Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1913-10-24

times the, man land wife rode on the
same horse but more frequently the
husband walked ahead, carrying his
Iold hintlpck aieady to defend his little
family, or an AK to hew out path
for the horse s feet Bail indeed were
the roads but it was due then to dire
necessity and not to such causes as we
later settlers are forced to endure.
Matches were still one of the dreams
of the. future and fires were obtained
| by means of the clumsy flint and
finder. The housewife did not intend
to let her fires 90 out and sometimes
If she did it meant a hasty visit to the
nearest neighbor.
There was very little cash in those
days and trade was carried on by the
exchange of commodities The set
tiers were fortunate in never fearing
the defalcation of some bank cashier.
nor any great financial panic. Their
savings were safely. ensconsed in an
old stocking and snugly hidden in the
bed, making comfortable little hum
mock that the wife could keep her eye
upon as she hurried about her duties.
Or sometimes the family treasure was
concealed in the chinks of the logs,
of which tradition tells us there was
an abundance, even in the smallest
cabin, to have concealed fortune and
incidentally to provide for very up
to-date ventilation.
The cattle of those days were what
were called "native stock and were
importations from the Spanish West
Indies and later were mixed with stock
brought from France and Holland A
winter dairy was unheard of. The
cows were allowed to range at will
and to Craze on what they could find.
@ Bringing home the cows - must have
been serious business then and not one
to be entrusted to the children nor
delayed until the shades of night were
falling.
When vehicles were introduced thcv
were at the best heavy and lumber.
ing structures, without springs and
other contrvances for comfort. The
of the roads necessitated
great strength and solidarity and
travelling that way must have been
but comfortable.
Farming was, of course, the princi
pie occupation but carried on under
shch difficulties as would seem insur-
today. The small cleared
y,
some of which persisted for 80 years
or more after the trees were cut.
While they lasted the pillow could be |
used but little and the small crops of
corn and potatoes were put in with Il
hoe among the stumps. Then after the |
farmer had met the difficulties of trees |
and stumps he was face to face with |
another problem that of stones. In |
nj mn Al
have been giants in those davs and |
hat they had left colossal monuments |
Of their energy in the miles of solid. |
Did stone walls which mark out our
fields.
early settlements, so far as posi-
Die, were upon the hill tops to avoid
he killing frosts which curtaicd the
summers in the valleys to the briefcst
period. ! have no doubt thai the cold
vas more severe at that time taan now
ben. Indeed, | believe that scientists
ell MS that the earth S surface is very
lowly cooling and drying
Into such Il setting, into such dill.
ulties as these came the first men and
vomen to what is now known as
Vardsboro. .,r -...
The first people to arrive were Il fam
" named Davis, and their little SON.
orn in 1913, was the first child born
n the town. This family was followed
by two others, one of
which gained eternal distinction by
aVing two girls whose early marriages
we're the first in the town.
In the following fall of 1880, the
harter was granted to William Ward
# Newfane and 50 associates. 1t com
rlsed the two towns of Dover and
which were called the north
nd south districts.