The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-05-31
A SEARCH FOR
THE COLONIAL
Old Judge Paine Place in
Williamstown Was a
Disappointment
BECAUSE ALTERED
ALMOST ENTIRELY
William Barclay Found a
Real Old House on the
Brookfeld Road

fine specimen of Colonial mansion last
fall almost proved my undoing-and IT
came about in this manner: the auto
mobile blue book for 1918 gave the fol-
lowing in description of Williamstown:
"Williamstown was chartered in 1881
by Elijah Paine Judge Painel, Cornel-
ius Lynde and others Their residences,
built shortly afterwards, are in good
state of preservation. Prince Edward of
England was entertained at both houses
on his trip from Montreal to Boston"
Inquiry developed the information
that, instead of being in Williamstown
village, as / had fondly hoped, the prin-
cipal house of the two, the Judge Paine"
place, was located on the road from Will
Jamestown to Mortified, about two miles
out The tale went on to relate that
the British prince was accompanied by
an escort of 20 followers, the latter be-
ing quartered at South Barre while the
royal parsonage, accompanied by the
judge, continued on to the latter's resi-
dence supposed date, 100, cannot
vouch for this but it makes an interest
ing story, anyway. For one who enjoys
walking, a tramp of six miles to Will
Jamestown and two miles beyond, with
the return journey, presented pleasing
prospect; so on one of those days which
Uncle Sam had decreed that no gasoline
be used, a companion and myself started
out for this wonderful old house.
Rather more than half way TO Will
Jamestown we passed the Gale home
stead, about 100 years old, which is re-
plete with colonial associations, includ-
ing the visit Of Lafayette there One Of
the cherished possessions is the wine
glass from which he drank. When near
ing Williamstown we took the lefthand
road through mill village" thus enjoy.
ing one of those lovely bits of stream
and glen scenery with which nature has
20 abundantly blessed Vermont. The
"Paine" road swings to the right directly
after passing the Williamstown library
itself pleasing type Of the smaller
colonial structurel and continued almost
steadily uphill towards Mortified. The
weather was uncertain-mostly dull and
raw with few showers, but liyened oc-
casionaliy by little sunshine. The
road was somewhat narrow and quite
steep in places, but when stopping at
times and looking back, such glorious
view as we hadl The woods were in the
full splendor of their autumnal glory and
what words can describe, or what artist
can imagine, lovelier scene than our
maple trees when the leaves are turning
Whittier touches it with his lines:
"Autumn's earliest frost had given to
the woods below
Hues of beauty, such as heaven lendeth
to its bow"
After covering about two miles we com
menced making inquiries about the
"Judge Paine" house and were finally
successful in being directed as to its To-
cation All reports confirmed our under
standing that the structure was prac-
tically in it's original condition.
Ascending upward and onward, our
objective finally came into view-and
such splendid settingl Well placed
back from the road and fronted by a
group of old trees, we could discern the
outline of large dwelling with out
buildings in the rear. What had been
at one time broad highway extended
along in front and no great stretch of
imagination was needed to picture, roll
ing along ON it, the old stage coach of
100 years ago; or a group of colonial
horsemen, booted and spurred, dashing
up to this mansion, there to be received
in the quaint and courteous manner of
the day by the host in his knee breeches
and powdered wig and the lady in her
correspondingly picturesque costume.
Right we'll did we feel repaid for the
tramp of 10 miles flor instead of being
two miles from Williamstown, sign posts
near the house give the distance as four
miles. After viewing for little the
splendid location and the general harmo-
NOUS arrangement of the picture we pro
ceeded on for a closer and more detailed
inspection.
Drawing nearer, the feeling of exulta-
ton began to be replaced by one of mis-
giving, for the beautiful old colonial
lines were not there but in their place a
comparatively modern appearing struc-
ture with not single colonial feature
about it-not even the chimneys What