The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-04
Arxplcal vermont Farm


Among the Bennington farms which
have been notably improved and brought
to a good state of cultivation is that of
John Wool Griswold of Troy, says the
Troy Times. This property, which is at
Bennington Centre and under the
shadow of Mount Anthony, was bought
by Mr.. Griswold about seven years ago
of Orrin Paige. and consisted of about
100 acres. Subsequent purchase of adj
joining lands has swelled the place to
1856 or 10 acres. A large two-story
house, one of the landmarks of the town,
having been built in 1889 by Rev. Job
Swift, graduate of Yale and a much
esteemed pastor of the old First Church,
stood on the farm, but was torn down by
Mr.. Griswold. A new farmhouse, built
in the style of century ago, with ample
barns of similar architecture, was erected
at some distance south of the old house
that was demolished. improvement of
the farm began in earnest. A long line
of old stone wall, that fenced one side of
the highway, was taken away, the
ground graded and long row of young
elms set out. This made striking
change in the appearance of the property
and denoted much taste in the owner.
Knolls were leveled, wet places drained,
old folds broken up, tumble-down walls
carted away, brush cut down, trees up
rooted and fertilizers generously mixed
with the soil. Among the substan tial
improvements of the past season have
been the building of $50 rods of fence
with iron posts and the laying of two
carloads of tile drain. The transforma-
ton is pleasant to see-the straight
fences, the fields with square and we'll
cleaned corners, the dark soil and the
general air of tidiness. 1t cannot be
grow once more on these upland fields.
A large field of winter rye, luxuriant
and green as in June, is growing on the
farm to-day, and looks like an oasis in
the brown fields around. Nearly all the
live stock on the farm is in horses, of
which there are 16 or IS. 1t is said Mr..
Griswold has a strong weakness" for
the genus equine. Several COWS are
kept on the place, but the premises are
too sacred for even single hen to
scratch or cackle thereon.
The farm, which lies out boldly to the
rising sun, runs back toward the west
and takes in portion of the wooded
slopes of the northeast side of Mount
Anthony Just within the woods is the
famous cave-the most famous in New
England. 1t is formed in limestone and
has seven distinct rooms. 1t is thought
by some that the cave is connected with
the so-called pit of misery ON the west
side of the mountain, and about mile
and half away. Perhaps further dis
coveries may settle this point. One can
not help considering the possibility of
the existence of gloomy chambers hung
with stalactites, vast corridors, damp
inches, ragged aisles and depths and
heights where rayless night has always
brooded. There are legends and stories
of these things. Some day some intrepid
soul will explore the cave and find out
ONOly oSSlOO anu OlCstl up =
The dark shadow of tragedy once lay
over the Griswold farm. 1t was one
bright Sunday in August, 1902. Several
men were harvesting grain on the Ros-
well Moseley place, an adjoining farm,
when they were drawn into bitter
quarrel with an Indian named Gordon.
The Indian reiterated up the road, but
was overtaken at spot near the pres
ent driveway of Mr.. Griswold's farm
house by two of the men, Whitney and
Tibbetts, and was fatally dubbed upon
the skull.
1t has been reported each season for
several years past that Mr. Griswold
contemplated erecting in the near future
a summer residence ON or near the site
of the old Job Swift house. There
seems to be little foundation for these
rumors. 1t is understood that he will
next season live in the attractive summer
residence occupied by E. NJ. Green of
Troy, as Mr. Green desires to try for a
season or two the attractions of some
other locality. Yet many in Benning-
ton really believe that it will not be long
before they will see the turrets of Mr..
Griswold's summer villa rising above the
tree-tops.