The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-08
Extract from the Forthcoming Memoir Of
Rev. James Hobart.

We are greatly Indebted to Rev. Truman Perrin,
for the privilege Of making the following extracts
from bis Memoir of Rev. James Hobart, now in
course of preparation for the press MIR. Perrin
has remarkable ready and feicitous style Of elu.
cida,ing his subjects, and these "reminiscences OF
the olden time will be deeply interesting to all
the dwellers in the Winooski valley:
After remaining in Orford ~ H.,
some five or six years, his father removed the
family to Newbury VT; not with the design of
making it the place Of his permanent residence, but
as preparatory to still further advance into the
wilderness.
About this time, much was said in praise of
those broad meadows and barge swells of fertile
lands, bordering on Onion river and its tribu'a-
ries. Tradition informs Va that this river re.
ceived its name from the abundance Of leeks, or
wild onions, which everywhere covered its bottom
lands when in the state of nature. Capt. Hobart
for long time had cherished strong desire to
visit that part of the State, to avail himself OF
some portions of those fertile lands, for the bene-
fit OF his family and TO make settlement there.
He therefore determined on making an exploring
tour, which he did in the summer Of 1856, IN com
pany with ais son James. This was only six
years after Royalton was burned by the French
aud Indians, and onl y five years subsequently to
the Revolutionary war. They visited several towns
Wing on, or near that river, particularly Berlin,
Montpelier, Middlesex and Moretovn, and found
it, as described in the language of Scripture to b.
an exceeding good land and everywhere we'll
watered
After exploring the country thoroughly, they
finally selected and purchased lot Of land, situa-
ted in the extreme northwest corner of Berlin
south Of Onion river, and lying IN both sides OF
Jones's Brook at its mouth. The same is now
owned and occupied by Samuel Jones, Esq, a
descendant of the man whose name was affixed TO
the brook above alluded to. Capt. Hobart did
not purchase this lot of the original proprietor
but Of a man who had already bought it, and had
made a small improvement upon IT by cutting
down abut two acres Of trees, AMI by building "a
small bark shanty for his own temporary accomo
daton.
This part of the country was at this time justl,
celebrated for the depth and fertility of its soil
the purity and abundance OF it, waters, the
breadth and richness of its meadows, the magni
tude, value and variety Of its forests trees, tn,
beauty OF its natural scenery and the sublimty o
its mountains. a luXurant growth of forest tree
then covered the Who'll face oF the country, eX
tending from the banks Of the rivers ana smalle
streams, to the very SUBMITS OF the mountains, eX
cepting few small openings made by settlers o
some two or three acres each, extending up ant
down the rivers, generally several miles distant
from each other. Each opening had bari
shanty, or small log cabin, connected with it, usu
ally occupied by some pioneer family.
The beautiful and splendid village of Montpe
lier, only three miles further up the river, now tn
Capital of the State did not then exist, and hat
not even been thought Of as the future Metropolis
Only two or three small log cabins then marke
the site of the yillage,-where now stands tn
magnificent State House, crowned with the God
desS Of Ljbsrty, the Court House, several Churc