Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-06-27
eRATrLEsoRo 100 YEARS AGO.
Judge Wheeler's Paper Before the
Professional Club Last Evening.

of the most interesting of the series
The paper was by Judge II. II. Wheel
err on the subject "Brattleboro 100
Years Ago" Judge Wheeler prob
ably has more information than any
person in Brattleboro concerning con-
ditions which existed in town cen
fury ago, and his paper was crowded
with facts which were a revelation to
his hearers. The reading of the
paper was followed by a supper, after
which DR.. James Conland led in the
discussion. combining his remarks
largely to the publications. (books,
newspapers, etc) issued in Brattle-
boro 100 years or more ago.
In 1853 what is now Brattleboro was
part of the province of New
Hampshire of which Benning Went
worth was the royal governor, living
at Portsmouth. He granted the char
ter of Dec. &c, under which he
reserved 500 acres to himself, begin
ming at the upper end of Fort Meadow,
which is the lower end of the depot
yard, and running up the river three
quarters of a mile. and then that
breadth back west 10 degrees north.
It extended beyond the watering
trough on the road to West Brattle
boro. and north to about where
Harris place is No permanent set
Element outside of Fort Dummer and
the meadow about it was made before
1862.
In July, Samuel Wells came and
settled where the Woman's Retreat
is; John Arms came and settled where
the Retreat farmhouse is, and Col.
John Sargent moved from near Fort
Drummer up to where the road turns
off that goes down to the suspension
bridge. Gov. Wentworth put up a
grist mill on milestone brook just
above where the bridge is.
In 1854. July 20, this town. with the
rest of what is Vermont became
part of the province of New York. and
in 1866 a charter was granted by that
province to Samuel Wells. John Arms
and others The title under that
charter was granted by the others to
Wells. He built saw mill by the
grist mill in 1867.
In 1771 Esquire Stephen Greenleaf
came from Boston to this town, and at
| first seems to have lived where the
Richardson farmhouse is beyond the
fairgrounds. August II he bought
the governors right OF Samuel Wells.
That fall he built a small house and
moved into ii on the lot about where
| the American house is. He had some
goods there for sale, probably brought
| from Boston.
Judge Wheeler read notice from
the Federal Galaxy of June IA, 1902,
recording the death of Stephen Green
leaf, and speaking of his store as the
first opened in this town. Judge
Wheeler also traced other leading
historical events up to 1902. At that
| time there was no Connecticut river
| bridge or road that way. The ledge.
which had been cut away from the
road. came out to the edge of the gulf,
| down which the brook falls. There
was no Green street no Elliot street,
and no Canal street, where it now
| goes, but a road went from Joseph
Clark's around by Clark street and
up to stephen Greenleafs at Elm
| corners. A road ran from Joseph
| Clark's in front of where Young's
grocery stort is and back of the Ameri-
can House where ii goes now. and
wound around the hill cut away for
the depot. and went to the little spruce
island which is the lower island in the
| Connecticut river. West river had a
bridge and a road to it. and beyond
ii had just been built. The travel
had before that gone up to where the
pumping station is and across West
river between where the two Thorn
asses live. That bridge was a toll
bridge.
Judge Wheeler described in detail
the houses on Main street and in other
parts of the village. and also gave a
large amount of valuable information
in regard to the principal merchants,
lawyers and others of that time. The
merchandise came then mainly from
Hartford by boat. The landing was
| down where the electric light plant
and the stone arch are. The road
! went TO ii then as now. The boats
had TO be helped up over the swift
water below by rope. At the land
ing they sometimes crossed over to
the island by what was called Bar
rett's ferry. The principal crossing
was at Fort Dummer where there
was a ferry. The navigation of the
river was very important at that time
and they had a lottery for improving
it at South Hadley Falls.
Judge Wheeler devoted considerable
attention to the first meeting house
built on Meeting House hill in .176S
where the cemetery is. The only
church in town was the Congregational
and the only minister in town was
Rev. William Wells, who was paid by
tax on the town. He lived beyond
where the Woman's Retreat is. The
minister was not only the first gentle
man in town, but was the foremost
farmer and paid the most taxes.
The most expensive building in
town was Samuel Dickinson's, ap-
praised at s14O0. and Judge Wheeler
gave a list of several others appraised
at $1,000 each At that time meI
were taxed not only for their property
but for their faculty in making money
John Holbrook had the greatest facul
ty, and was taxed $50 for it, The
only newspaper was the Fedora
Galaxy.
In closing Judge Wheeler said thai
at that time the sale of liquor wa.
free enough to satisfy those in favor
of high license now Retailers wer,
licensed from $3.50 to SIS. Rum
gin, brandy and wines were adver
tised by merchants to be sold by guam
tity. Judge Wheeler said: Every
body drank some, and nobody got
drunk. Men did not then so LOSE
their selfcontrol and respect as to no
restrain to keep them sober"
The House passed yesterday the