The Bennington daily banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1877-1877, 1877-08-10
PERSONAL INCIDENTS.
MEMORABLE OCCURRENCES IN BEN
NINGTON.


AS we nave already INFORMED our readers
it is the design of the BANNER, during thes'
memorial and Centennial days, to give RE
sUME of the past, as well as full chronicle
of the present history of Bennington.
In our relation of what HAS happened anC
what is happening we shall take much PAIN
to be careful and exact. as well as somewhat
prOfuse, believing that our readers will bI
glad to renew their acquaintance with OIL
events as well as to learn all they may Of
current proceedings.
We doubt If there was ever any event in
the social and civic history Of our village
that more deeply excited and astOnished Oul
citizens than the sudden death, by accident
of Mr., Alonzo Is, Stiles, the managing olerh
of the Remington Iron Works, more p0pu.
larly known as the "0ld Furnace Company
which occurred October 14th, 1880.
The Farnace Company was at that time by
far the Leading manufacturing company in
Southern Vermont. Principally formed and
controlled by New York capitalists, with un.
limited resources, they conducted their mi
ming and iron manufacturing business upon a
very large scale. Having hundreds of me1
in their employ, and requiring every auxil.
iary that tho producing interest and labor Of
this vicinity could supply, they were widely
known. and largely connected with the
farmers, merchants, producers and labOrerE
Of Southwestern Vermont, A resident pro
prietOr had the general management of the
business, assisted by corps Of clerks, Of
whom Mr.. Stiles was, at the time of bis
death, chief. 2. L. Taft, Esq., was, at that
time, and for several years previous and sub
sequent, also popular clerk for the Com
pany.
NJ, Stiles, In his capacity as chief clerk
had become very favOrably known to all per
sons doing business at their store and count
lng-roOm, and the news Of his sudden, unfOr-
tunate DEATH coming so Unexpectedly upon
our community and bis acquaintanees, Gre
ated shock that has seldom been equalled
in this section.
In a biography of Rev. DIR. Griffin, a formeI
oftimes preacher in Bennington, Rev. Isaac
Jennings, in his "MemOrials of Century,
makes the following reference to the death
of Mr.. Stiles, as related to by the late Aaron
l.. Hubbell, Esq:
''In the fall Of 1880 most beautiful day in
October, news came to us that AlOnzO B
Stiles was dead. Men stood appalled, at the
suddenness of such an event and one would
say to another, is Stiles deadf 1t is impOs-
ablep But so it was. He had undertaken
to drive pair of high-spIrited horses tan
dem; something gave away, he was thrown
out, his head striking upon rock, and killed
Ii not killed instantly, there was no con-
seriousness after the blow. He was young
man of singular beauty, very accomplished
and very much admired, and had many
friends, He was in the employment of the
sSSaTistoll sf t6bsl 96e na asstispsg 81, @
~ 4; HIM TO nresch the sermon They an.
pointed Sunday as the day, and, as three. or
four DAYS intervened, there was ample time
TO spread the notice. Many from the adjOin-
ing towns were accustomed to have business
at the Furnace and they knew Stiles; they
All came. DR.. Griffin took his text from Fec.
TX, l2; For man also knoweth not his time
The sermon was preached to tine young The
lesson inculcated was, The duty and lmpor-
tanee of youth preparing for death. As the
sermon drew near its close, leaning his tow
ering form over that old pulpit,-he had a
way Of lifting very gracefully hls glasses i
leaning over the desk, he said; My dear
Young friends, representation is O rock
around which the bones Of shipwTecked mil
lions are whitening for eternityW As he
spoke so impressively upon the subject of
for death, its duty and impOr-
lance, il was astonishing to see the cOunte-
nances of the audience l sat with my back
to the minister-the old square pews-and
looking large portion OF the audience in the
face. / have often thought, l have no
doubt that many then and there resolved to
lead Christian life.
"That death seemed to make o great inn
upOl the young people, and there
was seriousness all that winter. Along in
June of the succeeding spring, it was re-
solved to hold 'three-dayS meeting The
season Of one of the two greatest revivals in
the history of this church.
The grave of Stilestis in the ehurch-yard.
On the slab is this inscription: In memory
of Alonzo b. Stiles, son Of James and Aba
gail STILES. Born in Cavendish, Vermont,
September 9th, 1906 died in this town lin
consequence Of heing thrown from wagon,
October 14th, 1880, aged % years month and
days."
The circumstances connected with the
death of Stiles. as we learn them from u. l..
Taft, ESQ, who was clerk for the Furnace
Company at that timo, and from S. l.. God
frey, ESD, at whose fathers residence Stiles
died, are as follows: Near the Furnace
grounds. was the baronial residence of the
resident proprietor. Situated near the base
of the surrounding mountains, and in q pO-
sltion retired from the unceasing excitement
consequent upon the business at the Furnace
we doubt If there was finer resi-
denoe in Vermont than this Furnace man
sion. In the stables, which were also elabo-
rately bnilt and finished, and provided with
all the latest improvements, q fine stud Of
horses were kept for the use, comfort and
of the manOrial proprietor.
AT the time OF Stiles death, one stephen
German was hostleT-in-chief at these stables
It was no uncommon occurrence for Mr.. Ger
man to attempt some tine display of the
had hitched up, in tandem, one of the finest
teams, intending that Mr.. Nathan Leaven-
worth, resident proprietor, should enjoy a
ride behind them. When Mr., LeavenwOrth
stepped from the store to get into the wagon,
he noticed Mr., Stiles chmhing IN from the
other side, and about to take the reins from
the driver.
Unfortunately, Mr.. Leavenworth yielding
to the ambition of bis clerk, who prided him
self on his ability to handle tandem team
withdrew with the remark, IF you are going
to take the reins, wOu't ride"
The spirited horses started away at fear
full gait, and were soon uncomfortable, Run
ming for a half OF three-fOurths Of a mile
down grade towards this village, they dashed
the wagon OF buggy against q. roadside rock,
casting poor Stiles headlOng into the high
way, and so fatally injuring him that, al
though attended by all the physicians OF our
town. he died few hours after.
The extract which we have given from Mr..
Jennings book evidences the interest taken
by our citizeus in his loss As an incident of
the funeTial ceremonies. Major s. II. Brown,
who had charge OF the procession, informs us
that the bearers for the occasion, who were
himself, u. l.. Taft, Edward swift, Benjamin
Y, Fay, Baker Robinson and Willard Weeks,
were all mounted upon white horses, and
that when the head OF the procession reached
the church in Bennington Center, the rear Of
its heightened line was still solemnly filing
through our village Main street, Major
Brown snys that he thinks the funeral
Of sir, Stiles was the largest that ever oc-
CURED in Vermont.
As matter Of historical reminiscenee it
viii be OF interest, perhaps, to many of our
readers for us TO relate what has generally
been forgotten, We presume, When Mr..
Stiles first came TO bennington, Mr.. Seth B.
Hunt was the local proprietor OF the old Fur
mace domains, including thousands of acres
Of mines. mountain furests and valley prop
erty. which he had purchased Of 1homas
TIenor, the original protector and proprietor.
Mrs, Stiles. mother Of the unfortunate Alon-
30 u, was housekeeper for Mr.. Hunt, and
her son remained with the new company un-
I'll his death.
Meanwhile, Mt Hunt had organized or be-
come interested IN an extensive scheme, OF
project for erecting aud establishing q large
sale works or manutactOry near Mobile, Ala,
we think. Hiram Waters. ESQ., of Benning-
ton Center, had charge of the erection OF
these works, and took with him from BEN