The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-09-01

OF making the ulSl SSlSolloi ohN'
terrestrial globes in this country.
He was a farm bred boy and had
only the advantage of a common
school education, but he possess
ed an Unsuitable thirst for knowl-
edge and the ability of prolong-
ed research, which he turned to
the investigation of the science
of astronomy, which also 1nclud-
ed geography,
In 1896 he purchased a farm IN
Bradford on the Connecticut river
one mile north of the village
and his substantial brick house
is still in good repair. Here IN
1899 he made his first globes.
He had seen a set OF Engllsh
globes in Boston, and determined
to reproduce them. He began
by turning out balls from blocks
of wood which he covered nicely
with paper, and finished OFT
scientifically with the appro-
pirate lines and representations.
He covered one of the balls thick
" with paper, carefully laid on
and firmly pasted together
When this thick covering was
thoroughly dried and hardened,
he cut around the globe through
to the wood and removed two
shells each a perfect hemisphere.
With almost incredible applica-
ton he became a skillful engrav-
er and protracted his maps in
copper plates, the impressions
from which fitted accurately,
when pasted upon light but
durable hollow paper spheres he
had constructed. All this work
of experimenting, of study, and
of self instruction, for he was
wholly unaided, consumed many
years, and he was 81 years Ole
when he published the first ed1'
ton of his globes.
He again iourneyed to Boston
and personally exhibited to the
citizens the first American globe
ever seen there. And he touno
himself suddenly famous, after
so many years of long and pa
tient work, and he was assured
that he could find a ready market
for all the globes he could make
He carried on the business al
Bradford on a small scale, ant
also for a time in his native
town of Londonderry. Then NJ
removed to Albany and then II
company with his sons establish
ed a large mandatory, where HI
brought out, improved and en-
1areed editions of these now ia
nous globes in three sizes.
His son died at an early age
and after time he Withdrew
from this successful business
which he had founded, and re
tired to his farm in Bradford
After he was so years old III
contrived and constructed Will
his own hands, a machine which
he called "Wilson's Planetarlan,
to illustrate the diurnal and an
nual revolution of the earth, the
cause of the successive seasons
and the suns place IN the ecl1ptlC
The large copper plate from
which were printed months o
the year and the correspondent!
signs of the zodiac with their de
grees was engraved by Mr.. WI
SON after he was SO years old
This original and grandly pei
servering man died at his HON
in Bradford in 1855, at the ag
of 90 years.
WRIGHT's MOUNTAIN.
The principal mountain l
town, Wright's Mountain, loca'
ed in the extreme northwest pal
of the town. contains a steep dc
clivity on it's western side, an
here fragments and boulders hav
been dislodged by the elements
forces, and formed at the base
the entrance of a recess or cav
that was formerly called 9Th
Devils Dem" This mountal
was named for Benoni Virgin
an early settler and one OF tn
most eccentric characters of HI
time. He fancied himself an an
ointed profit of God, and as a te
ken of his sacred calling wore a
enormous patriarchal beard. Il
was very methodical and exact
his daily walk, always going IL
his cows on the mountain at
certain hour.
One day while threading h
lonely mountain path overhur
by an evergreen thicket, he hear
as if from the upper air IN dee
sepulchral tones, the words, b
no-ni! Be-no-ni! Shave thysel
Pausing for a moment he resur
ed his walk. Once more Il