The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-10
TOWN HALL DEDICATED.
Continued from Page /.

presented and gave "reminiscences OF
Col and Mrs. DuttOn.
Judge Waterman, so far as the commit /
tee could learn. is the only person living |
in this part of the country who knew Col. /
Dutton in the days when he first came to |
Townshend from Ludlow. Judge Water |
man at that time lived in Jamaica and
attended Leland and Gray seminary in |
Townshend. He told of Col. Dutton
coming as assistant principal about the
year 1859, when the principal was George
Il. Lane, afterwards Dr. Lane.
| Within two years the Civil war broke
out and Col. Dutton, then young, vigor-
ous and active man, was appointed to-
| II, Sth Vermont Volunteers, at Town
shend He was assisted by Alvin Il.
/ Franklin, now in California, who after
wards became lieutenant colonel of the
| regiment; w. III. III. HOlton of jamaica,
who after being wounded was breveted
major; S. E. Howard of Jamaica, who
became a captain in the regiment; and w.
III. Smith of Wilmington. The only sur
vivor is Mr.. Franklin.
They held rallies, with singing, in differ
lent towns, and the company was organ
lied Jan H. 1862. with Henry f. Dutton
as captain. Mr.. Franklin as first heuten-
ant AIs. Holton as second lieutenant and
Mr.. Howard as first sergeant. The COM
Ipany and regiment went out under Col.
Stephen Thomas and had wonderful
lrecord. At the battle of Opequon, Sept.
10, 1864, one of Lieut.. Col. buttons arms
was broken by a ball, which resulted in
his discharge.
Judge Waterman said that Col. Dutton
was a brave, energetic and fOrceful man
and was assigned to hazardous enter
tpriSes. He related the story of one such
enterprise, which was the story of go
volunteer sharpshooters being placed I'M
lder the command of the young Capt. Dut-
ton to pick off the gunners of the steamer
i cotton. which had backed up into the
+, was terror to the Union forces. The
company of sharpshooters led an assault
on the Cotton which enabled. the regi-
ment to scuttle and burn the steamer.
4 After the war Col. Dutton lived in
: Townshend but a short time, locating in
South Carolina, where he engaged in the
q cotton business, and later in Florida in
the phosphate business and in banking.
He married Miss Kate Cathan of Town
/ shend, daughter of l.. Ii. and Marcia III.
e Cathan. May %. 1864. and they had one
son, Henry c.. jr. They made frequent
visits to Townshend, were highly regarded
by the tOwnSpeOpIe and felt much at
. tached to the community. Judge Water
man thought that in view of the mutual
1 feeling of regard between the community
/ and Col. and Mrs. button it was natural
that Mrs. Dutton should wish to assist
1 the town in this way in memory of her
1 husband and son.
| Mrs. Dutton still retains the Cathar
homestead, which is the first house OF
l the left after crossing the bridge in Har
lmonyville going north to TOMnshend vii
lage. 1t is always an attractive and wei
kept place. Mr. Dutton died March II
1915.
Following a selection by the ban,
I Chairman Ware introduced Judge
Warner A. Graham of Bellows Falls
Judge Graham said that in the past five
/ years, through regular visits on oficia
4 duties he had kept in close touch will
the affairs of Townshend and her PEG
4 pie and was there when the joyous new
of the gift of Mrs. button was received
4 Community benefits always have thei
I origin in the hearts of individuals, Judg
l Graham said, and while he fittingly re
l called the generosity of those response
4 bic for the town hall he spoke especial,
of the larger significance of the building
> in the life of the community and dwell
upon the Importance of the institution
I: ing.
/: Judge Graham's address was followe
I: by a group of three songs by Miss Dali
Il OBJ No, John. No told English), TIL
/: Plague of Love told English), and I'll
|: World in June, by Spross,
4: This concluded the forenoon program
|: and from Il to > o'clock a deiciou
L
/: banquet hall of the town haH and in I'll
|: Congregational church. During a pal
|: of that time a concert was given by til
1: band.
|: In the absence of Attorney James +
L: Batchelder of Arlington, whose nam
/: appeared on the program for an address
/: Captain T.. W. Gibson of BrattlebOI
/: took his place. speaking at o'clock o
|: the common. He spoke of the dedicatio
|: as linking the present with a great pas
/: Our forebears were men of great cOuras
II and resolution, which were qualities r
|: quired in coming to this section and clea
|: ing forest lands. They helped to giN
the world new idea of government ;
|: embodied in the Declaration of Indepen
II: ence The same idea has grown unit
|: republics have replaced monarchieS, al
h the people of the world are calling {
Il: America to save the civilization of e
|: rope. Windham county stands high
Il: the nations roll of honor, due to Il
/: strength of its citizenship, which shoy
/: itself IN the community spirit which '
/: see viSualized in this town hall becau
|: it stands for all the traditions that I'll
|: down through the history of the town. I
|: urged the soldiers present and the 5,
|: diers to come to be loyal to a count
made possible by sacrifice without whi
no country can live. The address w
|: followed by cornet solo by Sews
|: Morse
|: The last speaker of the day was Ho
/: John Barrett of Washington. ID. G.,
|: native of the adjoining town of Cratic
|; former United States minister in As
1: and South America. and late direct
|: general of the Pan-American union
Il: Washington.
|: He emphasized and pictured the uiq
/: and notable part which the town h
|: plays in Vermont and New England Ii
|: After laying great stress upon the impt
|: lance of community cooperation to [
L: future welfare and happiness of the pc
|: pie of the country towns of Vermont a
/: New England, he addressed the followi
I:lapostrophe to the town hall itself:
/: Town Hall of Townshend, of V,
/: mont, of New England, of Americ
|: What do you really mean to your peopl
IL ..rrnMn Hall Won arc the meeting hn,,