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

the erection of their residence. Mr..
Luce WIS native Of Martha'S Vine
yard, Mass. His wife was born in
Plaintield, Vt, aud their son, Harry,
was the first child born in the town.
The rapid growth of the town is
shown by the fact that a town meet
ing was held in 1897 for the purpose
of organizing the town, and in 1902
90 young men took the freeman's
oath. Mr.. Luce's house was the first
one opened for public entertainment,
but the first hotel was kept by Ma
than Robinson, who also had the
honor of being the towns first repre-
sentative, in 1901, and holding the
office for ID consecutive years there
after. His hotel was a log house,
40X20 feet, containing two rooms
and a loft, and was supplied with Z
beds. The first marriage in town
was published at barn raising in
1913, when James Hulburt, the town
clerk, standing on one of the pilates
of the structure, cried: " Hear We !
Hear We Marriage is intended be-
tween Noah Churchill and Polly Mar
shall, both OF this town: God save
the people," The first death occur
red on the same day. A man and his
12-year-Old son were returning from
a raising" and in attempting to
ford swollen stream on horseback,
the boy was carried down by the cur
rent and drowned. The first mail
route was established in 1916, and
extended from Waterbury to John
son. The first manufactures of the
town were two potasheries and tan
merry.
From these humble beginnings the
town has grown until it now has
nearly 1900 inhabitants and three
villages of considerable size-the Cen
tire village, the Lower village and
Moscow. One of the largest indus
tries of the town is numbering, there
being about twenty mills engaged in
this manufacture. Butter and maple
sugar are the two staple farming
products, the output of the latter
placing itamong the first towns ofthe
State in the production of that COM
modify, while it's hardy stock of YER
mont Morgans makes it quite a re-
sort for horse dealers of New England.
During it's growth the town has been
subject to three terrible scourges.
The first was by dysentery, which ap.
peared in 1903 and took away one
eighth of the population. In 1913
malignant type of erysipelas carried
off 81 of it's inhabitants. The winter
of 1861 will always be remem-
bered for the appearance of small
pox and the epidemic which followed.
One hundred persons were attacked
by the disease and seven deaths re-
suited.
Among the early inhabitants were
nine men who served in the Revolu
tionary war, but the first military
company was formed in 1903. The
most striking example of patriotism
was shown in 1914, when the battle
of Plattsburgh took place. There
were two organizations in town,
known as Light Infantry and THE
Floodwood." The battle was opened
the first Wednesday of September,
and on the following day the cannon
aiding could be distinctly heard.
About midnight a large number of
men were aroused, and although no
one had authority to call them out,
they were asked to 60 to Plattsburgh
and they all started through the
woods, mud and darkness for Water
bury. where they joined other COM
panies, and marched all day to Bur-
lington. Here, on the following morn
ing Col Peck made a speech and
asked for volunteers to cross the lake
with him, and about $50 Stowe men
responded to the call. But before a
craft could be obtained and the army
arranged the principal battle had
been fought and the Stowe men did
not go into action, but by an act of
Congress they were allowed months
pay for their services.
In response to the various calls
during the war of the rebellion, Stowe
furnished 1877 men, 40 of whom were
killed or died during service. The
amountexpended by the town reached
1928, 900, being equal to $3.50 for
each person in town at that time,
and about 500 per cent. of the grand
list, besides $3.50 paid by private
parties for substitutes or in commu-
tation.
One of the widest and most favor
ably known men of the State is the
Hon. W. H. III. Bingham of this town.
He was born in Fletcher VT, in 1918,
but came to Stowe in his boyhood
and became permanent resident.
He entered the law as a profession
and stood among the best. He has
always been public spirited and in
the town are many monuments to
his industry. For over 80 years he
has been connected with the Mutual
Fire Insurance Co. of Montpelier, act
ing as it's President until old age
compelled him to retire. He was the
leading spirit in the construction of
the Mount Mansfield hotel, which was
built in 1864. 1t would accommo-
date 500 guests and was one of the
finest hotels in northern New En-
gland. 1t was destroyed by fire in
1889 and has never been rebuilt. In