The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-31
"reminiscences of shoreham. VT.

Shoreham Is quiet farming town of 1000
inhabitants, now noted principally for fine
sheep and clay mud. 1t Is reached by n
very deliberate ride over the Addison road
to East Shorehsm, and thence four miles
by stage. And that stage ride especially at
this season, is where one learns to fully
appreciate the beauties of clay soil. On
The day OF my arrival the stage was on
runners, and the road was for the greater
part Of the way, two inches deep with
slush, with occasional spots two or three
rods long as gultless of snow as Brazil in
June. The stageIhorses trotted on through
these places however with an Indifference
that would have done credit to one of
Cooper's Indians. The sleigh ran without
grating as though the tracks had been
freshly creased. The driver assures me
that you can run sleigh here in summer
II necessary at least after a rain.
/ hasten to record another statement, for
which the driver is my authority, for the
benefit of Rutland sportsmen. He said
that on his morning trip he had seen two
foxes quietly playing round a pasture, and
that they are quite numerous in town,
there being few enthusiastic hunters and
no good dogs here to modest them. Surely
this Is sportsman's opportunity not to be
neglected
The town has two small villages, Shore
ham and Richville; two stores, four
churches, Congregational, Methodist and
Catholic, in which services are regularly
held, and Universaist which has no regular
service. Although the railroads have left
Shoreham out in the cold, a stranded coun-
try town, yet it has played quite prcmi-
nent part in the history of the state, and
among its records are found the names of
several prominent early citizens of Rutland.
The town charter is dated October 9th,
1862, signed by "B. Wentworth" COVER
nor of New Hampshire, gives permission
| for the holding of two fairs annually, and
| provides for the establishment of a market
as soon as there shall be fifty families in
town.
Early in 1776 Colonel Ephraim Doolittle,
with company of twelve or fourteen,
moved into the town from Worcester
county, Mass. 5Shoreham was the final
rendezvous for Aliens party for the cap.
ture of Fort Ticonderoga, and nine inhabi.
tants of the town participated in the event
| The town was organized in 1856. Moses
Strong, formerly of Rutland, was die first
| lawyer in town. He commenced practice
at Richville, in 1900 and carried on a III.
crative business till 1910, when he removed
to Rutland and resided Till hi; death.
Thomas J. Ormsbce, father of the late
Edgar L. Ormsbee of Rutland, and T. j
Ormsbee of Sutherland Falls, established
the first store in town in 1902.
In one of the old Shoreham libraries
found recently a memento of a more prom
inent citizen Of Rutland than any yet men
toned, in the shape of an old, leather
bound, much be-thumbed "arithmetick,
published in November 1909, by Thomas
and Andrews, No. As Newbury street
| Boston.
On the tiy-leaf, in large, round, uneven
schoclboy hand is written Solomon Footi
book, bought Dec. 18th, 1917" and under
meath some lines which prove that our an
cestors were very much the same kind o
boys that our children are, and that tn,
since famous senator was no different from
| others
''Steal not this book for fear,
For II you %, Of oa fcQpfaaiehfed with va
rious boyish scrawls, and at the end w
read "Horatio Callin, bought of Solomon
Foot" Ono date
Young Foot was at that time twelve
years old, and was in attendance at New
ton Academy, Benjamin Nixon principal
Newton academy was Incorporated in 1871
and for many years was one OF the mos
prominent schools in this part of the state
students coming from distant towns to re
ceive instruction there. The original larg
two story frame building is still standin!
and used for a school. But it has been un
used for long periods, and much Of its an
Gent prestige has departed.
Slas II. Jenison, who was lieutenan
governor in lS34.45, ard governor from
1886 to 1910, was native of Shoreham
He was born May nth, 1901, received hi
education in town and resided here till hi
death in September 1S49.
Perhaps the most notorious of the ma
tives of Shoreham is Columbus Delauo
"late" secretary of the interior. He wa
drought up" by Mr.. William johnson i
the north part of the town, and subsequent
ly returned with his wife to visit his bene
| C,o,or Eurr