The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-17
THE TlcHENoR PLACE
Famous Old Place Passes Into New
Hands.

NO'iV9'N 'dko 'O0h' 4Aii'Ai"i' IVA" 'i
Old Bennins tns been sold. The
purchasers are ~ 2rp Mrs. Philip b,
Jennings who own !, ce further
along on the same highe and wished
to control the property adjacent to
their own grounds. Edward H.
Boughton of Easton, N. Y, administers
tor of the Catherine Lyman estate
since the death of Mrs. Phoebe Ann
Lyman about ten years ago, sold the
property and the papers were passed
Monday through the Office Of William
j. Meagher
Probably no house in Bennington
village or Old Bennington had quite
the history of this old estate which
dates back to the Revolution. Isaac
Tichenor, its builder, came to Ben
nington on August 14th, 1777, from
New Jersey. At that time he was
deputy commissioner of purchases for
the northern department of the Col
onial army He was Princeton man
and after the successful outcome Of
the revolution, determined to stay
here. He built a small house on the
same site as the present structure and
in 1897 was elected governor of the
state.
This Office he held II years success
sively, after which he was elected
United States senator from Vermont
and also became a chief Justice. He
was one of the most cultivated and
polished men Of his day and a gentle
man Of the old school. Up to the time
of his death he still wore the wig,
queue, cocked-hat and great cloak of
the revolutionary period, He died in
1S4C.
1t appears that his home as it stands
today was built by the governor about
20 years after he settled here, the
original structure being moved back on
the lot where it may still be seen. The
present house was built early in the
10Th century and was under the direct
supervision of the owner, there being
no such things as professional CON
tractors in those days. 1t was con-
structed throughout of seasoned lum-
Der, solidly put together and the nails
which were used are said to have been
cut from the hoops of old wine kegs.
In its day it was one of the most
stately furnished places on the hill
and during the governors life many
famous people were entertained within
its spacious rooms. For many years
after its builders death his portrait
hung in the house. The hall of the
second floor was papered with wall
paper struck Off at the time of Wash
ington's death in commemoration OF
the same. In the same hall was kept
a handsome silk and silver banner
decorated on both sides and ornament
ed with silk fringe and tassels, pre-
sented to Gov. Tichenor by the Wash
ington society of which he was a
member, in recognition of his services
to the state and nation. Another in
teresting relic that the old house con-
tanned in its day was a Washington
pitcher, manufactured in France and
containing the medallion of the great
commander.in-chief on its sides: Most
of these heirlooms we're distributed
among the heirs when the place was
dismanted few years ago.
Upon the governors death the house
went to his neice, Miss Catherine Itch
enor who afterward married George
Lyman, highly esteemed resident of
Old Bennington and for years deacon
in the Old First church. Although
Gov. Isaac Tichenor married, he had
no children.
Deacon Lyman married twice, his
second wife being Miss Phoebe Ann
Beach, a native of New Jersey and an
aunt OF Rev. David n, Beach. d. d.
president of the Bangor Theological
Seminary, who is now living. She
was also the aunt of Rev. Harlan
Beach who is at present professor OF
Chinese languages in Yale.
A daughter of Deacon Lymans first
marriage, Miss Mary Lyman, married
Col. George d. Harrington. at one time
of the firm of Grover & Harrington
| many years iron merchants on Nortf
street where the Putnam factory now
stands. Another daughter, Miss Cath
| crime Lyman married Ezra W. Bought
en-, for many years leading whole
sale halter and furrier of Troy.
| third daughter, Elizabeth, married Col
| Theodore Lyman. prominent years ag'
| in the jewelry business in Montreal
One son, Jones Lyman, graduate o
! Williams College, became a physician
and went to Los Angeles.
The house was last occupied by L
| Palmer Boughton grandson of dea
con Lyman. Mrs Phoebe Ann Lyman
| lived in the place previous to he
death several years ago. The hous
was last opened at the time of the Ber
nington Pageant.
| For many years there was connect
ed with part of the Tichenor property
the farmland lying north of the higl
way going to the Colgate place; e'
tending from what was known as th
Dewey.Hubbell farm and known as tn
Cross.road. This land is now owne
by MIR. and Mrs. Philip b. Jennings.
| The plans of the new owners for tn
disposition OF tho property have nt
yet been made public but thus ia
there is no intention of pulling the oil
mansion down. II will doubtless |
remodled, retaining many of It's hi
toric features and become part OF II
| fmOrnvpd Tnnuiupe nrnnprty