St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-06-26
FARM BUILDINGS BURN
House and Three Barns ON F. N.
Cars Farm Destroyed House
Was An Old Landmark.

Fire was discovered breaking
out through the roof in the house on
f. N. Carr's farm above Paddocks
village shortly before eight O'Clock
Saturday evening and before it stop
ped had destroyed the house and
three barns with some household
goods and small farming tools caus-
ing total loss of $4,000. 1t is evil
dent the fire caught from a defective
chimney and although the blaze was
not large when first seen the lack of
water prevented quenching it. The
house was occupied by George Tice
and family and they lost all of
their household goods. Seeing the
barns were doomed they turned their
attention to getting out the stock and
tools. Most of the larger farming
tools were saved and all the live
stock but six pigs which were burn
ed.
Mr.. Carr will begin at once the
construction of hay barn in which
to store this seasons crops.
Was The Hastings Home.
The near approach of the st.
Johnsbury Pageant is drawing at
tention to the early history of our
town. Every one fortunate enough
to be present at the closing exercis-
es in the ninth grade school room
and to hear the fine essays read at
that time, knows the truth of the
above statement. AS Saturday eve
ming last was marked by the burn
ing of the Joel Hastings house on
one of the nearby hills, the writer is
moved to bring something of it's story
to the knowledge of her present cfti- |
zens. The house must have been !
built about the year 1894. (This |
date may not be exact however.)
Under it's roof-tree were born the !
ten children of Joel Hastings and |
Cynthia Jenckes. One of them died |
in youth and the remaining nine |
added something to the worlds |
stock of industry, energy and homes
ty.
The sons, best known in this vici-
nifty, were Lambert, Hubbard, Will |
liam and Joel. Lambert, as a we'll !
known drover, was familiarly called |
"Unele Lambert" Perhaps too the |
present usage would have given |
him the title of Cattle King"
Hubbard, was for several years,
town clerk of st. Johnsbury, and |
later became cashier of the Passump- |
sic railway. What the town lost |
was great gain to the young village |
of Lyndonville when he became one |
of it's citizens and a leader in every |
thing good.
William, is still remembered in
the town of Craftsbury. He was
man of fine presence and integrity, |
and an interesting story-teller. Joel |
went early to the West, but his first |
home was a little remote from his
birthplace, in the cottage at the foot
of 'Saddleback.
The writer knows very little of |
the father of these sons, only as par
ents are always somewhat reproduc-
ed in their children.
One important question as to his
politics is settled by the fact of a |
very sour apple tree named ''The
Old Democrat"
For beauty of situation and livli-
ness of outlook the house that van
ished in flames last Saturday night /
was very attractive. But these fea-
lures were not known because the
to it was very unfortunate;
made so by the changing of the ori-
ginal road to the present one-a
change made necessary by the
growth of Paddock Village and
the division of the school district.
In the early days the little Hastings
battered with bare feet down the
hill towards the old schoolhouse on
Hill, and having washed
them in the Moose Meadow Brook
were equipped for the days study
or amusement as the inclination die
tated.