Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-03-02
From the Congregational Journal.
VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
It's ORIGIN AND PROGRESs

years OF age. 1t being my birthday, con-
cluded, after writing letter to my son Hen
ry, now in London England ; to my daughter
Sophia at Rome, Italy to my son Simon at
Washington, d. c.. to my son Franklin, at
New York; my brother Willard, at Barnet,
Vt; to my sister Sophia, at Barton, to write
you IN regard to the Vermont Historical and
antiquarian Society. | have little delicacy
In SO doing | will however, open the door
and give you the particulars.
Permit me by way of introduction, to OBJ
serve that on the 18th of June, 1903, my
father took me on horseback from Barnet to
Peacham. We stopped on the way at the
residence of Walter Brooks, Esq. The Select
men held a meeting at his house that day,
Hon. Alexander Harvey being one of the
| Selectmen, also one OF the Trustees of Cal
edOnia County Grammar School, | was re
quired to stand up in chair and read the
| sixth chapter of Matthew, after which Judge
| Harvey gave my father line to the Precept-
or, Mr.. Ezra Carter, certifying that he had
examined me, and that I I1ds qualified 10 enter
! The Grammar School, Father again on his
horse, behind him, we started for Peacham.
We took dinner at D-a. Min RS. where |
was to board. After dinner we again mount
ed and rode about three-fOurths of a mile to
the Academy. Mr.. Carter came out and took
Judge Harvey's certificate, saying it was suf-
fcient, took me from the hOrs2 and led me by
the hand into the schOol-rOOm. | was bare
footed wore paste-board hat, tustian trou-
serS, Jacket and spencer, tow and linen shirt,
cotton collar and cotton cloth about an inch
wide each sid. OF the bosom. | assure | was
as Wei dressed is 9TH. scholars ot my age.
At this school ! remained t.. 40 rat the Goth
of May, lS0S, save ar54t el ghJ months | was
clerk IN Mr. Abncr Crossmans 5 store, vaca-
tons and haying time. made some pro-
greSs, 6ut not much, as it was time dancing
schools had to be attended to, not to men
tion huskings, knittings, apple,parings,
playing the rich widow, breaking Popes'
necks and kissing the girls.
My father died 7th jane, 1908; had he
lived till the 2d of Oct, he would have been
sixty-nine years old. He married Sophia
Grout, 4th March. 1871, and took his wife
TO his residence in Barnet. H. kept tavern
and farmed it extensively. At the time of
my fathers death there were seven children
Of us-five boys and two girls-three having
died. Mother said if | would be u good boy
and keep an accurate account Of the money
received at the bar, how much was paid out
and what for, also a farm account, an account
of the income of the saw and grist-mills, |
might take SIR more ewspapers-making ten
in all. A slate and pencil were furnished
me. On one side | kept an account of all
the money received each day and on the
other side an account of all the money paid
out and what for; Every evening | took my
slate and mOney-drawer into mothers room.
She would count the money received, add up
the sums paid out and see that my account
was correctly kept, and then such particulars
as she directed | entered in book. When
the Commissioners appraised fathers estate,
mother told them the contract she and | had
made, and requested me to name the papers
| was TO subscribe for, which was done. In
due time table was placed on one side of
the large kitchen, on which the papers were
placed on the arrival Of the mail No dishes
or dat-irons were allowed on this table. If
any person wished to read them thsy must
read them a this table. Every saturday
evening the papers received that week were
filed and placed on the shelf Once in six
months the file was examined, and if paper
was missing inquiry was instituted and if not
found, a line was addressed to the printer for
the missing number; thus | proceeded in
them stalking most Of the ten weekly news
paper and taking Spec'aI care OF than from
that day till the present time, a period Of
more than halt a century. In 1880 | pur-
chased of William Whitelaw Gil vols. of
newspapers that were collected ana preserved
by his father, James Whitclaw. who for
many years was Deputy Surveyor General,
under Col. Ira Allen who was our Surveyor
General. Whiteaw become Surveyor Gen
eral at an early period and general agent for
nonresident land owners in this State and
the Northern part of New Hampshire He
took the newspers in this State which the law
reQuiIel land tax advert sements and propri-
etors meetings to be published in, and other
papers. Many vols of these papers were
bound with an index to all Proprietors' Meet
ings, Land Tax Advertisements &c, from
1888 to 1927. In addition to these papers,
procures Of him all his fathers field books,
surveys Of town lines Of almost every town in
Vermont also field books of lotting towns,
surveys of farm &c. This collection added
somewhat to my previous one.
In 1920 | undertook TO collect one book
and one pamphlet Of every description pub
lishel in this Stat. | was very successful in
my enterprise. In Oct, 1898. | attended
the General Assembly of this State and petit
toned for an act to incorporate the Vermont
Historical and AnhquariDn Society," the ap-
plication was favorably received and an act
was passed. AT the first meeting of the So
ciety, Oct, 1899, | was chosen President
and Librarian. Three persons joined, and
paid their initiation fee of 50 each agreeable
to the bylaws, and several more attended
the first meeting named in the act of incOr-
poratiou, but neither Of them advanced his !
initiation fee. In 1854 two other men
joined the Society, and paid 50 each. The |
person who had oficlated as Secretary up to |
this time, presented his claim for postage,
amounting to $4 68. | gave him the last
S4 received Gov. MattOcks gave me 50, |
but said he did not wish to be entered as a |
member, but would take it in published ad-
dresses. You will notice that the whole |
amount of funds received from others is Sl2; |
all other expenses whatever | have paid from
my own funds. | procured Prof. j. D. |
Buffers first address, published 1900 copies,
for which paid $68 S8, including the first
Declaration of Independence and the Ver-
monters Camp Song of l779. sold pam
phlets to the amount of Sl7 25. | consid-
cred myself lucky Hon. Hiland Hall de-
livered the first address before the Society,
which was not published. Rev. Mr. Butler
the second, which was published l de-
llvered the third Hon. G. W. Marsh the
fourth, not published President Smith the
fifth, not published Rev Mr.. Btler andu
q. W. HOughton, each an address, pub
lished Hon D. P. Thompson one, pub
lished MIR. Fulsom and Mr. Clark one
each Rev. Mr., White and Mr. Hagar one
each, published. At the meeting of the So
clety, Oct, 1859, Gov. Hiland Hall was
chosen President, about thirty members
joined and paid their initiation fee. Thus
ended my connexon with the Society. A
committee was appointed to wait on me and
obtain such books as belonged to the Soci-
ETY..
The General Assembly, by resolution,
about 1918, gave me the use of three rooms
IN the third story of the State House, and
appropriated S25 for the shelves, two tables
and two chairs. October, lS49, | moved
my collection from Barnet and placed it in
said three rooms in the State house, consist
ing OF ll86 vols. of newspapers, 644 pam