The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-12-02
MEMORIAL ON SITE
Of STATE 'sF|RsT
MEETING HOUSE
Historic Spot to Be Marked by
Mrs. Elinor w. Squier
EXERCISES NEXT SUMMER
First Church inside Territory
now State of Vermont Es-
tablishcd 100 Years Ago

Tomorrow, December 3rd, marks the
Tooth anniversary OF the founding of
The First Church. This church Is gen.
orally believed to be the first church
established in the New Hampshire
Grants. As matter of fact Roman
Catholic chapel was built at Isle La
Motto in 1865 or 81, during the French
occupation, which eoincides with the
building OF Fort st. Anne. SO that the
church In Old Bennington is the first
Protestant church erected within the
present limits OF the State of Vermont.
While "The Church of Christ In Ben
nington," asit was originally called,
came into existence Dec. 3, 1852. pre-
liminary steps fUr its organization
were taken at the first public meeting
Of the community on February II.
1852, Just 'one year lacking a day be.
fore the treaty was signed ceding the
province of Canada to the British
Government and so ending the formid-
able French war; The first transac-
ton after the election OF officers at this
February meeting is recorded in the
following words "Chose Deacon JOS
cph Stafford. Samuel Robinson, John
Fassett, Ebenezer Wood, Elisha Field,
John Burnham and Abraham Newton
a committee to look out a place to set
the meeting house
BY the record Of an adjourned pro.
prietors' meeting February 26th, 1852,
we find tho place to set the meeting
house determined by the following
vote.
THE northeast corner OF the right
Of land, No. 27, as near the corner
as may be thought convenient"
The Rev. Isaac Jennings in his book
Memorials OF Century states that
mo public plot had been laid out
IL was evidently assumed that the
place for the meeting house should
first be selected. aud then chat roads
and other public improvements should
adjust themselves somewhat to
that The exact site of the
building was on what Is now. the
village green directly in front of
main entrance 70 the cemetery,
and to the North Of the marble
walk running from the front door
of the present church edifice to the
main entrance. Of the Walloomsac
Inn. The location of the main entrance
Of the old meeting house Is marked
BY an iron bar driven into the grcuid.
Tie building ian North and South,
with three entrances, one at the North,
South and East respectively. The pull
pit was at the west end. The dimcn.
sions Of the structure were fifty feet
by forty. On the east side there was an
annex twenty feet square. On the sec
ond floor OF the annex was conducted
for a long term OF years day school,
without question the first school es.
tabl'shcd in the state. In this connec'
tion mention should be made OF the
fact that Clio Hall, the first institution
for the higher education In the state,
was incorporated by the Legislature
which sat in the old meeting house In
the winter OF 1880. The exact date Of
the Act OF, Incorporation is November
3. 1850. ste d
In the first meeting house was chos'
en- the first Committee Of Safety. Here
led by. the great Patriot Pastor. jed
ediah Dewey. the people rendered
thanks to God after the capture OF
Fort Ticonderoga; prayed for their
compatriots on the eve Of the battle
OF bennington, and, later. rendered
solemn thanksgiving for the memor
able victory Of August 16, lT77. Here
eicre brought 700 prisoners, Hessians
and others. the remnant of the invad
ing British force. many of whom wer,
kept for a season within tho walls
of tho meeting house. Here the indie
pcndcnce of Vermont received its init
ial impetus, member OF the FRS
church. DR. Jonas Fay, being author
OF the Declaration OF independence,
adopted at Westminster, January 10
171l. Vermont was an independent re
public from January II, l777 to Marcl
4. l19l. cxerc sing all the attributes
and functions Of sovereignty. Tho fund
amenta law OF this commonwealth
was enacted by the legislature whicl
met here In February, 1879. In thl'
humble meeting house momentous cS
sions Of the legislature were held il
177S. 1873, 1880, 1881, 1882, l7S4. 1887
1871. Here was convened the third acs
sion OF the first Council of Cchsori
and It's address to the "frcemen OF tn
State OF Vermont was issued fron
tbs place February IL. 1856. \ Stat
Convention, consisting ot one d Il
gate for each town met here in Jan
uary l79i to consider the ratification
of tho Constitution of the Unite,
States and on the tenth day of tn
month l05 out OF o total OF l09 dee
gates signed the Ratification Act
There Is no more sacred site IN vcl
mont than the village green in OIL
Bennington.
DR.. Booth had not been establishe
as pastor of the First church NOR
than a few weeks before he was al
preached by two of the Oldest men
ters Of his church with the reques
that he exert himself to secure the e
cction of suitable memorial on thl
historic spot, AS result of his !,