The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-25
BRANDON FARMERS AND ME-
CHANCES CLUB
Their Tenth Annual Fair.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLUE

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLUB.
Its Organization ana See Promoters. !
OPENING DAY or THE FATR. !
The Tenth Annual Fair of the brandon
Farmers and Mechanics Club opened on
Wednesday, in the village Of Brandon, for
a two days exhibition and display. The
previous successes of the organization in
years past warranted the management in
making extensive arrangements this year
for an extra affair in all departments, with
the confident hope Of producing cXtraordi-
nary results and exhibiting 10 the outside
world the effects of earnest and united
labor in agricultural and domestic pursuits.
State and county fairs are at this season OF
the year universally on the taps and arc
always considered of no universal import
to the people as Il whole, while institutions
vi hll tNtiublNt lIiNulNs tl'
looked upon as something Of rev and
different sort of thing. to be little short of
wonderful, and, from an outside stand
point showing the pure "quntcsseucc" of
of genuine enterprise and cndeayor. Ger
tainly, nothing can w more encouraging to
the progress of system or labor of amy
kind than to see small combination of
brains and pluck uniting as one common
brotherhood for the perpctuation and inn
provemcnt of that particular order, and In
the case of this club remarkable instance
is provided
| ORGANIZATION OF TfiE CLUB.
1t will at once bc admitted that the little
town of Brandon, AT present numbering
some three Thousand people, has men of
rare enterprise in agricultural as well as
educational affairs, and for this reason only
has such n society ilotllishcd and grown up
in its midst, In the year 1862. several of
the best farmers OF Brandon initiated the
movement by forming themselves into
sort of society or club for the promo
ton and progress OF their calling, and the
first meeting to that end was held at the
residence of Capt. A. S. Cook, one of the
present influential members of the club and
strong supporter Of agricultural ideas.
Among the foremost men who gathered to-
gether at that time was Mcssrs. A. W.
Goss. Col. II. ii. Merritt, G.. NJ. Winslow,
IT vi
Merriam. now deceased with the worthy
host Capt Cook. 1t will be seen by this
start that the meetings of these men were
of an itinerant character and sothcy proved
for some time after. They met at frequent
intervals from house to house, for a friend
" talk on matters relating to farming
principally, discussing, as they talked, thu
merits of the hosts apples and cider which
were brought forth from the cellar, and
enjoying good old fashioned, informal
chat with right good humor. This was thu
nucleus of what has since been achieved.
The first permanent organization wa!
President and Thomas Ross, now of Lin
coin Iron Works, Rutland, for Secretary
As the club grew, and this it did quite
rapidly, it was finally found necessary tt
: secure better accommodations of a mort
public nature, and so the brick school
house, then standing on the east side of TIN
river, was secured for their place of meet
ing Here the society became of NOR
formal character and put on somewhat TIT
galb of dignity and decorum. From al
exclusive club of farmers it merged into
membership composed Of other calling
and professions. The meetings became o
an interesting nature by the discussion
held and very encouraging condition ola
fairs was ere long inauguratcd. One of til
first men, outside the pale of agriculture, t.
Join the club, was Judge Ezra June, VIII,
was invited to enter one evening and chosci
to take part in the discussion. The Judg
: although by profession lawyer, was eve
interested in the progress of any publ
spirited enterprise and entered into the oil
iects of the society with great interest
: Among the questions brought up for dis
the tendency of agricultural pursuits
3 whether tending to develop the moral G
: intellectual character. Judge June argue
I that ii tended decidedly to develop an
I promote the moral character of men, an
his well-grounded arguments in favor Q
that position are to be found upon the rec
i ords of that meeting Others were discusse
II from time to time, such as the best edit
Z cation for farmers sons, which was 500
II modified to that of farmers wives all
daughters, and finally brought down to I'll
great question of female education. Sue
discussions as these, participated in by I'll
" leading men of Brandon, succeeded i
70 calling out large and interested audiences
u and much profit was evidenced by ii
~ work.
3 In 1871, by the natural law of gravit;
= ton, the club settled into the village, an
y on the 9Th of December of that year, too
possession of more spacious and comforts
=. bic quarters in Simond's block. They pu
# chased furniture and appurtcnances to Il
n amount OF some 5000, and began undt
more favorable auspices and upon a soun
basis. Soon after they removed the
quarters to their present rooms, in Bills
block.
. The society has library Of over tw
, hundred volumes, mostly relating 10 agl
cultural matters, while they have good
:, number Of miscellaneous works, and il
= tend to keep up with the spirit of Il
times by securing all new agriculture
works as soon as they appear
, The club has had for its presidents sue
- men as Hon. Ezra June, DIR. C. l.. Cas-
Dr. A. r. Woodward, Alvin b. Jones. Uol