Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-11-30
LAFAYETTE IN ROYALTON.
Vivid Story Of the French Generals
Visit in 1925.

(The following interesting paper, de-
scfibing the visit of Gen. Lafayette Il
Royalton eighty years ago, was read be
fore the Woman's club of Royalton Nov
Is, by Mrs. Charles w. JoIner.)
On the morning of June rs, 1925, the
then noted town of Royalton was early
astir preparing to welcome Gen. Lafayette,
for Royalton was one OF the six towns in
the state to have the honor of entertaining
the most popular hero of the time.
Lafayette was invited to visit Yer
mont by the legislature OF 1924. Gov.
NanNess and staff went to Windsor to
meet the general when he entered the state
at that point
/ In Tunbridge was a full company OF
cavalry that had just been fitted out with
new uniforms and equipments. The uni
/ form consisted Of blue pants, white vest,
bright red coat and tall cap, the coat orna-
mented with braid and brass buttons, the
peculiar shaped cap with a stiff blue and
white plume The Hon. Lewis Dickerman
has a coat, cap and sword which belonged
to a member Of that company. The but
tons on that coat were bought in Boston
at the expense Of s31 each button.
The Funbridge cavalry company of one
hundred and three men under Captain
Eaton were ordered by Gov. VanNess to
meet Gen. Lafayette at Windsor and act as
escort, but the messenger on horse back did
not reach Capt. Eaton until late in the |
evening of June ~, and as the night was /
dark and misty the cavalry company did |
not start until morning, meeting the gener-
al and Others on Barnard hill. In Royal
ton village, on the ground between the
present church and academy, back where
now is the railroad, was a long one-story
wooden building with numerous openings,
without windows, but with heavy wooden
One end of this building was
partitioned into woodshed, kitchen and
storeroom; the remainder was a long din
ing hall with three tables and necessary
benches built in the hall to be used on
training and other great days. i,
On this June morning the kitchen was
fnll Of women getting ready to feed the
.hrong that were not to be entertained at
he hotel. At the side OF this dining hall
vas formed long procession of children /.
Ind tOwnspeople. Heading this process !
lion were Horatio Nelson Smith and Dud- I
ey Chase Denison, boys not quite six
ears old. Del Billings, father of Freder-
ok Billings, was marshal OF the day.
'olonel smith, landlord noted for his Z
Inc hotel, as well as his gracious, genial 7
manners to guests and all he met, had all i
us available force busy in kitchen, rooms Q
nd table. /
Lafayette's time being too precious to
e kept waiting one moment and telegraph / n
nd telephone an unknown quantity, S
eeessity invented means OF heralding e
he coming OF the hero OF the day, A He
lumber OF youths on horseback, equipped h
ach with dinner horn, were stationed Il
intervals from beyond where Frank 4
and now lives on Barnard line to within
orn distance of Royalton village. As
ne flrst sentinel saw the approaching G.
iyalcade, he gave a blast on hfs horn, TO q
repeated by each succeeding horn a
ntil the last gave note and notice to
andlord smith and eXpectant citizens
nat Lafayette was coming.
On they came over the Woodstock and
oyalton turnpike, as it was then called,
ausing at the place where Henry Pierce
ow lives, for Mr.. Williams, who kept the Il
'llgate at that spot, to give Lafayette
lass Of wine. Miss A. T.. Parker owns dI
le glass from which the general drank.
The turnpike at that time turned here, n
1ing across the fiat in front of the house =
DIV occupied by Mr. Hale, so the pro-
ssion entered Royalton village up what II
now called Bridge street. No wonder d
e eyes OF young Denison and Smith, the
aders OF the welcoming town procession, q
ew large at the sight OF that cavalry X
cort and the quaint carriage drawn by
< white horses and holding the we'll ~
loved hero, Lafayette. Dudley Denison ~
Ia me he was so fascinated with Lafay- pr
u carriages and the boys who, with Of
cir horns, heralded the approach OF this NJ
and party. Mr.. Denison treasured in "
$ memory the touch of Lafayettes hand ~
his head, with few pleasant words A
oxen TO him. In the Joiner home Is
e dinner horn used by Franklin Joiner !.
that day at his station near the home ~
Norman Sewall en-
Judge Collamer delivered the address ut
welcome from the balcony OF a house y
posite the hotel. After dinner. Gen at
Itayette reviewed the Revolutionary ~
ldiers in town, and the wonderful al
Guilty OF Lafayette of remembering and OF
ling by name those Of the soldiers he ~
d known SO impressed Franklin Joiner ~
at he never forgot it. Each soldier Sc
Ter shaking hands with Lafayette =
'pped on few PAGES and discharged
mnsket m salute. Poor Paul Clark,
small, fussy, methodical man, never 9,
covered from his modification when - -
! musket failed TO salute the general. Or
After the exercises OF the dav. LAFAYETTE or
d escort started for Montpelier. stand
3 In the door OF the Collamer house. :
" occupied by Charles Lyman, was a -
Tie girl, Harriet Collamer, Mrs. Collamer ki
hnson, now OF Woodstock, who writes
si-"Ot all the pictures that hang on M,
smorys walls none is more vivid 10 me -
DAY than the scene OF Lafayette's visit SO
my native village / stood holding my an
others hand in the front door OF nv So
! homestead and saw a carriage drawn
SIX white horses with a venerable
ntleman bowling right and left to the H'
Mrs. Johnson and Miss Lucy skinner -
the only ones known to be alive who -