The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1912-02-01
SOUTH DORSET


pie ] knew In the historic old towi
oi Dorset.
Fifty years or more takes US bach
TO before the war. and all those wht
are now old people were then IL
their prime OF life, and many whS
were young and coming on the stag
have gone hence. remember then
all. and the scenes that passed theI
are fresher IN my memory thar
many scenes OF later date. for ! was
young and the world was new tc
me.
North Dorset was smart little
village 56 years ago. saw mills
furnace. etc. made times lively. The
old whalen mill 10 the east with 6O
men destroyed spruce forests ior
$40 per thousand, which today
would be worth double. and AZ the
same time the mills In the valley
helped all they could In the destruc-
ton
The Allen furnace did railroad
work beside making stoves. plows,
etc. for all that section. Uncle
Dan Curtis aud his good wife Betsy
ran the hotel and none better ever
lived From a radius OF 80 miles
around everyone spoke a good word
for Uncle Dan He was postmaster
for 40 years. and station agent when
the railroad was new. They used
10 haul big red ball to the top
OF tall pole as signal for the
train TO stop. and on one frosty
morning, as the 10 O'Clock train
for Rutland slid down the steep
grade. the bali was seen TO be w
and after much twisting OF the hand
brakes the train stopped. The Con
ductor swung off and asked Uncle
Dan where his passengers were,
'0seat Moses. John. there aln't any
10 go but ] thought there might be
somebody who wanted TO get off. -
He had forgotten to lower the ball
the night before. He always went
bareheaded, shaved himself every
day, and once lived for short time
with the Quakers. He drove stage
to Troy when l2 years old. He
died In the hotel he always ran.
Z Johp Curtis. his son. was man
OF note. an expert engineer. school
superintendent for years. an inven-
tor Of no mean quality. He also
passed over some 10 years ago.
The old family OF Pettys We're
native OF North Dorset. emlnently
plous and respectable people. but,
like many old families. they did not
Increase In numbers and the des-
cendants have become few In the
families. Alongo Petty married Mary
Anne Bowen. youngest daughter OF
Peleg Bowen. aud sister OF Aunt
Betsy Curtis. He died soon after
the war. He had two sons. John
G. and George u. The former while
on hunting trip with his father
In Canada was taken sick and died
In the forest and Indians and guide
brought him hundreds OF miles out
to the railroad. He was buried at
home. Geo. b.. was In the 9Th Yer
mont Regiment and had leg
shot off at Savage's Station. He was
taken prisoner there and carried 10
Richond. His mother, defying all
army rules and lines. got pass
from President Lincoln. went thro'
to Richmond and saw Jefferson Dsv-
Is. got a pass and her boy. took him
down the James River. got him ex-
changed. brought him to Baltimore
and then on home. When his moth
or found him there were worms In
the stub OF his leg. Both are now
dead and one son and one daughter
survive.
North Dorset Is to-day small
way station with few people left.
However. there were other old fami-
lies there so years ago OF whom |
VIII write later on. 81 Clone.
EAST DORSET.
Ben Roberts Is on the sick list.
Miss Lou Wall spent Sunday at
ber home here.
--Myron Brophy has returned TO
bis work in Canada.
The Seminary studc1is spent
Sunday al their homes here.
--Myron Roberts OF Rupert visit
I'd the Orange Saturday night.
Miss Bartha Amea Ia spending
week In Rutland with relatives.
Thomas Mclaughlin Of Pitts
'ield. Masa-. In Visiting his parents.
MIR. and Mrs Geo. Coping
we're gusses OF Mr.. and Mrs. chas
]ifford Friday.
Mrs. J. Sullivan OF Remington |
'lsited Mrs ~. l.. Dunn at the VII
'on House recently.
Miss Jennie Stone OF Manches-
er spent Sunday In town as q guest
Il Mlss Matte Griffith.
Mrs. Geo. Coping and Miss
3erthA Brophy were guests OF Mrs.
leo. NJ Wall Monday.
Tuesday evening. February Z,
! social win b. given BY the Mt
Aeolus Grange 1t the home OF Geo.
:. Sexton. Refreshmen,s will be
eryed. Everyone Ia cordially In
'itsd
NORTH DORSET.
William Lovest, who has been
IAshts1t station agent 20 ]. c.