The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-09
North Bennington.

North bennington.
On Saturday the Sd inst, daughter
was welcomed by Mr.. and Mrs. Seth
Gooding.
Charles Atwood and family of Brook
Ign, N. Y, are guests of Mr.. and Mrs. G.
E. Yelling and other friends.
George Walbridge gave flying visit
to his parents, Monday, leaving on the
Tuesday morning sleeper.
Several from here have attended the
Cambridge Valley Fair this week pro-
nouncing it grand success.
Miss Macloon, who has been visiting
her friends at Riverside, left this week
for her home in GAINESVILLE, Wiss.
The Rev. Thos. Rogers of South Shafts
bury is expected to exchange with the
pastor of the Congregational church
next Sunday, morning and evening.
Richard Wadsworth who has been
spending portion of his college vacation
here has gone to Boston and Bridgeport,
Conn, before returning to New Haven.
Mrs. Gildersleeve of Stanton Island, N.
Y, returned to take up her school
Thursday, viG Saratoga, This is her
fourth visit to our village to spend her
vacation.
1t is expected that three of the gradu-
ates of our Graded school will take
course of college training, one each in
the Vermont University, Burlington,
Norwich University, Northfield, and
Holy Cross College, Worcester, Mass.
Mrs. Bouyage and daughters left for
their home in New York Thursday
morning. They have boarded here
through the warm season and will be
welcomed back next summer if they
carry out the expectation to come
another year.
Deacon Rufus Towsley, who has been
quite infirm for long time, was pros
trated last week and is still confined to
his bed, but it is hoped will recover so
as to be out again. The health of Mrs.
Towsley, is poorly, and solicitude is felt
that she may regain her wonted activity.
The position of pastor of st. John the
Baptist church, lately filed by Rev. G.
E. Provost, who has removed to
LaChance formerly of Orwell, vt. We
bespeak for him a cordial welcome, and
a congregation faithful to their appoint
ed head.
OBITUARY.
Rufus Bangs, one of our most aged
and respected citizens, died early Mon
day morning in the eighty-ninth year of
his age, having been born May 18th,
1904. He was born in Montague, Mass,
and his education was limited. He
learned the blacksmith trade of his
uncle, Samuel Root in Brattleboro, who
was for many years president of bank
there. Being an expert workman at his
trade, he made bank lock which at
that time was considered a marvel, and
was used as an advanced means for
security. He carried all his worldly
goods on foot in pack on his back, in
Journey to Chicago about this time, when
all there was of the town was little
military fort and few small houses.
He worked aU his trade on his way back
and came to Salisbury, when about
twenty-one years old, where he married
Miss Laura Draper, with whom he lived
years. He worked at forging squares,
when the making of metal squares was in
its infancy, for the inventor, S. Halves,
at Paper Mill village, now Bennington
Falls, and was himself the inventor of
a process for rolling squares, or the
tapering of them from the heel to each
end. The patent was renewed, and there
has been no improvement made upon it
to this day. The mode of holding
squares, in the act of grinding them upon
large grindstones, and applying roll to
keep the surfaces together, was con-
trived by him but was not thought of, as
of sufficient Importance to apply for
patent, but which has proved to be of
great value. Squares were first filed and
ground on the edges, until he contrived
jointer for doing it which very much
simplified the operation. His inventive
power was not considered as the outcome
of scientific knowledge, but as the result
of native genious brought into practical
development. At an early day, he was
in company with Stebbins D. Walbridge,
but afterwards he came to this village
and the merchantile business of Hawks
& Loomis, was consolidated with his
square business, under the firm of
Hawks, Loomis & Co., at first in the
Beechnut store and afterwards in the
place of P. l.. Robinson, whose store they
purchased. After disolving, Mr.. Bangs
went to Plainfeld, ILL.,, and resided with
children there for about twenty years,
whence he returned nine years ago, and
has resided with his son, J. o. Bangs,
ever since. He with his aged wife, who
deceased August 9Th, and both of whom
have fol- long time been in feeble health
requiring constant care, have had their
declining days made pleasant and peace
full by the kindly and affectionate at
tention of his son and daughter-in-law.
He was man of sterling worth and in
tegrity. The funeral was attended
Wednesday at 10 o'clock a. M, conduct
ed by Rev. Mr.. Tozer, with singing by
the Baptist choir, under the management
of ]. Ed. Walbridge, undertaken.
Woodford.
Isn't the "harvest moon beautiful.
Mrs. Downs of New Haven, a relative,