the first settlers
IRE of the last class. They came here poor, =:
inging nothing with them, save strong
'scular frames, resolute wills, and stout
arts; and finding nothing but vast forest.
Which they hoped to make home.
The trials of building the first house, of y
arlng the first acre of land and of raising =
first grain,we may imagine, but can never 7
~ know. They lived here for years, in E
uses but little better than the Indian wig -
m; wearing the clio hes they brought with +
m working at serious disadvantage for h
Mt OF tools possessing few except an ak II
hoe. Some owned yoke of oxen but fl
ny did not. For some years there were a.
two carts in town. Indoors thew were -,
lost entirely destitute of conveniences h,
H. Asking an old man in relation to II
few days since; 40, said he, we did II
mind much about furniture and dishes. ~
were troubled much more, to get some. 80 80
1g to put into them" 81 =
thus they struggled on, clearing little be
d each year, from which they hoped to tn
e sufficient amount Of food to keep their tn
i n from want. Often wet Spring ga
lie late their seed time, and the frosts Of Ii
'umn injured their harvest and then thew &C
e compelled TO work out for very low ar
yes, and buy wheat for their families at er
dollars pr bushel Everything they ha
to buy was very high. Salt three dol as
per bushel, the cheapest cotton cloth dc
nty cents per. yard, and good, forty and
cts. Calicoes from fifty cents to four tn
llngs Nearly all deal was in stock and ia
n the merchants charging twelve per- di
more if paid in grain, or stock, than if fa
in money and frequently it would hap in
that the settlers could not meet their gu
er engagements when due, and if allowed if
ass over, the debt was then payable only tn
ash +; six percent, being colloctable if Ca
wed To RIM q yanr Hopon =, 4, l:1.l.