The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-10-14

ger homes had been built and the
hearthstones broad and deep were
crowded with boys and girls, healthy,
happy and strong and in close touch
with nature, for the everlasting hills
that put on fresh beauty each succeed
ing year, were ever in sight with their
inspiration of great and noble deeds.
These boys and girls with their
Scripture names Isaac and Hiram and
Perez and Nathaniel and Lydia and
Abigail and Mary, we're Injured to
hardships and the knowledge of the
scriptures and the principles of civil
and religious liberty we're imbibed
along with the mountain air they in.
hailed. Peter HARDWOOD the Oldest son,
who gave home to his widowed
mother, smoothed down the rugged
slopes, planted extensive orchards and
when the eventfui battle Of Benning-
ton occurred was one of a little COM
pany that mt forth to meet and SUBJ
due the British forces and was ever
ready to lend aid to the soldiers.
When they camped here and were
hungry he pointed them to his field of
corn just beneath the mountain sides
where the roasting ears were waiting
for the sunny days TO harden them for
the grinding and babe them enter.
When they passed out there were the
stalks and the broad leaves and the
tassels left for the oxen, Duke and
Turk, the great, strong, patient oxen,
who plowed the fields for planting in
the spri ngtime. When the night came
on, damp and chill the soldiers came
in quietly, for the shelter of the roof,
stacked their muskets with polished |
bayonets, outside, but beneath cover |
and in reach, then with knapsack for a |
pillow, laid themselves away, one hun
dred in number, coming and going |
noiselessly for Margaret, Peters wife |
was i'll. Eleazer who was studying for
the work of the gospel ministry, the
18th century theology, and afterwards
became scholarly divine, influenced |
.he people of his charge more by his
yodly walk and conversation than by
ais public utterances. When he as.
,ended the stairs of the old fashioned
pulpit in Pittsford there was half a
core or more children in the mini
tiers pew" with their mother. His
amily often as they grew apace were
married. and given in marriage and
Nth their numerous families settled
ear, but later with the tide of emigra-
ion moved westward to people the
rairies and the cities of those newer
tates.
Zachariah's home was out toward
ne SALISBURY hills, bleak in winter
ut charming in summer; there were
our sons gathered around his hearth
tone when the war-clouds grew dark.
he Council of Safety" met frequent
at his home. After the eventful ,
attic, he rendered great assistance in
harding the Tories. Perez, his son,
le father of eleven sons and daugh-
rs, inherited the home. Two of his II
,andsons were deacons in the Congre-
stional church in Bennington Center :,
I'D one of Peter H's great grandsons :,
rived the same church in the same
.pacity, third of the same general U
n, who served in the same church :,
Is gone up higher. !,
From among the generations that %
lowed Benjamin and Bridget Har. ~
BOD, there will be many voices to
in in the anthems of praise in that n
W and beautiful world, some of them
andy attuned, while here below. 90
Written by Mrs. Amanda Robinson A.
IAN sole survivor of Samuel Robin =
MS family of nine, and sister of the -,
o Uel M. Robinson. 7,
NJ