Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-03-10
FIFTY YEARS RESIDENT.
J. w. Hale Remembers Randolph As
IL Was in 1853.

l..
birthday anniversary Wednesday, March
I'd, mas been a resident OF Randolph since
1888 and has witnessed the growth of the
place in half century from a small ham
let to prosperous village with popula-
tion OF 1910
OF those with whom he became ac-
quainted on his first arrival in town but
two are still living here, Elijah Edison and
4 Willard Gay. The former, with Charles
Badger and Levi Smith, son of Hiram
smith, was engaged in mercantile business
in the old "Beehive" across the river, I'M
der the firm name OF Badger, Edison 81
J Smith, while Mr.. Gay, in partnership with
/ Harvey Spslding, was carrying on dry
goods business in the old Dubois & Gay
1 block, on the site of the present structure
of that name. Mr.. Spalding married the
sister of Hon. James and Lyman Hutch
/ inson and afterwards removed TO Wash
4 ington, ID. G. The late Ira Jones clerked
/ for Spalding q Gay, but was after while
Obliged to 20 to Kansas on business mat
/ tiers, and Mr.. Hale, who had bought
/ farm in Bethel, just across the Randolph
/ line, found some one to see to the chores
/ for him and took Mr.. Jones' place in the
/ store through the winter months. After
wards Mr.. Hale became leading photOg-
rapher in this village and continued in
that business for many years. His talents
are not confined 10 art, however, but ex-
/ tend also to music and find expression in
the skiing Of Instruments the violin,
which he still plays, welding the bow
with practised hand.
The late Micah Mann was postmaster
and since his time there has been only one
postmaster, the late Franklin Salisbury,
who was born in town, all the rest having
been natives of other places and adopted
sons OF Randolph.
The late Jackson Lamson was station
agent and in the intervals between trains
"A -. 4 H. IL y Il.
lot in Rochester Hollow. After the de-
parture Of the morning train he was free
10 devote the rest OF the forenoon to agri-
cultural pursuits and again in the after
noon, when the train had come and gone,
the station was closed while the agent
looked after more pressing interests. He
had, however, certain well-know hours
for being at the depot when those who
had business to transact there took the
opportunity to call upon him.
Weston nat was then part OF the farm
OF Judge Weston. whose house occupied |
the location Of the High school building.
Il was a meadow surrounded by pasture
with a sugar lot on the hill to the south !
and was estimated to be worth about $500. |
Now il is a residential part OF the village /
and covered with more than $4,000 worth /
OF buildings.
The "Mansion House, ION Central street, /
kept by Peter Bates, was burned about the /
time Mr.. Hale came to Randolph and was 1
replaced by the building now owned by l
William Bass. DIR. Philander Bradford |
built a residence for himself short dis |
lance south OF what is now the Howe |
block and sold IL later to 5. A. Babbitt, /
who in turn disposed OF II TO A. II. Beedle. l
The latter raised IL up another story and /
turned ii into the Cottage hotel, viii IN |
had successive landlords, among them Mr.. /
Beedle, the late William Gabrielle and the 1
late Mr.. Landon, the last named being in 1
charge when the hotel was burned in the I
great fire OF 1884. that wiped out the bust /
ness portion OF the village.
Where the Tewksbury block stands was +
a little store conducted by a man named I
Hoyt and he solo his establishment to the 4
late A. W. Tewksbury, who came here |
from New Boston, y. H., in 1850 and /
founded the business house OF A. W. /
Tewksbury q Sons. The little store was I
moved across the track and converted into /
the dwelling in which f. II. ketchum
lives, and the Tewksbury block was erect 4
ed on its site. Mr.. A. W. Tewksbury and 4
his son, NJ. A., while preparing TO move !
from New Hampshire and establish them /
selves in business in this village, boarded i
with Mr.. Hale. who lived then in the Dyer
house on Pleasant street. He afterwards
bought the Bass place on Main street for
$500 and was told by friend that he had
been cheated. This place he sold to the
chased by the late Samuel Bass.
In 1853 the Cobb house that forms the
foundation OF the Mcintyre block was
standing on the opposite side OF the street;
Captain Tiffany was living in the house OF
Mrs. Emily Burroughs, then one-story
cottage and in line with the others, having
since been moved back; Isaac Thayer
owned the ]. ;. Chase house, which has
been altered out OF all resemblance to il
former self; William Mann's house stood
where it does now and Mrs. A. A. Smiths
two-story residence was the one story
home OF Rev. Mr.. Sparhawk, pastor OF the
Congl church and father of l.. i. Spar
hawk.
As agent Of the Weston estate Mr.. Hale
turned Weston fiat into streets and build
ing lots and increased ats value for the
heirs tremendously while taking care that
il should be built up in a way to add to
the attractiveness of the village. That
part of the estate from the Kimball Public
library building to the William Mann
house, the side hill and the beach below,
16 acres, he sold to w. w.
Morton and the late j. q. A. Bass for 800,
which would now buy but very small
part of il.
Another trade that seems equally aston
ishing at the present day is the purchase
which Mr.. Hale made Of the house occu
pied by j. f. Lamson and twenty acres OF
land on the Playground for sl200 This
trade was duly made but, some trouble
arising, the deed was never drawn. Mr..
Hale also bought OF Judge Weston for 800
the house that used to stand on the site OF
Mrs. f. ID. Strong's residence, and was
moved to Dudley street to make room for
the new building. 1t was long the home
Of the late Mrs. Juliette Chadwick and is
now occupied by {. W. Proper. When
MIR. Hale bought il Mrs. Sophia Hatch, a
friend OF Mrs. Hale, was living in il, and
rs she wished to retain it, ne finally relin-