The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-13
VERMONT 100 YEARS AGO
How the Early Green Mountain Boys
ived

FlOW kHS carry OECCu f"OhHNotU oOyo
Lived.
G. p. Putnam Sons have published
a book describing the travels in the
years 1871 and 1892 in Pennsylvania
New York and Vermont of John Lin
cklaen, agent OF the Holland Land
company and companion This
takes the form of journal part of
which follows:
Left Albany, Sunday, Sept. rs, 1871
Monday, Sept. 26-From Lansing
burgh to Bennington is 80 miles.
There are settlements all along the
way, lands mediocre, many hills and
stony ground. AT Bennington very
comfortable at Duis Dewey's. This
place is quite a country town. The
State of Vermont is divided into
townships OF six miles square, dlvid-
ed among So proprietors, so that
each has something more than 400
acres which is called grant. The
Legislature never gives more than
one TO an individual to prevent un-
due influence and to encourage popu-
lation. Lands in Bennington town
ship sell from $15 to $25 per acre.
Twenty bushels of wheat an acre is
considered a good yield.
Tuesday, 27th--From Bennington
SALISBURY is seven miles, all inhabi-
ted. From there TO Arlington at
Merwins is seven miles-a good pub
lie house. From there to Manches-
ter eight miles, at Allis's good tav-
ern. The land is good but mountain
Gus and stony A good harvest is
| 20 to 20 bushels of wheat an acre.
We made the acquaintance OF a Mr..
| Members who has a store and Mr..
| Smith. These gentlemen told me
that lands were selling in the neigh
borhood as high as $40 the acre.
Wednesday, 2Sth-Passed through
| the township OF Dorset, five miles,
| Harwich (now Mt Tabor seven
miles. Dandy, six miles, where we
lived sufficiently well at a Mr.. An
thongs. This man has sold his farm
of 60 acres at $1925 the acre
Thence. we went to Wallingford
seven miles to Mrs. Hull's good
| WHOM =, MHtIt VIC MtAN NOAhiSi NNS'N
and found two goods beds.
Thursday, 29th.-Passed through
Claredon to Rutland. We stopped on
the way at the house of Thomas
Rice whom we met in the Genesee
country where he had bought 4OO
acres at $1.00 per acre with the In
tention OF settling there. We founo
there a good farm, land good and
well TILED and a new house not even
finished. 1t is astonishing to see a
man so years old who has spent the
best part of his life in clearing his
land and enhancing this value, leav
ing it all as he just begins to enjoy
the fruits OF his labor in order to
bury himself anew in the forest and
expose himself TO all the difficulties
of forming a new settlement But II
is usually the case with Americans
Beginning quite poor they buy a re"
acres in a new country for almost
nothing. When after eight or II
years of rugged toll they have aug
mented the worth OF their lands, they
find themselves with a numerous
family and their little territory, how
ever. valuable II may be does not SUI
fee to support them. Then they sci
at a very high price and so gain
sufficient sum to buy In Genese'
where the lands are cheaper three
times the quantity, enough to main
tain and establish around them a do
I en- children.
| Rutland is quite new but agreeat
~ situated. We made two good &C
quaintances. the sheriff, Mr.. Sawyer
and Mr.. Walker. The former CAV
me the enumeration OF the State o
Vermont which reaches S5,70S souls
Rutland county, 1853; Bennington
12.7OS. We left there for Pittsforc
10 miles.
Friday, S0th-Left for Middleburl
is miles. where a Mr.. Alley wit
some others from Canada is bulldin
a grain distillery. This establish
ment will cost them $4,000 before
is going. AS this country is far fror
any market they expect to get graf
cheap. Hence to Middlebury Fall
is four miles. There are two road
to Vergennes We were so unluck
through the stupidity of other peopl
as 10 take the worst We found GU
l selves on the bank OF otter Cree
without a pontoon for crossing a
p ter being detained two hours "
found at last a boat in which we sc
over. our horses having to swim
. Night coming on we had TO pass IN
night I'm a poor log house. Happil
: we found kind people there who CAV
us OF their best
/, Saturday, Oct I've breakfasts
| at Vergennes. and pursued a roa
I scarcely practicable TO riches
l Charlotte township where we resell
| ed to stop, Mr. Boon's horse havin
/ fallen with him In a hole where b
A cut himself
| Sunday. 2nd-By the laws OF We
4 mont II is not permitted to travel O
\ this day but we risked being arres
L ed and started for Burlington ba
\ where happily We arrived in the iol
! noon at Colonel Keys He is obi
l ed to keep tavern by the situation
the place is truly amiable, has bee
we'll educated and has many attai
ments. We are very comfortable
his house and very glad TO sper
some days here to refresh ourselv'
Il and recover from the fatigues m
L the hard roads we have just con
through. Burlington is pleasant
situated on Lake Champlain whiC
ii thera nakes n litt1e hay All 9th