Bennington, Vermont, USA (North Bennington)
1849 Bennington

One of the chief towns in the county. It is situated high above the great rivers and the ocean, yet we find it of good alluvial soil, delightfully encircled by evergreen mountains. It abounds in iron ore, manganese, ochre and marble. The streams are numerous and afford excellent mill sites. The products of the soil consist of all the varieties common to New England. Great attention is paid to the rearing of sheep.

There are in Bennington a great number of cotton and woolen factories, a very extensive iron foundry, two furnaces, a paper mill, flouring mills, &c. The public schools justly sustain an elevated rank. Bennington is finely located for the muses.

On the borders of this town, about six miles west of the court-house, the gallant Stark, with a small band of "Northern Yeoman," celebrated for their bravery, gained an important victory over the British August 16, 1777. The fame of that battle is as imperishable as the mountains which overshadow the ground. Shame to the country; - there is not a stone to mark the spot!

Walloomscoik Mill Co. in this town was incorporated in 1847.

Boundaries. North by Shaftsbury, east by Woodford, south by Pownal and west by Hoosic, in Renssellaer County, New York.

First Settlers. This township was chartered by Benning Wentworth, governor of New Hampshire, January 3, 1749, and was called Bennington in allusion to his name.

The first settlers were purchasers under the original proprietors, and came from Massachusetts. Samuel Robinson of Hardwick, Mass., who had been a captain during the French war, on his return from Lake George to Hoosic Forts, while proceeding up Hoosic River, mistook the Wallomscoik for that stream, and followed it up to the tract of country now Bennington. Here he and his companions, finding they had lost their way, encamped over night, and in the morning changed their course, and pursued their way to the forts. Captain Robinson was much pleased with the country, and returned to his family with a determination to begin a settlement upon it. He accordingly repaired to New Hampshire, made purchases of a considerable portion of the rights, and then sought for settlers.

The first emigration to the town consisted of the families of Peter Harwood, Eleazar Harwood, Leonard Robinson and Samuel Robinson, Jr., from Hardwick, and of Samuel Pratt and Timothy Pratt, from Amherst. The part, including women and children, numbered about twenty. They came on horseback across the mountain, by the Hoosic Forts and through Pownal, bringing on their horses all their household goods, and arrived in the town the 18th of June, 1761.

First Minister. Rev. Jedediah Dewey, of Westfield, Mass., removed to this town, and became pastor of the church in 1763, and continued so until his death, in 1778.

Productions of the Soil. Wheat, 2,185 bushels: Indian corn, 16,000 bushels: potatoes, 56,475 bushels ; hay, 564 tons ; maple sugar, 7,828 pounds ; wool, 26,327 pounds.

Distances. One hundred and twenty miles south-west by south from Montpelier, twenty-five south from Manchester, and thirty east from Troy, New York.



A gazetteer of Vermont... by John Hayward Boston - Tappan, Whittemore, and Mason 1849

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