Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-27
MAY SUE FOR TOWN HALLSI7E
0escendent of First St. Johns bury
Settler Contemplates Action.
Claims Provisions Of Deed Executed
by His Ancestor Have Been Vio-
lated-'Fence should Have
Been Maintained

One OF st. Johnsbury's most interest
ing landmarks Is the house on the Cen
Jury farm. which for nearly 50 years
has been In the Wright family says the
Roston Globe. Guy Wright. the present
owner, has made improvements which
restore to this famous old colonial struc-
t,'re much of its former grandeur. The
house was completed in i79S II was built
by William Comstock Arnold, second
son or DR.. Jonathan Arnold. founder of
the town. The house is built entirely Of
pine. much of the inside finish which
still remains being brought by OK team
from Connecticut The floors are Of two
Inch pine plank. tongued and grooved
The ridge pole is OF pine. 7x7 into which
the rafters are mortiscd The broad
stairs still give back n resonant ring,
with never a creak. and on the second
floor may be seen one corner of what
was originally ball room with the
floor marked in diamonds to aid In toe
ing the stately minuet.
The exterior, though the structure has
weathered Ill Vermont winters. stretch
ing INTO three centuries. shows the in
tcSrity OF the builders of that day. The
house stands as squarey on its founda-
ton as the day 1t was completed. and a
plumb line could not show the slightest
variation. Notwithstanding that for
more than so years the building was not
painted there are still on the north and
east sides the hand made pine clapboards
held by hand-forged nails.
The Arnolds occupied the place until
about 1908. After that year several diff
serent families lived In the house until
about 40 years ago, when It was bought
by SCION Wright. who settled In St
Johnsbury moro than f0 years ago. and
Mt one time moved grass with a hand
Ecythc on the Plain. where now stands
some Of the towns best public build
'ngs and most comfortable homes He
died in 1889, and his wife In 1903. They
left Two sons. the younger taking the
farm adding to its acreage and making
many improvements. He intends to re-
tain it for future Wrights
The Century farm, while OF interest
In itself, is hardly as important as the
history of its original owners, the Ar
mold family. and their influence and
bearing OF the history OF the town past
and present 1t was in 17& that Gov.
Thomas Chittenden granted a charter
fol new township to Dr. Jonatha n
Arnold of Rhode Island and associates.
OF an area estimated at 21lG7 acres
more than 5000 acres eventually came
into the hands OF Mr.. Arnold. Settle
ment was begun IN small way by
others Of the grantees in l7sG. but It was
not until the arrival of their leader a
year later that any progress was made
Dr. Arnold brought with him his two
sons William Comstock Arnold and
Josiah Lyndon Arnold. The boys took
UP land to the north Of the town, one
of them at Lyndon. which town bears
his name. and the other at place first
called "Bily-Mead," short for Biny's
meadows, and later changed to Sutton.
William afterward returned to St Johns
bury, cleared the Century farm and
died
Another son, Lemuel Hastings Arnold,
was born In st. Johnsbury in 1882 He
was graduated from Dartmouth college.
practced law In Providence and was n
member OF the general assembly of
Rhode Island from 1926 to 1881 He was
elected governor of that State In 1881,
and served two years. During DORIS
rebellion In 1912 Lemueld Arnold was a
member of the executive council, and
was a representative in Congress from
1S45 to 1s47, dying in Kingston r. l., In
1872
DR.. Jonathan Arnold settled at the
head Of what Is now Main street and in