Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-05-29
Our Standard Bearers.

REDFrELp PRocToR, our worthy nominee
for Governor, was born in the quiet village
of Proctorsville, in the town Of Cavendish, in
the year 1881. lie was the youngest Of four
children, of whom he is the only survivor.
His father, Jabez Proctor, with younger
brother, John Proctor, under the partnership
style of j. & j. Proctor, established and
maintained for many years large mercan-
tile and manufacturing business, which
grew TO large proportions, and was success
fully carried on.
Jabez was a man of general affairs, of
great foresight and sagacity. His abilities
were for many years pressed into the public
service. And the old Governors Council in
its deliberations of matters of state, found
no weighter counsellor than ,Jabez Proctor
He was man of few words, but a wonder
full thinker. When matter was matured
in his mind he acted with singleness of pur
pose. Sometimes his treatment of sub.
ject was of the heroic kind.
When the young and thriving village had
become an important factor in shaping the
affairs of that part of Windsor county,
among other things it happened that new
road was cut between the mountains from
Proctorsvlle to Chester and thence TO Bel
lows Falls, which avoided the old turnpike
on which the traveller had plodded his way
and paid his tolls for half a century, through
Duttonsville And it was found that the
new road was the shorter and cheaper route.
1t was called the Gulf road, and sometimes
the" Shunpike." Duttonsville, a rival village
in the same town, had never before felt any
such disturbing agencies at work, and the
old turnpike gate was taken up and placed
square across the new road, and tolls de
manded. Jabez Proctor had occasion to &C
to Chester on business. Whether he pro
posed to pay toll for passing along the roac
which he had constructed for free travel wa,
not known to any one but himself. III,
drove span of large and powerful horses
harnessed to heavy Dutch wagon. Blu
the horses increased their speed and the ole
Dutch wagon its momentum as they ap
preached the gate, and the small fragment
of that barrier were strewn along the high
way for many rods. The toll gatherer stoo,
in CONSERVATION. The news was carried u
Duttonsville. Turnpike directors and stock
holders gathered in the streets. Tin-ped
oilers and village doctors stopped to inquir
whether it was an earthquake or volcan
that had come upon them. Old Captain
Proctor, the venerable sire of ninety year,
aud man of peace, feeling becoming
pride in his sons, came out to learn the tru
inwardness of the matter. When he dis
covered it he said in his quaint and peculia
manner " They say that our Jabez has ru
the gate in vigorous manner" The roa
became free, and no further occasion existe
for further running"
Colonel Proctor married the daughter {
Fletcher Dutton, and the houses of Yor
aud Lancaster became united, and peace hs
since reigned in the town of Cayendish. II
mother, Betsey Parker Proctor, was the 81
ter Of Mrs Hannah Redfeld, now living
Coventry at the age of ninety-four, and
Judge Isaac Parker, living in the same plac
aged eighty-seven And in that line the
is strong and vigorous blood and natur
scholarship. We know of no layman in Il
state that is so ripe a classical scholar
Judge Parker.
Colonel Proctors mother lived with MI
Redfield before her marriage, and was train
in the school that nursed her in the coura,
and hardship incident to the pioneer sett
ment of the state. She passed on horsebac
in June, 1910. the valley of Barton river, al
landed on the bluff but few moments /
fore the surgng Runaway Pond swe
through the valley, leaving neither tree n
bridge behind. And the kindly rememb
anoe of her early association with her sis
gave the family name to her son.
We know Of no better exponent of {
mental and moral sinews of the early :
tiers of Vermont than Redfeld Proctor.
representative Governor of the state he