St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-06-13

atty to his native state, as well as
originality by the one he assumed
Henry Stevens, G. M. B., (Greer
Mountain Boy London, England
inheriting from his father a love fol
old historic books and pamphlets he
partly paid for a.collegiate education
by collecting and selling such books
at an advanced rate to private col
lectors such as Mr.. Force, of Wash.
ington, D. c., whose library now be.
longs to the Congressional Library
(it was purchased for 100000
Henry Stevens possessing $500,
went to England and soon found a
wide patronage with wealthy men
like James Lennox, of N. Y, the
founder of the Lennox Library. He
was also employed by the British
museum to procure for them a val
liable collection of American books.
His son, since his death, carries on
the American book store near the
British museum. Judge John Gil6l.
Ian, of Minneapolis, gained an inspi-
ration in his youth from living on
the farm of $50 acres which the late
Thaddeus Stevens had presented dur
ing his lifetime to his mother, with a
dairy OF fourteen cows. He followed
Horace Greely's advice, like many
other young men from Peacham, and
went west. He became later a rep.
resentative to the United States Con-
gress from Minnesota. In referring
to Thaddeus Stevens who later in
life became the leader in the United
States House of Representatives, ref
erence was made to an old recon-
mendation found amongst some his
toric papers belonging to Gen.
William Chamberlain, (such as a
copy of the charter of the town and
of the Academy Gen. Chamberlain
was the secretary and then president
of the Board of Trustees from 1877
until his death in 1928, and the
meetings were held at his house. We
give copy below of the testimonial
which is doubtless the first time that
it ever has seen print:
ITO all whom it may concern This NAV
certify that the bearer Mr. Thaddeus Stey-
ems, a late graduate at Dartmouth College
has had his principal residence in this town
Tor several years past, and has supplied the
place of the Preceptor of the Academy for
several weeks, in the course of the last win
ter; he is young gentleman whose natural |
and acquired abilities and general good con- |
duct $50 far as it has come to our knowledge |
entities him to esteem and respect.
Mr.. Stevens it is stated by his bio
grapher, graduated at % years of
age in 1914 at Dartmouth College,
In the list OF teachers of the Academy,
we find that Rev. David Chassell
was the preceptor in 1913 and 1914
and David W. Christie in 1915. In
the history of the school, we find that
several times, substitute took the
place OF the preceptor when i'll or alb
sent for some weeks; such was
doubtless the case, when Stevens,
who had begun the study of law,
llled such a vacancy. The nrst case
ot discipline that we notice recorded
vas in October, 1911. This testi-
nonlal puts new and different con-
truction upon the treatment of
[haddeus Stevens by the Board of
trustees of the School and shows a
recognition of his worth and anincli
latlon to help him in his struggle for
IN education, and to learn profess
ion. Representative Mccall of
Massachusetts,. but native of Penn.
ylvanla, has written a very fine his
DRY of Thaddeus Stevens as a whole,
specially of his Congressional ca,
eer, h""t as alumni, we must take ex.
option to his statement on page 10,
nth reference to Caledonia Co.
Irammar School located at Peach
am. Concerning its endowment
ind and list of teachers, it reads
hus-"The School was very hum.
lie institution both architecturallv
nd in its means of instruction. 1t
ad no large endowment, no long
st OF learned teachers, and no i'm
oslng building to strike the ina.
nation, but its rude halls were
hronged with pupils eager to &C.
uire knowledge, and they made the
lost OF all the means at their COM
land."
The Academy had large revenue
n those times and was always cal
d one of the best endowed in the
ate. William Chamberlain was
lie Representative from the town to
lie Legislature and helped to gain
rye endowment fund for the county
I'd lease lands were granted in the
lowing towns: Plain6eld, Marsh
Id, Cabot, Calais, Groton, Wood
Try, Hardwick, ..Peacham, Mont
ier, Danville, Goshen Gore, Belle
eador, Sutton, Lyndon, Burke, =
aterlord, Hopkinsville and Shelf
Id. But it was not until 1881
at it is recorded that IAN attempt
as made to divert the funds" and
t until 1887 that "the funds were