Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-20
BENNINGTON COUNTY
BENNINGTON.

The repairs on the old First church N
Pennington Center which have been in pro
gress for number of weeks, are compile .cd.
hut it is probable that the cdifice will lot
be used until warmer weather comes The
entire expense of the repairs has bScll
borne by james s. Colgate, a banker of
New York, whose summer residence l.
At Bennington Centre, in memory OF tho
father and mother of Mrs. Colgate, vino
were active members of the church Tor
a number of years. The total expense was
about $1,000. The church has the dist!nc-
ton of being the Oldest in the STATE. AMI
the parish was first organized in Decen-
her 1862. Work on the present church wa
begun in 1904. AS early as 1872 steps were
taken to erect new building in place
of the one then used. and in December
1893 it was votd to raise tax of 5000
for that purpose. Among the building com
mittce was Isaac Tichenor, David Robin
son and Moses Robinson. the latter haV-
ing the charge of erecting the build ng
The house was completed III Decembc r.
1865. at which time it was found that it>
cost was :77a3.2S, and that of the $500
assessed only s2,29c.H7 had been paid in
1t WAS then decided to sell the pews at
public auction to raise the money to pay
for the house, and that persons who did
not purchase should have the money hat
they had paid in refunded to thom. NJ ny
of the peWs are now owned and occupied
by descendants of the first purChas- rs
The church was dedicated January /, 1906
and at that time was considered the best
in the STATE. The dedication sermon was
preached by the Rev. Daniel Marsh. who
was settled aS pastor in 1868, and remain
GA so until 1920. In 1872 the interior va-
very much modcrnzed the slips were TAX
on out and pcws substituted and manN
other improvements made inside while he
outside remains substantially as it was
completed. 1t has seating capacity o.
about GO0 Since its organization the
church has had II pastors, of which only
two are buried in the cemetery adjoin n8
the Rev. Jedediah Dewey, the first pastor
and Rev. Isaac Jennings its pastor for .
years. The present pastor Rev. WaIrcl
Morse, was for some time settled as pas
4 tor at Williamstown, and has been hire
about three years. The church will he re
dedicated i'll the spring with appropriate
exercises.
Mrs. Alexander Semple who is passn.
the winter with a son in HazardvilIe, G..
observed her 9Gth birthday Friday, She il
tho mother of Mrs. Charles Cooper of thi
village and resides with her most of tn
time. The old lady is remarkably az
tive, her mental faculties are in first
class shape and TO all appearances sh'
will round out q fun century She wa
born in Scotland but "A good portion of h.
life has been passed in this country. Sh
is distant relative of former prcsid-n
James Buchanan.
Olin Scott left for Canada Friday in re
sponse to n message by telephone callinl
him there to figure on supplying with tn
necessary machinery in a new pulp mil
which is being erected ,nere. ana whicl
it is said will be one Of the largest in IN
Dominion.
Double headed freight trains over tn
Chatham and Lebanon Valley division q
the Rutland railroad are almost an every
day occurrence. Large quantities of ha
and lumber are being shipped that way
During the month of January $4,000 fee
of lumber was shipped from Arlington
station alone by S, l.. Griffith.