St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-06-02
At Wheelock.

day long to be remembered was
the dedication of the soldiers man
ument in the noon of last Sat
urday and the school reunion in the
afternoon at Wheelock At both ses-
sions the old church was taxed to the
utmost as seats filled every space,
many being obliged to stand. Wheel
ock has not seen so large a crowd
for many years.
In the afternoon the meeting was
called to order by the president,
Prof. 0. d. Mathewson, who hap
PLY introduced the different speak
ers, Justice w. H. Taylor read the
"reminiscences of a former pupil,
Ferd w. Chase of Loon Lake, who
would have delivered it in person
had he not been prevailed upon to
of to Barnet with friends to the ded-
ication of the soldiers monument
there. He recalled many in
cidents in the school days of him
self, and S. G. Cree of this village.
Others spoke of their happy school
days here. Beautiful music was
rendered by Mr.. and Mrs. Batchel-
der of st. Johnsbury and Miss Doris
Jones of Sheffield, Mrs. H. J. Math-
eWson, secretary, read the report
Of the last reunion, reporting all
bills paid and SIS in the bank.
Twenty-Five dollars and eight cents
was collected at the close of the re-
port.
The following officers were then
elected for the ensuing years: Pres
ident, o. D. Mathewson of Lyndon
vile; ce-president, Mrs. w. M. |
Taplin of Orleans; secretary and
treasurer, Mrs. H. J. Mathewson of
Wheelock, with the same commit
tees as last year.
The monument is a plain granite |
marker erected in the little park in |
front of the church and town hall |
On each side are bronze tablets, one |
saying:
Lest We Forget
Erected 1915
In Memory of Those Men Who En-
listed From
Wheelock in the War of the Rebellion
1S61-1865
Erected by
Ferd Chase.
On the other tablets are the names
If the men who enlisted and IA Of
icers from the town, a total of 95
lames.
Dedicatory Exercises.
The dedicatory exercises were held
n the church which was filed with
ownspeople and guests. Among the
after were United States Senator w.
, Dillingham; and 81 others from
Montpelier and Barre. The church
7as very prettily decorated with ever
reenS flags and bunting
S. G. Cree was the presiding officer
nd in calling the assemblage to or
er said the citizens are proud of the
ecOrd of WheelOck in the Civil War.
hey were glad also that a native son
ad presented to the town a monu-
lent to commemorate the deeds of
er sons, Ferd w. Chase.
Mr.. Chase spoke briefly saying this
own gave Sc volunteers out of its
35 population and nine others were
ommuted or went as substitutes,
laking a total of 95. What other
own gave such large proportion of
IS inha bitants to the service of the
Ountry? He then formally present
d the monument to the town.
[r. Cree then presented Prin. o. d.
Tathewson of Lyndon Institute and
son of Whee1ock.
Prin. Mathewson first spoke of the
ivil War and it's prominence in
merican history. The South held
, the doctrine of state rights and
le North hated slavery and slave
o1ders alike. TheV regarded the
institution Of their country as the
rk of the Covenant. Lincoln arose
) the tribune of the people. His
ection precipitated the war. His
;sassination was the great tragedy
the war and no one was left to
lish the war generously. To the
orth he was a great leader and to
Le South a great friend.
He then spoke of the Chase family
Id what it had meant to Wheelock
rning to the donor of the monu-
ent said "Our everlasting hills still
eet you, fit monument of all that
Is gone before" We should re-
ember the veterans as citizens as
ell as soldiers. 1t is fitting this
onument should be erected in front
the church where in the ffties the
items met to discuss the great is
es of the day. Several years ago
G. Cree was instructed to prepare
record of the soldiers from Whee-
ok and that record shows that 20
ON the town died in the service and
others born in Wheelock who en-
,ted from other places lost their
res in the service. Ten of the vol
lteers were under FL at the time of