Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-11-11
A Noted Editor.

Thomas Fessenden, who Achieved Fame
on Two COMMUNICATIONS OF His
work Done While a Resident Of Rel
lows Falls.
Thomas Green Fessenden, who was the
editor and publisher of the first newspaper
ever published in Bellows Falls, the t'Bel-
lows Fails lnteligencer," was one of the
strongest characters of the very early resi-
dents OF the place. The paper was started
IN 1917 and published by Fessenden until
1922. '''0" ur'ii
His father was Thomas Fessenden. the
second town minister in Walpoe his pas
torate continuing AS successive years be-
tween 1867 and 1913
Thomas Green Fessenden was born in
Walpole April 10, III, graduated at Dart
mouth college in 1896, studied law in the
Office of Stephen r Bradley in Westmin-
ster, and died in Boston. Nov. H. 1877
lie was a person of robust constitution.
tall in stature, of dark complexion, rather
iorbidding in aspect, but full of fun.
"hlle pursuing his law studies he was
won't to amuse himself in writing humor-
our poems for the Farmers Museum. s"
edited by 10. Donnie, then being published
IN Nalpole. This paper was published by
Thomas x Carlisle, and suspended in 1898.
In 1871 Fessenden went to England as
an agent for newly invented medical
machine called the metallic tractors. ="
which involved him in pecuniary embar-
rassment The English physicians were
violently opposed to the introduction of the
tractors, which brought forth from the
ready pen of Fessenden a long poem in re-
tallation. 1t was entitled Or. Caustic. or,
Terrible Tractoration, and had an i'm
mense sale in London, after which it was
published in this country in three editions
In as many years
The work was strange compound of
erudition, doggerel verse, and nonsense.
The design of it was to satirize the English
medical faculty, and at the same time
bring the TRACTORS" before the public. In
this he was successful too, in such a way
as to bring himself before the world and
gain prominence on two continents.
lie returned to America in 1904 and
was engaged in various vocations, but
mostly in practicing law in Bellows Falls.
and publishing the first newspaper as
above until 1922, when he went to Boston
and established the we'll known New Eng
land Farmer, editing and publishing it
until his death in 1887. He edited also the
Horticultural Register, and the Silk Man
ual. His other noted works were "Original
Poems, Democracy Unveiled" 1906;
American Clerks Companion" 1915:
Ladies' Monitor" 1918; and Laws of
Patents for Inventions" 1922 Nearly all
of these works were written by him while
resident of this village. For versatility
of genius, ready w.t. biting sarcasm, and
as popular journalist, few, if any, equalled
him in his generation
The files of his Bellows Falls lnteli-
gencer, of which there are a number of
years still in a good state of preservation,
show that he did not devote much atten-
ton to local happenings, but nearly all his
good sized paper was taken up by strong
and pithy editorials upon all classes of sub
Iects, there being many issues when moth
ing whatever was said of Bellows Falls
matters. In fact this was the rule more
than the exception. The paper upon
which it was printed was made here by
Bill Blake & Co., who were also the
printers