The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-11-04
A Famous Old donaa.

''The death of Ezra W. Boughton of
Troy, who died Saturday at the Governor
Isaac Tichenor place in Bennington Cen
tire, the summer residence of the de-
ceased, recalls many interesting facts
respecting one of the old-time mansions
of Bennington. The house, which stands
on slightly elevated ground at a consid-
cradle distance from the highway, is
large two-story structure painted white
and has green blinds. The grounds are
tastefully arranged, having finely kept
lawns and walks and wealth of beauti-
full trees, which at place almost embower
the old place from view. The house,
which bears some traces of colonial arch
itecture, was built in 17SS, and all the
nails used in its construction were forged
in Bennington from hoops taken from
imported liquor casks. 1t was consider
ed almost palatial in appearance and in
appointment in early times. Tichenor
place is made mention of by John A.
Graham, LII. D., of London, who visited
Bennington in 1897 and on his return to
England wrote what was entitled "A
Descriptive Sketch of the State of YER
mont, which was published in the same
year, and dedicated to the Duke of Mon
trose, as follows: Moses Robinson has a
superb brick house in Bennington, as
also Jonathan Robinson. Mr.. Dewey
and Mr.. Smith have very elegant houses,
but for real taste in architecture Isaac
TichenOr's wood-house is the best laid
out and executed, according to the size
of it, of any in Bennington county. His
chimney pieces and hearths are of beau
titul clOuded marble, as highly polished
as any have seen in London, and to his
further honor be it spoken, Mr.. Tichenor
4. -
cuted by his own hands, Mr. Tichenor
settled in Bennington in 1777 and lived
in a small house, which was subsequently
used as an office, few rods west of the
present house. During the war of the
Revolution he was deputy commissary-
general of purchases for the Northern
Department of the army. After the war
he engaged in civil pursuits and rose to
great distinction, being elected Senator,
to Congress, to the Chief Justiceship of
Vermont, and to the GovernOrship for
eleven years in all. He died in 1888, and
the property passed into the hands of
Deacon George Lyman, whose second
wife was Governor Tichenor's adopted
daughter. Finally Mr.. Boughton and
his wife, whose maiden name was Cathe-
rine Lyman, daughter of Deacon LYMAN
acquired title to the estate. note
worthy event in the history of Vermont,
the hanging of David Redding for IN
imical conduct occurred about five rods
west of the Tichenor house. 1t was the
first public execution that had taken
place in the State, and great excitement
was caused all through New England.
Redding was hanged for clandestinely
taking and carrying off for the use of the
tories a number of guns from the house
of nouiA Rnhinenn in RauninOtDn W here
they had been lodged for safe keeping.
He had two trials, both Ofwhich resulted
in conviction. The first tT al was by six
jurymen only but sentence was passed
and the day June 4th, 177S-fiXed for
the execution. People came from long
distances to witness the execution, but
when they found that there was balk
IN the proceedings they became noisy
and threatening, but were quoted by
Col. Ethan Allen, who had just been re-
leased from long imprisonment in Eng
land. Allen mounted a stump and said:
Attention, the whole? Go home and
come again one week from to-day and
you shall see somebody hanged; if Red
ding is not hanged, will be hanged my
self For want of Jail, Redding had
been confined in room in the horse
shed of the old CatamOunt tavern, a
famous inn of the Revolution, and had
once for the want of sufficient care on
the part of Jacob Sackett, his keeker, es-
capped and fed as far as Hoosick, where
he was retaken. For Sackett's negli-
gence he was required by Sheriff Benja-
min Fay to drive the Ox-wagon with Red
ding to the place of execution. Mr..
Bonghton will long be remembered, not
only rs the custodian of one of Benning-
toms famous historical places, bat for
his pure and upright life and his benevo-
lence in furthering many enterprises at
Bennington Centre.-Dr. Day, in Troy
Times.