Washington County

The National Bank of Barre Vermont

Bird's Eye view of Barre Vermont 1891

Contributed by Mr. Smith It was chartered and organized Jan. 11, 1873, by the removal of the old Chelsea Bank to this place, effected through the influence of Hon. B. W. Bartholomew, of Washington, Vermont, and Dr. Braley, of Barre. Dr. N. W. Braley was chosen President of the first board of directors, and William G. Austin, Cashier. Mr. Austin died of typhoid fever in the autumn of the same year, and was succeeded by Chas. A. King till 1877. On the night of the 5th of July, 1875, an attempt was made to burglarize the bank by compelling the … Read more

Biography of Calvin Jay Keith

Bird's Eye view of Barre Vermont 1891

A son of the Hon. Chapin Keith, late of Barre, was born in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, Apr. 9, 1800, and before he was a year old came with his father’s family to Barre, Vermont. At the age of sixteen, having shown himself a good and industrious scholar in the English branches taught in the common school of his home village, he commenced fitting for college at Randolph Academy, in the spring of 1816. In 1818 he entered Union College, at Schenectady, New York, and in 1822, was graduated with a good reputation for scholarship and moral character, then, for a year … Read more

Biography of Silas Ketchum

Bird's Eye view of Barre Vermont 1891

On the evening of the 19th of Nov. 1859, three young men met in a room over one of the stores in Hopkinton village, and formed themselves into an organization under the name of “The Philomathic Club.” These young men were Silas Ketchum, Darwin C. Blanchard and Geo. E. Crowell. The number of this club was limited to seven. It was made a part of the compact “the Club should never cease except by unanimous consent, and so long as two of its members lived.” The original design was social intercourse and literary culture. A private collection of relics, minerals … Read more

History of Barre, Vermont Schools

Spaulding Graded School in 1908

Early on, Barre had two flourishing schools — the Academy and Seminary. The residents of Barre, Vermont, seeing a need in opening a public school did so in 1887 calling it the Spaulding Graded School, and placed it on the same grounds as the then defunct Academy.