News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-08-16
Hon. George Wilkins Historical
Address. .....


In his historical address, Hon. Geo.
Wilkins made use only of topical re-
minders. AS now, on special request,
reported by himself, he spoke sub
stantially as follows:-
Ladies and Gentlemen
To me is assigned the humble duty
of recounting some of the incidents
and occurrences connected with the
early history of this town of Stowe.
In the time to which l am very prop
erly limited, can do so only in a
very cursory manner. Many things
which in themselves considered are
not important and hardly worth no.
tice, by these relations quite impor-
tant and even interesting. The build
ing of a house is an occurrence which,
under ordinary circumstances would
attract little attention, while, if it
were the first building in town, a
log hut might possess for many peo-
pie a lively interest. In this large as
sembly there must be a variety of
tastes; what would be pleasing to
some may be even distasteful to
others. | can only exercise my Judge
ment in the hope that while | may al
most disgust some, may not wholly
fail to please and crafty Others.
My work is simply narration-the
telling of a story-in which there is
no place for ambitious sentences or
defamation, and shouting vocifera-
ton would be so inappropriate that
it would become very embarrassing
to me and disagreeable to you.
A hundred years! In the life of an
individual, a town, state, or a whole
country, even, it is long period. Ia
the march of eternity, " still begin
ming, never ending" it is but point
mere line.
1t is not, perhaps, easy for us to
imagine that hundred years ago
and less, the place where we now are
and the whole territory now travers-
ed by the main highway through this
town, was dark, deep, dense forest
of mostly hemlock andspruce timber;
that through it roamed the mighty,
magnificent moose, with his stately
antlers thrown back to prevent en-
tanglement with the tree tops, while
his thunderous tread made the earth
tremble; that through it rang the
frigh1f ul howl of the half starved wolf
pack, and the terrific scream of the
fierce catamount and cougar; that
in the shallow caves on these hilsides
hybernated huge bears; and that
within 100rods of this place the busy
beaver had built his watery city-his
Venice. Yet, about a hundred years
ago, no white man had disputed the
possession of this territory with these
tenants of the woods"
may first speak of the extent of
the territory of the town. Original
ly it was that of most other towns in
the State, 6 miles square. By an act
of the Legislature in 1913, the entire
town of Mansfield was annexed to the
town of Stowe on condition that both
towns signified their assent by vote,
which was obtained. This act of an
nexation led to considerable litiga-
ton, an account of which, though
quite interesting to the speaker and
might be so to Others of his profess
sion, is wholly omitted.
In 1855, by another act of the Leg
islature, portion of the town of
Sterling wasalso annexed to the town
of Stowe. By these acts it became
one of the largest townships, if not
the largest, in the State. It's area is
{ supposed to be somewhat in excess
of so, 900 acres of land.
From the earliest ages it's lower
, lands have been enriched by the
washings of vegetable matter from
the sides of the mountains by which
it is surrounded, and in agricultural
productiveness it is thought it would
not stand at the foot in class of six
of the best towns in Vermont.
How came Stowe to be township?
E In 1868 the King of England,
France and Ireland, defender of the
faith, ETC., George the Third, "by the
grace of God," assumed to be sole
proprietor of all this region and OF
| his special grace, certain knowledge
and mere motion, for the use and
9 advantage of settling a new plan
:. tation, by his vice-Gerent, Benning
Wentworth, Governor and Command
: er-in-Chief of the Province of New
Hampshire, on the Sth day of June,
4 1853, granted to sixty-four propri-
, etors on conditions and reservations
specified, his title to the original
township of Stowe.
. You may be curious as l was, to
learn what those conditions and res