Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-04-05
TOWN "REMINISCENCES.
Interesting Sketches from the Pen
of Rev. j. A. Leach.

The following interesting "reminiscences
were written by Rev, j. A. Leach Tor the
souvenir edition Of the TIMES to be issued
next Saturday, but were crowded out by
lack of room, They are too good, how
ever, to consign to the oblivion Of the
pigeon hole, and so are given the readers
of the lines in this issue.
The town of Rockingham is not like so
many in New Hampshire and Vermont on
the retrograde. No part of it has suffered
decline. There has been on the whole
steady advance from its settlement till now.
Many will be interested in evrn an allusion
to the substantial men who have contributed |
to its progress, and advancement. In the
west part 40 years age, among the most
conspicuous men were Royal Earl and
John Campbell, who built the large and
expensive stone factory at Cambrdgeport.
Mr.. Campbell belonged to family noted
for physicians and besides this there was
remarkable strain Of push and enterprise in
the blood. They we're for the time good
fnanciers Old Dr.. Alexander was the
head and front of our turnpike roads in this
region and from some reports he was sharp
enough to have discounted the. men who
today iva r stock" and 'ireeze out"
small holders. Mr.. Earl was very impos-
ing in his PERSONAL appearance and would
attract attention anywhere in any age. He
was man of remarkably good Judgment
and was generally successful.
Cambridgeport wa, 40 years ago sink
of iniquity. The old hotel where Mr.
Evans kept was thronged with the thirsty.
l believe speak within bounds when say
that there was more lqu sold and more
drunkards in this little village than were in
our whole town. 1t is simply outrsgeously
absurd for any to state that more is sold
now. am All old man and as | look back
the change is wonderful. Mr.. Dickinson
kept the hotel at Saxtons River. The bar
room the year round was thronged and
hundred, of times have been there and l
cannot remember OF ever being there with
out seeing men at the bar drinking. l can
remember those who used to 20 before
breakfast to obtain their 'eye opener" and
came late for their might cap" l can
give the names of more than 40 men at
Saxtons River and Cambridgeport, who
were the regular patrons of the bar but the
Upper Ten never frequented the hotel.
They drank at home.
People were more social and great deal
less selfish. They visited much more.
They took much more interest in the gen.
eral and individual welfare They took
time especially in the winter to enjoy and
afford enjoyment to others. When neigh
bors were sick there was no trouble in OBJ
tanning watchers if people were in trouble
the entire neighboihood turned out to aid
them. When boy have been many
times in the spring, where, because of sick
ness, the spring work was not begun and
| there would be men and oxen enough TO
complete the entire springs work in two
days. Great good was done to the donors
and the recipient. Not only the man was
aided and his heart made larger and more
thankful but the oers of the work felt the
reflex influence, had their soul, benefited
and made better in home and society. We
are sometimes oppressed with modern
crush and rum" sigh for some of the ''good
old days of Adam and Eve" We call to
mind the excellent farmers, their butter
and cheese. Mr.. Aldrich, who always had
such tat calves and never sold one kernel
of grain and yet as you went around and
admired his nice herd protested that he
was short of feed and made his calves eat
sorts" l would really like to see the
modern creamery that could make such
butter as Mrs. Minard and a score Of
| others. l can remember now how white
and attractive everything connected with
the dairy looked at Mrs. Livermore's. And
many remember the thrifty farms OF the
| VI IpucTS, ClldS, DdVlu anu ClarleS, ana
the Wileys; number of families and all of
hem thrifty. 1 can tell the many descend
ants now living OF fact about John O'clock
headed) as he was called He became
one of our very richest men and deservedIy
SO. He had clear head, sound Judgment
and worked hard. believe he got his
1 =
large fortune. all of it honorably. A man
has recently died in Baltimore and left a
large fortune. When a young man he
saved his money and bought home Tor his
father and mother. A Yankee with a
Jewish soul held the mortgage aud tried to
cheat him out of all he had paid in. All
were not saints 40 years ago. This young
man went to Mr.. Wiley tor the 500 due.
Mr.. W. said, Il have not got it but will
60 over; think can borrow of Mark
Adams on the meadows" He did it and
simply took the boys note and would take
no security. I remember many men 80
and 40 years ago who never thought to ask
security for money loaned to those they
had confidence in. l have, before the days