Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-13
THE VERMONT COLOSY.
The story of the Band of Nermontcrs who
Went to Dakota.

The story of the Band of Vermontcrs who
Went to Dakota.
An interesting history of the ~ ermont
colony which went from the eastern part
of the state to Dakota last summer APP
pears in the Legation, OAK, J"ufHdt'
written by Capt. II. n. Bruce. who went
from Barnard and was one of the most
active men i'll the scheme. The name
"Ioyalton,' by the way, seems likely TO
have been made from Royalton, the town
which was the headquarters of the organ
izntioa here The article is headed lone |
Mans Perseverance" and gives the credit
of the enterprise to b. f. Bowman. W hen |
about to move to Dakota himself, nearly |
two wears ago, Bowman was askeu why |
he did not get some OF army llltHuo "
! 20 out there also. He fell in with the |
idea at once, but met with considerable
opposition and diScouragement People !
were afraid of Dakota. They believed the
ground froZe twenty feet III WINTER ana
never thawed out in summer; they, be
licved that no house could be built to
withstand the force of the tornadoeS ana
cyclones they thought that Dakota
blzzards would surely be their death.
1t was hard to make them realize
that cold did not entirely depend
on latitude, but that longitude had
much to do with it, and when told that
Dakota was as lar south us France but
few would believe ii until they, had con
suited their maps. They would positively
assert that fifteen feet OF snow was com
mon i'm winter and that drouth grass
hoppers and hailstorms We're sure to come
in summer
; FINALLY Il meeting of those interested
was held ut Royalton February H. 1870,
+ where Mr. Bowman lived, and the colony
= was fairly started. Gen. stephen thomas
e of Montpelier, Capt. Lemuel NJ. Hutchln-
} son of Worcester and H. ID. l.eavitu Of East
e Barnald were chosen an advisory colh-
h nittce to act with b. f. bowman, agent
: bv power of attorney to locate. Ijculainln
e T. bowman was chosen to contract for
: TRANSFORMATION Gen. stephen Thomas,
= lemucl NJ Hutchinson, Rev Henry y.
T.. Van Dalsam, Mark j. Sargent and Harvey
q " Bruce were chosen board lOr the or
e uauiZatiOn OF schools; and Rev Henry y.
l. Van Da!saln of North Pomlret chaplain,
II j. ID. Denlsuu of Royalton was chosen
i lcgal counsel for the colony which was To
}. be known as the Vermont colony. The
it business in relation to the colony already
done by b. +. Bowman, was ratified ana
.d Mark j. Sargent of South ROyaltan ap
is pointed corresponding secretary.
~ The LOCATING committee visited l)akoti
ut in April. and after looking over the helt
ri finally settled on the south center town
id ship in EdmuudS county, which lies Ill
Jk tie south of the centre OF the territory
at Their reasons for this location were ina
ne there the cora and wheat belts meet, AM
Sc good crops of either are sure. Cyclones
e tornadoeS, grasshoppers, droulhS am
he blizzurds seldom visit the place, Will
Jr seeding can begin early in March and con
Il tnue late into May, and the land ate
ne the first blowing is the easiest TO Work c
40 any on this continent. seldom luihpy
~ sticky, it is of great and lasting strength
III and will produce wonderful crops OF gran
70 and vegetables of all kinds. 1t was foun
us that cattle would thrive on the grass III
lie year round, the amount OF snow beng ;
on small that the grass can always |
tor reached.
oil The location is II fine rolling pralrl
nd with good chance on nearly every clall
for a tine basement to Il barn, with stol
Sc, enough near by to stone 1t, also enough
DIS. unIerpn houses and stone up wells
Md township in which there is no waste laI
IDS and where there is as good water AS Ca
css be found in Vermont. Here roads WI
id. always be good and taxes light-the be
psk climate in Dakota, which Of itself w
SIT cure many of the ills flesh is heir I
II n Here and all through central DAKOTA u
inc settlers are nearly all intelligent Northe
ing people, and competing railroads are su
nth to be near.
on After making the location the commit
use returned to Vermont, and May y Il par
Iich started from Vermont and reached thu
due location June |. Among those,Who we
ltu- were George c. Dean, r. a. Chuck,
~. /
lash Hancock, Frank McI.ain, Charles I. Rel
; Of James II. Brown, Silas f.. AleNander,
five W. Fletcher and son, IL. Paddleio
taid NIvron l.. Ayres, \. Cheney, Lyman
II buchanan, G. b. Forbes and VIE, 20
p by ShcIluu, Hiram Barton, Lyman \. Br'
Iard son, Neuophou Udall and son, Henry
iler. West, Martin sheldon, WaYtnd llH\
.siJc Charles Heuick, +. b. Campbell, byl
md, +. Gross, NJ. \. Bass, o. r. Campbell,
out Green, A. i. ellison, james IL. French,
had II. Howe, ". -. Howe, j. T.. Wellm
ype, l.. N. Hutchinson, Bcujamin +. Down
more 4. T. Folsom. Harrison Carleton and :
Solomon Cameron and wife, y: Ii. +
long nam. j. Putnam, Eugene Templet
the Harver Wiley and sou, w. w. Ward
hun NJ Chamberlain, IL. G. De2n, lie
lfess Hunt Another party from Nerm
o we Joined the colony in September, Wh
eight included: George sheppard, Orren I
we yer, Lester NJ. =. Griswold, Fred DC
not Hiram DeWolf, w. b. Kingsley, VIII
pre- Barnister, Israel Oban, NJ. T.. Kent
ften, Latham, b. G. Latham, Albert Sn
even Jason Allen, George Hancock, Jr;,
vine. Chisholm, w. H. II. Dickinson, IL.
lined ball. Eben Taplin. ,,
II fell There now are thirty-one cnlluren
,liged school age in the village ilhllts, an
We schOOlhouse is to be bullt soon IN
nally school established.
torial Another delegation Is expected TO
r You the colony soon. A substantial, conn
editor able class of houses are being bullt, n
hould Grand Army post, II dramatic cup
,man band are organized. Although the
il, not lance from a railroad is yet an neon