The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
Celebration in ITS
BENNINGTON VICTORY NF 1777.
INrROnrCrnRY NOTE.

The battle of Bennington was fought
August 10Th, I'M and its anniversaries
have ever since been observed as holt
days in that and the neigllboring towns
and have been celebrated with all tic
demonstrationsof ne joicing that are lls-
ual through the country ON ''Independ-
ence Day." such as the discharge-of cam
non, the display of banners, .military
parade, professions with music ,orations
and public dinners.
The first anniversary celebration at
Bennington took place the 10Th of
August, 1178, one year after the victory
on which occasion "a speech was de
~livere by Noah Smith, A., b., and "a
poetical essay, by Stephen Jacob, A. B."
They were two young men who had
Just graduated at Yale College, and had
come to the new country and State of
Vermont to remain and t"seek their for
tunes, with the like purpose that
thousands of VermOnters have since
emigrated to the newer regions of the
west. The class of ITS, in which they
had graduated, contained also the
names of Noah Webster, Joel Barlow,
Oliver WolcOtt, Zephaniah Swift, Uriah
Tracy, and others who afterwards be-
came highly distinguished. Both Smith
law. Both deservedly acquired con-
siderable prominence in the State.
Noah Smith was admitted to the Bar
of the Superior Court of the State at
Westminster in May, 1779; was at the
same term appointed States Attorney,
pro tenn, for Cumberland County, and
was Immediately engaged in his official
capacity in the prosecution of a number
&c tl,o n II, a,.ontc a Naxu Vnrly k1-l,o ho1
been concerned in resisting the author
ity of the State land whose convection be
procured. Having settled in Bennington
he was the same year appointed States
Attorney for Bennington County which
Office he held for several years. He was
a Judge of the Supreme Court for five
years prior to 1901, and he was also
Collector of the United States Internal
Revenue under the administration } of
President, Washington, Israel Smith,
his younger brother, read law with him
at Bennington; began practice at, Ru-
pert, removed tosRutland, and became
Governor OF the Staterin 1907. - Noah
Smith was bof1 in Sufield, Connecti-
cut, and settled In Bennington in 1873.
He removed to Mifton soon after the
year 1900, where, be Ged,, December %,
1872, aged 57,1 81 E'NN4
Stephen Jacob is believed to have a.
native of Sheffield, Massachusetts. Soon
after he came to Vermont, he settled in
Windsor. where he died II February
1917. at the age of Gil. He, represented
Windsor in the General Assembly ON
several occasions, was, one OF tie C0un-
Gil of Censors' IN 1852 member of the
Constitutional Convention of 1893, a
State Councillor for five years, ending i'm
1900; and Judge of the Supreme Court
- The speeehIand poem at the celeb.a-
ton Of the yietary-at, Bennington, Al-
gust 10Th. 1f1S, were printed at Hart.
ford Connecticut, in 1919, and were Is
follows:
A Speech delivered at Bennington Oh
the Anniversary of the 10Th of august
1877, by Noah Smith, A. B.-EGtford
Printed by-g,Watson q GOODWIN.
mdeclxxix.
IA VOTE OF THANIJg as
The committee (consisTg Of ffve)
chosen hy the people who composed the
audience. return their thgks TO Messrs.
\ Noah Smith and Stephey jacob for their
agreeable oratioHs dfVered IN COM
memoration Of thePaetIe Fought at
Bennington on the ehloraoie 10th of
August. lTT7, and fS 1Il5. copy thereof
~ 'i-' Pi9' Cg{of the Committee.
sIECH, ETC.
Ill., bistc,.9 America during the
Ia. ne t. li5.o :, this relates events favor
h ~ w ~ - daEe which has exceeded
a a',r $500 ~ 7hs, established our indie
uur ~ "a astonished the world.
RInuo =, IN none has been more sig-
nai tbar At which happened on the
I r,,'l o,lr5 10Th of August, 1777, of
Which is the anniversary.
Thn Bcollection of past events
,,hat7 merciful or affective, often pro-
Snnf good effect in the human mind
law ding it to view the operations of
tiEBeing by whose permission all