Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-20
NO. "a.

creed political preference. Those who differed
with him upon these subjects questioned his
honesty or his ability and always found him to be
able fearless, conscientious and loyal man. He was
the right man in tho wrong place. The was arg-
er than the field IN which he aborcd, and Whitngham
will celebrate its second centennial without name on
its list OF Baptist clergymen more worthy of being
honored than that Of amherst Lamb In is2I tbs
Baptist society built meeting a short distance
south Of the one where they had wOrshipppd for 26
years, and this building is now occupied BY the same
church. It il not an elaborate structure, but the
poor wayfaring man Of GRIEF can still be recognized
within its Inexpensive walls During the absence Of
Elder Lamb from 1886 to lS45 the desk supplied
by several persons among whom may be mentioned
Elder Tristram Aldrich, who commenced his work
May lst 1896, and remained till the l4th of May 1887
when Elder Alden b. ERgcston began bis abors. FL
der Eggestcn wavered in his re gious tendencies and
was demonstrated with several times by the deacons
and leading members Of the church in relation his
growing heresy. On the 10th Of November, 1893, he
abandoned his church and Joined the Methodists.
whether this change considered by him essential
to salvation does not appear record, but he un-
doubtedy had an honest motive in taking such i'm
pOrtant step. Elder Foster Hartwell was the next
minister His services closed when Elder Lamb re-
turned IN I64j on the 18th of October 1857, Elder
Erastus A. Briggs began to preach in this town he
was young man Of much promise but died the
4th Of June 1861. On the llth Of August 1861 Elder
Thomas Wrinkle became pastor, but entered the army
request. At this date Elder Thomas p. Brigss a
brother Of Erasus A, began to preach and continued
TIL Sept. TO- 1869, when Elder saml p. Everett came.
He remained till Elder L. d. Wilcox relieved him in
1872. Elder VIM d. Hall followed, Dec. l. 1877, re-
NAMING tlll OCt 70, 1874, when Elder E. d. Worcester
became pastor, remaining till June 20, 1875. He
followed by Elder Jonas O. Bennett who resigned
Oct 15, 1876 May 13, 1876, Elder Lorenzo Tandy be-
gan to preach here and closed In May, 1877. The
present PASTOR Elder Origen smith, began service
here June lst 1879 He is at least the hero OF two
centuries Of town hfe with fair prospect Of two
mOBe in the annals Of his own church. On the 10th
Of April 1909, the town voted that the Baptsts shall
have the Of the meetinghouse half the time for
the space Of one year. three months alternately to be
ended on the 10th day Of April next"
on the iIth day OF July, 1909, there was storm
" igh gtpd all nj Iv = sIo frr
and great damage was done to the crops, well to
roads and bridges.
The town contains record Of any transactions
connected with the war of 1919
1t would appear from the records that the paupers
Of this town In times past not only poor but
ugly the following vote would not have been called
for: March Sd, 1913, Voted that the rules for gov
erning the poor in said town shall be follows ViE
That the persons to whom the Of the Poor
shall bind out or otherwise agree with to take the
charge Of and keep Of the poor Of said town. shall
under the direction Of such be the ocsrs
to iuhict and hereby empowered TO phict any or
all Of the punishments allowed by law any person
f necessary committed to their care and keeping
Prormed they shall in no case exceed extend any
kind Of punishment beyond what the law allows" 1t
is not clear why this vote should have been passed
for it gives no additional authority to that authorised
by the stale
In 1915 a Presbyterian minister was settled in this
town, uy the name Of Riddle, who preached here
about three years. Others of that denomi have
preached occasionally since that time.
On the 4th of March, 1876 the town "Yoted to give
leave to have sheds erected on the north line of the
common These sheds were built for the beneft Of
clurCl-gOerB and extended from the pound westerly
fronting the south.
At this time whtingham had a larger population
than it has to-day, and large business carried
on in this immediate vicinity. Jacksonville and SA-
dawga had not been heard Of and had no appearance
Of becoming the busy places they now are. Strange
it may seem, Whitingham had post-ehice and il
often happened that delicate missives sealed with
spruce gum, were entrusted to private hands. Bus-
ness letters in early times were delivered at Green
hed Bratteboro and Guilford TO be carried into the
wilderness under the guide Of blazed trees and the
OF streams. The postal service was not then
hnf e. a
postal cards for postmasters to read. In 1897 Joua
than Gates Of Whtinghan had letter advertised in
Bratteboro about four months before it deliver
ed and in lIsS Calvin Fuller had letter in the
Office several months.
The first post-ofhce in Whitingham was established
Oct. 2G, 1876 and Adm Thayer the first posmas-
ter. This was at the centre Of the town. The word
''centre does not belong to the official name. The
office located near where Hon. John Roberts resided
aud where Saxton Plumb kept store established
April 10th, 1896 ana Mr.. Plumb postmaster. The
official name of this Office was "Point Pleasant" Mr.
Plumb was man who could sec dollar in the dis
tance, and, like good many others, had large for
tune at the big end of the rainbow but he had such
orelnowledge Of the future prosperity Of a certain
locality in this town as TO believe that his store ought
to be located there. But such a move would leave
Point Pleasant ont in the cold and everybody knows
that post-Othco is not comfortable thing to manage
at distance. But Mr.. Plumb politician, and
knew that Point Pleasant" had too much local vita-
y to be transferred with his store without a bitter
contest and he also knew that change Of name would
be necessary, which would involve the appointment
new postmaster or the reappointment of the then
present incumbent. Being aware that opposition
nlgQt spring up, Plumb and his friends cOQceiy
ed an idea that should not mention here il knew
every person in this assembly to be a politician Il
know that they are numerous at this season Of the
ycar because that class OF people would do precisely
what Mr.. Plumb did if they desired like result. He
knew that President Jackson practical man, and
that giving up mild beautiful and poetic name would
not trouble him. if the substitute appeared striking
and substantial. He therefore made his application
for the removal of the office and that the name be
changed to Jacksoarie. This effort was succes Eful
and the office established Nov. L. 1884 Sax
ton Plumb, postmaster. Jacksonville, previously
cal led hy b0rr, hat
common consent. SadawgR established the 2lst
of December, 1851, and George W. Chase the fret
postmaster. This name is repetition Of the name of
pond near by which is said to have been called SA-
dawga in honor Of an aged Indian who fingered about
its shores after the first settlers came. Tradition
loses sight Of this weird old man by sending him
Shelburne Falls in his birch canoe about 1870 At the
March meeting in 1913, the town voted to petition
the legislature Of this State ct their next session. to
grant lottery for the purpose Of erecting bridge
across Deerheld river near Ira Days's or ZachArah
Wheeers. Voted to choose committee to carry the
above vote into effect" Hon. JOHN Roberts, Amos
Brown, Esq, and Ephram Smith were the commit
tee. 1t appears that this committee did not succeed.
The last lottery granted by the State Of Vermont
Nov g. 1904 to raise S2500 for building bridge
| Otter Greek, at Nergennes.
On the 2lst of December, 1873 the town exhibited
some symptoms Of progress by voting to have stove
aud pipe erected in the Westinghouse, provided il
be done by the propretors thereof" Previous to
this time and for after 1t was customary to put
| the towns poor up at auction, and whoever would
keep them for year at the lowest price became the
pooTmaster Of the town. with authority to punish
| cording TO law. 70 person who had seen better
days, Out mad bcen reduced by sickness and mtsfOr
tune to extreme povery-but sttll human-thin meth
| cd must have been disgusting in the extreme. This
| was New England custom, and was in some MEASURE
record for March 7th, 1895 contains the following
statement; "struck oH old Mrs Williams to Jona-
than Dalrymple for 1880 per year. Struck on old
Mr., Tyler to Eli Hoslsy for $40 per year"
At this meeting the town ''vOted to raise 5000 to
build bridge across Deerheld river near Ira Dsviss"
This after the failure of the committee to raise
| the money by lottery The town at this time In
| prosperous condition, with population Of 2Co more
han -day md tbai nbaI anita nnth lind
| to their prosperity, as will be by tho following
vote Of the 7th Of March, 1926 Voted that the town
| Of Whitngham is lourishing village (meanng the
centre Of the towns in consequence Of which, voted
that hereafter no neat cattle shall be allowed to
large in the public highway" That only 55 years
ago To-day you would hardly assign that as a reason
why neat cattle should be kept out Of the highway.
In 1929 John Brigham, Joseph Goodnow and Amos
Brown were chosen 4 committee to build a bridge
across Deerheld river. The building of this bridge
was q slow process.
| The Methodist Protestant church organized by
| former members Of the Methodist Episcopal churdi
in 1880, in consequence Of some Misunderstanding in
relation to church government. During this contrSb
yersy which commenced as early as 1924, several
ventions were called, and in 1927 eleven minsteIG and
| twenty-five laymsn were suspended and hnP nv eT
PEELED from the Methodist Episcopal church in Bati
more. These persons at once organized under the
| title Of ASSOCIATED Methodist Refotms re-" About
this time, Aug. 80, 1879, church wA9s organised In
Whitingham called the Reform Methodist church :
Joel Jlson clerk till 1888, Syyapus PIKE I'M ls42
when Deacon Royal c. Streeter as elected to that Of
hce. This church started withInipe members addipf
10 more during the first year its existence Elder
EueutEeI DANls was the FIrkt pastor. In 1910 the
church united with the Uniyersaisis in erecting 4
house OF worship This building was erected by Eli
Green, aud located about mile southwest from the
old meeting-house, on the opposite side of the road
north from where DR.. Waters Gilett now lives. You
VIII say that ave given a more minute description
on the locality of this church than necessary. There
is truth IN tnat proposition. You carry it still
further, and say that no mention would have been
| Just as well Those who know where the church
stood fio not need the information. Statements as "a
| postion, boundaries, measurements or comparison
NNh other objects likely to perish Of no account
| 10 them. 1t must be for the future.
Let us look i1pmaRinatiOn down the com ri eentur,
TO the year 1850. The Inhabitants Of this toWn arr
just as ambitious as they are to-day. They do no
propose to be outdone by their fathers and the eee
bratiun Of the second centennial begins TO be tn
theme Of common conversation. The old church hn