News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-08-16

the same day under the following
distressing circumstances William
Utley, who then lived on the farm
now occupied by Mrs. Bedell and her
son Luther, went to the raising be-
fore mentioned, accompanied by his
son, a boy about II years of age,
who rode on horseback behind his
father. During the day a very heavy
| shower of rain had fallen, raising the
streams. two of which they were
Obliged TO cross on their return. there
being no bridges. In fording one of
them after dark, the boy slipped from
the horse and was soon carried be-
yond the reach of his father. The
night was dark and fearful, no help
was nigh, and no effort was made to
rescue him until morning, when he
was found entangled in some flood
wood not far from the place where
he fell Mrs. Utley, the mother had
taken occasion that day, to visit at
the house of Lowden Case, a log
dwelling on the site of the present
beautiful residence of Chas. r. Church
i'll. The high water prevented her re-
turning that evening, and she re-
manned at Mr.. Cases over night. In
the morning Mr.. Utley came to the
house of Mr.. Case before Mrs. Utley
had risen, and began to relate to the
family what had occurred the night
before. Mrs. Utley who slept in the
chamber, hearing some words of her
husbands, came rushing down the
ladder in her night clothes, exclaim-
ing as Willie dead ? Is Willie
dead ?"
In 1898 there were twenty families
in town. In 1903 the number of fam
lilies had increased to ninety. The
first mail route to Stowe was estab-
lished in 1916, and ran from Mont
pelier to Johnson. Riverius Camp
was the first postmaster, and about
the same time was elected town clerk.
The first school taught in town
was opened by Thomas B. Downer,
the first physician, in his own house,
some pupils coming a distance of 3
miles. The first school taught in a
school house, which was log one,
was instructed by DR.. Joseph Robin
son. Both these schools were taught
at what was afterwards called 'Puck-
er Street" The first schoolhouse was
burned in 1917. DR.. Robinson open
ed the first school in the Center Vii
lage.
The first hotel which was erected in
what has since been called the Center
Village was built by Samuel Dutton,
a shoemaker by trade, on the site oc-
cupied by the destroyed Mount Mans
field Hotel. He occupied the build
ing for three years without doing no.
tel business, when he sold to Nathan
lei Butts, one of the early settlers,
who first opened it as ahotelin 1914
At this time there were only 4 dwell
ings within the present limits of the
present Center Village-a log house
on the site of S. q. Atwood's present
residence; small frame house on the
site of the residence of the widow of
the late L. j. Town; the log house of
Lowden Case, already mentioned,
and small frame house near the
present residence of 2. d. Pike, till
recently owned by Mrs. Irving. At
this time the road, about half mile,
between the Center and Lower Viii
lagos, was rough and stony, densely
lined on either side with large forest
trees of spruce and hemlock, and
teams passed with great difficulty.
In 1917 Mr.. Butts sold his hotel to
Col. Asa Raymond, who, after max
ing some improvements, and the adj
dition of an ell for store, moved his
stock of goods from the North Viii
lage and occupied the hotel as a pub
lie house to the time of his death,
which occurred in 1S49.
1t evidently was the intent and ex-
pectation of the first settlers hat the
main village of the town would be in
the vicinity of the first settlement, at
what was afterwards called the North
Village, and later, by way of derision,
quicker Street." Many things fa-
vored the adoption of this locality
for the principal village. The first
settlements had been made there, I'M
til there was quite a neighborhood.
There was a good, handsome plot OF
land, sufficient fora broad street and
the erection of all kinds of buildings,
public and private, which good vii
lage would ordinarily contain. No
other location in the town afforded
such a beautiful and extensive survey
of mountain scenery, nor any
other town in Vermont, as could
be taken in here with one sweep OF
the eye from Sterling Peak to
"CamePs Hump" full 40 miles apart
by mountain way. A good hotel was
there, the large brick building now
owned and occupied by John Drugg.
All the stores for the sale of general
merchandise were there. But all
this did not suffice. Natures laws
are inexorable. No man and no as
sociation of men can reach success
without acting in conformity and
harmony with them. What was the
great want which overrode and con-
trolled all these advantages :? Men,
women and children must have food.
They must have houses to protect
them from storms and the seventies
of the seasons. They must have
clothing to protect their bodies from
the frosts and fierce winds, and the
. | q almost torrid heat Of an offer. chauo.