Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-03-04
Watchman Sc Journal.
~~~-----~~-~~~~--~---~~ ~--~~~~~-~--.~.~-~-
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1874.
Written for the Waichman
History Of Woodbury..

grees thirty.one minutes is bounded nortl
by Hardwick, cast by Cabot, south by Calais
and west by Elmore. 1t was chartered
about the year 1881, to Ebenezer Wood
and others, and received the name Of Wood
bury. Settlements were commenced about
the year 1900, mostly oo the then only
road in town, which was laid through the
poorest part Of it. The first settlers cx.
periencod all the hardships and priyation.
attending extreme poverty even in the
wilderness but they were tough set oi
men, equal to the task of getting a living
omehow-accommodating themselves to the
situation in which they were placed, rather
than making the situation accommodate
them. When grain was cut Of, as it wa,
in lSl5-l6, their bread was made Of pota.
toes when the only COW died, they had
recourse to the mountains to entrap the
deer; aud when their potatoes failed, those
that could leave would 60 out with baskets
and brooms to sell in the neighboriug towns,
and buy or beg, as best they could, pro.
visions Of any kind to sustain life.
The surface Of the township is uneven
and in some places quite broken, and to TIC
pioneer yielded but small pay for his labor.
Perhaps there is no town in the State that
has received so much derision on account Of
the poverty Of its inhabitants as this one
but the fathers survived those scenes, and
now have passed away aud given place to
their children, for the town has not been
settled by emigration (the location not being
very inviting, but by the sons aud dauch.
ters Of the town.
Among the early inhabitants may be
named Gideon Sabin, a noted hunter Of
those timcs-a man Of rather limited edu.
cation, but Of a strong mind lie used to
preach sometimes to the people, always
carrying his gun to meeting with him.
We heard him once in Calais, fifty years
ago He brought his old, trusty long-arm,
and leaned it up in one corner Of the school
room, where the meeting was held The
house was crowded with people, anxious TO
hear the preacher discourse his theology.
Without Bible or hynn-book he began By
repeating the passage in Matthew, seventh
chapter, twentieth verse, for text: Where
fore by their fruits ye shall know them -
and proceeded to show bis hearers how they
could tell the righteous and the wicked, H..
lustrating bis subject by his experience as
hunter Said he;
When ! am on the mountain, and there is
snow on the ground, If | come across a track
can always tell whether it is a fox, wolf deer
or besr, that has been along, and which way
he is going. 50 il is with the righteous and
the wicked-they leave their track behind to
tell us which they are, and the way they are
going
This illustration ~--l~l.- ---.v t....n
than whole discourse Of our fashionable
preachers.
"Our neighbors and friends are falling on the
right and left hand by death; they have closed
their earthly career, and the question comes
up What have they done TO merit remem-
brsnce2 Why, they have left their track be
| hind TO inform us One has been an honest
man in all his dealings with his fellows has
parted Of his substance 10 the pOor-he has
made pleasant the pathway Of life to many
and died with blessings on his head, and his
whole acquaintance were m0urners. Another
dies with less regret by the community in which
| he lived-his whole aim was 10 get mOney--he
would cheat himself out Of a living, and bis
neighbor, too rob the widow and the father
less, and to the day Of his death never became
acquainted with charity. lie, too, has left bis
track behind him to inform rs to which Of the
classes he belongs
Another of the early settlers was Nche-
miah jackson, who settled in the northwest
part of the town. lle bore the name OF
Deacon. He has been as Far as South Calais
with pair Of two-year-od steers, in win
ter, and without road, to get potatoes for
his family distance Of fourteen miles.
He died several years since, leaving bis
beginning to his son, Jacob s, who became
quite farmer.
i Our neighbor j Jackson, being down on the
county road, met a man from Wheeock
with load Of sap-tubs, going to MOntpe
lier to buy grain for his family. The tul
man stopped his team to breathe, and 10
quired Of our friend if he lived in town
" Yes" said he, ." l live right up on thii
mountain" pointing from the gulf over the
rugged precipices that showed to good adyan
} tage. Do the people raise any grain here p
said sap.tub. YES " How do they ge
it into the ground 2" continued he. 40, W,
scratch it in." al should think so," sal,
the man of wares, " and scratch pretty har,
at that to get living" "Yes," was thu
, answer; Z" but have always got something
to eat once day since lived in town.
i "Do you raise any stock here2' asked th
stranger. AYES, some;" and our friend
seeing the great curiosity of the man, pro
| posed to tell his situation. Said he, ."
. keep one hundred and fifty Merino sheeE
! twenty head of horned cattle, two yoke Q
! large oxen, two horses, three colts, an
twelve head Of small young cattle. | Gu
hay enough to winter my stock, and som
5 to spare my neighbors. | raise corn an
oats enough for my own use, and ther
= was thresbed in my barn last fall FIVE hur
, dred bushels of wheat, the growth of th
mountain" Is that true2" eagerly il
quired the man. "It is all true" sal
+! Jackson. "Wel, that is more wheat tina
was raised in the whole town Of Wheelock
and with "good day, sir" the man {
n wares went on.
Jabez Town was an early settler, and Ii
town Of Woodbury. is much indebted TO hiI
i, and his sons for its present appearance
Is They began the manufacture of Lasts al
{; Boot Trees more than forty years ago, ar
now they manufacture machines for turnr
Al them, in addition to the last and boot-tr,
,s business. And we doubtif there is a plat
IN IN in Vermont where is made better articl
for durability of construction ard econou