St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-06-29
ST JoHNsBURY SIXTY YEARS AGO

At your suggestion, | make some
notes of the leading men in the st.
Johnsbury of sixty years ago, as
recall them. My recollections are
those of lad of eight or ten years,
and may be tinged with hue OF
romance, which belongs to that
callow age.
St. Johnsbury from. the beginning
had men of energy and brains, and
the stock of such men has been per-
petuated. In 1927, when my
parents became citizens Of st. Johns
bury, the founders had all passed
away. The Arnold residence, IN
whic just forty years before a meet
ing of the proprietors had been held
"for the allotting Of parcels OF land
to the settlers, was yet standing; a
low, weather-beaten, one-story house
at the "head" of the Plain; quite
apart from its neighbors. An open
common, much larger than the
present park, lay before it or rather
at its side, for the house faced to the
east. Lady Arnold, the founder 5
widow, still occupied it, with her
two daughters, Maria and freelove,
and her son, William; "Blll" Ar
mold, as everybody called him. Bill
was great on Fourth's of July. He
was depended upon, and never failed'
to furnish the liberty pole, and see
that it was duly raised; which in
those good times, could not have
been well and periodically done,
without the aid and inspiration OF
flask of new rum. Bill had charge
too of that famous piece OF village
artillery, known as the fifty-six;
square block of iron with two inch
hole drilled into it, three or four
inches deep. Its name, presume,
marked its weight; what, | wonder,
has become it? Bills brawny arms
welded the sledge hammer whose
ponderous blows drove home the
loaded fuse of cedar wood, and the
terrific explosions that followed the
touching off," announced by their
number the year of our lndcpend-
ence. well remember the fifty-one
sonorous class that told the story
and kinded anew the pride and
patriotism of us all. A few, two at
least. of the old Revolutionary
veterans were present, Maj. Butler
and Capt. Barker, of the latter l
am not sure, and many more who
had smelt English powder and heard
the whistle of British lead in the
Last War" as that Of 1912-14
was called. These men gave great
dignity to the occasion.
The most noted and imposing of
the then citizens of that day was
Judge Ephraim Paddock; and his
residence, as it then appeared, COM
ported with the man. 1t seemed in
those days baronial, and is still one
of the chief landmarks of the old
time st. Johnsbury. Long may 1t
stand He had small office on the
street, at the northeast corner of his
spacious grounds. | see him now
as often did then, when passing by
seated at his desk, or with hands be
hind him, strolling over his grounds
His house contained what wa
intensely curious to see, piano, tn
only one, think, in the town, and
remember how my curiosity wa
whetted, as many time | fingered
when sent on errands, | passed b
the grounds. Charlotte, the daugl
ter of the house, comely an
dgni6ed maiden, whom | often saw
was the musical enchantress. Tt
Judge, as | recall him, was taciturl
self-absorbed man. He seldom
ever spoke to us youngsters. | new
saw him smile or change the cast
his countenance, or even to spea
except, in after years when he MAJ
a plea in a justice court. He was
better councillor, | suspect, than a
vocate, though his character ga
weight to his words.
An older man, and one who hi
passed quite out of his prime, w
Joseph Fairbanks, SEN, grandfath
of the present Col. Fairbanks. Il
call him as strong, well-preserv
man, with unusually heavy ey
brows. His son, Erastus, w
superintendent of the Sunday scho
and he often called upon his fatl