Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-18
'Iasen Pomona Grange Has Erect
ed Monument on Old Mill
tary Road.
EXERCISES HELD SATURDAY.
Address by cx-GOv. Bell
Highway WAS Marked Out by Capt.
johnson in 1.7G-Rond Fipish-
ed Three Years nftcrward-
Remarks by W. l.. Dow.

Hardwck, oct lin fulilment of n
resolution passed by the Hazcu Road
Pomona Grange at a meeting in Hard
nick on the 18th of last March, n monu-
fnent has been erected at IIardwiCk streca
pear the Kidder place to the memory of
hc patriots who built the old military
road, from which the Grange takes its
ame between Peacham and Westficld in
10, and as n marker to the road. APP
)ropriate dcdicatory exercises were held
Yesterday afternoon in the presence OF a
gathering OF 125 people. The exercises
Were opened by a prayer offered by the
Iev. X. J. Barton of Greensboro. follow
I'D by the singing of HAL Vermont by
trio composed of Mrs. G. J. Bell Miss
Jennie Bell and +. b. Day. w. l.. Dow,
worthy master of the Grange then made
few Introductory remarks. which were
Followed by a historical address by mas
Der of the state Grange, by eX-Gov. I.
]. Bell, who said in part:
Less than two years ago the iazcn
Road Pomona Grange was organized and
tome were surprised to find that many
bf the young men and women were not ct
bll familiar with the fact that such
road passed through many of the farms
owned by members of this Grange in Wal
Aon. Danville, Hardwick, Greensboro and
'ra ftsbury.
There are indications that this road,
while it's course may have been changed
n places. is still generally in use.
About one hundred and thirty years
ego General Washington, looking for
more direct route from Boston to st.
Johns. Canada. was advised that up
The Connecticut valley starting into
he forests from Newbury, Vermont a
route could be selected which would
Shorten the march of troops. In
March. 1876. Capt. Thomas Johnson,
with two or three men marked out the
road by blazing trees from Newbury
o st. Johns and found the route about
ton days nearer than via Lake Champ
ain. Gen. Bayley with Il company of
p en- began to build the road. cutting "A
way through the forests of RyeEate
nd past Peacham. The work was then
Delayed nearly three years when Gen.
Tnzen was directed to move his mill
airy stores to Peacham and renew the
ask begun by Gen. Bayley.
Block houses were built in Cabot. Wal
ben and Greensboro. Afterwards the,
men resting for the night, while passing
up through the Wilderness
Tardwick street. where We erect this
|ronument. became a settlement only a
ow years after and what is of particular
interest to me is the fact that Col. Alpha
Warner, my mothers father, came here
from Hardwick, Mass, built log house
nd began keeping a tavern before 1886.
II 119, he built the tavern now standing
ust to my left across the corner. contin-
ling in the business until about 60 years
when he went to Ohio to spend the re-
nainder Of his days with his sons
The freight and mails for this north
country all passed through here for many
years.
In the State library Is survey of this
Iazen road from Newbury made probably
n 1905. There seems to be some uncer-
tainty If the road runs through DanvilA
This survey would indicate that it die
from Peacham to Deweysburgh then
through a point in Danville, Cabot. Wal
len past the old stone house near the La
noble river in Hardwick, past Colonel
Warmers tavern and north past the west
side Of Caspian lake. According to thl.
survey the point where we stand to-day
5 10 miles from the Canada line.
Orleans county has erected stone
n the mountains of Wcstfeld, where
General Hazen ceased his work Last
summer Cabot erected stone on the
Inc OF this road on the plain and
another where a block house once
stood.
block house was built near Cas-
,ian Lake and history tells us thai
-FOUR soldiers We're there for a time &c
guard some supplies. Going out for game
ihey met some Indians near the La
noble river where two of the mer
were killed. The others escaped AN,
returning in a few days buried thcii
comrades. When the railroad wa,
built the course of the Lamoille river
was changed just where the Greens.
boro brook cmpties in. 1t is said tina
while eXcaVating for this chang,
some human homes were found and T.
Is quite probable this was where tn,