The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-11-26
MARTIN '. GREEN
FAMOUS HERMIT !
OF SUCKER POND
Recent Death of Kindly, Eccen-
trio Man of the Woods
YOUNG CAMPERS FRIEND
Was Guardian of Water Supply,
But Good Friend of All Who
Behaved Themselves

In the death Of Martin V. Green,
who passed away at the home of his
brother in Pownal a few days ago.
southern Bennington county lost one
OF its quaint and interesting charac-
ters. AT the time of his death he
was but 81 years of age but his lone.
ly life coupled undoubtedly with more
or less hardship had given him the
appearance of much older man.
For all OF Is years he had lived the
life OF hermit, greater portion Of
that time in log cabin near Lake
Hancock in the town Of Stamford
For a number of years he was the
custodian Of the reservation at the
lake owned by the Bennington Water
company that built the water system
now owned by the village. Later he
lived in small cabin at the foot of
the mountain and south OF the Il. o.
Gore farm.
After moving to the cabin in Cole
vile" section, Mart" as he was gen
orally known here, was seldom seen
in the village but during the more ac-
tive years OF his lonely lie his visits,
especially mis- annual trip just before
the snow left in spring, was sub
ject of community comment Then it
was that he visited barber shop to
be relieved OF winters growth of
beard and hair.
The hermit for years was the own
er of one of the last pairs of oxen in
active service within nearby radius
OF the village and the appearance in
town OF the handsome red and white
animals and their picturesque driver
always created q ripple of interest.
The news that Mart Green and his
oxen are in town today was passed
from mouth to mouth with as much
animation as though some dis.
tinguished parsonage had favored the
community with his presence. The
oxen were always in the pink of con
dition and men who were we'll ac.
quainted with the hermit and who
visited him frequently used to say
that no stable Of blooded race horses
received better care Each summer
the hermit cut sufficient quantity
of hay on Stamford meadows which
he transported to his cabin by the
primitive method of loading 1t upon
a bushy tree top and which the oxen
hauled over the rough ground impass.
able for a sled. The oxen were COM
fortably housed in log stable but
were daily given their liberty even
during the winter when they varied
their ration Of marsh, hay by brows-
ing upon the abundant scrub.
There is an amusing story told Of
the oxen. One day in winter al
stranger, who had never visited the
locality OF Marts cabin, crossed the
and observed a pair Of oxen
wallowing in the snow. Jumping to
the conclusion that the animals had I,
been abandoned to shift for them !
selves in mid-winter the stranger,
when he arrived in Bennington, at
once hunted up Miss Susie Rogers, |
at that time the representative of the
Society for the Prevention of Cruel. I
ty to Animals. and told his grewsome |
tale. Securing horse and cutter
and driver from a local livery Miss
Rogers was carried to Mart's Cabin
10 find that the objects of reported (
abuse were receiving better care than
of the domestic animals
IN the country.
At one time Mart made his trips to
.he village on a sled drawn by a bull
which he had broken to harness and
which he drove like horse. Mart's
big cat with fur long and thick like
hat of a lynx is well remembered by
to the cabin, The hermit
was always exceptionally kind to
lumb animals.
Boys and young men on tramping
rips were always frequent visitors
1t Mart's cabin during the years that
le lived near Lake Hancock They
we're always welcomed so long as
hey conducted themselves like
,uests. II they did not they were
soon given to understand that their
'oom was more desirable than their