The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-08-25
GREAT DAY FOR ATHENS,
Sons and Daughters from Many states
49, Gathered There Tuesday.

~. ii,,le town of Athens had the great
w ~ I, ~ history Tuesday. More
~. ,,';e. lie number OF the total popuia'
~" lie entire town gathered 70 otle,
49, ma Home Week so Thoroughly hau
,ha a,y,ir heen advertised by g. " row
w ,hs chairman. aud T. ;. hlnsleyi sec
,.,,,r, nj The committee, that the guests
-. srnm a. far west a. san fihh'ls,"'
,s f,r east rs Boston and Toronto 20.
,ario and Florida on the solth Ne'.i ~
fore have 50 many people been W ."Mii
The ends Of the union sent pa'h l"' ~
sons and daughters 10 celebrate Tue ua'e
Of their gfand-nes ,t,, 40 hnildiny
The crowd was 80 great thht no puiiu .h
in town would hold tue peYple' aiIi 80,
.rar. between the church and scho3llousc
s ~ ,,,n,ed with seats, and the multitude
",ra,chad ont oyer teams and autos ~ tue
.Jistanc, The committee asked lnr
crowd and got deluge, a.f ~
4 NJ Powers acted as president OF Tue
day and gave witty address OF welcome 70
which an admirable and renlnlscent re-
,nonsc ,ras giveg by Hon. J. Il, Ban Of
Vnteryille. T.. O.. who wanted an ehdoW'
rnant raised for the local church ana a
permanent old Home Week association
Mn. Mande Lake May. celebrated so,
nrano sang two songs. and the Rev ana
Mrs " ID Spencer OF Argyle, y - leh
the great audience in the old-time hymns;
and n veteran male quartet sang me ol1
Oaken Bucket The quartet consisted OF
Hon. j Il. Ball, Wateryllle !. y. AioeIt
Alexander. Greenfield. Mass. VI. {, Red
field. Grafton, and Harry AUSTIN SaNtohs
River aJ "a
swapping Of stories by old timers, tue sAei'
ci.es were resumed al the stand ana an
oriyipal noem The Gtandiathers Wei
come was read by Mrs. W. X. Davenport
of Bellows Falls, and another 10y Nellie
kingsbury II Grafton.
Reminiscent speeches were made ny eN-
REPRESENTATIVE e. 7. Sticlney OF Brook
line. j. 4. Parkhurst Of Weston, A ;;
Powers ~ Bellows Falls. George Bush OF
Somerville. Mass. 4. 4 Alexander OF
Greenfield Mass. and {. ID. Bali OF south
Acworth. y. H.. who gave an eloquent
and thrilling address on the experiences OF
the Athens contingent IN the Civll war.
An extended historical address on The
Athens Of Yesterday was gwen by Rev.
W. Il. Davenport Of Bellows Falls
II is a remarkable fact, brought out
during the speeches, that this little town
which now has but 1i5 inhabitants, had
eS revolutionary sOlnltir dNbiE=AHt taiif
settlers, Josiah Powers being an aide to
General Washington, who once saved his
life
Thi, same town also gave IS men to the
War of 1872. and more than met its quota
for the Civil war. sending - men without
a draft. most Of these men serving three
years and some suffering IN rebel prisons.
This town which does not have more than
two lawsuits a decade, has also furnished
the nation with nine lawyers, four OF
whom became Distinguished Judges, one be
ing Judge 4 A. Hall of the superior bench
in Vermont, and one. Oscar l.. Shatter,
Ii d.. associate justice OF the superior
court in California. Athens also sent forth
many educators. one of whom became a
great teacher and educator in Minnesota.
The town sought to secure the location OF
college and nearly succeeded.
Letters from Judge Alfred \. Hall. 1t.
Adams Phebe Bemis Gibson. Berkeley.
Cal: f. + Robbins and W G. Robbins,
ID. L.: the Rev Frank W.
Lewis, st. Adams: Julia Ducham Knight,
Putney; ". W. Bridges, North Brook
field. Mass. the Rev L. O. Sherburne.
Burlington: Prof Marshall w. Downing,
Syracuse: Mr.. and Mrs +. Edwards.
Charlemont. Mass. and Mrs. NJ. W Davis,
Bellows Falls were read by Chairman
Powers