Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-07-02
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAZATEER
PUBLISHED In The
YEAR 1862
Continued from last week.
CONCORD

The following anecdotes" related
to the writer by Dea. John Frye,
now living in town at the advanced
age of 86 years, may serve to IL
lustrate some phases in the early
history of the town; and, as such, ,are
worthy place here:
Dea. Frye, who was then youth
of 19, came from Royalston, Mass,
in February, 1875. The journey oc-
! cupying II days-which is now made
in as many hours-was performed
with a team of four oxen drawing a
big Sled, in which were deposited
the goods and chatteIs" of his
father, together with quite a numer-
GUS family, who were slowed away"
in the upper part of said vehicle,
which was covered something like
the western emigrant wagons of the
present day.
At one time, getting out of grain,
the father of young Frye sent him
off with about five dollars in money
to try and buy some. Travelling for
some time without succeeding in
procuring any, he at length was so
fortunate as to find a young man on
the road to Lyndon who had ten
bushels of wheat to sell, which he
offered for one dollar per bushel-
only about one-half the regular
price. Here was a golden opportun-
ity, but unfortunately he declined to
sell part; but at the earnest solici-
tation of Frye was induced to let
him have what his money would pay
for, at dollar per bushel. 1t being.
noised abroad among his neighbors
that he had been thus successful. he
was dispatched again, the next day,
with what little money they had, as
a sort of general agent, to buy
grain for them; but alas for their
hopes! After riding all day he sue
ceeded in procuring only a single
bushel, for which he had to pay
double the price of the day before.
On one occasion, needing kettle
for sugaring, he went to st. Johns
bury (ten miles,, and procuring one
of the kind denominated fve-pail
kettle, he turned it bottom side up
over his head and in this way carried
it home.
Capt. John M. Darling, now living
in town, at an advanced age, an
active and hardy specimen of the
past generation, drove the first
wagon into town March 6, 1906. He
came with his wife from Keene. N.
H. performing the journey in six
days. Mrs. D. rode horse without
saddle or bride the last mile or two
of the journey.
Having no churn, Mr.. Darling
split out some slaves and shaved and
fashioned them, and made the hoops
and bottom of the churn with
piece of broken scythe and a jack
knife. Needing some buckets in
which to gather sap, he made them
OF birch bark, with wood bottoms,
and they did good service for many
years. Such are only samples of the
expedients to which the early set
tiers resorted.
Almost the only means some Of
the settlers had of procuring their
groceries,, etc., was by cutting
down trees usually maples-and
burning them into ashes, teaching
the ashes to obtain the lye, which
they boiled into salts" and sold at
ST. Johnsbury for about one cent per
pound. Said an aged woman who
died IN town some years since, but
who formerly lived in the adjoining
town of Lunenburg, II have sat up
more nights to boil salt than | am
years old. My husband carried
them to st. Johnsbury on his back
(2o miles)to get something to eat.
was obliged to make baskets and
turn every way to keep my children
from starving"
SOIL, ETC.
Concord is an agricultural town
producing good supply of grass