Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-29
Historical Meeting at Poultney.

town, now here on visit The meet
! ing was called to order by Dea. Joseph
| .Coslin, on whose motion J. B. Beaman
| was appointed chairman and B. Frisbee
secretary. Prayer was offered by Dr.
! Sprague.
The chair then introduced Henry
| Clark, Esq, of Rutland, who was pres
ent by invitation. He said he had been
requested to say a few words upon the
early history Of the town, at this CEN
tennial of its settlement, but he regard
| ed it as fitting that the time be mainly
| given to the distinguished gentlemen
now here, natives of the town who came
a longer distance than he did, and could
not come as often.
The Poultney charter was granted by
Benning Wentworth On the 21st day of
September, 1861. On the 21st day of
September, 1861, the one hundredth an
nivcrsary was celebrated at Poultney.
It was was unprOpitious day by reason
of storm. but there was large attend
ance. Many sons and daughters Of
POultncv, who had become residents
elsewhere, were here. An important
record was made on that day which will
not be effaced The early settlers of the
town came mainly from Connecticut.
They were an excellent class Of men and
women They planted churches and
schools; they gave a character to the
town. Previous to the centennial in
1851, he was driving about tOWnin search
Of information relative to the early his
tory of the town. He met three elderly
ladies in the eastern part of the town,
and spent several hours with them, gath
cring many facts which otherwise would
1 Il, sol I,
sketch Of its history. They told him
much Of Thomas Ashley, the leading
man Of the first settlers He was here
before the revolution, and was one Of
the ablcSt patriots in Vermont in those
trying times. The descendants OF the
first settlers inherited the virtues Of
their ancestors. Few towns in Vermont
have produced more men Of ability and
influence than the town Of Poultney~
There were reasons for this. Among
those reasons may be given the solid
character Of those pioneers. the early
settlers, and the institutions which they
established here and persistently main
tanned. The speaker again alluded to
the churches and schools and to the old
Poultncy library. The library was once
wen sustained, and many who in after
life distinguished themselves, have point
ed to that library as one of the efficient
aids which led them on in the pursuit of
knowledge. Among those he named
ROIlin c. Mallory, Horace Greeley. the
Hendricks and others
The history of the Troy Conference
Academy is a part of the history of
Poulney. Many have been educated
there who have filled places of useful
ness and distinction Much GOOD has
been Gone by that INSTITUTION. ne Said
you have a right to be proud or the ms
tory or foHttaey, ana closed with u
feeling ailuslon 10 II as a place where be
had spent Il greater portion OF has ttc.
The pleasing fecoIlections OF foulthev
would remain with hlm so long as ne
Hvrd. and with them ne expected I" rest
WHOM HteS lab0rs were over.
Key Isaac Newton Sprague, ID: D.,
or GenrSScP, n. Y, was next INTRO
dnced 10 me Iheejlh@
He said he was a native OF the town
OF FooItnGy, on TINS (WcSt2 YIIa!e-tn&t
he entered AlIddi'oury college, IN 1915
ana hal h'rH away most OF me Inn"
since. ne @FaduHI'@' Went mo inc MN
jjsH\ &'H 9'l,.3" III ne" "'N' Ii7i
n'''' '!''' '"'''l i"'" N'1'3 49, WIG"
~ J ,3I'''' 10 ''''''SS'''' "I'''e IT. i''"
F'I'1G
ne had III one respect h,eL WIN loIGr-
able success he had found friends WI"
We're attached 10 nm ahq ne - thrn'
ana YET no piare seemed 10 MN jl X,
Houl{h'y' or no people were OF c"uIG nf
more "ar |" MN tnan inc aGQo3lhf-
ane'1 Of ms youth. mere Is a KIN" 81
at'$'hneht 10 onG carry nome ana one
'a'1y IiItll"7; winch can meyer DE- 'lSv-
"ll"'' A"'ii.''
Ih" scenes OF ms chllGhood and
youth We're fresh IN his recoHccctIonI. 1t
was long before the days OF railroads
that ile HVCd III Fo0Itney. a stage then
ran through mere. which was a connect
lng line from Albany to Burlington.