The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-11-06
SIxty-Nine Years Ago.

SIxty-Nine Years Ago.
Some of the things found in an exami-
nation of file of papers printed in Mid
dlebury in the years 1Sl6-17 are interest
ing. The paper is the Christian Herald,
published at No. >, Merchants Row. by
Il. C. Strong in 1916 and by Francis Bur-
nap in 1917 The life of the printer in
those days does not seem to have differed
much from that of those who carry on
weekly journals in some places in these
days. The editor was glad to take any
thing he could get for his paper. He adj
vertised most of the time for sheepskins
Ito make ink-balls of, or for wood, or
flax-seed, or potatoes. Finally. in June,
1917, he waxed wroth, and, after thank
ing his patrons for their "Ostensible'
support of his paper, informs them that
for long time past he has not re-
ceived enough from subscribers ito de-
fray one half the cost of the paper on
which it is printed" and that his cred
itors give him but short time. "Thus
circumstanced, he goes on ;''thus crowd
ed on the one side and neglected on the
other, we find it indispensable for our
own safety to retire from the field.'
But if he had good luck collecting he
would go on after a time. 'at farthest in
about four months" Three months af-
ter he sold out and left his accounts in
the hands of Dorastus Wooster for col
lection. Let us hope his successor had
more agreeable lot.
OF matters of local and general history
there are many hints. The notice of the
meeting for the organization of Middle
bury village appears in February, 1917.
and the first village officers chosen, in
March of that year, were: Clerk, Samuel
Swift; bailiffs, Daniel Chapman, iona
IIagar, Horatio Seymour, Artemus Nix
on. Ira Stewart: treasurer. John Sim
mons collector, DR.. Zaccheus Bass. Boz
naparte was on ST. Helena and a story
that he had escaped is published. and
also this. taken from the american Daily
Ad1euiSer:
"a gentleman who arrived at Philadelphia in
the Conestoga from the Isle of France has in
formed us that he passed the island of St Helena
80 DAYS ago and was informed by of the
lookout ships that the eX-EmperOr was in good
health, but still adhered to his sullen DISPOSE
ton"
The famous Dartmouth college case
was argued in September, 1917, Daniel
Webster being one of the counsel for the
college. James Madison was President,
and one of his messages, which were
lusha was governor of Vermont. His
Thanksgiving proclamations would each
fill a column of this paper. These were
the officers of the Addison county court :
Hon. Henry Oin, chief Judge; William
Slade, jr., Ezra HOyt, side Judges; Hora-
| ito Seymour, States attorney; Jonathan
| Hoyt. jr., sheriff; Wightman Chapman.
| bailitt. Hon. Darius Matthews was Judge
| of probate for the district of Addison.
| President Davis was at the head of the
| college, but Rev. Joshua Bates succeeded
him during 1917. Only meagre reports
| of the commandments are printed. In
| deed, it appears to have been the custom
in those days for newspapers to give as
| little local news as possible. The Mid
dlebury College Charitable society, for
aiding students preparing for the minis
try, was 1ourishing organization. Feb.
5, 1917, the directors acknowledge, with
much pleasure, the receipt of 20 yards of
fulled cloth of a superior quality, from a
number of ladies in Bridport," and con-
tinue: considering the pressing call
for pious and faithful ministers. and that
there are a considerable number of young
men of promising talents and hopeful
pety in this college, whose object is the
gospel ministry and who rely principally
on charity for support, it is to be hoped
that so laudable an example will be imi-
tated by Others"
A table shows that the number of
young gentlemen" who received the de-
gree of A. B. in the different colleges of
New England in 1917 was: Middlebury
Is: University of Vermont, 4; Dart
mouth, 80; Harvard, 67; Yale, 81; Will
liams, T..
The notices of marriages and deaths
are full of familiar names. Among the
latter are those of President Dwight of
Yale college ,Gouyerneur Morris at West
chester, n. Y. and of Rev. Samuel Will
liams at Rutland. Mr.. Williams was a
noted man in his day, professor at Har-
vard and father of Gov. Charles h. Will
liams.
That there were hasty marriages be-
fore the days of easy divorces and Di-
vorce Reform leagues is attested by the
following:
"Love at FIRST sight-MARRIED-At Philadel
phia, by the Rev DIR. Abercrombe, MIR. VIM
! Wallace, merchant, to the sweet and aniablC
Miss Kitty Leegy. both ofthis city. delays are
dangerous" to prevent which the happy pair
went through the whole ceremony of courtShip,
consent and marriage in the short spac of thirtI
nlinUtesl
The wound was deep. twas death to tarry,
To heal each wound, at once they marry"
Here ale Others of the marriages chron-
icled:
On Monday evening, the 18th inst, by Rev. I
| A. Merrill, Mr.. James Mcdonald, Merchant, Il
Miss Eliza Sergeant, daughter of Mr.. Sam'l Sar
geant.
In this Borough, on sunday evening last, 10y
Hastings Warren, Esq, Mr. Oliver Wellington t,
| Miss Lucretla Barnaby.
In this Borough on the 9th ut., by the Rev 4
| \. Merrill, Mr. Rufus Wainwright + Miss Abb
-ail Sargent, daughter of Mr.. samuel sergeant
| all of this Borough.
| MARRIED-ln South Carolina, on the LIST inst.
| Mr., stephen Lyon to Nj So Rebecca Lamb.
The happy times at length arrived.
In scripture days torelOd,
When lamb and lion both unite,
Embrace and keep one fold.
The obituary poet was abroad in the
land then as now. This is the first par
of one of his productions:
When smiling spring returns,
The trees bud forth and all looks gay.
Thus when Frightening youth on the dawn
OF time first lifts his cheering eye,
An TO his active mind is dressed
In gayest colors, and lile's scene,
still chcckered DER with good and i'll
ANN nFa. Vaa al.aa- rim L.. of HIK1