The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
IN A GRAVEYARD.
DOXOLOGY.

The old cemetery at Bennington Cen
ter has been written up again and again.
Each time some new features are intro
duced. Mr. Ryan of the editorial staff
of the Troy Press, now doing the CEN
tennial, has written pleasing historical
article. which is of interest in connec-
ton with the Old First Church, which
we illustrate, and the services which are
reported in these columns. He says
On cold Town Hill' in Bennington
Center is graveyard replete with inter
esting subjects for reflection. There can
be seen many quaint tombstones which
mark the burial places of many of the
old pioneer settlers whose names are
Familiarity interviewer in the early his
tory of the state of Vermont, and more
particularly with the history of Ben
nington. There is one tombstone which
designates the grave of the first person
who, died in Bennington. Her name
was Bridget Harwood, wife of Benja-
min HARDWOOD, and the date of her
death was Nov. 10, 1862. Close at hand
is the body of the first person born in
Bennington, Benjamin Harwood, born
Jan. -, 1862, and died jan %, 1851 aged
80 years. Near by is stone. lying hori-
zontally upon four stone posts and com
pletely covering the grave where were
buried the remains of Captain Stephen
Fay, the celebrated proprietor of the
historic Catamount tavern. No more
honorable name than that of Fay APP
pears in the history of Vermont. Cap
tain Fay threw open the doors of his
hostelry, Hospitality entertaining the
rebels who were conspiring to wrest
their homes and country from the tyrant
king. In this old tavern was the coun-
Gil chamber where were held the secret
meetings of the council of safety which
included such men as Thomas Chitten-
den, Ethan Allen, Ira Allen, Robinsons.
Fays, Harwoods, Henrys, and many
! other brave men whose descendants
thickly populate Bennington county
today. One of Captain Fay's family,
David Fay, is buried near him. 1t is a
plain stone which marks his grave, and
there is nothing on it to indicate that
| the remains beneath are of man of i'm
portance in his day. And yet it is told
by the old inhabitants how he went out
with the Green Mountain boys as a
drummer at the age of 16 years. He
was in the front of the charge on Baums
! breastworks, and when the color bearer
] was shot down, he seized the colors and
was the first to overlap the breastworks
and soon had the flag firmly planted on
! the redoubt. '.- .',
A sad story can be read in the north
west corner of the graveyard. A group of
! four stones mark the resting place of the
! family of John Fay. John was killed
in the battle of Bennington. August
! IS. 1177, he being at that time 43 years
! old. Within month he was followed by
| all of the members of the household
j His wife and two SONS, it is said, died of
! grief at the loss of the husband and
! father. Another stone marked the grave
4 of Jesse Field, a devoted friend of Gen.
Stark. who rescued his friend in battle
1 when his horse had been shot dead and
4 fell upon him, binding himto the ground.
In the west end of the yard near the
4 grave of Captain Fay, is the grave Of
1 Jedediah Dewey the first preacher of the
4 first church ever erected in Vermont
i state. He was also schoolmaster and
i was fond of Shakespeare, and on his
i death by his request his epitaph as carved
\ upon his tombstone was taken from the
Il great masters Workshop comfort no
Il man speak. Let's talk of graves and
D. worms and epitaphs. Make dust our
: paper, and with rainy eyes write sorrow
d in the bosom of the earth" His Is the
only tombstone in this yard upon which
is engraved a quotation from Shakes
{ peare. p. Here too are buried four of Yer
mont's governors, Moses Robinson, John
S. Robinson. Isaac Tichenor and Hiland
{, Hall. d On another ancient tombstone is
inscribed; "AIr. Henry Walbridge. Who
amiable in the social, esteemed in the
Christiany faithful in the civil and brave
in the military life, gloriously fell in de-
Tense of American freedom in the battle
of Bennington, Aug. IL, lGT1, in the 33d
year of his age.p An epitaph below this
cannot be read, as the stone has sunk
{ several feet into the eartharfeurr, Lgrz
1--WE have ptuposely reserved to, the
last mention Of q man who stands out in
history in a character peculiarly his
own-~nainely, Anthony HaswelloH Tbe
gravelis marked by,a long slab of Stone
faised several feet above the ground and
elevated on one sidet an angle of forty
FIVE degrees. y1Theislab is supported by
brick n1asOnry. The inscription tells IFS
own st0fy:-" anthony Haswell, "a patriot
of the revolution; printer and founder of
the Vermont Gazette. i (The first paper
printed in Vermont "A sufferer in the
cause of freedom by the sedition act OF
1898. Died May2Snd, 1916, at the age
of go years - Many other equally inter
esting factsmay be Cleaned from this old
graveyard, but enough have been men
toned In the vicinity are many spots
Of peculiar interest as connected with
revolutionary times. AT the southeast
corner of the road leading down the hill
is the spot where stood the house where
Ethan Allen once made his home. On
the opposite corner is the place where
stood the hospital in which those were
nursed who were wounded in the battle
! of Bennington ....-..r