Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-03-31

though the party must be a little of III
base to select a man so se~lf-conceited il
his own views as to give no hearing tC
others.
A FAMOUS BARNARD FAMILY.
Capt. Benjamin Cox was one of the dr.
~settIers of Barnard aud held prominent
town offices from the first town meeting
until his death, which occurred while he
was town clerk in 1888. He came from
Hardrich, Mass, where he held a United
States captains commission, serving in
the Revolutionary war. He commanded
a company called the Rangers and was
stationed at Fort Defiance to protect the
settlers from invasions by the Tories anu
Indians, who made raids into Barnard
and other towns in 1880. This Fort Den
ance was built on the creek read between
Barnard and Bethel, the remains OF which
can now be seen on the farm OF james
Caldwell. Capt. Cox was only as years
old at the time OF his death. He left a
family of boys, who, when grown to man
| hood, were noted for their size, great
physical strength and powers in all athl It.
ie sports, and these with their civil, po-
lite and exemplary habits, made the fam
lily one OF the most popular In The
widow. upon whose shoulders rested the
responsibility OF the future Of these boys,
was q of powerful strength OF
mind az we'll as body, and as was the fash
ion ofthe times, she encouraged her boys
in feats of strength and all outdoor past
times, and as they grew up and became
champions, she was justly proud OF her
charge. Ii was said that she could easily
lift a barrel OF cider and place 1t III an OK
cart, a feat that the boys soon learned was
not hard to do, altho' but few men in
town could do the trick. Wrestling at
the different holds was in vogue and at
all gatherings of militia trainings, rails
ing OF buildings and town meetings, the
Cox boys were in their elements and IN
variably came home to their mother with
q glowing account of their victorious
bouts. Nor was this all the education that
grand old mother gave her boys, for they
were leaders in all spelling matches, slug
ing schools aud were champion dancers.
All being over six feet in height, OF splen-
did ply sique, weighing from 20 to 200
pounds, polite aud agreeable In manner,
their attendance was in great demand. A
story is told of Charles and Tom coming
home from a party at East Barnard and
finding a man at the foot OF Byam hill
with a yoke OF oxen and a sled loaded with
one spruce log. He had come to a piece of
bare ground and asked the boys to help
him up the hill. They took a look at the
log, threw off the chain and each took an
end and carried it up the hill and set 1t on
end, leaning il against a tree standing by
the side OF the road. A few years ago this
tree was pointed out as the Identical one.
In wrestling, collar and elbow was the
most fashionable hold, and at this Charles
Cox when la earnest was never laid upon
his back after he was 20 years old. de
had one favorite play which was known
as the "Cox lock - and was simply a cross
with the right, followed in a flash with
a left trip and a powerful jerk and lift
with the collar and elbow. IL was a com
mon saying that a two-year-old bull could
stand that lock from Charles Cox
The boys one fall went back to Hardwlck
to spend the holidays among their cousins
and fathers old friends. On their way
they stopped for the night at a village
a great wrestling match was just
and a large, powerful man had
come off victor. He and a few OF bis friends
we're loud in their boasts, proclaiming that
no man in Massachusetts, could lay this
out. The landlord, tired and dis
zusted with the jeers and taunts, noticing
The Cox boys, who were large ana power
Iul looking, went to Charles and asked him
IL he or his brother could wrestle. Charles
aid his brother, Ed, was called pretty
good at side hold but probably would not
to much at collar aud elbow. The
andlord went to the bully and asked him
4 he would wIestle side hold. He refused,
,aying with an oath that no decent man
would ever make that proposition; for the
,nly true and scientific way was collar and
lbow. Charles told Ed to take hold and
mn long enough for him to see il the
)ully had any particular play and then,
Ifter being thrown, to call him in. This
done In the hall OF the hotel and as
I'd got up he asked the bully II he might
All his brother. EYES," he said, 'cail in
,our brothers, your sisters, father and
/ am ready for the whole family"
Jharles took hold in earnest, his blood
L-tt ---.x.a kr fhfo enapQh There pCaG n |
arge crowd in the hall and much excite
pent as ii was noticed that Charles slipped
,H his boots and put on a pair OF dancing
umps which he took from his overcoat
,ocket. looking the while like a reused
ion. After a few preliminary plays,
,hsrles asked some spectators who were
Gated upon a bench running alongside
he hall 10 make room for this man ID
; bich was done. Then followed, like
Ightning, the s.Cox lock-" So quick was
he action that the first seen was the bull
VS. heels in the air, and he came down on
lis back, breaking the bench and measur-
ng his length on the floor. The shouts
nd cheers hat came from those people !
as II they never would stop. They
,ere big to help the bully to his feet, /
& being in a dazed condition and hardly I
moving what had happened. Ed went
D him. asking il he might call in his
"No,n he said, mo more. l am
DING home" The boys always remem. {
cred the great supper that night the kind
OF the landlord, the new pair of
for Charles (as in the bout one of his
las spoiled) and the fact hat in the morn.
~ there was no bill to pay and a cordial
was extended to them to MAKE
he house a home whenever'they travelled
hat way. Charles and Tom soon after
Migrated on foot to st. Lawrence county, !
nd then to the far west. They settled in /
otsdam and became identified with their !
esceudants, as some OF the first business '
ZEN of that large own 10 Call, a Bar ,
ard man, was great at collar and elbow {
nd it was said that no man in Windsor '
ounty could, or ever did, lay him down, /.
ut Charles Cox was not here in JOS day. !,
A little boy asked for a bottle of "get up /
! the morning as fast as you can" The [.
recognized a household name for
IeWitt's Little Early Risers, and gave I
i'm a bottle of those famous little pills :
1r constipation, SICK headache, liver and !
tomach troubles. Drew & Leonard, /
.andolph; Leavitt & Reed, Bethel; M. J.
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