St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-05-27


review of the Court House grounds
including the Soldiers Monument may be
interesting and review of the exercises
when the monument was unveiled.
The custom of the time when this
town was founded was to have the ceme-
terry located ia the centre of the village
making a resting place to easily leave
the bodies of departed friends. The old
graveyard formerly located in the Court
House square seems to be an exception
to this for scarcely could more fitting
site have been found in this locality for
such metropolis. Here the departed
townspeople were gathered, rough stones
marking the resting places of more than
one person famous in their generation
until the growth of the town, the advent
of the railroad and other causes made it
desirable that St. Johnsbury should be
the shire town of the county and the
court house located here. This site was
then selected as a suitable and most
fitting site for such building. The pres
ent beautiful site OF Mount Pleasant
cemetery was then selected by Thaddeus
Fairbanks and the silent inhabitants OF
the old cemetery were soon removed to
their new resting place. The old stones
and monuments were also moved and
can now be seen in the oldest part of the
new cemetery. The Court House was
erected by contract by the Fairbanks
firm, the expense being borne by the
town and county and the first term of
court was held in the new building in
December, 1856.
For some time after the civil war there
had been growing feeling in St. Johns
bury that some testimony in shape of a
monument commemorative to the SOL
diers OF the town who lost their lives
while in the service OF the country should
be erected. The climax was reached in
1866 when an article was inserted in
the warrant for the March meeting in
reference to the erection of commence
rative monument. The article was ex.
planned by A. G, Chadwick who stated
that there existed among many citizens of
the town a disposition to contribute a
portion of the funds necessary to provide
asuitable monument in memory of the sol.
diers OF the town who had lost their lives
in defense Of the stars and stripes and if
the town in its corporate capacity would
appropriate one-half the amount desired
the other half could be secured ia the
manner suggested from donations OF
private individuals. 1t was then voted
that a committee of three persons be
appointed to ascertain the probable
| cost of a suitable marble monument with
design Tor the same, and the amount
if any which could be obtained by pri.
vate subscription. Horace Fairbanks
Gates b. Billiard and A. ]. Willard were
appointed agreeably to the foregoing
vote.
At a special town meeting called in
June OF that year the committee reported
submitted plan for monument deemed
suitable and appropriate. 1t was then
voted to instruct the selectmen to raise
a sum not to exceed $40, 900, or as much
as necessary to carry out the report o.
the committee. Negotiations were then
entered into with Larkin G. Mead, IT,. a
native OF Vermont, for furnishing a suita.
BILE marble statue. contract was soon
executed with him for the monument
which was to be of the finest Italian
marble. The monument was sculnturef
in the artists studio ia Florence anC
delivered in New York City for the con
tract price OF $4,000. The contract TO-
supplying granite foundation and ped
estal for the statue to rest upon va
taken and executed by Peter B. Laird O
West Danville.
In the summer of 1868 the statue ar
rived in America and was soon brough
to st. Johnsbury and on the Goth day O
August was inaugurated with imposin,
ceremonies. The selectment of t. e tow
at the time were Calvin Morrill,. T. Fl
Applebee and Sias Randall and they ant
the monument committee had charge O
the exercises. The first part of the pro
gram consisted of a procession HEADED
by G'lmore's brass band OF Boston. fol
lowed by Masonic organizations, a ca
drawn by six horses containing thirty
5 six little girls attired in white and repre
p senting the different states of the Unto,
at the time; another car canopied h,
evergreens with young lady appro
S prlately dressed, representing Peace
y othcers and orators OF the day. carria oe
containing disabled soldiers. returne
officers and soldiers, fire companies an
citizens. This procession marche
r through the several streets of the vjllao
A to the Court House grounds. Their,
gathered around the monument. the mr.,
arranged exercises of the occasion too
place.
t These exercises were commenced nv !,
e troductory remarks by Hon. c, S. Dan,
> president of the day. The names of n
towns deceased soldiers inscribed mo
the monument were read by Major E. T
r kedington. Horace Fairbanks. chat
t man OF the monument committee a,
n nounced that the committee had con
pleted the work assigned them and the
unveiled the statue America" Unit
this time it had been hidden from publ
n view by curtain of national flags an
h at once these were pulled away and ii
monument exposed to view, After a le
minutes OF profound silence HAr,er;oo