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

tie later. V. W. Waterman opened
the first store at Cady's Falls.
The contrast between the mer-
chants of the first half of the century |
and the last marks the transition
from the primitive wants OF pioneer
life and those of luxurious tastes ana
extravagant ambition. 1t is an IN
exorable law of trade that the mer-
chant must minister to the taste OF
the customer if his business is to
thrive. Then calico and sheetlngs
sold for so cents per yard. The only
commodity that was cheap was New
England rum and no article found
such ready sale. Now calico is cheap
and rum dear and both are in much
less demand than then.
The first cabinet maker i'll town
was Joseph Sears at the Corners, the
next Daniel Gilbert at MOrrisvilie.
The first and only halter in town was
Dea. Joshua Merriam on the PLAIN
near the Niles corner. The first
blacksmith was a Mr.. Huggins at the
old center, the next was Earl West
gate at the Corners, the next Mr..
Parkhurst, whose shop was near the
residence of Luman Wheeler. The
first tanner in town was Ebenezer
Shaw. whose tannery was located
nearly opposite the house OF Amos
Strong.
The first frame building in town
was a corn barn built by the Satfords
at Morrisville in | 1913, and the same
is now used for Il horse barn by DeX-
fer Place. The first funeral i'll town
was that of Mrs Fletcher, the mother
of Horace Fletcher, who died on the
Huse farm, the funeral beng held IN
the corn barn Just referred to, ana
the burial taking place in the GENE
terv near Human Wheeler's. The
first lawsuit in town, was a prosecu-
ton of Samuel Town for travelling on
/ the Sabbath Mr.. Town went on
horseback on Sunday to Stowe, was
complained of by Mr. JOY, tried be-
fore Elisha Boardman, justice OF the
peace, and fined 81 and costs.
John and Jedediah Stafford came TO
town from Windsor, Mass, in 1916,
built a saw mill and grist mill at
Morrisville, owned pretty much all
the land now covered by the village
of Morrisville, and did much to build
up the business interests of the VII
lage.
Laporte road was named after a
Mr.. Laporte. a blacksmith living on
| the road, who was Il noted wrestler.
Housed often to meet his competitors
in the manly art at the Corners.
They to return the visit became ac-
customed to say Lets 90 down to
Laporte's and have a wrestle." From
this familiar expression originated
the kindred one Lets 90 down to
| LapOrte" whenever visit was pro-
posed to any place on the road,
Randolph road was named from
the circumstance that many of its
first settlers came from the town OF
Randolph, the first being David
Thomas in 1920.
NEWSPAPERS.
The News AND CITIZEN now publish
ed at Morrisville is the elimination OF
several newspaper enterprises IN the
County. The firstpaper published IN
the County was issued in Sept. 1880
at Stowe by Gov. Hendee's father,
Rev. J. p. Hendee, and was called the
/ Christian LuminarV. 1t was issued
semi-monthly and lived about two
and one-half years. The second paper
was the "FermOnt State Paper es-
| tablished at Johnson in 1888, by
Chas. G. Eastman, afterwards editor
of the Vermont Patriot at Montpel-
Ter. which still later, came into the
hands of Hiram Atkins, who combin
ed with it the Bellows Falls Argus
the two making up the Argus ant
| Patriot so well known in the State
The Vermont State Paper" survived
two wears and was followed by IN
LamoiIie Express published by Mr.
, ! Eastman at J OhnsOn. Thename wa
+ soon changed to the LamOHe Ban
ner. and the paper survived seNefa
, wears. In the famous lOg-cabin can
Daion of $40, Mr. Eastman publish
ed campaign paper at Johnson cal
ed the Scorpion which made VigOrOu
attacks upon Old Tippecanoe. TIL
same year the LamOHle Wing wa
started at Johnson by Joseph Pc
land. This paper continued to be Il
i !
, about three years, when it suspend
. ed. The next in order of time was tn
American Observer, first published a
Morrisville by J, A. Somerhyin 1885,
This paper continued to be issue
about five years when it suspended
: The La1OiHe NeWsdealer was estal
lished at Hyde Park in the fall {
f., 1860. The Vermont Citizen was e.
tablished at MOrrisville in the sprin
I of 1873, by A. A. Earle, who'll 1871
: purchased the NeWsdeaIer and con
. bined the two. This consolidatio
: alarmed our neighbors at Hyd
Park, who rallied and established III
+ News in April 1877, and two paper
: were issued till 1881 when the New
AND CITIZEN were united. This papt
is published at MOrrisville. This p;
n per has a large list of subscribers,
n manly straightforward and ente
e prising dispenser of public inform'
n ton and, like everything else in tow
r high toned and prosperous.
If MILITARY HISTORY.
/ Thepeople of our town have alway
/. been active in military matters. III
/ charm of military parade, the stoI
L of heroic service, the record of mil
: tary achievement, have ever furnishe
o the theme that excited the admiratiC
/ of MOrristown people.
s Several of the earliest settlers sd
/ service in the Revolutionary war an
q were in receipt of pensions for sue
d service, among them was Crlspl
&c Shaw, John Cole, James Little, Mos
( Weld. Josiah Roberts, Barzil
y Spaulding and Samuel Cook. TT
d story told by these men to the
n children and neighbOrs of army life {
IS they saw it, doubtless excited ii
e same sharp interest as that wit
d which you and |, listen to the boys
1861, as they relate the experience
which they passed through. We a
ways lament that our courage Wa
I. not up to our convictions and thu
> we lost the golden opportunity of
lie life time. After the late war ende
r. you all recall with what fiery zes
y some of our stay-at-hOme patriot
Z. organized a military cOmpanyin tn
IL town, and what patriotic fire mantl,
y our cheeks as Capt Gleed, clothed
IN one of WOolson's seventy-fve doll
uniforms, marched his invincible ba
talions up and down our streets.
O. Just so after the settlement of o
= town. As soon as the settlers we
10 sufficiently numerous, a cOmpal