Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-03-04
ON VERMONT HISTORY.

Horace w Bailey of Rutland, known
throughout the state as a student of
Vermont history, spoke to an audience
OF men in the Unitarian church in Wind
sor recently. Mr.. Bailey read extracts
Of the lives of the various historians OF
the state.
From what ne read. and from what
was expressed by those who listened, it
appears that Vermont history is a sub
ject with which the majority of native
Nermonters have but a superficial famil-
iarity. Mr.. Bailey told of Williams, who.
he said, compiled one of the best records
ever gotten together on the subject.
Williams, besides being an author, was
a newspaper man and founded the Rut-
land Herald in 1894 Ira Allen was anoth-
er early Vermont historian, and his book
reveals his own personality in high de
gree. In 1875 Allen went to London on.
business connected with the development
of Nermonts resources and also to buy
arms for the Vermont militia. In some
way he became involved in the courts
over the matter and lost much money
in the litigation. Allen was known in
his palmy days as the richest man in
the state. But toward the close of his
life fortune frowned on him and in 1914
he died in poverty His grave in Phila-
dolphd is unmarked. Ira Allen, so the
speaker said. founded the University of
Vermont, and his birthday is now OBJ
served on May l, by that institution each
year. He was fully equal in strength of
character to his brother Ethan, the lat
ter being driver, while Ira was
diplomat,
"Graham's Letters was another his
/ torical work on Vermont. This book was
printed in England and contained 1S6
pages The work is descriptive and
biographical and is with great flourish
dedicated to his lordship. the Duke of
Montrose. Graham represented the do
cese of Vermont Episcopal faith in
| England at one time.
Thompson's Gazetteer. of 1900 pages, is
another great work, and its author is
said to have been one of the states most
! successful educators
! Plny H. White f. S Eastman, w. H.
| Carpenter and +, S. Arthur were among
! others of Vermont's historians Hosea
! Beckley is likewise a familiar name in
| historical research Hoskinss History
! of Vermont is the title of a book devoted
| to research in Vermont, but the book is
not very common.
Hull's Eastern Vermont and Hemen-
! ways Gazetteer Of Vermont are both
/ examples of historical endeavor for the
benefit of the state. T. s. Peck of Bur
| lington compiled a roster of the Vermont
| troops in the Civil war.
| G. s. Benedict wrote most elaborate
account of Vermont in the Civil war and
! Colonel Otis n. Waite also wrote book
on the subject.
! MT balley SAID that he was what
! might be termed a crank on the subject
! Of Vermont history, but that taking it
| all round about everybody has some kind
| of hobby.
The lecture was interesting from the
| fact that so few people have any idea
| of what vast amount of work has been
done by various literary people in order
| to collect the facts of Vermont's early
! days and important events. The vote OF
! the audience was that Mr.. Bailey Is not
/ a crank on his hobby, because cranks are
/ tiresome, but was, instead, an interesting
story teller of the many phases which
made historical literature of the state
! The subject is not thrilling probably
! but it has a wholesome flavor