Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-10-11
T0WNSHEND
PRESIDENT TAFT HERE MONDAY.
Gave Short Talk Concerning His Family
History as Related to This Town
Handsome Decorations.

visit of the President of the United
States, William II. Taft Monday after
noon. The time was rather short, after
the people received positive information
that he was coming on Monday, to
make all the preparation which was in
the hearts of the people to make but
the selectmen and others, such as the
Republican town committee, Immediate
| ly set to work and with the help of
| most all of the people the town was
decorated prettily with bunting and flags
and such manifestations of welcome as
| each household was able to arrange From
| Harmonyville to the centre, and to some
| extent on the north and west roads,
| fiags were arranged artisticaily in the
| form of shields on the telephone poles
making very attractive decoration as
seen by one approaching the village
| from the direction of Bratteboro.
Flags were draped on most of the
| residences, and a large flag was sus-
| pended from a cord stretched from Le-
| land q Gray seminary to a tree on the
common, and hung opposite the point
on the common from which the Pres
ident spoke. The presidential party ar
rived at 3.55, accompanied by severai
citizens in automobiles who had me,
| them on the Bratteboro road and who
| did escort duty to the village Miss Ella
| Ware. driving the car of her father
Selectman John H. Ware, leading the
| procession. Leland & Gray seminary was
| decorated tastefully, and bore the in
scription, Peter r. Taft, flrst Presi-
| dent" The President was introduced by
| Col A. b. Franklin, who referred in
complimentary terms to the service rem
dered by the Taft family for the town
in its early history.
The President spoke about 10 minutes.
dwelling wholly upon the family history,
| especially as 1t related to TownshenJ
lie is of the seventh generation of Tafts
| IN TINS country, the first known Taft of
| MS family being Robert Taft who set
| tied IN Mendon, Mass, and was one of
the founders of that town. serving as
seiectman on the first board chosen in
| the town. in 1880 His fourth son, Joseph
| Iaft, was the father of Capt Peter Taft.
| VINO participated in the battle of Bunk
er Hill. His son, Aaron Taft. who was
minute man in 1775, moved to Towns
mend in 1899. His son, Peter Rawson
laIt pelhg at the time a boy of Il
| years, was destined to exert a marked
influence in the history of the town. He
was the first member of the family who
was a lawyer, and served the town and
| county as a judge and the town as n
representative to the general assembly.
Inc President said when his great
grandfather came to Vermont it was
considered the western frontier and he
|
| president Taft declined to talk politics
as he said the trip was for pleasure
ana ne would not mar it with a polite
al speech. The party left for West
| Townshend at AIS
This was the first time in the history
OF Ihe town, so far as is known. thai
fresiaent OF the United States has
people of the town are appreciativa ~,
the trouble President Taft took to visi,
them. " VOL
Anson McCarty is working in Wizards
mill.
Miss Edith Sanders was at home owe,
Sunday. O'e'
Fred Lowe was in Springfield last
week on business.
Bert Parsons and family have moved
to Newton, Mass
w. 0. Davis and Charles Gould went
Saturday to Walpole.
Jerry Lowe returned to New Orlea ms
| tuesday, via Boston.
Mr. and Mrs, A. F. Stone returned to
East Jamaica on Tuesday
Luther Stone of Gardner, Mass. spent
Sunday with his parents on West street
Mrs. Fl. E. Bradish of Baldwinsville
Mass, visited Mrs. A. ?. Stone last
| week.
Mr. and Mrs. ]. H. stowell of Graf
Ton visited their cousin. W. NJ. Sparks
Monday.
Rev. Joseph Mexican returned Mon.
day from visit to his sister in Wor-
| cester. Mass.
Mark Merrifeld went to New York
Saturday on a business trip. He will be
gone several days.
Rev. c. Fl. B. Seliger attended the
Consrega tional ministers meeting in
Brattleboro Monday.
Mrs. McCole and son, Franklin, OF
Ryegate came Wednesday to visit hel
sister, Mrs. c. S. Mills.
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank A. Smell Of
Springfield visited their cousin, Mrs. E
II. Allbee last week.
The coolest morning of the season wa.
last week Thursday, when the thermo
meter registered 20 degrees
Mr.. and Mrs. E. E. Knapp returned
from visit in Westminster and Wal
pole the first of the week.
Howard Burke is expected to carr,
on the business at the Inn this winter
Mrs. Reed will do the cooking.
Mrs, G. II. Aldrich, Mrs. A. H. Ston,
and Mrs. w. NJ. Sparks visited in West
moreland the first of the week
Mr.. and Mrs. Ted Colburn, who nav,
been staying al the farm went to Prov
idence, r. L. during the past week.
In the Baptist church next Sunda
morning the pastor, Rev. Joseph McKea
will have for his subject principles an,
posts of duty"
Miss Edith A. Francis of Fall River
Mass came Monday for a visit at tn
Baptist parsonage with Rev. and Mrs
Joseph Mexican.
Mr.. ana Mrs. Fred Davis and Mrs
Clark of Hinsdale were visitors recent
ly in the homes of o. A. Davis an,
II. II. Franklin.
Work was begun Thursday at tn
cider mill of c. II. Willard. A larg
number of apples. have already beel
brought to The MILL
The Home club met in the vestry o
the Congregational church on Wednes
day. There was a large attendance an,
good time was enjoyed.
Henry Spencer of West Haven, Conn
and his brother-in-law, George T. Ad
ans OF Needham, Mass, left for thei
respective homes on Saturday.
Miss Georgianna Mexican and Mis-
Nellie Grosvenor of the Brattlebor
teaching force spent Saturday and Sun
day at the Baptist parsonage
The Dorcas Guild met in the vestry o
the Congregational church today. Tn
hostesses were Mrs. F. L. Osgood, Mrs
Park Holland and Mrs. Ellen Plumb.