The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-31
"reminiscences of General Stark-A
Hero Without Nerves.

A correspondent of the Manchester
Mirror thus discourses ON Gen. Stark:
The Oldest of our citizens, natives OF
Manchester, have very distinct recollec-
tions of the last years of General Stark's
life and relate many anecdotes and incl
dents concerning him. He seems from his
boyhood to have been a noted and marked
oh ra ntn- h~.L - 1850 go
boring settlements, and as early as the
spring of 1862, when being only 90 years
of age, he was captured by the Indians
and taken to Canada, the tidings of his
fate spread rapidly through the towns in
this vicinity. At Derry, when the news
arrived, two of Starks companions were
engaged in planting young elm tree mile
below the town on the turnpike. The age
of the tree has been kept by the incident
connected with its planting, and it Is now
understood to be in hale and hearty matur-
ity and known by the name of "Stark' S
Elm." What may have been the excel
lences or faults of Stark's character, it
must be remembered that both were modi-
fled by the surroundings, influences and
hardships of frontier life. He has left no
legacy of feuds to tell of bitterness in
neighboIly intercourse, but the uniform
testimony of his old townsmen is to the
effect that his house was often open tor
| social parties and festive gatherings
On these occasions General Stark
was never hilarious, though his hos
| pitality was sincere, and he enjoyed
his guests. 1t is even related of him that
he was never known to show his emotions
in word or expression of face; an old resi-
dent even averring that he was never seen
to laugh or shed a tear. On one occasion
to test his strength of nerve, u townsman
offered to fire pistol close behind his back
while the general was busy converting. A
party in the experiment agreed to watch
The generals face in front and report the
result, and see if he were startled or no. AS
might have been expected, there was nc
visible alteration in his expression or man.
ner, but he turned very quietly to see the
cause of the explosion. He was quite as
much noted for vigor in the management
of his farm as in the mana ement of troops
and could never endure Incidence IN any
one who had the strength and capacity
| to labor. At the time of the arrival oil
lhe courier bringing news of the battle OF
Lexington, Stark was hard at work
in his mill, taking advantage o.
the spring floods to finish the saving Of
logs drawn in the winter then just past
This mill was on Ray brook, near the site
of the dam that produces DORIS pond, anC
the remains of it are still discernible wher
the low water will admit. Old settlers
assert that the log left half sawed by Stark
as he mounted his horse to beat no re
cruits, was never disturbed afterwards;
decayed with the mill in the eight long
years of fighting that ended with the sur
render of CORVALLIS. Stark's integrit,
and economy IN government contracts ant
the disbursements connected with arm,
supplies were never questioned by patrio
or tory. He sacrificed his private inter
ests and the enjoyments of domestic lit
through the revolution, without any hest
tation, and encouraged the same spirit II
his sons. He was incapable of dissimula
ton, and even when blunt, rough and &c
centric, meant kindness where his manne
might belle his heart. He has left recor
that will endure as long as mankind ad
mire the sterling qualities that made nj
life great and useful