Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-02-19
MORE OLD HOUSES.
Historic Structures on the South Side
of the Branch.

To continue recapitulation OF the old
est houses in this village we will in fame J
tread the streets OF Randolph some sixty
years ago. Coming from the then business
part of what was unexpectedly termed
''Slab City," whose stores, hotel, mills anc
Offices made Central street a Broadway Of
trade, one crossed the covered bridge tc
the south side OF the river, and reached
the house OF Captain Isaac Thayer, which
as a much remodelled structure, is nowttht
residence OF Irving S. Chase. Captain
Thayer came here from Randolph, Mass,
previous TO 1872 and settled on farm that
took in a good part OF School street and
the fiat below, bordering the river.
Across the road stood what is called the
Seth Flint house, occupied in earlier times
! by Blacksmith Foster, whose shop was in
the lower part, while his wife had milli-
merry store above. On the site OF the High
school building lived Judge Weston, whose
house vas moved by Willard Gay to Rail-
road street, the main part being now the
home OF Dr. S. n Gould, while in the ell,
just west of it, lives Mrs. Margaret Gay.
The house OF Mrs. VIM. Burroughs,
which was moved back to make room
for the Methodist church, was built very
much like Judge Weston's and stood near
the.road. DR.. Philander ID. Bradford lived
here before he built the old Cottage hotel
for a residence, and Captain John Tiffany
moved 10 this same house after he sold
his farm on Central street.
Next came little cottage, that tradi-
tion says Judge Weston fixed up for a
widowed sister and which was later the
home Of Mrs. Juliette Chadwick and her
daughter, Mrs. j. NJ. Trask, and couple
OF years ago was moved to Weston street
to make room for Mrs. +. ID. Strong's
new residence. Judge Weston's farmer,
Samuel Cobb, had his house where the
Baptist church is, and "Cobb's sugar
place" was a famous spot for outdoor
parties. A road that started somewhere
back OF l.. z. Drew's blacksmith shop
went ''slabbing the hill" down to three
or four acres OF land that the river has
since carried piecemeal away, and ended
nearly back OF Mrs. Ellen Blanchard 8
house. On this land was the sugar place
and in the maple grove rousing camp
meetings were held and picnies OF all
descriptions. Afterwards Mr.. Cobb had
another sugar place on Chandler hill.
On the site of the library lived Col.
r. J. Kimbalrs father, and the house OF
d. I. Dyer belonged to Paschal Bradford,
who manufactured sleighs and wagons.
The home of Mrs. A. A. Smith on
School street was a little red house in
which a Mrs. Chase lived with two daugh-
tiers and lower down was the home now
occupied by George Carpenter which was
was bought Of the society by Willard
Gay and Earl c. Dubois. The latter
moved his family from what is at present
Mrs. Mary Mann's house on the other
side OF the river, and the change to the
sparsely settled district on the south side
of the branch was regarded as something
of calamity. by the younger members
of Mr.. DuBoisis family.
Ned Weston had a little dental office
where the Wheeler block stands and just
south of the building bars led into a
pasture that ended in forest of pine and
yellow birch, Rice & Webster of North
field bought the land, cleared off the timber
and Randolph avenue was opened up, the
first house, now Mrs. Susan Robinson's,
being built by them.
The house owned by Alfred Webster
and rented by F. II. Ketchum, on South
Main street, is the old Tewksbury store
and was moved from the Tewksbury
corner to make room for more commo-
dious ware house.
Dan Tarbell built the first block, a
three-story wooden structure, on the
site Of the Dubois & Gay block. 1t
burned in 1862, and Dubois & Gay re-
built il the same as before, three stories
and OF wood, again ii burned, and in
1877 the brick block was erected, and
the business part of Railroad street
christened Merchants Row.
The road 20 the fair ground started up
the hill somewhere near the Brooks
block. went back OF w. +. Lamson's
house took a direction that carried it
straight past the c. M. Howard house
and on the west of Col. Chandeliers stone
bridge. curving out from the present
thoroughfare for some ways. Three
brothers, George, Elias and Asa Bates,
owned the south part OF the fair ground
and their house was very nearly on the
IL. ..l
hawk bought this farm, which included
Prospect hill TO the M. j. Lamson farm,
north to the &. NJ. Howard place and
east to the Catholic burying ground.
Rev. Mr.. Sparhawk built the brick house
in which j. +. Lamson lives, bringing
the bricks in winter from yard in East
Bethel. The main part of the Bates house
he moved over for an ell to the new
house, and converted the Bates ell into
an clubhouse or shed of some kind. His
son, Luther T., has vivid recollections of
living on this farm and hoeing corn in
rows that extended to South Pleasant
street, 100 rods long, and managing to
make the trip down and back in the
course of a forenoon. He very soon en-
gagged in photography.
Deacon John Smith lived in the house
that is known as the c. NJ. Howard
house and his farm went from the Spar
hawk line to a line just north of A. r.
Hendricks house and took in both the
Howard land and that belonging to VIM.
II. Dubois. The rest OF the fair ground
was Judge Weston's sheep pasture and its
sandy soil covered with moss furnished
pretty poor picking even for a sheep.
With this cursory review OF the south
side OF the branch endeth the second
chapter OF the annals of Randolph.
(other locals on next page.l
Work Resumed.