St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-11-04
liquor flask and descended with head

asked and answered the question,
Who was this Jonathan Arnold by
giving a very graphic sketch of the
man and his early experiences in st.
Johnsbury. He had been for several
years a member of congress from r. l.,
and was a man of sterling integrity
and bright intellect. He settled first
at the head of St. JOhnsbury plain,
then and until 1897 known as Arnold's
plain. He also owned the district now
known as Fairbanks village. 1t was
he who ordered the survey of the town
in 1887 which is quantity bounded in
the old charter as beginning at hem
lock tree at Barnet corner, running to
a birch tree at the southwest corner of
Lyndon then to a maple tree at the
southeast corner of Lyndon then to a
stake near a beech tree at Littleton
north corner, then to a stake near a
white pine tree at LittletOn southwest
corner, and then back to the Grounds
begun at" The bill presented for ex-
pense of surveying contained some
odd entries including zone quart rum
Is, seven males victuals at 10d each,
entertainment for hands IOs," etc.
A single tradition in connection
with the surveys was related. DR..
Arnold was with others laying out GER
tain lines in the vicinity of Sleeper's
river, then known as West Branch.
The provisions and equipments were
left in charge of Thomas Todd. When
they returned Todd was found on the
river bank rolled up against log and
fast asleep. "HencefOrward," said
DR.. Arnold, "let the West Branch be
known as Sleeper's river" and so it
has since been known.
During the summer of 1887 DR.. Ar
mold built the first frame house erect
ed in st. JOhnsbury. 1t was located
in the woodlands at the northern ex-
tremity of the plain, just above the
park which still bears the family
name. To this house DR.. Arnold car
ried home his third wife, Cynthia
Hastings, and for years it was occu-
pied by successive generations. The
old house stood until 1874 when the
boys burned it in celebrating the cleo
ton of Gen. Polk.
In June 1857 the several undivided
rights in the township, were "drafted"
e. FILL pir 4
cOrding to the charter for building
mills, was located on the Passumpsic
Just above the mouth of Moose river.
This property, 300 acres, was assigned
to DR.. Arnold, and during the spring
of ~ he put up saw mill and later
grist mill, the modern Paddock village
In 1890 the first town meeting was
held at DR.. ArnOld's house with "Jona-
than Arnold, moderator, Jonathan Ar
mold, clerk" and so on. During this
year the plain was mostly cleared of
its forests, and contained three habi-
tatiOns, DR.. Arnold's at the northern
extremity, Joseph Lords log hut at
the southern and a rude cabin at the
"bend," on the site now occupied by
the st. JOhnsbury house. A road was
cut across the plain, corresponding to
Main street as it now lies-charred
stumps on either side and dense woods
beyond. A ravine 90 feet deep ran
across the street near the corner of
Church street, which was afterward
bridged.
About three years after its organiza-
ton the town was deprived of its most
mold whose last resting place is in the
st. Johnsbury cemetery. The marble
slab which marks the spot bears this
inscription: "HOn. Jonathan Arnold,
died Feb. I, 1893, aged So" After his
death his Oldest son Josias moved here,
young man of much promise, who
died in 1896 in his 2Sth year.
Mr.. Fairbanks explained that it was
not his purpose to speak of events
later than 1900, so much interesting
matter was excluded from this address
that might properly have been brought
in. From memoranda taken at ran
dom he read some of the earlier votes
of those times. In 1892 it was voted
that a bounty of $40 be paid to any
wolf" and kill him; that hogs should
not run at large during the ensuing
year, etc.
After the address the people were
invited to the vestries below, where
the ladies of the South church had
prepared fine oyster supper which
was enjoyed by quite number.
EsThe Originals" together with some
Account of an Accommodating Old
Bear.
Mr.. Editor Since our Centennial
meeting, some inquiry has been made
as to the original documents from
which quoted. On this point will
add a word further.
King Georges charter of DunmOre is
preserved i'm the state hall of Albany,
N. Y, to which place l went some
years ago and got my copy. In the
same depository are the minutes Of
commissioners who received claims,
showing names of 20 or 30 persons who
claimed satisfaction for their Dun
more investments, (curiOus old names,
e. g. Goldsbrow Banyar, Stout Blan-
dell, Evart Byvank, etc. Gov. Chit
tenden's charter of the new town nam