The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-12-14

joys of the Merry-Go Round long be-
fore the day." and if it grew dark be-
fore the pleasures were over and the
road to her home looked long and
fearsome it was very reassuring to
be told that William Bates would
walk home with her civilian Bates
was E. l.. Bates father) She de-
scribed herself as just as bashfu as
child could possibly be and William
Bates, boy of II or Is as consider
ably more so and although they made
the trip together many times. they
never spoke word from the time
they started till they reached the
Loomis gate (The large white
house as you start up Carpenter HID
when she would say. Good night
William" and he would reply, Good
night Della"
John Norton died in 1928 In 1881
his son, Luman. (or Judge Norton as
he was known moved to this village
and built pottery on the site OF the
present building. It was about the
same size and style OF architecture.
The business was conducted on a
much larger scale and they manu-
factured stone ware, yellow ware and
Rockingham, which is q yellow ware
spattered before firing with a brown
clay, which gives the mottled ap-
pearance. 1t was first made in Eng
land at the Swinton pottery on the es-
tate of Charles Marquis OF Rocking
ham, which gave the name. Skilled
workmen came from England and
/ Holland. Mrs. W. b. Walker has sew
eTal pieces of ware made at this time
which in color and design are as
handsome as anything made later in
the United States pottery All this
was before the days OF railroads and
{ travelling statesmen. The ware was
packed into large wagons built for the
purpose. They had high sides and
were painted dark green and in large
yellow letters on the side read --
bennington Stone Ware" and in
much smaller letters Norton Pot,
terry" It required four horses to
draw them and that they be perfectly
matched was a subject of much pride
| These wagons went through New
England and the ware was sold at
general stores. To drive these teams
and sell this ware was considered
the best position for young men that
the times offered. 1t required con.
siderable versatility to be able to
handle four horses over all sorts OF
roads, sell the ware, and get home
safely with the money. Very little
b hue
| Among the early drivers were Ed
ward Norton; Henry Hall, who was
I Gov Halls son; George lockwood
who was later the head of the Rock
wood Knitting Co.; and e. l.. Nichols
! whom most of us remember; Charles
Cole Sr., was also one of the later
drivers. In suitable weather these
/ young men wore silk hats as was
appropriate at that time. 1t was dur
ing this same time that Jim Fisk, as
he was familiarly called, was driving
through New England selling his
goods. Interesting stories in connec
tion with meeting him were told
There were many anecdotes also tolC
! in connection with these young men
One returned from a long cold drive
in the fall and as he came into the of
fee some asked: "What made hi
nose so red" He walked up to thu
glass, looked it over and said
Doubtless it comes from eating 81
many red roosters. They have beer
the main diet served since leaving
| Connecticut"
In 1889 Judge Norton took his son
in-law. Mr.. Fenton. into business
with him. Mr.. Fenton had previous
ly learned the pottery trade at a rec
earthen ware pottery in Dorset
Judge Norton's son julius came int,
the firm about the same time. II
1886 Mr.. Fenton wished to go into tn,
manufacture of more decorativ,
line of ware. Judge Norton did no