Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-11-19

MAWk RICHARDS.

In recalling the names of the public
mon who were the most prominent in the
,Arly history Of Vermont, il j. somewhat
singular 70 find so many of them residing
"a the same town, and 50 few towns that
htl citizens Of any particular prominence
The public men, as general rule, were
nearly all found in three or four towns
Ou the west side of the mountain was
Remington, with her Robinsons, FayS,
TlchrnorS and Others, who furnished Gov
,ru,r,. Senators in Congress, Judges Of
the supreme Court, besides any number
IF lesser officers. Rutland with her Chip
mans. Williams, Israel Smith, John \.
Graham and others East Of the noun
t,iu Sa- Norwich, Of which We have
already had occasion to speak. But Of all
other towns in the State, Westminster,
1t one period, was the most noted, not
.nlr for the number Of her public men,
uut Tor their fine literary attainmonts and
distinguished ability. There was CrcpH
R-,lA. member Of the New York Pro-
,,ncml Congress, at whose instigation Gov
rrvon. Of New York, issued a reward for
the apprehension of Ethan Allen, and
whose step-daughter Allen subsequently,
married S!,plm Rotr Brad'eF, Ill. d.,
thy frs, praeticing Attorney in the State.
Jud.e Of the Supreme Court, United
State, senator, and President of the SEN
Ate ot the Uutted States. lat Hal, who
,,mmAulei privateer during the revolu-
uouary war, was one of the first Prcsl.
lrn'il Electors in Vermont, and Judge
Il The supreme Court for seven years.
HiIim e. Bradlty, son of Stephen r.,
Namber Of Congress and one of the eading
..ters in the State, who recently died
. aha tlytpeed age of eighty-fye years.
And MARK RICHARDS, Member of Con-
sr~ss and Lieutenant Governor Of Yer
mont.
Since the days Of Richards, ana the
NoInger Bradley, the location of our pub
III, men have, for the most part, changed
Norwich has, for several years, had no
citizen Of any public prominence. neither
hi, Westminster Bennington has
always furnished, and still continues tc
furnish, at least, one prominent public
man, and the remainder are, for the most
part. scattered, here and there, in differ
rnt localities throughout the State, or
both sides Of the Green Mountains. Rut
land alone has maintained her dHctCH
,r. ttge" She always has, and still contin
uas - 8, -,,ish a large share of the promi
MON, rrtl;c mer of Vermont.
We make these r. marks from no feel
ing. Of local or town pr,;.Ae although We
confess we are proud, and justly So no
only Of the State, but also Of the .nWn anc
county Of our nativity but because the
history of the State will bear us out in the
statement, as witness the names of Foot
Williams, Pierpoint, Kellogg, Page, Prou
and others, whose names are not only
local, but closely identified with the histor.
of the State and some Of them. with the
history of the nation.
We were led into this train of remarl
from the fact that Mark Richards wa
the last of the particularly prominent mel
of Vermont that Westminster furnishe
from among her residents, unless we ex
ccpt the younger Bradley who, although
he survived Richards, was cetemporar
with him, and with him divided the poll
ical honors that the town could furnish
,,r that, by common consent were assigne
to tn 1T town.
Marx RICHARDS, the twelfth Lieuter
ant Govor,o of Vermont, was native {
New Haven, Con necticut, and on comm
to Vermont, took .7p his residence
Westminster, in the Cou. 'ty OF Wndhan
His position there may be learned frol
the following, which we extrac. from u
Sermon of the Rev. Pliny H. VIII. tie,
the centennial anniversary of the Cong r
sational Church in Westminster: 18th
pews nearest the pulpit were the frs
quit and were occupied by those who's
social rank was the highest. Gen. Stephe
~ bradley sat in the wall pew next Il
pulpit on the right hand of the ministe
and John Norton, with. his numeror
daughters, had the CORE spending pew @
'ne Left, The front pew on the rioht