The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-07
LIST OF THOSE WHO
WILL TAKE PART
IN PAGEANT
Cast Of Characters For First
Three Episodes
GOV. MEAD MAY BE HERE
Miss Eager States That vermont's
Executive Has Slgnlfied Intention
OF Attending Celebration

b-a
Governor Mead has accepted the in
vitation to be present at the opening
of the Bennington Historical pageant
| Saturday evening OF this week and
the governor and his party will oc-
cupy box.
The opening night of the pageant
will be in some respects the most in
| teresting because OF the fact that
several parties from distance will
be present. Moreover the program is
to be a little more elaborated on the
opening evening in order to fully
| try out the various features of the
pageant. The first three episodes OF
| the pageant and the cast for them is
as follows:
Episode !
Street Scene in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire
Gov Benning Wentworth-Collins
Graves.
Earl of Fairfax Gin the sign)-sam-
uel w. Eager.
Martha Hilton (aged 1S)-Mrs.
Harry Sharp.
British Oficer-Charles Bennett.
Market women, townsfolk, British
soldiers, etc
Gov Benning Wentworth's Dinner
Party and Wedding
Cast
Nnlltna M
Graves.
Martha Hilton-Mrs. II. p. McCul-
Tough.
Rev. Arthur Brown-Rey. G. X.
Seymour.
Theodore Atkinson, secretary OF
state A. j. Holden.
Judge Anchuenty-Dr l.. II. Ross.
Sir William Pepperell-George b.
yelling.
Hon. Langdon-William L. Gokay.
Colonel Lear-Dr. +. S. Pratt.
Lieut.. Phillips-E. II. Holden
Squire Penhallow-Sayre Mcleod.
Capt. Sparhawk--A. Il. HOLSTER.
Col. Michael Wentworth-Robert Il
Healy.
Robert Anchuenty-Dr j. ID. Lane.
Judge Hutchinson-Dr. f. s. Bra
ley
Madam Atkinson-Mrs. l.. II. Ross.
Lady Pepperell-Miss Hazel Nc
Leod
Mrs. Langdon-Mrs. George f. Don
nelly
LADY Lear-Miss c. s. White
| Lady Sparhawk-Mrs. Collins NJ
Lady Penhallow-Mlss Annie
| Shields.
Mrs. Phillips-Mrs. A. J. Holden.
Episode II
The Wilderness
The territory now known as Yer
mont was In the early days before
its settlement often spoken OF as the
| Wilderness. The mountainous reg
ion lying between the Connecticut
river and Lake Champlain seems to
have been for many years a debatable
land where the two great races OF In
dams. the Iroquois and the Algon'
quins struggled for the mastery. The
Iroquols finally driving their enem'
les far to the eastward, occupied both
shores of Lake Champlain.
Il Is believed however, that the
southwestern part OF this territory
was not inhabited by Indians though
they may have roaIned through II on
hunting and fishing expeditions. Eng
fish Scouts and Rangers In all proba
bility also patrolled this part OF the
wilderness as well as the northern
part. though not In large numbers.
Samuel Robinson of Hardwick
Mass. captain in the French-lndlan
war OF 1880, was one OF the gran
tees of the charters OF Bennington
and seems to have been the only one
of them who realized the possibilities
of the grant, which they had secured
for on his return from the seat oil
war. he made n detour with several
them TO a site near this spot.
to a site near this spot,
Later securing other rights from
grantees he visited the scene again
with two OF his sons who made
clearing and erected log hut which
Ia believed to have been the gather
ing place of the FIRST settlers on thell
arrival.
Samuel Robinson-Samuel Robin
son, (descendantD
Episode III
The Coming of the First Settlers
The party who first came TO Ben
nlngton to abide permanently con
sisted OF three families, the Robin
sons and Harwoods from Hardwicl
and the pratts from Amherst. wh'
arrived here June 18th, l76l. In thll
marty were twenty-five persons, on
third OF whom we're children unde
ton years OF age.
II il related that as they neared TN
boundary line indicated by blake'
trees. several OF the women who's
horses were not as heavily Loaded
with household goods AZ were thos
of the men raced them TO see wh
ehould cross the line first The hon
or IL additionally accorded to Brio
get Harwood. -,
During the fall OF 176l other ian
lies To the number OF thirty or tort
came 10 town among whom wer
those of Samuel Robinson, Jane
breckenridge. John Fassett, Eleaze
Wood. Elisha Field. John Smith, Jo'
eph Wickwire. Samuel Montague an
Samuel Atwood. And little late