The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-07-11
A REMINIscENcE
OF a Region Fragrant With 5alsam
and Fir.

OF Bennington, is a small settlement
that for many years was known as the
Furnace Property. There was a store
here for time; here also were sever
al tenements for workingmen and their
families. and on the high ground back
from the works stood the mansion
that was built for the manager OF the
iron company, a gentleman from New
York city. The building was built in
the style Of old time southern man
sions, and while modern conyeniences
have been added, it is little changed
in appearance, externally or otherwise,
A generous hospitality has always
been associated with this comfortable
abode, and while owners have changed,
the same good cheer and cordial well
come still cling to it. Beautiful homes
are to be seen now surrounding the old
mansion and the grand old mountains
make it an ideal spot for those fond OF
nature, wherein to pass the beautiful
summer time, and early fall as well.
On the lowland near the highway
nAAuuA2lE 4lhE ofittAldlDs ltAAlANNAo Va
q past industry can be seen two chin.
neys, hugh piles of stone and mortar,
once part OF the old furnace, and built
by those long since departed. Few
are left that are cOnyersant with the
settlement and its tradition, but we
are told that somewhere in one OF the
old stacks, secure from harm is jug
OF rum, placed there when the stack
was built Long years OF storage away
from the air must have maze the liquor
very mellow and penetrating, and now
when the story is told, instinctiyely
the eyes brighten, and the lips smack
together, for undoubtedly rich and
rare are the contents OF that ancient
iue.
But a short distance from the Fur
mace property, as it was celled years
ago, lived old Charley Webster a col
ored man of powerful build, and no
tiCeable. on account OF his wearing
(usualk) a long leather apron. Old
Charley was Of kindly nature, and
very fond OF conyersing He used to
talk OF the days when he led the NOW
ers across the big meadows that lie in
The Deerheld Valley and OF the famous
Deerheld Clip He talked very fast,
and his fayorite expression, Just like
a book, Sir" when asked if he could do
q certain piece OF work, is well re-
membered to this day. Once. he re
ceiyed a half barrel of -four for his
vote at an exciting and closely con-
tested election The -four was safely
put away to be used when the long
winter set in, and when work would be
slack When asked why he did not
use the -four at once, he would reply
with great emphasis, The head Of
that barrel won't be knocked in til
snow flies, Sir Old Charley, like
many other landmarks Of the good old
days. has gone forever but his swing
ing gait as he walked the mountain
road, and his cheerful salutation often
come plainly to mind Most of those
who belonged to the colored colony
that once was quite large above the
old Guide Board school house are no
more How well We remember Uncle
Nimrod Greenleaf tall and spare, but
Chesterfield in his manner. Old
Pomp Vanderburg was another we'll
known character lie lived to an ad.
vanced age. To hear Pomp tell of the
frickasee chicken dinners that he and
Minerva used to get up at commence
ment time in Williamstown,' would
make one hungry
Passing through Woodford, we are
| reminded that here resided for LONG
| time an old politician, who in his day
| had attended many q state and nation
| al political convention, a gentleman
who always had the ear of many OF
the great leaders of his party. | re
fer to Honorable Amos Aldrich, who
once a Democrat, was always a Demo
crai.
In this little hamlet, of great pastor
al beauty, the late Honorable Trenol
| W. Park passed his boyhood days.
Here also lived big hearted Jacol
Harbour His barn seemed as elastic
as rubber There was always room il
it for one more horse no matter hov
many were ahead of it. The buzz o
the old saw-mill Is still heard through
out the long summer day. but the tai
form of the proprietor that we knew
was long since laid away
On the mountain in the town o
| Woodford, are what are known n
| Trenor Meadows, named after Thoma
Trenor, who with Patrick Lynch, cam
TO America very early in the last cer
tury. They We're banished from thei
native country for having taken par
in the Irish rebellion OF 1898. MI
Lynch established himself in what
now known as Old bennington. and eI
gagged in mercantile pursuits. He ma
lied In Bennington. his wife being
Miss Gray, grand daughter Of an o
llcer in the Revolutionary war. Mr.
Lynch was highly intellectual and
lady of many graces of character. liu
sides she was great beauty
daughter, Miss Anna Lynch was Dor
in Bennington. She married a prom
nent Italian professor Botta) In Ne
! York city and achieved fame In th
P literary world, not atone by her wri
3 ings, but from the fact that she DIRE
, about her the most gifted IN the iiel
, of literature at home and abroad.
, her parlors gathered such famous pc
= pie as Horace Greedy, Bayard Taylo
. Ralph Waldo Emerson. +. A. Poe Ma
e | thew Arnold, Miss Scdgwick, the Can
{ sisters and many others. Charlie
! Dickens was entertained by Mrs, Bot
III LII.