Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-07-19
For the Waterman and journal
AND THE VERMONT QUAR-
TERIN GAZETTE

readers that historical magazine has been
commenced by Miss Abby Maria Hemenway
Of Ludlow, VI. Its design is "to embrace
comprehensive history Of each town in the
State Of Vermont--civil educational, relg-
ious, geological and literary to be issued
quarterly, and each number TO contain the
history Of one county, making fourteen num-
bers in the whole. The first number, the his
tory Of Addison County, was issued some
months since the second number, the histo-
Try Of Bennington County, is now nearly
through the press, and will in a few days We
distributed to subscribers; while the third
number, the history of Caledonia County, is
well commenced, and will be ready in short
time.
! wish to say few words to the public
through your paper, relative to what | under
stand to be the aim and object OF the Vermont
Quarterly; also a few words as TO the need
Of such a work twill be seen by reference
to the Addison number, full and complete
history Of each town in the county is given,
commencing with the first settlement and en-
ding at the time Of writing containing many
interesting "reminiscences Of oldon time, bio
graphical sketches literary productions-in
short, all that the industry Of the odi,ress and
her faithful historians in the several towns
for reading or preservation. The Addison
number we may suppose to be a sample of the
entire work When completed then, we
shall have the history Of Vermont-the whole
Of it; meaning of course, the whole that can
nov be obtained not only prominent parts
and leading incidents, but all Of it, We shall
have not only the biographies of Ethan Allen,
Jonas Galusha. Samuel S. Phelps and Charles
X. Williams but the biographies of more or
less persons in nearly every town in the State.
the latter Of which will be Of equal interest 70
those living in the several localities The
object Of the work, then, understand to be
to give a full history Of each and every town
in the State and thereby place upon record
and preserve for future generations what will
soon otherwise be buried in oblivion
. Now, as to the need Of such work In
the first place it must be conceded that no
work has yet been published which will any
thing like answer the design and purpose OF
what is contemplated in the Vermont Histor-
ical Magazine Thompson's Gazetteer is
good enough SO far as it goes, but if the read
er will compare what he finds in that relative
TO the history Of the towns in Addison with
the first number of the Vermont Quarterly,
be will see that there is but small portion
Of the history of those towns in that work
and Vermonters should not be content to
transmit TO their posterity so comparatively
meagre account Of their early history,
The advantages of having our history writ
ten and distributed among our people seem to
be too obvious to require any extended re-
marks on that head. First however, let me
observe that it is important as a matter of re-
cord. Not unfrequently now, even in the in
fancy Of our existence as people, cases have
occurred in which the facts in relation TO some
past transaction OF event become important,
} and days and weeks are spent in iruitless
; search, and the more Sye advance the more
frequently such cases will occur, and the more
difficult to obtain the desired evidence.
= Again, II we could have the history of the
whole State like unto that OF Addison Coun-
ty, as given in the magazine in all our iami-
f lies we should in my opinion. be in the way
of accomplishing another very desirable object
and that is to cultivate taste or desire for
a knowledge of our own local history. The
most Of our people are ambitious to gain know
ledge; but am mistaken when say but few
have any desire for knowledge OF the histo-
4 ~ Of their own towns, or their own ancestors,
those matters which in the line OF history a.
hove all things should interest them So far
as my observation has extended find more
between the ages of twenty and forty who are
better acquainted with the history of the Unit
ed States than they are with the history OF
their own State or town. But few intelligent
persons Of my acquaintance, between those
ages but can tell you when America was dis
covered, when the May Flower landed at Ply
mouth Rock, what year the revolutionary war
commenced, or when our independence WAS
declared but many who cannot tell you when
L ltl- Al.
ion, when their own town was organized, or
who were its first settlers They know that
George Washington led the armies Of the rev
olution, and after encountering the most Sc
we're priyations and hardships that human ma
ture was ever called to endure, the war was
gloriously terminated, and free government
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