Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-09-04
An H1atoric Homentead.

LII. LAY Ill Iuo Troy llIneS, says. ne
grounds around the summer home of
Seymour Van Santvoord of Troy at Fur
mace Grove, in the east pare of Benning-
ton, have recently been made more easy
of access by opening private road from
the old furnace bridge through a bit of
pasture land and acsoss the bed of the
abandoned Bennington and Glastonbury
railroad track, thus making short cut
from the highway to the house. Other
improvements have been made on the
property. No place in Bennington is
better known than Furnace Grove, which
was the summer home of the late Cap
tain Fl. L. Shields of Troy. The old
homestead, which is occupied by Mrs.
Shields, is forty rods from the winding
road leading from Bennington to Wood
ford and is a roomy unpretentious
structure, with wide verandas, and quite
hidden from view in front by shrubbery
and thick rows of sturdy naples. In
front of the NAPLES is we'll kept lawn
of large dimensions, at the extreme east
end of which is the comfortable well
shaded residence of Mrs. Shields son
William, and at the extreme west end
the attractive two story cottage, having
| twenty-three rooms and seven gables, of
Mrs. Shields son-iD-law Mr.. Van SAINT
voord, the three houses forming an at
tractive triangle. For a generation or
more Captain Shields passed his sum-
mers at this place. The memory of the
| Captain, who was an officer of the regu-
lar army and hero of the Mexican war,
is inseparably connected with the place.
The picture of distinguished looking
man, having we'll knit. vigorous figure,
broad shoulders and chest, with carriage
erect and step elastic, wearing soft hat
little on one side, and with whiskers
cut la Burnside, was once feature, a
personality, at Furnace Grove. But the
Captain died suddenly of pneumonia at
his home in Troy in November, 1885, and
Bennington lost an old summer resident,
toward whom only the most friendly
| feeling ever existed.
At the rear of the house stretch the
grandly sweeping forests of the noun
tain which within mile and half reach
a height of 3, 100 feet above the level of
the sea, and then at varying elevations
traverses nearly the whole of Vermont
from south to north. To the southeast,
bursting up through the silurian rocks
of the valley, are several of the boldest
mountain ranges, and directly to the
south rise high, abrupt hills, the steep
escurpments of which are clothed with
woods. The whole region is a wild,
verdant kingdom, wherein cold springs,
hurrying brooks, extensive forests, wood
land glades, waterfalls and gorges and
treasures of wild flowers and ferns make
up long roll of natural objects in their
most simple state. Few places are more
delightful and romantic when the full
ness of summer is come.
The old house was built about 1918 by
Thomas Trenor, who was at one time the
owner of the big furnace that once stood
nearby, but was subsequently enlarged
and remodelled by the Bennington fur
mace company. Trenor who was an Irish
rebel, fled from Ireland to escape punish
ment from the British government. He
came to Bennington in 1911, and went to
New York in 1920. The property then
passed into the hands of Seth Hunt of
New Hampshire, who operated the plant
for two years and then went to manage
the salt mines in Alabama. In 1922 the
old furnace company was chartered. and
Nathan Leavenworth of New York be-
came the resident manager. Soon after
Mr.. Leavenworth came to Bennington the
house built by Trenor was, as has been
stated, enlarged and remodelled, and was
the residence of Mr.. Leavenworth for
twenty years. A splendid hospitality
was dispensed at the old house in the
days agone, and for many years it was
the rendezvous of the fashionable socie-
ty of the time. The property which in
cludes nearly 400 acres, was purchased
by Captain Shields sometime in the
fifties, and has since been the summer
home of the family.
1t is two miles from the Bennington
depot to Furnace Grove, The road
winds up the deep wild valley of the
Roaring branch by easy grades, finally
reaching an elevation of 800 feet above
the village. Through this rugged seem
cry Mr.. Van Santvoord usually drives
twice daily, morning and evening, as he
goes to and returns from Troy.