The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-01-27
ALIENS HAsrY MARRIAGE
Famous Ceremony Was Performed
at Westminster.

The Boston Sunday Globe of jan
uary q published the following story
of Ethan Aliens second marriase:
While Bellows Falls, VT, views
with varying emotions its reputation
as a Gretna Green, won during. The
past 10 months, Westminster, RS
nearest. neighbour to- the south, proud
ly fiaunts the fact that while, it may
not have been the mecca Of more than
1000 couples anxious to tie tie nue.
tial knot, it was within its limits thJt
the most famous hasty marriage in
Vermont took place.
And it points with pride that one OF
the two contracting parties was none
other than Gen. Ethan Allen, the hero
of Ticonderoga.
Alien never did anything by halves
from giving the Britishers liching
they never forgot to bossing the other
citizens of Vermont about.
Hard-headed and domineering,
man who demanded respect, he tailed
to resist the wiles of Dan Cupid, and
when the time came 1t was in West
minister that he succumbed. The
residents OF Westminster tell the
story to this day, although there are
various renderings OF the hasty mar
riage classic.
Delving into authorities has result
ed in the bringing forth of the story
as it was told many years ago, and
which is accepted as the true YER
sion.
Previous to 1871 Vermont had his
tory different from the other States
grouped near her. She was not one
of the original 10, although her men
took brave part in many battles.
New York and New Hampshire en-
gagged in a longdrawn-out controversy
to decide which should claim Vermont
as its territory.
The residents wanted to be gov
erned only by themselves and at one
period declared themselves an indie
pendent republic.
In 1871 matters had been smoothed
over and the Green Mountain State
was accepted as the 14th member of
the United States, the first to be ac-
cepted following the Revolution.
Previous to 1884, and for many
years after, Westminster was an i'm
portant town in the State. Here was
the Windham County Courthouse
and it was the home OF many men
prominent in political activities.
One day Frances Buchanan, widow
of Capt. Buchanan of New York CITY,
and her mother. Mrs. Wall, arrived in
| Westminster Mrs. Buchanan was a
domineering woman and early attract
| ed the attention OF the townspeople,
to whom bearing as imperious as
hers was something new.
During one of his frequent visits to
to Westminster Gen. Ethan Allen, at
that time a widower and resident of
Arlington, formed an acquaintance
with Mrs. Buchanan, which subse-
quently ripened into a warm, but for
time, singularly intermittent friend
ship
Pleased at the originality of his
views and conversation, fiattered at
her ability to arrest the attention of a
man whom all feared. but few loved,
and imagining that she could nd more
| sympathy in the companionship Of
HIS strong, active nature than in the
society of the plodding people by
whom she was surrounded Mrs. Bu-
chanan found herself. on some ocoas-
ions, irresistibly attracted toward the
man. while at other times his rough
manner would render him equally re-
pulsive TO her
| Aware of the feeling with which
she regarded the General and hoping
to influence her TO effect an alliance
with man whose boundless ambition
was at all times apparent, save when
overshadowed by passions as violent
as they were unrebuked, John Nor
ton, the tavern-keeper at Westmin-
ster. said to her one day, Fanny, IL
you marry Gen. Allen you will be
queen of new State"
Yes she snapped back, III
| should marry the devil. ] should be
queen Of hell"
Her aversion to the leading man OF
the State disappeared at length and
she consented to become his wife.
The circumstances attendant upon
the marriage, which occurred prev
ious to 1884. were characteristic of
the man who cared but little for
forms Of government" or for the Soc
ial customs of life
| Gen. Stephen r. Bradley had built a
convenient dwelling house near the
| Courthouse in Westminster and dur
| ing the sessions of court the Supreme
Court judges were his guests. Mrs.
Wall and the handsome Mrs. Buchan-
an also had rooms there. Gen Allen
was frequent visitor.
| One morning while Gen. Bradley
and his guests, the Supreme Court
judges, were at breakfast, Gen Allen
appeared at the gate with sleigh,
horse and driver. He was invited to
enter and break his fast. He replied
that he had eaten at Norton's Tavern
and that while the others were en-
gagged he would step into Mrs. Wallis
apartments and see the ladies'.
| He entered the apartments without
ceremony and found Mrs. Buchanan
in o morning gown, standing on a
chair, and arranging some articles on
the upper shelves of a closet. m
After recognizing her unannounced
and informal visitor Mrs, Buchanan
raised a cracked decanter and calling
Con A1lanfc attention m AZ occou