Category: News

George D. WOOD of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, is with his mother at the Four Corners.

Grand list of 1889: Real estate, $5,807.93; personal, 1578.11; polls, $750; total, $8,136.06. The list for 1888 was: Real $5,782.70; personal, $1,709.06; polls, $756; total, $8,247.76.

Fred E. CRANDALL has been engaged, the past week, in placing guide-boards along the highways through the town. No excuse now for anyone to get lost.

A new bridge has just been completed across Lull brook, near A. A. MARTIN’s shop.

Dr. D. F. RUGG is attending the American Medical Association in Newport, R. I., this week.

Dr. S. E. STEVENS can be found at the residence of Nathaniel GILSON, near the depot.

The remains of William ALLEN, better known as “Father ALLEN,” were buried from his late home near Hartland Falls, Sunday, the 16th, Rev. C. M. CARPENTER officiating. The large gathering of friends and neighbors testified to the love and respect in which he was held as a citizen. He was 82 years of age.

A horse owned by Frank GILBERT, valued at $200, was recently so terribly cut by wire fence in the pasture that it was found necessary to kill him.

The factory at North Hartland has closed for a short time.

Misses Gertie SMITH and Mary STEVENS are home from Montpelier Seminary.

Transcribed by Ruth Barton

Rev. Allen HAZEN has moved with his family into the Congregational parsonage, and now preaches regularly. He is liked very much.

Rev. C. M. CARPENTER and family are away on their annual vacation, at Lynn, Mass.

Mrs. FARNSWORTH and daughter May, and Miss Adele CHAPIN of Leominster, Mass., are at Albourne LULL’s.

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer S. SLADE of Proctor, and Dr. Charles SMITH of Dakota, are at P. B. SMITH’s.

Mrs. E. E. ESTERBROOK of Lowell, Mass., is at Albert GIBSON’s.

Miss Florence HEMENWAY and Miss May SHORT are at Oscar HEMINWAY’s.

Geo. HOYT, wife and child, are at M. C. HARLOW’s.

Fred E. HARLOW and wife of Cleveland, Ohio, are at his father’s — Nathan HARLOW.

Mrs. Jane GOVE of Springfield, Mass., is visiting her many friends in this place.

Mrs. Clarence HARRIMAN and daughter Florence, of North Walpole, N. H., visited at Geo. A. DUNBAR’s the past week.

Mrs. George H. FLETCHER, vocal teacher and soloist, of Boston, is at L. A. SHEDD’s for the summer.

Mrs. Alice BENJAMIN, accompanied by Dr. RUGG, was taken to the insane asylum at Brattleboro last week, Monday.

Haying is progressing very slowly, on account of the wet weather.

Ethan GILES, while loading hay, Monday afternoon, dropped dead on the load; from heart-disease.

Mrs. George LEONARD who has been sick a long time with consumption, died Tuesday morning; and Miss Lena PERKINS died Tuesday afternoon; making three deaths in twenty-four hours.

Transcribed by Ruth Barton

A. E. GILSON, the noted farmer and gardener, at Hartland Falls, is first in the market with peas and strawberries.

E. A. GILES has been allowed a pension of $8 per month and arrearages of $344.

The Hartland drum-corps gave W. R. STURTEVANT a very pleasant serenade, Friday evening of last week, and duly installed him as postmaster at the village. The compliment was handsomely returned by the official, the corps being invited inside the house, where vocal music with piano accompaniment, and an abundance of the best coffee and cake, formed a pleasant supplement to the outside performance.

George MARCY has, by common consent among all his brother farmers, the best field of corn to be found within the town limits. It was planted the second day of May.

A. A. MARTIN and Julius LAMB have gone on their annual fishing-trip to Sunapee Lake, N. H.

The few services held by Rev. Allen HAZEN in the Congregational church have made a good impression here. May he find it pleasant to labor and live in the midst of this people.

Albert A. STURTEVANT, whose business headquarters are New York city and Chicago, arrived at his home in this village, last week Monday, for a short time.

Mr. and Mrs. William YORK and Charles DUTTON have gone to Nantucket Beach, Mass., as saloonist.

C. V. N. WINSLOW and C. A. STURTEVANT have bought of Arthur ALEXANDER his interest in the wheelwright-shop, and will continue the business.

Wilson BRITTON is in Boston, this week, on business.

Transcribed by Ruth Barton

Town Meeting Results

Moderator, J. H. EASTMAN; clerk, W. R. STURTEVANT; selectmen, Asa WEED, J. H. EASTMAN, C. C. GATES; listers, E. S. AINSWORTH, Geo. W. SPEAR, Wilson BRITTON; auditors, E. S. AINSWORTH, W. R. STURTEVANT, B. F. LABAREE; street commissioners, selectmen; treasurer, E. W. BILLINGS; overseer, C. P. BURK; agent, E. M. GOODWIN; constable, J. S. SLEEPER; grand juror, A. J. WEED; trustee U. S. revenue, E. W. BILLINGS; school board, D. F. RUGG. Transcribed by Ruth Barton

George P. EASTMAN has been appointed town grand jury-man in place of Ira J. WEED, resigned.

George P. STURTEVANT of Hartford, Conn., in stopping a few days in town.

Leslie HATCH, wife and child, are at M. BALCH’s.

J. M. M RICHARDSON and family have left town and gone to Barre.

Charles and Elliott HOWARD of Brooklyn, N. Y., are at L. A. SHEDD’s.

John C. BOYNTON and W. E. BRITTON were the only ones in this town, out of sixty tickets sold, to draw prizes at the Montpelier fair–the former a cash prize of two dollars, the latter a family jewelry case.

About thirty took in the excursion to Providence Island, last Tuesday, and all report a good time.

Rev. C. M. CARPENTER and family returned to their home, last Saturday, after a three weeks vacation.

Rev. Wm. H. RUGG, wife and son, of Perkinsville, are guests at Dr. RUGG’s this week.

Mrs. Dr. FULLER, children and servant, of Brooklyn, N. Y., are stopping at B. F. LABAREE’s.

Mr. CRANS, the popular station-agent at this place, leaves here, this week, and goes to Swanton. He will be missed very much by many friends.

Rev. C. M. CARPENTER has tendered his resignation to the M. E. church, to take effect the first of September.

Transcribed by Ruth Barton

Sometimes it is fun to read old news clips. Each one isn’t long enough to do an entire column with so I will give you a couple to enjoy.

The first is Hartland, Vt. 1877.

A little excitement happened in District #6 in April. Mr. Sumner T. Lull, who lives on the Cady farm, received from the hotel “des tramps”, in Windsor, a lad named Charles Baker, about 15 years of age, to assist him on his farm. About two weeks ago they left him to go to church, when he went to Mr. Lulls desk, and took about fifteen dollars in money, and what clothes Mr. Lull had furnished him, and left.When Mr. Lull came home he learned the boy had been missing about two hours,and immediately started in pursuit, toward Hartland, with Mr. Charles Wilder at Hartland Four Corners, G.H. Thayer – who was not making soap- said he had seen the boy pass, as also did Mr. Albert B. Burk; Mr. Wilson Britton, Chairman of the Hartland Thief Detective Society, being busily engaged in his horse barn, did not see the boy pass – Mr. Lull then drove to the Pavillion Hotel, kept by Mr. R.L. Britton, who furnished him with a fresh horse and also started with him in search of the boy, in company with Mr. Eli Shepard, one of the Hartland detectives, they then proceeded up the track on foot, eight or ten rods to Mr. Gilson’s cooper shop, when Mr. Britton, becoming weary, returned, and as they came back to the depot they saw the boy who was immediately secured by Mr. Britton and Wilder.- Upon searching him, the money was found secreted in a handkerchief around his body; after consultation, they delivered the boy, to Mr. Lull, minus 62 cents, which “Roy” said was to go to the Detective Society. Now what does Mr. Lull do with the boy? Beat and pound him, as some would suppose, from what they have heard on account of a little trouble he had with a contrary and ill-disposed prisoner? He took the boy home and kept him about a week, and gave him good Christian instruction, telling him the evil consequences of such things, which, from his former experience with rogues, he was capable of doing. The boy may find other homes, but none better than the one he had at Mr. Lull’s. We hope the boy may ever find as good friends as he found at Windsor. A FRIEND TO THE UNFORTUNATE.

From the January 7, 1937 paper we have:

Three Hartland Men Injured in Falls
Hartland – The slippery conditions of the past week were responsible for several falls, the most serious of which was that of Leslie L. Lobdell, 72, who broke his hip and is in Windsor Hospital. Mr. Lobdell lives alone on his farm in the west part of town, beyond Jenneville, and has no telephone. Late Saturday afternoon he fell while coming from the barn to the house. He managed to crawl to the house where he sat by the kitchen fire all night. With the crooked handle of his cane he pulled the wood box to him and fed the fire. Then he got hold of a saw on the table, and sawed up the wood box for fuel. He was not found until about noon Sunday when his neighbor, Bernatchez, arrived. In the afternoon he was taken to the hospital.

Warren H. Henshaw fell while delivering milk, and struck a blow on the back of the head which made him unconscious for a time. He was picked up by Howard Claypoole, who found him lying in the road near Stammers place in Martinsville. He does not remember where or how the fall occurred, but was able to deliver his milk as usual the next day.

Jay G. Underwood fell on the ice Friday, and tore the ligaments from his lower rib. He was in Jenneville on his route near frank Norman’s where his car slewed dangerously and almost went over a bank. In shoveling some dirt under the wheels, he slipped and hurt his side. he managed to get home, and has been confined to the house since.

Take care everyone!!

Reprinted from the Vermont Standard, 2012, “Historically Speaking” by Carol Mowry.

In my last article, I decided to share some fun news clippings. Well, I enjoyed that so much that I decided to do it again. C.Y.M.

May 5, 1888

Stuck in the mud! Two gentlemen from Windsor and the same number of ladies came to this village Tuesday evening thinking as they said, ‘There used to be a dance here.’ Finding no dance here they started for home about 10 o’clock, and on reaching the clay ground through which the road passes near the house of S.W.

Davis (I don’t know where this is. C.Y.M. ); the horses, carriage and occupants went suddenly down into the clay porridge. The horses floundered and finally fell. The ladies stepped from the carriage into the mud and made for the uplands. S.W. Davis was called on for help. He was unable to do much. However, by the stimulus of a five dollar bill offered in case the carriage was extricated, but help was in vain. The horses were taken from the carriage and attached to another at H.S. Brittons hospitable roof. The weary, mud covered pilgrims resumed the march to Windsor. At this writing, Wednesday forenoon, the carriage, a double one, remains in the road where it went down. Last night only the body part and cover being visible.’ I don’t think I will ever complain about roads again.

Windsor County Hartland News 1897

Not withstanding all the precautions taken by George D. Wood of the American Poultry Farm on Hendrick Hill (on Rice Rd ) and the military preparations heretofore made for defending it against midnight invaders, as announced in the Journal not long since, the unprincipled and venturesome thief still prowls around the premises. On a recent night while ‘Jim’ Harwood, with two revolvers and a pig sticker in his belt, was watching out from the top of a tall tamarack tree that overlooks the poultry yards, and while proprietor Wood stood at the west attic window of the Henrick house with a loaded rifle and shotgun, a sudden commotion among the feathered tribes revealed the fact that someone was within the enclosure and laying unlawful hands upon them. ‘Jim’ stood on too insecure foundations in the tamarack tree to make it safe for him to use his weapons, but George, from the attic window emptied the contents of his firearms into the poultry yards without effect, so far as can be learned except to endanger the lives of some of his choice Buff Cochins. It is now proposed as we learn, to increase the armament of the hill by planting in the dark entry, so called, a sort of Kyler pass just above the poultry yard, a rapid firing Gatling gun that will sweep the road from that point to Lambs woods eastward.

Reprinted from the Vermont Standard, January 12, 2012, “Historically Speaking” by Carol Mowry.

The Martinsville skating club has been organized by the choice of A. A. MARTIN, president; John STRONG, secretary and treasurer;  business committee,  Lucian SMALL, George SPAULDING and A. E. HILL.

Sheepman W. W. BAGLEY is putting a 42 feet “lean to’ on his barn to keep his merinos warm and dry.

Judging by the number of young canary birds of Mrs. D. M. BADGER, there will soon be music in Foundryville.

The handsomest garden pansy bed we have seen is that of Mrs. KINGSLEY in Hartland village.

Fred W. CLARK plants seven acres of corn this year with a horse planter.  The scarcity of help makes machinery on the farm indispensable.

Silas D. WILDER shows a curiosity in the news room not often seen. It is a section of a whale’s rib 2 feet long and 2 inches wide, taken from a whale in the North Pacific ocean by Capt. DUNHAM, of Woodstock, 50 years ago.

There was a “potato race” at Billings skating rink one night last week.  Prizes were $1.00 for first, 75 cents for second and 50 cents for third. The first prize was taken by A. E. HILL, second Earnest KEENE and third W. O. SPAULDING. Your correspondent and T. A. KINGSLEY took each a lesson on the rollers, a few morning since, of chief BILLINGS.

J. H. BOWERS planted nine varieties of potatoes, or rather potatoes with nine different names, last year. Out of that number he has only planted three this year, Burbank Seedlings, Beauty of Hebron and Early Rose. These did the best with him.

Waldo & Dickinson’s block is undergoing important repairs which includes painting, new outside doors and partitions.  Jesse V. JOHNSON does the ornamental work.

Carpenter LITCH is making quite extensive repairs on GILBERT’s foundry.

“Among the most industrious and successful of the young lawyers at the Chicago bar is J. M. H. BURGETT. He was born at Hartland, Windsor county, Vt., in 1850. His father, a manufacturer and railroad contractor, was a  prominent man there and highly respected in the community as a business man and a citizen.” The foregoing is from a Western paper and will recall a name formerly well known here. Mrs. Pliny B.SMITH is a sister of the above named person. The family removed to the West in 1854.

As Geo. R. GUERNSEY of Windsor was driving through our village one day last wee, doubtless absorbed in the natural beauties of the place, and perhaps watching the many improvements being made, he lost control of his horse, who being frightened from some cause, reared into the air and upset his carriage in dangerously near proximity to Mrs. W. R. STURTEVANT and her child which she was drawing on the sidewalk. In the fear and confusion of the moment, she tried to get the baby into a garden through a picket fence, but the spaces between teh pickets didn’t fit that sized baby, and she sought refuge in her husband’s store, not far off. beyond the fright, no damage was done.

The most violent rain and wind storm for many years occurred here Monday last. One end of the new covered bridge across the lower end of Lull brook has settled 12 inches by the action of water on the stone abutment.

R. E. FRENCH still goes off to market with some of the farmer’s fattest stock. We noticed one yoke of oxen in his this week’s load that weighed 3500 pounds. He bought them of Albourne LULL.

C. P. BURK returned from his trip to market last week without feeling any injurious effects. He wishes it stated that his recovery from a dangerous illness is due to the skill of Dr. RUGG and the careful nursing of his wife.

Mrs. N. F. ENGLISH says, in regard to the seven feet begonia mentioned in East Barnard correspondence last wee, and owned by Mrs. Edward ALLEN, “tell her to nip it back, as it hurts begonias to grow any higher after they get to be seven feet.” We may mention that Mrs. ENGLISH and Mrs. ALLEN are relatives.

Arrangements have been made by which the mail of Martinsville is delivered twice a day at the tin shop of F. PL BILLINGS.

Mrs. J. F. LYMAN, while at work in her garden, near the mouth of Lull brook, one day last week, dug up an Indian arrow head made of flint, perfect in form, which may have been there hundreds or thousands of years.

Directly across the street from the newsroom, may be seen a large and handsomely cultivated garden with one of the largest and best asparagus bed in town. Long before the snow was all gone we noticed the owner at work, beginning earlier in the morning than most people go to their work, and continuing through the day. The garden is a large one and he does all the work of planting, weeding and hoeing, not from necessity but from early formed habits of industry. The person referred to is Mr. Cullen F. STURTEVANT, well on towards 90 years of age.

Mr. Joseph LIVERMORE, ninety-five years of age, was out in his fields planting corn, as was noticed by people passing by his farm last week.

Elisha BARRELL deeded to L. A. SHEDD a small piece of land, about an acre, for $85 including crops. The land formerly belonged to the SHEDD farm.

One of the rarest sights to be found in Windsor county, probably, can be seen in Mrs. B. F. LABAREE’S sitting room. This room is just fifteen feet square, and an English ivy, starting from near one corner, has made the circuit of the room, less only a few yards, eight times. it is worth going distance to see. The slip from which has been produced this enormous growth, was given to Mrs. LABAREE by Mrs. Harriet PIERCE, sister of Mrs. M. K. PAINE, in Windsor, fourteen years ago.

Eli SHEPARD is an old and well-known citizen living alone in a small house near the Methodist church. Passing by the other day, we noticed quite a little drove of birds, of the wren specie, which he was feeding on his door-step. They seemed perfectly tame, and appeared to greatly enjoy their breakfast of cracker crumbs. Inquiry elicited the following:  “Yes, these birds are very tame, they come regularly three times a day for their food, lighting all around me as you see them now, and often fly into the window when I am eating, light on the table and eat with me. I talk much to them; they seem to understand what I say, and are a great deal of company for me.” Miss Abby B. BATES is home from the Methodist Seminary and female college at Montpelier. her father, James G. BATES, attended the recent graduating exercises and speaks of the institution as in a very flourishing condition.

Miss Grace KETCHUM has returned to her home after an absence of several months in Boston and Salem, Mass., where she has been engaged in perfecting her musical education. Miss Gertie WOODCOCK of Chicago is visiting with her.

The silver wedding anniversary of Mr. and Ms. George A. MORSE was celebrated July 5, in Medford, Mass., where they have resided since their marriage. Mrs. O.W. WALDO, Mrs. J. G. MORGAN and Mrs. G. THAYER, of this town, sisters of Mrs. MORSE, sent presents, as did also W. H. H., James and Simon S. WALKER,  her brothers.

Mr. and Mrs. W. P. PAUL of Lebanon, N. H., will known both here and in Windsor, have recently been the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Jason DARLING of this town.

Mr. George M. HOYT, druggist, of Boston formerly with Col. M. K. PAINE, Windsor, and his wife, formerly Allie HARLOW of this town, have been up to breath the mountain air and drink from the cooling springs of Hartland.  There were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. M. C. HARLOW. Mr. HOYT returned to Boston, Monday.  Mrs. HOYT is to remain sometime longer.

Mattie KEYES of Claremont, N.H., is visiting with her aunt, Mrs. Lorenzo WOOD, at Four Corners.

“What you has here, one horse show?” That was the Frenchman’s question on seeing the horses round DICKINSON’s shop waiting for shoes.

Stephen M. PINGREE was in town last week.

Women and their work–Under this head we notice some uncommonly fine rag carpet and rag work by Mrs. George STURTEVANT,  which we recently examined. One unfamiliar with the science of combining colors would hardly believe that a lot of old rags could be worked into articles of such real beauty and use.  We are always pleased to notice the products of the farm, and we are no less pleased to notice the products of the busy fingers of our wives, sisters and daughters, that do so much to beautify our homes.

The school in district No. 6 under the charge of Miss May L. SLAYTON, closed July 5. Whole number of pupils 7. names of those not absent or tardy.   Mary GREEN, Rena BROWN, Walter EASTMAN, and Clayton HACKETT.   Absent but not tardy, Hattie HACKETT, Emma BROWN, and Minnie BATES.