Early Social Clubs of Barre Vermont

Bird's Eye view of Barre Vermont 1891

Granite Lodge F. & A. M. was chartered January 11, 1855, to John Twing, Otis Peck, James Hale, Maynard French, Adolphus Thurston, S. W. Davis, Martin Keith and their associates. The first three principal officers installed were Alva Eastman, W. M., Martin Keith, S. W., Webber Tilden, J. W.; and Clark Holden was the first Secretary elected by the Lodge. The organization has been in good working order from the first, and its membership steadily increased with the growth of the place, being now 125. They have a pleasant and commodious lodge room in the old Tilden Block. The lodge … Read more

History of Barre Vermont

Bird's Eye view of Barre Vermont 1891

Barre is situated in the S. E. part of Washington Co., lat, 44° 11′, long. 4° 31′, bounded N. by East Montpelier and Plainfield, E. by Orange, S. by Williamstown and Washington, W. by Berlin, contains 19,900 acres, and was chartered Nov. 6, 1780, to William Williams and 66 others by the name of Wildersburgh, and organized under that name Mar. 11, 1793: Joseph Dwight, first town clerk; Joseph Sherman, Joseph Dwight, Nathan Harrington, selectmen; Jonas Nichols, treasurer; Job Adams, constable; Isaac S. Thompson, Apollos Hale, Elias Cheney listers. The name of the town was soon after changed. At a … Read more

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.

Organization of the Town of Bristol, Vermont

1889 Drawing of Bristol Vermont

In the issue of the Vermont Gazette for February 14, 1789, the following notification, or warning for the first town meeting in Pocock, or Bristol, was published: “These are to warn the inhabitants of Pocock to meet at the dwelling house of Justin Allen, in said Pocock, on the first Monday of March next, at 10 o’clock A. M., to act as follows: 1st, to choose a moderator to govern said meeting; 2d, to choose a town clerk; 3d, to choose selectmen; 4th, to choose a town treasurer; 5th, to choose a constable; 6th, to do any other business thought … Read more