The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-03-17
POsTMAsTER, LAWYER, LEGISLATOR.


POSTMASTER, LAWYER. LEGISLATOR.
Interesting Facts About One OF Brattlsbo
ro's Leading Men In tho Latter Part ofthe
Last Century.
Correspondence of the Sunday Republican,
Josiah Arms Is supposed to have been
Bratteboro's first postmaster under postma,-
ter.Genersl Haswelps administration. lie
was the son of John Arms, who was great. |
came from Deerdeld. Josiah kept tavern,
wh 20 S on the site of the present farm
boz sc Oft, Brattleboro asylum, where Ethan
Allen maze his headquarters on his frequent
triDs across the Green mountains. May /,
1902 eight years after Hasweils appointment,
a postOfice was established here under the
general government and John W. Blake,
whose picture will possibly be recognized by
a very few OF Brattleboro's oldest residents,
was appointed postmaster. His first returns
t. Postmaster General Pick erlng for the quar-
ter ending October1, 1902, showed total re-
ceipts OF S432, and a balance due the govern
ment after deducting commissions ana con-
tingent expenses of IS 2 cents.
John Weland Blake, eldest son OF Joseph
and Deborah Smith Blade. was born In Hing.
ham, Mass. probably In 1862 where the re c.
ords Of his baptism November l, l7Gl. are
found, though his tombstone in the 7llege
cemetery here give his birthplace as Boston.
OF joseph and Deborah's l2childrep, t1e nrst
five aud last two are supposed 10 nave Deen
born 10 bingham as their names all appear on
the minister's records OF The first parish there
and besides the father of John Welland. MS
grandfather as well as his younger brot er,
Capt. Joshua, also the present Jos ua nave
always been soiourning 10 Hlpgham during
portion of their lives and Merchant joseph,
The father Of John Welard, was not only
real estate owner there but served In Col.
Ga mol vto rpuimpnf u lieutenant at |
Crown Point. His younger sons, George anu
Francis. attended the schools there where
they were fitted for college, and though not
positively known. It Is supposed that Johh
Welland WIS also educated there.
Repeated efforts have failed TO establish MS
whereat outs for period OF 2o years; aatIns
from his baptism down to March, 1lSo, when
his name appears on the records OF Rocking.
ham In conveyance of a small tract OF land
from Samuel Sargent TO John W. Blake,
thence two months later to william clark
BIake's residence being set up as Rockingbam'
whence he is said to have removed TO brat,ll-
boro though be may have gone TO Gullford be-
fore finally settling here. He married May ~
1870. Abigail daughter of Judge Daniel
ZONES Of Ilinsdale, N. Fl and In the follow
ing mouth, June I, he was admitted 70 the
Wlndham county bar. June 10, l.oo, ne
bought out Judge Samuel kn'ghts-Who was
the ONLY lawyer In Brattleboro at that time:
which came out of Gov. Benn'ng Went
worth's farm of 500 acres which the govern,
or had reserved TO himself when he chartered
fine town, including site for the first grist'
mill which he built In 1862. This was near
the site of the Emerson block. and just above
the Main treet bridge. Judge hnlgnts
house stood on the site of tie Cone dwelling
and where the Blakes reared family Of pine
children, Of which the later George Baty
Rlake of Boston, was the youngest.
The BIakes derived their descent IN Eng
land from Robert Blake OF ColGe, living IN
f347. The direct descent of John Weiland Is
as follows: William married Agnes, EDWARD
married Patience Pope, solomon mar rT1ei
Abigail Arnold, Joseph married Mary Wei.
land, which brings the genealogy 10 succession
down to the father OF the sketch. William
Blake, one OF the company. set Sail WIN CAM.
Soueb from Plymouth, EGG. March ~, l62o.
The captain agreed to take them into ICharles
river, bat he proved false and landed them at
Nantasket, now Hull, May 30, 1850. They
settled at Mattapan In June aud changed tne
name to Dorchester.
Brattleboro's first postoffice was doubtless
located In the old tavern kept by Mr.. Arms.
The office was subsequently, located III the
building on the Hunt lot at the JUNCTION o,
High and Main street where 1t remained Jill
Postmaster Green removed 1t 10 building on
The High street on the present site o. Rett'ng
Bros. store. just where Blake kept the Of
fee is not definitely known. but it may have
been In his law office. October. ll9o, the
legislature granted to MIR. Blake and Calvin
KnowItou An exclusive charter for toll
bridge over West river The bridge was
built the following year utar the mouth OF
the West river and on the site OF the preseht
structure, the old toll. house-now owned py
Dorman B. Eaton-having been closed nearly
30 wears ago. Messrs Blake IL kuowlton also
secured a charter for turnpike ROAD from
Rockingham TO this place. "a. ~
Tie charter for the West River tof'-oritgS
was granted to Blake Il knowlton Tor Ioo
wears. Several years later, one DIX peii-
toned for the laying Of public highway
across this bridge, and the case Involving the
con.tltutionality of the act went to the su-
preme court, thence to the United states su'
preme court, and was argued by Judge
Samuel Phelps and Daniel WEBSTER With the
result that the bridge was made free ABOUT
1913.
Until the opening of this tol'-br'dge the
main road verged toward the bluff above the
Connecticut where the blocks on the east side
Of Main street now stand. until 1t turned to
the westward part, the site of President DOW.
leys dwelling house. northward to the "a :
win Wells place where II crossed the west
river. and so on to the George Thomas place,
at which point thu new road subsequently be-
gan. Not till after the toll bridge was con-
structed was the road known as North Main
street opened.
Mr.. Blake Represented the town In the leg
jslature In 1898, 1899 and again In 1o02. lie
was capable and conspicuous member and
en,oyed a widesacqualntauce. The Rlakes'
home here was the center of social lie, aud
the.dist,rguished lawyer entertained sump-
tuously. Mrs. Blake died December Ia. lSOS,
and the death was followed BY that of her
husband october 81. 1918. The Vermont IT,
tell'geucer and Bellows Falls Advertiser OF
Monday, November 8, 1918, printed this eX-
tract, DOUBTLESS from the Brattleboro Report
err of the week before, which copy cannot be
found -
In Bratteborough on Wednesday last, John
W. Blake, ESQ councillor at aged 90 years.
He was an early settler In the village, and
formerly gentleman Of very extensive bust
ness and practice In the law. The active dis
eliminating powers of bis mind. his hospital
ity and gentlemanllke department were
known and recognized by very extensive
circle of acquaintance In this and ana other
states. For year or two past be had been
afflicted with paTalyttc attacks ana almost
wholly confined. He eft large and prom's'
Ing family of children to mourn the departure
of kind and indu gent father.
G, +. Ripley died of consumption at the
home of his father In Rutland vest srday. lie
wss clerk IN the Rutland county bank. Mr..
Ripley was % years of sge.
Ten marble cutters left Rutland this week
for Nelson, Ga. A number OF others WIZ 90
there about April l.
The Farmers Exchange block at Essex
tn no