The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-07-28
INTEREST IN EARLY
HISTORY REVIVED.
BY LOCAL SOCIETY
John Spargo Receives Copies of
Important Documents
ORIGINALS IN ENGLAND
Have Bearing on Controversy
Over New Hampshire Grants
In Colonial Days.


Yesterday afternoon there was re
ceiyed in Bennington from the British
Ambassador at Washington. Sir Auck-
land Geddes. package containing
"photostat" copies of several import
ant and hitherto inaccessible docu-
ments relating TO the controversy over
the New Hampshire Grants and the
early history Of what is now the State
OF Vermont. These documents have
long reposed in the archives OF the
Privy Council of Great Britain, and
have been presented to the Bennington
Historical Association through the ef-
forts Of John Spargo, of Old Benning-
ton. acting as a committee on behalf
OF the local association.
Some tine ago the Historical Asso-
citation decided to make an attempt to
co lect materials relating to the early
history Of Vermont, believed or known
to be reposing in British Official ar
chives. A Historical Committee was
elected for the purpose, consisting OF
II, G. Cushman, President of the AS
soc alton, John Spargo, Vice President,
and J. X. Batchelder with Edward l..
Bates. Secretary This committee de
cided to request the British govern
ment to have a search of the records
made. and to have either the original
documents or copies of them made by
the photostat process presented to
Bennington. 1t was particularly the
hope of the Historical Committee to
have the records Of the mission to
England by Samuel Robinson of Ben
nington and his associates.
Acting for the Committee, Mr.. Spar
so prepared q statement on the sub
ject and submitted to the British
Ambassador at Washington, with the
request that the letter be transmitted
TO the British Government. In addi-
ton. he sought the cooperation of in
huental personal friends in Lon>Hn,
inc udng Viscount Astor and the
Right Hon. George N Barnes, c. H.,
NJ. p, who was one of the British
delegates. to the Versailles Peace Con
ference When Colonel George Harvey
was leav ng to take up his post as
American Ambassador to Great Britain
he promised to support the request.
AS result of these efforts the Brit
ish Foreign Office, through the Sec
retary of State, addressed a letter to
the British Ambassador at Washington
which read. in part:
81 should be glad if Your Excelency
would explain to Mr.. Spargo that the
presentation OF the originals to the
Association would be contrary to pro-
visions of te Public Record Office Acts.
"The Lord President Of the Council
and the Deputy Keeper of the Public
Records have however been so good
as to assist me to have 'photostat'
copies of the documents made; and
these are accordingly enclosed herein.
with a list Of the documents. for trans
mission 10 Mr.. Spargo as Vice Presl-
dent OF the Bennington Battle Monu-
ment and Historical Association
The photostat copies of the docu
ments are remarkably clear and legi-
Bile. The memorial submitted by Sam
uel Robinson and Isaac Searle, for
instance, is quite plain and distinct.
There Is a similar pet tion referring
to the Grants from the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in For
eign Parts. The reference to these
petitions to the Lords Commissioners
for Trade and Plantations is included
in the collection, together with the
Report on the subject made by letter
on June 2, 1867. There are two most
letters on the subject OF
the Grants from Sir Henry Moore.
With the first Of these two letters,
dated March 90. 1866, there is includ-
ed map of lands granted by the
GnN ernments of New York and New
Hampshire. There are ten documents
These documents will be arranged
and hourd together by the Secretary
OF the Historical Association, e. l..
Bates so that they may be perman.
emily preserved 1t Is probable that
copies will also be made.
This is only the beginning of the
efforts of the Association along these
lines. 1t is intended to make an eff
fort to gather together from British
official records all that pertains to the
origin and early history of this State.
At present an effort is being made to
discover whether there are any refer
ences to Ethan Allen during his inn
In England preserved in
the official records. If there are, prop
or steps will be taken to get copies
of the records for the benefit of stu
dents Of Vermont history. 1t is belev
ed that there must be good deal of
important information concerning that
period of Ethan Aliens life which no
historian has as yet uncovered