The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-01-04

were the earliest. Soon. the saw
grist, oil, carding and fu1ling
mills and other 'infant indus
tries" of the formative period
were planted in this valley. The
fine water privileges of the
"Pompa," determined the future
village sites of the ''Mi1ls," the
Center" and the "Union.
The present station villages OF
North and East Thetford were
populous farming communities
About the middle of the century
a series of momentous changes
and developments occurred, that
left their mark upon the town.
The California gold fever and
the development of the great
West a1lured hundreds of the ac.
tive and educated young men tc
more exciting scenes. Discrimi.
mating freight rates to the great
western distributing points,
frightened agricultural competi-
ton.
The combination of invention
and machinery, the division of
labor, the concentration of capi.
tai, all have tended to disp1ace
the small industries of interior
points. 1t is with a tinge of sad.
ness that we recall the busy mem
ories of by-gone days, that we
note the ravages of flood and fire,
as one by one the mill, the shop,
the factory, have been swept
down, never perhaps to reappear,
until these hill tops are clothed
with a larger growth.
The population and the grand
list of the town, owing to these
and other causes, is somewhat
less than before the war. The
early history of the town is re-
plete with instances of adventure,
of daring and heroism. We can
of1f qcfer to one or Iwo, as a
type Of many others. Col. iona
than Child was a wealthy land
owner of Thetford and Lyme,
and a quartermaster in the Revo-
lutionary army. To provide for
the needs of the suffering sol
diers, he gave his notes for large
sums, and at the close of the war
gave up large share of his real
estate to settle these claims. Un-
fortunately his vouchers were de-
stroyed or lost, and his heirs have
received no pecuniary recon-
pense. His great grand-daugh-
ter, Lucy Child, "Aunt Lucy"
and her sister-in-law, Mrs. VIM.
Child, and her two daughters, re-
side on the ancestral homestead,
and are actively engaged in dai-
rying.
In a small walled lot on his
former homestead, lie the re-
mains of John Knox, a former
personal servant of George
Washington and a pioneer of the
town. The General gave him
his liberty and a sum of money,
and sent him North at the close
of the war.
Twenty-eight soldiers of the
Revolution, and 80 soldiers and
Plattsburg volunteers of the war
of 1912. lie buried in the ceme-
teries. 132 men including 5 COM
nissioned and "a subaltan officers
served in the war for the Union.
Methinks, oh friend, hear thee say,
n vain the human heart we mock;
Bring living guests who love the day,
Not ghosts who fly at crow of cock.
The herbs we share with flesh and blood,
Are better than ambrosial food.
With 1aureled shades,
grant it nothing 10th,
But doubly b1est is he
Who can partake of both.
Let the dead past bury its dead"
What of Thetford of today?
There are few towns that can
,ffer such solid advantages for a
home. There is a |
air of comfort, neatness
md substantial thrift and indie
'endence that is re-assuring. The
chools are, as as rule, good and
re stimulated by the influence of
he academy and Dartmouth. Ap-
'roximately 200 scholars attend.
)f the four church edifices, two
re receiving thorough repairs
nd the others are good build
ngs. There are five active relig-
Ous societies.
Few towns have so successfully
the invasion of an un-
esirable foreign element and
ave so large a population of the
escendents of the old solid farni-
es, The influence of heredity
!