Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-11-16
Deeds a Century Old.

Luke Parish has found in his family ar
chiyes three ancient legal instruments OF
considerable interest, one OF them being
the original deed Of the land on which the
old academy Was built at the Center, and
the other two, deeds given to his uncle.
Daniel Parish, in the latter's purchase of a
valuable mill property at East Bethel
Only one IS on printed form and all are
decorated with pieces Of white paper
stuck on With red wax, in lieu OF The
usual seals.
In the academy deed, dated June %. 1904,
Joseph Edison. IN consideration Of 800
PAID TO his full satisfaction, conveyed the
piece OF ground on which the Normal
school now stands. to Timothy Edison,
Timothy Baylies, Dudley Chase, James
Tarbox, Ezekiel Bissell, James Norris,
John Blodgett, John Granger, Abraham
Croker, Stephen Fish, Ira Tucker, Josiah
Edison. Joseph Edison, A. Edgerton, Jabez
Vaughan, Jonathan Smith, Stephen Penn
Der, Samuel Hebard, Jehiel Woodland, all
OF Randolph, and John French OF Brain
tree. styled proprietors of the academy.
This academy was merged into the Or
ange County Grammar school, incorpor-
ated by an act OF the legislature Nov. s,
1906, reckoning from which date, its CEN
tenary period will be completed next year.
The preamble to the act of incorporation
declared that ''sundry inhabitants Of the
town OF Randolph in the county of Or
ange have, with the assistance of other
liberal people OF said county, erected and
completely furnished large, elegant and
convenient schoolhouse at an expense of
more than 5000, and have maintained for
more than two years past school for in
struction in those branches not generally
taught in district schools"
In the days OF the academy, its trustees
n ~ a dau nd d
cents mile for travel in the discharge of
their educational duties. and in an old ac-
count of their drawing pay for these serv-
ices are found the names OF ID. Spaulding,
Rev. ). Fuller, Jonathan Fisk, Rev Mr..
Eastman, I. Baylies, Il. Edison, Lebbeus
Edgerton and Dudley Chase. An itemized
tavern account OF these gentlemen. re-
ceipted by Mine Host G. r. Holmes, shows
some entries that would cause grievous
scandal should they appear in a Normal
.rustee's hotel bill. The old score, footing
up s4.12, reads as follows:-Pint rum. SOC.
horse batting, 7c.; gin sling, 13c. 2 sup
oers, 34c.; 2 horses, Soc: /. supper, 17c.; 2
lodgings, Ice. break fast, 25c.; dinners,
Del ! bottle rum, 81 batting horse, 25c.
In an instrument dated June 8, 1899,
Leonard Fisk and Samuel Hebard of Beth
Il, Thomas j. and Calvin Davis OF Royal
Ton and Samuel Paine OF Randolph decided
20 Daniel Parish for sl4.450 the brick
dwelling house and outbuildings on the
north side OF the road leading from the
village in East Bethel to the Baptist meet
ing house, known as the Joseph Fowler
place and containing about one and a
fourth acres OF land; also the factory
building, sawmill, machine shop, dye
houee and blacksmith shop. all situated
on the nortnerly side of the branch and
south Of the road leading to the meeting
house, occupying one acre land; also the
gristmill and outbuildings situated on the
south side OF the branch and east OF the |
road from East Bethel to Randolph and |
containing about one fourth acre OF land. |
Ten days later, another deed OF this
same property was given 10 Mr.. Parish, in |
consideration OF 5000 by Elias Carpenter. |
Asa Story, Samuel Paine, Isaac Nichols, |
Noah Perrin, Jonn Perrin and Caleb Hob /
Irt, all 4 Randolph, Leonard Fisk, Samu |
Il Hebard, Jonathan Eaton and Harvey /
Chase Of Bethel and Austin Brooks OF
aoyalton. On this property, formerly /
owned by the Farmers Manufacturing /
company, sundry executions against the
company had been previously levied in
iavor OF the above named gentlemen, who /
by this later deed conveyed to Mr.. Parish I
all rights and titles which they derived 1
from that levy.
Those interested In these transactions
we're the substantial men OF Randolph and /
many, or all OF whom, are re-
by the present generation.
fhe wooden factory, established by the 4
Farmers Manufacturing company, was a |
industry in East Bethel, doing |
a big business, aud for long time the ia /
lher OF w. 4. Wedgwood was superin- /
tendent of The mill. The large brick mill /
whose site is the present East /
Bethel sawmill yard, was burned some I
sixty wears ago and never rebuilt.