The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-08

edifces and other public buildings, and its long
rows of sumptuous and elegant dwelling houses,
each surrounded with Yards, gardens and trees ar
ranged in beautiful order and fitted up with every
accommodation, and the most exquisite taste =
where, too, the continual hum OF business, the
roar of cars, carriages, waterfalls and machinery,
and the merry voices of crowds OF happy men and
women, are now heard during the llve-lonS day.
When Mr.. Hobart made this first tour to Berlin,
he found only two families settled in town, the
one at the mouth Of Dog river and The other
about half mile farther up that stream.
This part OF the State then accessible Oy
wagons from only the three following points first,
from the mouth of White river, BY road passing
up that stream as far as Royallon, and tron.
thence passing on in northwest direction through
East Bethel, Randolph, Brookheld, William>town
and Berlin to Montpelier. This was formerly
throughout the country known as the ola Brook
field road and almost PARALLEL with 1t. Near 1t
lay the Indian trail, trlversed by Canadians and
Indians Oh their return from burning and sacking
Royalton and by other early adventures passing
to and from the Canadas. The second road be-
ginning at Nrwbury, first passed over high
mountain range to Waite's river, in the northeast
part of Cornth, thence it extended up that stream
as far as West Topshtm, and then, passing over
the northeast range of the Green Mountains
through Orange, Barre and Berlin, met The termi-
nus OF the Brookteld road in Montpelier, near the
present site of the Capitol. y third, beginning at
Burlington, situated on Lake ChampIaln at the
mouth of Onion river, passed up that stream
through WIIIiston, Richmond, Bolton, Water
bury and Middlesex 10 Montpelier.
All three of these roads were at that time as
might have been expected, extremely rough and
difficult to travel. The steep hills and side slopes
had not then been graded. The roots OF the tor
est trees had not been dag up or had not passed
away by natural decay, and bridges had not been
built excepting over the larger streams. The
thick forests had not been cleared away TO admit
the sun and air to dry the roads, and the marshy
places had not been cause"ayed But Captain
Hobart aud his son james were not very much
incommoded hy the badness OF the road as they
had no horse to ride or TO haul a wagon, and
nothing but their feet to convey them from lace
to place, at tie time Carrying their provisions
and baggage on their backs.
The distance from Nrwbury 10 the lot of land
purchased by MIR Hobart was about thirty-hve
miles. The road, or trace connecting the two
places, was indicated by marked srees, and passed
over the North E4s. range OF the Green Moun-
tains which divides the waters OF the Connecticut
from those which flow into Lake Champlain.
The log cabins of settlers on this road were few
and far between, and the accommodations for trav
ellers mast have been very limited.
Having purchased the lot of land above alluded
to, father and son returned to their home at New
bury, well pleased with their excursion and the
purchase they had made, and determined to make
as ettlemep. there the following summer.
Accordingly, early in the next summer Captain
Hobart with d hired man nd his sons, James and
Peter, revisited his new purchase in Berlin for the
purpose Of clearing, fencing and making other
Improvements necessary tor the supper, ard &C
commodation Of the family. They all began the
work together. 1t the design of Captain
Hobart to clear She two acres of land on which
The trees had ALREADY been ieled, for the purpose
Of obtaining from 1t crop OF wheat the next ,eas,
and also to build log house for the accommocla-
ton Of his family. lie ,arred there only few
days, as other pressing business called him back
and leaving James to finish the work already
planned, and his yoOnger SOD, Peter, TO be his
company, he and his hired man returned home to
Newbury.
In this lonely situation, far from his friends and
all the world excep. his Young brother. Peter
with no neghbor within reach, nearer than at the
moth Of Dog River, two miles distant, having
only small bark shanty for his dwelling place,
With farrow COW to give him milk, with only
scanty supply Of corn meal and wheat flour, out
of which to manufacture his bread with the bark
of an ash tree for his bed and bedste4d, and his
wearing appare! the principal part OF bis bed
clothes, he spent a considerable portion of that
summer laborng bard on the week days to make
the necessary improvement, and improving his
Sabbaths in reading the Bible and prayer, and in
insrretng his young brother in the catechsm.
Dusing this summer, in the Lonely North West
corner of that very town, WHICH Was afierward the
principal scene OF his LAT 0ss, and in which he ter
minated his glorious course, James Hobart,
Junloy, the subject of this memoir, formed his
plans and fixed his unalterable purpose, to conse-
crate his whole subsequent life 10 the service Of
God, in HE work of the Gospel ministry. This
was in the twentytirst year of his age, 1887. From
the mplishment of this purpose, his mind and
heart could never be diverted by any worldly al
lurement, however en,icng, or by any difficulty,
however great-no obstacle could defer him, for
single moment, from pressing forward. Neither
the prospect of speedily amassing fortune from
the tresh and fertile lands of Vermont, nor the
very moderate circumstances of bis father, nor any
other circumstance whatever, could in the Ieas,
degree divert his mind and heart from his favorite
object, or for moment shake his tixedness Of
purpose. He seemed ac,uated by a strength of
determination almost equal to that of the brave
and ondaunted general, who on the eve of battle
said to his soldiers, 1t is not necessary for me
to live but it IS necessary for me to take the ior-
tIess.'