The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-07-01
SOUVENIR EDITION.

variety of English plate, upon when
were the crcsts of different noble fam
lilies. There is a supposition that he
was the identical Captain Thunder
bolt.n the noted English robber.
Whoever he might have been, it is
evident that he had led singular life,
and possibly had been desperate
character. He was buried in the vii
lape cemetery, and his history viii
forever remain unknown.
Below Brattleboro, on the same side
If the Connecticut are the sites OF
three forts, Dummer, Sartwell, ana
Bridpman. These were erected TO
protect the settlers against attacks
from the Indians. Fort Dummer,
about a mile below Brattleboro, and
within the limits of the town, was
built in 1924, and named in honor OF
Sir Vim. Dummer, Lieut. Governor OF
Massachusetts. Rev. Ebenzer Hinsdill
was chaplain at the fort, where ne
n,eached twelve or fourteen years. III
was situated on the bank OF the Con
necticut. east of the railroad. At the
time it was built it was supposed to be
within the limits of Massachusetts and
afterward in New Hampshire This
was the first settlement in the present
limits of Vermont. and here, IN fort
Dummer, saw light the first white
child born in the state, John Sargent,
grandfather of Mrs. Chas. Z. Frost OF
Brattleboro Some distance iurther
south, in Vernon, where M E.
Uowe,s house now stands, on the west
side of the road, about the year li3O,
was built Fort Sartwell. which was
named after its occupant
John Gore. in 1895, invented steam
carriage with which he Travelled over
- nrarlv all the roads in this viclnity,,
aoing IN and down steep hills as well
az on level ground, at the rate OF ten
l. or fifteen miles an hour. He built, IN
d early times. steamboat machinery, anu
a mart of that used in the first steam
hoats on the Connecticut river was
: made by him.
The manufacture OF paper no" e. ea
n r;cd on nv Vim. H. Vinton was hrst
beeun @ by Joseph Clark, Samuel Dick
;nson. Francis Goodhue, Joseph res
re snnden, Joseph Fessenden, Jr, VIM.
3 Eassenden and Caleb Leland, Jr., the
h latter Of Athol, Mass. In ISL they
=, formed an association and butt mil.
y r. is1f the mill was burned and re-
built in 1917.
le During the Rebellion hospital was
Of established here for the sick ana
=, wounded soldiers. The institution was
~ afterwards made United States nos
o, nital where have been at one time con
Q. rregated over 1900 invalid soldiers IRON,
l., 5;gorant states. The surgeon general
;; i, his report affirmed that he never
IN found it necessary to use SO llttle hieo-
to ;cine, The ground occupied hy fhis
m institution is now the property OF the
i, Valley Fair association and is used ior
n ,gr;rultural exhibitions and horse races
- As an evidence of the longevity OF
lie r.s;dants of this section be it re-
ld narxed that there are over 175 monu-
ty ments in the cemetery. OF people VINO
= have died above eighty years OF age.
The old Bratlleboro house known at
an one time as Smiths and at another as
us Chase's stage house, was Dullt >! odli
ed uel Dickinson in 1793, and was ue-
-, stroyed bv fire in October. 1863
ne The HAYES hotel built by the grand
oe fatber of the late ex-President Hayes,
is vet standing at the West village
nd hut if has long since ceased to be useoi
~ for its original purpose. 80
The American house was not useu as
he hotel until after 1911. John Hoi-
ars brook occupied it for mercantile pur-
,as noses prior to that year. -,
"a The Brooks House was erected ny
n' George Jones Brooks IN loi-'2.
te- Rufus Clark's hotel was como uGIeo ,,.,'
mt in 1915 by Rufus Clark as nolel: @ e ne
,be house is located south of MILESTONE
hrook. was purchased byCapt Adolphus
Stebhins in 1892. and was afterwards
my occunied by his son John Stebblns.
,elf Tbe Revere house was built by james
~ Eisl, father of the colonel, IN 1913,
:, and was burned in 1871.
ed, "l In 1s33 s. Morton Clark, then OF
to Hartford. and more recently supcrih
III, tendent of printing in the treasury ae.
h;s nartment at Washington, estaDiisneo e.
m rule factory in Brattleboro Inc mrs,
ah. shop was located on the present depo'
of rrounds. and in 1886 the business WI
ow removed to shop situated on on 'he Siari snIt
at of the woolen mil. MI. SIalr i
d. pat;red faom the business soor
lad afterward and became cashier OF tns
a hank of Bratteboro. Edward a
tial Stearns who had been the prlnclpa
~ workman in the factory, purchased ,ht
SOU business from Mr.. Clark and then De
d rom the manufacture of first class ar
,at ficle A brother, John Stearns wa
ore for while associated in the business
l bnt was succeeded at different time
anu bv F. c. Edwards, DIR. Charles, STRAIT
'ots ton, II, S. Noyes, Madison Ranney
AXE Asa Marshall and Theodore Cole Mr
ize. Stearns continued to make improve
- ments. and had new machinery mad IA,
- for saving and marking the rules. M
18th, rules soon became deservedly popuia
GER and we're acknow lodged to be the mos
.ck. reliable and best finished OF any man
,cb ufactured in this country. Mr. S'1aiH ,all =
eel. ~ business passed into the hands c
rms Charles L. Mead, who continued tn
! = same until 1863. when he sold it to tn