St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-03-26
From the Express and Standard.
"reminiscences of the Early Times in
Orleans County.

"reminiscences of the Early Times in
Orleans County.
By JUDGE PARKER. OF COVENTRY.
y former resident of the county Says the writer
of this article is eighty years of age to whom or
leans county is more indebted than 10 any other
man living, probably. FOL his services ar Teacher
magisi wise counselor and friend Ia all from
almost the commencement of the settlement of the
county. retaining his faculties both physical and
mental To an unusual degree, and whose counsel is
still sought and appreciated.
In the Year 1893 Judge Hinnan com
my from Connecticut made his WAY
with his family through the wilderness
tu the town "f Derby, and lived ther,
one or two NcaIS with no n.ighhurS, cX-
cept Indians. nearer than Grcrn-huru. Il
distance of 80 miles. In 1893 Mr. James
May and Asa kimh.ill both from Rhode
Island. came to Barton: and from that
time Till the lil~I "f tho present century
most of the towns in " hat Is now Or
leans county. gained one 81 more Inhab-
Itants. ON March l-Uu. Mr.. Samuel
Cobb with :, family "t eight children
came lrum estmorrltnd. y. H., to
Coventry. being the iiIsi settler III the
town. bulng the first decade cf the
present century Immigration Increased.
and at The end of tea wears IL might bt.
SAID that the county was sparStly set =
tied. hc>c people, coming tron the
old settlements III the New England
states. leaving good comfortable homes.
and animated with the bold purpose OF
making new ones IN the unhrukrn ton
est with their own hands. may well bt.
~ Nlrd brave men and brave women.
and such they were. llard>hips and
pIlNatlons which stared them in the.
face dId not daHnt them. To ,ouuutI
the wilderness. Ms the ohleCI ot then
ardent ambition. aud common 10 all.
served a> i bond of union. WhIcn rtn-
dcIcd social position and intercourse oi
the most cordial and genial kind. aud
visits IN houses were most heariIll
enjoyed. Women manufactured the
necessary clothing for their families.
aud the men hattlcd with the forest at
no moderate rate. They did not rrgu
late thciI day : work 10y ANY eight hnm
law. hut measured il hy the extent oi
their power | viii mention one exam
pie. not an isolated case. bat such a.
might hc found in every town.
y MIR. PrnutN Of DuucauShoro. now
Newport. crossed the lake one Nunda,
morning, then walked to Brow nimgton.
a distance ui some seven miles, with
his axe ON his ShoIldcr. and returned
the next Saturday evening with the
money in his pocket ful lay ing down
sin acres of heavy timber Oti,rr men
of less muscular power. worked II like
proportion. During the first ten wears
"f the century such openings in the toI =
est were made rs well deserved the
name ot farms. Mechanics of the first
order. biaCk>mItls. carpenters and iOiu-
erS Wric found III every part OF the
county.
Good schonl houses were erected in
every town and well supplied Will
scholars for families in those DAYS were
generally large. not being prrdestimed to
any small number. but piuusly allowed
to extend literally into the plural
Schools were uniformly taught bv men
iii the winter, and many very competent
teachers, always excepting the writer OF
this. were furnished by the old acadc-
mics at Randolph and Peacham The
books then used iii school were not very
much simpliiied, OF furnished with KEYS
but clearly stating rules ami principles
left room for the scholar to find the
why's and wherefores bv thinking. an
exercise then supposed to be absolutely
necessary i'll developing and strengthen
ing the mind, the great and paramount
object of education.
a teacher of ordinary prudence would
soon persuade Il school of sixty or eighty
scholars that studying was good paying
business, that the pleasant sensation
enjoyed in finding truth, when partial
ly enyeloped i'll darkness, more than
paid for the labor, and that Il day ot
successful study instead of being 4
drudgery, was really continued intel
lectual feast. Impressions made upon
the memoir. were thought to be more
lasting for having cost little mental
labor. and scholars thus educated wer,
considered the best qualified to meet
and solve the thousands of uuheard OF
and veXed questions which happen III
the course of human life.
In June 1910, large pond or lake in
the south part of Glover broke its bar
riers and rushed with tremendous vio-
lence through an almost unbroken for
est to MtmphremagOg Lake, a distance
VI ~ hhiiVs' HIS pOuu WIS near
mile Ill length, and with 10 measure
ment but the eye ! should say little
less than half Il mile in breadth, and
fifty or more feet deep. Its outlet was
at the south end, hestowing its tribute
to Lamoille river. 1t was enclosed by Il
rocky shore except at the north end
which the event proved to he Il hill OF
sand, laid in horizontal strata and GOV
cred, Oh the water side. by a crust of 4
few inches thick formed by the cohe-
sion OF the particles of sand. perfectly
impervious to water, and being sup
ported by the bank of rather loose sand
had resisted the pressure of water III
to this time. How or when this crust
was formed must he left for some geolo.
gist to tell us. This body of water had
been feguented from the first settle
ment 10y men from the adjacent town.
for the purpose of fishing, it being wei
stocked with trout both of the common
kind and the larger species found in al
our lakes, usually called lunge in thi,
region. The main camping ground wa,