News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-07-04

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Il find 1t
great pleasure to preside over the
exercises of this event. To be selected
by the town of my adoption to this
position. and in its behalf to bid you
welcome is an honor which is fully APP
preciated, as it comes but once in a
life time, and because the event be-
comes historical.
To us a century is just passing out
of sight, and it will be known only in
history; but as it fades and fingers
and fingers and fades, and vision can
no longer discern it's outlines, and
the path of it IS noiseless escape canno
longer be traced, there comes another
and orander one, the new century,
and ere we know it we are in it and of
it. We hail it with thanksgiving.
Let it be glorious. Let it be the pur-
est, the happiest, and the most
worthy of al the centuries.
No one in this presence saw the
dawn of the one just gone, andnO one
here will be able to tell the history or
see the last of the new one. Yet We,
to-day, rejoice in the privilege of tax
ing part in these commemorative eX-
ercises. which note the end and his
tory of the old and the beginning of
the new.
One hundred years ago to-day Ja-
cob Walker was undoubtedly spend
ing his first 4th of July, in Morris
town, on yonder highlands, in one
sense absolutely alone. 1t was the
18th year of our National Independ-
ence.
The early settlers of New England
had been gradually reaching out into
new territory for homes, and many of
the towns south of US had already
been reached and settled. and from
one of them came Mr. Walker, who
was the first white man to put foot
upon our soil to remain. The first
actual settlement of Morristown was
made by him one hundred years ago.
As have said his first 4th of July
here was spent, comparatively alone,
his only companions being the birds
and beasts of the forest, his axe, his
gun. Yes, he stood on that day amid
the tall giants of unbounded forest,
and on the spot he had selected for
his life home, strong, fearless, pure.
honest. When the rude and rapidly
log house had been COM
pleted the wife came, children were
born. other new settlers followed, and
shortly the little section was known
as a neighborhood-th was at and
just south of the Corners, so called.
Such little neighborhoods were scat
tered all over New England, far apart
and infrequently visited; and when
we, here in this presence, to-day, stop
for moment, even, and let the
minds eye run back over what we
imagine these settlements must have
been, and listen to the story of the
hardships, privations, and
dangers of the early lite of the strong
and intelligent men and women of
that day, we turn aside and wonder
even, that it was possible that so
many survived until extreme old age,
and still more do we wonder when we
look about in this grand assemblage
and see so many of their children in
it, seventy-fve, eighty, eighty-fve and
even ninety years old and over.
We come here this day to talk to,
and with these old people of their
Early life; to listen to history, remin-
scence, thought, and eloquence; to
renew acquaintance; to look each
other in the face; to note the changes
md revive memories of the joys and
sorrows, the successes and failures in
our lives; to pause a moment and
pay tribute to those who have gone
before, have passed over; to honor
their devotion, heroism, and integ-
rity; and to express our admiration
of their purity and great common
sense Every nation, every state, eV-
cry county, every town has it's heroic
age. The heroic age of Morristown
was from 1870 to 1920, the first
thirty years after Jacob Walker
struck his first blow. In those years
The greatest hardships were endured
md the most severe work done to es-
-ablish the foundations of our town.
In those years there came the All
ens, the Boardmans, the kenfields, the
the Yields, the kimballs,
the Matthews, the Olds, the Powers,
the Cooks, the Coles, the SaffOrdS, the
Spauldings, the Gates, the Ferrins,
the Moves, the Brighams and Others
not less remembered or worthy ofmen-
ton, and their lives were those of in
1ustry, rigid frugality, native sim
plicity, and true integrity
The town was organized and from
the day when it's heroic age had
passed to the present it has increased
in population, wealth, general I'ros
Derity, and in all that goes to make
the thrifty, healthy. progressive, and
model New England town. We are
proud of her and her history. She
has always been strong in peace,
strong in war, and first in the hearts
of her citizens. The presence of these
men in blue. noble defenders of our
our hope and reliance in the
dark days of the rebellion show us
that Morristown did herself honor in
that period, and so did her neighbor-
ing towns represented here, and to
our and their veterans we extend
special hearty welcome; may they
live long, and contentedly enjoy the
rich fruits of their perilous service and
devotion to country.
We have kept apace with the times,
have sought and obtained modern
and advantages; our
schools and churches have developed
and sent out into the world strong,
pure, and intelligent men and women.
All the new methods of rapid COM
are ours. We have done
our share in building. We have a
railroad and have paid for it and, so
to speak, owe no man a dollar; and
why should We not celebrate, why
should we not burn powder, make the
air ring with cheers, sing, laugh, and
cry if we must, throw rockets and
make the night brilliant as diamonds
with works of fire, and hideous with
eaithumpion discords if need be?
The history ofthis town is interesting
andfull of "reminiscences and incidents
and peculiar, but it is not |
my part to pass them over to you
Another, a native of the town, elo- |
1uent and admirably fitted, has been |
selected for that interesting work.
This is an age of centennials and |
'e-unions. The nation has had it's CEN
Jennial. For six months, in '76 the |
people of our whole country joined by |
.itizens of every civilized nation in
he world gathered from day to day
n the halls and art galleries at Phil
.ln1r -, - Il 4 L.