St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-07-25
Peacham and Danville. Forty Years
Ago and Now.

Mr. ID. y. Richardson. formerly of
GIoton or ToI'sham this state, hut now
one of the editors and publishers of the
DdrcHpor Democrat. wide-awakc
western paper. has been spending some
time about his old home. and writing
racy letters to his paper This is one
GRoTON. VT, July II.
BY the authority of the Caesars. when
they had things Il good deal their OWE
way on the other side Of the Atlantic.
that part of the north of Great Britain
now known us Scotland was called Cal
cdunia. In latter Years when Vermont
came to he organized and its counties
marked out. that part of the state now
known us Caledonia county was so call
ed in compliment to the sturdy Scotch
people. who formed at the time a large
share of its population. The county is
about century old. I'm days bygone
its principal villages were Danville and
Pcacham-the former the shire town
the seat of legal administration-the
latter was also distinguished for its SUI
perior educational facilities in the Cal
edOnia county Grammar School. For
y y
spects, ranked among the very first
places in Vermont. They contained
some of the first men of The state-men
who filled the bench, the bar, the pull
pit, the seats of learning filled
them very full men who made good
governors of the State and good con-
gressmen men who were wealthy,
proud. ariStocratic. 1t is said of Dan
hot I'll ,.,t 1
the state in the power and brilliancv of
her bar of lawyers; also of Pcacham
that her teachers, academic and spirit
ual were the glory of the state. | know
that these things were claimed-are
claimed to he true to this day. There
may he conflicting testimony on the
subject, but it has not yet been offered
to this court. Truly such men us GOV.
MattOcks, Gov. Palmer, the Chambers.
Blanchards, Davises, Martins and
scores of others that might I've men
toned are rare in amy single community.
comparatively great wealth was accu-
INFLATED, the most polished society grew
up, high standard of morality was in
culcated, staid and steady habits flour
lshed. Young men were sent to Peach
am from near and far to he educated
within the scope of these untarnishcd
influences.
Both places have somewhat fallen of
IN many things. Once they enioved
great thrift and extensive patronage
and their streets were filled with ac.
tive life but the railroad, that great
builder or great leveler, as the case
may be, came not that way, but pass
ing up the valley of the river some fen
miles distant, pronounced the spell ND
on the villages of the hills, and from
that day forward Dmville and Peach
am stood still in their tracks. tbeir mo-
BILE institutions have suffered, their fa,y
houses have been visited with decav
grass has made a victorious fight aIonn
thelr streets; they are DanyilIe and
reacham no more as of old, the forme,
was bereft of its judicial crown NV tba
more thrifty village of st. JobpsIurr
the latter yet has its school hut i,
of the yore. '"e ''"'e Ii
came into Danville the other do ,
H by ran Ia from st. Johnsbury. such a
NH us that road climbs never .scand
Gu oy locomotive power. Its pradas
i !. elih1ing round about in zip-zags nS
II wrlggles up the hills, is won1erfyI! a.
see Danvllle has its railroad at last ~
out all too late; Danville Green , las.
is goose pasture, lined off with m"n