Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-10-02
Nasatt1aa lw>1s
SUSANNA ALDRICH STEVENS.

SUSANNA ALDRICH STEVENS.
To overcome the elements of nature as
they exist in the primeval forest, aided
only by the primitive helps that sur.
rounded the first settlers of three genera.
tions ago, demanded fortitude and de-
veloped character; and after this, to
cope VIGOROUSLY with sorrow and pri-
walton almost beyond human endurance,
could he possible only to one of inherent
force, and must lead to abilities that are
admirable. Characters have grown ont
of such hard conditions that are most
wonderful. No other combination of
circumstances can produce them, aud,
therefore, with the country now general.
ly settled, few of them remain, and when
one passes out, the community that has
had the influence Of that life meets loss
and is touched with genuine sorrow.
Because she, more than any one else liv-
ing among us, had met these conditions
with womau's courage Undesirable,
and 10y reason of the great regard in
which she was universally held the resi-
dents of this locality felt a personal be-
reavement in the death of Mrs. Susanna
Stevens.
Mrs. Stevens was the daughter of
Oney Aldrich, who came to this locality
with his family in 1882, and when she
was twelve years old. The town was
then called Random, with a road but
little better than bride path along
down the Clyde River, through Navy,
(now Charleston) to Derby. There
were but few cabins in all the wilder
ness then, aud no two clearings near
each other. Enos Bishop, the first set
tier in town, had located on what af-
terward became the home farm of Mrs.
Stevens Vitica Blake had cabin on
the opposite shore of the pond, on the
lot where he died many years after, and
which was then in the town of Wenlock ;
aud John Cargill had located on the IL.
h. Stevens place, then in the town of
Caldersburg. John Stevens was clear
ing up what is now the Steele farm, and
to his son Warren, Susanna Aldrich was
married on the 18th day of May 1910,
by Jason Currier, Justice of the Peace.
For twelve and half years they met
successfully the trying conditions about
them, and then Mr. Stevens was COM
PEELED to yield by failing health, and on
the 2lst day of December 1852 he died,
and his widow was left with five young
children. After years OF heroic perse-
verance, and Just as she might expect
the dawn of a brighter day, the war
cloud rose over her, and she gave all
three of her boys to the service, for they
enlisted at the outbreak in Co. d., 3D.
Vt. Volunteers. In less than six months
Orlando c. had been killed at Yorktown,
Va, aged twenty years and nine months,
and then as the hope of peace began to
brighten the land, Russell l.. was shot
in skirmish near Washington, ID. C.,
aged eighteen years and eleven months,
and at the close of the war, but one OF
the three, Calvin L., came home, and he
with health gone beyond recovery,
For several years of her life Mrs.
Stevens lived with her daughter, the late
Mrs. Samantha Hall, some of the time
at her home in the village, and part OF
it at the old home farm which she had
decided her son-in-law, the late Austin
II. Hall, reserving life lease for her
self and to their kind consideration OF
her she often made reference. Later
she lived with her son Calvin, between
whom and herself a greater than the
usual attachment of mother and son ex-
listed. At his home she died on Satur-
day evening September Goth. 1908, at
tended by her surviving daughter, Rox-
ana, wife of S. NJ. Harmon, whose de.
voted care went with her to the last.
had occasion to talk with her FIRE.
quently of late, and was impressed by
the clearness of her recollection and her
mental power, to the last day of her life
After each visit | wrote down what she
had told me, and as far as possible
will repeat her own words in this sketch
The first time saw her after she was
unable to sit up, the room was full o.
flowers, and | asked her if she had al
many when she was girl. "Ohl yes,
she said, awe had fine flower gardens
then, and whole front yards full of them
We had most all these flowers, anc
bachelors buttons had to be in ever,
garden too; but there was one howe
have not seen late years that we al
ways had.-a blue flower. We called i
the Star-of- Bethlehem, bright blu